Biophysical Processes Determining the Connectivity of the Alboran Sea Fish Populations

This chapter revises biogeophysical issues of connectivity processes for fish populations in the Alboran Sea—Strait of Gibraltar—Gulf of Cadiz area. Connectivity of early life history stages between distant spawning grounds is crucial to incorporate vital developmental rates that condition survival probabilities at critical ontogenic stages. Hydrodynamics is pivotal to the process and most particular for pelagic species originating from adult fish adapted to recurrent patterns. Therefore, special focus has been placed on the hydrodynamics of the region, particularly on the Alboran Sea where the swift and energetic eastward-flowing Atlantic Jet entering the basin from the Strait of Gibraltar determines the surface circulation patterns. The Jet establishes an obvious zonal west-to-east connectivity, prevents the one in the opposite east-to-west direction and works as a hydrodynamic barrier that hampers the north-to-south connectivity. The chapter addresses these processes, discusses possible mechanisms to achieve connectivity between north and south shores, which have to overcome the hydrodynamic barrier, and assesses the feasibility of east-to-west connectivity by means of intermediate-depth currents. Implications on the populations and ecosystems of the Alboran Sea and on the three main harvested species potentially affected by hydrodynamic connectivity in the basin (European hake, the sardine, and the blackspot seabream) are also commented.Preprin

Inferring past refugia and range dynamics through the integration of fossil, niche modelling and genomic data

Aim: Reconstructing species' glacial refugial history and demographic changes over time has greatly relied on comparing inferences from multiple methods while not sufficiently acknowledging their limitations. Here, we aim to integrate as fully as possible complementary methods in ecology, genomics and palaeobiology to improve the reconstruction of species biogeographical history. Location: South-western Europe. Taxon: Cabrera vole (Microtus cabrerae). Methods: We compiled and mapped the raw fossil data of the Cabrera vole for the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and Mid-Holocene (MH). Alongside, we projected the calibrated ecological niche model (ENM) of the species' current distribution for the LGM, the Younger Dryas and the MH. Complementarily, we used previously obtained Genotyping-by- Sequencing data to evaluate the demographic history and range expansion patterns of all four Evolutionarily Significant Units of the species, in an integrative framework. Results: ENM-inferred refugial areas and genomic modelling consistently supported northern Iberian glacial refugia for the Cabrera vole. This contrasted with the higher fossil abundance of the species in southern and eastern Iberia and southern France from the LGM to the MH. Our results suggest that populations in areas with high fossil abundance went extinct, and were later replaced by northern Iberian populations such that they did not contribute significantly to the current gene pool. Main conclusions: Our integrative approach indicates how the range of the Cabrera vole fluctuated in response to environmental change during and following the LGM. Despite methodological limitations, the ENM and genomic approaches produced generally congruent results. Instead, the fossil record may misrepresent the ancestral distribution of this species and should be considered cautiously for ancestral distribution reconstruction, considering that it also reflects the fossilization conditions. Overall, our study supports the idea that integrative approaches are essential to provide an accurate and well-supported picture of historical refugial areas and range dynamicsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Seguridad y salud laboral en autopsias

Se presenta el resultado del análisis de las condiciones de trabajo de patólogos y técnicos de anatomía patológica, durante la realización de autopsias. El estudio se ha llevado a cabo analizando cada una de las etapas del proceso de la autopsia en el Hospital Infanta Margarita de Cabra, e identificando y valorando los peligros y riesgos ligados a cada fase. Entre los resultados obtenidos se han identificado riesgos higiénicos, ergonómicos y de seguridad, destacando entre ellos el riesgo biológico por la gravedad de sus consecuencias, los diversos peligros que lo originan y su continua presencia durante la autopsia. Para cada peligro se indican las medidas preventivas a adoptar, y se detallan las características que deben cumplir los equipos de protección individual necesarios

A 1024-Channel 10-Bit 36-μW/ch CMOS ROIC for Multiplexed GFET-Only Sensor Arrays in Brain Mapping

This paper presents a 1024-channel neural read-out integrated circuit (ROIC) for solution-gated GFET sensing probes in massive muECoG brain mapping. The proposed time-domain multiplexing of GFET-only arrays enables low-cost and scalable hybrid headstages. Low-power CMOS circuits are presented for the GFET analog frontend, including a CDS mechanism to improve preamplifier noise figures and 10-bit 10-kS/s A/D conversion. The 1024-channel ROIC has been fabricated in a standard 1.8-V 0.18-mum CMOS technology with 0.012 mm 2 and 36 mu W per channel. An automated methodology for the in-situ calibration of each GFET sensor is also proposed. Experimental ROIC tests are reported using a custom FPGA-based muECoG headstage with 16times 32 and 32times 32 GFET probes in saline solution and agar substrate. Compared to state-of-art neural ROICs, this work achieves the largest scalability in hybrid platforms and it allows the recording of infra-slow neural signals

Experimental evaluation in wireless communications

This editorial sums up relevant topics on the assessment of wireless communication systems covered by the especial issue entitled "Experimental Evaluation in Wireless Communications". The topics include practical aspects on the implementation of distributed asynchronous non-linear kernel methods over wireless sensor networks; localization methods based on the exploitation of radio-frequency identification (RFID) wireless sensors and cellular networks or on sparsity approximations; channel sounding and assessment of broadband orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM)-based wireless systems in high-speed vehicular communications; coexistence analysis of femtocell-based and outdoor-to-indoor systems; techniques for peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) reduction; new solutions for baseband and radio frequency (RF) hardware impairments in full-duplex wireless systems; and, finally, suitability of interference alignment for broadband indoor wireless communications

Patterns of healthy lifestyle behaviours in older adults: findings from the Chilean National Health Survey 2009–2010

The purpose of this study was to investigate healthy lifestyle behaviours across age categories in the older population in Chile. Data from 1390 older adults (≥60 years), in the 2009–2010 Chilean National Health Survey were analyzed. We derived the following age categories: 60–65, 66–70, 71–75, 76–80 and >80 years. The association between age and compliance with healthy lifestyle behaviours (smoking, sitting time, physical activity, sleep duration and intake of salt, alcohol, fruit and vegetables) were investigated using logistic regression. The probability of meeting the guidelines for alcohol intake (OR trend: 1.35 [95% CI: 1.11; 1.64], p = 0.001) and smoking (OR trend: 1.23 [95% CI: 1.13; 1.33], p < 0.0001) increased with age, whereas spending <4 h per day sitting time or engaging in at least 150 min of physical activity per week or sleep on average between 7 and 9 h per day were less likely to be met with increasing age (OR trend: 0.77 [95% CI: 0.71; 0.83], p < 0.000; OR trend: 0.73 [95% CI: 0.67; 0.79], p < 0.0001, and OR trend: 0.89 [95% CI: 0.82; 0.96], p = 0.002, respectively). No significant trend across age categories was observed for fruit and vegetables, and salt intake. The probability of meeting at least 3 out of 7 healthy lifestyle behaviours across the age categories was also lower in older age categories compared to those aged 60 to 65 years. Overall, in older adults the probability of having the healthy lifestyle behaviours of physical activity, sitting time and sleeping behaviours was low but not for smoking or alcohol consumption. With an increasingly ageing population, these findings could inform stakeholders on which lifestyle behaviours could be targeted in the older adults and therefore which interventions should take place to promote healthy ageing

2013. Documento Sevilla de Consenso sobre Alternativas a la Transfusión de Sangre Alogénica. Actualización del Documento Sevilla

La transfusión de sangre alogénica (TSA) no es inocua, y como consecuencia han surgido múltiples alternativas a la misma (ATSA). Existe variabilidad respecto a las indicaciones y buen uso de las ATSA. Dependiendo de la especialidad de los médicos que tratan a los pacientes, el grado de anemia, la política transfusional, la disponibilidad de las ATSA y el criterio personal, estas se usan de forma variable. Puesto que las ATSA tampoco son inocuas y pueden no cumplir criterios de coste-efectividad, la variabilidad en su uso es inaceptable. Las sociedades españolas de Anestesiología y Reanimación (SEDAR), Hematología y Hemoterapia (SEHH), Farmacia Hospitalaria (SEFH), Medicina Intensiva y Unidades Coronarias (SEMICYUC), Trombosis y Hemostasia (SETH) y Transfusiones Sanguíneas (SETS) han elaborado un documento de consenso para el buen uso de la ATSA. Un panel de expertos de las 6 sociedades ha llevado a cabo una revisión sistemática de la literatura médica y elaborado el 2013. Documento Sevilla de Consenso sobre Alternativas a la Transfusión de Sangre Alogénica. Solo se contempla las ATSA dirigidas a disminuir la transfusión de concentrado de hematíes. Se definen las ATSA como toda medida farmacológica y no farmacológica encaminada a disminuir la transfusión de concentrado de hematíes, preservando siempre la seguridad del paciente. La cuestión principal que se plantea en cada ítem se formula, en forma positiva o negativa, como: «La ATSA en cuestión reduce/no reduce la tasa transfusional». Para formular el grado de recomendación se ha usado la metodología Grades of Recommendation Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE)

Single-cultivar extra virgin olive oil classification using a potentiometric electronic tongue

Label authentication of monovarietal extra virgin olive oils is of great importance. A novel approach based on a potentiometric electronic tongue is proposed to classify oils obtained from single olive cultivars (Portuguese cvs. Cobrançosa, Madural, Verdeal Transmontana; Spanish cvs. Arbequina, Hojiblanca, Picual). A meta-heuristic simulated annealing algorithm was applied to select the most informative sets of sensors to establish predictive linear discriminant models. Olive oils were correctly classified according to olive cultivar (sensitivities greater than 97%) and each Spanish olive oil was satisfactorily discriminated from the Portuguese ones with the exception of cv. Arbequina (sensitivities from 61% to 98%). Also, the discriminant ability was related to the polar compounds contents of olive oils and so, indirectly, with organoleptic properties like bitterness, astringency or pungency. Therefore the proposed E-tongue can be foreseen as a useful auxiliary tool for trained sensory panels for the classification of monovarietal extra virgin olive oils.This work was co-financed by FCT and FEDER under Program COMPETE (Project PEst-C/EQB/LA0020/2013)

Flexible Graphene Solution-Gated Field-Effect Transistors : Efficient Transducers for Micro-Electrocorticography

Brain-computer interfaces and neural prostheses based on the detection of electrocorticography (ECoG) signals are rapidly growing fields of research. Several technologies are currently competing to be the first to reach the market; however, none of them fulfill yet all the requirements of the ideal interface with neurons. Thanks to its biocompatibility, low dimensionality, mechanical flexibility, and electronic properties, graphene is one of the most promising material candidates for neural interfacing. After discussing the operation of graphene solution-gated field-effect transistors (SGFET) and characterizing their performance in saline solution, it is reported here that this technology is suitable for μ-ECoG recordings through studies of spontaneous slow-wave activity, sensory-evoked responses on the visual and auditory cortices, and synchronous activity in a rat model of epilepsy. An in-depth comparison of the signal-to-noise ratio of graphene SGFETs with that of platinum black electrodes confirms that graphene SGFET technology is approaching the performance of state-of-the art neural technologies