The Influence of Emissions from Maritime Transport on Air Quality in the Strait of Gibraltar (Spain)

Gaseous and particulate emissions from oceangoing ships have a significant effect on the quality of air in cities. This study estimates mainly the influence of NOx, SOx, and particulate matter (PM2.5) on air quality in the Strait of Gibraltar (Spain) using the authors' own Ship's Energy and Emissions Model (SENEM) and the California Puff air quality model (CALPUFF) in 2017. The Algeciras Bay Industrial Zone recorded the highest levels of pollutants, and the Palmones area was identified as a major hotspot, with mean daily ship-sourced SOx concentrations >215 mu g/m(3), while the highest concentrations of PM10 reached 8.5 mu g/m(3) inside the Strait, and the mean yearly contribution of PM2.5 reached 0.86 mu g/m(3) in the city of Algeciras. The incidence of maritime traffic emissions on the levels of particle emissions, CO, HC, NMVOC, and CO2 reached values of up to 20-25% in all the receivers defined in the study

Calculating a Drop in Carbon Emissions in the Strait of Gibraltar (Spain) from Domestic Shipping Traffic Caused by the COVID-19 Crisis

As a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Spanish government declared a State of Emergency, and domestic passenger ship traffic was restricted in Spanish ports. This manuscript presents scenarios of emissions from domestic shipping traffic in the seas of the Strait of Gibraltar (Spain) over three months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Emissions were estimated for only 90 days of the pandemic, and two scenarios were studied: emissions while vessels were berthed at the Algeciras Port and emissions as a consequence of the interruption of passenger ship transportation in the Strait of Gibraltar. To this end, the authors' own model was used, which has near zero uncertainties. This model was used for the first time in this study and takes into account both meteorological and sea condition parameters, as well as the efficiency of the propulsion system. The manuscript concentrates on the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur oxides (SOx), carbon dioxide (CO2), and particulate matter (PM) from six Ro-Pax ships that ceased to operate. The main finding is that as a consequence of the pandemic, reductions of up to 12% were found in the Strait of Gibraltar in all the pollutants and GHGs when taking into account all international traffic, while the decrease in emissions from domestic traffic only reached 51%

Aportaciones al conocimiento de la evolución paleoclimática y paleoambiental en la Península Ibérica durante los dos ultimos millones de años a partir del estudio de trasvertinos y espeleotemas

En este trabajo se contemplan los resultados principales del Proyecto" Reconstrucción Paleoclimática desde el Pleistoceno Medio a partir de análisis geocronológicos e isotópicos de travertinos españoles" (P. CEC FI2W-CT91-0075 " Paleoclimatological revision of climate evolution in the Western Mediterranean Region, Evaluation of altered scenarios) . Se seleccionaron cuatro áreas de depósitos travertínicos de carácter fluvial (Priego, Río Blanco), lacustre (Río Blanco, Banyoles) y aluvial (Tolox) así como una zona con depósitos espeleotémicos (Karst de la Cueva del Reguerillo). En ellas se obtuvieron datos sobre la evolución del paisaje y del clima, los travertinos y espeleotemas son indicadores de clima cálido s.l. que de forma abreviada son: O Mediante la geomorfología y dataciones (paleomagnetismo, U/Th, Resonancia de espín Resumen electrónico y racemización de aminoácidos), se determinó las historia fluvial de los travertinos de Priego y Río Blanco así como del Karst de la Cueva del Reguerillo donde, además, se dataron un paleosismo y fenómenos de neotectónica. La data más antigua obtenida mediante Resonancia de espín electrónico fue 950ka, mientras que mediante racemización de aminoácidos se dataron depósitos de más de 750ka. Mediante dataciones, sedimentología, análisis de isótopos estables y palinología se determinaron aspectos de la evolución climática de algunas áreas de la Península Ibérica. La correlación entre palinología e isotopía permitió la validación de algunos de los resultados. También se obtuvieron datos cualitativos sobre input hidraúlicos a los sistemas fluviales o kársticos

Influence of coronary artery disease and subclinical atherosclerosis related polymorphisms on the risk of atherosclerosis in rheumatoid arthritis

A genetic component influences the development of atherosclerosis in the general population and also in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, genetic polymorphisms associated with atherosclerosis in the general population are not always involved in the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in RA. Accordingly, a study in North-American RA patients did not show the association reported in the general population of coronary artery disease with a series of relevant polymorphisms (TCF21, LPA, HHIPL1, RASD1-PEMT, MRPS6, CYP17A1-CNNM2-NT5C2, SMG6-SRR, PHACTR1, WDR12 and COL4A1-COL4A2). In the present study, we assessed the potential association of these polymorphisms with CVD in Southern European RA patients. We also assessed if polymorphisms implicated in the increased risk of subclinical atherosclerosis in non-rheumatic Caucasians (ZHX2, PINX1, SLC17A4, LRIG1 and LDLR) may influence the risk for CVD in RA. 2,609 Spanish patients were genotyped by TaqMan assays. Subclinical atherosclerosis was determined in 1,258 of them by carotid ultrasonography (assessment of carotid intima media thickness and presence/absence of carotid plaques). No statistically significant differences were found when each polymorphism was assessed according to the presence/absence of cardiovascular events and subclinical atherosclerosis, after adjustment for potential confounder factors. Our results do not show an association between these 15 polymorphisms and atherosclerosis in RA

Memoria resumen OBIPH-UB. Acciones del observatorio Internacional en Pedagogía hospitalaria llevadas a cabo desde su constitución hasta la actualidad (2019-2021)

Acciones llevadas a cabo en el bienio 2019 y 2020, así como algunas acciones del 2021, se presentan sobre los siguientes cuatro ejes: docencia y formación, investigación, promoción y visibilidad, y publicación científica

Interleukin-10 promoter polymorphisms in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus from the Canary Islands

The purpose of this study was to examine whether several allelic variants in the polymorphic interleukin (IL)-10 promoter region were related with an increased risk of developing systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Spanish patients from Canary Islands. Microsatellites (MS) at positions –4000 and –1200 (IL10R and IL10G, respectively) and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (MS) at positions –1082G/A, –819C/T and –592C/A of the IL-10 promoter were analysed in patients with SLE and healthy controls from Canary Islands (Spain). We found that SNPs but not MS were associated with SLE. The GCC haplotype frequency was significantly higher in SLE patients (0.43) than in healthy donors (0.33) [P = 0.02; OR = 1.50 (95% CI = 1.06–2.14)], whereas the ACC haplotype was less represented in patients (0.28 vs. 0.37) [P = 0.02; OR = 0.64 (95% CI = 0.44–0.92)]. To assess the functional role of genotypes, serum IL-10 levels from patients and controls were quantified by ELISA. Also, the lipopolysaccharide-induced IL-10 secretion by monocytes from healthy controls was evaluated in vitro. Serum IL-10 levels were higher in patients [median (interquartile range) = 2.8 pg/mL (1.8–4.2)] than in controls [0.9 pg/mL (0–3.5)] (P = 0.02), but no association was observed between serum IL-10 levels or lipopolysaccharide-induced IL-10 secretion and the IL-10 promoter haplotypes. These data suggest that the IL-10 promoter haplotype that produces higher levels of cytokine is associated with SLE in patients from Canary Islands.This project was supported by Fundacion LAIR (8108) and Ministerio de Educacion y Ciencia (AP2000-2160)

La formación en Moodle en el Campus Virtual de la Universitat de Barcelona

Este trabajo describe la planificación de la formación en Moodle en la UB. Se recoge la información descriptiva acumulada en los siguientes aspectos: tipología de cursos ofertados, facultades implicadas, participación docente, etc. desde su implantación en el curso 2006-07 hasta la actualidad. Se ha producido una implementación generalizada del uso de Moodle en la docencia cotidiana de los profesores de la UB. Como consecuencia, se están replanteando las metodologías docentes con un enfoque más acorde a las directrices que emanan del EEES. Se ha iniciado la exploración de su uso avanzado por parte de diferentes equipos docentes, al incluirlo en el desarrollo de nuevos proyectos de innovación docente de nuestra universidad

Characterization of New Substrates Targeted By Yersinia Tyrosine Phosphatase YopH

YopH is an exceptionally active tyrosine phosphatase that is essential for virulence of Yersinia pestis, the bacterium causing plague. YopH breaks down signal transduction mechanisms in immune cells and inhibits the immune response. Only a few substrates for YopH have been characterized so far, for instance p130Cas and Fyb, but in view of YopH potency and the great number of proteins involved in signalling pathways it is quite likely that more proteins are substrates of this phosphatase. In this respect, we show here YopH interaction with several proteins not shown before, such as Gab1, Gab2, p85, and Vav and analyse the domains of YopH involved in these interactions. Furthermore, we show that Gab1, Gab2 and Vav are not dephosphorylated by YopH, in contrast to Fyb, Lck, or p85, which are readily dephosphorylated by the phosphatase. These data suggests that YopH might exert its actions by interacting with adaptors involved in signal transduction pathways, what allows the phosphatase to reach and dephosphorylate its susbstrates

Mediterranean, DASH, and MIND Dietary Patterns and Cognitive Function: The 2-Year Longitudinal Changes in an Older Spanish Cohort

Background and Aims: Plant-forward dietary patterns have been associated with cardiometabolic health benefits, which, in turn, have been related to cognitive performance with inconsistent findings. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between baseline adherence to three a priori dietary patterns (Mediterranean, DASH, and MIND diets) with 2-year changes in cognitive performance in older adults with overweight or obesity and high cardiovascular disease risk. Methods: A prospective cohort analysis was conducted within the PREDIMED-Plus trial, involving 6,647 men and women aged 55-75 years with overweight or obesity and metabolic syndrome. Using a validated, semiquantitative 143-item food frequency questionnaire completed at baseline, the dietary pattern adherence scores were calculated. An extensive neuropsychological test battery was administered at baseline and 2-year follow-up. Multivariable-adjusted linear regression models were used to assess associations between 2-year changes in cognitive function z-scores across tertiles of baseline adherence to the a priori dietary patterns. Results: Adherence to the Mediterranean diet at baseline was associated with 2-year changes in the general cognitive screening Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE, β: 0.070; 95% CI: 0.014, 0.175, P-trend = 0.011), and two executive function-related assessments: the Trail Making Tests Part A (TMT-A, β: −0.054; 95% CI: −0.110, − 0.002, P-trend = 0.047) and Part B (TMT-B, β: −0.079; 95% CI: −0.134, −0.024, P-trend = 0.004). Adherence to the MIND diet was associated with the backward recall Digit Span Test assessment of working memory (DST-B, β: 0.058; 95% CI: 0.002, 0.114, P-trend = 0.045). However, higher adherence to the DASH dietary pattern was not associated with better cognitive function over a period of 2 years. Conclusion: In older Spanish individuals with overweight or obesity and at high cardiovascular disease risk, higher baseline adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern may be associated with better cognitive performance than lower adherence over a period of 2 years