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Desert dust is currently recognized as a health risk factor. Therefore, the World Health Organization (WHO) is actively promoting the establishment of early warning systems for sand and dust storms. This study introduces a methodology to estimate the probability of African dust outbreaks occurring in eight different regions of the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands. In each region, a multilinear regression model was developed to calculate daily probabilities of dust events using three thermodynamic variables (geopotential thickness in the 1000-500 hPa layer, mean potential temperature between 925 and 700 hPa, and temperature anomalies at 850 hPa) as assessment parameters. All days with African dust transport over each study region were identified in the period 2001-2021 using a proven procedure. This information was then utilized to establish a functional relationship between the values of the thermodynamic parameters and the probability of African dust outbreaks occurring. The validation of this methodology involved comparing the daily probabilities of dust events generated by the models in 2001-2021 with the daily African dust contributions to PM10 regional background levels in each region. On average, daily dust contributions increased proportionally with the increase in daily probabilities, reaching zero for days with low probabilities. Furthermore, a well-defined seasonal evolution of probability values was observed in all regions, with the highest values in the summer months and the lowest in the winter period, ensuring the physical relevance of the models' results. Finally, upward trends were observed in all regions for the three thermodynamic parameters over 1940-2021. Thus, the probability of dust events development also increased in this period. It demonstrates that the aggravation of warm conditions in southern Europe in the last decades, have modified the frequency of North-African dust outbreaks over the western Mediterranean basin.

The relationship between the quality of forest seedlings and their outplanting survival and growth has long been recognized. Various attributes have been proposed to measure the quality of planted seedlings in forest regeneration projects, ranging from simple morphological traits to more complex physiological and performance attributes, or a combination thereof. However, the utility and meaning of seedling quality attributes can differ significantly among regions, nursery practices, site planting conditions, species and the establishment purpose. Here, forest scientists compiled information using a common agreed questionnaire to provide a review of current practices, experiences, legislation and standards for seedling quality across 23 European countries. Large differences exist in measuring seedling quality across countries. The control of the origin of seed and vegetative material (genetic component of plant quality), and control of pests and diseases are common practices in all countries. Morphological attributes are widely used and mandatory in most cases. However, physiological attributes are hardly used at the operative level and mainly concentrated to Fennoscandia. Quality control legislation and seedling quality standards are less strict in northern European countries where seedling production is high, and quality control relies more on the agreements between producers and local plant material users. In contrast, quality standards are stricter in Southern Europe, especially in the Mediterranean countries. The control of seedling quality based on plantation and reforestation success is uncommon and depends on the conditions of the planting site, the traditional practices and the financial support provided by each country. Overall, European countries do not apply the “target seedling concept” for seedling production except for seed origin. Seedling production in many countries is still driven by traditional “know-how” and much less by scientific knowledge prog, European Cooperation in Science and Technology, Depto. de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Fac. de Ciencias Biológicas, TRUE, pub

Introducción: El cáncer de cérvix es una de las neoplasias diagnosticadas con más frecuencia durante el embarazo. El tratamiento es similar a las mujeres no embarazadas, aunque el gold estándar presenta un dilema en la actualidad. El enfoque terapéutico dependerá del estadio tumoral, el tamaño del tumor, la edad gestacional, la afectación ganglionar, el subtipo histológico y el deseo de la paciente de continuar o no con el embarazo. Objetivo y método: El objetivo primario de esta revisión bibliográfica es averiguar el manejo terapéutico del cáncer de cérvix en mujeres embarazadas que desean preservar la gestación con el fin de lograr un equilibrio entre el tratamiento eficaz del tumor y el bienestar fetal, a través de una revisión literaria de trabajos publicados hasta el momento actual. Resultados: En estadios tempranos de la enfermad la conización del cuello uterino, la traquelectomía simple o la traquelectomía radical abdominal son opciones consideradas en mujeres con deseo de preservar el embarazo. En gestaciones avanzadas, el tratamiento del tumor se suele posponer hasta después del parto. La quimioterapia, especialmente con cisplatino y paclitaxel, se puede administrar durante el embarazo y ha demostrado respuestas tumorales satisfactorias en el segundo y tercer trimestre. La NACT seguida de cirugía radical se considera factible para mejorar el pronóstico materno y fetal en estadios más avanzados. Sin embargo, la administración de quimioterapia durante las primeras 14 semanas de gestación sigue siendo controvertida por riesgo de aborto espontáneo y anomalías congénitas. Conclusiones: La bibliografía existente sobre la seguridad oncológica y fetal del tratamiento de CCU en mujeres que desean preservar la gestación es limitada, y aunque ha habido un aumento de estudios recientes con resultados favorables es necesario realizar más estudios para establecer el manejo estándar del cáncer de cuello uterino durante el embarazo, Introducción: O cáncer de cérvix é unha das neoplasias diagnosticadas con máis frecuencia durante o embarazo. O tratamento é similar as mulleres non embarazadas, aínda que o gold estándar presenta un dilema na actualidade. O enfoque terapeútico dependerá do estadio tumoral, o tamaño do tumor, a idade xestacional, a afectación ganglionar, o subtipo histolóxico e o desexo da paciente de continuar ou non co embarazo. Obxetivo e métodos: O obxetivo principal desta revisión bibliográfica é coñecer o manexo terapéutico do cancro de cérvix en mulleres embarazadas que desexan preservar o embarazo para conseguir un equilibrio entre o tratamento eficaz do tumor e o benestar do feto, a través dunha revisión literaria de traballos publicados ata o momento actual. Resultados: Nas fases iniciais da enfermidade a conización do cérvix, a traquelectomía simple ou a traquelectomía abdominal radical son opcións consideradas nas mulleres que desexan preservar o embarazo. En xestacións avanzadas, o tratamento do tumor adoita pospoñerse ata despois do parto. A quimioterapia, especialmente con cisplatino e paclitaxel, pódese administrar durante o embarazo e mostrou respostas tumorais satisfactorias no segundo e terceiro trimestre. A NACT seguida dunha cirurxía radical considérase factible para mellorar o prognóstico materno e fetal en fases máis avanzadas. Non obstante, a administración de quimioterapia durante as primeiras 14 semanas de xestación segue sendo controvertida debido ao risco de aborto espontáneo e anomalías conxénitas. Conclusións: A bibliografía existente sobre a seguridade oncolóxica e fetal do tratamento do cancro de cérvix en mulleres que queren preservar o embarazo é limitada, e aínda que houbo un aumento dos estudos recentes con resultados favorables é necesario realizar máis estudos para establecer o manexo estándar do cáncer de cérvix durante o embarazo, Introduction: Cervical cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed neoplasms during pregnancy. Treatment is similar to non pregnant women, although gold standard presents a dilemma at present. The therapeutic approach will depend on the tumor stage, tumor size, gestational age, nodal involvement, histologic subtype, and the patient’s desire to continue or not with pregnancy. Objective: The primary objective of this narrative review is to find out the therapeutic management of cervical cancer in pregnant women who wish to preserve pregnancy in order to achieve a balance between effective tumor treatment and fetal well-being hrough a literary review of articles published until the current moment. Results: In early stages cervical conization, simple trachelectomy or radical abdominal trachelectomy are considered options in women with a desire to preserve pregnancy. In advanced pregnancies, treatment of the tumor is usually postponed until after delivery. Chemotherapy, especially with cisplatin and paclitaxel, may be given during pregnancy and has shown satisfactory tumor responses in the second and third trimester. NACT followed by radical surgery is considered feasible to improve maternal and fetal prognosis in more advanced stages. However, the administration of chemotherapy during the first 14 weeks of gestation remains controversial because of the risk of miscarriage and congenital abnormalities. Conclusions: The existing literature on the oncological and fetal safety of CCU treatment in women who wish to preserve pregnancy is limited, and although there has been an increase in recent studies with favorable results more studies are needed to establish standard management of cervical cancer during pregnancy

The influence of the most frequent patterns of synoptic circulation on the dynamics of airborne pollen/spores recorded at the Barcelona Aerobiological Station (BCN) was analysed. Six pollen types (Platanus, Cupressaceae, Olea, Poaceae, Urticaceae and Amaranthaceae), and one fungal spore (Alternaria) were selected for their high allergenic effect in sensitive people. Six synoptic meteorological patterns were identified through cluster analysis of sea level pressure fields as the main responsible of the weather conditions in the Iberian Peninsula. The local meteorological conditions in Barcelona associated with each one of the synoptic types were also stablished. Different statistical methods were applied to analyse possible relationships between concentrations and timing of the recorded aerobiological particles and specific synoptic types. The study, focused in the 19-year period 2001–2019, shows that one of the scenarios, frequent in winter and linked to high stability and air-mass blockage, registered the highest mean and median values for Platanus and Cupressaceae, but it was not very relevant for the other taxa. It was also this scenario that turned out to be the most influent on the pollination timing showing a significant influence on the start occurrence of Urticaceae flowering and on the peak date of Platanus. On the other hand, the most frequent synoptic type in the period, relevant in spring and summer, was linked to sporadic episodes of levels considered to be of high risk of allergy to Platanus, Poaceae, and Urticaceae pollen, and Alternaria fungal spore. This synoptic pattern, characterized by the presence of the Azores anticyclone and the Atlantic low located in the north of the United Kingdom, was associated with high temperatures, low relative humidity and moderate winds from the NW in Barcelona. The identification of an interaction between synoptic meteorology and pollen/spore dynamics will allow better abatement measures, reducing adverse health eff, Peer Reviewed, Postprint (published version)

In this study, global reanalysis dataset fields of meteorological parameters (temperature and geopotential height at different atmospheric levels) in the period 1948–2020, were used to characterize the main dynamic and thermodynamic features of African dust outbreaks (ADO) produced over regions of the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands. The record of ADO previously identified with a tried-and-true procedure in 8 different areas of this domain in the period 2001–2020 and the data sets of dust load contributions estimated for all ADO days in each region, were used to check our results. Thus, we demonstrated that air masses of African origin produced a significant increase in the levels of certain thermodynamic variables (geopotential thickness in the 1000–500 hPa layer (GT), mean potential temperature between 925 and 700 hPa (TPOT), and temperature anomalies at 850 hPa (TANOM)) over the regions of study, especially when particular synoptic-scale atmospheric circulation types (CT) occurred. Moreover, higher levels of the three thermodynamic parameters resulted in events with higher contributions of dust load to the regional background levels of PM10 in all regions. Finally, we obtained a statistically significant upward trend for days under ADO CT and their associated daily mean values of GT, TPOT and TANOM from 1948 to 2020. These results point to an increase in the frequency of air mass transport from North Africa to the western Mediterranean basin and on the intensity of the ADO produced as a consequence of this transport, over 1948–2020.

La polaritzabilitat molecular dona informació sobre el volum electrònic d’una molècula i, juntament amb altres propietats òptiques (dipol, hiperpolaritzabilitats…), descriu el canvi de l’energia de la molècula sota un camp elèctric. La descomposició d’aquestes propietats és de gran interès, però té un problema: les contribucions obtingudes són dependents de l’origen (canvien quan l’origen de coordenades es mou) i, per tant, no són gaire útils. En aquest estudi presentem la primera metodologia per a una descomposició completament independent de l’origen, basada en una descomposició de l’energia., Molecular polarizability provides information about a molecule’s electronic volume and, together with other optical properties (dipole, hyperpolarizabilities…), it describes the change in energy when the molecule is subjected to an electric field. The decomposition of these properties is very interesting but it poses the problem of origin-dependence: the contributions obtained change whenever the arbitrary origin of coordinates is moved. In this study, we present the first genuinely origin-independent energy-based (OIEB) decomposition of (non)linear optical properties.