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Introduction/objective: The present study aimed to examine the relationship between transformational coach leadership with the characteristics of resilience and vulnerability under pressure, as well as to analyze whether the factors of intra-group conflict (social and task) and group cohesion (social and task) could mediate the relationship between these variables. Method: Through a longitudinal design, a total of 301 athletes enrolled in the JUDEX, belonging to 34 soccer and volleyball teams, and aged between 13 and 18 years (M = 15.72; SD = 1.33). Results: The results showed a positive relationship between transformational leadership of the coach and resilience characteristics, and a negative association with respect to vulnerability under pressure. In addition, intra-group conflict (social and task) acted as mediators between the relationship between transformational coach leadership and team resilience. Regarding the mediating role of group cohesion, only task cohesion acted as a mediator between transformational coach leadership and team resilience. Conclusions: This research draws as main conclusion the importance of the coach's leadership to improve team resilience in youth categories, and the positive influence of the reduction of intragroup conflicts and the increase of task cohesion during the season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reviews the most relevant contributions on the construct of sexism. In particular, the theories of Masculinity and Femininity and the different contemporary models that have received more attention in the Spanish psychological literature are analyzed. In addition, the instruments generated as a result of their corresponding theories are discussed and a critical analysis of the most used instruments is carried out. Finally, a reflection is made on the current courses of the construct of sexism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for Christmas trees has increased considerably in Mexico; where 1.6 to 2.0 million of them are sold annually. Pseudotsuga menziesii is a species with high commercial potential, due to the quality of its wood and its preference as a Christmas tree. The research was carried out at Huayacocotla, Veracruz, Mexico to assess the effects of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and micronutrients on growth of seedlings of P. menziesii, four years after its establishment. The sources and doses for the macronutrients were 0.0 and 16.0, 0.0 and 16.5, and 0.0 and 17.0 grams tree-1 of urea, calcium triple superphosphate, and potassium sulfate, respectively. The source for micronutrients was the commercial product Sagaquel combi® (0.0 and 3.0 mililiters tree-1). We conducted a completely randomized factorial experiment 24, with a total of 16 treatments fivefold replicated. It was determined that the nitrogen and micronutrients had no significant effects on the response variables since they were just slightly deficient. On the other hand, nutrition with phosphorus increased basal diameter; however, such increase was not significant. Potassium significantly increased needle biomass. The treatments that induced greater retention of needles were those that received nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium or a combination of them. Laboratory soil analyzes are likely to be more efficient than fertilization trials at detecting nutrient deficiencies. The deficient nutrients in the plantation are potassium, phosphorus, and nitrogen, although the deficiency of the latter is slight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Production of forest seedlings is expensive mainly due to the use of inputs such as peat moss and fertilizers. Seedling survival in field conditions is low when seedlings with limited internal nutrient reserves are used in low fertility sites. In this work, raw sawdust and exponential fertilization were tested against peat-moss and constant fertilization, the common components of containerized seedling production systems in Mexico. The experiment was carried out under nursery conditions by using a complete randomized experimental design with a 2×2 factorial arrangement. Two substrates -- peat-moss (PM) and sawdust (SA) -- and two nutrient addition rates -- constant (CR) and exponential (ER) -- were tested. The response of seedlings was assessed based on diameter at the root collar, seedling height, dry weight (shoot, root, total and 100-needle), Dickson quality index (DQI), slenderness index (SI), and foliar nutrient concentrations and contents. Analysis of variance indicated that the substrate significantly affect all dry weights, with the greatest biomass observed for PM. Similarly, DQI and SI were affected by the substrate, with PM showing the best DQI and highest SI. Neither plant quality variables nor dry weights were affected by nutrient addition rates. Both substrate and nutrient addition rate significantly affected N, P, and K foliar concentrations. At the end of the production cycle, SA promoted higher foliar concentrations of N and P than PM, but not those of K. This suggests that K limited the growth of seedlings in sawdust, likely due to the low capacity of this substrate to adsorb K. ER produced needle concentrations of N, P, and K significantly higher than those of CR (2.65 vs. 2.26 %, 2303 vs. 2011 ppm, and 4235 vs. 3949 ppm, respectively). Our results indicate that ER is likely to give rise to more suited seedlings for outplanting in low fertility sites than CR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on fear conditioning is key to understanding the genesis and maintenance of anxiety disorders. A still scarce but growing evidence shows that fear-conditioned arousal reactions may transfer amongst physically dissimilar but symbolically related (e.g. equivalent) stimuli. The limited investigation published to date has relied on skin conductance responses as its main measure. Thus far, no published studies have analyzed this phenomenon using more emotionally sensitive psychophysiological measures, like fear-potentiated startle. Twenty-seven participants underwent a matching-to-sample procedure for the formation of two four-member equivalence classes (A1-B1-C1-D1 and A2-B2-C2-D2). Then, one element from each class was used in a differential aversive conditioning procedure (CS+: B1; CS-: B2) with electric shock as the UCS. Eye-blink startle (measured as EMG activity of the orbicularis oculi muscle after a burst of white noise), skin conductance responses, and shock-risk self-report ratings were collected. Results show no evidence of transfer of functions with any of the psychophysiological measures. A weak, inconclusive effect was observed for self-reported ratings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores a case study of a patient with coarctation of the aorta, a bicuspid aortic valve, and aortic aneurysm dissection. It explains that coarctation of the aorta is a congenital condition that can be associated with other heart conditions. The patient in this case had secondary hypertension and chronic dissection of the ascending aorta. The treatment involved aortoplasty with stent placement and aortic and valvular replacement surgery. The article also discusses the relationship between balloon techniques, aortic stenosis, and coarctation of the aorta, and how these conditions can lead to aortic dissection. It provides information on classification systems for aortic dissection and emphasizes the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to treatment. This article is a valuable resource for researchers studying these specific medical conditions. [Extracted from the article]

This study intends to contribute to a better understanding of how value creation coaligns with relationship quality and how this coalignment affects a firm's performance. To examine this question a theoretical framework is developed following a configuration theory approach. The unit of analysis is the dyadic relationship between manufacturers and their main distributor. The empirical results reveal that not all the manufacturers have the same orientation towards their creation of value for the main distributor and that the coalignment between their creation of value for the main distributor and the dimensions of relationship quality yields stronger distributor loyalty. This was not the case, however, with manufacturer's business performance for which no such relationship was found. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The estimation of the policy position of political actors lies at the heart of political competition of modern democracy. This article uses content analysis and the codes of the Comparative Manifesto Project (CMP) to study the policy positions of presidential candidates in the last election of Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Chile. One of our main aims is to investigate national and cross-national dynamics underlying candidate positioning on a leftright ideological continuum. To improve the explanation of presidential competition the paper also estimated the spatial characterizations of candidates' preferences on economy and welfare. The CMP methodology proved suitable for cross-national analysis of presidential candidates in Latin America, but the right-left index misses some of the contextual features of Latin American democracies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional methods of diagnosis are of little therapeutic use when diagnostic criteria are based upon topographical rather than functional aspects of behavior. Also, this sentence in the original seemed rather awkward and a bit unclear. In contrast to this, several authors have put forward experience avoidance disorders as an alternative which takes functional criteria into account. This case study presents the analysis and treatment of an anxiety disorder following the formulation of functional analytic psychotherapy. This psychotherapy is based on a therapeutic relationship which puts particular emphasis on natural reinforcement and eventualities which occur in a clinical context, relating them to a natural context, and establishing functional equivalences. The different stages of the treatment are described and details are given of the therapeutic relationship and the monitoring of the results over a period of 18 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional methods of diagnosis are of little therapeutic use when diagnostic criteria are based upon topographical rather than functional aspects of behavior. Also, this sentence in the original seemed rather awkward and a bit unclear. In contrast to this, several authors have put forward experience avoidance disorders as an alternative which takes functional criteria into account. This case study presents the analysis and treatment of an anxiety disorder following the formulation of functional analytic psychotherapy. This psychotherapy is based on a therapeutic relationship which puts particular emphasis on natural reinforcement and eventualities which occur in a clinical context, relating them to a natural context, and establishing functional equivalences. The different stages of the treatment are described and details are given of the therapeutic relationship and the monitoring of the results over a period of 18 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to study the effect of organizational learning (OL) in customer value creation. Thus, firstly, a literature review about the latent factors mentioned before is carried out. Next, a conceptual model is outlined, where the dyadic relationship between manufacturers and their principal distributor is adopted as unit of analysis. Then, we move on with the study of the data obtained in the field work. At this point the reliability and validity of the OL process and value creating functions (direct and indirect) is examined to, immediately, analyse the causal connections of the specified structural model. The empirical results reveal that the manufacturer's OL process is a direct and positive antecedent of value creation, considered from a functionalist perspective, and business performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the analysis and treatment of a depressive disorder according to Functional Analytic Psychotherapy. This form of psychotherapy, which is based on the principles of radical behaviorism, makes functional use of verbal behavior, and is structured upon a therapeutic relationship that pays special attention to natural reinforcement and emphasises the events that may arise in the clinical context, and relates them to a natural context, shaping, and functional equivalence. The paper describes the case of a 40-year-old woman with major depressive disorder, and the functional conceptualization of the case according to this psychotherapy. The different phases of the treatment are described (17 sessions in total), with examples of the therapeutic relationship and of how the results were maintained in the long term. In addition to solving problems and making changes in the patient's daily life, the initial BDI-II score (29) dropped to 6 points after seven months, and remained at 8 points in the follow- up after 17 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organizational Learning (OL) is currently broadly acknowledged as a strategic resource for improving organizational competitiveness and, since the beginning of the 1990s, it has constituted one of the topics of research with most projection in the discipline strategic management. Under that premise, this paper proposes studying the OL concept. To do so, it first analyzes the different schools of thought defined in OL. Next, it identifies and defines each one of the dimensions essential to OL. Then, it proceeds with the empirical aspects, analyzing the data from the obtained sample. Results reveal that the limits between the management school of thought and the learning process school of thought are not as clear cut as the conceptual experts for each school advocate. The above conclusion is drawn based on the component management being more preponderant in the learning process school of thought than the importance the theory had first granted it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a review of research about predictive variables of employment for persons with severe mental illness. During the process of psychosocial rehabilitation of persons with severe disabilities caused by severe mental illness, an important issue is employment rehabilitation, since the performance of work activity is an indicator of the level of recovery of these persons. Once we have described the different methodologies of vocational rehabilitation, we will review the possible predictive variables of employment for persons with severe mental illness and then explain the results of this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides a general overview of the 2007 Spanish OSCE Chairmanship. Starting with a general reflection on the CSCE/OSCE evolution, it characterizes the Spanish perception of the situation in the OSCE and explains the main Spanish aims and priorities. The Madrid Ministerial Council is dealt with in detail, highlighting its most relevant and important achievements, while also reflecting those issues that could not be agreed upon. The author concludes that, placed at the crossroads in the further adaptive evolution of the OSCE, the Madrid Ministerial Council's main legacy has been to restore the truly political nature of this organisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the baile del tambor or the drum dance on the island of La Gomera in Canary Islands. The tambor includes couple dancing by men and women,or by pairs of women. There are no strict choreographic standards, but instead couples dance in their own individualistic fashion within the basic synchronized beats of the percussion and singing.

To identity the vegetable leafminer in dry beans, and associated parasitoids, pupal collections were made in northern Sinaloa, at weekly intervals during November to December 2020. Leafminer adults were Liriomyza sativae Blanchard and two parasitoids: Neochrysocharis sp. (Eulophidae) and Opius dissitus Muesebeck, with 28 and 31%, parasitism. This is the first report of the bean leafminer species in northern Sinaloa and its parasitoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes the case of a 71-year-old woman with giant thoracic calcinosis. Highlights include left paravertebral mass in the patient that was classified as ossifying myositis, drugs that were tried in calcinosis treatment, and the decision of the patient to not take any special treatment or undergo surgery.

Pinus patula Schiede ex Schltdl. et Cham. is endemic to Mexico and is used in both reforestation programs and in the timber industry due to its fast growth, wood quality, and easy handling. With the advance in genetic breeding programs, there is a need to massively propagate new plants from cuttings. One of the main challenges for this purpose is to know the effect of the age of the mother plant (hedge) on the rooting of cuttings. The younger the plant, the greater the rooting is expected to be. Three ontological ages of P. patula mother plants were compared (7, 10, and 13 months). The experimental design was in complete random blocks, with four replications and 25 cuttings per experimental unit. The response variables were evaluated 20 weeks after the experiment was established. No significant differences were observed in the rooting of the three ages evaluated (67.3 to 81 %), nor in the quality of the root (number and length of primary roots, percentage of plants with secondary roots). The results point out an advantage for the propagation of Pinus cuttings since the mother plants at those ages are capable of generating juvenile cuttings that are adequate to obtain percentages of rooting of over 75 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Introduction: in Spain, one third of young people from 7 to 14 years of age are overweight or obese. Health-related behaviors such as a high level of physical activity, low screen time, and good eating habits can prevent overweight and obesity in young people. Objectives: to assess adherence to the Mediterranean diet and quality of food pattern in an adolescent sample from Extremadura (Spain). Method: the present research is a cross-sectional, descriptive study in 1566 adolescents aged 12-14 years, 857 boys (13.12 ± 0.89) and 709 girls (13.05 ± 0.82). Physical activity was measured through the physical activity questionnaire for adolescents (PAQ-A). Screen time was analyzed through the youth leisure-time sedentary behaviour questionnaire (YLSBQ). Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was calculated using the KIDMED questionnaire. Results: 24.5 % of adolescents reported having good adherence to the Mediterranean diet. The youngest schoolchildren (p < 0.001) had a better eating pattern, with no difference between genders or body mass indices. Students who met recommendations for physical activity and screen time had greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet (p < 0.01). Conclusions: results showed that most children and adolescents needed to improve their eating pattern. Participants who met the recommendations for physical activity and screen time showed greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco covers 10% of the total area of Christmas tree commercial plantations in Mexico. Swiss needle cast (SNC) is a disease particular to the genus Pseudotsuga, caused by the fungus Phaeocryptopus gaeumannii (T. Rohde) Petrak (1938). The main symptoms include chlorotic foliage and premature abscission of infected needles, resulting in thin crowns. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship of chemical fertilizer and tree nutritional status to severity and incidence levels of the disease. The hypothesis was that nutritional status correlates with variations on SNC infestation level in P. menziesii. The study was set up in the multipurpose forested land “El Manantial” in Aquixtla, Puebla. Treatments were fertilization with urea and potassium sulphate, and a chemical phytosanitary control with propiconazole and prochloraz. The experimental design was generalized random blocks, evaluating two controlled factors with three levels (factorial 3²) and, as the confounding or blocking factor, the visual level of crown transparency associated with SNC. Incidence and severity were evaluated. The results of the ANOVA did not indicate significant differences. Of the nutrient variables, those that had higher association with severity and incidence were Ca and Mn contents, and to a lesser degree, Cu, Mg and N. Among the treatments, antagonisms and synergisms were observed to affect nutrient status. Fungicides affected nutrient absorption, transport, and assimilation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work we present the development of a nanocomposite material composed by ZrO 2 :SiO 2 (25:75 mol%) nanoparticles in a polyurethane (PU) matrix for corrosion protection of AISI 1018 carbon steel. Specifically, the effect of the pre-dispersion method of ZrO 2 :SiO 2 nanoparticles to reinforce PU coatings in delayed the corrosion and enhance mechanical properties of mild steel, were analyzed by applying two conventional methods: mechanical stirring (1, 3 and 5 h) and sonication (30, 60 and 120 min). The effect of pre-dispersed the ceramic nanoparticles by mechanical stirring and sonication on the mechanical properties and corrosion behavior was analyzed. Sonication improved the dispersion and hardness properties reducing the time of dispersion of the nanoparticles in comparison with mechanical stirring. The EIS results also showed that the hybrid coatings using sonication as method to pre-dispersed the nanoparticles enhanced the dispersion and the degradation resistance of the carbon steel by more than two-order of magnitude as compared to the coated samples with pure polyurethane after 2 h exposure in 3 wt.% NaCl solution. Long-term (20 days) EIS results also confirmed that the hybrid coating synthesized with sonically pre-dispersed particles improved the mechanical properties and degradation resistance in comparison with that observed with coatings using pre-dispersed particles by mechanical stirring, which could be better in service mechanical integrity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Echeveria subrigida extracts have biological activities of human health importance. However, the in vivo effects on glucose levels and chronic toxicity are unknown. Objectives: To analyse the in vivo hypoglycemic and antihyperglycemic effects (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg b.w.) and chronic toxicity (1000 mg/kg b.w. for 270 days) of the hydroalcoholic extract of E. subrigida (HE-Es) in BALB/c mice. Materials and Methods: The HE-Es was analysed by HPLC. Glucose levels were measured to establish the effects on glycemia. Different parameters were registered in the toxicity assay: e.g., feed consumption, appearance/behaviour, biochemical and haematological parameters and liver and kidney histologies. Results: Quercetin-3-O-β-glucoside and isorhamnetin-3-O-β-glucoside were the main flavonoids in the HE-Es. Glycemia was reduced by the HE-Es (200 mg/kg b.w., 49.1%) and glibenclamide (10 mg/kg b.w., 52%) treatments. Comparing the antihyperglycemic activities, similar reductions were found between HE-Es (100 mg/kg b.w., 29.32%; 200 mg/kg, 28.99%) and acarbose (10 mg/kg b.w., 19.87%) treatments. On the other hand, the HE-Es was innocuous in mice (LD50 > 1000 mg/kg b.w.), and the results suggested that HE-Es had adaptogenic, and immunostimulant activities. The hepatic and renal histologies were normal; however, male mice showed level zero steatosis that disappeared in the HE-Es satellite after treatment withdrawal. Conclusion: This study reports for the first time the in vivo effects on blood glucose levels of HE-Es and chronic toxicity of a Crassulaceae plant, supporting the antidiabetic potential and safety of HE-Es. Future studies must corroborate the effects of HE-Es in humans, allowing its use in high-value formulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grafting in species of Pinus is used to establish asexual seed orchards. Generally, grafting success is low, therefore, it is required to study the influencing factors. Such as the technique and the contact surface of the cambium that depends on the length of the cut on the scion and the rootstock. The objective of this study was to evaluate graft success, growth, and needle development on Pinus patula grafts as functions of the grafting technique and cutting length. It was expected that a specific combination of technique and cutting length would allow predicting the graft success. The techniques of top cleft, side-veneer and splice grafting were used with three cutting lengths (1.5, 2.0, and 2.5 cm) in a completely randomized design with factorial array. The data were analysed with an analysis of variance and treatment means were compared with the Tukey test (p = 0.05). Sixty days after grafting, technique influenced success; top cleft grafting had the highest value (80%) but was not statistically different from side veneer grafting (73.3%). There was, however, statistical difference between top cleft and splice grafting (56.7%, p = 0.05). There were no differences among the three cutting lengths in terms of the three variables evaluated. The effect of the interaction showed that top cleft and side veneer grafts with the cutting length of 1.5 cm expressed the greatest growth (32.4 and 32.2 mm, respectively); followed by side veneer grafting with the cutting length of 2.0 cm (30.4). The study demonstrated that the most viable techniques to increase grafting success in P. patula are the top cleft and side veneer techniques. Cutting length of the scion and the rootstock can be set within the range 1.5 to 2.5 cm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The continued rise in HIV incidence has prompted the implementation of novel strategies, including rapid ART initiation. • Bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (BIC/FTC/TAF) is an appropriate option for rapid ART initiation in naïve HIV patients, offering high efficacy, safety, durability, treatment adherence, retention in the healthcare system, and generating patient satisfaction. Multiple strategies have been utilised to reduce the incidence of HIV, including PrEP and rapid antiretroviral therapy initiation. The study objectives were to evaluate the efficacy, safety, satisfaction, treatment adherence, and system retention obtained with rapid initiation of bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (BIC/FTC/TAF) in naïve patients. This phase IV, multicenter, open-label, single-arm, 48-week clinical trial enrolled patients between January 2020 and June 2022. Adherence to treatment was evaluated with the SMAQ questionnaire and patient satisfaction with the EQ-5D. Two hundred eight participants were enrolled with mean age of 35.6 years; 87.6% were males; mean CD4 count was 393.5 cells/uL (<200 cells/uL in 22.1%); viral load log was 5.6 (VL>100 000 cop/mL in 43.3%); 22.6% had AIDS, and 4.3% were coinfected with HBV. BIC/FTC/TAF was initiated on the day of their first visit to the HIV specialist in 98.6% of participants, and 9.6% were lost to follow-up. The efficacy at week 48 was 84.1 % by intention-to- treat (ITT), 94.6% by modified ITT, and 98.3% by per protocol analysis. The regimen was discontinued in two subjects (0.9%) during week 1 for grade 3 adverse events. Treatment adherence (weeks 4 [90%, IQR: 80–99%] vs. 48 [90%, IQR: 80–95%; P = 0.49]) and patient satisfaction (weeks 4 [90%, IQR: 80–99%] vs. 48 [90%, IQR: 80–95 P = 0.49]) rates were very high over the 48- week study period. BIC/FTC/TAF is an appropriate option for rapid ART initiation in naïve HIV patients, offering high efficacy, safety, durability, treatment adherence, retention in the healthcare system, and patient satisfaction. Number Clinical Trial registration: NCT06177574. Graphical of BIC-NOW Clinical Trial. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the high vulnerability of the pancreas to ischemia-reperfusion injury, choices regarding preservation solution markedly affect pancreas transplant success. A retrospective single-center analysis of 380 pancreas transplants (2000-2019) was performed to correlate current preservation solutions with transplant outcomes. Early graft failure requiring transplantectomy within 30 days post-transplant occurred in 7.5% for University of Wisconsin (UW) group (n = 267), 10.8% of Celsior (CS) group (n = 83), 28.5% of Histidine-Tryptophan-Ketoglutarate (HTK) group (n = 7), and none for Institut Georges Lopez-1 (IGL-1) group (n = 23). The most common causes of technical failures in this cohort included abdominal hemorrhage (8.4%); graft pancreatitis (3.7%); fluid collections (2.6%); intestinal complications (6.6%); and vascular thrombosis (20.5%). Although IGL-1 solution provided lower surgical complication rates, no significant differences were found between studied groups. Nevertheless, HTK solution was associated with elevated pancreatitis rates. The best graft survival was achieved at 1 year using UW and IGL-1, and at 3 and 5 years using IGL-1 (p = 0.017). There were no significant differences in patient survival after a median follow-up of 118.4 months. In this setting therefore, IGL-1 solution appears promising for perfusion and organ preservation in clinical pancreas transplantation, compared to other commonly used solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From 18 samplings at 2-week intervals with yellow impaction traps, entomological net, and direct observation, natural enemies of the citrus flat mite, Brevipalpus californicus (Banks), were determined in a commercial orchard of Persian lime, Citrus x latifolia Tanaka Ex. Q. Jiménez: lady beetles, Stethorus pinachi (Gordon y Chapin), Cycloneda sanguinea (L.), and Chilocorus cacti (L.); lacewing, Chrysoperla spp.; pirate bug, Orius sp.; assassin bug, Zelus spp.; big eyed bug, Geocoris sp., and mites Phytoseiulus persimilis (Athias-Henriot), Amblyseius largoensis (Muma), Euseisus scutalis (Athias-Henriot), Neoseiulus cucumeris (Oudemans), Propioseiopsis sp., and Chelotimus sp. The study is the first formal report of entomophages associated with B. californicus in Persian lime at Sinaloa, Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to explore the relation between the problematic consumption of drugs and some variables: age, time of imprisonment, education, legal situation, committing a crime under drugs effect and number of visits received. Data of inmates who had accepted they were consuming drugs at the moment of doing the study was analyzed. It was found that the problematic consumers were younger and had less time of imprisonment. The inmates with less education, the ones who were being processed at the moment of doing the study, the ones who had committed crimes under the drugs effect and the ones who did not receive any visit showed more problems (measured through the DAST questionnaire) associated to the consumption. Some hypotheses about the results are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A viable alternative for the next generation of wound dressings is the preparation of electrospun fibers from biodegradable polymers in combination with inorganic nanoparticles. A poly(vinyl alcohol)-chitosan-silver nanoparticles (PVA-CTS-Ag NPs) system has been developed for antimicrobial and wound healing applications. Here, the preparation of PVA-CTS-Ag electrospun fibers using a two-step process is reported in order to analyze changes in the microstructural, mechanical, and antibacterial properties and confirm their potential application in the biomedical field. The Ag nanoparticles were well-dispersed into the chitosan matrix and their cubic structure after the electrospinning process was also retained. The Ag NPs displayed an average diameter of ~33 nm into the CTS matrix, while the size increased up to 213 nm in the PVA-CTS-Ag(NPs) fibers. It was observed that strong chemical interactions exist between organic (CTS) and inorganic phases through nitrogenous groups and the oxygen of the glycosidic bonds. A defect-free morphology was obtained in the PVA-CTS-Ag NPs final fibers with an important enhancement of the mechanical properties as well as of the antibacterial activity compared with pure PVA-CTS electrospun fibers. The results of antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus confirmed that PVA-CTS-Ag(NPs) fibers can be potentially used as a material for biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyses of ribosomal ITS and chloroplast trnL–F sequences provide phylogenetic reconstruction for the festucoids (Poeae: Loliinae), a group of temperate grasses with morphological and molecular affinities to the large genus Festuca. Parsimony and Bayesian analyses of the combined ITS/trnL–F dataset show Loliinae to be monophyletic but unresolved for a weakly supported clade of ‘broad-leaved Festuca,’ a well-supported clade of ‘fine-leaved Festuca,’ and Castellia. The first group includes subgenera Schenodorus, Drymanthele, Leucopoa, and Subulatae, and sections Subbulbosae, Scariosa, and Pseudoscariosa of Festuca, plus Lolium and Micropyropsis. The second group includes sections Festuca, Aulaxyper, Eskia, and Amphigenes of Festuca, plus Vulpia, Ctenopsis, Psilurus, Wangenheimia, Cutandia, Narduroides, and Micropyrum. Subtribes Dactylidinae and Cynosurinae/Parapholiinae are sister clades and are the closest relatives of Loliinae. Vulpia is polyphyletic within the ‘fine-leaved’ fescues as revealed by the two genome analyses. Lolium is resolved as monophyletic in the ITS and combined analyses, but unresolved in the trnL–F based tree. Conflict between the ITS and the trnL–F trees in the placement of several taxa suggests the possibility of past reticulation events, although lineage sorting and possible ITS paralogy cannot be ruled out. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Here, we assessed whether 36 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the TNFSF4 and MAPKAPK2 loci influence the risk of developing invasive aspergillosis (IA). We conducted a two-stage case control study including 911 high-risk patients diagnosed with hematological malignancies that were ascertained through the aspBIOmics consortium. The meta-analysis of the discovery and replication populations revealed that carriers of the TNFSF4rs7526628T/T genotype had a significantly increased risk of developing IA (p = 0.00022). We also found that carriers of the TNFSF4rs7526628T allele showed decreased serum levels of TNFSF14 protein (p = 0.0027), and that their macrophages had a decreased fungicidal activity (p = 0.048). In addition, we observed that each copy of the MAPKAPK2rs12137965G allele increased the risk of IA by 60% (p = 0.0017), whereas each copy of the MAPKAPK2rs17013271T allele was estimated to decrease the risk of developing the disease (p = 0.0029). Mechanistically, we found that carriers of the risk MAPKAPK2rs12137965G allele showed increased numbers of CD38+IgM-IgD- plasmablasts in blood (p = 0.00086), whereas those harboring two copies of the allele had decreased serum concentrations of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (p = 0.00097). Finally, we also found that carriers of the protective MAPKAPK2rs17013271T allele had decreased numbers of CD27-IgM-IgD- B cells (p = 0.00087) and significantly lower numbers of CD14+ and CD14+CD16- cells (p = 0.00018 and 0.00023). Altogether, these results suggest a role of the TNFSF4 and MAPKAPK2 genes in determining IA risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants grown in trays develop spiraling lateral roots that affect their later growth. The objective of the study was to evaluate root morphology and growth of Pinus patula Schiede ex Schltdl. et Cham. produced in three types of trays with 170 cm3 cavities. Two trays were plastic and one polystyrene, with and without copper coating to prune the plant root. The hypothesis was that the plant produced in trays with 7% Cu(OH)2 coating would have better root growth than those produced without coating when transplanted to larger containers. The experimental design was completely randomized with a factorial array of 3 × 2 (three types of tray, with and without Cu coating) and four replications per treatment. An additional treatment, a tray designed to airprune roots, was included to compare the two types of pruning. Statistical differences between treatments were detected with an ANOVA, using the GLM procedure and the Tukey test for comparison of means (p£0.05). After nine months in the nursery, plants produced in trays with copper coating and those designed for air root pruning developed fewer spiraling lateral roots than those produced in the same trays without this treatment or design (0.1 vs. 3.3 and 0.2 vs. 3.5). Root growth potential test was conducted in 13.2-L pots for 1.5 months. Plants whose roots were pruned, by effect of copper and air, developed higher monthly relative root growth rates than plants whose roots had not been pruned: horizontal (0.28 vs. 0.15 and 0.18 vs. 0.12 g g-1 per month) and total root growth (0.37 vs. 0.29 and 0.30 vs. 0.25 g g-1 per month). Plants produced in polystyrene trays had better morphological and root quality traits than plants grown in plastic trays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of recording the distribution of species and their reproduction expands knowledge of their population dynamics and the success of colonization. We present the first record of the nesting of the Southern Lapwing (Vanellus chilensis) in El Salvador and a compilation of new sites of occurrence of the species. Since its first registration for the country in 2012, the species is becoming more prevalent in the country's wetlands. The increase in sightings of this species in El Salvador and its documentation expands the knowledge of the distribution, establishment, and population size of this species in El Salvador. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ateles geoffroyi is one of the largest monkeys of the Neotropics and its distribution is from Mexico to northern Colombia. Spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) in the Olomega lagoon, Department of San Miguel (Eastern El Salvador) were last reported in 1944, more than 70 years ago. The authors present information about the rediscovery of the species in an area where it was thought to be locally extinct. They also consider that there is an urgent need to study, monitor and protect this population in order to contribute to the conservation of a highly endangered primate in El Salvador. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  Few studies have focused on the long-term influence of the climate on the prevalence of asthma. The aim of this study is to establish the influence of geo-climatic conditions on the prevalence of asthma symptoms both in adolescents and schoolchildren, and to discover if this influence is associated with their time trends. Eight centres in Spain performed both ISAAC phases I (1994) and III (2002) in children 13–14 years old. Six of them also surveyed children 6–7 years old. For each age group and phase, about 3,000 children were surveyed per centre. This study examines the prevalence of current wheeze and severe current wheeze in two different geo-climatic zones, coast and plateau, considering their relative humidity and temperature range. In both age groups, the mean asthma prevalence on the coast, for phase I and III, was significantly higher than on the plateau. Living on the plateau was an independent protective factor for current wheeze and severe current wheeze for the two age groups. Within the coastal centres, the increase of the annual relative humidity was a statistical significant risk factor for current wheeze, the same trend existing for current severe wheeze. These effects were independent of the sex and of the phase of the study. The prevalence of asthma and severe asthma symptoms is more frequent on the coast of Spain as compared to the inner plateau. This finding was repeated both in 1994 and in 2002. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic Langmuir−Blodgett (LB) films of bimetallic coordination nanoparticles of the Prussian blue analogue Cs 0.4Ni[Cr(CN) 6] 0.9were prepared by using the adsorption properties of a monolayer of dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide (DODA). The molecular organization of the DODA monolayer is strongly affected by the presence of the water-dispersable Cs 0.4Ni[Cr(CN) 6] 0.9nanoparticles in the subphase as has been shown by π− Aisotherms and Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) images at the air−water interface. BAM images suggest that a layer of inorganic nanoparticles is adsorbed under the monolayer of DODA, for high surface pressure and medium concentration of nanoparticles in the subphase and for all surface pressures at high concentrations of nanoparticles. Transfer of the monolayer onto different substrates allowed the preparation of multilayers containing Cs 0.4Ni[Cr(CN) 6] 0.9nanoparticles. Magnetic properties of these LB films show a spin-glass-like behavior that can be explained by the strong magnetic dipolar interactions between the nanoparticles due to the small interparticle distances within the LB film. The magnetic properties of these LB films are very sensitive to the organization of the nanoparticles. They can be tuned by changing parameters such as the concentration of the subphase, the surface pressure, or the use of mixed monolayers. Thus, the Curie temperature of these LB films ranges from 60 K for the LB films prepared on the more concentrated subphase to 30 K for those prepared on the more diluted subphases. This is explained by the increase of interparticle distances and the subsequent weakening of the dipolar interactions between the nanoparticles within the LB film prepared on a subphase with a lower concentration of nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In addition to helping develop products that aid the disabled, brain–computer interface (BCI) technology can also become a modality of entertainment for all people. However, most BCI games cannot be widely promoted due to the poor control performance or because they easily cause fatigue. In this paper, we propose a P300 brain–computer-interface game (MindGomoku) to explore a feasible and natural way to play games by using electroencephalogram (EEG) signals in a practical environment. The novelty of this research is reflected in integrating the characteristics of game rules and the BCI system when designing BCI games and paradigms. Moreover, a simplified Bayesian convolutional neural network (SBCNN) algorithm is introduced to achieve high accuracy on limited training samples. To prove the reliability of the proposed algorithm and system control, 10 subjects were selected to participate in two online control experiments. The experimental results showed that all subjects successfully completed the game control with an average accuracy of 90.7% and played the MindGomoku an average of more than 11 min. These findings fully demonstrate the stability and effectiveness of the proposed system. This BCI system not only provides a form of entertainment for users, particularly the disabled, but also provides more possibilities for games. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

: Objectives To compare the response to hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapy among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/HCV co-infected patients receiving a nucleos(t)ide reverse transcriptase inhibitor [N(t)RTI] backbone consisting of abacavir plus lamivudine with that observed in subjects who receive tenofovir plus lamivudine or emtricitabine. : Methods A total of 256 subjects, enrolled in a cohort of 948 HIV-infected patients who received pegylated interferon and ribavirin from October 2001 to January 2006, were included in this study. All patients were taking one protease inhibitor or one non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor and abacavir plus lamivudine or tenofovir plus lamivudine or emtricitabine as N(t)RTI backbone during HCV therapy. Sustained virological response (SVR) rates in both backbone groups were compared. : Results In an intention-to-treat analysis, 20 out of 70 (29%) individuals under abacavir and 83 out of 186 (45%) under tenofovir showed SVR (P = 0.02). N(t)RTI backbone containing tenofovir was an independent predictor of SVR in the multivariate analysis [adjusted odds ratio (95% CI), 2.6 (1.05–6.9); P = 0.03]. The association between abacavir use and lower SVR was chiefly seen in patients with plasma HCV-RNA load higher than 600 000 IU/mL and genotype 1 or 4. Among patients treated with ribavirin dose <13.2 mg/kg/day, 3 (20%) of those under abacavir versus 22 (52%) under tenofovir reached SVR (P = 0.03), whereas the rates were 31% and 38% (P = 0.4), respectively, in those receiving ≥13.2 mg/kg/day. : Conclusions HIV-infected patients who receive abacavir plus lamivudine respond worse to pegylated interferon plus ribavirin than those who are given tenofovir plus lamivudine or emtricitabine as N(t)RTI backbone, especially in those receiving lower ribavirin doses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]