Open ocean temperature and salinity trends in the Canary Current Large Marine Ecosystem

The Sea Surface Temperature in the Canary Current Large Marine Ecosystem (CCLME) for the 32 years in the period 1982‐2013 shows a mean warming trend of 0.28°C decade‐1. However, this overall warming trend shows significant changes due to the influence of the different dynamical regimes that coexist in the CCLME. Near the coast, in the area under the influence of the upwelling, between Cape Blanc and Cape Beddouza, the warming trend is not statistically different from zero. Near the coast, but in the waters under the influence of downwelling, between Cape Verde and Cape Blanc, the warming trend is higher (>0.5°C decade‐1), and statistically significant. In the oceanic regions, there is a statistically significant trend of 0.25°C decade‐1, a trend that is also observed in waters shallower than the permanent thermocline (200‐ 600 dbar). This warming rate is density compensate, with an increase in salinity of 0.02 decade‐1. Neither the intermediate waters nor the upper deep waters show any statistically significant trend. The deep waters (2600‐3600 dbar) in the oceanic waters north of the Canary Islands, show a warming rate of ‐0.01°C decade‐1 and a freshening of ‐0.002 decade‐1.En prens

The influence of untreated sugarcane bagasse ash on the microstructural and mechanical properties of mortars

ABSTRACT: This study investigated the effects of the addition of untreated sugarcane bagasse ash (UtSCBA) on the microstructural and mechanical properties of mortars. The SCBA was sieved for only five minutes through a No. 200 ASTM mesh, and fully characterized by chemical composition analysis, laser ray diffraction, the physical absorption of gas, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. Mortar mixtures with 0, 10 and 20% UtSCBA as cement replacement and a constant 0.63 water/cementitious material ratio were prepared. Fresh properties of the mortars were obtained. The microstructural characteristics of the mortars at 1, 7, 28, 90 and 600 days were evaluated by SEM and XRD. The compressive strengths of the mortars at the same ages were then obtained. The results show that the addition of 10 and 20% UtSCBA caused a slight decrease in workability of the mortars but improved their microstructure, increasing the long-term compressive strength. Keywords: Pozzolan, waste treatment, mortar, hydration products, compressive strength RESUMEN: Influencia de la ceniza de bagazo de caña sin tratamiento en la microestructura y propiedades mecánicas de morteros. En esta investigación se evaluó el efecto de la adición de ceniza de bagazo de caña (CBC) en la microestructura de morteros. La CBC fue tamizada durante 5 minutos a través de la malla No. 200 ASTM y evaluada mediante pruebas de análisis químico, difracción láser, absorción física de gases, Microscopia Electrónica de Barrido (MEB) y Difracción de Rayos X (DRX). Se elaboraron mezclas de mortero con 0, 10 y 20% de CBC como sustituto parcial del cemento manteniendo una relación agua/materiales-cementantes de 0.63. Se realizaron pruebas en estado fresco y pruebas de caracterización microestructural a través de MEB y DRX y de resistencia a la compresión a edades de 1, 7, 28, 90 y 600 días. Los resultados muestran que la adición de 10 y 20% de CBC decrementa la trabajabilidad de los morteros, sin embargo, mejora su microestructura e incrementa su resistencia a la compresión a edades tardías. Palabras clave: Puzolana, Tratamiento de residuos, Mortero, Productos de hidratación, Resistencia a la compresió

Differences in n-type doping efficiency between Al- and Ga-ZnO films

A careful and wide comparison between Al and Ga as substitutional dopants in the ZnO wurtzite structure is presented. Both cations behave as n-type dopants and their inclusion improves the optical and electrical properties of the ZnO matrix, making it more transparent in the visible range and rising up its electrical conductivity. However, the same dopant/Zn ratio leads to a very different doping efficiency when comparing Al and Ga, being the Ga cation a more effective dopant of the ZnO film. The measured differences between Al- and Ga-doped films are explained with the hypothesis that different quantities of these dopant cations are able to enter substitutionally in the ZnO matrix. Ga cations seem to behave as perfect substitutional dopants, while Al cation might occupy either substitutional or interstitial sites. Moreover, the subsequent charge balance after doping appear to be related with the formation of different intrinsic defects that depends on the dopant cation. The knowledge of the doped-ZnO films microstructure is a crucial step to optimize the deposition of transparent conducting electrodes for solar cells, displays, and other photoelectronic devices.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación TEC2007-60996, MAT2008-06858-C02-02, MAT2008- 06330, TEC2010-16700FUNCOAT CSD2008-00023- CONSOLIDER INGENIOSonderforschungsbereich SFB 76

Efficacy of Perceptual Learning-Based Vision Training as an Adjuvant to Occlusion Therapy in the Management of Amblyopia: A Pilot Study

A retrospective study was conducted to evaluate preliminarily the efficacy of perceptual learning (PL) visual training in medium-term follow-up with a specific software (Amblyopia iNET, Home Therapy Systems Inc., Gold Canyon, AZ, USA) for visual acuity (VA) and contrast sensitivity (CS) recovering in a sample of 14 moderate to severe amblyopic subjects with a previously unsuccessful outcome or failure with patching (PL Group). This efficacy was compared with that achieved in a patching control group (13 subjects, Patching 2). At one-month follow-up, a significant VA improvement in the amblyopic eye (AE) was observed in both groups, with no significant differences between them. Additionally, CS was measured in PL Group and exhibited a significant improvement in the AE one month after the beginning of treatment for 3, 6, 12, and 18 cycles/º (p = 0.003). Both groups showed long-lasting retention of visual improvements. A combined therapy of PL-based visual training and patching seems to be effective for improving VA in children with amblyopia who did not recover vision with patching alone or had a poor patching compliance. This preliminary outcome should be confirmed in future clinical trials.The author David P Piñero has been supported by the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness of Spain within the program Ramón y Cajal, RYC-2016-20471

Recent Trends in SST, Chl-a, Productivity and Wind Stress in Upwelling and Open Ocean Areas in the Upper Eastern North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre

The global upper ocean has been warming during the last decades accompanied with a chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) and productivity decrease. Whereas subtropical gyres show similar trends, Eastern Boundary Upwelling Systems are thought to increase in productivity due to increased trade winds. This study analyzes recent trends in sea surface temperature (SST), Chl-a, net primary production (NPP) and meridional wind stress in the Eastern North Atlantic subtropical gyre (NASE) in order to examine if the global trends can be detected in open ocean and upwelling areas and how the ocean biota responds. Satellite data of such variables of the last 15–40 years were analyzed to calculate mean trends in upwelling areas in the Canary upwelling system and open ocean areas around the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands. Our results show significant warming in the area with a maximum of 2.7°C per century for the Azores. Moreover, a general decreasing trend for Chl-a and NPP seems to be more evident in the permanent upwelling areas, which will be responsible for a loss of 0.13% of the global NPP per century. Our results also highlight a significant expansion of the oceanic desert area of 10% with an increase in unproductive days of up to 84 days in the last 20 years. The competitive relationship of stratification and wind stress in the Canary upwelling system might be a more plausible explanation for the decrease in Chl-a and NPP in upwelling areas linked to the increase in upwelling favorable wind stress and the surface warming.En prens

Prótesis unicondílea de rodilla: Valoración clínica preliminar

Los pacientes afectados de artrosis unicompartimetal de rodilla pueden ser tratados con diferentes métodos quirúrgicos. Los más habituales son la osteonomía tibial en jóvenes y la prótesis total de rodilla en ancianos. Una alternativa que va adquiriendo adeptos es la prótesis unicondílea. Tras un período inicial de gran euforia se pasó a otro de escepticismo, dando los resultados. El propósito del presente estudio es evaluar un nuevo diseño de prótesis de rodilla unicondílea (Alpina, IQL) a corto plazo siguiendo criterios clínicos y de calidad de vida. Se revisan 13 pacientes intervenidos entre Junio de 2000 a Marzo del 2002. Siete eran varones y seis mujeres. La edad media fue de 65 años (r=55-72ª). En doce casos la etiología fue artrosis y en uno necrosis del cóndilo interno. La evaluación clínica se realizó mediante el cuestionario sobre la calidad de vida SF-12. Todos los pacientes consiguieron una flexión de 110º y extensión completa. Sólo un paciente presentó molestias leves.Patients who have unicompartimental knee osteoarthritis can be manager by different surgical techniques. Young people are usually treated by tibial osteotomy and elderly people by total knee replacement. Unicondylar knee prosthesis is becoming an attractive recognized alternative. After a period of enthusiastic regarding this technique, scepticism took place based on the clinical results. The aim of this study is to evaluate, in firs instance, a new knee unicondylar knee prosthesis design (Alpine, IQL) following clinical criteria and quality of life. Thirteen patients, managed in between June 2000 and March 2002, are reviewed. Seven were males and six females. The mean age was 65 years (range 55-77 years). Osteoarthritis was the aetiology in twelve cases and necrosis of the medial condyle in one patient. The clinical evaluation was based on quality of life through a questionnaire SF-12. All patients improved a knee flexion of 110º and a complete extension. Only one patient had slight pain and had some limitation

Análisis retrospectivo de cambios en las vergencias fusionales en pacientes con exotropia intermitente tras realizar terapia visual

La exotropia es un tipo de estrabismo caracterizado por una desviación divergente de los ejes oculares que imposibilita la visión binocular. Una de las opciones de tratamiento de la exotropia es la terapia visual (TV) sola o en combinación con la cirugía de estrabismo. Sin embargo, la evidencia todavía es limitada en cuanto a la eficacia de la TV en estos casos. Por ello, se realizó un estudio retrospectivo donde se analizaron el cover test, el punto próximo de convergencia y las reservas fusionales positivas {RFP) y negativas (RFN) de dos grupos de pacientes con exotropia antes y después de realizar TV en la Unidad de Optometría Clínica Avanzada del Hospital Vithas Medimar de Alicante. Tras la TV, ambos grupos mostraron una mejora de la RFP, aunque este incremento sólo fue estadísticamente significativo en el grupo que no había sido operado previamente

Editor's Note

Artificial Intelligence has become nowadays one of the main relevant technologies that is driven us to a new revolution, a change in society, just as well as other human inventions, such as navigation, steam machines, or electricity did in our past. There are several ways in which AI might be developed, and the European Union has chosen a path, a way to transit through this revolution, in which Artificial Intelligence will be a tool at the service of Humanity. That was precisely the motto of the 2020 European Conference on Artificial Intelligence (“Paving the way towards Human-Centric AI”), of which these special issue is a selection of the best papers selected by the organizers of some of the Workshops in ECAI 2020