First Case of a Cerebrocortical Ganglioglioma in a Dog

Gangliogliomas are extremely rare tumors of the nervous system composed of neoplastic glial and neuronal cells. The aim of the present paper is to describe the clinical presentation, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and histopathological and immunophenotypical characteristics of a cerebral cortex ganglioglioma in a 7-year-old Border Collie. The dog presented an acute onset of tonic-clonic epileptic seizures. MRI revealed a well-defined large intra-axial mass located on the left forebrain, mainly affecting the frontal cortex. Following humane euthanasia, the histopathological examination of the mass revealed a diffuse proliferation of neoplastic glial cells mixed with anomalous neuronal bodies. Immunohistochemical analyses confirmed the presence of two different populations of neoplastic cells. Most neoplastic glial cells were immunoreactive to glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and the other subset of neoplastic cells were positive to neuronal markers such as PGP 9.5, synaptophysin (SYN) and neuron-specific enolase (NSE), suggestive of neuronal cells. These findings confirmed the diagnosis of a cerebrocortical ganglioglioma. To the authors knowledge, this is the first description of a ganglioglioma of the cerebral cortex in a dog

Content analysis of the effects of palliative care learning on the perception by nursing students of dying and dignified death

Background: Providing care for dying people and the death of patients are stressing situations faced by nursing students during their clinical practice. Learning about palliative care improves the management of emotions and the ability to cope when caring for patients in end-of-life processes. However, there is little knowledge on the effect of this learning on the students' perceptions of their own death. Objectives: To determine the effect of a palliative care course on the thoughts of nursing students about their own death. Design: A qualitative, descriptive, and comparative study was conducted based on content analysis, administering an open-ended questionnaire on dying and death at the start and end of a palliative care course. Participants: The study included 85 volunteers studying Palliative Care in the second year of their Nursing Degree at the University of Granada (Spain). Results: Students described their perceptions in more detail after the course, with more numerous code citations, and their post-course responses evidenced a reduction in anxiety about their own death and an increased recognition of the need to respect the decisions of patients for a dignified death. Conclusions: Palliative care learning modifies the perception by nursing students of their own death and their understanding of a dignified death, which may enhance the care they deliver to patients at the end of life

Assessment of Nutritional Status and Its Influence on Ovarian Reserve: A Systematic Review

Background: Nowadays, there is a growing interest in the relationship among lifestyle, reproductive health, and fertility. Recent investigations highlight the influence of environmental and lifestyle factors such as stress, diet, and nutritional status on reproductive health. The aim of this review was to determine the influence of nutritional status on ovarian reserve in order to improve the reproductive health of women of childbearing age. Methods: A systematic literature review was carried out following the PRISMA method. The quality of the studies was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias tool. Data were extracted, and the results were summarized into two blocks: according to the technique used to assess ovarian reserve and nutritional status; according to the results found in the relationship between ovarian reserve and nutritional status. Results: A total of 22 articles involving 5929 women were included. In 12 of the included articles (54.5%), a relationship between nutritional status and ovarian reserve was demonstrated. In seven publications (31.8%), the increased body mass index (BMI) led to a decrease in ovarian reserve, two of them (0.9%) in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome, showing a decrease only if BMI > 25. In two articles (0.9%), there was a negative relationship between ovarian reserve and waist-to-hip ratio, and in one (0.45%), a positive relationship was shown between ovarian reserve and testosterone levels, the latter being related to body mass index. In five articles (22.7%), body mass index was used as a confounder and was negatively related to ovarian reserve, and in another four (18%), no correlation was found. Conclusions: Ovarian reserve appears to be influenced by nutritional status. A high body mass index has a negative impact on the ovary, decreasing antral follicle count and anti-Müllerian hormone. Oocyte quality is compromised, increasing the rate of reproductive problems and the demand for assisted reproductive techniques. Further studies are needed to understand which dietary factors have the greatest effect on ovarian reserve in order to promote reproductive health

Aperiodic Diffract: Study of diffraction gratings

[EN] In this work we introduce a virtual laboratory, APERIODIC DIFFRACT, developed in Matlab GUI (Graphical User Interface) as an informatics tool for teaching the diffractive properties of aperiodic gratings. This GUI allows the student to generate aperiodic sequences by iterating and lets to study the spectra for different iterating orders.[ES] En este trabajo presentamos un nuevo laboratorio virtual, APERIODIC DIFFRACT, desarrollado en Matlab GUI c (Interfaz Gráfica de Usuario) como herramienta informática para la enseñanza de las propiedades difractivas de redes aperiódicas. Esta interfaz GUI permite al estudiante generar secuencias aperiódicas mediante iteraciones y analizar el espectro de los diferentes órdenes de iteración.Este trabajo ha sido financiado por el Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (FIS2011-23175 y DPI2012-32994). Los autores agradecen al Instituto de Ciencias de la Educación de la Universitat Politècnica de València y al Vicerrectorat de Cultura i Igualtat de la Universitat de València por el apoyo dado al Equipo de Modelización Matemática y Aprendizaje Colaborativo (MoMa) y al Grupo de Innovación Docente en Óptica (GCID35/2009), respectivamente. L. Remón también agradece la beca de investigación concedida por la “Fundación CajaMurcia”.Ferrando Martín, V.; Calatayud Calatayud, A.; Remón Martín, L.; Monsoriu Serra, JA.; Pons-Martí, A.; Furlan, WD. (2014). Aperiodic Diffract: Estudio de redes difractivas. Modelling in Science Education and Learning. 7:131-138. https://doi.org/10.4995/msel.2014.3197SWORD131138

A Comparative Study of Cell Culture Conditions during Conversion from Primed to Naive Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

The successful reprogramming of human somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) represented a turning point in the stem cell research field, owing to their ability to differentiate into any cell type with fewer ethical issues than human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). In mice, PSCs are thought to exist in a naive state, the cell culture equivalent of the immature pre-implantation embryo, whereas in humans, PSCs are in a primed state, which is a more committed pluripotent state than a naive state. Recent studies have focused on capturing a similar cell stage in human cells. Given their earlier developmental stage and therefore lack of cell-of-origin epigenetic memory, these cells would be better candidates for further re-differentiation, use in disease modeling, regenerative medicine and drug discovery. In this study, we used primed hiPSCs and hESCs to evaluate the successful establishment and maintenance of a naive cell stage using three different naive-conversion media, both in the feeder and feeder-free cells conditions. In addition, we compared the directed differentiation capacity of primed and naive cells into the three germ layers and characterized these different cell stages with commonly used pluripotent and lineage-specific markers. Our results show that, in general, naive culture NHSM medium (in both feeder and feeder-free systems) confers greater hiPSCs and hESCs viability and the highest naive pluripotency markers expression. This medium also allows better cell differentiation cells toward endoderm and mesoderm.This work was supported by the Health Department of the Basque Government (Grant 2019111068, 2019/4703, 2020111058, 2020333032, 2021333057 and 2021333012), Merck-Salud Founda- tion (FSALUD17/004), Economic Development and Infrastructures Department of the Basque Govern- ment (KK-2020/00068), EITB Maratoia (BIO21/COV/030), Project “PI18/01299” and “PI21/01187”, funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III and co-funded by European Union (ERDF) “A way to make Europe”, “ICI21/00095” funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III and co-funded by European Union (NextGenerationEU), “Plan de Recuperación Transformación y Resiliencia” Investigación Clínica Independiente 2021–Acción Estratégica Salud 2017–2020, RICORS: (RD21/00017/0024) Red Española de Terapias Avanzadas TERAV ISCIII. Funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) and co-funded by European Union (NextGenerationEU) “Plan de Recuperación Transformación y Resiliencia” Redes de Investigación Cooperativa Orientadas a Resultados en Salud (RICORS) 2021–Acción Estratégica Salud 2017–2020. L.H. was supported by the Jesus Gangoiti Barrera Foundation and the Asociación Española contra el Cáncer (AECC) AECC16/501 and the Fundación Mutua Madrileña AP176182020. M.M-I was supported by Jesus Gangoiti Barrera Foundation. I.R was supported by Margarita Salas Grant “MARSA21/60” and the Jesus Gangoiti Barrera Foundation. M.I-F. was supported by Inocente Inocente Foundation FII18/003. J.R.P. has grant “RYC-2013-13450” funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033, by the European Social Fund “ESF investing in your future”

Inter-Accions: pràctiques col·lectives per a intervencions a l'espai urbà : reflexions d'artistes i arquitectes en un context pedagògic col·lectiu

Editat per Sergi Selvas i Marta CarrascoAquesta publicació recull les reflexions sorgides de la primera experiència del projecte «Inter-Accions. Metodologies Col·lectives per a Intervencions Urbanes» en forma d’articles breus dels seus participants. Inter-Accions és un projecte col·laborador interuniversitari d’estudiants i per als estudiants d’art i arquitectura, i es planteja davant la necessitat d’obrir espais autònoms i interdisciplinaris d’aprenentatge en la mateixa institució. L’objectiu principal és construir un espai d’experimentació col·lectiva on sigui possible l’intercanvi d’eines i coneixements que vagin més enllà de la mateixa disciplina. Des d’aquesta perspectiva crítica, i en un context acadèmic universitari, es proposa aquesta experiència perquè arquitectes i artistes comparteixin rols, i perquè, a partir del treball conjunt, estableixin noves metodologies útils, pràctiques i crítiques aplicables als camps de treball respectius per analitzar i treballar sobre les interaccions que es produeixen en l’espai social de la ciutat

Influence of the Mediterranean diet on seminal quality—a systematic review

Currently, there is a growing interest in the study of fertility because fertility-related problems affect up to 15% of the world’s population. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of the Mediterranean diet on seminal quality in men of reproductive age. For this purpose, a systematic review of the literature was carried out following the PRISMA method. Electronic searches were carried out in the international databases PubMed, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. In total, 10 articles with 2032 men were included. As inclusion criteria, articles published between 2012 and 2022 were selected, including those that included men aged between 18 and 55 years. Nutritional status was assessed through weight, height, and BMI. Dietary habits were evaluated through different indexes and food frequency questionnaires, and finally, semen quality was evaluated by measuring sperm concentration and motility (progressive and non-progressive). In six (60%) of the included articles, a positive relationship between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and semen quality was demonstrated; in two (20%) of the articles, no association was found; and finally, in two (20%) of the included articles, the relationship between dietary patterns typical of DM and semen quality was evaluated. Dietary habits influence semen quality. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet can improve male reproductive health, as it is a diet with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. This is the first systematic review about the influence of the Mediterranean diet on semen quality, and the results are positive. These findings may allow us to provide better advice to our patients and to establish interventions with the aim of improving the results of assisted reproduction techniques

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor ligand FICZ improves left ventricular remodeling and cardiac function at the onset of pressure overload-Induced heart failure in mice

Adverse ventricular remodeling is the heart’s response to damaging stimuli and is linked to heart failure and poor prognosis. Formyl-indolo [3,2-b] carbazole (FICZ) is an endogenous ligand for the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), through which it exerts pleiotropic effects including protection against inflammation, fibrosis, and oxidative stress. We evaluated the effect of AhR activation by FICZ on the adverse ventricular remodeling that occurs in the early phase of pressure overload in the murine heart induced by transverse aortic constriction (TAC). Cardiac structure and function were evaluated by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) before and 3 days after Sham or TAC surgery in mice treated with FICZ or with vehicle, and cardiac tissue was used for biochemical studies. CMRI analysis revealed that FICZ improved cardiac function and attenuated cardiac hypertrophy. These beneficial effects involved the inhibition of the hypertrophic calcineurin/NFAT pathway, transcriptional reduction in pro-fibrotic genes, and antioxidant effects mediated by the NRF2/NQO1 pathway. Overall, our findings provide new insight into the role of cardiac AhR signaling in the injured heart.This research was supported by Grants SAF2017-84777-R, funded by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) of Spain, PID2020-113238RB-I00 funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation (MCIN)/AEI/ 10.13039/501100011033 of Spain and the “European Union Next GenerationEU/PRTR”; PI20/01482-1 funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, CB16/11/00222 funded by the Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV) and a Grant (Proyectos 2021) financed by the Universidad Francisco de Vitoria

La muerte ante uno mismo. Respuestas de jóvenes estudiantes ante el pensamiento de la propia muerte.

Narratives produced by thinking and reflecting about death and dying may be themselves a source of new knowledge in the study of anxiety and attitudes toward death.  A qualitative descriptive study aimed to explore the features of thoughts, emotions and feelings about young people's own death, (nursing students) was conducted. 85 students voluntarily answered a self-administered questionnaire with open questions based on Mortality Salience, used in the Terror Management Theory. Content analysis using Atlas.ti software was performed. When reflecting upon their own death, participants reported substantive emotions such as fear, pain, distress, sadness or loneliness. The fear of their own death was specified as the inability to achieve goals in life, to leave the family and the dying process itself. When reflecting upon been physically dead, attributes of the decomposition of the body, spiritual attributes, beliefs, denial and preferences were identified. Cultural worldview, values and beliefs of each person were remarkably present when thinking about their own death.Las narraciones sobre lo que evoca pensar en la propia muerte y describir los pensamientos y sentimientos sobre el morir,  pueden ser  por sí mismas una fuente de conocimiento nuevo  en el estudio de la ansiedad y las actitudes ante la muerte. Se llevó a cabo un estudio cualitativo descriptivo con el objetivo de explorar las características de los pensamientos, las emociones y sentimientos sobre la propia muerte de jóvenes, estudiantes de enfermería. 85 estudiantes respondieron voluntariamente un cuestionario autoadministrado de preguntas abiertas basadas en la Mortality Salience empleada en la Teoría de la Gestión del Terror. El análisis se realizó mediante la estrategia de análisis de contenido con el programa Atlas ti. Ante el pensamiento sobre la propia muerte respondieron con los sustantivos miedo, dolor, angustia, tristeza o soledad. El miedo a la propia muerte se concretó como la imposibilidad de lograr las metas en la vida, dejar a la familia y el proceso de muerte en sí mismo. Ante las creencias sobre estar físicamente muerto señalaron atributos de la descomposición del cuerpo, atributos espirituales, creencias, negación  y preferencias. La visión cultural, los valores y creencias de cada persona, se encuentran muy presentes cuando piensan en su propia muerte

The importance of nutrition in the prevention of endometriosis: systematic review

Antecedentes y objetivo: la endometriosis es un trastorno dependiente de hormonas que se caracteriza por la presencia de tejido similar al endometrial en sitios extrauterinos, lo que puede desencadenar una reacción inflamatoria crónica. Esta enfermedad afecta principalmente a mujeres en edad fértil y puede tener un impacto negativo en su bienestar físico, mental y social. Existen patrones alimentarios considerados antiinflamatorios, como el de dieta mediterránea, que podrían ayudar en la prevención y el tratamiento de la endometriosis. El objetivo de esta revisión fue conocer la relación entre el consumo de diferentes grupos de alimentos y la prevención de la endometriosis. Materiales y métodos: se realizó una revisión sistemática siguiendo la metodología PRISMA. Se consultaron las bases de datos PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library y Web of Science. Se seleccionaron estudios publicados entre 2013 y 2023, que fueran accesibles en texto completo, escritos en inglés y español y que incluyeran una muestra de mujeres con endometriosis y/o mujeres sanas, además de evaluar la relación entre la alimentación y la endometriosis. Se excluyeron artículos no relacionados, revisiones sistemáticas o metaanálisis y estudios piloto y realizados en animales. Resultados: se incluyeron diez estudios en total. El consumo de frutas, verduras (no crucíferas), lácteos, pescados, patatas, legumbres, vitaminas (A, C, D y B12), ácidos grasos monoinsaturados y poliinsaturados y minerales (calcio, potasio y magnesio) parece reducir el riesgo de endometriosis. Conclusiones: se necesitan más estudios que investiguen la relación entre el consumo de los diferentes grupos de alimentos y el riesgo de endometriosis.Background and objective: endometriosis is a hormone-dependent disorder characterized by the presence of endometrial-like tissue in extrauterine sites, which can trigger a chronic inflammatory reaction. This disease mainly affects women of childbearing age and can have a negative impact on their physical, mental and social well-being. There are eating patterns considered as anti-inflammatory, such as the Mediterranean diet, which could help in the prevention and treatment of endometriosis. The objective of this review was to know the relationship between the consumption of different food groups and the prevention of endometriosis. Materials and methods: a systematic review was carried out following the PRISMA methodology. PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library and Web of Science databases were consulted. Studies published between 2013 and 2023 were selected, accessible in full text, written in English and Spanish and including a sample of women with endometriosis and/or healthy women, in addition to evaluating the relationship between diet and endometriosis. Unrelated articles, systematic reviews or meta-analyses, pilot studies and studies conducted in animals were excluded. Results: a total of ten studies were included. The consumption of fruits, vegetables (not cruciferous), dairy products, fish, potatoes, legumes, vitamins (A, C, D and B12), monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids and minerals (calcium, potassium and magnesium) seems to reduce the risk of endometriosis. Conclusions: further studies investigating the relationship between consumption of different food groups and risk of endometriosis are needed