Modelling the spatio-temporal evolution of H-3 in the waters of the River Tagus

Measurements of tritium specific activity levels and of temperatures in waters of the Torrejo´neTagus reservoir (Spain) showed that their radioactive characteristics were basically influenced by the radioactive liquid effluent from the Almaraz Nuclear Power Plant. This enters the Torrejo´neTagus reservoir via the Arrocampo cooling reservoir, which exchanges water with the first. We studied the temporal and spatial (in two dimensions) evolution of the mentioned parameters for years 1997 and 1998. The tritium levels were found to be significantly correlated with temperature. Two numerical models were constructed for a quantitative study of the tritium levels along Torrejo´n reservoir: a 1D model was used for the dispersion of tritium along the whole length of the reservoir, and a 2D depth-averaged model was used for a detailed study of the area where tritium is released into the reservoir. Both models solve the hydrodynamic equa tions, to obtain the currents induced by the exchanges of water between the reservoirs in the River Tagus and Arrocampo, and the advection/diffusion equation to calculate the dispersion of tritium. In general, the model results were in agreement with the experimental observationsJunta de Extremadura 2PR02A02

Mechanisms for longitudinal transport on early life stages in benthic-pelagic fishes within a tide-dominated estuary

Mechanisms that control the longitudinal transport of larvae and juveniles in nursery grounds such as estuaries are reported for some species. However, the behaviour and population consequences of these mechanisms are still uncertain. In this study, we tested selective tidal-stream transport from the along-channel (up-and down-stream) and cross-channel (from one margin to the other) perspectives for two kinds of fish: estuarine-resident gobies (Pomatoschistus spp.) and marine estuarine-opportunistic anchovies (Engraulis encrasicolus). Three cruises were conducted in the lower Guadalquivir estuary, on the ebb and on the flood of spring tides in summer. Plankton samples were collected across a channel section, at three stations (one in the middle of the channel and two in adjacent shallower areas), near the surface and near the bottom simultaneously. In addition, multiple physico-chemical variables (temperature, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, pH, salinity, chlorophyll-a, along with wind and current direction and velocity) were measured to examine the different correlations used by the studied fish in their strategies. The benthic distribution of gobies indicated that they used flood currents near the bottom of lateral (shallow) areas to ingress into and remain in the estuary, temperature and/or dissolved oxygen being their main possible cues. On the contrary, the anchovies were more abundant near the surface, especially on the ebb tide, showing downstream advection, which was mainly influenced by salinity. However, the largest indi-vidual anchovies in the lateral/shallow zones suggested a behavioural ontogeny, which, together with wind induced transport, could contribute to their retention. This comparison also enhanced the knowledge of the habitat distribution of two species common and abundant in estuaries, anchovies and gobies.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Implications of zoonotic and vector-borne parasites to free-roaming cats in central Spain

Cats are definitive hosts and reservoirs for several parasites, some of which are responsible for serious zoonotic diseases. We conducted a case-control study of data from a trap-neuter-return (TNR) programme (years 2014-2017) designed to examine the prevalence of zoonotic parasites in free-roaming cats living in urban areas of central Spain. In the animal population tested (n = 263), we detected a 29.2% prevalence of endoparasites, including high rates of cestodes (12.9%) and Toxocara cati (11.7%). While faecal samples showed no Toxoplasma gondii oocysts, the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection was 24.2%. Antibodies to Leishmania infantum were detected in 4.8% of the animals, though all skin and blood samples analyzed were PCR negative for this parasite. Ectoparasites (ticks and fleas) were found in 4.6% of the cat population, and 10.6% of the cats were detected with Otodectes cynotis. Finally, 6.3% and 7.9% cats tested positive for feline leukaemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus, respectively. Our study provides useful information for animal-welfare and public-health, as the parasites detected can affect native wild animals through predation, competition and disease transmission. Our detection of zoonotic parasites such as L. infantum, T. gondii, T. cati, Giardia duodenalis and several ectoparasites prompts an urgent need for health control measures in stray cats.S

The wideband backend at the MDSCC in Robledo. A new facility for radio astronomy at Q- and K- bands

The antennas of NASA's Madrid Deep Space Communications Complex (MDSCC) in Robledo de Chavela are available as single-dish radio astronomical facilities during a significant percentage of their operational time. Current instrumentation includes two antennas of 70 and 34 m in diameter, equipped with dual-polarization receivers in K (18 - 26 GHz) and Q (38 - 50 GHz) bands, respectively. We have developed and built a new wideband backend for the Robledo antennas, with the objectives (1) to optimize the available time and enhance the efficiency of radio astronomy in MDSCC; and (2) to tackle new scientific cases impossible to that were investigated with the old, narrow-band autocorrelator. The backend consists of an IF processor, a FFT spectrometer (FFTS), and the software that interfaces and manages the events among the observing program, antenna control, the IF processor, the FFTS operation, and data recording. The whole system was end-to-end assembled in August 2011, at the start of commissioning activities, and the results are reported in this paper. Frequency tunings and line intensities are stable over hours, even when using different synthesizers and IF channels; no aliasing effects have been measured, and the rejection of the image sideband was characterized. The first setup provides 1.5 GHz of instantaneous bandwidth in a single polarization, using 8192 channels and a frequency resolution of 212 kHz; upgrades under way include a second FFTS card, and two high-resolution cores providing 100 MHz and 500 MHz of bandwidth, and 16384 channels. These upgrades will permit simultaneous observations of the two polarizations with instantaneous bandwidths from 100 MHz to 3 GHz, and spectral resolutions from 7 to 212 kHz.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures. Accepted to Astronomy and Astrophysic

Inflammatory agents partially explain associations between cortical thickness, surface area, and body mass in adolescents and young adulthood

Background/objectives Excessive body mass index (BMI) has been linked to a low-grade chronic inflammation state. Unhealthy BMI has also been related to neuroanatomical changes in adults. Research in adolescents is relatively limited and has produced conflicting results. This study aims to address the relationship between BMI and adolescents'brain structure as well as to test the role that inflammatory adipose-related agents might have over this putative link. Methods We studied structural MRI and serum levels of interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), C-reactive protein and fibrinogen in 65 adolescents (aged 12-21 years). Relationships between BMI, cortical thickness and surface area were tested with a vertex-wise analysis. Subsequently, we used backward multiple linear regression models to explore the influence of inflammatory parameters in each brain-altered area. Results We found a negative association between cortical thickness and BMI in the left lateral occipital cortex (LOC) and the right precentral gyrus as well as a positive relationship between surface area and BMI in the left rostral middle frontal gyrus and the right superior frontal gyrus. In addition, we found that higher fibrinogen serum concentrations were related to thinning within the left LOC (β=−0.45,p< 0.001), while higher serum levels of TNF-αwere associated to a greater surface area in the right superior frontal gyrus (β=0.32,p=0.045). Besides, we have also identified a trend that negatively correlates the cortical thickness of the left fusiform gyrus with the increases in BMI. It was also associated to fibrinogen(β=−0.33,p=0.035). Conclusions These results suggest that adolescents'body mass increases are related with brain abnormalities in areas that could play a relevant role in some aspects of feeding behavior. Likewise, we have evidenced that these cortical changes were partially explained by inflammatory agents such as fibrinogen and TNF-α

Detection of cytomegalovirus in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from immunocompromised patients with pneumonitis by viral culture and DNA quantification

Altres ajuts: acords transformatius de la UABTo compare the detection of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid by viral culture and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and to establish a viral load threshold that can identify cases of HCMV replication indicative of pneumonitis. There is currently no universal viral load cut-off to differentiate between patients with and without pneumonitis, and the interpretation of qPCR results is challenging. 176 consecutive BAL samples from immunosuppressed hosts with signs and/or symptoms of respiratory infection were prospectively studied by viral culture and qPCR. Concordant results were obtained in 81.25% of the BAL samples. The rest were discordant, as only 34% of the qPCR-positive BAL samples were positive by culture. The median HCMV load was significantly higher in culture-positive than in culture-negative BAL samples (5038 vs 178 IU/mL). Using a cut-off value of 1258 IU/mL of HCMV in BAL, pneumonia was diagnosed with a sensitivity of 76%, a specificity of 100%, a VPP of 100% and VPN of 98%, and HCMV was isolated in 100% of the BAL cultures. We found that a qPCR-negative was a quick and reliable way of ruling out HCMV pneumonitis, but a positive result did not always indicate clinically significant replication in the lung. However, an HCMV load in BAL fluid of ≥ 1258 IU/mL was always associated with disease, whereas < 200 IU/mL rarely so

Experiencias de aplicación de la simulación empleando software libre y gratuito en la enseñanza de las ingenierías de la rama industrial

[ES] En este trabajo se presentan las experiencias de utilización de software libre y gratuito llevadas a cabo por el Equipo de Innovación y Calidad Educativa ASEI (Aplicación de la Simulación en la Enseñanza de la Ingeniería) en asignaturas de las áreas de Ingeniería Química, Nuclear y Estadística que requieren la utilización de software de cálculo y herramientas de simulación. El software libre puede ser utilizado como una herramienta en metodologías docentes basadas en el uso de la simulación en el aula de teoría o bien como una forma de disminuir los costes en la enseñanza y aportar nuevos valores. Adecuadamente empleadas, las metodologías basadas en el uso de programas de simulación pueden estimular la capacidad de autoaprendizaje del alumno. En esta comunicación se muestran ejemplos del amplio abanico de aplicaciones de software que se pueden utilizar sin representar coste para la Universidad y posteriormente para la empresa.Santafé Moros, MA.; Gozálvez-Zafrilla, JM.; Navarro-Laboulais, J.; Cardona, SC.; Miró Herrero, R.; García-Díaz, JC. (2014). Experiencias de aplicación de la simulación empleando software libre y gratuito en la enseñanza de las ingenierías de la rama industrial. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 324-342. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/167124S32434

A comparative study of eight serological methods shows that spike protein-based ELISAs are the most accurate tests for serodiagnosing SARS-CoV-2 infections in cats and dogs

IntroductionCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious zoonotic disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. Monitoring the infection in pets is recommended for human disease surveillance, prevention, and control since the virus can spread from people to animals during close contact. Several diagnostic tests have been adapted from humans to animals, but limited data on the validation process are available.MethodsHerein, the first comparative study of six “in house” and two commercial serological tests developed to monitor SARS-CoV-2 infection in pets was performed with a well-coded panel of sera (61 cat sera and 74 dog sera) with a conservative criterion (viral seroneutralisation and/or RT–qPCR results) as a reference. Four “in house” tests based on either the RBD fragment of the spike protein (RBD-S) or the N-terminal fragment of the nucleoprotein (N) were developed for the first time. The analytical specificity (ASp) of those tests that showed the best diagnostic performance was assessed. The validation included the analysis of a panel of sera obtained pre-pandemic from cats and dogs infected with other coronaviruses to determine the analytical Sp (17 cat sera and 41 dog sera).Results and discussionELISAS based on the S protein are recommended in serosurveillance studies for cats (RBD-S SALUVET ELISA, ELISA COVID UNIZAR and INgezim® COVID 19 S VET) and dogs (INgezim® COVID 19 S VET and RBD-S SALUVET ELISA). These tests showed higher diagnostic sensitivity (Se) and DSp in cats (&amp;gt;90%) than in dogs. When sera obtained prior to the pandemic and from animals infected with other coronaviruses were analyzed by RBD-S and N SALUVET ELISAs and INgezim® COVID 19 S VET, a few cross reactors or no cross reactions were detected when dog and cat sera were analyzed by tests based on the S protein, respectively. In contrast, the number of cross reactions increased when the test was based on the N protein. Thus, the use of tests based on the N protein was discarded for serodiagnosis purposes. The results obtained revealed the most accurate serological tests for each species. Further studies should attempt to improve the diagnostic performance of serological tests developed for dogs