Tratamiento con opioides en dolor crónico no oncológico y riesgo de fracturas osteoporóticas en varones de 65 años o más

[Resumen] Objetivo: El objetivo de este estudio es determinar si en los varones de 65 años o más con dolor crónico no oncológico, el tratamiento con opiodes o sus derivados modifica el riesgo de fractura mayor osteoporótica. Material y métodos: Se realizó un estudio analítico longitudinal del tipo casos y controles (sin y con tratamiento opiáceo respectivamente), sobre un total de 40 pacientes varones, de 65 años o más, pertenecientes al área sanitaria de A Coruña. Se determinaron y analizaron los niveles séricos de testosterona total y el riesgo FRAX para ambos grupos. Resultados: El valor promedio de testosterona sérica total fue de 22,4 nmol/l y de 23,1 nmol/l para el grupo de casos y controles, respectivamente. Los menores niveles de testosterona se relacionaron con la edad y con mayor riesgo de fracturas osteoporóticas. El FRAX mayor o igual al 6%, para fracturas mayores, se relacionó de forma directamente proporcional con la edad e inversamente proporcional con los niveles de testosterona sérica; la relación con el consumo de opiáceos no fue estadísticamente significativa. Conclusiones: El tratamiento con opiodes y sus derivados, trae como consecuencia la disminución de los niveles séricos de testosterona, incrementando el riesgo de fracturas osteoporóticas.[Abstract] Objective: The aim of this study is to determine if the treatment with opioids or their derivatives modifies osteoporotic fracture risk, in males over 65 years with chronic non oncological pain. Material and Methods: An longitudinal case-control analytical study was conducted (with and without opioid treatment respectively) on a total of 40 male patients, 65 years or more, belonging to the health district of A Coruña. The serum levels of total testosterone and the FRAX risk for both groups were determined. Results: The average value of total serum testosterone was 22.4 nmol/l and 23.1 nmol/l for the case group and control group respectively. The lower levels of testosterone were associated with age and with increased risk of osteoporotic fractures. The FRAX risk score more than 6% for major fractures was related with age and with lower serum testosterone levels and no statistical significance was encountered with opioid use. Conclusions: Treatment with opioids and their derivatives, results in decreased serum levels of testosterone, increasing the risk of osteoporotic fractures.Traballo fin de mestrado (UDC.FCS). Mestrado Universitario en Xerontoloxía. Curso 2011/2012

Synthesis and Characterization of Cadmium(II) Complexes with Biologically Inspired Multidentate Ligands

The recent discovery of a biologically beneficial role for Cd(II) has motivated further investigation of its coordination chemistry. In this work, multidentate ligands model the geometric constraints associated with protein metal binding environments. The synthesis and characterization of Cd(II) complexes in a 1:1 ratio with 2-[[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]amino]ethanethiol (HL1), Bis(2-methylpyridyl)diselenide (L2), and tris[(1-methyl-2-imidazolyl)methyl]amine (L3) may contribute to a better understanding of potentially biologically relevant interactions between Cd(II) and imidazoles, thiolates, selenoethers and diselenides. Three new complexes were synthesized and characterized. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry of [(Cd(L1))6(μ3-CO3)](ClO4)2 demonstrated that aromatic nitrogen donors are an optional component of NNʹS tridentate ligands forming Cd(II) complexes with CO2 fixating properties. The new complex [Cd(L2)(NO3)2] was prepared and characterized by X-ray crystallography, confirming that Cd-(Se2R2) bond formation could be fostered by a chelating ligand. Finally, structural characterization of the new complex [Cd(L3)(NCCH3)](ClO4)2 revealed a great deal of similarity to the coordination environment of Zn(II) in human carbonic anhydrase B

Diagnosis tool for seawater desalination plants

The main objective of this project is to create a tool capable of performing a manually configurable thermoeconomic analysis of desalination plants considering the following aspects: - Current state of desalination technology. - Updating of the economic costs of each of the components that go into operation in a desalination plant. - Obtaining graphs to help analyze plant operation. Once this tool is generated, the different graphs will be reviewed and having these graphs it is possible to perform a more exhaustive analysis of desalination processes, such as seeing how the location affects the operation of the plant, see how it affects the change in operating pressure and see how it influences the percentage of recovery to be obtained. Finally, a literature-based analysis of the current situation for the different plant configurations that can be used will also be carried out. In the same way, a review of the concentrate and the different methods of concentrate extraction that exist will be carried out.Universidad de Sevilla. Máster en Sistemas de Energía Térmic

Determine the viability of implementing technology PLC in electrical networks in the residential sector

La idea de tener acceso a nuevas tecnologías es optimizar en forma positiva el control del mundo real, para que responda de manera rápida a la voluntad de la sociedad. Dentro de las diferentes tecnologías que se han venido implementando en diferentes países del mundo, existe la tecnología Power Line Communications de la cual en Colombia no se ha hecho una revisión importante de la documentación existente donde se pueda determinar qué beneficios puede traer esta tecnología así como la viabilidad de su implementación en las zonas residenciales.The idea of having access to new technologies to optimize positively control the real world, to respond quickly to the will of society manner. Among the different technologies that have been implemented in different countries, there is Power Line Communications technology which in Colombia has not been a major review of existing documentation where you can determine what benefits can bring this technology and the feasibility of its implementation in residential areas

Reconstrucción del concepto de derivada en docentes de matemáticas

En el campo de la educación matemática, el tema de las concepciones de los docentes sobre lo que enseñan es importante, pues es claro que, la forma como aquel conciba un concepto y aun la misma Matemática, influirá de forma relevante en el aprendizaje del estudiante. Así, esta investigación está basada en un estudio de caso acerca de la forma como el docente de matemáticas puede reconstruir el concepto de derivada a partir de un curso abordado desde la resolución problemas, cuya finalidad fue evaluar todo el proceso de reconstrucción del concepto y la transformación que produjo en los docentes investigados

Sistemas de saberes propios y colaboración intercultural para la generación de conocimientos desde la URACCAN

Este trabajo ha analizado la importancia de los sistemas de saberes propios y la colaboración intercultural para la generación de conocimientos en los diferentes procesos que se desarrollan desde la Universidad Comunitaria Intercultural URACCAN con y para los pueblos indígenas y afrodescendientes. Estos diferentes modos de producción de conocimientos están asociados a las diferentes visiones del mundo, que según los casos resultan propios de las llamadas sociedades occidentales modernas o de los respectivos pueblos indígenas y afrodescendientes. La metodología es cualitativa y su nivel de profundidad es analítico crítico al interpretar textos vitales de la pertinencia intercultural.Los diálogos y formas de colaboración que se concretan deben ser honestos y respetuosos, de interés recíproco, que partan de reconocer que hay diversidad de contextos y de prácticas y que, la construcción de espacios para la articulación de saberes debe ser realizada sobre la base de la inclusión y de la interculturalida

Biogeographical patterns of species richness, range size and phylogenetic diversity of ferns along elevational-latitudinal gradients in the tropics and its transition zone

Although elevational-latitudinal patterns of plant and animal diversity have been studied for centuries, factors driving the observed patterns are still controversially discussed. Tropical mountains offer an excellent natural experiment to unravel these drivers of biogeographical patterns and the integration of multiple elevational gradients along an extended latitudinal gradient is an outstanding opportunity to decipher underlying mechanism of large-scale patterns of species richness. In this research the data obtained from Mexico were unified with elevational transects in America spanning 0° to 23°N degrees of latitude, mostly between sea level and mountain tops (200-4000 m a.s.l.). Hereby, the latitudinal gradient covered by this investigation runs from most studied tropics through the transition zone of sub-tropical regions in order to integrate increasingly seasonal and dry climates, which are known to limit the diversity of ferns as humidity-dependent organisms. How the fern and lycophytes (hereafter ferns) richness and species range size patterns change along elevational-latitudinal gradients is poorly explored, as well as the phylogenetic relationships within species assemblages. The objective of this research was to describe such patterns and understand the broad scale distribution of other important components of biodiversity as the phylogenetic diversity and associated metrics, using a standardized methodology that allows the comparison of elevational transects. In order to assess these patterns, I first intensively sampled an elevational gradient in the Sierra de Juárez, Oaxaca, Mexico, known as the “ferns hunter paradise”, a hotspot of biodiversity in a hyperhumid tropical region. Following the uniform sampling protocol of the working group around Michael Kessler (Zurich) and Jürgen Kluge (Marburg), I sampled at each elevation four to eight plots of 20 x 20 m (400m2) and analyzed changes in fern assemblages along this elevational gradient. The plots were established in natural zonal forest, avoiding special structural features and disturbed areas whenever possible. In each plot, DNA samples were taken and all fern species and their abundances were recorded for terrestrials and epiphytes. The results are presented in a series of chapters starting from the analyses of the gradient in Mexico, followed by the central work of this research, where richness and range size patterns of eight elevational transects in Mexico were analyzed together with climatic correlates, and the assessment of the historical component (phylogenetics) of 11 elevational gradients understanding the processes that governs the species richness. In the following the central questions and results of the three studies will be briefly described. In Chapter 2 we analyzed in detail one of the most diverse elevational transect in Mexico with 15 elevational steps in Sierra de Juárez Oaxaca, a hotspot of biodiversity, comparing the richness patterns with central and South America. In 121 plots we found 195 fern species, with the highest species numbers recorded at mid-elevations (1,100–2,200 m) and lower richness at both gradient extremes. This hump-shaped pattern was mainly driven by epiphytes, which contributed about 40% to the total species richness. This species group had wider elevational ranges than terrestrial species, which contributed 38% to the total richness (20 % were recorded within both life forms), and were more or less constant at low to mid elevations about 2,500 m, followed by a gradual decline. Overall, richness per plot was low compared to other elevational gradients within the tropics closer to the Equator. This decline of species richness towards the subtropics and temperate regions appears to be rather abrupt within Central America, but additional data are needed to close the remaining gap of knowledge between Costa Rica and Mexico. This work has been published 2018 in the American Fern Journal (Hernández-Rojas et al. 2018). In the central work of this research (Chapter 3), we assessed the richness and range size patterns of ferns and lycophytes along seven elevational gradients (with in total 658 plots) at different latitudes and searched for predictors of range size from a set of environmental factors. We calculated the latitudinal range using the northern and southern limits of each species and averaged the latitudinal range of all species within assemblages weighted by their abundances. We related climatic factors and the changes with latitude and elevation with range size using linear mixed-effects models. Species richness per plot increased with elevation up to about 1,500-2,000 m, with strong differences in overall species richness between transects and a reduction with increasing latitude. The mean weighted range size of species within assemblages declined with elevation, and increased with latitude. However, we also found marked differences between the Atlantic and Pacific slopes of Mexico, as well as low range size in humid regions. The best models described about 76%–80% of the variability in range size and included the seasonality of both temperature and precipitation, and annual cloud cover. As a conclusion, latitudinal and elevational patterns of range size in fern assemblages are driven by an interplay of factors favoring wide-ranging species (higher latitudes with increasing temperature seasonality and dryer habitat conditions) and those favoring species with restricted ranges (higher elevations with more humid habitat conditions), with additional variation introduced by the specific conditions of individual mountain ranges. Climatically stable, humid habitats apparently provide favorable conditions for small-ranged fern species, and should accordingly be given high priority in regional conservation planning. This work was published 2020 in the Journal of Biogeography (Hernández-Rojas et al. 2020). Finally, phylogenetic approaches should be seen as an integral component of studies of the causal basis of community structure, which permits the understanding of how communities have evolved through time, and a deeper understanding of biogeographical processes. This historical aspect is included as the final part of this research (Chapter 4) that was aimed to unfold the complex changes in the phylogenetic structure along elevation (200-4000 m.a.s.l.) and latitude (0°-23° N). We compiled a comprehensive data set including eleven elevational transects (more than 900 spp. and 868 plots), closing the gap of information observed in Chapter 2. At this point I should highlight the relevance of this research as a product of the work of many researchers that I have the honor to synthesize to get a complete view of biogeographic and phylogenetic patterns. One of the major tasks before analyzing the data was to compile the phylogenetic information of the more than 900 species, of which only 70 % were already present in the most recent dissolved phylogenetic tree, and the remaining 30 % species had to be added on the basis of putative closest relatives due to exhaustive examination of morphological characteristics and expert knowledge. Our results showed that latitude and elevation per se are weak explanatory variables for phylogenetic diversity, but incorporating climatic variables clearly enhance the explanatory power of the models. We used different phylogenetic measures in order to capture different aspects of evolutionary history of this plant group and were thus able to understand, how species groups have evolved to currently form the observed gradients in Central America. Overall, the phylogenetic diversity decreased with increased latitude and elevation, as could be observed by increasingly clustering of closely related species. Additionally, it is worthwhile to look at taxonomic group of ferns separately for the main lifeforms, as they are not only ecologically different, but also not congruent in their evolutionary history. Epiphytic phylogenetic diversity had a positive relationship with humidity, while the phylogenetic diversity of terrestrial was determined by temperature. The general pattern of phylogenetic diversity is mainly driven for the suppression of the old, basal tropical, terrestrial lineages rather than by recent evolutionary history and better explained by climatic variables. This work was submitted to frontiers of biogeography. In continuation of this work and as an outlook to further studies, I am heading for to continue the research in tropical areas, where the deforestation and disturbance, respectively, and general human activities play a central role, which are impacting tremendously the legacy of millions of years of evolution. In the context of the species richness patterns, it is necessary to fill the gaps of knowledge present in America. In this regard, I will intend t