Estudio preliminar sobre algunas rocas volcánicas y volcano-sedimentarias de la provincia de Huelva

Se ha realizado una primera clasificación de algunas rocas volcánicas del Norte de la provincia de Huelva, con base geoquímica. De acuerdo con ésta, se apuntan algunas posibilidades genéticas

Estudio preliminar sobre algunas rocas volcánicas y volcano-sedimentarias de la provincia de Huelva

Se ha realizado una primera clasificación de algunas rocas volcánicas del Norte de la provincia de Huelva, con base geoquímica. De acuerdo con ésta, se apuntan algunas posibilidades genéticas

Textural and geochemical features of pyrite from the intramagmatic Ni-Cu-PGE mineralization of Aguablanca (Badajoz)

Depto. de Mineralogía y PetrologíaFac. de Ciencias GeológicasFALSEEspaña. Dirección General de Investigación Científica y Técnicapu

Fractionation evidences in the intramagmatic Ni-Cu-PGE mineralization of Aguablanca (Badajoz)

Depto. de Mineralogía y PetrologíaFac. de Ciencias GeológicasFALSEpu

The oenological interest of fumaric acid: Stop malolactic fermentation and preserve the freshness of wines

ABSTRACT One of the problems related to the increase in average temperatures in the wine-growing regions is the lower accumulation of organic acids in the berries. Wine freshness depends to a great extent on its acidity. Herein, the effectiveness of fumaric acid to inhibit malolactic fermentation or to stop it once initiated is evaluated in order to preserve the malic acid content. Different doses of fumaric acid and SO2 were tested. The ability of these compounds to inhibit bacterial development and stop the malic acid degradation was testedonaredwineofthevarietyVitisviniferaL.cv.Tempranillowhosemalicacidcontentwassetat1.5g/L. The control wine inoculated with 6 log CFU/mL of Oenococcus oeni finished the malolactic fermentation in 12 days. However, the use of doses equal to or greater than 300mg/L of fumaric acid delayed the onset of malolactic fermentation for more than 50 days with little degradation of malic acid. In addition, fumaric acid proved to be effective in stopping malolactic fermentation already started where the bacterial count was 7 log CFU/mL. Fumaric acid can be considered as a potent inhibitor of malolactic fermentation

All-in-one trifunctional strategy: A cell adhesive, bacteriostatic and bactericidal coating for titanium implants

Strategies to inhibit initial bacterial adhesion are extremely important to prevent infection on biomaterial surfaces. However, the simultaneous attraction of desired eukaryotic cells remains a challenge for successful biomaterial-host tissue integration. Here we describe a method for the development of a trifunctional coating that repels contaminating bacteria, kills those that adhere, and promotes osteoblast adhesion. To this end, titanium surfaces were functionalized by electrodeposition of an antifouling polyethylene glycol (PEG) layer and subsequent binding of a peptidic platform with cell-adhesive and bactericidal properties. The physicochemical characterization of the samples via SEM, contact angle, FTIR and XPS analysis verified the successful binding of the PEG layer and the biomolecules, without altering the morphology and topography of the samples. PEG coatings inhibited protein adsorption and osteoblast-like (SaOS-2) attachment; however, the presence of cell adhesive domains rescued osteoblast adhesion, yielding higher values of cell attachment and spreading compared to controls (p < 0.05). Finally, the antibacterial potential of the coating was measured by live/dead assays and SEM using S. sanguinis as a model of early colonizer in oral biofilms. The presence of PEG layers significantly reduced bacterial attachment on the surfaces (p < 0.05). This antibacterial potential was further increased by the bactericidal peptide, yielding values of bacterial adhesion below 0.2% (p < 0.05). The balance between the risk of infection and the optimal osteointegration of a biomaterial is often described as “the race for the surface”, in which contaminating bacteria and host tissue cells compete to colonize the implant. In the present work, we have developed a multifunctional coating for a titanium surface that promotes the attachment and spreading of osteoblasts, while very efficiently inhibits bacterial colonization, thus holding promise for application in bone replacing applications.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Recobriments antiadherents sobre titani: mètodes de deposició de poli(etilenglicol)

Els implants dentals són àmpliament utilitzats per a la substitució de peces dentals perdudes. Tot i la seva elevada taxa d’èxit, es produeixen fallades en un 5-10% dels implants col•locats. Per evitar les fallades per infecció cal evitar l’adhesió bacteriana inicial, fita que es pot assolir amb els recobriments antiadherents. En aquest estudi es realitza la comparativa de tres mètodes diferents per l’obtenció de recobriments de poli(etilenglicol) (PEG) sobre titani per aplicacions en implants dentals. Els mètodes estudiats han estat la polimerització per plasma, l’electrodeposició i la silanització. Els tres mètodes permeten obtenir un recobriment de PEG a la superfície del titani, amb composició química semblant i una reducció de l’adhesió bacteriana. L’adhesió cel•lular no es veu significativament afectada en cap dels casos.Peer Reviewe

DNA polymerase λ, a novel DNA repair enzyme in human cells

DNA polymerase lambda (pol λ) is a novel family X DNA polymerase that has been suggested to play a role in meiotic recombination and DNA repair. The recent demonstration of an intrinsic 5′-deoxyribose-5-phosphate lyase activity in pol λ supports a function of this enzyme in base excision repair. However, the biochemical properties of the polymerization activity of this enzyme are still largely unknown. We have cloned and purified human pol λ to homogeneity in a soluble and active form, and we present here a biochemical description of its polymerization features. In support of a role in DNA repair, pol λ inserts nucleotides in a DNA template-dependent manner and is processive in small gaps containing a 5′-phosphate group. These properties, together with its nucleotide insertion fidelity parameters and lack of proofreading activity, indicate that pol λ is a novel β-like DNA polymerase. However, the high affinity of pol λ for dNTPs (37-fold over pol β) is consistent with its possible involvement in DNA transactions occurring under low cellular levels of dNTPs. This suggests that, despite their similarities, pol β and pol λ have nonredundant in vivo functions.This work was supported by Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnologı´a Grant BMC2000-1138, Comunidad Auto´noma de Madrid Grant 08.5/0063/2000 (to L. B.) and by an institutional grant from Fundacio´n Ramo´n Areces

Use of Schizosaccharomyces strains for wine fermentation? Effect on the wine composition and food safety

Schizosaccharomyceswas initially considered as a spoilage yeast because of the production of undesirable metabolites such as acetic acid, hydrogen sulfide, or acetaldehyde, but it currently seems to be of great value in enology.o ced Nevertheless, Schizosaccharomyces can reduce all of the malic acid in must, leading to malolactic fermentation. Malolactic fermentation is a highly complicated process in enology and leads to a higher concentration of biogenic amines, so the use of Schizosaccharomyces pombe can be an excellent tool for assuring wine safety. Schizosaccharomyces also has much more potential than only reducing the malic acid content, such as increasing the level of pyruvic acid and thus the vinylphenolic pyranoanthocyanin content. Until now, few commercial strains have been available and little research on the selection of appropriate yeast strains with such potential has been conducted. In this study, selected and wild Sc. pombe strains were used along with a Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain to ferment red grape must. The results showed significant differences in several parameters including non-volatile and volatile compounds, anthocyanins, biogenic amines and sensory parameters