Weathering events recorded in uppermost Hauterivian-lower Barremian clay-dominated continental successions from the NW Iberian Range: climatic vs. tectonic controls

The facies and clay mineral study of clay/marl-rich levels from the Torrelapaja Formation (latest Hauterivian-early Barremian, NW Iberian Range, NE Spain) allowed to establish the palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental conditions under they were generated. The muddy levels and pisoids contained therein of two logs were sampled and studied by X-ray diffraction and optical and electron microscopy. A similar mineralogical upwards trend is recorded in both logs, with a decrease in calcite coupled with an increase in quartz and orthoclase content and constant proportions in goethite, hematite, diaspore, anatase, rutile, ilmenite, and clay mineral content. The lower muddy levels have higher kaolinite content than the upper levels, where illitic phases are the dominant clay minerals. Smectite and intergrowths of illitic phases and kaolinite are also detected upwards. The kaolinite and smectite textures indicate an authigenic origin, whereas the illitic phases are former phases acting as a substrate for kaolinite crystallization. Pisoids mineralogy and texture show an in-situ origin, but some are fractured, indicating reworking processes. The mineral association found in the muddy levels is characteristic of oxisols formed under warm and humid conditions. The upward decrease in kaolinite content is coeval with an increase in the illitic phases and quartz content, related to siliciclastic input, but is also coeval with the presence of authigenic smectite. This indicates a decrease in chemical weathering, not fully registered due to the siliciclastic contribution, which was possibly associated with a change to colder, drier conditions during the latest Hauterivian-early Barremian in the studied area

A computational approach to George Boole's discovery of mathematical logic

This paper reports a computational model of Boole's discovery of Logic as a part of Mathematics. George Boole (1815–1864) found that the symbols of Logic behaved as algebraic symbols, and he then rebuilt the whole contemporary theory of Logic by the use of methods such as the solution of algebraic equations. Study of the different historical factors that influenced this achievement has served as background for our two main contributions: a computational representation of Boole's Logic before it was mathematized; and a production system, BOOLE2, that rediscovers Logic as a science that behaves exactly as a branch of Mathematics, and that thus validates to some extent the historical explanation. The system's discovery methods are found to be general enough to handle three other cases: two versions of a Geometry due to a contemporary of Boole, and a small subset of the Differential Calculus.Publicad

Depósitos silexíticos en el terciario continental de la Cuenca de Calatayud: Caracterización y génesis

The tertiary Calatayud Basin is a NW-SE elongated depression, extending from Calatayud (Zaragoza) to Montalbán (Teruel) and whose dimensions are approximately 130 km long and 20 km wide. This basin consists of two distinct sub-basins separated by the Daroca High (Calatayud Basin in the northern sector and Montalbán Basin in the sourthern sector). These Basins present a quite similar sedimentary evolution of the Neogene evaporitic and carbonatic lacustrine systems, that generally ocuppy central locations in both basins. Three main sedimentary units (Lower, Intermediate and Upper units) divided by two main sedimentary breaks are traditionally described in the Calatayud Basin. The lower and the Intermediate units have evaporitic sedimentation, whilst the Upper Unit is typically freshwater fluvio-lacustrine sedimentation. This work focuses on the study of carbonatic materials placed in the Cristo de Ribota hermitage area, which is localized in the Intermediate Unit of Calatayud Basin, to the Northern of Sierra de Armantes. The interest of this area lies in the presence of silexitic levels, whose thickness can be metric, exceptional in the geologic record and that it raises interesting troubles at the time of establishing a hypothesis on the possible origin of the silica that generates these sílex deposits, as well as in the establishment of a genetic model. The sílex levels in the Cristo de Ribota series appear mainly in carbonate rocks. Petrographic studies of the samples taken in this area show a replacement of silica by carbonate, as well as a silica cementation in karts cavities generated by epidiagenetic karts processes. These cavities acted as conduits for fluids saturated in silica which resulted in silex deposits. The fluids should necessarily have an episodic character and the fact that karstic cavities can be filled with silica or carbonate is an evidence of it. For the silica precipitation, not only the low temperature and a less than 9 pH are necessary, but also there must exist a lot of silica-supersatured water, as well as a high permeability. The source of silica deposits in this area is probably diagenetic, but also it would be necessary to consider a thermal origin corresponding to the contribution of silica by hydrothermal fluids

Nanocellulose fibers: A Review of Preparation Methods, Characterization Techniques, and Reinforcement Applications

Cellulose, which occurs naturally in abundance, has the benefit of being the most widely used biomass material on a global scale. It is generated from natural fibers and can be processed to produce various types of nanocellulose fibers, each with its hierarchical configuration. This review summarizes current advances in the production of nanocellulose particles, focusing on the analytical techniques most widely used for their preparation, extraction, and characterization. These techniques include FT-IR, TGA, FESEM, and XRD. The review also demonstrates that research into nanocellulose fibers has progressed exponentially over the last decade (over 400 references). Many manufacturing techniques have been developed to use nanofibers in multiple applications as advanced sustainable materials. The presented data will reinforce the applications of nanocellulose fibers for various purposes

Effects of non-pharmacological conservative treatment on pain, range of motion and physical function in patients with mild to moderate hip osteoarthritis. A systematic review

Objective: The purpose of this review was to identify the effects of non-pharmacological conservative treatment on pain, range of motion and physical function in patients with mild to moderate hip osteoarthritis. Design: A systematic review based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Setting: We searched MEDLINE, PEDro, Scopus and the Cochrane Library databases for randomized controlled trials related to non-pharmacological conservative treatments for hip osteoarthritis with the following keywords: “hip osteoarthritis, ” “therapeutics, ” “physical therapy modalities, ” and “combined physical therapy”. The PEDro scale was used for methodological quality assessment and the Oxford Centre of Evidence-Based Medicine scale was used to assess the level of evidence. Outcomes measures related to pain, hip range of motion and physical function were extracted from these studies. Results: Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria. Most of the studies showed high level of evidence and only two showed low level of evidence. High quality of evidence showed that manual therapy and exercise therapy are effective in improving pain, hip range of motion and physical function. However, high quality studies based on combined therapies showed controversy in their effects on pain, hip range of motion and physical function. Conclusions: Exercise therapy and manual therapy and its combination with patient education provides benefits in pain and improvement in physical function. The effects of combined therapies remain unclear. Further investigation is necessary to improve the knowledge about the effects of non-pharmacological conservative treatments on pain, hip range of motion and physical function

Distribución espacial y temporal de las precipitaciones intensas en Mallorca

Ponencia presentada en: V Congreso Internacional de la Asociación Española de Climatología celebrado en Zaragoza del 18 al 21 de septiembre de 2006.[ES]Se han identificado las jornadas durante las cuales en los observatorios meteorológicos de Mallorca se han registrado precipitaciones que han superado los 100 mm en 24 horas al menos en un observatorio. Se ha analizado la distribución temporal de estos episodios así como el área geográfica afectada en cada uno de los casos. A partir de este análisis se establecen las pautas espaciales a las que se ajustan dichas precipitaciones.[EN]Days with precipitations of more than 100 mm in 24 hours in Mallorca are identified. The temporary distribution of this events and the damaged area have been studied. The main models of territorial distribution of these precipitations have been established.Trabajo financiado por el proyecto IPIBEX. CGL 2005-­07664-­C02/CLI

Determination of Therapeutic Equivalence of Generic Products of Gentamicin in the Neutropenic Mouse Thigh Infection Model

Background: Drug regulatory agencies (DRA) support prescription of generic products of intravenous antibiotics assuming therapeutic equivalence from pharmaceutical equivalence. Recent reports of deaths associated with generic heparin and metoprolol have raised concerns about the efficacy and safety of DRA-approved drugs. Methodology/Principal Findings: To challenge the assumption that pharmaceutical equivalence predicts therapeutic equivalence, we determined in vitro and in vivo the efficacy of the innovator product and 20 pharmaceutically equivalent generics of gentamicin. The data showed that, while only 1 generic product failed in vitro (MIC = 45.3 vs. 0.7 mg/L, P,0.05), 10 products (including gentamicin reference powder) failed in vivo against E. coli due to significantly inferior efficacy (E max = 4.81 to 5.32 vs. 5.99 log 10 CFU/g, P#0.043). Although the design lacked power to detect differences in survival after thigh infection with P. aeruginosa, dissemination to vital organs was significantly higher in animals treated with generic gentamicin despite 4 days of maximally effective treatment. Conclusion: Pharmaceutical equivalence does not predict therapeutic equivalence of generic gentamicin. Stricter criteri

Fabrication of human myocardium using multidimensional modelling of engineered tissues

Biofabrication of human tissues has seen a meteoric growth triggered by recent technical advancements such as human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) and additive manufacturing. However, generation of cardiac tissue is still hampered by lack of adequate mechanical properties and crucially by the often unpredictable post-fabrication evolution of biological components. In this study we employ melt electrowriting (MEW) and hiPSC-derived cardiac cells to generate fibre-reinforced human cardiac minitissues. These are thoroughly characterized in order to build computational models and simulations able to predict their post-fabrication evolution. Our results show that MEW-based human minitissues display advanced maturation 28 post-generation, with a significant increase in the expression of cardiac genes such as MYL2, GJA5, SCN5A and the MYH7/MYH6 and MYL2/MYL7 ratios. Human iPSC-cardiomyocytes are significantly more aligned within the MEW-based 3D tissues, as compared to conventional 2D controls, and also display greater expression of C ×43. These are also correlated with a more mature functionality in the form of faster conduction velocity. We used these data to develop simulations capable of accurately reproducing the experimental performance. In-depth gauging of the structural disposition (cellular alignment) and intercellular connectivity (C ×43) allowed us to develop an improved computational model able to predict the relationship between cardiac cell alignment and functional performance. This study lays down the path for advancing in the development of in silico tools to predict cardiac biofabricated tissue evolution after generation, and maps the route towards more accurate and biomimetic tissue manufacture

Ubiquitous healthy diatoms in the deep sea confirm deep carbon injection by the biological pump

The role of the ocean as a sink for CO2 is partially dependent on the downward transport of phytoplankton cells packaged within fast-sinking particles. However, whether such fast-sinking mechanisms deliver fresh organic carbon down to the deep bathypelagic sea and whether this mechanism is prevalent across the ocean requires confirmation. Here we report the ubiquitous presence of healthy photosynthetic cells, dominated by diatoms, down to 4,000 m in the deep dark ocean. Decay experiments with surface phytoplankton suggested that the large proportion (18%) of healthy photosynthetic cells observed, on average, in the dark ocean, requires transport times from a few days to a few weeks, corresponding to sinking rates (124–732 m d−1) comparable to those of fast-sinking aggregates and faecal pellets. These results confirm the expectation that fast-sinking mechanisms inject fresh organic carbon into the deep sea and that this is a prevalent process operating across the global oligotrophic ocean