Se presenta una síntesis de las características de los yacimientos neógenos de Buñol, Venta del Moro, Fuente Podrida (Prov. de Valencia) y Fuente del Viso (Prov. de Albacete), actualizándose los datos concernientes a su posición estratigráfica, características tafonómicas y significado paleoecológico. Se ofrece una lista actualizada del registro fósil de cada uno de los yacimientos.

Se exponen los resultados obtenidos en el análisis de la asociación malacológica de dos muestras pertenecientes a la capa D del yacimiento del pleistoceno inferior de Barranco León (Cuenca de Guadix-Baza). Los principales resultados obtenidos son la relación de especies que componen la asociación malacológica y su abundancia relativa, que indican su marcado carácter acuático. Por otra parte, pese a las limitaciones impuestas por la escasez de información tafonómica y la cautela que sugieren ciertos indicadores, se aporta, a partir del análisis de las exigencias ecológicas de cada taxón, una interpretación paleoambiental sobre las condiciones existentes en el momento del depósito. Éstas corresponderían a la zona marginal de un lago permanente, oligohalino, de régimen léntico, con escasa profundidad, presencia de macrófitos y existencia de surgencias termales. Este lago estaría rodeado por vegetación litoral en lo que constituiría una franja de carácter higrófilo y se encontraría enmarcado en un espacio abierto en el que las condiciones climáticas serían de carácter más xérico y en las que encontraríamos un matorral mediterráneo salpicado de agrupaciones de árboles.

We have identified the type locality of Helix Guiraoana var. angustata Rossmassler, 1854 as 'located in the heights surrounding the Venta del Molinillo near the Sierra de los Dientes de la Vieja, Diezma, Granada', from the description given by Rossmassler about his journey in the south east of Spain in 1853. The molecular analysis (COI and 16S) of a topotype collected live allowed us to confirm the identification of clade 4 of the genus Iberus proposed by Elejalde et al. (2008) with H. Guiraoana var. angustata, currently I. angustatus.

Background: Transition metal ions, such as iron, can make electron donations to oxygen forming superoxide or hydrogen peroxide, which is further reduced to an extremely reactive hydroxyl radical that induces oxidative stress. The purpose of the present study was to design a system that could easily detect and reliably measure the ferrous oxidation associated to oxygen radical reactions in the sperm samples. Methods: A total of 64 sperm samples from 11 men who had normal semen parameters and proven fertility and 53 male partners of couple experiencing primary infertility, were included in the study. The semen samples from oligoasthenoteratozoospermic patients was divided on the basis of spermatic parameters into moderate, when the sperm concentration was ≥5 × 106/ml and in severe when the concentration was <5 × 106/ml. The evaluation of the ferrous oxidation was performed measuring the formation of iron complexes between ferric ions and thiocyanate anions by spectrofluorimetry. Results: The concentration of the ferric thiocyanate complex ions was significantly higher in pathological sperm samples (137.6 ± 10.8 μmol/l in moderate oligoasthenoteratozoospermic, 170.0 ± 25.4 μmol/l in severe oligoasthenoteratozoospermic and 155.4 ± 7.3 μmol/l in non-obtructive azoospermic men), when compared with both infertile noormozoospermic (92.4 ± 10.7 μmol/l) (P<0.015) and with samples from fertile men (76.3 ± 6.2 μmol/l) (P<0.005). No significant differences were found in the concentration of ferric thiocyanate complex among the different pathological groups when compared to each other and in infertile noormozoospermic patients when compared with the samples from men of proven fertility (P=0.168). Accordingly, an inverse correlation was found between the concentration of the ferric thiocyanate complex and total motility, progressive motility and morphology. Conclusions: This preliminary study shows that the method proposed detect quickly and reliably measures the ferrous oxidation associated to oxygen radical reactions in the sperm samples.

The Sr uptake features in Bithynia tentaculata aragonite shells from monthly collections in Lake Arreo (northern Spain) over a two-year period are compared with those from the same species grown in culture experiments with similar waters under controlled temperature. The shell aragonite of B. tentaculata from Lake Arreo formed in isotopic equilibrium with the lake water. A comparison of the stable oxygen isotope values (δ18O) from the shells and waters allowed the selection of suitable shells for Sr uptake studies. The Sr/Ca molar ratio in B. tentaculata shells (Sr/Cashell) from the lake and from the culture experiments positively correlate with some chemical parameters like conductivity and solute composition. Some environmental factors such as pH and T have minor influence on Sr incorporation into shells, as reported from other aragonitic mollusks. The Sr/Cashell exhibits a good positive correlation with the Sr/Ca of the water (Sr/Caw) using linear regression. However, a polynomial function equation better fits the Sr/Cashell and the Sr/Caw (R2=0.890, p=2.923e−11). Above a value of 0.0025 for Sr/Caw, the ratios of Sr/Cashell present small changes. This pattern reveals a noticeable variation of the partitioning coefficient (KdSr) with Sr/Caw. The KdSr for B. tentaculata shell aragonite obtained in this study is 0.290±0.078 (n=25) and it is close to the mean values obtained for other non-marine aragonitic mollusks. KdSr values in B. tentaculata are influenced by the variations in Sr/Caw that mask the T effect. This feature, together with the influence of physiological processes on the trace element incorporation, may explain the observed KdSr pattern.

BACKGROUND:To estimate the incidence of aneuploidy in relation to patients' characteristics, the type of hormonal stimulation and their response to induction of multiple follicular growth, 4163 first polar bodies (PB1s) were analyzed.METHODS:Five hundred and forty four infertile couples underwent 706 assisted conception cycles (640 with poor prognosis indications and 66 controls) in which chromosomal analysis of PB1 for the chromosomes 13, 15, 16, 18, 21 and 22 was performed. Results were evaluated in a multivariate analysis.RESULTS:The proportion of normal oocytes was directly correlated (P < 0.01) with (i) the number of mature oocytes and (ii) the establishment of a clinical pregnancy; and inversely correlated (P < 0.01) with (i) female age, (ii) causes of female infertility (endometriosis, abortions, ovulatory factor), (iii) poor prognosis indications (female age, number of previous cycles, multiple poor prognosis indications), (iv) number of FSH units per oocyte and (v) number of FSH units per metaphase II oocyte. There was a weak significance of frequency (P < 0.05) between type of abnormality (originated by chromatid predivision, chromosome non-disjunction or combined mechanisms in the same oocyte) and groups of the studied variables, rather than to a specific abnormality or a specific chromosome.CONCLUSIONS:The type of infertility had a significant effect on errors derived from the first meiotic division, whose incidence was significantly higher in the presence of endometriosis or of an ovulatory factor, and in women that experienced repeated abortions. Each aneuploidy event was found to be dependent not on a specific variable, but on groups of variables. In addition, the tendency of chromosomal abnormalities to occur simultaneously implies that the deriving aneuploidies can be of any type.

This work has been funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation CGL-2005-01467 grant, and the BES-2006-13920 pre-doctoral grant (I. Sayyad)

(1) Institut Ciències de la Terra “Jaume Almera” CSIC, Lluis Solé i Sabarís s.n, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain (isayyad@ija.csic.es), (2) Departamento de Estratigrafía y Paleontología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad del País Vasco/EHU, Apartado 644, E-48080 Bilbao, Spain, (3) Instituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Departamento de Geología, Universitat de Valencia, E-46100 Burjasot, Valencia, Spain

Stable isotopes and trace-element content of calcite ostracod valves and aragonite mollusc shells from the Pliocene lacustrine succession of Villarroya allow depicting the geochemical record of environmental changes and to compare our data to the paleoenvironmental reconstruction obtained from other proxies. The lower sequences (A and B) are characterized by relatively high isotopic and Me/Ca values in the biogenic carbonates. The recorded large variations of δ18O in these carbonates mainly reflect variations in the δ18Ow due to precipitation–evaporation processes and, to a lesser extent, variations in temperature of calcification. The δ13C data inform about changes in DIC although they are probably biased by the vital effects of the studied taxa. Minor and trace element contents in ostracod (Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca) and mollusc shells (Sr/Ca) are mainly linked to the Me/Ca of the lake water (Me/Caw), and to a lesser extent to temperature and to uptake kinetic effects. Several possible mechanisms may make the Me/Caw to vary: long periods of Ca-carbonate (calcite, aragonite) deposition after charophyte development, and different inputs for Ca and Mg to the lake due to changes in drainage area configurations through time, including the changes in saline inputs (Na-Cl type) to the lake. The stable isotopes and the calculated Sr/Caw and Mg/Caw from sequence C display lower values than those from sequences A and B. The isotopic values from biogenic carbonates of unit C indicate isotopically diluted waters in a hydrologically open lacustrine environment. Distinct δ13C and δ18O plots for molluscs from unit C reflect the different biotopes and metabolism type. For several intervals of the Villarroya succession there is no direct relationships among: (i) salinity changes inferred from invertebrate paleoecology, (ii) paleoenvironmental slices based on isotopic signatures and Me/Caw calculations (from biogenic carbonate geochemistry) and (iii) climate in the hinterland deduced from pollen data. Lakes where geochemical behaviour is constrained by sporadic saline inputs and/or relative depletion in Ca due to long periods of Ca-carbonate precipitation or biomineralization, like the Pliocene Villarroya lake was, do not show clear correlation patterns between geochemical signals and climate proxies. In these lakes only major environmental trends display unambiguous geochemical signatures, and only some main shifts in the geochemical signature profiles may be correlated with significant global and/or regional environmental changes that have been reported from other paleoenvironmental records.

A synthesis of the Spanish continental Neogene is presented by designing an integrated correlative chart of the Neoc "gen-e -succes-siuns-ofthe -lberian-PeninsuIa-.-Ninemain-sedimentary-breaks-have-been-distinguished-in-most-of-the-basins~ -'I'hey are considered a valuable criteria for correlation as they occur in similar time intervals from basin to basin. The determined sedimentary breaks occur in the Agenian, Ramblian, Middle Aragonian, Late Aragonian, Late Vallesian, Middle Turolian, Late Turolian, Late Ruscinian-Early Villafranchian, and Villafranchian ages. The larger interior basins (Ebro, Tajo, Duero) show a fairly complete Neogene sedimentary record in which the above mentioned sedimentary breaks are usually well recognized. A good correlation may be established from basin to basin. Likewise, there is a fairly good correlation among the Upper Miocene-Pliocene sedimentary record of basins spreading out in Levante and southeastern Spain. However, the correlation is not as clear in those basins located within the Iberian and Catalan Coastal Ranges, which usually do not show a similar sedimentary pattern. The comparison between Neogene stratigraphic logs in most of the Spanish continental basins and the pattern of global events from currently accepted Cenozoic Cycle Charts allows recognition of chronological coincidences, especially with regard to the age of seven major sedimentary ruptures (those developed at about 24.5 Ma, 22 Ma, 16 Ma, 13.5 Ma, 9.5 Ma, 5.5 Ma, 3.3 Ma). Evolutionary sedimentary trends in both offshore Mediterranean areas and inland peripheral zones of the Iberian Peninsula show also striking coincidences regarding the chronology of major sedimentary breaks observed in continental successions. Paleoclimatic curves for the Spanish continental Neogene display four relative temperature peaks indicative of warm climatic conditions (Late Agenian, Early-Middle Aragonian, Vallesian-Turolian, and Late Villafranchian) as well as five relatively dry periods (Early Ramblian, Middle-Late Aragonian, Middle Turolian, Late Ruscinian, and Middle Villafranchian ages).