Smithing work in Islamic Ceuta

Se estudian en este trabajo los artefactos metalúrgicos exhumados en una excavación arqueológica preventiva llevada a cabo en el casco urbano de Ceuta, en conexión con una estructura de combustión que se ha interpretado como un hogar de forja. En paralelo a lo que sucede en otros asentamientos islámicos medievales de las costas de la Península Ibérica, se relaciona este tratamiento de minerales de hierro con la construcción naval. Se incide en la importancia de esta actividad desde al menos el siglo VI d.C. y su etapa de apogeo a partir de la segunda mitad del siglo XII con el establecimiento de la escuadra almohade en esta ciudadIn this article are studied the archeometallurgical remains exhumed in an archaeological excavation located in the centre of Ceuta (Spain, North Africa), in connection with a structure of combustion that has been interpreted like a forging workshop. As happens with other medieval Islamic settlements on the coasts of the Iberian Peninsula, the treatment of iron ores is related to shipbuilding industry. The importance of this activity is palpable since the 6th century, but even more in the second half of the twelfth century with the establishment of the almohade fleet in the cit

Búsqueda de nuevas alternativas terapéuticas para el tratamiento de infecciones por adenovirus: cribado de pequeñas moléculas generadas por química combinatoria

Motivación: La incidencia de infecciones por adenovirus (HAdV) en pacientes receptores de órgano sólido y especialmente de receptores de progenitores hematopoyéticos, ha aumentado en los últimos años, presentando una elevada morbi- mortalidad (1, 2). Actualmente no existen tratamientos específicos para este tipo de infecciones. Nuestro objetivo fundamental fue identificar moléculas capaces de inhibir la infección por HAdV y determinar su mecanismo de acción como primer paso para el desarrollo de un nuevo antiviral específico frente a HAdV. Métodos: Partimos de una librería de 30 derivados de piperazina. Las moléculas que presentaron actividad inhibitoria > 50% de la infección por HAdV mediante ensayo en placa o mediante "single round infection" se seleccionaron para su caracterización posterior. Su citotoxicidad (CC50) se evaluó mediante cuantificación del XTT metabolizado. Se realizaron así mismo estudios dosis-respuesta de los compuestos activos. También se evaluó la capacidad de las moléculas de inhibir la replicación del virus, para lo cual se llevaron a cabo infecciones de 24h y se cuantificó la producción de "de novo" HAdV ADN mediante PCR cuantitativa a tiempo real (3). La cuantificación de la reducción de la progenie viral por la acción de las moléculas seleccionadas se realizó mediante un ensayo de producción viral y posterior titulación. Resultados: Las moléculas 511, 512 y 513 (50 µM) generaron inhibiciones >50% en el ensayo en placa. Sólo el compuesto 511 generaba una inhibición leve dosis-dependiente. Los valores de CC50 fueron 190, 546 y 85 µM, respectivamente, en base a los cuales el compuesto 513 fue descartado para su posterior caracterización por su elevada toxicidad. Los moléculas 511 y 512 (30 µM) produjeron inhibiciones de la replicación viral del 80% y del 50%, respectivamente. Las moléculas 511 y 512 (30 µM) generaron reducciones en la progenie viral del 44% y del 25%, respectivamente. Conclusiones: Las moléculas 511 y 512 inhiben de manera significativa la infección por HAdV a nivel de la replicación del ADN viral. La optimización de ambos compuestos supone un excelente punto de partida para la obtención de un nuevo agente antiviral específico frente a infecciones por HAdV

A pastry mold of roman time with circus scene found in Septem Fratres (Ceuta)

Una reciente intervención arqueológica en el centro urbano de Ceuta ha permitido la documentación de un sector del complejo industrial haliéutico del asentamiento romano de Septem Fratres, fechado entre finales del siglo I d.C. y el primer cuarto del siglo V d.C. Al este del muro que delimitaba el espacio de trabajo y de las piletas para la maceración del pescado se identificó una secuencia estratigráfica en la que destacaba un nivel del siglo III d.C. caracterizado por el elevado número y variedad de material arqueológico. Entre estos elementos de cultura material se recuperó un molde de pastelería, conocido como “kuchenformn”. El motivo que aparece en la cara interna del molde es una escena de ludi circenses.A recent archaeological intervention in the urban center of Ceuta has allowed the documentation of a sector of the dry fish industrial complex of the Roman settlement of Septem Fratres, dated between the end of the 1st century AD. and the first quarter of the fifth century AD. To the east of the wall that delimited the workspace and the pools for fish maceration, a stratigraphic sequence was identified in which stood out a level of the third century AD, characterized by the high number and variety of archaeological material. Among these elements of material culture was recovered a mold of pastry, known as “kuchenformn”. The motif that appears on the back of the mold is a scene of ludi circenses

Congruency fit: beyond performance in the auto supplier industry

The effects of manufacturing strategy (MS) and technology (T) on performance have been studied separately, but few studies have examined the relationship between MS and T practices clusters that improve effectiveness when implemented jointly, and even then they do not consider possible congruency between the two. This paper develops a congruency (selection) model to test for any interconnection between said clusters, without addressing causation or their combined effect on performance. The implicit outcome is that the plant will achieve a desirable effectiveness level. Through a wide-ranging survey of auto supplier plants, two approaches are considered: 1) grouping both clusters in pairs (canonical correlation analysis); and 2) a more general selection view version, with practices from both clusters related multidimensionally and subordinated by bivariate analysis (regression) to test for any congruent pattern. Both methods find a congruent relationship between manufacturing strategy and technology practice clusters, although the second provides greater detail.Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia DPI-2006-0553

Effect of abiotic stress on the production on lutein and beta-carotene by Chlamydomonas acidophila

Chlamydomonas acidophila growing autotrophically with continuous PAR light (160 µE.m-2.s-1) and 30 ºC may accumulate carotenoids which increase in response to abiotic stress, like high light intensity, UV-A radiation and temperature fluctuation. At 240 µE.m-2.s-1 the alga contains 57.5 ± 1.6 mg.l-1 of total carotenoids after 20 days of growing, which does not significantly change by an irradiance of 1000 µE.m-2.s-1. Lutein (20 ± 0.5 mg.l-1) and β-carotene (8.3 ± 0.2 mg.l-1) production were particularly high in C. acidophila, while zeaxanthine (0.2 ± 0.1 mg.l-1) was low. Enhanced production of these carotenoids was also observed in cultures illuminated with PAR light (160 µE.m-2.s-1) supplemented with moderate UV-A radiation (10 µE.m-2.s-1). Optimum algae growth takes place at 40 ºC, like the maximum amount of intracellular lutein and β-carotene. On the other hand, the presence of iron in the culture medium, in a range between 5-35 mM, significantly decreased the cell viability and the intracellular content of carotenoids, however cupper, at 1-5 mM, appears to increase the synthesis of β-carotene. The alga can growth under mixotrophic conditions, with glucose or acetate, 10 mM, as carbon source, but such conditions did not improved the intracellular content of carotenoids

GPR120/FFAR4 Pharmacology: Focus on Agonists in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Drug Discovery

The G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) activated by free fatty acids (FFAs) have emerged as new and exciting drug targets, due to their plausible translation from pharmacology to medicines. This perspective aims to report recent research about GPR120/FFAR4 and its involvement in several diseases, including cancer, inflammatory conditions, and central nervous system disorders. The focus is to highlight the importance of GPR120 in Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). GPR120 agonists, useful in T2DM drug discovery, have been widely explored from a structure–activity relationship point of view. Since the identification of the first reported synthetic agonist TUG-891, the research has paved the way for the development of TUG-based molecules as well as new and different chemical entities. These molecules might represent the starting point for the future discovery of GPR120 agonists as antidiabetic drugs

Development and preliminary results of a mobile application to perform pre-inspection of sprayer equipment

Por todos es conocido que el presente y futuro de las aplicaciones de productos agroquímicos pasa por una buena regulación, calibración y mantenimiento de los equipos que se utilizan. Tanto Europa como los países miembros y sus comunidades autónomas, en el caso de España, a través de sus instituciones (Universidades, Consejerías, etc.), están trabajando concienzudamente en el protocolo de inspección. Es de prever que en muchos equipos la primera inspección será desfavorable, y además supondrá un coste económico alto para el propietario, independientemente de que el equipo pase la inspección de forma favorable o no. Este hecho hace que el agricultor no conciba este control con la “percepción beneficiosa” que pueda tener la administración. Por todo ello, el Laboratorio de Agricultura de Precisión de la Universidad de Sevilla ha decidido centrarse en el término “pre-inspección” y desarrollar una aplicación gratuita de autocontrol para dispositivos móviles que permita al propietario o su técnico agrícola conocer el estado de su equipo de aplicación antes de acudir a una inspección “oficial” y de esta forma solventar los posibles problemas detectados. En los primeros equipos que han formado parte de este estudio se ha conseguido, por una parte poner en conocimiento y mostrar los elementos y aspectos a controlar y por otra, generar de forma gratuita y fácil un informe donde se indica los elementos y aspectos a solventar antes de ir a una inspección. Esta aplicación de pre-inspección ha sido una herramienta muy valorada por los usuarios como mantenimiento preventivo.It is widely acknowledged that the present and future practice of pesticide applications requires good regulation, calibration and maintenance of the equipment used. European countries and their regional governments, in the case of Spain, through its institutions (Universities, Councils, etc.), are working conscientiously towards inspection protocol. It is expected that many sprayers will not pass the first inspection, and there will be a significant cost to the owner, whether the equipment passes the inspection or not. This fact makes this inspection protocol is not conceived with the “beneficial perception” as the administration may have. Therefore, the Precision Agriculture Laboratory at University of Sevilla has decided to focus on the term “pre-inspection” and develop a free mobile application for self-assessment that allows the owner or agricultural technician check the status of the sprayer before inspection. This would address the possible problem idenfified. For the first spayers considered in this study there have been several achievements: firstly informing about and showing those elements and aspects of the sprayer which need to be controlled and secondly, generating simply and without cost a report describing those elements and aspects which must be resolved before going for an inspection. This approach to pre-inspection has proved to be highly very valued by users as a tool for preventive maintenance

Necrosis avascular de cabeza femoral en pacientes con enfermedad de Gaucher tipo I : tratamiento mediante artroplastia total de cadera no cementada

El 80% de los pacientes con enfermedad de Gaucher presentan manifestaciones óseas, siendo la necrosis avascular de la cabeza femoral una de las que mayor limitación produce y la primera causa de intervención quirúrgica osteoarticular. La artroplastia total de cadera cementada ha sido el tratamiento de elección en los casos con mayor deterioro de la articulación, pero sus resultados a medio y largo plazo se han visto ensombrecidos por la elevada tasa de aflojamiento. La terapia enzimática sustitutiva ha disminuido las complicaciones postoperatorias, además de permitir el uso de componentes no cementados con resultados similares a las prótesis implantadas por otros motivos. Presentamos una serie de 5 artroplastias de cadera no cementadas, con un seguimiento medio de 12.4 años (3.4-30), en 4 pacientes con enfermedad de Gaucher tipo I y osteonecrosis de la cabeza femoral. Solo se observó un caso de aflojamiento aséptico a los 18 años de la intervención

Exploring the potential of NIRS technology for the in situ prediction of amygdalin content and classification by bitterness of in-shell and shelled intact almonds

Amygdalin is a cyanogenic compound found in almonds which gives them their bitter taste. For the almond industry, it is important to prevent the presence of bitter almonds in batches of sweet almond that can affect their commercialization and even consumer safety. This study sought to ascertain the viability of near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), as a fast and reliable candidate for non-destructive and in situ quantification of amygdalin levels and for classification of almonds by bitterness, when analysed in bulk. With that purpose, in-shell and shelled sweet and bitter almonds were analysed in dynamic mode using two new handheld NIRS instruments. As a first step, the amygdalin levels in in-shell and shelled almonds were determined using modified partial least squares (MPLS) and local regression algorithms. Next, classification models for bitterness were made using partial least square discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). For the discrimination between sweet and bitter almonds, two strategies to set up the optimum threshold were studied: the mean value of the discriminant variables and the value calculated using the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves. The results for measuring amygdalin in shelled almonds showed that NIRS technology, using both regression algorithms, is a robust technology for inspection purpose at an industrial level. Additionally, excellent performances were obtained for the classification models of the two in-shell and shelled almond groups analysed in bulk with both instruments, with better results when the threshold values obtained from the ROC curves were applied

Communication: Accurate determination of side-chain torsion angle χ1 in proteins: Phenylalanine residues

The following article appeared in Journal of Chemical Physics 134.6 (2011): 061101 and may be found at http://scitation.aip.org/content/aip/journal/jcp/134/6/10.1063/1.3553204Quantitative side-chain torsion angle χ1 determinations of phenylalanine residues in Desulfovibrio vulgaris flavodoxin are carried out using exclusively the correlation between the experimental vicinal coupling constants and theoretically determined Karplus equations. Karplus coefficients for nine vicinal coupling related with the torsion angle χ1 were calculated using the B3LYP functional and basis sets of different size. Optimized χ1 angles are in outstanding agreement with those previously reported by employing x ray and NMR measurementsFinancial support from the MICINN of Spain (Project No. CTQ2007-66547 and CTQ2010-19232), the Comunidad de Madrid (Project Nos. S2009/ENE-1743) and AECID (Project No. D/023653/09) is gratefully acknowledged. Computational facilities have been provided by CCC-UA