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Con el presente trabajo nos proponemos analizar el uso del esquema de árbol típico de la tradición luliana en el Congestorium artificiosae memoriae de Johannes Romberch (Venecia, 1520). Este autor dominico es el único tratadista de su tiempo que emplea este diagrama como un lugar para la memoria en el que ordenar un contenido en forma de imágenes. Para ello, observaremos la figura en la que Romberch despliega la jerarquía escolástica de los saberes, así como sus imágenes e implicaciones. Igualmente, a la luz del propio Congestorium, apuntaremos los posibles motivos que llevaron a su autor a servirse de un lugar tan poco común en su disciplina.

In the Renaissance, a great evolution took place in many disciplines related to very diverse fields of knowledge. Among them were the arts of memory and Christian Hebraism, whose development went hand in hand with Christian Kabbalism and other speculative sciences. Both disciplines had long previous traditions and some previous contact, starting with Raimundus Lullus, but it is from the first years of the 16th century that mnemonics and Kabbalistic studies appear to converge on certain authors. This may be the case of Johannes Romberch, author of the Congestorium artificiosae memoriae (1520), who makes very particular mention of Kabbalah in this well-known treatise. This paper aims to be an approach to the points of contact established in the Congestorium to later develop a comparative study.

Abstract In the current socio-health situation, new educational challenges have emerged, such as the need to implement a virtual tutorial action. Therefore, this study has three objectives: (1) to investigate the level of digital competence that early childhood and primary school teachers possess to carry out quality online tutorial actions; (2) to analyse whether there are differences in use at both education stages; and (3) to identify which variables significantly affect the development of this competence at each educational stage. For this purpose, an ex post facto design was used, based on the survey technique, by means of non-probabilistic purposive sampling. The final sample consisted of a total of 1,069 educators working at the early childhood and primary education stages, from all over Spain. The results showed acceptable digital competence, with higher scores in the primary education stage, which may be due to characteristics of the students and the education stage itself, rather than to teachers’ digital competences. On the other hand, it was found that the virtual tutorial action tasks are significantly influenced in the early childhood education stage by blogs, WhatsApp, Facebook, and number of tutoring hours per month with families, while for the primary stage they are influenced by blogs, WhatsApp, Twitter, ClassDojo, Moodle, tutoring hours, number of tutoring hours per month with families, and sex. Based on these results, there is an obvious need for educational institutions to continue to develop teacher training in relation to the use of resources to carry out adequate tutoring actions and thus increase the diversification in the use of resources.

Abstract Recent studies suggest that metabolic changes and oxygen deficiency in the central nervous system play an important role in the pathophysiology of multiple sclerosis (MS). In our present study, we investigated the changes in oxygenation and analyzed the vascular perfusion of the spinal cord in a rodent model of MS. We performed multispectral optoacoustic tomography of the lumbar spinal cord before and after an oxygen enhancement challenge in mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a model for MS. In addition, mice were transcardially perfused with lectin to label the vasculature and their spinal columns were optically cleared, followed by light sheet fluorescence microscopy. To analyze the angioarchitecture of the intact spine, we used VesSAP, a novel deep learning-based framework. In EAE mice, the spinal cord had lower oxygen saturation and hemoglobin concentration compared to healthy mice, indicating compromised perfusion of the spinal cord. Oxygen administration reversed hypoxia in the spinal cord of EAE mice, although the ventral region remained hypoxic. Additionally, despite the increased vascular density, we report a reduction in length and complexity of the perfused vascular network in EAE. Taken together, these findings highlight a new aspect of neuroinflammatory pathology, revealing a significant degree of hypoxia in EAE in vivo that is accompanied by changes in spinal vascular perfusion. The study also introduces optoacoustic imaging as a tractable technique with the potential to further decipher the role of hypoxia in EAE and to monitor it in MS patients.

The Elementary School Motivation Scale (ESMS) is the only validated and adapted instrument to assess motivation in early ages and in specific domains using the Self-Determination Theory. The present study aims to validate the ESMS in Spanish population (ESMS-E). To this end, 1,190 students from the first half of Elementary education (6–10 years old) filled in the ESMS-E. To translate the instrument the back translation method was used. Internal consistency was assessed through composite reliability (CR), correlations among the dimensions and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were used to analyze the theoretical structure proposed by the original instrument. Results showed optimal internal consistency in the different dimensions (CR = 0.701–0.901) and showed a great fit for the model (RMSEA = 0.064, CFI = 0.929, TLI = 0.913), confirming the original model with nine dimensions and the self-determination continuum. The ESMS-E is valid and reliable in the Spanish version. This validation offers a tool for researchers interested in exploring the motives that drive students in early stages in relation to specific learning domains (i.e., reading, writing and mathematics).

De acuerdo con TIMSS 2019 (INEE, 2020), los alumnos singapurenses son capaces de resolver problemas verbales más difíciles que los alumnos españoles. Puesto que en ambos países los libros de texto son el recurso principal que utiliza la mayoría de los profesores para enseñar a sus alumnos a resolver problemas, es posible que existan algunas diferencias en relación con la dificultad semántico-matemática de los problemas aritméticos verbales que presentan los libros de texto de Singapur y España. Por este motivo, se realizó una comparación cuantitativa del nivel de dificultad semántico-matemática de los problemas de los libros de la editorial española Santillana y de la principal editorial singapurense (Marshall Cavendish). Los libros de Singapur contenían problemas más difíciles que los españoles, si bien en todos los libros la gran mayoría de los problemas eran fáciles. Las diferencias encontradas podrían ser el reflejo de algunas diferencias en los currículos de Singapur y España.

Johannes Romberch's Congestorium artificiosae memoriae (Venice, 1520 and 1533) is one of the most comprehensive treatises on ars memoriae, especially from a theoretical point of view. In this sense, the role of the terms that name images is striking. Furthermore, from the scholastic concept of similitudo, there are various possibilities to develop relationships of similarity. Thus, the similitudines crystallize in different types of images (simulachrum, forma, idolum, idea ...). In the present study, we intend to discern whether this theoretical differentiation also operates in the practical part of Romberch's treatise.

The Home Literacy model predicts different outcomes depending on formal and informal literacy practices carried out at home. However, this model does not explicitly consider the potential differences that the media (paper vs. tablets) in which these practices are carried out can have on performance. The present study explored this issue. Participants were 136 children aged 6-7 years old and their parents. The different activities performed at home were analysed through reports of the parents, and children were assessed at school for their reading performance (decoding and comprehension). Results showed how formal practices using traditional materials predicted reading comprehension, but informal practices did not predict any performance measure. The digital home literacy environment showed no impact on reading performance, suggesting that two different environments (paper and digital) might exist, each one of them having differential impacts on performance. Implications for research and education are discussed.

Primary school textbooks can enhance the acquisition of arithmetic word problem solving skills by offering diverse problems based on their semantic-mathematical structure with targeted reasoning aids, including schematics highlighting their mathematical structure. While certain countries, such as the USA and Singapore, have made progress in improving the problems and aids found in their textbooks through the use of specific theoretical-methodological approaches, textbooks from other countries, such as Spain, have included a very limited variety of problems, with hardly any aids to reasoning. Recently, however, two of the most widely used Spanish publishers have released textbooks that adhere to these theoretical-methodological approaches. To assess whether these textbooks progressed past their predecessors in relevant aspects related to the resolution of arithmetic word problems, we conducted an analysis of the quantity of problems and their variety in terms of semantic-mathematical structure and level of difficulty, as well as the inclusion of schematic representations of their mathematical structure. The study demonstrated improvements among textbooks when publishers adopted a theoretical framework, suggesting that a reference framework could enhance textbook design. This is particularly relevant in countries such as Spain, where there are no applicable standards or official curricula for designing textbooks related to solving arithmetic word problems.

Abstract Background The exchange of cerebrospinal (CSF) and interstitial fluid is believed to be vital for waste clearance in the brain. The sleep-dependent glymphatic system, which is comprised of perivascular flow of CSF and is largely dependent on arterial pulsatility and astrocytic aquaporin-4 (AQP4) expression, facilitates much of this brain clearance. During the last decade, several observations have indicated that impaired glymphatic function goes hand in hand with neurodegenerative diseases. Since pathologies of the brain carry inflammatory components, we wanted to know how acute inflammation, e.g., with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injections, would affect the glymphatic system. In this study, we aim to measure the effect of LPS on perivascular CSF distribution as a measure of glymphatic function. Methods Three hours after injection of LPS (1 mg/kg i.p.), C57bl/6 mice were (1) imaged for two CSF tracers, injected into cisterna magna, (2) transcardially perfused with buffer, or (3) used for physiological readouts. Tracer flow was imaged using a low magnification microscope on fixed brains, as well as using vibratome-cut slices for measuring tracer penetration in the brain. Cytokines, glial, and BBB-permeability markers were measured with ELISAs, Western blots, and immunohistochemistry. Cerebral blood flow was approximated using laser Doppler flowmetry, respiration and heart rate with a surgical monitor, and AQP4-polarization was quantified using confocal microscopy of immunolabeled brain sections. Results LPS-injections significantly lowered perivascular CSF tracer flow and penetration into the parenchyma. No differences in AQP4 polarization, cytokines, astroglial and BBB markers, cerebral blood flow, or respiration were detected in LPS-injected mice, although LPS did elevate cortical Iba1+ area and heart rate. Conclusions This study reports another physiological response after acute exposure to the bacterial endotoxin LPS, namely the statistically significant decrease in perivascular distribution of CSF. These observations may benefit our understanding of the role of systemic inflammation in brain clearance.

Reseña de Vallejo, I. (2019). El infinito en un junco. La invención de los libros en el mundo antiguo. Madrid, Siruela. 449 págs. ISBN: 9-788417-860790

Esta investigación aporta datos sobre la motivación en edades tempranas y su impacto sobre el rendimiento matemático, incluyendo a la familia como agente educativo esencial. Se obtuvo una muestra de 127 alumnos de 1º de Educación Primaria y sus progenitores. Se evaluó el rendimiento de los estudiantes y sus diferentes tipos de motivación (intrínseca, identificada y controlada), las prácticas matemáticas formales e informales en el hogar y la importancia percibida respecto a ese contenido. Los datos sugieren que los alumnos distinguen especialmente las formas de motivación más autodeterminadas (intrínseca e identificada). La motivación identificada guarda una relación significativa con el rendimiento matemático. La importancia percibida de los padres respecto a las matemáticas predice el desarrollo de una motivación intrínseca hacia dicho contenido, mientras que la práctica formal predice el desarrollo de una preocupante motivación controlada. En cuanto al rendimiento, encontramos una relación significativa negativa con las prácticas informales del hogar.

A treinta años de su implantación en la legislación nacional del Perú, la Evaluación del Impacto Ambiental (EIA) ha sido revisada con la finalidad de determinar qué indicadores podrían emplearse para evaluar su efectividad. Fueron analizadas fuentes de información sobre la calidad y efectividad de la EIA para el uso sostenible de recursos naturales, logrando un modelo conceptual de cadena de valor para la gestión por resultados desde la administración pública, identificando los insumos y las actividades para ofrecer un servicio de certificación ambiental que resulte específicamente en el uso sostenible de recursos naturales, y contribuya al goce de un ambiente equilibrado y adecuado al desarrollo de la vida. De la revisión efectuada a los trabajos de Chanchitpricha y Bond (2013), Bond et al. (2015) y Pope et al. (2018), entre otros, se distinguen seis dimensiones que permiten evaluar la efectividad de la EIA, referido al uso sostenible de los recursos naturales, que son: i) normativa, alcanzando las metas establecidas en las políticas; ii) participativa, involucrando de forma segura y confiable a las partes interesadas; iii) organizacional, facilitando la gestión del conocimiento sobre la EIA como herramienta de la gestión ambiental; iv) transaccional, gestionando de forma eficiente los recursos en la ejecución de la EIA, como tiempo, financieros, alcance o requisitos y habilidades del personal; v) procedimental, debido a un marco procedimental coherente y fiable; y vi) sustantiva, debido a la eficacia de la decisión tomada por la autoridad competente respecto de la viabilidad ambiental del proyecto sometido a la EIA. El trabajo es una contribución a mayores estudios sobre la efectividad de la EIA en el abordaje de los problemas ambientales y sociales que actualmente enfrentamos, y las posibles tendencias a presentarse en las futuras décadas.

What role could have intrinsic motivation toward reading in an extraordinary situation like the recent confinement? This research examines the relationship between intrinsic reading motivation (IRM) and reading habits in an adult population considering types of reading (for leisure, work/study, social networks, and news), gender, and distress generated by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Participants were 3,849 adults from Spain who were surveyed about their reading practices: before, during the first weeks, and after several weeks of confinement. Linear mixed effects models (LMMs) were used to analyze data. Results showed a three-way interaction between reading frequency, IRM, and type of reading. Also, distress seems to pose a differential impact depending on the type of reading. The higher the IRM, the lesser the time devoted to study/work reading and the more to social and news reading (at the beginning of confinement). In this sense, IRM can function as a protective factor of reading behavior but only for leisure reading. Results support previous findings of the importance of consciously promoting this type of motivation in all individuals beyond educational contexts, since it seems to be positively related to well-being. Other results and implications are discussed.

La esquistosomiasis es una enfermedad parasitaria causada por helmintos del género Schistosoma. La neuroesquistosomiasis es la afectación del sistema nervioso central (SNQ en la esquistosomiasis. Se trata de una afectación grave, infradiagnosticada y potencialmente letal. La verdadera prevalencia de la neuroesquistosomiasis se desconoce y las cifras obtenidas de los diferentes estudios son muy dispares. Los esquistosomas son trema-todos cuyo hábitat principal se ubica en los vasos sanguíneos de los vertebrados. El sistema nervioso central (SNC) puede afectarse en todas las fases de la esquistosomiasis, incluyendo la fase postinfecciosa precoz, el estadio intermedio paucisintomático y los estadios crónicos avanzados. A la fecha no existe consenso respecto al tratamiento de la neuroesquistosomiasis, pero se cuenta con algunas opciones orales y, en algunos casos, el abordaje quirúrgico.

La leucoencefalopatía multifocal progresiva es una enfermedad desmielinizante secundaria a la infección por el virus de John Cunnigham, con baja incidencia a pesar de su alta seroprevalencia en la población general. Su principal factor de riesgo es la inmunosupresión, incluyendo la infección por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH), cánceres hematológicos, enfermedades inflamatorias crónicas y medicamentos inmunosupresores sistémicos. Después de la infección primaria, el virus queda latente y por mutaciones en su genoma adquiere la capacidad neuroinvasiva e infecta a los oligodendrocitos, a los que lleva a su destrucción, con el consecuente proceso desmielinizante, mientras se enfrenta a la inmunidad celular del huésped. El diagnóstico se basa en manifestaciones clínicas secundarias al compromiso encefálico, clásicamente supratentorial, así como la demostración de la presencia de genoma viral o anticuerpos en suero o líquido cefalorraquídeo y hallazgos imagenológicos e histopatológicos de lesiones en la sustancia blanca cerebral. El tratamiento, en general, consiste en la recuperación de la función inmune alterada, con reparos cuando esta se presenta en el contexto de un estado de reconstitución inmune. En este escrito se revisan los aspectos básico-clínicos más relevantes de esta enfermedad.

INTRODUCCIÓN: La neurosífilis se asocia con una serie de signos y síntomas que pueden aparecer luego de 10 a 30 años de la primoinfección; es más frecuente en pacientes con VIH, conductas homosexuales y adultos de género masculino. Es una enfermedad tratable, cuya incidencia viene en descenso notorio tras el advenimiento de la terapia antibiótica de fácil acceso, lo que la convierte en un problema de salud pública a escala mundial. OBJETIVO: Determinar la prevalencia y las variables sociodemográficas, clínicas y paraclínicas de los pacientes con diagnóstico de neurosífilis tratados en la Unidad de Servicios de Salud Occidente de Kennedy (USSOK), Bogotá, Colombia, entre el 2014 y el 2018. PACIENTES Y MÉTODOS: Se llevó a cabo un estudio observacional analítico de corte transversal, retrospectivo, en el que se evaluó a pacientes con diagnóstico de neurosífilis que recibieron manejo en la USS Occidente Kennedy durante 2014-2018. Para tal fin se incluyó a mayores de 18 años con diagnóstico de neurosífilis, y se hizo estudio de líquido cefalorraquídeo, pruebas no treponémicas en las que se usó el VDRL y pruebas treponémicas en las cuales se empleó FTA-Abs. RESULTADOS: Se diagnosticaron 55 casos de neurosífilis durante el periodo estudiado. Si se tiene en cuenta el número total de pacientes atendidos (8244), la prevalencia calculada correspondió a 0,66 %. CONCLUSIONES: En nuestro medio, la prevalencia de neurosífilis (0,6 %) es mayor a la reportada en poblaciones de altos ingresos económicos (0,4 %). El perfil sociodemográfico de pacientes con diagnóstico de neurosífilis de una población de bajos recursos se caracteriza por: adultos en la sexta década de la vida, sexo masculino e inmunocompetentes.

The use of vegetable oils to produce biodiesel raises several sustainability issues, namely the fuel/food conflict. The high cost of vegetable oils and an expensive homogeneous base catalyzed process encourages the search for alternative raw materials and more efficient production processes. Biodiesel from beef tallow, a non-edible fat, was produced by methanolysis over calcium based heterogeneous catalyst. The catalyst was prepared by calcination of scallop shells at 800 ​°C. To overcome the undesired effect of the tallow acidity (3.9 mgKOH/gfat), mixtures of tallow and soybean oil (SBO) (0.6 mgKOH/gfat) were processed and alcohol co-solvents (isopropanol, 1-propanol, and isobutanol) and biodiesel itself, as a solvent, were used to improve the miscibility of the reaction mixture. Processing of neat tallow promotes an important decay of the catalytic activity due to the partial neutralization of the basic catalyst. Co-processing mixtures of tallow/SBO allowed minimizing the acidity effect. Alcohol co-solvents harmed the biodiesel yield due to competitive adsorption of alcohols with methanol on catalyst active sites but protected the catalyst against adsorption of the reaction mixture species. Biodiesel used as a solvent had an almost null effect on the esterification reaction yield, thus showing the absence of mass transfer limitation.Co-processing low-grade fat with vegetable oil seems to be a feasible strategy to process low-grade fats using basic heterogeneous catalysts, thus contributing to improving the sustainability of biodiesel production.

Lorcaserin is a preferential serotonin2C receptor (5-HT2CR) agonist effective to treat obesity that has also recently been proposed to treat addiction and epilepsy. Central dopamine (DA) mechanisms are likely involved in the lorcaserin mechanism of action, but other monoamines 5-HT and noradrenaline (NA) contents or their interaction with DA might account for its effects. Here we showed that lorcaserin at 3, but not 0.3 mg/kg enhanced 5-HT content in the insular cortex, the core of the nucleus accumbens, and ventral hypothalamus. Without affecting the metabolite 5-hydroxy indole acetic acid, lorcaserin reduced the indirect index of 5-HT turnover in the hippocampus, substantia nigra, and habenula. Lorcaserin at 3 mg/kg increased NA content in the orbitofrontal cortex, the central amygdala (also at 0.3 mg/kg), the ventral hypothalamus, and the shell of the nucleus accumbens. A correlative analysis of the tissue contents between pairs of brain regions revealed that 0.3 mg/kg lorcaserin enhanced the number of correlations for 5-HT, its metabolism, and NA to a lower extent. The correlation profiles were very different between saline, 0.3 and 3 mg/kg lorcaserin. Lorcaserin enhanced the correlations established between NA or 5-HT at 0.3 and 3 mg/kg and reduced the number of correlations established between the index of the turnover for DA and 5-HT. These results show that lorcaserin modulates the biochemistry of NA and 5-HT systems in a subset of brain regions. Qualitatively, they reveal, oppositely to the DA changes, that lorcaserin at 0.3, but not 3 mg/kg, enhanced the number of correlations of 5-HT content between brain regions.

Objetivo: diseñar un protocolo de intervención psicológica para el acompañamiento del dolor y las emociones en el proceso de duelo basado en la atención y la compasión. Método: se incluirán dolientes mayores de 18 años, que hayan perdido al familiar al menos hace 6 meses, que se encuentren en la fase 2 o 3 de elaboración del duelo y sin presencia de problemas de salud mental previa. Se les evaluará después de firmar el consentimiento informado, mediante: el Cuestionario de Mindfulness, el Cuestionario de Satisfacción con la Vida, el Cuestionario de Vitalidad, la Escala Hospitalaria de Ansiedad y Depresión, la Escala de Afecto Positivo y Negativo e Inventario de Duelo Complicado. Se llevarán a cabo: estadísticos descriptivos, pruebas t para muestras independientes y d de Cohen o prueba U de Mann-Whitney r de Rosenthal si no se cumplen los supuestos. Además, se llevará a cabo un ANCOVA junto a eta cuadrado parcial. Resultado: el programa MADED (Mindfulness para la aceptación del dolor y las emociones en el duelo), consta de nueve sesiones semanales. Conclusión: Las sesiones que componen el programa facilitan la elaboración saludable del proceso de duelo basándose en la integración de los principios del mindfulness.

El objetivo del presente trabajo es contribuir en la prevención y la mitigación de los potenciales impactos negativos de la exploración sísmica sobre los mamíferos marinos, en el zócalo continental de Tumbes, por medio de la identificación éstos. Se realizó la recopilación de datos cualitativos y cuantitativos en información secundaria para la identificación de características y condiciones de los impactos negativos del ruido submarino de las actividades de la exploración sísmica. El análisis e interpretación de la información se realizó mediante la metodología de Conesa (2010), por medio del cual se pudieron obtener algunos alcances sobre las características e importancia de los impactos. Los resultados de la presente evaluación indican que la exploración sísmica en el zócalo continental de Tumbes podría tener el potencial de generar impactos de importancia leve sobre los mamíferos marinos, sin que signifique un supuesto riesgo para la sostenibilidad y estabilidad de sus poblaciones. Se pudo clasificar y agrupar los impactos en dos grupos: efectos físicos y/o auditivos y efectos en el comportamiento. La trascendencia del presente trabajo repercutirá en una mayor predictibilidad de la significancia de los impactos sobre la fauna marina en proyectos de hidrocarburos, así como una reducción de los temores de los grupos de interés en los ámbitos geográficos donde se vienen realizando actividades de hidrocarburos off-shore.

Objective: The prevalence of long-term diseases such as cancer has increased in recent years. In this context, our aim will be to analyze the main consequences resulting from exposure to a chronic stress situation, such as the care of an oncologic patient. The effects of this situation on the psychosocial health and cognitive function of informal caregivers and their relationship with possible modulating variables will be revised. Method: A bibliographic review was performed in PubMed and PsycINFO databases about the consequences related to the caregiving of patients with chronic diseases. Results: Several studies suggest that the condition of caregiver of cancer patients could be considered as an and stressful situation. It has consequences on caregiver’s physical and psychosocial health, and can induce a decrease of cognitive functioning, although these changes may be modulated by different variables. Conclusion: These data suggest the need of implementing intervention programs in order to mitigate the deleterious consequences of the caregiving situation.

OBJETIVO: La enfermedad de Parkinson (EP) y el temblor esencial (TE) son las patologías que con más frecuencia presentan temblor como manifestación crucial, no obstante, a pesar de que su fisiopatología, diagnóstico y tratamiento son totalmente distintos. El síntoma de temblor suele acarrear un desafío clínico para su correcto enfoque, lo cual lleva frecuentemente a confusión y subsecuentemente a tratamientos erróneos. En este estudio se pretende caracterizar, individualizar y describir las manifestaciones atípicas del temblor en pacientes con diagnóstico de EP y TE con el objetivo de proporcionar herramientas para aumentar la efectividad del diagnóstico de estas condiciones. METODOLOGÍA: Estudio observacional, de corte transversal, en el cual se describió cada variable por medio de medidas de tendencia central y dispersión para variables cuantitativas y frecuencias absolutas y relativas para las variables categóricas. RESULTADOS: Se encontraron manifestaciones típicas y atípicas para ambas patologías, siendo el temblor en reposo la manifestación atípica más frecuente en TE; se encontró en el 35 % de los pacientes (p = 0,0001). Para la EP, un 40 % de los pacientes presentaron temblor postural (p = 0,001) como manifestación atípica. CONCLUSIONES: Los signos atípicos del temblor en la EP y en el TE deben ser tomados en cuenta al establecer el diagnóstico clínico de ambas patologías, para intentar disminuir la posibilidad de generar un diagnóstico erróneo con un tratamiento inadecuado.

The capital requirements derived from the Basel Accord were issued with the purpose of deploying a transnational regulatory framework. Further regulatory developments on risk measurement is included across several documents published both by the European Banking Authority and the European Central Bank. Among others, the referred additional documentation focused on the models’ estimation and calibration for credit risk measurement purposes, especially the Advanced Internal-Ratings Based models, which may be estimated both for non-defaulted and defaulted assets. A concrete proposal of the referred defaulted exposures models, namely the Expected Loss Best Estimate (ELBE) and the Loss Given Default (LGD) in-default, is presented. The proposed methodology is eventually calibrated on the basis of data from the mortgage’s portfolios of the six largest financial institutions in Spain. The outcome allows for a comparison of the risk profile particularities attached to each of the referred portfolios. Eventually, the economic sense of the results is analyzed.

Epilepsy is one of the most ancient diseases. Despite the efforts of scientists and doctors to improve the quality of live of epileptic patients, the disease is still a mystery in many senses. Anti-epileptic drugs are fundamental to reduce epileptic seizures but it have some adverse effects, which influence the quality of life outcomes of the patients. In this paper, we study the effectiveness of anti-epileptic drugs taking into account the inherent uncertainty. We establish a model, which allows to represent the natural history of epilepsy, using Markov chains. After randomizing the mathematical model, we compute the first probability density function of the solution stochastic process applying the random variable transformation technique. We also take advantage of this method to determine the distribution of some key quantities in medical decision, such as the time until a certain proportion of the population remains in each state and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. The study is completed computing all these quantities using data available in the literature. In addition, regarding the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, different third generation anti-epileptic treatments are compared with the Brivaracetam, a new third generation anti-epileptic drug.

We summarize here the findings of several studies in which we analyzed the event-related brain potentials (ERPs) elicited in participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and in healthy controls during performance of executive tasks. The objective of these studies was to investigate the neural functioning associated with executive processes in MCI. With this aim, we recorded the brain electrical activity generated in response to stimuli in three executive control tasks (Stroop, Simon, and Go/NoGo) adapted for use with the ERP technique. We found that the latencies of the ERP components associated with the evaluation and categorization of the stimuli were longer in participants with amnestic MCI than in the paired controls, particularly those with multiple-domain amnestic MCI, and that the allocation of neural resources for attending to the stimuli was weaker in participants with amnestic MCI. The MCI participants also showed deficient functioning of the response selection and preparation processes demanded by each task.

Energy security and environmental concerns, related to the increasing carbon emissions, have prompted in the last years the search for renewable and sustainable fuels. Biodiesel, a mixture of fatty acids alkyl esters shows properties, which make it a feasible substitute for fossil diesel. Biodiesel can be produced using different processes and different raw materials. The most common, first generation, biodiesel is produced by methanolysis of vegetable oils using basic or acid homogeneous catalysts. The use of vegetable oils for biodiesel production raises serious questions about biodiesel sustainability. Used cooking oils and animal fats can replace the vegetable oils in biodiesel production thus allowing to produce a more sustainable biofuel. Moreover, methanol can be replaced by ethanol being totally renewable since it can be produced by biomass fermentation. The substitution of homogeneous catalyzed processes, nowadays used in the biodiesel industry, by heterogeneous ones can contribute to improve the biodiesel sustainability with simultaneous cost reduction. From the existing literature on biodiesel production, it stands out that several strategies can be adopted to improve the sustainability of biodiesel. A literature review is presented to underline the strategies allowing to improve the biodiesel sustainability.

Em Solar Storms (publicado em 1995), a autora Linda Hogan explora o universo de pessoas de origem indígena que passaram por experiências profundamente traumáticas. Este artigo analisa a construção de uma das personagens da obra, Hannah Wing, mãe de Angela, a protagonista da narrativa. Para tanto, são levadas em consideração a linguagem e as histórias – dois aspectos muito importantes para os povos nativo-americanos – utilizadas por Hogan para desenvolver a personagem de Hannah, que apresenta traumas de origem transgeracional.

O presente trabalho analisa a experiência transicional no romance Solar Storms, publicado pela escritora nativo-americana Linda Hogan (Chickasaw) em 1995. A obra narra a jornada de Angela, uma mestiça indígena órfã que retorna à terra de seus antepassados na tentativa de desvendar sua história e de religar os fragmentos de um passado parcialmente obscuro. Ao longo da narrativa, percebe-se um processo de gradual desconstrução de categorias – temporais, físicas, espaciais – e de superação das relações dicotômicas que opõem, por exemplo, indivíduo e comunidade, interioridade e exterioridade, o mundo humano e o não humano. Esse movimento se dá na direção de uma dissolução das falsas fronteiras e no sentido de uma integração total.