Human pressures on two estuaries of the Iberian Peninsula are reflected in food web structure

As a result of the increased urban and agricultural development in coastal environments, estuaries are among the most modified and threatened aquatic ecosystems. This study used stable isotopes to examine the effects of human impacts by contrasting the food web structures of two Iberian estuaries exposed to different degrees of human pressure. More complex feeding pathways were found in the more altered estuary (Guadalquivir). Greater spread among species along the carbon axis suggests that the primary consumers exploit organic matter with various origins, whereas different nitrogen signals of the secondary consumers suggest that they feed on different suites of prey. In contrast, the similar isotopic signals of secondary consumers in the relatively little influenced estuary (Guadiana) suggests similarity in diet composition and feeding on the same organic matter sources. Understanding trophic interactions in estuaries is vital for defining proper management and conservation, and the preliminary data provided here are one step in this direction

Variation of physic-chemical properties of horcal onion during storage under refrigeration depending on thetype of cultivar

[SPA] La cebolla de variedad “Horcal” es el ingrediente mayoritario para la elaboración de la morcilla de Burgos. Su uso es por tradición pero además, dado el carácter estacional y que son perecederas, cuando se utiliza otro tipo de cebolla, repercute tanto en el proceso de elaboración de la morcilla, principalmente en la etapa del amasado y del embutido, como en las características organolépticas de la morcilla. El objetivo de este trabajo es el estudio de las características fisicoquímicas de la cebolla “Horcal” y la evolución de ellas durante el período de conservación en refrigeración. Se pretende comprobar si la variación del suelo de cultivo, para el mismo tipo de semilla, influye en la caracterización de la cebolla de la variedad “Horcal”. Se han estudiado bulbos pertenecientes a cebolla, del tipo conocido como "Horcal", de seis procedencias cultivadas en tres localidades diferentes de Castilla y León: Palenzuela (Palencia), Gomezserracín (Segovia) y Santibáñez de Tera (Zamora). Se han conservado en refrigeración (4 ºC y 75% HR) hasta el inicio de su brotación (7,5 - 9 meses). Se han analizado las características fisicoquímicas de las cebollas antes y después del almacenamiento. De este estudio se deduce que existe una clara influencia del tipo de suelo de cultivo en la evolución de las características fisicoquímicas de los bulbos de cebolla. Estas diferencias se manifiestan tanto en el momento de la recolección como durante su conservación. Los parámetros en los que se produce mayor variación en función de las características del suelo de cultivo son: el contenido en azúcares (glucosa, fructosa y sacarosa), el ácido pirúvico, la fibra y la pérdida de agua por cocción. Las cebollas al final del almacenamiento presentan una disminución en el contenido en azúcares, un aumento en el contenido en ácido pirúvico y un mayor contenido en fibra. [ENG] “Horcal” onion is the main ingredient of “Morcilla de Burgos”, a cooked meat product. This variety is used mainly is for tradition, but also because when another variety of onion is included, some problems with the sausage mixture and stuffing of morcilla were frequent, and also in the sensorial characteristics of morcilla. The aim of this study was to evaluate the evolution of the physic-chemical properties of onion during the refrigeration storage, and the influence of the type of cultivars in the characterization of Horcal onion. Six cultivars of Horcal onion grown in three different places of Castilla y León: Palenzuela (Palencia), Gomezserracín (Segovia) y Santibáñez de Tera (Zamora) have been studied. Onions have been stored under refrigeration (4 ºC y 75% HR) until the beginning of sprout (7, 5 – 9 months). The characteristics physic-chemical of onion have been analysed before and after of storage. This study revealed the influence of the place of grown of onion in its characteristics. Differences were manifested at the harvest period and also before the storage under refrigeration. The most affected parameters were the sugar content (glucose, fructose and sucrose), the pyruvate levels, the fiber content and the lost of water by cooking. At the end of storage, Horcal onion presented a decrease of the sugar content and an increase in pyruvate levels and in the total dietary fiber content.Los autores quieren expresar su agradecimiento al Dr. A. Fombellida Villafruela y a D. F. Garrido Laurnaga del Departamento de Producción Vegetal y Recursos Forestales (ETSIA de Palencia, Universidad de Valladolid), por los análisis de suelos y seguimiento del desarrollo de las cebollas de la variedad Horcal. También agradecer a ITACYL (Instituto Tecnológico Agrario de Castilla y León) que ha sufragado parte de los gastos de este estudio

Improved inter-device variability in graphene liquid gate sensors by laser treatment

We investigate the influence of a visible laser treatment on the electrical performance of CVD-grown graphene-based liquid gate sensors. This method allows to treat locally the graphene sheet, improving the electrical characteristic for biochemical sensing applications. Optimizing the laser exposure, the Dirac point (minimum conductivity voltage) was shifted around 300 mV to lower voltages, together with a decrease of the inter-device electrical variability. These results open the door to use the laser treatment to increase the sensibility and reproducibility of liquid gate graphene-based devices as sensors or biosensors.Grupo de Nanoelectrónica, TIC216, Departamento de Electronica y Tecnología de los ComputadoresEuropean Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 895322Spanish Program (TEC2017-89800-R)SUPERA COVID19 Fund and CRUE-SantanderRegional Program FEDER UGRVID (CV20-36685), P18-RT-4826 projectUGRMADOC CEMIX 2D-EDE

Reformulating Pro-Oxidant Microglia in Neurodegeneration

In neurodegenerative diseases, microglia-mediated neuroinflammation and oxidative stress are central events. Recent genome-wide transcriptomic analyses of microglial cells under different disease conditions have uncovered a new subpopulation named disease-associated microglia (DAM). These studies have challenged the classical view of the microglia polarization state's proinflammatory M1 (classical activation) and immunosuppressive M2 (alternative activation). Molecular signatures of DAM and proinflammatory microglia (highly pro-oxidant) have shown clear differences, yet a partial overlapping gene profile is evident between both phenotypes. The switch activation of homeostatic microglia into reactive microglia relies on the selective activation of key surface receptors involved in the maintenance of brain homeostasis (a.k.a. pattern recognition receptors, PRRs). Two relevant PRRs are toll-like receptors (TLRs) and triggering receptors expressed on myeloid cells-2 (TREM2), whose selective activation is believed to generate either a proinflammatory or a DAM phenotype, respectively. However, the recent identification of endogenous disease-related ligands, which bind to and activate both TLRs and TREM2, anticipates the existence of rather complex microglia responses. Examples of potential endogenous dual ligands include amyloid β, galectin-3, and apolipoprotein E. These pleiotropic ligands induce a microglia polarization that is more complicated than initially expected, suggesting the possibility that different microglia subtypes may coexist. This review highlights the main microglia polarization states under disease conditions and their leading role orchestrating oxidative stress

Analysis of the impact of social determinants and primary care morbidity on population health outcomes by combining big data: A research protocol

In recent years, different tools have been developed to facilitate analysis of social determinants of health (SDH) and apply this to health policy. The possibility of generating predictive models of health outcomes which combine a wide range of socioeconomic indicators with health problems is an approach that is receiving increasing attention. Our objectives are twofold: (1) to predict population health outcomes measured as hospital morbidity, taking primary care (PC) morbidity adjusted for SDH as predictors; and (2) to analyze the geographic variability of the impact of SDH-adjusted PC morbidity on hospital morbidity, by combining data sourced from electronic health records and selected operations of the National Statistics Institute (Instituto Nacional de Estadística/INE).MethodsThe following will be conducted: a qualitative study to select socio-health indicators using RAND methodology in accordance with SDH frameworks, based on indicators published by the INE in selected operations; and a quantitative study combining two large databases drawn from different Spain’s Autonomous Regions (ARs) to enable hospital morbidity to be ascertained, i.e., PC electronic health records and the minimum basic data set (MBDS) for hospital discharges. These will be linked to socioeconomic indicators, previously selected by geographic unit. The outcome variable will be hospital morbidity, and the independent variables will be age, sex, PC morbidity, geographic unit, and socioeconomic indicators.AnalysisTo achieve the first objective, predictive models will be used, with a test-and-training technique, fitting multiple logistic regression models. In the analysis of geographic variability, penalized mixed models will be used, with geographic units considered as random effects and independent predictors as fixed effects.DiscussionThis study seeks to show the relationship between SDH and population health, and the geographic differences determined by such determinants. The main limitations are posed by the collection of data for healthcare as opposed to research purposes, and the time lag between collection and publication of data, sampling errors and missing data in registries and surveys. The main strength lies in the project’s multidisciplinary nature (family medicine, pediatrics, public health, nursing, psychology, engineering, geography)

Arte Rupestre en el Karst de Ojo Guareña (Merindad de Sotoscueva-Burgos) : trabajos de documentación y estudio en «La Sala de La Fuente»

La amplia nómina de autores que firman el presente artículo dan forma al equipo multidisciplinar que en 1995 inició un ambicioso proyecto, subvencionado por la Junta de Castilla y León, denominado «Trabajos de Documentación y Estudio del Arte Rupestre en el Karst de Ojo Guareña». El avance de sus primeros trabajos está recogido en el siguiente texto y fue presentado al Primer Congreso de Arqueología Burgalesa (1998), mas, al no haberse publicado éste, sigue aún inédito. Su interés, y de forma especial la continuidad de la investigación, aconseja a los autores su edición en Espacio, Tiempo y Forma con vistas a una mayor difusión del proyecto y, con ello, a un mejor conocimiento de la grafía rupestre de las galerías subterráneas del norte de la provincia de Burgos.The wide number of researchers who sign the present añide joined in the multi-discipline team that started an ambitious project, which was sponsored by the regional authority: Junta de Castilla y León, called «Records and Research on Cave Art at the karst in Ojo Guareña». The deveiopment of thelr first researches Is shown in the present Ítem and it was also presented in the First Burgos Archaeology Congress (1998), although it is still unavailable since it has never been published. Both, the Importance of its contents and specially the continuity of the research led its authors to publish this article in Espacio, Tiempo y Forma so that the project could be widely known and, at the same time, provide a better knowledge of rock graphics in the underground galleries which can be found in the north of Burgos province

Analysis of the impact of social determinants and primary care morbidity on population health outcomes by combining big data: A research protocol

BackgroundIn recent years, different tools have been developed to facilitate analysis of social determinants of health (SDH) and apply this to health policy. The possibility of generating predictive models of health outcomes which combine a wide range of socioeconomic indicators with health problems is an approach that is receiving increasing attention. Our objectives are twofold: (1) to predict population health outcomes measured as hospital morbidity, taking primary care (PC) morbidity adjusted for SDH as predictors; and (2) to analyze the geographic variability of the impact of SDH-adjusted PC morbidity on hospital morbidity, by combining data sourced from electronic health records and selected operations of the National Statistics Institute (Instituto Nacional de Estadística/INE).MethodsThe following will be conducted: a qualitative study to select socio-health indicators using RAND methodology in accordance with SDH frameworks, based on indicators published by the INE in selected operations; and a quantitative study combining two large databases drawn from different Spain’s Autonomous Regions (ARs) to enable hospital morbidity to be ascertained, i.e., PC electronic health records and the minimum basic data set (MBDS) for hospital discharges. These will be linked to socioeconomic indicators, previously selected by geographic unit. The outcome variable will be hospital morbidity, and the independent variables will be age, sex, PC morbidity, geographic unit, and socioeconomic indicators.AnalysisTo achieve the first objective, predictive models will be used, with a test-and-training technique, fitting multiple logistic regression models. In the analysis of geographic variability, penalized mixed models will be used, with geographic units considered as random effects and independent predictors as fixed effects.DiscussionThis study seeks to show the relationship between SDH and population health, and the geographic differences determined by such determinants. The main limitations are posed by the collection of data for healthcare as opposed to research purposes, and the time lag between collection and publication of data, sampling errors and missing data in registries and surveys. The main strength lies in the project’s multidisciplinary nature (family medicine, pediatrics, public health, nursing, psychology, engineering, geography)

Methionine Cycle Rewiring by Targeting miR-873-5p Modulates Ammonia Metabolism to Protect the Liver from Acetaminophen

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) development is commonly associated with acetaminophen (APAP) overdose, where glutathione scavenging leads to mitochondrial dysfunction and hepatocyte death. DILI is a severe disorder without effective late-stage treatment, since N-acetyl cysteine must be administered 8 h after overdose to be efficient. Ammonia homeostasis is altered during liver diseases and, during DILI, it is accompanied by decreased glycine N-methyltransferase (GNMT) expression and S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) levels that suggest a reduced methionine cycle. Anti-miR-873-5p treatment prevents cell death in primary hepatocytes and the appearance of necrotic areas in liver from APAP-administered mice. In our study, we demonstrate a GNMT and methionine cycle activity restoration by the anti-miR-873-5p that reduces mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress. The lack of hyperammoniemia caused by the therapy results in a decreased urea cycle, enhancing the synthesis of polyamines from ornithine and AdoMet and thus impacting the observed recovery of mitochondria and hepatocyte proliferation for regeneration. In summary, anti-miR-873-5p appears to be an effective therapy against APAP-induced liver injury, where the restoration of GNMT and the methionine cycle may prevent mitochondrial dysfunction while activating hepatocyte proliferative response.We thank Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Programa Retos-Colaboración RTC2019- 007125-1 (for J.S. and M.L.M.-C.); Instituto de Salud Carlos III: Proyectos de Investigación en Salud DTS20/00138 (for J.S. and M.L.M.-C.), PI20/00690 (for R.J.) and PT20/000127 (for M.I.L.); CIBERehd: EHD21TRF01/2022 (to M.L.M.-C.); Departamento de Industria del Gobierno Vasco (for M.L.M.-C.); Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades MICINN: PID2020-117116RB-I00 and RTI2018- 096759-1-100 integrado en el Plan Estatal de Investigación Cientifica y Técnica y Innovación, cofinanciado con Fondos FEDER (for M.L.M.-C. and T.C.D., respectively); BIOEF (Basque Foundation for Innovation and Health Research); Asociación Española contra el Cáncer (AECC) (to M.L.M.-C., T.C.D.); AECC: GCTRA18006CARR (to A.C.); Fundación Científica de la Asociación Española Contra el Cancer (AECC Scientific Foundation) Rare Tumor Calls 2017 (for M.L.M.); La Caixa Foundation Program (for M.L.M.); BFU2015-70067-REDC, BFU2016-77408-R and BES-2017-080435 (MINECO/FEDER, UE); Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y universidades PID2019-108787RB-100 (to A.C.), PID2019- 109055RB-I00 (L.A.M.-C.), PID2020-117941RB-100 (to F.J.C.); Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness Grants BFU2013-47531-R and BFU2016-77408-R (L.A.M.-C.) and the FIGHT-CNNM2 project from the EJP RD Joint Transnational Call (JTC2019) (Ref. AC19/00073) (for L.A.M.-C.); Comunidad de Madrid: EXOHEP-CM S2017/BMD-3727 and NanoLiver-CM Y2018/NMT-4949 co-funded by European Structural and Investment Fund and COST Action CA17112 (to F.J.C.); Vencer el Cáncer Foundation (to A.C.); European Research Council: Consolidator Grant 819242 (to A.C.); CIBERONC and CIBERehd were funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III and Cofunded by FEDER funds. Partial funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málag