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Development of a novel field micro-sampling technique using a tandem p-LIBS – particle recovery module: Application to calcium carbonate samples for 230Th/238U dating
No full textOne of the most challenging aspects of studying prehistoric cave walls is the sampling step which, despite extensive precautions, often falls short of meeting curators’ requirements. Sampling is ideally avoided or accepted only under micro-invasive conditions. This challenge is particularly significant in dating prehistoric rock painting, as laboratory analyses require direct sampling of the painting. The uranium-thorium geo-chronometer offers an interesting alternative, as it allows to estimate the age of a painting without targeting it directly. Instead, it focuses on the precipitated carbonate, known as speleothems, which are abundant in their surroundings and may even overlay rock painting. The sampling step remains nevertheless a challenge, primarily because precise sampling is required, and because these analyses typically require at least mg-sized samples in optimal conditions. In this study, we modified a portable Laser Induced Breakdown Spectrometer (LIBS) to incorporate an induced particle collection module. Additionally, we developed an ablation strategy to remove approximately 1mg of material from calcium carbonate samples, including limestone slab, speleothems, and corals, producing square-based pyramidal ablation craters with maximal dimensions of about 900 x 900 x 700 μm (length x width x depth). Evaluation of the efficiency of the collection modules revealed a high recovery rate of nearly 80% of the total ablated mass. This sampling protocol was additionally applied to two known samples for which U/Th ages were determined after MC-ICP-MS analyses. Calculated U/Th ages were in good agreement with their expected values, suggesting that the proposed sampling methodology could offer a novel mean for micro-invasive investigations in carbonate caves and shelters.The authors wish to thank the “Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement” (LSCE) and the “Archeoscience” laboratory for providing the different coral and speleothems samples used in this study. This work was financially supported by the “Agence Nationale de la Recherche” (ANR), in the context of the “Apart” project (ref. 18-ce27-0004-01)
The harms of non-derogatory uses of slurs and the Potential Normalization Argument
No full text"There is no doubt that slurs harm. They do so by denigrating their targets, by putting them down, by marginalizing them. This is why in many legislations around the world, the use of slurs has been banned or penalized . But should all uses of slurs be banned? Many uses of slurs seem to be non-derogatory and to have beneficial effects. However, such uses are double-faceted: as both armchair reflection and experimental studies have shown, they are able to produce harm as well . In this paper, I approach the broad question of whether all non-de-rogatory uses of slurs should be banned . I first present the main uses of slurs that have been considered to be non-derogatory and recent reactions to those. The upshot of this survey is that uses of slurs that have been considered non-derogatory do, in fact, produce harm . I also flag what various authors have recommended in relation to the issue of banning such uses. Against this background, I engage with a recent view put forward by Alba Moreno Zurita and Eduardo Pérez-Navarro, who urge extreme caution with respect to any uses of slurs, due to their potential to normalize derogation. After presenting their view and their main argument, I raise an objection related to their treatment of neutral uses of slurs. I end with pointing out that, while their endeavour has merit in that it pushes the discussion further, it raises certain issues -of both an empirical and a normative nature- that need to be addressed.; No cabe duda de que los slurs hacen daño . Lo hacen denigrando a sus destinatarios, menospreciándolos, marginándolos. Por eso, el uso de slurs ha sido prohibido o penalizado en muchas legislaciones de todo el mundo. Pero ¿deberían prohibirse todos los slurs? Muchos de sus usos parecen no ser derogatorios y tener efectos beneficiosos .Sin embargo, tales usos tienen dos caras: como han demostrado tanto la reflexión de sillón como los estudios experimentales, también tienen la capacidad de producir daño . En este artículo me planteo la cuestión general de si deberían prohibirse todos los usos no derogatorios de los slurs. Primero, presento los principales usos de los slurs que se han considerado no derogatorios y las principales reacciones recientes a los mismos. El resultado de este estudio es que los usos de los slurs que se han considerado no derogatorios, de hecho, producen daño . También señalo lo que varios autores han recomendado en relación con la cuestión de prohibir tales usos . En concreto, me ocupo de una posición reciente presentada por Alba Moreno Zurita y Eduardo Pérez Navarro, quienes instan a extremar la precaución respecto a cualquier uso de los slurs, debido a su potencial para normalizar la derogación. Tras presentar su punto de vista y su argumento principal, planteo una objeción relacionada con el tratamiento que dan a los usos neutrales de los slurs . Concluyo señalando que, si bien su esfuerzo es meritorio en la medida en que hace avanzar el debate, plantea ciertas cuestiones -de naturaleza tanto empírica como normativa- que es necesario abordar.
Impaired unfolded protein response, BDNF and synuclein markers in postmortem dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and caudate nucleus of patients with depression and Parkinson's disease
No full textMajor depressive disorder (MDD) is characterized by significant impairment in social, emotional, and cognitive functioning. Its precise pathophysiology remains poorly understood. Alterations in protein homeostasis and some misfolded proteins have been identified within the brains of patients diagnosed with neuropsychiatric disorders. In contrast to neurodegenerative processes such as Parkinson's disease (PD), where the accumulation of aggregated α-synuclein (α-Syn) protein is a primary cause of significant neuronal loss, altered proteostasis in MDD may result in loss-of-function effects by modifying synaptic neuroplasticity. Moreover, aberrant activation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) pathways may intensify the pathological alterations due to altered proteostasis. In this study, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and caudate nucleus from MDD patients and non-psychiatric controls were used. Postmortem samples of same brain areas from PD patients (Braak 2–3 and 5–6) and controls were also included. Protein levels of ER and unfolded protein response (UPR), synucleins (α-, β- and γ-Syn), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were measured by Western-Blot. Phospho-eIF2α/eIF2α ratio was increased in the dlPFC and caudate nucleus of MDD and PD patients compared to their respective controls. Brain area-dependent changes in BiP and GRP94 levels were also found. We further detected accumulation of immature BDNF precursors and opposite changes in α- and β-Syn levels in the dlPFC of MDD and PD patients compared to controls. Our findings suggest that alterations in proteostasis contribute to the pathophysiology of MDD, as previously described in PD. A deeper understanding of the pathways involved will identify other candidate proteins and new targets with therapeutic potential.This work has been funded by MCIU/AEI/FEDER, an EU grant (PID2019-105136RB-100, PID2022-141700OB-I00, MCIN/AEI/10. 13039/501100011033 to AB), and AGAUR 2021-SGR-01358, Government of Catalonia, Basque Government (IT1512/22), CB/07/09/0034 and CB/07/09/0008 Centre for Biomedical Research in Mental Health Network (CIBERSAM). We would also like to thank the Spanish Network for Research on Stress, MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033. USS has received a grant from the Training Programme for Non-Doctoral Pre-doctoral Researchers of the Basque Government, Spain. MSA has a Margarita Salas Scholarship (MS21-132) from the University of Valencia (reclassification of the Spanish University System of the Ministry of Universities of the Government of Spain, financed by the European Union, Next Generation EU)
Voting record of the UN HRC Resolutions on “Human rights and unilateral coercive measure”
No full textLaser-induced breakdown spectroscopy and multivariate aata analysis applied to in-line sorting of brominated plastics from waste electric and electronic equipment
No full textThe presence of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP) in consumer products such as electrical and electronic equipment represents a major obstacle for the recycling of the materials they contain at their end-of-life. Current technologies applied to recover plastics from waste electric and electronic equipment (WEEE) struggle to meet the requirements from recyclers regarding restrictions on some of these POPs, mainly brominated flame retardant (BFR) content. In this study, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) technique combined with partial least squares regression (PLSR) was investigated for the real-time classification of WEEE plastics based on their total bromine (Br) content, in order to foster their reintroduction into the market as secondary raw materials. With this aim, a classification method was trained and tested in a sorting prototype using mixed plastic samples from TV set and computer monitor housings containing an average of 1.34% of Br. Regardless of polymer colour and type, up to 56% of the tested material could be segregated into a single fraction with a final Br concentration of 1,280 mg/kg. The achieved values met the requirements established in the CENELEC EN 50625 series of standards for the depollution of BFRs (< 2,000 mg/kg of Br) and the concentration of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) was estimated to be 213 mg/kg. These findings demonstrate the potential of the LIBS technique together with multivariate data analysis to ensure WEEE plastic sorting and depollution compliance with current regulations, reducing disposal rates and ultimately contributing to its circularity.his research has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 820477
Política a través de la ciencia: Manuel Lora Tamayo, ministro de Educación
No full textManuel Lora Tamayo, chair of organic chemistry, was one of the scientists who defended the value of research to the State that emerged from the Spanish Civil War. His efforts enabled him to join in the setting up of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC). In collaboration with his secretary general, the soil scientist José María Albareda, he drove forward a science that, while vocational and disinterested, was to contribute to the economic development of Spain. Both took part in the political debate on the training of the new generations of Spaniards, in which they claimed the educational value of the experimental sciences and, ultimately, a potentially less nationalist and authoritarian idea of society. During his ministerial period (1962-1968), Lora Tamayo's project exemplified a de-ideologization of the State and education, although his confrontation with the veteran Interior Minister and dissident students showed its limits.; Manuel Lora Tamayo, catedrático de Química Orgánica, fue uno de los científicos que defendieron la utilidad de la investigación para el Estado que surgía de la Guerra Civil española. Su esfuerzo le permitió incorporarse a la puesta en marcha del Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC). En relación con su secretario general, el edafólogo José María Albareda, impulsó una ciencia que, a la par que vocacional y desinteresada, debía contribuir al desarrollo económico del país. Ambos intervinieron también en el debate político sobre la formación de las nuevas generaciones de españoles, en el que reivindicaron el valor educativo de las ciencias experimentales y, en último extremo, una idea de sociedad potencialmente menos nacionalista y autoritaria. Durante su etapa ministerial (1962-1968), el proyecto de Lora Tamayo ilustró una desideologización del Estado y la enseñanza, aunque su roce con el veterano ministro de Gobernación y los estudiantes disidentes manifestó sus límites
Segregación residencial, política de vivienda y planificación territorial en el País Vasco
No full textDespite the growing economic disparity and its reflection in the territory through residential segregation, few studies relate residential segregation with the housing policy developed in the Basque Country. Therefore, this study aims to analyze residential segregation and examine its relationship with public housing policy. The Basque Country was selected as an instrumental case study due to its high level of public housing construction compared to the rest of Spain. A quantitative methodology was used focused on the statistical analysis of economic, social, and housing indicators. The Geo-Segregation Analyzer and ArcGIS software facilitated the measurement of segregation and its geographic visualization. Areas have been identified that concentrate a greater degree of vulnerability due to having municipalities with an industrial past that have been subjected to reconversion processes. Incipient trends of displacement of vulnerability in the most peripheral areas are also observed. However, no strong correlations have been found between a greater provision of public housing and greater segregation, although geographical associations have been found in certain areas. The study concludes that the integration of housing policy in territorial planning could mitigate segregation. Likewise, adapting the promotion of public housing based on levels of vulnerability, avoiding excessive concentrations and considering location factors, can promote social equity throughout the territory.Financial support of the Basque Government (GPAC-Research Group on Built Heritage; Grant: IT1617-22), the Government of Spain, and the European Regional Development Fund (Grant PID2021-123686OB-I00 and Grant PID2023-146662OB-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and ERDF A way of making Europe)
Valió la pena. Inmigración y revolución de la vivienda en el barrio de Roquetes, Barcelona, durante el franquismo
No full textSobre la base de un trabajo previo con fuentes municipales y padrones de población, el artículo analiza en detalle a través de veintiuna historias de vida los cambios decisivos experimentados en las condiciones de la vivienda de un barrio obrero e inmigrante barcelonés, a raíz del acceso a una casa en propiedad en el segundo franquismo
Laboratorios de prácticas artísticas en la comunidad: Procesos transformadores que suscitan el interaprendizaje y la interculturalidad en la educación superior
No full textLa verticalidad en la educación con el pasar del tiempo ha sido muy cuestionada al igual que sus paradigmas de enseñanza unilateral que parten desde la hegemonía social y económica de quien tiene el crédito o credibilidad de poseer el conocimiento o los saberes. Pues, de este hecho no es ajeno el campo artístico y cultural. En ese contexto, como una alternativa, presentamos la sistematización de una experiencia que aborda una asignatura transversal en la formación artística de profesionales de la Universidad de las Artes en Ecuador que a partir de una metodología y la dotación de herramientas prácticas para trabajo en campo, logran procesos inmersivos en zonas periféricas de la ciudad como barrios o comunidades en donde la articulación y entrelazamiento de la academia con la sociedad in-situ bajo el principio del diálogo de saberes, crea el escenario propicio para dinamizar el interaprendizaje basado en el compartir de conocimientos de todas las personas involucradas en el proceso dando espacio a la vez, a una vivencia intercultural que transforma las percepciones, visiones, estéticas y compromisos sociales a partir de conocer y convivir un espacio de tiempo con nuevas realidades y grupos humanos vulnerables que encuentran en las prácticas artísticas y culturales un medio educativo para transmitir y visibilizar su cultura.; The verticality in education has faced significant scrutiny over time, much like its unilateral teaching paradigms that arise from the social and economic hegemony of those deemed credible holders of knowledge. This is also true in the artistic and cultural fields. In this context, as an alternative, we present the systematization of an experience that addresses a cross-cutting subject in the artistic training of professionals at the Universidad de las Artes in Ecuador. This approach, utilizing a methodology along with providing technical tools for fieldwork, enables immersive processes in peripheral areas of the city, such as neighborhoods or communities. Here, the articulation and intertwining of academia with society in situ-based on the principle of a dialogue of knowledge-creates a conducive environment for fostering inter-learning. This is achieved by sharing the expertise of all participants involved in the process while simultaneously allowing for an intercultural experience that transforms perceptions, visions, aesthetics, and social commitments. This transformation arises from engaging with new realities and human groups who find in artistic and cultural practices an educational means to convey and make visible their culture
Multivariate analysis of teams’ physical performances in official football matches in LaLiga 2023–24
No full textThe main aims of this study were to describe the physical performance of the teams during official matches using a multivariate approach, considering their rivals and the final competition standings. The study analysed the professional teams that competed in the first division of Spanish football during the 2023–2024 season. A total of 756 physical performances of teams were analysed across 378 matches. Data for nine external match load variables were collected using the TRACAB optical tracking system: total distance and distance covered at high speeds (> 21, > 24 and > 28 km·h-1), total acceleration load, and the frequency of accelerations/decelerations (> 3 and > 4 m·s²). Principal component analysis (PCA) and clustering analysis were used to reduce multidimensionality and facilitate grouping. 1) PCA grouped the external load variables into three components: intensity (characterized by a high number of accelerations and decelerations), velocity (characterized by high values in high-speed distance), and volume (characterized by a high total distance). 2) Teams’ physical performances were primarily grouped into four clusters: cluster 1 (high intensity), cluster 2 (highest values across all physical variables), cluster 3 (lowest values across all physical variables), and cluster 4 (high velocity). 3) No significant differences were found in the distribution of physical performances within each cluster based on the teams’ final rankings. 4) Teams’ physical performances showed a tendency to play most of their matches against opponents from the same cluster. The clustering analysis revealed differences in physical demands across teams during the season, which can guide training and match preparation. Teams can use this knowledge to improve injury prevention and recovery management by aligning physical preparation with match external loads