Search

Abstract The information provided by a person with multiple sclerosis (MS) may anticipate changes in the course of the disease. To explore the role of a set of standardized patient-reported outcomes (PRO) in predicting disability progression in MS an observational study was conducted in two cohorts of 30 and 86 persons with progressive MS (pwPMS) and relapsing MS (pwRMS), respectively. The associations between baseline clinical, biochemical variables and results on MS quality of life scale (MusiQol), Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS) and Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) were analyzed. The progression of disability after 2 years of follow-up in pwRMS was investigated. We show that PRO differentiated pwRMS and pwPMS cohorts with lower MusiQoL and higher MFIS and BDI-II scores in the latter. Only MFIS was correlated with disability in pwRMS and high scores in the physical MFIS domain associated with worse performance in 9HPT, and a trend in T25FW and SDMT. Instead, the cognitive MFIS domain was correlated with CHI3L1 in cerebrospinal fluid, a biomarker of progression. At the end of the study, global MFIS and BDI-II were found to be independent risk factors for disability independent of relapse. Although all PRO measures explored were altered in pwPMS, baseline MFIS discriminated current and prospective disability in pwRMS, identifying patients at risk of progression.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are autoimmune disorders characterized by inflammatory episodes affecting the brain and the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, respectively. The frequent association between MS and IBD suggests that both conditions may share common pathogenic mechanisms. However, different responses to biological therapies indicate differences in immune mechanisms of inflammation. Anti-CD20 therapies are high efficacy treatments increasingly used to control inflammatory bursts in MS, but they may alter GI homeostasis and promote the development of bowel inflammation in susceptible individuals. This review analyzes the mechanistic association between immunity in MS and IBD, the effect of anti-CD20 therapies on the gut microenvironment, and provides recommendations for early detection and management of GI toxicities in the context of B-cell depletion in MS patients.

The article is devoted to the description of the methodology for teaching foreigners to understand Ukrainian folk tales, which would help students understand the meaning of fairy tales at a level close to that one of native speakers. Fairy tales are an ideal field in which the methodology of linguocultural studies can be effectively used. The relevance of the research is determined by the importance of the linguoculturological approach to teaching Ukrainian as a foreign language. There is no system of exercises for teaching Ukrainian folk tales, which would contribute to the formation of a holistic view of the Ukrainian national mentality among foreign students. Teaching foreign students to read and understand the content of Ukrainian folk tales will be effective if they rely on the knowledge about the value system of Ukrainian folk culture, understanding of the realities and linguistic features of Ukrainian folk tales; comparison of plots of Ukrainian folk tales with those of fairy tales of the native culture of foreigners. We believe that the use of the texts of Ukrainian folk tales is advisable in classes of Ukrainian as a foreign language at all stages of education. The content of Ukrainian folk tales reflects the mentality of the Ukrainian people and is a source for understanding the value foundations of Ukrainian culture. The methodological system of working on the texts of fairy tales in a foreign audience should be based on linguoculturological commentary and a comparison of the values of Ukrainian culture with the values of the native culture of foreigners. During the training, the spiritual world of foreign students is enriched due to their acquisition of knowledge about the customs, traditions of Ukraine, understanding of the national and cultural specifics of linguistic units. This is the key to successful communication between representatives of different peoples, languages, and cultures, and in a global sense, it correlates with the actual problems of interlanguage and intercultural communication. Prospects for further research are to determine a linguo-methodological basis for the selection of Ukrainian folk tales and ways of their presentation to a foreign audience; in conducting experimental verification of the effectiveness of the developed methodological model

In the paper, a feasible ecological effect of modernization of a conventional metallurgical furnace intended for charge material preheating before plastic working processes is described. The modernization activities involved replacement of the previous recuperator, the negative pressure control system of the furnace and a proposal for application of modern low emission burners. The suggested design of a recuperator with a higher energy recovery level due to a decreased flue gas temperature will contribute to reduced consumption of electrical energy that is necessary for the extraction ventilator drive. The modernization activities led to decreased total process-induced CO2 emissions resulting from lower consumption of gas and electrical energy (nearly 11 % in relation to the state before the modernization).

Abstract Background The Biological Isolation and Containment Unit (BICU) is a subunit of the Teaching Hospital of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Lisbon, Portugal, for the admission of animals with confirmed infectious diseases or under clinical suspicion and waiting for a diagnosis. As a high-risk environment for the transmission of infectious agents, it is extremely important to implement programs for the surveillance of nosocomial microorganisms in these facilities. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the level of bacterial contamination of the BICU environmental surfaces and to implement corrective actions on disinfection protocols. Swab samples were collected from selected environmental surfaces in 3 different areas of the BICU (isolation, work, and preparatory rooms) to evaluate the total aerobic bacterial load and investigate the presence of 4 nosocomial microorganisms: vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus spp., methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, 3rd-generation cephalosporin-resistant Escherichia coli, and carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Bacterial quantification was performed by using non-selective media, while specific selective media were used for the isolation of the target microorganisms. Isolates were identified based on their macro and microscopic characteristics and their biochemical profile. Subsequently, new disinfection protocols were implemented, and their effectiveness evaluated. Results The surfaces with the highest bacterial load in the isolation, preparatory, and worker’s rooms were the cages, hand-held sponge, and telephone, respectively. Regarding the 4 pathogens investigated, Enterococcus spp. were the most frequently isolated (11.3%), followed by E. coli (1.5%) and P. aeruginosa (1.5%). One of the P. aeruginosa isolates obtained was resistant to imipenem. In the end, new disinfection protocols were implemented, which proved to be effective in reducing bacterial counts by 99.99% in cages and the sponge, and by 90 to 99% on the telephone. Conclusions This study allows to conclude that the cages and the human contact surfaces were the most contaminated in the isolation rooms. Nevertheless, the new disinfection strategies seemed to be effective in reducing environmental contamination, including by some potentially nosocomial agents, although more samples must be analyzed for definitive conclusions. These results may contribute to highlight the importance of infection prevention and control measures, as fundamental tools to reduce the spread of infectious agents in the hospital environment.

Resumen: Introducción: La pandemia ocasionada por la aparición del SARS-CoV-2, ha transformado la práctica médica, y ha alterado gravemente la formación de los médicos residentes a nivel mundial. Desde la Sociedad Española de Neurología (SEN) se ha querido conocer el grado de repercusión que la COVID-19 ha tenido en el ámbito formativo entre los residentes de neurología. Método: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo transversal mediante el envío de una encuesta por email a todos los residentes de neurología miembros de dicha sociedad. Se incluyeron preguntas relativas a aspectos demográficos, actividad asistencial y repercusión a nivel formativo y personal durante la pandemia, así como su previsión sobre el futuro laboral «post-COVID». Resultados: De 422 encuestas, respondió un total de 152 (36%) residentes, 79 mujeres (52%) y 73 varones (48%). La distribución por año de residencia fue R4: 51 (33,6%), R3: 45 (29,6%), R2: 28 (18,4%) y R1: 28 (18,4%). La actividad de hospitalización se vio alterada en 139 (90,8%) casos. Consideraron que la situación afectaría negativamente a su formación 126 (82,8%) residentes, de los que 99 (64,7%) perdieron rotaciones no recuperables. Manifestaron deseo de alargar el periodo de residencia 101 (66%). Conclusiones: La pandemia ha tenido un gravísimo impacto en todo el sistema sanitario, siendo los médicos en formación uno de los colectivos más afectados. En los residentes de neurología ha provocado notables deficiencias de su actividad formativa y asistencial como consecuencia de la suspensión de rotaciones específicas. Un alto porcentaje manifestó deseo de ampliar el periodo de residencia. Abstract: Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed medical practice and severely disrupted the training of medical residents worldwide. The Spanish Society of Neurology conducted a study to assess its impact on the training of neurology residents in Spain. Methods: We performed a descriptive, cross-sectional study through a survey distributed by e-mail to all neurology residents belonging to the Society. The survey included questions on demographic variables, care activity, and personal and educational impact of the pandemic, as well as respondents’ expectations for the future of their work in the post-pandemic era. Results: Of 422 surveys sent, we received a total of 152 responses (36%); 79 respondents (52%) were women and 73 (48%) were men. By year of residency, 51 respondents (33.6%) were in the fourth year, 45 (29.6%) in the third year, 28 (18.4%) in the second year, and 28 (18.4%) in the first year. A total of 139 respondents (90.8%) reported changes in hospital activity, and 126 (82.8%) considered the situation to have had a negative impact on their training, with 99 (64.7%) having lost non-recoverable rotations. Sixty-six percent of respondents (n=101) expressed a desire to extend their residency period. Conclusions: The pandemic has had an extremely severe impact on all areas of the health system, with trainee physicians being one of the most affected groups. Among neurology residents, the crisis has caused significant shortcomings in their training and clinical activities, through the suspension of specific rotations. A high percentage of respondents wished to extend the residency period.

This article presents a description of the carbothermic process concerning production of iron-silicon-aluminum alloys with 55 to 75 wt. % of silicon and 4 to 20 wt. % of aluminum in industrial conditions. For the process, mining waste resulted from mechanical processing of coal being the source of silicon and aluminum compounds as well as high-ash fine coal as a reducer was used. A modern technological line for FeSiAl smelting was described, consisting of a SAF (fitted with two 7,75 MVA three-phase transformers and six self-baking electrodes) to ensure optimum power distribution in the furnace. In addition, technical and technological parameters of the process were presented with a particular emphasis placed on Al and Si yields.

Resumen: Antecedentes y objetivos: Existe una gran variabilidad en los contenidos de los programas y cursos de capacitación artroscópica para cirujanos ortopédicos durante su etapa de formación. Cabe destacar que no hay consenso en cuál es la metodología más efectiva ni como debería realizarse la evaluación cualitativa de los mismos. Se llevó a cabo un estudio con el objetivo de evaluar qué influencia tiene la realización de un curso cadavérico práctico para el desarrollo de habilidades artroscópicas en residentes de quinto año. Material y métodos: Se realizó curso práctico de artroscopia de rodilla en cadáveres, donde participaron 48 alumnos. Previo al comienzo y tras la finalización del curso se llevó a cabo una evaluación práctica, donde se recogieron en un cuestionario específico diferentes aspectos técnicos al realizar una artroscopia de rodilla, así como la destreza y el tiempo de ejecución. Resultados: Se obtuvo una mejoría estadísticamente significativa, evolucionando de una puntuación inicial de 11,7 a 17,1 (para un máximo de 20) puntos tras la evaluación final. La mejoría en cada uno de los parámetros de manera aislada también fue significativa: la identificación de estructuras anatómicas durante el recorrido artroscópico básico (p = 0,001), la palpación de estructuras específicas (p = 0,032) y el tiempo necesario para completar el recorrido artroscópico (p = 0,015). Conclusiones: La realización de un curso práctico de artroscopia de rodilla en cadáver permitió mejorar significativamente las habilidades técnicas de los cirujanos en formación. Abstract: Background and objectives: There currently is a considerable variability in the content of training programs and courses for orthopaedic surgeons in training. Besides this, there is still no consensus regarding which is the most effective methodology for improving learning of the technique or for its qualitative evaluation. A study was carried out to assess the influence of carrying out a cadaveric practical course on the acquisition of arthroscopic technical skills in fifth-year residents. Material and methods: A knee arthroscopy cadaveric course was performed in which 48 students participated. Different technical aspects during a knee arthroscopy, as well as the residents skill and the execution time were evaluated before and after the course using a specific questionnaire. Results: There was a significant statistic improvement between the initial and final evaluation, increasing from 11,7 till 17,1 (maximum 20) points. Also, a significant improvement in all the parameters analysed was observed; the identification of anatomic structures (p = 0.001), the palpation of specific structures (p = 0.032), and the time necessary for the arthroscopic knee check (p = 0.015). Conclusions: A knee arthroscopy cadaveric course improves significantly the technical skills of surgeons in training.

Abstract Background Sepsis is a severe condition associated with high prevalence and mortality rates. Parvovirus enteritis is a predisposing factor for sepsis, as it promotes intestinal bacterial translocation and severe immunosuppression. This makes dogs infected by parvovirus a suitable study population as far as sepsis is concerned. The main objective of the present study was to evaluate the differences between two sets of SIRS (Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome) criteria in outcome prediction: SIRS 1991 and SIRS 2001. The possibility of stratifying and classifying septic dogs was assessed using a proposed animal adapted PIRO (Predisposition, Infection, Response and Organ dysfunction) scoring system. Results The 72 dogs enrolled in this study were scored for each of the PIRO elements, except for Infection, as all were considered to have the same infection score, and subjected to two sets of SIRS criteria, in order to measure their correlation with the outcome. Concerning SIRS criteria, it was found that the proposed alterations on SIRS 2001 (capillary refill time or mucous membrane colour alteration) were significantly associated with the outcome (OR = 4.09, p

Flood databases of high spatio-temporal resolution are a necessary tool for proper spatial planning, especially in areas with high levels of exposure and danger to floods. This study presents the preliminary results of the Spanish Mediterranean Coastal Flood (SMC-Flood) database covering the municipalities in this region. This database collects information on flood cases that occurred between 1960 and 2015 by systematically consulting the digital archives of the main newspapers in the study area. The search for flood information was conducted by means of using links between municipality names and seven keywords that correspond to the most common ways of referring to a situation that is likely to describe a flood in Spain. This methodology has enabled the reconstruction of 3008 flood cases at a municipal scale with daily resolution while gathering information on the types of damage, intensity, severity and area affected. The spatio-temporal analysis of the data reveals hotspots where flood cases are especially intense and damaging when compared to highly developed areas where the frequency of flood cases is very high. This situation is especially worrying insofar as we have detected a growing trend in the frequency and area affected by flood cases. However, one positive aspect is that the intensity and severity of flood cases follows a falling trend. The main novelty lies in the fact that the high-resolution spatial analysis has made it possible to detect a clear latitudinal gradient of growing intensity and severity in a north–south direction. This pattern calls for new actions by the coastal municipal authorities of southern Spain for adaptation to a more complex flood scenario.

Historical climatology has remarkable potentialities to produce climatic reconstructions with high temporal resolution. However, some methodological limitations hinder the spatial development of this discipline. This study presents a new approach to historical climatology that overcomes some of the limitations of classical approaches, such as the rogation method or content analysis: the Cost Opportunity for Small Towns (COST). It analyses historic documents and takes advantage of all sorts of meteorological information available in written documents, and not only the severest events, to therefore overcome the most prominent bottlenecks of former approaches. COST relies on the fact that using paper is very costly, so its use to describe meteorological conditions is hypothesised as being proportional to the impact they had on society. To prove the validity of this approach to reconstruct climate conditions, this article exemplarily uses the Municipal Chapter Acts of a small town in southern Spain (Caravaca de la Cruz), which span the 1600–1900 period, and allows reconstructions to be obtained on a monthly basis. Using the same documentary source, the three approaches were used to derive respective climate reconstructions, which were then compared to assess climate signal consistency and to identify possible caveats in the methods. The three approaches led to a generally coherent series of secular variability in the hydrological conditions, which agrees well with previous study results. The COST approach is arguably more objective and less affected by changes in societal behaviour, which allows it to perform comparative studies in regions with different languages and traditions.

Higher active power of a submerged arc furnace is commonly believed to increase its capacity in the process of ferrosilicon smelting. This is a true statement but only to a limited extent. For a given electrode diameter d, there is a certain limit value of the submerged arc furnace active power. When this value is exceeded, the furnace capacity in the process of ferrosilicon smelting does not increase but the energy loss is higher and the technical and economic indicators become worse. Maximum output regarding the reaction zone volumes is one of parameters that characterize similarities of furnaces with various geometrical parameters. It is proportional to d3 and does not depend on the furnace size. The results of statistical analysis of the ferrosilicon smelting process in the 20 MVA furnace have been presented. In addition to basic electrical parameters, such as active power and electrical load of the electrodes, factors contributing to higher resistance of the furnace bath and resulting lower reactive power Px demonstrate the most significant effect on the electrothermal process of ferrosilicon smelting. These parameters reflect metallurgical conditions of ferrosilicon smelting, such as the reducer fraction, position of the electrodes and temperature conditions of the reaction zones.

Abstract Background Peripheral biomarkers that identify individuals at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or predicting high amyloid beta (Aβ) brain burden would be highly valuable. To facilitate clinical trials of disease-modifying therapies, plasma concentrations of Aβ species are good candidates for peripheral AD biomarkers, but studies to date have generated conflicting results. Methods The Fundació ACE Healthy Brain Initiative (FACEHBI) study uses a convenience sample of 200 individuals diagnosed with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) at the Fundació ACE (Barcelona, Spain) who underwent amyloid florbetaben(18F) (FBB) positron emission tomography (PET) brain imaging. Baseline plasma samples from FACEHBI subjects (aged 65.9 ± 7.2 years) were analyzed using the ABtest (Araclon Biotech). This test directly determines the free plasma (FP) and total plasma (TP) levels of Aβ40 and Aβ42 peptides. The association between Aβ40 and Aβ42 plasma levels and FBB-PET global standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR) was determined using correlations and linear regression-based methods. The effect of the APOE genotype on plasma Aβ levels and FBB-PET was also assessed. Finally, various models including different combinations of demographics, genetics, and Aβ plasma levels were constructed using logistic regression and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) analyses to evaluate their ability for discriminating which subjects presented brain amyloidosis. Results FBB-PET global SUVR correlated weakly but significantly with Aβ42/40 plasma ratios. For TP42/40, this observation persisted after controlling for age and APOE ε4 allele carrier status (R 2 = 0.193, p = 1.01E-09). The ROC curve demonstrated that plasma Aβ measurements are not superior to APOE and age in combination in predicting brain amyloidosis. It is noteworthy that using a simple preselection tool (the TP42/40 ratio with an empirical cut-off value of 0.08) optimizes the sensitivity and reduces the number of individuals subjected to Aβ FBB-PET scanners to 52.8%. No significant dependency was observed between APOE genotype and plasma Aβ measurements (p value for interaction = 0.105). Conclusion Brain and plasma Aβ levels are partially correlated in individuals diagnosed with SCD. Aβ plasma measurements, particularly the TP42/40 ratio, could generate a new recruitment strategy independent of the APOE genotype that would improve identification of SCD subjects with brain amyloidosis and reduce the rate of screening failures in preclinical AD studies. Independent replication of these findings is warranted.

Objetivo: Determinar el rendimiento diagnóstico de la histerosalpingografía por resonancia magnética (HSG-RM), utilizando la laparoscopia como método de referencia. Materiales y métodos: Se incluyeron 22 pacientes. A todas se les realizó una HSG-RM con un resonador 1.5 Tesla y luego una laparoscopia con cromotubación. Dos radiólogos examinaron las RM, determinando la permeabilidad tubaria por consenso. Se realizaron análisis descriptivos y de rendimiento diagnóstico. Resultados: La HSG-RM tuvo una tasa de éxito del 91%. La duración del estudio fue 49 ± 15 minutos, el volumen inyectado 26 ± 16 cm3 y la escala de dolor 30 ± 19 de 100. La sensibilidad y especificidad de la HSG-RM fueron del 100% para la prueba de Cotte global y a la izquierda, y del 25% y 93,3% para la prueba de Cotte a la derecha, respectivamente. Hubo 2 complicaciones menores y ninguna importante. Discusión: Nuestros resultados iniciales demostraron una alta sensibilidad y especificidad. Si bien otros estudios analizaron la capacidad de la HSG-RM para evaluar la permeabilidad tubaria con buenos resultados, el uso de un patrón de referencia defectuoso dejaba margen para una duda razonable, impidiendo una recomendación basada en pruebas sólidas. Sin embargo, al cotejar nuestros resultados con los publicados, observamos un alto grado de concordancia en tanto el derrame positivo se diagnostica correctamente con una especificidad de 100% o con un porcentaje cercano a esta cifra. Conclusión: La HSG-MR es una alternativa factible y segura de la HSG convencional o virtual, la histerosonografía y la cromotubación.

In the paper, a case of improvement in energy efficiency of a rollway-continuous furnace used for heat treatment in production of cold-drawn tubes as well as gas savings resulting from application of modern burners for radiant tubes was considered. For the investigated furnace, energy balance calculations were performed for the currently operating status as well as following replacement of burners for modern devices with better parameters of combustion and recuperation, which showed a significant reduction in fuel consumption. The burners ensure uniform temperature distribution along the radiant tube, stable operation, high energy efficiency (also in high temperature furnaces) and low emissions.

This paper provides results of thermal investigations on pipes with outer transverse fins produced by placing a strip, being a form of helical spring which functions as a radiator, on the basis pipe. The investigations were carried out at the facility that enables measurements with respect to both natural and forced convection. Performance of the investigated pipes was assessed in relation to a non-finned pipe and a pipe welded with the use of Metal Active Gas (MAG) technology. The experiments have shown that the finned pipe welding technology does not markedly affect their thermal efficiency, which has been confirmed by performed model calculations, while the welding technology has a crucial impact on their operating performance.

An economical alternative for the steel industry which uses a separate ferrosilicon and aluminum for the deoxidization of steel is a complex deoxidizer in the form of FeSiAl alloys. The effectiveness of complex deoxidizers is higher and they have a positive effect on quality improvement and also for mechanical properties of the finished steel. It is associated with a smaller number of non-metallic inclusions and a more favorable its distribution in the structure of steel. Noteworthy are the waste from the mining industry simultaneously contains SiO2 and Al2O3 oxides with a few of dopants in the form of CaO, MgO, FeO, TiO2 oxides. These wastes are present in large quantities and can be a cheap raw material for obtaining complex FeSiAl ferroalloys by an electrothermal method. “Poor” hard coal grades which so far did not apply as a reducing agent in the ferroalloy industry because of the high ash content can also be a raw material for the electrothermal FeSiAl process. The electrothermal FeSiAl melting process is similar to the ferrosilicon process in the submerged arc furnace. For this reason, a model based on Gibbs’ free enthalpy minimization algorithm was used to analyze the simultaneous reduction of SiO2 and Al2O3 oxides, which was originally elaborated for the ferrosilicon smelting process. This is a system of two closed reactors: the upper one with the lower temperature and the lower one with the higher temperature. Between the reaction system and the environment, and between the reactors inside the system, there is a cyclical mass transfer in moments when the state of equilibrium is reached in the reactors. Based on the model, the basic parameters of the electrothermal reduction process of SiO2 and Al2O3 oxides were determined and a comparative analysis was made towards the ferrosilicon process.

In the analysis of fuel spray macrostructure, nozzle flow characteristics, their spray angles, liquid distribution in the droplet stream and the stream extent were determined. The investigations were performed with the use of an isothermal measurement station, designed for the study purposes, which enables fuel atomization at a mass flow rate of 1,5 to 15 kg h-1 and the temperature of up to 120 °C. For the measurements, waste oil was selected as the medium spray due to its significant viscosity fluctuations with temperature. The atomization overpressure and temperature ranges were within 0,5 to 1,0 MPa and 20 °C to 115 °C, respectively. The liquid stream radial intensity distribution for the 50 mm and 100 mm distances from the fuel nozzle and the overpressure of 0,8 MPa, 1,0 MPa at a stable temperature of 60 °C were measured.

The aim of this article is to evaluate the use of musculoskeletal ultrasound in the daily clinical practice of a rheumatology unit. We conducted a descriptive retrospective analysis of the ultrasound examinations performed during 2011 and a comparison of these examinations with those performed between 1998 and 2003 and between 2007 and 2008. A total of 712 ultrasound examinations performed in 2011 were reviewed. Out of the total, examinations of individual areas of the body represented 11.6% versus 45.9% of the examinations made between 2007 and 2008 and 100% of those performed before 2003. The remaining 88.4% of ultrasound examinations performed in 2011 were intended to investigate inflammation in 25.8%, differential diagnosis of arthralgia in 17.1%, enthesis in 12.6% and temporal arteries in 17.3%, and to conduct ultrasound-guided procedures in 10.6% and study microcrystalline pathologies in 4.7%. In our unit, ultrasonography is evolving from being a mere investigation of individual areas of the body to becoming a clinical information tool, which contributes to the diagnosis and monitoring of the disease activity in the patient as a whole.

In the paper, results of a model study on the effects of the air delivery and flue gas removal method on the intensity of gas blending in the hood space are presented. Two design solutions were compared: with one or two outlet channels for the hood gases. Moreover, two variants of air delivery through charging doors were analysed. The study results show that for technological reasons, more beneficial gasodynamic conditions are obtained when the hood is fitted with two symmetrically located gas outlet channels and the air is sucked through four charging doors.

A gasodynamic study of a model of hood space was performed based on measurements of velocity and concentration distributions of gases. The experiments have shown that the absolute values of gas velocities in the hood and the outlet channel as well as their profiles do not depend on the negative pressure value in the channel. Location of ceiling nozzle outlets does not significantly affect the gasodynamic parameters of the hood space. Moreover, uniform distribution of the air, delivered through the ceiling nozzles, has been observed in the whole hood space, which creates conditions for afterburning of gaseous reaction products in this space.

La sal es un elemento necesario en la actividad de los grupos humanos. Para su captación y recolección se ha ordenado el territorio, con unos paisajes propios: las salinas. Podemos distinguir dos tipos: las salinas costeras y las salinas de interior. En estas últimas, su localización y explotación está ligada a la presencia de algún material salino que atraviesa el agua. En ellas se pueden distinguir tres áreas, la de captación del agua (generalmente pozos horizontales del tipo minado o galería); la de almacenaje (con balsas y recocederos dónde acumular y calentar); y finalmente la de cristalización (con parcelas más o menos aterrazadas conocidas como eras). A través del estudio combinado del trabajo de campo y la documentación de archivos, hemos podido localizar una veintena de salinas en el interior de la Región de Murcia; huella de una actividad económica y de una cultura del agua entre la variedad de paisajes surestinos.

We report on the dependence of ozone volume mixing ratio profiles, retrieved from limb emission infrared spectra of the Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS), on different retrieval setups such as the treatment of the background continuum, cloud filtering, spectral regions used for analysis and a series of further more technical parameter choices. The purpose of this investigation is to better understand the error sources of the ozone retrieval, to optimize the current retrieval setup and to document changes in the data versions. It was shown that the cloud clearing technique used so far (cloud index 1.8) does not reliably exclude all cloud-contaminated spectra from analysis. Through analysis of spectra calculated for cloudy atmospheres we found that the cloud index should be increased to a value of 3.0 or higher. Further, it was found that assignment of a common background continuum to adjacent microwindows within 5 cm−1 is advantageous, because it sufficiently represents the continuum emission by aerosols, clouds and gases as reported in the literature, and is computationally more efficient. For ozone retrieval we use ozone lines from MIPAS band A (685–970 cm−1) and band AB (1020–1170 cm−1) as well. Therefore we checked ozone retrievals with lines from bands A or AB only for a systematic difference. Such a difference was indeed found and could, to a major part, be attributed to the spectroscopic data used in these two bands, and to a minor part to neglection of modelling of non-local thermodynamic (non-LTE) emissions. Another potential explanation, a bias in the radiance calibration of level-1B spectra of bands A and AB, could largely be ruled out by correlation analysis and inspection of broadband spectra. Further upgrades in the ozone retrieval consist of application of an all-zero a-priori profile and a weaker regularization. Finally, the ozone distribution obtained with the new retrieval setup (data versions V3o_O3_7) was compared to the data version used before (V2_O3_2). Differences are smaller than $pm$0.4 ppmv in the altitude region 15–50 km. Further, differences to ozone measured by the HALogen Occultation Experiment (HALOE) on the Upper Atmospheric Research Satellite (UARS) are partly reduced with the new MIPAS data version.

The sensitivity and utility of a standard faecal sedimentation method (FSM) and a modified stool sieving staining method (FSSM), both currently employed for the diagnosis of Fasciola hepatica infection were compared. Faecal samples were obtained from 51 bovines of an endemic area for fasciolosis in Southwestern Argentina. Each sample was placed in a recipient containing 5% formalin. Eight millilitres of the suspension, equivalent to 2g of faeces, were used for each of the two methods tested. The number of eggs found per sample was recorded. The proportion of positive samples obtained by the FSSM (27/51) was significantly higher than that by the FSM (11/51) (PCompararam-se a sensibilidade dos métodos padrão de sedimentação fecal (MPSF) e modificado da tamisação e coloração das fezes (MTCF)-quatro tamises, ambos empregados no diagnóstico de infecção por Fasciola hepatica. Amostras de fezes foram obtidas de 51 bovinos oriundos de uma área endêmica por fasciolose no Sudoeste da Argentina. Cada amostra foi colocada em um recipiente contendo formalina 5%. Oito mililitros da suspensão, equivalente a 2g de fezes, foram usados em cada método testado, registrando-se o número de ovos por amostra. A porcentagem de amostras positivas pelo MTCF (27/51) foi maior que a apresentada pelo MPSF (11/51), o que representou 60% de amostras falso-negativas. A porcentagem de concordância pelos dois métodos foi 41%. A complexidade do MPSF pode diminuir sua sensibilidade pela perda de ovos durante o processamento. Estes resultados confirmaram que o MPSF subestima a contagem de ovos e que o método MTCF é mais confiável.

En este trabajo se determina el comportamiento de la protección de los recubrimientos en los espejos, usando la técnica de Espectroscopía de Impedancia Electroquímica. Se evalúa el sistema en presencia del electrolito cloruro de sodio (3 % peso) a las O, 5, 24 h y 15 d de introducir el electrolito a la celda de medición. El sistema de pintura utilizado en la protección de los espejos se comporta de forma similar a los modelos clásicos propuestos para el deterioro que sufre un sistema de recubrimientos orgánicos en un medio agresivo, de acuerdo a los resultados obtenidos en los ensayos de Espectroscopía de Impedancia Electroquímica para los diferentes tiempos en contacto del sistema con el electrolito cloruro de sodio al 3 % peso.

El defecto conocido como "nube o mancha", que aparece en los espejos plateados fabricados usando las tecnologías convencionales, se atribuye a la corrosión del recubrimiento de cobre ocasionado por agentes agresivos que pueden atravesar las capas de pinturas, pero otra causa del problema puede estar originada por deficiencias durante las etapas del proceso de fabricación de los mismos. En este trabajo, se propone un mecanismo de la corrosión del recubrimiento de cobre a partir del estudio de la composición de los productos de la corrosión en la mancha. Los cloruros, los iones sodio y el oxígeno, procedentes de varias fuentes del sistema, reaccionan formando sales y óxidos de cobre que producen el ampollamiento de la película de plata, la ruptura de la misma y la presencia de estos productos de corrosión se refleja con la formación de manchas de diferentes tamaños, colores y formas sobre la superficie del espejo.

This paper presents a novel bioinspired algorithm to tackle complex optimization problems: the coral reefs optimization (CRO) algorithm. The CRO algorithm artificially simulates a coral reef, where different corals (namely, solutions to the optimization problem considered) grow and reproduce in coral colonies, fighting by choking out other corals for space in the reef. This fight for space, along with the specific characteristics of the corals' reproduction, produces a robust metaheuristic algorithm shown to be powerful for solving hard optimization problems. In this research the CRO algorithm is tested in several continuous and discrete benchmark problems, as well as in practical application scenarios (i.e., optimum mobile network deployment and off-shore wind farm design). The obtained results confirm the excellent performance of the proposed algorithm and open line of research for further application of the algorithm to real-world problems.