Emotional Intelligence in University Students with a Bachelor's Degree in languages Close to Graduating

El estudio de la Inteligencia Emocional (IE) ha planteado que esta es fundamental para favorecer y facilitar la consecución de las metas de los seres humanos en todos los ámbitos de sus vidas. Especialmente, se ha demostrado que esta competencia puede influir de forma significativa en el desempeño académico de los estudiantes. Por esta razón, en este artículo se presentan los resultados de un estudio realizado con estudiantes de la Licenciatura en Idiomas de la Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, en el que se aplicó un instrumento para medir la IE. Este se complementó con un cuestionamientos sobre sus percepciones acerca de su estado emocional durante la carrera y el impacto en su rendimiento académico.The study of Emotional Intelligence (EI) has suggested that it is essential to promote and facilitate the achievement of the goals of human beings in all areas of their lives. Especially, it has been shown that this competence can significantly influence the academic performance of students. For this reason, this article presents the results of a study carried out with students of the Bachelor's Degree in Languages at the Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, in which an instrument was applied to measure EI. This was complemented with questions about their perceptions of their emotional state during their studies and the impact on their academic performance

In-Field Estimation of Orange Number and Size by 3D Laser Scanning

The estimation of fruit load of an orchard prior to harvest is useful for planning harvest logistics and trading decisions. The manual fruit counting and the determination of the harvesting capacity of the field results are expensive and time-consuming. The automatic counting of fruits and their geometry characterization with 3D LiDAR models can be an interesting alternative. Field research has been conducted in the province of Cordoba (Southern Spain) on 24 ‘Salustiana’ variety orange trees—Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck—(12 were pruned and 12 unpruned). Harvest size and the number of each fruit were registered. Likewise, the unitary weight of the fruits and their diameter were determined (N = 160). The orange trees were also modelled with 3D LiDAR with colour capture for their subsequent segmentation and fruit detection by using a K-means algorithm. In the case of pruned trees, a significant regression was obtained between the real and modelled fruit number (R2 = 0.63, p = 0.01). The opposite case occurred in the unpruned ones (p = 0.18) due to a leaf occlusion problem. The mean diameters proportioned by the algorithm (72.15 ± 22.62 mm) did not present significant differences (p = 0.35) with the ones measured on fruits (72.68 ± 5.728 mm). Even though the use of 3D LiDAR scans is time-consuming, the harvest size estimation obtained in this research is very accurate

A realistic evaluation of indoor robot position tracking systems: The IPIN 2016 competition experience

We report a novel open competition aimed at evaluating accurate robot position tracking in indoor environments. The competition was organized within the IPIN 2016 (Indoor Positioning and Indoor Navigation international Conference). Here, we describe the competition, the competitors and their final results. The challenges of this new competition included: tracking an industrial robot following an unknown path but with a defined ground-truth, and open positioning system to be deployed on-site, with no restrictions apart from those related to safety issues. Our aim here is to provide sufficient detail to serve as a solid basis for future competition initiatives with a similar scope, using common metrics and objective evaluation procedures. In addition, the real systems evaluated represent state-of-the-art performance, and thus offer interesting solutions to the problem posed in the competition.Agencia Estatal de InvestigaciónUniversidad de Alcal

Effectiveness of an intervention for improving drug prescription in primary care patients with multimorbidity and polypharmacy:Study protocol of a cluster randomized clinical trial (Multi-PAP project)

This study was funded by the Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias ISCIII (Grant Numbers PI15/00276, PI15/00572, PI15/00996), REDISSEC (Project Numbers RD12/0001/0012, RD16/0001/0005), and the European Regional Development Fund ("A way to build Europe").Background: Multimorbidity is associated with negative effects both on people's health and on healthcare systems. A key problem linked to multimorbidity is polypharmacy, which in turn is associated with increased risk of partly preventable adverse effects, including mortality. The Ariadne principles describe a model of care based on a thorough assessment of diseases, treatments (and potential interactions), clinical status, context and preferences of patients with multimorbidity, with the aim of prioritizing and sharing realistic treatment goals that guide an individualized management. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a complex intervention that implements the Ariadne principles in a population of young-old patients with multimorbidity and polypharmacy. The intervention seeks to improve the appropriateness of prescribing in primary care (PC), as measured by the medication appropriateness index (MAI) score at 6 and 12months, as compared with usual care. Methods/Design: Design:pragmatic cluster randomized clinical trial. Unit of randomization: family physician (FP). Unit of analysis: patient. Scope: PC health centres in three autonomous communities: Aragon, Madrid, and Andalusia (Spain). Population: patients aged 65-74years with multimorbidity (≥3 chronic diseases) and polypharmacy (≥5 drugs prescribed in ≥3months). Sample size: n=400 (200 per study arm). Intervention: complex intervention based on the implementation of the Ariadne principles with two components: (1) FP training and (2) FP-patient interview. Outcomes: MAI score, health services use, quality of life (Euroqol 5D-5L), pharmacotherapy and adherence to treatment (Morisky-Green, Haynes-Sackett), and clinical and socio-demographic variables. Statistical analysis: primary outcome is the difference in MAI score between T0 and T1 and corresponding 95% confidence interval. Adjustment for confounding factors will be performed by multilevel analysis. All analyses will be carried out in accordance with the intention-to-treat principle. Discussion: It is essential to provide evidence concerning interventions on PC patients with polypharmacy and multimorbidity, conducted in the context of routine clinical practice, and involving young-old patients with significant potential for preventing negative health outcomes. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02866799Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Production and molecular characterization of NAD+ related enzymes and their advanced intermediates = Producción y caracterización molecular de enzimas relacionadas con NAD+ y sus intermedios avanzados

En la Tesis Doctoral titulada “Producción y caracterización molecular de enzimas relacionadas con NAD+ y sus intermedios avanzados”, los objetivos fueron: el desarrollo de un método enzimático para la obtención de nicotinamida mononucleótido (NMN) y nicotinamida ribósido (NR); el diseño de un método de cribado funcional para la obtención de nicotinamidasas/pirazinamidasas en librerías metagenómicas/ poligenómicas; la aplicación del método de cribado desarrollado para encontrar nuevas nicotinamidasas/pirazinamidasas metagenómicas en ambientes extremos; el análisis del genoma de la trufa negra para asignarle actividad nicotinamidasa/pirazinamidasa a una proteína no caracterizada en base a su caracterización funcional; y la caracterización bioquímica y estructural de una proteína no caracterizada de Oceanobacillus iheyensis como un nuevo macrodominio bacteriano. Para obtener NMN y NR puros, una difosfatasa de NAD+ y una 5’-nucleotidasa bacterianas se clonaron y purificaron. La primera enzima se utilizó para convertir NAD+ en NMN y AMP, siendo este último separado del NMN por cromatografía de intercambio iónico. El NMN obtenido se transformó en NR con la 5’-nucleotidasa. Asimismo, ambos compuestos fueron testados y comparados con la fuente comercial de NMN en dos modelos celulares, encontrando, por primera vez, un mejor incremento de los niveles de NAD+ en uno de los dos modelos tratado con nuestros compuestos. Para el cribado funcional de nicotinamidasas/pirazinamidasas se desarrollaron dos métodos basados en la reacción de los productos de reacción de las nicotinamidasas (el ácido pirazinoico y el ácido nicotínico) con el sulfato amónico ferroso (AFS) y el nitroprusato de sodio (SNP). Una vez establecidas las condiciones óptimas de los ensayos, se estudió una librería de fósmidos poligenómica, encontrando varios clones positivos con el método del AFS. La detección de actividad de forma cuantitativa con el método del SNP nos permitió descubrir la primera nicotinamidasa con actividad balanceada frente a nicotinamida y pirazinamida. Además, su caracterización bioquímica hizo posible el desarrollo de un método para el cribado de inhibidores de nicotinamidasas. Utilizando el método descrito anteriormente se descubrió la primera nicotinamidasa hipertermófila procedente de una bacteria no clasificada (UbNic), con una temperatura óptima de 90 °C y un amplio pH óptimo. La enzima mostró una de las eficiencias catalíticas más altas entre las nicotinamidasas de bacterias no patógenas. Asimismo, su secuencia de unión a metal fue descrita y catalogada en un subgrupo no descrito hasta ahora. Con el conocimiento adquirido en el campo de las nicotinamidasas, se realizó un análisis bioinformático con el fin de identificar un nuevo gen de trufa como una posible nicotinamidasa. La presencia del gen en el micelio del hongo se demostró con el método del AFS descrito anteriormente. Después de su expresión y purificación recombinante, se realizó una caracterización bioquímica de la proteína, la cual mostró una clara preferencia por nicotinamida frente a pirazinamida. Asimismo, la enzima mostró un patrón de inhibición característico frente a los diferentes aldehídos probados. Finalmente, la caracterización funcional y estructural del macrodominio de Oceanobacillus iheyensis nos permitió profundizar en el conocimiento de su mecanismo de catálisis y unión a sustrato. Las estructuras cristalinas de los mutantes D40A, N30A y G37V, así como las obtenidas con MES, ADP-ribosa y ADP, permitieron la identificación de cinco moléculas de agua encargadas de la unión a sustrato. Asimismo, se demostró que el cierre del lazo β6-α4 es esencial para el reconocimiento del pirofosfato y la orientación de la ribosa distal. Además, se encontró que OiMacroD cataliza tanto la hidrólisis de O-acetil-ADP-ribosa como la eliminación de residuos de ADP-ribosa de proteínas ribosiladas. Finalmente, el estudio del mutante G37V demostró la participación de una molécula de agua coordinada con el sustrato que ayuda a mantener la correcta conformación del mismo. In the PhD Thesis entitled “Production and molecular characterization of NAD+-related enzymes and their advanced intermediates”, the objectives were: the development of an enzymatic synthesis method in order to obtain pure nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) and nicotinamide riboside (NR); the design of a functional screening method to discover new nicotinamidases/pyrazinamidases in metagenomic/polygenomic libraries; the application of the developed functional screening to find new extremophile metagenomic nicotinamidases/pyrazinamidases; the analysis of the black truffle genome to assign a putative protein as a nicotinamidase/pyrazinamidase based on its functional characterization; and the biochemical and structural characterization of a hypothetical protein from Oceanobacillus iheyensis as a MacroD-like macrodomain. To obtain pure NMN and NR, a bacterial NAD+-diphosphatase and 5’-nucleotidase were cloned and purified. The first enzyme was able to convert NAD+ into NMN and AMP, being the latter compound separated from NMN by ion exchange chromatography. The NMN obtained was fully transformed into NR by the 5’-nucleotidase. Furthermore, both compounds were tested and compared with commercial NMN in two cellular models, finding not only the same NAD+ increase in one of the cell types but also, for the first time, a higher increment in the NAD+ levels of the other cellular model treated with our enzymatic compounds. For the functional screening of nicotinamidases/pyrazinamidases, two new whole-cell methods were developed using the chemical property of the products formed in the enzymatic reaction catalyzed by nicotinamidases (pyrazinoic or nicotinic acids) to form colored complexes with the stable iron salts ammonium ferrous sulfate (AFS) or sodium nitroprusside (SNP). After the optimization of the conditions, a fosmid polygenomic library was screened, discovering several positive clones with the AFS method. Their quantitative re-screening with the SNP method allowed us to discover the first nicotinamidase with balanced catalytic efficiency towards nicotinamide and pyrazinamide. Its biochemical characterization has also made possible the development of the first high-throughput whole-cell method for prescreening of nicotinamidase inhibitors by the naked eye. Using the previously developed method, together with bioinformatics, the first hyperthermophilic nicotinamidase from an unclassified bacterium (UbNic) was found, with an optimum temperature of 90 °C and a broad optimum pH. The enzyme showed one of the highest catalytic efficiencies among non-pathogenic bacterial nicotinamidases. Furthermore, the sequence of the metal binding site revealed that UbNic and its related sequences belong to a subgroup not described so far. With the knowledge acquired in the field of nicotinamidases, a bioinformatic analysis was performed to identify a new gene from truffle as a putative nicotinamidase. Its presence in the mycelium of the fungus was demonstrated with the AFS method developed before. After its recombinant expression and purification, a biochemical characterization of the protein was carried out, finding that this nicotinamidase has a clear preference for its natural substrate (NAM) than for pyrazinamide. The enzyme also had a unique inhibition pattern with different aldehydes. Finally, the functional and structural characterization of the macrodomain from Oceanobacillus iheyensis allowed us to shed light on its substrate binding and catalysis. The crystal structures of D40A, N30A and G37V mutants, and those with MES, ADP-ribose and ADP bound, led us to the identification of five fixed water molecules that play a significant role in substrate-binding. Furthermore, the closure of the β6-α4 loop was revealed as essential for pyrophosphate recognition and distal ribose orientation. In addition, a novel structural role for residue D40 was identified. Moreover, it was revealed that OiMacroD catalyzes the hydrolysis of O-acetyl-ADP-ribose and also reverses protein mono-ADP-ribosylation. Finally, mutant G37V supports the participation of a substrate-coordinated water molecule in catalysis that helps to select the proper substrate conformation

Nutrient recovery and valorisation from pig slurry liquid fraction with membrane technologies

Livestock slurry has been reported to be a potential secondary raw material as it contains macronutrients -nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium-, which could be valorised as high-quality fertilizers if proper separation and concentration of valuable compounds is performed. In this work, pig slurry liquid fraction was assessed for nutrient recovery and valorisation as fertilizer. Some indicators were used to evaluate the performance of proposed train of technologies within the framework of circular economy. As ammonium and potassium species are highly soluble at the whole pH range, a study based on phosphate speciation at pH from 4 to 8 was assessed to improve the macronutrients recovery from the slurry, resulting in two different treatment trains at acidic and alkaline conditions. The acidic treatment system based on centrifugation, microfiltration and forward osmosis was applied to obtain a nutrient-rich liquid organic fertilizer containing 1.3 % N, 1.3 % P2O5 and 1.5 % K2O. The alkaline path of valorisation was composed by centrifugation and stripping by using membrane contactors to produce an organic solid fertilizer -7.7 % N, 8,0 % P2O5 and 2.3 % K2O-, ammonium sulphate solution -1.4 % N- and irrigation water. In terms of circularity indicators, 45.8 % of the initial water content and <50 % of contained nutrients were recovered - 28.3 % N, 43.5 % P2O5 and 46.6 % K2O - in the acidic treatment resulting in 68.68 g fertilizer per kg of treated slurry. 75.1 % of water was recovered as irrigation water and 80.6 % N, 99.9 % P2O5, 83.4 % K2O was valorised in the alkaline treatment, as 219.60 g fertilizer per kg of treated slurry. Treatment paths at acidic and alkaline conditions yield promising results for nutrients recovery and valorisation as the obtained products (nutrient rich organic fertilizer, solid soil amendment and ammonium sulphate solution) fulfil the European Regulation for fertilizers to be potentially used in crop fields.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

NAD+ homeostasis in human health and disease

Depletion of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), a central redox cofactor and the substrate of key metabolic enzymes, is the causative factor of a number of inherited and acquired diseases in humans. Primary deficiencies of NAD+ homeostasis are the result of impaired biosynthesis, while secondary deficiencies can arise due to other factors affecting NAD+ homeostasis, such as increased NAD+ consumption or dietary deficiency of its vitamin B3 precursors. NAD+ depletion can manifest in a wide variety of pathological phenotypes, ranging from rare inherited defects, characterized by congenital malformations, retinal degeneration, and/or encephalopathy, to more common multifactorial, often age-related, diseases. Here, we discuss NAD+ biochemistry and metabolism and provide an overview of the etiology and pathological consequences of alterations of the NAD+ metabolism in humans. Finally, we discuss the state of the art of the potential therapeutic implications of NAD+ repletion for boosting health as well as treating rare and common diseases, and the possibilities to achieve this by means of the different NAD+-enhancing agents

Stimulating the sir2-spargel axis rescues exercise capacity and mitochondrial respiration in a Drosophila model of Barth syndrome

Cardiolipin (CL) is a phospholipid required for proper mitochondrial function. Tafazzin remodels CL to create highly unsaturated fatty acid chains. However, when TAFAZZIN is mutated, CL remodeling is impeded, leading to mitochondrial dysfunction and the disease Barth syndrome. Patients with Barth syndrome often have severe exercise intolerance, which negatively impacts their overall quality of life. Boosting NAD+ levels can improve symptoms of other mitochondrial diseases, but its effect in the context of Barth syndrome has not been examined. We demonstrate, for the first time, that nicotinamide riboside can rescue exercise tolerance and mitochondrial respiration in a Drosophila Tafazzin mutant and that the beneficial effects are dependent on sir2 and spargel. Overexpressing spargel increased the total abundance of CL in mutants. In addition, muscles and neurons were identified as key targets for future therapies because sir2 or spargel overexpression in either of these tissues is sufficient to restore the exercise capacity of Drosophila Tafazzin mutants