Zonificación climática para su aplicación al diseño bioclimático. Aplicación en Galicia (España)

The current Spanish legislation for energy efficiency establishes the climatic zones for compliance with the limitation of energy demand and consumption. These established zones do not have the function of being the basis for the design of buildings with bioclimatic strategies. We propose a methodology to develop a cartography based on Givoni’s design strategies, establishing a general zoning between geographic areas of similar behaviour. The cartography thus obtained provides the designer with information on the strategies that can be used to achieve comfort, without having to perform complex information searches. It validates the operation of the methodology used in its application to the Autonomous Community of Galicia (Spain). Within the process, a comparison is established between the two cartographies so that the similarities and divergences can be verified between them, concluding the concrete and differential applications for each of them.La normativa española actual para la eficiencia energética establece las zonas climáticas para el cumplimiento de la limitación de la demanda y consumo energéticos. Estas zonas establecidas no tienen la función de ser base para el diseño de edificios con estrategias bioclimáticas. Se propone una metodología para elaborar una cartografía basada en las estrategias de diseño de Givoni, estableciendo una zonificación general entre áreas geográficas de comportamiento similar. La cartografía así obtenida aporta al diseñador información sobre las estrategias que puede utilizar para alcanzar el confort, sin tener que realizar búsquedas de información complejas. Se valida el funcionamiento de la metodología utilizada en su aplicación a la Comunidad Autónoma de Galicia (España). Dentro del proceso se establece complementariamente una comparativa entre ambas cartografías de modo que se pueden comprobar las similitudes y divergencias entre las mismas, concluyendo las aplicaciones concretas y diferenciales para cada una de ellas

Excavation for Underground Parking in Seville (Spain). Treatment with Reinforced Injections.

For the accomplishment of a excavation of several levels, it is necessary the containment decision-making of the ground, and more in work situations under the phreatic level. The possible existing techniques in the market, they are various, each one of they with different applications. One of them is the technique of the treatment of the soil through the Technique of the reinforced injections. With this technique it is considered to accomplish a treatment of the perimeter of the zone to dig, in such a way that modifying the geotechnical characteristics of the soil, they could be obtained the required and cited conditions previously. For power to observe the great validity of this system, is presented a real case executed in the year 2002, in the city of Seville, in the south of Spain, together to the river Guadalquivir, the accomplishment of an underground parking of two plants, in a decrease soil quality, with next buildings of importance

Trabajar lo conocido para saltar hacia lo desconocido: un ámbito para la especulación, la experimentación y el análisis

Con la reciente aprobación en el Consejo de Ministros del día 14 de diciembre pasado de la Orden Ministerial que desarrolla las directrices propias del título de Grado de Arquitecto, en breve nos veremos obligados plantear el nuevo marco en el que queremos que se desarrolle el proceso de formación de los futuros arquitectos, y para ello habremos de acometer la reforma de los planes de estudios adaptándolos a las exigencias que plantea el Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior. Nuestro objetivo en la presente comunicación es el de suscitar algunas reflexiones que nos permitan abordar esta reforma desde un punto de vista amplio, crítico y de futuro, y eludir la comodidad de lo sancionado por la tradición

Differences in the immune response elicited by two immunization schedules with an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in a randomized phase 3 clinical trial

BACKGROUND: The development of vaccines to control the COVID-19 pandemic progression is a worldwide priority. CoronaVac® is an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine approved for emergency use with robust efficacy and immunogenicity data reported in trials in China, Brazil, Indonesia, Turkey, and Chile. METHODS: This study is a randomized, multicenter, and controlled phase 3 trial in healthy Chilean adults aged ≥18 years. Volunteers received two doses of CoronaVac® separated by two (0-14 schedule) or four weeks (0-28 schedule). 2,302 volunteers were enrolled, 440 were part of the immunogenicity arm, and blood samples were obtained at different times. Samples from a single center are reported. Humoral immune responses were evaluated by measuring the neutralizing capacities of circulating antibodies. Cellular immune responses were assessed by ELISPOT and flow cytometry. Correlation matrixes were performed to evaluate correlations in the data measured. RESULTS: Both schedules exhibited robust neutralizing capacities with the response induced by the 0-28 schedule being better. No differences were found in the concentration of antibodies against the virus and different variants of concern between schedules. Stimulation of PBMCs with MPs induced the secretion of IFN-g and the expression of activation induced markers for both schedules. Correlation matrixes showed strong correlations between neutralizing antibodies and IFN-g secretion. CONCLUSIONS: Immunization with CoronaVac® in Chilean adults promotes robust cellular and humoral immune responses. The 0-28 schedule induced a stronger humoral immune response than the 0-14 schedule. FUNDING: Ministry of Health, Government of Chile, Confederation of Production and Commerce & Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy, Chile. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: NCT04651790

THE UNIVERSITY OF ALCALA DE HENARES (MADRID, SPAIN), AS A DYNAMIC EXAMPLE AND LABORATORY OF THE RECOVERY, REHABILITATION, AND CONSERVATION OF THE CULTURAL HERITAGE

Cardinal Cisneros launched in 1499 a major universitary project, that was located in Alcala de Henares (Madrid, Spain). It bestowed recently the recognition of the Council of Europe as a World Heritage Site in 1998 by UNESCO. Cisneros created the new university in the vicinity of the Roman town of Complutum. This site had two qualities which were particularly important: it was placed at a safe distance from the power of the Crown at Toledo, and it was well connected with other main Spanish cities, through the Roman road or calzada that crossed the Iberian peninsula from South to North going along some important settlements as Mérida, Toledo, Zaragoza, and Barcelona. Thus the old town of Alcala de Henares still keeps the remains of the Visigothic, Roman, Muslim and Hebrew cultures. Since the end of the fifteenth century the built Renaissance complex has gone through three clear stages, where lots of relevant architects developed their work. Among them, Pedro Gumiel and Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón can be cited for their first drawings, but other anonymous architects have also contributed to build such an interesting project. In a second stage some repairs were needed on the former structures, in order to adapt them to their new functions due to deterioration or even to changes in ownership or uses (as happened to the Colegio Mayor de San Ildefonso). Finally, at the latest stage at the end of the 20th and the early 21st centuries a new regeneration project took place in order to introduce the modern technologies and energy-efficient standards the old universitary buildings. An interesting example of this modern practices on dynamic conservation of the historical heritage is the new Learning and Research Center (LRC) on the ruins of San Diego headquarter built in 1859 on the site of the Franciscan convent of Santa Maria de Jesus, founded in 1445 by Archbishop Alonso Carrillo (which in turn it replaced an earlier one). The aims of the new LRC are to, preserve and document the archaeological remains from each one of the previous cultures, thus becoming an international research center on the cultural heritage documentation and preservation which heads the Spanish and European universities. In short, it intends to add value to the existing Heritage through a new project which involves not only an intensive use but a transdisciplinary complex including urban, architectural and functional changes which have been solved through a comprehensive rehabilitation project, a special urban development and a master action plans with focus in energy–efficient researches. Since the creation of the Schools of Architecture and Civil Engineery, the study of Built Heritage at the University of Alcala has been introduced as an essential educational tool, who can currently learn and apply both the traditional measurements and the digital invasive and non-invasive technologies (Such as X-Ray, radar or infrared methodologies) to study the old buildings, their constructive pathologies, and their evolution. Teachers also show to the students the possibility of including new and changing uses the old buildings, and they explore new proposals on this heritage

Seroconversion and Abundance of IgG Antibodies against S1-RBD of SARS-CoV-2 and Neutralizing Activity in the Chilean Population

COVID-19 is a pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2. In Chile, half a million people have been infected and more than 16,000 have died from COVID-19. As part of the clinical trial NCT04384588, we quantified IgG against S1-RBD of SARS-CoV-2 (anti-RBD) in recovered people in Santiago and evaluated their suitability as COVID-19 convalescent plasma donors. ELISA and a luminescent SARS-CoV-2 pseudotype were used for IgG and neutralizing antibody quantification. 72.9% of the convalescent population (468 of 639) showed seroconversion (5-55 μg/mL anti-RBD IgG) and were suitable candidates for plasma donation. Analysis by gender, age, and days after symptom offset did not show significant differences. Neutralizing activity correlated with an increased concentration of anti-RBD IgG (p<0.0001) and showed a high variability between donors. We confirmed that the majority of the Chilean patients have developed anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The quantification of anti-RBD IgG in convalescent plasma donors is necessary to increase the detection of neutralizing antibodies

The TRPV4 channel links calcium influx to DDX3X activity and viral infectivity

Ion channels are well placed to transduce environmental cues into signals used by cells to generate a wide range of responses, but little is known about their role in the regulation of RNA metabolism. Here we show that the TRPV4 cation channel binds the DEAD-box RNA helicase DDX3X and regulates its function. TRPV4-mediated Ca2+ influx releases DDX3X from the channel and drives DDX3X nuclear translocation, a process that involves calmodulin (CaM) and the CaM-dependent kinase II. Genetic depletion or pharmacological inhibition of TRPV4 diminishes DDX3X-dependent functions, including nuclear viral export and translation. Furthermore, TRPV4 mediates Ca2+ influx and nuclear accumulation of DDX3X in cells exposed to the Zika virus or the purified viral envelope protein. Consequently, targeting of TRPV4 reduces infectivity of dengue, hepatitis C and Zika viruses. Together, our results highlight the role of TRPV4 in the regulation of DDX3X-dependent control of RNA metabolism and viral infectivity.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness through grants SAF2015-69762R, BFU2016-80039-R, BFU2017-87843-R, an institutional “Maria de Maeztu” Programme for Units of Excellence in R&D (MDM-2014-0370) and FEDER funds; Marie Curie International Outgoing Fellowship within the 7th European Community Framework Programme (PIOF-GA-2009-237120) and the Generalitat de Catalunya research program (AGAUR, 2014-SGR-1628 and FI-2013FIB00251)