Environmental Flow Regimes for Dysidea avara Sponges

The aim of our research is to design tank systems to culture Dysidea avara for the production of avarol. Flow information was needed to design culture tanks suitable for effective production. Water flow regimes were characterized over a 1-year period for a shallow rocky sublittoral environment in the Northwestern Mediterranean where D. avara sponges are particularly abundant. Three-dimensional Doppler current velocities at 8¿10-m depths ranged from 5 to 15 cm/s over most seasons, occasionally spiking to 30¿66 cm/s. A thermistor flow sensor was used to map flow fields in close proximity (¿2 cm) to individual sponges at 4.5-, 8.8-, and 14.3-m depths. These ¿proximal flows¿ averaged 1.6 cm/s in calm seas and 5.9 cm/s during a storm, when the highest proximal flow (32.9 cm/s) was recorded next to a sponge at the shallowest station. Proximal flows diminished exponentially with depth, averaging 2.6 cm/s¿±¿0.15 SE over the entire study. Flow visualization studies showed that oscillatory flow (0.20¿0.33 Hz) was the most common regime around individual sponges. Sponges at the 4.5-m site maintained a compact morphology with large oscula year-around despite only seasonally high flows. Sponges at 8.8 m were more erect with large oscula on tall protuberances. At the lowest-flow 14.3-m site, sponges were more branched and heavily conulated, with small oscula. The relationship between sponge morphology and ambient flow regime is discussed

La investigació ambiental dels brots de legionel·losi a l'Hospitalet de Llobregat en el període 2016-21

La legionel·losi és una malaltia produïda per un bacteri anomenat legionel·la que es contrau en inhalar vapor o aerosols d'aigua contaminada. Actualment és un problema de salut pública sobretot, per la seva presentació en forma de brots. El treball se centra en la investigació ambiental i modelització espai-temporal dels brots de legionel·losi en el municipi de l'Hospitalet de Llobregat durant el període 2016-21, per tal de saber si s està lluitant de forma correcta contra la malaltia, identificar mancances pel que fa al control de les inspeccions de risc i millorar el coneixement dels focus ambientals presents al municipi

In Situ Aquaculture Methods for Dysidea avara (Demospongiae, Porifera) in the Northwestern Mediterranean

Marine sponges produce secondary metabolites that can be used as a natural source for the design of new drugs and cosmetics. There is, however, a supply problem with these natural substances for research and eventual commercialisation of the products. In situ sponge aquaculture is nowadays one of the most reliable methods to supply pharmaceutical companies with sufficient quantities of the target compound. In this study, we focus on the aquaculture of the sponge Dysidea avara (Schmidt, 1862), which produces avarol, a sterol with interesting pharmaceutical attributes. The soft consistency of this species makes the traditional culture method based on holding explants on ropes unsuitable. We have tested alternative culture methods for D. avara and optimized the underwater structures to hold the sponges to be used in aquaculture. Explants of this sponge were mounted on horizontal ropes, inside small cages or glued to substrates. Culture efficiency was evaluated by determination of sponge survival, growth rates, and bioactivity (as an indication of production of the target metabolite). While the cage method was the best method for explant survival, the glue method was the best one for explant growth and the rope method for bioactivity

Effects of recreational fishing on three fish species from the Posidonia oceanica meadows off Minorca (Balearic archipelago, western Mediterranean)

Experimental fishing and visual censuses were conducted at nine Posidonia oceanica sites off Minorca exposed to different levels of fishing intensity to assess the effects of recreational fishing on the species that dominate the catch. Total catch per unit effort (CPUE) was highly seasonal and a statistically significant interaction term existed between the season and the level of fishing intensity. CPUE decreased everywhere at the end of the fishing season (autumn), but such a reduction was more intense at those sites exposed to the highest level of fishing. Visual censuses confirmed that there was a lower abundance of vulnerable fish in autumn. Differences vanished in spring probably because fish reshuffled between the considered sites throughout the winter, when the level of fishing intensity was extremely low. Although the average total lengths of Serranus scriba and Diplodus annularis were unaffected by the level of fishing intensity, the average total length of Coris julis was smaller at the most heavily fished sites. In conclusion, recreational fishing has a relevant impact on most of the exploited species and some of the seasonality reported for the Posidonia oceanica fish assemblages might be caused by the seasonality of the fishery

Scientifically Informed Solidarity: Changing Anti-Immigrant Prejudice about Universal Access to Health

Currently, anti-immigrant sentiment has emerged again in European countries, as witnessed, for example, by the rise of xenophobic parties in many member states. This is a prejudice that is not new but that intensifies in certain circumstances, such as the economic crisis. This change in attitudes towards immigration has an impact on the preferences of citizens regarding the universal access to public resources and rights. The results of this article come from the analysis of certain variables of the Transnational European Solidarity Survey (TESS) conducted during 2016 in 13 member countries of the European Union. Specifically, two packages of variables are analysed regarding the degree of solidarity in relation to the access to public health services for immigrants before and after receiving scientific information about the collective benefits of the provision of health for the entire population, including undocumented immigrants. While there is much literature that analyses how scientific literacy in health and education issues improves the situation of vulnerable groups, few studies have analysed how scientific knowledge helps to modify the prejudices and discriminatory attitudes of the general population, thus contributing to the improvement of the health of the entire population

Fiscal sustainability across government tiers

This paper analyses how fiscal adjustment comes about when both central and sub-national governments are involved in consolidation. We test sustainability of public debt with a fiscal rule for both the federal and regional government. Results for the German Länder show that lower tier governments bear a relatively smaller part of the burden of debt consolidation, if they consolidate at all. Most of the fiscal adjustment occurs via central government debt. In contrast, both the US federal and state levels contribute to consolidation of public finances

Factor pronóstico del estado mutacional de BRAF en pacientes afectos de melanoma metastásico

Las mutaciones del BRAF sobreactivan la vía MAPK, estimulando así el crecimiento de las células de melanoma. En este estudio retrospectivo analizamos el estado mutacional de BRAF de 25 pacientes con melanoma metastásico con el objetivo de determinar su frecuencia y su repercusión clínica. El 52% de los pacientes presentaban mutación del BRAF, siendo estos diagnosticados a unas edades más jóvenes y en estadios más tempranos. Sin embargo, en nuestra experiencia, en los pacientes afectos de melanoma metastásico el estatus de portador de mutación de BRAF no confería una mayor supervivencia global.Les mutacions de BRAF sobreactiven la via MAPK, estimulant així el creixement de les cèl·lules de melanoma. En aquest estudi retrospectiu vàrem analitzar l'estat mutacional de BRAF de 25 pacients amb melanoma metastàsic, amb l'objectiu de determinar la seva freqüència i la seva repercussió clínica. El 52% dels pacients presentaven mutació de BRAF, essent aquests diagnosticats en edats més joves i en estadis més precoços. No obstant, segons la nostra experiència, en pacients afectats de melanoma metastàsic l'estatus mutacional de BRAF no confereix una major supervivència global

Eficacia de la combinación de Vinorelbine- Trastuzumab en carcinoma de mama metastásico con sobreexpresión de HER2, previamente tratado con Trastuzumab

L'addició de Trastuzumab a quimioteràpia basada en taxans millora la supervivència de les pacients amb carcinoma de mama metastàtic i sobreexpressió de HER2. En el nostre estudi, analitzem l'eficàcia de Vinorelbine-Trastuzumab a la progressió a Trastuzumab. De les 46 pacients analitzades, 26 van realitzar Trastuzumab previ al tractament amb Vinorelbine-Trastuzumab, obtenint un temps lliure de progressió de 6.5 mesos, benefici clínic del 48% i respostes del 27%, similar al descrit pels tractaments aprovats, Capecitabina-Lapatinib i Capecitabina-Trastuzumab. CONCLUSIÓ: Vinorelbine-Trastuzumab en pacients prèviament tractades amb Trastuzumab manté una significativa activitat en càncer de mama metastàtic en progressió a Trastuzumab.La adición de Trastuzumab a quimioterapia basada en Taxanos mejora la supervivencia de las pacientes con carcinoma de mama metastático y sobreexpresion de HER2. En nuestro estudio, analizamos la eficacia de Vinorelbine-Trastuzumab a la progresión a Trastuzumab. De las 46 pacientes analizadas, 26 realizaron Trastuzumab previo al tratamiento con Vinorelbine-Trastuzumab, obteniendo un tiempo libre de progresión de 6.5 meses, beneficio clínico del 48% y respuestas del 27%, similar a lo descrito por los tratamientos aprobados, Capecitabina-Lapatinib y Capecitabina-Trastuzumab. CONCLUSIÓN: Vinorelbine-Trastuzumab en pacientes previamente tratadas con Trastuzumab mantiene una significativa actividad en cáncer de mama metastásico en progresión a Trastuzumab

Human capital spillovers, productivity and regional convergence in Spain

This paper analyses the differential impact of human capital, in terms of different levels of schooling, on regional productivity and convergence. The potential existence of geographical spillovers of human capital is also considered by applying spatial panel data techniques. The empirical analysis of Spanish provinces between 1980 and 2007 confirms the positive impact of human capital on regional productivity and convergence, but reveals no evidence of any positive geographical spillovers of human capital. In fact, in some specifications the spatial lag presented by tertiary studies has a negative effect on the variables under consideration