Multiple Paleozoic magmatic-orogenic events in the Central Extremadura batholith (Iberian Variscan belt, Spain)

Background The Central Extremadura batholith located in the southeast part of the Central Iberian Zone (e.g. Iberian Autochthonous domain of the Iberian Variscan belt) was originally thought to have been generated entirely during Carboniferous igneous activity. However, some recent geochronological work has shown the existence of Ordovician plutonic rocks. Purpose The aim of this study is to re-examine the age of granitic rocks in the Central Extremadura batholith and complement this information with new field and geochemical data. This data set is used: to constrain the relative timing of plutons emplacement, as well as deformation and metamorphism preserved in the host rocks; to track deep crustal rocks and granitic magma sources; and to discuss prevailing tectonic evolutionary models for the Paleozoic evolution of the Iberian Variscan belt. Methods We use geochemical and SHRIMP U-Pb zircon geochronology data of three granitic plutons (Ruanes, Plasenzuela and Albalá) from the Central Extremadura batholith to track magmatic sources and provide a better understanding of temporal and spatial relationships between deformation and magmatism in the Iberian Variscan belt. Results Ruanes tonalite dated at 464 ± 2 Ma is peraluminous, magnesian and calc-alkaline, as typical of a magmatic arc setting. We report, for the first time, the occurrence of a Middle Ordovician intrusion spatially and temporally related to host deformed rocks of the Central Iberian Zone (e.g. the Iberian Autochthonous domain), which reached high-grade metamorphic conditions. Plasenzuela two-mica leucogranite is strongly peraluminous and of anatectic origin and includes a Neoproterozoic and Ordovician population of inherited zircon grains. This granite possibly derived from the partial melting of a crustal source composed of Neoproterozoic metapelites and metagreywackes (Schist-Greywacke Complex) and/or Lower Ordovician gneisses (Ollo de Sapo Formation), both including greywackes of volcano-sedimentary origin and peraluminous composition. The crystallization age of 330 ± 7 Ma obtained for the syn-kinematic Plasenzuela two-mica leucogranite constrains the functioning of D2 dextral strike-slip shear zones within the Iberian Autochthonous domain. The age of 309 ± 2 Ma obtained for the Albalá cordierite-bearing monzogranite matches the age interval of the calc-alkaline magmatic suite post-dating the main Variscan D1–D3 structures in the Iberian Autochthonous domain. Conclusion The new data presented in this study make it possible to recognize multiple Paleozoic magmatic-orogenic events (e.g. Caledonian, Variscan and Cimmerian) in the Central Extremadura batholith. During the Ordovician, the emplacement of intermediate magmas at shallow depths gave rise to extensive metamorphism due to heat transfer to the host rocks. The onset of this Ordovician plutonic–metamorphic complex in the Iberian Autochthonous domain is contemporaneous with the development of an active continental margin probably related to the subduction of the Iapetus–Tornquist Ocean (i.e. the Caledonian orogeny). During the Lower Carboniferous, these D2 strike-slip domains acted as lateral margins of largescale gravitational collapses associated with the SE-direct transport of low-angle extensional shear zones (i.e. the Variscan cycle). The emplacement of Upper Carboniferous arc type granitic rocks is interpreted in the context of the amalgamation of Pangaea and the spatial proximity of Iberia relative to the Eurasian active margin in the course of Paleotethys subduction (i.e. the Cimmerian orogeny)

Single step fabrication of antimicrobial fibre mats from a bioengineered protein-based polymer

Producción CientíficaGenetically engineered protein polymers functionalized with bioactive domains have potential as multifunctional versatile materials for biomedical use. The present work describes the fabrication and characterisation of antimicrobial fibre mats comprising the antimicrobial elastin-like recombinamer (ELR) CM4-A200. The CM4-A200 protein polymer derives from the genetic fusion of the ABP-CM4 antimicrobial peptide from Bombyx mori with 200 repetitions of the pentamer VPAVG. This is the first report on non-crosslinked fibre mats fabricated with an antimicrobial ELR stable in solution. Thermal gravimetric analysis of CM4-A200 fibre mats shows one single degradation step at temperatures above 300 °C, with fibres displaying a higher thermal degradation activation. The electrospun CM4-A200 fibres display high antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria with no detectable cytotoxic effects against normal human skin fibroblasts and keratinocytes, revealing the great potential of these polymers for the fabrication of biomedical materials.2018-09-10Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (Projects MAT2013-41723-R, MAT2013- 42473-R and MAT2012-38043)Junta de Castilla y León (programa de apoyo a proyectos de investigación – Ref. VA244U13, VA313U14

How fair is economic inequality? Belief in a just world and the legitimation of economic disparities in 27 European countries

This article aims to examine the role of Belief in a Just World (BJW) in the legitimation of economic inequality. Using data from 27 European countries (N=47,086), we conducted multilevel analyses and found that BJW positively predicted the legitimation of economic inequality, measured by three indicators: the perceived fairness of the overall wealth inequality, and the fairness of the earnings made by the Top 10% and the Bottom 10% of society. These results persisted after controlling for individual- and country-level variables. Moreover, the BJW effect was stronger on the legitimation of the Bottom 10% incomes, compared to the legitimation of the Top 10%. We also found that economic inequality at the country-level reduced the BJW effect on legitimation of inequality. Finally, BJW displayed a negative indirect effect on support for redistribution, via the legitimation of economic inequalities.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Bioaugmentation of sewage sludge with Trametes versicolor in solid-phase biopiles produces degradation of pharmaceuticals and affects microbial communities

The use of sludge (biosolids) in land application may contribute to the spread of organic micropollutants as wastewater treatments do not completely remove these compounds. Therefore, the development of alternative strategies for sludge treatment is a matter of recent concern. The elimination of pharmaceuticals at pre-existent concentrations from sewage sludge was assessed, for the first time, in nonsterile biopiles by means of fungal bioaugmentation with Trametes versicolor (BTV-systems) and compared with the effect of autochthonous microbiota (NB-systems). The competition between the autochthonous fungal/bacterial communities and T. versicolor was studied using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and the cloning/ sequencing approach. An inhibitory effect exerted by T. versicolor over bacterial populations was suggested. However, after 21 days, T. versicolor was no longer the main taxon in the fungal communities. The elimination profiles revealed an enhanced removal of atorvastatin-diclofenac-hydrochlorothiazide (during the whole treatment) and ranitidine-fenofibrate (at short periods) in the BTV biopiles in respect to NB biopiles, coincident with the presence of the fungus. For ibuprofen-clarithromycin-furosemide, the elimination profiles were similar irrespective of the system, and with carbamazepine no significant degradation was obtained. The results suggest that a fungal treatment with T. versicolor could be a promising process for the remediation of some pharmaceuticals in complex matrices such as biosolids.Portuguese-Spanish action E51/1

Protein-Based Films Functionalized with a Truncated Antimicrobial Peptide Sequence Display Broad Antimicrobial Activity

Producción CientíficaThe increasing bacterial resistance to antibiotics is driving strong demand for new antimicrobial biomaterials. This work describes the fabrication of free-standing films exhibiting antimicrobial properties by combining, in the same polypeptide chain, an elastin-like recombinamer comprising 200 repetitions of the pentamer VPAVG (A200) and an 18-amino-acid truncated variant of the antimicrobial peptide BMAP-28, termed BMAP-18. The fusion protein BMAP-18A200 was overexpressed and conveniently purified by a simplified and scalable nonchromatographic process. Free-standing films of BMAP-18A200 demonstrated to be stable without requiring cross-linking agents and displayed high antimicrobial activity against skin pathogens including Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria as well as unicellular and filamentous fungi. The antimicrobial activity of the films was mediated by direct contact of cells with the film surface, resulting in compromised structural integrity of microbial cells. Furthermore, the BMAP-18A200 films showed no cytotoxicity on normal human cell lines (skin fibroblasts and keratinocytes). All of these results highlight the potential of these biotechnological multifunctional polymers as new drug-free materials to prevent and treat microbial infections.FCT I.P. (Fundaçao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia, Portugal) and by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through COMPETE2020Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalizacao (POCI, Portugal) in the framework of the Strategic Program UID/BIA/04050/2013 (POCI-01-0145FEDER-007569).program UID/BIA/04050/2019 funded by national funds through FCT I.P.Project EcoAgriFood (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000009), supported by Norte Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020

Glucose and lipid dysmetabolism in a rat model of prediabetes induced by a high-sucrose diet

[Abstract] Glucotoxicity and lipotoxicity are key features of type 2 diabetes mellitus, but their molecular nature during the early stages of the disease remains to be elucidated. We aimed to characterize glucose and lipid metabolism in insulin-target organs (liver, skeletal muscle, and white adipose tissue) in a rat model treated with a high-sucrose (HSu) diet. Two groups of 16-week-old male Wistar rats underwent a 9-week protocol: HSu diet (n = 10)—received 35% of sucrose in drinking water; Control (n = 12)—received vehicle (water). Body weight, food, and beverage consumption were monitored and glucose, insulin, and lipid profiles were measured. Serum and liver triglyceride concentrations, as well as the expression of genes and proteins involved in lipid biosynthesis were assessed. The insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and isoproterenol-stimulated lipolysis were also measured in freshly isolated adipocytes. Even in the absence of obesity, this rat model already presented the main features of prediabetes, with fasting normoglycemia but reduced glucose tolerance, postprandial hyperglycemia, compensatory hyperinsulinemia, as well as decreased insulin sensitivity (resistance) and hypertriglyceridemia. In addition, impaired hepatic function, including altered gluconeogenic and lipogenic pathways, as well as increased expression of acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase 1 and fatty acid synthase in the liver, were observed, suggesting that liver glucose and lipid dysmetabolism may play a major role at this stage of the disease.Portugal. Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia; FCT; EXCL/DTP-PIC/0069/2012Portugal. Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia; FCT; UID/NEU/04539/2013European Commision; FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-028417European Commision; POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007440European Commision; CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-000012European Commision; CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-00000

Toxicity in vitro and in zebrafish embryonic development of gold nanoparticles biosynthesized using cystoseira macroalgae extracts

Introduction: Research on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) occupies a prominent place in the field of biomedicine nowadays, being their putative toxicity and bioactivity areas of major concern. The green synthesis of metallic nanoparticles using extracts from marine organisms allows the avoidance of hazardous production steps while maintaining features of interest, thus enabling the exploitation of their promising bioactivity. Objective: To synthesize and characterize AuNPs using, for the first time, macroalga Cystoseira tamariscifolia aqueous extract (Au@CT). Methods: Algal aqueous extracts were used for the synthesis of AuNPs, which were characterized using a wide panel of physicochemical techniques and biological assays. Results: The characterization by UV-Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Z-potential and infrared spectroscopy confirmed that Au@CT were stable, spherical and polycrystalline, with a mean diameter of 7.6 ± 2.2 nm. The antioxidant capacity of the extract, prior to and after synthesis, was analyzed in vitro, showing that the high antioxidant potential was not lost during the synthesis. Subsequently, in vitro and in vivo toxicity was screened, by comparing two species of the genus Cystoseira (C. tamariscifolia and C. baccata) and the corresponding biosynthesized gold nanoparticles (Au@CT and Au@CB). Cytotoxicity was tested in mouse (L929) and human (BJ5ta) fibroblast cell lines. In both cases, only the highest (nominal) test concentration of both extracts (31.25 mg/mL) or Au@CB (12.5 mM) significantly affected cell viability, as measured by the MTT assay. These results were corroborated by a Fish Embryo Acute Toxicity (FET) test. Briefly, it was shown that, at the highest (nominal) tested concentration (31.25 mg/mL), CT extract induced significantly higher cytotoxicity and embryotoxicity than CB extract. However, it was demonstrated that Au@CT, but not Au@CB, were generally non-toxic. At sub-lethal (nominal) test concentrations (1.25 and 2.5 mM), Au@CT affected zebrafish embryonic development to a much lesser extent than Au@CB. In vitro wound healing assays also revealed that, while other experimental conditions did not impact cell migration, CT and Au@CT displayed a moderate positive effect. Conclusion: Au@CT and Au@CB display promising features, desirable for biomedical applications, as wound healing.This work was supported by the strategic program UID/BIA/04050/2020, funded by national funds through the FCT, IP, and the project "FUN2CYT: Harnessing the Potential for Biomedical Applications of Pleiotropic Cytokines LIF and Oncostatin M" (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-030568), supported by Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalizacao (FEDER) and FCT, IP. This work was further supported by Xunta de Galicia ED431C 2018/54-GRC. A. Goncalves holds a fellowship from Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia I.P. (FCT, IP) (SFRH/BD/146807/2019). We are extremely grateful to Dr. Andre da Costa for critical revision of the manuscript

Histopathological and molecular effects of microplastics in Eisenia andrei Bouché

The ocean has been assumed as the main sink of microplastics (MPs), however, soils may also receive MPs from different sources and through different pathways, which may affect the biota and their role in soil functions. To the best of our knowledge, only one study, until now, reported the effects of MPs on the survival and fitness of soil organisms (Lumbricus terrestris). In our study, epigeic earthworms, of the species E. andrei, were exposed to different concentrations of MPs (0, 62.5, 125, 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg soildw) in an OECD artificial soil and tested for reproduction, survival and growth of adults, following a standard protocol. The size of the polyethylene MPs to which earthworms were exposed ranged between 250 and 1000 μm. No significant effects were recorded on survival, number of juveniles and, in the final weight of adult earthworms after 28d of exposure, to the different concentrations of MPs. Nevertheless, FTIR-ATR of earthworms and histopathological analysis of the gut provided evidences of damages and immune system responses to MPs.Universidade de VigoFundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia | Ref. SFRH/BPD/92554/2013Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia | Ref. UID/Multi/04423/2013Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia | Ref. UID/AMB/50017/2013Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia | Ref. IF/00407/2013/CP1162/CT0023Comissão de Coordenação e Desenvolvimento Regional do Norte (Portugal) | Ref. NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-00003

Pressure dependence of the Griffiths-like phase in 5:4 intermetallics

We report a study of the effect of hydrostatic pressure (P) on the Griffiths-like phase in selected compounds of the R5(SixGe1 ? x)4 family of alloys (Tb4.925La0.075Si2Ge2 and Gd5Ge4) which present either the Gd5Si2Ge2-type (monoclinic, M) or the Sm5Ge4-type [orthorhombic-II, O(II)] structural phases at room temperature. The downward deviation in the inverse low-field dc susceptibility ??1 dc from the Curie-Weiss law below a characteristic temperature TG indicates that the Griffiths-like phase exists at pressures up to 10 kbar. From the obtained T-P phase diagrams, the pressure coefficient of the Griffiths-like temperature, dT G/dP, has been determined. These results are compared with those obtained in Dy5Si3Ge in a previous work. The dT G/dP coefficient is strongly dependent on the nature (first or second order) of the long-range order (FM or AFM) transition. This effect can be ascribed to a different structural character of the clusters within the Griffiths phase. A ratio of ?0.5 between the dT G/dP and the pressure coefficient of long-range magnetic ordering temperatures, dTC,N/dP (TC, ferromagnetic; TN , antiferromagnetic), is found in all the studied compounds.Work at the University of Zaragoza is supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades through Project No. MAT2017-82970-C2-2-R and the Aragon Regional Government (Grant No. E28_20R). Work at the University of Cantabria is supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades through Project No. MAT2017-83631-C3-R