Performance of peat biofilters treating ethyl acetate and toluene mixtures under non-steady-state conditions

[Abstract] This paper presents the response of peat biofilters to loading changes corresponding to industrial practices such as overnight and weekend shutdowns, intermittent emission or inlet concentration peaks. Three laboratory-scale reactors fed with air contaminated with ethyl acetate, toluene or a 1:1 mixture of ethyl acetate and toluene were operated under 65 g m-3 h-1 inlet load and 60 s EBRT during 16 h/day, 5 days/week. Dynamic behavior after feed resumption after night and weekend closures showed a 1-2 h period of transient response to recover stable CO2 production values. No increase in VOC emission was observed, except for biofilters treating toluene for which a transient peak in VOC emission during 4-8 h after weekend closures was detected. More stressful conditions such as intermittent emissions (2 h-on/ 2 h-off, 16 h/day, 5 days/week), or inlet concentration peaks (40-min, 50% increase) were successfully handled in the biofilter treating only ethyl acetate; but deterioration in the operation was observed in presence of toluene. The system performance after 15-days starvation period was fully recovered in less than 8 h of re-acclimation period. Living and dead cells monitoring results are also presented

Removal of a mixture of oxygenated VOCs in a biotrickling filter

[Abstract] Laboratory scale-studies on the biodegradation of a 1:1:1 wt mixture of three oxygenated volatile organic compounds (VOCs), ethanol, ethyl acetate and methyl-ethyl ketone (MEK) in a biotrickling filter were carried out using two identically sized columns, filled with different polypropylene rings. The reactors were seeded with a two-month preconditioned culture from activated sludge. The performance of the biotrickling filters was examined for a continuous period of 4 months at VOC concentration from 125 mg-C/m3 to 550 mg-C/m3 and at gas flow rates of around 1.0 m3/h, 2.0 m3/h and 4.6 m3/h, which correspond to gas empty bed residence times (EBRT) of 68 s, 33 s and 16 s, respectively. Similar performance was obtained for both supports. Intermittent flow rate of trickling liquid was shown as beneficial to improve the removal efficiency of the system. A stratification in the substrate consumption was observed from gas composition profiles, with MEK % in the emission greater than 78%. Continuous VOC feeding resulted in an excessive accumulation of biomass and high pressure drop was developed in less than 20-30 days of operation. Intermittent VOC loading with night and weekend feed cut-off periods passing dried air, but without water addition, was shown as a successful operational mode to control the biofilm thickness. In this case, operation at high inlet loads was extended for more than 50 days maintaining high removal efficiencies and low pressure drops

Academic literacy in university libraries

Objetivo: Apresentar o conceito de literacia acadêmica e discutir as possibilidades de atuação das bibliotecas universitárias (BU) no desenvolvimento de habilidades necessárias ao sucesso da comunidade acadêmica por meio de estudo de caso do Centro de Recursos para Aprendizagem e Investigação (CRAI) da Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF) em Barcelona. Método: Estudo exploratório e descritivo de caráter qualitativo que utilizou técnicas de pesquisa bibliográfica e documental. Realizou-se análise de conteúdo em páginas web de universidades da Europa e América do Norte, cujas bibliotecas prestam serviços de Academic Skills Centre (Centro de Habilidades Acadêmicas) - ASC - espaços para orientação e tutoria aos alunos universitários com a finalidade de auxiliá-los no desenvolvimento de habilidades que os permitam tirar o máximo proveito de seu potencial acadêmico. Foram criadas categorias de serviços que serviram de parâmetro para estudo comparativo dos serviços prestados pelo CRAI UPF disponíveis em sua página web. Resultado: A análise permitiu verificar que o CRAI UPF apresenta indícios de atuação nos moldes ASC, em especial, no que se refere ao uso de tecnologias de informação e comunicação. Contudo, não foi possível afirmar que trata-se de um ambiente que privilegia o desenvolvimento de ações voltadas à literacia acadêmica, embora apresente potencial para um envolvimento dessa natureza. Conclusões: A partir deste estudo de caso acredita-se que as BU possam atuar no campo da literacia acadêmica e que, para tal, devem investir em parcerias com outros setores da universidade a fim de explorar as possibilidades de criação de produtos e serviços que visem ao desenvolvimento de habilidades para o sucesso da vida universitária. Considera-se que esta pesquisa representa um ponto de partida para muitas outras e, espera-se que os conceitos e exemplos aqui estudados possam servir de inspiração para a introdução de programas inovadores de literacia acadêmica em bibliotecas universitárias de diferentes contextos e lugares.Objective: This study presents the concept of academic literacy and discusses the possibilities of university libraries to develop the skills necessary for the success of the academic community through a case study of the Center for Learning and Research (CRAI) of the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF ) in Barcelona. Methods: An exploratory and descriptive qualitative study that used bibliographic and documentary research techniques. Content analysis was carried out on web pages of universities in Europe and North America, whose libraries provide services of Academic Skills Center (ASC) - spaces for orientation and tutoring to university students with the purpose of assisting them in developing skills that enable them to take full advantage of their academic potential. We created categories of services that served as parameters for comparative study of the services provided by CRAI UPF available on its website. Results: the CRAI UPF presents indications of action in the ASC model, in particular, regarding the use of information and communication technologies. However, it is not possible to say that it is an environment that favors the development of actions aimed at academic literacy, although it is possible to perceive that it presents potential for such an involvement. Conclusions: From this case study it is believed that the BU can act in the field of academic literacy and, for such, should invest in partnerships with other sectors of the university in order to explore the possibilities of creating products and services aimed at development. of skills for the success of college life. This research is considered to be a starting point for many others, and it is hoped that the concepts and examples studied here may inspire the introduction of innovative academic literacy programs in university libraries of different contexts and places

Hitos turísticos urbanos y su representación en las producciones audiovisuales: el caso de España (2000–2021)

Esta investigación tiene como principal objetivo conocer el grado de coincidencia entre los hitos o lugares de más interés turístico y los espacios urbanos representados en las principales producciones audiovisuales rodadas en el siglo XXI. El trabajo se basa en algunas de las ciudades más relevantes a nivel turístico de la geografía española, así como en territorios insulares de especial importancia turística. La investigación es de naturaleza analítico-descriptiva, con una metodología cuantitativa y la utilización de la técnica de observación científica. Uno de los principales resultados obtenidos es la existencia de un alto grado de coincidencia entre algunas de las localizaciones proyectadas en las películas y series seleccionadas con los lugares de más interés turístico de las ciudades e islas analizadas

Altered sleep and neurovascular dysfunction in alpha-synucleinopathies: the perfect storm for glymphatic failure

Clinical and cognitive progression in alpha-synucleinopathies is highly heterogeneous. While some patients remain stable over long periods of time, other suffer early dementia or fast motor deterioration. Sleep disturbances and nocturnal blood pressure abnormalities have been identified as independent risk factors for clinical progression but a mechanistic explanation linking both aspects is lacking. We hypothesize that impaired glymphatic system might play a key role on clinical progression. Glymphatic system clears brain waste during specific sleep stages, being blood pressure the motive force that propels the interstitial fluid through brain tissue to remove protein waste. Thus, the combination of severe sleep alterations, such as REM sleep behavioral disorder, and lack of the physiological nocturnal decrease of blood pressure due to severe dysautonomia may constitute the perfect storm for glymphatic failure, causing increased abnormal protein aggregation and spreading. In Lewy body disorders (Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies) the increment of intraneuronal alpha-synuclein and extracellular amyloid-β would lead to cognitive deterioration, while in multisystemic atrophy, increased pathology in oligodendroglia would relate to the faster and malignant motor progression. We present a research model that may help in developing studies aiming to elucidate the role of glymphatic function and associated factors mainly in alpha-synucleinopathies, but that could be relevant also for other protein accumulation-related neurodegenerative diseases. If the model is proven to be useful could open new lines for treatments targeting glymphatic function (for example through control of nocturnal blood pressure) with the objective to ameliorate cognitive and motor progression in alpha-synucleinopathies

The protozoan parasite Trichomonas gallinae causes adult and nestling mortality in a declining population of European Turtle Doves, Streptopelia turtur

Studies incorporating the ecology of clinical and sub-clinical disease in wild populations of conservation concern are rare. Here we examine sub-clinical infection by Trichomonas gallinae in a declining population of free-living European Turtle Doves and suggest caseous lesions cause mortality in adults and nestlings through subsequent starvation and/or suffocation. We found a 100% infection rate by T. gallinae in adult and nestling Turtle Doves (n = 25) and observed clinical signs in three adults and four nestlings (28%). Adults with clinical signs displayed no differences in any skeletal measures of size but had a mean 3·7% reduction in wing length, with no overlap compared to those without clinical signs. We also identified T. gallinae as the suggested cause of mortality in one Red-legged Partridge although disease presentation was different. A minimum of four strains of T. gallinae, characterized at the ITS/5·8S/ITS2 ribosomal region, were isolated from Turtle Doves. However, all birds with clinical signs (Turtle Doves and the Red-legged Partridge) carried a single strain of T. gallinae, suggesting that parasite spill over between Columbidae and Galliformes is a possibility that should be further investigated. Overall, we highlight the importance of monitoring populations for sub-clinical infection rather than just clinical disease

Assessing Multivariate Constraints to Evolution across Ten Long-Term Avian Studies

Background In a rapidly changing world, it is of fundamental importance to understand processes constraining or facilitating adaptation through microevolution. As different traits of an organism covary, genetic correlations are expected to affect evolutionary trajectories. However, only limited empirical data are available. Methodology/Principal Findings We investigate the extent to which multivariate constraints affect the rate of adaptation, focusing on four morphological traits often shown to harbour large amounts of genetic variance and considered to be subject to limited evolutionary constraints. Our data set includes unique long-term data for seven bird species and a total of 10 populations. We estimate population-specific matrices of genetic correlations and multivariate selection coefficients to predict evolutionary responses to selection. Using Bayesian methods that facilitate the propagation of errors in estimates, we compare (1) the rate of adaptation based on predicted response to selection when including genetic correlations with predictions from models where these genetic correlations were set to zero and (2) the multivariate evolvability in the direction of current selection to the average evolvability in random directions of the phenotypic space. We show that genetic correlations on average decrease the predicted rate of adaptation by 28%. Multivariate evolvability in the direction of current selection was systematically lower than average evolvability in random directions of space. These significant reductions in the rate of adaptation and reduced evolvability were due to a general nonalignment of selection and genetic variance, notably orthogonality of directional selection with the size axis along which most (60%) of the genetic variance is found. Conclusions These results suggest that genetic correlations can impose significant constraints on the evolution of avian morphology in wild populations. This could have important impacts on evolutionary dynamics and hence population persistence in the face of rapid environmental change

A set of quality and safety indicators for hospitals of the «Agencia Valenciana de Salud»

Objetivos: Elaborar un conjunto de indicadores de calidad y seguridad en el contexto de los hospitales de la Agencia Valenciana de Salud. Material y métodos: Se utilizó la técnica Metaplan® para identificar propuestas sobre sostenibilidad y enfermería. Se empleó el catálogo de la Sociedad Espanola ˜ de Calidad Asistencial como punto de partida para los indicadores clínicos. Utilizando la Técnica Delphi 207 profesionales fueron invitados a participar en el proceso para identificar los indicadores más fiables y factibles. Finalmente, la propuesta resultante fue validada por los directivos de 12 hospitales, teniendo en cuenta la variabilidad, objetividad, factibilidad, fiabilidad y sensibilidad de los indicadores. Resultados: La tasa de participación osciló entre el 66,67 y 80,71%. De los 159 indicadores de la propuesta inicial se priorizaron y seleccionaron 68 (21 económicos o de gestión, 22 de cuidados de enfermería y 25 clínicos). De ellos 3 eran comunes a las 3 categorías y 2 no cumplían los criterios específicos de la fase de validación, por lo que el conjunto final consta de 63 indicadores. Conclusiones: Se ha elaborado un conjunto de indicadores de calidad y seguridad. El sistema de información actual permite su monitorización.Objectives: To prepare a set of quality and safety indicators for Hospitals of the «Agencia Valenciana de Salud». Material and methods: The qualitative technique Metaplan® was applied in order to gather proposals on sustainability and nursing. The catalogue of the «Spanish Society of Quality in Healthcare» was adopted as a starting point for clinical indicators. Using the Delphi technique, 207 professionals were invited to participate in the selecting the most reliable and feasible indicators. Lastly, the resulting proposal was validated with the managers of 12 hospitals, taking into account the variability, objectivity, feasibility, reliability and sensitivity, of the indicators. Results: Participation rates varied between 66.67% and 80.71%. Of the 159 initial indicators, 68 were prioritized and selected (21 economic or management indicators, 22 nursing indicators, and 25 clinical or hospital indicators). Three of them were common to all three categories and two did not match the specified criteria during the validation phase, thus obtaining a final catalogue of 63 indicators. Conclusions: A set of quality and safety indicators for Hospitals was prepared. They are currently being monitored using the hospital information systems.Medicin