Raw materials and provenance areas of the lithic industry from the lower paleolithic open air settlement of Río Iro and Arroyo de la Cueva (Chiclana, Cádiz, Spain)

Análisis de materiales no trabajados en yacimientos al aire libre en Río Iro y Arroyo de la Cueva

The Internationalization of Public Universities in the Valencian Community (2019-2022): A Comparative Study in a Crisis Period

The international vision in the Valencian public universities (Spain) is essential to make them competitive in a changing world, in need of transparency and accountability. Having into account this fact, within the framework of a doctoral research, we propose the following hypothesis: does the economic, organizational and institutional effort that the Valencian public universities are making in terms of internationalization correspond to the expected results in terms of quality, efficiency, institutional effectiveness and impact? From a comparative perspective, a double methodology has been used: qualitative and quantitative. The first one based on open interviews and the second one based on personalized surveys by groups. The results obtained in every university show the importance of the international vision in university policies (mobility, research, agreements, associative participation, networks and alliances, visibility, rankings, etc.) According to the data collected, it is already possible to advance a first conclusion stating that the universities of the Valencian public system are making a great effort in the development of their internationalization policies

Developmental Plasticity in Response to Embryo Cryopreservation: The Importance of the Vitrification Device in Rabbits

[EN] This study was conducted to demonstrate how embryo manipulation techniques incur phenotypic changes throughout life. This study reports the first evidence demonstrating that the vitrification device used is not a trivial decision, providing valuable information about how the cooling-warming rates during vitrification can be partly responsible of the postnatal phenotypic variations. In this study, we evaluated the effect of embryo vitrification using two different devices on adulthood phenotype in rabbits. In vitro development, prenatal embryo survival, body weight, growth performance, haematological and biochemical peripheral blood analysis, reproductive performance, and lactation performance traits were compared between the experimental groups. They derived from naturally-conceived embryos (NC), fresh-transferred embryos (FT), vitrified-transferred embryos using mini-straw (VTs), or vitrified-transferred embryos using Cryotop (VTc). Straw-vitrified embryos exhibited lower in vitro developmental rates and in vivo survival rates following embryo transfer compared to its Cryotop-vitrified counterparts. Moreover, the VTs group exhibited higher foetal losses than VTc, FT, and NC groups. Independently of the vitrification device, vitrified-transferred (VT) offspring showed a skewed sex ratio in favour of males, and an increased birth bodyweight. In contrast, postnatal daily growth was diminished in all ART (i.e., FT and VT) animals. In adulthood, significant differences in body weight between all groups was founded-all ART progenies weighed less than NC animals and, within ART, VT animals weighed less than FT. For VT groups, weight at adulthood was higher for the VTs group compared with the VTc group. Peripheral blood parameters ranged between common values. Moreover, no differences were found in the fertility rates between experimental groups. Furthermore, similar pregnancy rates, litter sizes, and the number of liveborns were observed, regardless of the experimental group. However, decreased milk yield occurred for VTc and FT animals compared to VTs and NC animals. A similar trend was observed for the milk composition of dry matter and fat. Concordantly, reduced body weight was found for suckling kits in the VTc and FT groups compared to VTs and NC animals. Our findings reveal that developmental changes after the embryo vitrification procedure could be associated with an exhibition of the embryonic developmental plasticity. Moreover, to our best knowledge, this study reports the first evidence demonstrating that the vitrification device used is not a trivial decision, providing valuable information about how the cooling-warming rates during vitrification can be partly responsible of the postnatal phenotypic variations.Funding from the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (research project: AGL2014-53405-C2-1-P and AGL2017-85162-C2-1-R) is acknowledged. X.G.-D. was supported by a research grant from the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (BES-2015-072429). English text version was revised by N. Macowan English Language Service.Garcia-Dominguez, X.; Vicente Antón, JS.; Marco-Jiménez, F. (2020). Developmental Plasticity in Response to Embryo Cryopreservation: The Importance of the Vitrification Device in Rabbits. Animals. 10(5):1-17. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10050804S117105Ng, K. Y. B., Mingels, R., Morgan, H., Macklon, N., & Cheong, Y. (2017). In vivo oxygen, temperature and pH dynamics in the female reproductive tract and their importance in human conception: a systematic review. Human Reproduction Update, 24(1), 15-34. doi:10.1093/humupd/dmx028García-Martínez, S., Sánchez Hurtado, M. A., Gutiérrez, H., Sánchez Margallo, F. M., Romar, R., Latorre, R., … López Albors, O. (2018). Mimicking physiological O2 tension in the female reproductive tract improves assisted reproduction outcomes in pig. MHR: Basic science of reproductive medicine, 24(5), 260-270. doi:10.1093/molehr/gay008Roseboom, T. J. (2018). Developmental plasticity and its relevance to assisted human reproduction. Human Reproduction, 33(4), 546-552. doi:10.1093/humrep/dey034Vrooman, L. A., & Bartolomei, M. S. (2017). Can assisted reproductive technologies cause adult-onset disease? Evidence from human and mouse. Reproductive Toxicology, 68, 72-84. doi:10.1016/j.reprotox.2016.07.015Servick, K. (2014). Unsettled questions trail IVF’s success. Science, 345(6198), 744-746. doi:10.1126/science.345.6198.744Skelly, A., Dettori, J., & Brodt, E. (2012). Assessing bias: the importance of considering confounding. Evidence-Based Spine-Care Journal, 3(01), 9-12. doi:10.1055/s-0031-1298595Chen, M., & Heilbronn, L. K. (2017). The health outcomes of human offspring conceived by assisted reproductive technologies (ART). Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease, 8(4), 388-402. doi:10.1017/s2040174417000228Halliday, J., Lewis, S., Kennedy, J., Burgner, D. P., Juonala, M., Hammarberg, K., … McLachlan, R. (2019). Health of adults aged 22 to 35 years conceived by assisted reproductive technology. Fertility and Sterility, 112(1), 130-139. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2019.03.001Juonala, M., Lewis, S., McLachlan, R., Hammarberg, K., Kennedy, J., Saffery, R., … Halliday, J. (2019). American Heart Association ideal cardiovascular health score and subclinical atherosclerosis in 22–35-year-old adults conceived with and without assisted reproductive technologies. Human Reproduction, 35(1), 232-239. doi:10.1093/humrep/dez240Duranthon, V., & Chavatte-Palmer, P. (2018). Long term effects of ART: What do animals tell us? Molecular Reproduction and Development, 85(4), 348-368. doi:10.1002/mrd.22970Ramos‐Ibeas, P., Heras, S., Gómez‐Redondo, I., Planells, B., Fernández‐González, R., Pericuesta, E., … Gutiérrez‐Adán, A. (2019). Embryo responses to stress induced by assisted reproductive technologies. Molecular Reproduction and Development, 86(10), 1292-1306. doi:10.1002/mrd.23119Feuer, S. K., & Rinaudo, P. F. (2017). Physiological, metabolic and transcriptional postnatal phenotypes ofin vitrofertilization (IVF) in the mouse. Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease, 8(4), 403-410. doi:10.1017/s204017441700023xDe Geyter, C., Calhaz-Jorge, C., Kupka, M. S., Wyns, C., Mocanu, E., Motrenko, T., … Goossens, V. (2020). ART in Europe, 2015: results generated from European registries by ESHRE†. Human Reproduction Open, 2020(1). doi:10.1093/hropen/hoz038Sparks, A. (2015). Human Embryo Cryopreservation—Methods, Timing, and other Considerations for Optimizing an Embryo Cryopreservation Program. Seminars in Reproductive Medicine, 33(02), 128-144. doi:10.1055/s-0035-1546826Hargreave, M., Jensen, A., Hansen, M. K., Dehlendorff, C., Winther, J. F., Schmiegelow, K., & Kjær, S. K. (2019). Association Between Fertility Treatment and Cancer Risk in Children. JAMA, 322(22), 2203. doi:10.1001/jama.2019.18037Norrman, E., Petzold, M., Clausen, T. D., Henningsen, A.-K., Opdahl, S., Pinborg, A., … Wennerholm, U.-B. (2020). Type 1 diabetes in children born after assisted reproductive technology: a register-based national cohort study. Human Reproduction, 35(1), 221-231. doi:10.1093/humrep/dez227Rienzi, L., Gracia, C., Maggiulli, R., LaBarbera, A. R., Kaser, D. J., Ubaldi, F. M., … Racowsky, C. (2016). Oocyte, embryo and blastocyst cryopreservation in ART: systematic review and meta-analysis comparing slow-freezing versus vitrification to produce evidence for the development of global guidance. Human Reproduction Update. doi:10.1093/humupd/dmw038Arav, A. (2014). Cryopreservation of oocytes and embryos. Theriogenology, 81(1), 96-102. doi:10.1016/j.theriogenology.2013.09.011Saragusty, J., & Arav, A. (2011). Current progress in oocyte and embryo cryopreservation by slow freezing and vitrification. REPRODUCTION, 141(1), 1-19. doi:10.1530/rep-10-0236Vicente, J. S., & García-Ximénez, F. (1994). Osmotic and cryoprotective effects of a mixture of DMSO and ethylene glycol on rabbit morulae. Theriogenology, 42(7), 1205-1215. doi:10.1016/0093-691x(94)90869-9Vicente, J.-S., Viudes-de-Castro, M.-P., & García, M.-L. (1999). In vivo survival rate of rabbit morulae after vitrification in a medium without serum protein. Reproduction Nutrition Development, 39(5-6), 657-662. doi:10.1051/rnd:19990511Garcia-Dominguez, X., Marco-Jimenez, F., Viudes-de-Castro, M. P., & Vicente, J. S. (2019). Minimally Invasive Embryo Transfer and Embryo Vitrification at the Optimal Embryo Stage in Rabbit Model. Journal of Visualized Experiments, (147). doi:10.3791/58055Besenfelder, U., Strouhal, C., & Brem, G. (1998). A Method for Endoscopic Embryo Collection and Transfer in the Rabbit. Journal of Veterinary Medicine Series A, 45(1-10), 577-579. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0442.1998.tb00861.xBlasco, A., & Gómez, E. (1993). A note on growth curves of rabbit lines selected on growth rate or litter size. Animal Science, 57(2), 332-334. doi:10.1017/s000335610000698xMaertens L., Lebas F., & Szendro ZS. (2010). Rabbit milk: A review of quantity, quality and non-dietary affecting factors. World Rabbit Science, 14(4). doi:10.4995/wrs.2006.565Novakovic, B., Lewis, S., Halliday, J., Kennedy, J., Burgner, D. P., Czajko, A., … Saffery, R. (2019). Assisted reproductive technologies are associated with limited epigenetic variation at birth that largely resolves by adulthood. Nature Communications, 10(1). doi:10.1038/s41467-019-11929-9Seki, S., & Mazur, P. (2009). The dominance of warming rate over cooling rate in the survival of mouse oocytes subjected to a vitrification procedure. Cryobiology, 59(1), 75-82. doi:10.1016/j.cryobiol.2009.04.012Mazur, P., & Seki, S. (2011). Survival of mouse oocytes after being cooled in a vitrification solution to −196°C at 95° to 70,000°C/min and warmed at 610° to 118,000°C/min: A new paradigm for cryopreservation by vitrification. Cryobiology, 62(1), 1-7. doi:10.1016/j.cryobiol.2010.10.159Zhang, X., Catalano, P. N., Gurkan, U. A., Khimji, I., & Demirci, U. (2011). Emerging technologies in medical applications of minimum volume vitrification. Nanomedicine, 6(6), 1115-1129. doi:10.2217/nnm.11.71Marco-Jiménez, F., Lavara, R., Jiménez-Trigos, E., & Vicente, J. S. (2013). In vivo development of vitrified rabbit embryos: Effects of vitrification device, recipient genotype, and asynchrony. Theriogenology, 79(7), 1124-1129. doi:10.1016/j.theriogenology.2013.02.008Saenz-de-Juano, M. D., Marco-Jimenez, F., Schmaltz-Panneau, B., Jimenez-Trigos, E., Viudes-de-Castro, M. P., Peñaranda, D. S., … Vicente, J. S. (2014). Vitrification alters rabbit foetal placenta at transcriptomic and proteomic level. REPRODUCTION, 147(6), 789-801. doi:10.1530/rep-14-0019Riesche, L., & Bartolomei, M. (2018). Assisted Reproductive Technologies and the Placenta: Clinical, Morphological, and Molecular Outcomes. Seminars in Reproductive Medicine, 36(03/04), 240-248. doi:10.1055/s-0038-1676640Tan, K., Wang, Z., Zhang, Z., An, L., & Tian, J. (2016). IVF affects embryonic development in a sex-biased manner in mice. REPRODUCTION, 151(4), 443-453. doi:10.1530/rep-15-0588Tan, K., An, L., Miao, K., Ren, L., Hou, Z., Tao, L., … Tian, J. (2016). Impaired imprinted X chromosome inactivation is responsible for the skewed sex ratio following in vitro fertilization. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(12), 3197-3202. doi:10.1073/pnas.1523538113Maalouf, W. E., Mincheva, M. N., Campbell, B. K., & Hardy, I. C. W. (2014). Effects of assisted reproductive technologies on human sex ratio at birth. Fertility and Sterility, 101(5), 1321-1325. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2014.01.041Supramaniam, P. R., Mittal, M., Ohuma, E. O., Lim, L. N., McVeigh, E., Granne, I., & Becker, C. M. (2019). Secondary sex ratio in assisted reproduction: an analysis of 1 376 454 treatment cycles performed in the UK. Human Reproduction Open, 2019(4). doi:10.1093/hropen/hoz020Lin, P.-Y., Huang, F.-J., Kung, F.-T., Wang, L.-J., Chang, S. Y., & Lan, K.-C. (2009). Comparison of the offspring sex ratio between fresh and vitrification-thawed blastocyst transfer. Fertility and Sterility, 92(5), 1764-1766. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2009.05.011Chen, M., Du, J., Zhao, J., Lv, H., Wang, Y., Chen, X., … Ling, X. (2017). The sex ratio of singleton and twin delivery offspring in assisted reproductive technology in China. Scientific Reports, 7(1). doi:10.1038/s41598-017-06152-9Leme, L. O., Carvalho, J. O., Franco, M. M., & Dode, M. A. N. (2020). Effect of sex on cryotolerance of bovine embryos produced in vitro. Theriogenology, 141, 219-227. doi:10.1016/j.theriogenology.2019.05.002Spijkers, S., Lens, J. W., Schats, R., & Lambalk, C. B. (2017). Fresh and Frozen-Thawed Embryo Transfer Compared to Natural Conception: Differences in Perinatal Outcome. Gynecologic and Obstetric Investigation, 82(6), 538-546. doi:10.1159/000468935Chen, L., Ni, X., Xu, Z., Fang, J., Zhang, N., & Li, D. (2020). Effect of frozen and fresh embryo transfers on the birthweight of live-born twins. European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, 246, 50-54. doi:10.1016/j.ejogrb.2020.01.008Uk, A., Collardeau-Frachon, S., Scanvion, Q., Michon, L., & Amar, E. (2018). Assisted Reproductive Technologies and imprinting disorders: Results of a study from a French congenital malformations registry. European Journal of Medical Genetics, 61(9), 518-523. doi:10.1016/j.ejmg.2018.05.017Li, Y., Donnelly, C. G., & Rivera, R. M. (2019). Overgrowth Syndrome. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Food Animal Practice, 35(2), 265-276. doi:10.1016/j.cvfa.2019.02.007Chen, Z., Hagen, D. E., Elsik, C. G., Ji, T., Morris, C. J., Moon, L. E., & Rivera, R. M. (2015). Characterization of global loss of imprinting in fetal overgrowth syndrome induced by assisted reproduction. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(15), 4618-4623. doi:10.1073/pnas.1422088112Mussa, A., Molinatto, C., Cerrato, F., Palumbo, O., Carella, M., Baldassarre, G., … Ferrero, G. B. (2017). Assisted Reproductive Techniques and Risk of Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome. Pediatrics, 140(1), e20164311. doi:10.1542/peds.2016-4311Van Heertum, K., & Weinerman, R. (2018). Neonatal outcomes following fresh as compared to frozen/thawed embryo transfer in in vitro fertilization. Birth Defects Research, 110(8), 625-629. doi:10.1002/bdr2.1216Feuer, S. K., Liu, X., Donjacour, A., Lin, W., Simbulan, R. K., Giritharan, G., … Rinaudo, P. F. (2014). Use of a Mouse In Vitro Fertilization Model to Understand the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease Hypothesis. Endocrinology, 155(5), 1956-1969. doi:10.1210/en.2013-2081Marshall, K. L., & Rivera, R. M. (2018). The effects of superovulation and reproductive aging on the epigenome of the oocyte and embryo. Molecular Reproduction and Development, 85(2), 90-105. doi:10.1002/mrd.22951Gordon Baker, H. W. (1998). REPRODUCTIVE EFFECTS OF NONTESTICULAR ILLNESS. Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinics of North America, 27(4), 831-850. doi:10.1016/s0889-8529(05)70043-8Calle, A., Miranda, A., Fernandez-Gonzalez, R., Pericuesta, E., Laguna, R., & Gutierrez-Adan, A. (2012). Male Mice Produced by In Vitro Culture Have Reduced Fertility and Transmit Organomegaly and Glucose Intolerance to Their Male Offspring1. Biology of Reproduction, 87(2). doi:10.1095/biolreprod.112.100743Belva, F., Bonduelle, M., Roelants, M., Michielsen, D., Van Steirteghem, A., Verheyen, G., & Tournaye, H. (2016). Semen quality of young adult ICSI offspring: the first results. Human Reproduction, 31(12), 2811-2820. doi:10.1093/humrep/dew245Vidal, M., Vellvé, K., González-Comadran, M., Robles, A., Prat, M., Torné, M., … Checa, M. A. (2017). Perinatal outcomes in children born after fresh or frozen embryo transfer: a Catalan cohort study based on 14,262 newborns. Fertility and Sterility, 107(4), 940-947. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2017.01.021Sallem, A., Santulli, P., Barraud-Lange, V., Le Foll, N., Ferreux, L., Maignien, C., … Pocate-Cheriet, K. (2017). Extended culture of poor-quality supernumerary embryos improves ART outcomes. Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics, 35(2), 311-319. doi:10.1007/s10815-017-1063-7Marsico, T. V., Camargo, J. de, Valente, R. S., & Sudano, M. J. (2019). Embryo competence and cryosurvival: Molecular and cellular features. Animal Reproduction, 16(3), 423-439. doi:10.21451/1984-3143-ar2019-0072Mehdid, A., Martí-De Olives, A., Fernández, N., Rodríguez, M., & Peris, C. (2019). Effect of stress on somatic cell count and milk yield and composition in goats. Research in Veterinary Science, 125, 61-70. doi:10.1016/j.rvsc.2019.05.015Sinclair, K. D., Rutherford, K. M. D., Wallace, J. M., Brameld, J. M., Stöger, R., Alberio, R., … Dwyer, C. M. (2016). Epigenetics and developmental programming of welfare and production traits in farm animals. Reproduction, Fertility and Development, 28(10), 1443. doi:10.1071/rd16102Siqueira, L. G. B., Dikmen, S., Ortega, M. S., & Hansen, P. J. (2017). Postnatal phenotype of dairy cows is altered by in vitro embryo production using reverse X-sorted semen. Journal of Dairy Science, 100(7), 5899-5908. doi:10.3168/jds.2016-12539Mahsoudi, B., Li, A., & O’Neill, C. (2007). Assessment of the Long-Term and Transgenerational Consequences of Perturbing Preimplantation Embryo Development in Mice1. Biology of Reproduction, 77(5), 889-896. doi:10.1095/biolreprod.106.057885Del Ciampo, L., & Del Ciampo, I. (2018). Breastfeeding and the Benefits of Lactation for Women’s Health. Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia / RBGO Gynecology and Obstetrics, 40(06), 354-359. doi:10.1055/s-0038-1657766Calle, A., Fernandez-Gonzalez, R., Ramos-Ibeas, P., Laguna-Barraza, R., Perez-Cerezales, S., Bermejo-Alvarez, P., … Gutierrez-Adan, A. (2012). Long-term and transgenerational effects of in vitro culture on mouse embryos. Theriogenology, 77(4), 785-793. doi:10.1016/j.theriogenology.2011.07.016Auroux, M. (2000). Long-term effects in progeny of paternal environment and of gamete/embryo cryopreservation. Human Reproduction Update, 6(6), 550-563. doi:10.1093/humupd/6.6.55

Chufa (Cyperus esculentus L. var. sativus Boeck.): An Unconventional Crop. Studies Related to Applications and Cultivation

© The New York Botanical Garden Press 2000[EN] Tubers of Cyperus esculentus were an important food in ancient Egypt. in Spain the tubers are used to make a beverage named horchata, and are also consumed as fresh after soaking. in other countries tubers are used in sweetmeats or uncooked as a side dish. New products obtained can enhance the interest in this crop: as a source of dietary jiber in food technology; as a high quality cooking/salad oil or as biodiesel fue/; as caramel to add body, flavor or color to other products; as a source of starch; as an antioxidant-containing food, etc. The results of a twenty-year research program on nutrition, fertilization, lodging control, planting date, soil texture and use of herbicides are shown. Three cultivars ( 'Ametlla Bonrepos', 'Gegant Africana', and 'Llargueta Alboraia' ) are selected and characterized using horticultura/ and morphological traits, the chemical composition of tubers and horchatas, and the RAPD technique.[ES] Los tubérculos de Cyperus esculentus, que fueron un importante alimento en el antiguo Egipto, se utilizan, en España, para obtener una bebida refrescante denominada horchata y para consumo en fresco. En otros países se consume como entremés y en confitería. Su interés podría incrementarse con la obtención de nuevos productos de aplicación como materia prima en tecnología de alimentos (fibra; aceite de gran calidad, sustitutivo del aceite de oliva; aditivos de sabor, color y cuerpo; almidón; capacidad antioxidante), como combustible biodiesel, etc. Se presentan los resultados obtenidos en veinte años de investigación en aspectos agronómicos (nutrición, fertilización, control del encamado, fecha de plantación, textura del suelo y utilización de herbicidas) y de selección y caracterización varietal (características morfológicas y agronómicas, composición química de tubérculos y horchatas, utilización de la técnica RAPD), que han permitido la selección y caracterización de tres cultivares: 'Ametlla Bonrepos ', 'Gegant Africana', y 'Llargueta Alboraia 'Pascual España, B.; Maroto Borrego, JV.; López Galarza, SV.; San Bautista Primo, A.; Alagarda Pardo, J. (2000). Chufa (Cyperus esculentus L. var. sativus Boeck.): An Unconventional Crop. Studies Related to Applications and Cultivation. Economic Botany. 54(4):425-435. doi:10.1007/BF02866543S425435544Abad, P., B. Pascual, J. V. Maroto, S. López-Galarza, M. J. Vicente, and J. Alagarda. 1998. RAPD analysis of cultivated and wild yellow nutsedge(Cyperus esculentus L.). Weed Science 46: 319–321.Adebajo, L. O. 1993 Microbial counts and invert sugars in juice extracts from stored tubers ofCyperus esculentus (earth almond). Nahrung 37:607–612.Alonso, S. I., J. J. Eyherabide, and M. I. Leaden. 1997. Caracterización morfológica de clones deCyperus rotundus andC. esculentus del sudeste de la provincia de Buenos Aires. Revista Facultad Agronomía, La Plata 102:33–44.Cantalejo, M. J. 1996. Development of new products from earth-almond. Fruit Processing 3:87–91.—. 1997. Analysis of volatile components derived from raw and roasted earth-almond(Cyperus esculentus L.). Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry 45:1853–1860.Cook, J. A., D. J. VanderJagt, A. Dasgupta, G. Mounkaila, R. S. Glew, W. Blackwell, and R. H. Glew. 1998. Use of the Trolox assay to estimate the antioxidant content of seventeen edible wild plants of Niger. Life Sciences 63:106–110.Dancza, I. 1994. A mandulapalka(Cyperus esculentus L.) elofordulaca Kesthely-Heviz hataraban. Novenyvedelem 30:475–476.de Vries, F. T. 1991. Chufa(Cyperus esculentus, Cyperaceae): a weedy cultivar or a cultivated weed?. Economic Botany 45:27–37.Diario Oficial Generalidad Valenciana. 1989. Ordre per la qual es regulen les denominacions especifiques “Xufa de Valencia” i “Orxata Valenciana de Xufes” i el seu Conseil Regulador. Diari Oficial Generalitat Valenciana, Spain 1034:2031–2043.Eerkens, C. 1986. An holistic approach to evaluate the potential productivity of unconventional crops. Pages 104–114in W. F. Raymond and P. Larvor, eds., Alternative uses for agricultural surpluses. Elsevier Applied Science, London.Esuoso, K. O., R. A. Oderinde, F. J. Vega-Catalán, and F. O. Barnim. 1993. Optimization of batch alcoholic fermentation ofCyperus esculentus. Nahrung 37:274–276.Gerhold, K. H. 1992. Breitet sich Erdmandelgras weiter aus?. Pflanzenschutz Praxis 1:29.Holm, L. G., D. L. Plucknett, J. V. Pancho, andJ. P. Herberger. 1977. The world’s worst weeds. Distribution and biology. Hawaii University Press, Honolulu.Holt, J. S. 1994. Genetic variation in life history in yellow nutsedge(Cyperus esculentus L.) from California. Weed Science 42:378–384.Kapseu, C., C. M. F. Mbofung, and G. J. Kayem. 1997 Acides gras triglycérides des huiles de fruits deCyperus esculentus. Sciences des aliments 17:531–537.Keeley, P. E., and R. J. Thullen. 1993. Weeds in cotton: their biology, ecology, and control. Tech. Bull. USDA, 1810, Shafter, CA.Kelley, J. R. 1990. Biomass production of chufa(Cyperus esculentus) in a seasonally flooded wetland. Wetlands 10:61–67.Killinger, G. B., and W. E. Stokes. 1951. Chufas in Florida. Univ. of Florida, Agricultural Experiment Station, Bull. 419, Gainesville, FL.Kükenthal, G. 1936. Cyperaceae, Scirpoideae, Cypereae. Pages 116–121in A. Elder, Das Pflanzenreich 4. 20. Verlag Engelman, Leipzig.Linssen, J. P. H., J. L. Cozijnsen, and W. Pilnik. 1989. Chufa(Cyperus esculentus L.): a new source of dietary fibre. Journal Science Food Agricultural 49:291–296.Maroto, J. V., and B. Pascual. 1984. Estudio sobre la respuesta productiva del cultivo de la chufa(Cyperus esculentus L.) a diferentes combinaciones de fertilización mineral. Anales del Institute Nacional de Investigaciones Agrarias. Serie Agrícola 25:55–65.—,J. Alagarda, and S. López-Galarza. 1986a. Respuesta productiva a distintos abonados nitrogenados en el cultivo de la chufa(Cyperus esculentus L.). ITEA. 6:105–110.—,S. López-Galarza, and J. Alagarda. 1986b. 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Estornino negro – Sturnus unicolor Temminck, 1820

Aves - Orden Passeriformes - Familia Sturnidae en la Enciclopedia Virtual de Vertebrados Españoles, http://www.vertebradosibericos.org/. Versiones anteriores: 20-06-2003; 9-02-2007; 7-03-2008; 28-10-2011; 14-11-2011A comprehensive review of the natural history of the Spotless Starling Sturnus unicolor in Spain.Peer reviewe

A Data Mining Approach to Characterize Amanita ponderosa Mushrooms Using Inorganic Profile and M13-PCR Molecular Data

Wild eatable mushrooms Amanita ponderosa are very appreciated in gastronomy, showing high export potential. This specie grows spontaneously in some microclimates, namely in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula. The aim of this study is to find inorganic and molecular markers that allow to characterize the wild A. ponderosa strains collected from different geographical locations in the Iberian Peninsula. Molecular approach using the microsatellite primer M13-PCR allowed to distinguish the mushrooms at specie level and to differentiate the A. ponderosa strains according to their location. Data mining tools were used in order to correlate inorganic and molecular results. A. ponderosa strains showed different inorganic composition according to their habitat. It was developed a segmentation model based on the molecular analysis, which allow relating the clusters obtained with the geographical site of sampling. There were also developed explanatory models of the segmentation, using decision trees, by following two different strategies. One of them based on the bands of DNA and, the other one, based on the mineral composition. The results show that it may be possible to relate the molecular and inorganic data. The present findings are wide potential application and both health and economical benefits arise from this study

Modelling molecular and inorganic data of Amanita ponderosa mushrooms using artificial neural networks

Amanita ponderosa are wild mushroom eatable, growing spontaneously in some Mediterranean microclimates, namely in Alentejo and Andaluzia, in the Iberian Peninsula, due to its Mediterranean characteristics. The aim of this study was to evaluate inorganic composition of mycorrhizal Amanita ponderosa collected from different regions of the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula and to access molecular biomarkers using artificial neural networks. Fruiting bodies of the A. ponderosa mushrooms were collected in Spring from different locations area, in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula. Three individuals were sampled per location. The inorganic analyses showed that mineral composition of these mushrooms depends on the ecosystem where they grow. Levels of trace metals are considerably lower, acceptable to human consumption at nutritional and low toxic levels. Molecular approach using the microsatellite primer M13-PCR allowed to distinguish the mushrooms at specie level and to differentiate the A. ponderosa strains according to their location. Data mining tools were used in order to correlate inorganic and molecular results. In order to obtain the best prediction of the M13 PCR DNA band profile, different network structures and architectures were elaborated and evaluated. In the present work the error metric used was the mean squared error. The neural network selected for modelling the data has a 6-7-14 topology, i.e. an input layer with six nodes, a hidden layer with seven nodes and a fourteen nodes output layer. A good match between the experimental and predicted values can be observed

Influence of substrate on strawberry plug plant production

[EN] The plug plant technique for the commercial propagation of strawberries is increasing in importance. Several factors, including the properties of the substrate, can affect plug plant quality. Tests on nine substrates containing different proportions of perlite [from 0 ¿ 75%, (v/v)], and dark and light peat [both from 0 ¿ 80% (v/v)], were performed using a simplex-lattice design in order to establish a model for strawberry plug plant production based not only on the single component composition of the substrate, but also on the influences of the chemical and physical properties of the substrate on plug plant quality. Notable differences in physical and chemical properties were found among the nine different substrates tested, as a consequence of the broad range of their component compositions. Substrate mixes containing medium-to-high proportions [from 60 ¿ 70% (v/v)] of light peat and low proportions of dark peat and perlite are recommended, as these resulted in a low nutrient content, a high organic matter content, a low pH, and a low ¿coarseness¿ index, which led to high-grade plug plants with greater root and crown dry weights.Funding was provided by the Spanish Ministry for Science and Technology-FEDER through Research Project No. AGL2004-04365/AGR. The authors are grateful to Dr. J.L. Guardiola and Dr. Manual Abad for comments on this manuscript. The authors are also grateful to Ms. Debra Westall for revising the grammar of the manuscript.López Galarza, SV.; San Bautista Primo, A.; Pascual España, B.; Maroto Borrego, JV. (2010). Influence of substrate on strawberry plug plant production. Journal of Horticultural Science. 85(5):415-420. doi:10.1080/14620316.2010.11512690S41542085

Liquid-sample introduction in plasma spectrometry

Plasma-spectrometry techniques, namely inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) and plasma-based mass spectrometry (MS), are the most commonly used in analytical laboratories for elemental analysis in a wide variety of samples. In these techniques, the quality of the analysis strongly depends on appropriate selection of the sample-introduction system. For liquid samples, it basically comprises a nebulizer, which transforms the bulk solution into an aerosol, and a spray chamber, which modifies the characteristics of this aerosol and transports it to the plasma base through an injector tube. Sometimes, a desolvation system is incorporated to reduce the solvent load into the plasma. This article describes the different components of the sample-introduction system, emphasizing their main advantages and drawbacks. A review of the processes that affect the aerosol between generation and reaching the plasma is also included

Seed treatments for improved germination of caper (Capparis spinosa)

[EN] This study analyses the effects of seven treatments for removing hardseededness and four for breaking physiological dormancy in caper seeds. Seeds were germinated in a growth chamber and the maximum germination percentage, the time to reach 50% of final germination and the mean relative cumulative rate were calculated. The logistic function was suitable for analysing caper seed germination. Acid scarification followed by the addition of a GA(3) solution to the germination substrate was the best, efficient and cost effective method for ensuring satisfactory seed germination. Acid scarification can be substituted by mechanical scarification with ultrasound. hot water scarification or soaking, but these procedures require longer germination periods to reach satisfactory germination levels. The soaking method proved useful enough to remove hardseededness and it is also the most simple among the assayed treatments.Pascual España, B.; San Bautista Primo, A.; Imbernon, A.; López Galarza, SV.; Alagarda Pardo, J.; Maroto Borrego, JV. (2004). Seed treatments for improved germination of caper (Capparis spinosa). Seed Science and Technology. 32(2):637-642. doi:10.15258/sst.2004.32.2.33S63764232