A Lightweight Method for Detecting and Correcting Errors in Low-Frequency Measurements for In-Orbit Demonstrators.

In the pursuit of enhancing the technological maturity of innovative magnetic sensing techniques, opportunities presented by in-orbit platforms (IOD/IOV experiments) provide a means to evaluate their in-flight capabilities. The Magnetic Experiments for the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (MELISA) represent a set of in-flight demonstrators designed to characterize the low-frequency noise performance of a magnetic measurement system within a challenging space environment. In Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, electronic circuits are exposed to high levels of radiation coming from energetic particles trapped by the Earth's magnetic field, solar flares, and galactic cosmic rays. A significant effect is the accidental bit-flipping in memory registers. This work presents an analysis of memory data redundancy resources using auxiliary second flash memory and exposes recovery options to retain critical data utilizing a duplicated data structure. A new and lightweight technique, CCM (Cross-Checking and Mirroring), is proposed to verify the proper performance of these techniques. Four alternative algorithms included in the original version of the MELISA software (Version v0.0) are presented. All the versions have been validated and evaluated according to various merit indicators. The evaluations showed similar performances for the proposed techniques, and they are valid for situations in which the flash memory suffers from more than one bit-flip. The overhead due to the introduction of additional instructions to the main code is negligible, even in the target experiment based on an 8-bit microcontroller.

The first genome-wide association study in the Argentinian and Chilean populations identifies shared genetics with Europeans in Alzheimer's disease.

INTRODUCTION: Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are fundamental for identifying loci associated with diseases. However, they require replication in other ethnicities. METHODS: We performed GWAS on sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD) including 539 patients and 854 controls from Argentina and Chile. We combined our results with those from the European Alzheimer and Dementia Biobank (EADB) in a meta-analysis and tested their genetic risk score (GRS) performance in this admixed population. RESULTS: We detected apolipoprotein E ε4 as the single genome-wide significant signal (odds ratio  = 2.93 [2.37-3.63], P = 2.6 × 10-23 ). The meta-analysis with EADB summary statistics revealed four new loci reaching GWAS significance. Functional annotations of these loci implicated endosome/lysosomal function. Finally, the AD-GRS presented a similar performance in these populations, despite the score diminished when the Native American ancestry rose. DISCUSSION: We report the first GWAS on AD in a population from South America. It shows shared genetics modulating AD risk between the European and these admixed populations. HIGHLIGHTS: This is the first genome-wide association study on Alzheimer's disease (AD) in a population sample from Argentina and Chile. Trans-ethnic meta-analysis reveals four new loci involving lysosomal function in AD. This is the first independent replication for TREM2L, IGH-gene-cluster, and ADAM17 loci. A genetic risk score (GRS) developed in Europeans performed well in this population. The higher the Native American ancestry the lower the GRS values.

Pediatric Tele-Critical Care: Initial Experience with a Continuous Surveillance Model Aiming to Prevent Cardiac Arrest in Children with Critical Heart Disease.

Introduction: Despite advances in treatment of children with critical heart disease, cardiac arrest (CA) remains a common occurrence. We provided virtual support to bedside teams (BTs) from a tele-critical care (TCC) unit in a pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) and focused on early detection of concerning trends (CT) and avoidance of CA. Virtual surveillance workflows included a review of remote monitoring, video feed from patient room cameras, medical records, and artificial intelligence tools. We present our initial experience with a focus on critical communications (CCs) to BTs. Methods: A retrospective, descriptive review of TCC activities was conducted from January 2019 to December 2022, involving electronic databases and electronic medical records of patients in the CICU, including related CCs to BTs, responses from BTs, and related CA. Results: We conducted 18,171 TCC activities, including 2,678 non-CCs and 248 CCs. Over time, there was a significant increase in the proportion of CCs related with CT (p = 0.002), respiratory concerns (<0.001), and abnormalities in cardiac rhythm (p = 0.04). Among a sample of 244 CCs, subsequent interventions by BTs resulted in adjustment of medical treatment (127), respiratory support (68), surgery or intervention (19), cardiac rhythm control (17), imaging study (14), early resuscitation (9), and others (10). Conclusions: CCs from a TCC unit in a pediatric CICU changed over time with an increased focus on CT and resulted in early interventions, potentially contributing to avoiding CA. This model of care in pediatric cardiac critical care has the potential to improve patient safety.

Exploiting the PIR Sensor Analog Behavior as Thermoreceptor: Movement Direction Classification Based on Spiking Neurons.

Pyroelectric infrared sensors (PIR) are widely used as infrared (IR) detectors due to their basic implementation, low cost, low power, and performance. Combined with a Fresnel lens, they can be used as a binary detector in applications of presence and motion control. Furthermore, due to their features, they can be used in autonomous intelligent devices or included in robotics applications or sensor networks. In this work, two neural processing architectures are presented: (1) an analog processing approach to achieve the behavior of a presynaptic neuron from a PIR sensor. An analog circuit similar to the leaky integrate and fire model is implemented to be able to generate spiking rates proportional to the IR stimuli received at a PIR sensor. (2) An embedded postsynaptic neuron where a spiking neural network matrix together with an algorithm based on digital processing techniques is introduced. This structure allows connecting a set of sensors to the post-synaptic circuit emulating an optic nerve. As a case study, the entire neural processing approach presented in this paper is applied to optical flow detection considering a four-PIR array as input. The results validate both the spiking approach for an analog sensor presented and the ability to retrieve the analog information sent as spike trains in a simulated optic nerve.

Characterization of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Effector Proteins.

Plants are colonized by various fungi with both pathogenic and beneficial lifestyles. One type of colonization strategy is through the secretion of effector proteins that alter the plant's physiology to accommodate the fungus. The oldest plant symbionts, the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), may exploit effectors to their benefit. Genome analysis coupled with transcriptomic studies in different AMFs has intensified research on the effector function, evolution, and diversification of AMF. However, of the current 338 predicted effector proteins from the AM fungus Rhizophagus irregularis, only five have been characterized, of which merely two have been studied in detail to understand which plant proteins they associate with to affect the host physiology. Here, we review the most recent findings in AMF effector research and discuss the techniques used for the functional characterization of effector proteins, from their in silico prediction to their mode of action, with an emphasis on high-throughput approaches for the identification of plant targets of the effectors through which they manipulate their hosts.

Moderately hypofractionated post-operative radiation therapy for breast cancer: preferences amongst radiation oncologists from countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Background: The safety and effectiveness of moderately hypofractionated post-operative radiation therapy for breast cancer were demonstrated by several trials. This study aimed to evaluate the current patterns of practice and prescription preference about moderately hypofractionated post-operative radiation therapy to assess possible aspects that affect the decision-making process regarding the use of fractionation in breast cancer patients in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). We also aimed to identify factors that can restrain the utilization of moderately hypofractionated post-operative radiation therapy for breast cancer. Materials an methods: Radiation oncologists from LAC were invited to contribute to this study. A 38-question survey was used to evaluate their opinions. Results: A total of 173 radiation oncologists from 13 countries answered the questionnaire. The majority of respondents (84.9%) preferred moderately hypofractionated post-operative radiation therapy as their first choice in cases of whole breast irradiation. Whole breast plus regional nodal irradiation, post-mastectomy (chest wall and regional nodal irradiation) without reconstruction, and post-mastectomy (chest wall and regional node irradiation) with reconstruction hypofractionated post-operative radiation therapy was preferred by 72.2% 71.1%, and 53.7% of respondents, respectively. Breast cancer stage, and flap-based breast reconstruction were the factors associated with absolute contraindications for the use of hypofractionated schedules. Conclusion: Even though moderately hypofractionated post-operative radiation therapy for breast cancer is considered a new standard to the vast majority of the patients, its unrestricted application in clinical practice across LAC still faces reluctance.

A computational approach to biological pathogenicity.

The current pandemic (COVID-19) has made evident the need to approach pathogenicity from a deeper and more systematic perspective that might lead to methodologies to quickly predict new strains of microbes that could be pathogenic to humans. Here we propose as a solution a general and principled definition of pathogenicity that can be practically implemented in operational ways in a framework for characterizing and assessing the (degree of) potential pathogenicity of a microbe to a given host (e.g., a human individual) just based on DNA biomarkers, and to the point of predicting its impact on a host a priori to a meaningful degree of accuracy. The definition is based on basic biochemistry, the Gibbs free Energy of duplex formation between oligonucleotides and some deep structural properties of DNA revealed by an approximation with certain properties. We propose two operational tests based on the nearest neighbor (NN) model of the Gibbs Energy and an approximating metric (the h-distance.) Quality assessments demonstrate that these tests predict pathogenicity with an accuracy of over 80%, and sensitivity and specificity over 90%. Other tests obtained by training machine learning models on deep features extracted from DNA sequences yield scores of 90% for accuracy, 100% for sensitivity and 80% for specificity. These results hint towards the possibility of an operational, objective, and general conceptual framework for prior identification of pathogens and their impact without the cost of death or sickness in a host (e.g., humans.) Consequently, a reasonable prediction of possible pathogens might pave the way to eventually transform the way we handle and prepare for future pandemic events and mitigate the adverse impact on human health, while reducing the number of clinical trials to obtain similar results.

Are there any seasonal variations in 25-hydroxyvitamin D and parathyroid hormone serum levels in children and adolescents with severe obesity?

The objective of this study was to analyze the prevalence of hypovitaminosis D in children with severe obesity. We hypothesized that severe obesity could modify the seasonal variations in 25(OH)D and PTH serum levels throughout the year. A cross-sectional clinical and blood testing (calcium, phosphorus, 25(OH)D, and PTH) was carried out in 282 patients with severe obesity, aged 7.2-15.2 years. A control group was recruited (348 healthy children, aged 7.1-14.9 years). The criteria of the US Endocrine Society were used for the definition of hypovitaminosis D. Vitamin D deficiency and hyperparathyroidism were more frequent (p < 0.05) in the obesity group (44.5 vs. 11.5% and 22.4 vs. 3.9%, respectively). There were seasonal variations in 25(OH)D levels in the obesity group, but they were lower (p < 0.05) with respect to the control group. In contrast, PTH levels were higher (p < 0.05) in the obesity group with respect to the control group, but there were no significant seasonal variations in PTH levels.Conclusion: Suboptimal vitamin D status and high levels of PTH are a common feature in pediatric population with severe obesity. In these patients, the seasonal variations in 25(OH)D were not modified, and PTH levels remained increased throughout the year, but without any seasonal variations. What is Known: • Obesity has been associated with lower 25(OH)D and higher PTH levels. • Relation among vitamin D and PTH through a natural year in children with obesity is partially known. What is New: • Seasonal variations in 25(OH)D are maintained in children with severe obesity, but PTH levels remained increased throughout the year, without seasonal variations. • -PTH levels in obesity are independent of vitamin D status and do not appear to represent secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Effects of Kinesio Taping on Post-Needling Induced Pain After Dry Needling of Active Trigger Point in Individuals With Mechanical Neck Pain.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the application of kinesio taping in reducing induced pain after dry needling of active trigger points (TrPs) to the upper trapezius muscle. METHODS: Consecutive patients had mechanical neck pain (n = 34, 44% female) with active TrPs in the upper trapezius muscle. All participants received dry needling into upper trapezius active TrPs. Then, they were randomly divided into a kinesio taping group, which received an adhesive tape (Kinesio Tex), and a control group, which did not receive the taping. The numeric pain rating scale was assessed (0-10) at post-needling; immediately after; and 24 hours, 48 hours, and 72 hours after needling. Neck- and shoulder-related disability was assessed before and 72 hours after needling with the Neck Disability Index (NDI) and the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index, respectively. The pressure pain threshold (PPT) over the TrP was also assessed post-needling, immediately post-intervention, and 72 hours after needling. RESULTS: The analysis of covariance did not find a significant group × time interaction (P = .26) for post-needling soreness: both groups exhibited similar changes in post-needling induced pain (P < .001). No significant group × time interactions were observed for changes in NDI (P = .62), SPADI (P = .41), or PPTs (P = .52): similar improvements were found after the needling procedure for the NDI (P < .001), Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (P < .001), and PPT (P < .001). The number of local twitch responses and sex (all, P > .30) did not influence the effect for any outcome. CONCLUSION: The application of kinesio taping after dry needling of active TrPs in the upper trapezius muscle was not effective for reducing post-needling induced pain in people with mechanical neck pain. Further, the application of kinesio taping as a post-needling intervention did not influence short-term changes in disability.

The importance of image guided radiotherapy in small cell lung cancer: Case report and review of literature.

AIM: Describe the anatomical changes and tumor displacement due to a rapid response of a patient's small cell lung cancer (SCLC) during definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT). BACKGROUND: The treatment for SCLC is based on CRT. If interfractional changes during RT are incorrectly assessed they might compromise adequate coverage of the tumor or increase dose to organs at risk. Image guided RT with cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) allows to identify daily treatment variations. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Describe a SCLC case with rapid changes in size, shape and location of the primary tumor during RT. CASE REPORT: A 62-year-old woman was diagnosed with SCLC with complete obstruction of the anterior and lingular bronchi and incomplete left thorax expansion due to a 12 × 15 cm mass. During CRT (45 Gy in 1.5 Gy per fraction, twice daily) the patient presented rapid tumor response, leading to resolution of bronchi obstruction and hemithorax expansion. Tumor shifted up to 4 cm from its original position. The identification of variations led to two new simulations and planning in a 3-week treatment course. CONCLUSIONS: The complete radiological response was possible due to systematic monitoring of the tumor during CRT. We recommend frequent on-site image verification. Daily CBCT should be considered with pretreatment tumor obstruction, pleural effusion, atelectasis, large volumes or radiosensitive histology that might resolve early and rapidly and could lead to a miss of the tumor or increased toxicity. Further research should be made in replanning effect in coverage of microscopic disease since it increases uncertainty in this scenario.

Voluntary breath-hold reduces dose to organs at risk in radiotherapy of left-sided breast cancer.

AIM: To compare the dose to organs at risk with free breathing (FB) or voluntary breath-hold (VBH) during radiotherapy of patients with left sided breast cancer. BACKGROUND: Radiotherapy reduces the risk of breast-cancer-specific mortality but the effects on other organs increase non-cancer-specific mortality. Radiation exposure to the heart, in particular in patients with left sided breast cancer, can be reduced by breath hold methods that increase the distance between the heart and the radiation field. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) dose plans for the left breast and organs at risk including the heart, left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) and ipsilateral lung were compared with FB and VBH in ten patients with left sided breast cancer. RESULTS: The mean doses to the heart and LAD were reduced by 50.4 % (p < 0.001) and 58.8 % (p = 0.006), respectively, in VBH relative to FB. The mean dose to the ipsilateral lung was reduced by 13.8 % (p = 0.11) in VBH relative to FB. The planning target volume (PTV) coverage was at least 95 % in both FB and VBH (p = 0.78). CONCLUSION: The VBH technique significantly reduces the dose to organs at risk in 3D-CRT treatment plans of left sided breast cancer.

[Prevalence of hypovitaminosis D and associated factors in Spanish population of school children and adolescents]. / Prevalencia de hipovitaminosis D y factores asociados en la edad infantojuvenil.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the prevalence of hypovitaminosisD and associated factors in school children and adolescents living in a region of northern Spain. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study (convenience sampling). SETTING: Primary Health Care. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 602 Caucasian individuals (aged 3.1 to 15.4years) were included in the study. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: Prevalence of hypovitaminosisD were calculated (dependent variable). HypovitaminosisD is defined according to the US Endocrine Society criteria: deficiency (calcidiol <20ng/mL), insufficiency (calcidiol: 20-29ng/mL), and sufficiency (calcidiol ≥30ng/mL). Gender, age, body mass index, residence, and season of the year were recorded (independent variables), and their association with hypovitaminosisD was analysed by multiple regression. RESULTS: The prevalence of hypovitaminosisD was 60.4% (insufficiency: 44.6%; deficiency: 15.8%). Multivariate analysis showed that factors associated to hypovitaminosisD were being female (OR: 1.6; 95%CI: 1.1-2.3), pubertal age (OR: 1.8; 95%CI: 1.2-2.6), autumn (OR: 9.5; 95%CI: 4.8-18.7), winter (OR: 8.8; 95%CI: 4.5-17.5) and spring time (OR: 13.2; 95%CI: 6.4-27.5), living in urban areas (OR:1.6; CI95%: 1.1-2.2), and severe obesity (OR: 4.4; 95%CI: 1.9-10.3). CONCLUSIONS: There is a high prevalence of hypovitaminosisD in juvenile populations. being female, pubertal age, autumn, winter and spring seasons, severe obesity, and living in urban areas are factors associated to hypovitaminosisD. Consideration should be given to the administration of vitamin supplements and/or the increase in the ingestion of natural vitaminD dietary sources.

[Temperature and daily emergence of seven genera of Ephemeroptera (Insecta) in a cloud forest stream of tropical Andes]. / Temperatura y emergencia diaria de siete géneros de Ephemeroptera (Insecta) en un río de la Selva Nublada de los Andes Tropicales.

Daily emergence of mayflies in Neotropical rivers and their causes have been poorly studied. In temperate zones, this process is better known and attributed to several factors. In this work, we studied the daily emergence of subimagines of several Ephemeroptera genera in La Picón River of a Venezuelan Andean cloud forest and its relation with changes of environmental temperature. Four emergence traps were placed along a reach of 50 m of the stream, each one was examined each two hours in a 24 hr cycle to capture the newly emerged subimagos. This procedure was repeated for eight dates between November-2007 and February-2008 for a total of 32 observations in each sampling hour. The subimagos were reared to adults and identified to genus. The relative density of emergence per trap was calculated for each genus and sampling hour. Water and air temperature were measured each hour during the daily cycle of observation, and the averages of temperature and hour-degrees of air and water were calculated for each hour from the eight dates studied. Seven genera were identified: Leptohyphes Eaton, 1882 and Haplohyphes Allen 1966 (Leptophlebiidae); Prebaetodes Lugo-Ortiz and McCafferty, 1996, Andesiops Lugo-Ortiz and McCafferty, 1999, Baetodes Needham and Murphy, 1924 and Americabaetis Kluge, 1992 (Baetidae); and Thraulodes Ulmer, 1920 (Leptophlebiidae); being the more abundant Leptohyphes (38.4 %) and Thraulodes (20.5 %). The emergence occurred between 11:00 am and 23:00 pm showing the following: a) an emergence initiated during daylight hours by organisms of Leptohyphes, Prebaetodes and Haplohyphes; b) a nocturnal emergence, in Thraulodes, Andesiops, Baetodes and Americabaetis; and c) two peaks: one diurnal produced by Leptohyphes and other nocturnal with predominance of Thraulodes. These results are the first records on the diurnal daily emergence in Andesiops, Prebaetodes, Americabaetis, Haplohyphes, and Leptohyphes, as well as the nocturnal emergence in Thraulodes. It was evidenced that Leptohyphes, with small nymphs (average head width = 1.05 mm) needed to accumulate less hour-degrees to initiate the emergence than those required by Thraulodes whose nymphs are larger (average head width = 2.01 mm). This disparity in the emergence energy requirements must be consequence of differences between the sizes of mature nymphs of both genera; facts which rely on the constancy of sizes shown by these taxa along an altitudinal-thermal gradient and the little daily and seasonal variability of water temperature in La Picón River. In the daily lapse when the emergence occurred, the air and water average temperatures were higher than those registered in the no-emergence lapse; therefore; it is suggested that during the daily lapse, when this process occurs, the environment is thermally favorable for the emergence of subimagos and their survival out of water.

[First Mexican consensus on recommendations of the multidisciplinary care of patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM): Mexican Interdisciplinary Group on Neuro-Oncology Research (GIMINO)]. / Primer consenso mexicano sobre recomendaciones de la atención multidisciplinaria del paciente con glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Grupo Interdisciplinar Mexicano de Investigación en Neurooncología (GIMINO).

Glioblastoma multiforme is one of the most aggressive central nervous system tumors and with worse prognosis. Until now,treatments have managed to significantly increase the survival of these patients, depending on age, cognitive status, and autonomy of the individuals themselves. Based on these parameters, both initial or recurrence treatments are performed, as well as monitoring of disease by imaging studies. When the patient enters the terminal phase and curative treatments are suspended, respect for the previous wishes of the patient and development and implementation of palliative therapies must be guaranteed.

Implementation of intensity modulated radiotherapy for prostate cancer in a private radiotherapy service in Mexico.

Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) allows physicians to deliver higher conformal doses to the tumour, while avoiding adjacent structures. As a result the probability of tumour control is higher and toxicity may be reduced. However, implementation of IMRT is highly complex and requires a rigorous quality assurance (QA) program both before and during treatment. The present article describes the process of implementing IMRT for localized prostate cancer in a radiation therapy department. In our experience, IMRT implementation requires careful planning due to the need to simultaneously implement specialized software, multifaceted QA programs, and training of the multidisciplinary team. Establishing standardized protocols and ensuring close collaboration between a multidisciplinary team is challenging but essential.

Exploring the potential role of four Rhizophagus irregularis nuclear effectors: opportunities and technical limitations.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are obligate symbionts that interact with the roots of most land plants. The genome of the AMF model species Rhizophagus irregularis contains hundreds of predicted small effector proteins that are secreted extracellularly but also into the plant cells to suppress plant immunity and modify plant physiology to establish a niche for growth. Here, we investigated the role of four nuclear-localized putative effectors, i.e., GLOIN707, GLOIN781, GLOIN261, and RiSP749, in mycorrhization and plant growth. We initially intended to execute the functional studies in Solanum lycopersicum, a host plant of economic interest not previously used for AMF effector biology, but extended our studies to the model host Medicago truncatula as well as the non-host Arabidopsis thaliana because of the technical advantages of working with these models. Furthermore, for three effectors, the implementation of reverse genetic tools, yeast two-hybrid screening and whole-genome transcriptome analysis revealed potential host plant nuclear targets and the downstream triggered transcriptional responses. We identified and validated a host protein interactors participating in mycorrhization in the host.S. lycopersicum and demonstrated by transcriptomics the effectors possible involvement in different molecular processes, i.e., the regulation of DNA replication, methylglyoxal detoxification, and RNA splicing. We conclude that R. irregularis nuclear-localized effector proteins may act on different pathways to modulate symbiosis and plant physiology and discuss the pros and cons of the tools used.

Detection of Carcinoma-Associated Fibroblasts Derived from Mesothelial Cells via Mesothelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Primary Ovarian Carcinomas.

Carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are highly accumulated in the tumor-surrounding stroma of primary epithelial ovarian cancer (OC). CAFs exert important functions for the vascularization, growth, and progression of OC cells. However, the origin of CAFs in primary OC had not yet been studied, and they were assumed to arise from the activation of resident fibroblasts. Here, we compared CAFs in the ovary to CAFs found in peritoneal metastases from patients with advanced OC. Our findings show that CAFs from primary tumors and peritoneal metastases share the expression of mesothelial markers. Therefore, similar to peritoneal carcinomatosis, CAFs in primary ovarian carcinomas may originate from mesothelial cells via a mesothelial-to-mesenchymal transition. The detection of mesothelial-derived CAFs in tumors confined to the ovary and identification of biomarkers could be the key to the early detection of OC and peritoneal spread.

Plastid terminal oxidase (PTOX) has the potential to act as a safety valve for excess excitation energy in the alpine plant species Ranunculus glacialis L.

Ranunculus glacialis leaves were tested for their plastid terminal oxidase (PTOX) content and electron flow to photorespiration and to alternative acceptors. In shade-leaves, the PTOX and NAD(P)H dehydrogenase (NDH) content were markedly lower than in sun-leaves. Carbon assimilation/light and Ci response curves were not different in sun- and shade-leaves, but photosynthetic capacity was the highest in sun-leaves. Based on calculation of the apparent specificity factor of ribulose 1.5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco), the magnitude of alternative electron flow unrelated to carboxylation and oxygenation of Rubisco correlated to the PTOX content in sun-, shade- and growth chamber-leaves. Similarly, fluorescence induction kinetics indicated more complete and more rapid reoxidation of the plastoquinone (PQ) pool in sun- than in shade-leaves. Blocking electron flow to assimilation, photorespiration and the Mehler reaction with appropriate inhibitors showed that sun-leaves were able to maintain higher electron flow and PQ oxidation. The results suggest that PTOX can act as a safety valve in R. glacialis leaves under conditions where incident photon flux density (PFD) exceeds the growth PFD and under conditions where the plastoquinone pool is highly reduced. Such conditions can occur frequently in alpine climates due to rapid light and temperature changes.

Evolution of teaching in short-term courses: A systematic review.

Short-term courses are a useful tool for continuous training to update and deepen knowledge in various fields. In this article, we analyse the evolution of the teaching methods used in short-term courses through a systematic review conducted using the PRISMA methodology. The inclusion criteria for selecting articles were those that described the methodological structure of the teaching methods used in designing short-term courses. The exclusion criteria were courses longer than 90 days and unfinished documents. The search was conducted on April 9, 2022, using the SCOPUS database. The list of papers was reviewed and analysed three times by different researchers to ensure that they met the criteria. Articles approved by at least two researchers were selected. The results were systematically analysed based on criteria that allowed us to understand the learning methods used, such as the educational modality, content presentation, teaching methodology for teamwork and individual work, technological resources, and assessment methods. We selected 42 articles, and the results are presented in four parts: the learning experience, teaching methodology, technological resources, and assessment methods. One of the main findings is that short-term courses are primarily designed for experiential learning, and memory-related activities commonly used in traditional training are not typically included in short-term courses.