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Empathy is an emotional response that may facilitate prosocial behavior and inhibit aggression by increasing empathic concern for others. But the vicarious experience of other’s feelings may also turn into personal distress when the person has poor regulation skills and holds stigmatizing beliefs. In thinking about the processes that may trigger the experience of personal distress or empathic concern, research on the influence of psychological flexibility and inflexibility on stigma is showing promising results. Both processes are assessed with the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire–Stigma (AAQ-S). The current study sought to carry out a validity study of a Spanish version of the AAQ-S with a sample of adolescents aged 11–17 years. The study included an expanded test of its predictive validity with measures at three times to evaluate the role of psychological flexibility and inflexibility as risk or protective variables for the development of personal distress and/or empathic concern in the stigmatizer. Statistical analyses confirmed a two-correlated-factor solution, the adequate reliability of both factors, and their construct and predictive validity in the expected direction. The stigmatizer’s inflexible reaction to their stigmatizing thoughts predicted the occurrence of personal distress, whereas the stigmatizer’s flexible reaction to their stigmatizing thoughts predicted the occurrence of empathic concern for others. These findings confirm the importance of considering the role of regulatory skills in the experience of empathic concern or personal distress in the presence of stigmatizing thoughts, with possible implications for the promotion of prosocial behavior and the reduction of aggressive behavior among adolescents.

The provision of public goods by agriculture and forestry has taken increasing importance in the policy debate. The objective of this editorial is to set the scene for the special issue, to provide a summary of the main messages from the papers therein, highlight the most relevant lessons learnt for policy and generate insights for future research. The results highlight that there is a need to investigate further both the micro-mechanisms of decision-making, value creation and coordination among actors, including the micro-level issues in policy design, and to address the topic of public goods, taking a holistic view of how agriculture and forestry systems work. In order to meet these real-world requirements, different research approaches need to be better integrated, promoting cross-fertilisation and synergies among different methodological perspectives, able to complement one another in meeting policy challenges.

In a new study, Zhang et al. (2021) show that reducing iron levels in adipose tissue improves metabolic function. This occurs through an interorgan communication system where signals from the adipocyte reduce intestinal lipid absorption.

Pleural appendages (PA) are portions of extrapleural fat that hang from the chest wall. They have been described on videothoracoscopy, however their appearance, frequency and possible relationship with the amount of patient's fat remain unknown. Our aim is to describe their appearances and prevalence on CT, and determinate whether their size and number is higher in obese patients.Axial images of 226 patients with pneumothorax on CT chest were retrospectively reviewed. Exclusion criteria included known pleural disease, previous thoracic surgery and small pneumothorax. Patients were divided in obese (BMI30) and non-obese (BMI30) groups. Presence, position, size and number of PA were recorded. Chi square and Fisher's exact test were used to evaluate differences between the two groups, considering p0.05 as significant.Valid CT studies were available for 101 patients. Extrapleural fat was identified in 50 (49.5%) patients. Most were solitary (n=31). Most were located in the cardiophrenic angle (n=27), and most measured5cm (n=39). There was no significant difference between obese and non-obese patients regarding the presence or absence of PA (p=0.315), number (p=0.458) and size (p=0.458).Pleural appendages were seen in 49.5% patients with pneumothorax on CT. There was no significant difference between obese and non-obese patients regarding presence, number and size of pleural appendages.

[EN] Objective The COVID-19 pandemic has threatened to collapse hospital and ICU services, and it has affected the care programs for non-COVID patients. The objective was to develop a mathematical model designed to optimize predictions related to the need for hospitalization and ICU admission by COVID-19 patients. Design Prospective study. Setting Province of Granada (Spain). Population COVID-19 patients hospitalized, admitted to ICU, recovered and died from March 15 to September 22, 2020. Study variables The number of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 and hospitalized or admitted to ICU for COVID-19. Results The data reported by hospitals was used to develop a mathematical model that reflects the flow of the population among the different interest groups in relation to COVID-19. This tool allows to analyse different scenarios based on socio-health restriction measures, and to forecast the number of people infected, hospitalized and admitted to the ICU. Conclusions The mathematical model is capable of providing predictions on the evolution of the COVID-19 sufficiently in advance as to anticipate the peaks of prevalence and hospital and ICU care demands, and also the appearance of periods in which the care for non-COVID patients could be intensified., [ES] Objetivo La pandemia de la COVID-19 ha supuesto una amenaza de colapso de los servicios hospitalarios y de unidades de cuidado intensivo (UCI), así como una reducción de la dinámica asistencial de pacientes afectados por otras patologías. El objetivo fue desarrollar un modelo matemático diseñado para optimizar las predicciones relacionadas con las necesidades de hospitalización e ingresos en UCI por la COVID-19. Diseño Estudio prospectivo. Ámbito Provincia de Granada (España). Pacientes Pacientes de COVID-19 hospitalizados, ingresados en UCI, recuperados y fallecidos desde el 15 de marzo hasta el 22 de septiembre del 2020. Intervenciones Desarrollo de un modelo matemático tipo susceptible, expuesto, infectado y recuperado (SEIR) capaz de predecir la evolución de la pandemia, considerando las medidas de salud pública establecidas. Variables de interés Número de pacientes infectados por SARS-CoV-2, hospitalizados e ingresados en UCI por la COVID-19. Resultados A partir de los datos registrados, hemos podido desarrollar un modelo matemático que refleja el flujo de la población entre los diferentes grupos de interés en relación con la COVID-19. Esta herramienta permite analizar diferentes escenarios basados en medidas de restricción socio-sanitarias y pronosticar el número de infectados, hospitalizados e ingresados en UCI. Conclusiones El modelo matemático es capaz de proporcionar predicciones sobre la evolución de la COVID-19 con suficiente antelación como para poder conjugar los picos de prevalencia y de necesidades de asistencia hospitalaria y de UCI, con la aparición de ventanas temporales que posibiliten la atención de enfermos no-COVID., Este estudio ha sido financiado por el Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad de España, ¿ la Agencia Estatal de Investigación y el Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (MTM2017-89664-P); la Unión Europea a través del Programa de Fondos de Desarrollo Regional/Fondo Social Europeo y la Comunidad Valenciana (GJIDI/2018/A/010 y GJIDI/2018/A/009); y la Fundación Ramón Areces, Madrid, Spain (CIVP18A3920)

[EN] It seems that we are far from controlling COVID-19 pandemics, and, consequently, returning to a fully normal life. Until an effective vaccine is found, safety measures as the use of face masks, social distancing, washing hands regularly, etc., have to be taken. Also, the use of appropriate antivirals in order to alleviate the symptoms, to control the severity of the illness and to prevent the transmission, could be a good option that we study in this work. In this paper, we propose a computational random network model to study the transmission dynamics of COVID-19 in Spain. Once the model has been calibrated and validated, we use it to simulate several scenarios where effective antivirals are available. The results show how the early use of antivirals may significantly reduce the incidence of COVID-19 and may avoid a new collapse of the health system. (c) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved., This work has been financed in part by ERC grant 695536-4D-PET. This work has been supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Economa, Industria y Competitividad (MINECO), the Agencia Estatal de Investigacion (AEI) and Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER UE) grant MTM2017-89664-P. This paper has been supported by the European Union through the Operational Program of the [European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)/European Social Fund (ESF)] of the Valencian Community 2014-2020. Files: GJIDI/2018/A/010 and GJIDI/2018/A/009. The authors gratefully acknowledge the Gauss Centre for Supercomputing e.V. (www.gauss-centre.eu) for funding this project by providing computing time on the GCS Supercomputer JUDAC at Julich Supercomputing Centre (JSC), project transdyn_cov2, and the Partnership For Advanced Computing in Europe (PRACE-RI) support to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that emerged in China at the end of 2019 has spread worldwide. In this article, we present a mathematical SEIR model focused on analysing the transmission dynamics of COVID-19, the patients circulating in the hospitals and evaluating the effects of health policies and vaccination on the control of the pandemic. We tested the model using registered cases and population data from the province of Granada (Spain), that represents a population size near 1 million citizens with low density of population and low prevalence. After calibrating the model with the data obtained from 15 March to 22 September 2020, we simulate different vaccination scenarios - including effectiveness and availability date - in order to study the possible evolution of the disease. The results show that: 1) infected will increase until 5.6% - 7.4% of the total population over next 3-4 months (2nd wave); 2) vaccination seems not to be enough to face the pandemic and other strategies should be used; 3) we also support the claim of the WHO about the effectiveness of the vaccine, that should be, at least, of 50% to represent a substantial progress against the COVID-19; 4) after the 2nd wave, the return to normal life should be controlled and gradual to avoid a 3rd wave. The proposed study may be a useful tool for giving insight into the transmission dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 and to design vaccination and health policies.

[EN] We consider a randomized discrete logistic equation to describe the dynamics of breast tumor volume. We propose a method, that takes advantage of the principle of maximum entropy, to assign reliable distributions to model inputs (initial condition and coefficients) and sample data, respectively. Since the distributions of coefficients depend on certain parameters, we design a computational procedure to determine the above mentioned parameters using the information of the probabilistic distributions. The proposed method is successfully applied to model the breast tumor volume using real data. The approach seems to be flexible enough to be adapted to other stochastic models in future contributions., This work has been supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Economia, Industria y Competitividad (MINECO), the Agencia Estatal de Investigacion (AEI), and Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER UE) Grants MTM2017-89664-P and RTI2018-095180-B-I00.

The public health strategies adopted for the containment of COVID-19 have generated psychosocial stressors that act as risk factors for alcohol consumption. The objectives of this study were to establish whether alcohol risk consumption varied during COVID-19 confinement, and how these variations manifested as a function of different sociodemographic variables.The study was conducted during confinement with 3,779 participants in Spain. We used an online survey with sociodemographic variables (sex, age and employment situation) and AUDIT-C. Frequency and mean difference analysis were performed (Student t, ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis) to establish intra-group variations before the pandemic compared to during confinement, and intergroup for each time period, reporting effect size.Alcohol risky consumption presented high prevalence rates before confinement (25,9% of alcohol consumers), showing a general decrease during confinement (15,1%), both in men (XThe alcohol risky consumption decreased in a generalized way during the confinement by COVID-19, but the changes in prevalence and risk index were dependent on sociodemographic variables. It is recommended that these findings are considered in the design of public health policies and strategies.Las estrategias de salud pública adoptadas para la contención del COVID-19 han generado estresores psicosociales que actúan como factores de riesgo del consumo de alcohol. Los objetivos del estudio fueron establecer si el consumo de riesgo de alcohol varió durante el confinamiento por COVID-19 durante los meses de abril y mayo de 2020, y cómo estas variaciones se manifestaban en función de distintas variables sociodemográficas.El estudio se desarrolló durante el confinamiento con 3.779 participantes en España. Se utilizó una encuesta online con variables sociodemográficas (sexo, edad y situación laboral) y el AUDIT-C. Se realizó análisis de frecuencias y diferencia de medias (t de Student, ANOVA y Kruskal-Wallis) para establecer las variaciones a nivel intragrupo entre antes de la pandemia y durante el confinamiento, e intergrupo para cada periodo temporal, reportando tamaño del efecto.El consumo de riesgo de alcohol presentó una prevalencia elevada antes del confinamiento (25,9% de los consumidores de alcohol), mostrando un descenso durante el confinamiento (15,1%), tanto en hombres (XEl consumo de riesgo de alcohol desciende de manera generalizada durante el confinamiento por COVID-19, pero los cambios en prevalencia y probabilidad de ser consumidor de riesgo de alcohol son dependientes de variables sociodemográficas. Se recomienda contemplar estos hallazgos en el diseño de políticas y estrategias de salud pública.

In this paper we propose a technique to estimate the effectiveness of the influenza vaccine. The effectiveness of the vaccine is estimated every year, when the influenza season has finished, analyzing samples of a high number of patients in the emergency departments of the hospitals, and this makes it very expensive.

Random fractional differential equations are useful mathematical tools to model problems involving memory effects and uncertainties. In this contribution, we present some results, which extent their deterministic counterpart, to fractional differential equations whose initial conditions and coefficients are random variables and/or stochastic process. The probabilistic analysis utilizes the random mean square calculus. For the sake of completeness, we study both autonomous and non-autonomous initial value problems. The analysis includes the computation of analytical and numerical solutions, as well as their main probabilistic information such as the mean, the variance and the first probability density function. Several examples illustrating the theoretical results are shown.

The biophysical environment of membrane phospholipids affects structure, function, and stability of membrane-bound proteins.1,2 Obesity can disrupt membrane lipids, and in particular, alter the activity of sarco/endoplasmic reticulum (ER/SR) Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) to affect cellular metabolism.3–5 Recent evidence suggests that transport efficiency (Ca2+ uptake / ATP hydrolysis) of skeletal muscle SERCA can be uncoupled to increase energy expenditure and protect mice from diet-induced obesity.6,7 In isolated SR vesicles, membrane phospholipid composition is known to modulate SERCA efficiency.8–11 Here we show that skeletal muscle SR phospholipids can be altered to decrease SERCA efficiency and increase whole-body metabolic rate. The absence of skeletal muscle phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) methyltransferase (PEMT) promotes an increase in skeletal muscle and whole-body metabolic rate to protect mice from diet-induced obesity. The elevation in metabolic rate is caused by a decrease in SERCA Ca2+-transport efficiency, whereas mitochondrial uncoupling is unaffected. Our findings support the hypothesis that skeletal muscle energy efficiency can be reduced to promote protection from obesity.

Information on irrigators' preferences for policy instruments that facilitate adaptation to changes in water supply under climate change is urgently needed to design efficient related policies. The present study analyzes irrigators' preferences toward policy instruments to improve water supply reliability. The analysis is based on a Best-Worst-Scaling (BWS) experiment drawing on survey data (N = 202, collected in Oct–Dec 2016) on southern Spanish irrigators' preferences for five different policy instruments, including supply-side (building of a new pond, improved existing distribution and storage infrastructures) and demand-side approaches (water markets, banks, and storage account). In terms of irrigators' preferences, water storage account and improved infrastructure generally rank highly, whereas water banks and particularly water markets rank lowly. Results of a latent class model show a high degree of preference heterogeneity. Four discrete classes of irrigators’ preferences were identified and labeled as follows: “market haters”, “pond haters”, “bank haters”, and “pond lovers”, representing 44%, 26%, 20%, and 10% of the surveyed irrigators, respectively. Several factors including farm and irrigator characteristics have a significant influence on class membership. Together, the results highlight promising opportunities to efficiently address uncertain water supply under climate change.

A common problem for universities is the lack of knowledge and mathematical skills of new students because this deficiency creates difficulties in their studies throughout their career, which can cause their dropout. The aim of this paper is to describe the impact of a basic mathematics course on the performance of college student in algebra subject. This is a 32-hour course which is developed in 16 sessions in parallel to the algebra classes and is mainly offered to students: a) identified with low performance on mathematics component of national high-school test, and b) remitted by the subject teacher. The main findings are: a) the pass rate for students who attended to more than half of the sessions of the course if 95%, and b) the average grade of the subject tends to increase as with the attendance level to the course of the students. Consequently, these results lead to the conclusion that the course has a positive effect on the students’ performance.

The purpose of this review article is to explain the importance of understanding attitudes towards teaching and learning mathematics in higher education students. For that, we start from the premise that attitudes are related to performance towards learning mathematics, bearing in mind that what directly influences their success are the feelings of possessing competencies to understand their contents and not the feelings of difficulty towards them. In essence, at first, we describe the different attitudes towards mathematics. Next, we examine how attitudes influence math learning and finally identify the factors that foster positive attitudes toward math. From this, we suggest teaching practices that can be carried out to foster positive attitudes towards mathematics and propose new lines of research in this field.

In this study, we identified a novel pyrazole-based derivative (P3C) that displayed potent cytotoxicity against 27 human cancer cell lines derived from different tissue origins with 50% cytotoxic concentrations (CC50) in the low micromolar and nanomolar range, particularly in two triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines (from 0.25 to 0.49 µM). In vitro assays revealed that P3C induces reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation leading to mitochondrial depolarization and caspase-3/7 and -8 activation, suggesting the participation of both the intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways. P3C caused microtubule disruption, phosphatidylserine externalization, PARP cleavage, DNA fragmentation, and cell cycle arrest on TNBC cells. In addition, P3C triggered dephosphorylation of CREB, p38, ERK, STAT3, and Fyn, and hyperphosphorylation of JNK and NF-kB in TNBC cells, indicating the inactivation of both p38MAPK/STAT3 and ERK1/2/CREB signaling pathways. In support of our in vitro assays, transcriptome analyses of two distinct TNBC cell lines (MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells) treated with P3C revealed 28 genes similarly affected by the treatment implicated in apoptosis, oxidative stress, protein kinase modulation, and microtubule stability.

La resistencia antimicrobiana es un fenómeno generalizado que puede afectar a cualquier persona sin distinguir edad o país de procedencia. Hasta la fecha no existen estudios bibliométricos peruanos sobre resistencia antimicrobiana. Este estudio se llevó a cabo para analizar y presentar indicadores bibliométricos relacionados con las publicaciones peruanas sobre resistencia antimicrobiana. La recolección de datos se llevó a cabo utilizando la base de datos Scopus. Se recuperaron un total de 34 artículos. Las publicaciones aumentaron considerablemente a partir del año 2015, y llegaron a un récord de 11 el año 2017. De estas, la mayoría fueron artículos originales, redactados con más frecuencia, en inglés. Las publicaciones se originaron en diferentes regiones del mundo, incluidas América del Norte, Europa y América Latina. La mayor parte de los artículos recuperados se publicaron en revistas prestigiosas de biología, medicina, microbiología y en revistas relacionadas con el control de infecciones. Antimicrobial resistance is a generalized phenomenon that can affect people from any age or country. To date, there are no Peruvian bibliometric studies on antimicrobial resistance. This study was carried out to analyze and present bibliometric indicators related to Peruvian publications on antimicrobial resistance. Data collection was performed using the Scopus database. A total of 34 articles were retrieved. Peruvian publications on antimicrobial resistance increased considerably since 2015, reaching a record of 11 in 2017. Out of these, most of the documents were original articles and the most frequent language was English. Publications originated in different parts of the world, including North America, Europe and Latin America. Most of the retrieved articles were published in prestigious journals of biology, medicine and microbiology, and journals related to infection control.

Background To determine the prevalence of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) (arterial diameter ≥30 mm), in patients with high or very high cardiovascular risk (CVR) and to evaluate their clinical features. Patients and methods Observational, cross-sectional and multicentric study conducted in Spanish Internal Medicine Services. We enrolled men with age >55 years and women >65 years who had a high or very high CVR. Results The study included 659 patients. The prevalence of AAA was 8% (53 patients). 76.9% were male with a mean age of 71 ± 8.7 years. The multivariate analysis showed an association between AAA and age (OR: 1.06; 95% CI: 1.02–1.1; P Conclusions The prevalence of AAA in patients with high CVR is high. Ultrasound screening can be performed by general practitioners. Men >65 years with elevated CVR could benefit, particularly in the presence of active smoking or peripheral arterial disease.

Resumen Objetivo Determinar la prevalencia de aneurisma de aorta abdominal (AAA), definido por un diametro arterial ≥ 30 mm, en pacientes con alto o muy alto riesgo cardiovascular (RCV) y evaluar sus caracteristicas clinicas. Pacientes y metodos Estudio observacional, transversal y multicentrico realizado en servicios de Medicina Interna del pais a varones con edad > 55 anos y mujeres > 65 anos que tenian un RCV alto o muy alto reclutados durante 24 meses. Resultados Se incluyeron 659 pacientes. La prevalencia de AAA fue del 8% (53 pacientes). El 76,9% fueron varones, con edad media de 71 ± 8,7 anos. El analisis multivariante demostro asociacion entre AAA y la edad (OR: 1,06; IC 95%: 1,02-1,1; p Conclusiones La prevalencia de AAA en pacientes de alto RCV es elevada. El cribado ecografico puede ser realizado por medicos generalistas. Pueden beneficiarse de un cribado oportunista los varones de mas de 65 anos, con RCV elevado, especialmente si presentan tabaquismo activo o arteriopatia periferica.

Stimulation of white adipose tissue (WAT) browning is considered as a potential approach to treat obesity and metabolic diseases. Our previous studies have shown that phytochemical butein can stimulate WAT browning through induction of Prdm4 in adipocytes. Here, we investigated the effects of butein on diet-induced obesity and its underlying molecular mechanism. Treatment with butein prevented weight gains and improved metabolic profiles in diet-induced obese mice. Butein treatment groups also displayed higher body temperature, increased energy expenditure, and enhanced expression of thermogenic genes in adipose tissue. Butein also suppressed body weight gains and improved glucose and insulin tolerance in mice housed at thermoneutrality (30 °C). These effects were associated with adipose-selective induction of Prdm4, suggesting the role of Prdm4 in butein-mediated anti-obese effects. To directly assess the in vivo role of Prdm4, we generated aP2-Prdm4 transgenic mouse lines overexpressing Prdm4 in adipose tissues. Adipose-specific transgenic expression of Prdm4 recapitulated the butein’s actions in stimulating energy expenditure, cold tolerance, and thermogenic gene expression, resulting in prevention of obesity and improvement of metabolism. Mechanistically, direct inhibition of PI3Kα activity followed by selective suppression of its downstream Akt1 mirrored butein’s effect on Ucp1 expression and oxygen consumption. In addition, effects of butein were completely abolished in Akt1 KO mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Together, these studies demonstrate the role of butein in obesity and metabolic diseases, further highlighting that adipose PI3Kα–Akt1–Prdm4 axis is a regulator of energy expenditure.

Information asymmetry is one of the main obstacles to the effective design and implementation of agri‐environmental schemes (AES). The literature has generally addressed this issue through the use of principal‐agent models (PAM). We develop a PAM to support optimal design of a new AES for improving farmland biodiversity. We use the results of choice experiments to assess both the costs incurred by the agent for the provision of biodiversity and the resulting social benefits. We also make a number of novel contributions such as the inclusion of a non‐linear non‐compliance detection curve, a sensitivity analysis to identify which parameter estimates have a critical impact on PAM results, and analysis of the efficiency of different sanction scenarios. The results suggest that: (i) the second‐best solutions differ significantly from the optimal solutions attainable with perfect information, with farmers being strongly over‐compensated for the extra costs associated with improved biodiversity; (ii) monitoring levels should be higher; (iii) the sanction system should be tougher. Sensitivity analysis shows the need for accurate estimates of the marginal cost of public funds and the costs and benefits associated with the public goods, which represent the key parameters determining PAM results.

Attribute nonattendance (ANA) has received very little attention in the context of willingness to accept (WTA), although an increasing number of studies analyze the preferences of ecosystem service providers toward incentive‐based schemes. We add to the understanding of ANA behavior by analyzing stated and inferred ANA in a choice experiment investigating farmers’ WTA for participating in agri‐environmental schemes (AES) in southern Spain. We use mixed logit models, following Hess and Hensher for the inferred ANA approach. Evidence is found of ANA behavior for both stated and inferred approaches, with models accounting for ANA clearly outperforming those that do not account for it; however, we produce no conclusive results as to which ANA approach is best. WTA estimates are only moderately affected, which to some extent is consistent with the low level of non‐attendance found for the monetary attribute. Stated and inferred approaches show very similar WTA estimates. Additionally, we investigate sources of observed heterogeneity related to ANA behavior by using a sequence of bivariate probit models for each attribute. Overall, our results hint at a positive relationship between ease of scheme adoption and nonattendance to attributes. However, further research is still needed in this field. Malgre un nombre croissant d'etudes portant sur la preference des fournisseurs de services d'ecosystemes pour les plans incitatifs, l'ignorance d'attributs (IA) a recu peu d'attention dans le contexte de la volonte d'acceptation. Nous contribuons a la comprehension des comportements d'IA en analysant l'IA formulee et inferee dans une experimentation des choix portant sur la volonte d'accepter la participation aux plans agroenvironnementaux au sud de l'Espagne. Nous nous sommes servis des modeles logit mixtes, suivant Hess et Hensher pour l'approche de l'IA inferee. Des preuves de comportement d'IA a la fois dans les approches formulees et inferees sont etablies, les modeles d'IA surpassant ceux qui n'en tiennent pas compte. Par contre, nous n'avons pas produit de resultats identifiant laquelle des approches d'IA s'avere la meilleure. Les estimations de la volonte d'acceptation ne sont que moderement affectees, ce qui, en partie, correspond aux bas niveaux de l'ignorance d'attributs identifies pour l'attribut financier. Les approches formulees et inferees engendrent des estimations tres similaires de volonte d'acceptation. De plus, nous enquetons sur les sources d'heterogeneite observees liees au comportement d'IA au moyen d'une sequence de modeles probits bivaries pour chaque attribut. Globalement, nos resultats font allusion a une relation positive entre la simplicite d'adoption d'un plan et l'ignorance d'attributs. Toutefois, d'autres etudes demeurent necessaires dans ce domaine.

El objetivo de esta investigación es determinar si la inflexibilidad psicológica actúa como variable predictora de la agresividad en una muestra de adolescentes, considerando la perspectiva de género. Se trata de una investigación novedosa dado que no existe literatura sobre la relación entre ambas variables, y la inflexibilidad psicológica apenas ha sido estudiada en población adolescente. Para ello se diseñó un estudio descriptivo transversal en el que han participado 499 estudiantes de educación Secundaria, de entre 12 y 16 años. Los resultados muestran la relevancia que tiene la inflexibilidad psicológica en la manifestación de la agresividad, aportando resultados interesantes con respecto a los conocidos hasta ahora en población adulta. Aunque requiere de mayor investigación, las aplicaciones que puedan tener estos hallazgos son relevantes en los distintos niveles de trabajo del psicólogo en Atención Primaria, tanto en aspectos preventivos como en la intervención psicoterapéutica con adolescentes o grupos de adolescentes con manifestaciones clínicas de conducta agresiva.

Super high-density olive groves (>800 trees ha−1) are rapidly expanding in olive oil producer countries, which entails a strong modification of the olive growing system with important agronomic, economic, sociocultural, and environmental consequences. Among them, the latter is particularly unknown. The aim of this paper is to bring the attention on the environmental impacts of super high-density olive groves, by systematically reviewing the current evidence and identifying knowledge gaps yet to be filled. As a result, we can argue that new super high-density olive plantations reduce habitat heterogeneity and complexity, and the younger trees of these plantations impoverish habitat quality for farmland biodiversity. In addition, the high input use (e.g. phytosanitary treatments, fertilisers and water supply) may entail ecological impacts as well. Therefore, we conclude that i) new highly intensive olive groves should be limited to areas with lower ecological value; ii) consumers should have more information concerning how is produced the olive oil they buy, including the environmental impacts produced; iii) agricultural policies should be reformulated following the provider-gets principle; iv) input use (fertilisers, pesticides, water, etc.) should be gradually optimised to reduce the environmental impact; and finally, v) more research is necessary to foster decisions based on science., This work was partially funded by the project 1264483-R, supported by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Consejería de Economía, Conocimiento, Empresas y Universidad de la Junta de Andalucía.

[EN] An important class of non-homogeneous first-order linear random differential equations subject to an infinite sequence of square impulses with random intensity is studied. In applications, these equations are useful to model the dynamics of a population with periodic harvesting and migration under uncertainties. The solution is explicitly obtained via the first probability density function assuming an arbitrary joint density for all model parameters. Probabilistic stability analysis is carried out through the densities of the random sequences of minima and maxima. All the theoretical results are fully illustrated through two numerical examples. (C) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved., Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigacion grant PID2020-115270GB-I00 and Mexican Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT) program "Apoyos complementarios para estancias sabaticas vinculadas a la consolidacion de grupo de investigacion" and the Universidad Autonoma de Aguascalientes, Spain, PIM21-5, PIM21-7.

(1) Background: The cathelicidin peptide LL-37 is a prominent molecule with many biological activities, including antimicrobial. Due to its importance, here, we describe the production of LL-37 tagged with SmbP, a relatively new carrier protein that improves the production of recombinant proteins and peptides in Escherichia coli. We present an alternative method for the rapid expression, purification, and antimicrobial evaluation of LL-37, that involves only one purification step. (2) Methods: A DNA construct of SmbP_LL-37 was transformed into E. coli BL21(DE3), after overnight expression, the protein was purified directly from the cell lysate using immobilized metal-affinity chromatography. SmbP_LL-37 was treated with Enterokinase to obtain the free LL-37 peptide. The antimicrobial activity of both SmbP_LL-37 and free LL-37 was determined using the colony forming unit assay method. (3) Results: SmbP_LL-37 was observed in the soluble fraction of the cell lysate, after purification with IMAC, protein gel electrophoresis, and analysis by ImageJ, it showed 90% purity. A total of 3.6 mg of SmbP_LL-37 was produced from one liter of cell culture. SmbP_LL-37 and free LL-37 both showed inhibition activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. (4) Conclusions: The SmbP fusion protein is a valuable tool for producing biologically-active LL-37 peptide. The production method described here should be of interest for the expression and purification of additional cationic peptides, since it cuts the purification time considerably prior to determination of antimicrobial activity.

International audience; Agricultural landscapes affect regional development and competitiveness in a way far beyond the production of agricultural commodities. However, comprehensive assessments of the relevant cause-effects between agricultural landscape and regional competitiveness are complex and they require a range of ecological, economic and social aspects to be considered. This study proposes an stakeholder-based 'Analytic Network Process' applied in nine European case-study areas in order to assess the role of economic actors, ecosystem services, socioeconomic benefits and regional competitiveness in the agricultural landscape system. The results reveal that agricultural food production is still perceived as a major element for creating value from landscapes. However in some case studies, the importance of non-marketable, socio-cultural and environmental public good-type ecosystem services outweighs the importance of agricultural production. Region-specific variations of cause-effect relationships are discussed and a range of drivers, related to biophysical conditions, land-use patterns, agricultural management and remoteness are identified. Our study reveals the perception of non-monetary services and their impact on regional competitiveness and provides considerations on entry points for rural policies promoting landscape valorisation.

In temperature-limited ecosystems such as high-elevation forests, rising temperatures and increasing carbon dioxide can result in a greening effect and changes in the phenology of the forests. Up to now, phenological metrics of subtropical high-elevation forests remain primarily unquantified, which strongly limits a global comprehension of climate change impacts. We assessed the long-term trend dynamics (greenness and land surface phenology) using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and compared them with data from an existing dendrochronological network that came from eight protected mountains in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt in central Mexico during the last 20 yr (2000–2019). We found three main NDVI clusters reflecting a longitudinal geographical pattern (Pacific, Center, and the Gulf of Mexico). A notable greening effect at the canopy level was seen for all mountains (up to 23.8% increase concerning the year 2000). Nevertheless, the NDVI trends were not uniform, and they differed along an elevation gradient with the highest increases at the bottom. Minimum temperature and soil moisture positively impacted the NDVI time series and explained up to 87% of the variance, while maximum temperature negatively affected. Regarding phenological metrics, the start, and end of the growing season were the day of the year 148 ± 20 (late-May) and 9 ± 12 (early-January), respectively, with an average length of 226 ± 33 d, differing from previous studies related to annual tree-ring formation. We did not see a later or earlier start of either the spring or the fall, which partially refutes the hypothesis that the growing season extended despite the increase in temperature. Finally, our investigation revealed that the common greening effect was not parallel with radial growth trends, except for the wettest site from the Gulf of Mexico cluster, and partially related to the forest management strategies. Further modelling of regional phenology coupled with more intensive tree-ring monitoring is needed to explain the factors that mediate the processes of photosynthesis (NDVI) and storage of carbon (tree-ring formation) under a global warming outlook.

Background The relationships between cognitive and personality profile in teenagers with and without ADHD were assessed. Method Two groups of teenagers, one with ADHD (N = 135; mean age = 13.93) and another group without ADHD (N = 199, mean age = 14.29) were evaluated using the K-BIT and 16PF-APQ tests. Results In cognitive variables, the results revealed that the ADHD group returned higher scores in the Matrices subtest and the IQ test. In personality variables, the group with ADHD exhibited higher scores in Tough-Mindedness and lower scores in Self-Control than the group without the disorder. The canonical correlation analysis applied to each group revealed a differing pattern of interrelationships between the cognitive-personality variables in the two groups. In adolescents with ADHD, we observed that higher scores in cognitive variables were associated with a more extroverted personality and less self-control, while in adolescents without ADHD, higher scores in cognitive variables were associated with less tough-mindedness and lower levels of self-control. Conclusions The cognitive and personality variables of adolescents with and without ADHD differ. These results will be useful for establishing a cognitive and personality profile for this section of the population. The educational implications of the study are under discussion.

This chapter aims to review and summarize potentials and limitations of the use of the Analytic Network Process in the context of the evaluation of public goods provision from agricultural systems. The chapter provides a description and a step-by-step explanation of the method, and presents insights from three recent papers using the Analytic Network Process to analyze public goods supply from agricultural systems. The papers were selected to show a range of diversified and complementary approaches to the problem and the possibility to integrate stakeholders in the different phases of the evaluation process. The first paper presents a comparison between three rural landscapes and provides a discussion of the role of different economic actors in supplying private- and public-type services. The second paper presents an integrated approach to support the policy-making aimed at a more efficient provision of public goods from a specific farming system. The third paper presents a farm level assessment of multifunctional performance considering a range of different farming practices and techniques. These studies provide evidence of the usefulness of the method to support policy-making and understand the relation between farmers’ decision-making and the provision of public goods. The results are also discussed, pointing out the strengths and weaknesses of the method in this type of analysis as well as pathways for methodological refinements and integration possibilities with other techniques with a particular attention toward the ex-ante and ex-post participation of stakeholders.

There is a growing need for innovative new instruments to complement the current schemes aimed at improving farmland biodiversity. Some of the most promising innovations include market-based instruments relying on what is known as the commodification of biodiversity. This paper aims to estimate the compensation farmers would need to receive in order to adopt environmentally-friendly practices aimed at incorporating the provision of biodiversity into food production. The analysis relies on a discrete choice experiment (DCE) that estimates farmers’ willingness to accept (WTA), both in terms of harvest (i.e. €/kg of output) and area (i.e. €/ha), for improving the levels of bird biodiversity in olive groves. The analysis focuses on a case study of mountain olive growers in Andalusia (Southern Spain). Results show that the higher the level of provision of farmland biodiversity, the higher the farmers’ WTA. Harvest-based estimates range from 0.185 €/kg to 1.395 €/kg olive oil for levels of provision of 13 and 30 bird-species/farm, respectively, meaning 58.5 €/ha to 440.0 €/ha in area-based terms. High-yield farms show higher WTA values compared to low-yield farms, with the exception of harvest-based estimates for the least stringent scenario. Taking into account the average farm-gate prices of both regular and organic extra virgin olive oil, the results suggest a great potential for the commodification of biodiversity through olive oil markets. However, further research is needed on the implementation of hybrid governance solutions including market-based and incentive-based instruments.

Seedling management is very important in leafy vegetable with short period of growing as it covers almost half of the production period. Pechay is considered a high value and a highly demanded leaf vegetable in the Philippines. These studies were conducted to determine the best method of raising pechay seedlings including direct seeding, seed box and seedling tray under two cultivation systems in different provinces of southern Philippines namely Bohol, Leyte and Samar. The studies were conducted in each province and data were consolidated and combined. Protected cultivation slightly manifested benefits on survival, root characteristics and yield except in Bohol where 3 times fold yield of plants under protective structure than open field. There was better survival and yield of using seedling tray. The unfavorable method was seed box in Bohol and Leyte while direct seeding in Samar as evident by low survival and yield. Among the three provinces in southern Philippines, Leyte produced the highest yield of pechay per unit area. This suggests that no similar method of raising seedlings was effective in different parts of southern Philippines.

Objective To analyse the ability of medical students to incorporate the practical teaching of basic echocardiography planes using a peer mentoring design. Methodology Thirty-six medical students previously trained in obtaining echocardiography planes (mentors) taught the other 5th-year students (n = 126). The teaching methodology included three stages: theory (online course), basic training (three 15 h sessions of practical experience in ultrasound and at least 20 echocardiographic studies per mentor) and objective structured clinical assessment (OSCA), which scored the appropriateness of the basic ultrasound planes and the correct identification of 16 cardiac structures. Results The students’ weighted mean score in the OSCA was 8.66 ± 1.98 points (out of 10). Only 10 students (8.4%) scored less than 5, and 15 (12.6%) scored less than 7. Fifty students (42%) scored 10 points. The most easily identified structure was the left ventricle in the short-axis parasternal plane, with 89.9% of correct answers. The most poorly identified structure was the mitral valve in the subxiphoid plane, with 69.7% of correct answers. Conclusions Peer mentoring-based teaching achieves an appropriate level of training in obtaining basic echocardiography planes. The training period is relatively short. The peer mentoring system can facilitate the implementation of teaching on basic aspects of ultrasound to a large number of undergraduate students.

Objective To analyze the ability of medical students to incorporate the practical teaching of basic echocardiography planes using a peer mentoring design. Methodology Thirty-six medical students previously trained in obtaining echocardiography planes (mentors) taught the other 5th-year students (n = 126). The teaching methodology included three stages: theory (online course), basic training (three 15 h sessions of practical experience in ultrasound and at least 20 echocardiographic studies per mentor) and objective structured clinical assessment (OSCA), which scored the appropriateness of the basic ultrasound planes and the correct identification of 16 cardiac structures. Results The students’ weighted mean score in the OSCA was 8.66 ± 1.98 points (out of 10). Only 10 students (8.4%) scored less than 5, and 15 (12.6%) scored less than 7. Fifty students (42%) scored 10 points. The most easily identified structure was the left ventricle in the short-axis parasternal plane, with 89.9% of correct answers. The most poorly identified structure was the mitral valve in the subxiphoid plane, with 69.7% of correct answers. Conclusions Peer mentoring-based teaching achieves an appropriate level of training in obtaining basic echocardiography planes. The training period is relatively short. The peer mentoring system can facilitate the implementation of teaching on basic aspects of ultrasound to a large number of undergraduate students.

A highly orchestrated gene expression program establishes the properties that define mature adipocytes, but the contribution of posttranscriptional factors to the adipocyte phenotype is poorly understood. Here we have shown that the RNA-binding protein PSPC1, a component of the paraspeckle complex, promotes adipogenesis in vitro and is important for mature adipocyte function in vivo. Cross-linking and immunoprecipitation followed by RNA sequencing revealed that PSPC1 binds to intronic and 3'-untranslated regions of a number of adipocyte RNAs, including the RNA encoding the transcriptional regulator EBF1. Purification of the paraspeckle complex from adipocytes further showed that PSPC1 associates with the RNA export factor DDX3X in a differentiation-dependent manner. Remarkably, PSPC1 relocates from the nucleus to the cytoplasm during differentiation, coinciding with enhanced export of adipogenic RNAs. Mice lacking PSPC1 in fat displayed reduced lipid storage and adipose tissue mass and were resistant to diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance due to a compensatory increase in energy expenditure. These findings highlight a role for PSPC1-dependent RNA maturation in the posttranscriptional control of adipose development and function.

Objective To explore risk factors associated with sampling failure in women who underwent Pipelle biopsy. Methods A consecutive sample of 201 patient records was selected from women who underwent Pipelle biopsy procedures for suspected uterine pathology in a large healthcare system over a 6-month period (January 2013 through June 2013). Personal and medical data including age, BMI, gravidity and parity, and previous history of Pipelle biopsy were abstracted from medical records for each patient. Logistic regression analyses were used to determine factors associated with biopsy sampling failure. Results Pipelle biopsy sampling failed in 46 out 201 women (22.89%), where 8 (17.39%) were due to inability to access the endometrium, 37 (80.43%) were inadequate samples, and 1 (2.18%) was due to unknown reasons. Personal and medical factors found to be related to sampling failure included: postmenopausal bleeding as biopsy indication (OR 7.41, 95% CI 2.27–24.14); history of prior biopsy failure (OR 23.87, 95% CI 3.76–151.61); and provider type (physician vs. midlevel provider) (OR 9.152, 95% CI 2.49–33.69). Conclusion We identified several risk factors for biopsy failure that suggest the need for particular care with Pipelle sampling procedures among women with certain characteristics, including postmenopausal bleeding and a history of prior failed Pipelle biopsy. Our finding of a significantly higher risk of sampling failure based on personal and clinical data suggests that providers must take into account additional considerations to improve sampling success.

The radiocarbon concentration is reduced in urban areas, generally due to high CO2 emissions derived from fossil fuels. In this paper, new Δ14C measurements in cellulose extracted from the growth rings of two trees over a 43-year period are presented. The first is in a zone with clean air (El Nayar, Durango, Mexico) and the second is from the Greater Mexico City area (Chapultepec). Data from El Nayar is consistent with that reported for Zone 2 of the Northern Hemisphere while that from the urban area shows a significant decrease in Δ14C. Our results are compared with data from other cities (Nagoya, Japan and Valladolid, Spain).

International audience; In the 1940s, Aldo Leopold took extensive notes on birds and their sounds near his iconic shack in Baraboo, Wisconsin, USA. His observations, along with his land management techniques, helped frame his seminal book, A Sand County Almanac. After his death, two interstate highways were built near his property and subjected this historically significant area to traffic noise. While highways currently represent vital transportation corridors, their observed and potential impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services are cause for concern. As the area including Leopold's shack is now an Important Bird Area, we sought to evaluate the impact of these highways on the bird community and its related acoustic diversity. In 2011, 150 avian point counts were conducted in the three main habitats composing the landscape-upland deciduous forest, floodplain forest, and herbaceous wetland. In 2012, soundscape recordings were collected in seven floodplain forest sites using automated passive acoustic recorders. We described the local bird communities and measured their acoustic diversity. Linear models accounting for additional factors including land cover and vegetation structure characteristics showed that as the distance from highways increased, bird community descriptors (overall abundance and species richness) and acoustic diversity increased (when relationships were significant). On the species level, forest interior specialists were negatively affected by the presence of the highways, contrary to edge specialists. In addition to the direct effects of the edges produced by the highway structure, this difference might be due to the masking effect of traffic noise on interior specialists' low-frequency vocalizations and their reliance on acoustic, as opposed to visual, communication. We conclude that while habitat structure is a principle driver of bird diversity on a broader scale, highway-induced changes in both habitat structure and soundscapes may affect bird communities.