Growth data from a field trial of Quercus suber plants regenerated from selected trees and their half-sib progenies by somatic embryogenesis

The development of reliable clonal propagation technologies is a requisite for performing Multi-Varietal Forestry (MVF). Somatic embryogenesis is considered the tissue culture based method more suitable for operational breeding of forest trees. Vegetative propagation is very difficult when tissues are taken from mature donors, making clonal propagation of selected trees almost impossible. We have been able to induce somatic embryogenesis in leaves taken from mature oak trees, including cork oak (Quercus suber). This important species of the Mediterranean ecosystem produces cork regularly, conferring to this species a significant economic value. In a previous paper we reported the establishment of a field trial to compare the growth of plants of somatic origin vs zygotic origin, and somatic plants from mature trees vs somatic plants from juvenile seedlings. For that purpose somatic seedlings were regenerated from five selected cork oak trees and from young plants of their half-sib progenies by somatic embryogenesis. They were planted in the field together with acorn-derived plants of the same families. After the first growth period, seedlings of zygotic origin doubled the height of somatic seedlings, showing somatic plants of adult and juvenile origin similar growth. Here we provide data on height and diameter increases after two additional growth periods. In the second one, growth parameters of zygotic seedlings were also significantly higher than those of somatic ones, but there were not significant differences in height increase between seedlings and somatic plants of mature origin. In the third growth period, height and diameter increases of somatic seedlings cloned from the selected trees did not differ from those of zygotic seedlings, which were still higher than data from plants obtained from somatic embryos from the sexual progeny. Therefore, somatic seedlings from mature origin seem not to be influenced by a possible ageing effect, and plants from somatic embryos tend to minimize the initial advantage of plants from acorns

Plan Director de la Vega Baja. Mirando al futuro desde el pasado.

El Plan Director de la Vega Baja fue aprobado en Toledo el 9 de febrero de 2011. Su objetivo básico es fijar las líneas generales que guiarán la actuación para recuperar y poner en valor este ámbito. El presente libro es el resultado de las aportaciones de expertos de distintas disciplinas que participaron en el proceso de redacción del Plan, sus diferentes formas de aproximarse a este espacio constituyen la primera parte del libro. La segunda parte es el documento aprobado del Plan Director (memoria y planos). En el proceso de definición de la propuesta ha resultado fundamental el estudio del pasado y de la evolución de la Vega Baja, un espacio significado por sus características geográficas y medio ambientales, y por las fuertes connotaciones históricas y culturales que se reflejan en el diálogo paisajístico de la Vega y el Casco Antiguo de Toledo. En el argumento de la recuperación de la Vega Baja se suman los aspectos físicos y medioambientales, las necesidades de los ciudadanos del entorno, y la recuperación cultural y simbólica de la Vega Baja.

Graph based study of allergen cross-reactivity of plant lipid transfer proteins (LTPs) using microarray in a multicenter study.

The study of cross-reactivity in allergy is key to both understanding. the allergic response of many patients and providing them with a rational treatment In the present study, protein microarrays and a co-sensitization graph approach were used in conjunction with an allergen microarray immunoassay. This enabled us to include a wide number of proteins and a large number of patients, and to study sensitization profiles among members of the LTP family. Fourteen LTPs from the most frequent plant food-induced allergies in the geographical area studied were printed into a microarray specifically designed for this research. 212 patients with fruit allergy and 117 food-tolerant pollen allergic subjects were recruited from seven regions of Spain with different pollen profiles, and their sera were tested with allergen microarray. This approach has proven itself to be a good tool to study cross-reactivity between members of LTP family, and could become a useful strategy to analyze other families of allergens.

The involvement of thaumatin-like proteins in plant food cross-reactivity: a multicenter study using a specific protein microarray.

Cross-reactivity of plant foods is an important phenomenon in allergy, with geographical variations with respect to the number and prevalence of the allergens involved in this process, whose complexity requires detailed studies. We have addressed the role of thaumatin-like proteins (TLPs) in cross-reactivity between fruit and pollen allergies. A representative panel of 16 purified TLPs was printed onto an allergen microarray. The proteins selected belonged to the sources most frequently associated with peach allergy in representative regions of Spain. Sera from two groups of well characterized patients, one with allergy to Rosaceae fruit (FAG) and another against pollens but tolerant to food-plant allergens (PAG), were obtained from seven geographical areas with different environmental pollen profiles. Cross-reactivity between members of this family was demonstrated by inhibition assays. Only 6 out of 16 purified TLPs showed noticeable allergenic activity in the studied populations. Pru p 2.0201, the peach TLP (41%), chestnut TLP (24%) and plane pollen TLP (22%) proved to be allergens of probable relevance to fruit allergy, being mainly associated with pollen sensitization, and strongly linked to specific geographical areas such as Barcelona, Bilbao, the Canary Islands and Madrid. The patients exhibited mayor que50% positive response to Pru p 2.0201 and to chestnut TLP in these specific areas. Therefore, their recognition patterns were associated with the geographical area, suggesting a role for pollen in the sensitization of these allergens. Finally, the co-sensitizations of patients considering pairs of TLP allergens were analyzed by using the co-sensitization graph associated with an allergen microarray immunoassay. Our data indicate that TLPs are significant allergens in plant food allergy and should be considered when diagnosing and treating pollen-food allergy.

Ingeniería Forestal y ambiental en medios insulares

Las Islas Canarias a pesar de su reducida extensión y del relativo poco peso específico a nivel mundial, no es ajena a los problemas globales detectados en la conservación de bosques y en la importancia que éstos tienen para obtener beneficios económicos, socioculturales y ambientales. La gestión forestal sostenible es en este sentido esencial para asegurar y compatibilizar los diversos beneficios del bosque. El papel específico de los bosques y su gestión son sin embargo temas aún por conocer en nuestras islas, por lo que el Año Internacional de los Bosques ha representado una oportunidad única para dar a conocer el mundo forestal y acercarlo a nuestra sociedad. El presente libro consta de 25 capítulos donde se ha contemplado la mayoría de los aspectos a tener en cuenta en la planificación y gestión del medio forestal y natural. Desde la historia forestal del archipiélago, hasta el uso y técnicas de manejo de los recursos naturales, incluyendo el agua, la energía en forma de biomasa y la selvicultura.

Rheological behaviour and functionality of inulin-extra virgin olive oil-based mashed potatoes

Developing products having a high nutritional value and good storage stability during freezing is a challenge. Inulin (I) and extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) have interesting functional properties. The e?ect of the addition of I and EVOO blends at di?erent I:EVOO ratios (0:0, 0:60, 15:45, 30:30, 45:15, 60:0, 30:45 and 45:30) on the rheological, physical, sensory and structural properties of fresh and frozen ? thawed mashed potatoes formulated without and with added cryoprotectants was analysed and compared. Addition of I and EVOO (either alone or blended) reduced apparent viscosity and pseudoplasticity producing softer systems, indicating that both ingredients behave as soft ?llers. Samples with added I at the higher concentrations )1 (?45 g kg ) showed lower ?ow index and consistency, which is related to formation of smaller I particles; microphotographs indicated that gelling properties of I depended mostly upon processing. Frozen ? thawed samples were judged more acceptable and creamier than their fresh counterparts.

De churras y de merinas: ¿biodiversidad en la ingeniería? Discurso del Académico electo Excmo. Sr. D. Roberto Fernández de Caleya y Álvarez, leído en el acto de recepción pública el día 30 de octubre de 2001 y contestación del académico Excmo. Sr. D. José Antonio Martín Pereda

En esta obra se recoge el discurso que pronunció D. Roberto Fernández de Caleya al ser nombrado miembro de la Academia de Ingeniería y la contestación de Martín Pereda, donde recuerda y analiza la trayectoria vital y académica del nuevo académico.

Photoacoustic effect measurement in aqueous suspensions of gold nanorods caused by low-frequency and low-power near-infrared pulsing laser irradiation

When aqueous suspensions of gold nanorods are irradiated with a pulsing laser (808 nm), pressure waves appear even at low frequencies (pulse repetition rate of 25 kHz). We found that the pressure wave amplitude depends on the dynamics of the phenomenon. For fixed concentration and average laser current intensity, the amplitude of the pressure waves shows a trend of increasing with the pulse slope and the pulse maximum amplitude.We postulate that the detected ultrasonic pressure waves are a sort of shock waves that would be generated at the beginning of each pulse, because the pressure wave amplitude would be the result of the positive interference of all the individual shock waves.

Derecho humano al agua y al saneamiento: derechos estrechamente vinculados al derecho a la vida

Los derechos humanos al agua y al saneamiento están íntimamente relacionados con otros derechos esenciales para la vida, como la alimentación o la salud. Su reconocimiento como derechos humanos en 2010 marca un hito importante en el respeto, protección y realización de estos derechos, que se encuentran seriamente vulnerados para una mayoría de población más vulnerable y empobrecida, sobre todo en el ámbito rural. Mucho camino queda aún para conseguir no sólo la disponibilidad de agua y saneamiento, sino su accesibilidad física y asequibilidad económica, calidad, participación, no discriminación y rendición de cuentas. Este artículo pretende aclarar los conceptos básicos relacionados con este derecho, y las implicaciones que su reconocimiento tiene para los titulares de derechos y de obligaciones, entre los que se encuentran los Estados, además de operadores privados y otros actores con responsabilidades claras en la realización del derecho.