The Neogene Mediterranean origin of Cyprideis torosa (Jones, 1850)

Although Cyprideis torosa is one of the most studied ostracods, its ecophenotypic variability has always impeded a clear definition of its carapace morphology. As a consequence, it is often difficult to identify this species in fossil material and very little is known about its phylogenetic origin. In this paper, we attempt to answer two main questions: when and from what species did C. torosa originate? To reach this goal we first analysed living and Recent populations of C. torosa collected from different salinity environments to define its variability. We found that the valve outline, the size of rounded normal sieve pores and the percentage width of the anterior inner lamella seem to vary independently of salinity. Secondly, to look for possible ancestors we analysed several Neogene species and found that Cyprideis sp. from the mid-Serravallian of Spain could possibly be the common ancestor of the Late Miocene Mediterranean and Lake Pannon lineages and that C. torosa is strictly linked to the Mediterranean stock, particularly to the phyletic lineage C. ruggierii – C. crotonensis . In this framework Cyprideis gr. torosa originated in the late Tortonian and C. torosa s.s. is thought to have been differentiated from C. crotonensis at the beginning of the Calabrian. Supplementary material: biometric tables and the list of the examined material is available at https://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.3636170.v

Distribution and ecology of recent ostracods from the Villafáfila lakes (Zamora, Spain)

En este trabajo se estudian las asociaciones de ostrácodos que habitan en las Lagunas de Villafáfila (Zamora) y que han permitido caracterizar los diversos subambientes que se desarrollan en estos humedales. Así, se define un primer subambiente de cuerpos temporales de agua dulce con cierta hidrodinámica donde predomina Leucocythere aff. mirabilis. La abundancia de Ilyocypris bradyi caracteriza un segundo subambiente de margen lacustre somero al que llegan arroyos o pequeños riachuelos de agua corriente. El tercer subambiente consiste en aguas semipermanentes con poca corriente y moderada salinidad, definido por la abundancia de Limnocythere inopinata . Finalmente, se ha identificado un cuarto subambiente de humedal efímero con aguas con poca corriente y elevada salinidad en el que predomina Sarscypridopsis aculeata . Queda puesto de manifiesto con este trabajo que los principales factores ecológicos que condicionan la distribución de los ostrácodos en las Lagunas de Villafáfila son la hidrodinámica, el hidroperiodo y la salinidad del agua. Estos datos, además, servirán como comparativa o modelo actual para futuros trabajos de reconstrucción paleoambiental que se vayan a realizar en medios límnicos neógenos de la Península Ibérica, empleando las asociaciones de ostrácodosIn this work, the ostracod assemblages that inhabit in the Villafáfila lakes have been studied, allowing the characterization of several subenvironments developed in these wetlands. Thus, a first subenvironment of temporary fresh water bodies with some hydrodynamism where Leucocythere aff. mirabilis is dominant has been identified. The abundance of Ilyocypris bradyi characterized a second subenvironment of streams and small rivers of flowing waters that run into shallow lacustrine margins. The third subenvironment consists in semipermanent water bodies with low current and moderate salinity defined by the abundance of Limnocythere inopinata. Finally, a fourth subenvironment of ephemeral wetlands with slow currents and high salinity has been defined by the predominance of Sarscypridopsis aculeata . This work highlights that hydrodynamic, hydroperiod and water salinity are the main ecological factors that control the ostracods distribution along the Villafáfila lakes. Besides, these data will be used as comparison or recent model for future works focused on the neogene palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of other limnic settlements of the Iberian Peninsula using ostracod assemblage

Benthic foraminifers distribution of Biscay and East Cantabria marine shelf

In this work we describe the spatial distribution of benthic foraminifer assemblages of the Vizcaya and East Cantabria marine continental shelf, in relation to the environmental parameters. A total of 108 species have been taxonomically identified. Most abundant benthic foraminifer species in these samples are Cassidulina laevigata, Cibicides refulgens, Gaudryina rudis, Lobatula lobatula, Quinqueloculina seminula, Rosalina globularis and Textularia sagittula. Multivariate statistical analyses (Cluster-Q) of samples including all the studied species show three main bathymetric groups for the benthic foraminifers: littoral, inner shelf and outer shelf. Several sub-groups characterised by the sediment type and their environmental limitations are also distinguished inside the main clusters. The occurrence of euryhaline species coming from the estuarine areas and others from the outer shelf and the talus, evidence the effect of marine currents in this region of the Bay of Bisca

Influence of the bathymetry and sediment-type in the microfauna distribution (benthic foraminifers, ostracods) of the Basque marine shelf

In this work we describe the microfaunal bathymetrical distribution (foraminifers and ostracods) in the benthos of the Basque continental shelf, by studying the spatial distribution of assemblages. This distribution is controlled by environmental parameters related to depth and type-sediment. A total of 114 species of benthic foraminifers and 88 species of ostracods have been taxonomically identified. Most abundant benthic foraminifer species are Lobatula lobatula, Cibicides refulgens, Gaudryina rudis, Textularia sagittula, Cassidulina laevigata and Globocassidulina subglobosa. Most abundant ostracod species are Carinocythereis carinata, Costa edwardsii, Cytheropteron nodosum, Pterygocythereis ceratoptera and Pterygocythereis jonesii. Foraminifer and ostracod assemblages are distributed accordingly with bathymetry defining three fringes: littoral-inner shelf (130 m). Inside these bathymetric fringes the sediment-type is the main factor of control for the relative abundance of the species, in particular the percentage of fine-grained (silt-clay) particles in the sediment. The occurrence of estuarine species in areas of the Basque shelf evidences the pattern of currents responsible of the sedimentary dynamics in this shel

Characterization of patients with trigger fingers undergoing surgery

Introduction: Digital stenosing tenosynovitis of the superficial and deep flexor tendons of the hand -also called "trigger or spring finger"- is one of the main reasons for adult consultation to the hand surgeon. Objective: To characterize patients with trigger finger who underwent surgery. Methods: An observational, descriptive, cross-sectional, descriptive study was carried out. The population consisted of 160 individuals operated from October 2021 to March 2022 at the Hospital Docente Clínico Quirúrgico "Miguel Enríquez", with open surgery technique, who had a complete individual clinical history. All subjects were studied. A descriptive statistical analysis was performed. Results: Female patients predominated (n= 90; 56.2%), with ages between 40 and 59 years (n= 80; 50%). A total of 186 affected fingers were operated. The most frequently affected finger was the fourth (n= 78; 41.9%), followed by the third (n= 73; 39.2%). The most frequent degree of stenosis was II (n= 105; 56.5%). 70% (n= 112) of the patients had no personal pathological history. Diabetes mellitus (n= 16; 10%) and arterial hypertension (n= 15; 9.4%) were the predominant comorbidities. Conclusions: The condition is characterized by occurring more frequently in women between the fourth and sixth decades of life, with grade II stenosis of the ring and middle fingers, in the presence of no or few comorbidities

Producción de biomasa y concentración de azúcares de dos variedades de sorgo dulce en la región Huasteca Tamaulipeca | Biomass production and sugar concentration in two sweet sorghum varieties in the Huasteca Tamaulipeca region

Se evaluaron dos variedades de sorgo dulce en tres fechas de siembra, con la finalidad de conocer su potencial como materia prima para su aprovechamiento en la extracción de etanol. Los genotipos estudiados correspondieron a M81E, variedad introducida de la Universidad de Kentucky, Estados Unidos y a Fortuna, variedad forrajera del Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias (INIFAP) liberada en México. La investigación se llevó a cabo en la Región Sur de Tamaulipas, dentro del Campo Experimental Las Huastecas del INIFAP. Las variables medidas fueron: biomasa y concentración de azúcares. Éstas se evaluaron en densidades de población baja, intermedia y alta. Los resultados mostraron que la región presenta condiciones adecuadas para el desarrollo de variedades de sorgo dulce, donde las altas densidades de población (200-210 mil plantas ha-1) proveen suficiente biomasa aprovechable en el proceso de producción de biocombustibles (hasta 50 t ha-1). Por otro lado, la concentración de azucares se comportó aceptablemente al ubicarse dentro de los rangos reportados en la literatura para las variedades de sorgo dulce: 16-19 ºBrix. Finalmente, Fortuna mostró sus mejores atributos en la siembra de octubre, mientras que M81E lo hizo en la siembra de diciembre. Palabras clave: sorgos dulces, variedades, biomasa, concentración de azúcares, biocombustibles. ABSTRACT Two varieties of sweet sorghum were evaluated in three planting dates with the objective of exploring potential for ethanol production. The genotypes studied were M81E, variety introduced from the University of Kentucky, USA and Fortuna, forage variety from Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias (INIFAP), Mexico. The investigation was conducted in the Southern Region of Tamaulipas. Two variables were mesured: biomass and sugar concentration (ºBrix). Three population densities (low, intermediate and high) were used. The results showed that the region presents appropriate conditions for the development of sweet sorghum varieties, where high population densities (200-210 thousand plants ha-1) provide enough biomass profitable in the process of biofuels production. The ºBrix behaved acceptably falling within the range reported in the literature: 16-19 Brix degrees. Finally, Fortuna showed his best attributes when planted in October, while M81E did when planted in December. Key words: sweet sorghum, varieties, biomass, sugar content, biofuels

Human–landscape interactions in the Conquezuela–Ambrona Valley (Soria, continental Iberia): From the early Neolithic land use to the origin of the current oak woodland

The sedimentological, geochemical and palynological analyses performed in the Conquezuela palaeolake (41°11′N; 2°33′W; 1124 m a.s.l.) provide a detailed, multiproxy palaeoenvironmental reconstruction in one of the key areas of inner Iberian Neolithic colonization. Combined with archaeobotanical and archaeological data from well-dated settlements along the Conquezuela–Ambrona Valley we investigate how environmental conditions may affect both socio-economic adaptations and livelihood strategies of prehistoric communities. The first evidences of early Neolithic occupation in the valley ca. 7250–6450 cal yr BP (5300–4500 BC) coincided with the onset of a period (7540–6200 cal yr BP, 5590–4250 BC) with higher water availability and warmer climate as alluvial environments were substituted by carbonate-wetland environments in the basin. The Conquezuela record supports an early Neolithic colonization of the inner regions of Iberia favored by warmer and humid climate features and with preferential settlement patterns associated to lakes. The maximum human occupation of the valley occurred during the mid–late Neolithic and Chalcolithic (6200–3200 cal yr BP, 4250–1250 BC) as evidenced by the high number of archaeological sites. Although a number of hydrological oscillations have been detected during this period, the intense landscape transformation at basin-scale, leading to a deforested landscape, was largely a consequence of widespread farming and pastoral practices. Socio-economic activities during Bronze, Iron and Roman times modified this inherited landscape, but the second largest ecosystem transformation only occurred during Mediaeval times when a new agrarian landscape developed with the expansion of stockbreeding transhumance. The current vegetation cover characterized by patches of holm and marcescent oaks and fields reflects an intense human management combining both extensive herding with agrarian activities in order to transform the previous forested landscape into a dehesa-like system.The funding for the present study derives from DINAMO2 (CGL-BOS 2012-33063) and AGRIWESTMED (ERC Grant Agreement #230561) projects, provided by the Spanish Inter-Ministry Commission of Science and Technology (CICYT) and the European Research Council under the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013). XRF data were obtained at the XRF Core Scanner Laboratory (CRG Marine Geosciences, University of Barcelona). Josu Aranbarri acknowledges the predoctoral funding provided by the Basque Country Government (ref: FI-2010-5). Graciela Gil-Romera hold a post-doctoral contract funded by “Juan de la Cierva” (ref: JCI2009-04345) program. Eduardo García-Prieto and Maria Leunda are supported by predoctoral FPI grants BES-2010-038593 and BES-2013-063753, respectively. We also thank Elena Royo for her help with the lab procedures and the two anonymous referees for their valuable suggestions.Peer reviewe

Genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Madrid, Spain, during the first wave of the pandemic: Fast spread and early dominance by D614G variants

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first detected in Madrid, Spain, on 25 February 2020. It increased in frequency very fast and by the end of May more than 70,000 cases had been confirmed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). To study the lineages and the diversity of the viral population during this first epidemic wave in Madrid we sequenced 224 SARS-CoV-2 viral genomes collected from three hospitals from February to May 2020. All the known major lineages were found in this set of samples, though B.1 and B.1.5 were the most frequent ones, accounting for more than 60% of the sequences. In parallel with the B lineages and sublineages, the D614G mutation in the Spike protein sequence was detected soon after the detection of the first coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) case in Madrid and in two weeks became dominant, being found in 80% of the samples and remaining at this level during all the study periods. The lineage composition of the viral population found in Madrid was more similar to the European population than to the publicly available Spanish data, underlining the role of Madrid as a national and international transport hub. In agreement with this, phylodynamic analysis suggested multiple independent entries before the national lockdown and air transportation restrictions.This research was partially supported through the European Commission Horizon 2020 Framework Programme (VIRUSCAN, FETPROACT-2016). E.D. was recipient of a Marie Skłodowska- Curie Individual Fellowship (Grant Agreement number 796084). E.V. is supported by the Subprograma Juan Rodés, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Subdirección General de Redes y Centros de Investigación Cooperativa, Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, Spain (JR18/00048). R.R. is supported by the Subprograma Río Hortega, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Subdirección General de Redes y Centros de Investigación Cooperativa, Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, Spain (CM19/00229)