265 research outputs found
Amino acid tissue levels and GABAa receptor binding in the developing rat cerebellum following status epilepticus
Incidence of status epilepticus (SE) is higher in children than in adults and SE can be induced
in developing rats. The cerebellum can be affected after SE; however, consequences of
cerebellar amino acid transmission have been poorly studied. The goal of this study was
to determine amino acid tissue concentration and GABAA receptor binding in the
immature rat cerebellum after an episode of SE. Thirteen-day-old (P13) rat pups received in-
traperitoneal injections of lithium chloride (3 mEq/kg). Twenty hours later, on P14, SE was
induced by subcutaneous injection of pilocarpine hydrochloride (60 mg/kg). Control ani-
mals were given an equal volume of saline subcutaneously. Animals were killed 24 h after
SE induction, the cerebellum was quickly removed, and the vermis and hemispheres were
rapidly dissected out on ice. Amino acid tissue concentrations in the vermis and hemi-
spheres were evaluated by HPLC and fluorescent detection. GABAA receptor binding in the
medial vermis was analyzed by in vitro autoradiography. SE increased the tissue levels of
the inhibitory amino acids taurine (80%) and alanine (91%), as well as glutamine (168%) in
the cerebellar hemisphere; no changes were observed in the vermis. SE did not modify
GABAA receptor binding in any cerebellar lobule from the vermis. Our data demonstrate
that SE produces region-specific changes in amino acid concentrations in the developing
cerebellum
Neuroimaging analyses from a randomized, controlled study to evaluate plasma exchange with albumin replacement in mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease : additional results from the AMBAR study
This study was designed to detect structural and functional brain changes in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients treated with therapeutic plasma exchange (PE) with albumin replacement, as part of the recent AMBAR phase 2b/3 clinical trial. Mild-to-moderate AD patients were randomized into four arms: three arms receiving PE with albumin (one with low-dose albumin, and two with low/high doses of albumin alternated with IVIG), and a placebo (sham PE) arm. All arms underwent 6 weeks of weekly conventional PE followed by 12 months of monthly low-volume PE. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) volumetric analyses and regional and statistical parametric mapping (SPM) analysis on 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18 FDG-PET) were performed. MRI analyses (n = 198 patients) of selected subcortical structures showed fewer volume changes from baseline to final visit in the high albumin + IVIG treatment group (p < 0.05 in 3 structures vs. 4 to 9 in other groups). The high albumin + IVIG group showed no statistically significant reduction of right hippocampus. SPM 18 FDG-PET analyses (n = 213 patients) showed a worsening of metabolic activity in the specific areas affected in AD (posterior cingulate, precuneus, and parieto-temporal regions). The high-albumin + IVIG treatment group showed the greatest metabolic stability over the course of the study, i.e., the smallest percent decline in metabolism (MaskAD), and least progression of defect compared to placebo. PE with albumin replacement was associated with fewer deleterious changes in subcortical structures and less metabolic decline compared to the typical of the progression of AD. This effect was more marked in the group treated with high albumin + IVIG. (AMBAR trial registration: EudraCT#: 2011-001,598-25; ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT01561053). The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00259-022-05915-
Characterisation of the upper atmospheres of HAT-P-32 b, WASP-69 b, GJ 1214 b, and WASP-76 b through their He I triplet absorption
Characterisation of atmospheres undergoing photo-evaporation is key to
understanding the formation, evolution, and diversity of planets. However, only
a few upper atmospheres that experience this kind of hydrodynamic escape have
been characterised. Our aim is to characterise the upper atmospheres of the hot
Jupiters HAT-P-32 b and WASP-69 b, the warm sub-Neptune GJ 1214 b, and the
ultra-hot Jupiter WASP-76 b through high-resolution observations of their HeI
triplet absorption. In addition, we also reanalyse the warm Neptune GJ 3470 b
and the hot Jupiter HD 189733 b. We used a spherically symmetric 1D
hydrodynamic model coupled with a non-local thermodynamic equilibrium model.
Comparing synthetic absorption spectra with observations, we constrained the
main parameters of the upper atmosphere of these planets and classify them
according to their hydrodynamic regime. Our results show that HAT-P-32 b
photo-evaporates at (13070)10 gs with a hot (12
4002900 K) upper atmosphere; WASP-69 b loses its atmosphere at
(0.90.5)10 gs and 5250750 K; and GJ 1214 b,
with a relatively cold outflow of 3750750 K, photo-evaporates at
(1.31.1)10 gs. For WASP-76 b, its weak absorption
prevents us from constraining its temperature and mass-loss rate significantly;
we obtained ranges of 6000-17 000\,K and 23.521.510
gs. Our reanalysis of GJ 3470 b yields colder temperatures, 3400350
K, but practically the same mass-loss rate as in our previous results. Our
reanalysis of HD 189733 b yields a slightly higher mass-loss rate,
(1.40.5)10 gs, and temperature, 12 700900 K
compared to previous estimates. Our results support that photo-evaporated
outflows tend to be very light
Synthesis and biological properties of β-turned Aβ31-35 constrained analogues
A series of constrained pentapeptide analogues of the fragment Aβ31–35 has been prepared using solid phase synthesis protocols. The results of conformational studies and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) experiments seem to indicate that the affinity of these constrained analogues for immobilized Aβ25–35 peptide could be related to their ability to adopt a Leu34N-Ile31O β-turn-like folded conformation.This work has been supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (SAF 2006-01205) and the Comunidad de Madrid (GR/SAL/0846/2004). Work at Universitat Pompeu Fabra was supported by Generalitat de Catalunya (SGR2005-00494). We thank Dr. M.L. Jimeno and Dr. M. Martı´n-Martı´nez for NMR and molecular modeling studies, respectively. J.L.B. and C.J.C. thank the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science for predoctoral fellowships
Increased Vegetation in Mountainous Headwaters Amplifies Water Stress During Dry Periods
The dynamics of blue and green water partitioning under vegetation and climate change, as well as their different interactions during wet and dry periods, are poorly understood in the literature. We analyzed the impact of vegetation changes on blue water generation in a central Spanish Pyrenees basin undergoing intense afforestation. We found that vegetation change is a key driver of large decreases in blue water availability. The effect of vegetation increase is amplified during dry years, and mainly during the dry season, with streamflow reductions of more than 50%. This pattern can be attributed primarily to increased plant water consumption. Our findings highlight the importance of vegetation changes in reinforcing the decrease in water resource availability. With aridity expected to rise in southern Europe over the next few decades, interactions between climate and land management practices appear to be amplifying future hydrological drought risk in the region.This work was supported by projects CGL2017-82216-R, PCI2019-103631, and PID2019-108589RA-I00 financed by the Spanish Commission of Science and Technology and FEDER; CROSSDRO project financed by AXIS (Assess-ment of Cross(X)-sectoral climate Impacts and pathways for Sustainable transformation), JPI-Climate co-funded call of the European Commission and INDECIS which is part of ERA4CS, an ERA-NET initiated by JPI Climate, and funded by FORMAS (SE), DLR (DE), BMWFW (AT), IFD (DK), MINECO (ES), ANR (FR) with co-funding by the European Union (Grant 690462). Dhais Peña-Angulo received a “Juan de la Cierva” postdoctoral contract (FJCI-2017-33652 Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, MEC). Miquel Tomas-Burguera received a “Juan de la Cierva” postdoctoral contract (FJCI-2019-039261-I Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation). C. Azorin-Molina and S. Grainger. acknowledge funding from the Irish Environmental Protection Agency grant 2019-CCRP-MS.60. C. Juez acknowl-edges funding from the H2020-MSCA-IF-2018 programme (Marie Sklodows-ka-Curie Actions) of the European Union under REA grant agreement, number 834329-SEDILAND
On the study of atmospheric escape of exoplanets using the new window of the He 10830 line
Stars and planetary system
Vaccinate fast but leave no one behind: a call to action for COVID-19 vaccination in Spain
During the first five months of 2021, Spains COVID-19 vaccination campaign progressed slowly and failed to reach marginalised populations. Here, we discuss how, despite recent improvements, it remains important to further engage key stakeholders to ensure nobody is left behind
Meningocele transetmoidal. Diagnóstico en edad adulta: presentación de un caso
La herniación extracraneal de las cubiertas meníngeas, solas o acompañadas de tejido encefálico, a través de un defecto de cierre de los huesos craneales, se define con los términos de meningocele y encefalocele. Estos se pueden clasificar según su contenido o su localización. Los meningoencefaloceles transetmoidales representan el 5% de los meningoencefaloceles, los cuales a su vez constituyen el 8-19% de todos los disrafismos del SNC. Presentamos un caso de una paciente de 54 años de edad con cuadro clínico de rinoliquorrea de 10 años de evolución y meningitis de repetición. Mediante tomografia computadorizada se diagnosticó de un meningocele transetmoidal, que fue tratado satisfactoriamente con cirugía. Ante un paciente con meningitis de repetición, se debe valorar la presencia de rinoliquorrea y, en caso de tenerla, el paciente debe ser sometido a un estudio radiológico exhaustivo, para identificar la solución de continuidad a través de la cual sale el LCR y poder ofrecerle el tratamiento adecuado. Una de las patologías que pueden dar esta manifestación es el meningoencefalocele transetmoidal. El estudio de la fosa anterior con tomografia computadorizada es un buen método para el diagnóstico de esta patología, no obstante, en la actualidad el método de elección es la resonancia magnética
Estudio del ciclo reproductor del sargo (Diplodus sargus sargus) en la Reserva Marina de Illes Medes (Mediterráneo NO): influencia del efecto reserva
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