Caracterización de la innovación tecnológica en la industria forestal española

This paper intends to provide an overview of the technological innovation in the Spanish wood-based industry. This characterization will be carried out through the analysis of a set of indicators based on both secondary and primary data, the later obtained from a survey taken in 2007. Results indicate a weakness and backwardness in the innovation activities performed in the forest industry, with respect to the overall Spanish manufacturing industry. This gap is wider in the case of R&D activities. However, it is necessary to indicate that the important limitations observed in the way firms carry out their innovation activities, are shared with the overall traditional manufacturing sectors.Este trabajo intenta presentar una visión de conjunto sobre el estado de la innovación tecnológica en la industria forestal en España. Dicha caracterización se llevará a cabo a través del análisis de diversos indicadores de innovación elaborados partiendo tanto de las fuentes secundarias actualmente disponibles, como de datos primarios obtenidos mediante una encuesta realizada en el año 2007. Los resultados indican, esencialmente, debilidad y retraso de las actividades de innovación tecnológica en la industria forestal respecto de las correspondientes a la totalidad de la industria manufacturera española. Esta brecha se acentúa en el caso de las distintas actividades de I+D que se han analizado. Es preciso indicar, no obstante, que las serias limitaciones observadas en la forma en que las empresas realizan sus actividades innovadoras no constituyen especial singularidad dentro del conjunto de los sectores tradicionales

Giant tortoise genomes provide insights into longevity and age-related disease

© 2018, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited. Giant tortoises are among the longest-lived vertebrate animals and, as such, provide an excellent model to study traits like longevity and age-related diseases. However, genomic and molecular evolutionary information on giant tortoises is scarce. Here, we describe a global analysis of the genomes of Lonesome George—the iconic last member of Chelonoidis abingdonii—and the Aldabra giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea). Comparison of these genomes with those of related species, using both unsupervised and supervised analyses, led us to detect lineage-specific variants affecting DNA repair genes, inflammatory mediators and genes related to cancer development. Our study also hints at specific evolutionary strategies linked to increased lifespan, and expands our understanding of the genomic determinants of ageing. These new genome sequences also provide important resources to help the efforts for restoration of giant tortoise populations

Ginseng administration protects skeletal muscle from oxidative stress induced by acute exercise in rats

Enzymatic activity was analyzed in the soleus, gastrocnemius (red and white) and plantaris muscles of acutely exercised rats after long-term administration of Panax ginseng extract in order to evaluate the protective role of ginseng against skeletal muscle oxidation. Ginseng extract (3, 10, 100, or 500 mg/kg) was administered orally for three months to male Wistar rats weighing 200 ± 50 g before exercise and to non-exercised rats (N = 8/group). The results showed a membrane stabilizing capacity of the extract since mitochondrial function measured on the basis of citrate synthase and 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase activities was reduced, on average, by 20% (P < 0.05) after exercise but the activities remained unchanged in animals treated with a ginseng dose of 100 mg/kg. Glutathione status did not show significant changes after exercise or treatment. Lipid peroxidation, measured on the basis of malondialdehyde levels, was significantly higher in all muscles after exercise, and again was reduced by about 74% (P < 0.05) by the use of ginseng extract. The administration of ginseng extract was able to protect muscle from exercise-induced oxidative stress irrespective of fiber type

Role of age and comorbidities in mortality of patients with infective endocarditis

Purpose: The aim of this study was to analyse the characteristics of patients with IE in three groups of age and to assess the ability of age and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) to predict mortality. Methods: Prospective cohort study of all patients with IE included in the GAMES Spanish database between 2008 and 2015. Patients were stratified into three age groups:<65 years, 65 to 80 years, and = 80 years.The area under the receiver-operating characteristic (AUROC) curve was calculated to quantify the diagnostic accuracy of the CCI to predict mortality risk. Results: A total of 3120 patients with IE (1327 < 65 years;1291 65-80 years;502 = 80 years) were enrolled.Fever and heart failure were the most common presentations of IE, with no differences among age groups.Patients =80 years who underwent surgery were significantly lower compared with other age groups (14.3%, 65 years; 20.5%, 65-79 years; 31.3%, =80 years). In-hospital mortality was lower in the <65-year group (20.3%, <65 years;30.1%, 65-79 years;34.7%, =80 years;p < 0.001) as well as 1-year mortality (3.2%, <65 years; 5.5%, 65-80 years;7.6%, =80 years; p = 0.003).Independent predictors of mortality were age = 80 years (hazard ratio [HR]:2.78;95% confidence interval [CI]:2.32–3.34), CCI = 3 (HR:1.62; 95% CI:1.39–1.88), and non-performed surgery (HR:1.64;95% CI:11.16–1.58).When the three age groups were compared, the AUROC curve for CCI was significantly larger for patients aged <65 years(p < 0.001) for both in-hospital and 1-year mortality. Conclusion: There were no differences in the clinical presentation of IE between the groups. Age = 80 years, high comorbidity (measured by CCI), and non-performance of surgery were independent predictors of mortality in patients with IE.CCI could help to identify those patients with IE and surgical indication who present a lower risk of in-hospital and 1-year mortality after surgery, especially in the <65-year group

Failure analysis of the fractured wires in sternal perichronal loops

We report failure analysis of sternal wires in two cases in which a perichronal fixation technique was used to close the sternotomy. Various characteristics of the retrieved wires were compared to those of unused wires of the same grade and same manufacturer and with surgical wire specifications. In both cases, wire fracture was un-branched and transgranular and proceeded by a high cycle fatigue process, apparently in the absence of corrosion. However, stress anlysis indicates that the effective stress produced during strong coughing is lower than the yield strength. Our findings suggest that in order to reduce the risk for sternal dehiscence, the diameter of the wire used should be increased. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.Peer Reviewe

Using google search patterns to explain the demand for wild edible mushrooms

9 pages, 4 figures, 2 tables.-- Under a Creative Commons licenseThe demand for quality wild fungi has been continually increasing over the past few years. However, problems arise when modelling this demand, owing to the difficulty of finding precise data on their origin or value chain. Nor is there any reliable information on the preferences of consumers; therefore, in this work, we aimed to analyse the influence of internet search engines on the demand for porcini mushrooms, a highly appreciated wild fungus. For this purpose, weekly figures for their prices and the amounts sold over nine years in one of the main central markets in Spain have been recorded for diverse wild (porcini, saffron milk caps, and king oyster mushrooms) and cultivated fungi. In addition, for the same period, searches for wild mushrooms using Google Trends and Google search engines were analysed. The results show that these searches improve the classic demand model, presenting different signs with regard to their influence on the price of the mushroom analysed. An increase in searches over time was also verified, which could be considered as an indicator of an increase in demand. Lastly, no complementarity relationships or substitutions for any other emblematic mushroom in Spain (saffron milk caps), or for any cultivated fungi, were observedPeer reviewe

Carbon storage in HWP. Accounting for Spanish particleboard and fiberboard

Aim of study: The study quantifies carbon stock in particleboard and fibreboard, for the period 1990-2006. It is the first accounting made for the Spanish wood industry using industrial accurate data and it could be comparable to other European studies.Area of study: SpainMaterial and Methods: A comparison of the three different approaches (Stock Change Approach, Production Approach, Atmospheric Flow Approach) of the 2006 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas (GHG). Due to the complexity derived from the amount of input variables and the recurrence of the formulas, the Montecarlo simulation method was chosen to compare results.Main results: Between 1990-2006 the carbon stock of the Spanish panel industry has been growing steadily, reaching around 1,000 Gg C in all three approaches studied. During the period 1990-2002, the Stock Change Approach is the one which provides a higher carbon stock accounting. However, since 2002 the Production Approach is the one which presents higher values of carbon stock.Research highlights: The main result of the study shows the important role of carbon stock which play the Spanish wood based panel industry during the period analysed. The results highlight the economic and environmental importance of carbon stock stored in such wood products, as well as its remarkable increase during the study period. They also highlights the importance of good practices such as cascade use of wood resources as well as the need for properly coordination between climate change and forest policies.Key words: climate change; emissions trading system; national greenhouse gas inventories; approach; Monte Carlo; recycled wood; cascade use.</p