Genetic diversity in Silene sennenii Pau (Caryophyllaceae) assayed through DNA-based techniques

Genetic diversity in Silene sennenii Pau (Caryophyllaceae) assayed through DNA-based techniques. Silene sennenii is a narrow endemic species from the NE of the Iberian Peninsula. It is considered as EN ("Endangered") according to the IUCN criteria and is under legal protection in Catalonia. In the present work we report an assay using three different approaches for surveying the genetic diversity in this rare, endangered campion: analysis of chloroplast haplotypes, AFLPs and transferability of microsatellites previously developed for Silene latifolia. None of the nine chloroplast regions sequenced showed any variability. Five out of the 21 microsatellite loci tested were polymorphic although more loci are required in order to perform a robust population genetics study. Regarding the AFLP analysis, five out of the 26 pairs of primers tested exhibited moderate levels of variability and therefore they could be useful for further investigating the genetic structure of S. sennenii. Although preliminary, our results based on three different genetic markers are in agreement with the low values of genetic variation already reported for this species employing allozymes

Prevalence of altered passive eruption in orthodontically treated and untreated patients

Background: some authors have reported that after orthodontic treatment (OT), a 'gummy smile' might develop. Nevertheless, there are no studies in the literature that investigate whether OT increases the presence of altered passive eruption (APE). The primary aim of this cross-sectional study is to evaluate the prevalence of APE after OT (OT group) and compare it with patients who never received OT (control group). A secondary aim is to identify which variables are related to APE. Methods: the study population consisted of 190 patients (95 patients each in the control and OT groups), providing 1,140 anterior teeth for the clinical examination. The following clinical parameters were assessed: presence or absence of APE, clinical crown length, and gingival biotype, which was divided into three categories: thin-scalloped, thick-flat, and thick-scalloped. Results: twenty-eight patients (29.5%) were diagnosed with APE in the control group and 40 (42.1%) in the OT group, although this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.07). Furthermore, 34 (75.6%) patients with thick-flat biotype were diagnosed with APE, whereas 30 (31.3%) and four (8.2%) with thick-scalloped and thin-scalloped biotypes, respectively, had APE. These differences were statistically significant (P <0.001). Conclusions: it was concluded that: 1) the prevalence of APE is higher after OT but not to a statistically significant degree and 2) APE is more common in individuals with a thick-flat gingival biotype

Successes and challenges of a Collaborative-PBL program in engineering degrees

This paper presents an extracurricular program called INSPIRE3 that has been implemented by the ETSEIAT (Escola Tècnica Superior d’Enginyeries Industrial i Aeronàutica de Terrassa), a center belonging to the UPC-BarcelonaTech (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya). This program is mainly aimed at facilitating cross-curricular skills and developing abilities among students through collaborative-project based learning. The projection of an attractive external image of engineering degrees offered by ETSEIAT in order to increase the enrollment in such degrees is a secondary goal of this program. Under INSPIRE3, several real, challenging and multidisciplinary engineering projects are currently under development. The main feature of this program is that the subjects of the projects are proposed by the students themselves. In this paper, INSPIRE3 motivation, program management and implementation process are described and a short description of projects under development is also given.Postprint (published version

El Pino Canario: Un superviviente entre volcanes

El pino canario constituye una singularidad dentro del conjunto de pinos, ya que presenta una amplia gama de estrategias que permiten su persistencia y que han sido adquiridas a lo largo de su evolución en un ambiente volcánico. Todos los pinos son especies que presentan adaptaciones frente al fuego y de centran en dos estrategias: 1) una eficiente dispersión posincendio basada en una gran capacidad dispersiva y en la presencia de piñas serótinas; y 2) la resistencia individual, con cortezas gruesas que les permiten alcanzar gran longevidad

Production of spinach in intensive Mediterranean horticultural systems can be sustained by organic-based fertilizers without yield penalties and withlow environmental impacts

Agricultural production of leafy vegetables in Mediterranean countries aims to achieve high yields without elevated nitrate contents in the edible parts. This implies an adjusted nutrient management, especially of nitrogen (N), in irrigated horticultural systems under semiarid conditions. These horticultural systems are highly relevant in SE Spain from an economic perspective. However, the management of N fertilizer, generally applied in large amounts (150–250 kg N ha−1 in a split application), could trigger losses of reactive N to the environment. The use of novel fertilizers may fulfill the nitrogen requirements of the crop, but should also help to decrease the environmental impacts of production, thus achieving carbon-neutral horticultural systems through (e.g.) enhancement of carbon (C) stocks and greenhouse gases (GHG) emission abatement. In this experiment, eight different fertilizing scenarios at a normalized N application rate of 150 kg N ha−1 were assessed in terms of crop yields, nutrients uptake, C stocking capacity, and yield-scaled GHG emissions. Inorganic NPK fertilizers, digestates, biosolids, composts, and vermicomposts were included among this set of fertilizers. Our results show that organic-based stabilized materials, especially composts, lowered the NO3 − concentration in spinach leaves, in comparison to organic raw materials and synthetic fertilizers. They also produced yields similar to those of slow-release synthetic fertilizers, but with a significant increase in soil organic C 61 days after application. In general, N2O emissions were positively affected by the treatments. Nevertheless, direct N2O emissions were generally low (the highest emission factor, 0.13, being for the biosolid treatment) due to the combined mitigating effect of both the edapho-climatic conditions and the management practices. In general, cumulative CO2 emissions were high in all organic scenarios compared to the control treatment (299 kg C-CO2 ha−1), the highest values being observed in the treatment with biosolid (589 kg C-CO2 ha−1), probably due to differences in the labile organic C contents. In conclusion, some of the organic-based treatments showed multiple positive effects: on crop quality (i.e. leaf N content), crop yields, and GHG mitigation potential. Based on our results, the use of these materials represents an optimized N fertilizer strategy to help achieve a circular economy, by closing nutrient loops and decreasing the environmental impacts of horticultural production systems in semiarid regions of southern Europ

Memòria personal : una altra manera de llegir la història

El llibre proposa el consens assolit entre les diverses fórmules que s'han afirmat amb més o menys fortuna els darrers temps al voltant de la literatura personal, aquella del "jo", autobiogràfica, dietarística. Memòria personal entre històri

Implantació i consolidació d'un servei d'orientació i tutorització on-line pels estudiants de fase selectiva en l'Escola Tècnica Superior d'Enginyeria Industrial de Terrassa

L’índex d’estudiants exclusos durant la fase selectiva de la titulació d’enginyeria industrial ha estat un tema de preocupació per part dels equips directius, i els estudis que s’han fet indiquen que és comparable a altres titulacions de la UPC. Fins el curs 2003-2004 l’ETSEIT organitzava un curs de introducció als estudis d’Enginyeria Industrial (7 edicions) durant el primer cuadrimestre i tutories personalitzades als alumnes que ho demanaven amb la finalitat d’augmentar el rendiment acadèmic de la fase selectiva d’enginyeria industrial.S’havia detectat que una part significativa dels estudiants que no superaven la fase selectiva era degut per un costat a la falta de coneixements en matèries bàsiques que no havien cursat en la seva currícula de batxillerat (química i dibuix tècnic), a la falta d’hàbits d’estudi, i per un altra, un desconeixement en quan a les pròpies possibilitats d’ells mateixos ( per exemple un excés de matricula de crèdits). Durant els tres últims cursos acadèmics s’han implementat activitats d’acollida i de tutorització on-line que s’han anta ajustan en funció de l’opinió dels professionals d’orientació universitària, els professors tutors i els alumnes. Al final de cada curs s’han pasta enquestes als alumnes i s’han fet reunions amb els professors tutors. Aquest últim curs s’ha realitzat entre d’altres activitats una xerrada col.loqui amb professionals de la titulació (en el cas d’enginyeria industrial han participat ex –alumnes amb 5 anys d’experiència professional) amb grups de 40 alumnes dirigides per un expert extern del centre. Aquesta activitat l’ha realitzat EDUCAWEB , una empresa amb experiencia i solvencia dins el camp d’orientació educativa universitària. Els objectius de les sessions prèviament acordades amb la direcció de l’ETSEIT i EDUCAWEB son: • Facilitar la relació i el intercanvi entre alumnes nous a la ETSEIT. • Oferir un espai a on compartir les noves situacions i les expectativas, així com canalitzar les inquietuds i les necessitats fruti del canvi provocat per l’inici dels estudiants. • Recollir els estat d’ànim i les motivacions d’aquest estudiants. • Elaborar un informe resum que permeti a la ETSEIT desposar d’una informació adicional i programar accions de suport adequades

EEES: adeqüació de les metodologies docents i consolidació de les tutoritzacions on-line a l’Escola Tècnica Superior d’Enginyeria Industrial i Aeronàutica de Terrassa

L'índex d'estudiants exclosos durant la fase selectiva ha estat un tema de preocupació per part dels equips directius, i els estudis que s'han fet indiquen que són comparables a d'altres titulacions de la UPC. Per tal de poder avaluar i augmentar el rendiment acadèmic durant aquesta fase, el curs 2002/03 es va iniciar un nou projecte d'orientació i tutorització dels estudiants de nou ingrés a la titulació d'Enginyeria Industrial. Durant el curs 2004/05, s'ha augmentat amb el grup d’estudiants de nou accés als estudis d'Enginyeria Aeronàutica. Aquest projecte consta de dues parts: - L'acollida dels nous estudiants, organitzada com una assignatura de lliure elecció. - Tutorització i orientació on-line. On cada estudiant és assignat a un dels grups del Servei d'Orientació personal (SOP). Durant els tres cursos que hem implantat la tutorització on-line, aquest curs ha estat el primer que ha tingut una participació més activa per part dels estudiants, ja que s’ha aconseguit una proporció molt més elevada de contactes tant presencials com virtuals. La conseqüència d’aquest projecte és haver aconseguit que tots els estudiants de nou ingrés de fase selectiva tan d’enginyeria industrial com aeronàutica, hagin realitzat com a mínim un contacte presencial i un altre mitjançant el campus digital atenea amb el professor tutor

Rapid SARS-CoV-2 Inactivation in a Simulated Hospital Room Using a Mobile and Autonomous Robot Emitting Ultraviolet-C Light

The spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) since 2019 has made mask-wearing, physical distancing, hygiene, and disinfection complementary measures to control virus transmission. Especially for health facilities, we evaluated the efficacy of an UV-C autonomous robot to inactivate SARS-CoV-2 desiccated on potentially contaminated surfaces. ASSUM (autonomous sanitary sterilization ultraviolet machine) robot was used in an experimental box simulating a hospital intensive care unit room. Desiccated SARS-CoV-2 samples were exposed to UV-C in 2 independent runs of 5, 12, and 20 minutes. Residual virus was eluted from surfaces and viral titration was carried out in Vero E6 cells. ASSUM inactivated SARS-CoV-2 by ≥ 99.91% to ≥ 99.99% titer reduction with 12 minutes or longer of UV-C exposure and onwards and a minimum distance of 100cm between the device and the SARS-CoV-2 desiccated samples. This study demonstrates that ASSUM UV-C device is able to inactivate SARS-CoV-2 within a few minutes. The virucidal capacity of an autonomous and mobile UV-C light robot was experimentally evaluated at different exposure times (5, 12, and 20 minutes) and locations (≥ 1 meter from UV-C) simulating a high viral load potentially present in hospital-room facilities

Optimization of Mesenchymal Stromal Cell (MSC) Manufacturing Processes for a Better Therapeutic Outcome

MSCs products as well as their derived extracellular vesicles, are currently being explored as advanced biologics in cell-based therapies with high expectations for their clinical use in the next few years. In recent years, various strategies designed for improving the therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), including pre-conditioning for enhanced cytokine production, improved cell homing and strengthening of immunomodulatory properties, have been developed but the manufacture and handling of these cells for their use as advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) remains insufficiently studied, and available data are mainly related to non-industrial processes. In the present article, we will review this topic, analyzing current information on the specific regulations, the selection of living donors as well as MSCs from different sources (bone marrow, adipose tissue, umbilical cord, etc.), in-process quality controls for ensuring cell efficiency and safety during all stages of the manual and automatic (bioreactors) manufacturing process, including cryopreservation, the use of cell banks, handling medicines, transport systems of ATMPs, among other related aspects, according to European and US legislation. Our aim is to provide a guide for a better, homogeneous manufacturing of therapeutic cellular products with special reference to MSCsThis manuscript has been supported by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) through the project “RD16/0011: Red de Terapia Celular” (Groups: 0001, 0002, 0004, 0005, 0013, 0015, and 0029), fromthe sub-programme RETICS, integrated in the “Plan Estatal de I+D+I 2013-2016” and co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) “A way to make Europe”, and also by the ISCIII through the project RICORS “RD21/0017;TERAV” (Groups: 001, 002, 003, 006, 009 and 010) that is supported by the Next Generation EU program (Plan de Recuperación, Transformación y Resiliencia); and the Regional Government of Madrid (S2017/BMD-3962, Avancell-CM