From Extraction to Meliponiculture: A Case Study of the Management of Stingless Bees in the West-Central Region of Mexico

Currently, stingless bees\u27 populations are declining due to environmental degradation. In this context, the authors have developed a research project in the central-western region of Mexico with the goal to generate strategies for conservation and sustainable management of stingless bees. The chapter aims to present the process of this investigation and its main results in terms of a) local knowledge and management strategies of stingless bees, and b) the social process of technological appropriation of meliponiculture by beekeepers. We recognized specific knowledge on the biology and ecology of stingless bees that result in a system for identifying species and management strategies of wild populations of these bees based on the extraction of nests. The implementation of an innovative productive activity based on the principles of meliponiculture and current techniques has been well received by producers, which has led to the formation of the Meliponicultores Michoacanos del Balsas Association, which grows five species of stingless bees. The research suggests that conservation associated with the use of bees (integral meliponiculture) can be enhanced in the region. Faced with the loss of biodiversity and environmental crisis, it is essential to maintain and enhance local knowledge of stingless bees and management practices. This represents an alternative to develop management schemes that allow the raising and breeding of these bees, while its products are obtained

El concurso para el Plan de Ensanche y Reforma Interior de Ceuta de 1930: conceptos y herramientas urbanísticas

The call in 1930 for a contest to draft the plan for expansion and interior reform of Ceuta, a medium Spanish city on the African continent, allows us to analyze the tools used by Spanish urban planners in a singular moment are the dawn of the functional city. The confluence in this contest of three proposals by the prominent urban architects César Cort, Pedro Muguruza and Gaspar Blein, allows us to know the advances and setbacks of Spanish urbanism, and its permeability to the new ideas as result of the of the international networks of urbanism influence.La convocatoria en 1930 de un concurso para redactar el Plan de Ensanche y Reforma Interior de Ceuta, cuya peculiaridad geográfica radica en ser una ciudad española localizada en el norte de África, permite analizar el utillaje técnico utilizado por los urbanistas españoles en un singular momento: el de los albores de la ciudad funcional. La confluencia en este concurso de tres propuestas cuyos respectivos autores fueron los destacados arquitectos urbanistas César Cort, Pedro Muguruza y Gaspar Blein, nos permite conocer los avances y los retrocesos del urbanismo español del momento, a la vez que su permeabilidad a las nuevas ideas fruto de la influencia de las redes internacionales del urbanismo

An Extract from the Plant Deschampsia antarctica

The Antarctic plant Deschampsia antarctica (DA) is able to survive in extreme conditions thanks to its special mechanism of protection against environmental aggressions. In this work, we investigated whether an aqueous extract of the plant (EDA) retains some of its defensive properties and is able to protect our skin against common external oxidants. We evaluated EDA over young human fibroblasts and exposed to H2O2, and we measured cell proliferation, viability, and senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-Gal). We also tested the expression of several senescence-associated proteins including sirtuin1, lamin A/C, the replicative protein PCNA, and the redox protein thioredoxin 2. We found that EDA promoted per se cell proliferation and viability and increased the expression of anti-senescence-related markers. Then, we selected a dose of H2O2 as an inductor of senescence in human fibroblasts, and we found that an EDA treatment 24 h prior H2O2 exposure increased fibroblast proliferation. EDA significantly inhibited the increase in SA-β-Gal levels induced by H2O2 and promoted the expression of sirtuin 1 and lamin A/C proteins. Altogether, these results suggest that EDA protects human fibroblasts from cellular senescence induced by H2O2, pointing to this compound as a potential therapeutic agent to treat or prevent skin senescence

Rehabilitación implantoprotésica en el paciente oncológico: experiencia de 20 años

Resumen Los pacientes que han sido tratados por un proceso oncológico se encuentran con una alteración de funciones básicas, como la masticación, fonación y estética, que les impide desarrollar una vida normal en cuanto a la alimentación, habla y relaciones sociales, lo que disminuye de forma manifiesta su calidad de vida. En la medida de lo posible la restitución del tejido perdido se puede realizar con prótesis dental, si bien los implantes en estas situaciones han supuesto un elemento clave debido a que la alteración de la mucosa hace que el apoyo mucoso sea difícil. Tras 20 años de experiencia y dedicación en la Unidad de Rehabilitación Protésica de la Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Cirugía Oral y Maxilofacial en los Hospitales Universitarios Virgen del Rocío, nos planteamos estudiar los resultados obtenidos en dicha Unidad, analizando la supervivencia de los implantes endoóseos colocados en pacientes que han sido tratados de un cáncer en la cavidad oral y que, tras dos años supervivencia, precisan una rehabilitación protésic

Management of permanent teeth with necrotic pulps and open apices according to the stage of root development

This paper analyzed the distribution of treatments for permanent teeth with necrotic pulps and open apices according to the stage of root development. Dental records from all root canal procedures performed in permanent teeth with necrotic pulps and open apices over a period of 14 years by residents of the Speciality of Endodontics, University of Guadalajara, Mexico, were analized. Records from 206 treatments were mainly divided into the following 3 different stages according to criteria described by Cvek: stage IV (n = 79, 38.3%), stage V (n = 66, 32%) and stage III (n = 53, 25.7%). Few cases involved the initial stages of root development (stages I and II) (n = 8, 3.8%). Such teeth were submitted to four different treatments: MTA apical barrier (n = 69), Ca(OH)2 replacements (n = 34), gutta-percha (n = 67) and a plug of Ca(OH)2/gutta-percha (n = 36). The teeth with intermediate root development (Cvek stage III) showed a predilection for the MTA apical barrier and Ca(OH)2 replacement techniques (P ? 0.001). Furthermore, the stage of root development did not influence the apical extent of the root filling. The finding of permanent teeth with necrotic pulp and open apices is not exclusive to young patients with an open apex. Moreover, teeth with fragile, irregular and divergent apical morphologies, such as Cvek?s stages´ I and II, were not common and may be considered to be unusual findings. The diverse endodontic procedures were reliable regardless of the stage of root development

Morphological and ultrastructural characterization of neurospheres spontaneously generated in the culture from sheep ovarian cortical cells

Neurospheres (NS) derived from adult stem cells of non-neural tissues represent a promising source of neural stem cells (NSCs) and neural progenitor cells (NPCs) for autologous cell therapy. Knowing the fine structure of NS cells is essential for characterizing them during differentiation or oncogenic transformation. NS are generated by culturing ovarian cortical cells (OCCs) under specific conditions. To establish whether these OCCs exhibited a similar morphophenotype as those from the central nervous system (CNS) reported in the literature, sheep OCCs were cultured for 21 days to generate NS. Expression levels of pluripotency (Nanog, octamer-binding transcription factor 4 [Oct4], and SRY-box transcription factor 2 [Sox2]) and NSCs/NPCs (nestin, paired box 6 [Pax6], and p75 neurotrophin receptor [P75NTR]) transcripts were analyzed by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), the NSC/NPC antigens were immunolocalized, and structural and ultrastructural analyses were performed in OCC-NS on Days 10, 15, and 21 in culture. Spheroids expressed transcripts and antigens of pluripotency as well as NSCs/NPCs. Cells were arranged into an inner core, with frequent apoptotic and degenerative events, and a peripheral epitheliallike cover with abundant cytoplasmic organelles, apical microvilli, and filament bundles of cytoskeleton elements. Adherens junctions and apical tight and lateral loose interdigitations were found in peripheral cells that eventually lost apical– basal polarization, which might indicate their disengaging/aggregating from/to the NS. We can conclude that OCC-NS shares the most structural and ultrastructural characteristics with CNS-NS

Software educativo en el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje de la asignatura Ética y Bioética

Introduction: the teaching of ethics and bioethics is a latent need, a non-solved problem for higher education in all institutions and majors in current times, since the personnel graduated from medical universities requires treating from the ethic perception the scope of professional activity in the health area where he or she will make career, and thus to provide an approach to the principals, standards and values of the health care services in the context of the Cuban socialist project. Objective: to design a teaching aid that contributes with the teaching-learning process in the subject Ethics and Bioethics in the major Bachelor in Health Technology of the Consolación del Sur Municipal University Health Venue. Material and method: the present study was based on a technologic innovation project in the undergraduate section, from a comprehensive research approach, having a methodological basis the dialectical materialistic method. Theoretical, empirical, and statistical methods were used; within the first ones, the logical-historical, systemic-structural and the bibliographic review; within the second ones, surveys, interviews and observation. Results: there is lack of teaching aids supported by the educative technology satisfying accessibility in the assimilation of contents and motivation for learning thus contributing to perfecting the subject Ethics and Bioethics, insufficient understanding by the students of the importance of the subject for their professional performance, low levels of acquisition of skill by the students, and elements affecting the quality of the teaching learning process of this subject. Conclusions: a educative software was designed for studying the subject Ethics and Bioethics, which will permit the student an active, conscious and developing learning, facilitating the acquisition of skills and knowledge for professional performance. Consultation to the experts confirmed the validity of the educative software for the subject Ethics and Bioethics of the major Bachelor of Health Technology, and viability of its implementation in Consolación del Sur Municipal University Health Venue.Introducción: la enseñanza de la ética y bioética es una necesidad palpable, un problema no resuelto para la educación superior en todos sus centros y carreras, en los momentos actuales, puesto que el profesional egresado de las universidades médicas necesita abordar desde la reflexión ética el ámbito de la actividad profesional en la esfera de la salud donde se va a desarrollar, para así propiciar un acercamiento a los principios, normas y valores del quehacer salubrista en el contexto del proyecto socialista cubano. Objetivo: diseñar un medio de enseñanza, que contribuya al proceso de enseñanza_aprendizaje en la asignatura Ética y Bioética en la carrera de Licenciatura en Tecnología de la Salud, de la Filial Universitaria Municipal de Salud, Consolación del Sur. Material y método: el presente estudio se basó en un proyecto de innovación tecnológica, en el área de pregrado a partir de un enfoque investigativo integral teniendo como base metodológica el método dialéctico materialista. Por lo que se emplearon métodos teóricos, empíricos y estadísticos, dentro de los primeros, el histórico-lógico, sistémico-estructural y el análisis documental y en el segundo grupo encuestas, entrevistas y la observación. Resultados: se manifiesta en la carencia de medios de enseñanza apoyados por la tecnología educativa que satisfaga la asequibilidad en la asimilación de los contenidos y la motivación por el aprendizaje para contribuir al perfeccionamiento de la asignatura Ética y Bioética, insuficiente comprensión por parte de los estudiantes de la importancia de la asignatura para su actuación profesional, bajos niveles de motivación en la adquisición de habilidades en los estudiantes, elementos que atentan contra la efectividad y calidad del proceso de enseñanza aprendizaje de esta asignatura. Conclusiones: se diseñó un software educativo para el estudio de la asignatura Ética y Bioética, que permitirá a los estudiantes un aprendizaje activo, consciente y desarrollador, facilitando la adquisición de habilidades y conocimientos para el modo de actuación profesional. La consulta a los expertos confirmó la validez del Software Educativo para la asignatura Ética y Bioética, de la carrera Licenciatura en Tecnología de la Salud, y la viabilidad de su implementación en la Filial Universitaria Municipal de Salud, Consolación del Sur

Potent virucidal activity in vitro of photodynamic therapy with Hpericum extract as photosensitizer and white light against human coronavirus HCoV-229E

The emergent human coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and its high infectivity rate has highlighted the strong need for new virucidal treatments. In this sense, the use of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with white light, to take advantage of the sunlight, is a potent strategy for decreasing the virulence and pathogenicity of the virus. Here, we report the virucidal effect of PDT based on Hypericum extract (HE) in combination with white light, which exhibits an inhibitory activity of the human coronavirus HCoV-229E on hepatocarcinoma Huh-7 cells. Moreover, despite continuous exposure to white light, HE has long durability, being able to maintain the prevention of viral infection. Given its potent in vitro virucidal capacity, we propose HE in combination with white light as a promising candidate to fight against SARS-CoV-2 as a virucidal compoundThis research was funded by Fundación Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, grant number PI21/00315 and by Instituto de Salud Carlos III, grant number PI21/00953. Institutional Review Board Statement: Not applicabl

Plan de empresa y comunicación para Paréntesis

En aquest treball, s'ha desenvolupat un pla d'empresa i un pla de comunicació pel projecte d'una startup: Paréntesis. Aquest es planteja com un local d'oci, en concret un videoclub, ubicat a la ciutat de Barcelona. Paréntesis barreja el cinema i els videojocs per complir el seu propòsit: oferir als joves una pausa en el temps a la seva frenètica rutina.En este trabajo, se ha desarrollado un plan de empresa y un plan de comunicación para el proyecto de una startup: Paréntesis. Este se plantea como un local de ocio, en concreto un videoclub, ubicado en la ciudad de Barcelona. Paréntesis mezcla el cine y los videojuegos para cumplir su propósito: ofrecer a los jóvenes una pausa en el tiempo en su frenética rutina.This paper develops a business and communication plan for a startup project: Paréntesis, which is presented as a new leisure local, in particular a videoclub, based in Barcelona city. Paréntesis mixes cinema and video games in order to accomplish its purpose: bring the young people a break in their frenetic routine