Firmground ichnofacies recording high-frequency marine flooding events (Langhian transgression, Vallès-Penedès Basin, Spain)

The decapod burrow Spongeliomorpha sudolica occurs associated with transgressive firmgrounds in the transition between Aragonian continental red beds and Langhian marine units in some of the inner sectors of the Vallès-Penedès Basin. This ichnospecies designates branching burrow systems with scratch marks in the walls produced by marine crustacean decapods. The occurrence of Spongeliomorpha represents an example of theGlossifungites ichnofacies. The several horizons where the traces are found are intercalated with continental red beds a few meters below the main transgressive surface, which is overlain by fossiliferous marine sandstones. The Spongeliomorpha-bioturbated layers record short, high frequency marine flooding surfaces that may be related either to actual sea-level changes or to variations in tectonic subsidence or sediment input. In any case, these flooding events punctuated the early phases of the Langhian transgression in the basin

Firmground ichnofacies recording high-frequency marine flooding events (Langhian transgression, Vallés-Penedés Basin, Spain)

The decapod burrow Spongeliomorpha sudolica occurs associated with transgressive firmgrounds in the transition between Aragonian continental red beds and Langhian marine units in some of the inner sectors of the Vallès-Penedès Basin. This ichnospecies designates branching burrow systems with scratch marks in the walls produced by marine crustacean decapods. The occurrence of Spongeliomorpha represents an example of the Glossifungites ichnofacies. The several horizons where the traces are found are intercalated with continental red beds a few meters below the main transgressive surface, which is overlain by fossiliferous marine sandstones. The Spongeliomorpha-bioturbated layers record short, high frequency marine flooding surfaces that may be related either to actual sea-level changes or to variations in tectonic subsidence or sediment input. In any case, these flooding events punctuated the early phases of the Langhian transgression in the basin

La Crisis de salinidad messiniense: el papel de los microfósiles durante 60 años de estudio

Para comprender fenómenos geológicos extremos, como la llamada Crisis de Salinidad del Messiniense (CSM), es necesario estudiarlos de forma multidisciplinar y a diferentes escalas. Para ello, se realizan desde estudios geofísicos del subsuelo, que abarcan grandes extensiones del fondo del mar, hasta estudios micropaleontológicos, utilizando microscopio electrónico de barrido. Los restos de organismos que vivieron ese evento geológico aportan una información muy valiosa para comprender la paleogeografía y el paleoambiente durante el Messiniense. Con ese objetivo, los paleontólogos y palinólogos estudian bajo el microscopio fósiles de fauna marina y continental, así como restos de flora en forma de polen o frústulas de diatomeas

Hospital-based proton therapy implementation during the COVID pandemic: early clinical and research experience in a European academic institution

Introduction A rapid deploy of unexpected early impact of the COVID pandemic in Spain was described in 2020. Oncology practice was revised to facilitate decision-making regarding multimodal therapy for prevalent cancer types amenable to multidisciplinary treatment in which the radiotherapy component searched more efcient options in the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic, minimizing the risks to patients whilst aiming to guarantee cancer outcomes. Methods A novel Proton Beam Therapy (PBT), Unit activity was analyzed in the period of March 2020 to March 2021. Institutional urgent, strict and mandatory clinical care standards for early diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 infection were stablished in the hospital following national health-authorities’ recommendations. The temporary trends of patients care and research projects proposals were registered. Results 3 out of 14 members of the professional staf involved in the PBR intra-hospital process had a positive test for COVID infection. Also, 4 out of 100 patients had positive tests before initiating PBT, and 7 out of 100 developed positive tests along the weekly mandatory special checkup performed during PBT to all patients. An update of clinical performance at the PBT Unit at CUN Madrid in the initial 500 patients treated with PBT in the period from March 2020 to November 2022 registers a distribution of 131 (26%) pediatric patients, 63 (12%) head and neck cancer and central nervous system neoplasms and 123 (24%) re-irradiation indications. In November 2022, the activity reached a plateau in terms of patients under treatment and the impact of COVID pandemic became sporadic and controlled by minor medical actions. At present, the clinical data are consistent with an academic practice prospectively (NCT05151952). Research projects and scientifc production was adapted to the pandemic evolution and its infuence upon professional time availability. Seven research projects based in public funding were activated in this period and preliminary data on molecular imaging guided proton therapy in brain tumors and post-irradiation patterns of blood biomarkers are reported. Conclusions Hospital-based PBT in European academic institutions was impacted by COVID-19 pandemic, although clinical and research activities were developed and sustained. In the post-pandemic era, the benefts of online learning will shape the future of proton therapy education

Oral Fluid–Based Biomarkers of Alveolar Bone Loss in Periodontitis

Periodontal disease is a bacteria-induced chronic inflammatory disease affecting the soft and hard supporting structures encompassing the teeth. When left untreated, the ultimate outcome is alveolar bone loss and exfoliation of the involved teeth. Traditional periodontal diagnostic methods include assessment of clinical parameters and radiographs. Though efficient, these conventional techniques are inherently limited in that only a historical perspective, not current appraisal, of disease status can be determined. Advances in the use of oral fluids as possible biological samples for objective measures of current disease state, treatment monitoring, and prognostic indicators have boosted saliva and other oral-based fluids to the forefront of technology. Oral fluids contain locally and systemically derived mediators of periodontal disease, including microbial, host-response, and bone-specific resorptive markers. Although most biomarkers in oral fluids represent inflammatory mediators, several specific collagen degradation and bone turnover-related molecules have emerged as possible measures of periodontal disease activity. Pyridinoline cross-linked carboxyterminal telopeptide (ICTP), for example, has been highly correlated with clinical features of the disease and decreases in response to intervention therapies, and has been shown to possess predictive properties for possible future disease activity. One foreseeable benefit of an oral fluid–based periodontal diagnostic would be identification of highly susceptible individuals prior to overt disease. Timely detection and diagnosis of disease may significantly affect the clinical management of periodontal patients by offering earlier, less invasive, and more cost-effective treatment therapies.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/73247/1/annals.1384.028.pd

Palaeoenvironment of Eocene prodelta in Spitsbergen recorded by the trace fossil Phycosiphon incertum

Ichnological, sedimentological and geochemical analyses were conducted on the Eocene Frysjaodden Formation in order to interpret palaeoenvironment prodelta sediments in the Central Basin of Spitsbergen. Phycosiphon incertum is the exclusive ichnotaxon showing differences in size, distribution, abundance and density, and relation to laminated/bioturbated intervals. Large P. incertum mainly occur dispersed, isolated and randomly distributed throughout the weakly laminated/non-laminated intervals. Small P. incertum occur occasionally in patches of several burrows within laminated intervals or as densely packed burrows in thin horizons in laminated intervals or constituting fully bioturbated intervals that are several centimetres thick. Ichnological changes are mainly controlled by oxygenation, although the availability of benthic food cannot be discarded. Changes in oxygenation and rate of sedimentation can be correlated with the registered variations in the Bouma sequence of the distal turbiditic beds within prodeltal shelf sediments.Funding for this research was provided by Project CGL2012-33281 (Secretaría de Estado de Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación, Spain), Project RYC-2009-04316 (Ramón y Cajal Programme) and Projects RNM-3715 and RNM-7408 and Research Group RNM-178 (Junta de Andalucía). The authors benefited from a bilateral agreement between the universities of Granada and Oslo, supported by the University of Granada

Use of SMS texts for facilitating access to online alcohol interventions: a feasibility study

A41 Use of SMS texts for facilitating access to online alcohol interventions: a feasibility study In: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice 2017, 12(Suppl 1): A4

Paleobiology of the crustacean trace fossil Spongeliomorpha iberica in the Miocene of southeastern Spain

The trace fossil Spongeliomorpha iberica locally occurs in the Tortonian (Upper Miocene) marine strata of the Fortuna basin in southeastern Spain, and its excellent preservation state allows a reliable reconstruction of its main morphologic features. The burrow systems are branched (but not anastomosing), and they include numerous, short, blind tunnels. The burrow walls are strongly ornamented with bioglyphs displaying a rhomboidal pattern, consisting mostly of individual “Y”−shaped scratches. Smaller, secondary bioglyphs consist of sets of less incised transverse scratches. These features allow us to assign the ichnospecies to a decapod crustacean, most likely an alpheid or thalassinidean shrimp. The burrow apparently served as a refuge for the inhabitant, which fed upon microorganisms growing on the walls of the burrow by means of scraping the interior surfaces with the maxillipeds or other mouth parts. It is also likely that the shrimp used the multiple blind tunnels to store organic material (probably plant detritus) to be used for later consumption. The crustaceans colonized mud firmgrounds, which were formed by erosion during a rapid sea−level fall. Thus, the burrows occur in direct association with erosional regressive surfaces and therefore are good stratigraphic indicators of abrupt paleoenvironmental change

Trace fossil assemblages and their palaeoenvironmental significance in the Pliocene marginal marine deposits of the Baix Ebre (Catalonia, N.E. Spain)

The Pliocene sedimentary filling of the Baix Ebre basin includes both a transgressive and a regressive sequence. During the transgressive period, buildups and bioerosion surfaces were developed on the most isolated areas of the paleorelief with low or no terrigenous sedimentation. Other nearshore areas were occupied by pebbly-sandy beaches including typically littoral trace fossils (Gastrochaenolites , Entobia, Skolithos) which change laterally and vertically to shallow bay sands and clays deposited in a rather restricted environment with low bioturbation dominated by J-burrows. The blue clays which underlie those deposits correspond to the maximum of the transgression, and they are fully bioturbated. During the regression, the marine deposits were sands and clays including different facies and ichnoas-semblages which correspond to bay deposits (Sinusichnus and Teichichnus-Fugichnia assemblages), sand bars (Skolithos assemblage) and restricted proximal environments (Teichichnus assemblage). The continental units, lacustrine and alluvial culminate the regressive sequence.Associations de traces fossiles et leur signification paleoenvironnementale dans les dépôts marins littoraux pliocènes du Baix Ebre (Catalogne, Espagne). Le remplissage sédimentaire du bassin du Baix Ebre comprend une séquence transgressive et une outre regressive. Pendant la séquence transgressive, des constructions et des surfaces de bioérosion se sont développées dans les aires les plus isolées du paleorelief avec une faible o nulle sédimentation terrigene. D'autres aires furent occupées par des plages à sable et cailloux avec des traces fossiles typiquement littorales (Gastrochaenolites , Entobia, Skolithos). Ces sédiments evolvent latéralement et verticalement vers des sables et des argiles de baie peu profonde, déposés dans un milieu assez restreint avec une bioturbation faible dominée par des tubes en J. Les argiles bleues couvrant ces dépôts correspondent au maximum de la transgression et sont complètement biotur-bées. Pendant la régression, les dépôts marins furent des sables et des argiles avec différents faciès et associations de traces, correspondant à une sédimentation de baie (associations à Sinusichnus et Teichichnus-Fugichnia ), barres sableuses (association à Skolithos ) et milieux proximaux restreints (association à Teichichnus ). Les unités continentales, lacustres et alluviales, terminent la séquence régressive.Gibert J.M. de, Martinell J. Trace fossil assemblages and their palaeoenvironmental significance in the Pliocene marginal marine deposits of the Baix Ebre (Catalonia, N.E. Spain). In: Géologie Méditerranéenne. Tome 23, numéro 3-4, 1996. pp. 211-225

Le contrôle de la fiabilité des systèmes de détection des pollutions accidentelles

Le contrôle par des systèmes automatisés de la qualité des eaux de rivière et le déclenchement d'alarme en cas de dépassement des seuils de traitabilité impliquent de ces systèmes la plus grande fiabilité. Les capteurs retenus pour équiper les stations d'alerte doivent s'affranchir des interférences turbidité et matières en suspension. C'est la raison pour laquelle il fait appel aux mesures électrochimiques : polarographie, électrodes spécifiques. Les techniques de réétalonnage doivent être adaptées à ces mesures, prendre en compte le vieillissement des capteurs et tenir compte de l'environnement ionique de l'élément à doser. L'utilisation des ajouts dosés avec additions multiples permet une bonne prise en compte des caractéristiques du milieu