Nuevas citas de Mauremys leprosa y Trachemys scripta en la provincia de Málaga

Este trabajo ha sido parcialmente financiado por el proyecto CGL2009-11316 y por una beca de Formación de Profesorado Universitario del Ministerio de educación AP2007-03633.Peer reviewe

La Oscilación del Atlántico Norte y la temperatura superficial del mar afectan la abundancia de la tortuga boba alrededor del estrecho de Gibraltar

The aim of this study was to explore the possible link between variations in the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and sea surface temperature (SST) and the abundance of loggerhead turtles around the Strait of Gibraltar, using stranding data for the Andalusian coastal area as a proxy for abundance. The annual average SST (from November to October) in the Gulf of Cadiz was negatively associated with the total number of loggerhead strandings each year from November 1997 to October 2006 in the Gulf of Cadiz and the Alboran Sea. The average NAO index was positively associated with the number of strandings in the Gulf of Cadiz in the following year. Prevailing westerly winds during positive NAO phases and the subsequent delayed decrease in SST may lead to turtles from the west Atlantic accumulating in the Gulf of Cadiz and unsuccessfully attempting to return. Secondary causes, such as buoyancy, cold stunning, longline fisheries, net fisheries, debilitated turtle syndrome, and trauma may also increase the number of turtle strandings.El objetivo de este estudio fue explorar la posible relación entre las variaciones de la Oscilación del Atlántico Norte (NAO) y la temperatura superficial del mar (SST), y la abundancia de tortugas bobas alrededor del Estrecho de Gibraltar, utilizando los datos de varamientos como sustituto de la abundancia. La SST promedio en el Golfo de Cádiz se relacionó negativamente con el número total de tortugas bobas varadas durante cada año (de noviembre a octubre) desde 1997 hasta 2006 en el Golfo de Cádiz y en el Mar de Alborán, mientras que el promedio del índice NAO se relacionó positivamente con el número de varamientos en el Golfo de Cádiz durante el año siguiente. Vientos predominantes del oeste durante las fases de la NAO positiva, y su posterior retraso en la reducción de la SST, pueden provocar la acumulación en el Golfo de Cádiz de las tortugas que entran desde el Atlántico occidental y, las que sin éxito, tratan de regresar a sus playas de origen. Debido a causas secundarias (como problemas de flotabilitdad, enfriamiento, la pesca con palangre, la pesca con redes, DTS, y traumatismos) aumenta el número de tortugas varadas

Using indigenous knowledge to link land cover mapping with land use in the Venezuelan Amazon.

Remote sensing and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) can be combined to advance conservation of remote tropical regions, e.g. Amazonia, where intensive in situ surveys are often not possible. Integrating TEK into monitoring and management of these areas allows for community participation, as well as for offering novel insights into sustainable resource use. In this study, we developed a 250-m-resolution land-cover map of the western Guyana Shield (Venezuela) based on remote sensing, and used TEK to validate its relevance for indigenous livelihoods and land uses. We first employed a hyper-temporal remotely sensed vegetation index to derive a land classification system. During a 1,300-km, 8-day fluvial expedition in roadless areas in the Amazonas State (Venezuela), we visited six indigenous communities who provided geo-referenced data on hunting, fishing and farming activities. We overlaid these TEK data onto the land classification map, to link land classes with indigenous use. Several classes were significantly connected with agriculture, fishing, overall hunting, and more specifically the hunting of primates, red brocket deer, black agouti, and white-lipped peccary. We then characterized land classes using greenness and topo-hydrological information, and proposed 12 land-cover types, grouped into five main landscapes: 1) water bodies; 2) open lands/forest edges; 3) evergreen forests; 4) submontane semideciduous forests, and 5) cloud forests. Our results show that TEK-based approaches can serve as a basis for validating the livelihood relevance of landscapes in high-value conservation areas, which can form the basis for furthering the management of natural resources in these regions

Modelling Favourability for Invasive Species Encroachment to Identify Areas of Native Species Vulnerability

We assessed the vulnerability of the native Mediterranean pond turtle to encroachment by the invasive red-eared slider in southern Spain. We first obtained an ecogeographical favourability model for the Mediterranean pond turtle. We then modelled the presence/absence of the red-eared slider in the Mediterranean pond turtle range and obtained an encroachment favourability model. We also obtained a favourability model for the red-eared slider using the ecogeographical favourability for the Mediterranean pond turtle as a predictor. When favourability for the Mediterranean pond turtle was high, favourability for the red-eared slider was low, suggesting that in these areas the Mediterranean pond turtle may resist encroachment by the red-eared slider. We also calculated favourability overlap between the two species, which is their simultaneous favourability. Grids with low overlap had higher favourability values for the Mediterranean pond turtle and, consequently, were of lesser conservation concern. A few grids had high values for both species, being potentially suitable for coexistence. Grids with intermediate overlap had similar intermediate favourability values for both species and were therefore areas where the Mediterranean pond turtle was more vulnerable to encroachment by the red-eared slider. We mapped the favourability overlap to provide a map of vulnerability of the Mediterranean pond turtle to encroachment by the red-eared slider

Cathepsin K in lymphangioleiomyomatosis: LAM cell-fibroblast Interactions enhance protease activity by extracellular acidification

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare disease in which clonal ‘LAM’ cells infiltrate the lungs and lymphatics. In association with recruited fibroblasts, LAM cells form nodules adjacent to lung cysts. It is assumed LAM nodule derived proteases lead to cyst formation although, this is uncertain. We profiled protease gene expression in whole lung tissue and observed cathepsin K was 40 fold over-expressed in LAM compared with control lungs (p≤0.0001). Immunohistochemistry confirmed cathepsin K protein in LAM nodules but not control lungs. Cathepsin K gene expression, protein and protease activity was detected in LAM associated fibroblasts but not the LAM cell line 621-101. In lung nodules, cathepsin K immune reactivity was predominantly co-localised with LAM associated fibroblasts. In vitro, extra-cellular cathepsin K activity was minimal at pH 7.5 but significantly enhanced in fibroblast cultures at pH 7 and 6. 621-101 cells reduced extracellular pH by 0.5 units over 24 hours. Acidification was dependent upon 621-101 cell mTOR activity and net hydrogen ion transporters, particularly sodium/bicarbonate co-transporters and carbonic anhydrases which were also expressed in LAM lung tissue. In LAM cell/fibroblast co-cultures, acidification paralleled cathepsin K activity and both were inhibited by sodium bicarbonate co-transporter (p≤0.0001) and carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (p=0.0021). Our findings suggest cathepsin K activity is dependent on LAM cell/fibroblast interactions and inhibitors of extracellular acidification may be potential therapies for LAM

Contrasting anticancer activity of half-sandwich iridium(III) complexes bearing functionally diverse 2-phenylpyridine ligands

We report the synthesis, characterization, and antiproliferative activity of 15 iridium(III) half-sandwich complexes of the type [(η5-Cp*)Ir(2-(R′-phenyl)-R-pyridine)Cl] bearing either an electron-donating (−OH, −CH2OH, −CH3) or electron-withdrawing (−F, −CHO, −NO2) group at various positions on the 2-phenylpyridine (2-PhPy) chelating ligand giving rise to six sets of structural isomers. The X-ray crystal structures of [(η5-Cp*)Ir(2-(2′-fluorophenyl)pyridine)Cl] (1) and [(η5-Cp*)Ir(2-(4′-fluorophenyl)pyridine)Cl] (2) exhibit the expected “piano-stool” configuration. DFT calculations showed that substituents caused only localized effects on the electrostatic potential surface of the chelating 2-PhPy ligand of the complexes. Hydrolysis of all complexes is rapid, but readily reversed by addition of NaCl. The complexes show preferential binding to 9-ethylguanine over 9-methyladenine and are active catalysts for the oxidation of NADH to NAD+. Antiproliferative activity experiments in A2780 ovarian, MCF-7 breast, A549 lung, and HCT116 colon cancer cell lines showed IC50 values ranging from 1 to 89 μM, with the most potent complex, [(η5-Cp*)Ir(2-(2′-methylphenyl)pyridine)Cl] (13) (A2780 IC50 = 1.18 μM), being 10× more active than the parent, [(η5-Cp*)Ir(2-phenylpyridine)Cl], and 2× more active than [(η5-CpxPh)Ir(2-phenylpyridine)Cl]. Intriguingly, contrasting biological activities are observed between structural isomers despite exhibiting similar chemical reactivity. For pairs of structural isomers both the nature and position of the functional group can affect the hydrophobicity of the complex. An increase in hydrophobicity resulted in enhanced cellular-iridium accumulation in A2780 ovarian cells, which generally gave rise to an increase in potency. The structural isomers [(η5-Cp*)Ir(2-(4′-fluorophenyl)pyridine)Cl] (2) and [(η5-Cp*)Ir(2-phenyl-5-fluoropyridine)Cl] (4) preferentially localized in the cytosol > membrane and particulate > nucleus > cytoskeleton. This work highlights the strong dependence of biological behavior on the nature and position of the substituent on the chelating ligand and shows how this class of organometallic anticancer complexes can be fine-tuned to increase their potency without using extended cyclopentadienyl systems

Validation of a low-cost virtual reality system for training street-crossing. A comparative study in healthy, neglected and non-neglected stroke individuals

Unilateral spatial neglect is a common consequence of stroke that directly affects the performance of activities of daily living. This impairment is traditionally assessed with paper-and-pencil tests that can lack correspondence to real life and are easily compensated. Virtual reality can immerse patients in more ecological scenarios, thus providing therapists with new tools to assess and train the effects of this impairment in simulated real tasks. This paper presents the clinical validation and convergent validity of a low-cost virtual reality system for training street-crossing in stroke patients with and without neglect. The performance of neglect patients was significantly worse than the performance of non-neglect and healthy participants. In addition, several correlations between the scores in the system and in the traditional scales were detected.This study was funded in part by Ministerio de Educacion y Ciencia Spain, Projects Consolider-C (SEJ2006-14301/PSIC), "CIBER of Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition, an initiative of ISCIII" and the Excellence Research Program PROMETEO (Generalitat Valenciana. Conselleria de Educacion, 2008-157).Navarro, MD.; Llorens Rodríguez, R.; Noé, E.; Ferri, J.; Alcañiz Raya, ML. (2013). Validation of a low-cost virtual reality system for training street-crossing. A comparative study in healthy, neglected and non-neglected stroke individuals. Neuropsychological Rehabilitation. 23(4):597-618. https://doi.org/10.1080/09602011.2013.806269S597618234Allegri, R. F. (2000). Atención y negligencia: bases neurológicas, evaluación y trastornos. Revista de Neurología, 30(05), 491. doi:10.33588/rn.3005.99645Appelros, P., Karlsson, G. M., Seiger, Åke, & Nydevik, I. (2002). Neglect and Anosognosia After First-Ever Stroke: Incidence and Relationship to Disability. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, 34(5), 215-220. doi:10.1080/165019702760279206Baheux, K., Yoshizawa, M., & Yoshida, Y. (2007). Simulating hemispatial neglect with virtual reality. Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation, 4(1). doi:10.1186/1743-0003-4-27Boian, R. F., Burdea, G. C., Deutsch, J. E. and Winter, S. H. Street crossing using a virtual environment mobility simulator.Paper presented at 3rd Annual International Workshop on Virtual Reality. Lausanne, Switzerland.Broeren, J., Samuelsson, H., Stibrant-Sunnerhagen, K., Blomstrand, C., & Rydmark, M. (2007). Neglect assessment as an application of virtual reality. Acta Neurologica Scandinavica, 116(3), 157-163. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0404.2007.00821.xBuxbaum, L. J., Ferraro, M. K., Veramonti, T., Farne, A., Whyte, J., Ladavas, E., … Coslett, H. B. (2004). Hemispatial neglect: Subtypes, neuroanatomy, and disability. Neurology, 62(5), 749-756. doi:10.1212/01.wnl.0000113730.73031.f4Buxbaum, L. J., Palermo, M. A., Mastrogiovanni, D., Read, M. S., Rosenberg-Pitonyak, E., Rizzo, A. A., & Coslett, H. B. (2008). Assessment of spatial attention and neglect with a virtual wheelchair navigation task. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 30(6), 650-660. doi:10.1080/13803390701625821Castiello, U., Lusher, D., Burton, C., Glover, S., & Disler, P. (2004). Improving left hemispatial neglect using virtual reality. Neurology, 62(11), 1958-1962. doi:10.1212/01.wnl.0000128183.63917.02Conners, C. K., Epstein, J. N., Angold, A., & Klaric, J. (2003). Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 31(5), 555-562. doi:10.1023/a:1025457300409Folstein, M. F., Folstein, S. E., & McHugh, P. R. (1975). «Mini-mental state». Journal of Psychiatric Research, 12(3), 189-198. doi:10.1016/0022-3956(75)90026-6Fordell, H., Bodin, K., Bucht, G., & Malm, J. (2011). A virtual reality test battery for assessment and screening of spatial neglect. Acta Neurologica Scandinavica, 123(3), 167-174. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0404.2010.01390.xGupta, V., Knott, B. A., Kodgi, S., & Lathan, C. E. (2000). Using the «VREye» System for the Assessment of Unilateral Visual Neglect: Two Case Reports. Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments, 9(3), 268-286. doi:10.1162/105474600566790Hartman-Maeir, A., & Katz, N. (1995). Validity of the Behavioral Inattention Test (BIT): Relationships With Functional Tasks. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 49(6), 507-516. doi:10.5014/ajot.49.6.507Jannink, M. J. A., Aznar, M., de Kort, A. C., van de Vis, W., Veltink, P., & van der Kooij, H. (2009). Assessment of visuospatial neglect in stroke patients using virtual reality: a pilot study. International Journal of Rehabilitation Research, 32(4), 280-286. doi:10.1097/mrr.0b013e3283013b1cJehkonen, M., Laihosalo, M., & Kettunen, J. (2006). Anosognosia after stroke: assessment, occurrence, subtypes and impact on functional outcome reviewed. Acta Neurologica Scandinavica, 114(5), 293-306. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0404.2006.00723.xKatz, N., Ring, H., Naveh, Y., Kizony, R., Feintuch, U., & Weiss, P. L. (2005). Interactive virtual environment training for safe street crossing of right hemisphere stroke patients with Unilateral Spatial Neglect. Disability and Rehabilitation, 27(20), 1235-1244. doi:10.1080/09638280500076079Kim, D. Y., Ku, J., Chang, W. H., Park, T. H., Lim, J. Y., Han, K., … Kim, S. I. (2010). Assessment of post-stroke extrapersonal neglect using a three-dimensional immersive virtual street crossing program. Acta Neurologica Scandinavica, 121(3), 171-177. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0404.2009.01194.xKim, J., Kim, K., Kim, D. Y., Chang, W. H., Park, C.-I., Ohn, S. H., … Kim, S. I. (2007). Virtual Environment Training System for Rehabilitation of Stroke Patients with Unilateral Neglect: Crossing the Virtual Street. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 10(1), 7-15. doi:10.1089/cpb.2006.9998Kim, K., Kim, J., Ku, J., Kim, D. Y., Chang, W. H., Shin, D. I., … Kim, S. I. (2004). A Virtual Reality Assessment and Training System for Unilateral Neglect. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 7(6), 742-749. doi:10.1089/cpb.2004.7.742Kim, Y. M., Chun, M. H., Yun, G. J., Song, Y. J., & Young, H. E. (2011). The Effect of Virtual Reality Training on Unilateral Spatial Neglect in Stroke Patients. Annals of Rehabilitation Medicine, 35(3), 309. doi:10.5535/arm.2011.35.3.309Krakauer, J. W. (2006). Motor learning: its relevance to stroke recovery and neurorehabilitation. Current Opinion in Neurology, 19(1), 84-90. doi:10.1097/01.wco.0000200544.29915.ccMcComas, J., MacKay, M., & Pivik, J. (2002). Effectiveness of Virtual Reality for Teaching Pedestrian Safety. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 5(3), 185-190. doi:10.1089/109493102760147150Myers, R. L., & Bierig, T. A. (2000). Virtual Reality and Left Hemineglect: A Technology for Assessment and Therapy. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 3(3), 465-468. doi:10.1089/10949310050078922Peskine, A., Rosso, C., Box, N., Galland, A., Caron, E., Rautureau, G., … Pradat-Diehl, P. (2010). Virtual reality assessment for visuospatial neglect: importance of a dynamic task. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, 82(12), 1407-1409. doi:10.1136/jnnp.2010.217513Romero, M., Sánchez, A., Marín, C., Navarro, M. D., Ferri, J., & Noé, E. (2012). Utilidad clínica de la versión en castellano del Mississippi Aphasia Screening Test (MASTsp): validación en pacientes con ictus. Neurología, 27(4), 216-224. doi:10.1016/j.nrl.2011.06.006Rose, F. D., Brooks, B. M., & Rizzo, A. A. (2005). Virtual Reality in Brain Damage Rehabilitation: Review. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 8(3), 241-262. doi:10.1089/cpb.2005.8.241Schwebel, D. C., & McClure, L. A. (2010). Using virtual reality to train children in safe street-crossing skills. Injury Prevention, 16(1), e1-e1. doi:10.1136/ip.2009.025288Simpson, G., Johnston, L., & Richardson, M. (2003). An investigation of road crossing in a virtual environment. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 35(5), 787-796. doi:10.1016/s0001-4575(02)00081-7Smith, J., Hebert, D., & Reid, D. (2007). Exploring the effects of virtual reality on unilateral neglect caused by stroke: Four case studies. Technology and Disability, 19(1), 29-40. doi:10.3233/tad-2007-19104Sugarman, H., Weisel-Eichler, A., Burstin, A. and Brown, R.Use of novel virtual reality system for the assessment and treatment of unilateral spatial neglect: A feasibility study. Paper presented at International Conference on Virtual Rehabilitation. Zürich.Tanaka, T., Sugihara, S., Nara, H., Ino, S., & Ifukube, T. (2005). Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation, 2(1), 31. doi:10.1186/1743-0003-2-31Thomson, J. A., Tolmie, A. K., Foot, H. C., Whelan, K. M., Sarvary, P., & Morrison, S. (2005). Influence of Virtual Reality Training on the Roadside Crossing Judgments of Child Pedestrians. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 11(3), 175-186. doi:10.1037/1076-898x.11.3.175Weiss, P. L. (Tamar), Naveh, Y., & Katz, N. (2003). Design and testing of a virtual environment to train stroke patients with unilateral spatial neglect to cross a street safely. Occupational Therapy International, 10(1), 39-55. doi:10.1002/oti.176Witmer, B. G., & Singer, M. J. (1998). Measuring Presence in Virtual Environments: A Presence Questionnaire. Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments, 7(3), 225-240. doi:10.1162/105474698565686Wu, H., Ashmead, D. H. and Bodenheimer, B.Using immersive virtual reality to evaluate pedestrian street crossing decisions at a roundabout. Paper presented at 6th Symposium on appied perception in Graphics and Visualization. Chania

Search for the standard model Higgs boson in the H to ZZ to 2l 2nu channel in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

A search for the standard model Higgs boson in the H to ZZ to 2l 2nu decay channel, where l = e or mu, in pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV is presented. The data were collected at the LHC, with the CMS detector, and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 4.6 inverse femtobarns. No significant excess is observed above the background expectation, and upper limits are set on the Higgs boson production cross section. The presence of the standard model Higgs boson with a mass in the 270-440 GeV range is excluded at 95% confidence level.Comment: Submitted to JHE

Search for New Physics with Jets and Missing Transverse Momentum in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

A search for new physics is presented based on an event signature of at least three jets accompanied by large missing transverse momentum, using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36 inverse picobarns collected in proton--proton collisions at sqrt(s)=7 TeV with the CMS detector at the LHC. No excess of events is observed above the expected standard model backgrounds, which are all estimated from the data. Exclusion limits are presented for the constrained minimal supersymmetric extension of the standard model. Cross section limits are also presented using simplified models with new particles decaying to an undetected particle and one or two jets

Search for anomalous t t-bar production in the highly-boosted all-hadronic final state

A search is presented for a massive particle, generically referred to as a Z', decaying into a t t-bar pair. The search focuses on Z' resonances that are sufficiently massive to produce highly Lorentz-boosted top quarks, which yield collimated decay products that are partially or fully merged into single jets. The analysis uses new methods to analyze jet substructure, providing suppression of the non-top multijet backgrounds. The analysis is based on a data sample of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5 inverse femtobarns. Upper limits in the range of 1 pb are set on the product of the production cross section and branching fraction for a topcolor Z' modeled for several widths, as well as for a Randall--Sundrum Kaluza--Klein gluon. In addition, the results constrain any enhancement in t t-bar production beyond expectations of the standard model for t t-bar invariant masses larger than 1 TeV.Comment: Submitted to the Journal of High Energy Physics; this version includes a minor typo correction that will be submitted as an erratu