Torrential rainfall in northeast of the Iberian Peninsula: synoptic patterns and WeMO influence

This study presents a catalogue of synoptic patterns of torrential rainfall in northeast of the Iberian Peninsula (IP). These circulation patterns were obtained by applying a T-mode Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to a daily data grid (NCEP/NCAR reanalysis) at sea level pressure (SLP). The analysis made use of 304 days which recorded >100 mm in one or more stations in provinces of Barcelona, Girona and Tarragona (coastland area of Catalonia) throughout the 1950-2005 period. The catalogue comprises 7 circulation patterns showing a great variety of atmospheric conditions and seasonal or monthly distribution. Likewise, we computed the mean index value of the Western Mediterranean Oscillation index (WeMOi) for the synoptic patterns obtained by averaging all days grouped in each pattern. The results showed a clear association between the negative values of this teleconnection index and torrential rainfall in northeast of the IP. We therefore put forward the WeMO as an essential tool for forecasting heavy rainfall in northeast of Spai

Gestión de contenidos, materiales audiovisuales y digitalización de la enseñanza de Parasitología

Memoria ID-153 Ayudas de la Universidad de Salamanca para la innovación docente, curso 2020-2021

Creación de un programa de enseñanza activa y participativa para estudiantes de Parasitología

Memoria ID-190. Ayudas de la Universidad de Salamanca para la innovación docente, curso 2018-2019

Seasonal and Sexual Differences in the Microbiota of the Hoopoe Uropygial Secretion

The uropygial gland of hoopoe nestlings and nesting females hosts bacterial symbionts that cause changes in the characteristics of its secretion, including an increase of its antimicrobial activity. These changes occur only in nesting individuals during the breeding season, possibly associated with the high infection risk experienced during the stay in the hole-nests. However, the knowledge on hoopoes uropygial gland microbial community dynamics is quite limited and based so far on culture-dependent and molecular fingerprinting studies. In this work, we sampled wild and captive hoopoes of different sex, age, and reproductive status, and studied their microbiota using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and pyrosequencing. Surprisingly, we found a complex bacterial community in all individuals (including non-nesting ones) during the breeding season. Nevertheless, dark secretions from nesting hoopoes harbored significantly higher bacterial density than white secretions from breeding males and both sexes in winter. We hypothesize that bacterial proliferation may be host-regulated in phases of high infection risk (i.e., nesting). We also highlight the importance of specific antimicrobial-producing bacteria present only in dark secretions that may be key in this defensive symbiosis. Finally, we discuss the possible role of environmental conditions in shaping the uropygial microbiota, based on differences found between wild and captive hoopoes.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and European (FEDER) funds (CGL2013-48193-C3-1-P/BOS, CGL2013-48193-C3-2-P/BOS, CGL2017-83103-P), and the Junta de Andalucía (RNM 339, RNM 340). S. M. Rodríguez-Ruano received a grant from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (FPI program)

New and rare records of teleost fishes from the Cape Verde Islands (eastern-central Atlantic Ocean)

As a result of six exploratory surveys and several opportunistic catches in the Cape Verde Islands from a few metres to about 1000 m of depth, a list of 66 species of teleost fishes is given, six of which are first records from the archipelago: Gnathophis mystax (Congridae), Nezumia africana, Nezumia duodecim (Macrouridae), Ectreposebastes imus (Scorpaenidae), Paraliparis sp. (Liparidae) and Lappanella fasciata (Labridae). Additionally, data on six poorly-known species is also given: Myroconger compressus (Myrocongridae), Myrichthys pardalis, Phaenomonas longissima (Ophichthidae), Sphagemacrurus hirundo (Macrouridae), Gadella imberbis and Physiculus cyanostrophus (Moridae). Data includes distribution, habitat, morphometry and reproduction.Six campagnes exploratoires ainsi que quelques captures opportunistes réalisées de quelques mètres jusqu’à environ 1000 m de profondeur aux îles du Cap-Vert ont permis d’établir une liste comprenant 66 espèces de poissons téléostéens. Six espèces sont signalées pour la première fois aux îles du Cap-Vert : Gnathophis mystax (Congridae), Nezumia africana, Nezumia duodecim (Macrouridae), Ectreposebastes imus (Scorpaenidae), Paraliparis sp. (Liparidae) et Lappanella fasciata (Labridae). La présence de six autres espèces mal connues est confirmée pour cet archipel : Myroconger compressus (Myrocongridae), Myrichthys pardalis, Phaenomonas longissima (Ophichthidae), Sphagemacrurus hirundo (Macrouridae), Gadella imberbis et Physiculus cyanostrophus (Moridae). Les données présentées concernent la distribution, l’habitat, la morphométrie et la reproduction.Postprin

Vulnerability Assessment of Buildings due to Land Subsidence using InSAR Data in the Ancient Historical City of Pistoia (Italy)

The launch of the medium resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Sentinel-1 constellation in 2014 has allowed public and private organizations to introduce SAR interferometry (InSAR) products as a valuable option in their monitoring systems. The massive stacks of displacement data resulting from the processing of large C-B and radar images can be used to highlight temporal and spatial deformation anomalies, and their detailed analysis and postprocessing to generate operative products for final users. In this work, the wide-area mapping capability of Sentinel-1 was used in synergy with the COSMO-SkyMed high resolution SAR data to characterize ground subsidence affecting the urban fabric of the city of Pistoia (Tuscany Region, central Italy). Line of sight velocities were decomposed on vertical and E–W components, observing slight horizontal movements towards the center of the subsidence area. Vertical displacements and damage field surveys allowed for the calculation of the probability of damage depending on the displacement velocity by means of fragility curves. Finally, these data were translated to damage probability and potential loss maps. These products are useful for urban planning and geohazard management, focusing on the identification of the most hazardous areas on which to concentrate efforts and resources.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (MINECO), the State Agency of Research (AEI) and European Funds for Regional Development (FEDER) under projects AQUARISK (ESP2013-47780-C2-2-R) and TEMUSA (TEC2017-85244-C2-1-P) and STAR-EO (TIN2014-55413-C2-2-P). The first author shows gratitude for the PhD student contract BES-2014-069076. The work was conceived during the research stay of P. Ezquerro and R. Tomás in the Università degli Studi di Firenze and the research stay of G. Herrera in the IGOT Lisbon University, supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport under fellowships EEBB-I-18-13014, PRX17/00439 and PRX19/00065, respectively. The S-1 monitoring activity is funded and supported by the Tuscany Region under the agreement “Monitoring ground deformation in the Tuscany Region with satellite radar data.” The authors also gratefully acknowledge TRE ALTAMIRA for having processed the S-1 data. The project was carried out using CSK® Products, © ASI (Italian Space Agency), delivered under the ASI Project Id Science 678 - “High resolution Subsidence investigation in the urban area of Pistoia (Tuscany Region, central Italy). The work is under the framework of the e-shape project, which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement 820852. This paper is also supported by the PRIMA programme under grant agreement No 1924, project RESERVOIR. The PRIMA programme is supported by the European Union

Optimización del diseño de elementos de máquinas utilizando el software CES Edupack

Memoria ID-117. Ayudas de la Universidad de Salamanca para la innovación docente, curso 2018-2019

Counselling toward reducing alcohol use, knowledge about its morbidity and personal consumption among students of medical and dental courses in north-western Spain

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is directly linked to high-risk consumption. Healthcare students have a crucial role to play in its prevention and management. The aim of this study is to analyse alcohol consumption, as well as to consider the knowledge and attitudes regarding morbidity, and the stage of change when providing assistance to quit AUD. A cross-sectional study was conducted among Dentistry and Medical students using specific and validated questionnaires in an anonymous and voluntary way. Initially, 925 students were invited to participate, of them 500 were reached. Among them 85.9% suffered from AUD of whom 75% were women (p<0.001), and it was considered that the female gender constituted an independent risk factor (OR=2.63, CI 95% 1.55-4.45, p<0.001). The majority of the participants did not achieve the pass mark, nonetheless, the results showed improved levels of knowledge among participants in the latter years of their studies (p<0.001). Dental students demonstrated greater shortcomings in terms of their knowledge of general pathology, whereas the medical students? knowledge of oral pathologies proved worse (p<0.001). Most of students believed that identifying cases of AUD-affected patients falls within their competence, nonetheless, they believed that they do not have the necessary competencies. Among participants 58.2% were in a stage of change regarding AUD attitudes. The majority of respondents presented AUD. In general, the participants? knowledge about alcohol was low. Reviewing the syllabuses and evaluating the implementation of gender-differentiated training programmes in both degrees would be considered necessary

Haptically assisted connection procedure for the reconstruction of dendritic spines

Dendritic spines are thin protrusions that cover the dendritic surface of numerous neurons in the brain and whose function seems to play a key role in neural circuits. The correct segmentation of those structures is difficult due to their small size and the resulting spines can appear incomplete. This paper presents a four-step procedure for the complete reconstruction of dendritic spines. The haptically driven procedure is intended to work as an image processing stage before the automatic segmentation step giving the final representation of the dendritic spines. The procedure is designed to allow both the navigation and the volume image editing to be carried out using a haptic device. A use case employing our procedure together with a commercial software package for the segmentation stage is illustrated. Finally, the haptic editing is evaluated in two experiments; the first experiment concerns the benefits of the force feedback and the second checks the suitability of the use of a haptic device as input. In both cases, the results shows that the procedure improves the editing accuracy