Physical Activity Levels for Girls and Young Adult Women versus Boys and Young Adult Men in Spain: A Gender Gap Analysis

Despite that the health benefits of physical activity (PA) are clear, during the last years, a noticeable plateau or slight increase in physical inactivity levels in Spanish adolescents and young adults has been reported. In addition, there seems to be a progressive reduction of the total PA performed with age in both adolescent and young women as well as adult men. We aimed to analyze these changes with age in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in a sample of Spanish adolescents and young adults within the age range of 15−24 years old (n = 7827), considering the gender and using the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. For that, we implemented a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) considering both the gender and the age group surveyed. Generally, our findings showed a reduction in the daily MVPA performed from adolescence to young adulthood in Spaniards. Within these reductions, girls reduce their PA levels at a different age and pace in adolescence and young adulthood in comparison to boys. Though girls were less active than boys in the 15−18 year age range, these differences were no longer significant at older ages. Our results point out the necessity of implementing different policy approaches based on gender (i.e., for girls and young women), since reductions in the MVPA performed occur at particular ages and paces in comparison to boys and young men. This difference indicates that the traditional approach during adolescence and young adulthood is inadequate for tackling physical inactivity without considering the population’s gender

Carbon isotopes of graphite: Implications on fluid history

Stable carbon isotope geochemistry provides important information for the recognition of fundamental isotope exchange processes related to the movement of carbon in the lithosphere and permits the elaboration of models for the global carbon cycle. Carbon isotope ratios in fluid-Deposited graphite are powerful tools for unravelling the ultimate origin of carbon (organic matter, mantle, or carbonates) and help to constrain the fluid history and the mechanisms involved in graphite deposition.Graphite precipitation in fluid-deposited occurrences results from CO2- and/or CH4-bearing aqueous fluids. Fluid flow can be considered as both a closed (without replenishment of the fluid) or an open system (with renewal of the fluid by successive fluid batches). In closed systems, carbon isotope systematics in graphite is mainly governed by Rayleigh precipitation and/or by changes in temperature affecting the fractionation factor between fluid and graphite. Such processes result in zoned graphite crystals or in successive graphite generations showing, in both cases, isotopic variation towards progressive 13C or 12C enrichment (depending upon the dominant carbon phase in the fluid, CO2 or CH4, respectively). In open systems, in which carbon is episodically introduced along the fracture systems, the carbon systematics is more complex and individual graphite crystals may display oscillatory zoning because of Rayleigh precipitation or heterogeneous variations of d13C values when mixing of fluids or changes in the composition of the fluids are the mechanisms responsible for graphite precipitation

Sperm competition in fluctuating populations of common voles in southern Europe: reversed relationship between relative testes size and density

Resumen de la comunicación presentada en: 7th European Congress of Mammalogy - Stockholm (Sweden), August 17–21 2015Investment in sperm numbers is a key predictor of success in sperm competition and there is usually a positive relationship between sperm competition level and male reproductive effort on ejaculates, which is often measured using relative testes size (RTS). Demographic processes can drasti- cally alter levels of sperm competition and we should expect males to respond to increasing competition risk (RTS increase with density). Here we investigate whether RTS of common voles respond to fluctuations in population density. We evaluated variation of RTS depending on current and recent densities of con- specifics, also taking into account the condition of individual males (fat levels and parasite loads). Contrary to our prediction and in line with recent findings reporting ambiguous results among other vole species, we found a reversed relationship between RTS and density. Our data show that demographic factors can strongly affect RTS and we discuss possible mechanisms to explain these findings.Peer reviewe

Psychological well-being from neuropsychological perspective: Contributions of personal wellbeing program in the university classroom

Noticing well-being by people is a strength that imbues behavior and meaning. What is well-being mean? What are their factors? How do we claim the best development of these actions? The well-being is expressed in a better performance of academic tasks, boosting social abilities and a better self-concept. The goal of this work is to analyze the relationship between noticing psychological well-being by students from a program under a neuropsychological perspective. The designed program introducing the value of neuroscience to deep in the best way the processes that doing the people's development in their personal, social, emotional and professional areas. Activities that had more impact were related to the self-concept and the Brain-Education relationship, both were outlined by 62,5%. Workshops were incredibly well valued, underlined the storytelling (given in English) and the role of the music under neuroscience, both had a 100% and 92%, respectively, value with a five score. All students confirmed the need to include more content related to the brain and its involvement in the educational and well-being area. Tasks that are better than valued are related to brain structures like the hippocampus, (identity sense, memories… basis on how we see and talk on oneself), in conjunction with brain connections of prefrontal cortex and motor-sensory areas during information processing. It is essential to consider the importance of continuing carrying out this kind of program, enriching the theory with the practice ingredients. This program had a pilot meaning, requiring a better analysis and implementation in another group of students.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Contrasting Mineralizing Processes in Volcanic-Hosted Graphite Deposits

The only two known graphite vein-deposits hosted by volcanic rocks (Borrowdale, United Kingdom, and Huelma, Southern Spain) show remarkable similarities and differences. The lithology, age of the magmatism and geodynamic contexts are distinct, but the mineralized bodies are controlled by fractures. Evidence of assimilation of metasedimentary rocks by the magmas and hydrothermal alteration are also common features to both occurrences. Graphite morphologies at the Borrowdale deposit vary from flakes (predominant) to spherulites and cryptocrystalline aggregates, whereas at Huelma, flaky graphite is the only morphology observed. The structural characterization of graphite indicates a high degree of ordering along both the c axis and the basal plane. Stable carbon isotope ratios of graphite point to a biogenic origin of carbon, most probably related to the assimilation of metasedimentary rocks. Bulk į13C values are quite homogeneous in both occurrences, probably related to precipitation in short time periods. Fluid inclusion data reveal that graphite precipitated from C-O-H fluids at moderate temperature (500 ºC) in Borrowdale and crystallized at high temperature from magma in Huelma, In addition, graphite mineralization occurred under contrasting fO2 conditions. All these features can be used as potential exploration tools for volcanic-hosted graphite deposits

Assimilation, Hydrothermal Alteration and Graphite Mineralization in the Borrowdale Deposit (UK)

The volcanic-hosted graphite deposit at Borrowdale was formed through precipitation from C-O-H fluids. The G13C data indicate that carbon was incorporated into the mineralizing fluids by assimilation of carbonaceous metapelites of the Skiddaw Group by andesite magmas of the Borrowdale Volcanic Group. The graphite mineralization occurred as the fluids migrated upwards through normal conjugate fractures forming the main subvertical pipe-like bodies. The mineralizing fluids evolved from CO2-CH4-H2O mixtures (XCO2=0.6-0.8) to CH4-H2O mixtures. Coevally with graphite deposition, the andesite and dioritic wall rocks adjacent to the veins were intensely hydrothermally altered to a propylitic assemblage. The initial graphite precipitation was probably triggered by the earliest hydration reactions in the volcanic host rocks. During the main mineralization stage, graphite precipitated along the pipe-like bodies due to CO2 -> C+O2. This agrees with the isotopic data which indicate that the first graphite morphologies crystallizing from the fluid (cryptocrystalline aggregates) are isotopically lighter than those crystallizing later (flakes). Late chlorite-graphite veins were formed from CH4-enriched fluids following the reaction CH4 + O2 -> C+ 2H2O, producing the successive precipitation of isotopically lighter graphite morphologies. Thus, as mineralization proceeded, water-generating reactions were involved in graphite precipitation, further favouring the propylitic alteration

Assimilation, Hydrothermal Alteration and Graphite Mineralization in the Borrowdale Deposit (UK)

The volcanic-hosted graphite deposit at Borrowdale was formed through precipitation from C-O-H fluids. The G13C data indicate that carbon was incorporated into the mineralizing fluids by assimilation of carbonaceous metapelites of the Skiddaw Group by andesite magmas of the Borrowdale Volcanic Group. The graphite mineralization occurred as the fluids migrated upwards through normal conjugate fractures forming the main subvertical pipe-like bodies. The mineralizing fluids evolved from CO2-CH4-H2O mixtures (XCO2=0.6-0.8) to CH4-H2O mixtures. Coevally with graphite deposition, the andesite and dioritic wall rocks adjacent to the veins were intensely hydrothermally altered to a propylitic assemblage. The initial graphite precipitation was probably triggered by the earliest hydration reactions in the volcanic host rocks. During the main mineralization stage, graphite precipitated along the pipe-like bodies due to CO2 -> C+O2. This agrees with the isotopic data which indicate that the first graphite morphologies crystallizing from the fluid (cryptocrystalline aggregates) are isotopically lighter than those crystallizing later (flakes). Late chlorite-graphite veins were formed from CH4-enriched fluids following the reaction CH4 + O2 -> C+ 2H2O, producing the successive precipitation of isotopically lighter graphite morphologies. Thus, as mineralization proceeded, water-generating reactions were involved in graphite precipitation, further favouring the propylitic alteration

Performance of rodent spermatozoa over time is enhanced by increased ATP concentrations: The role of sperm competition

© 2015 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Inc. Sperm viability, acrosome integrity, motility, and swimming velocity are determinants of male fertility and exhibit an extreme degree of variation among closely related species. Many of these sperm parameters are associated with sperm ATP content, which has led to predictions of trade-offs between ATP content and sperm motility and velocity. Selective pressures imposed by sperm competition have been proposed as evolutionary causes of this pattern of diversity in sperm traits. Here, we examine variation in sperm viability, acrosome integrity, motility, swimming velocity, and ATP content over time, among 18 species of closely related muroid rodents, to address the following questions: (a) Do sperm from closely related species vary in ATP content after a period of incubation? (b) Are these differences in ATP levels related to differences in other sperm traits? (c) Are differences in ATP content and sperm performance over time explained by the levels of sperm competition in these species? Our results revealed a high degree of interspecific variability in changes in sperm ATP content, acrosome integrity, sperm motility and swimming velocity over time. Additionally, species with high sperm competition levels were able to maintain higher levels of sperm motility and faster sperm swimming velocity when they were incubated under conditions that support sperm survival. Furthermore, we show that the maintenance of such levels of sperm performance is correlated with the ability of sperm to sustain high concentrations of intracellular ATP over time. Thus, sperm competition may have an important role maximizing sperm metabolism and performance and, ultimately, the fertilizing capacity of spermatozoa.Peer Reviewe

Conditions of graphite precipitation in the volcanic-hosted deposits at Borrowdale (Cumbria, UK)

Depto. de Mineralogía y PetrologíaFac. de Ciencias GeológicasTRUEpu

Palaeogeographical significance of clay mineral assemblages in the Permian and Triassic sediments of the SE Iberian Ranges, eastern Spain

The evolution of the palaeogeography of the SE Iberian Basin during the Permian and Triassic represents a general evolution from continental to marine environments. It has been recently studied from the sedimentological, stratigraphical, tectonic and palaeontological points of view. In spite of these results, many aspects of this palaeogeography are still a matter of discussion. In this study, clay mineralogy analysis complements previous studies representing a new aspect for understanding the evolution of the sedimentary environment and the palaeogeography of the Iberian Basin during the periods in question and thus of the palaeogeography and the location of the major high areas in the westernmost border of the Tethys sea. In spite of late diagenetic transformations the original clay mineral associations of the Permian-Triassic sediments of the SE Iberian Ranges can be reconstructed. Seventy-seven samples of siliciclastic and carbonate sediments of these ages have been studied (SEM and XRD), revealing six new aspects that help to precise the palaeogeographical interpretation of the area: (1) Two major mineral assemblages have been found: illite+ kaolinite +pyrophyllite in the continental facies and illite + chlorite + vermiculite + mixed-layer clays in the marine facies. (2) The Mg-rich clay minerals are here considered to be of marine origin. (3) Active phases of basin boundary faults are marked in the sediments by the presence of pyrophyllite, derived directly from the Palaeozoic metamorphic basement. (4) Unconformities separating major depositional sequences also separate formations with different clay mineralogy. (5) Different groups of clay minerals can be separated clearly coinciding with the different palaeogeographical stages also distinguished in the westernmost border of the Tethys sea. (6) The clay mineral associations back up the data of a previous hypothesis of a humid climate for the end of the Permian in the study area just prior to the first incursion of the Tethys sea