Data compilation on the biological response to ocean acidification: environmental and experimental context of data sets and related literature

The exponential growth of studies on the biological response to ocean acidification over the last few decades has generated a large amount of data. To facilitate data comparison, a data compilation hosted at the data publisher PANGAEA was initiated in 2008 and is updated on a regular basis (doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.149999). By January 2015, a total of 581 data sets (over 4 000 000 data points) from 539 papers had been archived. Here we present the developments of this data compilation five years since its first description by Nisumaa et al. (2010). Most of study sites from which data archived are still in the Northern Hemisphere and the number of archived data from studies from the Southern Hemisphere and polar oceans are still relatively low. Data from 60 studies that investigated the response of a mix of organisms or natural communities were all added after 2010, indicating a welcomed shift from the study of individual organisms to communities and ecosystems. The initial imbalance of considerably more data archived on calcification and primary production than on other processes has improved. There is also a clear tendency towards more data archived from multifactorial studies after 2010. For easier and more effective access to ocean acidification data, the ocean acidification community is strongly encouraged to contribute to the data archiving effort, and help develop standard vocabularies describing the variables and define best practices for archiving ocean acidification data.

Biografía inédita de Francisco de Quintana: recuperación de un novelista olvidado

Este artículo pretende desvelar datos inéditos de Francisco de Quintana, escritor del seiscientos escasamente estudiado por la crítica literaria hasta nuestros días. La investigación, a partir tanto de fuentes primarias como de su obra literaria, ha supuesto el hallazgo de información sustancial sobre este íntimo amigo de Lope de Vega. Además de aportar nuevos testimonios biográficos, esta comunicación interrelaciona acontecimientos fundamentales de su vida con su obra literaria.

Francesco Grimaldi, un mercader-banquero genovés entre Granada, la corte e Inglaterra (siglos xv-xvi)

Los estudios sobre la comunidad genovesa del Reino de Granada suelen centrarse en las actividades desarrolladas en el territorio y rara vez en la reconstrucción de trayectorias individuales, circunstancia determinada por el recurso casi exclusivo a los protocolos notariales. El caso de Francesco Grimaldi es singular por muchas razones: su localización en fuentes de naturaleza muy variada –protocolos notariales de Granada y Málaga, Registro del Sello de Simancas y Granada, Chancillería de Valladolid, el epistolario del comendador Fuensalida y el archivo privado de la familia Grimaldo de Cáceres– ha permitido seguir su presencia y sus actividades en Granada, la Corte e Inglaterra –donde desempeñó un papel fundamental en el matrimonio entre Catalina de Aragón y Enrique VIII–. Así se conoce su interés por los préstamos y el negocio de la renta, las circunstancias de su matrimonio con Francisca de Cáceres y la adquisición de un importante patrimonio en el reino granadino.

Crisis y creación. Las ambivalentes relaciones germano-españolas en la producción cinematográfica de la primera mitad del siglo veinte

Las épocas de crisis político-social propician en especial medida la creación y el afianzamiento de determinados auto y heteroestereotipos. Esta afirmación resulta concluyente cuando se analiza cómo las distintas fases políticas de España a lo largo de la historia han condicionado de manera definitiva su imagen en el extranjero, en especial en Alemania. Las imágenes y estereotipos románticos creados a partir de la Guerra de la Independencia (1808-1814) sirvieron durante la primera mitad del siglo veinte de instrumento de manipulación propagandística que debía contribuir a ensalzar la ejemplaridad del aliado español. Este artificio político, que buscaba la simpatía ideológica con el sistema de valores nacionalsocialista, se valió de manera particular de las producciones cinematográficas hispano-alemanas para lograr su objetivo.

Los conceptos de autonomía y democracia universitaria en la universidad pública colombiana, en el marco de la globalización y a través de la educación por competencias. 1992 - 2013

El interés de esta monografía es analizar la influencia de la globalización como proceso mundial y el neoliberalismo como política económica frente a la definición de políticas educativas. Tiene como objetivo analizar la manera en que se han modificado los conceptos de autonomía y democracia universitaria en la universidad pública colombiana, en el marco de la globalización y a través de la educación por competencias desde 1992 hasta el 2013. Con base en una aproximación conceptual de los términos de autonomía y democracia universitaria a través de elementos teóricos e históricos, se analizará como el actual sistema educativo colombiano y la educación por competencias ha modificado los conceptos de autonomía y democracia universitaria en la universidad pública colombiana.

Supervisão e controlo de um sistema de canais de rega. Parte II-Calibração hidráulica

O artigo faz uma apresentação breve do sistema de supervisão e controlo (SCADA) desenvolvido para as redes primária e secundária de canais do Aproveitamento Hidroagrícola de Idanha-a-Nova, já instalado e calibrado, dando uma atenção muito especial ao desenvolvimento e calibração dos controladores de caudal para comportas associadas ou não a soleiras descarregadores. Os controladores de caudal desenvolvidos para o SCADA permitem o cálculo do caudal para todas as situações de funcionamento das comportas, garantindo a continuidade das soluções nas passagens do escoamento tipo descarregador para tipo comporta e da situação de ressalto livre para ressalto parcial ou totalmente afogado, em ambos os sentidos. O coeficiente teórico de vazão usado para iniciar o algoritmo de vazão geral foi ajustado no campo com recurso a estimativas de caudal realizadas com dois tipos de caudalímetros e para duas aberturas diferentes de cada comporta e/ou dois regimes permanentes para cada uma das instalações. Foram usados dois tipos de caudalímetros, ambos transdutores acústicos baseados no efeito de Doppler, um fixo no rasto dos canais e o outro portátil e montado numa plataforma flutuante. O artigo faz também uma apresentação breve dos caudalímetros usados, apresenta os resultados das medições de caudal efetuadas e ainda os valores corrigidos para os coeficientes de vazão.

Mucopolysaccharidosis Type Ii: Identification Of 30 Novel Mutations Among Latin American Patients.

In this study, 103 unrelated South-American patients with mucopolysaccharidosis type II (MPS II) were investigated aiming at the identification of iduronate-2-sulfatase (IDS) disease causing mutations and the possibility of some insights on the genotype-phenotype correlation The strategy used for genotyping involved the identification of the previously reported inversion/disruption of the IDS gene by PCR and screening for other mutations by PCR/SSCP. The exons with altered mobility on SSCP were sequenced, as well as all the exons of patients with no SSCP alteration. By using this strategy, we were able to find the pathogenic mutation in all patients. Alterations such as inversion/disruption and partial/total deletions of the IDS gene were found in 20/103 (19%) patients. Small insertions/deletions/indels (<22 bp) and point mutations were identified in 83/103 (88%) patients, including 30 novel mutations; except for a higher frequency of small duplications in relation to small deletions, the frequencies of major and minor alterations found in our sample are in accordance with those described in the literature.

Reduced Plasma Angiotensin Ii Levels Are Reversed By Hydroxyurea Treatment In Mice With Sickle Cell Disease.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) pathogenesis leads to recurrent vaso-occlusive and hemolytic processes, causing numerous clinical complications including renal damage. As vasoconstrictive mechanisms may be enhanced in SCD, due to endothelial dysfunction and vasoactive protein production, we aimed to determine whether the expression of proteins of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) may be altered in an animal model of SCD. Plasma angiotensin II (Ang II) was measured in C57BL/6 (WT) mice and mice with SCD by ELISA, while quantitative PCR was used to compare the expressions of the genes encoding the angiotensin-II-receptors 1 and 2 (AT1R and AT2R) and the angiotensin-converting enzymes (ACE1 and ACE2) in the kidneys, hearts, livers and brains of mice. The effects of hydroxyurea (HU; 50-75mg/kg/day, 4weeks) treatment on these parameters were also determined. Plasma Ang II was significantly diminished in SCD mice, compared with WT mice, in association with decreased AT1R and ACE1 expressions in SCD mice kidneys. Treatment of SCD mice with HU reduced leukocyte and platelet counts and increased plasma Ang II to levels similar to those of WT mice. HU also increased AT1R and ACE2 gene expression in the kidney and heart. Results indicate an imbalanced RAS in an SCD mouse model; HU therapy may be able to restore some RAS parameters in these mice. Further investigations regarding Ang II production and the RAS in human SCD may be warranted, as such changes may reflect or contribute to renal damage and alterations in blood pressure.

Phtx-ii A Basic Myotoxic Phospholipase A2 From Porthidium Hyoprora Snake Venom, Pharmacological Characterization And Amino Acid Sequence By Mass Spectrometry.

A monomeric basic PLA2 (PhTX-II) of 14149.08 Da molecular weight was purified to homogeneity from Porthidium hyoprora venom. Amino acid sequence by in tandem mass spectrometry revealed that PhTX-II belongs to Asp49 PLA2 enzyme class and displays conserved domains as the catalytic network, Ca2+-binding loop and the hydrophobic channel of access to the catalytic site, reflected in the high catalytic activity displayed by the enzyme. Moreover, PhTX-II PLA2 showed an allosteric behavior and its enzymatic activity was dependent on Ca2+. Examination of PhTX-II PLA2 by CD spectroscopy indicated a high content of alpha-helical structures, similar to the known structure of secreted phospholipase IIA group suggesting a similar folding. PhTX-II PLA2 causes neuromuscular blockade in avian neuromuscular preparations with a significant direct action on skeletal muscle function, as well as, induced local edema and myotoxicity, in mice. The treatment of PhTX-II by BPB resulted in complete loss of their catalytic activity that was accompanied by loss of their edematogenic effect. On the other hand, enzymatic activity of PhTX-II contributes to this neuromuscular blockade and local myotoxicity is dependent not only on enzymatic activity. These results show that PhTX-II is a myotoxic Asp49 PLA2 that contributes with toxic actions caused by P. hyoprora venom.

[impact Of The Activation Of Intention To Perform Physical Activity In Type Ii Diabetics: A Randomized Clinical Trial].

Type II diabetes mellitus is a highly prevalent disease among the adult Brazilian population, and one that can be controlled by interventions such as physical activity, among others. The aim of this randomized controlled study was to evaluate the impact of a traditional motivational strategy, associated with the activation of intention theory, on adherence to physical activity in patients with type II, diabetes mellitus who are part of the Unified Health System (SUS). Participants were divided into a control group (CG) and an intervention group (IG). In both groups, the traditional motivational strategy was applied, but the activation of intention strategy was only applied to the IG Group. After a two-month follow-up, statistically significant differences were verified between the groups, related to the practice of walking (p = 0.0050), number of days per week (p = 0.0076), minutes per day (p = 0.0050) and minutes walking per week (p = 0.0015). At the end of the intervention, statistically significant differences in abdominal circumference (p = 0.0048) between the groups were observed. The conclusion drawn is that the activation of intention strategy had greater impact on adherence to physical activity and reduction in abdominal circumference in type II diabetics, than traditional motivational strategy.

Spinal Cord Damage In Machado-joseph Disease.

Machado-Joseph disease (SCA3) is the most frequent spinocerebellar ataxia worldwide and characterized by remarkable phenotypic heterogeneity. MRI-based studies in SCA3 focused in the cerebellum and connections, but little is known about cord damage in the disease and its clinical relevance. To evaluate the spinal cord damage in SCA3 through quantitative analysis of MRI scans. A group of 48 patients with SCA3 and 48 age and gender-matched healthy controls underwent MRI on a 3T scanner. We used T1-weighted 3D images to estimate the cervical spinal cord area (CA) and eccentricity (CE) at three C2/C3 levels based on a semi-automatic image segmentation protocol. The scale for assessment and rating of ataxia (SARA) was employed to quantify disease severity. The two groups-SCA3 and controls-were significantly different regarding CA (49.5 ± 7.3 vs 67.2 ± 6.3 mm(2), p < 0.001) and CE values (0.79 ± 0.06 vs 0.75 ± 0.05, p = 0.005). In addition, CA presented a significant correlation with SARA scores in the patient group (p = 0.010). CE was not associated with SARA scores (p = 0.857). In the multiple variable regression, we found that disease duration was the only variable associated with CA (coefficient = -0.629, p = 0.025). SCA3 is characterized by cervical cord atrophy and antero-posterior flattening. In addition, the spinal cord areas did correlate with disease severity. This suggests that quantitative analyses of the spinal cord MRI might be a useful biomarker in SCA3.

Machado-Joseph disease versus hereditary spastic paraplegia: case report

Machado-Joseph disease (MJD) is the most common autosomal dominant spinocerebellar ataxia and presents great phenotypic variability. MJD presenting with spastic paraparesis was recently described in Japanese patients. We report the case of 41-year-old woman with the phenotype of complicated hereditary spastic paraplegia. Her father died at the age of 56 years due to an undiagnosed progressive neurological disease that presented parkinsonism. She had an expanded allele with 66 CAG repeats and a normal allele with 22 repeats in the gene of MJD. MJD should be considered in the differential diagnosis of autosomal dominant complicated HSP. A patient with the phenotype of complicated HSP and relatives with other clinical features of a neurodegenerative disease should raise the suspicion of MJD.

Comparação da eficiência do processo de ozonização e ozonização catalítica (Mn II e Cu II) na degradação de fenol

This paper discusses the results obtained with homogeneous catalytic ozonation [Mn (II) and Cu (II)] in phenol degradation. The reduction of total phenols and total organic carbon (TOC) and the ozone consumption were evaluated. The efficiency in phenol degradation (total phenol removal) at pH 3, with the catalytic process (Mn (II)), increased from 37% to 55% while the TOC removal increased from 4 to 63% in a seven-minute treatment. The ozonation process efficiency at pH 10 was 43% and 39% for phenol and TOC removal, respectively. The presence of both metallic ions (Mn2+ and Cu+2) in the ozonation process resulted in a positive effect.