La molibdenita, nueva especie mineral en "Mina Berta", San Cugat del Vallés, Barcelona

Mediante difracción de rayos X se identifica la molibdenita. Esta especie mineral no había sido citada por ningún autor.Se realiza igualmente el estudio espectrográfico por fluorescenciade rayos X

Unusual flexibility of mesophase pitch-derived carbon materials:an approach to the synthesis of graphene

Structural flexibility in a petroleum pitch-derived carbon material has been indirectly evaluated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), immersion calorimetry and inelastic neutron scattering (INS) measurements. Exposure of the carbon material to an organic solvent (e.g., n-nonane) gives rise to a large internal rearrangement, associated with a drastic re-ordering of the graphitic microdomains. These structural changes are also associated with a high flexibility of the internal porous network, as observed by inelastic neutron scattering measurements. The internal rearrangement and the structural flexibility could be responsible for the excellent performance of this kind of activated carbons in a wide variety of adsorption processes. Last but not least, the structural characteristics of these carbon materials composed of graphitic microdomains has been used to synthesize graphene “egg-like” flakes following a simple procedure based on exfoliation with organic solvents

Determination of regulated and emerging mycotoxins in organic and conventional gluten-free flours by LC-MS/MS

Gluten-free cereal products have grown in popularity in recent years as they are perceived as “healthier” alternatives and can be safely consumed by celiac patients, and people with gluten intolerance or wheat allergies. Molds that produce mycotoxins contaminate cereal crops, posing a threat to global food security. Maximum levels have been set for certain mycotoxins in cereal flours; however, little is known about the levels of emerging mycotoxins in these flours. The aim of this study was to develop an efficient, sensitive, and selective method for the detection of four emerging (beauvericin and enniatins A1, B, and B1) and three regulated (aflatoxin B1, zearalenone, and deoxynivalenol) mycotoxins in gluten-free flours. Ultrasound-assisted matrix solid-phase dispersion was used in the extraction of these mycotoxins from flour samples. The validated method was utilized for the LC-MS/MS analysis of conventional and organic wholegrain oat and rice flours. Six of the seven target mycotoxins were detected in these samples. Multi-mycotoxin contamination was found in all flour types, particularly in conventional wholegrain oat flour. Despite the low detection frequency in rice flour, one sample was found to contain zearalenone at a concentration of 83.2 µg/kg, which was higher than the level set by the European Commission for cereal flours. The emerging mycotoxins had the highest detection frequencies; enniatin B was present in 53% of the samples at a maximum concentration of 56 µg/kg, followed by enniatin B1 and beauvericin, which were detected in 46% of the samples, and at levels reaching 21 µg/kg and 10 µg/kg, respectively. These results highlight the need to improve the current knowledge and regulations on the presence of mycotoxins, particularly emerging ones, in gluten-free flours and cereal-based product

A study of the effect of projectile orientation on the results of ballistic impact tests as described in the EASA CS-25 regulations for fuel tank access covers

This paper presents the results of an investigation of the ballistic limits and failure modes of AA2024-T351 sheets impacted with cubical projectiles. The experiment/test setup was based on EASA CS-25 regulations for fuel tank access covers. The effect of cube orientation on the ballistic limit and failure modes was considered in detail. A 25% variation in ballistic limit was observed with the lowest ballistic limit (202 m/s) observed for the cubical projectile edge impacted on the target. In the cube face impacts, the ballistic limit was higher (223 m/s), and the highest ballistic limit (254 m/s) was observed for the corner impact. The observed differences in the ballistic limit were due to differences in failure mechanism, which resulted in different localised deformations near the projectile impact point, but also led to differences in global dishing deformation

Factores del retardo de consolidación en fracturas de antebrazo pediátricas

El objetivo de este estudio es determinar factores para el retardo de curación en fracturas pediátricas diafisarias de antebrazo. Presentamos un estudio caso-control de todas las fracturas pediáticas de antebrazo tratadas en el Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, desde 2003 hasta 2009, y que presentaron retardo de consolidación, con un seguimiento mínimo de 12 meses. Los criterios de exclusión fueron fractura-luxación, infección, osteosíntesis insuficiente, fractura en tallo verde, abierta, patológica y asociada a fractura de cabeza radial, así como pacientes sin el seguimiento mínimo establecido. El cálculo estadístico incluyó análisis de regresión lineal bivariante y multivariante. Resultados: Durante este periodo se trataron 441 fracturas de antebrazo completas, de ambos huesos: 14 de ellas (3.2%) sufrieron retardo de consolidación; y 63 controles cumplieron los criterios de inclusión y fueron seleccionados aleatoriamente. El análisis bivariante mostró diferencias significativas entre los grupos "retardo de consolidación" y "control" en edad, necesidad de tratamiento quirúrgico, reducción abierta frente a cerrada y tiempo hasta retirada del material. Si embargo, la reducción abierta de la fractura, más frecuente en el grupo "retardo de consolidación", fue la única variable que permaneció asociada en el análisis multivariante. Conclusiones: El factor predictivo más importante para el retardo de consolidación en fracturas pediátricas de antebrazo es la reducción abierta.The aim of this study was to assess predictive factors for delayed healing in forearm paediatric fractures. This is a case-control study of all paediatric shaft fractures of forearm presenting delayed union in follow-up period of 12 months or more, from 2003 through 2009, treated in Miguel Servet University Hospital. Exclusion criteria were fracture-dislocations, infection, suboptimal osteosynthesis, greenstick, open, pathologic and associated radial head fractures, as well as patients without stablished period of follow up. Statistical assessment included bivariant and multivariant linear regression analysis. Results: During the study period 441 complete both-bone forearm fractures were treated: 14 of them (3.2%) were identified as suffering delayed union; and 63 controls fulfilling inclusion criteria were randomly selected. Bivariant analysis showed significant differences between "delayed union" and "control" groups in age, need of surgical treatment, open versus closed reduction and mean time to hardware removal. However, open reduction of the fracture, more frequent in the "delayed union" group, was the only variable which remained associated in the multivariant analysis. Conclusions: The strongest predictor of union delay in paediatric forearm fractures is open reduction

El declive de la fe en el progreso. Posmaterialismo, ideología y religiosidad en las representaciones sociales de la tecnociencia

In contemporary societies, social representations of technoscience have become more complex and polyhedral, moving away from traditional positive conceptions. We explore the growing importance of ambivalence in their analysis, as well as questioning the cognitive deficit model as an explanatory theory. We note that cognitive shortcuts linked to the level of religiosity and post-materialist values have a decisive role in shaping the positions on controversial aspects of science and technology. Furthermore, we conclude that these links vary in different national cultures. In Spain, the problematization of the impacts of technoscience is associated with both lower levels of religiosity and the increase of post-materialist concerns due to the secularization of the society.En las sociedades contemporáneas, las representaciones sociales de la tecnociencia han devenido más complejas y poliédricas, alejándose de las concepciones meliorativas tradicionales. Nuestro trabajo profundiza en el análisis de la creciente importancia de la ambivalencia, así como en el cuestionamiento del modelo del déficit cognitivo como teoría explicativa. Apuntamos que los esquemas cognitivos vinculados a valores posmaterialistas y al nivel de religiosidad tienen un papel decisivo en la conformación de los posicionamientos de la opinión pública sobre aspectos controvertidos de la tecnociencia. Por otro lado, constatamos que estos vínculos varían según las distintas culturas nacionales. En el caso de España, la problematización de las representaciones sociales de la tecnociencia suele estar asociada, de un lado, a las personas con menores niveles de religiosidad y, de otro, con un aumento de las preocupaciones posmaterialistas debido al proceso de secularización de nuestra sociedad

Crocin improves the quality of cryopreserved goat semen in different breeds

The effect of crocin in the semen extender before cryopreservation was evaluated on sperm parameters of 20 bucks of five different breeds: Garganica (GA), Jonica (JO), Maltese (MA), Mediterranean Red (MR) and Saanen (SA). Semen samples were centrifuged, to remove seminal plasma, divided in two aliquots and diluted with Tris-egg-yolk-based extender, containing 0 (control group) and 1 mM crocin. Crocin concentration was established after a preliminary dose trial. On fresh and frozen-thawed sperm, motility, viability, morphology, membrane integrity, DNA fragmentation and ROS levels were evaluated. The freezing process led to a decrease (p < 0.05) in all the sperm parameters recorded, confirming the deleterious effect of cryopreservation on goat semen. The most interesting result regarding the inclusion of crocin in the extender before cryopreservation was as follows: Crocin significantly improved (p < 0.05) sperm motility in all breeds, except for Mediterranean Red, compared to the control group. Furthermore, 1 mM crocin reduced percentage of spermatozoa with DNA fragmentation with a marked decrement (p < 0.05) in Garganica and Saanen, as compared to the control group. Finally, intracellular ROS decreased (p < 0.01) in the crocin-treated sperm of all breeds, as compared to the control. In conclusion, supplementation of 1 mM crocin in the extender decreased oxidative stress, improving sperm motility and the DNA integrity of frozen-thawed sperm in different breeds

Influence of the metal precursor on the catalytic behavior of Pt/Ceria catalysts in the preferential oxidation of CO in the presence of H2 (PROX)

The effect of the metal precursor (presence or absence of chlorine) on the preferential oxidation of CO in the presence of H2 over Pt/CeO2 catalysts has been studied. The catalysts are prepared using (Pt(NH3)4)(NO3)2 and H2PtCl6, as precursors, in order to ascertain the effect of the chlorine species on the chemical properties of the support and on the catalytic behavior of these systems in the PROX reaction. The results show that chloride species exert an important effect on the redox properties of the oxide support due to surface chlorination. Consequently, the chlorinated catalyst exhibits a poorer catalytic activity at low temperatures compared with the chlorine-free catalyst, and this is accompanied by a higher selectivity to CO2 even at high reaction temperatures. It is proposed that the CO oxidation mechanism follows different pathways on each catalyst.The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (Project MAT2010-21147) and Generalitat Valenciana (PROMETEO/2009/002 – FEDER and PROMETEOII/2014/004) (Spain). EOJ thanks the CNPq – Brazil for her grant

Cardiovascular profile improvement during Natalizumab treatment

Cardiovascular comorbidities are associated with the risk of MS progression. Thus, we aim to measure variations of cardiovascular risk factors during Natalizumab treatment and their possible clinical associations. Seventy-one relapsing-remitting MS patients treated with Natalizumab were followed-up during a 12.9 ± 6.2 months. Cardiovascular risk factors were recorded on first and last study visits: systolic blood pressure, uric acid, total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides. EDSS progression and relapse occurrence were recorded. At multilevel mixed-effects linear regression models, the population presented with a significant reduction of total cholesterol (Coeff = -7.340; 95%CI = -13.152--1.527; p = 0.013), and of HDL cholesterol (Coeff = -3.473; 95%CI = -6.333--0.613; p = 0.017), and a non-significant reduction of LDL cholesterol (Coeff = -1.872; 95%CI = -8.481-0.736; p = 0.053), and of triglycerides (Coeff = -8.815; 95%CI = -34.011-5.380; p = 0.094). Uric acid levels increased during the study period (Coeff = 0.159; 95%CI = 0.212-0.340; p = 0.038). No significant associations were found with clinical outcomes. Serum lipids decreased and anti-oxidant uric acid increased during Natalizumab treatment. These biomarkers need to be further explored in relation to clinical outcomes on larger cohorts with longer follow-ups

Hipotiroidismo subclínico y factores de riesgo cardiovascular

Objetivo: Conocer la prevalencia del hipotiroidismo subclínico en la población general de un centro de salud urbano y describir las características clínicas y factores de riesgo cardiovascular de los pacientes con hipotiroidismo subclínico. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio observacional descriptivo, transversal, retrospectivo, revisando las historias clínicas de los pacientes incluidos en la muestra desde junio de 2005 hasta julio de 2007. Se analizaron las siguientes variables; Datos generales: edad y sexo. Antecedentes familiares: patología tiroidea y otras enfermedades. Antecedentes personales: cardiovasculares, pulmonares, enfermedades autoinmunes, alteraciones gineco-obstétricas, diabetes, hipertensión (HT), dislipemia, obesidad, alteraciones psiquiátricas y hematológicas. Datos de laboratorio: niveles de TSH, niveles de T4 libre,presencia de anticuerpos antiperoxidasa, niveles de colesterol total y sus fracciones. Resultados: La prevalencia de la muestra de 100 pacientes recogida durante 8 meses fue de 3,8% de la población general mayor de 14 años, de la cual 79 eran mujeres y 21 eran hombres. El 13% eran diabéticos tipo 2, 23% tenían HT y un 40% tenían dislipemia. Sobrepeso y obesidad estaban presentes en un 26%. El nivel medio de TSH fue 6.92 ± 2,29 U/ml y el nivel medio de T4 libre fue 1,16 ± 0,16 ng/ml. Conclusiones: La prevalencia del hipotiroidismo subclínico fue 3,8%. sobre todo en mujeres con una edad media de 46 años. La incidencia de factores de riesgo cardiovascular en los sujetos estudiados es mayor en DM (13%), similar a la población general en cuanto a la dislipemia (40%) y obesidad (20%) y menor en HTA (23%). En nuestro estudio no se observa una pauta común en el manejo del hipotiroidismo subclínico, siendo necesaria la implementación y promoción de guías de actuación en Atención PrimariaObjective: To determine the prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism in the general population of an urban health center and describe the clinical characteristics and cardiovascular risk factors in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism. Methods: An observational study, retrospective, reviewing the medical histories of patients sampled from June 2005 until July 2007. We analyzed the following variables; facts: age and sex. Family history thyroid disease and other diseases. Personal history: cardiovascular pulmonary autoimmune, alterations gynecology obstetric diabetes, hypertension (HT) dislipemia, obesity, psychiatric alterations and haematological. Laboratory data: novel TSH, free T4, antiperoxidase antibodies, total cholesterol and its fractions. Results: The prevalence of the sample of 100 patients collected over 8 months was 3.8% in the general population over 14 years, of which 79 were women and 21 were men. 13% were type 2 diabetics, 23% had HT and 40% had dyslipidemia. Overweight and obesity were present in 26%. The average level of TSH was 6.92 ± 2.29 U/ml and the average level of free T4 was 1.16 ± 0.16 ng/ml. Conclusions: Prevalence subclinical hypothyroidism was 3.8%. especially in women with a mean age of 46. The incidence of cardiovascular risk factors in the subjects studied is higher in DM (13%), similar to general population in terms of dyslipidemia (40%) and obesity (23%) and lowest in hypertension (23%). In our study we observed a common pattern in the management of subclinical hypothyroidism, requiring the implementation and promotion of practice guidelines in primary car