Notas nomenclaturales sobre anfibios actuales y fósiles

A review of extinct and living amphibians known from fossils (Allocaudata, Anura and Caudata) has revealed several cases that require nomenclatural changes in order to stabilize the taxonomy of the group. Nomenclatural changes include homonym replacements, corrections of spelling variants and authorships, name availabilities, and in particular, the proposal of new combinations. These changes will allow the incorporation of some palaeontological taxa to the current evolutionary models of relationship of modern forms based on molecular phylogenies. Rana cadurcorum for Rana plicata Filhol, 1877, Rana auscitana for Rana pygmaea Lartet, 1851, and Rana sendoa for Rana robusta Brunner, 1956. Anchylorana Taylor, 1942 is considered a new synonym of Lithobates Fitzinger, 1843. New combinations proposed are: Anaxyrus defensor for Bufo defensor Meylan, 2005; Anaxyrus hibbardi for Bufo hibbardi Taylor, 1937; Anaxyrus pliocompactilis for Bufo pliocompactilis Wilson, 1968; Anaxyrus repentinus for Bufo repentinus Tihen, 1962; Anaxyrus rexroadensis for Bufo rexroadensis Tihen, 1962; Anaxyrus spongifrons for Bufo spongifrons Tihen, 1962; Anaxyrus suspectus for Bufo suspectus Tihen, 1962; Anaxyrus tiheni for Bufo tiheni Auffenberg, 1957; Anaxyrus valentinensis for Bufo valentinensis Estes et Tihen, 1964; Ichthyosaura wintershofi for Triturus wintershofi Lunau, 1950; Incilius praevius for Bufo praevius Tihen, 1951; Lithobates bucella for Rana bucella Holman, 1965; Lithobates dubitus for Anchylorana dubita Taylor, 1942; Lithobates fayeae for Rana fayeae Taylor, 1942; Lithobates miocenicus for Rana miocenica Holman, 1965; Lithobates moorei for Anchylorana moorei Taylor, 1942; Lithobates parvissimus for Rana parvissima Taylor, 1942; Lithobates rexroadensis for Rana rexroadensis Taylor, 1942; Lithobates robustocondylus for Anchylorana robustocondyla Taylor, 1942; Ommatotriton roehrsi for Triturus roehrsi Herre, 1955; Pelophylax barani for Rana barani Rückert-Ülkumen, 1980; Pelophylax meriani for Rana meriani Meyer, 1853; Pelophylax pueyoi for Rana pueyoi Navás, 1922a; Pelophylax quellenbergi for Rana quellenbergi Navás, 1922; Philoria borealis for Kyarranus borealis Tyler, 1991; Pseudepidalea belogorica for Bufo belogoricus Ratnikov, 1993; Pseudepidalea plana for Bufo planus Ratnikov, 1993; Pseudepidalea prisca for Bufo priscus Spinar, Klembara et Meszáros, 1993, and Pseudepidalea stranensis for Bufo stranensis Nemec, 1972. The names Geyeriellinae Brame, 1958, Palaeurodelidae Brame, 1958, Prosalamandridae Stefano, 1903, Lipelucidae Huene, 1956, Rana temporaria fossilis Stefanov, 1951, Salteniidae Kuhn, 1962, Vieraellidae Reig, 1961, and Voigtiellinae Brame, 1958 are nomenclaturally deemed unavailable. The family name based on Scapherpeton Cope, 1876 is Scapherpetidae and not Scapherpetonidae nor Scapherpetontidae.Una revisión de anfibios extintos y actuales en estado fósil (Allocaudata, Anura y Caudata) ha permitido detectar diversos casos que precisan cambios nomenclaturales a fin de estabilizar la taxonomía del grupo. Los cambios nomenclaturales incluyen homonimias, correcciones de variantes gramaticales y autorías, disponibilidad de nombres, y en especial la propuesta de nuevas combinaciones, necesarias para ajustar algunos taxones paleontológicos a los modelos de relaciones evolutivas entre formas vivientes, fundamentados en filogenias moleculares. Las nuevas combinaciones que se proponen son: Anaxyrus defensor para Bufo defensor Meylan, 2005; Anaxyrus hibbardi para Bufo hibbardi Taylor, 1937; Anaxyrus pliocompactilis para Bufo pliocompactilis Wilson, 1968; Anaxyrus repentinus para Bufo repentinus Tihen, 1962; Anaxyrus rexroadensis para Bufo rexroadensis Tihen, 1962; Anaxyrus spongifrons para Bufo spongifrons Tihen, 1962; Anaxyrus suspectus para Bufo suspectus Tihen, 1962; Anaxyrus tiheni para Bufo tiheni Auffenberg, 1957; Anaxyrus valentinensis para Bufo valentinensis Estes et Tihen, 1964; Ichthyosaura wintershofi para Triturus wintershofi Lunau, 1950; Incilius praevius para Bufo praevius Tihen, 1951; Lithobates bucella para Rana bucella Holman, 1965; Lithobates dubitus para Anchylorana dubita Taylor, 1942; Lithobates fayeae para Rana fayeae Taylor, 1942; Lithobates miocenicus para Rana miocenica Holman, 1965; Lithobates moorei para Anchylorana moorei Taylor, 1942; Lithobates parvissimus para Rana parvissima Taylor, 1942; Lithobates rexroadensis para Rana rexroadensis Taylor, 1942; Lithobates robustocondylus para Anchylorana robustocondyla Taylor, 1942; Ommatotriton roehrsi para Triturus roehrsi Herre, 1955; Pelophylax barani para Rana barani Rückert-Ülkumen, 1980; Pelophylax meriani para Rana meriani Meyer, 1853; Pelophylax pueyoi para Rana pueyoi Navás, 1922a; Pelophylax quellenbergi para Rana quellenbergi Navás, 1922; Philoria borealis para Kyarranus borealis Tyler, 1991; Pseudepidalea belogorica para Bufo belogoricus Ratnikov, 1993; Pseudepidalea plana para Bufo planus Ratnikov, 1993; Pseudepidalea prisca para Bufo priscus Spinar, Klembara et Meszáros, 1993, y Pseudepidalea stranensis para Bufo stranensis Nemec, 1972. Los nombres Geyeriellinae Brame, 1958, Palaeurodelidae Brame, 1958, Prosalamandridae Stefano, 1903, Lipelucidae Huene, 1956, Rana temporaria fossilis Stefanov, 1951, Salteniidae Kuhn, 1962, Vieraellidae Reig, 1961, y Voigtiellinae Brame, 1958 se consideran nomenclaturalmente no disponibles. El nombre de familia basado en Scapherpeton Cope, 1876 es Scapherpetidae y no Scapherpetonidae ni Scapherpetontidae

Notas históricas e índices generales (1943-1994) de la revista zoológica española “Graellsia”

A brief historical introduction of the Spanish zoological journal “Graellsia”, and the general thematic indexes for its first 50 volumes (1943-1994) are presented. The indexes that have been compiled include exhaustive lists of the authors, genera, families, new taxa, Spanish and Portugese provinces, islands, and political countries, as mentioned in the 821 published articles. More than 6.800 genera, including synonyms, have been indexed, and represent a large fraction of the known Spanish fauna.Se presentan, junto a una breve introducción histórica, los índices temáticos de los primeros 50 volúmenes de la revista zoológica española “Graellsia”, correspondientes al periodo 1943-1994. Los índices incluyen una relación exhaustiva de los autores, géneros, familias, nuevos taxones, provincias (españolas y portuguesas), islas y países mencionados en los 821 artículos publicados. Los más de 6.800 géneros indexados, incluyendo sinónimos, abarcan una parte considerable de la fauna española conocida

Incidencia del agotamiento en los docentes universitarios: estudio de caso en una universidad española

El objetivo del presente estudio es indagar en la relación que se establece entre el nivel de exigencia del trabajo del profesorado universitario, un sector docente en general menos estudiado que los niveles preuniversitarios, en correlación a su salud física y mental. La muestra total es de 212 docentes, con una edad media de 46.6 años y 15.2 años de experiencia profesional. La investigación se diseña metodológicamente desde un enfoque cuantitativo, descriptivo, ex post facto, transversal y correlacional. Se aplica el cuestionario Maslach Burnout Inventory. Los resultados muestran que el profesorado universitario está, en líneas generales, contento con su trabajo y, al mismo tiempo, en un número importante de casos declara sentirse emocionalmente quemado. En la franja de edad de entre 36 a 55 años se produce una mayor intensidad de demanda sobre el profesorado, en consecuencia, se refieren más problemas de agotamiento. Se concluye que la experiencia laboral parece mostrarse como un factor de protección frente al burnout

Memoria de trabajo en niños de educación infantil con y sin bajo rendimiento matemático

This study aims to explore working memory in preschool children with and without low mathematical performance. The sample consisted of 255 children aged 5-6 years, to whom were administered neuropsychological tests of working memory and TEDI-MATH to estimate the mathematical performance. The results highlight the capacity of verbal working memory to significantly differentiate groups of children with and without problems in 8 of the 9 analyzed mathematical domains. This factor together with visuospatial working memory differentiate the group of children at risk for mathematical learning disabilities.Este estudio se propone analizar la memoria de trabajo en niños de Educación Infantil con y sin bajo rendimiento matemático. La muestra estaba compuesta de 255 niños de 5 a 6 años, a los que se les aplicó pruebas neuropsicológicas de memoria de trabajo y el TEDI-MATH para estimar el rendimiento matemático. Los resultados destacan la capacidad de la memoria de trabajo verbal para diferenciar significativamente los grupos de niños con y sin dificultades en 8 de los 9 dominios matemáticos analizados. Este mismo factor junto con la memoria de trabajo viso-espacial estática diferencian al grupo de niños con riesgo de aprendizaje de las matemáticas

An internet-based intervention for depression in primary care in Spain: A randomized controlled trial

Background: Depression is the most prevalent cause of illness-induced disability worldwide. Face-to-face psychotherapeutic interventions for depression can be challenging, so there is a need for other alternatives that allow these interventions to be offered. One feasible alternative is Internet-based psychological interventions. This is the first randomized controlled trial (RCT) on the effectiveness of an Internet-based intervention on depression in primary health care in Spain. Objective: Our aim was to compare the effectiveness of a low-intensity therapist-guided (LITG) Internet-based program and a completely self-guided (CSG) Internet-based program with improved treatment as usual (iTAU) care for depression. Methods: Multicenter, three-arm, parallel, RCT design, carried out between November 2012 and January 2014, with a follow-up of 15 months. In total, 296 adults from primary care settings in four Spanish regions, with mild or moderate major depression, were randomized to LITG (n=96), CSG (n=98), or iTAU (n=102). Research completers at follow-up were 63.5%. The intervention was Smiling is Fun, an Internet program based on cognitive behavioral therapy. All patients received iTAU by their general practitioners. Moreover, LITG received Smiling is Fun and the possibility of psychotherapeutic support on request by email, whereas CSG received only Smiling is Fun. The main outcome was the Beck Depression Inventory-II at 3 months from baseline. Mixed-effects multilevel analysis for repeated measures were undertaken. Results: There was no benefit for either CSG (B coefficient=-1.15; P=.444)] or LITG (B=-0.71; P=.634)] compared to iTAU, at 3 months. There were differences at 6 months iTAU vs CSG (B=-4.22; P=.007); iTAU vs LITG (B=-4.34; P=.005)] and 15 months iTAU vs CSG (B=-5.10; P=.001); iTAU vs LITG (B=-4.62; P=.002)]. There were no differences between CSG and LITG at any time. Adjusted and intention-to-treat models confirmed these findings. Conclusions: An Internet-based intervention for depression combined with iTAU conferred a benefit over iTAU alone in the Spanish primary health care system

Radioprotectors and Mitigators of Radiation-Induced Normal Tissue Injury

The article reviews agents in clinical use or in development as radioprotectors and mitigators of radiation-induced normal tissue injury

Bone Marrow-Derived Cells Implanted into Radiation-Injured Urinary Bladders Reconstruct Functional Bladder Tissues in Rats

The purpose of this study was to determine whether bone marrow-derived cells implanted into radiation-injured urinary bladders could reconstruct functional bladder tissues. The pelvic region of anesthetized female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats was irradiated with 2 Gy once a week for 5 weeks. After the last irradiation, the rats were maintained for 2 weeks. Bone marrow cells were harvested from the femurs of donor male green fluorescence protein (GFP)-transfected SD rats and cultured for 7 days. Two weeks after the last radiation exposure, the cultured adherent, proliferating bone marrow-derived cells were implanted into the walls of irradiated urinary bladders. For controls, cell-free solutions were similarly injected. Four weeks after donor cell or control implantations, cystometric, histological, and immunohistochemical investigations were performed. Two weeks after the last irradiation, the smooth muscle layers and nerve fibers of the irradiated urinary bladders were disorganized. The proportions of smooth muscle layer and nerve fiber areas were significantly decreased compared with sham-irradiated urinary bladders. In addition, the remaining smooth muscle cells within the irradiated urinary bladders expressed P4HB, an indicator of collagen synthesis. In the cystometric investigations, the voiding interval of irradiated rats was irregularly prolonged, 7.92 +/- 1.09 min, and the residual volume, 0.13 +/- 0.03 mL, was significantly higher compared with the sham-irradiated rats (5.50 +/- 0.43mL and 0.05 +/- 0.01 mL). After 4 weeks, the smooth muscle layers and nerve fibers in the cell-free control urinary bladders remained similar to the pre-implanted irradiated urinary bladders; however, the cell-implanted urinary bladders contained reconstructed smooth muscle layers and nerve fibers, the proportions of each were significantly higher than those in the cell-free injected controls. The expression of P4HB within the cell-implanted urinary bladders decreased. Some GFP-positive implanted cells differentiated into smooth muscle-and nerve-like cells and became organized into the reconstructed tissues. The voiding interval of the cell-implanted rats, 5.46 +/- 0.33 min, was regular and similar to that of the sham-irradiated rats, and significantly less than that of the cell-free injected controls, 7.39 +/- 0.54 min. The residual volume, 0.04 +/- 0.01 mL, was similar to that of the sham-irradiated rats and significantly decreased compared with that of the cell-free injected controls, 0.15 +/- 0.05 mL. Therefore, the implantation of bone marrow-derived cells is a potentially useful treatment for radiotherapy-induced urinary dysfunctions.ArticleTISSUE ENGINEERING PART A. 18(15-16):1698-1709 (2012)journal articl

A meta-analysis of hyperfractionated and accelerated radiotherapy and combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy regimens in unresected locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck

BACKGROUND: Former meta-analyses have shown a survival benefit for the addition of chemotherapy (CHX) to radiotherapy (RT) and to some extent also for the use of hyperfractionated radiation therapy (HFRT) and accelerated radiation therapy (AFRT) in locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the head and neck. However, the publication of new studies and the fact that many older studies that were included in these former meta-analyses used obsolete radiation doses, CHX schedules or study designs prompted us to carry out a new analysis using strict inclusion criteria. METHODS: Randomised trials testing curatively intended RT (≥60 Gy in >4 weeks/>50 Gy in <4 weeks) on SCC of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx published as full paper or in abstract form between 1975 and 2003 were eligible. Trials comparing RT alone with concurrent or alternating chemoradiation (5-fluorouracil (5-FU), cisplatin, carboplatin, mitomycin C) were analyzed according to the employed radiation schedule and the used CHX regimen. Studies comparing conventionally fractionated radiotherapy (CFRT) with either HFRT or AFRT without CHX were separately examined. End point of the meta-analysis was overall survival. RESULTS: Thirty-two trials with a total of 10 225 patients were included into the meta-analysis. An overall survival benefit of 12.0 months was observed for the addition of simultaneous CHX to either CFRT or HFRT/AFRT (p < 0.001). Separate analyses by cytostatic drug indicate a prolongation of survival of 24.0 months, 16.8 months, 6.7 months, and 4.0 months, respectively, for the simultaneous administration of 5-FU, cisplatin-based, carboplatin-based, and mitomycin C-based CHX to RT (each p < 0.01). Whereas no significant gain in overall survival was observed for AFRT in comparison to CFRT, a substantial prolongation of median survival (14.2 months, p < 0.001) was seen for HFRT compared to CFRT (both without CHX). CONCLUSION: RT combined with simultaneous 5-FU, cisplatin, carboplatin, and mitomycin C as single drug or combinations of 5-FU with one of the other drugs results in a large survival advantage irrespective the employed radiation schedule. If radiation therapy is used as single modality, hyperfractionation leads to a significant improvement of overall survival. Accelerated radiation therapy alone, especially when given as split course radiation schedule or extremely accelerated treatments with decreased total dose, does not increase overall survival

Learning categories with spiking nets and spike timing dependent plasticity

An exploratory study of learning a neural network for categorisation shows that commonly used leaky integrate and fire neurons and Hebbian learning can be effective. The system learns with a standard spike timing dependent plasticity Hebbian learning rule. A two layer feed forward topology is used with a presentation mechanism of inputs followed by outputs a simulated ms. later to learn Iris flower and Breast Cancer Tumour Malignancy categorisers. An exploration of parameters indicates how this may be applied to other tasks