The tumour microenvironment links complement system dysregulation and hypoxic signalling.

The complement system is an innate immune pathway typically thought of as part of the first line of defence against "non-self" species. In the context of cancer, complement has been described to have an active role in facilitating cancer-associated processes such as increased proliferation, angiogenesis and migration. Several cellular members of the tumour microenvironment express and/or produce complement proteins locally, including tumour cells. Dysregulation of the complement system has been reported in numerous tumours and increased expression of complement activation fragments in cancer patient specimens correlates with poor patient prognosis. Importantly, genetic or pharmacological targeting of complement has been shown to reduce tumour growth in several cancer preclinical models, suggesting that complement could be an attractive therapeutic target. Hypoxia (low oxygen) is frequently found in solid tumours and has a profound biological impact on cellular and non-cellular components of the tumour microenvironment. In this review, we focus on hypoxia since this is a prevailing feature of the tumour microenvironment that, like increased complement, is typically associated with poor prognosis. Furthermore, interesting links between hypoxia and complement have been recently proposed but never collectively reviewed. Here, we explore how hypoxia alters regulation of complement proteins in different cellular components of the tumour microenvironment, as well as the downstream biological consequences of this regulation

Replication stress and chromatin context link ATM activation to a role in DNA replication

ATM-mediated signaling in response to DNA damage is a barrier to tumorigenesis. Here we asked whether replication stress could also contribute to ATM signaling. We demonstrate that, in the absence of DNA damage, ATM responds to replication stress in a hypoxia-induced heterochromatin-like context. In certain hypoxic conditions, replication stress occurs in the absence of detectable DNA damage. Hypoxia also induces H3K9me3, a histone modification associated with gene repression and heterochromatin. Hypoxia-induced replication stress together with increased H3K9me3 leads to ATM activation. Importantly, ATM prevents the accumulation of DNA damage in hypoxia. Most significantly, we describe a stress-specific role for ATM in maintaining DNA replication rates in a background of increased H3K9me3. Furthermore, the ATM-mediated response to oncogene-induced replication stress is enhanced in hypoxic conditions. Together, these data indicate that hypoxia plays a critical role in the activation of the DNA damage response, therefore contributing to this barrier to tumorigenesis

Ergogenic Effect of Sodium Phosphate Intake in Physically Active Subjects

Este estudio pretende evaluar los efectos de la ingesta de fosfato sódico a corto plazo, sobre la composición corporal, serie roja y parámetros ergoespirométricos máximos y submáximos. A una muestra de 20 sujetos físicamente activos, separados en dos grupos, se les suministró fosfato sódico durante 7 días (50 mg/kg masa magra) o placebo. Ambos grupos realizaron una prueba de esfuerzo incremental máxima en cicloergómetro, siguiendo el protocolo Fatmax, se les determinó la composición corporal y se les realizó un hemograma antes y después de la suplementación. En el grupo experimental, se observó una disminución en el peso e índice de masa corporal (IMC), un aumento en la potencia máxima alcanzada y una mejor eficiencia energética en la zona Fatmax. No se observaron cambios en parámetros hematológicos. Estos resultados pueden atribuir un efecto ergogénico al fosfato sódico en actividades aeróbicas y aquellas donde el peso corporal influya en el rendimientoThis study aims to evaluate the effects of short-term sodium phosphate intake upon body composition, haemogram, maximal ergospirometer parameters and submaximal ones in the maximal fat oxidation zone (Fatmax). 20 active subjects participated in this study randomly divided into two groups: The experimental group which ingested sodium phosphate for 7 days (50 mg/kg lean mass) and the placebo group. Both performed an incremental maximal cycle ergo meter test following the Fatmax protocol, body composition assessment and blood analysis (CBC) before and after the supplementation period. In the experimental group, phosphate supplementation produced a decrease in weight and body mass index (BMI), an increase in maximal power output and it also improved energy efficiency in the Fatmax zone. No changes were observed in the parameters listed in the CBC. These results may attribute an ergogenic effect of sodium phosphate in aerobic activities and sports where body weight is considered to be an important factor for performanceEsta investigación fue financiada por el Gobierno de Extremadura. Grupo de Investigación CTS-03

Competencias por el uso del agua en la provincia de Alicante: experiencias de gestión en la armonización de usos urbano-turísticos y agrícolas

La disponibilitat d’aigua en quantitat i qualitat és un factor decisiu per atendre les demandes urbanes, turístiques i agrícoles en territoris amb escassesa natural de recursos. A la província d’Alacant, a fi de garantir aquestes demandes s’ha recorregut a solucions hidràuliques tradicionals, com ara transvasaments i explotació d’aqüífers, unides a la utilització creixent de fonts no convencionals i a l’increment de l’eficiència de l’ús de l’aigua, com també a unes altres solucions basades en l’harmonització de diversos usos. S’analitzen els models més importants desenvolupats a Alacant per a l’harmonització d’usos de l’aigua urbanoturístics i agrícoles: la gestió col·lectiva d’aqüífers sobreexplotats (Junta Central d’Usuaris del Vinalopó) i els acords subscrits entre el medi urbà i els agricultors basats en l’intercanvi d’aigües depurades i aigües netes per utilitzar-les en el regadiu i els usos urbanoturístics, respectivament (Consorci d’Aigües de la Marina Baixa). Es posa de manifest la importància creixent de les aigües residuals regenerades per a l’harmonització d’usos urbanoturístics i agrícoles de l’aigua.Water availability in quantity and quality is a decisive factor to attend the urban, tourist and agricultural demands in areas with natural scarcity of resources. In the province of Alicante in order to ensure these demands, it has been resorted to hydraulic traditional solutions such as transfers and aquifers exploitation and new ones as growing use of non-conventional sources, increasing the efficiency of water use and others based on the harmonization of different uses. In this paper, it is analyzed the most important models developed in Alicante for harmonizing tourist and agricultural water uses: the collective management of overexploited aquifers (Junta Central de Usuarios del Vinalopó) and the agreements signed between urban areas and farmers based on the exchange of wastewater and clean water for its use in irrigation and tourism activities, respectively (Consorcio de Aguas de la Marina Baja). It is highlighted the growing importance of sewage regenerated for harmonizing tourist and agricultural water uses.La disponibilidad de agua en cantidad y calidad es un factor decisivo para atender las demandas urbanas, turísticas y agrícolas en territorios con escasez natural de recursos. En la provincia de Alicante, a fin de garantizar estas demandas se ha recurrido a soluciones hidráulicas tradicionales, como trasvases y explotación de acuíferos, unidas al creciente empleo de fuentes no convencionales y al incremento de la eficiencia del uso del agua, así como a otras basadas en la armonización de distintos usos. Se analizan los modelos más importantes desarrollados en Alicante para la armonización de usos del agua urbanoturísticos y agrícolas: la gestión colectiva de acuíferos sobreexplotados (Junta Central de Usuarios del Vinalopó) y los acuerdos suscritos entre el medio urbano y los agricultores basados en el intercambio de aguas depuradas y aguas limpias para su empleo en el regadío y los usos urbano-turísticos, respectivamente (Consorcio de Aguas de la Marina Baja). Se pone de manifiesto la importancia creciente de las aguas residuales regeneradas para la armonización de usos urbano-turísticos y agrícolas del agua

Profesores adolescentes. Herramienta didáctica para Lengua y Literatura Española

The high school classroom is a space open to linguistic speech. Therefore, the development of these skills is essential in school life to: learn to learn, explore the most creative side of language from literature, question and reflect on one's own ideas and those we receive from others. Given this paradigm, we generated a proposal for educational improvement in order to activate motivation, integrate learning about the literature selection from the first course of Bachillerato and improve their oral communication skills. Our case study presents the implementation of this proposal with three mixed groups from a public school (68 students in total). The results of this discursive activity show that students in these educational levels (16 or 17 years old) integrate linguistic and curricular skills more efficiently if they are allowed to become speakers. The case study intends to be an invitation for teachers to integrate the educational potential of giving space and time in the classroom for the student to become a communicator and the protagonist of their own learning

Usefulness of open data to determine the incidence of COVID-19 and its relationship with atmospheric variables in Spain during the 2020 lockdown

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and the spread of the COVID-19 disease led to a lockdown being imposed in Spain to minimise contagion from 16 March 2020 to 1 May 2020. Over this period, measures were taken to reduce population mobility (a key factor in disease transmission). The scenario thus created enabled us to examine the impact of factors other than mobility (in this case, meteorological conditions) on the incidence of the disease, and thus to identify which environmental variables played the biggest role in the pandemic's evolution. Worthy of note, the data required to perform the study was entirely extracted from governmental open data sources. The present work therefore demonstrates the utility of such data to conduct scientific research of interest to society, leading to studies that are also fully reproducible. The results revealed a relationship between temperatures and the spread of COVID-19. The trend was that of a slightly lower disease incidence as the minimum temperature rises, i.e. the lower the minimum temperature, the greater the number of cases. Furthermore, a link was found between the incidence of the disease and other variables, such as altitude and proximity to the sea. There were no indications, however, in the study's data, of a relationship between incidence and precipitation or wind.This work is funded by GVA-COVID19/2021/103 project from “Conselleria de Innovación, Universidades, Ciencia y Sociedad Digital de la Generalitat Valenciana”

Obesidad infantil y parámetros de composición corporal en niños de extremadura (españa).

Introducción En las sociedades desarrolladas la obesidad es uno de los trastornos nutricionales más frecuente en la infancia y la adolescencia (Serra Majem, 2003) y el quinto factor principal de riesgo de defunción en el mundo (Fernández-Bergés, 2012. Estudios previos establecen que 2 de cada 10 niños/as extremeños padecen obesidad o sobrepeso (Torres, 2008). El objetivo del estudio es describir la prevalencia de la obesidad en escolares extremeños y conocer la influencia de la obesidad sobre factores de parámetros de composición corporal. Métodos 242 niños/as (9 a 12 años) de centros de primaria de la Comunidad Autónoma de Extremadura fueron evaluados. Tras informar y recibir el consentimiento informado de los tutores legales de los sujetos, se llevaron a cabo mediciones individuales de parámetros antropométricos : peso, talla, IMC, masa grasa, masa libre de grasa, % grasa y peso óseo, índice cintura-cadera. Se llevó a cabo un análisis descriptivo para conocer el porcentaje de obesidad entre los escolares y un ANOVA de un factor con un test post hoc para comparar los resultados con los tres niveles del factor de estudio (normopeso, sobrepeso y obesidad). Resultados El 9,9% de los niños/as extremeños evaluados eran obesos, siendo este porcentaje mayor en el caso de los niños (11,2% frente a 8,54% de las niñas). Existen diferencias significativas (p> 0.05) en cuanto al nivel de composición corporal en las variables IMC, ICC, masa grasa y % masa grasa. Conclusiones 18% escolares extremeños presenta sobrepeso u obesidad, valor que se ha mantenido constante en los últimos años. Los niños/as con sobrepeso y obesidad presentan mayores niveles de IMC, ICC y niveles de grasa corporal

Mapa de precipitaciones máximas diarias y riesgo de inundaciones en la provincia de Alicante

Ponencia presentada en: I Congreso de la Asociación Española de Climatología “La climatología española en los albores del siglo XXI”, celebrado en Barcelona del 1 al 3 de diciembre de 1999.[ES]La ordenación de usos en el territorio requiere el manejo de datos actualizados de variables ambientales. Los valores de precipitación máxima en 24 h. son esenciales para la planificación de infraestructuras y el establecimiento de niveles de riesgo en un espacio geográfico. Este trabajo presenta un mapa con datos reales de precipitación diaria máxima en los distintos observatorios de la provincia de Alicante registrados durante el siglo XX. La frecuencia y las repercusiones territoriales que ofrecen los episodios de lluvias torrenciales y las inundaciones en la provincia de Alicante, aconseja revisar la validez de métodos no empíricos basados en cálculos de probabilidad y períodos de retorno, sobre todo a la hora de delimitar zonas de riesgo en documentos de ordenación del territorio.[EN]Land uses order needs management of current environmental databases. Maximum rainfall in one day values are esential for infraestructures planification and fixing risk levels in a geographical land. This work shows a map with real values maximum rainfall in 24 hours at Alicante province during the present century. It shows how little periods of recurrence are adjusted to pluviometric reality in mediterranean lands

Approach to Development Cooperation 3.0: From the Statutes to the Praxis in a NGDO

The progress of development cooperation has been carried out in the world originally focusing to reduce poverty and to increase the economic growth. Subsequently, the application of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) resulted in the appearance of the term development cooperation 2.0. However, the use of scientific focus applied in this area is giving rise a new concept called development cooperation 3.0. In this article, we have explained in a practical contribution in a non-governmental development organization (NGDO) starting by its statutes to examples conducted in three countries