Framework for the development of articulatory characterization studies over mri images

En este artículo se presenta un marco de trabajo tecnológico innovador diseñado y desarrollado por nuestro grupo de investigación para posibilitar la realización de estudios de caracterización articulatoria de los sonidos de una lengua a partir de medidas tomadas sobre secuencias de imágenes de cine-MRI. Como elemento fundamental se tiene la herramienta software de producción propia DicomPas, que permite realizar la toma de medidas de parámetros articulatorios sobre las secuencias de imágenes MRI y la ejecución de algoritmos ad hoc sobre dichas medidas, de cara al procesamiento de los datos, con vistas a la posterior extracción del conocimiento, en forma de generación de inferencias estadísticas o de inteligencia artificial. En estos momentos este marco de trabajo está siendo aplicado a la realización de diversos estudios en euskara y español de Euskadi, disponiéndose para ello de una base de datos con dos repositorios de imágenes tomadas en el plano medio sagital, correspondientes a 18 informantes diferentes.In this paper an innovative framework is presented, designed and developed by our research team to enable the accomplishment of research works concerning the articulatory characterization of the sounds of a language from measures taken over MRI image sequences. As fundamental element there is the DicomPas software tool, developed by our team, which allows to carry out the measures of articulatory parameters over the MRI image sequences and the execution of ad hoc algorithms over such measures, facing the data processing, with the view to the subsequent extraction of knowledge, in the form of the generation of statistical or artificial intelligence inferences. This framework is currently being applied to the achievement of diverse studies in Basque and Spanish of the Basque Country. To do so, a database with two repositories of images taken in the midsagittal plane, corresponding to 18 different informants, is available

Binding studies of metal–salphen and metal–bipyridine complexes towards G‐Quadruplex DNA

The proposed in vivo formation of G-quadruplex DNA (G4 DNA) in promoter regions of oncogenes and in telomeres has prompted the development of small molecules with high affinity and selectivity for these structures. Herein we report the synthesis of a new di-substituted bipyridine ligand and the corresponding complexes with Ni2+ and VO2+. Both these new complexes have been characterized spectroscopically and by X-ray crystallography. Detailed DNA binding studies of these two complexes, together with three previously reported metal salphen complexes, are presented. Using FRET melting assays, the binding affinity and selectivity of the five metal complexes against six different G4 DNA structures as well as a duplex DNA have been determined. In addition, we present detailed ITC and UV/Vis studies to characterize the interaction of the complexes with human telomeric G4 DNA. Finally, we show via a polymerase stop assay that these complexes are able to stabilize a G4 DNA structure (from the c-Myc oncogene promoter) and halt the activity of Taq polymerase.UK’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) (grant number: EP/H005285/1

LANGUAGE BARRIERS IN PUBLIC SERVICES IN CATALONIA: THE PROVIDERS’ PERCEPTION

El presente artículo tiene por objeto ofrecer un análisis sobre la cuestión de la comunicación interlingüística en los servicios públicos en Cataluña. Las reflexiones que en él presentamos se basan en los resultados de un estudio realizado a través de encues- tas a trabajadores de los servicios públicos. Los datos recabados nos ofrecen una visión informada de la percepción que los propios trabajadores tienen acerca de la problemática situación de dificultad comunicativa con los usuarios por causa de barreras lingüísticas y culturales. Nos permiten conocer asimismo, las diferentes estrategias a las que recurren para solventar el problema y en particular, nos permiten analizar la visión que tienen los trabajadores encuestados acerca de la comunicación cuando interviene una tercera persona, ya sea ésta un familiar o allegado de otro tipo, voluntarios, o un profesional de la interpretación y/o la mediación.The aim of this paper is to provide an analysis on the topic of intercultural communication in the public services in Catalonia. The study is based on the results of a survey conducted among public service providers. The data from this survey offer informed knowledge of the perception that providers themselves have regarding the problematic situation where communication with service users is hindered by the presence of linguistic and cultural barriers. They also provide us with information regarding the different strategies resorted to by providers to overcome this obstacle. In particular, we obtain interesting insights about the perspective that the providers surveyed have regarding communication when a third person intervenes; whether this person is a family member or a friend, a volunteer or a professional interpreter or mediator

An approximation to the identification of contexts, experiences, and profiles of victims of drug-facilitated sexual assaults

This study advances on overcoming a bias limiting the forensic cases studies of drug-facilitated sexual assaults: a narrow study focus, restricted to assaults affecting young women in leisure contexts related to nightlife, party culture, and dating. A new working framework is applied to analyse data from cases received in the National Institute of Toxicology and Forensic Sciences (Madrid, Spain) over the six years between 2012 and 2017. The work throws light on non-previously described contexts, experiences, and profiles of victims, including domestic cohabitation, labour, education, healthcare, women trafficking, and the daily life of people with intellectual disabilities.Ministerio de Sanidad (Delegación del Gobierno para el Plan Nacional sobre Drogas) e Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Ciencias Policiales (UAH, IUICP

Volatile and phenolic composition of a Chardonnay wine treated with antimicrobial plant extracts before malolactic fermentation

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.Previous studies have proven the potential of antimicrobial plant extracts to delay malolactic fermentation (MLF) in red wines. With the final end of extending their applicability in oenology, the aim of this study was to investigate whether the addition of antimicrobial extracts (from eucalyptus leaves and almond skins) to white wines (i.e., Chardonnay wine), as a way to control MLF, would affect wine organoleptic properties, in particular those related to their volatile and phenolic composition. Although addition of both extracts led to statistically significant changes (p<0.05) in the concentration of several volatile and phenolic compounds, only few of them showed contents higher than their sensory thresholds, meaning that the changes observed in their concentration could slightly affect the final wine aroma and astringency. However, use of the extracts in the elaboration of white wines needs to be assessed in future experiments at winery scale, including wine sensorial analysis.This work has been funded by the Spanish Ministry for Science and Innovation (AGL2006-04514, AGL2009-13361-C02-00 and CSD2007-00063 Consolider Ingenio 2010 FUN-C-FOOD Projects), and the Comunidad de Madrid (ALIBIRD P2009/AGR-1469 Project). JJRB and AGR are the recipients of a fellowship from the JAE-Doc Program (CSIC) and DANONE Institute, respectively.Peer Reviewe

Kinetic evidence for interaction of TMPyP4 with two different G-quadruplex conformations of human telomeric DNA

Background: Stabilization of G-quadruplex helices by small ligands has attracted growing attention because they inhibit the activity of the enzyme telomerase, which is overexpressed in> 80% cancer cells. TMPyP4, one of the most studied G-quadruplex ligands, is used as a model to show that the ligands can exhibit different binding features with different conformations of a human telomeric specific sequence. Methods: UV–Vis, FRET melting Assay, Isothermal Titration Calorimetry, Time-resolved Fluorescence lifetime, T-Jump and Molecular Dynamics. Results: TMPyP4 yields two different complexes with two Tel22 telomeric conformations in the presence of Na+ or K+. T-Jump kinetic experiments show that the rates of formation and dissociation of these complexes in the ms time scale differ by one order of magnitude. MD simulations reveal that, in K+ buffer, “hybrid 1” conformation yields kinetic constants on interaction with TMPyP4 one order lower than “hybrid 2”. The binding involves π–π stacking with external loop bases. Conclusions: For the first time we show that for a particular buffer TMPyP4 interacts in a kinetically different way with the two Tel22 conformations even if the complexes formed are thermodynamically indistinguishable. General significance: G-quadruplexes, endowed with technological applications and potential impact on regulation mechanisms, define a new research field. The possibility of building different conformations from same sequence is a complex issue that confers G-quadruplexes very interesting features. The obtaining of reliable kinetic data constitutes an efficient tool to determine reaction mechanisms between conformations and small molecules.“la Caixa” Foundation (project OSLC-2012-007), MINECO, (CTQ2014- 58812-C2-2-R) and Junta de Castilla y León, (BU042U16), FEDER Funds Spai

Evaluación de las propiedades probióticas de bacterias lácticas de origen enológico

[ES]: En este trabajo se ha evaluado la resistencia a la saliva, al medio ácido y a las sales biliares de once cepas de origen enológico pertenecientes a Lactobacillus spp., Pediococcus spp., y Oenococcus oeni, además de dos cepas probióticas de referencia. Las cepas de Lactobacillus y Pediococcus mostraron una alta resistencia a la lisozima (> 80 %), y todas sobrevivieron a las sales biliares y a bajos valores de pH (pH 1.8), lo que sugiere una buena adaptación de estas cepas a las condiciones gastrointestinales. También se evaluó su capacidad para adherirse a la mucosa intestinal y para inhibir la adhesión de Escherichia coli a células epiteliales del intestino. En particular, la cepa P. pentosaceus cIAL-86 mostró un alto porcentaje de adherencia a las células intestinales (> 12 %), incluso superior al mostrado por las cepas probióticas de referencia, y una alta actividad anti-adhesión de E. coli cIAL-153 (> 30 %).[EN]: In this study, the saliva, acid and bile resistance of eleven enological strains of Lactobacillus spp., Pediococcus spp., and Oenococcus oeni, as well as two probiotic reference strains were evaluated. Lactobacillus and Pediococcus strains showed high resistance to lysozyme (> 80 %) and all were capable of surviving at bile salts and low pH values (pH 1.8), suggesting a good adaptation to gastrointestinal conditions. The ability of these strains to adhere to the intestinal mucosa and the inhibition of the adhesion of Escherichia coli to intestinal cells were also evaluated. In particular, P. pentosaceus cIAL-86 showed a high percentage of adhesion to intestinal cells (> 12 %), even higher than that shown by the reference probiotic strains, and a high anti-adhesion activity against E. coli cIAL-153 (> 30 %).Este trabajo ha sido financiado por el Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (Proyectos AGL2012-04172-C02-01, PRI-PIBAR-2011-1358 y Consolider Ingenio 2010 FUN-C-FOOD CSD2007-00063), la Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid (ALIBIRD P2009/AGR-1469) y el INIA (proyecto RM2011-00003-00-00). A. García Ruiz es beneficiaria de una beca del Instituto DanonePeer Reviewe

The impact of manual patient handling on work ability: A cross-sectional study in a Brazilian hospital

Aim: To investigate the level of self-reported work ability and its association with manual patient handling in healthcare workers. Design: Cross-sectional study adhering to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines. Methods: A total of 320 healthcare workers answered a self-administered questionnaire regarding manual patient handling, work ability, occupational factors, occurrence of low back pain and sociodemographic and lifestyle factors from November 2016 to March 2017. The association between manual patient handling and low back pain was analysed with Poisson regression models. Results: The prevalence ratio of inadequate work ability was 43.42%. Manual patient handling (PR 1.375, 95% CI 1.038–1.821), bachelor education (PR 2.150, 95% CI 1.272–3.632), less than bachelor education (PR 2.166, 95% CI 1.218–3.855), seniority (PR 1.049, 95% CI 1.024–1.086), poor sleep quality (PR 1.425, 95% CI 1.13–1.796) and presence of low back pain (PR 2.003, 95% CI 1.314–3.052) were all positively associated with an inadequate work ability.Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Huelva/CBU