Una nueva especie de Sisyrinchium (Iridaceae) del estado de Guanajuato, México

Sisyrinchium guanajuatense is described and illustrated. The new species is known only from the state of Guanajuato, Mexico. It belongs to the subgenus Echthronema and is compared with some species of the S. schaffneri complex to which it relates. An identification key for all these taxa is included.Se describe e ilustra a Sisyrinchium guanajuatense, conocida hasta ahora del estado de Guanajuato, México. El nuevo taxon pertenece al subgénero Echthronema y se compara con algunas especies del complejo de S. schaffneri, con las cuales está relacionado. Se incluye una clave para identificar los taxones mencionados

Tres nuevas especies de Commelina (Commelinaceae) del centro de México

Commelina congestispatha López-Ferrari, Espejo et Ceja, Commelina ramosissima López-Ferrari, Espejo et Ceja, and Commelina queretarensis López-Ferrari, Espejo et Ceja, are described and illustrated as new in this paper. The former is known from the states of Michoacán, Guanajuato and Querétaro, the second was collected in the states of Guanajuato, Querétaro and Michoacán, and the last one comes from Querétaro in the municipios of San Joaquín and Landa de Matamoros.En este trabajo se describen como nuevas e ilustran Commelina congestispatha López-Ferrari, Espejo et Ceja, Commelina ramosissima López-Ferrari, Espejo et Ceja y Commelina queretarensis López-Ferrari, Espejo et Ceja. La primera es conocida de los estados de Michoacán, Guanajuato y Querétaro, la segunda proviene de los estados de Guanajuato, Querétaro y Michoacán y la tercera se conoce sólo del estado de Querétaro, de los municipios de San Joaquín y Landa de Matamoros

Una nueva especie de Tradescantia (Commelinaceae) del estado de Querétaro, México

Tradescantia murilloae Zamudio, Espejo, López-Ferrari et Ceja, a new species from Querétaro, Mexico is described and illustrated. The new taxon is compared with T. crassifoliaCav., a species with similar characteristics from which differs by the presence of a conspicuous rhizome, smaller leaves and flowers and different substrate and vegetation type in which it grows.Se describe e ilustra Tradescantia murilloae Zamudio, Espejo, López-Ferrari et Ceja, una nueva especie del estado de Querétaro. El taxon aquí descrito se compara con T. crassifoliaCav., especie con características similares, de la cual difiere por la presencia de un rizoma conspicuo y por las hojas y flores más pequeñas, así como por las características del sustrato y el tipo de vegetación en el que crece

Una nueva especie de Tillandsia (Bromeliaceae) del Cañón de Escahuasco, Puebla, México

Tillandsia escahuascensis, a saxicolous species from the Cañón de Escahuasco, municipio de Tetela de Ocampo, Puebla, Mexico, is described and illustrated. The new taxon shares some similarities with T. parryi and T. suesilliae, but it is easily distinguished by its 2-3 branched inflorescences with very narrowly oblong to linear and long stipitate spikes.Se describe e ilustra Tillandsia escahuascensis, especie rupícola conocida hasta ahora sólo del cañón de Escahuasco, en el municipio de Tetela de Ocampo, Puebla, México. El nuevo taxon comparte algunas similitudes con T. parryi y T. suesilliae, pero se distingue de ellas por sus inflorescencias 2 a 3 veces divididas, con las espigas muy angostamente oblongas a lineares y largamente estipitadas

Inhibition of alpha oscillations through serotonin-2A receptor activation underlies the visual effects of ayahuasca in humans

Ayahuasca is an Amazonian psychotropic plant tea typically obtained from two plants, Banisteriopsis caapi and Psychotria viridis. It contains the psychedelic 5-HT2A and sigma-1 agonist N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) plus ß-carboline alkaloids with monoamine-oxidase (MAO)-inhibiting properties. Although the psychoactive effects of ayahuasca have commonly been attributed solely to agonism at the 5-HT2A receptor, the molecular target of classical psychedelics, this has not been tested experimentally. Here we wished to study the contribution of the 5-HT2A receptor to the neurophysiological and psychological effects of ayahuasca in humans. We measured drug-induced changes in spontaneous brain oscillations and subjective effects in a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study involving the oral administration of ayahuasca (0.75 mg DMT/kg body weight) and the 5-HT2A antagonist ketanserin (40 mg). Twelve healthy, experienced psychedelic users (5 females) participated in four experimental sessions in which they received the following drug combinations: placebo+placebo, placebo+ayahuasca, ketanserin+placebo and ketanserin+ayahuasca. Ayahuasca induced EEG power decreases in the delta, theta and alpha frequency bands. Current density in alpha-band oscillations in parietal and occipital cortex was inversely correlated with the intensity of visual imagery induced by ayahuasca. Pretreatment with ketanserin inhibited neurophysiological modifications, reduced the correlation between alpha and visual effects, and attenuated the intensity of the subjective experience. These findings suggest that despite the chemical complexity of ayahuasca, 5-HT2A activation plays a key role in the neurophysiological and visual effects of ayahuasca in humans.Postprint (published version

Spreadsheet for the simulation of artificial neural networks (ANNs)

La utilización de Redes de Neuronas Artificiales (RNA) en problemas de predicción de series de tiempo, clasificación y reconocimiento de patrones ha aumentado considerablemente en los últimos años. Programas informáticos de matemáticas de propósito general tales como MATLAB, MATHCAD y aplicaciones estadísticas como SPSS y S-PLUS incorporan herramientas que permiten implementar RNAs. A esta oferta de software hay que añadir programas específicos como NeuralWare, EasyNN o Neuron. Desde un punto de vista educativo, el acceso de los estudiantes a estos programas puede ser difícil dado que no están pensadas como herramientas didácticas. Por otro lado, las hojas de cálculo como Excel y Gnumeric incorporan utilidades que permiten implementar RNAs y son de fácil acceso para los estudiantes. El objetivo de este trabajo es proporcionar un pequeño tutorial sobre la utilización de Excel para implementar una RNA que nos permita ajustar los valores de una serie de tiempo correspondiente a actividad cerebral alfa y que permita al alumno entender el funcionamiento de estos dispositivos de cálculo.In recent years, the use of Artificial Neural Networks or ANNs has increased considerably to solve prediction problems in time series, classification and recognition of patterns. General-purpose mathematical programs such as MATLAB, MATHCAD and mathematical and statistical programs such as SPSS and S-PLUS incorporate tools that allow the implementation of ANNs. In addition to these, specific programs such as NeuralWare, EasyNN, or Neuron, complete the software offer using ANNs. From an educational point of view, an aspect that concerns the authors of this work, student access to these programs can be expensive or, in sorne case, unadvisable given the few possibilities they provide as didactic instruments. These programs are usually easy to use but do not facilitate the understanding of the technique used. On the other hand, spreadsheets like Excel or Gnumeric incorporate tools that allow all of the necessary calculations to implement an ANN. These programs are user-friendly to the point that they are used by university laboratories, as well as psychology, economic science, and engineering students, to mention a few. This paper provides a small tutorial on the use of a spreadsheet, specifically Excel, to implement an ANN to adjust the values of a time series corresponding to cerebral alpha activity

Las epífitas vasculares del estado de Hidalgo, México: diversidad y distribución

Based on the recollection of botanical specimens in different regions of the state of Hidalgo and the study of herbarium material deposited in several institutional collections, supplemented by a literature review, we obtained records of 17 families (nine of them belonging to Pteridophytes and the rest to Angiosperms), 64 genera and 163 species. We also provide data about the municipal distribution of taxa and an analysis of their representation by vegetation type and altitudinal range. We report from Hidalgo, for the first time the following taxa: Tillandsia filifolia Schltdl. & Cham., T. heterophylla E. Morren, Pleurothallis sp.1 and Pleurothallis sp. 2. Only Laelia gouldiana Rchb. f., Dignathe pygmaeum Lindl., and one undescribed species of the genus Goodyera, are endemic to the state.Con base en la recolección de ejemplares botánicos en diferentes regiones del estado de Hidalgo y en el estudio de material herborizado depositado en diversas colecciones institucionales, complementado con una revisión bibliográfica, obtuvimos el inventario de la flora epifítica vascular de la entidad. Como resultado de lo anterior se registran para el área de estudio 17 familias (nueve de ellas pertenecientes a las Pteridofitas y el resto a las Magnoliofitas), 64 géneros y 163 especies. Asimismo, se aportan datos sobre la distribución municipal de los taxa y un análisis sobre su representación por tipo de vegetación y por intervalo altitudinal. Se registran por primera vez para el estado los siguientes taxa: Tillandsia filifolia Schltdl. & Cham., T. heterophylla E. Morren, Pleurothallis sp. 1 y Pleurothallis sp. 2. Sólo Laelia gouldiana Rchb. f., Dignathe pygmaeum Lindl. y una especie no descrita del género Goodyera son endémicos del estado

English Is It! (ELT Training Series) Vol. 17

The Research group From English Acquisition to English Learning and Teaching is registered at the Institute of Professional Development Teaching (IDP-ICE), at the University of Barcelona. The group, founded and led by Lourdes Montoro (September 2013 - June 2021), has involved 28 teachers and professionals. 7 of them have been members of the group, and, together with 21 guest authors, have presented their work in the publication which she also created, and coordinated to fulfill the objectives of the pedagogical project which she had devised: English Is It! (ELT Training Series) (Vols. 1-15)..

Development and Validation of a Mobile Application as an Adjuvant Treatment for People Diagnosed with Long COVID-19: Protocol for a Co-Creation Study of a Health Asset and an Analysis of Its Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness

Objective: To analyse the overall effectiveness and cost-efficiency of a mobile application (APP) as a community health asset (HA) with recommendations and recovery exercises created bearing in mind the main symptoms presented by patients in order to improve their quality of life, as well as other secondary variables, such as the number and severity of ongoing symptoms, physical and cognitive functions, affective state, and sleep quality. Methods: The first step was to design and develop the technologic community resource, the APP, following the steps involved in the process of recommending health assets (RHA). After this, a protocol of a randomised clinical trial for analysing its effectiveness and cost-efficiency as a HA was developed. The participants will be assigned to: (1st) usual treatment by the primary care practitioner (TAU), as a control group; and (2nd) TAU + use of the APP as a HA and adjuvant treatment in their recovery + three motivational interviews (MI), as an interventional group. An evaluation will be carried out at baseline with further assessments three and six months following the end of the intervention. Discussion: Although research and care for these patients are still in their initial stages, it is necessary to equip patients and health care practitioners with tools to assist in their recovery. Furthermore, enhanced motivation can be achieved through telerehabilitation (TR)

A novel biocompatible polymer derived from D-mannitol used as a vector in the field of genetic engineering of eukaryotic cells

The design and preparation of new vectors to transport genetic material and increase the transfection efficiency continue being an important research line. Here, a novel biocompatible sugar-based polymer derived from D-mannitol has been synthesized to be used as a gene material nanocarrier in human (gene transfection) and microalga cells (transformation process). Its low toxicity allows its use in processes with both medical and industrial applications. A multidisciplinary study about the formation of polymer/p-DNA polyplexes has been carried out using techniques such as gel electrophoresis, zeta potential, dynamic light scattering, atomic force microscopy, and circular dichroism spectroscopy. The nucleic acids used were the eukaryotic expression plasmid pEGFP-C1 and the microalgal expression plasmid Phyco69, which showed different behaviors. The importance of DNA supercoiling in both transfection and transformation processes was demonstrated. Better results were obtained in microalga cells nuclear transformation than in human cells gene transfection. This was related to the plasmid's conformational changes, in particular to their superhelical structure. It is noteworthy that the same nanocarrier has been used with eukaryotic cells from both human and microalga.This work was supported by the Consejería de Conocimiento, Innovación y Universidades de la Junta de Andalucía (FQM-206, FQM-274, FQM-135 and P20–01234); VI Plan Propio Universidad de Sevilla (PP2019/00000748), and the European Union (Feder Funds).Peer reviewe