Offshore renewable energy and nature conservation: the case of marine tidal turbines in Northern Ireland

The global demand for renewable energy continues to increase rapidly and with it the necessity to develop and test new technologies to deliver the power. Offshore renewable energy sources that harness wind, wave or tidal power are of major interest. Technological advances in these directions have not been matched by a clear understanding of the environmental impacts of the new devices, with most existing research concentrated on the impacts of offshore wind farms. Decisions often continue to be made without the support of a clear evidence base. Here we use an underwater tidal turbine, SeaGen, constructed and operated within the Strangford Lough marine protected area in Northern Ireland, as a case study to explore the potential impacts of the turbine as points of concern and argumentation in the decision-making processes. We use information obtained from official documents and one-to-one interviews with the main stakeholders. Our results demonstrate that during the construction and operation of the turbine the perceptions and views of different stakeholders sometimes disagreed but were often surprisingly similar in relation to both likelihood and intensity of the potential impacts of the turbine on marine biodiversity, ecosystem services and human well-being in general. The overall consensus of views was refined and evolved under an adaptive management approach over the 10 years of the discussions and decision-making processes. The results are discussed in relation to cumulative gains in knowledge, future arrays of many underwater turbines and multiple use of oceans within social ecological systems to maintain the conservation of marine biodiversity

Single-Molecule Super-Resolution Imaging of T-Cell Plasma Membrane CD4 Redistribution upon HIV-1 Binding

The first step of cellular entry for the human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) occurs through the binding of its envelope protein (Env) with the plasma membrane receptor CD4 and co-receptor CCR5 or CXCR4 on susceptible cells, primarily CD4+ T cells and macrophages. Although there is considerable knowledge of the molecular interactions between Env and host cell receptors that lead to successful fusion, the precise way in which HIV-1 receptors redistribute to sites of virus binding at the nanoscale remains unknown. Here, we quantitatively examine changes in the nanoscale organisation of CD4 on the surface of CD4+ T cells following HIV-1 binding. Using singlemolecule super-resolution imaging, we show that CD4 molecules are distributed mostly as either individual molecules or small clusters of up to 4 molecules. Following virus binding, we observe a local 3-to-10-fold increase in cluster diameter and molecule number for virus-associated CD4 clusters. Moreover, a similar but smaller magnitude reorganisation of CD4 was also observed with recombinant gp120. For one of the first times, our results quantify the nanoscale CD4 reorganisation triggered by HIV-1 on host CD4+ T cells. Our quantitative approach provides a robust methodology for characterising the nanoscale organisation of plasma membrane receptors in general with the potential to link spatial organisation to function

Variability of the prevalence of depression in function of sociodemographic and environmental factors: ecological model

Major depression etiopathogenesis is related to a wide variety of genetics, demographic and psychosocial factors, as well as to environmental factors. The objective of this study is to analyze sociodemographic and environmental variables that are related to the prevalence of depression through correlation analysis and to develop a regression model that explains the behavior of this disease from an ecological perspective. This is an ecological, retrospective, cross-sectional study. The target population was 1,148,430 individuals over the age of 16 who were registered in Aragon (Spain) during 2010, with electronic medical records in the community’s primary health care centers. The spatial unit was the Basic Health Area (BHA). The dependent variable was the diagnosis of Depression and the ecological independent variables were: Demographic variables (gender and age), population distribution, typology of the entity, population structure by sex and age, by nationality, by education, by work, by salary, by marital status, structure of the household by number of members, and state of the buildings. The results show moderate and positive correlations with higher rates of depression in areas having a higher femininity index, higher population density, areas with a higher unemployment rate and higher average salary. The results of the linear regression show that aging +75 and rural entities act as protective factors for depression, while urban areas and deficient buildings act as risk factors. In conclusion, the ecological methodology may be a useful tool which, together with the statistical epidemiological analysis, can help in the political decision making process

Bose-Einstein Condensation on a Permanent-Magnet Atom Chip

We have produced a Bose-Einstein condensate on a permanent-magnet atom chip based on periodically magnetized videotape. We observe the expansion and dynamics of the condensate in one of the microscopic waveguides close to the surface. The lifetime for atoms to remain trapped near this dielectric material is significantly longer than above a metal surface of the same thickness. These results illustrate the suitability of microscopic permanent-magnet structures for quantum-coherent preparation and manipulation of cold atoms.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figures, Published in Phys. Rev. A, Rapid Com

Bose-Einstein Condensation on a Permanent-Magnet Atom Chip

We have produced a Bose-Einstein condensate on a permanent-magnet atom chip based on periodically magnetized videotape. We observe the expansion and dynamics of the condensate in one of the microscopic waveguides close to the surface. The lifetime for atoms to remain trapped near this dielectric material is significantly longer than above a metal surface of the same thickness. These results illustrate the suitability of microscopic permanent-magnet structures for quantum-coherent preparation and manipulation of cold atoms.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figures, Published in Phys. Rev. A, Rapid Com

Improved crack resistance and thermal conductivity of cubic zirconia containing graphene nanoplatelets

Composites of 8 mol.% yttria-stabilized zirconia (8YSZ) with graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) have been pointed as alternative interconnectors in SOFC due to their mixed ionic-electronic conduction. Here we show that GNP addition provides rising crack-resistance behavior, with long crack toughness up to 78% higher than that of 8YSZ, also improving its thermal conductivity (up to 6 times for the in-plane direction). Toughness versus crack length is measured for 7 and 11 vol.% of GNP using single edge V-notched beam technique and ultrashort pulsed laser notching; and thermal behavior is analyzed by the laser flash method. Materials also have highly anisotropic coefficient of thermal expansion. These properties contribute to enhance their performance under the harsh operating conditions of SOFC, as thermal residual stresses could be reduced while significantly improving the system mechanical stability. Moreover, the heat transfer may be enhanced especially along the interface direction which would increase the system efficiency.This work was supported by Spanish project RTI2018-095052-B-I00, Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades, Spain (MCIU/AEI/FEDER, UE). AG and PM acknowledge support from Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad, Spanish government (Project FIS2017- 87970-R) and Junta de Castilla y León, Spain (Project SA287P18). C. R. thanks the financial support by MCIU under contract IJCI-2017-34724 of “Juan de la Cierva” Program

G Protein-Coupled Estrogen Receptor Immunoreactivity Fluctuates During the Estrous Cycle and Show Sex Differences in the Amygdala and Dorsal Hippocampus

G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) in the amygdala and the dorsal hippocampus mediates actions of estradiol on anxiety, social recognition and spatial memory. In addition, GPER participates in the estrogenic regulation of synaptic function in the amygdala and in the process of adult neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus. While the distribution of the canonical estrogen receptors α and β in the amygdala and dorsal hippocampus are well characterized, little is known about the regional distribution of GPER in these brain regions and whether this distribution is affected by sex or the stages of the estrous cycle. In this study we performed a morphometric analysis of GPER immunoreactivity in the posterodorsal medial, anteroventral medial, basolateral, basomedial and central subdivisions of the amygdala and in all the histological layers of CA1 and the dentate gyrus of the dorsal hippocampal formation. The number of GPER immunoreactive cells was estimated in these different structures. GPER immunoreactivity was detected in all the assessed subdivisions of the amygdaloid nucleus and dorsal hippocampal formation. The number of GPER immunoreactive cells was higher in males than in estrus females in the central (P = 0.001) and the posterodorsal medial amygdala (P < 0.05); higher in males than in diestrus females in the strata orients (P < 0.01) and radiatum-lacunosum-moleculare (P < 0.05) of CA1-CA3 and in the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus (P < 0.01); higher in diestrus females than in males in the basolateral amygdala (P < 0.05); higher in diestrus females than in estrus females in the central (P < 0.01), posterodorsal medial (P < 0.01) and basolateral amygdala (P < 0.01) and higher in estrus females than in diestrus females in the strata oriens (P < 0.05) and radiatum-lacunosum-moleculare (P < 0.05) of CA1-CA3 and in the molecular layer (P < 0.05) and the hilus of the dentate gyrus (P < 0.05). The findings suggest that estrogenic regulation of the amygdala and hippocampus through GPER may be different in males and in females and may fluctuate during the estrous cycle.This study was supported by Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca, Italy (MIUR project Dipartimenti di Eccellenza 2018–2022) to Department of Neuroscience Rita Levi Montalcini, Agencia Estatal de Investigación, Spain (BFU2017-82754-R, PSI2017-86396-P), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid and Fondos FEDER, GRUPOS UCM-BSCH 951579. MM fellowship was generously granted by Prof. G. C. Bergui

Biodiversity and Conservation / Offshore renewable energy and nature conservation : the case of marine tidal turbines in Northern Ireland

The global demand for renewable energy continues to increase rapidly and with it the necessity to develop and test new technologies to deliver the power. Offshore renewable energy sources that harness wind, wave or tidal power are of major interest. Technological advances in these directions have not been matched by a clear understanding of the environmental impacts of the new devices, with most existing research concentrated on the impacts of offshore wind farms. Decisions often continue to be made without the support of a clear evidence base. Here we use an underwater tidal turbine, SeaGen, constructed and operated within the Strangford Lough marine protected area in Northern Ireland, as a case study to explore the potential impacts of the turbine as points of concern and argumentation in the decision-making processes. We use information obtained from official documents and one-to-one interviews with the main stakeholders. Our results demonstrate that during the construction and operation of the turbine the perceptions and views of different stakeholders sometimes disagreed but were often surprisingly similar in relation to both likelihood and intensity of the potential impacts of the turbine on marine biodiversity, ecosystem services and human well-being in general. The overall consensus of views was refined and evolved under an adaptive management approach over the 10 years of the discussions and decision-making processes. The results are discussed in relation to cumulative gains in knowledge, future arrays of many underwater turbines and multiple use of oceans within social ecological systems to maintain the conservation of marine biodiversity.(VLID)165548

Manejo del neonato con coartación de aorta e hipoplasia de arco

ResumenIntroducciónLa coartación aórtica del neonato puede asociar en un porcentaje importante hipoplasia del arco aórtico, llegando en algunas series al 60%.Cuando existe hipoplasia del arco aórtico distal el tratamiento estándar consiste en la resección de la zona de coartación y anastomosis termino-terminal extendida.En casos de hipoplasia severa del arco aórtico distal y arco distal largo, podría no ser suficiente con la resección y anastomosis termino-terminal extendida, por lo que sería razonable realizar alguna técnica adicional para ampliar el arco aórtico distal, evitando así un abordaje anterior, el uso de parada circulatoria con o sin perfusión cerebral selectiva y el aumento de la morbimortalidad perioperatoria.MétodosPresentamos los resultados de 4 neonatos, a los que se les realizó una ampliación del arco aórtico distal, según técnica de Amato (anastomosis latero-lateral entre las arterias carótida y subclavia izquierdas), para posteriormente resecar la zona de coartación y anastomosar la aorta descendente al arco aórtico previamente ampliado.ResultadosEn todos los casos el ecocardiograma postoperatorio mostró arco reconstruido con flujo laminar. No se ha presentado ningún caso de recoartación durante un período de seguimiento medio de 12 meses.ConclusiónConsideramos que la técnica de elección en la coartación con hipoplasia de arco distal es la resección y anastomosis termino-terminal extendida.En casos seleccionados, con arco aórtico distal muy largo y severamente hipoplásico, la técnica de Amato es una alternativa atractiva, con el objeto de evitar un abordaje anterior y el uso de CEC. Además, puede realizarse en un primer tiempo, manteniendo perfusión sistémica ductus-dependiente.AbstractIntroductionNeonatal aortic coarctation can be combined with a significant percentage of aortic arch hypoplasia, reaching 60% in some series.When there is hypoplasia of the distal aortic arch, the standard treatment consists of resection of the coarctation zone and extended end-to-end anastomosis.In cases of severe distal aortic arch hypoplasia and a long distal arch, resection and extended end-to-end anastomosis would not be sufficient, making it reasonable to perform an additional technique to widen the distal aortic arch, thus avoiding an anterior approach and interrupting the blood circulation with or without selective cerebral infusion, with the resulting risk of an increase in perioperative morbidity and mortality.MethodsThe results are presented on 4 neonates on whom a widening of the distal aortic arch was performed using the Amato technique (side-to-side anastomosis between the left carotid and subclavian arteries), in order to subsequently resect the coarctation zone and perform an anastomosis of the descending aorta to the previously widened aortic arch.ResultsThe post-operative echocardiogram showed a reconstructed arch with laminar flow in all cases. There has been no recurrence of coarctation in any of the cases during a mean follow-up of 12 months.ConclusionWe believe that resection with extended end-to-end anastomosis is the technique of choice in coarctation with distal arch hypoplasia.The Amato technique is an attractive alternative in selected cases with a very long and severely hypoplastic distal arch, with the aim of avoiding an anterior approach and the use of extracorporeal circulation. This could also be performed initially, maintaining ductal-dependent systemic perfusion