Analyzing the Behavior of Cannabis Users during the COVID-19 Confinement in Spain

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our lives is unquestionable, including in the area of substance consumption. This study aimed to evaluate the changes in the pattern of cannabis use during the Spanish COVID-19 lockdown and confinement, and to analyze the variations in the reported motives for cannabis use and withdrawal symptoms. A cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted between April and May 2020, using an instrument that included two time points. Time 1 collected retrospective information on the participants’ habits (N = 89; 73% male; mean age = 29.01) prior to confinement and Time 2 collected the same information during the confinement. Sociodemographic data were collected, as well as the frequency of substance use, cannabis use patterns, sources of cannabis, perceived availability of drugs and cannabis price, and the Marijuana Motives Measure questionnaire and the Cannabis Withdrawal Scale were used. Results showed a decrease in both cannabis use and consumption due to enhancement and social motives. All reported sources of cannabis experienced a reduction except for the Internet, which experienced a significant increase. There was a positive correlation between withdrawal symptoms and coping motives before and during the lockdown. These findings will allow professionals to better develop both prevention and intervention strategies

Methods for autonomous wristband placement with a search-and-rescue aerial manipulator

A new robotic system for Search And Rescue (SAR) operations based on the automatic wristband placement on the victims’ arm, which may provide identification, beaconing and remote sensor readings for continuous health monitoring. This paper focuses on the development of the automatic target localization and the device placement using an unmanned aerial manipulator. The automatic wrist detection and localization system uses an RGB-D camera and a convolutional neural network based on the region faster method (Faster R-CNN). A lightweight parallel delta manipulator with a large workspace has been built, and a new design of a wristband in the form of a passive detachable gripper, is presented, which under contact, automatically attaches to the human, while disengages from the manipulator. A new trajectory planning method has been used to minimize the torques caused by the external forces during contact, which cause attitude perturbations. Experiments have been done to evaluate the machine learning method for detection and location, and for the assessment of the performance of the trajectory planning method. The results show how the VGG-16 neural network provides a detection accuracy of 67.99%. Moreover, simulation experiments have been done to show that the new trajectories minimize the perturbations to the aerial platform.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Ibuprofen loading in surfactant-templated silica:the role of solvent according to the polarizable continuum model

El ibuprofeno (un fármaco antiinflamatorio) se ha cargado en dos diferentes silicas tensoactivo-templadas (SBA-15 y MCM-48). Para evaluar el efecto de la combinación de disolventes de drogas en la capacidad de carga de la sílice, hemos realizado experimentos de adsorción de ibuprofeno utilizando 10 disolventes diferentes; hemos interpretado nuestros resultados experimentales asumiendo un equilibrio químico entre el ibuprofeno adsorbido en la sílice y el que queda en solución. Para estimar la constante de equilibrio para diferentes disolventes, hemos calculado la energía libre en solución para la molécula de ibuprofeno utilizando el modelo de continuum polarizable (PCM) para tener en cuenta el disolvente. Los resultados han sido analizados estadísticamente para eliminar los efectos de la dispersión de datos experimentales; los resultados revelan una una relación lineal estadísticamente significativa (95 99%) entre la capacidad de carga del ibuprofeno y su energía libre en solución calculada con el modelo de solvatación PCM. Además, se establecen relaciones útiles entre la capacidad de carga y la constante dieléctrica y el tamaño molecular de los disolventesIbuprofen (an anti-inflammatory drug) has been loaded onto two different surfactant-templated silicas (SBA-15 and MCM-48). To evaluate the effect of the drug−solvent combination on the loading capacity of the silica, we have performed ibuprofen adsorption experiments using 10 different solvents; we have interpreted our experimental results assuming a chemical equilibrium between the ibuprofen adsorbed on the silica and that remaining in solution. To estimate the equilibrium constant for different solvents, we have calculated the free energy in solution for the ibuprofen molecule using the polarizable continuum model (PCM) to take the solvent into account. The results have been analyzed statistically to eliminate the effects of the dispersion of experimental data; results reveal a statistically significant (95−99%) linear relationship between the ibuprofen loading capacity and its free energy in solution calculated with the PCM solvation model. In addition, useful relationships between loading capacity and dielectric constant and molecular size of the solvents are established

Interacciones de la Historia del Arte con otras disciplinas científicas I: Arte y Medicina

El proyecto de innovación docente se ha estructurado como una práctica formativa interdisciplinaria que ha vinculado dos áreas científicas: arte y medicina, y ha potenciado, muy especialmente, el aprendizaje autónomo de los estudiantes. Estos dos enfoques constituyen las principales estrategias metodológicas. Los alumnos que participaron en la experiencia innovadora recopilaron imágenes artísticas directamente relacionadas con enfermedades o con las diferentes prácticas y especialidades de la medicina. Una vez realizada esta tarea, elaboraron fichas de análisis de las obras seleccionadas o trabajos alusivos al tema escogido, siguiendo el modelo proporcionado por el equipo docente. La acción formativa se completó con la realización del Seminario Arte y Medicina , en el que participaron los estudiantes implicados, el equipo docente y varios especialistas de la medicina y las bellas artes, y con la creación de la página web del equipo docente, donde se recogen los mejores trabajos de los estudiant

Morpho-physiological plant quality when biochar and vermicompost are used as growing media replacement in urban horticulture

Peat moss is the most used soilless substrate in the production of container plants in floriculture. Nevertheless, the drainage of peat bogs due to the peat extraction has increased the necessity of seeking products that could replace the peat that is used in plant production. Therefore, a comparative study was conducted to evaluate the effect of a biochar (B) - vermicompost (V) mixture, as a partial substitute for peat-based substrates, on the morpho-physiological characteristics of ornamental plants. Different blends containing B and V were compared to a baseline peat-based substrate (S) as control in the cultivation of two ornamental bedding plant species that are widely used in urban areas: geranium (Pelargonium peltatum) and petunia (Petunia hybrida). Plant growth and physiological parameters were assessed. Results showed that it is possible to grow container plants of these two species with commercial quality, using a peat-based substrate mixed with biochar and/or vermicompost (up to 30% V and 12% B). Plants in these substrates showed a similar or enhanced physiological response to those grown in the control using commercial peat-based substrate.This work was partially supported by the projects CTQ2013-46804-C2-1-R and CGL2016-76498-R of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and the European Regional Development Funds (ERDF). The authors wish to thank the Horticultural Department and Carbon Sequestration and Management Center of Ohio State University for providing materials and facilities for this investigation. Similarly, the authors are deeply grateful to the following people: Mrs. Loewe and Dr. J. Altland from Application Technology Research Unit at Wooster OSU campus for their laboratory assistance in determining the physical properties substrate mixtures. Miss S. Stieve and Dr P. Jourdan from the Ornamental Germoplam Center at Columbus OSU campus are also thanked for their laboratory assistance in the accurate and precise weighing of leaves

Influence of Multiple Conformations and Paths on Rate Constants and Product Branching Ratios. Thermal Decomposition of 1-Propanol Radicals

The potential energy surface involved in the thermal decomposition of 1-propanol radicals was investigated in detail using automated codes (tsscds2018 and Q2DTor). From the predicted elementary reactions, a relevant reaction network was constructed to study the decomposition at temperatures in the range 1000–2000 K. Specifically, this relevant network comprises 18 conformational reaction channels (CRCs), which in general exhibit a large wealth of conformers of reactants and transition states. Rate constants for all the CRCs were calculated using two approaches within the formulation of variational transition-state theory (VTST), as incorporated in the TheRa program. The simplest, one-well (1W) approach considers only the most stable conformer of the reactant and that of the transition state. In the second, more accurate approach, contributions from all the reactant and transition-state conformers are taken into account using the multipath (MP) formulation of VTST. In addition, kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) simulations were performed to compute product branching ratios. The results show significant differences between the values of the rate constants calculated with the two VTST approaches. In addition, the KMC simulations carried out with the two sets of rate constants indicate that, depending on the radical considered as reactant, the 1W and the MP approaches may display different qualitative pictures of the whole decomposition processThis work was partially supported by the Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Ordenación Universitaria e da Consellería de Economía, Emprego e Industria (Axuda para Consolidación e Estructuración de unidades de investigación competitivas do Sistema Universitario de Galicia, Xunta de Galicia ED431C 2017/17 & Centro singular de investigación de Galicia acreditación 2016-2019, ED431G/09), the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad of Spain (Research Grant No CTQ2014-58617-R), and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). D.F.-C. also thanks Xunta de Galicia for financial support through a postdoctoral grant. The authors thank “Centro de Supercomputación de Galicia (CESGA)” for the use of their computational facilitiesS

Reliability of the Spanish Version of the Movement Imagery Questionnaire-3 (MIQ-3) and Characteristics of Motor Imagery in Institutionalized Elderly People

Motor imagery (MI) training is increasingly used to improve the performance of specific motor skills. The Movement Imagery Questionnaire-3 (MIQ-3) is an instrument for assessing MI ability validated in Spanish although its reliability has not yet been studied in the elderly population. The main objective of this study was to test its reliability in institutionalized elderly people. Secondarily, we studied whether there are differences according to gender and age in MI ability (measured by the MIQ-3) and in temporal congruency (measured by mental chronometry of elbow and knee flexion-extension and getting up and sitting down from chair movements). The subjects were 60 elderly, institutionalized, Spanish-speaking individuals without cognitive impairment or dementia, and aged between 70 and 100 years. Cronbach?s alpha showed high internal consistency in the internal visual and external visual subscales and moderate in the kinesthetic subscale. The intraclass correlation coefficient showed good test-retest reliability for all three subscales. Mixed factorial analysis of variances (ANOVAs) showed that MI ability decreased with increasing age range, the imagery time decreased concerning the execution of the same movement, and there were no gender differences in either IM ability or temporal congruence. The Spanish version of the MIQ-3 is a reliable instrument for measuring MI ability in institutionalized elderl

Análisis de Invarianza y Diferencias de Medias Latentes Entre Adolescentes Americanos, Españoles y Chinos Usando la Escala de Ansiedad Social para Adolescentes (SAS-A)

Background: Social anxiety is one of the most prevalent disorders among adolescents (Stein et al., 2017). The main aim of this study was to analyze the equivalence of scores on the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A) using structural equation modeling and identify differences in latent means of social anxiety in China, Spain, and the USA. Method: Random sampling was used to recruit participants, which included 536 Chinese (46% girls), 1,178 Spanish (55.3% girls) and 866 North American (55.1% girls) adolescents. The participants’ ages ranged between 14 and 17 years old. Results: The SAS-A three-factor correlated model of social anxiety remained invariant between the Spanish and North American adolescents, but results could not be replicated in the Chinese adolescents [M2 = ΔS-Bχ2 (Δdf, p) = 4732.56 (36, < .01)]. Analyses of latent differences between Spain and the USA showed that Spanish adolescents had higher scores than North Americans for Fear of Negative Evaluation (TS = -9.630; d = .44) and for Social Avoidance and General Anxiety towards people (TS = -2.717; d = .12). Conclusions: The results are interpreted according to the cultural traits of individualism-collectivism and self-construal, and practical implications are discussed.Antecedentes: la ansiedad social es uno de los trastornos con mayor prevalencia en adolescentes (Stein et al., 2017). Así, el propósito principal de este estudio fue analizar la invarianza de la Escala de Ansiedad Social para Adolescentes (SAS-A) mediante un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales y examinar las diferencias de medias latentes en ansiedad social en adolescentes de China, España y EE.UU. Método: los participantes se seleccionaron a través de muestreo aleatorio: 534 chinos (46% chicas), 1.178 españoles (55,3% chicas) y 866 norteamericanos (55,1% chicas), con edades comprendidas entre los 14 y 17 años. Resultados: las puntuaciones del modelo de tres factores correlacionados de ansiedad social de la SAS-A resultaron invariantes entre adolescentes españoles y norteamericanos, pero estos resultados no fueron replicados en adolescentes chinos [M2 = ΔS-Bχ2 (Δdf, p) = 4732.56 (36, < .01)]. El análisis de medias latentes entre España y EE.UU. mostró que los adolescentes españoles manifestaban niveles más altos de Miedo ante las evaluaciones negativas (TS = -9.630; d = .44) y Evitación social y ansiedad general hacia las personas (TS = -2.717; d = .12). Conclusiones: estos hallazgos fueron interpretados atendiendo al de individualismo-colectivismo y las concepciones culturales de la propia persona, analizando sus implicaciones prácticas

I Jornadas sobre Arte, Ecología y Uso Público de Espacios Naturales Protegidos

Publicación de las Jornadas que celebró el mes de marzo de 2016, en el Parque Nacional Las Tablas de Daimiel, la asociación Cultura de Ribera con el objetivo de hacer de la cultura y el arte elementos para la conservación de nuestros Espacios Naturales Protegidos. Además de dar unas nociones sobre el paisaje y el territorio de La Mancha Húmeda, en la obra, se traza un panorama histórico sobre Las Tablas y su importancia como el primer Parque Nacional que fue declarado, en gran medida, gracias a la presión ciudadana y del, por entonces, incipiente movimiento ecologista. También se puede encontrar una visión ética de la conservación medioambiental, los antecedentes históricos y experiencias actuales del arte como vector para la conservación de los Espacios Naturales Protegidos y una reflexión sobre el papel del arte y las humanidades en el contexto de la crisis ecológica global. La obra se cierra con un artículo sobre la figura de Ignacio Meco, artista que en su obra aunaba arte y conservación del medio y que tuvo su casa taller en la Zona de Protección de Las Tablas

IgG4-related disease: results from a multicenter Spanish registry

IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a rare entity consisting of inflammation and fibrosis that has been described in multiple organs. Concrete diagnostic criteria have been established recently and there is a lack of large series of patients.To describe the clinical presentation, histopathological characteristics, treatment and evolution of a series of IgG4-RD Spanish patients.A retrospective multicenter study was performed. Twelve hospitals across Spain included patients meeting the current 2012 consensus criteria on IgG4-RD diagnosis.Fifty-five patients were included in the study, 38 of whom (69.1%) were male. Median age at diagnosis was 53 years. Thirty (54.5%) patients were included in the Histologically Highly Suggestive IgG4-RD group and 25 (45.5%) in the probable IgG4-RD group. Twenty-six (47.3%) patients had more than 1 organ affected at presentation. The most frequently affected organs were: retroperitoneum, orbital pseudotumor, pancreas, salivary and lachrymal glands, and maxillary sinuses.Corticosteroids were the mainstay of treatment (46 patients, 83.6%). Eighteen patients (32.7%) required additional immunosuppressive agents. Twenty-four (43.6%) patients achieved a complete response and 26 (43.7%) presented a partial response (<50% of regression) after 22 months of follow-up. No deaths were attributed directly to IgG4-RD and malignancy was infrequent.This is the largest IgG4-RD series reported in Europe. Patients were middle-aged males, with histologically probable IgG4-RD. The systemic form of the disease was frequent, involving mainly sites of the head and abdomen. Corticosteroids were an effective first line treatment, sometimes combined with immunosuppressive agents. Neither fatalities nor malignancies were attributed to IgG4-RD