Revisiting global fossil fuel and biofuel emissions of ethane

Recent measurements over the Northern Hemisphere indicate that the long-term decline in the atmospheric burden of ethane (C2H6) has ended and the abundance increased dramatically between 2010 and 2014. The rise in C2H6 atmospheric abundances has been attributed to oil and natural gas extraction in North America. Existing global C2H6 emission inventories are based on outdated activity maps that do not account for current oil and natural gas exploitation regions. We present an updated global C2H6 emission inventory based on 2010 satellite-derived CH4 fluxes with adjusted C2H6 emissions over the U.S. from the National Emission Inventory (NEI 2011). We contrast our global 2010 C2H6 emission inventory with one developed for 2001. The C2H6 difference between global anthropogenic emissions is subtle (7.9 versus 7.2 Tg yr−1), but the spatial distribution of the emissions is distinct. In the 2010 C2H6 inventory, fossil fuel sources in the Northern Hemisphere represent half of global C2H6 emissions and 95% of global fossil fuel emissions. Over the U.S., unadjusted NEI 2011 C2H6 emissions produce mixing ratios that are 14–50% of those observed by aircraft observations (2008–2014). When the NEI 2011 C2H6 emission totals are scaled by a factor of 1.4, the Goddard Earth Observing System Chem model largely reproduces a regional suite of observations, with the exception of the central U.S., where it continues to underpredict observed mixing ratios in the lower troposphere. We estimate monthly mean contributions of fossil fuel C2H6 emissions to ozone and peroxyacetyl nitrate surface mixing ratios over North America of ~1% and ~8%, respectively

Isolation of bacteriocinogenic Enterococcus mundtii strain from Hemiodema spectabilis (sea cucumber)

En este estudio se evaluó la actividad antibacteriana de una cepa de Enterococcus mundtii tw278 productora de bacteriocina aislada del contenido intestinal de Hemiodema spectabilis (pepino de mar), recolectado en la costa patagónica de la Argentina. La cepa se identificó mediante pruebas bioquímicas y análisis filogenético del gen ARNr 16S. Además, se detectó el gen estructural que codifica para la mundticina KS mediante técnicas de PCR. La investigación de los factores de virulencia reveló que la cepa de E. mundtii tw278 no presentó actividad gelatinasa ni hemolítica y fue susceptible a todos los antibióticos analizados, excepto la cefalotina. La máxima actividad inhibitoria se logró al final de la fase logarítmica cuando se utilizó el caldo MRS como medio de cultivo a 35 °C. Luego de 12 h de incubación, el sobrenadante libre de células (SLC) alcanzó un título de 163 840 unidades arbitrarias por mililitro contra la cepa indicadora de Listeria innocua ATCC 33090. El SLC exhibió actividad contra todas las cepas de Listeria ensayadas, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, enterococos resistentes a vancomicina (Van A, Van B y Van C), Lactobacillus plantarum TwLb 5 y Vibrio anguilarum V10. Este sería el primer estudio que informa el aislamiento de una cepa bacteriocinogénica de E. mundtii aislada del contenido intestinal de Hemiodema spectabilis.This study was conducted to evaluate the antibacterial activity of a bacteriocinproducing Enterococcus mundtii tw278 strain isolated from the intestinal content of Hemiodema spectabilis (sea cucumber) sampled in the Patagonian coast of Argentine. The strain was identified by biochemical tests and 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic analyses. The structural gene that codifies mundticin KS was detected by PCR. Investigation of virulence factors revealed that E. mundtii tw278 did not display gelatinase or hemolytic activity and was susceptible to all antibiotics assayed, except cefalotin. Maximum inhibitory activity was achieved at the end of logarithmic phase when MRS broth was used as culture media at 35 °C. After 12 h of incubation, cell-free supernatant (CFS) reached a titre of 163 840 arbitrary units per mililitre against the target bacteria Listeria innocua ATCC 33090. CFS showed activity against all the Listeria strains assayed, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, vancomycin-resistant enterococci (Van A, Van B and Van C), Lactobacillus plantarum TwLb 5 and Vibrio anguilarum V10. This would be the first study to report the isolation of a bacteriocinogenic E. mundtii strain from intestinal content of Hemiodema spectabilis

Whose Development? How Women Living Near the Yanacocha Mine, Peru, Envision Potential Futures

Among women opposing expansion of mining operations in Cajamarca, Peru, narratives of preferred alternatives diverge: from sustainable mining, to alternative economic development, to more radical alternatives to ‘development’. In these accounts, both their relative powerlessness and agency become apparent. This article critically explores women’s views of development and their imaginings of their region with or without mining. I argue that those who opposed mining show a continuing engagement with questions of development in the aftermath of conflict over natural resource extraction, highlighting a common thread of desires for bottom-up initiatives embracing local knowledge, practice and history

The challenge of preparing teams for the European robotics league: Emergency

© 2017, Society for Imaging Science and Technology. ERL Emergency is an outdoor multi-domain robotic competition inspired by the 2011 Fukushima accident. The ERL Emergency Challenge requires teams of land, underwater and flying robots to work together to survey the scene, collect environmental data, and identify critical hazards. To prepare teams for this multidisciplinary task a series of summer schools and workshops have been arranged. In this paper the challenges and hands-on results of bringing students and researchers collaborating successfully in unknown environments and in new research areas are explained. As a case study results from the euRathlon/SHERPA workshop 2015 in Oulu are given

Condiciones laborales de los pacientes con ERCnT que asisten a la Unidad Nacional de Atención al Enfermo renal Crónico (Unaerc)

La enfermedad renal crónica de causa no tradicional (ERCnT) es de etiología multifactorial y no se conoce con exactitud el factor que la provoca. Se asocia a factores como trabajo agrícola, estrés térmico, deshidratación y exposición a químicos. Este estudio transversal describe las condiciones laborales de pacientes con ERCnT que asisten a terapia de hemodiálisis en Unaerc (previo al inicio del tratamiento), y los factores que pudieron predisponer la enfermedad. Se utilizó un diseño de muestreo no probabilístico por cuotas, obteniendo una muestra de 107 pacientes sin antecedentes de diabetes mellitus y < 60 años. Los resultados mostraron que el 76.6 % (82/107) fueron de género masculino, el 26.2 % (28/107), diagnosticados entre 31-40 años y el 38.3 % (41/107) provenían del departamento de Guatemala. El 24.3 % (26/107) y el 15.9 % (17/107) se dedicaban a trabajos agrícolas y al comercio, respectivamente. La mayoría (26.9 %; 7/26) de los trabajadores agrícolas se dedicaban al corte de caña de azúcar; el 57.9 % (62/107) trabajaban para una institución, donde solamente un 17.8 % (19/107) tenían contrato escrito. El 43 % (46/107) trabajaban 6 días/semana, el 57.9 % (62/107) realizaban jornadas de > 8 h/día y el 56.1 % (60/107) no tenían horas extras remuneradas. El 68.2 % (73/107) ganaba menos del salario mínimo y el 70.1 % (75/107) no recibía prestaciones laborales. El 36.4 % (39/107) estuvo expuesto a químicos, el 91.5 % (98/107) se exponía 8 h/día al sol. Solamente 83.2 % (89/107) descansaba durante la jornada laboral

Falla cardíaca avanzada en pacientes tratados con dispositivos electrofisiológicos en una unidad de electrofisología, Pereira (Colombia)

Introduction: advanced heart failure it's a disease with a high prevalence in the world wide,with an increasing mortality and hospitalization rates, due to his severity and clinical profile. Which costs to the health system is up to 20% of the resources devoted to the management of cardiovascular disease in North Amerca. A cross-sectional study was made with 70 patients on pharmacological treatment and Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy with or without Implantable Cardioverter (CDI) or Implantable Cardioverter (CDI) among 2010 and 2012.Methods: a cross-sectional study.Results: we found 71% with hypertension, 65,75% ischemic cardiopathy , 58.3% with resynchronizator with or without CDI, 90% had two or more drugs for heart failure, 77% had beta blocker, 90% ACE inhibitor or ARB, 85.7% diuretics.Conclusion: patients with advanced heart failure who underwent electrophysiological therapy, were clinically characterized in Pereira, Colombia.Resumen: la falla cardíaca avanzada es una enfermedad prevalente, con una tasa alta de mortalidad y hospitalización con relación a su estadio y perfil clínico, que cuesta en Norteamérica hasta el 20% de los recursos destinados para el manejo de la enfermedad cardiovascular. Se realizó un análisis transversal a una cohorte de 70 pacientes en tratamiento farmacológico y cardioresincronizador con o sin cardiodesfibirlador, o solo cardiodesfibrilador automático (ICD) implantado entre los años 2010 y 2012.Métodos: el presente es un estudio transversal.Resultados: 71% presentaron hipertensión arterial HTA; 65,75% cardiopatía isquémica, siendo el 58.3% portadores de resincronizador con o sin cardiodesfibrilador. El 90% de los pacientes tiene 2 o más medicamentos, 77% betabloqueador, 90% iECA o ARA II, 85.7% algún diurético.Conclusión: se caracterizaron los pacientes que recibieron terapia electrofisiológica para manejo avanzado de falla cardíaca.ardíaca

Izaña Atmospheric Research Center. Activity Report 2015-2016

This report is a summary of the many activities at the Izaña Atmospheric Research Center to the broader community. The combination of operational activities, research and development in state-of-the-art measurement techniques, calibration and validation and international cooperation encompass the vision of WMO to provide world leadership in expertise and international cooperation in weather, climate, hydrology and related environmental issues