Enrichment of nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidizing bacteria in a membrane bioreactor

The use of nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation (n-damo) processes could represent an innovative technology in order to minimize the environmental impact of anaerobic sewage effluents at low temperatures, since these biological processes are able to simultaneously remove nitrite and dissolved methane in anaerobic conditions. Nevertheless, n-damo bacteria are well-known by their reported low activity and slow doubling times which hinders a practical application. On this study, the enrichment on these bacteria was successfully achieved in a membrane bioreactor system at 28 °C. Despite biomass accumulation was not detected, a high apparent specific n-damo activity of 95.5 mg NO2−-N g−1 MLVSS d−1 was achieved after 388 days of operation, being one of the highest nitrite removal rates reported in the literature for n-damo cultures to date. Additionally a slow doubling time of 11.5 d was estimated. 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing analysis indicated that Candidatus Methylomirabilis became the most abundant bacterial organism by day 344 with a relative abundance of 50.2%. During the entire experiment ammonium was continuously added to the system as an alternative nitrogen source, to avoid biomass growth limitations. Finally, a relation between permeate nitrite concentrations and nitrous oxide production was found, which allows to optimize the process in terms of the minimization of both nitrogen species. The nitrous oxide emissions represented between 0 and 3.7% of the denitrified nitrogenThe authors acknowledge the financial support received from Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness through the projects HOLSIA and COMETT (CTM2013-46750-R & CTQ2016-80847-R), both co-funded by FEDER. T. Allegue would also like to express his gratitude to the same Ministry for awarding a research scholarship (BES-2014-069114). The authors belong to the Galician Competitive Research Group GRC 2013-032, programme co-funded by FEDER, and to CRETUS (AGRUP2015/02)S

Towards the semantic enrichment of Computer Interpretable Guidelines: a method for the identification of relevant ontological terms

Ponència presentada a 2018 The American Medical Informatics Association Annual Symposium (AMIA 2018) celebrat a San Francisco, Estats Units de l'Amèrica del Nord, el 3 de novembre de 2018Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) contain recommendations intended to optimize patient care, produced based on a systematic review of evidence. In turn, Computer-Interpretable Guidelines (CIGs) are formalized versions of CPGs for use as decision-support systems. We consider the enrichment of the CIG by means of an OWL ontology that describes the clinical domain of the CIG, which could be exploited e.g. for the interoperability with the Electronic Health Record (EHR). As a first step, in this paper we describe a method to support the development of such an ontology starting from a CIG. The method uses an alignment algorithm for the automated identification of ontological terms relevant to the clinical domain of the CIG, as well as a web platform to manually review the alignments and select the appropriate ones. Finally, we present the results of the application of the method to a small corpus of CIGs

Simultaneous nitrogen and dissolved methane removal from an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor effluent using an integrated fixed-film activated sludge system

One of the main drawbacks of upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors that treat low-strength sewage at room temperature is related to the low quality of their effluents in terms of dissolved methane, organic matter, and nitrogen content. The present study aims to evaluate the feasibility of using an integrated fixed-film activated sludge (IFAS) system as an alternative post-treatment technology to mitigate the environmental impact of such effluents. For this purpose, a pilot plant composed of a UASB (120 L) followed by an IFAS (66 L) system was operated for 407 days. Special attention was paid to the suspended biomass retention capacity and the dissolved methane and nitrogen removal potential of the IFAS post-treatment system. Furthermore, the role of carriers on denitrification and nitrification processes and the microbial communities present in the biofilm were also analyzed. Average total chemical oxygen demand (CODT) and ammonium removal efficiencies of 92 ± 3% and around 57 ± 16% were attained throughout the entire operation, respectively. During a first period in which biomass was maintained in both biofilms and suspension, and nitrite was the main electron acceptor, maximum nitrogen removal and methane removal efficiencies of 32.5 mg TN L-1 and 93% were observed in the IFAS system, respectively. However, throughout the second period, in which suspended biomass was completely washed out from the IFAS system, and nitrate became the main electron acceptor, these values decreased to 18 ± 4 mg TN Lfeed-1 and 77 ± 12%, respectively. Surprisingly, throughout the entire operation, it was observed that around 50 and 41% of the total nitrogen and methane removals observed in the IFAS system, respectively, were carried out in the aerobic compartment. Aerobic methane oxidizers and anammox were detected with significant relative abundances in the biofilm carriers used in the anoxic and aerobic compartments using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing analysis. Therefore, the use of an IFAS system could be suited to diminish greenhouse gas emissions and nutrients concentration for those sewage treatment plants that used UASB systems, especially in countries with temperate and warm climatesThis research was supported by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of Spain through the COMETT project (CTQ2016-80847-R) and by the Ministry of Education and Science of Spain through the Red Novedar project (CTQ2014-51693-REDC). T. Allegue would also like to express his gratitude to the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of Spain for awarding a research scholarship (BES-2014-069114). The authors belong to the Galician Network of Environmental Technologies (ED341D R2016/033) and to the CRETUS Strategic Partnership (ED431E 2018/01), financed by the Galician GovernmentS

Nuevo índice para evaluar anomalías de elementos traza en suelos: el caso del SE español

In this work, an index is established to detect anomalies in trace elements in the soil. This index, which relates the total concentration of each element with the regional geochemical background value of the element considered, was defined by studying the levels of trace elements from different soils located in SE Spain. In the area, a previous screening of trace elements detected seven zones with anomalies and revealed two conflictive areas: Sierra Gador and Cabo de Gata. In each zone, a second sampling was undertaken at two different depths (0-20 cm and 20-40 cm). The results indicate that the main anomalies were due to arsenic (As), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn). In Sierra Gador Pb was the element that registered the highest rate of enrichment with respect to the regional geochemical background, reaching values up to 270-fold higher in some samples. In this zone, more than 50% of the samples were anomalous in any of the trace elements studied (higher than regional geochemical background). In Cabo de Gata, As concentration was higher than the geochemical background in more than 40% of the samples; meanwhile Pb concentration was higher in 50% of the samples.En este trabajo establecemos un índice para detectar anomalías en el contenido de elementos traza en suelos. Este índice relaciona el contenido total de cada elemento traza con el fondo geoquímico regional, definido mediante el estudio de los niveles de elementos traza en diferentes suelos localizados en el sureste español. En un primer estudio sobre niveles de elementos traza en suelos del área de estudio detectaron siete zonas con anomalías, de las cuales dos fueron consideradas conflictivas: Sierra de Gádor y Cabo de Gata. En cada una de estas dos zonas se realizó un segundo estudio más exhaustivo a dos niveles de profundidad (0-20 y 20-40 cm). Los resultados indican que las principales anomalías correspondes a los niveles de As, Pb y Zn. En Sierra de Gádor el Pb es el elemento que presenta una mayor tasa de enriquecimiento con respecto al fondo geoquímico regional, con valores puntuales que lo superan hasta 270 veces. También en esta zona más del 50% de las muestras presentan anomalías en alguno de los elementos analizados. En Cabo de Gata el As supera el fondo geoquímico regional en más del 40% de las muestras; mientras que el Pb lo supera en el 50% de las muestras.This study has been made possible by the research Project no. 1550 of the Regional Environmental Department of the Andalusian Government

The innovation and the Improvement of Business Performance in the Provinces of Cuba

RESUMEN. El éxito del desarrollo económico de un país está íntimamente relacionado con su Sistema de Innovación Nacional (SIN) (Nelson, 2013). En relación con ello, nos preguntamos cuál es la situación actual de la innovación en la República de Cuba. Para ello, nos proponemos como objetivos describir la situación de la innovación en la República y estudiar si el efecto de la innovación también es observable en una economía planificada, en este caso, en las provincias de Cuba. Hemos obtenido diferencias estadísticamente significativas en la Producción Mercantil durante el periodo 2011-2014, en función de las innovaciones y racionalizaciones aplicadas durante periodos anteriores. También estudiamos si el entorno en el que se encuentran inmersas favorece una mayor orientación hacia la innovación. Los resultados muestran que las provincias que cuentan con innovaciones y racionalizaciones superiores a la media, obtienen mayor Producción Mercantil per cápita. Además, se observa cómo aquellas provincias que se encuentran en entornos con más recursos, tienen una menor propensión a realizar este tipo de actividades.ABSTRACT. The successful economic development of a country is closely linked to its National Innovation System (NIS) (Nelson, 2013). In this relationship, our aim is to look at the current situation of innovation in the Republic of Cuba. We study the effect of innovation in a planned economy for most of the provinces of Cuba. We have obtained statistically significant differences in the production index during the period 2011-2014, based on innovations and rationalizations applied during previous periods. We also study whether the context in which they are immersed favors greater orientation towards innovation. The results show that provinces with innovations and rationalizations above average, obtained higher production per capita. However, more rich provinces used to have less innovations

Spike Processing on an Embedded Multi-task Computer: Image Reconstruction

There is an emerging philosophy, called Neuro-informatics, contained in the Artificial Intelligence field, that aims to emulate how living beings do tasks such as taking a decision based on the interpretation of an image by emulating spiking neurons into VLSI designs and, therefore, trying to re-create the human brain at its highest level. Address-Event-Representation (AER) is a communication protocol that has embedded part of the processing. It is intended to transfer spikes between bioinspired chips. An AER based system may consist of a hierarchical structure with several chips that transmit spikes among them in real-time, while performing some processing. There are several AER tools to help to develop and test AER based systems. These tools require the use of a computer to allow the higher level processing of the event information, reaching very high bandwidth at the AER communication level. We propose the use of an embedded platform based on a multi-task operating system to allow both, the AER communication and processing without the requirement of either a laptop or a computer. In this paper, we present and study the performance of a new philosophy of a frame-grabber AER tool based on a multi-task environment. This embedded platform is based on the Intel XScale processor which is governed by an embedded GNU/Linux system. We have connected and programmed it for processing Address-Event information from a spiking generator.Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia TEC2006-11730-C03-0

An innovative wastewater treatment technology based on UASB and IFAS for cost-efficient macro and micropollutant removal

An innovative process based on the combination of a UASB reactor and an IFAS system is proposed in order to combine different redox conditions and biomass conformations to promote a high microbial diversity. The objective of this configuration is to enhance the biological removal of organic micropollutants (OMPs) as well as to achieve the abatement of nitrogen by using the dissolved methane as an inexpensive electron donor. Results showed high removals of COD (93%) and dissolved methane present in the UASB effluent (up to 85%) was biodegraded by a consortium of aerobic methanotrophs and heterotrophic denitrifiers. Total nitrogen removal decreased slightly along the operation (from 44 to 33%), depending on the availability of electron donor, biomass concentration, and configuration (floccules and biofilm). A high removal was achieved in the hybrid system (>80%) for 6 of the studied OMPs. Sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, naproxen, and estradiol were readily biotransformed under anaerobic conditions, whereas ibuprofen or bisphenol A were removed in the anoxic-aerobic compartment. Evidence of the cometabolic biotransformation of OMPs has been found, such as the influence of nitrification activity on the removal of bisphenol A, and of the denitrification activity on ethinylestradiol removalThis research was supported by the Spanish Government (AEI) through the Project COMETT (CTQ2016-80847-R). The authors belong to the Galician Competitive Research GroupGRC-ED431C 2017/29 and to the CRETUS Strategic Partnership (AGRUP2015/02). All these programs and project are co-funded by FEDER (UE)S

The Economic Impact of Closing the Boundaries: The Lower Minho Valley Cross-Border Region in Times of Covid-19

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Journal of Borderlands Studies on 2022-02-18, available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/08865655.2022.2039266The COVID-19 crisis experienced since early 2020 has been the first time in decades that all the boundaries between European Union member-states have been systematically re-set. This paper examines the economic impact derived from re-establishing the boundary on a particular cross-border region located between Galicia (Spain) and Portugal. The paper begins by outlining the theoretical considerations on the interplay between borders and economy. After examining the case-study area and the decisions taken by the Spanish and Portuguese authorities in an attempt to control the spread of the virus in 2020, the article explains the methods used to obtain the results. Two sets of results are presented. Firstly, the direct consequences for cross-border economic activities are considered. Secondly, the fall in Gross Domestic Product is quantified for sectors and municipalities in the cross-border region, distinguishing between, on the one hand, the overall effect caused by the restrictions due to the lockdown situation and, on the other, the precise impact attributed to the re-establishment of the international boundary. This is a worthy addition to previous literature given that this paper details the specific economic effects caused by the COVID- 19 crisis in a cross-border region directly affected by the boundary closure.AECT Río Miño Deputación de PontevedraS

A hydrated ion model of [UO2]2+ in water: Structure, dynamics, and spectroscopy from classical molecular dynamics

A new ab initio interaction potential based on the hydrated ion concept has been developed to obtain the structure, energetics, and dynamics of the hydration of uranyl in aqueous solution. It is the first force field that explicitly parameterizes the interaction of the uranyl hydrate with bulk water molecules to accurately define the second-shell behavior. The [UO2(H2O)5 ] 2+ presents a first hydration shell U–O average distance of 2.46 Å and a second hydration shell peak at 4.61 Å corresponding to 22 molecules using a coordination number definition based on a multisite solute cavity. The second shell solvent molecules have longer mean residence times than those corresponding to the divalent monatomic cations. The axial regions are relatively de-populated, lacking direct hydrogen bonding to apical oxygens. Angle-solved radial distribution functions as well as the spatial distribution functions show a strong anisotropy in the ion hydration. The [UO2(H2O)5 ] 2+ solvent structure may be regarded as a combination of a conventional second hydration shell in the equatorial and bridge regions, and a clathrate-like low density region in the axial region. Translational diffusion coefficient, hydration enthalpy, power spectra of the main vibrational modes, and the EXAFS spectrum simulated from molecular dynamics trajectories agree fairly well with the experiment.Junta de Andalucía de España, Proyecto de Excelencia-P11-FQM 760

Caja desmontable para toma de muestras de suelo

Número de publicación: ES1079118 U (26.04.2013) También publicado como: ES1079118 Y (23.07.2013) Número de Solicitud: Consulta de Expedientes OEPM (C.E.O.) U201201022 (26.10.2012)Caja desmontable para toma de muestras de suelo, caracterizada por incorporar un perfil rectangular abierto (1) donde el perfil queda abierto en toda su longitud mediante una abertura (4). El perfil (1) queda perfectamente acoplado en el interior de un perfil rectangular cerrado (2) que dispone de una pestaña (5) en forma de T en su cara interior, coincidiendo esta pestaña (5) con la abertura (4) del perfil (1). Dos tapas (3) cierran por la parte superior e inferior el conjunto. El perfil (2) presenta dos rebajes (6) que permiten el acceso a la pieza (1) para su desmontaje.Universidad de Almerí