Interindividual deprivation, close and remote individuals

In assessing relative deprivation, the classical approach considers that individuals compare their income with each and every income of the distribution, and assign equal weight to these comparisons. In this paper we propose a more realistic alternative approach to obtain individual deprivation. We assume that the deprivation of the individual depends, to a greater extent, on the situation of those who are part of their social environment (neighbors, colleagues, family, or, in general, the individual’s reference group) rather than on the situation of those in an unattainable situation from the individual’s point of view. In developing their aspirations, individuals focus on the group to which they belong or at least, they feel they are likely to belong to. As a particular case, our proposal includes the classical approach, allowing us to explain some situations that do not fall under the assumptions of that approach.Financial support from the Spanish Institute for Fiscal Studies

Desigualdad, bienestar y estadísticos ordenados

En este trabajo se definen, a partir de las distribuciones de los estadísticos ordenados, funciones que cumplen las propiedades adecuadas para representar las preferencias sociales en relación a las distribuciones de renta. Ello permite, aplicando el enfoque de Yaari (1987, 1988), construir un conjunto de funciones de bienestar social, de las que se derivan sus correspondientes índices de desigualdad. Las medidas así obtenidas incorporan criterios normativos muy diversos, con diferentes grados de preferencia por la igualdad. Se obtienen, como casos particulares, los índices de Gini generalizados (Kakwani (1980), Donaldson y Weymarck (1980, 1983), Yitzhaki (1983)) y la familia de índices propuesta en Aaberge (2000). El enfoque utilizado demuestra que cada una de estas familias de índices caracteriza la distribución de la renta, salvo un cambio de escal

“What is proper to man”. Notes on the anthropology of Ratzinger

En las reflexiones recogidas en este artículo deseamos esbozar los elementos del misterio del hombre presente en el corazón y la teología de Joseph Ratzinger. Se mostrará que el amor es una de las claves que permite al hombre conocerse y comprenderse a sí mismo con relación a otros y a Dios. Desde esta categoría, Ratzinger ilumina la esencia del hombre y presenta una perspectiva más profunda de su realidad.In the reflections collected in this article we want to outline the elements of the mystery of man present in the heart and theology of Joseph Ratzinger. It will be shown that love is one of the keys that allows man to know and understand himself in relation to others and to God. From this category, Ratzinger illuminates the essence of man and presents a deeper perspective of his reality.peerReviewe

Social transfer policies and child poverty in European countries: Evaluating policy alternatives through a multiobjective programming model

Child poverty remains a significant concern across Europe and citizens regard policy interventions that effec- tively address this issue to be of utmost importance. In this work, we analyse the potential of social transfer policy alternatives to alleviate child and overall poverty simultaneously in European countries. Using a logistic regression to define the objective functions and constraints, we rely on multiobjective programming to assess key features of national social transfer systems that can minimize child and overall poverty and tend to equal both levels downwards. Taking into account the starting levels of each country, the results underline the importance of finding an adequate combination of pro-child and pro-poor targeting of social transfer policies. For most Eu- ropean countries, an increase in the level of cash benefits for children is advisable – particularly universal benefits – except in Croatia, the Netherlands, and Norway. Nonetheless, in France, Greece, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Spain, the recommended proportion of GDP allocated to universal cash benefits is lower than the proportion allocated to means-tested benefits. In this regard, our research provides an innovative approach for policymakers to optimize poverty reduction strategies by contributing valuable insights for the design and implementation of effective social transfer policies to combat child and overall poverty in European countries.Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málaga/CBU

Methods to study adult hippocampal neurogenesis in humans and across the phylogeny

The hippocampus hosts the continuous addition of new neurons throughout life—a phenomenon named adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN). Here we revisit the occurrence of AHN in more than 110 mammalian species, including humans, and discuss the further validation of these data by single-cell RNAseq and other alternative techniques. In this regard, our recent studies have addressed the long-standing controversy in the field, namely whether cells positive for AHN markers are present in the adult human dentate gyrus (DG). Here we review how we developed a tightly controlled methodology, based on the use of high-quality brain samples (characterized by short postmortem delays and ≤24 h of fixation in freshly prepared 4% paraformaldehyde), to address human AHN. We review that the detection of AHN markers in samples fixed for 24 h required mild antigen retrieval and chemical elimination of autofluorescence. However, these steps were not necessary for samples subjected to shorter fixation periods. Moreover, the detection of labile epitopes (such as Nestin) in the human hippocampus required the use of mild detergents. The application of this strictly controlled methodology allowed reconstruction of the entire AHN process, thus revealing the presence of neural stem cells, proliferative progenitors, neuroblasts, and immature neurons at distinct stages of differentiation in the human DG. The data reviewed here demonstrate that methodology is of utmost importance when studying AHN by means of distinct techniques across the phylogenetic scale. In this regard, we summarize the major findings made by our group that emphasize that overlooking fundamental technical principles might have consequences for any given research fieldAssociation for Frontotemporal Degeneration; Banco de Santander; Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases; Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT), Grant/Award Number: 385084; European Research Council, Grant/Award Number: ERC-CoG2020-101001916; Fundacion Ram on Areces; Secretaria de Educacion, Ciencia Tecnología e Innovacion (SECTEI) of the Regional Government of Ciudad de México (CDMX), Grant/Award Number: SECTEI/159/2021; Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, Grant/Award Numbers: PID2020-113007RB-I00, RYC-2015-171899, SAF-2017-82185-R; The Alzheimer's Association, Grant/Award Numbers: 2015-NIRG-340709, AARG-17-528125, AARG-17-528125-RAPI

Efficacy of prompted voiding for reversing urinary incontinence in older adults hospitalized in a functional recovery unit: Study protocol

Aims: To assess the efficacy of a prompted voiding programme for restoring urinary continence at discharge in hospitalized older adults who presented with reversible urinary incontinence (UI) on admission to a functional recovery unit (FRU). To assess the maintenance of the outcomes achieved after hospitalization. To identify modifiable and unmodifiable factors associated with the success of the prompted voiding programme. Design: Quasi-experimental, pre-/post-intervention study without a control group. Methods: Participants were aged 65 and over with a history of reversible UI in the previous year who had been admitted to a FRU and were on a prompted voiding programme throughout their hospitalization period. The sample consisted of 221 participants. A non-probabilistic sampling method, in order of recruitment after signing the informed consent form, was used. The primary outcomes were UI assessed at discharge and 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after discharge. Funding was granted in July 2019 by the Spain Health Research Fund (PI19/00168, Ministry of Health). The proposal was approved by the Spanish Research Ethics Committee. Discussion: The prompted voiding programme described can reverse UI or decrease the frequency and amount of urine loss in hospitalized older adults. Impact: Urinary incontinence is highly prevalent in hospitalized older adults. There is a need for care aimed at prevention, recovery and symptom control. Prompted voiding is a therapy provided by the nursing team during hospitalization and can also be provided by family caregivers at home after receiving proper training by the nursing team. Prompted voiding will enhance the health, functional ability and quality of life of older adults with UI, resulting in the reduction of associated healthcare costs and the risk of developing complicationsThis study has been funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III through the project “PI19/00168” (Co-funded by European Regional Development Fund/ European Social Fund “A way to make Europe”/“Investing in your future”

Espectroscopia en el infrarrojo cercano (NIRS) como herramienta para el control de calidad y trazabilidad de la carne de tenca (Tinca tinca)

La composición nutricional de la dieta afecta directamente a la calidad final de la carne de tenca (Tinca tinca L.). Así, en los últimos años se ha apostado por sustituir el componente proteico de los piensos por alternativas vegetales más sostenibles. El diseño experimental del cual deriva este estudio consistió en sustituciones de harina de pescado ecológica por diferentes porcentajes de harina de soja ecológica y harina de soja pregerminada. Por tanto, el objetivo fue evaluar la capacidad de la tecnología espectroscópica de reflectancia en el infrarrojo cercano (NIRS) por reflectancia para la clasificación de la carne de tenca de acuerdo al tipo de dieta empleada y la cuantificación de los principales parámetros nutricionales. Se utilizaron diferentes pre-tratamientos espectrales previo a las regresiones por mínimos cuadrados parciales para predicciones cualitativas (PLS-DA) y cuantitativas (PLSR). El mejor modelo PLS-DA mostró una precisión para la clasificación del 97,5 % en validación cruzada; mientras que el mejor modelo PLSR mostró una buena capacidad predictiva para la materia seca (g/100 g), grasa (g/100 g Materia seca), y γ-tocoferol (mg/g materia seca) (0,689 ≤ R2vc ≤ 0,804), sugiriendo la posibilidad de realizar un control rápido e in situ de la trazabilidad y calidad de la carne de tenca mediante la tecnología NIRS.Programa PLEAMAR de la Fundación Biodiversidad “Gestión Sostenible de la Acuicultura Ecológica: Optimización de las estrategias de alimentación en la producción ecológica de ten c

Multicentric Standardization of Protocols for the Diagnosis of Human Mitochondrial Respiratory Chain Defects

The study was conducted according to the guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Institutional Review Board of each institution: IBC U737 (C0000128), HCL U722 (HCB2017/0808), 12O U723 (CEI:18/487), VH U701 (PR(IR)63/2016) and UPO U729 (C.I. 2768-N-21)The quantification of mitochondrial respiratory chain (MRC) enzymatic activities is essential for diagnosis of a wide range of mitochondrial diseases, ranging from inherited defects to secondary dysfunctions. MRC lesion is frequently linked to extended cell damage through the generation of proton leak or oxidative stress, threatening organ viability and patient health. However, the intrinsic challenge of a methodological setup and the high variability in measuring MRC enzymatic activities represents a major obstacle for comparative analysis amongst institutions. To improve experimental and statistical robustness, seven Spanish centers with extensive experience in mitochondrial research and diagnosis joined to standardize common protocols for spectrophotometric MRC enzymatic measurements using minimum amounts of sample. Herein, we present the detailed protocols, reference ranges, tips and troubleshooting methods for experimental and analytical setups in different sample preparations and tissues that will allow an international standardization of common protocols for the diagnosis of MRC defects. Methodological standardization is a crucial step to obtain comparable reference ranges and international standards for laboratory assays to set the path for further diagnosis and research in the field of mitochondrial diseasesThis work was supported by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), grants FIS PI17/00021, PI17/00359, PI18/00498, PI18/00451, PI18/01374, PI19/01772, PI20/00541, PI21/00229, PI21/00381 and PI21/00935 (ISCIII-FEDER “Cofinanciado por la Unión Europea”), Fundació Privada Cellex, Junta de Andalucía (UPO-1262247) and Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MCINN) grant PID2019-110320RBI00. All participant centers are integrated in the Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER), Sección de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER, an initiative of ISCIII), which is the founder of this present methodological stud

Multicentric Standardization of protocols for the diagnosis of human mitochondrial respiratory chain defects

The quantification of mitochondrial respiratory chain (MRC) enzymatic activities is essential for diagnosis of a wide range of mitochondrial diseases, ranging from inherited defects to secondary dysfunctions. MRC lesion is frequently linked to extended cell damage through the generation of proton leak or oxidative stress, threatening organ viability and patient health. However, the intrinsic challenge of a methodological setup and the high variability in measuring MRC enzymatic activities represents a major obstacle for comparative analysis amongst institutions. To improve experimental and statistical robustness, seven Spanish centers with extensive experience in mitochondrial research and diagnosis joined to standardize common protocols for spectrophotometric MRC enzymatic measurements using minimum amounts of sample. Herein, we present the detailed protocols, reference ranges, tips and troubleshooting methods for experimental and analytical setups in different sample preparations and tissues that will allow an international standardization of common protocols for the diagnosis of MRC defects. Methodological standardization is a crucial step to obtain comparable reference ranges and international standards for laboratory assays to set the path for further diagnosis and research in the field of mitochondrial diseases

A logistic model for the detection of circulating tumour cells in human metastatic colorectal cancer

The accuracy in the diagnosis of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) represents one of the challenges in the clinical management of patients. The detection of circulating tumour cells (CTC) is becoming a promising alternative to current detection techniques, as it focuses on one of the players of the metastatic disease and it should provide with more specific and sensitive detection rates. Here, we describe an improved method of detection of CTC from mCRC patients by combining immune-enrichment, optimal purification of RNA from very low cell numbers, and the selection of accurate PCR probes. As a result, we obtained a logistic model that combines GAPDH and VIL1 normalized to CD45 rendering powerful results in the detection of CTC from mCRC patients (AUROC value 0.8599). We further demonstrated the utility of this model at the clinical setting, as a reliable prognosis tool to determine progression-free survival in mCRC patients. Overall, we developed a strategy that ameliorates the specificity and sensitivity in the detection of CTC, resulting in a robust and promising logistic model for the clinical management of metastatic colorectal cancer patients.Ministerio de Sanidad, Consumo y Bienestar Social. Beca número: CP08/00142Programa Comisión Europea Fondo Europeo de Desarollo Regional (FEDER