Sample records for tcmc cardiaca aplicaciones

  1. Effects of TCMC on Transformation of Good Health Status to Suboptimal Health Status: A Nested Case-Control Study

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Tian; Chen, Jieyu; Sun, Xiaomin; Xiang, Lei; Zhou, Lin; Li, Fei; Lin, Changsong; Jiang, Pingping; Wu, Shengwei; Xiao, Ya; Cheng, Jingru; Luo, Ren; Liu, Yanyan; Zhao, Xiaoshan

    2015-01-01

    To explore the effects of traditional Chinese medicine constitution (TCMC) on transformation of good health status to suboptimal health status (SHS), we conducted a nested case-control study among college students in China. During the 18-month mean follow-up time, 543 cases of SHS (42.7%) occurred in 1273 healthy students. There was a significant (P = 0.000) and marked reduction in SHMS V1.0 total score in the case group at the 18-month follow-up (69.32 ± 5.45) compared with baseline (78.60 ± 4.70), but there was no significant change in the control group. Conditional logistic regression analysis showed that respondents reporting Yin-deficiency and Qi-deficiency were, respectively, 2.247 and 2.198 times more likely to develop SHS, while tendency to Yin-deficiency and tendency to Damp-heat were, respectively, 1.642 and 1.506 times more likely to develop SHS. However, the Balanced Constitution was a significant protective factor (OR 0.649; P < 0.05). Altogether, these findings demonstrate that Yin-deficiency, Qi-deficiency, tendency to Yin-deficiency, and tendency to Damp-heat appeared to induce a change in health status to SHS, while the Balanced Constitution seemed to restrain this change. We conclude that regulating the unbalanced TCMC (such as Yin-deficiency and Qi-deficiency) may prevent a healthy status developing into SHS or lead to the regression of SHS. PMID:26346320

  2. Individualized prevention against hypertension based on Traditional Chinese Medicine Constitution Theory: A large community-based retrospective, STROBE-compliant study among Chinese population.

    PubMed

    Li, Ying; Li, Xiao-Hui; Huang, Xin; Yin, Lu; Guo, Cheng-Xian; Liu, Chang; He, Yong-Mei; Liu, Xing; Yuan, Hong

    2017-11-01

    Traditional Chinese Medicine Constitution (TCMC) theory states that individuals with a biased TCMC are more likely to suffer from specific diseases. However, little is known regarding the influence of TCMC on susceptibility to hypertension. The aim of this study is to examine the possible relationship between TCMC and hypertension. Retrospective evaluation and observation were performed using the STROBE guidelines checklist. A large community-based cross-sectional study was conducted between 2009 and 2013 in Changsha, China. TCMC was assessed using a questionnaire that included 68 items. TCMC distributions and the associations of different TCMCs with hypertension risk were analyzed. In total, 144,439 subjects underwent evaluations of TCMC and blood pressure (BP). There were significant differences in the hypertension prevalence among the various TCMC groups (P < .01). An adjusted logistic regression model indicated that those with phlegm wetness, yin deficiency, blood stasis, or qi deficiency were more likely to have hypertension. Analysis of the clinical characteristics related to TCMC indicated that different TCMCs corresponded to different hypertension classifications using Western medicine criteria; for example, phlegm wetness with hypertension was similar to obesity-related hypertension. Our results suggest that phlegm wetness, yin deficiency, blood stasis, and qi deficiency have different effects on the prevalence of hypertension. More attention should be paid to TCMCs associated with susceptibility to hypertension, and corresponding preventive and therapeutic treatments should be developed according to different TCMCs.

  3. Individualized prevention against hypertension based on Traditional Chinese Medicine Constitution Theory

    PubMed Central

    Li, Ying; Li, Xiao-Hui; Huang, Xin; Yin, Lu; Guo, Cheng-Xian; Liu, Chang; He, Yong-Mei; Liu, Xing; Yuan, Hong

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Traditional Chinese Medicine Constitution (TCMC) theory states that individuals with a biased TCMC are more likely to suffer from specific diseases. However, little is known regarding the influence of TCMC on susceptibility to hypertension. The aim of this study is to examine the possible relationship between TCMC and hypertension. Retrospective evaluation and observation were performed using the STROBE guidelines checklist. A large community-based cross-sectional study was conducted between 2009 and 2013 in Changsha, China. TCMC was assessed using a questionnaire that included 68 items. TCMC distributions and the associations of different TCMCs with hypertension risk were analyzed. In total, 144,439 subjects underwent evaluations of TCMC and blood pressure (BP). There were significant differences in the hypertension prevalence among the various TCMC groups (P < .01). An adjusted logistic regression model indicated that those with phlegm wetness, yin deficiency, blood stasis, or qi deficiency were more likely to have hypertension. Analysis of the clinical characteristics related to TCMC indicated that different TCMCs corresponded to different hypertension classifications using Western medicine criteria; for example, phlegm wetness with hypertension was similar to obesity-related hypertension. Our results suggest that phlegm wetness, yin deficiency, blood stasis, and qi deficiency have different effects on the prevalence of hypertension. More attention should be paid to TCMCs associated with susceptibility to hypertension, and corresponding preventive and therapeutic treatments should be developed according to different TCMCs. PMID:29145254

  4. Chemically characterized Mentha cardiaca L. essential oil as plant based preservative in view of efficacy against biodeteriorating fungi of dry fruits, aflatoxin secretion, lipid peroxidation and safety profile assessment.

    PubMed

    Dwivedy, Abhishek Kumar; Prakash, Bhanu; Chanotiya, Chandan Singh; Bisht, Deepa; Dubey, Nawal Kishore

    2017-08-01

    The study reports Mentha cardiaca essential oil (EO) as plant based preservative against fungal and aflatoxin contamination of stored dry fruits. Mycoflora analysis of the dry fruits revealed Aspergillus favus LHP-PV-1 as the most aflatoxigenic isolate with highest Aflatoxin B 1 content. M. cardiaca EO showed broad fungitoxic spectrum inhibiting the tested moulds contaminating dry fruits. It's minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum aflatoxin inhibitory concentration (MAIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) against A. favus LHP-PV-1 were recorded to be 1.25, 1.0 and 2.25 µL/mL respectively. The EO caused decrease in ergosterol content and enhanced leakage of Ca 2+ , K + and Mg 2+ ions from treated fungal cells, depicting fungal plasma membrane as the site of antifungal action. The EO showed promising DPPH free radical scavenging activity (IC 50 value:15.89 µL/mL) and favourable safety profile with LD 50 value (7133.70 mg/kg body wt.) when estimated through acute oral toxicity on mice. Carvone (61.62%) was recorded as the major component of the oil during chemical characterisation through GC-MS. Based on strong antifungal, antiaflatoxigenic and antioxidant potential, the chemically characterised M. cardiaca EO may be recommended as safe plant based preservative and shelf life enhancer of food items. This is the first report on antifungal and antiaflatoxigenic activity of M. cardiaca EO. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Antioxidant effect of aqueous extract of four plants with therapeutic potential on gynecological diseases; Semen persicae, Leonurus cardiaca, Hedyotis diffusa, and Curcuma zedoaria.

    PubMed

    Ji, Shaojian; Fattahi, Amir; Raffel, Nathalie; Hoffmann, Inge; Beckmann, Matthias W; Dittrich, Ralf; Schrauder, Michael

    2017-11-25

    Little information is available concerning antioxidant effects of plant teas (water boiled) which are used more commonly in traditional Chinese medicine than other extracts. Thus, we addressed this issue by evaluating the ability of teas from four different plants with therapeutic potential on gynecological diseases. The aqueous extracts of Semen persicae, Leonurus cardiaca, Hedyotis diffusa, and Curcuma zedoaria rhizome were prepared and then their effects on copper-induced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) oxidation were evaluated by spectrophotometric method. Density gradient ultracentrifugation method was recruited to isolate LDL-C from healthy individuals. Our results showed that adding 10, 20, and 30 µl S. persicae could increase the lag phase duration of LDL-C oxidation compared with control reaction 12, 21, and 33%, respectively. The most effective delay (87%) was observed when 30 µl H. diffusa was added to the reaction. In cases of L. cardiaca and C. zedoaria, we found no significant influence on the lag phase duration (p > 0.05). Moreover, our findings about starting point of the decomposition phase were almost in parallel with the lag phase results, as 30 µl of S. persicae or H. diffusa teas could significantly increase the initiation time of decomposition (p < 0.05). In conclusion our results showed that both S. persicae and H. diffusa teas and not L. cardiaca and C. zedoaria could have medicinal therapeutic effects partly through direct oxidation prevention.

  6. Characteristics of TCM constitutions of adult Chinese women in Hong Kong and identification of related influencing factors: a cross-sectional survey.

    PubMed

    Sun, Youzhi; Liu, Pei; Zhao, Yi; Jia, Lei; He, Yanhua; Xue, Steve An; Zheng, Xiao; Wang, Zhiyu; Wang, Neng; Chen, Jianping

    2014-05-21

    Traditional Chinese Medicine Constitution (TCMC) refers to an integrated, metastable and natural specialty of individual in morphosis, physiological functions and psychological conditions. It is formed on the basis of innate and acquired endowments in the human life process, which can be divided into normal constitution and unbalanced ones. The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution of TCMCs of Chinese women in Hong Kong and its acquired influencing factors. Local Chinese women between 30 to 65 years old, were recruited from 18 districts of Hong Kong (n=944), and were assessed using the Traditional Chinese Medicine Physical Constitution Scale for their TCMC types. Social-demographic, reproductive, lifestyle, systemic health and emotional status information were collected through structured questionnaire. The associations between different independent factors and each TCMC type, as well as the complex unbalanced TCMC types were tested individually. Significant factors related to unbalanced TCMC types were identified in final models using multiple factor analysis. A total of 764 (80.9%) participants were diagnosed with unbalanced TCMCs. The most common TCMC type was Qi-deficiency constitution (53.9%), followed by Phlegm-wetness (38.9%), Yang-deficiency (38.2%), Yin-deficiency (35.5), Blood-stasis (35.4) and Qi-depressed (31%) constitution. Six hundred and eleven participants (64.7%) had at least two types of combined and unbalanced constitutions. Stepwise logistic analysis indicated that poor systemic health condition (OR, 1.76-2.89), negative emotions (OR=1.39), overweight (OR=1.58), high educational level (OR=1.18) and mental work (OR=1.44) were significantly positively correlated with certain unbalanced TCMCs. Meanwhile, aging (OR, 0.59-0.73), exercise habit (OR, 0.61-0.79) and reproductive history (OR=0.72) showed inverse associations with unbalanced constitutions. In addition, systemic health condition and emotional status, exercise habit and age

  7. Characteristics of TCM constitutions of adult Chinese women in Hong Kong and identification of related influencing factors: a cross-sectional survey

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Traditional Chinese Medicine Constitution (TCMC) refers to an integrated, metastable and natural specialty of individual in morphosis, physiological functions and psychological conditions. It is formed on the basis of innate and acquired endowments in the human life process, which can be divided into normal constitution and unbalanced ones. The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution of TCMCs of Chinese women in Hong Kong and its acquired influencing factors. Methods Local Chinese women between 30 to 65years old, were recruited from 18 districts of Hong Kong (n = 944), and were assessed using the Traditional Chinese Medicine Physical Constitution Scale for their TCMC types. Social-demographic, reproductive, lifestyle, systemic health and emotional status information were collected through structured questionnaire. The associations between different independent factors and each TCMC type, as well as the complex unbalanced TCMC types were tested individually. Significant factors related to unbalanced TCMC types were identified in final models using multiple factor analysis. Results A total of 764 (80.9%) participants were diagnosed with unbalanced TCMCs. The most common TCMC type was Qi-deficiency constitution (53.9%), followed by Phlegm-wetness (38.9%), Yang-deficiency (38.2%), Yin-deficiency (35.5), Blood-stasis (35.4) and Qi-depressed (31%) constitution. Six hundred and eleven participants (64.7%) had at least two types of combined and unbalanced constitutions. Stepwise logistic analysis indicated that poor systemic health condition (OR, 1.76-2.89), negative emotions (OR = 1.39), overweight (OR = 1.58), high educational level (OR = 1.18) and mental work (OR = 1.44) were significantly positively correlated with certain unbalanced TCMCs. Meanwhile, aging (OR, 0.59-0.73), exercise habit (OR, 0.61-0.79) and reproductive history (OR = 0.72) showed inverse associations with unbalanced constitutions. In addition, systemic

  8. Specification of Drosophila Corpora Cardiaca Neuroendocrine Cells from Mesoderm Is Regulated by Notch Signaling

    PubMed Central

    Park, Sangbin; Bustamante, Erika L.; Antonova, Julie; McLean, Graeme W.; Kim, Seung K.

    2011-01-01

    Drosophila neuroendocrine cells comprising the corpora cardiaca (CC) are essential for systemic glucose regulation and represent functional orthologues of vertebrate pancreatic α-cells. Although Drosophila CC cells have been regarded as developmental orthologues of pituitary gland, the genetic regulation of CC development is poorly understood. From a genetic screen, we identified multiple novel regulators of CC development, including Notch signaling factors. Our studies demonstrate that the disruption of Notch signaling can lead to the expansion of CC cells. Live imaging demonstrates localized emergence of extra precursor cells as the basis of CC expansion in Notch mutants. Contrary to a recent report, we unexpectedly found that CC cells originate from head mesoderm. We show that Tinman expression in head mesoderm is regulated by Notch signaling and that the combination of Daughterless and Tinman is sufficient for ectopic CC specification in mesoderm. Understanding the cellular, genetic, signaling, and transcriptional basis of CC cell specification and expansion should accelerate discovery of molecular mechanisms regulating ontogeny of organs that control metabolism. PMID:21901108

  9. Thermodynamically consistent model calibration in chemical kinetics

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background The dynamics of biochemical reaction systems are constrained by the fundamental laws of thermodynamics, which impose well-defined relationships among the reaction rate constants characterizing these systems. Constructing biochemical reaction systems from experimental observations often leads to parameter values that do not satisfy the necessary thermodynamic constraints. This can result in models that are not physically realizable and may lead to inaccurate, or even erroneous, descriptions of cellular function. Results We introduce a thermodynamically consistent model calibration (TCMC) method that can be effectively used to provide thermodynamically feasible values for the parameters of an open biochemical reaction system. The proposed method formulates the model calibration problem as a constrained optimization problem that takes thermodynamic constraints (and, if desired, additional non-thermodynamic constraints) into account. By calculating thermodynamically feasible values for the kinetic parameters of a well-known model of the EGF/ERK signaling cascade, we demonstrate the qualitative and quantitative significance of imposing thermodynamic constraints on these parameters and the effectiveness of our method for accomplishing this important task. MATLAB software, using the Systems Biology Toolbox 2.1, can be accessed from http://www.cis.jhu.edu/~goutsias/CSS lab/software.html. An SBML file containing the thermodynamically feasible EGF/ERK signaling cascade model can be found in the BioModels database. Conclusions TCMC is a simple and flexible method for obtaining physically plausible values for the kinetic parameters of open biochemical reaction systems. It can be effectively used to recalculate a thermodynamically consistent set of parameter values for existing thermodynamically infeasible biochemical reaction models of cellular function as well as to estimate thermodynamically feasible values for the parameters of new models. Furthermore, TCMC can

  10. Efficiency of surfactant-enhanced bioremediation of aged polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-contaminated soil: Link with bioavailability and the dynamics of the bacterial community.

    PubMed

    Cecotti, Martina; Coppotelli, Bibiana M; Mora, Verónica C; Viera, Marisa; Morelli, Irma S

    2018-09-01

    Shifts in the bacterial-community dynamics, bioavailability, and biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) of chronically contaminated soil were analyzed in Triton X-100-treated microcosms at the critical micelle concentration (T-CMC) and at two sub-CMC doses. Only the sub-CMC-dose microcosms reached sorbed-PAH concentrations significantly lower than the control: 166±32 and 135±4mgkg -1 dry soil versus 266±51mgkg -1 ; consequently an increase in high- and low-molecular-weight PAHs biodegradation was observed. After 63days of incubation pyrosequencing data evidenced differences in diversity and composition between the surfactant-modified microcosms and the control, with those with sub-CMC doses containing a predominance of the orders Sphingomonadales, Acidobacteriales, and Gemmatimonadales (groups of known PAHs-degrading capability). The T-CMC microcosm exhibited a lower richness and diversity index with a marked predominance of the order Xanthomonadales, mainly represented by the Stenotrophomonas genus, a PAHs- and Triton X-100-degrading bacterium. In the T-CMC microcosm, whereas the initial surface tension was 35mNm -1 , after 63days of incubation an increase up to 40mNm -1 was registered. The previous observation and the gas-chromatography data indicated that the surfactant may have been degraded at the CMC by a highly selective bacterial community with a consequent negative impact on PAHs biodegradation. This work obtained strong evidence for the involvement of physicochemical and biologic influences determining the different behaviors of the studied microcosms. The results reported here contribute significantly to an optimization of, surfactant-enhanced bioremediation strategies for chronically contaminated soil since the application of doses below the CMC would reduce the overall costs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Legionella cardiaca sp. nov., isolated from a case of native valve endocarditis in a human heart

    PubMed Central

    Pearce, Meghan M.; Theodoropoulos, Nicole; Mandel, Mark J.; Brown, Ellen; Reed, Kurt D.

    2012-01-01

    A Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium, designated H63T, was isolated from aortic valve tissue of a patient with native valve endocarditis. 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that H63T belongs to the genus Legionella, with its closest neighbours being the type strains of Legionella brunensis (98.8 % similarity), L. londiniensis (97.0 %), L. jordanis (96.8 %), L. erythra (96.2 %), L. dresdenensis (96.0 %) and L. rubrilucens, L. feeleii, L. pneumophila and L. birminghamensis (95.7 %). DNA–DNA hybridization studies yielded values of <70 % relatedness between strain H63T and its nearest neighbours in terms of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, indicating that the strain represents a novel species. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA, macrophage infectivity potentiator (mip) and RNase P (rnpB) genes confirmed that H63T represents a distinct species, with L. brunensis being its closest sister taxon. Fatty acid composition and biochemical traits, such as the inability to ferment glucose and reduce nitrate, supported the affiliation of H63T to the genus Legionella. H63T was distinguishable from its neighbours based on it being positive for hippurate hydrolysis. H63T was further differentiated by its inability to grow on BCYE agar at 17 °C, its poor growth on low-iron medium and the absence of sliding motility. Also, H63T did not react with antisera generated from type strains of Legionella species. H63T replicated within macrophages. It also grew in mouse lungs, inducing histopathological evidence of pneumonia and dissemination to the spleen. Together, these results confirm that H63T represents a novel, pathogenic Legionella species, for which the name Legionella cardiaca sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is H63T ( = ATCC BAA-2315T  = DSM 25049T  = JCM 17854T). PMID:22286905

  12. Severe Trauma Stress Inoculation Training for Combat Medics using High Fidelity Simulation

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-12-01

    why several programs have been developed to introduce TC3 principles to military medical providers (Physician Assistants (PA), nurses , and doctors... Practitioner and senior medical Non~Commissioned Officer (NCO) a practical working knowledge of how to deal with the injured patient in a combat...environment and under simulated battlefield conditions. TCMC, on the other hand, provides the Physician Assistant, Physician, Nurse Practitioner and senior

  13. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Shen, S; Meredith, R; Azure, M

    Purpose: To support the phase I trial for toxicity, biodistribution and pharmacokinetics of intra-peritoneal (IP) 212Pb-TCMC-trastuzumab in patients with HER-2 expressing malignancy. A whole body gamma camera imaging method was developed for estimating amount of 212Pb-TCMC-trastuzumab left in the peritoneal cavity. Methods: {sup 212}Pb decays to {sup 212}Bi via beta emission. {sup 212}Bi emits an alpha particle at an average of 6.1 MeV. The 238.6 keV gamma ray with a 43.6% yield can be exploited for imaging. Initial phantom was made of saline bags with 212Pb. Images were collected for 238.6 keV with a medium energy general purpose collimator. Theremore » are other high energy gamma emissions (e.g. 511keV, 8%; 583 keV, 31%) that penetrate the septae of the collimator and contribute scatter into 238.6 keV. An upper scatter window was used for scatter correction for these high energy gammas. Results: A small source containing 212Pb can be easily visualized. Scatter correction on images of a small 212Pb source resulted in a ∼50% reduction in the full width at tenth maximum (FWTM), while change in full width at half maximum (FWHM) was <10%. For photopeak images, substantial scatter around phantom source extended to > 5 cm outside; scatter correction improved image contrast by removing this scatter around the sources. Patient imaging, in the 1st cohort (n=3) showed little redistribution of 212Pb-TCMC-trastuzumab out of the peritoneal cavity. Compared to the early post-treatment images, the 18-hour post-injection images illustrated the shift to more uniform anterior/posterior abdominal distribution and the loss of intensity due to radioactive decay. Conclusion: Use of medium energy collimator, 15% width of 238.6 keV photopeak, and a 7.5% upper scatter window is adequate for quantification of 212Pb radioactivity inside peritoneal cavity for alpha radioimmunotherapy of ovarian cancer. Research Support: AREVA Med, NIH 1UL1RR025777-01.« less

  14. Obesity paradox and risk of sudden death in heart failure results from the MUerte Subita en Insuficiencia cardiaca (MUSIC) study.

    PubMed

    Gastelurrutia, Paloma; Pascual-Figal, Domingo; Vazquez, Rafael; Cygankiewicz, Iwona; Shamagian, Lillian Grigorian; Puig, Teresa; Ferrero, Andreu; Cinca, Juan; de Luna, Antoni Bayes; Bayes-Genis, Antoni

    2011-01-01

    among patients with heart failure (HF), body mass index (BMI) has been inversely associated with mortality, giving rise to the so-called obesity paradox. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between BMI and two modes of cardiac death: pump failure death and sudden death. nine hundred seventy-nine patients with mild to moderate chronic symptomatic HF from the MUSIC (MUerte Subita en Insuficiencia Cardiaca) Study, a prospective, multicenter, and longitudinal study designed to assess risk predictors of cardiac mortality, were followed up during a median of 44 months. Independent predictors of death were identified by a multivariable Cox proportional hazards model. higher BMI emerged as an independent predictor of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.94, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.91-0.97, P = .0003) and pump failure death (HR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.88-0.98, P = .004). Sudden death accounted for 45% of deaths in obese patients, 53% in overweight patients, and 37% in lean patients. No significant relationship between BMI and sudden death was observed (HR = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.92-1.02, P = .28). The only independent predictors of sudden death were prior history of myocardial infarction (HR = 1.89, 95% CI = 1.23-2.90, P = .004), hypertension (HR = 1.66, 95% CI = 1.05-2.63, P = .03), left ventricular ejection fraction (HR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.79-0.96, P = .006), and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (HR = 1.01, 95% CI = 1.00-1.02, P = .048). the obesity paradox in HF affects all-cause mortality and pump failure death but not sudden death. The risk of dying suddenly was similar across BMI categories in this cohort of ambulatory patients with HF.

  15. [Estimation of maximum acceptable concentration of lead and cadmium in plants and their medicinal preparations].

    PubMed

    Zitkevicius, Virgilijus; Savickiene, Nijole; Abdrachmanovas, Olegas; Ryselis, Stanislovas; Masteiková, Rūta; Chalupova, Zuzana; Dagilyte, Audrone; Baranauskas, Algirdas

    2003-01-01

    Heavy metals (lead, cadmium) are possible dashes which quantity is defined by the limiting acceptable contents. Different drugs preparations: infusions, decoctions, tinctures, extracts, etc. are produced using medicinal plants. The objective of this research was to study the impurities of heavy metals (lead, cadmium) in medicinal plants and some drug preparations. We investigated liquid extracts of fruits Crataegus monogyna Jacq. and herbs of Echinacea purpurea Moench., tinctures--of herbs Leonurus cardiaca L. The raw materials were imported from Poland. Investigations were carried out in cooperation with the Laboratory of Antropogenic Factors of the Institute for Biomedical Research. Amounts of lead and cadmium were established after "dry" mineralisation using "Perkin-Elmer Zeeman/3030" model electrothermic atomic absorption spectrophotometer (ETG AAS/Zeeman). It was established that lead is absorbed most efficiently after estimation of absorption capacity of cellular fibers. About 10.73% of lead crosses tinctures and extracts, better cadmium--49.63%. Herbs of Leonurus cardiaca L. are the best in holding back lead and cadmium. About 14.5% of lead and cadmium crosses the tincture of herbs Leonurus cardiaca L. We estimated the factors of heavy metals (lead, cadmium) in the liquid extracts of Crataegus monogyna Jacq. and Echinacea purpurea Moench., tincture of Leonurus cardiaca L. after investigations of heavy metals (lead, cadmium) in drugs and preparations of it. The amounts of heavy metals (lead, cadmium) don't exceed the allowable norms in fruits of Crataegus monogyna Jacq., herbs of Leonurus cardiaca L. and Echinacea purpurea Moench. after estimation of lead and cadmium extraction factors, the maximum of acceptable daily intake and the quantity of drugs consumption in day.

  16. Interpreting CMMI High Maturity for Small Organizations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-09-01

    Stoddard September, 2008 Congreso Internacional en Ingeniería de Software y sus Aplicaciones (International Congress of Software Engineering d...Form 298 (Rev. 8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std Z39-18 Congreso Internacional en Ingeniería de Software y sus Aplicaciones (International Congress of...de Software y sus Aplicaciones (International Congress of Software Engineering and its Applications) Why This Workshop? CMMI Process Performance

  17. Worldwide Report, Arms Control

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1985-09-21

    Intersoft- ware, Logic Control Control y Aplicaciones , Dielsa, Eliop, EISA, Sainco CTNE, Fagor Electronica, Standard CTNE, Fagor Electronica, Piher...regulation systems Industrial turbine of advanced design Alfa Sewing Machines Control y Aplicaciones , Danobat, Etxe-Tar C02, CO and ultraviolet lasers

  18. Prognostic impact of elevated serum uric acid levels on long-term outcomes in patients with chronic heart failure: A post-hoc analysis of the GISSI-HF (Gruppo Italiano per lo Studio della Sopravvivenza nella Insufficienza Cardiaca-Heart Failure) trial.

    PubMed

    Mantovani, Alessandro; Targher, Giovanni; Temporelli, Pier Luigi; Lucci, Donata; Gonzini, Lucio; Nicolosi, Gian Luigi; Marchioli, Roberto; Tognoni, Gianni; Latini, Roberto; Cosmi, Franco; Tavazzi, Luigi; Maggioni, Aldo Pietro

    2018-06-01

    The prognostic impact of hyperuricemia on long-term clinical outcomes in patients with chronic heart failure (HF) has been investigated in observational registries and clinical trials, but the results have been often inconclusive. We examined the prognostic impact of elevated serum uric acid levels on long-term clinical outcomes in the GISSI-HF (Gruppo Italiano per lo Studio della Sopravvivenza nella Insufficienza Cardiaca-Heart Failure) trial. CLINICALTRIALS. NCT00336336. We assessed the rates of all-cause death, cardiovascular death, cardiovascular hospitalization and the composite of all-cause death or cardiovascular hospitalization over a median follow-up of 3.9 years among 6683 ambulatory patients with chronic HF. Patients in the 3rd serum uric acid tertile (>7.2 mg/dl) had a nearly 1.8-fold increased risk of both all-cause death and cardiovascular death, and a nearly 1.5-fold increased risk of cardiovascular hospitalization and of the composite endpoint compared to those in the 1st uric acid tertile (<5.7 mg/dl). Beyond serum uric acid ≥ 7 mg/dl the risk of outcomes increased sharply and linearly. The significant association between elevated serum uric acid levels and adverse outcomes persisted after adjustment for multiple established cardiovascular risk factors, HF etiology, left ventricular ejection fraction, medication use and other potential confounders, with an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.37 (95% CI 1.22-1.55) for all-cause death, 1.48 (1.29-1.69) for cardiovascular death, 1.19 (1.09-1.30) for cardiovascular hospitalization and 1.21 (1.11-1.31) for the composite endpoint, respectively. Elevated serum uric acid levels are independently associated with poor long-term survival and increased risk of cardiovascular hospitalization in patients with chronic HF. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Prognostic Impact of Diabetes and Prediabetes on Survival Outcomes in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure: A Post-Hoc Analysis of the GISSI-HF (Gruppo Italiano per lo Studio della Sopravvivenza nella Insufficienza Cardiaca-Heart Failure) Trial.

    PubMed

    Dauriz, Marco; Targher, Giovanni; Temporelli, Pier Luigi; Lucci, Donata; Gonzini, Lucio; Nicolosi, Gian Luigi; Marchioli, Roberto; Tognoni, Gianni; Latini, Roberto; Cosmi, Franco; Tavazzi, Luigi; Maggioni, Aldo Pietro

    2017-07-05

    The independent prognostic impact of diabetes mellitus (DM) and prediabetes mellitus (pre-DM) on survival outcomes in patients with chronic heart failure has been investigated in observational registries and randomized, clinical trials, but the results have been often inconclusive or conflicting. We examined the independent prognostic impact of DM and pre-DM on survival outcomes in the GISSI-HF (Gruppo Italiano per lo Studio della Sopravvivenza nella Insufficienza Cardiaca-Heart Failure) trial. We assessed the risk of all-cause death and the composite of all-cause death or cardiovascular hospitalization over a median follow-up period of 3.9 years among the 6935 chronic heart failure participants of the GISSI-HF trial, who were stratified by presence of DM (n=2852), pre-DM (n=2013), and non-DM (n=2070) at baseline. Compared with non-DM patients, those with DM had remarkably higher incidence rates of all-cause death (34.5% versus 24.6%) and the composite end point (63.6% versus 54.7%). Conversely, both event rates were similar between non-DM patients and those with pre-DM. Cox regression analysis showed that DM, but not pre-DM, was associated with an increased risk of all-cause death (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.28-1.60) and of the composite end point (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.13-1.32), independently of established risk factors. In the DM subgroup, higher hemoglobin A1c was also independently associated with increased risk of both study outcomes (all-cause death: adjusted hazard ratio, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.02-1.43; and composite end point: adjusted hazard ratio, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.01-1.29, respectively). Presence of DM was independently associated with poor long-term survival outcomes in patients with chronic heart failure. URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00336336. © 2017 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.

  20. Heart rate is a marker of amiodarone mortality reduction in severe heart failure. The GESICA-GEMA Investigators. Grupo de Estudio de la Sobrevida en la Insuficiencia Cardiaca en Argentina-Grupo de Estudios Multicéntricos en Argentina.

    PubMed

    Nul, D R; Doval, H C; Grancelli, H O; Varini, S D; Soifer, S; Perrone, S V; Prieto, N; Scapin, O

    1997-05-01

    The impact of amiodarone on mortality in patients with severe congestive heart failure (CHF) (New York Heart Association functional classes II [advanced], III and IV; left ventricular ejection fraction < 35%) In the Grupo de Estudio de la Sobrevida en la Insuficiencia Cardiaca en Argentina (GESICA) trial was analyzed in relation to initial mean baseline heart rate (BHR) and its change after 6 months of follow-up. Trials of amiodarone therapy in CHF have produced discordant results, suggesting that the effect is not uniform in all patient subgroups with regard to survival. The present analysis was carried out in 516 patients randomized to receive amiodarone, 300 mg/day (n = 260), or nonantiarrhythmic therapy (n = 256, control group) and followed up for 2 years. Survival was evaluated for patients with a BHR > or = 90 beats/min (control: n = 132; amiodarone: n = 122) and < 90 beats/min (control: n = 124; amiodarone: n = 138). Survival was also analyzed according to heart rate reduction at 6 months for 367 patients. For patients with a BHR > or = 90 beats/min, amiodarone therapy reduced mortality to 38.4% compared with 62.4% in control patients (relative risk [RR] 0.55, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.35 to 0.95, p < 0.002). Both sudden death (RR 0.46, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.90, p < 0.02) and progressive heart failure death (RR 0.60, 95% CI 0.30 to 1.03, p < 0.06) were reduced, and functional capacity was improved. In patients with a BHR < 90 beats/min, amiodarone did not alter survival. Among 367 patients who completed 6 months of follow-up, amiodarone reduced 2-year mortality only in those with a BHR > or = 90 beats/min, which was reduced at 6 months. Elevated rest heart rates in severe CHF identify a subgroup of patients who benefit from treatment with amiodarone. Amiodarone-induced heart rate slowing may be an important benefit for patients.

  1. Energia Renovable para Centros de Salud Rurales (Renewable Energy for Rural Health Clinics) (in Spanish)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Jimenez, T.; Olson, K.

    Esta es la primera de una serie de guias de aplicaciones que el Programa de Energia de Villas de NREL esta comisionando para acoplar sistemas comerciales renovables con aplicaciones rurales, incluyendo agua, escuelas rurales y micro empresas. La guia esta complementada por las actividades de desarrollo del Programa de Energia de Villas de NREL, proyectos pilotos internacionales y programas de visitas profesionales.

  2. Inversor Resonante de Tres Elementos L-LC con Caracteristica Cortocircuitable para Aplicaciones de Calentamiento por Induccion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Espi Huerta, Jose Miguel

    Los generadores de calentamiento por induccion son puentes inversores con carga resonante, cuya mision es basicamente crear una corriente sinusoidal de gran amplitud sobre la "bobina de caldeo", que forma parte del tanque resonante. En el interior de esta bobina se introduce la pieza que se desea calentar. EI campo magnetico creado induce corrientes superficiales (corrientes de Foucault) sobre la pieza, que producen su calentamiento. Los tanques resonantes (tambien llamados osciladores) utilizados en la actualidad son el resonante serie y el resonante paralelo. Aunque ya desde hace algun tiempo se vienen construyendo generadores de alta potencia basados en estos dos osciladores, el exito nunca ha. sido completo en ninguno de los dos casos. Tal y como se explica en la introduccion de esta memoria, los puentes inversores utilizados deben operar sobre una carga inductiva (corriente retrasada) para evitar el fenomeno de la recuperacion inversa de sus diodos y la consiguiente ruptura de los transistores. De la restriccion topologica anterior se deduce que el generador paralelo debe conmutar a frecuencias inferiores a la resonancia, y el serie a frecuencias superiores. A esta restriccion topologica hay que unir otra que es exclusiva del calentamiento por induccion: La corriente por la bobina de caldeo debe ser sinusoidal. De no ser asi, resultaria imposible disponer toda la potencia de calentamiento sobre la pieza en el espesor requerido por la aplicacion. Como consecuencia, los inversores no pueden operar por debajo de la frecuencia de resonancia del oscilador, pues en ese caso se amplifican los armonicos de orden superior de la tension/corriente de entrada situados sobre la resonancia, con la consiguiente distorsion de la corriente de salida. La conjuncion de las dos restricciones anteriores obligan al inversor paralelo a funcionar a la frecuencia de resonancia del oscilador. Esto imposibilita un control por variacion de frecuencia, regulandose la potencia desde la

  3. Proceedings of the Discussion Meeting on Thermodynamics of Alloys Held in Barcelona, Spain on 23-26 May 1999. Series B. Volume 86

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1990-05-01

    PUBLICACION DE LA REAL SOCIEOAD ESPANOLA DE PISICA AD-A 24 1 031 ANALES DE FISICA SERI[ B -Dhf 4!S - -c) D- NA- DZ-7 3. APLICACIONES , METODOS. -- E...ANALES DE FISICA Serie A: Fen6menos e Interacciones Serie B: Aplicaciones , M~todos e Instrumentos PUBLICACION DE LA REAL SOCIEDAD ESPANOLA DE FISICA...Apartado 1065. Avenida Reina Mercedes, s/n. Universidad de Sevilla. Sevilla - 41080. EDITOR DE FISICA ATOMICA, MOLECULAR Y NUCLEAR Prof. D. Jos6 Maria

  4. Modelizacion, control e implementacion de un procesador energetico paralelo para aplicacion en sistemas multisalida

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ferreres Sabater, Agustin

    modelizacion, y aplicacion en convertidores PWM, esta aun por estudiar y valorar. El primer Capitulo consiste en una breve introduccion al problema de la regulacion cruzada y la impedancia cruzada para posteriormente describir las tecnicas de post-regulacion actualmente mas empleadas, con especial atencion al post-regulador con transformador controlado. El Capitulo segundo trata del estudio de las caracteristicas estaticas del postregulador con transformador controlado. Partiendo de los estudios disponibles sobre el postregulador se plantean mejoras en su modo de actuacion y se discuten tres alternativas diferentes para controlar el transformador. Las dos primeras consisten en emplear un convertidor auxiliar Boost en sus dos modos de funcionamiento, continuo y discontinuo. La tercera consiste en controlar el transformador con una tension PWM directamente, sin filtrado. Finalmente se comprueba experimentalmente, para el estado estacionario, el funcionamiento del post-regulador para cada uno de los tres metodos de control. El Capitulo tercero trata de la dinamica de la salida controlada con el post-regulador cuando este emplea un convertidor auxiliar tipo Boost. Mediante la tecnica de promediado de variables de estado se propone el modelo de pequena senal, tanto para el modo continuo como para el modo discontinuo de funcionamiento del convertidor auxiliar. Los resultados mas significativos de esta seccion son las expresiones analiticas de las impedancias cruzadas y de la impedancia de la salida post-regulada. Como complemento al modelo de pequena senal se plantea un modelo de gran senal implementado sobre el simulador Pspice. Con este nuevo modelo se reproducen los resultados obtenidos con el modelo de pequena senal y ademas es posible simular los transitorios en las tensiones de salida ante cambios de carga. La modelizacion del convertidor cuando el transformador se controla con una tension PWM sin filtrar es el objetivo del Capitulo 4. En las secciones siguientes del Capitulo

  5. Immunocytochemical distribution of locustamyoinhibiting peptide (Lom-MIP) in the nervous system of Locusta migratoria.

    PubMed

    Schoofs, L; Veelaert, D; Broeck, J V; De Loof, A

    1996-07-05

    Locustamyoinhibiting peptide (Lom-MIP) is one of the 4 identified myoinhibiting neuropeptides, isolated from brain-corpora cardiaca-corpora allata-suboesophageal ganglion complexes of the locust, Locusta migratoria. An antiserum was raised against Lom-MIP for use in immunohistochemistry. Locustamyoinhibiting peptide-like immunoreactivity (Lom-MIP-LI) was visualized in the nervous system and peripheral organs of Locusta migratoria by means of the peroxidase-antiperoxidase method. A total of 12 specific immunoreactive neurons was found in the brain. Processes of these neurons innervate the protocerebral bridge the central body complex and distinct neuropil areas in the proto- and tritocerebrum but not in the deuterocerebrum nor in the optic lobes. The glandular cells of the corpora cardiaca, known to produce adipokinetic hormones, are contacted by Lom-MIP-LI fibers. The corpora allata were innervated by the nervus corporis allati I containing immunoreactive fibers. Lom-MIP-LI cell bodies were also found in the subesophageal ganglion, the metathoracic ganglion and the abdominal ganglia I-IV. In peripheral muscles, Lom-MIP-LI fibers innervate the heart, the oviduct, and the hindgut. In the salivary glands, Lom-MIP-LI was detected in the intracellular ductule of the parietal cells. Possible functions of Lom-MIP are discussed.

  6. Isolation and structure elucidation of neuropeptides of the AKH/RPCH family in long-horned grasshoppers (Ensifera).

    PubMed

    Gäde, G

    1992-11-01

    An identical neuropeptide was isolated by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography from the corpora cardiaca of the king cricket, Libanasidus vittatus, and the two armoured ground crickets, Heterodes namaqua and Acanthoproctus cervinus. The crude gland extracts had adipokinetic activity in migratory locusts, hypertrehalosaemic activity in American cockroaches and a slight hypertrehalosaemic, but no adipokinetic, effect in armoured ground crickets. The primary structure of this neuropeptide was determined by pulsed-liquid phase sequencing employing Edman chemistry after enzymically deblocking the N-terminal 5-oxopyrrolidine-2-carboxylic acid residue. The C-terminus was also blocked, as indicated by the lack of digestion by carboxypeptidase A. The peptide was assigned the structure [symbol: see text]Glu-Leu-Asn-Phe-Ser-Thr-Gly-TrpNH2, previously designated Scg-AKH-II. The corpora cardiaca of the cricket Gryllodes sigillatus contained a neuropeptide which differed in retention time from the one isolated from the king and armoured ground crickets. The structure was assigned as [symbol: see text]Glu-Val-Asn-Phe-Ser-Thr-Gly-TrpNH2, previously designated Grb-AKH. This octapeptide caused hyperlipaemia in its donor species. The presence of the same peptide, Scg-AKH-II, in the two primitive infraorders of Ensifera, and the different peptide, Grb-AKH, in the most advanced infraorder of Ensifera, supports the evolutionary trends assigned formerly from morphological and physiological evidence.

  7. Characterization and pharmacological analysis of two adipokinetic hormone receptor variants of the tsetse fly, Glossina morsitans morsitans.

    PubMed

    Caers, Jelle; Janssen, Tom; Van Rompay, Liesbeth; Broeckx, Valérie; Van Den Abbeele, Jan; Gäde, Gerd; Schoofs, Liliane; Beets, Isabel

    2016-03-01

    Adipokinetic hormones (AKH) are well known regulators of energy metabolism in insects. These neuropeptides are produced in the corpora cardiaca and perform their hormonal function by interacting with specific G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) at the cell membranes of target tissues, mainly the fat body. Here, we investigated the sequences, spatial and temporal distributions, and pharmacology of AKH neuropeptides and receptors in the tsetse fly, Glossina morsitans morsitans. The open reading frames of two splice variants of the Glomo-akh receptor (Glomo-akhr) gene and of the AKH neuropeptide encoding genes, gmmhrth and gmmakh, were cloned. Both tsetse AKHR isoforms show strong sequence conservation when compared to other insect AKHRs. Glomo-AKH prepropeptides also have the typical architecture of AKH precursors. In an in vitro Ca(2+) mobilization assay, Glomo-AKH neuropeptides activated each receptor isoform up to nanomolar concentrations. We identified structural features of tsetse AKH neuropeptides essential for receptor activation in vitro. Gene expression profiles suggest a function for AKH signaling in regulating Glossina energy metabolism, where AKH peptides are released from the corpora cardiaca and activate receptors mainly expressed in the fat body. This analysis of the ligand-receptor coupling, expression, and pharmacology of the two Glomo-AKHR variants facilitates further elucidation of the function of AKH in G. m. morsitans. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. GPS, punto de contacto entre la Astronomía y otras disciplinas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Perdomo, R.

    En los primeros años de la pasada década, un grupo de Astrónomos de La Plata iniciaron trabajos de investigación en Geodesia Satelital. En esta presentación se propone repasar sus principales logros y situarlos en el contexto del desarrollo de la disciplina a nivel mundial. Por entonces las aplicaciones prácticas de la disciplina eran indirectas y solo evidentes para los especialistas. Los errores del Posicionamiento Satelital eran de varios metros y en posicionamiento relativo, del orden de medio metro. Estos resultados se lograban al cabo de varios días de medición continuada. En los años siguientes, el sistema GPS alcanzó su nivel operacional y produjo una revolución tanto en lo relacionado con los tiempos de medición como con las precisiones. El grupo de La Plata se desarrolló simultáneamente con GPS, lo que posibilitó su participación actual en diversos temas vigentes: aplicaciones de alta precisión para la materialización de sistemas terrestres de referencia, monitoreo de movimientos de la corteza, contribución con servicios internacionales para la determinación de movimientos tectónicos globales y regionales, monitoreo de la ionósfera a partir de la propagación de las señales, determinación de la ondulación del geoide a escala local, etc. También se generaron muchas aplicaciones prácticas algunas en tiempo real: navegación, apoyo a imágenes aéreas o satelitales, aplicaciones a la agricultura, catastro y ordenamiento territorial, apoyo a relevamientos geofísicos, etc.

  9. Optical Fiber Based Thermometry System for a Hyperthermia Laboratory

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2001-10-25

    of the Biomedical Engineering Society. Seattle, WA. Oct 11-15, 2000. [16] O. Carranza. “Termómetro basado en fibras ópticas para aplicaciones biomédicas”. Tesis de maestría. SEPI- ESIME-IPN, México DF, Dec. 2000.

  10. Global Assimilative Ionospheric Model

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2002-09-30

    CHAMP) and Satelite de Aplicaciones Cientificas-C (SAC-C), as well as from the Ionospheric Occultation Experiment (IOX) instrument developed by...strong interest in future collaborative research. TRANSITIONS Our project is still in its initial stage. No software has been transitioned to

  11. Soil moisture mapping for aquarius

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Aquarius is the first satellite to provide both passive and active L-band observations of the Earth. In addition, the instruments on Satelite de Aplicaciones Cientificas-D (SAC-D) provide complementary information for analysis and retrieval algorithms. Our research focuses on the retrieval of soil m...

  12. Aggregated adverse-events outcomes in oncology phase III reports: A systematic review.

    PubMed

    Maillet, Denis; Gan, Hui K; Blay, Jean-Yves; You, Benoit; Péron, Julien

    2016-01-01

    Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) represent a major source of information on treatment-related adverse events (AEs). In this study, we reviewed the use and the reporting methods of aggregated-AEs (A-AEs) outcomes in RCTs reports published in oncology and compared that to the expectations of European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) membership. RCTs reports published between 2007 and 2011 were reviewed regarding the reporting of A-AEs-outcomes. A-AEs were defined as summary outcome combining several related AEs, usually grouped by organ system e.g. cardiac-AEs, dermatologic-AEs. Trial characteristics associated with the use of A-AEs outcomes were investigated. The expectation of EORTC members concerning A-AEs utilisation was queried through a survey. Among 325 RCTs published between 2007 and 2011, 94 (29%) included one or more A-AE outcomes. A clear description of the nature of AEs included in such aggregations was provided in 19 articles (20%). No description of A-AEs was conversely provided in the other 75 articles (80%). The most commonly used A-AEs-outcomes were dermatologic-AEs (45%) and cardiac-AEs (33%). In multivariate analysis, the use of A-AEs outcomes was more frequent when trials were conducted in Europe (p = 0.038) and in trials performed on colon/rectal cancers (p = 0.016). Finally, there is no consensus of EORTC members regarding the utilisation of A-AEs but a majority of them (88%) felt that a clear description of A-AEs should systematically be reported. The use of A-AEs is infrequent in oncology RCT manuscripts although their use is accepted by most clinicians. However, a clear definition of A-AEs is strongly recommended if they are to be used in order to avoid a loss of important details about drug toxicities that is useful to clinicians. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. PubMed

    Prieto Bohórquez, Signed Esperanza; Rodríguez Velásquez, Javier Oswaldo; Correa Herrera, Catalina; Pardo Oviedo, Juan Mauricio; Ardila, Javier

    2018-03-23

    Introducción: una ley exponencial se ha hallado para los sistemas dinámicos caóticos cardiacos, logrando cuantificar las diferencias entre dinámicas cardiacas normales y  patológicas.Metodología: Se analizaron 120 registros electrocardiográficos, 40 correspondían a sujetos dentro de los límites de normalidad y 80 con diferentes patologías. Para cada holter se analizaron los atractores generados con los datos durante 18 horas y durante toda la dinámica. Se calculó la dimensión fractal del atractor y su ocupación espacial. A estas medidas se aplicó la evaluación matemática diagnostica desarrollada previamente, comparando la evaluación para 18 horas y para todo el registro; finalmente se calculó la sensibilidad, especificidad y coeficiente Kappa.Resultados: Para las dinámicas normales los espacios de ocupación en la rejilla Kp estuvieron entre 200 y 381 en la evaluación de la totalidad del holter, y entre 201 y 384 en la evaluación durante 18 horas, mostrando la cercanía en las medidas, lo que permite que la disminución en el tiempo de la evaluación sea consistente, esta misma cercanía se observó para las dinámicas enfermas y agudas.Conclusión: Se evidenció la aplicabilidad clínica en 18 horas de la ley exponencial en la dinámica cardiaca caótica asociada a arritmias mostrando ser de utilidad para la predicción de la evolución hacia estados agudos de la dinámica.

  14. White Book on National Defense (Republic of Argentina)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1999-01-01

    Prefectura Nacional Argentina. Argentine Coast Guard. PRINSO: Programa de Investigaciones en Solidos. Research Program in Solids. PYMES: Pequenas y...Operacionales Strategic Operational Commands CEILAP: Centre de Investigaciones en Laseres y Aplicaciones. Center for Laser Research and Uses CEICOR...Centre de Investigaciones en Corrosion. Center for Corrosion Research. CEIPEIN: Centre de Investigaciones de Plagas e Insecticidas. Center for Pests

  15. Neuropeptide imaging on an LTQ with vMALDI source: The complete `all-in-one' peptidome analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Verhaert, Peter D.; Conaway, Maria C. Prieto; Pekar, Tonya M.; Miller, Ken

    2007-02-01

    Direct tissue imaging was performed on dissected insect tissue using a MALDI ion trap to visualize endogenous neuropeptides. Coupling tissue imaging to tandem MSn allows for the identification of previously known species and the ability to identify new ones by de novo sequencing, as searchable databases for insects are sparse. Direct tissue imaging is an attractive technique for the study of neuropeptides as minimal sample preparation is required prior to mass spectrometry. We successfully identified neuropeptides present in the corpora cardiaca and allata of Acheta domesticus (the house cricket). Diagnostic fragments at low m/z were used to distinguish between lipids and neuropeptides. The distribution of peptides appears to be more differentially localized than that of phospholipids, which seem to be more evenly distributed within the tissue.

  16. Computational Methods for Identification, Optimization and Control of PDE Systems

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-04-30

    focused on the development of numerical methods and software specifically for the purpose of solving control, design, and optimization prob- lems where...that provide the foundations of simulation software must play an important role in any research of this type, the demands placed on numerical methods...y sus Aplicaciones , Ciudad de Cor- doba - Argentina, October 2007. 3. Inverse Problems in Deployable Space Structures, Fourth Conference on Inverse

  17. Methodology of Evaluating the Science Benefit of Various Satellite/Sensor Constellation Orbital Parameters to an Assimilative Data Forecast Model

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-03-02

    and Aurora Spectrograph) inst1uments, and radio 129 occultation data from CHAMP (Challenging Minisatellite Payload), SAC-C (Satellite de 130...Aplicaciones Cientificas-C) [Hajj et al, 2004], IOX (Ionospheric Occultation Experiment) 131 [Straus et al, 2003], and the COSMIC (Constellation Observing...T. K. Meehan, L. 385 J. Romans, M. de la Torre Juarez. and T. P. Yunck (2004), CHAMP and SAC-C atmospheric 386 occultation results and

  18. Entropía de la información: una herramienta útil

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cincotta, P.

    En este trabajo se presenta una muy breve introducción al concepto de Entropía de la Información y se muestran distintas aplicaciones de una misma técnica para estudiar problemas tan variados como la determinación de periodicidad en una serie de tiempo arbitraria o de estimar el grado de caoticidad de una trayectoria en un sistema dinámico de N grados de libertad.

  19. The Identification of Linker Characteristics among Venezuelan Students in the United States.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1980-06-01

    MOVER RECURSOS TECNICOS, MATERIALES , M9TODOS E INFORMACI6N, DESDE EL LUGAR DE DESCUBRIMIENTO 0 INVENCIdN HASTA LOS NUEVOS USUARIOSŕ [Gilmore, 1969]. El...fabricar tin nuevo tipo de vidrio aislante con infinidad de aplicaciones. 6. Materiales resistentes al calor, usados para cubrir la ojiva y el cuerpo de...mientos (el inventor o doscubridor genera nuevas ideas, conceptos, materiales , etc.), (2) la difusio’n o diseminacio’n de esas ideas o conocimientos

  20. Optimization of Laminated Composite Plates

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1989-09-01

    plane loads has already been studied, and a number of technical publications and software packages can be found. In the present report, an optimization of...described above. There is no difficulty in any case, and comercial software , from personal computers to macro- systems, is available. In the chapter...Reforzado y su Aplicacion a los Medios de Transporte", Ph.D. University of Zaragoza, Spain, 1984. 77. Miravete A., "Caracterisation et mise au Point d’un

  1. Aquarius SAC-D Launch

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2011-06-09

    A Delta II rocket launches with the Aquarius/SAC-D spacecraft payload from Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. on Friday, June 10, 2011. The joint U.S./Argentinian Aquarius/Satélite de Aplicaciones Científicas (SAC)-D mission will map the salinity at the ocean surface, information critical to improving our understanding of two major components of Earth's climate system: the water cycle and ocean circulation. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

  2. Aquarius SAC-D Launch

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2011-06-10

    A Delta II rocket launches with the Aquarius/SAC-D spacecraft payload from Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. on Friday, June 10, 2011. The joint U.S./Argentinian Aquarius/Satélite de Aplicaciones Científicas (SAC)-D mission, set to launch June 10, will map the salinity at the ocean surface, information critical to improving our understanding of two major components of Earth's climate system: the water cycle and ocean circulation. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

  3. Aquarius SAC-D Launch

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2011-06-08

    The Delta II rocket with it's Aquarius/SAC-D spacecraft payload is seen shortly after the service structure is rolled back on Thursday, June 9, 2011, at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The joint U.S./Argentinian Aquarius/Satélite de Aplicaciones Científicas (SAC)-D mission, set to launch June 10, will map the salinity at the ocean surface, information critical to improving our understanding of two major components of Earth's climate system: the water cycle and ocean circulation. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

  4. Aquarius SAC-D Launch

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2011-06-08

    The Delta II rocket with it's Aquarius/SAC-D spacecraft payload is seen as the service structure is rolled back on Thursday, June 9, 2011, at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The joint U.S./Argentinian Aquarius/Satélite de Aplicaciones Científicas (SAC)-D mission, set to launch June 10, will map the salinity at the ocean surface, information critical to improving our understanding of two major components of Earth's climate system: the water cycle and ocean circulation. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

  5. Tissue localization and partial characterization of pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide in Achaea janata.

    PubMed

    Ajitha, V S; Muraleedharan, D

    2005-03-01

    Female sex pheromone production in certain moth species have been shown to be regulated by a cephalic endocrine peptidic factor: pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (PBAN), having 33 amino acid residues. Antisera against synthetic Heliothis zea-PBAN were developed. Using these polyclonals, immunoreactivity was mapped in the nervous system of Achaea janata. Three distinct groups of immunopositive secretory neurons were identified in the suboesophageal ganglion; and immunoreactivity was observed in the corpora cardiaca, thoracic and in the abdominal ganglia. From about 6000 brain sub-oesophageal ganglion complexes, the neuropeptide was isolated; and purified sequentially by Sep-pak and reversed phase high performance liquid chromatographic methods. Identity of purified PBAN fraction was confirmed with polyclonal antibody by immunoblotting. Molecular mass of the isolated peptide was determined by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry, and was found to be 3900 Da, same as that of known H. zea-PBAN. Radiochemical bioassay confirmed the pheromonotropic effect of the isolated neuropeptide in this insect.

  6. Aquarius SAC-D Post-Launch Briefing

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2011-06-10

    Conrado Varotto, CONAE Executive and Technical Director, Buenos Aires, talks during the Aquarius/SAC-D post-launch press conference on Friday, June 10, 2011 at the NASA Resident Office, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The joint U.S./Argentinian Aquarius/Satélite de Aplicaciones Científicas (SAC)-D mission, launched earlier on Friday June 10, will map the salinity at the ocean surface, information critical to improving our understanding of two major components of Earth's climate system: the water cycle and ocean circulation. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

  7. Aquarius SAC-D Post-Launch Briefing

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2011-06-10

    Conrado Varotto, CONAE Executive and Technical Director, Buenos Aires, looks on as other panelest speak during the Aquarius/SAC-D post-launch press conference on Friday, June 10, 2011 at the NASA Resident Office, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The joint U.S./Argentinian Aquarius/Satélite de Aplicaciones Científicas (SAC)-D mission, launched earlier on Friday June 10, will map the salinity at the ocean surface, information critical to improving our understanding of two major components of Earth's climate system: the water cycle and ocean circulation. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

  8. Aquarius SAC-D Post-Launch Briefing

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2011-06-10

    Hector Timerman, Foreign Minister of Argentina, Buenos Aires, talks during the Aquarius/SAC-D post-launch press conference on Friday, June 10, 2011 at the NASA Resident Office, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The joint U.S./Argentinian Aquarius/Satélite de Aplicaciones Científicas (SAC)-D mission, launched earlier on Friday June 10, will map the salinity at the ocean surface, information critical to improving our understanding of two major components of Earth's climate system: the water cycle and ocean circulation. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

  9. Aquarius SAC-D Post-Launch Briefing

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2011-06-10

    Michael Freilich, NASA Earth Science Division Director, NASA Headquarters, talks during the Aquarius/SAC-D post-launch press conference on Friday, June 10, 2011 at the NASA Resident Office, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The joint U.S./Argentinian Aquarius/Satélite de Aplicaciones Científicas (SAC)-D mission, launched earlier on Friday June 10, will map the salinity at the ocean surface, information critical to improving our understanding of two major components of Earth's climate system: the water cycle and ocean circulation. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

  10. Aquarius SAC-D Post-Launch Briefing

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2011-06-10

    Charles Gay, Deputy Associate Administrator, NASA Science Mission Directorate, talks during the Aquarius/SAC-D post-launch press conference on Friday, June 10, 2011 at the NASA Resident Office, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The joint U.S./Argentinian Aquarius/Satélite de Aplicaciones Científicas (SAC)-D mission, launched earlier on Friday June 10, will map the salinity at the ocean surface, information critical to improving our understanding of two major components of Earth's climate system: the water cycle and ocean circulation. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

  11. Soluciones analiticas AL problema de jets con velocidad de eyeccion variable EN EL tiempo.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Canto, J.; Raga, A. C.; D'Alessio, P.

    1998-11-01

    Se presenta un nuevo metodo que permite resolver de manera exacta y analitica las ecuaciones que describen un jet hipersonico con velocidad de eyeccion variable en el tiempo. El metodo se basa en consideraciones sencillas de conservacion de momento para las superficies de trabajo que se forman en el interior del jet. Como ejemplo, se presentan soluciones para jets con variacion sinusoidal en la velocidad de eyeccion, y tambien para el caso de un incremento lineal en el tiempo. Estas soluciones analiticas tienen una clara aplicacion en la interpretacion de las observaciones de jets asociados a objetos Herbig-Haro.

  12. Atrial Cardiomyopathy: A Useful Notion in Cardiac Disease Management or a Passing Fad?

    PubMed

    Guichard, Jean-Baptiste; Nattel, Stanley

    2017-08-08

    The term atrial cardiomyopathy, which has been used sporadically in the medical literature, was recently the subject of a detailed Consensus Document prepared by representatives of the European Heart Rhythm Association, Heart Rhythm Society, Asia-Pacific Heart Rhythm Society, and Sociedad Latinoamericana de Estimulación Cardiaca y Electrofisiología. They discussed aspects of the definition, histopathology, atrial-specific physiology, atrial pathology, impact on arrhythmia occurrence, imaging, mapping, and ablation. Here, the authors consider critically the added clinical value of this concept and its meaningfulness. They review evidence implicating atrial cardiomyopathy as an independent contributor to the risk of stroke associated with atrial fibrillation and as a determinant of arrhythmia progression. The issue of classification is considered and the authors discuss how atrial cardiomyopathic properties might guide stroke prevention, rhythm maintenance, and rate control in atrial fibrillation. Carefully designed clinical trials are needed to evaluate these potential applications, and will ultimately define the value of this terminology. Copyright © 2017 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. A Drosophila LexA Enhancer-Trap Resource for Developmental Biology and Neuroendocrine Research

    PubMed Central

    Kockel, Lutz; Huq, Lutfi M.; Ayyar, Anika; Herold, Emma; MacAlpine, Elle; Logan, Madeline; Savvides, Christina; Kim, Grace E. S.; Chen, Jiapei; Clark, Theresa; Duong, Trang; Fazel-Rezai, Vahid; Havey, Deanna; Han, Samuel; Jagadeesan, Ravi; Kim, Eun Soo Jackie; Lee, Diane; Lombardo, Kaelina; Piyale, Ida; Shi, Hansen; Stahr, Lydia; Tung, Dana; Tayvah, Uriel; Wang, Flora; Wang, Ja-Hon; Xiao, Sarah; Topper, Sydni M.; Park, Sangbin; Rotondo, Cheryl; Rankin, Anne E.; Chisholm, Townley W.; Kim, Seung K.

    2016-01-01

    Novel binary gene expression tools like the LexA-LexAop system could powerfully enhance studies of metabolism, development, and neurobiology in Drosophila. However, specific LexA drivers for neuroendocrine cells and many other developmentally relevant systems remain limited. In a unique high school biology course, we generated a LexA-based enhancer trap collection by transposon mobilization. The initial collection provides a source of novel LexA-based elements that permit targeted gene expression in the corpora cardiaca, cells central for metabolic homeostasis, and other neuroendocrine cell types. The collection further contains specific LexA drivers for stem cells and other enteric cells in the gut, and other developmentally relevant tissue types. We provide detailed analysis of nearly 100 new LexA lines, including molecular mapping of insertions, description of enhancer-driven reporter expression in larval tissues, and adult neuroendocrine cells, comparison with established enhancer trap collections and tissue specific RNAseq. Generation of this open-resource LexA collection facilitates neuroendocrine and developmental biology investigations, and shows how empowering secondary school science can achieve research and educational goals. PMID:27527793

  14. Caracterizacion de materiales magnetoelasticos y su aplicacion al control de vibraciones

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Morales Robredo, Angel Luis

    The characterization and application of magnetoelastic materials to problems of vibration control is tackled in this thesis. Although this subject has been thoroughly studied since the nineteenth century, and despite the fact that this type of material is currently of topical interest due to their use as smart materials in several fields of science and engineering, there is room for further research in this field, specially in topics concerning measurement and application of DeltaE- and DeltaΨ- effects. Throughout this work, several contributions can be found. First, a new experimental system for measuring both DeltaE- and DeltaΨ- effects, simultaneously, has been developed with new or improved features. Second, this new experimental system has been used to characterize in depth the three classical ferromagnetic materials, nickel, cobalt and iron, and also Terfenol-D, a special alloy which shows a great magnetoelastic response. Third, the influence of internal stresses on both DeltaE- and DeltaΨ- effects has been studied by means of different heat treatments applied to nickel specimens. And fourth, the more suitable materials regarding their DeltaE- and DeltaΨ- effects were selected and applied to novel ways of vibration control. The results obtained in the different parts of this thesis are, in our humble opinion, very valuable. Regarding the new experimental system, the improvements endow the method with notable advantages over other techniques, such as lack of mechanical or magnetic interaction with the specimen, high accuracy and resolution in magnetic field, speed of measurement, no need for sample preparation, possibility of studying stress dependence, full automation and integration of the measurement and post-processing stages. Regarding the measurement of DeltaE- and DeltaΨ- effects, our results agree with the literature but provide better accuracy. Terfenol-D shows the highest DeltaE-effect (95%), followed at a great distance by nickel (3.75%), cobalt (0.60%) and iron (0.22%), whereas the DeltaΨ-effect is high in all cases (40% in most cases, 80% in nickel). Regarding the influence of internal stress, it is stated that annealing treatments leading to lower internal stresses maximize the magnetoelastic behaviour of the material, as in the instance of nickel were the DeltaE- and DeltaΨ- effects were maximized from 3.75% to 13.00% and from 80% to 99.99%, respectively. Finally, regarding the vibration control problem, two different strategies were tested: passive control and adaptative-passive control. Both methods showed excellent results in terms of reduction of the establishing time in free vibration (63% with annealed nickel) and in terms of reduction of the magnification factor in forced vibration (34% with annealed nickel and 64% with Terfenol-D).

  15. Aquarius SAC-D Post-Launch Briefing

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2011-06-10

    Hector Timerman, Foreign Minister of Argentina, Buenos Aires, left, Michael Freilich, NASA Earth Science Division Director, NASA Headquarters, Washington, center, and Conrado Varotto, CONAE Executive and Technical Director, Buenos Aires, laugh at the start of the Aquarius/SAC-D post-launch press conference on Friday, June 10, 2011 at the NASA Resident Office, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The joint U.S./Argentinian Aquarius/Satélite de Aplicaciones Científicas (SAC)-D mission, launched earlier on Friday June 10, will map the salinity at the ocean surface, information critical to improving our understanding of two major components of Earth's climate system: the water cycle and ocean circulation. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

  16. Adult-specific insulin-producing neurons in Drosophila melanogaster.

    PubMed

    Ohhara, Yuya; Kobayashi, Satoru; Yamakawa-Kobayashi, Kimiko; Yamanaka, Naoki

    2018-06-01

    Holometabolous insects undergo metamorphosis to reorganize their behavioral and morphological features into adult-specific ones. In the central nervous system (CNS), some larval neurons undergo programmed cell death, whereas others go through remodeling of axonal and dendritic arbors to support functions of re-established adult organs. Although there are multiple neuropeptides that have stage-specific roles in holometabolous insects, the reorganization pattern of the entire neuropeptidergic system through metamorphosis still remains largely unclear. In this study, we conducted a mapping and lineage tracing of peptidergic neurons in the larval and adult CNS by using Drosophila genetic tools. We found that Diuretic hormone 44-producing median neurosecretory cells start expressing Insulin-like peptide 2 in the pharate adult stage. This neuronal cluster projects to the corpora cardiaca and dorsal vessel in both larval and adult stages, and also innervates an adult-specific structure in the digestive tract, the crop. We propose that the adult-specific insulin-producing cells may regulate functions of the digestive system in a stage-specific manner. Our study provides a neuroanatomical basis for understanding remodeling of the neuropeptidergic system during insect development and evolution. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  17. The hypertrehalosemic neuropeptides of cicadas are structural isomers-evidence by ion mobility mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    König, Simone; Marco, Heather; Gäde, Gerd

    2017-11-01

    It has been known for more than 20 years that the neurosecretory glands of the cicadas, the corpora cardiaca, synthesize two isobaric peptides with hypertrehalosemic activity. Both decapeptides have exactly the same amino acid sequence (pGlu-Val-Asn-Phe-Ser-Pro-Ser-Trp-Gly-Asn-NH 2 ) and mass but differ in their retention time in reversed-phase liquid chromatography. A synthetic peptide with the same sequence elutes together with the second more hydrophobic peptide peak of the natural cicada extract. It is not clear what modification is causing the described observations. Therefore, in the current study, ion mobility separation in conjunction with high-resolution mass spectrometry was used to investigate this phenomenon as it was sensitive to changes in conformation. It detected different drift times in buffer gas for both the intact peptides and some of their fragment ions. Based on the ion mobility and fragment ion intensity of the corresponding ions, it is concluded that the region Pro 6 -Ser 7 -Trp 8 contains a structural feature differing from the L-amino acids present in the known peptide. Whether the conformer is the result of racemization or other biochemical processes needs to be further investigated.

  18. Head capsule, chephalic central nervous system and head circulatory system of an aberrant orthopteran, Prosarthria teretrirostris (Caelifera, Hexapoda).

    PubMed

    Baum, Eileen; Hertel, Wieland; Beutel, Rolf Georg

    2007-01-01

    The head capsule, the circulatory system and the central nervous system of the head of Prosarthria teretrirostris (Proscopiidae) is described in detail, with special consideration of modifications resulting from the aberrant head shape. The transformations of the head are completely different from those found in phasmatodeans, which are also characterised by twig mimesis. The circulatory system is distinctly modified. A hitherto undescribed additional structure in the posterior head region very likely functions as a pulsatile organ. The cephalic central nervous system is strongly elongated, with changes in the position of the suboesophageal ganglion, the corpora cardiaca and the course of the nervus mandibularis. Three-dimensional reconstructions of these two organ systems in combination with the pharynx were made using Alias Maya 6.0 software. Comparisons with other representatives of Caelifera suggest a clade comprising Proscopiidae and Morabinae. The presence of a transverse muscle connecting the antennal ampullae in Prosarthria shows that this structure likely belongs to the groundplan of Orthoptera, even though it is missing in different representatives of this group. The transverse ampullary muscle is a potential synapomorphy of Orthoptera, Phasmatodea and Dictyoptera.

  19. A Drosophila LexA Enhancer-Trap Resource for Developmental Biology and Neuroendocrine Research.

    PubMed

    Kockel, Lutz; Huq, Lutfi M; Ayyar, Anika; Herold, Emma; MacAlpine, Elle; Logan, Madeline; Savvides, Christina; Kim, Grace E S; Chen, Jiapei; Clark, Theresa; Duong, Trang; Fazel-Rezai, Vahid; Havey, Deanna; Han, Samuel; Jagadeesan, Ravi; Kim, Eun Soo Jackie; Lee, Diane; Lombardo, Kaelina; Piyale, Ida; Shi, Hansen; Stahr, Lydia; Tung, Dana; Tayvah, Uriel; Wang, Flora; Wang, Ja-Hon; Xiao, Sarah; Topper, Sydni M; Park, Sangbin; Rotondo, Cheryl; Rankin, Anne E; Chisholm, Townley W; Kim, Seung K

    2016-10-13

    Novel binary gene expression tools like the LexA-LexAop system could powerfully enhance studies of metabolism, development, and neurobiology in Drosophila However, specific LexA drivers for neuroendocrine cells and many other developmentally relevant systems remain limited. In a unique high school biology course, we generated a LexA-based enhancer trap collection by transposon mobilization. The initial collection provides a source of novel LexA-based elements that permit targeted gene expression in the corpora cardiaca, cells central for metabolic homeostasis, and other neuroendocrine cell types. The collection further contains specific LexA drivers for stem cells and other enteric cells in the gut, and other developmentally relevant tissue types. We provide detailed analysis of nearly 100 new LexA lines, including molecular mapping of insertions, description of enhancer-driven reporter expression in larval tissues, and adult neuroendocrine cells, comparison with established enhancer trap collections and tissue specific RNAseq. Generation of this open-resource LexA collection facilitates neuroendocrine and developmental biology investigations, and shows how empowering secondary school science can achieve research and educational goals. Copyright © 2016 Kockel et al.

  20. Aquarius SAC-D Post-Launch Briefing

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2011-06-10

    From left, George Diller, NASA Public Affairs Officer; Charles Gay, Deputy Associate Administrator, NASA Science Mission Directorate; Hector Timerman, Foreign Minister of Argentina, Buenos Aires; Michael Freilich, NASA Earth Science Division Director, NASA Headquarters; and Conrado Varotto, CONAE Executive and Technical Director, Buenos Aires, are seen at the Aquarius/SAC-D post-launch press conference on Friday, June 10, 2011 at the NASA Resident Office, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The joint U.S./Argentinian Aquarius/Satélite de Aplicaciones Científicas (SAC)-D mission, launched earlier on Friday June 10, will map the salinity at the ocean surface, information critical to improving our understanding of two major components of Earth's climate system: the water cycle and ocean circulation. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

  1. Aquarius SAC-D Post-Launch Briefing

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2011-06-10

    Seated from left, George Diller, NASA Public Affairs Officer; Charles Gay, Deputy Associate Administrator, NASA Science Mission Directorate; Hector Timerman, Foreign Minister of Argentina, Buenos Aires; Michael Freilich, NASA Earth Science Division Director, NASA Headquarters; and Conrado Varotto, CONAE Executive and Technical Director, Buenos Aires, are seen at the Aquarius/SAC-D post-launch press conference on Friday, June 10, 2011 at the NASA Resident Office, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The joint U.S./Argentinian Aquarius/Satélite de Aplicaciones Científicas (SAC)-D mission, launched earlier on Friday June 10, will map the salinity at the ocean surface, information critical to improving our understanding of two major components of Earth's climate system: the water cycle and ocean circulation. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

  2. Novel adipokinetic hormones in the kissing bugs Rhodnius prolixus, Triatoma infestans, Dipetalogaster maxima and Panstrongylus megistus.

    PubMed

    Marco, Heather G; Simek, Petr; Clark, Kevin D; Gäde, Gerd

    2013-03-01

    Peptides of the adipokinetic hormone (AKH)/red pigment-concentrating hormone (RPCH) family were isolated and sequenced from the retrocerebral corpora cardiaca of four kissing bugs which are all vectors of the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi responsible for Chagas' disease. The sequence of three novel AKHs were deduced from the multiple MS(N) electrospray mass data: the octapeptide pGlu-Leu-Thr-Phe-Ser-Thr-Asp-Trp amide (denoted Rhopr-AKH) in Rhodnius prolixus and Panstrongylus megistus, the nonapeptide pGlu-Leu-Thr-Phe-Thr-Pro-Asn-Trp-Gly amide (denoted Triin-AKH) in Triatoma infestans and the decapeptide pGlu-Leu-Thr-Phe-Ser-Asp-Gly-Trp-Gly-Asn amide (denoted Dipma-AKH) in Dipetalogaster maxima. The sequences were confirmed by identical behavior of natural and synthetic forms in reversed-phase HPLC and by CID-MS mass spectra. Conspecific injections of a dose of 10 pmol of the respective synthetic peptides resulted in a small but significant increase of the lipid concentration in the hemolymph. These experiments suggest that AKHs in kissing bugs act to regulate lipid metabolism, possibly during dispersal flights which is one of the mechanisms whereby the insects reach new outbreak areas. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. The adipokinetic hormone of Mantodea in comparison to other Dictyoptera.

    PubMed

    Gäde, Gerd; Marco, Heather G

    2017-03-01

    Six species of the order Mantodea (praying mantises) are investigated for the presence and sequence of putative adipokinetic hormones (AKHs). The selected species span a wide evolutionary range of various families and subfamilies of the clade Mantodea. The corpora cardiaca of the different species are dissected, methanolic extracts prepared, peptides separated by liquid chromatography, and AKHs detected and sequenced by ion trap mass spectrometry. All six species investigated contain an octapeptide with the primary structure pGlu-Val-Asn-Phe-Thr-Pro-Asn-Trp amide, which is code-named Emppe-AKH and had been found earlier in three other species of Mantodea. Conspecific bioassays with the species Creoboter sp. (family Hymenopodidae) reveal an adipokinetic but not a hypertrehalosemic function of Emppe-AKH. Comparison with other members of the Dictyoptera (cockroaches, termites) show that Emppe-AKH is only found in certain termites, which have been recently placed into the Blattaria (cockroaches) as sister group to the family Cryptocercidae. Termites and cockroaches both show biodiversity in the sequence of AKHs, and some cockroach species even contain two AKHs. In contrast, all praying mantises-irrespective of their phylogenetic position-synthesize uniformly only one and the same octapeptide Emppe-AKH. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. [Multidisciplinary meeting about the use of direct oral anticoagulants in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation].

    PubMed

    Rodríguez-Reyes, Humberto; Arauz-Góngora, Antonio; Asensio-Lafuente, Enrique; Celaya-Cota, Manuel de Jesús; Cordero-Cabra, Alejandro; Guevara-Valdivia, Milton; Izaguirre-Avila, Raúl; Lara-Vaca, Susano; Mariona-Moreno, Vitelio; Martínez-Flores, Enrique; Nava-Townsend, Santiago; Pozas-Garza, Gerardo; Rodríguez-Diez, Gerardo

    Knowing the real impact of atrial fibrillation in the stroke, the Sociedad Mexicana of Electrofisiología y Estimulación Cardiaca (SOMEEC) had the initiative to develop a multidisciplinary meeting of experts the with the purpose to update the available scientific evidence from clinical practice guidelines, meta-analyses, controlled clinical trials, and complementing with the experience and views of a group of experts. To meet this goal, SOMEEC gathered a group of specialists in the area of cardiology, electrophysiology, neurology and hematology that given their experience in certain areas, they share the scientific evidence with the panel of experts to leave open a discussion about the information presented in this article. This document brings together the best scientific evidence available and aims to be a useful tool in the decision to use of new oral anticoagulants in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation and ischemic heart disease, or relating to the management of patients with stroke or renal failure, and even those that will be submitted to elective surgery and invasive procedures. In the same, they handled comparative schemes of follow-up and treatment which simplifies the decision making by the specialists participants. Copyright © 2016 Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez. Publicado por Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

  5. Aquarius and the Aquarius/SAC-D Mission

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    LeVine, D. M.; Lagerloef, G. S. E.; Torrusio, S.

    2010-01-01

    Aquarius is a combination L-band radiometer and scatterometer designed to map the salinity field at the ocean surface from space. It will be flown on the Aquarius/SAC-D mission, a partnership between the USA space agency (NASA) and Argentine space agency (CONAE). The mission is composed of two parts: (a) The Aquarius instrument being developed as part of NASA.s Earth System Science Pathfinder (ESSP) program; and (b) SAC-D the fourth spacecraft service platform in the CONAE Satellite de Aplicaciones Cientificas (SAC) program. The primary focus of the mission is to monitor the seasonal and interannual variations of the salinity field in the open ocean. The mission also meets the needs of the Argentine space program for monitoring the environment and for hazard detection and includes several instruments related to these goals.

  6. Conceptos Basicos Sobre el Propano (in Spanish)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    El propano provee energia a mas de 143.000 vehiculos en los Estados Unidos y 23 millones en todo el mundo. Flotas de todos los Estados Unidos han implementado con exito el uso de vehiculos que funcionan con gas propano, y en la actualidad varios funcionan gracias a este gas, incluyendo autobuses escolares, lanzaderas y autobuses publicos, asi como tambien furgonetas, taxis, vehiculos utilizados por las fuerzas del orden, barredoras de calles y camiones para uso profesional. El propano tambien se utiliza con frecuencia en aplicaciones fuera de la carretera, tales como montacargas, podadoras y equipos de uso profesional y otrosmore » equipos agricolas. Las ventajas del propano incluyen la disponibilidad interna, su rendimiento y el hecho de que genera menos emisiones de gases contaminantes que otras alternativas energeticas.« less

  7. Inversion gravimetrica 3D por tecnicas de evolucion: Aplicacion a la Isla de Fuerteventura

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gonzalez Montesinos, Fuensanta

    The rampant success of quantum theory is the result of applications of the 'new' quantum mechanics of Schrodinger and Heisenberg (1926-7), the Feynman-Schwinger-Tomonaga Quantum Electro-dynamics (1946-51), the electro-weak theory of Salaam, Weinberg, and Glashow (1967-9), and Quantum Chromodynamics (1973-); in fact, this success of 'the' quantum theory has depended on a continuous stream of brilliant and quite disparate mathematical formulations. In this carefully concealed ferment there lie plenty of unresolved difficulties, simply because in churning out fabulously accurate calculational tools there has been no sensible explanation of all that is going on. It is even argued that such an understanding is nothing to do with physics. A long-standing and famous illustration of this is the paradoxical thought-experiment of Einstein, Podolsky and Rosen (1935). Fundamental to all quantum theories, and also their paradoxes, is the location of sub-microscopic objects; or, rather, that the specification of such a location is fraught with mathematical inconsistency. This project encompasses a detailed, critical survey of the tangled history of Position within quantum theories. The first step is to show that, contrary to appearances, canonical quantum mechanics has only a vague notion of locality. After analysing a number of previous attempts at a 'relativistic quantum mechanics', two lines of thought are considered in detail. The first is the work of Wan and students, which is shown to be no real improvement on the iisu.al 'nonrelativistic' theory. The second is based on an idea of Dirac's - using backwards-in-time light-cones as the hypersurface in space-time. There remain considerable difficulties in the way of producing a consistent scheme here. To keep things nicely stirred up, the author then proposes his own approach - an adaptation of Feynman's QED propagators. This new approach is distinguished from Feynman's since the propagator or Green's function is not obtained by Feynman's rule. The type of equation solved is also different: instead of an initial-value problem, a solution that obeys a time-symmetric causality criterion is found for an inhomogeneous partial differential equation with homogeneous boundary conditions. To make the consideration of locality more precise, some results of Fourier transform theory are presented in a form that is directly applicable. Somewhat away from the main thrust of the thesis, there is also an attempt to explain, the manner in which quantum effects disappear as the number of particles increases in such things as experimental realisations of the EPR and de Broglie thought experiments.

  8. Uses of Radioactive Isotopes in Industry; APLICACIONES DE LOS ISOTOPOS RADIACTIVOS EN LA INDUSTRIA

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Plata, A.; del Val Cob, M.; Gamboya, J.M.

    1962-01-01

    A list of some of the most important problems in industry that were approached by the use of radioactive isotopes is presented. The list was compiled through the experience galned in revising for several years important scientific journals and other sources of information on this subject. The classification of industries was done in an arbitrary way, choosing those isotope uses that have reached a higher degree of development. (auth)

  9. Nosema ceranae Winter Control: Study of the Effectiveness of Different Fumagillin Treatments and Consequences on the Strength of Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Colonies.

    PubMed

    Mendoza, Y; Diaz-Cetti, S; Ramallo, G; Santos, E; Porrini, M; Invernizzi, C

    2017-02-01

    ón y muchos emplean el antibiótico fumagilina para reducir el nivel de infección. El objetivo de este estudio fue comparar la eficacia de cuatro tratamientos diferentes con fumagilina y determinar cómo incide en la fortaleza de las colonias durante la invernada. Las colonias tratadas con fumagilina en julio presentaron una menor carga de esporas al terminar las aplicaciones, siendo los tratamientos más eficaces el de 4 aplicaciones mediante asperjado sobre las abejas de 30 mg de fumagilina en 100 ml de jarabe de azúcar 1:1, y el de 4 aplicaciones de 90 mg de fumagilina en 250 ml de jarabe de azúcar 1:1 utilizando un alimentador. Sin embargo, durante el período de experimentación, las colonias tratadas con antibiótico presentaron igual tamaño que las colonias no tratadas. En setiembre, las colonias tratadas y no tratadas con fumagilina no se diferenciaron en la intensidad de infección ni en su tamaño. En las condiciones en que se realizó el estudio, la aplicación de fumagilina disminuyó temporalmente la carga de esporas de N. ceranae pero esto no se reflejó en el tamaño de las colonias ni en la probabilidad de sobrevivir el invierno. © The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

  10. Juvenile Hormone Biosynthesis Gene Expression in the corpora allata of Honey Bee (Apis mellifera L.) Female Castes

    PubMed Central

    Rosa, Gustavo Conrado Couto; Moda, Livia Maria; Martins, Juliana Ramos; Bitondi, Márcia Maria Gentile; Hartfelder, Klaus; Simões, Zilá Luz Paulino

    2014-01-01

    Juvenile hormone (JH) controls key events in the honey bee life cycle, viz. caste development and age polyethism. We quantified transcript abundance of 24 genes involved in the JH biosynthetic pathway in the corpora allata-corpora cardiaca (CA-CC) complex. The expression of six of these genes showing relatively high transcript abundance was contrasted with CA size, hemolymph JH titer, as well as JH degradation rates and JH esterase (jhe) transcript levels. Gene expression did not match the contrasting JH titers in queen and worker fourth instar larvae, but jhe transcript abundance and JH degradation rates were significantly lower in queen larvae. Consequently, transcriptional control of JHE is of importance in regulating larval JH titers and caste development. In contrast, the same analyses applied to adult worker bees allowed us inferring that the high JH levels in foragers are due to increased JH synthesis. Upon RNAi-mediated silencing of the methyl farnesoate epoxidase gene (mfe) encoding the enzyme that catalyzes methyl farnesoate-to-JH conversion, the JH titer was decreased, thus corroborating that JH titer regulation in adult honey bees depends on this final JH biosynthesis step. The molecular pathway differences underlying JH titer regulation in larval caste development versus adult age polyethism lead us to propose that mfe and jhe genes be assayed when addressing questions on the role(s) of JH in social evolution. PMID:24489805

  11. Distribution of corazonin and pigment-dispersing factor in the cephalic ganglia of termites.

    PubMed

    Závodská, Radka; Wen, Chih-Jen; Hrdý, Ivan; Sauman, Ivo; Lee, How-Jing; Sehnal, Frantisek

    2008-07-01

    Distribution of neurones detectable with antisera to the corazonin (Crz) and the pigment-dispersing factor (PDF) was mapped in the workers or pseudergates of 10 species representing six out of seven termite families. All species contained two triads of Crz-immunoreactive (Crz-ir) neurones in the protocerebrum. Their fibres were linked to the opposite hemisphere, formed a network in the fronto-lateral protocerebrum, and projected to the corpora cardiaca (CC); in most species the fibres also supplied the deuto- and tritocerebrum and the frontal ganglion. Some species possessed additional Crz-ir perikarya in the protocerebrum and the suboesophageal ganglion (SOG). The PDF-ir somata were primarily located in the optic lobe (OL) and SOG. OL harboured a group (3 groups in Coptotermes) of 2-6 PDF-ir cells with processes extending to the medulla, connecting to the contralateral OL, forming 1-2 networks in the protocerebrum, and in most species running also to CC. Such a PDF-ir system associated with the OL was missing in Reticulitermes. Except for Mastotermes, the termites contained 1-2 PDF-ir cell pairs in the SOG and two species had additional perikarya in the protocerebrum. The results are consistent with the view of a monophyletic termite origin and demonstrate how the Crz-ir and PDF-ir systems diversified in the course of termite phylogeny.

  12. Supplement: Proceedings XIth Latin American Congress of Surface Science and Its Applications (XI CLACSA)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Häberle, Patricio; Fuenzalida, Victor

    2004-07-01

    The 2003 Congreso Latinoamericano de Ciencia de Superficies y sus Aplicaciones (Latin American Congress of Surface Science and Its Applications) was held in Pucón, Chile, 7-12 December 2003. XI CLACSA is the continuation of a series of events that started in 1980. Until 1992, this series was called Simposio Latinoamericano de Física de Superficies (SLAFS). In recognition of the interdisciplinary nature of the field, starting in 1994 the meeting became CLACSA. The conference was organized by the Sociedad Latinoamericana de Ciencia de Superficies (SLACS) with the purpose of becoming a forum for the exchange of information associated with scientific research carried out in Latin America in the field of surface physics, systems of low dimensionality and areas related to condensed matter physics and science of materials. This scientific event has enjoyed a large participation from Latin American scientists, and has helped to stimulate the collaboration between researchers from Europe, Latin America and the United States.

  13. Simulaciones hidrodinámicas de flujos complejos

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    María Ibáñez Cabanell, José

    Son muchos los escenarios astrofísicos en que los procesos hidrodinámicos juegan un papel clave. En la complejidad que encierra la descripción de dichos procesos destaca el de la correcta simulación de flujos complejos donde la presencia de ondas de choque fuertes que, eventualmente, interaccionan entre ellas o también la presencia de inestabilidades (Kelvin-Helmholtz, Rayleigh-Taylor, etc.) suponen un verdadero desafío numérico. Los códigos hidrodinámicos basados en la solución de un problema de valores iniciales discontinuo (problema de Riemann) son, en la actualidad, los más robustos en el campo de la dinámica de fluidos computacional. En esta charla se dará un resumen de los fundamentos de dichas técnicas numéricas (esquemas de alta resolución de captura de choques) y se ilustrará su potencialidad mostrando una amplia gama de resultados en diferentes aplicaciones astrofísicas.

  14. [Preliminary construction of a questionnaire about knowledge of HIV/AIDS in Colombian veterans].

    PubMed

    Segura-Cardona, Angela; Berbesí-Fernández, Dedsy; Cardona-Arango, Doris; Ordóñez-Molina, Jaime

    2011-01-01

    In order to identify the level of knowledge about HIV/AIDS in Colombia veterans of war in the year 2009, a questionnaire was designed, built and validated, using a mixed design, for which three stages were followed: 1) Bibliographic review and construction of items of the questionnaire using a focus group, 2) Evaluation of content validity by a pannel of experts, 3) APLICACION of the final questionnaire, we selected non-randomly 323 people who were part of group of veterans in Colombia, and 4) Validation of the questionnaire through the evaluation of internal consistency and principal component analysis. We found that the questionnaire explored three factors: forms of infection, inadequate beliefs, and HIV prevention, which accounted for 52% of the variance. The survey showed adequate internal consistency values (Cronbach's α = 0.77). These results suggest the use of the questionnaire to assess knowledge level related to the form of infection, inaccurate beliefs and prevention of HIV-AIDS in this population.

  15. Evaporación dinámica del cinturón de asteroides original

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brunini, A.

    Hemos integrado numéricamente un enjambre de 3000 partículas en la región del cinturón de asteroides, sujetas a las perturbaciones gravitatorias de Júpiter y Saturno. Al cabo de 107 años, se han formado ya todos los gaps de Kirkwood observados en el cinturón actual. El grupo en la resonancia 3/2 es, aunque en menor grado, también visible. Los tiempos de Lyapunov computados para los asteroides sobrevivientes, nos ha permitido encontrar la fracción de ellos que es capaz de sobrevivir por toda la edad del sistema solar, merced a la aplicacion de la relación empírica que vincula dichos tiempos al tiempo en el cual se manifiestan grandes transiciones orbitales. La fracción de supervivientes es de aproximadamente 1/100. El resto de la masa faltante en el cinturón, es atribuible a colisiones catastróficas con cometas en etapas primordiales.

  16. Differential receptor activation by cockroach adipokinetic hormones produces differential effects on ion currents, neuronal activity, and locomotion.

    PubMed

    Wicher, Dieter; Agricola, Hans-Jürgen; Söhler, Sandra; Gundel, Matthias; Heinemann, Stefan H; Wollweber, Leo; Stengl, Monika; Derst, Christian

    2006-04-01

    Adipokinetic hormone (AKH) peptides in insects serve the endocrine control of energy supply. They also produce, however, neuronal, vegetative, and motor effects, suggesting that AKHs orchestrate adaptive behavior by multiple actions. We have cloned, for Periplaneta americana, the AKH receptor to determine its localization and, based on current measurements in neurons and heterologous expression systems, the mechanisms of AKH actions. Apart from fat body, various neurons express the AKH receptor, among them abdominal dorsal unpaired median (DUM) neurons, which release the biogenic amine octopamine. They are part of the arousal system and are involved in the control of circulation and respiration. Both the two Periplaneta AKHs activate the Gs pathway, and AKH I also potently activates Gq. AKH I and--with much less efficacy--AKH II accelerate spiking of DUM neurons through an increase of the pacemaking Ca2+ current. Because the AKHs are released from the corpora cardiaca into the hemolymph, they must penetrate the blood-brain barrier for acting on neurons. That this happens was shown electrophysiologically by applying AKH I to an intact ganglion. Systemically injected AKH I stimulates locomotion potently in striking contrast to AKH II. This behavioral difference can be traced back conclusively to the different effectiveness of the AKHs on the level of G proteins. Our findings also show that AKHs act through the same basic mechanisms on neuronal and nonneuronal cells, and they support an integration of metabolic and neuronal effects in homoeostatic mechanisms.

  17. The comparison of anti-oxidative kinetics in vitro of the fluid extract from maidenhair tree, motherwort and hawthorn.

    PubMed

    Bernatoniene, Jurga; Kucinskaite, Agne; Masteikova, Ruta; Kalveniene, Zenona; Kasparaviciene, Giedre; Savickas, Arunas

    2009-01-01

    The aim of the study was to perform a quantitative analysis of fluid extracts of maidenhair tree (Ginkgo biloba L.), motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca L.) and hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna Jacq.), to evaluate their antioxidant activity and to compare their ability to inactivate free radicals. The antioxidant activity was measured using the DPPH*and the ABTS*+ radical scavenging reaction systems. The study showed that the manifestation of the radical scavenging capacity in the DPPH* reaction system was in the following order: the fluid extract of hawthorn (70.37 +/- 0.80%) > the fluid extract of maidenhair tree (82.63 +/- 0.23%) > the fluid extract of motherwort (84.89 +/- 0.18%), while in the ABTS*+ reaction system, the manifestation of the radical scavenging capacity was in the following order: the fluid extract of hawthorn (87.09 +/- 0.55%) > the fluid extract of motherwort (88.28 +/- 1.06%) > the fluid extract of maidenhair tree (88.39 +/- 0.72%). The results showed that in the DPPH* reaction system, fluid extract of motherwort manifested higher antioxidant activity, compared to the fluid extracts of maidenhair tree and hawthorn. By contrast, in the ABTS*+ reaction system, higher antioxidant activity was found in the fluid extract of maidenhair tree, compared to the fluid extracts of motherwort and hawthorn. This would suggest that preparations manufactured from these herbal raw materials could be used as effective preventive means and valuable additional remedies in the treatment of diseases caused by oxidative stress.

  18. Leonurine exerts anti-inflammatory effect by regulating inflammatory signaling pathways and cytokines in LPS-induced mouse mastitis.

    PubMed

    Song, Xiaojing; Wang, Tiancheng; Zhang, Zecai; Jiang, Haichao; Wang, Wei; Cao, Yongguo; Zhang, Naisheng

    2015-02-01

    Bovine mastitis is defined as the inflammation of mammary gland and is the most multiple diseases in dairy cattle. There is still no effective treatment now. Leonurine, extracted from Leonurus cardiaca, has been proved to have anti-inflammatory effect. In the present study, we utilized a mouse mastitis model to study the effect of leonurine on LPS-induced mastitis. Leonurine was administered three times during the 24 h after inducing infection in the mammary gland. The results showed that leonurine significantly alleviated LPS-induced histopathological changes, downregulated the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), upregulated the level of anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10), and inhibited the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Further study revealed that leonurine inhibited the expression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and the activation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) and the phosphorylation of p38, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), and Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). Therefore, the results demonstrated that leonurine could downregulate the expression of TNF-α, IL-6, iNOS, and COX-2 and upregulate the expression of IL-10 mainly by inhibiting the expression of TLR4 and the activation of NF-κB and the phosphorylation of p38, ERK, and JNK. Leonurine may be a potential agent for mastitis therapy.

  19. Primary structure of an adipokinetic neuropeptide from the rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes rhinoceros L (Coleoptera: Dynastidae).

    PubMed

    Ajay Kumar, A P; Gokuldas, M

    2011-07-01

    Neuropeptides play an important role in cellular communication in vertebrates. This is also true for insects in which many physiological, developmental and behavioral processes are affected by neuropeptides produced in neurosecretory cells of the retrocerebral complex. Small neuropeptides of the adipokinetic hormone/red pigment concentrating hormone family (AKH/RPCH) are one of the important groups of peptides that regulate physiological homeostasis. The present investigation was carried out to elucidate the primary structure of adipokinetic neuropeptides in the rhinoceros beetle, O. rhinoceros. In the present investigation, an adipokinetic neuropeptide from the coconut pest, Oryctes rhinoceros was isolated from corpora cardiaca by HPLC; the chromatographic fractions were tested for adipokinetic activity in the plant bug, Iphita limbata in vivo. Two UV absorbance peaks were found to be significantly active in elevating haemolymph lipid levels. MALDI-MS analysis of the extract indicated that the molecular mass, 1003.70 Da is similar to the already known AKH from another beetle, Melolontha melolontha. MALDI-MS/MS analysis confirmed that its primary structure is exactly similar to the structure reported for the Melme-AKH (pE-L-N-Y-S-P-D-W-NH2). The findings suggest that the distribution of AKH peptides has shown that there exists a taxonomic order or family specificity. This data can be used as additional information to aid in the construction of phylogenetic trees by means of computer programme and protein parsimony algorithms.

  20. Developmental and hormone-induced changes of mitochondrial electron transport chain enzyme activities during the last instar larval development of maize stem borer, Chilo partellus (Lepidoptera: Crambidae).

    PubMed

    VenkatRao, V; Chaitanya, R K; Naresh Kumar, D; Bramhaiah, M; Dutta-Gupta, A

    2016-12-01

    The energy demand for structural remodelling in holometabolous insects is met by cellular mitochondria. Developmental and hormone-induced changes in the mitochondrial respiratory activity during insect metamorphosis are not well documented. The present study investigates activities of enzymes of mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) namely, NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase or complex I, Succinate: ubiquinone oxidoreductase or complex II, Ubiquinol:ferricytochrome c oxidoreductase or complex III, cytochrome c oxidase or complex IV and F 1 F 0 ATPase (ATPase), during Chilo partellus development. Further, the effect of juvenile hormone (JH) analog, methoprene, and brain and corpora-allata-corpora-cardiaca (CC-CA) homogenates that represent neurohormones, on the ETC enzyme activities was monitored. The enzymatic activities increased from penultimate to last larval stage and thereafter declined during pupal development with an exception of ATPase which showed high enzyme activity during last larval and pupal stages compared to the penultimate stage. JH analog, methoprene differentially modulated ETC enzyme activities. It stimulated complex I and IV enzyme activities, but did not alter the activities of complex II, III and ATPase. On the other hand, brain homogenate declined the ATPase activity while the injected CC-CA homogenate stimulated complex I and IV enzyme activities. Cumulatively, the present study is the first to show that mitochondrial ETC enzyme system is under hormone control, particularly of JH and neurohormones during insect development. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Randomised trial of low-dose amiodarone in severe congestive heart failure. Grupo de Estudio de la Sobrevida en la Insuficiencia Cardiaca en Argentina (GESICA)

    PubMed

    Doval, H C; Nul, D R; Grancelli, H O; Perrone, S V; Bortman, G R; Curiel, R

    1994-08-20

    In severe heart failure many deaths are sudden and are presumed to be due to ventricular arrhythmias. The GESICA trial evaluated the effect of low-dose amiodarone on two-year mortality in patients with severe heart failure. Our prospective multicentre trial included 516 patients on optimal standard treatment for heart failure. Patients were randomised to 300 mg/day amiodarone (260) or to standard treatment (256). Intention-to-treat analysis showed 87 deaths in the amiodarone group (33.5%) compared with 106 in the control group (41.4%) (risk reduction 28%; 95% CI 4%-45%; log rank test p = 0.024). There were reductions in both sudden death (risk reduction 27%; p = 0.16) and death due to progressive heart failure (risk reduction 23%; p = 0.16). Fewer patients in the amiodarone group died or were admitted to hospital due to worsening heart failure (119 versus 149 in the control group; risk reduction 31%; 95% CI 13-46%; p = 0.0024). The decrease in mortality and hospital admission was present in all subgroups examined and independent of the presence of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia. Side-effects were reported in 17 patients (6.1%); amiodarone was withdrawn in 12. Low-dose amiodarone proved to be an effective and reliable treatment, reducing mortality and hospital admission in patients with severe heart failure independently of the presence of complex ventricular arrhythmias.

  2. Novel members of the adipokinetic hormone family in beetles of the superfamily Scarabaeoidea.

    PubMed

    Gäde, Gerd; Šimek, Petr; Marco, Heather G

    2016-12-01

    Eight beetle species of the superfamily Scarabaeoidea were investigated with respect to peptides belonging to the adipokinetic hormone (AKH) family in their neurohemal organs, the corpora cardiaca (CC). The following beetle families are represented: Scarabaeidae, Lucanidae, and Geotrupidae. AKH peptides were identified through a heterospecific trehalose-mobilizing bioassay and by sequence analyses, using liquid chromatography coupled to positive electrospray mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS) and analysis of the tandem MS 2 spectra obtained by collision-induced dissociation. All the beetle species have octapeptide AKHs; some have two AKHs, while others have only one. Novel AKH members were found in Euoniticellus intermedius and Circellium bacchus (family Scarabaeidae), as well as in Dorcus parallelipipedus (family Lucanidae). Two species of the family Geotrupidae and two species of the Scarabaeidae subfamily Cetoniinae contain one known AKH peptide, Melme-CC, while E. intermedius produces a novel peptide code named Euoin-AKH: pEINFTTGWamide. Two AKH peptides were each identified in CC of C. bacchus and D. parallelipipedus: the novel Cirba-AKH: pEFNFSAGWamide and the known peptide, Scade-CC-I in the former, and the novel Dorpa-AKH: pEVNYSPVW amide and the known peptide, Melme-CC in the latter. Kheper bonelli (subfamily Scarabaeinae) also has two AKHs, the known Scade-CC-I and Scade-CC-II. All the novel peptides were synthesized and the amino acid sequence assignments were unequivocally confirmed by co-elution of the synthetic peptides with their natural equivalent, and identical MS parameters of the two forms. The novel synthetic peptides are all active in inducing hypertrehalosemia in cockroaches.

  3. Peptidomics of Neuropeptidergic Tissues of the Tsetse Fly Glossina morsitans morsitans

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Caers, Jelle; Boonen, Kurt; Van Den Abbeele, Jan; Van Rompay, Liesbeth; Schoofs, Liliane; Van Hiel, Matthias B.

    2015-12-01

    Neuropeptides and peptide hormones are essential signaling molecules that regulate nearly all physiological processes. The recent release of the tsetse fly genome allowed the construction of a detailed in silico neuropeptide database (International Glossina Genome Consortium, Science 344, 380-386 (2014)), as well as an in-depth mass spectrometric analysis of the most important neuropeptidergic tissues of this medically and economically important insect species. Mass spectrometric confirmation of predicted peptides is a vital step in the functional characterization of neuropeptides, as in vivo peptides can be modified, cleaved, or even mispredicted. Using a nanoscale reversed phase liquid chromatography coupled to a Q Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometer, we detected 51 putative bioactive neuropeptides encoded by 19 precursors: adipokinetic hormone (AKH) I and II, allatostatin A and B, capability/pyrokinin (capa/PK), corazonin, calcitonin-like diuretic hormone (CT/DH), FMRFamide, hugin, leucokinin, myosuppressin, natalisin, neuropeptide-like precursor (NPLP) 1, orcokinin, pigment dispersing factor (PDF), RYamide, SIFamide, short neuropeptide F (sNPF) and tachykinin. In addition, propeptides, truncated and spacer peptides derived from seven additional precursors were found, and include the precursors of allatostatin C, crustacean cardioactive peptide, corticotropin releasing factor-like diuretic hormone (CRF/DH), ecdysis triggering hormone (ETH), ion transport peptide (ITP), neuropeptide F, and proctolin, respectively. The majority of the identified neuropeptides are present in the central nervous system, with only a limited number of peptides in the corpora cardiaca-corpora allata and midgut. Owing to the large number of identified peptides, this study can be used as a reference for comparative studies in other insects.

  4. Evaluation of Refractivity Profiles from CHAMP and SAC-C GPS Radio Occultation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Poli, Paul; Ao, Chi On; Joiner, Joanna; delaTorreJuarez, Manuel; Hoff, Raymond

    2002-01-01

    The GeoForschungsZentrum's Challenging Minisatellite Payload for Geophysical Research and Application (CHAMP, Germany-US) and the Comision Nacional de Actividades Especiales' Satelite de Aplicaciones Cientificas-C (SAC-C, Argentina-US) missions are the first missions to carry a second-generation Blackjack Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver. One of the new features of this receiver is its ability to sense the lower troposphere closer to the surface than the proof-of-concept GPS Meteorology experiment (GPS/MET). Since their launch, CHAMP and SAC-C have collected thousands of GPS radio occultations, representing a wealth of measurements available for data assimilation and Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP). In order to evaluate the refractivity data derived by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) from raw radio occultation measurements, we use Data Assimilation Office (DAO) 6-hour forecasts as an independent state of the atmosphere. We compare CHAMP and SAC-C refractivity (processed by JPL) with refractivity calculated from the DAO global fields of temperature, water vapor content and humidity. We show statistics of the differences as well as histograms of the differences.

  5. Nanoparticulas basadas en complejos de Fe(II) con transicion de espin: sintesis, caracterizacion y aplicaciones en electronica molecular

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Monrabal Capilla, Maria

    Esta tesis doctoral esta organizada en 5 capitulos y esta destinada al estudio de sistemas de Fe (II) que presentan el fenomeno de la transicion de espin a escala nanometrica. El capitulo 1 contiene una introduccion general sobre materiales moleculares multifuncionales, destacando aquellos ejemplos mas importantes. Por otro lado, se explicara el fenomeno de la transicion de espin, tratando aspectos conceptuales, los antecedentes mas importantes y la situacion actual. En el capitulo 2 se describen los diferentes procesos existentes para la obtencion de diferentes tipos de nanoparticulas. Ademas, se presenta la sintesis y caracterizacion de nanoparticulas del polimero de coordinacion unidimensional [Fe(Htrz)2(trz)]BF4, obtenidas mediante el metodo de micelas inversas. Estas nanoparticulas, con una estrecha distribucion de tamanos centrada alrededor de los 11 nm, presentan una transicion de espin muy abrupta, con un ancho ciclo de histeresis termica de unos 40K. En el capitulo 3 se describe el proceso de modificacion del tamano de las nanoparticulas descritas en el capitulo anterior, llevado a cabo variando la proporcion de surfactante/H2O en el medio. Ademas, con el objetivo de modificar las propiedades magneticas de las nanoparticulas obtenidas en el capitulo 2, se lleva a cabo la sintesis de nanoparticulas de polimeros de la misma familia del [Fe(Htrz)2(trz)]BF4. En concreto se sintetizaron 3 nuevos tipos de nanoparticulas basadas en el polimero [Fe(Htrz)1-x(NH2trz)x](ClO4)2, siendo x = 0.05, 0.15 y 0.3, en cada caso. Estas nanoparticulas siguen presentando una estrecha distribucion de tamanos y una transicion de espin muy abrupta y con un ancho ciclo de histeresis. Ademas, se observa que este ciclo se desplaza a temperaturas mas proximas a la temperatura ambiente a medida que se aumenta el porcentaje de 4-amino-1, 2, 4- triazol en la muestra. Pero al mismo tiempo se produce una disminucion de la anchura de este ciclo. Por ultimo, en este capitulo se presenta la sintesis de otro nuevo tipo de nanoparticulas, obtenidas a partir de otro polimero de la misma familia, el [FeO8ZnO2(Htrz)3](BF4). Estas nanoparticulas se sintetizaron con el objetivo de estudiar el efecto de la dilucion del metal en la muestra. Como resultado se obtuvieron nanoparticulas que tambien presentan una estrecha distribucion de tamanos pero en este caso la transicion de espin no es tan abrupta como en los casos anteriores. Aunque sigue presentando un ciclo de histeresis termica bastante ancho y a temperaturas proximas a la temperatura ambiente. En el capitulo 4 se describiran las estrategias que se han seguido para mejorar la estabilidad y afinidad sobre diferentes sustratos de las nanoparticulas sintetizadas en el capitulo 2. Tambien se hablara de los intentos realizados parar depositarlas en superficies y embeberlas en diferentes matrices organicas e inorganicas. En el capitulo 5 presentaremos la obtencion de un interruptor molecular realizado poniendo en contacto nanoparticulas individuales sintetizadas en el capitulo 2, con unos electrodos separados varios nanometros. Este dispositivo exhibe "switching" y efecto memoria a temperaturas proximas a la temperatura ambiente como consecuencia de la biestabilidad intrinseca de las nanoparticulas. Ademas demostraremos que el estado magnetico de estas nanoparticulas puede ser controlado electricamente, ya que la transicion de espin en este nanodispositivo molecular puede ser inducida simplemente aplicando un voltaje, lo que puede ser de gran interes para la electronica molecular.

  6. El programa de estudios: Naturaleza, objectivos, planeamiento, aplicacion y evaluacion (Curriculum: Its Nature, Objectives, Planning, Application, and Evaluation).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martinez, Maria L., Comp.

    A proposal is advanced to the Latin American nations by the Department of Educational Affairs, Organization of American States (OAS), for a joint program of enacting educational reform. As mediator, the OAS recommends as an initial step the distribution of various publications offering information on actual educational programs currently in…

  7. "Estudio tribologico de aceros para moldes. Aplicacion al moldeo por inyeccion de polibutilentereftalato reforzado con fibra de vidrio"

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Martinez Mateo, Isidoro Jose

    Mould materials for injection moulding of polymers and polymer-matrix composites represent a relevant industrial economic sector due to the large quantity of pieces and components processed. The material selection for mould manufacturing, its composition and heat treatment, the hardening procedures and machining and finishing processes determine the service performance and life of the mould. In the first part of the present study, the relationship between the hardness and microstructure and the wear resistance of mould steels from large blocks has been studied by pin-on-disc tests, studying the main wear mechanisms. In order to determine the surface damage on mould steels under real injection conditions, different commercial steels have been studied by measuring the variation of surface roughness with the number of injected pieces with different reinforcement percentages and different mould geometries, by using optical profilometry and scanning electron microscopy techniques. It was important to determine the variation of surface roughness of the moulded pieces with the number of injection operations. The materials used were polybutyleneterephthalate pure and reinforced with either 20% or 50% glass fibre. For the different mould designs, the evolution of the glass fibre orientation with injection flow has been determined by image analysis and related to roughness changes and surface damage, both of the composite parts and of the mould steel surface. Finally, the abrasion resistance of the composite parts has been studied by scratch tests as a function of the number of injected parts and of the scratch direction with respect to injection flow and glass fibre orientation. Los materiales para moldes de inyeccion de polimeros y materiales compuestos representan un sector economicamente muy relevante debido al gran aumento del numero de componentes fabricados a partir de materiales polimericos obtenidos mediante moldeo por inyeccion. La seleccion del material para la fabricacion del molde, tienen una gran influencia sobre su comportamiento en servicio a lo largo de la vida util del molde. En la primera parte del presente estudio, a partir de ensayos punzon sobre disco, se ha determinado la relacion entre la resistencia al desgaste y la dureza de aceros para moldes obtenidos a partir de bloques de gran espesor, estudiando los principales mecanismos de desgaste que tienen lugar. A continuacion, con el fin de determinar el dano superficial que sufren los aceros para moldes en condiciones reales de inyeccion, se han estudiado distintos tipos de aceros utilizados comercialmente en moldes de inyeccion de polimeros y materiales compuestos, seleccionando las condiciones de operacion para determinar la variacion de la rugosidad superficial del acero en funcion del material inyectado, del numero de operaciones sucesivas de inyeccion y de la orientacion del flujo de inyeccion, mediante tecnicas de perfilometria optica y microscopia electronica de barrido. Ademas del dano superficial sufrido por el acero con el numero de piezas inyectadas, tambien se ha determinado la evolucion de la rugosidad superficial de los materiales inyectados, polibutilentereftalato (PBT) puro y materiales compuestos derivados de PBT por adicion de un 20 o un 50% en peso de fibra de vidrio. En el caso de las piezas inyectadas, se ha caracterizado su microestructura en funcion del flujo de inyeccion y de la densidad de fibra, se han determinado sus propiedades termicas y dinamico-mecanicas, asi como la variacion de la rugosidad superficial de las piezas inyectadas con el numero de operaciones de inyeccion y con la geometria de las distintas secciones de las piezas. Finalmente, se ha evaluado la resistencia a la abrasion de PBT reforzado con un 50% de fibra, en funcion del numero de piezas inyectadas y de la direccion de rayado con respecto a la orientacion del flujo de inyeccion.

  8. Sudden cardiac death and pump failure death prediction in chronic heart failure by combining ECG and clinical markers in an integrated risk model.

    PubMed

    Ramírez, Julia; Orini, Michele; Mincholé, Ana; Monasterio, Violeta; Cygankiewicz, Iwona; Bayés de Luna, Antonio; Martínez, Juan Pablo; Laguna, Pablo; Pueyo, Esther

    2017-01-01

    Sudden cardiac death (SCD) and pump failure death (PFD) are common endpoints in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients, but prevention strategies are different. Currently used tools to specifically predict these endpoints are limited. We developed risk models to specifically assess SCD and PFD risk in CHF by combining ECG markers and clinical variables. The relation of clinical and ECG markers with SCD and PFD risk was assessed in 597 patients enrolled in the MUSIC (MUerte Súbita en Insuficiencia Cardiaca) study. ECG indices included: turbulence slope (TS), reflecting autonomic dysfunction; T-wave alternans (TWA), reflecting ventricular repolarization instability; and T-peak-to-end restitution (ΔαTpe) and T-wave morphology restitution (TMR), both reflecting changes in dispersion of repolarization due to heart rate changes. Standard clinical indices were also included. The indices with the greatest SCD prognostic impact were gender, New York Heart Association (NYHA) class, left ventricular ejection fraction, TWA, ΔαTpe and TMR. For PFD, the indices were diabetes, NYHA class, ΔαTpe and TS. Using a model with only clinical variables, the hazard ratios (HRs) for SCD and PFD for patients in the high-risk group (fifth quintile of risk score) with respect to patients in the low-risk group (first and second quintiles of risk score) were both greater than 4. HRs for SCD and PFD increased to 9 and 11 when using a model including only ECG markers, and to 14 and 13, when combining clinical and ECG markers. The inclusion of ECG markers capturing complementary pro-arrhythmic and pump failure mechanisms into risk models based only on standard clinical variables substantially improves prediction of SCD and PFD in CHF patients.

  9. Aquarius and SMOS detect effects of an extreme Mississippi River flooding event in the Gulf of Mexico

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gierach, Michelle M.; Vazquez-Cuervo, Jorge; Lee, Tong; Tsontos, Vardis M.

    2013-10-01

    surface salinity (SSS) measurements from the Aquarius/Satélite de Aplicaciones Científicas (SAC)-D satellite and Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission were used to document the freshening associated with the record 2011 Mississippi River flooding event in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). Assessment of the salinity response was aided by additional satellite observations, including chlorophyll-a (chl-a) and ocean surface currents, and a passive tracer simulation. Low SSS values associated with the spreading of the river plume were observed 1-3 months after peak river discharge which then receded and became unidentifiable from satellite observations 5 months after maximum discharge. The seasonal wind pattern and general circulation of the GoM dramatically impacted the observed salinity response, transporting freshwater eastward along the Gulf coast and entraining low salinity waters into the open GoM. The observed salinity response from Aquarius was consistent with SMOS SSS, chl-a concentrations, and the passive tracer simulation in terms of the pathway and transit time of the river plume spreading. This study is the first successful application of satellite SSS to study salinity variation in marginal seas.

  10. The Fourier Imaging X-ray Spectrometer (FIXS) for the Argentinian, Scout-launched satelite de Aplicaciones Cienficas-1 (SAC-1)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dennis, Brian R.; Crannell, Carol JO; Desai, Upendra D.; Orwig, Larry E.; Kiplinger, Alan L.; Schwartz, Richard A.; Hurford, Gordon J.; Emslie, A. Gordon; Machado, Marcos; Wood, Kent

    1988-01-01

    The Fourier Imaging X-ray Spectrometer (FIXS) is one of four instruments on SAC-1, the Argentinian satellite being proposed for launch by NASA on a Scout rocket in 1992/3. The FIXS is designed to provide solar flare images at X-ray energies between 5 and 35 keV. Observations will be made on arcsecond size scales and subsecond time scales of the processes that modify the electron spectrum and the thermal distribution in flaring magnetic structures.

  11. Application of the Angular Overlap Model to Lanthanide Phthalocyanines (Aplicacion Del Modelo de Traslape Angular a Ftalocinaninas de Lantanidos)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1989-07-15

    metilicos. Esto trae a la teoria del campo ligante el concepto de grupos funcionales. En este trabajo se us6 el enfoque del MTA desarrollado por...susceptibilidades magne’ticas se hizo de acuerdo a la teoria de perturbaciones usando la ecuacio’n de Van Vleckc. Es importante recordar que a pesar de...en el anillo pirrolico la deslocalizacio’n en el grupo imina es peque? a, y el sistema no se altera mucho debido a la donaci6n W. A partir de lus

  12. Physiological roles of trehalose in Leptinotarsa larvae revealed by RNA interference of trehalose-6-phosphate synthase and trehalase genes.

    PubMed

    Shi, Ji-Feng; Xu, Qing-Yu; Sun, Qiang-Kun; Meng, Qing-Wei; Mu, Li-Li; Guo, Wen-Chao; Li, Guo-Qing

    2016-10-01

    Trehalose is proposed to serve multiple physiological roles in insects. However, its importance remains largely unconfirmed. In the present paper, we knocked down either a trehalose biosynthesis gene (trehalose-6-phosphate synthase, LdTPS) or each of three degradation genes (soluble trehalases LdTRE1a, LdTRE1b or membrane-bound LdTRE2) in Leptinotarsa decemlineata by RNA interference (RNAi). Knockdown of LdTPS decreased trehalose content and caused larval and pupal lethality. The LdTPS RNAi survivors consumed a greater amount of foliage, obtained a heavier body mass, accumulated more glycogen, lipid and proline, and had a smaller amount of chitin compared with the controls. Ingestion of trehalose but not glucose rescued the food consumption increase and larval mass rise, increased survivorship, and recovered glycogen, lipid and chitin to the normal levels. In contrast, silencing of LdTRE1a increased trehalose content and resulted in larval and pupal lethality. The surviving LdTRE1a RNAi hypomorphs fed a smaller quantity of food, had a lighter body weight, depleted lipid and several glucogenic amino acids, and contained a smaller amount of chitin. Neither trehalose nor glucose ingestion rescued these LdTRE1a RNAi defects. Silencing of LdTRE1b caused little effects. Knockdown of LdTRE2 caused larval death, increased trehalose contents in several tissues and diminished glycogen in the brain-corpora cardiaca-corpora allata complex (BCC). Feeding glucose but not trehalose partially rescued the high mortality rate and recovered glycogen content in the BCC. It seems that trehalose is involved in feeding regulation, sugar absorption, brain energy supply and chitin biosynthesis in L. decemlineata larvae. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Predictive Value of Beat-to-Beat QT Variability Index across the Continuum of Left Ventricular Dysfunction: Competing Risks of Non-cardiac or Cardiovascular Death, and Sudden or Non-Sudden Cardiac Death

    PubMed Central

    Tereshchenko, Larisa G.; Cygankiewicz, Iwona; McNitt, Scott; Vazquez, Rafael; Bayes-Genis, Antoni; Han, Lichy; Sur, Sanjoli; Couderc, Jean-Philippe; Berger, Ronald D.; de Luna, Antoni Bayes; Zareba, Wojciech

    2012-01-01

    Background The goal of this study was to determine the predictive value of beat-to-beat QT variability in heart failure (HF) patients across the continuum of left ventricular dysfunction. Methods and Results Beat-to-beat QT variability index (QTVI), heart rate variance (LogHRV), normalized QT variance (QTVN), and coherence between heart rate variability and QT variability have been measured at rest during sinus rhythm in 533 participants of the Muerte Subita en Insuficiencia Cardiaca (MUSIC) HF study (mean age 63.1±11.7; males 70.6%; LVEF >35% in 254 [48%]) and in 181 healthy participants from the Intercity Digital Electrocardiogram Alliance (IDEAL) database. During a median of 3.7 years of follow-up, 116 patients died, 52 from sudden cardiac death (SCD). In multivariate competing risk analyses, the highest QTVI quartile was associated with cardiovascular death [hazard ratio (HR) 1.67(95%CI 1.14-2.47), P=0.009] and in particular with non-sudden cardiac death [HR 2.91(1.69-5.01), P<0.001]. Elevated QTVI separated 97.5% of healthy individuals from subjects at risk for cardiovascular [HR 1.57(1.04-2.35), P=0.031], and non-sudden cardiac death in multivariate competing risk model [HR 2.58(1.13-3.78), P=0.001]. No interaction between QTVI and LVEF was found. QTVI predicted neither non-cardiac death (P=0.546) nor SCD (P=0.945). Decreased heart rate variability (HRV) rather than increased QT variability was the reason for increased QTVI in this study. Conclusions Increased QTVI due to depressed HRV predicts cardiovascular mortality and non-sudden cardiac death, but neither SCD nor excracardiac mortality in HF across the continuum of left ventricular dysfunction. Abnormally augmented QTVI separates 97.5% of healthy individuals from HF patients at risk. PMID:22730411

  14. Sudden cardiac death and pump failure death prediction in chronic heart failure by combining ECG and clinical markers in an integrated risk model

    PubMed Central

    Orini, Michele; Mincholé, Ana; Monasterio, Violeta; Cygankiewicz, Iwona; Bayés de Luna, Antonio; Martínez, Juan Pablo

    2017-01-01

    Background Sudden cardiac death (SCD) and pump failure death (PFD) are common endpoints in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients, but prevention strategies are different. Currently used tools to specifically predict these endpoints are limited. We developed risk models to specifically assess SCD and PFD risk in CHF by combining ECG markers and clinical variables. Methods The relation of clinical and ECG markers with SCD and PFD risk was assessed in 597 patients enrolled in the MUSIC (MUerte Súbita en Insuficiencia Cardiaca) study. ECG indices included: turbulence slope (TS), reflecting autonomic dysfunction; T-wave alternans (TWA), reflecting ventricular repolarization instability; and T-peak-to-end restitution (ΔαTpe) and T-wave morphology restitution (TMR), both reflecting changes in dispersion of repolarization due to heart rate changes. Standard clinical indices were also included. Results The indices with the greatest SCD prognostic impact were gender, New York Heart Association (NYHA) class, left ventricular ejection fraction, TWA, ΔαTpe and TMR. For PFD, the indices were diabetes, NYHA class, ΔαTpe and TS. Using a model with only clinical variables, the hazard ratios (HRs) for SCD and PFD for patients in the high-risk group (fifth quintile of risk score) with respect to patients in the low-risk group (first and second quintiles of risk score) were both greater than 4. HRs for SCD and PFD increased to 9 and 11 when using a model including only ECG markers, and to 14 and 13, when combining clinical and ECG markers. Conclusion The inclusion of ECG markers capturing complementary pro-arrhythmic and pump failure mechanisms into risk models based only on standard clinical variables substantially improves prediction of SCD and PFD in CHF patients. PMID:29020031

  15. Comorbidity in heart failure. Results of the Spanish RICA Registry.

    PubMed

    Ruiz-Laiglesia, F-J; Sánchez-Marteles, M; Pérez-Calvo, J-I; Formiga, F; Bartolomé-Satué, J A; Armengou-Arxé, A; López-Quirós, R; Pérez-Silvestre, J; Serrado-Iglesias, A; Montero-Pérez-Barquero, M

    2014-12-01

    We sought to identify the comorbidities associated with heart failure (HF) in a non-selected cohort of patients, and its influence on mortality and rehospitalization. Data were obtained from the 'Registro de Insuficiencia Cardiaca' (RICA) of the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine. The registry includes patients prospectively admitted in Internal Medicine units for acute HF. Variables included in Charlson Index (ChI) were collected and analysed according to age, gender, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and Barthel Index. The primary end point of study was the likelihood of rehospitalization and death for any cause during the year after discharge. We included 2051 patients, mean age 78 and 53% females. LVEF was ⩾ 50% in 59.1% of the cohort. There was a high degree of dependency as measured by Barthel Index (14.8 % had an index ≤ 60). Mean ChI was 2.91 (SD ± 2.4). The most frequent comorbidities included in ChI were diabetes mellitus (44.3%), chronic renal impairment (30.8%) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (27.4%). Age, myocardial infarction, peripheral artery disease, dementia, COPD, chronic renal impairment and diabetes with target-organ damage were all identified as independent prognostic factors for the combined end point of rehospitalization and death at 1 year. However, if multivariate analysis was done including ChI, only this remained as an independent prognostic factor for the combined end point (P < 0.001). HF is a comorbid condition. ChI is a simple and feasible tool for estimating the burden of comorbidities in such population. We believe that a holistic approach to HF would improve prognosis and the relief the pressure exerted on public health services. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Association of Physicians. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  16. Heart rate turbulence predicts all-cause mortality and sudden death in congestive heart failure patients.

    PubMed

    Cygankiewicz, Iwona; Zareba, Wojciech; Vazquez, Rafael; Vallverdu, Montserrat; Gonzalez-Juanatey, Jose R; Valdes, Mariano; Almendral, Jesus; Cinca, Juan; Caminal, Pere; de Luna, Antoni Bayes

    2008-08-01

    Abnormal heart rate turbulence (HRT) has been documented as a strong predictor of total mortality and sudden death in postinfarction patients, but data in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) are limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of HRT for predicting mortality in CHF patients in New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II-III. In 651 CHF patients with sinus rhythm enrolled into the MUSIC (Muerte Subita en Insuficiencia Cardiaca) study, the standard HRT parameters turbulence onset (TO) and slope (TS), as well as HRT categories, were assessed for predicting total mortality and sudden death. HRT was analyzable in 607 patients, mean age 63 years (434 male), 50% of ischemic etiology. During a median follow up of 44 months, 129 patients died, 52 from sudden death. Abnormal TS and HRT category 2 (HRT2) were independently associated with increased all-cause mortality (HR: 2.10, CI: 1.41 to 3.12, P <.001 and HR: 2.52, CI: 1.56 to 4.05, P <.001; respectively), sudden death (HR: 2.25, CI: 1.13 to 4.46, P = .021 for HRT2), and death due to heart failure progression (HR: 4.11, CI: 1.84 to 9.19, P <.001 for HRT2) after adjustment for clinical covariates in multivariate analysis. The prognostic value of TS for predicting total mortality was similar in various groups dichotomized by age, gender, NYHA class, left ventricular ejection fraction, and CHF etiology. TS was found to be predictive for total mortality only in patients with QRS > 120 ms. HRT is a potent risk predictor for both heart failure and arrhythmic death in patients with class II and III CHF.

  17. T-Wave Morphology Restitution Predicts Sudden Cardiac Death in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure.

    PubMed

    Ramírez, Julia; Orini, Michele; Mincholé, Ana; Monasterio, Violeta; Cygankiewicz, Iwona; Bayés de Luna, Antonio; Martínez, Juan Pablo; Pueyo, Esther; Laguna, Pablo

    2017-05-19

    Patients with chronic heart failure are at high risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD). Increased dispersion of repolarization restitution has been associated with SCD, and we hypothesize that this should be reflected in the morphology of the T-wave and its variations with heart rate. The aim of this study is to propose an electrocardiogram (ECG)-based index characterizing T-wave morphology restitution (TMR), and to assess its association with SCD risk in a population of chronic heart failure patients. Holter ECGs from 651 ambulatory patients with chronic heart failure from the MUSIC (MUerte Súbita en Insuficiencia Cardiaca) study were available for the analysis. TMR was quantified by measuring the morphological variation of the T-wave per RR increment using time-warping metrics, and its predictive power was compared to that of clinical variables such as the left ventricular ejection fraction and other ECG-derived indices, such as T-wave alternans and heart rate variability. TMR was significantly higher in SCD victims than in the rest of patients (median 0.046 versus 0.039, P <0.001). When TMR was dichotomized at TMR=0.040, the SCD rate was significantly higher in the TMR≥0.040 group ( P <0.001). Cox analysis revealed that TMR≥0.040 was strongly associated with SCD, with a hazard ratio of 3.27 ( P <0.001), independently of clinical and ECG-derived variables. No association was found between TMR and pump failure death. This study shows that TMR is specifically associated with SCD in a population of chronic heart failure patients, and it is a better predictor than clinical and ECG-derived variables. © 2017 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.

  18. Regular wine consumption in chronic heart failure: impact on outcomes, quality of life, and circulating biomarkers.

    PubMed

    Cosmi, Franco; Di Giulio, Paola; Masson, Serge; Finzi, Andrea; Marfisi, Rosa Maria; Cosmi, Deborah; Scarano, Marco; Tognoni, Gianni; Maggioni, Aldo P; Porcu, Maurizio; Boni, Silvana; Cutrupi, Giovanni; Tavazzi, Luigi; Latini, Roberto

    2015-05-01

    Moderate, regular alcohol consumption is generally associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular events but data in patients with chronic heart failure are scarce. We evaluated the relations between wine consumption, health status, circulating biomarkers, and clinical outcomes in a large Italian population of patients with chronic heart failure enrolled in a multicenter clinical trial. A brief questionnaire on dietary habits was administered at baseline to 6973 patients enrolled in the Gruppo Italiano per lo Studio della Sopravvivenza nell'Insufficienza Cardiaca-Heart Failure (GISSI-HF) trial. The relations between wine consumption, fatal and nonfatal clinical end points, quality of life, symptoms of depression, and circulating biomarkers of cardiac function and inflammation (in subsets of patients) were evaluated with simple and multivariable-adjusted statistical models. Almost 56% of the patients reported drinking at least 1 glass of wine per day. After adjustment, clinical outcomes were not significantly different in the predefined 4 groups of wine consumption. However, patients with more frequent wine consumption had a significantly better perception of health status (Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire score, adjusted P<0.0001), less frequent symptoms of depression (Geriatric Depression Scale, adjusted P=0.01), and lower plasma levels of biomarkers of vascular inflammation (osteoprotegerin and C-terminal proendothelin-1, adjusted P<0.0001, and pentraxin-3, P=0.01) after adjusting for possible confounders. We show for the first time in a large cohort of patients with chronic heart failure that moderate wine consumption is associated with a better perceived and objective health status, lower prevalence of depression, and less vascular inflammation, but does not translate into more favorable clinical 4-year outcomes. URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT0033633. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

  19. High spectral resolution studies of gamma ray bursts on new missions

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Desai, U. D.; Acuna, M. H.; Cline, T. L.

    1996-08-01

    Two new missions will be launched in 1996 and 1997, each carrying X-ray and gamma ray detectors capable of high spectral resolution at room temperature. The Argentine Satelite de Aplicaciones Cientificas (SAC-B) and the Small Spacecraft Technology Initiative (SSTI) Clark missions will each carry several arrays of X-ray detectors primarily intended for the study of solar flares and gamma-ray bursts. Arrays of small (1 cm{sup 2}) cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) units will provide x-ray measurements in the 10 to 80 keV range with an energy resolution of {approx_equal}6 keV. Arrays of both silicon avalanche photodiodes (APD) and P-intrinsic-N (PIN) photodiodesmore » (for the SAC-B mission only) will provide energy coverage from 2-25 keV with {approx_equal}1 keV resolution. For SAC-B, higher energy spectral data covering the 30-300 keV energy range will be provided by CsI(Tl) scintillators coupled to silicon APDs, resulting in similar resolution but greater simplicity relative to conventional CsI/PMT systems. Because of problems with the Pegasus launch vehicle, the launch of SAC-B has been delayed until 1997. The launch of the SSTI Clark mission is scheduled for June 1996.« less

  20. Aplicaciones del sistema GPS en la búsqueda de sitios para Interferometría Astronómica Milimétrica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Meza, A.; Fernández, L.; Natali, P.; Moirano, J.; Brunini, C.

    The water vapor content of the atmosphere is the biggest restriction to the Millimeter and Sub-millimeter Astronomy. It also plays a crucial role in most of the atmospheric processes. Nowadays water vapor is one of the less characterized meteorological parameter. It is a highly variable atmospheric constituent and its presence is a limiting factor to the obtention of high angular resolutions in interferometric observations of astrophysical interest. Thus, the improved determination of the percentage of precipitable water vapor (PWV) is widely appreciated when performing a site testing for Millimeter Astronomy (MA). It is extensive the use of Water Vapor Radiometers (WVRs) for characterizing the PWV. Using its typical frequency the WVR monitors at 22 Ghz., but some of them had been specially designed for MA at 183 Ghz (M.C. Wiedner, Atmospheric Water Vapour and Astronomical Millimetre Interferometry, PhD Thesis, 1998). Another possibility for PWV determinations are the Radiosondes (RS). A RS is a nothing but a set of sensors and radio transmitters carried out by a balloon up to 30.000 mts. They register twice a day (at 0 UTC and 12 UTC) the values of temperature, humidity and atmospheric pressure as a function of the altitude. All the observations are immediately transmitted to a ground station. At the beginning of the '90s GPS started to be used as an approach to the remote sensing of atmospheric water vapor (Bevis et al, Geophys. Res., 97, 15787, 1992). The radio signal GPS is delayed by the atmosphere as it propagate from the satellites to the ground-receivers. The tropospheric delay is modeled as the add of two contributions: a ``dry" and a ``wet" delay. Each of them is calculated as the product of a zenith path delay by a mapping function depending on the elevation angle. An estimate of the zenith wet delay can be transformed into an estimate of the PWV (Bevis et al, 1992; Hogg et al., A&A, 95, 304, 1981). Any of the former techniques can determine the PWV with an accuracy better than 1 millimeter of PWV. In this work we use the GPS to estimate the PWV. The procedure followed here is having comparable precision and accuracy with respect to the classical techniques (Coster et al., GPS-96, 625, 1996).

  1. Guia de ideas para la Planificacion y Aplicacion de Proyectos Intergeneracionales (Guide of Ideas for Planning and Implementing Intergenerational Projects)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pinto, Teresa Almeida; Marreel, Iris; Hatton-Yeo, Alan

    2009-01-01

    This version of "Guide of Ideas for Planning and Implementing Intergenerational Projects," written in Spanish, is for all professionals that are or wish to be enrolled in the development of intergenerational activities. This "Guide" is the main product of the Project MATES--Mainstreaming Intergenerational Solidarity,…

  2. Comparative study of four physical performance measures as predictors of death, incident disability, and falls in unselected older persons: the insufficienza Cardiaca negli Anziani Residenti a Dicomano Study.

    PubMed

    Minneci, Cristina; Mello, Anna Maria; Mossello, Enrico; Baldasseroni, Samuele; Macchi, Loredana; Cipolletti, Stefano; Marchionni, Niccolò; Di Bari, Mauro

    2015-01-01

    To compare the ability of the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), 4-m walk test (4mWT), 6-minute walk test (6MWT), and handgrip strength to predict mortality, incident disability, worsening mobility, and falls in older community dwellers. Cohort study. Population-based. Individuals aged 65 and older n = 561) without prevalent basic activity of daily living (ADL) disability participating. Separate logistic regression models were developed to predict incident ADL disability, worsening mobility, and falls in 3 years, and Cox regression models were used to assess 7-year risk of death as a function of the four tests, adjusting for covariates. Performance tests were reciprocally correlated at baseline. After 3 years, 33 (7.3%) of 453 participants reexamined were disabled in ADLs, 87 (20%) had worsening mobility, and 99 (22%) reported falls. Of the 561 baseline participants, 141 (25%) died over the 7 years. All measures predicted incident ADL disability, with adjusted odds ratios (ORs) per unit increase of 0.85 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.77-0.93) for handgrip strength, 0.08 (95% CI = 0.02-0.36) for 4mWT, 0.74 (95% CI = 0.61-0.89) for SPPB, and 0.993 (95% CI = 0.988-0.997) for 6MWT. Handgrip strength (OR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.83-0.93), 4mWT (OR = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.11-0.94), and SPPB (OR = 0.81, 95%CI = 0.71-0.93) predicted worsening mobility. No measure predicted falls; only SPPB (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.85-0.997) and 6MWT (HR = 0.997, 95% CI = 0.995-0.999) predicted death. Performance measures are independent predictors of relevant health outcomes, with the exception of falls. Because SPPB is easily applied and is the only measure predicting incident ADL disability, worsening mobility, and death, it is preferable to the other tests. © 2015, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2015, The American Geriatrics Society.

  3. Class III antiarrhythmic agents in cardiac failure: lessons from clinical trials with a focus on the Grupo de Estudio de la Sobrevida en la Insuficiencia Cardiaca en Argentina (GESICA).

    PubMed

    Doval, H C

    1999-11-04

    The results of previous clinical trials, in a variety of clinical settings, showed that class I agents may consistently increase mortality in sharp contrast to the effects of beta blockers. Attention has therefore shifted to class III compounds for potential beneficial effects on long-term mortality among patients with underlying cardiac disease. Clinical trials with d-sotalol, the dextro isomer (devoid of beta blockade) of sotalol, showed increased mortality in patients with low ejection fraction after myocardial infarction and in those with heart failure; whereas in the case of dofetilide, the impact on mortality was neutral. Because of the complex effects of its actions as an alpha-adrenergic blocker and a class III agent, the impact on mortality of amiodarone in patients with heart failure is of particular interest. A meta-analysis of 13 clinical trials revealed significant reductions in all-cause and cardiac mortality among patients with heart failure or previous myocardial infarction. Among these were 5 controlled clinical trials that investigated the effects of amiodarone on mortality among patients with heart failure. None of these trials was large relative to the beta-blocker trials in the postinfarction patients. However, the larger 2 of the 5 amiodarone trials produced discordant effects on mortality, neutral in one and significantly positive in the other. Some of the differences may be accounted for by the differences in eligibility criteria and baseline characteristics. Future trials that may be undertaken to resolve the discrepancies may need to allow for the newer findings on the effects of concomitant beta blockers, implantable devices, and possibly, spironolactone. All these modalities of treatment have been shown in controlled clinical trials to augment survival in patients with impaired ventricular function or manifest heart failure. Additional trials, some of which are currently in progress, compare amiodarone with implantable devices and other therapeutic interventions, and should help to clarify the optimal management strategy for patients with underlying heart failure.

  4. First evidence of anisotropy of GPS phase slips caused by the mid-latitude field-aligned ionospheric irregularities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Afraimovich, E. L.; Ishin, A. B.; Tinin, M. V.; Yasyukevich, Yu. V.; Jin, S. G.

    2011-05-01

    The mid-latitude field-aligned irregularity (FAI) along the magnetic field line is a common phenomenon in the ionosphere. However, few data reveal the field-aligned ionospheric irregularities. They are insufficient to identify FAIs effects so far, particularly effect on global positioning system (GPS) signals. In this paper, the mid-latitude FAIs by line-of-sight angular scanning relative to the local magnetic field vector are investigated using the denser GPS network observations in Japan. It has been the first found that total GPS L2 phase slips over Japan, during the recovery phase of the 12 Feb 2000 geomagnetic storm were caused by GPS signal scattering on FAIs both for the lines-of-sight aligned to the magnetic field line (the field of aligned scattering, FALS) and across the magnetic field line (the field of across scattering, FACS). The FALS results are also in a good agreement with the data of the magnetic field orientation control of GPS occultation observations of equatorial scintillation during thorough low earth orbit (LEO) satellites measurements, e.g. Challenging Minisatellite Payload (CHAMP) and Satellite de Aplicaciones Cientificas-C (SAC-C). The role of large-angle scattering almost along the normal to the magnetic field line in GPS scintillation is determined by attenuation of the irregularity anisotropy factor as compared with the other factors.

  5. The global distribution of gravity wave energy in the lower stratosphere derived from GPS data and gravity wave modelling: Attempt and challenges

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fröhlich, K.; Schmidt, T.; Ern, M.; Preusse, P.; de La Torre, A.; Wickert, J.; Jacobi, Ch.

    2007-12-01

    Five years of global temperatures retrieved from radio occultations measured by Champ (Challenging Minisatellite Payload) and SAC-C (Satelite de Aplicaciones Cientificas-C) are analyzed for gravity waves (GWs). In order to separate GWs from other atmospheric variations, a high-pass filter was applied on the vertical profile. Resulting temperature fluctuations correspond to vertical wavelengths between 400 m (instrumental resolution) and 10 km (limit of the high-pass filter). The temperature fluctuations can be converted into GW potential energy, but for comparison with parameterization schemes GW momentum flux is required. We therefore used representative values for the vertical and horizontal wavelength to infer GW momentum flux from the GPS measurements. The vertical wavelength value is determined by high-pass filtering, the horizontal wavelength is adopted from a latitude-dependent climatology. The obtained momentum flux distributions agree well, both in global distribution and in absolute values, with simulations using the Warner and McIntyre parameterization (WM) scheme. However, discrepancies are found in the annual cycle. Online simulations, implementing the WM scheme in the mechanistic COMMA-LIM (Cologne Model of the Middle Atmosphere—Leipzig Institute for Meteorology) general circulation model (GCM), do not converge, demonstrating that a good representation of GWs in a GCM requires both a realistic launch distribution and an adequate representation of GW breaking and momentum transfer.

  6. New once-a-month injectable contraceptives, with particular reference to Cyclofem/Cyclo-Provera.

    PubMed

    Hall, P E

    1998-08-01

    Once-a-month injectable contraceptives containing a progestogen and an estrogen have been developed that disrupt vaginal bleeding patterns less than the widely used progestogen-only preparations. Pharmacokinetic studies were undertaken of dosages and ratios of the progestogens and the respective estrogens. In Phase III clinical trials, annual pregnancy rates were below 0.4% for Mesigyna (norethisterone enanthate/estradiol valerate, Schering AG, Berlin, Germany) and below 0.2% for Cyclofem (MPA/E2C) (medroxyprogesterone acetate/estradiol cypionate, Aplicaciones Farmaceuticas, SA, Mexico and PT Tunggal, Indonesia). More than two-thirds of women had predictable, regular cycles, and discontinuation due to bleeding-related problems occurred less than half as often as with progestogen-only injectables. With MPA/E2C, return to fertility is similar to that observed with other hormonal or intrauterine methods, and both products have little effect on lipids or hemostasis. Introductory trials of MPA/E2C in 12000 women with 100000 woman-months of experience confirmed the high efficacy of the product in routine use. The use of MPA/E2C in a non-reusable injection device, Uniject (Becton Dickinson, Franklin Lakes, NJ) is discussed. Once-a-month hormonal contraceptives have been shown to provide a safe contraceptive option for all women and an alternative for women who wish to use injectable formulations that cause less disruption in vaginal bleeding and minimal side effects.

  7. Accomplishments of Aquarius: NASA's first global Sea Surface Salinity Mission: a review of the technical findings to date

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sen, Amit

    2014-10-01

    Launched 10 June 2011, the NASA's Aquarius instrument onboard the Argentine built and managed Satélite de Aplicaciones Científicas (SAC-D) has been tirelessly observing the open oceans, confirming and adding new knowledge to the not so vast measured records of our Earth's global oceans. This paper reviews the data collected over the last 3 years, it's findings, challenges and future work that is at hand for the sleepless oceanographers, hydrologists and climate scientists. Although routine data is being collected, a snapshot is presented from almost 3-years of flawless operations showing new discoveries and possibilities of lot more in the future. Repetitive calibration and validation of measurements from Aquarius continue together with comparison of the data to the existing array of Argo temperature/salinity profiling floats, measurements from the recent Salinity Processes in the Upper Ocean Regional Study (SPURS) in-situ experiment and research, and to the data collected from the European Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission. This all aids in the optimization of computer model functions to improve the basic understanding of the water cycle over the oceans and its ties to climate. The Aquarius mission operations team also has been tweaking and optimizing algorithms, reprocessing data as needed, and producing salinity movies that has never been seen before. A brief overview of the accomplishments, technical findings to date will be covered in this paper.

  8. [Historical perspective of mass spectrometry in microbiology].

    PubMed

    Mingorance, Jesús; Regueiro, Benito; Muñoz-Bellido, Juan Luis

    2016-06-01

    La espectrometría de masas (EM) es una técnica de análisis que permite caracterizar muestras midiendo las masas (estrictamente las razones masa-carga) de las moléculas componentes. Cuenta con más de un siglo de historia y evolución tecnológica y a lo largo de los años ha ampliado su alcance desde los isótopos a moléculas pequeñas, moléculas orgánicas más complejas y, en las últimas décadas, macromoléculas (ácidos nucleicos y proteínas). La EM MALDI-TOF (matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight) es una variante que permite el análisis de mezclas complejas de proteínas y que se ha aplicado recientemente a la identificación de microorganismos en cultivo, convirtiéndose en una herramienta rápida y eficaz para el diagnóstico microbiológico que ha conseguido entrar en poco tiempo en la rutina de muchos servicios de microbiología clínica. El gran impacto que ha tenido está impulsando el desarrollo de nuevas aplicaciones en el campo de la microbiología clínica. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  9. Responses of the Housefly, Musca domestica, to the Hytrosavirus Replication: Impacts on Host's Vitellogenesis and Immunity

    PubMed Central

    Kariithi, Henry M.; Yao, Xu; Yu, Fahong; Teal, Peter E.; Verhoeven, Chelsea P.; Boucias, Drion G.

    2017-01-01

    Hytrosaviridae family members replicate in the salivary glands (SGs) of their adult dipteran hosts and are transmitted to uninfected hosts via saliva during feeding. Despite inducing similar gross symptoms (SG hypertrophy; SGH), hytrosaviruses (SGHVs) have distinct pathobiologies, including sex-ratio distortions in tsetse flies and refusal of infected housefly females to copulate. Via unknown mechanism(s), SGHV replication in other tissues results in reduced fecundity in tsetse flies and total shutdown of vitellogenesis and sterility in housefly females. We hypothesized that vitellogenesis shutdown was caused by virus-induced modulation of hormonal titers. Here, we used RNA-Seq to investigate virus-induced modulation of host genes/pathways in healthy and virus-infected houseflies, and we validated expression of modulated genes (n = 23) by RT-qPCR. We also evaluated the levels and activities of hemolymph AMPs, levels of endogenous sesquiterpenoids, and impacts of exogenous hormones on ovarian development in viremic females. Of the 973 housefly unigenes that were significantly modulated (padj ≤ 0.01, log2FC ≤ −2.0 or ≥ 2.0), 446 and 527 genes were downregulated and upregulated, respectively. While the most downregulated genes were related to reproduction (embryogenesis/oogenesis), the repertoire of upregulated genes was overrepresented by genes related to non-self recognition, ubiquitin-protease system, cytoskeletal traffic, cellular proliferation, development and movement, and snRNA processing. Overall, the virus, Musca domestica salivary gland hytrosavirus (MdSGHV), induced the upregulation of various components of the siRNA, innate antimicrobial immune, and autophagy pathways. We show that MdSGHV undergo limited morphogenesis in the corpora allata/corpora cardiaca (CA/CC) complex of M. domestica. MdSGHV replication in CA/CC potentially explains the significant reduction of hemolymph sesquiterpenoids levels, the refusal to mate, and the complete shutdown of

  10. PubMed

    Camino Willhuber, Gaston Oscar; Guzman Mentesana, Gustavo; Baez, Alejandra; Lo Presti, Silvina; Bazán, Carolina; Strauss, Mariana; Fretes, Ricardo; Paglini-Oliva, Patricia Adriana; Rivarola, Hector Walter

    2017-09-08

     ResumenIntroducción: la actividad mitocondrial es esencial para el músculo cardíaco y esquelético. La relación entre la disfunción mitocondrial y diferentes condiciones cardiovasculares ha sido bien descrita. El tratamiento farmacológico de la insuficiencia cardíaca implica diferentes medicamentos como: inhibidores de la enzima convertidora de la angiotensina, bloqueadores B-adrenérgicos, glucósidos digitálicos y diuréticos. Los beneficios clínicos del tratamiento son claros, sin embargo, el papel de estos fármacos en el metabolismo mitocondrial no esta bien establecido.Objetivo del estudio: El objetivo de nuestro estudio fue analizar las características estructurales y funcionales de las mitocondrias del músculo cardíaco y esquelético en ratones tratados con fármacos habitualmente utilizados para la insuficiencia cardíaca y compararlo con un grupo control.Métodos: Veinticinco ratones albinos divididos en cinco grupos fueron tratados con la medicación para insuficiencia cardíaca durante 30 días (grupo I a IV). 30 días después del tratamiento se sacrificaron, el corazón y el músculo esquelético se analizaron y se compararon con un grupo control (V).Resultados: La actividad enzimática se incrementó ligeramente en los grupos tratados con medicamentos insuficiencia cardiaca en comparación con el grupo control (p> 0,05). morfología mitocondrial se modificó significativamente en los grupos tratados en comparación con el grupo control, además, el área mitocondrial fue significativamente mayor en los grupos tratados, tanto en el músculo cardíaco y estriado.Conclusiones: Concluimos que la medicación insuficiencia cardíaca podría producir modificaciones en la función mitocondrial; creemos que las mitocondrias pueden mantener la actividad enzimática mediante el aumento de tamaño y modificación de la morfología.

  11. Agatoxin-like peptides in the neuroendocrine system of the honey bee and other insects.

    PubMed

    Sturm, Sebastian; Ramesh, Divya; Brockmann, Axel; Neupert, Susanne; Predel, Reinhard

    2016-01-30

    We investigated the peptide inventory of the corpora cardiaca (CC) of the honey bee, Apis mellifera, by direct tissue profiling using MALDI-TOF MS combined with proteomic approaches focusing on cysteine-containing peptides. An agatoxin-like peptide (ALP) was identified as a component of the glandular part of the CC and was associated with the presence of the adipokinetic hormone in mass spectra. Although abundant in the CC, ALP does not belong to the toxins observed in the venom gland of A. mellifera. Homologs of ALP are highly conserved in major groups of arthropods and in line with this we detected ALP in the CC of non-venomous insects such as cockroaches and silverfish. In the American cockroach, Periplaneta americana, ALP was also identified in the CNS and stomatogastric nervous system. This is the first report that establishes the presence of ALPs in the neuroendocrine tissues of insects and further studies are necessary to reveal common functions of these peptides, e.g. as antimicrobial agents, ion channel modulators or classical neuropeptides. Among the messenger molecules of the nervous system, neuropeptides represent the structurally most diverse class and basically participate in the regulation of all physiological processes. The set of neuropeptides, their functions and spatial distribution are particularly well-studied in insects. Until now, however, several potential neuropeptide receptors remained orphan, which indicates the existence of so far unknown ligands. In our study, we used proteomic methods such as cysteine modification, enzymatic digestion and peptide derivatization, combined with direct tissue profiling by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, for the discovery of novel putative messenger molecules in the neuroendocrine system. The described presence of agatoxin-like peptides in the nervous system of the honey bee and other insects was overseen so far and is thus a remarkable addition to the very well studied neuropeptidome of insects. It is not

  12. Neuropeptides of the beetle, Tenebrio molitor identified using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and deduced sequences from the Tribolium castaneum genome.

    PubMed

    Weaver, Robert J; Audsley, Neil

    2008-02-01

    Four neuropeptides were identified from the brain and corpora cardiaca-corpora allata (CC-CA) of the mealworm beetle Tenebrio molitor using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and information derived from the genome of the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum. Leucomyosuppressin (a FLRFamide), previously associated with cockroaches, but also subsequently identified from honey bee seen as a prominent peptide in both brain and CC-CA of T.molitor. A coding sequence for this peptide is found in the genome of T. castaneum. In addition, three FXPRLamides (pyrokinins), provisionally Tenmo-PK-1, Tenmo-PK-2 and Tenmo-PK-3 (HVVNFTPRLamide, SPPFAPRLamide, HL(I)SPFSPRLamide) were identified in both CC-CA and brain of T. molitor, again on the basis of predicted occurrence or similarity in T. castaneum. The sequence of Tenmo-PK-2 is the same as the PK-2 of the cockroach, Periplaneta americana. Other peptides readily predicted from the genome of T. castaneum include two AKH/HrTH peptides (Trica-AKH-1; pELNFSTDWamide and Trica-AKH-2; pELNFTPNWamide), the second of which is identical to Pyrap-AKH, an AKH-related peptide (Trica AKH-L; pEVTFSRDWPamide), two CRF-related diuretic factors (Trica-DH 37 and Trica-DH 47), the latter identical to Tenmo-DH 47, a putative antidiuretic factor (Trica-ADFb; LYDDGSYKPHVYGF-OH), two sulfakinin-like peptides (Trica-SK-1; pETSDDY(SO(3))GHLRFamide, and Trica SK-2; GEEPFDDYGHMRFamide), a potential allatostatin-C (Trica-AS; pESRYRQCYFNPISCF-OH), six allatostatin-B/myoinhibitory peptides (Trica-AST-B-1,2,3,4,5 & 6; DWNKDLHIWamide, GWNNLHEGWamide, AWQSLQSGWamide, NWGQFHGGWamide, SKWDNFRGSWamide, EPAWSNLGIWamide), an allatotropin-like peptide (Trica-ATL; GIEALKYHNMDLGTARGYamide), four 'CAPA'-related peptides (Trica-CAPA-1,2,3,4; NKLASVYALTPSLRVamide, RIGKMVSFPRIamide, PGANSGGMWFGPRLamide, SENFTPWAYIILNGEAPIIREVHYSPRLamide), proctolin (RYLPT), a potential SIFamide (Trica-SIFa; TYRKPPFNGSIFamide), an

  13. La Aplicacion de las Bases de Datos al Estudio Historico del Espanol (The Application of Databases to the Historical Study of Spanish).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nadal, Gloria Claveria; Lancis, Carlos Sanchez

    1997-01-01

    Notes that the employment of databases to the study of the history of a language is a method that allows for substantial improvement in investigative quality. Illustrates this with the example of the application of this method to two studies of the history of Spanish developed in the Language and Information Seminary of the Independent University…

  14. Diagnóstico y cinética de plasmas de NxOy y aire a baja presión. Aplicaciones atmosféricas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tanarro Onrubia, Isabel

    Los procesos cinéticos que tienen lugar en plasmas de óxidos de nitrógeno y de aire presentan relevancia en diferentes campos de investigación como son los relativos al control de contaminantes atmosféricos emitidos en procesos de combustión, a su formación en las superficies de las naves supersónicas y los vehículos espaciales al entrar en la atmósfera, o a su presencia en la ionosfera terrestre. En general, los fenómenos que tienen lugar en sistemas tan alejados del equilibrio termodinámico como los plasmas luminiscentes, son capaces de originar determinadas especies intermedias y productos finales de reacción a temperaturas y presiones mucho menores que las de otros procedimientos físico-químicos; y hacen posible reproducir y caracterizar en laboratorio ciertas especies inestables y mecanismos primordiales de la alta atmósfera. Por otra parte, las técnicas de resolución temporal aplicadas a plasmas modulados en amplitud resultan notablemente más sensibles que las medidas estacionarias para estimar la relevancia de los distintos mecanismos elementales o incluso para determinar sus constantes de velocidad. En este trabajo se presenta un estudio espectroscópico y espectrométrico comparativo de plasmas de óxidos de nitrógeno y de aire a baja presión (0.001-1 mbar) generados en descargas de cátodo hueco continuas o moduladas, y se propone un modelo cinético único y relativamente sencillo, que explica satisfactoriamente los comportamientos observados en todos ellos. Dicho modelo se basa en la resolución de un sistema de ecuaciones diferenciales dependientes del tiempo, que incluye los mecanismos elementales de disociación e ionización de los precursores y los productos, reacciones homogéneas entre especies atómicas, iónicas y moleculares, y reacciones heterogéneas. Al abordar estos sistemas, se constata una gran carencia de datos experimentales o teóricos sobre secciones eficaces o constantes de velocidad para las reacciones de disociación e ionización por impacto electrónico a bajas energías (<10 eV). Por consiguiente, en el presente trabajo, se proponen las constantes de reacción para varios de estos procesos. Los mecanismos considerados, así como las especies encontradas en estos plasmas, son muy similares a los que tienen lugar en las regiones D y E de la ionosfera terrestre (˜ 80-150 km de altitud), y su estudio en el laboratorio puede contribuir a la interpretación de los datos obtenidos in situ con satélites y sondas.

  15. Extracción de conocimiento en bases de datos astronómicas mediante redes de neuronas artificiales: aplicaciones en la misión Gaia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fustes Villadóniga, Diego

    2014-02-01

    In the so-called IT era, the capabilities of data acquisition systems have increased to such an extent that it has become difficult to store all the information they produce, and analyse it. This explosion of data has recently appeared in the field of Astronomy, where an increasing number of objects are being observed on a regular basis. An example of this is the upcoming Gaia mission, which will pick up multiple properties of a billion stars, whose information will have a volume of approximately a petabyte. The analysis of a similar amount of information inevitably requires the development of new data analysis methods to extract all the knowledge it contains. This thesis is devoted to the development of data analysis methods to be integrated in the Gaia pipeline, such that knowledge can be extracted from the data collected by the mission. In order to analyze the data from the Gaia mission, the European Space Agency organized the Data Processing and Analysis Consortium (DPAC) which is composed of hundreds of scientists and engineers. DPAC is divided into eight Coordination Units (CUs). This thesis is dedicated to algorithm development in CU8, which is responsible for source classification and astrophysical parameters (AP) estimation. Methods based on Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) are developed to perform the tasks related to two different work packages in CU8: the GSP-Spec package (GWP-823), and the OA package (GWP-836). The GSP-Spec package is responsible for estimating stellar APs by means of the Radial Velocity Spectrograph (RVS) spectrum. This work presents the development of one of the GSP-Spec modules, which is based on the application of feed-forward ANNs. A methodology is described, based on the optimization of genetic algorithms and aimed at obtaining an optimal set of configuration parameters for the ANN in each case, depending on the signal to noise ratio (SNR) in the RVS spectrum and on the type of star to parameterize. Furthermore, in order to improve the AP estimates, wavelet signal processing techniques, applied to the RVS spectrum, are studied. Despite the effectiveness shown by ANNs in estimating APs, in principle they lack the ability to provide an uncertainty value on these estimates, making it impossible to determine their reliability. Because of this, a new architecture for the ANN is presented in which the inputs and outputs are reversed, so that the ANN estimates the RVS spectrum from the APs. Such an architecture is called Generative ANN (GANN) and is applied to the AP estimation of a set of simulated RVS spectra for the Gaia mission, where it is more effective than the conventional ANN model, in the case of faint stars with low SNR. Finally, the GANN can be applied for obtaining the posterior probability of each of the APs according to the RVS spectrum, allowing for their more complete analysis. Given the nature of the Gaia mission, which is the first astronomical mission that will observe, in an unbiased way, the entire sky up to magnitude 20, a large number of outliers are expected. The OA package in CU8 handles the processing of this type of objects, which are defined as those that could not be reliably classified by the methods in the upstream classification packages. OA methods are based on the unsupervised learning of all outliers. Such learning has two parts: clustering and dimensionality reduction. The Self-Organizing Map (SOM) algorithm is selected as a basis for this learning. Its effectiveness is demonstrated when it is applied, with an optimal configuration, to the Gaia simulations. Furthermore, the algorithm is applied to real outliers from the SDSS catalog. Since a subsequent identification of the clusters obtained by the SOM is necessary, two different methods of identification are applied. The first method is based on the similarity between the SOM prototypes and the Gaia simulations, and the second method is based on the recovery of stored classifications in the SIMBAD catalog by cross-matching celestial coordinates. Thanks to the visualization of the SOM planes, and to both methods of identification, it is possible to distinguish between valid observations and observational artifacts. Furthermore, the method allows for the selection of objects of interest for follow-up observations, in order to determine their nature.

  16. Desarrollo de un detector de rayos cósmicos de la colaboración LAGO en Buenos Aires - Aplicaciones en meteorología espacial

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Coppola, M.; Bezzecchi, F.; Gulisano, A. M.; Masías-Meza, J. J.; Areso, O.; Ramelli, M.; Dasso, S.; LAGO Collaboration

    2016-08-01

    The study of low energy cosmic particles allows to analyze several aspects of major interest for space weather. Ground detectors permit to observe secundary particles produced during the cascades developed in the atmosphere. The characterization of a prototype for a water Cherenkov radiation particles detector, in the frame of the LAGO collaboration (Latin American Giant Observatory), is presented in this work. The collaboration plans to install this detector at the LAGO antarctic site. The developed acquisition system and the method used to make the energy callibration of the detector are detailed here, as also corrections for atmospheric effects.

  17. Educacion Fundamental Integral #2: Teoria y Aplicacion en el Caso de ACPO. (Fundamental Integral Education #2: Theory and Application in the Case of ACPO.)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alarcon, Hernando Bernal

    Educacion Fundamental Integral (EFI) is an educational process which aims to help Colombia's rural population to improve their living conditions. EFI adapts to the concrete circumstances of the person in his own environment. Objectives of EFI are to make the rural people: responsible for the work necessary for their own development; work together;…

  18. Aplicacion de nuevas tecnicas y procedimientos para la ensenanza de la lectura-escritura (Application of the New Techniques and Procedures for Teaching Reading-Writing).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Instituto Nacional de Pedagogia (Mexico).

    This document is an English-language abstract (approximately 1,500 words) of experiments performed in Mexico, D. F. by way of introducing new techniques for teaching reading and writing, particularly in the remedial classes. The first part of the document deals with a series of experiments carried out with first grade remedial groups as follows:…

  19. Aplicación de la metodología Molecular de Orbitales de Defecto Cuántico (MQDO) al cálculo de intensidades vibrónicas y vidas medias de niveles vibracionales

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    María Velasco Sanz, Ana

    Desde que se formuló, en 1996, la metodología Molecular de Orbitales de Defecto Cuántico (MQDO) [1], se han obtenido datos de calidad relativos a intensidades de bandas electrónicas que implican estados Rydberg para una gran variedad de sistemas moleculares [2]. Animados por los buenos resultados obtenidos, recientemente hemos abordado el estudio de transiciones vibrónicas, es decir aquellas que ocurren entre estados vibracionales que pertenecen a distintos estados Rydberg electrónicos. Como prototipo adecuado para nuestros propósitos hemos elegido la molécula de NO, importante en la química de la atmósfera, y para la cual existen en la bibliografía datos experimentales de calidad suficiente para contrastar la validez de nuestros resultados. En concreto, hemos calculado las fuerzas de oscilador y coeficientes de Einstein para transiciones electrónicas y vibrónicas de las principales bandas del NO, al igual que vidas medias radiativas de niveles vibracionales de dicha molécula. Las propiedades estudiadas son esenciales para la comprensión de los aspectos teóricos de los procesos físicos básicos relativos a la dispersión electrónica en moléculas heteronucleares con capas abiertas. Además, valores fiables de probabilidades de transición moleculares tienen importantes aplicaciones en Astrofísica, en la modelización de procesos fotodinámicos moleculares, etc., al igual que para evaluar más profundamente la validez de nuestra metodología teórica.

  20. Sterile insect technique: A model for dose optimisation for improved sterile insect quality

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Parker, A.; Mehta, K.

    The sterile insect technique (SIT) is an environment-friendly pest control technique with application in the area-wide integrated control of key pests, including the suppression or elimination of introduced populations and the exclusion of new introductions. Reproductive sterility is normally induced by ionizing radiation, a convenient and consistent method that maintains a reasonable degree of competitiveness in the released insects. The cost and effectiveness of a control program integrating the SIT depend on the balance between sterility and competitiveness, but it appears that current operational programs with an SIT component are not achieving an appropriate balance. In this paper we discussmore » optimization of the sterilization process and present a simple model and procedure for determining the optimum dose. (author) [Spanish] La tecnica de insecto esteril (TIE) es una tecnologia de control de plagas favorable para el medio ambiente con una aplicacion de un control integrado de plagas claves para toda la area, incluyendo la supresion o eliminacion de poblaciones introducidas y la exclusion de nuevas introducciones. La esterilidad reproductiva es normalmente inducida por radiacion ionizada, un metodo conveniente y consistente que mantiene un grado razonable para la capacidad de competencia en insectos liberados. El costo y la eficacia de un programa de control que incluye TIE dependen en tener un balance entre la esterilidad y la capacidad para competir, pero parece que los programas operacionales corrientes con TIS como un componente no estan logrando el tener un balance apropiado. En esta publicacion, nosotros discutimos la optimizacion del proceso de esterilizacion y presentamos un modelo y procedimiento sencillos para determinar la dosis optima. (author)« less

  1. Executive Summary: European Heart Rhythm Association Consensus Document on the Management of Supraventricular Arrhythmias: Endorsed by Heart Rhythm Society (HRS), Asia-Pacific Heart Rhythm Society (APHRS), and Sociedad Latinoamericana de Estimulación Cardiaca y Electrofisiologia (SOLAECE).

    PubMed

    Katritsis, Demosthenes G; Boriani, Giuseppe; Cosio, Francisco G; Jais, Pierre; Hindricks, Gerhard; Josephson, Mark E; Keegan, Roberto; Knight, Bradley P; Kuck, Karl-Heinz; Lane, Deirdre A; Lip, Gregory Yh; Malmborg, Helena; Oral, Hakan; Pappone, Carlo; Themistoclakis, Sakis; Wood, Kathryn A; Young-Hoon, Kim; Lundqvist, Carina Blomström

    2016-01-01

    This paper is an executive summary of the full European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) consensus document on the management of supraventricular arrhythmias, published in Europace . It summarises developments in the field and provides recommendations for patient management, with particular emphasis on new advances since the previous European Society of Cardiology guidelines. The EHRA consensus document is available to read in full at http://europace.oxfordjournals.org.

  2. Amiodarone therapy in chronic heart failure and myocardial infarction: a review of the mortality trials with special attention to STAT-CHF and the GESICA trials. Grupo de Estudio de la Sobrevida en la Insuficiencia Cardiaca en Argentina.

    PubMed

    Pinto, J V; Ramani, K; Neelagaru, S; Kown, M; Gheorghiade, M

    1997-01-01

    Amiodarone appears to reduce sudden death in patients with left ventricular dysfunction resulting from an acute MI or a primary dilated cardiomyopathy, particularly if complex ventricular arrhythmias are present. Amiodarone's beneficial effect on mortality in these patients could be unrelated to its antiarrhythmic effects. Multiple factors could account for the improvement in mortality such as the drug's antiischemic effects, neuromodulating effects, its effect on left ventricular function and on heart rate. Moreover, patients with LV dysfunction who have survived an episode of sudden death would potentially benefit from amiodarone therapy. Future trials are needed to determine the precise subsets(s) of patients who would benefit from the drug and the most efficacious dosing regimen for the drug. Based on available data, amiodarone is the only antiarrhythmic agent which has not been shown to increase mortality in patients with chronic heart failure.

  3. Operational tools and applications of EO satellite data to retrieve surface fluxes in semi-arid countries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tanguy, Maliko

    The objective of the thesis is to develop and evaluate useful tools and applications of Earth Observation (EO) satellite data to estimate surface fluxes in semi-arid countries. In a first part (Chapter 4), we assess the performance of a new parameterisation scheme of ground heat flux (G) to be used in remote sensing (RS) evapotranspiration (ET) estimation methods. The G-parameterisation optimized with AMMA flux data performs well and improves the sensible heat flux (H) and ET retrieved by means of the triangle method (Jiang & Islam, 2001). In a second part (Chapter 5), the triangle method is compared with ET estimated by means of a land surface model (JULES). An attempt is made to calibrate JULES using the triangle method through Monte Carlo simulations, but the two methods supply rather different results, indicating that further intercomparison tasks should be carried out to assess the performance of RS-based algorithms and land surface models in estimating the components of the land surface energy balance. Chapter 6 presents a set of operational examples for retrieving surface fluxes using RS data. The first example is the study of temporal evolution of ET-maps in Western Africa under monsoonal influence. In a second example, we apply the new scheme proposed in Chapter 4 to retrieve and analyse the long term evolution (2000-2009) of the surface energy balance components, G, H and ET at several sites of the Segura Basin (S-E Spain) using MODIS-Terra data (land surface temperature and NDVI). Temporal and spatial distribution of evapotranspiration reveals different controls on ET. (Chapter 6). In the last example, MODIS-Aqua Sea Surface Temperature (SST) is used to validate a mathematical model to retrieve surface fluxes in a Mediterranean coastal lagoon (Mar Menor, S-E Spain). El objetivo de esta tesis es de desarrollar y evaluar herramientas y aplicaciones de la teledetección para estimar flujos de superficie en zonas semiáridas. En una primera parte (Cap

  4. Analisis experimental de la propagacion en redes de area corporal para la banda de ultra wideband. experimental characterization of the propagation in ultra wideband body area networks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Garcia Serna, Ruben Gregorio

    Diferentes dispositivos capaces de obtener informacion sobre parametros fisiologicos, cinematicos o contextuales del cuerpo pueden interconectarse de manera inalambrica dando lugar a las denominadas Redes de Area Corporal Inalambricas (WBAN, Wireless Body Area Networks). De entre las posibles tecnologias para establecer los enlaces, Ultra Wideband (UWB) esta captando cada vez un mayor interes debido a caracteristicas tales como el bajo nivel de potencia de transmision requerido (bajo nivel de exposicion a campos electromagneticos), el alto ancho de banda disponible y la alta resolucion temporal/espacial. El diseno de sistemas centrados en el cuerpo requiere de modelos de canal que describan de manera precisa la propagacion de senales en este tipo de entornos. Esta tesis se plantea con el objetivo de contribuir al estudio experimental de la propagacion en sistemas centrados en el cuerpo operando en la banda UWB. En primer lugar, se presenta un marco introductorio a las redes WBAN, sus elementos constitutivos, bandas de frecuencia, estandarizacion y modelos de canal. Ademas, se introducen los fundamentos de la tecnologia UWB y sus aplicaciones en este area. Seguidamente, se analiza en terminos de las perdidas de propagacion y la dispersion de retardo la propagacion en el canal off-body entre un transmisor fijo y un dispositivo receptor colocado sobre la superficie del cuerpo de un sujeto. Se considera la influencia de diferentes aspectos, tales como el entorno de medidas, la posicion de colocacion de una antena sobre el cuerpo y la postura adoptada por un sujeto. Finalmente, se analiza el canal de propagacion in-body considerando el movimiento relativo entre dos dispositivos causado por efecto de la respiracion. Las condiciones de propagacion en el interior del cuerpo se emulan por medio de un phantom liquido para UWB y la caracterizacion se plantea tanto en frecuencia, en terminos del modelado de la forma y el ensanchamiento del espectro Doppler, como en tiempo, por

  5. La problematica de la demarcacion entre ciencia y pseudociencia y sus implicaciones en la educacion cientifica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jimenez Tolentino, Dinorah

    2011-12-01

    En la sociedad prevalece una tendencia generalizada hacia la inclusion de creencias y practicas pseudocientificas. Esta investigacion responde a la necesidad de analizar como la proliferacion de las pseudociencias afecta la vision que tienen los estudiantes universitarios sobre las ciencias naturales. A tales efectos, la investigadora describe las concepciones epistemologicas que tienen los estudiantes sobre las ciencias y las pseudociencias e identifica los criterios de demarcacion, entre un area y otra, que se derivan de estas concepciones. De igual modo, esta identifica las creencias y practicas pseudocientificas de mayor arraigo entre los estudiantes, destacando, a su vez, la razon de ser de las mismas. Por ultimo, la investigadora analiza las implicaciones educativas de la problematica de la demarcacion entre ciencia y pseudociencia. La investigacion es de naturaleza mixta, enmarcada en los paradigmas empirico- analitico y cualitativo. El proceso investigativo se llevo a cabo mediante la administracion del cuestionario Criterios para la demarcacion entre ciencia y pseudociencia. La parte cualitativa estuvo enmarcada en el diseno de estudio de caso, recopilando informacion mediante entrevistas semiestructuradas en dos grupos focales. La poblacion de estudio estuvo constituida por estudiantes universitarios del nivel subgraduado de la Universidad Central de Bayamon. Los resultados del estudio reflejaron las concepciones erroneas de los estudiantes sobre la naturaleza de las ciencias y las pseudociencias. Con respecto a la demarcacion entre ciencia y pseudociencia, el criterio imperante entre los universitarios es el de la verificabilidad, considerando la aplicacion del metodo cientifico como el metodo para demostrar la veracidad de las teorias cientificas. Las creencias y practicas pseudocientificas no son muy frecuentes entre los universitarios. Estos atribuyen las mismas a la prevalencia de elementos supersticiosos y al engano a que es sometida la poblacion

  6. Incorporating climate science in applications of the US endangered species act for aquatic species.

    PubMed

    McClure, Michelle M; Alexander, Michael; Borggaard, Diane; Boughton, David; Crozier, Lisa; Griffis, Roger; Jorgensen, Jeffrey C; Lindley, Steven T; Nye, Janet; Rowland, Melanie J; Seney, Erin E; Snover, Amy; Toole, Christopher; VAN Houtan, Kyle

    2013-12-01

    Aquatic species are threatened by climate change but have received comparatively less attention than terrestrial species. We gleaned key strategies for scientists and managers seeking to address climate change in aquatic conservation planning from the literature and existing knowledge. We address 3 categories of conservation effort that rely on scientific analysis and have particular application under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA): assessment of overall risk to a species; long-term recovery planning; and evaluation of effects of specific actions or perturbations. Fewer data are available for aquatic species to support these analyses, and climate effects on aquatic systems are poorly characterized. Thus, we recommend scientists conducting analyses supporting ESA decisions develop a conceptual model that links climate, habitat, ecosystem, and species response to changing conditions and use this model to organize analyses and future research. We recommend that current climate conditions are not appropriate for projections used in ESA analyses and that long-term projections of climate-change effects provide temporal context as a species-wide assessment provides spatial context. In these projections, climate change should not be discounted solely because the magnitude of projected change at a particular time is uncertain when directionality of climate change is clear. Identifying likely future habitat at the species scale will indicate key refuges and potential range shifts. However, the risks and benefits associated with errors in modeling future habitat are not equivalent. The ESA offers mechanisms for increasing the overall resilience and resistance of species to climate changes, including establishing recovery goals requiring increased genetic and phenotypic diversity, specifying critical habitat in areas not currently occupied but likely to become important, and using adaptive management. Incorporación de las Ciencias Climáticas en las Aplicaciones del

  7. Spatial variability of NDVI at different seasons in the Community of Madrid (Spain)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sotoca, Juan J. Martin; Saa-Requejo, Antonio; Borondo, Javier; Tarquis, Ana M.

    2015-04-01

    Agricultural drought quantification is one of the most important tasks in the characterization process of this natural hazard and its implications in crop insurance. Recently, several vegetation indexes based on remote-sensing data (VI) has been applied to quantify it (Dalezios et al, 2012). VIs are obtained combining several frequency bands that represent the relationship between photosynthesis and absorbed/reflected radiation. The most widely used VI is the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). It is based on the principle that healthy vegetation mainly absorbs visible light and reflects the near-infrared frequency band. Drought can be highly localized, and several authors have recognized the critical role of soil moisture and its spatial variability in agricultural losses (Anderson et al., 2011). Therefore, it is important to delimit locations within a homogeneous area that will share main NDVI statistics and in which the same threshold value can be applied to define drought event. In order to do so, we have applied for the first time in this context the method of singularity maps (Cheng and Agterberg, 1996) commonly used in localization of mineral deposits. The NDVI singularity maps calculated in each season through 2011/2012 are showed and discussed (Martín-Sotoca, 2014). References Anderson, M:C:, C. R. Hain, B. Wardlow, J. R. Mecikalski and W. P. Kustas (2011) Evaluation of drought indices based on thermal remote sensing of evapotranspiration over the continental United States. J. Climate, 24, 2025-2044. Dalezios, N.R., A. Blanta, N.V. Spyropoulos and A.M. Tarquis (2012) Risk identification of agricultural drought for sustainable Agroecosystems. Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 14, 2435-2448. Cheng, Q. and F.P. Agterberg (1996) Multifractal modeling and spatial statistics. Math. Geol., 28, 1-16. Martín-Sotoca, J.J. (2014) Estructura Espacial de la Sequía en Pastos y sus Aplicaciones en el Seguro Agrario. Master Thesis, UPM (In Spanish

  8. Effect of acclimation to outdoor condition on the sexual performance of mass-produced Medflies (Diptera: Tephritidae)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Pereira, R.; Silva, N.; Quintal, C.

    Application of the sterile insect technique (SIT) as part of integrated area-wide programs to control the Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly) Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) require that the released males attract wild females and transfer sterile sperm. However, knowledge about male sexual performance after they are released is scarce. We conducted a study to evaluate male sexual performance in field cage tests, according to standard quality control procedures. Mass-reared 5-d-old sterile males from the genetic sexing strain VIENNA 7mix2000 were acclimated for 0, 1, and 3 d to outdoor conditions before competing with wild males for wild females. Although the proportion ofmore » mating (PM) in the test was satisfactory, the resulting relative sterility index (RSI) data showed no significant differences among the treatments. The data indicate that pre-conditioning males to outdoor conditions in Madeira did not confer an advantage in field cage sexual performance. (author) [Spanish] La aplicacion de la tecnica del insecto esteril (TIE) como parte de un programa integrado de amplio efecto para el control de la mosca mediterranea de la fruta Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) requiere que los machos liberados atraigan las hembras naturales y transfieran su esperma. Sin embargo, el conocimiento del desempeno sexual de los machos despues de ser liberados es muy escaso. Nosotros realizamos un estudio para evaluar el desempeno sexual de los machos en pruebas usando jaulas del campo, segun los procedimientos estandardizados de calidad. Machos esteriles de 5 dias de edad de la raza que separa los sexos geneticamente VIENNA 7mix2000 criados en masa fueron aclimatados por 0, 1 y 3 dias en condiciones de campo antes de competir con machos naturales para las hembras naturales. Aunque la proporcion del apareamiento en la prueba fue satisfactorio, el indice relativo de esterilidad (IRS) resultante no mostro ninguna diferencia significativa entre los tratamientos. Los datos indicaron que

  9. Implementacion de modulos constructivistas que atiendan "misconceptions" y lagunas conceptuales en temas de la fisica en estudiantes universitarios

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Santacruz Sarmiento, Neida M.

    Este estudio se enfoco en los "misconception" y lagunas conceptuales en temas fundamentales de Fisica como son Equilibrio Termodinamico y Estatica de fluidos. En primer lugar se trabajo con la identificacion de "misconceptions" y lagunas conceptuales y se analizo en detalle la forma en que los estudiantes construyen sus propias teorias de fenomenos relacionados con los temas. Debido a la complejidad en la que los estudiantes asimilan los conceptos fisicos, se utilizo el metodo de investigacion mixto de tipo secuencial explicativo en dos etapas, una cuantitativa y otra cualitativa. La primera etapa comprendio cuatro fases: (1) Aplicacion de una prueba diagnostica para identificar el conocimiento previo y lagunas conceptuales. (2) Identificacion de "misconceptions" y lagunas del concepto a partir del conocimiento previo. (3) Implementacion de la intervencion por medio de modulos en el topico de Equilibrio Termodinamico y Estatica de Fluidos. (4) Y la realizacion de la pos prueba para analizar el impacto y la efectividad de la intervencion constructivista. En la segunda etapa se utilizo el metodo de investigacion cualitativo, por medio de una entrevista semiestructurada que partio de la elaboracion de un mapa conceptual y se finalizo con un analisis de datos conjuntamente. El desarrollo de este estudio permitio encontrar "misconceptions" y lagunas conceptuales a partir del conocimiento previo de los estudiantes participantes en los temas trabajados, que fueron atendidos en el desarrollo de las distintas actividades inquisitivas que se presentaron en el modulo constructivista. Se encontro marcadas diferencias entre la pre y pos prueba en los temas, esto se debio al requerimiento de habilidades abstractas para el tema de Estatica de Fluidos y al desarrollo intuitivo para el tema de Equilibrio Termodinamico, teniendo mejores respuestas en el segundo. Los participantes demostraron una marcada evolucion y/o cambio en sus estructuras de pensamiento, las pruebas estadisticas

  10. Medicinal ethnobotany in Huacareta (Chuquisaca, Bolivia)

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    used as a base for subsequent work related to traditional medicine and its contribution to allopathic medicine in San Pablo de Huacareta. Resumen Introducción El objetivo del presente estudio fue documentar los tipos de enfermedades tratadas mediante el uso de plantas medicinales, sus aplicaciones principales y también tener un reporte de las enfermedades mayormente atendidas en el Hospital de San Pablo de Huacareta (Chuquisaca, Bolivia). Métodos Se realizaron encuestas semiestructuradas a 10 informantes locales anotando los usos atribuidos a sus plantas medicinales, se agruparon las plantas por categorías de enfermedades tratadas en la medicina tradicional. Se obtuvieron reportes de casos tratados en el Hospital de Huacareta para poder relacionar el tratamiento de enfermedades recurrentes en la zona entre la medicina tradicional y la medicina occidental. Resultados Se reportaron 91 especies nativas y exóticas, además de un espécimen indeterminado exótico que intervienen en un total de 258 aplicaciones medicinales, las cuales son empleadas en un total de 13 categorías de enfermedades. Los desórdenes gastrointestinales (55%) son mayormente tratados mediante plantas medicinales, seguidas de las afecciones al sistema esqueleto-muscular (25%) y enfermedades dermatológicas (24%). La información del Hospital indica que las enfermedades más frecuentes son Infecciones Respiratorias Agudas (47%) y Enfermedades Diarreicas Agudas (37%). Los remedios vegetales se emplean en forma de infusiones y cocciones principalmente. Se emplean mayormente plantas nativas, también se introdujo en la farmacopea médica el uso de plantas exóticas al lugar. Conclusiones El tratamiento de trastornos gastrointestinales constituye el objetivo primordial de la etnobotánica médica de los habitantes de Huacareta, las enfermedades del sistema respiratorio, son mayormente tratadas en el Hospital. Observando los datos del libro de consultas del Hospital, se puede inferir que los des

  11. El aprendizaje significativo en las ciencias al participar en proyectos de investigacion cientifica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mora Polanco, Miguelena

    curiosidad de modo que lo aplican en su vida. La experiencia los ayudo en el entendimiento y la aplicacion de conceptos, procesos y destrezas relacionados con la ciencia. Finalmente, los participantes proveyeron las estrategias didacticas que desde su perspectiva facilitan la ensenanza-aprendizaje de la ciencia.

  12. Apoyo a Estudios Geodinamicos con GPS en Guatemala

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Robles, V. R.

    2013-05-01

    El Instituto Geografico Nacional de Guatemala implemento 17 estaciones GNSS en el año 2009, como un proyecto de credito mixto de donacion de equipamiento del Gobierno de Suiza, el cual, este equipamiento de estaciones CORS GNSS es un sistema de recepción y transmisión de datos crudos GPS RInex que utiliza la tecnologia Spider Web de Leica, asi mismo este sistema esta sirviendo para el espablecimiento de un marco geodesico nacional de coordenadas geodesicas oficiales, el cual se calculan u obtienen las velocidades en tiempos temporales programados de las 17 Estaciones CORS. La infraestructura del marco geodesico de Guatemala esta sirviendo de base para las aplicaciones de estudios geodinamicos como el monitoreo de del desplazamiento de las placas tectonicas por medio de un estudio que se inicio en el año de 1999, llamado medicion con GPS el sistema de Fallas de los rios Polochic Motagua de Guatemala, tambien para un estudio que se implemento para deformación de corteza terrestre local en un Volcan Activo de Guatemala llamado Pacaya. Para el estudio de medicion con GPS en el sistema de falla de los Rios del polochic Motagua se implementaron 16 puntos para medir con GPS de dos frecuencias en el año de 1999, el cual, tres puntos son estaciones geodesicas CORS IGS llamados GUAT, ELEN y HUEH, despues en el año de 2003 se hizo otra medicion en un total de 20 puntos, que permitió calcular las velocidades de desplazamieinto de los puntos en mención, usando como referencia el modelo NUVEL 1A de DeMets de la placa de Norteamerica. Este estudio fue en cooperación internacional por la universidad de Nice de Francia y el IGNde Francia. Para el estudio del monitoreo con GPS del volcan activo de Guatemala, se implementaron cuatro puntos al rededor del volcan, el cual, se realizan cuatro mediciones al año, que permiten determinar axialmente la distancias entre los puntos, y rebisar estadisticamente cual es el comportamiento de las distancias en funcion del tiempo, si

  13. Multifractal characteristics of NDVI maps in space and time in the Community of Madrid (Spain)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sotoca, Juan J. Martin; Saa-Requejo, Antonio; Grau, Juan B.; Tarquis, Ana M.

    2015-04-01

    Satellite information has contributed to improve our understanding of the spatial variability of hydro-climatic and ecological processes. Vegetation activity is tightly coupled with climate, hydro-ecological fluxes, and terrain dynamics in river basins at a wide range of space-time scales (Scheuring and Riedi, 1994). Indices of vegetation activity are constructed using satellite information of reflectance of the relevant spectral bands which enhance the contribution of vegetation being Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) widely used. How can we study such a complex system? Multifractals and fractals are related techniques mainly used in physics to characterize the scaling behaviour of a system; they differ in that fractals look at the geometry of presence/absence patterns, while multifractals look at the arrangement of quantities such as population or biomass densities (Saravia et al., 2012). Scaling laws are an emergent general feature of ecological systems; they reflect constraints in their organization that can provide tracks about the underlying mechanisms (Solé and Bascompte, 2006). In this work, we have applied these techniques to study the spatial pattern through one year of NDVI maps. A rectangular area that includes the Community of Madrid and part of the surroundings, consisting of 300 x 280 pixels with a resolution of 500 x 500 m2 has been selected and monthly NDVI maps analyzed using the multifractal spectrum and the map of singularities (Cheng and Agterberg, 1996). The results show a cyclical pattern in the multifractal behaviour and singularity points related to river basin networks (Martín-Sotoca, 2014). References Cheng, Q. and Agterberg, F.P. (1996). Multifractal modeling and spatial statistics. Math. Geol. Vol 28, 1-16. Martín-Sotoca, J.J. (2014) Estructura Espacial de la Sequía en Pastos y sus Aplicaciones en el Seguro Agrario. Master Thesis, UPM (In Spanish). Saravia LA, Giorgi A, Momo F.: Multifractal growth in periphyton

  14. Thermal Band Atmospheric Correction Using Atmospheric Profiles Derived from Global Positioning System Radio Occultation and the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pagnutti, Mary; Holekamp, Kara; Stewart, Randy; Vaughan, Ronald D.

    2006-01-01

    This Rapid Prototyping Capability study explores the potential to use atmospheric profiles derived from GPS (Global Positioning System) radio occultation measurements and by AIRS (Atmospheric Infrared Sounder) onboard the Aqua satellite to improve surface temperature retrieval from remotely sensed thermal imagery. This study demonstrates an example of a cross-cutting decision support technology whereby NASA data or models are shown to improve a wide number of observation systems or models. The ability to use one data source to improve others will be critical to the GEOSS (Global Earth Observation System of Systems) where a large number of potentially useful systems will require auxiliary datasets as input for decision support. Atmospheric correction of thermal imagery decouples TOA radiance and separates surface emission from atmospheric emission and absorption. Surface temperature can then be estimated from the surface emission with knowledge of its emissivity. Traditionally, radiosonde sounders or atmospheric models based on radiosonde sounders, such as the NOAA (National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration) ARL (Air Resources Laboratory) READY (Real-time Environmental Application and Display sYstem), provide the atmospheric profiles required to perform atmospheric correction. Unfortunately, these types of data are too spatially sparse and too infrequently taken. The advent of high accuracy, global coverage, atmospheric data using GPS radio occultation and AIRS may provide a new avenue for filling data input gaps. In this study, AIRS and GPS radio occultation derived atmospheric profiles from the German Aerospace Center CHAMP (CHAllenging Minisatellite Payload), the Argentinean Commission on Space Activities SAC-C (Satellite de Aplicaciones Cientificas-C), and the pair of NASA GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) satellites are used as input data in atmospheric radiative transport modeling based on the MODTRAN (MODerate resolution atmospheric

  15. Detección y estudio mediante Fluorescencia Inducida por Láser de radicales libres formados por Disociación Multifotónica Infrarroja

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Santos, M.; Díaz, L.; Torresano, J. A.; Rubio, L.; Samoudi, B.

    Una de las principales aplicaciones actuales de los procesos de disociación multifotónica inducidos por radiación láser infrarroja (DMI) es la producción de radiales libres, con el fin de estudiar sus propiedades cinéticas y espectroscópicas. La disociación de moléculas poliatómicas en el IR con láseres de CO2 tiene lugar desde la superficie de energía molecular mas baja y conduce generalmente a la formación de fragmentos en el estado electrónico fundamental, con diversos grados de excitación vibracional. En el Grupo de Procesos Multifotónicos del Instituto de Estructura de la Materia del C.S.I.C. hemos puesto a punto la técnica de Fluorescencia Inducida por Láser (LIF) para la detección y análisis en tiempo real de los fragmentos producidos en la DMI inducida mediante uno o dos campos láseres de diferentes longitudes de onda. Objetivos de nuestro trabajo han sido el estudio de los canales de disociación mayoritarios y de las especies transitoria producidas, así como de la distribución de energía interna con que éstas son generadas. En particular hemos detectado mediante LIF las especies: C2, CF, CH, SiH2, CF2, CH2, SiHCl, y CF3 a partir de la disociación de, entre otras, las siguientes moléculas: C2H3Br, C3F6, C4H8Si, C2H5ClSi y CH5ClSi. En este trabajo presentamos algunos de los resultados obtenidos mediante el estudio por LIF de estos radicales: estudio temporal de la señal LIF obtenida con determinación de tiempos de vida, espectros de excitación y fluorescencia, temperaturas vibracionales de formación, variación de la intensidad LIF con el tiempo de retraso entre los láseres de disociación y prueba, etc.

  16. Seafloor mapping of the southeast Iberian margin (from Cabo de Palos to Cabo de Gata)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lastras, Galderic; Leon, César; Elvira, Elena; Pascual, Laura; Muñoz, Araceli; de Cárdenas, Enrique; Acosta, Juan; Canals, Miquel

    2014-05-01

    halokinetic deformation structures have been observed. The edited maps are available from the MAGRAMA (Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente) publication store (https://aplicaciones.magrama.es/tienda/index.jsp).

  17. Relation of NDVI obtained from different remote sensing at different space and resolutions sensors in Spanish Dehesas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Escribano Rodríguez, Juan; Tarquis, Ana M.; Saa-Requejo, Antonio; Díaz-Ambrona, Carlos G. H.

    2015-04-01

    Satellite data are an important source of information and serve as monitoring crops on large scales. There are several indexes, but the most used for monitoring vegetation is NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), calculated from the spectral bands of red (RED) and near infrared (NIR), obtaining the value according to relationship: [(NIR - RED) / (NIR + RED)]. During the years 2010-2013 monthly monitoring was conducted in three areas of Spain (Salamanca, Caceres and Cordoba). Pasture plots were selected and satellite images of two different sensors, DEIMOS-1 and MODIS were obtained. DEIMOS-1 is based on the concept Microsat-100 from Surrey. It is designed for imaging the Earth with a resolution good enough to study terrestrial vegetation cover (20x20 m), although with a wide range of visual field (600 km) to get those images with high temporal resolution. By contrast, MODIS images present a much lower spatial resolution (500x500 m). Indices obtained from both sensors to the same area and date are compared and the results show r2 = 0.56; r2 = 0.65 and r2 = 0.90 for the areas of Salamanca, Cáceres and Cordoba respectively. According to the results obtained show that the NDVI obtained by MODIS is slightly larger than that obtained by the sensor for DEIMOS for same time and area. References J.A. Escribano, C.G.H. Diaz-Ambrona, L. Recuero, M. Huesca, V. Cicuendez, A. Palacios-Orueta y A.M. Tarquis. Aplicacion de Indices de Vegetacion para evaluar la falta de produccion de pastos y montaneras en dehesas. I Congreso Iberico de la Dehesa y el Montado. 6-7 Noviembre, 2013, Badajoz. J.A. Escribano Rodriguez, A.M. Tarquis, C.G. Hernandez Diaz-Ambrona. Pasture Drought Insurance Based on NDVI and SAVI. Geophysical Research Abstracts, 14, EGU2012-13945, 2012. EGU General Assembly 2012. Juan Escribano Rodriguez, Carmelo Alonso, Ana Maria Tarquis, Rosa Maria Benito, Carlos Hernandez Diaz-Ambrona. Comparison of NDVI fields obtained from different remote sensors

  18. Desarrollo curricular, conciencia ambiental y tecnologia para estudiantes de intermedia: Una investigacion en accion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rodriguez Ramos, Teresita

    Se llevó a cabo una investigación en acción con los propósitos de 1) documentar las relaciones de las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación en las clases de ciencias de escuela intermedia como elemento de apoyo cuando se aborda el tema ambiental y sus conceptos pertinentes, a partir de las observaciones de la investigadora, así como las entrevistas y diarios reflexivos de los estudiantes de una escuela intermedia en la zona metropolitana, y luego 2) diseñar una unidad instruccional sobre el tema ambiental que integre actividades tecnologías para el curso de ciencias de la escuela intermedia según el modelo PROCIC y las observaciones que hayan iniciado los estudiantes participantes. Finalmente, se plantearon las implicaciones educativas para el currículo del Programa de Ciencias al instrumentar este modelo de unidad mediante PROCIC, e integrado la tecnología y el tema ambiental. Los hallazgos se analizaron y se categorizaron de acuerdo con las preguntas de investigación. El hallazgo principal de la investigación aborda las cuatro relaciones centrales en las que se articula la utilización de las tecnologías y sus aplicaciones en la clase de ciencias. Estas cuatro relaciones que recogen la posición de los estudiantes son: 1) Perspectiva de los estudiantes hacia la tecnología. 2) Participación de los estudiantes en los aspectos docentes. 3) Aprendizaje estudiantil sobre el ambiente, y 4) Conciencia ambiental en relación con la vida diaria. Estas relaciones ponen de manifiesto,cómo se plantea en las implicaciones, la necesidad de más investigación en acción en la sala de clases, la importancia—como tema transversal—de la conciencia ambiental mediante la tecnología al construir conocimientos significativos dentro y fuera de la escuela, asó como, valorar la investigación y la dialogicidad en la sala de clases como actividades que obligan al reexamen de la práctica didáctica en su formas curriculares de objetivos, recursos

  19. Application of Vegetation Indices to Estimate Acorn Production at Iberian Peninsula

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Escribano, Juan A.; Díaz-Ambrona, Carlos G. H.; Recuero, Laura; Huesca, Margarita; Cicuendez, Victor; Palacios, Alicia; Tarquis, Ana M.

    2014-05-01

    The Iberian pig valued natural resources of the pasture when fattened in mountain. The variability of acorn production is not contained in any line of Spanish agricultural insurance. However, the production of arable pasture is covered by line insurance number 133 for loss of pasture compensation. This scenario is only contemplated for breeding cows and brave bulls, sheep, goats and horses, although pigs are not included. This insurance is established by monitoring ten-day composites Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) measured by satellite over treeless pastures, using MODIS TERRA satellite. The aim of this work is to check if we can use a satellite vegetation index to estimate the production of acorns. In order to do so, two Spanish grassland locations have been analyzed: regions of Olivenza (Jerez-Oliva) and Merida (Badajoz). The acorns production was evaluated through 2002-2005 gauging conducted by the Grupo Habitat de la Orden (Badajoz). Medium resolution (500x500 m2) MODIS images were used during the same time period to estimate the ten-day composites NDVI at these locations. Finally, meteorological data was obtained from SIAR and MAGRAMA network stations, calculating the ten-day averaged temperature and ten day accumulated precipitation. Considering two accumulated factors, NDVI and temperature, three phenological stages were well defined being the second one which pointed differences among campaigns. Then, accumulated precipitation versus accumulated NDVI was plot for this second phenological stage obtaining maximum differences at 300 mm of cumulative rainfall. Analyzing acorn production with accumulated NDVI in that moment a production function was obtained with a correlation coefficient of 0.71. These results will be discussed in detail. References J.A. Escribano, C.G.H. Diaz-Ambrona, L. Recuero, M. Huesca, V. Cicuendez, A. Palacios-Orueta y A.M. Tarquis. Aplicacion de Indices de Vegetacion para evaluar la falta de produccion de pastos y

  20. Induction of sterility in Anastrepha Fraterculus (Diptera: Tephritidae) by gamma radiation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Allinghi, A.; Gramajo, C.; Willink, E.

    In relation to the application of the sterile insect technique (SIT) for the South American fruit fly Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann), we analyzed the effect on adult fertility of different doses of gamma irradiation and the age of pupae at the time of irradiation. In a first experiment, we applied doses of 50, 70, and 90 Gy to pupae at 24, 48, 72, and 96 h before adult emergence. In a second experiment we irradiated pupae 48 h before emergence with 20, 40, and 60 Gy and estimated male and female fertility and sperm transfer by irradiated males. The results indicatedmore » pupal age at irradiation does not significantly affect male fertility. If males irradiated with 60 Gy are crossed to non-irradiated females the fertility is about 1%. Females irradiated with 40 Gy did not lay eggs independently of the male to which they mated. No significant effects of radiation were observed with respect to the ability of males to transfer sperm. A dose of 70 Gy applied 48 h before adult emergence induces 100% sterility in both males and females. (author) [Spanish] Para la aplicacion de la tecnica del insecto esteril (TIE) en Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann), en este trabajo analizamos el efecto de diferentes dosis de irradiacion gamma y la edad optima de la pupa al momento de la irradiacion. En el primer experimento se evaluaron las dosis de 50, 70, y 90 Gy en pupas de 24, 48, 72, y 96 h antes de la emergencia del adulto. En el segundo experimento se irradiaron pupas 48 h antes de la emergencia con dosis de 20, 40, 60 Gy y se estimo la fertilidad de los machos y las hembras, y la transferencia de espermas por los machos irradiados. Los resultados indicaron que la irradiacion no modifico significativamente la fertilidad de los machos. En las cruzas de machos irradiados a 60 Gy con hembras no irradiadas se observo 1% de eclosion larvaria, mientras que las hembras irradiadas a 40 Gy no pusieron huevos. La irradiacion no afecto significativamente la transferencia de espermas

  1. Application of the New Propulsion Theory to the Design of Propellers. Comparison with the Lifting Line Theory (Aplicacion de la Nueva Teoria de la Impulsion al Diseno de Propulsores. Comparacion con la Teoria de las Lineas Sustentadoras),

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1983-11-07

    obtained with the lifting line theory is very sensitive to the type of radial distribution law of circulation. In the past, especially for theoretical...I. Bacquerizo Briones, "Utilidad de la educacion de Poincare para el proyecto y analisis de propulsores con valores finitos de la circulacion en el

  2. Radiochemical Applications of Insoluble Sulfate Columns. Analytical Possibilities in the Field of the Fission Product Solutions; APLICACIONES RADIO-QUIMICAS DE LAS COLUMNAS DE PRECIPITADOS DE SULFATOS INSOLUBLES. CONTRIBUCION AL ESTUDIO DE LAS SOLUCIONES ENVEJECIDAS DE PRODUCTOS DE FISION

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Barrachina, M.; Sauvagnac, R.

    1962-01-01

    The heterogeneous ion-isotopic exchange column is used to determine the radiochemical composition of raw solutions used in the industrial recuperation of long-lived fission products, The separation of the radioelements is made by small columns, 1--3 cm height, of BaSO/sub 4/ or SrSO/sub 4/, under selected experimental conditions. These columns behave like inorganic exchangers, working by adsorption or ion-isotopic exchange depending on the cases, and they provide selective separation of fission products employing very small volumes of fixing and eluting solutions. By coupling the separative capabilities of these columns and the liquid--liquid extraction with the 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone and the di-2 ethylexyl orthophosphoricmore » acid, a set of new radiochemical methods, for the determination of Sr/sup 90/, Y/sup 90/, Ce/sup 144/ - Pr/sup 144/, and Pm/sup 147/ in the fission product solutions of Marcoule, were developed. (auth)« less

  3. Sexual selection on multivariate phenotypes in Anastrepha Fraterculus (Diptera: Tephritidae) from Argentina

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sciurano, R.; Rodriguero, M.; Gomez Cendra, P.

    Despite the interest in applying environmentally friendly control methods such as sterile insect technique (SIT) against Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae), information about its biology, taxonomy, and behavior is still insufficient. To increase this information, the present study aims to evaluate the performance of wild flies under field cage conditions through the study of sexual competitiveness among males (sexual selection). A wild population from Horco Molle, Tucuman, Argentina was sampled. Mature virgin males and females were released into outdoor field cages to compete for mating. Morphometric analyses were applied to determine the relationship between the multivariate phenotype and copulatory success.more » Successful and unsuccessful males were measured for 8 traits: head width (HW), face width (FW), eye length (EL), thorax length (THL), wing length (WL), wing width (WW), femur length (FL), and tibia length (TIL). Combinations of different multivariate statistical methods and graphical analyses were used to evaluate sexual selection on male phenotype. The results indicated that wing width and thorax length would be the most probable targets of sexual selection. They describe a non-linear association between expected fitness and each of these 2 traits. This non-linear relation suggests that observed selection could maintain the diversity related to body size. (author) [Spanish] A pesar del interes por la aplicacion de metodos de control de bajo impacto ambiental sobre Anastrepha fraterculus (Diptera: Tephritidae), como la Tecnica del Insecto Esteril (TIE), no existe aun informacion suficiente sobre su biologia, taxonomia y comportamiento. Este trabajo tiene como objetivo evaluar el desempeno de moscas en jaulas de campo a traves del estudio de la competitividad sexual entre machos salvajes (seleccion sexual). Para ello, se muestreo una poblacion de Horco Molle, Tucuman (Argentina). En jaulas de campo se liberaron machos y hembras

  4. Temporal dynamics of plant succession in abandoned field in Mediterranean mountain areas: farming terraces and sloping fields (Iberian System, Spain)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nadal-Romero, Estela; Errea, Paz; Lasanta, Teodoro

    2017-04-01

    by the DESEMON and ESPAS projects (CGL2014-52135-C3-3-R and CGL2015-65569-R, funded by the MINECO-FEDER). The "Geomorphology and Global Change" and the "Climate, water, global change and natural systems" research groups were financed by the Aragón Government and the European Social Fund (ESF-FSE). Estela Nadal-Romero was the recipient of a "Ramón y Cajal" postdoctoral contract (Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness). References Burel, F. & Baudry, J. (2002): Ecología del paisaje. Conceptos, métodos y aplicaciones. Ediciones Mundi-Prensa: 353 pp., Madrid. Kouba, Y. & Alados, C.L. (2012): Spatio-temporal dynamics of Quercus faginea forest in the Spanish Central Pre-Pyrenees. European Journal of Forest Research, 131: 369-379.

  5. NDVI statistical distribution of pasture areas at different times in the Community of Madrid (Spain)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Martín-Sotoca, Juan J.; Saa-Requejo, Antonio; Díaz-Ambrona, Carlos G. H.; Tarquis, Ana M.

    2015-04-01

    de la Sequía en Pastos y sus Aplicaciones en el Seguro Agrario. Master Thesis, UPM (In Spanish). Niemeyer, S., 2008: New drought indices. First Int. Conf. on Drought Management: Scientific and Technological Innovations, Zaragoza, Spain, Joint Research Centre of the European Commission. [Available online at http://www.iamz.ciheam.org/medroplan/zaragoza2008/Sequia2008/Session3/S.Niemeyer.pdf.] Xiaohui Deng, Barry J. Barnett, Gerrit Hoogenboom, Yingzhuo Yu and Axel Garcia y Garcia 2008. Alternative Crop Insurance Indexes. Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, 40(1), 223-237. Acknowledgements First author acknowledges the Research Grant obtained from CEIGRAM in 2014

  6. Validation of the Earthquake Archaeological Effects methodology by studying the San Clemente cemetery damages generated during the Lorca earthquake of 2011

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Martín-González, Fidel; Martín-Velazquez, Silvia; Rodrigez-Pascua, Miguel Angel; Pérez-López, Raul; Silva, Pablo

    2014-05-01

    and we have been able to constrain the ranges of orientation for each EAE's. The orientation of the damage is not usually recorded after an earthquake; however, it can provide information on seismic source in historical earthquakes. References Giner-Robles, J. L., Perez-Lopez, R., Silva Barroso, P., Rodriguez-Pascua, M. A., Martin-Gonzalez, F. and Cabanas, L. 2012. Analisis estructural de danos orientados en el terremoto de Lorca del 11 de mayo de 2011. Aplicaciones en arqueosismologia. Boletín Geológico y Minero, 123 (4): 503-513 Rodriguez-Pascua, M.A., Perez-Lopez, R., Silva, P.G., Giner- Robles, J.L., Garduno-Monroy, V.H. and Reicherter, K. 2011. A Comprehensive Classification of Earthquake Archaeological Effects (EAE) for Archaeoseismology. Quaternary International, 242, 20-30.

  7. Nutriendo la Promesa: Materiales Para la Aplicacion de las Normas de Ejecucion del Programa Head Start. Guia Para la Utilizacion de los Materiales [y] Transparencias (Nurturing the Promise: Set of Training Materials on the Head Start Program Performance Standards. User's Guide [and] Set of Transparencies).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Educational Services, Inc., Washington, DC.

    Since 1975, the Head Start Program Performance Standards have defined the services that local programs are required to provide to enrolled children and families. With revisions effective in 1998, the Program Performance Standards translate the Head Start vision into quality practices implemented at the local level. This document is comprised of a…

  8. Soil Erosion Risk Map based on irregularity of the vegetative activity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saa-Requejo, Antonio; Tarquis, Ana Maria; Martín-Sotoca, Juan J.; Valencia, Jose L.; Gobin, Anne; Rodriguez-Sinobas, Leonor

    2016-04-01

    Fournier Index on NDVI values seems to synthesize the different parameters of the USLE, referring to rainfall, soil, geomorphology and vegetation cover. Acknowledgements Authors are grateful to TALE project (CICYT PCIN-2014-080) and DURERO project (Env.C1.3913442) for their financial support. References Fournier, F. (1960), Climat et erosion. P.U.F. Paris. Jensen, J.R. (2000). Remote Sensing of the Environment: An Earth Resource Perpective, Prentice Hall, New Jersey. Martínez Sotoca, J. J. (2014) estructura espacial de la sequía en pastos y sus aplicaciones en el seguro agrario indexado. (In Spanish) Master Thesis, UPM. Shamshad, A., Azhari M.N., Isaac, M.H., wan Hussin, W.M.A., Parida, B.P.. (2008). Development of an appropriate procedure for estimation of RUSLE EI30 index and preparation of erosivity maps for Pulau Penang in Peninsular Malaysia. Catena, 72, 423-432. van der Knijff, J.M., Jones, R.J.A., Montanarella, L. (1999). Soil Erosion Risk Assessment Italy Soil Erosion Risk Assessment in Italy. European Commission Soil Bureau Joint Research Centre European Commission. EUR 19022EN.

  9. Synthesis of Pure Ca(OH)2 Nanoparticles and Superhydrophobic Suspensions: Consolidation and Waterproofing of Architectural Heritage Materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Madrid Mendoza, Juan Antonio

    El objetivo de esta tesis es investigar sobre la sintesis, propiedades y aplicaciones de las nanoparticulas de Ca(OH)2 para consolidar materiales patrimoniales arquitectonicos. Las nanoparticulas de Ca(OH)2 se han utilizado recientemente en la conservacion del patrimonio, aunque algunos aspectos de la sintesis no son completamente comprendidos. En el presente estudio, hemos desarrollado metodos optimizados para obtener nanoparticulas de alta pureza mediante sintesis de fase homogenea y heterogenea utilizando diferentes materiales de partida. Se han realizado del orden de cien sintesis en diferentes condiciones para comprobar la validez y fiabilidad del metodo sintetico. Los resultados confirman que la temperatura de reaccion tiene una gran influencia en el tamano y la morfologia de las nanoparticulas de Ca(OH)2. Ademas, se ha investigado la estabilidad de las nanoparticulas a lo largo del tiempo en mezclas de 2-propanol / agua, en las que se encontro que la ausencia de agua era critica para evitar la aglomeracion de Ca(OH)2. Una vez dispersas en 2-propanol, las nanoparticulas se han utilizado para consolidar sustratos reales (piedra, adobe y estuco) confirmando su alto rendimiento en terminos de consolidacion superficial y - cuando se mezcla con ciertos surfactantes - en reduccion de la absorcion de agua. Asimismo, se ha investigado el uso de nanoparticulas modificadas basadas en M(OH)2, donde M=Ca2+, Mg2+, con el objetivo de mejorar tanto la cohesion superficial como la durabilidad de los materiales patrimoniales (p. ej. piedra Tabaire). Finalmente, el tratamiento de consolidacion basado en nanoparticulas puras de Ca(OH)2 se utilizo en emplazamientos con valor patrimonial, como edificios historicos y yacimientos arqueologicos (Teatro Romano de Cartagena) obteniendo resultados satisfactorios. The aim of this thesis is to investigate on the synthesis, properties and applications of Ca(OH)2 nanoparticles to consolidate architectural heritage materials. Ca(OH)2

  10. Weathering landforms exposure and erosion phases in Pedriza de Manzanares (Spanish Central Range)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    García-Rodríguez, M.; Centeno Carrillo, J. D.; Alvarez de Buergo, M.

    2012-04-01

    -something well known from the work by Twidale and Borne (1975) and Twidale (2002) when they studied the episodic exposure of these landforms. Now, we can identify some correlation between variables like taffoni's magnitude, regolith-outcrop ratio and taffoni organization in levels. In addition, these levels of taffoni allow us to identify several phases of regolith erosion in most regolith unit, in different settings and altitudes. Centeno, J.D., García Rodríguez, M. and Moya Palomares, M.E. (2010). Influence of granite landforms on water balance in semi-arid and humid climates. Cadernos Lab. Xeolóxico de Laxe. Coruña 35, 99-108 García Rodríguez, M., Centeno, J.D. and De Pablo, M.A. (2008). Relieve y agua en regiones graníticas: un modelo cuantitativo con aplicaciones en la gestión del agua y la geodiversidad. M+A Revista Electrónic@ de Medioambiente. UCM. Vol. 5: 26-40. Twidale, C.R. and Bourne, J.A. (1975). Episodic exposure of inselbergs. Geological Society of America Bulletin, 86: 1473-1481. Twidale, C.R. (2002). The two-stage concept of landform and landscape development involving etching: origin, development and implications of an idea. Earth-Science Reviews, 57 (1-2): 37-74.

  11. Cálculos ab initio con correlación electrónica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Merchán Bonete, M.

    campo, y se reflejan en libros publicados recientemente. En la conferencia se analizarán ciertos pormenores de las investigaciones realizadas. El tipo de aplicaciones llevadas a cabo hasta la fecha se ilustrará mediante el estudio teórico del espectro electrónico de ciclooctatetraeno. Dando un paso más en la evolución de nuestra investigación, pretendemos en la actualidad describir, desde un formalismo teórico y al mismo nivel de exigencia, los mecanismos subyacentes que tienen lugar en las reacciones biológicas fototoinducidas, es decir, reacciones que se inician mediante la absorción de luz[3]. Como muestra de la caracterización de los procesos fotofísicos y fotoquímicos en fotobiología teórica, hemos elegido la descripción de la conversión interna ultrarrápida que tiene lugar en los cromóforos del ADN. Los estados excitados de las moléculas de los ácidos nucleicos presentan tiempos de vida media que se encuentran en el rango de sub-picosegundos, sugiriendo la presencia de un canal ultrarrápido de conversión interna, lo que normalmente se asocia en la fotoquímica contemporánea a una intersección cónica entre el estado excitado y el fundamental[4]. De esta forma nuestro ADN previene de forma eficaz posibles reacciones en el estado excitado y se revela como un excelente protector solar.

  12. Influence of plant productivity over variability of soil respiration: a multi-scale approach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Curiel Yuste, J.

    2009-04-01

    general controlled by the seasonality of substrate supply by plants (via photosynthates translocation and/or litter) to soil. Although soil temperature and soil moisture exert a strong influence over the variation in SR, our results indicates that substrate supply by plant activity could exert a more important than previously expected role in the variability of soil respiration. 1. CREAF (Centre de Recerca Ecológica i Aplicacions Forestals), Unitat d'Ecofisiologia i Canvi Global CREAF-CEAB-CSIC, BELLATERRA (Barcelona), Spain (j.curiel@creaf.uab.es) 2. University of Antwerp (UA), Antwerp, Belgium (ivan.janssens@ua.ac.be) 3. Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria (michael.bahn@uibk.ac.at) 4. UMR Ecologie et Ecophysiologie Forestières, Centre INRA de Nancy, France (longdoz@nancy.inra.fr) 5. ESPM, University of Calicornia at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, US (baldocchi@nature.berkeley.edu) 6. The Woods Hole Research Center, Falmouth, USA (edavidson@whrc.org) 7. Max-Planck-Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany (markus.reichstein@bgc-jena.mpg.de) 8. Institute of Systems Biology and Ecology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Czech Republic (manuel@brno.cas.cz) 9. Università degli studi della Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy (arriga@unitus.it) 10. Laurence Berkeley lab, Berkeley, CA, USA (mstorn@lbl.gov) 11. Gembloux Agricultural University, Gembloux, Belgium (aubinet.m@fsagx.ac.be) 12. Fundacion CEAM(Centro de Estudios Ambientales del Mediterráneo), Valencia, Spain (arnaud@ceam.es) 13. Institute of Hydrology and Meteorology, Technische Universität Dresden, Pienner, Germany (gruenwald@forst.tu-dresden.de) 14. Department of Environmental Sciences, Second University of Naples, Caserta, Italy (ilaria.inglima@unina2.it) 15. CNRS-CEFE Montpellier, France (Laurent.MISSON@cefe.cnrs.fr) 16. Agenzia Provinciale per l'Ambiente, Bolzano, Italy (leonar@inwind.it) 17. University of Helsinki Department of Forest Ecology, Helsinki, Finland (jukka

  13. Estudio numerico y experimental del proceso de soldeo MIG sobre la aleacion 6063--T5 utilizando el metodo de Taguchi

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Meseguer Valdenebro, Jose Luis

    curvas de enfriamiento y la curva TTP. Para finalizar el trabajo de investigacion se ha realizado una optimizacion, con la aplicacion del metodo de Taguchi, de los parametros de soldeo con el objetivo de obtener una mejora sustancial en las propiedades mecanicas de las uniones metalicas de aluminio.

  14. PREFACE: XVII Congress of Bioengineering and VI Clinical Engineering Conference

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rocha, Darío

    2011-09-01

    at least 12 different countries. In the three days of planned activities, more than 800 participants were registered and over 2000 people visited the associated expo. Several symposia and thematic meetings were held simultaneously. Around 207 works were presented, each evaluated by two referees, and 181 presentations were finally accepted. The organizers of the Congress proposed that the 14 best works be published in the Journal of Physics Conference Series. A few of the speakers deserve a special mention: James Lin, PhD, USA, Wireless noninvasive sensing and physiological signatures and vital signs; Luis Kun, PhD, USA, Biomedical Engineering and Global Health Transformation: A vision of opportunities and challenges; Mario Munich, PhD, USA, Avances en Robótica y Aplicaciones en Salud (Advances in robotics and health applications); Jose Folgueras, PhD, Cuba, Generación de productos de alto valor agregado a través del conocimiento (Generating products adding value through knowledge); Daniel Goroso, PhD, Brazil, Avanço e tecnología en Medicina Física y Rehabilitación (Advances in technology in physical medicine and rehab); Adolfo Spangenberg, PhD, Brazil, Telemedicine and Health - New perspectivas in development countries; Francisco Rojo Pérez, PhD, Spain, Propiedades del Comportamiento Mecánico y la rotura de la aorta humana (Properties of mechanical behaviour and rupture of the human aorta); and Eduardo de Forteza, PhD, Argentina, La fusión del humanismo médico y la tecnología (Fusion between medical humanism and technology), among others. We would like to thank the institutions, universities, government bodies, and private enterprises that supported and facilitated this Congress, and the members of the Organizing Commitee: Eng David Astegiano (Science and Technology State Minister), Eng Carlos Cerruti (Past President of the Rosario Tecnology Center), Eng Viviana Rotger (Past President of SABI) and MSc Guillermo Civetta (Manager of RTP). The members of the

  15. Reliability and construct validity of the Instrument to Measure the Impact of Valve Heart Disease on the Patient's Daily Life.

    PubMed

    Anjos, Daniela Brianne Martins Dos; Rodrigues, Roberta Cunha Matheus; Padilha, Kátia Melissa; Pedrosa, Rafaela Batista Dos Santos; Gallani, Maria Cecília Bueno Jayme

    2016-12-19

    édio de 9,9 minutos e com 110% de respostas, respectivamente. Constatados efeitos teto e chão para todos os domínios, principalmente efeito chão. A confiabilidade foi testada por meio do teste-teste de repetição, obtendo-se evidências de estabilidade temporal da medida. Foram constatadas correlações negativas significantes de moderada a forte magnitude entre o escore da questão genérica sobre o impacto da doença e os escores do IDCV, o que aponta para validade de construto convergente do instrumento. o Instrumento para Mensuração do Impacto da Doença no Cotidiano do Valvopata apresentou evidências de confiabilidade e validade quando aplicado em pacientes com valvopatia. evaluar la viabilidad, aceptabilidad y los efectos techo y suelo, estimar la confiabilidad y verificar la validez de constructo convergente del Instrumento para Medir el Impacto en lo Cotidiano (IDCV) del sujeto con valvulopatías mitral y/o aórtica. los datos fueron obtenidos de 86 pacientes con valvulopatías por medio de tres etapas: una entrevista presencial para caracterización sociodemográfica y clínica y las otras dos realizadas por medio de contacto telefónico para las aplicaciones del instrumento (test y test de repetición). en cuanto a la viabilidad y aceptabilidad, el instrumento fue aplicado con un tiempo promedio de 9,9 minutos y con 110% de respuestas, respectivamente. Fueron constatados los efectos techo y suelo para todos los dominios, principalmente el efecto suelo. La confiabilidad fue comprobada por medio del test de repetición, obteniéndose evidencias de estabilidad temporal de la medida. Fueron constatadas correlaciones negativas significativas de moderada a fuerte magnitud entre el puntaje de la pregunta genérica sobre el impacto de la enfermedad y los puntajes del IDCV, lo que apunta para la validez de constructo convergente del instrumento. el instrumento para medir el impacto de la valvulopatía en lo cotidiano del sujeto, presentó evidencias de

  16. GIS-based hydrogeological databases and groundwater modelling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gogu, Radu Constantin; Carabin, Guy; Hallet, Vincent; Peters, Valerie; Dassargues, Alain

    2001-12-01

    'applications qui ont été développées permet dès maintenant de prochaines avancées. L'intérêt grandit pour le potentiel d'intégration de la technologie des SIG et les modèles de simulation des nappes. Un outil de couplage a été créé entre le schéma de base de données spatiales et l'interface GMS (GroundWater Modelling System, système de modélisation de nappe) du modèle numérique de nappe. Suivant les requêtes en fonction du temps et de l'espace, les données hydrogéologiques stockées dans la base de données peuvent être aisément utilisées dans différents modèles numériques de nappes. Resumen. La fiabilidad y validez de los análisis de aguas subterráneas dependen enormemente de la disponibilidad de muchos datos de alta calidad. Integrarlos en una estructura consistente y lógica mediante un entorno informático sirve para asegurar su validez y disponibilidad, y rrepresenta una herramienta muy potente para ulteriores estudios hidrogeológicos. Se ha diseñado en la región de Valonia (Bélgica) una base de datos hidrogeológica basada en un sistema de información geográfica (GIS), con el que se dispone de útiles para elaborar análisis de vulnerabilidad y modelos hidregeológicos. Se ha utilizado datos de cinco cuencas fluviales, elegidas por sus características hidrogeológicas contrastadas, así como un conjunto de aplicaciones desarrolladas con vistas al futuro. El interés por el potencial que ofrece la integración de la tecnología GIS y los modelos de simulación de aguas subterráneas está en auge. Se ha desarrollado un "emulador" que integra el esquema espacial de la base de datos y la interfaz GMS (GroundWater Modelling System) de modelación numérica de aguas subterráneas. A partir de búsquedas temporales y espaciales, los datos hidrogeológicos almacenados en la base de datos pueden ser utilizados fácilmente en modelos numéricos diferentes de aguas subterráneas.

  17. The use of laboratory experiments for the study of conservative solute transport in heterogeneous porous media

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Silliman, S. E.; Zheng, L.; Conwell, P.

    éories stochastiques récentes. En outre, la technologie des capteurs de pression et les méthodes de visualisation donnent la possibilité d'utiliser les ISE pour caractériser les distributions spatiales à la fois de la piézométrie et de la vitesse locale de l'eau dans un champs de perméabilités corrélées. Finalement, des méthodes variées peuvent être utilisées pour caractériser les variations temporelles de la distribution spatiale (et, par conséquent, les moments spatiaux) des concentrations de soluté dans les ISE. En conclusion, donc, des développements récents des techniques expérimentales ont fourni l'occasion d'utiliser les ISE comme d'importants outils d'étude en continu des écoulement de fluides et de transport de solutés conservatifs dans des milieux poreux saturés hétérogènes. Resumen Los experimentos de laboratorio en medio poroso heterogéneo (conocidos como Experimentos a Escala Intermedia o ISE) están cada vez mejor considerados para el estudio de los sistemas saturados y no saturados. Entre las muchas aplicaciones de los ISE se encuentra el estudio del flujo y el transporte de solutos conservativos en medios con permeabilidad que presentan una cierta estructura de correlación. Avances recientes en el diseño de los ISE han proporcionado la capacidad de crear medios de este tipo en el laboratorio. Esta capacidad es importante para la aplicación de los ISE a la evaluación de las teorías estocásticas recientes. Además, la tecnología de los transductores de presión y los métodos de visualización han permitido que los ISE se usen para caracterizar la distribución espacial de niveles hidráulicos y de las velocidades locales del agua en campos de permeabilidad con determinada correlación espacial. Finalmente, existen varios métodos para caracterizar las variaciones temporales en la distribución espacial (y por tanto los momentos estadísticos espaciales) de la concentración de solutos en los ISE. Se concluye que los desarrollos

  18. Seguridad del paciente en Radioterapia Intraoperatoria: Impacto de los elementos controlados por el Radiofisico

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tarjuelo, Juan Lopez

    Introduccion: En la administracion de la radioterapia intervienen profesionales y equipos de tratamiento, por lo que existe el riesgo de error y se precisa que dicho equipamiento funcione conforme a lo esperado. A los radiofisicos les corresponde participar en las actividades de garantia o aseguramiento de la calidad, incluyendo el control de calidad de los equipos, y en la evaluacion de los riesgos asociados. La radioterapia intraoperatoria (RIO) es una tecnica radioterapica de intensificacion de dosis, altamente selectiva, dirigida a volumenes anatomicos restringidos durante el tratamiento quirurgico oncologico, basada en la administracion de una dosis absorbida alta por medio de un haz de electrones tras el examen visual directo del lecho tumoral. Como incorporar los ultimos avances en el refuerzo de la seguridad en radioterapia es una tarea ambiciosa y compleja, resulta mas concreta y de inmediata aplicacion su introduccion en la RIO. El objetivo es analizar los elementos que reducen los riesgos y aumentan la seguridad en la RIO y su dosimetria, y valorar la funcion del radiofisico en esta labor. Material y metodos: Se emplearon el planificador Radiance de GMV y el acelerador lineal de los tratamientos de RIO Elekta Precise, controlado con el verificador diario de haces Daily QA Check 1090 y medido con las camaras de ionizacion PPC 40, FC65-G y FC65-P de PTW-Freiburg, a su vez verificadas con fuentes radiactivas adecuadas de estroncio-90 modelos CDP y CDC de IBA Dosimetry. Se realizo un analisis de modos de fallo y efectos (failure mode and effect analysis, FMEA) con el fin de identificar los elementos que forman la RIO y aplicar las herramientas necesarias para la minimizacion de los riesgos y la mejora de la seguridad en la tecnica. Se estudiaron las verificaciones diarias de dicho acelerador Precise con el control estadistico de procesos (statistical process control, SPC) y se simularon intervenciones para devolverlo al estado llamado en control. El SPC

  19. Dealing with spatial heterogeneity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marsily, Gh.; Delay, F.; Gonçalvès, J.; Renard, Ph.; Teles, V.; Violette, S.

    2005-03-01

    ían estar más enfocados en mejorar los modelos de facies, en establecer comparaciones y en diseñar nuevos procedimientos para pruebas in-situ (incuyendo la geofísica) que pueden ayudar a identificar la geometría de las facies y sus propiedades. Un catálogo global de la geometría de las facies de los acuíferos y sus características, que podría combinar la génesis de los sitios y descripciones de los métodos utilizados para evaluar el sistema, sería de gran valor para las aplicaciones prácticas.

  20. PFI-ZEKE (Pulsed Field Ionization-Zero Electron Kinetic Energy) para el estudio de iones

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Castaño, F.; Fernández, J. A.; Basterretxea, A. Longarte. F.; Sánchez Rayo, M. N.; Martínez, R.

    Entre las áreas hacia donde ha evolucionado la Química en los últimos años están los estudios de sistemas con especies reactivas de alta energía y los dominados por fuerzas intermoleculares débiles, con energías de unas pocas kcal/mol. En efecto, el estudio de las propiedades de los iones, comenzando por su relación con la molécula neutra de la que procede, la energía de ionización, los estados vibracionales y rotacionales, energías de enlace de Van der Waals entre el ión y una amplia variedad de otras moléculas, sus confórmeros o isómeros y sus reacciones o semi-reacciones químicas están en la raíz de la necesidad de la espectroscopía conocida como PFI-ZEKE, Pulsed Field Ionization-Zero Electron Kinetic Energy. Entre las aplicaciones que requieren estos conocimientos se encuentran la generación de plasmas para la fabricación de semiconductores, memorias magnéticas, etc, así como los sistemas astrofísicos, la ionosfera terrestre, etc. La espectroscopía ZEKE es una evolución de las de fluorescencia inducida por láser, LIF, ionización multifotónica acrecentada por resonancia, REMPI, con uno y dos colores y acoplada a un sistema de tiempo de vuelo, REMPI-TOF-MS, y las espectroscopías de doble resonancia IR-UV y UV-UV. Sus espectros y la ayuda de cálculos ab inicio permite determinar las energías de enlace de complejos de van der Waals en estados fundamental y excitados, identificar confórmeros e isómeros, obtener energías de ionización experimentales aproximadas (100 cm-1) y otras variables de interés. Al igual que con LIF, REMPI y dobles resonancias, es posible utilizar muestras gaseosas, pero los espectros están muy saturados de bandas y su interpretación es difícil o imposible. Se evitan estas dificultades estudiando las moléculas o complejos en expansiones supersónicas, donde la T de los grados de libertad solo alcanzan unos pocos K. Para realizar experimentos de ZEKE hay que utilizar una propiedad recientemente

  1. Geochemistry and the understanding of ground-water systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Glynn, Pierre D.; Plummer, L. Niel

    2005-03-01

    mecanismos de flujo y transporte en sistemas de agua subterránea, y han ayudado a descifrar un archivo de información paleoambiental. Información hidroquímica e isotópica puede utilizarse para interpretar el origen y modo de recarga de agua subterránea, descifrar procesos reactivos, aportar información paleohidrológica, y calibrar modelos de flujo de agua subterránea. Necesita avanzarse en la obtención de muestras representativas. Se necesitan mejoras en la interpretación de la información obtenida y en la construcción e interpretación de modelos numéricos que utilizan datos hidroquímicos. El mejor enfoque asegurará un proceso iterativo optimizado entre toma y análisis de datos de campo, interpretación, y la aplicación de herramientas de modelizado estadísticas, directas, e inversas. Se anticipan avancesa partir de investigaciones microbiológicas, la caracterización de orgánicos naturales, caracterización isotópica, aplicaciones de mediciones de gas disuelto, y los campos de cinética de reacción y procesos acoplados. Se ofrece una perspectiva termodinámica que podría facilitar la comparación y entendimiento de los múltiples procesos físicos, químicos, y biológicos que afectan sistemas de aguas subterráneas.

  2. Chlorine-36 and the initial value problem

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Davis, Stanley N.; Cecil, DeWayne; Zreda, Marek; Sharma, Pankaj

    atmosféricos. También se produjeron grandes cantidades en las pruebas termonucleares que tuvieron lugar entre 1952-58. Al tratarse de un anión monovalente, el cloruro es la forma más común en que se presenta el cloro en la hidrosfera, y al ser extremadamente móvil en sistemas acuosos, los análisis tanto de Cl- total como de 36Cl han tenido gran importancia en muchos estudios hidrológicos. En la mayoría de aplicaciones del 36Cl, el conocimiento de los niveles iniciales (pre-antropogénicos) de 36Cl es esencial. Los métodos tradicionales para la determinación de los valores iniciales han sido: (a) calcular la producción cosmogénica teórica y su aporte a la superficie de la Tierra, que varía en función de la latitud; (b) medir el 36Cl en las precipitaciones actuales, asumiendo que las contribuciones antropogénicas son despreciables; (c) asumir que las aguas subterráneas más superficiales mantienen la concentración inicial; (d) extraer los contenidos de 36Cl en perfiles verticales profundos en suelos desérticos (e) realizar la misma operación en muestras de hielo glaciar; y (f) calcular la producción subsuperficial de 36Cl para un agua que lleva sin contacto con la atmósfera durante más de un millón de años. El valor inicial de los perfiles de suelo y de las muestras de hielo se toma como el valor que se presenta directamente por debajo del punto que marca el pico producido por las bombas, y que es fácilmente identificable. Los seis métodos tienen sus puntos débiles. Entre los factores que complican la interpretación se incluyen las concentraciones de 36Cl no relacionadas con fuentes cosmogénicas, las variaciones temporales en la producción cosmogénica, la mezcla de fuentes de cloruro en las aguas subterráneas, el deshielo y recongelación del agua en los glaciares, y la recarga estacional que contiene concentraciones de 36Cl que no se corresponden con el promedio anual.

  3. The future of stochastic and upscaling methods in hydrogeology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nœtinger, Benoît; Artus, Vincent; Zargar, Ghassem

    2005-03-01

    las influencias respectivas de varios fenómenos relevantes geológicos y físico-químicos que ocurren en varios rangos de escalas espaciales y escalas temporales así como entender y utilizar modelos geoestadísticos complejos y cada vez más acaudalados para aportar simulaciones realisticas de los condiciones del subsuelo. La simulación en escalas múltiples del transporte de fluidos en estas formaciones debería de ayudar a los ingenieros a enfocarse en fenómenos cruciales que controlan el flujo. Esto aporta un marco natural para integrar datos, resolver problemas inversos que involucran gran cantidad de datos, resultando en una reducción de las incertidumbres de la descripción del subsuelo que tiene que evaluarse. Esto permite a la vez tomar más decisiones practicas relevantes. En este artículo se presentan algunas perspectivas sobre el desarrollo de los enfoques de escala alta, resaltando algunos conceptos de escalas múltiples recientes, descartando el caso de medio fracturado. La escala alta puede utilizarse como un marco útil para manejar simultáneamente problemas dependientes de escala, enfoques estocásticos y problemas inversos. Se enfatiza las aplicaciones reales y potenciales de escala alta para la elaboración de modelos subsuperficiales confrontados con datos observados, y el manejo de incertidumbres y estudios de sensitividad en un marco global de escalas múltiples. En particular, la escala a lta puede ayudar a encontrar los parámetros que controlan el comportamiento global del flujo. Finalmente, los enfoques de escala alta de ecuaciones de transporte no lineal aparecen como una nueva frontera en esta área de la investigación.