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This paper evaluates the nonlinear dynamics of a melanoma cancer model through the iterative technique of finding compact invariant sets (LMCIS). The objective is to discover equilibrium points, ascertain their stability qualities, and determine the presence of compact invariant sets within the model. For instance, this approach is assessed in a model demonstrating the interplay between four cellular populations and administrating interleukin-12 (IL-12) immunotherapy. Nevertheless, the mechanism by which this anti-cancer therapy operates has yet to be completely defined. The approach is evaluated using severe treatment situations to provide evidence for the presence of equilibrium points inside the iteratively confined zone and to assess its effectiveness. The outcomes derived from using this approach were then compared with a conventional iteration of Newton’s method. Newton’s approach extends to the resolution of the system of equations inside the model, facilitating the identification of the equilibrium points with a small tolerance error. While the iterations of the localization algorithm were set close to the results obtained by this method. Finally, the simulation outcomes are shown via the utilization of MATLAB R2020b. The findings demonstrate the temporal progression of the model under the effect of immunotherapy and without it.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a dangerous disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Its transmission occurs through aerosols, making healthcare workers particularly vulnerable to it. At the San Cecilio Clinical University Hospital in Granada (HUCSC), preventive measures such as the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and IGRA (interferon-gamma release assay) tests were implemented to detect latent tuberculosis infection. At HUCSC, between 2022 and 2024, 4.75% (92/1936) of workers were found to have positive IGRA test results, with no significant differences observed between professional categories. However, variability in positive IGRA rates was noted across different medical departments, with pulmonology and sample handling being the most affected. Additionally, a relationship was found between age and the likelihood of obtaining a positive IGRA test result. These findings underscore the importance of targeted preventive measures and a multifaceted approach to controlling and preventing tuberculosis in workplace environments.

Introduction: Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a significant public health concern that causes death, disability, and economic burden. Its repercussions affect physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral aspects of long-term care needs. Despite improvements in communication among multidisciplinary teams, the management of TBI remains fragmented. Objective: This study aimed to assess patients and caregivers’ experiences through sentiment analysis. Materials and methods: A qualitative cross-sectional study utilized structured topic modeling (STM) to analyze in-depth interview data. The study involved 29 patients with TBI and 27 caregivers in Madrid (Spain), using a survey design. The interviews were conducted, transcribed, and coded independently over 5 months. Sentiments such as anticipation, fear, and emotional concerns were analyzed using three dictionaries. The STM analysis identified four key concepts: desire for independence, potential improvement, need for injury information, and psychological consequences. STM diagnostic graphs were used to determine the number of topics relevant to the evaluation of patient and caregiver concerns. Furthermore, an analysis was conducted across four topics. Results: The average age of the patients was 44.2 ± 14.9 years (69 % males). Regarding TBI severity, 59 % of patients had severe TBI, whereas the remaining 41 % had experienced moderate TBI. Among the caregivers, the majority were parents (30 %), partners (24 %), or siblings (24 % each). Among the 51 participants, sentiments were analyzed using three dictionaries. While there were no significant age differences (Z = 0.24, p = 0.815), the STM model was adjusted for significant sex differences (p = 0.017) between patients and relatives. Anticipation and fear prevailed in both groups, highlighting the shared emotional patterns. Discussion: The analysis of diagnostic graphs indicated the optimal number of topics for evaluation, emphasizing key concerns across different phases of TBI. Patients' main worries shifted from physical symptoms to limitations in daily life and independence. Caregivers highlighted the importance of staff interactions, misinformation challenges, and the need for psychological care. Conclusion: Key patient concerns, including dependency on daily activities, limitations in autonomy, and caregiver burden, emphasize crucial areas for enhancement in multidisciplinary treatment. Moreover, the lack of long-term psychological support is a significant barrier to optimal patient and caregiver well-being.

Background & Aims: Patients with acutely decompensated (AD) cirrhosis are immunocompromised and particularly susceptible to infections. This study investigated the immunomodulatory actions of albumin by which this protein may lower the incidence of infections. Methods: Blood immunophenotyping was performed in 11 patients with AD cirrhosis and 10 healthy volunteers (HV). Bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and flow cytometry were performed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 20 patients with AD cirrhosis and 34 HV exposed to albumin. Albumin’s effects on degranulation, phagocytosis, chemotaxis, and swarming of neutrophils from six patients with AD cirrhosis and nine HV were assessed by measuring myeloperoxidase enzymatic activity, the engulfment of fluorescent-labeled Escherichia coli and zymosan, and interactions of neutrophils with Candida albicans at single-cell resolution in microfluidic chambers, respectively. Whole blood RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analyses were performed in 49 patients admitted for severe AD cirrhosis, of whom 30 received albumin during hospitalization. Results: Compared with HV, patients with AD cirrhosis showed severe lymphopenia and defective neutrophil antimicrobial function. Bulk and scRNA-seq analyses revealed significantly (false discovery rate [FDR]

Pancreatic cancer is a type of gastrointestinal tumor with a growing incidence and mortality worldwide. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) constitutes 90% of cases, and late-stage diagnosis is common, leading to a 5-year survival rate of less than 10% in high-income countries. The use of biomarkers has different proven translational applications, facilitating early diagnosis, accurate prognosis and identification of potential therapeutic targets. Several studies have shown a correlation between the tissue expression levels of various molecules, measured through immunohistochemistry (IHC), and survival rates in PDAC. Following the hallmarks of cancer, epigenetic and metabolic reprogramming, together with immune evasion and tumor-promoted inflammation, plays a critical role in cancer initiation and development. In this study, we aim to explore via IHC and Kaplan–Meier analyses the prognostic value of various epigenetic-related markers (histones 3 and 4 (H3/H4), histone acetyl transferase 1 (HAT-1), Anti-Silencing Function 1 protein (ASF1), Nuclear Autoantigenic Sperm Protein (NASP), Retinol Binding Protein 7 (RBBP7), importin 4 (IPO4) and IPO5), metabolic regulators (Phosphoglycerate mutase (PGAM)) and inflammatory mediators (allograft inflammatory factor 1 (AIF-1), interleukin 10 (IL-10), IL-12A and IL-18) in patients with PDAC. Also, through a correlation analysis, we have explored the possible interconnections in the expression levels of these molecules. Our results show that higher expression levels of these molecules are directly associated with poorer survival rates in PDAC patients, except in the case of IL-10, which shows an inverse association with mortality. HAT1 was the molecule more clearly associated with mortality, with a hazard risk of 21.74. The correlogram demonstrates an important correlation between almost all molecules studied (except in the case of IL-18), highlighting potential interactions between these molecules. Overall, our study demonstrates the relevance of including different markers from IHC techniques in order to identify unexplored molecules to develop more accurate prognosis methods and possible targeted therapies. Additionally, our correlation analysis reveals potential interactions among these markers, offering insights into PDAC’s pathogenesis and paving the way for targeted therapies tailored to individual patient profiles. Future studies should be conducted to confirm the prognostic value of these components in PDAC in a broader sample size, as well as to evaluate the possible biological networks connecting them.

The quality of standard single-cell experiments often depends on the immediate processing of cells or tissues post-harvest to preserve fragile and vulnerable cell populations, unless the samples are adequately fixed and stored. Despite the recent rise in popularity of probe-based and aldehyde-fixed RNA assays, these methods face limitations in species and target availability and are not suitable for immunoprofiling or assessing chromatin accessibility. Recently, a reversible fixation strategy known as FixNCut has been successfully deployed to separate sampling from downstream applications in a reproducible and robust manner, avoiding stress or necrosis-related artifacts. In this article, we present an optimized and robust practical guide to the FixNCut protocol to aid the end-to-end adaptation of this versatile method. This protocol not only decouples tissue or cell harvesting from single-cell assays but also enables a flexible and decentralized workflow that unlocks the potential for single-cell analysis as well as unconventional study designs that were previously considered unfeasible.

La sociedad se encuentra en una transición sociocultural provocando la aceleración del desarrollo de habilidades tecnológicas. La pandemia por covid-19 y post pandemia generó nuevos escenarios educativos en el mundo. Desarrollar Habilidades tecnológicas es lo que permite al estudiante desenvolverse de manera eficaz en los nuevos contextos de aprendizaje. Esta investigación tuvo como objetivo analizar las habilidades tecnológicas para el aprendizaje (HTPA) que posee el estudiante de 6.º año de primaria y 2.º año de secundaria para establecer relaciones entre la percepción sobre htpa, el tipo de establecimiento, el nivel educativo y el desarrollo de actividades prácticas mediante dichas habilidades. El enfoque es cuantitativo, no experimental, descriptivo-correlacional. Los instrumentos fueron aplicados a una muestra de 665 estudiantes. Se aplicó un cuestionario que evaluó la percepción que tiene el estudiante respecto de sus htpa, y una actividad práctica para demostrar habilidades tecnológicas en un Entorno Virtual de Aprendizaje (EVA). Ambos instrumentos fueron creados con las siguientes dimensiones: Información, Comunicación y Colaboración, Convivencia Digital y Tecnológica. Los principales resultados indican que los estudiantes tienen diferentes percepciones y que algunas no son coherentes con las acciones prácticas realizadas

Abstract The use of single-cell technologies for clinical applications requires disconnecting sampling from downstream processing steps. Early sample preservation can further increase robustness and reproducibility by avoiding artifacts introduced during specimen handling. We present FixNCut, a methodology for the reversible fixation of tissue followed by dissociation that overcomes current limitations. We applied FixNCut to human and mouse tissues to demonstrate the preservation of RNA integrity, sequencing library complexity, and cellular composition, while diminishing stress-related artifacts. Besides single-cell RNA sequencing, FixNCut is compatible with multiple single-cell and spatial technologies, making it a versatile tool for robust and flexible study designs.

Abstract Premise Competition from naturalized species and habitat loss are common threats to native biodiversity and may act synergistically to increase competition for decreasing habitat availability. We use Hawaiian dryland ferns as a model for the interactions between land‐use change and competition from naturalized species in determining habitat availability. Methods We used fine‐resolution climatic variables and carefully curated occurrence data from herbaria and community science repositories to estimate the distributions of Hawaiian dryland ferns. We quantified the degree to which naturalized ferns tend to occupy areas suitable for native species and mapped the remaining available habitat given land‐use change. Results Of all native species, Doryopteris angelica had the lowest percentage of occurrences of naturalized species in its suitable area while D. decora had the highest. However, all Doryopteris spp. had a higher percentage overlap, while Pellaea ternifolia had a lower percentage overlap, than expected by chance. Doryopteris decora and D. decipiens had the lowest proportions (

INTRODUCCIÓN: La integración de tecnologías emergentes en educación es importante en la sociedad del siglo XXI. Sin embargo, existen múltiples investigaciones donde se integran tecnologías y, pese a esto, no hay cambios sustanciales en las aulas latinoamericanas. MÉTODO: El objetivo de esta revisión sistemática fue analizar investigaciones publicadas en revistas de alto impacto donde se integren tecnologías emergentes en contextos escolares con el fin de determinar la complejidad investigativa. La búsqueda se realizó en mayo de 2022 utilizando el método PRISMA para la selección de 20 artículos latinoamericanos publicados entre 2018 a 2022. Como criterio de inclusión se consideraron artículos empíricos publicados en bases de datos WOS, Scopus y ProQuest, donde se haya aplicado alguna intervención en escolares utilizando tecnologías emergentes. RESULTADOS: Los hallazgos muestran gran variedad de tecnologías utilizadas en diversas áreas académicas, donde el nivel de complejidad en los estudios es de adquisición y profundización de conocimiento y donde los estudiantes tuvieron un rol de usuarios individuales durante las investigaciones. CONCLUSIÓN: Se concluye que debe haber un cambio de enfoque en las futuras investigaciones para generar una mejor integración de tecnologías emergentes y un cambio profundo en las aulas de clases latinoamericanas.

Evidence is increasing that vitamin D and CYP11A1-derived vitamin D, tachysterol, and lumisterol metabolites play a significant antioxidant role beyond its classical functions in bone health and calcium metabolism. Several recent studies have linked these elements to reduced oxidative stress as well as improved immune, cardiovascular, and neurological functions as a result of chronic kidney disease and cancer. Additionally, supplementation with this vitamin has been shown to be one of the most cost-effective micronutrient interventions worldwide, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic approach. The underlying mechanisms and implications of this antioxidant function of vitamin D or CYP11A1-derived vitamin D, tachysterol, and lumisterol metabolites are not well understood. This comprehensive and narrative review is aimed at summarizing the current evidence regarding the molecular mechanisms implicated in this antioxidant function of vitamin D, as well as to provide a general overview and to identify key research areas for the future, offering an extensive perspective that can guide both researchers and clinicians in the management of diseases associated with oxidative stress and/or insufficient vitamin D status.

el objetivo de esta investigación fue analizar, a través de los proyectos ferroviarios concebidos entre 1890 y 1920, la constitución de la zona oriental del Urabá como un espacio fronterizo sobre el que las élites antioqueñas buscaban ejercer soberanía y anexar al territorio departamental para salir al mar. Para ello se revisaron, sistematizaron y analizaron diversas fuentes documentales: los informes del Cuerpo no. 2 de Ingenieros de la Comisión del Ferrocarril Intercontinental, leyes expedidas por el Congreso Nacional, resoluciones del Ministerio de Obras Públicas, ordenanzas de la Asamblea Nacional, decretos de la Gobernación de Antioquia y la Presidencia de la República y los informes elaborados por varias comisiones que estudiaron las posibles rutas para un ferrocarril hacia Urabá. De esta manera se mostró que entre 1890 y 1920 se promovieron tres proyectos que buscaban llevar una línea ferroviaria hacia el golfo de Urabá. El primero se articulaba con el Ferrocarril Intercontinental, cuyo fi n era unir las Américas; el segundo vino con el especulador estadounidense Henry Granger; y el último fue impulsado por quienes después serían los grandes defensores de la Carretera al Mar: Carlos Cock y Camilo C. Restrepo. Así el Urabá se convirtió en una frontera para el departamento de Antioquia que debía ser integrada y sobre la cual se debía ejercer una soberanía, inicialmente a través del camino de Occidente, después por medio de los proyectos ferroviarios que se estudiaron en este artículo y finalmente con la Carretera al Mar. El proceso de anexión a la economía regional antioqueña seconsolidaría con la llegada de la agroindustria del banano durante la segunda mitad del siglo XX.

Abstract Invasive species pose a major threat to biodiversity and inflict massive economic costs. Effective management of bio-invasions depends on reliable predictions of areas at risk of invasion, as they allow early invader detection and rapid responses. Yet, considerable uncertainty remains as to how to predict best potential invasive distribution ranges. Using a set of mainly (sub)tropical birds introduced to Europe, we show that the true extent of the geographical area at risk of invasion can accurately be determined by using ecophysiological mechanistic models that quantify species’ fundamental thermal niches. Potential invasive ranges are primarily constrained by functional traits related to body allometry and body temperature, metabolic rates, and feather insulation. Given their capacity to identify tolerable climates outside of contemporary realized species niches, mechanistic predictions are well suited for informing effective policy and management aimed at preventing the escalating impacts of invasive species.

El artículo examina los rumores que circularon entre 1781 y 1782 sobre una real cédula que les daba la libertad a los esclavos de la provincia de Antioquia en el contexto de la insurrección comunera en el Nuevo Reino de Granada. Se toma como punto de partida un expediente judicial original levantado en contra de algunos esclavos durante este periodo. Se analizan las redes de sociabilidad de los esclavos, las autoridades, los amos y los puntos de contacto entre las esferas de los esclavos y las élites. La pregunta central de la investigación es por qué y cómo estos rumores se difundieron. El análisis muestra que la circulación de los rumores de libertad se puede entender como una forma de resistencia por parte de los esclavos, quienes los usaron para desafiar la legitimidad del sistema esclavista. Estos hallazgos arrojan luz sobre un nuevo aspecto de la historia de la esclavitud en Antioquia y contribuyen a entender mejor el rol de los rumores en los movimientos políticos y sociales.

Abundance surveys are commonly used to estimate plant or animal densities and frequently require estimating detection probabilities to account for imperfect detection. The estimation of detection probabilities requires additional measurements that take time, potentially reducing the efficiency of the survey when applied to high-density populations. We conducted quadrat, removal, and distance surveys of zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) in three central Minnesota lakes and determined how much survey effort would be required to achieve a pre-specified level of precision for each abundance estimator, allowing us to directly compare survey design efficiencies across a range of conditions. We found that the required sampling effort needed to achieve our precision goal depended on both the survey design and population density. At low densities, survey designs that could cover large areas but with lower detection probabilities, such as distance surveys, were more efficient (i.e., required less sampling effort to achieve the same level of precision). However, at high densities, quadrat surveys, which tend to cover less area but with high detection rates, were more efficient. These results demonstrate that the best survey design is likely to be context-specific, requiring some prior knowledge of the underlying population density and the cost/time needed to collect additional information for estimating detection probabilities.

Breast cancer is a prevalent malignancy in the present day, particularly affecting women as one of the most common forms of cancer. A significant portion of patients initially present with localized disease, for which curative treatments are pursued. Conversely, another substantial segment is diagnosed with metastatic disease, which has a worse prognosis. Recent years have witnessed a profound transformation in the prognosis for this latter group, primarily due to the discovery of various biomarkers and the emergence of targeted therapies. These biomarkers, encompassing serological, histological, and genetic indicators, have demonstrated their value across multiple aspects of breast cancer management. They play crucial roles in initial diagnosis, aiding in the detection of relapses during follow-up, guiding the application of targeted treatments, and offering valuable insights for prognostic stratification, especially for highly aggressive tumor types. Molecular markers have now become the keystone of metastatic breast cancer diagnosis, given the diverse array of chemotherapy options and treatment modalities available. These markers signify a transformative shift in the arsenal of therapeutic options against breast cancer. Their diagnostic precision enables the categorization of tumors with elevated risks of recurrence, increased aggressiveness, and heightened mortality. Furthermore, the existence of therapies tailored to target specific molecular anomalies triggers a cascade of changes in tumor behavior. Therefore, the primary objective of this article is to offer a comprehensive review of the clinical, diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic utility of the principal biomarkers currently in use, as well as of their clinical impact on metastatic breast cancer. In doing so, our goal is to contribute to a more profound comprehension of this complex disease and, ultimately, to enhance patient outcomes through more precise and effective treatment strategies.

Este artículo propone una investigación a partir del método experimental para conocer cómo era la cultura material en torno a la caballería militar del siglo XI (1020-1080), momento en que tuvo lugar la aparición de esta institución feudal. El estudio reconstruye elementos de uso civil y militar, e implementa un proceso para conocer cómo actuaba la caballería en operaciones militares, tácticas y técnicas, aludiendo a la tecnología militar, la equitación de guerra, los condicionantes biomecánicos y las limitaciones del método histórico convencional para explicar el fenómeno caballeresco en su vertiente funcional.

The RANK–RANKL–OPG system is a complex signaling pathway that plays a critical role in bone metabolism, mammary epithelial cell development, immune function, and cancer. RANKL is a ligand that binds to RANK, a receptor expressed on osteoclasts, dendritic cells, T cells, and other cells. RANKL signaling promotes osteoclast differentiation and activation, which leads to bone resorption. OPG is a decoy receptor that binds to RANKL and inhibits its signaling. In cancer cells, RANKL expression is often increased, which can lead to increased bone resorption and the development of bone metastases. RANKL-neutralizing antibodies, such as denosumab, have been shown to be effective in the treatment of skeletal-related events, including osteoporosis or bone metastases, and cancer. This review will provide a comprehensive overview of the functions of the RANK–RANKL–OPG system in bone metabolism, mammary epithelial cells, immune function, and cancer, together with the potential therapeutic implications of the RANK–RANKL pathway for cancer management.

Background: This systematic review and meta-analysis examines how pulmonary rehabilitation impacts in patients suffering from subacute and long COVID-19 infections, gauging enhancements in of dyspnea, physical function, quality of life, psychological state (anxiety and depression), and fatigue. Methods: Three electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library) were systematically searched for full-text articles published from inception to January 2023. Randomized, quasi-experimental, and observational studies were included, with adults diagnosed with subacute or long COVID-19 who received pulmonary rehabilitation as intervention. Outcomes related to dyspnea, physical function, quality of life, fatigue, and psychological status were included. Risk of bias was assessed with Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool for Randomized Controlled Trials and Risk of bias in non-randomized studies of intervention. The review was registered before starting in PROSPERO (CRD: 42022373075). Results: Thirty-four studies were included, involving 1970 patients with subacute and long COVID-19. The meta-analysis demonstrated moderate to large effects on dyspnea, physical function, quality of life, and depressive symptoms compared to usual care intervention. No significant differences were found in fatigue compared to usual care, nor in anxiety levels after pulmonary rehabilitation intervention. Conclusions: Pulmonary rehabilitation has the potential to improve health outcomes in patients with subacute and long COVID-19. However, due to the high risk of bias of included studies, conclusions should be taken with caution.

Defects in Coenzyme Q (CoQ) metabolism have been associated with primary mitochondrial disorders, neurodegenerative diseases and metabolic conditions. The consequences of CoQ deficiency have not been fully addressed, and effective treatment remains challenging. Here, we use mice with primary CoQ deficiency (Coq9R239X), and we demonstrate that CoQ deficiency profoundly alters the Q-junction, leading to extensive changes in the mitochondrial proteome and metabolism in the kidneys and, to a lesser extent, in the brain. CoQ deficiency also induces reactive gliosis, which mediates a neuroinflammatory response, both of which lead to an encephalopathic phenotype. Importantly, treatment with either vanillic acid (VA) or β-resorcylic acid (β-RA), two analogs of the natural precursor for CoQ biosynthesis, partially restores CoQ metabolism, particularly in the kidneys, and induces profound normalization of the mitochondrial proteome and metabolism, ultimately leading to reductions in gliosis, neuroinflammation and spongiosis and, consequently, reversing the phenotype. Together, these results provide key mechanistic insights into defects in CoQ metabolism and identify potential disease biomarkers. Furthermore, our findings clearly indicate that the use of analogs of the CoQ biosynthetic precursor is a promising alternative therapy for primary CoQ deficiency and has potential for use in the treatment of more common neurodegenerative and metabolic diseases that are associated with secondary CoQ deficiency.

Background: Hypoxic–ischemic (HI) insults have important deleterious consequences in newborns, including short-term morbidity with neuromotor and cognitive disturbances. Cannabidiol (CBD) has demonstrated robust neuroprotective effects and shows anxiolytic/antidepressant effects as well. These effects are thought to be related to serotonin 5-HT1A receptor (5HT1AR) activation. We hereby aimed to study the role of 5HT1AR in the neuroprotective and behavioral effects of CBD in HI newborn piglets.Methods: 1-day-old piglets submitted to 30 min of hypoxia (FiO2 10%) and bilateral carotid occlusion were then treated daily with vehicle, CBD 1 mg/kg, or CBD with the 5HT1AR antagonist WAY 100635 1 mg/kg 72 h post-HI piglets were studied using amplitude-integrated EEG to detect seizures and a neurobehavioral test to detect neuromotor impairments. In addition, behavioral performance including social interaction, playful activity, hyperlocomotion, and motionless periods was assessed. Then, brain damage was assessed using histology (Nissl and TUNEL staining) and biochemistry (proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies.Results: HI led to brain damage as assessed by histologic and biochemistry studies, associated with neuromotor impairment and increased seizures. These effects were not observed in HI piglets treated with CBD. These beneficial effects of CBD were not reversed by the 5HT1AR antagonist, which is in contrast with previous studies demonstrating that 5HT1AR antagonists eliminated CBD neuroprotection as assessed 6 h after HI in piglets. HI led to mood disturbances, with decreased social interaction and playfulness and increased hyperlocomotion. Mood disturbances were not observed in piglets treated with CBD, but in this case, coadministration of the 5HT1AR antagonist eliminates the beneficial effects of CBD.Conclusion: CBD prevented HI-induced mood disturbances in newborn piglets by acting on 5HT1AR. However, 5HT1AR activation seems to be necessary for CBD neuroprotection only in the first hours after HI.

Method validation within food science is a not only paramount to assess method certainty and ensure the quality of the results, but a pennant in analytical chemistry. Proximate analysis is an indispensable requirement for food characterization. To improve proximate analysis, automated protein and thermogravimetric methods were validated according to international guidelines (including ISO 17025) and acceptance criteria of results based on certified reference materials and participation within international recognized proficiency schemes. Common food groups (e.g., meat, dairy, and grain products) were included and at the end of validation, we obtained three rugged and accurate methods with adequate z scores (−2 ≥ x ≤ 2) and recoveries (92–105%). During optimization, variables such as gas flows, subsample masses, and temperatures were varied and specific conditions (those that rendered the best results) were selected for each food group. For each validated method, a comparison (technical and economic) among the data obtained and the data extracted for its traditional counterpart were included: assays validated demonstrate to be more cost-effective labor-wise (ca. 9 and 16-fold) than their traditional alternatives. Specifically for combustion assay regression analysis (y = 0.9361x, y = 1.1001x, and y = 0.9739x, for meat, dairy and grain products, respectively) were performed to assess the factor, if any, which must be applied to the results to effectively match those obtained for Kjeldahl method. Finally, in the case of protein, samples can be analyzed under 5 min with no residue and a subsample mass below 400 mg. Moisture and ash analysis can be performed simultaneously using the same subsample. Data herein will also help harmonize and advance food analysis toward more efficient greener methods for proximate analysis.

Abstract Background Neospora caninum is an obligate intracellular parasite, and its ability to survive inside host immune cells may be a key mechanism for the establishment of infection in cattle. In vitro studies carried out by our group have shown that N. caninum is able to replicate in bovine macrophages (MØs), alter their microbicidal mechanisms and exploit their motility. Furthermore, host-cell control seems to be isolate virulence-dependent. Methods To investigate the molecular basis underlying the innate responses in MØs against N. caninum and the mechanisms of parasite manipulation of the host cell environment, the transcriptome profile of bovine monocyte-derived MØs infected with high-virulence (Nc-Spain7) or low-virulence (Nc-Spain1H) N. caninum isolates was studied. Results Functional enrichment revealed upregulation of genes involved in chemokine signalling, inflammation, cell survival, and inhibition of genes related with metabolism and phagolysosome formation. MØs activation was characterized by the induction of a predominantly M1 phenotype with expression of TLR2, TLR3 and TLR9 and activation of the NF-ƙB signalling pathway. Heat-killed N. caninum tachyzoites failed to activate NF-ƙB, and to inhibit lysosomal activity and apoptosis, which indicates active modulation by the parasite. The FoxO signalling pathway, Th1-Th2 differentiation, glycosaminoglycan degradation and apoptosis were pathways enriched only for low virulent Nc-Spain1H infection. In addition, Nc-Spain1H infection upregulated the IL12A and IL8 pro-inflammatory cytokines, whereas IL23 was downregulated by high virulent Nc-Spain7. Conclusions This study revealed mechanisms implicated in the recognition of N. caninum by bovine MØs and in the development of the subsequent immune response. NF-ƙB seems to be the main signalling pathway implicated in the pro-inflammatory bovine MØs response against this pathogen. Apoptosis and phagolysosome maturation are processes repressed by N. caninum infection, which may guarantee its intracellular survival. The results also indicate that Nc-Spain7 may be able to partially circumvent the pro-inflammatory response whereas Nc-Spain1H induces a protective response to infection, which may explain the more efficient transmission of the high-virulence Nc-Spain7 isolate observed in vivo.

Abstract Neospora caninum is an apicomplexan cyst-forming parasite that is considered one of the main causes of abortion. The pathogenic mechanisms associated with parasite virulence at the maternal-foetal interface that are responsible for the outcome of infection are largely unknown. Here, utilizing placentomes from cattle experimentally infected with high-virulence (Nc-Spain7) and low-virulence (Nc-Spain1H) isolates, we studied key elements of the innate and adaptive immune responses, as well as components of the extracellular matrix (ECM), at 10 and 20 days post-infection (dpi). The low-virulence isolate elicited a robust immune response characterized by upregulation of genes involved in pathogen recognition, chemokines and pro-inflammatory cytokines, crucial for its adequate control. In addition, Nc-Spain1H triggered the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines and other mechanisms implicated in the maintenance of ECM integrity to ensure foetal survival. In contrast, local immune responses were initially (10 dpi) impaired by Nc-Spain7, allowing parasite multiplication. Subsequently (20 dpi), a predominantly pro-inflammatory Th1-based response and an increase in leucocyte infiltration were observed. Moreover, Nc-Spain7-infected placentomes from animals carrying non-viable foetuses exhibited higher expression of the IL-8, TNF-α, iNOS and SERP-1 genes and lower expression of the metalloproteases and their inhibitors than Nc-Spain7-infected placentomes from animals carrying viable foetuses. In addition, profound placental damage characterized by an alteration in the ECM organization in necrotic foci, which could contribute to foetal death, was found. Two different host-parasite interaction patterns were observed at the bovine placenta as representative examples of different evolutionary strategies used by this parasite for transmission to offspring.

Service Learning (SLA) is a tool used in higher education, with the aim of enriching learning and strengthening communities, with its transformative potential as an educational and social movement being fundamental (Calvo, Sotelino and Rodríguez, 2019). PHC is an educational model based on solidarity, since it promotes civic values and an entrepreneurial culture, encouraging responsible citizen participation in meeting the needs of the community (Mendía, 2012). The objective of the study was to know the impact of the APS methodology as a means of raising awareness among students of the Physical Activity and Sport Sciences degree (CAFD). Some of the PSA experiences developed by the third year Adapted Sport students of the CAFD degree were collected and analyzed. The group interview was used as a qualitative information gathering technique with 8 participants from the different projects analyzed. It could be observed as a common element that in all the experiences there was direct contact with people with disabilities. Some of the experiences collected from the students showed that this type of projects promoted a greater involvement of the students in the subject of adapted sport. The students highlighted the APS methodology as a key to having direct experiences with people with disabilities and thus promoting awareness. It would be desirable to promote the use of the APS methodology in subjects such as Adapted Sport, in higher education, as it can be an adequate instrument to sensitize students towards people with some kind of disability, something that is increasingly necessary for future professionals in the field.

Este artículo tiene por objetivo sistematizar información empírica sobre las intervenciones de videojuegos educativos en el nivel de Educación Secundaria, mediante la descripción de los participantes, caracterización de la variable independiente, efectividad, limitaciones y proyecciones de los estudios. Para ello, se realizó una revisión sistemática de la literatura, donde se analizaron artículos publicados en las bases de datos Web of Science, Scopus y SciELO, entre los años 2016 y 2021, logrando una muestra final de 19 investigaciones. Los resultados destacan que el continente europeo y concretamente España han desarrollado el mayor número de publicaciones relacionadas con intervenciones de videojuegos en este nivel educativo. Sin embargo, se utilizaron muestras poco representativas. También, se evidenció que se utilizan principalmente estrategias pedagógicas vinculadas al área de las matemáticas para integrar la tecnología al aula, dejando de lado la promoción del área humanista en relación con esta herramienta digital. Finalmente, todas las intervenciones mostraron efectividad, no obstante, se requiere avanzar en esta línea de investigación que está en un nivel de desarrollo incipiente en la educación secundaria, considerando los beneficios que mostraron para propósitos educativos. En conclusión, las intervenciones que incluyen tecnologías en contextos escolares obtienen resultados positivos en el proceso de enseñanza–aprendizaje, ayudando a desarrollar tanto contenidos como habilidades transversales en los educandos.

Melioidosis is an underreported human disease of tropical and sub-tropical regions caused by the saprophyte Burkholderia pseudomallei. Although most global melioidosis cases are reported from tropical regions in Southeast Asia and northern Australia, there are multiple occurrences from sub-tropical regions, including the United States (U.S.). Most melioidosis cases reported from the continental U.S. are the result of acquiring the disease during travel to endemic regions or from contaminated imported materials. Only two human melioidosis cases from the continental U.S. have likely acquired B. pseudomallei directly from local environments and these cases lived only ~7 km from each other in rural Texas. In this study, we assessed the risk of acquiring melioidosis from the environment within the continental U.S. by surveying for B. pseudomallei in the environment in Texas where these two human melioidosis cases likely acquired their infections. We sampled the environment near the homes of the two cases and at additional sampling locations in surrounding counties in Texas that were selected based on ecological niche modeling. B. pseudomallei was not detected at the residences of these two cases or in the surrounding region. These negative data are important to demonstrate that B. pseudomallei is rare in the environment in the U.S. even at locations where locally acquired human cases likely have occurred, documenting the low risk of acquiring B. pseudomallei infection from the environment in the continental U.S.

Studies of biodiversity dynamics have been cast on either long (systematics) or short (ecology) time scales, leaving a gap in coverage for moderate time scales of decades to centuries. Large-scale biodiversity information resources now available offer opportunities to fill this gap for many parts of the world via detailed, quantitative comparisons of assemblage composition, particularly for regions without rich time series datasets. We explore the possibility that such changes in avifaunas across the United States and Canada before and after the first three decades of marked global change (i.e., prior to 1980 versus after 2010) can be reconstructed and characterized from existing primary biodiversity data. As an illustration of the potential of this methodology for sites even in regions not as well sampled as the United States and Canada, we also explored changes at a single site in Mexico (Chichén-Itzá). We analyzed two large-scale datasets: one summarizing bird records in the United States and Canada before 1980, and one for the same region after 2010. We used probabilistic inventory completeness analyses to identify sites that have avifaunas that have likely been inventoried more or less completely. We prepared detailed comparisons between the two time periods to analyze species showing distributional changes over the time period analyzed. We identified 139 sites on a 0.05° grid that were demonstrably well-inventoried before 1980 in the United States and Canada, of which 108 were also well-inventoried after 2010. Comparing presence/absence patterns between the two time periods for 601 bird species, we found significant spatial autocorrelation in overall avifaunal turnover (species gained and lost), but not in numbers of species lost. We noted potential northward retractions of ranges of several species with high-latitude (boreal) distributions, while other species showed dominant patterns of population loss, either rangewide (e.g., Tympanuchus cupido) or regionally (e.g., Thryomanes bewickii). We developed linear models to explore a suite of potential drivers of species loss at relatively fine-grained resolutions (

Abstract Background In patients with suspected ventilator-associated pneumonia, a rapid etiological diagnosis is crucial as incorrect or delayed treatment in the first few hours leads to a worse prognosis and a higher mortality rate. This study examines the efficacy of a rapid antibiogram on bronchial aspirates in patients with suspected ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Methods The direct gradient diffusion susceptibility testing method (GDM) on respiratory samples was compared with a standard broth microdilution method (BMD) after quantitative cultures in patients with suspicion of VAP. Samples were preselected by Gram staining (for good quality microbiological samples with a predominant single bacterial morphotype). The antibiotics tested were ceftazidime, ceftobiprole, ceftolozane-tazobactam, meropenem, doripenem, and tedizolid. Results Over a 16-month study period, 445 bronchial aspirate samples were selected from 1376 samples received at our laboratory from 672 adult patients. By direct plating on Mueller-Hinton agar, we recovered 504 (95.5%) of the 528 microorganisms identified by the standard semiquantitative method. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing by GDM was compared with the BMD method in 472 strains (216 Enterobacteriaceae, 138 P. aeruginosa and 118 S. aureus.) and 1652 individual microorganism-antimicrobial agent combinations. There was total agreement between both methods in 98% of combinations. The Kappa index between both techniques was excellent (over 80%). There was only one potential major error for P. aeruginosa susceptibility to ceftazidime. Conclusions The six GDM strips directly placed on plated bronchial aspirates obtained from patients with a suspicion of VAP provided accurate and reliable susceptibility results within 24 h.

Abstract Parameters such as pathogen dose and inoculation route are paramount in animal models when studying disease pathogenesis. Here, clinical findings, including foetal mortality, parasite transmission rates and lesion severity, and immune responses were evaluated in Asturiana pregnant heifers at day 110 of gestation challenged with a virulent (Nc-Spain7) Neospora caninum isolate. Four different doses of parasite tachyzoites were inoculated intravenously (IV1, 107 parasites, n = 6; IV2, 105, n = 6; IV3, 103, n = 6; and IV4, 102, n = 5), and the subcutaneous (SC) inoculation route was also assessed for the dose of 105 tachyzoites (SC, n = 6). In addition, a control group (n = 4 pregnant heifers) was evaluated. Foetal death was observed in all infected groups from 25 to 62 days post-infection, varying with the dose (IV1:4/6, IV2:3/6; IV4:2/5, IV3:1/6), and was three times less frequently associated with the SC route than IV inoculation (1/6 vs. 3/6). A dose-dependent effect for parasite loads in placental and foetal brain tissues was also detected. After SC challenge, a reduced number of tachyzoites were able to reach foetal brain tissues, and no lesions were observed. In calves, specific IgG responses in precolostral sera were mainly associated with high-dose groups (IV1 [100.0%] and IV2 [66.7%]), and cerebral parasite DNA detection was scarce (3/18). In dams, IFN-γ production and the dynamics of anti-N. caninum IgG antibodies varied with the dose, and the cell-mediated immune response was also found to be route-dependent. Our results confirm the influence of parasite dose and inoculation route on the outcome and dynamics of bovine neosporosis at mid-gestation.

Abstract Early Neospora caninum infection dynamics were investigated in pregnant heifers intravenously inoculated with PBS (G-Control) or 107 tachyzoites of high (G-NcSpain7)- or low (G-NcSpain1H)-virulence isolates at 110 days of gestation. Serial culling at 10 and 20 days post-infection (dpi) was performed. Fever was detected at 1 dpi in both infected groups (P

HIV remains incurable because of viral persistence in latent reservoirs that are inaccessible to antiretroviral therapy. A potential curative strategy is to reactivate viral gene expression in latently infected cells. However, no drug so far has proven to be successful in vivo in reducing the reservoir, and therefore new anti-latency compounds are needed. We explored the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in latency maintenance and their modulation as a potential anti-latency strategy. Latency models based on treating resting CD4 T cells with chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 19 (CCL19) or interleukin-7 (IL7) before HIV infection and next-generation sequencing were used to identify the miRNAs involved in HIV latency. We detected four upregulated miRNAs (miRNA-98, miRNA-4516, miRNA-4488, and miRNA-7974). Individual or combined inhibition of these miRNAs was performed by transfection into cells latently infected with HIV. Viral replication, assessed 72 h after transfection, did not increase after miRNA modulation, despite miRNA inhibition and lack of toxicity. Furthermore, the combined modulation of five miRNAs previously associated with HIV latency was not effective in these models. Our results do not support the modulation of miRNAs as a useful strategy for the reversal of HIV latency. As shown with other drugs, the potential of miRNA modulation as an HIV reactivation strategy could be dependent on the latency model used. Keywords: HIV latency, latency-reversing agent, LRA, HIV latency model, CCL19, IL-7, miRNA modulation

Abstract Background Bovine neosporosis, one of the main causes of reproductive failure in cattle worldwide, poses a challenge for the immune system of pregnant cows. Changes in the Th-1/Th-2 balance in the placenta during gestation have been associated with abortion. Cotyledon and caruncle cell layers form the maternal-foetal interface in the placenta and are able to recognize and induce immune responses against Neospora caninum among other pathogens. The objective of the present work was to elucidate the immunomodulation produced by high- (Nc-Spain7) and low-virulence (Nc-Spain1H) isolates of N. caninum in bovine trophoblast (F3) and caruncular cells (BCEC-1) at early and late points after infection. Variations in the mRNA expression levels of toll-like receptor-2 (TLR-2), Th1 and Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-10, IL-8, IL-6, IL-12p40, IL-17, IFN-γ, TGF-β1, TNF-α), and endothelial adhesion molecules (ICAM-1 and VCAM-1) were investigated by RT-qPCR, and protein variations in culture supernatants were investigated by ELISA. Results A similar pattern of modulation was found in both cell lines. The most upregulated cytokines in infected cells were pro-inflammatory TNF-α (P

The performance of validated bleeding risk scores in patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE) could be different depending on the time after index event or the site of bleeding. In this study we compared the “classic” Registro Informatizado de Enfermedad TromboEmbólica (RIETE) score and the more recently developed VTE-BLEED score for the prediction of major bleeding in patients under anticoagulant therapy in different time intervals after VTE diagnosis. Out of 82,239 patients with acute VTE, the proportion of high-risk patients according to the RIETE and VTE-BLEED scores was 7.1 and 62.3%, respectively. The performance of both scores across the different study periods (first 30 days after VTE diagnosis, days 31–90, days 91–180, and days 181–360) was similar, with areas under the receiving operating characteristics (ROC) curve (AUC) ranging between 0.69 and 0.72. However, the positive predictive values were low, ranging between 0.6 and 3.9 (better for early major bleeding than for later periods). A sensitivity analysis limited to patients with unprovoked VTE showed comparable results. Both scores showed a trend toward a better prediction of extracranial than intracranial major bleeding, the RIETE score resulting more useful for early extracranial bleeding and the VTE-BLEED for late intracranial hemorrhages. Our study reveals that the usefulness of available bleeding scores may vary depending on the characteristics of the patient population and the time frame evaluated. Dynamic scores could be more useful for this purpose.

Syntactic processing has often been considered an utmost example of unconscious automatic processing. In this line, it has been demonstrated that masked words containing syntactic anomalies are processed by our brain triggering event related potential (ERP) components similar to the ones triggered by conscious syntactic anomalies, thus supporting the automatic nature of the syntactic processing. Conversely, recent evidence also points out that regardless of the level of awareness, emotional information and other relevant extralinguistic information modulate conscious syntactic processing too. These results are also in line with suggestions that, under certain circumstances, syntactic processing could also be flexible and context-dependent. However, the study of the concomitant automatic but flexible conception of syntactic parsing is very scarce. Hence, to this aim, we examined whether and how masked emotional words (positive, negative, and neutral masked adjectives) containing morphosyntactic anomalies (half of the cases) affect linguistic comprehension of an ongoing unmasked sentence that also can contain a number agreement anomaly between the noun and the verb. ERP components were observed to emotional information (EPN), masked anomalies (LAN and a weak P600), and unmasked ones (LAN/N400 and P600). Furthermore, interactions in the processing of conscious and unconscious morphosyntactic anomalies and between unconscious emotional information and conscious anomalies were detected. The findings support, on the one hand, the automatic nature of syntax, given that syntactic components LAN and P600 were observed to unconscious anomalies. On the other hand, the flexible, permeable, and context-dependent nature of the syntactic processing is also supported, since unconscious information modulated conscious syntactic components. This double nature of syntactic processing is in line with theories of automaticity, suggesting that even unconscious/automatic, syntactic processing is flexible, adaptable, and context-dependent.

Bovine neosporosis is currently considered one of the main causes of abortion in cattle worldwide and the outcome of the infection is, in part, determined by Neospora caninum isolate virulence. However, the dam and foetal immune responses associated with this factor are largely unknown. We used a model of bovine infection at day 110 of gestation to study the early infection dynamics (10- and 20-days post-infection, dpi) after experimental challenge with high- and low-virulence isolates of N. caninum (Nc-Spain7 and Nc-Spain1H, respectively). In the present work, dam peripheral cellular immune responses were monitored twice a week from -1 to 20 dpi. At different time points, IFN-γ and IL-4 production was investigated in stimulated dam blood and the percentage of monocytes, NK cells, B cells and T cells (CD4+, CD8+ and γδ) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were determined by flow cytometry. In addition, maternal iliofemoral lymph nodes and foetal spleen and thymus were collected at 10 and 20 dpi for the study of the same cell subpopulations. Peripheral immune response dynamics were similar after the infection with both isolates, with a significant increase in the percentage of CD4+ T cells at 6 and 9 dpi in PBMC, coincident with the higher levels of IFN-γ and IL-4 release. However, the levels of IFN-γ were significantly higher and an increase in CD8+ T cells at 9, 13 and 20 dpi was observed in the dams infected with Nc-Spain7. Nc-Spain1H infection induced higher IL4 levels in stimulated blood and a higher CD4+/CD8+ ratio in PBMC. The analysis of the maternal iliofemoral lymph node showed a significant enhancement in the percentage of NK, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells for the animals infected with the highly virulent isolate and euthanized at 20 dpi. Regarding the foetal responses, the most remarkable result was an increase in the percentage of monocytes at 20 dpi in the spleen of foetuses from both infected groups, which suggests that foetuses were able to respond to N. caninum infection at mid gestation. This work provides insights into how isolate virulence affects the maternal and foetal immune responses generated against N. caninum, which may influence the course of infection.

Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii are one of the main concerns of the livestock sector as they cause important economic losses in ruminants due to the reproductive failure. It is well-known that the interaction of these parasites with the placenta determines the course of infection, leading to fetal death or parasite transmission to the offspring. However, to advance the development of effective vaccines and treatments, there are still important gaps on knowledge on the placental host-parasite interactions that need to be addressed. Ruminant animal models are still an indispensable tool for providing a global view of the pathogenesis, lesions, and immune responses, but their utilization embraces important economic and ethics restrictions. Alternative in vitro systems based on caruncular and trophoblast cells, the key cellular components of placentomes, have emerged in the last years, but their use can only offer a partial view of the processes triggered after infection as they cannot mimic the complex placental architecture and neglect the activity of resident immune cells. These drawbacks could be solved using placental explants, broadly employed in human medicine, and able to preserve its cellular architecture and function. Despite the availability of such materials is constrained by their short shelf-life, the development of adequate cryopreservation protocols could expand their use for research purposes. Herein, we review and discuss existing (and potential) in vivo, in vitro, and ex vivo ruminant placental models that have proven useful to unravel the pathogenic mechanisms and the host immune responses responsible for fetal death (or protection) caused by neosporosis and toxoplasmosis.

Numerous studies have analyzed the relationship between psychological factors and bruxism. However, the data are often obscured by the lack of precise diagnostic criteria and the variety of the psychological questionnaires used. The purpose of this study is to determine the association between awake bruxism and psychological factors (anxiety, depression, sociability, stress coping, and personality traits). With this aim, 68 participants (13 males) completed a battery of psychological questionnaires, a self-reported bruxism questionnaire, and a clinical examination. Based on their scores on the bruxism questionnaire and the clinical examination, subjects were divided into two groups. Subjects who met the criteria for “probable awake bruxism” were assigned to the case group (n = 29, five males). The control group (n = 39, nine males) was composed of subjects who showed no signs or symptoms of bruxism in the examination nor in the questionnaire. The probable awake bruxism group presented significantly higher levels of trait and state anxiety, symptoms of somatization, and neuroticism than the control group. Despite this, and when their problem coping strategies were considered, awake bruxers showed higher levels in Positive Reappraisal (p < 0.05), a strategy generally considered as adaptive. In conclusion, although awake bruxers in our study showed larger levels of anxiety, somatization, and neuroticism, they also displayed more adapted coping strategies, while according to previous data TMD patients (which generally also present high levels of anxiety, somatization and neuroticism) might tend to present less adaptive coping styles. Thus, awake bruxism may play a positive role in stress coping, which would be compatible with the hypothesis of mastication as a means of relieving psychological tension. This finding should be further confirmed by future research comparing TMD patients with definitive awake bruxers and controls and using larger and more representative samples.

We point out complications inherent in biodiversity inventory metrics when applied to large-scale datasets. The number of units of inventory effort (e.g., days of inventory effort) in which a species is detected saturates, such that crucial numbers of detections of rare species approach zero. Any rare errors can then come to dominate species richness estimates, creating upward biases in estimates of species numbers. We document the problem via simulations of sampling from virtual biotas, illustrate its potential using a large empirical dataset (bird records from Cape May, NJ, USA), and outline the circumstances under which these problems may be expected to emerge.

Objetivo. Recuperar y analizar la presencia de bacterias formadoras de biopelículas en las mangueras de la jeringa triple y de la pieza de mano que distribuyen el agua a las unidades dentales de la Fundación Universitaria San Martin. Método. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo de corte transversal con muestreo probabilístico. Se estudiaron las bacterias presentes en el agua recolectada en la jeringa triple y la pieza de mano, las cuales fueron seleccionadas al ser los instrumentos por los cuales transita el agua que entrará en contacto con el paciente. Se tomaron muestras antes y después de la consulta, de la jeringa triple con solo agua, con agua–aire y la pieza de mano. Se realizaron cultivos por filtración por membrana en medios Endo, Cetrimide y Sangre Azida. Resultados. Se encontraron 84 % de muestras positivas para cocos Gram positivos, mientras que el 8 % de las muestras presentaban aislamientos de bacilos Gram negativos, representado en E coli y P aeruginosa. La flora Gram positiva estuvo representada por Staphylococcus hominis y Staphylococcus epidermidis.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental life condition characterized by problems with social interaction, low verbal and non-verbal communication skills, and repetitive and restricted behavior. People with ASD usually have variable attention levels because they have hypersensitivity and large amounts of environmental information are a problem for them. Attention is a process that occurs at the cognitive level and allows us to orient ourselves towards relevant stimuli, ignoring those that are not, and act accordingly. This paper presents a methodology based on electroencephalographic (EEG) signals for attention measurement in a 13-year-old boy diagnosed with ASD. The EEG signals are acquired with an Epoc+ Brain–Computer Interface (BCI) via the Emotiv Pro platform while developing several learning activities and using Matlab 2019a for signal processing. For this article, we propose to use electrodes F3, F4, P7, and P8. Then, we calculate the band power spectrum density to detect the Theta Relative Power (TRP), Alpha Relative Power (ARP), Beta Relative Power (BRP), Theta–Beta Ratio (TBR), Theta–Alpha Ratio (TAR), and Theta/(Alpha+Beta), which are features related to attention detection and neurofeedback. We train and evaluate several machine learning (ML) models with these features. In this study, the multi-layer perceptron neural network model (MLP-NN) has the best performance, with an AUC of 0.9299, Cohen’s Kappa coefficient of 0.8597, Matthews correlation coefficient of 0.8602, and Hamming loss of 0.0701. These findings make it possible to develop better learning scenarios according to the person’s needs with ASD. Moreover, it makes it possible to obtain quantifiable information on their progress to reinforce the perception of the teacher or therapist.

Abstract Background Neospora caninum, one of the main causes of abortion in cattle, is very effective at crossing the placental barrier and placental damage is crucial in the pathogenesis of abortion. Bovine trophoblast and caruncular cell layers are key cellular components in the maternal-foetal interface in placentomes, playing a fundamental role in placental functionality. Methods We studied tachyzoite adhesion, invasion, proliferation and egress of high- (Nc-Spain7) and low- (Nc-Spain1H) virulence N. caninum isolates in established cultures of bovine caruncular epithelial (BCEC-1) and trophoblast (F3) cells. The parasite invasion rate (pInvR) and the cell infection rate (cInfR) were determined by immunostaining plaque assay at different time points and multiplicities of infection (MOIs), respectively. In addition, tachyzoite growth kinetics were investigated using real-time PCR (qPCR) analysis and immunostaining plaque assay at different times. Results Neospora caninum invaded and proliferated in both cell lines. The pInvR was higher in F3 compared to BCEC-1 cells for the Nc-Spain7 isolate (P

Abstract A potential strategy to cure HIV-1 infection is to use latency reversing agents (LRAs) to eliminate latent reservoirs established in resting CD4+ T (rCD4+) cells. As no drug has been shown to be completely effective, finding new drugs and combinations are of increasing importance. We studied the effect of Maraviroc (MVC), a CCR5 antagonist that activates NF-κB, on HIV-1 replication from latency. HIV-1-latency models based on CCL19 or IL7 treatment, before HIV-1 infection were used. Latently infected primary rCD4+ or central memory T cells were stimulated with MVC alone or in combination with Bryostatin-1, a PKC agonist known to reverse HIV-1 latency. MVC 5 μM and 0.31 μM were chosen for further studies although other concentrations of MVC also increased HIV-1 replication. MVC was as efficient as Bryostatin-1 in reactivating X4 and R5-tropic HIV-1. However, the combination of MVC and Bryostatin-1 was antagonistic, probably because Bryostatin-1 reduced CCR5 expression levels. Although HIV-1 reactivation had the same tendency in both latency models, statistical significance was only achieved in IL7-treated cells. These data suggest that MVC should be regarded as a new LRA with potency similar as Bryostatin-1. Further studies are required to describe the synergistic effect of MVC with other LRAs.

Esta reseña evalúa el trabajo más reciente de Ted Underwood: “Distant Horizons. Digital evidence and literary change”, publicado en 2019 por la Universidad de Chicago. El autor aborda en él diferentes cuestiones de la historia de la literatura a partir de la aplicación de métodos cuantitativos.

Intraspecific differences in biological traits between Neospora caninum isolates have been widely described and associated with variations in virulence. However, the molecular basis underlying these differences has been poorly studied. We demonstrated previously that Nc-Spain7 and Nc-Spain1H, high- and low-virulence isolates, respectively, show different invasion, proliferation and survival capabilities in bovine macrophages (boMØs), a key cell in the immune response against Neospora, and modulate the cell immune response in different ways. Here, we demonstrate that these differences are related to specific tachyzoite gene expression profiles. Specifically, the low-virulence Nc-Spain1H isolate showed enhanced expression of genes encoding for surface antigens and genes related to the bradyzoite stage. Among the primary up-regulated genes in Nc-Spain7, genes involved in parasite growth and redox homeostasis are particularly noteworthy because of their correlation with the enhanced proliferation and survival rates of Nc-Spain7 in boMØs relative to Nc-Spain1H. Genes potentially implicated in induction of proinflammatory immune responses were found to be up-regulated in the low-virulence isolate, whereas the high-virulence isolate showed enhanced expression of genes that may be involved in immune evasion. These results represent a further step in understanding the parasite effector molecules that may be associated to virulence and thus to disease traits as abortion and transmission.

Neonatal hypoxia-ischemia (HI) is a risk factor for myelination disturbances, a key factor for cerebral palsy. Cannabidiol (CBD) protects neurons and glial cells after HI insult in newborn animals. We hereby aimed to study CBD’s effects on long-lasting HI-induced myelination deficits in newborn rats. Thus, P7 Wistar rats received s.c. vehicle (HV) or cannabidiol (HC) after HI brain damage (left carotid artery electrocoagulation plus 10% O2 for 112 min). Controls were non-HI pups. At P37, neurobehavioral tests were performed and immunohistochemistry [quantifying mature oligodendrocyte (mOL) populations and myelin basic protein (MBP) density] and electron microscopy (determining axon number, size, and myelin thickness) studies were conducted in cortex (CX) and white matter (WM). Expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) were analyzed by western blot at P14. HI reduced mOL or MBP in CX but not in WM. In both CX and WM, axon density and myelin thickness were reduced. MBP impairment correlated with functional deficits. CBD administration resulted in normal function associated with normal mOL and MBP, as well as normal axon density and myelin thickness in all areas. CBD’s effects were not associated with increased BDNF or GDNF expression. In conclusion, HI injury in newborn rats resulted in long-lasting myelination disturbance, associated with functional impairment. CBD treatment preserved function and myelination, likely as a part of a general neuroprotective effect.