Orographic Effects on Berry Morphology and Chemical Composition of Carignan and Grenache Noir Grapes

A variation in the climatic parameters of an orographic vineyard influences the growth and developmentof vines and grapes. Understanding the effects of this is highly beneficial in determining how viticulturepractices can be modified to enhance grape quality. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of in-rowgrape position, altitude and vigour on berry morphology and grape maturity. The effects of vigour, altitudeand in-row grape position on berry weight and diameter, titratable acidity, pH and sugar concentrationof Carignan and Grenache noir grapes grown in a vineyard located in Priorat were investigated in the2021 vintage. The results show that Carignan grapes with a lower vigour demonstrated a higher sugarconcentration, berry weight and diameter, as well as lower titratable acidity, while the Grenache noirgrapes with a lower vigour achieved only a higher sugar concentration. The grapes at high altitude had ahigher sugar concentration in Carignan and higher titratable acidity in Grenache noir. Outer-row grapesof Carignan were characterised by lower titratable acidity and a higher sugar concentration, berry weightand diameter, while the outer-row grapes of Grenache noir displayed lower berry diameter, and a higherpH and sugar concentration. Vigour and in-row grape position have stronger effects on berry morphologyand chemical composition than altitude. Sugar concentration is more susceptible than other parameters tobe influenced by variability in the vineyard conditions

Effects of a fire on runoff and erosion on mediterranean forest soils in SE Spain

From 1985 to 1990, precipitation, runoff and soil erosion have been studied on experimental plots in a locality of Alicante (SE Spain). A prescribed burning was carried out in September of 1989, (maximum temperature was moderate). In order to know soil evolution, soil was sampled three times: before fire, one day after fire and six months later. One day after fire, a significant increase in organic matter content, total nitrogen, available phosphorus and the cations: K+, Mg2+ and N+, was found. On the other hand, Ca2+ and C.E.C. showed an opposite pattern. The modified values after fire tended to go bacic to the initial levels in the case of organic matter, phosphorus, Na+, Ca2+ and C.E.C. Annual runoff after fire is significantly lower than in the year before fire, whilst average runoff in the year after fire is only significantly different when the most erosive year (October 1987-September 1988) is not considered. The runoff decrease will be related with a lower average precipitation after fire. There are no significant differences in the sediment yield between the year before and after the fire. The nutrient outputs and runoff decrease is greater than the nutrient inputs and precipitation decrease after fire. Nutrient output in runoff after fire ranges between 8 to 35 % of the previous year, whilst volume of runoff is only 3 %, implying a greater concentration.[es] Se han estudiado los flujos de escorrentía y remoción de suelo, así como su composición química durante cinco años (1985-1990) en unas parcelas de erosión en una localidad de la provincia de Alicante (SE-España). En septiembre de 1989 se incendió la vegetación de las parcelas registrándose temperaturas moderadas. Se ha realizado un seguimiento de la química del suelo mediante tres muestreos: previo al fuego, al día siguiente y 180 días después. Al día siguiente del incendio se ha producido en el suelo un incremento estadísticamente significativo del contenido en materia orgánica, nitrógeno total, fósforo asimilable y los cationes cambiables: K+, Mg2+ y N+. Por el contrario, hay una disminución de Ca2+ y de la C.I.C. Los valores modificados tras el incendio tienden a recuperar su nivel Inicial en el caso de materia orgánica, fósforo. Na+, Ca2+ y C.I.C. La escorrentía anual tras el incendio es significativamente menor que la del año anterior al incendio, mientras que la escorrentía media es significativamente menor sólo en el caso de no considerar el año más erosivo (Octubre 1987-Septiembre 1988), lo que estaría asociado con una disminución de la precipitación media tras el incendio. Por su parte, la producción de sedimentos del año posterior al incendio no presenta diferencias significativas respecto al año anterior. La disminución en la salida de nutrientes y en el volumen de escorrentía es más acentuada que la disminución en la entrada de nutrientes y en el volumen de la precipitación después del incendio. La salida de nutrientes por escorrentía tras el incendio presenta un rango entre 8 y 35% del año anterior, cuando el volumen sólo representa el 3 %, lo que Implica un aumento en su concentración. [fr] On a étudié les flux de ruissellement et de transport du sol, ainsi que sa composition chimique, pendant cinq ans (1985-1990), dans des parcelles d'érosion dans une localité de la Province d'Alicante (SE-Espagne). En septembre 1989, on a brûle la végétation des parcelles, en enregistrant des températures modérées. On a réalisé un suivi de la chimie du sol par trois échantillonnages: avant le feu, le jour suivant et 180 jours plus tard. Le jour après l'incendie, il s'est produit dans le sol une augmentation statistiquement significative de la teneur en matière organique, azote total, phosphore assimilable, et des cations changeables: K+ Mg2+ et Na+. Au contraire, il y a une diminution de Ca2+ et de la C.I.C. Les valeurs modifiées après l'incendie tendent à reprendre leur niveau initial dans le cas de la matière organique, phosphore, Na+ Ca2+ et C.I.C. Le ruissellement annuel après l'incendie est significativement moindre que pour l'année avant l'incendie, cependant que le ruissellement moyen est significativement plus faible uniquement dans le cas où l'on ne considère pas l'année où l'érosion a été maximale (octobre 1987-septembre 1988), ce qui serait associé à une diminution de la précipitation moyenne après l'incendie. D'autre part, la production de sédiments pendant l'année postérieure à l'incendie ne présente pas de différences significatives par rapport à l'année précédente. La diminution de l'exportation d'éléments nutritifs et du volume de ruissellement est plus accentuée que la diminution de l'entrée d'éléments nutritifs et que le volume de la précipitation après l'incendie. L'exportation d'éléments nutritifs par ruissellement après l'incendie reste dans une gamme de 8 à 35% par rapport à l'année précédente, tandis que le volume ne représente que 3%, ce qui implique une augmentation de la concentration

Analyzing the major drivers of NEE in a Mediterranean alpine shrubland

Two years of continuous measurements of net ecosystem exchange (NEE) using the eddy covariance technique were made over a Mediterranean alpine shrubland. This ecosystem was found to be a net source of CO2 (+ 52 ± 7 g C m−2 and + 48 ± 7 g C m−2 for 2007 and 2008) during the two-year study period. To understand the reasons underlying this net release of CO2 into the atmosphere, we analysed the drivers of seasonal variability in NEE over these two years. We observed that the soil water availability – driven by the precipitation pattern – and the photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) are the key factors for understanding both the carbon sequestration potential and the duration of the photosynthetic period during the growing season. Finally, the effects of the self-heating correction to CO2 and H2O fluxes measured with the open-path infrared gas analyser were evaluated. Applying the correction turned the annual CO2 budget in 2007 from a sink (− 135 ± 7 g C m−2) to a source (+ 52 ± 7 g C m−2). The magnitude of this change is larger than reported previously and is shown to be due to the low air density and cold temperatures at this high elevation study site.This research was supported by the regional government Junta de Andalucía, project BACAEMÁ (RNM-332) and the Spanish National flux tower network CARBORED-ES (CGL2006-14195-C02-01/CLI)

Lower Rydberg series of methane : A combined coupled cluster linear response and molecular quantum defect orbital calculation

Vertical excitation energies as well as related absolute photoabsorption oscillator strength data are very scarce in the literature for methane. In this study, we have characterized the three existing series of low-lying Rydberg states of CH4 by computing coupled cluster linear response (CCLR) vertical excitation energies together with oscillator strengths in the molecular-adapted quantum defect orbital formalism from a distorted Cs geometry selected on the basis of outer valence green function calculations. The present work provides a wide range of data of excitation energies and absolute oscillator strengths which correspond to the Rydberg series converging to the three lower ionization potential values of the distorted methane molecule, in energy regions for which experimentally measured data appear to be [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Diagnosis of multiple sclerosis using optical coherence tomography supported by artificial intelligence

Background: Current procedures for diagnosing multiple sclerosis (MS) present a series of limitations, making it critically important to identify new biomarkers. The aim of the study was to identify new biomarkers for the early diagnosis of MS using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) and artificial intelligence. Methods: Spectral domain OCT was performed on 79 patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) (disease duration ≤ 2 years, no history of optic neuritis) and on 69 age-matched healthy controls using the posterior pole protocol that incorporates the anatomic Positioning System. Median retinal thickness values in both eyes and inter-eye difference in healthy controls and patients were evaluated by area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve analysis in the foveal, parafoveal and perifoveal areas and in the overall area spanned by the three rings. The structures with the greatest discriminant capacity — retinal thickness and inter-eye difference — were used as inputs to a convolutional neural network to assess the diagnostic capability. Results: Analysis of retinal thickness and inter-eye difference in RRMS patients revealed that greatest alteration occurred in the ganglion cell (GCL), inner plexiform (IPL), and inner retinal (IRL) layers. By using the average thickness of the GCL (AUROC = 0.82) and the inter-eye difference in the IPL (AUROC = 0.71) as inputs to a two-layer convolutional neural network, automatic diagnosis attained accuracy = 0.87, sensitivity = 0.82, and specificity = 0.92. Conclusion: This study adds weight to the argument that neuroretinal structure analysis could be incorporated into the diagnostic criteria for MS

Unleashing the Diagnostic, Prognostic and Therapeutic Potential of the Neuronostatin/GPR107 System in Prostate Cancer

Certain components of the somatostatin-system play relevant roles in Prostate Cancer (PCa), whose most aggressive phenotype (Castration-Resistant-PCa (CRPC)) remains lethal nowadays. However, neuronostatin and the G protein-coupled receptor 107 (GPR107), two novel members of the somatostatin-system, have not been explored yet in PCa. Consequently, we investigated the pathophysiological role of NST/GPR107-system in PCa. GPR107 expression was analyzed in well-characterized PCa patient′s cohorts, and functional/mechanistic assays were performed in response to GPR107-silencing and NST-treatment in PCa cells (androgen-dependent (AD: LNCaP) and androgen-independent (AI: 22Rv1/PC-3), which are cell models of hormone-sensitive and CRPC, respectively), and normal prostate cells (RWPE-1 cell-line). GPR107 was overexpressed in PCa and associated with key clinical parameters (e.g., advance stage of PCa, presence of vascular invasion and metastasis). Furthermore, GPR107-silencing inhibited proliferation/migration rates in AI-PCa-cells and altered key genes and oncogenic signaling-pathways involved in PCa aggressiveness (i.e., KI67/CDKN2D/MMP9/PRPF40A, SST5TMD4/AR-v7/In1-ghrelin/EZH2 splicing-variants and AKT-signaling). Interestingly, NST treatment inhibited proliferation/migration only in AI-PCa cells and evoked an identical molecular response than GPR107-silencing. Finally, NST decreased GPR107 expression exclusively in AI-PCa-cells, suggesting that part of the specific antitumor effects of NST could be mediated through a GPR107-downregulation. Altogether, NST/GPR107-system could represent a valuable diagnostic and prognostic tool and a promising novel therapeutic target for PCa and CRPC

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

Oncogenic Role of Secreted Engrailed Homeobox 2 (EN2) in Prostate Cancer

Engrailed variant-2 (EN2) has been suggested as a potential diagnostic biomarker; however, its presence and functional role in prostate cancer (PCa) cells is still controversial or unknown. Here, we analyzed 1) the expression/secretion profile of EN2 in five independent samples cohorts from PCa patients and controls (prostate tissues and/or urine) to determine its utility as a PCa biomarker; and 2) the functional role of EN2 in normal (RWPE1) and tumor (LNCaP/22Rv1/PC3) prostate cells to explore its potential value as therapeutic target. EN2 was overexpressed in our two cohorts of PCa tissues compared to control and in tumor cell lines compared with normal-like prostate cells. This profile was corroborated in silico in three independent data sets [The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)/Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC)/Grasso]. Consistently, urine EN2 levels were elevated and enabled discrimination between PCa and control patients. EN2 treatment increased cell proliferation in LNCaP/22Rv1/PC3 cells, migration in RWPE1/PC3 cells, and PSA secretion in LNCaP cells. These effects were associated, at least in the androgen-sensitive LNCaP cells, with increased AKT and androgen-receptor phosphorylation levels and with modulation of key cancer-associated genes. Consistently, EN2 treatment also regulated androgen-receptor activity (full-length and splicing variants) in androgen-sensitive 22Rv1 cells. Altogether, this study demonstrates the potential utility of EN2 as a non-invasive diagnostic biomarker for PCa and provides novel and valuable information to further investigate its putative utility to develop new therapeutic tools in PCa

La cueva de el Sidron (Borines, Piloña, Asturias) : primeros resultados

Se exponen los resultados preliminares de las excavaciones arqueológicas llevadas a cabo en la Cueva de El Sidrón entre 2000 y 2002, de acuerdo con los tres objetivos principales que conciernen al registro fósil humano: las características antropológicas, cómo y cuándo llegaron allí y la relación entre fósiles y cultura. Las primeras conclusiones obtenidas son que los restos humanos pertenecen al Neandertal, que el registro arqueológico corresponde a un tecno-complejo del Paleolítico Medio y que están en posición secundaria.We expose the preliminary results ofthe archaeological excavations developed between 2000-2002 in Sidrón's Cave, according to the three main objectives that concern the human fossil record: the anthropological characteristics, how and when they arrived there and the relation between fossils and culture. We conclude preliminarily that the record belongs to Horno Neanderthalensis, archeological remains to the Middle Paleolithic techno-complex, and they are in a secondary [email protected]