The effects of UV radiation on photosynthesis estimated as chlorophyll fluorescence in Zygnemopsis decussata (Chlorophyta) growing in a high mountain lake (Sierra Nevada, Southern Spain)

The effect of increased UV radiation on photosynthesis estimated as in vivo chlorophyll fluorescence i.e. optimal quantum yield (Fv/Fm) and electron transport rate (ETR) in the green filamentous alga Zygnemopsis decussata (Streptophyta, Zygnematales) growing in the high mountain lake "La Caldera" (Sierra Nevada, Spain) at 3050 m altitude was evaluated. Two sets of in situ experiments were conducted: (1) On July 2006, Fv/Fm was measured throughout the day at different depths (0.1, 0.25, 0.5 and 1 m) and in the afternoon, ETR and phenolic compounds were determined. In addition, in order to analyze the effect of UV radiation, Fv/Fm was determined in algae incubated for 3 days at 0.5m under three different light treatments: PAR+UVA+UVB (PAB), PAR+UVA (PA) and PAR (P). (2) On August 2007, Fv/Fm was determined under PAB, PA and P treatments and desiccation/rehydration conditions. Fv/Fm decreased in algae growing in surface waters (0.1 m) but also at 1 m depth compared to that at 0.5 m depth. The decrease of Fv/Fm at noon due to photoinhibition was small (less than 10%) except in algae growing at 1 m depth (44%). The maximal electron transport rate was 3.5-5 times higher in algae growing at 0.25-0.5 m respectively than that at 0.1 and 1 m depth. These results are related to the accumulation of phenolic compounds: i.e. the algae at 0.25-0.5 m presented respectively about a 3-5 times higher concentration of phenolic compounds than that of algae at 0.1-1 m depth. The protection mechanisms seem to be stimulated by UVB radiation, since Fv/Fm was higher in the presence of UVB (PAB treatment) compared to PA or P treatments. UVA exerts the main photoinhibitory effect, not only at midday, but also in the afternoon. UVB radiation also had a protective effect in algae grown under desiccation conditions for three days. During re-hydration, the rapid increase of Fv/Fm (after 1 h) was higher in the UVB-grown algae than in algae grown under UVA radiation. After 5 h, Fv/Fm values were similar in algae submitted to desiccation/rehydration under PAB and P treatments as they were in the control (submerged algae). The combined effect of desiccation and UVA produced the greatest decrease of photosynthesis in Z. decussata. Thus UVB, in contrast to other species, may support the recovery process. Z. decussata can acclimate to severe stress conditions in this high mountain lake by the photoprotection mechanism induced by UVB radiation through dynamic photoinhibition and the accumulation of phenolic compounds (UV screen and antioxidant substances).This research was supported by the Spanish Ministries of Environment (PN2003/25) and Education and Science (CGL2005/01564, AGL2005/02655, CGL 2008/01127, CGL 2008/05407) and Consejería de Innovación, Ciencia y Empresa, Junta de Andalucía (Excelencia project P07-CVI-02598)

Evaluación de la Accesibilidad en Dos Sitios Bancarios Nacionales Dependientes de la Administración Pública

En este trabajo se aborda una de las medidas de calidad de la Ingeniería del Software: la Accesibilidad Web y su validación en el dominio de dos instituciones del sector de finanzas públicas de alcance nacional. Esta medida se convirtió en varios países del mundo en una preocupación porque atañe directamente a la posibilidad de acceso de los ciudadanos a la información, comunicación y servicios (públicos y privados) ofrecidos a través de la web. Por lo expuesto, es necesario que los sitios de la administración pública, en este caso particular, los bancarios carezcan de problemas de acceso a los contenidos, lo que se logra siguiendo los estándares propuestos por el Consorcio W3C. Se describe la metodología orientada a la evaluación del cumplimiento de las pautas WCAG 2.0, propuestas por el mencionado Consorcio. La indagación demuestra la necesidad de fomentar la aplicación de las mencionadas pautas en el proceso de desarrollo de sitios bancarios

Transport Pathways and Enhancement Mechanisms within Localized and Non-Localized Transport Regions in Skin Treated with Low-Frequency Sonophoresis and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

Recent advances in transdermal drug delivery utilizing low-frequency sonophoresis (LFS) and sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) have revealed that skin permeability enhancement is not homogenous across the skin surface. Instead, highly perturbed skin regions, known as localized transport regions (LTRs), exist. Despite these findings, little research has been conducted to identify intrinsic properties and formation mechanisms of LTRs and the surrounding less-perturbed non-LTRs. By independently analyzing LTR, non-LTR, and total skin samples treated at multiple LFS frequencies, we found that the pore radii (r[subscript pore]) within non-LTRs are frequency-independent, ranging from 18.2 to 18.5 Å, but significantly larger than r[subscript pore] of native skin samples (13.6 Å). Conversely, r[subscript pore] within LTRs increase significantly with decreasing frequency from 161 to 276 Å and to ∞ (>300 Å) for LFS/SLS-treated skin at 60, 40, and 20 kHz, respectively. Our findings suggest that different mechanisms contribute to skin permeability enhancement within each skin region. We propose that the enhancement mechanism within LTRs is the frequency-dependent process of cavitation-induced microjet collapse at the skin surface, whereas the increased r[subscript pore] values in non-LTRs are likely due to SLS perturbation, with enhanced penetration of SLS into the skin resulting from the frequency-independent process of microstreaming

HABs in coastal upwelling systems: Insights from an exceptional red tide of the toxigenic dinoflagellate Alexandrium minutum

14 pages, 8 figures, 1 table.-- Under a Creative Commons licenseAlexandrium minutum blooms generally occur in semi-enclosed sites such as estuaries, harbours and lagoons, where enhanced stratification, restricted circulation and accumulation of resting cysts in the sediment set suitable habitat conditions for the proliferation of this paralytic shellfish poisoning toxigenic species. In the Galician Rías Baixas (NW Iberian Peninsula), according to weekly time-series between 1994 and 2020, blooms of A. minutum were recurrent in small, shallow estuarine bays inside the Rías de Vigo and Pontevedra, but rarely detected, and if so at low concentrations, out of these environments. However, from May to July 2018 it developed as usual in the small inner bays but then spread over both Rías (Vigo and Pontevedra) causing discoloured waters during one month and prolonged harvesting closures. Meteorological conditions during that period (rains / runoff higher than climatological averages, sustained temperature increment and oscillating wind pattern –i.e., series of upwelling-relaxation cycles), fostered optimal circumstances for the development of that extensive and massive proliferation: strong vertical stratification and the alternation of retention and dispersion processes. Simulations from a particle tracking model portrayed the observed bloom development phases: onset and development inside a small inner bay; transport within the surface layer, from these sites towards the interior parts of the Ría; and dispersion all over the embayment. Seedbeds with high concentrations of resting cysts were detected several months after the bloom, which may have favoured flourishment of A. minutum in the following two years, markedly in 2020. The present work contributes to the general understanding of the dynamics of harmful algal blooms (HABs), from which surveillance indicators of the state of marine ecosystems and their evolution can be derived. We hypothesize that the intensity and frequency of A. minutum proliferations in the Galician Rías could increase under projected climate trendsThis work was funded by the Spanish national project DIANAS (CTM2017-86066-R, MICINN) and CCVIEO (Instituto Español de Oceanografía). PD-T was supported by the Xunta de Galicia program “Talento Senior” (N° contract 03 IN858A 2019 1630129) with additional funds of the Axencia Galega de Innovacion (agreement GAIN-IEO)Peer reviewe

BRCA2 polymorphic stop codon K3326X and the risk of breast, prostate, and ovarian cancers

Background: The K3326X variant in BRCA2 (BRCA2*c.9976A>T; p.Lys3326*; rs11571833) has been found to be associated with small increased risks of breast cancer. However, it is not clear to what extent linkage disequilibrium with fully pathogenic mutations might account for this association. There is scant information about the effect of K3326X in other hormone-related cancers. Methods: Using weighted logistic regression, we analyzed data from the large iCOGS study including 76 637 cancer case patients and 83 796 control patients to estimate odds ratios (ORw) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for K3326X variant carriers in relation to breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer risks, with weights defined as probability of not having a pathogenic BRCA2 variant. Using Cox proportional hazards modeling, we also examined the associations of K3326X with breast and ovarian cancer risks among 7183 BRCA1 variant carriers. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results: The K3326X variant was associated with breast (ORw = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.17 to 1.40, P = 5.9x10- 6) and invasive ovarian cancer (ORw = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.10 to 1.43, P = 3.8x10-3). These associations were stronger for serous ovarian cancer and for estrogen receptor–negative breast cancer (ORw = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.2 to 1.70, P = 3.4x10-5 and ORw = 1.50, 95% CI = 1.28 to 1.76, P = 4.1x10-5, respectively). For BRCA1 mutation carriers, there was a statistically significant inverse association of the K3326X variant with risk of ovarian cancer (HR = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.22 to 0.84, P = .013) but no association with breast cancer. No association with prostate cancer was observed. Conclusions: Our study provides evidence that the K3326X variant is associated with risk of developing breast and ovarian cancers independent of other pathogenic variants in BRCA2. Further studies are needed to determine the biological mechanism of action responsible for these associations

A vision-based system to support tactical and physical analyses in futsal

This paper presents a vision-based system to support tactical and physical analyses of futsal teams. Most part of the current analyses in this sport are manually performed, while the existing solutions based on automatic approaches are frequently composed of costly and complex tools, developed for other kind of team sports, making it difficult their adoption by futsal teams. Our system, on the other hand, represents a simple yet efficient dedicated solution, which is based on the analyses of image sequences captured by a single stationary camera used to obtain top-view images of the entire court. We use adaptive background subtraction and blob analysis to detect players, as well as particle filters to track them in every video frame. The system determines the distance traveled by each player, his/her mean and maximum speeds, as well as generates heat maps that describe players’ occupancy during the match. To present the collected data, our system uses a specially developed mobile application. Experimental results with image sequences of an official match and a training match show that our system provides data with global mean tracking errors below 40 cm, demanding on 25 ms to process each frame and, thus, demonstrating its high application potential