Comparison of Brans Promethee multicriteria decision method and Promethee modified by authors for the optimization of an erosion control integral plan in Chaco area in Salta province (Argentine)

Chaco area is situated in the Province of Salta at North West of Argentine. The desertification is a big problem. In order to mitigate the problem it is necessary to take into account not only pedologic criteria but the economical, environmental, cultural and sociological criteria. Six sub zones have been established following previous studies. Eight criteria and six alternatives have been introduced in the model. Following the results of the study carried out by a collaborative project between UPM and UCS financed by AECID (1) were established several initial matrix. Brans Promethee multicriteria decision method (MCDM) was applied and the authors modified that method introducing weights like in Electre metho

On the use minor and non-destructive methods for the safety evaluation of an historic RC bridge: the Bôco Bridge

The authors would like to express their gratitude to Tezin Nyandak and Gonçalo Escusa for their help during the experimental campaign. The work was also financed by FEDER funds through the Competitiveness Factors Operational Programme - COMPETE and by national funds through FCT – Foundation for Science and Technology within the scope of the project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007633.Currently in use, the Bôco Reinforced Concrete (RC) Bridge, built in the early of 20th century, is one of the oldest RC bridges in Portugal. Its initial structural system, erected following the Hennebique system, was retrofitted in the 1960s to support heavy traffic, increasing the section of its structural components. However, the low quality of implemented retrofitting solution has promoted the presence of pathological processes, mainly concrete spalling and steel corrosion. In this context, the present paper shows the first results obtained during the second experimental campaign carried out on the bridge. This campaign comprised the use of several minor and non-destructive methods (laser scanning, operational modal analysis, and laboratory material characterization and mechanical tests), with the aim of improving the knowledge of the bridge and create an accurate numerical simulation (by means of Finite Element Model) to evaluate the safety level of this bridge. Results derived from this campaign, show a bridge with high load capacity, verifying the Ultimate Limit State.FCT -Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia(POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007633)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Fitness muscular y riesgo cardio-metabólico en adultos jóvenes colombianos

Objective: To determine the influence of muscular fitness (MF) on cardiometabolic risk factors in young adult.Methods: A total of 172 men (age 19.7±2.4 years; weight 65.5±10.7 kg; BMI 22.6±2.8 kg•m-1) were invited to participate in the study. They had no indication of cardiometabolic problems, as evaluated by clinical interview. MF was measured by isometric handgrip (dynamometer). The handgrip strength was divided by body mass was used in further analysis. Lower and higher MF values are represented by the first and fourth quartiles, respectively. A lipid-metabolic cardiovascular risk index was derived from the levels of triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), and glucose. Adiposity index were assessed by measuring, waist circumference (WC), body adiposity index (BAI), body mass index (BMI) and fat mass (%).Results: After adjustment for age, BMI and WC, inverse association was observed between fat mass, WC, cholesterol, HDL-c, LDL-c and MF (p less than 0.05) . In addition, subjects with low handgrip strength/kg body mass (Q1), shower high levels of fat mass, WC, cholesterol, HDL-c and LDL-c (p less than 0.05 linear). Lasted, a linear relationship was also observed between the MF/kg and the lipid-metabolic index (p less than 0.05).Conclusions: In Colombian young adult poorer handgrip strength/kg body mass were associated with worse metabolic risk factors and adiposity index. Increasing muscle strength could be an appropriate strategy to achieve favorable changes in metabolic risk profile. © 2014, Grupo Aula Medica S.A. All rights reserved

Cálculo de tasas de incisión a partir de travertinos fluviales. Aplicación a la gestión de residuos radiactivos

El estudio paleo ambiental y paleo climatológico de España, fue considerado parte del análisis de la seguridad de los repositorios de residuos radiactivos emprendida por ENRESA. La Unión Europea y distintas agencias nacionales, también comprendieron la importancia de este tema, contemplado en numerosos proyectos marco EURATOM y proyectos propios de ENRESA y del CSN en los que participó el Grupo de Estudios Ambientales a través del Laboratorio de Estratigrafía Biomolecular: Palaeoclimatological revisión of climate evolution in t he Western Mediterranean Región, Evidency from Quaternary Infills Palaeohydrogeology (EQUIP), Sequential biosphere modelling function of Climate evolution models (BIOCLIM), Paleohydrogeological Data Analysis and Model Testing (PADAMOT), Datación de formaciones cuaternarias a partir de aminoácidos (ENRESA), Estudio paleoambiental de la mitad sur de la Península Ibérica (ENRESA), Paleoclima (ENRESA y CSN

Continuous multi-criteria methods for crop and soil conservation planning on La Colacha (Río Cuarto, Province of Cordoba, Argentina)

Agro-areas of Arroyos Menores (La Colacha) west and south of Rand south of R?o Cuarto (Prov. of Cordoba, Argentina) basins are very fertile but have high soil loses. Extreme rain events, inundations and other severe erosions forming gullies demand urgently actions in this area to avoid soil degradation and erosion supporting good levels of agro production. The authors first improved hydrologic data on La Colacha, evaluated the systems of soil uses and actions that could be recommended considering the relevant aspects of the study area and applied decision support systems (DSS) with mathematic tools for planning of defences and uses of soils in these areas. These were conducted here using multi-criteria models, in multi-criteria decision making (MCDM); first of discrete MCDM to chose among global types of use of soils, and then of continuous MCDM to evaluate and optimize combined actions, including repartition of soil use and the necessary levels of works for soil conservation and for hydraulic management to conserve against erosion these basins. Relatively global solutions for La Colacha area have been defined and were optimised by Linear Programming in Goal Programming forms that are presented as Weighted or Lexicographic Goal Programming and as Compromise Programming. The decision methods used are described, indicating algorithms used, and examples for some representative scenarios on La Colacha area are given

Searching for selective scaffolds against Plasmodium falciparum glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase 6-phosphogluconolactonase

Malaria is a parasitic disease caused by Plasmodium spp., being one of the major causes of death worldwide with two-hundred million new infections and hundreds of thousands of deaths in 2015. Despite the important advances in its prevention and treatment, its resistance to current drug therapies is still a serious risk in its eradication. There is urgency in finding novel targets and drugs operating by novel mechanisms, avoiding cross-resistance to classical antimalarials. In this context, the bifunctional enzyme Glucose-6- phosphate dehydrogenase 6-phosphogluconolactonase appears to be a promising therapeutic target due to its crucial role in regulating the PPP pathway (pentose phosphate pathway), which is the major source of redox potential in Plasmodium falciparum. In the last few years, our group detected a specific mutation between the human and the Plasmodium falciparum form in the binding site of Glucose-6-phosphate (G6P), the endogenous ligand of Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD). This mutation involves the substitution of an Arginine (human) by an Aspartate (parasite), which allowed us to create a validated in-house homology model of PfG6PD. Based on this result, the group has focused their efforts, through different molecular modelling techniques, in the discovery of selective scaffolds against PfG6PD. Current efforts address the development of a complete structural model of the bifunctional enzyme, which may offer novel opportunities to develop molecules capable of inhibiting this relevant enzyme

Mathematical Model to Select the Optimal Alternative for an Integral Plan to Desertification and Erosion Control for the Chaco Area in Salta Province (Argentine)

Multi-criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) is concerned with identifying the values, uncertainties and other issues relevant in a given decision, its rationality, and the resulting optimal decision. These decisions are difficult because the complexity of the system or because of determining the optimal situation or behavior. This work will illustrate how MCDA is applied in practice to a complex problem to resolve such us soil erosion and degradation. Desertification is a global problem and recently it has been studied in several forums as ONU that literally says: "Desertification has a very high incidence in the environmental and food security, socioeconomic stability and world sustained development". Desertification is the soil quality loss and one of FAO's most important preoccupations as hunger in the world is increasing. Multiple factors are involved of diverse nature related to: natural phenomena (water and wind erosion), human activities linked to soil and water management, and others not related to the former. In the whole world this problem exists, but its effects and solutions are different. It is necessary to take into account economical, environmental, cultural and sociological criteria. A multi-criteria model to select among different alternatives to prepare an integral plan to ameliorate or/and solve this problem in each area has been elaborated taking in account eight criteria and six alternatives. Six sub zones have been established following previous studies and in each one the initial matrix and weights have been defined to apply on different criteria. Three Multicriteria Decision Methods have been used for the different sub zones: ELECTRE, PROMETHEE and AHP. The results show a high level of consistency among the three different multicriteria methods despite the complexity of the system studied. The methods are described for La Estrella sub zone, indicating election of weights, Initial Matrixes, the MATHCAD8 algorithms used for PROMETHEE, and the Graph of Expert Choice showing the results of AHP. A brief schema of the actions recommended for each of the six different sub zones is reported in Conclusions, with "We can combine Autochthonous and High Value Forest" for La Estrell

Niveles de ferritina en mujeres gestantes de Colombia

Objective: Ferritin deficiency is associated with many adverse health outcomes and is highly prevalent worldwide. The present study assesses the prevalence and socio-demographic factors associated with ferritin deficiency in a representative sample of pregnant women in Colombia. Methods: We used data from the cross-sectional, nationally representative survey National Nutritional Survey (ENSIN, 2010). A total of 1,386, (13-49 years old) pregnant women were enrolled. Serum ferritin a concentration was determined by chemiluminescence and sociodemographic date (age, urbanicity geographic region, ethnicity and socioeconomic level-SISBEN), was assessed by computer-assisted personal interview technology. Multivariate analyses using unordered binomial logistic regression models were conducted in the main analysis. Results: The overall prevalence of ferritin deficiency (serum less than 12µg/L) was 37.2% (95% CI 35.0% to 39.2%). The multivariate logistic regression no shows associated with a probability of serum ferritin deficiencies. Conclusion: A significant prevalence of ferritin deficiency was found in our study population without an association with the studied sociodemographic factors. © 2015, Grupo Aula Medica S.A. All rights reserved