El impacto ambiental del desarrollo del turismo en las islas del archipiélago Jardines del Rey, Cuba

The quick process of tourist development undertaken in the  Archipiélago Jardines del Rey, in the Republic of Cuba, represents a potential factor of environmental interference  for the smalls islands that integrate this insular system; these geosystemes are characterized by their notables natural values, high degree of natural conservation, important geoecologys functions and particular natural fragility what makes them spcecially vulnerable before the human impacts. Presenly work, the islands of this archipielago are characterized and is carried out the analysis of the impact waited by the tourist development in the same ones, like a contribution to the clarification of the problem environmental perspective and to alert about the necessity of working in the prevention and evaluation of these aspects, it stops by means of the environmental planning to guarantee the protection of the islands.El acelerado proceso de desarrollo turístico empremdido en el archipiélago Jardines del Rey, en la RepUblica de Cuba, representa un potencial factor de perturbación ambiental para las pequeñas islas que integran este sistema insular. Estos geosistemas se caracterizan por sus notables valores naturales, alto grado de conservación natural, importantes funciones geoecológicas y particular fragilidad natural; lo que los hace especialmente vulnerables ante los impactos humanos. En el presente trabajo, se caracterizan las islas de este archipiélago y se realiza el análisis del impacto esperado por el desarrollo turístico en las mismas, como una contribución al esclarecimiento de la problemática ambiental futura y para alertar sobre la necesidad de trabajar en la prevención y evaluación de estos problemas, por medio de la planificación ambiental para garantizar así la protección de las islas

Fundamentos teórico-metodológicos para la planificación ambiental del turismo en paisajes sensibles

Proposals of elements to achieve the environmental planning of the tourist activity in sensitive landscape. To do this the task of the inventory, analysis, evaluation, diagnosis, presage and design of the landscapes of the area were carried out to obtain the fundamental characters of their structure and operation; the evaluation of the potentials, the diagnosis of the state, the degradation and the environmental problems and the prediction of the behaviour of the different possible scenarios were also taken into account. Based on all these aspects the basic elements of the design of the landscape with a view of the environmental planning were proposed.Propuestas de plaiiificación ambiental de la actividad turística en paisajes sensibles. Para ello se propone realizar tareas de inventario, análisis, evaluación, diagnóstico, pronóstico y diseño de los paisajes del área; y de esta forma obtener las características de los problemas ambientales y el pronóstico del comportamiento de los distintos escenarios posibles, y basado en todo ésto proponer los elementos básicos del diseño del paisaje con vistas a la plainificación ambiental

Analyzing solid waste landfills using satellite imagery and designing new landfill reception areas

Solid waste disposal is important for environmental management for good quality of life in urban cities. Among them is the final disposal of waste in landfills. Landfills can receive tons of waste, but they must be far away from natural resources and urban areas. The research aimed to analyze the physical and biological conditions and design a geolocation map of new sanitary landfills in three urban cities in Peru (Chilca, El Tambo and Huancayo). Landsat 8 OLI/TIRS satellite imagery was used to analyze the physical (LST and Methane) and biological (NDVI and SAVI) conditions of the landfills. The geolocation of the landfills was analyzed through the relationship, intersection and discrimination between their surface criteria (soil type, current use, geology and physiography) and climatic factors (temperature, humidity and precipitation). The physical and biological conditions of the landfills were: CH4: Chilca 8.33g > Huancayo 4.76g > El-Tambo 3.17g; SAVI: Chilca 0.61 > El Tambo 0.54 > Huancayo 0.51; LST: Huancayo 26.15°C > Chilca 24.03°C > El Tambo 22.75°C; NDVI: Chilca 0.85 > Huancayo 0.81 > El Tambo 0.8. In the three cities, "natural grasslands" were considered suitable land for the new solid waste landfill site. The multiple relationship, intersection, and discrimination of surface criteria and climatic factors were categorized into five types of sustainable geolocation (very appropriate > appropriate > moderately adequate > less appropriate > inappropriate) for new solid waste landfills. It was very important to discount the influence areas (rivers and lagoons) to avoid damaging the natural resources.      

Evaluación de parámetros seminales no convencionales en individuos cuyas parejas presentan muerte embrionaria temprana recurrente: en busca de un valor de referencia

Introduction. Previous studies related alterations in non-conventional seminal parameters with recurrent early embryonic death for one couple. A reference standard of clinical assessment is required for the management of these kinds of patients.Objective. Normal semen parameters were established based on functional tests including lipid peroxidation of sperm membranes, antioxidant capacity of seminal plasma and integrity of sperm chromatin to compare with men whose partners have recurrent early embryonic death. These parameters set reference values to identify subfertile individuals whose condition can be attributed to altered semen parameters.Materials and methods. The conventional and non-conventional semen parameters of 47 samples of semen were evaluated. Thirty-six samples were from subfertile individuals whose partners had a history of early recurrent embryo death, and 11 samples were from individuals with recent evidence of normal fertility.Results. By discriminant analysis, the two groups were classified as follows: a value below 0.50 for 86.1% of individuals in the group of recurrent early embryonic death, and a value above 0.50 to classify 81.8% of individuals in the group of recent fertility.Conclusions. This reference value of 0.5 based on the results of sperm tests can identify infertile male patients whose partners have a history of early embryonic death. This will aid the physician to suggest treatments more focused on the possible cause of subfertility.Introducción. En estudios previos se relacionaron las alteraciones en los parámetros espermáticos no convencionales con la presencia de muerte embrionaria temprana recurrente de la pareja; debido a esto, se planteó la necesidad de establecer un valor de referencia de utilidad clínica para el manejo de estos pacientes.Objetivo. Evaluar los parámetros seminales convencionales y las pruebas funcionales de lipoperoxidación de las membranas espermáticas, capacidad antioxidante del plasma seminal e integridad de la cromatina espermática, en individuos cuyas parejas presentan muerte embrionaria temprana recurrente, con el fin de obtener un valor de referencia y poder identificar aquellos individuos en quienes la disminución de la fertilidad se pueda demostrar con estas pruebas.Materiales y métodos. Se evaluaron los parámetros espermáticos convencionales y no convencionales de 47 muestras de semen, de las cuales, 36 pertenecían al grupo de individuos con disminución de la fertilidad por historia de muerte embrionaria temprana recurrente en sus parejas, y 11 muestras de individuos sanos con fertilidad reciente.Resultados. Mediante el análisis discriminante se obtuvo una función que permitió clasificar los dos grupos analizados así: un valor menor de 0,50 para el 86,1 % de los individuos del grupo de muerte embrionaria temprana recurrente y un valor mayor de 0,50 para clasificar el 81,8 % de los individuos del grupo de fertilidad reciente.Conclusiones. Este valor de referencia de 0,5, basado en los resultados de los análisis espermáticos y utilizando el análisis discriminante, permitiría categorizar a los pacientes que consulten por historia de muerte embrionaria temprana en sus parejas y le ayudaría al médico a sugerir un tratamiento más enfocado en la posible causa de la disminución de la fertilidad

Notes on Ipomoea L. (Convolvulaceae) in Cuba and neighbouring islands with a checklist of species found in Cuba

An updated checklist of species of Ipomoea L. found in Cuba is presented with analysis of the different elements represented. I. alterniflora Griseb. is defined broadly to include I. obtusata Griseb. and I. excisa Urb. and its differences from the little-known I. cubensis (House) Urb. are discussed. I. calophylla C. Wright ex Griseb. is reinstated as the correct name for the species generally known as I. lacteola House. I. praecox C. Wright is recognised as a distinct species from I. argentifolia A. Rich. and images are provided to help distinguish the two species. I. flavopurpurea Urb. and I. dajabonensis Alain are shown to be conspecific with I. longeramosa Choisy, whose disjunct distribution is mapped and discussed. The little-known I. montecristina Hadač is described and illustrated and the cited collections show it to be locally common in the Guantánamo region. I. microdonta J. R. I. Wood and Scotland is described as new from Camagüey in central Cuba. Eight species endemic to Cuba collected by Ekman and described by Urban in 1924 – 25 are evaluated but only two, I. balioclada Urb. and I. erosa Urb., are deemed to warrant recognition as distinct endemic species. The origin and typification of I. horsfalliae Hook. are discussed and an epitype designated. Cultivated plants named I. horsfalliae occur in many tropical countries including Cuba but their extreme variation suggests hybrid origin. Four species from Jamaica, I. rubella House, I. lineolata Urb., I. carmesina Proctor and the Jamaican plant called I. horsfalliae are treated as synonyms of a variable I. lineolata, which is endemic to the island. I. saxicola Proctor is treated as var. saxicola J. R. I. Wood and Scotland of I. ternata Jacq. I. cyanantha Griseb. is treated as a synonym of I. lindenii M. Martens and Galeotti. Lectotypes are designated for I. cyanantha, I. lindenii, I. praecox, I. punctata C. Wright, I. geranioides Meisn. and I. grisebachii Urb

Optimizing CIGB-300 intralesional delivery in locally advanced cervical cancer

Background:We conducted a phase 1 trial in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer by injecting 0.5 ml of the CK2-antagonist CIGB-300 in two different sites on tumours to assess tumour uptake, safety, pharmacodynamic activity and identify the recommended dose.Methods:Fourteen patients were treated with intralesional injections containing 35 or 70 mg of CIGB-300 in three alternate cycles of three consecutive days each before standard chemoradiotherapy. Tumour uptake was determined using 99 Tc-radiolabelled peptide. In situ B23/nucleophosmin was determined by immunohistochemistry.Results:Maximum tumour uptake for CIGB-300 70-mg dose was significantly higher than the one observed for 35 mg: 16.1±8.9 vs 31.3±12.9 mg (P=0.01). Both, AUC 24h and biological half-life were also significantly higher using 70 mg of CIGB-300 (P<0.001). Unincorporated CIGB-300 diffused rapidly to blood and was mainly distributed towards kidneys, and marginally in liver, lungs, heart and spleen. There was no DLT and moderate allergic-like reactions were the most common systemic side effect with strong correlation between unincorporated CIGB-300 and histamine levels in blood. CIGB-300, 70 mg, downregulated B23/nucleophosmin (P=0.03) in tumour specimens.Conclusion:Intralesional injections of 70 mg CIGB-300 in two sites (0.5 ml per injection) and this treatment plan are recommended to be evaluated in phase 2 studies.Fil: Sarduy, M. R.. Medical-surgical Research Center; CubaFil: García, I.. Centro de Ingeniería Genética y Biotecnología; CubaFil: Coca, M. A.. Clinical Investigation Center; CubaFil: Perera, A.. Clinical Investigation Center; CubaFil: Torres, L. A.. Clinical Investigation Center; CubaFil: Valenzuela, C. M.. Centro de Ingeniería Genética y Biotecnología; CubaFil: Baladrón, I.. Centro de Ingeniería Genética y Biotecnología; CubaFil: Solares, M.. Hospital Materno Ramón González Coro; CubaFil: Reyes, V.. Center For Genetic Engineering And Biotechnology Havana; CubaFil: Hernández, I.. Isotope Center; CubaFil: Perera, Y.. Centro de Ingeniería Genética y Biotecnología; CubaFil: Martínez, Y. M.. Medical-surgical Research Center; CubaFil: Molina, L.. Medical-surgical Research Center; CubaFil: González, Y. M.. Medical-surgical Research Center; CubaFil: Ancízar, J. A.. Centro de Ingeniería Genética y Biotecnología; CubaFil: Prats, A.. Clinical Investigation Center; CubaFil: González, L.. Centro de Ingeniería Genética y Biotecnología; CubaFil: Casacó, C. A.. Clinical Investigation Center; CubaFil: Acevedo, B. E.. Centro de Ingeniería Genética y Biotecnología; CubaFil: López Saura, P. A.. Centro de Ingeniería Genética y Biotecnología; CubaFil: Alonso, Daniel Fernando. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes; ArgentinaFil: Gómez, R.. Elea Laboratories; ArgentinaFil: Perea Rodríguez, S. E.. Center For Genetic Engineering And Biotechnology Havana; Cuba. Centro de Ingeniería Genética y Biotecnología; Cub

Simulación Numérica del Efecto de un Mecanismo de Estratificación de Aire en un Quemador de Alta Velocidad

In this work, staged air combustion in a high speed burner was analyzed by mean of numerical simulation in order to determine its effects on temperature distribution and pollutant chemical species formation such as CO and NOx. The simulations were achieved using the commercial software ANSYS FLUENT as a design tool to predict the behavior of the thermal system and to establish operation conditions with or without staged air. Eddy Dissipation model was used for combustion simulation, while k - ε Realizable and Discrete Ordinates models were utilized for turbulence and radiation simulation, respectively. Results show that staged air mechanism allows better flame stabilization, combustion reactions initiation and fuel-air mixing. The CO formation was different in reaction zone and NOx emissions were not significantly influenced by the staged air.En este trabajo se analizó por medio de simulación numérica el efecto de la estratificación de aire en un quemador de alta velocidad con el fin de determinar su efecto sobre la distribución de temperatura, la estabilidad de llama y la formación de especies químicas contaminantes como CO y NOx. Las simulaciones se realizaron utilizando el software comercial ANSYS FLUENT para predecir el comportamiento del sistema con y sin uso del mecanismo de suministro de aire por etapas. En cada simulación se empleó el modelo Eddy Dissipation para la combustión, mientras que los modelos k - ε Realizable y Ordenadas Discretas fueron usados para la simulación del flujo turbulento y la radiación, respectivamente. Los resultados muestran que el uso de un mecanismo para estratificar el aire favorece la estabilización de llama, la iniciación de las reacciones de combustión y el mecanismo de mezclado. La formación de CO presentó diferencias en la zona de reacción y las emisiones de NOx no fueron significativamente influenciadas por el mecanismo de estratificación de aire

Lesion topographies in multiple sclerosis diagnosis

To assess the contributions of cortico-juxtacortical and corpus callosum lesions to multiple sclerosis diagnosis and to compare the value of ≥1 vs ≥3 periventricular lesions in clinically isolated syndromes (CIS). Step 1: We evaluated lesion topography classifications in 657 patients with CIS with stepwise Cox proportional hazards regression models considering second attack as the outcome. Step 2: We established 2 dissemination in space (DIS) versions according to the periventricular lesion cutoffs of ≥1 and ≥3 and assessed their performance at 10 years with second attack as the outcome, first individually and then combined with dissemination in time (DIT) in all cases (n = 326), by age, and by CIS topography. Step 1: The models (hazard ratios [95% confidence interval]) favored ≥1 over ≥3 periventricular lesions (2.5 [1.7-3.6]) and cortico-juxtacortical over juxtacortical lesions (1.4 [1.0-1.8]). Callosal lesions were not selected. Step 2: DIS specificity with ≥1 periventricular lesions was slightly lower than with ≥3 (59.1 vs 61.4) and the same after adding DIT (88.6). Regarding age, ≥3 periventricular lesions improved DIS specificity over ≥1 lesions in the 40-49 years of age bracket (66.7 vs 58.3). This difference disappeared when adding DIT (83.3). Optic neuritis had a similar pattern when evaluating CIS topographies. Our results comply with the Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Multiple Sclerosis (MAGNIMS) consensus recommendation of combining cortical and juxtacortical lesions into a single term when possible. Concerning periventricular lesions, maintaining the current ≥1 cutoff in the McDonald criteria does not compromise specificity in typical CIS cases, but attention should be paid to older patients or optic neuritis cases