Attitudes of undergraduate nursing students to cultural diversity: (Portuguese-Spanish) in a transboundary context.

Our main goal was to identify the attitudes of nursing students to cultural diversity in a healthcare setting, and find the potential relationship between this and the students' national background and their knowledge of cultural diversity. A descriptive observational study comparing two culturally different populations within a cross-border area (Algarve-Huelva) was conducted. The attitudes of the participants were measured across six categories: this study will describe the most significant ones. The cultural context is essential to the development of attitudes to immigration. Nursing care is a communicative act and encountering the "other" the core of the nursing professionals' work. (C) 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd

Synthetically induced Arabidopsis thaliana autotetraploids provide insights into the analysis of meiotic mutants with altered crossover frequency

Mutations affecting crossover (CO) frequency and distribution lead to the presence of univalents during meiosis, giving rise to aneuploid gametes and sterility. These mutations may have a different effect after chromosome doubling. The combination of altered ploidy and mutations could be potentially useful to gain new insights into the mechanisms and regulation of meiotic recombination; however, studies using autopolyploid meiotic mutants are scarce. Here, we have analyzed the cytogenetic consequences in colchicine-induced autotetraploids (colchiploids) from different Arabidopsis mutants with an altered CO frequency. We have found that there are three types of mutants: mutants in which chiasma frequency is doubled after chromosome duplication (zip4, mus81), as in the control; mutants in which polyploidy leads to a higher-than-expected increase in chiasma frequency (asy1, mer3, hei10, and mlh3); and mutants in which the rise in chiasma frequency produced by the presence of two extrachromosomal sets is less than doubled (msh5, fancm). In addition, the proportion of class I/class II COs varies after chromosome duplication in the control. The results obtained reveal the potential of colchiploid meiotic mutants for better understanding of the function of key proteins during plant meiosis. This is especially relevant considering that most crops are polyploids.Depto. de Genética, Fisiología y MicrobiologíaFac. de Ciencias BiológicasTRUEpu

Emergence of hyperons in failed supernovae: trigger of the black hole formation

We investigate the emergence of strange baryons in the dynamical collapse of a non-rotating massive star to a black hole by the neutrino-radiation hydrodynamical simulations in general relativity. By following the dynamical formation and collapse of nascent proto-neutron star from the gravitational collapse of a 40Msun star adopting a new hyperonic EOS table, we show that the hyperons do not appear at the core bounce but populate quickly at ~0.5-0.7 s after the bounce to trigger the re-collapse to a black hole. They start to show up off center owing to high temperatures and later prevail at center when the central density becomes high enough. The neutrino emission from the accreting proto-neutron star with the hyperonic EOS stops much earlier than the corresponding case with a nucleonic EOS while the average energies and luminosities are quite similar between them. These features of neutrino signal are a potential probe of the emergence of new degrees of freedom inside the black hole forming collapse.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ

Projected Impact of Mexico’s Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax Policy on Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease: A Modeling Study

Background: Rates of diabetes in Mexico are among the highest worldwide. In 2014, Mexico instituted a nationwide tax on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) in order to reduce the high level of SSB consumption, a preventable cause of diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD). We used an established computer simulation model of CVD and country-specific data on demographics, epidemiology, SSB consumption, and short-term changes in consumption following the SSB tax in order to project potential long-range health and economic impacts of SSB taxation in Mexico. Methods and Findings: We used the Cardiovascular Disease Policy Model–Mexico, a state transition model of Mexican adults aged 35–94 y, to project the potential future effects of reduced SSB intake on diabetes incidence, CVD events, direct diabetes healthcare costs, and mortality over 10 y. Model inputs included short-term changes in SSB consumption in response to taxation (price elasticity) and data from government and market research surveys and public healthcare institutions. Two main scenarios were modeled: a 10% reduction in SSB consumption (corresponding to the reduction observed after tax implementation) and a 20% reduction in SSB consumption (possible with increases in taxation levels and/or additional measures to curb consumption). Given uncertainty about the degree to which Mexicans will replace calories from SSBs with calories from other sources, we evaluated a range of values for calorie compensation. We projected that a 10% reduction in SSB consumption with 39% calorie compensation among Mexican adults would result in about 189,300 (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 155,400–218,100) fewer incident type 2 diabetes cases, 20,400 fewer incident strokes and myocardial infarctions, and 18,900 fewer deaths occurring from 2013 to 2022. This scenario predicts that the SSB tax could save Mexico 983 million international dollars (95% UI $769 million–$1,173 million). The largest relative and absolute reductions in diabetes and CVD events occurred in the youngest age group modeled (35–44 y). This study’s strengths include the use of an established mathematical model of CVD and use of contemporary Mexican vital statistics, data from health surveys, healthcare costs, and SSB price elasticity estimates as well as probabilistic and deterministic sensitivity analyses to account for uncertainty. The limitations of the study include reliance on US-based studies for certain inputs where Mexico-specific data were lacking (specifically the associations between risk factors and CVD outcomes [from the Framingham Heart Study] and SSB calorie compensation assumptions), limited data on healthcare costs other than those related to diabetes, and lack of information on long-term SSB price elasticity that is specific to geographic and economic subgroups. Conclusions: Mexico’s high diabetes prevalence represents a public health crisis. While the long-term impact of Mexico’s SSB tax is not yet known, these projections, based on observed consumption reductions, suggest that Mexico’s SSB tax may substantially decrease morbidity and mortality from diabetes and CVD while reducing healthcare costs

Prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus and Its Associated Unfavorable Outcomes in Patients With Acute Respiratory Syndromes Due to Coronaviruses Infection: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Introduction: Only 3 types of coronavirus cause aggressive respiratory disease in humans (MERS-Cov, SARS-Cov-1, and SARS-Cov-2). It has been reported higher infection rates and severe manifestations (ICU admission, need for mechanical ventilation, and death) in patients with comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus (DM). For this reason, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of diabetes comorbidity and its associated unfavorable health outcomes in patients with acute respiratory syndromes for coronavirus disease according to virus types. Methods: Systematic review of literature in Pubmed/Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Scielo until April of 2020. We included cohort and cross-sectional studies with no restriction by language or geographical zone. The selection and extraction were undertaken by 2 reviewers, independently. The study quality was evaluated with Loney’s instrument and data were synthesized by random effects model meta-analysis. The heterogeneity was quantified using an I2 statistic. Funnel plot, Egger, and Begg tests were used to evaluate publication biases, and subgroups and sensitivity analyses were performed. Finally, we used the GRADE approach to assess the evidence certainty (PROSPERO: CRD42020178049). Results: We conducted the pooled analysis of 28 studies (n = 5960). The prevalence analysis according to virus type were 451.9 diabetes cases per 1000 infected patients (95% CI: 356.74-548.78; I2 = 89.71%) in MERS-Cov; 90.38 per 1000 (95% CI: 67.17-118.38) in SARS-Cov-1; and 100.42 per 1000 (95% CI: 77.85, 125.26 I2 = 67.94%) in SARS-Cov-2. The mortality rate were 36%, 6%, 10% and for MERS-Cov, SARS-Cov-1, and SARS-Cov-2, respectively. Due to the high risk of bias (75% of studies had very low quality), high heterogeneity (I2 higher than 60%), and publication bias (for MERS-Cov studies), we down rate the certainty to very low. Conclusion: The prevalence of DM in patients with acute respiratory syndrome due to coronaviruses is high, predominantly with MERS-Cov infection. The unfavorable health outcomes are frequent in this subset of patients. Well-powered and population-based studies are needed, including detailed DM clinical profile (such as glycemic control, DM complications, and treatment regimens), comorbidities, and SARS-Cov-2 evolution to reevaluate the worldwide prevalence of this comorbidity and to typify clinical phenotypes with differential risk within the subpopulation of DM patients.Revisión por pare

The North Atlantic Oscillation synchronises fruit production in western European forests

Weather and its lagged effects have been associated with interannual variability and synchrony of fruit production for several tree species. Such relationships are used often in hypotheses relating interannual variability in fruit production with tree resources or favourable pollinating conditions and with synchrony in fruit production among sites through the Moran effect (the synchronisation of biological processes among populations driven by meteorological variability) or the local availability of pollen. Climatic teleconnections, such as the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), representing weather packages, however, have rarely been correlated with fruit production, despite often being better predictors of ecological processes than is local weather. The aim of this study was to test the utility of seasonal NAO indices for predicting interannual variability and synchrony in fruit production using data from 76 forests of Abies alba, Fagus sylvatica, Picea abies, Pseudotsuga menziesii, Quercus petraea, and Q. robur distributed across central Europe. Interannual variability in fruit production for all species was significantly correlated with seasonal NAO indices, which were more prominently important predictors than local meteorological variables. The relationships identified by these analyses indicated that proximal causes were mostly responsible for the interannual variability in fruit production, supporting the premise that local tree resources and favourable pollinating conditions are needed to produce large fruit crops. Synchrony in fruit production between forests was mainly associated with weather and geographical distance among sites. Also, fruit production for a given year was less variable among sites during warm and dry springs (negative spring NAO phases). Our results identify the Moran effect as the most likely mechanism for synchronisation of fruit production at large geographical scales and the possibility that pollen availability plays a role in synchronising fruit production at local scales. Our results highlight the influence of the NAO on the patterns of fruit production across western Europe

Health-related quality of life in spanish women with eating disorders

People with eating disorders show impaired health-related quality of life (HRQoL). We aimed to investigate the relative role of physical and mental factors and stage of change as possible predictors of HRQoL in a group of Spanish women (n = 124) with eating disorders. For this purpose, initial and follow-up data were obtained after 6 months from patients attending an outpatient treatment unit for eating disorders. The determinants of the physical and mental domains of the Medical Outcomes Survey Short-form Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire were investigated in the total sample and separately based on the eating disorder diagnosis by multiple linear regression. Lower scores in the physical component of the SF-36 questionnaire were associated with the presence of a higher body mass index (BMI) at follow-up as well as a higher score in the “action” component of the Attitudes towards Change in Eating Disorders Questionnaire (ACTA). Conversely, a higher index in the EuroQoL-5D overall quality of life questionnaire (EQ-5D) and the presence of obsessive compulsive disorder were associated with a higher score in the physical dimension. The instrument used demonstrated the ability to assess changes associated with the physical component of these patients over the period studied, and the analysis provided more information and specific data on different aspects of HRQoL, thus allowing a more detailed analysis of the information.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Temporal stability of soil moisture and radar backscatter observed by the advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR)

The high spatio-temporal variability of soil moisture is the result of atmospheric forcing and redistribution processes related to terrain, soil, and vegetation characteristics. Despite this high variability, many field studies have shown that in the temporal domain soil moisture measured at specific locations is correlated to the mean soil moisture content over an area. Since the measurements taken by Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) instruments are very sensitive to soil moisture it is hypothesized that the temporally stable soil moisture patterns are reflected in the radar backscatter measurements. To verify this hypothesis 73 Wide Swath (WS) images have been acquired by the ENVISAT Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR) over the REMEDHUS soil moisture network located in the Duero basin, Spain. It is found that a time-invariant linear relationship is well suited for relating local scale (pixel) and regional scale (50 km) backscatter. The observed linear model coefficients can be estimated by considering the scattering properties of the terrain and vegetation and the soil moisture scaling properties. For both linear model coefficients, the relative error between observed and modelled values is less than 5 % and the coefficient of determination (R-2) is 86 %. The results are of relevance for interpreting and downscaling coarse resolution soil moisture data retrieved from active (METOP ASCAT) and passive (SMOS, AMSR-E) instruments

Effects of ispaghula husk and guar gum on postprandial glucose and insulin concentrations in healthy subjects

P. 235-243The aim of this study was to evaluate, under the same experimental conditions and in the same subjects, the effects of ispaghula husk and guar gum on postprandial glucose and insulin concentrations in healthy female subjects(ten healthy female volunteers aged 30 ± 48 y with normal body mass indices).S

Universidades y territorios: construcciones en tiempo de pandemia

Las transformaciones suscitadas por el impacto de la pandemia por COVID19 siguen siendo motivo de estudio. Muchos cambios ya han ocurrido, otros siguen sucediendo y otros aparecerán en el futuro. El presente artículo recupera las acciones desarrolladas en relación con la formación docente por tres Universidades de la Provincia de Buenos Aires: Universidad Nacional de General Sarmiento, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata y Universidad Nacional de Hurlingham. El objetivo del trabajo se centra en compartir estas experiencias y mostrar diferentes acciones surgidas entre las universidades y las instituciones de proximidad para dar respuesta a las necesidades educativas del momento. Los supuestos teóricos que subyacen en los relatos constituyen un enfoque compartido. Concebimos una perspectiva acerca de la vinculación como entramado único y distintivo de cada universidad con las instituciones del territorio (Mato, 2009, 2013). Abordamos la comprensión de las experiencias desde la complejidad de los escenarios educativos (Achilli, 2010; Morin 1999; Morin et al., 2003). Sostenemos un posicionamiento acerca de la inclusión tecnológica genuina, progresiva y simultánea con el abordaje de otras realidades (Burbules y Callister, 2006; Maggio, 2018). Los relatos describen acciones implementadas y derivaciones actuales. Se concluye con dimensiones para reflexionar sobre lo ocurrido y proyectar líneas de trabajo. En las descripciones se muestran aspectos vivos que deben comprenderse desde un entramado singular. Las categorías teóricas no resultan suficientes para abarcar lo inesperado de la situación vivida; en estas coyunturas el trabajo colaborativo, el diálogo entre actores, la observación y la reflexión sobre la práctica resultan acciones esenciales.The transformations caused by the COVID19 pandemic continue to be studied. Many changes have occurred, others are occurring, and others will appear in the future. This article recovers actions developed for teacher training by three Universities of the Province of Buenos Aires: National University of General Sarmiento, National University of Mar del Plata and National University of Hurlingham. The objective of the work focuses on sharing these experiences and showing different actions to respond to the educational needs of the moment between universities and local institutions. The theoretical assumptions underlying the stories constitute a shared approach. We conceive a perspective about the relationship of each university with the institutions of the territory as unique and distinctive (Mato, 2009, 2013). We address the understanding of experiences from the complexity of educational contexts (Achilli, 2010; Morin 1999; Morin et al., 2003). We maintain a position on genuine technological inclusion, progressively and simultaneously with the approach of other realities (Burbules & Callister, 2006; Maggio, 2018). The experiences describe implemented actions and present and future referrals. The paper concludes with dimensions to reflect on what happened and project lines of work. The descriptions show living aspects that must be understood from a singular framework. Theoretical categories are not enough to cover the unexpected of the situation experienced. In these situations, collaborative work, dialogue between actors, observation and reflection on practice are essential actions.Fil: Moran, Lourdes. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Centro de Investigaciones en Antropología Filosófica y Cultural; ArgentinaFil: Kap, Miriam Raquel. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; ArgentinaFil: Cerrota, Cecilia. Universidad Nacional de Hurlingham.; ArgentinaFil: Alvarez, Guadalupe. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de General Sarmiento. Instituto del Desarrollo Humano; ArgentinaFil: Perrupato, Sebastian Domingo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; ArgentinaFil: Palladino, Cecilia. Universidad Nacional de Hurlingham.; ArgentinaFil: Fernández, Melina. Universidad Nacional de Hurlingham.; Argentin