The Recent Star Formation History of NGC 5102

We present Hubble Space Telescope photometry of young stars in NGC 5102, a nearby gas-rich post-starburst S0 galaxy with a bright young stellar nucleus. We use the IAC-pop/MinnIAC algorithm to derive the recent star formation history in three fields in the bulge and disk of NGC 5102. In the disk fields, the recent star formation rate has declined monotonically and is now barely detectable, but a starburst is still in progress in the bulge and has added about 2 percent to the mass of the bulge over the last 200 Myr. Other studies of star formation in NGC 5102 indicate that about 20 percent of its stellar mass was added over the past Gyr. If this is correct, then much of the stellar mass of the bulge may have formed over this period. It seems likely that this star formation was fueled by the accretion of a gas-rich system with HI mass of about 2 x 10^9 Msol which has now been almost completely converted into stars. The large mass of recently formed stars and the blue colours of the bulge suggest that the current starburst, which is now fading, may have made a significant contribution to build the bulge of NGC 5102.Comment: 36 pages, 16 figures, accepted in A

Biomarkers and inorganic proxies in the paleoenvironmental reconstruction of mires: The importance of landscape in Las Conchas (Asturias, Northern Spain)

We determined the lipid distributions (n-alkanes, n-alkan-2-ones, n-alkanoic acids), total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), Ca/Mg and ash content in Las Conchas mire, a 3.2 m deep bryophyte-dominated mire in Northern Spain covering 8000 cal yr BP. Bog conditions developed in the bottom 20 cm of the profile, and good preservation of organic matter (OM) was inferred from n-alkanoic acid distribution, with the exception of the uppermost 20 cm (last ca. 200 yr). Microbial synthesis of long chain saturated fatty acids from primary OM likely produced a dominance of short chain n-alkanoic acids with a bimodal distribution, as well as the lack of correspondence between the n-alkane and n-alkanoic acid profiles in the upper 20 cm. This was accompanied by an increase in ash content, a decrease in TOC and variation in n-alkane ratios, thereby suggesting significant changes in the mire, namely drainage and transformation to a meadow, in the last ca. 200 yr. The distribution of n-alkan-2-ones indicated an increase in bacterial source from the bottom of the record to 94 cm, whereas their distribution in the upper part could be attributed mainly to plant input and/or the microbial oxidation of n-alkanes. The different n-alkane proxies showed variations, which we interpreted in terms of changes in vegetation (Sphagnum vs. non-Sphagnum dominated phases) during the last 8000 cal yr BP. C23 was the most abundant homolog throughout most of the record, thereby suggesting dominant humid conditions alternating with short drier phases. However, such humid conditions were not linked to paleoclimatic variation but rather to geomorphological characteristics: Las Conchas mire, at the base of the Cuera Range, receives continuous runoff—even during drier periods—which is not necessarily accompanied by additional mineral input to peat, producing the development of Sphagnum moss typical of waterlogged ecotopes and damp habitats. Thus, although geochemical proxies indicated an ombrotrophic regime in the mire, geomorphological characteristics may make a considerable contribution to environmental conditions

Steady-state kinetics of Roystonea regia palm tree peroxidase

ABSTRAC

Expression of epicardial adipose tissue thermogenic genes in patients with reduced and preserved ejection fraction heart failure

[Abstract] Epicardial adipose tissue has been proposed to participate in the pathogenesis of heart failure. The aim of our study was to assess the expression of thermogenic genes (Uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC1α), and PR-domain-missing 16 (PRDM16) in epicardial adipose tissue in patients with heart failure, stablishing the difference according to left ventricular ejection fraction (reduced or preserved). Among the 75 patients in our study, 42.7% (n=32) had reduced left ventricular ejection fraction. UCP1, PGC1α and PRDM16 mRNA in EAT were significantly lower in patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction. Multiple regression analysis showed that age, male gender, body max index, presence of obesity, type-2-diabetes mellitus, hypertension and coronary artery disease and left ventricular ejection fraction were associated with the expression levels of UCP1, PGC1α and PRDM16 mRNA. Thermogenic genes expressions in epicardial adipose tissue (UCP1: OR 0.617, 95%CI 0.103-0.989, p=0.042; PGC1α: OR 0.416, 95%CI 0.171-0.912, p=0.031; PRDM16: OR 0.643, 95%CI 0.116-0.997, p=0.044) were showed as protective factors against the presence of heart failure with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction, and age (OR 1.643, 95%CI 1.001-3.143, p=0.026), presence of coronary artery disease (OR 6.743, 95%CI 1.932-15.301, p<0.001) and type-2-diabetes mellitus (OR 4.031, 95%CI 1.099-7.231, p<0.001) were associated as risk factors. The adequate expression of thermogenic genes has been shown as possible protective factors against heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, suggesting that a loss of functional epicardial adipose tissue brown-like features would participate in a deleterious manner on heart metabolism. Thermogenic genes could represent a future novel therapeutic target in heart failure.Ministerio de Salud, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad; PI13/02542Ministerio de Salud, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad; PI11/01661Red de Investigación Cardiovascular (España), RD12/0042/003

Gestión ambiental en la Universidad de Granada

This paper describes some aspects related to the environmental management being carried out at the University of Granada. The environmental issues analysed in the initial assessment were: production of hazardous waste, production of radioactive waste, sewage dumping, composition of atmospheric emissions, noise levels in systems, consumption of water and energy, and production of urban waste. From this assessment we have started activities aimed at correcting the management deficiencies encountered.En este artículo se describen algunos aspectos relativos a la gestión ambiental que se está llevando a cabo en la Universidad de Granada. Los aspectos ambientales analizados que permitieron realizar el diagnóstico inicial fueron: producción de residuos peligrosos, producción de residuos radiactivos, vertido de aguas residuales, naturaleza de las emisiones atmosféricas, niveles de ruido de las instalaciones, consumos de agua y energía y producción de residuos urbanos. A partir de este diagnóstico se han puesto en marcha actividades encaminadas a corregir las deficiencias de gestión encontradas

Clinical Utility of Ghrelin-O-Acyltransferase (GOAT) Enzyme as a Diagnostic Tool and Potential Therapeutic Target in Prostate Cancer

Recent data suggested that plasma Ghrelin O-Acyl Transferase enzyme (GOAT) levels could represent a new diagnostic biomarker for prostate cancer (PCa). In this study, we aimed to explore the diagnostic and prognostic/aggressiveness capacity of GOAT in urine, as well as to interrogate its putative pathophysiological role in PCa. We analysed urine/plasma levels of GOAT in a cohort of 993 patients. In vitro (i.e., cell-proliferation) and in vivo (tumor-growth in a xenograft-model) approaches were performed in response to the modulation of GOAT expression/activity in PCa cells. Our results demonstrate that plasma and urine GOAT levels were significantly elevated in PCa patients compared to controls. Remarkably, GOAT significantly outperformed PSA in the diagnosis of PCa and significant PCa in patients with PSA levels ranging from 3 to 10 ng/mL (the so-called PSA grey-zone). Additionally, urine GOAT levels were associated to clinical (e.g., Gleason-score, PSA levels) and molecular (e.g., CDK2/CDK6/CDKN2A expression) aggressiveness parameters. Indeed, GOAT overexpression increased, while its silencing/blockade decreased cell-proliferation in PCa cells. Moreover, xenograft tumors derived from GOAT-overexpressing PCa (DU145) cells were significantly higher than those derived from the mock-overexpressing cells. Altogether, our results demonstrate that GOAT could be used as a diagnostic and aggressiveness marker in urine and a therapeutic target in PCa