SilvAdapt.Net: A Site-Based Network of Adaptive Forest Management Related to Climate Change in Spain

Adaptive forest management (AFM) is an urgent need because of the uncertainty regarding how changes in the climate will affect the structure, composition and function of forests during the next decades. Current research initiatives for the long-term monitoring of impacts of silviculture are scattered and not integrated into research networks, with the consequent losses of opportunities and capacity for action. To increase the scientific and practical impacts of these experiences, it is necessary to establish logical frameworks that harmonize the information and help us to define the most appropriate treatments. In this context, a number of research groups in Spain have produced research achievements and know-how during the last decades that can allow for the improvement in AFM. These groups address the issue of AFM from different fields, such as ecophysiology, ecohydrology and forest ecology, thus resulting in valuable but dispersed expertise. The main objective of this work is to introduce a comprehensive strategy aimed to study the implementation of AFM in Spain. As a first step, a network of 34 experimental sites managed by 14 different research groups is proposed and justified. As a second step, the most important AFM impacts on Mediterranean pines, as one of the most extended natural and planted forest types in Spain, are presented. Finally, open questions dealing with key aspects when attempting to implement an AFM framework are discussed. This study is expected to contribute to better outlining the procedures and steps needed to implement regional frameworks for AFMA.J. Molina is beneficiary of an “APOSTD” fellowship (APOSTD/2019/111) funded by the Generalitat Valenciana. M. Moreno-de las Heras is beneficiary of a Serra Hunter fellowship (UB-LE-9055) funded by the Generalitat de Catalunya. F.J. Ruiz-Gómez is supported by a postdoctoral fellowship of the Junta de Andalucía (Sevilla, Spain), and the European Social Fund 2014–2020 Program (DOC_0055). The authors received national and international funding through the following projects: SILVADAPT.NET (RED2018-102719-T), ESPECTRAMED (CGL2017-86161-R), Life-FOREST CO2 (LIFE14 CCM/ES/001271), ALTERACLIM (CGL2015-69773-C2-1-P), INERTIA (PID2019-111332RB-C22-BDV), CEHYRFO-MED (CGL2017-86839-C3-2-R), DEHESACLIM (IB16185), RESILIENTFORESTS (LIFE17 CCA/ES/000063), Rhysotto (PID2019-106583RB-I00), AGL2017-83828- C2-2-R, RTI2018-096884-B-C31, ESPAS (CGL2015-65569-R), and caRRRascal (RTI2018-095037-B-I00) : We thank the financial support from the “Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación -Redes de Investigación 2018, Programa Estatal de Generación de Conocimiento y Fortalecimiento Científico y Tecnológico del Sistema de I + D + I

Spatially Controlled Generation and Probing of Random Telegraph Noise in Metal Nanocrystal Embedded HfO2Using Defect Nanospectroscopy

Random telegraph noise (RTN) is often considered a nuisance or, more critically, a key reliability challenge for miniaturized semiconductor devices. However, this picture is gradually changing as recent works have shown emerging applications based on the inherent randomness of the RTN signals in state-of-The-Art technologies, including true random number generator and IoT hardware security. Suitable material platforms and device architectures are now actively explored to bring these technologies from an embryonic stage to practical application. A key challenge is to devise material systems, which can be reliably used for the deterministic creation of localized defects to be used for RTN generation. Toward this goal, we have investigated RTN in Au nanocrystal (Au-NC) embedded HfO2stacks at the nanoscale by combining conduction atomic force microscopy defect spectroscopy and a statistical factorial hidden Markov model analysis. With a voltage applied across the stack, there is an enhanced asymmetric electric field surrounding the Au-NC. This in turn leads to the preferential generation of atomic defects in the HfO2near the Au-NC when voltage is applied to the stack to induce dielectric breakdown. Since RTN arises from various electrostatic interactions between closely spaced atomic defects, the Au-NC HfO2material system exhibits an intrinsic ability to generate RTN signals. Our results also highlight that the spatial confinement of multiple defects and the resulting electrostatic interactions between the defects provides a dynamic environment leading to many complex RTN patterns in addition to the presence of the standard two-level RTN signals. The insights obtained at the nanoscale are useful to optimize metal nanocrystal embedded high-κ stacks and circuits for on-demand generation of RTN for emerging random number applications

NiGa Unsupported Catalyst for CO2 Hydrogenation at Atmospheric Pressure. Tentative Reaction Pathways

The hydrogenation of CO2 is presented as a catalytic strategy for CO2 utilization and an approach to the development of sustainable processes to obtain products with high added value, such as CO, CH4, and CH3OH. An unsupported NixGay model catalyst with high surface area was synthesized by an ultrasonic-assisted coprecipitation method. The in situ H2-treatment and the activation temperature (600, 700, and 800 °C) are key in the phases present in the catalyst and, therefore, in the reactivity in the CO2 hydrogenation reaction at atmospheric pressure. Operating conditions have been selected that maximize the selectivity to be able to correlate phases, surface, and reactivity. Independently of the H2/CO2 feed ratio, after treatment in hydrogen at 600 °C, CO selectivity values are higher than 97%, via a reverse water gas shift reaction, with Ni13Ga9 and Ni metallic being the main phases detected. The H2-treatment at 700 °C increases the proportion of Ni0 and Ni13Ga9 phases, and even with the use of a H2/CO2 feeding ratio of 3, methanation is the only reaction that occurs. At 800 °C, Ni5Ga3 is the main phase detected, and methanol is formed at 150 °C, through the intervention of a necessary formate species; when the reaction temperature is higher than 400 °C, the rWGS is the only observable reaction, with complete CO formation.Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málaga / CBU

Central venous-catheter related bacteremia: incidence and risk factors in a hospital in western Mexico

AbstractBackgroundCentral venous catheters (CVC) are needed for monitoring and treatment of critically ill patients; however, their use increases the risk of bacteremia. The aim of the study was to quantify the incidence of central venous catheter-related bacteremia (CVCRB) and to identify factors associated with this infection.MethodsA prospective cohort study was conducted in a concentration hospital of western Mexico. The association of CVCRB and study variables was investigated using multivariate Cox regression analysis.ResultsTwo hundred and four patients with CVC were studied. The mean age was 4.6 years; 66.2% were male. Insertion sites of the catheters were subclavian vein 72.5% (n = 148), jugular vein 20.1% (n = 41) and femoral vein 7.4% (n = 15). CVCRB incidence was 6.5 events/1,000 catheter-days; microorganisms identified were gram-positive cocci 37.5% (n = 6), gram-negative bacilli 37.5% (n = 6) and Candida albicans 25% (n = 4). It was observed that the increase in catheter manipulations per day was associated with bacteremia (HR 1.14, 95% CI 1.06–1.23), whereas the use of intravenous antibiotics showed a protective effect (HR 0.84, 95% CI 0.76–0.92).ConclusionsIn addition to the strategies of maximum caution when placing or manipulating the catheter, we recommend decreasing, as much as possible, disconnects between the CVC and the infusion line. Antibiotics showed a protective effect, but the outcome is uncertain and the promotion of antimicrobial resistance should be considered

Genotoxic and Cytotoxic Studies of Beta-Sitosterol and Pteropodine in Mouse

Beta-sitosterol (BS) and pteropodine (PT) are constituents of various plants with pharmacological activities potentially useful to man. The chemicals themselves possess biomedical properties related to the modulation of the immune and the nervous systems, as well as to the inflammatory process. Therefore, safety evaluation of the compounds is necessary in regard to their probable beneficial use in human health. The present study evaluates their genotoxic and cytotoxic potential by determining the capacity of the compounds to induce sister chromatid exchanges (SCE), or to alter cellular proliferation kinetics (CPK) and the mitotic index (MI) in mouse bone marrow cells. Besides, it also determines their capacity to increase the rate of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MNPE) in peripheral mouse blood, and the relationship polychromatic erythrocytes/normochromatic erythrocytes (PE/NE) as an index of cytotoxicity. For the first assay, four doses of each compound were tested: 200, 400, 600, and 1000 mg/kg in case of BS, and 100, 200, 300, and 600 mg/kg for PT. The results in regard to both agents showed no SCE increase induced by any of the tested doses, as well as no alteration in the CPK, or in the MI. With respect to the second assay, the results obtained with the two agents were also negative for both the MNPE and the PE/NE index along the daily evaluation made for four days. In the present study, the highest tested dose corresponded to 80% of the LD(50) obtained for BS and to 78% in the case of PT. The results obtained establish that the studied agents have neither genotoxic nor cytotoxic effect on the model used, and therefore they encourage studies on their pharmacological properties

Polarization independent 2×2 multimode interference coupler with bricked subwavelength metamaterial

The silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform enables high integration density in photonic integrated circuits while maintaining compatibility with CMOS fabrication processes. Nevertheless, its inherently high modal birefringence hinders the development of polarization-insensitive devices. The dispersion and anisotropy engineering leveraging subwavelength grating (SWG) metamaterials makes possible the development of polarization agnostic waveguide components. In this work we build upon the bricked SWG metamaterial nanostructures to design a polarization independent 2×2 multimode interference (MMI) coupler for the 220 nm SOI platform, operating in the telecom O-band. The designed device exhibits a 160 nm bandwidth with excess loss, polarization dependent loss and imbalance below 1 dB and phase error lower than 5°.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (PID2019-106747RB-I00), Junta de Andalucía (P18-RT-1453, UMA20-FEDERJA-158), Ministerio de Ciencia Innovación y Universidades (FPU16/06762, FPU19/02408) and Universidad de Málaga, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

The biology and behavior of the longhorned beetle, Dectes texanus on sunflower and soybean

The biology and behavior of the longhorned beetle Dectes texanus LeConte (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) was studied on two host plants that suffer economic losses from this pest; sunflower, Helianthus annuus, and soybean, Glycines max. Reciprocal crosses of D. texanus collected from the two plants all produced viable progeny, indicating that conspecific insects attack both crops. Pupae from soybean stalks weighed about 40% less than those from sunflower, and adults fed on soybean lived a mean of 23 days, compared to a mean of 53 days (males) and 76 days (females) for those fed sunflower. A female's larval host plant had no effect on her tendency to ovipuncture plants of either type in a greenhouse trial. A field-tested population collected exclusively from sunflower contained three types of females in similar proportions: those that laid eggs only on sunflower, those that laid only on soybean, and those that laid equally on both host plants. Females in field trials fed more on the plant they had fed on in the laboratory, but soybean-fed females fed more on soybean than did sunflower-fed females. Females fed soybean also made more ovipunctures on soybean plants in field trials than sunflower-fed females, but their responses to sunflower plants were similar. Females displayed higher total ovipositional activity when they encountered sunflower first in the field, and lower total activity when they encountered soybean first. Feeding scores were significantly correlated with ovipunctures and eggs on both plant types. We conclude that sunflower is the preferred host plant, although females will accept soybean when it is the only available food. The results suggest that D. texanus is still in the initial stages of a host range expansion with female host selection behavior demonstrating both genetic influences and phenotypic flexibility. Sunflower represents a nutritionally superior, ancestral host plant and relatively high fitness costs are still associated with utilization of the novel host plant, soybean, costs that may be offset by benefits such as reduced intraspecific competition. These potential benefits and their consequent implications for D. texanus host range evolution are hypothesized and discussed

Susceptibility of biological stages of the horn fly, Haematobia irritans, to entomopathogenic fungi (Hyphomycetes)

The susceptibility of the egg, pupa, and adult of Haematobia irritans (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae) to isolates of the fungi Metarhizium anisopliae (Metsch.) Sor., Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuill., and Paecilomyces fumosoroseus (Wize) Brown and Smith, was evaluated under laboratory conditions. Groups of 20 eggs than 4 h old, pupae less than 48h old and adults were sprayed with a conidial suspension of each isolate. Eggs, pupae and adults of horn fly were susceptible to these entomopathogenic fungi. For treated eggs, the isolates Ma3, Ma 15, Ma25, Pfr1, and Pfr8 reduced adult emergence to 3.8% to 6.3% in comparison with the control (72%). The mortality of pupae infected by the isolates Ma2, Ma25, and Pfr10 ranged between 50% and 71.3%. Mortality of adults after treatment with the isolates Ma6, Ma 10, Ma 14, Ma 15, Pfr 1, Pfr 9, Pfr 10, Pfr 11, and Pfr12 were higher than 90%. The isolate Ma6 produced the lowest LC(50) against adult horn flies (8.08 &times 10(2)conidia/ml). These findings supported the hypotheses that isolates of M. anisopliae, and P. fumosoroseus are pathogenic against the different biological stages of horn flies by reducing adult emergence when applied on groups of eggs and pupae, and producing mortality when applied to adults