AeRobiology: the computational tool for biological data in the air

Aerobiology databases are constantly growing. Managing these extensive datasets requires large amounts of time and effort. Nevertheless, publication and dissemination of the scientific findings demand quick and elaborated results, which have led to integrate computational techniques in almost all scientific fields. ”AeRobiology” is a new computational package implemented for R software which has been designed to automatically manage and visualise aerobiological data. It is an open access package and completely free to use. ”AeRobiology” package has 14 different functions which can be structured according to their utility: (1) checking the quality of the data, (2) data analysis and (3) visualization of results. Some of these functions allows to: interpolate missing gaps within the database with different techniques, calculate the main parameters of the pollen season according to all the existing Main Pollen Season definitions, elaborate pollen calendars, detect and measure trends in the main seasonal indexes, visualise the relative abundance of the different particles detected in the air, compare different years or different types of aerosols, visualise phenological parameters, and elaborate interactive plots for interpreting results on real time. More detailed information about each function can be consulted at: https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/AeRobiology/AeRobiology.pdf This new computational tool, which is already available at CRAN repository, could constitute a useful tool to the scientific field of aerobiology. It can reduce the time and effort of the data analysis even for researches who are not very familiar with programming languages. Furthermore, it could be a necessary tool to manage the real-time data from the new automatic sampling devices.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

Preliminary study of the atmospheric pollen in "Sierra de las Nieves" Natural Park (Southern Spain)

‘Sierra de las Nieves’ is a Natural Park and a Biosphere Reserve located in the south of Spain. This protected area has a high diversity of ecosystems with abundant endangered species which have led it to be in ways to become a National Park. Some of those species have anemophilous pollination strategies. Since 1991, the Aerobiology research team of the University of Malaga has been sampling and studying airborne pollen in different cities of Malaga province. Nevertheless, a pollen trap has never been installed inside a Natural Park for a continuous sampling process. The objectives of this study were to determinate the atmospheric pollen behaviour of the main taxa registered during winter and spring months in this protected area, as well as compare the results with the data obtained in urban stations during the same period searching for significant differences. The pollen samplings were made by means of a Hirst-type volumetric pollen trap inside the protected area of the Natural Park. The samples obtained were mounted and counted according to the methodology proposed by the Spanish Aerobiology Network (REA). The high vegetal diversity of ‘Sierra de las Nieves’ are reflected in the pollen counts. Significant differences between the sampligs obtained at ‘Sierra de las Nieves’, Malaga and the neraby city of Ronda stations were found regarding to the daily pollen concentration. The qualitative and quantitative differences can be explained by the different land use, altitude, climatic characteristics and by the distance between aerobiological stations and pollen emission sources. There is an important influence of wind dymanic and others meteorological factors.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

Estudio aerobiológico del municipio de Ronda y Sierra de las Nieves (sur de España). Análisis comparativo y elaboración de modelos

Con los datos obtenidos, se ha observado que la temperatura media y precipitación total anual del área de estudio se han visto alteradas en los últimos treinta años como consecuencia del cambio climático. Dado que las condiciones climáticas y meteorológicas influencian la cantidad y temporalidad del polen y esporas detectadas, es esperable que se vean afectadas por el cambio climático. Las diferencias observadas entre los puntos de muestreo a escalas estacional, diaria e intradiaria se deben principalmente a la vegetación, el uso del suelo y la dinámica de vientos de la zona. Los modelos predictivos y de interpolación espacial elaborados permiten maximizar los beneficios del muestreo aerobiológico y elaborar informes del contenido polínico de la atmósfera para alertar a la población alérgica de toda la provincia de Málaga. Las herramientas computacionales elaboradas permiten reducir el tiempo requerido para la gestión y visualización de datos aerobiológicos.Ronda es una de las principales ciudades del interior de la provincia de Málaga (sur de España) y se encuentra sobre una meseta rodeada por cordilleras. Entre las más cercanas se encuentra el Parque Natural Sierra de las Nieves, actualmente en vía de ser declarado Parque Nacional. A través del estudio del contenido polínico y de esporas de la atmósfera, se puede obtener información sobre el comportamiento reproductivo de las poblaciones vegetales y de hongos de la zona, lo que resulta indispensable para su gestión y conservación, y para la prevención de alergias respiratorias en las poblaciones cercanas. Se muestreó la atmósfera de la ciudad de Ronda y del Parque Natural Sierra de las Nieves ininterrumpidamente durante 3 y 2 años respectivamente. También se realizó un seguimiento in situ de la fenofase de floración de las principales especies anemófilas de la zona. Con los resultados obtenidos se estudió el comportamiento aerobiológico de ambas localidades, se determinaron los taxones de mayor incidencia en la atmósfera, su variación temporal (estacional, intradiaria e interanual) y se compararon los comportamientos de ambas zonas estudiadas. Se elaboraron calendarios polínicos, se estudió la relación existente entre el polen atmosférico y variables meteorológicas, climáticas, datos de fenología in situ, de vegetación real y uso del suelo. También se elaboraron modelos de pronóstico y de interpolación espacial de datos aerobiológicos, y se desarrolló un paquete de herramientas computacionales para automatizar las principales funciones que se realizan en la investigación aerobiológica y para interpolar datos ausentes. De forma complementaria se estudió la tendencia de las principales variables climáticas para determinar el efecto del cambio climático en la zona de estudio

Backward air trajectory models for detecting pollen airborne sources of Castanea in Ronda (South Spain)

Ronda is located in a rural area close to the natural Parks Sierra de Grazalema and Sierra de las Nieves, surrounded by crops, natural and seminatural vegetation. The Genal Valley, which is located at the southwest of Ronda, is the biggest Castanea sativa Mill. crop area in Andalusia (South Spain) but there are also others C. sativa crops in different areas close to Ronda. This increases the Castanea atmospheric pollen levels in Ronda, the highest of Malaga province. Castanea pollen has been cited by different authors as potentially allergenic. The objective of this preliminary study was to determine the main sources of Castanea pollen detected in Ronda during the period in which the highest concentrations were detected along the year 2017. The pollen samplings were made by means of a Hirst-type volumetric pollen trap. The samples obtained were mounted and counted according to the methodology proposed by the Spanish Aerobiology Network (REA). Backward air trajectories were calculated according to HYSPLIT 4 model. Models were run five times a day by using R software for the whole month of June 2017. Due to the wind dynamics in Ronda, the main source of Castanea airborne pollen was not the expected (the Genal Valley). The dominant winds in June 2017 came from the southeast of Ronda and brought Castanea pollen from the crops of two nearby localities, Istan and Ojen, which are widely smaller than those situated in the Genal Valley. Therefore, due to the high pollen production of these crops, predictive models for the Castanea airborne pollen in Ronda should be done in future researches in order to prevent allergic diseases in the population. Additionally, by studing air trajectory models, the cross pollination between Castanea populations in the area can be estimated.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Preliminary study of the airborne pollen in the atmosphere of Puerto Ayora (Galapagos Islands, Ecuador)

Galapagos is an archipelago of volcanic islands located 972 km west from the continental Ecuador. They were declared by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve due to their singular environmental value, where a third part of the native plants are endemic to this archipelago (Jaramillo et al., 2011). In spite of the numerous scientific studies carried out in Galapagos, there are not any aerobiological samplings being performed currently. The main objectives of this study were to install a pollen trap for detecting the presence of pollen in the atmosphere of Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz, Galapagos Islands) and qualitatively identify the different pollen types detected during the studied period. A Durham (1946) gravimetric pollen trap was modified to turn it into a passive impact pollen trap based on Pla Dalmau (1957) modifications. It was placed on the roof of the Galapagos National School (Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island) at a height of 15m above ground level. The samples were obtained by using silicone fluid as adhesive substance and glycerine gelatine as mounting mean. The pollen grains were counted in a surface of 14 x 48 mm in each sample. The pollen types were identified with the aid of the pollen guide of the Galapagos Island by Jaramillo & Trigo (2011) and the Charles Darwin Foundation pollen bank. Pollen types of endemic plants such as Darwiniothamnus sp., Passiflora foetida var. galapagensis Killip, Justicia galapagana Lindau and Castela galapageia Hook. f. were detected together with those of other native and introduced species. A high diversity of pollen types was detected, reflecting the particular vegetation of the island. This preliminary aerobiological information can be used as precedent for further studies on the pollination of native and introduced species of the Galapagos Islands, as well as for detecting possible allergic diseases in the population.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Estudio pan-genómico pronóstico en el cáncer de vejiga = geneome-wide prognostic study in bladder cancer

Tesis doctoral inédita leída en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Medicina Preventiva, Salud Pública y Microbiología. Fecha de lectura: 7 de Junio de 2013

Heavy rain and strong wind events over Spain during HyMeX SOP1

[EN] The most significant characteristics of heavy rain cases, plus some strong wind cases, that affected Catalonia, Valencia and the Balearic Islands, as well as some other nearby Spanish regions, during the first experimental campaign (SOP1) of the HyMeX Project are briefly reviewed. Most of these cases correspond to activated intensive observation periods (IOPs) and are documented by an important deployment of extraordinary observation means. The resulting collection of cases can be used for precise verification of high resolution forecast models and their improvement, especially on some specific subjects such as the relation between heavy rain and cyclogenesis.[CAT] Es revisen breument les característiques més significatives dels principals casos de pluja forta, més alguns de vent fort, que van afectar Catalunya, València i les Illes Balears, i també a algunes regions espanyoles properes, durant la primera campanya experimental (SOP1) del projecte HyMeX. La majoria d’aquests casos es corresponen amb períodes activats d’observació intensiva (IOPs) i estan documentats per un desplegament important de mitjans d’observació extraordinaris. Es tracta d’una col lecció prou interessant de casos, que suposa una oportunitat excepcional per a la verificació i desenvolupament de models de predicció d’alta resolució i per a la investigació de determinats processos, com la relació entre pluja forta i ciclogènesi

Atmospheric pollen dynamics in Malaga (s. Spain) during 2013-2014. Seasonal trends

In this work we present the atmospheric pollen results obtained in Malaga, a coastal Mediterranean city situated in southern Spain, throughout 2013 and 2014. The main objective is to compare the results obtained these years with those registered during the 21 previous years (1992-2012) and detect possible significant trends. The samplings were made with the aid of a Hirst-type volumetric pollen trap (Hirst, 1952) situated on the roof of the building of the Faculty of Sciences, Campus de Teatinos. The mounting of the samples and the pollen counting were according to the methodology proposed by the Spanish Aerobiology Network, the REA (Galán et al., 2007). In this work, the seasonal evolution of the different taxa, annual pollen index and features of the main pollen season (length and start, end and peak days) are studied and the results obtained in 2013 and 2014 are compared to the average values of the previous years in order to detect differences related to climate change. The annual mean temperature have been rising in 2013 and 2014 (19.1 and 19.9ºC) comparing to the average of the last 20 years (18.7ºC). The annual total rainfall have been declining in 2013 and 2014 (354.7 and 373.1 mm) comparing to the average of the last 20 years (546.2 mm). The relative humidity declined in 2014 (60.6%) compared to last 20 years (66.6%). Among the significant trends that we have observed are: increase in the annual pollen index of Quercus and Olea, decrease in the annual pollen index of Chenopodiaceae, Plantago and Cyperaceae, delay in the end and increase in the length of the main pollen season of Quercus, delay and reduction in the length of the main pollen season of Gramineae pollen.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

The germplasm bank of the Botanical Garden of the University of Malaga.

The collection of the Germplasm Bank of the University of Malaga began recently associated with its Botanical Garden, in October 2021. The collection is made up of diaspores (fruits/seeds) of plant species belonging to the botanical garden itself and other native species of the vegetation of different areas of the province of Malaga. After the identification of the plants and the collection of the samples, standardized procedures are applied for their adequate conservation in the short and medium term in refrigerators at 4ºC, since the objective is to maintain a dynamic collection. Additionally, the database allows international exchanges and research activities such as viability studies or the elaboration of a photo atlas supported by morphometric studies of the preserved structures. The biodiversity conserved in this germplasm bank will be also very useful in a scenario of global change in which many species are being threatened, or even disappearing, since it constitutes a reservoir that guarantees the possible recovery of the different species whose diasporas have been preserved. Currently, the germplasm bank contains a total of 155 samples belonging to 115 taxa subject to strict protocols that guarantees the maintenance of their viability and genetic integrity, the sanitary conditions of the germplasm, its availability and the physical security of the collections.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Biotrickling filters for biogas sweetening: oxygen transfer improvement for a reliable operation

An industrial-scale biotrickling filter for the removal of high concentrations of H2S is described in this work. The system has been operating at H2S inlet concentrations between 1000 and 3000 ppmv at acidic conditions. A decrease of pH from 2.6 to 1.8 did not affect the biological activity inside the biofilter while reducing the water make-up consumption up to 75%. The current oxygen supply system, based on direct injection of air to the liquid phase, has demonstrated to be inefficient for a long-term operation leading to elemental sulfur accumulation in the packing material (i.e. promoting clogging episodes). The present study demonstrates it is possible to partially remove (40.3%) the deposited elemental sulfur by bio-oxidation when biogas is not fed. In normal operation conditions, the implementation of an aeration system based on jet-venturi devices has shown quite promising results in terms of oxygen transfer efficiency and robustness. Such improvement of oxygen transfer was translated in a better conversion of H2S to sulfate, which increased around 17%, prolonging the lifespan operation at low-pressure drop.Peer ReviewedPreprin