José Gabriel

Department of Didactics of Science, University of Jaén, 23071 Jaén, Spain

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common childhood cancer. In Mexico, its higher incidence and lower survival suggest a role for epigenetic factors like DNA methylation (DNAme). We conducted an epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) to define the methylation landscape and identify the profiles associated with ALL and relapse. Bone marrow or peripheral blood samples from pediatric ALL patients at diagnosis and controls without ALL were analyzed using an Infinium MethylationEPIC v2.0 array. Differential methylation was assessed using the ChAMP package. We identified a significant hypermethylated profile in ALL patients compared to controls. Probes in MAD1L1 and RPTOR contained the most differentially methylated CpG sites. Key affected pathways included proliferation, neurotransmission, and neuronal signaling. Survival analysis revealed that hypomethylation of four specific CpGs—cg01052776 (RNH1), cg20747787, cg05001671, and cg01767116 (FBXL22)—was significantly associated with an increased risk of relapse, highlighting their potential as prognostic biomarkers. This study underscores the importance of epigenetic mechanisms in pediatric ALL.

This paper presents the design, implementation and experimental validation of a modular battery management system (BMS) featuring active cell balancing. The proposed BMS consists of a master module and multiple slave submodules responsible for monitoring and balancing 22 cells connected in series. The master module collects voltage and temperature data from the slave submodules and measures the battery current to estimate the cells' state of charge (SoC). Each slave module performs cell voltage and temperature measurements and controls a balancing circuit based on dc-dc converters. This work describes in detail the development and validation of the dc-dc converter based in the switched inductor topology, presenting the converter's operational principles, a theoretical and simulation-based analysis of its performance, the implementation of the MOSFETs driver circuits based on PNP transistors and experimental results obtained from a submodule prototype. The results demonstrate the capability of the switched inductor converter to achieve effective voltage equalization by transferring energy from the cells with higher voltages to cells with lower voltages.

About Me I am a Computer Engineering student at the Federal University of Alagoas (UFAL) in Brazil,...

Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Santiago de Querétaro 76010, Mexico Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Grounding Systems (GS) play a critical role in electrical safety, lightning protection, and the reliable operation of power and renewable energy infrastructures, particularly in high-resistivity soils. In this context, Ground Enhancement Materials (GEM) are widely used to reduce soil resistivity and improve grounding performance. This systematic review analyzes and synthesizes recent advances (2018–2025) in GEM applied to GS, with emphasis on their electrical performance, durability, and environmental sustainability. The review covers conventional GEM, industrial waste-derived materials, and hybrid formulations, evaluating their effectiveness under different soil types and moisture conditions. Comparative analysis of the literature indicates that GEM derived from industrial byproducts and hybrid composites often exhibit superior long-term resistivity reduction due to enhanced moisture retention and material-soil interactions, especially in clay-rich and heterogeneous soils. Sustainability considerations such as environmental impact, material availability, and long-term stability are increasingly influencing GEM selection and design. Overall, this review provides a structured framework for understanding the factors governing GEM performance while highlighting current trends, challenges, and future research directions in the development of sustainable grounding solutions.

The construction sector is responsible for significant global energy consumption and CO2 emissions, largely driven by carbon-intensive materials such as ordinary Portland cement and steel. In response to increasing decarbonization and circular economy demands, several strategically relevant categories of sustainable construction materials have been developed, particularly natural and bio-based systems, recycled and waste-derived materials, low-carbon cementitious binders, and emerging multifunctional composites. However, research remains fragmented across material classes and performance metrics. This systematic review evaluates advances published between 2018 and 2026 following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 methodology. Peer-reviewed studies were systematically identified and analyzed to compare mechanical performance, durability, embodied carbon reduction, and life-cycle environmental impacts across these selected material pathways. The results indicate substantial decarbonization potential. Low-carbon cementitious materials report CO2 reductions of approximately 10–75% relative to conventional systems, while engineered timber and bamboo demonstrate 28–70% lower carbon footprints due to reduced embodied energy and biogenic carbon storage. Recycled aggregates and industrial by-products enhance circularity but remain sensitive to transport distance and processing intensity. Trade-offs between mechanical capacity and environmental performance are evident in lightweight and bio-based systems. Overall, sustainability gains are maximized through integrated hybrid construction strategies rather than isolated material substitution. This review provides a comparative evidence-based synthesis and identifies key research gaps and implementation challenges for accelerating low-carbon construction.

Background: Science anxiety constitutes a relevant emotional variable in initial teacher education, given its impact on motivation, academic identity, and future teaching self-efficacy. While several instruments have been developed to assess science anxiety, few tools have been specifically adapted to the university context of pre-service teachers. Objective: To adapt and validate the psychometric properties of the Abbreviated Science Anxiety Scale in pre-service teachers, in order to assess anxiety toward experimental sciences and derive implications for science education. Methods: A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted with 210 students enrolled in early childhood and primary education degrees at the University of Jaén, with a mean age of 20.85 years (SD = 2.26). Results: Exploratory factor analysis revealed a two-factor structure (learning and evaluation) explaining 63.40% of the variance, with high reliability (α = 0.89; ω = 0.91). Confirmatory factor analysis showed a good fit for the two-factor model. Women reported significantly higher levels of anxiety than men. No significant relationship was found between anxiety and academic achievement. Cluster analysis identified two differentiated profiles associated with academic orientation (Sciences vs. Humanities) and science anxiety levels. Conclusions: The adapted scale, named the Brief Experimental Science Anxiety Scale for Pre-Service Teachers (BESAS-PST), demonstrates adequate psychometric properties and constitutes a valid and reliable instrument for assessing anxiety toward experimental sciences in initial teacher education. These findings extend previous research on domain-specific academic emotions by demonstrating that science anxiety can be reliably assessed in teacher training contexts, providing a tool for future research and evidence-based interventions aimed at strengthening scientific self-efficacy among pre-service teachers.

by and Department of Science Education, University of Jaén, Campus Las Lagunillas, s/n, 23071 Jaén, Spain

Transformations driven by globalisation, digitalisation, and increasingly complex communication processes have significantly altered how territories are represented, governed, and experienced. Within this evolving landscape, place branding has emerged as a strategic domain that transcends traditional promotional approaches, integrating considerations of identity, governance, participation, and development. Concurrently, digital communication is now a central component of social life, influencing citizenship, the public visibility of social actors, and the collective construction of place-based meanings.