Mechanical Wits Used in the America Colonization: Engineering Assessment

The first European settlements in the new world faced technical issues with the help of the XVI century scientific advances. Besides briefly exposing the scientific and technological situation, this paper explores, with the help of reverse engineering, two singular mechanical wits representative of the technological advances introduced in America to overcome different problems. Firstly, a pump, based on an alternative movement system through crankshafts and pistons used against the continuous flooding suffered in the Ciudad de México valley. Although flooding remained a problem (it was solved in the XX century), hydraulic pumps were essential for continuous soil drainage. Secondly, a port crane for handling cannons, military devices, and construction materials during the Lima fortification in the XVII century. For both cases, reverse engineering, through engineering methods, Computer-Aided Design CAD programs, and additive manufacturing, provides virtual and/or tangible mockups that help to analyze and improve our knowledge about the dimensions, materials, and functions of used (and currently lost) mechanical systems during the American colonization

Continental shelf zones influenced by the suspended matter flows coming from Cadiz Bay

Due to the diversity of environments and hydrodynamics in Cadiz Bay, it is of interest to study the dynamics of sedimentary exchange between the coastal zones and continental shelf. The most abundant clay minerals on the floor of the continental shelf and Cadiz Bay, and in the particulate matter in suspension, are: illite, smectite, kaolinite + chlorite, and the interstratified clay minerals illite-smectite. The average concentration of suspended matter is 6.5 mg/l, the lowest (1.37 mg/l) being found on the inner shelf and in the inner zones of the bay less affected by currents and surge. The highest values (14 mg/l) are found in the outer bay, consistent with the distribution of muddy facies on the sea floor. The flow paths have been established from the local variations in the mineralogical associations found at the sampling stations, and by means of the alignments of the lowest values of the factor loadings at those stations most affected by the flows. The mineralogical similarity of the components of the clay fraction is related to the mixing action undergone by the components of the suspended matter reaching the bay from various sources, probably produced by the continuous action of the tidal ebb currents flowing from the inner sectors of the bay towards the continental shelf.El estudio de la dinámica de intercambio sedimentario entre las zonas litorales y la plataforma continental es de gran interés en el caso de la bahía de Cádiz, debido a su diversidad de ambientes y situaciones hidrodinámicas. Los minerales de la arcilla más abundantes en los fondos de la plataforma y la bahía, y en la materia en suspensión, son ilita, esmectita, caolinita + clorita e interestratificados ilita-esmectita. La concentración de materia sólida en suspensión indica un contenido promedio de 6,5 mg/l, apareciendo los mínimos (1,37 mg/l) en la plataforma interna y en zonas internas de la bahía no afectadas por corrientes y oleaje. Los valores más altos se dan en la bahía externa (14 mg/l), de acuerdo con la distribución de facies fangosas en el fondo. Las trayectorias de los flujos salientes se han establecido a partir de las variaciones locales de las asociaciones mineralógicas en las diferentes estaciones de muestreo, alineándose los valores más bajos de los factores en las estaciones más afectadas por la acción de los flujos. La similitud mineralógica de los componentes de la fracción arcilla en todos los ambientes se debe a la mezcla de componentes de la materia en suspensión que, desde diferentes fuentes, llegan a la bahía, y es favorecida por la acción de la corriente de reflujo mareal desde el sector más interno de la bahía a la plataforma continental.Instituto Español de Oceanografí

SICAC: an information system for the Conjunto arqueológico de Carmona (Carmona Archaeological Ensemble) (Seville, Spain)

The Roman necropolis and amphitheater of Carmona (Seville, Spain) were excavated and opened to the public at the end of the Nineteenth century. Because of this long continuity, the Carmona Archaeological Ensemble boasts a special trait: a broad archaeological documentary archive. Efficient management of this store of information that is updated and added to on a daily basis required a computer application that could gather, integrate, conserve and facilitate the use of this volume of data from different sources. At the same time, it was considered necessary for researchers to have online access to the core substance of the information. Our information system for CAC was developed over the course of five years and is called SICAC. All of the graphic and alphanumerical data is organized in the same environment, thereby guaranteeing their integration, availability, quality and accessibility. SICAC has three platforms: desktop, online and mobile

A weed monitoring system using UAV-imagery and the Hough transform

Usually, crops require the use of herbicides as a useful manner of controlling the quality and quantity of crop production. Although there are weed-free areas, the most common approach is to broadcast herbicides entirely over crop fields, resulting in a reduction of profits and increase in environmental risks. Recently, patch spraying has allowed the use of site-specific weed management, allowing precise and timely weed maps at very early phenological stage, either by ground sampling or remote analysis. Remote imagery from piloted planes and satellites are not suitable for this purpose given their low spatial and temporal resolutions, however, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) represent an excellent alternative. This paper presents a new classification framework for weed monitoring via UAV showing promising results and accurate generalisation in different scenariosLos cultivos precisan del uso de herbicidas para controlar la calidad y cantidad de producción. A pesar de que las malas hierbas se distribuyen en rodales, la práctica más extendida es la fumigación de herbicidas en todo el cultivo, resultando en un aumento del coste y de riesgos mediambientales. La pulvericación por parches ha dado lugar al auge de otras técnicas de manejo de malas hierbas, permitiendo su tratamiento en un estado fenológico temprano. Las imágenes remotas de aviones pilotados o satélites no son útiles en este caso debido a su baja resolución espacial y temporal. Sin embargo, este no es el caso de los vehículos aéreos no tripulados. Este artículo presenta un nuevo método para monitorización de malas hierbas usando este tipo de vehículos, mostrando resultados prometedore

Molecular cloning and expression of collagenase-3, a novel human matrix metalloproteinase produced by breast carcinomas

Esta publicación detalla los experimentos realizados para la clonación de un ADNc que codifica una nueva metaloproteasa de matriz extracelular a partir de una biblioteca de ADNc procedente de un carcinoma mamario. Este trabajo es de gran interés en la investigación del cáncer, ya que describe la identificación de una nueva colagenasa en los carcinomas mamarios proponiendo un posible papel en el proceso tumoral. Hay evidencia de que las metaloproteasas participan en el proceso de degradación proteolítica de los diferentes componentes de la membrana basal, favoreciendo así la invasión tumoral y las metástasis. El ADNc de la colagenasa-3 se expresó en un sistema de virus vaccinia, y la proteína recombinante fue capaz de degradar los colágenos fibrilares, lo que apoya la hipótesis de que el ADNc aislado codifica para una colagenasa auténtica. El análisis por Northern blot del ARN de tejidos normales y patológicos demostró la existencia de tres especies diferentes de ARNm en los tumores de mama, que parecen ser el resultado de la utilización de distintos sitios de poliadenilación presentes en la región 3'-no codificante del gen. Por el contrario, no se detectó ARNm de la colalagenasa-3 por Northern blot ni por PCR en otros tejidos humanos como mama normal, fibroadenomas mamarios, hígado, placenta, ovario, útero, próstata y glándula parótida. Sobre la base del aumento de la expresión de la colagenasa-3 en los carcinomas de mama y la ausencia de expresión detectable en los tejidos normales, se propone un posible papel de esta metaloproteinasa en el proceso tumoral

Formación continuada en un equipo de atención primaria: análisis de las sesiones docentes 1996-1998

ObjetivoDescribir las sesiones docentes de un equipo de atención primaria en el trienio 1996-1998. Identificar los profesionales que las realizaron, así como estudiar las áreas del conocimiento abordadas.DiseñoEstudio descriptivo transversal, retrospectivo.EmplazamientoCentro de salud docente perteneciente a una zona de salud rural.ParticipantesTotal de sesiones docentes realizadas durante el trienio estudiado (n = 249).IntervencionesDe la hoja de registro mensual del programa de formación continuada de nuestra gerencia, se extrajeron las siguientes variables: fecha actividad, duración, número de asistentes, tipo de sesión, profesional docente y contenido de actividad (clasificada por patología según órganos y sistemas para sesión bibliográfica, clínica y con experto; cartera servicios de atención primaria-INSALUD 1996 para sesión sobre programa; informática).Mediciones y resultados principalesSesiones por mes: media 6,9 (DE, 4,8). Media asistentes: 9,3 (DE, 3,01). Duración media: 36,5 minutos (DE, 11,0). Tipo de sesión: bibliográfica, 65,2%; sobre programa, 18; sesión con experto, 7,2; informática, 5,6; clínica, 4. Responsables docentes: médico residente, 39,4%; médico de familia tutor, 34,9; médico de familia no tutor, 7,2; ATS, 6,4; médico hospitalario, 4; médico de familia sustituto, 3,6; farmacéutico, 2,8; pediatra, 1,2; fisioterapeuta, 0,4. Contenido actividades más frecuentes: patología general inespecífica, 16,1%; enfermedades de la piel, 8,8, y enfermedades del sistema endocrino, 7,6%.ConclusionesBaja frecuencia de sesiones clínicas. Los responsables docentes fueron mayoritariamente médicos de familia tutores y médicos residentes, siendo escasa la participación del resto de personal.ObjectivesTo describe the teaching sessions of a primary care team in the three-year period 1996-1998. To identify the professionals who ran them and study the areas of knowledge tackled. Design. A retrospective, cross-over, descriptive study.SettingTeaching health centre belonging to a rural health district.ParticipantsAll the teaching sessions that took place during the three-year period (n = 249). Interventions. The following variables were extracted from the monthly register sheet of the ongoing training programme of our management: date of activity, duration, number attending, type of session, teaching professional and contents of activity (classified by pathology according to organs and systems for bibliographic, clinical and expert sessions; portfolio of 1996 Primary Care- INSALUD services for session on programme; computer studies).Measurements and main resultsMean sessions per month: 6.9 (SD: 4.8). Mean attendance: 9.3 persons (SD: 3.01). Mean length: 36.5 minutes (SD: 11.0). Type of session: bibliographic 65.2%, on programme 18%, session with expert 7.2%, computer studies 5.6%, clinical 4%. Responsible for teaching: intern 39.4%; family doctor tutor 34.9%; family doctor not a tutor 7.2%; nurse 6.4%; hospital doctor 4%; locum family doctor 3.6%; pharmacist 2.8%; paediatrician 1.2%; physiotherapist 0.4%. Most common contents: non-specific general pathology (16.1%), skin diseases (8.8%), diseases of the endocrine system (7.6%).ConclusionsLow frequency of clinical sessions. The teachers in charge were mainly family doctor tutors and interns, with the rest of the staff participating little

Response of a temperate demersal fish community to global warming

Cambio ClimaticoChanges in the distribution of the demersal fish species have been identified in north-European Atlantic waters. The consequence of these changes has been a northward shift of the distribution limits and changes in richness. In this study a notable increase in demersal fish species richness per sampling station was detected in the southern Bay of Biscay. This rise was due to an increase in frequency of occurrence and abundance of the majority of fish species in the area (53% from the total species). A fisheries relate explanation was discarded because the mismatch between the changes in the fishing effort and the augment in frequency of occurrence and abundance. On the contrary, these changes are in agreement with expected response under the increasing temperature of the sea observed over the last three decades, associated to global warming. These changes were positively correlated with an increase in temperature of intermediate waters in the study area. In addition, some of these species showed a notable western displacements of the Centre of Gravity in the study area, which would be expected if temperate water species would be favoured by an increase in water temperature. Our results are consistent with studies in the North Sea, where many of these species showing widened distribution limits toward north. The analysis of the results show that the studied ecosystem, the Bay of Biscay is under a meridionalization process. On the other hand, only one tropicalization event (L. dieuzedei), was recorded, maybe due to the conservative restrictions applied in species selection.En prensa2,655

A general perspective of the characterization and quantification of nanoparticles: Imaging, spectroscopic, and separation techniques

This article gives an overview of the different techniques used to identify, characterize, and quantify engineered nanoparticles (ENPs). The state-of-the-art of the field is summarized, and the different characterization techniques have been grouped according to the information they can provide. In addition, some selected applications are highlighted for each technique. The classification of the techniques has been carried out according to the main physical and chemical properties of the nanoparticles such as morphology, size, polydispersity characteristics, structural information, and elemental composition. Microscopy techniques including optical, electron and X-ray microscopy, and separation techniques with and without hyphenated detection systems are discussed. For each of these groups, a brief description of the techniques, specific features, and concepts, as well as several examples, are described.Junta de Andalucía FQM-5974CEI-Biotic Granada CEI2013- MP-1

Molecular evolutionary characterization of the mussel "Mytilus" histone multigene family: first record of a tandemly repeated unit of five histone genes containing an H1 subtype with orphon features

[Abstract] The present work represents the first characterization of a clustered histone repetitive unit containing an H1 gene in a bivalve mollusk. To complete the knowledge on the evolutionary history of the histone multigene family in invertebrates, we undertake its characterization in five mussel Mytilus species, as an extension of our previous work on the H1 gene family. We report the quintet H4–H2B–H2A–H3–H1 as the major organization unit in the genome of Mytilus galloprovincialis with two 5S rRNA genes with interspersed nontranscribed spacer segments linked to the unit, which is not justified by their cotranscription with histone genes. Surprisingly, 3′ UTR regions of histone genes show two different mRNA termination signals, a stem-loop and a polyadenylation signal, both related to the evolution of histone gene expression patterns throughout the cell cycle. The clustered H1 histones characterized share essential features with “orphon” H1 genes, suggesting a common evolutionary origin for both histone subtypes which is supported by the reconstructed phylogeny for H1 genes. The characterization of histone genes in four additional Mytilus species revealed the presence of strong purifying selection acting among the members of the family. The chromosomal location of most of the core histone genes studied was identified by FISH close to telomeric regions in M. galloprovincialis. Further analysis on nucleotide variation would be necessary to assess if H1 proteins evolve according to the birth-and-death model of evolution and if the effect of the strong purifying selection maintaining protein homogeneity could account for the homologies detected between clustered and “orphon” variants.Xunta de Galicia; 10PX110304P