655 research outputs found

    Hyperbolicity preserving HLL solver for two-layer shallow-water equations applied to dam-break flows

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    River morphodynamics and sediment transportDebris and hyperconcentrated flow

    Achieving waste recovery goals in the medium/long term: Eco-efficiency analysis in a Brazilian city by using the LCA approach

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    The aim of this study was to analyse how to ensure that medium- and long-term waste recovery goals can be achieved in Brazilian cities, based on the incorporation of viable and accessible technology. The identification of the strengths of the Brazilian cities with better (dry and wet) waste recovery rates allowed different strategies to be proposed for Jo ̃ao Pessoa (the city selected as a case study). Those strategies were based on the improvement of (1) the selective collection of the recyclable dry waste fraction, (2) the material recovery facility to increase the recovery of recyclable dry waste fraction to be recycled and/or wet waste fraction to be composted, and finally (3) the working conditions of waste workers. A combination of these improvement strategies at two different levels of implementation (partial and total) allowed the definition of 14 alternative scenarios, which were analysed from an eco-efficiency perspective (environmental vs. economic). After analysing the evolution over time of the alternative scenarios proposed, the proposal that was finally selected was based on the initial implementation of a mechanical biological and composting facility capable of handling up to 50% of the mixed municipal solid waste collected by 2023 with a material recovery efficiency of 30%. From there, the efficiency of the mechanical biological and composting facility should increase up to 60% to achieve the waste recovery goals by 2034 (management of 60% of the mixed waste collected). This rate has not yet been reached in any of the Brazilian mechanical biological and composting facilities analysed, so the reduction in the amount of waste generated and the increase in the selective separation of waste at source are identified as key elements to be able to fulfil the long-term goals. The approach used in the case study provides guidelines for application in other geographical contexts.Funding for open access charge: CRUE-Universitat Jaume

    Long-term Outcome of Hirschsprung Disease: Impact on Quality of Life and Social Condition at Adult Age

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    BACKGROUND: Hirschsprung disease is a rare congenital disease typically requiring surgical treatment during childhood. Quality of life and social condition at adult age can be impaired by disease-specific sequelae. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the quality of life and social outcome of adult patients operated on for Hirschsprung disease during childhood. DESIGN: Patients operated on for Hirschsprung disease during childhood were identified and specific questionnaires were sent to them. SETTINGS: Data from 2 referral centers were used. PATIENTS: Patients who completed the questionnaires regarding quality of life and social condition were included. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The Hirschsprung\u27s Disease and Anorectal Malformations Quality of Life disease-specific questionnaire (8 dimensions explored; each scored from 0 to 100 maximum score) and a sociodemographic questionnaire were sent to identified patients. Sociodemographic data were compared with those of the French general population. RESULTS: Thirty-four patients had Hirschsprung disease (men, 76%; mean age, 32 years) were included in the study. Mean total Hirschsprung\u27s Disease and Anorectal Malformations Quality of Life score was 611 of 800 (maximum score 800). The 2 most impaired dimensions were "physical symptoms" and "diarrhea" (62.9/100 and 73.6/100). Fecal continence was only marginally affected (mean score, 89/100). Patients with Hirschsprung disease achieved better educational levels than the French general population. Parental and marital status did not differ between the 2 groups. LIMITATIONS: This study had the limitations inherent to a retrospective study. CONCLUSION: The quality of life of adult patients with Hirschsprung disease sequelae is marginally impaired in this study. Despite the consequences of this congenital abnormality, the condition eventually achieved can be considered as satisfactory. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/A917

    Rotura de vástago femoral de prótesis total de cadera enteramente recubierta de hidroxiapatita. Presentación de tres casos.

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    Presentamos la descripción de tres casos de rotura de vástago femoral de una prótesis total de cadera enteramente recubierta de hidroxiapatita (Furlong, JRI limited, London), sin antecedente traumático. En dos pacientes el tiempo de evolución fue de 7 años tras el implante primario, y en un caso la rotura del vástago se produjo a los 5 años. El fallo del implante se produjo en todos los casos a nivel de la zona de transición metafiso-diafisaria- infundibulo-. La osteointegración del implante en la porción distal del vástago, favorecida por el recubrimiento de hidroxiapatita produce una transmisión anómala de cargas a nivel de la unión metafisodiafisaria y aumenta el riesgo de fallo del material en los casos descritos.We are describing 3 cases of femoral component failure of a total hip arthroplasty with fully coated hidroxiapa- tite (Furlong, JRI limited, London), without any traumatic event. The follow-up before failure was 7 and 5 years. The fracture of femoral stem was always just distal to the metap- hisal cone. The ingrowth of the distal portion of the femoral component increased by hidrixiapatite causes abnormal transmission of biomechanical forces in the metafiso-diafisal union increasing the risk of material failure

    Molecular Systematics of the Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vent Endemic Brachyuran Family Bythograeidae: A Comparison of Three Bayesian Species Tree Methods

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    Brachyuran crabs of the family Bythograeidae are endemic to deep-sea hydrothermal vents and represent one of the most successful groups of macroinvertebrates that have colonized this extreme environment. Occurring worldwide, the family includes six genera (Allograea, Austinograea, Bythograea, Cyanagraea, Gandalfus, and Segonzacia) and fourteen formally described species. To investigate their evolutionary relationships, we conducted Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian molecular phylogenetic analyses, based on DNA sequences from fragments of three mitochondrial genes (16S rDNA, Cytochrome oxidase I, and Cytochrome b) and three nuclear genes (28S rDNA, the sodium–potassium ATPase a-subunit ‘NaK’, and Histone H3A). We employed traditional concatenated (i.e., supermatrix) phylogenetic methods, as well as three recently developed Bayesian multilocus methods aimed at inferring species trees from potentially discordant gene trees. We found strong support for two main clades within Bythograeidae: one comprising the members of the genus Bythograea; and the other comprising the remaining genera. Relationships within each of these two clades were partially resolved. We compare our results with an earlier hypothesis on the phylogenetic relationships among bythograeid genera based on morphology. We also discuss the biogeography of the family in the light of our results. Our species tree analyses reveal differences in how each of the three methods weighs conflicting phylogenetic signal from different gene partitions and how limits on the number of outgroup taxa may affect the results

    Aquatic pollution may favor the success of the invasive species A. franciscana

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    The genus Artemia consists of several bisexual and parthenogenetic sibling species. One of them, A. franciscana, originally restricted to the New World, becomes invasive when introduced into ecosystems out of its natural range of distribution. Invasiveness is anthropically favored by the use of cryptobiotic eggs in the aquaculture and pet trade. The mechanisms of out-competition of the autochthonous Artemia by the invader are still poorly understood. Ecological fitness may play a pivotal role, but other underlying biotic and abiotic factors may contribute. Since the presence of toxicants in hypersaline aquatic ecosystems has been documented, our aim here is to study the potential role of an organophosphate pesticide, chlorpyrifos, in a congeneric mechanism of competition between the bisexual A. franciscana (AF), and one of the Old World parthenogenetic siblings, A. parthenogenetica (PD). For this purpose we carried out life table experiments with both species, under different concentrations of the toxicant (0.1, 1 and 5 μg/l), and analyzed the cholinesterase inhibition at different developmental stages. The results evidence that both, AF and PD, showed an elevated tolerance to high ranges of chlorpyrifos, but AF survived better and its fecundity was less affected by the exposure to the pesticide than that of PD. The higher fecundity of AF is a selective advantage in colonization processes leading to its establishment as NIS. Besides, under the potential selective pressure of abiotic factors, such as the presence of toxicants, its higher resistance in terms of survival and biological fitness also indicates out-competitive advantages.Spanish Ministry for Science and Innovation project, CGL2005-02306, CGL2008-04737-E

    GPS observables in general relativity

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    I present a complete set of gauge invariant observables, in the context of general relativity coupled with a minimal amount of realistic matter (four particles). These observables have a straightforward and realistic physical interpretation. In fact, the technology to measure them is realized by the Global Positioning System: they are defined by the physical reference system determined by GPS readings. The components of the metric tensor in this physical reference system are gauge invariant quantities and, remarkably, their evolution equations are local.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure, references adde

    "Ethnic disparities in the prevalence of Molar-Incisor-Hypomineralisation (MIH) and caries among 6-12-year-old children in Catalonia, Spain"

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    AIM: To study the prevalence of MIH and caries in 6- and 12-year-old schoolchildren and their association with ethnic disparities and other relevant factors. BACKGROUND: In recent years, there has been uneven improvement in school children's oral health, highlighting inequalities in access to dental care and health outcomes, particularly among ethnic minorities. The most prevalent oral disease in childhood, caries, is preventable, as its risk factors are well known. However, MIH, a common condition affecting the enamel of permanent incisors and/or molars, has no established aetiology or preventive measures. METHODS: A cross-sectional study among schoolchildren was conducted in 725 children from Masnou (Barcelona, 2013) and in 577 children from Sant Andreu de Llavaneres (Barcelona, 2018-2020). Data collection was carried out by means of clinical examination and a selfreferenced questionnaire. Oral health outcomes included: presence of dental caries, presence of MIH, hypomineralised second primary molars (HSPM). All variables were analysed according to ethnic disparities and other variables such as socioeconomics, diet, hygiene habits, plaque and access to dental services. We performed multivariate Poisson regression models with robust variance to examine ethnic disparities in MIH and caries. CONCLUSION: This cross-sectional study based in Catalonia, Spain showed that there are ethnic disparities in caries as observed with other child's diseases; however, they do not seem to follow the same pattern for MIH. More studies are needed (i) to explore how MIH behaves among populations in terms of inequality; (ii) to study the aetiological factors of MIH; and (iii) to identify potential factors associated with MIH and caries that have not been studied and that may contribute to the observed ethnic disparities.</p

    "Ethnic disparities in the prevalence of Molar-Incisor-Hypomineralisation (MIH) and caries among 6-12-year-old children in Catalonia, Spain"

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    AIM: To study the prevalence of MIH and caries in 6- and 12-year-old schoolchildren and their association with ethnic disparities and other relevant factors. BACKGROUND: In recent years, there has been uneven improvement in school children's oral health, highlighting inequalities in access to dental care and health outcomes, particularly among ethnic minorities. The most prevalent oral disease in childhood, caries, is preventable, as its risk factors are well known. However, MIH, a common condition affecting the enamel of permanent incisors and/or molars, has no established aetiology or preventive measures. METHODS: A cross-sectional study among schoolchildren was conducted in 725 children from Masnou (Barcelona, 2013) and in 577 children from Sant Andreu de Llavaneres (Barcelona, 2018-2020). Data collection was carried out by means of clinical examination and a selfreferenced questionnaire. Oral health outcomes included: presence of dental caries, presence of MIH, hypomineralised second primary molars (HSPM). All variables were analysed according to ethnic disparities and other variables such as socioeconomics, diet, hygiene habits, plaque and access to dental services. We performed multivariate Poisson regression models with robust variance to examine ethnic disparities in MIH and caries. CONCLUSION: This cross-sectional study based in Catalonia, Spain showed that there are ethnic disparities in caries as observed with other child's diseases; however, they do not seem to follow the same pattern for MIH. More studies are needed (i) to explore how MIH behaves among populations in terms of inequality; (ii) to study the aetiological factors of MIH; and (iii) to identify potential factors associated with MIH and caries that have not been studied and that may contribute to the observed ethnic disparities.</p
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