Preliminary field screening of maize landrace germplasm from northeastern Mexico under high temperatures

Northeastern Mexico has a wide variety of maize landraces that have not been characterized, and landraces vari¬eties may be a good source of new allelic diversity for useful traits. This study evaluated 28 accessions from Tam¬aulipas, in Northeast Mexico, chosen by phenology and for agronomic characteristics to represent the diversity of germplasm in the collection and agro-ecosystems of this area. They were evaluated under high temperature in the field as a basis for an efficient use of this maize germplasm in a breeding program; in particular we investigated changes in agronomic characteristics affected by high temperatures in all growing seasons. Results indicated that in late planting dates air temperatures become excessively high during the flowering period and growing season; in these conditions a loss in grain yield can be sustained. In this study, the loss initially manifests itself as a reduc¬tion in grain yield (> 32%) because of fewer grains per ear (>26%). Landrace maize accessions C-3030, C-3049, C-3015, Pob. I, Pob. II, ZEM-148 and C-4050 were identified with high relative yield and yield components traits under high temperature conditions. These accessions have greater agronomic stability, and also are potential donors of genes to improve maize tolerance to high temperature

Informática en la Educación

En la actualidad, las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación (TIC) están presentes en todos los campos de nuestra sociedad, y la educación no es la excepción. Estas se convierten en una exigencia permanente para apoyar los procesos de enseñanza-aprendizaje, permitiendo que los estudiantes utilicen los métodos más adecuados a su necesidades y preferencias para aprender y acceder a contenidos disponibles en cualquier lugar. Además, con la llegada de la tecnología, las barreras de espacio y tiempo pueden ser enfrentadas, permitiendo que las necesidades de formación y aprendizaje estén al alcance de las personas, sin las limitaciones físicas. Asimismo, si se aprovecha esta potencialidad para ambientes inclusivos, la exclusión puede ser atacada por diferentes factores.En la actualidad, las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación (TIC) están presentes en todos los campos de nuestra sociedad, y la educación no es la excepción. Estas se convierten en una exigencia permanente para apoyar los procesos de enseñanza-aprendizaje, permitiendo que los estudiantes utilicen los métodos más adecuados a su necesidades y preferencias para aprender y acceder a contenidos disponibles en cualquier lugar. Además, con la llegada de la tecnología, las barreras de espacio y tiempo pueden ser enfrentadas, permitiendo que las necesidades de formación y aprendizaje estén al alcance de las personas, sin las limitaciones físicas. Asimismo, si se aprovecha esta potencialidad para ambientes inclusivos, la exclusión puede ser atacada por diferentes factores

Interacción Humano-Computador en la Sociedad Colombiana de Computación

La Interacción Humano-Computador (HCI, CHI en USA o IPO en España) en la actualidad está presente en cualquier software o producto y por ende es una asignatura obligatoria en todo el mundo (Abascal et al., 2001). Una interfaz es una “superficie” de contacto (Laurel & Mountford, 1990), que refleja las propiedades físicas de los usuarios que interactúan, las funciones a realizar, y el balance de poder y control. La interfaz forma parte de un entorno cultural, físico y social, y por tanto, es necesario tener en cuenta una serie de factores al momento de diseñarla. Es así como el diseño de la interfaz se ha convertido en un elemento crítico en el desarrollo de productos software y hardware, y es uno de los principales factores que influyen en el éxito y competitividad de las aplicaciones. Actualmente, los sistemas interactivos prestan una atención cada vez mayor a las interfaces, demandando cambios en el desarrollo de estos productos. Un sistema interactivo ya no es sólo juzgado por su capacidad de realizar operaciones sino también por su capacidad de comunicarlas adecuadamente al usuario

Valoración mediante espirometría de mineros del carbón de Paipa, Colombia

Introduction: Respiratory diseases resulting from exposure to particulate matter such as in coal mining remains a research challenge in this country and a public health issue. Spirometry is a basic test of fundamental respiratory function for the diagnosis and monitoring of these types of chronic lung diseases.Objective: To determine spirometric values in the coal mining municipality of Paipa and their association with age and occupational exposure times.Materials and methods: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study. The occupational respiratory disease questionnaire of the American Thoracic Society (ATS) was completed while spirometric measurements were performed and interpreted in accordance with international recommendations for conducting the test.Results: The sample consisted of 226 coal mining workers of the municipality of Paipa. Twenty-eight subjects (12.3%) of the sample showed patterns of obstructive and restrictive respiratory disease with mild degrees of severity. Eighty subjects (35%) showed a decrease in the forced vital capacity ratio/expiratory volume in one second (FVC/FEV1). A statistically significant association between age range (p=0.002) and years of mining work (p=0.34) with the development of restrictive and obstructive disorders was found. Also, there was a statistically significant association between age range (p<0.01) and years of mining work (p<0.01) with various degrees of severity of the spirometric pattern.Conclusions: Spirometry is a useful test for detecting the presence of respiratory disorders in the population of coal miners. The time of exposure was significantly associated with the respiratory disease exhibited by these miners.Introducción: Las enfermedades respiratorias derivadas de la exposición a material en partículas, como sucede en la minería del carbón, continúa siendo un reto investigativo en el país y un problema de salud pública. La espirometría es una prueba de la función respiratoria, fundamental para el diagnóstico y la vigilancia de este tipo de enfermedades pulmonares crónicas.Objetivo. Determinar los valores de la espirometría en la población minera de carbón del municipio de Paipa, y su asociación con la edad y el tiempo de exposición laboral.Materiales y métodos. Se hizo un estudio descriptivo de corte transversal. Se diligenció el cuestionario de enfermedad respiratoria ocupacional de la American Thoracic Society (ATS), se registraron las mediciones de la espirometría y se interpretaron siguiendo las recomendaciones internacionales.Resultados. La muestra incluyó 226 trabajadores de minas de carbón de Paipa; en 12,3 % (n=28) de ellos se registraron alteraciones leves, de tipo obstructivo o restrictivo. En 35 % (n=80) hubo disminución de la relación entre la capacidad vital forzada y el volumen espirado en el primer segundo (CVF/VEF1). Se encontró una asociación estadísticamente significativa entre el rango de edad (p=0,002) y los años de trabajo minero (p=0,34), además de trastornos restrictivos y obstructivos. Asimismo, hubo una asociación estadísticamente significativa entre el rango de edad (p<0,01) y los años de trabajo minero (p<0,01), de diferente seriedad en el patrón de las mediciones de la espirometría.Conclusiones. La espirometría es una prueba útil para detectar la presencia de trastornos respiratorios en la población minera del carbón. La enfermedad respiratoria en estos mineros estuvo significativamente asociada con el tiempo de exposición

Psychometric properties of Greek versions of the Modified Corah Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) and the Dental Fear Survey (DFS)

Background: A growing body of literature describes the performance of dental fear questionnaires in various countries. We describe the psychometric properties of Greek versions of the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) and the Dental Fear Survey (DFS) in adult Greek patients. Methods: Greek versions of the MDAS and DFS were administered to two samples of adult dental patients. In the first sample, 195 patients attending one of three private practice dental offices in a large city in Greece completed the questionnaires in the waiting room before dental treatment. After treatment, their dentists (who did not know how the patients had answered the questionnaire) rated their anxiety during dental treatment. In the second sample, 41 patients attending a Greek university dental school clinic completed the questionnaire twice at two separate visits, in order to provide test-retest data. Cronbach's alpha was used to compute the internal consistencies, while Spearman's rho was used to compute the testretest reliabilities. Construct validity was assessed by correlating the responses to the MDAS and DFS by Spearman's rho. Spearman's rho was also used to examine the criterion validities, by comparing the questionnaire responses with the dentists' ratings of anxiety. Results: The internal consistencies for the MDAS were 0.90 and 0.92 in the two samples; for the DFS, the internal consistencies were 0.96 in both samples. The test-retest reliabilities were 0.94 for the MDAS and 0.95 for the DFS. The correlation between the two questionnaires was 0.89. The patients' responses to both questionnaires were significantly related to the dentists' ratings of their anxiety during dental treatment (both p values less than 0.001). Conclusion: The results indicate that the Greek versions of the MDAS and DFS have good internal consistencies and test-retest reliabilities, as well as good construct and criterion validities. The psychometric properties of the Greek versions of these questionnaires appear to be similar to those previously reported in other countries.This research was supported by NIH/NIDCR grant T32DE07132

Association Between Preterm-Birth Phenotypes and Differential Morbidity, Growth, and Neurodevelopment at Age 2 Years: Results From the INTERBIO-21st Newborn Study.

Importance: The etiologic complexities of preterm birth remain inadequately understood, which may impede the development of better preventative and treatment measures. Objective: To examine the association between specific preterm-birth phenotypes and clinical, growth, and neurodevelopmental differences among preterm newborns compared with term newborns up to age 2 years. Design, Setting, and Participants: The INTERBIO-21st study included a cohort of preterm and term newborn singletons enrolled between March 2012 and June 2018 from maternity hospitals in 6 countries worldwide who were followed up from birth to age 2 years. All pregnancies were dated by ultrasonography. Data were analyzed from November 2019 to October 2020. Exposures/Interventions: Preterm-birth phenotypes. Main Outcomes and Measures: Infant size, health, nutrition, and World Health Organization motor development milestones assessed at ages 1 and 2 years; neurodevelopment evaluated at age 2 years using the INTERGROWTH-21st Neurodevelopment Assessment (INTER-NDA) tool. Results: A total of 6529 infants (3312 boys [50.7%]) were included in the analysis. Of those, 1381 were preterm births (mean [SD] gestational age at birth, 34.4 [0.1] weeks; 5148 were term births (mean [SD] gestational age at birth, 39.4 [0] weeks). Among 1381 preterm newborns, 8 phenotypes were identified: no main maternal, fetal, or placental condition detected (485 infants [35.1%]); infections (289 infants [20.9%]); preeclampsia (162 infants [11.7%]); fetal distress (131 infants [9.5%]); intrauterine growth restriction (110 infants [8.0%]); severe maternal disease (85 infants [6.2%]); bleeding (71 infants [5.1%]); and congenital anomaly (48 infants [3.5%]). For all phenotypes, a previous preterm birth was a risk factor for recurrence. Each phenotype displayed differences in neonatal morbidity and infant outcomes. For example, infants with the no main condition detected phenotype had low neonatal morbidity but increased morbidity and hospitalization incidence at age 1 year (odds ratio [OR], 2.2; 95% CI, 1.8-2.7). Compared with term newborns, the highest risk of scoring lower than the 10th centile of INTER-NDA normative values was observed in the fine motor development domain among newborns with the fetal distress (OR, 10.6; 95% CI, 5.1-22.2) phenotype. Conclusions and Relevance: Results of this study suggest that phenotypic classification may provide a better understanding of the etiologic factors and mechanisms associated with preterm birth than continuing to consider it an exclusively time-based entity

Natural History of MYH7-Related Dilated Cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND: Variants in myosin heavy chain 7 (MYH7) are responsible for disease in 1% to 5% of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM); however, the clinical characteristics and natural history of MYH7-related DCM are poorly described. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the phenotype and prognosis of MYH7-related DCM. We also evaluated the influence of variant location on phenotypic expression. METHODS: We studied clinical data from 147 individuals with DCM-causing MYH7 variants (47.6% female; 35.6 ± 19.2 years) recruited from 29 international centers. RESULTS: At initial evaluation, 106 (72.1%) patients had DCM (left ventricular ejection fraction: 34.5% ± 11.7%). Median follow-up was 4.5 years (IQR: 1.7-8.0 years), and 23.7% of carriers who were initially phenotype-negative developed DCM. Phenotypic expression by 40 and 60 years was 46% and 88%, respectively, with 18 patients (16%) first diagnosed at <18 years of age. Thirty-six percent of patients with DCM met imaging criteria for LV noncompaction. During follow-up, 28% showed left ventricular reverse remodeling. Incidence of adverse cardiac events among patients with DCM at 5 years was 11.6%, with 5 (4.6%) deaths caused by end-stage heart failure (ESHF) and 5 patients (4.6%) requiring heart transplantation. The major ventricular arrhythmia rate was low (1.0% and 2.1% at 5 years in patients with DCM and in those with LVEF of ≤35%, respectively). ESHF and major ventricular arrhythmia were significantly lower compared with LMNA-related DCM and similar to DCM caused by TTN truncating variants. CONCLUSIONS: MYH7-related DCM is characterized by early age of onset, high phenotypic expression, low left ventricular reverse remodeling, and frequent progression to ESHF. Heart failure complications predominate over ventricular arrhythmias, which are rare

Regulatory sites for splicing in human basal ganglia are enriched for disease-relevant information

Genome-wide association studies have generated an increasing number of common genetic variants associated with neurological and psychiatric disease risk. An improved understanding of the genetic control of gene expression in human brain is vital considering this is the likely modus operandum for many causal variants. However, human brain sampling complexities limit the explanatory power of brain-related expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) and allele-specific expression (ASE) signals. We address this, using paired genomic and transcriptomic data from putamen and substantia nigra from 117 human brains, interrogating regulation at different RNA processing stages and uncovering novel transcripts. We identify disease-relevant regulatory loci, find that splicing eQTLs are enriched for regulatory information of neuron-specific genes, that ASEs provide cell-specific regulatory information with evidence for cellular specificity, and that incomplete annotation of the brain transcriptome limits interpretation of risk loci for neuropsychiatric disease. This resource of regulatory data is accessible through our web server, http://braineacv2.inf.um.es/

Identification of novel risk loci, causal insights, and heritable risk for Parkinson's disease: a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies

Background Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in Parkinson's disease have increased the scope of biological knowledge about the disease over the past decade. We aimed to use the largest aggregate of GWAS data to identify novel risk loci and gain further insight into the causes of Parkinson's disease. Methods We did a meta-analysis of 17 datasets from Parkinson's disease GWAS available from European ancestry samples to nominate novel loci for disease risk. These datasets incorporated all available data. We then used these data to estimate heritable risk and develop predictive models of this heritability. We also used large gene expression and methylation resources to examine possible functional consequences as well as tissue, cell type, and biological pathway enrichments for the identified risk factors. Additionally, we examined shared genetic risk between Parkinson's disease and other phenotypes of interest via genetic correlations followed by Mendelian randomisation. Findings Between Oct 1, 2017, and Aug 9, 2018, we analysed 7·8 million single nucleotide polymorphisms in 37 688 cases, 18 618 UK Biobank proxy-cases (ie, individuals who do not have Parkinson's disease but have a first degree relative that does), and 1·4 million controls. We identified 90 independent genome-wide significant risk signals across 78 genomic regions, including 38 novel independent risk signals in 37 loci. These 90 variants explained 16–36% of the heritable risk of Parkinson's disease depending on prevalence. Integrating methylation and expression data within a Mendelian randomisation framework identified putatively associated genes at 70 risk signals underlying GWAS loci for follow-up functional studies. Tissue-specific expression enrichment analyses suggested Parkinson's disease loci were heavily brain-enriched, with specific neuronal cell types being implicated from single cell data. We found significant genetic correlations with brain volumes (false discovery rate-adjusted p=0·0035 for intracranial volume, p=0·024 for putamen volume), smoking status (p=0·024), and educational attainment (p=0·038). Mendelian randomisation between cognitive performance and Parkinson's disease risk showed a robust association (p=8·00 × 10−7). Interpretation These data provide the most comprehensive survey of genetic risk within Parkinson's disease to date, to the best of our knowledge, by revealing many additional Parkinson's disease risk loci, providing a biological context for these risk factors, and showing that a considerable genetic component of this disease remains unidentified. These associations derived from European ancestry datasets will need to be followed-up with more diverse data. Funding The National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health (USA), The Michael J Fox Foundation, and The Parkinson's Foundation (see appendix for full list of funding sources)