The male of Strotarchus paradoxus (Petrunkevitch, 1963) (Araneae: Cheiracanthiidae), a fossil spider from Chiapas, Mexico

The spider genus Strotarchus Simon, 1888 includes 18 extant species from the American continent (12 from Mexico). Additionally, two fossil species have been described for this genus, Strotarchus paradoxus (Petrunkevitch, 1963) from Mexican amber (Chiapas), and Strotarchus heidti Wunderlich, 1988 from Dominican Republic amber. From two pieces of amber from Chiapas, here we describe for the first time, the male of the fossil spider S. paradoxus previously known only by a female specimen preserved in amber from the same locality. Moreover, a diagnosis is proposed for this species based on the characteristics of the female described by Petrunkevitch (1963) and the male here described.El género de arañas Strotarchus Simon, 1888 incluye 18 especies actuales para el continente americano (12 de México). Adicionalmente, se han descrito dos especies fósiles de este género, Strotarchus paradoxus (Petrunkevitch, 1963) de ámbar de México (Chiapas), y Strotarchus heidti Wunderlich, 1988 de ámbar de la República Dominicana. A partir de dos piezas de ámbar de Chiapas, describimos aquí por primera vez, el macho de la araña fósil S. paradoxus conocida previamente solo por un ejemplar hembra preservado en ámbar de la misma localidad. Además, se propone una diagnosis para esta especie con base en las características de la hembra descrita por Petrunkevitch (1963) y del macho aquí descrito

The donor star of the X-ray pulsar X1908+075

High-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs) consist of a massive donor star and a compact object. While several of those systems have been well studied in X-rays, little is known for most of the donor stars as they are often heavily obscured in the optical and ultraviolet regime. There is an opportunity to observe them at infrared wavelengths, however. The goal of this study is to obtain the stellar and wind parameters of the donor star in the X1908+075 high-mass X-ray binary system with a stellar atmosphere model to check whether previous studies from X-ray observations and spectral morphology lead to a sufficient description of the donor star. We obtained H- and K-Band spectra of X1908+075 and analysed them with the Potsdam Wolf-Rayet (PoWR) model atmosphere code. For the first time, we calculated a stellar atmosphere model for the donor star, whose main parameters are: $M_{\mathrm{spec}}$ = $15 \pm 6$$M_{\odot}$, $T_{\ast} = 23_{-3}^{+6},$kK, $\log g_\mathrm{eff} = 3.0 \pm 0.2$ and $\log L/L_{\odot}$ = $4.81 \pm 0.25$. The obtained parameters point towards an early B-type (B0--B3) star, probably in a supergiant phase. Moreover we determined a more accurate distance to the system of 4.85 $\pm$ 0.50 kpc than the previously reported value.Comment: Accepted for publication in Section 7. Stellar structure and evolution of Astronomy and Astrophysics. The official date of acceptance is 21/04/201

Spider diversity (Arachnida: Araneae) in two different coffee management systems and surrounding tropical forest during two contrasting seasons in Oaxaca, Mexico

This study focuses on species richness, abundance, diversity, and seasonal variation of spiders in two coffee plantations with different crop management and a portion of tropical forest in two municipalities of La Costa region of Oaxaca, Mexico, using manual collection, foliage beating and pitfall traps. We collected 2,210 spiders belonging to 35 families, 100 genera and 146 species. The inventory includes 51 new species records for Oaxaca. Completeness values for two estimators indicate that the level of representation of inventories range from 68.25% to 78.44%, and the proportion of singletons range from 33.72% to 38.14%. Spider abundance in the rainy season was significantly lower than during the dry season. Spider abundance in the Tropical Forest was significantly lower than Monoculture site with the foliage beating method. Polyculture was the site with the lowest spider abundance with the pitfall traps. Rarefaction curves did not show significant differences in species richness between the sites and seasons. Hutcheson t-test showed that spider diversity was significantly lower in Monoculture than Tropical Forest during the rainy season. This study contributes to the knowledge of the arachnofauna of Mexico and particularly of the state of Oaxaca.Este estudio se enfoca en la riqueza de especies, abundancia, diversidad y variación estacional de las arañas en dos cultivos de café con diferente manejo y una porción de bosque tropical en dos municipios de la región Costa de Oaxaca, México, utilizando la colecta manual, agitación del follaje y trampas de caída. Se recolectaron 2,210 arañas pertenecientes a 35 familias, 100 géneros y 146 especies. El inventario incluye 51 nuevos registros de especies para Oaxaca. Los valores de completitud de dos estimadores indican que el nivel de representación de los inventarios oscila entre el 68.25 % y el 78.44 %, mientras que la proporción de singletons fue de 33.72 % y 38.14 %. La abundancia de arañas en la estación lluviosa fue significativamente menor que durante la estación secas. La abundancia de arañas en el Bosque Tropical fue significativamente menor que en el Monocultivo con el método de agitación de follaje. El Policultivo fue el sitio con menor abundancia de arañas con el método de trampas de caída. Las curvas de rarefacción no mostraron diferencias significativas en la riqueza de especies entre los sitios y estaciones. La prueba t de Hutcheson mostró que la diversidad de arañas fue significativamente menor en el Monocultivo que en el Bosque Tropical durante la estación lluviosa. Este estudio contribuye al conocimiento de la aracnofauna de México y particularmente del estado de Oaxaca

Modulation of mechanosensory vibrissal responses in the trigeminocervical complex by stimulation of the greater occipital nerve in a rat model of trigeminal neuropathic pain.

Background Stimulation of the occipital or trigeminal nerves has been successfully used to treat chronic refractory neurovascular headaches such as migraine or cluster headache, and painful neuropathies. Convergence of trigeminal and occipital sensory afferents in the ‘trigeminocervical complex’ (TCC) from cutaneous, muscular, dural, and visceral sources is a key mechanism for the input-induced central sensitization that may underlie the altered nociception. Both excitatory (glutamatergic) and inhibitory (GABAergic and glycinergic) mechanisms are involved in modulating nociception in the spinal and medullary dorsal horn neurons, but the mechanisms by which nerve stimulation effects occur are unclear. This study was aimed at investigating the acute effects of electrical stimulation of the greater occipital nerve (GON) on the responses of neurons in the TCC to the mechanical stimulation of the vibrissal pad. Methods Adult male Wistar rats were used. Neuronal recordings were obtained in laminae II-IV in the TCC in control, sham and infraorbital chronic constriction injury (CCI-IoN) animals. The GON was isolated and electrically stimulated. Responses to the stimulation of vibrissae by brief air pulses were analyzed before and after GON stimulation. In order to understand the role of the neurotransmitters involved, specific receptor blockers of NMDA (AP-5), GABAA (bicuculline, Bic) and Glycine (strychnine, Str) were applied locally. Results GON stimulation produced a facilitation of the response to light facial mechanical stimuli in controls, and an inhibition in CCI-IoN cases. AP-5 reduced responses to GON and vibrissal stimulation and blocked the facilitation of GON on vibrissal responses found in controls. The application of Bic or Str significantly reduced the facilitatory effect of GON stimulation on the response to vibrissal stimulation in controls. However, the opposite effect was found when GABAergic or Glycinergic transmission was prevented in CCI-IoN cases. Conclusions GON stimulation modulates the responses of TCC neurons to light mechanical input from the face in opposite directions in controls and under CCI-IoN. This modulation is mediated by GABAergic and Glycinergic mechanisms. These results will help to elucidate the neural mechanisms underlying the effectiveness of nerve stimulation in controlling painful craniofacial disorders, and may be instrumental in identifying new therapeutic targets for their prevention and treatment.post-print1932 K

Reproductive Behavior of Jersey Cattle Breed.

The reproductive features of Jersey cattle breed were determined, and the non-genetic factors that affected the features, service period (days), calving interval (days), gestation length  (days), and gestation service per insemination performed, were assessed. Records of  150 calvings between  204 and 2013 at Los Pinos  UEB, Triangulo Tres  Cattle Raising Company, in Camagüey, Cuba, were used. The cows were inseminated with semen from the same breed. SPSS, version 11.5, was used to  calculate the basic statgraph, analyze variable normality (Kolmogorov-Smirnov test), the Levene´s test, and multiple linear analyses of variance for each dependent variable.  The non-genetic factors that affected the service period and calving interval were  the calving  number, season, and year.  The values achieved for the service period features and calving interval were  259.2 ± 13.2, and 539.8 ± 13.2 days, respectively. The dura-tion of gestation (280.6 ± 1.6 days), and gestation service (2.2 ± 0.2 services  performed) were not affected by any of the non-genetic effects studied

Nuevas metodologías para la evaluación de las competencias transversales en la asignatura de “Bioquímica” de 1º del Grado en Medicina

Memoria ID-0101. Ayudas de la Universidad de Salamanca para la innovación docente, curso 2016-2017

Ingredientes funcionales

[ES]Trabajos de competencias transversales de los alumnos del 1o. Grado en Medicina. Este trabajo se centra en los ingredientes funcionales. Se entiende por ingrediente funcional aquel que, al existir de manera natural ó ser incorporado a un alimento, proporciona un beneficio no nutricional a la salud. En otros casos, el hecho de que un alimento no contenga un ingrediente determinado, proporciona un beneficio adicional en comparación al alimento que sí lo contiene. En todos los casos, es imprescindible que exista evidencia científica de tal beneficio. Los estudiantes debían indicar la estructura y características de un ingrediente funcional, los alimentos a los que se añade ó de los que es eliminado, los posibles beneficios para la salud y mecanismo bioquímico implicado y si existen evidencias científicas de tal beneficio

Inhibidores enzimáticos como fármacos con interés biomédico

Se propuso a los alumnos de 1º del Grado en Medicina la elaboración de unos trabajos en grupo para poder evaluar las competencias transversales. Este trabajo se centra en inhibidores enzimáticos con aplicación clínica. Se entiende por inhibidor enzimático aquella molécula capaz de inhibir una reacción, bien irreversible ó reversiblemente. Muchos de los fármacos empleados en la actualidad basan su mecanismo de acción en la inhibición del paso limitante de una ruta metabólica. Los estudiantes debían indicar la estructura y características del inhibidor enzimático, sus nombres comerciales (si existen), la reacción química ó ruta metabólica sobre la que actúa, el mecanismo de acción (inhibidor irreversible, suicida, inhibición reversible competitiva etc.) y las enfermedades en las que se emplea como fármaco. El resultado de estos trabajos se ha compendiado en este escrito para su difusión en conocimiento abierto en el repositorio institucional de la Universidad de Salamanca