The Clustering of Dark Matter, Haloes & Galaxies

In this thesis I study the spatial distribution of galaxies, haloes and dark matter particlesin the Universe. The subjects investigated are conceptually divided into three areas.One line of research, which is made up of Chapters 2 and 3， is to explore the power and limitations of measurements of the imprint of baryonic acoustic oscillations in the clustering of galaxies. I look at how the appearance of the power spectrum is altered by different effects such as nonlinear evolution or redshift space distortions. In these chapters I also explore the best way to analyse survey data and how well new datasets, from both spectroscopic and photometric surveys, will be able to constrain the dark energy equation of state.In a second strand, I study dark matter haloes and their substructures. In Chapter 4， I look at the dependence of the clustering strength of dark haloes on the concentration of the sample. I was able to go beyond the traditional 2-point statistics to extend previous analyses to higher order statistics thanks to the development of a novel way to extract the higher order bias parameters. In Chapter 5, I then zoomed into smaller scales to study a number of properties of the population of substructures within dark haloes. In particular, I consider the mass distribution of substructures as well as their radial distribution and orientation. I also demonstrate that mergers between substructures do indeed occur, which result from objects that are dynamically or geometrically linked before accretion.In the final line of research, presented in Chapters 6 and 7, I develop ideas about how to add more realism to current theoretical predictions for galaxy clustering, and how it would be possible to use low-resolution dark matter simulations to investigate uncertainties in future observations

Investigación, gestión, divulgación y detección de COVID

Mi tesis doctoral cambiaba de los cereales, el centeno, a una de las legumbres más queridas por estas tierras, la lenteja. Serían cuatro años de laboratorio estudiando genes relacionados con los estreses bióticos y abióticos en los cultivos de lenteja. Estos estudios me permitieron trabajar con infinidad de marcadores moleculares que podrían encuadrarse dentro de las tecnologías genómicas y relacionadas siempre con la amplificación de ADN por PCR (SNPs, CAPS, SCARs, SSRs, RAPDs e ISSRs) y su separación mediante electroforesis (en agarosa o en poliacrilamida, teñidos con bromuro, SysbrGreen o plata). Las técnicas utilizadas también incluían la secuenciación de muchos de los fragmentos amplificados o la utilización de instrumentos como el Li-Cor 4300 capaz de detectar el cambio en un par de bases entre genotipos, utilizando grandes fragmentos de ADN. Realización de pruebas de diagnóstico, principalmente por PCR, en las que tenía experiencia. Nuestro laboratorio ha sido uno de los componentes del consorcio SeqCOVID, un proyecto encabezado por el Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, que ha servido para crear una base de datos con las secuencias genómicas del virus SARS-CoV-2

Barreras en la Asistencia Sanitaria a Pacientes Transgénero: Papel de Enfermería

El colectivo transgénero ha ido aumentando en número en los últimos años. La discriminación social de la que es objeto repercute en el reconocimiento de sus derechos, y los hace enfrentar numerosas barreras en la asistencia sanitaria. Por ello es imprescindible el desarrollo de nuevas políticas sociales y una adecuada prestación sanitaria, contrarrestando el estigma al que este colectivo está sometido. Se trata de identificar las barreras en la asistencia sanitaria a pacientes transgénero, estudiar la opinión en cuanto al papel de Enfermería y analizar la importancia de la formación en la prestación de cuidados. Se realizó un estudio mixto, compuesto por variables cuantitativas y cualitativas, a través de encuestas distribuidas en la muestra de estudio. Se realizó el análisis estadístico a través de mapas conceptuales, medias, frecuentas y porcentajes. Con un conocimiento del concepto transgénero por casi la totalidad de la muestra, el 90,9% opinó que el colectivo transgénero está discriminado socialmente debido a: la cisnormatividad, la falta de información, la poca visibilidad y la falta de derechos bien definidos. Por otro lado, el 96,6% da a Enfermería un papel importante en la asistencia sanitaria, pero incluso el 76,1% detecta barreras en la misma. A pesar de que el 94,3% dio importancia a la formación, casi toda la muestra la cree insuficiente a la hora de prestar cuidados. Los resultados obtenidos dejan al descubierto una falta de formación, imprescindible a la hora de prestar una correcta asistencia sanitaria. El aumento de esta, junto con la mejora del trato enfermera-paciente y el desarrollo de protocolos adecuados, son medidas propuestas tanto en este estudio como en otras publicaciones y referencias para mejorar la atención del sistema sanitario.Grado en Enfermerí

Análisis Costo-Beneficio de la Fluoración del Agua Potable en Niños de 12 años de la Región del Biobío, Chile.

Fluoridation has been shown to be an effective measure against caries in children. The present study evaluates the cost-benefit of the fluoridated water program for the reduction of dental caries in 12-year-old children in the Biobío Region, the only region in Chile that has not implemented this program. An economic cost-benefit evaluation was carried out, comparing two alternative interventions: non-fluoridated drinking water versus fluoridated drinking water. The prevalence of caries, direct and indirect costs of the treatments, the cost of implementing the programs and the benefits of both interventions were estimated. From this study it is concluded that the savings in oral health costs in 12-year-old children when using fluoridating drinking water in the Biobío region is significantly higher than the cost involved in implementing the water fluoridation program, resulting in total savings for the Chilean state of $129,861,645 (USD$ 152,833) as well as an estimated reduction of 15% in the history of caries in the study population.Se ha demostrado que la fluoración es una medida efectiva contra disminución de la caries en la población infantil. La presente investigación buscó evaluar cual es el costo-beneficio del programa del agua fluorada para la disminución de caries dental en niños de 12 años de la Región del Biobío, única región de Chile que no adhiere a este programa. Se realizó una evaluación económica de costo-beneficio, comparando dos intervenciones alternativas: agua potable no fluorada versus agua potable fluorada. Para tal fin se estimó la prevalencia de caries, costos directos e indirectos de los tratamientos, el costo de implementación de los programas y el beneficio de ambas intervenciones . De este estudio se concluye que el ahorro en costos de salud bucal en niños de 12 años al fluorar el agua potable en la región del Biobío, es significativamente mayor al costo que implica la implementación del programa de fluoración de aguas, lográndose un ahorro total para el Estado de $129.861.645 (USD$152.833) así como una estimación de reducción del 15% en la historia de caries en la población de estudio

Microbial electrosynthesis for CO2 conversion and methane production: Influence of electrode geometry on biofilm development

[EN] Electromethanogenesis is a process of microbial electrosynthesis (MES) in whichelectroactive microorganisms reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) to produce methane (CH4), using a cathodeas an electron donor. The efficiency of this reaction is greatly determined by the establishment of arobust microbial community on the biocathodes, which eventually affects the global performance of thebioreactor. Moreover, the development of the biofilm depends on several characteristics of theelectrodes, more specifically their material and geometry. Since electrode geometry is a crucialparameter, this study aims at evaluating the sole influence of the electrode shape by installingcarbon-based electrodes with two different constructions (brush and carbon felt) of biocathodes in anelectromethanogenic reactor for CO2capture. The overall performance of the reactors showedcoulombic efficiencies around 100%, with high-quality biogas reaching methane concentrations above90%. The results reveal that the electrode geometry affects the individual biocathode performance, andthe carbon brush showed a bigger contribution to current generation and electrical capacitance,exhibiting higher peak hydrogen production compared to the carbon felt, which could be reflected inhigher CO2capture and methane generation. Both geometries showed a greater proliferation of archaeaover bacteria (between 53 and 85%), which was more significant on the brush than on the carbon felt.Archaea community was dominated byMethanobacteriumin carbon felt electrodes and codominatedwithMethanobrevibacterin brush electrodes, while bacteria analyses showed a very similar communityfor both geometriesS

Factibilidad de un programa de mindfulness en pacientes oncológicos del Perú: un estudio piloto aleatorizado

  DOI: 10.26439/persona2020.n023(1).4832 The purpose of the study was to evaluate the feasibility of a program of mindfulness intervention applied to cancer patients in the city of Arequipa, Peru. Participants were randomly selected for a six-week program or for the control group. We used psychometric instruments to measure stress and depression. Adherence and participations of the patients in the program demonstrate the feasibility of the program with breast cancer in Peru. Results show that, in comparison with the control group, there was significant reductions of perceived stress and depression amongst participants.DOI: 10.26439/persona2020.n023(1).4832 El propósito de esta investigación fue evaluar la factibilidad de la intervención cognitiva basada en mindfulness (MBCI) para pacientes con cáncer de mama en la ciudad de Arequipa, Perú. Se seleccionaron 26 pacientes con cáncer de mama entre las edades de 37 a 73 años para el presente estudio piloto. Las participantes fueron asignadas aleatoriamente al programa de entrenamiento MBCI de seis semanas de duración o al grupo de control. Se utilizaron instrumentos psicométricos sobre estrés percibido y depresión para colectar los datos antes y después del entrenamiento de MBCI. La adherencia y participación de las pacientes en el programa, así como sus reportes con base en el protocolo clínico después de la intervención, confirman la factibilidad de la utilización del programa MBCI en pacientes con cáncer de mama en el Perú. Los resultados indican que, en comparación con el grupo de control, las participantes en el programa MBCI reportaron reducciones significativas en el estrés percibido y la depresión

Drug prescription pattern in exotic pet and wildlife animal practice: a retrospective study in a Spanish veterinary teaching hospital from 2018 to 2022

[EN] Exotic companion animals have had an important role in our society since ancient times. Preserving animal health is necessary to do a responsible use of veterinary medicines. This study aimed to describe the prescription patterns of drugs in exotic pets and wildlife animals attending the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the University of León (HVULE). A retrospective study was carried out between 2018 and 2022. Birds were the largest group of exotic animals attending the HVULE. Visits were related to emergency reasons and for musculoskeletal disorders. One-third of the animals were eventually euthanised. Regarding pharmacological treatments, the most frequently active ingredients used were pentobarbital, isoflurane, meloxicam, and within antibiotics, marbofloxacin (category B in the classification of European Medicines Agency).S

Tear Film Stabilization and Symptom Improvement in Dry Eye Disease: The Role of Hyaluronic Acid and Trehalose Eyedrops versus Carmellose Sodium

This study evaluated the effectiveness of hyaluronic acid and trehalose (HA/trehalose) eyedrops in managing dry eye disease (DED) symptoms by measuring tear stability and administering a DED questionnaire. Sixty patients were treated with either HA/trehalose eyedrops (Tear A) or carmellose sodium eyedrops (Tear B) as controls. The tear breakup time (TBUT) and non-invasive breakup time (NIBUT) were monitored, and patients completed the standard patient evaluation of eye dryness (SPEED) questionnaire. After two months of twice-daily applications, patients treated with the HA/trehalose eyedrops demonstrated significant improvements in the NIBUT (12.98 ± 3.22 s) and TBUT (12.95 ± 2.98 s), indicating increased tear stability. Moreover, they reported lower dry eye sensation (6.70 ± 4.94 SPEED score points), suggesting a reduction in DED symptoms. These findings underscore the efficacy of HA/trehalose eyedrops in improving both the objective and subjective signs of DED, with twice-daily application enhancing ocular surface conditions and reducing patient-reported symptoms. © 2023 by the authors

A One Health view of the West Nile virus outbreak in Andalusia (Spain) in 2020

Reports of West Nile virus (WNV) associated disease in humans were scarce in Spain until summer 2020, when 77 cases were reported, eight fatal. Most cases occurred next to the Guadalquivir River in the Sevillian villages of Puebla del Río and Coria del Río. Detection of WNV disease in humans was preceded by a large increase in the abundance of Culex perexiguus in the neighbourhood of the villages where most human cases occurred. The first WNV infected mosquitoes were captured approximately one month before the detection of the first human cases. Overall, 33 positive pools of Cx. perexiguus and one pool of Culex pipiens were found. Serology of wild birds confirmed WNV circulation inside the affected villages, that transmission to humans also occurred in urban settings and suggests that virus circulation was geographically more widespread than disease cases in humans or horses may indicate. A high prevalence of antibodies was detected in blackbirds (Turdus merula) suggesting that this species played an important role in the amplification of WNV in urban areas. Culex perexiguus was the main vector of WNV among birds in natural and agricultural areas, while its role in urban areas needs to be investigated in more detail. Culex pipiens may have played some role as bridge vector of WNV between birds and humans once the enzootic transmission cycle driven by Cx. perexiguus occurred inside the villages. Surveillance of virus in mosquitoes has the potential to detect WNV well in advance of the first human cases.This study was supported by emergency funds from CSIC [grant number 202030E263]; Agencia Estatal de Investigación under [grant numbers PID2021-123761OB-I00, PGC2018-095704-B-I00, PID2020-116768RR-C21/C22] supported by FEDER Funds; and by the European Commission–NextGenerationEU (Regulation EU 2020/2094), through CSIC’s Global Health Platform (PTI Salud Global) and by Instituto de Salud Carlos III Project "PI19CIII/00014".S