Multimedia Assessment of Pollutant Pathways in the Environment, European Scale Model (MAPPE-EUROPE)

The report documents the structure, functions and algorithms used for the modeling of pollutant pathways in air, soil sediments and surface and sea water at the European continental scale. The algorithms are implemented in an extension for ESRI ArcGIS 9.2 a popular geographic information system (GIS) software widely used within the European Commission and in the research, environmental assessment, planning communities. The software is called MAPPE after Multimedia Assessment of Pollutant Pathways in Environment of Europe; the acronym is also the Italian word to denote maps. The purpose of the software is to provide a user-friendly way to convey the wealth of geographic data available to model the fluxes and concentrations of chemical pollutants emitted by industrial activities and other point emissions, and widespread use within households, urban environments or agriculture. The intended use is for organic contaminants such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals, VOCs, and other industrial chemicals. The output of the model, i.e. maps of concentration and chemical fluxes, can be used for the screening of hot spots at continental scale, the assessment of risk for human health and ecosystems, the evaluation of policies and scenarios with reference to the ¿big picture¿ of the continental scale. However this does not avoid the need to use more detailed, site specific assessment procedures for single problems, but provides a tool for decision support in contexts such as the management of priority substances of concern for soil, water and air quality, the control of effects of environmental pollution on human health and ecosystems, and the sustainable management of agro-chemicals, etc. by making available a geographic representation available of the consequences of emissions to air, soil and water compartments.JRC.DDG.H.5-Rural, water and ecosystem resource

A Compilation of Europe-Wide Databases from Published Measurements of PCBs, Dioxins and Furans

Chemical risk assessment always entails an evaluation of expected environmental concentrations of substances; these concentrations may be predicted using mathematical models or may be chosen on the basis of experimental observations and monitoring activities. The work discusses the usefulness and limitations in building compilations of published monitoring data by describing a feasibility study on polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), for which observed concentration data were retrieved from scientific journal articles published between 2000 and 2009. These chemicals are typical POPs and are of constantly high concern for their potential adverse effects on human health and ecosystems. PCBs were mainly used by the power industry in electrical transformers, capacitors, hydraulic equipment, and as lubricants. PCDD/Fs are formed as unintentional by-products of chemical manufacturing and incineration processes, as well as natural processes such as volcanic eruptions, and biomass burning. Emissions from incineration of industrial wastes such as metal reclamation and domestic heating (especially in central Europe) are considered as current sources of PCDD/Fs to the environment. A database of published observed concentrations of PCBs and PCDD/Fs in air, soil sediments and water was built as described in details in the report. As continental scale assessment is aimed more at the evaluation of the regional distribution of contamination, we excluded from the database those measurements taken close to known PCB or PCCD/F pollution sources of exceptional entity such as waste incinerators or contaminated sites. After presenting and interpreting the results of the literature search, we critically examine the completeness and usability of this information, and the usefulness of data compilations in the framework of chemical risk assessment.JRC.H.5-Rural, water and ecosystem resource

Influence of the ripening chamber's geographical location on dry-cured Iberian ham's key odorants

Olfactometric and sensory analyses have been applied to study the possible influence of the ripening chamber’s geographical location on the aroma sensory profiles and key odorants of Iberian ham. Dry-cured Iberian ham was obtained from 3 acorn-fed pigs and, for the first time, both of the participating production facilities, located in two different Andalusian municipalities with different altitudes above mean sea level, processed one of the two hind legs from each pig. The descriptive sensory profile of orthonasal and retronasal odours was determined by trained panellists, while odour-active compounds were determined by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry-olfactometry (GC/MS-O). The results obtained showed that, separately, both techniques enable Iberian ham samples to be differentiated by their ripening chamber’s geographical location. For sensory analysis, retronasal sensory analysis appeared to be the most suitable for this goal, highlighting the “meat broth odour” and “roasted nuts odour” descriptors which presented significant differences between geographical locations for samples from all pigs. Moreover, ripening chamber’s geographical location characteristics and the initial composition of the raw material seemed to influence the content of some odour-active compounds. The odour-active compound identified as octane/acetone and isobutanol were conditioned by the ripening chamber’s geographical location, while decanal/2-ethyl-1-hexanol, 1-undecanol, 2-furanmethanol and cis-2-nonenal were also influenced by the individual pig itself. This study showed that slight climatological differences due to the location of the ripening chamber seem to have somewhat of an influence on the aromatic profile.Universidad de Sevilla VIPPIT-2019-I

Los proyectos inmobiliarios como propuestas metodológicas: Un enfoque desde la planificación y gerenciamiento

La presente investigación presenta un análisis del complemento al estudio del diagnóstico de la actividad inmobiliaria en la ciudad de Quito, habiendo analizado varios parámetros que fueron de vital importancia para estructurar una propuesta metodológica para planificar y gerenciar proyectos inmobiliarios, analizamos a los proyectos en sus 5 estructuras: técnico, administrativo, legal, comercial, y financiero.Cada una de las estructuras tiene su particularidad y es necesario mitigar cualquier tipo de riesgo inherente a la actividad inmobiliaria, que el proyecto se desarrolle con la menor probabilidad de un fracaso, es así que se logró establecer parámetros de medición bajo los cuales se pueden considerar equilibrios que un proyecto inmobiliario debe cumplir.Finalmente se realizó un análisis financiero integral, la composición de las estructuras de costos de un proyecto y el análisis de sus fuentes de financiamiento, se planteó un caso de estudio para analizar el comportamiento de un desarrollo inmobiliario con datos reales bajo diferentes escenarios que son los que se aplican en el día a día y que se dan en el sector de la construcción, todos estos análisis fueron desarrollados no como un análisis de teoría, al contrario se aplicó la teoría en casos de la vida real, con este análisis tenemos la capacidad de tomar la mejor decisión al momento de evaluar un proyecto y una guía muy práctica para aquellos inversionistas que desean invertir en la construcción

Total, Bioavailable, and Free Vitamin D Levels and Their Prognostic Value in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Introduction: Epidemiological studies suggest a relationship between vitamin D deficiency and cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. However, whether total, bioavailable, and/or free vitamin D levels have a prognostic role in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is unknown. We aimed to determine total, bioavailable, and free 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25(OH)vitD) plasma levels and their prognostic value in PAH patients. Methods: In total, 67 samples of plasma from Spanish patients with idiopathic, heritable, or drug-induced PAH were obtained from the Spanish PH Biobank and compared to a cohort of 100 healthy subjects. Clinical parameters were obtained from the Spanish Registry of PAH (REHAP). Results: Seventy percent of PAH patients had severe vitamin D deficiency (total 25(OH)vitD < 10 ng/mL) and secondary hyperparathyroidism. PAH patients with total 25(OH)vitD plasma above the median of this cohort (7.17 ng/mL) had better functional class and higher 6-min walking distance and TAPSE (tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion). The main outcome measure of survival was significantly increased in these patients (age-adjusted hazard ratio: 5.40 (95% confidence interval: 2.88 to 10.12)). Vitamin D-binding protein (DBP) and albumin plasma levels were downregulated in PAH. Bioavailable 25(OH)vitD was decreased in PAH patients compared to the control cohort. Lower levels of bioavailable 25(OH)vitD (<0.91 ng/mL) were associated with more advanced functional class, lower exercise capacity, and higher risk of mortality. Free 25(OH)vitD did not change in PAH; however, lower free 25(OH)vitD (<1.53 pg/mL) values were also associated with high risk of mortality. Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in PAH, and low levels of total 25(OH)vitD were associated with poor prognosis

Adaptación transcultural al español del cuestionario Patient empowerment in long-term conditions

Purpose To describe the process of translation and cultural adaptation of the Patient empowerment in long-term condition to the Spanish language. Design Translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and pilot testing (cognitive debriefing) Location Primary and Hospital care. Participants Ten patients admitted to a cardiology department of a University Hospital Main measurements 1) Direct translation, 2) conciliation and synthesis of the versions by expert panel, 3) back- translation, 4) agreement on the back-translated version with the author of the original version, 5) analysis of comprehensibility through cognitive interviews. Results There were no differences between the direct-translated versions. The expert panel introduced changes in 23 out of the 47 items of the questionnaire. The author of the original version agreed with the version of the back-translation. In the cognitive interviews, patients reported high difficulty in one item and low difficulty in 4. Conclusions The Spanish version of the Patient Empowerment in long-term conditions questionnaire is semantically and conceptually equivalent to the original tool. The assessment of the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the questionnaire will be carried out at a later stage

Isolated ventricular noncompaction: a case report

Isolated ventricular noncompaction is an extremely rare cardiomyopathy, not fully clarified

European Territorial Trends - Facts and Prospects for Cities and Regions Ed. 2017

This report analyses a set of territorial trends at continental and sub-national scale, looking at patterns and determinants of regional growth, while considering pan-European and national characteristics. Past and prospective demographic and economic trends are analysed to provide a picture of ‘what, where, when and how’ things happen in European cities and regions. Specific emphasis is placed on urban areas since acknowledged sources of both opportunities and challenges. The indicators used in the analysis herein presented are freely and openly accessible in the Territorial Dashboard of the Knowledge Centre for Territorial Policies at: http://urban.jrc.ec.europa.eu/t-board/index.htmlJRC.B.3-Territorial Developmen