Railway deformation detected by DInSAR over active sinkholes in the Ebro Valley evaporite karst, Spain

Subsidence was measured for the first time on railway tracks in the central sector of Ebro Valley (NE Spain) using Differential Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (DInSAR) techniques. This area is affected by evaporite karst and the analysed railway corridors traverse active sinkholes that produce deformations in these infrastructures. One of the railway tracks affected by slight settlements is the Madrid-Barcelona high-speed line, a form of transport infrastructure highly vulnerable to ground deformation processes. Our analysis based on DInSAR measurements and geomorphological surveys indicates that this line shows dissolution-induced subsidence and compaction of anthropogenic deposits (infills and embankments). Significant sinkhole-related subsidence was also measured by DInSAR techniques on the Castejón-Zaragoza conventional railway line. This study demonstrates that DInSAR velocity maps, coupled with detailed geomorphological surveys, may help in the identification of the railway track sections that are affected by active subsidence

Percepción de materiales: estudio del espacio latente

El objetivo del trabajo es entender como las personas perciben las características físicas de los materiales y diferencian unos de otros. Para lograr este objetivo, se va a analizar el espacio latente generado por una red entrenada a partir de juicios humanos de materiales y el propio comportamiento de la red. El espacio latente generado por una red neuronal puede ser muy complejo y difícil de explorar, no solo por su alta dimensionalidad sino por la posible falta de correlación clara entre distintos grupos de datos de entrada. A lo largo del trabajo, los diferentes análisis parecen apuntar a que el espacio estudiado es más simple de lo que se esperaba, y que tiene organizados los materiales principalmente de acuerdo con la forma en la que reflejan la luz. Finalmente, se ha podido desarrollar un sistema de reconstrucción del espacio latente (generador imágenes de materiales) que permite también la edición de materiales de forma sencilla, sin tener que manipular directamente una imagen.<br /

Investigating gravitational grabens related to lateral spreading and evaporite dissolution subsidence by means of detailed mapping, trenching, and electrical resistivity tomography (Spanish Pyrenees)

The active lateral spread of the Peracalc Range (Spanish Pyrenees) has developed on a Cretaceous limestone sequence around 250 m thick, underlain by tectonically thickened (∼2.5 km) Triassic halite-bearing evaporites and clays. Outward expansion of the Triassic sequence by ductile deformation and probably halokinesis toward the debuttressed and unloaded front of the range has been accommodated in the overlying cap rock through the development of a striking horst and graben morphostructure. Fault scarps show anomalously high height to length ratios (aspect ratio; H max / L ) compared to the values reported for tectonic faults. This retrogressive gravitational deformation has aborted a paleodrainage, expressed as wind gaps, hanging valleys, and defeated streams. The significant vertical displacement component in this rock spread is attributed to subsidence caused by interstratal evaporite dissolution, as supported by the dissolution-induced collapse and graben structures mapped at the foot of the range. To our knowledge, the rock spread of Peracalc, covering around 4.5 km 2 and with a minimum volume of 0.9 km 3 , is the largest documented landslide of the Pyrenees. The excavation of trenches and the acquisition of electrical resistivity tomography profiles provided information on the thickness and subsurface structure of the graben fills, the age of the lateral spread (older than 45 ka), an unexpected episodic kinematic behavior of the gravitational faults, and the timing of deformation events, including slumping of lake deposits

En función de la orientación recibida, ¿qué eligen hacer nuestros estudiantes en su futuro próximo?

L'orientació acadèmica i professional té nombroses limitacions dins del sistema educatiu i, tot i ser un dret dels estudiants dins la legislació espanyola, són diverses les millores que caldria fer per poder garantir la seva eficàcia. En aquesta investigació es presenta una anàlisi de la relació que existeix entre la percepció de l'alumnat sobre l'orientació acadèmica i professional rebuda en els seus respectius centres educatius i la selecció del itinerari un cop finalitzats els seus estudis de batxillerat. Amb una mostra de 540 individus, els resultats permeten confirmar que sols el 38.3% dels alumnes entrevistats consideren útil l'orientació rebuda, mentre que la resta dels entrevistats o bé no han rebut orientació o bé tenen una percepció negativa de la mateixa. Independentment d'això, un gran percentatge dels alumnes decideix l'itinerari que desitjaria cursar al finalitzar els seus estudis de batxillerat, fet que suposa un problema al no comptar amb la correcta informació que els centres educatius haurien d'haver proporcionat.Academic-professional guidance has numerous limitations within the educational system and, despite being a right of students within Spanish legislation, there are several improvements that should be made today to ensure its effectiveness. This research presents an analysis of the relationship that exists between the students' perception of the academic-professional guidance received in their educational centers and the selection of the itinerary after completing their Baccalaureate studies. With a sample of 540 subjects, the results confirm that only 38.3% of the students interviewed perceive the orientation received as useful, the rest being students who either have not received orientation or have a negative perception of it. Regardless of this, a large percentage of students decide the itinerary that they would like to take at the end of their studies in Baccalaureate, which is a problem because they do not have the correct information that schools should provide.La orientación académico-profesional cuenta con numerosas limitaciones dentro del sistema educativo y, a pesar de ser un derecho de los estudiantes dentro de la legislación española, varias son las mejoras que deberían realizarse en la actualidad para garantizar su eficacia. En esta investigación se presenta un análisis de la relación que existe entre la percepción del alumnado acerca de la orientación académico-profesional recibida en sus centros educativos y la selección del itinerario tras finalizar sus estudios de Bachillerato. Con una muestra de 540 sujetos, los resultados permiten confirmar que solo el 38.3% de los alumnos entrevistados percibe la orientación recibida como útil, siendo el resto de alumnos que o bien no han recibido orientación o tienen una percepción negativa de la misma. Independientemente de ello, un gran porcentaje de alumnos decide el itinerario que desearía cursar al finalizar sus estudios en Bachillerato, lo cual supone un problema al no contar con la correcta información que los centros educativos deberían proporcionarles

Variables predictoras de la expectativa de desempeño y la intención de abandono en contexto de educación virtual de emergencia en estudiantes universitarios chilenos

The current context of virtual emergency education due to the COVID19 pandemic has brought new conditions to the educational scene. In this context, this research sought to evaluate the predictive capacity of engagement expectations, social support, the quality and mastery of computer resources, the High School Grades (NEM) and the score obtained in the University Selection Test (PSU) on performance expectations and the intention to drop out during the first academic semester of 2020, in Chilean university students. A predictive associative design was carried out with a cross-sectional measurement. 347 students participated. The results showed that the mastery and the perceived quality of computer resources, the perceived are not significant predictors of performance expectations and intention to drop out, as opposed to engagement and performance expectations. The PSU, social support and engagement expectations were shown to predict academic performance expectations. A predictive associative design was carried out with a cross-sectional measurement. 347 students participated. The results showed that the mastery and perceived quality of computer resources, perceived social support, NEM and PSU are not significant predictors of performance expectations and intention to drop out, as opposed to engagement and performance expectations. The PSU, social support and engagement expectations were shown to predict academic performance expectations.El actual contexto de educación virtual de emergencia producto de la pandemia del COVID19 ha traído nuevas condiciones al escenario educativo. En este contexto, esta investigación busca evaluar la capacidad predictiva de las expectativas de compromiso, el apoyo social, la calidad y dominio de los recursos informáticos, las Notas de Enseñanza Media (NEM) y el puntaje obtenido en la Prueba de Selección Universitaria (PSU) sobre las expectativas de desempeño y la intención de abandono durante el primer semestre académico del año 2020, en estudiantes universitarios chilenos. Se realizó un diseño asociativo de tipo predictivo con una medición transversal. Participaron 347 estudiantes. Los resultados mostraron que el dominio y la calidad percibida de los recursos informáticos, el apoyo social percibido, las NEM y la PSU no son predictores significativos de las expectativas de desempeño y la intención de abandono, a diferencia de las expectativas de compromiso y de desempeño. La PSU, el apoyo social y las expectativas de compromiso fueron predictoras de las expectativas de desempeño académico

Cardiovascular risk in early psychosis. Relationship with inflammation and clinical features 6 months after diagnosis

Background: We aimed to investigate the state of cardiovascular risk/protection factors in early psychosis patients. Methods: A total 119 subjects were recruited during the first year after their first episode of psychosis. Eighty-five of these subjects were followed during the next 6 months. Cardiovascular risk/protection factors were measured in plasma and co-variated by sociodemographic/clinical characteristics. Multiple linear regression models detected the change of each biological marker from baseline to follow-up in relation to clinical scales, antipsychotic medication, and pro-/antiinflammatory mediators. Results: Glycosylated hemoglobin is a state biomarker in first episode of psychosis follow-up patients and inversely correlated to the Global Assessment of Functioning scale. We found opposite alterations in the levels of VCAM-1 and E-selectin in first episode of psychosis baseline conditions compared with control that were absent in the first episode of psychosis follow-up group. Adiponectin levels decreased in a continuum in both pathological time points studied. E-Selectin plasma levels were inversely related to total antipsychotic equivalents and adiponectin levels inversely co-related to the Global Assessment of Functioning scale. Finally, adiponectin levels were directly related to antiinflammatory nuclear receptor PPARγ expression in first episode of psychosis baseline conditions and to proinflammatory nuclear factor nuclear factor κB activity in follow-up conditions, respectively. Conclusions: Our results support the need for integrating cardiovascular healthcare very early after the first episode of psychosis

Hydrogeochemical characterization of an evaporite karst area affected by sinkholes (Ebro Valley, NE Spain)

The main processes controlling the hydrochemistry of an alluvium-covered evaporite karst area with high sinkhole risk (Ebro Valley, NE Spain) are examined by means of multivariate analyses (Principal Component Analysis and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis), ion correlations and geochemical speciation-solubility calculations. The hydrogeochemistry of the studied system seems to be governed by the interaction between the groundwater from the salt-bearing evaporitic karst aquifer and from the overlying Ebro River alluvial aquifer. The observed hydrochemical features in the alluvial-karst aquifer system are mainly determined by the relative contribution of gypsum/anhydrite and halite dissolution, showing a wide spectrum from relatively fresh recharge waters (mainly irrigation waters) to highly evolved groundwater from the evaporitic aquifer. The variability of these contributions is especially evident at sinkhole ponds which, in some cases, seem to be associated with discharge areas of the karst aquifer in the valley bottom alluvium. Calculated saturation indexes suggest that, in contrast to gypsum, the amounts of halite in the sampled portions of evaporitic aquifer are not large enough to attain equilibrium, which is consistent with the predominance of gypsum/anhydrite reported for these materials. Furthermore, the observed Na:Cl and Ca:SO4 correlations and stoichiometries suggest that other possible processes, such as glauberite dissolution or Na/Ca-exchange, generally play a minor role (compared to halite and gypsum dissolution) in this system. Another important process in the system is the dissolution of carbonate minerals (dolomite and, possibly, calcite) fostered by the input of CO2(g), which is probably produced by pedogenic processes. Dolomite dissolution seems to be particularly relevant in the evaporitic materials probably due to dedolomitisation triggered by gypsum/anhydrite dissolution