Ciències i professions en l’activitat física i l’esport

Els centres de formació dels professionals universitaris en ciències de l’activitat física i l’esport tenen, al meu entendre, tres grans reptes plantejats. El primer és assumir la multidisciplinarietat dels estudis de l’activitat física i l’esport i el plantejament tecnològic de la carrera que s’hi realitza. El segon és reafirmar-se en el centrament professional en l’activitat física i l’esport i contemplar l’existència de l’educació per a la salut com una nova dimensió educativa, complementària però diferent de l’educació física. El tercer és oferir, des del nucli central de l’educació física però coordinadament amb les altres ciències i tecnologies, unes formacions bàsiques que cobreixen totes les necessitats que s’ha creat al voltant de l’activitat física, el deport i l’esport i, complementàriament, oferir cursos d’especialització partint d’aquelles formacions bàsiques

Ecoprocesses. A need and a requirement

Cleaner production is a means of applying in a continuous manner a preventive and integrated environmental strategy aimed at processes and product

Ciencias y profesiones en la actividad física y el deporte

Los centros de formación de los profesionales universitarios en ciencias de la actividad física y el deporte tienen, a mi entender, tres grandes retos planteados. Lo primero es asumir la multidisciplinariedad de los estudios de la actividad física y el deporte y el planteamiento tecnológico de la carrera que se realiza. Lo segundo es reafirmarse en el enfoque profesional en la actividad física y el deporte y contemplar la existencia de la educación para la salud como una nueva dimensión educativa, complementaria pero diferente a la educación física. Lo tercero es ofrecer, desde el núcleo central de la educación física pero coordinadamente con las otras ciencias y tecnologías, unes formaciones básicas que cubran todas las necesidades que se han creado alrededor de la actividad física y el deporte, y complementariamente cursos de especialización partiendo de aquellas formaciones básicas

Gene deficiency in activating Fcγ receptors influences the macrophage phenotypic balance and reduces atherosclerosis in mice

Immunity contributes to arterial inflammation during atherosclerosis. Oxidized low-density lipoproteins induce an autoimmune response characterized by specific antibodies and immune complexes in atherosclerotic patients. We hypothesize that specific Fcγ receptors for IgG constant region participate in atherogenesis by regulating the inflammatory state of lesional macrophages. In vivo we examined the role of activating Fcγ receptors in atherosclerosis progression using bone marrow transplantation from mice deficient in γ-chain (the common signaling subunit of activating Fcγ receptors) to hyperlipidemic mice. Hematopoietic deficiency of Fcγ receptors significantly reduced atherosclerotic lesion size, which was associated with decreased number of macrophages and T lymphocytes, and increased T regulatory cell function. Lesions of Fcγ receptor deficient mice exhibited increased plaque stability, as evidenced by higher collagen and smooth muscle cell content and decreased apoptosis. These effects were independent of changes in serum lipids and antibody response to oxidized low-density lipoproteins. Activating Fcγ receptor deficiency reduced pro-inflammatory gene expression, nuclear factor-κB activity, and M1 macrophages at the lesion site, while increasing anti-inflammatory genes and M2 macrophages. The decreased inflammation in the lesions was mirrored by a reduced number of classical inflammatory monocytes in blood. In vitro, lack of activating Fcγ receptors attenuated foam cell formation, oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory gene expression, and increased M2-associated genes in murine macrophages. Our study demonstrates that activating Fcγ receptors influence the macrophage phenotypic balance in the artery wall of atherosclerotic mice and suggests that modulation of Fcγ receptor-mediated inflammatory responses could effectively suppress atherosclerosis

Atmospheric dispersion of airborne pollen evidenced by near-surface and columnar measurements in Barcelona, Spain

Hourly measurements of pollen near-surface concentration and lidar-derived profiles of particle backscatter coefficients and of volume and particle depolarization ratios during a 5-day pollination event observed in Barcelona, Spain, between 27 – 31 March, 2015, are presented. Maximum hourly pollen concentrations of 4700 and 1200 m-3 h-1 were found for Platanus and Pinus, respectively, which represented together more than 80 % of the total pollen. Everyday a clear diurnal cycle caused by the vertical transport of the airborne pollen was visible on the lidar-derived profiles of the backscatter coefficient with maxima usually reached between 12 and 15 UT. A method based on the lidar polarization capabilities was used to retrieve the contribution of the pollen to the total signal. On average the diurnal (9 – 17 UT) pollen aerosol optical depth (AOD) was 0.05 which represented 29 % of the total AOD, the volume and particle depolarization ratios in the pollen plume were 0.08 and 0.14, respectively, and the diurnal mean of the height of the pollen plume was found at 1.24 km. The dispersion of the Platanus and Pinus in the atmosphere was simulated with the Nonhydrostatic Multiscale Meteorological Model on the B grid at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center with a newly developed Chemical Transport Model (NMMB/BSC-CTM). Model near-surface daily concentrations were compared to our observations at two sites: in Barcelona and Bellaterra (12 km NE of Barcelona). Model hourly concentrations were compared to our observations in Barcelona.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Fijación externa del húmero en aves rapaces : descripción de un caso clínico en un ejemplar de Ratonero común (Buteo buteo)

Un Ratonero común (Buteo buteo) fue intervenido quirúrgicamente de una fractura de húmero en su ala derecha. Mediante la colocación de un fijador externo le fue inmovilizada la fractura resultando una correcta formación del callo óseo y la recuperación total de la funcionalidad del ala.The surgical treatment of the humeral fracture in a buzzard (Buteo buteo) by means of external fixation is described. The fracture healed correctly and the wing recovered its normal functinability by the 51st day postop

Pesticide Exposure Alters Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Levels in Mexican Agricultural Workers

Organophosphorous pesticides (OPs) are suspected of altering reproductive function by reducing brain acetylcholinesterase activity and monoamine levels, thus impairing hypothalamic and/or pituitary endocrine functions and gonadal processes. Our objective was to evaluate in a longitudinal study the association between OP exposure and serum levels of pituitary and sex hormones. Urinary OP metabolite levels were measured by gas–liquid chromatography, and serum pituitary and sex hormone levels by enzymatic immunoassay and radioimmunoassay in 64 men. A total of 147 urine and blood samples were analyzed for each parameter. More than 80% of the participants had at least one OP metabolite in their urine samples. The most frequent metabolite found was diethylthiophosphate (DETP; 55%), followed by diethylphosphate (DEP; 46%), dimethylthiophosphate (DMTP; 32%), and dimethyldithiophosphate (DMDTP; 31%). However, the metabolites detected at higher concentrations were DMTP, DEP, DMDTP, and dimethylphosphate. There was a high proportion of individuals with follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) concentrations outside the range of normality (48%). The average FSH serum levels were higher during the heavy pesticide spraying season. However, a multivariate analysis of data collected in all periods showed that serum FSH levels were negatively associated with urinary concentrations of both DMTP and DMDTP, whereas luteinizing hormone (LH) was negatively associated with DMTP. We observed no significant associations between estradiol or testosterone serum levels with OP metabolites. The hormonal disruption in agricultural workers presented here, together with results from experimental animal studies, suggests that OP exposure disrupts the hypothalamic–pituitary endocrine function and also indicates that FSH and LH are the hormones most affected

Dynamics of air pollution in the northwestern Mediterranean Bain (Catalonia) in summer using high-resolution air-quality modeling

En la conca nord-oest del Mediterrani (NWMB) i Catalunya s'observa un complex comportament dels contaminants fotoquímics, condicionat, per una banda, per la superposició de circulacions atmosfèriques de diferents escales, i, per l'altra, pel patró d'emissions. Aquest treball combina els models MM5 (meteorològic), EMICAT2000 (d'emissions) i CMAQ (de transport químic), aplicats amb una resolució temporal i espacial molt alta (1 h i 2 km) per analitzar l'elevada concentració de contaminants atmosfèrics fotoquímics sobre la regió NWMB (Catalunya) durant un episodi de contaminació fotoquímica característic del període estival: 13-16 d'agost de 2000. La combinació d'aquests models es mostra com una eina valuosa capaç de considerar l'ampli ventall d'escales involucrades en els processos d'estudi. El treball se centra en els processos d'escala local, regional i sinòptica que controlen l'ozó troposfèric en la NWMB: fonts d'emissió importants i reaccions fotoquímiques complexes, transport advectiu i forta convecció, processos de deposició i intercanvi estratosfera- troposfera. En la troposfera baixa, les situacions amb recirculació de masses d'aire, juntament amb el complex patró d'emissions a Catalunya, són factors crítics en episodis de contaminació fotoquímica. La intensitat de la brisa de mar o el terral, els forçaments orogràfics tèrmics o mecànics en la complexa orografia del litoral poden provocar un transport vertical i una estratificació de contaminants atmosfèrics. Aquests fenòmens poden ser capturats gràcies a les simulacions que cobreixen tota la península Ibèrica (amb 1 h i 24 km de resolució).The complex behavior of photochemical pollutants in the northwestern Mediterranean Basin (NWMB) and Catalonia is conditioned by the superposition of circulations on different scales and on the pattern of emissions. This work combines the models MM5 (meteorological), EMICAT2000 (emissions), and CMAQ (chemistry transport model), which have been applied with very high temporal and spatial resolution (1 h and 2 km) to analyze the high levels of photochemical air pollution over the NWMB (Catalonia) during a typical summertime episode, in this study, 13–16 August, 2000. This combination of models is shown to be well-suited to address the large range of scales involved. The study focuses on local as well as medium– and large-scale processes controlling tropospheric ozone in the NWMB, notably, emissions and photochemistry, convective and advective transport, deposition processes, and stratosphere-troposphere exchange. In the lower troposphere, local re-circulation systems are of key importance, together with the complex pattern of emissions in Catalonia. The strength of the land-sea breeze circulation, together with thermally or mechanically driven convection over the complex orography of the eastern Iberian coast, can induce vertical transport and the layering of air pollution. These phenomena can be captured by simulations carried out for the domain covering the entire Iberian Peninsula (with a 1 h and 24 km resolution)

The nature of the Lambda(1405)

We present here some results supporting the nature of the $\Lambda(1405)$ resonance as dynamically generated from the meson baryon interaction in coupled channels and resulting from the superposition of two close-by poles. We find support for this picture in the $K^- p \to \pi^0 \pi^0 \Sigma^0$ reaction, which shows a different shape than the one obtained from the $\pi ^- p \to K^0 \pi \Sigma$ reaction. We also call the attention to the $K^- p \to \gamma \pi \Sigma$ with $\pi \Sigma$ in the $\Lambda(1405)$ region, which shows a narrow peak in the calculations around 1420 MeV. We also report on recent calculations of the radiative decay of the two $\Lambda(1405)$ states and on reactions to obtain information on these decay modes. Finally, we present results for the $pp\to p K^+\Lambda(1405)$ reaction recently measured at ANKE/COSY and compare them with theoretical results.Comment: Talk given at the NSTAR2007 Workshop, Bonn September 200