Centro de Ciencias Humanas y Sociales

The potential of Chorella vulgaris to bioremediate urban wastewater (UW) and produce value-added biomass was studied. Biological oxygen demand (BOD5), chemical oxygen demand (COD), nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, phosphorus, and coliform bacteria in UW were determined. Proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and fatty acid profile (FAP) were analyzed in the biomass. The phytotoxicity of treated wastewater (TW) was evaluated using Lactuca sativa seeds to determine its suitability for irrigation. After 4 days of cultivation in 100% UW, C. vulgaris removed 99% of nitrogen compounds and 97% of phosphorus, eliminated 99% of coliform bacteria, and reduced COD and BOD5 by 39.70% and 73.20%, respectively. After 8 days, protein and carbohydrate contents were lower than those of the control culture, while lipid increased 1.9 times. Additionally, C. vulgaris produced 90.1% of fatty acids, mainly oleic and polyunsaturated fatty acids, including omega- 3 and omega- 6, which are attractive to the food, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries. The importance of FAP determination in C. vulgaris is emphasized to identify the most appropriate applications. The L. sativa test revealed a reduction in TW phytotoxicity as the remediation time increased. Based on phytotoxicity indices, TW exhibited minimal to moderate phytotoxic effects. This study highlights the potential to obtain biotechnological products from an otherwise devalued effluent, contributing to a circular economy by reutilizing TW in productive applications. Graphical abstract

Biochemical changes in the cervix during labor are not well understood. This gap in knowledge is significant, as understanding the precise biochemical processes can provide critical insights into the mechanisms of labor and potentially inform better clinical practices for monitoring and managing pregnancy and childbirth. Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy as a non-invasive optical technique, it has the potential sensibility to detect biochemical components. This technology operates by meansuring the vibrational energy of molecular composition and structural changes occurring in the tissue. A total of 30 pregnant participants undergoing either spontaneous or induced labor were recruited. We detected several biochemical changes during labor, including a significant decrease in FT-IR spectral features associated with collagen and other extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, attributed to collagen dispersion. Specifically, the amide I and amide II bands, which are indicative of protein secondary structure, showed marked reductions. Our results have demonstrated that FT-IR spectroscopy is sensitive to multiple biochemical remodeling changes in the cervix during labor. Traditional methods have limitations, either due to their invasiveness or insufficient sensitivity to detect subtle biochemical alterations, therefore, FT-IR spectroscopy may be a valuable noninvasive tool for objective cervical assessment to potentially guide clinical labor management.

Background The burden of non‐motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD) can be measured with the Non‐Motor Symptoms Scale (NMSS) and the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society Non‐Motor Rating Scale (MDS‐NMS), for which scoring systems, structure and clinical coverage differ. Objectives The goal was to develop conversion formulas between the NMSS and the MDS‐NMS scores. Methods Data from 402 patients with PD participating in the primary MDS‐NMS validation study were used. The association between domain and total scores of both scales was assessed by the Spearman rank correlation coefficient and Kendall's W concordance coefficient. Equations for between‐scale transformation of total score were constructed from weighted linear regression models. Results Spearman rank correlations showed that MDS‐NMS domains correlated 0.39 to 0.88 with the corresponding NMSS domains. The equation for transforming the NMSS total score to MDS‐NMS total score is: MDS‐NMS = 11.629 + 1.624 × NMSS ( P < 0.001, R ² = 0.748). For converting the MDS‐NMS total score to NMSS total score, the formula is NMSS = 2.475 + 0.495 × MDS‐NMS ( P < 0.001, R ² = 0.771). Conclusions Our conversion equations enable direct comparison of the NMSS and MDS‐NMS instruments, facilitating data comparability across studies. © 2025 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

This study investigates researcher variability in computational reproduction, an activity for which it is least expected. Eighty-five independent teams attempted numerical replication of results from an original study of policy preferences and immigration. Reproduction teams were randomly grouped into a ‘transparent group’ receiving original study and code or ‘opaque group’ receiving only a method and results description and no code. The transparent group mostly verified original results (95.7% same sign and p-value cutoff), while the opaque group had less success (89.3%). Second-decimal place exact numerical reproductions were less common (76.9 and 48.1%). Qualitative investigation of the workflows revealed many causes of error, including mistakes and procedural variations. When curating mistakes, we still find that only the transparent group was reliably successful. Our findings imply a need for transparency, but also more. Institutional checks and less subjective difficulty for researchers ‘doing reproduction’ would help, implying a need for better training. We also urge increased awareness of complexity in the research process and in ‘push button’ replications.

It is known that in most cases of congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS), apnoeas and hypoventilation occur at birth. Nevertheless, a detailed description of initial symptoms, including pregnancy events and diagnostic tests performed, is warranted in infants with neonatal onset of CCHS, that is, in the first month of life. The European Central Hypoventilation Syndrome Consortium created an online patient registry from which 97 infants (44 females) with CCHS of neonatal onset and PHOX2B mutation from 10 countries were selected. The typical pregnancy is characterized by polyhydramnios (44%), fetal heart rate abnormalities on cardiotocography (36%), emergency cesarean sections. (30%) and a normal gestational age (14% preterm birth). The typical findings within the first days are the presence of respiratory distress (96%), often necessitating rapid intubation (44%) and, less frequently, cardiopulmonary resuscitation at birth (14%). These symptoms lead to a suspicion of CCHS after (median [interquartile]) 7 days [4; 12] since birth that is confirmed by genotype testing at 32 days [22; 61]. Daytime evaluation of blood gas is a frequent assessment leading to CCHS suspicion (n = 61/97, 63%; 95% confidence interval: 52–72) while a polysomnography is obtained in 45/97 infants (46%, 95% confidence interval: 36–57), demonstrating NREM hypoventilation in 44/45 infants (98%). Conclusion: Our multicentre descriptive study shows that polyhydramnios is overrepresented during pregnancy, rapid respiratory failure is the main symptom leading to intubation in approximately half of infants and daytime alveolar hypoventilation is the main indicator prompting genetic testing.What is Known: • The initial symptoms and exams leading to congenital central hypoventilation syndrome diagnosis have mainly been described in single centre studies. What is New: • Our multicentre European study confirms that polyhydramnios is overrepresented during pregnancy and that polysomnography is obtained in half of the infants only.

Introduction Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the main hepatic primary malignancy. Patients with advanced HCC receiving the recommended therapies have a poor outcome. In different settings, nanotechnology has gained attraction as a potential alternative strategy for improving therapeutic effectiveness. Among several nanoparticles (NPs), inorganic NPs, such as zinc and silicon oxides (ZnO and SiO2), are mainly chosen as drug nanocarriers, as both present great adsorption properties and biocompatibility. Aim The objective is to identify the molecular mechanisms underlying the proapoptotic effects of ZnO and SiO2 NPs in differentiated hepatoblastoma cells (HepG2) and mesenchymal liver cancer cells (SNU449). Methods Dose-dependent induction of cell cytotoxicity by ZnO and SiO2 NPs (5 to 50 µg/mL) was determined in HepG2 and SNU449 cells. NPs intracellular localization was assessed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Cell death was determined by trypan blue staining and caspase-3 and −8 activities. Cell respiration was determined using MitroStress assay (Seahorse, Agilent). Results ZnO NPs, but not SiO2 NPs, reduced cell viability in HepG2 and SNU449. Interestingly, SNU449 appeared to be more susceptible than HepG2 to ZnO NPs (IC50 of 27.4 ± 1.4 µg/mL and 41.8 ± 0.4 µg/mL, respectively). SiO2 NPs tended to be localized in lysosomes in both cell lines, while ZnO NPs demonstrated a random distribution with a high presence in mitochondria and related structures. As expected, SiO2 NPs did not reduce cell survival and cell respiration, while ZnO NPs promoted cell death and decreased oxygen consumption rate. ZnO NPs mitochondrial accumulation was associated with increased apoptosis in HepG2, while necroapoptosis was mainly involved in ZnO-induced cell death in SNU449. Conclusion SiO2 demonstrated no cytotoxic profile against liver cancer cells. ZnO NPs demonstrated to accumulate in mitochondria impacting cell respiration and cell death in liver cancer cells. ZnO induced apoptosis and necroptosis in HepG2 and SNU449, respectively.

In recent years, numerous artistic experiments have emerged that engage Critical Plant Studies in dialogue with various forms of artistic creation. The role of plants in these processes, their capacity to influence them, and their impact on human imaginaries are currently subjects of debate. This text aims to analyze these questions within the context of a specific artistic project. The piece Other Intelligences by the artist duo Maria Castellanos and Alberto Valverde introduces novel features regarding the role of plants and the space of encounter between humans and plants. We will analyze this artistic device by applying concepts such as plant agency and performance, opacity, and some considerations related to ethics and care. Additionally, we will present observations of certain plant behaviors and the results of six interviews conducted with project participants.

In the present study, both short‐range and long‐range structural features of an ionic bridged silsesquioxane, specifically one containing the 1,4‐diazoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octane chloride group (ISSQ), were elucidated. This ionic silsesquioxane was synthesized via direct polycondensation of a bridged organosilane precursor, without any additional functionalization step. Si−O−Si cage structures typical of Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxanes (POSS) were identified. The average interatomic distances of the POSS cages, including the open T8 cage and the T12 cage for the ISSQ, as well as the T8 cage for a commercially available pendant POSS were determined. It is the first report of the interatomic distance determination of POSS cage; achieved by using total pair distribution function G(r) values obtained through high‐resolution synchrotron X‐ray diffraction combined with density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The application of DFT was crucial for accurately assigning X‐ray peaks and verifying structural details. Furthermore, the analysis of X‐ray diffraction peaks and the examination of crystalline domains via transmission electron microscopy enabled the proposal of a hexagonal arrangement of Si−O−Si cages over long ranges within the ionic bridged silsesquioxane. This proposed arrangement highlights a distinctive structural organization that could impact the material's properties and applications.

Population concentration in urban areas has placed cities at the forefront of the global struggle to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Within cities, current mobility patterns are responsible for a significant proportion of environmental emissions. As a result, cities across the world are seeking to develop transitions towards new and greener mobility systems. This paper analyses the different pathways that explain the readiness, or otherwise negation, of cities in achieving sustainable mobility. Based on a sample of 65 cities from all over the world, and with the application of Set-Theoretic Multi-Method Research and Necessary Conditions Analysis, it is demonstrated that there are necessary conditions for the achievement of sustainable mobility, as well as different terms that explain its achievement and its denial. Moreover, the analysis confirms that both the necessary conditions for sustainable mobility and one of the terms explaining its denial reflect the existence of causal mechanisms. The paper confirms the necessity for an analysis of the transitions towards sustainable mobility to take into account the characteristics of the context. Furthermore, it is not possible to explain the behaviour of megacities on the basis of generalised statements.

Leishmaniasis is a parasitic neglected tropical disease, affecting 12 million people. Available treatments present several limitations, with an increasing number of resistance cases. In the search for new chemotherapies, the natural product dehydrodieugenol B was used as a scaffold for the synthesis of a series of derivatives, resulting in the discovery of the promising analog [4-(4-(5-allyl-3-methoxy-2-((4-methoxybenzyl)oxy)phenoxy)-3-methoxybenzyl)morpholine, 1]. In this work, we investigated the effect of compound 1 on cell signaling in Leishmania (L.) infantum, culminating in cell death, as well as its immunomodulatory effect in the host cell. Additionally, we performed a pharmacokinetic profile study in an animal model. After treatment, compound 1 induced the alkalinization of acidocalcisomes and concomitant Ca²⁺ release in the parasite. These events may induce depolarization of the mitochondrial potential, with successive collapse of the bioenergetic system, leading to a reduction of ATP and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. The analysis of total proteins and protein profile by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/MS) demonstrated that compound 1 also altered the parasite proteins after treatment. Transmission electron microscopy studies revealed ultrastructural damage to mitochondria; together, these data suggest that compound 1 may promote autophagic cell death. Additionally, compound 1 also induced an immunomodulatory effect in host cells, with a reduction of Th1 and Th2 cytokine response, characterizing an anti-inflammatory compound. The obtained pharmacokinetic profile in rats enhances the potential of the compound, with a mean plasma half-life (T1/2) of 21 h. These data reinforce the potential of compound 1 as a new lead for future efficacy studies.

CD19-targeted chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) T cells are one of the most remarkable cellular therapies for managing B cell malignancies. However, long-term disease-free survival is still a challenge to overcome. Here, we evaluated the influence of different hinge, transmembrane (TM), and costimulatory CAR domains, as well as manufacturing conditions, cellular product type, doses, patient’s age, and tumor types on the clinical outcomes of patients with B cell cancers treated with CD19 CAR T cells. The primary outcome was defined as the best complete response (BCR), and the secondary outcomes were the best objective response (BOR) and 12-month overall survival (OS). The covariates considered were the type of hinge, TM, and costimulatory domains in the CAR, CAR T cell manufacturing conditions, cell population transduced with the CAR, the number of CAR T cell infusions, amount of CAR T cells injected/Kg, CD19 CAR type (name), tumor type, and age. Fifty-six studies (3493 patients) were included in the systematic review and 46 (3421 patients) in the meta-analysis. The overall BCR rate was 56%, with 60% OS and 75% BOR. Younger patients displayed remarkably higher BCR prevalence without differences in OS. The presence of CD28 in the CAR’s hinge, TM, and costimulatory domains improved all outcomes evaluated. Doses from one to 4.9 million cells/kg resulted in better clinical outcomes. Our data also suggest that regardless of whether patients have had high objective responses, they might have survival benefits from CD19 CAR T therapy. This meta-analysis is a critical hypothesis-generating instrument, capturing effects in the CD19 CAR T cells literature lacking randomized clinical trials and large observational studies. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-024-12651-6.

Bioremediation is a promising technique for the removal and recovery of contaminated areas, which is based on the ability of organisms to convert toxic substances into less harmful or inert compounds. Here, we evaluate the capacity of the Bacillus subtilis (BS) bacteria to bioadsorved heavy metals such as lead (Pb), copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd) in water samples. Water samples were laboratory contaminated Pb at 500 ppm, Cu and Cd at 100 ppm. First, the growth curve of BS was plotted using Tryptone Soy Broth (TSB) at 100% (TSB100) and 33% (TSB33). Later, BS was studied in water containing all three metals separately and simultaneously. All solutions were stirred at 150 rpm, 35 ℃ for periods that ranged from 1 to 144 h. The heavy metal analyses were performed by X-ray fluorescence and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. The results showed that BS was resistant to Cu, Cd and Pb in water, with active multiplication and reduction in the concentration of the metals. The highest removal efficiency, in the presence of each heavy metal, reached 100% with Pb, 92.3% with Cd and 89% with Cu. In the solution with the mixture of heavy metals, Cd and Pb levels reduced significantly. However, the mixture of metals negatively affected the removal of Cu. In conclusion, the implement using Bacillus-type bacteria can be efficient in the biosorption of heavy metals from aqueous solutions and can be employed as a cost-effective treatment for the bioremediation of industrial effluents and contaminated areas.

Resumen Presentamos la aplicación de la cartografía participativa como propuesta metodológica para el estudio, análisis y socialización del patrimonio cultural. Para ello, se establecieron espacios de diálogo y lazos de confianzas entre la comunidad educativa, referentes locales, municipios y equipo de investigación con el fin de confeccionar un proyecto de educación patrimonial desde una perspectiva colaborativa y transdisciplinar. A partir de esto, se desarrollan diferentes técnicas de cartografía colaborativa para identificar los espacios relevantes, significativos y frecuentados permitiéndonos así reconocer el uso y apropiación del territorio de los estudiantes de las escuelas secundarias de las localidades de Anjullón, Pinchas (Castro Barros) y Sanagasta ubicadas en el extremo nororiental de la provincia de La Rioja (Argentina). De esta manera, las prácticas cartográficas realizadas dieron cuenta de distintas formas de habitar y percibir el espacio y el patrimonio cultural local.

Introduction This study aimed to perform a cross-cultural adaptation of the cat-owner/dog-owner relationship scales. The method involved several stages: conceptual, item, semantic, operational, measurement, and functional equivalence. Procedures included translation, synthesis of translations, back-translation, consensus on the English versions, external evaluation by the original authors, expert committee evaluation, and pre-tests. Methods The study surveyed 234 pet owners across Brazil using a 20-item questionnaire. Data analysis utilized confirmatory factor analysis, covariance-based modeling, and multigroup analysis. Results The study confirmed the content and construct validity of the model, demonstrating good convergent validity. Hypotheses testing revealed significant inverse relationships between Perceived Cost and Perceived Emotional Closeness, and between Perceived Cost and Pet-Owner Interactions. A positive correlation was found between Perceived Emotional Closeness and Pet-Owner Interactions, with Perceived Emotional Closeness also mediating the relationship between Perceived Cost and Pet-Owner Interactions. No significant differences were found across different pet owner groups, indicating the scale’s invariance and reliability across various demographics. Discussion The study significantly expands understanding of the complex dynamics in pet-owner relationships and emphasizes the interplay between emotional and practical factors. It offers valuable insights for future research and practices in animal and human welfare.

According to several studies, the three levels of representation in chemistry are the fundamental aspects of effective learning and understanding of chemistry. In this study, we aim to illustrate how students identify changes in the matter using eye-tracking and verbalizations. Five students observed chemical and physical phenomena depicted by using the three representational levels under eye-tracking monitoring. This allows making inferences about which representation received students’ attention for the longest time. In order to enrich this illustrative experiment, data were triangulated with think-aloud techniques and researchers’ observations during the procedure. Our results suggest that eye-tracking experiments may provide some relevant insights into students’ cognition regarding representational levels. The multiple case study presented hereby pointed out that the levels observed for the longest time were the macro and the submicro levels, although only the macro level was relevant to the student’s answers, according to their verbalizations. Finally, qualitative analyses of these illustrations are also presented and discussed.

Integration of different kinds of data is an important issue in archaeological prospection. However, the current methodological approaches are underdeveloped and rarely use the data to their maximum potential. Common approaches to integration in the geophysical sciences are mostly just various forms of comparison. We argue that true integration should involve the mathematical manipulation of input data such that the original values of the input data are changed, or that new variables are produced. To address this important research gap, we present an innovative approach to the analysis of geochemical and geophysical datasets in prospection-focused disciplines. Our approach, which we refer to as “multiscalar integration” to differentiate it from simpler methods, involves the application of mathematical methods and tools to process the data in a unified way. To demonstrate our approach, we focus on integrating geophysical data (magnetometry) with geochemical data (elemental content). Our approach comprises three main stages: Quantification of the data deviation from random distributions, linear modelling of geophysical and geochemical data and integration based on weighting of the different elements derived in previous steps. All the steps of the workflow can be also applied separately and independently as needed or preferred. Our approach is implemented in the R environment for statistical computing. All data, functions and scripts used in the work are available from open access repositories (Zenodo.org and Github.com) so that others can test, modify and apply our proposed methods to new cases and problems. Our approach has the following advantages: (1) It allows the rapid exploration of multiple data sources in an unified way; (2) it can increase the utility of geochemical data across diverse prospection disciplines; (3) it facilitates the identification of links between geochemical and geophysical data (or generally, between point-based and raster data); (4) it innovatively integrates various datasets by weighting the information provided by each; (5) it is simple to apply following a step-by-step framework; (6) the code and workflow is fully open to allow for customization, improvements and additions.

In an experimental study, we investigated the application of artificial neural networks (ANNs) and long-tail probability ranking in constructing investment portfolios to achieve superior returns compared to a benchmark. Our objective is to demonstrate that portfolio formation can be conceptualized as a classification problem by leveraging the inherent capabilities of ANNs to capture complex relationships and facilitate more informed decisions regarding portfolio composition. We conducted the experiment using lagged asset return information to predict stock returns, employing a pilot sample of 70 assets and a validation sample consisting of all companies belonging to the Standard & Poor's 500 (S&P 500) index. The study covers the period from 2018 to 2022, with 585,650 daily observations of active assets. The results indicate that the classification method proposed in this study, using the asymmetric probabilities of the Student´s t distribution, outperforms the market and traditional portfolios. Furthermore, the results suggest that the combined approach of ANN and security classification based on their asymmetric leptokurtic probabilities demonstrates superiority over portfolios that rely solely on security signal classification.

Background General population normative values for the widely used health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measure EORTC QLQ-C30 support the interpretation of trial results and HRQoL of patients in clinical practice. Here, we provide sex-, age- and health condition-specific normative values for the EORTC QLQ-C30 in the French general population. Methods French general population data was collected in an international EORTC project. Online panels with quota samples were used to recruit sex and age groups. Number and type of comorbidities were assessed. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate general population values for each QLQ-C30 scale, separately for sex, age, and presence of one- and more chronic health conditions. A multivariate linear regression model has been developed to allow estimating the effect of sex, age, and the presence for one- and more chronic health conditions on EORTC QLQ-C30 scores. Data was weighted according to United Nation statistics adjusting for the proportion of sex and age groups. Results In total, 1001 French respondents were included in our analyses. The weighted mean age was 47.9 years, 514 (51.3%) participants were women, and 497 (52.2%) participants reported at least one health condition. Men reported statistically significant better scores for Emotional Functioning (+9.6 points, p = 0.006) and Fatigue (−7.8 point; p = 0.04); women reported better profiles for Role Functioning (+8.7 points; p = 0.008) and Financial Difficulty (−7.8 points, p = 0.011). According to the regression model, the sex effect was statistically significant in eight scales; the effect of increasing age had a statistically significant effect on seven of the 15 EORTC QLQ-C30 scales. The sex- and age effect varied in its direction across the various scales. The presence of health conditions showed a strong negative effect on all scales. Conclusion This is the first publication of detailed French normative values for the EORTC QLQ-C30. It aims to support the interpretation of HRQoL profiles in French cancer populations. The strong impact of health conditions on QLQ-C30 scores highlights the importance of considering the impact of comorbidities in cancer patients when interpreting HRQoL data.

This article argues that the mass religious conversions that took place in early-modern Iberia from the end of the fourteenth century had enormous consequences, one of which was the increasing racialisation of religion. Jewish and Muslim minorities were forced to receive baptism, and although in principle the Church made no distinction among people who had been baptised, in practice the presence of large numbers of recent converts to Catholicism called this theology into question. In the process, as I will demonstrate in this article, religion was racialised, as many people became convinced that religion (both beliefs and ritual) was biological and was transmitted by blood. To support this argument, the article will focus, as a case study, on the discussion about whether to deny baptism to the children of Moriscos (converted Muslims) in the years preceding the general expulsion from Spain of the Moriscos (1609–11).