Vernacular architecture and traditional trades. Social innovation and cultural heritage in rural Andalusia

[EN] The approval of the National Plan for Traditional Architecture (2014) gave a boost to the recognition of this heritage and provided a consensual methodological tool for its safeguarding. This text included a programme for the recovery of traditional construction systems and underlined the need for a holistic and multidisciplinary approach to their treatment. As a precedent in Andalusia, the Inventory of Popular Architecture (1994-1997) was a pioneering project to document these buildings and the activities they housed, highlighting the capacity of techniques, knowledge and objects to adapt to the environmental characteristics of the territory. Subsequently, the Atlas of the Intangible Heritage of Andalusia (2009-2014) collected a significant number of construction techniques and traditional trades linked to this vernacular architecture. This contribution is presented within the framework of two projects coordinated by the IAPH: LAPat, open laboratory of heritage and SIN-PAR, Innovation System for the Heritage of Rural Andalusia. Their common objective is to analyse social innovation related to architecture and traditional trades and the interaction of diverse stakeholders for their safeguarding. They both recognise the local community as the protagonist in safeguarding, enhancing these practices as an efficient response to the demographic challenge in the rural world. We will focus on three case studies: the dry stone technique in the province of Almería, the raw earth construction in Andalusia, and the artisanal production of lime in Morón de la Frontera. The ultimate aim is to strengthen the transmission of knowledge of these constructive techniques and to reveal their link with socio-territorial development.Carrera Díaz, G.; Del Espino Hidalgo, B.; Delgado Méndez, A. (2022). Vernacular architecture and traditional trades. Social innovation and cultural heritage in rural Andalusia. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 789-796. https://doi.org/10.4995/HERITAGE2022.2022.1427878979

Estudio de la interacción envase-alimento en los nuevos envases comerciales para cocinar

Se han producido cambios sociales, valorándose más el tiempo y la comodidad y esto ha llevado consigo a producirse también cambios en la forma de cocinar. El uso de envases que te permitan cocinar el alimento directamente en su interior está aumentando considerablemente ya que es una forma rápida, sana y limpia, lo que ha llevado a un aumento en la demanda de este tipo de envases. Debido a esta demanda, es interesante estudiar los posibles riesgos que puede conllevar su uso. El alimento está en constante interacción con el envase y su entorno, dando lugar a una posible migración. Además, al aplicar altas temperaturas durante un tiempo determinado, ya sea en el horno o en el microondas, esta migración puede verse acelerada, dando lugar a compuestos capaces de producir alteraciones organolépticas, al ser sustancias sensorialmente activas; o ser sustancias tóxicas, llegando a hacerlos no aptos para el consumo. Este proyecto tiene como objetivo principal evaluar este tipo de envases tanto desde el punto de vista del material como de las interacciones que se pueden producir con su uso. Así se van a identificar los compuestos capaces de migrar desde los envases de cocinado al alimento. Para llevar a cabo este objetivo se identificarán los compuestos presentes en el material, se compararán esos compuestos en diferentes materiales, y, por último, se evaluará la influencia del tipo de tratamiento térmico, reproduciendo las condiciones de cocinado recomendadas por el fabricante. Una vez identificados los compuestos en el material, se hará un estudio de migración utilizando simulantes alimentarios para determinar qué compuestos tienen capacidad para migrar al alimento. Para la identificación de todos los compuestos se utilizará la cromatografía de gases con espectrómetro de masas acoplada a olfatometría. Los resultados muestran que en el material se forman numerosos compuestos volátiles, la mayoría de ellos aldehídos, que son sustancias sensorialmente activas y además, varios de ellos tienen la capacidad de migrar al alimento. Sin embargo, se ha demostrado que mediante la olfatometría se detectan una mayor cantidad de compuestos que por la espectrometría de masas. Esto quiere decir que los compuestos que migran están a baja concentración, por lo que no debería afectar a la seguridad del alimento, pero sí que son capaces de producir alteraciones organolépticas en el alimento

Descripción de la población diabética en España a través de la encuesta Europea de Salud (EESE)

La diabetes puede provocar complicaciones, tanto agudas y crónicas, incrementando el riesgo general de muerte prematura. Además de ser un grave problema de salud, la alta prevalencia de diabetes en la sociedad actual implica un grave impacto económico. El objetivo del presente estudio ha sido conocer la prevalencia de la diabetes en la población española, describir las diferencias sociodemográficas y económicas entre la población diabética y no diabética, así como el patrón mórbido y su evolución en la población diabética. Para ello se ha realizado un estudio observacional descriptivo y transversal a partir de los datos de la Encuesta Europea de Salud en España de 2014. Los resultados del estudio han puesto en evidencia la alta prevalencia de la diabetes en la población española. Se observa que la edad, el nivel de estudios, la clase social e IMC están relacionados con el riesgo de padecer diabetes. En relación a las complicaciones de la enfermedad, se ha comprobado que la población diabética es más propensa a padecer problemas de riñón y depresión

Estrategias públicas universitarias en Latinoamérica durante la pandemia de la COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic led to the suspension of classes and the closure of university premises to prevent the spread and death of teachers and students, and forced the governments of the countries to implement rapid measures that allow the adaptation of teaching-learning processes to remote education. At the end of 2020, it is considered necessary to fulfill the objective of analyzing the strategies that were implemented, their results and thus determine the future challenges that governments will have to face in the face of reality. To this end, a qualitative research methodology of documentary content analysis was applied to a sample of 28 texts dealing with the subject; some of them were research texts and others were documents of a legal nature from three selected countries: Peru, Colombia and Chile. Five categories of analysis were established to order the results, which showed that the three countries implemented similar educational strategies, such as: adopting virtual distance education using virtual platforms such as learning environments, training teachers and students in digital skills and distribution of tablets and mobile phones with Internet service to students, among others.La pandemia de la COVID-19 determinó la suspensión de clases y el cierre de los locales de las universidades para evitar el contagio y muerte de docentes y estudiantes, y obligó a los gobiernos de los países a implementar medidas rápidas que permitieran la adaptación de los procesos de enseñanza-aprendizaje a la educación remota. Finalizado el 2020, se considera necesario cumplir con el objetivo de analizar las estrategias que se implementaron, sus resultados y determinar así los retos futuros que deberán enfrentar los gobiernos de cara a la realidad. Para ello, se consideró aplicar una metodología de investigación cualitativa, de análisis de contenido documental en una muestra de 28 textos que tratan sobre el tema; algunos de ellos fueron de investigación y otros, documentos de naturaleza legal de tres países seleccionados: Perú, Colombia y Chile. Se establecieron cinco categorías de análisis para ordenar los resultados, los cuales evidenciaron que los tres países pusieron en práctica estrategias educativas similares, como son: adoptar la educación a distancia virtual utilizando plataformas virtuales como entornos de aprendizaje, capacitación de docentes y estudiantes en competencias digitales y distribución de tablets y celulares con servicio de Internet a los estudiantes, entre otras

On the progressive nature of grain crushing

In this work acoustic emission (AE) is used as experimental evidence of the progressive nature of grain crushing. Stress controlled high pressure oedometric compression test are carried out on 1.2 mm monodisperse samples of glass beads. It was observed that the granular assembly starts to experience particle breakage at a vertical stress of about 25MPa. When this yield pressure is exceeded the glass beads start to break emitting loud impulsive sound and the vertical displacement increases rapidly. The load was increased beyond the yield stress and at each increment while the vertical stress remained constant the sample continued to emit sound. The emission of sound at a constant vertical stress indicates that crushing is a progressive failure mechanism; once the first crushing event occurs, the structure starts to rearrange causing other crushing events to occur and additional settlement. In particular, two signal processing algorithms are used on the samples of the acoustic signal to obtain two additional metrics of the crushing evolution. The first is the cumulative energy versus time. The second is the number of crushing events versus time, which is based on the automatic detection of the peaks of the sound signal envelope. There is a clear correlation between the cumulative acoustic energy emitted and the observed sample displacement. Using laser scanning, the evolution of the particle size distribution and particle shape are measured in detail so that a link between the acoustic data and the crushing intensity is established. The crushing intensity was controlled using materials with different strengths

Altered distribution of RhoA in alzheimer's disease and AβPP overexpressing mice

RhoGTPases control cytoskeleton dynamics thereby modulating synaptic plasticity. Because Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by synaptic dysfunction, we sought to determine whether the expression, activity, or localization of the GTPases RhoA, Rac1 and Cdc42, as well as p21-PAK, a downstream target of Rac1/Cdc42, were altered in 18-month-old AbetaPP Tg2576 mice (Swedish mutation) or in brains from patients with AD and, for comparison in the case of RhoA, Pick's disease (PiD), a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by hyper-phosphorylated tau accumulation. Immunohistochemical analyses revealed a distinct localization of each RhoGTPase in synapses, dendrite shafts, neuronal bodies, or astrocytes. The association of RhoA with synapses and dendritic microtubules was confirmed by electron microscopy. In AbetaPP mice, RhoA expression decreased in synapses and increased in dystrophic neurites, suggesting altered subcellular targeting of RhoA. In AD, RhoA immunostaining decreased in the neuropil and markedly increased in neurons, co-localizing with hyperphosphorylated tau inclusions, as though RhoA were sequestered by neurofibrillary tangles. Additionally, total RhoA protein was lower in the AD brain hippocampus, reflecting loss of the membrane bound, presumably active, GTPase. RhoA colocalized with hyperphosphorylated tau in PiD, again suggesting that altered subcellular targeting of RhoA is related to neurodegeneration. No major immunohistochemical changes were observed for Rac1, Cdc42, or p21-PAK, thus identifying RhoA among RhoGTPases as a possible therapeutic target in AD

Development of a digital mission diary based on overcoming different challenges to improve the academic performance of students in the degree of Food Science and Technology

[EN] This work describes the implementation of a teaching innovation activity based on gamification within the degree in Food Science and Technology at the Rey Juan Carlos University during the 2022-2023 academic year. The activity was carried out voluntarily in the subject of Analysis and Control of Food Quality in the 3rd year to get an extra score in the final grade. The main objective was to encourage the study, motivation and autonomous work of the students. Accordingly, the activity involved the development of a digital mission diary by each student based on overcoming a set of challenges related to the solid phase extraction technique used in food analysis field. These challenges were part of a training itinerary with different levels that the students had to overcome week by week. The results obtained show an improvement in the academic performance of the participating students, who, by carrying out the activity, have also developed general and specific skills useful to improve their understanding of other degree subjects and to address their Final Degree Project.[ES] Este trabajo describe la implantación de una actividad de innovación docente basada en la metodología activa de la gamificación dentro del grado en Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos de la Universidad Rey Juan Carlos durante el curso académico 2022-2023. La actividad se realizó en la asignatura de Análisis y Control de la Calidad de los Alimentos de 3º curso de forma voluntaria para conseguir una puntuación extra en la calificación final. El principal objetivo fue incentivar el estudio, la motivación y el trabajo autónomo de los estudiantes. Para ello, la actividad consistió en la creación de un diario de misión digital por parte de cada estudiante basado en la superación de un conjunto de retos relacionados con la técnica de extracción en fase sólida en el análisis de alimentos. Estos retos formaban parte de un itinerario formativo con distintos niveles que debían ir superando semana a semana. Los resultados obtenidos demuestran una mejora del rendimiento académico de los estudiantes participantes, los cuales al realizar la actividad también han desarrollado competencias generales y específicas útiles para mejorar la compresión de otras asignaturas del grado y para abordar su Trabajo Fin de Grado.Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología de la Universidad Rey Juan Carlos a través de la Ayuda concedida en la Convocatoria para la distribución de presupuestos de 2023 destinados a Actividades de Innovación Docente en la ESCETCasado, N.; Gañán, J.; González Gómez, L.; Casado Hidalgo, G.; Morante Zarcero, S.; Sierra, I. (2023). Creación de un diario de misión digital basado en la superación de distintos retos para mejorar el rendimiento académico de los estudiantes del grado en Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 626-640. https://doi.org/10.4995/INRED2023.2023.1656062664

Targeted and untargeted metabolomic analysis of Procambarus clarkii exposed to a “chemical cocktail” of heavy metals and diclofenac

La contaminación del agua plantea un problema importante, pero se dispone de información limitada sobre los efectos conjuntos de xenobióticos de diferentes grupos químicos para evaluar la respuesta biológica real. Procambarus clarkii (P. clarkii) ha demostrado ser un buen bioindicador para evaluar la calidad de los ecosistemas acuáticos. En este trabajo, se ha estudiado la bioacumulación de cadmio (Cd), arsénico (As) y diclofenaco (DCF) en diferentes tejidos durante 21 días después de la exposición a un “cóctel químico” de As, Cd y DCF, y hasta 28 días considerando un período de purificación. Además, se llevó a cabo un análisis metabolómico dirigido y no dirigido para profundizar en las alteraciones metabólicas provocadas así como en la metabolización del DCF.Water pollution poses an important problem, but limited information is available about the joined effects of xenobiotics of different chemical groups to evaluate the real biological response. Procambarus clarkii (P. clarkii) has been demonstrated to be a good bioindicator for assessing the quality of aquatic ecosystems. In this work, we studied the bioaccumulation of cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As) and diclofenac (DCF) in different tissues of P. clarkii during 21 days after the exposure to a “chemical cocktail” of As, Cd and DCF, and until 28 days considering a depuration period. In addition, a combined untargeted and targeted metabolomic analysis was carried out to delve the metabolic impairments caused as well as the metabolization of DCF. Our results indicate that As and Cd were mainly accumulated in the hepatopancreas followed by gills and finally abdominal muscle. As and Cd show a general trend to increase the concentration throughout the exposure experience, while a decrease in the concentration of these elements is observed after 7 days of the depuration process. This is also the case in the abdominal muscle for Cd, but not for As and DCF, which increased the concentration in this tissue in the depuration phase. The hepatopancreas showed the greatest number of metabolic pathways affected. Thus, we observed a crucial bioaccumulation of xenobiotics and impairments of metabolites in different tissues. This is the first study combining the exposure to metals and pharmaceutically active compounds in P. clarkii by untargeted metabolomics including the biotransformation of DCF.This work was supported by the coordinated projects PGC 2018- 096608-B-C21 and PGC 2018-096608-B-C22 from the Spanish Ministry of Science and innovation (MCIN). (Generacion ´ del Conocimiento. MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/FEDER “Una manera de hacer Europa”). Authors are grateful to FEDER (European Community) for financial support, Grant UNHU13-1E-1611. Rodríguez-Moro, G. thanks to Plan Andaluz de Investigacion, ´ Desarrollo e Innovacion ´ (PAIDI 2020) and Fondo Social Europeo for a postdoctoral grant (DOC_01115). Au thors are grateful to Servicio General de Investigacion ´ de Microanalisis, ´ CENTRO DE INVESTIGACION ´ TECNOLOG´IA E INNOVACION ´ (CITIUS). Universidad de Sevilla, for the use of some of the chromatographic equipment. Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Huelva / CBUA

Circulating GDF11 levels are decreased with age but are unchanged with obesity and type 2 diabetes

Growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF11) is a member of the transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) superfamily which declines with age and exerts anti‐aging regenerative effects in skeletal muscle in mice. However, recent data in humans and mice are conflicting casting doubts about its true functional actions. The aim of the present study was to compare the circulating concentrations of GDF11 in individuals of different ages as well as body weight and glycemic status. Serum concentrations of GDF11 were measured by ELISA in 319 subjects. There was a significant increase in GDF11 concentrations in people in the 41‐50 y group and a decline in the elder groups (61‐70 and 71‐80 y groups, P=0.008 for the comparison between all age groups). However, no significant correlation between fat‐free mass index (FFMI), a formula used to estimate the amount of muscle mass in relation to height, and logGDF11 was observed (r=0.08, P=0.197). Moreover, no significant differences in circulating concentrations of GDF11 regarding obesity or glycemic status were found. Serum GDF11 concentrations in humans decrease in older ages being unaltered in obesity and T2D. Further studies should determine the exact pathophysiological role of GDF11 in aging

Holistic view of biological nitrogen fixation and phosphorus mobilization in Azotobacter chroococcum NCIMB 8003

Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) deficiencies are two of the most agronomic problems that cause significant decrease in crop yield and quality. N and P chemical fertilizers are widely used in current agriculture, causing environmental problems and increasing production costs. Therefore, the development of alternative strategies to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers while maintaining N and P inputs are being investigated. Although dinitrogen is an abundant gas in the atmosphere, it requires biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) to be transformed into ammonium, a nitrogen source assimilable by living organisms. This process is bioenergetically expensive and, therefore, highly regulated. Factors like availability of other essential elements, as phosphorus, strongly influence BNF. However, the molecular mechanisms of these interactions are unclear. In this work, a physiological characterization of BNF and phosphorus mobilization (PM) from an insoluble form (Ca3(PO4)2) in Azotobacter chroococcum NCIMB 8003 was carried out. These processes were analyzed by quantitative proteomics in order to detect their molecular requirements and interactions. BNF led to a metabolic change beyond the proteins strictly necessary to carry out the process, including the metabolism related to other elements, like phosphorus. Also, changes in cell mobility, heme group synthesis and oxidative stress responses were observed. This study also revealed two phosphatases that seem to have the main role in PM, an exopolyphosphatase and a non-specific alkaline phosphatase PhoX. When both BNF and PM processes take place simultaneously, the synthesis of nitrogenous bases and L-methionine were also affected. Thus, although the interdependence is still unknown, possible biotechnological applications of these processes should take into account the indicated factors.Datos de investigación disponibles en: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1129721/full#supplementary-materia