CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY: THE CHARACTERISTICS OF KOSOVO AND RWANDA VICTIMS

Objective: Crimes occurred in Rwanda (1994) and Kosovo (1999) have been considered as genocides. Our main objective was to describe the difference between the crimes committed in Kosovo and Rwanda based on the victims found in each area according to their age, gender, and way to die. Methods: Bodies were found in those places selected by field observers. We have included all human and material elements that were found near the bodies in Rwanda and Kosovo. We also have taken photographs to the lesions in some cases to document our findings. As a criterion for inclusion, it was necessary to be able to identify the form of death and the ethnic group (in Rwanda, Tutsi or moderate Hutus, and in Kosovo, the Kosovar Albanian victims). All samples that did not meet the requirements to determine personal characteristics were excluded. Results: A total of 1044 bodies were individually studied, 857 from Rwanda and 187 from Kosovo. Our results reveal differences in the injuries presented in most Rwandan victims, were most were due to machetes or canes, and those in Kosovo where most were due to firearms or explosions. Most of the bodies studied in Rwanda belong to the Tutsi ethnic group and were not buried. However, the majority of the bodies found in Kosovo were individually buried. Conclusions: We conclude that there are differences in the studied victims attending to their characteristic and their wounds in Kosovo and Rwanda

Definición del potencial ecológico en aguas fuertemente modificadas: aplicación en el tramo medio del río Tajo

El objetivo de este trabajo es doble, por un lado medir el grado de alteración hidrológica al que se ven sometidas las masas de agua del tramo medio del río Tajo, debido a la regulación de caudales, lo que las clasifica como masas hidrológicamente alteradas. En segundo lugar tratar de relacionar el grado de alteración hidrológica, con el estado ambiental definido por varios indicadores hidrobiológicos: bentos, macrófitas, peces y estado de las riberas

An elevated parametric thyroid feedback quantile-based index is associated with atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is associated with hyperthyroidism. Within the euthyroid range, it is also associated with high thyroxine (fT4), but not with thyrotropin (TSH). We aim to describe differences in thyroid regulation, measured by the Parametric Thyroid Feedback Quantile-Based Index (PTFQI), between patients with atrial fibrillation and the general population. Materials and methods: Thyroid parameters (PTFQI, TSH, and fT4) of a sample of 84 euthyroid subjects with atrial fibrillation (cases) were compared to a reference sample of euthyroid healthcare patients (controls). We calculated age and sex adjusted ORs for atrial fibrillation across tertiles of these parameters. Also, within cases, we studied thyroid parameters association with clinical characteristics of the atrial fibrillation. Results: After adjusting for age and sex, fT4 and PTFQI were higher in subjects with atrial fibrillation when compared to the general sample (p<0.01 and p=0.01, respectively). Atrial fibrillation ORs of the third versus the first PTFQI tertile was 1.88(95%CI 1.07,3.42), and there was a gradient across tertiles (p trend=0.02). Among atrial fibrillation patients, we observed that higher PTFQI was associated with sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAS) (p=0.03), higher fT4 was associated with the presence of an arrhythmogenic trigger (p=0.02) and with heart failure (p<0.01), and higher TSH was also associated with OSAS (p<0.01). Conclusions: Euthyroid subjects with atrial fibrillation have an elevation of the pituitary TSH-inhibition threshold, measured by PTFQI, with respect to the general population. Within atrial fibrillation patients, high PTFQI was associated with OSAS, and high fT4 with heart failure. These results hint of the existence of a relationship between thyroid regulation and atrial fibrillation

Atorvastatin Provides a New Lipidome Improving Early Regeneration After Partial Hepatectomy in Osteopontin Deficient Mice

Osteopontin (OPN), a multifunctional cytokine that controls liver glycerolipid metabolism, is involved in activation and proliferation of several liver cell types during regeneration, a condition of high metabolic demands. Here we investigated the role of OPN in modulating the liver lipidome during regeneration after partial-hepatectomy (PH) and the impact that atorvastatin treatment has over regeneration in OPN knockout (KO) mice. The results showed that OPN deficiency leads to remodeling of phosphatidylcholine and triacylglycerol (TG) species primarily during the first 24 h after PH, with minimal effects on regeneration. Changes in the quiescent liver lipidome in OPN-KO mice included TG enrichment with linoleic acid and were associated with higher lysosome TG-hydrolase activity that maintained 24 h after PH but increased in WT mice. OPN-KO mice showed increased beta-oxidation 24 h after PH with less body weight loss. In OPN-KO mice, atorvastatin treatment induced changes in the lipidome 24 h after PH and improved liver regeneration while no effect was observed 48 h post-PH. These results suggest that increased dietary-lipid uptake in OPN-KO mice provides the metabolic precursors required for regeneration 24 h and 48 h after PH. However, atorvastatin treatment offers a new metabolic program that improves early regeneration when OPN is deficient.This work was supported by IT-336-10 (Gobierno Vasco) (to PA) and SAF2015-64352-R (to PA), SAF2017-87301-R (to MLM-C) and EITB Maratoia BIO15/CA/014 (to MLM-C). MNG and DM were recipients of a predoctoral fellowship from the University of Basque Country UPV/EHU and BG-S and DS were recipients for predoctoral fellowships from the Basque Goverment. We thank technical support from Jose Antonio Lopez Gomez

A cross-sectional study examining the parametric thyroid feedback quantile index and its relationship with metabolic and cardiovascular diseases

The usual inverse correlation between thyrotropin (TSH) and thyroid hormone disappears in syndromes of central resistance to thyroid hormone, where both are high. TSH and thyroid hormone are also simultaneously high when there is an elevation of the set point of the thyroid regulation axis. This can be estimated with indices, such as the Parametric Thyroid Feedback Quantile-based Index (PTFQI), which was designed for the general population. The PTFQI is positively associated with diabetes prevalence, but association with other pathologies has not been yet explored. The aim of this project was to explore the potential relationship of the PTFQI with metabolic and cardiovascular disease in a sample of ambulatory adult patients from Spain

Experiencia y Lecciones Aprendidas durante el Desarrollo de un Proyecto Software Común a Diversas Asignaturas

Las asignaturas de un plan de estudios, a pesar de mantener claras dependencias y relaciones entre ellas, suelen gestionarse e impartirse como unidades aisladas e independientes. Esto genera una serie de problemas, como la falta de una visión conjunta del conocimiento, que pueden afectar negativamente al aprendizaje. Con objeto de reducir estos posibles problemas, e inspirados por otros autores, tratamos de romper las barreras artificiales existentes entre asignaturas mediante su integración a través del desarrollo de un proyecto común. Este trabajo describe dicha experiencia, las decisiones adoptadas y los resultados obtenidos con objeto de que pueda servir de guía e inspiración a otros compañeros.Subjects in a curriculum are usually managed and taught as independent isolated units, even though they are often clearly inter-dependent and inter-related. This creates some problems, such as the lack of a general perspective of the matter, which might hinder learning. Inspired by other authors, and in order to improve the educational experience, we try to break the artificial borders between subjects by integrating them through the development of a common project. In the aim that this may serve as guidance and inspiration to others, this work describes that experience, the decisions we made, and the results obtained.Este trabajo ha sido parcialmente financiado por la III Convocatoria de Proyectos de Innovación Docente de la Universidad de Cantabria y el proyecto TIN2014-56158-C4-2-P

Predictive model for the identification of activities of daily living (ADL) in indoor environments using classification techniques based on Machine Learning

AI-based techniques have included countless applications within the engineering field. These range from the automation of important procedures in Industry and companies, to the field of Process Control. Smart Home (SH) technology is designed to help house residents improve their daily activities and therefore enrich the quality of life while preserving their privacy. An SH system is usually equipped with a collection of software interrelated with hardware components to monitor the living space by capturing the behavior of the resident and their occupations. By doing so, the system can report risks, situations, and act on behalf of the resident to their satisfaction. This research article shows the experimentation carried out with the human activity recognition dataset, CASAS Kyoto, through preprocessing and cleaning processes of the data, showing the Vía Regression classifier as an excellent option to process this type of data with an accuracy 99.7% effectiv

Vertical distribution of Atlantic bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus and bonito Sarda sarda larvae is related to temperature preference

As part of the endeavor aiming at the domestication of Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT; Thunnus thynnus), first sexual maturity in captivity was studied by documenting its occurrence and by characterizing the key hormones of the reproductive axis: follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). The full length sequence encoding for the related hormone b-subunits, bftFSHb and bftLHb, were determined, revealing two bftFSHb mRNA variants, differing in their 50 untranslated region. A quantitative immuno-dot-blot assay to measure pituitary FSH content in BFT was developed and validated enabling, for the first time in this species, data sets for both LH and FSH to be compared. The expression and accumulation patterns of LH in the pituitary showed a steady increase of this hormone, concomitant with fish age, reaching higher levels in adult females compared to males of the same age class. Conversely, the pituitary FSH levels were elevated only in 2Y and adult fish. The pituitary FSH to LH ratio was consistently higher (>1) in immature than in maturing or pubertal fish, resembling the situation in mammals. Nevertheless, the results suggest that a rise in the LH storage level above a minimum threshold may be an indicator of the onset of puberty in BFT females. The higher pituitary LH levels in adult females over males may further support this notion. In contrast three year-old (3Y) males were pubertal while cognate females were still immature. However, it is not yet clear whether the advanced puberty in the 3Y males was a general feature typifying wild BFT populations or was induced by the culture conditions. Future studies testing the effects of captivity and hormonal treatments on precocious maturity may allow for improved handling of this species in a controlled environment which would lead to more cost-efficient farmingVersión del edito

Liver osteopontin is required to prevent the progression of age-related nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

[EN] Osteopontin (OPN), a senescence-associated secretory phenotype factor, is increased in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Cellular senescence has been associated with age-dependent hepatosteatosis. Thus, we investigated the role of OPN in the age-related hepatosteatosis. For this, human serum samples, animal models of aging, and cell lines in which senescence was induced were used. Metabolic fluxes, lipid, and protein concentration were determined. Among individuals with a normal liver, we observed a positive correlation between serum OPN levels and increasing age. This correlation with age, however, was absent in patients with NAFLD. In wild-type (WT) mice, serum and liver OPN were increased at 10 months old (m) along with liver p53 levels and remained elevated at 20m. Markers of liver senescence increased in association with synthesis and concentration of triglycerides (TG) in 10m OPN-deficient (KO) hepatocytes when compared to WT hepatocytes. These changes in senescence and lipid metabolism in 10m OPN-KO mice liver were associated with the decrease of 78 kDa glucose-regulated protein (GRP78), induction of ER stress, and the increase in fatty acid synthase and CD36 levels. OPN deficiency in senescent cells also diminished GRP78, the accumulation of intracellular TG, and the increase in CD36 levels. In 20m mice, OPN loss led to increased liver fibrosis. Finally, we showed that OPN expression in vitro and in vivo was regulated by p53. In conclusion, OPN deficiency leads to earlier cellular senescence, ER stress, and TG accumulation during aging. The p53-OPN axis is required to inhibit the onset of agerelated hepatosteatosis.This work was supported by Ayudas para apoyar grupos de investigación del sistema Universitario Vasco (IT971‐16 to P.A.), MINECO‐FEDER (SAF2017‐87301‐R to M.L.M‐Ch) MCIU/AEI/FEDER, UE (RTI2018‐095134‐B‐100 to P.A. and RTI2018‐099413‐B‐I00 to RN, Asociación Española contra el Cáncer, Canceres raros (M.L.M‐Ch), La Caixa Foundation (to M.L.M‐Ch), Ayudas Fundación BBVA a equipos de Investigación Científica 2018 (to M.L.M‐Ch), Xunta de Galicia (RN: 2015‐CP080 and 2016‐ PG057), Fundación BBVA (RN), and European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes (RN). ISCIII‐FEDER PI17/00535 (to C.G‐M.), ISCIII‐FEDER CP14/00181 and PI16/00823 (to A.G‐ R.), and Francisco Cobos Foundation (to A.G‐R.). CiC bioGUNE thanks MINECO for the Severo Ochoa Excellence Accreditation (SEV‐2016‐ 0644

Etnobotánica "apprehendere et iocari"

Depto. de Biodiversidad, Ecología y EvoluciónFac. de Ciencias BiológicasFALSEsubmitte