Geochemical Investigation of an Offshore Sewage Sludge Deposit, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

For 20 years ending in the 1990’s the city of Barcelona discharged the products from a large primary sewage treatment plant directly into the Mediterranean Sea via underwater conduits. About ca. 3 million m3 of relict sewage sludge, rich in organic matter and heavy metals, has spread over an elongated area offshore, due to successive ruptures of the conduits. The use of the discharge pipes ceased, but he sludge deposit remains in place for the time being. To understand the history and present state of the sludge deposit in advance of future remediation, a program of geophysical mapping, sampling, and analytical work was undertaken. Rock Eval pyrolysis, although created for use in petroleum prospecting, can also be applied to environmental contamination studies. It offers a simple means to effectively delineate the sludge deposit, with the S2 parameter and the hydrogen and oxygen indices particularly useful. On the molecular level, the sludge flash pyrolysis products notably include relatively abundant C27 and C29 sterenes and steranes, likely produced from the pyrolysis of fecal and other steroids, including coprostanol, in the sewage sludge. Linear alkylbenzenes and trialkylamines, derived from surfactant residues in the sludge, are also detected. The indoles detected are likely the pyrolysis products of proteins, while the alkylnitriles and alkylamides in the pyrolyzate likely derive from bacterial biomass. Principal components analysis aided the interpretation of the large geochemical dataset and a geographic information system enabled the three-dimensional visualization of the results in their geospatial context. The distinctive pyrolysis products and the trace elements would be geochemical markers useful in planning and assessing a future remediation program. The recognition of a distinctive sewage pyrolysis-GC/MS signature in this deposit would facilitate the use of this method in the detection of sewage-contaminated sediments in urban waterways worldwide

Red de Bibliotecas Municipales de la provincia de Barcelona

The Public Library Network of the province of Barcelona has extensive experience in the field of collaborative work. The key to its success is not just the important historical events that helped to shape the present library system in the province of Barcelona. It is also the dissemination of collaborative values among libraries and library staff. After years of hard work, there are new challenges to meet, without forgetting the firm commitment to provide high quality library services that meet people’s needs and expectations

Les biblioteques públiques a Dinamarca: punt i a part

Visió general del sistema bibliotecari danès, centrada en la biblioteca pública: legislació, informatització, serveis centrals, estructura i serveis de la biblioteca

Las parejas de familias reconstituidas. Una caracterización desde la perspectiva de genero

El objetivo del artículo es presentar un análisis del perfil sociodemográfico de las parejas de núcleos familiares reconstituidos. Se explora si ese perfil es más heterogámico que el de las parejas no reconstituidas y si ello implica una mayor desigualdad de género. Para ello se contrastan las diferencias de participación laboral femenina y de una participación masculina alta en el trabajo doméstico en núcleos reconstituidos y no reconstituidos. Se utilizan modelos de regresión logística para el análisis de variables dicotómicas. El Censo de Población de 2001, las Encuestas de Población Activa (1999-2009) y la Encuesta Demográfica de Cataluña de 2007 constituyen las fuentes de información. Los resultados revelan una pluralidad de perfiles sociodemográficos de las parejas de núcleos reconstituidos y un mayor grado de heterogamia entre los cónyuges. Este perfil más heterogámico no parece estar asociado a una mayor desigualdad de género. No obstante, el uso de dos escenarios geográficos distintos en el análisis (Cataluña y España) y de fuentes estadísticas limitadas en la muestra de núcleos reconstituidos, abre las puertas a nuevas investigaciones.L' objectiu de l'article és presentar una anàlisi del perfil sociodemogràfic de les parelles de nuclis familiars reconstituïts. S'explora si aquest perfil és més heterogàmic que el de les parelles no reconstituïdes i si això implica una major desigualtat de gènere. Per això es contrasten les diferències de participació laboral femenina i d'una participació masculina alta en el treball domèstic, en nuclis reconstituïts i no reconstituïts. S'utilitzen models de regressió logística per a l'anàlisi de variables dicotòmiques. El Cens de Població de 2001, les Enquestes de Població Activa (1999-2009) i l'Enquesta Demogràfica de Catalunya de 2007, constitueixen les fonts d'informació. Els resultats revelen una pluralitat de perfils sociodemogràfics de les parelles de nuclis reconstituïts i un major grau de heterogàmia entre els cònjuges. Aquest perfil més heterogàmic no sembla estar associat a una major desigualtat de gènere. Malgrat això, l'ús de dos escenaris geogràfics diferents en l'anàlisi (Catalunya i Espanya) i de fonts estadístiques limitades a la mostra de nuclis reconstituïts, obren les portes a noves investigacions.The main goal of this paper is to present the sociodemographic profile of couples living in stepparent nuclei. We explore if this profile is more heterogamic than non-reconstituted couples' profile and whether this leads to greater gender inequalities. For that purpose we analyze the differences between women labor participation rates and men's involvement in domestic tasks in reconstituted vs non-reconstituted families using logistic regression models to analyze dichotomic variables. Our data sources are the 2001 population census, labor force surveys from 1999 to 2009 and the 2007 demographic survey from Catalonia. The results show a diversity of sociodemographic profiles among stepfamilies couples and larger heterogamy levels among the members of reconstituted couples. This more heterogamic profile does not seem to be associated with larger gender inequality. However, the use of different geographical scenarios (Catalonia and Spain) and the limitations of our data sources to study reconstituted families indicate the directions of future research

Evolutionary genomics of the recently duplicated amphioxus Hairy genes

Amphioxus Hairy genes have gone through a number of lineage-specific duplications, resulting in eight members, some of which are differentially expressed in the embryo. In order to gain insights into the evolution and function of this gene family we have compared their genomic structure and searched for conserved non-coding sequence elements. We have found that introns have been lost independently from these genes at least twice and after the duplication events. By carrying out phylogenetic footprinting between paralogues expressed in the embryo, we have found a differential distribution of conserved elements that could explain the limited overlap in expression patterns of Hairy genes in the amphioxus embryo. Furthermore, clustering of RBP-Jk binding sites in these conserved elements suggests that amphioxus Hairy genes are downstream targets of the Notch signaling pathway, as occurs in vertebrates. All of this evidence suggests that amphioxus Hairy genes have gone through a process of subfunctionalization shortly after their duplication, representing an extreme and rapid case of the duplication-degeneration-complementation model

Fifth-order cyclicity and organic matter contents relationship (Lower Eocene, Pyrenees)

The Upper Limestone Member of the Corones Formation of the Spanish Pyrenees consists of various units (Lower and the Upper Foraminifera Units, Shale Unit, Cherty-ostracode Unit, Ostracode Unit and Chara-ostracode Unit) and offers strong facies and lateral thickness (20 to 80 m) variations. Detailed facies analyses, fifth-order cycles and organic geochemical determinations in the central domain of the Corones platform carbonates (Cherty-ostracode Unit), lower Eocene in age, were carried out to establish a case of close relationship between variations in organic matter productivity and cyclicity with annual period. The Cherty-ostracode Unit displays a continuous and pervasive fifth-order cyclicity, represented by 5 cycles. Each cycle consists of a lower part (mollusc facies) and an upper part (laminated ostracode facies). The calculated fifth-order cycle period ranges from about 17,000 to 28,000 years, which falls within the Milankovitch Band. Variations in organic matter content related to these carbonate cycles have been established. The lower mollusc facies members show a low organic carbon content and Hydrogen Index (HI) below 0.6% in weight and 261, respectively. By contrast, the upper laminated ostracode facies members show high organic carbon contents (up to 2% in weight) and high HI (between 164 and 373), and are also characterized by important silicification processes (the content in chert is up to 30%). The organic geochemistry resulting from these organic rich levels reflects a contribution of algal marine input

Public Library Network of the province of Barcelona

The Public Library Network of the province of Barcelona has extensive experience in the field of collaborative work. The key to its success is not just the important historical events that helped to shape the present library system in the province of Barcelona. It is also the dissemination of collaborative values among libraries and library staff. After years of hard work, there are new challenges to meet, without forgetting the firm commitment to provide high quality library services that meet people’s needs and expectations

Red de Bibliotecas Municipales de la provincia de Barcelona

The Public Library Network of the province of Barcelona has extensive experience in the field of collaborative work. The key to its success is not just the important historical events that helped to shape the present library system in the province of Barcelona. It is also the dissemination of collaborative values among libraries and library staff. After years of hard work, there are new challenges to meet, without forgetting the firm commitment to provide high quality library services that meet people’s needs and expectations

Response of the human myocardium to ischemic injury and preconditioning: The role of cardiac and comorbid conditions, medical treatment, and basal redox status

Vàlvula aòrtica; Isquèmia; MiocardiVálvula aórtica; Isquemia; MiocardioAortic valve; Ischemia; MyocardiumBackground The diseased human myocardium is highly susceptible to ischemia/reoxygenation (I/R)-induced injury but its response to protective interventions such as ischemic preconditioning (IPreC) is unclear. Cardiac and other pre-existing clinical conditions as well as previous or ongoing medical treatment may influence the myocardial response to I/R injury and protection. This study investigated the effect of both on myocardial susceptibility to I/R-induced injury and the protective effects of IPreC. Methods and results Atrial myocardium from cardiac surgery patients (n = 300) was assigned to one of three groups: aerobic control, I/R alone, and IPreC. Lactate dehydrogenase leakage, as a marker of cell injury, and cell viability were measured. The basal redox status was determined in samples from 90 patients. The response to I/R varied widely. Myocardium from patients with aortic valve disease was the most susceptible to injury whereas myocardium from dyslipidemia patients was the least susceptible. Tissue from females was better protected than tissue from males. Myocardium from patients with mitral valve disease was the least responsive to IPreC. The basal redox status was altered in the myocardium from patients with mitral and aortic valve disease. Conclusions The response of the myocardium to I/R and IPreC is highly variable and influenced by the underlying cardiac pathology, dyslipidemia, sex, and the basal redox status. These results should be taken into account in the design of future clinical studies on the prevention of I/R injury and protection.This study was supported by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (FIS) [grant number 12/00119]