Resultados de investigación

[EN]Qualitative data set - focus groups - migrant parents, MCIN/ AEI /10.13039/501100011033/ y FEDER Una manera de hacer Europa

[EN]Qualitative data set - focus groups - students, MCIN/ AEI /10.13039/501100011033/ y FEDER Una manera de hacer Europa

[EN]Quantitative data set - survey - stakeholders, MCIN/ AEI /10.13039/501100011033/ y FEDER Una manera de hacer Europa

[EN]Quantitative data set - survey - stakeholders, MCIN/ AEI /10.13039/501100011033/ y FEDER Una manera de hacer Europa

[EN]Presbycusis or age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is one of the most prevalent chronic health problems facing aging populations. Along the auditory pathway, the stations involved in transmission and processing, function as a system of interconnected feedback loops. Regulating hierarchically auditory processing, auditory cortex (AC) neuromodulation can, accordingly, activate both peripheral and central plasticity after hearing loss. However, previous ARHL-prevention interventions have mainly focused on preserving the structural and functional integrity of the inner ear, overlooking the central auditory system. In this study, using an animal model of spontaneous ARHL, we aim at assessing the effects of multisession epidural direct current stimulation of the AC through stereotaxic implantation of a 1-mm silver ball anode in Wistar rats. Consisting of 7 sessions (0.1 mA/10 min), on alternate days, in awake animals, our stimulation protocol was applied at the onset of hearing loss (threshold shift detection at 16 months). Click- and pure-tone auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) were analyzed in two animal groups, namely electrically stimulated (ES) and non-stimulated (NES) sham controls, comparing recordings at 18 months of age. At 18 months, NES animals showed significantly increased threshold shifts, decreased wave amplitudes, and increased wave latencies after click and tonal ABRs, reflecting a significant, spontaneous ARHL evolution. Conversely, in ES animals, no significant differences were detected in any of these parameters when comparing 16 and 18 months ABRs, indicating a delay in ARHL progression. Electrode placement in the auditory cortex was accurate, and the stimulation did not cause significant damage, as shown by the limited presence of superficial reactive microglial cells after IBA1 immunostaining. In conclusion, multisession DC stimulation of the AC has a protective effect on auditory function, delaying the progression of presbycusis

[EN]The analysis of the topography of brain neuromodulation following transcranial alternating current (AC) stimulation is relevant for defining strategies directed to specific nuclei stimulation in patients. Among the different procedures of AC stimulation, temporal interference (tTIS) is a novel method for non-invasive neuromodulation of specific deep brain targets. However, little information is currently available about its tissue effects and its activation topography in in vivo animal models. After a single session (30 min, 0.12 mA) of transcranial alternate current (2,000 Hz; ES/AC group) or tTIS (2,000/2,010 Hz; Es/tTIS group) stimulation, rat brains were explored by whole-brain mapping analysis of c-Fos immunostained serial sections. For this analysis, we used two mapping methods, namely density-to-color processed channels (independent component analysis (ICA) and graphical representation (MATLAB) of morphometrical and densitometrical values obtained by density threshold segmentation. In addition, to assess tissue effects, alternate serial sections were stained for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba1), and Nissl. AC stimulation induced a mild superficial increase in c-Fos immunoreactivity. However, tTIS stimulation globally decreased the number of c-Fos-positive neurons and increased blood brain barrier cell immunoreactivity. tTIS also had a stronger effect around the electrode placement area and preserved neuronal activation better in restricted areas of the deep brain (directional stimulation). The enhanced activation of intramural blood vessels’ cells and perivascular astrocytes suggests that low-frequency interference (10 Hz) may also have a trophic effect. Copyright © 2023 Carmona-Barrón, Fernández del Campo, Delgado-García, De la Fuente, Lopez and Merchán.

[EN]Presbycusis or age-related hearing loss (ARHL) affects millions of people worldwide, increasing their risk of cognitive decline and poor quality of life. However, ARHL remains an irreversible condition due to our inability to induce inner-ear hair cell regeneration. Nevertheless, multisession epidural stimulation of the auditory cortex (AC) at the onset of ARHL prevents hearing threshold elevation in naturally aging Wistar rats. Accordingly, we hypothesized that anodal direct current (DC) stimulation of the AC may also compensate for age-related maladaptive, activity-dependent changes. Here, we examined immunocytochemical markers in the AC, including early genes (c-fos and Arc), AMPA receptors (GluR2/3), parvalbumin (PV), and GAD67, along with auditory-evoked potentials (CAEPs) recorded in both auditory and visual (VC) cortices. When comparing 6 and 18.13-month-old rats without AC simulation, we observed loss of c-fos and Arc-positive neurons and decreased GluR2/3 expression, confirming altered AC neuronal network plasticity and activation. In addition, we noted changes in PV and decreased GAD67 immunoreactivity suggesting disrupted inhibition and significantly increased wave amplitudes in CAEPs, altered AC latencies, and decreased VC responses. By contrast, electrically stimulated rats showed no significant variations in early gene markers, GluR2/3, PV, or GAD67 with age, and the amplitudes and latencies of CAEPs recorded in their AC and VC resembled those of young rat. These findings indicate that anodal DC stimulation at the onset of ARHL delays AC aging by minimizing the loss of inhibition and preventing increases in cortical excitability in Wistar rats

[EN]Iberian ham is a Spanish product that is highly prized for its unique sensory characteris-tics. Therefore, the possibility of predicting these characteristics using non-invasive methods is of great interest. In this context, this study compares the performance of two benchtop and four different portable devices as well as the influence of recording points (lean meat, fat and whole slice) for the prediction of sensory parameters. A total of 28 de-scriptors were determined by a trained panel in 60 samples (100% Iberian and Iberian) and the prediction of the sensory profile was carried out using a Feedforward Multilayer Perceptron Artificial Neural Network. A significant effect of breed on the sensory profile and spectral characteristics, especially of fat, was observed. On the other hand, NIRFlex N-500 (desktop) and MicroP-hazir (portable) showed the best performance, with 27 pa-rameters predicted in the whole slice and fat, respectively (R2>0.5). n addition, it was pos-sible to predict 25 parameters with the MicroNIR portable device at all recording sites, demonstrating that portable devices are suitable for this analysis. The results indicate that the number and type of predicted sensory parameters depend largely on the recording site and that measurements taken in different areas provide complementary information

[EN]Data corresponding to research conducted on the use of organic fertilizers on the composition of pistachios. Study conducted on Spanish pistachio trees., Agronomic data Cimate data Pistachio composition data

[EN]This dataset contains 200 individual-level cases from a survey of the Moroccan-origin population residing in the municipality of Turin (Italy). The target population includes adults aged 18 or older who were either born in Morocco or born in Italy with at least one parent of Moroccan origin. Fieldwork was conducted between May and October 2014 through face-to-face paper-and-pencil interviews. The sample was selected using the Centre Sampling Technique, based on lists of “aggregation centres” (such as mosques, training centres, ethnic shops and outdoor markets) regularly visited by members of the Moroccan community. Within each selected centre, respondents were chosen through systematic sampling, and post-stratification weights were applied to account for different probabilities of inclusion across centres, yielding a final net sample of 200 completed interviews with an overall response rate of 72%. The dataset is provided in Stata format and is accompanied by the full individual questionnaire in Italian, show cards in Italian and Arabic, and a short preliminary instrument used to measure the frequency of visits to aggregation centres.