The purpose of this study is to analyse the ways of visualization of hidden violence through a map of the city of violence called La Manada City, in its transformation from defensive to artistic strategies. For this analysis, firstly we propose the contextualization of the artwork and its authorship, and later, the research about the artistic and visual resources of the 257 items that make up the map and its guide street, in a sort of rustic hypertext of the emotions linked to the violence in the territory. The main findings of this study demonstrate the strength of the strategy used as a survival method in cases of bullying. As a conclusion, in spite of the therapeutic effects, this work cannot be understood as Art Therapy, but as combat art: it provides an understanding of the emotional city, of the disadvantaged groups that inhabit it, from the most local (as a transcript of the city of Seville) to global and universal effects on community life.

The aim of this study is to analyse the names given to streets, monuments, spots of interest, et cetera in a street guide of an imaginary city called The Manada, whose map is constructed as a painting. For this analysis, we start from the 257 entries of the Street Guide, select their possible antecedents in literature and contextualize this street guide with respect to these antecedents. Our methodology is focused on two specific aspects of the Street guide: (1) to detect the semantic fields that emerge (with a methodology inverse to the creative one, that is, asking ourselves what key questions would result in the names of the streets) and (2) to detect the literary devices that are put into practice in the names of the places on the map, in order to determine how the relationship with the viewer-reader is established from a connotative level. The main findings of this study demonstrate that this is a unique piece, a new format both pictorial and literary, and that it has transcendence in the theme it deals with: the concealment of systemic violence. Comments about feminism, apotropaic devices and surrealism end our text.

In this article, we have tried to answer the questions of how an entire city's fiction was created for the development of Japanese American internment camps and in which way contributions of sustainable crafts and even art could have interceded. To this aim, we have searched the literature and reviewed archives, primarily from the American West Coast. We have found that beyond adaptation to the circumstances, the visual representation of the city's settlement, founding, and daily activities, instead of typical panoptic or somber prisons’ imagery, are depicted in the selected images and that their use precisely fostered its sustainability. This leads us to deduce that a "city fiction" was necessary for such survival and endurance and that its artistic representation was primarily involved in the state's ideological apparatus. On the other hand, fissures subtly seethed the violence exerted in the camps by stealth and in a hidden fashion. We have concluded that artistic activity justified the city's fiction, together with other examples, highlighting the conditions of systemic violence and oppression for the inmates. In this framework, the artworks generated constitute a historical document of sustainability.

The applicability of the distance aggregation problem has attracted the interest of many authors. Motivated by this fact, in this paper we face the modular quasi-(pseudo-)metric aggregation problem. We characterize those functions that allow merging a collection of modular quasi-(pseudo-)metrics into a single one. Specifically, a description of such functions in terms of triangle triplets is given and, in addition, the relationship between modular quasi-(pseudo-)metric aggregation functions and modular (pseudo-)metric aggregation functions is discussed. Such characterizations are illustrated with appropriate examples. A few methods to construct modular quasi-(pseudo-)metrics are yielded. Several properties of modular quasi-(pseudo-)metric aggregation functions are explored and used to develop quick tests for discarding candidate functions to aggregate modular quasi-(pseudo-)metrics. Moreover, a characterization of those modular quasi-(pseudo-)metric aggregation functions that preserve modular quasi-(pseudo-)metrics is also provided. Furthermore, the relationship between modular quasi-(pseudo-)metric aggregation functions and quasi-(pseudo-)metric aggregation functions is studied in such a way that significative differences are displayed.

The aim of this paper is to study changes in land use and the evolution of vegetation in Cacheu River Mangroves Natural Park in the Republic of Guinea-Bissau. To do this, we will study variations in the NDVI, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index. In order to perform the calculations and subsequent analysis, images from three years— 2010, and 2017—were used, all corresponding to the same time of year so that the phenological stage is the same. To perform a more reliable analysis, the park was divided into five classes based on the main use of the land: mangals, palm forest, paddy fields, savannahs and others. Using a statistical sample, same areas were selected for each class and the corresponding NDVIs were calculated for the years in which ASTER images were available. The study made it possible to conclude that at present, management of the park is not the most suitable, given that the changes in land use observed represent a decrease in mangrove swamps, despite the fact that these forests constitute the most important ecological area of all those that make up the park. Mangals are being replaced by other land uses.

(1) Background: The purpose of this study was therefore to analyze the predictive capacity of the three variables (impulsivity, sensation-seeking and drug use) in aggressors and victims of violence. (2) Methods: The design is cross-sectional quasi-experimental. A sample of 822 students aged 13 to 18 who had filled in an ad hoc questionnaire, the State Impulsivity Scale and the Sensation-Seeking Scale, was used for this. (3) Results: The results show that aggressors had high levels of gratification, automatism, attentional factor, disinhibition and susceptibility to boredom, and use alcohol and/or tobacco. The variables that could predict involvement as an aggressor in peer conflict are use of alcohol, smoking, high levels of gratification, automatism and attentional factors and a high degree of disinhibition and susceptibility to boredom. The disinhibition is the best predictor of aggressor. (4) Conclusions: Thus having available empirical evidence that facilitates detection of predictive variables for participation in violence is going to favor the design of effective education intervention for reducing risk behavior.

1) Background: Studies have shown that there is a higher risk of burnout among employees in the healthcare sector. Therefore, this study focused on “Certified Nursing Aides” (CNAs) who have shown a high prevalence of burnout, and are therefore considered an especially vulnerable group. The objective of this study was to identify the relationships between some organizational, personal and sociodemographic factors and burnout; 2) Methods: The final study sample was made up of 278 working CNAs with a mean age of 40.88 (SD=9.41). To compile the data, an ad hoc questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic information, and to collect professional and employment information, the Brief Emotional Intelligence Inventory for Adults, the Brief Questionnaire on Perceived Social Support, and The General Self-Efficacy Scale.; 3) Results: The results show that the Burnout Syndrome is significantly related negatively to all the emotional intelligence factors, self-efficacy and perceived social support. The risk of burnout is higher in younger persons and in permanently employed professionals. General self-efficacy and stress management act as protective factors against the likelihood of burnout.; and 4) Conclusions: This study suggests that organizations should urge coaching and transformational leadership training programs to promote the wellbeing and organizational commitment of workers.

Background: Since the beginning of the 20th century, the importance of creating healthy work environments and promoting the health of workers in the healthcare sector to create Healthy and Resilient Organizations has been emphasized. In this context, self-esteem is an essential construct which influences health and healthy life styles, and therefore, the general wellbeing of nurses. The objective of this study was to analyze the mediating role of reasons for exercising in the effect that self-esteem has on uncontrolled eating by nursing professionals. Methods: The sample was made up of 1094 nurses who were administered the Rosenberg General Self-esteem Scale, the Goal Content for Exercise Questionnaire and the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-R18. Results: Bivariate correlation analysis and multiple mediation analysis showed that self-esteem has direct and indirect effects on uncontrolled eating. More so, self-esteem predicts doing physical exercise to improve one’s image, recognition and social affiliation, although the effects on uncontrolled eating were only significant through image. Conclusions: The results have important practical implications in the framework of Positive Occupational Health Psychology (POHP) as it emphasizes self-esteem, physical exercise and eating as essential aspects of the health and wellbeing of employees in the healthcare sector, highlighting the importance of creating organizations committed to promoting the psychosocial health of their workers.

This study is dedicated to understanding and simulating the mechanical properties of concrete, with a specific focus on the mesoscopic scale. Investigating concrete at this level involves examining its composition as a heterogeneous amalgamation comprising mortar, aggregates, and the interfacial transition zone (ITZ). Such an approach provides a detailed examination of the material's behavior and attributes. Numerical models are utilized, leveraging the finite element method (FEM), to examine the behavior of concrete. The study employs MATLAB programming to develop three-dimensional models, subsequently subjected to FEM analysis. Various mesoscopic Representative Volume Elements (RVEs) are formulated, encompassing varied shapes and dimensions. The MATLAB framework generates input files for numerical FEM simulations, replicating compression strength tests. As complexity increases with the inclusion of the ITZ, prismatic RVEs are developed. The proposed mesoscopic model establishes a foundational framework for a numerical simulation methodology tailored to laboratory compression tests. It provides detailed insights into concrete behavior, elucidating deformation, and fracture mechanisms. Although not a complete substitute for experimental methods, these models offer a cost-effective and expeditious alternative, pinpointing vulnerable areas and exploring the implications of additional materials on concrete behavior. Experimental data and virtual tests pave the way for mitigating carbon footprint and improving concrete sustainability.

Background: Healthcare attention is sometimes considered purely technical, but communication has proven to be closely related to clinical results and patient satisfaction. Therefore, evaluation of communication in the scope of healthcare is a priority. The purpose of this study was to validate and adapt, if necessary, the Spanish version of the Communication Styles Inventory (CSI) in a sample of nursing professionals. (2) Methods: The sample was made up of 2313 nursing professionals selected at random from various medical centers in Spain, and is therefore a sample actively employed at the time data were acquired. We started out from the Communication Style Inventory, a questionnaire for evaluating the predominance of certain individual communication behaviors on six scales (expressiveness, preciseness, verbal aggressiveness, questioningness, emotionality and impression manipulativeness). (3) Results: Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the model proposed showed god fit indices. The reliability of the model shown by the Cronbach’s alpha of α=.81 was adequate, and so was single-level and aggregate consistency. Finally, in the analysis of variance by type of contract, configural, metric and scalar invariance was acceptable, but not strict invariance. (4) Conclusions: This instrument progresses in measuring non-technical attributes, such as communication styles, in nursing personnel.

An economic and business history approach is used to show the rise and relative failure of the Spanish wind industry during the period between 2004-2015, when Spain became the fourth country after China, the US and Germany in installed capacity of renewable energies and, in relative terms, the second country after Denmark. This study is unique in that it provides an integrated vision of the reasons for the relative fall of Spain in the world ranking of wind energy producers. The methodology of the economic analysis of industrial policies makes it possible to explain the fall in the relative importance of Spain in the international panorama of wind farms. There were no reasons related to technological obsolescence or inability of the CECRE managing renewable energies to explain the fall.

One of the trends in current research in psychology explores how personal variables can determine a person’s communication style. Our objective was to find out the moderating effect of Mood in the relationship between the five big personality traits and an aggressive verbal communication style risk factor from work activity in a sample of nursing professionals. This study is a quantitative descriptive design. The final sample was 596 nurses with a range of 22 to 56 years. An ad hoc questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic data, the 10-item Big Five Inventory, the Communication Styles Inventory, and the Brief Emotional Intelligence Inventory for Senior Citizens. This study showed that for nursing professionals, the “Agreeableness”, “Conscientiousness” and “Neuroticism” traits have a close relationship with aggressive verbal communication. Even though Mood moderates this relationship, it is only significant for those individuals with high scores in “Neuroticism”. Because personality dimensions are considered relatively stable over time and consistent from one situation to another, organizations should hold workshops and other types of practical activities to train workers in communication skills and Emotional Intelligence in order to promote employee health and that of their patients and avoid risk factor from work activity in nursing.

Positive Occupational Health Psychology (POHP) examines the mechanisms that promote workers’ health and wellbeing, in addition to risk factors arising from work activity. The aim of this study was to analyze the mediating role of perceived stress in the effect that self-efficacy has on engagement in nurses. The sample comprised 1777 currently working nurses. We administered the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), the Perceived Stress Questionnaire and the General Self-Efficacy Scale. Following bivariate correlational analysis, multiple linear regression analysis, and simple and multiple mediation analysis the results showed Self-efficacy to be a powerful personal resource that positively predicts employees’ engagement, although the effect diminishes when there are mediating variables of stress. We found differences in the way the different aspects of stress mediated the relationship between Self-efficacy and the engagement dimensions. “Energy–joy” was the strongest mediating variable for all of the engagement dimensions, and this, together with “harassment–social acceptance” dampened the effect of Self-efficacy on vigor and dedication, whereas “Overload” was only a mediator for dedication. Because nurses work in a stressful environment, risk factor arising from work activity, hospital management should design interventions to enhance their workers’ personal resources and improve personal and organizational wellbeing.

Tobacco and cannabis use pose major health risks and are major contributors to causes of death worldwide. Mobile phone-based cessation apps for these substances are gaining popularity, often used as a component of traditional interventions. This study aimed to analyze adherence to an intervention using a mobile phone application (App-therapy Prescind) as a function of sociodemographic variables (age, gender, educational level, and profession) as well as the primary activities supported by the app (reducing tobacco or cannabis use and increasing physical exercise). The participants were recruited through the web pages of the Occupational Risk Prevention Service and the Psychology Clinic of the University of Granada during the Covid-19 confinement period. The application’s content includes three components (self-report, motivational phrases, and goal-setting). Our findings indicate that being male, aged between 26 and 62, having a secondary or high school education, and being unemployed increase the likelihood of adherence to the Prescinde App-therapy three months after usage. Our findings highlight the importance of developing new therapeutic approaches and conducting in-depth studies on the factors associated with adherence to tobacco and cannabis cessation treatments via mobile phone applications.

The aim of this article was to assess how the professional competence of PETs (Physical Education Teachers) can predict student satisfaction in high school and student satisfaction with life itself. In line with these aims, this study was completed as a cross-sectional study, which was carried out in a total 890 Physical Education (PE) students. Of the research group, 50.3% were female and 49.7% were male. Age average was 15.49 years old for females (SD 1.79) and 15.00 years old for males (SD 2.00). The data collection instrument was the Intrinsic Satisfaction Classroom Scale and Satisfaction with Life Scale. The results are presented as descriptive statistics, correlations and structural equation modelling analysis, and they show that the competences of the PE teacher determine in great measure student’s satisfaction with school and with their own personal lives.

The burnout syndrome, which affects so many healthcare workers, has recently awakened wide interest due to the severe repercussions related to its appearance. Even though job factors are determinant to its development, not all individuals exposed to the same work conditions show burnout, which demonstrates the importance of individual variables such as personality. The purpose of this study was to determine personality characteristics of a sample of nursing professionals based on the Big Five model, and then, having determined the personality profiles, analyze the differences in burnout and engagement based on those profiles. The sample was made up of 1236 nurses. An ad hoc questionnaire was prepared to collect the sociodemographic data, and the Brief Burnout Questionnaire, the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale and the Big Five Inventory-10 were used. The results showed that the existence of burnout in this group of workers, is associated negatively with extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness and openness to experience, and positively with the neuroticism personality trait. These personality factors showed the opposite pattern with regard to engagement. Three different personality profiles were also found in nursing personnel, in which professionals who had a profile marked by strong neuroticism and low scores on the rest of the personality traits where those who were most affected by burnout.

Aggressive behavior in adolescence is influenced by a diversity of individual, family and social variables. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between family functioning, emotional intelligence and values for development of different types of aggression, as well as to establish profiles according to the predictor variables of aggression. To do this, a sample of 317 high school students aged 13 to 18 were administered the Peer Conflict Scale, the Family Functionality Scale, the Brief Emotional Intelligence Inventory for Senior Citizens and the Values for Adolescent Development Scales. The study showed that stress management, positive adolescent development and family functioning predominated in nonaggressive subjects with higher scores than aggressors. There was also a negative relationship between the different types of aggression and emotional intelligence, positive values and family functioning. In addition, two different profiles were found. The first had low scores on all the variables, while the second profile had higher scores on all the variables except family functioning which was higher.

The purpose of this study was to identify different adolescent profiles identified by their use tobacco/alcohol and violent behavior repertoires as well as to analyze the extent to which they show impulsivity traits. Participants were selected by cluster random sampling. There was a total of 822 high school students in the sample aged 13 to 18 years with a mean of 14.84 (SD=.87). A cluster analysis with the following variables was done to form the groups: Use of tobacco, Use of alcohol, Physical aggression, Verbal aggression, Anger and Hostility. Three groups of adolescents resulted from these five variables. The multivariate comparison demonstrated the existence of significant between-group differences, and individual analysis for each of the dependent variables (impulsivity dimensions) showed that the relationship was statistically significant in all cases. In conclusion, analysis of factors possibly associated with adolescent’s risk behavior makes possible and orients intervention in different stages of development for sustainable consumption in adolescents.

The use of alcohol and tobacco is related to several variables which act as risk or protective factors, depending on the circumstances. The objectives of this study were to analyze the relationship between emotional intelligence, resilience and family functioning in adolescent use of alcohol and tobacco and to find emotional profiles for their use considering self-concept. The sample was made up of 317 high school students aged 13 to 18 who filled out the Brief Emotional Intelligence Inventory, the Resilience Scale for Adolescents, the APGAR Scale, the Alcohol Expectancy Questionnaire - Adolescents and the Five-Factor Self-Concept Questionnaire. The results revealed that emotional intelligence and resilience, specifically, stress management and family cohesion were significant in the group of nonusers. Family functioning acts as a predictor factor for onset of use of tobacco and alcohol. Positive expectancies about drinking alcohol were found to be a risk factor and the intrapersonal factor to be protective. Both stress management and family cohesion were protective factors against smoking. Furthermore, cluster analysis revealed emotional profiles for users of both substances based on self-concept. Finally, the importance of the direction of the relationship between the variables studied for intervention in this problem should be mentioned. Responsible use by improving adolescent decision-making is one of the results expected from this type of intervention.

1) Background: Aware that engagement in the healthcare field needs high levels of emotional intelligence, we began this study in to the relationship between engagement and emotional intelligence in nurses. The objective of this study was to determine the explanatory value of the components of emotional intelligence for engagement in a sample of nurses, and to identify which of the emotional intelligence components have the greatest explanatory value for dimensions of engagement, by sex.; 2) Methods: The final study sample was made up of 2126 working nursing professionals with a mean age of 31.66 (SD=6.66). To compile the data, an ad hoc questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic information, and to collect professional and employment information, the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, and the Reduced Emotional Intelligence Inventory for Adults.; 3) Results: The results show that nurses with higher levels of emotional intelligence also scored more highly in engagement, with the Interpersonal factor being the greatest predictor of engagement.; and 4) Conclusions: This study have significant practical implications for the creation of intervention programs and activities to improve the performance of nurses in the workplace.

Healthcare personnel are considered one of the sectors of workers most exposed to heavier workloads and work stress. One of the consequences associated with its chronic presence is the development of burnout syndrome. Given that, for the evaluation of this syndrome, the context in which they are to be used must be addressed, the purpose of this work was to analyze the psychometric properties, as well as the structure, and to propose a more suitable version for its application to health professionals, and more specifically, nursing, of the Burnout Brief Questionnaire (CBB). The final study sample was made up 1236 working nursing professionals. An exploratory factorial analysis was carried out and a new model was proposed through a confirmatory factorial analysis. Thus, the validation of the CBB questionnaire for nursing healthcare personnel showed an adequate discrimination of the items and a high internal consistency of the scale. With respect to the factorial analysis, four factors were extracted from the revised model. Specifically, these new factors called Job Dissatisfaction, Social Climate, Personal Impact and Motivational Abandonment, showed an adequate index of adjustment. Thus, the Burnout Revised Brief Questionnaire for nursing staff has favorable psychometric properties, and this Burnout model can be applied to all healthcare professionals.

In recent decades, organizational research has given special attention to the mechanisms promoting the health and wellbeing of nursing professionals. In this context, self-esteem is a personal resource which influences wellbeing at work and psychological wellbeing of nurses. The purpose of this study was to analyze the mediating role of eating in the effect of sleep quality on self-esteem in nursing professionals. The sample of 1073 nurses were administered the Rosenberg General Self-Esteem Scale, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-R18. The results show that poor sleep quality and type of eating directly and indirectly affect self-esteem. More so, poor sleep quality deteriorated self-esteem through emotional eating, and even though emotional eating facilitated disinhibited eating, this relationship had no significant effects on self-esteem. The findings of this study suggest that hospital management should implement employee health awareness programs on the importance of healthy sleep and design educational interventions for improving the quality of their diet.

This article presents the integration of lean 6S methodologies and hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) in the food production sector. Through the study, it is seen that non-food industrial production is not very different from that of food and, in many cases, it assimilates protocols and ideas that are already working in the food industry; Such is the case of risk analysis, critical control points or hygiene, which are part of the food production protocol and, increasingly, of the industry in general. After the integrative analysis, the article proposes a common lean 6S - HACCP model, which can be used both in food production and in non-food industrial production.

We have studied the very large amount of literary works written by the Italian mystic Maria Valtorta to assess similarities and differences in her writings because she claims that most of them are due to mystical visions. We have used mathematical and statistical tools developed for specifically studying deep linguistic aspects of texts. The general trend indicates that the literary works explicitly attributable to Maria Valtorta differ significantly from her other literary works, that she claims are attributable to the alleged characters Jesus and Mary. Mathematically, they seem to have been written by different authors. The comparison with the Italian literature is very striking. A single author, namely Maria Valtorta, seems to be able to write texts so diverse to cover the entire mathematical range (suitable defined) of the Italian literature of seven centuries.

Irregular female migration to Europe is a growing phenomenon, as more and more women are fleeing their countries of origin due to gender inequality and violence. During the migration process, women experience physical, psychological and social problems that affect their sex lives. The aim of our study is to describe and understand how irregular migrant wom-en living in humanitarian reception centers experience their sexuality at different stages of the migration process. This qualitative phenomenological study collected data through a sixteen in-depth interviews with irregular migrant women between January and February 2023. Data anal-ysis was carried out using ATLAS-ti 23.0 software, from which three themes were extracted: 1) The sexual reality of sub-Saharan women, 2) In search of a better life: take the risk or surrender, and 3) The migrant sexual revolution. The sexual reality of sub-Saharan women is subject to a complex normative order. The migratory process has severe consequences on migrant women's sex life. The sexual needs of irregular migrant women admitted to humanitarian reception cen-ters undergo a process of change that must be understood by healthcare providers in order to make improvements to care provision.

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between levels of leisure-time sports and physical activity and the stages of change in high school students with goal orientations. Methods: The sample consisted of 2168 students randomly selected to participate in a longitudinal study in Costa Rica (423), Mexico (408) and Spain (1337), with 1052 being boys, 1037 girls and 79 who did not specify sex, aged between 11 and 16 years old (M = 12.49, SD = .81). We used a questionnaire to ask students about their leisure-time sports and physical activity, about stages of change and to measure achievement goals. Results: The results show that students are more active in Costa Rica, most of them being in the stage of active change. Conclusions: We found significant differences in achievement goals in all three countries, which shows that students in active stages have higher values than those in the inactive stage.

Abstract: The present work evaluates the feasibility of using volcanic fly ash (VFA), generated by the eruption of the Tajogaite volcano on the island of La Palma (Spain) in 2021, as a precursor in the preparation of cementitious materials with different Portland cement (PC) replacement levels (0%, 30%, 70% and 100%), in the absence (Blended Cement, BC) and presence of an alkaline ac-tivator (Hybrid Alkaline Cement, HAC, and Alkaline Cements, AC). Hydration kinetics (isother-mal conduction calorimetry), paste mechanical strengths and reaction products were character-ised by XRD, FTIR, TG/DTG and BSEM/EDX. The results obtained indicate that the strengths de-veloped by the hybrid alkaline cements (HAC) are higher than those of the blended cements (BC), especially at the age of 2 days, where 25 MPa was obtained with the replacement of 70% PC by VFA. Alkaline cements (AC, 100% VFA) prepared with 8M NaOH solution as activator reached 40 MPa after 2 days. It was observed that in all the binders, depending on the initial composition of the binder mixture and the percentage of replacement and/or activator, VFA reacts to form cementitious gels, C-A-S-H and N-A-S-H type, which supports its use as a mineral addition to blended cement or as a precursor in the preparation of alkaline and hybrid alkaline cements.

Child and adolescent sexual abuse (CSA) is an international public health problem. Despite the importance of the CSA, there is no consensus definition, and the lack of consensus is related to difficulties in conducting prevalence studies, as well as research in other areas. To establish a consensual definition, legal aspects such as the age of sexual consent and the difference in age or power between victim and aggressor, aspects related to sexual freedom and sexual indemnity must be considered. Therefore, the main goal of this research was to analyze the age of sexual consent in the legal systems of Spanish-speaking countries and to examine whether the Romeo and Juliet clause is established. To achieve the proposed aims, we employed the legal interpretation method, and we analyzed the current Criminal Codes of the 21 Spanish-speaking countries. From the results, it is found that the age of sexual consent varies between countries, establishing valid sexual consent between 13 and 18 years. In addition, only six countries have the Romeo and Juliet clause that protects sexual freedom in adolescents. Finally, we discussed the lack of consensus on the age of sexual consent and the limitations presented by the Romeo and Juliet clause.

Despite the number of studies on bankruptcy prediction using financial ratios, very little is known about how external audit information can contribute to anticipating financial distress. A handful of papers show that a combination of ratios and audit data can provide significant predictive purposes, but a recent paper by Muñoz-Izquierdo et al. (2018) provided an 80% predictive accuracy solely by using the disclosures of audit reports. We complement this study. Applying an artificial intelligence method (the PART algorithm), we examine the predictive ability of more easily extracted information from the report and suggest a practical implication for each user. Simply by (1) finding the audit opinion, (2) identifying if a matter section exist, (3) and the number of comments disclosed, then any user may predict a bankruptcy situation with the same accuracy as if they had scrutinised the whole report. In addition, we also provide an extended literature review about previous studies on the interaction between bankruptcy prediction and the external audit information.

Some evidence suggests that personality types are a useful construct to understand stress and coping. However, further research is needed, especially on academic stress. Our aim was to explore how personality types and gender relate to coping strategies for academic stress and perceived coping efficacy. A total of 810 university psychology students completed the NEO-FFI Inventory and the Coping Strategies Inventory. Post-hoc tests for MANOVA and ANOVA were performed, where personality types and gender were treated as predictors and use of coping strategies and perceived coping efficacy as criteria. Finally, a one-way ANOVA followed by post hoc comparisons was performed to analyse the associations between personality types and perceived coping efficacy. Those with personality types combining low neuroticism with high conscientiousness chose the most adaptive coping strategies and showed the highest levels of perceived coping efficacy, while those whose personality types combined high neuroticism with low conscientiousness opted for maladaptive coping strategies and presented the lowest level of perceived coping efficacy. As for gender, women chose emotional expression more frequently. The personality type classification provided useful information on individual differences in coping with academic stress, which can help guide specific strategies to manage it.

The epidemiological situation generated by COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of applying non-pharmacological measures. Among these, mass screening of the asymptomatic general population has been established as a priority strategy by carrying out diagnostic tests to limit the spread of the virus. In this article, we aim to evaluate the economic impact of mass COVID-19 screenings of an asymptomatic population through a Cost-Benefit Analysis based on the estimated total costs of mass screening versus health gains and associated health costs avoided. Excluding the value of monetized health, the Benefit-Cost ratio was estimated at approximately 0.45. However, if monetized health is included in the calculation, the ratio is close to 1.20. The monetization of health is the critical element that tips the scales in favour of the desirability of screening. Screenings with the highest return are those that maximize the percentage of positives detected.

The establishment of the symbiosis between legumes and nitrogen-fixing rhizobia is finely regulated at the transcriptional, posttranscriptional and posttranslational levels. Argonaute5 (AGO5), a protein involved in RNA silencing, is able to bind both viral RNAs and microRNAs to control plant-microbe interactions and plant physiology. For instance, AGO5 regulates the systemic resistance of Arabidopsis against Potato Virus X as well as the pigmentation of soybean (Glycine max) seeds. Here, we show that AGO5 is also playing a central role in legume nodulation based on its preferential expression in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) and soybean roots and nodules. We also report that the expression of AGO5 is induced after 1 hour of inoculation with rhizobia. Down-regulation of AGO5 gene in P. vulgaris and G. max causes diminished root hair curling, reduces nodule formation and interferes with the induction of three critical symbiotic genes: NUCLEAR FACTOR Y-B (NF-YB), NODULE INCEPTION (NIN) and FLOTILIN2 (FLOT2). Our findings provide evidence that the common bean and soybean AGO5 genes play an essential role in the establishment of the symbiosis with rhizobia in determinate legumes.

The length of time it takes to experimentally make one-sided choppers, as found in the fossil record, bears a linear relationship to the knapping process of fabricating them. In addition, this temporal frame appears to be related to human heart rates measured as beats per minute, which act as a physiological metronome. We achieved these observations assuming that any paleolithic one-sided chopper has the information needed to estimate quantitatively the number of strikes on it. The experimental data allow us to establish the total timing needed for the standard fabricating of any one-sided chopper. We discuss issues derived from these experimental results, showing the evolution of human neurological abilities from 2.4 million years ago to the Modern period through the duration of time needed for making one chopper to that needed to play a 19th-century music score on a piano. Given that the neuronal and physiological distance between both actions differs by a factor of 6, we propose the concept of “technome” to measure human evolution by using methodological homogeneous metrics applied to these two human technologic objects, the chopper and the piano.

Hepatic encephalopathy is a complex life-threatening neuropsychiatric syndrome, which can be associated with acute inflammation. It can be found in cases of acute liver failure caused by a viral infection. Reports of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 have described hepatic encephalopathy. Therapy with immunomodulators can be an effective choice for this clinical condition. CIGB-258 is an immunomodulatory peptide with anti-inflammatory properties derived from cellular stress protein 60 (HSP60). We report a case of a 55-years-old woman diagnosed with COVID-19 and hepatic encephalopathy characterized by episodes of anxiety, delirium, confusion and seizure, according to her clinical history, laboratory and radiological data. Levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase , plasma ammonia and alkaline phosphatase were increased and inflammatory biomarkers such as interleukin 6 and 10 were over the normal range. The patient received an intravenous administration of 1 mg of CIGB-258, every 12 hours during four days, followed by 1 mg daily for another three days without adverse reactions. Neurological symptoms disappeared completely at by the fourth days after starting therapy, and inflammatory biomarkers noticeably decreased, but not all of them reach the normal values. This case highlights the outcomes of a severe COVID-19 patient with hepatic encephalopathy, treated with CIGB-258. The patient recovered successfully and the liver enzymes, plasma ammonia and biomarkers associated with hyperinflammation were reduced. These results support clinical investigations of CIGB-258 as a therapeutic agent in COVID-19.TRIAL REGISTRATION: RPCEC00000313

Peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerases (PPIases) are present in a wide variety of microorganisms, including protozoan parasites such as Trypanosoma cruzi, Trypanosoma brucei, Trichomonas vaginalis, Leishmania major, Leishmania donovani, Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Entamoeba histolytica, and Giardia intestinalis, all of which cause important neglected diseases. PPIases are classified as cyclophilins, FKBPs, or parvulins and play crucial roles in catalyzing the cis-trans isomerization of the peptide bond preceding a proline residue. This activity assists in correct protein folding. However, the biological structure‒function characterization of PPIases from these protozoan parasites is still incomplete. The recombinant production of these enzymes is highly relevant for this ongoing research. In this review, we explore the structural diversity, functions, recombinant production, and activity and inhibition of protozoan PPIases. We also highlight their potential as biotechnological tools for the in vitro refolding of other recombinant proteins from these parasites. These applications are invaluable for the development of diagnostic and therapeutic tools.

The quality of sedation and changes in cardiorespiratory variables after the intramuscular administration of alfaxalone and butorphanol in Galgo Español dogs were evaluated. Twenty-one adult dogs were included. The dogs received alfaxalone (2 mg/kg) and butorphanol (0,2 mg/kg) intramuscularly. Sedation scoring, cardiorespiratory parameters (including blood gas analysis), echocardiography, thoracic radiography and electrocardiography were performed before sedation and 30 minutes after drug administration. Moderate sedation was observed, and side effects, such as tremors, nystagmus and auditory hyperesthesia, were noticed. Statistically significant changes in heart rate, invasive blood pressure, pH, arterial saturation of O2 and partial pressure of O2 and CO2 were found. Echocardiographic variables, including end-diastolic volume, left ventricular diameter in diastole, aortic and pulmonic flow, diastolic transmitral flow and left atrial/aortic ratio, and electrocardiography parameters, including PQ interval and QT interval, showed statistically significant changes. In conclusion, the intramuscular administration of alfaxalone and butorphanol to healthy dogs produced moderate sedation with mild cardiorespiratory, echocardiographic and electrocardiographic changes, without alterations in cardiac size on X-ray images.

This review documents an emerging body of evidence concerning the neurological effect of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure, with regard to cognitive function and increased risk of neurodegeneration. Two electronic databases PubMed and Web of Science were systematically searched. The 37/428 studies selected included outcomes measuring cognitive function, neurobehavioral symptoms of impaired cognition, and pathologies associated with neurodegeneration from prenatal (21/37 studies), childhood (14/37 studies), and adult (8/37 studies) PAH exposure. Sufficient evidence surrounding prenatal exposure negatively impacting child intelligence, mental development, average overall development, verbal IQ, memory impairment, externalizing, internalizing, anxious, depressed behaviours, behavioural development and child attentiveness was found. Evidence concerning exposure during childhood and as an adult was scarce and highly heterogeneous, however presence of neurodegenerative biomarkers and increased concentrations of cryptic “self” antigens in serum and cerebrospinal fluid samples suggest a higher risk of neurodegenerative disease. Associations with lowered cognitive ability, and impaired attentiveness were found in children and memory disturbances, specifically auditory memory, verbal learning and general memory in adults. Although evidence is not yet conclusive and further research is needed the studies included supported the hypothesis that PAH exposure negatively impacts cognitive function and increases the risk of neurodegeneration in humans, and recommends considering the introduction of a variable “rural vs. urban” as covariate for adjusting analyses where the neurological functions affected (as result of our review) are outcome variables.

The Mar Menor is a Spanish coastal lagoon of great ecological and economic interest. The agricultural and tourist activities developed in the surroundings of the lagoon, together with the modifications in its channels of connection with the Mediterranean Sea, have notably affected the quality of its waters, which is altering the natural balance of the ecosystem. In this work, an analysis of the density of phytoplankton present in the lagoon between the months of May to December 2017 has been carried out. There, it has been a notable increase in the density of organisms in post-summer samplings, following the recording of higher temperatures, and the presence of Chlorophyceae, Cyanophyceae, Chrysophyceae and nanoplanktonic Cryptophyceae stands out. The data collected indicate a significant increase in the eutrophication process of the lagoon that requires the development of management plans to reduce agricultural discharges and promote the recovery of the lagoon and its native species.

(1) Background: Franco’s dictatorship was an authoritarian regime in Europe in the twentieth century. The political and historical context has a significant influence on the socio-cultural make-up of each era, having consequences on equality and violence against women. The objec-tive of our study is to explore and understand women’s experiences of violence against women during the Franco regime and how it affects them today; (2) Methods: This qualitative study ex-plores violence against women in Francoist Spain. Data was colleted between January and march 2022 through twenty-one interviews were carried out with female survivors of Francoism; (3) Results: Three themes emerged from the analysis: underlying social conditions that allow for vio-lence against women; forms of violence against women: from punishment to forced silence; dif-ferent standpoints about violence against women: the feminist struggle versus denial; (4) Conclu-sions: We concluded that the imposed patriarchy during Francoist repression was harmful for Spanish women for decades. Women suffered violence against women and they are still bearing the consequences, passing on attitudes that could contribute to the persistence of violence against women.

The Church of the Company of Jesus in Quito (1605-1765) is one of the most remarkable examples of colonial religious architecture on the World Heritage List. This church has multiple constructive phases and several interventions with no clear record of the entire architectural site, including the historical mortars. A total of 14 samples of coating mortars inside the central nave were taken, with the protocols suggested by the research team and a comparative sample of the architectural group that does not have intervention. The analysis presented in this paper focuses on mineralogical characterization, semi-quantitative analysis by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy with microanalysis of the samples. The results showed the presence of volcanic aggregate lime and gypsum, used in lining mortars and joint mortars. Mineralogical and textural composition data have allowed the mortar samples to be relatively dated.

The pride of power of the Spanish preachers of religious art is reflected in the church of Santo Domingo built between 1541 and 1688. This work of heritage architecture, one of the first to be built in the colonized city, was affected by multiple earthquakes, interventions, and constructions that do not have a clear record. A total of 13 samples were taken from the lining mortar inside the cloister, central nave, and side chapel, following the nondestructive testing protocols and standards suggested by the research team. The analysis included mineral characterization studies and quantitative analysis by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy with microanalysis of the samples. The results showed the presence of volcanic aggregates and lime lining and joint mortars, mortars of rustic composition and coarse manufacture. The resolution of the data of mineralogical composition and texture has allowed us to corroborate the historical information described by the chroniclers and to date relatively the studied sites and to establish a hypothesis of constructive stages.

Large datasets play a crucial role in the progression of surgical robotics, facilitating advancements in the fields of surgical task recognition and automation. Moreover, public datasets enable the comparative analysis of various algorithms and methodologies, thereby assessing their effectiveness and performance. The ROSMA (Robotics Surgical Maneuvers) dataset provides 206 trials of common surgical training tasks performed with the da Vinci Research Kit (dVRK). In this work, we extend ROSMA dataset with two annotated subsets: ROSMAT24, which contains bounding box annotations for instrument detection, and ROSMAG40, which contains high and low level gesture annotations. We propose an annotation method that provides independent labels for the right-handed tool and the left-handed tool. For instrument identification, we validate our proposal with a YOLOv4 model in two experimental scenarios. We demonstrate the generalization capabilities of the network to detect instruments in unseen scenarios. For gesture segmentation, we propose two label categories: high-level annotations that describe gestures at a maneuvers level, and low-level annotations that describe gestures at a fine-grain level. To validate this proposal, we have designed a recurrent neural network based on a bidirectional long-short term memory layer. We present results for four cross-validation experimental setups, reaching up to a 77.35% mAP.

Fruits of chayote [Sechium edule (Jacq.) Swartz] are widely consumed in Mesoamerica, but little is known about the nutraceutical potential. This study aimed to determine the chemical compositions, antioxidant activities from the juice fruits from two commercial varieties of chayote cultivated in Mexico, as well as a proposal for the elaboration of chayote juices with stevia leaves and pineapple juice. The physicochemical properties of juice from virens levis (VL) and nigrum spinosum (NS) varieties were determined using standard methods. The juice of the two varieties differ significantly regarding the concentrations of total soluble solids, total sugars, but not vitamin C. The total concentration of phenolics in NS extracts was slightly higher than in VL (1005 and 856 mg 100 g⁻¹ dry-weight, respectively) but the total flavonoid contents were similar (27 and 26 mg 100 g⁻¹ dry-weight, respectively). Cucurbitacin D was predominant in both varieties. The radical scavenging capacities of VL and NS extracts varied slightly (IC50 = 0.45 to 0.65 mg mL⁻¹), while the antioxidant activities were similar (~80%). The NS variety is particularly promising regarding nutraceutical application. The chayote juice combined with stevia and pineapple maintain the original nutraceutical characteristics from the fruit, but enhanced the organoleptic characteristics like density and sugar/acidity balance.

Salmorejo is a homogenate based on tomato, olive oil and breadcrumbs commercialized as a “fresh-like” cold puree in Spain and other European countries. Salmorejo is thermolabile and requires pasteurising upon High Temperature, Short Time (HTST) conditions to inhibit microbes and enzymes. Due to its penetration, dielectric heating by radiofrequency (RF) might improve pasteurisation results of conventional heating (CH) in viscous products. The objective was to validate the pasteurisation temperature (70-100 °C, at 5 ºC intervals) for salmorejo processed by radiofrequency (operating at 27.12 MHz for 9.08 s) or conventional continuous heating. Salmorejo was prone to thermal damage upon HTST conditions. Main heat-induced changes include: orangeness, flavour homogenisation, loss of freshness, thickening, loss of vitamin C and lipid oxidation. A ‘fresh-like’ good quality salmorejo can be obtained using either conventional or radiofrequency pasteurisers. Both CH and RF equivalent treatments allowed a strong reduction of total and sporulated mesophilic microorganisms, and an adequate inhibition of the pectinmethylesterase, peroxidase and, to a lesser extent, polyphenoloxidase, but did not inhibit the polygalacturonase enzyme. Pasteurisation at 80 °C for 9.8 s (RF) or 10.9 s (CH) provided a good equilibrium in levels of microbiological and enzymatic inhibition and thermal damage to the product. Increasing this temperature does not improve enzyme inactivation levels and salmorejo may become overheated.

Background: The epidemiological situation generated by COVID-19 has cast into sharp relief the delicate balance between public health priorities and the economy, with businesses obliged to toe a line between employee health and continued production. In an effort to detect as many cases as possible, isolate contacts, cut transmission chains and limit the spread of the virus in the workplace, mass testing strategies have been implemented in both public health and industrial contexts to minimize the risk of disruption in activity. Objective: To evaluate the economic impact of mass workplace testing strategy as carried out by a large automotive company in Catalonia in terms of health and healthcare resource savings. Methodology: Analysis of health costs and impacts based on the estimation of mortality and morbidity avoided because of screening and the resulting savings in healthcare costs. Results: The economic impact of the mass workplace testing strategies (using both PCR and RAT tests) was approximately €10.44 per test performed or €5,575.49 per positive detected. 38% of this figure corresponds to savings derived from better use of health resources (hospital beds, ICU beds and follow-up of infected cases), while the remaining 62% corresponds to improved health rates due to avoided morbidity and mortality. In scenarios with higher positivity rates and a greater impact of the infection on health and the use of health resources, these results could be up to ten times higher (€130.24 per test performed or €69,565.59 per positive detected). Conclusion: In the context of COVID-19, preventive actions carried out by the private sector to safeguard industrial production also have concomitant public benefits in the form of savings in healthcare costs. Thus, governmental bodies need to recognize the value of implementing such strategies in private settings and facilitate them through, for example, subsidies.

In this paper we show how to efficiently implement parallel discrete simulations on Multi-Core and GPU architectures through a real example of application: a cellular automata model of laser dynamics. We describe the techniques employed to build and optimize the implementations using OpenMP and CUDA frameworks. We have evaluated the performance on two different hardware platforms that represent different target market segments: high-end platforms for scientific computing, using an Intel Xeon Platinum 8259CL server with48cores and also an NVIDIA Tesla6V100 GPU, both running on Amazon Web Server (AWS) Cloud, and on a consumer-oriented platform, using an Intel Core i9 9900k CPU and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 TI GPU. Performance results are compared and analysed in detail. We show that excellent performance and scalability can be obtained in both platforms, and we extract some important issues that imply a performance degradation for them. We also found that current Multi-Core CPUs with large core numbers can bring a performance very near to that of GPUs, even similar in some cases.

Wood is poised to become a material of choice for future construction. When appropriately managed, it is a renewable material with unique mechanical properties. Beyond its inherent sustainability, the use of wood has a crucial role in addressing climate change concerns due a significantly lower energy consumption and emissions during manufacturing and transportation, while simultaneously acting as a carbon sink. Thus, there has been a growing demand for hardwoods for structural applications, including Castanea sativa Mill., the focal point of this investigation. Albeit in a limited capacity, Eurocode 5-2 offers friction coefficients for softwoods, but it falls short for hardwoods which it is a gap to bridge with this research. These coefficients play a critical role in numerical simulations involving friction, enabling the optimization of joints and, by extension, the overall structural integrity. Test samples were evaluated at 18% moisture content, which is typical of Service Class 2, for various orientations of timber-to-timber and timber-to-steel friction. Considering previous friction coefficients at 12% moisture content, the linear variation was evaluated at an intermediate value of 15%. The results provide an experimental database for numerical simulations and highlight the influence of moisture content on the coefficients, which increase linearly along moisture percentages.

Abstract: Despite existing several techniques for distributed sensing (temperature and strain) using standard Single Mode optical Fiber (SMF), compensating or decoupling both effects is mandatory for many applications. Currently, most of the decoupling techniques require special optical fibers and are difficult to implement with high spatial resolution distributed techniques, such as ϕ-PA-OFDR. So, this work’s objective is to study the feasibility of decoupling temperature and strain out of a ϕ-PA-OFDR readouts taken over an SMF. For this purpose, the readouts will be subjected to a study using several Machine Learning algorithms, among them, Deep Neural Networks. The motivation which underlies this target is the current blockage in the widespread use of Fiber Optic Sensors in situations where both strain and temperature change, due to the coupled dependence of currently developed sensing methods. Instead of using other types of sensors or even other interrogation methods, the objective of this work is to analyze the available information in order to develop a sensing method capable of providing information about strain and temperature simultaneously.

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a nonarticular rheumatic syndrome which presents as chronic musculoskeletal pain, stiffness and body aches. FMS affects approximately 2.5% of the population, mostly women. FMS causes physical and psychological problems and reduces quality of life. The objective of this study is to identify qualitative evidence about experiences of women diagnosed with FMS about their sexuality. Methods: Metasynthesis of qualitative studies. The search included articles published between 2000 and June 2023 on the PubMed, WOS, CINAHL, SCOPUS, and SCIELO databases. Results: 450 articles were found through the initial search, of which, only 9 fulfilled the criteria and were included in the thematic synthesis. From this analysis, three main themes emerged: (1) “I want to, but I can’t”: FMS causes a shift in feminine sexuality. (2) Resetting sex life and intimacy. (3) Taking charge of a “new sexuality.” Conclusions: Women with FMS suffer from limitations of their sexuality that affect their partner. Pain, stiffness and a loss of desire make sexual encounters difficult. Becoming aware of this and striving not to lose their sexuality is key to coping with this problem. Women and their sexual partners can change roles and encourage communication, games, foreplay or touching. The use of lubricants, physical exercise and complementary therapies, along with social, professional and partner support, are key to coping with FMS.

Pregnancy at advanced maternal age (AMA) is a condition of potential risk for the development of maternal-fetal complications with possible repercussions even in the long-term. Here, we analyzed the changes of plasma redox balance and the effects of plasma on human umbilical cord mesenchymal cells (hUMSCs) in AMA pregnant women (patients) at various timing of pregnancy. One hundred patients and twenty pregnant women younger than 40 years (controls) were recruited, and evaluated at various timings during pregnancy until after delivery. Plasma samples were used to measure the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), glutathione and nitric oxide (NO). In addition, plasma was used to stimulate the hUMSCs, which were tested for cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and NO release. The obtained results showed that throughout pregnancy until after delivery in patients the levels of plasma glutathione and NO were lower than those of controls, while those of TBARS were higher. Moreover, plasma of patients reduced cell viability and NO release, and increased ROS release in hUMSCs. Our results highlighted alterations in the redox balance and the presence of potentially harmful circulating factors in plasma of patients They could have clinical relevance for the prevention of complications related to AMA pregnancy.

Primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is a complex autoimmune disease whose hallmark is a deregulation of cellular and humoral immunity leading to an increased destruction and a reduced production of platelets. The heterogeneity of presentation and clinical course hampers personalized approaches for diagnosis and management. In 2021, the Spanish ITP Group (GEPTI) of the Spanish Society of Hematology and Hemotherapy (SEHH) updated a consensus document which had been launched in 2011. The updated guidelines have been the reference for diagnosis and management of primary ITP in Spain ever since. Nevertheless, the emergence of new tools and strategies makes it advisable to review them again. For this reason, we have properly updated the main recommendations. Our aim is to provide a practical tool to enable the integral management of all the aspects concerning primary ITP management.

Virtual assistants (VAs) have gained widespread popularity across a wide range of applications, and the integration of Large Language Models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT has opened up new possibilities for developing even more sophisticated VAs. However, this integration poses new ethical issues and challenges that must be carefully considered, particularly as these systems are increasingly used in public services: transfer of personal data, decision-making transparency, potential biases, and privacy risks. This paper, an extension of the work presented at IberSPEECH 2022, analyzes the current regulatory framework for AI-based VAs in Europe and delves into ethical issues in depth, examining potential benefits and drawbacks of integrating LLMs with VAs. Based on the analysis, this paper argues that the development and use of VAs powered by LLMs should be guided by a set of ethical principles that prioritize transparency, fairness, and harm prevention. The paper presents specific guidelines for the ethical use and development of this technology, including recommendations for data privacy, bias mitigation, and user control. By implementing these guidelines, the potential benefits of VAs powered by LLMs can be fully realized while minimizing the risks of harm and ensuring that ethical considerations are at the forefront of the development process.

The fast pace development of the Internet and the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic have impacted considerably on the educative sector; encouraging the constant transformation of the teaching-learning strategies and more in technological areas as Educational Software Engineering. Web programming, a fundamental topic in Software Engineering and Cloud-based applications, deals with various critical challenges in education, such as learning continuous emerging technological tools, plagiarism detection, generating innovative learning environments, among others. Continual change and more with the current digitization becomes a challenge for teachers and students who cannot depend on traditional educational methods. The article presents a sustainable teaching-learning methodology for web programming courses in Engineering Education using a project-based integrated approach adaptable to the continuous web technological advances. The methodology has been developed and improved for 9 years, 15 groups, and 3 different universities. Our results demonstrate that the methodology is 100% adaptable with new technologies that might arise; it also presents the advantages of avoiding plagiarism in the best case and a personalized induction for every specific student in the learning process.

The effects of the climate crisis are affecting ecosystems at different scales and magnitudes. This paper focuses on a massive Mediterranean mussel die-off observed along the middle Italian Adriatic coast in the summer of 2022. We considered the possible environmental causes of this phenomenon and carried out a climatic analysis of the last decade. We performed field surveys in different locations along a 16 Km coastal stretch (from Martinsicuro (TE) on the South, to Grottammare (AP) on the North). The study area includes two marine Sites of Community Importance under the European Natura 2000 network. The mussels die-off has interested practically all the natural mussel-beds colonizing the study area. Mussels are sessile filter-feeding organisms inhabiting the intertidal zone, therefore, are highly exposed to variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and nutrient load. We discuss the possible causes of this die-off, proposing that high temperature and the scarce availability of food acted simultaneously as stress factors, generating local unsustainable living conditions for this species.

This review systematically explored structural, functional, and metabolic features of the cisgender brain compared with the transgender brain before hormonal treatment and the heterosexual brain compared to the homosexual brain from the analysis of the neuroimaging literature up to 2018, and identified and discussed subsequent studies published up to March 2021. Our main aim was to help identifying neuroradiological brain features that have been related to human sexuality to contribute to the understanding of the biological elements involved in gender identity and sexual orientation. We analyze 39 studies on gender identity and 24 on sexual orientation. Our results suggest that some neuroanatomical, neurophysiological, and neurometabolic features in transgender individuals resemble those of their experienced gender despite the majority resembling those from their natal sex. In homosexual individuals the majority resemble those of their same sex heterosexual population rather than their opposite sex heterosexual population. However, it is always difficult to interpret findings with non-invasive neuroimaging. Given the gross nature of these measures, it is possible that more differences too subtle to measure with available tools yet contributing to gender identity and sexual orientation could be found. Conflicting results contributed to the difficulty of identifying specific brain features which consistently differ between cisgender and transgender or between heterosexual and homosexual groups. The small number of studies, the small-to-moderate sample size of each study, and the heterogeneity of the investigations made it impossible to meta-analyze all the data extracted. Further studies are necessary to increase the understanding of the neurological substrates of human sexuality.

Las Loras UNESCO Global Geopark (UGGp) is geologically diverse, particularly in relation to water-derived features: springs, karst springs, travertine buildings, waterfalls, caves. In this work, the interactions between geology, geomorphology, structures and hydrogeology are analyzed. These four components are the fundamentals of geodiversity and their interactions provide a conceptual model of hydrogeological functioning at Las Loras UGGp. The most plausible hypothesis is that the system is formed by two superimposed aquifer systems, separated by an aquitard formed by Lower Cretaceous material. The deep lower aquifer formed by the Jurassic limestones only outcrops on the northern and southern edges of the Geopark and in a small arched band to the south of Aguilar de Campoo. It forms a basement subject to intense deformation. The upper aquifer system, formed by outcropping materials from the Upper Cretaceous, is a free aquifer. It is formed by a multilayered aquifer system that is highly compartmentalized by the very disturbed geomorphology of the landscape, constituting each moorland and each lora, an individualized recharge-discharge system. This model explains the base level of the rivers, the abundant number of existing springs and the permanent nature of some rivers, providing the keys to understand the bases of the geoconservation of a rich geological heritage linked to the active processes of the water cycle.

Sechium compositum (Cucurbitaceae) is a wild species that is distributed in the Soconusco region, Chiapas, Mexico, and the border with Guatemala. This species has an intangible biochemical value resulting from the pharmacological relevance of its secondary metabolites. However, as a consequence of the lack of knowledge about its importance, it is being displaced from its habitat at an accelerated rate, incurring the risk of genetic loss. Therefore, an in vitro culture protocol with two experimental phases was evaluated to propagate, conserve, and regenerate this species. The first phases considered the multiplication of seedlings, adding seven concentrations (0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, 1.2 mg mL-1) of 6-benzylaminopurine (BA) and thidiazuron (TDZ) and evaluating the number of buds, shoots, and seedling height. The best multiplication response was recorded with 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, and 1.0 mg L-1 of BA and 0.1 mg L-1 of TDZ, as well as the MS base culture medium. With 0.1 mg L-1 of BA, 52-mm height, 1.36 shoots, and 9.22 buds were obtained, surpassing the MS control (MS culture medium alone); likewise, twice more roots (80%) and a 14% reduction in the bud structure were packed in 50 repetitions. The second phase consisted of inducing callus formation from stem and leaf explants through the addition of 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mg L-1 of TDZ and 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) to the medium. The results demonstrated that the induction of callogenesis in S. compositum has a better start from the stem in a medium with 2.0 mg L-1 of 2,4-D, whose value was 4.89 —equivalent to 97.8% callus formation around the explant. The addition of 500 mg L-1 of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) is also suggested to reduce oxidation. This protocol represents a significant advance in the conservation, multiplication, and callogenesis of S. compositum and contributes to its rescue and revaluation in the face of the danger of extinction.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) pathophysiology comprises clinical and genetic factors. In fact, GDM has been associated with several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). This study aimed to build a prediction model of GDM combining clinical and genetic risk factors. A total of 1588 pregnant women from the San Carlos Cohort participated in the present study, 1069 (67.3%) Caucasian (CAU) and 519 (32.7%) Latin American (LAT), 255 (16.1%) with GDM. The incidence of GDM was similar in both groups (16.1% CAU and 16.0% LAT). Genotyping was performed by IPLEX Mass ARRAY PCR selecting 110 SNPs based on literature references. The SNPs showing the strongest likelihood of GDM development were the rs10830963, rs7651090 and rs1371614 in CAU and rs1387153 and the rs9368222 in LAT. Clinical variables including age, pre-pregnancy body mass index and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) at 12 gestational weeks predicted the risk of GDM (AUC 0.648, 95%CI 0.601-0.695 in CAU; AUC 0.688, 95%CI 0.628-9.748 in LAT) and adding the SNPs modestly improved prediction (AUC 0.722, 95%CI 0.680-0.764 in CAU; AUC 0.769, 95%CI 0.711-0.826 in LAT). In conclusion, adding genetic variants enhanced the prediction model of GDM risk in CAU and LAT pregnant women. An RCT is underway to demonstrate its usefulness

Migratory movements are a political, social and public health issue on a global scale. Access to sexual and reproductive health services for irregular migrant women (IMW) is a public health issue. The aim of this study is to identify qualitative evidence on IMW's experiences of sexual and reproductive health care in emergency and primary care settings. Methods: meta-synthesis of qualitative studies. Synthesis includes assembling and categorising findings based on the simili-arty in meaning. The search was conducted between January 2010 and June 2022 using PubMed, WOS and CINAHL databases. Results: of 131 articles found in the initial search, only 9 articles met the criteria and were included in the review. Four main themes were established: (1) The need to focus emergency care on sexual and reproductive health, (2) Unsatisfactory clinical experiences, (3) Forced reproduction, (4) Alternating between formal and informal healthcare services. Con-clusions: IMW’s attitudes towards sexual and reproductive health are influenced by culture, ed-ucational level, fear, barriers and the attitude of healthcare providers. Healthcare institutions need to be aware of the IMW’s experiences to understand the specific difficulties they face. IMW call for socially and culturally sensitive health care, cultural mediators, improved communication and safe environments that ensure confidentiality.

Black-purple carrots possess, apart from carotenoids, high content of other bioactive pigments such as anthocyanins. However, both carotenoids and anthocyanins are modified over cold storage due to their lability. In this work, we investigated the effect of the postharvest elicitation on nutritional and organoleptic quality of purple carrots over storage at 5°C for 21 days. Based on our experience, we considered methyl jasmonate and abscisic acid as elicitors. The values obtained were compared with those provided by the fresh-untreated sample on the treatment day (ie, day 0) and after three-week storage (ie, on day 21), which were used as a reference. As a result, carotenoid content increased naturally in untreated samples over storage whereas anthocyanins maintained invariable. Also, physicochemical parameters reflected apparent organoleptic quality loss. However, the postharvest treatment of purple carrot samples with elicitors resulted in similar carotenoid content in elicited samples to fresh carrots on day 0 as well as lower concentration of anthocyanins and antioxidant activity. Besides, elicitation, particularly with abscisic acid, enabled purple carrot deterioration to be slowed down and, therefore, the organoleptic quality to be preserved. This suggests delaying effect of both elicitors on the spoilage rate of purple carrots over the storage time. These findings indicate that the postharvest application of elicitors may be an interesting conservation method, alternative to traditional procedures, to decelerate decomposition and extend shelf-life of purple carrots.

Helicobacter pylori cytotoxin-associated gene A protein (CagA) has been associated with the increase in virulence and risk of cancer. It has been demonstrated that CagA's translocation is dependent on its interaction with phosphatidylserine. We evaluated the variability of the N-terminal CagA in 127 sequences reported in NCBI, by referring to molecular interaction forces with the Phosphatidylserine and the docking of 3 mutations chosen from variations in specific positions. The major sites of conservation of the residues involved in CagA-Phosphatidylserine interaction were 617, 621 and 626 which had no amino acid variation. Position 636 had the lowest conservation score, so mutations in this position were evaluated to observe the differences in intermolecular forces of the CagA-Phosphatidylserine complex. We evaluated the docking of 3 mutations: K636A, K636R and K636N. The models of the crystal and mutations presented a ΔG of −8.919907, −8.665261, −8.701923, −8.515097 Kcal/mol, respectively, while mutations K636A, K636R, K636N and the crystal structure presented 0, 3, 4 and 1 H-bonds, respectively. Likewise, the bulk effect of the ΔG and amount of H-bonds was estimated in all of the docking models. The type of mutation affected both the ΔG (χ²(1) = 93.82, p-value < 2.2 × 10⁻¹⁶) and the H-bonds (χ²(1) = 91.93, p-value < 2.2 × 10⁻¹⁶). In all the data, 76.9% of the strains that exhibit the K636N mutation produced a severe pathology. The average H-bond count diminished when comparing the mutations with the crystal structure of all the docking models, which means that other molecular forces are involved in the CagA-Phosphatidylserine complex interaction.

Current antibiograms cannot discern the particular effect of a specific antibiotic when the bacteria are incubated with a mixture of antibiotics. To prove that this task is achievable, Escherichia coli strains were treated with ciprofloxacin for 45 min, immobilized on a slide and stained with SYBR Gold. In susceptible strains, the nucleoid relative surface started to decrease near the MIC, being progressively condensed as dose increased. The shrinkage level correlated with the DNA fragmentation degree. Ciprofloxacin-resistant bacilli showed no change. Additionally, E. coli strains were incubated with ampicillin for 45 min and processed similarly. The ampicillin-susceptible strain revealed intercellular DNA fragments that increased with dose, unlike the resistant strain. Co-incubation with both antibiotics revealed that ampicillin did not modify the nucleoid condensation effect of ciprofloxacin, whereas the quinolone partially decreased the background of DNA fragments induced by ampicillin. Sixty clinical isolates, with different combinations of susceptibility-resistance to each antibiotic, were co-incubated with the EUCAST breakpoints of susceptibility of ciprofloxacin and ampicillin. The morphological assay correctly categorized all the strains for each antibiotic in 60 min, demonstrating the feasible independent evaluation of a mixture of quinolone and beta-lactam. The rapid phenotypic assay may shorten the incubation times and necessary microbial mass currently required for evaluation.

The mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) are a group of 11 lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs) produced by mutations in the enzymes involved in the lysosomal catabolism of glycosaminoglycans. Most of the mutations affecting these enzymes may lead to changes in processing, folding, glycosylation, pH stability, protein aggregation, and defective transport to the lysosomes. The use of small molecules, called pharmacological chaperones (PCs), that can restore the folding, trafficking and biological activity of mutated enzymes has been extensively explored in LSDs as a therapeutic alternative. PCs have the advantage of wide tissue distribution, potential oral administration, lower production cost, and fewer issues of immunogenicity. In this paper, we will review the advances in the identification and characterization of PCs for the MPS. These molecules, mainly based in molecules mimicking the enzyme substrates, have been described for MPS II, IVA, and IVB, showing a mutation-dependent enhancement of the mutated enzymes. Although the results show the potential of this strategy, further studies should focus in the development of disease-specific cellular models that allow a proper screening and evaluation of the identified PCs. In addition, in vivo evaluation, both pre-clinical and clinical, should be performed, before they can become a real therapeutic strategy for the treatment of MPS patients.

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.

Corneal biomechanics is a hot topic in ophthalmology. The biomechanical properties of the cornea (BMPs) have important implications in the management and diagnosis of corneal diseases such as ectasia and keratoconus. In addition, the characterization of BMPs is crucial to model the predictability of a corneal surgery intervention, the outcomes of refractive surgery or follow-up of corneal diseases. The biomechanical behavior of the cornea is governed by viscoelastic properties that allow, among other structural implications, the damping of excess of intraocular pressure and reduce damage to the optic nerve. Currently, the most versatile and complete methods to measure corneal viscoelasticity are based on air-puff corneal applanation. However, those methods lack the ability to directly measure corneal viscosity. The aim of this work is to propose a new methodology based on the analysis of corneal air-puff measurements through the Standard Linear Solid model (SLSM) to provide analytical expressions to separately calculate the elastic and time-dependent (corneal retardation time and viscosity) properties. The results shown the mean values of elasticity (E), viscosity (Ƞ) and corneal retardation time (τ) in a sample of 200 young and healthy subjects. The influence of elasticity and viscosity on viscoelasticity, high-order corneal aberrations and optical transparency is investigated. Finally, the SLSM fed back from experimental E and Ƞ values was employed to compare the creep-relaxation response between normal, an ocular hypertension patient and Ortho-K user.

In the framework of maritime surveillance, vessel detection techniques based on spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images have promoted extensive applications for the effective understanding of unlawful activities at sea. The paper deal with this topic presenting a novel approach exploiting a cascade application of a pre-screening, and discrimination phase. The latter leverage the SAR spectrum by means of sub-looks analysis. For the first time, the method has been validated with experiments on multi-frequency (C-, X-, and L-band) SAR images. For a future syngergic exploitation of more SAR missions, the developed dataset, composed of Sentinel-1, SAOCOM and COSMO-SkyMed images, is comprehensive of multiple images gathered over the same area with short time lag (below 15 minutes). Finally, the diversified processing chains and the results for each mission product and scenarios are discussed. Being the first dataset of SLC (Single Look Complex) SAR multi-frequency data, the present work intends to encourage additional research in this promising field of research.

Soot combustion experiments with 5%O2/He were conducted using model soot, and four distinct compositions of CexPr1-xO2-δ oxides were prepared, varying nominal cerium com-positions (x=0, 0.2, 0.3, and 1). The catalyst samples were comprehensively characterized using techniques such as XRD, Raman spectroscopy, HR-TEM, N2 adsorption at −196 °C, XPS, O2-TPD, H2-TPR, and work function measurements. The Pr-rich compositions, rang-ing from Ce0.3Pr0.7O2-δ to PrO2-δ, resulted in a significant increase in the total evolved O2 amounts and enhanced catalyst reducibility. However, a decrease in textural properties of the catalysts was noted, being particularly important for the pure praseodymia under the synthesis route conducted. The catalytic activity was investigated under two contact modes of mixing between soot and catalyst: loose and tight. The results revealed that the catalytic performance is associated with the surface contact in tight contact mode and with the combination of surface/subsurface/bulk oxygen mobility and the BET surface ar-ea in loose contact mode. Notably, the T10 and T50 parameters were achieved at much lower temperatures than the uncatalyzed soot combustion, even under loose contact conditions. Specifically, the 50% conversion was achieved at 511℃ and 538℃ for Ce0.3Pr0.7O2 and Ce0.2Pr0.8O2, respectively. While no direct correlation between catalytic activity and work function was observed a significant relationship emerges between work function values and the formation of oxy-gen vacancies, whatever the conditions used for these measurements. On the other hand, the ability to generate a high population of oxygen vacancies at low temperatures, rather than the direct activation of gas-phase O2, influences the catalytic performance of Pr-doped ceria catalysts, highlighting the importance of surface/subsurface oxygen vacancy generation, which was the parameter which showed better correlation with the catalytic activity, whatever the soot conversion value or the mode of contact considered.

The stellar winds of the central stars of planetary nebulae play an essential role in planetary nebulae shaping. In the interacting stellar winds model, the fast stellar wind injects energy and momentum which are transfered to the nebular envelope through an X-ray-emitting hot bubble. Together with other physical processes, such as the ionization of the nebular envelope, the asymmetrical mass-loss in the AGB, and the action of collimated outflows and magnetic fields, the presurized hot gas determines the expansion and evolution of planetary nebulae. \emph{Chandra} and \emph{XMM-Newton} have provided us with detailed information of this hot gas. Here in this talk I will review our current understanding of the effects of the fast stellar wind in the shaping and evolution of planetary nebulae and give some hints of the promissing future of this research.

Von Hippel-Lindau disease (VHL) is a multiple organ neoplastic syndrome with autosomal dominant transmission, complete penetrance, and variable expression caused by mutations in the VHL gene. Although VHL disease is hereditary in many cases, new mutations cause up to 20 % of the incidence. Mutations in VHL may cause the development of cysts and tumors in many organs, including brain and spinal cord hemangioblastoma, renal cell carcinoma (RCC), retinal heman-gioblastoma (RH), pheochromocytoma, epididymal and broad ligament cystadenomas, endo-lymphatic sac tumor, pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, and renal and pancreatic cysts. VHL is a syndrome associated with functional inactivation of the Von Hippel–Lindau protein (pVHL). pVHL is a tumor suppressor mainly known for its role as a regulator of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) activity. The prevalence of VHL disease is between 1 in 39 000 and 1 in 91 000 individuals in different regional populations. Here, we review the etiology, epidemiology, pathophysiology, genetics, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and current treatments, as well as the molecular aspects of this disease. We also discuss the animal models used to study this disease, VHL biomarkers, and current VHL clinical trials for VHL according to NIH.

Poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAC) is a ubiquitous polymer in various industrial applications, including paints and adhesives. While extensive research has focused on understanding the degradation mechanisms of PVAC-based paint, under different environmental conditions, limited attention has been paid to the long-term stability of PVAC-based white glues, especially when used in artworks. This study investigates the accelerated degradation of a commercial PVAC-based white glue considered as representive of this class of materials as used in contemporary artworks, to predict its durability and assess its behavior in art objects. Through accelerated aging experiments and comparison with natural aging observed in artworks, the study reveals the formation of chromophores and the release of plasticizer as key degradation processes. Despite minimal structural modifications in PVAC, the loss of plasticizer leads to an increase in glass transition temperature, affecting the adhesive's cohesive strength and contributing to detachment of materials in artworks. The findings underscore the importance of preventive conservation measures to mitigate degradation issues in PVAC-based artworks.

In this paper, we introduce a computational procedure that enables autonomous LEO laser trackers endowed with INSs to increase the current accuracy when shooting at middle distant medium-size LEO debris targets. The code is designed for the trackers to throw the targets into the Atmosphere by means of ablations. In case that the targets are eclipsed to the trackers by the Earth, the motions of the trackers and targets are modeled by equations that contain post-Newtonian terms accounting for the curvature of space. Otherwise, when the approaching targets become visible for the trackers, we additionally use more accurate equations, which allow to account for the local bending of the laser beams aimed at the targets. We observe that under certain circumstances the correct shooting configurations that allow to safely and efficiently shoot down the targets, differ from the current estimations by distances that may be larger than the size of many targets. In short, this procedure enables to estimate the optimal shooting instants for any middle distant medium-size LEO debris target.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease mainly characterized by joint inflammation. It presents extra-articular manifestations, with the lungs one of the affected areas. Among these, damage to the pulmonary interstitium (Interstitial Lung Disease -ILD) has been linked to proteins involved in the inflammatory process and related to extracellular matrix deposition and lung fibrosis establishment. Peptidyl arginine deiminase enzymes (PAD), which carry out protein citrullination, play a role in this context. A genetic association analysis was conducted on genes encoding two PAD isoforms, PAD2 and PAD4. This analysis also included ancestry informative markers and protein level determination in samples from patients with rheumatoid arthritis, RA-associated ILD, and clinically healthy controls. Significant single nucleotide variations (SNV) and a haplotype were identified as susceptibility factors for ILD-RA development. Elevated levels of PAD4 were found in ILD-RA cases, while PADI2 showed an association with RA susceptibility. This document presents the data obtained from the conducted research, which has been published.

Shoulder tendinopathies produce pain and reduce functionality. The aim of this randomized clinical trial was to analyze the effects of Percutaneous electrolysis (PE), Percutaneous peripheral Nerve Stimulation (PNS) and eccentric exercise (EE), on pain (NPRS), strength, electromyographic activity, ultrasound characteristics of the tendon (echogenicity, thickness and hypervascularization) and functionality (DASH and SPADI) on individuals with supraspinatus tendinopathy. Participants (n=50) were divided into two groups, they received 4 treatment sessions, one per week, of PE and PNS (n=25) or 10 treatment sessions of TENS and US (n=25). Both groups performed EE program consisted of 3 sets of 10 repetitions of each of the 3 exercises, twice a day, during the 4 weeks. Follow-up was carried out at 4, 12 and 24 weeks after the start of the intervention. There are statistically significant differences in the analysis between groups (p&lt;0.001) in the post-treatment and follow-up measurements favorable to the PE+PNS+EE treatment on pain (NPRS), strength, supraspinatus electromyographic amplitude, ultrasound characteristics of the tendon (echogenicity, thickness and hypervascularization) and DASH and SPADI questionnaires. The combined treatment PE, PNS and EE is an effective option in the clinical management of tendinopathies, with positive results in the short and long term on the variables studied.

Agriculture is the main driver of depletion resources worldwide, and its duty is to ensure food security within a rapidly increasing demographic and urbanization, so it is important to transition to sustainable production systems. Vertical crops (VCs) can reduce the pressure on conventional agriculture because they save water and nutrients and increase crop yield. Therefore, this study aimed to validate a proposed predictive model (PM) to simulate water and nutrient uptake in vertical crops under greenhouse conditions. Based on the Penman-Monteith equation, PM estimates transpiration, while nutrient uptake was estimated using the Carmassi-Sonneveld submodel. PM was experimentally evaluated for vertically grown lettuce under Mediterranean greenhouse conditions, during spring 2023. The irrigation technique was a closed-loop fertigation circuit. The experimental consisted of testing two densities (50 and 80 plants·m-2), where each unit of the experiment unit was divided into three heights (low, medium, and upper). It performed ANOVA with a value of p &lt; 0.05 and R2 to assess PM performance. The results suggest a high degree of PM, since R2 ranged from 0.7 to 0.9 for the uptake of water and nutrients. Both densities had a yield between 17-20 times higher than conventional lettuce production and significant savings in water, between 85-88%. In this sense, PM has great potential to intelligently manage VC fertigation, saving water and nutrients, which represents an advance towards reaching SDG 6 and SDG 12, within the 2030 Agenda.

Epistaxis, particularly in Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT) patients, is a common otolaryngological emergency, often requiring complex management. A hierarchy of increasingly invasive interventions, from external compression of the nasal pyramid to nostril closure, is typically proposed and applied. We conducted a retrospective study on HHT patients to assess the effectiveness and longevity of invasive procedures postoperatively. Data were collected using the Epistaxis Severity Score (ESS) questionnaire. The primary focus was on changes in the frequency and intensity of epistaxis, while the secondary focus was on the overall quality of life. The study found that invasive procedures initially improved the frequency and intensity of epistaxis in HHT patients. However, within one to 9 months postoperatively, these benefits often diminished, with hemorrhagic symptoms recurring at similar or worsened levels. Facial trauma further negated the advantages of these procedures. The findings suggest a need for a gradual and increasingly invasive approach to managing epistaxis in HHT patients. Highly invasive procedures should be reserved for cases where less invasive methods fail, due to their limited temporal effectiveness and the risk of causing anatomical-functional changes in the rhino-sinus area, complicating future management of severe epistaxis.

Serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) levels have been proposed as a biomarker of the clinical activity, disability progression, and response to treatment of people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS); however, questions remain about its implementation in clinical practice. Ocrelizumab (OCR) has proven effective to improve clinical and radiological outcomes and to reduce sNfL levels. This real-life study followed the sNfL levels of 30 PwMS treated for 12 months with OCR and evaluated the usefulness of this biomarker for the short-term prognosis, considering expanded disability status scale (EDSS), annualized relapse rate (ARR), radiological activity, and NEDA-3 values. OCR reduced the ARR in 83% of PwMS and the radiological activity in 80%. Their EDSS was maintained, while NEDA-3 was achieved in 70% at 12 months. OCR produced an early reduction in sNfL levels (at 3 months). At baseline, greater MRI-evaluated radiological activity was associated with higher sNfL levels. sNFL levels over the first 12 months of treatment did not predict a suboptimal response or sustained control of the disease. Longer-term studies are needed to explore the predictive usefulness of sNfL levels in PwMS treated with high-efficacy drugs

Coenzyme Q (CoQ) is a lipidic compound widely distributed in nature with crucial functions in metabolism, protection against oxidative damage and ferroptosis, and other processes. CoQ biosynthesis is a conserved and complex pathway involving several proteins. COQ2 is a member of the UbiA family of transmembrane prenyltransferases that catalyzes the condensation of the head and tail precursors of CoQ, a key step in the process because its product is the first intermediate that will be modified in the head by the next component of the synthesis process. Mutations in this protein have been linked to primary CoQ deficiency in humans, a rare disease predominantly affecting organs with a high energy demand. The reaction catalyzed by COQ2 and its mechanism are still unknown. Here we aimed at clarifying COQ2 reaction by exploring possible substrate binding sites using a strategy based on homology, comprising the identification of ligand-bound homologs with solved structures available in the Protein Data Bank (PDB) and their subsequent structural superposition to the AlphaFold predicted model for COQ2. The results highlight some residues located on the central cavity or the matrix loops that may be involved in substrate interaction, some of them mutated in primary CoQ deficiency patients. Furthermore, we analyze the structural modifications introduced by the pathogenic mutations found in humans. These findings shed new light on the understanding of COQ2 function and, thus, CoQ biosynthesis and pathogenicity of primary CoQ deficiency.

Ventricina del Vastese is a traditional dry fermented sausage from Central Italy not yet charac-terized for occurrence, identity and safety of coagulase negative staphylococci (CNS), a bacterial group technologically important for this kind of products. Therefore, in this study, 98 CNS isolates from four manufacturers were differentiated by Repetitive element palindromic PCR (Rep-PCR) and identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. These were examined for genes encoding biogenic amine (BA) production, resistance to aminoglycosides, β-lactams and tetracyclines and staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs). Staphylococcus succinus (55%) predominated, followed by S. xylosus (30%), S. epidermidis (7.4%), S. equorum (3.1%), S. saprophyticus (3.1%) and S. warneri (1%). One S. succinus subsp. casei isolate was slightly β-hemolytic. SEs and the histidine decarboxylase gene hdcA were not detected, while the tyrosine decarboxylase gene tdcA was detected in four S. xylosus isolates. A blaZ beta-lactamase gene and tetracycline resistance genes tetK (six isolates) and tetA (one isolate also bearing tetK) were found, respectively. However, fewer hazardous and AR traits compared to CNS examined in other studies were found, as a probable consequence of using meat from animals reared in conditions that allow to minimize pathogen circulation and antibiotic use. Therefore, appropriate production conditions can reduce these threats.

This study was aimed to examine the recent trends of antibiotic resistance (AR) prevalence in Staphylococcus aureus isolated from milk of animals with clinical mastitis in areas of the Abruzzo and Molise regions in central Italy. Fifty-four S. aureus isolates could be obtained from routine testing for clinical mastitis agents carried out in the author institution in years 2021 and 2022. These were analyzed for phenotypic resistance to eight antibiotics recommended for testing by European norms and belonging to the antibiotic classes used for mastitis treatment in milk producing animals. Moreover, the presence of 14 transferable genetic determinants encoding resistance to the same antibiotics was analyzed by qPCR tests developed in this study. Phenotypic resistance to non-β-lactams was infrequent, with only one 2022 isolate resistant to clindamycin. However, low level resistance to the β-lactam cefoxitin was observed in 59.2% isolates in both years making these isolates classifiable as methicillin resistant. The AR genotypes detected were blaZ gene (50% 2021 isolates and 44.4% 2022 isolates), ermC/T- aphA3-blaZ (one 2021 isolate), ant6-ermC/T-aphA3-blaZ (one 2021 isolate), ermB-blaZ (one 2022 isolate) and mecA-mph (one 2022 isolate). An interview to the veterinarians who conferred the samples, regarding antimicrobials prescribed for mastitis treatment and criteria of usage, indicated a possible causal relation with the AR test results. The low prevalence of AR genotypes, not increasing in time, most probably reflecting the reported management of antibiotic therapies in farms. However, the frequently observed cefoxitin resistance needs to be explained genotypically, further monitored and limited by modifying antibiotic usage practices. The identification of a mecA positive isolate in 2022 suggests to investigate further if this genotype is emerging locally.

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been used in a broad range of applications conferring to bio-molecules diverse proprieties such as deliver, stabilization and reduction of adverse effects of drugs or plant ex-tracts. Polyphenolic compounds from Bacopa procumbens (BP) are able to modulate proliferation, adhesion, migration and cell differentiation, reducing artificial scratch area in fibroblast cultures and promoting wound healing in in vivo model. Here, chemically synthetized AuNPs conjugated with BP (AuNP-BP) were characterized by Uv-Vis, ATR-FTIR, DLS and zeta-potential. Results showed over-lapping FTIR spectra of polyphenolic compounds from B. procumbens capping the AuNPs, stable size by the DLS and zeta potential, AuNP-BP was 44.58 nm, the zeta-potential of AuNPs was -36.3±12.3 mV after conjugation with the BP; - (AuNP-BP), the zeta-potential was reduced to -18-2±7.02 mV. Enhancement of wound healing effect were evaluated by morphometric, histochemical and FTIR changes in rat wound excision model. Results showed that the nanoconjugation process reduced 100 folds BP concentrations to have the same wound healing effect of BP alone. Besides histological and FTIR spec-troscopy analyses, demonstrated that AuNP-BP treatment displayed better macroscopical performance; the reduction on inflammatory cells, and the increased synthesis and better organization of collagen fibers.

In Mexico viticulture represents the second source of employment in the agricultural area after the fruit and vegetable sector. In developed countries, remote sensing is widely used for vineyard monitoring, however, this tool is barely used in developing countries of Iberoamerica. In this re-search, our overall objective is to characterize two vineyards in the state of Queretaro (Mexico) using Sentinel-2 and meteorological data, specifically spectral and thermal indices. Results showed that spectral indices obtained from Sentinel-2 bands have characterized adequately the phenolog-ical evolution of the different varieties of the vineyards. The Modified Soil-Adjusted Vegetation Index (MSAVI) was adequately used to discriminate the first stages of vineyards, while the Nor-malized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was useful to monitor vineyards during the rest stages of vineyards. Thermal indices have shown that the best grape varieties were those that can adapt to both cooler and warmer temperatures, have a reasonable ripening period, and can produce wines with balanced acidity and flavors. In conclusion, the combination of meteorological (including thermal indices) and remote sensing data (NDVI and MSAVI) provide information for choosing the suitable grape variety for this region.

This study developed gelatin-based films with incorporation of microcrystalline cellulose as reinforcement material. Clove (Syzygium aromaticum), nutmeg (Myristica fragrans), and black pepper (Piper nigrum) oleoresins containing antimicrobial compounds of natural origin were incorporated into films. The mechanical, thermal, optical, and structural properties, as well as color, resistance to sealing and permeability to water vapor, light, and oil of the films were determined. Adding oleoresins to the gelatin matrix increased elongation of the material and significantly diminished its permeability to water vapor and oil. Evaluation of the potential use of films containing different oleoresins as bread packaging material was influenced by the film properties. The biocomposite film containing oleoresin from black pepper was the most effective packaging material for maintaining the bread’s quality characteristics.

The construction industry has a notable negative impact on the environment; thus, the promotion of the use of timber structures is an alternative to mitigate its effects. The research develops an artificial intelligence-based decision approach in the calculation of timber structures focused on the enhancement of the sustainability of roof structures. Based on the optimization carried out through genetic algorithms and the framework established in Eurocode 5, a general set of equations has been proposed for a laminated timber roof structure. The tool, which determines the most suitable roof structure for each strength class of laminated timber, allows for the determination of the dimensions of beams and purlins and their respective separations in order to minimize wood consumption. The ultimate goal is to offer multiple solutions regarding strength classes and structural designs in order to foster informed sustainable choices that promote efficient use of resources in construction.

This review summarizes the most recent developments of research on protozoan parasite infections ac-quired through food and drinking water and is aimed at gathering updated knowledge on the risk factors, illnesses caused, and measures for prevention. Reports included dated from 2019 to the present and regarded recent outbreaks and cases of severe infec-tions, prevalence in different population segments and food handlers, and occurrence in food and drinking water. Cryptosporidium spp., Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia intestinalis, Trypanosoma cruzi and Toxoplasma gondii were the microorganisms most frequently involved in large outbreaks and/or severe infections, while Cyclospora cayetanensis was most frequently involved in single case reports. Cystoisospora belli was implied in severe infections in immunocompromised patients, while Blastocystis homi-nis, Sarcocystis spp., Dientamoeba fragilis, Endolimax nana and Pentatrichomonas hominis appeared to be less relevant for number of symptomatic infections and pathogenic potential. A progressive improvement in surveillance of protozoan infections and infection sources was highlighted, especially in developed countries. The apparent increase in cases was concomitant with the implementa-tion of reporting systems and the application of molecular diagnostic methods that represent valuable in-struments for establishing epidemiological links and preventing or limiting outbreaks. The pathogenic role and sources of infection should be better elucidated for some species.

Introduction: The exponential growth of the SARS-CoV-2 virus transmission during the first months of 2020 has placed substantial pressure on health systems worldwide. The complications derived from the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vary in due to comorbidities, sex and age, with more than 50% of the patients who require some level of intensive care developing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Areas covered: Various complications caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection have been identified, the most lethal being the acute respiratory distress syndrome, caused most likely by the presence of severe immune cell response and the concomitant alveolus inflammation. The authors carried out an extensive and comprehensive literature review on SARS-CoV-2 infection, the clinical, pathological and radiological presentation as well as the current treatment strategies. Expert Opinion Elevation of inflammatory biomarkers is a common trend among seriously ill patients. The information available strongly suggests that in COVID-19 patients, their altered immune response, including a massive cytokine storm, is responsible for the further damage evidenced among ARDS patients. The increasingly high number of scientific articles and evidence available can only suggest that the individualization of each case is the norm, not all patients with acute respiratory failure due to COVID-19 meet the Berlin definition and therefore ARDS should be considered as a heterogeneous disease, with a wide range in the expression of its severity and clinical manifestations.

This study aims to develop a clinical trial to test the efficacy of a Mindfulness Based Stress Re-duction (MBSR) and Self Compassion (SC) Program on self-reported values of anxiety, depres-sion, and stress in parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in primary school, in order to assess their integration into the framework of community intervention programs in Spain. Methods: A brief 8-week training program using Mindfulness based intervention (MBSR) and self-compassion (SC) has been applied to ten parents from the Valencian ASD parents’. Partici-pants were assigned to two groups, both groups received the same treatment but at two different measurement moments. Depression, Anxiety, Stress, Satisfaction with Life and Mindful Atten-tion Awareness measurements were assessed, in all participants, in three testing moments. Results: Analysis of Variance results suggested that MBSR and SC training reduces stress and anxiety and increases Mindful Attention Awareness. No significant changes were found in Life Satisfaction measurements. Conclusions: The small number of participants prevents us from generalising the results found. More MBSR and SC clinical trials are needed in parents of ASD with results on anxiety, depression and stress in order to demonstrate the relevance of the inclusion of these programmes in community-based early intervention services.

Urban dust samples were taken from the playgrounds of 27 schools located in the urban area of the city of Murcia (S.E. Spain). Their color and degree of magnetism were determined, as well as their heavy metal content (Cd, Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb and Zn) to evaluate contamination by environmental and health indexes. The highest concentration of contaminants is found in dusts of dark color and medium and high magnetism. The concentrations of heavy metals in the dust were, in this order, Zn (453.74 mg kg-1)> Cu (77.44 mg kg-1)> Cr (67.93 mg kg-1)> Pb (55.72 mg kg-1)> Ni (18.56 mg kg-1)> Cd (0.42 mg kg-1). The analysis of the magnetic and non-magnetic fraction indicates that there is a concentration of all heavy metals in the magnetic fraction. According to the geoenvironmental indices used, the ecological risk presented by school playgrounds is moderate. As for the health indices, ingestion was the main route of exposure and entry of dust particles into the body, being the main health risk for adults and children for all metals. The Hazard Index (HI) values for all elements for both adults and children were less than 1, indicating that there is no risk of developing adverse health effects. As for the Cancer Risk (CR), the values of this index indicate that there is no risk. The objective of this study was to evaluate pollution in the playgrounds of schools in the city of Murcia.

Dengue is one the most significant mosquito-borne viral diseases globally, with its prevalence extending across tropical and subtropical regions, exerting a considerable financial strain on health systems. Despite decades of research leading to the development of a vaccine implemented in endemic countries, its usage remains restricted to a fraction of the population at risk of contracting dengue. Due to these limitations, there is a growing focus on research aimed at unraveling the cellular mechanisms crucial for Dengue virus (DENV) infection to pinpoint potential host targets. Multiple studies propose a pivotal role of cytoskeletal remodeling in DENV infection. Specifically, DENV alters the organization of actin to facilitate viral entry, replication, and release. In this study, we investigated the involvement of the protein c-Abl, a kinase crucial in actin dynamics, in the context of DENV infection. Our findings suggest that either silencing or pharmacological inhibition of the kinase c-Abl leads to accumulation of dengue ENV protein in vitro, associated with actin remodeling. These results illuminate cellular mechanisms that could serve as potential therapeutic alternatives for dengue management.

Phosphate (Pi) deficiency reduces nodule formation and development in different legume species including common bean. Despite the significant progress in the understanding of the genetic responses underlying the adaptation of nodules to Pi deficiency, it is still unclear whether this nutritional deficiency interferes with the molecular dialog between legumes and rhizobia, if so, what part of the molecular dialog is impaired? In this study, we provide evidence demonstrating that Pi deficiency negatively affects critical early molecular and physiological responses required for a successful symbiosis between common bean and rhizobia. We demonstrated that the infection thread formation and the expression of PvNSP2, PvNIN, and PvFLOT2, genes controlling the nodulation process, were significantly reduced in Pi-deficient common bean seedlings. Further transcriptional analysis revealed that the expression of hormones-related genes is compromised in Pi-deficient seedlings inoculated with rhizobia. Additionally, we showed that regardless of the presence or absence of rhizobia, the expression of PvRIC1 and PvRIC2, two genes participating in the autoregulation of nodule number, was higher in Pi-deficient seedlings than in control seedlings. The data presented in this study shed light on the understanding of how Pi deficiency impacts the early steps of the symbiosis between common bean and rhizobia.

Background. Pregnancy rates in women on dialysis have increased in the last decades, thus making it a topic of growing interest. The rarity of this event is predominantly due to fertility problems and to the high rates of pregnancy failure including stillbirth, fetal and neonatal deaths [1]. Methods. We conducted a narrative review of existent literature in order to analyse the major issues about pregnancy on dialysis to give the reader a full updated prospective about this topic which, even if not common, is becoming more and more frequent. Results. Even if recently acquired knowledge has improved diagnosis and treatment of dialysis pregnancies focusing on several aspects, pregnancy on dialysis remains a great challenge for obstetricians and should be managed by a multidisciplinary expertise team. Conclusion. Dialysis in pregnancy may be necessary for women previously affected by end stage renal disease (ESRD) becoming pregnant, or in case of acute renal injury presenting for the first time during gestation or, again in case of existent renal pathology worsening during pregnancy and requiring dialysis. Although some evidence suggests that more intensive dialysis regimens are correlated with better obstetric outcomes, the optimal therapeutic protocol still remains to be established.

: Medical gloves, along with masks and gowns, serve as the initial line of defense against poten-tially infectious microorganisms and hazardous substances in the health sector. During the COVID-19 pandemic, medical gloves played a significant role, as they were widely utilized by society in daily activities as a preventive measure. These products demonstrated their value as important personal protection equipment (PPE) and reaffirmed their relevance as infec-tion-prevention tools. This review describes the evolution of medical gloves since the discovery of vulcanization by Charles Goodyear in 1839, which fostered the development of this industry. Regarding the current market, a comparison of the main properties, benefits, and drawbacks of the most widespread types of sanitary gloves is presented. The most usual gloves are produced from natural rubber (NR), polyisoprene (IR), acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR), polychloroprene (CR), polyethylene (PE), and poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC). Furthermore, the environmental impacts of the conventional natural rubber gloves manufacturing process and mitigation strate-gies, such as bioremediation and rubber recycling, are addressed. In order to create new smart medical gloves with improved properties, several biopolymers (e.g. poly(vinyl alcohol) and starch) and additives such as biodegradable fillers (e.g., cellulose and chitin), reinforcing fillers (e.g. silica and cellulose nanocrystals), and antimicrobial agents (e.g., biguanides and quaternary ammonium salts) have been evaluated. This paper covers these smart materials and describes different innovative prototypes of gloves and coatings designed with them.

Yerba mate waste (YMW) were used to produce kombucha beverage, and the obtained microbial cellulose produced as by product (KMW) was used to reinforce mechanically recycled poly(lactic acid) (r-PLA) matrix. Microbial cellulosic particles were also produced in pristine yerba mate for comparison (KMN). To simulate the revalorization of industrial PLA products rejected during the production line, PLA was subjected to three extrusion cycles and the resultant pellets (r3-PLA) were then plasticized with 15 wt.% of acetyl tributyl citrate ester (ATBC) to obtain optically transparent and flexible films by solvent casting method. The plasticized r3-PLA-ATBC matrix was then loaded with KMW and KMN in 1 and 3 wt.%. The use of plasticizer allowed a good dispersion of microbial cellulose particles into the r3-PLA matrix, allowing to obtain flexible and transparent films which showed good structural and mechanical performance. Additionally, the obtained films showed antioxidant properties, as it was proven by release analyses conducted in direct contact with a fatty food simulant. The results suggest the potential interest of these recycled and biobased materials that are obtained from the revalorization of food waste for their industrial application in food packaging or agricultural films.

Objective. To test the hypothesis that a session of unilateral tSMS over the dominant primary motor cortex (M1) in healthy subjects produces a transient decrease in manual dexterity. Methods. A triple-blinded randomized control trial was conducted in 40 healthy participants who were allocated to real- or sham-tSMS group. Each participant underwent one session of tSMS and were assessed before, immediately after, 15 minutes, and 40 minutes after stimulation. Outcome measures were Finger Tapping Test (FTT), 5-seconds FTT, nine Hole Peg Test, and the hand grip assessment. Results: Significant differences were found between groups 15 minutes after stimulation in favor of the tSMS group in the FTT (2.2 ± 0.99; CI= .18-4.22; d= .84p=.034), and 5-second FTT (4.2 ± 1.98; CI= .199-8.2, d= .68; p=.04). In the intragroup analysis, a significantly lower number of taps 15 minutes after stimulation was observed in sham group (3.3 ± 1.01; CI= .47-6.13; d= .42; p=.015), but not in the real stimulation group. Conclusion: A unilateral session of tSMS in the M1 of the dominant hemisphere of healthy individuals does not reduce manual dexterity or grip strength. This technique could have benefits on the motor performance of the arm contralateral to the stimulated motor cortex

Anderson-Fabry disease is a rare X-linked lysosomal storage disorder caused by deficient or absent activity of the enzyme alfa-galactosidase A. This defect enzyme leads to accumulation of glycolipids, primarily globotriaosylceramide (Gb3), in the vascular endothelium of several organs, including the skin, kidneys, nervous system, and heart. The characteristic early clinical features of Fabry disease include acroparaesthesia, angiokeratoma, heat intolerance, hypohidrosis, cornea verticillata and gastrointestinal symptoms. Later complications occur with the disease progression and include progressive renal failure, hypertrofic cardiomyopathy, cerebrovascular disease and reduced life expectancy. Anderson Fabry disease is therefore a disabling and systemic disease which requires a timely diagnosis. The purpose of our study is to define sweat glands morphological abnormalities in children and adolescents with Fabry disease with minimal symptoms and in patients affected by variants of Fabry disease in which biopsy is essential, to establish a baseline morphological diagnosis of the disease before to undergo to kidney or endomyocardial biopsy or when the classical approach is not possible because of some complications, with minimal discomfort for patients.

Among magnetoelectric (ME) heterostructures, ME laminates of the type Metglas-like / PVDF (magnetostrictive+piezoelectric constituents) have shown the highest induced ME voltages, usually detected at the magnetoelastic resonance of the magnetostrictive constituent. This ME coupling happens because of the high cross-correlation coupling between magnetostrictive and piezoelectric material, and is usually associated with a promising application scenario for sensors or actuators. In this work we detail the basis of the operation of such devices, as well as some arising questions (as size effects) concerning their best performance. Also, some examples of their use as very sensitive magnetic fields sensors or innovative energy harvesting devices will be presented At the end, the challenges, future perspectives and technical difficulties that will determine the success of ME composites for sensor applications are discussed.

Melatonin (MEL), a ubiquitous indolamine, is a molecule whose regulatory role in plan metabolism has gained interest in the last decades. Likewise, nitric oxide (NO), a gasotransmitter, can also affect plant molecular pathways due to its function as a signalling molecule. Both MEL and NO can interact at multiple levels under abiotic stress, starting by their own biosynthetic pathways and inducing a particular signalling response in plants. This review summarizes the role of these molecules during plant development and fruit ripening, as well as their interactions. Due to the impact of climate change‐related abiotic stresses on agriculture, this review has also focused on their role in mediating abiotic stress tolerance and the mechanisms by which they operate, from upregulation of the whole antioxidant defence system to posttranductional modifications of important molecules. Their interactions and crosstalk with phytohormones and H2S is also discussed. Finally, we introduce NOmela, an emerging and very unknown molecule which seems to have a stronger potential than MEL and NO separately in mediating plant stress response.

We are currently facing a potential ‘polycrisis’, a critical inflection point that requires a whole-of-society response aimed at building collective foresight and preparedness for short-, medium-, and long-term risks. The role of higher education institutions and social stakeholders is decisive to make an impact. This paper depicts the alignment of academia, governance, and industry with the aim to challenge, inspire, and encourage universities to go beyond commodified courses and mere employability, enhance student growth and bind macro-scale measures that lead to a sustainable future. A modest teaching innovation project has served as a transforming lever, with the private sector joining in, to create a platform that reaches more than 50 000 undergraduate students and teaching staff. The resulting structure, rooted in the University’s strategic plan, has served to channel local and regional initiatives, establish effective partnerships with broad social members, raise awareness and promote actions to advance in the pursuit of Sustainable Development Goals. Chronology, materials and methodology, together with a description of the different courses, programmes and actions are provided. The paper concludes with some recommendations for future research, policy and cooperation among stakeholders. Research methodology posted on clinicaltrials.gov under ID NCT04392869, NCT05598944, and NCT05775978.

We are currently facing a potential ‘polycrisis’, a critical inflection point that requires a whole-of-society response aimed at building collective foresight and preparedness for short-, medium-, and long-term risks. The role of higher education institutions and social stakeholders is decisive to make an impact. This paper depicts the alignment of academia, governance, and industry with the aim to challenge, inspire, and encourage universities to go beyond commodified courses and mere employability, enhance student growth and bind macro-scale measures that lead to a sustainable future. A modest teaching innovation project has served as a transforming lever, with the private sector joining in, to create a platform that reaches more than 50 000 undergraduate students and teaching staff. The resulting structure, rooted in the University’s strategic plan, has served to channel local and regional initiatives, establish effective partnerships with broad social members, raise awareness and promote actions to advance in the pursuit of Sustainable Development Goals. Chronology, materials and methodology, together with a description of the different courses, programmes and actions are provided. The paper concludes with some recommendations for future research, policy and cooperation among stakeholders. Research methodology posted on clinicaltrials.gov under ID NCT04392869, NCT05598944, and NCT05775978.

Biogenic-Silver nanoparticles emerge as new nanosilver platfmorm that allow to obtain silver nanoparticles via “green chemistry”. In our study we obtained biogenic-Silver nanoparticles from Iris tuberosa leaves extract. Nanoparticles were characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, dinnamical light scattering technique and Transmission electron microscope, showing spheric and irregular nanoparticles with 5 to 50 nm in diameter. Antioxidant and antimicrobial properties were evaluated against typical microbial contaminants found in cosmetic products, showing high antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. We formulated a natural moisturizing cream with biogenic-silver nanoparticles to evaluate the preservative efficiency trought challenge test, confirming that our nanoparticles are a promising alternative to use as cosmetic preservative.

A growing body of evidences is showing that dysbiotic gut microbiota may correlate with a wide range of disorders; hence, the clinical use of microbiota maps and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) can be exploited in the clinic of some infectious diseases. Through direct or indirect ecological and functional competition, FMT may stimulate decolonization of pathogens or opportunistic pathogens, modulating immune response and colonic inflammation, and restoring intestinal homeostasis, with reduction of host damage. Herein, we discuss how diagnostic parasitology may contribute to design clinical metagenomics pipelines and FMT programs, especially in pediatric subjects. The consequences of a more specialized diagnostics in the context of gut microbiota communities may improve the clinical parasitology and extend its applications to the prevention and treatment of several communicable and even noncommunicable disorders.