Reactive nitrogen in the Spanish agri-food sector: environmental impact on atmosphere, soils, water and resources.

The presence of reactive species of nitrogen (N) in the biosphere might cause environmental impacts at local, regional and global scales. Nowadays the N flows generated by human activities greatly exceed natural processes, thus a necessity exists of identifying and quantifying the current state of environmental N loads. The aim of this work is to quantify the amount of reactive N used in the Spanish agri-food sector, assessing the related potential environmental impacts and potential uses of resources. Data from a previously calculated N flow analysis in the Spanish agricultural and food production system for the 1996-2000 time period were used. Total anthropogenic N inputs to the systems were calculated. Input and output flows were considered in each economic compartment in order to calculate use efficiency (ratio of useful outputs to total inputs), eco-efficiency (ratio of useful outputs to outputs to the environment) and recycling rate (ratio of flow recycled to an earlier life-cycle compartment divided by total outputs). Environmental impacts were assessed by quantifying the N balance between the economic and the environmental subsystems: water, atmosphere, ecosystems soils and other soils. In this case agricultural soils were also considered an environmental compartment, since they are an important intermediate path to the environment. The impact on resources was evaluated considering the net N imports into the system and legume fixing crops, pastures and forages versus feed and fertilizers within the system. Anthropogenic N inputs are relatively high in Spain, which is a net importer of nitrogen, mainly in fertilizers and food and feed commodities. Environmental compartments receive relative high amounts of reactive nitrogen, especially soils. Furthermore, there was a relative low use of domestic resources, with a low proportion of N recycled within the system

Detection of irrigation inhomogeneities in an olive grove using the NDRE vegetation index obtained from UAV images

We have developed a simple photogrammetric method to identify heterogeneous areas of irrigated olive groves and vineyard crops using a commercial multispectral camera mounted on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). By comparing NDVI, GNDVI, SAVI, and NDRE vegetation indices, we find that the latter shows irrigation irregularities in an olive grove not discernible with the other indices. This may render the NDRE as particularly useful to identify growth inhomogeneities in crops. Given the fact that few satellite detectors are sensible in the red-edge (RE) band and none with the spatial resolution offered by UAVs, this finding has the potential of turning UAVs into a local farmer’s favourite aid tool.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Developing an accessible video player

Online Channels in financial institutions allows customers with disabilities to access services in a convenient way for them. However, one of the current challenges of this sector is to improve web accessibility and to incorporate technological resources to provide access to multimedia and video content, which has become a new form of internet communication. The present work shows in detail the strategy followed when designing and developing the new video player used by Bankinter for these purposes.Peer Reviewe

Begging and ectoparasite attraction

Honesty of offspring begging behaviours is the keystone to understanding the evolution of parent eoffspring communication. Three main begging costs have been traditionally advocated that ensure the reliability of offspring signalling: energy expenditure, loss of inclusive fitness and attraction of predators. Here, we propose that ectoparasites may eavesdrop on begging signals, especially acoustic signals, for host detection, a never considered but potentially generalized cost of begging that will constrain the evolution of exaggerated begging displays. Ectoparasitic insects possess a diversity of auditory systems for intraspecific communication that may be used to detect begging calls of host offspring. The use of auditory cues for host detection offers some advantages to ectoparasites, particularly in environments in which long-distance detection of hosts is necessary. There are well-known examples of interspecific eavesdropping on host auditory signals by parasites that include parasitoid flies attracted to calling crickets and cicadas, and frog-biting midges and mosquitoes attracted to frog calls. Eavesdropping on begging signals may have evolved in those parasites searching for hosts that display begging behaviours, which include not only birds but also mammals and some reptiles and insects with parental care of juveniles. Considering begging costs due to detection by ectoparasites may help us understand the reliability, and therefore the evolution, of signals of need and parenteoffspring communication.We were supported by Spanish MINECO/FEDER (CGL2013-48193-C3-1-P), and partially by Ram on y Cajal programme (Spain) and by Secretaría de Educaci on Superior, Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovaci on del Ecuador (SENESCYT) through a Prometeo research grant.Peer reviewe

Decoding colouration of begging traits by the experimental addition of the appetite enhancer cyproheptadine hydrochloride in magpie (Pica pica) nestlings

Data available from the Dryad Digital Repository: (Martín-Gálvez and Soler 2016)The colouration of some traits in nestlings of altricial birds may influence parental food allocation as it may reflect physical condition or hunger. There is increasing evidence of the relationship between colouration of begging traits and nestling performance. However, evidence of the influence of hunger level on nestling colouration is scarce, mainly because of difficulty of distinguishing between the effects of physical condition and hunger levels. Here, we used the appetite stimulant cyproheptadine hydrochloride to increase the sensation of hunger of magpie Pica pica nestlings for eight days and assessed the effect on the colouration of rictal flanges, mouth and body skin. We found that nestlings administered with cyproheptadine had flanges more conspicuous (chromatic visual contrast), more UV coloured and less yellow coloured than their control nestmates. Conversely, mouths of experimental nestlings were more yellow coloured and less UV coloured than controls. Our pharmacological experiment afected the strength of the relationship between body mass and some colour components of body skin (chromatic and achromatic visual contrasts, UV – chroma and yellow – chroma) and of rictal flanges (chromatic visual contrasts, UV – chroma and yellow – chroma), but not for mouth colouration. These results taken together suggest that the effect of the cyproheptadine on nestling colourations is probably mediated by an increase in hunger levels of nestlings for rictal flanges and body skin colourations, and by an increase in physical condition in the case of mouth coloration.Th is research was funded by a postdoctoral fellowship to DM-G from Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia, and by Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación/FEDER (project CGL2013-48193-C3-1-P)Peer reviewe

Identification and selection of an environmental indicator set from a reactive nitrogen flow analysis framework

Reactive nitrogen loads causes important impacts on the environment (Soler-Rovira et al., 2008) so its flows and key sources and drivers knowledge are essential for developing management and policy options (De Clercq et al., 2001). The use of environmental indicators will help to understand a complex issue and facilitate decision making (EEA, 2005). The aim of this work is to apply a previous N flow analysis as a framework for the identification and selection of a set of environmental indicators pertaining to reactive N in the Spanish agricultural and food production sector

Lack of Clinical Control in COPD Patients Depending on the Target and the Therapeutic Option

Introduction: According to the Global Initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease (GOLD), when a treatment is not achieving an appropriate response it should be switched taking into account the predominant treatable trait to target (dyspnea or exacerbations). The objective of the present study was to investigate the lack of clinical control according to the target and medication groups. Materials and Methods: This was a post-hoc analysis of the CLAVE study, an observational, cross-sectional, multicenter study which evaluated the clinical control, and related-factors, in a cohort of 4801 patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The primary endpoint was the percentage of uncontrolled patients defined as COPD Assessment Test (CAT) >16 or presence of exacerbations in the last 3 months despite receiving long-acting beta2-agonist (LABA) and/or long-acting antimuscarinic antagonist (LAMA) with or without inhaled corticosteroids (ICS). Secondary objectives included the description of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients by therapeutic group and the identification of characteristics potentially associated with the lack of control of COPD including low adherence measured by the test to adherence to inhalers (TAI). Results: In the dyspnea pathway, lack of clinical control was of 25.0% of patients receiving LABA or LAMA in monotherapy, 29.5% by those with LABA + LAMA, 38.3% with LABA + ICS and 37.0% with triple therapy (LABA + LAMA + ICS). In the exacerbation pathway, percentages were 87.1%, 76.7%, 83.3%, and 84.1%, respectively. Low physical activity and high Charlson comorbidity index were independent factor of non-control in all therapeutic groups. Additional factors were lower post-bronchodilator FEV1 and poor adherence to inhalers. Conclusion: There are still room for improvement in COPD control. From the pharmacological perspective, every step in treatment have a pool of uncontrolled patients in which a step-up could be considered according to a trait to target strategy

Carlos Rojas: su primera obra narrativa (1957-1962)

En las obras narrativas de este primer período de Carlos Rojas se encuentran ya algunos de los elementos básicos de su novelística posterior, como la temática sobre la condición humana, Europa y sus valores, el carácter destructivo del poder y el mal. Igualmente hallamos los componentes de la actitud de Rojas ante la novela: la independencia y autocrítica, el criterio personal en la manera de concebir la novela, el ensayo constante de nuevas formas, la fusión de lo cerebral y lo vital, la conjugación de los elementos de la realidad visible y de la invisible en un «realismo total» y la búsqueda de la transcendencia que apunta a niveles metafísicos y religiosos.In Carlos Rojas' first period narrative works were already some of the basic elements of his later personality, as the theme of the human condition, Europe and its values, the destructive nature of power and evil. Equally, we find the components of Rojas' attitude before the novel: the independence and self-criticism, the personal discretion in the way of conceiving the novel, the constant test of new forms, the merger of the cerebral and vital, the combination of the elements of visible reality and invisible in a "total realism" and the search for the transcendence that aims at metaphysical and religious levels

Indicadores del estado nutricional del cultivo en la fertilización nitrogenada de la remolacha azucarera

La gestión de nutrientes en un cultivo implica un manejo adecuado de la fertilización, teniendo en cuenta la evaluación de la fertilidad de los suelos y el estado nutricional de las plantas, con el objetivo de maximizar los rendimientos y las rentas, así como minimizar el impacto sobre el medio ambiente. El nitrógeno es un elemento imprescindible en la nutrición vegetal, afectando de manera importante al crecimiento y al rendimiento de los cultivos. El flujo de nitrógeno en el sistema suelo-planta es muy complejo y en él intervienen una gran cantidad de factores difíciles de controlar y de cuantificar. El exceso de nitrógeno reactivo en la biosfera produce, además, una serie de impactos sobre el agua, la atmósfera, los suelos, la biodiversidad y la salud humana. Por otro lado, la fabricación de abonos nitrogenados requiere una cantidad importante de recursos y energía. Estos condicionantes van a establecer el marco de una correcta gestión del uso del nitrógeno en los cultivos, en general y, en el cultivo de remolacha azucarera, en particular