CIBERER : Spanish national network for research on rare diseases: A highly productive collaborative initiative

Altres ajuts: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII); Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación.CIBER (Center for Biomedical Network Research; Centro de Investigación Biomédica En Red) is a public national consortium created in 2006 under the umbrella of the Spanish National Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII). This innovative research structure comprises 11 different specific areas dedicated to the main public health priorities in the National Health System. CIBERER, the thematic area of CIBER focused on rare diseases (RDs) currently consists of 75 research groups belonging to universities, research centers, and hospitals of the entire country. CIBERER's mission is to be a center prioritizing and favoring collaboration and cooperation between biomedical and clinical research groups, with special emphasis on the aspects of genetic, molecular, biochemical, and cellular research of RDs. This research is the basis for providing new tools for the diagnosis and therapy of low-prevalence diseases, in line with the International Rare Diseases Research Consortium (IRDiRC) objectives, thus favoring translational research between the scientific environment of the laboratory and the clinical setting of health centers. In this article, we intend to review CIBERER's 15-year journey and summarize the main results obtained in terms of internationalization, scientific production, contributions toward the discovery of new therapies and novel genes associated to diseases, cooperation with patients' associations and many other topics related to RD research

Influence of light presence and biomass concentration on nutrient kinetic removal from urban wastewater by Scenedesmus obliquus.

This work was aimed at studying the effect of light–darkness and high–low biomass concentrations in the feasibility of removing nitrogen and phosphorus from urban treated wastewater by the microalga Scenedesmus obliquus. Laboratory experiments were conducted in batch, where microalgae were cultured under different initial biomass concentrations (150 and 1500 mg SS l−1) and light conditions (dark or illuminated). Nutrient uptake was more dependent on internal nutrient content of the biomass than on light presence or biomass concentration. When a maximum nitrogen or phosphorus content in the biomass was reached (around 8% and 2%, respectively), the removal of that nutrient was almost stopped. Biomass concentration affected more than light presence on the nutrient removal rate, increasing significantly with its increase. Light was only required to remove nutrients when the maximum nutrient storage capacity of the cells was reached and further growth was therefore needed. Residence times to maintain a stable biomass concentration, avoiding the washout of the reactor, were much higher than those needed to remove the nutrients from the wastewater. This ability to remove nutrients in the absence of light could lead to new configurations of reactors aimed to wastewater treatment

A metasynthesis of qualitative studies regarding opinions and perceptions about barriers and determinants of health services’ accessibility in economic migrants

Background: Access to health services is an important health determinant. New research in health equity is required, especially amongst economic migrants from developing countries. Studies conducted on the use of health services by migrant populations highlight existing gaps in understanding which factors affect access to these services from a qualitative perspective. We aim to describe the views of the migrants regarding barriers and determinants of access to health services in the international literature (1997–2011). Methods: A systematic review was conducted for Qualitative research papers (English/Spanish) published in 13 electronic databases. A selection of articles that accomplished the inclusion criteria and a quality evaluation of the studies were carried out. The findings of the selected studies were synthesised by means of metasynthesis using different analysis categories according to Andersen’s conceptual framework of access and use of health services and by incorporating other emergent categories. Results: We located 3,025 titles, 36 studies achieved the inclusion criteria. After quality evaluation, 28 articles were definitively synthesised. 12 studies (46.2%) were carried out in the U.S and 11 studies (42.3%) dealt with primary care services. The participating population varied depending mainly on type of host country. Barriers were described, such as the lack of communication between health services providers and migrants, due to idiomatic difficulties and cultural differences. Other barriers were linked to the economic system, the health service characteristics and the legislation in each country. This situation has consequences for the lack of health control by migrants and their social vulnerability. Conclusions: Economic migrants faced individual and structural barriers to the health services in host countries, especially those with undocumented situation and those experimented idiomatic difficulties. Strategies to improve the structures of health systems and social policies are needed.Carolina Foundation (Spain), Mario Benedetti Foundation of the University of Alicante, Regional Ministry of Education (Generalitat Valenciana) (BEST/2009/003). Healthcare Research Fund of the Spanish Ministry of Health and Social Policy (PI 0790470)

Microalgal immobilization methods

In this review, methods for the most common microalgal immobilization procedures are gathered and described. Passive (due to natural adherence of cells to surfaces) and active immobilization methods should be distinguished. Among active immobilization methods, calcium alginate entrapment is the most widely used method if living cells are intended to be immobilized, due to the chemical, optical, and mechanical characteristics of this substance. Immobilization in synthetic foams, immobilization in agar and carrageenan as well as immobilization in silica-based matrix or filters are also discussed and described. Finally, some considerations on the use of flocculation for microalgae are mentioned. © Springer Science+Business Media, New York 2013.Peer Reviewe

Anales de Edafología y Agrobiología Tomo 47 Número 11-12

1. Suelos-Física La reserva de agua útil de los suelos de Galicia. II. Cartografía y regímenes de humedad a nivel de comarca (Comarca de Lalín, Pontevedra). Por A. Martínez Cortizas.-- Químicas Contenido de metales pesados (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb y Zn) en suelos de la comarca. La Plana de Requena Utiel (Valencia). Por R . Boluda Hernández, V. Andréu Pérez, V. Pons Martí y J. Sánchez Díaz.-- Relaciones estadísticas de los valores de metales pesados (Cd, Co, Cu, Cr, Ni , Pb y Zn) con el pH, contenido en materia orgánica, carbonatos totales y arcilla de los suelos de la comarca La Plana de Requena - Utiel (Valencia). Por R. Boluda Hernández.-- Aplicación de soluciones no tamponadas para la extracción de aluminio "activo" ligado a la materia orgánica en turbas naturales y aluminizadas. Por M. Urrutia Mera, E. García-Rodeja Gayoso y F. Mocías Vázquez.-- Dinámica del Fe y Al en Rañas bajas y terrazas en la provincia de Guadalajara. Por M. L. Palomar García-Villamil, R. Jiménez Ballesta, F. Monturiol Rodríguez y A. Guerra Delgado.-- Génesis, Clasificación y Cartografía. Los suelos rojos y pardos sobre sedimentos de 'Arenitos' del terciario superior y del Pleistoceno en el Algarve (Portugal) y sus aprovechamientos agrícolas. Por M. Woerner y H. Wiechmann.-- Suelos con horizontes argílicos en el macizo de Ayllón y Sierra de Alto Rey (Sistema Central). II. Clasificación. Por J. J. lbáñez, J. Gallardo, R. Virgil y R. Jiménez Ballesta.-- Aproximación al cartografiado automático de datos climáticos. Por J. Mª Rey.-- II. Biología Vegetal. Nutrición. Evolución de la fracción mineral en hoja y fruto de Eriobotryae Japonica L . (Cv. Algeri). Por F. Burlo, A. Vidal, I. Gómez y J. Mataix. Fisiología. Influencia de la procedencia geográfica y varietal en el comportamiento de ácidos y azúcares de la uva a lo largo de la maduración. Por B. Junquera, L. M. Robredo y C. Díez de Bethencourt.-- Contribución al conocimiento del mecanismo de acción de la luz en el retraso del envejecimiento de hojas. Por Mª J. Quiles Ródenas, J. Cuello Moreno y B. Sabater García.-- Relación entre la capacidad de acumulación de Prolina libre foliar y la resistencia a la sequía de cultivares de trigo. Por N. L. Gurda Girou, y N. R. Curvetto.-- Effects water stress on foliar Nitrate reductase activlty and grain protein content in different wheat cultivars. By N. L. Garda Girou and N. R. Curvetto.-- Ultrastructural alteration produced by osmium tetroxide vapour as a fixative for desiccated alga! cells in the lichen Parmelia Sulcata. Por C. Ascuso and D. H. Brown.-- Interacción entre G. Mosseae y Pseudomonas Syringae en la Rizosfera de plantas de tomate . Por J. M. García-Garrido y J. A. OcampoPeer reviewe