What to expect from alternative management strategies to conserve seabirds? Hints from a dynamic modelling framework applied to an endangered population

The worldwide decline of seabird populations due to the combined effects of global and regional changes is creating immense challenges for managers and conservationists. Predicting population responses to proposed management strategies could provide the most effective tools to prevent, halt and reverse ongoing declines. System dynamic modelling frameworks are considered particularly relevant to interrelate biological, ecological and environmental characteristics and to predict population trends. A system dynamics model was designed, compiling diverse information concerning a relict population of the European Shag located in western Iberia, to outline the most effective management options for its conservation. The simulations demonstrate that mortality caused by invasive animals and bycatch mortality were the main reasons for the current population decline. Without management interventions, a decrease of 8% was projected for the next decade, which could be mitigated by specific conservation actions. The results show the usefulness of dynamic modelling frameworks to understand local cause-effect relationships and species responses to ecosystem management under changing environmental conditions. We highlight that the framework proposed, after specific parameterization, could be easily adaptable to other species within similar socio-ecological systems.This study was supported by the International Internship Grant Program of the University of Cadiz (EDUCA), Spain for conducting research in internationally renowned centres and the Centre for the Research and Technology of AgroEnvironmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB) of the Universidad de Tras-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal. In addition, the following entities contributed to this work: European Investment Funds by FEDER/COMPETE/POCI Operational Competitiveness and Internationalization Programme, under Project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006958, National Funds by FCT -Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, under the project UIDB/04033/2020 and INTERACT, Integrative Research in Environment, AgroChains and Technology, Project Norte 2020 45/2015/02. R. B. received support from POPH/FSE, funds and by National Funds through FCT Foundation for Science and Technology under the Portuguese Science Foundation through Doctoral grant FCT_SFRH/BD/102428/2014

Certified Exact Transcendental Real Number Computation in Coq

Reasoning about real number expressions in a proof assistant is challenging. Several problems in theorem proving can be solved by using exact real number computation. I have implemented a library for reasoning and computing with complete metric spaces in the Coq proof assistant and used this library to build a constructive real number implementation including elementary real number functions and proofs of correctness. Using this library, I have created a tactic that automatically proves strict inequalities over closed elementary real number expressions by computation.Comment: This paper is to be part of the proceedings of the 21st International Conference on Theorem Proving in Higher Order Logics (TPHOLs 2008

El decolorant i els bronquis del perruquer

L'exposició a les sals de persulfat, molt freqüents en la indústria cosmètica, són una de les causes més freqüents de l'asma ocupacional, especialment dins del gremi de la perruqueria. Aquest estudi analitza l'evolució de 10 pacients en funció del seu grau d'exposició al agent. Els que van evitar el contacte van mostrar una millor hiperresposta bronquial, mentre que els que el van mantenir van mostrar un pitjor pronòstic de l'asma ocupacional.La exposición a las sales de persulfato, muy frecuentes en los productos decolorantes, son una de las causas más frecuentes del asma ocupacional, especialmente en el gremio de la peluquería. Este estudio analiza la evolución de 10 pacientes en función de su grado de exposición al agente. Quienes evitaron el contacto mostraron una mejor hiperrespuesta bronquial, mientras que quienes lo mantuvieron mostraron un peor pronóstico del asma ocupaciona

Effect of calcium carbonate addition to helix aspersa müller diet

In this paper is studied the effect of calcium carbonate addition to diet on growth, mortality rate and feed intake of snails Helix aspersa Müller during the juvenile stage under laboratory conditions. Two treatments have been tested; first one with 12.5 percent and second one with 22.5 percent of calcium carbonate. Five groups of 40 snails have been randomly assigned to each treatment. Results show significant (p<0.05) differences between both treatments; in the second one is obtained a higher growth and lower mortality rate; however there is no significant difference for dry matter intake.En el presente trabajo se estudia el efecto de la adición de carbonato de calcio a la dieta sobre el crecimiento, mortalidad y consumo del caracol Helix aspersa Müller durante la fase de alevinaje y en condiciones de laboratorio. Se plantean dos tratamientos; el I con 12,5 p.100 y el II con 22,5 p.100 de carbonato cálcico. A cada tratamiento se le asignan aleatoriamente cinco lotes de 40 animales. Los resultados muestran diferencias significativas (p<0,05) entre ambos tratamientos; obteniéndose con el tratamiento II mayor crecimiento y menor mortalidad; que no se aprecian diferencias significativas respecto al consumo de materia seca

Association Between Endometriosis and Preterm Birth in Women With Spontaneous Conception or Using Assisted Reproductive Technology: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Cohort Studies

El texto completo de este trabajo no está disponible en el Repositorio Académico UPC por restricciones de la casa editorial donde ha sido publicado.OBJECTIVE: To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the effect of endometriosis on preterm birth (PB) risk. METHODS: Searches were conducted in PubMed-MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, and SciELO for studies published in all languages from inception through April 2017. We included cohort studies evaluating pregnant women with and without endometriosis and conception either by spontaneous conception (SC) or with assisted reproductive technology (ART). Primary outcome was PB (<37 weeks), and secondary outcomes were intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), low birthweight, small for gestational age (SGA), and birthweight. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated as effects, and random-effects models were used for meta-analyses. Risk of bias was assessed with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, and heterogeneity of effects among studies was described with the I2 statistic. RESULTS: We identified 9 cohort studies including a total of 1 496 715 pregnancies (13 798 with endometriosis diagnosis). In women with endometriosis, the PB risk was significantly increased in both SC (OR: 1.59; 95% CI: 1.32-1.90) and ART (OR: 1.43; 95% CI: 1.14-1.79). The SGA risk was increased in women with endometriosis (OR: 1.16; 95% CI: 1.05-1.28), while the IUGR and low birthweight risks and birthweight were not affected by endometriosis. CONCLUSION: Endometriosis is associated with increased PB risk in both SC and women who obtained pregnancy using ART. Prospective studies evaluating relevant outcomes are needed to confirm these results.Revisión por pare

Sparse deconvolution using support vector machines

Sparse deconvolution is a classical subject in digital signal processing, having many practical applications. Support vector machine (SVM) algorithms show a series of characteristics, such as sparse solutions and implicit regularization, which make them attractive for solving sparse deconvolution problems. Here, a sparse deconvolution algorithm based on the SVM framework for signal processing is presented and analyzed, including comparative evaluations of its performance from the points of view of estimation and detection capabilities, and of robustness with respect to non-Gaussian additive noise.Publicad

Simulating spin systems on IANUS, an FPGA-based computer

We describe the hardwired implementation of algorithms for Monte Carlo simulations of a large class of spin models. We have implemented these algorithms as VHDL codes and we have mapped them onto a dedicated processor based on a large FPGA device. The measured performance on one such processor is comparable to O(100) carefully programmed high-end PCs: it turns out to be even better for some selected spin models. We describe here codes that we are currently executing on the IANUS massively parallel FPGA-based system.Comment: 19 pages, 8 figures; submitted to Computer Physics Communication

3D printed scaled setup for smoke transport analysis in a subterranean passenger platform

In this work, the study of smoke fire transportation inside of a subway passenger platform is presented. The study includes a set of numerical simulations to observe the behavior of the smoke inside the platform. Two smoke transport simulations using the FDS program are also included. Subsequently, the development of a 3D - 1:100 scale model is described and it was used to perform an experimental observation of the phenomenon. The model was built by using a 3D printer which allowed to include more architectural details of the real scenario. The inclusion of these details allowed to observe qualitative similarity between the results of the simulation and the experimental work. Although there are clear differences between what could happen in a real scenario and what was observed in the scale model, it was identified that the model is an important complement to the simulations. In addition to the simulations, the use of this type of 3D models allows the observation of the phenomenon by different specialists such as firefighters, policeman, medical personnel, etc., in the same place and its intention is to provide a more interactive tool to the observation group, increasing the time devoted to the development of contingency actions and reducing the costs associated with the logistics of a real simulacrum. The model allows to better identify the strengths, opportunities, weaknesses and threats of the contingency procedures developed by the safety and hygiene groups and to make their corresponding adjustments if necessary.Peer Reviewe

Characterization of edge poloidal impurity asymmetries at ASDEX Upgrade

EUROfusion Consortium 63305