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Introducción: el conocimiento de los entrenamientos es fundamental para optimizar la formación de los jugadores; por ello, una de las estrategias más empleadas por los entrenadores para optimizar el proceso de entrenamiento es modificar el número de jugadores (Situación de Juego). Objetivo: el objetivo del estudio fue analizar el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje de un entrenador de baloncesto en edad escolar, así como conocer la asociación de la Situación de Juego y las variables pedagógicas, de carga externa y organizativa empleadas que influyen en el diseño de las tareas. Método: para ello, se analizaron un total de 20 sesiones de entrenamiento formadas por 100 tareas, registradas a través del Sistema integral para el análisis de las tareas de entrenamiento. Se realizó un análisis descriptivo e inferencial entre las variables planteadas en la investigación con relación a la Situación de Juego. Resultados: los resultados demostraron la relación significativa de las variables analizadas con la Situación de Juego. La forma de agrupar los jugadores durante el desarrollo de las tareas de entrenamiento condiciona los resultados del resto de las variables que definen una tarea de entrenamiento, tanto en el nivel pedagógico, organizativo, como de carga externa. Conclusión: estas evidencias revindican la importancia de conocer los factores que influyen en las tareas de entrenamiento. Además, los resultados muestran que existen diferencias en el empleo de las Situaciones de Juego en función del resto de variables empleadas.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a complex disease due to the large number of factors that influence its development, including variants in tumor suppressor genes.To estimate allelic and genotypic frequencies of c.3915GA and c.5371GA variants of the TSC2 gene in a Mexican population with CRC, as well as to analyze their association with the development of CRC.126 peripheral blood samples from patients diagnosed with sporadic CRC and 134 from healthy individuals, regarded as the control group, were included. Identification of genotypes was carried out using traditional PCR and enzymatic digestion. All individuals signed an informed consent letter.The A allele of the c.3915GA variant (OR = 0.31, 95% CI = 0.15-0.69, p = 0.004), as well as A/G haplotype of the c.3915GA and c.5371GA variants (OR = 0.28, 95% CI = 0.12-0.68, p = 0.005) showed a possible protective effect against sporadic CRC. In silico analysis indicated that both variants generate modifications in the splicing process.The presence of TSC2 gene c.3915GA variant suggests a possible protective effect against sporadic CRC in the Mexican population; however, no association was observed with the c.5371GA variant.El cáncer colorrectal (CCR) es una enfermedad compleja debido al gran número de factores que influyen en su desarrollo, incluyendo variantes en genes supresores de tumores.Estimar las frecuencias alélicas y genotípicas de las variantes c.3915GA y c.5371GA del gen TSC2 en una población mexicana con CCR, así como analizar la asociación con el desarrollo de CCR.Se incluyeron 126 muestras de sangre periférica de pacientes con diagnóstico de CCR esporádico y 134 de individuos sanos, considerados como grupo de control. La identificación de los genotipos se llevó a cabo mediante PCR tradicional y digestión enzimática. Todos los individuos firmaron una carta de consentimiento informado.El alelo A de la variante c.3915GA (RM = 0.31, IC 95 % = 0.15-0.69, p = 0.004), así como el haplotipo A/G de las variantes c.3915GA y c.5371GA (RM = 0.28, IC 95 % = 0.12-0.68, p = 0.005) mostraron un posible efecto protector contra CCR esporádico. El análisis in silico indicó que ambas variantes generan modificaciones en el proceso de corte y empalme.La presencia de la variante c.3915GA del gen TSC2 sugiere un posible efecto protector contra CCR esporádico en población mexicana; sin embargo, no se observó esta asociación con la variante c.5371GA.

Fire frequency might increase in many fire-dominated ecosystems of the world due to the combined effects of global warming, land-use change and increased human pressures. Understanding how changes in fire frequency can affect the main soil biogeochemical dynamics, as well as the microbial community, in the long term is utmost important. Here we determined the effect of changes in fire frequency and other fire history characteristics on soil C and N dynamics and the main microbial groups (using soil fatty acid profiles), in Pinus pinaster forests from central Spain. Stands were chosen to differ in the number of fires (1 to 3) occurred between 1976 and 2018, in the time elapsed since the last fire and the interval undergone between the last two consecutive fires. We found that, in general, most of the studied biogeochemical and microbial variables showed clear differences between unburned and burned stands. The time elapsed since the last fire was the most important fire history covariable and governed the main soil nutrient dynamics and microbial groups. Recovery to pre-fire values took 30–40 years. Increased wildfire frequency only modified total C and nitrification rate, but results were not consistent between stands burned twice and thrice. The time interval (years) between the last two fires was not a significant covariable. The fact that some stands burnt up to thrice in a period of 43 years supports the strong capacity of this ecosystem to recover, even under an increased fire frequency.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease where genetic factors have been related to SLE susceptibility and disease severity. CRP polymorphisms have been associated with high C-reactive protein (CRP) serum levels, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and high clinical disease activity in SLE patients; however, the evidence is still inconclusive.This study was aimed to assess the association of the - 717 A G, - 409 G A, + 1444 C T, and + 1846 C T CRP polymorphisms with genetic susceptibility, clinical disease activity, and CVD risk in Mexican-mestizo SLE patients.A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted on 369 unrelated women: 183 with SLE according to the 1997 SLE-ACR criteria and 186 healthy subjects (HS). The clinical disease activity was assessed by the Mex-SLEDAI score; CRP and lipid profile were quantified by turbidimetry and colorimetric-enzymatic assays, respectively. The CRP polymorphisms genotyping was carried out by allelic discrimination.SLE patients with - 717 AA genotype had higher CRP serum levels than SLE carriers of AG and GG genotypes (AA = 5 mg/L vs. AG = 3.2 mg/L vs. GG = 2.4 mg/L; p = 0.01), and the AA genotype was associated with high CVD risk by CRP in SLE patients (OR = 3; CI: 1.2-7.6; p 0.01).The - 717 A G CRP polymorphism is a risk factor for high CRP levels and high CVD risk in Mexican-mestizo SLE patients. Key Points • Cardiovascular disease is one of the major causes of death in SLE patients due to the higher prevalence of traditional and non-traditional cardiovascular risk factors. • C-reactive protein is a liver-derived acute-phase protein suggested as one powerful independent risk predictor factor for cardiovascular disease. • Single nucleotide polymorphisms in CRP have been suggested as genetic susceptibility factors that could modify the SLE pathophysiology outcomes. • Mexican-mestizo SLE patients carrying the -717 AG CRP AA genotype had 3-fold high cardiovascular disease risk than SLE patients with AG or GG genotypes.

Several genes determine the development of colorectal cancer (CRC), such as MLH1, which encodes a protein that participates in DNA repair. MLH1 hypermethylation has been associated with gene silencing.To analyze the methylation of five regions of MLH1 CpG island in colorectal tumors from Mexican patients.One hundred and one tumor tissue samples were obtained from Mexican patients with CRC who provided informed consent. DNA was subjected to bisulfite conversion. Methylation of all five regions of the CpG island was evaluated using methylation-specific PCR.The frequency of methylation in Mexican patients with CRC was 25%. Regions A and B methylation was the main observed pattern (60%). Female patients showed a higher frequency of methylation (71%; OR 3.085; CI: 1.85-8.03; p = 0.02), and out of total methylated samples, 80% corresponded to individuals older than 45 years (p0.05).We calculated a methylation frequency for the MLH1 gene of 25% in Mexican patients with CRC, with this being the first report for this population. Female patients and patients older than 45 years showed a higher frequency of methylation.Varios genes determinan el desarrollo de cáncer colorrectal (CCR), como MLH1, el cual codifica una proteína que participa en la reparación del ADN. La hipermetilación de MLH1 ha sido asociado con silenciamiento génico.Analizar la metilación de cinco regiones de la isla CpG de MLH1 en tumores colorrectales de pacientes mexicanos.Se obtuvieron 101 muestras de tejido tumoral de pacientes mexicanos con CCR, quienes proporcionaron su consentimiento informado. El ADN fue sometido a conversión por bisulfito. La metilación de las cinco regiones de la isla CpG fue evaluada utilizando PCR específica para metilación.La frecuencia de metilación en pacientes mexicanos con CCR fue del 25%. La metilación de las regiones A y B fue el principal patrón observado (60%). Las pacientes de sexo femenino mostraron una mayor frecuencia de metilación (71%) (odds ratio: 3.085; intervalo de confianza; 1.85-8.03; p = 0.02); y del total de muestras metiladas, el 80% fueron individuos mayores de 45 años (p0.05).Calculamos una frecuencia de metilación para el gen MLH1 del 25% en pacientes mexicanos con CCR, siendo el primer reporte para esta población. Pacientes de sexo femenino y pacientes mayores de 45 años mostraron una mayor frecuencia de metilación.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are involved in tumor invasion and progression in colorectal cancer (CRC). Variants rs11568818, rs11225395, rs2276109 and rs2252070 have been associated with this neoplasm.To evaluate MMPs 7, 8, 12, and 13 haplotypes and their association with CRC.One-hundred and four patients and 112 healthy individuals were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis (PCR-RFLP). For the association analysis, odds ratio and confidence interval values were calculated. Haplotype and linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis was performed with Arlequin software, v3.5.LD was present between rs2276109 and rs2252070. Haplotypes rs11568818(A)-rs11225395(T)-rs2276109(A)-rs2252070(A) and rs11568818(A)-rs11225395(C)-rs2276109(A)-rs2252070(G) were associated with CRC risk, and haplotypes rs11568818(G)-rs11225395(C)-rs2276109(A)-rs2252070(A) and rs11568818(A)-rs11225395(T)-rs2276109(A)-rs2252070(G), with protection.Variants rs2276109 and rs2252070 showed genetic linkage. Two haplotypes were associated with the development of CRC (ATAA and ACAG) and two were associated with protection (GCAA and ATAG). This study represents the first report on variants rs11225395 and rs2276109 frequency in a Mexican population.Las metaloproteinasas (MMP) se involucran en invasión y progresión tumoral en cáncer colorrectal (CCR). Las variantes rs11568818, rs11225395, rs2276109 y rs2252070 se han asociado con esta neoplasia.Evaluar haplotipos de las MMP 7, 8, 12, y 13 y su asociación con CCR.Se genotipificaron 104 pacientes y 112 individuos sanos mediante reacción en cadena de la polimerasa con análisis del polimorfismo de los fragmentos de restricción (PCR-RFLP). Para el análisis de asociación fueron calculados valores de odds ratio e intervalo de confianza. El análisis de haplotipos y desequilibrio de ligamiento (LD) se realizó con el software Arlequin v3.5.Se presentó LD entre rs2276109 y rs2252070. Los haplotipos rs11568818(A)-rs11225395(T)-rs2276109(A)-rs2252070(A) y rs11568818(A)-rs11225395(C)-rs2276109(A)-rs2252070(G) se asociaron con riesgo de CCR y los haplotipos rs11568818(G)-rs11225395(C)-rs2276109(A)-rs2252070(A) y rs11568818(A)-rs11225395(T)-rs2276109(A)-rs2252070(G) con protección.Las variantes rs2276109 y rs2252070 mostraron ligamiento génico. Dos haplotipos fueron asociados con el desarrollo de CCR (ATAA y ACAG) y dos fueron asociados con protección (GCAA y ATAG). Este estudio representa el primer reporte de frecuencias de las variantes rs11225395 y rs2276109 en población mexicana.

Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) was applied for the first time by K. Witzel in 2008, introducing the transoral endoscopic resection of the thyroid gland in human cadavers and living pigs. In 2016, A. Anuwong published the first case series using the vestibular approach in humans. We report the case of a 37-year-old female patient with a mass in the anterior aspect of the neck which appeared two months before consultation. The thyroid ultrasound reported multinodular goiter. The fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy reported hyperplastic follicular nodule in both lobes. The patient underwent transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy by vestibular approach. Operative time was 180 minutes and blood loss was 20 mL. Pain was minimal and hospital stay was 36 hours. We report our first experience with total thyroidectomy in a patient with benign thyroid nodules.

The H19X-encoded miR-424(322)/503 cluster regulates multiple cellular functions. Here, it is reported for the first time that it is also a critical linchpin of fat mass expansion. Deletion of this miRNA cluster in mice results in obesity, while increasing the pool of early adipocyte progenitors and hypertrophied adipocytes. Complementary loss and gain of function experiments and RNA sequencing demonstrate that miR-424(322)/503 regulates a conserved genetic program involved in the differentiation and commitment of white adipocytes. Mechanistically, it is demonstrated that miR-424(322)/503 targets gamma-Synuclein (SNCG), a factor that mediates this program rearrangement by controlling metabolic functions in fat cells, allowing adipocyte differentiation and adipose tissue enlargement. Accordingly, diminished miR-424(322) in mice and obese humans co-segregate with increased SNCG in fat and peripheral blood as mutually exclusive features of obesity, being normalized upon weight loss. The data unveil a previously unknown regulatory mechanism offat mass expansion tightly controlled by the miR-424(322)/503 through SNCG.

Understanding the effects of fire history on soil processes is key to characterise their resistance and resilience under future fire events. Wildfires produce pyrogenic carbonaceous material (PCM) that is incorporated into the soil, playing a critical role in the global carbon (C) cycle, but its interactions with soil processes are poorly understood. We evaluated if the previous occurrence of wildfires modulates the dynamic of soil C and nitrogen (N) and microbial community by soil ester linked fatty acids, after a new simulated low-medium intensity fire. Soils with a different fire history (none, one, two or three fires) were heat-shocked and amended with charcoal and/or ash derived from Pinus pinaster. Soil C and N mineralization rates were measured under controlled conditions, with burned soils showing lower values than unburned (without fire for more than sixty years). In general, no effects of fire recurrence were observed for any of the studied variables. Microbial biomass was lower in burned, with a clear dominance of Gram-positive bacteria in these soils. PCM amendments increased cumulative carbon dioxide (CO2) production only in previously burned soils, especially when ash was added. This contrasted response to PCM between burned and unburned soils in CO2 production could be related to the effect of the previous wildfire history on soil microorganisms. In burned soils some microorganisms might have been adapted to the resulting conditions after a new fire event. Burned soils showed a significant positive priming effect after PCM amendment, mainly ash, probably due to an increased pH and phosphorous availability. Our results reveal the role of different PCMs as drivers of C and N mineralization processes in burned soils when a new fire occurs. This is relevant for improving models that evaluate the net impact of fire in C cycling and to reduce uncertainties under future changing fire regimes scenarios.

Mediterranean shrublands are water-limited and fire-prone ecosystems. Post-fire seed regeneration occurs under a rainfall regime that is highly variable, with frequent drought periods. It has been shown that smoke can alter germination performance in numerous species, but little is known about its role during germination under water stress. Here, we studied the germination response to water stress and smoke of nine abundant Mediterranean shrubs. Seeds of six species with hard coats (three Cistaceae and three Fabaceae) and three with soft coats (Lamiaceae), exposed or not to smoke, were set to germinate under four levels of water availability (0; − 0.15; − 0.30; − 0.45 MPa). Seeds of hard-coat species were previously mechanically scarified. Onset of germination, final germination and viability were recorded. Water stress reduced final germination in five of the six hard-coat species and in one soft-coat species, delayed the onset of germination in all species and decreased viability in several hard-coat species. Smoke increased final germination (10%) in one soft-coat species, not affecting the rest. Additionally, smoke reduced the onset of germination in one hard- and one soft-coat species. However, there was no interaction between smoke and water stress. Hydrotime modeling of the germination responses confirmed the above findings. In conclusion, the species studied differed in germination sensitivity to water stress, with hard-coat species being more sensitive than soft-coat species. Exposing the seeds to smoke generally did not change this sensitivity.

Summary •Lignotuberous plants store carbohydrates and mineral nutrients within the lignotuber. Resprouting vigour may depend on stored reserves, as well as on the availability of soil mineral nutrients and water. •Here the role played by plant reserves and soil resources on the resprouting response of Erica australis was analysed after clipping plants in 13 different stands, varying in soil resource availability and in plant reserves. •There were significant among-site differences for resprout biomass and maximum length, but not for resprout number, 1 yr after clipping. Plant reserves at the time of clipping were not significantly correlated with resprout number, length or biomass. However, resprouting variables were significantly correlated with soil nitrogen or extractable cations, or plant water potentials. Resprout biomass and maximum length were negatively correlated with lignotuber size. •These findings indicate that the assumption that resprouting vigor in lignotuberous plants is primarily dependent on the amount of reserves stored in the lignotuber must be revised, as well as the overall role of lignotubers in resprouting.

Forest fires affect Mediterranean ecosystem, often affecting protected areas. Because these normally harbour vegetation in a better conservation state and more continuous in space, it is important to determine how they burn compared to other areas. In this study we modelled fire ignition likelihood in west-central Spain as a function of biophysical and anthropogenic variables, with a special focus on natural areas that have been recently protected by the EU Natura 2000 Network. During the 2001-2015 period more than 9000 ignitions (≥1ha) were recorded in the Spanish National Forest Fire Statistics (EGIF). We characterized each ignition point with a series of biophysical (topography, radiation and land use-land cover [LULC] types) and anthropogenic (distance to highways and roads, population density, farm density, protected areas, and forest interfaces [WUI, WAI, WGI]) variables. We built and compared statistical models of fire likelihood using the MaxEnt software for three different fire sizes: ≥ 1ha (n=9089), ≥ 10ha (n=1927) and ≥ 100ha (n=292) using a 50% random test percentage in each model. Models for the likelihood of having small and medium fires (≥ 1ha and ≥ 10ha) showed the lowest performance (AUC = 0.65, AUC = 0.73). Biophysical variables barely showed importance in explaining fire activity (except for radiation). Conversely, anthropic variables like distance to roads and settlements, population density, and farm density were important predictors. Models for fires ≥ 100ha showed the best performance (AUC = 0.84). Large fire likelihood was mainly explained by biophysical variables like radiation, elevation and some LULC types (e.g., grasslands, agrarian, shrublands, and oak forests), compared to those of anthropic origin. Protected areas showed the greatest contribution to explain the ignitions of large fires. Our models highlight the different relations of biophysical and anthropogenic variables with the likelihood of fire ignitions according to their final size.

Pines are a major component of forests and other wooded lands in the Mediterranean region. Pine woodlands have increased during recent decades due to abandonment and afforestation. Fires are widespread throughout the region. Understanding the historical (Holocene) interactions between pines and fires is important for anticipating how ongoing climate change will affect future fires. Fire activity has increased during the Holocene alongside human activities, leading to the disappearance of many pinewoods. Fire frequency was low until the mid-twentieth century, when it began to increase, particularly in the southern European Union countries, reaching maximum values towards the late 1980s. Thereafter, the burnt area decreased despite regional warming, probably due to fire suppression policies and increased firefighting capacity. Pine woodlands are the second most burned vegetation after shrublands. Climate change will reduce the suitable habitat of primarily mountain pines. Rising emissions of greenhouse gases will increase the seasonal severity of fire weather, and, likely, the area burned. The extent of increase will depend on whether fires are limited by temperature or water. Extreme weather events are projected to increase in frequency and severity, meaning that despite growing firefighting capacity the potential for very large fires is very likely to continue increasing.

Pine forests represent a significant proportion of the vegetation of the Mediterranean Basin. Their abundance is explained in part by the importance they always have had for humans and the wide range of ecosystem services they provide. Pine forests and plantations are responsible for important provisioning services such as timber and firewood, but are rich in non-wood forest products, among which resin, pine nuts and edible mushrooms are the most outstanding examples. Of similar importance are the regulating services that pine woodlands provide. Erosion control and hydrological regulation have been the main reasons behind the establishment of many pine plantations throughout the Mediterranean Basin. Other regulating services of pine forests are their role in the carbon cycle, with pine stands representing a large fraction of carbon stocks in the Mediterranean region, and their importance as habitats for multiple, sometimes endangered, species. Pine forests also provide cultural services since pines are, esthetically, an iconic element in Mediterranean landscapes. Pine forests are enjoyed for multiple recreation and scientific activities. However, these ecosystem services are at risk of deterioration by several, and sometimes synergic, threats. Pine forests are very prone to fire, and though highly resilient to it, many services associated with pine forests disappear in the short- or long term following fire. Increasing temperatures and drought affect the recruitment, growth and survival of pines, increase fire risk and favor the expansion of pests and diseases.

Spatial heterogeneity of soil properties plays a major role in regulating ecosystem structure and functioning. In general, soil resources accumulate beneath woody plant-covered patches more than in the open interspace, mak ing them function as fertility islands. Whilst wildfire is a common disturbance, little information is available on the role of particular plant species in maintaining soil fertility underneath in areas that are subjected to recurrent fires. This is an important issue given that land abandonment, together with a warmer and drier climate, is in creasing fire danger in regions such as the Mediterranean. We determined whether increasing fire frequency, producing changes from a Quercus ilex L., woodland to a shrubland, modifies the effect of woody plant canopy on soil fertility. Additionally, the effect of fire history on species-specific leaf and litter nutrient concentration was assessed. Areas affected by none, one, two or three fires were selected. Within each area, soil fertility was measured underneath Cistus ladanifer L., Retama sphaerocarpa L., Phillyrea angustifolia L. and Quercus ilex canopies and in open interspace. Unburned soils located underneath P. angustifolia and Q. ilex canopies were significantly more fertile than in open interspaces. The microsite effect on soil fertility was fire frequency dependent. As fire frequency increased, the plant canopy microsite effect decreased for soil organic matter (SOM), cation exchange capacity (CEC), total C, P, Ca, K and Mg, labile phosphate, arylsulfatase and acid phosphatase activities. Total N, ammonium, nitrate and β-glucosidase activity decreased with increasing fire frequency, but their spatial variabil ity was maintained along all fire frequency scenarios. Fire frequency decreased foliar N concentration but in creased P concentration in some species, leading to a decrease in their N:P ratio. Our findings suggest that soil fertility heterogeneity will be reduced with increasing fire frequency. This could compromise the recovery of soil and ecosystem functioning.

Introduction: promoting healthy lifestyles already from the pediatric age for prevention of diseases at a short, mid and long-term is compulsory worldwide. Objectives: to know eating patterns and dietary habits, physical activity and sedentary behaviours in urban Spanish children aged one to nine years old, no vegan, by evaluating the differences between standard milk consumers (RS) and milk formula (AMS). Methods: prospective, observational, cross-sectional study with 1,514 children. A food frequency questionnaire, a physical activity and sedentary behaviour questionnaire, and two 24-hour dietary recalls (one face-to-face and one by phone) were used. Results: the daily energy intake was significantly higher in the RS group (1,503 Kcal vs 1,404 Kcal). The contribution of protein and fat to the total caloric value of the diet is high, being for the first one significantly higher in RS (16.5 % vs 15.6 %). However, for carbohydrate is low and significantly higher in AMS (46.7 % vs 45.5 %). The contribution of the food groups to the energy intake present significant differences between the groups. Conclusions: Spanish children between 1-9 years old have an adequate, but slightly elevated energy intake than the recommendations. There is a high contribution of protein and fat, and low of carbohydrate to the total caloric value. AMS children have a higher adherence to dietary guidelines and nutritional recommendations and, therefore, a suggested higher diet quality.Introducción: es necesaria la promoción de estilos de vida saludables desde la edad pediátrica para la prevención de enfermedades a corto, medio y largo plazo. Objetivos: conocer los patrones de alimentación y hábitos dietéticos, actividad física e inactividad en niños de uno a nueve años españoles urbanos, no veganos, así como sus diferencias entre los consumidores de leche estándar (RS) y de fórmulas adaptadas, enriquecidas o suplementadas (AMS). Métodos: estudio prospectivo, observacional, transversal en 1.514 niños. Se analizan mediante cuestionario la frecuencia de consumo de alimentos, la actividad física, la inactividad y la ingesta dietética mediante dos registros de 24 horas, el primero presencial y el segundo telefónico. Resultados: entre los resultados ya obtenidos, la ingesta energética diaria fue significativamente superior en el grupo RS (1.503 Kcal vs. 1.404 Kcal). El aporte de proteínas y grasas en relación al valor calórico total de la dieta es elevado, siendo en el caso de las primeras significativamente mayor en RS (16,5 % vs. 15,6 %). Sin embargo, el de hidratos de carbono es bajo y significativamente mayor en AMS (46,7 % vs. 45,5 %). La contribución de los grupos de alimentos al aporte energético presenta diferencias significativas entre los grupos. Conclusiones: los niños españoles de uno a nueve años tienen una ingesta energética adecuada, aunque ligeramente superior a las recomendaciones. Hay una alta contribución de las proteínas y las grasas y una baja contribución de los hidratos de carbono al valor calórico total. Los niños AMS tienen una mayor adherencia a las guías alimentarias y recomendaciones nutricionales y, por tanto, potencialmente una mejor calidad de la dieta.

Heterogeneous patterns of trees and openings in forests create a patchy fuel matrix that may burn with different fire severity, which can affect post-fire regeneration. Understanding how forest structures determines fire severity and whether fire severity metrics entails variability in such structures within a given category is important to improve our ability to assess post-fire forest development. Here, we assessed how fire severity changes the vertical and horizontal structure of trees and forest stands, and what are the main post-fire tree/forest structures associated with different fire severities. The study site was a large and mixed severity fire (3,217 ha) occurred in southeast Spain (Yeste, Albacete) in the summer of 2017. Pre-fire forest structures were estimated from LiDAR data (sensor ALS 50 – II) collected in 2016, with a theoretical laser pulse density between 0.5-2 returns m2. Post-fire forest structures were estimated from LidarPod data (sensor Velodyne HDL-32e), with a laser pulse density of 312 returns m2, collected in April 2018 (8 months after fire) at 3 burned sites plus one unburned control. Fire severity was estimated from the post-fire NBR (Normalized Burn Ratio) and other similar indices derived from Sentinel 2. We found that up to 5 post-fire tree classes and up to 4 forest stand structures were separable, each characterized by different heights, gap fractions, crown properties and fire intensities. There was not a one-to-one relationship between tree/forest structures and standard fire severity levels. The main changes in height, crown and other tree properties were highly correlated with post-fire tree structures and fire severity indices. Accordingly, the trees more severely burned were those with higher losses in height and crown area. Our results indicate that satellite fire severity metrics were highly related to biomass consumption; nonetheless, standard fire severity classifications included several tree/forest structures that without Lidar data it would be impossible to differentiate.

Fire activity has decreased in the last decades in Spain, as a whole and in most regions. However, little is known about the changes in the fire season peak, timing, and length. Here we studied the temporal variation in the fire season since the 1970’s for different Spanish regions. We analyzed weekly time series of annually burned area by fitting GAMs (Generalized Additive Models) models in R. Area burned was log transformed and smoothing P-splines were fit to study weekly seasonality. GAMS allowed us to model spring, summer, and autumn fire seasons. Changes in the sign of the smoothing parameter determined the timing (onset/end dates) of each fire season, while the maximum value of the parameter established the peak of the fire season. We applied trend analysis to study inter-annual variation in fire season timing, length, and amplitude. We found temporal and spatial differences in the fire season across regions. In the northern Atlantic regions, models performed better, and captured a bimodal fire season (spring-summer). Nonetheless, the bimodal fire-season structure is no longer distinguishable in recent years, since both are increasing in duration. In the Mediterranean regions, larger peaks of burned areas occur in shorter time spans. The amplitude and duration of the summer season is decreasing, probably due to the increase in fire suppression during the summer. The summer season is starting earlier, while, in general, no trend was found for the end of the season. Furthermore, spring fire peaks in Mediterranean regions are becoming more frequent, suggesting that more attention should be paid to these out-of-season conditions.

Post-fire regeneration often occurs under water scarcity conditions in Mediterranean ecosystems. This fact is likely to be more frequent in the future, as climate change projections for the Mediterranean show increased temperature and decreased rainfall, as well as higher fire weather danger. Therefore, studying how vegetation responds to fire and drought is critical for anticipating vegetation vulnerability to global warming. Here, we present the results of a manipulative field study in a Mediterranean shrubland of Central Spain in which 4 drought treatments were imposed before and after carrying out an experimental burning of the treated plots: natural rainfall, historical rainfall regime (2 months summer drought per year), moderate drought (ca. 25% rainfall reduction from historical records, 5 months drought), and severe drought (ca. 50% rainfall reduction, 7 months drought). We monitored the plant community during the first 4 years after fire under the drought treatments followed by additional 6 years once such treatments had ceased. We found that drought significantly reduced density, cover, and size of seeder species during the first post-fire years under treatment. In contrast, resprouter species were virtually unaffected. As a whole, the changes in woody species dynamics resulted in a community ‘herbalization’, which was richer and more diverse, but probably more prone to a new fire. Moreover, we found that the drought effects on the community, and especially on the seeders, were maintained various years after all plots started receiving natural rainfall. 10 years after the fire, the legacy effect of the drought had been diluted, although some effects on plant density or cover in certain seeder species were still present. Overall, this means that what happens during the first few years after fire is extremely important for vegetation recovery, and that the effects of a long drought can persist over various years, and likely over a whole fire cycle.

Studying the soil seed bank is a time and space-consuming task, and therefore only a small fraction of the soil is sampled. It is then critical to optimize sampling effort to reliably estimate soil seed bank properties. Here, we test whether the spatial patterns of species richness in the soil seed bank differ under increasing sampling effort. For this, we used data of germination from soils in a mediterranean shrubland in Central Spain. Two data sets were used, one of the seedlings emerging after heating the soil to break dormancy, and one with the combined germinations of heated and non-heated soil subsamples. We simulated increased sampling effort with sample-based rarefaction curves, extrapolating the species richness corresponding to a 2x and 3x increase in the number of individuals (seedlings) per sample. We then analyzed the spatial pattern of the original and extrapolated species richness using linear regression and semivariograms. Species richness increased by 34% and 52% in the 2x and 3x estimations, however the spatial pattern of species richness remained largely unchanged. For the long-distance spatial pattern, the slope of the plot-scale trend (i.e., the regression coefficient) increased only slightly with increasing sampling effort, while the adjusted R-squared of the regression decreased with increasing sampling effort. For the short-distance spatial pattern we could only fit spherical model semivariograms to the data from soils exposed to a heat shock, and the intensity of the spatial pattern (spatial dependence) increased very slightly with increased sampling effort. These results suggest that even with a doubled or tripled sampling effort, as provided by the simulations, the spatial pattern of species richness would have remained unchanged. We argue that increased effort in detecting species in the seed bank needs not necessarily improve the detection of spatial pattern.

During the last decades, climate and land use changes led to an increased prevalence of megafires in Mediterranean-type climate regions (MCRs). Here, we argue that current wildfire management policies in MCRs are destined to fail. Focused on fire suppression, these policies largely ignore ongoing climate warming and landscape-scale buildup of fuels. The result is a 'firefighting trap' that contributes to ongoing fuel accumulation precluding suppression under extreme fire weather, and resulting in more severe and larger fires. We believe that a 'business as usual' approach to wildfire in MCRs will not solve the fire problem, and recommend that policy and expenditures be rebalanced between suppression and mitigation of the negative impacts of fire. This requires a paradigm shift: policy effectiveness should not be primarily measured as a function of area burned (as it usually is), but rather as a function of avoided socio-ecological damage and loss., This work was financed by national funds through FCT—Foundation for Science and Technology, within the scope of project PCIF/AGT/0136/2017 (People&Fire: reducing risk, living with risk) and PTDC/AGR-FOR/2586/2014 (RurIntFIre: Fire in the Rural-Urban Interface: characterisation, risk mapping, and fuel break design). FM was funded through contract IF/01053/2015 (FCT). JMCP was supported by the Forest Research Centre, a research unit funded by Foundation for Science and Technology I.P. (FCT), Portugal (UID/AGR/00239/2019). PF work was carried under project UID/AGR/04033/2019 supported by FCT. JMM acknowledges funding from Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (project CGL2016-78357-R)

We show how and when it is possible to detect and recover higher Massey products on the cohomology H of a differential graded algebra A with higher multiplications on quasi-isomorphic $$A_\infty $$ structures on H.

In fire-prone ecosystems, changes in rainfall after fire could differentially affect seeders and resprouters, thus leading to long-lasting impacts on the vegetation. Climate change in the Mediterranean region is projected to reduce precipitation, expand the summer drought and increase fire danger. Understanding the sensitivity to changes in rainfall during the post-fire regeneration stage is critical to anticipate the impacts of climate change on Mediterranean-type areas of the world. Here, we investigated how species differing in post-fire regeneration strategy (seeders vs resprouters) responded to rainfall changes in a Cistus-Erica shrubland of central Spain. Drought treatments were implemented using a system of automatic rainout shelters with an irrigation facility before (one season) and after (four years) burning a set of experimental plots. Treatments applied were: environmental control (natural rainfall), historical control (mimicking the long-term rainfall), moderate drought (-25% rainfall), and severe drought (-45% rainfall). Plant demography and vigour (main woody shrubs), as well as abundance (shrubs and herbs) were monitored during the first four years after fire. The first post-fire year was the key period for the recovery of seeders (Cistus ladanifer and Rosmarinus officinalis), and their recruitment, cover and size significantly decreased with drought. However, density four years after fire was larger than unburned and it was significantly correlated with emergence during the first year, indicating that population controls were more on emergence than on establishment. In contrast, resprouters (Erica arborea, Erica scoparia and Phillyrea angustifolia) were hardly affected by drought. Plant community dynamics in the burned control plots progressively converged with the unburned ones, while that in the drought-treated plots lagged behind them, maintaining a higher cover, richness and diversity of herbs. This post-fire "herbalization" due to drought might facilitate an untimely fire, before seeders would reach sexual maturity, which could have major implications for the maintenance of the community.

In seasonal climates, germination timing is mainly controlled by temperature, especially in species with physiological seed dormancy. The germination response to temperature may, however, vary among populations across the distribution range of species. Understanding how populations along climate gradients vary in their sensitivity to temperature is important for determining their vulnerability to climate variability and change. Here, we investigated the germination response of twoEricaspecies with physiological seed dormancy (E. australisandE. umbellata) to changes in temperature throughout the seasons (simulated autumn through to spring) and to the local climate in six localities across a latitudinal gradient in western Iberia. Effects were studied with and without exposing the seeds to a heat shock. The local climate of seed provenance emerged as a key factor in modifying the germination sensitivity to germination temperature and their variation through the seasons. Although each species showed idiosyncratic germination responses to temperature treatments and across the gradient, germination of both species was sensitive to warmer temperatures and to a heat shock. Both showed similar seasonal germination patterns: as we moved from south to north, populations tended to have a larger germination peak in spring, which was greater at colder temperatures. We conclude that rising temperatures associated with climate change will affect these species, particularly at their northern ranges, where many seeds will remain dormant during warmer winters. Arguably, models aiming at assessing climate change impacts in these species need to include such variability across latitude.