Análisis comparativo de la estimación de la erosión hídrica con la metodología USLE y las técnicas RS SIG. Aplicación al entorno del tramo medio de la cuenca del río Jarama (Guadalajara)

La erosión hídrica en España es un problema grave, por las consecuencias que comporta en términos de pérdida del recurso suelo, sobre el que se sustenta la vida. Desde la década de los años ochenta del pasado siglo, la Administración Central ha realizado dos inventarios de erosión del suelo a nivel nacional: Los Mapas de Estados Erosivos (MEEs) y el Inventario Nacional de Erosión del Suelo (INES). En la presente Tesis Doctoral se han abordado las siguientes cuestiones: - Se ha profundizado en el análisis y aplicación de nuevas herramientas en la estimación del factor topográfico y del factor vegetación, que intervienen en los modelos de cálculo de las pérdidas de suelo, para mejorar la precisión en los resultados de la estimación de las tasas de erosión con los mismos. - Se ha establecido un procedimiento que permita realizar un inventario continuo de los Estados Erosivos de España, fijando como premisa el tiempo para su actualización. La Tesis desarrolla un procedimiento que permite comprobar que, la precisión utilizada en la cartografía base para determinar el factor vegetación y el factor topográfico del modelo USLE, influye en los resultados de la estimación de las tasas de erosión. También se ha realizado un estudio multi-temporal, analizado cuatro períodos: desde 1982 a 2014, con el fin de investigar las posibilidades de implementar un inventario continuo de los Estados Erosivos a nivel nacional; utilizando sensores remotos y técnicas de teledetección como herramienta para la actualización de los usos del suelo, factor determinante para estudiar la evolución de las tasas de erosión a lo largo del tiempo. Los resultados obtenidos de las investigaciones mencionadas, se han aplicado al tramo medio de la cuenca del río Jarama en la provincia de Guadalajara y han permitido comprobar que, la precisión de los datos utilizados en la aplicación del modelo USLE, influyen de una forma determinante en la estimación de las tasas de erosión y, además, hacen posible que la metodología, propuesta en esta Tesis, contribuya a establecer un inventario continuo de la evolución de los Estados Erosivos en un espacio multitemporal y a nivel de escenarios que abarcan una gran superficie. Gracias a este inventario se ha podido aportar información de la evolución de la cubierta vegetal y las pérdidas de suelo en la zona de estudio en el período analizado 1984-2015. ABSTRACT Water erosion in Spain is a serious problem and the consequences in terms of loss of soil resources on which life is based. Since the early eighties of last century, the central government has made two inventories of soil erosion nationwide: Maps of Erosive States (MEES) and the National Inventory of Soil Erosion (INES). In this Doctoral Thesis we have addressed the following issues: - It has deepened in the analysis and implementation of new tools in estimating the topographic factor and vegetation factor involved in the calculation models of soil loss, to improve accuracy in the results of the estimation of rates erosion therewith. - It has established a procedure allowing a continuous inventory of Erosion States of Spain, setting premised time for update. The thesis develops a method that allows to check that the precision used in the base map to determine the vegetation factor and topographical factor USLE model, influences the results of estimating erosion rates. There has also develop a multi-temporal study analyzed four periods: from 1982-2014, in order to investigate the possibilities of implementing a continuous inventory of erosion states at national level; using remote sensing techniques as a tool for updating land use, determining to study the evolution of erosion rates along the time factor. The results of the investigations referred to, have been applied to area around the middle reach of the Jarama river basin in the province of Guadalajara and would have shown that the accuracy of the data used in the model application USLE influence of decisive way estimating erosion rates and also make it possible that the methodology proposed in this thesis, help establish a continuous inventory of the evolution of erosive states in a multi-temporal space and level scenarios covering a large area. Thanks to this inventory was it able to provide information on the evolution of the vegetation cover and soil loss in the study area in the analyzed period 1984-2015

Artificial Intelligence for a Fair, Just, and Equitable World

From the 1970s onward, we started to dream of the leisure society in which, thanks to technological progress and consequent increase in productivity, working hours would be minimized and we would all live in abundance. We all could devote our time almost exclusively to personal relationships, contact with nature, sciences, the arts, playful activities, and so on. Today, this utopia seems more unattainable than it did then. Since the 21st century, we have seen inequalities increasingly accentuated: of the increase in wealth in the United States between 2006 and 2018, adjusted for inflation and population growth, more than 87% went to the richest 10% of the population, and the poorest 50% lost wealth [1] . Following the crisis of 2008, social inequalities, rights violations, planetary degradation, and the climate emergency worsened and increased (see [2] ). In 2019, the world's 2153 billionaires had more wealth than 4.6 billion people [3] . The World Bank estimates that COVID-19 will push up to 150 million people into extreme poverty [4]

Variations of neuronal nitric oxide synthase after hypophysectomy suggest a neuroprotective effect of nitric oxide in response to damage of the neurons of the hypothalamic supraoptic nucleus in the rat

[EN]The hypothalamic-neurohypophyseal system offers an ideal model to study the processes of nerve degeneration/regeneration after lesions caused by cutting the hypophyseal stalk, or hypophysectomy. Additionally, the magnocellular neurons comprising it contain nitric oxide, and its enzyme, neural nitric oxide synthase, shows important variations in functional alterations of the hypothalamic-neurohypophyseal system. Currently, there is still some controversy as regards whether nitric oxide exerts neurodegenerative or neuroprotective effects in the nervous system. Here we performed a quantitative and qualitative study of the variations in the neuronal activity of nitric oxide synthase, using immunohistochemistry, and of its mRNA, by in situ hybridization, in the magnocellular neurons of the supraoptic nucleus of the hypothalamus of hypophysectomised rats with survival periods of 10-30 days. Our morphological and morphometric results and those pertaining to neuronal quantification and optical density point to a neuroprotective effect of nitric oxide on magnocellular neurons during the regenerative process of the supraoptic nucleus that occurs after hypophysectom

Variations of nNOS and its mRNA in the neurons of the hypothalamic supraoptic nucleus in response to stress by immobilization

[EN]Using rats subjected to immobilization stress, the aim of the present study was to investigate the expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase and of its mRNA in the magnocellular neurons of the supraoptic nucleus of the hypothalamus, which does not have parvocellular neurons or direct neurohaemal connections with the anterior lobe of the hypophysis. nNOS expression was studied with immunohistochemistry using sheep antinNOS serum, and the intraneural detection of nNOS mRNA was accomplished using a nonisotopic in situ hybridization technique, employing a specific biotinylated probe. The acute stress elicited by restraint induced an increase in the overall size of the supraoptic nucleus, together with an increase in the number of magnocellular neurons expressing nNOS immunoreaction. The optical densitometry values of the nNOS immunoreaction, the nuclear areas of the immunoreactive neurons, and the density of neurons showing nNOS mRNA hybrids were higher in the supraoptic nucleus of the stress-treated animals than in the controls, suggesting that nitric oxide of nNOS origin plays an active role in the magnocellular neurons of the hypophyseal-hypothalamic system and the involvement of this system in the stress axis

Computerized model for the integration of data associated with the human brain

[EN]Our current work aims at compiling a computerized procedure that will allow different data sets to be integrated via the generation of a brain mapping system using the Linux operative system. This will provide a digitized model of the brain based on serial sections of the organ. The sections will be voxelized, thus obtaining spatial control of the images processed. The system will per mit the linking of specific brain areas to associated data bases, creating true spatial thematic maps. Our development includes the use of physical and logical computer elements that will allow th e co llectio n, management, an alysis, modulation, representation and output of data to brain territories

Determinación de la edad pulmonar en trabajadores de Mallorca mediante el espirómetro LUNGLIFE® y su relación con parámetros socio demográficos, higiénicos y clínicos

Introducción: Tradicionalmente se ha utilizado la espirometría como herramienta para valorar la función pulmonar. En este trabajo se presenta una nueva herramienta denominada edad pulmonar que podría ser un buen instrumento para lograr el mismo objetivo. Personas y método: Se realiza un estudio transversal en 811 trabajadores valorando la influencia de determinadas variables socio demográficas (edad, sexo), higiénicas (ejercicio físico, consumo de tabaco, tabaquismo pasivo) y clínicas (antecedentes de enfermedad pulmonar, IMC, grasa corporal y perímetro de cintura) en los valores de edad pulmonar. También se valora la relación entre los parámetros de función pulmonar (FEV1, FVC y FEV1/FVC) y la edad pulmonar. Resultados: Aisladamente todas las variables salvo la edad muestran diferencias estadísticamente significativas e igual ocurre con los parámetros de función pulmonar. En el análisis multivariante vemos que las variables que realmente influyen en la edad pulmonar son nivel de consumo, ejercicio físico, antecedentes de enfermedad pulmonar, tabaquismo pasivo y perímetro de cintura. Entre todos ellos explica el 26,4% del valor de la edad pulmonar (el 16,4% se debe al nivel de consumo). Conclusiones: Creemos que la inclusión de la determinación de la edad pulmonar, un instrumento rápido, sencillo y económico, podría convertirse en un instrumento de prevención y diagnóstico precoz de problemas respiratorios que vendría a reforzar una de las actividades más importantes de los profesionales de Salud Laboral como es la promoción de la salud en los lugares de trabajo.Introduction: Traditionally, spirometry has been used as a tool to assess lung function. This paper presents a new tool called “lung age” could be a good tool to achieve the same goal. Materials and methods:We performed a cross-sectional study in 811 workers by assessing the influence of specific demographics (age, sex), hygienic (physical exercise, consumption of snuff, passive smoking) and clinical (history of pulmonary disease, BMI, body fat and waist circumference) in the values of “lung age”. It also values the relationship between pulmonary function parameters (FEV1, FVC and FEV1/FVC) and “lung age”. Results: Individually all the variables except age show differences statistically significant and the same happens with the lung function parameters. In multivariate analysis we see that the variables that actually influence the lung age is level of consumption, physical exercise, history of lung disease, passive smoking and waist circumference. Between them they explained 26.4% of the value of "lung age" (16.4% is due to the level of consumption). Conclusion: We believe the inclusion of "lung age" determination, for its speed, simplicity and economy, could become an instrument of prevention and early diagnosis of respiratory problems that would reinforce one of the most important activities of occupational health professionals such as the workplace health promotion

Immunocytochemical evidence for growth hormone-releasing hormone in the tanycytes of the median eminence of the rat

[EN]The current study was performed to analyse the potential existence and structure of a GHRH-transporting tuberoinfundibular system in the rat median eminence. The immunocytochemical analysis using anti-GHRH revealed an intense immunoreaction in the ependimary cells, tanycytes, at the level of the floor of the infundibular recess forming part of the median eminence. The basal processes of these cells course towards the external layer of the median eminence and reach the growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) fibres of the tuberoinfundibular tract and this reaction was increased after intraventricular treatment with colchicine. Thus, these observations suggest the existence of a second or alternative cerebrospinal fluid-mediated route of GHRH transport to the median eminence and implicate the involvement of tanycytes in the regulation of this novel transport system

Characterization of GFAP expression and cell proliferation in the rat median eminence following hypophysectomy

[EN]To analyze whether the reorganization of the rat median eminence after hypophysectomy might be related to changes in glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)- and cellular proliferation, the distribution of cells immunoreactive for GFAP and the proliferation rate of such cells were analyzed at 20, 40 and 60 days posthypophysectomy. For this study, four rostro-caudal regions of the median eminence were differentiated: the retrochiasmatic, preinfundibular, infundibular and postinfundibular regions. In each of these regions, three layers were studied: the ependymal, the internal and the external. At 20 and 40 days after hypophysectomy, significant increases in cellular proliferation affecting all three layers studied in the preinfundibular and infundibular regions were found. At the same time points, increases in GFAP expression were also observed. However, after 60 days, GFAP and proliferative cellular nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression decreased. Although variations of PCNA and GFAP levels were evident, no colocalisation of PCNA and GFAP was found in the cells of the median eminence in untreated or hypophysectomized rats when sections were analyzed by double immunohistochemical staining. Our results suggest that reorganization of median eminence involves alterations (or modulation) of GFAPimmunoreactive cells together with a proliferation of cells that are not GFAP-immunoreactive. This study also demonstrates that this reorganization is completed within the first two months after hypophysectomy

Morphological and morphometric assessment of the encephalic ventricles using different neuroimaging techniques

[ES]An exhaustive analysis of the morphology and morphometry of the encephalic ventricles has been carried out using an array of diagnostic imaging techniques; namely, ultrasound, computerised tomography, magnetic resonance and its three-dimensional variant. The study was conducted on a total of 822 patients ranging in age from birth to 89 years old. The incorporation of these techniques into the field of Human Anatomy has permitted researchers to gain a different and updated view of the anatomical structures present in living human beings. Thus, using ultrasound the ventricular system was identified in the form of sonolucent or anechoic areas. With computerised tomography, the ventricles appeared as hypodense images within the adjacent cerebral parenchyma. With magnetic resonance, and three-dimensional reconstruction, the ventricular morphology was visualised on the three spatial planes. Visualisation of the ventricular cavities by MR varied depending on whether they were enhanced in T1 or T2, or in proton density. From the morphometric point of view, the cerebral ventricles exhibited variations in size that were directly related to the age of the patient; thus, age is a determinant factor in ventricular size. However, note should be taken of the low morphometric variability seen in IVv with respect to age. Regarding the other cerebral ventricles, size did depend on age

Variations in the cellular proliferation of prolactin cells from late pregnancy to lactation in rats

[EN]Lactation is a physiological process associated with hyperactivity of hypophyseal prolactin-producing cells. It is known that the percentage of these cells is increased during lactation, although there are discrepancies in the reports regarding the mechanisms responsible for increasing the number of prolactin cells. In order to analyse whether this increase is a result of previous proliferation, variations in the proliferation rate of prolactinpositive cells were determined from late pregnancy to lactation in adult female rats by means of observation of the immunohistochemical expression of PCNA as a marker of cellular proliferation. During late pregnancy, a very significant increase in the percentage of proliferating prolactin cells was observed in comparison to non-pregnant females in the proestrus phase (p < 0.01). Although the percentage of prolactin-positive cells after one week of lactation was higher than in non-lactating or in pregnant females (p < 0.01), the proliferation rate was lower than in the other groups studied. In sum, our results suggest that late pregnancy constitutes a preliminary proliferative phase preparatory to the ensuing lactation phase and that endocrine changes in late pregnancy involve the cellular proliferation of hypophyseal prolactin cells in order to prepare the gland for later demands and to prevent proliferative changes from occurring during lactation