Hypergravity induces changes in physiology, gene expression and epigenetics in zebrafish

All living organisms that inhabit Earth have evolved under a common value of gravity, which amounts to an acceleration of 9.81 m/s2 at mean sea level. Changes on it could cause important alterations that affect vital biological functions. The crescent interest in spatial exploration has opened the question of how exactly these changes in gravity would affect Earth life forms on space environments. This work is the result of a collaborative co-supervision of a master thesis between experts in the area of space sciences and biology, and it can serve as a case study for training experts in such interdisciplinary environments. In particular, we focus on the effect of gravity as a pressure factor in the development of zebrafish (Danio rerio) in the larval stage as a model organism using up-to-date (genomic and epigenetic) techniques. Given the high cost of any experiment in true low gravity (which would require a space launch), we performed an initial experiment in hypergravity to develop the methodologies and identify good (epi)genetic markers of the effect of gravity in our model organism. Previous studies in zebrafish have shown how alteration in gravity effects the development and the gene expression of important regulatory genes. For this study, we firstly customized a small laboratory scale centrifuge to study changes in fish physiology together with changes at molecular levels. We exposed zebrafish larvae from 0 to 6 days post fertilization to the simulated hypergravity (SHG) (100 rpm 3g). After 6 days of hypergravity exposition the larvae showed changes in their swimming and flotation patterns, and presented corporal alterations. Then, we assessed gene expression of genes implicated in important biological processes, (e.g., epigenetics), and an upregulation were observed when compared to the control. Taken together, these preliminary findings show how gravity alterations could affect some basic biological responses, and illustrate the potential of developing new science cases to be developed by students at postgraduate level (MSc and beyond) in a multidisciplinary environmen

Epigenetic and physiological alterations in zebrafish subjected to hypergravity [Dataset]

1 dataset, 16 videosVideos exhibiting every morphological characteristic observed in both the control and hypergravity groups of zebrafish larvaWith the institutional support of the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence’ accreditation (CEX2019-000928-S)Characteristic, Abbreviation, Number of the video file control group, Number of the video file hypergravity group / Position, Movement frequency, Swimming behaviorPeer reviewe

The wide-field, multiplexed, spectroscopic facility WEAVE : survey design, overview, and simulated implementation

Funding for the WEAVE facility has been provided by UKRI STFC, the University of Oxford, NOVA, NWO, Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), the Isaac Newton Group partners (STFC, NWO, and Spain, led by the IAC), INAF, CNRS-INSU, the Observatoire de Paris, Région Île-de-France, CONCYT through INAOE, Konkoly Observatory (CSFK), Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie (MPIA Heidelberg), Lund University, the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam (AIP), the Swedish Research Council, the European Commission, and the University of Pennsylvania.WEAVE, the new wide-field, massively multiplexed spectroscopic survey facility for the William Herschel Telescope, will see first light in late 2022. WEAVE comprises a new 2-degree field-of-view prime-focus corrector system, a nearly 1000-multiplex fibre positioner, 20 individually deployable 'mini' integral field units (IFUs), and a single large IFU. These fibre systems feed a dual-beam spectrograph covering the wavelength range 366-959 nm at R ∼ 5000, or two shorter ranges at R ∼ 20,000. After summarising the design and implementation of WEAVE and its data systems, we present the organisation, science drivers and design of a five- to seven-year programme of eight individual surveys to: (i) study our Galaxy's origins by completing Gaia's phase-space information, providing metallicities to its limiting magnitude for ∼ 3 million stars and detailed abundances for ∼ 1.5 million brighter field and open-cluster stars; (ii) survey ∼ 0.4 million Galactic-plane OBA stars, young stellar objects and nearby gas to understand the evolution of young stars and their environments; (iii) perform an extensive spectral survey of white dwarfs; (iv) survey  ∼ 400 neutral-hydrogen-selected galaxies with the IFUs; (v) study properties and kinematics of stellar populations and ionised gas in z 1 million spectra of LOFAR-selected radio sources; (viii) trace structures using intergalactic/circumgalactic gas at z > 2. Finally, we describe the WEAVE Operational Rehearsals using the WEAVE Simulator.PostprintPeer reviewe

The wide-field, multiplexed, spectroscopic facility WEAVE: Survey design, overview, and simulated implementation

WEAVE, the new wide-field, massively multiplexed spectroscopic survey facility for the William Herschel Telescope, will see first light in late 2022. WEAVE comprises a new 2-degree field-of-view prime-focus corrector system, a nearly 1000-multiplex fibre positioner, 20 individually deployable 'mini' integral field units (IFUs), and a single large IFU. These fibre systems feed a dual-beam spectrograph covering the wavelength range 366$-$959\,nm at $R\sim5000$, or two shorter ranges at $R\sim20\,000$. After summarising the design and implementation of WEAVE and its data systems, we present the organisation, science drivers and design of a five- to seven-year programme of eight individual surveys to: (i) study our Galaxy's origins by completing Gaia's phase-space information, providing metallicities to its limiting magnitude for $\sim$3 million stars and detailed abundances for $\sim1.5$ million brighter field and open-cluster stars; (ii) survey $\sim0.4$ million Galactic-plane OBA stars, young stellar objects and nearby gas to understand the evolution of young stars and their environments; (iii) perform an extensive spectral survey of white dwarfs; (iv) survey $\sim400$ neutral-hydrogen-selected galaxies with the IFUs; (v) study properties and kinematics of stellar populations and ionised gas in $z<0.5$ cluster galaxies; (vi) survey stellar populations and kinematics in $\sim25\,000$ field galaxies at $0.3\lesssim z \lesssim 0.7$; (vii) study the cosmic evolution of accretion and star formation using $>1$ million spectra of LOFAR-selected radio sources; (viii) trace structures using intergalactic/circumgalactic gas at $z>2$. Finally, we describe the WEAVE Operational Rehearsals using the WEAVE Simulator.Comment: 41 pages, 27 figures, accepted for publication by MNRA

The wide-field, multiplexed, spectroscopic facility WEAVE: Survey design, overview, and simulated implementation

WEAVE, the new wide-field, massively multiplexed spectroscopic survey facility for the William Herschel Telescope, will see first light in late 2022. WEAVE comprises a new 2-degree field-of-view prime-focus corrector system, a nearly 1000-multiplex fibre positioner, 20 individually deployable 'mini' integral field units (IFUs), and a single large IFU. These fibre systems feed a dual-beam spectrograph covering the wavelength range 366−959\,nm at R∼5000, or two shorter ranges at R∼20000. After summarising the design and implementation of WEAVE and its data systems, we present the organisation, science drivers and design of a five- to seven-year programme of eight individual surveys to: (i) study our Galaxy's origins by completing Gaia's phase-space information, providing metallicities to its limiting magnitude for ∼3 million stars and detailed abundances for ∼1.5 million brighter field and open-cluster stars; (ii) survey ∼0.4 million Galactic-plane OBA stars, young stellar objects and nearby gas to understand the evolution of young stars and their environments; (iii) perform an extensive spectral survey of white dwarfs; (iv) survey ∼400 neutral-hydrogen-selected galaxies with the IFUs; (v) study properties and kinematics of stellar populations and ionised gas in z1 million spectra of LOFAR-selected radio sources; (viii) trace structures using intergalactic/circumgalactic gas at z>2. Finally, we describe the WEAVE Operational Rehearsals using the WEAVE Simulator

L’esquerda del sostre de ciment : discriminació de la dona en càrrecs directius

Treball de Fi de Grau en Ciències Empresarials - Management. Curs 2018-2019Tutor: Josep Oriol Amat SalasL’objectiu d’aquest treball és trobar motius evidents per entendre que només tres de cada deu directius de l’estat espanyol són dones, sent aquestes les que estan més formades. La incertesa davant la discriminació de la dona en el món empresarial, és una de les raons que ens fa emprendre aquest estudi, realitzant l’anàlisi de la trajectòria de tres directives i contrastant-ho amb dades quantitatives. Els punts claus que expliquen aquesta diferència són factors externs i interns a la pròpia dona, anomenats “sostre de vidre” i “ sostre de ciment”, que cal combatre per assolir una societat més justa i igualitària

Hypergravity induces alterations in gene expression and epigenetics in zebrafish

6th International Symposium on Genomics in Aquaculture (GIA 2022), 4-6 May 2022, GranadaAll forms of life on our planet have been formed under a common factor, gravity; for which it is easy to deduce that any change in this constant could trigger important alterations in these forms of life in the near future settlements beyond Earth. Although some studies use altered gravity to evaluate different animal and cellular models and systems, including fish models, almost nonexistent data regarding molecular mechanisms in fish are found. This work aims to understand the effects of hypergravity on gene expression and epigenetics in zebrafish during early stages of development. We designed a centrifuge by adding two arms with gondolas to place zebrafish larvae at a force of 3 gravities during 6 days post fertilization (dpf). The survival and hatching rate were measured daily, and while no significant changes were found in hatching rate, survival of larvae were decreased up to 20%. The gene expression and global DNA methylation were evaluated in larvae at the end of the treatment, and we found over-expression on some evaluated genes, and a significant global DNA hypermethylation in the larvae exposed to hypergravity. Taken together, these findings show how alterations of Earth-gravity could affect some basic biological responses in fish, and thus being the first steps in exploring molecular events in cultured fish in space-related environments.Peer reviewe

L’esquerda del sostre de ciment : discriminació de la dona en càrrecs directius

Treball de Fi de Grau en Ciències Empresarials - Management. Curs 2018-2019Tutor: Josep Oriol Amat SalasL’objectiu d’aquest treball és trobar motius evidents per entendre que només tres de cada deu directius de l’estat espanyol són dones, sent aquestes les que estan més formades. La incertesa davant la discriminació de la dona en el món empresarial, és una de les raons que ens fa emprendre aquest estudi, realitzant l’anàlisi de la trajectòria de tres directives i contrastant-ho amb dades quantitatives. Els punts claus que expliquen aquesta diferència són factors externs i interns a la pròpia dona, anomenats “sostre de vidre” i “ sostre de ciment”, que cal combatre per assolir una societat més justa i igualitària

The Nüwa Concept. A development model for a self-sustainable city on Mars

20 pages, 35 figuresThe spacecraft in which we have traveled for eight months has just landed gently on the surface. Passengers stared at each other in disbelief, still feeling numb from the brutality of the supersonic retropropulsion during the braked descent. It seems unbelievable... We are on Mars! Many of us have arrived in recent years. Thousands upon thousands of people traveling from our comfortable blue home to the uncertain red dream. The promise of a new world. An opportunity to rethink everything, in order not to repeat the same mistakes. Beyond the polarized glass windows, the light of the Martian dawn spills over Tempe Mensa. The Sun is a small golden circle, surrounded by two bright points: Venus and the Earth. A few kilometers from the spaceport, the gigantic extensions of the greenhouses domes are outlined. Beyond, the land descends steeply down the south-facing cliff. On its vertical walls awaits Nüwa, the wonderful city that leads the accelerated settlement of Mars. Its name recalls the goddess who protects humans. And, certainly, the city protects and provides us with everything we need. Now, I’ll become part of Mars; I will dissolve into Nüwa, and join all those that give life to it. And we will become Nüwa, foreve

Budesonide as first-line treatment in patients with autoimmune hepatitis seems inferior to standard predniso(lo)ne administration

In patients with non-severe acute or chronic autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) without cirrhosis, clinical practice guidelines recommend indistinct use of prednisone or budesonide. However, budesonide is infrequently used in clinical practice. We aimed to describe its use and compare its efficacy and safety with prednisone as first-line options