Search Results (787)

Background: Central precocious puberty (CPP), defined as the onset of secondary sexual characteristics before age 8 in girls, is increasingly prevalent worldwide. CPP is often caused by early activation of the HPG axis, leading to accelerated growth and bone maturation. However, the diagnostic accuracy of standard bone age (BA) methods remains uncertain in this context. Objective: To compare the diagnostic accuracy of the Greulich–Pyle atlas (GPA) and Tanner–Whitehouse 3 (TW3) methods in estimating skeletal age in girls with CPP and to assess the predictive value of serum hormone levels for estimating chronological age (CA). Methods: An observational, cross-sectional diagnostic study was conducted, involving n = 109 girls aged 6–12 years with confirmed CPP (Ethics Committee approval: CHUC_2023_86; 13 July 2023). Left posteroanterior hand–wrist (PA–HW) radiographs were assessed using the GPA and TW3 methods. Anthropometric measurements were recorded, and serum concentrations of estradiol, LH, FSH, DHEA-S, cortisol, TSH, and free T4 were obtained. Comparisons between CA and BA estimates were conducted using repeated-measures ANOVA, and ANCOVA was applied to examine the hormonal predictors of CA. Results: Both GPA and TW3 overestimated CA between 7 and 12 years, with the GPA showing larger deviations (up to 4.8 months). The TW3 method provided more accurate estimations, particularly at advanced pubertal stages. Estradiol (η²_p = 0.188–0.197), LH (η²_p = 0.061–0.068), and FSH (η²_p = 0.008–0.023) emerged as the strongest endocrine predictors of CA, significantly enhancing the explanatory power of both radiological methods. Conclusions: The TW3 method demonstrated superior diagnostic accuracy over GPA in girls with CPP, especially between 7 and 12 years. Integrating estradiol, LH, and FSH into BA assessment significantly improved the accuracy, supporting a more individualized and physiologically grounded diagnostic approach. Full article

Background/Objectives: The advent of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) revolutionized the management of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), achieving survival rates near those of the general population. Despite this success, prolonged therapy presents challenges, including physical, emotional, and financial burdens. Treatment-free remission (TFR), defined as sustained deep molecular response (DMR) after discontinuing TKIs, has emerged as a viable clinical goal. This study evaluates real-world data from the Canary Islands Registry of CML (RCLMC) to explore outcomes, predictors, and the feasibility of TFR. Methods: This retrospective observational study included 393 patients diagnosed with CML-CP between 2007 and 2023. Molecular response was monitored according to international guidelines. Survival probabilities were estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of molecular relapses after TKI discontinuation. Results: Of the 383 patients who received TKI treatment, 58.3% achieved molecular response grade 2 (MR2) (BCR-ABL1 ≤ 1%), 95.05% achieved MR2, and 50.5% reached MR4 within the first year. Of the 107 patients attempting TFR, 73.2% maintained remission at 36 months. Relapses occurred in 24 patients, all regaining molecular response upon reintroduction of TKIs. No cases of disease progression were observed. Conclusions: Our findings support the feasibility and safety of TFR in a real-world clinical setting for well-selected patients, with outcomes consistent with international studies. The study underscores the importance of molecular monitoring and patient-specific strategies to optimize outcomes. Full article

The prevailing environmental conditions before and during the 28 Large Forest Fires (LFFs) that have occurred in the Canary Islands since 1983 are analyzed. These conditions are often associated with episodes characterized by the advection of continental tropical air masses originating from the Sahara, which frequently result in intense heatwaves. During the onset of the LFFs, the base of the subsidence thermal inversion layer—separating a lower layer of cool, moist air from an upper layer of warm, dry air—is typically located at an altitude of around 350 m above sea level, approximately 600 m below the usual average. Understanding these Saharan air advection events is crucial, as they significantly alter the vertical thermal structure of the atmosphere and create highly conducive conditions for wildfire ignition and spread in the forested mid- and high-altitude zones of the archipelago. Analysis of meteorological records from various weather stations reveals that the average maximum temperature on the first day of fire ignition is 30.3 °C, with mean temperatures of 27.4 °C during the preceding week and 28.9 °C throughout the fire activity period. Relative humidity on the ignition days averages 24.3%, remaining at around 30% during the active phase of the fires. No significant correlation has been found between dry or wet years and the occurrence of LFFs, which have been recorded across years with widely varying precipitation levels. Full article

Food safety concerns related to pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables have increased globally, particularly in regions where monitoring programs are scarce or inconsistent. This study provides the first multi-year evaluation of pesticide contamination and associated dietary risks in Cape Verde, an African island nation increasingly reliant on imported produce. A total of 570 samples of fruits and vegetables—both locally produced and imported—were collected from major markets across the country between 2017 and 2020 and analyzed using validated multiresidue methods based on gas chromatography coupled to Ion Trap mass spectrometry (GC-IT-MS/MS), and both gas and liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (GC-QqQ-MS/MS and LC-QqQ-MS/MS). Residues were detected in 63.9% of fruits and 13.2% of vegetables, with imported fruits showing the highest contamination levels and diversity of compounds. Although only one sample exceeded the maximum residue limits (MRLs) set by the European Union, 80 different active substances were quantified—many of them not authorized under the current EU pesticide residue legislation. Dietary exposure was estimated using median residue levels and real consumption data from the national nutrition survey (ENCAVE 2019), enabling a refined risk assessment based on actual consumption patterns. The cumulative hazard index for the adult population was 0.416, below the toxicological threshold of concern. However, when adjusted for children aged 6–11 years—taking into account body weight and relative consumption—the cumulative index approached 1.0, suggesting a potential health risk for this vulnerable group. A limited number of compounds, including omethoate, oxamyl, imazalil, and dithiocarbamates, accounted for most of the risk. Many are banned or heavily restricted in the EU, highlighting regulatory asymmetries in global food trade. These findings underscore the urgent need for strengthened residue monitoring in Cape Verde, particularly for imported products, and support the adoption of risk-based food safety policies that consider population-specific vulnerabilities and mixture effects. The methodological framework used here can serve as a model for other low-resource countries seeking to integrate analytical data with dietary exposure in a One Health context. Full article

Island electrical networks often face stability and resilience issues due to their weakly meshed structure, which lowers system inertia and compromises supply continuity. This challenge is further intensified by the increasing integration of renewable energy sources, promoted by decarbonization goals, whose intermittent and variable nature complicates grid stability management. To address this, Red Eléctrica de España—the transmission system operator of Spain—has planned several improvements in the Canary Islands, including the installation of new wind farms and a second transmission circuit on the island of La Palma. This new infrastructure will complement the existing one and ensure system stability in the event of N-1 contingencies. This article evaluates the stability of the island’s electrical network through dynamic simulations conducted in PSS^®E, analyzing four distinct fault scenarios across three different grid configurations (current, short-term upgrade and long-term upgrade with wind integration). Generator models are based on standard dynamic parameters (WECC) and calibrated load factors using real data from the day of peak demand in 2021. Results confirm that the planned developments ensure stable system operation under severe contingencies, while the integration of wind power leads to a 33% reduction in diesel generation, contributing to improved environmental and operational performance. Full article

Food-borne zoonoses, particularly anisakiosis caused by Anisakis spp., are an increasing public health concern due to the rising consumption of raw fish. Anisakiosis results from the ingestion of third-stage larvae of Anisakidae nematodes, with the genus Anisakis re-sponsible for approximately 97% of human cases. While regulatory protocols exist to minimize infection risk in commercial settings, domestic food preparation often lacks such safeguards, creating a gap in public health protection. In the Canary Islands, a major Spanish aquaculture region, farmed fish exhibit a low Anisakis prevalence, suggesting minimal risk from aquaculture products. In contrast, wild-caught fish demonstrate varia-ble parasitism, with recent studies reporting a 25% prevalence among commercial species. Methods: This study assessed Anisakis exposure in the Canary Islands by measuring specific IgG and IgE antibodies in 1043 serum samples collected from all seven islands between March 2014 and October 2015. ELISA assays detected anti-Anisakis antibodies, and the results were analyzed by age, sex, island, and isoclimatic zone. Results: Overall, 16.9% of samples were IgG-positive and 6.8% were IgE-positive. Seroprevalence was significantly higher in indi-viduals aged 60 years and above. Geographic heterogeneity was notable: La Palma had the highest IgG seroprevalence (35.3%), while El Hierro showed the highest IgE prevalence (16.3%). Temperate isoclimatic zones exhibited higher antibody prevalence than dry zones. These findings indicate variable Anisakis exposure across the Canary Islands, likely influenced by environmental and behavioral factors. Conclusions: The results highlight the need for targeted public health interventions to reduce the anisakiosis risk, particularly in regions and populations with elevated exposure. Full article

During a volcanic eruption, a large volume of pyroclastic material can be deposited on the roads and roofs of the urban areas near volcanoes. The use of volcanic ash as an additive for the manufacture of bricks provides a solution to the disposal of part of this natural residue and reduces the depletion of a non-renewable natural resource, clayey soil, which brings some environmental and economic advantages. The pore system, compactness, uniaxial compression strength, thermal conductivity, color and durability of bricks without and with the addition of volcanic ash were evaluated through hydric tests, mercury intrusion porosimetry, ultrasound, uniaxial compression tests, IR thermography, spectrophotometry and salt crystallization tests. The purpose of this research is to determine the feasibility of adding 10, 20 and 30% by weight of volcanic ash from La Palma (Canary Islands, Spain) in two grain sizes to produce bricks fired at 800, 950 and 1100 °C. The novelty of this study is to use two sizes of volcanic ash and fire the samples at 1100 °C, which is close to the liquidus temperature of basaltic magmas and allows a high degree of interaction between the volcanic ash and the brick matrix. The addition of fine volcanic ash was found to decrease the porosity of the bricks, although the use of high percentages of coarse volcanic ash resulted in bricks with almost the same porosity as the control samples. The volcanic ash acted as a filler, reducing the number of small pores in the bricks. The presence of vesicles in the volcanic ash reduced the compressive strength and the compactness of the bricks with additives. This reduction was more evident in bricks manufactured with 30% of coarse volcanic ash and fired at 800 and 950 °C, although they still reached the minimum resistance required for their use in construction. No significant differences in thermal conductivity were noticed between the bricks with and without volcanic ash additives, which is crucial in terms of energy savings and the construction of sustainable buildings. At 1100 °C the volcanic ash changed in color from black to red. As a result, the additive blended in better with the matrix of bricks fired at 1100 °C than in those fired at 800 and 950 °C. The bricks with and without volcanic ash and fired at 1100 °C remained intact after the salt crystallization tests. Less salt crystallized in the bricks with volcanic ash and fired at 800 and 950 °C than in the samples without additives, although their low compressive strength made them susceptible to decay. Full article

Background: Research on sex differences in personality disorders profiles among individuals with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) remains limited. This study aimed to examine sex differences in personality disorders in AUD individuals attending to an outpatient alcohol and drugs treatment unit. Methods: Persons seeking alcohol detoxification treatment were assessed with the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III (MCMI-III) after abstinence. Both dimensional trait scores and cluster personality disorders types distribution were analyzed. A total of 216 subjects, 114 women (53%) and 102 men (47%), participated in the study. Results: No sex differences were found for paranoid, schizoid or schizotypal traits scores of Cluster A types. Women exhibited higher scores on the Cluster B histrionic trait (48 ± 22 vs. 39 ± 23, p = 0.012), with no differences in antisocial, borderline, or narcissistic trait scores. Narcissistic personality disorder was more prevalent in men than women (44% vs. 20%, p = 0.012). Cluster C dependent (52 ± 24 vs. 46 ± 20, p = 0.025) and obsessive-compulsive (54 ± 20 vs. 43 ± 19, p = 0.012) traits scores were elevated in women, but only dependent personality disorder prevalence differed categorically (38% women vs. 15% men, p = 0.012). Conclusions: Employing both dimensional and cluster approaches enriches personality disorder research in AUD. Dependent personality disorder in Cluster C robustly differentiates sexes, while personality disorder patterns in Clusters A and B show minimal sex differences when both approaches are considered. Full article

Dynamic Line Rating (DLR) technology is presented as a key solution to optimize the transmission capacity of power lines without the need to make investments in new infrastructure. Unlike traditional methods based on static estimates, DLR allows the thermal capacity of conductors to be evaluated in real time, considering the environmental and operational conditions. This article presents a state-of-the-art analysis of this technology, including a review of the main solutions currently available on the market. Likewise, the influence of variables such as ambient temperature, wind speed and direction or solar radiation in the determination of dynamic load capacity is discussed. It also reviews various pilot and commercial projects implemented internationally, evaluating their results and lessons learned. Finally, the main technological, regulatory, and operational challenges faced by the mass adoption of DLR are identified, including aspects such as the prediction of the dynamic capacity value, combination with other flexibility options, or integration with network management systems. This review is intended to serve as a basis for future developments and research in the field. Full article

Climate change is usually recognized as the most significant challenge facing viticulture in the 21st century. As a result, experts are increasingly emphasizing the need to explore the biodiversity within the species Vitis vinifera L. In this context, the present study investigated the intra-varietal biodiversity of two widely cultivated grapevine varieties on the Canary Islands of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura (Spain). These islands, characterized by desert-like climates, strong winds, volcanic soils, and phylloxera-free conditions, have presented uninterrupted grapevine cultivation for the past three to five centuries. Intra-varietal variability was detected in 93.46% of the 107 accessions analyzed. The most divergent samples were a Malvasia Dubrovacka (LNZ-87) and a Listan prieto (FTV-8), each exhibiting five distinct variations. Another Listan prieto accession (FTV-13) showed four variations. A group of seven individuals displayed three variations including two Malvasia volcanica accessions (LNZ-12, LNZ-72) and five Listan prieto accessions (FTV-1, FTV-2, FTV-7, FTV-9, FTV-12). A set of 100 SSR markers was used to analyze this grapevine collection, of which 17 revealed variability. The most informative markers were VChr15b, VVIp34, VVMD32, VChr9b, VVMD5, VVMD28, and VMC4F3, while the least informative was VVNTM1, which detected no variation. The parentage of Malvasia volcanica (Malvasia Dubrovacka × Bermejuela) was supported by all SSR markers, assuming that three of them may involve a mutated parent. Full article

Background: Violence against healthcare professionals is a growing public health concern. In Spain, the National Observatory of Aggressions recorded 16,866 cases in 2024, marking a 103.06% increase since 2017. This phenomenon has intensified in recent years, with serious repercussions for both the physical and psychological well-being of healthcare workers, as well as for the quality of care provided. Objectives: This descriptive study examines the knowledge, perceptions, and experiences of workplace aggression among undergraduate students at the University School of Nursing of the Nuestra Señora de Candelaria University Hospital. Materials and Methods: A self-administered ad hoc questionnaire was distributed to 266 students across all academic years to assess their knowledge and to explore their perceptions and experiences of aggression witnessed or experienced during clinical placements. This study was guided by the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines. Results: The findings revealed significant educational gaps among students regarding how to manage aggressive situations, as well as high levels of concern and an aggression exposure rate exceeding 30%. A statistically significant association was also observed in relation to the academic year. Conclusions: This study provides a foundation for the development of specific training programmes tailored to the needs identified and for enhancing occupational safety in healthcare settings. Full article

Wine organic acids influence their overall quality. This study examines the variability of major acids (tartaric, malic, lactic, citric, acetic, and gluconic) and minor phenolic acids (gallic, protocatechuic, syringic, caftaric, caffeic, cutaric, coumaric, and 2-S-glutathionylcaftaric) in varietal red wines produced from predominantly autochthonous grape cultivars of the Canary Islands. Two hundred and five monovarietal red wine samples were analyzed to assess how the organic acid profiles differed depending on the grape cultivars employed in their production, island of provenance, denomination of origin, and aging, supporting relationships between both genetic and environmental factors. High-performance liquid chromatography and enzymatic methods were used for determining minor and major organic acids, respectively. Many significant differences between grape cultivars, geographical origin, and aging were observed, reflecting the complexity of the composition of the organic acids in red wine and its relationship with viticultural factors. Linear discriminant analysis achieved classification accuracies up to 88.3% by cultivar and 83.4% by island. Correlation and multivariate analyses helped identify compositional patterns and key discriminant acids. This study advances the comprehension of major and minor acid composition and equilibria in red wines and may support future research on quality parameters and regional typicity. Full article

Dry matter (DM) is a critical parameter for avocado quality and commercialization, particularly in the ‘Hass’ cultivar, where it is closely associated with the oil content and flavor. This study evaluated the fatty acid composition and sensory attributes of ‘Hass’ avocados with varying DM levels (19%, 21%, 24%, and 27%) cultivated in the Canary Islands. Additionally, the impact of dehydration methods (oven and microwave) and sample preparation techniques on the oil content and lipid profiles were assessed. Six main fatty acids were identified, with oleic acid (38–43%) and palmitic acid (30–36%) being predominant. Higher DM levels were associated with increased concentrations of palmitoleic and linoleic acids. Drying methods did not significantly alter the fatty acid profile, supporting the crushed microwave-dried (CMW) method as a practical, low-cost approach for preserving lipid integrity. Consumer panelists showed a clear preference for avocados with higher DM contents (24–27%), associating the flavor (86.2%) and texture (59.6%) with the purchase intent. The high monounsaturated fatty acid content, particularly oleic acid, qualifies these avocados for the European nutritional claim ‘high in monounsaturated fat.’ This is the first study to characterize these parameters in ‘Hass’ avocados from the Canary Islands, contributing to both quality assessments and potential marketing strategies based on nutritional and sensory attributes. Full article

Low-level coastal jets are a common climatic phenomenon along much of the coast of Tenerife. However, there are large differences in intensity and frequency between the northern and southeastern facades of the island, even though both are exposed to the trade winds. This study analyzes how a local factor, such as the existing vegetation cover, influences this phenomenon. Comparing the wind records and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index of both exposed facades, it is observed that the lower the values of this index of vegetation cover, the greater the increase in the mean diurnal wind speed. It can be stated, from nine years of study, that there are clear indications of a relationship between the vegetation index used and the low-level coastal jet intensity. Full article

Background: A comparative analysis was conducted between two immunisation protocols using different amounts of protein extracts from adult Haemonchus contortus worms, purified by thiol-Sepharose chromatography (625 μg/animal vs. 200 μg/animal). These protocols involved either five or two inoculations of the immunogen, respectively. Methods: To evaluate the level of immunoprotection, animals were challenged with L3 of H. contortus two weeks after the last inoculation of the immunogen and humanely sacrificed at 8 weeks post-infection. Parasitological, biopathological, and serological parameters were monitored through the experiment. Parasite burden, abomasal-specific antibody responses, and histopathological changes were determined at the end of the trial. Results: The immunisation protocols resulted in similar reductions in cumulative faecal egg counts (60.5–64.9%) and the total worm burden (47.5–50%) compared to non-immunized (control) animals. Overall, these parasitological data showed an early recovery of the haematocrit (PCV) after challenge in the immunised groups relative to control. Similarly, levels of H. contortus-specific IgG and IgA antibodies increased in both the serum and gastric mucus of immunised groups. Conclusions: These findings represent a further step towards the potential application of this type of immunogen under field conditions, as protective responses (associated with a reduction in faecal egg output) were achieved using a simplified protocol, with lower immunogen doses and fewer inoculations required to induce immunoprotection, thereby mitigating the pathological effects of the parasite and reducing its ability to spread and infect susceptible hosts. Full article