Characterization of wind-blown sediment transport with height in a highly mobile dune (SW Spain)

The Valdevaqueros dune is located at one of the windiest points of Europe, where the frequent occurrence of strong easterly winds has generated a highly mobile dune. Several rotating cup anemometers in vertical array and a self-designed vertical sand trap, were placed to retain the drift sands at different heights over the surface in order to determine theoretical and actual sand transport rates in the Valdevaqueros dune system. General results show that 90% of the wind-blown sand is transported within the first 20cm above the dune crest surface. Theoretical transport rates based on different empirical formulae were 0.33 to 0.78 times the in-situ sand transport rate detected, which was 2.08·10-2kgm-1s-1 under moderate wind power (mean speed ranging from 8.4 to 17.9ms-1). Analysis of different statistical grain-size parameters helped to understand sand transport distribution at different heights

Fluid Overload in Peritoneal Dialysis

The prevalence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) has increased globally to 10% due to diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and stroke. When chronic kidney disease (CKD) maintenance therapy fails, patients require renal replacement therapy (RRT) to survive, such as peritoneal dialysis (PD), hemodialysis, and renal transplantation. The most common therapy in Mexico is PD because it is a feasible, low-cost, and easy-to-perform procedure; however, fluid overload is a frequent condition in patients with this RRT modality. The usual adverse comorbidities in patients with PD are cardiovascular diseases (CVD) associated to atherosclerosis, uremia, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Fluid overload is intimately associated to hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy, heart failure, and worsening of kidney failure, leading to increased hospital admissions, higher cardiovascular mortality, and reduced life expectancy. Two main pathologies are involved in the deterioration of both heart and kidney functions, namely, cardiorenal syndrome and uremic cardiomyopathy. Along with these phenomena, patients in PD with rapid peritoneal transport have reduced ultrafiltration, increased glucose absorption, and albumin loss in the dialysate, which lead to overhydration, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and malnutrition. This review focuses on the clinical, physiological, and biochemical mechanisms involved in fluid overload of patients with CKD undergoing PD

Coste de la limpieza “cotidiana” de playas

Más de 90.000 buques mercantes al año cruzan el Estrecho de Gibraltar de los que aproximadamente un 5% son petroleros. Ello, conjuntamente con la existencia de varios puertos con refinerías y polígonos industriales petroquímicos y la práctica del bunkering para aprovisionamiento de combustible, hace a la costa gaditana un punto de riesgo para la contaminación por hidrocarburos (Carmona et al., 2009). La Demarcación de Costas de Andalucía-Atlántico (DCAA), dependiente del Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente, ha realizado en numerosas ocasiones la limpieza de su litoral debido a la polución producida por ese tipo de vertidos (Carmona et al., 2012), existiendo ya alguna bibliografía sobre cómo abordar la retirada de alquitrán y otros derivados similares de las playas (e.g. DGC 2005, CEPRECO 2006a, CEPRECO 2006b). Sin embargo, además de la fracción no volátil de los hidrocarburos, existe otro tipo de desechos, naturales y/o antrópicos, que llegan a nuestras playas y que, debido sobre todo al carácter turístico de nuestro litoral, deben ser recogidos. Por ley, esta limpieza corresponde a las autoridades locales. No obstante, debido a la escasez de su presupuesto, los municipios suelen atender prioritariamente a la limpieza de las playas más urbanas y de máxima utilización. Es por este motivo que, dentro de un espíritu de colaboración entre Administraciones, la DCAA, mediante su partida de conservación y mantenimiento, ha apoyado las tareas de los Ayuntamientos, reforzando la labor municipal en las playas más concurridas y limpiando aquellas que son menos visitadas ya sea por su lejanía del casco urbano o por su escasez de servicios. En esta ponencia se presentarán los medios humanos y materiales con los que se cuenta para esta tarea, aportando cifras de toneladas de basura retiradas y coste del trabajo, junto con una comparación superficial con los datos de otros organismos y alguna sugerencia de posibles mejoras de la productividad

Different behaviour and management of two littoral dunes in southern Spain

The north-western coast of Cadiz (Spain) presents a variety of coastal engineering and coastal management problems whose solution is not an easy task due to the complexity of the parameters involved. Two cases of dune zone management in this a rea are described in this paper. Punta Candor beach, a very popular recreational area in Rota municipality, experiences one of the highest dune erosion rates in Spain of more than 1 m/yr. In order to address this coastal degradation, the Atlantic Andalusian Coastal District has performed beach and dune restoration planning, described in this paper as an example of sustainable coastal management. The Valdevaqueros dune area also represents animportant recreational zone. However, after the Spanish Shore Act was approved in 1988, sand extraction was prohibited, and the system began to lose stability resulting in landward dune invasion. As in the previous case, an integrated study of the management alternatives is also presented for the Valdevaqueros dune area, considering all of the problems involved: dune degradation, invasion of the Punta Paloma road by the mobile dunes, excessive recreational pressure on the dune area and adjacent lagoon, parking lot resettlements, and undesirable land use in the surroundings. In particular, a cost-benefit analysis for the different alternatives was carried out regarding the road-dune interaction

Turbidity and Other Effects Resulting from Trafalgar Sandbank Dredging and Palmar Beach Nourishment

Beach-nourishment requirements on the southwestern Spanish coast have led to a significant increase in offshore dredging. Following a new research line, assessment of changes recorded in physicochemical and biological parameters due to dredging and dumping operations was performed at the Cape of Trafalgar and Palmar Beach during June and July 2008. Turbidity, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and suspended-sediment data were collected at 10 stations. At the end of the study, a three-campaign monitoring program was implemented for 1 year to assess the possible effects on biological communities and sediment properties. The relevant results, such as the average extent of the sediment plume (< 400 m) and its persistence in the environment (< 10 min), are discussed in this paper. A precise correlation between turbidity and suspended sediments and the recovery time of ecological balance were also established. Furthermore, minimal and reversible effects caused by dredging and dumping operations in this type of marine environment were identified

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London

Evolutionary routes and KRAS dosage define pancreatic cancer phenotypes.

The poor correlation of mutational landscapes with phenotypes limits our understanding of the pathogenesis and metastasis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Here we show that oncogenic dosage-variation has a critical role in PDAC biology and phenotypic diversification. We find an increase in gene dosage of mutant KRAS in human PDAC precursors, which drives both early tumorigenesis and metastasis and thus rationalizes early PDAC dissemination. To overcome the limitations posed to gene dosage studies by the stromal richness of PDAC, we have developed large cell culture resources of metastatic mouse PDAC. Integration of cell culture genomes, transcriptomes and tumour phenotypes with functional studies and human data reveals additional widespread effects of oncogenic dosage variation on cell morphology and plasticity, histopathology and clinical outcome, with the highest KrasMUTlevels underlying aggressive undifferentiated phenotypes. We also identify alternative oncogenic gains (Myc, Yap1 or Nfkb2), which collaborate with heterozygous KrasMUTin driving tumorigenesis, but have lower metastatic potential. Mechanistically, different oncogenic gains and dosages evolve along distinct evolutionary routes, licensed by defined allelic states and/or combinations of hallmark tumour suppressor alterations (Cdkn2a, Trp53, Tgfβ-pathway). Thus, evolutionary constraints and contingencies direct oncogenic dosage gain and variation along defined routes to drive the early progression of PDAC and shape its downstream biology. Our study uncovers universal principles of Ras-driven oncogenesis that have potential relevance beyond pancreatic cancer.The work was supported by the German Cancer Consortium Joint Funding Program, the Helmholtz Gemeinschaft (PCCC Consortium), the German Research Foundation (SFB1243; A13/A14) and the European Research Council (ERC CoG number 648521)

Penilaian Kinerja Keuangan Koperasi di Kabupaten Pelalawan

This paper describe development and financial performance of cooperative in District Pelalawan among 2007 - 2008. Studies on primary and secondary cooperative in 12 sub-districts. Method in this stady use performance measuring of productivity, efficiency, growth, liquidity, and solvability of cooperative. Productivity of cooperative in Pelalawan was highly but efficiency still low. Profit and income were highly, even liquidity of cooperative very high, and solvability was good

Juxtaposing BTE and ATE – on the role of the European insurance industry in funding civil litigation

One of the ways in which legal services are financed, and indeed shaped, is through private insurance arrangement. Two contrasting types of legal expenses insurance contracts (LEI) seem to dominate in Europe: before the event (BTE) and after the event (ATE) legal expenses insurance. Notwithstanding institutional differences between different legal systems, BTE and ATE insurance arrangements may be instrumental if government policy is geared towards strengthening a market-oriented system of financing access to justice for individuals and business. At the same time, emphasizing the role of a private industry as a keeper of the gates to justice raises issues of accountability and transparency, not readily reconcilable with demands of competition. Moreover, multiple actors (clients, lawyers, courts, insurers) are involved, causing behavioural dynamics which are not easily predicted or influenced. Against this background, this paper looks into BTE and ATE arrangements by analysing the particularities of BTE and ATE arrangements currently available in some European jurisdictions and by painting a picture of their respective markets and legal contexts. This allows for some reflection on the performance of BTE and ATE providers as both financiers and keepers. Two issues emerge from the analysis that are worthy of some further reflection. Firstly, there is the problematic long-term sustainability of some ATE products. Secondly, the challenges faced by policymakers that would like to nudge consumers into voluntarily taking out BTE LEI