Design and development of a CT imaging system for small animals

[Abstract] AMI International Conference 2003, September 21 - 27, Madrid, Spain: "High Resolution Molecular Imaging: from Basic Science to Clinical Applications"Positron emission tomography (PET) studies of small animals benefits from the registration of the functional information they provide with accurate anatomic images provided by dedicated computed tomography (CT) scanners. These scanners have to achieve the micrometric resolution requirements needed to locate structures in small laboratory animals like mice and rats. This work reports on a prototype based on a solid state semiconductor X-ray sensor and a microfocus Xray source.Publicad

Cloración de un concentrado de scheelita-wolframita en presencia de diferentes agentes de reducción

En este trabajo fue evaluada la eficacia de tres agentes de reducción (dióxido de azufre, pirita y carbón) para la obtención de tungsteno por cloración con cloro de un concentrado de scheelita-wolframita. La muestra inicial de minerales fue una mena de baja ley (0,7% p/p de W) extraída en la provincia de San Luis y posteriormente enriquecida por medios físicos (52,1% p/p de W). Se comprobó que el modo de remover el oxígeno desorbido como así también el producto de reacción no volátil formado, CaSO4 o CaCl2, cambian según sea el reductor empleado. La recuperación del metal, bajo la forma de WO2Cl2, con las diferentes combinaciones de reactivos fue: Cl2+N2 2+SO2 2+Cl2+N2 2+Cl2+SO2 2+N2. Por último, se calcularon las variaciones de energía libre de reacciones posibles a fin de predecir si eran factibles de ocurrir.Publicado en Terceras Jornadas de Investigación, Transferencia y Extensión. La Plata : Universidad Nacional de La Plata, 2015.Facultad de Ingenierí

Cloración de un concentrado de scheelita-wolframita en presencia de diferentes agentes de reducción

En este trabajo fue evaluada la eficacia de tres agentes de reducción (dióxido de azufre, pirita y carbón) para la obtención de tungsteno por cloración con cloro de un concentrado de scheelita-wolframita. La muestra inicial de minerales fue una mena de baja ley (0,7% p/p de W) extraída en la provincia de San Luis y posteriormente enriquecida por medios físicos (52,1% p/p de W). Se comprobó que el modo de remover el oxígeno desorbido como así también el producto de reacción no volátil formado, CaSO4 o CaCl2, cambian según sea el reductor empleado. La recuperación del metal, bajo la forma de WO2Cl2, con las diferentes combinaciones de reactivos fue: Cl2+N2 2+SO2 2+Cl2+N2 2+Cl2+SO2 2+N2. Por último, se calcularon las variaciones de energía libre de reacciones posibles a fin de predecir si eran factibles de ocurrir.Publicado en Terceras Jornadas de Investigación, Transferencia y Extensión. La Plata : Universidad Nacional de La Plata, 2015.Facultad de Ingenierí

Toxoplasmosis in domestic rabbit

Se describe un brote de Toxoplasmosis en conejos domésticos, desde el punto de vista clínico y anatomopatológicos macro y microscópico, el diagnóstico se realizó exclusivamente en base al estudio histopatológico. Se relatan las formas de presentación en otras especies domésticas, ciclo evolutivo y epidemiología del parásito y los antecedentes en veterinaria en nuestro país.An outbreak of Toxoplasmosis in domestic rabbits is described clinically and anatomopathologically.Diagnosis was performed under hlstologlc studies carried out with hematoxylin and eosin stains and other special techniques. Its occurrence in other domestic animals, biological cycle and epidemiology are also described as well as the antecedents in veterinary in our country.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria

Impact of Potentially Toxic Compounds in Cow Milk: How Industrial Activities Affect Animal Primary Productions

Potentially toxic elements (PTEs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) frequently coexist in soils near industrial areas and sometimes in environmental compartments directly linked to feed (forage) and food (milk) production. However, the distribution of these pollutants along the dairy farm production chain is unclear. Here, we analyzed soil, forage, and milk samples from 16 livestock farms in Spain: several PTEs and PAHs were quantified. Farms were compared in terms of whether they were close to (5 km) industrial areas. The results showed that PTEs and PAHs were enriched in the soils and forages from farms close to industrial areas, but not in the milk. In the soil, the maximum concentrations of PTEs reached 141, 46.1, 3.67, 6.11, and 138 mg kg-1 for chromium, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead, respectively, while fluoranthene (172.8 µg kg-1) and benzo(b)fluoranthene (177.4 µg kg-1) were the most abundant PAHs. Principal component analysis of the soil PTEs suggested common pollution sources for iron, arsenic, and lead. In the forage, the maximum contents of chromium, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead were 32.8, 7.87, 1.31, 0.47, and 7.85 mg kg-1, respectively. The PAH found in the highest concentration in the feed forage was pyrene (120 µg kg-1). In the milk, the maximum PTE levels were much lower than in the soil or the feed forages: 74.1, 16.1, 0.12, 0.28, and 2.7 µg kg-1 for chromium, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead, respectively. Neither of the two milk samples exceeded the 20 µg kg-1 limit for lead set in EU 1881/2006. Pyrene was the most abundant PAH found in the milk (39.4 µg kg-1), while high molecular weight PAHs were not detected. For PTEs, the results showed that soil-forage transfer factors were higher than forage-milk ratios. Our results suggest that soils and forages around farms near industries, as well as the milk produced from those farms, have generally low levels of PTE and PAH contaminants.This research was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (PID2020- 117282RB-I00, MCI-20-PID2019-000081, PID2019-109698GB-I00, PID2021-126010OR-I00), and by Principado de Asturias Regional Government co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (grants IDI/2021/000081 and IDI/2021/000102). S.F. received an FPI fellowship (grant BES-2017-081314) supported by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and the Investments for the Future program of the European Social Fund, “El FSE invierte en tu futuro”

Toxoplasmosis in domestic rabbit

Se describe un brote de Toxoplasmosis en conejos domésticos, desde el punto de vista clínico y anatomopatológicos macro y microscópico, el diagnóstico se realizó exclusivamente en base al estudio histopatológico. Se relatan las formas de presentación en otras especies domésticas, ciclo evolutivo y epidemiología del parásito y los antecedentes en veterinaria en nuestro país.An outbreak of Toxoplasmosis in domestic rabbits is described clinically and anatomopathologically.Diagnosis was performed under hlstologlc studies carried out with hematoxylin and eosin stains and other special techniques. Its occurrence in other domestic animals, biological cycle and epidemiology are also described as well as the antecedents in veterinary in our country.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria

Cord blood-derived CD34+ hematopoietic cells with low mitochondrial mass are enriched in hematopoietic repopulating stem cell function

This work was funded by the CICE/FEDER (P08-CTS-3678) de la Junta de Andalucia with a grant to PM, the FIS/FEDER (PI10/00449 to PM and PI11/00119 to CB), the MICINN (Fondo Especial del Estado para Dinamizacion de la Economia y Empleo/PLE-2009-0111) with a grant to PM, and the Foundation "Spanish Association Against Cancer"/Junta Provincial de Albacete (CI110023 to PM). DRM (PFIS scholarship FI11/0511), RM and CB (CP07/0059) are supported by the ISCIII. ON-M was supported by the Health of Department of the Junta de Andalucia.The homeostasis of the hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell pool relies on a fine-tuned balance between self-renewal, differentiation and proliferation. Recent studies have proposed that mitochondria regulate these processes. Although recent work has contributed to understanding the role of mitochondria during stem cell differentiation, it remains unclear whether the mitochondrial content/function affects human hematopoietic stem versus progenitor function. We found that mitochondrial mass correlates strongly with mitochondrial membrane potential in CD34(+) hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells. We, therefore, sorted cord blood CD34(+) cells on the basis of their mitochondrial mass and analyzed the in vitro homeostasis and clonogenic potential as well as the in vivo repopulating potential of CD34(+) cells with high (CD34(+) Mito(High)) versus low (CD34(+) Mito(Low)) mitochondrial mass. The CD34(+) Mito(Low) fraction contained 6-fold more CD34(+)CD38(-) primitive cells and was enriched in hematopoietic stem cell function, as demonstrated by its significantly greater hematopoietic reconstitution potential in immuno deficient mice. In contrast, the CD34(+) Mito(High) fraction was more enriched in hematopoietic progenitor function with higher in vitro clonogenic capacity. In vitro differentiation of CD34(+) Mito(Low) cells was significantly delayed as compared to that of CD34(+) Mito(High) cells. The eventual complete differentiation of CD34(+) Mito(Low) cells, which coincided with a robust expansion of the CD34(-) differentiated progeny, was accompanied by mitochondrial adaptation, as shown by significant increases in ATP production and expression of the mitochondrial genes ND1 and COX2. In conclusion, cord blood CD34(+) cells with low levels of mitochondrial mass are enriched in hematopoietic repopulating stem cell function whereas high levels of mitochondrial mass identify hematopoietic progenitors. A mitochondrial response underlies hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell differentiation and proliferation of lineage-committed CD34(-) cells.Junta de Andalucia P08-CTS-3678European Union (EU) Instituto de Salud Carlos III PI10/00449 PI11/00119MICINN (Fondo Especial del Estado para Dinamizacion de la Economia y Empleo) PLE-2009-0111Foundation "Spanish Association Against Cancer"/Junta Provincial de Albacete CI110023Instituto de Salud Carlos III FI11/0511 CP07/0059ICRE

Efficient microwave-assisted production of furfural from C5 sugars in aqueous media catalysed by Bro¨nsted acidic ionic liquids

Small amounts of SO3H-functionalised room temperature synthesized ionic liquids efficiently dehydrate aqueous xylose to furfural under microwave heating at mild reaction conditions. The RT-ionic liquid catalysts were also found to be effective catalysts for the two step one-pot simultaneous hydrolysis and dehydration of a lignocellulosic waste biorefinery-derived syrup enriched in C5 sugar oligomer

The Thick Disk in the Galaxy NGC 4244 from S^4G Imaging

If thick disks are ubiquitous and a natural product of disk galaxy formation and/or evolution processes, all undisturbed galaxies that have evolved during a significant fraction of a Hubble time should have a thick disk. The late-type spiral galaxy NGC 4244 has been reported as the only nearby edge-on galaxy without a confirmed thick disk. Using data from the Spitzer Survey of Stellar Structure in Galaxies (S^4G) we have identified signs of two disk components in this galaxy. The asymmetries between the light profiles on both sides of the mid-plane of NGC 4244 can be explained by a combination of the galaxy not being perfectly edge-on and a certain degree of opacity of the thin disk. We argue that the subtlety of the thick disk is a consequence of either a limited secular evolution in NGC 4244, a small fraction of stellar material in the fragments which built the galaxy, or a high amount of gaseous accretion after the formation of the galaxy