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Syninclusions are palaeontological resources that provide palaeoautoecological evidence of fossil species and information on the biological interactions between different organisms that were part of a past ecosystem. Although palaeautoecological interactions in amber have been documented worldwide, interactions between predators and potential prey are rare. Here, we documented the first evidence in Miocene Chiapas amber of predator-predator-prey interaction involving two spider species and one insect: the araneophagous “pirate spider” Mimetus sp., the Theridiidae spider Thymoites carboti, and gall flies (Cecydomiidae). The interaction between Mimetus sp. and T. carboti is documented as a possible case of araneophagy or opportunism. Also, the first evidence of a web built by some members of the Thymoites genus is presented. The taphonomic analysis of the amber piece indicated that they were all captured at the same time under the same resin flow.

La Inteligencia Artificial generativa (IAGen), con su capacidad para crear contenido original y simular interacciones humanas, está transformando diversos sectores, incluida la educación superior. Este artículo señala los principales usos y retos y revela las percepciones, desafíos y oportunidades en torno a su implementación en la educación superior. A partir de una encuesta realizada a docentes de las universidades pertenecientes a la Red Estatal de Docencia Universitaria (REDU) se revelan diferentes percepciones, desde el entusiasmo por el potencial de la IAGen para personalizar el aprendizaje y automatizar tareas, hasta la preocupación por sus implicaciones éticas y pedagógicas, como el plagio y la dependencia de la tecnología. Los usos de la IAGen incluyen la generación de contenido educativo, la retroalimentación automatizada y la creación de entornos de aprendizaje inmersivos. Entre los desafíos destacan las barreras institucionales, la falta de acceso a recursos actualizados y las dificultades para integrar la IAGen en la práctica docente de manera efectiva y ética. Los docentes desean recibir formación específica sobre IAGen, tanto en aspectos técnicos como pedagógicos, para aprovechar su potencial y mitigar sus riesgos. Estas conclusiones apuntan a la necesidad de abordar los desafíos identificados y promover la formación del profesorado para aprovechar al máximo el potencial de la IAGen en la educación superior. La investigación futura profundizará en la comprensión de las percepciones y necesidades del profesorado y en el desarrollo de estrategias efectivas para la implementación de la IAGen en el contexto universitario, teniendo en cuenta tanto sus beneficios como sus desafíos.

El principal objetivo de este estudio es el análisis de la movilización de sedimento durante la avenida controlada del 5 de mayo de 2022 en el curso bajo del río Ebro desde la presa de Ribarroja. Durante este evento, se realizó una campaña de ensayos incluyendo aforo de caudales y medidas de turbidez y concentración de sedimentos en suspensión. Esta información ha permitido simular numéricamente el curso bajo del río Ebro desde la presa de Flix hasta su desembocadura con el modelo Iber, modelo euleriano 2D basado en el esquema de los volúmenes finitos de primer orden. Para ello se ha empleado el módulo de transporte de sedimentos en suspensión que resuelve la ecuación de advección – difusión, que emplea el modelo de erosión y sedimentación de Van-Rijn y resuelve la conservación de masa de Exner para estudiar la evolución del lecho. Los resultados de la modelización numérica son coherentes con la campaña de ensayos y validan el modelo Iber para analizar el transporte de sólidos en suspensión en la zona de estudio.

Objective To explore the association between anxiety and frailty in community-dwelling postmenopausal women.Methods This was a cross-sectional study in which 390 postmenopausal women (aged 60–83 years) who were attending a comprehensive care program were surveyed between January 2018 and February 2020. Each participant was administered a validated Spanish version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) to assess their anxiety status. Those scoring 8 or higher on the anxiety subscale of the HADS were indicative of anxiety. The assessment of frailty utilized the Fried’s phenotype, with a diagnosis of frailty established if the participant met at least three out of the five criteria. Factors associated with frailty were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression.Results The mean age of participants was 70.08 years, with an average of 12.58 ± 3.19 years since menopause. Frailty was diagnosed in 43.85% of the total series, while anxiety was present in 41.08%, rising to 69.59% in participants with frailty. Neither body mass index, years since menopause, educational level, economic status, nor smoking habit demonstrated significant associations with frailty. Upon multivariate analysis, anxiety (OR 8.56), multimorbidity (OR 2.18), and age (OR 2.73) emerged as independently associated with frailty (p

We study how the Monte Carlo simulations of the critical dynamics of two-dimensional Ising lattices are affected by the quality (as compared to true randomness) of the pseudo-randomness used in them by computing an observable known to be sensitive to it: the dynamic critical exponent z. To this end, we first present a review of the literature and then perform the same simulations with different pseudo-randomness sources. We control the quality of the random streams by physically reseeding the generators and observe that while the mean value of the measured observable is slightly affected by the correlations within them, its variance does get a severe impact. By studying this affectation and how such pseudo-random streams perform under standard randomness tests based on statistical analysis, we conclude that the new protocol is able to detect other types of correlations and can thus be used as an additional test. On the other hand, we present the first (to the best of our knowledge) computation of the dynamic critical exponent with a perfectly random quantum random number generator (QRNG) and hypothesize that the presented strategy may point toward a route to establish quantum advantage based on the quality of results as complementary to those strategies based on the speed of the computational task.

En la primera parte de este artículo se recuerda la división de generaciones en el siglo XIX por parte de Pío Baroja y se adelantan sus discrepancias respecto a la anterior a la suya, o sea, la de 1840. La desestimación de esta por la propia, la de 1870, en cuanto a lo cultural, científico, político, etc., se verá reflejada sobre todo en sus desacuerdos con los amigos médicos de Santiago Ramón y Cajal, y especialmente, con él. Esta cuestión se desarrollará ampliamente en la segunda parte del artículo. Por lo que se refiere al apéndice final, tres de sus cuatro apartados son escritos aparecidos en la prensa durante los años 1951 y 1952 que no se habían recuperado hasta ahora.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a major public health concern in Ecuador and Peru, both settings of high burden of drug resistance TB. Molecular epidemiology tools are important to understand the transmission dynamics of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex (MTBC) and to track active transmission clusters of regional importance. This study is the first to address the transmission of TB between Peru and Ecuador through the population structure of MTBC lineages circulating in the Ecuadorian border province of ''El Oro''. Methods: A total number of 56 MTBC strains from this province for years 2012–2015 were included in the study and analyzed by 24-loci MIRU-VNTR and spoligotyping. Results: Genotyping revealed a high degree of diversity for MTBC in ''El Oro'', without active transmission clusters. MTBC L4 was predominant, with less than 2% of strains belonging to MTBC L2-Beijing. Conclusions: These results may suggest that TB dynamics in this rural and semi-urban area would not be linked to highly transmitted strains like MTBC L2-Beijing from Peru, but related to TB relapse; although further studies with larger MTBC cultures collection from recent years are needed. Nevertheless, we recommend to reinforce TB surveillance programs in remote rural settings and border regions in Ecuador.

Abstract Background Foley catheters have been subject to limited development in the last few decades. They fulfil their basic function of draining urine from the bladder but cause other associated problems. T‐Control is a new silicone Foley catheter with an integrated fluid control valve whose design aims to reduce the risks associated with bladder catheterization by a multifactorial approach. The general purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness, comfort, and experience of the patient catheterized with T‐Control® compared with patients with a conventional Foley catheter. Study Design This trial is a mixed‐method study comprising a two‐arm, pilot comparative study with random allocation to T‐Control catheter or traditional Foley catheter in patients with long‐term catheterization and a study with qualitative methodology, through discussion groups. Endpoints The comfort and acceptability of the T‐Control® device (qualitative) and the quality of life related to self‐perceived health (quantitative) will be analysed as primary endpoints. As secondary endpoints, the following will be analysed: magnitude and rate of infections (symptomatic and asymptomatic); days free of infection; indication of associated antibiotic treatments; determination of biofilm; number of catheter‐related adverse events; use of each type of catheterization's healthcare resources; and level of satisfaction and workload of health professionals. Patients and Methods Eligible patients are male and female adults aged ≥18 years, who require a change of long‐term bladder catheter. The estimated sample size is 50 patients. Patient follow‐up includes both the time of catheter insertion and its removal or change 4 weeks later, plus the time until the discussion groups take place.

En el proceso de aprendizaje, el estudiantado presenta falencias relacionadas con la correcta interpretación en los ejercicios prácticos, al tener que encontrar el perímetro de una figura plana, lo estipulan como la medición opuesta (área). La presente investigación pretende analizar la comprensión que tiene el estudiantado de Educación Básica Secundaria respecto al concepto de área y perímetro de las figuras planas a partir de los procesos de enseñanza-aprendizaje del personal docente. Para lo cual, se efectúa una indagación bibliográfica mediante la metodología de investigación PRISMA orientada por los interrogantes que configuran las categorías de análisis. Con la rejilla de datos se identificaron 392 documentos, procesados mediante las fases de filtración y separación para obtener una selección final de 50 documentos que cumplieron con el objetivo de investigación. Como resultado se obtienen cuatro categorías centrales que permiten describir la comprensión a través del: 1) uso de estrategias metodológicas y didácticas en el aprendizaje, 2) resolución de problemas, 3) fortalecimiento del conocimiento disciplinar y 4) desarrollo de competencias geométricas. Estas categorías, permiten comprender los conceptos de medida en situaciones con contexto, que se particularizan a través del conocimiento pedagógico–didáctico de las personas docentes como elemento fundamental para abordar las situaciones geométricas de forma efectiva y las relaciones que se pueden establecer entre el área y perímetro. Concluyen que el concepto de área y perímetro presenta métodos de aprendizaje únicos, por lo que se crean estrategias y herramientas que, al incorporarse a las actividades de aula, facilitan su comprensión.

Abstract Background Foley catheters have been subject to limited development in the last few decades. They fulfil their basic function of draining urine from the bladder but cause other associated problems. T‐Control is a new silicone Foley catheter with an integrated fluid control valve whose design aims to reduce the risks associated with bladder catheterisation by a multifactorial approach. The general purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and cost‐effectiveness of the T‐Control catheter versus the Foley‐type catheter in patients with Acute Urine Retention (AUR). Study design This is a pragmatic, open, multicentre, controlled clinical trial with random allocation to the T‐Control catheter or a conventional Foley‐type catheter in patients with AUR. Endpoints The magnitude of infections will be analysed as a primary endpoint. While as secondary endpoint, the following will be analysed: rate of symptomatic and asymptomatic infections; days free of infection; quality of life‐related to self‐perceived health; indication of associated antibiotic treatments; determination of biofilm; number of catheter‐related adverse events; use of each type of catheterisation's healthcare resources; level of satisfaction and workload of health professionals and acceptability of the T‐Control device as well as the patient experience. Patients and methods Eligible patients are male adults aged ≥50 years, with AUR and with an indication of bladder catheterisation for at least 2 weeks. The estimated sample size is 50 patients. Patient follow‐up includes both the time of catheter insertion and its removal or change 2 weeks later, plus 2 weeks after this time when the patient will be called for an in‐depth interview.

Se presenta la concepción formal del control geométrico paramétrico en ℒ2 / D, su interpretación en lenguaje natural, sus aplicaciones actuales y su análisis prospectivo. Con base en lo anterior, el objetivo del artículo es hacer extensivo el conocimiento del control ℒ2 / D a la comunidad académica de México y de habla hispana, comentar su principio de parsimonia (generar respuestas de control óptimo con un mínimo de acción de control) y plantear perspectivas de futuras aplicaciones como por ejemplo en la ingeniería biomédica.

Over the last few years, the importance of Mindfulness in the field of research has grown exponentially, as it has demonstrated various benefits in improving mental health, although there are still various difficulties in putting these techniques into practice among the university population. However, Virtual Reality is emerging as a tool to improve the implementation of these techniques. For this reason, a systematic review was carried out of the different studies that aim to analyze the impact of the use of Virtual Reality for the implementation of Mindfulness techniques that contribute to the improvement of mental health among the university population at national and international levels. For this review, different international reference databases were searched, such as Web of Science and Scopus, and all selected articles had to be published in the period between 2010 and 2024. The selected publications had to be primary research involving a Mindfulness intervention, carried out among university students, and whose main tool for its implementation was Virtual Reality. A total of seventy-eight studies were initially identified, from which fourteen were selected, as the rest did not meet the inclusion criteria. In sum, the results show that the use of Virtual Reality as a tool for the implementation of Mindfulness techniques is certainly effective in reducing and mitigating high levels of anxiety, depression, and stress among university students. All of the research analyzed shows a substantial improvement in the quality of life, mental health, and life satisfaction of the participants.

Introduction: We assessed the impact on metal levels of seafood, mollusk and fish consumption (SMFc) before urine and toenail sample donation among workers exposed to metals. Methods: This is a cross-sectional epidemiological study with 101 workers from the chemical and metal industry and 40 unexposed workers from the services sector. We measured urinary (As, Ba, Be, Cd, Co, Cu, Hg, Li, Mo, Pb, Se, Sr, Tl, V, W and Zn) and toenail (same plus Al, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni and U) metal levels. Results: Urinary arsenic levels were higher among workers eating seafood or mollusks (102 ppm vs. 55.4 ppm; p = 0.042) or fish (109 ppm vs. 48 ppm; p = 0.007) 8 h before sample donation. Urinary mercury was associated with consumption of blue fish (11.865 ppm) and canned sardines (19.125 ppm) (p = 0.028). With respect to toenails, fish consumption was associated with aluminum (17 ppm vs. 8.6 ppm; p = 0.012) and beryllium (5 ppb vs. 1 ppb; p = 0.017). Arsenic urinary levels were associated with numbers of hours prior to sample collection since latest SMFc (p = 0.001). Conclusion: Among workers exposed to metals, seafood, mollusk and fish consumption is an important determinant of urinary arsenic levels, as sea fish for urinary mercury, but not for other metals.

El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar la situación de los acogimientos en familia ajena con visitas entre el acogido y su familia biológica en las provincias de Málaga, Granada y Jaén; y examinar la evolución de dichas visitas y posibles variables asociadas. Los participantes fueron 212 menores, 140 madres y 155 padres biológicos, y 156 familias acogedoras. El instrumento empleado fue la Ficha de recogida de datos. Los resultados muestran: a) 98.1% de los menores había sido víctima de maltrato; b) alto porcentaje de progenitores con drogadicción; c) mayor diversidad familiar de las familias acogedoras; d) 93.8% de los acogidos tenía visitas con su familia nuclear; e) el 57.6% de los casos, las visitas no mostraron ningún cambio significativo; f) una evolución positiva de las visitas se asocia a un elevado cumplimiento del régimen de visitas, una frecuencia mensual o semanal y a un grado de supervisión medio. Los resultados señalan la necesidad de mejorar la calidad de las visitas.

Infections caused by mycobacteria, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) and non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), are a major public health issue worldwide. An accurate diagnosis of mycobacterial species is a challenge for surveillance and treatment, particularly in high-burden settings usually associated with low- and middle-income countries. In this study, we analyzed the clinical performance of two commercial PCR kits designed for the identification and differentiation of MTBC and NTM, available in a high-burden setting such as Ecuador. A total of 109 mycobacteria isolates were included in the study, 59 of which were previously characterized as M. tuberculosis and the other 59 as NTM. Both kits displayed great clinical performance for the identification of M. tuberculosis, with 100% sensitivity. On the other hand, for NTM, one of the kits displayed a good clinical performance with a sensitivity of 94.9% (CI 95%: 89–100%), while the second kit had a reduced sensitivity of 77.1% (CI 95%: 65–89%). In conclusion, one of the kits is a fast and reliable tool for the identification and discrimination of MTBC and NTM from clinical isolates.

ObjectiveTuberculosis (TB) is a major public health concern in Ecuador and Colombia, considering that both countries are high-burden TB settings. Molecular epidemiology is crucial to understand the transmission dynamics of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) and to identify active transmission clusters of regional importance.MethodsWe studied the potential transmission of TB between Colombia and Ecuador through the analysis of the population structure of MTBC lineages circulating in the Ecuadorian province of Esmeraldas at the border with Colombia. A total of 105 MTBC strains were characterized by 24-loci MIRU-VNTR and spoligotyping.ResultsMTBC lineage 4 is only present in Esmeraldas; no MTBC strains belonging to Lineage 2–sublineage Beijing were found despite its presence in other provinces of Ecuador and, in Colombia. Genotyping results revealed a high degree of diversity for MTBC in Esmeraldas: Neither active transmission clusters within this province nor including MTBC strains from Colombia or other provinces of Ecuador were found.ConclusionOur data suggest that tuberculosis dynamics in this rural and isolated area may be not related to highly transmitted strains but could be influenced by other health determinants that favor TB relapse such as poverty and poor health system access. Further studies including a larger number of MTBC strains from Esmeraldas are necessary to test this hypothesis.

Los cambios que ha producido la tecnología en la sociedad se reflejan en el ámbito educativo y requiere cambios en la formación docente, para que estos sean capaces de hacer frente a las nuevas realidades. Con el fin de establecer el nivel de competencia digital de los futuros docentes de la Universidad de Burgos, se ha diseñado un estudio de carácter descriptivo, contando con la participación de ciento veinte futuros docentes, obteniendo sus datos a través de un muestreo no probabilístico, mediante la adaptación para futuros docentes del cuestionario DigCompEdu Check-In. Los resultados indican niveles competenciales medios y una percepción bastante favorable de sus conocimientos, aunque esta no se corresponde totalmente con los resultados obtenidos. Apenas existen diferencias de nivel competencial entre los futuros maestros/as, aunque estas sí se evidencian con el resto de las titulaciones impartidas en la Universidad de Burgos. Finalmente, se ofrecen una serie de propuestas de mejora y ampliación.

María de Portugal (1313-1357) responde al modelo de reina consorte castellana y portuguesa del siglo XIV, emulando a sus predecesoras. A través de esta investigación se ha pretendido analizar la figura de la reina consorte mediante perspectivas de análisis comparadas y propias de la reginalidad, así como de las posibilidades que ofrecen ciencias auxiliares como la Sigilografía. De esta forma se ha podido perfilar la capacidad para ejercer el poder político de la reina, de forma conjunta con el rey e individualmente, y además se ha analizado su esfera privada para dilucidar cuáles eran los medios para ejercer su poder individual y cómo quedaba éste reflejado a través de multitud de cauces de representación, como los iconográficos y los cronísticos.

El trigo es el cereal de mayor importación en el Perú para la industria harinera. El uso de harinas compuestas con harinas de cultivos locales como semillas y tubérculos aportantes de nutrientes, que reemplazándolo total o parcialmente disminuirá la brecha de la importación de trigo. Se obtuvo puré de Colocasia esculenta con la que se sustituyó parcialmente a la harina de trigo, empleándose el método esponja. Las sustituciones fueron de: 10%, 15%, 20% y 30%. Posteriormente los panes obtenidos fueron evaluados mediante escala hedónica, análisis fisicoquímico y microbiológico. La evaluación sensorial hedónica condujo, a los panelistas semientrenados, a aceptar la formulación sustituida con el 30% de puré, pues presentó mejores atributos sensoriales en color, sabor, textura, apariencia y aceptación (p < 0,05). Los resultados fisicoquímicos de la formulación aceptada, revelaron mejores aportes nutricionales (307,7 kcal, Proteínas 11,37%, lípidos 2,5%, carbohidratos 59,93%, fibra 0,56 y ceniza 1,5%), microbiológicamente resultó ser apto para consumo humano según lo indicado por la RM 591-2008/MINSA-Perú (Criterio VIII. 1- pan francés comercial) y la NTP: 004 2016/INACAL, por lo que el presente estudio reveló que el uso del puré de la pituca puede emplearse como sustituto alternativo a la harina de trigo en la panificación.

Cellulose-derived materials are an emergent opportunity for reducing the environmental impact of polymers. Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) has increasing relevance in many sectors, including pharmacy, food, and reinforcement of polymers, but its application is limited by the low coupling between it and nonpolar polymers and the polar behavior of cellulose derivates. There is not a well-defined model for the isolation of MCC and the factors involved in the length and width, which are elements of high influence on the reinforcement effect of MCC. This study proposes a mechanism for the size reduction of cellulose fibrils isolated through acid hydrolysis and a post-plasma surface modification (PSM) to enhance coupling of the MCC with hydrophobic polymer matrixes. MCC was characterized by FTIR, XRD, and SEM before and after the plasma surface treatment with caprolactone, a biodegradable polymer. There were no changes in the FTIR spectra; however, in XRD the sample exhibited a decrease in intensity. These results suggest that PSM did not change the structure of MCC or chemical composition. However, an increase in the peak temperature of degradation confirmed the surface modification of MCC.

During ripening, ‘Hass’ avocado skin changes from green to purple/black. Low-temperature storage with a controlled atmosphere (CA) is the most widely used method for avocado storage; however, few studies have simulated this technology and considered the days of regular air (RA) storage prior to CA storage. Herein, the effect of delaying the storage of ‘Hass’ avocado (>30% dry matter) in a CA was examined. Long-term storage conditions (5 °C for 50 days) corresponded to (i) regular air storage (RA), (ii) CA (4 kPa O2 and 6 kPa CO2) and (iii) 10 days in RA + 40 days in a CA and (iv) 20 days in RA + 30 days in a CA. Evaluations were performed during storage and at the ready-to-eat (RTE) stage. Skin color remained unchanged during storage, but at the RTE stage, more color development was observed for fruits stored under CA conditions, as these fruits were purple/black (>50%). At the RTE stage, the anthocyanin content increased, and compared to fruit under RA, fruit under a CA contained a five-fold greater content. A 20-day delay between harvest and CA storage increased the fruit softening rate and skin color development after cold storage, reducing the effectiveness of CA as a postharvest technology for extending storage life.

This study explores the advanced mathematical modeling of electromagnetic energy harvesting in vehicle suspension systems, addressing the pressing need for sustainable transportation and improved energy efficiency. We focus on the complex challenge posed by the non-linear behavior of magnetic flux in relation to displacement, a critical aspect often overlooked in conventional approaches. Utilizing Taylor expansion and Fourier analysis, we dissect the intricate relationship between oscillation and electromagnetic damping, crucial for optimizing energy recovery. Our rigorous mathematical methodology enables the precise calculation of the average power per cycle and unit mass, providing a robust metric for evaluating the effectiveness of energy harvesting. Further, the study extends to the practical application in a combined system of passive and electromagnetic suspension, demonstrating the real-world viability of our theoretical findings. This research not only offers a comprehensive solution for enhancing vehicle efficiency through advanced suspension systems but also sets a precedent for the integration of complex mathematical techniques in solving real-world engineering challenges, contributing significantly to the future of energy-efficient automotive technologies. The cases reviewed in this article and listed as references are those commonly found in the literature.

Antecedentes: El bajareque es una técnica de construcción en la que se utiliza un tejido hecho con bambú, cañas, varas, mimbres, agregados con diversos compuestos de tierra local, material vegetal y agua (lodo). En México, existe evidencia arqueológica y actual del uso del bajareque en la construcción de viviendas rurales. En el sitio arqueológico de Los Guachimontones, se ha documentado el uso del bajareque con una antigüedad de 2,400 a 1,500 años, Sin embargo, se desconoce la especie de bambú utilizada. Preguntas y/o Hipótesis: 1) ¿Cuáles especies de bambú de México se han utilizado en la construcción de viviendas rurales con la técnica del bajareque? 2) ¿Cuál especie de bambú probablemente se utilizó en la construcción de viviendas con la técnica del bajareque en la zona arqueológica de Los Guachimontones, Jalisco? Resultados: Nuestros resultados indican el uso de cinco especies de bambú (Guadua amplexifolia, G. paniculata, G. velutina, Otatea acuminata y O. fimbriata) en la construcción del bajareque. Es probable que la especie utilizada en la construcción de viviendas y estructuras cívico-ceremoniales en la zona arqueológica de Los Guachimontones sea Otatea acuminata. Conclusiones: En este estudio, evidenciamos que en México se han utilizado cinco especies de bambú en la construcción del bajareque. De estas, tres pertenecen al género Guadua y dos al género Otatea. Es muy probable que en Los Guachimontones se haya utilizado Otatea acuminata en la construcción de sus viviendas con la técnica del bajareque.

The interpretation of massive high-throughput gene expression data requires computational and biological analyses to identify statistically and biologically significant differences, respectively. There are abundant sources that describe computational tools for statistical analysis of massive gene expression data but few address data analysis for biological significance. In the present article we exemplify the importance of selecting the proper biological context in the human brain for gene expression data analysis and interpretation. For this purpose, we use cortical type as conceptual tool to make predictions about gene expression in areas of the human temporal cortex. We predict that the expression of genes related to glutamatergic transmission would be higher in areas of simpler cortical type, the expression of genes related to GABAergic transmission would be higher in areas of more complex cortical type, and the expression of genes related to epigenetic regulation would be higher in areas of simpler cortical type. Then, we test these predictions with gene expression data from several regions of the human temporal cortex obtained from the Allen Human Brain Atlas. We find that the expression of several genes shows statistically significant differences in agreement with the predicted gradual expression along the laminar complexity gradient of the human cortex, suggesting that simpler cortical types may have greater glutamatergic excitability and epigenetic turnover compared to more complex types; on the other hand, complex cortical types seem to have greater GABAergic inhibitory control compared to simpler types. Our results show that cortical type is a good predictor of synaptic plasticity, epigenetic turnover, and selective vulnerability in human cortical areas. Thus, cortical type can provide a meaningful context for interpreting high-throughput gene expression data in the human cerebral cortex.

Abstract Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a complex and heterogeneous condition, in which taking into consideration clinical phenotypes and multimorbidity is relevant to disease management. Network analysis, a procedure designed to study complex systems, allows to represent connections between the distinct features found in COPD. Methods Network analysis was applied to a cohort of patients with COPD in order to explore the degree of connectivity between different diseases, taking into account the presence of two phenotypic traits commonly used to categorize patients in clinical practice: chronic bronchitis (CB+/CB−) and the history of previous severe exacerbations (Ex+/Ex−). The strength of association between diseases was quantified using the correlation coefficient Phi (ɸ). Results A total of 1726 patients were included, and 91 possible links between 14 diseases were established. Although the four phenotypically defined groups presented a similar underlying comorbidity pattern, with special relevance for cardiovascular diseases and/or risk factors, classifying patients according to the presence or absence of CB implied differences between groups in network density (mean ɸ: 0.098 in the CB− group and 0.050 in the CB+ group). In contrast, between‐group differences in network density were small and of questionable significance when classifying patients according to prior exacerbation history (mean ɸ: 0.082 among Ex− subjects and 0.072 in the Ex+ group). The degree of connectivity of any given disease with the rest of the network also varied depending on the selected phenotypic trait. The classification of patients according to the CB−/CB+ groups revealed significant differences between groups in the degree of conectivity between comorbidities. On the other side, grouping the patients according to the Ex−/Ex+ trait did not disclose differences in connectivity between network nodes (diseases). Conclusions The multimorbidity network of a patient with COPD differs according to the underlying clinical characteristics, suggesting that the connections linking comorbidities between them vary for different phenotypes and that the clinical heterogeneity of COPD could influence the expression of latent multimorbidity. Network analysis has the potential to delve into the interactions between COPD clinical traits and comorbidities and is a promising tool to investigate possible specific biological pathways that modulate multimorbidity patterns.

We investigate the Ising and Heisenberg models using the block renormalization group method (BRGM), focusing on its behavior across different system sizes. The BRGM reduces the number of spins by a factor of 1/2 (1/3) for the Ising (Heisenberg) model, effectively preserving essential physical features of the model while using only a fraction of the spins. Through a comparative analysis, we demonstrate that as the system size increases, there is an exponential convergence between results obtained from the original and renormalized Ising Hamiltonians, provided the coupling constants are redefined accordingly. Remarkably, for a spin chain with 24 spins, all physical features, including magnetization, correlation function, and entanglement entropy, exhibit an exact correspondence with the results from the original Hamiltonian. The study of the Heisenberg model also shows this tendency, although complete convergence may appear for a size much larger than 24 spins, and is therefore beyond our computational capabilities. The success of BRGM in accurately characterizing the Ising model, even with a relatively small number of spins, underscores its robustness and utility in studying complex physical systems, and facilitates its simulation on current NISQ computers, where the available number of qubits is largely constrained.

En esta investigación se registra y comenta la atención en los medios escritos franceses a los últimos doce años de la vida y pensamiento político de Miguel de Unamuno: confinamiento en Fuerteventura, autoexilio en Francia, Segunda República española, Guerra Civil y muerte. La generalidad de la prensa gala condenó su destierro a esa isla de Canarias por la Dictadura y defendió al pensador español Sin embargo, las opiniones sobre don Miguel se dividieron en los medios cuando comenzaron sus críticas al derrotero de la República y al Frente popular, y aún más al adherirse a la sublevación militar de julio de 1936. La prensa de izquierda no se lo perdonó ni después de su muerte, aunque, a partir del 12 de octubre de ese año, hubiera matizado su postura en el conflicto.

Stereotaxis is widely used in clinical neurosurgery, neuroradiosurgery, and neuroimaging. Yet, maps of brain structures obtained from post-mortem human brains are not usually presented in known stereotaxic coordinates. Post-mortem brain data given in stereotaxic coordinates would facilitate comparisons with in vivo human neuroimages and would also facilitate intra and inter-experiment comparisons. In this article, we present a crafted instrument for stereotaxic cutting of post-mortem human brain hemispheres. The instrument consists of a transparent methacrylate plate facing a mirror, four legs, and lateral regularly spaced columns permitting the insertion of large knives in-between the columns. This instrument can be built in any laboratory to obtain human brain slabs in the stereotaxic space of Talairach and Tournoux. We explain in detail the procedure for stereotaxic cutting of human brain hemispheres in the coronal plane, as well as the basis for calculating stereotaxic coordinates of histological sections obtained following the stereotaxic cutting protocol.

IntroductionCOVID-19 vaccines based on mRNA have represented a revolution in the biomedical research field. The initial two-dose vaccination schedule generates potent humoral and cellular responses, with a massive protective effect against severe COVID-19 and death. Months after this vaccination, levels of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 waned, and this promoted the recommendation of a third vaccination dose.MethodsWe have performed an integral and longitudinal study of the immunological responses triggered by the booster mRNA-1273 vaccination, in a cohort of health workers previously vaccinated with two doses of the BNT162b2 vaccine at University Hospital La Paz located in Madrid, Spain. Circulating humoral responses and SARS-CoV-2-specific cellular reactions, after ex vivo restimulation of both T and B cells (cytokines production, proliferation, class switching), have been analyzed. Importantly, all along these studies, the analyses have been performed comparing naïve and subjects recovered from COVID-19, addressing the influence of a previous infection by SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, as the injection of the third vaccination dose was contemporary to the rise of the Omicron BA.1 variant of concern, T- and B-cell-mediated cellular responses have been comparatively analyzed in response to this variant.ResultsAll these analyses indicated that differential responses to vaccination due to a previous SARS-CoV-2 infection were balanced following the boost. The increase in circulating humoral responses due to this booster dropped after 6 months, whereas T-cell-mediated responses were more stable along the time. Finally, all the analyzed immunological features were dampened in response to the Omicron variant of concern, particularly late after the booster vaccination.ConclusionThis work represents a follow-up longitudinal study for almost 1.5 years, analyzing in an integral manner the immunological responses triggered by the prime-boost mRNA-based vaccination schedule against COVID-19.

Incisions performed for hepato-pancreatic-biliary (HPB) surgery are diverse, and can be a challenge both to perform correctly as well as to be properly closed. The anatomy of the region overlaps muscular layers and has a rich vascular and nervous supply. These structures are fundamental for the correct functionality of the abdominal wall. When performing certain types of incisions, damage to the muscular or neurovascular component of the abdominal wall, as well as an inadequate closure technique may influence in the development of long-term complications as incisional hernias (IH) or bulging. Considering that both may impair quality of life and that are complex to repair, prevention becomes essential during these procedures. With the currently available evidence, there is no clear recommendation on which is the better incision or what is the best method of closure. Despite the lack of sufficient data, the following review aims to correlate the anatomical knowledge learned from posterior component separation with the incisions performed in hepato-pancreatic-biliary (HPB) surgery and their consequences on incisional hernia formation. Overall, there is data that suggests some key points to perform these incisions: avoid vertical components and very lateral extensions, subcostal should be incised at least 2 cm from costal margin, multilayered suturing using small bites technique and consider the use of a prophylactic mesh in high-risk patients. Nevertheless, the lack of evidence prevents from the possibility of making any strong recommendations.

Degeneration of neurons and circuits across the striatum shows stereotyped time-course and spatial topography patterns that are distinct for Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, or the Tauopathies. These patterns of neurodegeneration in humans have not yet been systematically related to developmental, connectional, cellular, and chemical factors studied in human and non-human primates, that may underlie potential differences in selective vulnerability across striatal sectors. Relating primate anatomy to human pathology could provide new venues for identifying molecular, cellular, and connectional factors linked to the degeneration of striatal neurons and circuits. This review describes and summarizes several developmental, cellular, structural, and connectional features of the primate striatum in relation to patterns of neurodegeneration in the striatum of humans and of non-human primate models. We review (1) the types of neurons in the primate striatum, (2) the cyto-, myelo-, and chemoarchitecture of the primate striatum, (3) the developmental origin of the striatum in light of modern patterning studies, (4) the organization of corticostriatal projections in relation to cortical types, and (5) the topography and time-course of neuron loss, glial reaction, and protein aggregation induced by neurodegenerative diseases in humans and in non-human primate models across striatal sectors and their corresponding cortical areas. We summarize current knowledge about key aspects of primate striatal anatomy and human pathology and indicate knowledge gaps that should be addressed in future studies. We aim to identify factors for selective vulnerability to neurodegeneration of striatal neurons and circuits and obtain hints that could help elucidate striatal pathology in humans.

Traumatic cervical pathology is an injury that emerges due to trauma or being subjected to constant impact loading, affecting the ligaments, muscles, bones, and spinal cord. In contact sports (the practice of American football, karate, boxing, and motor sports, among others), the reporting of this type of injury is very common. Therefore, it is imperative to have preventive measures so players do not suffer from such injuries, since bad practices or accidents can put their lives at risk. This research evaluated cervical and skull biomechanical responses during a frontal impact, taking into consideration injury caused by wear on the intervertebral disc. Intervertebral disc wear is a degenerative condition that affects human mobility; it is common in people who practice contact sports and it can influence the response of the cervical system to an impact load. The main objective of this work is to evaluate the effects caused by impact loading and strains generated throughout the bone structure (composed of the skull and the cervical spine). The numerical evaluation was developed using the finite element method and the construction of the biomodel from computational axial tomography. In addition, the numerical simulation allowed us to observe how the intervertebral disc’s wear affected the cervical region’s biomechanical response. In addition, a comparison could be made between a healthy system and a disc that had suffered wear. Finally, the analysis provided information valuable to understanding how an impact, force-related injury can be affected and enabled us to propose better physiotherapeutic procedures.

La crisis provocada por la infección COVID-19 ha supuesto una exposición indeseada de los profesionales sanitarios a la infección. La Comisión Central de Deontología de la Organización Médica Colegial publicó un informe en el que concluía que el profesional estaba obligado a atender a los pacientes aún en esa situación, lo que provocó un rechazo generalizado en la profesión que hizo que fuera retirado por la propia organización. Creemos que es posible encontrar cauces intermedios de acción que permitan un mejor equilibrio entre los bienes a proteger (la salud y la vida de los pacientes y de los profesionales).

Abstract The rising incidence of bone pathologies such as osteoporosis and osteoarthritis is negatively affecting the functional status of millions of patients worldwide. The genetic component of these multifactorial pathologies is far from being fully understood, but in recent years several epigenetic mechanisms involved in the pathophysiology of these bone diseases have been identified. The aim of the present study was to compare the serum expression of four miRNAs in women with hip fragility fracture (OF group), osteoarthritis requiring hip replacement (OA group) and control women (Ctrl group). Serum expression of miR-497-5p, miR-155-5p, miR-423-5p and miR-365-3p was determined in a sample of 23 OA women, 25 OF women and 52 Ctrl women. Data shown that women with bone pathologies have higher expression of miR-497 and miR-423 and lower expression of miR-155 and miR-365 than control subjects. Most importantly, miR-497 was identified as an excellent discriminator between OA group and control group (AUC: 0.89, p

High-level characterizations of the primate cerebral cortex sit between two extremes: on one end the cortical mantle is seen as a mosaic of structurally and functionally unique areas, and on the other it is seen as a uniform six-layered structure in which functional differences are defined solely by extrinsic connections. Neither of these extremes captures the crucial neuroanatomical finding: that the cortex exhibits systematic gradations in architectonic structure. These gradations have been shown to predict cortico-cortical connectivity, which in turn suggests powerful ways to ground connectomics in anatomical structure, and by extension cortical function. A challenge to widespread use of this concept is the labor-intensive and invasive nature of histological staining, which is the primary means of recognizing anatomical gradations. Here we show that a novel computational analysis technique can provide a coarse-grained picture of cortical variation. For each of 78 cortical areas spanning the entire cortical mantle of the rhesus macaque, we created a high dimensional set of anatomical features derived from captured images of cortical tissue stained for myelin and SMI-32. The method involved semi-automated de-noising of images, and enabled comparison of brain areas without hand-labeling of features such as layer boundaries. We applied multidimensional scaling (MDS) to the dataset to visualize similarity among cortical areas. This analysis shows a systematic variation between weakly laminated (limbic) cortices and sharply laminated (eulaminate) cortices. We call this smooth continuum the “cortical spectrum”. We also show that this spectrum is visible within subsystems of the cortex: the occipital, parietal, temporal, motor, prefrontal, and insular cortices. We compared the MDS-derived spectrum with a spectrum produced using T1- and T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data derived from macaque, and found close agreement of the two coarse-graining methods. This suggests that T1w/T2w data, routinely obtained in human MRI studies, can serve as an effective proxy for data derived from high-resolution histological methods. More generally, this approach shows that the cortical spectrum is robust to the specific method used to compare cortical areas, and is therefore a powerful tool to understand the principles of organization of the primate cortex.

La pandemia ocasionada por el COVID-19 forzó la adopción de procesos académicos ajustados a la presencialidad remota generando, en los actores involucrados, un conjunto de opiniones y sentimientos producto de la experiencia académica. A partir de lo anterior, este artículo tiene como objetivo analizar la experiencia de docentes universitarios durante la pandemia del COVID-19. El recorrido metodológico concurrió entre la aplicación de instrumentos de evaluación, el pre-procesamiento de los datos, la obtención de la polaridad de las opiniones y el análisis estadístico de las polaridades; convenientemente, se realizó un análisis estadístico y un análisis de sentimientos. El cuestionario de percepción, aplicado a los profesores de la Universidad de Cartagena, se construyó con 22 ítems cerrados y 2 abiertos relacionados con el desarrollo de las actividades académicas durante el confinamiento. Resalta que la percepción positiva sea el doble de la negativa; asimismo, destaca la opinión de los profesores sobre, entre otros aspectos, el cumplimiento del proyecto docente de programas; la flexibilidad académico administrativa; el apoyo de la institución; así como, el compromiso y motivación de los estudiantes; advirtiendo sobre la necesidad de fortalecer el acompañamiento a los estudiantes con problemas de conectividad y sugiriendo la vinculación de una plataforma que incluya herramientas adicionales para promover la interacción en los encuentros sincrónicos.

Este artículo propone una metodología para la gerencia de proyectos del sector aeroespacial en Colombia, como herramienta de apoyo y complemento en los procesos de inicio, planeación, ejecución, monitoreo, control y cierre de los proyectos referentes al sector. Lo anterior, en vista de que actualmente cada una de las entidades realiza proyectos con procesos y actividades propios de cada entidad, lo que genera una débil articulación entre las organizaciones, las instancias y los actores del desarrollo de proyectos espaciales, y, como consecuencia, se genera una baja competitividad por parte de estas organizaciones en Colombia. Dicha metodología contiene 36 procesos ajustados a las necesidades del sector, acompañados de procedimientos, diagramas de flujo y formatos a seguir durante la gerencia de proyectos. Para su desarrollo, se inició con la identificación, descripción y comparación de estándares internacionales, marcos de referencia y buenas prácticas en gerencia de proyectos, seguido de un análisis del sector aeroespacial en Colombia. Por último, la construcción de la metodología se hizo con los procesos ajustados de acuerdo a los antecedentes y su validación, en la cual, se obtuvieron resultados satisfactorios por parte de los expertos seleccionados para la validación del método.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) is a plant recognized for its pungent taste and aromatic qualities, primarily derived from its underground rhizome. Apart from its widespread culinary applications, ginger is valued for its potential health benefits attributed to the presence of gingerols and shogaols. For this reason, this work proposes the development of a microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) method for the extraction of gingerols and shogaols present in ginger rhizomes. The influence of the extraction temperature (50–100 °C), the solvent composition (50–100% ethanol in water), and the sample-to-solvent ratio (0.3–0.7 g sample: 20 mL) on the extraction of these bioactive compounds has been studied. To this end, a Box–Behnken experimental design (BBD) in combination with a response surface methodology (RSM) has been applied. The optimum conditions for the total extraction of gingerols and shogaols were: 87% ethanol in water, 100 °C, and 0.431 g of ginger sample in 20 mL solvent. The developed method required short extraction times (5 min) and demonstrated favorable levels of repeatability and intermediate precision (CV < 5%). Finally, the MAE method was successfully used for the extraction of gingerols and shogaols from a variety of ginger samples.

In this study, the bacterial microbiota associated with apparently healthy corals of Acropora palmata, Orbicella faveolata, and Porites porites and the surrounding seawater and sediment were evaluated via the MiSeq Illumina sequencing of the V4 region of 16S rRNA at three reef sites in the Mexican Caribbean. Bacterial assemblages associated with apparently healthy corals and sediments showed no significant differences between sites. The colonies of A. palmata showed a dominance of families Amoebophilaceae, Spirochaetaceae, Myxococcaceae, and Cyclobacteriaceae. Meanwhile, the colonies of O. faveolata and P. porites revealed a high prevalence of the Rhodobacteraceae and Kiloniellaceae families. The families Rhodobacteraceae, Cryomorphaceae, Cyanobiaceae, and Flavobacteriaceae were predominant in seawater samples, while Pirellulaceae, Nitrosococcaceae, and Woeseiaceae were predominant in sediments. Variations in A. palmata bacterial assemblages were correlated with salinity, sea surface temperature, and depth. These variables, along with nitrate, phosphate, and ammonium concentrations, were also correlated with changes in the bacterial composition of P. porites, seawater, and sediments. However, none of the environmental variables were related to the bacterial taxa of O. faveolata. Aerobic chemoheterotrophy and fermentation, followed by nitrate reduction and ureolysis, were the metabolic functions with the highest occurrence in the bacterial assemblages associated with all substrates.

The goal of this study is to optimize a UAE method for the extraction of the main bioactive compounds present in the ginger rhizome (gingerols and shogaols). Ginger rhizome (Zingiber officinale) has a considerable content of bioactive compounds, in particular gingerols and shogaols, with interesting pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-cancer, and antimicrobial properties, among others. The isolation of these compounds requires an efficient extraction process with short extraction times and the employment of specific non-toxic solvents for humans. In this work, the optimization of an ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) method for the extraction of the main pungent compounds in the ginger rhizome, i.e., gingerols and shogaols, has been carried out. For this purpose, a Box–Behnken design (BBD) has been used to optimize the experimental design through a response surface methodology (RSM). The percentage of ethanol in the extraction solvent, the temperature, the amplitude, and the cycle of the ultrasounds, as well as the sample-to-solvent ratio, were the variables to be studied. Thus, the percentage of ethanol in the extraction solvent was identified as the most influential factor. Once the compounds were extracted, the identification of gingerols and shogaols was performed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled to a quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometer (Q-ToF-MS), and the quantification by UHPLC coupled to a diode array detector (DAD) detector. Finally, the optimized UAE method required only 10 min of extraction time, presenting good repeatability and intermediate precision levels (

Obesity is a multifactorial disease whose onset and development are shaped by the individual genetic background. The melanocortin 4 receptor gene (MC4R) is involved in the regulation of food intake and energy expenditure. Some of the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of this gene are related to obesity and metabolic risk factors. The present study was undertaken to assess the relationship between three polymorphism SNPs, namely, rs17782313, rs17773430 and rs34114122, and obesity and metabolic risk factors. One hundred seventy-eight children with obesity aged between 7 and 16 years were studied to determine anthropometric variables and biochemical and inflammatory parameters. Our results highlight that metabolic risk factors, especially alterations in carbohydrate metabolism, were related to rs17782313. The presence of the minor C allele in the three variants (C–C–C) was significantly associated with anthropometric measures indicative of obesity, such as the body mass and fat mass indexes, and increased the values of insulinemia to 21.91 µIU/mL with respect to the wild type values. Our study suggests that the C–C–C haplotype of the SNPs rs17782313, rs17773430 and rs34114122 of the MC4R gene potentiates metabolic risk factors at early ages in children with obesity.

We use a formulation of Noether’s theorem for contact Hamiltonian systems to derive a relation between the thermodynamic entropy and the Noether invariant associated with time-translational symmetry. In the particular case of thermostatted systems at equilibrium, we show that the total entropy of the system plus the reservoir are conserved as a consequence thereof. Our results contribute to understanding thermodynamic entropy from a geometric point of view.

In the automobile sector, energy recovery and sustainability are becoming more and more important, and energy-harvesting suspension systems (EHSAs) have a lot of promise to improve vehicle efficiency. This investigation expands on prior work that investigated the viability of an EHSA that uses permanent magnets and amorphous core coils. The performance of the proposed system is demonstrated and enhanced in the current study through the development and optimization of a prototype. A thorough testing of the prototype is performed to determine design improvements for boosting the system’s overall performance and to quantify the recovered energy. In previous work, a method was proposed to find the dependence of the magnetic flux with the relative position between the primary and secondary elements to obtain the optimal position for the system. This method is applied to optimize the energy harvesting coil by testing different configurations in terms of the placement and type of amorphous or nonamorphous core inside the energy harvesting coil. This is a crucial area of attention in order to maximize energy recovery while solving the low-frequency problem that suspension systems have (on the order of 10 Hz).