647 research outputs found

    Mercury and selenium binding biomolecules in terrestrial mammals (Cervus elaphus and Sus scrofa) from a mercury exposed area

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    Acknowledgements The authors are grateful to Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha (PCC-05-004-2, PAI06-0094, PCI-08-0096, PEII09-0032-5329) and the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (CTQ2013-48411-P) for financial support. M.J. Patiño Ropero acknowledges the Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha for her PhD. fellowship.Peer reviewedPostprin

    Hidden frustrated interactions and quantum annealing in trapped-ion spin-phonon chains

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    We show that a trapped-ion chain interacting with an optical spin-dependent force shows strong frustration effects due to the interplay between long range interactions and the dressing by optical phases. We consider a strong spin-phonon coupling regime and predict a quantum phase diagram with different competing magnetic and structural orders. In a highly frustrated region, the system shows enhanced quantum fluctuations and entanglement, which are characteristic of spin-liquid phases. We propose and describe within a mean-field approach a quantum annealing process to induce a quasi-adiabatic evolution towards the ground state

    Estado de conservación y características demográficas de Patella ferruginea Gmelin, 1791 (Mollusca, Gastropoda) en la Isla de Alborán (Mediterráneo occidental)

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    Due to the high risk of the global extinction in which Patella ferruginea Gmelin, 1791 is found, it is considered of great interest to describe and quantify its demographic characteristics in those sites where it still persists, as well as to evaluate the reasons which have led this limpet to be one of the most threatened marine species in the Mediterranean Sea. Over the study period (2000–2002), systematic census were made on the perimeter of the Alboran Island (Alboran Sea, westernmost area of the Mediterranean Sea) with the object to quantify the abundance of the species in the locality, as well as their external biometry and spatial distribution. As a result, the presence of a probable reproductive population of P. ferruginea was found on the island. The negative effect provoked by the continuous presence of man was proved, prejudicing the population in those zones which were more accessible for their harvesting. For this reason, it is necessary to regulate the use of the natural resources of the island to favour the conservation and spontaneous recolonisation of the zone by P. ferruginea.Dado el peligro de extinción global en el que actualmente se encuentra Patella ferruginea Gmelin, 1791, se considera de gran interés describir y cuantificar las características poblacionales de la especie en aquellas localidades donde aún persiste, así como evaluar las razones que han llevado a considerar a esta lapa como una de las especies marinas más amenazadas de extinción del Mediterráneo. Durante el período de estudio (2000–2002) fueron realizados muestreos sistemáticos en el perímetro de la Isla de Alborán (Mar de Alborán, extremo occidental del Mediterráneo) con objeto de cuantificar la abundancia de la especie en la localidad, así como su biometría externa y distribución espacial. Como resultado, se ha constatado la presencia en la isla de una población de P. ferruginea probablemente reproductora. Se ha comprobado el efecto negativo provocado por la continua presencia humana en la isla, perjudicando a la población en aquellas zonas más accesibles para la recolección de ejemplares. Es por ello que se considera necesario regular el uso de los recursos naturales en la isla con objeto de favorecer la conservación y recolonización espontánea de la localidad por P. ferruginea

    Mutations in the EXT1 and EXT2 genes in Spanish patients with multiple osteochondromas

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    Multiple osteochondromas is an autosomal dominant skeletal disorder characterized by the formation of multiple cartilage-capped tumours. Two causal genes have been identified, EXT1 and EXT2, which account for 65% and 30% of cases, respectively. We have undertaken a mutation analysis of the EXT1 and EXT2 genes in 39 unrelated Spanish patients, most of them with moderate phenotype, and looked for genotype-phenotype correlations. We found the mutant allele in 37 patients, 29 in EXT1 and 8 in EXT2. Five of the EXT1 mutations were deletions identified by MLPA. Two cases of mosaicism were documented. We detected a lower number of exostoses in patients with missense mutation versus other kinds of mutations. In conclusion, we found a mutation in EXT1 or in EXT2 in 95% of the Spanish patients. Eighteen of the mutations were novel.Fil: Sarrión, P.. Universidad de Barcelona; EspañaFil: Sangorrin, A.. Hospital Sant Joan de Déu; EspañaFil: Urreizti, R.. Universidad de Barcelona; EspañaFil: Delgado, María Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Artuch, R.. Hospital Sant Joan de Déu; EspañaFil: Martorell, L.. Hospital Sant Joan de Déu; EspañaFil: Armstrong, J.. Hospital Sant Joan de Déu; EspañaFil: Anton, J.. Hospital Sant Joan de Déu; EspañaFil: Torner, F.. Hospital Sant Joan de Déu; EspañaFil: Vilaseca, M. A.. Hospital Sant Joan de Déu; EspañaFil: Nevado, J.. Hospital Universitario La Paz; EspañaFil: Lapunzina, P.. Hospital Universitario La Paz; EspañaFil: Asteggiano, Carla Gabriela. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina. Universidad Católica de Córdoba; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Balcells, S.. Universidad de Barcelona; EspañaFil: Grinberg, D.. Universidad de Barcelona; Españ

    Rapid evolution of hybrid breakdown following recent divergence with gene flow in Senecio species on Mount Etna, Sicily

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    How do nascent species evolve reproductive isolation during speciation with on-going gene flow? How do hybrid lineages become stabilised hybrid species? While commonly used genomic approaches provide an indirect way to identify species incompatibility factors, synthetic hybrids generated from interspecific crosses allow direct pinpointing of phenotypic traits involved in incompatibilities and the traits that are potentially adaptive in hybrid species. Here we report the analysis of phenotypic variation and hybrid breakdown in crosses between closely-related Senecio aethnensis and S. chrysanthemifolius, and their homoploid hybrid species, S. squalidus. The two former species represent a likely case of recent (<200 ky) speciation with gene flow driven by adaptation to contrasting conditions of high- and low-elevations on Mount Etna, Sicily. As these species form viable and fertile hybrids, it remains unclear whether they have started to evolve reproductive incompatibility. Our analysis represents the first study of phenotypic variation and hybrid breakdown involving multiple Senecio hybrid families. It revealed wide range of variation in multiple traits, including the traits previously unrecorded in synthetic hybrids. Leaf shape, highly distinct between S. aethnensis and S. chrysanthemifolius, was extremely variable in F2 hybrids, but more consistent in S. squalidus. Our study demonstrates that interspecific incompatibilities can evolve rapidly despite on-going gene flow between the species. Further work is necessary to understand the genetic bases of these incompatibilities and their role in speciation with gene flow.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

    Testing procedures for selection of new pinewood preservation products

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    In this work we compare the results of three experimental series of tests used as a first approach on selection of natural products for wood preservation

    Headache and type 2 diabetes association: a US national ambulatory case-control study

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    Objective We investigate the joint observation between type 2 diabetes and headache using a case-control study of a US ambulatory dataset. Background Recent whole-population cohort studies propose that type 2 diabetes may have a protective effect against headache prevalence. With headaches ranked as a leading cause of disability, headache-associated comorbidities could help identify shared molecular mechanisms. Methods We performed a case-control study using the US National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, 2009, on the joint observation between headache and specific comorbidities, namely type 2 diabetes, hypertension and anxiety, for all patients between 18 and 65 years of age. The odds ratio of having a headache and a comorbidity were calculated using conditional logistic regression, controlling for gender and age over a study population of 3,327,947 electronic health records in the absence of prescription medication data. Results We observed estimated odds ratio of 0.89 (95% CI: 0.83-0.95) of having a headache and a record of type 2 diabetes over the population, and 0.83 (95% CI: 2.02-2.57) and 0.89 (95% CI: 3.00-3.49) for male and female, respectively. Conclusions We find that patients with type 2 diabetes are less likely to present a recorded headache indication. Patients with hypertension are almost twice as likely of having a headache indication and patients with an anxiety disorder are almost three times as likely. Given the possibility of confounding indications and prescribed medications, additional studies are recommended

    A versatile protocol for Stille−Migita cross coupling reactions

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    The combination of catalytic amounts of [Pd(PPh3)4], copper thiophene-2-carboxylate (CuTC) and [Ph2PO2][NBu4] allowed a series of exigent Stille–Migita reactions to be performed with high yields; as the protocol is fluoride free, a variety of O-silyl and C-silyl groups remained intact

    Changes in the human peritoneal mesothelial cells during aging

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    The number of older patients admitted to peritoneal dialysis (PD) programmes is growing. At the same time, there is increasing data about the role of mesothelial cells in determining the functional alteration of the peritoneum during PD. However, little is known about the functional changes accompanying the ageing process in mesothelial cells. We aimed to evaluate whether the aging process is accompanied by changes in some functional characteristic of the human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HPMC), which could account for the poor prognosis observed in old patients with PD. HPMCs were isolated from patients undergoing a nonurgent, nonseptic abdominal surgical procedure, without renal, vascular or inflammatory disease. Cytokine levels (by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)), nitrates+nitrites, and cyclooxygenase (COX) activity (by a chemiluminescence assay), cytokines, COX, nitric oxide synthase (NOS), and nuclear factor (NF)-κB1, two messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) gene expressions (by reverse transcriptase (RT)-Multiplex PCR), COX, and NOS promoter gene activities, and NF-κB-dependent transcription (by transient transfection assays) were determined. Our data show a significant increase in cytokines, COX, and NOS activities, and mRNA expression of cytokines, COX-2, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and precursors of NF-κB in HPMCs from old people. This was also the case for COX-2 and iNOS promoter gene activities and NF-κB-dependent transcription. There was a positive correlation between the age of the donor's cell and the proinflammatory profile of the HPMCs. Such age-dependent increase (around two–three times) is partially abolished by different antioxidant or free-radical scavengers. Thus, aging is accompanied by the presence of an inflammatory state in HPMCs, which involves the participation of different reactive oxygen species
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