978 research outputs found

    Análisis de los recursos genéticos de Pinus pinea L. en España mediante microsatélites del cloroplasto

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    Gene conservation analysis in Pinus pinea L. was performed by chloroplast microsatellite markers. Genetic diversity and allelic richness of 10 Spanish populations belonging to diverse origin regions were determined using genetic variation at 9 cpSSR loci. Six amplified loci have been polymorphic. The variants detected at the cpSSR regions combined into 9 different haplotypes Most haplotypes are in common among populations. One haplotype has been detected in all populations included the population with the most reduced genetic base, in which all the samples showed the same haplotype. Number of polymorphic regions, number of haplotypes and genetic diversity index deduced from haplotype frequencies show lower genetic diversity in stone pine than in other Mediterranean Pinus. Differentiation between the studied populations is low (RST = 3.81) and most of the detected genetic diversity is due to the within population component. The results obtained increases the knowledge of genetic resources of Pinus pinea in Spain assessing genetic breeding and conservation programs.El análisis de los recursos genéticos de Pinus pinea L. se ha realizado mediante marcadores microsatélites del cloroplasto. Los patrones de diversidad genética y la riqueza alélica de 10 poblaciones españolas pertenecientes a diversas regiones de procedencia de la especie se han determinado con 9 cpSSRs. Seis de los loci analizados han resultado polimórficos y de su combinación para cada muestra se han definido 9 haplotipos diferentes. La mayor parte de los haplotipos son comunes a varias poblaciones. Uno de ellos es común a todas, incluyendo a la población con una base genética menor, en la que todas las muestras analizadas son iguales. El número de regiones polimórficas, el número de haplotipos y los valores de diversidad genética que se deducen de sus frecuencias muestran valores inferiores de variabilidad genética en el pino piñonero que en otros pinos mediterráneos. La diferenciación que existe entre las poblaciones estudiadas es baja (RST = 3,81) y la mayor parte de la variabilidad genética presente es intrapoblacional. Los resultados obtenidos amplían el conocimiento de los recursos genéticos del pino piñonero en España, orientando los programas de conservación y mejora genética de la especie

    Compuestos perfluorados en equinodermos marinos: metodología analítica para su determinación y monitorización

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    Los disruptores endocrinos están en el punto de mira de estudios ambientales y ecotoxicológicos. Entre ellos destacan los compuestos perfluorados, tanto por su amplio uso industrial y doméstico como por su elevada actividad estrogénica. Se descargan al medio ambiente a través de efluentes industriales y de estaciones depuradoras de aguas residuales afectando principalmente a la biota donde pueden bioacumularse. En este trabajo se propone un método analítico para la determinación de seis compuestos perfluorados en organismos marinos (Holothuria tubulosa) y se lleva a cabo un programa de monitorización ambiental para el seguimiento de estos compuestos. El análisis de las muestras se realizó mediante extracción con disolventes, limpieza del extracto por extracción en fase sólida dispersiva y posterior determinación mediante cromatografía de líquidos con detección de espectrometría de masas en tándem. Las recuperaciones obtenidas se situaron en el rango de 84 a 101 % y límites de cuantificación inferior a 0,03 ng/g (peso seco (ps)). Todas las muestras dieron positivas en el análisis de los contaminantes con concentraciones entre 667 ng/g (ps) para el ácido perfluorooctanoico y 0,81 ng/g (ps) para el ácido perfluoropentanoico. Además, se observaron concentraciones más elevadas para los compuestos perfluorados de mayor cadena fluorocarbonada.In recent years endocrine disruptors have come into the spotlight of environmental and ecotoxicological studies. Among them, perfluorinated compounds stand out, both, for their wide industrial and domestic use and for their elevated estrogenic activity, showing adverse effects at trace level. They are released into the environment through industrial waste and wastewater discharges affecting to marine organisms, where they can accumulate. To contribute to this goal, this work proposes an analytical method for the simultaneous determination of six perfluorinated compounds in marine organisms (Holothuria tubulosa) and an environmental monitoring program is carried out in these organisms. The sample treatment involve steps of solvent extraction and clean-up of the extracts with dispersive sorbents prior to liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Recoveries between 84 and 101 %, precision (RSD < 9 %) and limits of quantification below 0.03 ng/g dry weight (d.w.) were achieved. All tested samples were positive in the analysis of contaminants with concentrations between 667 ng/g (dw) for perflorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and 0.81 ng/g (dw) for perfloropentanoic acid (PFPeA). In general, perfluorinated compounds of larger fluorocarbonated chain were quantified at higher concentration levels than those of shorter one.Plan Propio de la Universidad de Sevilla Proyecto: 2017/0000096

    A new formulation for air-blast fluid–structure interaction using an immersed approach: part II—coupling of IGA and meshfree discretizations

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    In this two-part paper we begin the development of a new class of methods for modeling fluid&ndash;structure interaction (FSI) phenomena for air blast. We aim to develop accurate, robust, and practical computational methodology, which is capable of modeling the dynamics of air blast coupled with the structure response, where the latter involves large, inelastic deformations and disintegration into fragments. An immersed approach is adopted, which leads to an a-priori monolithic FSI formulation with intrinsic contact detection between solid objects, and without formal restrictions on the solid motions. In Part I of this paper, the core air-blast FSI methodology suitable for a variety of discretizations is presented and tested using standard finite elements. Part II of this paper focuses on a particular instantiation of the proposed framework, which couples isogeometric analysis (IGA) based on non-uniform rational B-splines and a reproducing-kernel particle method (RKPM), which is a meshfree technique. The combination of IGA and RKPM is felt to be particularly attractive for the problem class of interest due to the higher-order accuracy and smoothness of both discretizations, and relative simplicity of RKPM in handling fragmentation scenarios. A collection of mostly 2D numerical examples is presented in each of the parts to illustrate the good performance of the proposed air-blast FSI framework

    Expression of placental glycans and its role in regulating peripheral blood NK cells during preeclampsia: a perspective

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    Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-related multisystem disorder characterized by altered trophoblast invasion, oxidative stress, exacerbation of systemic inflammatory response, and endothelial damage. The pathogenesis includes hypertension and mild-to-severe microangiopathy in the kidney, liver, placenta, and brain. The main mechanisms involved in its pathogenesis have been proposed to limit trophoblast invasion and increase the release of extracellular vesicles from the syncytiotrophoblast into the maternal circulation, exacerbating the systemic inflammatory response. The placenta expresses glycans as part of its development and maternal immune tolerance during gestation. The expression profile of glycans at the maternal–fetal interface may play a fundamental role in physiological pregnancy changes and disorders such as preeclampsia. It is unclear whether glycans and their lectin-like receptors are involved in the mechanisms of maternal–fetal recognition by immune cells during pregnancy homeostasis. The expression profile of glycans appears to be altered in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, which could lead to alterations in the placental microenvironment and vascular endothelium in pregnancy conditions such as preeclampsia. Glycans with immunomodulatory properties at the maternal–fetal interface are altered in early-onset severe preeclampsia, implying that innate immune system components, such as NK cells, exacerbate the systemic inflammatory response observed in preeclampsia. In this article, we discuss the evidence for the role of glycans in gestational physiology and the perspective of glycobiology on the pathophysiology of hypertensive disorders in gestation

    A proposal for an interchange abstract syntax for (parallel) Prolog

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    We propose an abstract syntax for Prolog that will help the manipulation of programs at compile-time, as well as the exchange of sources and information among the tools designed for this manipulation. This includes analysers, partial evaluators, and program transformation tools. We have chosen to concentrate on the information exchange format, rather than on the syntax of programs, for which we assume a simplified format. Our purpose is to provide a low-level meeting point for the tools which will allow them to read the same programs and understand the information about them. This report describes our first design in an informal way. We expect this design to evolve and concretize, along with the future development of the tools, during the project

    Influence of age, gender and obesity on pressure discomfort threshold of the foot: A cross-sectional study

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    [EN] Background: Foot pain is a highly prevalent health problem for which measures such as a pattern of Pressure Discomfort Threshold of the foot plantar surface can provide valuable information for orthosis design. This study aimed to describe such pattern as a tool for the assessment of painful conditions of the feet and to analyse how it modifies according to age, gender and obesity. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed with participants allocated in: Group 1 people aged 20 to 35 years, Group 2 aged 50 to 65 years and Group 3 aged over 65. Pressure Discomfort Threshold on twelve points of the foot plantar surface was measured with an adapted manual dynamometer. Inferential analyses of the data were performed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) considering foot areas, age group, gender and obesity. Findings: 36 participants were analysed. The pattern of Pressure Discomfort Threshold for all individuals showed a significantly higher threshold on the heel and external foot (P < 0.001, eta(2) = 0.124) and was statistical significantly influenced by age (P < 0.001, eta(2) = 0.17), especially in participants aged over 65; by gender, with women having higher values (P < 0.001, eta(2) = 0.13), and by obesity (P < 0.001, eta(2) = 0.19). Interpretation: A Pressure Discomfort Threshold pattern exists in the foot plantar surface. The characteristics of the discomfort pattern of the foot and its association with aging, gender and obesity may have considerable implications for orthosis and footwear design.Dueñas, L.; Arnal-Gómez, A.; Aparicio, I.; Balasch-Bernat, M.; López-Bueno, L.; Gonzalez Garcia, JC.; Solves Camallonga, C.... (2021). Influence of age, gender and obesity on pressure discomfort threshold of the foot: A cross-sectional study. 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    Cannabinoids reduce ErbB2-driven breast cancer progression through Akt inhibition.

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    RIGHTS : This article is licensed under the BioMed Central licence at http://www.biomedcentral.com/about/license which is similar to the 'Creative Commons Attribution Licence'. In brief you may : copy, distribute, and display the work; make derivative works; or make commercial use of the work - under the following conditions: the original author must be given credit; for any reuse or distribution, it must be made clear to others what the license terms of this work are.BACKGROUND: ErbB2-positive breast cancer is characterized by highly aggressive phenotypes and reduced responsiveness to standard therapies. Although specific ErbB2-targeted therapies have been designed, only a small percentage of patients respond to these treatments and most of them eventually relapse. The existence of this population of particularly aggressive and non-responding or relapsing patients urges the search for novel therapies. The purpose of this study was to determine whether cannabinoids might constitute a new therapeutic tool for the treatment of ErbB2-positive breast tumors. We analyzed their antitumor potential in a well established and clinically relevant model of ErbB2-driven metastatic breast cancer: the MMTV-neu mouse. We also analyzed the expression of cannabinoid targets in a series of 87 human breast tumors. RESULTS: Our results show that both Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the most abundant and potent cannabinoid in marijuana, and JWH-133, a non-psychotropic CB2 receptor-selective agonist, reduce tumor growth, tumor number, and the amount/severity of lung metastases in MMTV-neu mice. Histological analyses of the tumors revealed that cannabinoids inhibit cancer cell proliferation, induce cancer cell apoptosis, and impair tumor angiogenesis. Cannabinoid antitumoral action relies, at least partially, on the inhibition of the pro-tumorigenic Akt pathway. We also found that 91% of ErbB2-positive tumors express the non-psychotropic cannabinoid receptor CB2. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, these results provide a strong preclinical evidence for the use of cannabinoid-based therapies for the management of ErbB2-positive breast cancer

    Las “consultas sagradas” en Atención Primaria: ¿Cómo podemos mejorar la atención a la dimensión emocional?

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    CONFERENCE ABSTRACT: 19th International Conference on Integrated Care, San Sebastian, 01-03 April 201
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