Intense precipitation events in the Central Range of the Iberian Peninsula

Intense orographic precipitation associated with the Central Range was analysed using data of maximum accumulated precipitation in 24 h, occurring between 1958 and 2010. The 18 selected episodes were associated with a southwesterly tropospheric flow, a low-level jet, and high moisture flux at low levels. The observed moisture flux was higher than 100 (m g(s kg)−1) and the dry and wet Froude numbers were greater than 1. The selected area to study this synoptic situation was Gredos, broad and high range, which is located in the eastern part of the Central Range and generates a leeward “orographic shadow”. The effect of the Central Range on the spatial distribution of precipitation on the Iberian Peninsula plateau results in a sharp increase in precipitation in the south of the Central Range, followed by a decrease to the north of this range

Morphological alterations in dentine after mechanical treatment and ultrashort pulse laser irradiation

The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the morphological changes that occur in dentine after femtosecond laser irradiation and after mechanical treatment. The duration of the laser pulse is an important parameter, because within the time frame of the pulse heat diffusion plays a very important role in the mechanism of interaction between the light and the tissue. Six totally impacted human third molars were sectioned into sheets approximately 1 mm thick with an Accutom-50 precision cutting machine. The samples were randomly divided into two groups according to their cavity preparation: mechanical cavity preparation and laser cavity preparation. The samples were then examined by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. There were clear differences in the results obtained with the two techniques. Cavities prepared with the laser with pulses of <1 ps showed no microcracks, and the treated surface displayed a rough and irregular aspect with no smear layer and exhibited open dentinal tubules. On the contrary, cavities made with a rotatory instrument had a smooth surface and microcracks, a broad area of carbonization and merging, occluded dentinal tubules and a smear layer. This study showed that human dentine can be successfully ablated with the ultrashort pulse laser.A.G. and P.M. acknowledge the support of Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación through the Consolider Program SAUUL (CSD2007-00013) and research project FIS2009-09522, from Junta de Castilla y León through the Program for Groups of Excellence (GR27) and of the EC Seventh Framework Programme (LASERLAB-EUROPE, grant agreement no. 228334). We also acknowledge the support of the Centro de Laseres Pulsados, CLPU, Salamanca, Spain

Contaminación atmosférica en Canarias: 2007-2009

Ponencia presentada en: XXXII Jornadas Científicas de la AME y el XIII Encuentro Hispano Luso de Meteorología celebrado en Alcobendas (Madrid), del 28 al 30 de mayo de 2012.Este trabajo tiene como objetivo el análisis de la evolución diaria, semanal y anual de los principales contaminantes atmosféricos: óxido nítrico, dióxido de nitrógeno, dióxido de azufre y partículas sólidas suspendidas en el aire de un diámetro inferior a 10 μm (PM10), que han sido medidos durante el periodo 1 de enero de 2007 y el 31 de diciembre de 2009 por cinco casetas/estaciones situadas en Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote y Fuerteventura, pertenecientes a la de la Red de la Calidad de Aire del Gobierno de Canarias

Puesta en marcha del inicio a la investigación virtual en odontología conservadora

Memoria ID-0043. Ayudas de la Universidad de Salamanca para la innovación docente, curso 2014-2015

Diseño e incorporación de un banco virtual de imágenes en cariología como apoyo virtual a la docencia presencial

Memoria ID-0047. Ayudas de la Universidad de Salamanca para la innovación docente, curso 2015-2016

Laboratorio multimedia de prácticas de física

Memoria ID12-0013. Ayudas de la Universidad de Salamanca para la innovación docente, curso 2012-2013

Aplicación de la formación virtual 2.0 al laboratorio de física (1o, curso)

Memoria ID-021. Ayudas de la Universidad de Salamanca para la innovación docente, curso 2018-2019

Characterization of mutant versions of the R-RAS2/TC21 GTPase found in tumors

The R-RAS2 GTP hydrolase (GTPase) (also known as TC21) has been traditionally considered quite similar to classical RAS proteins at the regulatory and signaling levels. Recently, a long-tail hotspot mutation targeting the R-RAS2/TC21 Gln72 residue (Q72L) was identified as a potent oncogenic driver. Additional point mutations were also found in other tumors at low frequencies. Despite this, little information is available regarding the transforming role of these mutant versions and their relevance for the tumorigenic properties of already-transformed cancer cells. Here, we report that many of the RRAS2 mutations found in human cancers are highly transforming when expressed in immortalized cell lines. Moreover, the expression of endogenous R-RAS2Q72L is important for maintaining optimal levels of PI3K and ERK activities as well as for the adhesion, invasiveness, proliferation, and mitochondrial respiration of ovarian and breast cancer cell lines. Endogenous R-RAS2Q72L also regulates gene expression programs linked to both cell adhesion and inflammatory/immune-related responses. Endogenous R-RAS2Q72L is also quite relevant for the in vivo tumorigenic activity of these cells. This dependency is observed even though these cancer cell lines bear concurrent gain-of-function mutations in genes encoding RAS signaling elements. Finally, we show that endogenous R-RAS2, unlike the case of classical RAS proteins, specifically localizes in focal adhesions. Collectively, these results indicate that gain-of-function mutations of R-RAS2/TC21 play roles in tumor initiation and maintenance that are not fully redundant with those regulated by classical RAS oncoproteins

A One Health view of the West Nile virus outbreak in Andalusia (Spain) in 2020

Reports of West Nile virus (WNV) associated disease in humans were scarce in Spain until summer 2020, when 77 cases were reported, eight fatal. Most cases occurred next to the Guadalquivir River in the Sevillian villages of Puebla del Río and Coria del Río. Detection of WNV disease in humans was preceded by a large increase in the abundance of Culex perexiguus in the neighbourhood of the villages where most human cases occurred. The first WNV infected mosquitoes were captured approximately one month before the detection of the first human cases. Overall, 33 positive pools of Cx. perexiguus and one pool of Culex pipiens were found. Serology of wild birds confirmed WNV circulation inside the affected villages, that transmission to humans also occurred in urban settings and suggests that virus circulation was geographically more widespread than disease cases in humans or horses may indicate. A high prevalence of antibodies was detected in blackbirds (Turdus merula) suggesting that this species played an important role in the amplification of WNV in urban areas. Culex perexiguus was the main vector of WNV among birds in natural and agricultural areas, while its role in urban areas needs to be investigated in more detail. Culex pipiens may have played some role as bridge vector of WNV between birds and humans once the enzootic transmission cycle driven by Cx. perexiguus occurred inside the villages. Surveillance of virus in mosquitoes has the potential to detect WNV well in advance of the first human cases.This study was supported by emergency funds from CSIC [grant number 202030E263]; Agencia Estatal de Investigación under [grant numbers PID2021-123761OB-I00, PGC2018-095704-B-I00, PID2020-116768RR-C21/C22] supported by FEDER Funds; and by the European Commission–NextGenerationEU (Regulation EU 2020/2094), through CSIC’s Global Health Platform (PTI Salud Global) and by Instituto de Salud Carlos III Project "PI19CIII/00014".S