Late Variscan Santa Eulália Complex and the Nisa-Albuquerque Batholith

VII Hutton Symposium on Granites and Related Rocks, Avila, Spain, July 4-9, 201

Potentiation of acute morphine-induced analgesia measured by a thermal test in bone cancer-bearing mice

Agonists of mu-opioid receptors are currently used in the management of cancer pain. However, several data suggest that the analgesic effect of morphine can diminish during the development of experimental tumors. By using a thermal test, we have studied whether the analgesic effect evoked by morphine is altered in mice bearing two painful bone tumors. The analgesic effect evoked by systemic morphine remained unaltered after the intratibial inoculation of B16-F10 melanoma cells and was potentiated after the inoculation of NCTC 2472 osteosarcoma cells. Although the number of spinal mu-opioid receptors measured by western blot studies was not augmented in osteosarcoma-bearing mice, the analgesia evoked by intrathecal (i.t.) morphine was also enhanced. The analgesic response produced by the spinal administration of the Gi/o protein activator mastoparan was amplified, whereas the analgesic response evoked by the i.t. administration of the N-type calcium channel blocker ?-conotoxin remained unaltered. The efficacy of the GIRK channel blocker tertiapin-Q to antagonize the analgesic effect produced by a maximal dose of morphine was also increased in osteosarcoma-bearing mice. Our results seem to indicate that the analgesic effect of morphine on thermal nociception can be enhanced in response to the development of particular bone tumors in mice, being this potentiation probably related to a greater efficacy of the transduction system driven by Gi/o proteins and GIRK channels.Grants were provided by MEC-FEDER (SAF2009-10567). SL received a grant from CIBER of Enfermedades Raras of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII). The Instituto Universitario de Oncología is supported by Obra Social Cajastur-Asturias, Spain

DR_SEQAN: a PC/Windows-based software to evaluate drug

This article is available from: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2334/6/44[Background] Genotypic assays based on DNA sequencing of part or the whole reverse transcriptase (RT)- and protease (PR)-coding regions of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) genome have become part of the routine clinical management of HIV-infected individuals. However, the results are difficult to interpret due to complex interactions between mutations found in viral genes.[Results] DR_SEQAN is a tool to analyze RT and PR sequences. The program output includes a list containing all of the amino acid changes found in the query sequence in comparison with the sequence of a wild-type HIV-1 strain. Translation of codons containing nucleotide mixtures can result in potential ambiguities or heterogeneities in the amino acid sequence. The program identifies all possible combinations of 2 or 3 amino acids that derive from translation of triplets containing nucleotide mixtures. In addition, when ambiguities affect codons relevant for drug resistance, DR_SEQAN allows the user to select the appropriate mutation to be considered by the program's drug resistance interpretation algorithm. Resistance is predicted using a rule-based algorithm, whose efficiency and accuracy has been tested with a large set of drug susceptibility data. Drug resistance predictions given by DR_SEQAN were consistent with phenotypic data and coherent with predictions provided by other publicly available algorithms. In addition, the program output provides two tables showing published drug susceptibility data and references for mutations and combinations of mutations found in the analyzed sequence. These data are retrieved from an integrated relational database, implemented in Microsoft Access, which includes two sets of nonredundant core tables (one for combinations of mutations in the PR and the other for combinations in the RT)[Conclusion] DR_SEQAN is an easy to use off-line application that provides expert advice on HIV genotypic resistance interpretation. It is coded in Visual Basic for use in PC/Windows-based platforms. The program is freely available under the General Public License. The program (including the integrated database), documentation and a sample sequence can be downloaded from http:// www2.cbm.uam.es:8080/lmenendez/DR_SEQAN.zipThis work has been supported in part by the Fundación para la Investigación y Prevención del SIDA en España (FIPSE), through grants 36200/01 and 36460/05. An institutional grant of Fundación Ramón Areces to Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" is also acknowledged.Peer reviewe

Mutational Patterns Associated with the 69 Insertion Complex in Multi-drug-resistant HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase that Confer Increased Excision Activity and High-level Resistance to Zidovudine

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) strains having dipeptide insertions in the fingers subdomain and other drug resistance-related mutations scattered throughout their reverse transcriptase (RT)-coding region show high-level resistance to zidovudine (AZT) and other nucleoside analogues. Those phenotypic effects have been correlated with their increased ATP-dependent phosphorolytic activity on chain-terminated primers. Mutations T69S and T215Y and a dipeptide insertion (i.e. Ser-Ser) between positions 69 and 70 are required to achieve low-level resistance to thymidine analogues. However, additional amino acid substitutions are necessary to achieve the high-level phenotypic resistance to AZT shown by clinical HIV isolates carrying a dipeptide insertion in their RT-coding region. In order to identify those mutations that contribute to resistance in the sequence context of an insertion-containing RT derived from an HIV clinical isolate (designated as SS RT), we expressed and purified a series of chimeric enzymes containing portions of the wild-type or SS RT sequences. ATP-mediated excision activity measurements using AZT- and stavudine (d4T)-terminated primers and phenotypic assays showed that molecular determinants of high-level resistance to AZT were located in the fingers subdomain of the polymerase. Further studies, using recombinant RTs obtained by site-directed mutagenesis, revealed that M41L, A62V and in a lesser extent K70R, were the key mutations that together with T69S, T215Y and the dipeptide insertion conferred high levels of ATP-dependent phosphorolytic activity on AZT and d4T-terminated primers. Excision activity correlated well with AZT susceptibility measurements, and was consistent with phenotypic resistance to d4T. Structural analysis of the location of the implicated amino acid substitutions revealed a coordinated effect of M41L and A62V on the positioning of the β3–β4 hairpin loop, which plays a key role in the resistance mechanismThis work was supported in part by FIPSE (grant 36523/05) and Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria (through “Red Temática Cooperativa de Investigación en SIDA” G03/173). In addition, work in Madrid was supported by grant BIO2003/01175 (Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia) and an institutional grant from Fundación Ramón Areces. Grant BMC2003/2148 (Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia) (to M. A.M.) is also acknowledgedPeer reviewe

Forma-construcción en la arquitectura religiosa de Luis Moya Blanco

Trabajo de investigación incluido en los objetivos del Proyecto I+D+i "Relación forma-construcción en la arquitectura religiosa de Luis Moya Blanco", subvencionado por el Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, referencia HAR2011-28916 (2012/2013

Season-long seed dispersal patterns of the invasive weed Erigeron bonariensis in south-western Spain

Within-field demography of weeds exhibiting wind-mediated long distance seed movement can be largely governed by extra-field seed-source populations. Thus, for these species, a clear understanding of the temporal and spatial patterns of seed dispersal can benefit the development of effective management options. The spatial distribution of the seeds released from the onset of fruiting, in early summer, to the onset of the rainy season, in early autumn, was studied during 2 years at a Mediterranean-climate locality in Erigeron bonariensis L. (Hairy fleabane), a wind-dispersed invasive weed inhabiting ruderal environments and crop fields. Each year, a small source population was established in an open field in SW Spain and seed traps were arranged in the eight cardinal directions at distances up to 100 m (year 1), or in the NE and NW directions at distances up to 65 m (year 2). Counts of trapped seeds were carried out at 4–6 day intervals and the number of seeds released by the source population was estimated each year in most census dates. Four empirical dispersal models based on either thin-tailed or fat-tailed density kernels were tested using year 1 data for their ability to represent the spatial distribution of seeds. To test for anisotropic dispersal, model parameters were allowed to vary according to the wind pattern in each cardinal direction. Based on information criteria, a model including a fat-tailed, Log-hyperbolic secant kernel showing parameter response to the wind pattern, highlighting striking anisotropic dispersal, was selected and evaluated using year 2 data. Distance percentiles 50 and 80 attained by the seed crop released in year 1 season were modeled at 530 m and 10,498 m, respectively. The opposite quadrants encompassing the dominant downwind (N-NE) and upwind directions (S-SW) received 52.5% and 10.8% of seeds. The year 1 population, consisting of 85 plants, generated a modeled seed rain of at least 10 seeds m 2 up to 200 m downwind. Implications of results for management of this herbicide resistance-prone species are discussed.We are grateful to Carlos Carretero, Jos´e P´erez, C´ andido Ortega and Ana Lebovich for assistance with fieldwork. DC received a grant from the Spanish Society of Weed Science (SEMh). This work was supported in part by research project C03-017 (PAI-Junta de Andalucía Regional Government, Andalusia, Spain). Funding for open access provided by Universidad de Huelva / CBU

Propuesta de acciones estratégicas de marketing para el Centro Deportivo-Recreativo “Habana Golf Club”

Strategic marketing actions not only allow you to create directional guidelines in the commercial planning of a company, but also favor its strategic planning. Marketing currently performs an essential work in the business sector and is applied more and more in tourism companies, considering that for the service industry, the intangibility of the product is very important when it comes to satisfying the customer. This research started from the need that exists in the Recreational-Sports Center “Habana Golf Club” to create marketing actions that contribute to the commercial planning of the center. Therefore, the development of strategic marketing actions was determined as the main objective. For this, a theoretical-methodological analysis of the subject and an external and internal characterization of the organization were carried out, which allowed, with the application of strategic tools such as the cross-impact matrix, to determine its current situation and to propose the necessary marketing actions in the installation through the methodology applied by Antoni Serra in his book Marketing Turístico. Techniques and procedures such as semi-structured interviews and direct scientific observation were used. During the development of the proposed phases, objectives and strategic lines of action were defined and their implementation, through the design of an action plan in the final phase of the chosen methodology.Las acciones estratégicas de marketing no solo permiten crear pautas direccionales en la planificación comercial de una empresa, sino también favorecen su planificación estratégica. El marketing en la actualidad realiza una labor imprescindible en el sector empresarial y es aplicado cada día más en las empresas turísticas, considerándose que para la industria de los servicios, la intangibilidad del producto resulta muy importante a la hora de satisfacer al cliente. La presente investigación partió de la necesidad que existe en el Centro Deportivo-Recreativo “Habana Golf Club” de crear acciones de marketing que contribuyan a la planificación comercial del centro. Por tanto se determinó como objetivo principal el diseño de acciones estratégicas de marketing. Para ello se realizó un análisis teórico-metodológico del tema y una caracterización externa e interna de la organización que permitió, con la aplicación de herramientas estratégicas como la  matriz de impactos cruzados, determinar su situación actual y proponer las acciones de marketing necesarias en la instalación a través de la metodología aplicada por Antoni Serra en su libro “Marketing Turístico”. Se utilizaron técnicas y procedimientos como la realización de entrevistas semiestructuradas y la observación científica directa. Durante el desarrollo de las fases metodológicas planteadas, se definieron objetivos, líneas estratégicas de actuación y se implementaron estas a través del diseño de un plan de acciones en la fase final de la metodología escogida

El penitente: una profesión trágica de la minería del carbón

Hubo una época en que la forma más habitual para evitar las explosiones de grisú y asfixias provocadas por este fluido gaseoso en las explotaciones de carbón era mediante el trabajo del penitente. En aquellos tiempos los tajos no eran muy grandes, se laboreaba en ellos de forma manual, y el gas generado no aparecía, por lo general, en gran cantidad. El penitente era una persona de experiencia que entraba en las minas antes de que los mineros llegasen a su trabajo, para explosionar los gases que allí existieran. Estaba cubierto con una especie de pasamontañas, guantes y capa, prendas realizados con tejidos gruesos o cuero, que eran humedecidas para protegerse del fuego. Iba arrastrándose sobre su vientre, mientras que con una larga pértiga, que portaba delante de él, llevaba una candela encendida en el extremo de la misma, para favorecer la explosión del grisú acumulado en el techo de las labores. Este personaje desaparecerá paulatinamente tras el invento de la lámpara de seguridad de Davy (1815). Aunque hay bastantes datos dispersos sobre esta profesión, en nuestro trabajo pretendemos abordar los siguientes aspectos: 1.-Cuándo y cómo aparece este personaje y hasta que época permanece en la minería. 2.- En que ámbitos geográficos se presenta y cuáles son sus diferentes denominaciones. 3.-Cuánto duraba su trabajo y cuál era su salario, en el caso de que lo tuviese. 4.-Cuál era su modus operandi. 5.-Cuáles y cómo son sus representaciones, indicando si es posible el nombre de los artistas que las hicieron. 6.-Cuál ha sido su presencia en la literatura. In a certain time, the most common way to avoid explosions and suffocation due to the presence of methane (fire damp) in coal mines was the labour of the fireman, also called penitent. As the coal beds were no so large, manual extraction were employed, and fire damp did not appeared in high amounts, but it was dangerous. The fireman was an experienced man who entered the mines before miners, in order to ascertain if gas exists and provoke the explosion of firedamp. He was covered by a mask, gloves and a cap, all of them made by thick textiles or leather, which were humidified to protect from fire. The fireman creep over his belly, and with the aid of a pole with a candle at its edge, to produce the explosion of fire damp. The work of fireman progressively disappeared after the discovery of the Davy´s lamp. Although there are some data about the existence of firemans, this paper deals with the following topics: 1.-When and how the fireman appeared and for how long was employed in coal mines. 2.- In which regions the fireman was employed, and which were the different names. 3.-Which was his workday and which was his salary. 4.- Which was his modus operandi. 5.-Which and how were the artistic representations, indicating, if possible, the name of the artists. 6.-Which was his presence in literatur