The metallicity properties of zCOSMOS galaxies at 0.2<z<0.8

We study the metallicity properties of galaxies in the zCOSMOS sample between 0.2<z<0.8. At z<0.46, where Ha and [NII] are detected, we find the same dependence of metallicity on stellar mass and Star Formation Rate (SFR), the Fundamental Metallicity Relation, found by Mannucci et al. (2010) in SDSS galaxies on a similar redshift range. We extend this relation to higher redshift, 0.49<z<0.8 where the R23 metallicity index can be measured in our data, finding no evidence for evolution, and a metallicity scatter around the relation of about 0.16 dex. This result confirms, with a much higher level of significance with respect to previous works, the absence of evolution of the FMR during the last half of cosmic history.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

El impuesto de consumos y la resistencia antifiscal en la España de la segunda mitad del siglo XIX: Un impuesto no exclusivamente urbano

Editada en la Fundación Empresa PúblicaEste artículo estudia el impuesto de Consumos español durante la segunda mitad del siglo XIX. Se fija en tres aspectos del mismo: a), su peso en la financiación de las haciendas locales; b), su importancia en la protesta antifiscal del siglo XIX; y c), su incidencia. Aquí se mantiene la hipótesis de que los motines anticonsumos constituyeron una de las fórmulas recurrentes de la resistencia antifiscal del siglo XIX, pero no la más importante. Ese protagonismo le corresponde al fraude. Se sostiene asimismo que el de Consumos no fue sólo un impuesto sobre el gasto y que en parte se trasladó a la agricultura. Se aportan datos que hacen al menos dudar del carácter exclusivamente urbano que normalmente se le ha atribuido.This article studies the Spanish Tax on Consumptions during the second half of the 19th century. It focuses on three issues: a), its significance within the funding of local governments; b), its importance to explain the protests against taxation in the 19th century; and c), its incidence. Our hypothesis is that the mutinies against this tax constituted one of the recurring practices of the resistances against taxation in the 19th century, but not the most important, represented by the tax defraudation. It is also indicated that die Tax on Consumptions was not only a tax on expenditure, and was in part transferred to agriculture. We provide some data that question the exclusively urban character that has been usually attributed to this tax.Publicad

Scaling relations of metallicity, stellar mass, and star formation rate in metal-poor starbursts: I. A fundamental plane

Most galaxies follow well-defined scaling relations of metallicity (O/H), star formation rate (SFR), and stellar mass. However, low-metallicity starbursts, rare in the Local Universe but more common at high redshift, deviate significantly from these scaling relations. On the "main sequence" of star formation, these galaxies have high SFR for a given M*; and on the mass-metallicity relation, they have excess M* for their low metallicity. In this paper, we characterize O/H, M*, and SFR for these deviant "low-metallicity starbursts", selected from a sample of ~1100 galaxies, spanning almost two orders of magnitude in metal abundance, a factor of ~10^6 in SFR, and of ~10^5 in stellar mass. Our sample includes quiescent star-forming galaxies and blue compact dwarfs at redshift 0, luminous compact galaxies at redshift 0.3, and Lyman Break galaxies at redshifts 1-3.4. Applying a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to the galaxies in our sample with M*<10^{10} Msun gives a Fundamental Plane (FP) of scaling relations; SFR and stellar mass define the plane itself, and O/H its thickness. The dispersion for our sample in the edge-on view of the plane is 0.17 dex, independently of redshift and including the metal-poor starbursts. The same FP is followed by 55100 galaxies selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, with a dispersion of 0.06dex. In a companion paper, we develop multi-phase chemical evolution models that successfully predict the observed scaling relations and the FP; the deviations from the main scaling relations are caused by a different (starburst or "active") mode of star formation. These scaling relations do not truly evolve, but rather are defined by the different galaxy populations dominant at different cosmological epochs.Comment: 14 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication by MNRA

Food Neophobia mediates the variety but not the quality of food choices among adolescents

Eating habits become embedded during adolescence, a developmental stage where individuals increasingly assume responsibility for their dietary choices. Understanding the factors influencing these choices is essential for preventing unhealthy lifestyle patterns in adulthood. Food Neophobia (FN), a trait linked to limited dietary variety and quality as well as specific food preferences, is particularly important to investigate in adolescents. In this study, 200 adolescents (aged 14–17; 35 % girls and 65 % boys) participated in a Food Choice Task designed to evaluate their autonomous food choices across two dimensions: the willingness to select novel or unfamiliar products (reflecting dietary variety) and the inclination to choose healthy options (reflecting dietary quality). Foods depicted in images were categorised as familiar or unfamiliar based on a pilot study and as healthy or unhealthy based on whether they were inspired by the Mediterranean Diet (MD). Findings revealed that adolescents with higher levels of FN were less likely to choose unfamiliar foods. However, no significant differences were observed in the selection frequency between healthy and unhealthy foods based on FN scores. This may be due to the high familiarity and low arousal ratings associated with the foods in these categories, which could mask the effects of FN as no food reached a “warning threshold” that would induce rejection. To promote healthier eating habits among neophobic adolescents, it is recommended to provide simple, familiar food options that evoke minimal arousal, thereby supporting better dietary choices

The Histidine Biosynthetic Genes in the Superphylum Bacteroidota-Rhodothermota-Balneolota-Chlorobiota: Insights into the Evolution of Gene Structure and Organization

One of the most studied metabolic routes is the biosynthesis of histidine, especially in enterobacteria where a single compact operon composed of eight adjacent genes encodes the complete set of biosynthetic enzymes. It is still not clear how his genes were organized in the genome of the last universal common ancestor community. The aim of this work was to analyze the structure, organization, phylogenetic distribution, and degree of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of his genes in the Bacteroidota-Rhodothermota-Balneolota-Chlorobiota superphylum, a group of phylogenetically close bacteria with different surviving strategies. The analysis of the large variety of his gene structures and organizations revealed different scenarios with genes organized in more or less compact—heterogeneous or homogeneous—operons, in suboperons, or in regulons. The organization of his genes in the extant members of the superphylum suggests that in the common ancestor of this group, genes were scattered throughout the chromosome and that different forces have driven the assembly of his genes in compact operons. Gene fusion events and/or paralog formation, HGT of single genes or entire operons between strains of the same or different taxonomic groups, and other molecular rearrangements shaped the his gene structure in this superphylum

La historia (económica) interminable del tiempo de Cervantes

De generación en generación, el Quijote, heraldo de las esencias patrias, ha sido devotamente releído y reinventado. Del mismo modo, Cervantes y su tiempo fueron recorridos hasta la extenuación por toda suerte de estudiosos dispuestos a arrancar del sepulcro del hidalgo manchego alguna clave explicativa del destino de España. Las páginas que siguen no se aplican a una lectura económica del texto. Desde la que hiciera Piernas Hurtado en 1874 hasta este mismo año, son demasiados los ensayos en tal dirección. Aquí se propone un recorrido alternativo que, partiendo de los doctores salmantinos y a través de los caminos del arbitrismo, de la Ilustración y de la historiografía económica liberal, agota su trayecto en «el tiempo de Pierre Vilar». Al final del viaje no debe desalentar constatar que «todo es según el color del cristal con que se mira»; los progresos ópticos, al corregir las distorsiones de las lentes, acaban por acercar los puntos de vista y suscitar así el acuerdo entre los observadores.Don Quixote, herald of patriotic essences, has been devotedly read and reinvented generation after generation. Likewise, Cervantes and his time have been studied until exhaustion by all kinds of scholars prepared to snatch a key from the grave of the nobleman from La Mancha, which could explain the destiny of Spain. In the following pages, the text will not be interpreted from the point of view of economics. Since the works of Piernas hurtado to this very year of the celebration of the centenary, a fair amount of essays have been produced from that perspective. An alternative analysis is proposed here which, starting with the School of Salamanca and going through Arbitrismo, Enlightenment and the liberal economic historiography, ends at «the time of Pierre Vilar». At the end of the journey one shouldn’t be disappointed at verifying that «all depends on the colour of the glass you look through at this matter». The advances in optics have adjusted the distortions caused by faulty lenses and have hence brought different points of view closer together. Today there is considerable agreement amongst scholars.Publicad

Peritoneal dialysis in the time of coronavirus disease 2019

In the current setting of global containment, peritoneal dialysis (PD) and home haemodialysis are the best modalities of renal replacement therapy (RRT) to reduce the rate of transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)&nbsp;infection. Considering the shorter and easier training programme of PD compared to home haemodialysis, PD appears a practical solution for patients with end-stage renal disease to reduce the risk of hospital-acquired infection. PD offers the advantage of minimizing the risk of viral transmission through interpersonal contact that commonly occurs during the haemodialysis session and while travelling from home to the haemodialysis facility using public transport services. To overcome barriers to health care access due to the containment measures for this emerging disease, telemedicine is a useful and reliable tool for delivering health care without exposing patients to the risk of contact. However, novel issues including handling of potentially infected dialysate, caregivers' infectious risk and adequacy of PD in critically ill patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome remain to be clarified. In conclusion, PD should be preferred to the other modalities of RRT during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak because it can be a solution to cope with the increased number of infected patients worldwide

Changes in prolactin receptor location in prostate tumors

Introduction: Prolactin (PRL) binds its receptor (PRLR) and stimulates cell proliferation, differentiation and survival in prostate cancer (PCa) cell lines via STAT5a, MAPK and AKT. Objective: To evaluate the expression of PRL and PRLR in normal and tumor prostate tissues with different Gleason patterns. Methods: Samples of normal, benign prostatic hyperplasia and PCa with different Gleason patterns were selected from radical prostatectomy. The intensity, location and percentage of stained cells for PRL and PRLR were evaluated by Immunohistochemistry. Co-localization was observed by confocal microscopy. Results: PRL was expressed diffusely and with a mild intensity in the cytoplasm of normal and tumor prostate luminal cells. Its expression only augmented in the Gleason 3 pattern (p 0.0001). The immunostaining intensity and the percentage of positive cells for PRLR did not vary between normal and tumor tissues. However, the location of the PRLR was modified by the tumorigenic process. In non-tumor tissues, PRLR expression was mostly in plasma membrane in the apical zone of epithelial cells. In tumor tissues, it was expressed in intracellular vesicles. The co-localization of PRL and PRLR was demonstrated in normal and tumor tissues suggesting that PRL could be acting in an autocrine and paracrine manner. Conclusion: PRL and its receptor were present in the cytoplasm of the epithelial cells of the normal and tumor prostate gland. In tumor tissues, the change in the location and appearance of cryptic PRLRs that store PRL may keep active the different signaling pathways related to cell proliferation and survival.Fil: López Fontana, Gastón. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas; Argentina. Clinica Andina de Urología; ArgentinaFil: Rey Echalecu, Lara Sofía. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Santiano, Flavia Eliana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: López Fontana, José Rodrigo. Clinica Andina de Urología; ArgentinaFil: López Laur, José Daniel. Clinica Andina de Urología; ArgentinaFil: Zyla, Leila Ester. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Valdemoros, Paula. Laboratorio de Anatomía Patológica Vega Valdemoros; ArgentinaFil: Guerrero Gimenez, Martin Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Fernandez Muñoz, Juan Manuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Gomez, Silvina Esther. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Bruna, Flavia Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Guglielmi, Juan Manuel. Clinica Andina de Urología; ArgentinaFil: Caron, Ruben Walter. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: López Fontana, Constanza Matilde. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; Argentin

CONSUMO DE ÁLCOOL, FUMO E QUALIDADE DE VIDA: UM COMPARATIVO ENTRE UNIVERSITÁRIOS

O estilo de vida pode ser considerado como um fator de grande influência sobre a qualidade de vida, entre os aspectos do estilo de vida estão fatores como a alimentação, comportamentos preventivos, hábitos de atividades físicas, e prevenção ao estresse. Este estudo tem como objetivo traçar um comparativo entre os aspectos do estilo de vida, consumo de álcool e fumo em universitários das Engenharias e de Educação Física da UNICENTRO, no total de 213 acadêmicos. Os dados sobre perfil do estilo de vida foram coletados através do questionário chamado “O Pentáculo do bem estar”, que analisa os componentes do estilo de vida. Dados referente ao consumo de álcool e fumo foram coletados através de um questionário auto aplicável. A análise dos dados foi feita por meio de estatística descritiva, com distribuição de frequência e percentual através de tabelas e gráficos. Entre os aspectos do estilo de vida, as Engenharias tiveram médias negativas referente aos hábitos alimentares e atividade física, nos demais componentes adotaram hábitos positivos no seu dia a dia. Os acadêmicos de Educação Física tiveram medias positivas em todos os aspectos do estilo de vida. O que chama atenção no estudo é o grande número de universitários que ingerem bebidas alcoólicas, com percentagem de 91,8% e 82,3%, nas Engenharias e em Educação Física, respectivamente. Espera-se que os resultados expostos possam contribuir na reflexão sobre os comportamentos de risco e possíveis mudanças no estilo de vida individual, como também implantar um programa de saúde dirigido especificamente à população universitária

Alginate coating modifies the biological effects of cerium oxide nanoparticles to the freshwater bivalve Dreissena polymorpha

The adsorption of biomacromolecules is a fundamental process that can alter the behaviour and adverse effects of nanoparticles (NPs) in natural systems. While the interaction of NPs with natural molecules present in the environment has been described, their biological impacts are largely unknown. Therefore, this study aims to provide a first evidence of the influence of biomolecules sorption on the toxicity of cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2NPs) towards the freshwater bivalve Dreissena polymorpha. To this aim, we compared naked CeO2NPs and coated with alginate and chitosan, two polysaccharides abundant in aquatic environments. Mussels were exposed to the three CeO2NPs (naked, chitosan- and alginate-coated) up to 14 days at 100 μg L−1, which is a concentration higher than the environmental one predicted for this type of NP. A suite of biomarkers related to oxidative stress and energy metabolism was applied, and metabolomics was also carried out to identify metabolic pathways potentially targeted by CeO2NPs. Results showed that the coating with chitosan reduced NP aggregation and increased the stability in water. Nonetheless, the Ce accumulation in mussels was similar in all treatments. As for biological effects, all three types of CeO2NPs reduced significantly the level of reactive oxygen species and the activity of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione-S-transferase. The effect was more pronounced in individuals exposed to CeO2NPs coated with alginate, which also significantly induced the activity of the electron transport system. Metabolomics analysis of amino acid metabolism showed modulation only in mussels treated with CeO2NPs coated with alginate. In this group, 25 metabolites belonging to nucleotides, lipids/sterols and organic osmolytes were also modulated, suggesting that the nanoparticles affect energetic metabolism and osmoregulation of mussels. This study highlights the key role of the interaction between nanoparticles and natural molecules as a driver of nanoparticle ecotoxicity