Spatio-temporal analysis of maximum and minimum temperatures over Levant region (1987-2017)

Ponencia presentada en: XI Congreso de la Asociación Española de Climatología celebrado en Cartagena entre el 17 y el 19 de octubre de 2018.[ES]El objetivo de este estudio es analizar los cambios espaciales y temporales en los promedios anuales y estacionales de las temperaturas máxima y mínima en la región del Levante durante 1987-2017. Estos promedios se calcularon a partir de datos diarios para cada estación y para toda la región de Levante. Las tendencias espaciales y temporales para tres variables se calcularon utilizando la prueba no paramétrica de Mann-Kendall. Además, la diferencia de medias anuales y estacionales entre los dos períodos 1987-2000 y 2001-2011 se evaluó mediante el uso de la prueba U no paramétrica de Mann-Whitney. Durante 1987-2017, la región de Levante fue testigo de un calentamiento significativo en las temperaturas máximas y mínimas anuales de 0.33 y 0.30ºC/década, respectivamente. Además, la primavera mostró una tendencia al calentamiento muy fuerte y significativa en comparación con otras estaciones en 0.53ºC/década para la temperatura máxima y en 0.51ºC/década para la temperatura mínima. La temperatura máxima y mínima anual, de primavera y verano han aumentado significativamente en esta región durante 2001-2017 en comparación con el período 1987-2000. Las tendencias decrecientes mostraron un patrón muy aislado y aleatorio en comparación con las tendencias de calentamiento amplias, intensivas y coherentes en los promedios anuales y estacionales de la temperatura máxima y mínima. Las tasas de calentamiento en Jordania fueron generalmente las más altas.[EN]This study aims to analyze the spatial and temporal variability of the annual and seasonal maximum (Tmax) and minimum (Tmin) temperatures, along with the diurnal temperature range (DTR) over the entire Levant region for the period 1987-2017. The temporal trends for these three variables were calculated at the annual and seasonal scales by using the non-parametric Mann-Kendall test. Furthermore, the difference of the means between the two periods (1987-2000 and 2001-2017) were assessed by using the non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test. During 1987-2017, the Levant region suffered a significant warming for the annual maximum and minimum temperatures around 0.33 and 0.30ºC\decade, respectively. In addition, spring showed very strong and significant warming trend (around 0.53ºC/decade for Tmax and 0.51ºC/decade for Tmin) compared with the other seasons. The annual, spring and summer means of Tmax and Tmin have significantly increased over the Levant region during 2001-2017 compared with the period 1987-2000. Spatially, the decreasing trends showed very isolated and random patterns compared with the broad, intensive and coherent warming trends at annual and seasonal time scales. The warming over Jordan was generally the highest.This work has been financed by the projects P11-RNM-7941 (Junta de Andalucía), CGL2013-48539-R (MINECO-Spain, FEDER) and CGL2017-89836-R (MINECO-Spain, FEDER)

In Situ Characterization of Follicular Helper CD4 T Cells Using Multiplexed Imaging.

Follicular helper CD4 T (Tfh) cells play an essential role in the formation of germinal centers (GCs), where mature B cells proliferate, differentiate, and provide long-term protective humoral responses. Despite the extensive phenotypic characterization and identification of human Tfh cell subsets, their spatial positioning at tissue level is not well understood. Here, we describe a quantitative multiplexed immunofluorescence approach allowing for the comprehensive in situ characterization of Tfh cells in human tonsils and lymph nodes (LNs) from individuals with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL). We have developed eight multiplexed panels comprising a spectrum of Tfh cell markers, like PD-1, CXCR5, and ICOS, along with transcription factors (Bcl6, Tbet, GATA3), to assess their expression, frequencies, spatial distribution and co-localization in a quantitative manner. Combined analysis of relevant markers revealed the presence of several Tfh cell subsets at tissue level based on the differential expression of surface receptors, nuclear factors as well as their distinct localization within the follicular areas. Interestingly, we found a considerable amount of tonsillar Tfh cells expressing high levels of the Th2 regulator GATA3. The co-expression of GATA3, CXCR5, and BCL6, points to an important role of GATA3 for the generation of effector human Tfh cells. Furthermore, our data revealed significantly different Tfh cell profile signatures between health and disease. Therefore, our imaging platform generates meaningful information for the in situ characterization of human Tfh cells and could provide the base for future studies aiming to a comprehensive understanding of Tfh cell tissue heterogeneity

Supporting Diversity in Science through Social Networking

In this Community Page, we learn how a scientific community leverages social networking tools to connect a group of dispersed scientific researchers in Ciencia Puerto Rico; this effort fosters innovative research and educational collaborations and changes the way scientists interact with the public

Prenatal Nutritional Intervention Reduces Autistic-Like Behavior Rates Among Mthfr-Deficient Mice

The causes and contributing factors of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are poorly understood. One gene associated with increased risk for ASD is methylenetetrahydrofolate-reductase (MTHFR), which encodes a key enzyme in one carbon (C1) metabolism. The MTHFR 677C > T polymorphism reduces the efficiency of methyl group production with possible adverse downstream effects on gene expression. In this study, the effects of prenatal and/or postnatal diets enriched in C1 nutrients on ASD-like behavior were evaluated in Mthfr-deficient mice. Differences in intermediate pathways between the mice with and without ASD-like behaviors were tested. The findings indicate that maternal and offspring Mthfr deficiency increased the risk for an ASD-like phenotype in the offspring. The risk of ASD-like behavior was reduced in Mthfr-deficient mice supplemented with C1 nutrients prenatally. Specifically, among offspring of Mthfr+/- dams, prenatal diet supplementation was protective against ASD-like symptomatic behavior compared to the control diet with an odds ratio of 0.18 (CI:0.035, 0.970). Changes in major C1 metabolites, such as the ratios between betaine/choline and SAM/SAH in the cerebral-cortex, were associated with ASD-like behavior. Symptomatic mice presenting ASD-like behavior showed decreased levels of GABA pathway proteins such as GAD65/67 and VGAT and altered ratios of the glutamate receptor subunits GluR1/GluR2 in males and NR2A/NR2B in females. The altered ratios, in turn, favor receptor subunits with higher sensitivity to neuronal activity. Our study suggests that MTHFR deficiency can increase the risk of ASD-like behavior in mice and that prenatal dietary intervention focused on MTHFR genotypes can reduce the risk of ASD-like behavior

Aprovechamiento y mejoramiento de un suelo salino mediante el cultivo de pastos forrajeros

Soil salinity is one of the factors that limit agricultural production in vast land areas. Worldwide, some 897 million hectares show a certain degree of salinity. In Mexico, 10 % of the irrigated area is considered as affected by salinity and approximately two thirds of this is to be found in the northern part of the country. With the purpose of offering an viable alternative for improving saline soils and their vegetable cover, in the present study the effect of planting ryegrass, Sudangrass and bermuda grass, that can excrete salt and also posses physiological tolerance, was evaluated. Besides, the effect of two pant densities (1 x 106 and 2 x 106 pl ha-1) on soil total soluble salts equilibrium, cations and anions and cations in plants were also assessed. Results obtained showed a clear trend of salt content reduction in soils, as seen in a drop in electrical conductivity in saturated soil extract and also in cation and anion concentration. Bermuda grass caused a greater fall in soil salinity and no significant effects were found for plant density in soil and plant salt balance.La salinidad de los suelos es uno de los factores que limita actualmente la agricultura en grandes extensiones de tierra. A nivel mundial una superficie de aproximadamente 897 millones de hectáreas presenta algún grado de salinidad. En México se considera que un 10 % del área irrigada está afectada por salinidad y de ésta el 64 % se localiza en el norte del país. Con el propósito de plantear una alternativa para el mejoramiento y cobertura vegetal de los suelos salinos, en el presente estudio se evaluó la salinidad en un suelo cultivado con algunas especies como el zacate Sudán, ballico italiano o ryegrass y zacate bermuda, las cuales poseen propiedades excretoras de sal, como un mecanismo fisiológico de tolerancia a este factor. Así mismo, se evaluó el efecto de dos densidades de población de plantas correspondientes a 1 x 106 y 2 x 106 plantas ha-1, respectivamente en el balance de sales solubles totales, cationes y aniones en suelo y cationes en planta. Los resultados del estudio mostraron una clara tendencia de reducción de sales en el suelo por efecto del cultivo de las tres especies, expresada tanto en reducción de la conductividad eléctrica del extracto de saturación del suelo, como en reducción de la concentración de cationes y aniones formadores de sales. El zacate bermuda ocasionó una mayor reducción en la salinidad del suelo y no se observó efecto significativo de la densidad de población de plantas en el balance de sales en suelo y planta

Appropriate criteria for identification of near-miss maternal morbidity in tertiary care facilities: A cross sectional study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The study of severe maternal morbidity survivors (near miss) may be an alternative or a complement to the study of maternal death events as a health care indicator. However, there is still controversy regarding the criteria for identification of near-miss maternal morbidity. This study aimed to characterize the near miss maternal morbidity according to different sets of criteria.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A descriptive study in a tertiary center including 2,929 women who delivered there between July 2003 and June 2004. Possible cases of near miss were daily screened by checking different sets of criteria proposed elsewhere. The main outcome measures were: rate of near miss and its primary determinant factors, criteria for its identification, total hospital stay, ICU stay, and number and kind of special procedures performed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There were two maternal deaths and 124 cases of near miss were identified, with 102 of them admitted to the ICU (80.9%). Among the 126 special procedures performed, the most frequent were central venous access, echocardiography and invasive mechanical ventilation. The mean hospital stay was 10.3 (± 13.24) days. Hospital stay and the number of special procedures performed were significantly higher when the organ dysfunction based criteria were applied.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The adoption of a two level screening strategy may lead to the development of a consistent severe maternal morbidity surveillance system but further research is needed before worldwide near miss criteria can be assumed.</p