Impacts of sea-level rise-induced erosion on the Catalan coast

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10113-016-1052-xThe Catalan coast as most of the developed Mediterranean coastal zone is characterized by the coincidence of stresses and pressures on the natural system with a high exposure and low adaptive capacity. Due to this, climate change-induced effects will increase natural hazards and aggravate their associated impacts and, in consequence, it is necessary to assess their effects for proper long-term management. In this work, we assess the impact of sea-level rise (SLR)-induced shoreline retreat on the Catalan coast for three scenarios ranging from 0.53 to 1.75 m by the year 2100. Implications are analysed in terms of affectation of two main functions provided by beaches, i.e. recreation and protection. Obtained results show that CC will be a serious threat to analysed functions since the expected enhanced shoreline retreat will severely decrease the recreational carrying capacity and the capacity of protection in the near future under tested scenarios. The actual level of development along the coastal zone reduces the natural resilient capacity of beaches to SLR in such a way that the lack of accommodation space can be identified as a main factor for the estimated impacts.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Geomorfología costera urbana

Postprint (published version

Study of atmospheric forcing influence on harbour water renewal

In this study, we use observations and numerical simulations to investigate the effect of meteorological parameters such as wind and atmospheric pressure on harbour water exchanges. The modelled information is obtained from the SAMOA (Sistema de Apoyo Meteorológico y Oceanográfico de la Autoridad Portuaria) forecasting system, which is a high-resolution numerical model for coastal and port-scale forecasting. Based on the observations, six events with high renewal times have been proposed for analysis using the SAMOA model. Therefore, the conclusions of this study have been possible due to the combination of observed data from the measurement campaigns and the information provided by the model. The results show that days with higher renewal times coincide with favourable wind-direction events or increases in atmospheric pressure. After analysing these events using model results, it was observed that during these episodes, water inflows were generated, and in some cases, there was a negative difference in levels between inside and outside the harbour produced by atmospheric pressure variations. The latter may be due to the fact that the water in the harbour (having a lower volume) descends faster and, therefore, generates a difference in level between the exterior and the interior and, consequently, inflow currents that imply an increase in the renewal time. These results are a demonstration of how meteorological information (normally available in ports) can be used to estimate currents and water exchanges between ports and their outer harbour area.This research received funding from the EuroSea project, under agreement with the European Social Fund (ESF) through a grant from FI AGAUR 2020 (Agency for the Management of University and Research Grants). This research has received funding from EuroSea project GA862626 funder H2020-EU.3.2.5.1 The authors want to acknowledge the ECO-BAYS research project (PID2020-115924RB-I00, financed by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033). The lead author has been financed by the Secretaria d’Universitats i Recerca de la Generalitat de Catalunya and the European Social Fund (ESF).Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Satb1 overexpression drives tumor-promoting activities in cancer-associated dendritic cells

Special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 1 (Satb1) governs genome-wide transcriptional programs. Using a conditional knockout mouse, we find that Satb1 is required for normal differentiation of conventional dendritic cells (DCs). Furthermore, Satb1 governs the differentiation of inflammatory DCs by regulating major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC II) expression through Notch1 signaling. Mechanistically, Satb1 binds to the Notch1 promoter, activating Notch expression and driving RBPJ occupancy of the H2-Ab1 promoter, which activates MHC II transcription. However, tumor-driven, unremitting expression of Satb1 in activated Zbtb46(+) inflammatory DCs that infiltrate ovarian tumors results in an immunosuppressive phenotype characterized by increased secretion of tumor-promoting Galectin-1 and IL-6. In vivo silencing of Satb1 in tumor-associated DCs reverses their tumorigenic activity and boosts protective immunity. Therefore, dynamic fluctuations in Satb1 expression govern the generation and immunostimulatory activity of steady-state and inflammatory DCs, but continuous Satb1 overexpression in differentiated DCs converts them into tolerogenic/pro-inflammatory cells that contribute to malignant progression.Fil: Tesone, Amelia J.. The Wistar Institute. Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis Program; Estados UnidosFil: Rutkowski, Melanie R.. The Wistar Institute. Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis Program; Estados UnidosFil: Brencicova, Eva. The Wistar Institute. Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis Program; Estados UnidosFil: Svoronos, Nikolaos. The Wistar Institute. Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis Program; Estados UnidosFil: Perales Puchal, Alfredo. The Wistar Institute. Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis Program; Estados UnidosFil: Stephen, Tom L.. The Wistar Institute. Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis Program; Estados UnidosFil: Allegrezza, Michael J.. The Wistar Institute. Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis Program; Estados UnidosFil: Payne, Kyle K.. The Wistar Institute. Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis Program; Estados UnidosFil: Nguyen, Jenny M.. The Wistar Institute. Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis Program; Estados UnidosFil: Wickramasinghe, Jayamanna. The Wistar Institute. Center for Systems and Computational Biology; Estados UnidosFil: Tchou, Julia. University of Pennsylvania; Estados UnidosFil: Borowsky, Mark E.. Christiana Care Health System. Helen F. Graham Cancer Center; Estados UnidosFil: Rabinovich, Gabriel Adrián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Kossenkov, Andrew V.. The Wistar Institute. Center for Systems and Computational Biology; Estados UnidosFil: Conejo Garcia, José R.. The Wistar Institute. Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis Program; Estados Unido

Modelling barrier beaches under storms with XBEACH: The case of the Trabucador bar

Postprint (updated version

Investigació + enginyeria per a una zona costanera més sostenible

Aquest article presenta tres projectes que han contribuït a desenvolupar noves eines per a millorar el projecte d’estructures i actuacions d’enginyeria civil a la zona costanera. L’objectiu és plantejar com es poden fer servir aquests nous models i coneixements per a un millor aprenentatge i, eventualment, una millor enginyeria civil a la frontera mar-terra

Coastal sustainability for uncertain futures: a Spanish Mediterranean case from the RISES-AM- project

This document presents the impacts of future climatic conditions as a function of coastal typology. The impact assessment is carried out at decadal and storm scales showing how such a combination produces the worst levels of damage. From here the implications at a “predictive” scale up to 10 years and at a projective scale up to 10 decades is considered. The resulting impact consequences, normalized by their respective probability of occurrence allow calculating risk levels. For the more clear vulnerability hotspots the proposal in the paper is to use natural accretion mechanisms where the natural power of meteorological and oceanographic events can be put to use to contribute sedimentary inputs to a starving coastal zone. In the same manner the natural adaptive capacity of coastal systems could be enhanced if natural accommodation space is provided or considered for present and future planning. The paper ends with some conclusions on the development of a pathway for efficient responses to climatic change.Postprint (published version

Reduced Satb1 expression predisposes CD4+ T conventional cells to Treg suppression and promotes transplant survival

Limiting CD4+ T cell responses is important to prevent solid organ transplant rejection. In a mouse model of costimulation blockade-dependent cardiac allograft tolerance, we previously reported that alloreactive CD4+ conventional T cells (Tconvs) develop dysfunction, losing proliferative capacity. In parallel, induction of transplantation tolerance is dependent on the presence of regulatory T cells (Tregs). Whether susceptibility of CD4+ Tconvs to Treg suppression is modulated during tolerance induction is unknown. We found that alloreactive Tconvs from transplant tolerant mice had augmented sensitivity to Treg suppression when compared with memory T cells from rejector mice and expressed a transcriptional profile distinct from these memory T cells, including down-regulated expression of the transcription factor Special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 1 (Satb1). Mechanistically, Satb1 deficiency in CD4+ T cells limited their expression of CD25 and IL-2, and addition of Tregs, which express higher levels of CD25 than Satb1-deficient Tconvs and successfully competed for IL-2, resulted in greater suppression of Satb1-deficient than wild-type Tconvs in vitro. In vivo, Satb1-deficient Tconvs were more susceptible to Treg suppression, resulting in significantly prolonged skin allograft survival. Overall, our study reveals that transplantation tolerance is associated with Tconvs’ susceptibility to Treg suppression, via modulated expression of Tconv-intrinsic Satb1. Targeting Satb1 in the context of Treg-sparing immunosuppressive therapies might be exploited to improve transplant outcomes

Illuminating the Numbers: Integrating Mathematical Models to Optimize Photomedicine Dosimetry and Combination Therapies

Cancer photomedicine offers unique mechanisms for inducing local tumor damage with the potential to stimulate local and systemic anti-tumor immunity. Optically-active nanomedicine offers these features as well as spatiotemporal control of tumor-focused drug release to realize synergistic combination therapies. Achieving quantitative dosimetry is a major challenge, and dosimetry is fundamental to photomedicine for personalizing and tailoring therapeutic regimens to specific patients and anatomical locations. The challenge of dosimetry is perhaps greater for photomedicine than many standard therapies given the complexity of light delivery and light–tissue interactions as well as the resulting photochemistry responsible for tumor damage and drug-release, in addition to the usual intricacies of therapeutic agent delivery. An emerging multidisciplinary approach in oncology utilizes mathematical and computational models to iteratively and quantitively analyze complex dosimetry, and biological response parameters. These models are parameterized by preclinical and clinical observations and then tested against previously unseen data. Such calibrated and validated models can be deployed to simulate treatment doses, protocols, and combinations that have not yet been experimentally or clinically evaluated and can provide testable optimal treatment outcomes in a practical workflow. Here, we foresee the utility of these computational approaches to guide adaptive therapy, and how mathematical models might be further developed and integrated as a novel methodology to guide precision photomedicine