[en] The Balanegra aquifer, located in Almeria (SE Spain), has a complex geometry as a consequence of the lithological diversity and structure of the area. The main economic activities in this area – a highly profitable irrigated agriculture and tourism – are supported by groundwater, hence the interest in understanding this aquifer system. In order to identify the origin of the main processes that affect the composition of groundwater in a karstic aquifer, a hydrogeochemical study was carried out from numerous observation wells. Analysis of major ions enabled the principal geochemical processes occurring in the aquifer to be established, and the samples were classified into distinctive solute groups according to this criterion. The carbonate aquifer does not appear to behave homogeneously from a hydrochemical point of view. Thus, three zones were distinguished, being the groundwater temperature one of the parameters that conditions this classification. The combination of the hydrogeochemical analyses with geochemical simulations has been effective identifying the different physicochemical processes in the aquifer, thus improving understanding of hydrogeochemistry in complex aquifers. Processes of precipitation / dissolution of minerals associated with the circulation of the samples analyzed through carbonate rocks, marine intrusion and anthropogenic contamination processes were identified using the characteristic ionic relationships and ionic delta. To determine which of the identified processes are taking place in the aquifer, the following inverse simulations have been carried out: • Conservative mixt between seawater and freshwater. • Conservative mix between seawater and freshwater with water / rock interaction. • Water / rock interaction. • Mix of freshwater and Balerma-Las Marinas. The main mineralogy of aquifer lithology, calcite, dolomite, gypsum and halite, was used. The simulations undertaken corroborate the processes identified, reproducing the hydrogeochemical compositions revealed from laboratory analysis. These processes do not act individually, but at the same time and with different intensities in the three zones identified, being more evident in areas with a higher salinity. Besides, hydraulic connectivity between two zones has been identified. Acknowledgements This work takes part of the general research lines promoted by the CEI-MAR Campus of International Excellence and it was supported by MINECO and FEDER, through Project CGL2015-67273-R.

[en] Anther culture responsiveness, irradiation effect and reciprocal effect were evaluated on ten genotypes (V1-V10) and a 101x0 diallel cross. Gamma irradiation dose of 100 Gy was applied to seeds of parents and F₁ cross from which the donor plants were grown. Non-irradiated donor plants were also used for comparison. Anthers were plated on potato-2 callus induction medium and calli formed were transferred to MS medium supplemented with sucrose (3%), indolacetic acid (1.0 mg/L), kinetin (1.0 mg/L), inositol (100 mg/L) and solidified with agar (0.7%). Genotypes showed big differences for callus induction, plant regeneration and anther culturability rate. The most responsive materials were V2, V10 and V5 with 76.0, 27.4 and 10.8 green plants per 100 anthers respectively. No irradiation effect was found for the parents nor the F₁ crosses on the pooled data. Mean anther culture response of specific genotypes showed that irradiation significantly increased anther culturability rate of V3 from 0.1 to 27.6 green plants per 100 anthers. No reciprocal effect was observed. (author)

[en] Under the framework of the IAEA Coordinated Research Project on 'Dose quality audits for high energy radiotherapy beams in non-reference conditions', the External Audit Group (EAG) of Argentina is running a programme in order to offer a service of TLD audits. This programme involves several steps, some of which are currently being performed: acquisition and characterization of a new PTW PCL3 reader; processing of TLD powder and determination of calibration, fading, linearity, energy and holder correction factors; dose audit in non-reference conditions, on axis and off axis, for high energy photon beams; dose audit in reference and non-reference on axis for high energy electron beams. A new reader PTW PCL3 was acquired, including a manual dispenser for TLD powder, an oven FIMEL ETT for TLD annealing, and a number of cupels to dispense the powder. The powder in use is TLD100 LiF(Mg,Ti), Rexon TLD Systems, 80-200 mesh. The characterization included the intensive operator training in loading powder in polyethylene capsules and dispensing aliquots of powder in the cupels. The cupels were weighed and a selection was made under the criteria of 2 SD in order to reduce the final uncertainty. The mass of aliquots is dependent on total mass of powder loaded in the dispenser, i. e. the mass of powder loaded in each capsule. In order to reduce the standard deviation of readings in each capsules the environmental conditions of room, the stabilization time and other requirements were established prior to starting the reading sessions. Following careful procedures, the readings showed a standard deviation of 0.6% for four readings per capsule. The annealing procedure is as recommended in the literature: 1 h at 400 deg. C and 24 h at 80 deg. C. The powder annealed is sieved using 80 and 200 mesh sieve. Fading shows a variation of 4.5% in the first 20 days with stable behaviour after this time. The linearity correction factor varies from 1.016 at 1.5Gy to 0.982 at 2.5Gy. The energy correction factors for photons and electrons, respectively, are shown. To obtain reliable values, more determinations of this factors are being performed. The complete programme for audits in Co-60 beams and high energy X ray beams consists of the following steps: - TLD audits for photon beams in reference condition photon beams in reference and non reference conditions on-axis (two depths, three different open field sizes and two wedged field size); - Photon beams in reference and non-reference conditions off-axis (open and wedged fields with TLDs located on main transversal axis at reference depth). The audits for electron beams included similar steps: irradiation at a reference depth, z_ref, on-axis (6-9 MeV, 10 MeV; 12-18 MeV) at two field sizes; electron beams at two depths, (z_ref and R₅₀ on-axis) at two field sizes. A postal audit for Co-60 beams in reference condition was performed on 23 machines as the first step of a complete audit. For this step the participating centre is requested to irradiate each of the three capsules separately to a dose of 2 Gy to water, in a water phantom, at the central axis of a vertical irradiation beam, at 5 cm depth. The field size used is 10 cmx10 cm at either source-to-surface distance (SSD) or source-to-capsule distance. All participants have to complete a data sheet giving the method used for the absorbed dose determination. Once the TL-dosimeters return, the measurements corresponding to a batch are made on the same day. From each capsule 4 TL-reading are obtained. The mean value is determined for each capsule. The reading is referred to reference readings in order to compensate reader fluctuations and using the linearity factor and the holder factor (constant equal to 1.01) the dose is obtained. The overall uncertainty of the dose determination is 2.4% (3% including the dosimetry protocol). Six of the 23 participating machines obtained the dose deviation outside the interval ±5%. Corresponding follow-up is being made. The others (17 machines) will participate in the next step (in reference and non-refer ence conditions on-axis). This paper will include the results of audits in non-references conditions, on-axis and off-axis, for Co-60 machines and at least 10 Linear Accelerators (X ray and electron beams) operating in the country

No abstract available

[en] Since 1978 the Regional Reference Center for Dosimetry in Argentina (Secondary Standard Dosimetry Laboratory belonging to the IAEA-WHO SSDLs Network) has been performing a dose intercomparison programme for cobalt 60 therapy units operating in the country. Applied methodology was similar to that of the IAEA TLD audit service and the dose at a reference point on the radiation beam axis was checked by this programme. The results of this audits showed that dose deviations obtained were within the acceptance limits

[en] Chemically deposited La₂Zr₂O₇(LZO) buffer layers on biaxially textured nickel tungsten substrates for YBa₂Cu₃O_7-δ(YBCO) coated conductor technology have been investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The biaxially textured LZO thin films were 80 nm thick and were annealed at T=900 C. The samples were then prepared in plan-view for TEM investigations. The Ni grain size is about 40 μm, whereas the grain size of the LZO films is about 100 nm. The Moire fringe contrast magnifies the misorientation of the LZO grains with respect to the underlying Ni grain by about a factor of 10. Imaging of small rotations (≤3 ) of the LZO grains with respect to the underlying nickel tungsten grains was possible. Thus, the large misfit of 7.6% between the LZO film and the nickel tungsten substrate might be additionally compensated by the tilting of the small LZO grains rather than by only introducing misfit dislocations at the substrate-film interface. (orig.)

[en] La₂Zr₂O₇(LZO) buffer layers are currently of great interest for YBa₂Cu₃O_7-x(YBCO) coated conductor technology. The mechanism of biaxial texturing of the film was investigated by varying the annealing temperature. The LZO buffer layers were prepared by chemical solution deposition (CSD) and annealed at temperatures ranging from 600 C to 1000 C in order to study the growth, biaxial-texture and microstructure of the LZO thin films. Nanovoids of 10-50 nm were found to be a typical feature of the buffer layers. Samples were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Diffraction contrast imaging and convergent beam electron diffraction (CBED) techniques were used to investigate the microstructure of the films in plan-view and cross-section. XRD measurements showed that LZO grain growth starts at T>800 C. The average Ni grain size of the biaxially textured nickel tungsten substrates is 40 μm and the grain size of the LZO buffer layers is 100-200 nm. Thus, even though the films are highly biaxially textured, no epitaxial growth occurs. (orig.)

[en] Breast cancer is the most prevalent malignant tumor in women; the etiopathogenesis is unknown and it is associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. In the fifties, different screening programs were developed for the early detection of breast cancer in the attempt to reduce the mortality attributed to this disease process. Mammography is one of the cornerstones of these programs because of its efficacy in the detection of subclinical tumors. We carried out a retrospective review of nine campaigns for the early detection of breast cancer, studying 11, 328 case reports; among these patients, there were 43 cases of breast cancer. Mammography was positive in 90.6% of these cases. Only in two patients did the image fail to reveal changes indicative of possible neoplasm; in both cases, the breasts involved were very dense. (Author) 26 refs

[en] This paper develops a new automated system for the characterization of microsensors based on field-effect transistors, in which the data acquisition is performed using a PSoC microcontroller (Programmable System on Chip) of the CY8C29466 type, developed by the Cypress MicroSystems. The microcontroller sends data to the PC via RS232 serial, which are then processed and displayed on the screen to starting from a virtual instrument developed in LabView. With this system, in addition to reducing the cost is achieved to get greater performance and reliability in the measurements.

[en] Fifteen mutant lines from the variety ICTA-Virginia and fifteen from the variety Precozicta were evaluated according to their agronomic characteristics under conditions of the Motagua river valley during 1992. The objective was to select genotypes showing resistance to disease caused by Pyricularia grisea. The analysis of variance did not show significative differences among ICTA-Virginia mutants. The highest yield was form MV-860, 8.17 TM/ha and the lowest 5.31 TM/ha for MV-411. Significant differences were found among mutant lines from Precozicta. The highest yields were 6.06, 5.80 and 5.52 TM/ha for MPI-1189, MPI-1664 and MPI-1346 respectively. Inoculation with Pyricularia was made spraying it over the crop. However, it was not possible the evaluation of the disease in the neck (neck blast) due to absence of the pathogen. 5 tabs.(Author)