Clean H2 production by lignin-assisted electrolysis in a polymer electrolyte membrane flow reactor

Biomass-derived products, such as lignin, are interesting resources for energetic purposes. Lignin is a natural polymer that, when added to the anode of an alkaline exchange membrane water electrolyser, enhances H2 production rates and efficiencies due to the substitution of the oxygen evolution reaction. Higher efficiencies are reported when different catalytic materials are employed for constructing the lignin anolyte, demonstrating that lower catalytic loadings for the anode improves the H2 production when compared to higher loadings. Furthermore, when a potential of −1.8 V is applied, higher gains are obtained than when −2.3 V is applied. An increase of 200% of H2 flow rates with respect to water electrolysis is reported when commercial lignin is used coupled with Pt-Ru at 0.09 mg cm−2 and E = −1.8 V is applied at the cathode. This article provides deep information about the oxidation process, as well as an optimisation of the method of the lignin electro-oxidation in a flow-reactor as a pre-step for an industrial implementationThis work was supported by the Madrid Regional Research Council (CAM) and ERDF (European Regional Development Fund), grant no. P2018/EMT-4344 BIOTRES-CM. We thank the Spanish Ministry of Economy, PID 2020-116712RBC21 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 is acknowledge

SIVIM – das Online-Datenbank-System zur Vegetation der iberischen Halbinsel und der Makaronesischen Inseln

SIVIM (Sistema de Información de la Vegetación Ibérica y Macaronésica) is an information system designed for capturing, hosting, editing, analyzing and outputting georeferenced plot data of Iberian and Macaronesian vegetation. It currently hosts 86,000 relevés, mainly from the northern half of the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands, and will grow to 100,000 relevés in the near future. SIVIM has been conceived to offer direct and free on-line access to relevés, tables, as well as to floristic, syntaxonomical and bibliographical records. The system also offers on-line software for edition and analysis of vegetation data. The main characteristics of SIVIM are presented, and its particular technical solutions to typical data banking problems as well as its future objectives are briefly commented.SIVIM ist ein Informationssystem, mit welchem georeferenzierte Daten zur iberischen und makaronesischen Vegetation erfasst, gehostet, editiert, analysiert und ausgegeben werden können. Momentan umfasst das System 86.000 Aufnahmen. In naher Zukunft soll die Anzahl der Aufnahmen auf 100.000 steigen, hauptsächlich durch Daten aus dem Norden der Iberischen Halbinsel und von den Balearen. SIVIM wurde initiiert, um einen direkten, freien Online-Zugang zu Vegetationsaufnahmen, Vegetationstabellen, sowie zu floristischen, syntaxonomischen und bibliographischen Daten anzubieten. Außerdem bietet es Online-Software, um Vegetationsdaten zu editieren und zu analysieren. Dieser Beitrag gibt eine Übersicht über die wesentlichen Eigenschaften von SIVIM und erläutert die implementierten technischen Lösungen typischer Datenbankprobleme sowie die zukünftigen Ziele

Molecular characterization and systemic induction of single-chain ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) in sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) leaves

Producción CientíficaSugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) leaves contain virusinducible type 1 (single chain) ribosome-inactivating proteins that have been named beetins. The structural and functional characterization, the cellular location, and the potential role of beetins as antiviral agents are reported here. Beetins are formed of a single polypeptide chain with a varying degree of glycosylation and strongly inhibited in vitro protein synthesis in rabbit reticulocyte lysates (IC5051.15 ng ml21 ) and a Vicia sativa L. cell-free system (IC50568 ng ml21 ) through the single depurination of the large rRNA. Beetins trigger the multidepurination of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) genomic RNA which underwent extensive degradation upon treatment with acid aniline. Beetins are extracellular proteins that were recovered from the apoplastic fluid. Induction of sugar beet RIPs with either H2O2 or artichoke mottled crinkle virus (AMCV) was observed in leaves distant from the site of application of such elicitors. The external application of purified beetin to sugar leaves prevented infection by AMCV which supports the preliminary hypothesis that beetins could be involved in plant systemic acquired resistance subjected to induction by phytopathogens.Comisión Interministerial de Ciencia y Tecnología (grant BIO98-0727)Junta de Castilla y León - FIS (grant PI030258

Which Factors Favour Biodiversity in Iberian Dehesas?

Dehesas or montados are man-made systems whose conservation interest as a Mediterranean landscape or agroforestry system has been highlighted in the scientific literature due to their high levels of biodiversity. The understanding of how management practices influence the biodiversity of the dehesa requires a comprehensive approach that considers the broad spectrum of biological components (i.e., fungi, lichens, vascular plants, macroinvertebrates, and vertebrates) that make the dehesa an ecosystem. We have reviewed around seventy publications compiled through Scopus and other specialized bibliographic sources not included in Scopus that study the impact of land use and land cover on the biodiversity of Iberian dehesas. The most significant results have been organized and summarized into a group of factors related to habitat structure and management practices. The conclusion to be drawn from the scientific studies is that not all biological components respond in the same way to land-cover and human practices, and the maintenance of a high overall diversity in dehesas depends on a complex understorey vegetation and habitat heterogeneity

Torymus sinensis Kamijo, a biocontrol agent against the invasive chestnut gall wasp Dryocosmus kuriphilus Yasumatsu in Spain: its natural dispersal from France and first data on establishment after experimental releases

Aim of study: The globally invasive gall wasp, Dryocosmus kuriphilus Yasumatsu, 1951 (Cynipidae: Cynipini), reached Spain seven years ago and is already regarded as an important pest of chestnuts (Castanea spp.) in this country as well as worldwide. In this paper, we present comprehensive data on the establishment in Spain of Torymus sinensis Kamijo, 1982 (Chalcidoidea: Torymidae), an effective non-native natural enemy of this pest, as a result of both natural dispersal and settlement after controlled releases since 2015. Area of study: Sites of the Spanish autonomous communities of Galicia, Asturias, Basque Country, Catalonia, Andalusia and Madrid where D. kuriphilus is present. Material and methods: To study the natural dispersal of T. sinensis from France, we selected two sampling sites in Catalonia, six in the Basque Country and two in Navarra known for their heavy Asian chestnut gall wasp (ACGW) infestation; to study T. sinensis establishment after authorized controlled releases by the concerned authorities, the field samplings were done mainly in Galicia (35 sites) and Andalusia (8 sites). Additionally an experimental release study was made in Madrid. Main Results: Our results showed that T. sinensis has spread throughout Spain by natural dispersal across the French border and now occurs in Catalonia (two sites), the Basque Country (three sites) and Navarra (one site) but not in the neighbouring region of Cantabria. The percentage of parasitism by T. sinensis on D. kuriphilus is higher in the Basque Country sites, which are close to the French border, thus indicating that its establishment in these localities is not recent. After controlled releases, T. sinensis has been successfully established in five release sites in Andalusia (Valle del Genal and Sierra Blanca, Málaga Province) and one release site in Madrid. However, in the region of Galicia (NW Spain), where the number of authorized releases has been higher, the establishment of T. sinensis still appears to be very low. Research highlights: Established populations of T. sinensis may exert a positive buffer against D. kuriphilus-driven chestnut infestation in Spain, similar to what is observed in other invaded European countries.This study was financed by an Encomienda de Gestión from MAPAMA to Agencia Estatal CSIC, 16MNES003 awarded to JLNA, DGT, MJL and CP, and by project AGL2016-76262-R (AEI/FEDER, UE) awarded to MJL and JLNA. JRB, JMV, MEW and OG were supported by project PP.PEI.IDF201601.4 de Demanda Institucional from CMAOT to the public research Institution IFAPA. CP was funded by a post-doctoral contract from the Universidad de Castilla-La ManchaS

Revisiting the thiosemicarbazonecopper(II) reaction with glutathione. Activity against colorectal carcinoma cell lines

Thiosemicarbazones (TSCs), and their copper derivatives, have been extensively studied mainly due to the potential applications as antitumor compounds. A part of the biological activity of the TSC-CuII complexes rests on their reactivity against cell reductants, as glutathione (GSH). The present paper describes the structure of the [Cu(PTSC)(ONO2)]n compound (1) (HPTSC =pyridine-2-carbaldehyde thiosemicarbazone) and its spectroscopic and magnetic properties. ESI studies performed on the reaction of GSH with 1 and the analogous [{Cu (PTSC*)(ONO2)}2] derivative (2, HPTSC* =pyridine-2-carbaldehyde 4N-methylthiosemicarbazone) show the absence of peaks related with TSC-Cu-GSH species. However GSH-Cu ones are detected, in good agreement with the release of CuI ions after reduction in the experimental conditions. The reactivity of 1 and 2 with cytochrome c and myoglobin and their activities against HT-29 and SW-480 colon carcinoma cell lines are compared with those shown by the free HPTSC and HPTSC* ligands.Obra Social “la Caixa” (OSLC-2012-007), Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad and FEDER funds (CTQ2013-48937-C2-1-P, CTQ2015-70371-REDT, MAT2015-66441-P, BIO2015-67358-C2-2-P), Junta de Castilla y León (BU237U13), Gerencia Regional de Salud, Consejería de Sanidad, Junta de Castilla y León (GRS 1023/A/14), the Basque Government (project IT-779-13

Prácticas geoambientales: realidad aumentada en recursos docentes

Memoria ID-209. Ayudas de la Universidad de Salamanca para la innovación docente, curso 2018-2019

Recurrent presence of the PLCG1 S345F mutation in nodal peripheral T-cell lymphomas

This work was supported by grants from Asociación Española contra el Cancer (AECC), Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO) (SAF2013-47416-R), Instituto Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) – Fondos FEDER, MINECO-AES(RD012/0036/0060, PI10/00621, CP11/00018). RM is supported by the Fundación Conchita Rábago de la Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid (Spain). JG-R is supported by a predoctoral grant from the Fundacion Investigacion Biomedica Puerta de Hierro. Salary support to SG is provided by ISCIII-FEDER (CP11/00018). MS-B is supported by a Miguel Servet contract from ISCIII-FEDER (CP11/00018). The Instituto de Investigación Marqués de Valdecilla (IDIVAL) is partly funded by the Sociedad para el Desarrollo Regional de Cantabria (SODERCAN)

Postlaunch evidence-generation studies for medical devices in Spain: the RedETS approach to integrate real-world evidence into decision making

The Monitoring Studies (MS) program, the approach developed by RedETS to generate postlaunch real-world evidence (RWE), is intended to complement and enhance the conventional health technology assessment process to support health policy decision making in Spain, besides informing other interested stakeholders, including clinicians and patients. The MS program is focused on specific uncertainties about the real effect, safety, costs, and routine use of new and insufficiently assessed relevant medical devices carefully selected to ensure the value of the additional research needed, by means of structured, controlled, participative, and transparent procedures. However, despite a clear political commitment and economic support from national and regional health authorities, several difficulties were identified along the development and implementation of the first wave of MS, delaying its execution and final reporting. Resolution of these difficulties at the regional and national levels and a greater collaborative impulse in the European Union, given the availability of an appropriate methodological framework already provided by EUnetHTA, might provide a faster and more efficient comparative RWE of improved quality and reliability at the national and international levels

Assessment of a New ROS1 Immunohistochemistry Clone (SP384) for the Identification of ROS1 Rearrangements in Patients with Non–Small Cell Lung Carcinoma: the ROSING Study

Introduction: The ROS1 gene rearrangement has become an important biomarker in NSCLC. The College of American Pathologists/International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer/Association for Molecular Pathology testing guidelines support the use of ROS1 immunohistochemistry (IHC) as a screening test, followed by confirmation with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) or a molecular test in all positive results. We have evaluated a novel anti-ROS1 IHC antibody (SP384) in a large multicenter series to obtain real-world data. Methods: A total of 43 ROS1 FISH-positive and 193 ROS1 FISH-negative NSCLC samples were studied. All specimens were screened by using two antibodies (clone D4D6 from Cell Signaling Technology and clone SP384 from Ventana Medical Systems), and the different interpretation criteria were compared with break-apart FISH (Vysis). FISH-positive samples were also analyzed with next-generation sequencing (Oncomine Dx Target Test Panel, Thermo Fisher Scientific). Results: An H-score of 150 or higher or the presence of at least 70% of tumor cells with an intensity of staining of 2+ or higher by the SP384 clone was the optimal cutoff value (both with 93% sensitivity and 100% specificity). The D4D6 clone showed similar results, with an H-score of at least 100 (91% sensitivity and 100% specificity). ROS1 expression in normal lung was more frequent with use of the SP384 clone (p < 0.0001). The ezrin gene (EZR)-ROS1 variant was associated with membranous staining and an isolated green signal FISH pattern (p = 0.001 and p = 0.017, respectively). Conclusions: The new SP384 ROS1 IHC clone showed excellent sensitivity without compromising specificity, so it is another excellent analytical option for the proposed testing algorithm