Planning Positive Energy Districts in Urban Water Fronts: approach to La Marina de València, Spain

[EN] Cities consume two-thirds of the energy supply, and 70% of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions come from urban environments. Positive Energy Districts are innovative tools to achieve energy and climate neutrality in cities. Positive Energy Districts are regions or neighbourhoods with a positive annual energy balance, obtained mainly through energy efficiency and energy generation from renewables. Urban Waterfronts are extended areas close to the sea, which makes them suitable for several types of production with renewables, therefore seeming to be a suitable location to develop Positive Energy Districts. This paper proposes a method that combines strategic planning for project management and the procedure for energy audits to design the optimal district configuration. The study presents and analyses the case of La Marina de València, a district in a Mediterranean city. Three strategic scenarios, both technically feasible and with a positive energy balance, are presented. All the alternatives include PV and switching to light-emitting diode in lighting. The different strategies presented together with a sensitivity analysis facilitate the decision-making process in energy planning and establish a common pathway to achieve Positive Energy Districts in Urban Water Fronts. The results suggest that urban waterfronts are uniquely suited to achieve a positive annual energy balance, thus emerging as a crucial springboard to provide traction to the positive energy districts policy agendaThis work was supported in part by the Spanish public administration under grant FPU2016/00962, and by the Catedra de Transicion Energética Urbana (Las Naves-Fundació València Clima i Energía-UPV)Aparisi-Cerdá, I.; Ribó-Pérez, DG.; Cuesta-Fernandez, I.; Gómez-Navarro, T. (2022). Planning Positive Energy Districts in Urban Water Fronts: approach to La Marina de València, Spain. Energy Conversion and Management. 265:1-14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2022.11579511426

Adipose tissue gene expression of factors related to lipid processing in obesity

Background Adipose tissue lipid storage and processing capacity can be a key factor for obesity-related metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance and diabetes. Lipid uptake is the first step to adipose tissue lipid storage. The aim of this study was to analyze the gene expression of factors involved in lipid uptake and processing in subcutaneous (SAT) and visceral (VAT) adipose tissue according to body mass index (BMI) and the degree of insulin resistance (IR). Methods and Principal Findings VLDL receptor (VLDLR), lipoprotein lipase (LPL), acylation stimulating protein (ASP), LDL receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) and fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) gene expression was measured in VAT and SAT from 28 morbidly obese patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) or high IR, 10 morbidly obese patients with low IR, 10 obese patients with low IR and 12 lean healthy controls. LPL, FABP4, LRP1 and ASP expression in VAT was higher in lean controls. In SAT, LPL and FABP4 expression were also higher in lean controls. BMI, plasma insulin levels and HOMA-IR correlated negatively with LPL expression in both VAT and SAT as well as with FABP4 expression in VAT. FABP4 gene expression in SAT correlated inversely with BMI and HOMA-IR. However, multiple regression analysis showed that BMI was the main variable contributing to LPL and FABP4 gene expression in both VAT and SAT. Conclusions Morbidly obese patients have a lower gene expression of factors related with lipid uptake and processing in comparison with healthy lean person

IDEST: International Database of Emotional Short Texts

We introduce a database (IDEST) of 250 short stories rated for valence, arousal, and comprehensibility in two languages. The texts, with a narrative structure telling a story in the first person and controlled for length, were originally written in six different languages (Finnish, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish, and Turkish), and rated for arousal, valence, and comprehensibility in the original language. The stories were translated into English, and the same ratings for the English translations were collected via an internet survey tool (N = 573). In addition to the rating data, we also report readability indexes for the original and English texts. The texts have been categorized into different story types based on their emotional arc. The texts score high on comprehensibility and represent a wide range of emotional valence and arousal levels. The comparative analysis of the ratings of the original texts and English translations showed that valence ratings were very similar across languages, whereas correlations between the two pairs of language versions for arousal and comprehensibility were modest. Comprehensibility ratings correlated with only some of the readability indexes. The database is published in osf.io/9tga3, and it is freely available for academic research.This project was conducted as a part of E-READ COST action (IS1404). The first author received project funding from the Academy of Finland (decision number 334266). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Experience on how to implement a preanalytical and POCT unit in Madrid’s IFEMA field hospital during this unprecedented COVID-19 emergency

To fight the virus SARS-CoV-2 spread to Europe from China and to give support to the collapsed public health system, the Spanish Health Authorities developed a field hospital located in the facilities of Madrid exhibition centre (IFEMA) to admit and treat patients diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infectious disease (COVID-19). The Department of Laboratory Medicine of La Paz University Hospital in Madrid (LMD-HULP) was designated to provide laboratory services. Due to the emergency, the IFEMA field hospital had to be prepared for patient admission in less than 1 week and the laboratory professionals had to collaborate in a multidisciplinary group to assure that resources were available to start on time. The LMD-HULP participated together with the managers in the design of the tests portfolio and the integration of the healthcare information systems (IS) (hospital IS, laboratory IS and POCT management system). Laboratorians developed a strategy to quickly train clinicians and nurses on test requests, sample collection procedures and management/handling of the POCT blood gas analyser both by written materials and training videos. The IFEMA´s preanalytical unit managed 3782 requests, and more than 11,000 samples from March 27th to April 30th. Furthermore, 1151 samples were measured by blood gas analysers. In conclusion, laboratory professionals must be resilient and have to respond timely in emergencies as this pandemic. The lab’s personnel selection, design and monitoring indicators to maintain and further improve the quality and value of laboratory services is crucial to support medical decision making and provide better patient care

Desarrollo de alimentos funcionales adaptados a nuevos avances en la genética

III Congreso de Alimentación, Nutrición y Dietética. Combinar la nutrición comunitaria y personalizada: nuevos retos

Afirmação da mulher na medicina durante o século XV e XVI: um processo religioso e inquisitorial

Durante os séculos XV e XVI, num momento de repressão e perseguição religiosa e inquisitorial, as mulheres atuaram como cuidadoras informais com práticas empíricas. Os objetivos deste artigo consiste em destacar o processo de profissionalização dos cuidados da mulher ao longo deste período e conhecer o papel da igreja e dos homens na crítica aos cuidados femininos, assim como apresentar figuras femininas espanholas que se destacaram na medicina neste período. Material e método: O trabalho consiste numa revisão da narrativa realizada a partir de fontes secundárias, relacionadas com o objeto em estudo, bem como uma análise das mesmas desde a história social, tendo em conta as características da época em estudo. Resultados: Durante os séculos XV y XVI, a igreja, junto com a classe médica, conduziu a uma repressão dos cuidados femininos que influenciou a sua aceitação. Assim, os cuidados femininos geraram discordância e conflitos entre a igreja e a sociedade e o cuidar informal da mulher começava a inserir-se na classe médica profissionalizada. Conclusões: As descobertas obtidas neste estudo destacam a aceitação das práticas empíricas femininas, em contraste com os conhecimentos teóricos dos médicos e, posteriormente, a inclusão da mulher nos cuidados profissionais.Durante los siglos XV y XVI, en un momento de represión y persecución religiosa e inquisitorial, las mujeres actuaron como cuidadoras informales con prácticas empíricas. El objetivo del estudio es destacar el proceso de profesionalización de cuidados de la mujer durante dicho periodo; conocer el papel de la iglesia, de los hombres en la crítica hacía las mujeres; presentar figuras femeninas españolas destaca das en la medicina durante este período. Material y método: El trabajo es una revisión narrativa de las fuentes secundarias relacionadas con el objeto de estudio, así como un análisis de las mismas desde la historia social, teniendo en cuenta las características de la época de estudio. Resultados: Durante los siglos XV y XVI, la iglesia, junto con la clase médica, condujo una represión hacía el cuidado femenino que influyó en su aceptación. Así mismo, el cuidado femenino generó desacuerdos y conflictos entre iglesia y sociedad, los cuidados de las mujeres informales, empezaron a formar parte de la clase médica profesionalizada. Conclusiones: Los hallazgos obtenidos refieren como a pesar del predominio del conocimiento teórico médico, las prácticas empíricas de las mujeres consiguieron ser aceptadas en determinadas condiciones y esto constituyó, con posterioridad, el reconocimiento profesional del cuidado.During the fifteenth and sixteenth century, at a time of repression and religious and inquisitorial persecution, women have acted as informal caregivers with empirical practices. The objectives of this article is to emphasize the process of professionalization of women’s care over that period and to know the role of the church and men in critical care to women, as well as presenting Spanish female figures who have excelled in medicine during this period. Methods: The task is a narrative review of secondary sources related with the object of study, as well as an analysis of the same sources from the social history, keeping in mind the characteristics of the era of study. Results: During the centuries XV and XVI, the church, along with the medical class, led to a suppression of feminine care that influenced their acceptance. Thus, feminine care generated disagreement and conflict between the church and society and the informal women’s care began to be part of the professionalized medical profession. Conclusions: The findings from this study highlight the acceptance of female empirical practices, in contrast to the theoretical knowledge of medical and subsequently the inclusion of women in professional care

Motherhood and Treatment Outcome in Female Patients with Compulsive Buying-Shopping Disorder

Motherhood has been proposed as an internal facilitating factor for the recovery of women with mental disorders. However, at the same time, there are significant barriers that may be interfering with the access and adherence to treatment for these women. The present longitudinal study aimed to deepen the sociodemographic and clinical profile of women with children and compulsive buying-shopping disorder (CBSD), and to explore the association between motherhood and response to treatment. The total sample included 77 women with a diagnosis of CBSD (n = 49 mothers) who received cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for 12 weeks. No association between psychopathology and motherhood was observed. The group of mothers reported an older age of onset of the CBSD, a lower amount of money spent per compulsive-buying episode, and a higher likelihood of family support for the CBSD. Moreover, this group showed lower risk of relapse. The findings support the theoretical proposal that considers motherhood as an internal facilitating factor for recovery and treatment adherence of mothers with addictions

Design and Assessment of Survey in a 360-Degree Feedback Environment for Student Satisfaction Analysis Applied to Industrial Engineering Degrees in Spain

The number of students enrolled in engineering studies in Spain is in decline, mainly due to the difficulty in passing the subjects, whose factors may be linked to the science-related content of the subject, a very demanding evaluation system or a lack of active participation of students. The main objective of this study is to provide the student with a 360-degree feedback tool and a survey, from which lecturers can extract the degree of satisfaction of students in its application in a standardized way in scientific-technological activities of BSc/MSc in industrial engineering to quantify learning and motivation. The involvement of students in the assessment process was carried out in three phases: peer-assessment (among students), self-assessment (student himself) and hetero-assessment (teaching staff). After that, a survey was designed, which was validated through confirmatory factor analysis. Ninety-nine percent of the students valued this evaluation experience very positively with respect to the objectivity of the criteria used in the methodology and the material provided by the teaching staff. The fact that only 37.5% of the students considered this experience very favorable for their learning and self-training shows the importance of the teaching staff in their learning process and suggests a need to find complementary improvements to this evaluation system in industrial engineering degrees

Comparative biological activity of palbociclib and ribociclib in hormone receptor-positive breast cancer

This study examines the biological effects of palbociclib and ribociclib in hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, pivotal to the HARMONIA prospective phase III clinical trial. We explore the downstream impacts of these CDK4/6 inhibitors, focusing on cell lines and patient-derived tumor samples. We treated HR+ breast cancer cell lines (T47D, MCF7, and BT474) with palbociclib or ribociclib (100 nM or 500 nM), alone or combined with fulvestrant (1 nM), over periods of 24, 72, or 144 h. Our assessments included PAM50 gene expression, RB1 phosphorylation, Lamin-B1 protein levels, and senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity. We further analyzed PAM50 gene signatures from the CORALLEEN and NeoPalAna phase II trials. Both CDK4/6 inhibitors similarly inhibited proliferation across the cell lines. At 100 nM, both drugs partially reduced p-RB1, with further decreases at 500 nM over 144 h. Treatment led to reduced Lamin-B1 expression and increased senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity. Both drugs enhanced Luminal A and reduced Luminal B and proliferation signatures at both doses. However, the HER2-enriched signature significantly diminished only at the higher dose of 500 nM. Corresponding changes were observed in tumor samples from the CORALLEEN and NeoPalAna studies. At 2 weeks of treatment, both drugs significantly reduced the HER2-enriched signature, but at surgery, this reduction was consistent only with ribociclib. Our findings suggest that while both CDK4/6 inhibitors effectively modulate key biological pathways in HR+/HER2- breast cancer, nuances in their impact, particularly on the HER2-enriched signature, are dose-dependent, influenced by the addition of fulvestrant and warrant further investigation