Aplicabilidad de las TIG en la generación de escenarios de futuro para una gestión integrada de las zonas costeras

Para una planificación y gestión coherente de las zonas costeras es fundamental que exista una profunda comprensión de las interacciones entre el hombre y el medio físico, siendo preciso integrar la información sobre el conocimiento del medio natural aportada por las diferentes disciplinas científicas, junto con la información del contexto socio-económico, normativo y cultural. Por tanto, la toma de decisiones en los espacios litorales debe apoyarse en instrumentos interdisciplinares, capaces de operar con distintos tipos de datos y abordar situaciones complejas e impredecibles. La simulación de escenarios es una importante herramienta para evaluar desarrollos futuros en sistemas complejos y dinámicos que poseen un número alto de incertidumbres, y por ello es una técnica muy adecuada para la gestión de las zonas costeras. Los escenarios permiten integrar modelos socioeconómicos con modelos físicos, químicos o biológicos, reflejar una amplia gama de tendencias y dinámicas, y trabajar con distintas escalas temporales y espaciales. En el presente artículo se examina el uso actual y el potencial de las TIG en la generación de escenarios de futuro para la gestión integrada de las zonas costeras. Para ello se ha realizado un análisis de su aplicabilidad de las TIG, identificando en qué fases de la elaboración de escenarios se pueden utilizar. Los resultados indican que estas tecnologías tienen un alto potencial y son aplicables en todas las fases de la generación de los escenarios. Una de las fortalezas identificadas es que las TIG incrementan la transparencia y fiabilidad de la generación de escenarios de futuro facilitando los procesos equitativos y participativos de negociación, toma de decisiones y planificación en las zonas costeras.To achieve a coherent planning and management of coastal areas it is necessary having a deep understanding of the interactions existing between human-being and the physical environment, integrating information from different scientific disciplines (hydrology, morphodynamics, soil science, ecology, etc.) and socio-economic, normative and cultural context information. Therefore decision-making in coastal areas must be based on interdisciplinaryinstruments capable of working with different type of data and dealing with complex and unpredictable situations. Scenario-making is one of the most important tools for assessing future developments in complex and dynamic systems which have a high number of uncertainties; thus it is a very suitable approach for coastal zone management. Scenarios can integrate socio-economic models with physical, chemical or biological models, reflect a broad range of trends and dynamics, and work with different temporal and spatial scales. In this paper the current and potential use of Geographical Information Technologies (GIT) is examined in the generation of future scenarios for an integrated management of coastal areas. An analysis of the applicability of the GIT has been done, identifying at which stage of scenario development GIT can be used. The results indicate that GIT have great potential and are applicable at all stages of the scenarios generation. One of the strengths identified is that GIT increase the transparency and reliability of the generation of future scenarios and facilitate equitable and participatory processes of negotiation, decision making and planning in coastal areas

Intelligent copolymers based on poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) PNIPAm with potential use in biomedical applications. Part i: PNIPAm functionalization with 3-butenoic acid and piperazine

The synthesis and characterization of the thermosensitive copolymers based on Poly (N-Isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm) and 3-butenoic acid and functionalized with piperazine was carried out. The free radical polymerization of the PNIPA copolymer with 3-butenoic acid was performed under microwave radiation. After obtaining this copolymer, the carboxyl groups present in the copolymer chain were activated with 1-ethyl- (3-3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide in the presence of N-hydroxysuccinimide, improving its reactivity to incorporate the piperazine through its amino group. The characterization consisted: differential scanning calorimetric and ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry to determine the LCST phase transition temperature, ranging from (30-35)°C. Structurally it was analyzed by infrared spectroscopy. A morphological analysis was performed using scanning electron microscopy, after simulating an injectable process, with the objective to observe internally the porosity and interconnectivity. The biocompatibility was evaluated through hemocompatibility tests and it was observed that the copolymers obtained were not cytotoxic. In base of the results, the chemical structure of these new copolymers confers a functionality that allows them to serve as nuclei to graft other molecules, such as polysaccharides. Then, the results obtained on the LCST temperature, porosity, interconnected pore network morphology, the ability to be injectable and the biocompatible nature of these copolymers are indicative that these new synthetic biomaterials have the potential to be used in biomedical, pharmacological and for tissue engineering. Also, once their biocompatibility was demonstrate, they may serve to generate interesting compounds having chemical anchor points for the possible addition of polysaccharides using insertion reactions, thereby generating graft copolymers with potential use in biomedical applications

Clinical study of cervicogenic headache

The cervicogenic headache was studied to get a deeper insight into the pathogenetic mechanisms, and clinical presentation forms. Material and Methods. Eleven female patients, ranging from 34 to 81 years-old, with cervicogenic headaches, were studied and correlated with NMR images of the cervical spine. Results. Intense neck pain irradiated to parietal, occipital, temporal regions, and shoulders were correlated with NMR images of the degenerated cervical spine. Also, lumbar spine pathology, osteoporosis, gallstones, and cholecystitis were found. The following associated neurological, neurobehavioral, and metabolic diseases comorbidities were observed, such as blood hypertension, diabetes, obesity, hypothyroidism, partial epilepsy, tremor, familial stress, memory, sleep disorders, and dizziness. Also, we found mixed cervicogenic headaches and migraines in 50% of cases studied. Conclusion. The headache and the associated images of cervical pathology have been clinically interpreted as cardinal signs of cervicogenic headache. A mixed cervicogenic mixed type was observed

A mathematical model for the energy stored in green roofs

A simple mathematical model to estimate the energy stored in a green roof is developed. Analytical solutions are derived corresponding to extensive (shallow) and intensive (deep) substrates. Results are presented for the surface temperature and energy stored in both green roofs and concrete during a typical day. Within the restrictions of the model assumptions the analytical solution demonstrates that both energy and surface temperature vary linearly with fractional leaf coverage, albedo and irradiance, while the effect of evaporation rate and convective heat transfer is non-linear. It is shown that a typical green roof is significantly cooler and stores less energy than a concrete one even when the concrete has a high albedo coating. Evaporation of even a few millimetres per day from the soil layer can reduce the stored energy by a factor of more than three when compared to an equivalent thickness concrete roof.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Pelvic Girdle Reconstruction Based on Spinal Fusion and Ischial Screw Fixation in a Case of Aneurysmal Bone Cyst

A case of lytic lesion of the pelvis in a 23-year-old woman is presented. A biopsy led to the diagnosis aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC). Due to the histologically very aggressive growth of the tumor, a low malignant osteosarcoma could not be excluded. In an initial operation the tumour, affecting the sacrum, the iliac crest and the lower lumbar spine was resected. Temporary restabilisation of the pelvic ring was achieved by a titanium plate. The histological examination of the entire tumour confirmed the diagnosis ABC. After 6 months, the MRI showed no recurrence. The observed tilt of the spine to the operated side on the sacral base prompted a second surgical procedure: a transpedicular fixation of L5 and L4 was connected via bent titanium stems to the ischium, where the fixation was achieved by two screws. This construction allowed the correction of the base angle and yielded a stable closure of the pelvic ring. The patient has now been followed for 6 years: the bone grafts have been incorporated and, in spite of radiological signs of screw loosening in the ischium, the patient is fully rehabilitated and free of symptoms. Pedicle screws in the lower spine can be recommended for fixation of a pelvic ring discontinuity

Whole-nanoparticle atomistic modelling of the schwertmannite structure from total scattering data

Schwertmannite is a poorly crystalline nanometric iron sulfate oxyhydroxide. This mineral shows a structural variability under different environments. Because of that, the determination of its structure and, consequently, of its physical–chemical properties is quite challenging. This article presents a detailed structural investigation of the structure of schwertmannite conducted under different approaches: X-ray absorption spectroscopy, Rietveld refinement, and a combined reverse Monte Carlo and Debye function analysis of the whole nanoparticle structure. The schwertmannite model presented here is, to the auhors' knowledge, the most complete model so far reported.This work has been supported by a grant from Labex OSUG@2020 (Investissements d'avenir - ANR10 LABX56). SC was partially funded by a 'Nano Espagne' fellowship (Campus France)

Morphological, molecular and pathogenic characterization of Phytophthora palmivora isolates causing black pod rot of cacao in Colombia

Aim of study: To characterize isolates of Phytophthora sp. causing black pod rot (BPR) of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.).Area of study: Eight cocoa-growing regions in Colombia.Material and methods: Sixty isolates of Phytophthora sp. were obtained from tissues of cacao pods showing symptoms of BPR. Isolates were characterized using the morphology of sporangia and chlamydospores, molecular sequencing of regions of nuclear DNA (rDNA-ITS) and mitochondrial (COX) and virulence in different genotypes of cocoa pods.Main results: A high phenotypic variability between the isolates was determined, being the pedicel length and the length/width ratio (L/W) the most stable characters for species identification. Short pedicels with an average of 3.13 μm ± 0.28 and a length/width ratio of sporangia (L/W) with an average of 1.55 μm ± 0.11 were established as the most consistent morphological characteristics within palmivora species.Research highlights: Phytophthora pamivora was the only species associated to BPR, identified using morphology together with sequence analyses

Nuclear Reaction Rates in a Plasma

The problem of determining the effects of the surrounding plasma on nuclear reaction rates in stars is formulated ab initio, using the techniques of quantum statistical mechanics. We derive a result that expresses the complete effects of Coulomb barrier penetration and of the influence of the surrounding plasma in terms of matrix elements of well defined operators. We find that possible "dynamical screening" effects that have been discussed in the literature are absent. The form of our results suggests that an approach that relies on numerical calculations of the correlation functions in a classical Coulomb gas, followed by construction of an effective two body potential and a quantum barrier penetration calculation, will miss physics that is as important as the physics that it includes.Comment: 66 pages, revtex, Errors Fixed, Explanation Adde