The Weblog. A Log Used as a Complement to the Paper Log. Subtopic: New Pedagogical Techniques for the Teaching of Times

Within the framework of the subject of Representation in the course of studies in Architecture at Blas Pascal University (UBP), the following teaching object is proposed, which claims to continue the work began in Egrafia 2016 “Challenging the sketch, beyond a log”, regarding the new Technologies in Architectural Representation.It is presented as a complement to the freehand draw and to learn other intuitive and sensory techniques of representation by using technological devices and editing applications.It suggests the use of the mobile device, cell phones, tablets, etc., in the workshop and possible drawing APP: Adobe Draw, Adobe Ideas and Tayasui sketches.Scope and possible teaching applications:Students can work on a weblog as a complement to a paper log. It suggests the integration of other courses of studies at the university, for example with students of the course of studies in Graphic Design, Cinema, Engineering, etc.In the course of studies in Architecture, its objective is the integration of different subjects, such as Representation, Visual Language, Landscape, Interior Design, Electives of Representation, etc., by generating a common digital format for presentations in different stages of the project

Evaluation of bradyrhizobia strains isolated from field-grown soybean plants in Argentina as improved inoculants

Bradyrhizobium strains were isolated from nodules obtained from field-grown soybean plants sampled in 12 soybean production locations in Argentina. These fields had been annually cropped with soybean and did not show decreases in yields even though they had been neither N-fertilized nor inoculated for at least the last 5 years. We hypothesized that the isolated strains maintained high competitiveness and efficiency in fixing adequate N2 levels. A set of strains that showed the highest nodular occupancy in each sampling location were assayed for symbiotic performance under greenhouse and field conditions and comparatively evaluated with Bradyrhizobium japonicum E109, the strain officially recommended for inoculant formulation in Argentina. An inoculant pool, formed by four strains obtained from nodules collected from Cañada Rica, developed higher nodular biomass than B. japonicum E 109 in assays carried out in greenhouses under well irrigated conditions. Additionally, neither nodule production nor specific nitrogenase activity decreased with respect to B. japonicum E 109 when plants were drought stressed during 7 days from sowing. The mean yields obtained under field conditions and plotted against the principal component one (CP1) obtained with an additive main effect and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) model showed that the inoculant pool from Cañada Rica had higher contribution to yield than strain E 109, although with lower environmental stability. The inoculant pool from Cañada Rica could be considered an improved inoculant and be used for preliminary assays, to formulate inoculants in Argentina.Instituto de Fisiología y Recursos Genéticos VegetalesFil: Melchiorre, Mariana. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Fisiología y Recursos Genéticos Vegetales; ArgentinaFil: De Luca, Marcos Javier. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Fisiología y Recursos Genéticos Vegetales; ArgentinaFil: Gonzalez Anta, Gustavo. Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Suarez, Paola Alejandra. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Fisiología y Recursos Genéticos Vegetales; ArgentinaFil: Lopez, Carlos. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Manfredi. Agencia De Extensión Rural Río Primero; ArgentinaFil: Lascano, Hernán Ramiro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Lascano, Hernán Ramiro. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Fisiología y Recursos Genéticos Vegetales; ArgentinaFil: Racca, Roberto Walter. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Fisiología y Recursos Genéticos Vegetales; Argentin

ALDH4A1 is an atherosclerosis auto-antigen targeted by protective antibodies

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality in the world, with most CVD-related deaths resulting from myocardial infarction or stroke. The main underlying cause of thrombosis and cardiovascular events is atherosclerosis, an inflammatory disease that can remain asymptomatic for long periods. There is an urgent need for therapeutic and diagnostic options in this area. Atherosclerotic plaques contain autoantibodies, and there is a connection between atherosclerosis and autoimmunity. However, the immunogenic trigger and the effects of the autoantibody response during atherosclerosis are not well understood. Here we performed high-throughput single-cell analysis of the atherosclerosis-associated antibody repertoire. Antibody gene sequencing of more than 1,700 B cells from atherogenic Ldlr and control mice identified 56 antibodies expressed by in-vivo-expanded clones of B lymphocytes in the context of atherosclerosis. One-third of the expanded antibodies were reactive against atherosclerotic plaques, indicating that various antigens in the lesion can trigger antibody responses. Deep proteomics analysis identified ALDH4A1, a mitochondrial dehydrogenase involved in proline metabolism, as a target antigen of one of these autoantibodies, A12. ALDH4A1 distribution is altered during atherosclerosis, and circulating ALDH4A1 is increased in mice and humans with atherosclerosis, supporting the potential use of ALDH4A1 as a disease biomarker. Infusion of A12 antibodies into Ldlr mice delayed plaque formation and reduced circulating free cholesterol and LDL, suggesting that anti-ALDH4A1 antibodies can protect against atherosclerosis progression and might have therapeutic potential in CVD.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (SVP-2014-068289); P.D. was supported by an AECC grant (AIO 2012, Ayudas a Investigadores en Oncología 2012); A.S.-B. is a Juan de la Cierva researcher (IJC2018-035279-I); I.M.-F. was a fellow of the research training program funded by Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (SVP-2014-068216); and A.R.R. and J.V. are supported by Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC). The project leading to these results has received funding from la Caixa Banking Foundation under the project code HR17-00247 and from SAF2016-75511-R and PID2019-106773RB-I00 grants to A.R.R. (Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica y Técnica y de Innovación 2013–201

Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) climate zones and its associated agrobiodiversity in Arauca, Colombia

Cacao (Theobroma cacao L) is one of the most relevant crops in terms of economy and social rural development in Colombia. Cacao is also an important crop due to its potential to replace illicit crops and it is related to less deforestation and preserves the biodiversity. There are several cacao districts in Colombia, one of these being Arauca. The Department of Arauca is the second largest cocoa producing region in Colombia; however, it is heavily affected by armed conflict. To raise the knowledge and technology available in the region, integrating data on the occurrence of cacao farms with climatic variables becomes a powerful socioeconomic mapping tool for maintaining agrobiodiversity and food security in the region. Consequently, this type of agrodiversity data and agroclimatic approaches help to better manage agrobiodiversity, as in the cacao region of Arauca. These tools are even more relevant in biodiverse regions, such as flooded savannahs and tropical forest ecosystems, which are currently undergoing drastic changes due to agricultural expansion and climate change. One of the knowledge gaps in Colombia´s cacao regions is that there are currently no agroclimatic maps made with a social and scientific approach. This study aimed to provide a database of the spatial distribution of cacao farms in Arauca, as well as agroclimatic maps that identify and locate cacao climate regions in Arauca. We also present a presence-only matrix consisting of twenty-six tree species, or agrobiodiversity, distributed across the study region and specifically associated with the cacao forestry systems in Arauca.We present the first database of both climate and agrobiodiversity data related to cacao farms in Arauca, developed with a research and socioeconomic vision that generated a novel approach for the agroclimatic zoning of cocoa in the Arauca Region and Colombia. Using 1,538 cacao farms at the regional scale, we identified two national and six regional-scale climate and soil regions. The selection at the local scale allowed us to classify 180 cacao farms comprising nine agroclimatic clusters in Arauca. We found twenty-six tree species distributed across the cacao climate zones. This dataset and its related maps also represent the agrobiodiversity of cultivated cacao locally. This is the most complete climate and agrobiodiversity dataset of cacao farms distribution in one of the top cocoa-producing regions in the country. These outputs are crucial because they constitute a baseline for developing research in the biodiversity of agroforestry systems, pests and diseases, pollutant presence, genetics, post-harvest processing and cocoa quality and safety

Hitos Demográficos del Siglo XXI: Migración Internacional

La migración ha sido una constante en la historia mundial. Sin embargo, las migraciones que han tenido lugar desde principios del siglo XXI no tienen precedentes, ya que recientemente éstas han alcanzado su mayor volumen en la historia y presentan características que las diferencian de las observadas en periodos anteriores, lo que ha propiciado una nueva conceptualización del fenómeno, enmarcada en lo que algunos estudiosos llaman “la nueva era” de las migraciones internacionales (Arango, 2003, mencionado por Fernández, 2005). Este nuevo ciclo se caracteriza por una profusa re-configuración del mapa migratorio mundial, el cual parece dar cuenta hoy, de una auténtica mundialización migratoria, con una fuerte tendencia a la diversificación de rutas y conexiones origen-destino. El nuevo mapa es el correlato de un escenario de globalización económica, cultural e informacional, que estimula que segmentos amplios de la población respondan cada vez más rápidamente a informaciones y oportunidades que se originan más allá de las fronteras nacionales (CONAPO, 2009). De esta forma la nueva era de la globalización, se ha convertido en un asunto de especial trascendencia. Por un lado, la mejora y expansión de los sistemas de comunicación y transporte y la significativa reducción del tiempo y coste de desplazamiento, así como las disparidades económicas y la existencia de situaciones sociales y políticas extremas han propiciado el crecimiento de los movimientos transnacionales de personas y la intensificación de las presiones migratorias. En este sentido, España nunca ha sido ajena al fenómeno de las corrientes migratorias. Así por ejemplo, en los últimos años y durante la primera mitad del siglo XX y parte de la segunda, grandes contingentes de españoles emigraron hacia diferentes puntos de América Latina y Europa en busca de un empleo y mejor calidad de vida. Pero fue a finales del siglo pasado cuando España, impulsada por el acelerado ritmo de crecimiento económico adoptado en parte gracias a su integración económica en Europa, pasó de ser una economía emisora de emigrantes a una receptora de inmigrantes. Sin embargo, el fenómeno de la inmigración en España cobró verdadera importancia hasta principios del siglo XXI, cuando las fuertes oleadas masivas de personas provenientes de países en vías de desarrollo se dejaron sentir en su estructura poblacional y actividad laboral; de ésta manera, durante el primer quinquenio de este siglo si al 1 de enero del año 2000 los residentes extranjeros en España eran 0.9 millones (que representaban 2.3 por ciento de las personas empadronadas) al 1 de enero de 2005 ya eran 3.7 millones, es decir, 8.5 por ciento de la población residente en el país, habiéndose por tanto cuadriplicado el efectivo de extranjeros en tan sólo cinco años (González, 2006: 2-3; Gil, 2007: 1). Con base en lo anterior, el objetivo del presente trabajo consistió en analizar las características de los flujos de inmigración actuales en España procedentes de países latinoamericanos, enmarcados en la nueva re-configuración del mapa migratorio mundial

Las ciencias sociales y sus abordajes en los estudios avanzados

Este libro tiene como uno de sus objetivos principales impulsar un ejercicio académico de tipo interdisciplinario entre investigadores y egresados del programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Sociales de la Universidad Autónoma del Estado México (UAEM). Si bien se trata de un esfuerzo incipiente porque los autores que escriben, presentan artículos de investigación en los que desarrollan temas de su campo disciplinar, se trata de un libro relevante porque inaugura una actividad editorial que involucraría a profesores y estudiantes de diferentes líneas de investigación y de distintas disciplinas y les daría la posibilidad de interactuar intelectualmente con el fin de consolidar un diálogo interdisciplinario, que seguramente hará posible desarrollar discusiones de tipo interdisciplinar sobre problemas concretos.Este libro tiene como uno de sus objetivos principales impulsar un ejercicio académico de tipo interdisciplinario entre investigadores y egresados del programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Sociales de la Universidad Autónoma del Estado México (uaem).1 Si bien se trata de un esfuerzo incipiente porque los autores que escriben, presentan artículos de investigación en los que desarrollan temas de su campo disciplinar, se trata de un libro relevante porque inaugura una actividad editorial que involucraría a profesores y estudiantes de diferentes líneas de investigación y de distintas disciplinas y les daría la posibilidad de interactuar intelectualmente con el fin de consolidar un diálogo interdisciplinario,UAE

New direct alcohol and hydrogen fuel cells for naval and aeronautical applications (PILCONAER)

In the current context of demand for reliable, low cost and low environmental impact energy sources, many countries and companies are mostly focused on fuel cells (FC) in fields as transportation and stationary power generation and portable devices. Lately, FCs have begun to be applied in naval and aeronautical systems due to its high efficiency, low noise and environmental advantages. These applications could range from propulsion systems to auxiliary power units(APU). The main problems associated with the use of FCs in these areas are the current high cost due to the materials used, i.e. Nafion and Pt, the lack of durability testing in these specific conditions, security issues to flammability and high H2 pressures and low availability as a fuel, or the toxicity of methanol used as a fuel, and specific parameters such as weight in aircraft applications and volume in marine applications. Currently it is working on each of these issues, and at this point the ethanol as direct fuel is considered crucial. The use of ethanol as fuel has the advantage of easy transportation, storage and refueling, and is nontoxic. Bioethanol is a promising energy source, produced from raw materials containing sugar or starch. These raw materials exists in all parts of the world and is renewable, which involves the use of local energy sources contributing to the diversification of energy supply, reducing import dependence, increasing security of supply and generating new opportunities for agriculture. The main objective of the project is the development of low power stacks (stacks) fed with methanol (DMFC)and ethanol (DEFC) based on the development of new catalysts and membranes. PILCONAER aims contributing to the development of a sustainable use technology, further commitment to the restoration of the natural environment and biodiversity conservation

Multicentre, randomised, single-blind, parallel group trial to compare the effectiveness of a Holter for Parkinson's symptoms against other clinical monitoring methods: study protocol

Introduction In recent years, multiple studies have aimed to develop and validate portable technological devices capable of monitoring the motor complications of Parkinson's disease patients (Parkinson's Holter). The effectiveness of these monitoring devices for improving clinical control is not known. Methods and analysis This is a single-blind, cluster-randomised controlled clinical trial. Neurologists from Spanish health centres will be randomly assigned to one of three study arms (1:1:1): (a) therapeutic adjustment using information from a Parkinson?s Holter that will be worn by their patients for 7 days, (b) therapeutic adjustment using information from a diary of motor fluctuations that will be completed by their patients for 7 days and (c) therapeutic adjustment using clinical information collected during consultation. It is expected that 162 consecutive patients will be included over a period of 6 months. The primary outcome is the efficiency of the Parkinson?s Holter compared with traditional clinical practice in terms of Off time reduction with respect to the baseline (recorded through a diary of motor fluctuations, which will be completed by all patients). As secondary outcomes, changes in variables related to other motor complications (dyskinesia and freezing of gait), quality of life, autonomy in activities of daily living, adherence to the monitoring system and number of doctor?patient contacts will be analysed. The noninferiority of the Parkinson's Holter against the diary of motor fluctuations in terms of Off time reduction will be studied as the exploratory objective. Ethics and dissemination approval for this study has been obtained from the Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge Ethics Committee. The results of this study will inform the practical utility of the objective information provided by a Parkinson's Holter and, therefore, the convenience of adopting this technology in clinical practice and in future clinical trials. We expect public dissemination of the results in 2022.Funding This work is supported by AbbVie S.L.U, the Instituto de Salud Carlos III [DTS17/00195] and the European Fund for Regional Development, 'A way to make Europe'

Novel genes and sex differences in COVID-19 severity

[EN] Here, we describe the results of a genome-wide study conducted in 11 939 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) positive cases with an extensive clinical information that were recruited from 34 hospitals across Spain (SCOURGE consortium). In sex-disaggregated genome-wide association studies for COVID-19 hospitalization, genome-wide significance (P < 5 × 10−8) was crossed for variants in 3p21.31 and 21q22.11 loci only among males (P = 1.3 × 10−22 and P = 8.1 × 10−12, respectively), and for variants in 9q21.32 near TLE1 only among females (P = 4.4 × 10−8). In a second phase, results were combined with an independent Spanish cohort (1598 COVID-19 cases and 1068 population controls), revealing in the overall analysis two novel risk loci in 9p13.3 and 19q13.12, with fine-mapping prioritized variants functionally associated with AQP3 (P = 2.7 × 10−8) and ARHGAP33 (P = 1.3 × 10−8), respectively. The meta-analysis of both phases with four European studies stratified by sex from the Host Genetics Initiative (HGI) confirmed the association of the 3p21.31 and 21q22.11 loci predominantly in males and replicated a recently reported variant in 11p13 (ELF5, P = 4.1 × 10−8). Six of the COVID-19 HGI discovered loci were replicated and an HGI-based genetic risk score predicted the severity strata in SCOURGE. We also found more SNP-heritability and larger heritability differences by age (<60 or ≥60 years) among males than among females. Parallel genome-wide screening of inbreeding depression in SCOURGE also showed an effect of homozygosity in COVID-19 hospitalization and severity and this effect was stronger among older males. In summary, new candidate genes for COVID-19 severity and evidence supporting genetic disparities among sexes are provided.S

Final results from the PERUSE study of first-line pertuzumab plus trastuzumab plus a taxane for HER2-positive locally recurrent or metastatic breast cancer, with a multivariable approach to guide prognostication

Background: The phase III CLinical Evaluation Of Pertuzumab And TRAstuzumab (CLEOPATRA) trial established the combination of pertuzumab, trastuzumab and docetaxel as standard first-line therapy for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive locally recurrent/metastatic breast cancer (LR/mBC). The multicentre single-arm PERtUzumab global SafEty (PERUSE) study assessed the safety and efficacy of pertuzumab and trastuzumab combined with investigator-selected taxane in this setting. Patients and methods: Eligible patients with inoperable HER2-positive LR/mBC and no prior systemic therapy for LR/mBC (except endocrine therapy) received docetaxel, paclitaxel or nab-paclitaxel with trastuzumab and pertuzumab until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was safety. Secondary endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Prespecified subgroup analyses included subgroups according to taxane, hormone receptor (HR) status and prior trastuzumab. Exploratory univariable analyses identified potential prognostic factors; those that remained significant in multivariable analysis were used to analyse PFS and OS in subgroups with all, some or none of these factors. Results: Of 1436 treated patients, 588 (41%) initially received paclitaxel and 918 (64%) had HR-positive disease. The most common grade 653 adverse events were neutropenia (10%, mainly with docetaxel) and diarrhoea (8%). At the final analysis (median follow-up: 5.7 years), median PFS was 20.7 [95% confidence interval (CI) 18.9-23.1] months overall and was similar irrespective of HR status or taxane. Median OS was 65.3 (95% CI 60.9-70.9) months overall. OS was similar regardless of taxane backbone but was more favourable in patients with HR-positive than HR-negative LR/mBC. In exploratory analyses, trastuzumab-pretreated patients with visceral disease had the shortest median PFS (13.1 months) and OS (46.3 months). Conclusions: Mature results from PERUSE show a safety and efficacy profile consistent with results from CLEOPATRA and median OS exceeding 5 years. Results suggest that paclitaxel is a valid alternative to docetaxel as backbone chemotherapy. Exploratory analyses suggest risk factors that could guide future trial design