Characterization of modular deposits for urban drainage networks using CFD techniques

[EN] The growing urban development of population centers in much of the world joined with the significant effects of climate change are causing an increasingly important and recurring increase of the damage caused by flooding. Much of the drainage networks of cities were designed for precipitation characteristics and return periods that have proved to be insufficient with the lapse of time. Therefore, solutions need to be addressed both to reduce runoff generated flows as to control circulating ones through the rainwater drainage networks. All these flow control rain technologies are commonly known as SUDS (Sustainable Urban Drainage), term that encompasses a multitude of solutions to control runoff although many of them require significant costs that make them practically unviable. Therefore, not only should focus on reducing runoff input to the network but also in the flow control techniques development. The idea is to design strategies to reduce flow rain peaks and maximize the capacity of existing networks. The use of detention and storm tanks for flood control is a solution increasingly used as an alternative one to control increased rainfall caused by climate change [1]. Nature and execution of storm tanks can be very diverse, from conventional way based on concrete structures to the most innovative ones in which modular structures are employed to improve the construction speed if many modular units are required at the same time that minimizing urban supply disruption is achieved. Currently, a wide range of modular structures exists on the market with both, different geometries and sizes. In this study the Aquacell brand supplied by Mexichem-PAVCO in Colombia shown in Fig. 1 has been chosen for the development of this study.S849218

A functional variant in the stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) gene promoter affects gene expression in ovine muscle

The nutritional quality of lambs may be improved with increased stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) gene expression, which increases the desaturation of stearic acid to oleic acid. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the rs412429481 (FJ513370: g.31C > A) SNP located at the SCD gene on the functionality of the gene in lambs reared under different production systems. The effect of the rs412429481 SNP on gene expression in Rasa Aragonesa male lambs slaughtered at 22–24 kg was studied in two experiments. In Experiment 1 (n = 44), the semitendinosus muscle of lambs grazing alfalfa (ALF) or fed concentrates indoors (IND) was analysed; in Experiment 2 (n = 48), the semitendinosus and longissimus thoracis muscles of lambs that received supplementation with dl-a-tocopheryl acetate for different finishing periods were used. In Experiment 1, the effect of the rs412429481 SNP on the expression of the SCD gene in the semitendinosus muscle depended on the feeding group (P < 0.001), as it had no effect in ALF lambs, but CA lambs had greater SCD expression than CC lambs under the IND conditions. Moreover, ALF lambs showed lower levels of SCD gene expression than IND lambs (P < 0.05). In Experiment 2, gene expression was affected by the rs412429481 SNP in both muscles. Animals carrying the C- allele showed a lower expression rate than animals carrying the A- allele. These different expression levels were not associated with changes in the DNA methylation pattern or by the binding of specific nuclear proteins. Finally, we confirmed these results by luciferase assays, demonstrating that the SCD promoter containing the A variant had a 23.9% higher activity than the promoter containing the C variant

Determinants and Differences in Satisfaction with the Inhaler Among Patients with Asthma or COPD

Satisfaction with the inhaler is an important determinant of treatment adherence in patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, few studies have compared these 2 groups to identify the factors associated with satisfaction with the inhaler. To assess and compare satisfaction with the inhaler in patients with asthma or COPD and to determine the variables associated with high inhaler satisfaction. A multicenter, cross-sectional study of 816 patients (406 with asthma and 410 with COPD) was conducted. Satisfaction was assessed with the Feeling of Satisfaction with Inhaler (FSI-10) questionnaire. All participants completed the Test of Adherence to Inhalers and either the Asthma Control Test (ACT) or the COPD Assessment Test (CAT). Overall, the asthma group was significantly more satisfied with the inhaler (mean [standard deviation] FSI-10 scores: 44.1 [6.5] vs 42.0 [7.7]; P <.001) and more satisfied on most (7 of 10; 70%) items. Patients with asthma were significantly more satisfied with the inhaler regardless of the adherence level or the type of nonadherence pattern. Younger age, good disease control (ACT ≥20 or CAT ≤10), previous inhaler training, and absence of unwitting nonadherence were all independently and significantly associated with high inhaler satisfaction. Age, disease control, and training in inhalation technique all play a more significant role than the specific diagnosis in explaining satisfaction with the device in patients with asthma and COPD. These findings underscore the need to provide better training and more active monitoring of the inhalation technique to improve patient satisfaction, treatment adherence, and clinical outcomes

Actas de las V Jornadas ScienCity 2022. Fomento de la Cultura Científica, Tecnológica y de Innovación en Ciudades Inteligentes

ScienCity es una actividad que viene siendo continuada desde 2018 con el objetivo de dar a conocer los conocimientos y tecnologías emergentes siendo investigados en las universidades, informar de experiencias, servicios e iniciativas puestas ya en marcha por instituciones y empresas, llegar hasta decisores políticos que podrían crear sinergias, incentivar la creación de ideas y posibilidades de desarrollo conjuntas, implicar y provocar la participación ciudadana, así como gestar una red internacional multidisciplinar de investigadores que garantice la continuación de futuras ediciones. En 2022 se recibieron un total de 48 trabajos repartidos en 25 ponencias y 24 pósteres pertenecientes a 98 autores de 14 instituciones distintas de España, Portugal, Polonia y Países Bajos.Fundación Española para la Ciencia y la Tecnología-Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades; Consejería de la Presidencia, Administración Pública e Interior de la Junta de Andalucía; Estrategia de Política de Investigación y Transferencia de la Universidad de Huelva; Cátedra de Innovación Social de Aguas de Huelva; Cátedra de la Provincia; Grupo de investigación TEP-192 de Control y Robótica; Centro de Investigación en Tecnología, Energía y Sostenibilidad (CITES

Risk profiles and one-year outcomes of patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation in India: Insights from the GARFIELD-AF Registry.

BACKGROUND: The Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF) is an ongoing prospective noninterventional registry, which is providing important information on the baseline characteristics, treatment patterns, and 1-year outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). This report describes data from Indian patients recruited in this registry. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 52,014 patients with newly diagnosed AF were enrolled globally; of these, 1388 patients were recruited from 26 sites within India (2012-2016). In India, the mean age was 65.8 years at diagnosis of NVAF. Hypertension was the most prevalent risk factor for AF, present in 68.5% of patients from India and in 76.3% of patients globally (P < 0.001). Diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD) were prevalent in 36.2% and 28.1% of patients as compared with global prevalence of 22.2% and 21.6%, respectively (P < 0.001 for both). Antiplatelet therapy was the most common antithrombotic treatment in India. With increasing stroke risk, however, patients were more likely to receive oral anticoagulant therapy [mainly vitamin K antagonist (VKA)], but average international normalized ratio (INR) was lower among Indian patients [median INR value 1.6 (interquartile range {IQR}: 1.3-2.3) versus 2.3 (IQR 1.8-2.8) (P < 0.001)]. Compared with other countries, patients from India had markedly higher rates of all-cause mortality [7.68 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval 6.32-9.35) vs 4.34 (4.16-4.53), P < 0.0001], while rates of stroke/systemic embolism and major bleeding were lower after 1 year of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Compared to previously published registries from India, the GARFIELD-AF registry describes clinical profiles and outcomes in Indian patients with AF of a different etiology. The registry data show that compared to the rest of the world, Indian AF patients are younger in age and have more diabetes and CAD. Patients with a higher stroke risk are more likely to receive anticoagulation therapy with VKA but are underdosed compared with the global average in the GARFIELD-AF. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION-URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01090362

The Effect of Tree Decline Over Soil Microclimate Largely Controls Soil Respiration Dynamics in a Mediterranean Woodland

As drought-induced tree defoliation and mortality (i.e. tree decline) in the Mediterranean is expected to worsen with ongoing climate change, it is of paramount importance to understand how, why, and when tree decline affects soil respiration (Rs). We carried out a novel study exploring the interacting effects of climatic variability (i.e. season and year) and tree decline on soil water content (SWC), soil temperature (Tsoil), and Rs temporal variability in a Mediterranean holm oak woodland. The study further explores the effects of tree decline on the main controls of Rs at the stand scale (i.e. plant variables, SWC, Tsoil, and soil physicochemical variables). We monitored Rs, Tsoil, and SWC under the canopy of 30 holm oak trees with different defoliation degrees (healthy, affected, and dead) during two years of contrasting precipitation patterns. We estimated different plant structural variables (e.g. height, canopy diameter) on those selected trees under whose canopies we also collected soil samples to analyze different soil physicochemical variables. Our study provides, up to our knowledge, the first observational (i.e. in situ) evidence that tree decline might decrease the positive response of Rs to increased precipitation and drying-rewetting cycles. It also suggests that tree decline can significantly increase SWC and decrease Rs but largely depending on the declining stage, the year, and the season. Finally, tree decline affected the relative importance of the different drivers of Rs, with both SWC and Tsoil gaining importance as trees defoliate and die. Altogether, our results point towards a negative impact of drought-induced tree decline on soil carbon (C) content and cycling, particularly under forecasted climate change scenarios with dryer and more intense precipitation regimes.This research was supported by the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) in the JAE-doc modality co-financed by the European Social Fund (ESF), the ATLANTIS (PID2020–113244GB-C21) projects funded by the Spanish Government, the Basque Government through the BERC 2022–2025 program, and the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through the BC3 María de Maeztu excellence accreditation (MDM-2017–0714). J.D. and A.R. acknowledge support from the FCT (2020.03670.CEECIND and SFRH/BDP/108913/2015, respectively), as well as from the MCTES, FSE, UE, and the CFE (UIDB/04004/2021) research unit financed by FCT/MCTES through national funds (PIDDAC). The authors are grateful to all the people who at some point helped with fieldwork, particularly David López, as well as to the editor and three reviewers. Also, special thanks to Maria José Fernández Alonso and Luis Maria Carrascal for their advice on statistics

Early growth response 1 (EGR-1) is a transcriptional regulator of mitochondrial carrier homolog 1 (MTCH 1)/presenilin 1-associated protein (PSAP)

Attempts to elucidate the cellular function of MTCH1 (mitochondrial carrier homolog 1) have not yet rendered a clear insight into the function of this outer mitochondrial membrane protein. Classical biochemical and cell biology approaches have not produced the expected outcome. In vitro experiments have indicated a likely role in the regulation of cell death by apoptosis, and its reported interaction with presenilin 1 suggests a role in the cellular pathways in which this membrane protease participates, nevertheless in vivo data are missing. In an attempt to identify cellular pathways in which this protein might participate, we have studied its promoter looking for transcriptional regulators. We have identified several putative binding sites for EGR-1 (Early growth response 1; a protein involved in growth, proliferation and differentiation), in the proximal region of the MTCH1 promoter. Chromatin immunoprecipitation showed an enrichment of these sequences in genomic DNA bound to EGR-1 and transient overexpression of EGR-1 in cultured HEK293T cells induces an increase of endogenous MTCH1 levels. We also show that MTCH1 levels increase in response to treatment of cells with doxorubicin, an apoptosis inducer through DNA damage. The endogenous levels of MTCH1 decrease when EGR-1 levels are lowered by RNA interference. Our results indicate that EGR-1 is a transcriptional regulator of MTCH1 and give some clues about the cellular processes in which MTCH1 might participate.Peer Reviewe