22 research outputs found

    Comunicación inalámbrica por medio del protocolo ZigBee para la manipulación de un brazo robótico

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    Los sistemas robóticos programables y multifuncionales diseñados para mover materiales, piezas, herramientas o dispositivos especializados son cada vez más usados, por medio de microcontroladores de gama alta. Haciendo uso de esa tecnología realizamos un prototipo que no solo es de mucha utilidad a nivel industrial sino que representa un desafío a nivel educativo, generando una oportunidad de aprendizaje invaluable. Este proyecto tiene como objetivo implementar el protocolo de comunicación inalámbrica 802.15.4 mediante el uso de los módulos XBee Pro, XBee serie 1 para la manipulación de un brazo robótico a través de un joystick. La metodología utilizada consiste en el análisis y documentación del protocolo de comunicación, conversión análoga digital de una señal, control de servomotores y por último aplicar técnicas para la formulación de algoritmos mediante las diferentes estructuras de control y su codificación en un lenguaje de alto nivel

    Evaluación de parámetros seminales no convencionales en individuos cuyas parejas presentan muerte embrionaria temprana recurrente: en busca de un valor de referencia

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    Introduction. Previous studies related alterations in non-conventional seminal parameters with recurrent early embryonic death for one couple. A reference standard of clinical assessment is required for the management of these kinds of patients.Objective. Normal semen parameters were established based on functional tests including lipid peroxidation of sperm membranes, antioxidant capacity of seminal plasma and integrity of sperm chromatin to compare with men whose partners have recurrent early embryonic death. These parameters set reference values to identify subfertile individuals whose condition can be attributed to altered semen parameters.Materials and methods. The conventional and non-conventional semen parameters of 47 samples of semen were evaluated. Thirty-six samples were from subfertile individuals whose partners had a history of early recurrent embryo death, and 11 samples were from individuals with recent evidence of normal fertility.Results. By discriminant analysis, the two groups were classified as follows: a value below 0.50 for 86.1% of individuals in the group of recurrent early embryonic death, and a value above 0.50 to classify 81.8% of individuals in the group of recent fertility.Conclusions. This reference value of 0.5 based on the results of sperm tests can identify infertile male patients whose partners have a history of early embryonic death. This will aid the physician to suggest treatments more focused on the possible cause of subfertility.Introducción. En estudios previos se relacionaron las alteraciones en los parámetros espermáticos no convencionales con la presencia de muerte embrionaria temprana recurrente de la pareja; debido a esto, se planteó la necesidad de establecer un valor de referencia de utilidad clínica para el manejo de estos pacientes.Objetivo. Evaluar los parámetros seminales convencionales y las pruebas funcionales de lipoperoxidación de las membranas espermáticas, capacidad antioxidante del plasma seminal e integridad de la cromatina espermática, en individuos cuyas parejas presentan muerte embrionaria temprana recurrente, con el fin de obtener un valor de referencia y poder identificar aquellos individuos en quienes la disminución de la fertilidad se pueda demostrar con estas pruebas.Materiales y métodos. Se evaluaron los parámetros espermáticos convencionales y no convencionales de 47 muestras de semen, de las cuales, 36 pertenecían al grupo de individuos con disminución de la fertilidad por historia de muerte embrionaria temprana recurrente en sus parejas, y 11 muestras de individuos sanos con fertilidad reciente.Resultados. Mediante el análisis discriminante se obtuvo una función que permitió clasificar los dos grupos analizados así: un valor menor de 0,50 para el 86,1 % de los individuos del grupo de muerte embrionaria temprana recurrente y un valor mayor de 0,50 para clasificar el 81,8 % de los individuos del grupo de fertilidad reciente.Conclusiones. Este valor de referencia de 0,5, basado en los resultados de los análisis espermáticos y utilizando el análisis discriminante, permitiría categorizar a los pacientes que consulten por historia de muerte embrionaria temprana en sus parejas y le ayudaría al médico a sugerir un tratamiento más enfocado en la posible causa de la disminución de la fertilidad

    Steppes, savannahs, forests and phytodiversity reservoirs during the Pleistocene in the Iberian Peninsula

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    A palaeobotanical analysis of the Pleistocene floras and vegetation in the Iberian Peninsula shows the existence of patched landscapes with Pinus woodlands, deciduous and mixed forests, parklands (savannah-like), shrublands, steppes and grasslands. Extinctions of Arctotertiary woody taxa are recorded during the Early and Middle Pleistocene, but glacial refugia facilitated the survival of a number of temperate, Mediterranean and Ibero-North African woody angiosperms. The responses of Iberian vegetation to climatic changes during the Pleistocene have been spatially and temporarily complex, including rapid changes of vegetation in parallel to orbital and suborbital variability, and situations of multi-centennial resilience or accommodation to climatic changes. Regional characteristics emerged as soon as for the Middle Pleistocene, if not earlier: Ericaceae in the Atlantic coast indicating wetter climate, thermo-mediterranean elements in the south as currently, and broad-leaf trees in the northeastern. Overall, steppe landscapes and open Pinus woodlands prevailed over many continental regions during the cold spells of the Late Pleistocene. The maintenance of a high phytodiversity during the glacials was linked to several refuge zones in the coastal shelves of the Mediterranean and intramountainous valleys. Northern Iberia, especially on coastal areas, was also patched with populations of tree species, and this is not only documented by palaeobotanical data (pollen, charcoal) but also postulated by phylogeographical models

    Mountain strongholds for woody angiosperms during the Late Pleistocene in SE Iberia

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    Mediterranean mountains played an essential role during glacial periods as vegetation refugia. The SE Iberia Late Pleistocene woody angiosperm fossil and floristic evidences are reviewed in the context of phylogeographical studies aiming to identify (i) spatial patterns related to woody angiosperms glacial survival, (ii) structural and functional characteristics of montane refugia, and (iii) gaps in knowledge on the woody angiosperm patterns of survival in Mediterranean mountains. The distribution of palaeobotanical data for SE Iberia refugia has been found to be taphonomically biased due to the scarcity of available and/or studied high-altitude Late Pleistocene sites. However, Siles Lake data together with floristic inference provide evidences for woody angiosperms’ survival in a high-altitude Mediterranean area. The main features boosting survival at montane contexts are physiographic complexity and water availability. Phylogeography studies have mainly been conducted at a continental scale. Although they cohere with palaeobotanical data to a broad scale, a general lack of sampling of SE Iberian range-edge populations, as well as misconceptions about the origin of the populations sampled, impede to infer the proper location of woody angiosperms’ mountain refugia and their importance in the post-glacial European colonisation. We conclude that floristic, geobotanical, palaeobotanical, ethnographical and genetic evidence should be merged to gain a deeper understanding on the role played by Mediterranean mountains as glacial refugia in order to explain the current distribution of many plants and the large biodiversity levels encountered in Mediterranean mountain areas. This is hallmark for effective and efficient conservation and management

    Co-occurrence of mutations in NF1 and other susceptibility genes in pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma

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    IntroductionThe percentage of patients diagnosed with pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (altogether PPGL) carrying known germline mutations in one of the over fifteen susceptibility genes identified to date has dramatically increased during the last two decades, accounting for up to 35-40% of PPGL patients. Moreover, the application of NGS to the diagnosis of PPGL detects unexpected co-occurrences of pathogenic allelic variants in different susceptibility genes.MethodsHerein we uncover several cases with dual mutations in NF1 and other PPGL genes by targeted sequencing. We studied the molecular characteristics of the tumours with co-occurrent mutations, using omic tools to gain insight into the role of these events in tumour development.ResultsAmongst 23 patients carrying germline NF1 mutations, targeted sequencing revealed additional pathogenic germline variants in DLST (n=1) and MDH2 (n=2), and two somatic mutations in H3-3A and PRKAR1A. Three additional patients, with somatic mutations in NF1 were found carrying germline pathogenic mutations in SDHB or DLST, and a somatic truncating mutation in ATRX. Two of the cases with dual germline mutations showed multiple pheochromocytomas or extra-adrenal paragangliomas - an extremely rare clinical finding in NF1 patients. Transcriptional and methylation profiling and metabolite assessment showed an “intermediate signature” to suggest that both variants had a pathological role in tumour development.DiscussionIn conclusion, mutations affecting genes involved in different pathways (pseudohypoxic and receptor tyrosine kinase signalling) co-occurring in the same patient could provide a selective advantage for the development of PPGL, and explain the variable expressivity and incomplete penetrance observed in some patients

    The Mesolithic-Neolithic transition in southern Iberia

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    New data and a review of historiographic information from Neolithic sites of the Malaga and Algarve coasts (southern Iberian Peninsula) and from the Maghreb (North Africa) reveal the existence of a Neolithic settlement at least from 7.5 cal ka BP. The agricultural and pastoralist food producing economy of that population rapidly replaced the coastal economies of the Mesolithic populations. The timing of this population and economic turnover coincided with major changes in the continental and marine ecosystems, including upwelling intensity, sea-level changes and increased aridity in the Sahara and along the Iberian coast. These changes likely impacted the subsistence strategies of the Mesolithic populations along the Iberian seascapes and resulted in abandonments manifested as sedimentary hiatuses in some areas during the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition. The rapid expansion and area of dispersal of the early Neolithic traits suggest the use of marine technology. Different evidences for a Maghrebian origin for the first colonists have been summarized. The recognition of an early North-African Neolithic influence in Southern Iberia and the Maghreb is vital for understanding the appearance and development of the Neolithic in Western Europe. Our review suggests links between climate change, resource allocation, and population turnover. (C) 2011 University of Washington. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (Portugal); European Science Foundation [PTDC/HAH/64548/2006]; European Union; Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion, Spain [HAR 2008-1920, CGL2009-07603, CTM2009-07715, CSD2006-00041, HAR2008-06477-C03-03/HIST]; European Research Council [2008-AdG 230561]; MARM [200800050084447]; Project RNM [05212]; Junta de Andalucia, Spain [0179]; FCT [SFRH/BPD/26525/2006]; CSIC "JAE-Doc"info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

    Sin / Sense

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    Sexto desafío por la erradicación de la violencia contra las mujeres del Institut Universitari d’Estudis Feministes i de Gènere «Purificación Escribano» de la Universitat Jaume
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