Determining sources of nitrate in the semi-arid Rio Grande using nitrogen and oxygen isotopes

The Rio Grande, a semi-arid river in the American Southwest, is a major source of surface water for agriculture and drinking supplies in New Mexico and Texas. In addition to increasing salinity, considerable increases of NO3- [nitrate] have been observed in the semi-arid portion of the Rio Grande. It is possible that elevated water salinity inhibits denitrification on irrigated fields and, thus, fails to mediate excess nutrient load from anthropogenic activities. Therefore, two major goals of this project were to 1) characterize and quantify major NO3- sources, and 2) assess whether elevated water salinity affects microbial denitrification. In fall 2014 and summer 2015, surface water, irrigation drains, urban runoff, and municipal waste effluents were sampled between Elephant Butte, New Mexico and Tornillo, Texas for stable isotope analysis. Highest NO3- concentrations were observed in waste effluents and nearby agricultural drains irrigated with reclaimed water. Conversely, NO3- concentrations in river and agricultural drains were significantly lower in areas farther away from urban centers. Two major NO3- sources were identified using chemical and isotope tracers: fertilizers, with low δ15N [delta fifteen nitrogen] and high δ18O [delta eighteen oxygen] (average 0.6 and 18.3‰ [permille], respectively), and waste water effluents from cities, with high δ15N and low δ18O (average 10.5 and -5.1‰, respectively). According to nitrogen and oxygen isotope mass balance constraints, waste effluent-derived NO3- contribution was the smallest in upstream locations and accounted for up to 24-47% near Las Cruces compared to fertilizer-derived NO3-. Further downstream, effluent contributions increased and accounted for up to 41-77% between Las Cruces and El Paso. The highest fertilizer-derived NO3- contributions of 90-100% were measured in the agricultural district located below El Paso where reclaimed city water is commonly used for irrigation. Elevated salinity did not appear to control microbial denitrification. In fact, the strongest isotopic evidence of microbial denitrification was observed in water samples showing elevated salinity. Results suggest urban centers are important NO3- contributors into aquatic system of the watershed and microbial processes do not appear to significantly reduce NO3- loads from anthropogenic sources

Empreendedorismo sustentável e novos modelos de negócios: Uma pesquisa de mercado na Colômbia

Purpose –The aim of this work is to approach the concept of sustainable entrepreneurship from a theoretical and a practical point of view, paying attention to new business models that are emerging around the world for social innovation. In this context, we focus the attention on the business model called one-for-one and we wonder whether the Colombian market should be a good option for developing this business model.Design/methodology/approach – To test the viability of the business model one-for-one we conducted a market research in March 2019, with a sample of students from two higher education institutions in the city of Medellin (Colombia). Findings – The results of the empirical research show the positive moral attitude of Colombian to solve social problems, but also the market immaturity because of the relative low purchase intentions found in Colombian potential consumers. Research limitations/implications– Not exempt from criticism, this work defends innovative business models standing for a business driven concept of sustainability which focusses on increasing both economic as well as social value.Practical implications – The model of donating one item to someone in need, for each item purchased, could be considered in the future a viable option for developing business models in Colombia.Social implications – Nowadays and more than never before, society requires that the actions of companies are aimed at contributing to social development and environmental sustainability, as well as economic viability. Companies oriented towards present and future sustainability in the decision making of purchase or investment will be an important source of competitive advantages in the near future.Originality/value – Although the study of sustainable entrepreneurship is still in very early stages in Latin American countries, this work shed light on the topic analyzing the business model one-for-one as a potential mean to foster a transition towards more sustainable societies.Objetivo - O objetivo deste trabalho é abordar o conceito de empreendedorismo sustentável do ponto de vista teórico e prático, atentando para novos modelos de negócios que estão surgindo em todo o mundo para a inovação social. Nesse contexto, foca-se a atenção no modelo de negócio denominado one-for-one e busca-se entender se o mercado colombiano deve ser uma boa opção para o desenvolvimento desse modelo de negócio.Metodologia - Para testar a viabilidade do modelo de negócios one-for-one, realizou-se uma pesquisa de mercado em março de 2019, com uma amostra de alunos de duas instituições de ensino superior da cidade de Medellín (Colômbia).Resultados - Os resultados da pesquisa empírica mostram a atitude moral positiva do colombiano para resolver os problemas sociais, mas também a imaturidade do mercado devido às baixas intenções de compra encontradas nos consumidores potenciais colombianos.Limitações/implicações da pesquisa - Não isento de críticas, este trabalho defende modelos de negócios inovadores que representam um conceito de sustentabilidade orientado para o negócio, que se concentra no aumento do valor econômico e social.Implicações práticas - O modelo de doar um item a um necessitado, para cada item adquirido, pode ser considerado no futuro uma opção viável para o desenvolvimento de modelos de negócios na Colômbia.Implicações sociais – Cada vez mais, a sociedade exige que as ações das empresas contribuam para o desenvolvimento social e para a sustentabilidade ambiental, bem como com a viabilidade econômica. Empresas orientadas para a sustentabilidade presente e futura na tomada de decisão de compra ou investimentos, serão importantes fontes de vantagens competitivas em um futuro próximo.Originalidade/valor - Embora o estudo do empreendedorismo sustentável ainda esteja em seus estágios iniciais nos países latino-americanos, este trabalho lança luz sobre o tema, analisando o modelo de negócios one-for-one como um meio potencial para promover uma transição para sociedades mais sustentáveis

Tuning a hybrid SA based algorithm applied to Optimal Sensor Network Design

El problema de diseño de una red de sensores en plantas de proceso (Sensor Network Design Problem, SNDP) consiste en determinar las variables de proceso que deben ser medidas, a fin de alcanzar el grado de conocimiento requerido de dicha planta. Proponemos resolver el problema SNDP en plantas de tamaño y complejidad creciente utilizando un algoritmo híbrido basado en Recocido Simulado (Hybrid Simulated Annealing, HSA) como metaheurística principal y Búsqueda Tabú con Oscilación Estratégica como metaheurística subordinada. Investigamos los ajustes de los parámetros de control para obtener el mejor desempeño del HSA. Los resultados experimentales indican que el HSA puede efectivamente encontrar una solución de buena calidad en tiempos de computo razonable. Mas a ´ un, HSA muestra buenas ´ características en la solución de SNDP en comparación con algoritmos propuestos en la literatura.Sensor network design problem (SNDP) in process plants includes the determination of which process variables should be measured to achieve a required degree of knowledge about the plant. We propose to solve the SNDP problem in plants of increasing size and complexity using a hybrid algorithm based on Simulated Annealing (HSA) as main metaheuristic and Tabu Search embedded with Strategic Oscillation (SOTS) as a subordinate metaheuristic. We studied the tuning of control parameters in order to improve the HSA performance. Experimental results indicate that a high-quality solution in reasonable computational times can be found by HSA effectively. Moreover, HSA shows good features solving SNDP compared with proposals from the literature.Fil: Hernandez, Jose Luis. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ingeniería; ArgentinaFil: Salto, Carolina. Universidad Nacional de la Pampa. Facultad de Ingeniería. Departamento de Informatica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Confluencia; ArgentinaFil: Minetti, Gabriela Fabiana. Universidad Nacional de la Pampa. Facultad de Ingeniería. Departamento de Informatica; ArgentinaFil: Carnero, Mercedes del Carmen. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ingeniería; ArgentinaFil: Bermudez, Carlos Alberto. Universidad Nacional de la Pampa. Facultad de Ingeniería. Departamento de Informatica; ArgentinaFil: Sanchez, Mabel Cristina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química; Argentin

Machine Learning Improves Risk Stratification in Myelofibrosis: An Analysis of the Spanish Registry of Myelofibrosis

Aprendizaje automático; MielofibrosisAprenentatge automàtic; MielofibrosiMachine learning; MyelofibrosisMyelofibrosis (MF) is a myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) with heterogeneous clinical course. Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation remains the only curative therapy, but its morbidity and mortality require careful candidate selection. Therefore, accurate disease risk prognostication is critical for treatment decision-making. We obtained registry data from patients diagnosed with MF in 60 Spanish institutions (N = 1386). These were randomly divided into a training set (80%) and a test set (20%). A machine learning (ML) technique (random forest) was used to model overall survival (OS) and leukemia-free survival (LFS) in the training set, and the results were validated in the test set. We derived the AIPSS-MF (Artificial Intelligence Prognostic Scoring System for Myelofibrosis) model, which was based on 8 clinical variables at diagnosis and achieved high accuracy in predicting OS (training set c-index, 0.750; test set c-index, 0.744) and LFS (training set c-index, 0.697; test set c-index, 0.703). No improvement was obtained with the inclusion of MPN driver mutations in the model. We were unable to adequately assess the potential benefit of including adverse cytogenetics or high-risk mutations due to the lack of these data in many patients. AIPSS-MF was superior to the IPSS regardless of MF subtype and age range and outperformed the MYSEC-PM in patients with secondary MF. In conclusion, we have developed a prediction model based exclusively on clinical variables that provides individualized prognostic estimates in patients with primary and secondary MF. The use of AIPSS-MF in combination with predictive models that incorporate genetic information may improve disease risk stratification

Teleagro: iot applications for the georeferencing and detection of zeal in cattle

The loss of reproductive efficiency of animals and cattle rustling have become one of the main concerns of farmers. The decrease in reproductive efficiency is mainly due to the low percentage in heat detection. Reproductive efficiency is commonly measured by the interval between births, which affects the daily milk production of the cow during its productive life and the income associated with the sale of milk from its production, conditioning the profitability of the farmers. The zeal for its part consists of the theft of bovine cattle that usually is used for its commercialization, bringing considerable losses. According to figures from the Observatory of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law of the Fundacion Colombia Ganadera, Fundagán, only during 2014 there were 164 cases of cattle rustling, resulting in the loss of 3,798 cattle throughout the country, which represents a loss for the producers of 15 billion of Colombian money. This project proposes the development of a technological platform that combines hardware, software and communications systems of the latest technology and with open standards to provide an economic and reliable solution to the Colombian and Latin American livestock industry. In Colombia, there is a history of products and prototypes that have been developed to alleviate this problem, no platforms of similar benefits have been found that are accessible to farmers in the country. In this article, the different stages developed to obtain a validated prototype with the beneficiary entity and their respective results are socialized

CULTURA Y ACTIVACIÓN FÍSICA I.

GUÍA DIDÁCTICA / PLANEACIÓN DIDÁCTICA (NMS

Evaluating Earthworms’ Potential for Remediating Soils Contaminated with Olive Mill Waste Sediments

The olive-oil industry generates large amounts of residues that, in the past, were accumulated in evaporating ponds in many Mediterranean countries. Currently, these open-air ponds pose a serious environmental hazard because of toxic chemicals that concentrate in their sediments. Bioremediation of olive mill waste (OMW) sediments has emerged as a viable option for managing this environmentally problematic residue. Here, we postulate that inoculation of an OMW-soil mixture with earthworms may be a complementary bioremediation strategy to that using native microorganisms only. A laboratory study assessed the ecotoxicity of OMW-amended soils (10%, 20%, 40% and 80% w/w) combining earthworm biomarker responses and soil enzyme activities. The doses of 40% and 80% were toxic to earthworms, as evidenced by the high mortality rate, loss of body weight and signs of oxidative stress after 30 d of soil incubation. Conversely, doses ≤ 20% w/w were compatible with earthworm activity, as indicated by the significant increase of soil enzyme activities. Total concentrations of phenolic compounds decreased by more than 70% respect to initial concentrations in 10% and 20% OMW treatments. These results suggest that OMW sediments intentionally mixed with soils in an up to 20% proportion is a workable bioremediation strategy, where earthworms can be inoculated to facilitate the OMW degradation

Cross-cultural validity of the five items Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS-5) in Peru and Mexico during the COVID-19 pandemic

The Spanish version of the 5-item Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS-5) is a brief measure of the general tendency to be attentive and aware of experiences in the present moment during daily life. The MAAS-5 has been used in different countries; however, an assessment of its cross-cultural measurement invariance (MI) has not been conducted. Therefore, the study aimed to evaluate the cross-cultural measurement invariance of the MAAS-5 in university students from two countries: Peru and Mexico. A total of 1144 university students from Peru (N = 822) and Mexico (N = 322) responded online to the Spanish version of the 5-item Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS-5). A multigroup confirmatory factor analysis was performed. Measurement invariance tests the hypothesis that the model behind a set of scores is comparable between groups. The results showed that the unidimensional structure of the MAAS-5 is the same between Peruvian and Mexican university students. Therefore, it is suggested that university students from both countries conceptualize the mindfulness in a similar way. As a result, the MAAS-5 can be used to compare differences between countries. No significant differences were observed in the MAAS-5 score between Peruvian and Mexican university students. The present study contributes to a better understanding of the psychometric properties of the MAAS-5 by presenting MI results in two Latin American countries. Implications of the findings are discussed, which will facilitate a more solid and reliable use of the MAAS-5 in future cross-cultural studies

Radon Mitigation Applications at the Laboratorio Subterraneo de Canfranc (LSC)

The Laboratorio Subterraneo de Canfranc (LSC) is the Spanish national hub for low radioactivity techniques and the associated scientific and technological applications. The concentration of the airborne radon is a major component of the radioactive budget in the neighborhood of the detectors. The LSC hosts a Radon Abatement System, which delivers a radon suppressed air with 1.1 & PLUSMN;0.2 mBq/m(3) of Rn-222. The radon content in the air is continuously monitored with an Electrostatic Radon Monitor. Measurements with the double beta decay demonstrators NEXT-NEW and CROSS and the gamma HPGe detectors show the important reduction of the radioactive background due to the purified air in the vicinity of the detectors. We also discuss the use of this facility in the LSC current program which includes NEXT-100, low background biology experiments and radiopure copper electroformation equipment placed in the radon-free clean room