El riu Llobregat i la seva relació amb el territori en l'època romana

Sistema d'Informació Geogràfica que realitza un anàlisi de la relació del llit del Riu Llobregat amb la ubicació dels jaciments arqueològics i les vies de transport del Baix Llobregat en l'època Romana.

Sistemes d'Informació Geogràfica i arqueologia : el riu Llobregat i la seva relació amb el territori a l'època romana.

L'objectiu del Treball és establir una relació entre l'antic traçat del riu Llobregat al seu pas per diverses poblacions de Catalunya enclavades a la Comarca del Baix Llobregat i els jaciments arqueològics datats a l'època romana amb la perspectiva de la utilització de la via fluvial com element de transport.Per a l'anàlisi de les ubicacions de les diferents entitats geogràfiques s'utilitza una eina de programariespecífica: Sistema d'Informació Geogràfica (SIG) amb la qual es construirà el nostre sistema dereferència per extreure les conclusions oportunes.

SIG i Arqueologia : el riu Llobregat i la seva relació amb el territori en l'època romana.

Aquest treball estudia la construcció d'un SIG que permet l'anàlisi de la relació del llit del riu Llobregat amb la ubicació dels jaciments arqueològics i les vies de transport del Baix Llobregat en l'època romana.

The chemokine CCL2 protects against methylmercury neurotoxicity.

Industrial pollution due to heavy metals such as mercury is a major concern for the environment and public health. Mercury, in particular methylmercury (MeHg), primarily affects brain development and neuronal activity, resulting in neurotoxic effects. Because chemokines can modulate brain functions and are involved in neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases, we tested the possibility that the neurotoxic effect of MeHg may interfere with the chemokine CCL2. We have used an original protocol in young mice using a MeHg-contaminated fish-based diet for 3 months relevant to human MeHg contamination. We observed that MeHg induced in the mice cortex a decrease in CCL2 concentrations, neuronal cell death, and microglial activation. Knock-out (KO) CCL2 mice fed with a vegetal control food already presented a decrease in cortical neuronal cell density in comparison with wild-type animals under similar diet conditions, suggesting that the presence of CCL2 is required for normal neuronal survival. Moreover, KO CCL2 mice showed a pronounced neuronal cell death in response to MeHg. Using in vitro experiments on pure rat cortical neurons in culture, we observed by blockade of the CCL2/CCR2 neurotransmission an increased neuronal cell death in response to MeHg neurotoxicity. Furthermore, we showed that sod genes are upregulated in brain of wild-type mice fed with MeHg in contrast to KO CCL2 mice and that CCL2 can blunt in vitro the decrease in glutathione levels induced by MeHg. These original findings demonstrate that CCL2 may act as a neuroprotective alarm system in brain deficits due to MeHg intoxication.

Population structure of the malaria vector Anopheles darlingi in Rondônia, Brazilian Amazon, based on mitochondrial DNA

Anopheles darlingi is the most important Brazilian malaria vector, with a widespread distribution in the Amazon forest. Effective strategies for vector control could be better developed through knowledge of its genetic structure and gene flow among populations, to assess the vector diversity and competence in transmitting Plasmodium. The aim of this study was to assess the genetic diversity of An. darlingi collected at four locations in Porto Velho, by sequencing a fragment of the ND4 mitochondrial gene. From 218 individual mosquitoes, we obtained 20 different haplotypes with a diversity index of 0.756, equivalent to that found in other neotropical anophelines. The analysis did not demonstrate significant population structure. However, haplotype diversity within some populations seems to be over-represented, suggesting the presence of sub-populations, but the presence of highly represented haplotypes complicates this analysis. There was no clear correlation among genetic and geographical distance and there were differences in relation to seasonality, which is important for malarial epidemiology.

Desolació i pèrdua d'identitat : anàlisi de Pluja Negra i Flors d'Estiu

La bomba atòmica "representa la perfección del hombre por su parte 'malvada'. Ya no podemos ser más malvados, inteligentes y defensivos" (Sloterdijk, P.; 2003. p. 218 ). Aquesta és la reflexió de Peter Sloterdijk sobre la humanitat que ha provocat aquesta barbàrie, sent conscient que aquesta no pot ser més maligna ni provocar més dolor, després de destruir conscientment una ciutat sencera junt amb els seus habitants innocents. Però com es van sentir els hibakusha, supervivents de l'atac nuclear, i a què van quedar reduïts els ciutadans d'Hiroshima i de Nagasaki, havent patit aquesta maldat en la pròpia pell? Després d'aquesta tragèdia, molts d'aquells que van sobreviure van decidir explicar la seva experiència, donant lloc al conegut com genbaku bungaku o literatura de les bombes atòmiques. En aquest estudi hem escollit dues de les obres més importants del gènere per tal d'analitzar com aquesta vivència va afectar a les seves víctimes. En primer lloc, hem analitzat Flors d'Estiu, de Tamiki Hara, primer relat en ser publicat que, en poc més de vint pàgines, descriu l'infern viscut pel propi autor i com aquesta visió de l'apocalipsi i el sofriment absolut el va marca per sempre més. En segon lloc, hem analitzat Pluja Negra, escrita per Mabusi Ibuse, autor que, tot i no haver sigut testimoni directe de la tragèdia, va aconseguir copsar el sentiment dels hibakusha, escribint una de les millors novel·les del gènere. Per tal d'estudiar les obres hem seguit un camí del general al particular. Analitzant el context històric, ens hem pogut fer una idea de què va significar la postguerra, des de la política sota la guia nord-americana a la reconstrucció econòmica i també una societat que, perdent-ho gairebé tot, va haver de tornar a començar. Després, hem volgut endinsar-nos en la literatura del període, analitzant, junt amb el propi genbaku bungaku, dos dels gèneres més importants, el burai ha o escola decadent, i el nikutai bunaku o literatura de la carn. Finalment, hem analitzat les pròpies obres, veient com els textos es veuen impregnats de tristesa i confusió. Després de veure com tota la seva vida s'esmicolava en qüestió de segons, els protagonistes d'aquests dos textos queden totalment desolats, veient com ho han perdut tot, des de la seva identitat fins la seva esperança en la pròpia humanitat.

Analgesic efficacy of zoledronic acid and its effect on functional status of prostate cancer patients with metastasis

Objectives: A multi-centered observational study evaluated the efficacy of zoledronic acid for improving pain and mobility, and preventing skeletal-related events (SRE) (fracture, spinal compression, pain-relieving radiotherapy), in patients with prostate cancer and bone metastasis. Materials and Methods: Males (n = 218) with prostate cancer and bone metastasis undergoing oncologic therapy received zoledronic acid (4 mg iv/month) for 6 months. Parameters evaluated were: 1) pain and movement after 2 consecutive doses; 2) quality of life; 3) SRE incidence and time-to-appearance. Medication tolerance and treatment satisfaction were assessed using a questionnaire. Results: A total of 170 that matched all the inclusion criteria (78%) out of 218 were evaluable for efficacy. There was a measurable statistically significant reduction in pain at rest and on movement as well as an improvement in the quality of life compared with baseline. Best results were obtained with early treatment. Overall incidence of bone events was 11.2%. Of the 212 patients (97.2%) evaluable for safety, 16% suffered adverse events and 66% expressed satisfaction with the treatment Discussion: Zoledronic acid is effective for reducing pain, improving mobility, and increasing the quality of life in patients with prostate cancer with bone metastasis. Its easy administration and good tolerability make zoledronic acid one of the principal therapeutic tools in the management of patients with pain associated with bone metastasis from prostate cancer.

Disponible el repositorio de publicaciones de Ciencias de la Salud de la Biblioteca Virtual

Boletín semanal para profesionales sanitarios de la Secretaría General de Salud Pública, Inclusión y Calidad de Vida de la Consejería de Salud y Bienestar Social

Characterization of a protein of the plastid inner envelope having homology to animal inorganic phosphate, chloride and organic-anion transporters.

A protein from Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. showing homology to animal proteins of the NaPi-1 family, involved in the transport of inorganic phosphate, chloride, glutamate and sialic acid, has been characterized. This protein, named ANTR2 (for anion transporters) was shown by chloroplast subfractionation to be localized to the plastid inner envelope in both A. thaliana and Spinacia oleracea (L.). Immunolocalization revealed that ANTR2 was expressed in the leaf mesophyll cells as well as in the developing embryo at the upturned-U stage. Five additional homologues of ANTR2 are found in the Arabidopsis genome, of which one was shown by green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion to be also located in the chloroplast. All ANTR proteins share homology to the animal NaPi-1 family, as well as to other organic-anion transporters that are members of the Anion:Cation Symporter (ACS) family, and share the main features of transporters from this family, including the presence of 12 putative transmembrane domains and of a 7-amino acid motif in the fourth putative transmembrane domain. ANTR2 thus represent a novel protein of the plastid inner envelope that is likely to be involved in anion transport.

Reasons for deploying an e-reader loan service at the UOC Library

The presentation will focus on the reasons for deploying an e-reader loan service at a virtual university library as a part of an e-learning support system to aid user mobility, concentration of documentary and electronic resources, and ICT skills acquisition, using the example of the UOC pilot project and its subsequent consolidation. E-reader devices at the UOC are an extension of the Virtual Campus. They are offered as a tool to aid user mobility, access to documentary and electronic resources, and development of information and IT skills. The e-reader loan service began as a pilot project in 2009 and was consolidated in 2010. The UOC Library piloted the e-reader loan service from October to December 2009. The pilot project was carried out with 15 devices and involved 37 loans. The project was extended into 2010 with the same number of devices and 218 loans (October 2010). In 2011 the e-reader loan service is to involve 190 devices, thus offering an improved service. The reasons for deploying an e-reader loan service at the UOC are the following: a) to offer library users access to the many kinds of learning materials available at the UOC through a single device that facilitates student study and learning; b) to enhance access to and use of the e-book collections subscribed to by the UOC Library; c) to align with UOC strategy on the development of learning materials in multiple formats, and promote e-devices as an extension of the UOC Virtual Campus, and d) to increase UOC Library visibility within and beyond the institution. The presentation will conclude with an analysis of the key issues to be taken into account at a university library: the e-reader market, the unclear business and license model for e-book contents, and the library's role in promoting new reading formats to increase use of e-collections.

Response to methylphenidate by adult and pediatric patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: the Spanish multicenter DIHANA study.

BACKGROUND The purpose of this multicenter Spanish study was to evaluate the response to immediate-release methylphenidate by children and adults diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as well as to obtain information on current therapy patterns and safety characteristics. METHODS This multicenter, observational, retrospective, noninterventional study included 730 patients aged 4-65 years with a diagnosis of ADHD. Information was obtained based on a review of medical records for the years 2002-2006 in sequential order. RESULTS The ADHD predominantly inattentive subtype affected 29.7% of patients, ADHD predominantly hyperactive-impulsive was found in 5.2%, and the combined subtype in 65.1%. Overall, a significant lower Clinical Global Impression (CGI) score and mean number of DSM-IV TR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition, Text Revision) symptoms by subtype were found after one year of treatment with immediate-release methylphenidate; CGI decreased from 4.51 to 1.69, symptoms of inattention from 7.90 to 4.34, symptoms of hyperactivity from 6.73 to 3.39, and combined subtype symptoms from 14.62 to 7.7. Satisfaction with immediate-release methylphenidate after one year was evaluated as "very satisfied" or "satisfied" by 86.90% of the sample; 25.75% of all patients reported at least one adverse effect. At the end of the study, 41.47% of all the patients treated with immediate-release methylphenidate were still receiving it, with a mean time of 3.80 years on therapy. CONCLUSION Good efficacy and safety results were found for immediate-release methylphenidate in patients with ADHD.