Production Response and Digestive Enzymatic Activity of the Pacific White Shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone, 1931) Intensively Pregrown in Microbial Heterotrophic and Autotrophic-Based Systems

Shrimp postlarvae were reared into different microcosm systems without water exchange; a traditional system based on simple fertilization to improve microalgae concentration (control), an autotrophic system (AS) based on the promotion of biofloc and biofilm by the addition of fertilizer and artificial substrates and a heterotrophic system (HS) based on the promotion of heterotrophic bacteria by the addition of nitrogenous and carbonaceous sources and artificial substrates. Better growth performance and survival were registered in shrimp from the AS and HS compared to the control. Feed conversion ratios were below 0.7 for all treatments, but AS and HS were significantly lower than the control. Regarding digestive performance, no significant differences were observed for trypsin, amylase and lipase activities among AS and control shrimp; however, shrimp from HS showed a higher trypsin and amylase activities, suggesting a higher digestive activity caused by the presence of microbial bioflocs. The presence of biofilm and bioflocs composed by either autotrophic or heterotrophic organisms in combination with formulated feed improved the growth performance and survival of shrimp. Apparently, such combination fits the nutritional requirements of shrimp

Evaluation of Adipose Tissue Zinc-Alpha 2-Glycoprotein Gene Expression and Its Relationship with Metabolic Status and Bariatric Surgery Outcomes in Patients with Class III Obesity

Zinc-α2 glycoprotein (ZAG) is an adipokine involved in adipocyte metabolism with potential implications in the pathogenesis of metabolic disorders. Our aim was to evaluate the relationship between visceral (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) ZAG expression and metabolic parameters in patients with class III obesity, along with the impact of basal ZAG expression on short- and medium-term outcomes related to bariatric surgery. 41 patients with class III obesity who underwent bariatric surgery were included in this study. ZAG gene expression was quantified in SAT and VAT. Patients were classified into two groups according to SAT and VAT ZAG percentile. Anthropometric and biochemical variables were obtained before and 15 days, 45 days, and 1 year after surgery. The lower basal SAT ZAG expression percentile was associated with higher weight and waist circumference, while the lower basal VAT ZAG expression percentile was associated with higher weight, waist circumference, insulin, insulin resistance, and the presence of metabolic syndrome. Basal SAT ZAG expression was inversely related to weight loss at 45 days after surgery, whereas no associations were found between basal VAT ZAG expression and weight loss after surgery. Additionally, a negative association was observed between basal SAT and VAT ZAG expression and the decrease of gamma-glutamyl transferase after bariatric surgery. Therefore, lower SAT and VAT ZAG expression levels were associated with an adverse metabolic profile. However, this fact did not seem to confer worse bariatric surgery-related outcomes. Further research is needed to assess the clinical significance of the role of ZAG expression levels in the dynamics of hepatic enzymes after bariatric surgeryThis study has been co-funded by FEDER funds (“A way to make Europe”). M.M. and L.G.S. are also supported by UMA18-FEDERJA-285 and UMA20-FEDERJA-144, co-funded by Malaga University, Junta de Andalucía and FEDER funds, CB06/03/0018, PI-0297-2018 and PI-0194-2017, co-funded by FEDER funds and Consejería de Salud y Familias, Junta de Andalucía, and CP17/00133, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, Spain Partial funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málag

Prognostic and therapeutic monitoring value of plasma and urinary cytokine profile in primary membranous nephropathy: the STARMEN trial cohort

Background. Primary membranous nephropathy( PMN) is usually caused by anti-phospholipase A2 receptor( PLA2R) autoantibodies. There are different therapeutic options according to baseline risk. Novel biomarkers are needed to optimize risk stratification and predict and monitor the response to therapy, as proteinuria responses may be delayed. We hypothesized that plasma or urinary cytokines may provide insights into the course and response to therapy in PMN. Methods. Overall, 192 data points from 34 participants in the STARMEN trial( NCT01955187) , randomized to tacrolimus–rituximab( TAC-RTX) or corticosteroids–cyclophosphamide( GC-CYC) , were analysed for plasma and urine cytokines using a highly sensitive chemiluminescence immunoassay providing a high-throughput multiplex analysis. Results. Baseline( pretreatment) urinary C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 13( CXCL13) predicted the therapeutic response to TAC-RTX. Cytokine levels evolved over the course of therapy. The levels of nine plasma and six urinary cytokines correlated with analytical parameters of kidney damage and disease activity, such as proteinuria, estimated glomerular filtration rate and circulating anti-PLA2R levels. The correlation with these parameters was most consistent for plasma and urinary growth differentiation factor 15( GDF15) , plasma tumour necrosis factor αand urinary TNF-like weak inducer of apoptosis. Decreasing plasma GDF15 levels were associated with response to GC-CYC. Four clusters of cytokines were associated with different stages of response to therapy in the full cohort, with the less inflammatory cluster associated with remission. Conclusion. PMN displayed characteristic plasma and urine cytokine patterns that evolved over time as patients responded to therapy. Baseline urinary CXCL13 concentration could be a prognostic marker of response to TAC-RTXThe STARMEN trial as funded by the European Renal Associ- ation. Research by A.O. and B.F. was supported by FIS/Fondos FEDER( PI22/00469, PI22/00050, PI20/00744, PI21/00251, PI23/00627) , ERA-PerMed-JTC2022( SPAREKID AC22/00027, SIGNAL AC22/00028) , Sociedad Española de Nefrología, So- ciedad Madrileña de Nefrología( SOMANE) , FRIAT, Comunidad de Madrid en Biomedicina P2022/BMD-7223, CIFRA_COR- CM, Instituto de Salud Carlos III( ISCIII) RICORS program to RICORS2040( RD21/0005/0001) funded by European Union—NextGenerationEU, Mecanismo para la Recuperación y la Resiliencia( MRR) and SPACKDc PMP21/00109, FEDER funds, COST Action PERMEDIK CA21165, supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) , PREVENTCKD Con- sortium Project ID: 101101220, Programme: EU4H, DG/Agency: HADE

Reflexión Política. Volumen 7 No. 14 de 2005

En el debate electoral venidero se va a practicar en Colombia la reforma política que en parte fue expedida por el Congreso tres años atrás (acto legislativo No. 1 de 2003), y la que zanjó la Corte Constitucional recientemente echando la base de un cambio indudablemente importante, al aprobar la reelección inmediata del Presidente de la República. Así se practica en no pocos Estados que ponen de presente su madurez democrática. Cabe esperar, a juzgar por las tentativas conocidas, que en lo futuro tengamos también reelección de alcaldes municipales y de gobernadores seccionales, proyecto que aún carece de suficiente opinión favorable.In the upcoming electoral debate, the political reform that was partially issued by Congress three years ago (legislative act No. 1 of 2003) and which was recently settled by the Constitutional Court will be practiced in Colombia, laying the foundation for an undoubtedly change. important, by approving the immediate re-election of the President of the Republic. This is how it is practiced in not a few States that show their democratic maturity. It is to be expected, judging by the known attempts, that in the future we will also have re-election of municipal mayors and sectional governors, a project that still lacks sufficient favorable opinion

RICORS2040 : The need for collaborative research in chronic kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a silent and poorly known killer. The current concept of CKD is relatively young and uptake by the public, physicians and health authorities is not widespread. Physicians still confuse CKD with chronic kidney insufficiency or failure. For the wider public and health authorities, CKD evokes kidney replacement therapy (KRT). In Spain, the prevalence of KRT is 0.13%. Thus health authorities may consider CKD a non-issue: very few persons eventually need KRT and, for those in whom kidneys fail, the problem is 'solved' by dialysis or kidney transplantation. However, KRT is the tip of the iceberg in the burden of CKD. The main burden of CKD is accelerated ageing and premature death. The cut-off points for kidney function and kidney damage indexes that define CKD also mark an increased risk for all-cause premature death. CKD is the most prevalent risk factor for lethal coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the factor that most increases the risk of death in COVID-19, after old age. Men and women undergoing KRT still have an annual mortality that is 10- to 100-fold higher than similar-age peers, and life expectancy is shortened by ~40 years for young persons on dialysis and by 15 years for young persons with a functioning kidney graft. CKD is expected to become the fifth greatest global cause of death by 2040 and the second greatest cause of death in Spain before the end of the century, a time when one in four Spaniards will have CKD. However, by 2022, CKD will become the only top-15 global predicted cause of death that is not supported by a dedicated well-funded Centres for Biomedical Research (CIBER) network structure in Spain. Realizing the underestimation of the CKD burden of disease by health authorities, the Decade of the Kidney initiative for 2020-2030 was launched by the American Association of Kidney Patients and the European Kidney Health Alliance. Leading Spanish kidney researchers grouped in the kidney collaborative research network Red de Investigación Renal have now applied for the Redes de Investigación Cooperativa Orientadas a Resultados en Salud (RICORS) call for collaborative research in Spain with the support of the Spanish Society of Nephrology, Federación Nacional de Asociaciones para la Lucha Contra las Enfermedades del Riñón and ONT: RICORS2040 aims to prevent the dire predictions for the global 2040 burden of CKD from becoming true

Caminando en la ruta sentipensante: configuración de experiencias pedagógicas nivel inicial

494 páginasEste texto es realizado en el contexto del Plan de Desarrollo 2016 – 2020, “Bogotá mejor para todos”, en el que se señala: Bogotá es entendida como una ciudad educadora, en la que todos los ciudadanos son agentes educadores y todos los espacios pueden ser escenarios pedagógicos para el aprendizaje. Una ciudad educadora tiene como centro el conocimiento e inspira aprendizaje, formas y lenguajes para reconocernos, para reencontrarnos; los espacios para el aprendizaje son entendidos como espacios para la vida, en los que se posibilita la investigación y la innovación para vivir mejor, para reinventarnos como ciudad, una ciudad mejor para todos. Los dieciocho textos aquí presentados, fruto del acompañamiento pedagógico realizado por el IDEP en 2019, son base y referente para seguir aportando en la configuración y consolidación de comunidades de saber y práctica pedagógica de la ciudad, así como en la conformación de colectivos y redes de maestros. Son la evidencia de un potente trabajo de acompañamiento a experiencias de nivel inicial, caracterizadas por contar con ideas o avances para problematizar, estructurar, fundamentar, elaborar estrategias y un plan de acción

MIBiG 4.0 : advancing biosynthetic gene cluster curation through global collaboration

Specialized or secondary metabolites are small molecules of biological origin, often showing potent biological activities with applications in agriculture, engineering and medicine. Usually, the biosynthesis of these natural products is governed by sets of co-regulated and physically clustered genes known as biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs). To share information about BGCs in a standardized and machine-readable way, the Minimum Information about a Biosynthetic Gene cluster (MIBiG) data standard and repository was initiated in 2015. Since its conception, MIBiG has been regularly updated to expand data coverage and remain up to date with innovations in natural product research. Here, we describe MIBiG version 4.0, an extensive update to the data repository and the underlying data standard. In a massive community annotation effort, 267 contributors performed 8304 edits, creating 557 new entries and modifying 590 existing entries, resulting in a new total of 3059 curated entries in MIBiG. Particular attention was paid to ensuring high data quality, with automated data validation using a newly developed custom submission portal prototype, paired with a novel peer-reviewing model. MIBiG 4.0 also takes steps towards a rolling release model and a broader involvement of the scientific community. MIBiG 4.0 is accessible online at https://mibig.secondarymetabolites.org/

The social effects of the industrialization of Japan

Until today a utilitarian approach subsists to analyze the human effects of the process of economic-technological change called industrialization. In this essay we review the extraeconomic costs that this process has meant in the case of Japan, the second economic power of the global world, from a multidisciplinary perspective. We focus in the observable most recent phenomena in the social sphere that resulted from the reindustrialization of Japan under the regime of the Occupation led by the United States. In this paper we indicate if the USA’s hegemony in Japan caused a development of most egalitarian and sustainable society in ecological terms, or, on the contrary a market society serving the best interest of USA dependent and incapable to contribute to the formation of a market society centered on world-wide scale in Eastern Asia and based on a greater equality between the civilizations of the world

Design and Hardware Implementation of a Highly Flexible PRNG System for NIST-Validated Pseudorandom Sequences

This work presents the design of a system of a highly flexible pseudorandom number generator system (PRNG) incorporating both conventional and neuro-generators. The system integrates four internal generators with different conditions to produce new output sequences with adequate bits distribution and complexity. Two generators function at a frequency of 100 MHz with adjustable frequency settings, while two neuro-generators employ impulse neurons with distinct behaviours at 4 kHz, also modifiable. The proposed system meets 12 statistical randomness standards based on NIST’s (National Institute of Standards and Technology of U. S.) test suite, including the Frequency test, Binary Matrix Rank test, Linear Complexity test, and Random Excursion test, among others. Each resulted in a P-value greater than 0.01, confirming the pseudo-randomness of the generated sequences. The system is implemented on a reconfigurable device FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), with a low occupancy percentage, demonstrating its feasibility for various applications