Flight plan conflicts

The air transport traffic grows up everyday. One could think that in order to handle all this new traffic the only solution is to build new facilities but it’s a fact that today’s limited resources are not optimized, therefore the airports have less capacity than they could. The problem is not only found in the limited resources but also in the limited airspace the ATC works with and the fact that the companies try to ensure their punctuality. All in all, every part acts like an individual prioritising their own needs in a way that creates a kind of fight between them to get what they want. The thing is that the only way to have all these needs covered without building new facilities and under valid safety regulations is making a holistic planning system and sharing information between them. The project CLOU “Co-operative Local resOUrce planner” is the first prototype of Total Operation Planner. It makes a prognosis of the demand and capacity the airport will have and determines when the airport will face a bottleneck situation. Then optimises the planning to minimalise the waiting times and queues. In order to make it all a reallity, there is the need of a constant good comunication with the ATC, Airport and Airlines

Performance and security improvements in auv surveys using RF modules

6th International Workshop on Marine Technology - MARTECH 2015, 15-17 September 2015, Cartagena (Spain).-- 1 page, 1 figureAutonomous Platforms Department of Marine Technology Unit (UTM-CSIC) owns two portable AUV with water quality and imaging configurations that at the moment only have been used in littoral waters for safety reasons. To be able to operate this vehicles further off shore or out of line of sight and improve overall safety this department is developing a RF system to localize this vehicles were GPRS coverage is not availablePeer Reviewe

Effect of key design parameters on bacteria community and effluent pollutant concentrations in constructed wetlands using mathematical models

Constructed wetlands are currently recognized as an effective environmental biotechnology for wastewater treatment, but the influence of their design parameters on internal functioning and contaminant removal efficiency is still under discussion. In this work, the effect of aspect ratio and water depth on bacteria communities as well as treatment efficiency of horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands (HSSF) under the Mediterranean climate was evaluated, using a mathematical model. For this purpose, experimental results from four pilot-scale wetlands of equal surface area but different aspect ratios and water depth were used. The HSSF system was fed with municipal wastewater. The experimental data were simulated using the BIO_PORE model, developed in the COMSOL Multiphysics™ platform. Simulations with the BIO_PORE model fitted well to the experimental results, showing a higher removal efficiency for the shallower HSSF for COD (93.7% removal efficiency) and ammonia nitrogen (73.8%). The aspect ratio had a weak relationship with the bacteria distribution and the removal efficiency. In contrast, the water depth was a factor. The results of the present study confirm a previous hypothesis in which depth has an important impact on the biochemical reactions causing contaminants transformation and degradation.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Mutation analysis of HPS1, the gene mutated in Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome, in patients with isolated platelet dense-granule deficiency

Background and objectives: isolated platelet dense granule (PDG) deficiency is a heterogeneous disorder frequently found among patients with mild to moderate bleeding diatheses. However, the molecular basis of this disorder is unknown. Genes involved in other rare bleeding disorders with associated reduction in the numbers of platelet dense-granules may play a role in isolated PDG deficiency. Among such genes, HPS1 is known to play a key role in the genesis of PDG and as many as 18 different HPS1 mutations have been identified in patients with Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome. Recently, we have identified subjects with one HPS1 heterozygous mutation displaying significant reductions in PDG without the clinical phenotype of Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome. This suggested that HPS1 mutations could be involved in isolated PDG deficiency. Design and methods: we sequenced all coding exons, and flanking intron regions of HPS1 in 16 patients with mild to severe PDG deficiency, most of whom had mild bleeding episodes. Nine patients reported a familial history of bleeding diathesis with PDG deficiency. We also evaluated the prevalence of HPS1 variations in 215 controls. Transmission electron microscopy was used to evaluate the number and morphology of PDG from patients and selected controls. Results: no patient with PDG deficiency carried severe mutations of the HPS1 gene. We identified 6 previously described and 5 new polymorphisms in the HPS1 gene. Platelet electron microscopy in controls carrying these polymorphisms revealed that they did not significantly modify the number or morphology of PDG. Interpretation and conclusions: mutations affecting the HPS1 gene play a minor role in isolated PDG deficiency. These results support a molecular heterogeneity responsible for the number and morphology of PDG

Trypanosoma cruzi genome: Organization, multi-gene families, transcription, and biological implications

Chagas disease caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi affects millions of people. Although its first genome dates from 2005, its complexity hindered a complete assembly and annotation. However, the new sequencing methods have improved genome annotation of some strains elucidating the broad genetic diversity and complexity of this parasite. Here, we reviewed the genomic structure and regulation, the genetic diversity, and the analysis of the principal multi-gene families of the recent genomes for several strains. The telomeric and sub-telomeric regions are sites with high recombination events, the genome displays two different compartments, the core and the disruptive, and the genome plasticity seems to play a key role in the survival and the infection process. Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) genome is composed mainly of multi-gene families as the trans-sialidases, mucins, and mucin-associated surface proteins. Trans-sialidases are the most abundant genes in the genome and show an important role in the effectiveness of the infection and the parasite survival. Mucins and MASPs are also important glycosylated proteins of the surface of the parasite that play a major biological role in both insect and mammal-dwelling stages. Altogether, these studies confirm the complexity of T. cruzi genome revealing relevant concepts to better understand Chagas diseaseSAF2016-75988-R, PGC2018-096132-B-I00, S2017/BMD-367

Regioselective alkylation reaction of purines under microwave irradiation

The alkylation of purines which is generally carried out after anion formation by treatment with a base and alkyl halide is complicated and in the best cases, mixtures of N-alkylated compounds are obtained. Purine derivatives can be acquired from alkylation at N-7 and N-9. In this work, the reaction conditions have been optimized to obtain the alkylation products of N-9 regioselectively. Different bases have been tried and tetrabutylammonium hydroxide has led to the best results. The reaction depends on the type of base and solvent used and improves considerably when the aid of microwave irradiation is used, which also considerably reduces the reaction time by reducing the formation of secondary products

Pentafluorosulfanyl-containing Triclocarban Analogs with Potent Antimicrobial Activity

Concerns have been raised about the long-term accumulating effects of triclocarban, a polychlorinated diarylurea widely used as an antibacterial soap additive, in the environment and in human beings. Indeed, the Food and Drug Administration has recently banned it from personal care products. Herein, we report the synthesis, antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity of novel N,N'-diarylureas as triclocarban analogs, designed by reducing one or more chlorine atoms of the former and/or replacing them by the novel pentafluorosulfanyl group, a new bioisostere of the trifluoromethyl group, with growing importance in drug discovery. Interestingly, some of these pentafluorosulfanyl-bearing ureas exhibited high potency, broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacterial pathogens, and high selectivity index, while displaying a lower spontaneous mutation frequency than triclocarban. Some lines of evidence suggest a bactericidal mode of action for this family of compounds. Keywords: antibacterial; Gram-positive; N,N0-diarylureas; pentafluorosulfanyl; Staphylococcus aureus; triclocarba

Phosphotyrosine proteins in platelets from patients with storage pool disease: direct relation between granule defects and defective signal transduction

Background and objectives: storage pool diseases (SPD) are heterogeneous disorders associated with an abnormal presence of intraplatelet granules, which cause mild to moderate bleeding diathesis. We investigated signaling through tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins occurring in platelets with total or partial absence of dense- and alpha-granules in response to activation. Design and methods: we included a patient with severe delta-SPD, a patient with severe alpha-SPD or gray platelet syndrome, and six patients with partial deficiency of dense or a-granules. SPD was confirmed by electron microscopy evaluation of platelet ultrastructure. Platelet function was evaluated by bleeding time determination and conventional aggregometry. Platelet suspensions were activated with collagen and thrombin to analyze changes in tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins by electrophoresis and Western-blotting. Results: bleeding times were prolonged in all the patients included. Aggregation responses were slightly decreased in delta-SPD and normal in the rest of patients. Tyrosine phosphorylation in platelets from patients with partial forms of SPD was equivalent to that observed in control platelets, absent in response to collagen and thrombin activation in delta-SPD, and deficient only to thrombin activation in alpha-SPD. Interpretation and conclusions: tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins in activated platelets is highly dependent on the substances contained in the dense-granules and moderately dependent on those contained in the alpha-granules. A minimum amount of intraplatelet granules ensures signaling through tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins