Grados de obturación alcanzados por emisores a lo largo de un tiempo trabajando con aguas residuales depuradas

Tanto el respeto al medio ambiente como la necesidad de buscar nuevos recursos hídricos está promoviendo la reutilización de aguas residuales utilizando sistemas de riego por goteo, garantizando con un buen manejo y aplicación un uso eficiente del recurso agua. Para conocer el principal problema que se plantea en estos sistemas, como es la obstrucción de los emisores, se ha llevado a cabo este trabajo. Se han estudiado los emisores que son más aptos para resistir al atascamiento, para ello se ha seguido la evolución a lo largo del tiempo de varios emisores comerciales trabajando con distintas calidades de aguas depuradas, calculando el grado de obturación (G.O) que alcanzan cada uno de ellos. Entre las conclusiones destacar que la calidad del agua residual influye muy significativamente en el grado de obturación, recomendándose para disminuir éste, al menos un tratamiento primario al agua residual más una filtración

Major histocompatibility complex class I evolution in songbirds: universal primers, rapid evolution and base compositional shifts in exon 3

Genes of the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) have become an important marker for the investigation of adaptive genetic variation in vertebrates because of their critical role in pathogen resistance. However, despite significant advances in the last few years the characterization of MHC variation in non-model species still remains a challenging task due to the redundancy and high variation of this gene complex. Here we report the utility of a single pair of primers for the cross-amplification of the third exon of MHC class I genes, which encodes the more polymorphic half of the peptide-binding region (PBR), in oscine passerines (songbirds; Aves: Passeriformes), a group especially challenging for MHC characterization due to the presence of large and complex MHC multigene families. In our survey, although the primers failed to amplify exon 3 from two suboscine passerine birds, they amplified exon 3 of multiple MHC class I genes in all 16 species of oscine songbirds tested, yielding a total of 120 sequences. The 16 songbird species belong to 14 different families, primarily within the Passerida, but also in the Corvida. Using a conservative approach based on the analysis of cloned amplicons (n = 16) from each species, we found between 3 and 10 MHC sequences per individual. Each allele repertoire was highly divergent, with the overall number of polymorphic sites per species ranging from 33 to 108 (out of 264 sites) and the average number of nucleotide differences between alleles ranging from 14.67 to 43.67. Our survey in songbirds allowed us to compare macroevolutionary dynamics of exon 3 between songbirds and non-passerine birds. We found compelling evidence of positive selection acting specifically upon peptide-binding codons across birds, and we estimate the strength of diversifying selection in songbirds to be about twice that in non-passerines. Analysis using comparative methods suggest weaker evidence for a higher GC content in the 3rd codon position of exon 3 in non-passerine birds, a pattern that contrasts with among-clade GC patterns found in other avian studies and may suggests different mutational mechanisms. Our primers represent a useful tool for the characterization of functional and evolutionarily relevant MHC variation across the hyperdiverse songbirds

Análisis de género, productividad científica y colaboración de las profesoras universitarias de ciencias de la salud en la comunitat valenciana (2003-2007).

Se presenta la producción científica de las profesoras universitarias en el área de las Ciencias de la Salud de la Comunitat Valenciana durante el quinquenio 2003-2007 aplicando técnicas bibliométricas y realizando un análisis de género con el fin de conocer cuántas llegan a ser grandes productoras de artículos científicos frente a las que no alcanzan estos niveles de productividad e impacto. Se han recuperado 3.739 artículos durante el período estudiado, identificando el género de todos los autores con más de 2 artículos. De estos autores, 2.774 (60,41 %) son hombres y 1.818 (39,59 %) son mujeres, pero si se analizan solamente a los grandes productores, las autoras con más de 10 trabajos únicamente llegan a ser el 26,72 %. Respecto a la colaboración científica hay que resaltar que las mujeres están presentes en todas las redes de al menos 10 autores y en algunos casos su presencia se equipara a la de los hombres. Pese a que la participación de la mujer en todas las áreas del conocimiento es inferior a los hombres, en las Ciencias de la Salud la proporción es menor que en otras áreas técnicas. La aportación de las mujeres al ámbito científico es cada vez mayor pudiendo alcanzar la paridad con el paso de los años

Extraordinary MHC class II B diversity in a non-passerine, wild bird: the Eurasian Coot Fulica atra (Aves: Rallidae)

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) hosts the most polymorphic genes ever described in vertebrates. The MHC triggers the adaptive branch of the immune response, and its extraordinary variability is considered an evolutionary consequence of pathogen pressure. The last few years have witnessed the characterization of the MHC multigene family in a large diversity of bird species, unraveling important differences in its polymorphism, complexity, and evolution. Here, we characterize the first MHC class II B sequences isolated from a Rallidae species, the Eurasian Coot Fulica atra. A next-generation sequencing approach revealed up to 265 alleles that translated into 251 different amino acid sequences (b chain, exon 2) in 902 individuals. Bayesian inference identified up to 19 codons within the presumptive peptide-binding region showing pervasive evidence of positive, diversifying selection. Our analyses also detected a significant excess of high-frequency segregating sites (average Tajima’s D = 2.36, P < 0.05), indicative of balancing selection. We found one to six different alleles per individual, consistent with the occurrence of at least three MHC class II B gene duplicates. However, the genotypes comprised of three alleles were by far the most abundant in the population investigated (49.4%), followed by those with two (29.6%) and four (17.5%) alleles. We suggest that these proportions are in agreement with the segregation of MHC haplotypes differing in gene copy number. The most widespread segregating haplotypes, according to our findings, would contain one single gene or two genes. The MHC class II of the Eurasian Coot is a valuable system to investigate the evolutionary implications of gene copy variation and extensive variability, the greatest ever found, to the best of our knowledge, in a wild population of a non-passerine birdPeer reviewe

Insights into the fecal microbiota of captive Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus)

The Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) is an endangered species restricted to several areas of Spain and Portugal. Its low genetic diversity likely provokes immune depression and high susceptibility to infectious diseases. The intestinal microbiota is closely related to host health and nutrition. In order to contribute to the knowledge of the Iberian lynx intestinal microbiota, fecal microbiota of captive specimens from two breeding centers (&ldquo;La Olivilla&rdquo; and &ldquo;El Acebuche&rdquo;), located in Southern Spain, were studied by Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE). Results grouped microbiota in two main clusters (I and III) which included DGGE patterns of 19 out of 36 specimens, cluster I being the most frequent in &ldquo;La Olivilla&rdquo; (50%) and cluster III in &ldquo;El Acebuche&rdquo; (55.55 %) specimens. Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria phyla were identified. Segregation of clusters I and III was attributed to different microorganism presence (Pseudomonas koreensis, Pseudomonas migulae, Carnobacterium sp., Arthrobacter, Robinsoniella peorensis and Ornithinibacillus sp.) and ability to use different carbon sources. Biolog EcoPlates&reg; results indicate high functional diversity of fecal microbiota, it being higher in cluster III. The great impact of intestinal microbiota on host health supports the importance of its microbial composition understanding. This study is the first report of captive Iberian lynx fecal microbiota composition. [Int Microbiol 20(1): 31-41 (2017)]Keywords: Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) &middot; fecal microbiota &middot; biodiversit

Cost and energy efficient reconfigurable embedded platform using Spartan-6 FPGAs

Modern FPGAs with run-time reconfiguration allow the implementation of complex systems offering both the flexibility of software-based solutions combined with the performance of hardware. This combination of characteristics, together with the development of new specific methodologies, make feasible to reach new points of the system design space, and make embedded systems built on these platforms acquire more and more importance. However, the practical exploitation of this technique in fields that traditionally have relied on resource restricted embedded systems, is mainly limited by strict power consumption requirements, the cost and the high dependence of DPR techniques with the specific features of the device technology underneath. In this work, we tackle the previously reported problems, designing a reconfigurable platform based on the low-cost and low-power consuming Spartan-6 FPGA family. The full process to develop the platform will be detailed in the paper from scratch. In addition, the implementation of the reconfiguration mechanism, including two profiles, is reported. The first profile is a low-area and low-speed reconfiguration engine based mainly on software functions running on the embedded processor, while the other one is a hardware version of the same engine, implemented in the FPGA logic. This reconfiguration hardware block has been originally designed to the Virtex-5 family, and its porting process will be also described in this work, facing the interoperability problem among different families

Power management techniques in an FPGA-Based WSN node for high performance application

In this work, the power management techniques implemented in a high-performance node for Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) based on a RAM-based FPGA are presented. This new node custom architecture is intended for high-end WSN applications that include complex sensor management like video cameras, high compute demanding tasks such as image encoding or robust encryption, and/or higher data bandwidth needs. In the case of these complex processing tasks, yet maintaining low power design requirements, it can be shown that the combination of different techniques such as extensive HW algorithm mapping, smart management of power islands to selectively switch on and off components, smart and low-energy partial reconfiguration, an adequate set of save energy modes and wake up options, all combined, may yield energy results that may compete and improve energy usage of typical low power microcontrollers used in many WSN node architectures. Actually, results show that higher complexity tasks are in favor of HW based platforms, while the flexibility achieved by dynamic and partial reconfiguration techniques could be comparable to SW based solutions

Tutorial multimèdia per al desenvolupament de treballs de fi de grau en Informació i Documentació

La pàgina web i els materials creats formen part del projecte d'Innovació Educativa: Tutorial multimèdia per al desenvolupament de treballs de fi de grau en Informació i Documentació.The preparation and defense of the Degree Final Project is one of the major developments derived from the process of building the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). This work reflects all learning acquired by students in previous years of the corresponding degree, where students face the process of autonomous knowledge generation and the difficulties of practical or applied work. This document reports on the development of an interactive multimedia tutorial, adapted to the educational objectives and competencies of a specific target audience. We developed this guide at the University of Valencia (Spain) by means of the following steps: a) identification of the contents to be included in the tutorial and design of learning materials, b) technical development and implementation of web materials (www.uv.es/innopfg) and c) evaluation of both materials developed and learning processes. We have prepared the following learning materials: didactic units that describe the characteristics, structure and content that must be included in each of the sections that make up the final project work; list of relevant resources of use in making an approach "state of art" and to facilitate academic writing (such as databases or reference management software); tests for students to verify the adequacy of the texts, which have been prepared according to the rules and characteristics of the final project work; and, finally, a video as an example where an oral presentation and defense of the project is shown. Exelearning software was used for the development of materials.La preparació i defensa d’un Treball de Fi de Grau constitueix una de les principals novetats derivades del procés de construcció de l’Espai Europeu d’Educació Superior (EEES). En aquest treball queden reflectides totes les habilitats adquirides pels estudiants en els anys previs a la finalització del Grau, atès que els estudiants han d’enfrontar-se en el mateix al procés de generació autònoma de coneixement i a les dificultats que comporta un treball de tipus pràctic. El present document recull l’experiència del desenvolupament d’un tutorial multimèdia per a guiar el procés de realització del treball de fi de Grau, adaptat als objectius d’aprenentatge i a l’adquisició de competències dels alumnes destinataris. El treball s’ha desenvolupat en les següents fases: a) determinació dels continguts que havien de ser inclosos en el tutorial i disseny dels objectes d’aprenentatge; b) desenvolupament tècnic i implementació dels materials mitjançant un tutorial accessible a través de l’adreça web (www.uv.es/innopfg); i c) avaluació dels materials desenvolupats i dels processos d’aprenentatge. S’han desenvolupat els següents objectes d’aprenentatge: unitats didàctiques que descriuen les característiques, estructura i continguts que s’han d’incloure en cadascuna de les seccions que conformen el treball de fi de Grau; llistat de recursos que poden resultar d’interès per a realitzar una aproximació a “l’estat del art” i que poden resultar d’utilitat per a la creació del text escrit (com ara bases de dades i programes gestors de bibliografia); tests per a que els alumnes puguen verificar l’adequació dels textos que han preparat en relació amb la normativa i les característiques dels treballs de fi de Grau; i finalment, un video que recrea l’exposició oral i la defensa d’un treball de fi de Grau. El programa ExeLearning fou emprat per al desenvolupament dels materials i del propi tutorial