Scavenging Behaviour of Red Deer Cervus elaphus Linnaeus, 1758 (Artiodactyla: Cervidae) in Eastern Spain

A male red deer was repeatedly observed scavenging in eastern Spain. This is the first time this behaviour of the red deer being recorded by means of camera traps. Scavenging behaviour of herbivores may have implications for wildlife biologists and managers

El Trabajo de Fin de Grado en la Facultad de Derecho: experiencias y vivencias

El trabajo desarrollado en la Red analiza y evalúa el desarrollo e implementación de la asignatura de Trabajo Fin de Grado en las titulaciones de la Facultad de Derecho. Éste ha sido el primer año de su implantación y la gestión y evaluación del mismo han generado algunas incidencias que han puesto de manifiesto la necesidad de mejorar su gestión y aplicación. Distintos factores han influido a la hora de realizar una valoración del desarrollo del TFG en la Facultad de Derecho. En este sentido la existencia de una aplicación informática UA Project que facilita la gestión del mismo se valora como positiva. Sin embargo la misma presenta algunos inconvenientes que requieren de su revisión en el sentido que se plantea en el trabajo. Plantear estratégicamente una mínima formación del alumnado en el desarrollo del TFG se nos presenta como ineludible para conseguir unos resultados satisfactorios. A tal fin este trabajo realiza algunas propuestas de mejora que abundan en la necesidad de prestigiar el TFG

Urinary exosomes reveal protein signatures in hypertensive patients with albuminuria

Albuminuria is an indicator of cardiovascular risk and renal damage in hypertensive individuals. Chronic renin-angiotensin system (RAS) suppression facilitates blood pressure control and prevents development of new-onset-albuminuria. A significant number of patients, however, develop albuminuria despite chronic RAS blockade, and the physiopathological mechanisms are underexplored. Urinary exosomes reflect pathological changes taking place in the kidney. The objective of this work was to examine exosomal protein alterations in hypertensive patients with albuminuria in the presence of chronic RAS suppression, to find novel clues underlying its development. Patients were followed-up for three years and were classified as: a) patients with persistent normoalbuminuria; b) patients developing de novo albuminuria; and c) patients with maintained albuminuria. Exosomal protein alterations between groups were identified by isobaric tag quantitation (iTRAQ). Confirmation was approached by target analysis (SRM). In total, 487 proteins were identified with high confidence. Specifically, 48 proteins showed an altered pattern in response to hypertension and/or albuminuria. Out of them, 21 proteins interact together in three main functional clusters: glycosaminoglycan degradation, coagulation and complement system, and oxidative stress. The identified proteins constitute potential targets for drug development and may help to define therapeutic strategies to evade albuminuria progression in hypertensive patients chronically treated.Instituto de Salud Carlos III, fondos FEDER/FSE (PI11/01401, PI13/01873, PI14/01841, IF08/3667-1, PI11-02239, PI 14/0917, PI11/02432, PI13/01746, PI14/01650, PI16/01334, PT13/0001/0013, CP09/00229, CP15/00129, CPII15/00027), Fundacion SENEFRO, Fundacion Conchita Rabago de Jimenez Diaz, and Redes Tematicas de Investigacion Cooperativa (fondos FEDER/FSE, RD12/0021/0001, RD12/0042/0071). These results are lined up with the Spanish initiative on the Human Proteome Project (SpHPP).S

Relationship between cognition and age at onset of first-episode psychosis: comparative study between adolescents, young adults, and adults

Psychotic disorders typically manifest from late adolescence to early adulthood, and an earlier onset might be associated with greater symptom severity and a worse long-term prognosis. This study aimed to compare the cognitive characteristics of patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP) by their age at onset. We included 298 patients diagnosed with FEP and classified them as having an early onset (EOS), youth onset (YOS), or adult onset (AOS) based on age limits of = 25 years (N = 116), respectively. Socio-demographic and clinical variables included age at baseline, gender, socio-economic status, antipsychotic medication, DSM-IV diagnoses assessed by clinical semi-structured interview, psychotic symptom severity, and age at onset. Neuropsychological assessment included six cognitive domains: premorbid intelligence, working memory, processing speed, verbal memory, sustained attention, and executive functioning. The EOS group had lower scores than the YOS or AOS groups in global cognition, executive functioning, and sustained attention. Although the scores in the YOS group were intermediate to those in the EOS and AOS groups for most cognitive factors, no statistically significant differences were detected between the YOS and AOS groups. Age at onset results in specific patterns of cognitive interference. Of note, impairment appears to be greater with EOS samples than with either YOS or AOS samples. A longitudinal study with a larger sample size is needed to confirm our findings

Coordinación y seguimiento en la implementación eficaz de las titulaciones de Grado en la Facultad de Derecho

El trabajo de esta Red docente ha consistido en el seguimiento de las acciones de calidad que se pretenden implantar en las titulaciones de Grado y de los mecanismos de coordinación docente aplicables, con el objetivo de mejorar la implementación de las titulaciones en aquellos aspectos esenciales en el procedimiento de acreditación de las distintas titulaciones. Los resultados de los Informes de Seguimiento de cada titulación de la Facultad, muestran la necesidad de establecer instrumentos de coordinación del profesorado de cada titulación para unificar y armonizar criterios en lo relativo al volumen total del trabajo exigido al estudiante, la distribución temporal adecuada del mismo y el trabajo colectivo de todos los profesores para conseguir los objetivos plasmados en la Memoria Verificada por ANECA para cada título. El objetivo de esta Red ha sido analizar los datos necesarios para el Informe que será necesario para la evaluación externa de la renovación de la acreditación de la titulación de acuerdo con los distintos criterios que han sido objeto del procedimiento de acreditación: gestión del título, información y transparencia, sistema interno de garantía de calidad, recursos, resultados, satisfacción y rendimiento

Prevalence of disability in a composite ≥75 year-old population in Spain: A screening survey based on the International Classification of Functioning

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The prevalence and predictors of functional status and disability of elderly people have been studied in several European countries including Spain. However, there has been no population-based study incorporating the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework as the basis for assessing disability. The present study reports prevalence rates for mild, moderate, and severe/extreme disability by the domains of activities and participation of the ICF.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Nine populations surveyed in previous prevalence studies contributed probabilistic and geographically defined samples in June 2005. The study sample was composed of 503 subjects aged ≥75 years. We implemented a two-phase screening design using the MMSE and the World Health Organization-Disability Assessment Schedule 2^ndedition (WHO-DAS II, 12 items) as cognitive and disability screening tools, respectively. Participants scoring within the positive range of the disability screening were administered the full WHO-DAS II (36 items; score range: 0-100) assessing the following areas: Understanding and communication, Getting along with people, Life activities, Getting around, Participation in society, and Self-care. Each disability area assessed by WHO-DAS II (36 items) was reported according to the ICF severity ranges (No problem, 0-4; Mild disability, 5-24; Moderate disability, 25-49; Severe/Extreme disability, 50-100).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The age-adjusted disability prevalence figures were: 39.17 ± 2.18%, 15.31 ± 1.61%, and 10.14 ± 1.35% for mild, moderate, and severe/extreme disability, respectively. Severe and extreme disability prevalence in mobility and life activities was three times higher than the average, and highest among women. Sex variations were minimal, although life activities for women of 85 years and over had more severe/extreme disability as compared to men (OR = 5.15 95% CI 3.19-8.32).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Disability is highly prevalent among the Spanish elderly. Sex- and age-specific variations of disability are associated with particular disability domains.</p

Hydrotherapy as a recovery strategy after exercise: a pragmatic controlled trial

Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01765387Background Our aim was to evaluate the recovery effects of hydrotherapy after aerobic exercise in cardiovascular, performance and perceived fatigue. Methods A pragmatic controlled repeated measures; single-blind trial was conducted. Thirty-four recreational sportspeople visited a Sport-Centre and were assigned to a Hydrotherapy group (experimental) or rest in a bed (control) after completing a spinning session. Main outcomes measures including blood pressure, heart rate, handgrip strength, vertical jump, self-perceived fatigue, and body temperature were assessed at baseline, immediately post-exercise and post-recovery. The hypothesis of interest was the session*time interaction. Results The analysis revealed significant session*time interactions for diastolic blood pressure (P=0.031), heart rate (P=0.041), self perceived fatigue (P=0.046), and body temperature (P=0.001); but not for vertical jump (P=0.437), handgrip (P=0.845) or systolic blood pressure (P=0.266). Post-hoc analysis revealed that hydrotherapy resulted in recovered heart rate and diastolic blood pressure similar to baseline values after the spinning session. Further, hydrotherapy resulted in decreased self-perceived fatigue after the spinning session. Conclusions Our results support that hydrotherapy is an adequate strategy to facilitate cardiovascular recovers and perceived fatigue, but not strength, after spinning exercise

Retos del Programa de Acción Tutorial: la adaptación curricular y nuevas vías de interacción con los estudiantes

El programa de adaptación curricular pretende adaptar el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje tanto a las necesidades específicas del alumnado universitario (movilidad, deporte de élite, violencia de género, vida laboral) como a las características particulares de los estudiantes con necesidades educativas especiales derivadas de una situación de discapacidad, física o psíquica, para que puedan acceder al currículo y alcanzar los objetivos de las distintas asignaturas y planes de estudio en igualdad de condiciones que el resto de estudiantes. En este sentido, la Facultad de Derecho ha resuelto varias solicitudes del alumnado de adaptación curricular durante el curso 2015-2016, en cuyo procedimiento se han implicado distintos agentes: la dirección del Centro, el voluntariado, el profesorado afectado y el CAE, junto con los tutores del PAT. La revisión por la Red del procedimiento de actuación previsto en el artículo 5 del Reglamento de Adaptación curricular en la Universidad de Alicante y su implementación en la Facultad de Derecho ha puesto de manifiesto la necesidad de acomodar las medidas de adaptación sobre las solicitudes presentadas por alumnos con discapacidad psíquica que requieren la intervención del Centro de Apoyo al Estudiante de la Universidad de Alicante

A longitudinal study of gene expression in first-episode schizophrenia; exploring relapse mechanisms by co-expression analysis in peripheral blood

Little is known about the pathophysiological mechanisms of relapse in first-episode schizophrenia, which limits the study of potential biomarkers. To explore relapse mechanisms and identify potential biomarkers for relapse prediction, we analyzed gene expression in peripheral blood in a cohort of first-episode schizophrenia patients with less than 5 years of evolution who had been evaluated over a 3-year follow-up period. A total of 91 participants of the 2EPs project formed the sample for baseline gene expression analysis. Of these, 67 provided biological samples at follow-up (36 after 3 years and 31 at relapse). Gene expression was assessed using the Clariom S Human Array. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis was applied to identify modules of co-expressed genes and to analyze their preservation after 3 years of follow-up or at relapse. Among the 25 modules identified, one module was semi-conserved at relapse (DarkTurquoise) and was enriched with risk genes for schizophrenia, showing a dysregulation of the TCF4 gene network in the module. Two modules were semi-conserved both at relapse and after 3 years of follow-up (DarkRed and DarkGrey) and were found to be biologically associated with protein modification and protein location processes. Higher expression of DarkRed genes was associated with higher risk of suffering a relapse and early appearance of relapse (p = 0.045). Our findings suggest that a dysregulation of the TCF4 network could be an important step in the biological process that leads to relapse and suggest that genes related to the ubiquitin proteosome system could be potential biomarkers of relapse. © 2021, The Author(s)