Determinación del flujo de calor a partir de sondeos petroleros en la Cuenca Catalano-Balear

A method using information from oil wells has been applied to calculate heat flow at seven oil wells in the Valencia trough, a Neogene extensional basin located in the western Mediterranean. Most of these weils penetrate the Cenozoic sedimentary cover and the underlying Mesozoic sequences and the Paleozoic basement. The basic data set consists of well logs, rock samples including cuttings and cores, and bottom hole (BHT) and dril1 stem test (DST) temperature data. Thermal conductivity of the rock matrix is determined from the conductivities and volumetric fractions of its mineral components by using a geometrical mean model. The in-situ thermal conductivity profile is then obtained as a function of porosity, and it is corrected for in-situ temperature conditions. The sonic log has been used to estimate the porosity profile, which has been corrected depending on the clay content of the formation. Finally, vertical heat flow variation is calculated at every well by combining bulk thermal conductivity profile and geothermal gradients.The bulk thermal conductivity has been shown to be very sensitive to lithologic and porosity changes, with values that vary from 1.5 W m-K-' for shales with over 40 percent porosity, to about 4.3 W m-' K-' for dolomites and consolidated quartz-rich sandstones that constitute the basement. The maximum thermal conductivity values are attained for the basement materials and are due to the low porosity (caused by compaction and burial) and to the high matrix conductivities of Mesozoic carbonates and sandstones. The mean bulk thermal conductivity of the sediments is found to be about 2 W m-' K-l. Therefore, a thermal blanketing effect is likely to occur due to the conductivity contrast between the sedimentary cover and the underlying basement. This effect, which has been neglected in previous models of the thermal evolution of the Valencia trough, probably has acted to slow down post-extensional lithospheric cooling and to reduce tectonic subsidence.A regional thermal gradient of 3612 "C km-' is obtained from the available temperature data. This value is siightly lower than that estimated from a set of wells in the southwestern part of the basin. The calculated heat flow values are highly scattered, the maximum value being located in the southwestern part of the basin. As a consequence, the resulting heat flow agrees with the increase towards the SW previously observed in the Valencia trough. The mean heat flow value in the study area is determined to be 85-90 mW m-2. Although thermal conductivity could be overestimated, this value is too high to be just a consequence of the rifting process in the Valencia trough, since most of the wells considered are located in the northernmost part of the basin. The thermal effect of groundwater circulation is proposed to be in part responsible for the positive and negative thermal gradient anomalies.Fracturing and karstification, which has been widely recognized in the Mesozoic carbonates in the basement, together with the temperature data and porosity results, support this hypothesis

Tensor-based morphometry and stereology reveal brain pathology in the complexin1 knockout mouse.

Complexins (Cplxs) are small, soluble, regulatory proteins that bind reversibly to the SNARE complex and modulate synaptic vesicle release. Cplx1 knockout mice (Cplx1(-/-)) have the earliest known onset of ataxia seen in a mouse model, although hitherto no histopathology has been described in these mice. Nevertheless, the profound neurological phenotype displayed by Cplx1(-/-) mutants suggests that significant functional abnormalities must be present in these animals. In this study, MRI was used to automatically detect regions where structural differences were not obvious when using a traditional histological approach. Tensor-based morphometry of Cplx1(-/-) mouse brains showed selective volume loss from the thalamus and cerebellum. Stereological analysis of Cplx1(-/-) and Cplx1(+/+) mice brain slices confirmed the volume loss in the thalamus as well as loss in some lobules of the cerebellum. Finally, stereology was used to show that there was loss of cerebellar granule cells in Cplx1(-/-) mice when compared to Cplx1(+/+) animals. Our study is the first to describe pathological changes in Cplx1(-/-) mouse brain. We suggest that the ataxia in Cplx1(-/-) mice is likely to be due to pathological changes in both cerebellum and thalamus. Reduced levels of Cplx proteins have been reported in brains of patients with neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, understanding the effects of Cplx depletion in brains from Cplx1(-/-) mice may also shed light on the mechanisms underlying pathophysiology in disorders in which loss of Cplx1 occurs

Staying Connected: Keeping Justice-Involved Youth “Close to Home” in New York City

When justice-involved youth are supervised by local agencies and placed with locally operated programs rather than being sent away to state facilities, they are better able to maintain community ties. They stay connected with their families, and they are more likely to remain in local schools. Policy reforms that localize the justice system are often called “realignment.” New York’s “Close to Home” (or C2H) initiative is a prominent example of youth justice realignment. Launched in 2012, it is the latest chapter in a decade-long commitment by New York State and New York City to improve the justice system for young offenders by investing in programs and interventions that allow youth to stay close to their homes and families

Neotectónica e períodos de recorrência de grandes sismos e tsunamis na margem SW Ibérica e Golfo de Cádis

Neste trabalho usámos o método numérico das placas finas (Bird, 1999) para modelar a Neotectónica no Golfo de Cadiz e estimar os períodos de recorrência de grandes sismos e tsunamis. Foram testadas várias configurações de falhas e condições fronteira, e os resultados comparados com as observações de GPS, tensão e deformação sísmica. O melhor ajuste às observações é obtido com um modelo que apresenta uma taxa de movimentação de 1 mm/a nos cavalgamentos com orientação E-O e NE-SO, o que corresponde a períodos de recorrência de 1150, 3620 e 9900 anos para sismos de magnitude Mw de 7, 8 e 8.75

Aging-associated symptoms in the physician-patient dialogue in a group of long-term diagnosed HIV-infected individuals

Background: The significant decrease in mortality has resulted in a large number of individuals aged over 50 living with HIV infection. Additionally, the coexistence of certain pathologies suggests premature aging. In this scenario, the presence of aging-associated symptoms in the physician-patient dialogue is yet to be explored. Methods: Cross-sectional observational study to evaluate the presence of aging-associated symptoms in the physician-patient dialogue and to explore the possible differences between genders in a sample of 100 HIV-1 infected subjects diagnosed at least 15 years ago. The survey assessed questions/comments made by the patient, questions/comments made by the physician and patients’ interest in obtaining more information than was provided. Number of patients and percentages were given and compared using the w2 or Fisher exact test (as appropriate). Results: Participants were 60 men and 40 women, diagnosed with HIV infection a median (IQ) of 18 (15.7–21) years ago, who had a nadir CD4 and CD4 cell count at the study entry of 172 (95–272) and 543 (403–677), respectively. Eighty percent of the subjects had VL <25 copies and 42% were HCV/HIV co-infected (31 subjects with low fibrosis stage). The infection route had been mainly intravenous drug use (37%) and MSM (32%). Men and women had similar demographic and clinical characteristics. Sixty-two percent of the participants acknowledged asking their physicians about aging-associated symptoms (58% men vs 66% women; p=0.50), 48% reported that their physicians had provided information without having been asked (48% men vs 55% women; p=0.51) and 75% confirmed that they would like to have more information about aging-associated symptoms (22% men vs 80% women; p<0.001). Conclusions: Around half of the men and women interviewed had discussed aging-associated symptoms with their physician. However, this seemed insufficient for four-fifths of the women, who would have liked to have obtained more information about aging

Dissecting the conserved NPxxY motif of the M₃ muscarinic acetylcholine receptor: critical role of Asp-7.49 for receptor signaling and multiprotein complex formation

Acetylcholine challenge produces M-3 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor activation and accessory/scaffold proteins recruitment into a signalsome complex. The dynamics of such a complex is not well understood but a conserved NPxxY motif located within transmembrane 7 and juxtamembrane helix 8 of the receptor was found to modulate G protein activation. Here by means of receptor mutagenesis we unravel the role of the conserved M-3 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor NPxxY motif on ligand binding, signaling and multiprotein complex formation. Interestingly, while a N7.49D receptor mutant showed normal ligand binding properties a N7.49A mutant had reduced antagonist binding and increased affinity for carbachol. Also, besides this last mutant was able to physically couple to G alpha(q/11) after carbachol challenge it was neither capable to activate phospholipase C nor phospholipase D. On the other hand, we demonstrated that the Asn-7.49 is important for the interaction between M3R and ARF1 and also for the formation of the ARF/Rho/beta gamma signaling complex, a complex that might determine the rapid activation and desensitization of PLD. Overall, these results indicate that the NPxxY motif of the M-3 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor acts as key conformational switch for receptor signaling and multiprotein complex formation

Clinical and Emotional Factors Related to Erectile Dysfunction in HIV-Infected Men

Altres ajuts: The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This research was supported by a grant from Lluita contra la Sida Foundation.The prevalence and associated factors of erectile dysfunction (ED) in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-infected men remain controversial. The authors evaluated ED, clinical, and emotional variables in a group of 501 HIV-infected men in a cross-sectional 4-month observational study. ED was assessed using the International Index of Erectile Function-5 and emotional status using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) questionnaire. Median age (interquartile range) was 42 (35, 48) years. Time since HIV diagnosis was 6.3 (2.6, 17.1) years, 92% were taking antiretroviral treatment and 81.8% had an HIV-RNA viral load <50 copies. The prevalence of ED was 58.5%. ED was mild in 30.1%, mild to moderate in 19.5%, moderate in 6.1%, and severe in 2.5%. ED medications were used by 19% of men. In the univariate analysis, the variables associated with all degrees of ED were older age, longer time since HIV diagnosis, higher scores in HAD, not taking efavirenz, taking etravirine, taking ritonavir, HIV/Hepatitis C Virus coinfection, and taking a protease inhibitor-containing regimen. For mild to moderate, moderate, and severe ED, the same variables were significant, as were lower nadir CD4 cell count, lower social support, taking atazanavir, concomitant conditions, and concomitant treatments. The variables that remained significant in the multivariate analyses, considering all degrees of ED or excluding mild ED were the following: older age and higher scores in HAD total. In summary, ED affected more than half of this cohort of well controlled HIV-infected men. Age and emotional status seemed to play a fundamental role in its presence

Estudio de los factores asociados a la pérdida de densidad mineral ósea en pacientes infectados con VIH

Postprint (published version

Ebola Virus Antibodies in Fruit Bats, Ghana, West Africa

10.3201/eid1807.111654Emerging Infectious Diseases1871207-120