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Optimizing jojoba oil methanolysis of cis-13-docosenol fatty alcohol to unveil its immunomodulatory potential: a circular biorefinery perspective
No full text15 p.-9 fig.-1 tab.The sustainable production of jojoba oil derivatives depends on research and development
focused on eco-friendly valorization processes. This study establishes optimal conditions for converting
jojoba oil into jojobyl alcohols, which is a key step in realizing its economic potential. One of the main
products, cis-13-docosenol (C13D), was investigated for its activity in the context of innate immune
cells. The interactions between C13D and key components of the innate immune system – including
monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells (DCs) – were examined to determine its immunomodulatory
properties. Experiments using THP-1 cells and DCs showed that low doses of C13D stimulated
production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6),
and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) at levels similar to those induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Treatment of
monocyte-derived DCs (MoDCs) with C13D also enhanced T-cell proliferation, probably due to increased
activation of surface markers. This focused investigation of the effects of C13D on innate immune cells
contributes to a broader understanding of the therapeutic potential of jojoba oil and provides a basis
for future research in immunology and biotechnology.This research work was partially funded by the European Commission – NextGenerationEU (Regulation EU
2020/2094), through the Global Health Platform (PTI+ Salud Global) of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) (SGL2103015) and by the Norwegian University of Life Science (NMBU).Peer reviewe
Phase matrix characterization of long-range-Transported Saharan dust using multiwavelength-polarized polar imaging nephelometry
No full textThis work investigates scattering matrix elements during different Saharan dust outbreaks over Granada (southeast Spain) in 2022 using a polarized imaging nephelometer (PI-Neph) capable of measuring continuously the phase function (F11) and the polarized phase function (-F12/F11) at three different wavelengths (405, 515 and 660 nm) in the range 5–175°. The focus is on two extreme dust events (PM10 > 1000 µg m‑3) in March 2022. During the peaks of these events F11 and -F12/F11 show the classical patterns observed for dust samples in laboratory measurements available in the Granada–Amsterdam Light Scattering Database at all wavelengths. However, for the moments prior to and after the peaks the results reveal important sensitivity in -F12/F11 at 405 nm. For the other wavelengths, however, this difference in -F12/F11 is not evident. Moreover, no remarkable changes are found in F11, which is always characterized by strong predominance of forward scattering. The analyses of more frequent and moderate events recorded in summer 2022 (PM10 between 50 and 100 µg m‑3) revealed F11 and -F12/F11 patterns like those observed prior to and after the extreme events. The combination of PI-Neph measurements with additional in situ instrumentation allowed a typing classification that revealed the peaks in the extreme dust events as pure dust, while for the rest of cases it remarked a mixture of dust with urban background pollution. In addition, simulations with the Generalized Retrieval of Atmosphere and Surface Properties (GRASP) code explain the different patterns in -F12/F11, with changes in the refractive indexes and with the different contributions of the fine and coarse mode. © Author(s) 2025This work was supported mainly by the Horizon Europe program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Staff Exchange Actions with the project GRASP-SYNERGY (grant agreement no. 101131631). The work was also funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program through projects ACTRIS.IMP (grant agreement no. 871115) and ATMO_ACCESS (grant agreement no. 101008004); by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through projects ELPIS (PID2020-12001-5RB-I00), MULHACEN (PID2021-128008OB-I00) and NUCLEUS (PID2021-128757OB-I00), funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and ERDF through “A way of making Europe” and ACTRIS-España (RED2022-134824-E); and by the University of Granada Plan Propio through the Excellence Research Unit Earth Science and Singular Laboratory AGORA (LS2022-1) programs. Elena Bazo received funding by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and the ESF+ through FPI fellowship PRE2022-101272. Francisco José García-Izquierdo acknowledges financial support from the grant PID2021-123370OB-I00 (CATS), funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033. We are very thankful to the Air Quality Service of Junta de Andalucía for supplying the PM10 data.Peer reviewe
Climatic and edaphic niche shifts during plant radiation in the Mediterranean biodiversity hotspot
No full text[Background and Aims] Ecological speciation is frequently invoked as a driver of plant radiation, but the
behaviour of environmental niches during radiation is contentious, with patterns ranging from niche conservatism to niche divergence. Here, we investigated climatic and edaphic niche shifts during radiation in a western
Mediterranean lineage of the genus Linaria (Plantaginaceae).[Methods] Detailed distributional, phylogenomic and environmental data were integrated to analyse changes
in climatic and edaphic niches in a spatiotemporal context, including calculation of niche overlap, niche equivalency and similarity tests, maximum entropy modelling, phylogenetic comparative methods and biogeographical
analyses.[Key Results] Active divergence of climatic and edaphic niches within a limited subset of available conditions
was detected among the eight study species and particularly between sister species. Speciation and niche divergence are estimated to have happened in the southern Iberian Peninsula in Mediterranean conditions, followed by waxing and waning of distribution ranges resulting from the Quaternary climatic cycles.[Conclusions] The results support the idea that the prevalence of niche conservatism or niche divergence patterns is a matter of phylogenetic scale. Habitat isolation pertaining to both climatic and soil conditions appears to have played a role in plant speciation in the western Mediterranean biodiversity hotspot, most probably in combination with pollinator isolation and some degree of geographical isolation. These fndings are in agreement with an adaptive radiation scenario incorporating certain non-adaptive features.This work was supported by the European Commission through Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship LINARIASPECIATION (FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IEF, reference 624396), the Isaac Newton Trust (Trinity College, Cambridge, UK) through an Isaac Newton Trust Research Grant, the Spanish Ministry of
Economy and Competitiveness through a Juan de la Cierva fellowship (reference IJCI-2015-23459) and the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities through a Ramón y Cajal fellowship (reference RYC2022-036418-I) to MF-M.Peer reviewe
Molecular Identification of Mycoplasma agassizii in Confiscated Tortoises in Madagascar
No full textLETTERS.Mycoplasmosis is of concern for chelonian conservation. We detected a Mycoplasma sp. in confiscated radiated tortoises (Astrochelys radiata) and spider tortoises (Pyxis arachnoides). Sequence analysis of the 16S-23S ribosomal RNA intergenic spacer region was consistent with Mycoplasma agassizii. Mycoplasma spp. have not been previously reported in native tortoises in Madagascar.This study was funded in part by the Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Institute, Turtle Survival Alliance, Knoxville Zoo, and the Wildlife Conservation Society. We thank Jamie L. Palmer, Rasolondalao Harin'Hala Hasinjaka, and the TSA Madagascar field staff for assistance on this project. C.S. is the recipient of a Juan de la Cierva incorporation (IJC2020-046019-I) fellowship granted by Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación/Agencia Estatal de Investigación. This research was conducted with the support of the Département d'Enseignement de Sciences et de Médecine Vétérinaires, Université d'Antananarivo, and the Ministère de l'Environnement et du Développement Durable, Madagascar, research permit 301/22/MEDD/SG/DGGE/DAPRNE/SCBE.Peer reviewe
Molecular survey of herpesviruses in bats from Chile and Spain reveals potentially novel species
No full textAll data are available in the manuscript. The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available in the GenBank repository (accession numbers PQ014587-PQ014594).Bats (order Chiroptera) are known as important hosts and reservoirs for several zoonotic viruses. To this date, most virology studies in bats have focused on RNA viruses; consequently, information about DNA viruses is more limited. Herein we surveyed the presence of herpesviruses in blood or spleen samples of three bat species of Spain (n = 31) and five bat species of Chile (n = 50) by using a broad-spectrum nested PCR. Overall, herpesvirus DNA was detected in 9.7% (3/31) bats of Spain and 10.0% (5/50) bats of Chile. Three gammaherpesvirus sequence types were found in bats from Spain, while sequence types of two betaherpesviruses, two gammaherpesviruses and one unclassified herpesvirus were detected in Chilean bats, two of which could represent novel herpesvirus species. The impact (if any) of these herpesviruses on the health of the studied species needs to be clarified. This study increases our knowledge of herpesvirus diversity in bats and expands their geographic range in South America. Future herpesvirus surveillance studies are warranted to test chiropteran families other than Vespertilionidae and Molossidae in Chile and Spain.Open Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature.
This project was funded by Agencia Estatal de Investigación—Plan Nacional de I + D + i 2008–2011 (CGL2010 - 17931, Spain) and Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico (Fondecyt)-Regular 1161593 (Gobierno de Chile). CS and IS receive a Juan de la Cierva incorporación (process number IJC2020–046019-I) and formación fellowships (process number FJC2020–046311–I, respectively, granted by Agencia Estatal de Investigación and Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, Spain.Peer reviewe
Experimental summer fires do not affect fungal diversity but do shape fungal community composition in Mediterranean Pinus nigra forests
No full text[Background] Fire regimes (in terms of frequency, severity, and intensity) in ecosystems are changing. Summer fires are occurring in Mediterranean forests more frequently and are more severe than spring or autumn fires. Soil microbial communities provide essential ecosystem services and are essential in post-fire recovery. However, to date, studies to determine the impact of summer fires on soil microbial communities have been limited. To explore how more severe fires may affect fungal diversity and community composition, we conducted an experimental summer fire in June 2019 at an experimental site that had been previously established in a pure stand of black pine (Pinus nigra Arn.) in 2016 in the Cuenca Mountains in Spain (Central-Eastern Spain).[EN] [Results] Metabarcode DNA analyses of soil samples collected in three blocks (with three plots sampled in unburned and burned areas per block) in spring 2020 revealed that total soil fungi richness and diversity were not affected by summer burning; although no significant, summer burning did have a contrary influence on the most dominant fungal trophic groups. The relative abundance of ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi was negatively affected by burning, whereas saprotrophic fungi were positively affected by burning. Fire also had a significant effect on the composition of the total community and when analyzed by the trophic group. Multilevel pattern analysis showed that ECM fungi were significantly correlated with unburned plots. Physicochemical analyses revealed that there were no changes in the main edaphic variables measured.[EN] [Conclusions] The application of fire under more critical summer conditions (out of typical prescribed fire weather windows in Europe) did not produce significant differences in the diversity of the fungal community, being ECM fungi more sensitive to heat than other trophic groups. However, the composition of the fungal community differed significantly between burned and unburned plots. Overall, burned plots showed an adaptation to fire with a rapid proliferation of several pyrophilous genera that are able to improve soil conditions, which would enhance post-fire regeneration of the stand.
These pioneering results can inform managers in conducting controlled summer fires to surrogate low to medium surface fire in Pinus nigra stands, knowing that the fungal diversity of the ecosystem is not affected, and thus the key ecological role of these organisms is not significantly harmed.[ES] [Antecedentes]
Los regímenes de fuego en ecosistemas (en términos de frecuencia, severidad, e intensidad), están cambiando. Los fuegos de verano están ocurriendo en los bosques del Mediterráneo con mucha mayor frecuencia y severidad que en primavera u otoño. Las comunidades microbianas del suelo proveen de servicios ecosistémicos esenciales y son también esenciales en la recuperación post-fuego. Sin embargo y hasta ahora, los estudios que determinan el impacto de los fuegos de verano en las comunidades microbianas han sido limitados. Para explorar cómo fuegos más severos pueden afectar la diversidad de hongos y la composición de la comunidad, condujimos una quema experimental de verano en junio de 2019 en un sitio experimental que había sido establecido previamente en un rodal puro de pino negro (Pinus nigra Arn.) en 2016 en las montañas de Cuenca en España (Centro-Este de España).[ES] [Resultados] Análisis de codificación mediante AND de muestras de suelo colectadas en tres bloques (con tres parcelas muestreadas en áreas quemadas y sin quemar por bloque) en la primavera de 2020, revelaron que la riqueza total de hongos y la diversidad no fueron afectadas por la quema de verano; sin embargo, la quema de verano si tuvo una influencia significativa en los grupos tróficos de hongos más dominantes. La abundacia relativa de hongos ectomicorrícicos (ECM) fue negativamente afectada por las quemas, mientras que los hongos saprofíticos fueron positivamente afectados por las quemas. El fuego tuvo también efectos significativos en la composición total de la comunidad y cuando fue analizada por grupos tróficos. El análisis de patrones reveló que no hubo cambios en las principales variables edáficas medidas.[ES ][Conclusiones] La aplicación de quemas bajo las condiciones críticas del verano (por fuera de las ventanas de prescripción en Europa) no produjo diferencias significativas en la diversidad de la comunidad fúngica, siendo los hongos (ECM) más sensibles al fuego que otros grupos tróficos. Sin embargo, la composición de la comunidad fúngica difirió significativamente entre parcelas quemadas y no quemadas. En general, las parcelas quemadas mostraron una adaptación al fuego con una rápida proliferación de varios géneros de pirófilos, que son capaces de mejorar las condiciones del suelo, los cuales pueden aumentar la regeneración post fuego del rodal.This research was funded by: Spanish R&D projects MYCOINFOR (Mycosilviculture Applied to Forest Fire Prevention in Mediterranean Systems; PID2019-105188RB-I00); VIS4FIRE(Integrated Vulnerability of Forest Systems to Wildfire: Implications on Forest ManagementTools; RTA2017-00042-C05-01, ENFIRES (Enhancing Fire Resilience of Mediterranean Forest Systems, PID2020-116494RRC41/AEI/10.13039/501100011033) and MITECO2023-AF. 20234TE001. TC MITECO-CSIC. Prevención de incendios forestales: Evaluación de quemas prescritas y puntos estratégicos de gestión. This study was also financed by European Social Fund “NextGenerationEU” through a grant “Margarita Salas” awarded to Juncal Espinosa (project GFIRE; Gestión Forestal para la adaptación a los incendios forestales en el marco del cambio climático en el área mediterránea; UVa-2022-MS-TEZ02).Peer reviewe
Exposure to West Nile Virus in Wild Lagomorphs in Spanish Mediterranean Ecosystems
No full text[Background] West Nile virus (WNV) is the most widely distributed mosquito-borne flavivirus. Over the past decade, its spread across Europe has raised significant concerns for both public and animal health. Although WNV exposure has been evidenced in various wild mammal species in Spain, no seroepidemiological studies have been conducted on this flavivirus in wild lagomorphs so far.[Aim] This study aimed to assess WNV exposure in European wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and Iberian hare (Lepus granatensis) populations inhabiting Spanish Mediterranean ecosystems.[Methods] Sera from 540 wild lagomorphs (399 European wild rabbit and 141 Iberian hares), from 106 hunting grounds distributed throughout Andalusia (southern Spain), were collected between the 2018/2019 and 2022/2023 hunting seasons.[Results] Antibodies against flavivirus were detected by blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (bELISA) in 5.0% (27/540; 95% CI: 3.2–6.8) of the wild lagomorphs. Exposure to WNV was confirmed in 4.8% (19/394; 95% CI: 2.7–6.9) of wild rabbits and 0.7% (1/141; 95% CI: 0.0–2.1) of Iberian hares by virus microneutralisation test. Anti-WNV antibodies were found in wild lagomorphs sampled from three (2.8%) hunting grounds located in western Andalusia during the seasons 2020–2021 and 2021–2022. Remarkably, this spatiotemporal distribution overlaps with the largest outbreak of WNV in Spain. Antibodies against Usutu virus and Bagaza virus were not detected in the wild lagomorph populations analysed.[Conclusions] This study constitutes the first report of WNV exposure in wild rabbit in Spain and in Iberian hare worldwide. While these species seem not play a primary role in the epidemiology of the virus, they could serve as sentinel for monitoring WNV in Iberian Mediterranean ecosystems.This work was supported by Universidad de Córdoba, Centro de Investigación Biotecnológica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (grant no. CB21/13/00083), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ministerio de Ciencia Innovación y Universidades.Peer reviewe
Grazing Modulates the Multiscale Spatial Structure of Dryland Vegetation
No full textPlants can facilitate their local environment and create a two-phase spatial structure of vegetation and bare soil in drylands, which largely influences ecosystem functioning. Although an increasing number of studies have examined how global change drivers like aridity influence vegetation spatial structure in drylands (e.g., the patch size distribution), it remains unclear how grazing impacts differ from those of climatic gradients, how these effects vary with herbivore feeding habits, and which plant-level traits—such as size and life form—mediate these spatial responses. Here, we coupled spatial vegetation pattern analyses of ecosystem images with field data analyses of the size distribution and dominant life forms of plants from 326 plots sampled across 25 countries and six continents to explore the effects of herbivores on the spatial structure of dryland vegetation. The effects of herbivores on vegetation spatial structure were opposite to the effects of aridity. Specifically, vegetation in grazed areas was clustered into larger patches, with fewer small patches, which skewed the patch-size distribution towards larger patches. These effects differed between browsing and grazing herbivores. Grazing effects were partially explained by the fact that grazing reduced average plant size, increased shrub density, and promoted facilitation among species of contrasting sizes. Similar effects were also confirmed by using model simulations that accounted for positive plant interactions. By linking remotely sensed images, a global field survey, and a mathematical model, our study uncovers the species-level mechanisms by which herbivores shape ecosystem-level spatial patterns and provides insights into the consequence of herbivory pressure on the resilience of drylands.This research benefited from the support of the Chair Modelisation Mathématique et Biodiversite VEOLIA~Ecole Polytechnique~MNHN~F-X. The BIODESERT global survey was funded by the European Research Council (ERC Grant agreement 647038). FTM acknowledges support by the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and the KAUST Climate and Livability Initiative. D.E. is supported by the Hermon Slade Foundation.
Fernando T. Maestre and Sophie Donnet shared co-last equal contribution.Peer reviewe
Proyecto de calidad 2019-2028 REBIS CSIC (código 800306) “Preservación, conservación y difusión del patrimonio bibliográfico antiguo de La Biblioteca Americanista de Sevilla (BAS) REBIS-CSIC
No full textEste proyecto se enmarca en el PLAN DE CALIDAD E INNOVACIÓN DE LA AECSIC 2018
2021, incluído en el Plan Estratégico del CSIC 2018-2021, cuyo objetivo 1, 1.2.7 es la
“Elaboración del Plan de Calidad e Innovación con Proyectos de calidad transversales o
institucionales y de los centros”.
El proyecto de calidad de la REBIS, pretende englobar las 4 líneas directrices del
Proyecto de calidad:
Procesos, Personas, Recursos e Innovación, cambiando el flujo de trabajo actual,
mejorando el proceso de gestión de los fondos bibliográficos, y ampliando los grupos de
interés, que serían tanto los investigadores, como todo el personal CSIC y el propio
público en general. Igualmente formando al propio personal en temas de restauración
y digitalización. Se trata de aunar la conservación de lo antiguo con las nuevas
tecnologías y realizando un seguimiento con un grupo de trabajo multidisciplinar.
Al mismo tiempo se podría considerar, según la Instrucción del 21 de Enero de 2019, del
CSIC sobre “El plan de calidad de los centros e Institutos del CSIC”, que el proyecto de
calidad de la REBIS es TIPO 1 y TIPO 2, ya que se encuentra enmarcado en el propio
proyecto de calidad del CSIC en el punto 7 de Calidad en los Servicios de Información
científica y Biblioteca, estando también dentro del “Mandato de obligado cumplimiento
del CSIC sobre acceso abierto”, en su vertiente de historia de la ciencia y de accesibilidad
del patrimonio bibliográfico, difundiéndolo tanto con exposiciones físicas como
virtualesPeer reviewe
Plantilla para describir Informes Científico - Técnicos en DIGITAL.CSIC
No full textDesde VAOR (VORI) y UNIN se ha trabajado en la definición y categorización de los informes CCTT. Es importante contar con una clasificación clara de estos informes en el CSIC porque esto permite identificar con precisión qué tipo de conocimiento se está transfiriendo a través del asesoramiento de expertos. Esta clasificación no solo facilita el seguimiento y evaluación de estos informes dentro la nueva PCO, sino que también ayuda a reconocer el valor real de cada informe, diferenciando su impacto, alcance y uso. De este modo, se puede optimizar la toma de decisiones, mejorar la gestión del conocimiento y dar mayor visibilidad a la labor técnica que respalda nuestras acciones.
Esto encaja en los cambios en los requerimientos de evaluación del próximo ejercicio PCO. Uno de estos cambios tiene que ver sobre cómo se evalúan los temas de transferencia.Un informe científico-técnico es un documento formal elaborado por expertos que tiene como objetivo proporcionar una evaluación, análisis, revisión y/o recomendación independiente y oportuna a entidades públicas, empresas, profesionales y particulares para apoyar la toma de decisiones y, en ocasiones, para el desarrollo de políticas públicas. Implica la transferencia de datos, información, conocimiento o experiencia que los investigadores y/o el instituto poseen o pueden obtener, cumpliendo así con sus obligaciones como administración pública. En resumen, el informe científico técnico informa, forma, asesora y proporciona productos y servicios en la materia solicitada en base a evidencias científicas.Los informes CCTT elaborados por el personal investigador se cargarán en DIGITAL.CSIC a través del personal de bibliotecas del ICU y técnicos de los CCNN, con el apoyo de URICI, que proporcionará la formación necesaria para ello, preservando la confidencialidad de aquellos que lo requieran.Los Principios FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) enfatizan la importancia de los metadatos y de los registros bibliográficos detallados de los distintos tipos de resultados de investigación, incluidos los informes. El uso de los metadatos recomendados, además de los que son obligatorios, contribuyen enormemente a cumplir mejor con los Principios FAIR.Peer reviewe