On a new species of Micrambe from Africa (Coleoptera, Cryptophagidae)

A new species of Micrambe Thomson, 1863 (Coleoptera, Cryptophagidae), Micrambe camerunensis sp. n. from Cameroon is described and illustrated. No other record of any Cryptophagidae of Cameroon is known. The differential diagnosis is established in relation to a group of other species of the genusS

A new species and a key to the species of Corticarina from Guatemala (Coleoptera, Latridiidae)

A new species of Corticarina Reitter, 1881 (Coleoptera: Latridiidae), Corticarina oscargloriorum sp. n. from Guatemala is described and illustrated. The differential diagnosis is established in relation to a group of other species of the genusS

Contribución al conocimiento de las especies del género Micrambe Thomson, 1863 (Coleoptera, Cryptophagidae) de la región afrotropical

A continuación se presenta la primera síntesis de las especies afrotropicales pertenecientes al género Micrambe Thomson, 1863 (Coleoptera, Cryptophagidae). En total se estudian setenta y nueve especies, de las que se elabora una redescripción completa, tanto de su morfología externa como del aparato genital masculino, resaltando y figurando aquellos caracteres morfológicos más importantes para la identificación. También se precisan otros datos de interés como su distribución geográfica, biología, así como aportaciones importantes acerca de su taxonomía. Se incluyen además claves para la identificación de subgéneros y especies. Se describen dos nuevas especies: Micrambe borjai y Micrambe cuccodoroi y se citan trece especies por primera vez para la fauna de África

Tests de simetría Lorentz utilizando observaciones astrofísicas de alta energía

En la presente memoria se realiza una revisión bibliográfica sobre la búsqueda de posibles diferencias en tiempos de vuelo de fotones, así como la reproducción y extensión del análisis realizado en un trabajo reciente. En una primera parte se introduce el contexto de gravedad cuántica y, específicamente, desviaciones de la Relatividad Especial, en el que se enmarca el fenómeno, describiendo el procedimiento y análisis experimental desarrollado por diferentes autores. Los resultados obtenidos por estos autores se recogen en detalle en una segunda parte, analizando con más detenimiento los estudios recientes. Por útimo, se incluye la reproducción de los resultados del artículo más reciente mediante la utilización de un programa de autoría propia con ayuda de la herramienta computacional Mathematica, así como una extensión del análisis presentado en este trabajo

Astrofísica de rayos gamma de muy alta energía como ventana a física más allá de Relatividad Especial

En la presente memoria utilizamos distintas consideraciones cinemáticas con el objetivo de calcular la energía umbral de un fotón de alta energía (E > 100 GeV) necesaria para que se produzca un par electrón-positrón a partir de la interacción con un fotón de baja energía perteneciente al fondo de luz extragaláctico. En una primera parte introducimos el marco teórico de gravedad cuántica, las teorías que plantean desviaciones de Relatividad Especial y el problema de la transparencia del fondo cósmico. Posteriormente, proponemos como solución a este problema una modificación en la energía umbral de creación de pares, realizando los cálculos correspondientes a una Violación de Invariancia Lorentz y una Deformación de Relatividad Especial. Por último, analizamos los resultados obtenidos y los comparamos con aquellos que aparecen en la bibliografía.<br /

Evaluation of Antioxidant and Wound-Healing Properties of EHO-85, a Novel Multifunctional Amorphous Hydrogel Containing Olea europaea Leaf Extract

The excess of free radicals in the wound environment contributes to its stagnation during the inflammatory phase, favoring hard-to-heal wounds. Oxidative stress negatively affects cells and the extracellular matrix, hindering the healing process. In this study, we evaluated the antioxidant and wound-healing properties of a novel multifunctional amorphous hydrogel-containing Olea europaea leaf extract (OELE). Five assessments were performed: (i) phenolic compounds characterization in OELE; (ii) absolute antioxidant activity determination in OELE and hydrogel (EHO-85); (iii) antioxidant activity measurement of OELE and (iv) its protective effect on cell viability on human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) and keratinocytes (HaCaT); and (v) EHO-85 wound-healing-capacity analysis on diabetic mice (db/db; BKS.Cg-m+/+Leprdb). The antioxidant activity of OELE was prominent: 2220, 1558, and 1969 µmol TE/g by DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays, respectively. Oxidative stress induced with H2O2 in HDFs and HaCaT was normalized, and their viability increased with OELE co-treatment, thus evidencing a protective role. EHO-85 produced an early and sustained wound-healing stimulating effect superior to controls in diabetic mice. This novel amorphous hydrogel presents an important ROS scavenger capacity due to the high phenolic content of OELE, which protects skin cells from oxidative stress and contributes to the physiological process of wound healing.This research was funded by QUESPER R&D, and partially by INNCORPORA-TU-2011-1886 subprogramme (Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, Spain) and the programme for the Reinforcement of Research Activity in the Clinical Management Units of the Andalusian Health Service (Department of Health. Regional Government of Andalusia, Spain)

Assessing the ability of novel ecosystems to support animal wildlife through analysis of diurnal raptor territoriality

Novel ecosystems have emerged through human intervention and are rapidly expandingaround the world. Whether they can support animal wildlife has generated considerable controversy.Here we developed a new approach to evaluate the ability of a novel forest ecosystem,dominated by the exotic tree species Eucalyptus globulus, to support animal wildlife inthe medium and long term. To evaluate this ability, we took advantage of the fact that speciesterritory size decreases with increasing habitat quality, and we used territoriality of araptor guild composed of Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), Eurasian Sparrowhawk(A. nisus) and Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) as indicator. We compared the territorialityof these species in the novel ecosystem with that in other ecosystems found in the literature.Average distances between con-specifics in the novel ecosystem were similar, or evenshorter, than those in other ecosystems. Average distances between Goshawk con-specificswere among the shortest described in the literature. All three species nested preferably in mixed stands abundant in large exotic trees, with high structural complexity and abundance of native species within the stand. Key factors supporting this diverse and dense raptor community were the special forest management system implemented in the study area and the agricultural matrix located close to forest plantations that complements the supply of prey. Our results suggest that forest management that promotes a complex and suitable forest structure can increase the ability of novel forest ecosystems to support wildlife biodiversity, particularly a diverse nesting community of forest-dwelling raptors and their preys. The results further suggest the suitability of territoriality for assessing this potential of novel ecosystemsMinisterio de Ciencia y TecnologíaUniversidad de AlcaláMinisterio de Educación y Cienci

Study, preparation and characterization of thiosemicarbazone ligands and their compounds

The 20th International Electronic Conference on Synthetic Organic Chemistry session General Organic SynthesisThiosemicarbazones are formed by the condensation of an aldehyde or ketone with a thiosemicarbazide. They have high coordinative capacity given that they have several potential donor atoms through which they can bind to transition metals. This coordinative capacity can be increased if the R1 and R2 substituents include additional donor atoms. In addition, thiosemicarbazones as well as their semicarbazones analogues have considerable biological and pharmacological interest because of their antibacterial, antiviral and antitumor activity. This communication includes the preparation and characterization of a series of thiosemicarcarbazones and their applications in the synthesis of palladium organometallic compoundsWe wish to thank the financial support received from the Xunta de Galicia (Galicia, Spain) under the Grupos de Referencia Competitiva Programme Projects GRC2015/00

Higher reproductive success of small males and greater recruitment of large females could explain the strong reversed sexual dimorphism (RSD) in the northern goshawk

Abstract Reversed sexual dimorphism (RSD), whichoccurs when the female of a species is larger than the male,is the rule for most birds of prey but the exception amongother bird and mammal species. The selective pressuresthat favour RSD are an intriguing issue in animal ecology.Despite the large number of hypotheses proposed to explainthe evolution of RSD, there is still no consensus about themechanisms involved and whether they act on one or bothsexes, mainly because few intrapopulation studies havebeen undertaken and few raptor species have been investigated.Using the strongly size-dimorphic northern goshawk(Accipiter gentilis L.) as a model, we studied a populationwith one of the highest densities of breeding pairs reportedin the literature in order to understand selective pressuresthat may favour RSD. We evaluated life-history processes,including recruitment of adult breeders and reproductivesuccess, and we explored the mechanisms thought to act oneach sex, including hunting efficiency, diet, body conditionand mate choice. We found that smaller males producedmore fledglings than larger ones, but there was no relationshipbetween size and reproductive success for femalesMinisterio de Educación y Cienci

Prospects for practice-based philosophy of logic

We explore prospects for practice-based approaches to logical theory, in particular the link between classical and intuitionistic logic and the inferential structure of traditional practices of representation & argument in science and mathematics. After discussing some key notions about practice, we outline the connection between representation practices and classical logic, and then consider a spectrum of actual practices followed or proposed by (real) scientists. Intuitionistic logic helps to clarify the potential of practice-based approaches for understanding pluralism, and to hammer some key points about the general thesis.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad FFI2009-1002