Teacher-Rated Executive Functions, Gender and Relative Age: Independent and Interactive Effects on Observed Fundamental Motor Skills in Kindergarteners

Fundamental motor skills (FMS) of children can be affected by different variables, such as executive functions (EF), gender and relative age. However, the effects of these variables on FMS have been scarce studied, especially in early childhood, and show inconsistent results. To clarify these relationships, this study was carried out. Its aim was to analyze whether EF, gender and relative age influenced FMS in 43 Spanish kindergarteners. A multimethod and mixed methods approach was used. Kindergarteners’ teachers completed the Childhood Executive Functioning Inventory to know the children level of EF (working memory and inhibition control). Kindergarteners’ parents complimented ad hoc questionnaire reporting the children gender and birth data (to know their relative age). A Nomothetic/Punctual/Multidimensional observational design was used to observe children FMS in their habitual motor sessions at school. Two-way ANOVAs were performed to know the independent and interactive effects of working memory level (lower/higher), inhibition control level (lower/higher), gender (boys/girls) and relative age (according to the birth semester in the year) on FMS. Results showed these variables have independent and interactive effects on some FMS, but not on others. FMS influenced by these variables vary depending what independent variable(s) is/are considered. Therefore, it can be concluded that the influences of teacher-rated EF, gender and relative age on observed FMS in kindergarteners are complex and specific. Results obtained must be taken into to design and implement instructional and intervention strategies, as well as educational and sport policy changes, especially in early childhood, when FMS are more malleable

Influence of Common Reducing Agents on Technological Parameters of Dry-Fermented Sausages with Low Fat Content

The production of dry-fermented sausages currently presents several challenges to be addressed: nutrition, health, sensory traits and technology are among the main issues that concern consumers and the meat industry. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different reducing agents commonly used in the manufacture of dry-fermented sausages (salchichon type) with low fat content on the technological characteristics of the product. Four different reducing agents (ascorbic acid, a starter culture, sodium ascorbate and glucono-delta-lactone) were added to the meat batter to assess their impact on the physico-chemical traits, instrumental color, residual nitrates and nitrites and lipid oxidation of this meat product. High nitrate values were observed during both ripening and storage periods. All batches presented lipid oxidation values below the threshold that indicates meat rancidity. Adjustments of the original lean:fat proportion must be carried out on this low fat content sausage to obtain profitable results. Starter culture and sodium ascorbate have shown the best reducing and antioxidant activities among the additives studied. Once we have the technical design of the product, the next step will be oriented to identify the sensory characteristics in order to find a gap in the market

Salmonella heterogeneously expresses flagellin during colonization of plants

Minimally processed or fresh fruits and vegetables are unfortunately linked to an increasing number of food-borne diseases, such as salmonellosis. One of the relevant virulence factors during the initial phases of the infection process is the bacterial flagellum. Although its function is well studied in animal systems, contradictory results have been published regarding its role during plant colonization. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that Salmonella’s flagellin plays a versatile function during the colonization of tomato plants. We have assessed the persistence in plant tissues of a Salmonella enterica wild type strain, and of a strain lacking the two flagellins, FljB and FliC.The work carried out in the C.R.B. and J.R. laboratory has been granted by Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MCIU, Spain, RTI2018-095069-B-100) awarded to C.R.B. and J.R., and Proyectos de Excelencia (Junta de Andalucía; PY18-2398) awarded to C.B. This work was co-funded by Fondos Europeos de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER). N.L. received funding for a short training mission (STSM) in the A.S. laboratory from CA 16110 HUPLANT from the EU Cost Action Program. We would like to thank DAAD for scholarship funding of A.A.Z.Peer reviewe

Influence of Protein Carbonylation on Human Adipose Tissue Dysfunction in Obesity and Insulin Resistance

Background: Obesity is characterized by adipose tissue dysregulation and predisposes individuals to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. At the molecular level, adipocyte dysfunction has been linked to obesity-triggered oxidative stress and protein carbonylation, considering protein carbonylation as a link between oxidative stress and metabolic dysfunction. The identification of specific carbonylated proteins in adipose tissue could provide novel biomarkers of oxidative damage related to metabolic status (i.e prediabetes). Thus, we aimed at characterizing the subcutaneous and omental human adipose tissue carbonylome in obesity-associated insulin resistance. Methods: 2D-PAGE was used to identify carbonylated proteins, and clinical correlations studies and molecular biology approaches including intracellular trafficking, reactive oxygen species assay, and iron content were performed using in vitro models of insulin resistance. Results: The carbonylome of human adipose tissue included common (serotransferrin, vimentin, actin, and annexin A2) and depot-specific (carbonic anhydrase and α-crystallin B in the subcutaneous depot; and α-1-antitrypsin and tubulin in the omental depot) differences that point out the complexity of oxidative stress at the metabolic level, highlighting changes in carbonylated transferrin expression. Posterior studies using in vitro prediabetic model evidence alteration in transferrin receptor translocation, linked to the prediabetic environment. Finally, ligand-receptor molecular docking studies showed a reduced affinity for carbonylated transferrin binding to its receptor compared to wild-type transferrin, emphasizing the role of transferrin carbonylation in the link between oxidative stress and metabolic dysfunction. Conclusions: The adipose tissue carbonylome contributes to understanding the molecular mechanism driving adipocyte dysfunction and identifies possible adipose tissue carbonylated targets in obesity-associated insulin resistance

Risk factors for thrombotic microangiopathy in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell recipients receiving GVHD prophylaxis with tacrolimus plus MTX or sirolimus

Post-transplant complications.-- et al.Transplantation-associated thrombotic microangiopathy (TA-TMA) is a feared complication of allogeneic hematopoietic SCT (HSCT) owing to its high mortality rate. The use of calcineurin inhibitors or sirolimus (SIR) for GVHD prophylaxis has been suggested as a potential risk factor. However, the impact of tacrolimus (TAC) and SIR combinations on the increased risk of TA-TMA is currently not well defined. We retrospectively analyzed the incidence of TA-TMA in 102 allogeneic HSCT recipients who consecutively received TAC plus SIR (TAC/SIR) (n=68) or plus MTX (TAC/MTX)±ATG (n=34) for GVHD prophylaxis. No significant differences were observed in the incidence of TA-TMA between patients receiving TAC/SIR vs TAC/MTX±ATG (7.4% vs 8.8%, P=0.8). Only grade III-IV acute GVHD, previous HSCT and serum levels of TAC >25 ng/mL were associated with a greater risk of TA-TMA. Patients developing TA-TMA have significantly poorer survival (P<0.001); however, TA-TMA ceased to be an independent prognostic factor when it was included in a multivariate model. In conclusion, the combination of TAC/SIR does not appear to pose a higher risk of TA-TMA. By contrast, we identified three different risk groups for developing TA-TMA.Peer Reviewe

Pseudomonas syringae Differentiates into Phenotypically Distinct Subpopulations During Colonization of a Plant Host

Bacterial microcolonies with heterogeneous sizes are formed during colonization of Phaseolus vulgaris by Pseudomonas syringae. Heterogeneous expression of structural and regulatory components of the P. syringae type III secretion system (T3SS), essential for colonization of the host apoplast and disease development, is likewise detected within the plant apoplast. T3SS expression is bistable in the homogeneous environment of nutrient-limited T3SS-inducing medium, suggesting that subpopulation formation is not a response to different environmental cues. T3SS bistability is reversible, indicating a non-genetic origin, and the T3SSHIGH and T3SSLOW subpopulations show differences in virulence. T3SS bistability requires the transcriptional activator HrpL, the double negative regulatory loop established by HrpV and HrpG, and may be enhanced through a positive feedback loop involving HrpA, the main component of the T3SS pilus. To our knowledge, this is the first example of phenotypic heterogeneity in the expression of virulence determinants during colonization of a non-mammalian host.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación BIO2009-11516, AGL2010-22287-C02-2Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad BIO2012-35641, BIO2015-64391-

Enhanced stability of perovskite solar cells incorporating dopant-free Crystalline spiro-OMeTAD layers by vacuum sublimation

The main handicap still hindering the eventual exploitation of organometal halide perovskite-based solar cells is their poor stability under prolonged illumination, ambient conditions, and increased temperatures. This article shows for the first time the vacuum processing of the most widely used solid-state hole conductor (SSHC), i.e., the Spiro-OMeTAD [2,2′,7,7′-tetrakis (N,N-di-p-methoxyphenyl-amine) 9,9′-spirobifluorene], and how its dopant-free crystalline formation unprecedently improves perovskite solar cell (PSC) stability under continuous illumination by about two orders of magnitude with respect to the solution-processed reference and after annealing in air up to 200 °C. It is demonstrated that the control over the temperature of the samples during the vacuum deposition enhances the crystallinity of the SSHC, obtaining a preferential orientation along the π–π stacking direction. These results may represent a milestone toward the full vacuum processing of hybrid organic halide PSCs as well as light-emitting diodes, with promising impacts on the development of durable devices. The microstructure, purity, and crystallinity of the vacuum sublimated Spiro-OMeTAD layers are fully elucidated by applying an unparalleled set of complementary characterization techniques, including scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering and grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy.The authors thank the “Agencia Estatal de Investigación”, “Consejería de Economía y Conocimiento de la Junta de Andalucía” (US‐1263142), “Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad” (MAT2016‐79866‐R, MAT2013‐42900‐P, FPA2016‐77689‐C2‐1‐R, and MAT2016‐76892‐C3‐2‐R) and the European Union (EU) through cohesion fund and FEDER 2014‐2020 programs for financial support. J.R.S.‐V. and A.B. acknowledge the EU project PlasmaPerovSol and funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska‐Curie grant agreement ID 661480. J.R.S.‐V‐ and M.C.L.‐S. thank the University of Seville through the VI “Plan Propio de Investigación y Transferencia de la US” (VI PPIT‐US). This research has received funding from the EU‐H2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 654360 having benefitted from the access provided by Technische Universität Graz at Elettra—TUG in Trieste (IT) within the framework on the NFFA (Nanoscience Foundries & Fine Analysis) Europe Transnational Access Activity. F.J.A. and J.R.S.‐V. acknowledge the “Juan de la Cierva” and “Ramon y Cajal” national programs, respectively

Formation of titanium monoxide (001) single-crystalline thin film induced by ion bombardment of titanium dioxide (110)

© 2015 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved. A plethora of technological applications justify why titanium dioxide is probably the most studied oxide, and an optimal exploitation of its properties quite frequently requires a controlled modification of the surface. Low-energy ion bombardment is one of the most extended techniques for this purpose and has been recently used in titanium oxides, among other applications, to favour resistive switching mechanisms or to form transparent conductive layers. Surfaces modified in this way are frequently described as reduced and defective, with a high density of oxygen vacancies. Here we show, at variance with this view, that high ion doses on rutile titanium dioxide (110) induce its transformation into a nanometric and single-crystalline titanium monoxide (001) thin film with rocksalt structure. The discovery of this ability may pave the way to new technical applications of ion bombardment not previously reported, which can be used to fabricate heterostructures and interfaces.Peer Reviewe

Analysis of incidence, risk factors and clinical outcome of thromboembolic and bleeding events in 431 allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients

This is an open-access paper.-- et al.Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients have an increasing risk of both hemorrhagic and thrombotic complications. However, the competing risks of two of these life-threatening complications in these complex patients have still not been well defined. We retrospectively analyzed data from 431 allogeneic transplantation recipients to identify the incidence, risk factors and mortality due to thrombosis and bleeding. Significant clinical bleeding was more frequent than symptomatic thrombosis. The cumulative incidence of a bleeding episode was 30.2% at 14 years. The cumulative incidence of a venous or arterial thrombosis at 14 years was 11.8% and 4.1%, respectively. The analysis of competing factors for venous thrombosis revealed extensive chronic graft-versus-host disease to be the only independent prognostic risk factor. By contrast, six factors were associated with an increased risk of bleeding; advanced disease, ablative conditioning regimen, umbilical cord blood transplantation, anticoagulation, acute III-IV graft-versus-host disease, and transplant-associated microangiopathy. The development of thrombosis did not significantly affect overall survival (P=0.856). However, significant clinical bleeding was associated with inferior survival (P<0.001). In allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, significant clinical bleeding is more common than thrombotic complications and affects survival.Peer Reviewe

IEOOS: the Spanish Institute of Oceanography Observing System

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