The AT-HOOK MOTIF NUCLEAR LOCALIZED PROTEIN (AHL) gene family encodes embryophyte-specific nuclear proteins with DNA binding activity. They modulate gene expression and affect various developmental processes in plants. We identify AHL18 (At3G60870) as a developmental modulator of root system architecture and growth. AHL18 regulates the length of the proliferation domain and number of dividing cells in the root apical meristem and thereby, cell production. Both primary root growth and lateral root development respond according to AHL18 transcription level. The ahl18 knock-out plants show reduced root systems due to a shorter primary root and a lower number of lateral roots. This change results from a higher number of arrested and non-developing lateral root primordia (LRP) rather than from decreased initiation. Overexpression of AHL18 results in a more extensive root system, longer primary roots, and increased density of lateral root initiation events. Formation of lateral roots is affected during the initiation of LRP and later development. AHL18 regulate root apical meristem activity, lateral root initiation and emergence, which is in accord with localization of its expression.

This study aimed to assess the psychological effects of being processed by the justice system, either as a plaintiff or as a defendant. The sample consisted of 360 subjects, 32.8% defendants and 52.2% plaintiffs, residents in the Autonomous Community of Galicia (NW Spain). A lot of psychological test were administered. The results indicated significant differences between plaintiffs and defendants. The former were more pessimistic about the future, used poor strategies for protecting health, and had less empathy. In contrast, defendants had a more negative outlook on life, and in general more psychosomatic symptomology. Thus, both defendants and plaintiffs suffered health problems. Moreover, the group with the longest exposure to litigation had the worst deteriorated health. In conclusion, defendants were more pessimistic about the future, used poor strategies for protecting their own health, and showed less empathy. Likewise, plaintiffs had a more negative outlook on life, and on the whole presented more psychosomatic symptomology. Thus, both defendants and plaintiffs presented health problems. Moreover, the comparison between litigants and non-litigants showed health was more deteriorated in the former, but only in a few specific variables.

This paper presents an approach to teacher identity heritage as result of the implementation of a research device created through Arts-based Research (ABR) methods, specifically with video elicitation and video essay used as research tools. Two main objectives were raised. The first one, to establish the real relevance of focusing performance on teacher identity. The second one, testing a new methodological proposal specifically designed for this purpose, but still useful in other contexts where heritage identity is as present as in teaching. The device, Body-camera, involves a process that allows new ways to understand the creation of identities using video to encourage the production of new meanings by visual and oral data. The participants were teachers in training during their internship period. Some notions about teachers' identity heritage were revealed, and also preserved, firstly, through personal perspectives by video elicitations and secondly, through collective perspectives by video essays. Both are video structures used in ABR which mix creative experience, memories, life experiences, relationships and links that shape the teachers’ professional identity.

Virtual tours with 360 photos present a quick, easy and accessible way to create immersive experiences. The visualization in diverse devices, provide a user experience that can be different. A virtual tour with 360 photos of the Chapel of Dolores (Tenerife), has been created. Whose access is limited to specific days, so the creation of a virtual tour allows you to visit it at any time, in addition, a pilot test has been carried out with students of the degree of restoration and conservation of cultural heritage in order to measure the user experience of the virtual tour depending on the device used. The participants took a virtual tour of the Dolores Chapel, first with a cell phone and then with the virtual reality headset, and then completed a user experience questionnaire. The results obtained comparing both visualization technologies are detailed, highlighting that when using the virtual reality headset no better results are obtained in the immersion subscale, in addition, the visualization on a Smartphone is more comfortable and obtains better results in consequences such as dizziness and vertigo. Therefore, it may be an interesting strategy to have simple versions that work quickly on the cell phones.

Participating in collaborative scientific research through citizen science, a component of open science holds significance for both citizen scientists and professional researchers. Yet, the ad-vantages for those orchestrating citizen science initiatives are often overlooked. Organizers en-compass a diverse range, including governmental entities, non-governmental organizations, corporations, universities, and institutions like libraries. For libraries, citizen science holds im-portance by fostering heightened civic and research interests, promoting scientific publishing, and contributing to overall scientific progress. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the specific ways in which citizen science can benefit libraries and how libraries can effectively utilize citizen science to achieve their goals. The paper is based on a systematic review of peer-reviewed articles that discuss the direct benefits of citizen science on libraries. A list of the main benefits of citizen science for libraries has been compiled from the literature. Additionally, the reasons why it is crucial for libraries to communicate the benefits of citizen science for their operations have been highlighted, particu-larly in terms of encouraging other libraries to actively engage in citizen science projects.

In this study, the physical properties of briquettes produced from two different biomass feedstocks (sawdust and date palm trunk) and different plastic wastes were investigated, without using any external binding agent. The biomass feedstocks were blended with different ratios of two WEEE plastics (halogen-free wire and print circuit boards (PCB)) and automotive shredder residues (ASR). The briquettes production is studied at different waste proportions (10-30%), pressures (22-67 MPa) and temperatures (room-130 ˚C). Physical properties as density and durability rating were measured, usually increasing with temperature. Palm trunk gave better results than sawdust in most cases, due to its moisture content and the extremely fine particles that are easily obtained.

Abstract: Understanding the reliability and sensitivity of jump testing is essential to determine the neuromuscular progress of athletes and make informed decisions. This study aimed to assess the reliability and sensitivity of countermovement jump (CMJ) and drop jump (DJ) tests metrics in female volleyball players. Sixteen semi-professional female volleyball players participated in the study. Intrasession and intersession reliability of CMJ and DJ metrics were evaluated using a randomized cross-over design. Dual force platform was used to collect data, and several dependent variables were calculated using forward dynamics. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), coefficients of variation (CV) and minimum difference (MD) were calculated. The third attempt presented the highest values for both test, and changes in jump strategy in DJ. CMJ is consistent across sessions, while DJ also shows intersession differences (p<0.05) in 11 out of 15 variables. Most CMJ variables exhibit excellent reliability while DJ variables have lower reliability and higher variability. Concentric and eccentric impulses for DJ showed excellent reliability. Most CMJ variables showed excellent reliability and variability, DJ had lower reliability, higher variability, and lower sensitivity. These findings provide valuable information when assessing athletes' performance and highlight the reliability, sensitivity, and variability in jump performance for CMJ and DJ tests.

Academic interest in social and human capital is growing significantly. Similarly, their relationship with sustainability is increasing, especially compared to sustainability’s relationship with natural capital and financial and economic capital. Bibliometric and visualization research on these relationships is nonetheless insufficient. This study analyzes the evolution of the literature on natural capital, financial and economic capital, and social and human capital related to sustainability. On the other hand, the study presents a bibliometric analysis on social capital and human capital (SHC) related to sustainability. The article studies 635 references collected from the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection database and utilizes visualization of similarities (VOS) viewer program to graphically map the material. The analysis involves co-occurrence of keywords, co-citation, and co-authorship. The results reveal not only the state of the art and the leading trends, but also the evolution regarding impact, main journals, documents, topics, authors, institutions, and countries. The study provides researchers and practitioners with a visual and schematic frame of the research on this topic.

The present work analyzes university students' perceptions on cyberbullying. More specifically, the main objective was to understand the level of concern displayed by young students in teacher training programs regarding cyberbullying; our analysis includes their degree of self-confidence and their commitment when faced with this problem, their self-reported training on the subject, and the measures they consider adequate to approach it in the educational context. Using a survey research design, 408 students from Early Childhood Education, Primary Education Degrees, and the Master’s Degree in Secondary Education, and Vocational Training from national public universities participated. The results shed light upon the coexistence of three differentiated profiles of teachers in training when faced with cyberbullying. However, although there is clear evidence of the high level of concern regarding this problem in every case, they placed more importance on raising awareness of the issue with families, prevention, management and training as basic pillars for re-directing the worrisome reality experienced in educational centers. The need to include these contents in the initial training of future education professionals, for overcoming cyberbullying, and the importance of collaborative work between parents and educators are the conclusions of this research study that are in agreement with other studies.

Currently, companies and SMEs (small and medium enterprises) are looking to be more competitive. In order to achieve this, they are adopting new business models and strategies that allow them to move towards sustainability. Strategies such as CSR (Corporate social responsibility) and supply chain management have become essential for ensuring a company’s permanence and financial consolidation. The literature has stated that the theories of Stakeholders and Sustainability are fundamental pillars for the development and sustained growth of business. The purpose of this article is to examine the effects of CSR and the SC (supply chain) on innovation, image and reputation, and in turn, their influences on profitability in SMEs. This research is based on a sample of 143 companies in the city of Guaymas Sonora, in Mexico. For the analysis and validation of the results, we used the SEM (Structural Equation Modeling) statistical technique based on the variance, through PLS (Partial Least Squares) (using SmartPLS version 3.2.6 Professional). The findings show that SMEs that develop social and sustainable practices increase their level of innovation, and improve their image, their reputation, and their financial profitability. This work contributes mainly to the development of Stakeholders and Sustainability.

A via ferrata (from the German “klettersteig”, hereinafter VF) is a sports route located on forest and mountains vertical rock walls equipped with steps, chains, artificial dams, bridges and other fixed elements and which have a steel cable (safety cable) all the way along allowing users to secure their progress and avoid possible falls [1]. This article aims to analyse the state of the art of the VF sector in Spain, especially in terms of the regulations of obligatory compliance, in addition to defining the basic characteristics of the installations to ensure that these are safe for users, providing a previously non-existent summary of the most important recommendations regardless of the country where they are installed.

The aim of this paper is to deep into the dynamic study of the well known Chebyshev-Halley family of iterative methods for solving nonlinear equations. Our objetives are twofold: one the one hand, we are interested in characterize the existence of extraneous attracting fixed points when the methods in the family are applied to polynomial equations. On the other hand, we are also interested in study the free critical points of the methods in the family, as a previous step to determine the existence of attracting cycles. In both cases, we want to identify situations where the methods in the family have a bad behavior from the root-finding point of view. Finally, and joining these two studies, we look for polynomials for which there are methods in the family where this two situations happen simultaneously. That is, the rational map obtained by applying a method in the Chebyshev-Halley family to a polynomial has both super-attracting extraneous fixed point and super-attracting cycles different to the roots of the polynomial.

Currently, there are many studies on the application of nanotechnology in therapy. Metallic nanoparticles are promising nanomaterials in cancer therapy, however, functionalization of these nanoparticles with biomolecules has become relevant as their effect on cancer cells is con-siderably increased by photothermal and photodynamic therapy, drug nanocarriers, and speci-ficity by antibodies, resulting in new therapies that are more specific against different types of cancer. This review describes studies on the effect of functionalized palladium, gold, silver and platinum nanoparticles in the treatment of cancer.

Flare stacks are a key element in the safety of petrochemical and refinery industries; the correct operating conditions thereof must be ensured through a schedule for the periodic reviewing of all parts thereof. Advances in Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) in recent years and the application thereof to this field allow reliable, objective information to be obtained. This article describes and groups together the main applicable NDT techniques, analysing their advantages and disadvantages, updated with the new possibilities offered by unmanned aircraft or drones.

Background/aim: Sexual harassment has become a serious social and public health problem in adolescence, causing adverse effects on mental health. Nevertheless, some behaviours arise that, due to their characteristics, might be misinterpreted as sexual harassment. A field study, a survey with a non-probabilistic accidental sampling, was designed in order to estimate the prevalence of sexual harassment victimization in the Spanish adolescent population, as well as to quantify the harms. Method: 1028 Spanish adolescents, 54.3% females and 45.7% males, aged 13-17 years (M = 15.21, SD = 1.03), responded to a diagnostic measure of sexual harassment victimization and an inventory measure of internalizing and externalizing Mental Health Problems (MHPs). Results: The results showed a significant prevalence of diagnosed sexual harassment victimization of school-aged adolescents, 24.1%, 95% [.215, 267], with adverse effects on internalizing and externalizing MHPs. As for the internalizing MHPs, the results showed moderate adverse effects on depression, anxiety, somatic burns, posttraumatic symptoms, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms; and mild adverse effects on social anxiety. With regard to externalizing MHPs, the results revealed moderate adverse effects on hyperactivity-impulsivity, anger control and antisocial behaviour; and mild adverse effects on attention problems, aggression and defiant behaviour. In addition, it was corroborated that sexual harassment victimization affects adolescent females to a greater extent, with the effect being significantly greater in internalizing than in externalizing MHPs. Conclusions: The results obtained are discussed and future lines of research and intervention are proposed to promote the implementation of prevention and intervention programs that address this phenomenon and, in turn, improve the physical, psychological, and social well-being of adolescents.

The intermediate filament protein vimentin constitutes a critical sensor for electrophilic and oxidative stress. We previously showed that vimentin interacts with zinc, which affects its assembly and redox sensing. Here we have used vimentin wt and C328S, an oxidation-resistant mutant showing improved NaCl-induced polymerization, to assess the impact of zinc on soluble and polymerized vimentin by light scattering and electron microscopy. Zinc acts as a switch, reversibly inducing the formation of vimentin oligomeric species. High zinc concentrations elicit optically-detectable vimentin structures with a characteristic morphology depending on the support. These effects also occur in vimentin C328S, but are not mimicked by magnesium. Treatment of vimentin with micromolar zinc induces fibril-like particles that do not assemble into filaments, but form aggregates upon subsequent addition of NaCl. In contrast, when added to NaCl-polymerized vimentin, zinc increases the diameter or induces lateral association of vimentin wt filaments. Remarkably, these effects are absent or attenuated in vimentin C328S filaments. Therefore, the zinc-vimentin interaction depends on the chemical environment and on the assembly state of the protein, leading to atypical polymerization of soluble vimentin, likely through electrostatic interactions, or to broadening and lateral association of preformed filaments through mechanisms requiring the cysteine residue. Thus, impact of zinc on vimentin assembly and redox regulation is envisaged.

This paper shows the firsts results of a methodological approach in which Remote Sensing technologies (Satellite imagery and LiDAR) combined with Least Cost Path algorithm on GIS are being tested like tools to overcome locally-based interpretations about populational patterns and communication routes during Flavian municipality in the Comarca de El Condado region. The identification of fourteen hypothetical communication routes between already known archaeological sites thanks to a recent archaeological prospection, and the confirmation of three sections of them and a new archaeological site demonstrate that the combined use of the aforementioned technics has a very useful to delve more deeply, more widely and at a variety of different scales into the relation between the twelve known/selected Early Roman Empire sites and the surrounding landscape in the right bank of Guadalén River. It is expected that, in next phases, this methodological approach will allow us to go deeper in analysing and understanding spatial distribution, exploitation, and interrelation between different Early Roman Empire sites, helping us to fill the aforementioned gaps in our understanding of the archaeological continuum in the region reducing time and costs.

The electronic structure and the participation of the simplest azomethine imine (AI) in [3+2] cycloaddition (32CA) reactions have been analysed within the Molecular Electron Density Theory (MEDT) using DFT calculations at the MPWB1K/6-311G(d) level. Electron localisation function (ELF) topological analysis reveals that AI has a pseudoradical structure, while the conceptual DFT reactivity indices characterise this TAC as a moderate electrophile and a good nucleophile. The non-polar 32CA reaction of AI with ethylene takes place through a one-step mechanism with low activation energy, 5.3 kcal/mol-1. A bonding evolution theory (BET) study indicates that this reaction takes place through a non-concerted [2n+2τ] mechanism in which the C–C bond formation is clearly anticipated prior to the C–N one. On the other hand, the polar 32CA reaction of AI with dicyanoethylene takes place through a two-stage one-step mechanism. Now, the more favourable regioisomeric transition state structure (TS) is located 8.5 kcal•mol⁻¹ below the reagents, in complete agreement with the high polar character of the TS. The current MEDT study makes it possible to extend Domingo’s classification of 32CA reactions to a new pra-type of reactivity.

The 32CA reactions of a series of pairs of bent three-atom-components (B-TACs) and linear TACs (L-TACs) towards electrophilic dicyanoethylene (DCE) have been studied within the Molecular Electron Density Theory in order to understand their different reactivity. ELF analysis indicates that while pseudodiradical B-TACs change their electronic structure to pseudoradical or carbenoid L-TACs upon dehydrogenation, zwitterionic B-TACs experience no remarkable change. Analysis of the CDFT indices indicates that five of the nine studied TACs have a strong nucleophilic character, thus participating in polar reactions towards electrophilic ethylenes. The activation energies of the 32CA reactions of the nine TACs towards electrophilic DCE range from 0.6 to 22.0 kcal·mol-1, which are by between 2.0 and 10.1 kcal·mol-1 lower than those involved in the non-polar 32CA reactions with ethylene. In general, B-TACs are more reactive than their L-TAC counterparts. A change of the regioselectivity is found in these polar 32CA reactions; in general, while B-TACs are meta regioselective, L-TACs are ortho regioselective. Analysis of the geometrical parameters indicates that at all TSs, the formation of the single bond involving the most electrophilic C4 carbon of DCE is more advanced than that involving the C5 one. A change of the asynchronicity in the reactions involving B-TACs and L-TACs is also found.

The relationship between Climate Change and Water is an obvious and key issue within the Sustainable Development Goals. This study aims to investigate the social representation created around this relationship in three different territorial contexts in order to evaluate the influence of the territory on the perception of the risk of Climate Change and its relationship with water. By means of a questionnaire completed by 1709 university students, the climatic literacy of the individual was evaluated in order to relate it to other dimensions on the relationship between Climate Change and Water (information, training previous on climate change and pro-environmental attitudes) in their different dimensions in three different territorial contexts. The results show that the socio-cultural context influences the social representation of Climate Change, but not from the climatological condition, so that it is reasonable to think that the social representation of this relationship is favoured by a common culture around this relationship.

Vimentin is an intermediate filament protein that plays key roles in integration of cytoskeletal functions, and therefore in basic cellular processes such as cell division and migration. Consequently, vimentin has complex implications in pathophysiology. Vimentin is required for a proper immune response, but it can also act as an autoantigen in autoimmune diseases or as a damage signal. Although vimentin is a predominantly cytoplasmic protein, it can also appear at extracellular locations, either in a secreted form or at the surface of numerous cell types, often in relation to cell activation, inflammation, injury or senescence. Cell surface targeting of vimentin appears to associate with the occurrence of certain posttranslational modifications, such as phosphorylation and/or oxidative damage. At the cell surface, vimentin can act as a receptor for bacterial and viral pathogens. Indeed, vimentin has been shown to play important roles in virus attachment and entry of severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (SARS-CoV), dengue and encephalitis viruses, among others. Moreover, the presence of vimentin in specific virus-targeted cells and its induction by proinflammatory cytokines and tissue damage contribute to its implication in viral infection. Here, we recapitulate some of the pathophysiological implications of vimentin, including the involvement of cell surface vimentin in interaction with pathogens, with a special focus on its role as a cellular receptor or co-receptor for viruses. In addition, we provide a perspective on approaches to target vimentin, including antibodies or chemical agents that could modulate these interactions to potentially interfere with viral pathogenesis, which could be useful when multi-target antiviral strategies are needed .

Millions of people worldwide have an inadequate intake of selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn), and agronomic biofortification may minimise these problems. To evaluate the efficacy of combined foliar Se and Zn fertilisation in bread making wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), foliar Se (as NaSeO4) and soil and foliar Zn applications (as ZnSO4·7H2O) were tested individually and in all combinations. A 2-year field experiment was established in southern Spain under semiarid Mediterranean conditions, by following a split-split-plot design. The study year (2017/2018, 2018/2019) was considered as the main-plot factor, soil Zn application (50 kg Zn ha-1, nil Zn) as a subplot factor, and foliar application (nil, 10 g Se ha-1, 8 kg Zn ha-1, 10 g Se ha-1 + 8 kg Zn ha-1) as a sub-subplot factor. The best treatment to increase both Zn and Se concentration in both straw, 12.3- and 2.7-fold respectively, and grain, 1.2- and 4.1-fold respectively was the combined foliar application of Zn and Se. This combined Zn and Se application also increased on average the yield of grain, main product of this crop, by almost 26%. Therefore, bread-making wheat seems to be a very suitable crop to be used in biofortification programs with Zn and Se to alleviate their deficiency in both, people when using its grain and livestock when using its straw.

Since the mid-20th century, tourism has become a strategic activity for the economy of the Balearic Islands, causing profound social, territorial and environmental transformations. This fact challenges local society, which must be aware of its environment in order to better face the future challenges posed by this economic activity. With this goal, the official curriculum has been analyzed, making it possible to ascertain the approach with which this subject is taught by the administration and what objectives are set. Furthermore, a review was carried out of the contents of geography textbooks in the third year of ESO and the second year of Baccalaureate, which correspond to the educational stages in which tourism aspects appear. The results obtained represent a fundamental strategic diagnosis in order to improve the teaching and learning of this key activity for the Balearic Islands, giving it more importance and adapting its approach to the current times.

Since December 2019, the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has rapidly spread worldwide. The Mexican government has implemented public safety measures to minimize the spread of the virus. In this paper, the authors use statistical models in two stages to estimate the total number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases per day at the state and national level in Mexico. Two types of models are proposed: first, a polynomial model of the growth for the first part of the outbreak until the inflection point of the pandemic curve and then a second nonlinear growth model is used to estimate the middle and the end of the outbreak. Model selection will be performed using Vuong’s test. The proposed models show overall fit similar to predictive models (e.g. time series, and machine learning); however, the interpretation of parameters is less complex for decision-makers and the residuals follow the expected distribution when fitting the models without autocorrelation being an issue.

When a low-salience stimulus of any type of sensory modality—auditory, visual, tactile—shortly precedes an unexpected startle-like stimulus, such as the acoustic startle reflex, the startle motor reaction becomes less pronounced or is even abolished. This phenomenon is known as prepulse inhibition (PPI), and it provides operational measures of information processing by filtering out irrelevant stimuli. Because PPI implies plasticity of a reflex and is related to automatic or attentional processes, depending on the interstimulus intervals, this behavioral paradigm might be considered a potential marker of short- and long-term plasticity. Assessment of PPI is directly related to the examination of neural sensorimotor gating mechanisms, which are plastic adaptive operations for preventing overstimulation and help the brain focus on a specific stimulus among other distracters. Despite their obvious importance in normal brain activity, little is known about the intimate physiology, circuitry, and neurochemistry of sensorimotor gating mechanisms. In this work, we extensively review the current literature focusing on studies that used state-of-the-art techniques to interrogate the neuroanatomy, connectomics, neurotransmitter-receptor functions, and sex-derived differences in the PPI process, and how we can harness it as biological marker in neurological and psychiatric pathology.

A plant’s health and productivity is influenced by its associated microbes. Although the common microbiome is often thought to be the most influential, significant numbers of rare or uncommon microbes (eg. specialized endosymbionts) may also play an important role in the health and productivity of certain plants in certain environments. To help identify rare/specialized bacteria and fungi in the most important angiosperm plants, we contrasted microbiomes of the shoots, roots and rhizospheres of Arabidopsis, Brachypodium, maize, wheat, sugarcane, rice, tomato, coffee, common bean, cassava, soybean, switchgrass, sunflower, Brachiaria, barley, sorghum, and pea. Plants were grown inside sealed jars on sterile sand or field soil. About 95% and 86% of fungal and bacterial diversity inside plants was uncommon, however judging by read abundance, up to half of the mycobiome consists of uncommon fungal cells, while less than 11% of bacterial endophytes are rare. Uncommon seed transmitted microbiomes consisted mostly of Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteriodetes, Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes that most heavily colonized shoots, to a lesser extent roots and least of all rhizospheres. Soil served as a more diverse source of rare microbes than seeds, replacing or excluding the majority of the uncommon seed transmitted microbiome. With the rarest microbes, their colonization pattern could either be the result of stringent biotic filtering by most plants, or uneven/stochastic inoculum distribution in seeds or soil. Several strong plant-microbe associations were observed such as seed transmission to shoots, roots and/or rhizospheres of Sarocladium zeae (maize), Penicillium (pea and Phaseolus), and Curvularia (sugarcane), while robust bacterial colonization from cassava field soil occurred with the cyanobacteria Leptolyngbya into Arabidopsis and Panicum roots, and Streptomyces into cassava roots. Some abundant microbes such as Sakaguchia in rice shoots or Vermispora in Arabidopsis roots appeared in no other samples, suggesting they were infrequent, stochastically deposited propagules from either soil or seed (impossible to know based on the available data). Future experiments with culturing and cross inoculation of these microbes between plants may help us better understand host preferences and their role in plant productivity, perhaps leading to their use in crop microbiome engineering and enhancement of agricultural production.

"Suero costeño" a type of sour cream, is a traditional dairy product made mainly in the Colombian Caribbean region and has a variety of uses. The objective was to characterize the physicochemical and rheological properties of “suero costeño” produced in department of Córdoba-Colombia. Samples of " suero costeño " were obtained from local producers, characterized physicochemically (protein, fat, crude fiber, moisture, ash, carbohydrates, chlorides, pH and acidity), and rheologically (stationary tests), adjusting their behavior to the power-law model. The results show great variability in the physicochemical characteristics of the “suero costeño” made by the different artisanal producers, classifying it as a full-fat sour cream or light sour cream, and values of protein, pH and acidity similar to similar traditional dairy products from other countries, such as Reindeer sour cream and Curd or cottage cheese. “Suero costeño” can be classified as a pseudoplastic fluid and depending on the raw materials used and the production process, some present thixotropy, which may be the product of interactions between proteins and fats, which cause changes in the internal structure. Due to this great variability in its physicochemical and rheological characteristics, it is necessary to standardize the process of producing to improve the marketing of this Colombian culinary product.

‘Arrayana’ mandarin fruits have a short postharvest life and are sensitive to chilling injury (CI) during cold storage. Brassinosteroids (BR) have been used as a sustainable technology to alleviate CI in fruits and improve postharvest quality. This study evaluated the effect of applying the 24-epibrasinolide analogue (EBR), at doses of 5 mg L-1; DI-31 analogue, at 5 and 10 mg L-1; and control, on the main physical and biochemical characteristics of 'Arrayana' mandarin stored at 4°C for 40 days and, subsequently, 7 days at room temperature (shelf life). The application of EBR and DI-31 analogues reduced the appearance of CI in the exocarp of 'Arrayana' mandarin fruits by reducing electrolyte leakage, maintaining membrane integrity, and increasing antioxidant activity and phenol content at the end of cold storage and shelf life. This was especially pronounced with 5 mg L-1 of EBR. Similarly, the BR maintained the postharvest quality of mandarins by reducing weight loss, respiratory intensity and chlorophyll degradation; increasing β-carotene; and maintaining titratable acidity, and soluble solids. Our research reports for the first time CI tolerance in Arrayana mandarin using natural (EBR) and spirostanic (DI-31), analogues and illustrates the tolerance functionality of the DI-31 analog on CI in fruit postharvest.

A single paragraph of about 200 words maximum. For research articles, abstracts should give a pertinent overview of the work. We strongly encourage authors to use the following style of structured abstracts, but without headings: (1) Background: Place the question addressed in a broad context and highlight the purpose of the study; (2) Methods: briefly describe the main methods or treatments applied; (3) Results: summarize the article's main findings; (4) Conclu-sions: indicate the main conclusions or interpretations. The abstract should be an objective rep-resentation of the article and it must not contain results that are not presented and substantiated in the main text and should not exaggerate the main conclusions.

At present, business strategies in SMEs (Small and medium enterprises) are crucial for consolidation in highly competitive markets, in achieving a better image and in business profitability. One of the strategies that have the most success and business success are sustainable practices and social responsibility such as: ISO 14001 and ISO 26001. The literature related to sustainable business is based mainly on the theory of resources and capabilities, and in theory based on Stakeholders. These currents state that companies should focus on profitable strategies to ensure significant and long-term results, in order to achieve organizational and financial results for stakeholders. In this work, the sample consists of 215 companies from the commerce, services and industry sectors, located in the southern region of the State of Sonora in Mexico. The objective of the work is to analyze the influence of ISO 14001 and 26001 standards on the image and profitability of SMEs. The statistical analysis of the data has been carried out through the linear regression technique by OLS (Ordinary Least Squares). The findings prove that the ISO 14001 standard is the one that most influences the improvement of the business image and the level of profitability of the SME. In addition, we discovered that ISO 26001 has a partial influence on the image and profitability of the SME.

DIEP-based breast reconstruction necessitates wide undermining at the abdominal donor-site, creating large wound areas. Flap harvesting is usually conducted using electrosurgical dissection devices. This study sought to compare the clinical outcomes in patients after using the PEAK PlasmaBlade (PPB) versus monopolar electrocautery (MPE). This retrospective cohort study included 128 patients with DIEP-based breast reconstruction. Patient characteristics as well as information on the postoperative course were collected and a comparative evaluation was conducted. The MPE group exhibited significantly (p* = 0.0324) higher abdominal drainage volume (351.11 ± 185.96 ml) compared to the PPB group (279.38 ± 183.38 ml). Subgroup analysis demonstrated that PPB significantly reduced postoperative wound fluid in patients with BMI > 30 kg/m² (p* = 0.0284), without prior neoadjuvant chemotherapy (p** = 0.0041), and among non-smokers (p = 0.0046). Furthermore, postoperative pain was significantly (p**** < 0.0001) lower in the PPB cohort. This study confirms the non-inferiority of the PEAK PlasmaBlade to conventional electrocautery for abdominal flap harvesting. The PPB demonstrated advantages, notably reduced drainage volume and lower postoperative pain levels. Recognizing patient subsets that benefit more from the PPB highlights the importance of personalized device selection based on patient characteristics.

A general framework for inference in dynamical systems is described, based on the language of Bayesian probability theory and making use of the maximum entropy principle. Taking as fundamental the concept of a path, the continuity equation and Cauchy's equation for fluid dynamics arise naturally, while the specific information about the system can be included using the Maximum Caliber (or maximum path entropy) principle.

The UN’s 2030 Agenda brings new governance challenges to municipal environmental planning, both in large urban centres and in metropolitan peripheries. The opportunities of the new framework of action proposed by the United Nations (UN) and its integrative, global and transversal nature constitute advances from the previous models of municipal management based on the Local Agenda 21. This text provides evidence to apply quality criteria and validated instruments of participatory evaluation. These instruments have been built on the foundation of Evaluative Research, a scientific discipline that provides rigour and validity to those decisions adopted at a municipal level. A case study focused on a metropolitan area serves as a field of experimentation for this model of the modernization of environmental management structures at a local level. Details of the instruments, agents, priority decision areas, methodologies, participation processes and quality criteria are provided, as well as an empirically validated model for participatory municipal management based on action research processes and strategic planning that favours a shared responsibility across all social groups in the decision-making process and in the development of continuous improvement activities that are committed to sustainability. Finally, a critical comparison of weaknesses and strengths is included in light of the evidence collected.

The critical changes in physical appearance during adolescence can considerably influence the self-appraisal of body image. The purpose of this study is to analyze body self-image gender differences in Mediterranean adolescents, and his relationships to the anthropometric characteristics of this population in different phases of the adolescence. Participants were 809 Mediterranean teenagers (396 females) aged 11 to 17. A relative low prevalence of dissatisfaction with body image was observed among healthy urban Mediterranean adolescents (boys 17.3%; girls 22.7%). Girls showed statistically significantly higher mean BSQ scores than boys (M = 61.7, SD = 26.6 versus M = 56.3, SD = 27.1; p < 0.001). Girls in the late adolescence were more often classified as being dissatisfied (31%) in comparison to those in the early adolescent group (19.1%; p < 0.05). There was a good correlation of BSQ scores with all the anthropometric variables in males but not in females.

Dengue is the most prevalent arthropod-borne disease globally and affects approximately 2.5 billion people living in over 100 countries. The increasing geographic expansion of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes which transmit the virus has made dengue fever a global health concern. There are currently no approved antivirals available to treat dengue, and the only approved vaccine used in some countries is limited to seropositive patients. Treatment of dengue therefore remains largely supportive to date; hence research efforts are being intensified for the development of antivirals against dengue. The NS3 and NS5 nonstructural proteins have been the major targets for dengue antiviral development due to their indispensable enzymatic and biological functions in the viral replication process. NS5 is the largest and most conserved nonstructural protein encoded by flaviviruses including dengue. Its multifunctionality makes it an attractive target for antiviral development against dengue, but research efforts are hindered due to its limited structural characterization compared to the NS5 of other flaviviruses like the Zika virus. Increase in structural insights into the dengue NS5 protein will accelerate drug discovery efforts focused on NS5 as an antiviral target. In this review, we will give an overview of the current state of therapeutic development against dengue.

Europium is one of the most reactive lanthanides and humans use it in many different applica-tions, but we still know little about its potential toxicity and cellular response to its exposure. Two strains of the eukaryotic microorganism model Tetrahymena thermophila adapted to high concentrations of two Eu(III) compounds (EuCl3 or Eu2O3) were obtained and compared to a control strain and cultures treated with both compounds. In this ciliate, EuCl3 is more toxic than Eu2O3. LC50 values show that this microorganism is more resistant to these Eu(III) compounds than other microorganisms. Oxidative stress originated mainly by Eu2O3 is minimized by overexpression of genes encoding important antioxidant enzymes. The overexpression of metallothionein genes under treatment with Eu(III) compounds supports the possibility that this lanthanide may interact with the -SH groups of the cysteine residues from metallothi-oneins and/or displace essential cations of these proteins during their homeostasis function. Both lipid metabolism (lipid droplets that fuse with europium-containing vacuoles) and au-tophagy are involved in the cellular response to europium stress. Bioaccumulation, together with a possible biomineralization to europium phosphate, seems to be the main mechanism of Eu(III) detoxification in these cells.

Heat waves represents a major concern for the tourism industry in the Mediterranean area. Therefore, it is necessary to deepen the study of the influence of high temperatures and their effects on tourist behavior. This research aims to develop a structural model that allows measuring how heat waves affect the behavior of external tourist demand in coastal destinations. The results are useful for the design by tourist destinations of adaptation measures to climate change. The proposed hypotheses have been contrasted using non-linear structural equations (SEM), estimated with data from the National Institute of Statistics on external demand in Spain. The results confirm lower tourist flows with the increase in high temperatures to the coasts of the Spanish Mediterranean area from traditional source markets, such as the United Kingdom. Furthermore, the tourist flow to the Balearic Islands decreases with high temperatures.

This paper presents a case study analyzing which learning cognitive strategies are employed by students who play digital games in both in-school and out-of-school learning contexts. As a Case Study, it falls within the qualitative research category. The researcher integrated themselves to the subjects' learning facility for data-gathering, following all recommended ethical protocols for research involving underage subjects. The following data collection instruments were used: research diary, questionnaire, and interviews, conducted with teenagers who play digital games during formal learning activities. Analysis involved data-crossing and checking our data against existing studies and theories, as well as a cartographic production. Data indicates that digital games enhance student usage of cognitive strategies and favor competencies and abilities-based learning over formal learning contents.

A high-level control algorithm capable of generating position and torque references from surface electromyography signals (sEMG) has been designed. It is applied to a shape memory alloy (SMA) actuated exoskeleton used in active rehabilitation therapies for elbow joints. The sEMG signals are filtered and normalized according data collected online during the first seconds of~therapy sessions. The control algorithm uses the sEMG signals to promote active participation of patients during the therapy session. In order to generate the position reference pattern with good precision, the sEMG normalized signal is compared with a pressure sensor signal to detect the intention of each movement. The algorithm has been tested in simulations and with healthy people for control of an elbow exoskeleton in flexion–extension movements. The results indicate that sEMG signals from elbow muscles in combination with pressure sensors that measure arm–exoskeleton interaction can be used as inputs for the control algorithm, which adapts the reference for exoskeleton movements according a patient's intention.

Existing studies provide evidence that buildings and the construction sector are the largest consumers of natural resources and carry the greatest responsibility for greenhouse gas emissions. In order to reverse this situation, future challenges involve utilising the least resources possible. To this end, building refurbishment becomes a crucial strategy given its potential to improve operational energy efficiency and to extend the life span of existing building stock, thereby reducing the environmental impact while also providing social and economic benefits to our cities. Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) has become one of the scientific community’s most widely recognised methodologies for the evaluation of the social, economic, and environmental dimensions (Triple Bottom Line), since it assesses sustainability using quantitative metrics. However, the implementation of this methodology to support the refurbishment process at the project stage in building design tools, such as BIM, remains scarce. One of the main obstacles lies in the difficulties of accessing the building information, given that the system boundaries only cover new materials and products. Hence, this study proposes a BIM plug-in development to support the multi-dimensional building material selection in the early design steps based on the LCSA of a building during the refurbishment stage and validates its application in a case study. The results show the viability of using this tool during the early design stages and demonstrate the consistency of the results to evaluate various material and product alternatives for the refurbishment of the envelope system of a multi-family residential building. This study contributes towards the integration of decision-making by providing real-time assessment of the building envelope.

The [3+2] cycloaddition (32CA) reactions of strongly nucleophilic norbornadiene (NBD) with simplest diazoalkane (DAA) and three DAAs of increased electrophilicity have been studied within the Molecular Electron Density Theory (MEDT) at the MPWB1K/6-311G(d,p) computational level. These pmr-type 32CA reactions follow an asynchronous one-step mechanism with activation enthalpies ranging from 17.7 to 27.9 kcal·mol-1 in acetonitrile. The high exergonic character of these reactions makes them irreversible. The presence of electron-withdrawing (EW) substituents in the DAA increases the activation enthalpies, in complete agreement with the experimental slowing-down of the reactions, but contrary to the Conceptual DFT prediction. Despite the nucleophilic and electrophilic character of the reagents, the global electron density transfer at the TSs indicates rather non-polar 32CA reactions. The present MEDT study allows establishing that the depopulation of the NNC core in this series of DAAs with the increase of the EW character of the substituents present at the carbon center is responsible for the experimentally found deceleration.

The regioselectivity in non-polar [3+2] cycloaddition (32CA) reactions has been studied within the Molecular Electron Density Theory (MEDT) at the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level. To this end, the 32CA reactions of nine simplest three-atom-components (TACs) with 2-methylpropane were selected. The electronic structure of the reagents has been characterised through the Electron Localisation Function (ELF) and the Conceptual DFT. The energy profiles of the two regioisomeric reaction paths and ELF of the transition state structures are studied to understand the origin of the regioselectivity in these 32CA reactions. This MEDT study permits to conclude that the least electronegative ends X1 atom of these TACs controls the asynchronicity in the C-X (X = C,N,O) single bond formation, and consequently, the regioselectivity. This behaviour is a consequence of the fact that the creation of the non-bonding electron density required for the formation of the new CX single bonds has a lesser energetic cost at the least electronegative X1 atom than that at the Z3 one.

The rapid ageing of populations around the World is creating complex challenges for national governments. The establishment of sustainable and equitable long-term care systems for old and dependent people is one of the main issues of social policy in developed countries. The aim of this work is to define a cost model for residential and day care centres for dependent persons in Cantabria (Spain). The cost model will make it possible to establish the theoretical cost of attending to the needs of the different types of dependent persons in the different types of care centres, and the methodology used could be extrapolated to other regions. The daily cost per user for elderly residential care is €53.72. The cost per user in elderly day centres (5 days) is 32.56 euros. In residential centres for people with disabilities, the values range between €47.41 and €75.25 depending on the category of the centre. In three categories of centres the public price is not enough to cover the cost (physical disability, intellectual disability, mental illness – low care), and therefore the administration should reconsider their public prices for these kind of centres if they want to really contribute to the sustainability of these residential care centres. This research will have important implications for policy-makers in a context of fulfilment of SDGs and where better support for old and disabled people and their carers, as well as fair and efficient financing of social care services, are essential to address the current and future challenges of dependency.

Twenty-four extensively-reared Iberian pigs were used to study the influence of fattening period length (30, 60 or 90 days) on the fatty acid profiles of intramuscular and subcutaneous fat and the relationships between both profiles. Regarding fatty acid (FA) percentage, PUFA was greater in backfat and MUFA was greater in intramuscular fat (IMF), regardless fattening period length. The longer fattening period increased MUFA content in backfat (which had a more marked change in oleic acid) and decreased PUFA content in backfat and IMF, but it did not affect SFA content. Within the 3-layers subcutaneous backfat, SFA content was greater in the inner layer, MUFA was greater in the outer layer and PUFA was greater in both of these layers. The few differences in FA composition between both adipose tissues suggest that the changes due to the feeding regime are slow and, therefore, although the length of the fattening phase was increased, the fatty acid profile did not change substantially. The strong relationship between the FA profiles of IMF and backfat might be used to predict one profile from the other one when this latter was more readily available for sampling or analytical reasons.

In recent years, novel food is becoming an emerging trend increasingly more demanding in developed countries. Food proteins from vegetables (pulses, legumes, cereals), fungi, bacteria and insects are being researched to introduce them in meat alternatives, beverages, baked products and others. One of the most complex challenges for introducing novel foods on the market is to assure food safety. New alimentary scenarios drive the detection of novel allergens that need to be identified and quantified with the aim of appropriate labelling. Allergenic reactions are mostly caused by proteins of great abundance in foods, most frequently of small molecular mass, glycosylated, water-soluble and with high stability to proteolysis. The most relevant plant and animal food allergens such as lipid transfer proteins, profilins, seed storage proteins, lactoglobulins, caseins, tropomyosins and parvalbumins from fruits, vegetables, nuts, milk, eggs, shellfish, and fish have been investigated. New methods for massive screening in the search of potential allergens must be developed particularly concerning protein databases and other online tools. Moreover, several bioinformatic tools based on sequence alignment, motif identification or 3-D structure predictions should be implemented as well. Finally, targeted proteomics will become a powerful technology for the quantification of these hazardous proteins. The ultimate objective is to build an effective and resilient surveillance network with this cutting-edge technology.

We are living in a business context characterized by change, which today behaves with an unprecedented intensity, driven by the technological revolution and increased competition. As a result, increasingly large and complex companies are facing profound transformation processes in which the role of the human factor and of managers in particular, due to their high capacity to impact the organization, is essential. In response to this reality, the literature has developed a large number of approaches from different areas of knowledge: from business economics to psychology, including technical disciplines. This article offers a classification of these approaches that provides an overview of research on the role of managers in change management.

The intramolecular ionic Diel-Alder (IIDA) reactions of two dieniminiums have been studied within the Molecular Electron Density Theory (MEDT) at the B97XD/6-311G(d,p) computational level. ELF topological analysis of dieniminiums shows that its electronic structure can been seen as the sum of those of butadiene and ethaniminium. The superelectrophilic character of dieniminiums accounts for the high intramolecular global electron density transfer taking place between the diene and iminium frameworks at the transition state structures (TSs) of these IIDA reactions. The activation enthalpy associated to the IIDA reaction of the experimental dieniminium, 8.7 kcal·mol-1, is closer to that of the ionic Diels-Alder (I-DA) reaction between butadiene and ethaniminium, 9.3 kcal·mol-1. However, the activation Gibbs free energy of the IIDA reaction is 12.7 kcal·mol-1 lower than that of the intermolecular I-DA reaction. The strong exergonic character of the IIDA reaction, higher than 17 kcal·mol-1, makes the reaction irreversible. These IIDA reactions present a total re/exo and si/endo diastereoselectivity, which is controlled by the most favourable chair conformation of the tetramethylene chain. Electron localization function (ELF) topological analysis of the single bond formation indicates that these IIDA reactions take place through a non-concerted two-stage one-step mechanism. Finally, ELF and atoms-in-molecules (AIM) topological analyses of the TS associated to inter and intramolecular processes show the great similitude among them.

The ionic Diels-Alder (I-DA) reactions of a series of six iminium cations with cyclopentadiene have been studied within the Molecular Electron Density Theory (MEDT). The superelectrophilic character of iminium cations,  > 8.20 eV, accounts for the high reactivity of these species participating in I-DA reactions. The activation energies are found between 13 and 20 kcal·mol-1 lower in energy than those associated to the corresponding Diels-Alder (DA) reactions of neutral imines. These reactions are low endo selective as a consequence of the cationic character of the TSs, but highly regioselective. Solvents have poor effects on the relative energies, and an unappreciable effect in the geometries. In dichloromethane the activation energies increase slightly as a consequence of the better solvation of the iminium cations than the cationic TSs. ELF topological analysis of the bonding changes along the I-DA reactions shows that they are very similar to those in polar DA reactions. The present MEDT study makes it possible establishing that the global electron density transfer (GEDT) taking place at the TSs of I-DA reactions, and not steric (Pauli) repulsions such as have been recently proposed, are responsible for the features of these type of DA reactions.

Speech signals are degraded in real-life environments, product of background noise or other factors. The processing of such signals for voice recognition and voice analysis systems presents important challenges. One of the conditions that make adverse quality difficult to handle in those systems is reverberation, produced by sound wave reflections that travel from the source to the microphone in multiple directions.To enhance signals in such adverse conditions, several deep learning-based methods have been proposed and proven to be effective. Recently, recurrent neural networks, especially those with long and short-term memory (LSTM), have presented surprising results in tasks related to time-dependent processing of signals, such as speech. One of the most challenging aspects of LSTM networks is the high computational cost of the training procedure, which has limited extended experimentation in several cases. In this work, we present a proposal to evaluate the hybrid models of neural networks to learn different reverberation conditions without any previous information. The results show that some combination of LSTM and perceptron layers produce good results in comparison to those from pure LSTM networks, given a fixed number of layers. The evaluation has been made based on quality measurements of the signal's spectrum, training time of the networks and statistical validation of results. Results help to affirm the fact that hybrid networks represent an important solution for speech signal enhancement, with advantages in efficiency, but without a significan drop in quality.

Huge amounts of chitin and chitosans can be found in the biosphere as important constituent of the exoskeleton of many organisms, as well as waste by worldwide seafood companies. Nowadays, politicians, environmentalists, and industrialists encouraged the use of these marine polysaccharides as renewable source, particularly when developed by alternative eco-friendly processes, especially in the production of regular cosmetics. The aim of this review is to outline the physicochemical and biological properties and the different bioextraction methods of chitin and chitosans sources, focusing on enzymatic deproteinization, bacteria fermentation, and enzymatic deacetylation methods. Thanks to their biodegradability, non-toxicity, biocompatibility, and bioactivity, the application of these marine polymers is widely used in the contemporary manufacturing of biomedical and pharmaceutical products. In the end, advanced cosmetic products based on chitin and chitosans are presented, analyzing different therapeutic aspects about skin, hair, nail, and oral care. The innovative formulations described can be considered as excellent solutions regarding problems in the various body anatomical sectors.

Linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) anionic surfactants are widely used, present in wastewater, and can be discharged causing environmental damage. Without considering biodegradation, sorption and desorption reactions play an important role and depend on the characteristics of the aquifer medium such as the content of organic matter and clay. These processes are modelled with PHREEQC using laboratory-obtained data on columns with an input LAS pulse. LAS adsorption and desorption step experiments carried out in sand columns were also modelled with this software and distribution constants were similar to those obtained for pulse. The values of the starting distribution constant provided by batch tests with sand and agricultural soil mixtures establish the maximum value that must be obtained for column modelling. Distribution constants from column experiments obtained by Freundlich and linear isotherms provided very similar results, the latter with more consistent achievement. The modelling results showed longer elution times in the case of the heavier homologues and with a higher percentage of agricultural soil, which would translate into the great persistence of these compounds in the environment. In the case of soil contamination with wastewater-containing surfactants, these results would allow the development of mitigation strategies for these environmental impacts.

Brugada Syndrome is a cardiac channelopathy closely related to lethal arrhythmias and sudden death in people without underlying structural pathology. The diagnosis is usually assumed with electrocardiographic patterns strictly limited to the right precordial leads, V1 or V2; but this is not so at all. In our article, we describe the clinical case of a patient with a novel and different electrocardiographic presentation: the typical diagnostic pattern was presented in a lower lead of the electrocardiogram, and next to it, another pattern was presented in a contiguous lead. In addition, we propose the possible association of a structural pathology (non-compaction cardiomyopathy) with Brugada Syndrome, since both share a possible common genetic origin in the SCN5A gene.

Lindernia dubia (L.) Pennell is a species with invasive behavior outside of its native range of distribution (North America), linked mainly to aquatic habitats. This annual species has been acknowledged as a weed in rice paddies in Europe and Asia. Due to the impacts of this invasive plant, some authors have even listed this species as a global invader. The present work focused on spontaneous plant species occurring in cattail seedlings grown in central Spain for the establishment of constructed wetlands. Weed inventory revealed the presence of L. dubia as a dominant spontaneous species in this crop environment. A suite of mesocosm experiments were designed to study the distribution of L.dubia versus the distribution of the other dominant plant species, and to determine traits associated with its weedy potential. Results showed that L.dubia presents competitive attributes such as morphological variability, early flowering, long seeding time, short growth cycle, small and light seeds and high seed production and germination rate (25 ⁰C), meaning a high reproductive capacity in a cycle of about three months, in non-limiting conditions for plant growth. Data from this work provide a basis for understanding the weedy potential of L.dubia, and for management decisions of a potentially invasive species, little investigated in Europe

Graphene-based nanomaterials have emerged as promising materials for a wide range of applications.. Therefore, in the last years carbon nanoparticles have attracted great attention due to their low toxicity, high biocompatibility and easy preparation. Recently, N-doped carbon nanoparticles have been shown to have improved antibacterial activity over the undoped nanomaterial, but it is difficult to find correlations between the structure of the nanoparticle and its antibacterial activity. With this purpose, here, we analyze the effect of both, the nanoparticle size and the surface chemical composition of four N-doped carbon nanoparticles on the growth of Escherichia coli bacteria. Our results were analyzed using a Ligand-Substrate model based on the Monod´s equation, which allows us to interpret the dependence of the nanoparticle-bacteria affinity with the nanomaterial structure.

Interdisciplinary STEM and STEAM education give us an opportunity for creativity and educational innovation in a world scenario that needs training in which students can achieve all educational objectives and are prepared to achieve sustainable development. The rural environment with its land is a scenario that provides us with a range of educational resources for the development of STEM and STEAM projects in which students who are better trained and prepared for the needs of today's world are developed, as well as students who are more linked and sensitized to the environment, with the rural environment and its land, so important in our time.  In this article, we will collect examples from Latin America; STEM projects are being developed in which young people establish links with their environment, territory, and the local environment surrounding them. We must look carefully at projects and works in which students' ties with their land and environment are valued through the STEM and STEAM education necessary today. In this scenario, a comparison has been made between Latin American countries and Spain.

This paper shows the proposal of the use of linked data for smart metering systems. The aim of linked data in smart grid applications such as smart metering systems is to give semantic knowledge of the energy transactions between all participators in the power markets. In combination with other technologies like blockchain, the linked data could improve decentralization and security in the world's energetic future.

Abstract: Abstract: The objective of this article is to analyze the dimensions of creativity concerning students with high abilities. Firstly a review of the most relevant scientific contributions on creativity is carried out. Next the dimensions of creativity in secondary school students who have been previously identified as high- ability students are analyzed. Those abilities associated to di-vergent thinking were assessed by means of the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking [19]. The flu-ency, flexibility and originality dimensions were assessed with the Scientific-Creative Thinking Test (TPCC, [7]). The results obtained evidence that high-ability students achieve greater scores in both the figurative creativity and scientific-creativity dimensions. A significant relationship between creativity and high ability can therefore be established. This study is of an exploratory nature and the results obtained contribute to develop future studies in application of its findings in the teaching-learning process..

Objective: To evaluate the use of CDK4/6 inhibitors as a risk factor for medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) in a cohort of patients with metastatic breast cancer treated with denosumab. Methods: multicentre, retrospective, observational study. All patients with breast cancer treated with denosumab (January 2011-December 2022) were included. The relationship between CDK4/6 inhibitors and MRONJ was analysed. Results: 243 patients were included, ninety-five (44.2%) used a CDK4/6 inhibitor. There were 21 patients with MRONJ. In patients treated with denosumab without CDK4/6 inhibitors the incidence of MRONJ and mean time to the occurrence of MRONJ was 6.6% (8/120) and 16.8 months (SD 7.8) respectively. In patients treated with denosumab and CDK4/6 inhibitor 13.7% (13/95) and 15.4 month (SD 8.7) respectively. The difference in the incidence was not significant (p=0.085). Conclusion: it suggest that the incidence of MRONJ in patients with metastatic breast cancer treated with denosumab was higher and the onset of MRONJ occurred earlier in the presence of CDK4/6 inhibitors. Although the difference was not significant, given that the use of this combination is very common in routine clinical practice, it would be advisable to carry out larger prospective studies to clarify the risk of this association.

Background. Adhesives and sealants can be used to repair and preserve solid damaged organs. This study explores the activity of different matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) during the healing of liver injuries treated with two biological adhesives (Tachosil and GelitaSpon) and a new synthetic elastic cyanoacrylate (Adhflex®). Methods. Liver traumatic injuries were experimentally induced in 90 male Wistar rats using a Stiefel biopsy punch in the liver. Wound healing was evaluated 2, 6, and 18 days after injury by determining MMP1, 2, 8, 9, and 13 expression. The histopathological repair was assessed by hematoxylin-eosin, Masson’s trichrome, and Periodic Acid Schiff (PAS) staining. The three sealants used supported complete healing of the liver lesions. Both histopathology and MMP findings indicate that the degradation process of Adhflex® is slower and produces a strong initial inflammatory reaction. Results. All the MMPs measured disclosed higher values at early stage of the healing process in animals treated with Adhflex® and Tachosil, being the expression of for MMP2 and MMP9 significantly higher in the Adhflex-treated group. Animals treated with Tachosil had significant higher values of MMP8 and MPP13 than the Adhflex-treated group. Animals treated with Adhflex® showed a maintained overexpression in all the MMPs tested even at the latest wound healing stages. Conclusion. Notably, this MMPs overexpression did not influence negatively the histological healing process of the hepatic injuries. Given that all hepatic trauma injuries should be considered emergencies, any easy-to-use and rapid sealant, such as Adhflex®, could be considered as a suitable treatment option.

Daptomycin is one of the last therapeutic resources for multidrug-resistant gram- positive bacteria. Despite its structural similarities with glycopeptides, its mechanisms of action and resistance are different, and in some respects are not completely understood. Mutations in several genes have been associated to daptomycin resistance, especially in mprF, walkR, rpoB and rpoC, but their role and importance remain to be elucidated. We have studied mutations in 11 genes, which have been previously associated to daptomycin non- susceptibility, in 9 daptomycin non-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates (daptomycin MIC: > 1mg/L). Susceptibility to daptomycin, vancomycin, linezolid, oxacillin, telavancin and dalbavancin were studied. walkR, agrA, cls1, cls2, fakA, pnpA, clpP, prs, rpoB, rpoC and mprF were amplified by PCR and sequenced. The sequences were compared with the S. aureus ATCC 25923 complete genome (GenBank gi: 685631213) by using BLAST® software. We did not find any changes in walkR, pnpA, prs and clpP. All isolates excepting isolate 5 showed a high number of significant mutations (between 13 and 25 amino acid changes) in mprF. Most isolates also showed mutations in rpo genes, cls genes and fakA. Daptomycin non-susceptibility in S. aureus clinical isolates seems to be reached through different mutations combinations when compared to S. aureus ATCC 25293. Especially mprF and cls1 showed a very high polymorphism in most isolates. Meanwhile, one isolate, St5, showed only single mutation in mprF (P314T).

This paper presents a methodology to evaluate (1) to what extent students of a higher degree in the field of education acquire sustainability competencies, and (2) to determine whether the subjects that develop the ESD achieve their learning objectives. The methodology is applied to a case study. The instruments used are the sustainability survey and the sustainability presence map developed by the EDINSOST project. The survey consists of 18 questions, and has been answered by 104 first-year students and 86 fourth-year students belonging to the Bachelor Degree in Primary Education Teaching at the University of Sevilla. The Mann-Whitney U test has been used to compare the results of the two groups, and Cohen's D has been used to measure the effect size. Students only obtain significant improvements, with 95% confidence, in three questions (Q4, Q5 and Q6), all concerning critical thinking and creativity. An improvement is also detected in question Q11, with a confidence of 90%. However, no subject in the curriculum develops the learning outcomes concerning questions Q4, Q5 and Q6, and only one subject develops the learning outcomes regarding question Q11. On the other hand, up to five subjects declare development of the learning outcomes regarding questions in which there is no improvement in student learning. These results suggest that the subjects are failing to reach their ESD learning objectives, and that the students are either trained in sustainability outside the university or the subject learning guides do not reflect the work done by the students throughout their studies

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a hyperglycemia state that is typically diagnosed by an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), which is unpleasant, time-consuming, poorly reproducible, and tardy. The machine learning (ML) predictive models that have been proposed to improve GDM diagnosis are usually based on instrumental methods that take hours to get a result. Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, a simple, fast and low-cost analytical technique has never been assessed for the prediction of GDM. This study aims to develop ML predictive models for GDM based on NIR spectroscopy, and to evaluate their potential as early detection or alternative screening tools according to their predictive power and time of analysis. Serum samples from the first (before GDM diagnosis) and the second (at the time of GDM diagnosis) trimester of pregnancy were analyzed by NIR spectroscopy. Four spectral ranges were considered, and 80 pretreatments were tested for each. NIR data-based models were built with single- and multi-block ML techniques. Every model was subjected to double cross-validation. The best first and second trimester models got areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.5768 ± 0.0635 and 0.8836 ± 0.0259, respectively. This is the first study reporting NIR spectroscopy-based methods for the prediction of GDM. The developed methods allow to predict GDM from 10 µL of serum in only 32 minutes. They are simple and fast, and have a great potential to be applied in clinical practice, especially as alternative screening tools to the OGTT at the time of GDM diagnosis.

Three dietary treatments were assayed in 350 milking Murciano-Granadina multiparous goats in full-lactation: a control diet and two experimental diets, one including flaked linseed (FL) and the other salmon oil (SO). Neither dietary treatment affected the daily milk yield, cheese yield or the physicochemical parameters of the milk and cheese. With regard to the fatty acid profile (FA), the milk and cheese from animals whose diet was supplemented with SO had a higher percentage of fatty acids than those obtained with the FL supplemented diet, except for C18:0, C18:1, C18:2 n-6, trans-9, trans-12 C18:2, cis-9, trans-11 C18:2, C18:3 and C19:0, which reached their highest levels in milk obtained with the diet supplemented with FL. The decrease in the percentage of C16:0 was greater in the milk derived from the FL diet than from the SO diet. The FL supplemented diet improved the nutritional value of milk due to a reduction in saturated fatty acids (SFA) and an increase in polyunsaturated acids (PUFA) and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). The decrease in n-6/n-3 in observed milk was more pronounced with the FL diet. No differences in the sensory profile were found for the milk and cheese derived from the different dietary treatments. Keywords: goat, flaked linseed, salmon oil, fatty acid, sensory profile.

. Sealants and adhesives are used in the repair and preservation of damaged solid organs. This study examines the matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) activity in the healing of liver injuries treated with two biological adhesives (Tachosil® and GelitaSpon®) as well as that of a new elastic cyanoacrylate (Adhflex®). Methods. We induced in 90 male rats hepatic lesions using a Stiefel biopsy punch in the liver. Wound healing was assessed 2, 6, and 18 days after injury by quantifying MMP1, 2, 8, 9, and 13 tissue levels. The histopathological repair was evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin, Masson’s trichrome, and Periodic Acid Schiff (PAS) staining and CD31, CD68 immunohistochemical marker. The three sealants used contributed to the complete healing of hepatic lesions. Both histopathology and MMP findings point to the fact that degradation with Adhflex® is slower and causes a strong inflammatory reaction at the onset of healing. Results. All the MMPs measured showed higher values early in the healing process in animals treated with Adhflex® and Tachosil, expression for MMP2 and MMP9 being significantly higher in the Adhflex-treated group. Animals treated with Tachosil had significant greater values of MMP8 and MPP13 than the Adhflex group. Animals treated with Adhflex® showed a sustained overexpression in all MMPs even at the latest wound healing stages. Conclusion. Notably, the overexpression of the MMPs did not negatively influence the histological healing process of liver injuries. Since all hepatic trauma injuries should be treated as emergencies, any easy-to-use and rapid sealant, like Adhflex®, could be considered an adequate treatment option.

Diets that restrict the amount of carbohydrates positively affect markers related to metabolic syndrome (MS). However, completely carbohydrate-free diets have been studied in lesser extent, being their effect on biochemical and morphometric parameters in a rat model of MS the main objective of this study. MS was induced by a high-glucose diet for 20 weeks in male Wistar rats with a subsequent exposition to an essentially carbohydrate-free diet (CFD) for 20 weeks. Daily measurements of food consumption and monthly measurements of body weight were made. At week 40, glucose, insulin, lipid profile, ketone bodies, C-reactive protein (CRP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), urea, creatinine, liver and muscle glycogen, and serum, hepatic, renal and pancreatic malondialdehyde (MDA) were assessed. Exposition to CFD showed decrease in caloric intake and body weight. Likewise, the group showed normalization in liver and serum MDA parameters, insulin, lipid profile, ALT, liver glycogen, and creatinine. The CFD decreased glucose concentration and the inflammatory state, also, increased the concentration of ketone bodies and urea. The change towards CFD reverses the metabolic alterations generated with MS except for glycemia and uremia, probably due to the high rate of gluconeogenesis generated by the high protein content in the diet.

The article presents a literature review of three Chinese manuscripts containing natural dyes recipes and three containing synthetic dyes from the Ming Dynasty to the Republican Period. The manuscripts mentioned were exclusively used as references and sources. Four databases were used to access the original documents, then, a translation from old mandarin to Spanish was made. For natural dyes, the results show four dyestuffs were commonly used to produce colors, sappanwood (Caesalpinia sappan L.), followed by safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.), indigo (Indigofera tinctoria L.), and sophora (S. japonicum L.). While the synthetic dyes exported to or produced in China were mainly bluish, greenish, and violet probably because they were difficult to obtain from natural ones. The literature review of the dyes and their recipes can be a key factor in any art history or conservation study, improving the understanding of how the colors were achieved and as complementary information for analytical analyses. It provides useful details that contribute to the preservation of Chinese dye history on silk heritage.

The management of a cultural change in higher education is becoming necessary and unavoidable: changes in teaching, changes in research and changes in governance. Digital transformation is an essential part of many countries’ modernisation agendas. The aim of this non-experimental, descriptive, survey-based study was to explore the perceptions of university students toward the digital transformation that took place in university teaching as a consequence of COVID-19. The specific objectives proposed were to: a) analyse the perceptions of students toward digital transformation in university teaching; b) determine the valuation of students about the digital transformation that occurred in university teaching as a result of COVID-19; and c) explore the resources (hardware-software), professional collaboration, digital pedagogy and student empowerment (motivation) with respect to digital education and the recent changes in university teaching due to the pandemic. The results show that a large number of items are positively correlated. In conclusion, further research should delve into motivation, collaboration, reflective experience sharing, self-learning and initiatives that promote the development of competences in future teachers.

The management of a cultural change in higher education is becoming necessary and unavoidable: changes in teaching, changes in research and changes in governance. Digital transformation is an essential part of many countries’ modernisation agendas. The aim of this non-experimental, descriptive, survey-based study was to explore the perceptions of university students toward the digital transformation that took place in university teaching as a consequence of COVID-19. The specific objectives proposed were to: a) analyse the perceptions of students toward digital transformation in university teaching; b) determine the valuation of students about the digital transformation that occurred in university teaching as a result of COVID-19; and c) explore the resources (hardware-software), professional collaboration, digital pedagogy and student empowerment (motivation) with respect to digital education and the recent changes in university teaching due to the pandemic. The results show that a large number of items are positively correlated. In conclusion, further research should delve into motivation, collaboration, reflective experience sharing, self-learning and initiatives that promote the development of competences in future teachers.

This study examines the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity in the healing of liver injuries treated with biological adhesives Tachosil^® and GelitaSpon^® and the elastic cyanoacrylate Adhflex^®. Hepatic lesions were induced in male rats using a Stiefel biopsy punch. Healing was assessed 2, 6, and 18 days after injury by quantifying tissue levels of MMP1, 2, 8, 9, and 13. Histopathological repair was evaluated using hematoxylin-eosin, Masson’s trichrome, and Periodic Acid Schiff (PAS) staining and immunohistochemical markers CD31 and CD68. The sealants contributed to complete healing. Histopathology and MMP findings indicate that Adhflex^® has slower degradation and a strong inflammatory reaction at the onset of healing. Early on, all MMPs showed higher levels in Adhflex^® and Tachosil^®-treated animals, and MMP2 and MMP9 expressions were significantly higher in the Adhflex-treated group at 18 days post-injury (T3). The Adhflex^® group had significantly higher MMP8 and MPP13 levels than other treated groups and showed a sustained overexpression of all MMPs, even in the latest healing stages. Notably, the overexpression did not negatively influence the histological healing process. All hepatic trauma injuries should be treated as emergencies, and any easy-to-use and rapid sealant like Adhflex^® could be considered as an option for treating liver trauma.

This study is focused to the aquatic environments of the Sian Ka’an reserve, a World Heritage Site. We applied protocols recently developed for the rapid assessment of most animal taxa inhabiting any freshwater system, by using light traps, and DNA barcodes, represented by the mitochondrial gene Cytochrome Oxidase I (COI). We DNA barcoded 1037 specimens of mites, crustaceans, insects, and fish larvae from 13 aquatic environments close or inside the reserve, with a success rate of 99.8%. In total, 167 Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTU’s) were detected. From them we identified 43 species. All others remain as a MOTU. For analyzing the adult fish communities, we applied the non-invasive method of environmental DNA (eDNA), and identified the sequences obtained with the Barcode of Life Database (BOLD). We found 25 fish species, and other terrestrial vertebrates from this region. No alien species was found. After a comparison of the MOTU’s from all systems, we found that each water body was unique respect the communities observed. The reference library presented here represents the first step for future programs to detect any change in these ecosystems, including invasive species, or improve knowledge of freshwater zooplankton, because most of the MOTU’s are possibly new species to science.

(1) Background: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a crucial role in the preparation of the normal wound healing response. Therefore, a correct balance between low or high levels of ROS is essential. Antioxidant dressings that regulate this balance is a target for new therapies. The purpose of this review is to identify the compounds with antioxidant properties that have been tested for wound healing and to summarize the available evidence on their effects. (2) Methods: A literature search was conducted and included any study that evaluated the effects or mechanisms of antioxidants in the healing process (in vitro, animal models, or human studies). (3) Results: Seven compounds with antioxidant activity were identified (Curcumin, N-acetyl cysteine, Chitosan, Gallic Acid, Edaravone, Crocin, Safranal, and Quercetin) and 46 studies reporting the effects on the healing process of these antioxidants compounds were included. (4) Conclusions: These results highlight that numerous novel investigations are being conducted to develop more efficient systems for wound healing activity. The application of antioxidants is useful against oxidative damage and accelerates wound healing. Designing biomaterials that can scavenge excess reactive oxygen species requires new technologies and further research, especially human studies.

Concrete consumption greatly exceeds the use of any other material in engineering. This is due to its good properties as construction material and the availability of its components. Nevertheless, the present worldwide construction increase and the high-energy consumption for cement production means a high environmental impact. On the other hand, one of the main problem in iron and steel industry is waste generation and by-products that must be properly processed or reused to promote the environmental sustainability. One of these by-products are blast furnace slag. Cement substitution by slag strategy achieves two goals, raw materials consumption reduction and waste management. In the present work, four different concrete mixtures are evaluated. 25% cement is substituted by different blast furnace slag. Tests are made to evaluate the advantages and drawbacks of each mixture. Depending on the origin, characteristics and treatment of the slag, concrete properties change. Certain mixtures provide proper concrete properties. Stainless steel slag produces a fluent mortar that reduces the water consumption whit a slight mechanical strength loss. Mixture with electric arc slag furnace properties are better to the reference concrete (without slag) when slag is treated similarly to the cement.

The potential of digital twin technology is yet to be fully realised due to its diversity and untapped potential. Digital twins enable systems’ analysis, design, optimisation, and evolution to be performed digitally or in conjunction with a cyber-physical approach to improve speed, accuracy, and efficiency over traditional engineering methods. Industry 4.0, factories of the future, and digital twins continue to benefit from the technology and provide enhanced efficiency within existing systems. Due to the lack of information and security standards associated with the transition to cyber digitisation, cybercriminals have been able to take advantage of the situation. Access to a digital twin of a product or service is equivalent to threatening the entire collection. There is a robust interaction between digital twins and artificial intelligence tools, which leads to strong interaction between these technologies, so it can be used to improve the cybersecurity of these digital platforms based on their integration with these technologies. This study aims to investigate the role of artificial intelligence in providing cybersecurity for digital twin versions of various industries, as well as the risks associated with these versions. In addition, this research serves as a road map for researchers and others interested in cybersecurity and digital security.

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a prevalent condition affecting women worldwide. This study aimed to develop a rapid qPCR assay for accurate identification of VVC etiological agents and reduced azole susceptibility. One hundred and twenty nine vaginal samples from an outpatient clinic (Bilbao-Spain) were analyzed using culture-based methods and multiplex qPCR targeting fungal species, Candida albicans being the predominant species. Antifungal susceptibility tests revealed reduced azole susceptibility in three (3,48%) isolates. Molecular analysis identified several mutations in genes associated with azole resistance and novel mutations in TAC1 and MRR1 genes were also identified, which could contribute to drug resistance.

Conducting an accurate hydrological water balance at the regional and country-wide scales is paramount to assessing available water resources and adequately allocating them. One of the main components of these balances is the anthropogenic recharge of groundwater either intentionally, through managed aquifer recharge (MAR), or unintentionally, where infiltration from dams and dykes can play a significant role. In Spain, proper management of water resources is critical due to the arid to semiarid conditions prevalent in most of the territory and the relevance of water resources for maintaining a robust agricultural sector. Spanish Previous work has estimated country-wide recharge from MAR at 150-280 Mm3/year. Recently, water authorities have pointed out that, according to hydrological water balances, the total volume from "unintentional recharge" from water courses may exceed 500 Mm3/year. The present research aims to present a new inventory of transverse structures in Spain and use it to estimate country-wide unintentional recharge. The inventory, compiled by the Spanish Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, has more than 26,000 structures and includes construction characteristics, which allow for estimating the wet perimeter and the infiltration area. Structural data from the inventory was crossed through map algebra with thematic layers, such as lithology, permeability, the digital elevation model, the average groundwater levels, etc., in a GIS environment to arrive at the objective. Different analytical formulas to compute infiltration from small dams and dykes were also employed. The resulting volume of unintentional recharge from transverse structures in Spain is about 800 Mm3/year. This quantity can help close the hydrological balance at the national and river basin levels. Furthermore, this figure provides an order of magnitude for anthropogenic recharge at a national scale, which is difficult to obtain.

Abstract: Background: The periodization of physical exercise to optimize the objectives is common in competitive sports, however physical exercise programs for the older adults do not usu-ally present periodization in their programming, they are limited to carrying out similar sessions throughout the program. Methods:137 people over 60 years old performed a physical exercise program, 71 people participated in a multicomponent non-periodized program as the Control Group (CG) and 66 people participated in a program periodized in blocks as the Experimental Group (EG). The block periodization program was oriented to the development of strength, and was carried out in 86 sessions three times per week during a period of 8 months. Anthropometric assessments were made using: weight, height, BMI and electrical bioimpedance; and functional evaluations through standardized tests: SPPB, TUG, handgrip and two-minute stair test. Results: After the intervention, the EG presents significant improvements in the TUG, in the weight and in the BMI. On the other hand, the CG presents significant improvements in fat weight, in BMI and in the 2-minute stair test. The SPPB did not present changes after the intervention. Conclusion: The periodization of physical exercise for older adults does not have a significant impact on the functional capacity in this population group.

The decentralized treatment of wastes is studied for an urban scenario considering a high-density population of 2500 inhab./km2. Food and garden waste were assumed to be treated in a co-digestion configuration using several mid-size digesters. In contrast biogas and digestate valorization were carried out in a centralized manner. Electricity and thermal energy were produced from this configuration, accounting for 1.3% of residential electricity demand and 3.2% of thermal demand when using double-turbocharged engines. However, the location of the treatment plants is a factor that may raise social discomfort. Rejection of locating the plant in specific sites close to residential neighbors, nuisance due to possible odor and gaseous emissions, and house market distortions are just a few of a long list of problematic aspects that may threaten the decentralized alternative. These factors are of great relevance and must be given a practical solution if the circular economic model is to be implemented by considering the insertion of waste streams into the production system and generating local energy sources and raw materials.

In this paper we formally define the hierarchical clustering network problem (HCNP) as the problem to find a good hierarchical partition of a network. This new problem focuses on the dynamic process of the clustering rather than on the final picture of the clustering process. To address it, we introduce a new hierarchical clustering algorithm in networks, based on a new shortest path betweenness measure. To calculate it, the communication between each pair of nodes is weighed by the importance of the nodes that establish this communication. The weights or importance associated to each pair of nodes are calculated as the Shapley value of a game, named as the linear modularity game. This new measure, (the node-game shortest path betweenness measure), is used to obtain a hierarchical partition of the network by eliminating the link with the highest value. To evaluate the performance of our algorithm, we introduce several criteria that allow us to compare different dendrograms of a network from two point of view: modularity and homogeneity. Finally, we propose a faster algorithm based on a simplification of the node-game shortest path betweenness measure, whose order is quadratic on sparse networks. This fast version is competitive from a computational point of view with other hierarchical fast algorithms, and, in general, it provides better results.

The ejido system in Mexico based on communal land was transformed for private ownership due to neoliberal trends during 1990. This research describes the evolution of Mexican land policies that changed the ejido system into private development to answer why land tenure change is shaping urban growth. To demonstrate this, municipalities of San Andrés Cholula and Ocoyucan were selected as a case study. Within this context, we evaluated how much ejido land is being urbanized due to real estate market forces and what type of urbanization model is created. These two areas represent different development scales: S.A. Cholula where its ejidos were expropriated as part of a regional urban development plan; and Ocoyucan where its ejidos and rural land were reached by private developers without local planning. To analyze both municipalities, historical satellite images from Google Earth were used with GRASS GIS 7.4 and corrected with QGIS 2.18. We found that privatization of ejidos fragmented and segregated the rural world for the construction of massive gated-communities. Therefore, a disturbing land tenure change occurred during the last 30 years, hence this research questions the role of local authorities in permitting land use change without regulations or local planning. The resulting urbanization model is a private sector development that isolates rural communities in their own territories, for which we provide recommendations.

Podiatric surgeons routinely use electrosurgical devices to cut and coagulate tissue during surgical procedures. Although advances in technology have made electrosurgery increasingly safer for patients and personnel, its use is still poorly understood by those using it and the hazards associated with its use still exist presently. Human error, direct or indirect transfer of electricity to a conductive device, or device malfunction can cause serious adverse events, including burns, electrical shocks, and or fires. Here, we report a rare case of a 43-year-old man who suffered severe burns during hallux valgus surgery. The surgeon and the nursing staff did not notice any injuries during the surgical intervention. This case highlights the need to implement tools to help health professionals improve patient safety during surgery. Based on the case herein reported, a specific checklist was implemented to prevent adverse events related to electrosurgery in our podiatric unit to reduce the risk of electrosurgical complications.

Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) would correspond to a preclinical phase of Alzheimer's disease. The aim of this study was to find associations between lifestyle individual factors compatible scores with cognitive impairment (CI) in SCD people. Methods: This is a case-control study to detect SCD, CI and potential associated factors in 497 patients over 50 years in Community Pharmacies. Three screening tests detected possible CI and patients with at least one test compatible with CI were referred to Primary Care to be evaluated. Results: In self-complaint patients statistically significant with depressive feelings were found (86.8%) with benzodiazepines consumers (83.9%) and female patients (81.2%). Thirty percent of our sample obtained scores compatible with CI. Being older than 70 years old increased the odds of obtaining scores compatible with CI. High level education, reading and internet use were able to reduce the odds of positive scores compatible with CI (37%-91%, 7%-18% and 67%-86%), whereas, one extra hour television/day increased the risk in 8%-30%. Reading was able to nullify the effect of both internet and TV consumption. Conclusion: Not just the age but also modifiable lifestyle factors are acting in favour of a cognitive decline.

Implementing the methodology of clinical simulation in the nursing degree course is a necessity in the European framework of higher education to acquire competences. The objectives of this research were to evaluate the strategies and techniques used during the simulations, identify the contents learned, and determine which of them are transferred to the nursing practice. We performed an observational, descriptive, and cross-sectional study from the nursing students’ perspective during the 2020-21-year course. On the one hand, our results show that the DASH scale helped us to obtain an internal validity of the simulations obtaining a mean score of 6.61 out of 7. On the other hand, the Ad Hoc scale, based on the competences were acquired in the simulations were transferred to the care practices. In conclusion, it is possible to improve care practices by integrating knowledge through clinical simulations.

The continuous casting tundish is non-isothermal due to heat losses and temperature variation from the inlet stream generating relevant convection forces. This condition is commonly avoided through qualitative fluid dynamic analysis only. This work searches to establish the conditions for which non-isothermal simulations are mandatory or for which isothermal simulations are enough to accurately describe the fluid dynamics inside the tundish by quantifying the buoyant and inertial forces. The mathematical model, simulated by CFD software, considers the Navier-Stokes equations, the realizable k- model for solving the turbulence, and the Lagrangian discrete face to track the inclusion trajectories. The results show that temperature does not significantly impact the volume fraction percentages or the mean residence time results, nevertheless, bigger velocity magnitudes under non-isothermal conditions than in isothermal conditions and noticeable changes in the fluid dynamics between isothermal and non-isothermal cases in all the zones where buoyancy force dominates over inertial forces were observed. Because of the results, it is concluded that isothermal simulations can accurately describe the flow behavior in tundishes when the flow control devices control the fluid dynamic, but the simulation without control devices or with a weak fluid dynamic dependence on the control devices requires non-isothermal simulations.

An evaluation of image contrast in a controlled foggy environment has been made by comparison between intensity imaging and different modes of polarimetric imaging. A small-scale fog chamber has been designed and constructed to create the necessary controlled foggy environment. A linear polarimetric camera of division of focal plane and a linearly polarized light source has been used for performing the experiments with polarized light. In order to evaluate the image contrast of the different imaging modes, the Michelson’s contrast of samples of different materials relative to their background has been calculated. The higher the image contrast, the easier is to detect and segment the targets of interest that are surrounded by fog. It has been proved quantitatively that in the studied situations polarimetric images present an improvement in contrast when compared to conventional intensity images.

The paper proposes a novel methodology for the stabilization of shallow foundations, with a simplified model combined with 3D Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT-3D) and conso- lidation injections. To determine its usefulness, the method has been applied in a case located in Estepona (southern Spain). The chosen tomography model is the dipole-dipole configuration, with an optimized distance between electrodes of 0.80 m for a better visualization of the foundation subsoil; with this parameterization, a total of 72 electrodes were installed in the analyzed case. In this work, the depth of the anomaly in the building's supporting subsoil was detected ranging from 2.00 m to 3.90 m deep. The study also delineates areas of high resistivity variations (50-1,000 Ω m) in the middle and eastern end of the field. These data have been validated and corroborated with a field campaign. The results of the ERT-3D monitoring are presented, once the investment data has been processed with the RES3DINV software, from the beginning to the end of the stabilization intervention. The novelty occurs with the interaction between the tomography and the foundation consolidation injections, until the final stabilization; very useful methodology in case of emergency consolidation, where there is a need to minimize damage to the building. Thus, people using this combined system; will be able to practically solve the initial anomalies of the subsoil that caused the damages, in a non-invasive way, considerably lowering the value of the resistivities.

Deep eutectic solvents have emerged as a greener alternative and have attracted so much interest in the last two decades. This paper present alternative synthesis method to classical heating-stirring. The ultrasound method is one of the most promising syntheses DESs in terms of yield and energy. So, ultrasound synthesis method was studied to obtain hydrophobic (Aliquat 336: L-Menthol 3:7; Li-docaine: decanoic acid 1:2) and hydrophilic DESs based on Choline chloride and urea, ethylene glycol and oxalic acid. The physical characterization of DESs by comparison of FTIR spectra no show difference between DESs obtained by heating-stirring and ultrasound synthesis methods. The RMN spectra of the DESs obtained by heating-stirring revealed the DESs formation. Density and viscosity properties of DESs were evaluated. The density values are similar for both synthesis methods. However, lower viscosity values are obtained to the hydrophilic DESs prepared by ul-trasound methods.

In the last years, advances in materials engineering based on adaptive electronics have found a new paradigm to optimize drawbacks in signal processing. A two-layer MnO/ZnO:Zn heterostructure envisioned for frequency adaptive electronic signal processing is synthesized by sputtering where the use of internal states allows reconfigurability to obtain new operating modes at different frequency input signals. An X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) is performed on each layer, MnO:Mn had a cubic and ZnO:Zn a hexagonal structure with preferential growth in [111] and [002] directions respectively. It is determined that the coupling in this heterojunction is compatible with a mismatch less 1 % due texture in each layer which implies a low number of defects. An electrical characterisation with an oscilloscope and signal generator was carried out to obtain the time-response signals and current-voltage (I-V) curves where no degradation is detected when changing from a range of frequencies (100 Hz – 1 MHz). An equivalent circuit is proposed to explain the effects in the interface. Finally, the MnO/ZnO:Zn heterojunction delivers states that are stable, repeatable, and reproducible and it demonstrates how the interaction of the materials can be used in adaptive device applications applying frequencies and internal states as to create new and innovative design schematics, reducing the numbers of components/connections in a system for future sustainable electronics.

Overweight and Obesity are global health and economic concerns. According to the World Health Organization, the number of individuals with obesity has nearly tripled since 1975. This health issue is currently considered an epidemic, affecting over 1.9 billion adults and 340 million children and adolescents. It contributes to more than 5 million deaths each year and has a global economic burden that will reach $4.32 trillion annually by 2035, according to the World Obesity Federation. This disease can affect every system of the human body and can lead to complications such as metabolic syndrome, diabetes, cancer, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular diseases, and hypertension, among others. Treatment may sometimes include diet, exercise, drugs, and bariatric surgery. Nonetheless, not all people have access to these treatments, and public health strategies consider prevention the most important factor. In this regard, recent investigations are aiming to find alternatives and adjuvants for the treatment of obesity, its prevention, and the reversion of some of its complications, using natural sources of anti-obesogenic compounds like polyphenols, terpenes, alkaloids, saponins, among others. In this review, we gather the most current information using PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Cochrane, and Web of Science. We present and discuss the current information about natural products that have shown anti-obesogenic effects at a molecular level. We also consider the impact of dietary habits and lifestyle in preventing overweight and obesity due to the evidence of the benefits of certain foods and compounds consumed regularly. We discuss mechanisms, pathways, and receptors involved in the modulation of obesity, especially those related to inflammation and oxidative stress linked to this disease, due to the relevance of these two aspects in developing complications.

Air pollution is a global issue, and the transportation sector is recognized as the third-largest contributor to anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Vehicles emit a range of chemical compounds as a direct result of the combustion process. The nature and quantity of these emissions depend on the vehicle's characteristics, road, and local weather conditions. As a result, these emissions require special attention due to the adverse effects contributing to global warming and significantly impacting human health. In this regard, diagnosing and monitoring air quality is crucial for understanding the nature and quantity of emissions generated by various sources. However, in developing countries, the necessary inputs, and data for conducting such analyses are not always available. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to estimate emissions specifically generated from road operations. To achieve this, HDM-4 calculation tool is utilized to quantitatively estimate these emissions. This tool was applied in Baja California, Mexico, on the Centinela-La Rumorosa highway. The results obtained show that annually, 372.5 tons of pollutant emissions are generated, composed of HC, CO, CO2, NOx, Par, SO2, and PB, covering a mere 128 kilometers of length within a state road network spanning 11,429 kilometers. This highlights the necessity of implementing strategies to reduce emissions or the environmental impact generated by vehicular operations on roads in developing countries.

In the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), education plays a fundamental role. However, traditional methodologies do not favor the enrichment and personal development essential to promote global awareness. The use of active methodologies based on experiences improve the quality of learning. This work describes the design, implementation, and evaluation of the acquired knowledge of a didactic proposal for non-formal education as a support for regulated education based on botany content. Firstly, a workshop was held, where young people participated directly in developing field work with a real scientific methodology. Subsequently, a group of students was chosen to be interviewed to obtain a global vision of the learning they obtained. The motivation of the students was quite positive, which allowed us to obtain voluntary participation in the field work and gave the students a participative attitude throughout the development of the workshops. Four months later, this positive attitude remained during their direct involvement in various activities, and the students still remembered the fundamental content discussed. Relating the didactic proposal to its immediate environment was shown to increase interest in learning and value in its own context. The results of this educational experience have been very positive, as knowledge was acquired, and interest in the preservation of the environment and the profession of a researcher was promoted.

Videogames have become educational, communicative and social tools among the youngest, favouring the acquisition of skills, abilities and values, encompassing an endless number of themes, and help to experience and to face, in the first person, a great diversity of environmental situations and ecology problems. Thus, the present article aims: a) the evaluation of a sample of 20 educational videogames about water, making use of some empirical criteria of quality; and b) the design, validation and application of an integrate quality indicator of educational videogames on water, based on the aspects of narrative, gameplay and didactics to that sample, which allows us to obtain a ranking. The findings reflect a ranking of games allows to suggest that the nature of the game (simulation, adventures, platforms or questions) does not determine the quality of the game, although generally simulations and adventure games are placed in a range of medium or high quality, as well as those games that pursue objectives related to the design and management of a territory in a sustainable way. The paper provides teachers with quality criteria based on narrative and gameplay that complement and enriches the pedagogical dimension.

We have evaluated the antihypertensive effect of several flavonoid extracts in the spontaneous hypertensive rat model (SHR). Treatments were carried out for 6 and 12 weeks in two groups of SHR rats which received Apigenin, Lemon Extract, Grapefruit + Bitter Orange (GBO) extracts and Cocoa extract. Captopril was used as a positive control in the SHR group treated for 6 weeks (SHR6) and Diosmin was used as the industry reference in the SHR group treated for 12 weeks (SHR12). Captopril and GBO extracts significantly reduced the elevated blood pressure of the SHR6 animals, but none of the extracts was effective in the SHR12 group. Apigenin, LE, GBO and captopril also ameliorated nitric oxide-dependent and independent aortic vascular relaxation and elevated plasma and urinary excretion of nitrites, only in the SHR6 group. Kidney and urinary TBARS were also significantly reduced by GBO in the SHR6 rats. Apigenin also improved vascular relaxation in the SHR12 group and all the flavonoids studied reduced urinary TBARS excretion and proteinuria. Vascular abnormalities such as lumen/wall ratio in coronary arteries and thoracic aorta were moderately improved by these treatments in the SHR6 group. In conclusion, the flavonoids included in this study, especially apigenin, LE and GBO improved vascular vasodilatory function of young adult SHRs but only the GBO-treated rats benefited from a reduction in BP. These extracts may be used as functional food ingredients with a moderate therapeutic benefit, especially in the early phases of arterial hypertension.

Three-Dimensional reconstruction of the corneal surface provides a powerful tool for managing corneal diseases. This study proposes a novel method for reconstructing the corneal surface from elevation point clouds, using modal schemes capable of reproducing corneal shapes using surface polynomial functions. The multivariable polynomial fitting was performed using a non-dominated sorting multivariable genetic algorithm (NS-MVGA). Standard reconstruction methods using least-squares discrete fitting (LSQ) and sequential quadratic programming (SQP) were compared with the evolutionary algorithm-based approach. The study included 49 eyes of 49 patients (ages 11-63) sorted in two groups: control (33 eyes) and keratoconus (KC) (16 eyes). Tomographic information (Sirius, Costruzione Strumenti Oftalmici, Italy) was processed using Matlab. The goodness of fit for each method was evaluated using mean squared error (MSE), measured at the same nodes where the elevation data were collected. Polynomial fitting based on NS-MVGA improves MSE values by 86% compared to LSQ-based methods in healthy patients. Moreover, this new method improves aberrated surface reconstruction by 43% for Amsler-Krumeich (AK) Grade 1 keratoconus patients. Finally, significant improvements were also found in morpho-geometric parameters, such as asphericity and corneal curvature radii.

Offshore electricity production, mainly by wind turbines, and eventually floating PV in the future, will contribute to increase renewable energy production, as well as their dispatchability. The need for that energy evacuation and the implementation of the hydrogen economy are challenges that arise the evaluation of such energy facilities for the direct production of hydrogen. The analysis of the alternatives for the evacuation of offshore renewable electricity for the production of hydrogen is presented. The analysis includes discussion about the current state of the art of hydrogen pipelines and subsea cables, as well as the storage and bunkering system that is needed on shore. The main options for energy evacuation will be via an electric subsea cable to produce hydrogen onshore, or by pipeline, depending on the capacity of the offshore plant. For low capacity, an electric subsea cable is the best option. For high capacity renewable offshore plants, pipelines start to be competitive for distances above aprox. 450 miles.

Accurate streamflow forecasting is crucial for effectively managing water resources, particularly in countries like Colombia, where hydroelectric power generation significantly contributes to the national energy grid. Although highly interpretable, traditional deterministic, physically-driven models often suffer from complexity and require extensive parameterization. Data-driven models like Linear Autoregressive (LAR) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks offer simplicity and performance but cannot quantify uncertainty. This work introduces Sparse Variational Gaussian Processes (SVGPs) for forecasting streamflow contributions. The proposed SVGP model reduces computational complexity compared to traditional Gaussian Processes, making it highly scalable for large datasets. The methodology employs optimal hyperparameters and shared inducing points to capture short-term and long-term relationships among reservoirs. Training, validation, and analysis of the proposed approach consider the streamflow dataset from 23 geographically dispersed reservoirs recorded during twelve years in Colombia. Performance assessment reveals that the proposal outperforms baseline Linear Autoregressive (LAR) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) models in three key aspects: adaptability to changing dynamics, provision of informative confidence intervals through Bayesian inference, and enhanced forecasting accuracy. Therefore, the SVGP-based forecasting methodology offers a scalable and interpretable solution for multi-output streamflow forecasting, thereby contributing to more effective water resource management and hydroelectric planning.

To increase the power density of the electromechanical drive train of wind turbines, journal bearings can be used as planetary gear bearings instead of rolling bearings. This technological change presents new challenges. For example, wind turbine drive systems are subject to dynamic and low-speed operating conditions which can lead to an accelerated abrasive wear of the journal bearings. In addition, oil supply failure or peak loads due to wind gusts and grid and power converter faults could potentially result in catastrophic failure due to adhesive wear in a very short time. Such operating characteristics are, therefore, critical regarding the journal bearing wear lifetime and must be considered in the design. The successful implementation of journal bearings in wind turbines depends on a reliable estimation of adhesive and abrasive wear. In this paper, five different models for the wear calculation of journal bearings are evaluated regarding their suitability of wear calculation of planetary gear bearings in wind turbines. For this purpose, the following evaluation criteria were defined: parameter uncertainty, parametrization effort, in particular number of parameters, parameterization method and load case dependency of parameters and calculation effort. In order to be able to evaluate the wear models, the wear models are numerically implemented and the wear of a test journal bearing is exemplarily calculated under load conditions, which are comparable to load conditions in a wind turbine. Relevant influences from the wind turbine system such as lubricant, material and manufacturing dependent surface influences like roughness and hardness are considered. The wear models are evaluated with respect to their fulfillment of the defined criteria. The resulting evaluation allows the selection of a wear model that can be used to calculate the wear of planetary gear journal bearings in wind turbines, considering the available input variables.

Intracranial hemorrhage is a serious medical problem that requires rapid and often intensive medical care. Identifying the location and type of any hemorrhage present is a critical step in the treatment of the patient. Diagnosis requires an urgent procedure, and the detection of hemorrhage is a difficult and time-consuming process for human experts. In this paper, we propose methods based on EfficientDet’s deep-learning technology that can be applied to the diagnosis of hemorrhages and thus become a decision-support system. Our proposal is two-fold. On the one hand, the proposed technique classifies slices of computed tomography scans for the presence hemorrhage or its lack, achieving 92.7% accuracy and 0.978 ROC-AUC. On the other hand, our methodology provides visual explanations of the classification chosen using the Grad-CAM methodology.

In this research, the feasibility of using bottom ashes generated by the combustion of biomass (olive pruning and pine pruning) as a source of aluminosilicates (OPBA) has been studied, replacing the metakaolin precursor (MK) in different proportions (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 wt. % substitution) for the synthesis of geopolymers. As alkaline activator an 8 M NaOH solution and a Na2SiO3 have been used. The geopolymers were cured 24 hours in a climatic chamber at 60 ° C in a water-saturated atmosphere, subsequently demoulded and cured at room temperature for 28 days. The results indicated that the incorporation of OPBA waste, which have 19.7 wt. % of Ca, modifies the characteristics of the products formed after alkaline activation. In general terms, the incorporation of increasing amounts of calcium-rich ashes results in geopolymers with higher bulk density. The compressive strength increases with the addition of up to 50 wt. % of OPBA with respect to the control geopolymers, contributing the composition of the residue to the acquisition of a better behaviour mechanical. The results indicate the potential use of these OPBA waste as raw material to produce unconventional cements with 28-day curing strengths greater than 10 MPa, and thermal conductivities less than 0.35 W/mK.

The aim of this paper is to contribute to the body of knowledge about Project-Based Learning (PBL) methodology in higher education by describing and analysing interrelations between competencies, and their contribution to knowledge transfer (KT) and students’ rating of the project. The sample consisted of 464 students from the Universities of Huelva (N=347; 74.8%) and Murcia (N= 117; 25.2%), enrolled in the second year of a degree in either Infant or Primary Education. Data was collected through a self-administered questionnaire comprising a total of 53 items measuring General, Specific and Transversal competencies, as well as students’ rating of the project. Competencies were selected from the course programmes for the degrees in Infant and Primary Education. Preliminary results showed that competencies were moderately to highly acquired after PBL, and that students reported notable KT as well as a positive assessment of the project. KT showed a high degree of association with students’ ratings and was established as a key factor in learning and learner satisfaction in higher education.

Considering Cu(tda) chelate is a receptor for adenine and related 6-aminopurines, now we report the synthesis, molecular and crystal structures, thermal stability, spectral properties and DFT calculations on the [Cu(tda)(9heade)(H2O)]•2H2O (1). N7 is found to be the preferred donor atom of 9heade, that can favor the cooperation of a Cu-N7(9heade) bond and an (9heade)N6-H•••O(tda) interligand interaction. But unprecedentedly, the Cu(tda)-9heade molecular recognition in 1 is essentially featured the Cu-N1(9heade), without any N6-H•••O(carboxyl tda) interligand interaction. Nevertheless, being N1 the most basic donor for N9-substituted adenines, this Cu-N1 bond is now assisted by an O2-water mediated interaction (N6-H•••O2 and O2•••Cu weak contact). Also in the crystal packing, the O-H(ol) of 9heade interacts with its own adenine moiety by an O3-water mediated interaction (O(ol)-H•••O3 plus O3-H36•••π(adenine moiety). In turn these water-mediated interactions seems to be responsible to serious alterations on the physical properties of crystalline or grounded samples. Density functional theory calculations were used to evaluate the interactions energetically. Moreover, the quantum theory of atoms-in-molecules (QTAIM) in combination with the noncovalent interaction plot (NCIPlot) were used to analyze the interactions and rationalize the existence and relative importance of hydrogen bonding, chalcogen bonding and π-stacking interactions.