Warm-season precipitation drivers in northeastern Argentina: Diurnal cycle of the atmospheric moisture balance and land–atmosphere coupling

Southeastern South America is influenced by moisture transport from lower latitudes, sustainsintense convective storms and is a land-atmosphere coupling hotspot, but the interconnectionbetween these processes is still not well understood. We present the warm-season diurnal cycleclimatology of the water balance components in the South American Low-Level Jet (SALLJ) exitregion in northeastern Argentina during 1998-2012. Different precipitation-based types of events(clear-sky and rainy days) were explored together with processes tied to the land-atmospherecoupling at the daily scale. Our research was based on simulations with and without soilmoisture-atmosphere coupling with the RCA4 regional climate model. A control simulation wascompared with a sensitivity simulation where the soil moisture was prescribed with the dailyclimatological values from the control run. The ERA5 reanalysis and the satellite precipitationproducts TRMM-3B42 v7 and CMORPH v1.0 bias corrected were used for comparativepurposes. From the diurnal water balance analysis we found that moisture flux convergence inthe region is the main driver for nocturnal precipitation while local evapotranspiration feedsafternoon rain events. Rainy afternoons do not show differences between simulations, but rainynights seem to be affected. Moreover, daily correlations between surface and boundary-layervariables showed that the local coupling is weaker during rainy days than during clear-sky days.Therefore, we suggest that changes in non-local drivers, such as the moisture flux through theSALLJ, are more relevant for rainy nights than the local coupling.Fil: Giles, Julián Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Centro de Investigaciones del Mar y la Atmósfera. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones del Mar y la Atmósfera; ArgentinaFil: Ruscica, Romina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Centro de Investigaciones del Mar y la Atmósfera. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones del Mar y la Atmósfera; ArgentinaFil: Menendez, Claudio Guillermo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Centro de Investigaciones del Mar y la Atmósfera. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones del Mar y la Atmósfera; Argentin

Validación mediante ADAMS/Rail de un modelo de comportamiento dinámico integral de un vehículo ferroviario: esfuerzos de guiado en curva

[EN] This End-of-Master’s project focuses on the validation of a railway dynamics calculation tool which will be referred hereafter as Proposed Model CIIM (Mechanical Engineering Research Centre) and developed by an research groupt. To that purpose, various simulations of the vehicle’s circulation in curves will be carried out, taking into consideration different speeds, camber curves and radious of curvature. To that end, there will be some explanations on certain theoretical antecedents that will help us to a better and global understanding. Some of the dynamic problems in terms of vehicle-railway intercation will be tackled, giving an overall view of the main problems within railway dynamics in the domain of low frenquencies when the vehicles negotiates a curve. We will explain the railway-vehicle interaction model on a flexible axe developed by a research group, where we will briefly summarize the modelling of the railway axle, the suspended massses and the railway itself. Regarding the validaton of the Proposed Model, we will be using a commercial program on railway dynamics called Adams Rail. Various curve scenarios and different speeds will be simulated taking into consideration different camber curves and radius of curvature along which a model tren vehicle 1 (agreed at Manchester Benchmarks) will run. The same simulations will be carried out using the Proposed Model and the results will be compared using Matlab software. Later on, a conclusions section will be included so as to give further detail of the most relevant contributions of the study and to determine the model’s validation itself. The idea of developing the Proposed Model CIIM arises mainly with the purpose of getting an integral model of the vehicle’s behaviour both at low and high frequencies aiming at dealing with some railway problems in curves, such as tread noises, rail squeals and corrugation.En los últimos años se ha desarrollado en el seno del grupo de investigación un modelo integral para el estudio de la dinámica de la interacción entre un vehículo ferroviario y la vía. Se trata de un modelo que incorpora la flexibilidad del eje montado, de los carriles y de su subestructura, de modo que es capaz de reproducir tanto fenómenos de baja frecuencia, que son importantes desde el punto de vista de la seguridad de marcha; como fenómenos de media y alta frecuencia, que afectan al confort y al desgaste de ruedas y carriles. El objeto de este trabajo es realizar una validación del modelo frente a una aplicación comercial muy extendida en la industria para el diseño y análisis de vehículos ferroviarios, como es ADAMS/Rail. La idea es plantear una serie de simulaciones que permitan verificar las prestaciones computacionales y la precisión en diferentes escenarios, prestando especial interés en los esfuerzos de guiado en curva, con y sin irregularidades de vía. Estas simulaciones se seleccionarán entre algunos ensayos habituales en la normativa para la homologación de vehículos ferroviarios.[CA] El present TFM es basa en la validació d’una eina del càcul de dinàmica ferroviaria a la que anomenarem Model Propost CIIM (Centre d’Investigació d’Enginyeria Mecànica) desenvolupat pel grup de investigació. Per a la qual cosa, es portaran a terme simulacions de circulació en corba del vehicle, considerant diferents velocitats, peralts i radis de curvatura. Amb aquest fi, s’explicaran prèviament alguns atencedents teòrics necessaris per a una comprensió total i global del problema i s’abordaran els problemes dinàmics en la interacció viavehicle fent un repàs general dels principals problemes en dinàmica ferroviaria, al domini de baixa frequència i quan el vehicle negocia una corba. Es presentarà el model d’interacció via-vehicle amd eix flexible que ha sigut desenvolupat pel grup d’investigació. Així, es resumirà breument el modelatge de l’eix ferroviari, de les massses suspendides i de via. Per a la validació del model propost CIIM farem ús d’un programa comercial de dinàmica ferroviaria anomenat Adams Reil mitjaçant el qual simularem distints escenaris de corba a distintes velocitats, considerant diversos tipus de peralts i radis de curvatura pels que circularà com a model del tren el vehicle número 1 definit al Benchmark de Manchester. Aquestes mateixes simulacions es portaran a terme mitjaçant el model propost CIIM i mitjaçant el software Matlab compararem els resultats. Tot seguit, n’hi haurà un apartat de conclusions on es detallaran les contribucions més relevants del treball i es determinarà la validació del model propost en corba. La idea del desenvolupament del model propost CIIIM es disposar d’un model integral del comportament dinàmic del vehicle a baixa i alta frequència amd l’objectiu d’abordar els problemes ferroviaris en corba como ara el soroll de la rodadura, els xiscles i la corrugació.Menendez Rubiera, A. (2017). Validación mediante ADAMS/Rail de un modelo de comportamiento dinámico integral de un vehículo ferroviario: esfuerzos de guiado en curva. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/90170TFG

Estudio de la accesibilidad de las interfaces gráficas en la televisión de alta definición

La televisión digital permite un incremento del número de servicios difundidos. Esto puede derivar en que la gestión de los mismos se dificulte de manera notable para el usuario con discapacidad. Así mismo, la televisión digital se caracteriza por la proliferación de interfaces gráficas, por ejemplo, menús de configuración, guías de programas y miniguías, aplicaciones interactivas... Las interfaces gráficas de usuario suponen una de las barreras más importantes que las personas ciegas y con discapacidad visual encuentran al interactuar con estos nuevos servicios. Por otra parte, teniendo en cuenta las necesidades de las personas con resto visual, también se habría de considerar la posibilidad de poder configurar por parte del usuario aquellos elementos gráficos y textuales que aparecen en su pantalla, fundamentalmente, el tamaño y color de letra, así como el adecuado contraste de ésta con el color de fondo sobre el que aparezc

Deployment of access services based on HbbTV standard technology: Project HBB4ALL

This paper presents an overview of the European project HBB4ALL. It explains: how access services can be provided by means of HbbTV applications, why connected TV features become useful for this purpose, and how to get fully satisfying access services for the citizens

Access Services Based on MHP Interactive Applications

In this paper it is described how interactive applications can be used to provide access services for people with disabilities in digital television. MHP (Multimedia Home Platform) is a standardized middleware to develop interactive applications in digital television. In this way, the interactive applications become tools for the provision of the access services. These features have been exploited in a research project to create a subtitle application for the deaf and hard of hearing people and an accessible electronic program guide for blind people

The Coordinated P53 and Estrogen Receptor Cis-Regulation at an FLT1 Promoter SNP Is Specific to Genotoxic Stress and Estrogenic Compound

BACKGROUND: Recently, we established that a C>T single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the promoter of the VEGF receptor FLT1 gene generates a (1/2) site p53 response element (RE-T) that results in p53 responsiveness of the promoter. The transcriptional control required an estrogen receptor (ER) (1/2) site response element (ERE1) 225 nt upstream to the RE-T. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here we report the identification of a second ER (1/2) site (ERE2) located 145 bp downstream of the RE-T and establish that both EREs can impact p53-mediated transactivation of FLT1-T in a manner that is cell type and ER level dependent. Gene reporter assays and ChIP experiments conducted in the breast cancer-derived MCF7 cells revealed that the ERE2 site was sufficient for p53-mediated ERalpha recruitment and transactivation of the FLT1-T promoter/reporter construct. Surprisingly, unlike the case for other p53 target promoters, p53-mediated transactivation of FLT1-T constructs or expression of the endogenous FLT1 gene, as well as binding of p53 and ER at the promoter constructs, was inducible by doxorubicin but not by 5-fluorouracil. Furthermore, ER activity at FLT1-T was differentially affected by ER ligands, compared to a control TFF1/pS2 ER target promoter. The p53-related transcription factors (TFs) p73 and p63 had no effect on FLT1 transactivation. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We establish a new dimension to the p53 master regulatory network where p53-mediated transcription from a (1/2) site RE can be determined by ER binding at one or more cis-acting EREs in manner that is dependent on level of ER protein, the type of ER ligand and the specific p53-inducing agent

Event-related potential correlates of stimulus equivalence classes: A study of task order of the equivalence based priming probes with respect to the stimulus equivalence tests, and among the distinct trial types with each other

This study investigates the influences of: 1) the task order of two stimulus equivalence classes (SEC) probes, and 2) the possible differences within the equivalence trial types. These factors were analyzed together on both behavioral and event-related potentials (ERP) data. Two groups of normal subjects participated in two successive sessions. In the first session, all participants were trained in the baseline relations among visual stimuli (pseudo-words). In the second session, one group performed the matching-to-sample (MTS) equivalence tests before the equivalence-relatedness-priming (EBRP) task, while the other group performed both tasks in reverse order. In the EBRP task related trial types included trained, symmetrical and equivalence relationships while the unrelated trial types included the same stimuli but without relationships. Event related potentials were recorded separately for related and unrelated conditions during the EBRP task. Results showed that response times to related trials were shorter than those to unrelated ones. At the electrophysiological level, two late waveforms were sensitive to the differences among the stimulus pairs of the EBRP task: Both waveforms were larger for the unrelated than the related conditions. Conversely, there were no main influences of the task order or of the trial types with each other. These results provide evidence that 1) the EBRP task exhibits priming effects among the SEC stimuli, 2) the behavioral and electrophysiological effects were similar regardless of whether the EBRP task was done before or after the MTS tests, and 3) there were no differences within the baseline and derived trial types in the EBRP task.Fil: Menendez, Joaquin. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Psicología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Haro Sanchez, Federico Miguel. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Psicología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Polti, Ignacio. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Psicología; ArgentinaFil: Idesis, Sebastián. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Psicología; ArgentinaFil: Avellaneda, Matías Alejandro. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Psicología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Tabullo, Angel Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Ciencias Humanas, Sociales y Ambientales; ArgentinaFil: Iorio, Alberto Andres. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Psicología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; Argentin

Chlorophyll a fluorescence analysis reveals divergent photosystem II responses to saline, alkaline and saline–alkaline stresses in the two Lotus japonicus model ecotypes MG20 and Gifu-129

Saline and alkaline stresses affect more than 10% of the World’s arable land, limiting agricultural production. Salt-induced stress may affect the photosystem II (PSII) function, altering fluorescence emission. Therefore, changes in fluorescence are used to quantify and analyze abiotic stress responses in plants. So far, no study has focused on the response of PSII to saline, alkaline and saline–alkaline stresses in the model legume Lotus japonicus. For the saline, alkaline and saline–alkaline treatments, plants of the L. japonicus ecotypes MG20 and Gifu-129 were cultivated in sand with nutrient solution, added with NaCl and NaHCO3 in different proportions. Growth, gas exchange, and chlorophyll a fluorescence transient kinetic and OJIP parameters were measured, and chlorophyll a and b were determined. The analysis of the kinetic of chlorophyll a fluorescence showed that NaCl-derived stress sources affect the photochemical events in PSII in both ecotypes, being this effect more evident under higher pH condition, whereas alkalinity per se has a mild or no effect on these events. The saline–alkaline stress induced a more severe effect on Gifu B-129, compared with Miyakojima MG20, whereas NaCl improved primary photochemistry in MG20. Our results allow us to accept the hypothesis that both ecotypes deploy differential responses under the three stressful treatments and that the saline–alkaline stress causes higher damage levels than saline and alkaline stresses alone in relation with structures and sub-processes of the PSII.Fil: Bordenave, César Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas "Dr. Raúl Alfonsín" (sede Chascomús). Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas "Dr. Raúl Alfonsín" (sede Chascomús); ArgentinaFil: Rocco, Ruben Anibal. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas "Dr. Raúl Alfonsín" (sede Chascomús). Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas "Dr. Raúl Alfonsín" (sede Chascomús); ArgentinaFil: Maiale, Santiago Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas "Dr. Raúl Alfonsín" (sede Chascomús). Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas "Dr. Raúl Alfonsín" (sede Chascomús); ArgentinaFil: Campestre, Maria Paula. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas "Dr. Raúl Alfonsín" (sede Chascomús). Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas "Dr. Raúl Alfonsín" (sede Chascomús); ArgentinaFil: Ruiz, Oscar Adolfo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas "Dr. Raúl Alfonsín" (sede Chascomús). Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas "Dr. Raúl Alfonsín" (sede Chascomús); ArgentinaFil: Rodriguez, Andres Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas "Dr. Raúl Alfonsín" (sede Chascomús). Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas "Dr. Raúl Alfonsín" (sede Chascomús); ArgentinaFil: Menendez, Ana Bernardina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Micología y Botánica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Micología y Botánica; Argentin

Televisión digital en 2010: El reto de la interoperabilidad

En este artículo se plantea la situación actual de despliegue de la televisión digital en España desde el punto de vista de la necesaria interoperabilidad que debe haber entre los eslabones de la cadena de valor en un mercado horizontal, con especial atención, por una parte, a la navegación y la presentación de la información de programación y, por otra, a la accesibilidad de las personas con discapacidad. Los patentes problemas de interoperabilidad existentes se han producido a pesar de la existencia de un completo conjunto de disposiciones legales y normas técnicas, lo que sugiere la necesidad además de laboratorios de interoperabilidad que supongan un punto de encuentro entre los actores del sector, con el apoyo de las administraciones públicas (Utray 2009: 211‐225

Caretakers' perspectives of paediatric TB and implications for care-seeking behaviours in Southern Mozambique

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) remains an important public health concern, especially in poorly resourced settings. TB diagnosis is challenging, particularly for children, who are the most vulnerable to its′ impacts. Lack of knowledge and awareness of the disease compromises prompt diagnosis and treatment compliance. Objective: To gain insights regarding caretakers′ knowledge of the aetiology and prevention of paediatric TB in southern Mozambique, to describe their care-seeking behaviours and to assess the acceptability of diagnostic procedures. Methods: A total of 35 caretakers were interviewed, all of which had children with TB compatible symptoms. Eleven were caretakers of children diagnosed with TB at the health facility, 11 of children for whom TB was excluded as a diagnosis at the health facility and 13 of children with TB compatible symptoms identified in the community. The first two groups took part in a TB incidence study, while the third group did not. All underwent the same semi-structured interviews, the results of which were analysed and compared using content analysis. Results: Even when confronted with signs suggestive of TB, most caretakers never suspected it or misinterpreted the signs, even among caretakers with TB and TB contacts. There was limited knowledge of TB, except among those undergoing treatment. The transgression of social norms was often presented as an explanation for TB in parallel to medically sound causes. The use of traditional care for prevention is widespread, but it varied for treatment purposes. TB diagnostic procedures were considered painful but were unanimously tolerated. Conclusions and significance: Misconceptions of paediatric TB, associated complex care-seeking itineraries and negative feelings of the diagnostic procedures may result in delays, low adherence and lost to follow-up, which needs to be addressed by adequately framed health promotion approaches