On the monitoring of surface displacement in connection with volcano reactivation in Tenerife, Canary Islands, using space techniques

Geodetic volcano monitoring in Tenerife has mainly focused on the Las Cañadas Caldera, where a geodetic micronetwork and a levelling profile are located. A sensitivity test of this geodetic network showed that it should be extended to cover the whole island for volcano monitoring purposes. Furthermore, InSAR allowed detecting two unexpected movements that were beyond the scope of the traditional geodetic network. These two facts prompted us to design and observe a GPS network covering the whole of Tenerife that was monitored in August 2000. The results obtained were accurate to one centimetre, and confirm one of the deformations, although they were not definitive enough to confirm the second one. Furthermore, new cases of possible subsidence have been detected in areas where InSAR could not be used to measure deformation due to low coherence. A first modelling attempt has been made using a very simple model and its results seem to indicate that the deformation observed and the groundwater level variation in the island may be related. Future observations will be necessary for further validation and to study the time evolution of the displacements, carry out interpretation work using different types of data (gravity, gases, etc) and develop models that represent the island more closely. The results obtained are important because they might affect the geodetic volcano monitoring on the island, which will only be really useful if it is capable of distinguishing between displacements that might be linked to volcanic activity and those produced by other causes. One important result in this work is that a new geodetic monitoring system based on two complementary techniques, InSAR and GPS, has been set up on Tenerife island. This the first time that the whole surface of any of the volcanic Canary Islands has been covered with a single network for this purpose. This research has displayed the need for further similar studies in the Canary Islands, at least on the islands which pose a greater risk of volcanic reactivation, such as Lanzarote and La Palma, where InSAR techniques have been used already

Pituitary and ovarian hormones: is their plasma concentration affected by litter size in primiparous lactating rabbit does?

[EN] Genetic selection in commercial rabbit lines based on litter size has positively improved the number of kits suckling, presumably to weaning. Although it has been proven that the energetic balance of primiparous does is due to the need to satisfy pregnancy, lactation and growth requirements, litter size adjustment from 7 to 12 kits is applied as a routine in commercial rabbit farms. The suckling stimulus provokes a prolactin (PRL) secretion, which in turn can modulate the preovulatory release of luteinising hormone (LH) and, consequently, the ovulatory and productive responses of the does. This study aimed to determine if litter size of prolific primiparous rabbit does during lactation [Group HL, with high litter density (10-12 kits; n=21) and Group LL, with low litter density (7-9 kits; n=29)] influences plasma concentration of PRL. Blood samples from lactating does were taken weekly throughout lactation starting on day 4 post-partum, until day 32 post-partum, before and immediately after suckling. In addition, the does were re-inseminated after weaning (day 32 post-partum), and sampled at 0 and 60 min after induction of ovulation to determine whether litter size affected the peak of LH, progesterone (P4) concentrations and the main productive parameters of their second pregnancy. All hormones were determined by enzyme immunoassay. Statistical analysis of the results revealed that the PRL concentrations of hyperprolific rabbit does before and immediately after a suckling stimulus from 7-9 or 10-12 kits were significanltly different, as we only detected basal levels, with a rise after weaning in both groups. More studies are necessary, delaying blood sampling to later periods of time after the suckling stimulus, in order to conclude whether the peak release of this hormone is altered or not. There were also no differences in plasma LH and progesterone levels after artificial insemination, or in productive performance of these females after their second pregnancy. In conclusion, the litter size adjustment of prolific primiparous rabbits with 7 to 12 kits determines adequate pituitary, ovarian and reproductive responses at second parturition if the does are inseminated after weaning.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness [Project AGL2015-65572-C2-R1 and Project RTI2018-094404-B-C21].Fernández-Pacheco, C.; Millán, P.; Rodríguez, M.; Formoso-Rafferty, N.; Velasco, B.; Rebollar, PG. (2021). Pituitary and ovarian hormones: is their plasma concentration affected by litter size in primiparous lactating rabbit does?. World Rabbit Science. 29(3):161-168. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/173607OJS16116829

Australian national pavilion at the xxii milan triennial, 2019

© 2019, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile. All rights reserved. As an ecosystemic effect of climate change, the largest living being on the planet – the great Coral Reef in Australia – started to lose its color in 2016. This episode serves as a lens to look not only at the way in which the heritage of humanity is affected by global warming but also at how governments deny this using false environmental protection strategies in parallel to the continuous promotion of fossil fuels

Geodetic Study of the 2006–2010 Ground Deformation in La Palma (Canary Islands): Observational Results

La Palma is one of the youngest of the Canary Islands, and historically the most active. The recent activity and unrest in the archipelago, the moderate seismicity observed in 2017 and 2018 and the possibility of catastrophic landslides related to the Cumbre Vieja volcano have made it strongly advisable to ensure a realistic knowledge of the background surface deformation on the island. This will then allow any anomalous deformation related to potential volcanic unrest on the island to be detected by monitoring the surface deformation. We describe here the observation results obtained during the 2006–2010 period using geodetic techniques such as Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), Advanced Differential Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (A-DInSAR) and microgravimetry. These results show that, although there are no significant associated variations in gravity, there is a clear surface deformation that is spatially and temporally variable. Our results are discussed from the point of view of the unrest and its implications for the definition of an operational geodetic monitoring system for the islan

Direct identification of clinical pathogens from liquid culture media by MALDI-TOF MS analysis

Objectives: We propose using MALDI-TOF MS as a tool for identifying microorganisms directly from liquid cultures after enrichment of the clinical sample in the media, to obtain a rapid microbiological diagnosis and an adequate administration of the antibiotic therapy in a clinical setting. Methods: To evaluate this approach, a series of quality control isolates were grown in thioglycollate (TG) broth and brain heart infusion (BHI) broth and extracted under four different protocols before finally being identified by MALDI-TOF MS. After establishing the best extraction protocol, we validated the method in a total of 300 liquid cultures (150 in TG broth and 150 in BHI broth) of different types of clinical samples obtained from two tertiary Spanish hospitals. Results: The initial evaluation showed that the extraction protocol including a 5 minute sonication step yielded 100% valid identifications, with an average score value of 2.305. In the clinical validation of the procedure, 98% of the microorganisms identified from the TG broth were correctly identified relative to 97% of those identified from the BHI broth. In 24% of the samples analysed, growth by direct sowing was only successful in the liquid medium, and no growth was observed in the direct solid agar cultures. Conclusions: Use of MALDI-TOF MS plus the sonication-based extraction method enabled direct and accurate identification of microorganisms in liquid culture media in 15 minutes, in contrast to the 24 hours of subculture required for conventional identification, allowing the administration of a targeted antimicrobial therapy

Evidencias mineralógicas y geoquímicas de mezcla incompleta de magmas en la Sierra de las Cruces, Cinturón Volcánico Mexicano

Received: 19/05/2011 / Accepted: 12/04/2013.Pliocene – Pleistocene lava flows, mainly of dacitic composition, are exposed in the Sierra de las Cruces (SC) volcanic range within the Mexican Volcanic Belt (MVB). SC volcanic rocks are porphyritic, generally containing an assemblage of plagioclase + amphibole + orthopyroxene ± clinopyroxene ± quartz ± Fe-Ti oxides. Most of them exhibit diverse mineralogical and geochemical features that attest a magma mixing and mingling processes with concomitant fractional crystallization in which a small volume of hot andesite magma injects into dacitic magma. Both rock types are probably derived from partial melting of continental crust at different levels. The evidences of magma mixing and mingling include: (a) normal and sieved plagioclases in the same sample, rounded and embayed crystals, and armoured rims over the dissolved crystal surfaces; (b) subrounded, vesicular magmatic enclaves, ranging from a few millimeters to ~20 centimeters in size, with plagioclase + orthopyroxene + amphibole + quartz ± olivine ± Fe-Ti-oxides assemblage; (c) mineral chemistry evidence such as crystals with reaction rims or heterogeneous plagioclase compositions (inverse and oscillatory zoning or normally and inversely zoned crystals) in the same sample; and (d) elemental geochemical variations and trace-element ratio more akin to magma mixing and to some extent diffusion process. These andesitic enclaves could be considered as portions of the intermediate magma that did not mix completely (mingling) with the felsic host lavas, confirming the major role of magma mixing and mingling processes in the overall evolution of the MVB.En la Sierra de las Cruces (SC), Cinturón Volcánico Mexicano (CVM), se encuentran expuestos flujos de lava, principalmente de composición dacítica, del Plioceno-Pleistoceno. Las rocas volcánicas de la SC son de textura porfirítica, conteniendo plagioclasa + anfibol + ortopiroxeno ± clinopiroxeno ± cuarzo ± óxidos de Fe-Ti. La mayor parte de ellas exhiben diversas características que indican un proceso de mezcla incompleta de magmas, con una cristalización fraccionada concomitante, en la que un pequeño volumen de un magma andesítico caliente es inyectado a un magma dacítico. Es probable que ambos tipos de roca se hayan generado por fusión parcial a diferentes niveles de la corteza continental. Las evidencias de la mezcla incompleta de magmas incluyen: (a) plagioclasas con texturas normal y anubarrada en la misma muestra, cristales redondeados y corroídos, y bordes de reacción en superficies de cristal disueltas; (b) enclaves magmáticos subredondeados y vesiculares, que ocurren en dimensiones de un pocos milímetros a ~20 centímetros de diámetro, con plagioclasa + ortopiroxeno + anfíbol + cuarzo ± olivino ± óxidos de Fe-Ti; (c) química de minerales, que incluye cristales con bordes de reacción o plagioclasas de composición heterogénea (zonación inversa y oscilatoria o cristales con zonación normal e inversa) en la misma muestra; y (d) variaciones geoquímicas de elementos y relaciones de elementos traza explicables por una mezcla de magmas y por un proceso de difusión. Los enclaves andesíticos podrían considerarse como porciones de magma intermedio que no se mezcló con los líquidos dacíticos receptores, lo que confirma la importancia de los procesos de mezcla incompleta de magmas en la evolución magmática del CVM.Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo LeónDepto. de Mineralogía y PetrologíaFac. de Ciencias GeológicasTRUEpu

Experiences on altimeter calibration at Ibiza island and Cape of Begur (Spain)

Three preliminary camp aigns for TOPEX /POSEIDON (T/P) wer e made in March 1999 and July 2000 and for JASON-1 in August 2002, in the NW Mediterran ean Sea at th e Begur Cape area. Dir ect abso lute altimeter calibration , and mapping of the sea surface, w ere made in these camp aigns from dir ect overflights using GPS buoys with a toroidal design performed at the I CC based in the orig inal design of the Univ ersity of Colorado at Boulder and a estimation of the TOPEX A lt- B bias w as made. A Spanish JASON-1 geoid gradien t campaign with Fench support has been made in June 2003 at the Ibiza island in the NW Mediterr anean Sea. Th e main objectiv e has b een to map w ith a new d esign ed, builded and calibrated GPS catamar an, the lo cal geoid gradien t in three ar eas around Ibiza island under the ascending (187) and descending (248) Jason-1ground tracks. The catamaran equ ipped with two GPS antennas to perform continuous sea lev el measur ements was towed by the Patro l Dev a from th e Span ish N avy. Five GPS reference stations were dep loyed on Ibiza island: one in Portinatx, two in San Anton io and two in Ibiza. The marin e geo id has been used to relate the coastal tide gauge data from Ibiza and San An tonio h arbours to off- shore altimetric data. In th e framework of the campaign, the levelling of the Ibiza and San Anton io tide gauges to the r espective GPS mark ers w as p erformed. We present synth esis of the resu lts obtained from Topex/Poseidon and th e first r esults on Jason-1 altimeter calibration using the direct measurements from GPS buoys and the derived marin e geoid. Th e Ibiza results agree relativ ely w ell with resu lts ob tained at Corsica, Harvest and Bass Strait calibration permanen t sites. Moreov er, the geod etic activities (e.g., GPS, levelling) has p ermitted to build a very accurate (few mm) local n etwork link ed to th e European one, w ith a reference frame compatible with th e satellite altimetry missions (ITRF2000). The GPS kinematic data wer e processed using two d ifferen t sof twar es allowing to check th e consistency of the solutions. A perspective of a new Jason-1, in cluding Envisat, Ibiza campaign to be made around 2007 will be pr esen ted. These camp aigns w ere supporte by th e Span ish Ministery of Scien ce and Technology under projects of the N ational Space Program ref : ESP1997-1816-CO4- 03 and ESP2001-4534-PE.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Evidencias mineralógicas y geoquímicas de mezcla incompleta de magmas en la Sierra de las Cruces, Cinturón Volcánico Mexicano

Pliocene – Pleistocene lava flows, mainly of dacitic composition, are exposed in the Sierra de las Cruces (SC) volcanic range within the Mexican Volcanic Belt (MVB). SC volcanic rocks are porphyritic, generally containing an assemblage of plagioclase + amphibole + orthopyroxene ± clinopyroxene ± quartz ± Fe-Ti oxides. Most of them exhibit diverse mineralogical and geochemical features that attest a magma mixing and mingling processes with concomitant fractional crystallization in which a small volume of hot andesite magma injects into dacitic magma. Both rock types are probably derived from partial melting of continental crust at different levels. The evidences of magma mixing and mingling include: (a) normal and sieved plagioclases in the same sample, rounded and embayed crystals, and armoured rims over the dissolved crystal surfaces; (b) subrounded, vesicular magmatic enclaves, ranging from a few millimeters to ~20 centimeters in size, with plagioclase + orthopyroxene + amphibole + quartz ± olivine ± Fe-Ti-oxides assemblage; (c) mineral chemistry evidence such as crystals with reaction rims or heterogeneous plagioclase compositions (inverse and oscillatory zoning or normally and inversely zoned crystals) in the same sample; and (d) elemental geochemical variations and trace-element ratio more akin to magma mixing and to some extent diffusion process. These andesitic enclaves could be considered as portions of the intermediate magma that did not mix completely (mingling) with the felsic host lavas, confirming the major role of magma mixing and mingling processes in the overall evolution of the MVBEn la Sierra de las Cruces (SC), Cinturón Volcánico Mexicano (CVM), se encuentran expuestos flujos de lava, principalmente de composición dacítica, del Plioceno-Pleistoceno. Las rocas volcánicas de la SC son de textura porfirítica, conteniendo plagioclasa + anfibol + ortopiroxeno ± clinopiroxeno ± cuarzo ± óxidos de Fe-Ti. La mayor parte de ellas exhiben diversas características que indican un proceso de mezcla incompleta de magmas, con una cristalización fraccionada concomitante, en la que un pequeño volumen de un magma andesítico caliente es inyectado a un magma dacítico. Es probable que ambos tipos de roca se hayan generado por fusión parcial a diferentes niveles de la corteza continental. Las evidencias de la mezcla incompleta de magmas incluyen: (a) plagioclasas con texturas normal y anubarrada en la misma muestra, cristales redondeados y corroídos, y bordes de reacción en superficies de cristal disueltas; (b) enclaves magmáticos subredondeados y vesiculares, que ocurren en dimensiones de un pocos milímetros a ~20 centímetros de diámetro, con plagioclasa + ortopiroxeno + anfíbol + cuarzo ± olivino ± óxidos de Fe-Ti; (c) química de minerales, que incluye cristales con bordes de reacción o plagioclasas de composición heterogénea (zonación inversa y oscilatoria o cristales con zonación normal e inversa) en la misma muestra; y (d) variaciones geoquímicas de elementos y relaciones de elementos traza explicables por una mezcla de magmas y por un proceso de difusión. Los enclaves andesíticos podrían considerarse como porciones de magma intermedio que no se mezcló con los líquidos dacíticos receptores, lo que confirma la importancia de los procesos de mezcla incompleta de magmas en la evolución magmática del CV