Reproduction of the wedge sole (Dicologoglossa cuneata Moreau) in captivity: spawning parameters and influence of the natural temperature

In this work, the wedge sole (Dciologoglossa cuneata) spawning under natural thermocycle has been studied. The spawning parameters were similar to those of other flatfish in captivity, the relative fecundity being very high (1.7&plusmn;0.1 &middot;106 eggs Kg female-1 per spawning season). The percentage of floating eggs decreased in parallel to the time and was directly related to egg diameter, daily relative fecundity and fertilization rate. Nevertheless, the hatching rate variations were not correlated to any other spawning parameter. The temperature range during the spawning season was very wide (11-21 &ordm;C) though the largest spawns occurred between 12 and 16 &ordm;C . The natural temperature cycle influenced wedge sole egg production, the winter temperature minimum indicating the onset of spawning, but the variations in the reproductive season did not appear to affect the daily egg production. Future research should focus on the photoperiod and its interaction with temperature as key factor for spawning. This work was supported by Interreg Project 0251_ECOAQUA_5_E, financed by the EDRF (European Regional Development Fund). www.juntadeandalucia.es/agriculturaypesca/ifapa/ecoaqua.. &nbsp;El presente trabajo trata del estudio de las puestas de la aced&iacute;a (Dicologoglossa cuneata) en cautividad bajo condiciones naturales de temperatura. Los par&aacute;metros de puesta fueron similares a los de otros peces planos en cautividad, siendo la fecundidad relativa muy alta (1.7&plusmn;0.1 &middot;106 huevos Kg hembra-1 por estaci&oacute;n reproductora). El porcentaje de huevos flotantes disminuy&oacute; paralelamente con el tiempo y fue directamente proporcional al di&aacute;metro de huevos, fecundidad relativa diaria y tasa de fecundaci&oacute;n. Sin embargo, las variaciones de la tasa de eclosi&oacute;n no estuvieron correlacionadas con ning&uacute;n par&aacute;metro de puesta. El rango de temperatura durante la estaci&oacute;n de puesta fue muy amplio (11-21 &ordm;C), aunque las mayores puestas tuvieron lugar entre 12 y 16 &ordm;C. El ciclo natural de temperatura tuvo efectos sobre la producci&oacute;n de huevos de aced&iacute;a, con los m&iacute;nimos invernales indicando el comienzo de la puesta, aunque las variaciones dentro de la estaci&oacute;n de puesta no pareci&oacute; afectar a la producci&oacute;n diaria de huevos. Este trabajo fue apoyado por el proyecto Interreg 0251_ECOAQUA_5_E , financiado por el FEDER (Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional).www.juntadeandalucia.es/agriculturaypesca/ifapa/ecoaqua.</p

Massive Parallel Current Power Amplifier Concept for Power Hardware in the Loop Applications

The development of the smartgrid increases the complexity of the current electric grid. To verify and validate the operation of the systems involved in it, Power Hardware-In-theLoop (PHIL) technique allows to test the complete system in an exhaustive way. But the reduced bandwidth of the overall test system can cause inaccuracies and instabilities, which can be harmful for the Hardware Under Test (HUT) or the people who are performing the test. To increase PHIL performance and tackle these problems, this paper proposes a new concept of high bandwidth current amplifier. It is based on a topology of massive parallel interleaved buck-boost converter, which distribute in an equal manner the total current in all the branches. This current reduction allows to use transistors with better switching behaviour, which increase the bandwidth of the converter. Furthermore, a Discontinuous Conduction Mode (DCM) is used, obtaining the nominal output current in only one switching cycle. Description of the concept and the design parameters are provided. Finally, the behaviour of the proposed Power Amplifier (PA) at high frequency setpoint currents is shown in a Matlab/Simulink simulation. © 2022, European Association for the Development of Renewable Energy, Environment and Power Quality (EA4EPQ). All rights reserved

Galectin-3 shapes toxic alpha-synuclein strains in Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative and progressive disorder characterised by intracytoplasmic inclusions called Lewy bodies (LB) and degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN). Aggregated α-synuclein (αSYN) is known to be the main component of the LB. It has also been reported to interact with several proteins and organelles. Galectin-3 (GAL3) is known to have a detrimental function in neurodegenerative diseases. It is a galactose-binding protein without known catalytic activity and is expressed mainly by activated microglial cells in the central nervous system (CNS). GAL3 has been previously found in the outer layer of the LB in post-mortem brains. However, the role of GAL3 in PD is yet to be elucidated. In post-mortem samples, we identified an association between GAL3 and LB in all the PD subjects studied. GAL3 was linked to less αSYN in the LB outer layer and other αSYN deposits, including pale bodies. GAL3 was also associated with disrupted lysosomes. In vitro studies demonstrate that exogenous recombinant Gal3 is internalised by neuronal cell lines and primary neurons where it interacts with endogenous αSyn fibrils. In addition, aggregation experiments show that Gal3 affects spatial propagation and the stability of pre-formed αSyn fibrils resulting in short, amorphous toxic strains. To further investigate these observations in vivo, we take advantage of WT and Gal3KO mice subjected to intranigral injection of adenovirus overexpressing human αSyn as a PD model. In line with our in vitro studies, under these conditions, genetic deletion of GAL3 leads to increased intracellular αSyn accumulation within dopaminergic neurons and remarkably preserved dopaminergic integrity and motor function. Overall, our data suggest a prominent role for GAL3 in the aggregation process of αSYN and LB formation, leading to the production of short species to the detriment of larger strains which triggers neuronal degeneration in a mouse model of PD

Identificación y determinación estructural de un sesquiterpeno de las hojas de Tessaria integrifolia Ruiz & Pav. y evaluación de su actividad Leishmanicida

Objetivos. Identificar y determinar la estructura del fitoconstituyente de hojas de Tessaria integrifolia Ruiz Pav con efecto leishmanicida. Materiales y métodos. Se preparó un extracto fluido de hojas de Tessaria integrifolia Ruiz Pav. que fue concentrado a extracto blando y se utilizó para evaluar la actividad leishmanicida en Mesocricetus auratus con leishmaniasis experimental, administrando vía intramuscular la dosis de 250 mg/kg del extracto blando por 15 días. El extracto fue fraccionado en columna cromatográfica de 45 cm, con un diámetro de 2,5 cm que contiene silicagel G-60, de 70-230 mesh (Sigma-Aldrich®), las nueve fracciones obtenidas fueron evaluadas sobre macrófagos infectados con Leishmania sp para determinar la fracción activa y aislar el compuesto activo, mediante separación, purificación y cristalización, siendo analizado por resonancia magnética nuclear (RMN) de 1H, 13C, y cromatografía líquida acoplada a espectroscopía de masas (LC/MS). Resultados. El extracto fluido de las hojas de Tessaria integrifolia Ruiz Pav. presenta actividad leishmanicida en Mesocricetus auratus y la fracción F8 es activa sobre macrófagos infectados a dosis de 14 μg/mL. Se elucidó en esa fracción un sesquiterpeno tipo eudesmano ((4aS, 5R,6R,8aR)-6-hidroxi-5,8a-dimetil-3- (1-metiletiliden) octahidronaftalen-2(1H)-ona), según análisis de RMN 1H, 13C, y LC/MS. Conclusiones. El extracto fluido de hojas de Tessaria integrifolia Ruiz Pav. presenta actividad leishmanicida sobre Mesocricetus auratus. La fracción F8 presenta actividad leishmanicida sobre macrófagos infectados a dosis de 14 μg/mL. Se elucidó en la fracción activa un sesquiterpeno tipo eudesmano según los análisis de RMN 1H, 13C, y LC/MS

Correction to: Two years later: Is the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic still having an impact on emergency surgery? An international cross-sectional survey among WSES members

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is still ongoing and a major challenge for health care services worldwide. In the first WSES COVID-19 emergency surgery survey, a strong negative impact on emergency surgery (ES) had been described already early in the pandemic situation. However, the knowledge is limited about current effects of the pandemic on patient flow through emergency rooms, daily routine and decision making in ES as well as their changes over time during the last two pandemic years. This second WSES COVID-19 emergency surgery survey investigates the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on ES during the course of the pandemic. Methods: A web survey had been distributed to medical specialists in ES during a four-week period from January 2022, investigating the impact of the pandemic on patients and septic diseases both requiring ES, structural problems due to the pandemic and time-to-intervention in ES routine. Results: 367 collaborators from 59 countries responded to the survey. The majority indicated that the pandemic still significantly impacts on treatment and outcome of surgical emergency patients (83.1% and 78.5%, respectively). As reasons, the collaborators reported decreased case load in ES (44.7%), but patients presenting with more prolonged and severe diseases, especially concerning perforated appendicitis (62.1%) and diverticulitis (57.5%). Otherwise, approximately 50% of the participants still observe a delay in time-to-intervention in ES compared with the situation before the pandemic. Relevant causes leading to enlarged time-to-intervention in ES during the pandemic are persistent problems with in-hospital logistics, lacks in medical staff as well as operating room and intensive care capacities during the pandemic. This leads not only to the need for triage or transferring of ES patients to other hospitals, reported by 64.0% and 48.8% of the collaborators, respectively, but also to paradigm shifts in treatment modalities to non-operative approaches reported by 67.3% of the participants, especially in uncomplicated appendicitis, cholecystitis and multiple-recurrent diverticulitis. Conclusions: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic still significantly impacts on care and outcome of patients in ES. Well-known problems with in-hospital logistics are not sufficiently resolved by now; however, medical staff shortages and reduced capacities have been dramatically aggravated over last two pandemic years

Infected pancreatic necrosis: outcomes and clinical predictors of mortality. A post hoc analysis of the MANCTRA-1 international study

: The identification of high-risk patients in the early stages of infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN) is critical, because it could help the clinicians to adopt more effective management strategies. We conducted a post hoc analysis of the MANCTRA-1 international study to assess the association between clinical risk factors and mortality among adult patients with IPN. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify prognostic factors of mortality. We identified 247 consecutive patients with IPN hospitalised between January 2019 and December 2020. History of uncontrolled arterial hypertension (p = 0.032; 95% CI 1.135-15.882; aOR 4.245), qSOFA (p = 0.005; 95% CI 1.359-5.879; aOR 2.828), renal failure (p = 0.022; 95% CI 1.138-5.442; aOR 2.489), and haemodynamic failure (p = 0.018; 95% CI 1.184-5.978; aOR 2.661), were identified as independent predictors of mortality in IPN patients. Cholangitis (p = 0.003; 95% CI 1.598-9.930; aOR 3.983), abdominal compartment syndrome (p = 0.032; 95% CI 1.090-6.967; aOR 2.735), and gastrointestinal/intra-abdominal bleeding (p = 0.009; 95% CI 1.286-5.712; aOR 2.710) were independently associated with the risk of mortality. Upfront open surgical necrosectomy was strongly associated with the risk of mortality (p &lt; 0.001; 95% CI 1.912-7.442; aOR 3.772), whereas endoscopic drainage of pancreatic necrosis (p = 0.018; 95% CI 0.138-0.834; aOR 0.339) and enteral nutrition (p = 0.003; 95% CI 0.143-0.716; aOR 0.320) were found as protective factors. Organ failure, acute cholangitis, and upfront open surgical necrosectomy were the most significant predictors of mortality. Our study confirmed that, even in a subgroup of particularly ill patients such as those with IPN, upfront open surgery should be avoided as much as possible. Study protocol registered in ClinicalTrials.Gov (I.D. Number NCT04747990)

Tratamientos psicológicos empíricamente apoyados para adultos: Una revisión selectiva

Antecedentes: los tratamientos psicológicos han mostrado su eficacia, efectividad y eficiencia para el abordaje de los trastornos mentales; no obstante, considerando el conocimiento científico generado en los últimos años, no se dispone de trabajos de actualización en español sobre cuáles son los tratamientos psicológicos con respaldo empírico. El objetivo fue realizar una revisión selectiva de los principales tratamientos psicológicos empíricamente apoyados para el abordaje de trastornos mentales en personas adultas. Método: se recogen niveles de evidencia y grados de recomendación en función de los criterios propuestos por el Sistema Nacional de Salud de España (en las Guías de Práctica Clínica) para diferentes trastornos psicológicos. Resultados: los resultados sugieren que los tratamientos psicológicos disponen de apoyo empírico para el abordaje de un amplio elenco de trastornos psicológicos. El grado de apoyo empírico oscila de bajo a alto en función del trastorno psicológico analizado. La revisión sugiere que ciertos campos de intervención necesitan una mayor investigación. Conclusiones: a partir de esta revisión selectiva, los profesionales de la psicología podrán disponer de información rigurosa y actualizada que les permita tomar decisiones informadas a la hora de implementar aquellos procedimientos psicoterapéuticos empíricamente fundamentados en función de las características de las personas que demandan ayuda. Background: Psychological treatments have shown their efficacy, effectiveness, and efficiency in dealing with mental disorders. However, considering the scientific knowledge generated in recent years, in the Spanish context, there are no updating studies about empirically supported psychological treatments. The main goal was to carry out a selective review of the main empirically supported psychological treatments for mental disorders in adults. Method: Levels of evidence and degrees of recommendation were collected based on the criteria proposed by the Spanish National Health System (Clinical Practice Guidelines) for different psychological disorders. Results: The results indicate that psychological treatments have empirical support for the approach to a wide range of psychological disorders. These levels of empirical evidence gathered range from low to high depending on the psychological disorder analysed. The review indicates the existence of certain fields of intervention that need further investigation. Conclusions: Based on this selective review, psychology professionals will be able to have rigorous, up-to-date information that allows them to make informed decisions when implementing empirically based psychotherapeutic procedures based on the characteristics of the people who require help