The effects of land use and topographic changes on sediment connectivity in mountain catchments.

Understanding the evolution of sediment connectivity associated with different land use and topographic changes is a prerequisite for a better understanding of sediment budgets and sediment transport processes. We used the Index of Sediment Connectivity (IC) developed by Cavalli et al. (2013) based on the original approach by Borselli et al. (2008) to study the effects of decadal-scale land use and topographic changes on sediment connectivity in mountain catchments. The input variables of the IC (i.e. land cover and topography) were derived from historical aerial photos using Structure from Motion-Multi View Stereo algorithms (SfM-MVS). The method was applied in different sub-catchments of the Upper River Cinca Catchment (Central Pyrenees), representative of three scenarios: (a) Land cover changes; (b) Topographic changes in agricultural fields (terracing); and (c) Topographic changes associated with infrastructure (road construction). In terms of land cover changes, results show that although connectivity is increased in some areas due to the establishment of new field crops, for most of the study area connectivity decreased due to afforestation caused by rural abandonment. Topographic changes due to the establishment of agricultural terraces affected connectivity to a larger degree than land cover changes. Terracing generally reduced connectivity due to the formation of flat areas in step-slopes, but in certain points, an increase in connectivity caused by the topographic convergence produced by terraces was observed. Finally, topographic changes associated with road construction greatly modified surface flow directions and the drainage network, resulting in changes in connectivity that may affect erosional processes nearby. The methodology used in this paper allows to study the effects of real decadal-scale land use and topographic changes on sediment connectivity and also evaluating and disentangling those changes. Furthermore, this approach can be a useful tool to identify potential risks associated with morphological and land use changes, involving road infrastructures.

Conformación de conductos de doble curvatura con sistemas rotatorios de lima única / S-shape root canal shaping with one-file rotary systems

Objetivo. Comparar la modificación de conductos simulados con doble curvatura después de su preparación con 4 sistemas de lima única. Material y métodos. Se usaron 40 bloques de resina con conductos simulados de doble curvatura y divididos en 4 grupos (ni=10). Los bloques fueron preparados hasta una lima 25 usando los sistemas Reciproc (R25), Wave One Gold (Primary), One Shape y F360 (25). Se obtuvieron imágenes pre- y post-instrumentación y se superpusieron para su análisis. Se dividió la doble curvatura en 11 niveles. Se calculó la distancia desde la pared no instrumentada hasta la instrumentada. Para comparar el ensanchamiento del conducto en cada nivel se utilizó el test ANOVA, las comparaciones dos a dos se hicieron mediante el test de Tukey. El nivel de significación se estableció en p<0,05. Resultados. Todos los sistemas de lima única estudiados modifican de manera importante la curvatura apical. Wave One Gold ensanchó más en la pared interna de la curvatura apical, manteniendo un ensanchamiento más proporcional en la curvatura coronal; mientras que F360 removió más material desviando el conducto hacia la parte interna en ambas curvaturas, siendo estas diferencias estadísticamente significativas. Conclusiones. La morfología del conducto, tras instrumentación, se mantiene más fiel a la forma inicial en los sistemas Wave One Gold y One Shape

Objective. To compare the modification of simulated double curvature root canals after preparation with four single file systems. Material and methods. Forty resin blocks with simulated double curvature canals were divided into four groups (n=10), respectively instrumented to file size 25 using the Reciproc (R25), Wave One Gold (Primary), One Shape and F360 systems (25). Pre- and post-instrumentation images were obtained and overlapped for analysis. The double curvature was divided into 11 levels. The distance from the non-instrumented to the instrumented wall was calculated. Comparison of canal widening at each level was made using analysis of variance, with the Tukey test for two-by-two comparisons. Statistical significance was considered for p<0.05. Results. All the studied single file systems produced important modifications of the apical curvature. Wave One Gold resulted in greater internal wall widening in the apical curvature, with more proportional widening in the coronal curvature. In comparison, the F360 system removed more material, deviating the canal towards the internal portion in both curvatures - the differences being statistically significant. Conclusions. Canal morphology after instrumentation was seen to more closely reproduce the initial morphology when using the Wave One Gold and One Shape systems

Harmonic Scale of Development. A proposal of integration by which to assess child development / Escala de desarrollo armónico. Una propuesta integradora para la evaluación del desarrollo infantil

Professionals interested in the area of psychological assessment are becoming increasingly sensitive towards the need for instruments capable of integrating the systemic and epigenetic character of the developmental process into its design. Most of the proposals put forward in recent decades coincide in considering developmental change as the result of a complex network of transactions between the subject and its developmental contexts at different levels. The Scale of Harmonic Development combines elements sensitive to the dynamism of the ontogenetic process: areas and functions of development which experience generative tensions of quantitative and qualitative change across different levels and stages. These stages, understood as "attractor states" -a key concept in the Self-organizing Dynamic Systems Theory–, lose rigidity and integrate variability. The scale provides variables which allow the quantitative dimension (the Average Development Quotient) and the quality of the process of development (the Index of Harmony) to be dealt with at the same time. Initial trials reveal their usefulness as a screening test to serve in child development prevention

En el ámbito de la evaluación psicológica, cada vez más, los profesionales interesados en el desarrollo son sensibles a la necesidad de instrumentos capaces de integrar en su diseño el carácter sistémico y epigenético de este proceso. La mayoría de las explicaciones propuestas en las últimas décadas convergen en considerar el cambio evolutivo como el resultado de una compleja red de transacciones entre el sujeto y sus contextos de desarrollo a distintos niveles. La Escala de Desarrollo Armónico recoge elementos sensibles al dinamismo del proceso ontogenético: áreas y funciones de desarrollo que experimentan tensiones generadoras de cambios cuantitativos y cualitativos a través de diferentes niveles y etapas. Estas etapas, entendidas como "estados atractores" -concepto clave en la Teoría de Sistemas Dinámicos Autoorganizados‒, pierden rigidez e integran la variabilidad. La escala aporta variables que permiten abordar simultáneamente la dimensión cuantitativa (el Cociente de Desarrollo Medio) y la calidad del proceso de desarrollo (el Índice de Armonía). Los primeros ensayos realizados desvelan su utilidad como un test de screening al servicio de la prevención desarrollo infantil

Efficacy and safety of a urate lowering regimen in primary gout.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pharmacologic urate lowering therapy (ULT), at full maintenance doses, has been associated with acute gout arthritis (in up to 80% of patients). The American College of Rheumatology has recently advocated gradually titrating the maintenance dose upward to chosen serum urate target. Few studies have examined the efficacy and safety of a ULT in primary gout. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The ULT regimen examined included allopurinol (50 mg/day, with increases of 50 mg/month up to 300 mg/day) and colchicine, as prophylaxis to prevent acute gouty attacks. The efficacy and safety of this regimen was examined in 42 patients in whom allopurinol was withheld for ≥3 months and restarted after this assessment and followed up for 12 months. The efficacy and safety of the ULT regimen was related to the serum urate decrease and to the incidence of acute gout flares, respectively. RESULTS: Fifty-nine patients (mean age 59 years, 56 men) with primary gout received the gradually titrated ULT regimen. Baseline serum urate was (mean±SD) 8.4±0.8 mg/dL. At 3, 6, 9, and 12 months serum urate fell by a mean of 1.8, 2.5, 2.7, and 2.5 mg/dL, respectively (p<0.001). A serum urate level<6.0 mg/dL was achieved by 38/59 (64%) patients. During the 12 months following the start of the ULT we documented 10 acute arthritis episodes (17% of patients). CONCLUSIONS: A gradually titrated hypouricemic regimen for 6 months in patients with primary gout appears to be effective and safe.

New culture media for the isolation of Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus in the saliva of head- and neck-irradiated patients.

UNLABELLED: The reduction in salivary flow in patients subjected to head and neck irradiation induces changes in the oral microflora and increases the risk of oral mucosal infections. The frequent presence of fungi, particularly Candida, in the oral environment of these patients complicates identification of the most important cariogenic bacteria with the commercial CRT Bacteria (Ivoclar Vivadent) culture media. Such identification is important for the application of chemical measures to control cariogenic bacteria in these patients, since it has been shown that simple fluoride application is unable to control caries in this population. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to obtain a simple medium that inhibits Candida spp. growth and allows the specific growth of Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus spp. Thus, reliable counts of cariogenic species can be achieved. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Stimulated saliva samples from 30 head- and neck-radiotherapy patients were seeded in commercial CRT Bacteria culture medium and in two different media designed by our group: mitis salivarius bacitracin agar (MSBA), containing 5% potassium tellurite and fluconazole 64 microg/ml (MSBTPF) for the isolation of Streptococcus; and Man, Rogosa and Sharpe (MRS) agar, containing bacitracin 0.2 U/ml and fluconazole 32 microg/ml (MRSBF) for the isolation of Lactobacillus spp. RESULTS: Candida growth was inhibited 100% in the media developed in this study. In all the samples seeded, growing of colonies in MRSBF was identified as Lactobacillus, while in CRT Bacteria for Lactobacillus spp. this species was only isolated in 48.1% of the samples. S. mutans was identified in 71.4% of the colonies that grown in MSBTPF medium, while in CRT Bacteria for S. mutans, this species was only identified in 35% of the colonies obtained. CONCLUSION: The culture medium developed in the present study was able to inhibit the 100% of Candida spp. growth. These new media permit reliable counts of cariogenic bacteria in irradiated patients.

Digital radiology and image analysis for approximal caries diagnosis.

The aim of this study was to determine if radiology combined with digital reception and image analysis, radiovisiography (RVG), is effective in the early diagnosis of simulated approximal carious lesions. An experimental lesion similar to the one produced by caries was made in 39 permanent molars and premolars. Radiographic images of these lesions were obtained under standardized conditions using RVG. The image obtained was magnified 700 times and the densities of the lesion, the enamel, the dentin, and the pulp were measured using an image analysis program (Visualdent). The results showed statistically significant differences between the density of the produced lesions and that of healthy enamel. This measurement was independent of the differing thickness of the approximal enamel surface in molars and premolars. These results indicated the potential usefulness of the system tested in the diagnosis of incipient approximal caries.