The pig Conohyus simorrensis from the upper Aragonian of Alhamibra, Madrid, and a review of the distribution of European Conohyus

The suid remains from Alhambra (Madrid, late Aragonian, Middle Miocene; MN6, zone F) are described and assigned to Conohyus simorrensis. Conohyus is well known in Spain from late MN5, or zone E, MN7+8, or zone G, and MN9. The material from Alhambra fills the gap in the Iberian record. The Iberian record shows that Cononhyus became larger, with relatively larger posterior molars and with reduced premolars. This evolution occurred in a large area that extends from westem Europe to Anatolia. We present an overview of the European and Anatolian localities with Conohyus.Los restos de suido de Alhambra (Madrid, Aragoniense Tardío, Mioceno Medio, MN6, zona F) son descritos y asignados a Conohyus simorrensis. Este género se conoce bien en España de la unidad MN5, o zona E, y MN7+8, o zona G, y en MN9. El material de Alhambra llena un hiato en el registro ibérico. La evolución de Conohyus ocurrió en una vasta área que se extiende de Europa occidental hasta Anatolia. Presentamos un sumario de yacimientos europeos y turcos con Conohyus

An open-source approach to automation in organic synthesis: The flow chemical formation of benzamides using an inline liquid-liquid extraction system and a homemade 3-axis autosampling/product-collection device

Several open-source hardware and software technologies (RAMPS, Python, PySerial, OpenCV) were used to control an automated flow chemical synthesis system. The system was used to effect the synthesis of a series of benzamides. An inexpensive Raspberry Pi single board computer provided an electronic interface between the control computer and the RAMPS motor driver boards

Capra alba Moyà-Solà, 1987 del Pleistoceno Inferior de la Sierra de Quibas (Albanilla, Murcia, España)

A finales de la década de los 90 se realizó el primer estudio paleontológico del yacimiento de la Sierra de Quibas (Montoya et al., 1999) en el que se describieron más de 60 taxones de vertebrados. Uno de ellos fue el de un caprino asignado como Capra sp. aff Capra alba. Las últimas campañas de excavación han librado nuevos restos de este taxón, lo que ha permitido poder estudiarlo con mayor profundidad y asignarlo a Capra alba. Esta atribución se basa en la comparación morfológica y métrica de los cráneos, núcleos óseos, dentición y metápodos con los ejemplares de C. alba de Venta Micena (Orce, Granada).The first palaeontological study of the locality of Quibas dates from the end of the 1990ties (Montoya et al., 1999), describing over 60 vertebrate taxa. One of these was a caprine assigned to Capra sp. aff. Capra alba. Recent excavations yielded new remains of this taxon, which permits a more profound study of its affinities and an assignation to Capra alba, without reservation. This assignation is based on the morphological and metrical comparison of the skulls, horn cores, dentition and metapodials from Quibas with those of Capra alba from Venta Micena (Orce Granada)[email protected]

Fauna y bioestratigrafía del yacimiento Aragoniense de Montejo de la Vega de la Serrezuela (Segovia)

The macro and micromammals fossils of Montejo de la Vega de la Serrezuela (Segovia, Spain) are studied. The identified taxons allow to place the new locality in the Middle Aragonian, unit MN5 of Mein (1977, 1979, 1990). The Montejo de la Vega deposit can be correlated with the Arroyo del Olivar in the Madrid basin and the Las Planas 4A, 4B, Y4C in the Calatayud-Teruel basin.Se estudian los macro y micromamíferos fósiles de Montejo de la Vega de la Serrezuela (Segovia). Los taxones identificados permiten situar esta localidad en el Aragoniense medio, unidad MN5 de Mein (1977, 1979, 1990). El yacimiento de Montejo de la Vega puede correlacionarse con el de Arroyo del Olivar en la cuenca de Madrid y con los de Las Planas 4A, 4B y 4C en la cuenca de Calatayud-Teruel

Conservation of Maculinea butterflies at landscape level

To enhance the establishment of new populations of reintroduced Maculinea species and increase dispersal between sites, a regional action plan has been started. Public communities, nature conservation organizations, amateurs and farmers participate in the agreements on management of sites. The study describes the changes in the ant fauna in the Action Plan Area after changes in the management of canal borders, road verges and ditch sides

Lipoprotein Changes Following Consumption of Lutein-enriched Eggs are Associated with Enhanced Lutein Bioavailability

Abstract Lutein is concentrated in the retina and since it cannot be synthesized by the human body, its uptake depends on nutritional intake. Lutein-enriched eggs are a good lutein source, but whether changes in lipoprotein status following lutein-enriched egg consumption may affect an individual's lutein response is not yet clear. Data from three intervention trials with lutein-enriched eggs or products made from the enriched egg yolks were combined (n=294) and analyzed to investigate the dynamics of the lutein response in relation to lipoprotein levels. Cross sectional correlation was tested at baseline between lutein and lipoprotein profiles in all participants. Subsequently two groups were selected from the combined database whereby individuals receiving lutein-enriched egg yolks (n=137) were compared with controls not receiving eggs (n=117). Significant correlations between blood lutein concentrations and total cholesterol (r=0.309; p<0.001), HDL-C (r=0.246; p<0.001), LDL-C (r=0.241; p<0.001), ApoA1 (r=0.301; p<0.001), and ApoB100 (r=0.199; p<0.005) concentrations, but not with serum triglycerides were found at baseline. Following a three to twelve month intervention, blood lutein concentrations increased from 238 to 463 ng/ml (p<0.001) in the lutein group, whereas levels in controls remained unchanged. The lutein increase in the lutein-enriched egg group correlated significantly with changes in total cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C, ApoA1 and ApoB100 concentrations. To conclude, individuals showing the largest lipoprotein increase following egg consumption were also those with the strongest increase in blood lutein concentration. This indicates that therapies directed at altering lipoprotein levels may indirectly affect lutein bioavailability

Cardiac circRNAs Arise Mainly From Constitutive Exons Rather Than Alternatively Spliced Exons

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a relatively new class of RNA molecules, and knowledge about their biogenesis and function is still in its infancy. It was recently shown that alternative splicing underlies the formation of circular RNAs (circRNA) arising from the Titin (TTN) gene. Since the main mechanism by which circRNAs are formed is still unclear, we hypothesized that alternative splicing, and in particular exon skipping, is a major driver of circRNA production. We performed RNA sequencing on human and mouse hearts, mapped alternative splicing events, and overlaid these with expressed circRNAs at exon-level resolution. In addition, we performed RNA sequencing on hearts of Rbm20 KO mice to address how important Rbm20-mediated alternative splicing is in the production of cardiac circRNAs. In human and mouse hearts, we show that cardiac circRNAs are mostly (~90%) produced from constitutive exons and less (~10%) from alternatively spliced exons. In Rbm20 KO hearts, we identified 38 differentially expressed circRNAs of which 12 were produced from the Ttn gene. Even though Ttn appeared the most prominent target of Rbm20 for circularization, we also detected Rbm20-dependent circRNAs arising from other genes including Fan1, Stk39, Xdh, Bcl2l13, and Sorbs1. Interestingly, only Ttn circRNAs seemed to arise from Rbm20-mediated skipped exons. In conclusion, cardiac circRNAs are mostly derived from constitutive exons, suggesting that these circRNAs are generated at the expense of their linear counterpart and that circRNA production impacts the accumulation of the linear mRNA