Uso de un modelo semi-empírico de emisividad del mar para la estimación aproximada de la salinidad superficial a partir de medidas realizadas con un radiómetro aerotransportado

8 pages, 4 figures, 1 table[EN] In preparation for the European Space Agency SMOS (Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity) satellite mission, radiometric and oceanographic measurements were performed in December 2000 and January 2001 and in November 2001 from a fixed platform in the NW Mediterranean to improve the modelling of the sea surface emissivity at L-band and new semi-empirical models were derived. Now one of these models has been used to retrieve sea surface salinity from L-band radiometric data acquired with a different instrument and different location. These data were acquired in August 2003 over the continental shelf within the influence of the Rio de la Plata, from Argentina to Brazil, southern Atlantic ocean with the STARRS airborne radiometer. Results show that the radiometer is capable of realistically detecting natural variations in surface salinity even though the model was derived in very different oceanographic conditions and from data collected by a different instrument[ES] Para preparar la misión satelital SMOS (Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity) de la Agencia Espacial Europea, varias medidas radiométricas y oceanográficas se llevaron a cabo en el año 2000 y 2001 desde una plataforma fija en el Mediterráneo noroccidental. El objetivo de estas campañas era mejorar los modelos de la emisividad superficial del mar en banda L y de ellas se derivaron varios modelos semi-empíricos. Ahora, unos de estos modelos se ha usado para el cálculo de la salinidad superficial del mar a partir de datos radiométricos en banda L, obtenidos con un instrumento diferente y en un área distinta. Estos datos se adquirieron en agosto del 2003 en la plataforma continental desde Argentina a Brasil, en el Atlántico sur, donde hay una gran influencia del Río de la Plata, con el radiómetro STARRS a bordo de un avión. Los resultados muestran que el radiómetro es capaz de detectar las variaciones naturales de la salinidad del mar, independientemente de que el modelo semi-empírico usado fuera derivado en condiciones oceanográficas completamente diferentes y con un instrumento distintoThis study is a contribution to the MIDAS-3 and MIDAS-4 projects funded by the Spanish National Programme on Space (ESP2004-00671, ESP2005-06823-C05) to develop algorithms for retrieving sea surface salinity for the SMOS missionPeer reviewe

COVID-19: Review of a 21st Century Pandemic from Etiology to Neuro-psychiatric Implications.

COVID-19 is a severe infectious disease that has claimed >150,000 lives and infected millions in the United States thus far, especially the elderly population. Emerging evidence has shown the virus to cause hemorrhagic and immunologic responses, which impact all organs, including lungs, kidneys, and the brain, as well as extremities. SARS-CoV-2 also affects patients', families', and society's mental health at large. There is growing evidence of re-infection in some patients. The goal of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review of SARS-CoV-2-induced disease, its mechanism of infection, diagnostics, therapeutics, and treatment strategies, while also focusing on less attended aspects by previous studies, including nutritional support, psychological, and rehabilitation of the pandemic and its management. We performed a systematic review of >1,000 articles and included 425 references from online databases, including, PubMed, Google Scholar, and California Baptist University's library. COVID-19 patients go through acute respiratory distress syndrome, cytokine storm, acute hypercoagulable state, and autonomic dysfunction, which must be managed by a multidisciplinary team including nursing, nutrition, and rehabilitation. The elderly population and those who are suffering from Alzheimer's disease and dementia related illnesses seem to be at the higher risk. There are 28 vaccines under development, and new treatment strategies/protocols are being investigated. The future management for COVID-19 should include B-cell and T-cell immunotherapy in combination with emerging prophylaxis. The mental health and illness aspect of COVID-19 are among the most important side effects of this pandemic which requires a national plan for prevention, diagnosis and treatment

Management of Gait Changes and Fall Risk in MCI and Dementia

Gait disorders and falls are very prevalent in aging, especially in older adults with cognitive impairment: older adults with dementia are 2-3 times more likely to fall than their non-demented counterparts. The management of gait disorders and falls in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia begins by their identification with the use of specific screening tools, such as measuring gait speed, use of dual-task gait tests, or diagnosing motoric cognitive risk syndrome, a newly described pre-dementia syndrome. This clinical approach is useful to reveal subtle gait changes that may lead to an increased risk of falls in older adults. Various non-pharmacological interventions have been tested in older adults with MCI or dementia to reduce risk of falls. Physical activity interventions are feasible in older adults with cognitive impairments, and may improve gait, and thereby decrease risk of falls. Besides non-pharmacological interventions, identification and removal of potentially inappropriate medications (i.e., psychotropic drugs) is part of a comprehensive falls management strategy in older patients. The use of anti-dementia drugs, such as cholinesterase inhibitors or memantine, may help to improve gait in demented older adults. Adopting a multidisciplinary care strategy that integrates general practitioners, geriatricians, neurologists, cardiologists, physical therapists, and occupational therapists to identify older adults at increased risk of falling or with subtle gait changes, prior to applying individualized non-pharmacological and/or pharmacological interventions, is essential to reduce the burden of gait disorders and falls in older adults with cognitive impairment

At the interface of sensory and motor dysfunctions and Alzheimer's disease.

Recent evidence indicates that sensory and motor changes may precede the cognitive symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD) by several years and may signify increased risk of developing AD. Traditionally, sensory and motor dysfunctions in aging and AD have been studied separately. To ascertain the evidence supporting the relationship between age-related changes in sensory and motor systems and the development of AD and to facilitate communication between several disciplines, the National Institute on Aging held an exploratory workshop titled "Sensory and Motor Dysfunctions in Aging and AD." The scientific sessions of the workshop focused on age-related and neuropathologic changes in the olfactory, visual, auditory, and motor systems, followed by extensive discussion and hypothesis generation related to the possible links among sensory, cognitive, and motor domains in aging and AD. Based on the data presented and discussed at this workshop, it is clear that sensory and motor regions of the central nervous system are affected by AD pathology and that interventions targeting amelioration of sensory-motor deficits in AD may enhance patient function as AD progresses