Equal Opportunities and Inclusion in Higher Education Institutions of Ecuador

This article aims to place the theme of equal opportunities and educational inclusion in Higher Education Institutions, analyze the challenges of universities regarding guaranteeing these rights, all within the framework of what is established in the different instruments international and national, to show their state of art in view of the need to implement policies and actions in order to respect, protect, guarantee and promote the right to higher education through the conditions of full equality for all the actors that are part from the university community, various orientations, initiatives, advances, potentials and difficulties arise that arise in the challenge of achieving inclusive universities. Despite advances in international and national legislation, it is still a pending challenge for Higher 302 Education Institutions to guarantee equal opportunities and inclusive education. Key Works: Equality. University inclusion. Inclusive education. Excluded groups. Keywords: disability, diversity. Resumen Este artículo, tiene como propósito situar a la temática de la igualdad de oportunidades y la inclusión educativa en las Instituciones de Educación Superior, analizar los retos de las universidades respecto a garantizar estos derechos, todo ello en el marco de lo establecido en los diferentes instrumentos internacionales y nacionales, que muestre su estado de arte ante la necesidad de implementar políticas y acciones con el fin de respetar, proteger, garantizar y promover el derecho a la educación superior a través de las condiciones de plena igualdad para todos los actores que forman parte de la comunidad universitaria, se plantean diversas orientaciones, iniciativas, avances, potencialidades y dificultades que se presentan en el desafío de lograr universidades inclusivas. A pesar de existir avances en la legislación internacional y nacional, aún constituye un reto pendiente para las Instituciones de Educación Superior el garantizar la igualdad de oportunidades y la educación inclusiva. Palabras claves: Igualdad. Inclusión Universitaria. Educación Inclusiva. Grupos excluidos. Palabras clave: discapacidad, diversidad

Epidemiology of salmonellosis in sow units of Catalonia (Spain)

A bacteriological study aimed to the detection of sows excreting Salmonella was carried out in 74 sow units. Individual faecal samples were collected and a detailed questionnaire was filled in each farm and the data gathered were used in a bivariate logistic regression analysis to determine risk factors for Salmonella positivity. In 18 farms (24.32 %) Salmonella carriers were detected. Of the total 1480 samples analysed, 50 were positive (3.38 %), accounting for 11 different serotypes. Within positive farms, 13.8 % of sows were positive. Epidemiologic analysis of the results showed three main risk factors: to have open-flushed drainage of slurry, rodent control, and the number of sows in the unit. Our results showed that, in infected farms, the proportion of sows actively excreting Salmonella was considerably high (3.38 %). This fact, and the risk factors detected should be taken into account when designing effective plans for the control of salmonellosis in sows

Nonequilibrium dynamics of a stochastic model of anomalous heat transport

We study the dynamics of covariances in a chain of harmonic oscillators with conservative noise in contact with two stochastic Langevin heat baths. The noise amounts to random collisions between nearest-neighbour oscillators that exchange their momenta. In a recent paper, [S Lepri et al. J. Phys. A: Math. Theor. 42 (2009) 025001], we have studied the stationary state of this system with fixed boundary conditions, finding analytical exact expressions for the temperature profile and the heat current in the thermodynamic (continuum) limit. In this paper we extend the analysis to the evolution of the covariance matrix and to generic boundary conditions. Our main purpose is to construct a hydrodynamic description of the relaxation to the stationary state, starting from the exact equations governing the evolution of the correlation matrix. We identify and adiabatically eliminate the fast variables, arriving at a continuity equation for the temperature profile T(y,t), complemented by an ordinary equation that accounts for the evolution in the bulk. Altogether, we find that the evolution of T(y,t) is the result of fractional diffusion.Comment: Submitted to Journal of Physics A, Mathematical and Theoretica

Comparison of two commercial ELISA for the diagnosis of salmonellosis in swine

Three hundred and sixty-one pig sera collected in farms of Catalonia were randomly selected from a serum bank. Samples were examined by using two commercial ELISA kits. Results were compared with the kappa value using WinEpiscope. Besides, sample/positive ratios (S/P) were calculated. Comparison of results of both ELISA yielded a poor agreement (kappa 0.191), indicating that both ELISA did not measure the same. In addition, when raw optical densities were compared by means of a regression analysis, the results indicated a low correlation (r = 0.54 ). The results of this study clearly indicate that results of both kits are not interchangeable and that normalization of results by using S/P ratios did not serve to improve the agreement between tests. From our results, it is tempting to suggest that Salmotype detects a greater number of IgM positive pigs. The nature of these IgMs (salmonella-specific or not) is not known to us at this moment

The false root-knot nematode Nacobbus aberrans modifies the level of phenylpropanoid compounds during infection of chilli pepper

[SPA] En este trabajo, algunos metabolitos fenilpropanoide en plantas de chile CM334 infectadas por el nemátodo falso agallador Nacobbus aberrans fueron determinados. Las raíces fueron químicamente analizadas para su contenido de lignina y perfil de fenilpropanoides mediante un ensayo cuantitativo de lignina y HPLC-ESI/MS. El efecto in vitro de flavonoides en larvas juveniles (J2) de N. aberrans y Meloidogyne incognita también fue probado. El contenido de lignina fue similar en todos los tratamientos, excepto cuando M. incognita estuvo involucrado (P<0.05). Ácidos fenólicos (hidroxibenzoico –pHBA-, gálico, caféico, siríngico, ferúlico, vanílico y clorogénico) y el flavonoid quercetin-3-rutinósido fueron encontrados en el sistema radical. La concentración de los ácidos pHBA, ferúlico y clorogénico fue menor en las plantas inoculadas en comparación con el control (P<0.05) en cualquier tiempo de muestreo. El compuesto quercetin-3-rutinósido tuvo un efecto nematicida en larvas de N. aberrans, mientras que éste solamente tuvo un efecto nematostático en M. incognita. Estos resultados indican que N. aberrans modifica el nivel de compuestos fenilpropanoides durante la infección de chile. [ENG] In this work, some phenylpropanoid metabolites in CM334 chilli pepper plants infected by the false root-knot nematode Nacobbus aberrans were determined. Roots were chemically analyzed for their lignin content and phenylpropanoid profile by quantitative lignin assay and HPLC-ESI/MS. The in vitro effect of flavonoids on second-stage juveniles (J2) of N. aberrans and Meloidogyne incognita was also tested. The lignin content was similar in all treatments excepting when M. incognita was involved (P<0.05). Phenolic acids (Hidroxibenzoic -pHBA-, gallic, caffeic, syringic, ferulic, vanillic and chlorogenic) and the flavonoid quercetin-3-O-rutinoside were found in the root system. Concentration of pHBA, ferulic and chlorogenic acids was lower in inoculated plants than in the control (P<0.05) at any sampling date. Quercetin-3-O-rutinoside had a nematocidal effect on J2 of N. aberrans, whereas it only had a nemastatic effect on M. incognita. These results indicate that N. aberrans modifies the level of phenylpropanoid compounds during the infection of chilli pepper.Our thanks go to Dirección General Académica of Universidad Autónoma Chapingo for the financial support for participate in WiA2016. Thanks are due to CONACYT for financial support of the Research Project 46331-Z

Changes in the phenylpropanoid metabolism induced by Nacobbus aberrans in chilli pepper CM334 resitant to Phytophthora capsici

[SPA] La línea endogámica de chile Criollo de Morelos 334 (CM334I es resistente a Phytophthora capsici Leonian, pero Nacobbus aberrans Thorne and Allen, 1944 podría romper su resistencia en plantas previamente infectadas por el nemátodo. Éste fenómeno es conocido como “ruptura de la resistencia”. La resistencia de las plantas de chile CM334 ha sido asociada con la ruta de los fenilpropanoides. Tanto los ácidos fenólicos como los flavonoides son metabolitos sintetizados a través de esa ruta metabólica y juegan importantes funciones en la interacción planta-patógeno. El objetivo de esta tesis doctoral será determinar qué cambios son inducidos por N. aberrans en la ruta fenilpropanoide que podrían convertir al tejido resistente en un substrato favorable para el establecimiento de P. capscici. Los cambios inducidos por N. aberrans en la actividad de la L-fenil alanina amonio liasa, el contenido total de fenoles solubles totales, el establecimiento de un perfil y la caracterización de ácidos fenólicos solubles y flavonoides, el efecto tóxico de los flavonoides de la raíz en nemátodos y el contenido de lignina en plantas de chile CM334 podrían ser asociados a esta ruptura de la resistencia a P. capscici en chile CM334. [ENG] The inbred chilli line Criollo de Morelos 334 (CM334) is resistant to Phytophthora capsici Leonian, but Nacobbus aberrans Thorne and Allen, 1944 could break down resistance of plants previously infected by this nematode. This phenomenon is known as “resistance breakdown”. The resistance of CM334 chilli pepper plant has been associated to the phenylpropanoid pathway. Both phenolic acids and flavonoids metabolites are synthesized in this metabolic pathway and play an important role in the plant-pathogen interaction. The goal of this PhD project will be to determine which changes are induced by N. aberrans in the phenylperopanoid pathway that could turn the resistant plant tissues into a favourable sub-stratum for the establishment of P. capscici. Changes induced by N. aberrans on L-phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity, total soluble phenols content, the profiling and characterization of soluble phenolic acids and flavonoids, the toxic effect of root flavonoids on nematodes and the lignin content of CM334 chilli pepper plants may be associated to the breakdown of resistance to P. capscici in CM334 chilli pepper.We would like to thank the Structural Research Laboratory (SRL) at the Department of Chemistry of University of Warsaw for using HPLC–MS. SRL has been established with financial support from European Regional Development Found in the Sectorial Operational Programme “Improvement of the competitiveness of Enterprises, years 2004–2005” project no: WPK_1/1.4.3./1/2004/72/72/165/2005/U. The first author thanks Dirección General Académica of Universidad Autónoma Chapingo for the financial support to participate in WiA15

Modification in the phenylpropanoid metabolism induced by the false root-knot nematode Nacobbus aberrans in chilli pepper CM334

[SPA] La resistencia del genotipo de chile CM334 contra las tres especies de nematodos agalladores y al oomiceto Phytophthora capsici ha sido asociada con la ruta fenilpropanoide del metabolismo secundario. Sin embargo, el nemátodo falso agallador de raíz Nacobbus aberrans podría inducir cambios en esta ruta. La actividad de la enzima L-fenil alanina amonio liasa (PAL) y el contenido de fenoles solubles totales (FST) fueron determinados en plantas de CM334 inoculadas con N. aberrans, P. capsici o con ambos patógenos. El perfilado de compuestos fenilpropanoide fue analizado mediante HPL-ESI/MS. Los valores más altos de la actividad de PAL y contenido de FST fueron registrados en plantas inoculadas únicamente con P. capsici, mientras aquellas plantas inoculadas con N. aberrans solo o en combinación con P. capsici mostraron los niveles más bajos (P<0.05). Ácidos fenólicos (p-HBA, gálico, caféico, siríngico, sinápico, ferúlico, vanílico, p-coumárico y clorogénico) y flavonoides (rutina, apigenina y luteolina) fueron encontrados en el follaje. El ácido clorogénico y la leutolina fueron los compuestos fenilpropanoides en mayor cantidad en CM334. La concentración de los ácidos p-HBA, clorogénico y los flavonoides fue más baja en las plantas inoculadas con N. aberrans que en el control (P<0.05) en cualquier tiempo de muestreo. N. aberrans indujo modificaciones en el metabolism fenilpropanoide. [ENG] Resistance in the genotype of chilli pepper CM334 against the three major species of root-knot nematodes and the oomycete Phytophthora capsici has been associated with the phenylpropanoid pathway of secondary metabolism. However, the false root-knot nematode Nacobbus aberrans could induces changes in this pathway. In this work, L-phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity and the content of total soluble phenols (TSP) were determined in foliage of CM334 plants inoculated with N. aberrans, P. capsici or both pathogens. Besides, the phenylpropanoid profile was analyzed by HPLC-ESI/MS. The highest values of PAL activity and content of TSP were registered in plants inoculated only with P. capsici, while those plants inoculated with N. aberrans alone or in combination with P. capsici showed the lowest level (P<0.05). Phenolic acids (p-HBA, gallic, caffeic, syringic, sinapic, ferulic, vanillic, p-coumaric and chlorogenic) and flavonoids (rutin, apigenin and luteolin) were found in foliage. Chlorogenic acid and luteolin were the phenylpropanoid compounds in highest quantity in CM334. Concentration of p-hidroxy benzoic and chlorogenic acids and flavonoids was lower in plants inoculated with N. aberrans than in the control (P<0.05) at any sampling date. These results confirm that N. aberrans induced modifications in phenylpropanoid metabolism.Our thanks go to Dirección General Académica of Universidad Autónoma Chapingo for the financial support for participate in WiA17. We also appreciate at the Structural Research Laboratory (University of Warsaw, Poland) for using HPLC-ESI-MS

Proof-of-principle validation of a novel intraluminal optical sensor for dynamic monitoring of intestinal anastomosis: An in vivo animal model case study

Intestinal resections are commonly performed to treat different colorectal conditions, including colorectal cancer. A successful primary anastomosis is the desired optimal outcome after intestinal resection. Maintaining adequate blood flow across the anastomosis is paramount for reducing anastomotic failure. Currently, there are no clinical devices capable of continuously assessing blood flow and blood perfusion at an anastomosis during and after surgery. The aim of this study was to develop an indwelling optical sensor for the monitoring of perfusion biomarkers using photoplethysmography and near-infrared spectroscopy principles. In an animal in-vivo proof-of-principle study, it was found that the developed sensor performed appropriately for the assessment of blood flow and perfusion in an anastomosis, showing changes in the assessed parameters after gradual devascularization of the transected bowel

Comparison of pulse rate variability and morphological features of photoplethysmograms in estimation of blood pressure

Photoplethysmography is an optical technique that produces a wealth of information about cardiovascular health. Therefore, the technology has become an integral part of personal health monitoring devices. Given the importance of blood pressure measurement and control in physical and mental health, in recent years, the estimation of blood pressure from photoplethysmography has been an active area of research with promising results. Most studies on the subject rely on the morphological features of the photoplethysmogram. These features are highly prone to noise, changes in sensor placement, and skin properties; including skin colour. To address these limitations, we investigated the feasibility of using pulse rate variability features which are known to be less prone to the aforementioned limitations. To this end, we collected high quality photoplethysmograms using a bespoke, research-grade device from 18 healthy subjects. Approximately 15 min of photoplethysmograms and continuous blood pressure waveforms were collected from each subject. We trained machine learning models based on different feature sets and compared their performances. The model with morphological features alone outperformed the model with pulse rate variability features, root mean squared error (RMSE) of 6.32 vs 7.23 mmHg. However, the best performance was obtained using the combined set of features (RMSE: 5.71 mmHg). Combined, the evidence shows that the estimation of BP from PRV, alone or in conjunction with morphological features, is feasible. In light of the limitations of morphological features in estimation of blood pressure, our findings lend support to further research on the use of pulse rate variability features