Preliminary apatite-fission track geochronology of the Montaña Blanca-Milocho, alkaline pluton, (NW Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, Spain)

The mafic-ultramafic, alkaline Montana Blanca-Milocho pluton, which is part o f the northernmost outcrop of the Basal Complex of the island of Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, is spatially associated to the Jablitos alkaline-carbonatitic complex. Alkaline clinopyroxenites occurring in the periphery o f both intrusive bodies bear strong petrographic, mineralogical and geochemical similarities. However, the study o f a possible genetic relationship between them was so far hindered by the complete absence of geoclironological data. High apatite abundances in these rocks has allowed the application o f the fission track techniques as a geoclironological tool. Nevertheless, in samples were perovskite occurs the lack o f U in apatite, the K-Ar method had to be used. The 25 and 29 Ma fission tracks central ages obtained are well in agreement with theexpected emplacement age o f these shallow intrusive rocks, and also with published and new K-Ar ages. Thus, a genetic relationship between these ultramafic alkaline clinopyroxenites is here proposed

Utilidad de los agonistas, moduladores selectivos y antagonistas puros del receptor de estrógenos en estudios morfofuncionales del útero de la rata

De acuerdo con el Instituto Nacional de la Salud, la especie murina es una de las especies más importantes en el estudio de la fisiología y de un gran número de procesos que tienen lugar en el organismo, tanto en la especie humana como en los animales. Se estima que en el 90-95 % de los estudios realizados en biomedicina se utilizan ratones y ratas. En la rata, la función reproductora es debida a las hormonas esteroideas ováricas, estrógenos (E) y progesterona (P). Durante las distintas fases del ciclo estral, el útero sufre cambios morfológicos y funcionales que dependen de la acción de los E y la P y que incluyen la proliferación celular y la síntesis de receptores de progesterona en el epitelio, y la proliferación celular del estroma y su consecuente decidualización, respectivamente. La acción de los E y la P en el útero está mediada por receptores intracelulares, los receptores de E (RE) y los receptores de P (RP). Ambos receptores tienen dos isofomas, α y β para los RE y A y B para los RP. Estudios previos realizados tanto en ratones knock-out (KO) para una de las isoformas del RE y las dos del RP, como en ratas ovariectomizadas (OVX) a las que se administran agonistas estrogénicos selectivos para una de las isoformas del RE, han revelado que la mayoría de las acciones de los E en el útero son mediadas por la isoforma α del RE, aunque en la actualidad el papel específico de cada una de las isoformas se conoce solo parcialmente. Tanto el conocimiento molecular del RE como los avances farmacológicos han permitido el desarrollo de nuevos agentes agonistas y antagonistas para las distintas isoformas del RE que hacen posible estudiar la acción que desempeña en el útero cada una de las isoformas del RE

Ovarian stimulation with FSH reduces phosphorylation of gonadotrope progesterone receptor and LH secretion in the rat

Administration of human FSH(hFSH) to cyclic rats during the dioestrous phase attenuates progesterone receptor (PR)-dependent events of the preovulatory LH surge in pro-oestrus. The increased bioactivity of the putative ovarian gonadotropin surge inhibiting/attenuating factor induced by hFSH treatment is not associated with a decrease in PR protein expression, and the possibility of its association at a PR posttranslational effect has been raised. The present experiments aimed to analyse PR phosphorylation status in the gonadotrope of ratswith impaired LH secretion induced by in vivo hFSH injection. Two experimental approaches were used. First, incubated pro-oestrous pituitaries from hFSH-injected cycling and oestrogen-treated ovariectomized (OVX) rats were used to analyze the effect of calyculin, an inhibitor of intracellular phosphatases, on PR-dependent LH release, which was measured in the incubation medium by RIA. Second, pituitaries taken from hFSH-injected intact cycling and OVX rats and later incubated with P or GNRH1 were used to assess the phosphorylation rate of gonadotrope. The latter was analysed in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections by immunohistochemistry using a MAB that recognizes the phosphorylated (p) form of PR at Ser294. Calyculin reduced the ovary-mediated inhibition of hFSH in GNRH1-stimulated LH secretion. In addition, the immunohistochemical expression of pSer294 PR was significantly reduced after ovarian stimulation with hFSH in pituitaries frompro-oestrous rats incubated with PorGNRH1.Altogether, these results suggested that the ovarian-dependent inhibitory effect of FSH injection on the preovulatory LH secretion in the rat may involve an increase in dephosphorylation of PR

Synthesis Of Ag@silica Nanoparticles By Assisted Laser Ablation.

This paper reports the synthesis of silver nanoparticles coated with porous silica (Ag@Silica NPs) using an assisted laser ablation method. This method is a chemical synthesis where one of the reagents (the reducer agent) is introduced in nanometer form by laser ablation of a solid target submerged in an aqueous solution. In a first step, a silicon wafer immersed in water solution was laser ablated for several minutes. Subsequently, an AgNO3 aliquot was added to the aqueous solution. The redox reaction between the silver ions and ablation products leads to a colloidal suspension of core-shell Ag@Silica NPs. The influence of the laser pulse energy, laser wavelength, ablation time, and Ag(+) concentration on the size and optical properties of the Ag@Silica NPs was investigated. Furthermore, the colloidal suspensions were studied by UV-VIS-NIR spectroscopy, X-Ray diffraction, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM).1039

Revista de Vertebrados de la Estación Biológica de Doñana

Página 298 con error de impresiónEstudio cariológico en dos especies de Serránidos del Mediterráneo (Peces: PerciformesRelaciones morfométricas de Atherina boyeri Risso (Pisces: Atherinidae) de la laguna de Zoñar (Córdoba, España)Contribución al conocimiento de la biometríay osteología de Barbus barbus bocagei, Steindachner, 1866 (Pisces: CyprinidaeLa actividad de la salamandra, Salamandra salamandra (L.), en Galicia.Estudios sobre el sapo corredor (Bufo calamita) en el Sur de España.1. BiometríaEstudios sobre el sapo corredor (Bufo calamita) en el Sur de España. II. AlimentaciónBiología de la reproducción de Rana iberica Boulenger 1879 en zonas simpátridas con Rana temporaria Linneo, 1758Nuevos datos sobre la distribución geográfica de Lacerta monticola cantabrica Mertens, 1929. (Sauria, lacertidae).Datos sobre Lacerta monticola Boulenger, 1905 (Saurio: lacertidae)en el oeste del Sistema Central.Nueva especie de Anolis (lacertilia, Iguanidae) para CubaEtograma cuantificado del cortejo en Falco naumannOntogénesis del comportamiento predador en Falco naumanniContaminación xenobiótica del Parque Nacional de Doñana. 1. Residuos de insecticidas organoclorados, bifenilos policlorados y mercurio en anseriformes y gruiformesReproducción del críalo (Clamator glandarius) en Sierra Morena CentraNidificación de Picus viridis en taludes de arcilla en Ramblas de Guadix (Granada)Comportamiento del calamón Porphyrio porphyrio (Linnaeus, 1758) en Doñana, Marismas del GuadalquiviBiología y ecología de la malvasía (Oxyura leucocephala) en Andalucía.On the differential diet of Carnivora in islands:a method for analysing it and a particular case.Notas sobre la distribución pasada y actual del meloncillo Herpestes ichneumon (L.) en la Península IbéricaEstructuración de las interacciones en una camada de lobos (Canís lupus)Nuevos datos sobre la distribución del Cottus gobio L. (pisces, cottidae) en EspañaSobre la alimentación de Callopistes maculatus (Reptilia,teiidaeObservación de Lacerta lepida depredando un nido de Alectoris rufaNueva cita del galápago leproso Mauremys leprosa (Scheigger, 1812) en los pirineosPrimera cita de Psammodromus hispanicus (Fitzinger) para GaliciaSobre la presencia de Gallotia (=Lacerta) atlantica (Peters y Doria, 1882) en Gran CanariaNota sobre las Lacerta monticola Boulenger, 1905 de las zonas del norte de GaliciaPrimeras notas herpetológicas de la provincia de Soria.Datos sobre selección de hábitat y ecología alimenticia del porrón pardo (Aythya nyroca)Probable nueva área de cría del pechiazul (Luscinia svecica cyanecula) en el sistema central. PerisPredación de Falco peregrinus y Falco subbuteo sobre quirópterosResultados de la producción de Oxyura leucocephala en el año 1981 en las lagunas de Zóñar y el rincónAnálisis de la dieta de Tyto alba en un medio árido antropógeno de los alrededores de Almería¿Son Eudocimus ruber y E. albus distintas especies?EL Estornino pinto (Sturnus vulgaris) en Canarias: nueva especie nidifiante en el archipiélagoDatos sobre la alimentación otoñal del cárabo (Strix aluco) en la sierra de CádizObservación primaveral de rapaces y otras aves en el páramo del estado de Mérida (Venezuela).Murciélago hematófago (Desmodus rotundus) parasitando a un chigüire (Hidrochoerus hydrochaeris)Observaciones sobre la reproducción del zacatuche o teporinho Romerolagus diazi (Mammalia: lagomorpha)Estudio electroforético de hemoglobinas y esterasas sanguíneas en Rhinolophus ferrumequinum (Chiroptera: rhinolophidae) y de hemoglobinas en Tadaria taeniotis (chiroptera: molossidae)Peer reviewe

Flow cytometry for fast screening and automated risk assessment in systemic light-chain amyloidosis

Early diagnosis and risk stratification are key to improve outcomes in light-chain (AL) amyloidosis. Here we used multidimensional-flow-cytometry (MFC) to characterize bone marrow (BM) plasma cells (PCs) from a series of 166 patients including newly-diagnosed AL amyloidosis (N = 94), MGUS (N = 20) and multiple myeloma (MM, N = 52) vs. healthy adults (N = 30). MFC detected clonality in virtually all AL amyloidosis (99%) patients. Furthermore, we developed an automated risk-stratification system based on BMPCs features, with independent prognostic impact on progression-free and overall survival of AL amyloidosis patients (hazard ratio: ≥ 2.9;P ≤ .03). Simultaneous assessment of the clonal PCs immunophenotypic protein expression profile and the BM cellular composition, mapped AL amyloidosis in the crossroad between MGUS and MM; however, lack of homogenously-positive CD56 expression, reduction of B-cell precursors and a predominantly-clonal PC compartment in the absence of an MM-like tumor PC expansion, emerged as hallmarks of AL amyloidosis (ROC-AUC = 0.74;P < .001), and might potentially be used as biomarkers for the identification of MGUS and MM patients, who are candidates for monitoring pre-symptomatic organ damage related to AL amyloidosis. Altogether, this study addressed the need for consensus on how to use flow cytometry in AL amyloidosis, and proposes a standardized MFC-based automated risk classification ready for implementation in clinical practice

Spread of a SARS-CoV-2 variant through Europe in the summer of 2020

[EN] Following its emergence in late 2019, the spread of SARS-CoV-21,2 has been tracked by phylogenetic analysis of viral genome sequences in unprecedented detail3,4,5. Although the virus spread globally in early 2020 before borders closed, intercontinental travel has since been greatly reduced. However, travel within Europe resumed in the summer of 2020. Here we report on a SARS-CoV-2 variant, 20E (EU1), that was identified in Spain in early summer 2020 and subsequently spread across Europe. We find no evidence that this variant has increased transmissibility, but instead demonstrate how rising incidence in Spain, resumption of travel, and lack of effective screening and containment may explain the variant’s success. Despite travel restrictions, we estimate that 20E (EU1) was introduced hundreds of times to European countries by summertime travellers, which is likely to have undermined local efforts to minimize infection with SARS-CoV-2. Our results illustrate how a variant can rapidly become dominant even in the absence of a substantial transmission advantage in favourable epidemiological settings. Genomic surveillance is critical for understanding how travel can affect transmission of SARS-CoV-2, and thus for informing future containment strategies as travel resumes.S

Fostering English-taught higher education programs in a Spanish university: the "TechEnglish" innovative project

In recent years, coinciding with adjustments to the Bologna process, many European universities have attempted to improve their international profile by increasing course offerings in English. According to the Institute of International Education (IIE), Spain has notably increased its English-taught higher education programs, ranking fifth in the list of European countries by number of English-taught Master's programs in 2013. This article presents the goals and preliminary results of an on-going innovative education project (TechEnglish) that aims to promote course offerings in English at the Technical University of Madrid (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, UPM). The UPM is the oldest and largest of all Technical Universities in Spain. It offers graduate and postgraduate programs that cover all the engineering disciplines as well as architecture. Currently, the UPM has no specific bilingual/multilingual program to promote teaching in English, although there is an Educational Model Whitepaper (with a focus on undergraduate degrees) that promotes the development of activities like an International Semester or a unique shared curriculum. The TechEnglish project is an attempt to foster courses taught in English at 7 UPM Technical Schools, including students and 80 faculty members. Four tasks were identified: (1) to design a university wide framework to increase course offerings, (2) to identify administrative difficulties, (3) to increase visibility of courses offered, and (4) to disseminate the results of the project. First, to design a program we analyzed existing programs at other Spanish universities, and other projects and efforts already under way at the UPM. A total of 13 plans were analyzed and classified according to their relation with students (learning), professors (teaching), administration, course offerings, other actors/institutions within the university (e.g., language departments), funds and projects, dissemination activities, mobility plans and quality control. Second, to begin to identify administrative and organizational difficulties in the implementation of teaching in English, we first estimated the current and potential course offerings at the undergraduate level at the UPM using a survey (student, teacher and administrative demand, level of English and willingness to work in English). Third, to make the course offerings more attractive for both Spanish and international students we examined the way the most prestigious universities in Spain and in Europe try to improve the visibility of their academic offerings in English. Finally, to disseminate the results of the project we created a web page and a workspace on the Moodle education platform and prepared conferences and workshops within the UPM. Preliminary results show that increasing course offerings in English is an important step to promote the internationalization of the University. The main difficulties identified at the UPM were related to how to acknowledge/certify the departments, teachers or students involved in English courses, how students should register for the courses, how departments should split and schedule the courses (Spanish and English), and the lack of qualified personnel. A concerted effort could be made to increase the visibility of English-taught programs offered on-line