Attitudes of students of a health sciences university towards the extension of smoke-free policies at the university campuses of Barcelona

OBJECTIVE: To assess attitudes towards the extension of outdoor smoke-free areas on university campuses. METHODS: Cross-sectional study (n=384) conducted using a questionnaire administered to medical and nursing students in Barcelona in 2014. Information was obtained pertaining to support for indoor and outdoor smoking bans on university campuses, and the importance of acting as role models. Logistic regression analyses were performed to examine agreement. RESULTS: Most of the students agreed on the importance of health professionals and students as role models (74.9% and 64.1%, respectively) although there were statistically significant differences by smoking status and age. 90% of students reported exposure to smoke on campus. Students expressed strong support for indoor smoke-free policies (97.9%). However, only 39.3% of participants supported regulation of outdoor smoking for university campuses. Non-smokers (OR=12.315; 95% CI: 5.377-28.204) and students ≥22 years old (OR=3.001; 95% CI: 1.439-6.257) were the strongest supporters. CONCLUSIONS: The students supported indoor smoke-free policies for universities. However, support for extending smoke-free regulations to outdoor areas of university campuses was limited. It is necessary to educate students about tobacco control and emphasise their importance as role models before extending outdoor smoke-free legislation at university campuses

H.264/AVC inter prediction on accelerator-based multi-core systems

The AVC video coding standard adopts variable block sizes for inter frame coding to increase compression efficiency, among other new features. As a consequence of this, an AVC encoder has to employ a complex mode decision technique that requires high computational complexity. Several techniques aimed at accelerating the inter prediction process have been proposed in the literature in recent years. Recently, with the emergence of many-core processors or accelerators, a new way of supporting inter frame prediction has presented itself. In this paper, we present a step forward in the implementation of an AVC inter prediction algorithm in a graphics processing unit, using Compute Unified Device Architecture. The results show a negligible drop in rate distortion with a time reduction, on average, of over 98.8 % compared with full search and fast full search, and of over 80 % compared with UMHexagonS search

Introduction: Gaining insights into English as a contact language and its diffusion

The aims of this volume are twofold: to contribute to the study of English as a contact language and its various manifestations in World Englishes, and to explore the causes and effects of the influence and diffusion of English in several languages, with particular reference to Spanish.As Schreier and Hundt (2013: 1) have noted, the English language “has been contact derived from its very beginnings” and to this we can add that due to its rapid and far reaching extension, leading to its current role as a global contact language (Görlach, 2002), it continues to be closely connected to a wide range of communities of speakers and languages across the world. In fact, as Onysko (2016: 192) claims, "the notion of language contact emerges as a valid candidate for being a unifying characteristic of all Englishes".</jats:p

AMPK and GCN2-ATF4 signal the repression of mitochondria in colon cancer cells

Reprogramming of energetic metabolism is a phenotypic trait of cancer in which mitochondrial dysfunction represents a key event in tumour progression. In the present study, we show that the acquisition of the tumour-promoting phenotype in colon cancer HCT116 cells treated with oligomycin to inhibit ATP synthase is exerted by repression of the synthesis of nuclear-encoded mitochondrial proteins in a process that is regulated at the level of translation. Remarkably, the synthesis of glycolytic proteins is not affected in this situation. Changes in translational control of mitochondrial proteins are signalled by the activation of AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) and the GCN2 (general control non-derepressible 2) kinase, leading also to the activation of autophagy. Changes in the bioenergetic function of mitochondria are mimicked by the activation of AMPK and the silencing of ATF4 (activating transcription factor 4). These findings emphasize the relevance of translational control for normal mitochondrial function and for the progression of cancer. Moreover, they demonstrate that glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation are controlled at different levels of gene expression, offering the cell a mechanistic safeguard strategy for metabolic adaptation under stressful conditions.</jats:p

Evaluation of the spatial patterns and risk factors, including backyard pigs, for classical swine fever occurrence in Bulgaria using a Bayesian model

The spatial pattern and epidemiology of backyard pig farming and other low bio-security pig production systems and their role in the occurrence of classical swine fever (CSF) is described and evaluated. A spatial Bayesian model was used to explore the risk factors, including human demographics, socioeconomic and environmental factors. The analyses were performed for Bulgaria, which has a large number of backyard farms (96% of all pig farms in the country are classified as backyard farms), and it is one of the countries for which both backyard pig and farm counts were available. Results reveal that the high-risk areas are typically concentrated in areas with small family farms, high numbers of outgoing pig shipments and low levels of personal consumption (i.e. economically deprived areas). Identification of risk factors and high-risk areas for CSF will allow to targeting risk-based surveillance strategies leading to prevention, control and, ultimately, elimination of the disease in Bulgaria and other countries with similar socio-epidemiological condition

High-throughput wide dynamic range procedure for the simultaneous quantification of nicotine and cotinine in multiple biological matrices using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A straightforward, high-throughput method was developed and fully validated for the simultaneous determination of the specific tobacco biomarkers nicotine and its main metabolite cotinine in a wide dynamic range and supporting the most common human biological matrices (urine, oral fluid and hair). Sample preparation was performed inside the very HPLC injection vials by pipetting 0.5 mL of the liquid samples, deuterated internal standards in alkaline solution and dichloromethane as extraction solvent. Solid samples (i.e. around 10 mg hair) were first submitted to alkaline digestion in the HPLC vials and processed accordingly. The organic phase (reached through the upper aqueous layer) was directly injected without further treatment. Instrumental analysis was performed using hydrophilic interaction (HILIC) ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). Total chromatographic time was 2 min. The method covers a wide dynamic range making it fit-for-purpose for the analysis of samples covering entire populations, irrespective of the level of exposure or tobacco use. Calibration curves (r 2 > 0.995) covered the range 1-2000 ng/mL (or 0.05-100 ng/mg hair) for nicotine and 0.1-2000 ng/mL (or 0.005-100 ng/mg hair) for cotinine. Within-run and between-run precision and accuracy were typically below 10 %, and always below 20 % at the lower limit of quantification. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of samples from different projects involving multiple matrices

Geomatic methods applied to the change study of the la Paúl Rock Glacier, Spanish Pyrenees

Producción CientíficaRock glaciers are one of the most important features of the mountain permafrost in the Pyrenees. La Paúl is an active rock glacier located in the north face of the Posets massif in the La Paúl glacier cirque (Spanish Pyrenees). This study presents the preliminary results of the La Paúl rock glacier monitoring works carried out through two geomatic technologies since 2013: Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers and Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) devices. Displacements measured on the rock glacier surface have demonstrated both the activity of the rock glacier and the utility of this equipment for the rock glaciers dynamic analysis. The glacier has exhibited the fastest displacements on its west side (over 35 cm yr-1), affected by the Little Ice Age, and frontal area (over 25 cm yr-1). As an indicator of permafrost in marginal environments and its peculiar morphology, La Paúl rock glacier encourages a more prolonged study and to the application of more geomatic techniques for its detailed analysis.Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad - Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (project CGL2015-68144-R)Junta de Extremadura - Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (project GR10071

Biodiversity and distribution of macroinfauna assemblages on sandy beaches along the Gulf of Cadiz (SW Spain)

In the current study, the macroinfauna communities inhabiting 12 sandy beaches along the Spanish coast of the Gulf of Cadiz were describe in order to characterize their unexplored biodiversity, their zonation patterns and their environmental features. A total of 66 macroinfauna taxa were recorded on 12 sandy beaches, ranging from 4 to 33 species. Density reached 848 individual per m2. The individual zonation pattern ranged from two to three zones, regardless of the morphodynamic state. A common zonation pattern of the whole set of beaches was established, comprising three across-shore biological zones. Generally, the supralittoral zone was typified by the air-breathing amphipod Talitrus saltator and coleopterans; the middle zone was dominated by true intertidal species, such as Haustoriidae amphipods (Haustorius arenarius), Cirolanidae isopods (Eurydice affinis), Spionidae polychaetes (Scolelepis spp.) and nemerteans; and the lower or sublittoral zone was typified by Pontoporeiidae amphipods, mysids and spionid polychaetes. Sediment moisture, average grain size, organic matter content and elevation were the main predictor variables of zonation patterns. We used the conservation and recreation potential indices to show how this information can be useful for coastal management. Most beaches studied show a score above 5 on the conservation index, so the beaches have a reasonable potential for conservation management.En el presente estudio, se describen las comunidades de macroinfauna de doce playas arenosas de la costa española del Golfo de Cádiz con el objetivo de caracterizar su biodiversidad, sus patrones de zonación, y sus características ambientales. Un total de 66 taxones de macroinfauna fueron registrados en las playas de estudio, oscilando entre 4 y 33 especies, mientras que la densidad total fue de 848 individuos por m2. El patrón de zonación individual varió de dos a tres zonas, independientemente del estado morfodinámico de la playa. Se estableció un patrón de zonación común de todo el conjunto de playas, formado por tres zonas biológicas. En general, la zona supralitoral fue tipificada por el anfípodo Talitrus saltator y diversas familias de coleópteros. La zona media fue dominada por verdaderas especies intermareales, como anfípodos de la famila Haustoriidae (Haustorius arenarius), isópodos cirolánidos (Eurydice affinis), poliquetos (Scolelepis spp.) y nemertinos. La zona sublitoral se caracterizó por anfípodos de la familia Pontoporeiidae, misidáceos y poliquetos espiónidos. La humedad del sedimento, el tamaño medio de grano, el contenido en materia orgánica y la elevación fueron las principales variables influyentes en los patrones de zonación. Por último, toda esta información fue integrada para la aplicación de los índices de Conservación y Recreación, para mostrar cómo esta información puede ser útil para la gestión costera. La mayoría de las playas mostraron una puntuación superior a 5 en el Índice de Conservación, indicando un razonable potencial para la conservación.Gobierno de Andalucía P09- HUM-4717Ministerio de Educación AP-2009-390

Trust and Privacy Solutions Based on Holistic Service Requirements

The products and services designed for Smart Cities provide the necessary tools to improve the management of modern cities in a more efficient way. These tools need to gather citizens’ information about their activity, preferences, habits, etc. opening up the possibility of tracking them. Thus, privacy and security policies must be developed in order to satisfy and manage the legislative heterogeneity surrounding the services provided and comply with the laws of the country where they are provided. This paper presents one of the possible solutions to manage this heterogeneity, bearing in mind these types of networks, such as Wireless Sensor Networks, have important resource limitations. A knowledge and ontology management system is proposed to facilitate the collaboration between the business, legal and technological areas. This will ease the implementation of adequate specific security and privacy policies for a given service. All these security and privacy policies are based on the information provided by the deployed platforms and by expert system processing