Influence on yield and fruit quality of commercial rootstocks of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

El cultivo del pimiento en Almería es muy importante; se producen 7000 ha en la provincia. La importancia de este cultivo hace que se hayan adoptado nuevas técnicas para incrementar la producción, tales como el fertirriego, el entutorado y el manejo integrado de plagas. Sin embargo el uso de plantas injertadas aun no está bien implementado en la región, debido a la falta de patrones comerciales que sean del todo satisfactorios. Por esta razón se planteó evaluar el uso de patrones comerciales de pimiento. El experimento constó de cuatro tratamientos con tres repeticiones, tres de los tratamientos fueron plantas injertadas de pimiento variedad Urano sobre los patrones Atlante, AR40 y Tresor, a una densidad de 1,6 plantas/m2, como testigo el cultivar Urano a una densidad de 2,3 plantas/m2. Se midieron parámetros de producción y calidad. En producción, los pimientos injertados sobre los patrones Atlante y AR40 no mostraron diferencias significativas con respecto al Testigo. En los parámetros de calidad tampoco hubo diferencias significativas entre los frutos procedentes de planta injertada con respecto al Testigo. El tratamiento donde se utilizó el patrón Tresor fue el menos productivo con diferencias significativas, sin embargo fue el que produjo frutos de mayor peso y con más grosor de pared. Los resultados indican que el uso de ciertos patrones incrementa el rendimiento por planta en el cultivo del pimiento a la vez que pueden modificar algunas características del fruto

Osteotomía valgizante de tibia: estudio de dos técnicas quirúrgicas

Se evalúan clínica y radiológicamente 51 rodillas artrósicas tratadas median - te osteotomía tibial valguizante según dos técnica s diferentes con fines comparativos. En 37 rodillas se empleó la osteotomía en cúpula con fijador externo y en las restante s se practicó la técnica en cuña de sustracción. El período de seguimiento medio fue de 42.2 meses. La suma de resultados buenos y excelente s ha sido 77.9%. La osteotomía en cúpula tiene , en esta serie, un mayor índice de pérdidas de corrección, correcciones insuficientes y complicaciones, obteniendo menor porcentaje de buenos resultados. Estos se deterioran en pacientes de mayor edad y gonartrosis evolucionada. Los autores consideran la osteotomía valguizante de tibia, un tratamiento válido par a pacientes de edad no avanzada y con gonartrosis grados I y II con genu varo.Two tecniques o f high tibia l osteotom y i n fifty-one ostheoarthiti c knee s evaluate d b y roentgenographi c an d clinica l examination . I n thirty-seve n patien s a dom e shape d osteotom y wit h externa l fixatio n wa s done . I n th e rest o f case s w e performe d a wedg e osteotomy . T h e numbe r o f goo d an d excelen t results wa s 77.9%. Th e dom e osteotom y ha s i n o u r experience , a hig h rat e o f recurren t varu s angulation , malalignemen t an d othe r complications. T h e olde r grou p o f patients ha d wors e results. Th e author s recomen d th e wedg e hig h tibia l osteotom y fo r osteoarthritis an d varu s kne e i n younge r patients

Fractura-Luxación de Monteggia en el Adulto: tratamiento con clavo cerrojado

Las lesiones traumáticas del antebrazo son cada día más frecuentes. Una variante tradicionalmente conocida como de Monteggia ofrece la particularidad en el adulto de la controversia en el tratamiento entre el yeso, la placa a compresión o el enclavado endomedular. En un intento de mejora de resultados hemos testado clínicamente un nuevo clavo cerrojado para el cúbito. Se han seguido prospectivamente 7 pacientes afectos de fractura de Monteggia durante un año como mínimo y dos como promedio. Todos los pacientes consolidaron sus fracturas en un plazo inferior a 4 meses, con un promedio de 2.5 meses. Siguiendo la cotación propia de los autores se han encontrado 3 buenos y 4 muy buenos resultados. La sencillez y la bondad del método hace aconsejable su uso extensivo a las fracturas diafisarias de cúbito.Traumatic lesions of the forearm are increasingly common. One variant of these, traditionally known as Monteggia fracture, has the particularity in adults of displaying controversy with respect to whethe r it should be treated with plaster, a compression plate or endomedullary nailing. In an attempt to improve the results, the authors tested clinically a new locking nail for the ulna. Seven patients with Monteggia fractures wer e followed over a minimum their fractures in less than 4 months, with a mean of 2.5 months. Following the authors' rating, 3 patients had good and 4 patients very good results. The simplicity and suitability of the method counsel its extensive us e in diaphyseal fractures of the ulna

Traffic monitoring for assuring quality of advanced services in future internet

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-21560-5_16Services based on packet switched networks are becoming dominant in telecommunication business and both operators and service providers must evolve in order to guarantee the required quality. Increasing bandwidth is no longer a viable solution because of the business erosion for network operators which cannot expect revenues due to the large investments required to satisfy new applications demand of bandwidth. This paper presents devices and a specific architecture of services monitoring platform that allows network operators and service providers to analyze the perceived quality of service and check their service level agreements. Thus, a cost-effective service management, based on direct IP traffic measuring, can be supported on integrated monitoring systems to provide network-centric mechanisms for differentiated quality of service, security and other advanced services.This work has been partially developed in the framework of the Celtic and EUREKA initiative IPNQSIS (IP Network Monitoring for Quality of Service Intelligent Support)

Sperm parameters on Iberian red deer: Electroejaculation and post-mortem collection

P. 216-226Artificial reproductive technologies (ART) for cervids have improved, but a need remains for the collection of basic data. We studied two models of sperm collection in Iberian red deer, post-mortem (PM) in a wild population (179 samples) and by electroejaculation (EE) in a farmed population (37 samples), recording: testicular and epididymal weight, testicular diameter, sperm quantity, pH and osmolality and spermatozoa quality (motility by CASA, abnormal forms, cytoplasmic droplets, viability and acrosomal status). We tested the relationship of these parameters with stag age and compared the two models (PM and EE; medians showed). Genitalia parameters were linearly related to stag age (testicular diameter: 31.5–50.5 mm for 2–9 years). Total number of spermatozoa collected were PM: 2.5 × 109 and EE: 3.6 × 109 (P > 0.05), increasing with age only for PM. We found a positive relationship between testicular size and spermatozoa collected for PM. Osmolality and pH were PM: 6.28 and 378 mOsm/kg; EE: 7.63 and 309 mOsm/kg (P < 0.05). The pH increased with age only for EE. Percentage of motile spermatozoa was similar for PM and EE, but motility quality was lower for PM. Abnormal forms, proximal and distal droplets were lower for EE (22%, 1.3%, 1.5% vs. PM: 23%, 4.3%, 83%). Viability was similar (74%) and intact acrosomes were higher for EE (97% vs. 89%). Both PM and EE samples could be used for germplasm banking. This study contributes with new data on red deer spermatology and for the development of ART in cervids.S

Evaluating a transfer gradient assumption in a fomite-mediated microbial transmission model using an experimental and Bayesian approach

Current microbial exposure models assume that microbial exchange follows a concentration gradient during hand-to-surface contacts. Our objectives were to evaluate this assumption using transfer efficiency experiments and to evaluate a model's ability to explain concentration changes using approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) on these experimental data. Experiments were conducted with two phages (MS2,; Φ; X174) simultaneously to study bidirectional transfer. Concentrations on the fingertip and surface were quantified before and after fingertip-to-surface contacts. Prior distributions for surface and fingertip swabbing efficiencies and transfer efficiency were used to estimate concentrations on the fingertip and surface post contact. To inform posterior distributions, Euclidean distances were calculated for predicted detectable concentrations (log; 10; PFU cm; -2; ) on the fingertip and surface post contact in comparison with experimental values. To demonstrate the usefulness of posterior distributions in calibrated model applications, posterior transfer efficiencies were used to estimate rotavirus infection risks for a fingertip-to-surface and subsequent fingertip-to-mouth contact. Experimental findings supported the transfer gradient assumption. Through ABC, the model explained concentration changes more consistently when concentrations on the fingertip and surface were similar. Future studies evaluating microbial transfer should consider accounting for differing fingertip-to-surface and surface-to-fingertip transfer efficiencies and extend this work for other microbial types

Structural basis for the broad specificity of a new family of amino-acid racemases

Broad-spectrum amino-acid racemases (Bsrs) enable bacteria to generate noncanonical d-amino acids, the roles of which in microbial physiology, including the modulation of cell-wall structure and the dissolution of biofilms, are just beginning to be appreciated. Here, extensive crystallographic, mutational, biochemical and bioinformatic studies were used to define the molecular features of the racemase BsrV that enable this enzyme to accommodate more diverse substrates than the related PLP-dependent alanine racemases. Conserved residues were identified that distinguish BsrV and a newly defined family of broad-spectrum racemases from alanine racemases, and these residues were found to be key mediators of the multispecificity of BrsV. Finally, the structural analysis of an additional Bsr that was identified in the bioinformatic analysis confirmed that the distinguishing features of BrsV are conserved among Bsr family membersResearch in the Cava laboratory is supported by the MINECO, Spain (RYC-2010-06241), Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (UAM-38) and by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation (KAW). Additionally, this work was supported by the BFU2011-25326 MEC grant (JAH), by the S2010/BMD-2457 grant from CAM (JAH) and by HHMI (MKW

Tuning melatonin receptor subtype selectivity in oxadiazolone-based analogues: Discovery of QR2 ligands and NRF2 activators with neurogenic properties

New multi-target indole and naphthalene derivatives containing the oxadiazolone scaffold as a bioisostere of the melatonin acetamido group have been developed. The novel compounds were characterized at melatonin receptors MT1R and MT2R, quinone reductase 2 (QR2), lipoxygenase-5 (LOX-5), and monoamine oxidases (MAO-A and MAO-B), and also as radical scavengers. We found that selectivity within the oxadiazolone series can be modulated by modifying the side chain functionality and coplanarity with the indole or naphthalene ring. In phenotypic assays, several oxadiazolone-based derivatives induced signalling mediated by the transcription factor NRF2 and promoted the maturation of neural stem-cells into a neuronal phenotype. Activation of NRF2 could be due to the binding of indole derivatives to KEAP1, as deduced from surface plasmon resonance (SPR) experiments. Molecular modelling studies using the crystal structures of QR2 and the KEAP1 Kelch-domain, as well as the recently described X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) structures of chimeric MT1R and MT2R, provided a rationale for the experimental data and afforded valuable insights for future drug design endeavoursThe authors gratefully acknowledge the following financial supports: Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities; Spanish Research Agency; and European Regional Development Funds (grants RTI2018-093955-B-C21 and SAF2015-64948-C2-1-R to M.I.R.-F.; RTI2018-095793-B-I00 to M.G.L., SAF2015-64629-C2- 2-R to F.G.), General Council for Research and Innovation of the Community of Madrid and European Structural Funds (grant B2017/BMD-3827 e NRF24ADCM), Health Institute Carlos III (Miguel Servet II ProgramCP16/00014 and grant PI17/01700 to R.L.). CH-A and P.M. thank their PhD fellowships from Spanish Ministry of Education (MEC, PhD grant FPU16/01704 and mobility grant FPUEST17/00233 to CH-A and FPU13/03737 to P.M.)

Ecosystem services of tropical dry forests : insights from longterm ecological and social research on the Pacific coast of Mexico

In the search for an integrated understanding of the relationships among productive activities, human well-being, and ecosystem functioning, we evaluated the services delivered by a tropical dry forest (TDF) ecosystem in the Chamela Region, on the Pacific Coast of Mexico. We synthesized information gathered for the past two decades as part of a long-term ecosystem research study and included social data collected in the past four years using the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) conceptual framework as a guide. Here we identify the four nested spatial scales at which information has been obtained and emphasize one of them through a basin conceptual model. We then articulate the biophysical and socio-economic constraints and drivers determining the delivery of ecosystem services in the Region. We describe the nine most important services, the stakeholders who benefit from those services, and their degree of awareness of such services. We characterize spatial and temporal patterns of the services&rsquo; delivery as well as trade-offs among services and stakeholders. Finally, we contrast three alternative future scenarios on the delivery of ecosystem services and human well-being. Biophysical and socioeconomic features of the study site strongly influence human&minus;ecosystem interactions, the ecosystem services delivered, the possible future trajectories of the ecosystem, and the effect on human well-being. We discuss future research approaches that will set the basis for an integrated understanding of human&minus;ecosystem interactions and for constructing sustainable management strategies for the TDF.<br /

Nomogram-based prediction of survival in patients with advanced oesophagogastric adenocarcinoma receiving first-line chemotherapy: a multicenter prospective study in the era of trastuzumab

Background: To develop and validate a nomogram and web-based calculator to predict overall survival (OS) in Caucasian-advanced oesophagogastric adenocarcinoma (AOA) patients undergoing first-line combination chemotherapy. Methods: Nine hundred twenty-four AOA patients treated at 28 Spanish teaching hospitals from January 2008 to September 2014 were used as derivation cohort. The result of an adjusted-Cox proportional hazards regression was represented as a nomogram and web-based calculator. The model was validated in 502 prospectively recruited patients treated between October 2014 and December 2016. Harrell's c-index was used to evaluate discrimination. Results: The nomogram includes seven predictors associated with OS: HER2-positive tumours treated with trastuzumab, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, number of metastatic sites, bone metastases, ascites, histological grade, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio. Median OS was 5.8 (95% confidence interval (CI), 4.5–6.6), 9.4 (95% CI, 8.5–10.6), and 14 months (95% CI, 11.8–16) for high-, intermediate-, and low-risk groups, respectively (P<0.001), in the derivation set and 4.6 (95% CI, 3.3–8.1), 12.7 (95% CI, 11.3–14.3), and 18.3 months (95% CI, 14.6–24.2) for high-, intermediate-, and low-risk groups, respectively (P<0.001), in the validation set. The nomogram is well-calibrated and reveals acceptable discriminatory capacity, with optimism-corrected c-indices of 0.618 (95% CI, 0.591–0.631) and 0.673 (95% CI, 0.636–0.709) in derivation and validation groups, respectively. The AGAMENON nomogram outperformed the Royal Marsden Hospital (c-index=0.583; P=0.00046) and Japan Clinical Oncology Group prognostic indices (c-index=0.611; P=0.03351). Conclusions: We developed and validated a straightforward model to predict survival in Caucasian AOA patients initiating first-line polychemotherapy. This model can contribute to inform clinical decision-making and optimise clinical trial design