Search

BackgroundExtracorporeal blood purification with CytoSorb has been increasingly used as an adjunctive therapy in several hyperinflammatory critical care conditions, as well as to remove elevated levels of myoglobin or bilirubin in patients with rhabdomyolysis or liver failure. Despite the increasing worldwide use of hemoadsorption, data from large international multicenter studies are still lacking. ObjectiveThe COSMOS (CytoSorb Treatment Of Critically Ill Patients) registry is a company-sponsored registry by CytoSorbents Corporation and CytoSorbents Medical Inc. and will provide a data repository and reporting infrastructure for the surveillance of CytoSorb use in real-world critical care settings in an unselected, critically ill patient population. The gathered data will serve as a comprehensive resource to assess the effects of such therapy on patients’ management. MethodsThe international COSMOS registry is collecting prospective data for patients treated with CytoSorb during routine care in various critical care indications, based on the decision of the treating physicians. Data are collected at baseline, during CytoSorb therapy, 24 hours thereafter, at discharge from the intensive care unit and the hospital, and on day 90. Key outcomes assessed include change in inflammatory biomarkers, vasopressor requirements, fluid balance, organ function and organ support, length of intensive care unit and hospital stay, occurrence of adverse events, and mortality. ResultsThe COSMOS registry started with the inclusion of the first patient on July 15, 2022, and is now actively enrolling in 4 countries (Germany, Spain, Portugal, and Italy), with plans to expand to other countries outside of Europe. An initial readout is planned for presentation at an international Critical Care conference in 2024. ConclusionsThe COSMOS registry is intended to provide comprehensive real-world data on patient outcomes with CytoSorb in various critical care indications, thereby contributing to optimization of patient selection, timing of initiation, and dosing of hemoadsorption treatment. Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT05146336; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05146336 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/55880

The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters and investigate the genomic background of scrotal circumference and semen parameters in the Italian Simmental bulls. Scrotal circumference, number of normal spermatozoa, ejaculate volume, spermatozoa motility, and total spermatozoa were measured on 622 bulls, of which 603 had genotypes for 42,141 SNP. Variance components of scrotal circumference were estimated with an animal model that included the fixed effects of birth year, animal age, and measurement method, and the random effects of day of measurement and animal. In the model for the other traits, the scrotal circumference was added as a covariate to account for its influence on the semen parameters. A genome-wide association study was carried out using the ssGBLUP-approach. Heritabilities ranged from 0.07 ± 0.05 (spermatozoa motility) to 0.50 ± 0.14 (scrotal circumference). A total of 13 SNP passed the Bonferroni correction threshold and the number of significantly associated markers ranged from 1 (ejaculate volume and spermatozoa motility) to 5 (total spermatozoa). Genes already associated with reproduction parameters were retrieved close to the significant SNP. Results of the present study gave preliminary insights about the genetic determinism of semen quality in Italian Simmental bulls.Highlights Low to moderate heritabilities were estimated for semen traits. Few markers were associated with the phenotypes, suggesting their polygenic determinism. Candidate genes already associated in literature with sperm traits were found.

Gait scores are widely used in the genetic evaluation of horses. However, the nature of such measurement may limit genetic progress since there is subjectivity in phenotypic information. This study aimed to assess the application of machine learning techniques in the prediction of breeding values for five visual gait scores in Campolina horses: dissociation, comfort, style, regularity, and development. The dataset contained over 5000 phenotypic records with 107,951 horses (14 generations) in the pedigree. A fixed model was used to estimate least-square solutions for fixed effects and adjusted phenotypes. Variance components and breeding values (EBV) were obtained via a multiple-trait model (MTM). Adjusted phenotypes and fixed effects solutions were used to train machine learning models (using the EBV from MTM as target variable): artificial neural network (ANN), random forest regression (RFR) and support vector regression (SVR). To validate the models, the linear regression method was used. Accuracy was comparable across all models (but it was slightly higher for ANN). The highest bias was observed for ANN, followed by MTM. Dispersion varied according to the trait; it was higher for ANN and the lowest for MTM. Machine learning is a feasible alternative to EBV prediction; however, this method will be slightly biased and over-dispersed for young animals.

The Sardo Negro cattle (SN) is the only zebu cattle breed developed in Mexico. Since its development, the selection could have led to an increase in the homozygosity level in some regions of the genome and made differentiation with other cattle populations. We aimed to identify and characterize selection signatures in SN using medium-density SNP data using four approaches: 1) Runs of homozygosity (ROH) 2) Nucleotide Diversity 3) Tajima's D and 4) the Wright's fixation index (FST). A sample of 555 SN animals genotyped for 65k SNPs was used to obtain ROH segments considered regions under selection. The FST values were estimated by comparing the sample of genotyped SN animals with samples of genotyped animals from the Gir, Brahman, and Ongole breeds. Only one region mapped to 35.78-42.51 Mb on BTA6 was considered a selection signature by the ROH method. This selection signature overlapped with the lowest diversity, negative values of Tajima's D and a diversification region between SN and the other Zebu breeds by FST. We found several candidate genes (LCORL, NCAPG, and SLIT2) related to growth and other economically important productive traits in this common region. Using the FST method, different regions, such as regions on BTA8 (8:93.4-93.9 Mb), BTA11 (11:99.2-99.7), and BTA14 (14: 26.1-26.8) related to growth and milk traits also were defined as candidate selection signatures. The selective signals identified in this study reflected the direction of the selection pressure that primarily involves the increase of live weight traits in the Sardo Negro cattle breeding program.

In this study, we estimated genetic parameters for parasite resistance traits and the distribution of runs of homozygosity islands in Florida Cracker sheep. The dataset contained 365 animals with phenotypic records at 38 days post-infection for fecal egg count (FEC), packed cell volume (PCV), FAMACHA score (FAM), and body condition score (BCS). The pedigree file contained 695 animals born between 2016 and 2020 and included 279 individuals with genotypes. Genetic parameters were estimated using a multi-trait model with a Bayesian implementation via Gibbs sampling in the GIBBS3F90 program. Heritability was 0.33 ± 0.09 for FEC, 0.31 ± 0.10 for FAM, 0.22 ± 0.09 for PCV, and 0.19 ± 0.07 for BCS. The genetic correlation between FEC and FAM was 0.51 ± 0.21; the remaining genetic correlations had large posterior standard deviations and yielded 95% posterior intervals including zero or with values out of the parameter space because of our small dataset. Analysis of the distribution of runs of homozygosity islands revealed 113 hot spots with annotated genes related to immune response and parasite resistance traits. Our results suggest that the genetic selection for FAMACHA score can be effective in improving parasite resistance because of its ease of recording, high heritability, and favorable genetic correlation with FEC. Additionally, runs of homozygosity islands related to parasite resistance could harbor important candidate genes for controlling this trait in Florida Cracker sheep.

Thyroid hormone (TH) levels are low during development, and the deiodinases control TH signaling through tissue-specific activation or inactivation of TH. Here, we studied human induced pluripotent stem cell–derived (iPSC-derived) hepatic organoids and identified a robust induction of DIO2 expression (the deiodinase that activates T4 to T3) that occurs in hepatoblasts. The surge in DIO2-T3 (the deiodinase that activates thyroxine [T4] to triiodothyronine [T3]) persists until the hepatoblasts differentiate into hepatocyte- or cholangiocyte-like cells, neither of which expresses DIO2. Preventing the induction of the DIO2-T3 signaling modified the expression of key transcription factors, decreased the number of hepatocyte-like cells by ~60%, and increased the number of cholangiocyte-like cells by ~55% without affecting the growth or the size of the mature liver organoid. Physiological levels of T3 could not fully restore the transition from hepatoblasts to mature cells. This indicates that the timed surge in DIO2-T3 signaling critically determines the fate of developing human hepatoblasts and the transcriptome of the maturing hepatocytes, with physiological and clinical implications for how the liver handles energy substrates.

In Mexico, the genetic evaluations in Zebu breeds began in 2011 and there are no studies about the genetic progress achieved. Thus, this research aimed to quantify and analyse the genetic progress for growth traits in the Mexican Zebu beef cattle populations Nellore, Sardo Negro, Gyr, Indubrasil, and Guzerat. The genetic trends were obtained through weighted regression (by the number of animals) of estimated breeding values for direct birth weight, direct and maternal weaning weight, yearling weight, and weight at 540 days of age, on the year of birth. Genetic trends were also estimated by the four selection paths, groups of herds, and weighted averages of the sires' breeding values. The results showed genetic gain as expected of genetic improvement. Nellore presented the highest positive gains for all the traits, and Gyr had the smallest gains among the breeds. Guzerat showed contrary trends for weights until weaning, and had more favourable trends for weights after weaning than the other breeds. The genetic gains obtained for the growth traits reflected the strong influence of the selection made via the maternal paths. The results between weighted and unweighted average breeding values indicate no effective strategy for disseminating genetic material with high breeding values. The genetic gains obtained in the whole populations were due to the main groups of herds. Thus, to achieve further genetic progress, it is necessary to design a cooperative breeding program with a strategy for disseminating that genetic material.Highlights The evaluated populations are developed in the context of tropical livestock, with specific selection criteria and objectives. Genetic trends assess the direction and magnitude of genetic change. The results in the genetic trends show the consequences of the genetic improvement schemes carried out by the breeders. For breeders, it is important to evaluate and monitor genetic improvement schemes, and where appropriate, adjust, or redefine selection criteria and objectives.

Structural interlayers in laminated glass have allowed engineers and specifiers to extend and improve the use of glazing solutions in the construction industry. With the availability of embodied carbon values for these interlayers, it is now possible to assess more accurately the reduction in environmental footprint of laminated glass for construction projects. The Tour Montparnasse tower refurbishment project in Paris was selected as a case study to make a comparison between PVB and structural ionomers in terms of embodied carbon. A 15 % embodied carbon reduction could be achieved using the structural interlayer.

The 30 Avenue Montaigne in Paris, historical headquarters of Christian Dior on the Avenue Montaigne in Paris is currently undergoing a major refurbishment to be finished by early 2022. The centrepiece of the project is the Jardin d’Hiver , a new contemporary glazed element covering an existing terrace, creating a exceptional space in the project. The Jardin d’Hiver is a 10m high x 17m long x 8m wide box with four glazed faces: the roof, the two short sides and one long side. The other long side is the existing façade of the historical building. It is composed of 24 structural DGU panels (9 on the roof and the long side and 3 on each short side), 8 laminated glass beams and 8 duplex stainless-steel columns. The two end walls, formed by 3 DGU panels up to 3200 kg each, act as load bearing and bracing walls without any intermediate structure. Several challenges linked to the use of structural glazing were resolved during the design process such as the structural connections between glazed elements, robustness and post-fracture behaviour, differential thermal expansion of the materials and interaction with the main concrete and stone building structure. Nonlinear FE analysis and a full-scale test were performed to prove the design intent concept. The paper sets out the design process for the development of the glazed structure and it explores the balance required between the transparency of the structure, the reliability of the system and the constraints of an existing structure.

Summary: Microglia are strongly implicated in the development and progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), yet their impact on pathology and lifespan remains unclear. Here we utilize a CSF1R hypomorphic mouse to generate a model of AD that genetically lacks microglia. The resulting microglial-deficient mice exhibit a profound shift from parenchymal amyloid plaques to cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), which is accompanied by numerous transcriptional changes, greatly increased brain calcification and hemorrhages, and premature lethality. Remarkably, a single injection of wild-type microglia into adult mice repopulates the microglial niche and prevents each of these pathological changes. Taken together, these results indicate the protective functions of microglia in reducing CAA, blood-brain barrier dysfunction, and brain calcification. To further understand the clinical implications of these findings, human AD tissue and iPSC-microglia were examined, providing evidence that microglia phagocytose calcium crystals, and this process is impaired by loss of the AD risk gene, TREM2.

Objective. The analysis of selection markers allows to obtain information about the evolutive story of a particular breed or line and allows also to evaluate the usefulness of those markers for breeding programs. We have analyzed SNPs in four genes of the creole pig breed Pampa Rocha and we have compared their allelic frequencies with the allelic frequencies of diverse autochthonous breeds of Spain and Portugal and also with Piétrain pigs and wild boars. Materials and methods. The SNPs were analyzed using diverse RT-PCR methods. Results. The results of the analysis show that Pampa Rocha pigs have similar allelic frequencies with the autochthonous breeds of Spain and Portugal especially in the case of IGF2 and also, but not so coincident, in the case of PEPCK-C. However, they differ considerably for MC4R, and also, but in a lower extent, for PRKAG3. We discuss in this work the usefulness of our results for breeding of Pampa Rocha pigs. Conclusions. Our results demonstrate the peculiarity of the Pampa Rocha breed regarding the markers studied

This study proposes a review of different design approaches allowing to dimension a laminated insert connection. It focuses on façade assemblies, where the critical load is due to wind, and where the stiffness relies on a highly viscoelastic material SentryGlas®. The high variability of material stiffness is considered using three different approaches. The first approach determines critical wind speeds and temperature values using a site-specific probabilistic analysis. The second approach uses the First Order Reliability Method to perform a probabilistic design. The final approach suggests a method for evaluating the wind and temperature dependence. This method is based on the Monte-Carlo simulation method and shows potential for optimizing the dimensioning of such façade connections.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of performing a hemodynamic stratification in patients with ST segment elevation acute myocardial infarction using transthoracic echocardiography. Materials and methods: A descriptive, prospective and cross-sectional study that included 30 patients in sinus rhythm with ST segment elevation acute myocardial infarction, admitted to the coronary care unit of Hospital Edgardo Rebagliati Martins. Cardiac output, left ventricle filling pressure, systemic vascular resistance and pulmonary vascular resistance were estimated. Results: The mean age was 67 ± 10.6 years old, with male predominance (86.7%). The estimation of cardiac output and left ventricle filling pressure was possible in 100% of the individuals. The systemic vascular resistance and pulmonary vascular resistance could be estimated in 29 (96.6%) and 28 (93.3%) patients, respectively. The hemodynamic stratification was as follows: stage I (normal): 18 patients (60%), stage II (congestive): 6 patients (20%), stage III (hypovolemia, RV infarction): 5 patients (16.7%) and stage IV (shock): 1 patient (3.3%). Conclusions: It is concluded that a transthoracic chocardiographic hemodynamic stratification may be performed in the studied population.

La computación en nube o Cloud Computing, es de gran ayuda en los ambientes de aprendizaje porque permite la unificación e intercambio de los recursos de información de las universidades. Dentro de este contexto, resalta la importancia del uso de herramientas colaborativas en los procesos educativos. Existen diversas herramientas comerciales que ofrecen una capacidad de almacenamiento y colaboración limitada de forma gratuita, mientras que el uso de las empresariales representa costos significativos mensuales y anuales. Este artículo describe el uso de la herramienta de colaboración Nextcloud con infraestructura propia, que será utilizada para la gestión académica de los docentes y estudiantes en el ámbito de instituciones de educación superior. La herramienta de colaboración presenta un grupo de funcionalidades de almacenamiento cifrado de información, archivos compartidos entre usuarios, calendario de actividades y editor de texto en línea con visor de documentos online que fueron aplicados en un ambiente educativo.

The ultimate goal of genetic selection is to improve genetic progress by increasing favorable alleles in the population. However, with selection, homozygosity, and potentially harmful recessive alleles can accumulate, deteriorating genetic variability and hampering continued genetic progress. Such potential adverse side effects of selection are of particular interest in populations with a small effective population size like the Romosinuano beef cattle in Mexico. The objective of this study was to evaluate the genetic background and inbreeding depression in Mexican Romosinuano cattle using pedigree and genomic information. Inbreeding was estimated using pedigree (FPED) and genomic information based on the genomic relationship matrix (FGRM) and runs of homozygosity (FROH) of different length classes. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) was evaluated using the correlation between pairs of loci, and the effective population size (Ne) was calculated based on LD and pedigree information. The pedigree file consisted of 4875 animals born between 1950 and 2019, of which 71 had genotypes. LD decreased with the increase in distance between markers, and Ne estimated using genomic information decreased from 610 to 72 animals (from 109 to 1 generation ago), the Ne estimated using pedigree information was 86.44. The reduction in effective population size implies the existence of genetic bottlenecks and the decline of genetic diversity due to the intensive use of few individuals as parents of the next generations. The number of runs of homozygosity per animal ranged between 18 and 102 segments with an average of 55. The shortest and longest segments were 1.0 and 36.0 Mb long, respectively, reflecting ancient and recent inbreeding. The average inbreeding was 2.98 ± 2.81, 2.98 ± 4.01, and 7.28 ± 3.68% for FPED, FGRM, and FROH, respectively. The correlation between FPED and FGRM was −0.25, and the correlations among FPED and FROH of different length classes were low (from 0.16 to 0.31). The correlations between FGRM and FROH of different length classes were moderate (from 0.44 to 0.58), indicating better agreement. A 1% increase in population inbreeding decreased birth weight by 0.103 kg and weaning weight by 0.685 kg. A strategy such as optimum genetic contributions to maximize selection response and manage the long-term genetic variability and inbreeding could lead to more sustainable breeding programs for the Mexican Romosinuano beef cattle breed.

Triclosan, a widely used industrial and household agent, is present as an antiseptic ingredient in numerous products of everyday use, such as toothpaste, cosmetics, kitchenware, and toys. Previous studies have shown that human brain and animal tissues contain triclosan, which has been found also as a contaminant of water and soil. Triclosan disrupts heart and skeletal muscle Ca2+ signaling, damages liver function, alters gut microbiota, causes colonic inflammation, and promotes apoptosis in cultured neocortical neurons and neural stem cells. Information, however, on the possible effects of triclosan on the function of the hippocampus, a key brain region for spatial learning and memory, is lacking. Here, we report that triclosan addition at low concentrations to hippocampal slices from male rats inhibited long-term potentiation but did not affect basal synaptic transmission or paired-pulse facilitation and modified the content or phosphorylation levels of synaptic plasticity-related proteins. Additionally, incubation of primary hippocampal cultures with triclosan prevented both the dendritic spine remodeling induced by brain-derived neurotrophic factor and the emergence of spontaneous oscillatory Ca2+ signals. Furthermore, intra-hippocampal injection of triclosan significantly disrupted rat navigation in the Oasis maze spatial memory task, an indication that triclosan impairs hippocampus-dependent spatial memory performance. Based on these combined results, we conclude that triclosan exerts highly damaging effects on hippocampal neuronal function in vitro and impairs spatial memory processes in vivo.

Este artículo presenta una aplicación de modelos de frontera para la evaluación de la eficiencia técnica relativa del sector regulado del transporte público en Costa Rica. Se elaboró un modelo de análisis envolvente de datos (DEA) para calcular la eficiencia técnica relativa en la prestación de servicio de una muestra de rutas interregionales a nivel nacional, a partir de una encuesta realizada sobre los operadores, por parte de la Autoridad Reguladora de Servicios Públicos (ARESEP) en el año 2009. Como variables de producto a evaluar se utilizaron los promedios mensuales de pasajeros por kilómetro recorrido y de pasajeros por bus. Como variables de insumo se consideraron los gastos devengados en diferentes aspectos clave para la prestación del servicio. A partir del modelo, se evaluó el desempeño de las 29 rutas y se determinaron los mecanismos de mejora para aquellas clasificadas como ineficientes.

En este trabajo se analizan los años iniciales del sacerdote Francisco Otal en las arquidiócesis de Lima y La Plata. Su carrera eclesiástica, que lo condujo de doctrinero en San Francisco de Chiuchiu hasta racionero de la catedral de La Plata, estuvo precedida por una trayectoria como músico y cantor, facilitada por la fuerza interpretativa de su registro como capón tiple. Fue precisamente este "oficio de ángeles" en que acercó a Francisco Otal tanto a las capillas catedralicias de Lima y La Plata como a los prelados y miembros de los cabildos eclesiásticos. Ahora bien, su primer nombramiento en Lima, en 1613, estuvo muy cercano y coincidió con los años iniciales del proceso de extirpación de idolatrías. Francisco Otal conoció a sus principales protagonistas, entre ellos al arzobispo Bartolomé Lobo Guerrero y a otras autoridades eclesiásticas, diáconos y extirpadores de terreno como Francisco de Ávila, que seguramente le predicaron esta forma de evangelización que se movía de la persuasión a la compulsión. A Francisco de Ávila lo volvería a encontrar en La Plata, en 1618, al igual que a los discursos de extirpación de idolatría que incorporó el primer sínodo platense (1619-1690). Estas experiencias estuvieron en la base de su actividad de extirpación en Atacama y también le permitieron definir nuevas estrategias de posicionamiento en el interior de las redes eclesiásticas de La Plata.

Evolutionary and ecosystem dynamics are often treated as different processes -operating at separate timescales- even if evidence reveals that rapid evolutionary changes can feed back into ecological interactions. A recent long-term field experiment has explicitly shown that communities of competing plant species can experience very fast phenotypic diversification, and that this gives rise to enhanced complementarity in resource exploitation and to enlarged ecosystem-level productivity. Here, we build on progress made in recent years in the integration of eco-evolutionary dynamics, and present a computational approach aimed at describing these empirical findings in detail. In particular we model a community of organisms of different but similar species evolving in time through mechanisms of birth, competition, sexual reproduction, descent with modification, and death. Based on simple rules, this model provides a rationalization for the emergence of rapid phenotypic diversification in species-rich communities. Furthermore, it also leads to non-trivial predictions about long-term phenotypic change and ecological interactions. Our results illustrate that the presence of highly specialized, non-competing species leads to very stable communities and reveals that phenotypically equivalent species occupying the same niche may emerge and coexist for very long times. Thus, the framework presented here provides a simple approach -complementing existing theories, but specifically devised to account for the specificities of the recent empirical findings for plant communities- to explain the collective emergence of diversification at a community level, and paves the way to further scrutinize the intimate entanglement of ecological and evolutionary processes, especially in species-rich communities.

La intención de este trabajo constituye un ejercicio entre distintas disciplinas de las humanidades y ciencias sociales por tensionar la noción de patrimonio mediante los relatos de extinción y exterminio que se desenvuelven en torno a Magallanes. Este espacio ha implicado transitar por una diversidad de niveles discursivos y una multiplicidad de actores sociales en constante cambio, interacción y confrontación. De este modo, los procesos de “patrimonialización” identificados ponen en contraste, y al compás, tanto las estabilidades y consensos, así como las contradicciones y conflictos presentes en los diferentes relatos/representaciones, lo que nos permite reflexionar sobre los aciertos y paradojas culturales del Chile contemporáneo. ABSTRACT This paper is a collaborative work between different disciplines from humanities and social sciences, in order to stress the notion of heritage by the stories about extinction and extermination managed at M.agallanes. This locus had entailed the circulation around a diversity levels of discourse and a multiplicity of social actors in a continuous change, interaction, and confrontation. Therefore, the heritage process identified put in contrast and to the rhythm of both stabilities and consensus, also contradictions and conflicts that are given in the different narratives/representations. The former allows us to reflect about cultural skills and paradoxes at current Chile.

There exist two isoforms of cytosolic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK-C) in pig populations that differ in a single amino acid (Met139Leu). The isoenzymes have different kinetic properties, affecting more strongly the Km and Vmax of nucleotides. They are associated to different phenotypes modifying traits of considerable economic interest. In this work we use inhibitors of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase activity to search for further differences between these isoenzymes. On the one hand we have used the well-known inhibitor 3-mercaptopicolinic acid. Its inhibition patterns were the same for both isoenzymes: a three-fold decrease of the Ki values for GTP in 139Met and 139Leu (273 and 873 μM, respectively). On the other hand, through screening of a chemical library we have found two novel compounds with inhibitory effects of a similar magnitude to that of 3-mercaptopicolinic acid but with less solubility and specificity. One of these novel compounds, (N'1-({5-[1-methyl-5-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-pyrazol-3-yl]-2-thienyl}methylidene)-2,4-dichlorobenzene-1-carbohydrazide), exhibited significantly different inhibitory effects on either isoenzyme: it enhanced threefold the apparent Km value for GTP in 139Met, whereas in 139Leu, it reduced it from 99 to 69 μM. The finding of those significant differences in the binding of GTP reinforces the hypothesis that the Met139Leu substitution affects strongly the nucleotide binding site of PEPCK-C.

Se analiza la bibliografía atingente a la extirpación de idolatrías en Atacama colonial (actual segunda región, Chile) y se proponen nuevas hipótesis cotejando la documentación conocida con otra inédita. Se avanza en el estudio de las redes y carreras eclesiásticas, y en las actividades comerciales y de extirpación realizadas por los sacerdotes. Se estudian los equipos sacerdotales que descubrieron cultos idolátricos y huacas en cuatro visitas o campañas de extirpación entre 1635 y 1674. Se proponen tres etapas en la formación del cristianismo atacameño colonial: 1) 1557-1635, en la que la Iglesia y las huacas compartieron similares valores simbólicos; 2) 1635-1650, en la cual los indígenas de Atacama ven al sacerdote como proveedor y otorgador de prosperidad; 3) Siglo XVIII, cuando los atacameños se han apropiado de las principales enseñanzas del cristianismo colonial, pero donde algunos de los atributos de las huacas han sido traspasados simbólicamente al Dios cristiano, a la Iglesia y sus representantes.This paper analyzes the bibliography related to Extirpation of Idolatries in colonial Atacama (II Region, Chile), and proposes new hypotheses through both well-known and unstudied documents. We make a contribution to the study of ecclesiastic networks and careers, remarking on both extirpations and commercial activities, and studying the priestly teams that discovered idolatry cults and huacas in four visits or extirpation campaigns between 1635 and 1674. We propose three stages in the formation of Atacameño Christianity: 1) 1557-1635, when the Church and the huacas shared the same symbolic values, 2) 1635-1650, where the Atacameño people saw the priests as providers and carriers of prosperity, and 3) 18th century, when Atacameño people had incorporated the primary teachings of colonial Catholicism, but some attributes of the huacas were symbolically identified with the Christian god, the Church, and its representatives.

Nuclear calcium appears to have an important role in the regulation of gene expression in many cells, but the mechanisms involved in controlling nuclear Ca2+ signaling are controversial and still poorly understood. We have described the presence of inositol 1,4,5 trisphosphate (IP3) receptors in the nuclei of skeletal muscle cells. Now, we have characterized the properties of the IP3 receptors channels present in the nuclei of the 1B5 cell line, which do not express any isoforms of the ryanodine receptor. Immunocytochemistry of isolated nuclei confirmed the presence of IP3R in the nuclear envelope and fluorescence measurements in nuclei suspensions allowed us to document ATP-dependent calcium loading by the nucleus and its release upon IP3 addition. Patch clamp of nuclear membranes was performed, and single-channel activity recorded was dependent on the presence of IP3 in the pipette; single-channel conductance was in the range reported in the literature for these channels, and the open probability was shown to be dependent on IP3 concentration.

Neural tissues have been consistently observed to be spontaneously active and to generate highly variable (scale-free distributed) outbursts of activity in vivo and in vitro. Understanding whether these heterogeneous patterns of activity stem from the underlying neural dynamics operating at the edge of a phase transition is a fascinating possibility, as criticality has been argued to entail many possible important functional advantages in biological computing systems. Here, we employ a well-accepted model for neural dynamics to elucidate an alternative scenario in which diverse neuronal avalanches, obeying scaling, can coexist simultaneously, even if the network operates in a regime far from the edge of any phase transition. We show that perturbations to the system state unfold dynamically according to a “neutral drift” (i.e., guided only by stochasticity) with respect to the background of endogenous spontaneous activity, and that such a neutral dynamics—akin to neutral theories of population genetics and of biogeography—implies marginal propagation of perturbations and scale-free distributed causal avalanches. We argue that causal information, not easily accessible to experiments, is essential to elucidate the nature and statistics of neural avalanches, and that neutral dynamics is likely to play an important role in the cortex functioning. We discuss the implications of these findings to design new empirical approaches to shed further light on how the brain processes and stores information.

Este artículo consta de una introducción y de la transcripción del expediente de la rebelión acontecida en Ingaguasi en 1775 (jurisdicción de la provincia de Atacama). En la introducción se discute la relación entre fiestas, borracheras y rebeliones considerando que en ellas se encuentra un ámbito de manifestaciones de las autonomías subalternas. Señalando, además, que las disposiciones reales tendientes a restringir la realización de fiestas y borracheras forman parte de una ofensiva central por recuperar el control sobre las poblaciones indígenasThis article includes an introduction and the transcription of an inquest for rebellion against Ingaguasi in 1775 (Atacama Province jurisdiction). The introduction explores the relationships between fiestas, drunkenness and rebellion by considering how these form fields of expression for the subaltern autonomies. We also note that the colonial arrangements tending to restrict fiestas and drunkenness formed part of a central offensive to recover the control over indigenous populations.

Se presenta un informe sobre una investigación con una muestra de 123 madres adolescentes de diversas instituciones hospitalarias estatales de Lima para evaluar el grado de relación entre las variables calidad de vida. Comunicación familiar y la condición de madre adolescente.

Cortical neurons are bistable; as a consequence their local field potentials can fluctuate between quiescent and active states, generating slow 0.5 2 Hz oscillations which are widely known as transitions between Up and Down States. Despite a large number of studies on Up-Down transitions, deciphering its nature, mechanisms and function are still today challenging tasks. In this paper we focus on recent experimental evidence, showing that a class of spontaneous oscillations can emerge within the Up states. In particular, a non-trivial peak around 20 Hz appears in their associated power-spectra, what produces an enhancement of the activity power for higher frequencies (in the 30-90 Hz band). Moreover, this rhythm within Ups seems to be an emergent or collective phenomenon given that individual neurons do not lock to it as they remain mostly unsynchronized. Remarkably, similar oscillations (and the concomitant peak in the spectrum) do not appear in the Down states. Here we shed light on these findings by using different computational models for the dynamics of cortical networks in presence of different levels of physiological complexity. Our conclusion, supported by both theory and simulations, is that the collective phenomenon of "stochastic amplification of fluctuations"--previously described in other contexts such as Ecology and Epidemiology--explains in an elegant and parsimonious manner, beyond model-dependent details, this extra-rhythm emerging only in the Up states but not in the Downs.

Este artículo consta de una introducción y de la transcripción del expediente de la rebelión acontecida en Ingaguasi en 1775 (jurisdicción de la provincia de Atacama). En la introducción se discute la relación entre fiestas, borracheras y rebeliones considerando que en ellas se encuentra un ámbito de manifestaciones de las autonomías subalternas. Señalando, además, que las disposiciones reales tendientes a restringir la realización de fiestas y borracheras forman parte de una ofensiva central por recuperar el control sobre las poblaciones indígenas