Influencia del método de preparación de losetas de revestimiento mediante "Chorro de fuego" en características mineralógico-texturales y propiedades físicas del granito "Rosa Porriño"

The effect of an industrial process of surface treatment ("fire jet") of ornamental rock slabs upon the mineralogical and textural characteristics of an igneous rock known commercially as "Pink Porriño" (Rosa Porriño) rom Galicia (NW Spain), has been studied by optical and electron microscopy. The most important physical properties of both treated and non-treated rocks have also been determined. As a result, it may be concluded that no significant changes in the mineralogical or textural characteristics, or in the physical properties, are caused by the proper application of the process. The refrigeration of the rock is essential: without it, the properties of samples change significantly.Se ha realizado el estudio de los efectos provocados por un método industrial de preparación superficial de losetas de rocas ornamentales, denominado "chorro de fuego", sobre la mineralogía, textura y algunas propiedades físicas de una roca granítica gallega ampliamente utilizada como material de revestimiento y conocida comercialmente con el nombre de "Rosa Porriño". Para el estudio de los parámetros petrográficos se han utilizado varias técnicas microscópicas: microscopía óptica de polarización (luz transmitida) y microscopía electrónica de barrido (S.E.M.). De los resultados obtenidos se deduce que las características mineralógico-texturales y las propiedades físicas de muestras de losetas (obtenidas mediante aserrado industrial de grandes bloques con flejes metálicos), permanecen prácticamente sin cambios antes y después de la correcta aplicación del "chorro de fuego". Se comprueba, además, la importancia de la refrigeración con agua de la roca durante el tratamiento; así, al suprimirla, las muestras sufren una importante degradación en sus propiedades

Propuesta de índices texturales para la cuantificación de la distribución de las fases en el clinker de cemento Portland

Some textural parameters to quantify the distribution of the Portland cement clínker phases are proposed. These parameters are evaluated under reflected-light microscopy and allow the characterization of Clinker homogeneity. Their application to an industrial cement clinker is presented.Se proponen unos parámetros texturales para la cuantificación de la distribución de las fases en el clínker de cemento Portland. Estos parámetros, que se determinan mediante microscopía óptica por luz reflejada, permiten la caracterización de la homogeneidad del clínker. Se presenta un ejemplo de su aplicación a un clínker industrial de cemento Portland

Aplicación de la microscopía óptica de fluorescencia al estudio textural del clínker de cemento portland

The application of fluorescence light microscopy in the textural study of Portland cement clinker, specially its porosity, is presented. Principles and types of the technique are commented and the suggested sample preparation method is described. The use of fluorescence microscopy allows an easier study of the clinker porosity, and very proper images for automated quantification can be obtained. Besides, the samples can also be observed by reflected-light polarizing microscopy.Se presenta la utilidad de la microscopía óptica de fluorescencia para el estudio textural del clínker de cemento Portland, especialmente su porosidad. Se comentan los fundamentos y modalidades de la técnica, y se describe el método recomendado de preparación de muestras. La utilización de la microscopía de fluorescencia permite un estudio más fácil de la porosidad, obteniéndose imágenes muy apropiadas para su cuantificación mediante técnicas automatizadas. Además, las muestras para fluorescencia pueden ser estudiadas complementariamente por microscopía óptica de polarización por luz reflejada

Características tecnológicas de las rocas ornamentales de Asturias

Las ocho explotaciones de rocas omamentales existentes en Asturias a comienzos de 2000 aprovechaban dos formaciones geológicas paleozoicas (Amao y Alba) y una mesozoica (Lastres). En las dos primeras se extraian calizas, mientras que en la tercera se explotaban areniscas.Aqui se presentan las caracteristicas petrograficas (textura, mineralogia, etc.) y fisico-mecánicas (densidad, porosidad, absorción de agua, heladicidad, resistencias a la cnstalizaci6n de sales,al choque, al desgaste, a la compresion uniaxial y a la flexión) de dichos niateriales, con el fin de darlas a conocer en el sector de la Piedra Natural (no aparecen en los catálogos de rocas ornamentales españolas) y facilitar información respecto a su utilización más idónea. En base a los resultados obtenidos, las calizas, como roca ornamental, podrian ser utilizadas para cualquier fin, mientras que las areniscas podrian presentar, a largo plazo, algunas limitaciones en ambientes marinos y/o contaminados.At the beginning of 2000, eight ornamental stone quarries in Asturias extracted rocks from two paleozoic formations (Amao and Alba) and a mesozoic one (Lastres). Limestones were exploited iii ihe two tirst formations, whereiis sdndstoties wem extracted from the third one. The petrographical (texrure, mineralogy, etc.) and physico-mechanical characteristics (volumetric weight, porosity, water absorptioii, frcczing and sal1 crystallization resisrance, elastic modulus, friction wear resistance, and impact, uniaxial compression and flexure strengths) of these materials are hcre presentcd, to introduce thcm to the Natural Stone sector (these rocks do not appear in the spanish ornamental stone catalogues) and to give infomation about their more suitable uses. Accvrding to the obtained results, limestones, as ornamental stone, could be used for any purpose, while sandstones could have, after long time, some probleins in marine andior contaminated environments

Neurosurgical emergency management during the lockdown period in health care regions in Spain with different COVID-19 impact: lessons learned to improve outcomes on the future waves

Background COVID-19 has overloaded health care systems, testing the capacity and response in every European region. Concerns were raised regarding the impact of resources’ reorganization on certain emergency pathology management. The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of the outbreak (in terms of reduction of neurosurgical emergencies) during lockdown in different regions of Spain. Methods We analyzed the impact of the outbreak in four different affected regions by descriptive statistics and univariate comparison with same period of two previous years. These regions differed in their incidence level (high/low) and in the time of excess mortality with respect to lockdown declaration. That allowed us to analyze their influence on the characteristics of neurosurgical emergencies registered for every region. Results 1185 patients from 18 neurosurgical centers were included. Neurosurgical emergencies that underwent surgery dropped 24.41% and 28.15% in 2020 when compared with 2019 and 2018, respectively. A higher reduction was reported for the most affected regions by COVID-19. Non-traumatic spine experienced the most significant decrease in number of cases. Life-threatening conditions did not suffer a reduction in any health care region. Conclusions COVID-19 affected dramatically the neurosurgical emergency management. The most significant reduction in neurosurgical emergencies occurred on those regions that were hit unexpectedly by the pandemic, as resources were focused on fighting the virus. As a consequence, life-threating and non-life-threatening conditions’ mortality raised. Results in regions who had time to prepare for the hit were congruent with an organized and sensible neurosurgical decision-making.Peer reviewe

Applied diagnostics in liver cancer. Efficient combinations of sorafenib with targeted inhibitors blocking AKT/mTOR

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. There is increasing interest in developing specific markers to serve as predictors of response to sorafenib and to guide targeted therapy. Using a sequencing platform designed to study somatic mutations in a selection of 112 genes (HepatoExome), we aimed to characterize lesions from HCC patients and cell lines, and to use the data to study the biological and mechanistic effects of case-specific targeted therapies used alone or in combination with sorafenib. We characterized 331 HCC cases in silico and 32 paired samples obtained prospectively from primary tumors of HCC patients. Each case was analyzed in a time compatible with the requirements of the clinic (within 15 days). In 53% of the discovery cohort cases, we detected unique mutational signatures, with up to 34% of them carrying mutated genes with the potential to guide therapy. In a panel of HCC cell lines, each characterized by a specific mutational signature, sorafenib elicited heterogeneous mechanistic and biological responses, whereas targeted therapy provoked the robust inhibition of cell proliferation and DNA synthesis along with the blockage of AKT/mTOR signaling. The combination of sorafenib with targeted therapies exhibited synergistic anti-HCC biological activity concomitantly with highly effective inhibition of MAPK and AKT/mTOR signaling. Thus, somatic mutations may lead to identify case-specific mechanisms of disease in HCC lesions arising from multiple etiologies. Moreover, targeted therapies guided by molecular characterization, used alone or in combination with sorafenib, can effectively block important HCC disease mechanisms.FUNDING: Grants from ISCIII, co-financed by the European Union (FEDER) (PI16/00156), Ramón and Cajal research program from MINECO (RYC-2013-14097) and FUNDACIÓN LUCHAMOS POR LA VIDA to JPV. Grants from ISCIII (RD06/0020/0107-RD012/0036/0060) to MAP. Grant from ISCIII (Ref. PIE15/00079) to JC & JPV. NGD is a recipient of a UC-IDIVAL pre-doctoral fellow. I.V. was also supported by the Ramón and Cajal research program

Doñana. Acta vertebrata. vol 17 (2)

Tres ejemplos de aplicación de métodos indirectos para la estimación de parametros poblacionales en cérvidoAlimentación de la garza real (Ardea cinerea) en la cuenca del Duero (España) durante el periodo reproductoDistribución y tamaño de colonias de buitre leonado (Gyps fulvus) en el alto Ebro y zona Cantábrica próximaDistribución y hábitat del visón americano (Mustela vison Schreber) en el sistema CentraRégimen alimentario del erizo (Erinaceus europaeus L.) durante verano y otoño en setos de la provincia de León (NO de España)Señales sociales de la espátula (Platalea leucorodia) durante el periodo reproductivoVariación del peso corporal en Arvicola terrestris (Rodentia, Arvicolidae) del nordeste ibéricoSobre el dimorfismo sexual en el cráneo del gato montés Felix silvestris Schreber, 1777 del sudoeste ibéricoUn nuevo núcleo poblacional de Apodemus flavicollis (Melchior, 1834) en la Península Ibérica.Selección de la lechuza común (Tyto alba) sobre el topillo común (Microtus duodecimcostatus)Importancia de la vegetación emergente en el comportamiento alimenticio de la fochaObservaciones sobre el papel del lagarto ocelado (Lacerta lepida Daudin), el erizo (Erinaceus europaeus L.) y el tejón (Meles meles L.) en la dispersión de semillasComentarios sobre los estimadores empleados en el método de la batida.El uso de la batida como método de censo: una replicaPeer reviewe

Erratum: Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 84 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks for 195 countries and territories, 1990–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017

Interpretation: By quantifying levels and trends in exposures to risk factors and the resulting disease burden, this assessment offers insight into where past policy and programme efforts might have been successful and highlights current priorities for public health action. Decreases in behavioural, environmental, and occupational risks have largely offset the effects of population growth and ageing, in relation to trends in absolute burden. Conversely, the combination of increasing metabolic risks and population ageing will probably continue to drive the increasing trends in non-communicable diseases at the global level, which presents both a public health challenge and opportunity. We see considerable spatiotemporal heterogeneity in levels of risk exposure and risk-attributable burden. Although levels of development underlie some of this heterogeneity, O/E ratios show risks for which countries are overperforming or underperforming relative to their level of development. As such, these ratios provide a benchmarking tool to help to focus local decision making. Our findings reinforce the importance of both risk exposure monitoring and epidemiological research to assess causal connections between risks and health outcomes, and they highlight the usefulness of the GBD study in synthesising data to draw comprehensive and robust conclusions that help to inform good policy and strategic health planning

Global, regional, and national age-sex-specific mortality and life expectancy, 1950–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017

© 2018 The Author(s). Background: Assessments of age-specifc mortality and life expectancy have been done by the UN Population Division, Department of Economics and Social Afairs (UNPOP), the United States Census Bureau, WHO, and as part of previous iterations of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD). Previous iterations of the GBD used population estimates from UNPOP, which were not derived in a way that was internally consistent with the estimates of the numbers of deaths in the GBD. The present iteration of the GBD, GBD 2017, improves on previous assessments and provides timely estimates of the mortality experience of populations globally. Methods: The GBD uses all available data to produce estimates of mortality rates between 1950 and 2017 for 23 age groups, both sexes, and 918 locations, including 195 countries and territories and subnational locations for 16 countries. Data used include vital registration systems, sample registration systems, household surveys (complete birth histories, summary birth histories, sibling histories), censuses (summary birth histories, household deaths), and Demographic Surveillance Sites. In total, this analysis used 8259 data sources. Estimates of the probability of death between birth and the age of 5 years and between ages 15 and 60 years are generated and then input into a model life table system to produce complete life tables for all locations and years. Fatal discontinuities and mortality due to HIV/AIDS are analysed separately and then incorporated into the estimation. We analyse the relationship between age-specifc mortality and development status using the Socio-demographic Index, a composite measure based on fertility under the age of 25 years, education, and income. There are four main methodological improvements in GBD 2017 compared with GBD 2016: 622 additional data sources have been incorporated; new estimates of population, generated by the GBD study, are used; statistical methods used in diferent components of the analysis have been further standardised and improved; and the analysis has been extended backwards in time by two decades to start in 1950. Findings: Globally, 18·7% (95% uncertainty interval 18·4-19·0) of deaths were registered in 1950 and that proportion has been steadily increasing since, with 58·8% (58·2-59·3) of all deaths being registered in 2015. At the global level, between 1950 and 2017, life expectancy increased from 48·1 years (46·5-49·6) to 70·5 years (70·1-70·8) for men and from 52·9 years (51·7-54·0) to 75·6 years (75·3-75·9) for women. Despite this overall progress, there remains substantial variation in life expectancy at birth in 2017, which ranges from 49·1 years (46·5-51·7) for men in the Central African Republic to 87·6 years (86·9-88·1) among women in Singapore. The greatest progress across age groups was for children younger than 5 years; under-5 mortality dropped from 216·0 deaths (196·3-238·1) per 1000 livebirths in 1950 to 38·9 deaths (35·6-42·83) per 1000 livebirths in 2017, with huge reductions across countries. Nevertheless, there were still 5·4 million (5·2-5·6) deaths among children younger than 5 years in the world in 2017. Progress has been less pronounced and more variable for adults, especially for adult males, who had stagnant or increasing mortality rates in several countries. The gap between male and female life expectancy between 1950 and 2017, while relatively stable at the global level, shows distinctive patterns across super-regions and has consistently been the largest in central Europe, eastern Europe, and central Asia, and smallest in south Asia. Performance was also variable across countries and time in observed mortality rates compared with those expected on the basis of development. Interpretation: This analysis of age-sex-specifc mortality shows that there are remarkably complex patterns in population mortality across countries. The fndings of this study highlight global successes, such as the large decline in under-5 mortality, which refects signifcant local, national, and global commitment and investment over several decades. However, they also bring attention to mortality patterns that are a cause for concern, particularly among adult men and, to a lesser extent, women, whose mortality rates have stagnated in many countries over the time period of this study, and in some cases are increasing