Late Holocene landscape changes in a western Catamarca Valley: integrating archaeology, palinology and geomorphology

El Valle de El Bolsón (Belén, Catamarca) se ubica entre dos áreas geográficas y culturales de gran interés en la arqueología del NOA. Por su ubicación, entre la Puna y los valles bajos, se presenta como un lugar desde donde estudiar los cambios ambientales a nivel local y su relación a las secuencias paleoambientales conocidas en la región.Estudios de polen fósil contenido en la secuencia sedimentaria de Laguna Cotaguainforman sobre los cambios en la vegetación a partir de los 5581 años cal AP. El estudio sedimentológico del mismo y de terrazas fluviales con materiales arqueológicos en estratigrafía evidencian abruptos cambios en la geomorfología del valle desde ca. 3000 años AP. El estudio geoarqueológico de los mismos aportó información para ordenar cronológicamente eventos de erosión y deposición de sedimentos que en alguna medida tuvieron impacto en las formas en que las poblaciones prehispánicas habitaron el valle.La finalidad de este trabajo es presentar la integración de estos datos a la información arqueológica disponible y aportar al corpus de datos paleoambientales del NOA.The El Bolsón Valley (Belén, Catamarca Province) is located between two geographical and cultural areas of great interest for the region’s (Northwest Argentina - NOA) archaeology. Given its location – helmed by the Puna and the lower valleys – it constitutes an ideal place in which to study environmental changes at a local scale, elucidating its relationship with known paleoenvironmental sequences of the wider NOA region. Studies on fossilized pollen extracted from a Laguna Cotagua sedimentary sequence, identified changes in local vegetation dating to 5581 ± 40 years BP. Sedimentology studies of these sequences, as well as others from fluvial terraces containing archaeological material, show abrupt geomorphological changes in the valley from ca. 3,000 years BP, onwards. Geoarchaeological studies on these records, contributed data that allowed us to chronologically arrange sediment erosion and deposition events that impacted on the local Prehispanic population’s life-ways and settlement of the valley. The aim of this article is to integrate this data, with the available archaeological information, thereby contributing to the corpus of paleoenvironmental data for the NOA region.Fil: Meléndez, Ana Soledad. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Catamarca. Universidad Nacional de Catamarca. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Catamarca; ArgentinaFil: Kulemeyer, Julio José. Universidad Nacional de Jujuy. Instituto de Ecorregiones Andinas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Ecorregiones Andinas; ArgentinaFil: Quesada, Marcos Nicolás. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Catamarca. Universidad Nacional de Catamarca. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Catamarca; ArgentinaFil: Lupo, Liliana Concepcion. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta; ArgentinaFil: Korstanje, María Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Estudios Sociales. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Estudios Sociales; Argentin

Uses of ecosystem services provided by MPAs: how much do they impact the local economy?

Though the basic purpose of MPAs is marine ecosystem conservation, the question of their influence on the local economy is often critical since it governs their social acceptability. This paper addresses the problem of measuring the local economic impact of MPAs, on the basis of a comparative analysis of socio-economic field surveys of 14 case studies in Southern Europe. The surveys were performed in 2005 and 2006 within the framework of the EU funded multidisciplinary EMPAFISH research project. They cover a range of uses of ecosystem services related to the MPA: fishing (commercial and recreational), as well as non-extractive recreational activities (scuba-diving and snorkelling). More than 4,000 questionnaires were filled, providing information on behaviours and attitudes of users, as well as on the economic dimension of their activity. One of the issue is to separate the "reserve effect" from the "site effect"

Assessing, quantifying and valuing the ecosystem services of coastal lagoons

The natural conservation of coastal lagoons is important not only for their ecological importance, but also because of the valuable ecosystem services they provide for human welfare and wellbeing. Coastal lagoons are shallow semi-enclosed systems that support important habitats such as wetlands, mangroves, salt-marshes and seagrass meadows, as well as a rich biodiversity. Coastal lagoons are also complex social-ecological systems with ecosystem services that provide livelihoods, wellbeing and welfare to humans. This study assessed, quantified and valued the ecosystem services of 32 coastal lagoons. The main findings of the study are: (i) the definitions of ecosystem services are still not generally accepted; (ii) the quantification of ecosystem services is made in many different ways, using different units; (iii) the evaluation in monetary terms of some ecosystem service is problematic, often relying on non-monetary evaluation methods; (iv) when ecosystem services are valued in monetary terms, this may represent very different human benefits; and, (v) different aspects of climate change, including increasing temperature, sea-level rise and changes in rainfall patterns threaten the valuable ecosystem services of coastal lagoons.DEVOTES project, from the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration [308392]; networks and communities of Eurolag; Future Earth Coasts; SCOR; Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT) Investigador Programme [IF/00331/2013]; Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia [UID/MAR/04292/2013]; CESAM by FCT/MEC national funds (PIDDAC) [UID/AMB/50017/2013 - POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007638]; FEDER; European Commission, under the 7th Framework Programme through the collaborative research project LAGOONS [283157]; FCT [SFRH/BPD/107823/2015, SFRH/BPD/91494/2012

Design and validation of an instrument about quality of the advance care planning for professionals

[ES] Objetivo: Diseñar y validar un cuestionario dirigido a profesionales para la medición de la calidad del proceso de planificación anticipada de decisiones y determinar sus propiedades psicométricas. Método: Estudio instrumental de validación de cuestionario. Emplazamiento: centros de atención pri maria y consultas externas de hospitales de Ferrol, Ourense, Monforte-Lugo y el Área Sanitaria V del Servicio de Salud de Asturias. Participantes: médico/as y enfermera/os. Fases: 1) diseño de la primera versión del cuestionario mediante técnica Delphi; 2) construcción de la segunda versión de 21 ítems, tras acuerdo de jueces y prueba W de Kendal; 3) pilotaje, análisis de consistencia interna mediante alfa de Cronbach y coeficiente omega,test-retest mediante coeficiente de correlación de Pearson; y 4) validación, test de esfericidad de Barlett y medida de Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin, análisis factorial exploratorio con rotación varimax y estudio de las dimensiones del cuestionario (número, coeficiente de correlación intraclase y correlación), consistencia interna mediante alfa de Cronbach. Resultados: Estudio piloto con 28 profesionales. Fiabilidad ɷ = 0.917, α = 0, 841 y coeficiente de correlación test-retest 0,785 (intervalo de confianza del 95%: 0,587-0,894; p < 0,001). Validación del cuestionario (21 ítems) en 204 profesionales. El análisis de los ítems y el factorial exploratorio (test de Barlett [χ2 = 1298,789] y KMO = 0,808; p < 0,001) arrojaron un modelo de cinco factores que explican el 64,377% de la varianza total, con 18 ítems agrupados en 5 dimensiones (información, preferencias, intención de conducta, capacitación y comunicación). El alfa de Cronbach del cuestionario global fue de 0,841. Conclusiones: El cuestionario ProPAD-pro ha demostrado ser un instrumento válido y fiable para evaluar la calidad del proceso de planificación anticipada de decisiones. [EN] Objective: To develop a questionnaire aimed to measure the quality of the advance care planning process in healthcare professionals and to assess its psychometric quality. Method: Instrumental questionnaire validation study. Scope: primary care centers and outpatients clinics from general hospitals in Ferrol, Ourense, Monforte-Lugo and Health Area V of the Health Service of Asturias. Participants: physicians and nurses. Phases: (1) design of the first version of the questionnaire using the Delphi technique; (2) construction of the second version of 21 items, after judges' agreement and Kendall's W test; (3) pilot study: internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha and omega coefficient, retest-test by Pearson's correlation coefficient; (4) validation: Barlett's spherity test and Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measurement, exploratory factor analysis with varimax rotation and study of the dimensions of the questionnaire (number, CCI and correlation), internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha. Results: Pilot study with 28 professionals. Reliability ɷ=0.917, α=0.841, and test-retest correlation coefficient of 0.785 (95% confidence interval: 0.587-0.894; p<0.001). Validation of the questionnaire (21 items) in 204 professionals. Ítem analysis and exploratory factor analysis (Barlett's test [χ2=1298,789] and KMO=0.808; p<0.001) yielded a five-factor model explaining 64.377% of the total variance, with 18 items grouped into 5 dimensions (information, preferences, behavioral intention, training and communication). Cronbach's alpha of the global questionnaire was 0.841. Conclusions: The ProPAD-pro questionnaire has showed to be a valid and reliable instrument to assess the quality of the advance care planning process.Proyecto financiado por los Proyectos de Investigación en Salud (Modalidad Proyectos de Investigación) de la convocatoria 2016 de la Acción Estratégica en Salud 2013-2016, y cofinanciado por el Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER), Núm. exp. PI16/01686.S

Oligoasthenoteratozoospermia and Infertility in Mice Deficient for miR-34b/c and miR-449 Loci

Male fertility requires the continuous production of high quality motile spermatozoa in abundance. Alterations in all three metrics cause oligoasthenoteratozoospermia, the leading cause of human sub/infertility. Post-mitotic spermatogenesis inclusive of several meiotic stages and spermiogenesis (terminal spermatozoa differentiation) are transcriptionally inert, indicating the potential importance for the post-transcriptional microRNA (miRNA) gene-silencing pathway therein. We found the expression of miRNA generating enzyme Dicer within spermatogenesis peaks in meiosis with critical functions in spermatogenesis. In an expression screen we identified two miRNA loci of the miR-34 family (miR-34b/c and miR-449) that are specifically and highly expressed in post-mitotic male germ cells. A reduction in several miRNAs inclusive of miR-34b/c in spermatozoa has been causally associated with reduced fertility in humans. We found that deletion of both miR34b/c and miR-449 loci resulted in oligoasthenoteratozoospermia in mice. MiR-34bc/449-deficiency impairs both meiosis and the final stages of spermatozoa maturation. Analysis of miR-34bc-/-;449-/- pachytene spermatocytes revealed a small cohort of genes deregulated that were highly enriched for miR-34 family target genes. Our results identify the miR-34 family as the first functionally important miRNAs for spermatogenesis whose deregulation is causal to oligoasthenoteratozoospermia and infertility

Why Are Outcomes Different for Registry Patients Enrolled Prospectively and Retrospectively? Insights from the Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF).

Background: Retrospective and prospective observational studies are designed to reflect real-world evidence on clinical practice, but can yield conflicting results. The GARFIELD-AF Registry includes both methods of enrolment and allows analysis of differences in patient characteristics and outcomes that may result. Methods and Results: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and ≥1 risk factor for stroke at diagnosis of AF were recruited either retrospectively (n = 5069) or prospectively (n = 5501) from 19 countries and then followed prospectively. The retrospectively enrolled cohort comprised patients with established AF (for a least 6, and up to 24 months before enrolment), who were identified retrospectively (and baseline and partial follow-up data were collected from the emedical records) and then followed prospectively between 0-18 months (such that the total time of follow-up was 24 months; data collection Dec-2009 and Oct-2010). In the prospectively enrolled cohort, patients with newly diagnosed AF (≤6 weeks after diagnosis) were recruited between Mar-2010 and Oct-2011 and were followed for 24 months after enrolment. Differences between the cohorts were observed in clinical characteristics, including type of AF, stroke prevention strategies, and event rates. More patients in the retrospectively identified cohort received vitamin K antagonists (62.1% vs. 53.2%) and fewer received non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (1.8% vs . 4.2%). All-cause mortality rates per 100 person-years during the prospective follow-up (starting the first study visit up to 1 year) were significantly lower in the retrospective than prospectively identified cohort (3.04 [95% CI 2.51 to 3.67] vs . 4.05 [95% CI 3.53 to 4.63]; p = 0.016). Conclusions: Interpretations of data from registries that aim to evaluate the characteristics and outcomes of patients with AF must take account of differences in registry design and the impact of recall bias and survivorship bias that is incurred with retrospective enrolment. Clinical Trial Registration: - URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier for GARFIELD-AF (NCT01090362)

Risk profiles and one-year outcomes of patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation in India: Insights from the GARFIELD-AF Registry.

BACKGROUND: The Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF) is an ongoing prospective noninterventional registry, which is providing important information on the baseline characteristics, treatment patterns, and 1-year outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). This report describes data from Indian patients recruited in this registry. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 52,014 patients with newly diagnosed AF were enrolled globally; of these, 1388 patients were recruited from 26 sites within India (2012-2016). In India, the mean age was 65.8 years at diagnosis of NVAF. Hypertension was the most prevalent risk factor for AF, present in 68.5% of patients from India and in 76.3% of patients globally (P < 0.001). Diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD) were prevalent in 36.2% and 28.1% of patients as compared with global prevalence of 22.2% and 21.6%, respectively (P < 0.001 for both). Antiplatelet therapy was the most common antithrombotic treatment in India. With increasing stroke risk, however, patients were more likely to receive oral anticoagulant therapy [mainly vitamin K antagonist (VKA)], but average international normalized ratio (INR) was lower among Indian patients [median INR value 1.6 (interquartile range {IQR}: 1.3-2.3) versus 2.3 (IQR 1.8-2.8) (P < 0.001)]. Compared with other countries, patients from India had markedly higher rates of all-cause mortality [7.68 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval 6.32-9.35) vs 4.34 (4.16-4.53), P < 0.0001], while rates of stroke/systemic embolism and major bleeding were lower after 1 year of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Compared to previously published registries from India, the GARFIELD-AF registry describes clinical profiles and outcomes in Indian patients with AF of a different etiology. The registry data show that compared to the rest of the world, Indian AF patients are younger in age and have more diabetes and CAD. Patients with a higher stroke risk are more likely to receive anticoagulation therapy with VKA but are underdosed compared with the global average in the GARFIELD-AF. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION-URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01090362

On the width and mean value of bubble size distributions under subcooled flow boiling

In this work, a new comprehensive dataset about bubble sizes in flow boiling of water is presented. The experimental setup basically consists of a lower copper heated plate embedded in a horizontal rectangular channel flow. Several experimental conditions, ranging bulk velocities: 0.1–0.9 [m·s−1]; mass fluxes: 96.9–871.8 [kg·m−2·s−1]; subcooling degrees: 16–36 [°C]; heat fluxes: 200–650 [kW·m−2] and pressures: 110–190 [kPa] were set for three cooper plates of different roughness, with Sa: 0.45, 1.23 and 7.43 [µm], respectively. Based on the current samples, the probability function for the normalized bubble diameter has been described by a lognormal pdf for any plate and experimental condition and a dimensionless correlation for the standard deviation of the bubble size distribution is presented. In order to completely describe the diameter distribution for bubbles in subcooled boiling systems, an improved correlation for the mean bubble diameter value is also presented here, after a deep review of previously published datasets. Further work is required to accommodate different channel configurations and surface morphologies.Agencia Estatal de Investigación | Ref. RTC2019-006955-

On the effect of surface roughness and material on the subcooled flow boiling of water : experimental study and global correlation

In this paper, a new correlation based on experimental results for subcooled flow boiling of water at low pressure is proposed, preceded by a brief review on how the solid–fluid interaction has been dealt with in past correlations. The experimental sample comprises seven heating surfaces of different material (copper, aluminium and stainless steel) and roughness. The experimental facility is presented in detail and the surface morphology of each test specimen is analysed by means of an optical interferometer. The correlation is based on the assumption that the effect of material and roughness can be captured by means of modifiers of a general expression. The surfaces chosen in this work were selected to capture a broad range of industrial applications, and, though the correlation found fits well in the range of commercial and relatively high values of Ra (up to 7 μm in the case of copper), further study is needed for larger values, as a discontinuity in the effect was observed, which has been previously determined by some authors. Thus, the proposed global correlation permits the calculation of the boiling heat flux taking into account, in addition to the more classical parameters such as pressure and bulk temperature, the effect of both the roughness and material of the wall heater, allowing its general use in low pressure applications such as those commonly found in the automotive industry.BorgWarner Emissions System

Comparison of characteristics evaluated by different fractal approaches of soot agglomerates produced by a combustion aerosol generator

A study on the fractal geometry, morphology and mass properties of particulate matter carried away by the emissions of a combustion aerosol generation bench was performed. Individual soot agglomerates, collected from exhaust gases using a thermophoretic sampling device, were observed ex-situ using transmission electron microscopy. Those micrographs were firstly used to obtain projected areas, diameters of gyration, and primary particle diameters. Based on this information, the most common overlapping approaches used to estimate the number of primary particles were applied and compared. Morphological descriptors obtained from micrographs were also used to provide approximate estimates of fractal dimensions, mass and density values, as well as mobility and aerodynamic diameters for the agglomerates collected.Agencia Estatal de Investigación | Ref. ENE2017-87855-