Publicacions de projectes finançats per la Unió Europea
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Publicacions resultants de les investigacions finançades pel 7è Programa Marc, pel Programa H2020 i l’European Research Council de la Unió Europea, recollides en el Projecte OpenAIRE (Open Access Infraestructure for Research in Europe) que promou l’accés obert a Europa.
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- ItemOpen AccessEpidemiology of diplodia shoot blight outbreaks in pine forests after hailstorm event(Elsevier, 2026) Serradó, Francesc, Carlos; Caballol, Maria, Josep Lluís; Rigo, Tomeu; Vieites-Blanco, Cristina; Rodríguez-Puerta, Francisco; Oliva Palau, JonàsDiplodia shoot blight caused by Diplodia sapinea is an emerging disease in European pine forests. Outbreaks can occur after hailstorms. However, key epidemiological aspects associated with these events are not fully understood. We assessed the risk of outbreaks in native Pinus nigra stands in the Pyrenees (north-east Spain), combining radar maps, meteorological data and ground assessments. A total of 886 storms that occurred between 2022 and 2024 were screened to identify those associated with outbreaks. Disease development was studied using Sentinel-2 satellite imagery to analyse changes in the normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI). Diplodia shoot blight outbreaks were positively associated with low records of accumulated precipitation in the 10 days preceding hailstorm events. Disease development showed monomolecular growth, with NDVI losses reaching 80% approximately 40 days after a hailstorm. NDVI assessments correlated well with field disease assessments (R2 = 0.70), whereas hailstorm estimation map accuracy was low (0.51). Our findings suggest that water stress is a prerequisite for Diplodia shoot blight outbreaks following a hailstorm. Monomolecular disease development seems consistent with a predominant expansion of the endophytic inoculum over the role of the new infections occurring in hail wounds. Under the studied conditions, symptoms should appear 2–3 weeks after a hailstorm or not at all. Although NDVI measurements reliably assessed Diplodia shoot blight outbreaks, the gross scale of hailstorm maps (1 km2 pixels) makes them unreliable for detecting outbreaks. Our findings have implications for pest management, particularly in the context of climate change, with increasing temperatures and hailstorm risk.
- ItemOpen AccessEvaluation of the corrosion of metal-based containers in contact with molten salts at high temperature under inert atmosphere(Elsevier, 2026) Cabeza, Luisa F.; Martínez Alcocer, F. Rodrigo; Borri, Emiliano; Mani Kala, Saranprabhu; Escribà i Gelonch, Marc; Prieto, CristinaThe reliable deployment of high-temperature thermal energy storage (TES) systems in concentrated solar power (CSP) plants requires an accurate assessment of material compatibility under realistic operating conditions. However, conventional corrosion testing in air atmosphere does not adequately represent the inert environments typically used in TES tanks, potentially leading to overly conservative material selection. This study experimentally evaluates the corrosion behaviour of PCM–metal wool composite materials under inert atmosphere conditions representative of CSP operation. Sixteen molten salt formulations, including nitrate-, carbonate-, chloride-, and sulphate-based systems, were tested in contact with metallic fibres and structural alloys (SS 314, SS 434, and Alloy 20) over a wide temperature range. The results demonstrate that inert atmosphere significantly alters material compatibility. Several PCM formulations that previously failed under air conditions exhibit acceptable behaviour under inert atmosphere, highlighting the limitations of conventional testing approaches. Nitrate- and carbonate-based systems operating between 300 and 500 °C show good compatibility with conventional alloys, whereas chloride-rich systems above 500 °C remain highly corrosive regardless of the atmosphere. These findings define a clear operational window for safe material selection. Importantly, the incorporation of metallic wool as a conductive matrix does not introduce additional corrosion penalties within this window, supporting the feasibility of PCM–metal wool composites for enhanced TES performance. This work provides experimental validation of TES materials under representative conditions and demonstrates that inert atmosphere is a critical factor for realistic material qualification in CSP applications.
- ItemOpen AccessAssessment of near-infrared hyperspectral imaging for the discrimination of naturally aflatoxin-contaminated nuts(Elsevier, 2026) Nazareth de Melo, Tiago; Marín Sillué, Sònia; Ramos Girona, Antonio J.; Natskoulis, Pantelis; Costa, Jean Carlos Correia PeresAflatoxins (AFs) and ochratoxin A (OTA) are major safety concerns in nuts due to their toxicity and uneven distribution. To address this, near-infrared hyperspectral imaging (NIR-HSI) was evaluated as a rapid, non-destructive tool for single-kernel classification, complemented by a preliminary HPLC-FLD screening. In this study, 52 peanut and 33 pistachio samples of commercial origin were analyzed for AFs and OTA using an HPLC-FLD method. The occurrence of AFB1 detected in peanut samples was 7.70%, whereas OTA was detected in pistachio samples with an occurrence of 3.03%. The maximum concentrations observed were 0.60 μg/kg for AFB1 and 0.68 μg/kg for OTA. All contaminated samples remained below legislated maximum levels in the EU. In addition, near-infrared hyperspectral imaging (NIR-HSI) was applied for single-kernel classification in peanuts based on aflatoxin presence (this part was restricted to peanuts because only one positive sample of raw/roasted pistachios was available). Artificial neural network (ANN) models coupled with Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed a stable performance, with second-derivative preprocessing yielding the best results. The most influential spectral bands were located mainly between 1100 and 1350 nm. The performance of the proposed ANN was benchmarked against three established chemometric methods: Support Vector Machines (SVM), Random Forest (RF), and Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA). The use of naturally contaminated samples at trace levels represents a realistic advance over studies based on spiked kernels. Although the limited number of positive samples and their heterogeneous distribution present challenges for sensitivity, the findings provided evidence of the potential of NIR-HSI as a rapid, non-destructive tool to complement chromatographic methods. Future validation with larger datasets and integration into industrial sorting systems could contribute to improved routine monitoring and safer nut supply chains.
- ItemOpen AccessOleogels as β-carotene delivery systems: influence of structure on absorption, retinol conversion and tissue biodistribution in rats(Elsevier, 2026) Ramezani, Mohsen; Teixé-Roig, Júlia; Martín Belloso, Olga; Salvia Trujillo, Laura; Oms Oliu, GemmaThis study investigated whether oleogel microstructure and hardness influence the biological performance of β-carotene (βC). We compared a soft lecithin oleogel (βC-OLEC), a hard hydrogenated-lecithin oleogel (βC-OHLEC), and a standard oleogel (βC-OGS) against a corn oil control. Results showed that oleogels, particularly βC-OLEC and βC-OGS, significantly enhanced jejunal βC accumulation compared to liquid oil indicating enhanced protection, solubilization and intestinal uptake. βC-OLEC exhibited the highest plasma βC levels, likely due to lecithin-facilitated micelle formation and lymphatic absorption. Hepatic data confirmed efficient uptake and conversion to retinol for these formulations. While peripheral storage was similar across groups, βC-OLEC matched the control in providing systemic active vitamin A and maintained higher retinol concentrations in the distal intestine. These findings demonstrate that delivery system structure and composition are critical for bioavailability, highlighting lecithin-based oleogels as effective vehicles for improving βC absorption.
- ItemOpen AccessAn early lead-smelting tradition in north-east Iberia: a short-lived innovation of the third millennium BC(Cambridge University Press, 2026-07-10) Montes-Landa, Julia; Moya, Andreu; Alonso, Natàlia; Martinon-Torres, MarcosThe polymetallic origins and non-linear development of metallurgy have only relatively recently attracted more scholarly attention. Within this framework, the identification of three lead-smelting slag nodules in early second-millennium BC contexts at Minferri (Catalonia, Spain) provides what is currently the earliest direct evidence of lead smelting in Iberia. These materials are linked to previous indirect evidence of lead smelting in the area from the early third millennium BC. Despite the persistence of lead smelting across the Pyrenees in southern France, it was abandoned in north-east Iberia after the mid-second millennium BC, highlighting divergent sociotechnological pathways even in areas of close cultural contact.