African women and higger education: Educational policies favorable to gender equality in sub-saharan Africa

The late twentieth century was marked by the beginning of a significant and sustained effort on gender equality. This effort has increased in this century and Africa has not remained oblivious. Specifically, in educational area, the effort has been particularly significant during the last decade, although insufficient. Among the steps that have been made, the development of norms and specific programs to promote the access of women to education, including universities, stands out. Equally relevant is the work developed by African women researchers and activists, who provide useful data to policies promoting gender equality and open new lines of research at the service of the most vulnerable groups. The work of various social organizations in girls' and young women access to education is added to this task. Despite these initiatives, the truth is that parity remains to be a dream, especially at higher education. Both the students and the teachers in sub-saharian universities continue to be predominantly male. Achieving gender equality in Africa requires urgently the increase of public funding and active policies committed to women's access to higher education.El final del siglo XX se caracterizó por el comienzo de un esfuerzo importante y sostenido en materia de igualdad de género, esfuerzo que se ha incrementado en el siglo XXI, no permaneciendo el continente africano ajeno a éste. Concretamente, en materia educativa, el empeño ha sido especialmente significativo durante la última década aunque insuficiente. Entre los pasos que se han realizado destaca el desarrollo de normativas y programas específicos destinados a favorecer el acceso de las mujeres a la educación, incluidas las universidades. Igualmente relevante es el trabajo que desarrollan investigadoras y activistas africanas, proporcionando datos útiles para las políticas favorables a la igualdad de género y abriendo nuevas líneas de investigación al servicio de los grupos más vulnerables. Se suma a este trabajo, la labor de diversas organizaciones sociales en el acceso de las niñas y jóvenes a la educación. A pesar de las iniciativas realizadas, lo cierto es que la paridad continua siendo un sueño en todos los niveles educativos africanos, incluido el nivel superior, objeto del presente trabajo. Tanto el alumnado como el profesorado de las universidades subsaharianas continúan siendo mayoritariamente masculino. Lograr la igualdad de género en el continente requiere urgentemente del aumento de la financiación pública y de políticas activas comprometidas con el acceso de las mujeres a los estudios superiore

Role of CA2+/calmodulin on ethanol neurobehavioral effects

Rationale. The cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) signaling transduction pathway has been shown to play an important role in the modulation of several ethanol-induced behaviors. Different studies have demonstrated intracellular calcium (Ca2+)-dependent activation of the PKA cascade after ethanol administration. Thus, the cAMP cascade mediator Ca2+-dependent calmodulin (CaM) has been strongly implicated in the central effects of ethanol. Objectives. In this study, we assessed the role of the CaM inhibitor W7 on ethanol-induced stimulation, ethanol intake, and ethanol-induced activation of PKA. Methods. Swiss mice were pretreated with W7 (0–10 mg/kg) 30 min before ethanol (0–3.75 g/kg) administration. Immediately, animals were placed during 20 min in an open-field chamber. Ethanol (10 %, v/v) intake in 2 h was assessed using a limited access paradigm. Experiments with caffeine (0–15 mg/kg), cocaine (0–4 mg/kg), and saccharine (0.1 %, w/v) were designed to compare their results to those obtained with ethanol. Western blot was assayed 45 min after ethanol administration. Results. Results showed that pretreatment with W7, reduced selectively in a dose-dependent fashion ethanol-induced locomotor stimulation and ethanol intake. The ethanol-induced activation of PKA was also prevented by W7 administration. Conclusions. These results demonstrate that CaM inhibition resulted in a selective reduction of ethanol-stimulating effects and ethanol intake. The PKA activation induced by ethanol was blocked after the CaM blockade with W7. These results provide further evidence of the key role of cellular Ca2+-dependent pathways on the central effects of ethanol

Reduction in Central H2O2 Levels Prevents Voluntary Ethanol Intake in Mice: A Role for the Brain Catalase- H2O2 System in Alcohol Binge Drinking

Background: Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is the cosubstrate used by the enzyme catalase to form Compound I (the catalase-H2O2 system), which is the major pathway for the conversion of ethanol (EtOH) into acetaldehyde in the brain. This centrally formed acetaldehyde has been shown to be involved in some of the psychopharmacological eðects induced by EtOH in rodents, including volun- tary alcohol intake. It has been observed that diðerent levels of this enzyme in the central nervous sys- tem (CNS) result in variations in the amount of EtOH consumed. This has been interpreted to mean that the brain catalase-H2O2 system, by determining EtOH metabolism, mediates alcohol self-adminis- tration. To date, however, the role of H2O2 in voluntary EtOH drinking has not been investigated. Methods: In the present study, we explored the consequence of a reduction in cerebral H2O2 levels in volitional EtOH ingestion. With this end in mind, we injected mice of the C57BL/6J strain intraperito- neally with the H2O2 scavengers alpha-lipoic acid (LA; 0 to 50 mg/kg) or ebselen (Ebs; 0 to 25 mg/kg) 15 or 60 minutes, respectively, prior to oðering them an EtOH (10%) solution following a drinking- in-the-dark procedure. The same procedure was followed to assess the selectivity of these compounds in altering EtOH intake by presenting mice with a (0.1%) solution of saccharin. In addition, we indirectly tested the ability of LA and Ebs to reduce brain H2O2 availability. Results: The results showed that both LA and Ebs dose-dependently reduced voluntary EtOH intake, without altering saccharin consumption. Moreover, we demonstrated that these treatments decreased the central H2O2 levels available to catalase. Conclusions: Therefore, we propose that the amount of H2O2 present in the CNS, by determining brain acetaldehyde formation by the catalase-H2O2 system, could be a factor that determines an ani- mal’s propensity to consume EtOH

The Effect of Acanthocardia tuberculata Shell Powder as Filler on the Performance of Self-Compacting Mortar

In this research, the feasibility of using Acanthocardia tuberculata shell waste from the canning industry in the manufacturing of self-compacting mortar (SCM) was tested. The seashells were finely ground to be used as filler instead of the limestone filler normally used in this type of SCM. First, a physicochemical and microstructural characterisation of all raw materials was carried out, including the particle size distribution of both fillers. Subsequently, the self-compactability properties in the fresh state of SCM were evaluated using a total substitution by volume of limestone filler for seashell powder, using different self-compactiblity parameters. The mineralogical phases of all the SCM tested were identified once hardened by means of X-ray diffraction technique, thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis. In addition, the mechanical properties, water absorption capacity, dry bulk density and accessible porosity of water of hardened mortars at 28 days of curing were analysed. The effect of replacing limestone filler by Acanthocardia tuberculata filler resulted in a decrease in compressive strength of 29.43, 16.84 and 2.29%, respectively. The results indicate that it is possible to completely replace natural limestone filler with Acanthocardia tuberculata shell filler without significantly affecting the mechanical properties of SCM

Algoritmo Level-set para segmentación hepática en TAC con Restricciones de curvatura local

Actas de: XXIX Congreso Anual de la Sociedad Espñaola de Ingeniería Biomédica (CASEIB 2011). Cáceres, 16-18 Noviembre 2011.La cirugía hepática avanzada requiere de una precisa planificación pre-operatoria en la que tanto la segmentación anatómica como la estimación del volumen hepático remanente tienen una importancia clave a la hora de evitar un fallo hepático postoperatorio. En este contexto, algoritmos basados en level-sets han logrado mejores resultados que otros, especialmente cuando se tratan casos con un parénquima hepático alterado o en hígados previamente resecados. Con el objetivo de mejorar las medidas de volumen hepático funcional, se proponen dos estrategias para completar y realzar algoritmos previos basados en level-sets: una estrategia optimizada multi-resolución con curvatura adaptativa y corrección/refinamiento de detalles, junto con un paso semiautomático adicional en el que se imponen restricciones de curvatura local. Los resultados muestran segmentaciones robustas y precisas, especialmente en estructuras alargadas, detectando lesiones internas y evitando fugas o escapes a estructuras proximales.Este trabajo está parcialmente apoyado por los proyectos de investigación PI09/91058, PI09/91065, ENTEPRASE PS-300000-2009-5, AMIT-CDTI, TEC2010-21619-C04 and PRECISION IPT-300000-2010-3, del Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación de España, el proyecto ARTEMIS de la Comunidad de Madrid y la ayuda de los fondos FEDER de la Unión Europea.Publicad

Endogenous topoisomerase II-mediated DNA breaks drive thymic cancer predisposition linked to ATM deficiency

The ATM kinase is a master regulator of the DNA damage response to double-strand breaks (DSBs) and a well-established tumour suppressor whose loss is the cause of the neurodegenerative and cancer-prone syndrome Ataxia-Telangiectasia (A-T). A-T patients and Atm−/− mouse models are particularly predisposed to develop lymphoid cancers derived from deficient repair of RAG-induced DSBs during V(D)J recombination. Here, we unexpectedly find that specifically disturbing the repair of DSBs produced by DNA topoisomerase II (TOP2) by genetically removing the highly specialised repair enzyme TDP2 increases the incidence of thymic tumours in Atm−/− mice. Furthermore, we find that TOP2 strongly colocalizes with RAG, both genome-wide and at V(D)J recombination sites, resulting in an increased endogenous chromosomal fragility of these regions. Thus, our findings demonstrate a strong causal relationship between endogenous TOP2-induced DSBs and cancer development, confirming these lesions as major drivers of ATM-deficient lymphoid malignancies, and potentially other conditions and cancer types.Junta de Andalucía SAF2010-21017, SAF2013-47343-P, SAF2014-55532-R, SAF2017-89619-R, CVI-7948European Research Council ERC-CoG-2014-64735

Carbon Emission Evaluation of CO2 Curing in Vibro-Compacted Precast Concrete Made with Recycled Aggregates

The objective of the present study was to explore three types of vibro-compacted precast concrete mixtures replacing fine and coarse gravel with a recycled/mixed concrete aggregate (RCA or MCA). The portlandite phase found in RCA and MCA by XRD is a “potential” CO2 sink. CO2 curing improved the compressive strength in all the mixtures studied. One tonne of the mixtures studied could be decarbonised after only 7 days of curing 13,604, 36,077 and 24,635 m3 of air using natural aggregates, RCA or MCA, respectively. The compressive strength obtained, XRD, TGA/DTA and carbon emission evaluation showed that curing longer than 7 days in CO2 was pointless. The total CO2 emissions by a mixture using CO2 curing at 7 days were 221.26, 204.38 and 210.05 kg CO2 eq/m3 air using natural aggregates, RCA or MCA, respectively. The findings of this study provide a valuable contribution to carbon emission evaluation of CO2 curing in vibro-compacted precast concrete with recycled/mixed concrete aggregates (RCA or MCA). The technology proposed in this research facilitates carbon capture and use and guarantees enhanced compressive strength of the concrete samples

Intraoperative computed tomography imaging for dose calculation in intraoperative electron radiation therapy: Initial clinical observations

In intraoperative electron radiation therapy (IOERT) the energy of the electron beam is selected under the conventional assumption of water-equivalent tissues at the applicator end. However, the treatment field can deviate from the theoretic flat irradiation surface, thus altering dose profiles. This patient-based study explored the feasibility of acquiring intraoperative computed tomography (CT) studies for calculating three-dimensional dose distributions with two factors not included in the conventional assumption, namely the air gap from the applicator end to the irradiation surface and tissue heterogeneity. In addition, dose distributions under the conventional assumption and from preoperative CT studies (both also updated with intraoperative data) were calculated to explore whether there are other alternatives to intraoperative CT studies that can provide similar dose distributions. The IOERT protocol was modified to incorporate the acquisition of intraoperative CT studies before radiation delivery in six patients.This study was supported by Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (http://www.ciencia.gob.es) [grant number TEC2013–48251-C2 to JP, VG-V and MJL-C], co-funded by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), “A way of making Europe” (https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/funding/erdf); by Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (http://www.ciencia.gob.es), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (https://www.isciii.es) [grant numbers DTS14/00192 to JP, VG-V and FAC; PI15/02121 to FAC and JC-H; PI18/01625 to JP], co-funded by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), “A way of making Europe” (https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/funding/erdf); and by Comunidad de Madrid (http://www.comunidad.madrid) [grant number TOPUS-CM S2013/MIT3024 to JP], co-funded by European Structural and Investment Fund (https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes/overview-funding-programmes_en). The CNIC is supported by the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (http://www.ciencia.gob.es) and the Pro CNIC Foundation (https://www.fundacionprocnic.es) [to MD], and is a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence (SEV-2015-0505). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

An Automatic Quantification and Registration Strategy to Create a Gene Expression Atlas of Zebrafish Embryogenesis

In order to properly understand and model the gene regulatory networks in animals development, it is crucial to obtain detailed measurements, both in time and space, about their gene expression domains. In this paper, we propose a complete computational framework to fulfill this task and create a 3D Atlas of the early zebrafish embryogenesis annotated with both the cellular localizations and the level of expression of different genes at different developmental stages. The strategy to construct such an Atlas is described here with the expression pattern of 5 different genes at 6 hours of development post fertilization

New Structured Materials in the Study of the Mechanobiological Processes Related to the Heart Failure

Cardiovascular diseases are the number one of death globally. According to the World Health organization 17.7 million people died from cardiovascular diseases in 2015, representing 31% of all global deaths. In these diseases the cardiac homeostasis is disrupted by a non-appropriate myocardium remodelling. The cardiac extracellular matrix (ECM) provides not only the biochemical environment but also a natural scaffold surrounding and connecting cardiac cells and distributing mechanical forces throughout the organ. Thus, the properties of the ECM are essential for the maintenance of the functional myocardium. Alterations in cardiac ECM structure associated with heart failure influence cell-matrix and cell-cell adhesions modifying cell shape and mechanotransduction. The need to understand the cardiac ECM remodelling mechanisms that allow us to identify new therapeutic targets lead us to create biomimetic scaffolds which emulate the structure, topography, mechanics and chemical composition of ECM. Here, we present the development of modulable materials for the manufacturing, by using photopolymerizable materials, of structured hydrogels with myocardium properties of stiffness and elastic modulus in physiological and pathological conditions