Biomarcadores en cangrejo de río (Procambarus clarkii) para evaluar la contaminación del Parque de Doñana y el Estuario del Guadalquivir por metales y plaguicidas

La Tesis muestra la utilidad del cangrejo rojo americano, Procambarus clarkii, como bioindicador de contaminación, tanto en exposiciones controladas in vitro a plaguicidas modelo, como en estudios de campo para evaluar el grado de contaminación del Parque Nacional de Doñana y su Entorno. El trabajo combina los resultados de biomarcadores convencionales y la identificación de proteínas afectadas por los contaminantes por técnicas proteómicas. Las dos primeras partes de la Tesis establecen la utilidad de las esterasas como biomarcadores específicos de los efectos de plaguicidas organofosforados y carbamatos, y su aplicación en el Entorno de Doñana. La tercera parte, analiza los efectos in vivo de la exposición de P. clarkii a dos plaguicidas modelo, clorpirifos y carbaril, integrando los resultados de una batería de biomarcadores bioquímicos convencionales y las respuestas proteómicas. La cuarta parte, se centra en el estudio integrado de Doñana y su Entorno, a lo largo de cuatro campañas de muestreo sucesivas, combinando todas las técnicas disponibles, logrando establecer cuatro categorías entre los sitios estudiados, en base a las respuestas obtenidas

A New Type of Asymmetrically Acting β-Carotene Ketolase Is Required for the Synthesis of Echinenone in the Cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

We have isolated, based on the knowledge of the complete genomic sequence of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, an open reading frame (slr0088) similar to known bacterial carotene desaturases and have analyzed the function of the encoded protein. Surprisingly, this protein has no detectable desaturase activity with phytoene, hydroxyneurosporene, or ζ-carotene as substrates, but is rather a β-carotene ketolase that acts asymmetrically introducing a keto group on only one of the two β-ionone rings of β-carotene to generate echinenone. This is in contrast to the so far characterized β-carotene ketolases that act symmetrically, producing the di-keto carotenoid canthaxanthin from β-carotene without significant accumulation of echinenone. We have designated this new gene crtO The function of the crtO gene product has been demonstrated by 1) the biosynthesis of echinenone when the crtO gene is expressed in an Escherichia coli strain able to accumulate β-carotene, 2) the in vitro biosynthesis of echinenone from β-carotene with cell free extracts from E. coli cells that express the crtO gene, and 3) the absence of echinenone in a Synechocystis strain in which the crtO gene has been insertionally inactivated. The primary structure of the Synechocystis asymmetric ketolase bears no similarity with the known β-carotene ketolases. crtO is not required for normal growth under standard or high light conditions, neither is the photosynthetic activity of the crtO-deficient strain affected

Las peroxidasas y la conversión del ácido 1-aminociclopropano-1-carboxílico en etileno

In this paper the role of peroxidases in the last step of the ethylene biosynthesis pathway, the conversion of 1-aminocyclopropane- 1-carboxylic acid, is discussed.En el trabajo se discute el papel de las peroxidasas en el último paso de la ruta de biosíntesis del etileno, la conversión del ácido 1-aminociclopropano-1-carboxílico en etileno

Cambios en el uso del preservativo en una cohorte de prostitutas

ResumenObjetivoDescribir los cambios en el uso del preservativo en una cohorte de mujeres que ejercen la prostitución en Alicante y analizar los factores que se relacionan con los cambios en esta práctica preventiva.MétodosSe han usado los datos de un estudio prospectivo que incluyó a las mujeres dedicadas a la prostitución que acudieron al Centro de Información y Prevención de Sida (CIPS) de Alicante desde 1986 a 1996. Se estimó la frecuencia en el uso del preservativo con los clientes en la primera y última visita al centro, se valoró el cambio entre las dos visitas y los factores asociados a ellos. Se realizaron dos análisis de regresión logística para determinar la asociación entre el cambio positivo o negativo y las variables explicativas.ResultadosLa prevalencia de uso del preservativo en la última visita fue mayor que en la primera (83,9% frente al 69,2%; p < 0,001). Entre las prostitutas que trabajan en contactos se incrementa más de cinco veces el uso del preservativo que entre las que lo hacen en los clubs y en la calle. Las que tienen mayor tiempo de seguimiento son las que tienen una mayor prevalencia en el uso del preservativo al final del seguimiento (odds ratio ajustada > 6 años frente a < de un año = 7,61; intervalo de confianza [IC] del 95%: 2,2-26,0).ConclusiónEste estudio ha puesto en evidencia un incremento en la frecuencia del uso del preservativo y la baja frecuencia de su abandono en una cohorte de prostitutas a lo largo de 10 años. En un futuro será necesario adaptar esta estrategia preventiva a las nuevas formas de prostitución menos estables y al incremento de inmigrantes, factores que motivan una menor asistencia y adhesión a centros de prevención.SummaryObjetiveTo describe changes in condom use among prostitutes enrolled in a prospective cohort study in Alicante (Spain), and to identify those factors associated with changes in this behaviour.MethodsData from this study come from a prospective cohort study of women working at prostitution enrolled in a center for AIDS preventive at Alicante from 1986 to 1996. The proportion of condom use by prostitutes with their clients was recorded during the first visit and the last one, and changes in condom use were estimated as the difference between them. Two logistic regression analyses were done to identify those factors associated with positive or negative changes in condom use.ResultsA statistically significant increase in the prevalence of condom use was observed between the first, 69,2%, and the last visit, 83,9% (p < 0,001). Prostitutes working private increased the condom use more than five time than those working in clubs or at the street. The higher the follow-up time the higher the prevalence of condom user, OR > 6 years = 7,6 (95% CI: 2,2-26,0). No variable was associated with a negative change in condom use.ConclusionThis study shows an overall increase of condom use in a cohort of prostitutes after 10 years of follow-up. Relapse in risk behavior has been infrequent. In the future, preventive strategies to increase the use of condoms among prostitutes should be adapted to the new forms of sexual commerce

Evaluación de la calidad ambiental de ecosistemas acuáticos en el entorno del Parque Nacional de Doñana

Resumen de la comunicación presentada al XX Congreso de la Sociedad Española de Mutagénesis Ambiental – Córdoba 201

Use of metalloproteomics to access environmental stress in the free-living mice mus spretus

Comunicaciones a congreso

Proteómica para la identificación de biomarcadores en estudios medioambientales

Comunicaciones a congreso

The use of lower of higher than recommended doses of folic acid supplements during pregnancy is associated with child attentional dysfunction at 4-5 years of age in the INMA Project

We assessed the association between the use of lower- and higher-than-recommended doses of folic acid supplements (FAs) during pregnancy and attentional function in boys and girls at age of 4-5. We analyzed data from 1329 mother-child pairs from the mother-child cohort INfancia y Medio Ambiente Project (INMA) study. Information on FAs use during pregnancy was collected in personal interviews at weeks 12 and 30, and categorized in <400, 400-999 (recommended dose), and ≥1000 μg/day. Child attentional function was assessed by Conners' Kiddie Continuous Performance Test. Multivariable regression analyses were used to estimate incidence rate ratios (IRR) and beta coefficients with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Compared to recommended FAs doses, the periconceptional use of <400 and ≥1000 μg/day was associated with higher risk of omission errors-IRR = 1.14 (95% CI: 1.01; 1.29) and IRR = 1.16 (95% CI: 1.02; 1.33), respectively. The use of FAs < 400 μg/day and ≥1000 μg/day was significantly associated with deficits of attentional function only in boys. FAs use < 400 μg/day was associated with higher omission errors with IRR = 1.22 and increased hit reaction time (HRT) β = 34.36, and FAs use ≥ 1000 μg/day was associated with increased HRT β = 33.18 and HRT standard error β = 3.31. The periconceptional use of FAs below or above the recommended doses is associated with deficits of attentional function in children at age of 4-5, particularly in boys

High adherence to a mediterranean diet at age 4 reduces overweight, obesity and abdominal obesity incidence in children at the age of 8

Background/objectives A higher adherence to a Mediterranean diet has been shown to be protective against obesity in adults, but the evidence is still inconclusive in children at early ages. Our objective was to explore the association between adherence to Mediterranean Diet at the age of 4 and the prevalence of overweight, obesity, and abdominal obesity at 4 years of age, and incidence at the age of 8. Subjects/methods We analyzed data from children of the INMA cohort study who attended follow-up visits at age 4 and 8 years (n = 1801 and n = 1527, respectively). Diet was assessed at the age of 4 using a validated food frequency questionnaire. The adherence to MD was evaluated by the relative Mediterranean diet (rMED) score, and categorized as low (0–6), medium (7–10), and high (11–16). Overweight and obesity were defined according to the age-sex specific BMI cutoffs proposed by the International Obesity Task Force, and abdominal obesity as waist circumference >90th percentile. We used Poisson regression models to estimate prevalence ratios at 4 years of age, and Cox regression analysis to estimate hazard ratios (HR) from 4–8 years of age. Results In cross-sectional analyses at the age of 4 no association was observed between adherence to MD and overweight, obesity, or abdominal obesity. In longitudinal analyses, a high adherence to MD at age 4 was associated with lower incidence of overweight (HR = 0.38; 95% CI: 0.21–0.67; p = 0.001), obesity (HR = 0.16; 95% CI: 0.05–0.53; p = 0.002), and abdominal obesity (HR = 0.30; 95% CI: 0.12–0.73; p = 0.008) at the age of 8. Conclusion This study shows that a high adherence to MD at the age of 4 is associated with a lower risk of developing overweight, obesity, and abdominal obesity at age 8. If these results are confirmed by other studies, MD may be recommended to reduce the incidence of obesity at early ages