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La dimetilglioxima (diacetildioxima o butano-2,3-dioxima), dmgH2, es uno de los quelatos de uso más extendido en química de coordinación y analítica. La reacción de formación del bis(dimetilglioximato) de níquel(II), reportada por Lev A. Chugaev (Tschugaeff) en 1905, constituye una de las primeras pruebas específicas para la identificación cualitativa de un metal de transición. Desde entonces, y por más de un siglo, la dimetilglioxima adquirió importancia como un notable agente quelante, y sus compuestos complejos se han venido utilizando en áreas como la química inorgánica, catálisis, electroquímica, ciencia de materiales, entre otras. En este artículo, presentamos una breve revisión de la dimetilglioxima, los dimetilglioximatos metálicos y algunas de sus aplicaciones más representativas. La revisión indica que, además de su gran éxito como reactivo analítico para la determinación de metales, existen importantes estudios de los dimetilglioximatos metálicos como catalizadores de diversas reacciones, destacando la producción de hidrógeno molecular, una reacción de importancia por su impacto en la economía del hidrógeno y la química verde.

Este ensayo propone una aproximación a Memorial de Aires de Machado de Assis (1908). Esta novela recoge las reflexiones que el consejero Aires, un diplomático retirado en Río de Janeiro, hace a propósito de una historia de amor entre dos jóvenes que, después de varias deliberaciones, deciden abandonar Brasil para vivir en Portugal en contra del deseo de sus protectores. El ensayo examina la relevancia de la abolición de la esclavitud en la decisión que toman los jóvenes y cómo ese evento produce una reconsideración tanto de las relaciones entre metrópoli y periferia como de las causas de la tristeza. This essay proposes an approach to Machado de Assis’ last novel, Counselor Aires’ Memorial (1908). In this novel, counselor Aires, a former Brazilian diplomat, narrates the story of a young couple that, after a long decision-making process, decides to move from Brazil to Portugal against the will of their protectors. The essay examines the relevance of the abolition of slavery in Brazil in 1888 for their decision to leave the country, and to what extent abolition promotes a new understanding of the relationship between metropolitan centers and periphery as well as a reflection about the causes of sadness.

Este ensayo explora cómo las sospechas no comprobadas del protagonista de Dom Casmurro se articulan en un monólogo que pretende probar la infidelidad de su amada. Con base en el concepto de ideología de Žižek, proponemos que esta articulación es posible a partir de la construcción de una prueba que permite al narrador producir a su amada como objeto de deseo ambiguo, fascinante y poco confiable a la vez. Al reconstruir literariamente esta prueba, que convierte la incertidumbre y la sospecha en formas de empoderamiento epistemológico y moral, Machado expone e ironiza una perspectiva masculina que busca proteger privilegios de género en una sociedad con creciente movilidad femenina. This essay explores the way in which the unproven suspicions of the main character of Dom Casmurro become a monologue that aims to prove the infidelity of his beloved. Using Žižek’s concept of ideology, I propose that this monologue is possible on the basis of the elaboration of an argument that allows to the narrator to produce his object of desire as an ambiguous one, fascinating and unreliable at the same time. Through the literary reconstruction of this argument, that transforms incertitude and suspicion in possibilities of epistemological and moral empowering, Machado discusses and ironizes a masculine perspective that tries to maintain its gender related privileges in a society with increasing feminine mobility.

Abstract Hydrogen bond cooperativity (HBC) plays an important role in stabilizing protein assemblies built by α-helices and β-sheets, the most common secondary structures. However, whether HBC exists in other types of protein secondary structures such as polyproline II (PPII) helices remains unexplored. This is intriguing, since PPII systems as assembling blocks are continuously emerging across multiple fields. Here, using a combination of computational chemistry tools and molecular modeling corroborated by experimental observables, we characterize the distinct H-bonding patterns present in PPII helical bundles and establish that HBC stabilizes intermolecular PPII helices as seen in other protein assemblies such as amyloid fibrils. In addition to cooperative interactions in canonical CO···HN H-bonds, we show that analogous interactions in non-canonical CO···HαCα H-bonds are relevant in Gly-rich PPII bundles, thus compensating for the inability of glycine residues to create hydrophobic cores. Our results provide a mechanistic explanation for the assembly of these bundles.

Abstract We study the synchronization properties of a generic networked dynamical system, and show that, under a suitable approximation, the transition to synchronization can be predicted with the only help of eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the graph Laplacian matrix. The transition comes out to be made of a well defined sequence of events, each of which corresponds to a specific clustered state. The network’s nodes involved in each of the clusters can be identified, and the value of the coupling strength at which the events are taking place can be approximately ascertained. Finally, we present large-scale simulations which show the accuracy of the approximation made, and of our predictions in describing the synchronization transition of both synthetic and real-world large size networks, and we even report that the observed sequence of clusters is preserved in heterogeneous networks made of slightly non-identical systems.

Introducción: el niño al que se diagnostica una enfermedad como el cáncer se enfrenta a un amplio espectro de emociones: miedo, ira, soledad, depresión o ansiedad. Su nivel de desarrollo va a determinar la naturaleza del impacto emocional del cáncer y las estrategias que empleará para afrontar la enfermedad. Objetivo: examinar las repercusiones psicológicas del cáncer infantil y las principales intervenciones que los psicólogos pueden aplicar al paciente oncológico y su familia durante el diagnóstico, el curso de la enfermedad y el tratamiento médico. Método: se realizó una revisión en febrero del 2024 donde se obtuvo la información a través de la búsqueda online en SciELO, Google Académico y revistas de acceso abierto, donde se seleccionaron 32 artículos en idioma español e inglés. Resultado: la atención psicológica es un componente esencial del tratamiento integral del cáncer infantil. Es necesario comprender las necesidades emocionales y psicológicas del paciente y su entorno, por lo que se debe proporcionar un espacio seguro para que el niño exprese sus miedos, ansiedades y esperanzas, así como enseñar estrategias para manejar el estrés, la ansiedad y el dolor. Conclusiones: las características de la enfermedad y los efectos secundarios de los tratamientos pueden alterar de forma significativa la vida del niño y de su familia, por lo que se enfatiza la importancia de intervenir para reducir el impacto emocional del cáncer y facilitar la adaptación del enfermo y sus familiares a la nueva situación.

Abstract Key message Despite been grown under the same climate, oak species are able to correlate with looser, but still identifiable, leaf morphological syndromes, composed by morphological traits with an ecological role in their respective macroclimates. Context Environmental restrictions imposed by climate have been shown to modulate leaf morphology. A reduction of leaf area in hot and dry climates reduces overheating because of a thinner boundary layer. Lobed shapes enhance hydraulic conductivity and faster cooling. Elongated leaves drain more quickly under high precipitation. Trichomes may help to reduce the effects of excessive sun exposure in hot and dry environments. Leaf mass per area (LMA) increases in stressful environments. Aim To assess the influence of global climate and clade on oak leaf syndromes comprising morphological traits with ecological roles. Methods We analyzed seven morphological traits in 141 oak species grown in a botanical garden, characterized into five macroclimates, and explored the partial effects of clade and climate. Results We found significant associations between macroclimate and every morphological trait measured. Temperate species tend to have large, obovate, lobed, malacophyllous leaves. Species occurring in dry habitats usually present small, rounded, pubescent, sclerophyllous leaves. Warm and wet climates induce the development of slender, lanceolate, glabrous leaves with an acuminate apex. Conclusion The functional roles of the different morphological traits are partially confirmed in genus Quercus as a response to the different macroclimates, where different leaf syndromes can be distinguished.

Abstract Key message Among the variety of leaf defensive strategies to counteract herbivory attacks, the oak species analyzed in this study maximize investment in no more than one, with high-LMA oaks developing very tough leaves and low-LMA oaks favoring between high concentrations of condensed tannins or high growth rates. Context Plants develop a variety of defense strategies to counteract herbivory attacks, from physical and chemical defenses to tolerance strategies. Tradeoffs between strategies have been widely assessed from a resource allocation perspective, but there is a need to consider eventual interactions among them. Aim We evaluate the among-species tradeoff between three main constitutive plant defense traits, while considering the leaf mass per area ratio (LMA) as a proxy of leaf construction investment on area basis. Methods Leaf toughness measured as work of fracture, condensed tannins, and relative growth rate (RGR) were analyzed in a set of 19 Quercus L. species with contrasting LMA. Results Most species had low values either in two or in the three traits analyzed. Moreover, the highest values of work of fracture appeared in the species with high LMA; the highest values of condensed tannins were found in the species with the lowest LMA; and high values of RGR were measured in species with intermediate or lower values of LMA. Conclusion Oaks showed a trade-off among leaf defensive strategies influenced by LMA. Oaks with high LMA developed very tough leaves while oaks with low LMA presented lower values of toughness but favored between one of the two other strategies.

Lead (Pb) is a heavy metal present in many agricultural fields, posing significant risks to the environment and public health. The mobility and leaching of Pb(II) in soils depend on soil characteristics. In agricultural soils, organic matter (OM) content has been reported as a crucial parameter influencing the leaching behavior of Pb(II). However, modeling the leaching behavior of Pb(II) in soils remains challenging, primarily due to the difficulty in obtaining soils that vary solely in OM content. In this study, the behavior of Pb(II) in artificial soils (ASs) was investigated, evaluating the effects of ionic strength, pH, and OM content. Additionally, the spatiotemporal distribution of the metal was explored using a multilevel factorial experimental design and column leaching experiments. The results indicate that lead retention capacity decreases with increasing ionic strength due to the increased leaching of OM, which forms complexes with Pb(II). The lead retention capacity of the soil is also affected by pH, with pH 7 inducing the highest retention. This modified the spatiotemporal distribution of the metal, which was analyzed using response surface methodology. A second-order polynomial model was obtained, allowing for the tracking of Pb(II) leaching in soils with 10% OM content.

Abstract Background Single-cell sequencing (sc-Seq) experiments are producing increasingly large data sets. However, large data sets do not necessarily contain large amounts of information. Results Here, we formally quantify the information obtained from a sc-Seq experiment and show that it corresponds to an intuitive notion of gene expression heterogeneity. We demonstrate a natural relation between our notion of heterogeneity and that of cell type, decomposing heterogeneity into that component attributable to differential expression between cell types (inter-cluster heterogeneity) and that remaining (intra-cluster heterogeneity). We test our definition of heterogeneity as the objective function of a clustering algorithm, and show that it is a useful descriptor for gene expression patterns associated with different cell types. Conclusions Thus, our definition of gene heterogeneity leads to a biologically meaningful notion of cell type, as groups of cells that are statistically equivalent with respect to their patterns of gene expression. Our measure of heterogeneity, and its decomposition into inter- and intra-cluster, is non-parametric, intrinsic, unbiased, and requires no additional assumptions about expression patterns. Based on this theory, we develop an efficient method for the automatic unsupervised clustering of cells from sc-Seq data, and provide an R package implementation.

This study proposes simulating the cooking of eggs by modeling fluid egg products as phase-change materials (PCMs) within a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model. A simplified physical prototype was built to conduct experiments to tune a simpler version of the mathematical model. The information was later used to build a complete mathematical model of a real egg that was compared with experimental data. Phase transition temperature ranges, and the energy required to initialize the transition were specified. Heat transfer coefficients were estimated for both models. Experiments for thermal processing and phase change were conducted at temperatures between 90 and 100 °C. The real egg model was validated with experimental data reported elsewhere. The simulations assess the time required to cook an egg (800–1200 s), demonstrating a homogeneous increase in temperature and phase transition. However, potential overestimation in simulations was observed, likely due to differences in quantifying techniques and non-uniform cooking processes.

One of the primary applications of satellite Land Surface Temperature (LST) observations lies in their utilization for modeling of actual evapotranspiration (ET) in agricultural crops, with the primary goals of monitoring and enhancing irrigation practices and improving crop water use productivity, as stipulated by Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicator 6.4.1. Evapotranspiration is a complex and dynamic process, both temporally and spatially, necessitating LST observations with high spatio-temporal resolution. Presently, none of the existing spaceborne thermal sensors can provide quasi-daily field-scale LST observations, prompting the development of methods for data fusion (thermal sharpening) of observations from various shortwave and thermal sensors to meet this spatio-temporal requirement. Previous research has demonstrated the effectiveness of combining shortwave-multispectral Sentinel-2 observations with thermal-infrared Sentinel-3 observations to derive daily, field-scale LST and ET estimates. However, these studies also highlighted limitations in capturing the distinct thermal contrast between cooler LST in irrigated agricultural areas and the hotter, adjacent dry regions. In this study, we aim to address this limitation by incorporating information on thermal spatial variability observed by Landsat satellites into the data fusion process, without being constrained by infrequent or cloudy Landsat thermal observations and while retaining the longwave radiance emission captured by the Sentinel-3 thermal sensor at its native resolution. Two approaches are evaluated, both individually and as a complementary combination, and validated against in situ LST measurements. The best performing approach, which leads to reduction in root mean square error of up to 1.5 K when compared to previous research, is subsequently used to estimate parcel-level actual evapotranspiration. The ET modeling process has also undergone various improvements regarding the gap-filling of input and output data, input datasets and code implementation. The resulting ET is validated using lysimeters and eddy covariance towers in Spain, Lebanon, Tunisia, and Senegal resulting in minimal overall bias (systematic underestimation of less than 0.07 mm/day) and a low root mean square error (down to 0.84 mm/day) when using fully global input datasets. The enhanced LST sharpening methodology is sensor agnostic and should remain relevant for the upcoming thermal missions while the accuracy of the modeled ET fluxes is encouraging for further utilization of observations from Sentinel satellites, and other Copernicus data, for monitoring SDG indicator 6.4.1.

This study aimed to evaluate the use of sewage treatment plant (STP) waste on the production of red ceramic. The raw materials used were clayey ceramic body and STP waste from Campos dos Goytacazes - RJ. The raw materials were characterized through techniques of X-ray fluorescence and X-ray diffraction; moreover. The thermal behavior of STP waste was evaluated by DSC/TG/DTG analysis. The formulations of the clayeys ceramics were prepared with use 0, 3, 5, 10 and 15 wt% STP waste. Through these formulations, specimens were prepared by extrusion with 30% moisture content and fired at 800 °C. The evaluated physical and mechanical properties of the fired ceramics were water absorption, linear shrinkage, flexion strength and relative density. The microstructure of fired pieces was investigated by scanning electron microscopy. The results showed the STP waste increased the resistance to flexion and water absorption. The use of the waste improved the mechanical strength of the ceramic mass and tended to increase the flexural strength with the increase in the waste content added to the specimen. This type of waste can be aproveited in red ceramic by up to 15% by mass.

Abstract We present a topological method for the detection and quantification of bone microstructure from non-linear microscopy images. Specifically, we analyse second harmonic generation (SHG) and two photon excited autofluorescence (TPaF) images of bone tissue which capture the distribution of matrix (fibrillar collagen) structure and autofluorescent molecules, respectively. Using persistent homology statistics with a signed Euclidean distance transform filtration on binary patches of images, we are able to quantify the number, size, distribution, and crowding of holes within and across samples imaged at the microscale. We apply our methodology to a previously characterized murine model of skeletal pathology whereby vascular endothelial growth factor expression was deleted in osteocalcin-expressing cells (OcnVEGFKO) presenting increased cortical porosity, compared to wild type (WT) littermate controls. We show significant differences in topological statistics between the OcnVEGFKO and WT groups and, when classifying the males, or females respectively, into OcnVEGFKO or WT groups, we obtain high prediction accuracies of 98.7% (74.2%) and 77.8% (65.8%) respectively for SHG (TPaF) images. The persistence statistics that we use are fully interpretable, can highlight regions of abnormality within an image and identify features at different spatial scales.

For this study, procyanidins generated through the autoxidation of (-)-epicatechin (Flavan-3-ol) under mildly acidic conditions (pH = 6.0) were characterized with ultra high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). Two procyanidins (types A and B) and a mix of oligomers were generated through the autoxidation of (-)-epicatechin. The antiproliferative activity of this mixture of procyanidins on MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-436, and MCF-7 breast cancer cells was evaluated. The results indicate that the procyanidin mixture inhibited the proliferation of breast cancer cells, where the activity of the procyanidin mixture was stronger than that of (-)-epicatechin. Moreover, the mechanism underlying the antiproliferative activity of procyanidins was investigated. The resulting data demonstrate that the procyanidins induced apoptotic cell death in a manner selective to cancerous cells. In particular, they caused the activation of intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways in the breast cancer cells. The findings obtained in this study demonstrate that the generation of procyanidins in vitro by the autoxidation of (-)-epicatechin has potential for the development of anti-breast cancer agents.

Objective: This work presents an implementation of a stable algorithm that recovers sources located at the boundary separating two homogeneous media in field-programmable gate arrays. Two loop unrolling architectures were developed and analyzed for this purpose. This inverse source problem is ill-posed due to numerical instability, i.e., small errors in the measurement can produce significant changes in the source location. Methodology: To handle the numerical instability when recovering these sources, the Tikhonov regularization method in combination with the Fourier series truncation method are applied in the stable algorithm. This stable algorithm is implemented in two different architectures developed in this work: The first architecture (Mode 1) allows for different operating speeds, which is an advantage depending on whether we work with fast or slow signals. The second one (Mode 2) reduces resource consumption by exploiting the characteristics of the source identification algorithm, which is an advantage for multichannel problems such as inverse electrocardiography or electroencephalography. Results: The architectures were tested on four devices of the 7 Series of Xilinx: Spartan-7 xc7s100fgga484, Virtex-7 xc7v585tffg1157, Kintex-7 xc7k70tfbg484, and Artix-7 xc7a35tcpg236. The two hardware implementations of the stable algorithm were validated using synthetic examples implemented in MATLAB, which shows the advantages of each architecture. Contributions: We developed two efficient architectures based on a loop unrolling design for source identification problems. These are effective strategies to divide and assign tasks to the configurable hardware, and they appear as an appropriate technique for implementing the algorithm. The first one is simple and allows for different operating speeds. The second one uses a control system based on multiplexors that reduce resource consumption and complexity of the design and can be used for multichannel problems. From the numerical test, we found the regularization parameters. The synthetic examples developed here can be considered for similar problems and can be extended to concentric spheres.

The spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2 is a molecular target of great interest for developing drug therapies against COVID-19 because S is responsible for the interaction of the virus with the host cell receptor. Currently, there is no outpatient safety treatment for COVID-19 disease. Furthermore, we consider it of worthy importance to evaluate experimentally the possible interaction of drugs (approved by the Food and Drug Administration) and the S, considering some previously in silico and clinical use. Then, the objective of this study was to demonstrate the in vitro interaction of ivermectin with S. The equilibrium dialysis technique with UV–Vis was performed to obtain the affinity and dissociation constants. In addition, the Drug Affinity Responsive Target Stability (DARTS) technique was used to demonstrate the in vitro interaction of S with ivermectin. The results indicate the interaction between ivermectin and the S with an association and dissociation constant of Ka = 1.22 µM−1 and Kd = 0.81 µM, respectively. The interaction was demonstrated in ratios of 1:50 pmol and 1:100 pmol (S: ivermectin) by the DARTS technique. The results obtained with these two different techniques demonstrate an interaction between S and ivermectin previously explored in silico, suggesting its clinical uses to stop the viral spread among susceptible human hosts.

Las condiciones actuales obligan a las Mipymes a mejorar su capacidad de adaptación con la intención de mejorar su desempeño y lograr posicionarse en el mercado con mayor facilidad. El objetivo del presente artículo es comprobar si la gestión empresarial, la innovación y el acceso al financiamiento impactan en la resiliencia empresarial. El método de investigación utilizado es cuantitativo y se utiliza como procedimiento estadístico la modelización de ecuaciones estructurales, con una muestra de 1416 Mipymes del estado de Guanajuato, México. Los resultados confirman que la gestión empresarial, la innovación y el acceso al financiamiento influyen de manera positiva y significativa en la resiliencia de las Mipymes. Las futuras investigaciones deben centrarse en incorporar nuevos factores que influyen en la resiliencia empresarial.

Incorporar talento humano joven a las organizaciones supone retos para su gestión; los denominados jóvenes millennials han tomado mayor fuerza en el mundo laboral, lo que también significa expectativas y motivaciones distintas de los grupos generacionales que les precedieron; reconocer y gestionar esas nuevas necesidades puede significar una ventaja competitiva. A partir de las observaciones realizadas dentro del proceso de diagnóstico organizacional en la agencia creativa se concluye que esta requiere mejorar su gestión de personal, con elementos que contribuyan a retener el personal creativo y a crear un mejor ambiente de trabajo; las acciones a emprender se enfocan en el perfil millennial presente en los miembros de la organización. El proceso de identificación de las acciones y propuestas supuso la revisión de literatura enfocada específicamente en la gestión del talento millennial, desarrolladas por consultores y expertos en la materia; se propone un esquema basado centrado en la comunicación, retroalimentación constante, flexibilidad en el trabajo y liderazgo participativo, en un entorno de cultura organizacional que detone valores organizacionales que ayuden a crear compromiso en la empresa.

Purpose: To describe the way in which the university-business-government linkage promotes the creation of technology-based university spin offs in a public university in the state of Guanajuato. Design / Methodology: The research corresponds to a case study with a qualitative approach and an ethnographic design, using in-depth interviews as a data collection technique. Results: The emergence of the university spin offs under study is driven by individual and joint actions of the university-business-government linkage. Practical implications: To provide evidence regarding the practices that the university, companies, and the government carry out, individually and jointly, to promote the creation of technology-based university spin offs, as a reference to be replicated in similar contexts. Originality / Value: The research explores in depth the topic of university spin offs, starting with the study of their formation, which can be applicable in the Latin American context.

La entrevista cualitativa permite la interpretación de la realidad social, los valores, las costumbres, las ideologías y las cosmovisiones que se construyen a partir de un discurso subjetivo donde el investigador asigna un sentido y un significado particular a la experiencia del otro. Desde la perspectiva de los Estudios Organizacionales, el uso de la metodología cualitativa y sus diferentes técnicas; y en este caso, la entrevista ha abierto la comprensión del mundo simbólico de las organizaciones para interpretar la dinámica organizacional. La entrevista es el medio que permite examinar cómo los textos orales o escritos funcionan dentro de la práctica sociocultural. En este contexto, el presente trabajo exhibe la importancia de focalizar la atención en el proceso de la entrevista y visualizar las implicaciones metodológicas para la recogida, el análisis y la interpretación de la información a partir de vincular el escenario, el entrevistado, el tema de investigación, el paradigma y al investigador. Para ello el presente se fundamenta dentro del ámbito de los Estudios Organizacionales presentando tres estudios de caso usando la entrevista y la observación participante/no participante. Los casos abordados presentan la aplicación de la entrevista y su operatividad. Dentro de los resultados principales se encontraron algunas líneas de acción para el acercamiento, vinculación e interpretación de la realidad de los sujetos. De tal forma, que se observa la diversidad de perspectivas que tienen cada uno de los sujetos y expresan sobre la dinámica organizacional y construcción de su entorno.

En este artículo se analiza la relevancia de Audacity para la creación de materiales educativos, tanto elaborados por docentes, como por estudiantes, ya que posee multiplicidad de funciones y aporta numerosas ventajas, a pesar de su sencillo uso. Para ello, gracias a la creación de un instrumento de análisis de contenido constituido por 8 ítems, se lleva a cabo un estudio de los paisajes sonoros creados por el alumnado del MOOC Música para el Siglo XXI, con el objeto de categorizar los fines educativos de cada uno de ellos y distinguir y caracterizar cada paisaje sonoro según los orígenes de las fuentes sonoras empleadas en función de la clasificación de Schafer (1993). Tras su análisis averiguamos que las aplicaciones didácticas se encuentran dentro de las catalogadas previamente, donde el uso de paisajes sonoros para elaborar tanto recursos musicales propiamente dichos, como relatos y representaciones sonoras a través de construcciones realizadas por el alumnado, ocupan casi el total de las 55 composiciones realizadas en este MOOC. El estudio concluye destacando que el empleo de esta herramienta da soporte a multiplicidad de áreas de conocimiento y sus capacidades como herramienta multitarea ofrece un gran abanico de perspectivas aplicables dentro de los campos de la didáctica específica y la pedagogía. /// This article analyses the relevance of Audacity as a creation tool of learning materials for both teachers and students, since it has multiple functions and provides numerous advantages, despite its simple use. To that purpose, thanks to the creation of an specific content analysis tool based in 8 items, an study of soundscapes created by the students of the MOOC Música para el Siglo XXI is carried out with the purpose of categorize their educative aims as well as distinguish and characterize each soundscape according with the origin of their sound source in relation with the classification proposed from Schafer (1993). Thanks to the latter analysis we know that the didactic applications are within those previously catalogued, where the use of soundscapes both to elaborate musical resources as well as to create sound representations through constructions carried out by the students make a clean sweep of almost all of the 55 analyzed compositions. The study concludes with the idea that this tool gives support to multiple areas of knowledge and that its capabilities as a multitasking tool provide a wide range of perspectives applicable within areas such as pedagogy or specific didactic fields.

The use of educational games or some aspects of games in the educational context is known as game-based learning (GBL) or educational gamification. The objectives of this study are to assess the existing evidence about how GBL and gamification have affected the variables studied in each investigation over the past ten years; to analyse the educational levels, variables, dynamics, and types of games; and to determine the advantages of implementing these games in the classroom. A systematic review is proposed utilising the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology across five multidisciplinary databases by conducting an exhaustive search with inclusion and exclusion criteria, examining quantitative experimental studies exploring the use of gamification and GBL in physical education. The results identify GBL and gamification as significant learning methods due to their impact on student motivation, academic performance, and commitment to improving health and physical performance. Consequently, this study implies that more research is needed on the needs and challenges of students when they are learning through GBL or gamification.

Digital game-based learning (DGBL) and Gamification are emerging methodological strategies in education. This research aims to analyze the effects on academic performance and motivation after an experience combining DGBL and Gamification in university students. The sample comprises 126 students, of whom 38 were in the experimental group. Three measurement instruments have been used: an evaluative test to measure academic performance, the Questionnaire on Motivation for Cooperative Playful Learning Strategies (CMELAC) and a questionnaire with three open-ended questions, which complement the measurement of motivation. This analysis is conducted using independent sample t-tests. We undertook a Bonferroni adjustment to the alpha level (new p = 0.017). The results show significant differences in academic performance between the control and experimental groups. Motivation shows high values among all participants. No significant differences were found between the two experimental subgroups when the competition was added to the dynamics. In conclusion, the results of the present study support the gamified DGBL method as an exciting teaching tool that corresponds to students’ active learning and provide valuable immediate feedback on students’ attempts, improvements in academic performance and a high level of motivation.

Background: Bloodstream infections (BSIs) are the most frequent nosocomial infections in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), especially in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants (birth weight ≤ 1500 g). An epidemiologic surveillance system may contribute to the prevention of infection by continuous monitoring of its frequency and associated risk factors. The aim of this article was to describe the implementation of the NeoKissEs surveillance system for BSIs in VLBW newborns in a group of Spanish NICUs. Methods: We assessed the clinical cohort consisting of all VLBW newborns aged less than 28 days admitted to the participating units. In the pilot phase, 2 NICUs translated and adapted materials from the original German NEO-KISS system. During implementation, 210 health care professionals attended one of 8 educational workshops. A web-based system was created that allows entering data regarding patients and BSI episodes, data monitoring, benchmarking and providing feedback to the units. At each NICU, one neonatologist was responsible for the implementation of the system and reporting the difficulties perceived throughout the process. Results: Out of the 50 units that agreed to participate, 45 successfully started using the surveillance platform during the implementation phase, recording 1108 episodes of catheter-associated BSI (CABSI) in 3638 newborns, and finding an overall rate of CABSI of 18.4 (95% CI, 17.8-19.1) per 1000 catheter days. Conclusions: The NeoKissEs surveillance system constitutes a helpful source of information for the purpose of benchmarking the performance of neonatal units, assessing factors associated with BSI in VLBW infants and measuring the impact of future preventive interventions in NICUs. Resumen: Antecedentes: Las sepsis son las infecciones nosocomiales más frecuentes en las Unidades de Cuidados Intensivos Neonatales (UCIN), afectando especialmente a los recién nacidos de muy bajo peso al nacer (RNMBP, ≤ 1.500 g). Un sistema de vigilancia epidemiológica puede contribuir a su prevención mediante una evaluación continua de su frecuencia y factores de riesgo asociados. El objetivo de este artículo es describir la implementación del sistema de vigilancia de las sepsis nosocomiales en RNMBP (NeoKissEs) en un grupo de UCIN españolas. Métodos: Estudio de cohorte de RNMBP con < 28 días de edad ingresados en las UCIN participantes. Dos UCIN tradujeron y adaptaron materiales a partir del sistema original alemán NEO-KISS. Durante la implementación, se desarrollaron 8 talleres formativos, con participación de 210 profesionales. Se creó un sistema web para la introducción de datos de pacientes y episodios de sepsis, su monitorización, análisis comparativo y retroalimentación a las unidades. En cada UCIN, un neonatólogo fue responsable de la implementación, recogiendo información sobre las dificultades percibidas durante el proceso. Resultados: De 50 unidades que aceptaron participar, 45 utilizaron NeoKissEs durante la fase de implementación, registrando 1.108 episodios de sepsis asociados a catéter vascular en 3.638 neonatos, con una tasa de 18,4 episodios por 1.000 pacientes-día con catéter (IC del 95%: 17,8-19,1). Conclusiones: El sistema de vigilancia epidemiológica NeoKissEs representa una fuente útil de información para la comparación estandarizada de la incidencia de sepsis de las UCIN, evaluar factores de riesgo y facilitar la evaluación del efecto de futuras intervenciones preventivas.

The exposure to monoterpenes emitted by plants to the air might provide human health benefits during forest-based leisure activities. However, forests, especially Mediterranean ones, lack studies to relate forest production and the emission of monoterpenes, considering potential human forest exposure. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze the variation in the abundance of monoterpenes in the human breathable air under the canopy of a Mediterranean conifer forest, evaluating the influence of different factors. For this purpose, from March to November 2018, we monitored the abundance of monoterpenes in the air at nose height, leaf development, air temperature and soil water potential in a mountain Mediterranean forest of Pinus pinaster located in Sierra de Albarracín (Teruel, Spain). We detected six monoterpenes, with α-pinene, β-pinene and limonene being the three most abundant. Temperature was the main environmental factor driving the abundance of monoterpenes in air, with a maxima of abundance found during summer. Leaf development in spring decreased the abundance, while after a drought period, the abundance increased. Thus, people enjoying forest-based activities in Mediterranean conifer areas would be more exposed to air monoterpenes when the temperature increases during the period after leaf development, as long as the trees are not severely water-stressed. If that is the case, the abundance of monoterpenes in the air would increase after the drought period.

Background: Global assessment of antimicrobial agents prescribed to infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) may inform antimicrobial stewardship efforts. Methods: We conducted a one-day global point prevalence study of all antimicrobials provided to NICU infants. Demographic, clinical, and microbiologic data were obtained including NICU level, census, birth weight, gestational/chronologic age, diagnoses, antimicrobial therapy (reason for use; length of therapy), antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP), and 30-day in-hospital mortality. Findings: On July 1, 2019, 26% of infants (580/2,265; range, 0–100%; median gestational age, 33 weeks; median birth weight, 1800 g) in 84 NICUs (51, high-income; 33, low-to-middle income) from 29 countries (14, high-income; 15, low-to-middle income) in five continents received ≥1 antimicrobial agent (92%, antibacterial; 19%, antifungal; 4%, antiviral). The most common reasons for antibiotic therapy were “rule-out” sepsis (32%) and “culture-negative” sepsis (16%) with ampicillin (40%), gentamicin (35%), amikacin (19%), vancomycin (15%), and meropenem (9%) used most frequently. For definitive treatment of presumed/confirmed infection, vancomycin (26%), amikacin (20%), and meropenem (16%) were the most prescribed agents. Length of therapy for culture-positive and “culture-negative” infections was 12 days (median; IQR, 8–14) and 7 days (median; IQR, 5–10), respectively. Mortality was 6% (42%, infection-related). An NICU ASP was associated with lower rate of antibiotic utilization (p = 0·02). Interpretation: Global NICU antibiotic use was frequent and prolonged regardless of culture results. NICU-specific ASPs were associated with lower antibiotic utilization rates, suggesting the need for their implementation worldwide. Funding: Merck & Co.; The Ohio State University College of Medicine Barnes Medical Student Research Scholarship

Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and is the second-most common cause of death in women worldwide. Because of this, the search for new drugs and targeted therapy to treat BC is an urgent and global need. Histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) is a promising anti-BC drug target associated with its development and progression. In the present work, the design and synthesis of a new family of dihydropyrazole-carbohydrazide derivatives (DPCH) derivatives focused on HDAC6 inhibitory activity is presented. Computational chemistry approaches were employed to rationalize the design and evaluate their physicochemical and toxic-biological properties. The new family of nine DPCH was synthesized and characterized. Compounds exhibited optimal physicochemical and toxicobiological properties for potential application as drugs to be used in humans. The in silico studies showed that compounds with –Br, –Cl, and –OH substituents had good affinity with the catalytic domain 2 of HDAC6 like the reference compounds. Nine DPCH derivatives were assayed on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 BC cell lines, showing antiproliferative activity with IC50 at μM range. Compound 2b showed, in vitro, an IC50 value of 12 ± 3 µM on human HDAC6. The antioxidant activity of DPCH derivatives showed that all the compounds exhibit antioxidant activity similar to that of ascorbic acid. In conclusion, the DPCH derivatives are promising drugs with therapeutic potential for the epigenetic treatment of BC, with low cytotoxicity towards healthy cells and important antioxidant activity.

This systematic review shows the most important characteristics of the methods used for the production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). Three databases were consulted: Science Direct, Scopus, and Google Scholar. A total of 66 publications were obtained. Cupriavidus necator was found to be the microorganism that generates more interest in the scientific community and the most tested one in different substrates, however, the highest productivity was reported in Azohydromonas lata, a low reported microorganism. The most common cultivation system was the fed-batch, easily used at the industrial level, although the continuous system could save time and potentially increase productivity. However, the type of substrate, the polymer to be produced and the metabolic characteristics and requirements of each microorganism, imply technical limitations, which are evidenced in this review in order to provide a better understanding about its advantages and disadvantages.

Antecedentes: Se analiza la evolución de la actividad de donación cadavérica de órganos y de la realización de trasplantes de órganos sólidos en México de 2007 a 2018. Método: Se recolectó y ordenó la información de donación cadavérica y de trasplante de órganos en México en ese período. Cuando no hubo información completa de 2018, se consideró la de 2017. Las principales fuentes de información fueron The Global Observatory on Donation and Transplantation y el Centro Nacional de Trasplantes de la Secretaría de Salud de México. Resultados: 1) La tasa de donación cadavérica de México en 2007 fue de 3.2 donaciones por millón de población (pmp), y en 2017 fue de 3.94 pmp (incremento del 23.1%). La tasa de 2017 está muy por debajo de la media reportada para América Latina (9.5 pmp). 2) El número de pacientes en espera de trasplante de un órgano sólido pasó de 4,993 en 2007 a 15,448 en 2018 (incremento del 309%). 3) En 2017, México reportó tener 255 centros autorizados para trasplante renal, más que cualquier país en el mundo. Para el caso de otros órganos, como hígado, corazón, pulmón y páncreas, México es el país que tiene más centros autorizados en América Latina. Conclusión: La evolución de las cifras de donación cadavérica y de trasplante de órganos sólidos en el período de estudio explica una escasez cada vez mayor de órganos para trasplante en México, a pesar de una aparente gran capacidad instalada. El sistema nacional de donación y trasplante de órganos es ineficaz e ineficiente.

El 21 de julio de 1988 la historia de la medicina mexicana se transformó, cuando el doctor Rubén Argüero Sánchez y un grupo de especialistas realizaron el primer trasplante de corazón en México. La cosecha de un órgano con latidos efectivos transformó la cultura relacionada con la muerte cerebral. Fue un hecho que cambió los programas de trasplantes, pues a partir de entonces se permitía utilizar un material biológico invaluable.

El nivel de capacidades tecnológicas que logra desarrollar una organización es de gran relevancia para generar ventajas competitivas. El estudio de las capacidades tecnológicas se ha centrado en analizar su relación con el desempeño empresarial, el aprendizaje, la internacionalización, las estrategias de cooperación, entre otros. Este estudio se enfoca en el análisis de la orientación emprendedora, el enfoque estratégico de la organización y la experiencia, y su impacto en el desarrollo de capacidades tecnológicas de las empresas del sector automotriz de la región centro de México. Los resultados muestran que las empresas que quieran mejorar su nivel de capacidades tecnológicas deben establecer una filosofía empresarial enfocada en la innovación, lo que conlleva a tomar decisiones de manera proactiva, escaneando continuamente el entorno y gestionar el conocimiento organizacional para aprender de las experiencias.