Caveolin-1 Phosphorylation Is Essential for Axonal Growth of Human Neurons Derived From iPSCs.

Proper axonal growth and guidance is essential for neuron differentiation and development. Abnormal neuronal development due to genetic or epigenetic influences can contribute to neurological and mental disorders such as Down syndrome, Rett syndrome, and autism. Identification of the molecular targets that promote proper neuronal growth and differentiation may restore structural and functional neuroplasticity, thus improving functional performance in neurodevelopmental disorders. Using differentiated human neuronal progenitor cells (NPCs) derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), the present study demonstrates that during early stage differentiation of human NPCs, neuron-targeted overexpression constitutively active Rac1 (Rac1CA) and constitutively active Cdc42 (Cdc42CA) enhance expression of P-Cav-1, T-Cav-1, and P-cofilin and increases axonal growth. Similarly, neuron-targeted over-expression of Cav-1 (termed SynCav1) increases axonal development by increasing both axon length and volume. Moreover, inhibition of Cav-1(Y14A) phosphorylation blunts Rac1/Cdc42-mediated both axonal growth and differentiation of human NPCs and SynCav1(Y14A)-treated NPCs exhibited blunted axonal growth. These results suggest that: (1) SynCav1-mediated dendritic and axonal growth in human NPCs is dependent upon P-Cav-1, (2) P-Cav-1 is necessary for proper axonal growth during early stages of neuronal differentiation, and (3) Rac1/Cdc42CA-mediated neuronal growth is in part dependent upon P-Cav-1. In conclusion, Cav-1 phosphorylation is essential for human neuronal axonal growth during early stages of neuronal differentiation

Suppression Trial through an Integrated Vector Management of Aedes albopictus (Skuse) Based on the Sterile Insect Technique in a Non-Isolated Area in Spain

In recent years, Aedes albopictus (Skuse, 1984) has expanded its distribution globally due to its high ecological plasticity. This expansion has increased the population’s susceptibility to contracting diseases such as dengue, Zika, and chikungunya, among others, which are transmitted by this mosquito species. In the absence of effective control methods, the application of the sterile insect technique (SIT) is proposed as part of an integrated vector management (IVM) program. From 2007 to 2020, this strategy has been tested in a non-isolated mosquito population urban area of 45 ha, representative of the municipalities of the Valencian region (Spain). The population levels of adult females and eggs collected in the traps have been reduced by 70–80% compared to the control area, demonstrating its efficacy in reducing mosquito populations. This work analyzes the impact of the migration of the wild mosquito population from the peri-urban area to the urban core.This research was funded by La Conselleria de Agricultura, Desarrollo Rural, Emergencia Climática of the Valencian region (Spain).Ciencias Experimentale

Sterile Insect Technique in an Integrated Vector Management Program against Tiger Mosquito Aedes albopictus in the Valencia Region (Spain): Operating Procedures and Quality Control Parameters

The Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus (Skuse, 1894) is an invasive species responsible for the transmission of arboviruses such as dengue, Zika and chikungunya. The rapid expansion of this species globally is the result of a lack of effective control methods. In this context, the sterile insect technique (SIT) is an emerging tool for controlling mosquito populations. The Agriculture Department of the Valencian Region (Spain) is promoting a pilot project to evaluate the efficacy of the sterile insect technique as part of an integrated vector management program against Ae. albopictus. From 2018 to 2020, sterile male releases were carried out in two pilot sites, releasing more than 15 million sterile males over 80 ha. The present work describes the laboratory studies carried out to evaluate the performance of irradiated males to assess the feasibility of the SIT before release in the field, as well as the production and quality control parameters obtained in rearing activities. The obtained values in terms of production and quality control and the proposed rearing methodology can be useful for designing a medium-scale mosquito-rearing pipeline.Ciencias Experimentale

Exploring the potential of computer vision analysis of pupae size dimorphism for adaptive sex sorting systems of various vector mosquito species

Several mosquito population suppression strategies based on the rearing and release of sterile males have provided promising results. However, the lack of an efficient male selection method has hampered the expansion of these approaches into large-scale operational programmes. Currently, most of these programmes targeting Aedes mosquitoes rely on sorting methods based on the sexual size dimorphism (SSD) at the pupal stage. The currently available sorting methods have not been developed based on biometric analysis, and there is therefore potential for improvement. We applied an automated pupal size estimator developed by Grupo Tragsa with laboratory samples of Anopheles arabiensis, Aedes albopictus, Ae. polynesiensis, and three strains of Ae. aegypti. The frequency distribution of the pupal size was analyzed. We propose a general model for the analysis of the frequency distribution of mosquito pupae in the context of SSD-sorting methods, which is based on a Gaussian mixture distribution functions, thus making possible the analysis of performance (% males recovery) and purity (% males on the sorted sample).Veterinari

Conocimiento y uso de los verificadores de datos : ¿una herramienta para la regeneración de la autoridad periodística en un entorno polarizado?

El principio de autoridad en el periodismo se articula en torno a conceptos centrales como objetividad, verificación y distancia/neutralidad (Schudson, 1978; Kovach y Rosenstiel, 2007; Deuze, 2005). En el nuevo orden de desinformación en el que se cuestiona la autoridad del periodismo, los verificadores de datos (en inglés, fact-checkers) se presentan como un posible antídoto (Walter et al., 2020). Este estudio presenta resultados acerca de las percepciones de los ciudadanos sobre la autoridad periodística y el papel y el conocimiento en general sobre los verificadores. Basados en una encuesta nacional (n = 1001) representativa del conjunto de la población, nuestros hallazgos muestran que el 50,5% de los encuestados manifiestan desconocer qué son los verificadores de datos y el 15,2% sabe qué son pero reconocen no usarlos nunca. Solo el 4,1% los utiliza de forma habitual. Nuestros datos apuntan hacia un hallazgo relevante: en un sistema de medios altamente polarizado como el español, los verificadores de hechos difícilmente pueden combatir eficazmente la propagación de la desinformación. Su papel debe articularse en el marco de una estrategia de lucha contra la desinformación más amplia que conduzca a una recuperación de la confianza en el periodismo.El principi d'autoritat en el periodisme s'articula al voltant de conceptes centrals com objectivitat, verificació i distància/neutralitat (Schudson, 1978; Kovach i Rosenstiel, 2007; Deuze, 2005). En el nou ordre de desinformació en el qual es qüestiona l'autoritat del periodisme, la verificació de dades (en anglès, fact-checkers) es presenta com un possible antídot (Walter et al., 2020). Aquest estudi presenta resultats sobre les percepcions dels ciutadans sobre l'autoritat periodística i el paper i coneixement general sobre els verificadors. Basats en una enquesta nacional (n = 1001) representativa del conjunt de la població, les nostres troballes mostren que el 50,5% dels enquestats manifesten desconèixer què són els verificadors de fets i el 15,2% saben què són però reconeixen no fer-los servir mai. Només el 4,1% els utilitza de manera habitual. Les nostres dades apunten cap a una troballa rellevant: en un sistema de mitjans altament polaritzat com l'espanyol, els verificadors de fets difícilment poden combatre eficaçment la propagació de la desinformació. El seu paper s'ha d'articular en el marc d'una estratègia de lluita contra la desinformació més àmplia que condueixi a una recuperació de la confiança en el periodisme.The principle of authority in journalism is structured around central concepts such as objectivity, verification and distance/neutrality (Schudson, 1978; Kovach and Rosenstiel, 2007; Deuze, 2005). In the new order of disinformation, in which the authority of journalism is questioned, fact-checking can act as a possible antidote (Walter et al., 2020). This study presents the results of citizens' perceptions of journalistic authority and their awareness of fact-checkers and the role they play. Based on focus groups (10) and a representative national survey (n = 1001), our findings show that 50.5% of the sample do not know what fact-checkers are. 15.2% of them know what fact-checkers are but admit to never using them. Only 4.1% use fact-checkers regularly. Results also reveal a relevant finding: in a highly polarized media system such as Spain's, fact-checkers can only with difficulty combat the spread of misinformation effectively. Their role must therefore be articulated within a broader strategic framework for fighting disinformation, in order to recover trust in journalism.Anàlisi is a science journal published by the Journalism and Communication Sciences Department of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB). The journal has been published by the UAB Journalism Department since 1980. Anàlisi publishes science articles in the fields of the communication sciences: journalism, advertising and public relations, audiovisual communication, internet, multimedia and similar areas, always from the social and cultural viewpoint and following the theoretical and methodological approaches of the media studies disciplines. Anàlisi will especially value articles from competitive research projects, with a clear articulation of theory and methodology, a well-defined and up-to-date theoretical framework, and proposed as a significant contribution to their subject area and field

Consumo informativo y cobertura mediática durante el confinamiento por el Covid-19: sobreinformación, sesgo ideológico y sensacionalismo // News consumption and media coverage during the confinement by Covid-19: information overload, ideological bias and sensationalism

The Covid-19 pandemic has confined millions of citizens in their homes. The situation of isolation has many consequences at multiple levels: social, psychological, economic, educational..., and also communicative. Based on a survey to 1,122 people during the most severe confinement phase, this article aims to analyze how information consumption has been modified during this period of time, and how citizens assess media coverage of Covid-19. The results show citizenship get more news and more frequently than before the health crisis. All in all, citizens maintain a critical attitude towards media coverage of the outbreak, which is, according to the results, conditioned by the media ideology, and reported in a sensationalist way, generating unnecessary social alarm

Consumo informativo y cobertura mediática durante el confinamiento por el Covid-19: sobreinformación, sesgo ideológico y sensacionalismo // News consumption and media coverage during the confinement by Covid-19: information overload, ideological bias and sensationalism

The Covid-19 pandemic has confined millions of citizens in their homes. The situation of isolation has many consequences at multiple levels: social, psychological, economic, educational..., and also communicative. Based on a survey to 1,122 people during the most severe confinement phase, this article aims to analyze how information consumption has been modified during this period of time, and how citizens assess media coverage of Covid-19. The results show citizenship get more news and more frequently than before the health crisis. All in all, citizens maintain a critical attitude towards media coverage of the outbreak, which is, according to the results, conditioned by the media ideology, and reported in a sensationalist way, generating unnecessary social alarm

News consumption and media coverage during the confinement by Covid-19: information overload, ideological bias and sensationalism

The Covid-19 pandemic has confined millions of citizens in their homes. The situation of isolation has many consequences at multiple levels: social, psychological, economic, educational..., and also communicative. Based on a survey to 1,122 people during the most severe confinement phase, this article aims to analyze how information consumption has been modified during this period of time, and how citizens assess media coverage of Covid-19. The results show citizenship get more news and more frequently than before the health crisis. All in all, citizens maintain a critical attitude towards media coverage of the outbreak, which is, according to the results, conditioned by the media ideology, and reported in a sensationalist way, generating unnecessary social alarm.

Malignancy after heart transplantation: incidence, prognosis and risk factors

[Abstract] The Spanish Post-Heart-Transplant Tumour Registry comprises data on neoplasia following heart transplantation (HT) for all Spanish HT patients (1984–2003). This retrospective analysis of 3393 patients investigated the incidence and prognosis of neoplasia, and the influence of antiviral prophylaxis. About 50% of post-HT neoplasias were cutaneous, and 10% lymphomas. The cumulative incidence of skin cancers and other nonlymphoma cancers increased with age at HT and with time post-HT (from respectively 5.2 and 8.9 per 1000 person-years in the first year to 14.8 and 12.6 after 10 years), and was greater among men than women. None of these trends held for lymphomas. Induction therapy other than with IL2R-blockers generally increased the risk of neoplasia except when acyclovir was administered prophylactically during the first 3 months post-HT; prophylactic acyclovir halved the risk of lymphoma, regardless of other therapies. Institution of MMF during the first 3 months post-HT reduced the incidence of skin cancer independently of the effects of sex, age group, pre-HT smoking, use of tacrolimus in the first 3 months, induction treatment and antiviral treatment. Five-year survival rates after first tumor diagnosis were 74% for skin cancer, 20% for lymphoma and 32% for other tumors

Risk factors associated with moderate-to-severe renal dysfunction among heart transplant patients: results from the CAPRI study

[Abstract] The longer survival of patients with heart transplantation (HT) favors calcineurin inhibitor–related chronic kidney disease (CKD). It behoves to identify risk factors. At 14 Spanish centers, data on 1062 adult patients with HT (age 59.2 ± 12.3 yr, 82.5% men) were collected at routine follow-up examinations. Glomerular filtration rate, GFR, was estimated using the four-variable MDRD equation, and moderate-or-severe renal dysfunction (MSRD) was defined as K/DOQI stage 3 CKD or worse. Time since transplant ranged from one month to 22 yr (mean 6.7 yr). At assessment, 26.6% of patients were diabetic and 63.9% hypertensive; 53.9% were taking cyclosporine and 33.1% tacrolimus; and 61.4% had MSRD. Among patients on cyclosporine or tacrolimus at assessment, multivariate logistic regression identified male sex (OR 0.44), pre- and post-HT creatinine (2.73 and 3.13 per mg/dL), age at transplant (1.06 per yr), time since transplant (1.05 per yr), and tacrolimus (0.65) as independent positive or negative predictors of MSRD. It is concluded that female sex, pre- and one-month post-HT serum creatinine, age at transplant, time since transplant, and immunosuppression with cyclosporine rather than tacrolimus may all be risk factors for development of CKD ≥ stage 3 by patients with HT