Gliridae (Rodentia, Mammalia) del Mioceno inferior de la fisura kárstica Rinascita 1 (Gargano, prov. Foggia, Italy).

Two new species of the endemic genus Stertomys (Mammalia, Rodentia, Gliridae) are described from the Late Miocene fissure filling Rinascita 1 on the palaeo-island Gargano (prov. Foggia, Italy): S. simplex and S. lyrifer. A third species is classified as S. aff. daamsi Freudenthal & Martín-Suárez, 2006. The fauna contains poor remains of three more species of Stertomys, and a non-endemic glirid: Dryomys apulus Freudenthal & Martín-Suárez, 2006. Two groups of species are recognized within the genus Stertomys: 1) Large species with complicated dental pattern: S. laticrestatus Daams & Freudenthal, 1985, S. daunius Freudenthal & Martín-Suárez, 2006, and S. lyrifer sp. nov. 2) Smaller species with a simpler dental pattern: S. daamsi Freudenthal & Martín-Suárez, 2006, S. simplex sp. nov., and S. aff. daamsi. Key words: Gliridae, Miocene, Italy, endemism, insularity.Se describen dos especies nuevas del género endémico Stertomys (Mammalia, Rodentia, Gliridae) de la fisura kárstica Rinascita 1 en la paleo-isla de Gargano (prov. Foggia, Italia): S. simplex y S. lyrifer. Una tercera especie se clasifica como S. aff. daamsi Freudenthal & Martín-Suárez, 2006. La fauna contiene tres especies de Stertomys más, que están representadas por muy poco material. Hay además un glirido no endémico: Dryomys apulus Freudenthal & Martín-Suárez, 2006. Se reconocen dos grupos de especies en el género Stertomys: 1) Especies grandes con dentición complicada: S. laticrestatus Daams & Freudenthal, 1985, S. daunius Freudenthal & Martín-Suárez, 2006, y S. lyrifer sp. nov. 2) Especies más pequeñas con dentición más sencilla: S. daamsi Freudenthal & Martín-Suárez, 2006, S. simplex sp. nov., y S. aff. daamsi. Palabras clave: Gliridae, Mioceno, Italia, endemismo, insularidad

Bacteriophage induction versus vaginal homeostasis: role of H2O2 in the selection of Lactobacillus defective prophages

Vaginal disorders associated with systemic chemotherapy arise by direct inhibition of the resident microbiota (dominated by lactobacilli) or, possibly, by induction of prophages harbored in their genomes, leading to cell lysis. In the present study, proficient Lactobacillus phages could not be isolated from vaginal exudates. However, lysogeny appeared to be widespread, although about half of the strains harbored prophage sequences that were not responsive to SOS activation. In other cases, prophage induction was achieved, but viable phages were not generated, despite the fact that the induced supernatants of some strains were bactericidal. In one case, this activity was accompanied by the production of a bacteriophage subsequently identified as a member of the family Siphoviridae (isometric capsid and long non-contractile tail). Most of the lactobacilli tested generated hydrogen peroxide, which acted as an inducer of the SOS response, suggesting that H2O2 selects for strains that harbor SOS-insensitive, defective prophages, which are thus unable to promote vaginal lactobacilli phageinduced lysis. [Int Microbiol 2009; 12(2):131-136

A U-Pb Study of Zircons from a Lower Crustal Granulite Xenolith of the Spanish Central System: A Record of Iberian Lithospheric Evolution from the Neoproterozoic to the Triassic

A U-Pb laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and secondary ion mass spectrometry geochronological study has been performed on zircons from a felsic granulite xenolith from the lower crust under the Variscan belt of Iberia. The ages obtained reveal zircon-forming events that span from the late Neoproterozoic (Cadomian-Avalonian orogeny) to the early stages of the opening of the Atlantic Ocean in the Mesozoic, through Cambro-Ordovician rifting, Devono-Carboniferous Variscan-Alleghenian collision, and Permian-Triassic extension and uplift. The U-Pb age groups found in zircons from this single lower crustal xenolith (ca. 220, 250, 280–310, 460–490, 525, and 550–490 Ma) record at least one complete cycle of closing and opening of oceanic basins and collision of continental masses. Zircons from the felsic granulite xenolith contain a synthesis of the geochronological information found on the surface geology and record most but not all major lithospheric events in the region in a ca. 400-m.yr. period

Long-Span Wooden Structural Floors with Self-Tensioning System: Performance under Asymmetrical Loads

This study analyzes the performance of wooden structural floors equipped with the self-tensioning system patented by the authors, consisting of a force multiplying mechanism connected to a self-tensioning tendon, which is activated automatically when the load is applied to the structural element. The paper describes the system’s difficulties when the structural floor is subjected to asymmetrical loads. The proposed solution consists of anchoring the tendon by an adhesive connection in the central part of the piece yielding a favorable redistribution of the bending moments and an effective performance in terms of deformations. The comparative study focuses on π-shape cross section pieces with spans of 12 m and 15 m, using sections without prestressing and with initial prestressing and self-tensioning system

A pre-Rodinian ophiolite involved in the Variscan suture of Galicia (Cabo Ortegal Complex, NW Spain)

U–Pb dating of zircons from a metagabbro of the Purrido amphibolitic unit (Cabo Ortegal Complex, NW Iberian Massif) yielded an age of 1159 ± 39 Ma, interpreted to approximate the crystallization age of the gabbroic protolith. Considering the arc affinity of the metagabbroic rocks, the unit is interpreted as a pre-Rodinian ophiolite developed in a back-arc setting. It is suggested that the ophiolite was obducted over the West African terranes during the assembly of Rodinia. There, this terrane remained tectonically stable and facing an ocean for a long time, and eventually became part of the Gondwanan margin. The ophiolite was finally involved in the Variscan suture of Galicia where it is sandwiched between Palaeozoic rocks. The Purrido unit is so far the only example of a Mesoproterozoic ophiolite in the European Variscan belt, where pre-Neoproterozoic rocks are very scarce and restricted to small exposures

Geochemical Anomalies in Soils and Surface Waters in an Area Adjacent to a Long-Used Controlled Municipal Landfill

Municipal landfills, even when controlled, are potential sources of soil and water pollution in surrounding areas, due to the migration of pollutants through water and air. This research assesses geochemical anomalies of heavy elements and rare earth elements in soils and surface waters in an adjacent area to a controlled municipal landfill near Madrid (Central Spain), under long-term operation. Twenty soil and eighteen water samples were collected in 2017 and 2018 and analyzed for this purpose. Spatial distribution and concentrations of heavy elements (Ag, Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Tl, and Zn) and rare Earth elements (La, Ce, and Gd) are heterogeneous and significantly higher than soil background levels, but below the legal limits to consider intervention. Accumulation of heavy and rare Earth elements in soil nearest the landfill is attributed to occur via wind and wind-driven rain transport, while their accumulation in sediments is attributed to water transport through the creeks. Surface waters show large contamination by organic and inorganic compounds and influence geochemical anomalies in sediments. The water quality is below allowable concentrations for drinking water. The combined evaluation of the soil and water samples performed in the present work is proposed as a pilot study that may be applicable to similar surrounding landfill areas worldwideThe work has been partially financed by the Faculty of Sciences of the Autonomous University of Madrid

Unveiling the power spectra of δ\delta Scuti stars with TESS. The temperature, gravity, and frequency scaling relation

Thanks to high-precision photometric data legacy from space telescopes like CoRoT and Kepler, the scientific community could detect and characterize the power spectra of hundreds of thousands of stars. Using the scaling relations, it is possible to estimate masses and radii for solar-type pulsators. However, these stars are not the only kind of stellar objects that follow these rules: $\delta$ Scuti stars seem to be characterized with seismic indexes such as the large separation ($\Delta\nu$). Thanks to long-duration high-cadence TESS light curves, we analysed more than two thousand of this kind of classical pulsators. In that way, we propose the frequency at maximum power ($\nu_{\rm max}$) as a proper seismic index since it is directly related with the intrinsic temperature, mass and radius of the star. This parameter seems not to be affected by rotation, inclination, extinction or resonances, with the exception of the evolution of the stellar parameters. Furthermore, we can constrain rotation and inclination using the departure of temperature produced by the gravity-darkening effect. This is especially feasible for fast rotators as most of $\delta$ Scuti stars seem to be.Comment: 12 pages, 13 figures, accepted in Astronomy & Astrophysic

Preparing the COROT space mission: new variable stars in the galactic Anticenter direction

The activities related to the preparation of the asteroseismic, photometric space mission COROT are described. Photoelectric observations, wide--field CCD photometry, uvbyB calibrations and further time--series have been obtained at different observatories and telescopes. They have been planned to complete the COROT programme in the direction of the galactic Anticenter. In addition to suitable asteroseismic targets covering the different evolutionary stages between ZAMS and TAMS, we discovered several other variable stars, both pulsating and geometrical. We compared results on the incidence of variability in the galactic Center and Anticenter directions. Physical parameters have been obtained and evolutionary tracks fitting them have been calculated. The peculiarities of some individual stars alre pointed out. Paper based on observations collected at the San Pedro Martir, Sierra Nevada, Teide, La Silla, Haute-Provence and Roque de Los Muchachos (Telescopio Nazionale Galileo and Mercator telescopes) observatories.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figures. Accepted for The Astronomical Journal (2005 May volume

PROCESOS EVOLUTIVOS DURANTE EL CUATERNARIO MEDIO Y SUPERIOR EN LAS POBLACIONES DE PEQUEÑOS MAMÍFEROS DEL SUR DE LA PENÍNSULA IBÉRICA. CONDICIONES CLIMÁTICAS QUE IMPLICAN E IMPORTANCIA BIOESTRATIGRÁFICA

Con este trabajo deseamos resumir y expresar en forma de síntesis los resultados obtenidos en el conocimiento de las faunas de pequeños mamíferos (roedores) desde el comienzo del Pleistoceno Medio hasta la actualidad en las Cordilleras Béticas; espacio de tiempo que abarca el último millón de años.Históricamente, las investigaciones sobre los vertebrados fósiles de la región se pueden agrupar en varias etapas. Una anterior a 1950, en que lo realizado no alcanza la veintena de breves y esporádicas citas, que hablan sobre la aparición de manera casi fortuita de los restos óseos. Entre 1950 y 1972 encontramos las investigaciones y trabajos realizados por el profesor E. Aguirre, los cuales son al mismo tiempo punto de partida y un test sobre lo privilegiado de la región como ámbito para estos estudios. En 1972 surgen los primeros equipos de especialistas en Cuaternario de la Universidad de Granada y se inicia una labor sistemática de estudio que hoy continúa. Al realizar esta publicación tratamos de sistematizar y completar lo conocido en los últimos años, para crear por vez primera una síntesis global