66 research outputs found

    LanderPick, a Remote Operated Trawled Vehicle to cost-effectively deploy and recover lightweight oceanographic landers.

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    Landers are modular structures equipped with miscellaneous sensors and monitoring equipment which are positioned directly on the seabed to operate autonomously for a defined timeframe. A drawback of landers intended to operate for prolonged periods in the deep ocean is the high cost of recovery systems, typically depending on buoyancy modules plus expendable ballast, or requiring ROVs assistance. LanderPick concept consists of the design of a specific trawled vehicle to deploy and recover lightweight oceanographic landers not provided with recovery elements, but having a capture mesh that facilitates their hitching. The LanderPick vehicle is technically a ROTV (Remote Operated Trawled Vehicle) controlled through a standard coaxial electromechanical cable that allows real-time control from the vessel. Navigation is enabled by a low-light high-definition camera, aided by spotlights and laser pointers. Small propellers aid in the final precision approach maneuvers. A mechanical release allows the precise placement at the sea bottom of landers carried as a payload, as well as their recovery by means of a triple hook. First sea missions of the system were carried out successfully in 2021 in southern Biscay. A 4-month deployment of a lander array equipped with current-meters along an energetic canyon axis provided unprecedented detail in the progression of the internal tidal bore. Short (48-hours) deployments of a fully-instrumented lander, including lapse-time image and baits in a deep seamount summit within a marine protected area, provided insights on the biodiversity of a unique ecosystem. The LanderPick novel approach to cost-effectively and precisely deploy and recover lightweight oceanographic landers allows to conceive (i) monitoring systems based on the deployment of arrays or fleets of low-cost landers and (ii) experiments associated with deep habitats such as coral reefs in which it is necessary to locate landers with great precision

    The Quaternary Active Faults Database of Iberia (QAFI v.2.0)

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    The Quaternary Active Faults Database of Iberia (QAFI) is an initiative lead by the Institute of Geology and Mines of Spain (IGME) for building a public repository of scientific data regarding faults having documented activity during the last 2.59 Ma (Quaternary). QAFI also addresses a need to transfer geologic knowledge to practitioners of seismic hazard and risk in Iberia by identifying and characterizing seismogenic fault-sources. QAFI is populated by the information freely provided by more than 40 Earth science researchers, storing to date a total of 262 records. In this article we describe the development and evolution of the database, as well as its internal architecture. Aditionally, a first global analysis of the data is provided with a special focus on length and slip-rate fault parameters. Finally, the database completeness and the internal consistency of the data are discussed. Even though QAFI v.2.0 is the most current resource for calculating fault-related seismic hazard in Iberia, the database is still incomplete and requires further review

    Structural Analysis and Active strain-field for Induced Seismicity in gas storage facilities: Hontomin study-case (SPAIN)

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    La determinaciĂłn de las fallas capaces de disparar terremotos en zonas adyacentes con formaciones geolĂłgicas aptas para el almacenamiento profundo de gas, es una tarea que mitiga la ocurrencia de sismicidad inducida por operaciones subterrĂĄneas y movimiento de fluidos. Para ello, la determinaciĂłn del campo de esfuerzos/deformaciĂłn tectĂłnicos activo ayuda a entender los patrones tridimensionales de fracturaciĂłn cartografiados no solo en la zona, sino tambiĂ©n en la propia roca almacĂ©n. Por este motivo, se presenta un protocolo de trabajo para la obtenciĂłn del campo de deformaciĂłn (σHmax, σhmin) que ayude a entender el papel de cada conjunto de fallas cartografiado. Para ello, aplicamos el AnĂĄlisis Poblacional de fallas en dos zonas de influencia: 1) Campo cercano: 10 km de diĂĄmetro del almacenamiento y 2) Campo Lejano: 20 km de diĂĄmetro. Sobre estas zonas calculamos las trayectorias de deformaciĂłn y llevamos a cabo una cartografĂ­a sistemĂĄtica de fallas. Se presentan los resultados preliminares de HontomĂ­n.The cartography of seismogenic active faults in adjacent areas of underground gas storage helps in the management for Induced Seismicity related to deep fluid movement and injection/extraction manoeuvres. In this sense, the determination of the Active Stress field into the area allows the understanding of the 3D fracture patterns and their role in earthquake occurrence. We introduce a protocol for study active tectonic stress by using the classical Structural Analysis based on brittle techniques. Accordingly, we have defined two different areas for studying: (1) Near field, 10 km of diameter from the Storage Site and (2) Far Field, 20 km diameter. Preliminary results for Hontomin site are presented.Depto. de MineralogĂ­a y PetrologĂ­aFac. de Ciencias GeolĂłgicasTRUEUniĂłn Europea. Horizonte 2020pu

    Risk factors for non-diabetic renal disease in diabetic patients

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    Background. Diabetic patients with kidney disease have a high prevalence of non-diabetic renal disease (NDRD). Renal and patient survival regarding the diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy (DN) or NDRD have not been widely studied. The aim of our study is to evaluate the prevalence of NDRD in patients with diabetes and to determine the capacity of clinical and analytical data in the prediction of NDRD. In addition, we will study renal and patient prognosis according to the renal biopsy findings in patients with diabetes. Methods. Retrospective multicentre observational study of renal biopsies performed in patients with diabetes from 2002 to 2014. Results. In total, 832 patients were included: 621 men (74.6%), mean age of 61.7 6 12.8 years, creatinine was 2.8 6 2.2 mg/dL and proteinuria 2.7 (interquartile range: 1.2–5.4) g/24 h. About 39.5% (n ÂŒ 329) of patients had DN, 49.6% (n ÂŒ 413) NDRD and 10.8% (n ÂŒ 90) mixed forms. The most frequent NDRD was nephroangiosclerosis (NAS) (n ÂŒ 87, 9.3%). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, older age [odds ratio (OR) ÂŒ 1.03, 95% CI: 1.02–1.05, P < 0.001], microhaematuria (OR ÂŒ 1.51, 95% CI: 1.03–2.21, P ÂŒ 0.033) and absence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) (OR ÂŒ 0.28, 95% CI: 0.19–0.42, P < 0.001) were independently associated with NDRD. Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that patients with DN or mixed forms presented worse renal prognosis than NDRD (P < 0.001) and higher mortality (P ÂŒ 0.029). In multivariate Cox analyses, older age (P < 0.001), higher serum creatinine (P < 0.001), higher proteinuria (P < 0.001), DR (P ÂŒ 0.007) and DN (P < 0.001) were independent risk factors for renal replacement therapy. In addition, older age (P < 0.001), peripheral vascular disease (P ÂŒ 0.002), higher creatinine (P ÂŒ 0.01) and DN (P ÂŒ 0.015) were independent risk factors for mortality. Conclusions. The most frequent cause of NDRD is NAS. Elderly patients with microhaematuria and the absence of DR are the ones at risk for NDRD. Patients with DN presented worse renal prognosis and higher mortality than those with NDRD. These results suggest that in some patients with diabetes, kidney biopsy may be useful for an accurate renal diagnosis and subsequently treatment and prognosis

    IV Foro Internacional de Ganadería Sustentable: conectividad ecosistémica y articulación territorial hacia la Agenda 2030

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    En este espacio plural de anålisis y reflexiones, buscamos articular conceptos y posibilidades para los territorios de montaña del centro de México, dando importancia a medios de vida vinculados a la ganadería y su interacción ecosistémica, fundamentado en innovaciones, casos de éxito e iniciativas emblemåticas nacionales e internacionales. La socialización de experiencias es uno de los pilares para transitar hacia la sostenibilidad de los sistemas productivos ganaderos: compartir logros e iniciativas, crear sinergias e identificar vulnerabilidades desde distintos enfoques.GIZ, Agencia de Cooperación Aleman

    Natural History of MYH7-Related Dilated Cardiomyopathy

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    BACKGROUND Variants in myosin heavy chain 7 (MYH7) are responsible for disease in 1% to 5% of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM); however, the clinical characteristics and natural history of MYH7-related DCM are poorly described. OBJECTIVES We sought to determine the phenotype and prognosis of MYH7-related DCM. We also evaluated the influence of variant location on phenotypic expression. METHODS We studied clinical data from 147 individuals with DCM-causing MYH7 variants (47.6% female; 35.6 +/- 19.2 years) recruited from 29 international centers. RESULTS At initial evaluation, 106 (72.1%) patients had DCM (left ventricular ejection fraction: 34.5% +/- 11.7%). Median follow-up was 4.5 years (IQR: 1.7-8.0 years), and 23.7% of carriers who were initially phenotype-negative developed DCM. Phenotypic expression by 40 and 60 years was 46% and 88%, respectively, with 18 patients (16%) first diagnosed at <18 years of age. Thirty-six percent of patients with DCM met imaging criteria for LV noncompaction. During follow-up, 28% showed left ventricular reverse remodeling. Incidence of adverse cardiac events among patients with DCM at 5 years was 11.6%, with 5 (4.6%) deaths caused by end-stage heart failure (ESHF) and 5 patients (4.6%) requiring heart transplantation. The major ventricular arrhythmia rate was low (1.0% and 2.1% at 5 years in patients with DCM and in those with LVEF of <= 35%, respectively). ESHF and major ventricular arrhythmia were significantly lower compared with LMNA-related DCM and similar to DCM caused by TTN truncating variants. CONCLUSIONS MYH7-related DCM is characterized by early age of onset, high phenotypic expression, low left ventricular reverse remodeling, and frequent progression to ESHF. Heart failure complications predominate over ventricular arrhythmias, which are rare. (C) 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier on behalf of the American College of Cardiology Foundation

    Evaluating the Impact of Nature-Based Solutions: A Handbook for Practitioners

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    The Handbook aims to provide decision-makers with a comprehensive NBS impact assessment framework, and a robust set of indicators and methodologies to assess impacts of nature-based solutions across 12 societal challenge areas: Climate Resilience; Water Management; Natural and Climate Hazards; Green Space Management; Biodiversity; Air Quality; Place Regeneration; Knowledge and Social Capacity Building for Sustainable Urban Transformation; Participatory Planning and Governance; Social Justice and Social Cohesion; Health and Well-being; New Economic Opportunities and Green Jobs. Indicators have been developed collaboratively by representatives of 17 individual EU-funded NBS projects and collaborating institutions such as the EEA and JRC, as part of the European Taskforce for NBS Impact Assessment, with the four-fold objective of: serving as a reference for relevant EU policies and activities; orient urban practitioners in developing robust impact evaluation frameworks for nature-based solutions at different scales; expand upon the pioneering work of the EKLIPSE framework by providing a comprehensive set of indicators and methodologies; and build the European evidence base regarding NBS impacts. They reflect the state of the art in current scientific research on impacts of nature-based solutions and valid and standardized methods of assessment, as well as the state of play in urban implementation of evaluation frameworks

    Genetic variability of hepatitis C virus before and after combined therapy of interferon plus ribavirin

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    We present an analysis of the selective forces acting on two hepatitis C virus genome regions previously postulated to be involved in the viral response to combined antiviral therapy. One includes the three hypervariable regions in the envelope E2 glycoprotein, and the other encompasses the PKR binding domain and the V3 domain in the NS5A region. We used a cohort of 22 non-responder patients to combined therapy (interferon alpha-2a plus ribavirin) for which samples were obtained before initiation of therapy and after 6 or/and 12 months of treatment. A range of 25-100 clones per patient, genome region and time sample were sequenced. These were used to detect general patterns of adaptation, to identify particular adaptation mechanisms and to analyze the patterns of evolutionary change in both genome regions. These analyses failed to detect a common adaptive mechanism for the lack of response to antiviral treatment in these patients. On the contrary, a wide range of situations were observed, from patients showing no positively selected sites to others with many, and with completely different topologies in the reconstructed phylogenetic trees. Altogether, these results suggest that viral strategies to evade selection pressure from the immune system and antiviral therapies do not result from a single mechanism and they are likely based on a range of different alternatives, in which several different changes, or their combination, along the HCV genome confer viruses the ability to overcome strong selective [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]
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