Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are essential components of innate immunity across all species. AMPs have become the focus of attention in recent years as scientists are addressing antibiotic resistance, a public health crisis that has reached epidemic proportions. This family of peptides are a promising alternative to current antibiotics due to their broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and tendency to avoid resistance development. A subfamily of AMPs interact with metal ions to potentiate their antimicrobial effectiveness, as such they have been termed metalloAMPs. In this work, we review the scientific literature of metalloAMPs that enhance their antimicrobial efficacy when combined with the essential metal ion, zinc (II). Beyond the role played by Zn(II) as a cofactor in different systems, it is well-known that this metal ion plays an important role in innate immunity. Here, we classify the different types of synergistic interactions between AMPs and Zn(II) into three distinct classes. By better understanding how each class of metalloAMPs uses Zn(II) to potentiate their activity, researchers can begin to exploit these interactions in the development of new antimicrobial agents and accelerate their use as therapeutics.

Increased data acquisition by uncalibrated, heterogeneous digital sensor systems such as smartphones present new challenges. Binary metrics are proposed for the quantification of cyber-physical signal characteristics and features, and a standardized constant-Q variation of the Gabor atom is developed for use with wavelet transforms. Two different continuous wavelet transform (CWT) reconstruction formulas are presented and tested under different signal to noise ratio (SNR) conditions. A sparse superposition of Nth order Gabor atoms worked well against a synthetic blast transient using the wavelet entropy and an entropy-like parametrization of the SNR as the CWT coefficient-weighting functions. The proposed methods should be well suited for sparse feature extraction and dictionary-based machine learning across multiple sensor modalities.

Epilepsy is a common neurological condition, typically diagnosed using Electroencephalogram (EEG). Large scale EEG datasets have recently been made publicly available, allowing the use of advanced Machine Learning (ML) algorithms to analyze EEG patterns associated with epilepsy. While most existing studies focus on identifying seizures in the EEG, few have tried to identify preictal EEG segments. Identifying preictal EEG segments are not only useful in developing early warning systems but also helps inform the course of treatment for the patient. In this study, we propose to represent EEG segments as images, instead of time-series data, and identify preictal EEG segments using a preexisting ML algorithm (YOLOv8) designed for image processing. Multiplexed images (containing the original EEG signal represented on a 2D grid, kurtosis, and spectral entropy) achieve the best accuracy of 95.75% on the dataset while images just containing the EEG signal result in an accuracy of 91.25%. Using only spectrograms, generated from the original EEG signal, results in an accuracy of 90.15%.

High purity TiO2 and CuO powders were synthesized by the Pechini method, an inexpensive and easy-to-implement procedure to synthetize metal oxides. The variables of synthesis were the ethylene glycol:citric acid molar ratio and the pH. High reproducibility of the anatase and tenorite phase was obtained for all synthesis routes. The degree of purity of the powders was confirmed by XRD, FTIR, UV-vis absorption and XPS spectra. SEM and TEM images revealed the powders are composed by micrometer grains that can have a spherical shape (only in the TiO2) or formed by a non-compacted nanocrystalline conglomerate. FTIR spectra only vibrational modes associated to the TiO2 or CuO with a nanoparticle behavior. UV-vis absorption spectra revealed the values of maximum absorbance percentage of both systems are reached in the ultraviolet region, with percentages above 83 % throughout the entire visible light spectrum for the CuO system, a relevant result for solar cell applications. Finally, XPS experiments allow the observation of the valence bands and the calculation of the energy bands of all oxides.

The purpose of this study was to identify candidate novel species performing beneficial ecological functions from soil. The hypothesis was that novel culturable species with antibiotic production potential could be readily found from soil in the Nature Canyon at Los Angeles Pierce College. 137 bacterial isolates from soil were grown on nutrient agar, ISP-6 medium, or LB agar and partial 16S was ascertained using the Sanger platform for regions V1-V4. One of the potentially novel isolates, Pseudomonas sp. 21-C3-ER, was isolated on nutrient agar from fallow soil in an agricultural nature preserve in Los Angeles. The soil conditions were 3.7% moisture, clay texture by touch, 13.37% organic matter, pH=6.63, TDS=638, 150 ppm nitrogen, 114 ppm phosphate, and 42 ppm potash. Whole genome sequencing was performed on the DNBseq platform and species identification was performed with TRUEBacID; the closest relative was Pseudomonas brassicacearum subsp. neoaurantiaca which was 92.05% similar by genomic evidence. 197 virulence factors were identified including flagellar biosynthesis, motor proteins, Beta-lactamase, Fosfomycin, copper, and sulfur drug resistance. Gram stain of strain 21-C3-ER revealed gram negative rods. Rods were visualized with scanning electron microscopy, revealing individuals approximately 1 µm in length. Secondary metabolite analysis using antiSMASH showed a variety of post-translationally modified proteins and a promysalin analog. The qualitative test for pyoverdine siderophore production using UV light was positive. Metabolic analysis using RAST indicated genes were present for pyoverdine production, antimicrobial resistance, and ammonification. The nitrate reduction test was positive. Denitrifying bacteria may prevent leaching of nitrates from soil, since ammonia has a higher affinity to soil and organic matter than nitrate. We propose Pseudomonas fernandeno as a novel species. The type stain is 21-C3-ER.

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), a groundbreaking advancement in cancer therapy, synergistically combine the precision of monoclonal antibodies with the potent destruction capabilities of cytotoxic drugs, signifying a new era in the targeted oncological treatments. This comprehensive paper delves into the evolving field of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and their pivotal role in cancer therapy. We have conducted an in-depth exploration of the structural components of ADCs, including target antigens, monoclonal antibodies, chemical linkers, and cytotoxic payloads, each playing a crucial role in determining the efficacy and safety profile of these novel therapies. A detailed market analysis reveals the leading pharmaceutical companies shaping the ADC landscape, reflecting the growing interest and potential in this therapeutic approach. We further dissect the engineering intricacies of ADCs, focusing on their ability to target specific cancer cell antigens while minimizing off-target effects, thus offering a more focused treatment with reduced systemic side effects compared to traditional chemotherapy. This approach holds promise in a heightened therapeutic index and decreased toxicity. The mechanisms and effector functions of ADCs are explored, highlight- ing their multifaceted strategy in combating cancer. We include a comprehensive look at how ADCs operate from initial blood circulation to the induction of apoptosis in cancer cells. We also review several key ADCs currently in use or under investigation, offering insights into their unique mechanisms of action, pharmacokinetics, and clinical implications. The discussion extends to drug creation modalities, focusing on innovative conjugation techniques that enhance ADC homogeneity and therapeutic efficacy. In conclusion, the paper underscores the transformative potential of ADCs in the realm of cancer treatment, marking a shift towards more precise and targeted therapeutic approaches. By offering a thorough analysis of ADC technology, this paper sheds light on the prospects of these groundbreaking therapies in the ongoing fight against cancer.

Remote sensing datasets are increasingly being used to provide spatially explicit large scale evapotranspiration (ET) estimates. The focus of this study was to estimate and thematically map on a pixel-by-pixel basis, the actual evapotranspiration (ET_a) of the Wonji Shoa Sugarcane Estate using the Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL), Simplified Surface Energy Balance (SSEB) and Operational Simplified Surface Energy Balance (SSEBop) algorithms. The results obtained revealed that the ranges of the daily ETa estimated on January 25, February 26, September 06 and October 08, 2002 using SEBAL were 0.0 - 6.85, 0.0 – 9.36, 0.0 – 3.61, 0.0 – 6.83 mm/day; using SSEB 0.0 - 6.78, 0.0 – 7.81, 0.0 – 3.65, 0.0 – 6.46 mm/day, and SSEBop were 0.05 - 8.25, 0.0 – 8.82, 0.2 – 4.0, 0.0 – 7.40 mm/day, respectively. The Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) values between SSEB and SEBAL, SSEBop and SEBAL, and SSEB and SSEBop were 0.548, 0.548, and 0.99 for January 25, 2002; 0.739, 0.753, and 0.994 for February 26, 2002;0.847, 0.846, and 0.999 for September 06, 2002; 0.573, 0.573, and 1.00 for October 08, 2002, respectively. The standard deviation of ET_a over the sugarcane estate showed high spatio-temporal variability perhaps due to soil moisture variability and surface cover. The three algorithm results showed that well watered sugarcane fields in the mid-season growing stage of the crop had higher ET_a values compared with the other dry agricultural fields confirming that they consumptively use more water. Generally during the dry season, ET_a is limited to water surplus areas only and in wet season, ET_a was high throughout the entire sugarcane estate. The evaporation fraction (ETrF) results also followed the same pattern as the daily ET_a over the sugarcane estate. The total crop and irrigation water requirement and effective rainfall estimated using the Cropwat model were 2468.8, 2061.6 and 423.8 mm/yr for January 2001 planted and 2281.9, 1851.0 and 437.8 mm/yr for March 2001 planted sugarcanes, respectively. The mean annual ET_a estimated for the whole estate were 107 Mm³, 140 Mm³, and 178 Mm³ using SEBAL, SSEB, and SSEBop, respectively. Even though the algorithms should be validated through field observation, they have potential to be used for effective estimation of ET in the sugarcane estate.

The Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) first emerged in 2019 in China and has resulted in millions of human morbidities and mortalities across the globe. It has been shown that this novel virus originated in animals, mutated, and made the cross-species jump to humans. At the time of this communication, the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) may be on way to an endemic form, however the threat of the virus is more for susceptible (older people and immunocompromised) people. The human body has more bacterial cells than its own, thus making us more bacterial than humans. As a consequence, the bacteriomes in the human body heavily influence human health and disease. The bacteriomes in the body and the immune system seem to be in constant association during bacterial and viral infections. In this review, we identify various bacterial spp. in major bacteriomes (oral, nasal, lung, and gut) of the body in healthy humans and compare them with dysbiotic bacteriomes of COVID-19 patients. We try to identify key bacterial spp. that have a positive effect on the functionality of the immune system and human health. These select bacterial spp. could be used as potential probiotics to counter or prevent COVID-19 infections. In addition, we try to identify key metabolites produced by probiotic bacterial spp. that could have potential anti-viral effects against SARS-CoV-2. These metabolites could be subject to future therapeutic trials to determine their anti-viral efficacy.

The aim of this work was to describe the physiological limitations induced under drought conditions in young sweet orange trees, including the crop capability to recuperate its physiological status once re-watering, and after a water withholding. The trial was conducted during two consecutive months (July and August) in two-years old sweet orange trees. Three irrigation treatments were arranged: A full irrigation treatment; (FI); a low-frequency deficit-irrigation treatment (LFDI); and a sustained-deficit irrigation (SDI) treatment. The obtained results showed that for Stem values below -1.5 MPa, significant decreases in gas exchange rates, evidencing diffusive limitations to drought stress. Additionally, there was evidence of increased osmolyte synthesis, compatible as a defensive response to prevent oxidative damage. Likewise, the isohydric behaviour observed also resulted in significant decreases in gs even for moderate stress situations. In addition, it was observed that in the LFDI treatment, the stress levels reached caused a significant increase in the levels of Pro and MDA, which were not equal to those detected in FI during the recovery periods, which leads us to assume that potential values below -1.8 MPa would be causing significant oxidative damage with no capacity for subsequent recovery, and probably affecting the final yield.

In this article, we prove an orthogonal decomposition theorem for real inner product gyrogroups, which unify some well-known gyrogroups in the literature: Einstein, M\"{o}bius, Proper Velocity, and Chen's gyrogroups. This leads to the study of left (right) coset partition of a real inner product gyrogroup induced from a subgyrogroup that is a finite-dimensional subspace. As a result, we obtain gyroprojectors onto the subgyrogroup and its orthogonal complement. We construct also quotient spaces and prove an associated isomorphism theorem. The left (right) cosets are characterized using gyrolines (cogyrolines) together with automorphisms of the subgyrogroup. With the algebraic structure of the decompositions, we study fiber bundles and sections inherited by the gyroprojectors. Finally, the general theory is exemplified for the aforementioned gyrogroups.

It is familiar that the Casimir self-energy of a homogeneous dielectric ball is divergent, although a finite self-energy can be extracted through second order in the deviation of the permittivity from the vacuum value. The exception occurs when the speed of light inside the spherical boundary is the same as that outside, so the self-energy of a perfectly conducting spherical shell is finite, as is the energy of a dielectric-diamagnetic sphere with $\varepsilon\mu=1$, a so-called isorefractive or diaphanous ball. Here we re-examine that example, and attempt to extend it to an electromagnetic $\delta$-function sphere, where the electric and magnetic couplings are equal and opposite. Unfortunately, although the energy expression is superficially ultraviolet finite, additional divergences appear that render it difficult to extract a meaningful result in general, but some limited results are presented.

Background: The presence of a leadership role in the nursing manager appears to be closely related to a positive and productive work environment within health settings. In some contexts, such as Mexico, the profile of the nursing manager has not been formally defined, and, sometimes those who occupy these positions do not always have sufficient training, and therefore this vocation, which is related to the social image of the nursing profession. This study aims to understand the influence of the vocation for leadership that the nursing manager has and how it can influence the work environment, through the analysis of experiences lived by health professionals with a management profile of different health environments; Methods: Qualitative study of an approximation to grounded theory using Corbin & Strauss as reference, using semi-structured individual interviews as a technique, and with the participation of 10 Mexican nursing managers from second-level care hospitals; Results: The meaning of the vocation for the interviewed managers is based in the first instance on the love of the profession and the vocation to be a nurse, then on the development of leadership for decision-making in practice and is fed back with the positive effects that it generates in the work environment, helping them to better organize human resources and professional activities, and strengthening themselves with specific training on the subject and the experience acquired. ; Conclusions: An understanding model is provided about the phenomenon where two central categories were identified, the first central category is the "Management vocation and natural nursing leadership" which is the basis; The second central category is the "Explanation and influence of the managerial vocation, natural leadership and work environment in nursing". Two connection categories were also created; the connection category one "Motives, meaning, and practical vocation of managerial nursing" and the connection category two "Description of the managerial vocation, natural leadership, and work environment", said connection categories emanate from the central category one, to connect with the central category two, which contains the interaction of the managerial vocation, natural leadership, and work environment in nursing.

P-band radar remote sensing applied during the Airborne Microwave Observatory of Subcanopy and Subsurface (AirMOSS) mission has shown great potential for estimation of root zone soil moisture. When retrieving the soil moisture profile (SMP) from P-band radar, a mathematical function describing the vertical moisture distribution is required. Because only a limited number of observations are available, the number of free parameters of the mathematical model must not exceed the number of observed data. For example, a second order polynomial that contains 3 free parameters was presumed based on in-situ SMP data. The polynomial is currently parameterized based on 3 backscatter observations provided by AirMOSS (i.e. one frequency at three polarizations of HH, VV and HV). In this paper, a more realistic, physically-based SMP model containing 3 free parameters is derived based on a solution to Richards’ equation for unsaturated flow in soils. Evaluation of the new SMP model based on both numerical simulations and measured data revealed that it exhibits greater flexibility for fitting measured and simulated SMPs than the currently applied polynomial. It is also demonstrated that the new SMP model can be reduced to a second order polynomial at the expense of fitting accuracy.

This work presents an analytical methodology to predict meat juiciness (discriminant semi-quantitative analysis using groups of intervals of intramuscular fat) and intramuscular fat (regression analysis) in Longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) muscle of Bísaro pigs using as independent variables the animal carcass weight and parameters from color and image analysis. These are non-invasive and non-destructive techniques which allow development of rapid, easy and inexpensive methodologies to evaluate pork meat quality in a slaughterhouse. The proposed predictive supervised multivariate models were non-linear. Discriminant mixture analysis to evaluate meat juiciness by classified samples into three groups—0.6 to 1.1%; 1.25 to 1.5%; and, greater than 1.5%. The obtained model allowed 100% of correct classifications (92% in cross-validation with seven-folds with five repetitions). Polynomial support vector machine regression to determine the intramuscular fat presented R2 and RMSE values of 0.88 and 0.12, respectively in cross-validation with seven-folds with five repetitions. This quantitative model (model’s polynomial kernel optimized to degree of three with a scale factor of 0.1 and a cost value of one) presented R2 and RSE values of 0.999 and 0.04, respectively. The overall predictive results demonstrated the relevance of photographic image and color measurements of the muscle to evaluate the intramuscular fat, rarther than the usual time-consuming and expensive chemical analysis.

Hospitalizations for patients with diabetes and dementia take a significant health and economic toll on older adults in the United States. The present study sought to examine the differences in hospitalization characteristics and outcomes associated with diabetes and dementia separately and together using discharge record data of Los Angeles County residents aged 50+ from the California Department of Health Care Access and Information for the period 2019-2021. Results from multiple linear regression analyses indicated that when compared to those with no diabetes or dementia, patients with diabetes alone exhibited the highest total charges, while those with comorbid diabetes and dementia exhibited lower charges (p≤.05). Results of a multinomial logistic regression found that patients with comorbid diabetes and dementia had the highest odds of having a length of stay of 7+ days (AOR=1.49; 95% CI=1.44-1.53). A matched-case control analysis found that comorbid diabetes and dementia was associated with significantly lower odds of hypertensive disease than diabetes alone (MOR=0.81; 95% CI=0.67-0.97). These results highlight the complexity of factors affecting variation in hospitalization outcomes across these distinct disease profiles. Findings suggest a need to carefully consider this complexity when developing health policies or strategies to improve hospitalization outcomes involving these disease conditions.

In this study, the physical properties of briquettes produced from two different biomass feedstocks (sawdust and date palm trunk) and different plastic wastes were investigated, without using any external binding agent. The biomass feedstocks were blended with different ratios of two WEEE plastics (halogen-free wire and print circuit boards (PCB)) and automotive shredder residues (ASR). The briquettes production is studied at different waste proportions (10-30%), pressures (22-67 MPa) and temperatures (room-130 ˚C). Physical properties as density and durability rating were measured, usually increasing with temperature. Palm trunk gave better results than sawdust in most cases, due to its moisture content and the extremely fine particles that are easily obtained.

Autophagy is an essential mechanism to maintain cellular homeostasis. Besides its role in controlling the quality of cytoplasmic components, it participates in nutrient obtaining and lipid mobilization under stressful conditions. Furthermore, autophagy is involved in the regulation of systemic metabolic, a function mainly performed by neuronal populations of the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus. Several studies have shown that blockade of autophagy in these neurons can affect central regulation of metabolism and impact body energy balance. Moreover, hypothalamic autophagy can be altered during obesity. However, neurons are not the only cell type involved in the central regulation of metabolism. Astrocytes, essential cells for brain homeostasis, are key metabolic regulators. They can sense metabolic signals in the hypothalamus and modulate systemic functions as glucose homeostasis and feeding response. Moreover, the response of astrocytes to obesity has been widely studied. Astrocytes are important mediators of brain inflammation and can be affected by increased levels of saturated fatty acids associated to obesity. Although autophagy plays important roles for astrocyte homeostasis and functioning, the contribution of astrocyte autophagy to systemic metabolism has not been analysed. Furthermore, how obesity can impact astrocyte autophagy is poorly understood. More studies are needed in other to understand the contribution of astrocyte autophagy to metabolism.

In this study we sought to investigate the impact of urbanization, presence of concrete river bottom, and nutrient pollution on microbial communities along the L.A. River. Six molecular markers were evaluated for identification of bacteria, plants, fungi, fish, and invertebrates in 90 samples. PCA (principal components analysis) was used with PAM (partitioning around medoids) clustering to reveal community structure and an NB (Negative binomial) model in DESeq2 was used for differential abundance analysis. PCA and factor analysis exposed the main axes of variation but were sensitive to outliers. Differential abundance of Proteobacteria was associated with soft bottom sites, and there was an apparent balance in the abundance of organisms responsible for nitrogen cycling. Nitrogen cycling was explained by differential abundance of ammonia oxidizing archaea, the complete ammonia oxidizers Nitrospira sp., nitrate reducing bacteria Marmoricola sp., and nitrogen fixing bacteria Devosia sp. which were differentially abundant at soft-bottom sites (p adj < 0.002). In contrast, differential abundance of several Cyanobacteria and other anoxygenic phototrophs was associated with the concrete bottom sites, which suggested the accumulation of excess nitrogen. The soft bottom sites tended to be represented by differential abundance of aerobes, whereas the concrete-associated species tended to be alkaliphilic, saliniphilic, calciphilic, sulfate dependent, and anaerobic. In Glendale Narrows, downstream from multiple water reclamation plants, there were differential abundance of cyanobacteria and algae, however indicator species for low nutrient environments and ammonia-abundance were also present. There was differential abundance of ascomycetes associated with Arroyo Seco and a differential abundance of Scenedesmaceae green algae and cyanobacteria in Maywood, in the analysis which compared suburban with urban river communities. The proportion of Ascomycota to Basidiomycota within the LA River differed from the expected proportion based on published worldwide freshwater and river 18S data; the shift in community structure was most likely associated with the extremes of urbanization. This study indicates that extreme urbanization can result in overrepresentation of cyanobacterial species that could cause reductions in water quality and safety.

In this study, the values of the interfacial energies of seven different polymer-water systems obtained by Sessile Drop Accelerometry (SDACC) are compared with the values obtained by the Young’s-equation-based Owens-Wendt method. The SDACC laboratory instrument –a combination of a drop shape analyzer with high-speed camera and a microgravity tower- and the evaluation algorithms, are designed to measure the interfacial energies as a function of the geometrical changes of a sessile droplet shape due to the effect of “switching off” gravity during the experiment. The method bases on Thermodynamics of Interfaces and differs from the conventional aproach of the two hundred-years-old Young’s equation in that it assumes a thermodynamic equilibrium between interfaces, rather than a balance of forces on a point of the solid-liquid-gas contour line. A comparison of the mathematical model that supports the SDACC method with the widely accepted Young`s equation is discussed in detail in this study.

A new method, the sessile drop accelerometry (SDACC) for the study and measurement of the interfacial energies of solid-liquid-gas systems, is tested and discussed in this study. The laboratory instrument and technique –a combination of a drop shape analyzer with high-speed camera and a laboratory drop tower- and the evaluation algorithms, were designed to calculate the interfacial energies as a function of the geometrical changes of a sessile droplet shape due to the effect of “switching off” gravity during the experiment. The method bases on the thermodynamic equilibrium of the system interfaces and not on the balance of bi-dimensional tensions on the solid-liquid-gas contour line. A comparison of the mathematical model that supports the method with the widely accepted Young`s equation is discussed in this study.

Understanding how humans perceive animals is important for biodiversity conservation, however, only a few studies about this issue were carried out in South America. We selected two Brazilian cities to assess people’s perceptions of birds: Bauru (São Paulo, Brazil) and Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais, Brazil). From the bird data we gathered, we developed a questionnaire and applied it between September 2020 and June 2021. The data obtained were analyzed by simple counts, Likert scale, and percentages. Also, open questions were placed on the Free Word Cloud Generator website. Our study confirmed that most respondents are aware of the importance of birds to ecological balance and that respondents had a generally positive attitude towards most of the bird species. However, they disliked exotic species such as the Domestic Dove and the House Sparrow, which are associated with disease, dirt, and disgust. Respondents also underestimated the number of birds that can live in urban areas and the song of birds is still a sense less explored and perceived by people. The concept of environmental perception seeks to cover aspects and understanding these human–biodiversity relationships is essential to successfully guide public policies, urban planning interventions, and environmental education activities.

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) significantly affect the lives of patients and increase the risk of hospital stay and amputation. We suggest a remote-monitoring platform for better DFU care. This system uses digital health metrics (scaled from 0 to 10, where higher scores indicate a greater risk of slow healing) to provide a comprehensive overview through a visual interface. The platform features smart offloading devices that capture behavioral metrics such as offloading adherence, daily steps, and cadence. Coupled with remotely measurable frailty and phenotypic metrics, it offers an in-depth patient profile. Additional demographic data, wound characteristics, and clinical parameters, such as cognitive function, were integrated, contributing to a comprehensive risk factor profile. We evaluated the feasibility of this platform with 124 DFU patients over 12 weeks; 39% experienced unfavorable outcomes such as dropout, adverse events, or non-healing. Digital biomarkers were benchmarked (0-10), categorized into low, medium, and high risk for unfavorable outcomes, and visually represented using color-coded radar plots. The initial results of case reports illustrate the value of this holistic visualization to pinpoint the underlying risk factors for unfavorable outcomes, including a high number of steps, poor adherence, and cognitive impairment. Although future studies are needed to validate the effectiveness of this visualization in personalizing care and improving wound outcomes, early results in identifying risk factors for unfavorable outcomes are promising.

Wildfires have continued to increase in frequency and severity in Southern California due in part to climate change. To gain a further understanding of microbial soil communities’ response to fire and functions that may enhance post-wildfire resilience, soil fungal and bacterial microbiomes were studied from different wildfire areas in the Gold Creek Preserve within the Angeles National Forest using 16S, FITS, 18S, 12S, PITS, and CO1 amplicon sequencing. Sequencing datasets from December 2020 and June 2021 samplings were analyzed using DNA Subway, ranacapa, stats, vcd, EZBioCloud, and mixomics. Significant differences were found among bacterial and fungal taxa associated with different fire areas in the Gold Creek Preserve. There was evidence of seasonal shifts in the alpha diversity of the bacterial communities. In the sparse partial least squares analysis, there were strong associations (r>0.8) between longitude, elevation, and a defined cluster of Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs). The Chi-square test revealed differences in fungi:bacteria (F:B) proportions between different trails (p=2*10^-16). sPLS results focused on a cluster of Green Trail samples with high elevation and longitude. Analysis revealed the cluster included the post-fire pioneer fungi Pyronema, and Tremella. Chlorellales algae, and pathogenic Fusarium sequences were elevated. Bacterivorous Corallococcus, which secretes antimicrobials, and bacterivorous flagellate Spumella, were associated with the cluster. There was functional redundancy in clusters that were differently composed, but shared similar ecological functions. These results implied a set of traits for post fire resiliency. These included photo-autotrophy, mineralization of pyrolyzed organic matter and aromatic/oily compounds, pathogenicity and parasitism, antimicrobials, and N-metabolism.

Objectives: This study assessed the associations between parent intent to have their child receive COVID-19 vaccination, and demographic factors and various child activities including attendance at in-person education or childcare. Methods: Persons undergoing COVID-19 testing residing in Minnesota and Los Angeles County, California with children aged <12 years completed anonymous internet-based surveys between May 10 and September 6, 2021 to assess factors associated with intention to vaccinate their child. Factors influencing parents’ decision to have their child attend in person school or childcare were examined. Estimated adjusted odds rations (AORs, 95% CI) were computed between parents’ intentions regarding children’s COVID-19 vaccination and participation in school and extra-curricular activities using multinomial logistic regression. Results: Compared to parents intending to vaccinate their children (n=4,686 [77.2%]), those undecided (n=874 [14.4%] or without intention to vaccinate (n=508 [8.4%]) tended to be younger, non-White, less educated and themselves not vaccinated against COVID-19. Their children more commonly participated in sports (aOR:1.51 1.17-1.95) and in-person faith or community activities (aOR:4.71 (3.62-6.11). They further indicated that additional information regarding vaccine safety and effectiveness would influence their decision. COVID-19 mitigation measures were the most common factors influencing parents’ decision to have their child attend in-person class or childcare. Conclusions: Several demographic and socioeconomic factors are associated with parents’ decision whether to vaccinate their <12-year-old children for COVID-19. Child participation in in-person activities was associated with parents’ intentions not to vaccinate. Tailored communications may be useful to inform parents’ decisions regarding safety and effectiveness of vaccination.

Burkholderia are a group of Gram-negative bacteria that can cause a variety of diseases in at-risk populations. B. pseudomallei and B. mallei, the etiological agents of melioidosis and glanders, respectively, are the two clinically relevant members of the B. pseudomallei complex (Bpc). The development of vaccines against Bpc species has been accelerated in recent years, resulting in numerous promising subunits and glycoconjugate vaccines incorporating a variety of antigens. However, a second group of pathogenic Burkholderia species exists known as the Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc), a group of opportunistic bacteria which tend to affect individuals with weakened immunity or cystic fibrosis. To date there have been few attempts to develop vaccines to Bcc species. Therefore, the primary goal of this review is to provide a broad overview of the various subunit antigens that have been tested in Bpc species, their protective efficacy, study limitations, and known or suspected mechanisms of protection. Then, we assess the reviewed Bpc antigens for their amino acid sequence conservation to homologous proteins found in Bcc species. We propose that protective Bpc antigens with a high degree of Bpc-to-Bcc sequence conservation could serve as components of a pan-Burkholderia vaccine capable of protecting against both disease-causing groups.

We consider two abstract systems of parabolic-hyperbolic type that model thermoelastic problems. We study the influence of the physical constants and the initial data on the nonexistence of global solutions that in our framework are produced by the blow-up in finite time of the norm of the solution in the phase space. We employ a differential inequality to find sufficient conditions that produce the blow-up. To that end, we construct a set that is positive invariant for any positive value of the initial energy. As a result we found that the coupling with the parabolic equation stabilizes the system, as well as the damping term in the hyperbolic equation. Moreover, for any pair of positive values $(\xi,\epsilon)$, there exist initial data such that the corresponding solution with initial energy $\xi$ blows-up at a finite time less than $\epsilon$. Our purpose is to improve results previously published in the literature.

Hot air frying is a new method of frying food, where the use of a small amount of oil is optional but recommended. The objective of this review was to know the state of the art of hot air frying technology, focusing on trends, and thus obtain new ideas for future work in this area of food. In conclusion, the availability of advanced devices will increase the demand for hot air fryers as demonstrated by the trend generating a great economic and social impact. This new technology not only provides health benefits, but also has environmental advantages. In addition, work focusing on food (i.e. tortilla chips, plantain chips, eggs and meats) is recommended, since there are not enough studies on the subject. Currently, research is being conducted on home fryers, so the use of fryers and their impact at the industrial level is a developing area that will require further research.

Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) are the most common type of genetic variation found in individual’s DNA sequences. SNPs can occur in both coding and non-coding regions of the genome and can affect gene expression, protein function, and disease susceptibility. In this systematic review we evaluate the influence of SNPs as a biomarker in the assessment of oral mucositis (OM) in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients. The study selection process involved screening 66 articles from different platforms, and after removing duplicates and excluding irrelevant articles, 23 articles were included for full-text evaluation. The main characteristics and findings of the selected articles are presented and discussed. We conclude that SNPs can be used as a reliable biomarker for the assessment of OM in HNC patients, and further research is needed to explore the potential of SNPs in personalized medicine for HNC treatment.

Oligonucleotides are key compounds widely used for research, diagnostics, and therapeutics. The rapid increase in oligonucleotide-based applications, together with the progress in nucleic acids research, led to the design of nucleotide analogs that when being part of these oligomers enhance their efficiency, bioavailability, or stability. One of the most useful nucleotide analogs are the first-generation bridge nucleic acids (BNA), also known as locked nucleic acids (LNA), which were used in combination with ribonucleotides, deoxyribonucleotides, or other analogs to construct oligomers with diverse applications. However, there is still room to improve their efficiency, bioavailability, stability, and, importantly, toxicity. A second generation BNA, BNANC (2'-O,4'-aminoethylene bridged nucleic acid), has been recently made available. Oligomers containing these analogs not only showed less toxicity when compared to LNA-containing compounds but in some cases also exhibited higher specificity. Although there are still few applications where BNANC-containing compounds were researched, the results are very promising warranting more efforts in incorporating these analogs for other applications. Furthermore, newer BNA compounds will be introduced in the near future offering great hope to oligonucleotide-based fields of research and applications.

It has been recognized for some time that even for perfect conductors, the interaction Casimir entropy, due to quantum/thermal fluctuations, can be negative. This result was not considered problematic because it was thought that the self-entropies of the bodies would cancel this negative interaction entropy, yielding a total entropy that was positive. In fact, this cancellation seems not to occur. The positive self entropy of a perfectly conducting sphere does indeed just cancel the negative interaction entropy of a system consisting of a perfectly conducting sphere and plate, but a model with weaker coupling in general possesses a regime where negative self-entropy appears. The physical meaning of this surprising result remains obscure. In this paper we re-examine these issues, using improved physical and mathematical techniques, partly based on the Abel-Plana formula, and present numerical results for arbitrary temperatures and couplings, which exhibit the same remarkable features.

This work focused on proposing a plan for improvement and control of the customer service process in a customer service center, based on a waiting line analysis where it describes all the elements that interact in the system and a statistical analysis of processes to define the state in which it operates. Subsequently, the simulation of processes is applied to represent the system studied, and with it, to be able to evaluate different strategies for improvement and increase in productivity. The following strategies were evaluated: correction of the instability of customer service processes, establishment of new specification limits according to the promise of value to be fulfilled to customers, human resource management, administrative technical support. Finally, with the results obtained from the simulation of the system, the improvement and productivity increase plan is planned according to the DMAMC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control, or DMAIC) continuous improvement cycle established in six sigma

Abstract: Fanconi anemia (FA), a chromosomal instability syndrome, is caused by inherited pathogenic variants in any of 22 FANC genes, that cooperate in the FA/BRCA pathway. This pathway regulates the repair of DNA interstrand crosslinks (ICLs) through homologous recombination. In FA proper repair of ICLs is impaired, and accumulation of toxic DNA double strand breaks occurs. In order to repair this type of DNA damage, FA cells activate alternative error-prone DNA repair pathways, that may lead to the formation of gross structural chromosome aberrations of which radial figures are the hallmark of FA and their segregation during cell division are the origin of subsequent aberrations like translocations, dicentrics and acentric fragments. The deficiency in DNA repair has pleiotropic consequences in the phenotype of patients with FA, including developmental alterations, bone marrow failure and an extreme risk to develop cancer. The mechanisms leading to the physical abnormalities during embryonic development have not been clearly elucidated, however FA has features of premature aging with chronic inflammation mediated by pro-inflammatory cytokines, that results in tissue attrition, selection of malignant clones and cancer onset. Moreover, the effect of the FA/BRCA pathway in germinal cells, evidenced by infertility in patients with FA attests of chromosomal instability and cell death also occurring in the germinal compartment.

In this paper we focus on an implicit assumption in the BSM framework that limits the scope of market network connections to seeking gains in the currency basis, i.e., on trading strategies between the numeraire and the stock and between the numeraire and the option, separately. We relax this assumption and derive the equivalent of the standard BSM approach under a more general market network framework in order to assess its implications. In doing so, we find that it is not possible to hedge the implicit option that allows one to directly trade the option and stock. This represents a potential challenge to the BSM framework, since the missing market network connection provides a potentially useful mechanism for risk-bearing portfolio managers to alter their portfolios.

Patients with schizophrenia (SCZ) are at high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) due to an inherited predisposition, a sedentary life style and the use of antipsychotic medications. Several approaches have been taken to minimize this risk but results continue to be unsatisfactory. A potential alternative is prescribing Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs). SSRIs decrease platelet aggregation and reduce the risk of coronary heart disease in patients with depression. We therefore aim to investigate whether there is evidence that supports the use of SSRIs to reduce the risk for CVD in SCZ. A systematic review of the literature revealed five published reports relating to the impact of SSRIs on CV risk in SCZ. Three trials assessed the influence on metabolic parameters of fluvoxamine when combined with clozapine. Two of those studies found improvements with fluvoxamine. Of the other two reports, one indicates SSRIs as a group caused minimal but statistically significant increments in total cholesterol, LDL and triglyceride. The second report suggests that when SSRIs are combined with antipsychotics, the metabolic impact depends on the antipsychotic prescribed. While there are promising results, further studies are needed to establish the impact of SSRIs on CV risk in SCZ.

In this paper the attention is focused on the analysis and the optimization of energy flows in networked systems via a fluid-dynamic model. In particular, a cost functional that represents a term proportional to the kinetic energy of an energy system is studied. First, the functional is optimized for a simple network having a unique node, with an incoming arc and two outgoing ones. The optimization deals with distribution coefficients and explicit solutions are found. Then, the global optimization is obtained using the local optimal parameters at the various nodes of the system. Considering the case study of an energy hub, interesting results are obtained for the whole network, proving the correctness of the proposed approach.

This article aims at presenting the results that were found in the design and implementation of a new management model of Critical Success Factors for improving the effects of research projects. The model was based on the theory of structural equations derived from factor analyses and multiple linear regression models. For achieving the purpose, the authors developed an empirical evidence analysis founded on a literature review in the knowledge area of project management. Afterwards, the process of identification of the CSFs was carried out for a group of research projects launched in Colombia as a result of the application and measurement of an instrument. They were the basis for the development of a structural relationship modeling. Also, this contributed to determine the CSFs that explain the generation of effects of research projects, and the project management execution process from which it can be carried out based on said measurement indicators.

Introduction: Studies of the socio-economic function of entrepreneurship have emphasized the critical role that entrepreneurial competence and its implementation play at different stages of the education system. In this paper, we seek to determine the entrepreneurial interest of Spanish youth aged between 15 to 18 years of age, who find themselves in the state-regulated education system, at an initial stage in the development of entrepreneurship. A previously validated ad hoc questionnaire was applied through simple random sampling to 1,764 students at a secondary school in Spain. The analysis is done with Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), a technique that reduces the high dimensionality of data through Cooperative Maximum Likelihood Hebbian Learning (CMLHL), applying neurocomputational methods to the educational sciences. Spanish youth expressed a medium level of interest in entrepreneurship. Analysis with ANN shows that education in entrepreneurial competence is an influential aspect of interest in entrepreneurship. As conclusion, educational and curricular reforms must be undertaken to promote the development of entrepreneurial competence at various stages of compulsory education to increase interest in entrepreneurship.

A smartphone plummeted from a stratospheric height of 36 km (~119,000 feet), providing a complete record of its rapid descent and abrupt deceleration when it hit the ground. The smartphone was configured to collect internal sensor data at high rates. We discuss the state-of-the-art of smartphone environmental and sensing capabilities at the closing of year 2020 and present a flexible mobile sensor data model. The associated open-source application programing interface (API) and python software development kit (SDK) used in this work is transportable to any hardware platform and operating system.

Delayed discharge for non-clinical reasons is defined as a period of stay that continues after a patient has been deemed medically fit to leave the hospital but is unable to do so for non-medical reasons. This circumstance overburdens the healthcare system and constitutes a major problem for healthcare systems and the patients themselves in this situation.The aim of this study was to evaluate the delay in effective discharge for non-medical reasons in patients admitted to acute care hospitals in Spain. A scoping review was conducted in order to revise and obtain an up-to-date review. The initial search strategy identified a total of 123 references, which were successively screened to a final selection of 13 studies. To conclude, delayed discharge from hospital for non-clinical reasons is a multifactorial problem. It may be due to factors internal or external to the hospital, as well as personal factors. The main causes of the delay are similar among the studies found, as are the clinical characteristics of the patients, most of whom are elderly, frail, and more dependent due to declining functional capacities. Further studies addressing the socio-familial characteristics of the patients and the perspective of the patient and families would be necessary.

This review provides a snapshot of chronic bacterial infections through the lens of Burkholderia pseudomallei; detailing its ability to establish multi-nucleated giant cells (MNGC) within the host, leading to the formation of pyogranulomatous lesions. We explore the role of MNGC in melioidosis disease progression and pathology by comparing the similarities and differences of melioidosis to tuberculosis, outlining the concerted events in pathogenesis that lead to MNGC formation, discussing the factors that influence MNGC formation and how they fit into clinical findings reported in chronic cases. Finally, we speculate about future models and techniques that can be used to delineate the mechanisms of MNGC formation and function.

The search of DNA polymorphisms useful for the genetic improvement of dairy farm animals lasts more than 40 years with relevant findings in cattle for milk traits, where the best combination of alleles for dairy processing have been found in casein genes and in the DGAT1. Nowadays, similar results are not reached yet in river buffaloes despite advanced genomic technologies and accurate phenotype records are available. The aim of the present study was to investigate and validate in a larger buffalo population the effect on six milk traits of four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the CSN1S1, CSN3, SCD and LPL genes, previously reported to be associated with or affect dairy traits in smaller populations often belonging to one farm. A total of 800 buffaloes were genotyped. Daily milk yield (dMY, kg), protein yield (dPY, kg) and fat yields (dFY, kg), fat and protein contents (dFP, % and dPP, %), somatic cell count (SCC, 103cell/ml) and urea (mg/dl) were individually recorded in each month for the whole lactation from 2010 to 2021. A total of 15,742 individual milk test day records (2,496 lactations) were available on 680 buffalo cows with 3.6±1.7 parity (from 1 to 13) and 6.1±1.2 test day records per lactation on average. Three out four SNP in CSN1S1, CSN3 and LPL were associated with at least one of analyzed traits. In particular, the CSN1S1 (AJ005430:c.578C&gt;T) gave favorable associations with all yield traits (dMY, p=0.022; dPY, p=0.014 ; dFY, p=0.029) and SCS (p=0.032), whereas the CSN3 (HQ677596: c.536C&gt;T) positively associated with SCS (p=0.005) and milk urea (p=0.04). Favorable effect on dMY (p=0.028), dFP (p=0.027) and dPP (p=0.050) were observed for the LPL. Conversely, SCD did not show any association with milk traits. This is the first example of confirmation study carried out in the Mediterranean river buffalo for genes of economic interest in dairy field and it represents a very important indication for the preselection of young bulls destined to breeding programs in the view of a more sustainable dairy production.

Red fruits such as grapes and blueberries are known for their high content of bioactive compounds and antioxidants. In Mediterranean winemaking, traditional sun drying can be replaced by controlled airflow chamber drying which provides better quality, higher phenolic content, and increased antioxidants. This study aimed to increase the sugar content and phenolic compounds of the must by drying the fruits to 50% of their original moisture content. Two musts were prepared by combining fresh grapes and dried blueberries (M1), and the other using dried grapes and fresh blueberries (M2), followed by fermentation at 25 ºC with M05 Mead and X5 yeast strains. Must M2 showed the highest level of phenolic compounds, A520, total anthocyanins and antioxidant activity. During fermentation, the anthocyanin content increased mainly in the dried blueberry macerates, which raised between 4 to 5.5-fold. More bioactive compounds were extracted from wines produced by yeast inoculation despite shorter maceration times. Sensory analysis demonstrated consumer acceptance of the wines in terms of color, flavor and aroma. In conclusion, the use of red grapes in the production of blueberry red wine proved to be effective, providing sugars and higher must yields, while the dried fruits improved the fermentable sugar content and the levels of bioactive compounds, increasing the antioxidant capacity of the resulting red fruit wines.

The growing concern about climate change and global warming has driven greater involvement of international organizations, countries, companies, and society in general in acting and ensur-ing the life of our planet and the sustainability of future generations. Sustainability and finance are two concepts that are intertwined through sustainable finance, serving as an instrument that guides financial resources towards achieving sustainable development. Sustainability allows companies to identify risks and opportunities, being responsible for measuring their social, envi-ronmental, and economic impact under a multi-stakeholder approach. One of the three main cri-teria of sustainability is corporate governance, and the main corporate governance body is the board of directors, where the composition of the board and its supervision and monitoring func-tions improve the ESG performance. A relevant aspect within the board of directors is the ade-quate balance of gender diversity on the board, becoming an aspect regulated by laws and cor-porate governance code. This article develops the main concepts related to sustainability, sus-tainable finance and corporate governance describing the current situation of these topics and their relationship, creating a conceptual framework that allows identifying topics necessary for further empirical research and the implication of regulation in the scope of ESG issues.

RNA transcripts play a crucial role as witnesses of gene expression health. Identifying disruptive short sequences in RNA transcription and regulation is essential for potentially treating diseases. Let’s delve into the mathematical intricacies of these sequences. We’ve previously devised a mathematical approach for defining a “healthy” sequence (10.14218/GE.2023.00079). This sequence is characterized by having at most four distinct nucleotides (denoted as nt≤4). It serves as the generator of a group denoted as fp. The desired properties of this sequence are as follows: fp should be close to a free group of rank nt−1, it must be aperiodic, fp should not have isolated singularities within its SL2(C) character variety (specifically within the corresponding Groebner basis). Now, let’s explore the concept of singularities. There are cubic surfaces associated with the character variety of a four-punctured sphere denoted as S24. When we encounter these singularities, we find ourselves dealing with some algebraic solutions of a dynamical second-order differential (and transcendental) equation known as the Painlevé VI equation (10.3390/dynamics4010001). In certain cases, S24 degenerates, in the sense that two punctures collapse, resulting in a “wild” dynamics governed by the Painlevé equations of an index lower than VI. In our paper, we provide examples of these fascinating mathematical structures within the context of miRNAs. Specifically, we find a clear relationship between decorated character varieties of Painlevé equations and the character variety calculated from the seed of oncomirs. These findings should find applications in cancer research.

The microstructure of the coating during hot-dip galvanizing under industrial conditions of two structural steels, a low-silicon ASTM A36 steel and a high-silicon Q345B steel, both of commercial quality, have been characterized for industrial-relevant times. For both cases it is noted that the formation of the Fe-Zn phases begins in early stages during the heating of the steel, a situation in which all the phases are in the solid state. The characterization was carried out through traditional metallographic techniques including SEM-EDS and DRX equipment. The evolution in time of the microstructure of both steels is examined, being able to observe that the mechanism by which silicon accelerates the formation of Fe-Zn phases in galvanizing is related to the change in the energy of the interfaces caused by a silicon accumulation in the liquid phase in contact with the ζ layer. These results provided us with a deeper understanding of the phase evolution in the hot-dip galvanizing of high silicon steels.

Soil salinity is a limiting factor in crop productivity. Inoculating crops with microorganisms adapted to salt stress is an alternative to increasing plant salinity tolerance. Few studies have simultaneously propagated arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and dark septate fungi (DSF) using different sources of native inoculum from halophyte plants, and evaluated their effectiveness. This study selected, in alfalfa plants as trap culture, the infectivity of 38 microbial consortia native from rhizospheric soil (19) or roots (19) coming from six halophyte plants, as well as their effectiveness in mitigating salinity stress. Inoculation with soil resulted in 26%-56% colonization by AMF and 12%-32% by DSF. Root inoculation produced 10%-56% and 8%-24% of colonization, respectively. There was no difference in the number of spores of AMF produced with both inoculum types. The effective consortia were selected based on low Na but high P and K shoot concentrations which is relevant for plant nutrition but more for salt stress mitigation. The microbial consortia selection is presented in a more novel and applicable context, which would allow for the production of native microbial inoculants adapted to salinity to diminish the harmful effects of salinity stress in glycophyte plants in the context of sustainable agriculture.

Most research on colostrum quality and colostrum management focuses on maternal IgG transfer to the newborn calf. However, in addition to being a source of antibodies, colostrum has other components that influence passive immune transfer, nutrition, gut maturation, and thermoregulation. In this review, the constituents in the bovine colostrum, as well as their variation, are explored and it is discussed the biological role of colostrum on the newborn calf. Protein is the nutrient in higher concentration and fat is the nutrient with the most variation. There is a pronounced amplitude in the total solids content of colostrum, but the average concentration does not vary much between studies (24.7%). Bovine colostrum major components can vary with several factors, such as the region, season, breed, dry period length, and nutritional aspects of the dam. Bioactive components, cells, and microbiome variability are less understood, besides IgG. Regardless, they play crucial distinct roles in the physiological development of the newborn. However, a multi-interactive effect between these components, cells, and microorganisms is more likely to occur. Recently researched components in colostrum like miRNA, nucleo(t)sides, the milk fat globule membrane, oligosaccharides, minor proteins, and the microbiome are examples of promising interest areas of study.

The COVID-19 pandemic affected the perinatal emotional landscape in Italy, a country with high mortality and strict lockdown. This study explored the emotions and challenges of pregnant and post-partum women during the pandemic, using AI-based mixed-methods. The study analyzed 1774 women from the national survey COVID-ASSESS: 1136 pregnant and 638 post-partum. The survey had qualitative questions on emotions and feelings related to birth, communication with healthcare professionals, media, and peers and family. We used natural language processing and machine learning to classify emotions, identify themes, and extract citations from the data. Fear and anxiety replaced joy as dominant emotions during the pandemic: trust and joy decreased by 49.3% and 36.4%, respectively, while sadness and fear increased by 52.3% and 49.3%, respectively. The pandemic also induced loneliness, isolation, frustration, and anger. Women faced challenges related to birth, communication with HCPs, media, and peers and family. They also used coping strategies such as self-care, news limitation, and tried to cultivate gratitude and hope. The study provides a comprehensive exploration of the perinatal emotional landscape of Italian women during the pandemic. The findings underscore the significant psychological impact of the pandemic, and also highlights women’s resilience and coping strategies.

Lung cancer represents the most common form of cancer accounting for 1.8 million deaths globally in 2020.The 5-year relative survival rate for lung cancer is lower than many other leading cancer types. Over the last decade the treatment for advanced and metastatic non small cell lung cancer have dramatically improved due to the development of immune checkpoint inhibitors and the identification of targetable driver mutations. Recently, potentially effective inhibitors of a hitherto untargetable oncogenic driver mutation in NSCLC, Kirsten Rat Sarcoma (KRAS) have been developed. KRAS mutations are found in 20-25% of NSCLC and represent the most frequent mutation. The mutation is almost exclusively detected in adenocarcinoma and is found among smokers 90% of the time. Along with the development of new drugs that have been showing promising activity, resistance mechanisms have begun to be clarified. The aim of this review is to unwrap the biology of KRAS in NSCLC with a specific focus on primary and secondary resistance mechanisms and their possible clinical implications.

As entrepreneurial interest is believed to represent a causal factor increasing entrepreneurship, research has begun to explore how family systems affect youth entrepreneurial interests. In the present study, we attempt to identify different types of family influence on the entrepreneurial interests of young people. A questionnaire was used to obtain data from 1,633 Spanish youths, who were 15 to 18 years old, and another questionnaire was used to obtain data from 839 parents. Principal Component Analysis identified unique family types and revealed that they have differential associations to entrepreneurial interest among youths. These findings reaffirm the influence of family on the entrepreneurial ecosystem and the promotion of an entrepreneurial family cuture. This study further suggests that early attention should focus on the detection of entrepreneurial interest among youths so that actions can be implemented in the families of low-interest youths to incentivize an entrepreneurial family culture.

Non-linear loads in circuits cause the appearance of harmonic disturbances both in voltage and current. In order to minimize the effects of these disturbances and, therefore, to control over the flow of electricity between the source and the load, they are often used passive or active filters. Nevertheless, determining the type of filter and the characteristics of their elements is not a trivial task. In fact, the development of algorithms for calculating the parameters of filters is still an open question. This paper analyzes the use of genetic algorithms to maximize the power factor compensation in non-sinusoidal circuits using passive filters, while concepts of geometric algebra theory are used to represent the flow of power in the circuits. According to the results obtained in different case studies, it can be concluded that the genetic algorithm obtain high quality solutions that could be generalized to similar problems of any dimension.

In recent decades, perovskite-type compounds (ABB′O3) have been exhaustively studied due to their unique ferroelectric properties. In this work, a systematic study aiming to prepare fine particles in the binary system SrZrO₃–SrTiO₃ was conducted under hydrothermal conditions in a KOH (5 M) solution at 200 °C for 4 h under a constant stirring speed of 130 rpm. The precursors employed were SrSO₄ powder (&lt; 38 μm size) and coprecipitated hydrous gels of Zr(OH)₄•9.64 H₂O (Zr-gel) and Ti(OH)₄•4.5H₂O (Ti-gel), which were mixed according to the stoichiometry of the SrZr_1-xTixO₃ in the compositional range of 0.0&gt;x&gt;100.0 mol% Ti⁴⁺. The XRD results revealed the formation of two crystalline phases rich in Zr⁴⁺, an orthorhombic structured SrZr0.93Ti0.07O3 and a cubic structured SrZr0.75Ti0.25O3 within the compositional range of 0.1–0.5 mol of Ti4+. A cubic perovskite-structured solid solution, SrTi1-xZrxO3, was preferentially formed within the compositional range of 0.5&gt;x&gt;0.1 mol% Ti⁴⁺. The SrZrO₃ and SrZr_0.93Ti_0.07O₃-rich phases had particle sizes averaging 3 m with a cubic morphology. However, a remarkable reduction in the particle size occurred on solid solutions prepared with hydrous Ti-gel over contents of 15 mol% Ti⁴⁺ in the reaction media, resulting in the formation of nanosized particles agglomerates with cuboidal shape self-assembled via a 3D hierarchical architecture, the sizes of these particles varied in the range between 141.0–175.5 nm. The limited coarsening of the particles is discussed based on the Zr-gel and Ti-gel dehydration capability differences that occurred under hydrothermal processing.

In the framework of maritime surveillance, vessel detection techniques based on spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images have promoted extensive applications for the effective understanding of unlawful activities at sea. The paper deal with this topic presenting a novel approach exploiting a cascade application of a pre-screening, and discrimination phase. The latter leverage the SAR spectrum by means of sub-looks analysis. For the first time, the method has been validated with experiments on multi-frequency (C-, X-, and L-band) SAR images. For a future syngergic exploitation of more SAR missions, the developed dataset, composed of Sentinel-1, SAOCOM and COSMO-SkyMed images, is comprehensive of multiple images gathered over the same area with short time lag (below 15 minutes). Finally, the diversified processing chains and the results for each mission product and scenarios are discussed. Being the first dataset of SLC (Single Look Complex) SAR multi-frequency data, the present work intends to encourage additional research in this promising field of research.

The calculation of power flow in power systems with the presence of harmonics has been properly studied in the scientific literature. However, power flow calculation considering interharmonic components is still an open question. Traditional methods based on the IEEE1459 standard have proven to be valid and accurate only for linear and sinusoidal systems, but have been criticized for non-linear and non-sinusoidal systems because they are not able to explain correctly the current and voltage interactions beyond the active power. This paper proposes the use of a novel mathematical framework called geometric algebra (GA) to study the power flow considering the interaction of current and voltage harmonics and interharmonics. The use of GA enables the precise determination of the direction and magnitude of the total and single active power flow for each component, as well as other power elements related to the non-active power due to cross interaction. Moreover, this paper makes a novel contribution to the definition of interharmonics in geometric algebra space that has not been done before. To test the validity of the method, both linear and non-linear circuits are proposed and solved by applying voltages and currents with harmonic and interharmonic components. The results obtained show that power flow can be analyzed under the prism of the principle of energy conservation (PoCoE) in a way that allows a better understanding of the power spectrum due to the interaction of harmonics and interharmonics of voltage and current.

This study involved a comprehensive examination of sensory attributes in Bísaro dry-cured loins, including odor, androsterone, scatol, color, fat color, hardness, juiciness, chewiness, flavor intensity, and flavor persistence. Analysis of 40 samples revealed a wide variation in these attributes, ensuring a robust margin for multivariate calibration purposes. The respective near-infrared (NIR) spectra unveil distinct peaks associated with significant components such as protein, lipid, and water. Support Vector Regression (SVR) models were methodically calibrated for all sensory attributes, with optimal results using multiplicative scattering correction pre-treatment, MinMax normalization, and radial base kernel (non-linear SVR model). The predictive models exhibited acceptable results, characterized by R-squared values close to 1 (0.9616 - 0.9955) and low RMSE values (0.0400 – 0.1031). The prediction set's relative standard deviation (RSD) remained under 5%. Comparisons with prior research revealed significant improvements in prediction accuracy, particularly when considering attributes like pig aroma, hardness, fat color, and flavor intensity. This research underscores the potential of advanced analytical techniques to improve the precision of sensory evaluations in food quality assessment.

Mn-promoted bulk iron catalysts with high specific surface area (82-211 m2.g-1) were synthesized by coprecipitation followed by drying under supercritical conditions. The catalysts were tested in the CO2 hydrogenation reaction. The Mn-promoted iron catalysts showed better textural properties than the bare Fe2O3 catalyst, allowing better dispersion of the active phase, easier reduction of iron oxide, better carburization of iron oxides and higher catalytic activity than the bare Fe2O3 catalyst. The best activity results were obtained by catalyst promotion with a very low amount of Mn (Mn/Fe ratio of 0.05). Upon steady-state conditions (T=340 ºC, total pressure of 20 bar and H2/CO2=3), this catalyst showed high CO2 conversion (44.2%) and selectivity to C2-C4 hydrocarbons (68%, olefin to paraffin ratio of 0.54), while the selectivity to C5+ hydrocarbons, CH4 and CO was about 3.2, 38.5 and 5%, respectively. A close correlation was found between catalyst textural properties and CO2 conversion. The most active MnFe-0.05 catalyst shows high stability during 72 h of reaction related to low amount of soft coke formation and catalyst activation through the formation of χ-Fe5C2 phase during the on-stream reaction.

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (P-NET) is a rare neoplasm originating in the neuroendocrine system. Carcinoid syndrome occurs in approximately 19% of patients with functional P-NETs, typically when liver metastases occur. NETs diagnosis is frequently late, along with symptoms related to hormone hypersecretion. We described the case of a patient with a low-grade non-functional P-NET, but with a typical clinical presentation of a carcinoid syndrome; moreover, we reviewed the literature regarding this topic. An 81-year-old male was admitted to our Department of Internal Medicine at Cannizzaro Hospital (Catania, Italy) because of the onset of abdominal pain with nausea, loose stools and episodic flushing. Firstly, an abdominal contrast-enhanced CT scan showed a small pancreatic hypervascular mass; then a gallium-68 DOTATOC integrated PET/CT revealed an elevated expression of SSTR receptors. Serum Chromogranin A and urinary 5-HIAA measurements resulted negative. Given the small size of the lesion (8 mm), we preferred to perform an endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) with fine-needle biopsy (EUS-FNB), allowing the diagnosis of low-grade (G1) non-functional P-NET (NF-P-NET). Surgery was waived, while a follow-up strategy was chosen. Early recognition of P-NETs, although rare, is necessary to improve patient’s survival. EUS-FNB should be the protocol of choice for an early characterization of these tumors.

The automation of welding processes requires the use of automated systems and equipment, in many cases industrial robotic systems, to carry out welding processes that previously required human intervention. Automation in the industry offers numerous advantages, such as increased efficiency and productivity, cost reduction, improved product quality, increased flexibility and safety, and greater adaptability of companies to market changes. The field of welding automation is currently undergoing a period of profound changes due to a combination of technological, regulatory, and economic factors worldwide. Nowadays, the most relevant aspect of the welding industry is to meet customer requirements by satisfying their needs. To achieve this, the automation of the welding process through sensors and control algorithms ensures the quality of the parts and prevents errors such as porosity, unfused areas, deformations, excessive heat, etc. This paper proposes an intelligent and adaptive system based on the measurement of welding joints using laser scanning and the subsequent analysis of the obtained point cloud to adapt the welding trajectories.

Concurrent Optical and Magnetic Stimulation (COMS) combines extremely low frequency electromagnetic and light stimulation modalities for enhanced wound healing. In this report, we investigated the potential mechanistic synergism between magnetic and light components by comparing their individual and combined cellular responses. Although each individual stimulation mode was capable of stimulating cell proliferation, magnetic fields exposure alone produced greater proliferation enhancement than light alone, yet their combined effects of were supra-additive of the individual responses. Reactive oxygen species were incrementally reduced by exposure to light, magnetics fields and their combination, where statistical significance was ultimately achieved. On the other hand, ATP production was significantly enhanced in response to magnetic exposure alone or in combination with light. These results suggest that mitochondrial respiratory efficiency was preferentially improved by the combination of the two stimuli. Protein expression related to cell proliferation was preferentially enhanced by the combinatory COMS modality as were the protein levels of the TRPC1 cation channel previously implicated as part of a calcium-mitochondrial signaling axis invoked by electromagnetic exposure and involved in proliferation. These results corroborate that light facilitates functional synergism with magnetic fields that ultimately impinge on mitochondria-dependent developmental responses. The aminoglycoside antibiotics (AGAs) have been previously shown to antagonize TRPC1-mediated magnetotransduction. Streptomycin applied during the exposure to any of the stimulation modes reduced proliferation enhancement, whereas streptomycin added after the exposure did not. Notably, the COMS modality and magnetic field exposure were capable of partially overcoming streptomycin antagonism of proliferation, whereas light alone was not. Transductional antagonism of combinatorial photon-electromagnetic effects by streptomycin thus aligns with previous studies showing that the AGAs block TRPC1-mediated magnetotransduction when applied during exposure. The prophylactic usage of the AGAs (neomycin) should be avoided during COMS therapy to maintain clinical efficacy and would be a common concern with most other electromagnetic regenerative paradigms.

The potential of biological consortia designed for laccase production and dye treatment is discussed in this review. The poor yields in laccase production and low efficiency in dye decolorization of monoculture-based treatments has encouraged the use of designed biological consortia. A consortium is a system where the growth of two or more organisms, chosen to improve a particular bioprocess, is induced in the same medium. Chemical and natural mediators are being replaced by consortia for the production of laccases because, in addition to being less toxic, they induce new enzyme isoforms and lead to high laccase yields. On the other hand, consortia act synergistically in the decolorization of azo dyes through the enzymes they produce, so overall degradation is improved. Designed consortia are an attractive alternative still in development that could provide new biotechnological tools for the treatment of textile effluents.

Abscisic acid (ABA) is a conserved “stress hormone” in unicellular organisms, plants and animals. In mammals, ABA and its receptors LANCL1 and LANCL2 stimulate insulin-independent cell glucose uptake and oxidative metabolism: overexpression of LANCL1/2 increases, and their si-lencing conversely reduces, mitochondrial number, respiration and proton gradient dissipation in muscle cells and in brown adipocytes. We hypothesized that the ABA/LANCL hor-mone/receptors system could be involved in thermogenesis. Heat production by LANCL1/2-overexpressing vs. double-silenced cells was compared in rat H9c2 cardiomyocytes with two different methods: differential temperature measurements using sensitive thermistor probes, and differential isothermal calorimetry. Results indicate that overexpressing cells generate an approx. double amount of thermal power compared with double-silenced cells, and that addition of ABA further doubles heat production in overexpressing cells. With the temperature probes, we find a time-scale of approx. 4 min for thermogenesis to “turn on” after nutrient addition. These results identify the ABA/LANCL hormone receptors system as a hitherto unknown regu-lator of cell thermogenesis. Pharmacologic means of increasing metabolic energy dissipation are considered a promising strategy to reduce oxidative stress and lipid accumulation at a cellular and organismic level: from this study, LANCL1-2 proteins emerge as targetable controllers of ther-mogenesis through their natural ligand ABA.

In this systematic review of the literature on using Machine Learning (ML) for credit risk prediction, we raise the need for financial institutions to use AI and ML to assess credit risk, analyzing large volumes of information. We posed research questions about algorithms, metrics, results, data sets, variables, and related limitations in predicting credit risk. We searched renowned databases to answer them and identified 52 relevant studies with the credit industry microfinance. Challenges and approaches in credit risk prediction using ML models we identified, difficulties with the implemented models such as the black box model, the need for explanatory artificial intelligence, the importance of selecting relevant features, addressing multicollinearity, and the problem of the imbalance in the input data. By answering the questions, we identified that the Boosted Category is the most researched family of ML models; the most commonly used metrics for evaluation are Area Under Curve (AUC), Accuracy (ACC), Recall, precision measure F1 (F1), and Precision; Research mainly uses public data sets to compare models, and private ones to generate new knowledge when applied to the real world. The most significant limitation identified is the representativeness of reality, and the variables primarily used in the microcredit industry are related data to the demographic, the operation, and payment behavior. This study aims to guide the developers of credit risk management tools and software towards the existing offer of ML methods, metrics, and techniques used to forecast it, thereby minimizing possible losses due to default and guiding risk appetite.

The biofilm is a conglomerate of cells surrounded by an extracellular matrix, which contributes to the persistence of infections. The difficulty in removing the biofilm drives the research for new therapeutic options. In this work, the effect of terpenes (-)-trans-Caryophyllene, (S)-cis-Verbenol, (S)-(-)-Limonene, (R)-(+)-Limonene, and linalool was evaluated, individually and in combinations on bacterial growth, by assay with resazurin; the formation of biofilm, by assay with violet crystal; and the expression of associated genes, by real-time PCR, in two clinical isolates of S. aureus, ST30-t019 and ST5-t311, responsible for more than 90% of pediatric infections by this pathogen in Paraguay. All combinations of terpenes can inhibit biofilm formation in more than 50% without affecting bacterial growth. The most effective combination was (-)-trans-Caryophyllene and linalool at a 500 μg/mL concentration for each, with an inhibition percentage of 88%. This combination decreased the expression levels of the sdrD, spa, agr, and hld genes associated with the initial cell adhesion stage and quorum sensing. At the same time, it increased the expression levels of the cap5B and cap5C genes related to the production of capsular polysaccharides. The combinations of compounds tested are promising alternatives to inhibit biofilm formation in S. aureus.

Social networks have become the scenario with the greatest potential for the circulation of disinformation, hence there is a growing interest in understanding how this type of information is spread, especially in relation to the mechanisms used by disinformation agents such as bots, trolls, among others. In this scenario, the potential of bots to facilitate the spread of disinformation is recognised, however, the analysis of how they do this is still in its initial stages. Taking into consideration what was previously stated, this paper aimed to model and simulate scenarios of disinformation propagation in social networks caused by bots based on the dynamics of this mechanism documented in the literature. For achieving the purpose, System dynamics was used as the main modelling technique. The results present a mathematical model, as far as disinformation by this mechanism is concerned, and the simulations carried out against the increase in the rate of activation and deactivation of bots. Thus, the preponderant role of social networks in controlling disinformation through this mechanism, and the potential of bots to affect citizens, is recognised.

Research on mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) interventions with displaced communities has increasingly focused on evaluating implementation, including identifying strategies to promote retention in services. This study examines the relationship between participant characteristics, study setting, and reasons for intervention noncompletion using data from the Entre Nosotras feasibility trial, a community-based MHPSS intervention targeting displaced and host community women in Ecuador and Panama that aimed to promote psychosocial wellbeing. Among 225 enrolled women, approximately half completed the intervention, with varying completion rates and reasons for nonattendance across study sites. Participants who were older, had migrated for family reasons, had spent more time in the study community, and were living in Panamá (vs. Ecuador) were more likely to complete the intervention. The findings suggest the need to adapt MHPSS interventions to consider the duration of access to the target population and explore different delivery modalities including the role of technology and cellular devices as reliable or unreliable source for engaging with participants. Engaging younger, newly arrived women is crucial, as they showed lower completion rates. Strategies such as consulting scheduling preferences, providing on-site childcare, and integrating MHPSS interventions with other programs could enhance intervention attendance.

Nowadays, there are implemented devices whose purpose is to perform massive computations by saving resources at the time they reduce the latency of arithmetic operations. These devices are usually GPUs, FPGAs and other specialised devices such as "Coral". Neural networks, digital filters and numerical simulators take advantage of the massively parallel operations of such devices. One way to reduce the amount of resources used is to limit the size of the registers that store data. This has led to the proliferation of numeric formats with a length of less than 32 bits, known as short floating point or SFP. We have developed several SFP’s for use in our neural network accelerator design, allowing for different levels of accuracy. We use a 16-bit format for data transfer and different formats can be used simultaneously for internal operations. The internal operations can be performed in 16-bit, 20-bit and 24-bit. The use of registers larger than 16-bit allows the preservation of fractional information while increasing precision. By leveraging some of the FPGA’s arithmetic resources, our design outperforms designs implemented from scratch and is competitive with specialized arithmetic circuits already implemented in the FPGA.

This paper shows a method for pipeline leak detection using a transient-based method with MATLAB® functions. The simulation of a pipeline systems in the time domain are very complex. In the case of the dissipative model, transfer functions are hyperbolic Bessel functions. Simulating a pipeline system in the frequency domain using a dissipative model we could find an approximate transfer function with equal frequency domain response to in order get the pipeline system's time domain response. The method described in this paper can be used to detect, by comparison, to detect a leak in a pipeline system model.

Salinity is a significant abiotic stress factor for ornamental plants cultivated in greenhouses, as they are supplied with fertilizers over a long period of time. It causes drastic yield losses in com-mercially important ornamentals such as Gerbera jamesonii, whose cut flowers rank fifth in the global flower trade. In the current study, pretreatment of G. jamesonii plants (white and yellow flowering varieties) with optimum concentrations of thiourea (1.0 mM, 5.0 mM & 10.0 mM) in-duced plant salt-tolerance. Gerberas pretreated with thiourea (5.0 mM), when exposed to NaCl (200mM), showed no signs of plant stress or phenotypic abnormalities, as seen in gerberas ex-posed to NaCl without thiourea pretreatment. Moreover, thiourea application significantly pro-moted plant growth as evidenced by increases in fresh and dry leaf weight, relative water con-tent, total protein content, free proline content, and chlorophyll. A decrease in H2O2 and MDA content and an increase in antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate perox-idase, glutathione reductase, and peroxidase activity indicate minimal cellular damage in gerberas treated with thiourea. Thus, spraying leaves with thiourea (5.0 mM) could help gerbera plants overcome the deleterious effects of salt stress during repeated fertilization in nethouses. In addi-tion to alleviating salt stress, thiourea can also be used as a biofertilizer. This could also be ex-tended to other ornamental species to promote sustainable development of the floriculture indus-try.

Background: The aim was to diagnose Candida in the oral cavity of subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) using a genotyping technique and to compare the results with those from con-ventional diagnosis by Papanicolau (Pap) staining. Methods: Palatal mucosa smears were per-formed in 18 dental care patients diagnosed with T2DM and grade I, II, and III prosthetic stomatitis who met the inclusion criteria; 18 healthy control subjects were also included in the study. He-moglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels were determined from total blood. Using exfoliative cytology, the Pap staining technique was used to diagnose candidiasis. Exfoliative cytology was also used for molecular diagnosis; DNA was obtained for Candida genotyping and RNA was used for gene ex-pression studies. Results: Clinical patterns indicated that all subjects were positive for Candida; however, Pap analysis revealed only three positive subjects, whereas end-point polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis revealed fifteen subjects with some type of Candida. The most common Candida species found were Candida guilliermondii (38.8%), Candida krusei (33.3%), Candida tropicalis, and Candida lusitaniae (22.2%). Interestingly, the coexpression of different species of Candida was found in various patients. In all patients, HbA1c levels were increased. Gene expression analysis showed a significant decrease (p ≤ 0.05) in TLR2 expression in positive subjects, whereas TLR4 expression did not differ significantly among patients. Conclusions: The end-point PCR technique showed better sensitivity for diagnosis of Candida when compared with diagnosis by Pap staining. T2DM subjects showed an increased presence of C. guilliermondii that was correlated with decreased TLR2 expression

Music perception in foetuses has been explored under different theoretical paradigms such as habituation, categorical perception, sound preferences and recall. This study investigated the temporal dimension of music perception through the habituation and sensitization paradigm. Foetuses of 41 pregnant women, mean gestational age of 34.7 weeks (±2.4), were observed during ultrasound exams. Foetuses’ reaction to two different tempos (Allegro vs Adagio) and sources (internal vs external) of music stimuli was registered by heart rate variability (HR) and motor response according to the Assessment of Preterm Infants Behaviour scale (APIB) by its factors of movement (MOV) and organization (ORG). A folkloric lullaby, sung and played live with a stringed instrument by a musician, was presented in three stages that were compared to baseline: 1) slow tempo (Adagio), 2) fast tempo (Allegro); and 3) now sung by mother at slow tempo (Adagio). Exploratory analyses showed that all factors increased from baseline to first stage. HR and ORG varied significantly among stages, with HR being the strongest factor. MOV merely detected change from baseline to first stage. ORG decreased for Allegro but increased for maternal Adagio, while HR decreased to near baseline values. ANOVA-repeated measures with gestational age as covariate showed that all measures were sensitive to first music presentation (Adagio), although only HR and ORG differed among stages. Considering estimated marginal means, adjusted for gestational age, HR presented a sensitization pattern throughout stages, but ORG kept habituating to external source and increased to maternal Adagio, suggesting foetal discrimination by sound source. We conclude that foetuses showed different behavioural and physiological responses to external versus internal sound source and musical tempo. The combined use of a behavioural scale (APIB) and HR in foetuses proved to be a valid multidimensional instrument.

Background: The red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii (Girard, 1852), native to the United States and northern Mexico, has been introduced in many countries worldwide. The species has a remarkable invasiveness, due to its high reproductive rate and to its ability to tolerate broad ranges of water parameters like salinity. Nevertheless, no consistent observations of P. clarkii have been reported in the marine environment until now. Methods: Through the observations of a personal acquaintance and of two volunteers who published photos of the species on Facebook marine biology and fishing groups, we collected data showing the presence of the crayfish within marine ecosystems. Results: P. clarkii has been spotted in three different localities, in two of which observations are recurrent. The species can live miles from the nearest freshwater stream, and can colonise the depths up to 20 meters. Conclusions: The multiple observations of P. clarkii collected in our study uncover a persistent presence of the species within some marine areas, rather than its mere sporadic occurrence. As resistance to increasing salinities is influenced by multiple genes, genetic admixture between genetically-differentiated individuals coming from distinct geographical origins could have brought together different salinity-resistance genes, leading to the formation of these resilient phenotypes.

Emotional instability and stress are main disturbances that condition the learning process, affecting both teachers and students. The main objective of this review is to analyze the influence of stress and emotions (as part of stress) on the learning process. The quality and intensity of emotions will not depend exclusively on a particular situation, but also on the subjective evaluation that the person makes of the situation in terms of a set of assessment dimensions. Emotions lead to sentimental, cognitive, behavioral and physiological changes, which will have a strong influence on intellectual performance. Stress is a physiological mechanism that the organism develops to adapt and survive in external and internal environments. Although it seems that it is a general pattern of response to emotions, it could be assumed that each emotion seems to have its own pattern of physiological reaction. In conclusion, extreme stress situations can generate anxiety and frustration in students. The activation of coping strategies constitutes a key mechanism for dealing positively with problems and challenges, generating positive emotions essential for the self-regulation of learning.

Traditional asexual propagation of hops limits its phytosanitary quality and the concomitant plant availability. This scenario worsens with the global climate change. In this study we develop protocols for in vitro propagation of Humulus lupulus var. mapuche. Two explant types were evaluated: shoot tips, from field material collected in Río Negro province (Argentina), and nodal segments, from vitroplants. Different growth regulator, such as 6-Benzylaminopurine, gibberellic acid, indole-3-butyric acid and indole-3-acetic acid, was used to induce desired morphogenic responses. Additionally, the impact of abscisic acid application on acclimatization was assessed, and resulted in robust growth and reduced plant stress symptoms during ex vitro adaptation. Also, the study develops a protocol for synthetic seeds production, with storage at 4°C to enhance conservation and plant material transport, ensuring a constant supply of female plants. This comprehensive approach addresses current producer demands and emerging climate challenges. The findings highlight the fundamental role of in vitro multiplication of hops in improving plant material availability and quality, with significant implications for the brewing industry and related sectors.

Fifty bull calves of the Continental × British crossbred (147.0 ± 1.67 kg body weight, BW) were used in a completely randomized design to investigate the effect varying levels and duration of calcium propionate (CaPr) supplementation on the growth performance, body fat reserves, serum metabolites, and hemogram of high-risk newly received stocker calves. These calves were individually housed and fed a received-diet for 56 d. The calves received the following treatments: 1) No CaPr (CTL), 2) 20 g CaPr/calf/d, 3) 40 g CaPr/calf/d, 4) 60 g CaPr/calf/d, and 5) 80 g CaPr/calf/d, during 14, 28, 42 and 56 d the after arrival. The supplementation with 20 g CaPr from 28 to 56 d after arrival increases average daily gain (ADG) and BW (p &lt; 0.05), and DMI is not affected (p &gt; 0.05). This is reflected at 28 d with increases (p &lt; 0.05) in ADG:DMI ratio and longissimus muscle area (LMA), and at 56 d in back fat thickness (BFT) y fat thickness at the rump (FTR). Also, with 20 g, blood urea nitrogen decreased (p &lt; 0.05); and increases were observed in the activity of gamma glutamyltransferase, monocytes (quadratic trend, p &lt; 0.07) and granulocytes% (quadratic effect, p &lt; 0.03). However, as the level of CaPr increased during the first 14 d after arrival, daily water intake, creatinine, total cholesterol, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (linear effect, p &lt; 0.05), globulin, calcium and mean corpuscular volume (linear trend, p = 0.08) increased, while alkaline phosphatase (linear trend, p = 0.07) and lymphocytes (linear effect, p = 0.05) decreased. Finally, the different levels of CaPr supplementation did not produce any significant effects or differences (p &gt; 0.05), in the remaining serum metabolites and hemogram (p &gt; 0.05). Ultimately, the inclusion of 20 g CaPr/calf/d in the diet for 28 d in newly received stocker calves increases ADG, ADG:DMI ratio and LMA. If extended to 42 or 56 d, the increases in ADG persist, but there is also a rise in body fat reserves (BFT and FTR) at the expense of a reduction in ADG:DMI ratio. Furthermore, the different supplementation levels did not impact the reference range for most serum metabolites or the health of stocker calves.

Background: Glioma surgery was remarkably renewed in the past 2 decades, with improved safety and limited but yet improved life expectations. Fluorescence-guided resection of high-grade gliomas (HGG) plays a central role in this sense, by allowing higher degrees of extent of resection (EOR). The introduction of the exoscopic guided surgery may be considered an im-plementation for fluorescence techniques over the traditional microscopes. We present the appli-cation and the advantages of the exoscopic guided surgery compared to the microscopic surgery in tumor resection guided by 5-ALA fluorescence in patients with HGG. Methods: ten consecutive patients underwent a surgery for HGG resection. The surgery was per-formed via an exoscopic-guided procedure (Olympus Orbeye) and after oral administration of Gliolan 5 hours before the procedure. During surgery, the procedure was shifted to microscope (Kinevo 900, Zeiss) view. The intensity of the fluorescence under the two different was subjectively measured in different picture samples during the surgery in a 1 to 5 (from minimum to maxi-mum) scale. The brightness of the surgical field and the detailing of the anatomy were also ana-lyzed comparatively. Results: among the ten patients the histopathological diagnosis was an high grade glioma in all cases. In 9 cases was possible to achieve the gross total resection. There was no perioperative mortality. The median fluorescence intensity, on a scale of 1–5, was 4.5 in the exoscope group and 3.5 in the microscope group (p

Fiber optic sensors cannot measure damage; for getting information about damage from strain measurements, additional strategies are needed, and several alternatives have been proposed. This paper discuss two independent concepts: the first one is based on detecting the new strains appearing around a damage spot; the structure does not need to be under loads; the technique is very robust, damage detectability is high, but it requires sensors to be located very close to the damage, so it is a local technique. The second approach offers a wider coverage of the structure, it is based on identifying the changes caused by the damage on the strains field in the whole structure for similar external loads. Damage location does not need to be known a priori, detectability is dependent upon the sensors network density, damage size and the external loads. Examples of application to real structures are given.

The intricate relationship between Gray-Level Co-occurrence Matrix (GLCM) metrics and machine learning model performance underscores the need for rigorous dataset evaluation and selection protocols to ensure the reliability and generalizability of classification outcomes. This study involved a thorough examination of selected publicly available plant diseases datasets, with an emphasis on how well they performed as measured by GLCM metrics. After first classifying the datasets according to their GLCM metrics, dataset_2 (D2) and dataset_5 (D5) were found, respectively, to be the best-performing dataset in all GLCM analyses. The same datasets were then used to train deep learning models, and their classification performances were assessed. A noteworthy association was observed between the results of training deep learning models and the performance ratings derived from GLCM studies. More specifically, dataset_2 (D2) performed best in both GLCM analysis and deep learning model performance, indicating a strong correlation between the accuracy of classification and the textural qualities that GLCM captured. In the context of plant disease identification, in particular, these results highlight the significance of clearly defined dataset selection criteria in deep learning applications. Scholars can improve the accuracy and dependability of deep learning models for diagnosing plant diseases by giving preference to datasets with favorable GLCM metrics. The research also emphasizes the importance of texture features being taken into account in addition to conventional image features, highlighting the necessity of transparency and rigor in dataset selection procedures.

This study explores the effect of seasonality on soil carbon efflux and pasture growth based on field and lysimeter experiments during summer-fall and winter-spring in two years. Focus is also pointed on irrigation strategies to alleviate the crop response to seasonal fluctuations in precipitation and surface temperatures. Soil respiration, soil and air temperature, leaf photosynthesis, plant dry weight and leaf area index were quantified and analyzed. It has been found significant differences in the CO₂ efflux between the two growing season. Emission of soil CO₂ allowed to characterize and to prioritize the temperature and rain influence in seasonal brachiaria response. During the seasons, the transient variation of CO₂ efflux was highly correlated with rainfall (r = 0.87, P < 0.05), and poorly correlated with soil temperatures (r = 0.5, P < 0.05). The CO₂ efflux and plant response to different level of reposition of evapotranspiration demonstrated that irrigation during fall mitigates the reduction of growth conditioned by drying soil and the lower temperatures. The lower temperatures are limiting only when the soil moisture is below 32% of the field capacity. Thus, we propose to keep the soil moisture around 50% during the fall as a key practices for mitigating the effect of seasonality and its intensification with the climate change, even more if added to management routine practices the soil and water conservation.

The potential of social networks for the circulation of disinformation as a strategy of diplomacy has been of great interest to the academic community, but the way in which it is propagated and modelled is still in its beginnings. This article aimed to simulate the propagation of disinformation in social networks derived from the diplomacy strategy, based on the elements of the system. For the design of the simulation model, system dynamics was used as the main technique in the research methodology in conjunction with statistical analysis. Five computational simulations were run for the adoption methods of susceptible and uninformed population, misinformation techniques and echo chamber. The developed model found that the diplomacy disinformation agent is able to spread its message efficiently through the bot outreach mechanism and only a part of the susceptible population unsubscribes to the disinformation agent's account. Significant differences were identified in the absence of paid outreach, bots and trolls in the propagation of information, and in the variation in the timing of disinformation propagation. Consequently, the developed model allows the understanding of the problem of disinformation as a strategy of diplomacy from international rather than local dynamics, as well as the effects of the use of each element in the system.

The objective of this study was to analyze the effects of a pulmonary telerehabilitation (TR) program in young adults with post-COVID-19 syndrome. The information of sixteen students' medical files were analyzed and allocated to one of two groups (control=CG/experimental=EG). Twelve TR sessions were performed distantly and asynchronously at the EG patients' homes during 4-weeks. The program included diaphragmatic pattern breathing and aerobic exercises. The parameters: i) vital signs (oxygen saturation "SpO2", heart rate "HR", respiratory rate "RR" and blood pressure "BP"; ii) physical capacity “Sit-to-stand test”; iii) cardiorespiratory capacity “6-Minute Walk Test”; and iv) perceived effort "Borg scale" were assessed in both groups. The statistical analyses showed a significant decrease of RR and HR (p < 0.012) accompanied by a significant increase in SpO2 (p < 0.042), physical (p < 0.012) and respiratory (p < 0.028) capacity. The perceived effort decreased significantly in both groups (CG: p < 0.006; EG p < 0.001) only for physical but not for cardiorespiratory capacity (p < 0.106). There were no statistical changes registered in BP (p > 0.05). The current study suggests that a TR program that involves breathing and aerobics exercises is feasible and effective in treating post-COVID-19 syndrome in young patients.

In sub-Saharan Africa, sweetpotato weevils are the most devastating pests of cultivated sweetpotato, causing estimated losses of between 60% and 100%, primarily during dry spells. The predominantly cryptic feeding behavior of the Cylas spp within the roots makes their control difficult, thus host plant resistance is one of the most promising lines of protection against these pests. However, progress in breeding for weevil-resistant cultivars has been slow in part due to the complex hexaploid genome of sweetpotato, which complicates conventional breeding in addition to the scarcity of varieties with significant levels of resistance for use as sources of resistance. Pollen sterility, cross incompatibility and poor seed set and germination in sweetpotato are also common challenges to improving weevil resistance. Accurate phenotyping of sweetpotato weevil resistance to enhance efficiency of selection has been equally difficult. Genomics-assisted breeding though in its infancy stages in sweetpotato has the potential application in overcoming some of these barriers. However, it will require the development of more genomic infrastructure; particularly single nucleotide polymorphism markers (SNPs), robust next generation sequencing plat-forms together with relevant statistical procedures for analyses. With the recent advances in genomics, we anticipate that genomic breeding for sweetpotato weevil resistance will be expedited in the coming years. This review sheds light on Uganda's efforts to date to breed against the Cylas puncticollis (Boheman) and Cylas brunneus (Fabricius) species of African sweetpotato weevil.

A national green planning strategy has recently been introduced in the Italian urban planning sector, aimed at making all local initiatives undertaken nationwide consistent with each other. At a regional level, Friuli Venezia-Giulia has recently implemented a Landscaping Plan, which is of an urban planning and ecological nature at an intermediate level between national and local. This article describes the local green plan of Latisana, which has been entitled Ecopolitana, given that it is represents the experimental phase, at a regional level, of the possibilities offered by landscape planning and design. Specifically, it outlines the multi-disciplinary approach used, demonstrating how landscape planning can be compared to the sustainable development of cities, with specific regard to the agricultural sector. Regarding the agricultural sector, a low-intensity cropping model is also suggested, based on the principles of agroecology and landscape ecology, which has already been implemented in the historical rural landscape of Plasencis (UD) and developed through GIS analysis and remote sensing processes. Its aim is to be the starting point for the achievement of the goals set in the 2030 Agenda, and especially Goals 13 (Climate action) and 15 (Life on land), given the current scarcity of agroecological infrastructures in the area of Latisana (UD) and the high percentage of soil used for intensive cropping.

Predictive biomarkers for immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), such as PD-L1 expression (TPS), remain limited in clinical applications. Improved novel ICI predictive biomarkers are urgently needed. We evaluated a live single-cell functional liquid biopsy cytokine profiling platform to track immunotherapy treatment response and outcomes. Peripheral blood mononuclear cell samples of healthy donors and NSCLC patients undergoing ICI-based therapies were collected longitudinally pre-/post-treatment under IRB-approved protocols. Samples were enriched for CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocytes and analyzed on the IsoLight platform. The single T-cells were captured in microchambers on IsoCode chips for cytokines profiling. Functional polyfunctionality data from 55,775 single cells were analyzed using the IsoSpeak software, kappa coefficient, and Kaplan-Meier survival plots. We found a significant difference between responders and non-responders in CD8+ T-cells’ changes in overall polyfunctionality and polyfunctional strength index (ΔPSI). ΔPSI score in CD8+ T-cells performed better than PD-L1 TPS and, when combined with PD-L1 TPS, strongly correlated with early ICI treatment response with a kappa coefficient of 1.0 (p=0.003). High CD4+ T-cells ΔPSI predicted a strong trend of improved PFS (3.9-fold) and OS (3-fold). In conclusion, single peripheral T-cell polyfunctionality dynamics analysis is a promising liquid biopsy profiling platform as NSCLC ICI predictive biomarker regardless of oncogene-addiction status.

In this work, the capabilities of a novel miniaturized and portable MicroNIR spectrometer were investigated in order to propose a practical and intelligible test allowing the rapid and easy screening of cannabinoids in hemp flour. In order to develop a predictive model able to identify and simultaneously to quantify the residual amount of cannabinoids, specimens from flours commercially available on the markets were considered and spiked with increasing amount of Cannabidiol (CBD), Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabigerol (CBG). Partial Least Square-Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) and Partial Least Square regression (PLSr) were applied for the simultaneously detection and quantification of cannabinoids. Results demonstrated that MicroNIR/Chemometric platform is statistically able to identify the presence of CBD, THC and CBG in simulated samples containing cannabinoids from 0.001 to 0.1 %ww, with the accuracy and sensitivity of the reference official methods actually proposed. The method was checked against false positive and true positive response and results proved to be those required for confirmatory analyses; permitting to provide a fast and accurate method for the monitoring of cannabinoids in hemp flours.

Introduction: When analyzing the current situation in Spain, derived from our current lifestyles far from following a Mediterranean lifestyle, there is an alarming prevalence of diabesity, which increases the global risk of suffering from cardiovascular disease (CVD) and decreases the quality of life related to health (QLRH). In order to guarantee, beyond glycemic control of patients with type 2 diabetes (DM2), adequate control of cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) in DM2, it will be necessary to carry out a community intervention focused on the application of education programs focused on promoting the acquisition of healthy eating habits through the Mediterranean diet (DMED). This dietary pattern, together with physical exercise, has been shown to contribute to improving the QLRH of patients. Objective: To analyze the quality of life related to health, present in patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes, to determine the possible relationship between this and the degree of adherence to the Mediterranean diet and to examine whether there are differences between the sexes. Material and methods: Observational descriptive study in 93 patients diagnosed with DM2 with poor glycemic control (1Ac ≥ 7%), carried out in various health centers in Albacete and Cuenca, in which the baseline relationship between adherence to DMed and the HRQoL. They were administered a data collection sheet that included a survey of the degree of adherence to the DMed (MEDAS-14) and QLRH (SF-12v2) in the Primary Care (PC) medical and nursing consultations. The variables were analyzed: age groups, sex, years of evolution of DM2, body mass index (BMI), as well as basal glycemia (GB) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c). The “MEDAS-14” (adherence to DMED) was the main variable and the “SF-12v2” (QLRH) was the secondary variable. Material and methods: Observational descriptive study in 93 patients diagnosed with DM2 with poor glycemic control (1Ac ≥ 7%), carried out in various health centers in Albacete and Cuenca, in which the baseline relationship between adherence to DMed and the HRQoL. They were administered a data collection sheet that included a survey of the degree of adherence to the DMed (MEDAS-14) and QLRH (SF-12v2) in the Primary Care (PC) medical and nursing consultations. The variables were analyzed: age groups, sex, years of evolution of DM2, body mass index (BMI), as well as basal glycemia (GB) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c). The “MEDAS-14” (adherence to DMED) was the main variable and the “SF-12v2” (QLRH) was the secondary variable. Results: Patients with poorly controlled DM2 and with low adherence to the MedDM show a non-significantly greater affectation in the physical sphere: fair general state of health, physical function I (limitation to make moderate efforts such as moving a table, vacuuming or walk more than an hour), physical function II (limitation to climb several flights of stairs), physical role (problems at work or daily activities doing less than loved ones), physical role II (they had to stop performing some tasks at work or activities of daily living) and regular body pain. Presenting less affectation in the mental field: emotional role I, emotional role II, mental health I, vitality and mental health II. Without affectation in the social function since they consider that rarely the emotional or physical problems have hindered their social activities. Conclusions: Diabetic patients with poor glycemic control have low adherence to the MedMD (<9 points) and have poor QLRH. Low adherence to the DMed and obesity are related to a greater affectation in the physical dimension and less affectation in the mental dimension without affectation in the "social function".

The growing urgency for sustainable energy solutions necessitates a deeper understanding of the environmental impacts of renewable technologies. This article aims to synthesize and analyze Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) in this domain, providing a comprehensive perspective. We systematically categorize 2,923 articles into four communities: (1) Photovoltaic systems, (2) Wind energy systems, (3) Materials for auxiliary industry of photovoltaic and wind systems, and (4) Solar thermal systems. A comparative analysis is conducted to identify methodological consistencies and disparities across these communities. The findings reveal diverse methodological approaches and a range of environmental impacts, highlighting the complexities in assessing renewable energy systems. The article underscores the significance of material selection in photovoltaic and wind systems, providing a critical overview of the current state of LCA research in renewable energy and stressing the need for standardized methodologies. It also identifies gaps in recent research, offering insights for future studies focused on integrating environmental, economic, and social considerations in renewable energy assessments.As a case study, an LCA was used to evaluate two energy supply methods for a sensor network: one connected to the public grid and another powered by a photovoltaic panel. The off-grid system, while more environmentally friendly by reducing reliance on non-renewable energy sources, posed challenges due to the high environmental impact of battery production and disposal. Integrating environmental assessments provides a robust framework for making informed decisions on sustainable technologies. The findings are critical for projects that balance technological needs with sustainability goals.

Having garnered significant attention in the scientific community over the past decade, Wire Arc Directed Energy Deposition (arc-DED) technology is at the heart of this investigation into additive manufacturing parameters. Singularly focused on invar as the selected material, the primary objective revolves around devising an indirect cord height measurement approach. This innovative methodology involves the seamless integration of internal signals and sensors, enabling the derivation of crucial measurements sans the requirement for direct physical interaction or conventional measurement methodologies. Through the course of this research, meticulous alteration of deposition parameters is undertaken to thoroughly scrutinize their influence on the ultimate cord dimensions. The fusion of cutting-edge manufacturing techniques with advanced sensor technology constitutes the essence of this endeavor, offering substantial potential to augment precision and efficiency in additive manufacturing processes. Remarkably cost-effective, this solution circumvents the need for intricate measurements and significantly contributes to the proper layer-by-layer growth process.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the biomechanical changes of the cornea after wearing soft contact lenses (CLs) in healthy myopic patients measured with the Corvis ST® analyzer. This prospective, cross-sectional, single-center study was performed in twenty-two Caucasian patients aged between 19 and 24 years (20.64 ± 1.21 years) range). Five device-specific biomechanical parameters, central corneal thickness and intraocular pressure were measured prior to fitting and one month after CLs wear. Differences between the means of the DA Ratio and the standard deviation of the DA Ratio pre- and post-CLs wear were found to be significant (p value=0.002 in both cases). Significant differences were found between pre- and post-CLs wear values in CCT (p value=0.013). For all other biomechanical measures, no significant differences were observed before and after treatment. A significant association was found between changes in bIOP and classification according to changes in Int. Radius (p value = 0.047) and SSI (p value = 0.026) standard deviations. The corneal biomechanical indices provided by CST demonstrate that fitting of soft CLs is a safe optical compensation method for the stability of corneal stiffness. No significant differences were found pre- and post-CLs wear in the assessment of bIOP.

A combination of straw filtration and nanofiltration was investigated for the first time as a sus-tainable approach aimed at valorizing olive mills wastewaters (OMWs) within a circular economy strategy. Ground straw filters with different granulometry (120, 250 and 500 m) were tested in the first step to clarify the raw wastewater. The 500m filter offered the best performance due to a lower exposed surface of the filtering fibers and a shorter filtering time allowing to reduce about 70% of the COD of the raw wastewater. Three different commercial membranes in flat-sheet con-figuration with molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) in the range 150-500 Da were tested to frac-tionate the clarified wastewater according to a dead-end configuration. Among the investigated membranes the NFA-12A membrane exhibited the highest productivity in selected operating conditions (steady-state values of 11.4 L/m2h at 20 bar and 24 ± 2 °C). In addition, flux decays for this membrane resulted lower than the other two tested membranes indicating a lower propensity to fouling phenomena. Higher rejections towards total polyphenols and TAA (76.6% and 73.2%, respectively) were also observed for this membrane. Flavanols and hydroxycinnamic acids were retained for more than 99%. The combination of straw filtration and NF with NFA-12A membrane allowed to reduce the COD of raw OMWs up to 97.6%. The retentate fraction of this membrane exhibited a TAA of 18.9 ± 0.7 mM Trolox supporting its propensity for the development of inno-vative formulations of interest in food and nutraceutical applications.

The receptor tyrosine kinase (EphB4), which produces erythropoietin, was identified as a molecular target for cancer. We identified six peptides as potential inhibitors of EphB4 using an integrated approach combining online bioinformatics tools. According to PeptideRanker, CSM-peptides, SCMTHP, and AcPEP analysis, all peptides are effective against cancer, with the exception of LTAPGQATLPT and VEQNLVPGLK. Furthermore, Toxin-Pred predicts that none of the peptides are toxic, and that only VQLPGWRVFP and TMKGPPDTLQ are potentially allergenic using AllerTop server. PepSite2, HPEPDOCK, and MDockPeP servers were utilized to perform molecular docking, and PacDock was used to examine molecular interactions. The docking score (kcal/mol) range of six promising anticancer peptides against EphB4 was recorded as follows: VQLPGWRVFP (-240.72), FTKDDEWSCFPF (-201.74), SYLPPLSAEVTAK (-177.52), LTAPGQATLPT (-162.23), VEQNLVPGLK (-157.30), TMKGPPDTLQ (-149.67). The main bindings on the allosteric site to VQLPGWRVFP were with R706, S815, R819 and P843 on EphB4. Collectively, our results demonstrated that M. oleifera peptides ameliorate cancer by inhibiting EphB4, and they are promising candidates for the prevention and treatment of cancer.

A reliability-based criterion to estimate strength amplification factors for buildings with asymmetric yielding located within a seismic region presenting different soil conditions is proposed and applied. The approach involves the calculation of the mean annual rate of exceedance of structural demands of systems with different levels of asymmetric yielding. Two simplified mathematical expressions are developed considering different soil conditions of the valley of Mexico. The mathematical expressions depend on the ductility of the structural systems, their level of asymmetric yielding, their fundamental vibration period and the dominant period of the soil. In addition, the proposed expressions are compared with that recommended by the current Mexico City Building Code (MCBC). Since the expressions are developed with the help of simplified structural systems, the validity of such expressions is corroborated by comparing the expected ductility demand of multi-degree of freedom (MDOF) structural systems with respect to that of their equivalent simplified systems. Both structural representations are associated with a given annual rate of exceedance value of an engineering demand parameter. The expressions proposed in this study will be incorporated in the new version of the MCBC.

Current hydrogen production is based on the reforming process leading to the emission of pollutants; therefore, a substitute production method is imminently required. Water electrolysis is an ideal alternative for large-scale hydrogen production, as it does not produce any carbon-based pollutant byproducts. Production of green hydrogen from water electrolysis using intermittent sources (e.g., solar, eolic) would facilitate clean energy storage. However, the electrocatalysts currently required for water electrolysis are noble metals, making this potential option expensive and inaccessible for industrial applications. Therefore, there is a need to develop electrocatalysts based on earth-abundant and low-cost metals. Nickel-based electrocatalysts are a fitting alternative because they are economically accessible. Extensive research has focused on developing nickel-based electrocatalysts for hydrogen and oxygen evolution. Theoretical and experimental work have addressed the elucidation of these electrochemical processes and the role of heteroatoms, structure, and morphology. Even though some works tend to be contradictory, they have lit up the path for efficient nickel-based electrocatalysts. For these reasons, herein, a review of recent progress is presented.

Chitosan arouses large interest due to its properties and possible applications. Every year the number of publications and patents based on this polymer increases. Chitosan exhibits poor solubility in neutral and basic media limiting its use in such conditions. Another serious obstacle is directly related to its natural origin. Chitosan is not a single polymer with a defined structure but a family of molecules with differences in their composition, size, and monomer distribution. These properties have a fundamental effect on the biological and technological performance of the polymer. Moreover, some of the biological properties claimed are discrete. In this review, we discuss how chitosan chemistry can solve the problems related to its poor solubility and can boost the polymer properties. We focus on some of the main biological properties of chitosan and the relationship with the physicochemical properties of the polymer. Then, we visit two polymer applications related to green processes: the use of chitosan in the green synthesis of metallic na-noparticles and its use as support in biocatalyst. Finally, we briefly describe how making use of the technological properties of chitosan it is possible to develop a variety of systems for drug delivery

One of the non-linear phenomena that affect high bandwidth and long reach communication systems is the non-linear phenomenon called four-wave mixing (FWM). Unfortunately, the simulation of such systems aiming to obtain their design parameter limitations require more time as the number of channels increases. In this paper, we propose a new high-performance computational model to obtain optimal design parameters in a multi san Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) system, limited by FWM and the intrinsic Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) noise of optical amplifiers employed in each segment. The simulation in this work provides a complete optical design characterization and compares the efficiency and speed improvement of the proposed parallelization model versus a previous sequential model. Additionally, an analysis of the computational complexity of parallel model is presented, where two parallel implementations are used. First, Open Multi−Processing (OpenMP), based on the use of a central, multi-core processing unit is used and secondly the Compute Unified Device Arquitecture (CUDA), which is based on the use of graphics processing unit. Results show that parallelism improves to up to 40 times the performance of the simulation when nested parallelization with CUDA is used, over de sequential method and up to 6 times compared with the implementation with OpenMP using 12 processors. Within our parallel implementation, it is possible to simulate with an increased number of channels, that was unpractical in the sequential simulation.

In 2016–2017, we conducted and published a systematic review on caffeine safety [1] that set out to determine whether conclusions presented in the heavily cited Health Canada assessment, Nawrot et al. [2], remain supported by more recent data. To that end, we reviewed data from 380 studies published between June 2001 and June 2015, which were identified from an initial batch of over 5,000 articles through a stringent search and evaluation process [1]. In the current paper, we use plain language to summarize our process and findings, with the intent of sharing additional context for broader reach to the general public. We addressed whether caffeine doses previously determined not to be associated with adverse effects by Health Canada (400 mg/day for healthy adults, 300 mg/day for pregnant women, 2. 5 mg/kg body weight/day for adolescents and children, and 10 g/day for acute effects) remain appropriate for five outcome areas (acute toxicity, cardiovascular toxicity, bone & calcium effects, behavior, and development and reproduction) in healthy adults, pregnant women, adolescents, and children. We used a weight-of-evidence approach to draw conclusions for each of the five outcomes, as well as more specific endpoints within those outcomes, which considered study quality, consistency, level of adversity, and magnitude of response. In general, updated evidence confirms the levels of intake put forth by Nawrot et al., as not being associated with any adverse health effects, and our results support a shift in caffeine research from healthy to sensitive populations.

In this work, we report manganese phthalocyanine (MnPc) films obtained by ultrasonic spray-pyrolysis technique at 40°C deposited on glass substrate subjected to thermal annealing at 100 °C and 120°C. The MnPc films were characterized by UV/Vis spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The absorption spectra of the MnPc films were studied in a wavelength range from 200 to 850 nm, where the characteristic bands of a metallic phthalocyanine known as B and Q bands were observed in this range of the spectrum. The optical energy band (Eg) was calculated by the Tauc equation. It was found that for these MnPc films, the Eg has the values of 4.41, 4.46 and 3.58 eV corresponding to as deposited, annealing 100°C and 120°C, respectively. The Raman spectra of the films showed their characteristic vibrational modes of the MnPc films. In X-ray diffractograms of these films, the characteristic diffraction peaks of a metallic phthalocyanine are observed, presenting a monoclinic phase. SEM images of these films were studied in cross section obtaining thicknesses of 2, 1.2 and 0.3 μm to as deposited, annealing 100°C and 120°C, successively. Also, in the SEM images of these films, both the average particle sizes ranging from 4 to 0.041 µm and the average diameter from 4.8 to 0.091 μm were obtained. The results agree with those reported in the literature for MnPc films deposited with other techniques.

Coffee production around the world is under threat due to climate variability and change, and drought stress will increase in many coffee regions, nutrient management practices could enhance the adaptation capacity of coffee production. Considering that coffee is a sensitive crop to boron (B) deficiency, this research investigated how B nutrition improves resistance to drought stress in coffee under controlled conditions as well how with interaction with calcium (Ca+2) influences productivity, seed compositions, and soil fertility during a production cycle of 5 year. Under controlled conditions for seven months, coffee plants were submitted to water stress with and without B nutrition. In the field, coffee plantation was submitted to two B rates (0,6 and 1,1 kg. ha-1-year-1) with fixed calcium (Ca+2) rate and, a control without Ca+2 and B. After 9 months of growth and seven months of water deficit, under controlled conditions, the application of B significantly (p&lt;0,05) reduced the negative effect of water stress on coffee growth. Under field conditions, after a production cycle of 5 years, the application of 0,6 kg B and 77 kg CaO. ha-1. year-1 yielded 14% more than the control without B and Ca+2. An increase of the B rate to 1.1 kg.ha-1.year-1 with the same Ca+2 rate increased the productivity significantly (p&lt;0,05) by 37% compared to the control. B application also improved significantly (p&lt;0,05) the B content in the soil at 0-30 cm. The B treatments influenced the biochemical composition of the green coffee beans, with a significant (p&lt;0,05) inverse correlation between the B content of the green coffee beans with caffeine, and unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) mainly, oleic, linoleic, and linolenic acids which are considered negative descriptors of the coffee quality.

Due to the increasing importance of mangroves in climate change mitigation projects, more accurate and cost-effective aboveground biomass (AGB) monitoring methods are required. However, field measurement of AGB may be a challenge because of its remote location and the difficulty to walk in these areas. This study is based on the Livelihoods Fund’ Oceanium project of 10,000 hectare mangrove plantations monitoring. In a first step, the possibility of replacing traditional field measurements of sample plots in a young mangrove plantation by a semiautomatic processing of UAV-based photogrammetric point clouds was assessed. In a second step, Sentinel-1 radar and Sentinel-2 optical imagery were used as auxiliary information to estimate AGB and its variance for the entire study area under a model-assisted framework. AGB was measured using UAV imagery in a total of 95 sample plots. UAV plot data was used in combination with non-parametric Support Vector Regression (SVR) models for the estimation of the study area AGB using model-assisted estimators. Purely UAV-based AGB estimates and their associated standard error (SE) were compared with model-assisted estimates using (1) Sentinel-1, (2) Sentinel-2 and (3) a combination of Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 data as auxiliary information. The validation of the UAV-based individual tree height and crown diameter measurements showed a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.21 m and 0.32 m respectively. Relative efficiency of the three model-assisted scenarios ranged between 1.61 and 2.15. Although all SVR models improved the efficiency of the monitoring over UAV-based estimates, the best results were achieved when a combination of Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 data was used. Results indicated that the methodology used in this research can provide accurate and cost-effective estimates of AGB in mangrove young plantations.

Natural gas plays a significant role in Tunisia's energy mix. Tunisia imports 66% of natural gas (NG) from Algeria (ANG), and the rest is provided by local gas fields mainly Miskar gas (MNG). To counteract this deficit, the Power-to-Gas approach emerges as a promising solution, given Tunisia's abundant renewable energy resources. By blending green hydrogen into the NG network, it is possible to (i) address the current energy crisis, (ii) lower the carbon intensity of the gas grid, and (iii) encourage sector coupling through the use of various renewable energy sources. This study presents an overview of various interchangeability indicators and investigates accordingly the allowable ratios for hydrogen blending with two types of natural gas distributed in Tunisia (ANG and MNG). It also explores the impact of hydrogen injection on the energy content variation and various combustion parameters. The results confirm that both ANG and MNG can withstand a maximum hydrogen blend of up to 20%. The article concludes with recommendations for further experimental testing of the findings and emphasizes the need to look into infrastructure and safety requirements with regards to the Natural gas network in Tunisia. This research serves as a critical step towards harnessing the potential of green hydrogen in Tunisia.

Coxiella burnetii (Derrick) Philip, the causative agent of Q fever, is mainly transmitted by aerosols, but ticks can also be a source of infection. Transstadial and transovarical transmission of C. burnetii by Hyalomma lusitanicum (Koch) has been suggested. There is a close relationship between this tick species, wild animals and C. burnetii but the transmission in a natural environment has not been demonstrated. In this study, we collected 80 engorged nymphs of H. lusitanicum from red deer and wild rabbits. They molt to adults under laboratory conditions and we feed them artificially through silicone membranes after a preconditioning period. C. burnetii DNA was tested in ticks, blood and feces samples using real-time PCR. The pathogen was found in 36.25% of fed adults demonstrating that transstadial transmission from nymph to adult occurs in nature. The presence of DNA in the 60% of blood samples confirms that adults transmit the bacteria during feeding. Further studied are needed about co-feeding and other possible transmission routes to define the role of this tick species in the cycle of C. burnetii.