462 research outputs found
Trade Union Strength
Spanish trade unions enjoy an uncomfortable mix of high coverage and very low membership base. This state of affairs has arisen primarily because of state support for the collective representation system. Union organisation in terms of the core and its branches and system. Union organisation in terms of the core and its branches and union finances are also heavily influenced by the structure of representation. The limited facts on union membership, organisation and finance are fleshed out in this paper. The impact of unions on three economic outcomes is assessed: pay/employment flexibility; pay dispersion; productivity growth. Although the data are quite limited, there is some suggestion that whereas unions are able to resist the pressure for widening pay dispersion, they are associated with somewhat poorer productivity performance. However, this research throws up as many unanswered puzzles about unions in Spain, as it does answer the previously unanswered. There is clearly a need for a representative survey of firms or workplaces to investigate both this and other aspects of Spanish industrial relations.
Climate fluctuations during the Holocene in NW Iberia: high and low latitude linkages
International audienceHigh resolution benthic foraminiferal oxygen and carbon stable isotopes (?18O, ?13C) from core EUGC-3B are used here to infer rapid climatic changes for the last 8500 yr in the Ría de Muros (NW Iberian Margin). Benthic foraminiferal ?18O and ?13C potentially register migrations in the position of the hydrographic front formed between two different intermediate water masses: Eastern North Atlantic Central Water of subpolar origin (ENACWsp), and subtropical origin (ENACWsp). The isotopic records have been compared with two well established North Atlantic marine Holocene paleoceanographic records from low (Sea Surface Temperatures anomalies off Cape Blanc, NW Africa) and high latitudes (Hematite Stained Grains percentage, subpolar North Atlantic). This comparison clearly demonstrates that there is a strong link between high- and low-latitude climatic perturbations at centennial-millennial time scales during the Holocene. Spectral analyses also points at a pole-to-equator propagation of the so-called 1500 yr cycles. Our results demonstrate that during the Holocene, the NW Iberian Margin has undergone a series of cold episodes which are likely triggered at high latitudes in the North Atlantic and are rapidly propagated towards lower latitudes. Conceivably, the propagation of these rapid climatic changes involves a shift of atmospheric and oceanic circulatory systems and so a migration of the hydrographical fronts and water masses all along the North Atlantic area
El efecto de exposición en el patrón sedimen- tario del sector submareal de tres playas en la Ría de Muros y Noia (NO de España)
En este trabajo se presenta la comparación de los sedimentos superficiales de la plataforma proximal de tres complejos playeros situados en las inmediaciones de la embocadura de la Ría de Muros y Noia. En cada uno de ellos, se han identificado las distintas poblaciones sedimentarias en función de los análisis granulométricos realizados. La aplicación de un análisis estadístico de componentes principales a las fracciones granulométricas, contenido en carbonatos y materia orgánica, ha permitido diferenciar poblaciones de muestras y la interpretación sedimentaria de las mismas. Las diferencias observadas en la distribución de las poblaciones sedimentarias de los tres complejos estudiados son una consecuencia del grado de exposición de cada complejo al oleaje dominante y de la presencia de afloramientos rocosos sumergidos que ejercen un efecto barrera.The subaquatic sediments from the inner continental shelf of three beach systems located in the surrondings of Ría de Muros y Noia mouth are compared. Different sedimentary populations have been stablished according to the granulometric distribution from each system. The grain-size distribution, carbonate and organic matter content have been compared by means of a principal component analysis. The results allow the identification of different populations as well as their sedimentary significance. The observed differences between the sedimentary populations from each system are explained as a consequence of their grade of exposure towards the dominant waves and the presence of subaquatic rocks, which introduce a barrier effect
Short communication. Effects of the plant growth stimulant SBPI on Bemisia tabaci Genn. (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae)
The sweet potato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae), is a pest affecting a number of horticultural crops in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide Bemisia tabaci can develop resistance to many insecticides, and high levels of resistance have been Abstract The environmentally friendly plant growth stimulant and pesticide SB Plant Invigorator (SBPI, Stan Brouard Group) helps the plant to produce quality fruit. Three days after tomato plants were sprayed for the first time with SBPI (2 mL L -1 solution), this product seemed to be ineffective against Bemisia tabaci adults, as the numbers of dead females were practically equal on control and treated plants. After 3 days oviposition values on control plants did not differ significantly from those on treated plants. However, 31 days after the first treatment with weekly repeated treatments, new adult whiteflies started to emerge from pupae on control plants, but no L 3 , L 4 or new adults were found on SBPI-treated plants. However, differences in the number of 1 st + 2 nd instar larvae were not statistically significant. From these findings it can be concluded that, under these conditions, SBPI is an effective alternative product for the control of B. tabaci on tomato plants, as foliar application inhibits larval development decreasing the risk of a new whitefly generation. Additional key words: development, horticultural crops, reproduction, sweet potato whitefly, tomato. Resumen Comunicación corta. Efectos del estimulante del desarrollo vegetal (SBPI) sobre Bemisia tabaci Genn. (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) El estimulante del crecimiento vegetal y plaguicida respetuoso con el medio ambiente llamado SB Plant Invigorator (SBPI, Grupo Stan Brouard) incrementa la calidad de los frutos. Tres días después de que plantas de tomate fueron pulverizadas por vez primera con SBPI (2 mL L -1 ), este producto pareció ser no efectivo frente a los adultos de Bemisia tabaci, puesto que el número de hembras muertas fue prácticamente igual en las plantas control y en las tratadas. Después de un periodo de 3 días, los valores de oviposición en las plantas control no difirieron significativamente de los obtenidos en las tratadas, aunque el valor medio de huevos puestos en las hojas tratadas con SBPI fue ligeramente mayor que el observado en las control. Sin embargo, 31 días después del primer tratamiento con tratamientos semanales, se inició la emergencia de nuevos adultos en las plantas control, mientras que no se obtuvieron L 3 , L 4 ni nuevos adultos en las plantas tratadas con SBPI. El número de L 1 + L 2 fue mayor en estas plantas, pero las diferencias respecto a las controles no fueron estadísticamente significativas. De estos resultados concluimos que, bajo las condiciones experimentales utilizadas, el producto SBPI es efectivo para controlar B. tabaci en plantas de tomate, ya que su aplicación foliar inhibe el desarrollo larvario del insecto, disminuyendo el riesgo de aparición de una nueva generación de esta plaga. Palabras clave adicionales: cultivos hortícolas, desarrollo, moscas blancas, reproducción, tomate
Dating the Anthropocene in deep-sea sediments: a gamma spectrometric approach
1 poster presented at the International meeting of Sedimentology 2017 in Toulouse, France, from October 10th to 13thUtilizando muestras de sedimentos superficiales obtenidas durante la campaña OVIDE/BOCATS 2016 y una innovadora técnica para establecer cronologías absolutas, se ha obtenido una primera estimación cuantitativa de los flujos de carbono hacia sedimentos profundos en la cuenca subpolar de Irminger. La geocronología basada en espectrometría gamma de alta resolución y bajo fondo con dos detectores simultáneos de germanio hiper-puro (HPGe) es una técnica suficientemente precisa y sensible como para datar sedimentos pelágicos profundos. El papel cuantitativo del Irminger como sumidero de carbono durante el Antropoceno se evaluó combinando una cronología basada en el radionúclido natural 210Pb junto a análisis sedimentológicos y de composición elemental. La tasa media de sedimentación para el canal central del Irminger es de 0.83±0.14 mm·yr-1. Los cálculos de flujos de carbono concluyen que durante el Antropoceno 32±14 g·Cinorg·m-2·año-1 y 4.5±3 g·Corg·m-2·año-1 sedimentan en la cuenca del Irminger, suponiendo un considerable sumidero de carbono en el área cuantificado en más de 22 Tg-C·año−1N
Chronic viral infections persistently alter marrow stroma and impair hematopoietic stem cell fitness
Chronic viral infections are associated with hematopoietic suppression, bone marrow (BM) failure, and hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) exhaustion. However, how persistent viral challenge and inflammatory responses target BM tissues and perturb hematopoietic competence remains poorly understood. Here, we combine functional analyses with advanced 3D microscopy to demonstrate that chronic infection with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus leads to (1) long-lasting decimation of the BM stromal network of mesenchymal CXCL12-abundant reticular cells, (2) proinflammatory transcriptional remodeling of remaining components of this key niche subset, and (3) durable functional defects and decreased competitive fitness in HSCs. Mechanistically, BM immunopathology is elicited by virus-specific, activated CD8 T cells, which accumulate in the BM via interferon-dependent mechanisms. Combined antibody-mediated inhibition of type I and II IFN pathways completely preempts degeneration of CARc and protects HSCs from chronic dysfunction. Hence, viral infections and ensuing immune reactions durably impact BM homeostasis by persistently decreasing the competitive fitness of HSCs and disrupting essential stromal-derived, hematopoietic-supporting cues
Chemical factors controlling the steady-state distribution of mixed carbonate-siliciclastic sediments in Bayona Bay (northwest Spain)
The relative space distributions of single mineral constituents in mixed terrigenous-carbonated sediments of the Bayona Bay have been analysed. In order to determine the existence of different mixing mechanisms, a study comparing the general sedimentary trends resulting from the average patterns and the single mineral behaviour, reflected in the single-mineral mapping, was carried out. The relative abundance of all mineral phases in surface sediment samples was first determined by quantitative X-ray powder diffraction data, using the Rietveld method. This procedure enabled us to create specific maps for both the minerals forming the terrigenous fraction and the different calcium carbonate polymorphs involved in the carbonatic component. A cross-linked behaviour between the carbonate facies and the terrigenous minerals involved in the calcium carbonate generation was found, suggesting the existence of a chemical control mechanism which, through dissolution-crystallization processes, constrains the mixed environment's long-term evolution. In the general framework of the region studied, these relations operate for the relative amount of plagioclase to calcium carbonate. The existence of dissolution and growth between both minerals, favoured by the high rate of removal, is proposed, yielding a final crossed pattern, representative of the steady-state. Furthermore, a specific analysis, restricted to the region of low rate of material removal and maximum amount of intermixed sediments, clearly shows an anisotropic distribution for every calcium carbonate polymorph (calcite and aragonite). These correlate with the biotite distribution, and can be connected to local variations in seawater Mg/Ca ratio, induced by biotite weathering.En este trabajo se analiza de forma específica la distribución espacial de cada uno de los minerales involucrados en sedimentos mixtos terrígenos-carbonatados de la bahía de Bayona y se compara con la distribución global de sedimentos, tal como resulta de análisis granulométricos, con el fin de determinar la existencia de diferentes mecanismos de mezcla entre los minerales de ambas fracciones. El contenido porcentual en peso de cada fase mineral, en muestras superficiales de sedimento, se determinó a partir de datos cuantitativos de DRX, empleando el método de Rietveld. Este procedimiento nos ha permitido realizar mapas específicos de distribución, tanto para cada mineral de la fracción terrígena como para cada uno de los diferentes polimorfos de carbonato cálcico en la componente carbonatada. Como resultado de este estudio comparativo, se ha encontrado una correlación, en la distribución espacial y granulométrica, de las facies carbonatadas y los minerales terrígenos implicados en la generación de carbonato cálcico. Un posterior análisis de este resultado sugiere la presencia de mecanismos químicos de control que regulan la interacción entre siliciclastos y carbonatos mediante procesos de disolución-cristalización mediados por el agua del mar. El estudio se ha realizado a dos escalas. En el ámbito general de la bahía de Bayona, las relaciones de distribución observadas entre plagioclasas y carbonato cálcico pueden ser explicadas, dentro del balance global del Ca³⁺ disuelto en el agua del mar, mediante la meteorización química de las plagioclasas y la consiguiente generación de carbonatos. En este caso, los patrones de distribución reflejan la aproximación a un estado estacionario mediante sucesivos eventos de mezcla asociados a la alta removilización material en el medio, tanto para la distribución porcentual en peso como para la distribución granulométrica entre ambos minerales. Finalmente, se realiza un análisis particularizado en una región con baja tasa de removilización y donde la interacción entre sedimentos de ambas fracciones es máxima. El resultado muestra claramente una distribución espacial anisótropa para cada uno de las fases de carbonato cálcico (calcita y aragonito). La abundancia relativa de cada uno de los polimorfos, así como el contenido en Mg³⁺ de la calcita, ha sido correlacionado con la distribución de la biotita y explicado a partir de las diferencias de solubilidad en función de la alta relación Mg³⁺ /Ca³⁺ en el agua de mar que resulta, localmente, de la meteorización química de dicho mineral.Instituto Español de Oceanografí
Sex Differences in Mortality After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement for Severe Aortic Stenosis
ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to examine sex differences in outcome after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with real-world data from 2 large centers in Canada.BackgroundTranscatheter aortic valve replacement is an effective alternative to surgical valve replacement in symptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis, but the impact of sex on outcomes remains unclear. The PARTNER (Placement of Aortic Transcatheter Valves) 1A trial demonstrated greater benefit of TAVR over surgery in women, but whether this was due to the poorer surgical outcome of women or better TAVR outcome, compared with men, is unknown.MethodsConsecutive patients (n = 641) undergoing TAVR in Vancouver and Quebec City, Canada, were evaluated. Differences in all-cause mortality were examined with Kaplan-Meier estimates, adjusted logistic regression, and proportional hazards models.ResultsWomen comprised 51.3% of the cohort. Balloon-expandable valves were used in 97% of cases, with transapical approach in 51.7 % women and 38.1% men. Women had more major vascular complications (12.4% vs. 5.4%, p = 0.003) and borderline significantly more major/life-threatening bleeds (21.6% vs. 15.8%, p = 0.08). At baseline, women had higher aortic gradients and worse renal function but better ejection fractions. Men had more comorbidities: prior myocardial infarction, prior revascularization, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The adjusted odds ratio for 30-day all-cause mortality favored women, 0.39 (95% confidence interval: 0.19 to 0.80; p = 0.01), and this benefit persisted for 2 years, hazard ratio 0.60 (95% confidence interval: 0.41 to 0.88; p = 0.008).ConclusionsFemale sex is associated with better short- and long-term survival after TAVR. Added to the PARTNER 1A findings, these results suggest TAVR might be the preferred treatment option for elderly women with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis
Tasas de erosión, transporte y sedimentación en un medio estuárico: el Río Miñor (Ría de Vigo, Pontevedra)
The Miñor river is one o f the 35 minor currents entering the Ría de Vigo (Pontevedra) at Baiona Bay,; close to the SE margin o f the Ría. The present study was carried out over two periods: from May 97 to July 98 and from May 00 to May 01. In this paper we carry out a hydraulic and sedimentologic approach o f the Miñor river, making an estimation of the total fresh-water discharge and sediment input transported as suspended and dissolved loads. The final aim of this study is to calculate erosion rates at the catchment, sediment yield, transport and the nature of the sediments accumulated at the estuarine area. In view of the average discharge for both periods o f time (2.7 m3/s y 6.7 m3/s) and the catchment area (75.6 m2) is possible to estimate suspended and dissolved sediment yields. Mean values for suspended sediments are 25.76 t/km2a for 97/98 and 139.74 t/ km2a for 00/01 and those for dissolved loads of 109 t/km2a y 204 t/km2a, respectively. Finally, considering an average rock density of 2 .7 g/cm3 we can estimate mechanical denudation rates of 9.54 m3/km2a during 97/98 and 51.76 m3/km2a during 00/01. Chemical denudation rates are 40.46 m3/km2a for the first period and 75.56 m3/km2a for the second. Data obtained during 00/01 interval can be considered as maximum values, bearing in mind the very unusually high rainfall conditions
Transapical Mitral Valve Replacement: 1-Year Results of the Real-World Tendyne European Experience Registry.
BACKGROUND
Early studies of the Tendyne transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) showed promising results in a small selective cohort.
OBJECTIVES
The authors present 1-year data from the currently largest commercial, real-world cohort originating from the investigator-initiated TENDER (Tendyne European Experience) registry.
METHODS
All patients from the TENDER registry eligible for 1-year follow-up were included. The primary safety endpoint was 1-year cardiovascular mortality. Primary performance endpoint was reduction of mitral regurgitation (MR) up to 1 year.
RESULTS
Among 195 eligible patients undergoing TMVR (median age 77 years [Q1-Q3: 71-81 years], 60% men, median Society of Thoracic Surgeons Predicted Risk of Mortality 5.6% [Q1-Q3: 3.6%-8.9%], 81% in NYHA functional class III or IV, 94% with MR 3+/4+), 31% had "real-world" indications for TMVR (severe mitral annular calcification, prior mitral valve treatment, or others) outside of the instructions for use. The technical success rate was 95%. The cardiovascular mortality rate was 7% at 30 day and 17% at 1 year (all-cause mortality rates were 9% and 29%, respectively). Reintervention or surgery following discharge was 4%, while rates of heart failure hospitalization reduced from 68% in the preceding year to 25% during 1-year follow-up. Durable MR reduction to ≤1+ was achieved in 98% of patients, and at 1 year, 83% were in NYHA functional class I or II. There was no difference in survival and major adverse events between on-label use and "real-world" indications up to 1 year.
CONCLUSIONS
This large, real-world, observational registry reports high technical success, durable and complete MR elimination, significant clinical benefits, and a 1-year cardiovascular mortality rate of 17% after Tendyne TMVR. Outcomes were comparable between on-label use and "real-world" indications, offering a safe and efficacious treatment option for patients without alternative treatments. (Tendyne European Experience Registry [TENDER]; NCT04898335)
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