Bottom-up effects of streambed drying on consumer performance through changes in resource quality

Stream flow intermittency and subsequent streambed drying, which already occurs in most biomes worldwide, is expected to increase in many regions due to both climate change and increased water demand. We studied the effects of streambed drying on leaves and epilithic biofilm and their effects on potential consumers. In the field, resources were conditioned according to the following treatments: (i) continuously submerged (PERM), (ii) submerged, exposed to the dry streambed and then submerged again (INT), or (iii) conditioned in the dry streambed and only allowed instream conditioning for 1 week (DRY, only for leaves). The results showed that drying affects resource quality, and the effects on biofilm were more severe than those on leaves. Both DRY leaves and INT biofilm showed lower microbial colonization and nitrogen accrual, whereas INT leaves had similar characteristics to PERM leaves. Drying resulted in decreased shredder and herbivore consumption rates and detritivore growth. Our results suggest that bottom-up effects of drying through changes in resource quality can constrain detritivore growth in temporary streams, potentially affecting stream secondary production and invertebrate-mediated organic matter cycling under a drier climate scenario

Exploring the Contribution of the Transporter AGT1/rBAT in Cystinuria Progression: Insights from Mouse Models and a Retrospective Cohort Study

More than 20 years have passed since the identification of SLC3A1 and SLC7A9 as causative genes for cystinuria. However, cystinuria patients exhibit significant variability in the age of lithiasis onset, recurrence, and response to treatment, suggesting the presence of modulatory factors influencing cystinuria severity. In 2016, a second renal cystine transporter, AGT1, encoded by the SLC7A13 gene, was discovered. Although it was discarded as a causative gene for cystinuria, its possible effect as a modulatory gene remains unexplored. Thus, we analyzed its function in mouse models of cystinuria, screened the SLC7A13 gene in 34 patients with different lithiasic phenotypes, and functionally characterized the identified variants. Mice results showed that AGT1/rBAT may have a protective role against cystine lithiasis. In addition, among the four missense variants detected in patients, two exhibited a 25% impairment in AGT1/rBAT transport. However, no correlation between SLC7A13 genotypes and lithiasis phenotypes was observed in patients, probably because these variants were found in heterozygous states. In conclusion, our results, consistent with a previous study, suggest that AGT1/rBAT does not have a relevant effect on cystinuria patients, although an impact in patients carrying homozygous pathogenic variants cannot be discarded

Arbovirus surveillance: first dengue virus detection in local Aedes albopictus mosquitoes in Europe, Catalonia, Spain, 2015

Dengue has emerged as the most important viral mosquito-borne disease globally. The current risk of dengue outbreaks in Europe appeared with the introduction of the vector Aedes albopictus mosquito in Mediterranean countries. Considering the increasing frequency of dengue epidemics worldwide and the movement of viraemic hosts, it is expected that new autochthonous cases will occur in the future in Europe. Arbovirus surveillance started in Catalonia in 2015 to monitor imported cases and detect possible local arboviral transmission. During 2015, 131 patients with a recent travel history to endemic countries were tested for dengue virus (DENV) and 65 dengue cases were detected. Twenty-eight patients with a febrile illness were viraemic, as demonstrated by a positive real-time RT-PCR test for DENV in serum samples. Entomological investigations around the viraemic cases led to the detection of DENV in a pool of local Ae. albopictus captured in the residency of one case. The sequence of the DENV envelope gene detected in the mosquito pool was identical to that detected in the patient. Our results show how entomological surveillance conducted around viraemic travellers can be effective for early detection of DENV in mosquitoes and thus might help to prevent possible autochthonous transmission

Adherence to the Western, Prudent and Mediterranean dietary patterns and breast cancer risk: MCC-Spain study

Objective To externally validate the previously identified effect on breast cancer risk of the Western, Prudent and Mediterranean dietary patterns. Study design MCC-Spain is a multicase-control study that collected epidemiological information on 1181 incident cases of female breast cancer and 1682 control cases from 10 Spanish provinces. Three dietary patterns derived in another Spanish case-control study were analysed in the MCC-Spain study. These patterns were termed Western (high intakes of fatty and sugary products and red and processed meat), Prudent (high intakes of low-fat dairy products, vegetables, fruits, whole grains and juices) and Mediterranean (high intake of fish, vegetables, legumes, boiled potatoes, fruits, olives, and vegetable oil, and a low intake of juices). Their association with breast cancer was assessed using logistic regression models with random province-specific intercepts considering an interaction with menopausal status. Risk according to tumour subtypes ? based on oestrogen (ER), progesterone (PR) and human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) receptors (ER+/PR+&HER2-; HER2+; ER-/PR-&HER2-) ? was evaluated with multinomial regression models. Main outcome measures Breast cancer and histological subtype. Results Our results confirm most of the associations found in the previous case-control study. A high adherence to the Western dietary pattern seems to increase breast cancer risk in both premenopausal women (OR4thvs.1stquartile(95%CI):1.68(1.02;2.79); OR1SD-increase(95%CI): 1.19(1.01;1.40)) and postmenopausal women (OR4thvs.1stquartile(95%CI):1.48(1.07;2.05); OR1SD-increase(95%CI): 1.14(1.01;1.28)). While high adherence to the Prudent pattern did not show any effect on breast cancer, the Mediterranean dietary pattern seemed to be protective, but only among postmenopausal women (OR4thvs.1stquartile (95%CI):0.72(95% CI 0.53;0.98); p-int = 0.075). There were no significant differences by tumour subtype. Conclusion Dietary recommendations based on a departure from the Western dietary pattern in favour of the Mediterranean diet could reduce breast cancer risk in the general population.The study was funded by Carlos III Institute of Health grants (PI12/00488, PI12/00265, PI12/00715, PI12/01270, PI09/00773 and PI08/1770), by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (IJCI-2014-20900) and by Consejería de Salud de la Junta de Andalucía (PI-0571- 2009 and PI-0306-2011) competitive calls including peer review for scientific quality. Additional funding was provided by the Spanish Federation of Breast Cancer Patients (FECMA: EPY 1169- 10), the Association of Women with Breast Cancer from Elche (AMACMEC:EPY 1394/15), the Marqués de Valdecilla foundation (grant API 10/09), ) and by Acción Transversal del Cancer, approved by the Spanish Ministry Council on October 11, 2007. None of the funders played any role in conducting research or writing the paper

El uso de estrategias de personalización para la mejora de la implicación de los estudiantes en su aprendizaje individual y de grupo

El trabajo presenta los resultados de una innovación docente dirigida a potenciar la implicación de los estudiantes y el sentido en el aprendizaje. La propuesta incorpora estrategias metodológicas basadas en la personalización. Participan 230 estudiantes de primer curso de los grados de maestro y se analizan sus respuestas a un cuestionario sobre la experiencia. La elección en las actividades y el apoyo entre los miembros del grupo son percibidos como elementos clave para mejorar su implicación

Population-based multicase-control study in common tumors in Spain (MCC-Spain): rationale and study design

Introduction: We present the protocol of a large population-based case-control study of 5 common tumors in Spain (MCC-Spain) that evaluates environmental exposures and genetic factors. Methods: Between 2008-2013, 10,183 persons aged 20-85 years were enrolled in 23 hospitals and primary care centres in 12 Spanish provinces including 1,115 cases of a new diagnosis of prostate cancer, 1,750 of breast cancer, 2,171 of colorectal cancer, 492 of gastro-oesophageal cancer, 554 cases of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and 4,101 population-based controls matched by frequency to cases by age, sex and region of residence. Participation rates ranged from 57% (stomach cancer) to 87% (CLL cases) and from 30% to 77% in controls. Participants completed a face-to-face computerized interview on sociodemographic factors, environmental exposures, occupation, medication, lifestyle, and personal and family medical history. In addition, participants completed a self-administered food-frequency questionnaire and telephone interviews. Blood samples were collected from 76% of participants while saliva samples were collected in CLL cases and participants refusing blood extractions. Clinical information was recorded for cases and paraffin blocks and/or fresh tumor samples are available in most collaborating hospitals. Genotyping was done through an exome array enriched with genetic markers in specific pathways. Multiple analyses are planned to assess the association of environmental, personal and genetic risk factors for each tumor and to identify pleiotropic effects. Discussion: This study, conducted within the Spanish Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology & Public Health (CIBERESP), is a unique initiative to evaluate etiological factors for common cancers and will promote cancer research and prevention in Spain.The study was partially funded by the “Accion Transversal del Cancer”, approved on the Spanish Ministry Council on the 11th October 2007, by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III-FEDER (PI08/1770, PI08/0533, PI08/1359, PS09/00773, PS09/01286, PS09/01903, PS09/02078, PS09/01662, PI11/01403, PI11/01889, PI11/00226, PI11/01810, PI11/02213, PI12/00488, PI12/00265, PI12/01270, PI12/00715, PI12/00150), by the Fundación Marqués de Valdecilla (API 10/09), by the ICGC International Cancer Genome Consortium CLL, by the Junta de Castilla y León (LE22A10-2), by the Consejería de Salud of the Junta de Andalucía (PI-0571), by the Conselleria de Sanitat of the Generalitat Valenciana (AP 061/10), by the Recercaixa (2010ACUP 00310), by the Regional Government of the Basque Country by European Commission grants FOOD-CT- 2006-036224-HIWATE, by the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC) Scientific Foundation, by the The Catalan Government DURSI grant 2009SGR1489

TFG 2012/2013

Amb aquesta publicació, EINA, Centre universitari de Disseny i Art adscrit a la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, dóna a conèixer el recull dels Treballs de Fi de Grau presentats durant el curs 2012-2013. Voldríem que un recull com aquest donés una idea més precisa de la tasca que es realitza a EINA per tal de formar nous dissenyadors amb capacitat de respondre professionalment i intel·lectualment a les necessitats i exigències de la nostra societat. El treball formatiu s’orienta a oferir resultats que responguin tant a paràmetres de rigor acadèmic i capacitat d’anàlisi del context com a l’experimentació i la creació de nous llenguatges, tot fomentant el potencial innovador del disseny.Con esta publicación, EINA, Centro universitario de diseño y arte adscrito a la Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, da a conocer la recopilación de los Trabajos de Fin de Grado presentados durante el curso 2012-2013. Querríamos que una recopilación como ésta diera una idea más precisa del trabajo que se realiza en EINA para formar nuevos diseñadores con capacidad de responder profesional e intelectualmente a las necesidades y exigencias de nuestra sociedad. El trabajo formativo se orienta a ofrecer resultados que respondan tanto a parámetros de rigor académico y capacidad de análisis, como a la experimentación y la creación de nuevos lenguajes, al tiempo que se fomenta el potencial innovador del diseño.With this publication, EINA, University School of Design and Art, ascribed to the Autonomous University of Barcelona, brings to the public eye the Final Degree Projects presented during the 2012-2013 academic year. Our hope is that this volume might offer a more precise idea of the task performed by EINA in training new designers, able to speak both professionally and intellectually to the needs and demands of our society. The educational task is oriented towards results that might respond to the parameters of academic rigour and the capacity for contextual analysis, as well as to considerations of experimentation and the creation of new languages, all the while reinforcing design’s innovative potential

Consequences of warming and resource quality on the stoichiometry and nutrient cycling of a stream shredder

As a result of climate change, streams are warming and their runoff has been decreasing in most temperate areas. These changes can affect consumers directly by increasing their metabolic rates and modifying their physiology and indirectly by changing the quality of the resources on which organisms depend. In this study, a common stream detritivore (Echinogammarus berilloni Catta) was reared at two temperatures (15 and 20°C) and fed Populus nigra L. leaves that had been conditioned either in an intermittent or permanent reach to evaluate the effects of resource quality and increased temperatures on detritivore performance, stoichiometry and nutrient cycling. The lower quality (i.e., lower protein, soluble carbohydrates and higher C:P and N:P ratios) of leaves conditioned in pools resulted in compensatory feeding and lower nutrient retention capacity by E. berilloni. This effect was especially marked for phosphorus, which was unexpected based on predictions of ecological stoichiometry. When individuals were fed pool-conditioned leaves at warmer temperatures, their growth rates were higher, but consumers exhibited less efficient assimilation and higher mortality. Furthermore, the shifts to lower C:P ratios and higher lipid concentrations in shredder body tissues suggest that structural molecules such as phospholipids are preserved over other energetic C-rich macromolecules such as carbohydrates. These effects on consumer physiology and metabolism were further translated into feces and excreta nutrient ratios. Overall, our results show that the effects of reduced leaf quality on detritivore nutrient retention were more severe at higher temperatures because the shredders were not able to offset their increased metabolism with increased consumption or more efficient digestion when fed pool-conditioned leaves. Consequently, the synergistic effects of impaired food quality and increased temperatures might not only affect the physiology and survival of detritivores but also extend to other trophic compartments through detritivore-mediated nutrient cycling

Electrical characterization of thermomechanically stable YSZ membranes for micro solid oxide fuel cells applications

10 páginas, 10 figuras, 3 tablas.Yttria-stabilized zirconia free-standing membranes were fabricated by pulsed laser deposition on Si/SiO2/Si3N4 structures for developing silicon-based micro devices for micro solid oxide fuel cell applications. Their mechanical stability under working conditions was evaluated satisfactorily by applying thermal cycling to the membranes. Membranes mechanically stable at operating temperatures as high as 700 °C were obtained for deposition temperatures in the range between 400 and 700 °C. Thermomechanical behavior as measured by X-ray microdiffraction was correlated with the evolution of the microstructure with the temperature from TEM analysis, comparing as-deposited and post-deposition annealed membranes. Electrical properties of both yttria-stabilized zirconia films and membranes were studied by DC conductivity and impedance spectroscopy, respectively. A difference of almost one order of magnitude was measured between bulk and stressed films while conductivities close to the bulk were observed for YSZ membranes. Values of area specific resistance of 0.15 Ωcm2 were measured at temperatures below 450 °C for 240 nm thick YSZ membranes deposited at 600 °C and annealed at the same temperature for 2.5 h.This investigation has been supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Education (MAT-2008-04931, CSD-2008-023 and TEC- 2007-64669 projects) and the “Generalitat de Catalunya” (2009-SGR- 228). A.T., N.S would like to thank the financial support of the postdoctoral program “Ramón y Cajal” (MICINN) and A.C to the postdoctoral program “Juan de la Cierva” (MICINN)Peer reviewe

Ingested Nitrate and Breast Cancer in the Spanish Multicase-Control Study on Cancer (MCC-Spain).

BACKGROUND: Ingested nitrate leads to endogenous formation of N-nitroso compounds that are breast carcinogens in animals, but human evidence is limited. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated ingested nitrate as a risk factor for breast cancer (BC) in a multicase-control study. METHODS: Hospital-based incident BC cases and population-based controls were recruited in eight Spanish regions in 2008-2013; participants provided residential and water consumption from 18 years of age and information on known BC risk factors. Long-term nitrate levels (1940-2010) were estimated and linked with residential histories and water consumption to calculate waterborne ingested nitrate (milligrams/day). Dietary ingested nitrate (milligrams/day) was calculated using food frequency questionnaires and published dietary nitrate contents. Interactions with endogenous nitrosation factors and other variables were evaluated. A total of 1,245 cases and 1,520 controls were included in the statistical analysis. RESULTS: Among the study regions, average ± SD waterborne ingested nitrate ranged from 2.9 ± 1.9 to 13.5 ± 7.5 mg/day, and dietary ingested nitrate ranged from 88.5 ± 48.7 to 154 ± 87.8 mg/day. Waterborne ingested nitrate was not associated with BC overall, but among postmenopausal women, those with both high nitrate (> 6 vs. < 2.6 mg/day) and high red meat intake (≥ 20 vs. < 20 g/day) were more likely to be cases than women with low nitrate and low red meat intake (adjusted odds ratio = 1.64; 95% confidence interval: 1.08, 2.49; overall interaction p-value = 0.17). No association was found with dietary nitrate. CONCLUSIONS: Waterborne ingested nitrate was associated with BC only among postmenopausal women with high red meat consumption. Dietary nitrate was not associated with BC regardless of the animal or vegetable source or of menopausal status.This study was funded by the “Acción Transversal del Cáncer del Consejo de Ministros del 11/10/2007” from the “Instituto de Salud Carlos III-FEDER” (PI08/1770, PI08/0533, PI11/00226), ISCIII FIS grants. N.E.H. received financial support for the Ph.D. program from the “Agència de Gestió d’Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca (AGAUR FI-DGR 2013) Generalitat de Cataluña.