Modelling-based methodological approach to assess the effect of urbanization on hydrology and runoff water quality: a case of study for tropical and dry regions

ABSTRACT: It is necessary to have unified tools and methodologies for the correct understanding and quantification of urbanization effects on watershed hydrology. This study presents a modelling-based methodology developed on EPA SWMM to evaluate the effect of urbanization in conceptual watersheds using meteorological data from cities in Spain and Colombia. Results show that the effect of urbanization is significant in variables such as runoff volume, peak flow and pollutant loads, increasing these indicators in all cases. Furthermore, this effect has different dynamics for the regions evaluated. Overall, Colombian cities presented higher runoff volumes, peak flows and pollutant loads, while Spanish cities presented higher variability in these variables due to urbanization. The analysis allowed to cluster the cities within each country, using as criteria the modelled hydrological behaviour. A curve fitting procedure presented high performance rates for all the variables studied.This work was supported by the ‘Instituto Colombiano de Crédito Educativo y Estudios Técnicos en el Exterior’ (ICETEX) under the program ‘Pasaporte a la Ciencia’ granted to the first author under grant number 5334506

A comparison of failure modes of glutaraldehyde-treated versus antibiotic-preserved mitral valve allografts implanted in sheep

Morphologic studies and calcium analyses were made on mitral valve allografts from 12 juvenile sheep surviving 12 to 24 weeks after mitral valve replacement. Before implantation, the allografts were treated with 0.625% glutaraldehyde (group I, n=4) or with cold antibiotic solution (group II, n=8). Three group I animals died 12 to 19 weeks after implantation because of dysfunction of calcified valves; the surviving animal also had extensive allograft calcification. One group II animal died of mitral regurgitation; the valves of the other seven (including five with regurgitation shown by Doppler and ventriculographic studies) were explanted at 19 to 24 weeks. Chordal rupture related to calcific deposits was found in all group I valves. Leaflet perforations (n=4) and ruptured chordae (n=4), each caused by connective tissue deterioration, were found in group II valves. Inflammatory reaction was absent or minimal in group I valves but moderate or severe in group II valves. Fibrous sheaths were thicker in group II than in group I valves. Calcium levels were much higher in group I than in group II valves. Calcification in group I valves was diffuse and involved collagen, elastic fibers, and connective tissue cells and matrix; in group II valves, it was localized in connective tissue cells. Thus glutaraldehyde-treated allografts failed because of extensive calcification, whereas antibiotic-preserved allografts underwent deterioration of connective tissue and infiltration by inflammatory cells

Flood Management with SUDS: A Simulation-Optimization Framework

ABSTRACT: Urbanization and climate change are the main driving force in the development of sustainable strategies for managing water in cities, such as sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS). Previous studies have identified the necessity to develop decision-making tools for SUDS in order to adequately implement these structures. This study proposes a simulation?optimization methodology that aims to ease the decision-making process when selecting and placing SUDS, with the specific goal of managing urban flooding. The methodology was applied to a real case study in Dresden, Germany. The most relevant variables when selecting SUDS were the spatial distribution of floods and the land uses in the catchment. Furthermore, the rainfall characteristics played an important role when selecting the different SUDS configurations. After the optimal SUDS configurations were determined, flood maps were developed, identifying the high potential that SUDS have for reducing flood volumes and depth, but showing them to be quite limited in reducing the flooded areas. The final section of the study proposes a combined frequency map of SUDS implementation, which is suggested for use as a final guide for the present study. The study successfully implemented a novel methodology that included land-use patterns and flood indicators to select SUDS in a real case study.This research was funded by ICETEX, grant number 5334506, granted to the first author. This research was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, grant number 01LR2005A

Selective expression of RT6 superfamily in human bronchial epithelial cells.

RT6 proteins are glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-linked alloantigens that are localized to cytotoxic T lymphocytes and that have nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide glycohydrolase and adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-ribosyltransferase activities. In view of the importance of GPI-linked surface proteins in mediating interactions of cells with their milieu, and the varied functions of airway cells in inflammation, we undertook the present study to determine whether human homologues of the RT6 superfamily of ADP-ribosyltransferases (ART) are expressed in pulmonary epithelial cells. We hypothesized that these surface proteins or related family members may be present in cells that interact with inflammatory cells, and that they may thereby be involved in intercellular signaling. Using in situ analysis and Northern blot analysis, we identified ART1 messenger RNA (mRNA) in airway epithelial cells. As expected for GPI-anchored proteins, the localization of ART1 at the apical surface of ciliated epithelial cells was demonstrated by staining with polyclonal anti-ART1 antibody, and was confirmed by loss of this immunoreactivity after treatment with phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC), which selectively cleaves GPI anchors and releases proteins from the plasma membrane. Using in situ hybridization with specific ART3 and ART4 oligonucleotides, we also identified two additional members of the RT6 superfamily in epithelial cells. In accord with these findings, we identified ART3 and ART4 mRNAs through reverse transcription- polymerase chain reaction of polyadenine-positive RNA from human trachea. Interestingly, these proteins appeared to be preferentially localized to the airway epithelium. The localized expression of these members of the RT6 superfamily in human pulmonary epithelial cells may reflect a role for them in cell-cell signaling during immune responses within the airwa

Construcción de un modelo de secador de yuca, en medio poroso, usando flujo radial de aire caliente

Este artículo presenta el diseño y fabricación de un secador radial de yuca, en lecho poroso, usando energía eléctrica como fuente de calentamiento del aire de secado. Se presentan las pruebas llevadas a cabo en el secador con el fin de analizar su desempeño energético, la tasa de remoción de humedad en función del tiempo y las temperaturas de operación del mismo

Physical activity and quality of life in cancer 3 survivors: A meta-synthesis of qualitative research

Qualitative research on the impact of physical activity on quality of life (QoL) in adults diagnosed with cancer is accumulating. However, the fields of physical activity and cancer survivorship lack a synthesis of this research to reliably understand the implications for future research and practice. The aim of this meta-synthesis was to identify, appraise, and synthesize qualitative research on cancer survivors’ perspectives of the impact of physical activity on their QoL. Seven electronic databases were searched for original studies published in English, and reference lists of relevant studies were hand-searched to identify additional studies. Forty studies met eligibility criteria and were included in this meta-synthesis. Study characteristics and major findings were extracted, and findings were summarized, compared, and synthesized. Themes identified in this review revealed that physical activity positively impacted four dimensions of cancer survivors’ QoL: physical (e.g., managing the physical consequences of cancer and its treatment), psychological (e.g., evoking positive self-perceptions), social (e.g., feeling understood by others), and spiritual (e.g.,redefining life purpose). This meta-synthesis corroborates conclusions resulting from the synthesis of quantitative research and illustrates that physical activity can be used to improve QoL in adult cancer survivors, regardless of type of diagnosis (i.e., stage, cancer type) and treatment status. It also provides insight into which specific aspects within each dimension of QoL were impacted by physical activity from cancer survivors’ perspectives, which is important for understanding the meaning and utility of physical activity for them. However, more work remains to further develop the qualitative evidence base to better understand how physical activity impacts QoL in men, younger survivors, and those diagnosed with less common types of cancer at different points along cancer trajectory (i.e., diagnosis, treatment, post-treatment, palliation)

Restrictive Cardiomyopathy, Atrioventricular Block and Mild to Subclinical Myopathy in Patients With Desmin-Immunoreactive Material Deposits

AbstractObjectives. We present clinical data and heart and skeletal muscle biopsy findings from a series of patients with ultrastructural accumulations of granulofilamentous material identified as desmin.Background. Desmin cardiomyopathy is a poorly understood disease characterized by abnormal desmin deposits in cardiac and skeletal muscle.Methods. Clinical evaluation, endomyocardial and skeletal muscle biopsy, light and electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry were used to establish the presence of desmin cardiomyopathy.Results. Six hundred thirty-one patients with primary cardiomyopathy underwent endomyocardial biopsy (EMB). Ultrastructural accumulations of granulofilamentous material were found in 5 of 12 biopsy samples from patients with idiopathic restrictive cardiomyopathy and demonstrated specific immunoreactivity with anti-desmin antibodies by immunoelectron microscopy. Immunohistochemical findings on light microscopy were nonspecific because of a diffuse intracellular distribution of desmin. All five patients had atrioventricular (AV) block and mild or subclinical myopathy. Granulofilamentous material was present in skeletal muscle biopsy samples in all five patients, and unlike the heart biopsy samples, light microscopic immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated characteristic subsarcolemmal desmin deposits. Two patients were first-degree relatives (mother and son); another son with first-degree AV block but without myopathy or cardiomyopathy demonstrated similar light and ultrastructural findings in skeletal muscle. Electrophoretic studies demonstrated two isoforms of desmin—one of normal and another of lower molecular weight—in cardiac and skeletal muscle of the familial cases.Conclusions. Desmin cardiomyopathy must be considered in the differential diagnosis of restrictive cardiomyopathy, especially in patients with AV block and myopathy. Diagnosis depends on ultrastructural examination of EMB samples or light microscopic immunohistochemical studies of skeletal muscle biopsy samples. Familial desminopathy may manifest as subclinical disease and may be associated with abnormal isoforms of desmin

Acute tropical pulmonary eosinophilia: characterization of the lower respiratory tract inflammation and its response to therapy

Although acute tropical pulmonary eosinophilia (TPE) is well recognized as a manifestation of filarial infection, the processes that mediate the abnormalities of the lung in TPE are unknown. To evaluate the hypothesis that the derangements of the lower respiratory tract in this disorder are mediated by inflammatory cells in the local milieu we utilized bronchoalveolar lavage to evaluate affected individuals before and after therapy. Inflaminatory cells recovered from the lower respiratory tract of individuals with acute, untreated TPE (a = 8) revealed a striking eosinophilic alveolitis, with marked elevations in both the proportion of eosinophils (TPE 54±5%; normal 2±5%; P < 0.001) and the concentration of eosinophils in the recovered epithelial lining fluid (ELF) (TPE 63±20 X 103/Al; normal 03±0.1 X 103/jl; P < 0.01). Importantly, when individuals (a = 5) with acute TPE were treated with diethylcarbamazine (DEC), there was a marked decrease of the lung eosinophils and concomitant increase in lung function. These observations are consistent with the concept that at least some of the abnormalities found in the lung in acute TPE are mediated by an eosinophil-dominated inflammatory process in the lower respiratory tract