Protecat: digitalización de una protectora de gatos

The number of cat abandonment in Spain is one of the highest in Europe, although every year this situation is less critical, more than 118.000 cats are abandoned every year in our country. To reverse these circumstances, we can find some associations who search a home for these animals, and take care of the ones who remain in the street. One of these animal protector is ¿Amics i protectors dels gats¿, a non-profit association who feed and protect the stray cats of Vilanova i la Geltrú city. The lack of time and resources makes this labor harder and costly, so the main objective of this project is to make an application to help with administrative management of the association, the communication and the distribution of tasks. The app will register the cats of the colonies, the medicines that they need and other parameters. Also, will connect the volunteers with a chat. Furthermore, will improve the organization with other functions (such as list of tasks, calendar, inventory, etc.). On the other hand, it will be necessary to develop another app to solve the problems with the external users of the association, improving the communication and the administrative management. The main part of this application will be the development of a flashy method to adopt cats. Other of the functions will be a feed with news and an easy way to contribute. The main technologies that will be used in this project will be: Flutter (for the visual part of both apps); TypeScript, Express and Node (for the logical part of the software); and Angular (for the administrative web). Finally the obtained results will be analysed, checking if the main objectives of the project are fulfilled, the performance of the software, the utility and the possible improvements that will be deployed in the future. So, this project could be summarised in the development of a set of apps for a cat protection organisation, as well as an analysis of the chosen techniques and technologies, and a study of the fulfilled objectives and the obtained results.Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::10 - Reducció de les DesigualtatsObjectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::15 - Vida d'Ecosistemes Terrestre

Ultrathin a-Si:H/Oxide transparent solar cells exhibiting UV-Blue selective-like absorption

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Lopez-Garcia, A. [et al.]. Ultrathin a-Si:H/Oxide transparent solar cells exhibiting UV-Blue selective-like absorption. "Solar RRL", April 2023, which has been published in final form at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/solr.202200928. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions. This article may not be enhanced, enriched or otherwise transformed into a derivative work, without express permission from Wiley or by statutory rights under applicable legislation. Copyright notices must not be removed, obscured or modified. The article must be linked to Wiley’s version of record on Wiley Online Library and any embedding, framing or otherwise making available the article or pages thereof by third parties from platforms, services and websites other than Wiley Online Library must be prohibited.Herein, the fabrication of transparent solar cells based on nanometric (8 and30 nm) intrinsic hydrogenated amorphous siliconfilms (a-Si:H) and using oxidethinfilms as transparent carrier selective contacts are reported. The ultrathindevices present photovoltaic effect and high average visible transmittance (AVT).Additionally, they display a shifted spectral response toward short wavelengths.Glass/fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO)/aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO)/a-Si:H/MoO3/indium tin oxide (ITO) prototypes are shown, presenting AVT=35% andphotovoltaic conversion efficiency (PCE)=2% for a device with a 30 nm a-Si:Hfilm. This yields a light utilization efficiency (LUE) of 0.7%, a record up to this datefor inorganic oxide-based transparent solar cells. For devices including an 8 nma-Si:Hfilm, the AVT reaches 66% with a PCE=0.6% (LUE=0.4%). These highAVT values are comparable or even superior in some cases to those achieved forpure oxide devices. Thesefindings confirm the potential of the proposedarchitectures for the development of highly transparent energy harvesters asfunctional components in building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), agrophoto-voltaics (APV), sensors and other low-power devices. In addition, these devicesare fabricated with earth-abundant materials and with up-scalable techniquesthat can allow for a feasible implementation.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

e-Learning en Farmacologia. Resultats de l'aplicació d'una nova metodologia

L'objectiu d'aquest estudi és desenvolupar estratègies per realitzar una docència funcional a Farmacologia. S'ha implementat una nova activitat d'e-Learning basada en unitats temàtiques (UT) mitjançant les quals els estudiants assoleixen coneixements teòrics i desenvolupen habilitats, com el treball en grup i l'autoaprenentatge que s'incrementa si les UT es proporcionen abans de la classe presencial. La valoració d'aquesta metodologia e-Learning per part dels estudiants és molt positiva

Utilització de l'e-Learning en Farmacologia. Metodologia emprada per implementar-lo.

El nostre objectiu docent és aconseguir una docència funcional. L'alumne ha de poder utilitzar els coneixements adquirits en la seva professió. Enlloc de retenir informació que romangui inert o s'oblidi, ha de realitzar activitats que li permetin aplicar els coneixements de farmacologia per resoldre situacions reals. Hem elaborat un vídeo que mostra la metodologia d'e-Learning i la seva valoració, per que pugui ésser d'utilitat a altres professors

Instrucció i aprenentatge en Ciències de la Salut. IASC

Podeu consultar la Setena trobada de professorat de Ciències de la Salut completa a: http://hdl.handle.net/2445/4335

Automatic detection and quantification of floating marine macro-litter in aerial images: Introducing a novel deep learning approach connected to a web application in R

The threats posed by floating marine macro-litter (FMML) of anthropogenic origin to the marine fauna, and marine ecosystems in general, are universally recognized. Dedicated monitoring programmes and mitigation measures are in place to address this issue worldwide, with the increasing support of new technologies and the automation of analytical processes. In the current study, we developed algorithms capable of detecting and quantifying FMML in aerial images, and a web-oriented application that allows users to identify FMML within images of the sea surface. The proposed algorithm is based on a deep learning approach that uses convolutional neural networks (CNNs) capable of learning from unstructured or unlabelled data. The CNN-based deep learning model was trained and tested using 3723 aerial images (50% containing FMML, 50% without FMML) taken by drones and aircraft over the waters of the NW Mediterranean Sea. The accuracies of image classification (performed using all the images for training and testing the model) and cross-validation (performed using 90% of images for training and 10% for testing) were 0.85 and 0.81, respectively. The Shiny package of R was then used to develop a user-friendly application to identify and quantify FMML within the aerial images. The implementation of this, and similar algorithms, allows streamlining substantially the detection and quantification of FMML, providing support to the monitoring and assessment of this environmental threat. However, the automated monitoring of FMML in the open sea still represents a technological challenge, and further research is needed to improve the accuracy of current algorithms.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Human Oocyte-derived Methylation Differences Persist In The Placenta Revealing Widespread Transient Imprinting

Thousands of regions in gametes have opposing methylation profiles that are largely resolved during the post-fertilization epigenetic reprogramming. However some specific sequences associated with imprinted loci survive this demethylation process. Here we present the data describing the fate of germline-derived methylation in humans. With the exception of a few known paternally methylated germline differentially methylated regions (DMRs) associated with known imprinted domains, we demonstrate that sperm-derived methylation is reprogrammed by the blastocyst stage of development. In contrast a large number of oocyte-derived methylation differences survive to the blastocyst stage and uniquely persist as transiently methylated DMRs only in the placenta. Furthermore, we demonstrate that this phenomenon is exclusive to primates, since no placenta-specific maternal methylation was observed in mouse. Utilizing single cell RNA-seq datasets from human preimplantation embryos we show that following embryonic genome activation the maternally methylated transient DMRs can orchestrate imprinted expression. However despite showing widespread imprinted expression of genes in placenta, allele-specific transcriptional profiling revealed that not all placenta-specific DMRs coordinate imprinted expression and that this maternal methylation may be absent in a minority of samples, suggestive of polymorphic imprinted methylation

Lifestyles, arterial aging, and its relationship with the intestinal and oral microbiota (MIVAS III study): a research protocol for a cross-sectional multicenter study

The microbiota is increasingly recognized as a significant factor in the pathophysiology of many diseases, including cardiometabolic diseases, with lifestyles probably exerting the greatest influence on the composition of the human microbiome. The main objectives of the study are to analyze the association of lifestyles (diet, physical activity, tobacco, and alcohol) with the gut and oral microbiota, arterial aging, and cognitive function in subjects without cardiovascular disease in the Iberian Peninsula. In addition, the study will examine the mediating role of the microbiome in mediating the association between lifestyles and arterial aging as well as cognitive function.Methods and analysisMIVAS III is a multicenter cross-sectional study that will take place in the Iberian Peninsula. One thousand subjects aged between 45 and 74 years without cardiovascular disease will be selected. The main variables are demographic information, anthropometric measurements, and habits (tobacco and alcohol). Dietary patterns will be assessed using a frequency consumption questionnaire (FFQ) and the Mediterranean diet adherence questionnaire. Physical activity levels will be evaluated using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), Marshall Questionnaire, and an Accelerometer (Actigraph). Body composition will be measured using the Inbody 230 impedance meter. Arterial aging will be assessed through various means, including measuring medium intimate carotid thickness using the Sonosite Micromax, conducting analysis with pulse wave velocity (PWA), and measuring pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV) using the Sphygmocor System. Additional cardiovascular indicators such as Cardio Ankle Vascular Index (CAVI), ba-PWV, and ankle-brachial index (Vasera VS-2000®) will also be examined. The study will analyze the intestinal microbiota using the OMNIgene GUT kit (OMR−200) and profile the microbiome through massive sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA), effect size (LEfSe), and compositional analysis, such as ANCOM-BC, will be used to identify differentially abundant taxa between groups. After rarefying the samples, further analyses will be conducted using MicrobiomeAnalyst and R v.4.2.1 software. These analyses will include various aspects, such as assessing α and β diversity, conducting abundance profiling, and performing clustering analysis.DiscussionLifestyle acts as a modifier of microbiota composition. However, there are no conclusive results demonstrating the mediating effect of the microbiota in the relationship between lifestyles and cardiovascular diseases. Understanding this relationship may facilitate the implementation of strategies for improving population health by modifying the gut and oral microbiota

Transcriptional response to metal starvation in the emerging pathogen Mycoplasma genitalium is mediated by Fur-dependent and -independent regulatory pathways

Transition metals participate in numerous enzymatic reactions and they are essential for survival in all living organisms. For this reason, bacterial pathogens have evolved dedicated machineries to effectively compete with their hosts and scavenge metals at the site of infection. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms controlling metal acquisition in the emerging human pathogen Mycoplasma genitalium. We observed a robust transcriptional response to metal starvation, and many genes coding for predicted lipoproteins and ABC-transporters were significantly up-regulated. Transcriptional analysis of a mutant strain lacking a metalloregulator of the Fur family revealed the activation of a full operon encoding a putative metal transporter system and a gene coding for a Histidine-rich lipoprotein (Hrl). We recognized a conserved sequence with dyad symmetry within the promoter region of the Fur-regulated genes. Mutagenesis of the predicted Fur operator within the hrl promoter abrogated Fur- and metal-dependent expression of a reporter gene. Metal starvation still impelled a strong transcriptional response in the fur mutant, demonstrating the existence of Fur-independent regulatory pathways controlling metal homeostasis. Finally, analysis of metal accumulation in the wild-type strain and the fur mutant by ICP-MS revealed an important role of Fur in nickel acquisition. Keywords: Ferric uptake regulator; Histidine-rich proteins; Mycoplasma genitalium; emerging STI pathogen; metal acquisition systems; metallome; novel therapeutic targets

Whole genome sequencing identifies allelic ratio distortion in sperm involving genes related to spermatogenesis in a swine model

Altres ajuts: CERCA Programme/Generalitat de CatalunyaTransmission Ratio Distortion (TRD), the uneven transmission of an allele from a parent to its offspring, can be caused by allelic differences affecting gametogenesis, fertilization or embryogenesis. However, TRD remains vaguely studied at a genomic scale. We sequenced the diploid and haploid genomes of three boars from leukocytes and spermatozoa at 50x to shed light into the genetic basis of spermatogenesis-caused Allelic Ratio Distortion (ARD). We first developed a Binomial model to identify ARD by simultaneously analysing all three males. This led to the identification of 55 ARD SNPs, most of which were animal-specific. We then evaluated ARD individually within each pig by a Fisher's exact test and identified two shared genes (TOP3A and UNC5B) and four shared genomic regions harbouring distinct ARD SNPs in the three boars. The shared genomic regions contained candidate genes with functions related to spermatogenesis including AK7, ARID4B, BDKRB2, GSK3B, NID1, NSMCE1, PALB2, VRK1 and ZC3H13. Using the Fisher's test, we also identified 378 genes containing variants with protein damaging potential in at least one boar, a high proportion of which, including FAM120B, TDRD15, JAM2 or AOX4 among others, are associated to spermatogenesis. Overall, our results show that sperm is subjected to ARD with variants associated to a wide variety of genes involved in different stages of spermatogenesis