Análisis Factorial Confirmatorio del IPAM en Escolares de Tercer Curso de Primaria

This study has been designed to analyse the factorial structure of IPAM using Confirmatory Factorial Analysis (CFA) techniques. For this purpose, a longitudinal study was carried out with a sample of 234 third-grade elementary students from the Canary Islands, to whom the instrument IPAM (Mathematics Learning Progress Indicators) was administered. IPAM is a curriculum-based measurement (CBM) instrument for universal screening and mathemat-ics learning progress monitoring in elementary grades. It is composed by three parallel measurements (A, B and C) that aim to measure the same latent structure (i.e., number sense) through the assessment of five indicators of basic early math skills using fluency tasks (i.e., magnitude com-parison, two-digit operations, missing number, one-digit operations, position value). IPAM was administered three times throughout the school year (i.e., fall, winter, and spring). The model tested showed a good fit at the different moments of measurement.Este estudio pretende evaluar la estructura factorial del instrumento Indicadores de Progreso de Aprendizaje en Matemáticas (IPAM) mediante la técnica de análisis factorial confirmatorio (AFC). Con este fin, se ha llevado a cabo un estudio longitudinal con una muestra de 234 alumnos de tercer curso de educación primaria de las Islas Canarias, a los que se administró el instrumento IPAM, un instrumento de medición basado en el currículo (CBM, por sus siglas en inglés, curriculum-based measurement), y cuyo principal objetivo es el cribado universal y la evaluación del progreso en el aprendizaje en matemáticas del alumnado de educación primaria. Este instrumento está compuesto por tres medidas paralelas (A, B y C), que pretenden medir una misma estructura latente, el sentido numérico, por medio de la resolución de cinco tareas de fluidez (comparación numérica, operaciones de dos dígitos, series numéricas, operaciones de un dígito y valor de posición). El IPAM fue aplicado en tres momentos diferentes a lo largo del año escolar (i.e., otoño, invierno y primavera) y los resultados del AFC mostraron un buen ajuste del modelo propuesto en los distintos momentos de medida

Natural radiactivity from building materials in Spain

The industrial construction sector is very important in Spain. Building materials used in this industry are sources of radiation from natural radionuclides they contain. The European Commission published some recommendations to facilitate the trade of these materials in the E.U. The studies about this subject have increased notably during last years. This, probably, can be associated with the increase interest from natural radiation radiological risk on indoor exposure.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear. CSN-201

Valorization of Tomato Processing by-Products: Fatty Acid Extraction and Production of Bio-Based Materials

A method consisting of the alkaline hydrolysis of tomato pomace by-products has been optimized to obtain a mixture of unsaturated and polyhydroxylated fatty acids as well as a non-hydrolysable secondary residue. Reaction rates and the activation energy of the hydrolysis were calculated to reduce costs associated with chemicals and energy consumption. Lipid and non-hydrolysable fractions were chemically (infrared (IR) spectroscopy, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS)) and thermally (differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)) characterized. In addition, the fatty acid mixture was used to produce cutin-based polyesters. Freestanding films were prepared by non-catalyzed melt-polycondensation and characterized by Attenuated Total Reflected-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), DSC, TGA, Water Contact Angles (WCA), and tensile tests. These bio-based polymers were hydrophobic, insoluble, infusible, and thermally stable, their physical properties being tunable by controlling the presence of unsaturated fatty acids and oxygen in the reaction. The participation of an oxidative crosslinking side reaction is proposed to be responsible for such modifications.Andalusian Regional Government P11-TEP-7418Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad AGL2015-65246-R and AGL2017-83036-RFondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER) AGL2015-65246-R and AGL2017-83036-

Treatment with zygomatic implants in patients with advanced atrophy of maxilla

Introducción. El objetivo del presente estudio era mostrar los resultados del tratamiento con implantes cigomáticos utilizados en pacientes con atrofia maxilar severa. Metodos. 18 pacientes fueron tratados con 36 implantes cigomáticos Galimplant ® sumergidos con conexión interna para su rehabilitación prostodóncica. Las técnicas quirúrgicas de inserción de cigomáticos fueron extrasinusal y la técnica de la ranura sinusal. Los implantes fueron cargados después de un periodo de cicatrización de 6 meses. Resultados. Los hallazgos clínicos indican una supervivencia de los implantes del 100%. 14 implantes (38,9%) se in- sertaron por via extrasinusal y 22 implantes (61,6%) por la técnica de la ranura sinusal. Un total de 18 prótesis híbridas atornilladas fueron realizadas. Complicaciones postoperatorias fueron observadas en 4 pacientes (22,2%). El periodo medio de seguimiento clínico ha sido de 12 meses. Conclusiones. Este estudio indica que los implantes cigomáticos pueden ser utilizados con éxito en el tratamiento de los pacientes con atrofia maxilar severaThe aim of this study was to report the outcome of treatment with zygomatic implants used in patients with severe atrophy of maxilla. Methods. 18 patients were treated with 36 Galimplant ® zygomatic implants with internal connection for prosthodontic rehabilitation. Zygomatic surgical techniques were two approach for insertion of implants, extrasinusal and sinus slot technique. Implants were loaded after a healing free-loading period of six months. Results. Clinical results indicate a survival rate of implants of 100%. Fourteen implants (38.9%) were inser- ted by extrasinusal approach while twenty two implants were inserted by sinus slot approach (61.1%). A total of 18 hybrid screw prostheses were realized. Postoperative complications were observed in four patients (22.2%). The mean follow-up period were 12 months. Conclusions. This study indicate that zygomatic implants can be used with success in treatment of patients with severe atrophic maxilla

The 4G/4G genotype of PAI-1 polymorphism is associated with higher plasma PAI-1 concentrations and mortality in patients with severe sepsis

Objective: Two studies have reported that patients with the 4G/4G genotype of the plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) genetic polymorphism had higher plasma PAI-1 concentrations and higher risk of death than those with the 4G/5G or 5G/5G genotypes; one study involved 175 children with meningococcal disease, and the other included 88 adult patients with septic shock. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine whether there is an association between carriage of the 4G/4G genotype, plasma PAI-1 concentrations and mortality in a large series of adult septic patients. Methods: An observational, prospective, multicenter study was carried out in six Spanish Intensive Care Units including severe septic patients. We determined the PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism and plasma PAI-1 concentrations in all patients. The end-points of the study were 30-day and 6-month mortality. Results: We included a total of 260 patients, 82 (31.5%) with 4G/4G, 126 (48.5%) with 4G/5G and 52 (20.0%) with 5G/5G genotype. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the 4G/4G genotype was associated with higher mortality at 30 days (Odds Ratio = 1.95; 95% CI = 1.063-3.561; p = 0.03) and at 6 months (Odds Ratio = 2.19; 95% CI = 1.221-3.934; p = 0.01), and that higher plasma PAI-1 concentrations were associated with higher mortality at 30 days (Odds Ratio = 1.01; 95% CI = 1.002-1.022; p = 0.02) at 6 months (Odds Ratio = 1.01; 95% CI = 1.003-1.023; p = 0.01). Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that increased plasma PAI-1 concentrations were associated with the PAI-1 4G/4G genotype (regression coefficient = 4.82; 95% CI = 3.227 to 6.406; p<0.001). Conclusions: The major findings of our study, to our knowledge the largest series reporting data about 4G/5G polymorphism of the PAI-1 gene, plasma PAI-1 concentrations and mortality in septic patients, were that septic patients with the 4G/4G genotype had higher plasma PAI-1 concentrations and higher risk of death than those with 4G/5G or 5G/5G genotypes

A new common functional coding variant at the DDC gene change renal enzyme activity and modify renal dopamine function.

The intra-renal dopamine (DA) system is highly expressed in the proximal tubule and contributes to Na+ and blood pressure homeostasis, as well as to the development of nephropathy. In the kidney, the enzyme DOPA Decarboxylase (DDC) originating from the circulation. We used a twin/family study design, followed by polymorphism association analysis at DDC locus to elucidate heritable influences on renal DA production. Dense single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping across the DDC locus on chromosome 7p12 was analyzed by re-sequencing guided by trait-associated genetic markers to discover the responsible genetic variation. We also characterized kinetics of the expressed DDC mutant enzyme. Systematic polymorphism screening across the 15-Exon DDC locus revealed a single coding variant in Exon-14 that was associated with DA excretion and multiple other renal traits indicating pleiotropy. When expressed and characterized in eukaryotic cells, the 462Gln variant displayed lower Vmax (maximal rate of product formation by an enzyme) (21.3 versus 44.9 nmol/min/mg) and lower Km (substrate concentration at which half-maximal product formation is achieved by an enzyme.)(36.2 versus 46.8 μM) than the wild-type (Arg462) allele. The highly heritable DA excretion trait is substantially influenced by a previously uncharacterized common coding variant (Arg462Gln) at the DDC gene that affects multiple renal tubular and glomerular traits, and predicts accelerated functional decline in chronic kidney disease

Comparative Study of the Proteins Involved in the Fermentation-Derived Compounds in Two Strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae during Sparkling Wine Second Fermentation

Sparkling wine is a distinctive wine. Saccharomyces cerevisiae flor yeasts is innovative and ideal for the sparkling wine industry due to the yeasts’ resistance to high ethanol concentrations, surface adhesion properties that ease wine clarification, and the ability to provide a characteristic volatilome and odorant profile. The objective of this work is to study the proteins in a flor yeast and a conventional yeast that are responsible for the production of the volatile compounds released during sparkling wine elaboration. The proteins were identified using the OFFGEL fractionator and LTQ Orbitrap. We identified 50 and 43 proteins in the flor yeast and the conventional yeast, respectively. Proteomic profiles did not show remarkable differences between strains except for Adh1p, Fba1p, Tdh1p, Tdh2p, Tdh3p, and Pgk1p, which showed higher concentrations in the flor yeast versus the conventional yeast. The higher concentration of these proteins could explain the fuller body in less alcoholic wines obtained when using flor yeasts. The data presented here can be thought of as a proteomic map for either flor or conventional yeasts which can be useful to understand how these strains metabolize the sugars and release pleasant volatiles under sparkling wine elaboration conditions

Serum levels of caspase-cleaved cytokeratin-18 and mortality are associated in severe septic patients: Pilot study

Objective: Apoptosis is increased in sepsis. Cytokeratin 18 (CK-18), a protein of the intermediate filament group present in most epithelial and parenchymal cells, is cleaved by the action of caspases and released into the blood as caspase-cleaved CK (CCCK)-18 during apoptosis. Circulating levels of CCCK-18 have scarcely been explored in septic patients. In one study with 101 severe septic patients, the authors reported higher serum CCCK-18 levels in non-survivors than in survivors; however, the sample size was too small to demonstrate an association between serum CCCK-18 levels and early mortality and whether they could be used as a biomarker to predict outcomes in septic patients. Thus, these were the objectives of this study with a large series of patients. Methods: We performed a prospective, multicenter, observational study in six Spanish Intensive Care Units with 224 severe septic patients. Blood samples were collected at the time that severe sepsis was diagnosed to determine serum levels of CCCK-18, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10. The end point was 30-day mortality. Results: Non-surviving patients (n = 80) showed higher serum CCCK-18 levels (P391 u/L were associated with 30-day survival (Odds ratio = 2.687; 95% confidence interval = 1.449-4.983; P = 0.002), controlling for SOFA score, serum lactic acid levels and age. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the risk of death in septic patients with serum CCCK-18 levels >391 u/L was higher than in patients with lower values (Hazard Ratio = 3.1; 95% CI = 1.96-4.84; P<0.001). Serum CCCK-18 levels were positively associated with serum levels of IL-6 and lactic acid, and with SOFA and APACHE scores. Conclusions: The major novel finding of our study, the largest cohort of septic patients providing data on circulating CCCK-18 levels, was that serum CCCK-18 levels are associated with mortality in severe septic patients