Mean temperature evolution on the Spanish mainland 1916-2015

An analysis of the evolution of annual and seasonal mean temperatures on the Spanish mainland (western Mediterranean basin) was carried out, using the new MOnthly TEmperature Dataset of Spain century (MOTEDAS-century) data set. This data set was developed by combining archives from the National Meteorological Agency and newly digitised legacy data from the Annual Books published between 1916 and 1949. Both the annual and seasonal regional mean temperature series experienced increasing trends during the study period. However, the in-crement was neither constant in time (monotonic) nor homogeneous between seasons. Four main periods were identified in the annual mean regional series. The first 3 corresponded to those previously confirmed in global temperature series (rise-pause-rise); a second pause or hiatus was also detected at the end of the period of analysis. The seasonal regional series followed specific patterns: Winter mean temperature only increased in the second rising period, autumn in the first and spring and summer during the 2 rising periods. Also, negative trends were found in extended areas in the first pause in spring, and to a lesser extent in summer. From the middle of the 1980s, the trends in annual and seasonal mean values were not significant up until 2015. Furthermore, spatial variations were found in the significance of the trends, revealing regional differences in the intensity of warming through the seasons. In comparison with other versions of secular mean temperature series developed for the Spanish mainland, MOTEDAS-century seems to better capture the spatial variability

Variability of maximum and minimum monthly mean air temperatures over mainland Spain and their relationship with low-variability atmospheric patterns for period 1916–2015

The analysis of monthly air temperature trends over mainland Spain during 1916–2015 shows that warming has not been constant over time nor generalized among different months; it has not been synchronous for maximum and minimum air temperatures; and it has been heterogeneous in space. Temperature rose during two characteristic pulses separated by a pause around the middle of the 20th century in some months. In other months, only the second rising period is identified, or no warming can be found. In all months, and both for maximum and minimum air temperatures, a stagnation of the increasing trend is observed in the last two decades of the study period. High spatial variability exists in trend signal and significance, and two contrasting temporal patterns of advance over the study area are identified for maximum and minimum air temperatures. These patterns can be related to prevalent flow directions and relief disposition with respect to the flows associated with low-variability meteorological patterns North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and Western Mediterranean Oscillation (WEMO). The results show that warming is a complex phenomenon at regional and sub-regional scales that can only be analysed using high-spatial-resolution data and considering global and local factors

Zinc finger proteins act as transcriptional repressors of alkaloid biosynthesis genes in Catharanthus roseus

Plant science

Pαx6 Expression in Postmitotic Neurons Mediates the Growth of Axons in Response to SFRP1

During development, the mechanisms that specify neuronal subclasses are coupled to those that determine their axonal response to guidance cues. Pax6 is a homedomain transcription factor required for the specification of a variety of neural precursors. After cell cycle exit, Pax6 expression is often shut down in the precursor progeny and most postmitotic neurons no longer express detectable levels of the protein. There are however exceptions and high Pax6 protein levels are found, for example, in postmitotic retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), dopaminergic neurons of the olfactory bulb and the limbic system in the telencephalon. The function of Pax6 in these differentiating neurons remains mostly elusive. Here, we demonstrate that Pax6 mediates the response of growing axons to SFRP1, a secreted molecule expressed in several Pax6-positive forebrain territories. Forced expression of Pax6 in cultured postmitotic cortical neurons, which do not normally express Pax6, was sufficient to increment axonal length. Growth was blocked by the addition of anti-SFRP1 antibodies, whereas exogenously added SFRP1 increased axonal growth of Pax6-transfected neurons but not that of control or untransfected cortical neurons. In the reverse scenario, shRNA-mediated knock-down of Pax6 in mouse retinal explants specifically abolished RGCs axonal growth induced by SFRP1, but had no effect on RGCs differentiation and it did not modify the effect of Shh or Netrin on axon growth. Taken together these results demonstrate that expression of Pax6 is necessary and sufficient to render postmitotic neurons competent to respond to SFRP1. These results reveal a novel and unexpected function of Pax6 in postmitotic neurons and situate Pax6 and SFRP1 as pair regulators of axonal connectivity

Vaccine Effectiveness against Symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Adults Aged 65 Years and Older in Primary Care: I-MOVE-COVID-19 Project, Europe, December 2020 to May 2021

International audienceWe measured COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness (VE) against symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection at primary care/outpatient level among adults ≥q 65 years old using a multicentre test-negative design in eight European countries. We included 592 SARS-CoV-2 cases and 4,372 test-negative controls in the main analysis. The VE was 62% (95% CI: 45\textendash 74) for one dose only and 89% (95% CI: 79\textendash 94) for complete vaccination. COVID-19 vaccines provide good protection against COVID-19 presentation at primary care/outpatient level, particularly among fully vaccinated individuals

Effectiveness of complete primary vaccination against COVID-19 at primary care and community level during predominant Delta circulation in Europe: multicentre study analysis by age-group, vaccine brand and time since vaccination, I-MOVE-COVID-19 and ECDC networks, July–August 2021

Introduction In July and August 2021, the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant dominated in Europe. We measured COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness (VE) against symptomatic infection, using a multicentre test-negative study at primary care/community level in Europe. Methods Patients presenting with COVID-19/ARI symptoms at primary care/community level in 10 countries were tested for SARS-CoV-2. We measured complete primary course overall VE among those aged 30–44, 45–59, 60–74 and ≥75 years, and among those 30–59 and ≥60 years by vaccine brand and by time since vaccination. Results Overall VE was 74% (95%CI: 69–79), 76% (95%CI: 71–80), 63% (95%CI: 48–75), 63% (95%CI: 16–83) among those aged 30–44, 45–59, 60–74 and ≥75 years, respectively. VE among those aged 30–59 years was 78% (95%CI: 75–81), 66% (95%CI: 58–73), 91% (95%CI: 87–94) and 52% (95%CI: 40–61), for Comirnaty, Vaxzevria, Spikevax and COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen, respectively. VE among those aged ≥60 years was 67% (95%CI: 52–77), 65% (95%CI: 48–76), 83% (95%CI: 64–92) for Comirnaty, Vaxzevria and Spikevax, respectively. Comirnaty VE among those aged 30–59 years was 87% (95%CI: 83–89) and 65% (95%CI: 56–71%) at 14–29 days and ≥90 days between vaccination and onset of symptoms, respectively. Conclusions VE against the symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant infection varied among brands, ranging from 52–91%. While some waning of the vaccine effect may be present (sample size limited this analysis to only Comirnaty), protection was 65% ≥90 days between vaccination and onset