La doctrina malikí sobre esclavitud y el Miray de Ahmad Baba

La obra Miray al-s. uud, del alfaquí de Tombuctú Ah. mad Baba (1556-1627), perteneciente a la escuela jurídica malikí, es una fatwà u opinión legal en el marco de la jurisprudencia islámica, que aborda la cuestión de los esclavos negros (sudan) que reclamaban la libertad en los mercados del norte de África, por haber sido capturados siendo musulmanes, algo que no está permitido en el islam. De acuerdo con el Derecho islámico clásico, sólo los no musulmanes que no cuenten con la protección de un pacto o del estatuto de lad imma, pueden ser esclavizados. Ah. mad Baba reitera esta doctrina en el Miray, haciendo hincapié en que, de acuerdo con la religión islámica, no existe ninguna relación entre el color de la piel y la esclavitud, y que los negros que habitan el bilad al-sudan (el África occidental premoderna) no son esclavos por naturaleza. Además, como medio para evitar la esclavización de musulmanes libres procedentes del África occidental premoderna, el autor lleva a cabo una clasificación de los pueblos que, en su época, han adoptado o no el islam en este ámbito geográfico, un sistema que plantea serias debilidades estructurales a la hora de llevar a cabo su fin, quizá también intencionadas.The work Miray al-s. uud, written in 17th century Timbuktu by Ah. mad Baba (1556- 1627), an Islamic scholar that adhered to the Malikí law school, is a fatwa or legal opinion that addresses the issue of the black (sudan) slaves that claimed their freedom in the markets of North Africa, for having been captured while being Muslims, something not allowed in pre- Modern Islamic law. According to it, only infidels without the protection of a pact or of the dhimma status can be legally enslaved. Ah. mad Baba repeats this doctrine, while emphasising that the black skin colour has nothing to do with slavery in islam, and that the peoples of pre-Modern West Africa (bilad al-sudan) are not slaves by nature. Besides this, and as a means of preventing the capture and sale of free African Muslims, the author classifies the peoples of sub- Saharan Africa according to their adherence (or lack of) to islam, a system that, however, could be hardly put into practice, as perhaps intended by the author himself

Envasado sostenible

A lo largo de los últimos años, instituciones y ciudadanos han tomado conciencia de los problemas derivados de la utilización de plásticos y demás materiales que no se pueden reciclar. Prueba de ello son las continuas leyes promulgadas por la mayoría de los gobiernos europeos en materia medioambiental. También hay otros factores que han fomentado el uso de este tipo de productos como el elevado precio, en continuo crecimiento, de las resinas del petróleo. Hoy, más que nunca, es evidente que lo ecológico vende. Y ha trascendido de los mercados nacionales para ocupar un puesto más que merecido en el panorama internacional. El mercado de la alimentación es el principal consumidor de envases y embalajes plásticos, comprendiendo un 60% del consumo (53% para envases para comida y 25% para envases de bebidas) por lo tanto, también es el que va a demandar una mayor cantidad de envases biodegradables que sustituyan a los contaminantes. Este sector ya ha experimentado un fuerte crecimiento en países europeos como Francia, Gran Bretaña, Italia o Países Bajos. Grandes multinacionales del sector abren nuevas sucursales en mercados donde hace tan solo diez años atrás era inimaginable, demostrando que es posible crecer siendo respetuoso con el medioambiente. Desde YouGlobe-Traders, queremos defender nuestro producto en un mercado altamente competitivo donde las alternativas verdes escasean demostrando que es posible desarrollar proyectos rentables y económicos para el bolsillo del consumidor. También creemos que la idea difundida que afirma que los productos ecológicos tienen que ser necesariamente caros es errónea y a lo largo de este proyecto, con ayuda de cifras, demostraremos y defenderemos nuestra posición

Is contact lens discomfort related to meibomian gland morphology?

Purpose: To examine the relationship between contact lens (CL) discomfort and meibomian gland (MG) morphology assessed by a semi-objective software in subjects without an alteration of MG function (meibum quality and expressibility). Methods: Nineteen symptomatic (CLDEQ-8 ≥ 12) CL wearers, 19 asymptomatic (CLDEQ-8 < 12) wearers, and 22 non-wearers were recruited. Upper and lower eyelid meibography images were taken and the following parameters were analysed using a semi-objective software in the central 2/3 of each eyelid: number of MG, number of partial MG, percentage of MG loss and percentage of tortuosity. One-way ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis H test were used for comparisons among groups. The relationships between CLDEQ-8 and MG morphology parameters were analysed using the Spearman correlation coefficient and multivariable linear regression models. Results: No significant differences were found among groups in the MG morphology of the upper or lower eyelids. In all CL wearers, a significant correlation with CLDEQ-8 was found in the upper eyelid for the number of MG (rho = 0.47, p = 0.003). In symptomatic wearers, significant correlations with CLDEQ-8 were found in the lower eyelid for the number of partial MG (rho = 0.49, p = 0.03) and the percentage of partial MG (rho = 0.61, p = 0.005). In all CL wearers, multivariable models were fitted to explain CLDEQ-8 score including the number of MG, the number of partial MG and the percentage of MG loss from the lower eyelid (R2 = 0.19; p = 0.007), and the number of MG from the upper eyelid (R2 = 0.19; p = 0.001). In symptomatic wearers, a model was fitted including the percentage of MG loss from the lower eyelid (R2 = 0.30; p = 0.016). Conclusions: Alterations of MG morphology, without clinically apparent alteration of MG function, can be involved in causing CL discomfort and influence the degree of symptoms. The differences in findings between eyelids indicate the need to monitor both eyelids, especially the lower one, in CL wearers.Depto. de Optometría y VisiónFac. de Óptica y OptometríaTRUEpu

Inflammation-related molecules in tears of patients with chronic ocular pain and dry eye disease

Producción CientíficaThe purpose of this study was to analyze inflammation- and pain-related molecules in tears of patients suffering from chronic ocular pain associated with dry eye (DE) and/or a previous corneal refractive surgery (RS). Based on history, symptomatology, and clinical signs, the subjects (n = 180, 51.0 ± 14.7 years, 118 females, 62 males) in this cross-sectional study were assigned to one of five groups: DE and chronic ocular pain after RS (P/DE-RS, n = 52); asymptomatic subjects, i.e., without DE and chronic ocular pain, after RS (A-RS, n = 30); DE and chronic ocular pain without previous RS (P/DE-nonRS, n = 31); DE, no pain, and no previous RS (DE-nonRS, n = 35); and asymptomatic subjects with no previous RS (controls, n = 32). The tear concentrations of 20 cytokines and substance P (SP) were analyzed by immunobead-based assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. We found that tear levels of interleukin (IL)-10 and SP were increased in the RS groups. There were significant differences in IL-8/CXCL8 among the five groups. Nerve growth factor (NGF) tear levels were significantly higher in P/DE-RS than in DE-nonRS and controls. IL-9 had the highest percentage of detection in the P/DE-RS and P/DE-nonRS groups, while macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1α, IL-2, and interferon (IFN)-γ were higher in the P/DE-RS, A-RS, and P/DE-nonRS groups. IL-17A was detected only in the A-RS group. Moderate correlations were observed in the A-RS, P/DE-nonRS, DE-nonRS and controls groups. A positive correlation was obtained between growth related oncogene concentration and tear break-up time (rho = 0.550; p = 0.012), while negative correlation was found between monocyte chemoattractant protein-3/CCL7 and conjunctival staining (rho = −0.560; p = 0.001), both in the A-RS group. IL-10 correlated positively with ocular pain intensity (rho = 0.513; p = 0.003) in the P/DE-nonRS group. Regulated on Activation Normal T Cell Expressed and Secreted/CCL5 correlated negatively with conjunctival staining (rho = −0.545; p = 0.001) in the DE-nonRS group. SP correlated negatively with corneal staining (rho = −0.559; p = 0.001) in the controls. In conclusion, chronic ocular pain was associated with higher IL-9 tear levels. IL-10, SP, MIP-1α/CCL3, IL-2, and IFN-γ were associated with previous RS. Higher levels of IL-8/CXCL8, MIP-1α/CCL3, IL-2, and IFN-γ were associated with DE-related inflammation, while NGF levels were related to chronic ocular pain and DE in RS patients. These findings suggest that improved knowledge of tear cytokines and neuromodulators will lead to a more nuanced understanding of how these molecules can serve as biomarkers of chronic ocular pain, leading to better therapeutic and disease management decisions.Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (grants SAF-2016-77080-P, FPU17/02715 and FPU15/01443

Multiomics Molecular Research into the Recalcitrant and Orphan Quercus ilex Tree Species: Why, What for, and How

The holm oak (Quercus ilex L.) is the dominant tree species of the Mediterranean forest and the Spanish agrosilvopastoral ecosystem, “dehesa.” It has been, since the prehistoric period, an important part of the Iberian population from a social, cultural, and religious point of view, providing an ample variety of goods and services, and forming the basis of the economy in rural areas. Currently, there is renewed interest in its use for dietary diversification and sustainable food production. It is part of cultural richness, both economically (tangible) and environmentally (intangible), and must be preserved for future generations. However, a worrisome degradation of the species and associated ecosystems is occurring, observed in an increase in tree decline and mortality, which requires urgent action. Breeding programs based on the selection of elite genotypes by molecular markers is the only plausible biotechnological approach. To this end, the authors’ group started, in 2004, a research line aimed at characterizing the molecular biology of Q. ilex. It has been a challenging task due to its biological characteristics (long life cycle, allogamous, high phenotypic variability) and recalcitrant nature. The biology of this species has been characterized following the central dogma of molecular biology using the omics cascade. Molecular responses to biotic and abiotic stresses, as well as seed maturation and germination, are the two main objectives of our research. The contributions of the group to the knowledge of the species at the level of DNA-based markers, genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics are discussed here. Moreover, data are compared with those reported for Quercus spp. All omics data generated, and the genome of Q. ilex available, will be integrated with morphological and physiological data in the systems biology direction. Thus, we will propose possible molecular markers related to resilient and productive genotypes to be used in reforestation programs. In addition, possible markers related to the nutritional value of acorn and derivate products, as well as bioactive compounds (peptides and phenolics) and allergens, will be suggested. Subsequently, the selected molecular markers will be validated by both genome-wide association and functional genomic analyses