La Atalanta de Doctor Zay: Testimonio del uso y de la recreación de la mitología clásica por parte de las escritoras norteamericanas del siglo XIX

Este artículo destaca el mérito de una escritora victoriana norteamericana, Elizabeth Stuart Phelps (1844-1911), al demostrar tener suficientes conocimientos sobre mitología como para usarlos con maestría en sus escritos literarios en una época en que a las mujeres se les negaba el acceso a ciertos niveles de formación. Concretamente, analizo la nueva versión del mito de Atalanta que muestra en su novela Doctor Zay con el fin de hacer descubrir a las mujeres nuevas posibilidades para su futuro. This article highlights the merit of a Victorian American writer, Elizabeth Stuart Phelps (1844-1911), as she had enough classical knowledge about mythology to use it skilfully in her literary writing at a time when women were not allowed access to a certain level of education. I concretely analyse the new version of the myth of Atalanta that she portrays in her novel Doctor Zay with the purpose of making women open their eyes to new possibilities for their lives

Effect of maternal feed intake during mid-gestation on pig performance, meat quality and muscle fiber development

Increasing feed allowance during gestation has been related with changes in muscle fiber development and pig performance post-natally, affecting meat quality traits at slaughter

Perceptions of health professionals about the quality of communication and deliberation with the patient and its impact on the health decision making process

The information process is considered a core element in decision-making and an obligatory matter of concern for the health professional. Rather than information per se, we should perhaps mention the need for communication between the health professional and the patient, which should be appropriate to each specific case and situation. Interaction and communication during the relationship generates a degree of trust that contributes to improving care quality and health-related results. The aim of this study is to know the perception of professionals on the quality of communication and its impact on the decision-making process of the patient and the degree of involvement of health professionals in the process of communication with the patient. A sample of 2186 health professionals (1578 nurses, 586 physicians, and 22 pharmacists) was studied. A questionnaire composed of 20 items dealing with the process of communication with the patient and obtaining informed consent was administered. Our study revealed the high consideration that professionals hold of their communication skills with patients since almost 80% of those surveyed, think they are sufficiently skilled in this area. Professionals refers that nurses are most skilled at communicating with patients. Communication in the clinical relationship must not only serve as a way for the professional to obtain information from the patient on their pathology, but also as a means to inform patients so that they understand their illness. Patients also like to feel that they are being listened to and are co-participants in the care process. Communication should be a continuous object of study for all health professionals, both in primary and specialised attention

Nonlinear Acoustic Spectroscopy and Frequency Sweep Ultrasonics: Case on Thermal Damage Assessment in Mortar

[EN] An exhaustive study on thermal damage of Portland cement-based materials is addressed. Damage carried out at different temperatures on concrete between 40 and 525 degrees C were assessed by means of microstructural, physical and nondestructive tests. Microstructural analysis (thermogravimetry and scanning electron microscopy) showed the principal changes of the Portland cement hydrated products for the different analysed temperatures. Compressive and flexural strengths remained constant or even increased at a low heating temperature range, while the mass loss increases. Dilatometry analysis revealed important information about deformation incompatibilities between the paste and the aggregate. These results have been correlated with nondestructive tests: nonlinear impact resonance acoustic spectroscopy (NIRAS) and ultrasonic measures. The dynamic modulus and ultrasonic pulse velocity have closely predicted the linear stiffness decay of the specimens. However, hysteretic parameter from NIRAS analysis exhibited a different trend from stiffness-related parameters, keeping constant until 250>degrees C and suffering a huge increasing for 400 and 525 degrees C. Ultrasonic attenuation computed with a broadband ultrasonic signal (chirp) revealed interesting information about scattering components inside the material, and is sensitive to interfacial transition zone between aggregate and paste in a large range of frequencies. The correlation between microstructural, mechanical and nondestructive techniques were carried out successfully. Nonlinear vibration and ultrasonic attenuation are non-conventional parameters that gave specific information about a complex damage process, such as a thermal attack in highly heterogeneous materials (e.g. Portland cement composites).This work has been supported by the Spanish Administration under Grants, BES2015-071469, under the ONDATEST coordinated project, BIA2014-55311-C2-1-P and BIA2014-55311-C2-2-P. Thanks are given to FEDER funds for co-funding.Genovés, V.; Carrión García, A.; Escobar, D.; Gosálbez Castillo, J.; Monzó Balbuena, JM.; Borrachero Rosado, MV.; Paya Bernabeu, JJ. (2019). Nonlinear Acoustic Spectroscopy and Frequency Sweep Ultrasonics: Case on Thermal Damage Assessment in Mortar. Journal of Nondestructive Evaluation. 38(3):1-14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10921-019-0599-0S114383Aïtcin, P.C.: Binders for Durable and Sustainable Concrete. Taylor & Francis, London (2008)Ma, Q., Guo, R., Zhao, Z., Lin, Z., He, K.: Mechanical properties of concrete at high temperature—a review. Constr. Build. Mater. 93, 371 (2015)Schneider, U.: Concrete at high temperatures—a general review. Fire Saf. J. 13(1), 55 (1988)Cruz, C.R., Gilien, M.: Thermal expansion of Portland cement paste, mortar and concrete at high temperatures. Fire Mater. 4(2), 66 (1980)Jay, A.H.: The thermal expansion of quartz by X-ray measurements. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. 142(846), 237 (1933)Malhotra, V., Carino, N.: Handbook on Nondestructive Testing of Concrete. Civil Engineering. CRC Press, Boca Raton (2004)Van Den Abeele, K., Carmeliet, J., Ten Cate, J.A., Johnson, P.: Nonlinear elasticwave spectroscopy (NEWS) techniques to discern material damage. Part I: nonlinear wave modulation spectroscopy (NWMS). Res. Nondestruct. Eval. 12(1), 17 (2000)Johnson, P.A., Sutin, A.: Nonlinear elastic wave NDE I. Nonlinear resonant ultrasound spectroscopy and slow dynamics diagnostics. In: AIP Conference Proceedings (2005)Leśnicki, K.J., Kim, J.Y., Kurtis, K.E., Jacobs, L.J.: Characterization of ASR damage in concrete using nonlinear impact resonance acoustic spectroscopy technique. NDT & E Int. 44(8), 721 (2011)Park, S.J., Yim, H.J., Kwak, H.G.: Nonlinear resonance vibration method to estimate the damage level on heat-exposed concrete. Fire Saf. J. 69, 36 (2014)Dahlen, U., Ryden, N., Jakobsson, A.: Damage identification in concrete using impact non-linear reverberation spectroscopy. NDT & E Int. 75, 15 (2015)Genovés, V., Carrión, A., Gosálbez, J., Bosch, I., Borrachero, M.V., Payá, J.J.: Optimized ultrasonic attenuation measures for internal sulphate attack monitoring in Portland cement mortars (1)Genovés, V., Gosálbez, J., Carrión, A., Miralles, R., Payá, J.: Optimized ultrasonic attenuation measures for non-homogeneous materials. Ultrasonics 65, 345 (2016)Philippidis, T.P., Aggelis, D.G.: Experimental study of wave dispersion and attenuation in concrete. Ultrasonics 43(7), 584 (2005)Molero, M., Segura, I., Aparicio, S., Hernández, M.G., Izquierdo, MaG: On the measurement of frequency-dependent ultrasonic attenuation in strongly heterogeneous materials. Ultrasonics 50(8), 824 (2010)Genovés, V., Vargas, F., Gosálbez, J., Carrión, A., Borrachero, M., Payá, J.: Ultrasonic and impact spectroscopy monitoring on internal sulphate attack of cement-based materials. Mater. Design 125(Suppl C), 46 (2017)Park, G.K., Yim, H.J.: Evaluation of fire-damaged concrete: an experimental analysis based on destructive and nondestructive methods. Int. J. Concr. Struct. Mater. 11(3), 447 (2017)Payan, C., Ulrich, T., Le Bas, P., Griffa, M., Schuetz, P., Remillieux, M., Saleh, T.: Probing material nonlinearity at various depths by time reversal mirrors. Appl. Phys. Lett. 104(14), 144102 (2014)Payan, C., Ulrich, T.J., Le Bas, P.Y., Saleh, T., Guimaraes, M.: Quantitative linear and nonlinear resonance inspection techniques and analysis for material characterization: application to concrete thermal damage. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 136(2), 537 (2014)Payan, C., Garnier, V., Moysan, J., Johnson, P.: Applying nonlinear resonant ultrasound spectroscopy to improving thermal damage assessment in concrete. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 121(4), EL125 (2007)Yim, H.J., Kim, J.H., Park, S.J., Kwak, H.G.: Characterization of thermally damaged concrete using a nonlinear ultrasonic method. Cem. Concr. Res. 42(11), 1438 (2012)Borrachero, M.V., Payá, J., Bonilla, M., Monzó, J.: The use of thermogravimetric analysis technique for the characterization of construction materials. J. Therm. Anal. Calorim. 91, 503–509 (2008)Genovés, V., Soriano, L., Borrachero, M., Eiras, J., Payá, J.: Preliminary study on short-term sulphate attack evaluation by non-linear impact resonance acoustic spectroscopy technique. Constr. Build. Mater. 78, 295 (2015)Krautkrämer, J., Krautkrämer, H.: Ultrasonic Testing of Materials. Springer, New York (1983)Gaydecki, P.A., Burdekin, F.M., Damaj, W., John, D.G.: The propagation and attenuation of medium-frequency ultrasonic waves in concrete: a signal analytical approach. Meas. Sci. Technol. 3(1), 126 (1992

La maternidad como estrategia política en el feminismo ecuatoriano

En este ensayo se reflexiona sobre las particularidades del discurso feminista ecuatoriano a partir de los aportes de Zoila Ugarte de Landívar (1864-1969) y Nela Martínez Espinosa (1912-2004). Para ello se analiza el modo en que la maternidad se maneja en sus artículos periodísticos desde el concepto de esencialismo estratégico. Los discursos analizados revelan la complejidad de un pensamiento latinoamericano propio dentro del cual el protagonismo simbólico de la maternidad no se da únicamente dentro de un marco de subordinación femenina, sino que también conecta con el valor otorgado a la sostenibilidad de la vida a través del cuidado

Melatonin and its brain metabolite N1‐acetyl‐5‐methoxykynuramine prevent mitochondrial nitric oxide synthase induction in parkinsonian mice

Producción CientíficaMelatonin prevents mitochondrial failure in models of sepsis through its ability to inhibit the expression and activity of both cytosolic (iNOS) and mitochondrial (i-mtNOS) inducible nitric oxide synthases. Because Parkinson's disease (PD), like sepsis, is associated with iNOS induction, we assessed the existence of changes in iNOS/i-mtNOS and their relation with mitochondrial dysfunction in the MPTP model of PD, which also displays increased iNOS expression. We also evaluated the role of melatonin (aMT) and its brain metabolite, N(1)-acetyl-5-methoxykynuramine (AMK), in preventing i-mtNOS induction and mitochondrial failure in this model of PD. Mitochondria from substantia nigra (SN) and, to a lesser extent, from striatum (ST) showed a significant increase in i-mtNOS activity, nitrite levels, oxidative stress, and complex I inhibition after MPTP treatment. MPTP-induced i-mtNOS was probably related to mitochondrial failure, because its prevention by aMT and AMK reduced oxidative/nitrosative stress and restored complex I activity. These findings represent the first experimental evidence of a potential role for i-mtNOS in the mitochondrial failure of PD and support a novel mechanism in the neuroprotective effects of aMT and AMK

Fengycin and the amyloid TasA of Bacillus subtilis stimulates the growth and immunization of plants by targeting the seed storages

Beneficial microbes are known to stimulate the germination of the seeds; however, the exact mechanisms mediating these interactions are only beginning. Bacillus subtilis is a commonly detected member of the plant holobiont and provides multifaceted traits to the plant health. In this work, we demonstrated that B. subtilis triggered genetic and physiological responses in seeds that resulted in changes in the metabolic and developmental status of adult plants. A multidisciplinary approach based on microscopy, transcriptomics and metabolomics demonstrated that the chemically diverse extracellular matrix of Bacillus structurally cooperate in bacterial colonization of the seed storage tissues. The amyloid protein TasA and fengycin, two components of the extracellular matrix differentially stimulated levels of ROS inside seeds after imbibition and targeted the oil bodies of the seed endosperm, provoking specific changes in lipid metabolism or accumulation of glutathione-related molecules that resulted in two different plant growth programs: the development of seed radicles or major growth and immunization of adult plants. Our findings prove the versatility of the bacterial ECM in establishing a mutualistic interaction with plants.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Genetic connectivity between Atlantic bluefin tuna (ABFT) Larvae Spawned in the GOM and MED

Highly migratory Atlantic bluefin tuna (ABFT) is managed as two stocks, Western and Eastern. Western ABFT spawn mainly in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) and Eastern ABFT in the Mediterranean Sea (MED) (1). Understanding connectivity between ABFT populations is important for conservation and management of this valuable fishery resource that has been exploited for centuries. ABFT are highly mixed, with multiple disciplines supporting weak structuring between Western and Eastern stocks (1). Concerning genetics, subtle structuring of ABFT populations across the Atlantic Ocean has been the conclusion of studies describing genetic tools for traceability (2,3). Larval fish provide the genetic signal of successful breeders and have occasionally been genetically characterized with juveniles (young-of-the-year, YOY) collected in nursery areas. For the first time, cooperative field collection of tuna larvae during 2014 in the main spawning area for each stock enabled us to assess the structuring of ABFT genetic diversity in a precise temporal and spatial frame exclusively through larvae (5). Partitioning of genetic diversity at nuclear microsatellite loci and in the mitochondrial control region resulted in low significant fixation indices. Individual-based clustering analysis of larval ABFT genetic diversity indicate apparent connectivity between the GOM and MED spawning grounds that could support the hypothesis of mixing of breeders belonging to different stocks.This collaborative study was supported by "ECOLATUN" PROJECT CTM2015-68473-R (MINECO/FEDER) funded by Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness; "TUNAGEN" project funded by IEO; and "BLUEFIN" project financed by IEO and Balearic Island Observing and Forecasting System (SOCIB). This research was funded by NASA (NNX11AP76G S07), the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Science Service through the Southeast Fisheries Science Center, as well as by Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies under Cooperative Agreement NA15OAR43200064 at the University of Miami. There was no additional external funding received for this study. The scientific results and conclusions, as well as any views or opinions expressed herein, are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of NOAA or the Department of Commerce

Influence of the Seasonal Thermocline on the Vertical Distribution of Larval Fish Assemblages Associated with Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Spawning Grounds

Temperature is often an important variable influencing the vertical position of fish larvae in the water column. The same species may show different vertical distributions in areas with a strong near-surface seasonal thermocline compared to isothermal near-surface regions. In areas with a strong surface thermocline, tuna larvae show a significant preference for the near-surface warmer layers. Little is known regarding larval tuna vertical distribution in isothermal waters and on the vertical distribution of the associated larval fish assemblages. We conducted vertical stratified sampling using the same methodology and fishing device (MOCNESS) in the two major spawning areas of Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT): western Mediterranean Sea (MED), characterized by a surface thermocline, and the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) which lacks thermal stratification. Tuna larvae occupied the upper 30 m in both areas, but the average larval depth distribution was consistently deeper in the GOM. In the MED, vertical distribution of larval fish assemblages was explained by temperature, and species such as BFT, Thunnus alalunga, and Ceratoscopelus maderensis, among others, coexist above the thermocline and are separated from species such as Cyclothone braueri and Hygophum spp. (found below the thermocline). In the GOM, the environmental correlates of the vertical distribution of the larvae were salinity and fluorescence. Mesopelagic taxa such as Ceratoscopelus spp. and Cyclothone spp., among others, had a shallower average distribution than Lampanyctus spp., Hygophum spp., and Myctophum spp.Versión del edito