Damage detection by using FBGs and strain field pattern recognition techniques

A novel methodology for damage detection and location in structures is proposed. The methodology is based on strain measurements and consists in the development of strain field pattern recognition techniques. The aforementioned are based on PCA (principal component analysis) and damage indices (T 2 and Q). We propose the use of fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) as strain sensor

Investigaciones paleobotánicas en la cuenca central del Duero

El objetivo del trabajo es dar a conocer el estado actual de conocimientos científicos sobre el pasado del paisaje vegetal (Cuaternario final) en los territorios interiores no montanos de la depresión del Duero. Se recogen todos los yacimientos cuyo estudio ya ha concluido así como los que se encuentran en fase de investigación o prospección. Se precisa el tipo de informador en cada caso (polen, carbones, maderas, otros macrorrestos), el rango cronológico conocido hasta el momento así como el grado o proporción de trabajo realizado en cada yacimiento en relación con las previsiones efectuadas. Se aporta una síntesis-resumen de los principales resultados obtenidos hasta el momento y de los aspectos más concluyentes de los mismos en relación con la elaboración de modelos de evolución del paisaje vegetal posteriores al último máximo glacial en la Meseta norte. A nuestro juicio debe destacarse, como uno de los resultados más relevantes, el conocimiento ya afianzado de que los pinares de meseta han sido el elemento más significativo en amplios sectores del sur y este de la cuenca a lo largo de todo o gran parte del Holoceno, circunstancia que contrasta con todas las propuestas de paisaje pretérito (preantrópico) existentes antes de la realización de las prospecciones paleobotánicas

Hepatic galectin-3 is associated with lipid droplet area in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in a new swine model

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is currently a growing epidemic disease that can lead to cirrhosis and hepatic cancer when it evolves into non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a gap not well understood. To characterize this disease, pigs, considered to be one of the most similar to human experimental animal models, were used. To date, all swine-based settings have been carried out using rare predisposed breeds or long-term experiments. Herein, we fully describe a new experimental swine model for initial and reversible NASH using cross-bred animals fed on a high saturated fat, fructose, cholesterol, cholate, choline and methionine-deficient diet. To gain insight into the hepatic transcriptome that undergoes steatosis and steatohepatitis, we used RNA sequencing. This process significantly up-regulated 976 and down-regulated 209 genes mainly involved in cellular processes. Gene expression changes of 22 selected transcripts were verified by RT-qPCR. Lipid droplet area was positively associated with CD68, GPNMB, LGALS3, SLC51B and SPP1, and negatively with SQLE expressions. When these genes were tested in a second experiment of NASH reversion, LGALS3, SLC51B and SPP1 significantly decreased their expression. However, only LGALS3 was associated with lipid droplet areas. Our results suggest a role for LGALS3 in the transition of NAFLD to NASH

Modelización de la distribución diamétrica de las masas de "Pinus Pinea" L. de Valladolid (España) mediante la función Weibull

Se han obtenido modelos explicativos de los parámetros de la función Weibull biparamétrica para modelizar las distribuciones diamétricas en masas regulares de Pinus pinea L. en la provincia de Valladolid (España). A partir de datos experimentales tomados en 131 parcelas (20 árboles parcelo), se han determinado inicialmente los parámetros de la distribución teórica ajustada a las distribuciones reales mediante el método de los percentiles y regresión no lineal. A continuación se han ajustado modelos lineales predictivos de los parámetros calculados, que incluyen variables de masa. El parámetro > se asocia muy estrechamente con el diámetro medio cuadrático (d), mientras que el parámetro «c» presenta una mayor dificultad de ajuste, relacionándose con d0 y una segunda variable (edad o fracción de cabida cubierta)

Lipidomic signatures discriminate subtle hepatic changes in the progression of porcine non-alcoholic steatohepatitis

Recently, the development of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in common strains of pigs has been achieved using a diet high in saturated fat, fructose, cholesterol and cholate and deficient in choline and methionine. The aim of the present work was to characterize the hepatic and plasma lipidomic changes that accompany the progression of NASH and its reversal by switching pigs back to a chow diet. One month of this extreme steatotic diet was sufficient to induce porcine NASH. The lipidomic platform using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analyzed 467 lipid species. Seven hepatic phospholipids [PC(30:0), PC(32:0), PC(33:0), PC(33:1), PC(34:0), PC(34:3) and PC(36:2)] significantly discriminated the time of dietary exposure, and PC(30:0), PC(33:0), PC(33:1) and PC(34:0) showed rapid adaptation in the reversion period. Three transcripts, CS, MAT1A and SPP1, showed significant changes associated with hepatic triglycerides and PC(33:0). Plasma lipidomics revealed that these species [FA 16:0, FA 18:0, LPC(17:1), PA(40:5), PC(37:1), TG(45:0), TG(47:2) and TG(51:0)] were able to discriminate the time of dietary exposure. Among them, FA 16:0, FA 18:0, LPC(17:1) and PA(40:5) changed the trend in the reversion phase. Plasma LDL-cholesterol and IL12P40 were good parameters to study the progression of NASH, but their capacity was surpassed by hepatic [PC(33:0), PC(33:1), and PC(34:0)] or plasma lipid [FA 16:0, FA 18:0, and LPC(17:1)] species. Taken together, these lipid species can be used as biomarkers of metabolic changes in the progression and regression of NASH in this model. The lipid changes suggest that the development of NASH also affects peripheral lipid metabolism

Lipidomic signatures discriminate subtle hepatic changes in the progression of porcine non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.

Recently, the development of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in common strains of pigs has been achieved using a diet high in saturated fat, fructose, cholesterol and cholate and deficient in choline and methionine. The aim of the present work was to characterize the hepatic and plasma lipidomic changes that accompany the progression of NASH and its reversal by switching pigs back to a chow diet. One month of this extreme steatotic diet was sufficient to induce porcine NASH. The lipidomic platform using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analyzed 467 lipid species. Seven hepatic phospholipids [PC(30:0), PC(32:0), PC(33:0), PC(33:1), PC(34:0), PC(34:3) and PC(36:2)] significantly discriminated the time of dietary exposure, and PC(30:0), PC(33:0), PC(33:1) and PC(34:0) showed rapid adaptation in the reversion period. Three transcripts, CS, MAT1A and SPP1, showed significant changes associated with hepatic triglycerides and PC(33:0). Plasma lipidomics revealed that these species [FA 16:0, FA 18:0, LPC(17:1), PA(40:5), PC(37:1), TG(45:0), TG(47:2) and TG(51:0)] were able to discriminate the time of dietary exposure. Among them, FA 16:0, FA 18:0, LPC(17:1) and PA(40:5) changed the trend in the reversion phase. Plasma LDL-cholesterol and IL12P40 were good parameters to study the progression of NASH, but their capacity was surpassed by hepatic [PC(33:0), PC(33:1), and PC(34:0)] or plasma lipid [FA 16:0, FA 18:0, and LPC(17:1)] species. Taken together, these lipid species can be used as biomarkers of metabolic changes in the progression and regression of NASH in this model. The lipid changes suggest that the development of NASH also affects peripheral lipid metabolism