Debris flow hazard modelling on medium scale: Valtellina di Tirano, Italy

Debris flow hazard modelling at medium (regional) scale has been subject of various studies in recent years. In this study, hazard zonation was carried out, incorporating information about debris flow initiation probability (spatial and temporal), and the delimitation of the potential runout areas. Debris flow hazard zonation was carried out in the area of the Consortium of Mountain Municipalities of Valtellina di Tirano (Central Alps, Italy). The complexity of the phenomenon, the scale of the study, the variability of local conditioning factors, and the lacking data limited the use of process-based models for the runout zone delimitation. Firstly, a map of hazard initiation probabilities was prepared for the study area, based on the available susceptibility zoning information, and the analysis of two sets of aerial photographs for the temporal probability estimation. Afterwards, the hazard initiation map was used as one of the inputs for an empirical GIS-based model (Flow-R), developed at the University of Lausanne (Switzerland). An estimation of the debris flow magnitude was neglected as the main aim of the analysis was to prepare a debris flow hazard map at medium scale. A digital elevation model, with a 10 m resolution, was used together with landuse, geology and debris flow hazard initiation maps as inputs of the Flow-R model to restrict potential areas within each hazard initiation probability class to locations where debris flows are most likely to initiate. Afterwards, runout areas were calculated using multiple flow direction and energy based algorithms. Maximum probable runout zones were calibrated using documented past events and aerial photographs. Finally, two debris flow hazard maps were prepared. The first simply delimits five hazard zones, while the second incorporates the information about debris flow spreading direction probabilities, showing areas more likely to be affected by future debris flows. Limitations of the modelling arise mainly from the models applied and analysis scale, which are neglecting local controlling factors of debris flow hazard. The presented approach of debris flow hazard analysis, associating automatic detection of the source areas and a simple assessment of the debris flow spreading, provided results for consequent hazard and risk studies. However, for the validation and transferability of the parameters and results to other study areas, more testing is needed.

Flow-R, a model for susceptibility mapping of debris flows and other gravitational hazards at a regional scale: some case studies

Every year, debris flows cause huge damage in mountainous areas. Due to population pressure in hazardous zones, the socio-economic impact is much higher than in the past. Therefore, the development of indicative susceptibility hazard maps is of primary importance, particularly in developing countries. However, the complexity of the phenomenon and the variability of local controlling factors limit the use of processbased models for a first assessment. A debris flow model has been developed for regional susceptibility assessments using digital elevation model (DEM) with a GIS-based approach.. The automatic identification of source areas and the estimation of debris flow spreading, based on GIS tools, provide a substantial basis for a preliminary susceptibility assessment at a regional scale. One of the main advantages of this model is its workability. In fact, everything is open to the user, from the data choice to the selection of the algorithms and their parameters. The Flow-R model was tested in three different contexts: two in Switzerland and one in Pakistan, for indicative susceptibility hazard mapping. It was shown that the quality of the DEM is the most important parameter to obtain reliable results for propagation, but also to identify the potential debris flows sources.

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Latex constituents from Calotropis procera (R. Br.) display toxicity upon egg hatching and larvae of Aedes aegypti (Linn.)

Calotropis procera R. Br. (Asclepiadaceae) is a well-known medicinal plant with leaves, roots, and bark being exploited by popular medicine to fight many human and animal diseases. This work deals with the fractionation of the crude latex produced by the green parts of the plant and aims to evaluate its toxic effects upon egg hatching and larval development of Aedes aegypti. The whole latex was shown to cause 100% mortality of 3rd instars within 5 min. It was fractionated into water-soluble dialyzable (DF) and non-dialyzable (NDF) rubber-free materials. Both fractions were partially effective to prevent egg hatching and most of individuals growing under experimental conditions died before reaching 2nd instars or stayed in 1st instars. Besides, the fractions were very toxic to 3rd instars causing 100% mortality within 24 h. When both fractions were submitted to heat-treatment the toxic effects were diminished considerably suggesting low thermostability of the toxic compounds. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of both fractions and their newly fractionated peaks obtained through ion exchange chromatography or desalting attested the presence of proteins in both materials. When submitted to protease digestion prior to larvicidal assays NDF lost most of its toxicity but DF was still strongly active. It may be possible that the highly toxic effects of the whole latex from C. procera upon egg hatching and larvae development should be at least in part due to its protein content found in NDF. However the toxicity seems also to involve non protein molecules present in DF.

Analysis and estimative of schistosomiasis prevalence for the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, using multiple regression with social and environmental spatial data

The aim of this work is to establish a relationship between schistosomiasis prevalence and social-environmental variables, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, through multiple linear regression. The final regression model was established, after a variables selection phase, with a set of spatial variables which contains the summer minimum temperature, human development index, and vegetation type variables. Based on this model, a schistosomiasis risk map was built for Minas Gerais.

Implantació en SAP R/3 de la fusió per absorció impròpia en les societats 'A1' i 'A2'

En el context actual sovint tenen lloc operacions juridicofinanceres de gran envergadura entre empreses del mateix grup, especialment en determinats sectors de l'economia. Aquestes operacions comporten la integració dels sistemes d'informació de les societats que s'hi troben afectades. El cas que ens ocupa fa referència a una operació de fusió per absorció de dues societats que pertanyen al mateix grup. Totes dues gestionen la seva activitat fent servir el sistema d'informació SAP/R3.

Copy number variation and chromatin structure

The functional consequences of structural variation in the human genome range from adaptation, to phenotypic variation, to predisposition to diseases. Copy number variation (CNV) was shown to influence the phenotype by modifying, in a somewhat dose-dependent manner, the expression of genes that map within them, as well as that of genes located on their flanks. To assess the possible mechanism(s) behind this neighboring effect, we compared histone modification status of cell lines from patients affected by Williams-Beuren, Williams-Beuren region duplication, Smith-Magenis or DiGeorge Syndrome and control individuals using a high-throughput version of chromatin immuno-precipitation method (ChIP), called ChlP-seq. We monitored monomethylation of lysine K20 on histone H4 and trimethylation of lysine K27 on histone H3, as proxies for open and condensed chromatin, respectively. Consistent with the changes in expression levels observed for multiple genes mapping on the entire length of chromosomes affected by structural variants, we also detected regions with modified histone status between samples, up- and downstream from the critical regions, up to the end of the rearranged chromosome. We also gauged the intrachromosomal interactions of these cell lines utilizing chromosome conformation capture (4C-seq) technique. We observed that a set of genes flanking the Williams-Beuren Syndrome critical region (WBSCR) were often looping together, possibly forming an interacting cluster with each other and the WBSCR. Deletion of the WBSCR disrupts the expression of this group of flanking genes, as well as long-range interactions between them and the rearranged interval. We conclude, that large genomic rearrangements can lead to changes in the state of the chromatin spreading far away from the critical region, thus possibly affecting expression globally and as a result modifying the phenotype of the patients. - Les conséquences fonctionnelles des variations structurelles dans le génome humain sont vastes, allant de l'adaptation, en passant par les variations phénotypiques, aux prédispositions à certaines maladies. Il a été démontré que les variations du nombre de copies (CNV) influencent le phénotype en modifiant, d'une manière plus ou moins dose-dépendante, l'expression des gènes se situant à l'intérieur de ces régions, mais également celle des gènes se trouvant dans les régions flanquantes. Afin d'étudier les mécanismes possibles sous-jacents à cet effet de voisinage, nous avons comparé les états de modification des histones dans des lignées cellulaires dérivées de patients atteints du syndrome de Williams-Beuren, de la duplication de la région Williams-Beuren, du syndrome de Smith-Magenis ou du syndrome de Di- George et d'individus contrôles en utilisant une version haut-débit de la méthode d'immunoprécipitation de la chromatine (ChIP), appelée ChIP-seq. Nous avons suivi la mono-méthylation de la lysine K20 sur l'histone H4 et la tri-méthylation de la lysine K27 sur l'histone H3, marqueurs respectifs de la chromatine ouverte et fermée. En accord avec les changements de niveaux d'expression observés pour de multiples gènes tout le long des chromosomes affectés par les CNVs, nous avons aussi détecté des régions présentant des modifications d'histones entre les échantillons, situées de part et d'autre des régions critiques, jusqu'aux extrémités du chromosome réarrangé. Nous avons aussi évalué les interactions intra-chromosomiques ayant lieu dans ces cellules par l'utilisation de la technique de capture de conformation des chromosomes (4C-seq). Nous avons observé qu'un groupe de gènes flanquants la région critique du syndrome de Williams-Beuren (WBSCR) forment souvent une boucle, constituant un groupe d'interactions privilégiées entre ces gènes et la WBSCR. La délétion de la WBSCR perturbe l'expression de ce groupe de gènes flanquants, mais également les interactions à grande échelle entre eux et la région réarrangée. Nous en concluons que les larges réarrangements génomiques peuvent aboutir à des changements de l'état de la chromatine pouvant s'étendre bien plus loin que la région critique, affectant donc potentiellement l'expression de manière globale et ainsi modifiant le phénotype des patients.

Proyecto para la identificación de necesidades formativas y posterior implementación de acción docente en el ERIE Psicosocial de C.R.N.

La responsabilidad del ERIE Psicosocial a la hora de realizar su labor en el marco de la intervención en emergencias debe ir necesariamente acompañada de una correcta identificación de las necesidades que el equipo tiene en lo que respecta a su formación e instrucción, de cara a mantener el nivel de respuesta en su labor. El desarrollo de herramientas y métodos capaces de definir estas variables es, pues el primer paso de este proceso. El formato de desarrollo posterior de esas acciones formativas, teniendo en cuenta el carácter grupal y cooperativo del grupo, debe ser estudiado y validado para obtener la máxima eficacia durante su materialización.

Evaluation of the GlideScope (R) for tracheal intubation in patients with cervical spine immobilisation by a semi-rigid collar

Application of cervical collars may reduce cervical spine movements but render tracheal intubation with a standard laryngoscope difficult if not impossible. We hypothesised that despite the presence of a Philadelphia Patriot (R) cervical collar and with the patient's head taped to the trolley, tracheal intubation would be possible in 50 adult patients using the GlideScope (R) and its dedicated stylet. Laryngoscopy was attempted using a Macintosh laryngoscope with a size 4 blade, and the modified Cormack-Lehane grade was scored. Subsequently, laryngoscopy with the GlideScope was graded and followed by tracheal intubation. All patients' tracheas were successfully intubated with the GlideScope. The median (IQR) intubation time was 50 s (43-61 s). The modified Cormack-Lehane grade was 3 or 4 at direct laryngoscopy. It was significantly reduced with the GlideScope (p < 0.0001), reaching grade 2a in most patients. Tracheal intubation in patients wearing a semi-rigid collar and having their head taped to the trolley is possible with the help of the GlideScope.

Mise en oeuvre de protocoles spatiaux pour analyser la modulation de processus cognitifs en fonction de la dimension émotionnelle chez le rongeur

Résumé : Emotion et cognition sont deux termes généralement employés pour désigner des processus psychiques de nature opposée. C'est ainsi que les sciences cognitives se sont longtemps efforcées d'écarter la composante «chaude »des processus «froids »qu'elles visaient, si ce n'est pour montrer l'effet dévastateur de la première sur les seconds. Pourtant, les processus cognitifs (de collecte, maintien et utilisation d'information) et émotioAnels (d'activation subjective, physiologique et comportementale face à ce qui est attractif ou aversif) sont indissociables. Par l'approche neuro-éthologique, à l'interface entre le substrat biologique et les manifestations comportementales, nous nous sommes intéressés à une fonction cognitive essentielle, la fonction mnésique, classiquement exprimée chez le rongeur par l'orientation spatiale. Au niveau du substrat, McDonald et White (1993) ont montré la dissociation de trois systèmes de mémoire, avec les rôles de l'hippocampe, du néostriatum et de l'amygdale dans l'encodage des informations respectivement épisodiques, procédurales et émotionnelles. Nous nous sommes penchés sur l'interaction entre ces systèmes en fonction de la dimension émotionnelle par l'éclairage du comportement. L'état émotionnel de l'animal dépend de plusieurs facteurs, que nous avons tenté de contrôler indirectement en comparant leurs effets sur l'acquisition, dans diverses conditions, de la tâche de Morris (qui nécessite la localisation dans un bassin de la position d'une plate-forme submergée), ainsi que sur le style d'exploration de diverses arènes, ouvertes ou fermées, plus ou moins structurées par la présence de tunnels en plexiglas transparent. Nous avons d'abord exploré le rôle d'un composant du système adrénergique dans le rapport à la difficulté et au stress, à l'aide de souris knock-out pour le récepteur à la noradrénaline a-1 B dans un protocole avec 1 ou 4 points de départ dans un bassin partitionné. Ensuite, nous nous sommes penchés, chez le rat, sur les effets de renforcement intermittent dans différentes conditions expérimentales. Dans ces conditions, nous avons également tenté d'analyser en quoi la situation du but dans un paysage donné pouvait interférer avec les effets de certaines formes de stress. Finalement, nous avons interrogé les conséquences de perturbations passées, y compris le renforcement partiel, sur l'organisation des déplacements sur sol sec. Nos résultats montrent la nécessité, pour les souris cont~ô/es dont l'orientation repose sur l'hippocampe, de pouvoir varier les trajectoires, ce qui favoriserait la constitution d'une carte cognitive. Les souris a->B KO s'avèrent plus sensibles au stress et capables de bénéficier de la condition de route qui permet des réponses simples et automatisées, sous-tendues par l'activité du striatum. Chez les rats en bassin 100% renforcé, l'orientation apparaît basée sur l'hippocampe, relayée par le striatum pour le développement d'approches systématiques et rapides, avec réorientation efficace en nouvelle position par réactivation dépendant de l'hippocampe. A 50% de renforcement, on observe un effet du type de déroulement des sessions, transitoirement atténué par la motivation Lorsque les essais s'enchaînent sans pause intrasession, les latences diminuent régulièrement, ce qui suggère une prise en charge possible par des routines S-R dépendant du striatum. L'organisation des mouvements exploratoires apparaît dépendante du niveau d'insécurité, avec différents profils intermédiaires entre la différentiation maximale et la thigmotaxie, qui peuvent être mis en relation avec différents niveaux d'efficacité de l'hippocampe. Ainsi, notre travail encourage à la prise en compte de la dimension émotionnelle comme modulatrice du traitement d'information, tant en phase d'exploration de l'environnement que d'exploitation des connaissances spatiales. Abstract : Emotion and cognition are terms widely used to refer to opposite mental processes. Hence, cognitive science research has for a long time pushed "hot" components away from "cool" targeted processes, except for assessing devastating effects of the former upon the latter. However, cognitive processes (of information collection, preservation, and utilization) and emotional processes (of subjective, physiological, and behavioral activation roue to attraction or aversion) are inseparable. At the crossing between biological substrate and behavioral expression, we studied a chief cognitive function, memory, classically shown in animals through spatial orientation. At the substrate level, McDonald et White (1993) have shown a dissociation between three memory systems, with the hippocampus, neostriatum, and amygdala, encoding respectively episodic, habit, and emotional information. Through the behavior of laboratory rodents, we targeted the interaction between those systems and the emotional axis. The emotional state of an animal depends on different factors, that we tried to check in a roundabout way by the comparison of their effects on acquisition, in a variety of conditions, of the Morris task (in which the location of a hidden platform in a pool is required), as well as on the exploration profile in different apparatus, open-field and closed mazes, more or less organized by clear Plexiglas tunnels. We first tracked the role, under more or less difficult and stressful conditions, of an adrenergic component, with knock-out mice for the a-1 B receptor in a partitioned water maze with 1 or 4 start positions. With rats, we looked for the consequences of partial reinforcement in the water maze in different experimental conditions. In those conditions, we further analyzed how the situation of the goal in the landscape could interfere with the effect of a given stress. At last, we conducted experiments on solid ground, in an open-field and in radial mazes, in order to analyze the organization of spatial behavior following an aversive life event, such as partial reinforcement training in the water maze. Our results emphasize the reliance of normal mice to be able to vary approach trajectories. One of our leading hypotheses is that such strategies are hippocampus-dependent and are best developed for of a "cognitive map like" representation. Alpha-1 B KO mice appear more sensitive to stress and able to take advantage of the route condition allowing simple and automated responses, most likely striatum based. With rats in 100% reinforced water maze, the orientation strategy is predominantly hippocampus dependent (as illustrated by the impairment induced by lesions of this structure) and becomes progressively striatum dependent for the development of systematic and fast successful approaches. Training towards a new platform position requires a hippocampus based strategy. With a 50% reinforcement rate, we found a clear impairment related to intersession disruption, an effect transitorily minimized by motivation enhancement (cold water). When trials are given without intrasession interruption, latencies consistently diminish, suggesting a possibility for striatum dependent stimulus-response routine to occur. The organization of exploratory movements is shown to depend on the level of subjective security, with different intermediary profiles between maximum differentiation and thigmotaxy, which can be considered in parallel with different efficiency levels of the hippocampus dependent strategies. Thus, our work fosters the consideration of emotion as a cognitive treatment modulator, during spatial exploration as well as spatial learning. It leads to a model in which the predominance of hippocampus based exploration is challenged by training conditions of various nature.

Unpacking the cognitive map: the parallel map theory of hippocampal function

In the parallel map theory, the hippocampus encodes space with 2 mapping systems. The bearing map is constructed primarily in the dentate gyrus from directional cues such as stimulus gradients. The sketch map is constructed within the hippocampus proper from positional cues. The integrated map emerges when data from the bearing and sketch maps are combined. Because the component maps work in parallel, the impairment of one can reveal residual learning by the other. Such parallel function may explain paradoxes of spatial learning, such as learning after partial hippocampal lesions, taxonomic and sex differences in spatial learning, and the function of hippocampal neurogenesis. By integrating evidence from physiology to phylogeny, the parallel map theory offers a unified explanation for hippocampal function.

Mixed-function oxidases and esterases associated with cross-r esistance between DDT and lambda-cyhalothrin in Anopheles darlingi Root 1926 populations from Colombia

In order to establish the insecticide susceptibility status for Anopheles darlingi in Colombia, and as part of the National Network on Insecticide Resistance Surveillance, five populations of insects from three Colombian states were evaluated. Standardised WHO and CDC bottle bioassays, in addition to microplate biochemical assays, were conducted. Populations with mortality rates below 80% in the bioassays were considered resistant. All field populations were susceptible to deltamethrin, permethrin, malathion and fenitrothion. Resistance to lambda-cyhalothrin and DDT was detected in the Amé-Beté population using both bioassay methods with mortality rates of 65-75%. Enzyme levels related to insecticide resistance, including mixed function oxidases (MFO), non-specific esterases (NSE), glutathione S-transferases and modified acetylcholinesterase were evaluated in all populations and compared with a susceptible natural strain. Only mosquitoes from Amé-Beté presented significantly increased levels of both MFO and NSE, consistent with the low mortalities found in this population. The continued use of lambda-cyhalothrin for An. darlingi control in this locality has resulted in a natural resistance to this insecticide. In addition, DDT resistance is still present in this population, although this insecticide has not been used in Colombia since 1992. Increased metabolism through MFO and NSE may be involved in cross-resistance between lambda-cyhalothrin and DDT, although kdr-type nerve insensitivity cannot be discarded as a possible hypothesis. Additional research, including development of a kdr specific assay for An. darlingi should be conducted in future studies. Our data demonstrates the urgent need to develop local insecticide resistance management and surveillance programs throughout Colombia.

Mapa de indicadores para integrar la perspectiva de género en el Sistema Sanitario Público de Andalucía (SSPA)

Organizadores: AFOE (Asociación para la Formación, el Ocio y el Empleo)y Grupo MIDO (Métodos de Investigación y Diagnóstico en Orientación). Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación. Universidad de Sevilla. Web del Congreso: http://www.empleoeigualdad.es/congreso/