New accurate measurement of 36ArH+ and 38ArH+ ro-vibrational transitions by high resolution IR absorption spectroscopy

The protonated Argon ion, $^{36}$ArH$^{+}$, has been identified recently in the Crab Nebula (Barlow et al. 2013) from Herschel spectra. Given the atmospheric opacity at the frequency of its $J$=1-0 and $J$=2-1 rotational transitions (617.5 and 1234.6 GHz, respectively), and the current lack of appropriate space observatories after the recent end of the Herschel mission, future studies on this molecule will rely on mid-infrared observations. We report on accurate wavenumber measurements of $^{36}$ArH$^{+}$ and $^{38}$ArH$^{+}$ rotation-vibration transitions in the $v$=1-0 band in the range 4.1-3.7 $\mu$m (2450-2715 cm$^{-1}$). The wavenumbers of the $R$(0) transitions of the $v$=1-0 band are 2612.50135$\pm$0.00033 and 2610.70177$\pm$0.00042 cm$^{-1}$ ($\pm3\sigma$) for $^{36}$ArH$^{+}$ and $^{38}$ArH$^{+}$, respectively. The calculated opacity for a gas thermalized at a temperature of 100 K and a linewidth of 1 km.s$^{-1}$ of the $R$(0) line is $1.6\times10^{-15}\times N$($^{36}$ArH$^+$). For column densities of $^{36}$ArH$^+$ larger than $1\times 10^{13}$ cm$^{-2}$, significant absorption by the $R$(0) line can be expected against bright mid-IR sources

Young with Down Syndrome and recreation swimming activity: Inclusion posibilities

El propósito del estudio fue analizar las percepciones de los agentes participantes y los factores que inciden en la inclusión de un niño con síndrome de Down (SD) en un programa de natación recreativa. Los participantes fueron: un joven con SD, nueve jóvenes sin discapacidad diagnosticada, la monitora de natación, el coordinador de la actividad y la madre del niño con SD. El presente estudio, basado en una metodología cualitativa, recogió la información a través de entrevistas semi-estructuradas, observación sistemática y diario de la investigadora. La utilización de un proceso inductivo permitió categorizar la información y obtener los siguientes resultados: es necesaria una mayor coordinación entre los agentes implicados, adaptar el programa en función de las características de todos los participantes, mejorar la formación específica de los técnicos responsables y la fluidez de la comunicación entre los agentes implicados para posibilitar la inclusión del niño con SD a través de la natación recreativaThe purpose of this study was to analyse the perceptions of the participant agents and factors affecting the inclusion of a child with Down syndrome (DS) in a recreational swimming activity program. Program participants included: a child with DS, nine children without diagnosed disabilities, the swimming instructor, the mother of a child with DS and the coordinator of the activity. This study was based on qualitative research approach and data were collected through semi-structured interviews, systematic observation and research diary. The following results were obtained after the inductive process: the need of greater coordination among those involved, designs appropriate programs based on the characteristics of all participants, improve specific training of technicians responsible as well as improve the communication of the agents participating in order to enable the inclusion of a child with DS in a recreational swimming activit

Occasions, people and places for pork consumption in Europe. Empirical findings from the Q-Porkchains pan-European consumer survey

Objective: to describe the occasions when, the places where and people with whom respondents reported pork meat consumption. Design & Setting: Cross-sectional web based survey in Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece and Poland, January 2008, with quota samples on gender (male, female), age categories (20- 44y and 45-70y), and locality of residence (urban, rural with low pig production density and rural with high pig production density). Subjects: 2437 respondents (51% women, 49% men; mean age 41.4 y SD 13.1). Methods: Online computer based survey, including sociodemographic information, anthropometrics (weight, height), and further questions on frequency of pork consumption (30 common items, 17 country-specific items), the occasions (working day, any day, weekend, special occasions), the company (alone, with family, with friends, with others) and the place of actual consumption (at home, outside of home). Results are aggregated for the five European countries. Results: Tenderloin, mignonette, brochette together with pork shoulder ranked as the first choices for weekend and special occasions. The most out-of home consumed products are mixed gyros-pita meat, pork based brochette, pizza, small cuts, marinated meat, escalope, shoulder, tenderloin and mixed meat. The Greek country specific Sygglino, Tigania, and the Country-style sausage are amongst the main preferences for out of home consumption. At European level, most products are consumed at home and with the family. Meat products such as salami, ham, and similar products are amongst the first choices when eating alone. Semi-processed meat like brochettes, small cuts and marinated or ready to eat dishes as gyros-pitas and pizza are the main choice for eating in the company of friends. Conclusions: European respondents seem to make specific choices of food depending on to the occasions, the places and the company. This information highlights the potential orientation of consumers towards fresh meat for special occasions or weekends, and more processed and convenient products when alone or socializing. This information is also useful to address interventions aiming at the improvement of food related health in Europe.Occasions, Pork consumption, Europe, Q-Porkchains, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

Análisis florístico de las sierras de María y Orce (provincias de Almería y Granada, España)

11 páginas, 4 tablas y 3 figuras[EN]We carried out a floristic analysis of the María and Orce mountain ranges, situated in the north of Almería and Granada provinces, respectively, in a región of continentalized climate with a climatic irregularity of 37.5%. The biological spectrum was compared with other peninsular and north african áreas. Being a montane zone, the dominant biotype is hemicryptophytic, but a relatively high proportion of therophytes is also present, which indicates a southeast semiarid peninsular influence. Data obtained from analysis of floristic elements present (mediterranean, 51 %; iberian, 18.5 %; ibero-northafrican, 10.3 %; etc.) allow these mountain ranges to be characterized as an área of conjunction between diverse floras, specifically betic (central and eastern andalusian), eastern peninsular (taxa of the southeastern and eastern peninsular regions which may also be present in the central or southern peninsular regions), and Murcia-Almerian (southeast semiarid). The área possesses 6 local endemics: Brassica repanda (Willd.) DC. subsp. almeriensis Gómez-Campo, Nepeta hispanica Boiss. & Reuter in Boiss, subsp. hispanica, Sideritis stachydioidesV/iWk., Sideritis x sagredoi O. Socorro, J. Molero, M. Casares & F. Pérez Raya, Centaurea mariana Nyman and Centaurea Xpüfontiana Fernández Casas & Susanna. The distribution of taxa in bioclimatic belts was also studied. There was a predominance of those taxa which occur in both the mesomediterranean and the supramediterranean. Analysis of the degree of conservation of the flora according to the categories of the IUCN (25.7 % of the flora was found to be threatened to a certain degree) indicates that 85.7 % of threatened taxa are present in the supra- and oromediterranean. Lastly, we give the distribution of floristic elements according to the bioclimatic belts, noting that the endemics of most limited range are present in the summit zones, with the exception of the Almenan endemics, whose área of distribution is the basal belt of the semiarid Murcia-Almerian región.[ES]La idea de evaluar la importancia de las áreas naturales, bien sea para su conservación o para otros fines, ha evolucionado en época reciente y ha encontrado una amplia aplicación (MARGULES & USHER, 1981; GOLDSMITH, 1983). La evaluación de áreas naturales implica factores subjetivos y objetivos que, a menudo, no pueden separarse fácilmente (ROOME, 1984). SMITH & THEBERGE (1986) analizaron los criterios usados en 22 sistemas de evaluación, encontrando que los más utilizados son los de rareza y singularidad, seguidos del de diversidad. En este trabajo se realiza un análisis florístico de las sierras de María y Orce, tomando como base el estudio de CUETO (1989). Dichas sierras están situadas al norte de las provincias de Almería y Granada, respectivamente; constituyen un núcleo montano con una altura media de 1326 m, que alcanza los 2045 m de altitud en el pico María. Ocupan un área virtual sobre el plano de 202,14 km2. Por su situación geográfica, presentan un clima continental, que se suaviza algo en las vertientes sur, como consecuencia de la influencia del Mediterráneo. La irregularidad climática es del 37,5% (MONTERO & GONZÁLEZ REBOLLAR, 1983); esto favorece la existencia de una flora rica y variada, puesto que los cambios de clima propician la presencia de táxones que se desarrollan dentro de límites climáticos muy diversos. Las precipitaciones anuales en la zona oscilan entre los 340 y los 640 mm; las mínimas se presentan en el extremo noroccidental del área, lo cual indica la influencia de la depresión de Orce, mientras que las máximas se recogen en las cotas superiores de la Sierra de María. Las temperaturas medias anuales se sitúan entre los 7 °C de las cumbres de la Sierra de Maria y los 12 °C que se alcanzan en el extremo noroccidental y en las zonas bajas de la vertiente sur de ambas sierras.Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas, C.S.I.C. General Segura, 1.04001 Almería. Departamento de Biología Vegetal, Facultad de Ciencias. Fuentenueva, s/n. 18001 Granada. Centro de Ciencias Medioambientales, C.S.I.C. Serrano, 115 duplicado. 28006 Madrid.Peer reviewe

Detection of the Ammonium Ion in Space

We report on the detection of a narrow feature at 262816.73 MHz towards Orion and the cold prestellar core B1-bS, that we attribute to the 1(0)-0(0) line of the deuterated Ammonium ion, NH3D+. The observations were performed with the IRAM 30m radio telescope. The carrier has to be a light molecular species as it is the only feature detected over 3.6 GHz of bandwidth. The hyperfine structure is not resolved indicating a very low value for the electric quadrupolar coupling constant of Nitrogen which is expected for NH3D+ as the electric field over the N nucleus is practically zero. Moreover, the feature is right at the predicted frequency for the 1(0)-0(0) transition of the Ammonium ion, 262817(6) MHz (3sigma), using rotational constants derived from new infrared data obtained in our laboratory in Madrid. The estimated column density is 1.1(0.2)e12 cm-2. Assuming a deuterium enhancement similar to that of NH2D, we derive N(NH4+) sim 2.6e13 cm-2, i.e., an abundance for Ammonium of a few 1e(-11).Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Letters 04 June 201