La Formación de Bellmunt (Unidad del Cadí, Pirineo oriental): aportaciones bioestratigráficas de los sistemas lacustres y palustres asociados

The Bellmunt Fm is an alluvial synorogenic unit which was deposited under the influence of the southward displacement of succesive pyrenean nappes. This unit includes, in the boundary between its lower and middle part, many lacustrine and palustrine beds with an abundant fossil fauna and flora. This fossil record allows to recognize thepaleoenviromental andpaleoclimatic scenary. Charophytes and fossil mammals indicate a Middle and Lower Bartonian age for this Formation

Marine organism sulfated polysaccharides exhibiting significant antimalarial activity and inhibition of red blood cell invasion by Plasmodium

The antimalarial activity of heparin, against which there are no resistances known, has not been therapeutically exploited due to its potent anticoagulating activity. Here, we have explored the antiplasmodial capacity of heparin-like sulfated polysaccharides from the sea cucumbers Ludwigothurea grisea and Isostichopus badionotus, from the red alga Botryocladia occidentalis, and from the marine sponge Desmapsamma anchorata. In vitro experiments demonstrated for most compounds significant inhibition of Plasmodium falciparum growth at low-anticoagulant concentrations. This activity was found to operate through inhibition of erythrocyte invasion by Plasmodium, likely mediated by a coating of the parasite similar to that observed for heparin. In vivo four-day suppressive tests showed that several of the sulfated polysaccharides improved the survival of Plasmodium yoelii-infected mice. In one animal treated with I. badionotus fucan parasitemia was reduced from 10.4% to undetectable levels, and Western blot analysis revealed the presence of antibodies against P. yoelii antigens in its plasma. The retarded invasion mediated by sulfated polysaccharides, and the ensuing prolonged exposure of Plasmodium to the immune system, can be explored for the design of new therapeutic approaches against malaria where heparin-related polysaccharides of low anticoagulating activity could play a dual role as drugs and as potentiators of immune responses

An attempt to determine variability of RNA/DNA ratios during Dicentrarchus labrax larval development

RNA and DNA content of seabass (Dicentrarchus labra.x) larvae were determined from day 10 to day 60 after hatching in an aquaculture facility. Our results show a two-phase modulation of the RNA/DNA ratio throughout seabass larvae development. From day 10 after hatching there is an increase in the RNA/DNA ratio reaching maximal values at day 30 of age. Then, the RNA/DNA ratio decreased reaching minimal values at day 60 after hatching. These results are consistent with a high rate of protein synthesis during the first 30 days of seabass development compared with the rest of the developmental period studied. The results are compared with that of otolith growth carried out for the same species larvaeAPROXIMACIÓ A LA DETERMINACIÓ DE LA VARIABILITAT DE LA RELACIÓ DNA/RNA DURANT EL DESENVOLUPAMENT LARVAL DEL LLOBARRO Dicentrarchus labrax. S'ha determinat el contingut de DNA (àcid desoxiribonucleic) i de RNA (àcid ribonucleic) en larves de llobarro (Dicentrarchus labrax) d'edats compreses entre 10 i 60 dies de vida, procedents d'una planta de cultiu. Els resultats obtinguts mostren dues fases diferenciades de desenvolupament d'aquestes larves, basades en la relaci6 RNA/DNA avaluada. S'observa un augment de la proporci6 de RNNDNA des del dia 10 fins el dia 30 de vida, per a decréixer a continuació, trobant els valors mínims en les larves de 60 dies de vidaPublicado

Stationary states of a spherical Minority Game with ergodicity breaking

Using generating functional and replica techniques, respectively, we study the dynamics and statics of a spherical Minority Game (MG), which in contrast with a spherical MG previously presented in J.Phys A: Math. Gen. 36 11159 (2003) displays a phase with broken ergodicity and dependence of the macroscopic stationary state on initial conditions. The model thus bears more similarity with the original MG. Still, all order parameters including the volatility can computed in the ergodic phases without making any approximations. We also study the effects of market impact correction on the phase diagram. Finally we discuss a continuous-time version of the model as well as the differences between on-line and batch update rules. Our analytical results are confirmed convincingly by comparison with numerical simulations. In an appendix we extend the analysis of the earlier spherical MG to a model with general time-step, and compare the dynamics and statics of the two spherical models.Comment: 26 pages, 8 figures; typo correcte

Erratum: “Seed layer technique for high quality epitaxial manganite films” [AIP Advances 6, 085109 (2016)]

No abstract available

Erythropoietin administration partially prevents adipose tissue loss in experimental cancer cachexia models

Cancer-associated cachexia is characterized, among other symptoms, by a dramatic loss of both muscle and fat. In addition, the cachectic syndrome is often associated with anemia. The object of the present investigation was to assess the effects of erythropoietin (EPO) treatment on experimental cancer cachexia models. The results clearly show that, in addition to the improvement of the hematocrit, EPO treatment promoted a partial preservation of adipose tissue while exerting negligible effects on muscle loss. Administration of EPO to tumor-bearing animals resulted in a significant increase of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity in adipose tissue, suggesting that the treatment favored triacylglycerol (TAG) accumulation in the adipose tissue. In vitro experiments using both adipose tissue slices and 3T3-L1 adipocytes suggests that EPO is able to increase the lipogenic rate through the activation of its specific receptor (EPOR). This metabolic pathway, in addition to TAG uptake by LPL, may contribute to the beneficial effects of EPO on fat preservation in cancer cachexia

Delayed gastric emptying after classical Whipple or pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy: a randomized clinical trial (QUANUPAD)

Purpose Pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy (PPPD) has been the gold standard for pancreatic head lesion resection for several years. Some studies have noted that it involves more delayed gastric emptying (DGE) than classical Whipple (i.e., pancreatoduodenectomy with antrectomy). Our working hypothesis was that the classical Whipple has a lower incidence of DGE. We aimed to compare the incidence of DGE among pancreatoduodenectomy techniques. Methods This pragmatic, randomized, open-label, single-center clinical trial involved patients who underwent classical Whipple (study group) or PPPD (control group). Gastric emptying was clinically evaluated using scintigraphy. DGE was defined according to the International Study Group of Pancreatic Surgery (ISGPS) criteria. The secondary endpoints were postoperative morbidity, length of hospital stay, anthropometric measurements, and nutritional status. Results A total of 84 patients were randomized (42 per group). DGE incidence was 50% (20/40, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 35-65%) in the study group and 62% (24/39, 95% CI: 46-75%) in the control group (p = 0.260). No differences were observed between both groups regarding postoperative morbidity or length of hospital stay. Anthropometric measurements at 6 months post-surgery: triceps fold measurements were 12 mm and 16 mm (p = 0.021). At 5 weeks post-surgery, triceps fold measurements were 13 mm and 16 mm (p = 0.020) and upper arm circumferences were 26 cm and 28 cm (p = 0.030). No significant differences were observed in nutritional status. Conclusion DGE incidence and severity did not differ between classical Whipple and PPPD. Some anthropometric measurements may indicate a better recovery with PPPD

On metastable configurations of small-world networks

We calculate the number of metastable configurations of Ising small-world networks which are constructed upon superimposing sparse Poisson random graphs onto a one-dimensional chain. Our solution is based on replicated transfer-matrix techniques. We examine the denegeracy of the ground state and we find a jump in the entropy of metastable configurations exactly at the crossover between the small-world and the Poisson random graph structures. We also examine the difference in entropy between metastable and all possible configurations, for both ferromagnetic and bond-disordered long-range couplings.Comment: 9 pages, 4 eps figure