Informe de Asistencia Técnica al Parque Nacional Iguazú

Fil: García Aráoz, Eduardo. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino. SEGEMAR; Argentina.Fil: Celli, Alejandro E. Organismo Regulador de Seguridad de Presas. ORSEP; Argentina.El presente informe responde a la solicitud de asistencia técnica efectuada por la Administración de Parques Nacionales (APN) al Servicio Geológico y Minero Argentino (SEGEMAR), considerando el Convenio de Asistencia Técnica existente entre ambas instituciones.El presente informe responde a la solicitud de asistencia técnica efectuada por la Administración de Parques Nacionales (APN) al Servicio Geológico y Minero Argentino (SEGEMAR), considerando el Convenio de Asistencia Técnica existente entre ambas instituciones. Surge la preocupación por parte de las autoridades del Parque Nacional Iguazú (PNI), la ocurrencia de posibles eventos de remoción en masa que pudieran afectar el recorrido del circuito turístico denominado Circuito Inferior (CI). Cabe destacar que dicho circuito se encuentra actualmente cerrado al público (de manera provisoria y preventiva), debido al registro de una serie de acontecimientos de caída de bloques que han impactado sobre la pasarela en los últimos años. A raíz de esta solicitud, se designó un equipo de trabajo interinstitucional, integrado por los geólogos Eduardo García Aráoz, de SEGEMAR, y Alejandro Celli, de ORSEP (Organismo Regulador de Seguridad de Presas), quienes llevaron a cabo entre los días 14 y 20 de diciembre de 2020, un relevamiento geológico-geotécnico con el fin de analizar los peligros asociados con los procesos de ladera. Los resultados de los análisis efectuados, permiten en este informe, elaborar una zonificación del terreno en función del peligro de materialización de diferentes procesos de remoción en masa, y recomendar distintas alternativas de estabilización tendiente a disminuir dichos peligros y a concretar la pronta reapertura de este circuito tan importante para el turismo

Association Between Interstitial Lung Abnormalities and All-Cause Mortality.

To access publisher's full text version of this article, please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links field or click on the hyperlink at the top of the page marked Files. This article is open access.Interstitial lung abnormalities have been associated with lower 6-minute walk distance, diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide, and total lung capacity. However, to our knowledge, an association with mortality has not been previously investigated.To investigate whether interstitial lung abnormalities are associated with increased mortality.Prospective cohort studies of 2633 participants from the FHS (Framingham Heart Study; computed tomographic [CT] scans obtained September 2008-March 2011), 5320 from the AGES-Reykjavik Study (Age Gene/Environment Susceptibility; recruited January 2002-February 2006), 2068 from the COPDGene Study (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; recruited November 2007-April 2010), and 1670 from ECLIPSE (Evaluation of COPD Longitudinally to Identify Predictive Surrogate Endpoints; between December 2005-December 2006).Interstitial lung abnormality status as determined by chest CT evaluation.All-cause mortality over an approximate 3- to 9-year median follow-up time. Cause-of-death information was also examined in the AGES-Reykjavik cohort.Interstitial lung abnormalities were present in 177 (7%) of the 2633 participants from FHS, 378 (7%) of 5320 from AGES-Reykjavik, 156 (8%) of 2068 from COPDGene, and in 157 (9%) of 1670 from ECLIPSE. Over median follow-up times of approximately 3 to 9 years, there were more deaths (and a greater absolute rate of mortality) among participants with interstitial lung abnormalities when compared with those who did not have interstitial lung abnormalities in the following cohorts: 7% vs 1% in FHS (6% difference [95% CI, 2% to 10%]), 56% vs 33% in AGES-Reykjavik (23% difference [95% CI, 18% to 28%]), and 11% vs 5% in ECLIPSE (6% difference [95% CI, 1% to 11%]). After adjustment for covariates, interstitial lung abnormalities were associated with a higher risk of death in the FHS (hazard ratio [HR], 2.7 [95% CI, 1.1 to 6.5]; P = .03), AGES-Reykjavik (HR, 1.3 [95% CI, 1.2 to 1.4]; P < .001), COPDGene (HR, 1.8 [95% CI, 1.1 to 2.8]; P = .01), and ECLIPSE (HR, 1.4 [95% CI, 1.1 to 2.0]; P = .02) cohorts. In the AGES-Reykjavik cohort, the higher rate of mortality could be explained by a higher rate of death due to respiratory disease, specifically pulmonary fibrosis.In 4 separate research cohorts, interstitial lung abnormalities were associated with a greater risk of all-cause mortality. The clinical implications of this association require further investigation.National Institutes of Health (NIH) T32 HL007633 Icelandic Research Fund 141513-051 Landspitali Scientific Fund A-2015-030 National Cancer Institute grant 1K23CA157631 NIH K08 HL097029 R01 HL113264 R21 HL119902 K25 HL104085 R01 HL116931 R01 HL116473 K01 HL118714 R01 HL089897 R01 HL089856 N01-AG-1-2100 HHSN27120120022C P01 HL105339 P01 HL114501 R01 HL107246 R01 HL122464 R01 HL111024 National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's Framingham Heart Study contract N01-HC-2519.5 GlaxoSmithKline NCT00292552 5C0104960 National Institute on Aging (NIA) grant 27120120022C NIA Intramural Research Program, Hjartavernd (the Icelandic Heart Association) Althingi (the Icelandic Parliament) NIA 27120120022

Geología aplicada a la detección de la fuente de filtraciones en la boca II del túnel de aducción del complejo hidroeléctrico Futaleufú, provincia de Chubut

Located in Los Alerces National Park, Futaleufú is a 120 m height embankment dam, whose main objectives are hydropower and flood regulation. One of the most remarkable features of this set of works, is the pipeline bridge, with a diameter of 8.5 m, which crosses a glacial valley of about 450 m in length, connecting Boca II with Boca III of the adduction pipeline, transporting water under pressure, from the intake located in the reservoir, to the hydroelectric plant, located about 2000 m downstream, with a vertical drop of about 120 m (Figure 1). As in every hydraulic work, the existence of minor seepage is frequent, due to the practical impossibility of reaching a perfectly watertight system. At the Boca II sector, on the slope that connects the tunnel with the pipe bridge, the observed seepage has been registering a slight, but sustained increase during a decade, without certainties about the origin of the leaked water. At the end of 2013, different hypotheses began to be analyzed, defining three possible alternatives: a) the filtrations came from the precipitations, percolating locally through the rock mass joints; b) they came from the reservoir, crossing through the 600 m length tortuous system of discontinuities that integrate the tuff and brecciated andesite rock mass; or c) the water percolated through the adduction tunnel, covered with 40 cm of concrete, and partly blinded with the steel pipe of the aqueduct bridge. To elucidate the unknown on the contribution area, different auscultation elements were considered, providing data on: reservoir levels; precipitations; 4 points of seepage gauging measures; water quality analysis from the reservoir and from one of the gauges (Pujol et al., 2013). Additionally, general geological backgrounds of the area of works, and particularly of the sector of interest were gathered and analyzed, from the studies of Agua y Energía Eléctrica S.E. (Lanyi, 1972a, b). Finally, a visit to the site was carried out, where the surface geological configuration of the area of interest was characterized. Based on the analysis of the geological, geotechnical and hydrogeological conditions, added to their relationships with hydrometeorological and hydrochemical factors, it has been arrived at a theoretical contribution area, which could be confirmed, a few months later, during the generalized maintenance tasks programmed by the concessionaire, carried out in March 2014. These tasks included the power plant shutdown and the reduction of the reservoir to its minimum level, in order to allow entry to the different sectors usually flooded. It is worth mentioning that this operation is performed, on average, every 10 years, which implies an invaluable opportunity to inspect the operation of the different sectors directly. From this analysis, it was possible to solve an unknown maintained for years, from the joint analysis of two disciplines that complement each other naturally: applied geology and civil engineeringUbicada en el Parque Nacional Los Alerces, Futaleufú es una presa de materiales sueltos con núcleo arcilloso de 120 m de altura, cuyos principales objetivos son la generación hidroeléctrica y la regulación de crecidas. Una de las más notables particularidades de este conjunto de obras, es el puente tubería, de 8,50 m de diámetro, que atraviesa un valle glaciario de unos 450 m de extensión, conectando la Boca II con la Boca III de la tubería de aducción, que transporta el agua a presión desde la obra de toma, en el embalse, hasta la central hidroeléctrica, ubicada a unos 2000 m aguas abajo, con un desnivel vertical de unos 120 m.Como en toda obra hidráulica, es frecuente la existencia de pequeñas filtraciones, debido a la imposibilidad práctica de alcanzar un sistema perfectamente estanco.En el sector de la Boca II, las filtraciones observadas sobre la ladera que conecta el túnel con el puente tubería, fueron registrando un leve, pero sostenido incremento durante una década, sin tener certezas sobre la procedencia del agua infiltrada.Hacia fines de 2013, se comenzaron a analizar diferentes hipótesis, determinando tres posibles alternativas: a) las filtraciones provenían de las precipitaciones, percolando localmente a través de las fisuras del macizo rocoso; b) provenían del embalse, atravesando, a lo largo de unos 600 m, el tortuoso sistema de discontinuidades del macizo rocoso, compuesto por tobas y andesitas brechosas; o c) filtraba a través del túnel de aducción, revestido con 40 cm de hormigón, y en parte blindado con la tubería de acero del puente acueducto.Para dilucidar la incógnita sobre el área de aporte, se contó con distintos elementos de auscultación, que brindaron datos sobre: niveles de embalse; precipitaciones; 4 puntos de aforo de las filtraciones; análisis de calidad de aguas en el embalse y en uno de los aforos (Pujol et al., 2013). A su vez, se recolectaron y analizaron antecedentes geológicos generales de la zona de obras, y del sector de interés en particular, provenientes de los estudios de anteproyecto, elaborados por Agua y Energía Eléctrica S.E. (Lanyi, 1972a, b). Finalmente, se llevó a cabo una visita al sitio, donde se caracterizó la configuración geológica superficial del área de interés.A partir del análisis de las condiciones geológicas, geotécnicas e hidrogeológicas, y sus relaciones con los factores hidrometeorológicos e hidroquímicos, se arribó a un área de aporte teórica, que pudo ser confirmada, unos meses más tarde, durante las tareas de mantenimiento generalizado programadas por la concesionaria, efectuadas en marzo de 2014. Estas tareas incluyeron la salida de servicio de la central y la reducción del embalse a su nivel mínimo, a fin de permitir el ingreso a los distintos sectores habitualmente inundados. Vale mencionar que esta operación se realiza, en promedio, cada 10 años, por lo que constituye una oportunidad invaluable para inspeccionar el estado de los diferentes sectores en forma directa.De esta manera, se logró resolver una incógnita mantenida durante años, a partir del análisis conjunto de dos disciplinas que se complementan naturalmente: la geología aplicada y la ingeniería civil

Informe Preliminar de Peligrosidad en el Lago Manso y Río Manso Superior, Provincia de Río Negro

Fil: Kaufman, Johanna F. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino. Instituto de Geología y Recursos Minerales; Argentina.Fil: Balbi, Adriana B. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino. Instituto de Geología y Recursos Minerales; Argentina.Fil: Pereyra, Fernando Xavier. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino. Instituto de Geología y Recursos Minerales; Argentina.Fil: Tejedo, Alejandra G.. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino. Instituto de Geología y Recursos Minerales; Argentina.Fil: Celli, Alejandro E. ORSEP; Argentina.El presente informe responde a la solicitud de la Administración de Parques Nacionales (APN) de activación del Protocolo de Remoción en Masa por el Sistema Nacional Para la Gestión Integral del Riesgo y la Protección Civil (SINAGIR). La nota fue recibida el 27 de abril de 2020 por la Dirección de Geología Ambiental y Peligros Geológicos del Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino (SEGEMAR) solicitando la asistencia técnica dada la preocupación acerca de la ocurrencia de un aluvión en la zona de valle del río Manso Superior. Este pedido surge a partir del informe de profesionales del Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales (IANIGLA) (Ruiz et al. 2020), en el cual se exponen las actuales características del glaciar Manso y su lago proglacial homónimo, donde se expresa que el volumen del lago es del doble con respecto al que poseía previo al aluvión de 2009, así como su profundización y aumento del área. El 21 de mayo del 2009 tuvo lugar un aluvión en la zona del lago Manso debido a la ruptura de la morena de cierre del mismo. Este episodio se corresponde con los denominados GLOF (Glacial Lake Outburst Flood), que son crecidas repentinas a partir de un lago proglacial. Se ha estudiado que este fenómeno fue disparado por un pico de precipitaciones la semana previa, sumado a un crecimiento más rápido del nivel del lago en el período 2008-2009 (Worni et al. 2012). De esta forma se procede a evaluar la existencia de procesos geológicos activos y estimar el grado de afectación sobre el área. La incidencia de los procesos depende de diversos aspectos tales como tipo de evento, magnitud, relaciones espaciales entre la actividad antrópica y el lugar de ocurrencia y extensión del fenómeno. Para tal efecto los distintos organismos participantes del “Protocolo de Remoción en Masa” han aportado datos específicos, como ser: Instituto Geográfico Nacional (IGN), Administración de Parques Nacionales (APN), Comisión Nacional de Actividades Espaciales (CONAE), Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (SMN) y Organismo Regulador de Seguridad de Presas (ORSEP), como así también el invaluable aporte del IANIGLA

Quantitative Computed Tomography Measures of Pectoralis Muscle Area and Disease Severity in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. A Cross-Sectional Study

Rationale: Muscle wasting in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with a poor prognosis and is not readily assessed by measures of body mass index (BMI). BMI does not discriminate between relative proportions of adipose tissue and lean muscle and may be insensitive to early pathologic changes in body composition. Computed tomography (CT)–based assessments of the pectoralis muscles may provide insight into the clinical significance of skeletal muscles in smokers. Objectives: We hypothesized that objective assessment of the pectoralis muscle area on chest CT scans provides information that is clinically relevant and independent of BMI. Methods: Data from the ECLIPSE (Evaluation of COPD Longitudinally to Identify Predictive Surrogate Endpoints) Study (n = 73) were used to assess the relationship between pectoralis muscle area and fat-free mass. We then used data in a subset (n = 966) of a larger cohort, the COPDGene (COPD Genetic Epidemiology) Study, to explore the relationship between pectoralis muscle area and COPD-related traits. Measurements and Main Results: We first investigated the correlation between pectoralis muscle area and fat-free mass, using data from a subset of participants in the ECLIPSE Study. We then further investigated pectoralis muscle area in COPDGene Study participants and found that higher pectoralis muscle area values were associated with greater height, male sex, and younger age. On subsequent clinical correlation, compared with BMI, pectoralis muscle area was more significantly associated with COPD-related traits, including spirometric measures, dyspnea, and 6-minute-walk distance (6MWD). For example, on average, each 10-cm(2) increase in pectoralis muscle area was associated with a 0.8-unit decrease in the BODE (Body mass index, Obstruction, Dyspnea, Exercise) index (95% confidence interval, –1.0 to –0.6; P < 0.001). Furthermore, statistically significant associations between pectoralis muscle area and COPD-related traits remained even after adjustment for BMI. Conclusions: CT-derived pectoralis muscle area provides relevant indices of COPD morbidity that may be more predictive of important COPD-related traits than BMI. However, the relationship with clinically relevant outcomes such as hospitalization and death requires additional investigation. Pectoralis muscle area is a convenient measure that can be collected in the clinical setting in addition to BMI

Quantitative computed tomography measures of pectoralis muscle area and disease severity in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. A cross-sectional study.

RationaleMuscle wasting in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with a poor prognosis and is not readily assessed by measures of body mass index (BMI). BMI does not discriminate between relative proportions of adipose tissue and lean muscle and may be insensitive to early pathologic changes in body composition. Computed tomography (CT)-based assessments of the pectoralis muscles may provide insight into the clinical significance of skeletal muscles in smokers.ObjectivesWe hypothesized that objective assessment of the pectoralis muscle area on chest CT scans provides information that is clinically relevant and independent of BMI.MethodsData from the ECLIPSE (Evaluation of COPD Longitudinally to Identify Predictive Surrogate Endpoints) Study (n = 73) were used to assess the relationship between pectoralis muscle area and fat-free mass. We then used data in a subset (n = 966) of a larger cohort, the COPDGene (COPD Genetic Epidemiology) Study, to explore the relationship between pectoralis muscle area and COPD-related traits.Measurements and main resultsWe first investigated the correlation between pectoralis muscle area and fat-free mass, using data from a subset of participants in the ECLIPSE Study. We then further investigated pectoralis muscle area in COPDGene Study participants and found that higher pectoralis muscle area values were associated with greater height, male sex, and younger age. On subsequent clinical correlation, compared with BMI, pectoralis muscle area was more significantly associated with COPD-related traits, including spirometric measures, dyspnea, and 6-minute-walk distance (6MWD). For example, on average, each 10-cm(2) increase in pectoralis muscle area was associated with a 0.8-unit decrease in the BODE (Body mass index, Obstruction, Dyspnea, Exercise) index (95% confidence interval, -1.0 to -0.6; P &lt; 0.001). Furthermore, statistically significant associations between pectoralis muscle area and COPD-related traits remained even after adjustment for BMI.ConclusionsCT-derived pectoralis muscle area provides relevant indices of COPD morbidity that may be more predictive of important COPD-related traits than BMI. However, the relationship with clinically relevant outcomes such as hospitalization and death requires additional investigation. Pectoralis muscle area is a convenient measure that can be collected in the clinical setting in addition to BMI

Invasive and adherent bacterial pathogens co-opt host clathrin for infection

Infection by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes depends on host cell clathrin. To determine whether this requirement is widespread, we analyzed infection models using diverse bacteria. We demonstrated that bacteria that enter cells following binding to cellular receptors (termed “zippering” bacteria) invade in a clathrin-dependent manner. In contrast, bacteria that inject effector proteins into host cells in order to gain entry (termed “triggering” bacteria) invade in a clathrin-independent manner. Strikingly, enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) required clathrin to form actin-rich pedestals in host cells beneath adhering bacteria, even though this pathogen remains extracellular. Furthermore, clathrin accumulation preceded the actin rearrangements necessary for Listeria entry. These data provide evidence for a clathrin-based entry pathway allowing internalization of large objects (bacteria and ligand-coated beads) and used by “zippering” bacteria as part of a general mechanism to invade host mammalian cells. We also revealed a nonendocytic role for clathrin required for extracellular EPEC infections

Association Between Interstitial Lung Abnormalities and All-Cause Mortality.

ImportanceInterstitial lung abnormalities have been associated with lower 6-minute walk distance, diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide, and total lung capacity. However, to our knowledge, an association with mortality has not been previously investigated.ObjectiveTo investigate whether interstitial lung abnormalities are associated with increased mortality.Design, setting, and populationProspective cohort studies of 2633 participants from the FHS (Framingham Heart Study; computed tomographic [CT] scans obtained September 2008-March 2011), 5320 from the AGES-Reykjavik Study (Age Gene/Environment Susceptibility; recruited January 2002-February 2006), 2068 from the COPDGene Study (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; recruited November 2007-April 2010), and 1670 from ECLIPSE (Evaluation of COPD Longitudinally to Identify Predictive Surrogate Endpoints; between December 2005-December 2006).ExposuresInterstitial lung abnormality status as determined by chest CT evaluation.Main outcomes and measuresAll-cause mortality over an approximate 3- to 9-year median follow-up time. Cause-of-death information was also examined in the AGES-Reykjavik cohort.ResultsInterstitial lung abnormalities were present in 177 (7%) of the 2633 participants from FHS, 378 (7%) of 5320 from AGES-Reykjavik, 156 (8%) of 2068 from COPDGene, and in 157 (9%) of 1670 from ECLIPSE. Over median follow-up times of approximately 3 to 9 years, there were more deaths (and a greater absolute rate of mortality) among participants with interstitial lung abnormalities when compared with those who did not have interstitial lung abnormalities in the following cohorts: 7% vs 1% in FHS (6% difference [95% CI, 2% to 10%]), 56% vs 33% in AGES-Reykjavik (23% difference [95% CI, 18% to 28%]), and 11% vs 5% in ECLIPSE (6% difference [95% CI, 1% to 11%]). After adjustment for covariates, interstitial lung abnormalities were associated with a higher risk of death in the FHS (hazard ratio [HR], 2.7 [95% CI, 1.1 to 6.5]; P = .03), AGES-Reykjavik (HR, 1.3 [95% CI, 1.2 to 1.4]; P &lt; .001), COPDGene (HR, 1.8 [95% CI, 1.1 to 2.8]; P = .01), and ECLIPSE (HR, 1.4 [95% CI, 1.1 to 2.0]; P = .02) cohorts. In the AGES-Reykjavik cohort, the higher rate of mortality could be explained by a higher rate of death due to respiratory disease, specifically pulmonary fibrosis.Conclusions and relevanceIn 4 separate research cohorts, interstitial lung abnormalities were associated with a greater risk of all-cause mortality. The clinical implications of this association require further investigation