European Union as driver on the fight against climate change. Kyoto and the challenges for 2020

Durante los últimos años, en que el cambio climático se ha convertido en un problema de dimensiones mundiales, la Unión Europea se ha preocupado por corregir sus efectos tomando medidas que se anticipasen a las tomadas a nivel mundial. El impulso de acuerdos internacionales, la entrada en vigor del Protocolo de Kyoto, o la puesta en funcionamiento del mercado europeo de derechos de emisión son ejemplos de ello. En este trabajo veremos la evolución que las políticas de la Unión Europea han experimentado en este ámbito, así como los retos futuros tras los acuerdos de la Cumbre de Bali de diciembre de 2007, y nos preguntaremos sobre ese papel de liderazgo de la UE a la vista de su situación interna._____________________________________________During last years, in which climate change has become a problem of world dimensions, European Union has focused on correcting its effects, taking measures anticipating those taken at worldwide level. The boost of international agreements, Kyoto Protocol entrance into force, or operation of the European emissions trade market, are examples of this. In this work we will see the evolution that European Union policies have experienced on this field, as well as the future challenges coming after Bali Summit on December 2007, and we will inquire about that leading role of the EU looking at its internal situation

Gobernanza corporativa en la Unión Europea: oportunidades de cambio para un desarrollo sostenible

Las estrategias de Responsabilidad Social Corporativa se perfilan como un elemento fundamental para conducir a Europa por la senda del desarrollo sostenible. Dentro de este ámbito, la gobernanza corporativa es uno de sus pilares, y es uno de los aspectos que ha experimentado una mayor evolución en los últimos años. Sin embargo, a pesar del carácter voluntario que siempre se ha preconizado desde el mundo empresarial para estas actuaciones, la Unión Europea pretende conseguir algún tipo de armonización, para evitar las situaciones dispares en los distintos Estados miembros. El dilema se encuentra en fijar los niveles mínimos por encima de los cuales se considera que una empresa actúa de manera socialmente responsable, ya que no se debe aceptar como tal el simple cumplimiento de la legislación vigente. Publicación en línea: 15 abril 201

Las ideas previas sobre la naturaleza de la ciencia escolar en futuros maestros y maestras de Educación Primaria

En este documento se presenta el análisis de las ideas previas de los futuros docentes de Educación Primaria con respecto a la ciencia escolar y su naturaleza, así como también se aborda la forma de llegar al conocimiento científico en el aula. La toma de datos se ha realizado principalmente a partir de la aplicación de un cuestionario en dos grupos de maestros en formación, así como la observación directa en diferentes sesiones de una asignatura del Grado de Maestro en Educación Primaria. Los resultados permiten concluir que hay una actitud baja hacia la ciencia y lo científico. La sociedad sigue teniendo una idea estereotipada de la ciencia, y aunque en el entorno escolar estos estereotipos se pierden, fuera de ella resurgenGrado en Educación Primari

Intravitreal stem cell paracrine properties as a potential neuroprotective therapy for retinal photoreceptor neurodegenerative diseases

Producción CientíficaAbstract: Retinal degenerations are the leading causes of irreversible visual loss worldwide. Many pathologies included under this umbrella involve progressive degeneration and ultimate loss of the photoreceptor cells, with age-related macular degeneration and inherited and ischemic retinal diseases the most relevant. These diseases greatly impact patients’ daily lives, with accompanying marked social and economic consequences. However, the currently available treatments only delay the onset or slow progression of visual impairment, and there are no cures for these photoreceptor diseases. Therefore, new therapeutic strategies are being investigated, such as gene therapy, optogenetics, cell replacement, or cell-based neuroprotection. Specifically, stem cells can secrete neurotrophic, immunomodulatory, and anti-angiogenic factors that potentially protect and preserve retinal cells from neurodegeneration. Further, neuroprotection can be used in different types of retinal degenerative diseases and at different disease stages, unlike other potential therapies. This review summarizes stem cell-based paracrine neuroprotective strategies for photoreceptor degeneration, which are under study in clinical trials, and the latest preclinical studies. Effective retinal neuroprotection could be the next frontier in photoreceptor diseases, and the development of novel neuroprotective strategies will address the unmet therapeutic needs

Pathophysiology of age-related macular degeneration: implications for treatment

Producción CientíficaABSTRACT: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a complex, multifactorial, progressive retinal disease that affects millions of people worldwide and has become the leading cause of visual impairment in developed countries. The disease etiopathogenesis is not understood fully, although many triggers and processes that lead to dysfunction and degeneration of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) have already been identified. Thus, the lack of cellular control of oxidative stress, altered proteostasis, dysfunction of lipid homeostasis, and mitochondrial dysfunction form an internal feedback loop that causes the RPE to fail and allows accumulation of Abnormal misfolded proteins and abnormal lipids that will form drusen. An inadequate antioxidant response, deficits in autophagy mechanisms, and dysregulation of the extracellular matrix (ECM) help to increase the deposition of abnormal drusen material over time. The drusen then act as inflammatory centers that trigger chronic inflammation of the subretinal space in which microglia and recruited macrophages are also involved, and where the complement system is a key component. Choriocapillaris degeneration and nutritional influences are also classic elements recognized in the AMD pathophysiology. The genetic component of the disease is embodied in the recognition of the described risk or protective polymorphisms of some complement and ECM related genes (mainly CFH and ARMS2/HTRA1). Thus, carriers of the risk haplotype at ARMS2/HTRA1 have a higher risk of developing late AMD at a younger age. Finally, gut microbiota and epigenetics may play a role in modulating the progression to advanced AMD with the presence of local inflammatory conditions. Because of multiple implicated processes, different complex combinations of treatments will probably be the best option to obtain the best visual results; they in turn will differ depending on the type and spectrum of disease affecting individual patients or the disease stage in each patient at a specific moment. This will undoubtedly lead to personalized medicine for control and hopefully find a future cure. This necessitates the continued unraveling of all the processes involved in the pathogenesis of AMD that must be understood to devise the combinations of treatments for different concurrent or subsequent problems

Bio-adhesives from soy protein concentrate and montmorillonite: Rheological and thermal behaviour

The incorporation of different amounts of montmorillonite (MMT) to soy protein concentrate (SPC) was used to improve the performance of the bio-nano-adhesive obtained. X-Ray diffraction, rheology, thermogravimetric analysis and scanning electronic microscopy were carried out to characterize the adhesives, and dry and wet strength was used to determine the adhesion strength. In the rheological measurement, the incorporation of up to 3 wt% of MMT did not modify the consistency index values of the SPC, while an increase in the flow consistency index for higher concentrations can be observed due to a strong interaction between MMT and the protein. Besides, the flow point values increase four times with respect to the value obtained for SPC alone. The decomposition temperature of SPC increases with the addition of MMT, which provides a tortuous pathway that obstructs the diffusion of volatile products out of the bio-nano-adhesive. Further addition beyond 5 wt% led to the formation of agglomerates, as verified by SEM. Moreover, the roughness of the fractured surface of the matrix can explain the decrease of the net adhesion of the nano-particles to the SPC suspensions.Centro de Tecnología de Recursos Minerales y Cerámic

The β-fructofuranosidase from Rhodotorula dairenensis: Molecular cloning, heterologous expression, and evaluation of its transferase activity

The β-fructofuranosidase from the yeast Rhodotorula dairenensis (RdINV) produces a mixture of potential prebiotic fructooligosaccharides (FOS) of the levan-, inulin-and neo-FOS series by transfructosylation of sucrose. In this work, the gene responsible for this activity was characterized and its functionality proved in Pichia pastoris. The amino acid sequence of the new protein contained most of the characteristic elements of β-fructofuranosidases included in the family 32 of the glycosyl hydrolases (GH32). The heterologous yeast produced a protein of about 170 kDa, where N-linked and O-linked carbohydrates constituted about 15% and 38% of the total protein mass, respectively. Biochemical and kinetic properties of the heterologous protein were similar to the native enzyme, including its ability to produce prebiotic sugars. The maximum concentration of FOS obtained was 82.2 g/L, of which 6-kestose represented about 59% (w/w) of the total products synthesized. The potential of RdINV to fructosylate 19 hydroxylated compounds was also explored, of which eight sugars and four alditols were modified. The flexibility to recognize diverse fructosyl acceptors makes this protein valuable to produce novel glycosyl-compounds with potential applications in food and pharmaceutical industriesThis work was supported by Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness: BIO2016- 76601-C3-2 and of Science and Innovation PID2019-105838RB-C32; Fundación Ramón Areces (XIX Call of Research Grants in Life and Material Sciences); and by institutional grant from Fundación Ramón Areces to the Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa. CBMSO Proteomics Facility belongs to ProteoRed PRB2-ISCIII and was supported by the grant PT13/0001. M.G.-P. was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education’s University Personnel Training Plan (FPU

Reliability of colour perimetry to assess macular pigment optical density in age-related macular degeneration

Producción CientíficaABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the intra-session repeatability and inter-examiner reproducibility of the colour perimetry technique when assessing in vivo macular pigment optical density in age-related macular degeneration patients. METHODS: Age-related macular degeneration patients were classified into four groups: early age-related macular degeneration, intermediate age-related macular degeneration, atrophic age-related macular degeneration and neovascular age-related macular degeneration after undergoing fundus photography (TRC 50DX type IA) and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography analysis (Topcon 3D-2000). Central fixation was confirmed in all patients using the MP-1 microperimeter (Nidek, Padua, Italy). To analyse repeatability, one examiner obtained three consecutive macular pigment optical density measures with MonCV3 device (Metrovision, Perenchies, France). To study agreement between two observers, a second examiner performed another macular pigment optical density measurement in random order. Within-subject standard deviation, coefficient of variation, and intraclass correlation coefficient data were obtained. RESULTS: Fifty two (32 females and 20 males) consecutive age-related macular degeneration patients having a mean age of 71.5 ± 8.2 years were recruited. Six had early age-related macular degeneration, 25 had intermediate age-related macular degeneration, 10 had atrophic age-related macular degeneration and 11 had neovascular age-related macular degeneration. For repeatability, coefficient of variation values ranged from 22.3% (neovascular age-related macular degeneration) to 41.0% (atrophic age-related macular degeneration) and intraclass correlation coefficient values from 0.52 (intermediate age-related macular degeneration) to 0.79 (neovascular age-related macular degeneration). For agreement between two examiners, coefficient of variation values ranged from 20.1% (intermediate age-related macular degeneration) to 37.8% (neovascular age-related macular degeneration) and intraclass correlation coefficient values from 0.61 (neovascular age-related macular degeneration) to 0.80 (atrophic age-related macular degeneration). CONCLUSION: The reliability (intra-session repeatability and inter-examiner reproducibility) of colour perimetry technique to assess macular pigment optical density in age-related macular degeneration patients is only moderate. Thus, it cannot be recommended to be performed when evaluating and monitoring age-related macular degeneration patients in the daily clinic

A new manual retinal thickness measurement protocol to evaluate high myopia patients

Producción CientíficaPurpose: To validate a manual measurement protocol for quantifying retinal thickness (RT) using an optical coherence tomography (OCT) device in pathologic myopia patients. Methods: The macular Cross Hair protocol of Stratus OCT3 (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc., Dublin, Calif., USA) was applied and manual RT gauging was performed using the caliper tool. Foveal and paramacular RT, located at 1 and 2 mm distances from the fovea in both vertical and horizontal scans, were measured. Three consecutive RT measurements were taken to assess measurement reliability. The within-subject coefficient of variation (CVw) and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated to validate the manual method. Results: The mean axial length of the 29 eyes assessed was 28.28 ± 2.72 mm and the mean spherical refraction was -13.61 ± 6.68 diopters. CVw ranged from 0.86 to 8.73% and ICC varied from 0.81 to 0.98. Conclusion: A manual RT measurement protocol could reliably be used in the daily clinic for assessing pathologic myopic patients when OCT software segmentation fails