Catálogo de la flora vascular del Cerro del Toruño (Comarca de Los Alcores, Alcalá de Guadaíra, Sevilla)

Situado en la comarca de Los Alcores, el Cerro del Toruño es un cabezo calcarenítico incluido en el área metropolitana de Sevilla. Se encuentra protegido por la normativa provincial por el valor y naturalidad de su vegetación. El objetivo del presente estudio es la catalogación de su flora y su puesta en valor como reducto de vegetación natural en un paisaje fuertemente antropizado. Se han inventariado un total de 351 especies, 324 de ellas autóctonas, de las que tres están recogidas en la lista roja andaluza. El catálogo incluye 4 novedades corológicas de especies nativas a nivel provincial y 16 a nivel comarcal. La diversidad encontrada en la zona de estudio es comparable a la de zonas cercanas, dada la heterogeneidad de sus hábitats. Se comentan brevemente las comunidades vegetales de acebuchar, palmitar y matorral xerófilo sobre roquedos calcareníticos, en las que se ha observado un mejor grado de conservación. Finalmente se discute la importancia biogeográfica de los Alcores como isla edáfica tanto para especies calcícolas como psammófilas y litorales, dado el carácter mayoritariamente arcilloso de la Depresión del Guadalquivir.Checklist of vascular flora of the Toruño hill (Alcores region, Alcalá de Guadaira, Seville). Located in Los Alcores region, the Cerro del Toruño is a calcarenitic hill included in Sevilla’s metropolitan area. It is protected by provincial regulations due to the value and naturalness of its vegetation. The aim of this study is to catalogue its flora and highlight its importance as a patch of relict natural vegetation within a strongly anthropic landscape. We recorded 351 species, of which 324 are native and three included in the Andalusian red list. The checklist includes 4 new chorological records at the provincial level and 16 at the regional level. Species diversity is comparable to nearby areas, given its habitat heterogeneity. The wild olive copse, Mediterranean fan palm formations, and xerophilous scrublands on calcarenitic rocks display a better conservation situation and are briefly commented. Finally, we discuss the biogeographic importance of Los Alcores region as an edaphic island, surrounded by the mostly clayey Guadalquivir valley, for calcicolous and coastal sand species

Active Trigger Points Are Associated With Anxiety and Widespread Pressure Pain Sensitivity in Women, but not Men, With Tension Type Headache

BACKGROUND: A better understanding of gender differences can assist clinicians in further developing therapeutic programs in tension type headache (TTH). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate gender differences in the presence of trigger points (TrPs) in the head, neck, and shoulder muscles and their relationship with headache features, pressure pain sensitivity, and anxiety in people with TTH. METHODS: Two hundred and ten (59 men, 151 women) patients with TTH participated. TrPs were bilaterally explored in the temporalis, masseter, suboccipital, upper trapezius, splenius capitis, and sternocleidomastoid muscles. Headache features were collected using a 4-week headache diary. Trait and state anxiety levels were assessed using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) over the temporalis, C5/C6 joint, second metacarpal, and tibialis anterior were assessed. RESULTS: Women with TTH exhibited a significantly higher number of total (P = 0.027) and active (P = 0.030), but similar number of latent (P = 0.461), TrPs than men with TTH. Active TrPs in the temporalis, suboccipital, and splenius capitis muscles were the most prevalent in both men and women with TTH. The number of active TrPs was associated with anxiety levels (r = 0.217; P = 0.045) in women, but not in men (P = 0.453): the higher the number of active TrPs, the more the trait levels of anxiety. Women exhibited lower PPTs than men (all, P < 0.001). In men, the number of active, but not latent, TrPs was negatively associated with localized PPTs (all, P < 0.05), whereas in women, the number of active and latent TrPs was negatively associated with PPTs in all points (all, P < 0.01): the higher the number of TrPs, the lower the widespread PPTs. CONCLUSIONS: This study described gender differences in the presence of TrPs in TTH. Women with TTH showed lower PPTs than men. The association between TrPs, anxiety levels, and pressure pain hyperalgesia seems to be more pronounced in women than in men with TTH

Soil and leaf mineral element contents in mediterranean vineyards: bioaccumulation and potential soil pollution

The study reported here concerns the geochemical distributions of macro- and trace elements (including potentially toxic elements, PTEs) in the vineyard soils of Alcubillas, which is one of the oldest, albeit not world-renowned, wine-growing areas in La Mancha (Central Spain). Soil and leaf samples were analyzed by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry to ascertain the levels of various elements in the soil and the plant. The potential toxicity of the elements was assessed with regard to the development of the vineyard. Despite the fact that fertilizers and pesticides are employed in the vineyards in this area, the results showed that the levels of trace elements in the soil samples did not exceed the reference values according the pedogeochemical values for the region and Spain. This finding suggests that the study area is not polluted, and therefore, there are hardly any traces of anthropogenic contamination. The Biological Absorption Coefficient (BAC) was calculated to assess the assimilation of various elements from the soil to the leaves, and differences were found in the element absorption capacity of the vines. Some elements were not taken up by Vitis vinifera despite elements like Zr and Rb being present in relatively high concentrations in the soil. The production in these soils does not represent a threat to human health or the ecosystem, because the farmers in this area are extremely careful to preserve the environment and they only farm to achieve moderate yields of grapes per hectar

Geochemical influence of soil on leaf and grape (Vitis vinifera L. 'Cencibel') composition in La Mancha region (Spain)

The main purpose of the study was to evaluate major and trace elements contained in topsoil from representative plots of vineyards located in La Mancha, Spain, to obtain an elemental fingerprint of vines. The samples evaluated were obtained from topsoil in six different plots, belonging to the region of La Mancha, characterized by the cultivation of vineyards (near 189.127 ha). Twenty different vines from each plot were chosen to take samples from grapes, petioles and leaves. Analyses were carried out by X-ray Fluorescence applied on soils and dried vegetal matter. Biological Absorption Coefficient (BAC) was calculated to assess the uptake of minerals by vines as a function of their specific content in soil. The BAC in leaves and grapes was very similar for all studied elements. High contents of Ca, Sr, Ni and rare earth elements (La, Ce and Nd) were found along with low contents in Al, Zr, Ba, Cu, Zn and Pb, and normal contents in the rest of the elements. BAC in grapes was lower for the majority of the studied elements but it is interesting to underline the contents of Cs, K, Nb, Ce, Zn and Sr as possible markers of soil fingerprinting in the resulting wines.

Hallazgo de nuevos mosaicos en Écija (Sevilla)

Romula nº 9 (2010) p. 247-288La excavación arqueológica llevada a cabo en un solar situado entre las Calles Fernández Pintado y Elvira de Écija, han puesto al descubierto unos restos romanos de gran interés, entre los que destacan los dos mosaicos descubiertos, el de la venera y el del circo, que en el trascurso del presente trabajo procederemos a analizar y estudiar de manera exhaustiva y pormenorizada. Se trata pues de dos nuevos e interesantes pavimentos que se suman al rico patrimonio musivo de Écija y que por sus propias características y configuración suponen una absoluta novedad dentro del conjunto musivo de dicha ciudad.The archaeological excavation recently carried out in Écija (Sevilla), in a site between Fernández and Elvira streets, brought out some roman remains, among them two outstanding mosaics. Both of them are interesting and original pavements which came to complete the rich musive heritage of the roman city. In the present work we analyze and study them in detail.Versión del edito

Hallazgo de nuevos mosaicos en Écija (Sevilla)

La excavación arqueológica llevada a cabo en un solar situado entre las Calles Fernández Pintado y Elvira de Écija, han puesto al descubierto unos restos romanos de gran interés, entre los que destacan los dos mosaicos descubiertos, el de la venera y el del circo, que en el trascurso del presente trabajo procederemos a analizar y estudiar de manera exhaustiva y pormenorizada. Se trata pues de dos nuevos e interesantes pavimentos que se suman al rico patrimonio musivo de Écija y que por sus propias características y configuración suponen una absoluta novedad dentro del conjunto musivo de dicha ciudad. ---------------------------------------------------------------------The archaeological excavation recently carried out in Écija (Sevilla), in a site between Fernández and Elvira streets, brought out some roman remains, among them two outstanding mosaics. Both of them are interesting and original pavements which came to complete the rich musive heritage of the roman city. In the present work we analyze and study them in detail

Dominant Negative Mutants of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ab Toxin Function as Anti-Toxins: Demonstration of the Role of Oligomerization in Toxicity

BACKGROUND:Bacillus thuringiensis Cry toxins, that are used worldwide in insect control, kill insects by a mechanism that depends on their ability to form oligomeric pores that insert into the insect-midgut cells. These toxins are being used worldwide in transgenic plants or spray to control insect pests in agriculture. However, a major concern has been the possible effects of these insecticidal proteins on non-target organisms mainly in ecosystems adjacent to agricultural fields. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:We isolated and characterized 11 non-toxic mutants of Cry1Ab toxin affected in different steps of the mechanism of action namely binding to receptors, oligomerization and pore-formation. These mutant toxins were analyzed for their capacity to block wild type toxin activity, presenting a dominant negative phenotype. The dominant negative phenotype was analyzed at two levels, in vivo by toxicity bioassays against susceptible Manduca sexta larvae and in vitro by pore formation activity in black lipid bilayers. We demonstrate that some mutations located in helix alpha-4 completely block the wild type toxin activity at sub-stoichiometric level confirming a dominant negative phenotype, thereby functioning as potent antitoxins. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:This is the first reported case of a Cry toxin dominant inhibitor. These data demonstrate that oligomerization is a fundamental step in Cry toxin action and represent a potential mechanism to protect special ecosystems from the possible effect of Cry toxins on non-target organisms