Evolution of dwarf galaxies: characterizing star formation scenarios

This is an electronic version of the lecture presented at the IX Scientific Meeting of the Spanish Astronomical Society (SEA), held on September 13-17, 2010, in Madrid

Molecular characterization of resistance to Rifampicin in an emerging hospital-associated Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clone ST228, Spain

Background: Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) has been endemic in Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, Barcelona, since 1990. During the 1990-95 period the Iberian clone (ST-247; SCCmec-I) was dominant. Isolates of clonal complex 5 (ST-125; SCCmec-IV) gradually replaced the Iberian clone from 1996 to 2003. A new multiresistant MRSA phenotype showing rifampicin resistance emerged in 2004 and rapidly increased from 25% in 2004 to 45% in 2006. The aims of this study were i) the molecular characterisation of rifampicin resistant MRSA isolates, ii) the study of the rifampicin resistance expression by disk diffusion, microdilution and E-test, and iii) the analysis of the rpoB gene mutations involved in rifampicin resistance. Results: A sample of representative 108 rifampicin-resistant MRSA isolates belonged to a single PFGE genotype, ST-228, SCCmec type I and spa type t041. Of 108 isolates, 104 (96%) had a low-level rifampicin resistance (MICs, 2 to 4 mg/L) and 4 a high-level rifampicin resistance (MICs, 128 - ≥ 256 mg/L). Disk diffusion and E-test methods failed to identify a low-level rifampicin resistance in 20 and 12 isolates, respectively. A low-level rifampicin resistance was associated with amino acid substitution 481His/Asn in the beta-subunit of RNA polymerase. Isolates with a high-level rifampicin resistance carried additional mutations in the rpoB gene. Conclusions: The emergence of MRSA clone ST228-SCCmec I, related to the Southern Germany clone, involved a therapeutical challenge for treating serious MRSA infections. Decreased susceptibility to rifampicin in MRSA strains of ST228-SCCmecI was associated with one or two specific mutations in the rpoB gene. One fifth of isolates with low-level rifampicin-resistance were missed by the diffusion methods

Effects of Strain Rate on the TRIP–TWIP Transition of an Austenitic Fe-18Mn-2Si-2Al Steel

A fully austenitic Fe-18Mn-2Si-2Al transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) steel was tensile tested from quasi-static to low-dynamic regime at three different strain rates: 4.7 × 10−4, 1.3 × 10−1, and 8.3 × 100 s−1. Typical two-stage transformation mechanism, TRIP γ → ε → α′, was observed for samples tested at 4.7 × 10−4 s−1. At higher strain rates, the increase in temperature due to adiabatic plastic work shifts the stacking fault energy (SFE) towards a twinning-induced plasticity–SFE-range modifying the mechanical behavior of the alloy. This change on the deformation mechanism leads to a lower work hardening capacity and a higher elongation to rupture in samples tested at 1.3 × 10−1 and 8.3 × 100 s−1. In this context, the alloy maintains its energy absorption capability with a maximum reduction of 3.6 pct according to the Rm × A parameter. The Md temperature, experimentally determined in the present study, proved to be a useful tool for understanding the material’s behavior.Fil: Raposo, Marcio Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Martín, M.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Giordana, María Florencia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Fuster, Valeria de Los Angeles. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Malarria, Jorge Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario; Argentin

The Kernel Estimation in Biosystems Engineering.

In many fields of biosystems engineering, it is common to find works in which statistical information is analysed that violates the basic hypotheses necessary for the conventional forecasting methods. For those situations, it is necessary to find alternative methods that allow the statistical analysis considering those infringements. Non-parametric function estimation includes methods that fit a target function locally, using data from a small neighbourhood of the point. Weak assumptions, such as continuity and differentiability of the target function, are rather used than “a priori” assumption of the global target function shape (e.g., linear or quadratic). In this paper a few basic rules of decision are enunciated, for the application of the non-parametric estimation method. These statistical rules set up the first step to build an interface usermethod for the consistent application of kernel estimation for not expert users. To reach this aim, univariate and multivariate estimation methods and density function were analysed, as well as regression estimators. In some cases the models to be applied in different situations, based on simulations, were defined. Different biosystems engineering applications of the kernel estimation are also analysed in this review

Documento de consenso interdisciplinar de expertos en el manejo de la disección aórtica tipo B: comentarios y novedades a la luz del INSTEAD-XL

ResumenAnte la ausencia de evidencia científica sólida, un comité de expertos europeos ha publicado en la revista Journal of the American College of Cardiology un documento de consenso sobre el manejo de los diferentes subgrupos de pacientes con disección aórtica tipo B. Este documento está basado en un metaanálisis que recopila toda la experiencia publicada en los últimos años sobre disección aórtica tipo B, incluyendo a más de 6.700 pacientes.A pesar de su mejor pronóstico en fase aguda que la disección aórtica tipo A, la disección aórtica tipo B presenta un mal pronóstico a medio y largo plazo. El manejo limitado al tratamiento médico con control estricto de la presión arterial y el tratamiento de los casos complicados mediante cirugía abierta o técnicas endovasculares está sometido a controversia, especialmente por la disponibilidad y los buenos resultados de las técnicas endovasculares. Este documento pretende apoyar a los cirujanos o médicos que tratan la disección aórtica tipo B, estableciendo algunos algoritmos de manejo.Recogemos en este artículo las conclusiones y los datos fundamentales de este documento de consenso.La aparición posterior de los resultados a 5 años del estudio INSTEAD añaden una fuerte evidencia científica en contra de alguna de las principales conclusiones alcanzadas en este consenso y retan este consenso logrado solamente un año antes.AbstractDue to a lack of solid scientific evidence, an european experts committee have published in Journal of the American College of Cardiology an consensus document about the management of different subgroups of patients with type B aortic dissection. This document is based on a meta-analisys including the recent published experience that includes more than 6700 patients with type B aortic dissection.In spite of the better prognosis compared to type A dissection in the short term, type B dissection has a bad long term prognosis. The conservative management limited to tight blood pressure control and close surveillance to treat complicated cases with open surgery or endovascular therapy is under discussion, specially due to the feasibility and good results of endovascular technique. This consensus intends to support surgeons or doctors who deal with type B dissection and stablishs some management algorithm.We present in this article the conclusions and main data from this consensus document.The posterior publication of 5 years results of INSTEAD study adds an strong scientific evidence against some of this consensus principal conclusions and challenge the consensus just one year later

Effects of the 4N(v) chromosome from Aegilops ventricosa on agronomic and quality traits in bread wheat

Advanced wheat lines carrying the Hessian fly resistance gene H27 were obtained by backcrossing the wheat/Aegilops ventricosa introgression line, H-93-33, to commercial wheat cultivars as recurrent parents. The Acph-N v 1 marker linked to the gene H27 on the 4Nv chromosome of this line was used for marker assisted selection. Advanced lines were evaluated for Hessian fly resistance in field and growth chamber tests, and for other agronomic traits during several crop seasons at different localities of Spain. The hessian fly resistance levels of lines carrying the 4Nv chromosome introgression (4D/4Nv substitution and recombination lines that previously were classified by in situ hybridisation) were high, but always lower than that of their Ae. ventricosa progenitor. Introgression lines had higher grain yields in infested field trials than those without the 4Nv chromosome and their susceptible parents, but lower grain yields under high yield potential conditions. The 4Nv introgression was also associated with later heading, and lower tiller and grain numbers/m2 . In addition, it was associated with longer and more lax spikes, and higher values of grain weight and grain protein content. However, the glutenin and gliadin expression, as well as the bread-making performance, were similar to those of their recurrent parent

Blue compact dwarf galaxies with nitrogen overabundance: a view from integral field spectroscopy

This is an electronic version of the poster presented at the IX Scientific Meeting of the Spanish Astronomical Society (SEA), held on September 13-17, 2010, in Madrid.The summary of the poster appears in Zapatero Osorio, M.R. et al. (eds.). Highlights of Spanish Astrophysics VI. Proceedings of the IX Scientific Meeting of the Spanish Astronomical Society (SEA), held on September 13-17, 2010, in Madrid. Barcelona: Sociedad Española de Astronomía, 2011. 39

Advantages of the Incorporation of Luffa-Based Activated Carbon to Titania for Improving the Removal of Methylene Blue from Aqueous Solution

This research aims to study the possible improvement of methylene blue (MB) removal from aqueous solution by hybrid adsorbent-catalysts (AdsCats) prepared through the incorporation of activated carbon derived from Luffa cylindrica fibers (LAC) to TiO2 photocatalysts. LAC with a specific surface area of 1170 m2/g was prepared by chemical activation with phosphoric acid at 500 °C. TiO2/LAC composites with 70 and 90 wt.% Degussa P25 titania content were prepared. The materials were characterized by N2 physical adsorption, XRD, FTIR, and XPS. The AdsCats displayed a very good dispersion of TiO2 over LAC, a surface area of close to 200 or 400 m2/g, depending on the composition, and high crystallinity, showing the presence of anatase and rutile phases. MB removal was studied in two different scenarios: under UV-light after reaching adsorption equilibrium, and under UV-light once the liquid effluent and the AdsCats were in contact. The MB removal by LAC has proved to be very efficient, highlighting the predominant role of adsorption over photodegradation. The prepared AdsCats have also been compared with their components. The results showed that TiLAC hybrids have superior photocatalytic performance than P25, showing TiLAC-7/3 90% MB removal with respect to the initial concentration just after 30 min of UV light irradiation for both studied scenarios.This research was funded by Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, projects RTI2018-099668-BC22 and RTI2018-095291-B-I00, Junta de Andalucía, project MA18-FEDERJA-126 and FEDER funds, and GV/FEDER (PROMETEO/2018/076). S.B. acknowledges Mujeres por Africa foundation for the scholarship offer within the 2019 Learn Africa program and, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research for the 2019–2020 scholarship within the P.N.E. program

Conformationally restricted PACAP27 analogues incorporating type II/II′ IBTM β-Turn mimetics. Synthesis, NMR structure determination, and binding affinity

To probe the importance of a proposed β-turn within residues S9-R12 of PACAP for recognition by VIP/PACAP receptors, compounds 1 and 2, two conformationally restricted analogues of PACAP27 incorporating respectively (S)- or (R)-IBTM as type II or II′ β-turn dipeptide mimetic at the Y10-S11 position, were synthesized. According to 1H NMR conformational analyses in aqueous solution and 30% TFE, both PACAP27 and the [S-IBTM10,11]PACAP27 analogue 1 adopt similar ordered structures. PACAP27 shows an N-terminal disordered region (residues H1-F6) and an α-helical conformation within segment T7–L27. For residues S9–R12, our data seem more compatible with a segment of the α-helix than with the β-turn previously proposed for this fragment. In compound 1 the α-helix, also spanning T7–L27 residues, appears slightly distorted at the N-terminus relative to the native peptide. Although this distortion could lead to the marked decrease in binding affinity of this compound at the VIP/PACAP receptors, the lack of the Y10 side chain in analogues 1 and 2 could also significantly affect the binding of these compounds.Work at the Instituto de Quı́mica Médica and Universidad de Navarra was supported by CICYT (SAF 97 0030 and SAF 2000-0147), Fundación La Caixa (97/022) and Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid (08.5/0006/1998). Work at the Instituto de Estructura de la Materia was supported by DGICYT (PB98-0677) and the European Union (CEE B104-97-2086). Work at the Universidad de Barcelona was supported by Generalitat de Catalunya (CERBA). C.M.S. and M.M.-M. are recipients of a pre-doctoral and a post-doctoral fellowship, respectively, from the Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain. E.de O. is a post-doctoral fellow of Fundació Bosch i Gimpera, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain