Sedimentology and Stratigraphy of the Pleistocene sediments in Lake Llauset (Southern Pyrenees, Spain)-a first approach

The high alpine valleys in the Southem Pyrenees are characterised by a many small lakes and ponds. They occur above 2000 m and are said to have been formed by glacial erosion. The sediments in these basins should, therefore, contain s t p tigraphic information since deglaciation, at least. An interesting and may be one of the most important of these basins is Lake Llauset in the Alta Ribagorca. The Llauset basin has recently been developped for hydsopower production. In conection with the construction of the retaining wall at the 'Riegel' the sedimentary filling of the lake basin could be investigated, and the first sedimentological and stratigraphicalresults are presented

Nous conceptes sobre la diabetis autoimmunitària

La diabetis mellitus de tipus 1 (DT1) és una malaltia metabòlica provocada per la destrucció de les cèl·lules productores d'insulina, les cèl·lules β dels illots pancreàtics. De base autoimmunitària, no es coneix l'etiologia d'aquesta malaltia, tot i que s'han identificat factors genètics, ambientals i immunitaris de susceptibilitat. En aquest article fem un repàs dels mecanismes d'autoimmunitat i els nous conceptes en aquest camp. També destaquem els models experimentals utilitzats en l'estudi de la DT1 i les noves teràpies desenvolupades amb aquests. Per acabar, fem una ullada al present i al futur de la immunoteràpia preventiva i de tractament en aquesta malaltia, i insistim en la necessitat d'aturar el procés autoimmunitari, restaurar la tolerància immunitària, identificar nous biomarcadors de progressió i aplicar conjuntament estratègies de regeneració i neogènesi de les cèl·lules β.Type 1 diabetes (DT1) is a metabolic disease caused by the selective destruction of the insulin producing β cells by the immune system. The etiology of the disease is still unknown, but several genetic, environmental and immunological factors of susceptibility have been identified. In this chapter we describe the autoimmune mechanisms involved in this disease, as well as the experimental models used for the study of DT1 and for the development of new strategies of immune intervention. Lastly, we explain the recent assays in immunotherapies aimed at preventing and curing the disease, based on breaking autoimmune response, restoring immunological tolerance and identifying new biomarkers of disease progression, as well as strategies for regenerating β cells

Embedded systems: impact and future challenges

S’analitza l’impacte que tenen els moderns sistemes electrònics encastats en diferents àmbits, com són la societat, l’àmbit industrial i l’educació. Es presenta una breu definició del que és un sistema encastat i es donen alguns exemples de les aplicacions que pot tenir. Es fa un repàs de les tendències actuals dels sistemes encastats i una projecció a mitjà i llarg termini de l’impacte que poden arribar a tenir. Es conclou amb unes recomanacions d’actuació amb l’objectiu de preparar la societat i la indústria catalana vers l’imminent futur dels objectes cibernètics interconnectats. Paraules clau: sistemes encastats, Internet de les coses, ciberobjectes.The impact of modern embedded electronic systems in different scenarios – such as society, industry and education – is analyzed. A brief definition is given of what an embedded system is, providing some examples of possible applications. A review of current trends in embedded systems is made, presenting a medium- and long-term impact projection. This introductory article concludes with some recommendations for action in order to prepare Catalonia’s industry and society in general for the imminent future of the cyber interconnected objects. Keywords: embedded systems, Internet of things, cyberobjects

Els sistemes encastats: impacte i reptes de futur

S’analitza l’impacte que tenen els moderns sistemes electrònics encastats en diferents àmbits, com són la societat, l’àmbit industrial i l’educació. Es presenta una breu definició del que és un sistema encastat i es donen alguns exemples de les aplicacions que pot tenir. Es fa un repàs de les tendències actuals dels sistemes encastats i una projecció a mitjà i llarg termini de l’impacte que poden arribar a tenir. Es conclou amb unes recomanacions d’actuació amb l’objectiu de preparar la societat i la indústria catalana vers l’imminent futur dels objectes cibernètics interconnectats.The impact of modern embedded electronic systems in different scenarios – such as society, industry and education – is analyzed. A brief definition is given of what an embedded system is, providing some examples of possible applications. A review of current trends in embedded systems is made, presenting a medium- and long-term impact projection. This introductory article concludes with some recommendations for action in order to prepare Catalonia’s industry and society in general for the imminent future of the cyber interconnected objects.Postprint (published version

Treatment of T1D via optimized expansion of antigen-specific Tregs induced by IL-2/anti-IL-2 monoclonal antibody complexes and peptide/MHC tetramers.

Type 1 diabetes can be overcome by regulatory T cells (Treg) in NOD mice yet an efficient method to generate and maintain antigen-specific Treg is difficult to come by. Here, we devised a combination therapy of peptide/MHC tetramers and IL-2/anti-IL-2 monoclonal antibody complexes to generate antigen-specific Treg and maintain them over extended time periods. We first optimized treatment protocols conceived to obtain an improved islet-specific Treg/effector T cell ratio that led to the in vivo expansion and activation of these Treg as well as to an improved suppressor function. Optimized protocols were applied to treatment for testing diabetes prevention in NOD mice as well as in an accelerated T cell transfer model of T1D. The combined treatment led to robust protection against diabetes, and in the NOD model, to a close to complete prevention of insulitis. Treatment was accompanied with increased secretion of IL-10, detectable in total splenocytes and in Foxp3− CD4 T cells. Our data suggest that a dual protection mechanism takes place by the collaboration of Foxp3+ and Foxp3− regulatory cells. We conclude that antigen-specific Treg are an important target to improve current clinical interventions against this disease

El vendaje neuromuscular

El vendaje neuromuscular o también denominado Kinesio tape tiene como premisa principal que el movimiento y la actividad muscular deben preser­varse para recuperar cualquier lesión. Kenzo Kase fue quien diseñó a principios de los años 70, un esparadrapo que permitiera la recupe­ración de la parte lesionada del cuerpo sin limitar su función corporal.Esta aplicación la extendió a cualquier segmento corporal, tanto osteoarticular y músculo ligamentoso como orgánico. Se basa en la influencia del tape aplicado sobre los receptores sensoriales

Efferocytosis promotes suppressive effects on dendritic cells through prostaglandin E2 production in the context of autoimmunity

Introduction: Efferocytosis is a crucial process by which apoptotic cells are cleared by phagocytes, maintaining immune tolerance to self in the absence of inflammation. Peripheral tolerance, lost in autoimmune processes, may be restored by the administration of autologous dendritic cells loaded with islet apoptotic cells in experimental type 1 diabetes. Objective: To evaluate tolerogenic properties in dendritic cells induced by the clearance of apoptotic islet cells, thus explaining the re-establishment of tolerance in a context of autoimmunity. Methods: Bone marrow derived dendritic cells from non-obese diabetic mice, a model of autoimmune diabetes, were generated and pulsed with islet apoptotic cells. The ability of these cells to induce autologous T cell proliferation and to suppress mature dendritic cell function was assessed, together with cytokine production. Microarray experiments were performed using dendritic cells to identify differentially expressed genes after efferocytosis. Results: Molecular and functional changes in dendritic cells after the capture of apoptotic cells were observed. 1) Impaired ability of dendritic cells to stimulate autologous T cell proliferation after the capture of apoptotic cells even after proinflammatory stimuli, with a cytokine profile typical for immature dendritic cells. 2) Suppressive ability of mature dendritic cell function. 3) Microarray-based gene expression profiling of dendritic cells showed differential expression of genes involved in antigen processing and presentation after efferocytosis. 4) Prostaglandin E2 increased production was responsible for immunosuppressive mechanism of dendritic cells after the capture of apoptotic cells. Conclusions: The tolerogenic behaviour of dendritic cells after islet cells efferocytosis points to a mechanism of silencing potential autoreactive T cells in the microenvironment of autoimmunity. Our results suggest that dendritic cells may be programmed to induce specific immune tolerance using apoptotic cells; this is a viable strategy for a variety of autoimmune diseases.This work was supported by grants from the Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias (PS09/00253 and PI12/00195) of the Carlos III Institute of Health, www.isciii.es. RP was supported by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III of the Spanish National Institute of Health (FIS05/00418). MVP is funded by the stabilization program of Miguel Servet biomedical researchers and RMA by the program of research technicians of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III and Direcció d’Estrategia i Coordinacio, Health Dept. of the Catalonian Government. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript