Testicular ultrasound analysis as a predictive tool of ram sperm quality

esticular ultrasound is a non-invasive technique that could be very useful for predicting ram seminal quality. Recent software developments allow macroscopic and microscopic evaluation of testicular parenchyma. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the testicular echotexture using ultrasound-video analysis and investigate its possible correlation with semen quality. Nine rams were evaluated for one year using a portable ultrasound scanner and the echotexture was analyzed with ECOTEXT® software. The number of black (Ec1), white (Ec2), and grey pixels (Ec3), tubular density (TD), lumen area (LA), and lumen diameter (LD) were analyzed. Semen was collected by an artificial vagina the same day and the sperm concentration, morphology, motility, viability, phosphatidylserine (PS) translocation, reactive-oxygen-species (ROS) levels, DNA damage and capacitation state were evaluated. Ec2 and Ec3 correlated positively with “bad quality” sperm parameters (the percentage of spermatozoa with high ROS levels, with PS translocation and proximal cytoplasmic droplets), and negatively with motility. In contrast, TD and LA showed a positive correlation with “good quality” parameters (motility or normal morphology) and a negative correlation with spermatozoa with high ROS levels, with DNA fragmentation, and proximal or distal cytoplasmic droplets. Thus, echotexture analysis by ultrasound-video analysis could be a valuable tool for assessing ram fertility

Copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) by functionalized NHC-based polynuclear catalysts: scope and mechanistic insights

Copper(I) Cu2(µ-Br)2(tBuImCH2pyCH2L)]n (L = OMe, NEt2, NHtBu) compounds supported by flexible functionalized NHC-based polydentate ligands have been prepared in a one-pot procedure by reacting the corresponding imidazolium salt with an excess of copper powder and Ag2O. An X-ray diffraction analysis has revealed that Cu2(µ-Br)2(tBuImCH2pyCH2NEt2)]n is a linear coordination polymer formed by bimetallic Cu(µ-Br)]2 units linked by the lutidine-based NHC-py-NEt2 ligand, which acts as a heteroditopic ligand with a 1¿C-2¿2N, N' coordination mode. We propose that the polymeric compounds break down in the solution into more compact tetranuclear Cu2(µ-Br)2(tBuImCH2pyCH2L)]2 compounds with a coordination mode identical to the functionalized NHC ligands. These compounds have been found to exhibit high catalytic activity in the Cu-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction. In particular, Cu2(µ-Br)2(tBuImCH2pyCH2NEt2)]2 efficiently catalyzes the click reaction of a range of azides and alkynes, under an inert atmosphere at room temperature in neat conditions at a very low catalyst loading, to quantitatively afford the corresponding 1, 4-disubstituted 1, 2, 3-triazole derivatives in a few minutes. The cycloaddition reaction of benzyl azide to phenylacetylene can be performed at 25-50 ppm catalyst loading by increasing the reaction time and/or temperature. Reactivity studies have shown that the activation of the polynuclear catalyst precursor involves the alkyne deprotonation by the NHC moiety of the polydentate ligand to afford a copper(I)-alkynyl species bearing a functionalized imidazolium ligand. DFT calculations support the participation of the dinuclear species (CuBr)2(µ-tBuImCH2pyCH2NEt2)], resulting from the fragmentation of the tetranuclear compound, as the catalytically active species. The proposed reaction pathway proceeds through zwitterionic dinuclear intermediates and entails the active participation of both copper atoms, as well as the NHC moiety as an internal base, which activates the reacting alkyne via deprotonation

Scanning Electron Microscope Study of Wohlfahrtia magnifica (Schiner, 1862) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) I. Structures with Parasitic and Possible Taxonomic Meaning

The larval development of Wohlfahrtia magnifica (the most important dipteran causing sheep myiasis in the Palearctic region) has been studied by means of scanning electron microscopy. The ultrastructure of mouth-hooks, oral ridges, labial lobes, body spines and anterior and posterior peritremes is described for the first time. Their possible adaptations to a parasitic lifeway are also discussed. Thus, the use of new structures in the Sarcophagidae taxonomy is proposed from the point of view of their ultrastructure and adaptative morphology

Holocene summer temperature reconstruction based on a chironomid record from Sierra Nevada, southern Spain

This study was supported by projects CGL2013-47038-R, CGL2017-85415-R and PID2021-125619OB-C21/C22, funded by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación of Spain, the Agencia Estatal de Investigación and the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional FEDER MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/FEDER, UE”; Junta de Andalucía I + D + i Junta de Andalucía 2020 Retos P-20-00059, UGR-FEDER B-RNM-144-UGR18, UGR-FEDER A-RNM-336-UGR20, Project cofinanced by FEDER and LifeWatch-Eric LifeWatch-2019-10-UGR-01 and the research group RNM-190 (Junta de Andalucía). RSA acknowledges several travel grants from Northern Arizona University to support this work. JC thanks the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación of Spain for the Juan de la Cierva Formación postdoctoral fellowship. ALA acknowledges the predoctoral fellowship BES-2018-084293 provided by the MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/. CLB acknowledges the European Union for her Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement number 892487 under Horizon 2020 funds. LJ acknowledges the Ministry of Universities of Spain for her Margarita Salas grant (MS2021-204) financed by the European Union -Next Generation EU funds.Obtaining accurate temperature reconstructions from the past is crucial in understanding the consequences of changes in external climate forcings, such as orbital-scale insolation or multidecadal to centennial-scale variability on the climate system and the environment. In addition, these reconstructions help in comprehending the amplitude of natural temperature changes in the past, which can assist in evaluating the amplitude and rate of recent anthropogenic global warming. Here we present the first detailed Holocene mean July air temperature reconstruction based on chironomid assemblages from sediments retrieved from Laguna de Río Seco, an alpine lake in Sierra Nevada, southern Spain. Coldest climate conditions are recorded during the last glacial maximum and the last deglaciation. Warming occurred in the Early Holocene and warmest summer temperature conditions and the Holocene thermal maximum (HTM) occurred in the interval roughly between 9000 and 7200 cal yr BP, concurrent with summer insolation maxima. Rapid cooling of ∼1.5 °C occurred after the warmest maximum and between ∼7200 and 6500 cal yr BP, and temperatures stabilized between ∼6500 and 3000 cal yr BP. A further cooling began ∼3000 cal yr BP and culminated with coldest summer conditions during the Dark Ages (DA) and Little Ice Age (LIA) at ∼1550 cal yr BP (∼400 CE) and ∼200 cal yr BP (∼1750 CE), respectively. This cooling temperature trend was interrupted by warmer conditions during the Iberian-Roman Humid Period (IRHP) ∼2000 cal yr BP and during the Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA) at ∼1000 cal yr BP. Our reconstruction shows a greater than two-degree cooling during the Middle and Late Holocene, agreeing with global mean surface temperature (GMST) reconstructions. Modern climate warming (MCW) during summer exceeds the two-degree Celsius forecasted for the future due to anthropogenic greenhouse gases, suggesting that recent warming is amplified at high elevations. Alpine environments and the biodiversity contained there are thus in danger if the observed temperature trend continues in the next decades.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación of Spain CGL2013-47038-R, CGL2017-85415-R, PID2021-125619OB-C21/C22Agencia Estatal de InvestigaciónFondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional FEDER MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/FEDER, UEJunta de Andalucía P-20-00059, UGR-FEDER B-RNM-144-UGR18, UGR-FEDER A-RNM-336-UGR20FEDERLifeWatch-Eric LifeWatch-2019-10-UGR-01Research group RNM-190 (Junta de Andalucía)Northern Arizona UniversityMinisterio de Ciencia e Innovación of SpainMCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/ BES-2018-084293Horizon 2020 European Union Marie Sklodowska-Curie 892487European Union -Next Generation EU funds MS2021-20

Self-assembled high molecular weight inulin nanoparticles: Enzymatic synthesis, physicochemical and biological properties

Inulin has interesting physicochemical and functional properties, and therefore a wide range of applications in the food and medical industries. It has gained great traction due to its ability to form nanoparticles and its possible application as nanovehicle for drug delivery. In this work, we demonstrated that the enzymatically-synthesized high molecular weight (HMW) inulin forms stable spherical nanoparticles with an average diameter of 112 ± 5 nm. The self-assemblage of HMW inulin nanoparticles is carried out during enzymatic synthesis of the polymer, and become detectable after a certain critical aggregation concentration (CAC) is reached. Both, the CAC and nanoparticle size are influenced by the reaction temperature. These nanoparticles are not toxic for peripheral blood mononuclear cells, at concentrations below 200 μg/mL; no significant prebiotic potential was detected in cultures of 13 probiotic strains. This work contributes to a better understanding of the formation of HMW inulin nanoparticles and their biological properties

Lipidomics to analyze the influence of diets with different EPA:DHA ratios in the progression of Metabolic Syndrome using SHROB rats as a model

8 páginas, 4 tablasThe role of specific proportions of ω-3 EPA and DHA, in the modulation of inflammation and oxidative stress markers associated to the progression of Metabolic Syndrome was investigated. Potential inflammatory eicosanoids and docosanoids were discussed together to biomarkers of CVD, obesity, inflammation and oxidative stress in an animal model of metabolic disorders. Results evidenced a noteworthy health effect of 1:1 and 2:1 EPA:DHA proportions over 1:2 EPA:DHA based diets through a down-regulation in the production of strong pro-inflammatory ω-6 eicosanoids, a decrement of biomarkers of oxidative stress, and a modulation of fatty acid desaturase activities and plasma and membrane PUFAs towards greater anti-inflammatory profiles. Outcomes contribute to the general knowledge on the health benefits of marine lipids and their role on the progress of MetS, inflammation and oxidative stress. Results shed light on controversial protective mechanisms of EPA and DHA to better design dietary interventions aimed at reducing MetSThis work was supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (AGL2009-12374-C3-1, -2, and -3, and AGL2013-49079-C2-1,2-R). The Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) and the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC) are gratefully acknowledged for the doctoral fellowship to Gabriel Dasilva. Xunta de Galicia and European Social Fund are also thankfully recognized for the financial support of the postdoctoral contracts to M. P and E.G.-E., and ISCIII for the postdoctoral contract “Sara Borrell” to J.P.-J. (CD09/00068)Peer reviewe

Electrical properties of stoichiometric BiFeO3 prepared by mechanosynthesis with either conventional or spark plasma sintering

Phase-pure powders of stoichiometric BiFeO3 have been prepared by mechanosynthesis. Ceramics sintered by either conventional heating in air or spark plasma sintering (SPS) followed by oxidative anneal in air are highly insulating with conductivity e.g. ~10–6 Scm–1 at 300 °C and activation energy 1.15(2) eV, which are comparable to those of a good-quality BiFeO3 single crystal. By contrast, the as-prepared SPS sample without the post-sinter anneal shows higher conductivity e.g. ~10–6 Scm–1 at 225 °C and lower activation energy 0.67(3) eV, indicating some reduction of the sample by the SPS process. The reason for the high conductivity observed in some ceramic samples reported in the literature appears to be unclear at presentGobierno de España CTQ 2011-27626 MAT 2008-06619Junta de Andalucia TEP-0300

Evaluación del comportamiento sísmico de la estructura original y modificada del Mercado de Verónicas en Murcia (España)

In this manuscript, it is presented, a case-study about the assessment of the seismic behaviour of Veronicas Market. Its structure, initially constituted by steel trusses supported on masonry walls, was subsequently modified by the addition of a mezzanine supported on reinforced concrete piers. Applying the capacity spectrum method, based on an updated nonlinear finite element model, the performance levels of both the original and modified structure have been compared to assess the effects originated by the change in the transmission mechanism of the seismic loads.En este artículo, se presenta, un caso en estudio sobre la evaluación del comportamiento sísmico del Mercado de Verónicas. Su estructura, originalmente constituida por cerchas metálica apoyadas sobre muros de fábrica fue posteriormente modificada por la incorporación de una entreplanta con pilares de hormigón armado. Aplicando el método del espectro de capacidad, con base en un modelo calibrado no-lineal de elementos finitos, se han comparado los niveles de desempeño de la estructura original y modificada para valorar los efectos originados por el cambio en el mecanismo de transmisión de las cargas sísmicas