Estudio de la influencia de la calidad del agua de riego sobre las propiedades bioquímicas del suelo

Trabajo presentado en el VII Simposio Nacional sobre Control de la Degradación y Restauración de Suelos, celebrado en Bilbao, España, del 23 al 26 de junio de 2015Este estudio analiza la influencia de la calidad del agua de riego sobre los parámetros bioquímicos de los Fluvisoles calcáricos representativos en dos zonas del sur de Alicante. Mediante un análisis de componentes principales (ACP) se obtuvo el PC1 (40% variabilidad), referente a la salinidad, siendo útil para diferenciar ambas zonas de estudio, y el PC2 (31%), englobando los parámetros bioquímicos, que distingue las muestras en función de la profundidad. Sin embargo, no se ha observado un efecto negativo sobre las principales actividades enzimáticas en el área más afectada por la salinización.Peer Reviewe

Is Inflammation a Mitochondrial Dysfunction-Dependent Event in Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a complex disorder that affects up to 5% of the general population worldwide. Both mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammation have been implicated in the pathophysiology of FM. We have investigated the possible relationship between mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and inflammation in FM. We studied 30 women diagnosed with FM and 20 healthy women. Blood mononuclear cells (BMCs) from FM patients showed reduced level of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and mtDNA contents and high level of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) and serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and transcript levels. A significant negative correlation between CoQ10 and TNF-alpha levels (r= -0.588; p < 0.01), and a positive correlation between ROS and TNF-alpha levels (r = 0.791; p < 0.001) were observed accompanied by a significant correlation of visual analogical scale with serum TNF-alpha and transcript levels (r = 0.4507; p < 0.05 and r = 0.7089; p < 0.001, respectively). TNF-alpha release was observed in an in vitro (BMCs) and in vivo (mice) CoQ10 deficiency model. Oral CoQ10 supplementation restored biochemical parameters and induced a significant improvement in clinical symptoms ( p < 0.001). These results lead to the hypothesis that inflammation could be a mitochondrial dysfunction-dependent event implicated in the pathophysiology of FM in several patients indicating at mitochondria as a possible new therapeutic target.Unión Europea FIS PI10/00543Servicio Andaluz de Salud Junta de Andalucía SAS 111242Junta de Andalucía CTS-572

Thermal effects on the structure and relaxation properties of poly(monocyclopentyl itaconate)

[EN] The effect of thermal treatment and subsequent chemical structural modifications on the viscoelastic and dielectric properties of PMCPI (poly(monocyclopentyl itaconate)) was studied. The low temperature relaxation (gamma-relaxation) is unaffected by the thermal history or chemical modifications. The intermediate relaxation (beta-relaxation) is shifted by about 40 degrees C to higher temperature after thermal treatment. The alpha-relaxation (related to the glass transition temperature T-g) suffers more striking changes when moving to higher temperatures.Díaz Calleja, R.; Sanchis Sánchez, MJ.; Gargallo, L.; Radic, D. (1995). Thermal effects on the structure and relaxation properties of poly(monocyclopentyl itaconate). Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics. 196(11):3789-3796. doi:10.1002/macp.1995.021961129S378937961961

Density and reproductive characteristics of female brown bears in the Cantabrian Mountains, NW Spain

Here we present annual nearest-neighbour distances (as a proxy of density) between females with cubs-of-the-year (hereafter FCOY) and reproductive characteristics of brown bears Ursus arctos in the Cantabrian Mountains (NW Spain), from 1989 to 2017. FCOY nearest-neighbour distances and reproduction parameters of 19 focal females followed over several consecutive years (from 2004 to 2017) were obtained from bears inhabiting the western sector of the Cantabrian Mountains, where most of the bear population resides. In contrast, general reproductive characteristics were studied in the whole Cantabrian Mountains (western and eastern sectors together) on a sample of 362 litter sizes and 695 cubs. Mean nearest-neighbour distance between FCOY was 2559 ± 1222 m (range = 1305–4757 m). Mean litter size was significantly larger in the west (1.8 ± 0.2 cubs) than in the east (1.3 ± 0.6 cubs). Mean litter size for the whole of the Cantabrian Mountains was 1.6 ± 0.3 cubs. Litter sizes of one, two and three cubs represented 33.4, 56.1 and 10.5% of observed family groups, respectively. Interannual variations in litter size were not significant for both the western and the eastern areas. Mean cub mortality was 0.2 ± 0.5 cubs and did not vary among years. Cub mortality per litter size was 3.9% for one cub, 69.2% for two cubs and 26.9% for three cubs. Mean reproductive rate of the 19 focal females was 1.5 ± 0.6 cubs (n = 58 litters). Litter size of focal FCOY did not differ from the litter size obtained from systematic observations in the whole Cantabrian Mountains. During this period, cub mortality occurred in 24.1% of the 58 litters. Females usually bred every second year (average litter interval = 2.2 years). The estimated reproductive rate for the bear population was 0.7 young born/year/reproductive adult female

Non-ergodic effects in the Coulomb glass: specific heat

We present a numerical method for the investigation of non-ergodic effects in the Coulomb glass. For that, an almost complete set of low-energy many-particle states is obtained by a new algorithm. The dynamics of the sample is mapped to the graph formed by the relevant transitions between these states, that means by transitions with rates larger than the inverse of the duration of the measurement. The formation of isolated clusters in the graph indicates non-ergodicity. We analyze the connectivity of this graph in dependence on temperature, duration of measurement, degree of disorder, and dimensionality, studying how non-ergodicity is reflected in the specific heat.Comment: Submited Phys. Rev.