Prenatal Stress as a Risk Factor for Maternal-Foetal Morbidity: A Longitudinal Study.

Pregnancy is one of the most complex periods in a woman's life, not only because of the biological changes involved but also because of the psychological aspects. Stress during pregnancy refers to the concerns and distress that arise during pregnancy and that can be assessed by means of psychological and physiological scales. The aim of this study was to analyse prenatal stress and to evaluate its consequences on the health of both the mother and the foetus. A descriptive longitudinal study was carried out on a sample of 398 pregnant women being followed up during their entire pregnancy, who gave birth at the Punta de Europa University Hospital in Algeciras (Spain) between September 2021 and August 2023. The Prenatal Distress Questionnaire (PDQ) was used, as well as serum cortisol levels in each trimester of pregnancy and birth experience using the Childbirth Experience Questionnaire in its validated Spanish version, CEQ-E. Demographic and obstetric variables were included. One of the main findings was that experiencing more stress in late pregnancy had a negative impact on obstetric outcomes. Women who had higher levels of prenatal distress had higher blood cortisol levels and increased risk of having a caesarean section at delivery. A significant negative correlation was also found between stress and Apgar test values in the first minute of life. It is concluded that interventions promoted by the health system that provide comprehensive prenatal care contribute to decreased stress as perceived by these pregnant women, thus reducing the risk of maternal and foetal morbidity.

Designing a Tangible User Interface (TUI) for the Elderly Based on Their Motivations and Game Elements.

The elderly population has grown significantly in recent years, requiring strategies focused on promoting active aging to improve health and well-being. It may be achieved in many ways, including using technology for this population. We propose an interactive system for older adults based on a tangible user interface. A group of 10 experts conducted a heuristic evaluation of a system of this type utilizing a questionnaire and obtaining satisfactory results. This study evaluated the older adult population's fun and pervasive game experience. The results will provide a basis for continuing to build this interactive system to promote active aging in older adults, either at the cognitive or physical level, depending on the applied approach.

[End of the use of masks in public spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic: impact on the mental health of pregnant women]. / Fin del uso de la mascarilla en espacios públicos durante la pandemia por la COVID-19: impacto en la salud mental de las mujeres embarazadas.

OBJECTIVE: COVID-19 has affected the entire population, generating a greater impact on certain vulnerable groups, such as pregnant women. The aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of fear and anxiety regarding the COVID-19 disease in pregnant women, using the AMICO_Pregnant scale, in the final phase of the health crisis caused by the disease, marked by the relaxation of isolation measures in public spaces. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study using the self-reported questionnaire AMICO_Pregnant was developed between March 24 and April 18, 2022. This was followed by a univariate and bivariate statistical analysis of the data collected. RESULTS: A total of 479 surveys of pregnant women of different gestational ages were obtained. The bivariate analysis showed statistical significance in the AMICO_Pregnant scale score about several variables over the previous year: contact with the disease (p=0.025); number of previous pregnancies (p=0.019); changes in the birth plan (p=0.001); and vaccination status (p=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted pregnant women's mental health, producing a negative effect on emotions. The research carried out shows a statistically significant relationship between the levels of fear and anxiety in pregnant women and factors such as the number of previous pregnancies, contact with the previous disease, vaccination level or expectations regarding the delivery or birth plan.

OBJECTIVE: La COVID-19 ha afectado a toda la población, generando un mayor impacto en determinados grupos vulnerables, como es el caso de las mujeres gestantes. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar los niveles de miedo y ansiedad a la COVID-19 en la mujer gestante, mediante la escala AMICO_Gestante, en la fase final de la crisis sanitaria causada por dicha enfermedad, marcada por el relajamiento de las medidas de aislamiento en espacios públicos. METHODS: Se realizó un estudio transversal descriptivo mediante el uso de cuestionario autoinformado AMICO_Gestante, desarrollado entre el 24 de marzo y el 18 de abril de 2022. Tras ello, se ejecutó un análisis estadístico univariado y bivariado de los datos recogidos. RESULTS: Se obtuvieron un total de 479 encuestas de mujeres gestantes de diferente edad gestacional. El análisis bivariado mostró significación estadística en la puntuación de la escala AMICO_Gestante en relación con varias variables en relación al año anterior: contacto con la enfermedad (p=0,025); número de embarazos previos (p=0,019); cambios en el plan de parto (p=0,001); y estado vacunacional (p=0,01). CONCLUSIONS: La pandemia por la COVID-19 tiene un impacto en la salud mental de la mujer gestante, produciendo un efecto negativo en las emociones. La investigación realizada muestra una relación estadísticamente significativa entre los niveles de miedo y ansiedad en la mujer gestante y factores como el número de embarazos previos, el contacto con la enfermedad previa, el nivel de vacunación o las expectativas en relación al plan de parto o nacimiento.

Fin del uso de la mascarilla en espacios públicos durante la pandemia por la COVID-19: impacto en la salud mental de las mujeres embarazadas / End of the use of masks in public spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic: impact on the mental health of pregnant women

Background: COVID-19 has affected the entire population, generating a greater impact on certain vulnerable groups, such as pregnant women. The aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of fear and anxiety regarding the COVID-19 disease in pregnant women, using the AMICO_Pregnant scale, in the final phase of the health crisis caused by the disease, marked by the relaxation of isolation measures in public spaces. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study using the self-reported questionnaire AMICO_Pregnant was developed between March 24 and April 18, 2022. This was followed by a univariate and bivariate statistical analysis of the data collected. Results: A total of 479 surveys of pregnant women of different gestational ages were obtained. The bivariate analysis showed statistical significance in the AMICO_Pregnant scale score about several variables over the previous year: contact with the disease (p=0.025); number of previous pregnancies (p=0.019); changes in the birth plan (p=0.001); and vaccination status (p=0.01). Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted pregnant women’s mental health, producing a negative effect on emotions. The research carried out shows a statistically significant relationship between the levels of fear and anxiety in pregnant women and factors such as the number of previous pregnancies, contact with the previous disease, vaccination level or expectations regarding the delivery or birth plan.(AU)

Fundamentos: La COVID-19 ha afectado a toda la población, generando un mayor impacto en determinados grupos vulnerables, como es el caso de las mujeres gestantes. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar los niveles de miedo y ansiedad a la COVID-19 en la mujer gestante, mediante la escala AMICO_Gestante, en la fase final de la crisis sanitaria causada por dicha enfermedad, marcada porel relajamiento de las medidas de aislamiento en espacios públicos. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio transversal descriptivo mediante el uso de cuestionario autoinformadoAMICO_Gestante, desarrollado entre el 24 de marzo y el 18 de abril de 2022. Tras ello, se ejecutó un análisis estadístico univariado y bivariado de los datos recogidos. Resultados: Se obtuvieron un total de 479 encuestas de mujeres gestantes de diferente edad gestacional. El análisis bivariado mostró significación estadística en la puntuación de la escala AMICO_Gestante en relación con varias variables en relación al año anterior: contacto con la enfermedad (p=0,025); número de embarazos previos (p=0,019); cambios en el plan de parto (p=0,001); y estado vacunacional (p=0,01). Conclusiones: La pandemia por la COVID-19 tiene un impacto en la salud mental de la mujer gestante, produciendo un efecto negativo en las emociones. La investigación realizada muestra una relación estadísticamente significativa entre los niveles de miedo y ansiedad en la mujer gestante y factores como el número de embarazos previos, el contacto con la enfermedad previa, el nivel de vacunación o las expectativas en relación al plan de parto o nacimiento.(AU)

Assessment of Levels of Anxiety and Fear of Covid-19 in a Population of Pregnant Women in Spain.

Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the levels of fear and anxiety in the particularly vulnerable population group of women during pregnancy. Methods: Cross-sectional study between March 2022 and July 2022 involving 978 pregnant women aged 16 to 50 years. It was carried out based on the scale for the assessment of fear and anxiety in pregnant women (AMICO_Pregnant) and the collection of sociodemographic data. Normality analysis was performed prior to univariate and bivariate statistical analysis. Results: The sample was composed of a total of 978 pregnant women. The mean of the AMICO_Pregnant scale was intermediate (5.04 points; SD=2.36). The bivariate analysis showed a statistically significant relationship between the AMICO_Pregnant scale and the following variables: vaccination schedule status, contact with the disease, weeks of gestation, altered delivery or birth plan. Conclusion: Women with pregnancies closer to term, with no contact with the disease, without a complete vaccination schedule, or who had undergone changes in their delivery or birth plans, showed higher levels of fear and anxiety.

Adaptation and psychometric study of the scale for the measurement of fear and anxiety of COVID-19 disease in pregnant women (AMICO_Pregnant).

Objective: The aim of this research was to adapt and explore the psychometric properties of a specific scale to assess the levels of fear and anxiety of COVID-19 disease in pregnant women. Methods: An adaptation phase, by a panel of experts, and a psychometric descriptive cross-sectional study were carried out on the final version of the 16-item, self-administered AMICO_Pregnant scale. Univariate and bivariate analyses were carried out, followed by exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The consistency of the scale was assessed using the Omega coefficient and Cronbach's Alpha. Results: With a sample of 1,013 pregnant women living in Spain and over 18 years of age, the mean age was 33 years. The scale showed a bifactor structure (anxiety and fear) that was confirmed with good fit parameters. Reliability was assessed in terms of internal consistency by calculating Cronbach's Alpha coefficient (0.95) and McDonald's Omega coefficient (0.94) as indicators of robustness of the scale's reliability. Conclusion: The AMICO_Pregnant scale of 16 items with scores ranging from 1 to 10 is a valid and reliable tool to assess levels of anxiety and fear of COVID_19 in Spanish pregnant women. Pregnant women have shown moderate levels of anxiety and fear regarding the COVID_19 disease in the final phase of the pandemic.

Meaningful learning: motivations of older adults in serious games.

Social sustainability is the generation of significant behaviors through balanced levels of education, learning and awareness so that the population has a good standard of living, achieves self-improvement and supports society. This can be achieved with various strategies, one of which is learning through games, which has gained popularity in recent years due to positive results. This is effectively achieved through serious gaming, which is growing steadily, mostly in education and healthcare. This type of strategy has been typically used in young populations with a transparent interaction with technological processes that facilitate its application. However, one cannot neglect other populations such as the elderly, who may experience a technology gap and may not perceive this type of initiative in the best light. The purpose of this article is to identify the different motivations that can encourage older adults to use serious games to encourage learning processes through technology. For this purpose, different previous research on gaming experiences with older adults has been identified, from which it was possible to categorize a series of factors that motivate this population. Subsequently, we represented these factors by means of a model of motivation for the elderly and, to be able to use it, we have defined a set of heuristics based on this model. Finally, we used the heuristics by means of a questionnaire to evaluate the design of serious gaming for older adults, obtaining positive results for the use of these elements to guide the design and construction of serious games for learning in older adults.

A proteomic signature and potential pharmacological opportunities in the adaptive resistance to MEK and PI3K kinase inhibition in pancreatic cancer cells.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal cancer types and is becoming a leading cause of cancer-related deaths. The limited benefit offered by chemotherapy agents has propelled the search for alternative approaches that target specific molecular drivers of cancer growth and progression. Mutant KRas and effector pathways Raf/MEK/ERK and PI3K/Akt are key players in pancreatic cancer; however, preclinical studies have shown adaptive tumour response to combined MEK and PI3K kinase inhibition leading to treatment resistance. There is a critical unmet need to decipher the molecular basis underlying adaptation to this targeted approach. Here, we aimed to identify common protein expression alterations associated with adaptive resistance in KRas-mutant pancreatic cancer cells, and test if it can be overcome by selected already available small molecule drugs. We found a group of 14 proteins with common expression change in resistant cells, including KRas, caveolin-1, filamin-a, eplin, IGF2R and cytokeratins CK-8, -18 and -19. Notably, several proteins have previously been observed in pancreatic cancer cells with intrinsic resistance to the combined kinase inhibition treatment, suggesting a proteomic signature. We also found that resistant cells are sensitive to small molecule drugs ERK inhibitor GDC-0994, S6K1 inhibitor DG2 and statins.

Fear and Anxiety in Pregnant Women During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the impact of the 2020-2022 pandemic on the levels of fear and anxiety in pregnant women and to identify risk and protective factors. Methods: A systematic review was conducted. Electronic databases were consulted for studies published between January 2020 and August 2022. The methodological quality was assessed using a critical appraisal tool for non-randomised studies. Results: Seventeen studies were included in the review. A high prevalence of levels of fear and anxiety were observed. Risk factors such as unplanned pregnancy, poor support from partners, or intolerance of uncertainty were identified for high levels of fear. Regarding anxiety, risk factors such as maternal age, social support, financial status, or concern about being able to maintain antenatal follow-ups were identified. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the mental health of pregnant women through increased levels of fear and anxiety. It has not been possible to establish a relationship between significant factors such as gestational age or health emergency control measures with high levels of fear or anxiety.

Popliteal Vascular Lymph Node Resection in the Rabbit Hindlimb for Secondary Lymphedema Induction.

Lymphedema is a common condition often associated with cancer and its treatment, which leads to damage to the lymphatic system, and current treatments are mostly palliative rather than curative. Its high incidence among oncologic patients indicates the need to study both normal lymphatic function and pathologic dysfunction. To reproduce chronic lymphedema, it is necessary to choose a suitable experimental animal. Attempts to establish animal models are limited by the regenerative capacity of the lymphatic system. Among the potential candidates, the rabbit hindlimb is easy to handle and extrapolate to the human clinical scenario, making it advantageous. In addition, the size of this species allows for better selection of lymphatic vessels for vascularized lymph node resection. In this study, we present a procedure of vascular lymph node resection in the rabbit hindlimb for inducing secondary lymphedema. Anesthetized animals were subjected to circumferential measurement, patent blue V infiltration, and indocyanine green lymphography (ICG-L) using real-time near-infrared fluorescence, a technique that allows the identification of single popliteal nodes and lymphatic channels. Access to the identified structures is achieved by excising the popliteal node and ligating the medial and lateral afferent lymphatics. Special care must be taken to ensure that any lymphatic vessel that joins the femoral lymphatic system within the thigh without entering the popliteal node can be identified and ligated. Postoperative evaluation was performed at 3, 6, and 12 months after induction using circumferential measurements of the hindlimb and ICG-L. As demonstrated during follow-up, the animals developed dermal backflow that was maintained until the 12th month, making this experimental animal useful for novel long-term evaluations in the management of lymphedema. In conclusion, the approach described here is feasible and reproducible. Additionally, during the time window presented, it can be representative of human lymphedema, thus providing a useful research tool.

Data of transcriptional effects of the merbarone-mediated inhibition of TOP2.

Type II DNA topoisomerases relax topological stress by transiently gating DNA passage in a controlled cut-and-reseal mechanism that affects both DNA strands. Therefore, they are essential to overcome topological problems associated with DNA metabolism. Their aberrant activity results in the generation of DNA double-strand breaks, which can seriously compromise cell survival and genome integrity. Here, we profile the transcriptome of human-telomerase-immortalized retinal pigment epithelial 1 (RPE-1) cells when treated with merbarone, a drug that catalytically inhibits type II DNA topoisomerases. We performed RNA-Seq after 4 and 8 h of merbarone treatment and compared transcriptional profiles versus untreated samples. We report raw sequencing data together with lists of gene counts and differentially expressed genes.

Swine Models of Aneurysmal Diseases for Training and Research.

Large animal models, specifically swine, are widely used to research cardiovascular diseases and therapies, as well as for training purposes. This paper describes two different aneurysmal swine models that may help researchers to study new therapies for aneurysmal diseases. These aneurysmal models are created by surgically adding a pouch of tissue to carotid arteries in swine. When the model is used for research, the pouch must be autologous; for training purposes, a synthetic pouch suffices. First, the right external jugular vein (EJV) and right common carotid artery (CCA) must be surgically exposed. The EJV is ligated and a vein pouch fashioned from a short segment. This pouch is then sutured to an elliptical arteriotomy performed in the CCA. Animals must be kept heparinized during model creation, and local vasodilators may be used to decrease vasospasms. Once the suture is completed, correct blood flow should be inspected, checking for bleeding from the suture line and vessel patency. Finally, the surgical incision is closed by layers and an angiography performed to image the aneurysmal model. A simplification of this aneurysmal carotid model that decreases invasiveness and surgical time is the use of a synthetic, rather than venous, pouch. For this purpose, a pouch is tailored in advance with a segment of a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) prosthesis, one end of which is sutured close using polypropylene vascular suture and sterilized prior to surgery. This "sac" is then attached to an arteriotomy performed in the CCA as described. Although these models do not reproduce many of the physiopathological events related to aneurysm formation, they are hemodynamically similar to the situation found in the clinical setting. Therefore, they can be used for research or training purposes, allowing physicians to learn and practice different endovascular techniques in animal models that are close to the human system.

Distribution level electric current consumption and meteorological data set of the east region of Paraguay.

This paper presents a data set with information on meteorological data and electricity consumption in the department of Alto Paraná, Paraguay. The meteorological data were registered every three hours at the Aeropuerto Guarani, Department of Alto Paraná, which belongs to the Dirección Nacional de Aeronáutica Civil of Paraguay. The final data consists of a total of 22.445 records of temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and atmospheric pressure. On the other hand, the electrical energy consumption data set contains a total of 1.848.947 records, all of them coming from the one hundred and fifteen feeders located throughout the Alto Paraná region of Paraguay. Electrical energy consumption data was provided by Administración Nacional de Electricidad (ANDE). The analysis of this data can yield insights regarding the energy consumption in the area.

Analysis of Extreme Maternal Morbidity at the Women´s Hospital of Aguascalientes.

Background Extreme maternal morbidity is defined as "events that potentially threaten the life of a pregnant woman during pregnancy, childbirth or the puerperium, but that due to a medical intervention the patient does not die", and this is an indicator of health quality at the hospital and demographic level. Objective The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of extreme maternal morbidity in the Women´s Hospital of Aguascalientes, Mexico. Material and methods A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted under the criteria of the World Health Organization and the Latin American Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology Societies for the definition of extreme maternal morbidity to determine the prevalence of near miss morbidity, between January 1 and December 31, 2016. Results We found 165 cases of extreme maternal morbidity; no maternal death was registered during the study year. The extreme maternal morbidity rate was 0.016 and 16.69 per 1000 live births; the ratio of extreme maternal morbidity cases / obstetric admissions was 11.07. The prevalence of extreme maternal morbidity was 1.6%. The main causes of extreme maternal morbidity were hypertensive disorders (57%), obstetric hemorrhage (29%), sepsis (1%) and other (13%). Conclusion Extreme maternal morbidity in our institution had a similar prevalence to that reported in other countries and was mainly caused by hypertensive disorders.

Genome-wide prediction of topoisomerase IIß binding by architectural factors and chromatin accessibility.

DNA topoisomerase II-ß (TOP2B) is fundamental to remove topological problems linked to DNA metabolism and 3D chromatin architecture, but its cut-and-reseal catalytic mechanism can accidentally cause DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) that can seriously compromise genome integrity. Understanding the factors that determine the genome-wide distribution of TOP2B is therefore not only essential for a complete knowledge of genome dynamics and organization, but also for the implications of TOP2-induced DSBs in the origin of oncogenic translocations and other types of chromosomal rearrangements. Here, we conduct a machine-learning approach for the prediction of TOP2B binding using publicly available sequencing data. We achieve highly accurate predictions, with accessible chromatin and architectural factors being the most informative features. Strikingly, TOP2B is sufficiently explained by only three features: DNase I hypersensitivity, CTCF and cohesin binding, for which genome-wide data are widely available. Based on this, we develop a predictive model for TOP2B genome-wide binding that can be used across cell lines and species, and generate virtual probability tracks that accurately mirror experimental ChIP-seq data. Our results deepen our knowledge on how the accessibility and 3D organization of chromatin determine TOP2B function, and constitute a proof of principle regarding the in silico prediction of sequence-independent chromatin-binding factors.

Waste Refinery: The Valorization of Waste Plastics and End-of-Life Tires in Refinery Units. A Review.

This review collects a wide range of initiatives and results that expose the potential of the refineries to be converted into waste refineries. Thus, they will use their current units for the valorization of consumer society wastes (waste plastics and end-of-life tires in particular) that are manufactured with petroleum derivatives. The capacity, technological development, and versatility of fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) and hydroprocessing units make them appropriate for achieving this goal. Polyolefinic plastics (polyethylene and polypropylene), the waxes obtained in their fast pyrolysis, and the tire pyrolysis oils can be cofed together with the current streams of the industrial units. Conventional refineries have the opportunity of operating as waste refineries cofeeding these alternative feeds and tailoring the properties of the fuels and raw materials produced to be adapted to commercial requirements within the oil economy frame. This strategy will contribute in a centralized and rational way to the recycling of the consumer society wastes on a large scale. Furthermore, the use of already existing and, especially, depreciated units for the production of fuels and raw materials (such as light olefins and aromatics) promotes the economy of the recycling process.

Computational Methods for the Analysis of Genomic Data and Biological Processes.

Today, new technologies, such as microarrays or high-performance sequencing, are producing more and more genomic data [...].

Diagnostic accuracy of a telemedicine tool for acute burns diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: Telemedicine technologies have a valuable potential when it comes to improving the accuracy of triage protocols in selecting severely injured patients who may benefit from transportation. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the correlation of the urgent diagnosis made by telemedicine through an App with traditional face-to-face urgent care and the final diagnosis, made by scheduled consultation. METHODS: We carried out a descriptive cross-sectional study to evaluate the accuracy of telemedicine in burns evaluation compared to gold standard (in-person consultation). An App was designed. All patients enrolled were evaluated by both teleconsultation and face-to-face approach on burn emergencies. Diagnosis on presentation made by a physician constituted the gold standard. RESULTS: A total of 202 patients were included in the study. The use of TM was able to detect that 83.17% of the patients attending the BU could have been managed on as outpatient basis. The intra-observer concordance was k=0.94 (95% CI: 0.90-0.97). These results highlight a very high sensitivity and specificity (99.40 and 100% respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The telemedicine system for planning referrals is a useful tool that may make significant differences in the management of burned patients although further research needs to be taken in that direction.

A Comparative Study of Supervised Machine Learning Algorithms for the Prediction of Long-Range Chromatin Interactions.

The role of three-dimensional genome organization as a critical regulator of gene expression has become increasingly clear over the last decade. Most of our understanding of this association comes from the study of long range chromatin interaction maps provided by Chromatin Conformation Capture-based techniques, which have greatly improved in recent years. Since these procedures are experimentally laborious and expensive, in silico prediction has emerged as an alternative strategy to generate virtual maps in cell types and conditions for which experimental data of chromatin interactions is not available. Several methods have been based on predictive models trained on one-dimensional (1D) sequencing features, yielding promising results. However, different approaches vary both in the way they model chromatin interactions and in the machine learning-based strategy they rely on, making it challenging to carry out performance comparison of existing methods. In this study, we use publicly available 1D sequencing signals to model cohesin-mediated chromatin interactions in two human cell lines and evaluate the prediction performance of six popular machine learning algorithms: decision trees, random forests, gradient boosting, support vector machines, multi-layer perceptron and deep learning. Our approach accurately predicts long-range interactions and reveals that gradient boosting significantly outperforms the other five methods, yielding accuracies of about 95%. We show that chromatin features in close genomic proximity to the anchors cover most of the predictive information, as has been previously reported. Moreover, we demonstrate that gradient boosting models trained with different subsets of chromatin features, unlike the other methods tested, are able to produce accurate predictions. In this regard, and besides architectural proteins, transcription factors are shown to be highly informative. Our study provides a framework for the systematic prediction of long-range chromatin interactions, identifies gradient boosting as the best suited algorithm for this task and highlights cell-type specific binding of transcription factors at the anchors as important determinants of chromatin wiring mediated by cohesin.