National Autonomous University of Mexico

Minimal hepatic encephalopathy is frequently disregarded, primarily owing to the absence of a universally accepted diagnostic standard. The connection between minimal hepatic encephalopathy, and a dismal prognosis compromised health-related quality of life, an elevated risk of falls and accidents, and heightened mortality emphasizes the critical need for early detection. The diagnosis of minimal hepatic encephalopathy is a challenge, primarily due to the absence of a gold standard test. Existing diagnostic tools include the psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score, critical flicker fusion frequency, Stroop test, and electroencephalography. Although psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score is widely accepted, it grapples with limitations linked to age, education, and cultural factors. Acknowledging the necessity for improved diagnostic tools, this chapter reviews auditory P300 event-related potentials as a sensitive and reliable method for identifying minimal hepatic encephalopathy. Auditory P300 event-related potentials, characterized by its simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and sensitivity, emerge as a promising addition to the current diagnostic arsenal for minimal hepatic encephalopathy. Its ability to detect cognitive disturbances provides valuable insights, enhancing our understanding and management of this condition.

The Craugastor podiciferus Species Group contains eleven species of terraranan frogs distributed from eastern Honduras to eastern Panama. All species have remarkable color pattern polymorphisms, which may contribute to potential taxonomic problems. We performed exhaustive sampling throughout the geographic distribution of the group to evaluate the phylogenetic relationships and biogeographic history of all named species based on two mitochondrial markers and nuclear ddRAD loci. We also implemented various species delimitation methods to test for the presence of unconfirmed candidate species within the group. Molecular phylogenetic analyses showed that the group contains four major clades. All currently named species are supported by molecular data, yet species richness within the group is clearly underestimated. Species delimitation was discordant between the mitochondrial and nuclear datasets and among analytical methods. Adopting a conservative approach, we propose that the C. podiciferus species group contains at least 12 unconfirmed candidate species. Ancestral area reconstruction showed that the group originated and diversified in the highlands of the Talamancan montane forest ecoregion of Costa Rica and western Panama.

This study describes the preparation of TiO2-modified Bi2O3 photocatalysts with different TiO2 contents, synthesized via an in situ hydrothermal method. The powder samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, FTIR–ATR, UV–Vis, XPS, and N₂ physisorption analysis. The photocatalytic activity of the TiO2-modified Bi2O3 was studied for the removal of methyl orange (MO) and methylene blue (MB) under different reaction conditions. The TiO2-modified Bi2O3 photocatalysts exhibited superior photocatalytic activity compared to the pristine samples of TiO2 and Bi2O3. The BiT16 sample achieved degradation rates of approximately 93.9% and 98.2% for MO and MB, respectively, within 120 min of reaction at 30 ppm. These results are attributed to the band gap values, differences in textural features, TiO2 content, and the reduction in the recombination process of e⁻/h⁺ pairs in the Bi2O3–TiO2 composites. Reaction kinetics were determined using the Langmuir–Hinshelwood mechanism, and during the third photoreaction cycle, the TiO2-modified Bi2O3 (BiT16) achieved photocatalytic degradation rates of 65.6% for MO and 70.5% for MB.

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 10 (SCA10) is an autosomal dominant (AD) neurodegenerative disorder prevalent in the Americas, particularly in Mexico. Clinical manifestations include progressive ataxia and epilepsy. However, it can exhibit wide phenotypic variability and even reduced penetrance. Because the diagnostic overlaps with other ataxias, molecular diagnosis is essential. This cross-sectional study conducted a retrospective review and analysis of 183 DNA samples from a laboratory registry of patients with ataxia who were suspected of having AD ataxia (n = 86; negative for ATXN1, ATXN2, ATXN3, ATXN7, TBP, and ATN1 genes) or sporadic ataxia (n = 97). Triplet repeat-primed PCR (TP-PCR) was performed to identify ATXN10 gene expansions. 19.6% (n = 36) of the samples showed ATXN10 expansions, with a higher proportion of hereditary AD cases (30.2%; n = 26) compared to sporadic cases (10.3%; n = 10). Clinical information was available in only 23 registries, with manifestations predominantly including cerebellar signs, but notably not epilepsy. The frequency of SCA10 in our country underlines the need to change the diagnostic suspicion, as the absence of epilepsy challenges previous diagnostic assumptions. As this is a study from a laboratory registry, we are aware of certain limitations.

Aquatic ecosystems are reservoirs of biodiversity and are highly threatened. Among the main threats to biodiversity are invasive species and global warming, the later has allowed the establishment of invasive species from originally warmer climates outside their native range by reducing the barriers to their establishment and distribution. Behaviour is the immediate response that species modify to counteract changes in their environment. Latency to respond to certain stimuli is an indicator of different behavioural tendencies associated with boldness, for example, quickly leaving a shelter could lead to benefits like finding a mate or locating food faster. We investigated the latency to exit a refuge and to locate food of the native twoline skiffia (Skiffia bilineata) from central Mexico at three temperatures (18°C, 23°C and 28°C) and in the presence/absence of invasive guppies (Poecilia reticulata). Our results are the first to show native fish could benefit from associating with invaders when emerging from a refuge and locating food under higher temperatures, but they would find themselves at the extreme of their thermal tolerance. Evidence of positive outcomes from biological invasions is increasing; however, further research is needed to understand if potential benefits for natives are temporary, which may make biological invasions less detrimental during the initial stages.

This article investigates the multifaceted dimensions to understand the interrelatedness among global change drivers and their implications for landslide hazards and disaster risk. Drawing on empirical research, it utilised a mixed-methods design; the research combined diverse data sources and experiential insights on the interdependencies bounded by local context and global scale. The findings underscore the urgent need for holistic approaches that consider the complex dimensions of landslides as socio-natural hazards and global change, emphasising the importance of collaboration, innovation, and international cooperation in building resilience and mitigating the adverse effects of landslide disaster risk on global systems and societies. Furthermore, the challenge of reducing landslide disaster risk lies in understanding and addressing the interplay between socio-environmental transformations and geodynamic processes. The escalating effects of climate change, urban expansion, and deforestation are anticipated to magnify the occurrence of landslides, thereby posing significant risks to human lives, infrastructure, ecosystems, and livelihoods. However, most importantly, these risks are further compounded by environmental, social, economic, political, cultural, and technological spheres associated with globalisation. The systemic nature of disaster risk, particularly landslides in a changing world, highlights the interconnectedness of different systems, resulting in complex causality and cascading impacts. These insights contribute to the broader discourse on sustainability by providing empirical evidence that supports integrated approaches to achieving long-term disaster risk reduction based upon the equitable and sustainable use of territories while integrating robust disaster risk management strategies to ensure resilient communities and ecosystems.

The low-energy ¹⁹ F(p, $\alpha$ α ) ¹⁶ O reaction has significant implications for nuclear astrophysics. The ¹⁹ F(p, $\alpha$ α ) ¹⁶ O reaction occurs via three channels: (p, $\alpha _0$ α 0 ), (p, $\alpha _\pi$ α π ), and (p, $\alpha _\gamma$ α γ ). At lower temperatures, below 0.15 GK, the (p, $\alpha _0$ α 0 ) channel is the dominant contributor of the reaction. The ¹⁹ F(p, $\alpha _{0}$ α 0 ) ¹⁶ O reaction cross section in the energy range of 400–900 keV was studied in this work. Recent data in the literature reveals a roughly 1.4 increase compared to prior findings reported in the NACRE (Nuclear Astrophysics Compilation of REactions) compilation. Therefore, we present new additional result of the study published in EPJA [22] employing a silicon strip detector array (LHASA - Large High-resolution Array of Silicon for Astrophysics). The anguar distributions, the reaction cross sections and the astrophysical S-factors of the (p, $\alpha _0$ α 0 ) channel were obtained through this experiment. Our findings resolve the discrepancies that exist between the two previously available data sets in the literature.

How can we tell environmental histories/stories where other worlds have a place? This paper considers the value of cosmopolitics and its possibilities for building a multinatural environmental history. Throughout the paper, we try a cosmopolitical approach to navigating indigenous historical worlds. To do so, we mobilised materials from the Lake Pátzcuaro region, an indigenous region in west-central Mexico, whose environmental history has been the subject of debate, examining the effects that acknowledging the plurality of worlds has for understanding the consequences of our knowledge practices and for creating different ways of relating to other worlds.

Feeders filled with sugar solution are commonly used in cities to attract hummingbirds to homes and gardens. Some effects that the use of feeders can have on hummingbird and plant populations have been documented. However, the importance of feeders in the seasonal dynamics of floral resource use has so far remained unexplored. In this study we (1) we evaluated whether temperature and precipitation influence the frequency of hummingbird visits to plants; (2) determined whether the structure of the hummingbird-resource interaction network differs between the dry and rainy seasons; (3) determine the core resources of the network during the dry and rainy seasons; (4) and described the pattern of core resources use during the dry and rainy seasons in Mexico City. Our results indicate that the highest frequency of visits to feeders occurred during the transition between the dry and rainy seasons. Higher precipitation negatively influenced the proportion of visits hummingbirds made to floral resources. The structure of the hummingbird-resource interaction network presented a generalized structure with low levels of specialization, nestedness and modularity during both seasons. Finally, feeders were core resources in the interaction network during both seasons of the year (dry and rainy), and their importance increased during the rainy season. Our research provides evidence of the importance of feeders in the seasonal dynamics of hummingbirds’ floral resource use in Mexico City.

LCN2 has an osteokine important for appetite regulation; in type 2 diabetes (T2D) it is not known whether appetite regulation mediated by LCN2 in the brain is altered. In this work, we focus on exploring the role of blocking LCN2 in metabolic health and appetite regulation within the central nervous system of mice with T2D. Material and methods: 4-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were used, divided into four experimental groups: intact, T2D, TD2/anti-LCN2, and T2D/IgG as isotype control. T2D was induced by low doses of streptozotocin and a high-carbohydrate diet. LCN2 blockade was performed by intraperitoneal administration of a polyclonal anti-LCN2 antibody. We analyzed metabolic parameters, food intake, feeding patterns, and serum LCN2 and leptin concentrations. In another group of intact or T2D mice, we analyzed the effect of blocking LCN2 and recombinant LCN2 on food consumption in a fasting-refeeding test and, the expression of cFOS and LCN2 in brain sections, specifically in the hypothalamus, piriform cortex, visceral area, arcuate nucleus and caudate-putamen. Results: T2D caused an increase in serum LCN2, without alterations in Ad libitum feeding, but with changes in the feeding pattern associated with alterations in LCN2-cFOS signalling in hypothalamic and non-hypothalamic brain regions. Blocking LCN2 improved metabolic parameters, increased Ad libitum feeding, and restored the feeding pattern after fasting, which is associated with enhanced LCN2 signalling in the brain. Conclusions: Blocking LCN2 restores metabolic health and normalizes the pattern of food consumption by normalizing LCN2 signalling in different brain regions. Graphical Abstract

Modification and deterioration of old‐growth forests by industrial forestry have seriously threatened species diversity worldwide. The loss of natural habitats increases the concentration of circulating glucocorticoids and incurs chronic stress in animals, influencing the immune system, growth, survival, and lifespan of animals inhabiting such areas. In this study, we tested whether great tit (Parus major) nestlings grown in old‐growth unmanaged coniferous forests have longer telomeres than great tit nestlings developing in young managed coniferous forests. This study showed that the patches of young managed coniferous forests had lower larval biomass than old‐growth forests. Since insect larvae are the preferred food for great tit nestlings, the shortage of food may divert energy resources away from growth, which can show up as physiological stress, often raising the heterophil/lymphocyte (H/L) ratio. The H/L ratio revealed a significant difference in stress levels, being the highest in great tit nestlings developing in young‐managed pine forests. We also found that the development of great tit nestlings in young managed forests had significantly shorter telomeres than in old‐growth forests. Although nestling survival did not differ between the habitats, nestlings growing up in old‐growth forests had greater telomere lengths, which can positively affect their lifespan. Our results suggest that the forest habitats affected by industrial forestry may represent ecological traps, as the development of young birds in deteriorated environments can affect the age structure of populations.

Background We aimed to identify the central lifestyle, the most impactful among lifestyle factor clusters; the central health outcome, the most impactful among health outcome clusters; and the bridge lifestyle, the most strongly connected to health outcome clusters, across 29 countries to optimise resource allocation for local holistic health improvements. Methods From July 2020 to August 2021, we surveyed 16 461 adults across 29 countries who self-reported changes in 18 lifestyle factors and 13 health outcomes due to the pandemic. Three networks were generated by network analysis for each country: lifestyle, health outcome, and bridge networks. We identified the variables with the highest bridge expected influence as central or bridge variables. Network validation included nonparametric and case-dropping subset bootstrapping, and centrality difference tests confirmed that the central or bridge variables had significantly higher expected influence than other variables within the same network. Results Among 87 networks, 75 were validated with correlation-stability coefficients above 0.25. Nine central lifestyle types were identified in 28 countries: cooking at home (in 11 countries), food types in daily meals (in one country), less smoking tobacco (in two countries), less alcohol consumption (in two countries), less duration of sitting (in three countries), less consumption of snacks (in five countries), less sugary drinks (in five countries), having a meal at home (in two countries), taking alternative medicine or natural health products (in one country). Six central health outcomes were noted among 28 countries: social support received (in three countries), physical health (in one country), sleep quality (in four countries), quality of life (in seven countries), less mental burden (in three countries), less emotional distress (in 13 countries). Three bridge lifestyles were identified in 19 countries: food types in daily meals (in one country), cooking at home (in one country), overall amount of exercise (in 17 countries). The centrality difference test showed the central and bridge variables had significantly higher centrality indices than others in their networks (P < 0.05). Conclusions In 29 countries, cooking at home, less emotional distress, and overall amount of exercise emerged as common central lifestyle, health outcome, and bridge lifestyle factors, respectively. However, notable regional variations necessitate tailored interventions and resource allocations to effectively address unique local key variables and promote holistic health in each locale. The study's cross-sectional design and self-reported data may limit generalisability, emphasising the need for cautious interpretation and further longitudinal research. Keywords global; across-country comparisons; lifestyle; health outcomes; network analysis

Background Mild cognitive impairment may increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) or probably accelerate the progression. AD is the most common cause of dementia, substantial neuronal loss, and neuropathological lesions can damage many brain regions. Symptoms of the disease begin with mild memory difficulties and evolve towards cognitive impairment. Novel biomarkers include PET scans and plasma assays for amyloid β and phosphorylated tau, which show great promise for clinical and research use, but may be expensive approaches, here we propose a more affordable approach to detect biomarkers in cells isolated from the olfactory neuroepithelium. Method Older adults with signs of Mild Cognitive Impairment and healthy individuals of the same age were recruited. We performed a MoCA Test, a medical interview, and an olfactory test for each volunteer. A noninvasive nasal exudate was performed to obtain, isolate, and characterize Olfactory Epithelial Precursor Cells. Once the cultures were established, different biomarkers were evaluated using the Western Blot technique. We selected the biomarkers studied through a bioinformatic DEG’s analysis previously carried out by our research group. Result A cohort of 3 patients with cognitive impairment and 3 healthy controls were recruited. We obtained from all volunteers their clinical history, a MOCA‐cognitive test, blood samples, and the culture of the Olfactory Epithelial Precursor Cells of each patient was established. The following markers were analyzed by Western Blot Amyloid precursor protein, total tau (T‐tau) and phospho‐tau217 (p‐tau217), as well as the AD biomarkers selected by our bioinformatics analysis: calcineurin subunit, a serine/threonine phosphatase under the control of Ca2+/calmodulin; β‐synuclein, which is associated with synaptic degeneration; a‐synuclein; and FKBP prolyl isomerase 1B (FKBP1B), a chaperone involved in age‐related Ca2+ dysregulation in the brain. Our data showed no correlation between p/tau217 and cognitive impairment. Conclusion The search for altered genes in mild cognitive impaired patient‐derived peripheral cells will allow us to identify potential early biomarkers of AD that could be validated in blood samples from patients with AD, as a possible affordable diagnostic tool.

Background Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is characterized by hyperglycemia and insulin resistance. Historically, it is linked to greater cognitive decline and risk of Alzheimer's dementia. Although deregulations in the insulin signaling pathway have been identified, further investigation is needed. Diabetic patients over 60 years of age, in addition to facing cognitive risks, show olfactory deficits like AD. Neuronal precursors in the olfactory epithelium (hONE NPCs) offer a valuable model for studying the connection between T2DM and AD. Nasal exfoliates and plasma samples were collected from diabetic patients with or without cognitive decline and healthy controls. Assessment of biomarkers, the insulin signaling pathway and the posttranslational modification OGlacNac were done. Method We divided our study groups into apparently healthy subjects (AHS), subjects with cognitive impairment (SMCI), subjects with T2DM without cognitive impairment (ST2DM), and subjects with type 2 diabetes with cognitive impairment (ST2DM‐SMCI). We obtained hONE NPCs cell cultures from the volunteers through a non‐invasive nose exfoliate, those cells were characterized by WB and ICC. We obtained blood samples for the detection of HbA1c and AD biomarkers. We performed MoCA Test, medical interview and an olfactory test for each volunteer. Result We isolated and cultured human hONE NPCs from a Mexican cohort of 60 individuals over 50 years old diabetic and nondiabetic with or without MCI. We collected clinical data, performed MoCA test, and an olfactory test, collected blood samples, and evaluated glucose levels to search for possible correlations among these variables. Our results showed increased expression of IRS‐1 between control subjects (AHI) vs subjects with SMCI+ST2DM and a significant increase in OGlacNac of the IRS‐1 receptor between the control (AHI) group versus the SMCI and SMCI+ST2DM. Conclusion We obtained a positive correlation between the olfactory and MoCA test and a non‐significant trend of negative correlation between the MoCA score and the HbA1c. A significant increase in IRS‐1 expression between AHI vs. subjects with SMCI+ST2DM was detected, and a significant increase in OGlacNac of the IRS‐1 receptor between the AHI versus the SMCI and SMCI+ST2DM. Thus, the hONE NPC cells constitute an accessible model to study the relationship between T2DM, AD, and olfactory dysfunction.

Issues of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), including gender equity, have gained increasing recognition at the beginning of the 21st century. As an academic discipline, soil science has been late in addressing gender equity, but several peer-reviewed studies have been published in the last 5 years. This study investigated gender equity in the soil science university faculty/academic staff (f/as) and soil professional societies in Canada, Egypt, Mexico, Nigeria, the United Kingdom and the United States of America (USA) using data publicly available on the Internet and anonymized data from soil science professional societies. We found that women still lagged behind men among our soil science f/as by considerable margins (69.2% men vs. 30.8% women for pooled data for all six countries in this study), and that the percentage of women in soil science f/as positions are similar to those for f/as women in many other scientific fields. There are differences in gender equity by soil science subdiscipline that vary by country. In countries where data are available to make comparisons, over the last 6–8 years, the gender gap has closed to some degree, both overall and for sub-disciplines. Women also often hold leadership positions in numbers that are lower than their representation among the f/as and membership in professional societies. In addition, women are recognised with awards such as society fellowship in numbers lower than their overall representation would suggest. This study concludes that progress has been made on several fronts in the last 6–8 years, but there is still much work to be done to achieve gender equity in soil science academia and professional societies. It is recommended that soil science societies collect, analyse and compare data on gender in the discipline so that progress can be evidenced, tracked and encouraged.

The transcriptome, the complete set of RNA molecules within a cell, plays a critical role in regulating physiological processes. The advent of RNA sequencing (RNA‐seq) facilitated by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technologies, has revolutionized transcriptome research, providing unique insights into gene expression dynamics. This powerful strategy can be applied at both bulk tissue and single‐cell levels. Bulk RNA‐seq provides a gene expression profile within a tissue sample. Conversely, single‐cell RNA sequencing (scRNA‐seq) offers resolution at the cellular level, allowing the uncovering of cellular heterogeneity, identification of rare cell types, and distinction between distinct cell populations. As computational tools, machine learning techniques, and NGS sequencing platforms continue to evolve, the field of transcriptome research is poised for significant advancements. Therefore, to fully harness this potential, a comprehensive understanding of bulk RNA‐seq and scRNA‐seq technologies, including their advantages, limitations, and computational considerations, is crucial. This review provides a systematic comparison of the computational processes involved in both RNA‐seq and scRNA‐seq, highlighting their fundamental principles, applications, strengths, and limitations, while outlining future directions in transcriptome research.