381 research outputs found
Effects of long-term ethanol storage of blood samples on the estimation of telomere length
Telomeres, DNA structures located at the end of eukaryotic chromosomes, shorten with
each cellular cycle. The shortening rate is affected by factors associated with stress, and,
thus telomere length has been used as a biomarker of ageing, disease, and different life
history trade-offs. Telomere research has received much attention in the last decades,
however there is still a wide variety of factors that may affect telomere measurements
and to date no study has thoroughly evaluated the possible long-term effect of a storage
medium on telomere measurements. In this study we evaluated the long-term effects of
ethanol on relative telomere length (RTL) measured by qPCR, using blood samples of
magpies collected over twelve years and stored in absolute ethanol at room temperature.
We firstly tested whether storage time had an effect on RTL and secondly we modelled the
effect of time of storage (from 1 to 12 years) in differences in RTL from DNA extracted
twice in consecutive years from the same blood sample. We also tested whether individual
amplification efficiencies were influenced by storage time, and whether this could affect
our results. Our study provides evidence of an effect of storage time on telomere length
measurements. Importantly, this effect shows a pattern of decreasing loss of telomere sequence
with storage time that stops after approximate 4 years of storage, which suggests
that telomeres may degrade in blood samples stored in ethanol. Our method to quantify
the effect of storage time could be used to evaluate other storage buffers and methods.
Our results highlight the need to evaluate the long-term effects of storage on telomere
measurements, particularly in long-term studies.Spanish Government CGL201455362-P
BES-2015-075675
IJC2018-036411-
Comparing and Tuning Machine Learning Algorithms to Predict Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
The main goals of this work is to study and compare machine learning algorithms to predict the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Four classifi cation algorithms have been considered, studying and comparing the accuracy of each one to predict the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus seven years in advance. Specifically, the techniques studied are: Decision Tree, Random Forest, kNN (k-Nearest Neighbors) and Neural Networks.
The study not only involves the comparison among these techniques, but also, the tuning of the meta-parameters in each algorithm.
The algorithms have been implemented using the language R.
The data base used is obtained from the nation-wide cohort [email protected] study.
The conclusions will include the accuracy of each algorithm and therefore the best technique for this problem. The best meta-parameters for each algorithm will be also provided.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec
The Role of Women in a Family Economy. A Bibliometric Analysis in Contexts of Poverty
The concept of family economy in the context of extreme poverty is of interest when it comes to analyzing the strategies displayed to prevent or reduce the effects of this situation of exclusion. Gender roles in the nucleus of the family institution will indicate the distribution of these tasks, so that we can understand, in the case of the role of women, the specific weight of their actions in this scenario. For this work, an investigation of our object of study was carried out for the period 1968–2019. A bibliometric analysis of 2182 articles was carried out in which the final versions of articles, books, and book chapters whose subject matter was related to the categories of family economy and poverty were included. The most productive journal was the Journal of Development Economics, while World Economies was the most cited. The authors with the most articles were Ravaillon, Sadoulet, and Lanjouw. The most productive institution was the World Bank. The country with the most publications and citations was the United States. Future research should focus on analyzing the role of women within the family economy in the context of poverty. Thus, a line of research is proposed that also includes the proposals from the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals, which means an urgent call for action by all countries
Great spotted cuckoo disregard information on conspecific breeding success while parasitizing magpie
Supplementary data are available at Behavioral Ecology online.The study of mechanisms underlying host selection by brood parasites usually lays on selection by parasites of host traits that inform on host parental abilities or location. However, brood parasites might use information extracted from past reproductive performance of either their hosts or themselves, a possibility almost neglected. In this study, we use a long-term data set to analyze whether the probability of parasitism by great spotted cuckoos (Clamator glandarius) of a magpie (Pica pica) nest in a given year is related with the reproductive outcome of any of the 2 species in the surroundings of that nest the previous year. We found that probability of parasitism for a nest in a year was explained by previous year cuckoo reproductive outcome and parasitism rate in the area surrounding the focal nest, but not by host reproductive outcome. To discern between the effect of parasitism rate and that of parasite reproductive success on parasite choices, we carried out an experiment modifying the natural correlation found between parasitism status and host and parasite success in the patches. The results showed that neither host nor cuckoo reproductive outcome in a patch after the experiment explained probability of parasitism in the following year. Only parasitism rate in the surroundings of a nest before the experiment explained probability of parasitism for this nest in the following year. Hence, these results indicate that great spotted cuckoos disregard social information related to past parasitism outcome, probably because parasitism outcome is tightly correlated with parasitism itself.Programa Juan de la Cierva-Formación Fellowship (FJCI-2015–26257)Junta de Andalucía (Proyecto P06-RNM-01862)Ministerio de Economía (proyectos CGL2014-56769-P y CGL2017-83503-P)Junta de Extremadura (contrato TA13002
Análisis de las competencias en emprendimiento de los emprendedores agrarios españoles
[ES] La educación y formación son factores esenciales en el aprendizaje de
competencias en emprendimiento. Sin embargo, los estudios precedentes no
abordan en profundidad la cuestión de cómo formar a los estudiantes en
competencias de emprendimiento en el campo de la agricultura. El objetivo
de este trabajo es examinar los factores facilitadores del emprendimiento
agrario en el ámbito español, en especial aquellos relacionados con la
educación y formación a nivel individual. Para ello, se analizaron las
respuestas de 170 emprendedores agrarios, 3.393 emprendedores en otros
sectores y 67.937 no emprendedores. Los datos fueron recogidos como parte
del procedimiento de trabajo del proyecto Global Entrepreneurship Monitor
entre 2012 y 2014. Este trabajo tiene importantes implicaciones sociales
pues incide en que la mayoría de los emprendedores agrarios no tienen
educación universitaria, pero sí formación específica en competencias de
emprendimiento que recibieron en su etapa de juventud. A pesar de ello, la
percepción de sus competencias emprendedoras todavía se encuentra por
detrás de los emprendedores en otros sectores. Estos resultados señalan la
necesidad de iniciativas de formación específicamente orientada a este
sector que faciliten el éxito empresarial de nuevas ideas de negocio en el
sector agrario.Conchado Peiró, A.; Ferrándiz Molina, J.; García Martínez, G. (2021). Análisis de las competencias en emprendimiento de los emprendedores agrarios españoles. En Proceedings INNODOCT/20. International Conference on Innovation, Documentation and Education. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 373-381. https://doi.org/10.4995/INN2020.2020.11818OCS37338
Brood parasitism, provisioning rates and breeding phenology of male and female magpie hosts
Parental care is a costly behaviour that raises the prospects of offspring survival. In
species with biparental care these costs are shared by both parents, although there
may be a conflict regarding the relative investment of each sex. Avian brood parasites
leave all the costs of rearing offspring to their hosts. The magnitude of these costs
and their consequences on the relative role of both sexes in parental care and future
reproduction remain mostly unknown. Here, we investigate whether provisioning rate
of nestlings by magpie hosts Pica pica differs between broods parasitized by the great
spotted cuckoo Clamator glandarius and non-parasitized broods, and whether the relative
contribution of each sex to provisioning is affected by parasitism. Furthermore, we
explore the effect of parasitism on magpie’s future reproduction. We found that provisioning
rate was similar in parasitized and non-parasitized broods, and that the relative
contribution of males and females was also similar, irrespectively of the parasitism
status. However, rearing parasitic offspring seems to have a negative long-term effect
on magpie’s breeding phenology in the following breeding season. Our results suggest
that, although brood parasitism by great spotted cuckoos does not seem to influence
the relative contribution of both sexes to parental care, it may entail long-term extra
costs in terms of breeding delay for magpies.Junta de Andalucía (Proyecto P06-RNM-01862)Ministerio de Ciencia (proyecto CGL2014-55362-P)Programa Juan de la Cierva –Incorporación (IJC2018-036411-I)German Research Foundation (SFB TRR 212 (NC3) – Projectos n. 316099922 y 396782608
Papel de los estudios comportamentales en Ecología
Editorial del número monográfico de Ecosistemas sobre
Papel de los estudios comportamentales en EcologíaPeer reviewe
Procedimiento para fijar dióxido de carbono mediante la utilización de un cultivo de cianobacterias
Número de publicación: ES2262432 A1 (16.11.2006) También publicado como: ES2262432 B1 (16.11.2007) Número de Solicitud: Consulta de Expedientes OEPM (C.E.O.)P200501126 (11.05.2005)El objeto de la presente invención es un proceso para fijar dióxido de carbono (CO2), mediante el cultivo de cualquier cianobacteria fijadora de nitrógeno, halotolerante, y capaz de producir un exopolisacárido que se excreta al medio. La utilización de dicho procedimiento permite reducir o eliminar emisiones de CO2 que proceden de procesos industriales, por ejemplo de las centrales de generación eléctrica. Otro objeto de la presente invención lo constituye la utilización como biocombustible de un exopolisacárido producido mediante el cultivo de la cianobacteria Anabaena, que posee un alto poder calorífico. La utilización de dicho exopolisacárido como biocombustible permitiría reducir el consumo de combustibles fósiles en aquellos procesos industriales que los emplean.Universidad de Almería. Universidad de Sevill
The resting calcaneal stance position (RCSP): an old dog, with new tricks
The objective of this study was to establish the accuracy of the resting calcaneal stance position (RCSP) for the assessment of flat foot (FF) in children, aligned to the validity of the foot posture index (FPI). The RCSP cut-off point was explored, in context of both FF prevalence and the relationship between FF and body weight. A total of 205 healthy children, aged 5 to 10 years, participated in a cross-sectional study. Correlation was performed between RCSP and FPI. ROC curve technique was calculated to assess differentiation between groups. A score equal to or greater than 7 on the FPI was used as the ‘gold standard’ for analysis. The correlation between FPI and RCSP was significant (r = 0.63; p < 0.01). The discrimination score on the ROC curve (6 points/degrees) shows that the model can be used to identify FF through RCSP, with a sensitivity of 67% and specificity of 85% returned.Funding for open access charge: Universidad Málaga/CBUA
Development, validation, and psychometric analysis of Foot and Ankle Flexibility Index (FAFI)
Aim
To develop a new tool for identifying joint hypermobility of the paediatric foot and ankle, based on a dichotomous scoring system utilising the Lower Limb Assessment Score (LLAS), to separate the foot and ankle items.
Material and methods
A total of 205 children, aged between 5 and 10 years, participated in a cross-sectional study. The new tool Foot and Ankle Flexibility Index (FAFI) was predicated upon the last 7 items of LLAS, which are specific to the foot and ankle. The internal consistency was measured with Cronbach's test. Kappa statistics with 95% CI were calculated to verify the level of inter-rater and intra-rater agreement for the FAFI.
Results
Cronbach's alpha returned 0.82. The correlations between items returned a mean of 0.59 (range: 0.43–0.74). The discrimination score on the ROC curve (4 points) showed that the model can be used to identify children with joint hypermobility of the foot and ankle. Inter-rater reliability was largely good (ICC = 0.89). Excellent intra-rater reliability was found (ICC = 0.96)
Conclusions
This study identified high reliability between evaluators, and high sensitivity and specificity, for a new reliable and valid tool for the identification of foot and ankle joint hypermobility.Funding for open access charge: Universidad de M´alaga / CBUA
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