86 research outputs found
Variability of early autumn planktonic assemblages in the strait of Gibraltar: a regionalization analysis
The Strait of Gibraltar (SG) is the only connection of the Mediterranean Sea with the global circulation. The SG is an outstanding
marine region to explore physical-biological coupling of pelagic communities due to its hydrodynamic complexity, including strong
tidal forcing and marked spatial gradients and fronts. The authors have unravelled the role of the fortnightly tidal scale (spring and
neap tides) and local processes (upwelling and tidal-topographic mixing) that shape planktonic assemblages in the Strait. To do so,
an oceanographic cruise was taken in early autumn 2008 with a high-resolution grid sampling and spring/neap tidal conditions. The
planktonic features were captured using different automatic and semi-automatic techniques of plankton analyses (flow cytometry,
FlowCAM, LOPC and Ecotaxa) that allowed covering a wide range of sizes of the community from pico- to mesoplankton. The SG
was sectorized into two clusters based on the biogeochemical and main water column properties. Cluster 1 (CL1) covered shallow
productive areas around Cape Trafalgar (CT). CL1 presented higher concentrations of chlorophyll and nutrients, and phytoplankton
was mostly represented by Synechococcus and coastal diatoms while zooplankton had the highest percentage of meroplankton (31%).
In contrast, cluster 2 (CL2) covered open ocean waters and presented more oligotrophic features, i.e. nitrogen-depleted waters with
lower chlorophyll concentrations and a picoplankton community dominated by Prochlorococcus and holoplankton predominance in
mesozooplankton. Under early autumn conditions with overall nutrient-depleted and stratified waters, the CT area emerges as an ecosystem
where the constant tidal mixing and nutrients supply is coupled with an active production also being favored by high residence
times and finally shaping a plankton community with unique features in the area.En prensa0,56
Control de calidad y de almacenamiento de semillas de girasol mediante tecnología de infrarrojo cercano
This work assesses the application of near infrared spectroscopy technology for the quality control of sunflower seeds direct from farmers and from a storage silo. The results show that the analytical method employing near infrared spectroscopy can be used as a rapid and non-destructive tool for the determination of moisture, fat and high/low oleic acid contents in samples of sunflower seeds. The ranges obtained were comparable to those reported for classic chemical methods, and were between 4.6-21.4% for moisture; 38.4-49.6% for fat, and 60.0-93.1% for oleic acid expressed as percentage of total fatty acids. A stepwise discriminant analysis was performed to determine the most useful wavelengths for classifying sunflower seeds in terms of their (high/low) oleic acid composition. The discriminant model allows the classification of sunflower seeds with high or low oleic acid contents, with a prediction rate of 90.5% for internal validation and of 89.4% for cross-validation.En este trabajo se evalúa la espectroscopía de infrarrojo cercano para su uso en el control de calidad y almacenamiento de semillas de girasol. Los resultados indican que el método analítico empleado puede utilizarse como método de determinación rápida de humedad, grasa y contenidos altos/bajos de ácido oleico. Los rangos de aplicación son comparables con los valores que se han determinado mediante métodos clásicos de análisis, encontrándose entre 4.6-21.4% la humedad, 38.4-49.6% la grasa y 60.0- 93.1% de ácido oleico del total de los ácidos grasos. Además se ha utilizado un análisis discriminarte lineal por pasos determinando las longitudes de onda más adecuadas para la clasificación de semillas de girasol en los grupos alto/bajo oleico. El modelo generado permitió la clasificación de semillas de girasol en los grupos alto y bajo oleico con unos porcentajes de muestras correctamente clasificadas de un 90.5% en validación interna y de un 89.4% en validación cruzada
Trifaceted Mickey Mouse Amphiphiles for Programmable Self-Assembly, DNA Complexation and Organ-Selective Gene Delivery
Instilling segregated cationic and lipophilic domains with an angular disposition in a trehalose-based trifaceted macrocyclic scaffold allows engineering patchy molecular nanoparticles leveraging directional interactions that emulate those controlling self-assembling processes in viral capsids. The resulting trilobular amphiphilic derivatives, featuring a Mickey Mouse architecture, can electrostatically interact with plasmid DNA (pDNA) and further engage in hydrophobic contacts to promote condensation into transfectious nanocomplexes. Notably, the topology and internal structure of the cyclooligosaccharide/pDNA co-assemblies can be molded by fine-tuning the valency and characteristics of the cationic and lipophilic patches, which strongly impacts the transfection efficacy in vitro and in vivo. Outstanding organ selectivities can then be programmed with no need of incorporating a biorecognizable motif in the formulation. The results provide a versatile strategy for the construction of fully synthetic and perfectly monodisperse nonviral gene delivery systems uniquely suited for optimization schemes by making cyclooligosaccharide patchiness the focus.Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades y Agencia Estatal de Investigación de España. RTI2018-097609-B-C21, RTI2018-097609-B-C22 y PID2019-105858RB-I00Universidad de Alcalá de Henares, Madrid. CCG19/CC-03
Diel vertical migrants and the ocean carbon pump: is there a ladder of migration?
Active flux performed by migrant biota is still a gap in the knowledge of the biological pump in the ocean. These organisms mainly feed upon epipelagic zooplankton and transport this carbon due to their feeding at the shallower layers and their defecation, respiration, excretion and mortality at depth. The recent finding that mesopelagic fish biomass in the ocean is one order of magnitude higher indicates that the active flux should be thoroughly evaluated. Here, we show enhanced plankton biomass, ranging from bacteria to zooplankton, reaching down to 4,000 m depth below the Atlantic and Pacific equatorial upwelling systems. We also found a striking close relationship between the zooplankton backscatter enhancement in the epi-, meso- and bathypelagic zones. Backscatter increased in a similar proportion along the subtropical, tropical, and equatorial areas in the three zones. Literature, recent data in subtropical waters, and these results suggest an intense active carbon transport from the epipelagic layer to the deep sea driven by zooplankton and micronekton, enhancing the efficiency of the biological pump and promoting true carbon sequestration beyond 1000 m depth.MALASPINA (CSD2008 00077) MAFIA (CTM2012-39587-C04
Characterization of the Megalopal Premoult Stages of the Green Crab, Carcinus Maenas (Decapoda, Portunidae), from Laboratory Culture
The premoult stages of Carcinus maenas (L.) megalopae were described from laboratory-reared larvae. Characterization of the premoult stage sequence was based upon a time sequence of morphological modifications of the distal segment of the second maxilliped, the uropod, and the telson. An intermoult plus seven premoult stages were identified, following a sequence of morphological modifications similar to the one described in previous studies of brachyuran decapods. The later premoult stages
D3
D3
and
D4
D4
mentioned by Drach were not observed, possibly owing to both the low calcification of the megalopae cuticle and the short duration of these moult stages. The knowledge of the time series of moult events will assist in the evaluation of the development state and competence of megalopae throughout the several phases of dispersal and recruitment, based on the observation of their morphological characters
Severe manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 in children and adolescents: from COVID-19 pneumonia to multisystem inflammatory syndrome: a multicentre study in pediatric intensive care units in Spain
Background
Multisystem inflammatory syndrome temporally associated with COVID-19 (MIS-C) has been described as a novel and often severe presentation of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children. We aimed to describe the characteristics of children admitted to Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs) presenting with MIS-C in comparison with those admitted with SARS-CoV-2 infection with other features such as COVID-19 pneumonia.
Methods
A multicentric prospective national registry including 47 PICUs was carried out. Data from children admitted with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection or fulfilling MIS-C criteria (with or without SARS-CoV-2 PCR confirmation) were collected. Clinical, laboratory and therapeutic features between MIS-C and non-MIS-C patients were compared.
Results
Seventy-four children were recruited. Sixty-one percent met MIS-C definition. MIS-C patients were older than non-MIS-C patients (p = 0.002): 9.4 years (IQR 5.5–11.8) vs 3.4 years (IQR 0.4–9.4). A higher proportion of them had no previous medical history of interest (88.2% vs 51.7%, p = 0.005). Non-MIS-C patients presented more frequently with respiratory distress (60.7% vs 13.3%, p < 0.001). MIS-C patients showed higher prevalence of fever (95.6% vs 64.3%, p < 0.001), diarrhea (66.7% vs 11.5%, p < 0.001), vomits (71.1% vs 23.1%, p = 0.001), fatigue (65.9% vs 36%, p = 0.016), shock (84.4% vs 13.8%, p < 0.001) and cardiac dysfunction (53.3% vs 10.3%, p = 0.001). MIS-C group had a lower lymphocyte count (p < 0.001) and LDH (p = 0.001) but higher neutrophil count (p = 0.045), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (p < 0.001), C-reactive protein (p < 0.001) and procalcitonin (p < 0.001). Patients in the MIS-C group were less likely to receive invasive ventilation (13.3% vs 41.4%, p = 0.005) but were more often treated with vasoactive drugs (66.7% vs 24.1%, p < 0.001), corticosteroids (80% vs 44.8%, p = 0.003) and immunoglobulins (51.1% vs 6.9%, p < 0.001). Most patients were discharged from PICU by the end of data collection with a median length of stay of 5 days (IQR 2.5–8 days) in the MIS-C group. Three patients died, none of them belonged to the MIS-C group.
Conclusions
MIS-C seems to be the most frequent presentation among critically ill children with SARS-CoV-2 infection. MIS-C patients are older and usually healthy. They show a higher prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms and shock and are more likely to receive vasoactive drugs and immunomodulators and less likely to need mechanical ventilation than non-MIS-C patients
Impacts of Use and Abuse of Nature in Catalonia with Proposals for Sustainable Management
This paper provides an overview of the last 40 years of use, and in many cases abuse, of the natural resources in Catalonia, a country that is representative of European countries in general, and especially those in the Mediterranean region. It analyses the use of natural resources made by mining, agriculture, livestock, logging, fishing, nature tourism, and energy production and consumption. This use results in an ecological footprint, i.e., the productive land and sea surface required to generate the consumed resources and absorb the resulting waste, which is about seven times the amount available, a very high number but very similar to other European countries. This overexploitation of natural resources has a huge impact on land and its different forms of cover, air, and water. For the last 25 years, forests and urban areas have each gained almost 3% more of the territory at the expense of agricultural land; those municipalities bordering the sea have increased their number of inhabitants and activity, and although they only occupy 6.7% of the total surface area, they account for 43.3% of the population; air quality has stabilized since the turn of the century, and there has been some improvement in the state of aquatic ecosystems, but still only 36% are in good condition, while the remainder have suffered morphological changes and different forms of nonpoint source pollution; meanwhile the biodiversity of flora and fauna remains still under threat. Environmental policies do not go far enough so there is a need for revision of the legislation related to environmental impact and the protection of natural areas, flora, and fauna. The promotion of environmental research must be accompanied by environmental education to foster a society which is more knowledgeable, has more control and influence over the decisions that deeply affect it. Indeed, nature conservation goes hand in hand with other social and economic challenges that require a more sustainable vision. Today's problems with nature derive from the current economic model, which is environmentally unsustainable in that it does not take into account environmental impacts. Lastly, we propose a series of reasonable and feasible priority measures and actions related to each use made of the country's natural resources, to the impacts they have had, and to their management, in the hope that these can contribute to improving the conservation and management of the environment and biodiversity and move towards sustainability
Trifaceted Mickey Mouse Amphiphiles for Programmable Self-Assembly, DNA Complexation and Organ-Selective Gene Delivery
Instilling segregated cationic and lipophilic domains
with an angular disposition in a trehalose-based trifaceted
macrocyclic scaffold allows engineering patchy molecular
nanoparticles leveraging directional interactions that emulate
those controlling self-assembling processes in viral capsids.
The resulting trilobular amphiphilic derivatives, featuring a
Mickey Mouse architecture, can electrostatically interact with
plasmid DNA (pDNA) and further engage in hydrophobic
contacts to promote condensation into transfectious nanocomplexes.
Notably, the topology and internal structure of
the cyclooligosaccharide/pDNA co-assemblies can be molded
by fine-tuning the valency and characteristics of the cationic
and lipophilic patches, which strongly impacts the transfection
efficacy in vitro and in vivo. Outstanding organ
selectivities can then be programmed with no need of
incorporating a biorecognizable motif in the formulation. The
results provide a versatile strategy for the construction of fully
synthetic and perfectly monodisperse nonviral gene delivery
systems uniquely suited for optimization schemes by making
cyclooligosaccharide patchiness the focus.Peer reviewe
A922 Sequential measurement of 1 hour creatinine clearance (1-CRCL) in critically ill patients at risk of acute kidney injury (AKI)
Meeting abstrac
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