145 research outputs found
Estudio doble ciego, ramdomizado y controlado sobre la seguridad y eficacia de la ingesta de productos cárnicos con antioxidantes naturales y ácidos grasos polinsaturados en niños con diabetes mellitus tipo 1
Tesis doctoral inédita realizada en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Facultad de Medicina. Fecha de lectura: 14 de Julio de 2010
Virtue Ethics and software development: debates and proposals
Ethical issues have a growing interest for software developers, in as much as technological developments are more andmore present in our lives, and it has become evident that technologies are morally charged (Verbeek, 2014). From aninterdisciplinary approach, gathering researchers from the fields of computer science and moral philosophy, this paperreflects on virtue ethics first defined by ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle- and explores the possibilities in whichthis classical moral notion can be addressed in contemporary contexts of software development (Haggendorf, 2020;Gamez et al., 2020). Together with general values such as interaction, correctness and security, widely discussed in thefields of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, the research also highlights the importance of intentionality. Giventhe fact that most software developers usually work in a team, and they often take items of software from differentsources available, the implementation of any new software shall be understood as a complex process fragmentedamong many agents (with their consequent and perhaps hidden intentions), hence it is difficult to identify the bearer ofmoral responsibility if that software leads to unethical consequences. The paper elaborates on the notion of intentionaldependency network to name this chain of complex interactions in the context of software development. The nodes ofthese intentional dependency networks are constituted by three elements: a human being who interacts with a softwareartefact with a declared intention. Inconsistencies may arise in a node at local level, since a software artefact can producecertain effects that are incompatible with the intention declared by the human. Thus deepening in the complex ecology ofcurrent software development and its networks provides an interesting field to explore the origins and evolution of moralagency. Once thoroughly examined the topics above mentioned, the paper ends with a preliminary proposal on someethical values and attitudes which should be shared by software developers aiming to achieve moral excellence in theirprofessional performance:First, awareness and acknowledgement of the moral dimension of software development.Second, a general attitude of responsibility and preliminary investigation about implicit and declared intentions before useof any piece of already existing software.Third, intentions should be declared as non-functional requirements for any new software. This will help to assume themoral consequences of choices and decisions made in professional contexts, mainly if those consequences are harmful,discriminatory, or lead to any unexpected misuses of software
Photoacoustic effect measurement in aqueous suspensions of gold nanorods caused by low-frequency and low-power near-infrared pulsing laser irradiation
When aqueous suspensions of gold nanorods are irradiated with a pulsing laser (808 nm), pressure waves appear even at low frequencies (pulse repetition rate of 25 kHz). We found that the pressure wave amplitude depends on the dynamics of the phenomenon. For fixed concentration and average laser current intensity, the amplitude of the pressure waves shows a trend of increasing with the pulse slope and the pulse maximum amplitude.We postulate that the detected ultrasonic pressure waves are a sort of shock waves that would be generated at the beginning of each pulse, because the pressure wave amplitude would be the result of the positive interference of all the individual shock waves
Isolation and genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii in Spanish sheep flocks
[EN] Background: Toxoplasma gondii is a major cause of abortion in small ruminants and presents a zoonotic risk when undercooked meat containing cysts is consumed. The aim of the present study was to investigate the genetic diversity among the T. gondii strains circulating in ovine livestock in Spain. Methods: Selected samples collected from abortion outbreaks due to toxoplasmosis (n = 31) and from chronically infected adult sheep at slaughterhouses (n = 50) in different Spanish regions were bioassayed in mice, aiming at parasite isolation. In addition, all original clinical samples and the resulting isolates were genotyped by multi-nested PCR-RFLP analysis of 11 molecular markers and by PCR-DNA sequencing of portions of the SAG3, GRA6 and GRA7 genes. Results: As a result, 30 isolates were obtained from 9 Spanish regions: 10 isolates from abortion-derived samples and 20 isolates from adult myocardial tissues. Overall, 3 genotypes were found: ToxoDB#3 (type II PRU variant) in 90% (27/30) of isolates, ToxoDB#2 (clonal type III) in 6.7% (2/30), and ToxoDB#1 (clonal type II) in 3.3% (1/30). When T. gondii-positive tissue samples (n = 151) were directly subjected to RFLP genotyping, complete restriction profiles were obtained for 33% of samples, and up to 98% of the specimens belonged to the type II PRU variant. A foetal brain showed a clonal type II pattern, and four specimens showed unexpected type I alleles at the SAG3 marker, including two foetal brains that showed I + II alleles as co-infection events. Amplicons of SAG3, GRA6 and GRA7 obtained from isolates and clinical samples were subjected to sequencing, allowing us to confirm RFLP results and to detect different single-nucleotide polymorphisms. Conclusions: The present study informed the existence of a predominant type II PRU variant genotype (ToxoDB#3) infecting domestic sheep in Spain, in both abortion cases and chronic infections in adults, coexisting with other clonal (ToxoDB#1 and ToxoDB#2), much less frequent genotypes, as well as polymorphic strains as revealed by clinical sample genotyping. The use of multilocus sequence typing aided in accurately estimating T. gondii intragenotype diversitySIThis research was supported by projects funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (AGL2016-75935-C2-R) and the Community of Madrid (PLATESA2-CM-P2018/BAA-4370). MF and RC were funded by UCMSantander/ 2017 pre-doctoral grants, and PLATESA2 post-doctoral grants, respectively. CG was funded by DGAPA, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). RC, EC and LO are part of the TOXOSOURCES consortium, supported by funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme under grant agreement No. 773830: One Health European Joint Programm
Isolation and genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii in Spanish sheep flocks
© The Author(s) 2020.[Background]: Toxoplasma gondii is a major cause of abortion in small ruminants and presents a zoonotic risk when undercooked meat containing cysts is consumed. The aim of the present study was to investigate the genetic diversity among the T. gondii strains circulating in ovine livestock in Spain.[Methods]: Selected samples collected from abortion outbreaks due to toxoplasmosis (n = 31) and from chronically infected adult sheep at slaughterhouses (n = 50) in different Spanish regions were bioassayed in mice, aiming at parasite isolation. In addition, all original clinical samples and the resulting isolates were genotyped by multi-nested PCR-RFLP analysis of 11 molecular markers and by PCR-DNA sequencing of portions of the SAG3, GRA6 and GRA7 genes.[Results]: As a result, 30 isolates were obtained from 9 Spanish regions: 10 isolates from abortion-derived samples and 20 isolates from adult myocardial tissues. Overall, 3 genotypes were found: ToxoDB#3 (type II PRU variant) in 90% (27/30) of isolates, ToxoDB#2 (clonal type III) in 6.7% (2/30), and ToxoDB#1 (clonal type II) in 3.3% (1/30). When T. gondii-positive tissue samples (n = 151) were directly subjected to RFLP genotyping, complete restriction profiles were obtained for 33% of samples, and up to 98% of the specimens belonged to the type II PRU variant. A foetal brain showed a clonal type II pattern, and four specimens showed unexpected type I alleles at the SAG3 marker, including two foetal brains that showed I + II alleles as co-infection events. Amplicons of SAG3, GRA6 and GRA7 obtained from isolates and clinical samples were subjected to sequencing, allowing us to confirm RFLP results and to detect different single-nucleotide polymorphisms.[Conclusions]: The present study informed the existence of a predominant type II PRU variant genotype (ToxoDB#3) infecting domestic sheep in Spain, in both abortion cases and chronic infections in adults, coexisting with other clonal (ToxoDB#1 and ToxoDB#2), much less frequent genotypes, as well as polymorphic strains as revealed by clinical sample genotyping. The use of multilocus sequence typing aided in accurately estimating T. gondii intragenotype diversity.This research was supported by projects funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (AGL2016-75935-C2-R) and the Community of Madrid (PLATESA2-CM-P2018/BAA-4370). MF and RC were funded by UCM-Santander/2017 pre-doctoral grants, and PLATESA2 post-doctoral grants, respectively. CG was funded by DGAPA, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). RC, EC and LO are part of the TOXOSOURCES consortium, supported by funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme under grant agreement No. 773830: One Health European Joint Programme.Peer reviewe
Guía clínica de atención a menores transexuales, transgéneros y de género diverso
Transgénero; Terapia hormonal cruzada; Identidad de géneroTransgender; Hormone cross therapy; Gender identityTransgènere; Teràpia hormonal creuada; Identitat de gènereSome people, including minors, have a gender identity that does not correspond to the sex assigned at birth. They are known as trans* people, which is an umbrella term that encompasses transgender, transsexual, and other identities not conforming to the assigned gender. Healthcare units for trans* minors require multidisciplinary working, undertaken by personnel expert in gender identity, enabling, when requested, interventions for the minor and their social–familial environment, in an individualized and flexible way during the gender affirmation path. This service model also includes hormonal treatments tailored as much as possible to the individual's needs, beyond the dichotomic goals of a traditional binary model. This guide addresses the general aspects of professional care of trans* minors and presents the current evidence-based protocol of hormonal treatments for trans* and non-binary adolescents. In addition, it details key aspects related to expected body changes and their possible side effects, as well as prior counselling about fertility preservation.Algunas personas, también las menores de edad, tienen una identidad de género que no se corresponde con el sexo asignado al nacer. Se les conoce como personas trans*, que es el término paraguas que engloba transgénero, transexual y otras identidades no conformes con el género asignado. Las unidades de asistencia sanitaria a menores trans* requieren un trabajo multidisciplinario, realizado por personal experto en identidad de género, que permita, cuando así lo soliciten, intervenciones para el menor y su entorno sociofamiliar, de forma individualizada y flexible durante el camino de afirmación de género. Este modelo de servicio también incluye tratamientos hormonales adaptados en la medida de lo posible a las necesidades del individuo, más allá de los objetivos dicotómicos de un modelo binario tradicional. Esta guía aborda los aspectos generales de la atención profesional de menores trans* y presenta el protocolo actual basado en evidencia de tratamientos hormonales para adolescentes trans* y no binarios. Además, detalla aspectos clave relacionados con los cambios corporales esperados y sus posibles efectos secundarios, así como el asesoramiento previo sobre preservación de la fertilidad
Rugulopteryx okamurae (Dictyotales, Ochrophyta): the first invasive alien seaweed of Union concern and what we know about it in Spain.
The Strait of Gibraltar was the site where an invasive Rugulopteryx okamurae event was first recorded in 2015, with Spain being the first country to suffer the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of this species. Since then, the species has expanded its distribution range both towards the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, which has led to its inclusion in the list of species of Union concern in 2021. So far, the species is present in Spain, Morocco, French Mediterranean coast, Southern Portugal, Azores, Madeira and Canary Islands, in chronological order of its expansion. Efficient management of the species requires a thorough knowledge of the species biology, ecology and interaction with native communities, as well as an economic estimate of its impact. This communication, which opens a workshop focused on R. okamurae, will review the response of the Spanish administration to the invasion of the species as well as the advances made to understand the high invasiveness of the species. Different research projects have focused on identifying the temporal and spatial invasiveness windows. Time of maximal invasiveness has been identified through the study of the vegetative and reproductive phenology of the species on two different communities, Posidonia oceanica meadow and a photophilous algae community, to identified moments of maximal recruitment and production. Spatial windows have been identified with distribution models at different scales. In addition, results on the socioeconomic impact of the species on the fishing sector and for the management of the affected beaches will be shown.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech
Identificación de ventanas temporales de invasividad del alga invasora Rugulopteryx okamurae (Dictyotales, Ochrophyta) sobre una pradera de Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile
Las invasiones biológicas constituyen una de las principales amenazas en la pérdida de biodiversidad. Desde el año 2015, las costas del Estrecho de Gibraltar se ven afectadas por la invasión del alga asiática Rugulopteryx okamurae. Esta especie está produciendo importantes impactos económicos sobre el sector pesquero, a la vez que impactos ambientales, afectando a comunidades de interés como las de las fanerógamas marinas. El conocimiento de aspectos básicos de su biología, así como su relación con las especies nativas, pueden suponer una importante herramienta para su gestión. Por ello, el objetivo de este estudio es identificar las ventanas temporales de mayor y menor invasividad de la especie sobre una pradera de Posidonia oceanica, y determinar los principales factores ambientales de los que depende. Este objetivo se aborda mediante un estudio estacional de la actividad vegetativa, reproductiva y fisiológica de R. okamurae en una pradera de P. oceanica de la costa de Granada. Para ello, de manera bimensual se recogieron mediante buceo con escafandra autónoma muestras de superficie conocida de R. okamurae sobre P. oceanica. En el laboratorio las muestras fueron procesadas para el análisis poblacional (distribución de frecuencias de tallas), análisis de frecuencia de estructuras de reproducción y multiplicación vegetativa (monosporas asexuales, tetrasporas y propágulos), así como de parámetros fotosintéticos obtenidos a partir de curvas P-I con electrodos de oxígeno. Los resultados revelan variaciones estacionales en la abundancia vegetativa y reproductiva de R. okamurae, que permiten identificar una ventana de elevada invasividad del taxon sobre P. oceanica en los meses más frío.Fundación Biodiversidad, MITECO
Fondos FEDER
Universidad de Málag
Development of disinfection protocols for fishing gear to minimize the impact of invasive seaweed Rugulopteryx okamurae (Dictyotales, Ochrophyta).
Since its identification in the Strait of Gibraltar in 2016, the asiatic brown seaweed Rugulopteryx okamurae has produced unprecedented environmental impacts. But what has caught the attention of public administrations and the media has been the millionaire economic impacts it produces on the fishing sector and for beach management. The Spanish national strategy for the control of the species has identified the fishing sector not only as the main sector affected by the species, but also as a key player in controlling its dispersal. Huge amounts of R. okamurae biomass are trapped in fishing gear, which facilitates its dispersal if it is not cleaned and disinfected before being used in other areas. For this reason, the complicity of the fishing sector in the fight against the species is urgent, as well as the development of protocols for disinfecting fishing gear to minimize the potential of fishing activities to disperse the species accidentally. This paper will show on the one hand the collaborations carried out with the fishing sector to work together in the management of the species, and on the other hand the results of different laboratory experiments for the development of fishing gear disinfection protocols. These experiments have been carried out by studying the effects on R. okamurae photosynthesis, estimated as fluorescence measurements, of different treatments combining different chemical products, at different concentrations and application time, as well as physical stress factors such as osmotic shocks and high irradiance. All this to identify treatments that guarantee a mortality of the species above 90% in the shortest possible time, with the lowest economic cost and as innocuous as possible for the userUniversidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech.
Proyecto RUGULOPTERYX, Fundación Biodiversidad
Proyecto FEDRJA-00
Direct X-Ray detection of the spin Hall effect in CuBi
The spin Hall effect and the inverse spin Hall effect are important spin-charge conversion mechanisms. The direct spin Hall effect induces a surface spin accumulation from a transverse charge current due to spin-orbit coupling even in nonmagnetic conductors. However, most detection schemes involve additional interfaces, leading to large scattering in reported data. Here we perform interface-free x-ray spectroscopy measurements at the Cu L3,2 absorption edges of highly Bi-doped Cu (Cu95Bi5). The detected x-ray magnetic circular dichroism signal corresponds to an induced magnetic moment of (2.2 ± 0.5) × 10-12 μB A-1 cm2 per Cu atom averaged over the probing depth, which is of the same order of magnitude as found for Pt measured by magneto-optics. The results highlight the importance of interface-free measurements to assess material parameters and the potential of CuBi for spin-charge conversion application
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