Long-Term Nightshift Work and Breast Cancer Risk: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis with Special Attention to Menopausal Status and to Recent Nightshift Work

Conceptualization, B.P.-G., C.S. and A.M.P.-F.; methodology, B.P.-G., A.M.P.-F. and C.S. validation, B.P.-G., N.F.d.L., R.P.-B. and V.L; formal analysis, A.M.P.-F., R.P.-B. and C.S.; investigation, A.M.P.-F., R.P.-B. and C.S. resources, B.P.-G. and M.P., data curation, A.M.P.-F. and C.S.; writing—original draft preparation, C.S. and B.P.-G.; writing—review and editing R.P.-B., V.L., N.F.d.L., J.J.J.-M. and M.P.; visualization, A.M.P.-F., B.P.-G., R.P.-B. and C.S.; supervision, B.P.-G., M.P. and J.J.J.-M.; project administration, B.P.-G. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.This systematic review discusses long-term NSW and female BC risk, with special attention to differences between pre-and postmenopausal BC, to test the association with recent NSW. The review follows PRISMA guidelines (Prospero registry: CRD42018102515). We searched PubMed, Embase, and WOS for case–control, nested case–control, and cohort studies addressing long-term NSW (≥15 years) as risk exposure and female BC as outcome until 31 December 2020. Risk of bias was evaluated with the Newcastle–Ottawa scale. Eighteen studies were finally in-cluded (eight cohorts; five nested case–control; five case–control). We performed meta-analyses on long-term NSW and BC risk; overall and by menopausal status; a subanalysis on recent long-term NSW, based on studies involving predominantly women below retirement age; and a dose– response meta-analysis on NSW duration. The pooled estimate for long-term NSW and BC was 1.13 (95%CI = 1.01–1.27; 18 studies, I2 = 56.8%, p = 0.002). BC risk increased 4.7% per 10 years of NSW (95%CI = 0.94–1.09; 16 studies, I2 = 33.4%, p = 0.008). The pooled estimate for premenopausal BC was 1.27 (95%CI = 0.96–1.68; six studies, I2 = 32.0%, p = 0.196) and for postmenopausal BC 1.05 (95%CI = 0.90–1.24, I2 = 52.4%; seven studies, p = 0.050). For recent long-term exposure, the pooled estimate was 1.23 (95%CI = 1.06–1.42; 15 studies; I2 = 48.4%, p = 0.018). Our results indicate that long-term NSW increases the risk for BC and that menopausal status and time since exposure might be relevant

WEASEL: Vodafone Corporate Semantic Web

The 2006 Gartner emerging technology curve highlights the relevance of the Corporate Semantic Web as one of the most promising IT areas in the next five years. The work presented herein describes WEASEL, an initiative funded by Vodafone to apply and evaluate such technology in the context of a large multinational company. This scenario comprises a number of heterogeneous web sites containing unstructured and related, but physically decoupled, information which needs common models that provide unified ways of representing information across the different sources, i.e. ontologies. Three main milestones were defined for WEASEL: the creation of a domain ontology, the extraction of information from the different sources and its semantic annotation and aggregation, and the creation of a new web site containing a semantic search engine which provides natural interfaces for retrieving the aggregated information. WEASEL concluded with its evaluation by Vodafone

On the Prediction of Upwelling Events at the Colombian Caribbean Coasts from Modis-SST Imagery

The upwelling cores on the Caribbean Colombian coasts are mainly located at the Peninsula de la Guajira and Cabo de la Aguja. We used monthly averaged Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sea surface temperature as the only information to build up a prediction model for the upwelling events. This comprised two steps: (i) the reduction of the complexity by means of the Karhunen–Loève transform and (ii) a prediction model of time series. Two prediction models were considered: (a) a parametric autoregressive-moving average (ARMA) time series from the Box–Jenkins methodology and (b) a harmonic synthesis model. The harmonic synthesis also comprised of two steps: the maximum entropy spectral analysis and a least-squares harmonic analysis on the set of frequencies. The parametric ARMA time series model failed at the time of prediction with a very narrow range, and it was quite di cult to apply. The harmonic synthesis allowed prediction with a horizon of six months with a correlation of about 0.80. The results can be summarized using the time series of the weights of the di erent oscillation modes, their spatial structures with the nodal lines, and a high confidence model with a horizon of prediction of about four months

Preliminary Study of the Psychometric Properties of a Questionnaire to Assess Spanish Canoeists’ Perceptions of the Sport System’s Capacity for Talent Development in Women’s Canoeing

Given the importance of sport at a global level, the competitiveness of sport systems is a determining factor in attracting resources from different sectors. Competitiveness is largely measured by the athletes’ level. Therefore, the production of competitive talent is an aspect that occupies the managers of different sports systems. This study analyzed the factor structure and reliability of a questionnaire for the evaluation of the perceptions of actors of a sport (canoeing) on the ability of the national system to produce talent in one of its modalities recently incorporated in the Olympic Games (OG) of Tokyo 2021. The sample consisted of 167 individuals linked to Spanish canoeing, who responded to the questionnaire “Evaluation of the current position in canoeing-sport with regard to talent” of the International Canoe Federation (ICF). Exploratory, confirmatory and reliability factor analyses were performed. The results showed a one-dimensional factor structure composed of seven items, with good and excellent goodness-of-fit values and high reliability (McDonald’s Omega = 0.82). Thus, the ICF questionnaire can be considered a quick and easy to apply tool to analyze the perceptions about the development of talent in canoeing in order to take actions for the recruitment, promotion and development of talent. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

Toenail zinc as a biomarker: Relationship with sources of environmental exposure and with genetic variability in MCC-Spain study

Background: Toenails are commonly used as biomarkers of exposure to zinc (Zn), but there is scarce information about their relationship with sources of exposure to Zn. Objectives: To investigate the main determinants of toenail Zn, including selected sources of environmental exposure to Zn and individual genetic variability in Zn metabolism. Methods: We determined toenail Zn by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in 3,448 general population controls from the MultiCase-Control study MCC-Spain. We assessed dietary and supplement Zn intake using food frequency questionnaires, residential proximity to Zn-emitting industries and residential topsoil Zn levels through interpolation methods. We constructed a polygenic score of genetic variability based on 81 single nucleotide polymorphisms in genes involved in Zn metabolism. Geometric mean ratios of toenail Zn across categories of each determinant were estimated from multivariate linear regression models on log-transformed toenail Zn. Results: Geometric mean toenail Zn was 104.1 μg/g in men and 100.3 μg/g in women. Geometric mean toenail Zn levels were 7 % lower (95 % confidence interval 1–13 %) in men older than 69 years and those in the upper tertile of fibre intake, and 9 % higher (3–16 %) in smoking men. Women residing within 3 km from Zn-emitting industries had 4 % higher geometric mean toenail Zn levels (0–9 %). Dietary Zn intake and polygenic score were unrelated to toenail Zn. Overall, the available determinants only explained 9.3 % of toenail Zn variability in men and 4.8 % in women. Discussion: Sociodemographic factors, lifestyle, diet, and environmental exposure explained little of the individual variability of toenail Zn in the study population. The available genetic variants related to Zn metabolism were not associated with toenail Zn

Exercise for People with Acquired Brain Injury: An ICF Perspective.

Exercise is an important element in the process of recovery from an acquired brain injury (ABI). However, specific guidance for exercise prescription and interventions in this population are missed. The aim of this study was to establish the key parameters to design and implement exercise programs based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) domains. A panel of experts that consisted of 13 professionals from neuro-rehabilitation centers evaluated the key parameters of this original proposal. The Heinemann methodology was used for all qualitative analyses. Additionally, Cronbach’s alpha was applied to the statistical analyses. According to the results, Cronbach’s alpha (0.97) indicated excellent internal consistency, and the experts perceptions ratified the proposed criteria to develop exercise programs for people with ABI. The proposed key parameters for the development of exercise programs for people with ABI based in ICF domains (body functions, activity—participation and environmental factors) bring a new, solid, and innovative tool for methodological design of these programs in sub-acute and chronic rehabilitation settings.pre-print1011 K

Management System for Harvest Scheduling: The Case of Horticultural Production in Southeast Spain

This article analyzes the programming of farm production, understood not only as the choice among several crops, but also as their temporal distribution. The empirical study takes as a reference the horticultural sector in southeast Spain, since this area constitutes the highest concentration of small-scale farm production in Europe, where the climatic conditions allow the possibility of several harvests in year-round production, as well as several alternative crops. Firstly, we study the production programming for an individual farmer, under the assumption that their decisions do not affect the balance of market prices. In this case a modified Markowitz model is used for the scheduling of crop marketing. Secondly, we study the sales arrangements for a farming-marketing cooperative, under the assumption that their sales volume is such that the entity is capable of altering the market balance. A model of monthly revenues and margins is proposed, and the results show a clear improvement in both margins and revenues if the harvest is programmed in this way

Intensive Horticulture in Almería (Spain): A Counterpoint to Current European Rural Policy Strategies

Much of the recently published literature in Europe on rural development tends to focus on de-agrarianization and multifunctionality in rural livelihoods as a way to generate employ- ment and incomes. This paper analyses the case of Almería (Spain), an exception to this general rule. Almería, once one of the poorest Spanish provinces, has become the most affluent province in Andalusia and ranks now about average in Spain. This fast growth rate was achieved thanks to the development of intensive horticulture and its processes of change from the 1970s to the present day, due to the factors reviewed in the present study.This success story is a counterpoint to current European rural development strategies that consider the promotion of agriculture a mistake and advocate instead the economic diversification of farms

Retail price rigidity in perishable food products: a case study

Why are retailers less likely to vary sale prices of food products when the price paid to the farmer falls than when it rises? As far as perishable goods are concerned, this behavior is usually related to the retailer’s bargaining power. With a view to analyzing the question in greater depth, this study presents a simplified framework considering an ideal scenario in which the retailer wishes to maintain balanced profits due to external pressures or other factors, such as a competitive distribution market. In the face of changing supply, the price-fixing decision of the distributor may also depend on the risk, measured by the relationship between demand elasticity and variable costs, as a result of uncertainty in consumer response to price variations. The simulation of these scenarios is carried out taking as reference the Spanish tomato market. The results of these applications allow to see that despite a relaxation of bargaining power, price asymmetry is not avoided. This work shows the difficulty for suppliers and retailers to reach agreements which could result in competitive advantages