Geological and Geomorphological Cartography at Scale 1: 10.000: a Tool of Management for Towns

Geological and geomorphological mapping at scale 1:10.000 besides from being an important source of scientific information it is also a necessary tool for municipal organs in order to make proper decisions when dealing with geo-environmental problems concerning integral territorial development. In this work, detailed information is given on the contents of such maps, their social and economical application, and a balance of the investment and gains that derives from them

1.84 micron emission of Tm3+ sensitized by Yb3+ ions in monoclinic KGd(WO4)2 single crystals

By exciting at 940 nm, we have characterized the 1.84 m near infrared emission of trivalent thulium ions in Yb3+, Tm3+:KGd WO4 2 single crystals as a function of the dopant concentration and temperature, from 10 K to room temperature. An overall 3H6 Stark splitting of 470 cm−1 for the Tm3+ ions in the Yb3+, Tm3+:KGd WO4 2 was obtained. We also studied the blue emission at 476 nm Tm3+ and the near infrared emissions at 1.48 m Tm3+ and 1 m Yb3+ as a function of the dopant concentration. Experimental decay times of the 1G4, 3H4, and 3F4 Tm3+ and 2F5/2 Yb3+ excited states have been measured as a function of Yb3+ and Tm3+ ion concentrations. For the 3F4 →3H6 transition of Tm3+ ions, we used the reciprocity method to calculate the maximum emission cross section of 3.07 10−20 cm2 at 1.84 m for the polarization parallel to the Nm principal optical direction.

Disseny i implementació d'una etapa d'acondicionament per a mesures de conductivitat realitzades amb un microscopi de forces atòmiques

En aquest treball, s’ha dissenyat un mòdul d’acondicionament a fi de millorar les mesures de conductivitat realitzades amb un AFM (Microscopi de Forces Atòmiques). L’equip actual disposa d’un preamplificador de baix soroll amb un guany de 10 10V/A. Donat que els corrents que es pretenen mesurar són extremadament petits (~pA), s’ha dissenyat un filtre per eliminar diferents fonts de soroll, com ara el soroll que introdueix la xarxa elèctrica a 50Hz. Es pretén reduir aquesta component freqüencial un factor mínim de 10 (20dB). També s’ha afegit un filtre passa baixos per eliminar els soroll que es troba fora de l’amplada de banda del preamplificador. S’ha introduït una etapa d’amplificació de guany variable: 1, 10 i 100 per augmentar la flexibilitat de l’equip i finalment també s’ha dissenyat una etapa per eliminar la tensió d’offset d’aquest amplificador. L’abast del treball anirà des del disseny fins la implementació final sobre una placa PCB.

El dret civil català davant la transposició de la directiva 2008/112, relativa a certs aspectes contractuals de l’aprofitament per torns de béns mobles i immobles

L’objectiu principal d’aquest estudi consisteix a determinar quines implicacions té en l’ordenament jurídic civil català l’aprovació de la Directiva 2008/122, del Parlament Europeu i del Consell, 14.1.2009, relativa a la protecció dels consumidors respecte a determinats aspectes dels contractes d’aprofitament per torn de béns d’ús turístic, d’adquisició de productes de vacances de llarga durada, de revenda i d’intercanvi.

Tetralogía de Fallot: rescate evolutivo del remodelado ventricular derecho tras la sustitución valvular pulmonar

La insuficiencia pulmonar después de la reparación de la Tetralogía de Fallot ocasiona una dilatación del ventrículo derecho, IT y/o empeoramiento de la CF. El momento de la cirugía viene marcado por la presencia de la clínica y/o dilatación ventrículo derecho. El motivo del presente estudio es realizar una revisión de los pacientes sometidos a sustitución valvular pulmonar, un seguimiento clínico y ecocardiográfico. MÉTODOS Desde enero 2003 a enero 2009, 33 pacientes fueron sometidos a una cirugía de sustitución valvular pulmonar. El 41 % de los pacientes fueron mujeres y el 59 % varones. La edad media de los pacientes fue de 31,3 años, ( 18 - 63 a ). La edad media de la primera intervención fue a los 3,8 años ( 6 meses – 28 años ). Sólo un paciente no había sido sometido a ningún tipo de intervención en la infancia, realizándose una cirugía paliativa – correctora a los 28 años. La indicación de intervención quirúrgica vino marcada por la presencia de clínica en 11 pacientes ( 37 %) y por dilatación VD, ( única o asintomática) en 18 pacientes ( 62%). RESULTADOS No hubo mortalidad operatoria con una estancia media post IQ de 15,21 días ( 9- 27 días). Se analizan los resultados quirúrgicos de estos pacientes a tres niveles: Clínica y tolerancia al esfuerzo en postoperatorio inmediato y tardío. Eventos arrítmicos en el postoperatorio inmediato y seguimiento y Parámetros ecocardiográficos en postoperatorio inmediato y tardío. (Dimensiones cavidades derechas y función contráctil del VD ( TAPSE )).En el seguimiento al año de la intervención ningún paciente presentaba clínica de IP. El 67 % de los pacientes fueron intervenidos manteniéndose asintomáticos con un 37% ( 11 pacientes ) de eventos arrítmicos pre cirugía ( 9 ; 31 % pacientes) fueron sometidos a ablación precirugía y 3 pacientes ( 10 %) requirieron implante de un dispositivo DAI. Después de la cirugía el 86 % de los pacientes, 24 pacientes, se mantenían en CF I; 3 pacientes ( 10 %) continuaron presentando eventos arrítmicos y un solo paciente requirió implante de DAI. El remodelado del VD al año y medio de seguimiento presentó una reducción del 11 % respecto al diámetro teledistólico precirugía ( DTDV x 54,43 ( 41-70 mm), postcirugía ( DTDV x 44,29 ( 32-61), p ≤ 0,01; sin encontrar diferencias significativas en la reducción del dTS pre/postcirugía. La función del VD ( TAPSE pre IQ 16,35 ( 13-229;postcirugía inmediata 15,54 ( 11-23) y al año 17,5. El gradiente medio es inferior al 15 mmHg en el 84 % de los pacientes portadores de válvula biológica. 11 pacientes ≤ 11 mmHg ( 44 %); 10 pacientes ≤ 15 mm Hg ( 40 %). CONCLUSIONES En este estudio realizado en el Hospital Vall d’Hebron, la sustitución valvular pulmonar en pacientes afectos de una Tetralogía de Fallot mejora los diámetros ventriculares, la función contráctil y por lo tanto la capacidad funcional de los mismos. En los pacientes sometidos a Estudio electrofisiológicos que no presentaron inducción de eventos arrítmicos ventriculares, no han presentado episodios arrítmicos tras la cirugía de sustitución valvular pulmonar. Todos los pacientes se mantienen en Clase funcional I tras la cirugía y libres de reintervención con un seguimiento medio de 16,9 ( 5-33 ) meses. Los factores de riesgo para presentar una peor evolución son un retraso en la corrección inicial de la TOF y por lo tanto aparición de enfermedad pulmonar por hipertensión vascular subyacente, edad avanzada en el momento del PVR, deterioro funcional preoperatorio con Clase Funcional según NYHA ( III- IV), o bien aparición de eventos arrítmicos.

Reducción del tiempo de ventilación mecánica optimizando la sedación mediante monitor de análisis biesprectral

Estudio clínico, prospectivo y randomizado. Se incluyeron 85 pacientes, 31 monitorizados mediante BIS®. No se encontraron diferencias significativas en cuanto al tiempo (mediana) de ventilación mecánica que fue de 4 (1-10) días en los pacientes con BIS®, y 4 (2-10) días en los no BIS® (p=0,33) , disminución de NAV precoz (10% BIS® y 13,5% no BIS® p=0,46) ni tardía ( 9,7% BIS® y 21,2% no BIS® p=0,15) ni dosis de sedantes. Sin diferencias en cuanto a la estancia (mediana) en UCI (7,5 (2-17) días para el grupo BIS® y de 7,5 (4-19) días para el grupo no BIS®, p=0,51); ni hospitalaria (20 (12-36) días para el grupo BIS® y 20 (9-32) días para el grupo no BIS®, p=0,57).

Estudio de la presión intraabdominal en el paciente quemado (EPIAPQ): Resultados preliminares

Se realizó un estudio observacional prospectivo, durante 6 meses, para determinar la incidencia y prevalencia de HIA y de SCA en pacientes grandes quemados, incluyendo todos los pacientes mayores de edad con quemaduras &20% superficie corporal total (SCT). n=10 pacientes, 8 (80%) = HIA, 1 (10%) = SCA. Incidencia de HIA = 0,6 casos/paciente-día, SCA = 0,1 casos/paciente-día. Ninguno de los pacientes sin HIA desarrolló ninguna disfunción orgánica; el 7 (87,5%) de los pacientes con HIA presentaron al menos un fallo orgánico. Así pues, en pacientes gran quemados la HIA presenta una importante prevalencia y se asocia a fallos orgánicos.

Calorimetry of dehydrogenation and dangling-bond recombination in several hydrogenated amorphous silicon materials

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to study the dehydrogenation processes that take place in three hydrogenated amorphous silicon materials: nanoparticles, polymorphous silicon, and conventional device-quality amorphous silicon. Comparison of DSC thermograms with evolved gas analysis (EGA) has led to the identification of four dehydrogenation processes arising from polymeric chains (A), SiH groups at the surfaces of internal voids (A'), SiH groups at interfaces (B), and in the bulk (C). All of them are slightly exothermic with enthalpies below 50 meV/H atoms , indicating that, after dissociation of any SiH group, most dangling bonds recombine. The kinetics of the three low-temperature processes [with DSC peak temperatures at around 320 (A),360 (A'), and 430°C (B)] exhibit a kinetic-compensation effect characterized by a linea relationship between the activation entropy and enthalpy, which constitutes their signature. Their Si-H bond-dissociation energies have been determined to be E (Si-H)0=3.14 (A), 3.19 (A'), and 3.28 eV (B). In these cases it was possible to extract the formation energy E(DB) of the dangling bonds that recombine after Si-H bond breaking [0.97 (A), 1.05 (A'), and 1.12 (B)]. It is concluded that E(DB) increases with the degree of confinement and that E(DB)>1.10 eV for the isolated dangling bond in the bulk. After Si-H dissociation and for the low-temperature processes, hydrogen is transported in molecular form and a low relaxation of the silicon network is promoted. This is in contrast to the high-temperature process for which the diffusion of H in atomic form induces a substantial lattice relaxation that, for the conventional amorphous sample, releases energy of around 600 meV per H atom. It is argued that the density of sites in the Si network for H trapping diminishes during atomic diffusion

Características geológicas y geotécnicas de los lodos de flotación de la Sierra Minera de Cartagena-La Unión (SE España)

We present the results of a geological and geotechnical characterization of the metallurgic waste from the Sierra Minera de Cartagena-La Union. We have studied eight tailings dams from which we collected and analysed 42 samples of metallurgic waste. We measured grainsize distribution, the specific gravity of solid particles, plasticity index, permeability, both in situ and in the laboratory, direct shear characteristicsand moisture content. According to size distribution the tailings can be classified as sandy silt. Their plasticity index ranges from medium to nil. The internal friction angle varies between 28 and 42 degrees. Cohesion is between 0 and 2.2 t/m2. The specific gravity of the solid particles ranges widely from 1.8 to 4 g/cm3. The saturated hydraulic conductivity values vary between 1.3x 10-5 and 3.2x 10-9 m/s.The water content measured in situ shows that the degree of saturation remains relatively high despite low rainfall and high evaporation rates. Several tailings dams have failed. The leading causes of tailings-dam failure are: 1) slope instability; 2) overflow; 3) erosion; and 4) subsidence or collapse. The main factor leading to dam failure is that the tailings stored in the ponds are highly saturated

GIS-based debris flow source and runout susceptibility assessment from DEM data - a case study in NW Nicaragua

In October 1998, Hurricane Mitch triggered numerous landslides (mainly debris flows) in Honduras and Nicaragua, resulting in a high death toll and in considerable damage to property. The potential application of relatively simple and affordable spatial prediction models for landslide hazard mapping in developing countries was studied. Our attention was focused on a region in NW Nicaragua, one of the most severely hit places during the Mitch event. A landslide map was obtained at 1:10 000 scale in a Geographic Information System (GIS) environment from the interpretation of aerial photographs and detailed field work. In this map the terrain failure zones were distinguished from the areas within the reach of the mobilized materials. A Digital Elevation Model (DEM) with 20 m×20 m of pixel size was also employed in the study area. A comparative analysis of the terrain failures caused by Hurricane Mitch and a selection of 4 terrain factors extracted from the DEM which, contributed to the terrain instability, was carried out. Land propensity to failure was determined with the aid of a bivariate analysis and GIS tools in a terrain failure susceptibility map. In order to estimate the areas that could be affected by the path or deposition of the mobilized materials, we considered the fact that under intense rainfall events debris flows tend to travel long distances following the maximum slope and merging with the drainage network. Using the TauDEM extension for ArcGIS software we generated automatically flow lines following the maximum slope in the DEM starting from the areas prone to failure in the terrain failure susceptibility map. The areas crossed by the flow lines from each terrain failure susceptibility class correspond to the runout susceptibility classes represented in a runout susceptibility map. The study of terrain failure and runout susceptibility enabled us to obtain a spatial prediction for landslides, which could contribute to landslide risk mitigation.

A nuclear defect in the 4p16 region predisposes to multiple mitochondrial DNA deletions in families with Wolfram syndrome.

Wolfram syndrome is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder transmitted in an autosomal recessive mode. We report two Wolfram syndrome families harboring multiple deletions of mitochondrial DNA. The deletions reached percentages as high as 85-90% in affected tissues such as the central nervous system of one patient, while in other tissues from the same patient and from other members of the family, the percentages of deleted mitochondrial DNA genomes were only 1-10%. Recently, a Wolfram syndrome gene has been linked to markers on 4p16. In both families linkage between the disease locus and 4p16 markers gave a maximum multipoint lod score of 3.79 at theta = 0 (Pi<0.03) with respect to D4S431. In these families, the syndrome was caused by mutations in this nucleus-encoded gene which deleteriously interacts with the mitochondrial genome. This is the first evidence of the implication of both genomes in a recessive disease.

A nuclear defect in the 4p16 region predisposes to multiple mitochondrial DNA deletions in families with Wolfram syndrome.

Wolfram syndrome is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder transmitted in an autosomal recessive mode. We report two Wolfram syndrome families harboring multiple deletions of mitochondrial DNA. The deletions reached percentages as high as 85-90% in affected tissues such as the central nervous system of one patient, while in other tissues from the same patient and from other members of the family, the percentages of deleted mitochondrial DNA genomes were only 1-10%. Recently, a Wolfram syndrome gene has been linked to markers on 4p16. In both families linkage between the disease locus and 4p16 markers gave a maximum multipoint lod score of 3.79 at theta = 0 (Pi<0.03) with respect to D4S431. In these families, the syndrome was caused by mutations in this nucleus-encoded gene which deleteriously interacts with the mitochondrial genome. This is the first evidence of the implication of both genomes in a recessive disease.

Increasing stair climbing in a train station: effects of contextual variables and visibility

Accumulation of physical activity during daily living is a current public health target that is influenced by the layout of the built environment. This study reports how the layout of the environment may influence responsiveness to an intervention. Pedestrian choices (n = 41 717) between stairs and the adjacent escalators were monitored for seven weeks in a train station (Birmingham, UK). After a 3.5 week baseline period, a stair riser banner intervention to increase stair climbing was installed on two staircases adjacent to escalators and monitoring continued for a further 3.5 weeks. Logistic regression analyses revealed that the visibility of the intervention, defined as the area of visibility in the horizontal plane opposite to the direction of travel (termed the isovist) had a major effect on success of the intervention. Only the largest isovist produced an increase in stair climbing (isovist=77.6 m2, OR = 1.10, CIs 1.02-1.19; isovist=40.7 m2, OR = 0.98, CIs 0.91-1.06; isovist=53.2 m2, OR = 1.00, CIs 0.95-1.06). Additionally, stair climbing was more common during the morning rush hour (OR = 1.56, CIs 1.80-2.59) and at higher levels of pedestrian traffic volume (OR = 1.92, CIs 1.68-2.21). The layout of the intervention site can influence responsiveness to point-of-choice interventions. Changes to the design of train stations may maximize the choice of the stairs at the expense of the escalator by pedestrians leaving the station.

Differences in pharmaceutical consumption and expenses between immigrant and Spanish-born populations in Lleida, (Spain): a 6-months prospective observational study

Background: There are few studies comparing pharmaceutical costs and the use of medications between immigrants and the autochthonous population in Spain. The objective of this study is to evaluate whether there are differences in pharmaceutical consumption and expenses between immigrant and Spanish-born populations. Methods: Prospective observational study in 1,630 immigrants and 4,154 Spanish-born individuals visited by fifteen primary care physicians at five public Primary Care Clinics (PCC) during 2005 in the city of Lleida, Catalonia (Spain). Data on pharmaceutical consumption and expenses was obtained from a comprehensive computerized data-collection system. Multinomial regression models were used to estimate relative risks and confidence intervals of pharmaceutical expenditure, adjusting for age and sex. Results: The percentage of individuals that purchased medications during a six-month period was 53.7% in the immigrant group and 79.2% in the autochthonous group. Pharmaceutical expenses and consumption were lower in immigrants than in autochthonous patients in all age groups and both genders. The relative risks of being in the highest quartile of expenditure, for Spanish-born versus immigrants, were 6.9, 95% CI = (4.2, 11.5) in men and 5.3, 95% CI = (3.5, 8.0) in women, with the reference category being not having any pharmaceutical expenditure. Conclusion: Pharmaceutical expenses are much lower for immigrants with respect to autochthonous patients, both in the percentage of prescriptions filled at pharmacies and the number of containers of medication obtained, as well as the prices of the medications used. Future studies should explore which factors explain the observed differences in pharmaceutical expenses and if these disparities produce health inequalities.

Estudio evaluativo y competencial de las prácticas profesionalizadoras en la titulación de Empresariales y de Administración y Dirección de Empresas

En el estudio presente pretendemos aportar información del programa de prácticas que viene realizándose en la Facultad de Derecho y Economía y, de una forma más específica, respecto a como se ha llevado a cabo su evaluación. Comenzamos con una breve revisión histórica, para después pasar a describir los objetivos, contenidos y el estudio evaluativo de dicho programa de prácticas. Finalmente, se enumeran una serie de propuestas de mejora y adaptación, en relación a las competencias que consideramos debe adquirir el estudiante, que pueden servir de guía de implementación de los practicums en los centros universitarios, con la implementación del espacio común de educación superior europeo.