Perspectivas y desafíos en la investigación del cerebro

El cerebro humano, pese a su tremenda complejidad, no es un órgano mágico sino un ejemplo particularmente brillante de cómo las presiones evolutivas han conducido a la diversidad biológica de las especies que pueblan la Tierra. Rodolfo Llinás ha propuesto que la necesidad de dirigir y coordinar el movimiento fue la pulsión evolutiva mas importante en la aparición del cerebro y esgrime como ejemplo la ascidia, un tunicado marino que en su etapa larvaria posee un cerebro rudimentario, que le sirve para dirigir su movimiento en el agua hasta su destino final, una roca a la que se adhiere por la boca, momento en el que el cerebro se reabsorbe y pasa a convertirse sólo en un saco digestivo, abierto al agua de donde capta sus nutrientes

Assessment of metals behaviour in industrial soil using sequential extraction, multivariable analysis and a geostatistical approach

The main objectives of this studywere to evaluate the degree of Pb, Cu, Zn, Cd, Cr and Ni pollution using pollution indexes and geostatistical approach, and to assess metals dynamic using sequential extraction procedure and multivariable statistical analysis in surface soils and soil profiles froman industrial complex as a base for a correct management in order to avoid health and environmental problems. Results showed that the industrial activity increases both Pb (103 mgkg−1), Zn (526 mgkg−1) and Cu (39 mgkg−1) concentrations and salinity in soil. Pollution indexes showed that industrial soils were moderately contaminated by Zn, Pb, Cu, Cr and Ni as well as a moderate ecological risk was reported. Two main areas were identified: southeast area with the highest metal concentrations, and northwest areawith the lowest levels. Chemical speciation of metals showed that the residual phase was the dominant phase for all metals. However, Pb and Zn were highly associated to the reducible phase (25–30% and 35–40% respectively) and a significant concentration was associated to carbonates (5% for both metals). In contrast, Cu, Cr and Ni were mainly bound to the residual phase (N80% for all metals) with low concentrations retained to reducible phase, and very low concentrations bound to the most labile phases. Cd was the most mobile metal with high concentration associated to exchangeable (5%) and carbonates (15–20%) phases. Therefore, Pb, Zn and Cd represent the greatest risk for human health and the environment

Perceptions and Acceptance of Desalinated Seawater for Irrigation: A Case Study in the Níjar District (Southeast Spain)

In the context of increasing demand for irrigation water—but, at the same time, with the constraints in the supply from traditional resources—desalinated seawater has been recognized as one of the alternative sources of water to increase the supply for agricultural irrigation. However, its use among farmers has not yet started to expand. Policy makers need to understand what is causing the low acceptance levels of farmers, and how their attitudes could be improved. This is the first study that has conducted an analysis of farmers’ perceptions and acceptance of the use of desalinated seawater for irrigation. The study is based on collected data from a survey completed by farmers in southeastern Spain who do not use desalinated seawater. The main results indicate that desalinated seawater as a water supply source has the lowest acceptance level for farmers. Barriers for its use are price, the need for additional fertilization, and the perception that it would negatively affect the yield and crop quality. The farmers’ general level of knowledge about the impact of using desalinated seawater in agriculture is extremely low. Furthermore, farmers consider it a priority that their startup investment should be subsidized and that water prices should be reduced. Based on the study findings, this paper makes recommendations for the decision-making process in order to improve farmers’ acceptance levels

Cambios en la sociedad incaica del Perú tras la conquista española

La sociedad incaica del Perú se vio afectada a partir de las ideas expansionistas de los Reyes Católicos y sus sucesores que enviaron a gran número de españoles para crear diferentes asentamientos en América. El Virreinato de Perú sustituyó al Imperio Inca que se desarrollaba en el territorio que hoy se conoce como Perú. La conquista por parte de los españoles hizo que los nativos sufrieran cambios en su forma de organización social, política y económica mediante la eliminación del “ayllu”. Los nativos pasaron a estar bajo dominio español perdiendo la mayoría de sus derechos. La evangelización de los indígenas, la explotación minera y el establecimiento del comercio entre la Corona y sus territorios amerindios fueron las principales labores que llevaron a cabo los españoles durante la colonización

La igualdad de género en el contexto público actual: la educación y el aprendizaje como elementos clave en su consecución

This article begins by highlighting the importance that knowledge and learning have in the current context to face the enormous challenges that we face as a society. Special emphasis is placed on the impact that COVID-19 has had at all levels, especially as far as the gender issue is concerned, and the setback that has been suffered in this area as a consequence of the pandemic, at the same time. time that highlights the importance of the former as a growth factor. The main existing strategies and public policies at the European level with a view to achieving gender equality are described below. To then analyze the main manifestations that the principle of equality has in the public sector (state and regional) and the verification of whether said equality is really a reality or an aspiration whose achievement becomes necessary if we want to achieve a more intelligent, sustainable and integrative. Finally, the role that education and learning have to achieve the principle of equality is analyzed, making special mention of the learning of women and girls in STEM careers as one of the main tools to face the great challenges. that will be presented to humanity in the present and in the future.El presente artículo comienza poniendo de manifiesto la importancia que el conocimiento y el aprendizaje tienen en el contexto actual para hacer frente a los enormes retos a los que nos enfrentamos como sociedad. Se hace un especial énfasis en el impacto que la COVID-19 ha supuesto a todos los niveles, especialmente en lo que a la cuestión de género se refiere, y el retroceso que se ha sufrido en esta materia como consecuencia de la pandemia, al mismo tiempo que se destaca la importancia de aquélla como factor de crecimiento. A continuación se describen las principales estrategias y políticas públicas existentes a nivel europeo de cara a la consecución de la igualdad de género. Seguidamente se analizan las principales manifestaciones que el principio de igualdad tiene en el sector público (estatal y autonómico) con el fin de comprobar si realmente dicha igualdad es una realidad o una aspiración cuya consecución se torna necesaria si queremos conseguir una sociedad más inteligente, sostenible e integradora. Para finalizar se analiza el papel que la educación y el aprendizaje tienen en la consecución del principio de igualdad, haciendo una especial mención al aprendizaje de mujeres y niñas en las carreras STEM como una de las principales herramientas para hacer frente a los grandes retos y desafíos que se nos plantearán en el presente y en el futuro a la humanidad

Síntesis de péptidos multifuncionales que contienen un fluoróforo como sonda fluorescente

Treballs Finals de Grau de Química, Facultat de Química, Universitat de Barcelona, Any: 2016, Tutor: Ernesto Nicolás GalindoAlzheimer Disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia in the elderly population. Symptoms of the disease are: difficulty in remembering newly learned information, mood and behaviour changes, memory loss, judgment alteration and difficulties in daily and usual activities. Today Alzheimer disease affects more than 30 million people worldwide and it is estimated that more than 100 million people will be affected by 2050 mainly because of the fast growth of the elderly population. Currently, it is generally accepted that Alzheimer disease originates from a process called amyloid cascade that occurs in the synaptic cleft, wherein A aggregation due to its union with Cu(II), is a key event. In this work, elaborated in collaboration with the group of Bioinorganic Chemistry led by Professor Patrick Gámez, the peptides with sequences Ac-His-Lys(Cm)-His-Lys-NH2 and Ac-His-Lys(4-DMN)-His-NH2 have been synthesized. These peptides encompass two amino acid derivatives containing two fluorescent probes: coumarin and 4-N,N-dimethylamino-1,8-naphthalimido. These peptide sequences will be studied as potential therapeutic agents due to its chelating properties of the Cu (II), as well as copper sensors for AD diagnosis.The amino acid derivatives have been synthesized in aqueous phase while peptides were synthesized in solid phase through the Fmoc strategy, using as polymer support Rink Amide resin. The peptides prepared were functionalized with an acetyl group in the N-terminus and a carboxamide group in the C-terminus. To obtain the desired synthetic sequence, Fmoc amino acids, protected at the N-terminus with the 9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl group (Fmoc), which is labile to piperidine, were used. For generating the amide bonds, N,N'-diisopropycarbodiimide (DIC) and Oxyma have been used. The cleavage of the peptide from the resin was performed under acidic conditions using trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in the presence of triisopropylsilane (TIPS) as carbocation scavenger agent. The characterization of the products was carried out using different techniques such as 1H and 13C NMR, HPLC and HPLC-MS

Estimación de evaporación en balsas de riego mediante el empleo de técnicas de teledetección. Estudio aplicado a la vertiente litoral sur de la Región de Murcia

En las regiones áridas y semiáridas las pérdidas de agua por evaporación en balsas de regulación de riego pueden provocar pérdidas económicas importantes. La evaluación de tales pérdidas en la Región de Murcia, como en el resto del Sureste de la Península Ibérica, es de indudable utilidad dada la necesidad de optimizar sus escasas disponibilidades hídricas para el desarrollo de una agricultura tradicionalmente de alto rendimiento. En el presente estudio se aplican técnicas de teledetección para el reconocimiento e identificación de balsas en las cuencas de las ramblas de Villalba, Pastrana y Ramonete (términos municipales de Mazarrón y Lorca). A través de las imágenes del satélite Landsat-8 (NASA, febrero de 2013), se han localizado las balsas de riego mediante métodos basados en el análisis de la reflectancia del agua. Las excelentes propiedades físicas de este tipo de superficies, en relación con la transmisión de la radiación electromagnética en el espectro visible y de absorción en el infrarrojo, permiten claramente su identificación. Tras efectuar una clasificación supervisada a partir de las imágenes de Landsat 8 (resolución 30 m) se ha obtenido una imagen en la que se representa la distribución espacial de las balsas. A continuación, se han aplicado las tasas de evaporación en tanque de clase A. correspondientes al área de estudio, para calcular la evaporación total anual de las citadas balsas y por tanto las pérdidas de agua que ello supone para el riego

Quasiclassical dynamics and kinetics of the N + NO → N+O, NO+N atmospheric reactions

The kinetics and dynamics of the title reactions was studied, using the quasiclassical trajectory (QCT) method and two ab initio analytical potential energy surfaces (PESs) developed by our group. In addition to the rate constant (T: 10-5000 K), we also considered a broad set of dynamic properties as a function of collision energy (up to 1.0 eV) and the rovibrational state of NO(v=0-2,j=1,8,12). The production of N2 + O, reaction (1), dominates the reactivity of the N + NO system over the conditions studied, as expected from the large energy barriers associated to the NO + N exchange reaction, reaction (2). Moreover, the ground PES, which is barrierless for reaction (1), plays a dominant role. Most of the results were interpreted according to the properties of the PESs involved and the kinematics of the system. The QCT rate constants of reaction (1) are in agreement with the experimental data (T: 47-3500 K), including very recent low temperature measurements, and also with variational transition state kinetics and most of quantum dynamics calculations. In addition, the QCT average vibrational energy content of the N2 product also agrees with the experimental and quantum data. The PESs used here could also be useful to determine equilibrium and non-equilibrium reaction rates at very high temperatures (e.g., 5000-15000 K)

A ship routing system applied to the statistical analysis of the western mediterranean wave trends

The Western Mediterranean basin is a busy route by Short Sea Shipping with an important route between Barcelona (Spain) and Genoa (Italy), where climatic patterns show similarities but vary during the year. One essential topic for Short Sea Shipping competitiveness is the time because distances use to be covered in approximately 24–30 h. To optimize the transit time, meteorological variables must be kept in mind. In this contribution, we compare data collected by buoys and data simulated using the SIMROUTE (ship weather routing software), to draw a map of wave tendencies during the year. The resulting map of the investigation shows the wave height in percent. The result can be used to optimize the existing routes between Barcelona and Genoa improving his competitiveness and safety.Postprint (published version