Reconstrucción de torso del género Homo mediante técnicas de morfometría geométrica 3D

Tesis doctoral inédita leída en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Biología. Fecha de lectura: 10-12-202

I Jornadas Científicas del Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales

I Jornadas Científicas del Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, celebradas el 21-22 Febrero 2017, en el Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (Madrid)El objetivo de las I Jornadas Científicas del Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales es dar a conocer las diferentes líneas de investigación que están realizando los distintos Departamentos de este Centro, además de dar la oportunidad de conocerse y facilitar la interacción entre todos. Las jornadas constan de 26 charlas (con sus presentaciones) y en principio, son representativas de todos los departamentos de forma equitativa de acuerdo con el número de miembros de cada uno de los participantes. Además dos o tres charlas "plenarias" de interés general. Se da prioridad a participar a los jóvenes investigadores, estudiantes de doctorado o jóvenes postdoctorandos. Participación de miembros de: Departamento de Biogeografía y Cambio Global, Dept. Ecología Evolutiva, Dept. Geología, Dept. Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Dept. Biogeoquímica y Ecología Microbiana, Dept. Paleobiología.01 Pequeña historia. 02 Programa de las Jornadas. 03 Libro de resumenes. 04 Cartel anunciador. 05 Menus de desayuno y almuerzo. 06 Balance de las Jornadas. 07 AgradecimientosPresentaciones disponibles: Álvarez-Cobelas: "Los científicos hispanos como insectos sociales?".-- Mikel Calle: "Cuando el río suena... agua lleva. Caracterizando la dinámica de los cauces efímeros mediterráneos”.-- María Cristina Casero: “"Aquí no hay quien viva: Microorganismos litobiónticos en el desierto de Atacama".-- Cepeda, Diego; Soler-Hurtado, M. Mar; Lattig, Patricia: "Un océano de gusanos marinos: la importancia de conocer la biodiversidad de anélidos asociados a corales".-- Flores, Omar; Rey, Ana; Curiel Yuste, Jorge; Valladares Ros, Fernando: “Modelización de la descomposición de la hojarasca en climas áridos”.-- Forner, Alicia; Aranda, Ismael; Valladares Ros, Fernando: “Árboles mediterráneos en la cuerda floja: sequías extremas, ¿un crimen con atenuantes?”.-- García-Ángulo, Daniel: “Ojos que no ven… Efecto del cambio climático y del manejo histórico de los encinares en el suelo bajo nuestros pies”.- García Morato, Sara: “Hienas, humanos y micromamíferos”.-- García-Tabernero, Antonio: “Aplicaciones de antropología virtual: colecciones virtuales y paleoneurología”.-- Garrido-Benavent, Isaac: Estudios filogeográficos de dos especies de hongos liquenizados muestran orígenes distintos de la biota liquénica antártica".-- Garrido, Fernando; García-Guinea, Javier; Gómez-González, Miguel A.: Presencia de arsénico en suelos contaminados de la provincia de Madrid.-- Gaspar, Leticia: “Técnicas radiométricas en el estudio de la erosión y la redistribución del suelo”.-- Doadrio, Ignacio; Pardos Blas, José Ramón: Desenredando el género Gambusia (Poeciliidae) en el noreste de México.-- Riesco López, Alberto; Bastir, Markus: Morfología virtual en 3D del Megatherium americanum del MNCNPeer reviewe

Association between ribs shape and pulmonary function in patients with Osteogenesis Imperfecta

The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that ribs shape changes in patients with OI are more relevant for respiratory function than thoracic spine shape. We used 3D geometric morphometrics to quantify rib cage morphology in OI patients and controls, and to investigate its relationship with forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), expressed as absolute value and as percentage of predicted value (% pred). Regression analyses on the full sample showed a significant relation between rib shape and FEV1, FVC and FVC % pred whereas thoracic spine shape was not related to any parameter. Subsequent regression analyses on OI patients confirmed significant relations between dynamic lung volumes and rib shape changes. Lower FVC and FEV1 values are identified in OI patients that present more horizontally aligned ribs, a greater antero-posterior depth due to extreme transverse curve at rib angles and a strong spine invagination, greater asymmetry, and a vertically short, thoracolumbar spine, which is relatively straight in at levels 1–8 and shows a marked kyphosis in the thoraco-lumbar transition. Our research seems to support that ribs shape is more relevant for ventilator mechanics in OI patients than the spine shapeThis project was funded by grants of the Fundacion Eresa (grant number: BF14_005), the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (grant number: CGL2015-63648-P), the Care4Brittlebones Foundation (grant number: OTR2016-15543INVES), and the University of Valencia (grant number: UV-INV_AE18-773873)

Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density

Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data

Canagliflozin and renal outcomes in type 2 diabetes and nephropathy

BACKGROUND Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the leading cause of kidney failure worldwide, but few effective long-term treatments are available. In cardiovascular trials of inhibitors of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2), exploratory results have suggested that such drugs may improve renal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS In this double-blind, randomized trial, we assigned patients with type 2 diabetes and albuminuric chronic kidney disease to receive canagliflozin, an oral SGLT2 inhibitor, at a dose of 100 mg daily or placebo. All the patients had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 30 to <90 ml per minute per 1.73 m2 of body-surface area and albuminuria (ratio of albumin [mg] to creatinine [g], >300 to 5000) and were treated with renin–angiotensin system blockade. The primary outcome was a composite of end-stage kidney disease (dialysis, transplantation, or a sustained estimated GFR of <15 ml per minute per 1.73 m2), a doubling of the serum creatinine level, or death from renal or cardiovascular causes. Prespecified secondary outcomes were tested hierarchically. RESULTS The trial was stopped early after a planned interim analysis on the recommendation of the data and safety monitoring committee. At that time, 4401 patients had undergone randomization, with a median follow-up of 2.62 years. The relative risk of the primary outcome was 30% lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group, with event rates of 43.2 and 61.2 per 1000 patient-years, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59 to 0.82; P=0.00001). The relative risk of the renal-specific composite of end-stage kidney disease, a doubling of the creatinine level, or death from renal causes was lower by 34% (hazard ratio, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.53 to 0.81; P<0.001), and the relative risk of end-stage kidney disease was lower by 32% (hazard ratio, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.54 to 0.86; P=0.002). The canagliflozin group also had a lower risk of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.67 to 0.95; P=0.01) and hospitalization for heart failure (hazard ratio, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.47 to 0.80; P<0.001). There were no significant differences in rates of amputation or fracture. CONCLUSIONS In patients with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease, the risk of kidney failure and cardiovascular events was lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group at a median follow-up of 2.62 years

Assessing thoraco-pelvic covariation in Homo sapiens and Pan troglodytes: A 3D geometric morphometric approach

This project contains the files and R script necessary to reproduce the findings of the research article https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.2410

Flujos de trabajo en la investigación en paleoantropología en el Laboratorio de Morfología Virtual del MNCN

Sesión teórico-práctica sobre Morfometría Geométrica desarrollada en el marco de la asignatura Antropología Ecológica, el día 30 de octubre de 2020. Se ha demostrado la metodología del laboratorio de morfología virtual del MNCN mediante una conferencia invitada

Morphological and functional implications of sexual dimorphism in the human skeletal thorax

Objectives: The human respiratory apparatus is characterized by sexual dimorphism, the cranial airways of males being larger (both absolutely and relatively) than those of females. These differences have been linked to sex-specific differences in body composition, bioenergetics, and respiratory function. However, whether morpho-functional variation in the thorax is also related to these features is less clear. We apply 3D geometric morphometrics to study these issues and their implications for respiratory function. Material and methods: Four hundred two landmarks and semilandmarks were measured in CT-reconstructions of rib cages from adult healthy subjects (N = 18; N = 24) in maximal inspiration (MI) and maximal expiration (ME). After Procrustes registration, size and shape data were analyzed by mean comparisons and regression analysis. Respiratory function was quantified through functional size, which is defined as the difference of rib cage size between MI and ME. Results: Males showed significantly larger thorax size (p <.01) and functional size (p <.05) than females. In addition, the 3D-shape differed significantly between sexes (p <.01). Male rib cages were wider (particularly caudally) and shorter, with more horizontally oriented ribs when compared to females. While thorax widening and rib orientation were unrelated to allometry, thorax shortening showed a slight allometric signal. Conclusions: Our findings are in line with previous research on sexual dimorphism of the respiratory system. However, we add that thorax shortening observed previously in males is the only feature caused by allometry. The more horizontally oriented ribs and the wider thorax of males may indicate a greater diaphragmatic contribution to rib cage kinematics than in females, and differences in functional size fit with the need for greater oxygen intake in males.This research is funded by CGL2012-37279 Project from Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO, Spain)Peer Reviewe

Three-dimensional analysis of sexual dimorphism in the soft tissue morphology of the upper airways in a human population

[Objectives]: Several studies have analyzed the sexual dimorphism of the skeletal cranial airways. This study aimed to quantify the three-dimensional (3D) morphology of the soft tissues of the upper airways in a human population. We addressed hypotheses about morphological features related to respiratory and energetic aspects of nasal sexual dimorphism. [Methods]: We reconstructed 3D models of 41 male and female soft tissue nasal airways from computed tomography data. We measured 280 landmarks and semi-landmarks for 3D-geometric morphometric analyses to test for differences in size and 3D morphology of different functional compartments of the soft tissue airways. [Results]: We found statistical evidence for sexual dimorphism: Males were larger than females. 3D features indicated taller and wider inflow tracts, taller outflow tracts and slightly taller internal airways in males. These characteristics are compatible with greater airflow in males. [Discussion]: The differences in 3D nasal airway morphology are compatible with the respiratory-energetics hypothesis according to which males differ from females because of greater energetic demands. Accordingly, structures related to inflow and outflow of air show stronger signals than structures relevant for air-conditioning.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Grant/Award Number: CGL2015-63648-P; University of Bordeaux, Grant/Award Number: ANR-10-IDEX-03-02; Juan de la Cierva Formación, Grant/Award Number: FJCI-2017-32157

Ribcage measurements indicate greater lung capacity in Neanderthals and Lower Pleistocene hominins compared to modern humans

© The Author(s) 2018.Our most recent fossil relatives, the Neanderthals, had a large brain and a very heavy body compared to modern humans. This type of body requires high levels of energetic intake. While food (meat and fat consumption) is a source of energy, oxygen via respiration is also necessary for metabolism. We would therefore expect Neanderthals to have large respiratory capacities. Here we estimate the pulmonary capacities of Neanderthals, based on costal measurements and physiological data from a modern human comparative sample. The Kebara 2 male had a lung volume of about 9.04 l; Tabun C1, a female individual, a lung volume of 5.85 l; and a Neanderthal from the El Sidrón site, a lung volume of 9.03 l. These volumes are approximately 20% greater than the corresponding volumes of modern humans of the same body size and sex. These results show that the Neanderthal body was highly sensitive to energy supply.This research is funded by CGL-2012–37279, CGL-2015–63648-P, CGL2016–75109-P (Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness, Spain), PI10/02089 (Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria, Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality Spain) and the Leakey Foundation.Peer Reviewe