The use of ecosystem-based adaptation practices by smallholder farmers in Central America

There is growing interest in promoting the use of Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) practices to help smallholder farmers adapt to climate change, however there is limited information on how commonly these practices are used by smallholder farmers and what factors influence their use. Using participatory mapping and field surveys, we examined the prevalence and characteristics of EbA practices on 300 smallholder coffee and maize farmers in six landscapes in Central America and explored the socioeconomic and biophysical factors associated with their use. The prevalence of individual EbA practices varied across smallholder farms. Common EbA practices included live fences, home gardens, shade trees in coffee plantations, and dispersed trees in maize fields. We found a mean of 3.8 EbA practices per farm. Factors that were correlated with the total number of EbA practices on farms included the mean area of coffee plantations, farmer age, farmer experience, the farm type and the landscape in which farms were located. Factors associated with the presence or characteristics of individual EbA practices included the size of coffee plantations, farmer experience, farmer education, land tenure, landscape and farm type. Our analysis suggests that many smallholder farmers in Central America are already using certain EbA practices, but there is still scope for greater implementation. Policy makers, donors and technicians can encourage the broader use of EbA by smallholder farmers by facilitating farmer-to-farmer exchanges to share knowledge on EbA implementation, assessing the effectiveness of EbA practices in delivering adaptation benefits, and tailoring EbA policies and programs for smallholder farmers in different socioeconomic and biophysical contexts. (Résumé d'auteur

The Relationship between Squat Jump Performance and Sprint Profile in Collegiate Track and Field Athletes

The squat jump (SJ) necessitates the inter-play of various biomechanical components for better jump performance. Good sprint performance requires the inter-play of many of the same biomechanical components. Researchers have previously examined how the speed, force, velocity, and power interact during sprinting, but have yet to examine how these measures are associated with SJ performance measures. PURPOSE: Examine the relationship between squat jump performance measures and the sprint profile measurements of collegiate track and field athletes. METHODS: Twenty-five athletes (18 males and 7 females) completed two squat jump trials with a linear encoder attached to a 45 lbs. bar placed on the athlete’s upper back. Measures of interest during the concentric phase of the SJ included jump height, maximum force, maximum velocity, maximum power, and rate of force development. Athletes then completed two 30-meter acceleration sprints. The MySprint mobile application was used to acquire the athlete’s sprint profile and to assess maximal theoretical horizontal force, maximal theoretical velocity, optimal velocity, maximal theoretical power, maximal speed, maximal ratio of force, force-velocity slope, and decrease in ratio of force. The best trial was used for statistical analysis. Pearson’s or Spearman’s correlation coefficients were conducted between SJ measures and sprint profile measures. RESULTS: There was a positive correlation between SJ height and maximal speed (r = 0.402; p = 0.042). Maximal power during the SJ was positively correlated with maximal speed (r = 0.476; p = 0.014); optimal velocity (r = 0.469; p = 0.018); maximal theoretical power (r = 0.462; p = 0.018); maximal theoretical velocity (r = 0.452; p = 0.021); theoretical horizontal force (r = 0.431; p = 0.028); and maximal ratio force (r = 0.428; p = 0.029). Maximal velocity during the SJ was correlated with maximal speed (r = 0.519; p = 0.007); maximal theoretical velocity (r = 0.499; p = 0.010); optimal velocity (r = 0.486; p = 0.014); and maximal theoretical power (r = 0.484; p = 0.012). No other correlations were significant. CONCLUSION: Maximal velocity and power during the concentric phase of the SJ are moderately to strongly correlated with maximal sprinting speed, velocity, and power. SJ height is positively correlated with maximum sprint speed. There is a lack of significant correlations between other measures of the SJ and sprint profile measures. SJ power and velocity are correlated with sprint performance, therefore power and velocity improved through plyometric SJ training may be transferable to achieve better sprint performance

Attaining atomic resolution from in situ data collection at room temperature using counter-diffusion-based low-cost microchips

Sample handling and manipulation for cryoprotection currently remain critical factors in X-ray structural determination. While several microchips for macromolecular crystallization have been proposed during the last two decades to partially overcome crystal-manipulation issues, increased background noise originating from the scattering of chip-fabrication materials has so far limited the attainable resolution of diffraction data. Here, the conception and use of low-cost, X-ray-transparent microchips for in situ crystallization and direct data collection, and structure determination at atomic resolution close to 1.0 Å , is presented. The chips are fabricated by a combination of either OSTEMER and Kapton or OSTEMER and Mylar materials for the implementation of counter-diffusion crystallization experiments. Both materials produce a sufficiently low scattering background to permit atomic resolution diffraction data collection at room temperature and the generation of 3D structural models of the tested model proteins lysozyme, thaumatin and glucose isomerase. Although the high symmetry of the three model protein crystals produced almost complete data sets at high resolution, the potential of in-line data merging and scaling of the multiple crystals grown along the microfluidic channels is also presented and discussed

Fortalecimiento de las competencias de lectura y la escritura en los estudiantes del colegio Antonio Nariño I.E.D. de los ciclos II, III, IV, V y VI: eres lo que lees proyecto institucional

El proyecto de lectura y escritura “Eres lo que lees” inició a partir de las conclusiones y resultados del proyecto de lecto-escritura “LEAN”, en el segundo periodo del 2009. Durante año y medio, el grupo “Eres lo que lees” diseñó la metodología de la investigación, iniciando con la formulación de la propuesta de investigación, la aplicación de las guías y planeación de nuevas cartillas basadas en las “Teorías de los Seis Niveles de Lectura” y “Estándares de Lengua Castellana”.The reading and writing project "You are what you read" started from the conclusions and results of the project literacy "LEAN" in the second quarter of 2009. For a year and a half, the group "You are what you read" designed the research methodology, starting with the formulation of the research proposal, the application of the guidelines and planning new primers based on the "Theory of Six Levels reading "and" Standards Spanish Language "

PBMCs gene expression signature of advanced cirrhosis with high risk for clinically significant portal hypertension in HIV/HCV coinfected patients: A cross-control study.

Corrigendum to "PBMCs gene expression signature of advanced cirrhosis with high risk for clinically significant portal hypertension in HIV/HCV coinfected patients: A cross-control study" [Biomed. Pharmacother. 159 (2023) 114220]. Biomed Pharmacother. 2023 Apr 27;114803. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114803. PMID: 37120412.Background: Patients with advanced cirrhosis are at high risk of developing clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH). We analyzed the gene expression profile of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from HIV/HCV coinfected patients to identify a gene expression signature of advanced cirrhosis with high risk for CSPH. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study on 68 patients. Liver stiffness measurement (LSM) was used to stratify patients into < 12.5 kPa (no cirrhosis, n = 19), 12.5 - 24.9 kPa (cirrhosis, n = 20), and ≥ 25 kPa (advanced cirrhosis with high risk for CSPH, n = 29). Besides, we further evaluated LSM < 25 kPa (n = 39) vs. ≥ 25 kPa (n = 29). Total RNA was extracted from PBMCs, and poly(A) RNA sequencing was performed. Two significant differentially expressed (SDE) transcripts were validated by quantitative PCR in a different cohort (n = 46). Results: We found 60 SDE transcripts between patients with LSM < 12.5 kPa and ≥ 25 kPa. Partial least squares discriminant analysis showed that those 60 SDE transcripts collectively discriminated LSM ≥ 25 kPa, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.84. Eight genes had an AUROC ≥ 0.75 for LSM ≥ 25 kPa: five were positively associated with LSM values (SCAMP1, ABHD17B, GPR146, GTF2A1, and TMEM64), while three were inversely associated (ZFHX2-AS1, MDK, and STAG3L2). We validated the two SDE transcripts with the highest discrimination capacity in a different cohort, finding significant differences between < 25 kPa and ≥ 25 kPa (MDK (p = 0.006) and STAG3L2 (p = 0.021)). Conclusions: A gene expression signature of 60 transcripts was associated with advanced cirrhosis with high risk for CSPH in HIV/HCV coinfected patients.This study was supported by grants from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII; grant numbers CP17CIII/00007 and PI18CIII/00028 to MAJS, PI17/00657 and PI20/00474 to JB, PI17/00903 and PI20/00507 to JGG, PI18CIII/00020 to AFR, and PI17CIII/00003 and PI20CIII/00004 to SR) and Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (AEI, PID2021-126781OB-I00 to AFR). The study was also funded by the CIBER -Consorcio Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red- (CB 2021), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación and Unión Europea – NextGenerationEU (CB21/13/00044).S

HCV Cure With Direct-Acting Antivirals Improves Liver and Immunological Markers in HIV/HCV-Coinfected Patients

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) cure after all-oral direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy greatly improves the liver and immune system. We aimed to assess the impact of this HCV clearance on immune system-related markers in plasma and the gene expression profile in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/HCV-coinfected patients with advanced cirrhosis. We performed a prospective study on 33 HIV/HCV-coinfected patients at baseline and 36 weeks after the sustained virological response. Gene expression was evaluated by RNA-seq analysis on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and plasma biomarkers by multiplex immunoassays. We found a decrease in plasma biomarkers (PD1, PDL1, CXCL10, CXCL8, IL12p70, IL10, and TGFβ) and liver disease markers (stiffness measurement (LSM), hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG), and transaminases, among others). Furthermore, decreased plasma levels of CXCL8, CXCL10, IL10, and PD1 were associated with reduced LSM values. We also found two upregulated (HAS1 and IRG1) and 15 downregulated (CXCL11, CCL8, CCL7, CCL2, ADARB2, RRAD, MX1, SIGLEC1, IFI44L, IFI44, IFI27, IFI6, IFIT3, IFIT1B, and IFIT1) genes at the end of follow-up, all interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) grouped into four pathways ("cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction", "viral protein interaction with cytokine and cytokine receptor", "chemokine signaling pathway", and "hepatitis C"). Additionally, the decrease in most of these ISGs was significantly related to reduced LSM and HVPG values. In conclusion, HIV/HCV-coinfected patients with advanced-HCV-related cirrhosis who eradicated HCV following DAA therapy exhibited an improvement in liver disease markers and a significant decrease in plasma biomarkers and gene expression related to antiviral/inflammatory response, particularly in levels of several chemokines and ISGs.This study was supported by grants from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCII; grant numbers PI20/00474 and PI17/00657 to JB, PI20/00507 and PI17/00903 to JGG, PI18CIII/00020 to AF-R, PI18CIII/00028 to MA, and PI20CIII/00004 and PI17CIII/00003 to SR). AF-R and MA are Miguel Servet researchers supported and funded by ISCIII (grant numbers: CP14CIII/00010 to AFR and CP17CIII/00007 to MAJS). The study was also funded by the RD16/0025/0017, RD16/0025/0018 and RD16CIII/0002/0002 projects as part of the Plan Nacional R + D + I and co-funded by ISCIII- Subdirección General de Evaluación and the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER). JB is an investigator from the Programa de Intensificación de la Actividad Investigadora en el Sistema Nacional de Salud (I3SNS), Ref. INT16/00100. DS-C is a ‘Sara Borrell’ researcher from ISCIII (grant number CD20CIII/00001) and has also been supported through Fundación SEIMC-GESIDA by a fellowship award from Fundación ONCE ‘Oportunidad al Talento, 2019/20 and 2020/21’ co-financed by Fondo Social Europeo.S

Road‐risk: metodología para la identificación de puntos conflictivos por riesgos múltiples en infraestructuras viarias tras episodios torrenciales

La comunicación recoge los contenidos de una metodología aplicada que permite cartografiar aquellos puntos en el recorrido de una infraestructura viaria que pueden quedar bloqueados por riesgos múltiples de funcionamiento simultáneo, tras unos episodios de precipitaciones de alta intensidad. Se incorporan dos modelos predictivos para identificar los puntos con riesgo de movimientos en masa, descalzamiento del firme y/o encharcamiento y generación de balsas. Se ha diseñado igualmente una aplicación informática que permite aplicar los criterios de predicción obtenidos y cartografiar de forma automatizada los puntos conflictivos en infraestructuras distintas a las utilizadas como área de estudio.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech