Efficacy of perineal massage during the second stage of labor for the prevention of perineal injury: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

[EN] Background: Numerous interventions to reduce perineal trauma during childbirth have been studied in recent years, including perineal massage. Objective: To determine the efficacy of perineal massage during the second stage of labor to prevent perineal damage. Search Strategy: Systematic search in PubMed, Pedro, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, BioMed, SpringerLink, EBSCOhost, CINAHL, and MEDLINE with the terms Massage, Second labor stage, Obstetric delivery, and Parturition. Selection Criteria: The articles must have been published in the last 10 years; the perineal massage was administered to the study sample; and the experimental design consisted of randomized controlled trial. Data Collection and Analysis: Tables were used to describe both the studies' characteristics and the extracted data. The PEDro and Jadad scales were used to assess the quality of studies. Main Results: Of the 1172 total results identified, nine were selected. Seven studies were included in the meta-analysis and indicated a statistically significant decreased number of episiotomies in perineal massage. Conclusions: Massage during the second stage of labor appears to be effective in preventing episiotomies and reducing the duration of the second stage of labor. However, it does not appear to be effective in reducing the incidence and severity of perineal tears.S

Protective effects of exercise on cardiotoxicity induced by breast cancer treatments: A systematic review and meta-analysis

[EN] Objective Currently, one of the main causes of death in women with breast cancer is cardiovascular disease caused by the oncologic therapies. Exercise has demonstrated positive effects on cardiovascular fitness in individuals without cancer. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the cardioprotective effects of exercise in women with breast cancer, during and after the application of their treatments. Methods Systematic search was done in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, and PEDro. The articles must have been published in the last ten years; the intervention to be evaluated was to consist of an exercise program; the sample had to comprise women who were undergoing breast cancer treatment or who had completed it at the time of the intervention; and the outcome variables had to include at least one parameter for the assessment of cardiac function and/or structure. Results Of the 28 articles identified, nine reported non-randomized controlled studies, 16 randomized clinical trials and three quasi-experimental studies. The effects of exercise on left ventricular ejection fraction, global longitudinal strain and the E/A waveforms ratio were not significant. However, its effect on VO2max was significant. Conclusions Exercise does not seem to be effective in avoiding the cardiotoxic effects of oncological treatment for breast cancer. Although exercise seems to mitigate the symptomatology, reflected in improved functional capacity, more long-term studies are needed.S

Caracterización morfométrica y balance sedimentario en el sistema de dunas de Maspalomas (Gran Canaria) a partir de datos LIDAR

El estudio de los sistemas de dunas activas conlleva una serie de dificultades que se derivan, entre otros aspectos, de los problemas para la adquisición generalizada, continua y sincrónica de información topográfica de detalle sobre los mismos. Recientemente, la utilización de datos LIDAR ha demostrado una excelente idoneidad para este tipo de aplicaciones, con resultados muy satisfactorios en entornos dunares del litoral, en medio desérticos e incluso en la superficie de Marte. A partir de los datos LIDAR procedentes de dos vuelos efectuados en 2006 y 2008 sobre el sistema de dunas de Maspalomas (Gran Canaria), se llevan a cabo una serie de trabajos que comprenden (i) la descripción pormenorizada de dicho sistema a través de la generación de mapas de altitudes, pendientes y orientaciones, (ii) la estimación del volumen total de arenas del mismo, y (iii) el balance sedimentario que tiene lugar entre las fechas de referencia.Main problems in active dune studies are due to difficulties in continuous and synchronic topographic data adquisition. Recently, LIDAR data has been successfully used in this sort of applications in such a different environment as coastal and desert dune systems, or even in Martian dune fields. This work makes use of two different sets of LIDAR data, obtained in 2006 and 2008 in Maspalomas dune system (Canary Islands); obtained results include (i) detailed description from elevation, slope and aspect information, (ii) sand volume estimation and (iii) sediment budget for the studied period.FEDER SEJ2007-64959-GEOGMinisterio de Ciencia e Innovación SEJ2007-64959-GEO

Transcranial direct current stimulation for post-stroke dysphagia: a meta-analysis

[EN] Background: Strokes may cause some swallowing difficulty or associated dysphagia in 25–80% of patients. This phenomenon has been linked to increased morbidity and mortality. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of transcranial direct current stimulation in patients with dysphagia in post-stroke patients. Methods: A systematic search in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and MEDLINE was conducted. The articles must have to evaluate an intervention that included transcranial direct current stimulation; the sample had to consist exclusively of patients with post-stroke dysphagia; and the experimental design consisted of randomized controlled trial. Difference in mean differences and their 95% confidence interval were calculated as the between-group difference in means divided by the pooled standard deviation. The I2 statistic was used to determine the degree of heterogeneity. Results: Of the 9 investigations analyzed, all applied transcranial direct current stimulation in combination with conventional dysphagia therapy to the experimental group. All the studies analyzed identified improvements in swallowing function and meta-analysis confirmed their strong effect on reducing the risk of penetration and aspiration (Hedges’s g = 0.55). The results showed that participants who received transcranial direct current stimulation significantly improved swallowing function. Conclusions: Transcranial direct current stimulation has positive effects in the treatment of poststroke dysphagia by improving swallowing function, oral and pharyngeal phase times and the risk of penetration and aspiration. Furthermore, its combination with conventional dysphagia therapy, balloon dilatation with catheter or training of the swallowing muscles ensures improvement of swallowing function. PROSPERO registration ID CRD42022314949.S

Premios Isabel Zendal de Promoción do Pensamento Crítico en Educación Secundaria e Bacharelato. II Edición

A segunda edición dos Premios Isabel Zendal preséntase como unha actividade de extensión universitaria da Universidade da Coruña, por medio da Unidade de Divulgación Científica e Cultural e en colaboración co Círculo Escéptico. A súa finalidade é promover o pensamento crítico e a cultura científica entre a xuventude, vítima en moitas ocasións da difusión e divulgación de informacións e crenzas falsas. O premio está dirixido ao alumnado escolarizado en centros educativos españois, desde o primeiro curso da educación secundaria obrigatoria (ESO) ata o segundo curso de bacharelato, de modo que consta de dúas categorías de participación: unha para o alumnado de 1.º a 3.º curso da ESO e FP básica; e outra para o alumnado de 4.º da ESO a 2.º de bacharelato, máis os ciclos formativos de grao medio. A participación no concurso realízase a través dun xénero literario —que pode ser un artigo xornalístico— a exposición divulgativa dun experimento desenvolvido polo alumnado, o conto ou o relato curto. Valórase que os traballos integren os valores do pensamento escéptico e científico, a difusión do coñecemento, a ciencia e os seus métodos e a refutación das pseudociencias, así como a loita contra a difusión de enganos e as novas falsas. Neste documento recóllense os traballos premiados nesta segunda edición dos Premios Isabel Zendal, convocada en marzo de 2020 e cuxa resolución tivo lugar en xullo do mesmo ano. Xurado: Francisco Armesto Ramón, Marisa Castiñeira García, Manuel Francisco Herrador Barrios, Susana Ladra González, Xoán Luís López Viñas e M.ª Cristina Naya Riveiro

Validación mexicana del Cuestionario MOS de Apoyo Social Percibido en contexto de pandemia por COVID-19

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a very negative impact on people’s overall mental health and psychosocial well-being, but the study of available social support to cope with such an adverse situation has received hardly any attention. Objective: To exa-mine the psychometric properties of the MOS Perceived Social Support Questionnaire among the Mexican population in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: Non-experimental cross-sectional study. A sociodemographic questionnaire and the Medical Outcomes Study were applied in a non-probabilistic sample. A total of 898 people from different regions in Mexico, 258 males and 640 females, participated in the study in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: The analysis yielded a bi-factor model with two factors, Emotional/informational support and Tangible support, with satisfactory goodness of fit indices. Reliability was adequate with a high hierarchical omega coefficient, as well as in the factors. Likewise, the H coefficient was adequate in the general factor and its dimensions. Conclusions: Results showed that the scale is a valid and reliable measure of perceived social support among the Mexican population.Fil: Del Carpio Ovando, Perla Shiomara. Universidad de Guanajuato; MéxicoFil: Estrada, Erika Robles. Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México; MéxicoFil: Quintero Hernández, Yazmín. Universidad de Guanajuato; MéxicoFil: Gallegos de San Vicente, Miguel Omar. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Psicología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Católica de Maule; ChileFil: Gago Galvagno, Lucas Gustavo. Universidad Abierta Interamericana; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Caycho Rodríguez, Tomás. Universidad Privada del Norte; PerúFil: Vilca, Lindsey W.. Universidad Norbert Wiener; PerúFil: Martino, Pablo Luis. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Psicología. Secretaria de Ciencia y Tecnología. Centro de Investigación En Neurociencias de Rosario; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Cervigni, Mauricio Alejandro. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Psicología. Secretaria de Ciencia y Tecnología. Centro de Investigación En Neurociencias de Rosario; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Razumovskiy, Anastasia. University of Arizona; Estados UnidosFil: Portillo, Nelson. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Psicología. Secretaria de Ciencia y Tecnología. Centro de Investigación En Neurociencias de Rosario; Argentin

Cactaceae at Caryophyllales.org- A dynamic online species-level taxonomic backbone for the family

This data paper presents a largely phylogeny-based online taxonomic backbone for the Cactaceae compiled from literature and online sources using the tools of the EDIT Platform for Cybertaxonomy. The data will form a contribution of the Caryophyllales Network for the World Flora Online and serve as the base for further integration of research results from the systematic research community. The final aim is to treat all effectively published scientific names in the family. The checklist includes 150 accepted genera, 1851 accepted species, 91 hybrids, 746 infraspecific taxa (458 heterotypic, 288 with autonyms), 17,932 synonyms of accepted taxa, 16 definitely excluded names, 389 names of uncertain application, 672 unresolved names and 454 names belonging to (probably artificial) named hybrids, totalling 22,275 names. The process of compiling this database is described and further editorial rules for the compilation of the taxonomic backbone for the Caryophyllales Network are proposed. A checklist depicting the current state of the taxonomic backbone is provided as supplemental material. All results are also available online on the website of the Caryophyllales Network and will be constantly updated and expanded in the future. Citation: Korotkova N., Aquino D., Arias S., Eggli U., Franck A., Gómez-Hinostrosa C., Guerrero P. C., Hernández H. M., Kohlbecker A., Köhler M., Luther K., Majure L. C., Müller A., Metzing D., Nyffeler R., Sánchez D., Schlumpberger B. & Berendsohn W. G. 2021: Cactaceae at Caryophyllales.org- A dynamic online species-level taxonomic backbone for the family.-Willdenowia 51: 251-270. Version of record first published online on 31 August 2021 ahead of inclusion in August 2021 issue. Data published through: Http://caryophyllales.org/cactaceae/Checklis

CPEB alteration and aberrant transcriptome-polyadenylation lead to a treatable SLC19A3 deficiency in Huntington's disease

Huntington’s disease (HD) is a hereditary neurodegenerative disorder of the basal ganglia for which disease-modifying treatments are not yet available. Although gene-silencing therapies are currently being tested, further molecular mechanisms must be explored to identify druggable targets for HD. Cytoplasmic polyadenylation element binding proteins 1 to 4 (CPEB1 to CPEB4) are RNA binding proteins that repress or activate translation of CPE-containing transcripts by shortening or elongating their poly(A) tail. Here, we found increased CPEB1 and decreased CPEB4 protein in the striatum of patients and mouse models with HD. This correlated with a reprogramming of polyadenylation in 17.3% of the transcriptome, markedly affecting neurodegeneration-associated genes including PSEN1, MAPT, SNCA, LRRK2, PINK1, DJ1, SOD1, TARDBP, FUS, and HTT and suggesting a new molecular mechanism in neurodegenerative disease etiology. We found decreased protein content of top deadenylated transcripts, including striatal atrophy–linked genes not previously related to HD, such as KTN1 and the easily druggable SLC19A3 (the ThTr2 thiamine transporter). Mutations in SLC19A3 cause biotin-thiamine–responsive basal ganglia disease (BTBGD), a striatal disorder that can be treated with a combination of biotin and thiamine. Similar to patients with BTBGD, patients with HD demonstrated decreased thiamine in the cerebrospinal fluid. Furthermore, patients and mice with HD showed decreased striatal concentrations of thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP), the metabolically active form of thiamine. High-dose biotin and thiamine treatment prevented TPP deficiency in HD mice and attenuated the radiological, neuropathological, and motor HD-like phenotypes, revealing an easily implementable therapy that might benefit patients with HD

Grupo técnico del comité de cuenca del río Chubut: Experiencia y aprendizajes

El objetivo de este trabajo es documentar y comunicar la experiencia y aprendizajes resultantes de la participación de los organismos de ciencia y técnica de la región, a través del Grupo Técnico del Comité de Cuenca del Río Chubut, en ámbitos de toma de decisión sobre la Cuenca del Río Chubut.Fil: Pessacg, Natalia Liz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales; ArgentinaFil: Liberoff, Ana Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales; ArgentinaFil: Rimoldi, Pablo. Universidad del Chubut; ArgentinaFil: Salvadores, Franco José. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Diaz, Lucas. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Brandizi, Laura. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco"; ArgentinaFil: Alonso Roldán, Virginia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales; Argentina. Universidad Tecnológica Nacional. Facultad Regional Chubut; ArgentinaFil: Rius, Pía. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco"; ArgentinaFil: Kaless, Gabriel. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco"; ArgentinaFil: Flaherty, Silvia. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco"; ArgentinaFil: Hernández, Marcos. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Pascual, Miguel Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales; ArgentinaXXVII Congreso Nacional del AguaBuenos AiresArgentinaInstituto Nacional del Agu

Ab-initio structural, elastic, and vibrational properties of carbon nanotubes

A study based on ab initio calculations is presented on the estructural, elastic, and vibrational properties of single-wall carbon nanotubes with different radii and chiralities. We use SIESTA, an implementation of pseudopotential-density-functional theory which allows calculations on systems with a large number of atoms per cell. Different quantities like bond distances, Young moduli, Poisson ratio and the frequencies of different phonon branches are monitored versus tube radius. The validity of expectations based on graphite is explored down to small radii, where some deviations appear related to the curvature effects. For the phonon spectra, the results are compared with the predictions of the simple zone-folding approximation. Except for the known defficiencies of this approximation in the low-frequency vibrational regions, it offers quite accurate results, even for relatively small radii.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. B (11 Nov. 98