Peligro, vulnerabilidad y riesgo de inundación en ramblas mediterráneas: los llanos de Carraixet y Poyo

This paper proposes a methodology for mapping flood risk in ephemeral streams, based on the estimation of flood hazard and vulnerability, which has been applied to the floodplains of Barranc del Carraixet and Rambla de Poyo catchments. Hazard has been assessed using hydrogeomorphological methods. Vulnerability has been estimated as a combination between the economic value of land use and human exposure, for three models of intensity of use, related to different time periods: working days, nights, and weekends and holidays. The method has proved to be simple, effective and easily comparable. The results show different patterns of risk for each floodplain, even though both of them are part of the metropolitan area of Valencia.Este trabajo propone una metodología para la cartografía del riesgo de inundación en ramblas, basada en la estimación del peligro y de la vulnerabilidad, que ha sido aplicada a los llanos del Barranc del Carraixet y de la Rambla de Poyo. El peligro se ha evaluado a partir de métodos hidrogeomorfológicos. La vulnerabilidad, entendida como la combinación entre el valor económico de los usos del suelo y la exposición humana, se ha estimado para diferentes condiciones de ocupación del espacio, en función de la franja horaria: jornada laboral, noches y días festivos. El método se ha demostrado sencillo, eficaz y fácilmente extrapolable. Los resultados han puesto de manifiesto que pese a que los dos llanos de inundación forman parte del Área Metropolitana de Valencia y han sufrido una evolución parecida, presentan patrones de riesgo diferentes

The effect of observation timescales on the characterisation of extreme Mediterranean precipitation

This paper analyses the behaviour of five rainfall indicators (maximum intensity, cumulative rainfall, irregularity, probability of rain and persistence of rain) over different observation timescales ranging from 5 min to 24 h. It covers a large area on the Mediterranean side of the Iberian Peninsula (River J´ucar Water Authority, 43 000 km2) on a continuous basis over a period of 14 years (19942007). The results show that the behaviour of extreme Mediterranean rainfall is heavily dependent on the observation timescale. There are a number of turning points in the indicator trends which occur on different timescales (1 and 6 h in the case of rain intensity and irregularity, 6 h for cumulative rainfall and between 15 and 30 min for the persistence of rain) and may be relevant for the determination of thresholds used in wáter management

Cartografía de vulnerabilidad frente a inundaciones en llanos mediterráneos. Caso de estudio del Barranc de Carraixet y Rambla de Poyo

Este trabajo aborda la cartografía de vulnerabilidad frente a inundaciones, en dos pequeños llanos mediterráneos pertenecientes al Barranc de Carraixet y la Rambla de Poyo. Ambos forman parte del Área Metropolitana de Valencia, integrando las comarcas de l"Horta Nord y l"Horta Sud, respectivamente. Constituye un ensayo metodológico, basado en estimadores socioeconómicos sencillos, obtenidos a partir de los usos del suelo. La vulnerabilidad se evalúa en función del valor económico del suelo y de la exposición humana al peligro. El valor económico del suelo se calcula a partir del Catastro. La exposición se calcula para tres supuestos de densidad de ocupación del espacio en función de la franja horaria: jornada laboral, noches y días festivos. Los resultados ponen de manifiesto dos patrones de vulnerabilidad diferentes para cada llano. La vulnerabilidad en el de Carraixet es mayor por la noche y en los días festivos que durante las jornadas laborales, en relación con los usos agrícolas y residenciales dominantes. En Poyo no existen grandes contrastes en términos absolutos, entre el día y la noche, si bien resultan evidentes las diferencias en la ubicación de los espacios vulnerables, que durante el día están asociados a polígonos industriales y comerciales (en torno a los ejes de comunicación), y, por la noche, se limitan a las áreas residenciales. This paper considers vulnerability to flooding in the two small Mediterranean flood plains of the Barranc de Carraixet and Rambla de Poyo catchments. Both plains form part of the Metropolitan Area of Valencia within the Horta Nord and Horta Sud districts respectively. The work presented constitutes a test of a methodology based on simple socioeconomic estimators obtained from land uses. The vulnerability is evaluated as a function of the economic land value and human exposure to hazard. The land value is taken from the Cadastre whilst the exposure is calculated for three models for the intensity of use related to different time periods: working hours, days, nights, and weekends and holidays. The results show different patterns of vulnerability for each plain. The vulnerability in the Carraixet is greater at night and on weekends and holidays than during working hours, related to the dominant agricultural and residential land uses. In the Poyo plain there are no major contrasts in absolute terms between day and night time, although shifts in the locations of vulnerable spaces were evident: during the day vulnerability is higher in industrial and commercial areas (around communication routes) whilst at night it is the residential areas that are vulnerable

Innovative education networking aimed at multimedia tools for geometrical optics learning

We present a purposeful initiative to open new grounds for teaching Geometrical Optics. It is based on the creation of an innovative education networking involving academic staff from three Spanish universities linked together around Optics. Nowadays, students demand online resources such as innovative multimedia tools for complementing the understanding of their studies. Geometrical Optics relies on basics of light phenomena like reflection and refraction and the use of simple optical elements such as mirrors, prisms, lenses, and fibers. The mathematical treatment is simple and the equations are not too complicated. But from our long time experience in teaching to undergraduate students, we realize that important concepts are missed by these students because they do not work ray tracing as they should do. Moreover, Geometrical Optics laboratory is crucial by providing many short Optics experiments and thus stimulating students interest in the study of such a topic. Multimedia applications help teachers to cover those student demands. In that sense, our educational networking shares and develops online materials based on 1) video-tutorials of laboratory experiences and of ray tracing exercises, 2) different online platforms for student self-examinations and 3) computer assisted geometrical optics exercises. That will result in interesting educational synergies and promote student autonomy for learning Optics.This work was supported by the Vicerectorat de Polítiques de Formació i Qualitat Educativa de la Universitat de València (Project UV-SFPIE_DOCE14-222505)

Energia y sostenibilidad - 5 años de experiencia del master en energia para la sostenibilidad

La presente comunicación pretende mostrar la experiencia adquirida tras cinco años de vigencia del “Master en Energía para la Sostenibilidad”. Inicialmente fue en modalidad presencial en Terrassa y desde el 2007, fruto de trabajos desarrollados en el Proyecto Europeo URB-AL R4-B6-04 "Energías renovables y redes de desarrollo local”, en modalidad semipresencial en el Campus de Terrassa de la Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, así como en las sedes de Estelí en Nicaragua (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua) y Asunción en Paraguay (Universidad Católica Nuestra Señora de la Asunción y Universidad Nacional de Asunción). Es un Master profesional, orientado a dar formación científica y técnica en los distintos ámbitos de aplicación de las energías renovables y de la eficiencia energética local, por el que ya han pasado más de 150 estudiantes. Estos han valorado de forma excelente la formación recibida y bastantes de los cuales han emprendido acciones empresariales propias en el ámbito de las energías renovables y la eficiencia energética. Edición a edición, el Master ha ido evolucionando, así como lo han hecho sus estudiantes. Cada vez más existe una implicación global entre las distintas sedes, con intercambio de profesorado inicialmente y actualmente también con diversos estudiantes que han cursado parcial o totalmente su Proyecto Final de Master fuera de su sede. La estructura general del Máster, basada en créditos ECTS, así como la completa documentación técnica, las guías de estudio particularizadas por módulos o la diversidad de medios formativos aplicados son otros de los aspectos que pretenden ser mostrados en esta comunicación.Peer Reviewe

Antiretroviral recommendations may influence the rate of transmission of drug-resistant HIV type 1

Producción CientíficaHuman immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment guidelines have evolved, shifting from more-aggressive to more-conservative approaches. The potential impact of these shifts on the transmission of drug-resistant virus is unknown. Drug-resistance genotypes were examined in all consecutive patients with recent HIV type 1 (HIV-1) seroconversion (hereafter, "HIV-1 seroconverters") seen at 10 Spanish hospitals since 1997. During the same period, the proportion of patients with chronic HIV-1 infection having undetectable viremia was examined, to estimate the extent and effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy. A total of 141 recent HIV-1 seroconverters were identified, 67.4% of whom were men who have sex with men. The rate of primary drug-resistance mutations, by year of infection, was 33.3% for 1997, 29.4% for 1998, 20% for 1999, 14.3% for 2000, 3.4% for 2001, 15.4% for 2002, and 10.9% for 2003. On the other hand, the proportion of 8388 persons with chronic HIV-1 carriage who had an undetectable virus load was 33.4% for 1997, 34.6% for 1998, 39.7% for 1999, 47.5% for 2000, 52.9% for 2001, 39.7% for 2002, and 58.1% for 2003. A significant inverse correlation between transmission of drug-resistant HIV-1 and undetectable virus load was found (r=-0.955, by Spearman's test; P=.001). The lowest rate of transmission of drug-resistant HIV-1 was seen in 2001, when relatively "aggressive" treatment guidelines were used. Transmission of drug-resistant HIV-1 increased in 2002, in parallel with a reduction in the number of patients with chronic HIV-1 carriage and undetectable virus load, reflecting the popularity of drug holidays or treatment interruptions. The rate of drug resistance in recent HIV-1 seroconverters inversely correlates with the proportion of chronically HIV-1-infected individuals who have undetectable virus loads in the same region, which indirectly reflects antiretroviral treatment rules at any given time

Resistance to Nonnucleoside Reverse-Transcriptase Inhibitors and Prevalence of HIV Type 1 Non-B Subtypes Are Increasing among Persons with Recent Infection in Spain

Producción CientíficaThe prevalence of drug resistance mutations was 12.1% among 198 persons who experienced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seroconversion identified in Spain during 1997–2004. There was a significant increase of K103N and of non-B subtypes over time. Transmission of HIV infection around the time of seroconversion was shown in 8 couples and in 2 clusters of 3 individualsRed de Investigación en SIDA (RIS- project 17

Mapping temporally-variable exposure to flooding in small Mediterranean basins using land-use indicators

This article deals with mapping exposure (or external vulnerability) to flood risk in two typical Mediterranean ephemeral streams: the Barranco de Carraixet and the Rambla de Poyo. The floodplains of both streams are within the metropolitan area of the city of Valencia (Spain"s third largest city). Following the Mediterranean model, they are very fertile areas (with intense periurban and highly productive agriculture) which have recently absorbed the great urban expansion of the metropolis. Hydrologically these basins remain dry for most of the year, but become particularly dangerous during flash-flood events. They generate a risk pattern highly dependent on exposure since, in general, the hazard factor is very difficult to map, given the unpredictable nature of flash-floods. This work constitutes a proof of concept based on simple estimators obtained from land uses. External vulnerability or exposure is evaluated as a function of economic land value and human exposure to hazard. Land value is directly taken from the cadastre whilst human exposure is indirectly estimated from the location of population in relation to timeeactivity profiles. The temporal dimension is introduced and three exposure scenarios have been mapped, related to different time periods: working days, nights, weekends and holidays. The results show different patterns of exposure for each plain. In Carraixet floodplain exposure is greater at night and on weekends and holidays than during working hours, on account of the dominant agricultural and residential land uses. In the Poyo plain there are no major contrasts in absolute terms between day and night time, although spatial patterns of exposure vary from day to night: during the day, exposure is higher in industrial and commercial areas (around communication routes) whilst at night residential areas show more exposure

Interferon-Gamma Release Assays Differentiate between Mycobacterium avium Complex and Tuberculous Lymphadenitis in Children

Spanish Pediatric TB Research Network (pTBred) and the European NontuberculouS MycoBacterial Lymphadenitis in childrEn (ENSeMBLE) Study.[Objectives] To assess the performance of interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs) in the differential diagnosis between Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) and tuberculosis (TB) in children affected with subacute/chronic submandibular/cervical lymphadenitis.[Study design] Multicenter observational study comparing children with microbiologically confirmed MAC lymphadenitis from the European NontuberculouS MycoBacterial Lymphadenitis in childrEn study with children with TB lymphadenitis from the Spanish Network for the Study of Pediatric TB database.[Results] Overall, 78 patients with MAC and 34 with TB lymphadenitis were included. Among MAC cases, 44 out of 74 (59.5%) had positive tuberculin skin test (TST) results at the 5-mm cut-off, compared with 32 out of 33 (97%) TB cases (P < .001); at the 10-mm cut-off TST results were positive in 23 out of 74 (31.1%) vs 26 out of 31 (83.9%), respectively (P < .001). IGRA results were positive in only 1 out of 32 (3.1%) patients with MAC who had undergone IGRA testing, compared with 21 out of 23 (91.3%) TB cases (P < .001). Agreement between TST and IGRA results was poor in MAC (23.3%; κ = 0.017), but good in TB cases (95.6%; κ = 0.646). IGRAs had a specificity of 96.9% (95% CI 84.3%-99.8%), positive predictive value of 95.4% (95% CI 78.2%-99.8%), and negative predictive value of 93.9% (95% CI 80.4%-98.9%) for TB lymphadenitis.[Conclusions] In contrast to TST, IGRAs have high specificity, negative predictive value, and positive predictive value for TB lymphadenitis in children with subacute/chronic lymphadenopathy, and consequently can help to discriminate between TB and MAC disease. Therefore, IGRAs are useful tools in the diagnostic work-up of children with lymphadenopathy, particularly when culture and polymerase chain reaction results are negative.Peer reviewe

Low Seroprevalence of West Nile Virus in Blood Donors from Catalonia, Spain

West Nile virus (WNV) is an emerging arbovirus first recognized in Europe in the 1950s. Since then, outbreaks have been reported in several European countries. In 2010, the first WNV outbreak was recorded in Spain, affecting the southern part of the country. We conducted a seroprevalence study in the Catalonia region (northeastern Spain), an area considered at high risk of arbovirus transmission. A total of 800 serum samples from blood donors were collected and screened for antibodies against WNV by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and confirmed by a microneutralization assay. More than 50 samples tested positive by ELISA, but only one sample contained neutralizing antibodies against WNV and was obtained from a donor native of Pakistan. The low seroprevalence detected may serve as reference baseline data for monitoring WNV activity in our region in future years