Preparation and characterization of 33-S samples for 33-S(n,alpha)30-Si cross-section measurements at the n_TOF facility at CERN

Thin 33S samples for the study of the 33S(n,a)30Si cross-section at the n_TOF facility at CERN were made by thermal evaporation of 33S powder onto a dedicated substrate made of kapton covered with thin layers of copper, chromium and titanium. This method has provided for the first time bare sulfur samples a few centimeters in diameter. The samples have shown an excellent adherence with no mass loss after few years and no sublimation in vacuum at room temperature. The determination of the mass thickness of 33S has been performed by means of Rutherford backscattering spectrometry. The samples have been successfully tested under neutron irradiation.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad de España-FPA2013-47327- C2-1-R, FPA2014-53290-C2-2-P, FPA2016-77689-C2-1-RJunta de Andalucía-P11-FQM-8229Ministerio de Economía y Empresa de España (Fondos FEDER)-FIS2015-69941-C2-1-PAECC (Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer)-PS16163811POR

Genetic studies in sunflower broomrape

Much research has been conducted to identify sources of genetic resistance to sunflower broomrape (Orobanche cumana Wallr.) and to study their mode of inheritance. However, studies on the parasite have been scarce. This manuscript reviews three genetic studies in sunflower broomrape. First, the inheritance of the absence of pigmentation in a natural mutant of this species with yellow plant color phenotype was studied. In a first stage, lines from the unpigmented mutant and a normally pigmented population were developed by several generations of self-pollination. Plants of both lines were crossed and the F1, F2, and F3 generations were evaluated. The results indicated that plant pigmentation is controlled by a partially dominant allele at a single locus. Second, the unpigmented mutant was used to evaluate outcrossing potential of the species. Two experiments in which single unpigmented plants were surrounded by normally pigmented plants were conducted under pot and field conditions. The cross-fertilization rate was estimated as the percentage of F1 hybrids in the progenies of unpigmented plants, which averaged 21.5% in the pot and 28.8% in the field experiment. The results indicated that, under the conditions of this study, the species was not strictly self-pollinated. Finally, the inheritance of avirulence was studied in crosses of plants from lines of O. cumana races E and F, developed by several generations of self-pollination. The F1 and F3 generations were evaluated on the differential line P-1380 carrying the race-E resistance gene Or5. The results suggested that race E avirulence and race F virulence on P-1380 are allelic and controlled by a single locus, which confirmed the gene-for-gene theory for the O. cumana-sunflower interaction.The manuscript reviews research partially funded by Fundación Ramón Areces, Madrid. The contribution of Dr. Enrique Quesada Moraga, entomologist from the University of Córdoba, Spain, to taxonomic classification of pollinators is gratefully acknowledged. R. Pineda-Martos was the recipient of a PhD fellowship from the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) (JAEPre_08_00370)Peer Reviewe

Derivació de línies de cèl·lules mare embrionàries humanes

Les cèl·lules mare embrionàries (CME) representen una font potencial de cèl·lules per a ús terapèutic en algunes malalties produïdes per la pèrdua de la funció cel·lular. Normalment, aquestes cèl·lules procedeixen d'embrions donats per les parelles sotmeses a tècniques de reproducció assistida (TRA). Es presenten els resultats obtinguts en el Banc de Línies Cel·lulars del Centre de Medicina Regenerativa de Barcelona (CMRB), on s'han descongelat 254 embrions donats per parelles sotmeses al programa de fecundació in vitro (FIV) de l'Institut Universitari Dexeus. La taxa de supervivència va ser del 51,9 %. S'han obtingut cinc línies de CME. Tres d'aquestes línies procedeixen d'embrions de mala qualitat i presenten la capacitat d'autorenovació, pluripotència i diferenciació característiques d'aquestes cèl·lules. Els embrions de mala qualitat, sovint descartats en els centres de RA, poden ser una font útil per a la derivació de CME.Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) represent a potential source for cell therapy for many degenerative diseases. Usually hESC lines are derived from surplus embryos donated from couples undergoing In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF). We here present the results obtained in the Stem Cell Bank at the Center of Regenerative Medicine in Barcelona. 254 embryos have been thawed. The embryos were donated from couples from the IVF programme at the Institut Universitari Dexeus. The embryo survival rate was 51.9%. Five ESC lines were obtained. Three of these lines came from poor quality embryos. The cell lines present self-renewal, pluripotency, and differentiation properties characteristic of these cells Poor quality embryos, usually discarded in assisted reproduction centres, could be useful for ESC derivation

Aprenentatge transversal dels estudiants dels graus de Nutrició Humana i Dietètica i Ciència i Tecnologia dels Aliments a la Unitat de Laboratoris Docents del Campus de l'Alimentació de la Facultat de Farmàcia de la Universitat de Barcelona

Els estudiants del Grau de CTA i de NHD realitzen la docència pràctica a la ULD, unitat gestionada segons el model EFQM. Per tal de conèixer el seu grau d'aprenentatge en relació a la gestió de la qualitat total, s'ha alimentat una enquesta en iniciar i finalitzar les primeres pràctiques que els estudiants realitzen en aquests ensenyaments. Els resultats posen de manifest una millora en la seva formació pel que fa a aspectes de gestió de la qualitat, seguretat, gestió de residus i sostenibilitat

Age determination procedures for pelagic and benthic species from ICES area in Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO)

This handbook presents a summary of the age estimation procedures used in Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO) for some of the main commercial small and medium pelagic species and benthic species of the Spanish fleet. It provides information about the sampling program, otolith extraction and preparation, and the age estimation criteria. A summary of the information related to the age accuracy, validation and corroboration of each species is also presented, as well as that related to the age precision, quality control and verification

Accuracy of colon capsule endoscopy in detecting colorectal polyps in individuals with familial colorectal cancer: could we avoid colonoscopies?

Background. Individuals with a family history of colorectal cancer (CRC) have an increased risk of CRC. We evaluated the diagnostic yield of CCE in the detection of lesions and also two different colon preparations. Methods. A prospective multicenter study was designed to assess CCE diagnostic yield in a cohort of asymptomatic individuals with a family history of CRC. CCE and colonoscopy were performed on the same day by 2 endoscopists who were blinded to the results of the other procedure. Results. Fifty-three participants were enrolled. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of CCE for detecting advanced adenomas were 100%, 98%, 67%, and 100%. Sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of CCE for the diagnosis of individuals with polyps were 87%, 97%, 93%, and 88%, respectively. CCE identify 100% of individuals with significant or advanced lesions. Overall cleanliness was adequate by 60.7% of them. The PEG-ascorbic boost seems to improve colon cleanliness, with similar colonic transit time. Conclusion. CCE is a promising tool, but it has to be considered as an alternative technique in this population in order to reduce the number of colonoscopies performed. More studies are needed to understand appropriate screening follow-up intervals and optimize the bowel preparation regimen

Bloom dynamics of an exceptional red tide of the toxigenic dinoflagellate

The toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium minutum generally proliferates in semi-enclosed sites such as estuaries, harbours and lagoons, where stratification, restricted circulation and accumulation of resting cysts set suitable conditions for its development. In the Galician Rías (NW Iberian Peninsula), its blooms follow also this pattern. They are recurrent in small, shallow estuarine bays inside the Rías, but rarely detected, and if so in minor amount, out of these areas. However, a massive proliferation of A. minutum from June to July 2018 in the Rías Baixas (Vigo and Pontevedra) changed this picture. The bloom initiated in semi-enclosed waters, as previously described for this species, but thereafter spread to the whole embayments where persisted more than one month. It generated a noticeable red tide with disperse patches that became heavily concentrated inside the port of Vigo. During that period shellfish harvesting closures and paralytic shellfish toxins in certain marine invertebrates and fish were reported for the first time in Spain. Meteorological conditions (higher than usual rains/runoff, sustained temperature increment and oscillating wind pattern promoting a series of upwelling-relaxation cycles) fostered optimal circumstances for the outbreak of A. minutum: strong vertical stratification and the alternation of retention and dispersion processes. Simulations from a particle tracking model portrayed the observed bloom development phases: onset, transport within the surface layer towards the interior parts of the Ría of Vigo, and dispersion all over the embayment. High concentrations of resting cysts were detected several months after the bloom, which may have favoured flourish of A. minutum in the following years, markedly in 2020

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

Alexandrium 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 trends.Postprint2,69

The REDMAAS 2014 intercomparison campaign: CPC, SMPS, UFPM and neutralizers

Ponencia presentada en:2nd Iberian Meeting on Aerosol Science and Technology (RICTA 2014) celebrado en Tarragona del 7 al 9 de julio de 2014.The Spanish network on environmental DMAs (Red Española de DMAs Ambientales, REDMAAS), working since 2010, is currently formed by six groups involved in the measurement of atmospheric aerosol size distributions by means of Differential Mobility Analyzers (DMAs). One of its activities is an annual intercomparison of mobility size spectrometers (SMPS and UFPM). In this work we show the results obtained in the 2014 campaign: the verification of DMA calibrations with latex, the results of the CPC and SMPS + UFPM intercomparisons, and a comparison of the new TSI 3087 X-ray and the former TSI 3077 85Kr neutralizers. The concentrations measured by different types of CPC were within the range of 10% of the average value. CPCs working at higher flow rates measured slightly higher concentrations, probably related to the smaller losses in the lines. All the SMPS worked at the same sampling and sheath flow rates (1:10 lpm). Four of the SMPS gave very good results for particles larger than 20 nm. The UFPM measured particle number concentrations in the average +/-10% band measured by the SMPS. Instruments working with the X-ray neutralizer measured higher concentrations than with the 85Kr neutralizers. This could mean that particle losses are smaller inside this neutralizer.This work has been financed by the Ministry of Science and Innovation (CGL2011-15008-E, CGL2010-1777, CGL2011-27020 & CGL2011-26259)

Efficacy and safety of autologous platelet rich plasma for the treatment of vascular ulcers in primary care: Phase III study

Background: Vascular ulcers are commonly seen in daily practice at all levels of care and have great impact at personal, professional and social levels with a high cost in terms of human and material resources. Given that the application of autologous platelet rich plasma has been shown to decrease healing times in various different studies in the hospital setting, we considered that it would be interesting to assess the efficacy and feasibility of this treatment in primary care. The objectives of this study are to assess the potential efficacy and safety of autologous platelet rich plasma for the treatment of venous ulcers compared to the conventional treatment (moist wound care) in primary care patients with chronic venous insufficiency (C, clinical class, E, aetiology, A, anatomy and P, pathophysiology classification C6). Design: We will conduct a phase III, open-label, parallel-group, multicentre, randomized study. The subjects will be 150 patients aged between 40 and 100 years of age with an at least 2-month history of a vascular venous ulcer assigned to ten primary care centres. For the treatment with autologous platelet rich plasma, all the following tasks will be performed in the primary care setting: blood collection, centrifugation, separation of platelet rich plasma, activation of coagulation adding calcium chloride and application of the PRP topically after gelification. The control group will receive standard moist wound care. The outcome variables to be measured at baseline, and at weeks 5 and 9 later include: reduction in the ulcer area, Chronic Venous Insufficiency Quality of Life Questionnaire score, and percentage of patients who require wound care only once a week. Discussion: The results of this study will be useful to improve the protocol for using platelet rich plasma in chronic vascular ulcers and to favour wider use of this treatment in primary care.This study can be undertaken thanks to the financial support of the Spanish Carlos III Health Institute. We are grateful for funding from the Department of Health and Consumer Affairs of the Government of the Basque Country, the Basque Health Service (Osakidetza) for the pilot support and the Ezkerraldea Enkarterri health region