Universidad Complutense, CBVM Biogeoclimatic Madrid Framework

Arctic Council´s Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna Working Group´s (CAFF) Circumpolar Flora Group Proceedings

Revascularização pulpar em dentes imaturos

A revascularização pulpar é um tratamento de Medicina Dentária que tem por objetivo alcançar o desenvolvimento radicular em dentes imaturos necrosados, permitindo que as raízes dos dentes imaturos se desenvolvam apesar da inexistência de polpa. A necrose pulpar ocorre após cárie ou traumatismo dentário. Em pacientes menores é relativamente frequente encontrar dentes em que este tratamento é o mais indicado, uma vez que as paredes das raízes não estão totalmente formadas. O presente trabalho tem por objetivo geral compreender o proceso de revascularização pulpar em dentes imaturos. Realizou-se uma pesquisa bibliográfica nas bases de dados: Pubmed e ScienceDirect, entre 11 e 19 de Março de 2019. As estratégias de procura derivam da combinação das palabras-chave expostas e dos operadores booleanos AND e OR, recuperando um total de 2948 artigos, os quais foram reduzidos, pelos critérios de inclusão e exclusão utilizados, a 25 documentos finais que são expostos neste trabalho. Os resultados descritos mostram que os artigos consultados apresentam um alto grau de homogeneidade tanto na idade dos participantes (menores, geralmente entre 8 e 11 anos) como no tamanho da amostra dos dentes utilizados (geralmente um ou dois dentes tratados por paciente); além disso, existem várias estratégias de revascularização pulpar, entre elas TAP, Ca(OH)2 e CHP. Habitualmente, o meio auxiliar de diagnóstico e de monitorização mais utilizado é a radiografia, que permite a detecção objetiva da situação inicial e da evolução do dente após o tratamento. E este meio auxiliar de diagnóstico é apoiado por outros testes, como a percussão dentária ou testes térmicos. Os dados obtidos permitem observar uma redução do espaço entre polpa e o dente, fechamento apical, espessamento e alongamento radicular, aumento da densidade óssea, redução do tamanho da lesão desde o momento inicial e durante o seguimento do paciente. Pode concluir-se que a revascularização pulpar é um tratamento eficaz, no qual, a partir de três meses, podem ser detectadas melhorias radiográficas e na percepção do paciente com a redução da sensação dolorosa. É uma estratégia amplamente utilizada, com uma elevada taxa de sucesso durante a fase infantil em que este trabalho se centra

Mathematical Models for Estimating the Risk of vCJD Transmission

We present two different simple models for vCJD transmission by blood transfusion. Both models indicate that transfusions alone are unlikely to cause more than a few infections, unless the number of primary cases increases. To improve our models, future work should pursue data collection, empirical estimation of the model parameters, and examination of the underlying assumptions of our frameworks. Further improvements could also include examining susceptibility to vCJD infection by age group and iatrogenic infections introduced through surgical instruments. Regarding the latter, it may be worthwhile to conduct experiments to quantify the transmission of prions from an infected surgical instrument after repeated sterilization procedures

TEMPORAL EFFECTS OF MECHANICAL TREATMENT ON WINTER MOOSE BROWSE IN SOUTH-CENTRAL ALASKA

Sites containing winter browse species utilized by moose on the Copper River Delta of south-central Alaska were mechanically treated (hydraulic-axed) to counteract possible earthquake-related increases in less-preferred forage species, and to measure treatment effects on biomass, height, nutritional quality (crude protein, lignin, and tannin), utilization, and snow burial on preferred (willow [Salix spp.]) and less-preferred forage species (sweetgale [Myrica gale], cottonwood [Populus trichocarpa], and alder [Alnus viridis sinuata]) within 3 winter scenarios (mild, moderate, and severe). Sites were treated in 4 winters (1990–1992, 2008, 2010, and 2012) within 5 stand types in 20 sites varying from 0.9–63.4 ha. We found few significant differences in biomass, height, nutritional quality, utilization, and snow burial relative to controls. However, our ability to detect differences may have been limited by sample size (n = 1–9), as visual comparison suggests hydraulic-axing may be an effective method for increasing willow biomass while reducing alder biomass without influencing nutritional quality. However, because treated willows were shorter than untreated willows, treatment may result in less preferred forage for moose in severe winters with deep snow. Our results have implications for habitat management of moose but further research is needed to determine incremental and long-term effects of treatment on willow growth and productivity

Actividad antagonista de aislados del Virus de la Septicemia Hemorrágica Viral (VHSV) frente al sistema del interferón tipo I de lenguado senegalés

Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) is susceptible to marine Viral Haemorrhagic Septicaemia Virus (VHSV) isolates, but it is not affected by freshwater VHSV isolates. In addition, the sole type I interferon (IFN I) response is lower after infection with a marine VHSV isolate than in response to a freshwater isolate. In order to disclose the reasons of such differential response, in this study, the antagonistic activity of both kinds of VHSV isolates against IFN I system was characterised using an in vitro experimental system consisting of RTG-2 cells stably transfected with the luciferase gene under the control of the Senegalese sole mx promoter, which is one of the most induced interferon-stimulated genes. Our results showed that both isolates exert a dose-dependent negative effect on the response triggered by type I interferon, acting in the signal cascade pathway induced by IFN I, since the transcription of the gene coding for this cytokine is not affected. However, much higher levels of the non-pathogenic freshwater isolate were necessary to detect such antagonistic activity. Therefore, the inefficient antagonistic activity of the freshwater VHSV isolate might be involved in the lack of virulence of this isolate to Senegalese sole. Resumen El lenguado senegalés (Solea senegalensis) es susceptible a aislados marinos del Virus de la Septicemia Hemorrágica Viral (VHSV), pero no a aislados de agua dulce, frente a los cuales, además, hay una respuesta del sistema del interferón tipo I (IFN I) más intensa. Para averiguar las razones de esta respuesta diferencial, el objetivo que se plantea para el presente estudio es caracterizar y comparar la actividad antagonista de ambos aislados de VHSV frente al sistema del IFN I. Con este fin se utilizó un sistema experimental in vitro consistente en células RTG-2 transfectadas de forma estable con el gen de la luciferasa bajo el control del promotor del gen mx, que es uno de los genes inducidos por IFN I que más se estimulan en respuesta a infecciones víricas. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que ambos aislados de VHSV producen una interferencia negativa sobre la respuesta desencadenada por el IFN I. Dicha interferencia ocurre tras la síntesis de IFN I, y es dependiente de la dosis vírica. Sin embargo, para detectarla es necesario infectar las células con una dosis mucho más alta del aislado de agua dulce que del marino. Por lo tanto, la ineficiente actividad antagonista del aislado de agua dulce podría estar implicada en la no virulencia de este tipo de aislados en lenguado.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Estudio in vitro de la actividad antagonista de aislados del virus de la septicemia hemorrágica viral (VHSV) de distinto origen sobre el sistema del IFN tipo I

El lenguado senegalés (Solea senegalensis) es susceptible a aislados marinos del virus de la septicemia hemorrágica viral (VHSV); sin embargo, los VHSV patógenos para especies de agua dulce no son virulentos para especies marinas. Esta diferencia puede deberse al mecanismo antagonista que presenta cada tipo de aislado frente al sistema del interferón tipo I (IFN I). El objetivo de este estudio es caracterizar y comparar la actividad antagonista de dos aislados de VHSV de distinto origen. Para ello, se desarrolló un sistema experimental in vitro, consistente en células RTG-2 (trucha arcoíris), transfectadas con el gen de luciferasa bajo el control del promotor mx de lenguado, un efector antiviral estimulado por IFN I. Ambos aislados mostraron actividad antagonista dependiente de la multiplicidad de infección (MOI) y de la virulencia del virus en lenguado. Así, el aislado marino antagoniza a una MOI menor que el de agua dulce. Además, el antagonismo del marino ocurre exclusivamente a nivel del promotor mx de lenguado, no a nivel de transcripción de ifn I, ni de la cascada de activación de los genes estimulados por interferón. Por el contrario, el aislado de agua dulce también antagoniza la transcripción de genes mx endógenos (de trucha), pero no la transcripción de ifn I. El gen viral nv, implicado en la actividad antagonista, mostró un patrón de transcripción idéntico al del n (nucleoproteína) para el aislado de agua dulce, mientras que el nv marino inicia la transcripción más tarde que n. En cambio, en la línea celular de origen marino SAF-1, no se detecta este retraso en la transcripción de nv del aislado marino. El comportamiento diferencial de VHSV en función del origen del aislado y de la línea celular es un interesante aspecto a considerar en el estudio de la interacción VHSV-hospedador.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Localization from quantum interference in one-dimensional disordered potentials

We show that the tails of the asymptotic density distribution of a quantum wave packet that localizes in the the presence of random or quasiperiodic disorder can be described by the diagonal term of the projection over the eingenstates of the disordered potential. This is equivalent of assuming a phase randomization of the off-diagonal/interference terms. We demonstrate these results through numerical calculations of the dynamics of ultracold atoms in the one-dimensional speckle and quasiperiodic potentials used in the recent experiments that lead to the observation of Anderson localization for matter waves [Billy et al., Nature 453, 891 (2008); Roati et al., Nature 453, 895 (2008)]. For the quasiperiodic case, we also discuss the implications of using continuos or discrete models.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures; minor changes, references update

Mn3O4@CoMn2O4-CoxOy nanoparticles : partial cation exchange synthesis and electrocatalytic properties toward the oxygen reduction and evolution reactions

Mn3O4@CoMn2O4 nanoparticles (NPs) were produced at low temperature and ambient atmosphere using a one -pot two-step synthesis protocol involving the cation exchange of Mn by Co in preformed Mn3O4 NPs. Selecting the proper cobalt precursor, the nucleation of CoxOy crystallites at the Mn3O4@a CoMn2O4 surface could be simultaneously promoted to form Mn3O4@CoMn2O4-CoxOy NPs. Such heterostructured NPs were investigated for oxygen reduction and evolution reactions (ORR, OER) in alkaline solution. Mn3O4@ CoMn2O4-Cox0y NPs with [Co]/[Mn] = 1 showed low overpotentials of 0.31 Vat(-3) mA.cm(-2) and a small Tafel slope of 52 mV.dec(-1) for ORR, and overpotentials of 0.31 V at 10 mAPeer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Impact of permeate flux and gas sparging rate on membrane performance and process economics of granular anaerobic membrane bioreactors

This research investigated the impact of permeate flux and gas sparging rate on membrane permeability, dissolved and colloidal organic matter (DCOM) rejection and process economics of granular anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs). The goal of the study was to understand how membrane fouling control strategies influence granular AnMBR economics. To this end, short- and long-term filtration tests were performed under different permeate flux and specific gas demand (SGD) conditions. The results showed that flux and SGD conditions had a direct impact on membrane fouling. At normalised fluxes (J20) of 4.4 and 8.7 L m−2 h−1 (LMH) the most favourable SGD condition was 0.5 m3 m−2 h−1, whereas at J20 of 13.0 and 16.7 LMH the most favourable SGD condition was 1.0 m3 m−2 h−1. The flux and the SGD did not have a direct impact on DCOM rejection, with values ranging between 31 and 44%. The three-dimensional excitation-emission matrix fluorescence (3DEEM) spectra showed that protein-like fluorophores were predominant in mixed liquor and permeate samples (67-79%) and were retained by the membrane (39-50%). This suggests that protein-like fluorophores could be an important foulant for these systems. The economic analysis showed that operating the membranes at moderate fluxes (J20 = 7.8 LMH) and SGD (0.5 m3 m−2 h−1) could be the most favourable alternative. Finally, a sensitivity analysis illustrated that electricity and membrane cost were the most sensitive economic parameters, which highlights the importance of reducing SGD requirements and improving membrane permeability to reduce costs of granular AnMBRs