Alucinaciones visuales y dolor inusual en relación a hipomagnesemia en un paciente con cáncer avanzado

Hypomagnesemia has been related to high accumulated doses of cisplatin, and its clinical presence is characterized by neuromuscular and cardiovascular alterations. We present the case of an advanced cancer patient who had received successive lines of chemotherapy and who was receiving opioid treatment for cancer pain. During his hospital stay, he experienced visual hallucinations and very intense, unexplained pain in one shoulder. Symptoms reverted with the normalization of his plasma magnesium levels, which were low. We consider that plasma magnesium levels should be monitored in oncology patients with neurological or psychiatric symptoms or with unusual pain

Bdellovibrio and Like Organisms Are Predictors of Microbiome Diversity in Distinct Host Groups

Biodiversity is generally believed to be a main determinant of ecosystem functioning. This principle also applies to the microbiome and could consequently contribute to host health. According to ecological theory, communities are shaped by top predators whose direct and indirect interactions with community members cause stability and diversity. Bdellovibrio and like organisms (BALOs) are a neglected group of predatory bacteria that feed on Gram-negative bacteria and can thereby influence microbiome composition. We asked whether BALOs can predict biodiversity levels in microbiomes from distinct host groups and environments. We demonstrate that genetic signatures of BALOs are commonly found within the 16S rRNA reads from diverse host taxa. In many cases, their presence, abundance, and especially richness are positively correlated with overall microbiome diversity. Our findings suggest that BALOs can act as drivers of microbial alpha-diversity and should therefore be considered candidates for the restoration of microbiomes and the prevention of dysbiosis

Hallazgo de los primeros utensilios de madera en el poblado neolítico de La Draga (Banyoles, Girona)

La Draga es un poblado neolítico de finales del VI milenio que se encuentra en la orilla oriental del lago de Banyoles. El resultado más destacable de la excavación en el sector subacuático ha sido la aparición de cuatro utensilios de madera, objetos hasta ahora poco conocidos en la prehistoria de la zona mediterráneaLa Draga is a neolithic site of the later 6th millennium located in the eastern border of the Banyoles lake. The most important result of the excavation in the sub aquatic zone has been the finding of four wooden tools, a kind of object rarely known in the Mediterranean Prehistory till no

The HOX Code as a “biological fingerprint” to distinguish functionally distinct stem cell populations derived from cord blood

AbstractMesenchymal stem cells (MSC) have been isolated from almost every adult tissue. In cord blood (CB), different non-hematopoietic CD45-, CD34− adherent cell populations can be generated: the cord blood derived MSC (CB-MSC), that behave almost like MSC from bone marrow (BM-MSC), and unrestricted somatic stem cells (USSC) which show a distinct differentiation potential into all three germ layers. However, distinguishing these populations easily by molecular markers is still a concern. In this study we were able to present the HOX expression pattern of USSC, CB-MSC and BM-MSC, which in fact allows a discrimination of these populations.Briefly, RT-PCR analysis of the HOX code revealed a high similarity between BM-MSC and CB-MSC, which are both HOX-positive, whereas USSC resembled H9 embryonic stem cells HOX-negative.Especially HOXA9, HOXB7, HOXC10 and HOXD8 are good candidate markers to discriminate MSC from USSC. Thus, our data suggest that the "biological fingerprint" based on the HOX code can be used to distinguish functionally distinct MSC populations derived from bone marrow and cord blood

The massive double-lined O-type binary HD 165052

We present a new optical spectroscopic study of the O-type binary HD 165052 based on high-and intermediate-resolution CCD observations. We re-investigated the spectral classification of the binary components, obtaining spectral types of O6.5 V and O7.5 V for the primary and secondary, respectively, finding that both stars display weak CIII λ5696 emission in their spectra. We also determined a radial-velocity orbit for HD 165052 with a period of 2.95510 ± 0.00001 d, and semi-amplitudes of 94.8 and 104.7 ± 0.5km s-1, resulting in a mass ratio Q = 0.9. From a comparison with previous radial-velocity determinations, we found evidence of apsidal motion in the system. Several signatures of wind-wind collision, such as phase-locked variability of the X-ray flux and the Struve-Sahade effect, are also considered. It was also found that the reddening in the region should be normal, in contrast with previous determinations.Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísica

Innovative use of essential oil cold diffusion system for improving air quality on indoor cultural heritage spaces

[EN] Bioaerosols play an important role in Cultural Heritage (CH) spaces air quality and biodeterioration risk and there is a growing interest to reduce them in actual conservation strategies. Essential oils (EOs) have been wellknown in several fields for their antimicrobial properties and they have found use in a number of applications. In this work Melaleuca alternifolia (Tea tree) and Thymus vulgaris (Thyme) EOs are cold diffused in unventilated lab spaces for reducing air bacterial and fungi contamination. Moreover, Tea tree EO was also tested in an unventilated real CH space. The effectiveness of EOs in reducing air bacterial and fungi contamination in unventilated indoor spaces during 24 h was evaluated. Air quality was also analyzed by means of temperature, humidity and particulate matter variation. EOs' diffusion system CH artworks risks was studied by means of thermography, diffusion range and EOs compounds deposition on the artistic materials by GC-MS. Tea tree EOs vaporization showed the best results with 77,3% and 95,0% fungi and bacteria air contamination reduction, with no thermohydrometric alteration and absence of EOs components deposition on the artistic vault.The authors wish to thank to the priest of the Santos Juanes Church of Valencia; the 'Direccion General de Patrimonio' and Professor Pilar Roig Picazo; for giving us the permits needed in order to develop this research. We would like to thank to Fundacion Hortensia Herrero, the Spanish Government (projects RTI2018-100910-B-C41 and RTI2018-101599-B-C22-AR (MCUI, FEDER, EU) and A.B. her Beatriz Galindo contract BG20/00020) and the Generalitat Valenciana (project PROM-ETEO 2018/024) for its financial support. Authors wish to thank the collaboration of the Dr. Ignacio Bosch Roig on the thermographic analysis and Dr. Enrique Vivo Soria for the review of the thermohydrometric data.Díaz Alonso, J.; Bernardos Bau, A.; Regidor Ros, JL.; Martínez-Máñez, R.; Bosch-Roig, P. (2021). Innovative use of essential oil cold diffusion system for improving air quality on indoor cultural heritage spaces. International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation. 162:1-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibiod.2021.10525111016

ATP depletion plays a pivotal role in self-incompatibility, revealing a link between cellular energy status, cytosolic acidification and actin remodelling in pollen tubes

Self-incompatibility (SI) involves specific interactions during pollination to reject incompatible ('self') pollen, preventing inbreeding in angiosperms. A key event observed in pollen undergoing the Papaver rhoeas SI response is the formation of punctate F-actin foci. Pollen tube growth is heavily energy-dependent, yet ATP levels in pollen tubes have not been directly measured during SI. Here we used transgenic Arabidopsis lines expressing the Papaver pollen S-determinant to investigate a possible link between ATP levels, cytosolic pH ([pH]cyt ) and alterations to the actin cytoskeleton. We identify for the first time that SI triggers a rapid and significant ATP depletion in pollen tubes. Artificial depletion of ATP triggered cytosolic acidification and formation of actin aggregates. We also identify in vivo, evidence for a threshold [pH]cyt of 5.8 for actin foci formation. Imaging revealed that SI stimulates acidic cytosolic patches adjacent to the plasma membrane. In conclusion, this study provides evidence that ATP depletion plays a pivotal role in SI upstream of programmed cell death and reveals a link between the cellular energy status, cytosolic acidification and alterations to the actin cytoskeleton in regulating Papaver SI in pollen tubes

Restauración ambiental del tramo final del río Serpis y su desembocadura

El objetivo principal de nuestro proyecto es la restauración del cauce del rio Serpis para devolverle su equilibrio dinámico entre los procesos físicos de la cuenca vertiente y la dinámica del cauce. Con este proyecto pretendemos recuperar los procesos fluviales naturales, y con ellos el funcionamiento ecológico y las formas y comunidades biológicas primitivas del cauce y sus riberas, o lo que es lo mismo hacer una restauración ecológica del Serpis. Para lograr la restauración del Serpis se requiere principalmente, por un lado, aumentar el espacio fluvial, eliminando las ocupaciones existentes, edificaciones, infraestructuras, campos de cultivo de cítricos, y las estructuras longitudinales que se han construido en él, canalizaciones y diques. Por otro lado, hemos de devolver al estado natural el régimen de caudales circulantes, eliminando las barreras transversales que nos encontramos a lo largo del río, los azudes (menos el de Canales Altos que dejaremos para abastecer las balsas de riego, habilitándolo con un paso para peces) y el embalse de BeniarrésBosch Campos, MDP.; Pastor Gómez, MJ. (2013). Restauración ambiental del tramo final del río Serpis y su desembocadura. Universitat Politècnica de València. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/34093Archivo delegad

Innovations in nutrition education and global health: the Bangalore Boston nutrition collaborative

Background: India has a wide range of nutrition and health problems which require professionals with appropriate skills, knowledge and trans-disciplinary collaborative abilities to influence policy making at the national and global level. Methods: The Bangalore Boston Nutrition Collaborative (BBNC) was established as collaboration between St. John’s Research Institute (SJRI), Harvard School of Public Health and Tufts University, with a focus on nutrition research and training. The goals of the BBNC were to conduct an interdisciplinary course, develop web-based courses and identify promising Indian students and junior faculty for graduate training in Boston. Results: From 2010, an annual two-week short course in nutrition research methods was conducted on the SJRI campus taught by international faculty from Indian and US universities. More than 100 students applied yearly for approximately 30 positions. The course had didactic lectures in the morning and practical hands-on sessions in the afternoon. Student rating of the course was excellent and consistent across the years. The ratings on the design and conduct of the course significantly improved (p <0.001) from 2010 to 2012. Through open-ended questions, students reported the main strengths of the course to be the excellent faculty and practical “hands-on” sessions. A web based learning system TYRO, was developed, which can be used for distance learning. Four faculty members/graduate students from SJRI have visited Boston for collaborative research efforts. Conclusion: The BBNC has become a well-established capacity building and research training program for young professionals in nutrition and global health. Efforts are ongoing to secure long term funding to sustain and expand this collaboration to deliver high quality nutrition and global health education enabled by information and communication technologies

Propuesta de monitorización integral de la calidad ambiental del interior de la Iglesia de los Santos Juanes de Valencia

Para la correcta conservación de los bienes de interés cultural (BIC), debe existir una óptima calidad ambiental interior. La monitorización de esta calidad ambiental, tradicionalmente, incluye el estudio de la humedad y la temperatura de los espacios interiores ya que es bien conocido que sus valores elevados y fluctuaciones rápidas pueden alterar los materiales constitutivos de las obras de arte. Sin embargo, hay muchos otros parámetros que se deben estudiar para tener una visión completa de los riesgos potenciales relacionados con ambientes patrimoniales. En este trabajo, planteamos la importancia de una monitorización integral sistemática de la calidad ambiental de un bien patrimonial que debe incluir parámetros como: temperatura, humedad, CO2, iluminación (UVA y UVA), materia particulada y bioaerosoles. Se muestran los resultados comparativos preliminares del estudio realizado en 2009 y diez años después (2019) en la Iglesia de los Santos Juanes de Valencia que se enmarcan en los estudios previos para su próxima restauración