Publications by authors named "Josep Soler"
Our study focused on the leaching processes in soil contaminated with hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)), traced to industrial waste from a disused site and resulting in groundwater contamination. Mineral and geochemical characterization of the soil by means of XRD, SEM-EDS, total digestion and sequential extractions revealed that the main Cr content was from solid waste located in the upper meter of the soil profile. Flow-through and column experiments were carried out to investigate the processes responsible for Cr(VI) release.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAdverse impacts of mine tailings on water and sediments quality are major worldwide environmental problems. Due to the environmental issues associated with the deposition of mine tailings on land, a controversial discussed alternative is submarine tailings disposal (STD). However, Fe(III) bioreduction of iron oxides (e.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Choking is one of the causes of unintentional injury death. Gaining the knowledge of the first-aid procedure that has to be applied in case of choking can increase the chances of survival of persons with choking. Serious games can be a good channel for educating people about choking scenarios and the actions to be taken to save the persons with choking.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFShewanella is a genus of marine bacteria capable of dissimilatory iron reduction (DIR). In the context of deep-sea mining activities or submarine mine tailings disposal, dissimilatory iron reducing bacteria may play an important role in biogeochemical reactions concerning iron oxides placed on the sea bed. In this study, batch experiments were performed to evaluate the capacity of Shewanella loihica PV-4 to bioreduce different iron oxides (ferrihydrite, magnetite, goethite and hematite) under conditions similar to those in anaerobic sea sediments.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground And Objective: Virtual simulations recreate scenarios where student nurses can practice procedures in a safe and supervised manner and with no risk to the patient. Virtual scenarios include digital characters that reproduce human actions. Generally, these characters are modeled as males and restricted roles are assigned to females.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAn in situ diffusion experiment was performed at the Grimsel Test Site (Switzerland). Several tracers ((3)H as HTO, (22)Na(+), (134)Cs(+), (131)I(-) with stable I(-) as carrier) were continuously circulated through a packed-off borehole and the decrease in tracer concentrations in the liquid phase was monitored for a period of about 2years. Subsequently, the borehole section was overcored and the tracer profiles in the rock analyzed ((3)H, (22)Na(+), (134)Cs(+)).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: The aim of this study was to develop a genetic prognostic tool to predict radiographic progression towards severe disease in primary knee OA (KOA) patients.
Methods: This investigation was a cross-sectional, retrospective, multicentric association study in 595 Spanish KOA patients. Caucasian patients aged ≥40 years at the time of diagnosis of primary KOA of Kellgren-Lawrence grade 2 or 3 were included.
In-situ atomic force microscopy (AFM) experiments were performed to study the overall process of dissolution of common carbonate minerals (calcite and dolomite) and precipitation of gypsum in Na2SO4 and CaSO4 solutions with pH values ranging from 2 to 6 at room temperature (23 ± 1 °C). The dissolution of the carbonate minerals took place at the (104) cleavage surfaces in sulfate-rich solutions undersaturated with respect to gypsum, by the formation of characteristic rhombohedral-shaped etch pits. Rounding of the etch pit corners was observed as solutions approached close-to-equilibrium conditions with respect to calcite.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAnisotropic diffusion in layered argillaceous rocks: a case study with Opalinus Clay.
Environ Sci Technol
November 2004
Anisotropic diffusion was studied in Opalinus Clay, a potential host rock for disposal of spent fuel, vitrified high-level waste, and long-lived intermediate-level waste in Switzerland. Diffusion parallel to the bedding was measured using a radial through-diffusion technique and diffusion perpendicular to the bedding bythe classical (planar) through-diffusion technique. The samples used were from Mont Terri (MT) and from Benken (BE).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMalignant melanoma (MM) early lymph node (LN) metastasis usually appears first in the sentinel LN (SLN). Breslow thickness is the main factor considered in the selection of patients to be submitted to SLN biopsy. The present study aimed to describe other independent prognostic factors useful in SLN candidate selection.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The upregulated renal expression of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) is associated with glomerular and interstitial infiltration of leukocytes.
Aim: To test the hypothesis that renal expression of ICAM-1 may be predictive in the highly variable IgA nephropathy (IgAN).
Methods: ICAM-1 (CD54) in tubular epithelium and interstitial leukocytes, macrophages (CD14), and T cells (CD3) were assessed using avidin-biotin-peroxidase in renal biopsy specimens from 45 patients with IgAN and from 29 patients with no glomerulonephritis.
The once-daily fixed combination of losartan 100 mg/hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg was evaluated for safety and efficacy in a multicenter open study by using 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in untreated patients with moderate-to-severe essential hypertension or patients with uncontrolled hypertension despite treatment with monotherapy or low-dose combination. After a 2-week washout period, 41 patients (22 men, 19 women) aged 34-74 years, showing a mean daytime blood pressure > 135/85 mm Hg, were treated with losartan 100 mg/hydrochlorothiazide 25 for 8 weeks. Ambulatory blood pressure was monitored at the end of the washout period and during the last week of treatment.
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