Twenty-five years of the «Guggenheim Effect». Brief approach to the impact of Guggenheim Bilbao Museum on the Bilbao Art System

This article analyses the impact that Guggenheim Museum Bilbao has had on the local art system since its opening in 1997 until 2022. For this matter, in the first part of the article I present a historical review of the Strategic Plan for the Revitalisation of Metropolitan Bilbao, from which the creation of this international cultural infrastructure arose. Following, the nature of Bilbao’s artistic ecosystem is introduced, to then go on to study how this museum has influenced it. Finally, the three parameters that have guided this analysis are presented: the presence of Basque art in the museum through its exhibition and acquisition, its influence on the presence of galleries and exhibition spaces and, lastly, the perception that the local art system has of the museum. En este artículo se analiza el impacto que el Museo Guggenheim Bilbao ha tenido en el sistema del arte local desde su apertura en 1997 hasta el año 2022. Para ello, primeramente, se hace una revisión histórica del Plan Estratégico para la Revitalización del Bilbao Metropolitano, del que surgió la creación de esta infraestructura cultural de carácter internacional. Seguidamente, se introduce la naturaleza del ecosistema artístico bilbaíno, para pasar a estudiar cómo ha influenciado dicho museo en este. Por último, se presentan los tres parámetros que han guiado dicho análisis: la presencia de arte vasco en el museo a través de su exposición y adquisición, su influencia en la presencia de galerías y espacios expositivos y por último, la percepción que tiene del museo el sistema del arte local

Ancient DNA genomics and the renaissance of herbaria

Herbaria are undergoing a renaissance as valuable sources of genomic data for exploring plant evolution, ecology, and diversity. Ancient DNA retrieved from herbarium specimens can provide unprecedented glimpses into past plant communities, their interactions with biotic and abiotic factors, and the genetic changes that have occurred over time. Here, we highlight recent advances in the field of herbarium genomics and discuss the challenges and opportunities of combining data from modern and time-stamped historical specimens. We also describe how integrating herbarium genomics data with other data types can yield substantial insights into the evolutionary and ecological processes that shape plant communities. Herbarium genomic analysis is a tool for understanding plant life and informing conservation efforts in the face of dire environmental challenges

Modelación del efecto de escenarios de cobertura sobre la migración de nutrientes (N, P2O5) en la cuenca alta del río Magdalena (Huila, Colombia)*

The combination of deforestation due to agricultural frontier expansion and the increased use of fertilizers due to agricultural intensification has lead to an increase in the load of sediments and pollutants that negatively affect water quality in rural areas. This problem is particularly serious in the Colombian Andean region. This study applies a hydrological simulation model to compare the effect of four vegetable coverage management scenarios on nutrient migration from agricultural practices in the Upper Magdalena river basin. The simulation of water movement over hillsides and channels, which was run using the MIKE SHE and MIKE 11 models, showed an acceptable performance (S/σ =0.84, R=0.82, R2=0.67). However, pollutant migration showed a very low sensitivity to vegetable coverage in the configuration of the different model simulations (p > 0.05), with reductions in pollutant loads ranging only between 2 and 4%. Such reductions have to do with the intrinsic properties of vegetation (which act like a barrier to sediment flow,) with its ability to increase soil infiltration (therefore reducing runoff,) and with nutrient absorption by plants

Synchronization and local convergence analysis of networks with dynamic diffusive coupling

In this paper, we address the problem of achieving synchronization in networks of nonlinear units coupled by dynamic diffusive terms. We present two types of couplings consisting of a static linear term, corresponding to the diffusive coupling, and a dynamic term which can be either the integral or the derivative of the sum of the mismatches between the states of neighbouring agents. The resulting dynamic coupling strategy is a distributed proportional-integral (PI) or a proportional-derivative (PD) law that is shown to be effective in improving the network synchronization performance, for example, when the dynamics at nodes are nonidentical. We assess the stability of the network by extending the classical Master Stability Function approach to the case where the links are dynamic ones of PI/PD type. We validate our approach via a set of representative examples including networks of chaotic Lorenz and networks of nonlinear mechanical systems

Non-Syndromic Multi Focal Non-Ossifying Fibroma: A Diagnostic Challenge of Giant-Cell Rich Lesions

Background: Diagnosing GCL can be extremely difficult due to the rarity of these lesions. Histologically many benign GCL mimic each other and can further be mistaken for a malignant GCL. Additionally confusing the diagnosis, many benign GCL have significant morphological overlap. However, it is of utmost importance to arrive at an accurate diagnosis as treatment varies significantly based on the pathology. Our patient presentation highlights that differentiating GCLs can be a diagnostic challenge as illustrated. Our review of the literature found scarce reports of multifocal non-ossifying fibroma. In this case report, we describe a non-syndromic multifocal non-ossifying fibroma successfully treated with biopsy curettage and grafting. This patient was informed that her case would be submitted for publication and she agreed. Case: A 14 year-old-girl complained of left knee pain for 3 months and radiographic imaging showed a destructive bone lesion at her distal femoral metaphysis, the tibial tubercle, and proximal fibula. The patient had no history of trauma and reported no infectious, inflammatory, or syndromic symptoms. Core biopsy of the left thigh lesion showed findings most consistent with giant cell tumor. Bone scintigraphy revealed new lesions at the distal femur and proximal tibia on the contralateral (right) side. Patient was treated with biopsy curettage and grafting. Intra-operative frozen section permanent reads showed giant-cell rich non-ossifying fibroma. Due to discrepancy in core biopsy and intra-operative biopsy a independent pathology consult was requested on surgical specimens. Histologically, the differential diagnosis included non-ossifying fibroma, giant cell tumor of bone, and ossifying fibroma. Radiographic imaging combined with histology gave a final pathological diagnosis most consistent with non-ossifying fibroma. Conclusion: Differentiating non-syndromic multifocal non-ossifying fibroma from other giant cell rich lesions can be a diagnostic challenge. A combined approach using histology, clinical presentation, and radiology is imperative in reaching the correct diagnosis

Analyzing the Effects of Body Mass Index in Total Hip Arthroplasty Cases. Does it Influence Patient Characteristics, Operative Planning, and Postoperative Outcomes?

Background: Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is one of the most performed orthopaedic procedures commonly used for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA). There are several underlying factors that lead to the formation of this condition. Not only is obesity one of the main contributors, but it is also a modifiable risk factor and one of the leading causes of end-stage arthrosis of the hip. Though there have been advancements in agricultural and health technologies, rates of obesity continue to rise causing similar increases in the demands for hip replacement surgeries. Therefore, we sought to investigate the effects of BMI on THA procedures and determine if it plays any influential role in patient characteristics, operative planning, and postoperative outcomes. Methods: A prospectively collected database from a single institution was queried from January 2018 to December 2021, to identify 66 THA patients (mean age 69.5) included in this study. Patient’s BMI were recorded preoperatively and separated into five classes in accordance with the World Health Organization classification of Normal (18.5-24.9), Pre-Obesity (25.0-29.9), Obesity Class I (30.0-34.9), Obesity Class II (35.0-39.9), and Obesity Class III (BMI ≥ 40). Patient attributes, operative characteristics, and postoperative outcomes were then stratified and grouped into the different BMI classes. All patients had radiograph imaging obtained preoperatively and at a minimum 9-month interval to observe for the presence of any radiolucent lines which would be plotted using the hip regions set forth by De Lee and Charnley. Results: The mean BMI of our patient population was 30.5 which overall characterizes it as Obesity Class I. However, the classification that contained the most of our population was Pre-Obesity (n = 26, 39.4%). There were no males in our entire population that had a BMI considered normal, but 13 females did fall into this classification. There was a significant number of patients who underwent a direct anterior approach within the Pre-Obesity classification than those who underwent a posterolateral approach (21 vs 5 patients, P value = 0.047). However, for subjects meeting Obesity Class II and Class III criteria, a significant number of posterolateral approaches were performed than the direct anterior approach. In analyzing the radiographs, only 2 patients were discovered to have radiolucent lines, but no related symptoms or physical complications were reported. Conclusion: Our investigation demonstrates that having a higher BMI only significantly affects the surgical approach to THA but can conclude that it is an excellent surgical option for the treatment of OA in obese patients

Mining ancient microbiomes using selective enrichment of damaged DNA molecules

The identification of bona fide microbial taxa in microbiomes derived from ancient and historical samples is complicated by the unavoidable mixture between DNA from ante- and post-mortem microbial colonizers. One possibility to distinguish between these sources of microbial DNA is querying for the presence of age-associated degradation patterns typical of ancient DNA (aDNA). The presence of uracils, resulting from cytosine deamination, has been detected ubiquitously in aDNA retrieved from diverse sources, and used as an authentication criterion. Here, we employ a library preparation method that separates molecules that carry uracils from those that do not for a set of samples that includes Neandertal remains, herbarium specimens and archaeological plant remains

Annotation of primate miRNAs by high throughput sequencing of small RNA libraries

BACKGROUND: In addition to genome sequencing, accurate functional annotation of genomes is required in order to carry out comparative and evolutionary analyses between species. Among primates, the human genome is the most extensively annotated. Human miRNA gene annotation is based on multiple lines of evidence including evidence for expression as well as prediction of the characteristic hairpin structure. In contrast, most miRNA genes in non-human primates are annotated based on homology without any expression evidence. We have sequenced small-RNA libraries from chimpanzee, gorilla, orangutan and rhesus macaque from multiple individuals and tissues. Using patterns of miRNA expression in conjunction with a model of miRNA biogenesis we used these high-throughput sequencing data to identify novel miRNAs in non-human primates. RESULTS: We predicted 47 new miRNAs in chimpanzee, 240 in gorilla, 55 in orangutan and 47 in rhesus macaque. The algorithm we used was able to predict 64% of the previously known miRNAs in chimpanzee, 94% in gorilla, 61% in orangutan and 71% in rhesus macaque. We therefore added evidence for expression in between one and five tissues to miRNAs that were previously annotated based only on homology to human miRNAs. We increased from 60 to 175 the number miRNAs that are located in orthologous regions in humans and the four non-human primate species studied here. CONCLUSIONS: In this study we provide expression evidence for homology-based annotated miRNAs and predict de novo miRNAs in four non-human primate species. We increased the number of annotated miRNA genes and provided evidence for their expression in four non-human primates. Similar approaches using different individuals and tissues would improve annotation in non-human primates and allow for further comparative studies in the future

Validación de la escala CRUSADE para evaluar el riesgo de sangrado en pacientes con infarto agudo de miocardio sin elevación del ST

ResumenObjetivoEvaluar si la escala CRUSADE es aplicable en la comunidad colombiana.MétodosSe realizó un estudio de validación externa dentro de una cohorte histórica, en el que se incluyeron pacientes hospitalizados entre los años 2006 y 2012 en el Hospital Universitario San Ignacio, en Bogotá, Colombia. Se tomaron historias clínicas de pacientes mayores de 18 años, que tuvieran asignado el diagnóstico de infarto agudo de miocardio sin supradesnivel del ST. Se comparó el número de eventos (sangrado) predichos y observados durante la hospitalización (calibración). Finalmente, se estimó la capacidad para separar sujetos de alto y bajo riesgo (discriminación).ResultadosSe incluyeron 252 pacientes. El número de eventos mayores fue 30 (11,9%) y el de eventos menores 23 (9,12%); 12 pacientes (7,46%) fallecieron. En el grupo de muy alto riesgo (más de 50 puntos de la escala), se reportó el mayor número de eventos (respecto a la población estudiada). Al evaluar la escala se evidenció una buena capacidad de calibración (X2 p=0,84); sin embargo, la discriminación no fue adecuada (área bajo la curva 0,6128 [IC 95% 0,46-0,76]).ConclusionesSe encontraron pocos eventos, si bien los datos sugieren que la escala subestima levemente los riesgos. La escala tiene buena calibración, pero no posee capacidad de discriminación adecuada, hecho que probablemente obedece a que se obtuvo un pequeño número de eventos, con desviaciones estándar altas. Por tanto, se requieren estudios adicionales, con mayor poder estadístico.AbstractObjectiveTo assess whether CRUSADE scale is applicable in the Colombian community.MethodsA study of external validation in a historical cohort, which included patients hospitalized between 2006 and 2012 in the Hospital Universitario San Ignacio in Bogota Colombia, was performed. Medical records of patients older than 18 years, who had been diagnosed as acute myocardial infarction without ST segment elevation, were included. The number of events (bleeding) predicted and observed during hospitalization (calibration) were compared. Finally, the ability to separate subjects at high and low risk (discrimination) was estimated.Results252 patients were included. The number of major events was 30 (11.9%) and that of minor events 23 (9.12%); 12 patients (7.46%) died. In the group of very high risk (more than 50 points on the scale), the largest number of events (regarding the study population) was reported. At assessing the scale, a good calibration capacity was evidenced (X2 p=.84); however, discrimination was not adequate (0.6128 AUC [95% CI 0.46 to 0.76]).ConclusionsFew events were found, although the data suggest that the scale slightly underestimates the risks. The scale has good calibration, but lacks adequate discriminatory capacity, probably due to the fact that a small number of events with high standard deviations were obtained. Therefore, further studies with greater statistical power are required