Differential prefrontal-like deficit in children after cerebellar astrocytoma and medulloblastoma tumor

Journal Article;BACKGROUND This study was realized thanks to the collaboration of children and adolescents who had been resected from cerebellar tumors. The medulloblastoma group (CE+, n = 7) in addition to surgery received radiation and chemotherapy. The astrocytoma group (CE, n = 13) did not receive additional treatments. Each clinical group was compared in their executive functioning with a paired control group (n = 12). The performances of the clinical groups with respect to controls were compared considering the tumor's localization (vermis or hemisphere) and the affectation (or not) of the dentate nucleus. Executive variables were correlated with the age at surgery, the time between surgery-evaluation and the resected volume. METHODS The executive functioning was assessed by means of WCST, Complex Rey Figure, Controlled Oral Word Association Test (letter and animal categories), Digits span (WISC-R verbal scale) and Stroop test. These tests are very sensitive to dorsolateral PFC and/or to medial frontal cortex functions. The scores for the non-verbal Raven IQ were also obtained. Direct scores were corrected by age and transformed in standard scores using normative data. The neuropsychological evaluation was made at 3.25 (SD = 2.74) years from surgery in CE group and at 6.47 (SD = 2.77) in CE+ group. RESULTS The Medulloblastoma group showed severe executive deficit (</= 1.5 SD below normal mean) in all assessed tests, the most severe occurring in vermal patients. The Astrocytoma group also showed executive deficits in digits span, semantic fluency (animal category) and moderate to slight deficit in Stroop (word and colour) tests. In the astrocytoma group, the tumor's localization and dentate affectation showed different profile and level of impairment: moderate to slight for vermal and hemispheric patients respectively. The resected volume, age at surgery and the time between surgery-evaluation correlated with some neuropsychological executive variables. CONCLUSION Results suggest a differential prefrontal-like deficit due to cerebellar lesions and/or cerebellar-frontal diaschisis, as indicate the results in astrocytoma group (without treatments), that also can be generated and/or increased by treatments in the medulloblastoma group. The need for differential rehabilitation strategies for specific clinical groups is remarked. The results are also discussed in the context of the Cerebellar Cognitive Affective Syndrome.This work was possible thanks to financial support from the MEC (DGICYT).Ye

Declarative and procedural learning in children and adolescents with posterior fossa tumours

BACKGROUND: This quasi-experimental study was designed to assess two important learning types – procedural and declarative – in children and adolescents affected by posterior fossa tumours (astrocytoma vs. medulloblastoma), given that memory has an important impact on the child's academic achievement and personal development. METHODS: We had three groups: two clinical (eighteen subjects) and one control (twelve subjects). The learning types in these groups were assessed by two experimental tasks evaluating procedural-implicit and declarative memory. A Serial Reaction-Time Task was used to measure procedural sequence learning, and the Spanish version [1] of the California Verbal Learning Test-Children's Version- CVLT- [2] to measure declarative-explicit learning. The learning capacity was assessed considering only the blocks that represent learning, and were compared with MANOVA in clinical and normal subjects. The Raven, simple reaction-time, finger-tapping test, and grooved pegboard tests were used to assess the overall functioning of subjects. The results were compared with those from a control group of the same age, and with Spanish norm-referenced tools where available RESULTS: The results indicate the absence of procedural-implicit learning in both clinical groups, whereas declarative-explicit learning is maintained in both groups. CONCLUSION: The clinical groups showed a conservation of declarative learning and a clear impairment of procedural learning. The results support the role of the cerebellum in the early phase of procedural learning

A Disruptive Educational Project in Secondary Education. The Case of IES Cartagines.

The project presented here arises from the new educational needs that emanate from the changes taking place in the social, cultural, political, and economic spheres. The boundaries of formal education, as it has been understood until now, are being breached by new forms of learning, communication, and relationships, which are claiming their place in educational institutions. This is particularly relevant at the level of secondary education where the boundaries of conventional cultural and social systems are constantly being overwhelmed by these new realities (Fernández Enguita, 2016). This makes it necessary to rethink the systems of teaching and working in the educational system. Students at this educational level have a profile and resources closely linked to the knowmadic society (Cobo, 2016, Movarec, 2008), in which there is less and less sense in a teaching model based mainly on the unidirectional transmission of knowledge (Downes, 2017). This, in interaction with families, teachers and other educational agents, generates a world of conflicts of various kinds: curricular, social, attitudinal and expectations, etc.Ministerio de Economía y competitividad. RT2018-097144-b- 100 Uma20-FEDERIA-121 Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Regulation and symbiotic significance of nodulation outer proteins secretion in Sinorhizobium fredii HH103

In this work we show that the Sinorhizobium fredii HH103 ttsI gene is essential for the expression of the tts genes and secretion of nodulation outer proteins (Nops). Moreover, we demonstrate for the first time, to our knowledge, that the nod box preceding ttsI is necessary for Nops secretion. TtsI is responsible for the transcriptional activation of nopX, nopA, rhcJ and rhcQ. We confirm that the S. fredii HH103 ttsI gene is activated by NodD1 and repressed by NolR. In contrast, NodD2 is not involved in the regulation of ttsI expression. Despite the dependence of expression of both ttsI and nodA on NodD1 and flavonoids, clear differences in the capacity of some flavonoids to activate these genes were found. The expression of the ttsI and nodA genes was also sensitive to differences in the pH of the media. Secretion of Nops in the ttsI mutant could not be complemented with a DNA fragment containing the ttsI gene and its nod box, but it was restored when a plasmid harbouring the ttsI, rhcC2 and y4xK genes was transferred to the mutant strain. The symbiotic effect of Nops secretion was host-dependent but independent of the type of nodule formed by the host legume. Nops are beneficial in the symbiosis with Glycine max and Glycyrrhiza uralensis, and detrimental in the case of the tropical legume Erythrina variegata

Investigación sobre la formulación y elaboración de néctar con cardamomo

Para la elaboración de un néctar de naranja con cardamomo se partió del hecho que se quería otorgar un uso al cardamomo nacional, proponiendo una alternativa en su procesamiento. Para ello se combinó con naranja, debido a la afinidad de dicha semilla con los cítricos, para producir un néctar de naranja con cardamomo. Se inició con tres procesos de estandarización los cuales fueron el cardamomo, la cantidad de azúcar en el néctar y la estandarización del tipo de naranja a utilizar. Esto para cumplir con las regulaciones establecidas para un néctar de naranja, tanto de pH como de °Brix, según el RTCA “Alimentos y bebidas procesados. Néctares de frutas. Especificaciones”, así como para que el néctar elaborado cumpliera con las propiedades organolépticas que el consumidor busca, las cuales fueron medidas por medio de la evaluación sensorial realizada a 75 personas. Para realizar el proceso de estandarización de la cantidad de cardamomo se realizaron infusiones a tres concentraciones de cardamomo a 25%, 33% y 50%. El fin para determinar cuál de las infusiones guardaba mejor el aroma a cardamomo y además cual no dejaba un regusto indeseado o un regusto muy fuerte a cardamomo, además de determinar cuál de las tres tenía mejor armonía con el jugo de la naranja al producir el néctar. Posteriormente, ya realizada la estandarización de la cantidad de cardamomo, correspondiente al 33%, se realizó el proceso de estandarización de la cantidad de sacarosa. Para realizar esto, al igual que con el cardamomo, se utilizaron tres concentraciones diferentes correspondientes al 10%, 20% y 25% de sacarosa en solución. El fin de estandarizar en nivel o concentración de sacarosa fue obtener el nivel de °Brix requerido para el néctar de naranja con cardamomo el cual según el RTCA 67.04.48:08 el cual es de 11.2°Brix. Por último, al igual que con el nivel de cardamomo y sacarosa se realizó la estandarización del tipo de naranja a utilizar, la cual debía favorecer el cumplimiento con parámetros de °Brix y pH según el RTCA. La naranja utilizada luego de realizadas las pruebas fue la naranja de tipo Valenciana ya que presentó condiciones de pH y °Brix aceptables para cumplir con el RTCA correspondiente, a diferencia de otras pruebas que se realizaron con naranjas lisas salustianas. Ya con la formulación establecida y el néctar elaborado cumpliendo parámetros de °Brix y pH según RTCA se procedió a realizar una evaluación sensorial para ver el grado de aceptación del producto para el consumidor. El costo total para la elaboración del néctar de naranja con cardamomo fue de Q15.99 con un rendimiento promedio de las naranjas de 51%

A pyrF auxotrophic mutant of Sinorhizobium fredii HH103 impaired in its symbiotic interaction with soybean and other legumes

Transposon Tn5-Mob mutagenesis allowed the selection of a Sinorhizobium fredii HH103 mutant derivative (SVQ 292) that requires the presence of uracil to grow in minimal media. The mutated gene, pyrF, codes for an orotidine-5 ́- monophosphate decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.23). Mutant SVQ 292 and its parental prototrophic mutant HH103 showed similar Nod-factor and lipopolysaccharide profiles. The symbiotic properties of mutant SVQ 292 were severely impaired with all legumes tested. Mutant SVQ 292 formed small ineffective nodules on Cajanus cajan and abnormal nodules (pseudonodules) unable to fix nitrogen on Glycine max (soybean), Macroptitlium atropurpureum, Indigofera tinctoria, and Desmodium cana-dense. It also did not induce any macroscopic response in Macrotyloma axillare roots. The symbiotic capacity of SVQ 292 with soybean was not enhanced by the addition of uracil to the plant nutritive solution

Requerimientos Hídricos a largo plazo del Nogal con Imágenes de Satélite en la región Centro-Sur del estado de Chihuahua

En la actualidad uno de los factores importantes para toda actividad humana es el agua. Chihuahua al ser gran productor de Nuez y uno de los principales exportadores a nivel mundial demanda gran parte del agua para su producción. Sin embargo, la sobreexplotación de las cuencas superficiales y subterráneas es una alerta para el estudio, cálculo y administración de las fuentes de extracción del agua. En este estudio se utilizaron imágenes de satélite para estimar los requerimientos hídricos de las huertas nogaleras a través de comparaciones del crecimiento y nuevas áreas de cultivo basándose en imágenes del año 2005 y 2017 para comprobar el aumento que han tenido en los últimos 12 años; pruebas de campo, entrevistas tanto a productores como a módulos del Distrito de riego 005 fueron tomadas de igual forma para la obtención de los volúmenes de agua necesarios para la región Nogalera que comprenden los módulos 05, 06 y 09 de los municipios de Delicias, Rosales y Meoqui. Los resultados muestran un incremento de la superficie ocupada por el nogal, estimándose un consumo anual de agua por hectárea de alrededor de 13, 10 ½ y 4 millones de m3 para los municipios de Delicias, Rosales y Meoqui respectivamente. Además, se observa que en el acuífero Meoqui-Delicias se genera una descarga de agua mayor a la recarga del manto. Lo anterior muestra que el menor abastecimiento del acuífero y la creciente descarga del mismo generará un desabasto de agua para la región Nogalera en años futuros

Inteligencia Artificial en Medicina y Salud: revisión y clasificación de las aplicaciones actuales y del futuro cercano y su impacto ético y social

This paper provides an overview of the current and near-future applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Medicine and Health Care and presents a classification according to their ethical and societal aspects, potential benefits and pitfalls, and issues that can be considered controversial and are not deeply discussed in the literature. This work is based on an analysis of the state of the art of research and technology, including existing software, personal monitoring devices, genetic tests and editing tools, personalized digital models, online platforms, augmented reality devices, and surgical and companion robotics. Motivated by our review, we present and describe the notion of “extended personalized medicine”, we then review existing applications of AI in medicine and healthcare and explore the public perception of medical AI systems, and how they show, simultaneously, extraordinary opportunities and drawbacks that even question fundamental medical concepts. Many of these topics coincide with urgent priorities recently defined by the World Health Organization for the coming decade. In addition, we study the transformations of the roles of doctors and patients in an age of ubiquitous information, identify the risk of a division of Medicine into “fake-based”, “patient-generated”, and “scientifically tailored”, and draw the attention of some aspects that need further thorough analysis and public debate

Retrieval of germinal zone neural stem cells from the cerebrospinal fluid of premature infants with intraventricular hemorrhage

Intraventricular hemorrhage is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in premature infants. The rupture of the germinal zone into the ventricles entails loss of neural stem cells and disturbs the normal cytoarchitecture of the region, compromising late neurogliogenesis. Here we demonstrate that neural stem cells can be easily and robustly isolated from the hemorrhagic cerebrospinal fluid obtained during therapeutic neuroendoscopic lavage in preterm infants with severe intraventricular hemorrhage. Our analyses demonstrate that these neural stem cells, although similar to human fetal cell lines, display distinctive hallmarks related to their regional and developmental origin in the germinal zone of the ventral forebrain, the ganglionic eminences that give rise to interneurons and oligodendrocytes. These cells can be expanded, cryopreserved, and differentiated in vitro and in vivo in the brain of nude mice and show no sign of tumoral transformation 6 months after transplantation. This novel class of neural stem cells poses no ethical concerns, as the fluid is usually discarded, and could be useful for the development of an autologous therapy for preterm infants, aiming to restore late neurogliogenesis and attenuate neurocognitive deficits. Furthermore, these cells represent a valuable tool for the study of the final stages of human brain development and germinal zone biology