Distinct neural mechanisms for heading retrieval and context recognition in the hippocampus during spatial reorientation.

Reorientation, the process of regaining one's bearings after becoming lost, requires identification of a spatial context (context recognition) and recovery of facing direction within that context (heading retrieval). We previously showed that these processes rely on the use of features and geometry, respectively. Here, we examine reorientation behavior in a task that creates contextual ambiguity over a long timescale to demonstrate that male mice learn to combine both featural and geometric cues to recover heading. At the neural level, most CA1 neurons persistently align to geometry, and this alignment predicts heading behavior. However, a small subset of cells remaps coherently in a context-sensitive manner, which serves to predict context. Efficient heading retrieval and context recognition correlate with rate changes reflecting integration of featural and geometric information in the active ensemble. These data illustrate how context recognition and heading retrieval are coded in CA1 and how these processes change with experience.

Soil carbon storage under different types of arid land use in Algeria.

This study aims to assess the amount of organic carbon stored in soils, as it is an intention of knowing the sustainable soil management, by using two common methods for determining soil organic matter (SOM), namely oxidation with acidified wet dichromate (Walkley-Black method-WB) and loss on ignition (LOI). The study was carried with soil samples collected from a depth of 0 to 30 cm in the Saharan arid region of Ghardaïa (Algeria), with different land uses: agricultural, forest and pastoral. The results obtained from the LOI and WB methods were subjected to statistical analysis, and the relations between both methods were tested to investigate their relationship. The mean percentage of SOM values were 1.86, 2.42, 1.54 by using LOI, but, lower values of 0.34, 0.33, 0.36 were determined by using WB method, for agricultural, forest and pastoral soils respectively. A weak linear relationship between the two analytical procedures was obtained (R2 of 0.19 and 0.13 for agricultural and forest soils), while a medium relationship (R2 = 0.65) was found for pastoral soils when using linear adjustment. However, the opposite behaviour was found when we use the logarithmic adjustment. The study outcomes indicated discrepancies in the measurements of SOM values between the two methods, been higher those estimated with LOI. Finally, in order to identify the best methodology to measure soil organic matter in arid soils, more research is required in these extreme arid regions as they are a gap in world soil organic matter maps.

Distinct neural mechanisms for heading retrieval and context recognition in the hippocampus during spatial reorientation.

Reorientation, the process of regaining one's bearings after becoming lost, requires identification of a spatial context (context recognition) and recovery of heading direction within that context (heading retrieval). We previously showed that these processes rely on the use of features and geometry, respectively. Here, we examine reorientation behavior in a task that creates contextual ambiguity over a long timescale to demonstrate that mice learn to combine both featural and geometric cues to recover heading with experience. At the neural level, most CA1 neurons persistently align to geometry, and this alignment predicts heading behavior. However, a small subset of cells shows feature-sensitive place field remapping, which serves to predict context. Efficient heading retrieval and context recognition require integration of featural and geometric information in the active network through rate changes. These data illustrate how context recognition and heading retrieval are coded in CA1 and how these processes change with experience.

Navigable Space and Traversable Edges Differentially Influence Reorientation in Sighted and Blind Mice.

Reorientation enables navigators to regain their bearings after becoming lost. Disoriented individuals primarily reorient themselves using the geometry of a layout, even when other informative cues, such as landmarks, are present. Yet the specific strategies that animals use to determine geometry are unclear. Moreover, because vision allows subjects to rapidly form precise representations of objects and background, it is unknown whether it has a deterministic role in the use of geometry. In this study, we tested sighted and congenitally blind mice (Ns = 8-11) in various settings in which global shape parameters were manipulated. Results indicated that the navigational affordances of the context-the traversable space-promote sampling of boundaries, which determines the effective use of geometric strategies in both sighted and blind mice. However, blind animals can also effectively reorient themselves using 3D edges by extensively patrolling the borders, even when the traversable space is not limited by these boundaries.

The Design and Development of Recycled Concretes in a Circular Economy Using Mixed Construction and Demolition Waste.

This research study analysed the effect of adding fine-fMRA (0.25% and 50%)-and coarse-cMRA (0%, 25% and 50%)-mixed recycled aggregate both individually and simultaneously in the development of sustainable recycled concretes that require a lower consumption of natural resources. For this purpose, we first conducted a physical and mechanical characterisation of the new recycled raw materials and then analysed the effect of its addition on fresh and hardened new concretes. The results highlight that the addition of fMRA and/or cMRA does not cause a loss of workability in the new concrete but does increase the amount of entrained air. Regarding compressive strength, we observed that fMRA and/or cMRA cause a maximum increase of +12.4% compared with conventional concrete. Tensile strength increases with the addition of fMRA (between 8.7% and 5.5%) and decreases with the use of either cMRA or fMRA + cMRA (between 4.6% and 7%). The addition of fMRA mitigates the adverse effect that using cMRA has on tensile strength. Regarding watertightness, all designed concretes have a structure that is impermeable to water. Lastly, the results show the feasibility of using these concretes to design elements with a characteristic strength of 25 MPa and that the optimal percentage of fMRA replacement is 25%.

Differential effect of sleep deprivation on place cell representations, sleep architecture, and memory in young and old mice.

Poor sleep quality is associated with age-related cognitive decline, and whether reversal of these alterations is possible is unknown. In this study, we report how sleep deprivation (SD) affects hippocampal representations, sleep patterns, and memory in young and old mice. After training in a hippocampus-dependent object-place recognition (OPR) task, control animals sleep ad libitum, although experimental animals undergo 5 h of SD, followed by recovery sleep. Young controls and old SD mice exhibit successful OPR memory, whereas young SD and old control mice are impaired. Successful performance is associated with two cellular phenotypes: (1) "context" cells, which remain stable throughout training and testing, and (2) "object configuration" cells, which remap when objects are introduced to the context and during testing. Additionally, effective memory correlates with spindle counts during non-rapid eye movement (NREM)/rapid eye movement (REM) sigma transitions. These results suggest SD may serve to ameliorate age-related memory deficits and allow hippocampal representations to adapt to changing environments.

Distribution Levels of Particulate Matter Fractions (<2.5 µm, 2.5-10 µm and >10 µm) at Seven Primary Schools in a European Ceramic Cluster.

This study addresses the concentration of particulate matter and their size using a statistical analysis of data obtained inside seven schools located in the towns of Castellón (S1, S2, and S3), Alcora (S4, S5, and S6) and Lucena (S7) in northeast Spain. Samples were taken for five to eight hours, depending on school hours, to obtain a monthly sample for each school. The main goal of this study is to assess the differences depending on the type of location and the sampling point to be able to design corrective measures that improve the habitability and safety of the teaching spaces analyzed. The lowest concentrations of fine particulate matter, less than 2.5 µm, were registered at the rural location. The values of these particles found in industrial and urban locations were not substantially different. In the case of particulate matter between 2.5 and 10 µm, significant differences were observed between the three types of locations. The lowest concentrations of particles larger than 10 µm were registered at the rural location, and the highest concentrations were found at the industrial locations. Among the urban stations, the particle concentration of this fraction in station S2 was significantly higher than that in stations S1 and S3, which had similar concentrations. These values are also similar to those registered at school S6, which is at an industrial location. The resuspension of particles from both indoor sources as well as those transported from the outside is an important factor in the concentrations of particles inside classrooms.

Socioemotional Resources Account for Academic Adjustment in Moroccan Adolescents.

This study aimed to analyze the relationship of both positive socioemotional resources [emotional intelligence (EI) and social support] and negative states (test anxiety and depression) with academic adjustment, as measured by academic performance and self-concept, among Moroccan adolescents. The participants were 845 students from Morocco (372 boys, 473 girls; mean age 15.58 years; SD = 1.69; range = 13-18) who were attending secondary education (79.8%) or high school. The participants completed a questionnaire that included scales to measure the variables of interest, adapted for and validated in Moroccan adolescents. A multiple mediation serial model with four mediator variables confirmed that academic self-concept was positively and directly predicted by EI, academic performance, and social support, whereas test anxiety and depression had a negative effect. Second, EI predicted self-concept through its indirect effects on test anxiety and academic performance, social support, and depression. EI was the most protective factor. This model has good performance in explaining the variation in test anxiety (1.6%), depression (14.2%), social support (9.5%), academic performance (6.8%), and self-concept (35.7%). This study helps clarify the relationship of positive and negative socioemotional states with the academic performance of adolescents in Morocco. This study contributes to the literature by enhancing knowledge of adolescents in societies that, like Morocco, have a less elaborated tradition at these levels of education and that are considering education in their agenda as a way of enhancing national development and promoting EI to allow youth development in a healthier society.

Nimotuzumab (CIMAher®) en pacientes cubanos con cáncer de cabeza y cuello estadios III/IV: Análisis de impacto presupuestario / Nimotuzumab (CIMAher®) in Cuban patients with head and neck cancer stage III/IV: Budget impact analysis

En Cuba, el cáncer es la segunda causa de muerte con 24.902 defunciones en el 2018; de ellas, 795 fueron por tumores de laringe y 826 por tumores de labio, cavidad bucal y faringe. El anticuerpo monoclonal nimotuzumab (CIMAher®) está registrado como tratamiento combinado con radioterapia o quimioterapia para el cáncer de células escamosas de cabeza y cuello estadios avanzados. Del mismo se conoce su efectividad y perfil de seguridad, no así el impacto económico que acarrearía la incorporación del mismo al Sistema Nacional de Salud (SNS) cubano; de forma tal de asignar y reajustar presupuestos en la esfera de medicamentos. Por tanto, se hizo necesario realizar un análisis de impacto presupuestario, con el objetivo de estimar el impacto financiero de la incorporación del nimotuzumab (CIMAher®) al paquete de beneficios del SNS cubano. Se tomaron los datos de prevalencia e incidencia de la enfermedad en los estadios III/IV. Se estableció un escenario actual con la terapia radio/quimioterapia secuencial y una tasa de penetración de 100%. El escenario futuro fue radio/quimioterapia secuencial + nimotuzumab (CIMAher®) con tasa anual de penetración 20, 40, 60, 80 y 100 por ciento. La perspectiva fue desde el SNS y un horizonte temporal de 5 años (2019-2023). El análisis de impacto presupuestal mostró que, desde perspectiva, horizonte y tasa de penetración establecidos, el SNS debe invertir aproximadamente de 10 a 65 millones de pesos cubanos (CUP); cifras menores al presupuesto destinado a salud pública(AU)

In Cuba, cancer is the second cause of death with 24,902 deaths in 2018; 795 were due to laryngeal tumors and 826 due to tumors of the lip, oral cavity and pharynx. The monoclonal antibody nimotuzumab (CIMAher®) is registered as a combined treatment with radiotherapy or chemotherapy for advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Its effectiveness and safety profile are known, but not their economic impact into the Cuban National Health System (NHS); in order to allocate and readjust budgets in the field of medicines. Therefore, it was necessary to perform a budget impact analysis in order to estimate the financial impact of the incorporation of nimotuzumab (CIMAher®) into the benefits package of the Cuban NHS. Data on prevalence and incidence of the disease in stages III / IV were taken into account. The current scenario was with the therapy radio/sequential chemotherapy and penetration rate of 100 percent. The future scenario was radio/sequential chemotherapy + nimotuzumab (CIMAher®) and annual penetration rate of 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 percent. The perspective was from the NHS and a time horizon of five years (2019-2023). The budget impact analysis showed that from an established perspective, horizon and penetration rate, the NHS must invest 10-65 million Cuban pesos (CUP) approximately; lower values than the budget allocated to Public Health(AU)

The relationship between indoor and outdoor levels of PM10 and its chemical composition at schools in a coastal region in Spain.

PM10 levels and its chemical composition were studied inside and outdoor of seven primary schools (3 in urban environment, 3 in industrial environment, 1 in rural environment) located in the Mediterranean coast in an area with an important industrial nucleus dedicated to the treatment of raw mineral materials. The main objective of this work is a comparison between these levels obtained inside and outside schools and also asses the influence of various natural and anthropogenic emission sources on particles concentrations found inside. The indoor airborne samples were collected using RespiCon TM. In the three outdoor sampling stations was used a minivol air sampler type 3.1 LVS of Derenda. PM10 Chemical composition was obtained by ICP-MS (elements) and ion chromatography The ratio I/O (indoor/outdoor) has been calculated taking into account only the samples taken in the same conditions. In all schools the ratio I/O for PM10 was greater than unity (between 1.3 and 7.8), indicating that existed significant indoor sources of these particles. In the three schools located in the industrial environment were collected PM10 samples inside and outside in non-teaching periods. Comparing the values of I/O when the classrooms were unoccupied with respect to the average value of these same schools when the classrooms are occupied, the behaviour is different depending on the location. On the other hand, a sample in an industrial school was obtained when some infrastructure works were being carried out outside of school. This caused a significant increase in the concentration of particles in the interior (I/O = 19.9). From the levels of As, Ni, Cd, Pb, Al, B, Zn, Mg, Sb, F-, ClO2-, NO3- and SO4 2- in PM10 inside and outside of each school, also the ratios I/O were calculated. These chemical ratios I/O were higher than unity in all cases and generally higher than those recorded in the case of PM10. Finally, Pearson correlation coefficients (r) between the elements and anions and the PM10, and between the different elements and anions were calculated for the purpose of establishing the existence of common emission sources.

Social Support and Emotional Intelligence as Protective Resources for Well-Being in Moroccan Adolescents.

This study aimed to test a structural model to examine the protective role of psychosocial variables, such as social support, emotional intelligence and their interaction, on the cognitive dimension of subjective positive well-being (life satisfaction) and negative well-being (depression) in Moroccan adolescents. The participants consisted of 1277 students (571 men, 694 women and 12 missing values) with a mean age of 16.15 years (SD = 2.22; range = 9 to 23) who attended 26 public schools in different territories of Morocco. These students were in secondary education (n = 893) and high school (n = 378) (6 missing values). The scales for measuring the variables of interest had to be adapted and validated as a previous step for the further proposal of a model of relations. Statistical analyses were conducted using structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the proposed model. The model that optimally adjusted the data confirmed the protective role of social support in the well-being of Moroccan adolescents. Consistent with previous studies, social support was directly related to well-being. However, it also modulated levels of satisfaction with life. Likewise, the inclusion of emotional intelligence as an additional protective factor contributed to the explanation of the well-being mechanisms in adolescents. In addition to direct associations with the levels of social support, satisfaction with life and depression (negative in the latter case), emotional intelligence participated in a complex chain affecting life satisfaction and life satisfaction affecting depression. Moreover, the interaction of emotional intelligence with social support was confirmed to determine levels of life satisfaction in adolescents. Specifically, social support multiplied the effects of the relationship between satisfaction with life and emotional intelligence in cases of moderate and high levels in Moroccan adolescents. This study fills a gap in the literature by adapting and further analyzing several scales with Moroccan samples of adolescents and by proposing and verifying a relational model that can help researchers and teachers to more precisely clarify these relations according to their context. The enhancement of protective factors, such as social support and emotional intelligence, will promote healthy youth development, thus creating healthier societies in the future.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil Improves Oxidative Stress, Functional Capacity, and Health-Related Psychological Status in Patients With Fibromyalgia: A Preliminary Study.

OBJECTIVES: Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic disease that imposes physical, psychological, and social limitations. We have reported that oxidative stress may play a role in the pathophysiology of FM. Olive oil has been shown to be effective treatment against the oxidative stress associated with several diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of olive oil on oxidative stress and health-related parameters in FM. METHODS: This preliminary study was performed on blood samples of 23 women diagnosed with FM who consumed 50 ml of organic olive oil daily for 3 weeks. Subjects were randomized into two groups: one ingested extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and the other refined olive oil (ROO), which have different antioxidant content. The patients' oxidative (lipid, protein, and DNA oxidation) and antioxidative (antioxidant enzyme activities and compounds) profiles were examined before and after the treatment period. Functional capacity and physical and mental health status were assessed using the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and the Physical Component (PCS-12) and Mental Component Summaries (MCS-12) of the Short Form-12 Health Survey, respectively. RESULTS: Significant differences were found in pre-post change between the EVOO and ROO groups for protein carbonyls, lipid peroxidation, and FIQ and MCS-12 scores. Differences between groups approached statistical significance for oxidative DNA damage and levels of the antioxidant compound zinc. CONCLUSIONS: EVOO may protect women with FM against oxidative stress in addition to improving functional capacity and health-related psychological status. Findings suggest that olive oil may be a valuable therapeutic support in FM.

Melatonin influences NO/NOS pathway and reduces oxidative and nitrosative stress in a model of hypoxic-ischemic brain damage.

In this work, using a rat model combining ischemia and hypobaric hypoxia (IH), we evaluate the relationships between the antioxidant melatonin and the cerebral nitric oxide/nitric oxide synthase (NO/NOS) system seeking to ascertain whether melatonin exerts its antioxidant protective action by balancing this key pathway, which is highly involved in the cerebral oxidative and nitrosative damage underlying these pathologies. The application of the IH model increases the expression of the three nitric oxide synthase (NOS) isoforms, as well as nitrogen oxide (NOx) levels and nitrotyrosine (n-Tyr) impacts on the cerebral cortex. However, melatonin administration before IH makes nNOS expression response earlier and stronger, but diminishes iNOS and n-Tyr expression, while both eNOS and NOx remain unchanged. These results were corroborated by nicotine adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase (NADPH-d) staining, as indicative of in situ NOS activity. In addition, the rats previously treated with melatonin exhibited a reduction in the oxidative impact evaluated by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). Finally, IH also intensified glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression, reduced hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1α), but did not change nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB); meanwhile, melatonin did not significantly affect any of these patterns after the application of the IH model. The antioxidant melatonin acts on the NO/NOS system after IH injury balancing the release of NO, reducing peroxynitrite formation and protecting from nitrosative/oxidative damage. In addition, this paper raises questions concerning the classical role of some controversial molecules such as NO, which are of great consequence in the final fate of hypoxic neurons. We conclude that melatonin protects the brain from hypoxic/ischemic-derived damage in the first steps of the ischemic cascade, influencing the NO/NOS pathway and reducing oxidative and nitrosative stress.