Circulation of a Meaban-like virus in yellow-legged gulls and seabird ticks in the western Mediterranean Basin

In recent years, a number of zoonotic flaviviruses have emerged worldwide, and wild birds serve as their major reservoirs. Epidemiological surveys of bird populations at various geographical scales can clarify key aspects of the eco-epidemiology of these viruses. In this study, we aimed at exploring the presence of flaviviruses in the western Mediterranean by sampling breeding populations of the yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis), a widely distributed, anthropophilic, and abundant seabird species. For 3 years, we sampled eggs from 19 breeding colonies in Spain, France, Algeria, and Tunisia. First, ELISAs were used to determine if the eggs contained antibodies against flaviviruses. Second, neutralization assays were used to identify the specific flaviviruses present. Finally, for colonies in which ELISA-positive eggs had been found, chick serum samples and potential vectors, culicid mosquitoes and soft ticks (Ornithodoros maritimus), were collected and analyzed using serology and PCR, respectively. The prevalence of flavivirus-specific antibodies in eggs was highly spatially heterogeneous. In northeastern Spain, on the Medes Islands and in the nearby village of L'Escala, 56% of eggs had antibodies against the flavivirus envelope protein, but were negative for neutralizing antibodies against three common flaviviruses: West Nile, Usutu, and tick-borne encephalitis viruses. Furthermore, little evidence of past flavivirus exposure was obtained for the other colonies. A subset of the Ornithodoros ticks from Medes screened for flaviviral RNA tested positive for a virus whose NS5 gene was 95% similar to that of Meaban virus, a flavivirus previously isolated from ticks of Larus argentatus in western France. All ELISA-positive samples subsequently tested positive for Meaban virus neutralizing antibodies. This study shows that gulls in the western Mediterranean Basin are exposed to a tick-borne Meaban-like virus, which underscores the need of exploring the spatial and temporal distribution of this flavivirus as well as its potential pathogenicity for animals and humans.

The glasses of the transept's rosette of the Cathedral of Tarragona: characterization, classification and decay.

The glasses of the rosette forming the main window of the transept of the Gothic Cathedral of Tarragona have been characterised by means of SEM/EDS, XRD, FTIR and electronic microprobe. The multivariate statistical treatment of these data allow to establish a classification of the samples forming groups having an historical significance and reflecting ancient restorations. Furthermore, the decay patterns and mechanisms have been determined and the weathering by-products characterised. It has been demonstrated a clear influence of the bioactivity in the decay of these glasses, which activity is partially controlled by the chemical composition of the glasses.

hTERT methylation is necessary but not sufficient for telomerase activity in colorectal cells

Colorectal cancers exhibit a high telomerase activity, usually correlated with the hypermethylation of the promoter of its hTERT catalytic subunit. Although telomerase is not expressed in normal tissue, certain proliferative somatic cells such as intestinal crypt cells have demonstrated telomerase activity. The aim of this study was to determine whether a correlation exists between telomerase activity, levels of hTERT methylation and telomere length in tumoral and normal colorectal tissues. Tumor, transitional and normal tissues were obtained from 11 patients with a colorectal cancer. After bisulfite modification of genomic DNA, hTERT promoter methylation was analyzed by methylation-sensitive single-strand conformation analysis (MS-SSCA). Telomerase activity and telomere length were measured by a fluorescent-telomeric repeat amplification protocol assay and by Southern blotting, respectively. A significant increase of hTERT methylation and telomerase activity, and a reduction of the mean telomere length were observed in the tumor tissues compared to the transitional and normal mucosa. In the transitional and normal mucosa, telomerase activity was significantly lower than that in tumor tissues, even with high levels of hTERT methylation. Nevertheless, hTERT promoter methylation was not linearly correlated to telomerase activity. These data indicate that hTERT promoter methylation is a necessary event for hTERT expression, as is telomerase activity. However, methylation is not sufficient for hTERT activation, particularly in normal colorectal cells.

Estudio de alta resolución de las fallas activas y procesos sedimentarios asociados al Cañón de São Vicente, margen Sudoeste de Iberia

The Southwest Iberian Margin is caracterized by an intense and diffuse seismic activity due to the convergence between Eurasian and African plates...

Ensenyar la comprensió a partir de "Hoy empieza todo" y "Voces inocentes". "Hoy empieza todo"

Podeu consultar el document complet de la "XVI Setmana de Cinema Formatiu" a: http://hdl.handle.net/2445/22523

Ensenyar la comprensió a partir de "Hoy empieza todo" y "Voces inocentes". "Hoy empieza todo"

Podeu consultar el document complet de la "XVI Setmana de Cinema Formatiu" a: http://hdl.handle.net/2445/22523

Patient with hepatocellular carcinoma related to prior acute arsenic intoxication and occult HBV: epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic results after 14 years of follow-up

Little is known about the long-term survivors of acute arsenic intoxication. We present here a clinical case report of a man with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection who developed hepatocellular carcinoma four years after acute arsenic poisoning. HBsAg was detected in serum in 1990 when he voluntarily donated blood. In 1991, the patient suffered from severe psychological depression that led him to attempt suicide by massive ingestion of an arsenic-containing rodenticide. He survived with polyneuropathy and paralysis of the lower limbs, and has been wheelchair-bound since then. During participation in a follow-up study conducted among HBV carriers, abdominal ultrasound detected a two-centimeter liver mass consistent with hepatocellular carcinoma. The tumor was confirmed by computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance image (MRI). Because of his significant comorbidity, the patient received palliative treatment with transarterial lipiodol chemoembolization (TACE) on three occasions (1996, 1997 and 1999). At his most recent visit in May 2005, the patient was asymptomatic, liver enzymes were normal and the tumor was in remission on ultrasound.

Factores de riesgo de conducta violenta intrainstitucional en internos penitenciarios

Este estudio tiene por objeto la determinación de la prevalencia y las correlaciones asociadas a las infracciones disciplinarias violentas y potencialmente violentas de 11 centros penitenciarios de Cataluña. Para alcanzar este objetivo el presente estudio prospectivo, basado en datos oficiales, examina la relación entre variables sociodemográficas, criminales, penitenciarias y psicológicas de una muestra de 7517 internos/as durante un período de seguimiento de 2 años. Los resultados obtenidos indican que ser más joven, estar en situación de prisión preventiva en el caso de las mujeres, haber presentado conducta violenta o antisocial anteriormente, tanto en la comunidad como en el ámbito penitenciario, responder de una manera poco exitosa a los tratamientos recientes o mostrar problemas en el consumo de alcohol o drogas y las actitudes procriminales son factores de gran potencia en la predicción de infracciones disciplinarias. Para concluir, cabe mencionar que investigaciones adicionales en otras áreas geográficas y la consideración de variables situacionales son necesarias para corroborar los resultados aquí obtenidos. También se discuten algunas implicaciones para políticas penitenciarias y para futuras líneas de investigación.

Joc, humanisme i pedagogia : la virtut de l'eutrapèlia

Aquest treball té per objectiu mostrar que el joc constitueix un dels trets inherents de la cultura universal i, per extensió, de la tradició occidental. Naturalment, el joc ha estat objecte de diverses consideracions morals, lligades en més d’una ocasió a la religió. En alguns moments –i també des del cristianisme– s’han condemnat amb rigor i severitat les pràctiques lúdiques i, molt especialment, els jocs d’atzar i el món dels espectacles. De fet, la realitat històrica aquí analitzada –a través del cas concret del jeu de paume– confirma l’existència d’una activitat lúdica ben significativa que, malgrat totes les prevencions, va ser tolerada –i fins i tot aprovada– pels humanistes del Renaixement en acceptar la seva vàlua educativa. Sortosament, aquells savis humanistes comptaven amb l’eutrapèlia, una virtut d’arrel aristotèlica que va ser cristianitzada per sant Tomàs d’Aquino i que, com es veurà a continuació, també va arribar a casa nostra a la Baixa Edat Mitjana a través de Francesc Eiximenis. Si algú pensa que la gent d’abans no es divertia, comet un gran error, perquè el nostre passat històric és curull de jocs i activitats lúdiques. Nogensmenys, l’eutrapèlia també es perfila com una virtut social, tal com apareix en diferents autors de l’Edat Moderna, com ara Cervantes, Gracián i Feijoo.