The sociocultural aspects of assisted reproduction in Mexico

Assisted reproduction (AR) became available in Mexico during the mid eighties. Since then, the AR industry has developed and flourished within a context of little regulation, considerable media coverage and an increasing number of consumers. As part of this process, terms such as 'assisted reproduction', 'infertility, ‘eligible AR users’ and ‘qualified AR service provider’ have required definitions. Through four years of multisited ethnographic work at clinics, conferences and online forums, and by analysing media coverage and legal debates around infertility I have charted the introduction and development of AR, and I have tried to understand the process of its assimilation and (re)construction within the Mexican setting. The organisation of this thesis reflects the dynamic complexity with which the different actors have constructed the Mexican AR arena. The thesis begins with a description of the theoretical framework and the methodological rationale, followed by a genealogical analysis of Mexican AR focusing on the elements that made its adoption possible, the transformation of gynaecologists into AR specialists, the establishment of AR clinics and services, and the emergence of two new types of AR specialist: the andrologist and the AR biologist. I then analyse the way AR is framed as a paranatural procedure that imitates nature while simultaneously going beyond it and examine the elements that make up what the community of AR specialists suggest are the major causes for infertility: ‘the age factor’ and ‘the male factor’. Finally, I describe the pilgrimage AR users embark on in search of parenthood and their quest for information and support. Understanding the process by which AR has been assimilated and transformed in the Mexican context sheds light on the way techno-science is (re)constructed when it arrives in new settings. In addition, this knowledge has the potential to inform local medical and social practices, and regulatory frameworks in the field

Pharmacogenetic Variation and Its Clinical Relevance in a Latin American Rural Population

Latin-American populations have been largely underrepresented in genomic studies of drug response and disease susceptibility. In this paper, we present a genome-wide Chilean dataset from Talca based on the Illumina Global Screening Array. This let us to compare the frequency of gene variants involved in response to drugs among our population and others, taking data from the 1000 Genomes Project. We found four single-nucleotide polymorphisms with low prevalence in Chileans when compared with African, Amerindian, East and South Asian, and European populations: rs2819742 (RYR2), rs2631367 (SLC22A5), rs1063320 (HLA-G), and rs1042522 (TP53). Moreover, two markers showed significant differences between lower and higher proportion of Mapuche ancestry groups: rs1719247 (located in an intergenic region in chromosome 15; p-value = 6.17 × 10-5, Bonferroni corrected p-value = 0.02) and rs738409 (A nonsynonymous gene variant in the PNPLA3 gene; p-value = 9.02 × 10-5, Bonferroni corrected p-value = 0.04). All of these polymorphisms have been shown to be associated with diverse pathologies, such as asthma, cancer, or chronic hepatitis B, or to be involved in a different response to drugs, such as metformin, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, or simvastatin. The present work provides a pharmacogenetic landscape of an understudied Latin American rural population and supports the notion that pharmacogenetic studies in admixed populations should consider ancestry for a higher accuracy of the results. Our study stresses the relevance of the pharmacogenomic research to provide guidance for a better choice of the best treatment for each individual in a population with admixed ancestry. Keywords: Chile; Latin-American; ancestry; personalized medicine; pharmacogenetics; single nucleotide polymorphism

LEAD ACCUMULATION AND SUBCELULAR DISTRIBUTION IN THE SCALLOP AEQUIPECTEN OPERCULARIS

The scallop Aequipecten opercularis accumulates high concentrations of lead (Pb) in its tissues, what has led to the ban of its extraction in the Ría de Vigo (Galicia, Spain) for feeding purposes. The Ría de Vigo presents higher levels of Pb than other industrialized Galician Rías, mainly due to a ceramic factory that was operating in the inner part of the Ría from 1961 to 2001 (Álvarez-Iglesias et al., 2003). This study aims at testing the dynamics of bioaccumulation of Pb in this species, its tissue distribution and the subcellular partitioning Pb, with the aim of enhancing our understanding of the mechanisms that provoke the high Pb levels reached in its tissues. Scallops originating from a clean area were exposed in cages in two places in the Ría de Vigo (one harbour and a less impacted location) and 10 individuals were collected every month over a three months period. The bioaccumulation of Pb and other metals was studied including its distribution in several tissues: gills, digestive gland, kidney, muscle, gonad and rest. The results showed that scallops accumulated similar levels of Pb in both locations, and that about 76% of the Pb was found in the kidney. Subcellular partitioning of kidney samples additionally showed that around a 60-70% of Pb in the kidneys was included in metal rich granules, indicating that this is probably the reason of the high levels of Pb observed in this species, as occurs for other bivalves (Darriba and Sánchez-Marín, 2013). Concerning other metals analysed, it was observed that Zn was also mainly accumulated in the kidney, while Cd content was highest in the digestive gland. Cu and Ni were preferentially accumulated in the digestive gland or kidney, depending on the location, and As was mainly found in the muscle. Results will be discussed on the basis of metal pollution in both locations and according to detoxification strategies used by scallops

Line-Strength Indices in Bright Spheroidals: Evidence for a Stellar Population Dichotomy between Spheroidal and Elliptical Galaxies

We present new measurements of central line-strength indices (namely Mg2, , and Hbeta and gradients for a sample of 6 bright spheroidal galaxies (Sph's) in the Virgo cluster. Comparison with similar measurements for elliptical galaxies (E's), galactic globular clusters (GGC's), and stellar population models yield the following results: (1) In contrast with bright E's, bright Sph's are consistent with solar abundance [Mg/Fe] ratios; (2) Bright Sph's exhibit metallicities ranging from values typical for metal-rich GGC's to those for E's; (3) Although absolute mean ages are quite model dependent, we find evidence that the stellar populations of some (if not all) Sph's look significantly younger than GGC's; and (4) Mg2 gradients of bright Sph's are significantly shallower than those of E galaxies. We conclude that the dichotomy found in the structural properties of Sph and E galaxies is also observed in their stellar populations. A tentative interpretation in terms of differences in star formation histories is suggested.Comment: 14 pages, LaTeX file + 2 PostScript figures, aasms4.sty require

Motores de viento del Campo de Cartagena. Innovaciones tecnológicas para el aprovechamiento de la energía en los usos tradicionales (1884-1912)

Cuatro motores de viento, patentados en el Campo de Cartagena, nos permiten analizar innovaciones en los usos tradicionales de aprovechamiento energético. Innovaciones que aunaban la sabiduría popular experimentada en construcciones similares como molinos y malacates, junto al conocimiento del clima, el terreno y la experiencia de sus inventores, potenciando los sistemas tradicionales y permitiendo nuevos aprovechamientos y mejoras en la economía agrícola tradicional. El más antiguo de estos motores fue patentado en 1884 por Manuel Bartual. Le sigue otro que Miguel Zapata llamó “sistema americano” en 1909. Para terminar con dos en 1912, el de Julio Frigard que añadía orientación automática y el último motor fue diseñado con eje vertical por Luis Calandre. Investigar, recuperar y divulgar este patrimonio es el objetivo del proyecto cultural: “Ingenio y Técnica en la Región de Murcia 1878-1966”, que codirigimos y con el que estamos recuperando prototipos y más información. Documentos y patentes que nos ayudan a conocer la sociedad del cambio de siglo, el estado de la tecnología y las soluciones constructivas aportadas que forman parte ya de nuestro patrimonio cultural y tecnológico

Idades preliminares U-Pb, ID-TIMS, das Ilhas Berlengas, Portugal = Preliminary ID-TIMS, U-Pb ages of the Berlengas Islands, Portugal

Apresentam-se os resultados provisórios das idades U-Pb de duas amostras das ilhas do grupo das Berlengas. No Farilhão Grande uma amostra de granito de duas micas com silimanite foi recolhida de um complexo metamórfico. Esta amostra ofereceu três fracções de monazite com idade 377+-1 Ma, interpretada como metamórfica, enquanto uma fracção de zircões de concórdia 483 Ma sugeriu uma idade Tremadoc. Esta última fracção é herdada, provavelmente do volumoso magmatismo do Ordovícico Inferior existente na Ibéria. Na Berlenga Grande o granito apresenta fracções de monazite e zircão concordantes de 307,4+-0,8 Ma.

Interactions between Closely Related Bacterial Strains Are Revealed by Deep Transcriptome Sequencing

Comparative genomics, metagenomics, and single-cell technologies have shown that populations of microbial species encompass assemblages of closely related strains. This raises the question of whether individual bacterial lineages respond to the presence of their close relatives by modifying their gene expression or, instead, whether assemblages simply act as the arithmetic addition of their individual components. Here, we took advantage of transcriptome sequencing to address this question. For this, we analyzed the transcriptomes of two closely related strains of the extremely halophilic bacterium Salinibacter ruber grown axenically and in coculture. These organisms dominate bacterial assemblages in hypersaline environments worldwide. The strains used here cooccurred in the natural environment and are 100% identical in their 16S rRNA genes, and each strain harbors an accessory genome representing 10% of its complete genome. Overall, transcriptomic patterns from pure cultures were very similar for both strains. Expression was detected along practically the whole genome albeit with some genes at low levels. A subset of genes was very highly expressed in both strains, including genes coding for the light-driven proton pump xanthorhodopsin, genes involved in the stress response, and genes coding for transcriptional regulators. Expression differences between pure cultures affected mainly genes involved in environmental sensing. When the strains were grown in coculture, there was a modest but significant change in their individual transcription patterns compared to those in pure culture. Each strain sensed the presence of the other and responded in a specific manner, which points to fine intraspecific transcriptomic modulation.The group of J.A. is funded by grant CGL2012-39627-C03-01 from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO), which is cofinanced with FEDER support from the European Union. P.G.-T. was an FPI-MINECO fellow. Research by the group of T.G. is funded in part by a grant from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (BIO2012-37161), a grant from the Qatar National Research Fund (NPRP 5-298-3-086), and a grant from the European Research Council under the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP/2007-2013)/ERC (grant agreement no. ERC-2012-StG-310325). L.P.P. was funded through the La Caixa-CRG international fellowship program

Neutral magic-angle bilayer graphene: Condon instability and chiral resonances

We discuss the full optical response of twisted bilayer graphene at the neutrality point close to the magic angle within the continuum model. (i) First, we define the full optical response consistent with the underlying $D_3$ symmetry, yielding the total, magnetic, and chiral response that transform according to the irreducible representations $A_1$, $A_2$, and $E$, respectively. Then, we numerically calculate the dissipative and reactive response for twist angles around the magic angle $\theta_m$ and comment on the possibility of a Condon instability. (ii) Second, we numerically calculate the full optical response {\it almost at} $\theta_m$. The total response is characterized by three universal plateaus which can be obtained from an analytical calculation. The magnetic and the chiral response, however, is given by corresponding non-universal plateaus depending on the twist angle $\theta$ via the dimensionless parameter $\alpha\sim\theta_m-\theta$. (iii) Following the discussion on the large magnetic response, we calculate the plasmonic excitations at the neutrality point inside the optical gap of relaxed twisted bilayer graphene. We find that acoustic plasmons extend over almost the whole optical gap and carry the largest oscillator strength. (iv) Finally, we discuss symmetry relations for the response functions as function of the chemical potential and highlight the consequences of the approximate particle-hole symmetry of the continuum model for twisted bilayer graphene. We then discuss a detailed balance relation where the chiral response at charge neutrality can be understood in terms of electron (hole) transitions for which the initial (final) states are energetically closer to charge neutrality than the final (initial) states.Comment: 17 pages, 7 figure

Caracterização do consumo das carnes caprina e ovina em Sergipe.

A Embrapa Caprinos e Ovinos e com Embrapa Tabuleiros Costeiros desenvolveram no período de 2003 a 2008 o Projeto: estudo da cadeia produtiva de carnes e peles de caprinos e ovinos na Região Nordeste do Brasil. Tal projeto, além de outras áreas, buscava identificar o mercado potencial de carnes e peles para os produtos de origem caprina e ovina. Esta publicação apresenta uma caracterização do mercado consumidor das carnes caprina e ovina na cidade de Aracaju, no Estado de Sergipe. Nela o leitor vai encontrar informações importantes sobre diversos indicadores de mercado, tais como: preço, renda dos consumidores, gosto ou preferência com relação à outras carnes e, mercado potencial dentre outras. Espera- se que estas informações sirvam de referência e apoio a todos os segmentos que compõem esta cadeia produtiva na implantação de projetos que permitam o desenvolvimento sustentável do agronegócio da caprinocultura e da ovinocultura brasileiras.bitstream/CNPC-2010/21838/1/doc84.pd