Trends in the Gender Pay Gap in Spain: A Semiparametric Analysis

This article studies the trend in wage discrimination in Spain from 1995 to 2002, when the third plan for equal opportunities for men and women was in action. To account for the criticism of Heckman et al. (J Hum Cap 2:1-31, 2008), we first introduce a novel approach to the analysis of wage discrimination with methods that are robust to model (mis-) specification. Following their idea, we apply semiparametric methods for the Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition of wage differentials between men and women. We extend the methodology to semiparametric quantile estimation. The study is completed by some descriptive analysis, also based on nonparametric techniques. We find that, while the wage gap has diminished from 1995 to 2002 this is mainly due the smaller gap in returns of endowments for wages above the median, and due to the endowments of women for lower and particularly high wages. Respective the quantiles, in contrast to other EU member states, the Spanish wage gap is widest for low wages but almost U-shaped in 2002 whereas this was not that evident in 199

Trends in the Gender Pay Gap in Spain: A Semiparametric Analysis

This article studies the trend in wage discrimination in Spain from 1995 to 2002, when the third plan for equal opportunities for men and women was in action. To account for the criticism of Heckman et al. (J Hum Cap 2:1-31, 2008), we first introduce a novel approach to the analysis of wage discrimination with methods that are robust to model (mis-) specification. Following their idea, we apply semiparametric methods for the Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition of wage differentials between men and women. We extend the methodology to semiparametric quantile estimation. The study is completed by some descriptive analysis, also based on nonparametric techniques. We find that, while the wage gap has diminished from 1995 to 2002 this is mainly due the smaller gap in returns of endowments for wages above the median, and due to the endowments of women for lower and particularly high wages. Respective the quantiles, in contrast to other EU member states, the Spanish wage gap is widest for low wages but almost U-shaped in 2002 whereas this was not that evident in 199

Breast Cancer Patients’ Experiences with Online Group-Based Physical Exercise in a COVID-19 Context: A Focus Group Study

In patients with breast cancer, physical exercise reduces the toxicity of treatment; however, this physical exercise must meet a set of criteria, such as being guided by knowledgeable instructors. Thus, the aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of female breast cancer patients regarding the impact of an online physical exercise programme in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nineteen female breast cancer patients participated in four focus group interviews as part of a qualitative study using a thematic analysis between December 2020 and May 2021. Three major themes emerged: “Experiences and perceptions of online physical exercise with breast cancer”; “Incorporating exercise-based activity for cancer-related side effects”; and “Increasing self-esteem and empowerment”. Online, live-streamed, and supervised group activities help breast cancer patients engage and prevent the recurrence of cancer-related side effects, as well as to control COVID-19- related fear and provide an alternative to promote mental health-related quality of life

Effect of excess body adiposity on the expression of genes involved in early steps of mammary carcinogenesis on diet-induced obese female rats

Introduction: Obesity is increasing worldwide and is associated with higher risk for some cancers. However, the mechanisms underlying this association are unclear. Because the obesity microenvironment could promote the onset of carcinogenesis, the aim of this study was to evaluate the association between excess body adiposity and the expression of genes related to the activation of early steps of tumor promotion on the mammary gland. Methods: Three weeks-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a high fat diet (DIO: 60% Kcal/g fat, n = 14) or standard chow (LEAN: 3% Kcal/g fat, n = 15) for 10 weeks. Body weight and food intake were measured weekly. After sacrifice, retroperitoneal fat tissue was weighed and mammary tissue was extracted for qRT-PCR analysis. Genes associated with cell proliferation (Survivin/BIRC5 and MYC), DNA repair (TP53), and antioxidant protection (GSTM2, ALDH3A1) were quantified. Results: The DIO group showed a body weight 14.1% higher than LEAN group (p < 0.001). These differences were reflected on higher retroperitoneal fat content on DIO (3.22 ± 0.89g) vs. LEAN group (2.33 ± 0.52g; p = 0.012). Interestingly, DIO rats showed a higher gene expression for Survivin (∆68.2%), MYC (∆50.1%), TP53 (∆40.5%), ALDH3A1 (∆74.1%), and GSTM2 (∆25.7%) with respect to LEAN group. Conclusion: These data show that obesity is associated with changes potentially involved in early steps of tumor promotion, as shown by an increase in cellular proliferation and DNA damage related genes, even before detecting histological changes on the mammary tissue of obese female individuals. Further studies are needed to elucidate weather reducing body weight might be a therapeutic strategy to prevent this process

Templateless Synthesis of Ultra-Microporous 3D Graphitic Carbon from Cyclodextrins and Their Use as Selective Catalyst for Oxygen Activation

[EN] Pyrolysis of alpha-, beta-, and gamma-cyclodextrins at 900 degrees C gives rise to the formation of crystalline graphitic porous nanoparticles (G(CD)), where the dimensions of the pores are uniform in the range from 0.63 to 0.97 nm, from G(alpha-CD) to G(gamma-CD), as determined by transmission electron microscopy. It is found that, while for G(beta-CD) and G(gamma-CD), the surface area measured by N-2 adsorption is about 330-550 m(2) g(-1), respectively, no area can be measured for G(alpha-CD) with N-2 or Ar due to its small pore dimensions. However, CO2 adsorption reveals for G(alpha-CD) the presence of ultra-microporosity and a surface area of 727 m(2) g(-1). G(CD) exhibits activity as metal-free catalysts for the aerobic oxidation of alcohols and the activity increases as the pore dimension decreases. Density functional theory calculations indicate that this high catalytic activity for O-2 activation derives from confinement effects that favor charge transfer from the graphitic walls to O-2. Studies on the formation mechanism shows that the key step leading to the formation of the channels is the melting of cyclodextrin precursors that makes possible the assembly of these capsules before their transformation into microporous graphitic particles.Financial support by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Severo Ochoa and Grant No. RTI2018-890237-CO2-1) and Generalitat Valenciana (Prometeo Grant No. 2017-083) is gratefully acknowledged. A.R.P. thanks the Spanish Ministry of Education for a Ramon y Cajal research associate contract. S.N. thanks financial support by the Fundacion Ramon Areces (XVIII Concurso Nacional para la Adjudicacion de Ayudas a la Investigacion en Ciencias de la Vida y de la Materia, 2016), Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades Grant No. RTI2018-099482-A-I00 project and Generalitat Valenciana grupos de investigacion consolidables 2019 (ref: Grant No. AICO/2019/214) project.Rendon-Patiño, A.; Santiago-Portillo, A.; Vallés-García, C.; Palomino Roca, M.; Navalón Oltra, S.; Franconetti, A.; Primo Arnau, AM.... (2020). Templateless Synthesis of Ultra-Microporous 3D Graphitic Carbon from Cyclodextrins and Their Use as Selective Catalyst for Oxygen Activation. Small Methods. 4(3):1-9. https://doi.org/10.1002/smtd.201900721S194

Genome Sequences of Chikungunya Virus Isolates from Bolivia

We generated nine coding-complete chikungunya virus genome sequences from blood samples collected during the early 2015 outbreak in Bolivia. Relative to other publicly available chikungunya sequences, the Bolivian samples represent a monophyletic group, suggesting that a single lineage was widely circulating in the country between February and May 2015.We generated nine coding-complete chikungunya virus genome sequences from blood samples collected during the early 2015 outbreak in Bolivia. Relative to other publicly available chikungunya sequences, the Bolivian samples represent a monophyletic group, suggesting that a single lineage was widely circulating in the country between February and May 2015

Benefit with preventive noninvasive ventilation in subgroups of patients at high-risk for reintubation: a post hoc analysis.

Background: High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) was shown to be non-inferior to noninvasive ventilation (NIV) for preventing reintubation in a general population of high-risk patients. However, some subgroups of high-risk patients might benefit more from NIV. We aimed to determine whether the presence of many risk factors or overweight (body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m2) patients could have different response to any preventive therapy, NIV or HFNC in terms of reduced reintubation rate. Methods: Not pre-specified post hoc analysis of a multicentre, randomized, controlled, non-inferiority trial comparing NFNC and NIV to prevent reintubation in patients at risk for reintubation. The original study included patients with at least 1 risk factor for reintubation. Results: Among 604 included in the original study, 148 had a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2. When adjusting for potential covariates, patients with ≥ 4 risk factors (208 patients) presented a higher risk for reintubation (OR 3.4 [95%CI 2.16–5.35]). Patients with ≥ 4 risk factors presented lower reintubation rates when treated with preventive NIV (23.9% vs 45.7%; P = 0.001). The multivariate analysis of overweight patients, adjusted for covariates, did not present a higher risk for reintubation (OR 1.37 [95%CI 0.82–2.29]). However, those overweight patients presented an increased risk for reintubation when treated with preventive HFNC (OR 2.47 [95%CI 1.18–5.15]). Conclusions: Patients with ≥ 4 risk factors for reintubation may benefit more from preventive NIV. Based on this result, HFNC may not be the optimal preventive therapy in overweight patients. Specific trials are needed to confirm these results.post-print916 K

Obestatin as a regulator of adipocyte metabolism and adipogenesis

The role of obestatin, a 23-amino-acid peptide encoded by the ghrelin gene, on the control of the metabolism of pre-adipocyte and adipocytes as well as on adipogenesis was determined. For in vitro assays, pre-adipocyte and adipocyte 3T3-L1 cells were used to assess the obestatin effect on cell metabolism and adipogenesis based on the regulation of the key enzymatic nodes, Akt and AMPK and their downstream targets. For in vivo assays, white adipose tissue (WAT) was obtained from male rats under continuous subcutaneous infusion of obestatin. Obestatin activated Akt and its downstream targets, GSK3alpha/beta, mTOR and S6K1, in 3T3-L1 adipocyte cells. Simultaneously, obestatin inactivated AMPK in this cell model. In keeping with this, ACC phosphorylation was also decreased. This fact was confirmed in vivo in white adipose tissue (omental, subcutaneous and gonadal) obtained from male rats under continuous sc infusion of obestatin (24 and 72 hrs). The relevance of obestatin as regulator of adipocyte metabolism was supported by AS160 phosphorylation, GLUT4 translocation and augment of glucose uptake in 3T3-L1 adipocyte cells. In contrast, obestatin failed to modify translocation of fatty acid transporters, FATP1, FATP4 and FAT/CD36, to plasma membrane. Obestatin treatment in combination with IBMX and DEX showed to regulate the expression of C/EBPalpha, C/EBPbeta, C/EBPdelta and PPARgamma promoting adipogenesis. Remarkable, preproghrelin expression, and thus obestatin expression, increased during adipogenesis being sustained throughout terminal differentiation. Neutralization of endogenous obestatin secreted by 3T3-L1 cells by anti-obestatin antibody decreased adipocyte differentiation. Furthermore, knockdown experiments by preproghrelin siRNA supported that obestatin contributes to adipogenesis. In summary, obestatin promotes adipogenesis in an autocrine/paracrine manner, being a regulator of adipocyte metabolism. These data point to a putative role in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome

Describing Complexity in Palliative Home Care Through HexCom : A Cross-Sectional, Multicenter Study

Complexity has become a core issue in caring for patients with advanced disease and/or at the end-of-life. The Hexagon of Complexity (HexCom) is a complexity assessment model in the process of validation in health-care settings. Our objective is to use the instrument to describe differences in complexity across disease groups in specific home care for advanced disease and/or at the end-of-life patients, both in general and as relates to each domain and subdomain. Cross-sectional study of home care was conducted in Catalonia. The instrument includes 6 domains of needs (clinical, psychological/emotional, social/family, spiritual, ethical, and death-related), 4 domains of resources (intrapersonal, interpersonal, transpersonal, and practical), and 3 levels of complexity (High (H), Moderate (M), and Low (L)). Interdisciplinary home care teams assessed and agreed on the level of complexity for each patient. Forty-three teams participated (74.1% of those invited). A total of 832 patients were assessed, 61.4% of which were cancer patients. Moderate complexity was observed in 385 (47.0%) cases and high complexity in 347 (42.4%). The median complexity score was 51 for cancer patients and 23 for patients with dementia (p<0.001). We observed the highest level of complexity in the social/family domain. Patients/families most frequently used interpersonal resources (80.5%). This study sheds light on the high-intensity work of support teams, the importance of the social/family domain and planning the place of death, substantial differences in needs and resources across disease groups, and the importance of relationship wellbeing at the end-of-life