Spatial congruence between multiple stressors in the Mediterranean Sea may reduce its resilience to climate impacts

Climate impacts on marine ecosystems may be exacerbated by other, more local stressors interacting synergistically, such as pollution and overexploitation of marine resources. The reduction of these human stressors has been proposed as an achievable way of retaining ecosystems within a "safe operating space" (SOS), where they remain resilient to ongoing climate change. However, the operability of an SOS requires a thorough understanding of the spatial distribution of these climate and human impacts. Using the Mediterranean Sea as a case study, we illustrate the spatial congruence between climate and human stressors impacting this iconic "miniature ocean" synergistically. We use long-term, spatially-explicit information on the distribution of multiple stressors to identify those highly impacted marine areas where human stressors should be prioritized for management if the resilience to climate impacts is to be maintained. Based on our spatial analysis, we exemplify how the management of an essential supporting service (seafood provision) and the conservation of a highly impacted Mediterranean sub-region (the Adriatic Sea) may benefit from the SOS framework

La investigación en materia de cooperativas de crédito y de grupos cooperativos

This work proposes to provide an overview of the research carried out over the last twenty years by a number of authors who have focused their research on credit unions and their cooperative groups. The intention is not to provide an exhaustive list of all the works that have been published, but rather to give a general overview of the work that has been done in this broad field of research and its various ramifications. It shows the timeframe of these studies and the gradual consolidation of more specific subjects, which have provided us with a great deal more knowledge about a sector of cooperativism that had been studied very little twenty years ago.Cooperativas de crédito, secciones de crédito, banca cooperativa, cajas rurales, grupos cooperativos.

Hard carbons from waste hemp via hydrothermal carbonization with mil chemical activation for sodium–ion batteries

Owing to its wide availability and low cost, sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) appear as a very promising option for post-lithium energy storage systems. However, commercial graphite anodes used in lithium-ion batteries are not suitable for SIBs, due to a difficult insertion of sodium ions into the graphitic layers. Possible anode candidates focus on hard carbons (HCs). Here, HCs were synthesized from waste hemp hurd (WHH) via hydrothermal pretreatment (with either heteroatom doping or K2CO3 activation) and subsequent carbonization under Ar at 800 or 1000 °C. Regarding mild chemically activated HCs, the best material (exhibiting a 76% ICE and impressive reversible charge capacities of 354 and 77 mA h g–1 at 0.1 and 2 A g–1, respectively) was the carbon produced via hydrothermal preatretment in HCl aqueous solution and subsequently heated up to 1000 °C. However, poor cycling stability was observed for the last material, suggesting that some irreversible sodiation processes can take place

Assessing the feeding ecology of three sympatric squids Illex argentinus, Doryteuthis gahi and Onykia ingens off the Patagonian by combining stomach content and stable isotopic analysis

The Ommastrephidae Illex argentinus, the Loliginidae Doryteuthis gahi and the Onychoteuthidae Onikya ingens are squid species coexisting in the south part of the Patagonian Shelf, interacting for similar feeding resources. In the present study, we analyzed the feeding ecology, trophic position and trophic relationships of these three species by combining stomach content and stable isotopic approximations. In particular, stomach content and isotopic analysis were carried out on 20 D. gahi, 20 I. argentinus and 21 O. ingens collected from May 6th and 8th 2013 at depths between 147 and 220 m. The results indicated that the feeding habits of small and larger squids were different in the three species. The two main prey species for small D. gahi individuals were the euphausid Euphausia sp. and the amphipod Eutemisto gaudichaudi, and the main prey for larger D. gahi individuals were a fish and the Munididae Munida subrugosa. The main prey group of small I. argentinus individuals was the amphipod E. gaudichaudi and the myctophid fish, and the main prey for larger size I. argentinus individuals were the paralepididae Arctozenus risso and the Notothenidae Patagonotothen ramsayi, secondly by the squid group. Small O. ingens individuals fed on Micromesistius australis and Notophysis marginata while larger O. ingens individuals fed on Lampanyctus australis and Notoscopelus sp. D. gahi showed higher δ15N values than the other two species and small and larger D. gahi individuals showed similar isotopic values. The δ15N values of I. argentinus and O. ingens were higher for larger individuals. Finally, D. gahi differed in its δ13C values from I. argentinus and O. ingens and the less depleted δ13C values were found in the larger in D. gahi individuals. The results indicate that the three squid species preyed on organisms with similar trophic position, but due to their voracity and their active predation on similar trophic resources, small size individuals segregate their trophic niche from the larger ones. It is important to note that the δ13C values revealed that larger D. gahi individuals had a different distribution in the water column, which probably is a response of the reproductive activity of mature squid near to the surface water.Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Méxic

Genetic differences in the frequency of the hinge variants of porcine IgA is breed dependent

The distribution of the IgAa and IgAb alleles of porcine IgA in over 160 randomly-selected animals revealed an abundance of heterozygotes but only two b/b homozygotes. Since the IgAb allotype is a splice site mutant lacking two-thirds of the hinge, this study tests the hypothesis that pigs with this genotype may be at a selective disadvantage while heterozygous individuals may be at some advantage. This hypothesis was tested by collecting data on 374 animals of known breed and often parentage. We show here that when breed was not considered, young animals of known parentage had genotypic frequencies identical to that expected for Mendelian alleles but that a/b heterozygotes were overrepresented in adults. However, when analyzed with regard to breed, a very strong association between breed and the frequency of the IgAa and IgAb alleles was discovered. Meishan and NIH minipigs were homozygous for IgA while heterozygotes predominated in Berkshire, Chester White, Durocs, Hampshire and Landrace. Animals homozygous for IgAb were best represented in the White Cross line. We show here that this very strong breed dependency of IgA allotypy in swine can produce a sample bias that can explain why only two b/b homozygotes (1.3%) were found in the 160 randomly-selected samples since the original samples came from primarily Landrace and Yorkshire animals. The expected frequency of b/b homozygotes in these breeds would be \u3c3%. Thus, the data presented here reject the hypothesis that swine homozygous for a trait that results in loss of two-thirds of the IgA hinge, are selected against and that heterozygotes are positively selected. Rather, the study shows that IgAa and IgAb appear to be simple, breed-dependent allotypic markers

Desarrollo de materiales carbonosos a partir de biomasa agrícola residual para su aplicación en baterías de iones de sodio

La presente comunicación aborda el desarrollo y puesta en marcha de un sistema experimental para la fabricación y caracterización de ánodos carbonosos. Dicho sistema permite evaluar la capacidad y propiedades electroquímicas de los carbones derivados de biomasa residual para su uso como electrodo en baterías de iones de sodio. &nbsp

Desarrollo de materiales carbonosos a partir de biomasa agrícola residual para su aplicación en baterías de iones de sodio

La presente comunicación aborda el desarrollo y puesta en marcha de un sistema experimental para la fabricación y caracterización de ánodos carbonosos. Dicho sistema permite evaluar la capacidad y propiedades electroquímicas de los carbones derivados de biomasa residual para su uso como electrodo en baterías de iones de sodio. &nbsp

Dietary modulation of arachidonic acid metabolism in senegalese sole (Solea Sengalensis) broodstock reared in captivity

Previous studies have shown higher levels of arachidonic acid (20:4n-6, ARA) in testis, liver, and muscle of wild Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) compared to fish reared in captivity (first generation, G1). The present study was conducted to establish the optimal level of dietary ARA for G1 Senegalese sole broodstock, using as a reference the fatty acid profile of wild broodstock (gonads, liver and muscle). A total of 120 Senegalese sole broodstock were randomly distributed into 12 tanks (1:1 male and female) and fed in duplicate with six experimental diets containing increasing amounts of ARA (0.7%, 1.6%, 2.3%, 3.2%, 5.0%, and 6.0 % of total fatty acids) for 9months. The relative ARA levels in liver, muscle and male and female gonads at the end of the feeding period increased in a dose dependent manner. Dietary ARA was mainly incorporated and stored in testis or ovary, followed by liver and muscle. Fish fed 2.3% and 3.2% ARA showed no differences in the ARA content of testis, ovary and liver when compared to wild fish. In male fish, a significant increase in the levels of 22:4n-6 and 22:5n-6 fatty acids was also observed, which was consistent with the up-regulation of fatty acyl elongase (elovl5) and desaturase (d4fad) transcript levels in the liver of fish fed 0.7%, 2.3% and 6% ARA. These results suggest that dietary inclusion of 3.2% ARA during periods shorter than 9months, or of 2.3% ARA for prolonged periods, can maintain optimal levels of tissue ARA in captive Senegalese sole broodstock. In addition, the data indicate that male Senegalese sole is able to elongate and desaturate ARA to 22:4n-6 and 22:5n-6, suggesting that these fatty acids may be important for male reproduction

Evaluation of circulating type I procollagen propeptides in patients with Paget's disease of bone

We evaluated circulating aminoterminal and carboxyterminal propeptides of type I procollagen and total alkaline phosphatase levels in eighty consecutive patients affected by Paget's disease of bone. We compared the biochemical data with the extent of bone disease calculated on the basis of the bone scintigraphic indices. Serum aminoterminal propeptide of type I procollagen levels were high in 77% of patients, serum carboxyterminal propeptide of type I procollagen levels in 22% and serum total alkaline phosphatase levels in 76%. We found significant correlations between the three markers studied. The three biochemical markers correlated significantly with the bone scintigraphic activity indices, but the highest correlation coefficient was between the aminoterminal propeptide and total alkaline phosphatase. We conclude that there is a discrepancy between serum levels of the propeptides studied in relation to Paget's disease of bone. The sensitivity of the carboxyterminal propeptide of type I procollagen in this disease is low. In contrast the aminoterminal propeptide may be as sensitive a marker for the evaluation of this disorder as total alkaline phosphatase, and in addition may be more specific

A Cloud robotics architecture to foster individual child partnership in medical facilities

Robots and automation systems have become a valuable partner in several facets of human life: from learning and teaching, to daily working, including health monitoring and assistance. So far, these appealing robot-based applications are restricted to conduct repetitive, yet useful, tasks due to the reduced individual robots’ capabilities in terms of processing and computation. This concern prevents current robots from facing more complex applications related to understanding hu- man beings and perceiving their subtle feelings. Such hardware limitations have been already found in the computer science field. In this domain, they are currently being addressed using a new resource exploitation model coined as cloud computing, which is targeted at enabling massive storage and computation using smartly connected and inexpensive commodity hardware. The purpose of this paper is to propose a cloud-based robotics architecture to effectively develop complex tasks related to hospitalized children assistance. More specifically, this paper presents a multi-agent learning system that combines machine learning and cloud computing using low-cost robots to (1) collect and perceive children status, (2) build a human-readable set of rules related to the child-robot relationship, and (3) improve the children experience during their stay in the hos- pital. Conducted preliminary experiments proof the feasibility of this proposal and encourage practitioners to work towards this direction.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version