Diagnosis of stoneware pathology placed on bonded façade

Esta investigación analiza las causas del desprendimiento de un revestimiento de gres porcelánico colocado en fachada. En el momento de abordar este trabajo comprobamos que hay métodos normalizados para la determinación de las características de los adhesivos para las baldosas cerámicas y de las propias baldosas, pero en ambos casos, son métodos a aplicar durante el proceso de fabricación. No existen métodos normalizados para la determinación de las características de aplacados en servicio, cuestión que aborda este trabajo. Las técnicas de diagnosis empleadas han consistido en la comprobación de la capacidad de adherencia del adhesivo, la localización de juntas de movimiento, el análisis de las juntas de colocación y la detección de anclajes mecánicos ocultos. Finalmente, los resultados obtenidos tras la aplicación de dicha metodología para el análisis de la patología han permitido establecer las causas que han originado los daños, proponiéndose como método de diagnosis del desprendimiento de un aplacado cerámico en servicio.This research examines the causes of the detachment of stoneware placed on façade cladding. In dealing with this work we see that there are standard methods for the determination of the characteristics of adhesives for ceramic tiles and own tiles, but in both cases, the methods are to be applied during the manufacturing process. There are no standard methods for the determination of the characteristics of facings in service, which deals with this work. Employed diagnosis techniques have consisted of checking the capacity of adhesion of adhesive, the location of movement joints, joints of positioning analysis and detection of hidden mechanical anchors. Finally, the results obtained after the application of this methodology to the analysis of Pathology have allowed establishing the causes that have given rise to the damage; we propose a method of diagnosis of the evolution of a ceramic covering

Volcanic eruption of Cumbre Vieja, La Palma, Spain: a first insight to the particulate matter injected in the troposphere

The volcanic eruption of Cumbre Vieja (La Palma Island, Spain), started on 19 September 2021 and was declared terminated on 25 December 2021. A complete set of aerosol measurements were deployed around the volcano within the first month of the eruptive activity. This paper describes the results of the observations made at Tazacorte on the west bank of the island where a polarized micro-pulse lidar was deployed. The analyzed two-and-a-half months (16 October–31 December) reveal that the peak height of the lowermost and strongest volcanic plume did not exceed 3 km (the mean of the hourly values is 1.43 0.45 km over the whole period) and was highly variable. The peak height of the lowermost volcanic plume steadily increased until week 11 after the eruption started (and 3 weeks before its end) and started decreasing afterward. The ash mass concentration was assessed with a method based on the polarization capability of the instrument. Two days with a high ash load were selected: The ash backscatter coefficient, aerosol optical depth, and the volume and particle depolarization ratios were, respectively, 3.6 (2.4) Mm. 1 sr. 1 , 0.52 (0.19), 0.13 (0.07) and 0.23 (0.13) on 18 October (15 November). Considering the limitation of current remote sensing techniques to detect large-to-giant particles, the ash mass concentration on the day with the highest ash load (18 October) was estimated to have peaked in the range of 800–3200 g m. 3 in the lowermost layer below 2.5 km.This research was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (PID2020- 118793GA-I00, PID2019-104205GB-C21, EQC2018-004686-P and PID2019-103886RB-I00), the H2020 program from the European Union (GA no. 19ENV04, 654109, 778349, 871115 and 101008004), and the Unit of Excellence “María de Maeztu” (MDM-2017-0737) financed by the Spanish State Research Agency (AEI)

Obstetric–Neonatal Care during Birth and Postpartum in Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Women Infected with SARS-CoV-2: A Retrospective Multicenter Study

Data Availability Statement: Data are available upon reasonable request. All necessary data are supplied and available in the manuscript; however, the corresponding author will provide the dataset upon request. All data relevant to the study are included in the article.Copyright © 2022 by the authors. This study analyses the obstetric–neonatal outcomes of women in labour with symptomatic and asymptomatic COVID-19. A retrospective, multicenter, observational study was carried out between 1 March 2020 and 28 February 2021 in eight public hospitals in the Valencian community (Spain). The chi-squared test compared the obstetric–neonatal outcomes and general care for symptomatic and asymptomatic women. In total, 11,883 births were assisted in participating centers, with 10.9 per 1000 maternities (n = 130) infected with SARS-CoV-2. The 20.8% were symptomatic and had more complications both upon admission (p = 0.042) and during puerperium (p = 0.042), as well as transfer to the intensive care unit (ICU). The percentage of admission to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) was greater among offspring of symptomatic women compared to infants born of asymptomatic women (p < 0.001). Compared with asymptomatic women, those with symptoms underwent less labour companionship (p = 0.028), less early skin-to-skin contact (p = 0.029) and greater mother–infant separation (p = 0.005). The overall maternal mortality rate was 0.8%. No vertical transmission was recorded. In conclusion, symptomatic infected women are at increased risk of lack of labour companionship, mother–infant separation, and admission to the ICU, as well as to have preterm births and for NICU admissions.FISABIO grant number UGP-20-24

Obstetric–neonatal care during birth and postpartum in symptomatic and asymptomatic women infected with SARS-CoV-2: a retrospective multicenter study

This study analyses the obstetric–neonatal outcomes of women in labour with symptomatic and asymptomatic COVID-19. A retrospective, multicenter, observational study was carried out between 1 March 2020 and 28 February 2021 in eight public hospitals in the Valencian community (Spain). The chi-squared test compared the obstetric–neonatal outcomes and general care for symptomatic and asymptomatic women. In total, 11,883 births were assisted in participating centers, with 10.9 per 1000 maternities (n = 130) infected with SARS-CoV-2. The 20.8% were symptomatic and had more complications both upon admission (p = 0.042) and during puerperium (p = 0.042), as well as transfer to the intensive care unit (ICU). The percentage of admission to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) was greater among offspring of symptomatic women compared to infants born of asymptomatic women (p < 0.001). Compared with asymptomatic women, those with symptoms underwent less labour companionship (p = 0.028), less early skin-to-skin contact (p = 0.029) and greater mother–infant separation (p = 0.005). The overall maternal mortality rate was 0.8%. No vertical transmission was recorded. In conclusion, symptomatic infected women are at increased risk of lack of labour companionship, mother–infant separation, and admission to the ICU, as well as to have preterm births and for NICU admissions

Insect pathogens as biological control agents: back to the future

The development and use of entomopathogens as classical, conservation and augmentative biological control agents have included a number of successes and some setbacks in the past 15 years. In this forum paper we present current information on development, use and future directions of insect-specific viruses, bacteria, fungi and nematodes as components of integrated pest management strategies for control of arthropod pests of crops, forests, urban habitats, and insects of medical and veterinary importance. Insect pathogenic viruses are a fruitful source of MCAs, particularly for the control of lepidopteran pests. Most research is focused on the baculoviruses, important pathogens of some globally important pests for which control has become difficult due to either pesticide resistance or pressure to reduce pesticide residues. Baculoviruses are accepted as safe, readily mass produced, highly pathogenic and easily formulated and applied control agents. New baculovirus products are appearing in many countries and gaining an increased market share. However, the absence of a practical in vitro mass production system, generally higher production costs, limited post application persistence, slow rate of kill and high host specificity currently contribute to restricted use in pest control. Overcoming these limitations are key research areas for which progress could open up use of insect viruses to much larger markets. A small number of entomopathogenic bacteria have been commercially developed for control of insect pests. These include several Bacillus thuringiensis sub-species, Lysinibacillus (Bacillus) sphaericus, Paenibacillus spp. and Serratia entomophila. B. thuringiensis sub-species kurstaki is the most widely used for control of pest insects of crops and forests, and B. thuringiensis sub-species israelensis and L. sphaericus are the primary pathogens used for medically important pests including dipteran vectors,. These pathogens combine the advantages of chemical pesticides and microbial control agents (MCAs): they are fast acting, easy to produce at a relatively low cost, easy to formulate, have a long shelf life and allow delivery using conventional application equipment and systemics (i.e. in transgenic plants). Unlike broad spectrum chemical pesticides, B. thuringiensis toxins are selective and negative environmental impact is very limited. Of the several commercially produced MCAs, B. thuringiensis (Bt) has more than 50% of market share. Extensive research, particularly on the molecular mode of action of Bt toxins, has been conducted over the past two decades. The Bt genes used in insect-resistant transgenic crops belong to the Cry and vegetative insecticidal protein families of toxins. Bt has been highly efficacious in pest management of corn and cotton, drastically reducing the amount of broad spectrum chemical insecticides used while being safe for consumers and non-target organisms. Despite successes, the adoption of Bt crops has not been without controversy. Although there is a lack of scientific evidence regarding their detrimental effects, this controversy has created the widespread perception in some quarters that Bt crops are dangerous for the environment. In addition to discovery of more efficacious isolates and toxins, an increase in the use of Bt products and transgenes will rely on innovations in formulation, better delivery systems and ultimately, wider public acceptance of transgenic plants expressing insect-specific Bt toxins. Fungi are ubiquitous natural entomopathogens that often cause epizootics in host insects and possess many desirable traits that favor their development as MCAs. Presently, commercialized microbial pesticides based on entomopathogenic fungi largely occupy niche markets. A variety of molecular tools and technologies have recently allowed reclassification of numerous species based on phylogeny, as well as matching anamorphs (asexual forms) and teleomorphs (sexual forms) of several entomopathogenic taxa in the Phylum Ascomycota. Although these fungi have been traditionally regarded exclusively as pathogens of arthropods, recent studies have demonstrated that they occupy a great diversity of ecological niches. Entomopathogenic fungi are now known to be plant endophytes, plant disease antagonists, rhizosphere colonizers, and plant growth promoters. These newly understood attributes provide possibilities to use fungi in multiple roles. In addition to arthropod pest control, some fungal species could simultaneously suppress plant pathogens and plant parasitic nematodes as well as promote plant growth. A greater understanding of fungal ecology is needed to define their roles in nature and evaluate their limitations in biological control. More efficient mass production, formulation and delivery systems must be devised to supply an ever increasing market. More testing under field conditions is required to identify effects of biotic and abiotic factors on efficacy and persistence. Lastly, greater attention must be paid to their use within integrated pest management programs; in particular, strategies that incorporate fungi in combination with arthropod predators and parasitoids need to be defined to ensure compatibility and maximize efficacy. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) in the genera Steinernema and Heterorhabditis are potent MCAs. Substantial progress in research and application of EPNs has been made in the past decade. The number of target pests shown to be susceptible to EPNs has continued to increase. Advancements in this regard primarily have been made in soil habitats where EPNs are shielded from environmental extremes, but progress has also been made in use of nematodes in above-ground habitats owing to the development of improved protective formulations. Progress has also resulted from advancements in nematode production technology using both in vivo and in vitro systems; novel application methods such as distribution of infected host cadavers; and nematode strain improvement via enhancement and stabilization of beneficial traits. Innovative research has also yielded insights into the fundamentals of EPN biology including major advances in genomics, nematode-bacterial symbiont interactions, ecological relationships, and foraging behavior. Additional research is needed to leverage these basic findings toward direct improvements in microbial control

Selection of a vineyard for the production of high-quality wine using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)

Trabajo presentado al XIV Congreso Internacional de Ingeniería de Proyectos (AEIPRO), celebrado en Madrid (España) del 30 de junio al 2 de julio de 2010.In this paper the multicriteria decision making technique AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) is used to select a vineyard for the production of high-quality wine. The analysis was conducted with the help of an expert winemaker, who acted as the decision maker, and an AHP decision-making specialist team. The whole process includes: vineyard selection, criteria selection and analysis and criteria weighting process, ranking of the alternatives and final aggregated priorities. A sensitivity analysis of the results is also presented.Peer Reviewe

The Influence of Sleep Disorders on Neurobiological Structures and Cognitive Processes in Pediatric Population with ASD and Epilepsy: A Systematic Review

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and epilepsy are increasingly prevalent comorbidities in our society. These two disorders are often accompanied by other comorbidities, such as sleep disorders, significantly impacting the quality of life of individuals with ASD and epilepsy. To date, clinical approaches have primarily been descriptive in nature. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the relationship between ASD, epilepsy, and sleep disorders, exploring neurobiological dysfunctions and cognitive alterations. A total of 22 scientific articles were selected using a systematic literature review following the criteria established using the PRISMA model. The selected articles were gathered from major databases: Medline, PubMed, PsycINFO, Google Scholar, and Web of Science. Inclusion criteria specified that study participants had an official diagnosis of ASD, the article precisely described the evaluation parameters used in the study participants, and individual characteristics of the sleep disorders of the study participants were specified. The results indicate, firstly, that the primary cause of sleep disorders in this population is directly linked to abnormal serotonin behaviors. Secondly, significant alterations in memory, attention, and hyperactivity were observed. In conclusion, sleep disorders negatively impact the quality of life and neurocognitive development of the pediatric population with ASD and epilepsy

Fresh volcanic aerosols injected in the atmosphere during the volcano eruptive activity at the Cumbre Vieja area (La Palma, Canary Islands): Temporal evolution and vertical impact

International audienceFor the first time in fifty years, the Cumbre Vieja volcanic area (La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain) erupted on September 19, 2021, giving birth to a new volcano. Fresh volcanic aerosols were continuously injected into the troposphere at different height levels, decreasing with time until the end of December 2021 (15 weeks duration). A wide set of different instrumentation was deployed all over the Island in order to evaluate the effects of the volcanic plumes on the atmosphere and the air quality. For the first time, a long-term study of the relative mass contribution and vertical impact of the volcanic components, ash and non-ash particles separately, during the eruptive activity was carried out in this work. In particular, a polarized Micro-Pulse Lidar (P-MPL) was deployed at Tazacorte (at around 8 km west from the volcano) in 24/7 operation from October 17, 2021 until the end of the volcano activity (11 weeks) for vertical monitoring of the volcanic particles. First, a statistical study of the mass conversion factors for mass concentration estimation of the volcanic (ash and non-ash) particles was performed by using the AERONET sun/sky-photometer dataset at Fuencaliente (at around 18 km south from the volcano). A representative mass conversion factor was obtained for ash and non-ash particles: 1.89 ± 0.53 and 0.31 ± 0.06 g m−2, respectively, with no dependence on time and optical depth. Second, these factors were used to calculate the ash and non-ash mass concentrations from P-MPL observations. Ash particles dominated 11% of the time and mostly until week 3 (i.e. week 7 from the volcanic eruption). Their mass concentration decreased by one order of magnitude: the relative ash mass contribution was 73 ± 18% with a total mass loading of 566 ± 281 mg m−2 at week 1, reducing gradually down to 38 ± 32% and 120 ± 49 mg m−2, respectively, at week 11. Layer-to-layer, it decreased with increasing layer-height; no ash was detected above 4 km at the end of the volcanic period. Third, in order to analyse the potential AERONET underestimation of the coarse mass conversion factor due to the 15 μm cutoff effect in the AERONET retrieval, two worst-case-scenarios (WCS) were examined, representing aged-like ash particles (WCS1, 4-μm radius) and fresh-like (WCS2, 10-μm radius). For both scenarios, the mass concentration of the volcanic plumes exceeded the first contamination level (>200 μg m−3, as defined by the UK Meteorological Office) up to 5–6 km height mostly during week 1 and up to 1–2 km until week 9. The extreme contamination level (>2000 μg m−3, aircraft flight limitations) was only exceeded from week 1 to week 6 under WCS2 conditions. This work infers a new long-term insight on the volcanic matter injected in the atmosphere with relevance for Air Quality issues and air traffic safety policies