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En este trabajo indagamos el modo en que la ecología se dirige a su objeto de estudio, la naturaleza. “Ilustramos” este modo de estudiar la naturaleza mediante una crítica a la objetividad desarrollada por Theodore Roszak. Destacando que la ecología opera, en el contexto de la problemática ambiental, <> fuese objetiva. En este marco, problematizamos: (i) cómo se construye un significado de la naturaleza desde la ecología, (ii) cómo se silencia la experiencia del ecólogo en la naturaleza, (iii) cómo se da el vínculo entre valores (espirituales, estéticos o recreativos) y conocimiento ecosistémico y finalmente (iv) abordamos el carácter <> del conocimiento ecosistémico y su posición hegemónica en el contexto de la problemática ambiental. En líneas generales, las conclusiones del presente trabajo se dirigen a relegar al conocimiento ecosistémico a un lugar más modesto dentro de la actual crisis ambiental.

Abstract Mitogen-activated protein kinases 1 and 3 (MAPK1 and MAPK3), also called extracellular regulated kinases (ERK2 and ERK1), are serine/threonine kinase activated downstream by the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK signal transduction cascade that regulates a variety of cellular processes. A dysregulation of MAPK cascade is frequently associated to missense mutations on its protein components and may be related to many pathologies, including cancer. In this study we selected from COSMIC database a set of MAPK1 and MAPK3 somatic variants found in cancer tissues carrying missense mutations distributed all over the MAPK1 and MAPK3 sequences. The proteins were expressed as pure recombinant proteins, and their biochemical and biophysical properties have been studied in comparison with the wild type. The missense mutations lead to changes in the tertiary arrangements of all the variants. The thermodynamic stability of the wild type and variants has been investigated in the non-phosphorylated and in the phosphorylated form. Significant differences in the thermal stabilities of most of the variants have been observed, as well as changes in the catalytic efficiencies. The energetics of the catalytic reaction is affected for all the variants for both the MAPK proteins. The stability changes and the variation in the enzyme catalysis observed for most of MAPK1/3 variants suggest that a local change in a residue, distant from the catalytic site, may have long-distance effects that reflect globally on enzyme stability and functions.

Desde la época en que emerge la problemática ambiental contemporánea, esta ha devenido en objeto de análisis e intervención tanto para la ecología (área de la biología) como para distintos organismos intergubernamentales de alcance mundial. En ambos ámbitos se han desarrollado una serie de marcos conceptuales dirigidos al abordaje de los cambios ecológicos, es decir, aquellas alteraciones que recaen sobre unidades que son objeto de estudio de la ecología. El objetivo de este trabajo es clarificar y contrastar los modos en que la ecología del disturbio (un reciente campo dentro de la ecología) y diferentes organismos intergubernamentales conceptualizan y abordan el cambio ecológico. Para ello, efectuamos una comparación analítica entre el concepto de ‘disturbio’ de la ecología y la noción de ‘driver’ proveniente de los organismos intergubernamentales. En la comparación, observamos que dichos conceptos buscan explicar procesos similares de cambio ecológico bajo una misma lógica causal, aunque manifiestan importantes diferencias en el tratamiento de las condiciones iniciales que permiten estudiarlos. Concluimos que la noción de ‘driver’ supone un empobrecimiento epistemológico en relación con el concepto de ‘disturbio’. Finalmente discutimos algunas implicancias de este problema epistemológico, dado que es la noción empobrecida de ‘driver’ la que se impone en el contexto internacional a la hora de explicar un cambio ecológico, materializándose en lineamientos reconocidos por naciones de todo el mundo que trasladan dicho empobrecimiento al terreno de las políticas públicas. Urge revisar en qué medida estamos contribuyendo a la construcción y reproducción de una problemática ambiental empobrecida epistemológicamente.

En Argentina, en el período 2019-2020 se experimentó el mayor brote de la historia del dengue en el país. Nuestro objetivo es comprender los sentidos que diferentes agentes de salud y vecinos y vecinas en un municipio de Buenos Aires le dan a la comunidad, a las diferencias de clases sociales, y a la presencia de migrantes, en relación con el dengue. Para esto, realizamos entrevistas semiestructuradas en 2021. Observamos que los y las agentes de salud recuperan las diferencias de clase social como un aspecto relevante para la intervención en dengue y mencionan dificultades de participación por parte de lo que denominan clases medias y altas. También encontramos que los y las agentes de salud asocian la movilidad de las y los migrantes con las epidemias de dengue. Sin embargo, en esta interpretación hay incertidumbres y se amplía al considerar otros factores.

El control biológico de especies no nativas que causan daños económicos y ambientales es la tecnología más importante de la Biología de las Invasiones. Si bien hay acuerdo que dicha tecnología es ambientalmente más amigable que el control químico, existen discusiones abiertas sobre los riesgos asociados a la misma. En el presente trabajo analizamos, utilizando como fuentes artículos científicos de revisión, las bases epistémicas subyacentes al desarrollo y la evaluación de riesgos asociados al control biológico. En particular, si sucede o no simplificación epistemológica y su vínculo con la subestimación de riesgos. El análisis muestra que suceden cuatro tipos interrelacionados de simplificación epistemológica: i) interacciones uno-a-uno de tipo fisiológicas, linealizadas y descontextualizadas entre agente de control y especies blanco o no-blanco; ii) predominancia de factores de niveles organísmico e infra-organísmico, en vinculación con teorías y conceptos de la Ecofisiología; lo que obvia interacciones, procesos y mecanismos que suceden a nivel de comunidad y ecosistemas, y los marcos teóricos de la Ecología asociados; iii) exclusión de mecanismos evolutivos relevantes como la adaptación y la plasticidad fenotípica post-introducción; y iv) restricción de temporalidades y espacialidades a aquellas de procesos fisiológicos y comportamentales del nivel organísmico o inferiores. Este escenario deriva en una subestimación, o directamente omisión, de riesgos ambientales como alteraciones potenciales que el evento de control biológico puede imponer sobre especies no-blanco y también sobre procesos y mecanismos comunitarios y ecosistémicos.

En este trabajo indagamos acerca de cómo las lógicas que impulsaron la creación de los primeros Parques Nacionales de Argentina, en el marco de la expansión del Estado-nación y el establecimiento del capitalismo en la región, continúan modelando los diseños actuales de conservación. Al respecto, nuestra hipótesis señala que a través de la implementación de nuevos Parques Nacionales se reproducen formas de pensar y relacionarse con el ambiente que, en lugar de brindar soluciones, en varios aspectos profundizan las problemáticas socioambientales. Para corroborar lo propuesto, revisamos el proceso de creación del Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi, primero de Argentina, para luego ponerlo en relación con el diseño del Parque Nacional El Impenetrable, uno de los últimos en implementarse en el país. Tras analizar fuentes diversas, complementadas con instancias de observación participante, detectamos la continuidad de un abordaje fragmentario y la persistente negación de historias, relaciones y conocimientos propios de los mundos sobre los que recae la implementación de Parques Nacionales. Además, problematizamos sobre cómo las áreas naturales protegidas legitiman el modo de producción y la racionalidad utilitaria que condujeron a las crisis socioambientales actuales.

Objectives: To describe the sonographic features of the caudothalamic groove in the third trimester of pregnancy in a group of structurally normal fetuses and to report a small series of cases with abnormal appearance of the caudothalamic groove at antenatal cranial ultrasound. Methods: This was an observational study conducted at two fetal medicine referral units in Italy. A non‐consecutive cohort of pregnant women with a singleton non‐anomalous pregnancy were recruited prospectively and underwent three‐dimensional (3D) ultrasound assessment of the fetal brain at 28–32 weeks' gestation. At offline analysis, the ultrasound volumes were adjusted in the multiplanar mode, according to a standardized methodology, until the caudothalamic groove was visible in the parasagittal plane. To evaluate interobserver agreement, two operators were asked independently to indicate if the caudothalamic groove was visible unilaterally or bilaterally on each volume and Cohen's kappa (κ) coefficient was calculated. The digital archives of the two centers were also searched retrospectively to retrieve cases with abnormal findings at the level of the caudothalamic groove on antenatal cranial ultrasound that were confirmed postnatally. Results: A total of 180 non‐consecutive cases were included. At offline analysis of the 3D ultrasound volumes, the caudothalamic groove was identified in the parasagittal plane by both operators at least unilaterally in 176 (97.8%) cases and bilaterally in 174 (96.7%) cases. The κ‐coefficient for the agreement between the two independent operators in recognizing the caudothalamic groove was 0.89 and 0.83 for one and both hemispheres, respectively. The retrospective search of our archives yielded five cases with an abnormal appearance of the caudothalamic groove at antenatal cranial ultrasound, including two cases of hemorrhage and three cases of cyst. Conclusions: The caudothalamic groove is consistently seen in normal fetuses on multiplanar neurosonography in the third trimester, and abnormal findings in this region may be detected antenatally. © 2024 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The poor preservation state of chitinozoans recovered from samples of the La Pola (Sandbian–Katian) and Don Braulio formations (Hirnantian-Llandovery), after being processed with standard methods, required significant modifications in processing. The sodium hexametaphosphate technique was used to avoid invasive mechanical procedures. Hence, more complete chitinozoans that preserved original features produced by biological, mechanical, and chemical degradation appeared. The processes that affected the good preservation of the chitinozoan exine are associated with factors inherent to the sedimentary environment, and biological and geological taphonomic effects that occurred in different regions of the Precordillera, added to the important associated tectonic activity. The thermal alteration was also an important factor in the fragile and brittle condition of the organic matter recovered. This transcends the preservation-processing technique relationship to be used. The results obtained from non-standard processing contribute to the paleoenvironmental interpretation of the Pola and Don Braulio successions, which are still widely discussed, and the determination of the most accurate age of the La Pola Formation. The latter will allow us to propose a biostratigraphic correlation between chitinozoan zones and graptolite zones, given the presence of both groups in the succession studied here, and to establish correlations with other successions in the Precordillera and elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the interobserver agreement among midwives for the interpretation of intrapartum CTG traces, using both the 2015 FIGO guidelines and the physiology-based guidelines. Material and methods: Retrospective, single-center, observational study conducted at the Maternity Hospital of the University of Parma, Italy, between November 2022 and July 2023. We selected 100 nonconsecutive intrapartum CTG traces from women undergoing operative delivery (cesarean or instrumental vaginal delivery). Participating midwives received the last 60 min of CTG recording prior to the decision for an operative delivery was made. Five midwives with different professional experience classified the CTG tracing according to the 2015 FIGO guidelines and the physiology-based guidelines at the time of the decision for the operative delivery. Each midwife was categorized as senior or junior if her clinical experience was equal or more or less than 5 years. All participating midwives were blinded to the demographic and clinical variables of each case, as well as to the labor and neonatal outcome. The main outcome of the study was the interobserver agreement among the 5 midwives with either guideline. The secondary outcome was the interobserver agreement based on clinical experience. The agreement between the observers was estimated through the Krippendorff's alpha statistics. Results: The interobserver agreement for the interpretation of intrapartum CTG traces according to the 2015 FIGO guideline was in the upper limit of the "unacceptable" classification, with a Krippendorff's alpha of 0.632 (95% CI, 0.545–0.723). The interobserver agreement of the physiology-based CTG guideline was classified as "unacceptable" with a Krippendorff's alpha of 0.359 (95% CI, 0.125–0.582). The interobserver agreement among senior midwives according to the 2015 FIGO guidelines was considered as "tentative acceptable agreement" with a Krippendorff's alpha of 0.724 (95% CI, 0.636–0.805). Among junior midwives, the interobserver agreement according to the latter guideline was classified as "unacceptable" with a Krippendorff's alpha of 0.569 (95% CI, 0.359–0.751). Using the physiology-based guideline, the interobserver agreement of the senior midwives – Krippendorff's alpha 0.493 (95% CI, 0.320–0.623) – and "junior" midwives – Krippendorff's alpha 0.359 (95% CI, 0.100–0.581) – were considered both "unacceptable". Conclusions: Our study showed that intrapartum CTG interpretation is characterized by an overall unacceptable level of interobserver agreement among midwives, with the 2015 FIGO guidelines showing better agreement compared to physiology-based guidelines. The interpretation of intrapartum CTG by "senior" midwives using the 2015 FIGO guidelines showed the highest, interobserver agreement, indicating a "tentative acceptable agreement". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Desde la década de 1960, con el surgimiento de las problemáticas ambientales, el discurso hegemónico de la ecología es recibido, reproducido y amplificado por una amplia variedad de actores sociales. Aquí, analizaremos un aspecto que consideramos central de este discurso. Nuestro objetivo se dirige a indagar en qué medida la ecología recupera los dualismos y . Nuestra hipótesis de trabajo es que esta disciplina opera mediante un doble movimiento: mientras trae a primer plano el dualismo , simultáneamente, soslaya el dualismo . Bajo este doble movimiento, esperamos mostrar que el discurso ecológico logra despolitizar la naturaleza, relegando a la periferia diferentes formas de concebir el entorno. Nuestro enfoque epistemológico-metodológico descansará sobre una lógica de las distinciones, de aquí que trabajaremos sobre los dualismos mencionados, a partir de la distinción . Finalmente, presentaremos algunas consideraciones sobre el dominio del discurso ecológico y sobre la relevancia de una posición relativista en el contexto internacional de las problemáticas ambientales.

Background and aims: Taxonomic works of the modern pollen grains from the vegetation of the Iberá Wetlands from northeastern Argentina, and other areas of the Corrientes province, have mostly been carried out in last decade. However, very few of these taxonomic works include illustration of palynomorphs. The objective of this contribution is to provide the first morphological records of palynomorphs of angiosperms, ferns, lycophytes and bryophytes from sediments from the Holocene of the Iberá Wetlands. M&M: Core samples obtained by mean of a Livingston-type sampler from six lakes in their central and deepest parts on the western margin of the Iberá Wetlands were analyzed. Results: Fifty-five types of palynomorphs are described and illustrated: 46 pollen types correspond to 27 families of angiosperms and nine trilete spore-types to ferns, lycophytes and bryophytes. Information to differentiate local (species that form part of the natural vegetation of the Iberá Wetlands) and extra-local taxa (those that do not belong to the Iberá), that achieved to depocenters mostly by means of wind currents coming from farther regional vegetation, was included. Conclusions: Pollen grains and spores identifications up to species level enhances paleoenvironmental reconstructions based on more accurate ecologic information and geographical distribution. This work broadens the knowledge of the palynological flora of northeastern Argentina and it will contribute to differentiate the local vegetation from the extra-local in future paleocological and paleoenvironmental interpretations.

Abstract We present in this work a first X‐ray Absorption Spectroscopy study of the interactions of Zn with human BST2/tetherin and SARS‐CoV‐2 orf7a proteins as well as with some of their complexes. The analysis of the XANES region of the measured spectra shows that Zn binds to BST2, as well as to orf7a, thus resulting in the formation of BST2‐orf7a complexes. This structural information confirms the the conjecture, recently put forward by some of the present Authors, according to which the accessory orf7a (and possibly also orf8) viral protein are capable of interfering with the BST2 antiviral activity. Our explanation for this behavior is that, when BST2 gets in contact with Zn bound to the orf7a Cys15 ligand, it has the ability of displacing the metal owing to the creation of a new disulfide bridge across the two proteins. The formation of this BST2‐orf7a complex destabilizes BST2 dimerization, thus impairing the antiviral activity of the latter.

En la actualidad el control del dengue sigue fracasando, por lo tanto, parece necesario estimular nuevos enfoques sobre el problema. Creemos que un análisis desde la epistemología puede contribuir con esto. Así, basándonos en una revisión realizada por Krieger de la categoría de población en epidemiología y en el abordaje epistemológico de Samaja, nuestro objetivo es analizar y problematizar el modo en qué se considera a la población humana en ciertas publicaciones científicas sobre la epidemiología del dengue en Argentina. Nuestro análisis indica que estas publicaciones consideran a la población en sentido estadístico y que esta mirada puede generar consecuencias negativas.

This work studies the stability of wild-type frataxin and some of its variants found in cancer tissues upon Co2+ binding. Although the physiologically involved metal ion in the frataxin enzymatic activity is Fe2+, as it is customarily done, Co2+ is most often used in experiments because Fe2+ is extremely unstable owing to the fast oxidation reaction Fe2+ → Fe3+. Protein stability is monitored following the conformational changes induced by Co2+ binding as measured by circular dichroism, fluorescence spectroscopy, and melting temperature measurements. The stability ranking among the wild-type frataxin and its variants obtained in this way is confirmed by a detailed comparative analysis of the XAS spectra of the metal-protein complex at the Co K-edge. In particular, a fit to the EXAFS region of the spectrum allows positively identifying the frataxin acidic ridge as the most likely location of the metal-binding sites. Furthermore, we can explain the surprising feature emerging from a detailed analysis of the XANES region of the spectrum, showing that the longer 81-210 frataxin fragment has a smaller propensity for Co2+ binding than the shorter 90-210 one. This fact is explained by the peculiar role of the N-terminal disordered tail in modulating the protein ability to interact with the metal.

Fast monitoring of water quality is a fundamental part of environmental management and protection, in particular, the possibility of qualitatively and quantitatively determining its contamination at levels that are dangerous for human health, fauna and flora. Among the techniques currently available, Raman spectroscopy and its variant, Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS), have several advantages, including no need for sample preparation, quick and easy operation and the ability to operate on the field. This article describes the application of the Raman and SERS technique to liquid samples contaminated with different classes of substances, including nitrates, phosphates, pesticides and their metabolites. The technique was also used for the detection of the air pollutant polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and, in particular, benzo(a)pyrene, considered as a reference for the carcinogenicity of the whole class of these compounds. To pre-concentrate the analytes, we applied a methodology based on the well-known coffee-ring effect, which ensures preconcentration of the analytes without any pretreatment of the sample, providing a versatile approach for fast and in-situ detection of water pollutants. The obtained results allowed us to reveal these analytes at low concentrations, close to or lower than their regulatory limits.

Abstract Faunipollenites Bharadwaj is considered a junior synonym of Protohaploxypinus Samoilovich emend. Morbey. However, Indian workers claim it is a valid genus due to a poorly defined corpus and absence of folds in distal attachment. In India, a standard method is applied including the oxidization with HNO3 more than 48 hours (+10’ of KOH). We analyze the effects of that treatment on the morphology of pollen grains of both genera in samples from the Permian of India and Brazil. The same samples are also processed with HCl, HF, two hours of HNO3 and 2’ of KOH and slides are mounted after each step. Our analysis reveals that distinct or indistinct central body and presence/absence of folds in distal attachment do not change in contrast to the indistinct central body and mostly absence of folds from samples that underwent a longer period of oxidization (24-48 hours and KOH 10’). The synonymization of Faunipollenites to Protohaploxypinus is confirmed. Species of Faunipollenites are reassigned to the revised species of Protohaploxypinus. The usage of the latter genus and its species in Permian biostratigraphic studies of India will improve Gondwanan correlations and paleobiogeographic reconstructions in future studies.

Failure of tissues and organs resulting from degenerative diseases or trauma has caused huge economic and health concerns around the world. Tissue engineering represents the only possibility to revert this scenario owing to its potential to regenerate or replace damaged tissues and organs. In a regeneration strategy, biomaterials play a key role promoting new tissue formation by providing adequate space for cell accommodation and appropriate biochemical and biophysical cues to support cell proliferation and differentiation. Among other physical cues, the architectural features of the biomaterial as a kind of instructive stimuli can influence cellular behaviors and guide cells towards a specific tissue organization. Thus, the optimization of biomaterial micro/nano architecture, through different manufacturing techniques, is a crucial strategy for a successful regenerative therapy. Over the last decades, many micro/nanostructured biomaterials have been developed to mimic the defined structure of ECM of various soft and hard tissues. This review intends to provide an overview of the relevant studies on micro/nanostructured scaffolds created for soft and hard tissue regeneration and highlights their biological effects, with a particular focus on striated muscle, cartilage, and bone tissue engineering applications.

Se presenta y problematiza un dispositivo dirigido al tema de la problemática ambiental, del cual destaca su alcance global, su carácter de urgente y su capacidad para afectar a la viabilidad de la especie humana. A la vez, indicamos que esta caracterización de la crisis ambiental se encuentra asociada a una red institucional de corte internacional dirigida a la gestión de este tema. También, se señalan algunos intentos por utilizar a la problemática ambiental como coartada para el establecimiento de una administración mundial. Se concluye que hay cierta simetría presente entre la forma en que el saber configura el tema de la problemática ambiental y la forma en que el poder se estructura para administrarlo.

The main objective of this work is to analyze the intention to reduce some areas of Ecology (in particular Population Ecology, Community Ecology and Ecosistem Ecology) to Physiology (in the particular case of metabolic studies). The origin of this research of reduction was done through consolidation of metabolic ecological theory in first years of XXIst century. Considering this objective, general framework was based on the proposal of Sahotra Sarkar.

Bromodomains (BRDs) are small protein domains often present in large multidomain proteins involved in transcriptional regulation in eukaryotic cells. They currently represent valuable targets for the development of inhibitors of aberrant transcriptional processes in a variety of human diseases. Here we report urea-induced equilibrium unfolding experiments monitored by circular dichroism (CD) and fluorescence on two structurally similar BRDs: BRD2(2) and BRD4(1), showing that BRD4(1) is more stable than BRD2(2). Moreover, we report a description of their kinetic folding mechanism, as obtained by careful analysis of stopped-flow and temperature-jump data. The presence of a high energy intermediate for both proteins, suggested by the non-linear dependence of the folding rate on denaturant concentration in the millisec time regime, has been experimentally observed by temperature-jump experiments. Quantitative global analysis of all the rate constants obtained over a wide range of urea concentrations, allowed us to propose a common, three-state, folding mechanism for these two BRDs. Interestingly, the intermediate of BRD4(1) appears to be more stable and structurally native-like than that populated by BRD2(2). Our results underscore the role played by structural topology and sequence in determining and tuning the folding mechanism.

El enfoque de Servicios Ecosistémicos (SE) constituye una herramienta utilizada para abordar problemáticas ambientales. La valoración de SE en términos ecológicos, monetarios o socioculturales es un elemento clave de esta perspectiva. Realizamos una revisión de artículos científicos centrados en SE publicados entre 2005-2017 en revistas de ecología y biología de la conservación, investigando la forma en que se recuperan voces de diferentes actores sociales (AS). Los resultados indican que predominan las valoraciones ecológica y monetaria por sobre la valoración sociocultural, y que esta última se realiza de una manera que consideramos superficial -sin abordar conflictos entre diferentes AS, y con los investigadores seleccionando los SE a valorar. Considerando que los conflictos vinculados con SE están inmersos en contextos sociales complejos, descuidar “dimensiones sociales”, puede llevar a omitir distancias culturales, diferencias de clase, ubicación geográfica, estilo de vida, y esto puede llevar al desarrollo de opciones de gestión inviables o perjudiciales para los AS involucrados.

Objectives: To evaluate the relationship between the attitude of the fetal head quantified by means of the chin‐to‐chest angle (CCA) in fetuses in occiput posterior (OP) position at the beginning of the second stage of labor, and persistent OP position at birth. Methods: This was a single‐center, prospective observational study conducted at the University Hospital of Parma, Parma, Italy. We included singleton pregnancies at term with fetuses in the OP position at the beginning of the second stage of labor. The fetal head position, station by means of angle of progression and head‐to‐perineum distance, and attitude by means of CCA were assessed using transabdominal or transperineal ultrasound. The primary outcome was persistent OP position at birth. Results: Between January and July 2022, 76 women were included in the study. There were 48 (63.2%) spontaneous rotations of the fetal head and spontaneous vaginal delivery occurred in all. Among the 28 (36.8%) fetuses that did not rotate spontaneously into an occiput anterior position, eight (28.6%) had a spontaneous vaginal delivery, while operative vaginal delivery and Cesarean delivery was performed in 11 (39.3%) and nine (32.1%) cases, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the CCA (adjusted odds ratio (aOR), 2.15 (95% CI, 1.22–3.78); P = 0.008) and nulliparity (aOR, 0.20 (95% CI, 0.06–0.76); P = 0.02) were associated independently with persistent OP position at birth. Moreover, the CCA showed an area under the receiver‐operating‐characteristics curve of 0.69 (95% CI, 0.56–0.82); P = 0.005) for the prediction of persistent OP position. The optimal cut‐off value of the CCA was 36.5°, and was associated with a sensitivity of 0.82 (95% CI, 0.63–0.94), specificity of 0.50 (95% CI, 0.35–0.65), positive predictive value of 0.49 (95% CI, 0.34–0.64), negative predictive value of 0.83 (95% CI, 0.64–0.94), positive likelihood ratio of 1.64 (95% CI, 1.18–2.29) and negative likelihood ratio of 0.36 (95% CI, 0.15–0.83). Conclusions: Our data show that, within a population of women with fetal OP position at the beginning of the second stage of labor, the sonographic fetal head attitude measured by means of the CCA might help in the identification of fetuses at risk of persistent OP position. Such findings can be useful for patient counseling when OP position is diagnosed at full cervical dilatation. Further studies should investigate if the CCA might select patients who may benefit from manual rotation of the fetal head. © 2023 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

El presente trabajo se sostiene a partir de dos ejes centrales. El primero aborda la hegemonía discursiva en torno al tema de la problemática ambiental de orden global, la cual ha “atravesado” la división de los discursos, sean estos científicos, publicitarios, literarios, críticos, o bien provenientes de programas internacionales, de organismos no gubernamentales y de declaraciones ambientales. En el segundo eje, por su parte, se señala que el tema de la problemática ambiental global una vez instalado, ha sido utilizado como justificación para el establecimiento de una gestión de alcance mundial.

Cancer cells are able to survive in difficult conditions, reprogramming their metabolism according to their requirements. Under hypoxic conditions they shift from oxidative phosphorylation to aerobic glycolysis, a behavior known as Warburg effect. In the last years, glycolytic enzymes have been identified as potential targets for alternative anticancer therapies. Recently, phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1), an ubiquitous enzyme expressed in all somatic cells that catalyzes the seventh step of glycolysis which consists of the reversible phosphotransfer reaction from 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate to ADP, has been discovered to be overexpressed in many cancer types. Moreover, several somatic variants of PGK1 have been identified in tumors. In this study we analyzed the effect of the single nucleotide variants found in cancer tissues on the PGK1 structure and function. Our results clearly show that the variants display a decreased catalytic efficiency and/or thermodynamic stability and an altered local tertiary structure, as shown by the solved X-ray structures. The changes in the catalytic properties and in the stability of the PGK1 variants, mainly due to the local changes evidenced by the X-ray structures, suggest also changes in the functional role of PGK to support the biosynthetic need of the growing and proliferating tumour cells.

Objectives: To describe the appearance and size of the ganglionic eminence (GE) in normal fetuses on midtrimester three‐dimensional (3D) neurosonography and to report on the association between GE alterations (cavitation or enlargement) and malformation of cortical development (MCD). Methods: This was a prospective multicenter cohort study of normal fetuses and a retrospective analysis of pathological cases with MCD. From January 2022 to June 2022, patients attending our tertiary centers for an expert fetal brain scan were recruited for the purpose of the study. A 3D volume of the fetal head, starting from the sagittal plane, was acquired in apparently normal fetuses using a transabdominal or transvaginal approach. Stored volume datasets were then evaluated independently by two expert operators. Two measurements (longitudinal diameter and transverse diameter) of the GE in the coronal view were obtained twice by each operator. Intra‐ and interobserver measurement variation was calculated. Reference ranges for GE measurements were calculated in the normal population. A previously stored volume dataset of 60 cases with MCD was also analyzed independently by the two operators using the same method in order to assess if GE abnormalities (cavitation or enlargement) were present. Postnatal follow‐up was obtained in all cases. Results: In the study period, 160 normal fetuses between 19 and 22 weeks of gestation were included in the study. The GE was visible in the coronal plane on 3D neurosonography in 144 (90%) cases and was not clearly visible in the remaining 16 (10%) cases. The intra‐ and interobserver agreement was almost perfect for the longitudinal diameter, with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.90 (95% CI, 0.83–0.93) and 0.90 (95% CI, 0.86–0.92), respectively, and substantial for the transverse diameter, with an ICC of 0.80 (95% CI, 0.70–0.87) and 0.64 (95% CI, 0.53–0.72), respectively. A retrospective analysis of 50 cases with MCD in the second trimester showed that GE enlargement was present in 12 cases and GE cavitation was present in four cases. Conclusions: Systematic assessment of the GE in fetuses at 19–22 weeks of gestation is feasible on 3D neurosonography, with good reproducibility in normal cases. Cavitation or enlargement of the GE can be demonstrated in fetuses with MCD. © 2023 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]