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The Perceived Quality of Life of Older People in Spain Who Care for Grandchildren and Related Variables: A Mixed Methods Study

Grandparental care of grandchildren is a prevalent social phenomenon. This study explores the perceptions of health-related quality of life of grandparents caring for their grandchildren. A mixed methods design was developed. In the first phase, participants were interviewed using a baseline questionnaire. The second phase consisted of focus groups with 19 of the 100 participants in the quantitative phase. The scores obtained from the quantitative analysis are in line with the qualitative data; they reflect that grandparent carers who are more involved in the care of their grandchildren have more symptoms of depression and stress and have poorer perceptions of physical health-related quality of life. What may at first appear to be a positive aspect, keeping grandparent carers active, can become negative when it comes to shared care and when the grandparents’ willingness to provide care is abused.This research was funded by the Office of the Vice President of Research and Knowledge Transfer for the promotion of R&D in the University of Alicante 2019 Programme, Grant/Award Number: GRE19-08

Obesidad monogénica humana: papel del sistema leptina-melanocortina en la regulación de la ingesta de alimentos y el peso corporal en humanos

La obesidad humana es un trastorno de origen multifactorial en el que intervienen factores tanto genéticos como ambientales. La existencia de alteraciones genéticas que dan origen a obesidades monogénicas resulta muy interesante para el estudio de los mecanismos que contribuyen a un aumento de la ingesta de energía y la acumulación de grasa en el cuerpo. La mayoría de los genes implicados en obesidad monogénica se relacionan con el sistema de la leptina-melanocortinas, de ahí la importancia de su estudio a través de mutaciones naturales en ratones. Así, se han descrito mutaciones relacionadas con obesidad humana de tipo monogénica en la leptina y su receptor, proopiomelanocortina y prohormona convertasa 1. El objetivo de este trabajo ha sido ofrecer una revisión actualizada acerca de las principales características y funcionamiento del sistema leptina-melanocortinas, así como de sus implicaciones y potencialidades en el proceso de regulación de la ingesta alimentaria y control del peso corporal.Human obesity is a disorder of multifactorial origin in which genetic and environmental factors are involved. To understand the mechanisms regulating energy intake and fat accumulation in the body, it is important to study the genetic alterations causing monogenic obesity. Most of the genes involved in monogenic obesity are associated with the leptin-melanocortin system; hence the importance of studying this system by analysing natural mutations in mice. Previous studies have described mutations in leptin and its receptor, proopiomelanocortin and prohormone convertase 1 associated with human obesity of monogenic origin. The aim of this study is to provide an updated review of the main characteristics and functioning of the leptin-melanocortin system, and its implications and potentialities in regulating food intake and body weight

La fauna nativa de México en riesgo y la NOM-059: ¿Están todos los que son y son todos los que están?

The Norma Oficial Mexicana 059 (NOM-059) is the Mexican legal instrument that identifies species or populations at risk throug the use of the Método de Evaluación de Riesgo de Extinción de Especies Silvestres de México (MER). From its first promulgation in 1994, the NOM-059 has been used as a reference to assess the conservation status, and as a tool on national environmental policies; however, it has been questioned for the lack of scientific criteria. We assess the relevance of the NOM-059 as a tool to assess the conservation status of Mexican native species by utilizing the mammals as a case study. More than 40% of native mammals are included in the list, though only 10% of the listed species had been evaluated with the MER, and have technical support to justify their inclusion. In most cases, criteria used to determine the species inclusion are unknown, in the other cases the criteria are contradictory with the objectives and methods stablished in the NOM-059. Non-endemic mammals are overrepresented in the list, while the extinction risk of the endemic mammals is underestimated.The evidence shows that in its current form the NOM-059 it is not an adequate tool to assess the species conservation status. Finally, we list a series of recommendations that would improve NOM-059 and strengthen conservation efforts in Mexico. Resumen. La Norma Oficial Mexicana 059 (NOM-059) es el instrumento normativo que identifica las especies o poblaciones de México en riesgo mediante la aplicación del Método de Evaluación de Riesgo de Extinción de Especies Silvestres de México (MER). Desde su primera publicación en 1994 la Norma ha sido usada como referencia para evaluar el estado de conservación y como herramienta en las políticas ambientales nacionales; sin embargo, ha sido fuertemente cuestionada por la aparente falta de criterios científicos. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar la pertinencia del uso de la NOM-059 como referencia del estado de conservación de las especies nativas de México utilizando a los mamíferos como caso de estudio. Más del 40% de los mamíferos nativos de México están incluidos, pero solo el 10% del total de especies listadas se han evaluado con el MER; solo estas especies cuentan con soporte técnico que justifique su inclusión. En la mayoría de los casos los criterios empleados para determinar la inclusión se desconocen, pero en algunos casos son incluso contradictorios a los objetivos y metodología establecidos en la misma Norma. Los resultados sugieren que los mamíferos no endémicos están sobrerrepresentados en la NOM-059, mientras que el riesgo de extinción de los mamíferos endémicos está subestimado. La evidencia pone de manifiesto que en su forma actual la NOM-059 no es la herramienta adecuada para evaluar el estado de conservación. Finalmente, presentamos una serie de  recomendaciones que consideramos contribuyen a mejorar la NOM-059 y así fortalecer los esfuerzos de conservación del país.

Decidualization modulates the mesenchymal stromal/stem cell and pericyte characteristics of human decidual stromal cells. Effects on antigen expression, chemotactic activity on monocytes and antitumoral activity

Decidual stromal cells (DSCs) are the most abundant cellular component of human decidua and play a central role in maternal–fetal immune tolerance. Antigen phenotyping and functional studies recently confirmed the relationship of DSCs with mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) and pericytes, the latter two cell types being closely related or identical. The present study investigated the effect of decidualization, a process of cell differentiation driven by progesterone (P4) and other pregnancy hormones, on the MSC/pericyte characteristics of DSCs. To this end we isolated undifferentiated DSC (preDSC) lines that were decidualized in vitro (dDSC) by the effect of P4 and cAMP. Using flow cytometry, we found significant downmodulation of the expression of the MSC/pericyte markers α-smooth muscle actin, nestin, CD140b, CD146 and SUSD2 in dDSCs. The dDSCs did not differ, compared to preDSCs, in the expression of angiogenic factors (characteristic of pericytes) HGF, FGF2, ANGPT1 or VEGF according to RT-PCR results, but had significantly increased PGF expression. In migration assays, preDSC-conditioned media had a chemotactic effect on the THP-1 monocytic line (characteristic of pericytes), and this effect was significantly greater in dDSCconditioned media. Media conditioned with dDSC, but not with preDSC, induced apoptosis in 4 out of 6 different tumor cell lines (characteristic of MSCs) according to propidium iodide staining and flow cytometry results. Our findings show that decidualization induces phenotypic and functional changes in the MSC/pericyte properties of DSCs that may have a role in the normal development of pregnancy.This article contributes to COST Action CA17116 “International Network for Translating Research on Perinatal Derivatives into Therapeutic Approaches (SPRINT)”, supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology)

Influence of the ectopic location on the antigen expression and functional characteristics of endometrioma stromal cells

Research question: Are the alterations observed in the endometriotic cells, such as progesterone resistance, already present in the eutopic endometrium or acquired in the ectopic location? Design: The response to decidualization with progesterone and cyclic AMP for up to 28 days was compared in different endometrial stromal cell (EnSC) lines established from samples of endometriomas (eEnSC), eutopic endometrium from women with endometriosis (eBEnSC), endometrial tissue from healthy women (BEnSC) and menstrual blood from healthy donors (mEnSC). Results: Usual features of decidualized cells, such as changes in cell morphology and expression of prolactin, were similarly observed in the three types of eutopic EnSC studied, but not in the ectopic cells upon decidualization. Among the phenotypic markers analysed, CD105 was down-regulated under decidualization in all cell types (mEnSC, P = 0.005; BEnSC, P = 0.029; eBEnSC, P = 0.022) except eEnSC. mEnSC and BEnSC underwent apoptosis during decidualization, whereas eBEnSC and eEnSC were resistant to the induction of cell death. Lastly, migration studies revealed that mEnSC secreted undetermined factors during decidualization that inhibited cell motility, whereas eEnSC showed a significantly lower ability to produce those migration-regulating factors (P < 0.0001, P  < 0.001 and P = 0.0013 for the migration of mEnSC at 24, 48 and 72 h, respectively; P  < 0.0001 for the migration of eEnSC at all times studied). Conclusions: This study provides novel insights into the differences between endometriotic and eutopic endometrial cells and reinforces the idea that the microenvironment in the ectopic location plays additional roles in the acquisition of the alterations that characterize the cells of the endometriotic foci.This work was supported by the Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica y Técnica y de Innovación 2013-2016, ISCIII Subdirección General de Evaluación y Fomento de la Investigación, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Spain (Grant PI16/01642); the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF/634 FEDER funding); and the Plan Propio, Universidad de Granada (Grant PP2021.PP-12)

Spatial distribution, inter-annual variability and influence of abiotic factors on molluscan assemblages collected with otter trawl in the northen Alborán Sea

Molluscs constitute one of the most diverse and best represented invertebrate groups in the marine environment. In the northern sectors of the Alborán Sea and Gulf of Cádiz 1200 spp. of the 1800 spp. occurring in the Mediterranean Sea, have been found so far highlighting the importance of this area for the european molluscan fauna (Gofas et al., 2011). Molluscs are also the second group in abundance and biomass in demersal fisheries and an important component of soft-bottom benthic communities, including ecologically important and/or commercial mollusc species that are also exposed to an increasing trawling impact (Snelgrove, 1998; Kaiser & De Groot, 1999). Previous studies on molluscs of the Alborán Sea has primarily focused on those from infralittoral habitats, with few studies focussing on the composition, structure and dynamics of circalittoral and bathyal molluscan assemblages ( Rueda et al., 2015). The study of soft bottom molluscan assemblages where trawling fishing fleet operates is important for improving the fisheries evaluation and management, as well as the implementation of ecosystemic and biodiversity conservation measures in the context of the new Marine Strategy Framework Directive. In the present study, the distribution and inter-annual variability of molluscan assemblages of circalittoral and bathyal soft bottoms of the Alborán Sea have been analyzed as well as the relationships of fauna with different environmental variables. Samples were collected in 190 otter trawl hauls performed between “Punta Europa” and “Cabo de Gata”, including the Alborán Ridge, at depths from 30 to 800 m during four MEDITS-ES trawl surveys in spring between 2012 and 2015. Several environmental variables from the water column (temperature and salinity) and sediment samples were taken where each haul was performed in order to elucidate their relationships with the molluscan assemblages. Abundances of each species (individuals . h-1) of each haul and trawl survey were pooled in a matrix for performing multivariate methods in order to contrast molluscan assemblages of different sites and years. The Bray-Curtis similarity index was then used to perform non-parametric multidimensional scaling ordinations (nMDS). A fourth root transformation pretreatment was applied on the quantitative data in order to minimize the contribution of the most abundant species to the analyses. Analyses of similarities (ANOSIM) were carried out for statistical comparisons of groups of samples according to different factors (e.g. year, location). Analyses of similitude percentage (SIMPER) were used to identify those species that contributed to the similarity and dissimilarity between groups of samples according to factors. These multivariate analyses were executed using the PRIMER v6 (Plymouth Routines in Multivariate Ecological Research). Average values of abundance of molluscs (N), species richness (S), Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H’: log2), evenness index (J’) and taxonomic distinctness index (Δ*) were calculated for each sample group. Statistical differences between these values were tested with the non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis using SPSS software. The relationships between environmental variables and molluscs abundance in the different hauls were only studied for the 2014 trawl survey using a correspondence canonical analysis (CCA). The statistical significance of the adjusted CCA was assessed using a Monte Carlo permutation test. Prior to this, the environmental variables were screened and those which presented a correlation higher than 0.9 (after a Spearman correlation analysis) were not further considered. These analyses were executed using the R software. Three main molluscan assemblages were detected and belonged to the: I) Continental Shelf (30-200 m); II) Upper Continental Slope (201-350 m), and III) Middle Continental Slope (351-800 m). The multivariate analyses revealed geographical differences within the Alborán Sea, being these differences more acute between the Alborán Island, mainly in the shallower assemblages (30-200 m and 201-350 m) and the remaining locations considered. These differences were due to a lower abundance in the island of species that were dominant in the continental margin, such as Alloteuthis media, Sepietta oweniana and Turritella communis and a higher abundance in the island of species that were less abundant in the continental margin, such as Neopycnodonte cochlear, Arca tetragona, Loligo forbesii and Sepia orbignyana. No significant differences of the abundance, biomass, species richness and diversity index were detected in the assemblages over the four years. Nevertheless, significant abundance declines of A. media, S. oweniana, and increases of N. cochlear were detected in the continental shelf over the years as well as abundance declines of Bathypolipus sponsalis and Galeodea rugosa in the slope assemblages. Regarding the environmental variables, the shallower assemblage (30-200 m) showed a significantly higher temperature, lower salinity and wider variety of sediment types than the others, with a predominance of sandy mud textures followed by muddy sand. As depth increases the sedimentary heterogeneity decreases, with dominant muddy sediments. Depth, temperature and mud percentage were the key variables that better explained the variability of the molluscan assemblage in the CCA. In conclusions: (1) Acute geographical differences occurred between the Alborán Island and the locations of the continental margin, due to its location far from the continental influence and, therefore, with lower fisheries activity and a less muddy and more bioclastic sediment, (2) Inter-annual trends in the abundance, biomass, species richness and diversity of assemblages were not detected, but some species displayed inter-annual changes due to biological aspects or accidental catch of gregarious species and (3) depth and some sedimentological variables displayed the most significant relationships with the molluscan assemblages, as previously observed for other invertebrate assemblages in the Alborán Sea

El género confesional como dimensión filosófica-literaria en María Zambrano y Rosa Chacel

In this work we intend to explore, from the works of María Zambrano and Rosa Chacel (both disciples of José Ortega y Gasset), the recovery of the confessional genre as a founding philosophical-literary dimension in their works. For this, we rely on a point of convergence in Zambrano and Chacel, where the Confession is presented as the horizon of revelation from a narrative of the self, for the recognition of biographical-self-referential elements. We try to show that the confessional genre, although it is a substantive part of the anthropological-literary treatment that both authors carry out, also leads to being a renewal proposal for contemporary man.En este trabajo nos proponemos explorar, desde las obras de María Zambrano y Rosa Chacel (ambas discípulas de José Ortega y Gasset) la recuperación del género confesional como dimensión filosófica-literaria fundante en sus obras. Para ello, nos apoyamos en un punto de convergencia en Zambrano y Chacel, donde la Confesión se presenta como el horizonte de revelación a partir de una narrativa del sí mismo, para el reconocimiento de elementos biográficos-autorrefenciales. Intentamos mostrar que el género confesional si bien, es parte sustantiva del tratamiento antropológico-literario que ambas autoras realizan, conducen también a ser una propuesta de renovación para el hombre contemporáneo

Molluscs collected with otter trawl on circalittoral and bathyal soft bottoms of the northern Alboran Sea

Molluscan assemblages of circalittoral and bathyal soft bottoms of the northern Alboran sea were studied from individuals collected with an otter trawl. Samples were collected in 191 hauls during four MEDITS-ES trawl surveys carried out in spring between 2012 and 2015. A total of 102 species, grouped in 55 families, was found at depths between 30-800 m. Abralia veranyi was the most abundant species, and Todarodes sagittatus and Illex coindetii were the most frequent ones. Multivariate analyses resulted in three faunistics assemblagea at different depth ranges: I) 30-200 m, II) 201-350 m, III) 351-800 m. The abundance, biomass and species richness decreased with depth. A clear difference is observed in the faunistic composition between the shelf and the continental slope with a sharp depletion from 350 m in the number of species as well as in the abundance and biomassVersión del edito

Modeling discards in Trawling Mediterranean Northern Alboran Sea Fishery

Target and Bycatch species metrics estimated from fishery-dependent data were explored to assess their use in governance of habitat conservation in respect to fisheries. Fishing data collected by onboard observers in otter-trawl boats between 2011 and 2012 at monthly sampling frequency in the Alboran Sea (Western Mediterranean) were used to build maps of sensitivity to fishing stress. Maps were drawn by means kriging interpolation techniques of biomass and abundance (Catch Per Unit of Effort, CPUE) in kilogram and number per fishing hour of blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou), European hake (Merluccius merluccius), and red mullets (Mullus barbatus and Mullus surmuletus) target species, seabreams (Pagellus acarne, Pagellus bogaraveo, and Pagellus erythrinus), and mackerels (Trachurus mediterraneus, Trachurus trachurus, and Trachurus picturatus) bycatch species and Bogue (Boops boops) bycatch discarded species. Modelling discards by means Generalised Additive Models (GAMs) use environmental (sea surface temperature and chlorophyll-a from satellite data and NAO climatic index); spatial (latitude, longitude, depth and port) and temporal (season, haul duration, moon phase), as well as technical (boat length and power) explanatory variables. The main causes of discards, for both target and bycatch species, are associated to the seasonality of the recruitment and the changes on the spatial distribution of habitat preferences along their ontogeny. Environmental variables did not reveal significant effects, showing that operational oceanography standard products must be not enough to assess discards, and therefore products providing information on specific ecological processes to discards must be designed with this purpose. In Bycatch species, such as sea breams, mackerels and bogue, discards were also highly dependent of the port and boat (fleet/boat strategies, power, etc, and market preferences). The higher discards corresponded to these bycatch pelagic or bentho-pelagic species. Keywords: Discards, Otter-trawl fisheries, fishery conservation, operational oceanography, spatial modelin