Search

Bariatric surgery is increasingly being accepted as a viable treatment for managing the growing obesity epidemic. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is one of the most commonly performed procedures. Perforated duodenal ulcer following RYGB is a rare condition with a low incidence. We report a case of a patient with a perforated duodenal ulcer post RYGB, and the surgical approach. A 66-year-old man with hypertension and a history of laparoscopic RYGB for class III obesity was admitted to the emergency department with severe epigastric pain radiating to the right side of his abdomen and right shoulder, associated with nausea and vomiting. Computed tomography (CT) showed intraperitoneal free fluid, a thickened wall of the duodenum and free air, duodenal perforation was suspected. The patient underwent exploratory laparoscopy that revealed a perforated duodenal ulcer that was closed with an absorbable barbed suture and omental patch. Perforated ulcers in excluded segments after RYGB are a rare entity with a challenging diagnosis, and clinicians should be aware of and have a low threshold for diagnostic laparoscopy.

Esta investigación explora el fenómeno de los agresores plurivictimizadores–victimización de tres o más mujeres– en violencia de género (VdG). Se emplearon datos de denuncias policiales de 69 agresores que en conjunto victimizaron a 217 mujeres. El diseño fue exploratorio y descriptivo, empleando variables de la dinámica temporal y de reincidencia, así como de la escalada de la violencia a lo largo de las diferentes víctimas. Los agresores plurivictimizadores persisten en la victimización hacia la misma víctima y también hacia diferentes mujeres, habiéndose hallado victimización solapada. Los agresores que incrementan la gravedad de la violencia a lo largo de las relaciones tienden a escalar de forma progresiva y no regresan a la “casilla de salida” al iniciar una nueva relación. Se propone abordar la reincidencia en VdG desde una perspectiva que incluya a los agresores plurivictimizadores, dada la refractariedad ante los recursos policiales y judiciales de gestión del riesgo.

The valorization of bioeconomy by-products holds immense significance in achieving sustainability goals and fostering resource efficiency, not only to reduce the amount of waste generated but also to significantly decrease the carbon footprint associated with several industrial fields, by promoting circular economy. The wine industry is not only one of the major contributors for world’s economy but also a great producer of by-products, with no valorization process associated. Grape stalks are a great source of chemical molecules, as polyphenols, that can be applied in the production of bio-adhesives. In the present work, grape stalk particles were used as raw material to obtain a highly rich extract with bonding properties through solid/liquid extraction. Different extraction agents were tested (water, NaOH, and Na2CO3) at varied concentrations (0.1%, 0.5%, and 1.0%, respectively). Additionally, extracts were chemically characterized, and the bonding capacity was also evaluated. Using NaOH 1.0%, an extraction efficiency of 8.9% and a total content of polyphenols of 1.4% were achieved. Moreover, all extracts presented an interesting bonding capacity (>1.0 MPa) by hot-press at 120°C for 120 s. The composite panel produced using grape stalk adhesive and vine strain particles fulfills the requirements for type P1 particleboards in terms of internal bond strength, reaching 0.66 MPa. The mechanical and wettability properties of composite material allow foreseeing a promising application in the food packaging industry.

IntroductionSubjective well-being has numerous indicators of global well-being, however, the most important are life satisfaction and attachments, which can be both positive and negative. The leadership of the coach is an integral part of the process that cares for the relationship of the athlete and coach, where the coach has a fundamental role on the athlete, and consequently on his subjective well-being.ObjectiveThe study has the purpose to analyse if and in what way the Basic Psychological Needs-relationship, autonomy and social relationship (mediator 1, M1) and the autonomous motivation (mediator 2, M2) mediate the relationship of the variables of democratic style (independent variable, X) with subjective well-being-life satisfaction and positive attachment (dependent variable, Y).MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, participated 94 athletes with Intellectual and Developmental Difficulty (IDD), aged between 11 and 63 years (ẋ = 32.6 ± SD = 13.8 years) of both genders. Statistical analysis was performed using multiple serial mediation models, using the macro PROCESS for SPSS, version 3 (model 6), using the bootstrap method with 10000 samples.Results and conclusionsThere is a mediation effect between those of basic psychological needs and autonomous motivation, exercised between the democratic leadership profile of the coach and the subjective welfare of the athlete. On the other hand, autocratic style has a significant direct effect on the increase in basic psychological needs and controlled motivation. However, the democratic style is more consistent in this type of analysis. Our results reinforce the importance of promoting a democratic leadership style on the part of the coach in their athletes, enhancing a direct effect on life satisfaction and positive attachment in athletes adapted with IDD members of the Special Olympics.

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is the second most common form of skin cancer. The incidence of metastasis for cSCC is estimated to be around 1.2–5%. Ribosomal protein S6 (p-S6) and the p21 protein (p21) are two proteins that play central roles in other cancers. These proteins may be equally important in cSCC, and together, these could constitute a good candidate for metastasis risk assessment of these patients. We investigate the relationship of p-S6 and p21 expression with the impact on the prognosis of head and neck cSCC (cSCCHN). p-S6 and p21 expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry on paraffin-embedded tissue samples from 116 patients with cSCCHN and associations sought with clinical characteristics. Kaplan–Meier estimators and Cox proportional hazard regression models were also used. The expression of p-S6 was significantly inversely associated with tumor thickness, tumor size, desmoplastic growth, pathological stage, perineural invasion and tumor buds. p21 expression was significantly inversely correlated with >6 mm tumor thickness, desmoplastic growth, and perineural invasion. p-S6-negative expression significantly predicted an increased risk of nodal metastasis (HR = 2.63, 95% CI 1.51–4.54; p < 0.001). p21 expression was not found to be a significant risk factor for nodal metastasis. These findings demonstrate that p-S6-negative expression is an independent predictor of nodal metastasis. The immunohistochemical expression of p-S6 might aid in better risk stratification and management of patients with cSCCHN.

The constant production of solids in intensive shrimp and tilapia culture can affect the performance of macroalgae when cultivated in an integrated system, and little is known about culture structures that enhance the performance of macroalgae in biofloc systems. The objective of this work was to evaluate different depths of culture structure for the macroalgae Ulva lactuca in an integrated system with Litopenaeus vannamei and Oreochromis niloticus in a biofloc system. The experiment lasted 70 days, with six systems composed of: a 16 m3 shrimp tank, a 3 m3 tilapia tank, and a 3 m3 macroalgae tank, with water recirculation between tanks. Two treatments were carried out, shallow float, with a structural depth of 10 cm, and bottom float, where the depth was kept at 30 cm from the surface. The shallow float resulted in a growth rate of up to 0.95 ± 0.54% day−1, with biomass loss only at the end of the culture due to the high density of macroalgae, decreasing temperature, and increasing solids concentration. The bottom float had biomass loss throughout the culture cycle. The integrated culture of shrimp, fish, and macroalgae is feasible with the use of shallow floats within 10 cm from the surface.

Abstract Background The importance of physical activity in the first months of age is well known, however, with the evolution of the urban environment, the excessive workload of parents and the excessive time in growing up in kindergartens has limited this same free practice and little has been studied about this issue. In Portugal, there are institutions that provide oriented physical activity for their children, however, this is optional, which may create disadvantages in children’s motor skills in these ages. Objective The objective of the study isto verify if there are differences in the development of motor skills (global and fine) comparing children between 12 and 48 months who practice oriented physical activity (OPA) and children who do not. Methods Participated in this study, 400 children of both genders (28.14 ± 7.23 months). Two groups were created (the group that had oriented physical activity (30 min long and 2 times a week) and the group that didn’t have oriented physical activity). For a better understanding they were divided into 3 age groups (12–23, 24–35 and 36–48 months). Motor skills were assessed using the PDMS-2 scales, for 6 months, following the instrument’s application standards. Results In a first analysis, we found that the majority of children only start to practice oriented physical activity in institutions from 36 months of age, however, it is in the first months (from 12 to 35) that the greatest differences between the two groups can occur. The OPA group presented better results according to the mean values, in all motor skills. Differences between groups were most noticeable in Postural, locomotion and fine manipulation Skills (showing effect size: moderate and low). Conclusions We can conclude that a practice of oriented physical activity in the first 48 months is fundamental to the development of motor skills. It is in the first months (up to 36) that there are greater differences, but it is also where there are less children carrying out guided physical activity. This is an important factor, and is determinant to make institutions aware of this importance of this variable in child development.

IntroductionSoccer is considered a multifaceted collective sport, and to reach an elevated level, players must have moderate to high power, good agility, joint flexibility and muscle development. Also, players must be able to generate high torques during fast movements, which implies the development of different capacities, understood as multifactorial preparation. The objective was to analyse the effects of training (aerobic and continuous) on the leg power, fatigue levels, speed, agility, body fat, muscle mass and bone mass of these players.MethodsSeventy-two soccer players, male and under 17, from 4 teams participated. The teams performed 3 times a week training sessions of about 60–90 min each. Informed consent requests were given to their parents for authorisation to participate in this investigation. Data was collected in two different time points, about ten months apart. Specific tests were performed for each variable: the vertical jump with Bosco System for leg power, the T-Test for agility, the linear sprint test for speed and the RAST test for fatigue levels. A precision Tanita scale was used for the anthropometric tests such as body fat, muscle mass and bone mass. Statistical procedures were applied through the Wilcoxon test to compare the two time points of evaluation.ResultsImprovements were found between evaluations regarding the level of anthropometric and physical fitness variables.ConclusionsThe implemented training improved all the analysed variables with significant statistical values for leg power, speed, bone mass, muscle mass and fat mass.

TINCR encodes a p53-regulated ubiquitin-like microprotein expressed in stratified epithelia. Tincr loss promotes UVB-induced skin carcinogenesis in mice and deletions and mutations in human squamous cell carcinoma support a tumor suppressor role.

The complement system plays crucial roles in a wide breadth of immune and inflammatory processes and is frequently cited as an etiological or aggravating factor in many human diseases, from asthma to cancer. Complement receptors encompass at least eight proteins from four structural classes, orchestrating complement-mediated humoral and cellular effector responses and coordinating the complex cross-talk between innate and adaptive immunity. The progressive increase in understanding of the structural features of the main complement factors, activated proteolytic fragments, and their assemblies have spurred a renewed interest in deciphering their receptor complexes. In this review, we describe what is currently known about the structural biology of the complement receptors and their complexes with natural agonists and pharmacological antagonists. We highlight the fundamental concepts and the gray areas where issues and problems have been identified, including current research gaps. We seek to offer guidance into the structural biology of the complement system as structural information underlies fundamental and therapeutic research endeavors. Finally, we also indicate what we believe are potential developments in the field.

The search for innovative and sustainable solutions to improve the energy efficiency of the construction industry has been a hot topic for researchers due to the tremendous impact of insulator materials in the thermal comfort of buildings. In the present work, an innovative lightweight composite material with thermal insulation properties was developed, for the first time, by using cardoon particles and polyurethane. The formulation of the composite material was optimized in terms of cardoon fraction and the polyol/isocyanate ratio, to achieve the best compromise between internal bond (IB) strength and thickness swelling (TS). The best performing composite was PU75-CP45, with 45 wt% of cardoon particles and 75% of isocyanate, achieving an IB of 0.41 MPa and a TS of 5.3%. Regarding insulation properties, the PU75-CP45 composite material exhibits a promising performance when compared to conventional construction industry materials by tuning its thickness. Additionally, the composite material presented very low emissions of volatile organic compounds and formaldehyde (bellow to legislation levels) and high resistance to biological degradation.

Oysters have the potential to be a part of more sustainable farming systems, such as multitrophic systems integrated into biofloc systems, due to their filtration activity, which enables them to act as organic consumers. However, the stress experienced by animals in a system with a high organic load can compromise their productive performance. The objective of this study was to evaluate the biological responses of Crassostrea gasar oysters when exposed to different concentrations of total suspended solids in biofloc systems. The oysters were exposed to four different concentrations of solids for 28 days. Hall effect sensors were installed on the outside of the shells to detect the movement of the oyster valves. Also, biochemical and histological analyses were conducted to assess the biological responses of the oysters to exposure to varying levels of solids. A difference in valve opening detected by the Hall sensors was observed from the second week of culture, indicating a relationship between shell closure and higher concentrations of suspended solids present in the system. In terms of biochemical analysis, a significant increase in lipid damage was observed in treatments with medium and high levels of total suspended solids compared with the control group. Conversely, no changes were observed in the gill structure of the oysters caused by the concentrations of suspended solids in the system when compared with the control. According to the analyses of gill activity and biochemistry, it is suggested that C. gasar should be cultured with total suspended solids at less than 200 mg/L. Oysters cultivated in a biofloc system keep their shells closed when subjected to high concentrations of total suspended solids; concentrations of total suspended solids below 200 mg/L do not induce oxidative stress, changes in behavior or histological alterations in C. gasar oysters cultivated in a biofloc system.

O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar preditores motivacionais de bem-estar subjetivo em adultos ativos praticantes de ginásio, tendo por base a teoria da autodeterminação. Participaram neste estudo 348 sujeitos, 174 de ambos os sexos, entre 18 e 67 anos (M=31.83 DP=12.86), com 4.37 anos de média de prática de atividades de ginásio, maioritariamente a treinar 3 vezes por semana, com 310.11 minutos médios semanais. Utilizou-se a escala das necessidades psicológicas básicas no exercício, o questionário de regulação comportamental no exercício, a escala de satisfação com a vida e a escala de afetos positivos e negativos. Elaborou-se uma estatística descritiva, correlação de Spearman e regressão linear por blocos. Os valores médios mais elevados foram registados na necessidade psicológica básica de autonomia, na motivação autónoma e na satisfação com a vida. Registaram-se correlações positivas entre as necessidades psicológicas básicas, motivação autónoma, satisfação com a vida, afetos positivos e o volume de minutos de treino semanal. Observaram-se igualmente correlações positivas entre a motivação controlada, amotivação e afetos negativos. A análise de regressão linear permitiu-nos verificar que as necessidades psicológicas básicas explicam um valor percentual mais elevado a variabilidade dos dados da satisfação com a vida e afetos positivos, comparativamente com a motivação.

Complement activation on foreign cell surfaces leads to the generation of complement opsonins, which activate complement receptor type 3 (CR3) and pathogen clearance by macrophages. Here, the authors reveal structural basis of the interaction between human opsonin iC3b and the von Willebrand A inserted domain of the α chain of CR3.

Determinadas características pueden hacer que las mujeres sean más vulnerables frente a la violencia de género. Esto significa que pueden presentar un mayor riesgo de ser victimizadas, pero, también, que pueden tener más dificultades para salir de relaciones violentas, que la violencia que sufren puede tener consecuencias más graves o que pueden existir circunstancias que impidan que denuncien episodios de violencia. Es por esto por lo que este trabajo pretende describir las vulnerabilidades presentes en una muestra de mujeres víctimas de feminicidio en España. En este estudio se han analizado 171 víctimas de feminicidio en España, cuyos casos tuvieron lugar entre los años 2006 y 2016, en las demarcaciones de Guardia Civil, Policía Nacional, Mossos d’Esquadra y Ertzaintza. Los análisis han mostrado que son comunes en las víctimas características como el tener a menores o familiares a su cargo, ser extranjera o depender económicamente del agresor, siendo poco común la presencia de enfermedad grave, discapacidad o el embarazo. Por su parte, situaciones de riesgo como el deseo de querer acabar con la relación o la existencia de violencia recíproca también han sido comunes entre los casos analizados, mientras que pocas víctimas pensaban que corrían riesgo mortal en su relación.

La interposición de una denuncia o la ruptura de la relación son situaciones que van a influir en la dinámica relacional de una pareja, pudiendo hacer que aparezcan conductas violentas, incrementando dichas conductas, en caso de que ya existieran, o incluso dando lugar a violencia mortal. En este trabajo se analizan las distancias temporales entre (1) la primera denuncia, (2) la última denuncia, (3) la denuncia más reciente y (4) la ruptura de la relación con el feminicidio. Se emplearon dos submuestras, una formada por 40 feminicidios con denuncia previa; y otra con 76 feminicidios con ruptura. Los análisis mostraron que el tiempo entre denuncias y feminicidio es muy grande, aunque el nivel de riesgo de las víctimas, así como las conductas de control y violentas influyen en que pase más o menos tiempo. En el caso de la ruptura, parece existir una conexión más clara entre esta y el feminicidio, ya que en más de la mitad de los casos pasan menos de tres meses hasta que se acaba con la vida de la víctima, influyendo, también, la existencia de conductas de control y violentas.

BackgroundCOVID-19 increased the demand for Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) services as a rapid solution for safe patient follow-up in a lockdown context. Time and resource constraints resulted in unplanned scaled-up RPM pilot initiatives posing risks to the access and quality of care. Scalability and rapid implementation of RPM services require social change and active collaboration between stakeholders. Therefore, a participatory action research (PAR) approach is needed to support the collaborative development of the technological component while simultaneously implementing and evaluating the RPM service through critical action-reflection cycles.ObjectiveThis study aims to demonstrate how PAR can be used to guide the scalability design of RPM pilot initiatives and the implementation of RPM-based follow-up services.MethodsUsing a case study strategy, we described the PAR team’s (nurses, physicians, developers, and researchers) activities within and across the four phases of the research process (problem definition, planning, action, and reflection). Team meetings were analyzed through content analysis and descriptive statistics. The PAR team selected ex-ante pilot initiatives to reflect upon features feedback and participatory level assessment. Pilot initiatives were investigated using semi-structured interviews transcribed and coded into themes following the principles of grounded theory and pilot meetings minutes and reports through content analysis. The PAR team used the MoSCoW prioritization method to define the set of features and descriptive statistics to reflect on the performance of the PAR approach.ResultsThe approach involved two action-reflection cycles. From the 15 features identified, the team classified 11 as must-haves in the scaled-up version. The participation was similar among researchers (52.9%), developers (47.5%), and physicians (46.7%), who focused on suggesting and planning actions. Nurses with the lowest participation (5.8%) focused on knowledge sharing and generation. The top three meeting outcomes were: improved research and development system (35.0%), socio-technical-economic constraints characterization (25.2%), and understanding of end-user technology utilization (22.0%).ConclusionThe scalability and implementation of RPM services must consider contextual factors, such as individuals’ and organizations’ interests and needs. The PAR approach supports simultaneously designing, developing, testing, and evaluating the RPM technological features, in a real-world context, with the participation of healthcare professionals, developers, and researchers.

Pinus elliottii Engelm bark is a byproduct of Uruguay’s milling industry. As a circular economy strategy, it is burned in broilers for energy production. Aiming to increase the added value of the bark, this work analyzes the extraction of its tannins to use them in the development of formaldehyde-free adhesives, while evaluating whether it retains its calorific power for further energy production. The best extraction conditions (methanol at 65 °C for 2 h) were identified at a laboratory level after which they were scaled up to 50 L, which did not affect extraction yield. The Stiasny number remained above 65%, meaning the extractive was suitable for its use in adhesive formulations. The characterization of the extractives was completed with molecular weight distribution, FTIR-ATR, ABES and DSC. Finally, two formaldehyde-free adhesive formulations were developed using hexamine and glyoxal as hardeners. Their behaviors were compared through rheological analysis, DSC and ABES. It was determined that the adhesive formulations with hexamine at pHs of 8 and 10 are suitable for their use in the timber industry. It was noted that they react the best at a pressing temperature of 160 °C. After the extraction, the calorific power of the P. elliottii Engelm bark decreased by only 13%, thus remaining useful for energy production.

Commercial forest plantations in Chile are dominated by pine (Pinus radiata) and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus). Tree bark is the main by-product of the forestry industry and has low value, but great potential for use as an agricultural substrate. However, the direct use of bark fibers may cause plant phytotoxicity due to the presence of polyphenolic and other compounds. This study aims to evaluate the physicochemical properties of E. globulus and P. radiata bark after water extraction treatments. The phytotoxicity of the resulting extracted bark alone and that mixed with commercial substrates (coconut fiber, moss, peat, and composted pine) at different ratios (25 to 75 wt%) were assessed using the Munoo-Liisa vitality index (MLVI) test. For all treatments, the seed germination and growth of radish (Raphanus sativus) and Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa) species were evaluated and compared to a commercial growing medium (peat) as a control. The optimal mixture for seed growth was determined to be 75% extracted E. globulus bark fiber and 25% commercial substrates such as peat (P), coconut fiber (C), moss (M), and composted pine (CP), as indicated by the MLVI and germination results. Two phytostimulant products, chitosan and alginate-encapsulated fulvic acid, were added to the best substrate mixture, with the purpose of improving their performance. Encapsulated fulvic acid at 0.1% w/v was effective in promoting plant growth, while chitosan at all of the concentrations studied was effective only for mixture 75E-25CP. The mixture of E. globulus fiber and commercial substrates, containing a high proportion of water-extracted fiber (75%), shows the potential to be used in the growth of horticultural crops and in the plant nursery industry.

One of the most important by-products generated in the forestry industry is the bark obtained during the debarking process. Pine (Pinus radiata D. Don) and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus L.) are the main important tree species exploited in the Chilean forestry industry. The bark of P. radiata D. Don is an interesting source of extracts, rich in condensed tannins, with potential uses in biopolymer and bioadhesive preparation. Conversely, the E. globulus bark extracts are rich in hydrolyzable tannins with few applications. Nevertheless, the forest industry generates a high volume of these by-products, simultaneously. Then, it is interesting to determine a suitable process for the joint valorization of both forest by-products at a large scale. In this work, alkaline extraction (NaOH and Na2SO3) was performed at a pilot scale of a mixture of E. globulus and P. radiata barks prepared at different ratios (0%–100%). The effect of bark mixture composition on the resulting extract’s properties was evaluated. All extracts were characterized according to their chemical composition by FTIR-ATR, MALDI-TOF, and molecular weight distribution (GPC). In addition, the Stiasny number was tested to determine the potential use of extracts in bioadhesive formulation. The self-condensation reaction of resulting extracts was studied using Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) and Automated Bond Evaluation System (ABES) techniques. Results show a good interaction between condensed and hydrolyzable tannins from both species’ barks. It also demonstrated the potential application of the obtained extracts, for a bark ratio of 50:50, in the formulation of bioadhesives for particleboard manufacture. The obtained product showed a similar performance to that of the bioadhesive formulated with the extract obtained using only P. radiata bark.

Providing energy from fusion and finding ways to scale up the fusion process to commercial proportions in an efficient, economical, and environmentally benign way is one of the grand challenges for engineering. Controlling the burning plasma in real-time is one of the critical issues that need to be addressed. Plasma Position Reflectometry (PPR) is expected to have an important role in next-generation fusion machines, such as DEMO, as a diagnostic to monitor the position and shape of the plasma continuously, complementing magnetic diagnostics. The reflectometry diagnostic uses radar science methods in the microwave and millimetre wave frequency ranges and is envisaged to measure the radial edge density profile at several poloidal angles providing data for the feedback control of the plasma position and shape. While significant steps have already been given to accomplish that goal, with proof of concept tested first in ASDEX-Upgrade and afterward in COMPASS, important, ground-breaking work is still ongoing. The Divertor Test Tokamak (DTT) facility presents itself as the appropriate future fusion device to implement, develop, and test a PPR system, thus contributing to building a knowledge database in plasma position reflectometry required for its application in DEMO. At DEMO, the PPR diagnostic’s in-vessel antennas and waveguides, as well as the magnetic diagnostics, may be exposed to neutron irradiation fluences 5 to 50 times greater than those experienced by ITER. In the event of failure of either the magnetic or microwave diagnostics, the equilibrium control of the DEMO plasma may be jeopardized. It is, therefore, imperative to ensure that these systems are designed in such a way that they can be replaced if necessary. To perform reflectometry measurements at the 16 envisaged poloidal locations in DEMO, plasma-facing antennas and waveguides are needed to route the microwaves between the plasma through the DEMO upper ports (UPs) to the diagnostic hall. The main integration approach for this diagnostic is to incorporate these groups of antennas and waveguides into a diagnostics slim cassette (DSC), which is a dedicated complete poloidal segment specifically designed to be integrated with the water-cooled lithium lead (WCLL) breeding blanket system. This contribution presents the multiple engineering and physics challenges addressed while designing reflectometry diagnostics using radio science techniques. Namely, short-range dedicated radars for plasma position and shape control in future fusion experiments, the advances enabled by the designs for ITER and DEMO, and the future perspectives. One key development is in electronics, aiming at an advanced compact coherent fast frequency sweeping RF back-end [23–100 GHz in few μs] that is being developed at IPFN-IST using commercial Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuits (MMIC). The compactness of this back-end design is crucial for the successful integration of many measurement channels in the reduced space available in future fusion machines. Prototype tests of these devices are foreseen to be performed in current nuclear fusion machines.

Purpose: Air transport is a highly regulated branch of aviation, but it continues to show occurrences where human error is present. Fatigue is now recognized as a hazard which degrades human performance and can put flight safety at risk. In this regard, the general objective of this study is to assess the impact of cognitive fatigue on airline pilots and how it can contribute to the occurrence of accidents and incidents. Methodology: Three airline pilots participated in the case study. The participants’ cognitive fatigue was monitored according to four methods, being two of them of a subjective nature – the sleep diary (SD) and the Samn-Perelli 7-Point Fatigue Scale (SPS), and the other two of an objective nature – the Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT) and the actigraphy (actiwatch ReadibandTM 5). During their flight duty periods (FDPs), the pilots’ performance was also assessed according to the score delivered by a fatigue management software (FAID®). Findings: The obtained results allowed to understand whether the pilots are aware of their alertness and to identify factors which affect their performance levels. Between the beginning and the end of each FDP, significant changes were observed concerning the assessment on the SPS scale, the reaction time (RT) and the fatigue score generated by the biomathematical models associated to the technique of the actigraphy and the software FAID®. Originality/value: The risk of accident or serious error was classified according to the four methodologies used. Thus, it is possible to verify if there is a correspondence between the different scales or if there are scales more conservative (with a higher associated risk) than others.

Barrett’s esophagus (BE) is the most important risk factor for the development of esophageal adenocarcinoma. It develops through a progressive sequence of histologic and molecular events that begin with metaplasia and then progresses through various stages of dysplasia. Matrix metalloproteinases are involved in the degradation of the extracellular matrix and play an important role in tumor progression. The immunohistochemical expression of MMP-1, TIMP-2 and p53 in 111 samples from 45 patients diagnosed with BE with and without dysplasia and adenocarcinoma of the esophagus was retrospectively studied, and statistical analysis was conducted to measure the association between their expression and the degree of dysplasia present. MMP-1 was expressed in 33.3% of the samples studied, mainly in the adenocarcinoma subgroup with up to 40% positive cases (p = 0.494). In contrast, TIMP-2 was expressed in 25.2% of the samples, and no positive cases were identified in the adenocarcinoma subgroup (p = 0.037). Aberrant p53 expression was observed in 81.4% of the samples diagnosed with some degree of dysplasia (p

Este artigo centra-se na necessidade de as escolas se envolverem com os pontos de vista dos alunos para melhor compreenderem a aprendizagem e o ensino. Neste sentido, é apresentado o projeto Erasmus+ ReHaRe, Reaching the ‘Hard to Reach’: inclusive responses to diversity through child-teacher dialogue (2017-2020)3. O projeto adotou uma abordagem de investigação-ação colaborativa, numa rede europeia de escolas, que proporcionou aos alunos a oportunidade de desempenharem o papel de investigadores, participando ativamente no processo educativo, em colaboração com os seus professores. O artigo descreve a maneira como esta colaboração pode contribuir para a melhoria da participação dos alunos, para o desenvolvimento profissional dos professores e para o desenvolvimento de práticas mais inclusivas na escola. O artigo aborda duas vertentes essenciais. Primeiro, apresenta o projeto ReHaRe e o modelo de Pesquisa Inclusiva. Seguidamente evidencia a relevância da Pesquisa Inclusiva no aumento de oportunidades de participação e de aprendizagem das crianças, incluindo alunos que são normalmente considerados como ‘difíceis de alcançar’.

PTEN-induced kinase-1 (PINK1) is the initiator of the canonical mitophagy pathway. Our aim was to study the immunoexpression of PINK1 in surgical specimens from ninety patients with metastatic colorectal adenocarcinoma (CRC) to the liver (CRLM). Tissue arrays were produced, and immunohistochemical studies were analyzed by the H-Score method. The mean immunoexpression of PINK1 in normal tissues was between 40 to 100 points. In tumoral tissues, positive PINK1 immunoexpression was observed in all samples, and no differences were noted between CRCs. In CRLMs, a significant under-expression was noted for PINK1 from the rectum (71.3 ± 30.8; p < 0.042) compared to other sites. Altered PINK1 immunoexpression in CRCs, either higher than 100 points or lower than 40 points, was associated with worse overall survival (OS) (p < 0.012) due to a shorter post-metastatic survival (PMS) (p < 0.023), and it was found to be a significant independent predictor of prognosis in a multivariate model for OS and PMS (HR = 1.972, 95% CI 0.971–4.005; p = 0.022. HR = 2.023, 95% CI 1.003–4.091; p = 0.037, respectively). In conclusion, altered PINK1 immunoexpression determined in CRCs with resected CRLM predicts a worse prognosis, possibly due to the abnormal function of mitophagy.

Although polylactic acid (PLA) is one of the most used materials in additive manufacturing, its mechanical properties are quite limiting for its practical application, therefore, to improve these properties it is frequent to add fibers and, in this way, create a more resistant composite material. In this paper, the authors developed PLA composites reinforced with flax fibers to evaluate the improvement of tensile and flexural strength. The experimental design of experiments was based on the L18 Taguchi array where the control factors were the extruder temperature (three levels), number of strands (three levels), infill percentage of the specimens (three levels), and whether the flax fiber had surface chemical treatment. The tensile and flexural specimens were made on a 3D printing machine and was a mold was developed to fix and align the fiber strands during the printing process. The tensile and flexural experimental tests were performed in agreement with ASTM D638.14 and ISO 14125 standards, respectively. Analyzing the results, it was verified that the surface chemical treatment (NaOH) of the fiber did not show any influence in the mechanical properties of the composites; in contrast, the infill density demonstrated a huge influence for the improvement of mechanical strength. The maximum values of tensile and bending stress were 50 MPa and 73 MPa, respectively. The natural fiber reinforcement can improve the mechanical properties of the PLA composites.

El quebrantamiento de la orden de protección (OP) en casos de violencia de género supone un acto de reincidencia penal y policial que apenas ha sido estudiado en España. El principal objetivo de este estudio fue identificar aquellos indicadores del formulario de Valoración Policial del Riesgo (VPR4.0) asociados al quebrantamiento, diferenciando entre violentos y no violentos. Para ello se realizó un estudio retrospectivo de casos y controles con un seguimiento de trece a quince meses. En la muestra estudiada (N = 4,745) se vulneró la OP en el 23.9% de los casos, de los cuales cerca de la mitad la quebrantaron de forma violenta. Los resultados permiten concluir que los indicadores del VPR4.0 pueden ser empleados para la predicción de futuros casos de quebrantamiento. Además, los indicadores referentes a las características del agresor mostraron una mayor capacidad predictiva para el quebrantamiento y sus tipos. Se discuten las implicaciones para la práctica judicial y policial.

La investigación propone las pruebas de estrés para evaluar un conjunto de escenarios hipotéticos de crisis vinculados a periodos con mayor volatilidad, dada una muestra de transacciones comerciales entre tres entidades de un modelo multinivel de suministro. La solución identifica los niveles de impacto en términos de costo para un conjunto de escenarios hipotéticos asociados a parámetros tales como niveles de confiabilidad y volatilidad en un horizonte temporal de riesgo.

El término filicidio se emplea para referirse a la muerte de un hijo a manos de alguno de sus progenitores. Es un tipo de homicidio que presenta una baja prevalencia a nivel mundial, lo que dificulta, en parte, su estudio. Además, el empleo indistinto de diferentes denominaciones para el mismo fenómeno, así como las diferentes definiciones de lo que es un filicidio, dificultan la cuantificación, comparación y el estudio de este fenómeno. Además este fenómeno criminal ha sido muy poco estudiado en España, por lo que aquí se van a mostrar resultados de un trabajo empírico sobre una muestra de 35 hechos en los que se vieron involucrados 40 víctimas y 39 autores de filicidio. Los casos corresponden a homicidios esclarecidos por la Policía Nacional y la Guardia Civil entre los años 2010 a 2012. Los análisis destacan la incidencia de mujeres autoras y de víctimas menores de edad en este tipo de homicidios, así como la existencia de trastornos mentales y comportamientos suicidas por parte de los autores. También cabe destacar que las mujeres autoras suelen tener víctimas más jóvenes, y tienden a presentar en mayor medida trastorno mental, aunque son los hombres los que consuman el suicidio tras los hechos. Estos hallazgos se discuten con respecto a trabajos previos, nacionales e internacionales.

La ruptura de pareja supone un momento de riesgo para la aparición de conductas violentas. En España uno de cada tres feminicidios se produce en un contexto de separación. En el presente estudio se analiza la ruptura de la relación y la manifestación de la mujer de separarse, comparando casos de violencia no mortal (VdG; n = 513) y feminicidio (n = 171). Posteriormente se profundiza en los casos de feminicidio, clasificándolos en precedidos (FPS; n = 88) y no precedidos por separación (FNPS; n = 81), centrando la atención en los casos en los que existían conductas violentas denunciables. Los análisis mostraron que la ruptura de la relación se asoció a casos en los que había conductas violentas denunciables. Además, que la mujer manifieste su intención de separarse fue más común en los casos de VdG, aunque al eliminar los feminicidios sin conductas violentas denunciables, la situación de ruptura se asoció a los feminicidios. En cuanto al perfil de los autores de FPS, estos son más jóvenes que los de FNPS, no presentan discapacidad, muestran consumo de drogas, un estilo de apego inseguro, y tienen antecedentes delictivos. En cuanto a la dinámica relacional, los FPS muestran un tiempo de relación menor, las víctimas contaban con medidas de protección, y estos casos registraron violencia, amenazas, conductas de control, y acoso en mayor medida que los FNPS. Al eliminar los feminicidios sin conductas violentas denunciables, solo la discapacidad del autor siguió mostrando diferencias significativas, así como el tiempo de relación y la existencia de conductas de acoso. Los resultados podrían indicar que algunas de las relaciones que los estudios previos han asociado a la ruptura, puede que realmente están siendo explicadas más por la existencia de conductas violentas que por la propia ruptura en sí.

Los homicidios de pareja, especialmente los cometidos por hombres, han recibido especial atención tanto desde el ámbito social como académico. Pese a esto, son pocos los estudios que han abordado el estudio de las diferencias existentes entre los homicidios de parejas cometidos por hombres y mujeres, habiendo encontrado las investigaciones en este ámbito que existen diferencias importantes. En este trabajo se analizan 149 casos de homicidio de pareja cometidos por hombres (n = 134) y por mujeres (n = 15), registrados y esclarecidos por la Guardia Civil entre los años 2013 y 2018. Los resultados muestran que existen diferencias significativas entre ambos tipos de homicidios y que las explicaciones reduccionistas no tienen cabida a la hora de explicar fenómenos tan complejos y multicausados como los homicidios de pareja, independientemente del sexo del autor.

The main by-product generated in the forestry industry is bark, derived from the debarking process. Pinus and eucalyptus are nowadays two of the most important tree species exploited by the forestry industry in southwestern Europe. This work investigates the application of Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) and Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus Labill.) barks as a source of high polyphenolic content extracts, to be used as natural dyes in the textile industry. We demonstrated that it is possible to use the extracts obtained from both forest by-products as textile dyes without the need for using any metallic mordant.

The aim of this study was to compare tumour burden in patients who underwent surgery for melanoma and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma during nationwide lockdown in Spain due to COVID-19 (for the period 14 March to 13 June 2020) and during the same dates in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, associations between median tumour burden (Breslow thickness for melanoma and maximum clinical diameter for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma) and demographic, clinical, and medical factors were analysed, building a multivariate linear regression model. During the 3 months of lockdown, there was a significant decrease in skin tumours operated on (41% decrease for melanoma (n = 352 vs n = 207) and 44% decrease for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (n = 770 vs n = 429)) compared with the previous year. The proportion of large skin tumours operated on increased. Fear of SARS-CoV-2 infection, with respect to family member/close contact, and detection of the lesion by the patient or doctor, were related to thicker melanomas; and fear of being diagnosed with cancer, and detection of the lesion by the patient or relatives, were related to larger size cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. In conclusion, lockdown due to COVID-19 has resulted in a reduction in treatment of skin cancer.

ABSTRACT Objective: Non-union and persistence of infection at a fracture site for long periods are always described as a challenge to orthopedists, especially in cases of severe compound fractures with comminution and segmental bone loss. This is a case series of septic non-unions, using S53P4 bioactive glass for adjunctive treatment, using internal syntheses or external fixators. The objective is to retrospectively evaluate the results of the use of S53P4 bioglass for the adjunctive treatment of septic non-unions. Methods: We reviewed 18 patients with septic non-unions. The patients were preoperatively classified using the Non-union Scoring System (NUSS) and union outcomes were assessed by the modified radiographic union scale in tibial (RUST) fractures. Of the 18 patients treated, six underwent internal osteosynthesis and 12 were treated with external fixators in combination with bioactive glass grafting. Results: The patients had a mean NUSS score of 56.6 (standard deviation of 7.6) and fracture union was achieved according to the RUST score in 17 of 18 cases (94.4%), with a mean value of 10.2 (standard deviation of 1.0). One patient was lost to follow-up. Reevaluation using the modified RUST score was 12.3 (SD = 1.0), maintaining union of 17/18. Conclusion: The fracture union rate was high, according to the literature, as was control of infection. Level of Evidence IV, Case series.

The present study aims to develop the understanding of technical-tactical situations for an effective development of the game, in this case, Hockey. Through the comparison between two situations of game: the formal game and game in (Mini-Hockey) in the “under 8” and “under 10” levels. Our objective is to verify if the reduction of field dimensions in these levels of formation, promotes a greater action in technical-tactical terms by these players, achieving a better understanding of the game. The method used was video recording of nine hockey games, five regular games and four mini-hockey games, and the data regarding of passes, shots and number of goals were recorded. We used statistical software SPSS version 20.0 where descriptive statistics, means and standard deviations, as well as non-parametric Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney U test were used. The significance level was set at p ≤ 0.05, which allowed us to verify if there is statistical significance between the variables analyzed. In the five regular games were registered a total of 1214 passes, 229 shots and 54 goals. In the results of the mini-hockey games a total of 578 passes, 286 shots and 84 goals were recorded. With these results we may conclude that Mini-hockey promotes a greater technical-tactical action in these formation levels, with greater ball interaction, becoming an excellent teaching-learning stage for the formal 5x5 game in the field of official dimensions.

Four-point bending fatigue tests were performed on semi-solid Al–7Si–Mg castings with varying magnesium contents and heat treatment conditions. Additionally, the effect of anodising on the fatigue resistance of semi-solid Al–7Si–Mg castings was evaluated. Fracture surface and microstructure analysis showed that fatigue crack initiation occurred mainly at the periphery of regions of positive macrosegregation at the casting surface, resulting most likely from exudation. The microstructure of these macrosegregation regions was mostly eutectic and was frequently found surrounded by a layer of oxides. This layer of oxides promoted weak bonding between the macrosegregation region and the surrounding material and acted as a crack initiation site. In this study, primary α-Al globule agglomerates at the casting surface and surrounded by a layer of oxides also promoted fatigue crack initiation. Fatigue resistance of semi-solid Al–7Si–Mg castings in the T5 and T6 conditions increased with the increase in the magnesium content of the alloy from 0.3 to 0.45 wt.% due to the higher precipitation hardening response. However, the increase in the magnesium content from 0.45 to 0.6 wt.% resulted in a slight decrease in the fatigue resistance. The oxide layer formed during anodising had no significant effect on the fatigue resistance of the semi-solid Al–7Si–Mg castings in this study due to the dominant effect of the macrosegregation regions on fatigue crack initiation.

El objetivo de toda investigación criminal es obtener indicios suficientes para conseguir el esclarecimiento de los hechos. Las entrevistas que realizan los investigadores policiales, tanto a víctimas, como a testigos y sospechosos, son una de las principales fuentes de información de la que disponen. Tal es su importancia que se han desarrollado procedimientos específicos para la toma de declaración a víctimas, como puede ser la prueba preconstituida o la entrevista cognitiva, y lo mismo sucede con los sospechosos, para los que se han desarrollado procedimientos de interrogatorio como el REID y el PEACE. La entrevista y el interrogatorio deben entenderse como interacciones entre personas (entrevistador-entrevistado), por lo que el entrevistador policial debe crear la estrategia más efectiva en función de la persona que tiene delante. En este sentido es importante la perfilación indirecta y la relación entre personalidad y comportamiento no verbal (CNV), ya que ayudarán al entrevistador a saber qué tipo de persona (personalidad) tiene delante, sin tener que usar cuestionarios autoinformados, y evitando algunos de los problemas que plantea la evaluación de personalidad directa. Es por ello que el objetivo del presente trabajo es realizar un estudio piloto en el que se analice la relación entre personalidad, empleando el modelo PEN de Eysenck, y CNV en una muestra penitenciaria, formada por 20 casos de feminicidio. Conseguir perfilar de forma indirecta es solo una parte del proceso, ya que una vez perfilado el sujeto, habría que diseñar una estrategia de entrevista/interrogatorio en función de su personalidad.

Las decisiones en materia de políticas públicas deben estar basadas en el análisis riguroso de los datos efectuado a través de métodos y procedimientos científicos, para evitar tomar decisiones basadas en datos sesgados o creencias erróneas. El desarrollo de algoritmos y modelos predictivos aplicados al análisis del crimen, ha permitido la aparición de la policía predictiva, que analiza una gran cantidad de datos históricos de criminalidad para identificar patrones y estimar la probabilidad de que sucedan crímenes en el futuro, y para ayudar a esclarecer crímenes pasados. Esto ha hecho posible que desde los cuerpos policiales se potencie el enfoque preventivo frente al enfoque reactivo. A lo largo de este trabajo se expondrán algunas de las principales aplicaciones de la policía predictiva en España, y se analizarán en detalle los avances en los ámbitos de la Violencia de Género y el homicidio. El objetivo principal es resumir los principales estudios que se han desarrollado en los últimos años, destacar algunas de las limitaciones que puede tener la aplicación de este tipo de metodologías, y sobre todo señalar los beneficios que puede reportar la aplicación de modelos predictivos en la gestión de los recursos policiales.

The main by-product generated in the wine industry are the grape canes, derived from the pruning process. In order to increase the valorisation possibilities of this highly polyphenolic lignocellulosic material, this work focuses on its applicability in the materials industry. As a first step, we demonstrate the viability of using grape cane particles as raw material for particleboard production, combined with a melamine formaldehyde urea (MFU) binder. In addition, looking for the application of these particleboards in the food packaging industry, particleboards based on grape canes were also produced using a new bioadhesive, obtained from the grape cane extract and citric acid. The self-condensation reaction of the grape cane extracts, and the curing reaction with citric acid, were studied by FTIR-ATR and ABES showing the feasibility of this new bioadhesive formulation. Looking for a zero-waste process, the effect of the type of raw material (fresh grape cane, solid by-product of the extraction) and of the extract used on the properties of particleboard were also studied. Citric acid was demonstrated to be a good crosslinking agent for grape cane extract. This work shows that it is possible to produce a new lignocellulosic product based only on grape cane particles using a binder based on grape cane extracts and citric acid. The implemented methodology allowed producing particleboards with applicability in the food-packaging industry, minimizing the waste generated in the process.

The Action System model offers a scientific foundation to the differentiation and classification of crimes, based on behavioral indicators, allowing the establishment of relationships between the actions carried out by the offender on the crime scene and their characteristics. Although it was originally developed for application to fires, its utility has been tested in distinct criminal typologies, with few studies having considered homicides. The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness and validity of the Action System model to differentiate thematically between the structure of the homicides and to create a typology of simple homicides in Spain, based on the relationships between the modus operandi, characteristics of the victims and characteristics of the offenders. The sample consisted of 448 homicides. Four homicide typologies were identified: Expressive, Adaptive, Integrative and Conservative, which represent 87.5% of the studied cases. Expressive homicides are impulsive, with offenders having criminal records and previously knowing their victims. Adaptive homicides are linked to robberies and sexual aggressions, in which the victim and offender are strangers. Integrative homicides take place in the family environment, specifically female offenders and femicides. Conservative homicides are very well planned, highlighting the presence of post mortem actions. The findings of this work suggest that the Action System model is a useful theoretical framework for the identification of variations in criminal behavior and understanding of the psychological processes underlying the homicides. These results have practical implications in the academic setting, since they offer a global perspective as to how simple homicides in Spain may be differentiated, also within the framework of criminal profiling, specifically, suspect prioritization.

The conservation status of several pelagic shark species is considered vulnerable with declining populations, yet data on shark fishing mortality remain limited for large ocean regions. Pelagic sharks are increasingly retained by mixed-species fisheries, or are discarded and not reported by selective fisheries for tunas (Thunnus spp.) or swordfish (Xiphias gladius). We estimated the fishing mortality of sharks (landings plus discard mortalities) in a South African-flagged pelagic longline fishery with diverse targeting and discard behaviour. A hierarchical cluster analysis was used to stratify the fleet according to the relative proportions of tunas, swordfish, blue sharks (Prionace glauca) and shortfin mako sharks (Isurus oxyrinchus) landed by individual vessels between 2013 and 2015. A spatial analysis of logbook data indicated that subfleets operated in distinct fishing areas, with overlap. Approximately 5% of all commercial longlines set during 2015 were sampled by a fisheries-independent observer, and the species, discard ratios and physical condition at discard of 6 019 captured sharks were recorded. Blue sharks and shortfin makos dominated observed shark catches, which were comprised of nine species and two species groups. Some 47% of observed sharks were retained and 20% were discarded in good physical condition. Only 4% of shortfin makos were discarded, compared to 68% of blue sharks. Blue shark discard mortality rates were twice as high as published at-vessel mortality rates, suggesting that onboard handling, among other factors, contributed to discard mortalities. Extrapolation to total fishing effort indicated a near 10-fold increase in blue shark and shortfin mako fishing mortality compared to an earlier study (1998-2005). Escalating shortfin mako fishing mortality was attributed to increased targeting to supply higher market demand. Discarding of blue sharks by selective fishing for tunas and swordfish had a greater impact on their fishing mortality than retention by shark-directed fleets. Higher levels of observer sampling are required to increase confidence in discard ratio estimates.

La literatura actual y los instrumentos de valoración del riesgo existentes consideran las conductas suicidas previas del autor de feminicidio como un factor de riesgo importante. El presente estudio tiene como objetivo identificar si los indicadores de suicidio previos en el agresor pueden ser factores de riesgo de feminicidio y de reincidencia en maltratadores en España. Para ello, se comparó una muestra de 150 casos de feminicidio del estudio de Revisión Pormenorizada de Homicidio de Violencia de Género y 450 casos control de maltratadores extraídos aleatoriamente del sistema VioGén. Los resultados indican que la presencia de dichos indicadores era más probable en feminicidas que en maltratadores, incluso si ambos tenían una historia de violencia previa; más probable en maltratadores reincidentes que en no reincidentes; y más probable en feminicidas con antecedentes de violencia previa que en aquellos que no tenían. Comparando maltratadores reincidentes y no reincidentes por un lado, y feminicidas con y sin violencia previa por otro, no se observaron diferencias en intentos o ideas de suicidio. Cuando se compararon feminicidas con violencia previa y maltratadores reincidentes, no se observaron diferencias en las amenazas de suicidio. Estos resultados pueden ayudar a las Fuerzas y Cuerpos de Seguridad a prevenir el desenlace mortal y la reincidencia del autor, y por otro lado permiten el ajuste de los programas de intervención con agresores y víctimas de violencia de género.

Biological drugs have prompted a revolution in the treatment of patients with psoriasis because of their favourable efficacy/risk profile. The aims of our study are to determine whether there is any difference in the pattern of use of biological treatments for older (65+ years) and younger patients diagnosed with plaque psoriasis by the Dermatology Service of the Hospital Universitario de Asturias (HUCA), to understand the survival of these drugs, and to identify the factors that predict the discontinuation of treatments. We report a retrospective observational hospital-based study of 300 patients registered at HUCA’s Dermatology Service who were receiving one of the following biological treatments for psoriasis on 30 November 2020: adalimumab, ustekinumab, secukinumab, or ixekizumab. The age groups were compared using Student’s t-test for quantitative variables and the chi-squared test for qualitative variables. We used the Kaplan–Meier estimator to estimate the survival function and the log-rank test to measure differences. No statistically significant differences in the frequency of use were noted between the younger and older groups, for any of the drugs studied. Survival on a drug regime, globally and individually, was similar in the two age groups. Factors predicting lower overall survival were being female, obesity, and having undergone previous biological treatment. The first three factors were influential in the under-65-year-old group, while arthritis was a significant factor for the older group.

Grape canes, the main byproducts of the viticulture industry, contain high-value bioactive phenolic compounds, whose application is limited by their instability and poorly solubility in water. Encapsulation in cyclodextrins allows these drawbacks to be overcome. In this work, a grape cane pilot-plant extract (GCPPE) was encapsulated in hydroxypropyl beta-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) by a spray-drying technique and the formation of an inclusion complex was confirmed by microscopy and infrared spectroscopy. The phenolic profile of the complex was analyzed by LC-ESI-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS and the encapsulation efficiency of the phenolic compounds was determined. A total of 42 compounds were identified, including stilbenes, flavonoids, and phenolic acids, and a complex of (epi)catechin with β-CD was detected, confirming the interaction between polyphenols and cyclodextrin. The encapsulation efficiency for the total extract was 80.5 ± 1.1%, with restrytisol showing the highest value (97.0 ± 0.6%) and (E)-resveratrol (32.7 ± 2.8%) the lowest value. The antioxidant capacity of the inclusion complex, determined by ORAC-FL, was 5300 ± 472 µmol TE/g DW, which was similar to the value obtained for the unencapsulated extract. This formulation might be used to improve the stability, solubility, and bioavailability of phenolic compounds of the GCPPE for water-soluble food and pharmaceutical applications.

Hoy en día es conocido por todos, la relación existente entre los alimentos consumidos por las personas y su estado de salud. Existen muchas enfermedades cuya aparición ha sido vinculada con la mala alimentación; debido a esto, hay una tendencia muy marcada a consumir productos saludables. Esta nueva tendencia presiona a diversos sectores de la industria de alimentos (cárnicos, lácteos, bebidas, etc.) para elaborar productos que no solamente sean buenos para la salud, sino que también puedan ofrecer un beneficio adicional a ésta. Este es el caso de los alimentos funcionales. En este trabajo se presenta la elaboración y evaluación de mermeladas adicionadas con un 20 y 30% de cáscara de mango (Mangifera indica, L.)(CM) comparándola con mermelada que no tenía adición de CM, se les realizó una evaluación sensorial. A la de mayor nivel de agrado, se le determinó la composición proximal y las fracciones de fibra dietética. La CM tuvo 14.4 % de fibra dietética total (FDT), 8.5 % de fibra dietética insoluble (FDI) y 5.9 % de fibra dietética soluble (FDS). La adicionada con un 30% de CM tuvo el mayor nivel de agrado (5.7) que la del 20% (5.6). El contenido de FDT en la mermelada con CM al 30 % (7.8 %) resultó mayor en comparación con la mermelada que no se le adicionó CM (5.5 %).

The assumption of a proportional relationship between catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) and the abundance of sharks caught by pelagic longliners is tenuous when based on fisher logbooks that report only retained specimens. Nevertheless, commercial logbooks and landings statistics are often the only data available for stock status assessments. Logbook data collected from local and foreign pelagic longline vessels operating in four areas off southern Africa between 2000 and 2015 were used to construct standardized CPUE indices for blue sharks Prionace glauca and shortfin makos Isurus oxyrinchus. Generalized linear mixed models were used to explore the effects of year, month, vessel, fleet and presence of an observer on blue shark and shortfin mako variability. Landing statistics and auxiliary information on the history of the fishery, regulation changes, and market factors were superimposed on the CPUE indices, to test hypotheses that they would influence CPUE trends. Indices in the West and Southwest (Atlantic) areas were elevated for both species, compared to the South and East (Indian Ocean). The scale of year-on-year CPUE increments, up to an order of magnitude for blue sharks, reflected occasional targeting and retention, interspersed with periods where blue sharks were not caught, or discarded and not reported. Increments were smaller for higher value shortfin makos, suggesting that indices were less affected by unreported discarding. CPUE indices and landings of both shark species have increased in recent years, suggesting increased importance as target species. Analysis of logbook data resulted in unreliable indicators of shark abundance, but when trends were interpreted in conjunction with landings data, disaggregated by area and month, and with hindsight of market demand and regulation changes, anomalies could be explained.