Perspectives on the adaptation of Japanese plum-type cultivars to reduced winter chilling in two regions of Spain.

Japanese plum, like other temperate fruit tree species, has cultivar-specific temperature requirements during dormancy for proper flowering. Knowing the temperature requirements of this species is of increasing interest due to the great genetic variability that exists among the available Japanese plum-type cultivars, since most of them are interspecific hybrids. The reduction of winter chilling caused by climate change is threatening their cultivation in many regions. In this work, the adaptation perspectives of 21 Japanese plum-type cultivars were analyzed in two of the main plum-growing regions in Spain, Badajoz and Zaragoza, to future climate conditions. Endodormancy release for subsequent estimation of chilling and heat requirements was determined through empirical experiments conducted during dormancy at least over two years. Chill requirements were calculated using three models [chilling hours (CH), chilling units (CU) and chilling portions (CP)] and heat requirements using growing degree hours (GDH). Chilling requirements ranged 277-851 CH, 412-1,030 CU and 26-51 CP, and heat requirements ranged from 4,343 to 9,525 GDH. The potential adaption of the cultivars to future warmer conditions in both regions was assessed using climate projections under two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP), RCP4.5 (effective reduction of greenhouse gas emissions) and RCP8.5 (continuous increase in greenhouse gas emissions), in two time horizons, from the middle to the end of 21st century, with temperature projections from 15 Global Climate Models. The probability of satisfying the estimated cultivar-specific chilling requirements in Badajoz was lower than in Zaragoza, because of the lower chill availability predicted. In this region, the cultivars analyzed herein may have limited cultivation because the predicted reduction in winter chill may result in the chilling requirements not being successfully fulfilled.

Chilling Requirements of Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) Cultivars Using Male Meiosis as a Dormancy Biomarker.

Apricot has undergone an important cultivar renewal during the last years in response to productive and commercial changes in the crop. The impact of the sharka disease (plum pox virus) prompted the release of cultivars resistant/tolerant to this virus, leading to a major cultivar renewal worldwide. This has caused high variability in chilling requirements on new releases that remain unknown in many cases. In many apricot-growing areas, the lack of winter chilling is becoming a limiting factor in recent years. To deal with this situation, growers must choose cultivars well adapted to their areas. However, the information available on the agroclimatic requirements of the cultivars is very limited. To fill this gap, in this work, we have characterized the chilling requirements of 13 new apricot cultivars from Europe (France, Greece and Spain) and North America (USA) in two experimental collections in Aragón (Spain). We established the chilling period using male meiosis as a biomarker for endodormancy release over two years. Chilling requirements ranged from 51.9 Chill Portions (CP) to 70.9 CP. Knowing the chilling requirements of cultivars will help growers to select suitable cultivars adapted to the chill availability of their region.

Study EDEN-12: Analysis of access to intensive care units of patients older than 65 years requiring emergency hospitalization.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between the age of an urgently hospitalized patient and his or her probability of admission to an intensive care unit (ICU). DESIGN: Observational, retrospective, multicenter study. SETTING: 42 Emergency Departments from Spain. TIME-PERIOD: April 1-7, 2019. PATIENTS: Patients aged ≥65 years hospitalized from Spanish emergency departments. INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN VARIABLES OF INTEREST: ICU admission, age sex, comorbidity, functional dependence and cognitive impairment. RESULTS: 6120 patients were analyzed (median age: 76 years; males: 52%. 309 (5%) were admitted to ICU (186 from ED, 123 from hospitalization). Patients admitted to the ICU were younger, male, and with less comorbidity, dependence and cognitive impairment, but there were no differences between those admitted from the ED and from hospitalization. The OR for ICU-admission adjusted by sex, comorbidity, dependence and dementia reached statistical significance >83 years (OR: 0.67; 95%CI: 0.45-0.49). In patients admitted to the ICU from ED, the OR did not begin to decrease until 79 years, and was significant >85 years (OR: 0.56, 95%CI: 0.34-0.92); while in those admitted to ICU from hospitalization, the decrease began 65 years of age, and were significant from 85 years (OR: 0.55, 95%CI: 0.30-0.99). Sex, comorbidity, dependency and cognitive deterioration of the patient did not modify the association between age and ICU-admission (overall, from the ED or hospitalization). CONCLUSIONS: After taking into account other factors that influence admission to the ICU (comorbidity, dependence, dementia), the chances of admission to the ICU of older patients hospitalized on an emergency basis begin to decrease significantly after 83 years of age. There may be differences in the probability of admission to the ICU from the ED or from hospitalization according to age.

Transcutaneous Tibial Nerve Stimulation for Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Primary dysmenorrhea (PD) is a painful menstruation that can persist for the duration of a woman's fertile life. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, hormonal therapy, physiotherapy techniques, etc., are the main treatments. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of transcutaneous posterior tibial nerve stimulation (TTNS) in PD patients. The study will consist of a single-blind randomized clinical trial, parallel-assigned with two arms. Women with PD (18-43 years) with regular menstrual cycles and at least 4 points in VAS will be randomly divided into experimental (TTNS) and placebo (simulated stimulation) groups during 12 treatment sessions (1 session/week) and several follow-ups: monthly during treatment and 1, 3 and 6 months after. Maximum and mean pain intensity, pain duration, pain severity, number of anti-inflammatory drugs, quality of life, sleep quality, overall improvement, treatment satisfaction and secondary effects will be measured once a month every 6 months and at 3 and 6 months. The Student's t-test for independent samples or the Mann-Whitney U test will be used. The literature shows effective physiotherapeutic techniques for PD in the short term, which do not act on causes and have limitations. The TTNS technique can be used in transcutaneous and percutaneous modalities, with similar effectiveness, but the transcutaneous causes less discomfort. TTNS modulates pain, and long-term benefits could be achieved at low cost and without patient discomfort.

Antecedentes personales e índice de masa corporal comoefecto mediador en la presión arterial en el personal de saluden un Hospital de Guayaquil-Ecuador / Personal history and body mass index as a mediator effect on blood pressurein health personnel at a hospital in Guayaquil - Ecuador

Introducción: La hipertensión arterial es el principalriesgo de sufrir enfermedad cardiovascular, muchos factoresimplicados entre ellos la edad, inactividad física, sexo, tabaquismo, alcohol, stress y obesidad.Objetivos: Identificar el efecto mediador del índice demasa corporal en la relación entre antecedentes personales ypresión arterial del personal de salud. Métodos: Estudio transversal, se obtuvo acceso a la fichamédica electrónica del departamento de medicina ocupacional. La muestra fue de 748 trabajadores de la salud Hospitalde Guayaquil. Se utilizó el modelo de mediación simple paraverificar si existía asociación entre los antecedentes personales de hipertensión arterial y la presión sanguínea, mediadapor el IMC, utilizando la macro PROCESS v. 4.1 y el programaSPSS (versión 26.0). Resultados: El IMC fue = 29,37 kg/m2 (sobrepeso).Losvarones presentaron mayor presión sistólica (124,42 mmHg) ydiastólica (76,85 mmHg) comparado con las mujeres (115,44mmHg y 71,92 mmHg respectivamente) (p<0,05). Solo en lasmujeres se encontró un efecto indirecto del IMC en la asociación de los antecedentes personales de hipertensión arterial(APH) y la presión tanto sistólica como diastólica (p<0,001).Conclusión: El antecedente personal de hipertensión arterial está asociado con el incremento de la presión de formadirecta (sea sistólica o diastólica). Además, el IMC es una variable mediadora que actúa en la asociación.(AU)

Introduction: High blood pressure is the main risk of cardiovascular disease, many factors involved including age,physical inactivity, sex, smoking, alcohol, stress and obesity.Objectives: To identify the mediating effect of the bodymass index in the relationship between personal history andblood pressure of health personnel. Methods: Cross-sectional study, access was obtained tothe electronic medical record of the occupational medicine department. The sample was 748 health workers Hospital deGuayaquil. The simple mediation model was used to verify ifthere was an association between personal history of arterialhypertension and blood pressure, mediated by BMI, using themacro PROCESS v. 4.1 and the SPSS program (version 26.0).Results: The BMI was x = 29,37 kg/m2 (overweight). Menpresented higher systolic (124,42 mmHg) and diastolic (76,85mmHg) pressure compared to women (115,44 mmHg and71,92 mmHg respectively) (p<0,05). Only in women was anindirect effect of BMI found in the association of personal history of arterial hypertension (APH) and both systolic and diastolic blood pressure (p<0,001).Conclusion: The personal history of arterial hypertensionis directly associated with the increase in pressure (either systolic or diastolic). In addition, the BMI is a mediating variablethat acts in the association.(AU)

Indirect nuclear spin-spin couplings with third-order contributions added to the SOPPA method.

In this article, a modification of the second-order polarization propagator approximation (SOPPA) method is introduced and illustrated for the calculation of the indirect nuclear spin-spin couplings. The standard SOPPA method, although cheaper in terms of computational cost, offers less accurate results than the ones obtained with coupled cluster methods. A new method, named SOPPA+A3-3, was therefore developed by adding the terms of the third-order A matrix that rely on the second-order double amplitudes. The performance of this third-order contribution was studied using the coupled cluster singles and doubles method as a reference, calculating the spin-spin couplings of molecules of diverse sizes and compositions, and comparing them to the SOPPA method. The results show that inclusion of this third-order contribution gives more accurate results than the standard SOPPA method with a level of accuracy close to that of the coupled cluster method with only a small increase in the computational cost of the response calculation that dominates the computational cost for small- to medium-sized molecules. The implementation of the first contributions to the third-order polarization propagator approximation in the Dalton program, thus, already shows a significant change in these molecular properties over those obtained with the standard SOPPA method.

S-Locus Genotyping in Japanese Plum by High Throughput Sequencing Using a Synthetic S-Loci Reference Sequence.

Self-incompatibility in Prunus species is governed by a single locus consisting of two highly multi-allelic and tightly linked genes, one coding for an F-box protein-i.e., SFB in Prunus- controlling the pollen specificity and one coding for an S-RNase gene controlling the pistil specificity. Genotyping the allelic combination in a fruit tree species is an essential procedure both for cross-based breeding and for establishing pollination requirements. Gel-based PCR techniques using primer pairs designed from conserved regions and spanning polymorphic intronic regions are traditionally used for this task. However, with the great advance of massive sequencing techniques and the lowering of sequencing costs, new genotyping-by-sequencing procedures are emerging. The alignment of resequenced individuals to reference genomes, commonly used for polymorphism detection, yields little or no coverage in the S-locus region due to high polymorphism between different alleles within the same species, and cannot be used for this purpose. Using the available sequences of Japanese plum S-loci concatenated in a rosary-like structure as synthetic reference sequence, we describe a procedure to accurately genotype resequenced individuals that allowed the analysis of the S-genotype in 88 Japanese plum cultivars, 74 of them are reported for the first time. In addition to unraveling two new S-alleles from published reference genomes, we identified at least two S-alleles in 74 cultivars. According to their S-allele composition, they were assigned to 22 incompatibility groups, including nine new incompatibility groups reported here for the first time (XXVII-XXXV).

Physicochemical Modifications on Thin Films of Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate) and Its Nanocomposite with Expanded Graphite Nanostructured by Ultraviolet and Infrared Femtosecond Laser Irradiation.

In this work, the formation of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) on the surfaces of thin films of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and PET reinforced with expanded graphite (EG) was studied. Laser irradiation was carried out by ultraviolet (265 nm) and near-infrared (795 nm) femtosecond laser pulses, and LIPSS were formed in both materials. In all cases, LIPSS had a period close to the irradiation wavelength and were formed parallel to the polarization of the laser beam, although, in the case of UV irradiation, differences in the formation range were observed due to the different thermal properties of the neat polymer in comparison to the composite. To monitor the modification of the physicochemical properties of the surfaces after irradiation as a function of the laser wavelength and of the presence of the filler, different techniques were used. Contact angle measurements were carried out using different reference liquids to measure the wettability and the solid surface free energies. The initially hydrophilic surfaces became more hydrophilic after ultraviolet irradiation, while they evolved to become hydrophobic under near-infrared laser irradiation. The values of the surface free energy components showed changes after nanostructuring, mainly in the polar component. Additionally, for UV-irradiated surfaces, adhesion, determined by the colloidal probe technique, increased, while, for NIR irradiation, adhesion decreased. Finally, nanomechanical properties were measured by the PeakForce Quantitative Nanomechanical Mapping method, obtaining maps of elastic modulus, adhesion, and deformation. The results showed an increase in the elastic modulus in the PET/EG, confirming the reinforcing action of the EG in the polymer matrix. Additionally, an increase in the elastic modulus was observed after LIPSS formation.

Self-Incompatibility in Apricot: Identifying Pollination Requirements to Optimize Fruit Production.

In recent years, an important renewal of apricot cultivars is taking place worldwide, with the introduction of many new releases. Self-incompatible genotypes tolerant to the sharka disease caused by the plum pox virus (PPV), which can severely reduce fruit production and quality, are being used as parents in most breeding programs. As a result, the self-incompatibility trait present in most of those accessions can be transmitted to the offspring, leading to the release of new self-incompatible cultivars. This situation can considerably affect apricot management, since pollination requirements were traditionally not considered in this crop and information is lacking for many cultivars. Thus, the objective of this work was to determine the pollination requirements of a group of new apricot cultivars by molecular identification of the S-alleles through PCR amplification of RNase and SFB regions with different primer combinations. The S-genotype of 66 apricot cultivars is reported, 41 for the first time. Forty-nine cultivars were considered self-compatible and 12 self-incompatible, which were allocated in their corresponding incompatibility groups. Additionally, the available information was reviewed and added to the new results obtained, resulting in a compilation of the pollination requirements of 235 apricot cultivars. This information will allow an efficient selection of parents in apricot breeding programs, the proper design of new orchards, and the identification and solution of production problems associated with a lack of fruit set in established orchards. The diversity at the S-locus observed in the cultivars developed in breeding programs indicates a possible genetic bottleneck due to the use of a reduced number of parents.

Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR)-Based Genetic Diversity in Interspecific Plumcot-Type (Prunus salicina × Prunus armeniaca) Hybrids.

The main objective of many fruit-breeding programs around the world is the release of new cultivars from interspecific hybridizations between species of the Prunus genus. Plum × apricot (Prunus salicina Lindl. × Prunus armeniaca L.) are the most widespread interspecific hybrids, which include plumcots, pluots, and apriums. In this work, 115 accessions of interspecific hybrids from different origins and 27 reference genotypes of apricot and other diploid plum species were analyzed using eight simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers to assess the population structure and current genetic diversity. A total of 149 alleles were obtained, with an average of 19 alleles per locus. The overall polymorphic information content (PIC) mean value of SSR markers was 0.81, indicating a high degree of polymorphism of the SSR. The genetic analysis revealed 141 unique genotypes and two synonyms. The unweighted pair group method with arithmetic averages (UPGMA) dendrogram and the population structure with five groups inferred through the discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC) revealed a clear genetic differentiation between apricot genotypes and the rest of the accessions since the interspecific hybrids clustered with the Japanese plum genotypes. Repeated backcrosses between interspecific hybrids with plum genotypes could be the cause of the higher genetic proximity of the hybrids with respect to plum than with apricot genotypes. This corresponds to the fruit morphology and agronomic behavior observed in most interspecific hybrids, which also resemble plums more than apricots.

Male Meiosis as a Biomarker for Endo- to Ecodormancy Transition in Apricot.

Dormancy is an adaptive strategy in plants to survive under unfavorable climatic conditions during winter. In temperate regions, most fruit trees need exposure to a certain period of low temperatures to overcome endodormancy. After endodormancy release, exposure to warm temperatures is needed to flower (ecodormancy). Chilling and heat requirements are genetically determined and, therefore, are specific for each species and cultivar. The lack of sufficient winter chilling can cause failures in flowering and fruiting, thereby compromising yield. Thus, the knowledge of the chilling and heat requirements is essential to optimize cultivar selection for different edaphoclimatic conditions. However, the lack of phenological or biological markers linked to the dormant and forcing periods makes it difficult to establish the end of endodormancy. This has led to indirect estimates that are usually not valid in different agroclimatic conditions. The increasing number of milder winters caused by climatic change and the continuous release of new cultivars emphasize the necessity of a proper biological marker linked to the endo- to ecodormancy transition for an accurate estimation of the agroclimatic requirements (AR) of each cultivar. In this work, male meiosis is evaluated as a biomarker to determine endodormancy release and to estimate both chilling and heat requirements in apricot. For this purpose, pollen development was characterized histochemically in 20 cultivars over 8 years, and the developmental stages were related to dormancy. Results were compared to three approaches that indirectly estimate the breaking of dormancy: an experimental methodology by evaluating bud growth in shoots collected periodically throughout the winter months and transferred to forcing chambers over 3 years, and two statistical approaches that relate seasonal temperatures and blooming dates in a series of 11-20 years by correlation and partial least square regression. The results disclose that male meiosis is a possible biomarker to determine the end of endodormancy and estimate AR in apricot.

Inclusión sociocomunitaria y ocupaciones colectivas: Diálogos entre el mundo institucional y el de las organizaciones de personas con discapacidad psicosocial / Socio-community inclusion and collective occupations: Dialogues between the institutional world and that of organizations of people with psychosocial disabilities

Resumen El artículo analiza, prácticas de inclusión socio comunitaria, de agrupaciones de personas con discapacidad psicosocial, generadas en el hacer y sentir en sus ocupaciones colectivas, a partir de los diálogos que se producen con las instituciones sociales. Se empleó una metodología cualitativa, con enfoque crítico. La información fue recolectada mediante grupos de discusión, lo que permitió recoger discursos de los participantes de dos agrupaciones de personas con discapacidad psicosocial, correspondientes a las comunas de Penco y Concepción, de la Región del Biobío (Chile); discursos que fueron codificados, analizados, categorizados e interpretados. Entre los resultados más relevantes obtenidos, se evidencian diferencias y tensiones en las formas de comprender y proceder hacia la inclusión, pues las instituciones tienden a mantener relaciones jerárquicas, mientras que las agrupaciones propenden a prácticas más democráticas y participativas. Con respecto a las conclusiones, es posible visualizar que los derechos humanos de las personas con discapacidad psicosocial se materializan en un campo de ocupaciones colectivas, de acciones diarias en contextos cotidianos y de conflicto social.

Abstract The article analyzes socio-community inclusion practices of groups of people with psychosocial disabilities, generated in doing and feeling in their collective occupations, from the dialogues that take place with social institutions. A qualitative methodology was used, with a critical approach. The information was collected through discussion groups, which made it possible to collect speeches from the participants of two groups of people with mental disabilities, corresponding to the communes of Penco and Concepción, in the Biobío Region (Chile); discourses that were coded, analyzed, categorized and interpreted. Among the most relevant results obtained, differences and tensions are evident in the ways of understanding and proceeding towards inclusion, since institutions tend to maintain hierarchical relationships, while groups tend to have more democratic and participatory practices. Regarding the conclusions, it is possible to visualize that the human rights of people with mental disabilities are materialized in a field of collective occupations, daily actions in everyday contexts, and social conflict.

Pharmacological activities of Asclepias curassavica L. (Apocynaceae) aerial parts.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Asclepias curassavica L. (Apocynaceae) is a perennial shrub used in the folk treatment of parasitism, pain, and inflammation. AIM OF THE STUDY: This work assessed the antiparasitic, anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, and sedative effects of an ethanol extract from the aerial parts of Asclepias curassavica (ACE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The antiparasitic activity against Trichomonas vaginalis was evaluated using the trypan blue exclusion test. The in vitro anti-inflammatory actions of ACE (1-200 µg/ml) were analyzed using LPS-stimulated primary murine macrophages. The in vivo pharmacological activity of ACE (50-200 mg/kg p.o.) was evaluated using animal models of inflammation (TPA-induced ear edema test and carrageenan-induced paw edema test) and nociception (acetic acid-induced writhing test, formalin-induced licking test, and hot plate test). RESULTS: ACE showed poor antiparasitic effects against Trichomonas vaginalis (IC50 = 302 µg/ml). ACE increased the production of IL-10 in both in vitro assays (EC50 = 3.2 pg/ml) and in vivo assays (ED50 = 111 mg/kg). ACE showed good antinociceptive actions (ED50 = 158 mg/kg in phase 1 and ED50 = 83 mg/kg in phase 2) in the formalin test. Pre-treatment with naloxone blocked the antinociceptive response induced by ACE. In addition, ACE did not induce sedative effects or motor coordination deficits in mice. CONCLUSION: Findings showed that the anti-inflammatory activity of ACE is associated with increasing levels of IL-10 in both in vitro and in vivo assays, whereas the antinociceptive effect is associated with the participation of the opioidergic system, without inducing sedation or motor coordination impairment.

Male meiosis in sweet cherry is constrained by the chilling and forcing phases of dormancy.

Male meiosis in temperate fruit trees occurs in the anthers once a year, synchronized with the seasons. The alternation of dormant and growth cycles determines the optimum moment for the male gametophyte formation, a process sensitive to both cold and warm temperatures. This ensures pollen viability and subsequent reproduction success that guarantee fruit production. In this work, we explore how male meiosis is framed by seasonality in sweet cherry. For this purpose, the dormant phases, male meiosis and blooming dates were established in four cultivars with different flowering dates and chilling requirements over 7 years. The chilling and heat requirements for each cultivar were empirically estimated, and chilling and heat temperatures were quantified according to the Dynamic and Growing Degree Hours (GDH) models, respectively. Endodormancy was overcome approximately a fortnight earlier during the colder winters than during the milder winters. Against our initial hypothesis, these differences were not clearly reflected in the time of male meiosis. The period between chilling fulfillment and meiosis lasted several weeks, during which a high amount of GDH accumulated. Results showed that male meiosis is conditioned by endodormancy but especially by warm temperatures, during the forcing period. This differs from what has been described in other related species and creates a framework for further studies to understand the strategies of synchronizing dormancy with seasons.

Establishing Pollination Requirements in Japanese Plum by Phenological Monitoring, Hand Pollinations, Fluorescence Microscopy and Molecular Genotyping.

The Japanese plum cultivars commonly grown are interspecific hybrids derived from crosses between the original Prunus salicina with other Prunus species. Most hybrids exhibit gametophytic self-incompatibility, which is controlled by a single and highly polymorphic S-locus that contains multiple alleles. Most cultivated hybrids are self-incompatible and need pollen from a compatible donor to fertilize their flowers. Establishing pollination requirements in Japanese plum is becoming increasingly important due to the high number of new cultivars with unknown pollination requirements. In this work, a methodology for the determination of pollination requirements in Japanese plum-type hybrids is described. Self-(in)compatibility is determined by hand-pollinations in both the field and in the laboratory, followed by monitoring pollen tube elongation with fluorescence microscopy, and also monitoring fruit maturation in the field. Selection of pollinizer cultivars is assessed by combining the identification of S-genotypes by PCR analysis with the monitoring of flowering time in the field. Knowing the pollination requirements of cultivars facilitates the selection of cultivars for the design of new orchards and allows the early detection of productivity problems related with pollination deficiency in established orchards.

Structure and Expression of Bud Dormancy-Associated MADS-Box Genes (DAM) in European Plum.

Bud dormancy in temperate perennials ensures the survival of growing meristems under the harsh environmental conditions of autumn and winter, and facilitates an optimal growth and development resumption in the spring. Although the molecular pathways controlling the dormancy process are still unclear, DORMANCY-ASSOCIATED MADS-BOX genes (DAM) have emerged as key regulators of the dormancy cycle in different species. In the present study, we have characterized the orthologs of DAM genes in European plum (Prunus domestica L.). Their expression patterns together with sequence similarities are consistent with a role of PdoDAMs in dormancy maintenance mechanisms in European plum. Furthermore, other genes related to dormancy, flowering, and stress response have been identified in order to obtain a molecular framework of these three different processes taking place within the dormant flower bud in this species. This research provides a set of candidate genes to be genetically modified in future research, in order to better understand dormancy regulation in perennial species.

Effects of Tetraselmis chuii Microalgae Supplementation on Ergospirometric, Haematological and Biochemical Parameters in Amateur Soccer Players.

This study aimed to analyse the effects of Tetraselmis chuii (TC) microalgae supplementation during thirty days on ergospirometric, haematological and biochemical parameters in amateur soccer players. Thirty-two amateur soccer players divided into a control group (CG; n = 16; 22.36 ± 1.36 years; 68.36 ± 3.53 kg) and a supplemented group (SG; n = 16; 22.23 ± 2.19 years; 69.30 ± 5.56 kg) participated in the double-blind study. SG ingested 200 mg of the TC per day, while CG ingested 200 mg per day of lactose powder. Supplementation was carried out for thirty days. The participants performed a maximal treadmill test until exhaustion. The ergospirometric values at different ventilatory thresholds and haematological values were obtained after the test. Heart rate decreased after supplementation with TC (p < 0.05). Oxygen pulse, relative and absolute maximum oxygen consumption increased in SG (pre vs. post; 19.04 ± 2.53 vs. 22.08 ± 2.25; 53.56 ± 3.26 vs. 56.74 ± 3.43; 3.72 ± 0.35 vs. 3.99 ± 0.25; p < 0.05). Haemoglobin and mean corpuscular haemoglobin increased in SG (pre vs. post; 15.12 ± 0.87 vs. 16.58 ± 0.74 p < 0.01; 28.03 ± 1.57 vs. 30.82 ± 1.21; p < 0.05). On the other hand, haematocrit and mean platelet volume decreased in SG (p < 0.05). TC supplementation elicited improvements in ergospirometric and haematological values in amateur soccer players. TC supplementation could be valuable for improving performance in amateur athletes.

Determination of Self- and Inter-(in)compatibility Relationships in Apricot Combining Hand-Pollination, Microscopy and Genetic Analyses.

Self-incompatibility in Rosaceae is determined by a Gametophytic Self-Incompatibility System (GSI) that is mainly controlled by the multiallelic locus S. In apricot, the determination of self- and inter-(in)compatibility relationships is increasingly important, since the release of an important number of new cultivars has resulted in the increase of cultivars with unknown pollination requirements. Here, we describe a methodology that combines the determination of self-(in)compatibility by hand-pollinations and microscopy with the identification of the S-genotype by PCR analysis. For self-(in)compatibility determination, flowers at balloon stage from each cultivar were collected in the field, hand-pollinated in the laboratory, fixed, and stained with aniline blue for the observation of pollen tube behavior under the fluorescence microscopy. For the establishment of incompatibility relationships between cultivars, DNA from each cultivar was extracted from young leaves and S-alleles were identified by PCR. This approach allows establishing incompatibility groups and elucidate incompatibility relationships between cultivars, which provides a valuable information to choose suitable pollinizers in the design of new orchards and to select appropriate parents in breeding programs.

Laser-Induced Periodic Surface Structuring of Poly(trimethylene terephthalate) Films Containing Tungsten Disulfide Nanotubes.

We report the study of the formation of Laser Induced Periodic Surface Structures (LIPSS), with UV femtosecond laser pulses (λ = 265 nm), in free-standing films of both Poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT) and the composite PTT/tungsten disulfide inorganic nanotubes (PTT-WS2). We characterized the range of fluences and number of pulses necessary to induce LIPSS formation and measured the topography of the samples by Atomic Force Microscopy, the change in surface energy and contact angle using the sessile drop technique, and the modification in both Young's modulus and adhesion force values with Peak Force-Quantitative Nanomechanical Mapping. LIPSS appeared parallel to the laser polarization with a period close to its wavelength in a narrow fluence and number of pulses regime, with PTT-WS2 needing slightly larger fluence than raw PTT due to its higher crystallinity and heat diffusion. Little change was found in the total surface energy of the samples, but there was a radical increase in the negative polar component (γ-). Besides, we measured small variations in the samples Young's modulus after LIPSS formation whereas adhesion is reduced by a factor of four. This reduction, as well as the increase in γ-, is a result of the modification of the surface chemistry, in particular a slight oxidation, during irradiation.

Estudio descriptivo transversal: Asma en niños de 2 a 5 años identificados con los criterios API en dos hospitales de la ciudad de Cuenca en el periodo Junio 2015 ­ Enero 2016 / Cross - sectional study: Asthma in children aged 2 to 5 years identified with Asthma Predictive index in two hospitals, Cuenca, Ecuador. June 2015 - January 2016

INTRODUCCIÓN: El asma es una enfermedad de curso crónico que afecta la calidad de vida de los pa-cientes que la padecen y es por lo general diagnosticada a partir de los seis años de edad; sin embargo se ha notado que ésta aparece desde antes de la edad escolar en forma de sibilancias recurrentes, pero por la dificultad diagnóstica en la edad de lactancia y preescolar se han desarrollado varios índices como herramientas diagnósticas. El objetivo de este estudio es caracterizar pacientes sibilantes de 2 a 5 años de edad de acuerdo a los criterios del Índice Predictivo de Asma (API). MATERIALES y MÉTODOS: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo transversal y de correlación con todos los pacientes de 2 a 5 años que acudieron a consulta externa de Pediatría del Hospital Monte Sinaí y Hospital Militar desde junio de 2015 hasta enero de 2016 con sibilancias recurrentes, como criterio de inclusión. Se aplicó cuestionarios que contenían los criterios mayores (diagnóstico médico de eccema, antecedentes de asma en padres o familiares) y menores (diagnóstico médico de rinitis alérgica, sibi-lancias no asociadas a resfríos, eosinofilia >4%) del Índice Predictivo de Asma de Castro-Rodríguez y también que contaba con las variables de edad, sexo, talla, peso e índice de masa corporal (IMC). RESULTADOS:Se obtuvo una población total de 105 niños con sibilancias recurrentes, donde el 92.4% de ellos fueron API positivos y 7.6% negativos. 60% de pacientes cumplieron con el criterio mayor diagnóstico médico de eccema, 36.2% cumplió el criterio mayor de antecedentes personales de asma en padres o familiares. Dentro de los criterios menores el más frecuente fue de sibilancias recurrentes no asociadas a resfrío con el 93.3%, seguidamente se encuentra el criterio diagnóstico médico de rinitis alérgica con el 85.7%, finalmente, la eosinofilia >4% se obtuvo en el 45.71%. Se encontró asociación estadística significativa entre edad y diagnóstico médico de eccema y entre edad y presencia de eo-sinofilia mayor del 4%. No se observó una asociación significativa entre el estado nutricional y ser API positivo o negativo. Se encontró asociación estadística significativa entre sexo y diagnóstico médico de rinitis alérgica y entre sexo y sibilancias no asociados a resfríos. CONCLUSIÓN: Los criterios API son una herramienta de fácil aplicación para caracterizar e identificar a niños sibilantes preescolares que tienen alto riesgo de desarrollar asma en la edad escolar. (au)

BACKGROUND: Asthma is a chronic disease, which impacts in the patient's life quality, it is generally diagnosed from six years of age; however it has been reported that asthma manifests itself even in preschool age with recurrent wheezing, but due to difficult diagnosis at this age, several index have been developed as useful diagnostic tools. The main pur-pose of this research is to characterize sibilant patients from 2 to 5 years according to the API(Asthma Predictive Index) criteria. METHODS: A descriptive, cross-sectional and correlational study was carried out with all the patients from 2 to 5 years who attended to a medical appointment at Pediatrics department from Hospital Monte Sinaí and Hospital Militar from June 2015 to January 2016 with recurrent wheezing as the inclusion criteria. The Castro ­ Rodríguez Asthma Predictive Index questionnaires were applied, it contained major criteria (medical diagnosis of eczema, history of asthma in pa-rents and relatives) and minor criteria (medical diagnosis of allergic rhinitis, wheezing not associated with colds, eosi-nophilia> 4%). We also included the variables: age, sex, height, weight and body mass index. RESULTS: A total population of 105 children was obtained, 92.4% of them were API positive and 7.6% negative. 60% of the patients had medical diagnosis of eczema, 36.2% had familiar history of asthma. Recurrent wheezing not associated with colds was the most frequent minor criteria with 93.3%, 85.7% had medical diagnosis of allergic rhinitis, and 45.71% had eosinophilia > 4%. We found statistical significant association between age and eczema diagnosis, and between age and eosinophilia > 4%. There was not association between nutritional conditions and being API positive. There was statistical significant association between sex and allergic rhinitis, and between sex and not cold related wheezing. CONClUSION: The API index is an easy application tool to characterize and identify preschool sibilant children with high risk of developing asthma later in childhood. (au)