Cultura del risc i comunicació sobre el foc i els incendis forestals

Els incendis forestals són un fenomen complex, amb una forta component transversal, i sovint el principal problema ambiental dels boscos percebut per la societat. Les polítiques de prevenció i extinció es veuen obligades a adaptar-se al context canviant de vulnerabilitat, caracteritzat per un augment del perill d'ignició i de propagació, i una manca de cultura del risc i del foc. Es discuteix sobre la necessitat de millorar la comprensió social del fenomen per a aconseguir la col·laboració i complicitat social davant l'emergència global a la qual s'enfronten els sistemes d'extinció. També sobre la importància d'integrar en les polítiques de gestió del risc d'incendis estratègies de comunicació que vagin més enllà de missatges simplificats o eventuals, i tinguin en compte les diferents construccions socials relacionades amb el foc.Cultura del riesgo y comunicación sobre el fuego y los incendios forestales. Los incendios forestales son un fenómeno complejo con una fuerte componente transversal y, a menudo, el principal problema ambiental de los bosques que percibe la sociedad. Las políticas de prevención y extinción se ven obligadas a adaptarse al contexto cambiante de vulnerabilidad, caracterizado por un aumento del peligro de ignición y propagación, y una pérdida de la cultura del riesgo y del fuego. Se plantea la necesidad de mejorar la comprensión social del fenómeno para conseguir la colaboración y complicidad social ante la emergencia global a la que se enfrentan los sistemas de extinción. También la importancia de integrar en las políticas de gestión del riesgo de incendios, estrategias de comunicación que vayan más allá de mensajes simplificados o eventuales, y tengan en cuenta las diferentes construcciones sociales relacionadas con el fuego.Risk culture and communications on fire and wildfires. Wildfires are a complex system with a strong cross-sectorial component and, often, the main forest’s environmental problem perceived by society. Prevention and extinction policy is forced to adapt it to changing vulnerability context, resulting from the increase of spread and ignition risk, and the loose of risk and fire culture. The need of improving the social understanding of the phenomena to get the social cooperation and complicity needed in front of the global emergency which has to deal the extinction system is discussed. And so the relevance of the integration into forest fire risk management, global communication strategies, further than simplified or temporary messages. Considering also the different social constructions related to the fire

Integració del risc d'incendis en la planificació forestal estratègica i l'ordenació del territori

L'actual règim d'incendis a Catalunya i el seu marc causal estructural mostren l'important component territorial del fenomen. Els recurrents episodis de grans incendis forestals i nous coneixements tècnics han fet evolucionar conceptualment "la lluita contra el foc" amb nous paradigmes i eines d'anàlisi. Les estratègies de gestió del risc d'incendis forestals s'amplien i incorporen, a les polítiques de prevenció i extinció comunes, la planificació dels usos del sòl; mentre les aplicacions del coneixement dels incendis que 'esdevindran' es van concretant. L'article analitza el marc idoni que ofereix el model escalonat de planificació forestal i el model concertat de planificació forestal i planejament territorial per a integrar el risc d'incendi des d'una perspectiva transversal, i actuar sobre els elements vulnerables i la capacitat de propagació del territori amb caràcter normatiu i prevalent.Integración del riesgo de incendios en la planificación estratégica y la ordenación del territorio. El actual régimen de incendios forestales en Cataluña y su marco causal estructural muestran la importante componente territorial del fenómeno. Los recurrentes episodios de grandes incendios forestales y los nuevos conocimientos han hecho evolucionar conceptualmente ?la lucha contra el fuego? con nuevos paradigmas y herramientas de análisis. Las estratégicas de gestión del riesgo de incendios forestales se amplían, e incorporan a las políticas de prevención y extinción comunes la planificación de los usos del suelo, mientras las aplicaciones del conocimiento de los incendios ?predecibles? se van concretando. El artículo analiza el marco idóneo que ofrece el modelo escalonado de planificación forestal y el modelo concertado de planificación forestal y planeamiento territorial para integrar el riesgo de incendios de forma transversal, y actuar sobre los elementos vulnerables y la capacidad de propagación del territorio con carácter normativo y prevalente.Integrating fire risk in strategic forest planning and spatial planning. The current fire regime in Catalonia and its underlying causes frame show us the extended territorial component of the phenomena. The recurrent large wildfires events and new technical knowledge have made evolve the ?fight against fire? concept with new paradigms and assessment tools. Wildfire risk management strategies are extended, and integrate land-use patterns into the preventions and suppression common policies, while the utilities of the ?predictable fires? knowledge are making concrete. This report assess the suitable frame that offers the hierarchic forest planning model and coordinated model with the spatial and settlement planning to integrate wildfire risk from a cross-sectoral perspective, and acting over vulnerable elements and spread capacity at landscape scale with a normative and prevalent rang

The integration of wildfire risk in the urbanism: a legal, analytical and practical approach for Catalonia

En un contexto donde el riesgo de incendio forestal (IF) es latente y la estructura urbanística presenta asentamientos expuestos a este riesgo, la situación derivada de los cambios en los usos del suelo y el cambio climático se traduce en un aumento de la potencial interacción entre los IF y los sistemas urbanos.El trabajo tiene como objetivo analizar la capacidad de integración del riesgo de IF en la planificación territorial y urbanística de Cataluña, especialmente desde la perspectiva de la vulnerabilidad de los asentamientos. De este modo, se ha llevado a cabo un análisis comparado entre la información del análisis del riesgo y los requerimientos legales y operativos del sistema de planeamiento, para así poder identificar aspectos presentes, o que sea necesario mejorar para hacer efectiva esta integración. Se han identificado unos procesos clave que hace falta definir e introducir en el sistema de planeamiento para que éste sea capaz de tener en cuenta el riesgo de IF para gestionar el territorio.In a context where wildfire risk is latent and the urban structure presents exposed settlements, the derivate situation from the land uses changes and the climate change, is translated as an increase of the potential interaction between wildfires and the urban systems.The objective of this research is to analyze the capacity to integrate the wildfire risk into the spatial and urban planning of Catalonia, specially from the perspective of settlement vulnerability. Thereby, it has carried out a comparative analysis between the risk analysis information and the legal and operational requirements of the planning system, in order to identify current aspects or what is necessary to improve, to make effective this integration. It has identified key processes that are necessary to define and introduce in the planning system so that it is able to take into account wildfire risk to manage the territory.Peer Reviewe

Neonatal Neurobehavior and Diffusion MRI Changes in Brain Reorganization Due to Intrauterine Growth Restriction in a Rabbit Model

Background: Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) affects 5–10 % of all newborns and is associated with a high risk of abnormal neurodevelopment. The timing and patterns of brain reorganization underlying IUGR are poorly documented. We developed a rabbit model of IUGR allowing neonatal neurobehavioral assessment and high resolution brain diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The aim of the study was to describe the pattern and functional correlates of fetal brain reorganization induced by IUGR. Methodology/Principal Findings: IUGR was induced in 10 New Zealand fetal rabbits by ligation of 40–50 % of uteroplacental vessels in one horn at 25 days of gestation. Ten contralateral horn fetuses were used as controls. Cesarean section was performed at 30 days (term 31 days). At postnatal day +1, neonates were assessed by validated neurobehavioral tests including evaluation of tone, spontaneous locomotion, reflex motor activity, motor responses to olfactory stimuli, and coordination of suck and swallow. Subsequently, brains were collected and fixed and MRI was performed using a high resolution acquisition scheme. Global and regional (manual delineation and voxel based analysis) diffusion tensor imaging parameters were analyzed. IUGR was associated with significantly poorer neurobehavioral performance in most domains. Voxel based analysis revealed fractional anisotropy (FA) differences in multiple brain regions of gray and white matter, including frontal, insular, occipital and temporal cortex, hippocampus, putamen, thalamus, claustrum, medial septa

Hypoxia triggers IFN-I production in muscle: Implications in dermatomyositis

Dermatomyositis is an inflammatory myopathy characterized by symmetrical proximal muscle weakness and skin changes. Muscle biopsy hallmarks include perifascicular atrophy, loss of intramuscular capillaries, perivascular and perimysial inflammation and the overexpression of IFN-inducible genes. Among them, the retinoic-acid inducible gene 1 (RIG-I) is specifically overexpressed in perifascicular areas of dermatomyositis muscle. The aim of this work was to study if RIG-I expression may be modulated by hypoxia using an in vitro approach. We identified putative hypoxia response elements (HRE) in RIG-I regulatory regions and luciferase assays confirmed that RIG-I is a new HIF-inducible gene. We observed an increase expression of RIG-I both by Real time PCR and Western blot in hypoxic conditions in human muscle cells. Cell transfection with a constitutive RIG-I expression vector increased levels of phospho-IRF-3, indicating that RIG-I promotes binding of transcription factors to the enhancer sequence of IFN. Moreover, release of IFN-beta was observed in hypoxic conditions. Finally, HIF-1 alpha overexpression was confirmed in the muscle biopsies and in some RIG-I positive perifascicular muscle fibres but not in controls. Our results indicate that hypoxia triggers the production of IFN-I in vitro, and may contribute to the pathogenesis of DM together with other inflammatory factors

Long-term functional outcomes and correlation with regional brain connectivity by MRI diffusion tractography metrics in a near-term rabbit model of intrauterine growth restriction

Background: Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) affects 5-10% of all newborns and is associated with increased risk of memory, attention and anxiety problems in late childhood and adolescence. The neurostructural correlates of long-term abnormal neurodevelopment associated with IUGR are unknown. Thus, the aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive description of the long-term functional and neurostructural correlates of abnormal neurodevelopment associated with IUGR in a near-term rabbit model (delivered at 30 days of gestation) and evaluate the development of quantitative imaging biomarkers of abnormal neurodevelopment based on diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) parameters and connectivity. Methodology: At +70 postnatal days, 10 cases and 11 controls were functionally evaluated with the Open Field Behavioral Test which evaluates anxiety and attention and the Object Recognition Task that evaluates short-term memory and attention. Subsequently, brains were collected, fixed and a high resolution MRI was performed. Differences in diffusion parameters were analyzed by means of voxel-based and connectivity analysis measuring the number of fibers reconstructed within anxiety, attention and short-term memory networks over the total fibers. Principal Findings: The results of the neurobehavioral and cognitive assessment showed a significant higher degree of anxiety, attention and memory problems in cases compared to controls in most of the variables explored. Voxel-based analysis (VBA) revealed significant differences between groups in multiple brain regions mainly in grey matter structures, whereas connectivity analysis demonstrated lower ratios of fibers within the networks in cases, reaching the statistical significance only in the left hemisphere for both networks. Finally, VBA and connectivity results were also correlated with functional outcome. Conclusions: The rabbit model used reproduced long-term functional impairments and their neurostructural correlates of abnormal neurodevelopment associated with IUGR. The description of the pattern of microstructural changes underlying functional defects may help to develop biomarkers based in diffusion MRI and connectivity analysis

Long-term reorganization of structural brain networks in a rabbit model of intrauterine growth restriction

Characterization of brain changes produced by intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is among the main challenges of modern fetal medicine and pediatrics. This condition affects 5-10% of all pregnancies and is associated with a wide range of neurodevelopmental disorders. Better understanding of the brain reorganization produced by IUGR opens a window of opportunity to find potential imaging biomarkers in order to identify the infants with a high risk of having neurodevelopmental problems and apply therapies to improve their outcomes. Structural brain networks obtained from diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a promising tool to study brain reorganization and to be used as a biomarker of neurodevelopmental alterations. In the present study this technique is applied to a rabbit animal model of IUGR, which presents some advantages including a controlled environment and the possibility to obtain high quality MRI with long acquisition times. Using a Q-Ball diffusion model, and a previously published rabbit brain MRI atlas, structural brain networks of 15 IUGR and 14 control rabbits at 70 days of age (equivalent to pre-adolescence human age) were obtained. The analysis of graph theory features showed a decreased network infrastructure (degree and binary global efficiency) associated with IUGR condition and a set of generalized fractional anisotropy (GFA) weighted measures associated with abnormal neurobehavior. Interestingly, when assessing the brain network organization independently of network infrastructure by means of normalized networks, IUGR showed increased global and local efficiencies. We hypothesize that this effect could reflect a compensatory response to reduced infrastructure in IUGR. These results present new evidence on the long-term persistence of the brain reorganization produced by IUGR that could underlie behavioral and developmental alterations previously described. The described changes in network organization have the potential to be used as biomarkers to monitor brain changes produced by experimental therapies in IUGR animal model

A magnetic resonance image based atlas of the rabbit brain for automatic parcellation.

Rabbit brain has been used in several works for the analysis of neurodevelopment. However, there are not specific digital rabbit brain atlases that allow an automatic identification of brain regions, which is a crucial step for various neuroimage analyses, and, instead, manual delineation of areas of interest must be performed in order to evaluate a specific structure. For this reason, we propose an atlas of the rabbit brain based on magnetic resonance imaging, including both structural and diffusion weighted, that can be used for the automatic parcellation of the rabbit brain. Ten individual atlases, as well as an average template and probabilistic maps of the anatomical regions were built. In addition, an example of automatic segmentation based on this atlas is described