Diversity and Genetic structure of the Spanish collection of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L) landraces

The objectives of this study were to assess diversity and genetic structure of a collection of Spanish durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L) landraces, using SSRs, DArTs and gliadin-markers, and to correlate the distribution of diversity with geographic and climatic features, as well as agro-morphological traits. A high level of diversity was detected in the genotypes analyzed, which were separated into nine populations with a moderate to great genetic divergence among them. The three subspecies taxa, dicoccon, turgidum and durum, present in the collection, largely determined the clustering of the populations. Genotype variation was lower in dicoccon (one major population) and turgidum (two major populations) than in durum (five major populations). Genetic differentiation by the agro-ecological zone of origin was greater in dicoccon and turgidum than in durum. DArT markers revealed two geographic substructures, east-west for dicoccon and northeast-southwest for turgidum. The ssp. durum had a more complex structure, consisting of seven populations with high intra-population variation. DArT markers allowed the detection of subgroups within some populations, with agro-morphological and gliadin differences, and distinct agro-ecological zones of origin. Two different phylogenetic groups were detected; revealing that some durum populations were more related to ssp. turgidum from northern Spain, while others seem to be more related to durum wheats from North Africa

A facial expression for anxiety

Anxiety and fear are often confounded in discussions of human emotions. However, studies of rodent defensive reactions under naturalistic conditions suggest anxiety is functionally distinct from fear. Unambiguous threats, such as predators, elicit flight from rodents (if an escape-route is available), whereas ambiguous threats (e.g., the odor of a predator) elicit risk assessment behavior, which is associated with anxiety as it is preferentially modulated by anti-anxiety drugs. However, without human evidence, it would be premature to assume that rodent-based psychological models are valid for humans. We tested the human validity of the risk assessment explanation for anxiety by presenting 8 volunteers with emotive scenarios and asking them to pose facial expressions. Photographs and videos of these expressions were shown to 40 participants who matched them to the scenarios and labeled each expression. Scenarios describing ambiguous threats were preferentially matched to the facial expression posed in response to the same scenario type. This expression consisted of two plausible environmental-scanning behaviors (eye darts and head swivels) and was labeled as anxiety, not fear. The facial expression elicited by unambiguous threat scenarios was labeled as fear. The emotion labels generated were then presented to another 18 participants who matched them back to photographs of the facial expressions. This back-matching of labels to faces also linked anxiety to the environmental-scanning face rather than fear face. Results therefore suggest that anxiety produces a distinct facial expression and that it has adaptive value in situations that are ambiguously threatening, supporting a functional, risk-assessing explanation for human anxiety.

Atividade eletroencefalográfica de pacientes com acidente vascular cerebral na aprendizagem motora de um jogo baseado em realidade virtual

Stroke is the leading cause of long-term disability among adults and motor relearning is essential in motor sequelae recovery. Therefore, various techniques have been proposed to achieve this end, among them Virtual Reality. The aim of the study was to evaluate electroencephalographic activity of stroke patients in motor learning of a virtual reality-based game. The study included 10 patients with chronic stroke, right-hande; 5 with left brain injury (LP), mean age 48.8 years (± 4.76) and 5 with injury to the right (RP), mean age 52 years (± 10.93). Participants were evaluated for electroencephalographic (EEG) activity and performance while performing 15 repetitions of darts game in XBOX Kinect and also through the NIHSS, MMSE, Fugl-Meyer and the modified Ashworth scale. Patients underwent a trainning with 45 repetitions of virtual darts game, 12 sessions in four weeks. After training, patients underwent reassessment of EEG activity and performance in virtual game of darts (retention). Data were analyzed using ANOVA for repeated measures. According to the results, there were differences between the groups (PD and PE) in frequencies Low Alpha (p = 0.0001), High Alpha (p = 0.0001) and Beta (p = 0.0001). There was an increase in alpha activation powers and a decrease in beta in the phase retention of RP group. In LP group was observed increased alpha activation potency, but without decrease in beta activation. Considering the asymmetry score, RP group increased brain activation in the left hemisphere with the practice in the frontal areas, however, LP group had increased activation of the right hemisphere in fronto-central areas, temporal and parietal. As for performance, it was observed a decrease in absolute error in the game for RP group between assessment and retention (p = 0.015), but this difference was not observed for LP group (p = 0.135). It follows then that the right brain injury patients benefited more from darts game training in the virtual environment with respect to the motor learning process, reducing neural effort in ipsilesionais areas and errors with the practice of the task. In contrast, patients with lesions in left hemisphere decrease neural effort in contralesionais areas important for motor learning and showed no performance improvements with practice of 12 sessions of virtual dart game. Thus, the RV can be used in rehabilitation of stroke patients upper limb, but the laterality of the injury should be considered in programming the motor learning protocol.

Prácticas artísticas como procesos sistémicos

Conferencia y debate con Ramón Parramón, Director de ACVIC, Centre d’Arts Contemporànies de Vic (2010), y Director y fundador de IDENSITAT (desde 1999), proyecto colectivo desde el que vehicula su práctica como artista. La sesión estuvo centrada en las distintas facetas que el programa IDENSITAT desarrolla desde su fundación a finales de los 90's, siempre entendiendo como campo de trabajo artístico el territorio social y físico. Por tanto, el cruce disciplinar y profesional para la producción de operativos de intervención social y territorial se explicaron como ejes de trabajo posible para un artista. Ramón Parramón ha dirigido también el Máster en Diseño, Arte y Espacio Público Elisava-UPF (2000-2010). En 2005 fue comisario de Madrid Abierto y de 2005 a 2010 formó parte de su comisión asesora. Ha comisariado varias exposiciones como Artesanos, construcciones colectivas del espacio social (La Capella, Barcelona) Catalizadores (Arts Santa Mònica,Barcelona), Ciudades Intervenidas (La Capella, Barcelona), Apamar: Gráficas, Métricas y Políticas del Espacio (ACVIC). Ha participado y organizado varios seminarios, talleres y foros de debate sobre arte y espacio social. Ha editado varias publicaciones como Mecanismos de Porosidad (EUMO Editorial / ACVIC, 2013), Catalizadores (Arts Santa Mónica / EUMO Editorial, 2010), Acciones Reversibles. Arte, Educación y Territorio (EUMO Editorial / ACVIC, 2010), Local / Visitante. Arte y creación contemporánea en el espacio social (Idensitat, 2010), o Arte, experiencias y territorios en proceso (Idensitat, 2008).