Abstract
The NEXT (Neutrino Experiment with a Xenon TPC) collaboration searches for the neutrino-less double beta decay (
0υββ
) of
136
Xe at the Laboratorio Subterráneo de Canfranc (LSC). A first ...large-scale prototype of a high-pressure Xenon gas electroluminescent TPC, NEXT-White, operated at the LSC from 2016 to 2021. In this analysis, the measurement of the half-life of the two-neutrino mode of the double beta decay (
2νυβ
) will be presented. For this measurement, two novel techniques in the field have been used: a highly refined topological reconstruction of events that improves the background rejection, and a direct subtraction of the
ββ
backgrounds, measured with
136
Xe-depleted data. These techniques allow for background-model-dependent and background-model-independent results, demonstrating the robustness of the
2νυβ
half-life measurement and the unique capabilities of NEXT. The final value presented corresponds to a half-life of T-
2υ
1/2
= 2.34+0’®
0
(stat)-0’
3
7(sys) x 10
21
year. After the completion of the NEXT-White programme, the NEXT-100 apparatus will start its commissioning at the second half of 2022. Holding 100 kg of
136
Xe at 15 bar, this detector will perform the first competitive
0νυβ
search within the NEXT roadmap. As validated with NEXT-White, NEXT- 100 will set a limit in
m-ββ
of 70-130 meV after 5 years of data taking.
The knowledge of the soil variability is essential for its hydrologic characterization, for irrigation management and planning and especially for water movement modeling. Nevertheless, the scarcity ...of soil information in Spain precludes its use in irrigation management and, particularly, in the on-going irrigation modernization process. The Violada Irrigation District (VID) comprises 5234ha and is located in a semi-arid gypsum-rich region in northeast Spain. VID has been under flood irrigation since the mid-20th Century and has been modernized recently to sprinkler irrigation. Since the early 1980s water balances in VID have been based on average soil properties and bulk irrigation data. The current irrigation system provides detailed irrigation data at plot level, thus allowing for performing distributed balances (in hydrologic homogenous zones) that require detailed or semi-detailed soil information in the form of a soil map. The objective of this two-part study is to define homogeneous zones in relation to hydrological properties relevant for irrigation management, first defining the soil variability within the VID and then analyzing the soils hydrologic and salinity features (in a companion paper). The specific objectives of this paper were (i) to draw the VID semi-detailed soil map; (ii) to explain the variability of soil properties; and (iii) to map the main soil characteristics related to irrigation management. Thirty four soil pits, located on all the different geomorphological areas, were opened and described. Samples were taken from all the horizons and analyzed for chemical and physical properties. The limits of soil units were drawn with the aid of 32 additional auger holes, the data from 72 pits opened during the irrigation transformation works, and all the previous soil information available. Finally the soils were classified down to family level. The main soil formation processes in VID were carbonation and gypsification. Thirteen soil units were defined, included in five soil subgroups and six particle size families. “Fine” particle sizes were dominant along the gypsum-rich valley bottoms. Coarser textures were found on the heights and showed higher CaCO3 equivalent content and no presence of gypsum accumulations. A priori, the main limitation for irrigation in the valley soils was the limited drainage (due to fine textures and reduced slope) while in the highland soils it might be constrained by their low retention capacity. The high gypsum and carbonate content of the VID soils may prevent the development of infiltration problems. The soil properties map in this work will be the basis for a companion paper delineating the hydrologic properties of the soils, the basis for improved soil water balances.
•The soil map of Violada Irrigation District (VID) down to family level was drawn.•The main soil formation processes in VID were carbonation and gypsification.•Three factors explained the VID soils: Texture, Calcite-Gypsum and Organic Matter.•Roughly, two distinct areas can be drawn in VID in regard to irrigation management.
Arsenic is well known toxicant responsible for human diseases including cancers. On the other hand, selenium is an essential trace element with significant chemopreventive effects, anticancer ...potentials and antioxidant properties. Although previous studies have reported antagonism/synergism between arsenic and selenium in biological systems, the biomolecular mechanism/s is still inconclusive. Therefore, to elucidate the molecular phenomena in cellular level, we hypothesized that co-exposure of selenium with arsenic may have suppressive effects on arsenic-induced cytotoxicity. We found that selenium in co-exposure with arsenic increases cell viability, and suppresses oxidative stress induced by arsenic in PC12 cells. Consequently, DNA fragmentation due to arsenic exposure was also reduced by arsenic and selenium co-exposure. Furthermore, western blot analyses revealed that simultaneous exposure of both metals significantly inhibited autophagy which further suppressed apoptosis through positively regulation of key proteins; p-mTOR, p-Akt, p-Foxo1A, p62, and expression of ubiquitin, Bax, Bcl2, NFкB, and caspases 3 and 9, although those are negatively regulated by arsenic. In addition, reverse transcriptase PCR analysis confirmed the involvement of caspase cascade in cell death process induced by arsenic and subsequent inhibition by co-exposure of selenium with arsenic. The cellular accumulation study of arsenic in presence/absence of selenium via inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry confirmed that selenium effectively retarded the uptake of arsenic in PC12 cells. Finally, these findings imply that selenium is capable to modulate arsenic-induced intrinsic apoptosis pathway via enhancement of mTOR/Akt autophagy signaling pathway through employing antioxidant potentials and through inhibiting the cellular accumulation of arsenic in PC12 cells.
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•As3+ induced cell death via intrinsic apoptotic pathway in PC12 cells.•Se4+ reduced As3+ -induced oxidative stress in PC12 cells upon co-exposure.•Se4+ suppressed As3+-induced inhibition of p-mTOR/p-Akt, and NF-кB in PC12 cells.•As3+-induced upregulation of Bax, caspase 3, 9 is inhibited by Se4+ in co-exposure.•Se4+ hindered the cellular uptake of As3+ in PC12 cells.
Selenium is capable to modulate arsenic-induced intrinsic apoptosis pathway via enhancement of mTOR/Akt autophagy signaling pathway in PC12 cells.
The recent modernization of 1.1Mha of irrigated land in Spain calls for the evaluation of these transformations in terms of environmental impact and resource use efficiency. The available data for ...this evaluation has increased with the transformation (better, digital and spatially distributed data) allowing for the use of distributed soil water and solute movement models. But most hydrological models require soil hydrologic properties that are costly and time-consuming to gather and soil information in Spain is generally scarce. This paper focuses in analyzing the soil hydrologic features in La Violada Irrigation District (VID; a 5234ha semi-arid irrigated area recently modernized in northeast Spain) usable in soil water models for the evaluation of the new irrigation system.
The recent soil map of the VID (presented in a companion paper) gathered the hydrologic and salinity properties of the horizons in the described soil units. The hydraulic conductivity (Ks) of the horizons was also assessed by the inverse auger-hole method. From these data, the VID was disaggregated in three homogeneous units according to their hydrologic features and Pedotransfer Functions (PTFs) were built for the whole VID (General Model) and separately for the homogeneous soil units (Distributed Model). These PTFs allowed for obtaining field capacity (FC) and wilting point (WP) from texture and organic matter, while Ks depended upon texture and gypsum content.
Apparently, there were no salinity issues in VID soils due to irrigation. The high Ca2+ and Mg2+ levels in the saturation extract resulted in generally low SAR, what along with the high gypsum and carbonate contents may help to prevent soil degradation by sodicity.
As a result, the homogeneous hydrologic zones defined in VID may be used to recommend specific irrigation practices and as the basis for the application of distributed soil water movement models. These hydrologic properties may be applied directly as inputs to the models while the PTFs may allow for setting adequate parameters in nearby areas with similar soils from more readily available soil information (texture, organic matter and gypsum).
•Three homogeneous zones in regard to hydraulic soil properties were drawn in VID.•FC, WP and KS in VID were linked to texture, OM and gypsum by PTFs.•Salinity encroachment in the lowlands is prevented by the drainage network.•Salinity in the highlands is due to the original material.•The bases for hydrological modeling in VID or similar areas were established.
Soil physical properties influence vineyard behaviour; therefore, the knowledge of their spatial variability is essential for making vineyard management decisions. Little work has been conducted at ...high spatial resolution on soil properties at depths lower than 0.30 m which is of special relevance to perennial crops. The objectives of this work were to (i) analyse the spatial and vertical variability of soil depth, particle size fractions and water‐holding capacity (WHC) by geostatistical techniques; (ii) study the causes of the variability, with additional information from classical soil sampling; and (iii) assess the significance of WHC through its relationship with vine vigour. The work was carried out in a vineyard of eight hectares within the D.O.Ca. Rioja (northern Spain). Soil variability was determined via grid sampling at three depth ranges (0–0.30, 0.30–0.60 and 0.60–0.90 m). A conventional soil survey provided additional information on soil variability. Clay, sand and silt fractions, soil organic matter content, WHC and pruning weight were determined. Most soil properties had strong or moderate spatial dependence, with the exceptions of sand at 0.30–0.60 m and silt in the topsoil. Topography and soil erosion caused the spatial variability of soil depth and contributed to the spatial distribution of particle size fractions in the topsoil, while the heterogeneity of parent material influenced the spatial pattern of soil properties at 0.60–0.90 m. The WHC and soil depth spatial distributions related well to that of vine vigour, demonstrating the importance of knowing the spatial variability of these soil properties.
In this paper, we propose the use of an electroanalytical technique based on the direct oxidation or reduction of the electroactive components of the sample on the surface of the working electrode, ...called voltammetry of immobilised microparticles (VMPs). The sample is easily deposited on the electrode by abrasion and then the electrode is transferred to the electrochemical cell where the square wave potential scan is performed. Electroactive species showed peaks whose peak potential is related to the standard formal potentials. We applied this technique to the identification of iron oxides and hydroxy-oxides in cosmetics. To characterise and identify the iron(III) oxides and hydroxy-oxides VMP was performed in two different media: oxalic acid and hydrochloric acid, that is, a complexing and a slightly complexing media. Two electrode processes were observed. They were influenced by the media and the synthesis procedure of the oxides. The reduction peak at negative potentials (−0.50
V in hydrochloric acid and −0.60
V in oxalic acid) is related to the direct reduction of the iron(III) oxide and it does not appear in the case of the more reactive phases (hydroxy-oxides). The peak at positive potentials (0.90
V in hydrochloric acid and 0.60
V in oxalic acid) involves the reduction of iron(III) in solution. The same electrode process were observed for binary mixtures but the peak potentials are shifted from the pure components peak potentials. This allowed us to distinguish between their mixtures. Finally, VMP was used to characterise iron oxides in cosmetic powders.
•Myricetin enhances apoptosis induced by serum deprivation in PC12 cells.•Myricetin stimulated the expression of Bax, while suppressing the expression of Bcl-2.•Cytosolic cytochrome c released from ...mitochondria is increased by myricetin.•Caspase cascade reaction through caspase 3 and 9 was upregulated by myricetin.
Polyphenols have many beneficial effects and an effective disease therapeutic auxiliary drug. Previously, myricetin, a polyphenol, had been reported to possess various biological effects on human physiology. However, mechanism of myricetin on apoptosis induced in PC12 cells is still unclear. PC12 cells were treated with myricetin in two concentration levels comprising 0.1 and 1 μM under serum-free condition. As a result, morphological changes were observed using trypan blue assay. DNA fragmentation was determined by DNA ladder assay to evaluate DNA damage levels. Western blotting results showed that cytosolic cytochrome c which was released from mitochondria. Subsequently, tumor suppressor gene p53, pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins Bax and Bcl-2 were expressed. The caspase cascade reaction was induced through caspase 3 and 9 expression. From these results, it is suggested that myricetin significantly enhanced the apoptosis induced by serum deprivation in a dose-dependent manner in PC12 cells.
The paper presents the state-of-the-art regarding the application of life cycle assessment (LCA) in the building sector, providing a list of existing tools, drivers and barriers, potential users and ...purposes of LCA studies in this sector. It also proposes a simplified LCA methodology and applies this to a case study focused on Spain. The thermal simulation tools considered in the Spanish building energy certification standards are analysed and complemented with a simplified LCA methodology for evaluating the impact of certain improvements to the building design. The simplified approach proposed allows global comparisons between the embodied energy and emissions of the building materials and the energy consumption and associated emissions at the use stage.
The results reveal that embodied energy can represent more than 30% of the primary energy requirement during the life span of a single house of 222
m
2 with a garage for one car. The contribution of the building materials decreases if the house does not include a parking area, since this increases the heated surface percentage. Usually the top cause of energy consumption in residential building is heating, but the second is the building materials, which can represent more than 60% of the heating consumption.
The building industry uses great quantities of raw materials that also involve high energy consumption. Choosing materials with high content in embodied energy entails an initial high level of energy ...consumption in the building production stage but also determines future energy consumption in order to fulfil heating, ventilation and air conditioning demands.
This paper presents the results of an LCA study comparing the most commonly used building materials with some eco-materials using three different impact categories. The aim is to deepen the knowledge of energy and environmental specifications of building materials, analysing their possibilities for improvement and providing guidelines for materials selection in the eco-design of new buildings and rehabilitation of existing buildings.
The study proves that the impact of construction products can be significantly reduced by promoting the use of the best techniques available and eco-innovation in production plants, substituting the use of finite natural resources for waste generated in other production processes, preferably available locally. This would stimulate competition between manufacturers to launch more eco-efficient products and encourage the use of the Environmental Product Declarations.
This paper has been developed within the framework of the “LoRe-LCA Project” co-financed by the European Commission’s Intelligent Energy for Europe Program and the “PSE CICLOPE Project” co-financed by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology and the European Regional Development Fund.
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