Accuracy Evaluation of Ultrasound Probe Sonication and Microwave-Assisted Extraction Systems for Rapid Single Extraction of Metals in Soils

The accumulation of metals in soils and sediments causes a potential risk to human health due to the transfer of these elements to other environmental compartments. However, metals are present in soils under different chemical forms or types of binding, so the total metal content is a poor indicator of their bioavailability, mobility or toxicity, since these properties basically depend on the chemical association of the different soil components. Therefore, the environmental impact of metalliferous soils is better assessed on the basis of the environmental accessibility of metals, i.e. the bioavailable forms for plants. In the present work, ultrasonic probe sonication (UPS) and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) have been evaluated as alternatives to the conventional Standards, Measurements and Testing program (SM&T) procedures for single extraction of metals in soils, in order to reduce the extraction time and the consumption of samples and extracting agents. Optimization studies were carried out on the certified reference materials (CRMs) BCR 483 (Sewage sludge amended soil) and BCR 700 (Organic rich soil) for accuracy evaluation of the proposed methods. Extractable concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni and Zn using 0.01 M calcium chloride (in BCR 483), and also of Pb with 0.43 M acetic acid and 0.05 M ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid at pH 7.0 (in both CRMs) were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES)

Analysis, Characterization, Prediction and Attribution of Extreme Atmospheric Events with Machine Learning: a Review

Atmospheric Extreme Events (EEs) cause severe damages to human societies and ecosystems. The frequency and intensity of EEs and other associated events are increasing in the current climate change and global warming risk. The accurate prediction, characterization, and attribution of atmospheric EEs is therefore a key research field, in which many groups are currently working by applying different methodologies and computational tools. Machine Learning (ML) methods have arisen in the last years as powerful techniques to tackle many of the problems related to atmospheric EEs. This paper reviews the ML algorithms applied to the analysis, characterization, prediction, and attribution of the most important atmospheric EEs. A summary of the most used ML techniques in this area, and a comprehensive critical review of literature related to ML in EEs, are provided. A number of examples is discussed and perspectives and outlooks on the field are drawn.Comment: 93 pages, 18 figures, under revie

Inspecting the Ribozyme Region of Hepatitis Delta Virus Genotype 1: Conservation and Variability

Gene silencing; Quasispecies; RibozymeSilenciament gènic; Quasiespècie; RibozimaSilenciamiento de genes; Cuasiespecies; RibozimaThe hepatitis delta virus (HDV) genome has an autocatalytic region called the ribozyme, which is essential for viral replication. The aim of this study was to use next-generation sequencing (NGS) to analyze the ribozyme quasispecies (QS) in order to study its evolution and identify highly conserved regions potentially suitable for a gene-silencing strategy. HDV RNA was extracted from 2 longitudinal samples of chronic HDV patients and the ribozyme (nucleotide, nt 688–771) was analyzed using NGS. QS conservation, variability and genetic distance were analyzed. Mutations were identified by aligning sequences with their specific genotype consensus. The main relevant mutations were tested in vitro. The ribozyme was conserved overall, with a hyper-conserved region between nt 715–745. No difference in QS was observed over time. The most variable region was between nt 739–769. Thirteen mutations were observed, with three showing a higher frequency: T23C, T69C and C64 deletion. This last strongly reduced HDV replication by more than 1 log in vitro. HDV Ribozyme QS was generally highly conserved and was maintained during follow-up. The most conserved portion may be a valuable target for a gene-silencing strategy. The presence of the C64 deletion may strongly impair viral replication, as it is a potential mechanism of viral persistence.This research was funded by Institute of Health Carlos III, grant number PI20/01692 and co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)- Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness, grantRTI2018-101936-B-I00

Aula de memoria. Recursos didácticos para recuperar la historia de los olvidados.

Depto. de Didáctica de las Ciencias Experimentales , Sociales y MatemáticasFac. de EducaciónFALSEVicerrectorado de Calidad, UCMsubmitte

Evaluación de la ganancia de peso, en el desarrollo de núcleos de abejas (apis mellífera), mediante alimentación artificial

Food, in the bee is a technique that each day progresses more and more, in the development of new formulations, as well as energy foods, such as in protein foods, looking for the final result of the development of colonies of healthy bees, transcending directly in the nutrition of the colonies and directly influencing the nutrition of the larvae mainly. These larvae are dependent on the protein and the production of the breeding is strongly affected by the availability of this nutrient. The objective of this work was to evaluate the development of cores of bees on the basis of cores of two racks, feeding them with a power supply (Bee Pro), the treated group and a liquid feeding based on sugar, 1:1, the control group. The technique used to evaluate the development of the nuclei, it was through the weight gain (g), at the beginning of the experiment, an intermediate weight and a final weight, after three weeks. The results that were generated, show daily weight gains of 331,158 g for the control group and the control group of 165,248 g. Finally we can mention that the treated group showed significant differences with regard to the interesting witness group, being the supply of protein, essential for the development of cores of bees observing, a higher rate of oviposition by Queen, greater development in the work of beeswax and therefore the greater population. To conclude, the nuclei treaties had to be changed to breeding chambers at the end of the study, reaching the wintering grounds with very good population and observing positive effects on honey harvest of spring, being able to arrive to harvest averages of 32 kg per hive with respect to the untreated who had a production of 18 kg per hive, located in the same geographical area.La alimentación, en la apicultura es una técnica que cada día va avanzando más y más, en el desarrollo de nuevas formulaciones, tanto como alimentos energéticos, como en alimentos proteicos, buscando como resultado final el desarrollo de colonias de abejas sanas, trascendiendo directamente en la nutrición de las colonias e influyendo directamente en la nutrición de las larvas principalmente. Estas larvas son dependientes de las proteínas y la producción de la cría se encuentra fuertemente afectada por la disponibilidad de este nutriente. El objetivo de este trabajo, fue evaluar el desarrollo de núcleos de abejas partiendo de núcleos de dos bastidores, alimentándolos con una alimentación energética (Bee Pro), el grupo tratado y una alimentación liquida a base de azúcar 1:1, el grupo testigo. La técnica empleada para evaluar el desarrollo de los núcleos, fue mediante la ganancia de peso (g), al inicio del experimento, un peso intermedio y un peso final, después de tres semanas. Los resultados que se generaron, muestran ganancias de peso diarias de 331.158 g para el grupo control y para el grupo testigo de 165.248 g. Finalmente podemos mencionar que el grupo tratado mostro diferencias significativas interesantes respecto al grupo testigo, siendo la alimentación proteica, fundamental para el desarrollo de núcleos de abejas observando, una mayor tasa de oviposición por parte de la reina, mayor desarrollo en el trabajo de cera estampada y por lo tanto mayor población. Para concluir, los núcleos tratados tuvieron que ser cambiados a cámaras de cría al final del estudio, llegando a la invernada con muy buena población y observando efectos positivos en la cosecha de miel de primavera, pudiendo llegar a cosechar promedios de 32 kg por colmena con respecto a los no tratados que tuvieron una producción de 18 kg por colmena, situados en la misma zona geográfica

La información internacional como herramienta de inserción laboral para el alumnado de Relaciones Internacionales

El proyecto pretende poner en marcha una participación directa y permanente durante el curso académico 2020/2021 del alumnado de la UCM en un medio de comunicación digital de nueva creación especializado en información internacional. El alumnado pertenecerá principalmente, aunque no solamente, a los siguientes estudios: grados de Relaciones Internacionales, Periodismo y Comunicación Audiovisual; máster en Política Internacional; programa de doctorado en Ciencias Políticas y de la Administración y Relaciones Internacionales. Realizarán materiales informativos que se podrán difundir en las diversas secciones el medio de comunicación: análisis, reportajes, entrevistas en profundidad, cronologías, infografías, perfiles, podcasts, moderación y participación en debates con expertos internacionalistas grabados y emitidos, y la sección cultural. El alumnado de grado y máster aprenderá a realizar este tipo de materiales en las clases prácticas de las diversas asignaturas que imparte el profesorado participante, teniendo como apoyo fundamental a los dos alumnos de doctorado que participan en el proyecto. El alumnado estará acompañado durante todo el proceso ya que el profesor responsable del proyecto y el alumnado de doctorado participante en el mismo están implicados en el medio de comunicación, junto a 25 exalumnas y exalumnos de los grados de Relaciones Internacionales y de Periodismo. Por último, se realizará una publicación en forma de artículo científico, que pueda generar elementos de valor para la innovación docente enfocada a la Información Internacional y a las Relaciones Internacionales

On strategic choices faced by large pharmaceutical laboratories and their effect on innovation risk under fuzzy conditions

ObjectivesWe develop a fuzzy evaluation model that provides managers at different responsibility levels in pharmaceutical laboratories with a rich picture of their innovation risk as well as that of competitors. This would help them take better strategic decisions around the management of their present and future portfolio of clinical trials in an uncertain environment. Through three structured fuzzy inference systems (FISs), the model evaluates the overall innovation risk of the laboratories by capturing the financial and pipeline sides of the risk.Methods and materialsThree FISs, based on the Mamdani model, determine the level of innovation risk of large pharmaceutical laboratories according to their strategic choices. Two subsystems measure different aspects of innovation risk while the third one builds on the results of the previous two. In all of them, both the partitions of the variables and the rules of the knowledge base are agreed through an innovative 2-tuple-based method. With the aid of experts, we have embedded knowledge into the FIS and later validated the model.ResultsIn an empirical application of the proposed methodology, we evaluate a sample of 31 large pharmaceutical laboratories in the period 2008–2013. Depending on the relative weight of the two subsystems in the first layer (capturing the financial and the pipeline sides of innovation risk), we estimate the overall risk. Comparisons across laboratories are made and graphical surfaces are analyzed in order to interpret our results. We have also run regressions to better understand the implications of our results.ConclusionsThe main contribution of this work is the development of an innovative fuzzy evaluation model that is useful for analyzing the innovation risk characteristics of large pharmaceutical laboratories given their strategic choices. The methodology is valid for carrying out a systematic analysis of the potential for developing new drugs over time and in a stable manner while managing the risks involved. We provide all the necessary tools and datasets to facilitate the replication of our system, which also may be easily applied to other settings

Innovaciones y mejoras en el proyecto tutoría entre compañeros. Curso 2015-2016

Memoria ID-0137. Ayudas de la Universidad de Salamanca para la innovación docente, curso 2015-2016

Covid-19: la malinterpretación de los datos de la pandemia daña la confianza del público

Dos cartas publicadas en The Lancet y The Lancet Public Health en los últimos meses defienden la necesidad de evaluar de forma independiente la respuesta española ante la covid-19. Estamos de acuerdo, pero nos gustaría complementarlas con tres puntos que nos acercan a la ciencia abierta. Nos referimos a la confusión terminológica, la calidad de los datos y su disponibilidad

EDUCACIÓN AMBIENTAL Y SOCIEDAD. SABERES LOCALES PARA EL DESARROLLO Y LA SUSTENTABILIDAD

Este texto contribuye al análisis científico de varias áreas del conocimiento como la filosofía social, la patología, la educación para el cuidado del medio ambiente y la sustentabilidad que inciden en diversas unidades de aprendizaje de la Licenciatura en Educación para la Salud y de la Maestría en Sociología de la SaludLas comunidades indígenas de la sierra norte de Oaxaca México, habitan un territorio extenso de biodiversidad. Sin que sea una área protegida y sustentable, la propia naturaleza de la región ofrece a sus visitantes la riqueza de la vegetación caracterizada por sus especies endémicas que componen un paisaje de suma belleza