La estructura del área de Sierra Espuña (contacto zonas internas-externas, sector oriental de la Cordillera Bética)

Sierra Espuña is located in the Eastern Betic Cordillera. The contact between the Malaguide Complex (Internal Betic Zone) and the External Betic Zone cropouts in this area. Sierra Espuña area is a great antiformal stack that is followed by a great synforme (Mula-Pliego Depression). In the upper part of the Malaguide Complex, two nappes, with numerous internal folding and minor thrusting, are recognized: the Morron de Totana Nappe (at the bottom) and the Perona Nappe (at the top). This structure is the result of a complex polyphasic tectonics in which two main structural events are recognized: the Intraoligocene tectonic phase, and the Lower Miocene tectonic phase.Sierra Espuña se sitúa en el sector oriental de la Cordillera Bética. En este sector afloran principalmente terrenos pertenecientes al Complejo Maláguide (Zonas Internas Béticas) en contacto con las Zonas Externas Béticas. Esta región se configura como un gran antiforme de mantos al S (Sierra Espuña), seguido al N por un gran sinforme (Depresión de Mula-Pliego). En la parte alta del complejo, se reconocen dos unidades con el rango de manto de corrimiento, con numerosos repliegues y escamaciones internas: el Manto de Morrón de Totana, en posición inferior, y el Manto de Perona, en posición superior. Esta estructura es el resultado de una tectónica polifásica muy compleja en la que se reconocen dos grandes eventos estructurales: la fase tectónica Intraoligocena, y la fase tectónica del Mioceno Inferior

The evolution of the footwall to the Ronda subcontinental mantle peridotites: insights from the Nieves Unit (western Betic Cordillera)

Strongly heterogeneous deformation and extreme metamorphic gradients characterize the dominantly carbonate Nieves Unit in the footwall to the Ronda mantle extrusion wedge in the western Betic Cordillera. A well-developed foliation and mineral lineation, together with isoclinal intrafolial folds, occur in silicate-bearing, calcite or dolomite marbles within a c. 1.5 km thick metamorphic aureole underlying the peridotites. For the inferred maximum pressure of 300 MPa, petrological investigations allow us to define temperature ranges for the main zones of the metamorphic aureole: >510 °C (probably c. 700 °C) for the forsterite zone; 510–430 °C for the diopside zone; 430–360 °C for the tremolite zone; 360–330 °C for the phlogopite zone. Field structural analysis integrated with petrological, microstructural and electron backscatter diffraction textural data document large finite strains consistent with general shear within the metamorphic aureole, associated with NW-directed thrusting of the peridotites. On the other hand, post-kinematic silicate growth suggests that heat diffusion from the high-temperature peridotites continued after the final emplacement of the Ronda mantle extrusion wedge, leading to final zoning of the metamorphic aureole and to local partial annealing of calcite marble textures, particularly in the highest-temperature zone of the thermally softened footwall carbonates. Following substantial cooling, renewed crustal shortening affected the whole Nieves Unit, resulting in widespread development of NE–SW-trending meso-scale folds

Estromatolitos pelágicos fosfatados relacionados con discontinuidades estratigráficas en el Cretácico del Penibético (provincia de Málaga)

En relación con discontinuidades estratigráficas en el Cretácico del Penibético se encuentran estromatolitos pelágicos fosfatados, constituidos por apatito criptocristalino (3 al 45 %). Muestran dos tipos  de morfologías: a.- Oncoides en el seno de sedimentos. b.- Recubrimientos de superficies de paleokarst con morfología nodular, LLM o laminar. Son estructuras organosedimentarias constituidas por asoci aciones simbióticas de bacterias y foraminíferos encostrantes que se formaron en un alto fondo marino, en medio reductor, a profundidades próximas al nivel de mínimo contenido en oxígeno y en una zona afectada por corrientes ascendente

Estromatolitos pelágicos fosfatados relacionados con discontinuidades estratigráficas en el Cretácico del Penibético (provincia de Málaga)

En relación con discontinuidades estratigráficas en el Cretácico del Penibético se encuentran estromatolitos pelágicos fosfatados, constituidos por apatito criptocristalino (3 al 45 %). Muestran dos tipos  de morfologías: a.- Oncoides en el seno de sedimentos. b.- Recubrimientos de superficies de paleokarst con morfología nodular, LLM o laminar. Son estructuras organosedimentarias constituidas por asoci aciones simbióticas de bacterias y foraminíferos encostrantes que se formaron en un alto fondo marino, en medio reductor, a profundidades próximas al nivel de mínimo contenido en oxígeno y en una zona afectada por corrientes ascendente

First Late Ordovician conodont fauna in the Betic Cordillera (South Spain): a palaeobiogeographical contribution

The youngest Ordovician conodont fauna in SW Europe has been found in the Malaguide Complex of the Betic Cordillera, SE Spain. It is also the first Ordovician conodont fauna in the Western Mediterranean Alpine Orogen. The conodont association, attributed to the Hirnantian (upper part of the Amorphognathus ordovicicus Biozone), is characterized by the predominance of Walliserodus amplissimus and Scabbardella altipes and by the absence of Sagittodontina and Istorinus, typical of the Mediterranean Province. This fauna differs markedly from those of the same biozone recorded in the Spanish Variscan Orogen of the Iberian Massif, which are attributed to the Katian. The Malaguide fauna shows, however, striking similarity to faunas of the Carnic Alps and some resemblance to those of the Pyrenees, Northern England and North Wales. These features suggest that Palaeozoic terranes of the Betic Cordillera were located far to the east of their present location and displaced westward during the Alpine Orogeny

Découverte de brachiopodes du Sinémurien dans la Sierra Harana (Subbétique Interne, Cordilleres Bétiques, prov. de Grenade, Espagne). Implications stratigraphiques

Two Lower Sinemurian brachiopod species from the NW european province [Calcirhynchia calcaria Buckman and Calcirhynchia calcicosta (Quenstedt)] have been found for the first time in the lower dolomitic beds of the Lower lurassic carbonate ensemble of the Sierra Harana unit (Internal Subbetic). Their presence allow to detail the evolution of the installation of the carbonate platform in the southern iberian domains during the Lower Lias transgression.Dos especies de braquiópodos del Sinemuriense inferior de la provincia NW europea [Calcirhynchia calcaria Buckman y Calcirhynchia calcicosta (Quenstedt)] han sido encontradas por primera vez en los materiales dolomíticos inferiores del conjunto carbonatado infrajurásico de la Unidad de Sierra Harana (Subbético Interno). Su presencia permite precisar los momentos sucesivos de la implantación de la plataforma carbonatada en el dominio del paleomargen sudibérico durante la transgresión del Lías inferior

La serie Triasica de Los Pastores (Algeciras)

Seven superimposed lithostratigraphic units have been distinguished in the Upper Trias of Los Pastores (Algeciras). The four lower units (1 to 4) show clayey-sandy-evaporitic Keuper facies. Pollen associations obtained from dark pelitic levels, and bivalves sampled from carbonate intercalations within these four lower units allow to date them as Carnian. These lower units can be correlated with the K1 to K3 units of the Keuper of the Subbetic and of other regions of the Iberian Peninsula. Concerning the three higher units, the unit 6 is pelitic-carbonatic and evaporitic and it also bears Carnian pollen associations. The units 5 and 7, however, are carbonatic and show clearly marine facies and organisms (Involutinidae and dasycladacean algae) of the same type than those shown by the Upper Triassic of Alpine Facies of the Internal Zones of the Chain (Alpujarrides and Rondaides). The Trias of Los Pastores belongs to an arid ecuatorial phytogeographical province, whose the vegetation was dominated by xerophytic elements. It was deposited in a wide coastal flat with marginal terrigenuos influence and close to a carbonate platform, in peritidal and shallow marine depositional environments, very sensitive to sea-level fluctuations. The marine carbonate intercalations bear low-diversity, dwarf and opportunistic marine faunal associations, typical of shallow, restricted, unstable and ecologicaUy inmature environments, as it has been confirmed independently by facies analysis.En el Trías de superior de Los Pastores (Algeciras) se han podido diferenciar siete unidades litoestratigráficas superpuestas. Las unidades inferiores (1 a 4) muestran facies arcilloso- arenoso-evaporíticas de tipo Keuper. De ellas se han obtenido asociaciones del Carniense, de polen, procedentes de niveles pelíticos oscuros, y de bivalvos, procedentes de intercalaciones carbonatadas. Estas unidades inferiores se pueden correlacionar con las unidades K1 a K3 del Keuper del Subbético y del resto de la Península Ibérica. De las tres unidades superiores, la unidad 6 es de naturaleza pelítico-carbonatada y evaporítica y ha suministrado asimismo asociaciones de polen del Carniense. Las unidades 5 y 7, sin embargo, son de naturaleza carbonatada y presentan facies y organ.ismos francamente marinos (Involutínidos y algas dasycladáceas) de características análogas a las que muestra el Trías superior de Facies Alpina de las Zonas Internas de la Cordillera Bética (Rondaides y Alpujárrides). El Trías de Los Pastores pertenece a una provincia fitogeográfica ecuatorial árida, cuya vegetación estaba dominada por elementos xerofíticos. Se depositó en una extensa llanura costera con influencia terrígena marginal y adyacente a una plataforma carbonatada, en ambientes de tipo perimareal y marino muy somero, muy sensibles a las variaciones en el nivel del mar. Las intercalaciones carbonatadas marinas contienen asociaciones de faunas autóctonas de baja diversidad, oportunistas y de nanismo endémico, propias de ambientes someros, restringidos, inestables e inmaduros ecológicamente, que confirman las características del medio sedimentario deducidas del análisis de las facies

Breast cancer Multiple cycles of dose-intensive chemotherapy with repeated stem cell support as induction treatment in metastatic breast cancer: a feasibility study

Summary: The purpose of this trial was to study feasibility and tolerance of a dose-intensive multicyclic alternating induction chemotherapy with repeated stem cell support in a series of 43 metastatic breast cancer patients. ades. Extensive literature reviews by Hryniuk et al 1,2 have found dose intensity to be correlated with response rate and survival. This effect has been considered in the rationale of many clinical trials that attempted to improve long-term survival in metastatic BC by delivering single courses of high-dose chemotherapy (HDC). Despite some promising data derived from phase II trials, results of the randomized studies published thus far have failed to show a sound clinical benefit for single autografts. 8 Multicyclic treatment schemes appear to take advantage of the inherent time-dependant responsiveness of most cancer tissues. Autologous peripheral blood stem cell infusions have been extensively used to support single courses of HDC. Nonetheless, their possible use in programs of multicyclic non-myeloablative dose-intense chemotherapy has been little explored. Materials and methods Women with histologically proven metastatic BC were evaluated for study entry. An ECOG performance status of 0-1, age less than 65 years, and no evidence of cardiac, pulmonary, liver or renal impairment were required. All patients gave written informed consent according to institutional policy before entering the study. Patients presenting with brain metastases, leptomeningeal disease, or bone marrow involvement, as well as patients previousl

Tumor and Microenvironment Evolution during Immunotherapy with Nivolumab.

The mechanisms by which immune checkpoint blockade modulates tumor evolution during therapy are unclear. We assessed genomic changes in tumors from 68 patients with advanced melanoma, who progressed on ipilimumab or were ipilimumab-naive, before and after nivolumab initiation (CA209-038 study). Tumors were analyzed by whole-exome, transcriptome, and/or T cell receptor (TCR) sequencing. In responding patients, mutation and neoantigen load were reduced from baseline, and analysis of intratumoral heterogeneity during therapy demonstrated differential clonal evolution within tumors and putative selection against neoantigenic mutations on-therapy. Transcriptome analyses before and during nivolumab therapy revealed increases in distinct immune cell subsets, activation of specific transcriptional networks, and upregulation of immune checkpoint genes that were more pronounced in patients with response. Temporal changes in intratumoral TCR repertoire revealed expansion of T cell clones in the setting of neoantigen loss. Comprehensive genomic profiling data in this study provide insight into nivolumab\u27s mechanism of action