Case study: Effect of climatic characterization on river discharge in an alpine-prealpine catchment of the spanish pyrenees using the SWAT model

The new challenges in assessment of water resources demand new approaches and tools, such as the use of hydrologic models, which could serve to assist managers in the prediction, planning and management of catchment water supplies in view of increased demand of water for irrigation and climatic change. Good characterization of the spatial patterns of climate variables is of paramount importance in hydrological modelling. This is especially so when modelling mountain environments which are characterized by strong altitudinal climate gradients. However, very often there is a poor distribution of climatic stations in these areas, which in many cases, results in under representation of high altitude areas with respect to climatic data. This results in the poor performance of the models. In the present study, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was applied to the Barasona reservoir catchment in the Central Spanish Pyrenees in order to assess the influence of different climatic characterizations in the monthly river discharges. Four simulations with different input data were assessed, using only the available climate data (A1); the former plus one synthetic dataset at a higher altitude (B1); and both plus the altitudinal climate gradient (A2 and B2). The model''s performance was evaluated against the river discharges for the representative periods of 2003-2005 and 1994-1996 by means of commonly used statistical measures. The best results were obtained using the altitudinal climate gradient alone (scenario A2). This study provided insight into the importance of taking into account the sources and the spatial distribution of weather data in modelling water resources in mountainous catchments

Reproducción del corocoro margariteño, Haemulon plumieri (Lacépede, 1802) (Pisces: Haemulidae) en la isla de Margarita, Venezuela

P align=justify>The grunts (Haemulidae) are an important component of the artisan fisheries in eastern Venezuela, but their biology is poorly known. The object of the present work was to supply basic information about the reproductive biology of Haemulon plumieri in relation to sex ratio, size at maturity, spawning season and fecundity. Samples were collected from the northeast coast of Margarita Island between September 1994 and August 1995. A total of 469 specimens (232 females and 237 males) were examined. Sex ratio did not differ from 1:1 except in February 1995. Minimum size at maturity was 213 mm total length for females and 271 mm total length for males. Size at maturity (L50) was 309 mm total length for females and 357 mm for males. The spawning season extends throughout the year, with peaks in February-April and August-October. Fecundity ranged from 19873 to 535039 eggs, and was related to body length and weight. White grunt was characterised by asynchronous oocyte development and multiple spawning. The weight-length relationship for the sexes differed and showed negative allometry. Condition factor was over 95% during the sampling period, showing minimum values prior to the reproductive peak, which can be interpreted as the result of mobilisation of somatic energy reserves for reproductive development. Los corocoros (Haemulidae) representan un componente importante de las pescas artesanales en el oriente de Venezuela. A pesar de esto, su biología es poco conocida. El objetivo de la presente investigación fue aportar información básica sobre la biología reproductiva (proporción sexual, talla de madurez, época de reproducción y fecundidad) de H. plumieri. Fueron examinados 469 ejemplares (232 hembras y 237 machos), obtenidos en muestreos mensuales entre septiembre de 1994 y agosto de 1995. La proporción sexual no se alejó estadísticamente de la unidad excepto en febrero de 1995. La talla mínima de madurez sexual fue de 213 mm de longitud total para las hembras y 271 mm de longitud total para los machos. La talla de maduración (L50) fue de 309 mm de longitud total para las hembras y 357 mm para los machos. La especie se reproduce durante todo el año, con picos de máxima intensidad en febrero-abril y agostooctubre. La fecundidad osciló entre 19873 y 535039 huevos, y estuvo relacionada con la longitud y peso corporal. La especie se caracteriza por presentar un desarrollo asincrónico de los ovocitos y desoves múltiples. La relación peso-longitud difirió entre los sexos y mostró una alometría negativa. El factor de condición se mantuvo por encima del 95% durante el periodo de muestreo y mostró valores mínimos en los meses previos a los picos reproductivos, lo cual es interpretado como el resultado de la movilización de la energía somática para el desarrollo gonadal.

EM Training of Hidden Markov Models for Shape Recognition Using Cyclic Strings

Shape descriptions and the corresponding matching techniques must be robust to noise and invariant to transformations for their use in recognition tasks. Most transformations are relatively easy to handle when contours are represented by strings. However, starting point invariance is difficult to achieve. One interesting possibility is the use of cyclic strings, which are strings with no starting and final points. Here we present the use of Hidden Markov Models for modelling cyclic strings and their training using Expectation Maximization. Experimental results show that our proposal outperforms other methods in the literature

Alicante Coastal Management for Sustainable Development

Human intervention on the coast has been intense, due to the source of wealth that the coastal areas represent, especially in the form of tourism, which has resulted in a rapid erosion of its beaches. This paper discusses the current state of beach management in the various competent public administrations on the Costa Blanca (SE Spanish-Mediterranean), in relation to urban development and regression on the waterfront. To this end, an analysis has been carried out of the responses to a survey of those responsible for managing each of the 19 coastal municipalities of the Alicante coast, covering 244 km of coastline, 91 beaches and their personnel. Also, an investigation has been conducted as to whether this management’s aim is to protect the coastline and maintain the flora and fauna or just to manage recreation as the main economic activity is tourism. The analysis shows that the beach is simply regarded as a product or service offered to the user thereof. However, local authorities have not detected problems, possibly for two reasons: they do not have sufficient knowledge and this is understandable, given their lack of responsibilities in this area. This causes many beaches to have a high occupancy rate and there is a shift of users towards natural beaches. The study gives us information about the complex administrative process in the coastal system that often proves ineffective on this narrow strip of land

Vacuum-Deposited Cesium Tin Iodide Thin Films with Tunable Thermoelectric Properties

Most current thermoelectric materials have important drawbacks, such as toxicity, scarceness, and peak operating temperatures above 300 °C. Herein, we report the thermoelectric properties of different crystalline phases of Sn-based perovskite thin films. The 2D phase, Cs2SnI4, is obtained through vacuum thermal deposition and easily converted into the black β phase of CsSnI3 (B-β CsSnI3) by annealing at 150 °C. B-β CsSnI3 is a p-type semiconductor with a figure of merit (ZT) ranging from 0.021 to 0.033 for temperatures below 100 °C, which makes it a promising candidate to power small electronic devices such as wearable sensors which may be interconnected in the so-called Internet of Things. The B-β phase is stable in nitrogen, whereas it spontaneously oxidizes to Cs2SnI6 upon exposure to air. Cs2SnI6 shows a negative Seebeck coefficient and an ultralow thermal conductivity. However, the ZT values are 1 order of magnitude lower than for B-β CsSnI3 due to a considerably lower electrical conductivity

Chromosome characterization of the toadfish Halobatrachus didactylus (Schneider, 1801) (Teleostei: Batrachoididae) by fluorescent in situ hybridization

Halobatrachus didactylus (Schneider, 1801) has a chromosome number of 2n = 46 (8 metacentrics, 12 submetacentrics and 26 acrocentrics). Specimens studied were collected from waters of the Bay of Cadiz. Chromosome preparations were made from the cephalic portion of the kidney. The telomeric probe hybridized on the terminal position of all toadfish chromosomes. (GATA)n hybridized preferentially on the subcentromeric region of only one submetacentric chromosome pair, although additional weak signals dispersed throughout the chromosomes were found. Major ribosomal genes were also located on a submetacentric pair, but at a telomeric position. Finally, the 5S rDNA probe produced a hybridization pattern similar to the GATA probe. These results provide interesting information which describes chromosomal markers that may be of utility for the management of natural populations of this species.Se ha realizado la caracterización cromosómica de Halobatrachus didactylus (Schneider, 1801) mediante la localización de diferentes secuencias repetidas en sus cromosomas. Los especímenes utilizados fueron capturados en aguas de la bahía de Cádiz. Las preparaciones cromosómicas se realizaron de la porción cefálica del riñón. La sonda telomérica hibridó en posición terminal de todos los cromosomas del pez sapo. (GATA)n hibridó preferentemente en la región subcentromérica de un par cromosómico submetacéntrico; se encontraron señales adicionales más débiles. Los genes ribosomales mayores también fueron localizados en un par submetacéntrico, pero en región telomérica. Finalmente, la sonda 5S rDNA presentó un patrón de hibridación similar a la sonda GATA. Los resultados aportan interesantes datos que describen marcadores cromosómicos que podrían ser de utilidad para la gestión de poblaciones naturales de esta especie.Instituto Español de Oceanografí

Production of Encecalin in Cell Cultures and Hairy Roots of Helianthella quinquenervis (Hook.) A. Gray

Plant cell and organ cultures of Helianthella quinquenervis, a medicinal plant whose roots are used by the Tarahumara Indians of Chihuahua, Mexico, to relieve several ailments, were established to identify and quantify some chromenes with biological activity, such as encecalin, and to evaluate their potential for biotechnological production. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis corroborated the presence of quantifiable amounts of encecalin in H. quinquenervis cell cultures (callus and cell suspensions). In addition, hairy roots were obtained through three transformation protocols (prick, 45-s sonication and co-culture), using wild type Agrobacterium rhizogenes A4. After three months, cocultivation achieved the highest percentage of transformation (66%), and a comparable production (FW) of encecalin (110 g/g) than the sonication assay (120 g/g), both giving far higher yields than the prick assay (19 g/g). Stable integration of rolC and aux1 genes in the transformed roots was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Hairy roots from cocultivation (six months-old) accumulated as much as 1086 g/g (FW) of encecalin, over three times higher than the cell suspension cultures. The production of encecalin varied with growth kinetics, being higher at the stationary phase. This is the first report of encecalin production in hairy roots of H. quinquenervis, demonstrating the potential for a future biotechnological production of chromenes

The Spanish Pancreatic Club recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic pancreatitis: Part 1 (diagnosis)

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a relatively uncommon, complex and heterogeneous disease. The absence of a gold standard applicable to the initial phases of CP makes its early diagnosis difficult. Some of its complications, particularly chronic pain, can be difficult to manage. There is much variability in the diagnosis and treatment of CP and its complications amongst centers and professionals. The Spanish Pancreatic Club has developed a consensus on the management of CP. Two coordinators chose a multidisciplinary panel of 24 experts on this disease. A list of questions was drafted, and two experts reviewed each question. Then, a draft was produced and shared with the entire panel of experts and discussed in a face-to-fac

Validating improved-MODIS products from spectral mixture-Landsat snow cover maps in a mountain region in southern Spain

Remote sensing is the only feasible data source for distributed modelling of snow in mountain regions on medium to large scales, due to the limited access to these areas together with the lack of dense ground monitoring stations for snow variables. Observations worldwide identify snow cover persistence together with snowfall occurrence as the most affected variables by global warming. In Mediterranean regions, the spatiotemporal evolution of the snow cover can experiment quick changes that result in different accumulation-ablation cycles during the cold season. High frequency sensors are required to adequately monitor such shifts; however, for trend analyses, the Landsat time series constitute the only available source of data, being their frequency low for this regime, especially when cloudy conditions limit the available images. On the other hand, the MODIS daily series provide more than 15 years of continuous snow maps, despite the spatial resolution may pose a constraint in areas with abrupt topography; several approaches have been done to improve their spatial resolution from combining different information. This work presents a methodological approach to validate the improved MODIS daily snow cover maps from Notarnicola et al. (2013a, b), with 250&thinsp;m spatial resolution, in Sierra Nevada (southern Spain), from a reference data set obtained by spectral mixture analyses of Landsat TM data by Pimentel et al. (2017b). This reference time series of fractional snow maps, with 30&thinsp;m spatial resolution, were validated from high resolution local time series of snow maps obtained by terrestrial time-lapse cameras. The results show a significantly high correlation between the two snow map products both on a global and basin scales in the Sierra Nevada area. Selected areas and time periods are shown to address the convergence and divergence between both products and assess the development of a fusion algorithm to retrieve daily Landsat-resolution snow maps on a long term basis.</p

Mindfulness in primary care healthcare and teaching professionals and its relationship with stress at work: a multicentric cross-sectional study

Background: Work stress is a common problem among the health personnel of the Spanish National Health System. The objective of this paper is to assess the state of mindfulness among Spanish primary care providers and to evaluate its potential relationship with work stress and basic labor and sociodemographic characteristics. Methods: Cross-sectional, multi-centric study. Primary care nurses, teachers, teaching collaborators and residents assigned to six Spanish Family Medicine/Family and Community Care Departments were invited to participate (n = 475). A template was designed in Google Forms, including sociodemographic and work-related variables. The state of mindfulness was measured with the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), while work-related stress was measured using an ordinal scale ranging from 0 to 10 points. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were carried out, as well as bivariate and multivariate statistics. Results: The mean age of participants was 40, 14 ± 13.12 (range:23–65 years); 66.9% were women, 42.5% internal medicine residents, 29.3% family physicians, and 20.2% nurses. More than half (54.5%) knew about mindfulness, with 24.0% have received training on it, and 22.5% were usual practitioners. The average level of mindfulness was 127.18 ± 15.45 (range: 89–177). The average score of stress at work was 6.00 ± 2.44; 49.9% (range: 0–10). 49.9% of participants scored 7 or more on the stress at work scale. There was an inverse correlation between the levels of mindfulness (FFMQ total score) and work-related stress (Spearman’s r = - 0.155, p = 0.003). Significant relationships between the mindfulness practice and the level of mindfulness (F = 29.80, p < 0.001), as well as between the mindfulness practice and the level of work-related stress (F = 9.68, p = 0.042), were also found. Conclusions: Levels of mindfulness in primary care health providers were in line with those levels observed in other groups of health professionals. Half of all of the primary care providers suffered from a high degree of stress. Although weak, inverse relationships were observed between levels of mindfulness and stress at work, with lower values of stress at work among those who practiced mindfulness. Trial registration: NCT03629457