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Masonry structures are the most prevalent type of buildings worldwide, and a significant portion are situated in seismic-prone areas. Thus, detailed information regarding their seismic strength and vulnerability is needed. The complexity of studying masonry structures lies in defining accurate and efficient models for representing masonry walls. In this context, there is a need for simplified methods that allow the modeling of masonry walls within a 3D structure. This work presents a methodology to define effective masonry properties from numerical analyses on representative volumes, using a damage model informed by experimental tests on units and mortar. These effective material properties serve as input parameters to model masonry walls within a macro-model approach, aiming to accurately capture the in-plane behavior and damage mechanisms with limited computational cost. The methodology is verified with experimental results and applied to real case studies in Cuenca, Ecuador.

El artículo expone los principales resultados, hallazgos y conclusiones del estudio en torno al concepto de sistematización, reconociendo los debates que tensionan la valía y el reconocimiento de la sistematización como metodología útil en la generación de conocimientos en las ciencias humanas y sociales. Para el estudio del concepto se realizó un análisis bibliométrico a la literatura científica contenida en el catálogo principal de la base de datos Web of Science (WoS), por su alta calidad, alcance, reconocimiento y niveles de impacto a nivel mundial. Los datos fueron analizados con el software Rstudio, específicamente con el paquete Bibliometrix de R, que incluye la interfaz gráfica de Biblioshiny. El estudio analiza un total de 928 documentos, en donde es posible constatar el uso multifacético del concepto de sistematización. El estudio, por medio de un análisis a la estructura conceptual de los documentos examinados, identifica cinco clústeres temáticos en la literatura científica, en donde uno de ellos se ancla en la tradición latinoamericana de la sistematización, constatando de esta forma su presencia en la literatura científica de alta indexación e impacto, vinculándose con la disciplina del trabajo social y con el campo de la educación. La investigación permite adscribir a los argumentos que apuntan a reconocer la legitimidad y valía de la sistematización, como metodología de generación de conocimientos en las ciencias humanas y sociales, al tiempo que se reivindica y promueve su uso, enseñanza e incorporación en espacios de discusión científica y/o académica.

This article analyses how, through trade, the “supreme power” of the Hispanic monarchy was refuted by natural law and the law of nations at the end of the 17th century in the kingdoms of the Indies. This work explains –from the court system approach– the reasons that provoked the turning point of a disintegration of the domestic economic system (oeconomia), based on the grand governments of the viceroys in Spanish America, to give way to another model of political economy, more secularised and centralised (Consulado de Comerciantes de Lima), in which freedom of trade and the defence of individual property led to the reconfiguration of the political and economic space of America. Finally, it will be concluded that the American consulates of commerce encouraged the end of the “absolute power” of the viceroys, while promoting commercial development and the defence of the law of nations, anticipating the reforms of the Enlightenment.

This article compares similarities and differences between legislative drafting in the EU and in three legal systems: Spain, the United Kingdom and France. To this end, a multilingual corpus has been compiled, consisting of EU prescriptive resources in these languages and those of reference in the Member States. The aim of these resources is to homogenize the criteria for legislative drafting. Among the results observed we should highlight the convergences in terms of the structure and organization of content and divergences in style related to the use of verb tenses or specific terminology. It is concluded that Community drafting has its own characteristics distinct from national legislation.

Abstract Tumor growth is the result of the interplay of complex biological processes in huge numbers of individual cells living in changing environments. Effective simple mathematical laws have been shown to describe tumor growth in vitro, or simple animal models with bounded-growth dynamics accurately. However, results for the growth of human cancers in patients are scarce. Our study mined a large dataset of 1133 brain metastases (BMs) with longitudinal imaging follow-up to find growth laws for untreated BMs and recurrent treated BMs. Untreated BMs showed high growth exponents, most likely related to the underlying evolutionary dynamics, with experimental tumors in mice resembling accurately the disease. Recurrent BMs growth exponents were smaller, most probably due to a reduction in tumor heterogeneity after treatment, which may limit the tumor evolutionary capabilities. In silico simulations using a stochastic discrete mesoscopic model with basic evolutionary dynamics led to results in line with the observed data.

Metastasis is the process through which cancer cells break away from a primary tumor, travel through the blood or lymph system, and form new tumors in distant tissues. One of the preferred sites for metastatic dissemination is the brain, affecting more than 20% of all cancer patients. This figure is increasing steadily due to improvements in treatments of primary tumors. Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is one of the main treatment options for patients with a small or moderate number of brain metastases (BMs). A frequent adverse event of SRS is radiation necrosis (RN), an inflammatory condition caused by late normal tissue cell death. A major diagnostic problem is that RNs are difficult to distinguish from BM recurrences, due to their similarities on standard magnetic resonance images (MRIs). However, this distinction is key to choosing the best therapeutic approach since RNs resolve often without further interventions, while relapsing BMs may require open brain surgery. Recent research has shown that RNs have a faster growth dynamics than recurrent BMs, providing a way to differentiate the two entities, but no mechanistic explanation has been provided for those observations. In this study, computational frameworks were developed based on mathematical models of increasing complexity, providing mechanistic explanations for the differential growth dynamics of BMs relapse versus RN events and explaining the observed clinical phenomenology. Simulated tumor relapses were found to have growth exponents substantially smaller than the group in which there was inflammation due to damage induced by SRS to normal brain tissue adjacent to the BMs, thus leading to RN. ROC curves with the synthetic data had an optimal threshold that maximized the sensitivity and specificity values for a growth exponent β* = 1.05, very close to that observed in patient datasets.

Cities will face increasing challenges due to the impacts of global climate change, particularly in the form of cyclonic events, necessitating a deeper understanding and the establishment of effective response mechanisms at both institutional and citizen levels. In this research, we tested the efficiency of crowdsourcing in fostering participatory resilience and improving urban management. The main aim was to design novel and accurate proactive response strategies and mitigate the adverse effects of cyclonic wind events through volunteerism, citizen science, and urban science. To achieve this goal, as a case study, the municipality of Soledad, Colombia was used. This research employed a two-phase methodological approach: (i) initially evaluating the spatial distribution of emergency response resources, and (ii) developing a geo-referenced survey to map, systematize, and categorize data and outcomes. A total of three hundred and seventy-eight residents across five neighborhoods in Soledad, which have experienced a high frequency of atmospheric wind phenomena over the past two decades, were surveyed. The results indicate that the crowdsourcing mechanism effectively enhanced the empirical understanding of atmospheric wind events in Soledad, facilitating the establishment of a geo-referenced volunteer network for real-time responses. Additionally, this study shed light on previously undocumented challenges, in terms of reducing the number of people affected, and the actions that would lead to improved urban development to reduce the impacts of cyclonic events, emphasizing the significance of citizen science in the social construction of risk and disaster risk reduction (DDR) efforts.

Illite-rich sediments from the Laguna Honda wetland, an eutrophicated hypersaline wetland with waters enriched in Mg and Ca surrounded by olive groves in the Guadalquivir Basin River (South Spain), are polluted by elevated concentrations of gold (up to 21.9 ppm) due to agricultural practices. The highest gold contents appear in the shore sediments of the lake, where up to 20 µm homoaggregates of fused gold nanoparticles (AuNp) are found. Small nanoaggregates of up to six fused gold nanoparticles and very few isolated nanoparticles around 1 nm in size can also be observed to form heteroaggregates of AuNp-mica, especially in the deeper sediments in the central part of the wetland, where Au concentrations are lower (up to 1.89 ppm). The high nanoparticle concentration caused by the inappropriate application of pesticides favors nanoparticle collision in the wetland’s Mg- and Ca-rich waters and the fast coagulation and deposition of Au homoaggregates in the gold-rich shore sediment of the lake. The interaction of gold nanoparticles with the abundant illite particles in the wetland’s hypersaline waters promotes the simultaneous formation of low-density Au-illite heteroaggregates, which are transported and deposited in the less-rich-in-gold sediments of the central part of the lake. The small sizes of the isolated AuNp and AuNp-fused contacts of the aggregates suggest modifications in the original nanoparticles involving dissolution processes. The presence of bacterial communities resistant to heavy metal stress (Luteolibacter and Maricaulis), as well as the activity of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and particularly sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) communities from the shore sediments, favored the high-Eh and low-pH conditions adequate for the destabilization and transport of AuNp.

A hydrochemical and mineral study of groundwaters and damaged rocks from the Tíscar and Larva fault zones (Betic Cordillera, Iberian Peninsula) was carried out in order to (a) describe the physical and chemical properties of the groundwaters; (b) recognize significant locations with deep-origin fluids related to active tectonics; (c) and to describe the water–rock interaction and the neoformation of clay mineral processes and their importance in the seismicity of the faults. A sampling campaign was completed between November 2012 and November 2013, during which data were obtained from 23 different groundwater sites in the fault areas. Two main groups of waters were distinguished: (a) Ca2+-Mg2+-HCO3− facies characterized by poor conductivity and salinity; and (b) saline waters (up to 30 meq/L) rich in Ca2+-Mg2+-SO4-Cl− and with an elevated conductivity (frequently > 1000 μS/cm). In addition, a minor group of saline and warm waters (T > 16.5 °C) was found to be Na+-rich and show moderately high B values (>0.33 ppm), and which mig ht be hosted in aquifers deeper than the two main groups. This group of deep-origin waters is oversaturated in clay minerals and is in equilibrium for Ca-Mg carbonate minerals. X-ray diffraction and scanning and transmission electron microscopy data corroborate the crystallization forecast of authigenic smectite, which appears as thin films coating carbonate fragments. The origin of smectite is related to the fragile strain and thermal–fluid–mineral interactions in fault rocks. Smectite could lubricate carbonate rocks, which favor creep deformation versus seismic slip. This work provides locations where groundwater physico-chemical properties and composition suggest tectonic fault activity.

La producción de vegetales en invernadero se realiza en camas artificiales y suelo. La berenjena, es atacada por el trips Frankliniella occidentalis, ácaros (Polyphagotarsonemus latus, Tetranychus urticae) y minadores como Liriomyza spp., en la provincia de La Vega, además, la mala preparación de los suelos y su fertilización afectan el desarrollo y rendimientos del cultivo. Por otro lado, en invernaderos se tiene muy poca experiencia en el manejo de suelos, sustratos y aplicación de enmiendas en la producción, resultando un tema de interés para los productores de vegetales orientales. El objetivo fue determinar el efecto de diferentes sustratos y modalidades de preparación de suelo sobre el comportamiento y rendimiento de Solannum melongena L. en invernadero. El objetivo fue determinar el efecto de diferentes sustratos y modalidades de preparación del suelo sobre el comportamiento y rendimiento de Solannum melongena L. Se usaron cuatro sustratos y cuatro modalidades de preparación de suelo. Se utilizó un diseño completamente al azar con ocho tratamientos y cinco repeticiones. Se evaluó altura de la planta, grosor del tallo, número de guías, peso fresco-seco del follaje-raíz y rendimientos. Se realizó análisis de varianza (ANOVA) y comparación de medias (p

We examine the classic game of Cops and Robbers played on models of dynamic graphs, that is, graphs evolving over discrete time steps. At each time step, a graph instance is generated as a subgraph of the underlying graph of the model. The cops and the robber take their turns on the current graph instance. The cops win if they can capture the robber at some point in time. Otherwise, the robber wins. In the offline case, the players are fully aware of the evolution sequence, up to some finite time horizon T. We provide a O(n 2k+1 T) algorithm to decide whether a given evolution sequence for an underlying graph with n vertices is k-cop-win via a reduction to a reachability game. In the online case, there is no knowledge of the evolution sequence, and the game might go on forever. Also, each generated instance is required to be connected. We provide a nearly tight characterization for sparse underlying graphs, i.e., with at most linear number of edges. We prove λ + 1 cops suffice to capture the robber in any underlying graph with n − 1 + λ edges. Further, we define a family of underlying graphs with n−1+λ edges where λ−1 cops are necessary (and sufficient) for capture.

Abstract Background Catheter ablation of premature ventricular complexes from aortic sinus cusps (ASC‐PVC) is a complex procedure that conventionally requires coronary catheterization (CC) to localize coronary artery ostium (CAO). Little published information is available on the mapping and ablation with zero‐fluoroscopy (ZF) of ASC‐PVC. The aim of the study was to determine the efficacy and safety of ASC‐PVC ablation with a ZF approach guided by 3D intracardiac echocardiography integration in the electroanatomical mapping system (ICE 3D‐EAM). Methods This observational study included one patient cohort treated conventionally and another treated with ICE 3D‐EAM‐guided ZF ablation. Clinical, efficacy, and safety outcomes were evaluated acutely and at 3 months follow‐up. Results The study included 21 patients with ASC‐PVC: 10 in the ZF group (age 49 ± 16 years, 60% males) and 11 in the control group (age 47 ± 15 years, 27% males). Fluoroscopy was not required for any patient in the ZF group. Acute success was obtained in 80% of the ZF group vs 55% of the control group (P = .36). The recurrence rate was 30% in the ZF group vs 27% in the control group (P = 1). One nonsevere complication was observed in the ZF group (P = .48). Conclusions ZF catheter ablation of ASC‐PVC guided by ICE 3D‐EAM is feasible, effective, and safe.

L’article aplica els conceptes de bilingüisme de sentit únic i nínxol territorial (Laponce) i de plenitud institucional (Breton), desenvolupats per la literatura científica canadenca dels àmbits de la ciència política i la sociolingüística, a l’anàlisi de les polítiques lingüístiques de l’Estat espanyol. Després d’una revisió dels conceptes i del seu context d’aparició dins dels processos de reconeixement de la minoria francòfona al Canadà, s’estudia com el marc constitucional espanyol i el seu desenvolupament normatiu i jurisprudencial han afavorit, des de la dècada dels vuitanta, l’existència d’un bilingüisme de sentit únic, amb el castellà com a llengua “comuna” i per defecte de l’Estat. Aquesta situació de bilingüisme de sentit únic s’observa estudiant un seguit de mecanismes jurídics, com ara la jerarquització constitucional de les llengües, la inacció de l’Estat pel que fa a la protecció efectiva de les llengües diferents del castellà i la limitació de la capacitat normativa de les comunitats autònomes en matèria de política lingüística, principalment per via jurisprudencial. A aquests mecanismes s’afegeix l’existència d’una concepció conflictiva de la cohabitació de llengües en virtut de la qual tot reconeixement de les llengües pròpies implicaria un atac a la preeminència del castellà. Partint d’aquests fets, se suggereix com a conclusió la superació d’aquest paradigma mitjançant la normalització completa de les llengües espanyoles, seguint l'exemple del castellà, i la generalització d’una equitat lingüística més gran.

El presente artículo analiza la calidad de la redacción jurídica en la UE y cómo se regula en las diferentes versiones lingüísticas. Para ello, se ha constituido un corpus multilingüe en castellano, inglés y francés de textos prescriptivos tanto para la redacción de cualquier tipo de documento como para la redacción de instrumentos legislativos. Entre los resultados observados destaca el hecho de que la mayoría de estas directrices, de carácter no vinculante excepto en el caso del Libro de estilo interinstitucional, son generales y poco exhaustivas y, en su mayoría, están más orientadas a uniformizar la forma que el contenido. Esto tiene como resultado una modificación de la expresión de las lenguas oficiales en las que se redactan estos instrumentos, que se materializa tanto en lo que respecta a su estructura como en el uso de expresiones fijas que hay que emplear. Asimismo, se observa que existe una ambigüedad intencionada, empleada para evitar que se produzcan interpretaciones diferentes según la versión lingüística.

Although the association between risk factors and non-surgical root canal treatment (NSRCT) failure has been extensively studied, methods to predict the outcomes of NSRCT are in an early stage, and dentists currently make the treatment prognosis based mainly on their clinical experience. Since this involves different sources of error, we investigated the use of machine learning (ML) models as a second opinion to support the clinical decision on whether to perform NSRCT. We undertook a retrospective study of 119 confirmed and not previously treated Apical Periodontitis cases that received the same treatment by the same specialist. For each patient, we recorded the variables from a newly proposed data collection template and defined a binary outcome: Success if the lesion clears and failure otherwise. We conducted tests for detecting the association between the variables and the outcome and selected a set of variables as the initial inputs into four ML algorithms: Logistic Regression (LR), Random Forest (RF), Naive-Bayes (NB), and K Nearest Neighbors (KNN). According to our results, RF and KNN significantly improve (p-values < 0.05) the sensitivity and accuracy of the dentist’s treatment prognosis. Taking our results as a proof of concept, we conclude that future randomized clinical trials are worth designing to test the clinical utility of ML models as a second opinion for NSRCT prognosis.

In this work, 1 eV Ga0.7In0.3As inverted metamorphic (IMM) solar cells were analyzed to achieve a deeper understanding of the mechanism limiting their improvement. For this purpose, high-resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution cross-sectional cathodoluminescence (CL), and transient in situ surface reflectance were carried out. Additionally, the photovoltaic responses of the complete devices were measured using the external quantum efficiency (EQE) and numerically simulated through Silvaco TCAD ATLAS. The combination of structural characterization of the semiconductor layers and measurements of the solar cell photovoltaic behavior, together with device modeling, allows us to conclude that the lifetime of the bulk minority carriers is the limiting factor influencing the PV response since the recombination at the interfaces (GaInP window–GaInAs emitter and GaInAs base–GaInP back surface field (BSF)) does not impact the carrier recombination due to the favorable alignment between the conduction and the valance bands. The advanced characterization using cross-sectional cathodoluminescence, together with transient in situ surface reflectance, allowed the rejection of the formation of traps related to the GaInAs growth conditions as being responsible for the decrement in the minority-carrier lifetime. Conversely, the TEM and HRXRD revealed that the presence of misfit dislocations in the GaInAs layer linked to strain relaxation, which were probably formed due to an excessive tensile strain in the virtual substrate or an incorrect combination of alloy compositions in the topmost layers, was the dominant factor influencing the GaInAs layer’s quality. These results allow an understanding of the contributions of each characterization technique in the analysis of multi-junction solar cells.

L'article indaga com s'articula la política lingüística institucional de la Unió Europea i de quina manera es desenvolupa el multilingüisme integral de les seves principals institucions. Per a això, s'ha constituït un corpus de textos rellevants, fruit del buidatge de la normativa europea, és a dir, tractats constitutius, reglaments interns i altres documents de referència de les set institucions que estableix l'article 13.1 del Tractat de la Unió i que han integrat de manera diversa el multilingüisme en el seu mode de funcionament, a més dels comitès consultius i les agències descentralitzades. El corpus ha estat analitzat com una cadena semiòtica mitjançant una metodologia temàtica de naturalesa inductiva. Entre els resultats de l'estudi cal destacar l'articulació d'una política multilingüe pel que fa a la comunicació externa amb la ciutadania, encara que algun dels principis enunciats regula també formes de multilingüisme efectives en el si de les institucions, dins de les unitats que les constitueixen i entre les persones que hi intervenen. Paral·lelament, s'observa una tendència a la simplificació en els usos lingüístics, sobretot pel que fa a les agències descentralitzades.

Introducción: Estudios previos han relacionado la presencia de fibrilación auricular (FA) con una tasa de filtrado glomerular estimada (TFGe) reducida. Objetivo: comparar la evolución de la TFGe en pacientes con FA persistente tras cardioversión eléctrica (CVE) programada en función de la existencia o no de recurrencias, así como la evolución de varios biomarcadores. Materiales y métodos: Cohorte prospectiva de pacientes con FA persistente remitidos a nuestro centro para CVE programada con seguimiento de un año. La TFGe se obtuvo mediante la fórmula CKD-EPI en el momento basal y a los 3 y 12 meses. Se midieron biomarcadores antes de la CVE y a los 12 meses. Resultados: Se incluyeron 92 pacientes con FA persistente, edad media de 64 ± 11 años. Al año de seguimiento y en el total de pacientes, la TFGe se redujo de 86,5 [74,6-97,6 a 84,5 [71,7-95,1 ml/min/1,73 m2 (p = 0,002) y la creatinina aumentó de 0,80 [0,72-0,94] mg/dl a 0,83 [0,74-0,97] mg/dl (p = 0,005). La TFGe se redujo al final del seguimiento, sin diferencia estadísticamente significativa entre los pacientes que presentaron recurrencia a los 12 meses y los que no. Las cifras de BNP y corina mejoraron a los 12 meses, mientras que las de galectina-3 no cambiaron, sin relación con la TFGe. Conclusiones: En los pacientes con FA persistente tratados con CVE programada se observó un empeoramiento de la TFGe al año de seguimiento. Los niveles de BNP y corina mejoraron al año de seguimiento. No hubo diferencias en los niveles de galectina-3.

Abstract Background Heat shock factors (Hsfs) and Heat shock proteins (Hsps) belong to an essential group of molecular regulators involved in controlling cellular processes under normal and stress conditions. The role of Hsfs and Hsps is well known in model plant species under diverse stress conditions. While plants Hsfs are vital components of the signal transduction response to maintain cellular homeostasis, Hsps function as chaperones helping to maintain folding of damaged and newly formed proteins during stress conditions. In lettuce (Lactuca sativa), a highly consumed vegetable crop grown in the field and in hydroponic systems, the role of these gene families in response to artificial light is not well characterized. Results Using a genome-wide analysis approach, we identified 32 Hsfs and 22 small heat shock proteins (LsHsps) in lettuce, some of which do not have orthologs in Arabidopsis, poplar, and rice. LsHsp60s, LsHsp90s, and LsHsp100s are highly conserved among dicot and monocot species. Surprisingly, LsHsp70s have three times more members than Arabidopsis and two times more than rice. Interestingly, the lettuce genome triplication did not contribute to the increased number of LsHsp70s genes. The large number of LsHsp70s was the result of genome tandem duplication. Chromosomal distribution analysis shows larger tandem repeats of LsHsp70s genes in Chr1, Chr7, Chr8, and Chr9. At the transcriptional level, some genes of the LsHsfs, LsHsps, LsHsp60s, and LsHsp70s families were highly responsive to UV and high intensity light stress, in contrast to LsHsp90s and LsHsp100s which did not respond to a light stimulus. Conclusions Our genome-wide analysis provides a detailed identification of Hsfs and Hsps in lettuce. Chromosomal location and syntenic region analysis together with our transcriptional analysis under different light conditions provide candidate genes for breeding programs aiming to produce lettuce varieties able to grow healthy under hydroponic systems that use artificial light.

Abstract SARS-CoV-2 is a rapidly evolving pandemic causing great morbimortality. Medical therapy with hydroxicloroquine, azitromycin and protease inhibitors is being empirically used, with reported data of QTc interval prolongation. Our aim is to assess QT interval behaviour in a not critically ill and not monitored cohort of patients. We evaluated admitted and ambulatory patients with COVID-19 patients with 12 lead electrocardiogram at 48 h after treatment initiation. Other clinical and analytical variables were collected. Statistical analysis was performed to assess the magnitude of the QT interval prolongation under treatment and to identify clinical, analytical and electrocardiographic risk markers of QT prolongation independent predictors. We included 219 patients (mean age of 63.6 ± 17.4 years, 48.9% were women and 16.4% were outpatients. The median baseline QTc was 416 ms (IQR 404–433), and after treatment QTc was prolonged to 423 ms (405–438) (P 460 ms, and just one case with QTc > 500 ms. Advanced age, longer QTc basal at the basal ECG and lower potassium levels were independent predictors of QTc interval prolongation. Ambulatory and not critically ill patients with COVID-19 treated with hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin and/or antiretrovirals develop a significant, but not relevant, QT interval prolongation.

El artículo presenta una propuesta multidimensional de medición del pluralismo informativo en distintos programas de TV abierta: noticieros, matinales y programas de opinión y debate, así como los resultados de su aplicación en el contexto chileno. Para ello se propone un instrumento de 6 dimensiones: diversidad, editorialidad, concentración, propiedad, percepción y alcance. La hipótesis es que una adecuada medición del pluralismo televisivo requiere de distintas dimensiones de análisis, que incluyen aspectos de la programación, de las audiencias y de la televisión como mercado. Tras ser probado con tres muestras distintas en el tiempo, la aplicación del instrumento arroja como resultado un bajo pluralismo en los programas analizados que se expresa en la homogeneidad de contenidos (temas, fuentes, partidos políticos), en un contexto de alta concentración de la audiencia y la inversión publicitaria en los canales con peor puntaje. Estos hallazgos plantean preguntas y propuestas para la institucionalidad reguladora del sector en el actual escenario de cambio constitucional.

Abstract Among the many characterization techniques for solar panel testing, two, electroluminescence (EL) and photoluminescence (PL), can provide useful visual information about the presence of different types of cell defects. EL is performed outdoors by night in commercial solar plants due to the very weak luminescence emission compared to sunlight. PL faces the added difficulty of needing to find a large‐area homogeneous light source to excite the modules. Since nighttime work poses many drawbacks and risks, a daylight outdoor EL/PL system would be useful for offering safe inspection of solar plants. We present daylight luminescence techniques based on a bias switching method, in which a pulsed luminescence signal is obtained by alternating the polarization state of the solar panels, synchronizing it with the luminescence image detection by an InGaAs camera. Fast switching and selecting an optimized exposure time are key to achieving high‐quality images. The daylight luminescence method described herein allows both EL and PL luminescence images to be obtained, even under high solar irradiance conditions.

Numerous studies have evaluated the effect of high-energy radiation as means to increase nutritional quality of lettuce (Lactuca sativa). However, most research has focused on providing constant radiation quality or quantity throughout the production cycle, which typically results in yield reductions or increases in production costs. End-of-production (EOP) radiation is a cost-effective, preharvest practice that can allow growers to manipulate product quality and thus increase market value of lettuce without negatively affecting plant growth. The objective of this study was to quantify and compare growth and accumulation of secondary metabolites from ‘Rouxaï RZ’ and ‘Codex RZ’ red-leaf lettuce grown indoors and exposed to different strategies of EOP high-energy radiation. Plants were grown for 24 days under an average daily light integral (DLI) of 15.8 mol·m‒2·d‒1 (220 µmol·m‒2·s‒1 for 20 h·d−1) using red:blue light-emitting diode (LED) lamps. Four days before harvest (36 days after sowing), plants were exposed to one of three EOP treatments added to red:blue LEDs: 1) ultraviolet-A (EOP-ultraviolet); 2) high blue (EOP-B); or 3) high-intensity (EOP-H) radiation. A fourth treatment was included as a control, with no EOP. Except for EOP-H, all treatments provided a DLI of 15.8 mol·m‒2·d‒1; EOP-H provided a DLI of 31.7 mol·m‒2·d‒1. No treatment differences were measured for shoot fresh weight (FW) of ‘Rouxaï RZ’ but shoot FW of ‘Codex RZ’ was negatively affected by EOP radiation, indicating potential changes in lettuce yield from applying EOP high-energy radiation during active plant growth. In general, EOP treatments did not affect total phenolic content and total carotenoid concentration of plants, but anthocyanin content and antioxidant capacity were positively influenced by EOP-B and EOP-H, whereas EOP-ultraviolet resulted in similar nutritional quality to control. Findings from this study indicate that EOP high-energy radiation, especially EOP-B, has significant potential to improve the nutritional quality of red-leaf lettuce grown in controlled environments.

Forward genetics in model organisms has boosted our knowledge of the genetic bases of development, aging, and human diseases. In this experimental pipeline, it is crucial to start by inducing a large number of random mutations in the genome of the model organism to search for phenotypes of interest. Many chemical mutagens are used to this end because most of them display particular reactivity properties and act differently over DNA. Here we report the use of N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) as a mutagen in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. As opposed to many other alkylating agents, ENU only induces an SN1-type reaction with a low s constant (s = 0.26), attacking preferentially O2 and O4 in thymine and O6 deoxyguanosine, leading to base substitutions rather than indels, which are extremely rare in its resulting mutagenic repertoire. Using ENU, we gathered a collection of 13 temperature-sensitive mutants and 80 auxotrophic mutants including two deleterious alleles of the human ortholog ATIC. Defective alleles of this gene cause AICA-ribosiduria, a severe genetic disease. In this screen, we also identified 13 aminoglycoside-resistance inactivating mutations in APH genes. Mutations reported here may be of interest for metabolism related diseases and antibiotic resistance research fields.

In Brugada syndrome, even within the same family where all affected individuals share the same mutation, phenotypic variation is prominent, with variable penetrance and expressivity, presenting different degrees of involvement. It is difficult to establish a direct correlation between genotype and phenotype to predict prognosis in complications and risk of sudden death. The factors that modulate this inter- and intra-familial phenotypic variability remain to be determined. With the intention of testing whether other genetic factors, in addition to the causal mutation in SCN5A, may have a modulating effect on the Brugada phenotype and the risk of sudden death, we have studied 8 families with a causal variant in SCN5A with at least two affected individuals, one of whom has suffered cardiac arrest or sudden death. Whole exome sequencing was performed looking for additional variants that modify the phenotype and allow us to predict a better or worse prognosis for the evolution of the disease. The results did not show any clear genetic modifier; nevertheless, highlight the possible implication of the cholesterol and fibrosis pathways, as well as the circadian rhythm, as possible modulators of Brugada syndrome phenotype.

Objetivos: Se evaluó empíricamente un modelo de factores de riesgo familiares y prácticas de disciplina severa que predicen la conducta agresiva infantil, identificando su adecuación en términos del ajuste de datos y congruencia conceptual. Método: Se utilizó una muestra de 409 madres de niños de escuelas primarias públicas. Los factores de riesgo familiares seleccionados fueron: síntomas de ansiedad materna, violencia marital y prácticas de disciplina severa; la variable criterio fue la conducta agresiva infantil. El modelo supone que la ansiedad materna y la violencia marital tienen efectos sobre la conducta agresiva infantil, mediados por las prácticas de disciplina severa. La estrategia de investigación se diseñó con un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales, el cual fue satisfactorio (CFI = .952, NNFI = .94 y RMSEA = .08); el modelo predijo el 34% de la varianza de los problemas de conducta agresiva infantil. Por sus efectos directos, la disciplina severa depende de la ansiedad materna (β = .44) y de la violencia marital (β = .10). La disciplina severa es una variable mediadora entre la conducta agresiva de los niños y la ansiedad materna y la violencia marital (β = .59). Resultados: Los resultados indican que la ansiedad materna y la violencia marital tienen efectos significativos en los problemas de conducta agresiva de los niños mediados por las prácticas disciplinarias. Conclusión: La confirmación de los resultados requiere de nuevos estudios con diferentes poblaciones que permitan generalizar los hallazgos.

Background: Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (AC) is a life-threatening disease which predispose to malignant arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death (SCD) in the early stages of the disease. Risk stratification relies on the electrical, genetic, and imaging data. Our study aimed to investigate how myocardial deformation parameters may identify the subjects at risk of known predictors of major ventricular arrhythmias.Methods: A cohort of 45 subjects with definite or borderline diagnosis of AC was characterized using the advanced transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and divided into the groups according to the potential arrhythmic risk markers, such as non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT), late gadolinium enhancement (LGE), and genetic status. Layer-specific global longitudinal strain (GLS) by TTE 2D speckle tracking was compared in patients with and without these arrhythmic risk markers.Results: In this study, 23 (51.1%) patients were men with mean age of 43 ± 16 years. Next-generation sequencing identified a potential pathogenic mutation in 39 (86.7%) patients. Thirty-nine patients presented LGE (73.3%), mostly located at the subepicardial-to-mesocardial layers. A layer-specific-GLS analysis showed worse GLS values at the epicardial and mesocardial layers in the subjects with NSVT and LGE. The epicardial GLS values of −15.4 and −16.1% were the best cut-off values for identifying the individuals with NSVT and LGE, respectively, regardless of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).Conclusions: The layer-specific GLS assessment identified the subjects with high-risk arrhythmic features in AC, such as NSVT and LGE. An epicardial GLS may emerge as a potential instrument for detecting the subjects at risk of SCD in AC.

Ablation of macroreentrant atrial tachycardia in patients with mechanical prosthetic valves represents a challenge for electrophysiologists, because of the complexity of the procedure and the potential complications. Moreover, the need for fluoroscopy in this type of procedure is greater, due to the risk of interference between the prosthetic valve and the ablation or mapping catheter. We present two cases of patients with mechanical prosthetic valves and atrial flutter who underwent successful ablation with no complications using the CartoUnivu™ tool, which integrates the electroanatomical map and the fluoroscopy image.

A refined investigation of new trends in urban analysis assuming a sustainable design of Areas of Public Space and Meeting (APSM) is a fundamental response to the challenges of inclusive and efficient cities. Even though the APSM are districts regarded as urban structuring systems, there is a lack of territorial planning instruments and conceptual models aimed at explaining their long-term dynamics. Based on these premises, we developed a conceptual model that articulates relevant variables of interest for the planning and management of APSM. The construction of the model includes the review and analysis of the literature and the validation process based on a consultation with a panel of experts on the subject. Our findings demonstrate that the existing research does not address the APSM issue adequately, and the methodologies proposed so far do not lead to accurate and comprehensive analyses of urban complexity in light of sustainability targets. There are only isolated, disjointed, and partial approaches to variables of interest, making it difficult to carry out holistic studies. Our technical and scientific proposal offers a framework for an exhaustive evaluation of these areas. The model has been structured according to the assumptions of urban sustainability and can be applied to diverse urban environments in South America.

This study reveals mineral and deformation processes associated with faulting of lacustrine unconsolidated sediments in the Guadix-Baza Basin (Betic Cordillera, S Spain) affected by the Baza Fault. Brittle carbonate and silt sediments develop deformation bands frequently sealed by dolomite crystallization, whereas ductile clay-rich sediments form clay smearing bands where late crystallization of gypsum can be observed. Granular flow and local cataclasis were the main deformation mechanisms in the brittle deformation bands. Flow alignment, grain-boundary sliding, and extrusion were predominant in the clay smearing bands. These water and clay-rich bands reduced shear strength of the faulting process due to their lubricating effect. Beidellitic smectite defines shear foliation of the smeared bands, but Mg-Fe, a K-rich smectite (Fe + Mg > 1 and K content up to 0.8 a.p.f.u), crystallizes in the micropores surrounding brittle clasts produced by deformation pressure shadows. These data suggest that the interaction of micromechanical events, which increased sediment porosity by the generation of pressure shadows, and the flow and concentration of saline fluids in these pores promoted structural diagenesis processes that favoured the beginning of local illitization.

We present a case of sarcomeric hypertrophy cardiomyopathy diagnosed in a child who had hypertrophy degree regression during adolescence, with no left ventricular dysfunction and no increase of the ventricular diameters. (Level of Difficulty: Intermediate.)

Abstract Background In various ascidian species, circulating stem cells have been documented to be involved in asexual reproduction and whole-body regeneration. Studies of these cell population(s) are mainly restricted to colonial species. Here, we investigate the occurrence of circulating stem cells in the solitary Styela plicata, a member of the Styelidae, a family with at least two independent origins of coloniality. Results Using flow cytometry, we characterized a population of circulating putative stem cells (CPSCs) in S. plicata and determined two gates likely enriched with CPSCs based on morphology and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity. We found an ALDH + cell population with low granularity, suggesting a stem-like state. In an attempt to uncover putative CPSCs niches in S. plicata, we performed a histological survey for hemoblast-like cells, followed by immunohistochemistry with stem cell and proliferation markers. The intestinal submucosa (IS) showed high cellular proliferation levels and high frequency of undifferentiated cells and histological and ultrastructural analyses revealed the presence of hemoblast aggregations in the IS suggesting a possible niche. Finally, we document the first ontogenetic appearance of distinct metamorphic circulatory mesenchyme cells, which precedes the emergence of juvenile hemocytes. Conclusions We find CPSCs in the hemolymph of the solitary ascidian Styela plicata, presumably involved in the regenerative capacity of this species. The presence of proliferating and undifferentiated mesenchymal cells suggests IS as a possible niche.

Recensió bibliogràfica de Consell Superior de la Justícia del Principat d'Andorra (2017). Manual de llenguatge jurídic [En línia].

En aquest article s’efectua l’anàlisi qualitativa d’una mostra de discursos sobre els sistemes escolars a Andorra i la influència que aquests tenen en les polítiques lingüístiques relatives a l’adquisició del català. A partir d’un corpus d’entrevistes semidirigides, realitzades a informants considerats com a gestors de les polítiques lingüístiques, s’han establert tres tipus de discurs: un discurs escèptic, segons el qual la presència de sistemes escolars estrangers impedeix un aprenentatge correcte de la llengua a l’alumnat no catalanoparlant inicial; un discurs idealista, per al qual els sistemes escolars enriqueixen socialment i culturalment el país, i un discurs pragmàtic, que assumeix que el país no podria permetre’s tenir una escola pública unificada, ja que una bona part de les despeses dels sistemes educatius estrangers és assumida pels estats veïns.

Increasingly complex in silico modeling approaches offer a way to simultaneously access cancerous processes at different spatio-temporal scales. High-level models, such as those based on partial differential equations, are computationally affordable and allow large tumor sizes and long temporal windows to be studied, but miss the discrete nature of many key underlying cellular processes. Individual-based approaches provide a much more detailed description of tumors, but have difficulties when trying to handle full-sized real cancers. Thus, there exists a trade-off between the integration of macroscopic and microscopic information, now widely available, and the ability to attain clinical tumor sizes. In this paper we put forward a stochastic mesoscopic simulation framework that incorporates key cellular processes during tumor progression while keeping computational costs to a minimum. Our framework captures a physical scale that allows both the incorporation of microscopic information, tracking the spatio-temporal emergence of tumor heterogeneity and the underlying evolutionary dynamics, and the reconstruction of clinically sized tumors from high-resolution medical imaging data, with the additional benefit of low computational cost. We illustrate the functionality of our modeling approach for the case of glioblastoma, a paradigm of tumor heterogeneity that remains extremely challenging in the clinical setting.

En este artículo analizamos las tendencias emergentes en los estudios sobre jurilingüística en relación con la práctica y la investigación de la traducción jurídica. Desde que se empleara por primera vez el término jurilingüística hace casi cuarenta años, este ha servido como paraguas para analizar las relaciones entre lengua y derecho. Aunque en un principio la investigación en este campo se centró en el discurso jurídico y la terminología, la globalización de las relaciones jurídicas y los cambios sociales han dado lugar a una ampliación de sus límites interdisciplinares, entre los que se incluyen la lingüística forense, la pragmática, la antropología o la sociología, entre otros (Jiménez-Salcedo y Moreno-Rivero 2017). En traductología, la jurilingüística ha adoptado un nuevo significado, alejado de la perspectiva puramente microlingüística, por el que se redefine la traducción en entornos jurídicos como una práctica situada (Monzó-Nebot y Moreno-Rivero 2020). En el marco de la jurilingüística, este artículo expone tres ejes principales de la traducción jurídica actual: en primer lugar, se presentan las aplicaciones actuales de la jurilingüística al estudio de géneros textuales y su traducción; seguidamente, se establecen las relaciones entre la lingüística de corpus y la traducción jurídica; por último, se propone una serie de estudios sobre metodología de la formación en el ámbito de la traducción jurídica.

The relatively poor simulation of the below-ground processes is a severe drawback for many ecosystem models, especially when predicting responses to climate change and management. For a meaningful estimation of ecosystem production and the cycling of water, energy, nutrients and carbon, the integration of soil processes and the exchanges at the surface is crucial. It is increasingly recognized that soil biota play an important role in soil organic carbon and nutrient cycling, shaping soil structure and hydrological properties through their activity, and in water and nutrient uptake by plants through mycorrhizal processes. In this article, we review the main soil biological actors (microbiota, fauna and roots) and their effects on soil functioning. We review to what extent they have been included in soil models and propose which of them could be included in ecosystem models. We show that the model representation of the soil food web, the impact of soil ecosystem engineers on soil structure and the related effects on hydrology and soil organic matter (SOM) stabilization are key issues in improving ecosystem-scale soil representation in models. Finally, we describe a new core model concept (KEYLINK) that integrates insights from SOM models, structural models and food web models to simulate the living soil at an ecosystem scale.

INTRODUCTION:Cardiac channelopathies are a frequent cause of sudden cardiac death (SCD) and often manifest with convulsive syncope, leading to a misdiagnosis of epilepsy. We aim to evaluate the clinical impact of epilepsy misdiagnosis in a cohort of patients with cardiac channelopathies. METHODS:Fifty probands/families with a cardiac channelopathy were included. We retrospectively collected information from medical records to identify all patients who presented with convulsive syncope and were diagnosed with epilepsy after neurological evaluation. Clinical data and outcome were compared with those of patients without a previous epilepsy diagnosis. RESULTS:Eight patients had a previous diagnosis of epilepsy. At first episode, 3 of them presented a positive family history of SCD and 5 showed a pathological electrocardiogram; half presented with sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and the rest with recurrent syncope despite treatment with 1 or more anti-epileptic drugs. Five patients had long QT syndrome, 2 had catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, and 1 had Brugada syndrome. Epilepsy misdiagnosis was associated with an increased risk of SCA/SCD (OR 6.92, P = .04), a delay of 12 years (P = .047) in correct diagnosis, and a delay from first symptom to channelopathy diagnosis of 18.45 years (P < .0001). CONCLUSION:Cardiac channelopathy patients can be misdiagnosed with epilepsy. This involves a delayed diagnosis, a delay from the first symptom to a correct diagnosis, and an increased risk of SCA/SCD.

INTRODUCCIÓ. La docència d’història en els nivells superiors d’educació ha experimentat en els últims anys un canvi important, en el qual ha tingut un paper destacat la irrupció dels videojocs històrics com a element d’oci, ja que s’han transformat en un mitjà d’expressió cultural que afecta sobretot l’alumnat. La difusió de continguts històrics s’ha convertit en una oportunitat per al treball docent, perquè suposa un repte per a l’activitat del professorat i l’alumnat, i també per a la comprensió d’un discurs històric acreditat. MÈTODE. S’analitza l’impacte del videojoc històric sobre el coneixement del passat, la seva idiosincràsia i les possibilitats i els límits en la docència universitària en l’àmbit de les humanitats. RESULTATS. Després de repassar què ha passat des dels darrers anys fins a l’actualitat respecte a l’ús dels videojocs històrics com a recurs educatiu, es debat la pertinència del seu ús en la docència universitària. DISCUSSIÓ. El professorat universitari d’història ha d’atendre, com a docent i com a investigador, la necessitat d’informació dels estudiants sobre el que veuen i sobre els jocs a què juguen.

El presente estudio tuvo como propósito evaluar la relación que ocurre entre el ambiente familiar y la depresión en adolescentes. Participaron 391 adolescentes de 14 a 16 años de edad de ambos sexos, estudiantes de escuelas secundarias públicas de la Ciudad de México. Se aplicó la Escala de Ambiente Familiar para Adolescente (EAFA: Ruíz-Cárdenas, Reidl & Gallegos, 2017), formada por cinco factores: conflicto entre los padres, falta de comunicación familiar, falta de reglas y normas, hostilidad y aceptación familiar; los cuales explican el 52% de la varianza, con Alpha de Cronbach global de .899 y validez de constructo. Para evaluar la depresión se utilizó la escala D, Depresión del Inventario Multifásico de la Personalidad Minnesota para Adolescentes (MMPI-A: Lucio, Ampudia & Durán, 2004). La comparación de medias identificó diferencias significativas por sexo en la escala de depresión. El análisis de regresión múltiple arrojó que las variables del ambiente familiar que predicen la depresión en mujeres son: falta de comunicación familiar y falta de reglas y normas familiares; mientras que en los varones las variables que predicen la depresión son: la falta de aceptación familiar y los conflictos entre los padres.

Cuenca is a city situated in a high-risk seismic zone, vulnerable to earthquakes, in particular the Historical Center is quite vulnerable as defined in a previous seismic vulnerability study carried out by the Seismic Network of the Austro (1999-2002), within the frame of the P-BID 400 project Seismic hazard in Southern Ecuador, vulnerability and seismic risk in the city of Cuenca. The work presented in this paper is an update of the vulnerability study developed and delivered to GAD-Cuenca within the framework of a cooperation agreement. In a first phase the project was limited to the assessment of the seismic vulnerability of the Historical Center of the city applying the capacity building model, providing a fundamental improvement with respect to a previous study carried out within the framework of the P-BID 400 project. The article explains the progress in the methodological approach by enabling to address the seismic vulnerability at territorial scale by employing the Level Two Method of the European RISK-EU project, more specifically the Capacity Spectrum Method. Furthermore, the article presents the general guidelines of the project and the progress made in relation to the typological characterization of the built heritage, modeling and computational implementation of the Capacity Spectrum Method.

The volcanic area of the Paipa system (Boyacá, Colombia) contains a magmatic heat source and deep fractures that help the flow of hot and highly mineralized waters, which are further combined with cold superficial inputs. This mixed water recharges the Salitre River and downstream feeding Sochagota Lake. The incoming water can contribute to substantial increases in hydrothermal SO42−-Na water in the water of the Salitre River basin area, raising the salinity. An additional hydrogeochemical process occurs in the mix with cold Fe-rich water from alluvial and surficial aquifers. This salinized Fe-rich water feeds the Sochagota Lake, although the impact of freshwaters from rain on the hydrochemistry of the Sochagota Lake is significant. A series of hydrogeochemical, biogeochemical, and mineralogical processes occur inside the lake. The aim of this work was to study the influence of damming in the Sochagota Lake, which acts as a natural attenuation of contaminants such as high concentrations of metals and salty elements coming from the Salitre River. Damming in the Sochagota Lake is considered to be an effective strategy for attenuating highly mineralized waters. The concentrations of dissolved elements were attenuated significantly. Dilution by rainfall runoff and precipitation of iron sulfides mediated by sulfate-reducing bacteria in deposits rich in organic material were the main processes involved in the attenuation of concentrations of SO42−, Fe, As Cu, and Co in the lake water. Furthermore, the K-consuming illitization processes occurring in the sediments could favor the decrease in K and Al.

The Valencian Community (eastern Spain) was the pioneer territory establishing plant micro-reserves (PMRs). Its model to protect small sites for endemic and endangered plants has been exported to several countries around the globe. This paper highlights 1) the role of PMRs to complement the protection provided by large protected areas, 2) how the establishment of PMRs fosters the increase of floristic knowledge, and 3) the fact that continuous monitoring of PMRs also yields new records of endangered species found within the same PMRs. The flexibility of the PMR approach -it can be adapted to other national and regional legislations- allows its transfer to other rich-biodiversity regions and countries such as China. Keywords: Plant micro-reserves, in situ conservation, Threatened species, Endemic plants, Protected areas

La llengua catalana disposa d’un corpus important d’obres sobre convencions gràfiques. La recerca s’ha centrat en el buidatge de fonts que contenen convencions relatives a l’ús de les majúscules, convencions susceptibles d’ésser emprades en l’àmbit de la redacció juridicoadministrativa. Les fonts analitzades estan en molts casos relacionades directament amb aquest tipus de redacció, però s’han estudiat igualment obres de referència general i llibres d’estil. Els resultats han estat classificats en els tipus de designacions següents: tractaments protocol·laris, càrrecs i dignitats, designació de persones fora de la documentació protocol·lària, entitats o organismes formalment constituïts, institucions, normes jurídiques i documentació administrativa. La discussió dels resultats presenta alguns elements de reflexió analitzats al corpus: l’ús de l’antonomàsia conceptual i l’aplicació del principi de singularitat semàntica com a regles d’escriptura dels noms de càrrecs, la problemàtica de la constitució formal dels organismes i entitats i les seves repercussions en l’ús de la majúscula, el paper desenvolupat per les excepcions de designació (els correferents, les designacions abreujades o incompletes i els plurals aglutinadors), l’ambigüitat del concepte d’institució i les seves conseqüències gràfiques i les diferències entre les fonts pel que fa a la denominació dels instruments jurídics.

Aquest article introdueix la secció monogràfica "De la traducció a la jurilingüística". En destaca que les contribucions que s’hi publiquen reflecteixen un marc interdisciplinar estable de relacions entre llengua i dret, des de paràmetres com ara la traducció, la interpretació, la formació, l’autopercepció professional, la recerca teòrica o l’elaboració terminològica, alhora que recullen algunes de les noves tendències en la matèria i revisen de manera crítica els paradigmes existents. Conclou que les aportacions publicades fan palesa la pertinència de la jurilingüística com a paradigma ampli i dinàmic a partir del qual poder pensar les relacions entre llengua i dret.

S- and Fe-cycling bacteria can decisively affect the crystallization of Fe-bearing minerals in sediments from fluvial environments. We have studied the relationships between the Fe-bearing mineral assemblage and the bacterial community composition in the sediments rich in organic matter from the upper Chicamocha river basin (Colombia). Rapid flowing sections of the river contain sediments that have a high redox potential, are poor in organic matter and are enriched in kaolinite and quartz. On the other hand, the mineral assemblage of the sediments deposited in the La Playa dam with a high content in organic matter is enriched in Fe-bearing minerals: (a) vivianite and pyrite in the permanently flooded sediments of the dam and (b) pyrite and goethite in the periodically emerged sediments. The bacterial community composition of these sediments reveals anthropic organic matter pollution processes and biodegradation associated with eutrophication. Moreover, periodically emerged sediments in the La Playa dam contain bacterial groups adapted to the alternation of dry and wet periods under oxic or anoxic conditions. Cell-shaped aggregates with a pyritic composition suggest that sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) communities were involved in the precipitation of Fe-sulfides. The precipitation of vivianite in the flooded sediments was favored by a greater availability of Fe(II), which promoted the iron-reducing bacteria (IRB) enrichment of the sediments. The presence of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) in the flooded sediments and the activity of iron-oxidizing bacteria (IOB) in the periodically emerged sediments favored both pyrite crystallization under a high sulfide availability and the oxidation of microbially precipitated monosulfides. Moreover, IOB enhanced goethite formation in the periodically emerged sediments.

Orofacial neuropathic chronic pain (NCP) is frequently attributed to lesions caused by orofacial surgeries and dental treatments. There are many experimental models available to study orofacial NCP, however, many are extremely painful for the animal due to the amplitude of the innervated region. A previously proposed mental nerve constriction model, mNC, was used in this project. Forty Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups: one group included rats with mNC (n=20), and another rats with sham lesions (n=20). Through the use of the fixed ratio program and the progressive program, a decrease of motivation for a sweet substance, caused by the lesion, was evaluated. The possibility of alterations in cognitive learning and adaptation abilities was also assessed using the go/no-go behavioral task. The mNC group showed low induced and spontaneously evoked pain responses, as well as a decrease in the motivation for sucrose, a sign of anhedonia. This decrease does not depend on taste processing. Finally, although no alterations in the learning-memory process were observed, the mNC group did show alterations when adapting to a new rule.