Atualização da informação geológica e estratigráfica das jazidas de dinossáurios de La Rioja. Paleodiversidade do Cretácico Inferior do Grupo Enciso em Peña Cárcena (Igea, Espanha)

ABSTRACT: The discovery of new vertebrate fossil sites with skeletal remains in the Enciso Group of Igea (La Rioja) is showing the relevance of the area to study the palaeobiodiversity of Early Cretaceous vertebrate faunas from the Iberian Peninsula. At Peña Cárcena hill two sedimentary environments have been inferred: a mixed siliciclastic-carbonate lacustrine environment that is dominant at the outcrops, overlaid by a splay delta in an avulsion-belt. The vertebrate remains are especially abundant in the mixed siliciclastic-carbonate lacustrine deposits with two partially articulated skeletons (a theropod and a large-sized dinosaur), teeth and a fragment of a left maxilla of baryonychines, a pterosaur tooth that differs from those of Prejanopterus, a Goniopholis tooth, chelonian shell fragments that might belong to Camerochelys, a fairly complete lepisosteiform, teeth and dorsal fin spines of hybodontiforms. At the delta deposits, vertebrate fossils are rather scarce, with a single lepisosteiform skeleton and indeterminate bone fragments.RESUMO: A descoberta de novas jazidas com restos osteológicos de vertebrados no Grupo Enciso em Igea (La Rioja) comprova a importância da região para o estudo da paleobiodiversidade das faunas de vertebrados do Cretácico Inferior da Península Ibérica. Na colina de Peña-Cárcena, tem-se inferido dois ambientes sedimentares: o predominante nos afloramentos corresponde a um ambiente lacustre, siliciclástico-carbonatado misto, que se encontra sobreposto por depósitos de transbordo deltaico em cinturão abandonado. Restos de vertebrados são abundantes nos depósitos lacustres, incluindo dois esqueletos parciais articulados (de um terópode e de outro dinossáurio de grande porte), dentes e um fragmento de maxila esquerda de barionicinos, um dente de pterossáurio distinto de Prejanopterus, um dente de Goniopholis, fragmentos da carapaça de quelónios que poderão pertencer a Camerochelys, um lepisosteiforme praticamente completo, dentes e espinhos de barbatanas de hybodontiformes. Fósseis de vertebrados são escassos nos depósitos deltaicos, com apenas um esqueleto de lepisosteiforme e fragmentos indeterminados.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Quaternary structure of a G-protein coupled receptor heterotetramer in complex with Gi and Gs

Background: G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), in the form of monomers or homodimers that bind heterotrimeric G proteins, are fundamental in the transfer of extracellular stimuli to intracellular signaling pathways. Different GPCRs may also interact to form heteromers that are novel signaling units. Despite the exponential growth in the number of solved GPCR crystal structures, the structural properties of heteromers remain unknown. Results: We used single-particle tracking experiments in cells expressing functional adenosine A1-A2A receptors fused to fluorescent proteins to show the loss of Brownian movement of the A1 receptor in the presence of the A2A receptor, and a preponderance of cell surface 2:2 receptor heteromers (dimer of dimers). Using computer modeling, aided by bioluminescence resonance energy transfer assays to monitor receptor homomerization and heteromerization and G-protein coupling, we predict the interacting interfaces and propose a quaternary structure of the GPCR tetramer in complex with two G proteins. Conclusions: The combination of results points to a molecular architecture formed by a rhombus-shaped heterotetramer, which is bound to two different interacting heterotrimeric G proteins (Gi and Gs). These novel results constitute an important advance in understanding the molecular intricacies involved in GPCR function

Paleoecología y cultura material en el complejo tumular prehistórico de Castillejo del Bonete (Terrinches, Ciudad Real)

Castillejo del Bonete es un complejo tumular situado en el borde meridional de la Meseta Ibérica, ocupado en fechas calcolíticas y de la Edad del Bronce, vinculado a la Cultura de las Motillas. Materiales arqueológicos muy diversos han sido recuperados asociados a las arquitecturas del lugar (túmulos, corredores, potentes muros, etc.). Se presenta un avance de la investigación paleoecológica sobre las colecciones de carbón, polen y microvertebrados. Además se presentan cuentas de piedra y madera, colgantes de concha, material lítico, la colección cerámica, nuevas metalografías e industria metálica y botones de marfil. El conjunto de estas evidencias arqueológicas pone de manifiesto la celebración ritual de banquetes y ofrendas durante la Prehistoria Reciente en una cueva monumentalizada mediante túmulos en el interior de la Península Ibérica

A new method for the detection of early contamination of red wine by Brettanomyces bruxellensis using Pseudomonas putida 4-ethylphenol methylene hydroxylase (4-EPMH)

Brettanomyces/Dekkera bruxellensis is a cause of major concern for the winemaking industry worldwide. If a slight presence of this spoilage yeast in red wine adds a Brett character, a strong contamination has irreversible and detrimental effects on the organoleptic qualities due to the production of volatile phenols such as 4-ethylphenol. Time is a key factor in the treatment of B. bruxellensis contaminations. Nowadays, the diagnostic and quantification resources available are time consuming and too expensive, making them either inadequate or inaccessible to most of the winemakers. This study was focused on a new, easy to use, inexpensive method that could allow winemakers to directly detect B. bruxellensis contamination in red wine at an early stage, hence, reducing wine spoilage. In this work, the ability of Pseudomonas putida 4-ethylphenol methylene hydroxylase was tested in order to catabolize the 4-ethylphenol and to elaborate an enzymatic assay with the purpose of detecting early contaminations by B. bruxellensis in red wine. We have developed a colorimetric enzymatic assay, based on the redox state of the 4-ethylphenol methylene hydroxylase co-factor, cytochrome C, that can detect and quantify low concentrations of 4-ethylphenol. The range of concentrations detected is well below the level detectable by the human nose. Combined to an enrichment step, this method allows the detection of B. bruxellensis at an initial concentration of less than 10 cells per ml

RICORS2040 : The need for collaborative research in chronic kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a silent and poorly known killer. The current concept of CKD is relatively young and uptake by the public, physicians and health authorities is not widespread. Physicians still confuse CKD with chronic kidney insufficiency or failure. For the wider public and health authorities, CKD evokes kidney replacement therapy (KRT). In Spain, the prevalence of KRT is 0.13%. Thus health authorities may consider CKD a non-issue: very few persons eventually need KRT and, for those in whom kidneys fail, the problem is 'solved' by dialysis or kidney transplantation. However, KRT is the tip of the iceberg in the burden of CKD. The main burden of CKD is accelerated ageing and premature death. The cut-off points for kidney function and kidney damage indexes that define CKD also mark an increased risk for all-cause premature death. CKD is the most prevalent risk factor for lethal coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the factor that most increases the risk of death in COVID-19, after old age. Men and women undergoing KRT still have an annual mortality that is 10- to 100-fold higher than similar-age peers, and life expectancy is shortened by ~40 years for young persons on dialysis and by 15 years for young persons with a functioning kidney graft. CKD is expected to become the fifth greatest global cause of death by 2040 and the second greatest cause of death in Spain before the end of the century, a time when one in four Spaniards will have CKD. However, by 2022, CKD will become the only top-15 global predicted cause of death that is not supported by a dedicated well-funded Centres for Biomedical Research (CIBER) network structure in Spain. Realizing the underestimation of the CKD burden of disease by health authorities, the Decade of the Kidney initiative for 2020-2030 was launched by the American Association of Kidney Patients and the European Kidney Health Alliance. Leading Spanish kidney researchers grouped in the kidney collaborative research network Red de Investigación Renal have now applied for the Redes de Investigación Cooperativa Orientadas a Resultados en Salud (RICORS) call for collaborative research in Spain with the support of the Spanish Society of Nephrology, Federación Nacional de Asociaciones para la Lucha Contra las Enfermedades del Riñón and ONT: RICORS2040 aims to prevent the dire predictions for the global 2040 burden of CKD from becoming true

El derecho del trabajo y de la seguridad social en España en 2014

Este documento intenta reflejar algunos de los principales cambios y novedades del ordenamiento laboral español en 2014, levantando acta de cómo la mutabilidad de nuestro Derecho del Trabajo es imparable. Este informe, consciente de ello, ofrece una selección de elementos esenciales, a juicio de sus autores, especialistas en cada una de las materias, encuadrados en la Sección Juvenil de la Asociación Española de Derecho del Trabajo y de la Seguridad Social. En él, conforme a la organización de dicha Sección en grupos de trabajo, se abordan las novedades más relevantes en materia de derechos fundamentales inespecíficos, contratación laboral, vicisitudes del contrato de trabajo, Derecho colectivo, conciliación y corresponsabilidad, protección social y prevención de riesgos laborales. This paper tries to show some of the many changes and novelties in Spanish Labour Law during 2014, drawing up a record of the unstoppable character of our Labour legal system. This report offers a selection of essential elements, according to its authors, all of them specialists in each one of the subjects, being part of the Young Scholars’ Section of the Spanish Association for Labour and Social Security Law. According to the organization of the said Section in working groups, we can find novelties concerning unspecific fundamental rights, work contracts, the life of the work contract and collective Labour Law, work-life balance and co responsibility, social protection and occupational risk prevention

Continuous-flow titration of low iron doses to promote photo-Fenton and photo-Fenton-like processes at neutral pH

Photo-Fenton (PF) is a promising process for degrading a wide range of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) present in urban wastewater (UWW) after secondary treatment, mitigating their spread in aquatic systems. However, the near-neutral pH of UWW poses a challenge to PF performance. In this research, a tubular membrane photoreactor, designed for continuous “titration” of Fe2+, is explored to promote the PF process for the tertiary treatment of UWW. The application of persulfate (PF-like) as an alternative oxidant and the impact of phosphate (PO43−) content in UWW were also assessed. Process efficiency was evaluated in continuous mode, applying low residence times (RT: 6.1, 36.6, and 73.2 s) and low Fe2+ doses (1, 2, and 5 mg L−1), for the oxidation of 19 CECs (each spiked at 10 µg/L), in demineralized water (DW) and secondary-treated UWW. Despite the persistence of certain short-chain perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and saccharine across all conditions tested, the PF-like process exhibited superior performance when compared with PF, attaining higher removals for most target CECs, especially for melamine. In UWW, for an RT = 73.2 s, [Fe2+] = 5 mg L−1, and [oxidant] = 1.2 mM, PF process removed 7 CECs > 60 % and PF-like 10 CECs > 60 %. Moreover, higher residual concentrations of Fe2+ and lower precipitation of PO43− were observed for PF-like treatments, evidencing its advantages for tertiary treatment. These results emphasize the importance of photoreactor design to achieve efficient PF/PF-like at neutral pH, avoiding the use of chelating agents while managing iron concentrations compatible with UWW discharge or reuse limits.The financial support for this work results from: (i) Project NOR-WATER funded by INTERREG VA Spain-Portugal cooperation programme, Cross-Border North Portugal/Galizia Spain Cooperation Programme (POCTEP), ref. 0725_NOR_WATER_1_P; (ii) Project “Healthy Waters – Identification, Elimination, Social Awareness and Education of Water Chemical and Biological Micropollutants with Health and Environmental Implications”, with reference NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000069, supported by Norte Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), (iii) LA/P/0045/2020 (ALiCE), UIDB/50020/2020 and UIDP/50020/2020 (LSRE-LCM), funded by national funds through FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC). The authors would like to thank the EU and Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Germany, Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca, Italy, Agencia Estatal de Investigación - MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 (ref. PID2020-117686RB-C32) and Xunta de Galicia (ED431C 2021/06), Spain, Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal, Norges forskningsråd, Norway, Water Research Commission, South Africa for funding, in the frame of the collaborative international consortium SERPIC financed under the ERA-NET AquaticPollutants Joint Transnational Call (GA N° 869178).S

Hepatocyte growth factor as an indicator of neonatal maturity

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a potent mitogen and morphogen expressed in fetal organs. It requires activation by specific serine proteases. The role of activated HGF during fetal development has not been evaluated. We hypothesized that the serum levels of activated HGF would be increased in preterm neonates. Cord blood total HGF and activated HGF levels were measured in 19 preterm (gestational age, 28.04 ± 2.39 weeks) and 24 term (gestational age, 39.37 ± 0.95 weeks) newborns. Anthropometric parameters and metabolic indices were evaluated. Activated HGF was higher in preterm than in term neonates (0.81 ± 0.05 vs. 0.61 ± 0.06 ng/mL, p < 0.05), whereas total HGF levels did not differ significantly between groups. In addition, total and activated HGF further increased by ∼ 40% in preterm neonates 12 h after birth. Finally, activated HGF correlated inversely with gestational age (r = – 0.369; p = 0.015) and birth weight (r = – 0.440; p = 0.003). Our study demonstrates that regulation of HGF activity and circulating HGF levels differ between term and preterm neonates along fetal development.This work was supported by grants from the Carlos III Health Institute (CP08/00106), the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (SAF2009-11282), and the FP7-PEOPLE-2009-RG (PIRG06-GA-2009-256369) to GP. Our Research Unit facilities at the “ Puerta del Mar ” University Hospital received support from the European Community through the regional development funding program (FEDER).Peer reviewe

Quaternary structure of a G-protein-coupled receptor heterotetramer in complex with G proteins

Background: G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), in the form of monomers or homodimers that bind heterotrimeric G proteins, are fundamental in the transfer of extracellular stimuli to intracellular signaling pathways. Different GPCRs may also interact to form heteromers that are novel signaling units. Despite the exponential growth in the number of solved GPCR crystal structures, the structural properties of heteromers remain unknown. Results: We used single-particle tracking experiments in cells expressing functional adenosine A1-A2A receptors fused to fluorescent proteins to show the loss of Brownian movement of the A1 receptor in the presence of the A2A receptor, and a preponderance of cell surface 2:2 receptor heteromers (dimer of dimers). Using computer modeling, aided by bioluminescence resonance energy transfer assays to monitor receptor homomerization and heteromerization and G-protein coupling, we predict the interacting interfaces and propose a quaternary structure of the GPCR tetramer in complex with two G proteins. Conclusions: The combination of results points to a molecular architecture formed by a rhombus-shaped heterotetramer, which is bound to two different interacting heterotrimeric G proteins (Gi and Gs). These novel results constitute an important advance in understanding the molecular intricacies involved in GPCR functio