El regadío en al-Andalus: problemas en torno a su estudio.

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El regadío en al-Andalus: problemas en torno a su estudio.

Sin resume

The fate of arsenic in soils adjacent to an old mine site (Bustarviejo, Spain): Mobility and transfer to native flora

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11368-009-0099-4Background, aim, and scope The mobility of arsenic in soils and its transfer to other environmental components present significant environmental risks. The management of polluted land is determined by the availability, mobility, and transfer of inorganic pollutants to different ecosystem compartments. In this paper, the fate of arsenic at this mining site has been evaluated to determine future management practises to minimise such risk. Materials and methods In a field study carried out in the area adjacent to a mining site at Bustarviejo (North Madrid, Spain), samples of soils, plants, and water were collected from areas adjacent to the core of the former mining activity. The following parameters were investigated in soil samples: pH, organic matter, pseudo-total As, P, and Fe, and labile As and P, and a sequential extraction procedure was performed to investigate As speciation in soil. Plant materials were analysed for both As and P. Arsenic concentrations in water samples (surface and soil pore water collected in the field) were also measured. Results are considered in tandem with previous data on metal concentrations in soils and plants from this site. Results Despite high As concentrations in soils impacted by former mining activities (spoil accumulation and drainage from spoil heaps resulted in concentrations of up to 3,000 mg kg-1), it was not present in a labile form. Sequential extraction revealed that arsenic was mainly retained by Al- and Fe-(oxihydr)oxides (up to 80%). Therefore, only a small proportion of the total soil pool was potentially available for plant uptake (0.3% and 7% extracted by (NH4)2SO4 and NH4H2PO4, respectively). There was very limited transfer of arsenic from soil to plants, and concentrations of arsenic in shoot tissues were relatively low (<8 μg g-1). There was no evidence of phytotoxic effects in the flora that had colonised this site, indicating that a sustainable ecosystem had been established. Discussion High levels of arsenic occur at this site, but arsenic mobility appears to be primarily controlled by the presence of amorphous and crystalline Fe and Al hydrous oxides. Although a low labile As fraction was extracted, concentrations of arsenic in both surface and soil pore water are of concern. The risk of arsenic remobilisation by plant uptake or transfer to the food chain via plant consumption is relatively low in these soils. Large amounts of metals and arsenic remain at the site, and potential risks need to be monitored. Some possible remediation strategies that take into account the presence of both arsenic and heavy metals will be suggested. Recommendations Natural attenuation and phytostabilisation processes are taking place in several parts of the study area. These natural processes could be enhanced by application of both compost and a suitable Fe-based amendment. This augmentation of the re-vegetation of the affected area could act to promote both arsenic and metal stabilisation in mine tailings with additional benefits for further vegetation establishmentThis study was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science, project CTM 2007-66401-CO2/TECNO, and by Comunidad de Madrid, project S-0505/AMB/0296. The authors are grateful to the Excmo. Ayuntamiento de Bustarviejo, for admittance to the mine zone and the facilities offered and to Dr. R. Gamarra for his assistance with plant identification. Authors are grateful to L. Beesley for his comments and language corrections

Amino modified metal-organic frameworks as pH-responsive nanoplatforms for safe delivery of camptothecin

[EN] MIL-100(Fe) and MIL-101(Fe) metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are excellent vehicles for drug delivery systems (DDSs) due to their high biocompatibility and stability in physiological fluids, as well as their pore diameter in the mesoporous range. Although they are appropriate for the internal diffusion of 20-(S)-camptothecin (CPT), a strongly cytotoxic molecule with excellent antitumor activity, no stable delivery system has been proposed so far for this drug based in MOFs. We here present novel DDSs based in amine functionalized MIL-100(Fe) and MIL-101(Fe) nanoMOFs with covalently bonded CPT. These CPT nanoplatforms are able to incorporate almost 20% of this molecule and show high stability at physiological pH, with no non-specific release. Based on their surface charge, some of these CPT loaded nanoMOFs present improved cell internalization in in vitro experiments. Moreover, a strong response to acid pH is observed, with up to four fold drug discharge at pH 5, which boost intracellular release by endosomolytic activity. These novel DDSs will help to achieve safe delivery of the very cytotoxic CPT, allowing to reduce the therapeutic dose and minimizing drug secondary effects. (C) 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Financial support of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (projects TEC2016-80976-R and SEV-2016-0683) is gratefully acknowledged. A.C.G. thanks the La Caixa Foundation for a Ph.D. scholarship. We fully appreciate the assistance of the Electron Microscopy Service of the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia.Cabrera-García, A.; Checa-Chavarria, E.; Rivero-Buceta, EM.; Moreno Manzano, V.; Fernandez Jover, E.; Botella Asuncion, P. (2019). Amino modified metal-organic frameworks as pH-responsive nanoplatforms for safe delivery of camptothecin. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science. 541:163-174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcis.2019.01.042S16317454

Distribución vertical de epífitas y su filogenia en un bosque mesófilo de montaña de Tamaulipas

El bosque mesófilo de montaña en la Reserva de la Biósfera El Cielo se localiza cerca de su límite de distribución boreal. Las plantas epífitas son un componente importante de la biodiversidad de estos bosques, aunque son poco estudiados. En este trabajo se estudiaron las epífitas vasculares en un gradiente altitudinal, y se determinó su preferencia por un hospedero; también se observó que existen diferencias en su distribución sobre los forofitos, así como su distribución vertical sobre su hospedero. Se registró un total de 33 especies epífitas, de las cuales 29 se asociaron, mínimo con un taxón de hospedero. Los taxa arbóreos fueron 24; en 16 de ellas se observó la presencia de al menos una epífita. El número de especies epífitas fue mayor en altitudes menores. De acuerdo con la cantidad de individuos en cada una de las secciones del forofito, se registró una preferencia hacia las zonas III y IV, correspondientes a las partes basal y media de las ramas. La filogenia no estuvo relacionada con la distribución de los taxones en las zonas de los hospederos ni con las altitudes estudiadas. El total de taxa es pequeño, en relación a estudios similares llevados a cabo en latitudes más sureñas, quizá como resultado de un decremento general en la riqueza de especies, asociado con la distancia respecto al Ecuador

The Spanish version of the reflective functioning questionnaire: Validity data in the general population and individuals with personality disorders.

Introduction Mentalization or reflective functioning (RF) is the capacity to interpret oneself or the others in terms of internal mental states. Its failures have been linked to several mental disorders and interventions improving RF have a therapeutic effect. Mentalizing capacity of the parents influences the children’s attachment. The Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (RFQ-8) is a widely used tool for the assessment of RF. No instrument is available to assess general RF in Spanish-speaking samples. The aim of this study is to develop a Spanish version of the RFQ-8 and to evaluate its reliability and validity in the general population and in individuals with personality disorders. Methods 602 non-clinical and 41 personality disordered participants completed a Spanish translation of the RFQ and a battery of self-reported questionnaires assessing several RF related constructs (alexithymia, perspective taking, identity diffusion and mindfulness), psychopathology (general and specific) and interpersonal problems. Temporal stability was tested in a non-clinical sub-sample of 113 participants. Results Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses suggested a one-factor structure in the Spanish version of the RFQ-8. RFQ-8 understood as a single scale was tested, with low scorings reflecting genuine mentalizing, and high scorings uncertainty. The questionnaire showed good internal consistence in both samples and moderate temporal stability in non-clinical sample. RFQ correlated significantly with identity diffusion, alexithymia, and general psychopathology in both samples; and with mindfulness, perspective taking, and interpersonal problems in clinical sample. Mean values of the scale were significantly higher in the clinical group. Discussion This study provides evidence that the Spanish version of the RFQ-8, understood as a single scale, has an adequate reliability and validity assessing failures in reflective functioning (i.e., hypomentalization) in general population and personality disorders.The study received a Health Strategic Action fund from the Carlos III Health Institute of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. ID PI16/02058. https://www.isciii.es/QueHacemos/Financiacion/solicitudes/Paginas/default.aspx No researcher have received money from the fund. This kind of public funds are managed by public institutes (in this case BIOEF) that ensure this money is only used for some of the material resources necessary to carry out the investigation. https://www.bioef.org/es/ The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

The Spanish version of the reflective functioning questionnaire: Validity data in the general population and individuals with personality disorders

INTRODUCTION: Mentalization or reflective functioning (RF) is the capacity to interpret oneself or the others in terms of internal mental states. Its failures have been linked to several mental disorders and interventions improving RF have a therapeutic effect. Mentalizing capacity of the parents influences the children's attachment. The Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (RFQ-8) is a widely used tool for the assessment of RF. No instrument is available to assess general RF in Spanish-speaking samples. The aim of this study is to develop a Spanish version of the RFQ-8 and to evaluate its reliability and validity in the general population and in individuals with personality disorders. METHODS: 602 non-clinical and 41 personality disordered participants completed a Spanish translation of the RFQ and a battery of self-reported questionnaires assessing several RF related constructs (alexithymia, perspective taking, identity diffusion and mindfulness), psychopathology (general and specific) and interpersonal problems. Temporal stability was tested in a non-clinical sub-sample of 113 participants. RESULTS: Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses suggested a one-factor structure in the Spanish version of the RFQ-8. RFQ-8 understood as a single scale was tested, with low scorings reflecting genuine mentalizing, and high scorings uncertainty. The questionnaire showed good internal consistence in both samples and moderate temporal stability in non-clinical sample. RFQ correlated significantly with identity diffusion, alexithymia, and general psychopathology in both samples; and with mindfulness, perspective taking, and interpersonal problems in clinical sample. Mean values of the scale were significantly higher in the clinical group. DISCUSSION: This study provides evidence that the Spanish version of the RFQ-8, understood as a single scale, has an adequate reliability and validity assessing failures in reflective functioning (i.e., hypomentalization) in general population and personality disorders

Ecological Implications of Extreme Events: Footprints of the 2010 Earthquake along the Chilean Coast

Deciphering ecological effects of major catastrophic events such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, storms and fires, requires rapid interdisciplinary efforts often hampered by a lack of pre-event data. Using results of intertidal surveys conducted shortly before and immediately after Chile's 2010 Mw 8.8 earthquake along the entire rupture zone (ca. 34–38°S), we provide the first quantification of earthquake and tsunami effects on sandy beach ecosystems. Our study incorporated anthropogenic coastal development as a key design factor. Ecological responses of beach ecosystems were strongly affected by the magnitude of land-level change. Subsidence along the northern rupture segment combined with tsunami-associated disturbance and drowned beaches. In contrast, along the co-seismically uplifted southern rupture, beaches widened and flattened increasing habitat availability. Post-event changes in abundance and distribution of mobile intertidal invertebrates were not uniform, varying with land-level change, tsunami height and coastal development. On beaches where subsidence occurred, intertidal zones and their associated species disappeared. On some beaches, uplift of rocky sub-tidal substrate eliminated low intertidal sand beach habitat for ecologically important species. On others, unexpected interactions of uplift with man-made coastal armouring included restoration of upper and mid-intertidal habitat seaward of armouring followed by rapid colonization of mobile crustaceans typical of these zones formerly excluded by constraints imposed by the armouring structures. Responses of coastal ecosystems to major earthquakes appear to vary strongly with land-level change, the mobility of the biota and shore type. Our results show that interactions of extreme events with human-altered shorelines can produce surprising ecological outcomes, and suggest these complex responses to landscape alteration can leave lasting footprints in coastal ecosystems