Mechanisms of Action and Targets of Nitric Oxide in the Oculomotor System

Nitric oxide (NO) production by neurons in the prepositus hypoglossi (PH) nucleus is necessary for the normal performance of eye movements in alert animals. In this study, the mechanism(s) of action of NO in the oculomotor system has been investigated. Spontaneous and vestibularly induced eye movements were recorded in alert cats before and after microinjections in the PH nucleus of drugs affecting the NO–cGMP pathway. The cellular sources and targets of NO were also studied by immunohistochemical detection of neuronal NO synthase (NOS) and NO-sensitive guanylyl cyclase, respectively. Injections of NOS inhibitors produced alterations of eye velocity, but not of eye position, for both spontaneous and vestibularly induced eye movements, suggesting that NO produced by PH neurons is involved in the processing of velocity signals but not in the eye position generation. The effect of neuronal NO is probably exerted on a rich cGMP-producing neuropil dorsal to the nitrergic somas in the PH nucleus. On the other hand, local injections of NO donors or 8-Br-cGMP produced alterations of eye velocity during both spontaneous eye movements and vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR), as well as changes in eye position generation exclusively during spontaneous eye movements. The target of this additional effect of exogenous NO is probably a well defined group of NO-sensitive cGMP-producing neurons located between the PH and the medial vestibular nuclei. These cells could be involved in the generation of eye position signals during spontaneous eye movements but not during the VOR.Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria Grants 94/0388 and 97/2054Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid Grant 08.5/0019/1997Dirección General de Investigación Científica y Technológica Grant PB 93–117

Antinutrients: Lectins, goitrogens, phytates and oxalates, friends or foe?.

The intake of foods derived from plants has been proposed as an useful strategy in the prevention of several chronic diseases. However, plants also possess a group of substances known as antinutrients, which may be responsible for deleterious effects related to the absorption of nutrients and micronutrients, or exert beneficial health effects. This review compiles scientific evidence regarding the physiological impact of some antinutrients (lectins, goitrogens, phytates and oxalates) in the human health, their negative effects and the culinary and industrial procedures to reduce their presence in foods. It can be concluded that, the effects of antinutrients on human health could change when consumed in their natural food matrix, and after processing or culinary treatment. Accordingly, some of these compounds could have beneficial effects in different pathological conditions. Future research is required to understand the therapeutic potential of these compounds in humans.post-print1647 K

Physical and Psychological Effects Related to Food Habits and Lifestyle Changes Derived from COVID-19 Home Confinement in the Spanish Population.

As a consequence of COVID-19, millions of households have suffered mobility restrictions and changes in their lifestyle over several months. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of COVID-19 home confinement on the food habits, lifestyle and emotional balance of the Spanish population. This cross-sectional study used data collected via an anonymous online questionnaire during the month before lockdown finished in Spain, with a total of 675 participants. 38.8% of the respondents experienced weight gain while 31.1% lost weight during confinement. The increase in body weight was positively correlated with age (Rs = 0.14, p < 0.05) and BMI (Rs = 0.20, p < 0.05). We also identified that 39.7% reported poorer quality sleep, positively correlated with BMI (Rs = −0.18, p < 0.05) and with age (Rs = −0.21, p < 0.05). 44.7% of the participants had not performed physical exercise during confinement with differences by sex (p < 0.05), by age (p < 0.05), by BMI (p < 0.05) and by sleep quality (p < 0.05). According to an emotional-eater questionnaire, 21.8% and 11% were classified as an emotional eater or a very emotional eater, respectively. We emphasize the importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle, as the COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing.post-print633 K

Influence of eating habits and alcohol consumption on the academic performance among a university population in the community of Madrid: A pilot study.

Objective To evaluate the association between dietary habits and alcohol consumption on academic performance among university students. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting University located in Madrid, Spain. Participants 56 university students of nursing (45 women and 11 men). The study complies with the Helsinki Declaration and was approved by the University Ethics Committee (36/2018). Main outcome measure Dietary intake and habits assessed with validated survey, alcohol consumption and academic performance. Analysis Chi-square test, Student's t-test, ANOVA analysis, Mann-Whitney test, Kruskal-Wallis analysis and Shapiro-Wilk test. Results The average daily energy intake of the students was 1918 ± 725 kcal and, on average, alcohol accounted for 6%. The increased energy contribution from alcohol was negatively correlated with body mass index (BMI). Moreover, an inverse association was also found in alcohol intake according to Body Mass Index (BMI) (p < 0.02). Students with failing grades (53.6%) reported a higher daily alcohol intake than those who passed (42.2 %) (32 g/day versus 24 g/day) (p = 0.043). Conclusions Alcohol consumption is related to both poor academic performance as well as diminished quality of life. Thus, it is of vital importance to undertake awareness campaigns at various levels to dissuade alcohol consumption especially at early ages.post-print440 K

Adherence to Mediterranean Diet, Alcohol Consumption and Emotional Eating in Spanish University Students.

Introduction: The university period may increase the risk of different unhealthy habits, such as low adherence to the Mediterranean diet, high alcohol consumption and eating in response to specific emotions. The aim of this study was to detect early-risk alcohol consumption and alcohol dependence (ADS), the degree of adherence to the Mediterranean diet and emotional eating in university students of the Madrid community. (2) Methods: For each individual, anthropometric parameters, the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), AUDIT-Consumption (AUDIT-C), the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS) and the Emotional Eater Questionnaire (EEQ) were assessed. (3) Results: A total of 584 university students aged 20.5 (sex ratio = 0.39) were enrolled in a cross-sectional study. In total, 63.6% of students showed low adherence to the Mediterranean diet, with no differences by sex (64.3% female versus 61.5% male, p = 0.19). According to the AUDIT questionnaire, 26.2% of participants were categorized as high-risk drinkers and 7.7% as ADS. About 38.6% of the students were categorized as eating very emotionally or eating emotionally, and 37.2% were categorized as low emotional eaters. A weak positive correlation was observed between the EEQ and BMI in female students (rho= 0.15, p = 0.03). (4) Conclusions: University students in our sample showed a low adherence to the Mediterranean diet, an important high-risk alcohol consumption and low emotional eating.post-print325 K

A novel single-use SU-8 microvalve for pressure-driven microfluidic applications

A novel microfluidic single-use valve for fluid injection and extraction in pressure-driven applications is presented in this paper. The device consists of a thin SU-8 membrane crossed by a resistor that withstands a mechanical stress induced by a pressure difference. When the resistor heats up the membrane, the SU-8 fracture strength drastically decreases causing the valve activation. This device has been designed, fabricated using inexpensive SU-8 and printed circuit board technologies and finally characterized. The hybrid thermal–mechanical microvalve operation principle has been demonstrated and experimental results have shown the device characteristics and performance. Specifically, this design was functional at pressures of 0.8 MPa and opened in less than 3.2 s with an applied power of 280 mW. The simple fabrication process and the absence of moving mechanical parts have made the valve suitable for large-scale integration in lab-on-chip microfluidic platforms

Objective and subjective quality of life in adults with autism spectrum disorders in southern Spain

Subjective and objective measures of quality of life (QoL) were obtained for adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) living in Andalusia (Spain). Seventy-four families responded to question- naires about objective QoL indicators such as employment, health, adaptive behaviour and social network, and were asked to act as proxies for subjective QoL measures. Outcome on objective QoL was extremely poor. Social networks were most frequently composed of family members. Community-oriented resources were absent in most cases. For two-thirds of the families, the ability to act as proxies for subjective QoL was seriously limited by the participants’ poor social and communicative abilities. The results are indicative of the need for additional support to families of adults with ASD and increased community-based resources. Further conceptualization of indicators and measurement of subjective QoL in individuals with severe disabilities and ASD is also needed in order to include their own perspective in the evaluation of service provision

Monitorización del estado energético aplicado al hogar

En el sector industrial existen multitud de sistemas de monitorización y medición eléctrica que disponen al equipo de mantenimiento de la fábrica de los datos en tiempo real e históricos de todos los parámetros de la energía en su instalación, pudiendo acceder a ellos de manera online desde cualquier lugar y en cualquier momento. Disponer de los parámetros correspondientes al estado de la energía eléctrica permite analizar la calidad de esta y, así, presentar la capacidad de tomar decisiones preventivas o correctivas que mejoren su estado, produciendo reducciones en los costes de la energía consumida, además de aumentar la vida útil de los equipos presentes en Estos sistemas de monitorización presentes en la industria no sólo tienen la capacidad de leer los datos y mostrarlos, sino que son totalmente flexibles, pudiéndose amoldar a las necesidades de los operarios, tanto en interfaces como en posibilidades. Dichos sistemas suelen incorporar una interfaz diseñada para ser lo más sencilla y simple posible, aumentando así la eficiencia del operario a la hora de interactuar con ella. Además, se dispone de multitud de posibilidades totalmente configurables y adaptables a cada caso, encontrándose entre estas los siguientesejemplos: • Capacidad de registrar históricos de hasta más de un año de los parámetros leídos, pudiendo descargar estos datos en formatos tales como .csv (Comma Separated Values) para poder ser estudiados y trabajados con programas de ofimática. • El ‘Data reporting’ tiene la posibilidad de generar informes con los datos registrados, dando incluso a un usuario sin conocimientos la capacidad de tomar decisiones de mejora gracias a estos. • Alarmas programadas que avisen a los equipos de mantenimiento de cualquier anomalía o que prevean antes de que se produzca un fallo. Estos avisos pueden ser tanto por vía mail como SMS. • Gráficos y comparativas de los datos para facilitar el estudio de los parámetros y el cumplimiento de las normativas de calidad. • Estudios de la energía consumida (kWh) que puedan prevenir un gasto excesivo y elevar demasiado los costes de facturación eléctrica. Estos sistemas de monitorización y medición han facilitado mucho el trabajo a los equipos de mantenimiento de la fábrica, que con su formación tienen la capacidad de interpretar los datos registrados y navegar a través de SCADAs (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) industriales. Considerando todas estas ventajas del sector industrial, en este Trabajo Fin de Grado se presenta el desarrollo de un sistema de monitorización adaptado a realizar mediciones y monitorizarlas de manera online en un hogar común, con una interfaz sencilla y con un muestreo de los parámetros principales. El sistema propuesto permite dotar a un usuario medio sin formación de la capacidad de controlar el consumo eléctrico y otros factores en su vivienda, pudiendo así tomar decisiones que le ayuden a ahorrar en su factura eléctrica y evitar sorpresas negativas a final de mes. De esta forma, en el presente trabajo se procederá a adaptar un sistema de monitorización y lectura de los parámetros eléctricos a una vivienda común, teniendo en cuenta la falta de formación de un usuario medio, la debida sencillez grafica de las interfaces, la conexión simple del sistema a la línea eléctrica, la puesta en red online del sistema de monitorización y las configuraciones necesarias para dotar al usuario de la capacidad para tomar decisiones que le ayuden a mejorar la eficiencia energética en su hogar. Abstract: In the industrial sector there are a multitude of electrical monitoring and measurement systems that provide the factory maintenance team with real-time and historical data of all the energy parameters in its installation, and can access them online from any location and at any time. Having the parameters corresponding to the state of electrical energy allows analyzing its quality and presenting the ability to make preventive or corrective decisions that improve its state, producing reductions in the costs of energy consumed, in addition to increasing the useful life of the equipment present in the installation, as it has reduced distortions, imbalances and wave lags, among others. These monitoring systems can not only read the data and display it, they are also totally flexible, being able to adapt to the needs of the operators, both in interfaces and in possibilities. These systems usually incorporate an interface designed to be as simple and easy as possible, thus increasing the operator's efficiency when interacting with it. In addition, there are a multitude of fully configurable and adaptable possibilities for each case, being among these the following examples: • Historical record capacity up to more than a year of the read parameters, and can download this data in formats such as .csv (Comma Separated Values) to be studied and worked with office software. • ‘Data reporting’ has the possibility of generating reports with the registered data, even giving an unskilled user the ability to make improvement decisions thanks to these. • Scheduled alarms that alert the maintenance teams of any anomaly or that they anticipate before a failure occurs. These ads can be by email or SMS. • Studies of the energy consumed (kWh) that can prevent excessive spending and raise electricity billing costs too much. These monitoring and measurement systems have greatly facilitated the work of the factory maintenance teams, who with their training have the ability to interpret the recorded data and navigate through industrial SCADAs (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition). Considering all these advantages of the industrial sector, this Final Degree Project presents the development of a monitoring system adapted to perform measurements and monitor them online in a common home, with a simple interface and with a sampling of the main parameters. The proposed system allows to equip an average user without training with the ability to control electricity consumption and other factors in their home, thus being able to make decisions that help to save on electric bill and avoid negative surprises at the end of the month. In this way, in the present work will proceed to adapt a system for monitoring and reading the electrical parameters to a common home, taking into account the lack of training of an average user, the due graphic simplicity of the interfaces, the simple connection of the system to the power line, the online networking of the monitoring system and the necessary configurations to provide the user with the capacity to make decisions that help them improve energy efficiency at home

La hipótesis NC. Notas para explicar la explosión de Cádiz de 1947

En Julio de 1943 llegaron a la Base de Defensas Submarinas de Cádiz cincuenta cargas de profundidad alemanas del modelo WBD. Eran parte del acopio de armas submarinas que el gobierno español usaría para impedir un hipotético desembarco aliado por costas andaluzas. Este trabajo atribuye la Explosión de Cádiz de 1947 a estas cargas WBD que no contenían el explosivo previsible –hexanita o SW18– sino que, sorprendentemente, cargaban algodón pólvora, un explosivo obsoleto que se descompone espontáneamente en una reacción exotérmica y autocatalítica, y llega a provocar la autoignición si se produce en el seno de una masa crítica, máxime si no se conserva en condiciones adecuadas, como fue el caso.In July 1943, fifty german depth charges (WBD) arrived to Cádiz (Spain). They would use to repel an hypothetical attack from the Allies (World War II). All this explosives were stored in the city just to 1947, when a big explosion occurred. This study gives a new explanation to the explosion in Cádiz since those bombs did not carry the typical explosive –hexanite or SW18– but their content was guncotton, a very unstable and obsolete explosive which is able to spontaneously descompose itself through a exotermic and autocatalytic reaction. If we have a big mass and no good condition to preserve, that reaction can derive in an autoignition