Demand for niobium and tantalum is increasing exponentially as these are essential ingredients for the manufacture of, among others, capacitors in technological devices and ferroniobium. Mine tailings rich in such elements could constitute an important source of Nb and Ta in the future and so alleviate potential supply risks. This paper evaluates the possibility of recovering niobium and tantalum from the slags generated during the tin beneficiation process of mine tailings from the old Penouta mine, located in Spain. To do so, a simulation of the processes that would be required to beneficiate and refine both elements is carried out. After tin carbothermic reduction, the slags are sent to a hydrometallurgical process where at the end niobium oxide and tantalum oxide are obtained. Reagents, water and energy consumption, in addition to emissions, effluents and product yields are assessed. Certain factors were identified as critical, and recirculation was encouraged in the model to maximize production and minimize reagents use and wastes. With this simulation, considering 3000 production hours per year, the metal output from the tailings of the old mine could cover around 1% and 7.4% of the world annual Nb and Ta demand, respectively.

The applicability of the distance aggregation problem has attracted the interest of many authors. Motivated by this fact, in this paper we face the modular quasi-(pseudo-)metric aggregation problem. We characterize those functions that allow merging a collection of modular quasi-(pseudo-)metrics into a single one. Specifically, a description of such functions in terms of triangle triplets is given and, in addition, the relationship between modular quasi-(pseudo-)metric aggregation functions and modular (pseudo-)metric aggregation functions is discussed. Such characterizations are illustrated with appropriate examples. A few methods to construct modular quasi-(pseudo-)metrics are yielded. Several properties of modular quasi-(pseudo-)metric aggregation functions are explored and used to develop quick tests for discarding candidate functions to aggregate modular quasi-(pseudo-)metrics. Moreover, a characterization of those modular quasi-(pseudo-)metric aggregation functions that preserve modular quasi-(pseudo-)metrics is also provided. Furthermore, the relationship between modular quasi-(pseudo-)metric aggregation functions and quasi-(pseudo-)metric aggregation functions is studied in such a way that significative differences are displayed.

The lack of suitable autologous grafts and poor compliance of existing prostheses have prompted the study of novel materials for vascular graft design. Polyurethanes (PUs) were used in the past because they have high compliance and properties that are similar to those of native tissue. In this work, the mechanical properties of a group of PUs in two states (non-hydrated and hydrated) were studied using uniaxial tensile tests, strain sweep tests, and multi-step creep recovery tests. Additionally, a hyper-elastic model based on the Mooney–Rivlin strain density function was fitted and used to model the performances of the PUs under physiological pressure and geometry conditions. The tensile tests revealed a softening phenomenon after hydration, which could potentially reduce patient discomfort and risk of vascular trauma. The ultimate strength values after hydration were similar to those reported for other vascular conduits. The strain sweep showed a strong strain dependency of the modulus indicating non-linear viscoelasticity. In the creep-recovery tests, increasing the polyethylene glycol(PEG) content enhanced the viscous flow, while the elastic behavior was enhanced with the largest concentration of polycaprolactone diol (PCL). On the other hand, under simulated physiological conditions, the compliance of the PUs showed a cyclic behavior with the time and pressure but was not affected by the radii and thickness variation, which could increase the graft compliance and geometry mismatch. Nevertheless, the compliance could be tuned using the material composition. This paper studied the biomechanics of a group of materials under simulated physiological conditions (Temperature, hydration, and pressure) to select those that could perform better for further vascular graft design.

The aim was to implement a value-promoting program (Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility, TPSR) and to assess its impact on students. Method: The program was applied for 8 months with 257 students from three secondary school centres (151 boys and 106 girls) with a mean of 15.97 years old (SD = 2.31). They were in three groups, 67 students (control group), 90 students receiving at least 60% of the total teaching time the value-promoting program (experimental group for global education, EG-GE) and 100 students (experimental group only for physical education, EG-PE). As main results improvements were found in the EG-GE for responsibility, psychological mediator index, self-determination index, resilience, climate and prosocial behaviours. In the EG-PE improved were observed in the self-determination index, classroom climate and prosocial behaviours. Female students and from EG-GE improve much more than males and from EG-PE. The outcomes in psychological variables can be higher if TPSR is applied to the whole subjects apart from physical education. These results are even more pronounced for female students in personal and social responsibility. It is worth highlighting the importance of coordinating educational institutions to facilitate the involvement of the greatest number of teachers.

The Southern European countries of Spain and Portugal both show a high degree of export spe-cialization in agri-food products compared to the EU-27 as a whole. This sector plays a funda-mental role in their economies, determining the management of natural resources, with the food and beverage industry being the most important manufacturing activity in both countries. Drawing on evidence obtained from Eurostat's database on foreign trade, this study analyzes whether the geographical concentration of agri-food exports from the Iberian Peninsula coun-tries to the EU-27 increases between 2008 and 2022, or, conversely, if there is a process of spatial diversification in favor of non-EU markets. Expansion towards new trading partners, as indicat-ed by estimated concentration indices, is significant in Spain but does not occur in Portugal. However, in both economies, the regional market with European partners, characterized by strong competition and low development expectations, remains decisive in the evolution of their exports in the short and medium term. Consequently, institutions and companies in this sector must adopt a more dynamic approach and implement measures that allow for increased sales orientation towards higher growth markets, thus enhancing the global competitiveness of the national agri-food sector.

Within the polyurethanes market, only 0.1% are from renewable sources. With the continuing concern about climate change and greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the substitution of monomers and processes derived from petrochemical sources is crucial for the development of biomaterials. Therefore, polyhydroxyurethanes have propose due to their synthesis route with the incorporation of monomers from renewable sources such as vegetable oils and the substitution of isocyanates known for their high toxicity, carcinogenicity and petrochemical origin, and the use of carbon dioxide. There are few reports on the use of soybean oil and the possible application of these materials in wound healing applications. Based on this, polyhydroxyurethanes were obtained from carbonated soybean oil and two diamines, one aliphatic: 1,4-butadiamine (putrescine), and one cycloaliphatic: 1,3-cyclohexanobis(methylamine), and they were physiochemically, mechanically, and thermally characterized. Four polyhydroxyurethanes were obtained, with stability to hydrolytic and oxidative media, thermal stability above 200 °C, tensile strength between 0.9-1.1 MPa, elongation at break between 81 and 222%. And water absorption up 102% and contact angle between 63,70 and 101,39. Achieving new formulations of biobased NIPHUs that represent a more sustainable process which allow to achieve the physicochemical, mechanical, and thermal properties required for the preparation of wound dressings.

Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs) are a heterogeneous group of T-cell lymphomas characterised by high relapse rates and no curative treatments unless the allogeneic stem cell transplantation. The main complication in the management of this kind of malignancy is the variability that characterises the genetic and clinical features among the CTCL subtypes. JAK/STAT, MAPK/ERK, PI3K/Akt, and NF-kB are those signalling pathways that are found altered in CTCL and that are responsible for promoting both T-cell malignancy and the pro-tumorigenic microenvironment. Thus, targeting key players of these pathways can be an advantageous therapeutic option for CTCL. In this review, we aim to summarise the different approaches that precisely inhibit the kinases of each cited signalling. JAK inhibitors seem to be the most promising kinase inhibitors for CTCL. However, adverse events have been reported especially in patients with immunosuppression or an underlying autoimmune disease. More studies are needed, especially clinical trials, to investigate the benefits of these drugs for the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas.

The Self-determination theory and The Vallerand's Hierarchical Model has been studied with different types of social factors that can bring different consequences. The purpose of this work was if responsibility and social climate could predict the social and prosocial behaviors and vio-lence. For this, 429 students (M = 11.46, SD = 1.92) participated in this study answering a ques-tionnaire with five variables: school climate, responsibility, motivation, satisfaction of psycholog-ical needs, prosocial and antisocial behaviors and violence. The main results saw that the most part of variables were correlated positive and directly except with antisocial behaviors and vio-lence. On the other hand, prediction model (X2 = 584.145 (98); RMSEA = 0.104 [90% CI = 0.096, 0.112]; TLI = 0.849; CFI = 0.894) showed that responsibility and school climate can predict psy-chological basic needs and these needs, can improve the autonomous motivation and finally have positive consequences improving prosocial behaviors and reducing antisocial behaviors and vio-lence. In conclusion, school climate and responsibility can improve positive consequences to the classroom, specifically, prosocial behaviors and reducing violence and antisocial behaviors.

Transcription is carried out in most eukaryotes by three multimeric complexes (RNA polymerases I, II and III). However, plants contain two additional RNA polymerases (IV and V), which have evolved from RNA polymerase II. RNA polymerases II, IV and V contain both common and specific subunits that may specialize some of their functions. In this study, we conducted a search for the genes that putatively code for the specific subunits of RNA polymerases IV and V, as well as the corresponding of RNA polymerase II in olive. Based on the homology with the genes of Arabidopsis thaliana, we identified 13 genes that putatively code for the specific subunits of polymerases IV and V, and 16 genes that code for the corresponding specific subunits of polymerase II in olive. The transcriptomic analysis by RNA-Seq revealed that the expression of the RNA polymerases IV and V genes was induced during the initial stages of fruit development. Given that RNA polymerases IV and V are involved in the transcription of long non-coding RNAs, we investigated their expression and observed relevant changes in the expression of this type of RNAs. Particularly, the expression of the intergenic and intronic long non-coding RNAs tended to increase in the early steps of fruit development, suggesting their potential role in this process. The positive correlation between the expression of RNA polymerases IV and V subunits and the expression of non-coding RNAs supports the hypothesis that RNA polymerases IV and V may play a role in fruit development throughout the synthesis of this type of RNAs.

The functional and neurophysiological distinction between dorsal and ventral hippocampus affects also GABAergic inhibition. In line with his notion, ventral CA1 pyramidal cells displayed a more dynamic and effective response to inhibitory input compared to their dorsal counterparts. We posit that this difference is effected by the dorsal-ventral gradient of activin A, a member of the transforming growth factor-β family, which is increasingly recognized for its modulatory role in brain regions involved in cognitive functions and affective behavior. Lending credence to this hypothesis, we found that in slices from transgenic mice expressing a dominant-negative mutant of activin receptor IB (dnActRIB), inhibitory transmission was enhanced only in CA1 neurons of dorsal hippocampus, where basal activin A level is much higher than in ventral hippocampus. We next asked how a rise in endogenous activin A would affect GABAergic inhibition along the longitudinal axis of the hippocampus. We performed ex vivo recordings from wild type and dnActRIB mice after overnight exposure to an enriched environment (EE), which engenders a robust increase in activing A levels in both dorsal and ventral hippocampi. Compared to control mice from standard cages, the behaviorally induced surge in activin A produced a decline in ventral inhibition, an effect that was absent in slices from dnActRIB mice. Underscoring the essential role of activin in the EE-associated modulation of ventral inhibition, this effect was mimicked by acute application of recombinant activin A in control slices. In summary, both genetic and behavioral manipulations of activin receptor signaling affected the dorsal-ventral difference in synaptic inhibition, suggesting that activin A regulates the strength of GABAergic inhibition in a region-specific fashion.

Maternal intake of the polyunsaturated fatty acids omega-3 (n-3 PUFA) and omega-6 (n-6 PUFA) impacts hippocampal neurogenesis during development, an effect that may extend to adulthood by altering adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN). n-3 PUFA and n-6 PUFA are precursors of inflammatory regulators that potentially affect AHN and glia. Additionally, n-3 PUFA dietary supplementation may present a sexually dimorphic action in the brain. Therefore, we postulated that dietary n-6/n-3 PUFA balance shapes the adult DG in a sex-dependent manner influencing AHN and glia. We test our hypothesis by feeding adult female and male mice with n-3 PUFA balanced or deficient diets. To analyze the immunomodulatory potential of the diets, we injected mice with the bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS). LPS reduced neuroblast number, and its effect was exacerbated by the n-3 PUFA deficient diet. The n-3 PUFA deficient diet reduced the DG volume, AHN, microglia number and surveilled volume. Diet effect on most mature neuroblasts was exclusively significant in female mice. Colocalization and multivariate analysis revealed an association between microglia and AHN, and the sexual dimorphic effect of diet. Our study reveals that female mice are more susceptible than males to the effect of dietary n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio on AHN and microglia.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a severe and incurable neurodegenerative disease, char-acterized by the progressive death of motor neurons, leading to paralysis and death. It is a rare disease distinguished by high patient-to-patient heterogeneity, making its study arduous and complex. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) emerged as an important player in ALS development. Thus, ALS phenotype-expressing cells can spread their abnormal bioactive cargos through the secretion of EVs, even at far distant tissues. Importantly, due to their nature and composition, EVs’ formation and cargo can be exploited for the better comprehension of this elusive disease and identification of novel biomarkers, as well as for potential therapeutic applications, such as those based on stem cell-derived exosomes. This review highlights the recent advances in the identification of the role of EVs in ALS etiopathology and how EVs can be promising new approaches for therapeutic strategies.

In the present work we have studied the short-term edaphic recovery of a burned pine forest of Pinus pinaster Aiton in Cerro del Castillo (Sierra de Guadarrama, Central Spain) in which a hydrological-forestry restoration was being carried out after the fire occurred in July 2022. For this purpose, variations in physicochemical properties (conductivity, relative humidity, organic matter and pH) and collembolan communities were analyzed by comparing the soils of a natural pine forest and a burned pine forest during the 24 weeks after the fire in 3 different samplings. With the data obtained, a series of diversity indices were calculated and statistical analyses such as ANOVA, hierarchical classification and principal component analysis were developed, with the aim of understanding in greater depth the recovery of collembolan populations, the changes in these physicochemical variables and the relationships between both parameters. This study shows how the fire reduced the amount of organic matter and water, and increased soil pH and conductivity, affecting edaphic fauna populations. In the short term, there was an increase in relative humidity and a decrease in electrical conductivity. The edaphic fauna communities of the burned pine forest increased their diversity and equity without reaching the values of the natural pine forest. At the specific level, however, the springtail populations matched the richness and even reached a very slightly higher Shanon-Wiener diversity index than that the natural pine forest populations in just 24 weeks. Finally, it was observed that the samples from the burned pine forest with recovered collembolan populations had the closest physicochemical parameters to those of the natural pine forest.

Abstract: Increasing physical activity (PA) and personal and social values are two of the greatest demands in the current educational system. This study examined the effect of a hybrid pro-gramme based on the Personal and Social Responsibility Model and Gamification. A total of 58 students (13.89 years old, SD = 1.14) in two groups (Experimental and Control) participated dur-ing a complete academic year. Motivation, physical activity and sedentary behaviour were as-sessed though questionnaires. Physical fitness was evaluated using previously validated field tests. The results showed significant differences over time between EG and CG in afterschool physical activity (APA) at the weekend (p = 0.003), sedentary time (p = 0.04) and speed-agility (p = 0.04). There were no significant differences in motivation. Regarding the intervention, speed-agility (p = 0.000), strength (p = 0.000), agility (p = 0.000), cardiorespiratory fitness (p = 0.001), APA-weekend (p = 0.000), APA-week (p= 0.000) and sedentary time (p = 0.000) increased signifi-cantly in the EG. Speed-agility (p = 0.000), APA-weekend (p = 0.03) and sedentary time (p = 0.008) increased in the CG. The use of this hybrid program can be useful to produced improvements in physical fitness, physical activity and sedentary hevaviours. The use of a hybrid program based on teaching personal and social responsibility and gamification strategies, produced improvements in physical fitness, physical activity and sedentary behavior, but not in motivation variables. Further research is demanded in order to contrast this relevant findings due to the potential drawbacks and diversity found in the scientific literature among model-based practice.

Irregular female migration to Europe is a growing phenomenon, as more and more women are fleeing their countries of origin due to gender inequality and violence. During the migration process, women experience physical, psychological and social problems that affect their sex lives. The aim of our study is to describe and understand how irregular migrant wom-en living in humanitarian reception centers experience their sexuality at different stages of the migration process. This qualitative phenomenological study collected data through a sixteen in-depth interviews with irregular migrant women between January and February 2023. Data anal-ysis was carried out using ATLAS-ti 23.0 software, from which three themes were extracted: 1) The sexual reality of sub-Saharan women, 2) In search of a better life: take the risk or surrender, and 3) The migrant sexual revolution. The sexual reality of sub-Saharan women is subject to a complex normative order. The migratory process has severe consequences on migrant women's sex life. The sexual needs of irregular migrant women admitted to humanitarian reception cen-ters undergo a process of change that must be understood by healthcare providers in order to make improvements to care provision.

In the Global North, there is an increasing interest in pulses both for their beneficial effects in cropping systems and for human health. However, despite these advantages, the acreage dedi-cated to pulses has been declining and their diversity reduced, particularly in European temperate regions, due to several social and economic factors. This decline has stimulated a political debate in the EU on the development of plant proteins. By contrast, in the Global South, a large panel of minor pulses is still cropped in regional patterns of production and consumption. The aim of this paper is to investigate the for cultivation of potential minor pulses in European temperate regions as a complement to common pulses. Our assumption is that some of these crops could adapt to different pedo-climatic conditions, given their physiological adaptation capacity, and that these pulses might be of interest for the development of innovative local food chains in an EU policy context targeting protein autonomy. The research is based on a systematic review of 269 papers retrieved in the Scopus database (1974–2019), which allowed us to identify 41 pulses as candidate species with a protein content higher than 20% that are already consumed as food. For each spe-cies, the main agronomic (e.g. temperature or water requirements) and nutritional characteristics (e.g. proteins or antinutritional contents) were identified in their growing regions. Following their agronomic characteristics, the candidate crops were confronted with variability in the annual growing conditions for spring crops in European temperate areas to determine the earliest poten-tial sowing and latest harvest dates. Subsequently, the potential sum of temperatures was calcu-lated with the Agri4cast database to establish the potential climatic suitability. For the first time, 21 minor pulses were selected to be grown in these temperate areas and appear worthy of inves-tigation in terms of yield potential, nutritional characteristics or best management practices.

Extreme environmental variations (EV), as a phenomenon deriving from climate change (CC), led to an exacerbated uncertainty on water availability and increased the likelihood of conflicts regarding water-dependent activities such as agriculture. In this paper, we investigate the role of conflict resolution mechanisms -one of Ostrom’s acclaimed Design Principles (DPs)- when social-ecological systems (SESs) are exposed to physical external disturbances. The theoretical propositions predict that SESs with conflict-resolution-mechanisms will perform better than those without them. We tested this proposition through a framed-field-experiment that mimicked an irrigation system. In this asymmetric setting, farmers were exposed to two (2) dilemmas: (i) how much to invest in the communal irrigation system’s (CIS) maintenance and (ii) how much water to extract. The setting added a layer of complexity: water availability did not only depend on the investment but also on the environmental variability. Our findings largely confirmed the theoretical proposition: groups with stronger institutional robustness are able to cope with EV better than those with weaker robustness. However, we also found that some groups, despite lacking conflict-resolution-mechanisms, were also able to address EV. We explored potential explanatory variables to these unexpected results. We found that subjects’ and groups’ attributes might address uncertainty and avert conflict. Thus, SESs’ capacity to respond to external disturbances, such as EV, might not only be a question of DPs. Instead, it might also be strongly related to group members' attributes and group dynamics. Our results pave the way for further research, hinting that some groups might be better equipped for mitigation measures, while others might be better equipped for adaptation measures.

Agavins consumption has lead to accelerate body weight loss in mice. We investigated the changes on cecal microbiota and short chain fatty acids (SCFA) associated to body weight loss in overweight mice. Firstly, mice were fed with standard (ST5) or high fat (HF5) diet for 5 weeks. Secondly, overweight mice were shifted to standard diet alone (HF-ST10) or supplemented with agavins (HF-ST+A10) or oligofructose (HF-ST+O10), five more weeks. Cecal contents were collected before and after supplementation to determine microbiota and SCFA concentrations. At the end of first phase, HF5 mice showed a significant increase of body weight, which was associated with reduction of cecal microbiota diversity (PD whole tree; non-parametric t-test, P < 0.05), increased Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio and reduced SCFA concentrations (t-test, P < 0.05). After diet shifted, HF-ST10 normalized its microbiota, increase its diversity and SCFA levels, whereas agavins (HF-ST+A10) or oligofructose (HF-ST+O10) led to partial microbiota restoration, with normalization of the Firmicutes/Bacteroides ratio as well as higher SCFA levels (P < 0.1). Moreover, agavins noticeably enriched Klebsiella and Citrobacter (LDA > 3.0); this enrichment has not been reported previously under a prebiotic treatment. In conclusion, agavins or oligofructose modulated cecal microbiota composition, reduced extent of diversity and increased SCFA. Furthermore, identification of bacteria enriched by agavins, opens opportunities to explore new probiotics.

SARS-CoV-2 and HIV are zoonotic viruses that rapidly reached pandemic scale causing global losses and fear. The COVID-19 and AIDS pandemics ignited massive efforts worldwide to develop antiviral strategies and characterize viral architectures, biological and immunological properties, and clinical outcomes. Although both viruses have a comparable appearance as enveloped viruses with positive-stranded RNA and envelope spikes mediating cellular entry, the entry process, downstream biological and immunological pathways, clinical outcomes, and disease courses are strikingly different. This review provides a systemic comparison of both viruses’ structural and functional characteristics delineating their distinct strategies for efficient spread.

The prevalence of diagnosed cases of autism has increased rapidly, which raise interest in studying the variables related to the well-being of these families. The purpose of this paper is to review recent literature on other variables related to family well-being such a parenting styles. We conducted a systematic review using PRISMA check list and bias assessment ESTROBE with the aim of analyzing if the concepts of autism, well-being and parenting style are related. We screened 753 references, 16 full text articles and abstracts were read. It was identified that authoritative parenting style, those based on warmth, establishing relationships and emotional bonding, and low expressed emotion were positively related to family well-being. On the other hand, authoritarian, permissive and overprotective styles, as well as critical, punishing and training-based were negatively associated with well-being and quality of family life.

Yellow pitahaya is a tropical fruit that has gained popularity in recent years. Natural elicitors are compounds that can stimulate the resistance and quality of fruits. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of natural elicitors: methyl salicylate (MeSa), methyl jasmonate (JaMe), salicylic acid (SA) and oxalic acid (OA) at concentrations of 0.1 mM (SaMe and JaMe) and 5 mM (SA and OA), applied to the yellow pitahaya fruits, under greenhouse conditions. After full blossom, 4 applications were made with a frequency of 15 days. At time of harvest and after storage, the following variables were evaluated: firmness (whole fruit), total soluble solids (TSS), total acidity (TA), phenolics and carotenoids (in the pulp), while phenolics, carotenoids, macronutrients and micronutrients were determined in the peel. The results showed that JaMe presented a delay of the ripening process, according to TSS, TA, firmness, and total phenolic compounds results, while MeSa advanced the fruit maturation. Regarding the alternative use of the peel as by-product, the application of natural elicitors significantly increased the content of polyphenols, carotenoids, macronutrients and micronutrients in the peel, which can be used as a bioactive compound in the food industry. In conclusion, the results indicate that natural elicitors can be an alternative to improve the quality and shelf life of yellow pitahaya fruits.

Hundreds of millions of people on the planet are affected by malnourishment. This contributes to the vulnerability of large swaths of the population, especially children under five years old extremely vulnerable to diseases and even death in the least developed countries. Today, by providing a substantial share of global protein intake, as well as fatty acids and micronutrients, fisheries contribute to global food security. As fish stocks in the upper sea levels have already been over-exploited, there might not be enough in supplying food security, deep-sea fisheries have been increasingly discussed to address this problem. Some mesopelagic fishes show the potential to provide important nutrients. Another way of supplying food security might be through using mesopelagic fish as fish feed. However, fishing in the mesopelagic zone could lead to severe ecological problems and the impact on the biological carbon pump is uncertain. This paper highlights and juxtaposes different perspectives regarding exploitation pathways of the fish riches of deep seas and reviews best practice model projects that deal with uncertainties related to fishery management in the mesopelagic zone.

The beneficial effects of solar radiation on human health are well documented. One necessary mechanism triggers the production of vitamin D whose insufficiency has been linked to a variety of disorders like diabetes, hypertension and more recently amyloidosis and Alzheimer disease. However, there are few architectural designs capable on ensuring adequate provision of solar radiation inside buildings. Conventional fenestration is not sufficient to provide for significant doses of sunlight even to prevent seasonal affective disorder (SAD). In this paper we discuss the effect of new design alternatives for skylights, especially in the refurbishment of obsolete facilities. After such complex retrofit is executed, we have analyzed the performance of a building in warm and sunny climates as is the case of southern Spain. It has been considered as a priority the study of the factors that relate sunlight and energy, as well as, to a certain extent, other aspects like ventilation and insulation. Many architectural designs are presented as correct if the thermal requirements alone are met, even at the risk of later energy waste in lighting devices and visual or physical discomfort. On the other hand, large glazed areas allow more daylight into a space, but they may also allow excessive heat gains or losses which increase the air-conditioning cooling or heating load. To avoid these problems, we have considered the combined effect of daylight and energy from the beginning of the skylight design-process. A daylighting software based on configuration factors that we have apply in former researches to study the problems of direct sun over architectural structures have been used. This question cannot be treated adequately with conventional programs for overcast skies. The skylights have already been constructed and on-site measurements in the offices have been taken to complement the computer simulations data. The results show that it is possible to achieve energy saving and high radiation levels in winter without increasing heat loads during the summer. All this is considered beneficial to improve the condition of users with cognitive diseases as Alzheimer’s disease by virtue of adapted spaces.

Polyurethanes are materials with a strong structure-property relationship. The goal of this research was to study the effect of a polyol blend composition of polyurethanes on its properties using a mixture design and setting mathematic models for each property. Water absorption, hydrolytic degradation, contact angle, tensile stretch, hardness and modulus were studied. Additionally, Thermal stability was studied by thermogravimetric analysis. Area under the curve was used to evaluate the effect of polyol blend composition on thermal stability and kinetics of water absorption and hydrolytic degradation. Least squares were used to calculate the regression coefficients. Models for the properties were significant, and lack of fit was not (P<0.05). Fit statistics suggest both good fitting and prediction. Water absorption, hydrolytic degradation and contact angle were mediated by the hydrophilic nature of the polyols. Tensile strength, modulus and hardness could be regulated by the molecular weight and hydroxyl index of the polyols. Regression of DTG curves from thermal analysis showed improvement of thermal stability with the increase of PCL and PE. An ANOVA test of the model terms demonstrated that three component effects on bulk properties like water absorption, hydrolytic degradation, hardness, tensile strength and modulus, and the PEG*PCL interaction with the contact angle, which is a surface property. Mixture design application allowed for an understanding of the structure-property relationship through mathematic models.

Unhealthy diet is an important health problem in the region of the Americas, and Uruguay does not escape this reality. Nutritional problems in Uruguayan school-age children are overweight and obesity. Caloric intake is excessive for 60% of children and 28% of calories come from ultra-processed products (UPP) [CODICEN 2021] [MIDES 2020) (Köncke, Toledo, 2021). In 2018, an evaluation of food intake was conducted in a representative sample of public schools in the city of Montevideo. Food and preparations were categorized according to the NOVA system, later they were analyzed according to the Pan American Health Oganization nutrient profile model (PAHO NPM). Only 0.52% of children consumed exclusively natural foods, unprocessed, minimally processed or culinary ingredients. Twenty-five percent of children consumed ≥ 4 products categorized with excessive content of free sugars, total fat or saturated fat according to the PAHO NPM; in the case of excessive sodium this was 40%. In general, children who included products with excessive free sugars, sodium or saturated fat in their diet exceeded the limits established by PAHO and as a result their diet is of poorer nutritional quality compared to children who did not consume such products.

This study examined the effect of an educational hybrid physical education (PE) intervention on cognitive performance and academic achievement in adolescents. A 9-month group-randomized controlled trial was conducted in 150 participants (age: 14.63 ± 1.38) allocated into control group (CG, n = 37) and experimental group (EG, n = 113). Inhibition, verbal fluency, planning and academic achievement were assessed. Significant differences were observed in the post-test for cognitive inhibition, verbal fluency in animals, and the average from verbal fluency in favour of the EG. With regard to the intervention, verbal fluency in animals, verbal fluency in vegetables, the average of verbal fluency, cognitive inhibition, language, the average of all subjects, the average of all subjects except PE, and the average from the core subjects) increased significantly in the EG. The last five variables (the academic ones and cognitive inhibition) also increased in the CG, in addition to mathematics. This study contributes to the knowledge by suggesting that both methodologies produced improvements in the measured variables, but the use of a hybrid program based on TPSR and gamification strategies produce improvements in cognitive performance, specifically through the cognitive inhibition and verbal fluency.

The changes in nutritional quality, bioactive compounds and antioxidant enzymes in the juice of four blood orange cultivars (‘Moro’, ‘Tarocco’, ‘Sanguinello’ and ‘Sanguine’) stored during 6 months at 2 and 5 °C plus 2 days at 20 °C for shelf life were studied. Sucrose was the sugar found at higher concentration and decreased during storage for all cultivars, as did glucose and fructose. Organic acids decreased at both temperatures and the highest content was found in ‘Sanguinello’, especially the major (citric acid) and ascorbic acid. Total phenolics content (TPC), total anthocyanins (TAC), and the individual (cyanidin 3-glucoside and cyanidin 3-(6″-malonylglucoside)) increased for all cultivars, the ‘Sanguinello’ having the higher concentrations. Antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were higher also in ‘Sanguinello’ and increased during storage. Overall, these results together with the sensory analysis suggest that ‘Sanguinello’ would be the best cultivar for prolonged storage.

Iapetus, a Saturn moon, shows the most differentiated albedo dichotomy of the Solar System. The dark leading side has a lower albedo than the bright trailing side. Spectral data on the visible light reveal the existence of two types of materials on the surface. The darkening in the leading side is thought to be originated by the presence of organic material and carbonaceous compounds on surface, while the trailing side is covered by water ice due to migration processes from the dark side. On airless bodies like Iapetus, the surface escape speed is greater than the speed of water molecules, resulting in the retention of a H2O atmosphere that allows some species to get diffused through it. Here, there were performed simulations of the evolution of the surface temperature for each of the two hemispheres of Iapetus. The results showed a slow yet steady increment of temperatures for both sides, with a steeper slope for the dark hemisphere. It was also simulated how much energy budget can be accumulated in both sides and its consequences. Finally, we calculated the diffusion coefficients for ammonia, methane, and water ice. The results let us infer how these compounds could evolve over time.

Susceptibility of four blood orange cultivars (‘Moro’, ‘Tarocco’, ‘Sanguinello’ and ‘Sanguine’) to chilling injury (CI) was studied. Antioxidant enzymes, physiological and biochemical changes were measured monthly at 2 and 5 °C plus 2 days at 20 °C for shelf life. At 2 °C, CI symptoms were higher than at 5 °C, and ‘Moro’ and ‘Tarocco’ had significantly higher CI than ‘Sanguinello’ and ‘Sanguine’. ‘Moro’ and ‘Tarocco’ had the highest electrolyte leakage, malondialdehyde, H2O2 and polyphenol oxidase activity and lower phenylalanine ammonia-lyase compared with ‘Sanguinello’ and ‘Sanguine’. The scanning electron microscopy micrographs revealed that ‘Moro’ and ‘Taroco’ showed severe fractures in the flavedo due to CI. ‘Sanguinello’ and ‘Sanguine’ were more tolerant to CI due to an increase of catalase, ascorbate peroxidase and superoxide dismutase, which could prevent the loss of membrane integrity and alleviate CI symptoms. The order of susceptibility of cultivars to CI was ‘Moro’> ‘Tarocco’> ‘Sanguine’> ‘Sanguinello’.

Oxidative stress has been implicated in cellular senescence and aging, as well as in the onset and progression of many diverse genetic and acquired diseases and conditions. The search for biomarkers of oxidative stress has become relevant to many biomedical fields using many different methods and approaches. Fluorescence methodology is advantageous because of its simplicity and high sensitivity. Fluorescent probes are frequently used to investigate the role of reactive oxygen species in oxidative stress in experimental or clinical settings, often involving the use of flow cytometry and related single-cell based technologies. To assess the specific role of reactive oxygen species in oxidative stress studies by cytometric methodologies, it is essential to detect and characterize these species accurately. However, the detection and quantitation of individual intracellular ROS is still a challenge, but different and complementary strategies may focus on other endpoints of oxidative stress. In this review we present and discuss briefly the limitations and perspectives of such approaches. Based on our results, we also provide recommendations for proper design of cytometric studies of oxidative stress in order to prevent or minimize experimental errors..

Background: Previous research studies have suggested the importance of studying the relationship between emotional regulation and sleep habits. Some investigations have especially focused on how emotional regulation could impact sleep habits in children and adolescents. Therefore, these researchers have stated there exists a two-way direction in this relationship. Objective: This study aimed to analyze the influence of emotional regulation on sleep habits in Spanish children and adolescents, and the mediating role of anxiety in this relationship. Method: Participants were 953 Spanish parents who completed the assessment protocol according to their children and adolescents’ information. Results: The results revealed moderate-strong correlations between emotional regulation problems and sleep habits disturbances (r=0.375, p&lt;0.001), trait (r=0.488, p&lt;0.001) and state (r=0.589, p&lt;0.001) anxiety. Also, emotional regulation showed a direct impact on sleep habits (β=0.011, p=0.005). Trait and state anxiety demonstrated a significant mediating role in the relationship between emotional regulation and sleep habits. Conclusions: Emotional regulation may have an impact on sleep habits during childhood and adolescence, suggesting the importance of early intervention focused on the emotions management and the prevention of sleep habits disturbances.

Because of their low cost and easy production silica nanoparticles (NPs) are amply used in multiple manufactures as anti-caking, densifying and hydrophobic agents. However, this has increased the exposure levels of the general population and has raised concerns about possible toxicity of this nanomaterial. NPs are known to affect the function of the airway epithelium, but the biochemical pathways targeted by these particles remain largely unknown. Here we investigated the effects of NPs on the responses of cultured human bronchial epithelial (16HBE) cells to the damage-associated molecular pattern ATP, using fluorometric measurements of intracellular Ca2+ concentration. Upon stimulation with extracellular ATP these cells displayed a concentration-dependent increase in intracellular Ca2+, which was mediated by release from intracellular stores. Silica NPs inhibited the Ca2+ responses to ATP within minutes of application and at low micromolar concentrations, which are significantly faster and more potent than those previously reported for the induction of cellular toxicity and pro-inflammatory responses. NPs-induced inhibition appeared to be independent from the increase in intracellular Ca2+ they produce, and via a non-competitive mechanism. These findings suggest that NPs reduce the ability of airway epithelial cells to mount ATP-dependent protective responses such as the increase in mucociliary clearance and cough.

Digital competence is one of the 8 key competences for life-long learning developed by the European Commission, and is requisite for personal fulfilment and development, active citizenship, social inclusion and employment in the knowledge society. To accompany young learners in the development of the competence, and to guarantee optimal implementation of ICTs, it is necessary that teachers are, in turn, literate. We had 43 Secondary School teachers in initial training to assess their own level of competence in the 21 sub-competences in 5 areas identified by the DIGCOMP project, using the rubrics provided in the Common Framework for Digital Competence of Teachers (Spanish Ministry of Education). Overall, pre-service teachers' conceptions about their level of Digital Competence was low (Initial). Students scored highest in Information, which refers mostly to the operations they performed while being students. Secondly, in Safety and Communication, excluding Protection of Digital Data and Preservation of the Digital Identity. Lowest values were achieved in Content Creation and Problem Solving, the dimensions most closely related with the inclusion of ICTs to transform teaching-learning processes. The knowledge or skills they exhibit are largely self-taught and, so, we perceive an urgent need to purposefully incorporate relational and didactic aspects of ICT integration.

Educating for Sustainability involves promoting sustainable competences in students. Not in vain, wider societal changes that ensure a balance between economic growth, respect for the environment and social justice must start with individual actions, implying knowledge, capacity and willingness to act. However, and although there is wide consensus that education should promote the development of competences for life, putting this theoretical tenet into may entail more problems. Competence is most often expressed in general terms without a specific definition of the intervening elements (knowledge, skills, values, attitudes), which may collide with the necessity of teachers – as learning planners - concrete entities on which to base their process of design. So that, in this work we propose a series of indicators that serve to characterize the four dimensions of scientific competence – contents of science, contents about science, value of science and utility of science-. Although they are primarily intended to be used to filter multimedia resources in an educational platform, this proposal of indicators can be extrapolated to the management and selection of a variety of resources and activities, and for sharing the objectives and evidences for the acquisition of competencies.

In this paper, we present a new parametric class of optimal fourth-order iterative methods to estimate the solutions of nonlinear equations. After the convergence analysis, we study the stability of this class by using the tools of complex discrete dynamics. This allows us to select those elements of the class with lower dependence on initial estimations. We verify by means of numerical tests that the stable members on quadratic polynomials perform better than the unstable ones, when applied to other non-polynomial functions. We also compare the performance of the best elements of the family with known methods, such as the schemes by Newton or Chun, among others, showing robust and stable behaviour.

The color and NIR spectrum are key to build an oil estimation model, thus it requires individual olives clustering before the Sohlext oil extraction method can be applied. The objective was to analyze an OC estimation model of individual olives, based on cluster of similar color and NIR spectrum in different combination of the first and/or the second season. This study was performed with Chilean Arbequina olives in 2016 and 2017. The descriptor of the cluster consisted of the 3 color channels of c1, c2, c3 color model plus 11 reflectance points between 1710 and 1735 nm of each olive, normalized with the Z-score index. Clusters of similar color and NIR spectrum were formed with the k-means++ algorithm, leaving a sufficient amount of olives to be able to perform the Sohlext analysis of OC, as reference value. The estimation models were based on the Support Vector Machine. The test was carried out with the Leave One-Out Cross Validation in different training-testing combinations. The best model predicted the OC with 6% and 13%deviation respect to the real value in one season by itself and when one season tested with another season, respectively. The use of clustering in estimation model is discussed.

Three polyimides and six inorganic fillers in a form of nanometer-sized particles were studied as thick film solution cast mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) for transport of CO₂, CH₄ and H₂O. Gas transport properties and electron microscopy images indicate good polymer-filler compatibility for all membranes. The only filler type which demonstrated good distribution throughout the membrane thickness at 10 wt. % loading was BaCe_0.2Zr_0.7Y_0.1O₃ (BCZY). The influence of this filler on MMM gas transport properties was studied in detail for 6FDA-6FpDA in a filler content range from 1 to 20 wt.% and for Matrimid^® and P84^® at 10 wt. % loading. The most promising result was obtained for Matrimid^® - 10wt% BCZY MMM, which showed improvement in CO₂ and H₂O permeabilities accompanied by increased CO₂/CH₄ selectivity and high water selective membrane at elevated temperatures without H₂O/permanent gas selectivity loss.

A large body of evidence has linked unhealthy eating patterns with an alarming increase in obesity and chronic disease worldwide. However, existing methods of assessing dietary intake in nutritional epidemiology rely on food frequency questionnaires or dietary records that are prone to bias and selective reporting. Herein, metabolic phenotyping was performed on 42 healthy participants from the Diet and Gene Intervention (DIGEST) pilot study, a parallel two-arm randomized clinical trial that provided complete diets to all participants. Matching urine and plasma specimens were collected at baseline and following 2 weeks of provision of either a Prudent or Western diet with a weight-maintaining menu plan designed by a dietician. Targeted and nontargeted metabolite profiling was conducted using three complementary analytical platforms, where 80 plasma metabolites and 84 creatinine-normalized urinary metabolites were reliably measured (CV < 30%) in the majority of participants (> 75%) after implementing a rigorous data workflow for metabolite authentication with stringent quality control. We classified a panel of metabolites with distinctive trajectories following 2 weeks of food provisions when using complementary univariate and multivariate statistical models. Unknown metabolites associated with contrasting dietary patterns were identified with high resolution MS/MS and/or co-elution after spiking with authentic standards. Overall, 3-methylhistidine and proline betaine concentrations increased consistently after participants were assigned a Prudent diet (q< 0.05) in both plasma and urine samples with a corresponding decrease in the Western diet group. Similarly, creatinine-normalized urinary imidazole propionate, hydroxypipecolic acid, dihydroxybenzoic acid, and enterolactone glucuronide, as well as plasma ketoleucine and ketovaline increased with a Prudent diet (p< 0.05) after adjustments for age, sex and BMI. In contrast, plasma myristic acid, linoelaidic acid, linoleic acid, a-linoleic acid, pentadecanoic acid, alanine, proline, carnitine and deoxycarnitine, as well as urinary acesulfame K increased among participants following a Western diet. Most metabolites were also correlated (r > ±0.30, p< 0.05) to changes in average intake of specific nutrients from self-reported diet records reflecting good adherence to assigned food provisions. Our study revealed robust biomarkers sensitive to short-term changes in habitual diet for accurate monitoring of healthy eating patterns in free-living populations, which is required for validating evidence-based public health policies for chronic disease prevention.

At present, business strategies in SMEs (Small and medium enterprises) are crucial for consolidation in highly competitive markets, in achieving a better image and in business profitability. One of the strategies that have the most success and business success are sustainable practices and social responsibility such as: ISO 14001 and ISO 26001. The literature related to sustainable business is based mainly on the theory of resources and capabilities, and in theory based on Stakeholders. These currents state that companies should focus on profitable strategies to ensure significant and long-term results, in order to achieve organizational and financial results for stakeholders. In this work, the sample consists of 215 companies from the commerce, services and industry sectors, located in the southern region of the State of Sonora in Mexico. The objective of the work is to analyze the influence of ISO 14001 and 26001 standards on the image and profitability of SMEs. The statistical analysis of the data has been carried out through the linear regression technique by OLS (Ordinary Least Squares). The findings prove that the ISO 14001 standard is the one that most influences the improvement of the business image and the level of profitability of the SME. In addition, we discovered that ISO 26001 has a partial influence on the image and profitability of the SME.

Shoulder tendinopathies produce pain and reduce functionality. The aim of this randomized clinical trial was to analyze the effects of Percutaneous electrolysis (PE), Percutaneous peripheral Nerve Stimulation (PNS) and eccentric exercise (EE), on pain (NPRS), strength, electromyographic activity, ultrasound characteristics of the tendon (echogenicity, thickness and hypervascularization) and functionality (DASH and SPADI) on individuals with supraspinatus tendinopathy. Participants (n=50) were divided into two groups, they received 4 treatment sessions, one per week, of PE and PNS (n=25) or 10 treatment sessions of TENS and US (n=25). Both groups performed EE program consisted of 3 sets of 10 repetitions of each of the 3 exercises, twice a day, during the 4 weeks. Follow-up was carried out at 4, 12 and 24 weeks after the start of the intervention. There are statistically significant differences in the analysis between groups (p&lt;0.001) in the post-treatment and follow-up measurements favorable to the PE+PNS+EE treatment on pain (NPRS), strength, supraspinatus electromyographic amplitude, ultrasound characteristics of the tendon (echogenicity, thickness and hypervascularization) and DASH and SPADI questionnaires. The combined treatment PE, PNS and EE is an effective option in the clinical management of tendinopathies, with positive results in the short and long term on the variables studied.

Heat-stressed lactating dairy cattle exhibit unique metabolic symptoms; many of which are undoubtedly involved in heat-induced subfertility. Because of its known systemic effects, we hypothesized that γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) participates in the regulation of insulin and progesterone during heat stress. Multiparous lactating Holstein cows (n=6) were studied during four experimental periods: 1) thermoneutral (TN; d 1-5), 2) TN + hyperinsulinemic-hypoglycemic clamp (d 6-10), 3) heat stress (HS; d 16-20), and 4) HS + euglycemic clamp (d 21-25). Blood samples were collected once daily via coccygeal venipuncture into heparinized evacuated tubes. Analysis of GABA concentrations from all four treatment periods yielded no differences. In direct comparison to TN concentrations, plasma GABA tended to be decreased during HS (16.57±2.64 vs 13.87±2.28 ng/ml, respectively, P = 0.06). Both milk production and plasma insulin were moderately correlated with plasma GABA (r=0.35, P<0.01; r = -0.32, P<0.01). Plasma progesterone was correlated with plasma GABA concentrations during TN but not HS. These results are the first to indicate that peripheral GABA could be involved in regulating aspects of production and reproduction during heat stress. More research is needed to determine its precise role(s).

We explore an idea put forward many years ago by Zeldovich and Novikov concerning the existence of compact objects endowed with arbitrarily small mass. The energy-density of such objects, which we call “Ghost stars”, is negative in some regions of the fluid distribution, producing a vanishing total mass. Thus, the interior is matched on the boundary surface to Minkowski space-time. Some exact analytical solutions are exhibited and their properties are analyzed. Observational data that could confirm or dismiss the existence of this kind of stellar object, is commented.

A semi–numerical approach proposed many years ago for describing gravitational collapse in the post–quasi–static approximation , , , , is modified in order to avoid the numerical integration of the basic differential equations the approach is based upon. For doing that we have to impose some restrictions on the fluid distribution. More specifically, we shall assume the vanishing complexity factor condition, which allows for analytical integration of the pertinent differential equations and leads to physically interesting models. Instead, we show that neither the homologous nor the quasi–homologous evolution are acceptable since they lead to geodesic fluids, which are unsuitable for being described in the post–quasi–static approximation. Also, we prove that, within this approximation, adiabatic evolution also leads to geodesic fluids and therefore we shall consider exclusively dissipative systems. Besides the vanishing complexity factor condition, additional information is required for a full description of models. We shall propose different strategies for obtaining such an information, which are based on observables quantities (e.g. luminosity and redshift), and/or heuristic mathematical ansatz. To illustrate the method, we present two models. One model is inspired in the well known Schwarzschild interior solution, and another one is inspired in Tolman VI solution.

Human genetic studies have long been vastly Eurocentric, raising a key question about the generalizability of these study findings to other populations. Because humans originated in Africa, these populations retain more genetic diversity, and yet individuals of African descent have been tremendously underrepresented in genetic studies. The diversity in Africa affords ample opportunities to improve fine-mapping resolution for associated loci, discover novel genetic associations with phenotypes, build more generalizable genetic risk prediction models, and better understand the genetic architecture of complex traits and diseases subject to varying environmental pressures. Thus, it is both ethically and scientifically imperative that geneticists globally surmount challenges that have limited progress in African genetic studies to date while meaningfully including African investigators, as greater inclusivity and enhanced research capacity affords enormous opportunities to accelerate genomic discoveries that translate more effectively to all populations. We review the advantages and challenges of studying the genetic architecture of complex traits and diseases in Africa. For example, with greater genetic diversity comes greater ancestral heterogeneity; this higher level of understudied diversity can yield novel genetic findings, but some methods that assume homogeneous population structure and work well in European populations may work less well in the presence of greater diversity and heterogeneity in African populations. Consequently, we advocate for methodological development that will accelerate studies important for all populations, especially those currently underrepresented in genetics.

The fast and reliable processing of medical images is of paramount importance to adequately generate data to feed machine learning algorithms that can prevent and diagnose health issues. Here we benchmark different compressed sensing techniques applied to magnetic resonance imaging as a means to reduce the acquisition time spent in the collection of data and signals that form the image. We show that by using these techniques, it is possible to reduce the number of signals needed and, therefore, substantially decrease the time to acquire the measurements. To this end, we have considered and compared different algorithms: the Iterative Re-Weighted Least Squares, the Iterative Soft Thresholding Algorithm, the Iterative Hard Thresholding Algorithm, the Primal Dual Algorithm and the Log-Barrier Algorithm. We have implemented such algorithms in different analysis programs that have been used to perform the reconstruction of the images and found that the Iterative Soft Thresholding Algorithm gives the optimal results. We found that the images obtained with this algorithm have less quality than the original ones, but the quality is good enough to distinguish each body structure and detect any health problems.

Aβ peptides are known to bind neural plasma membranes in a process leading to the deposit of Aβ-enriched plaques. These extracellular structures are characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease, the major cause of late-age dementia. The mechanisms of Aβ plaque formation and deposition are far from being understood. A vast amount of literature describes the efforts to analyze those mechanisms, using a variety of tools. The present review focuses on biophysical studies, mostly carried out with model membranes, or with computational tools. The review starts by describing basic physical aspects of lipid phases, and commonly used model membranes (monolayers and bilayers). This is followed by a discussion of biophysical techniques applied to these systems, mainly but not exclusively Langmuir monolayers, isothermal calorimetry, density-gradient ultracentrifugation, and molecular dynamics. The methodological section is followed by the core of the review, a summary of important results obtained with each technique. The last section is devoted to an overall reflection and an effort in understanding Aβ-bilayer binding. Concepts such as Aβ peptide membrane binding, adsorption, and insertion are defined and differentiated. The roles of membrane lipid order, nanodomain formation, and electrostatic forces in Aβ-membrane interaction are separately identified and discussed.

Given that evaluating suspected child maltreatment is a challenging task, we aimed to begin to explore how laboratory test results may assist in its detection. Hence, we have examined biomarker differences between 137 children entering out-of-home care and 126 children living in their own homes. Each child entering Majorcan institutionalized care was randomly matched for gender and age with children living in their homes and the same health area. Concerning basic hematological and biochemical values, children placed in out-of-home care differed significantly from children remaining at home in four distinct ways. Children at care entry had significantly higher eosinophil counts than children at home; and also had significantly lower levels of transaminase, thyroid-stimulating hormone, triglycerides and LDL-Cholesterol than children living at home. Oxidative stress linked to anxiety disorders and underweight are common features found in children at entry into the care system. The present study shows a relationship between some underweight or oxidative stress biomarkers and the risk of entry into out-of-home care. Medical diagnoses require physicians to select and assemble relevant data from all available information. Accordingly, we should consider the implementation of laboratory checkups in order to identify the abused from the non-abused child better.

We carry out a systematic study on the motion of test particles in the region inner to the naked singularity of a quasi–hyperbolically symmetric γ-metric. The geodesic equations are written and analyzed in detail. The obtained results are contrasted with the corresponding results obtained for the axially symmetric γ-metric, and the hyperbolically symmetric black hole. As in this latter case, it is found that test particles experience a repulsive force within the horizon (naked singularity), which prevents them to reach the center. However in the present case this behavior is affected by the parameter γ which measures the departure from the hyperbolical symmetry. These results are obtained for radially moving particles as well as for particles moving in the θ−r subspace. Possible relevance of these results in the explanation of extragalactic jets, is brought out. .

Exposure to sun radiation leads to higher risk of sunburn, pigmentation, immunosuppression, photoaging and skin cancer. In addition to ultraviolet radiation (UVR), recent research indicates that infrared radiation (IR) and visible light (VIS) can play an important role in the pathogenesis of some of these processes. Detrimental effects associated to sun exposure are well known, but new studies have shown that DNA damage continues to occur long after exposure to solar radiation has ended. Regarding photoprotection strategies, natural substances are emerging for topical and oral photoprotection. In this sense, Fernblock®, a standardized aqueous extract of the fern Polypodium Leucotomos (PLE), has been widely administered both topically and orally with a strong safety profile. Thus, this extract has been used extensively in clinical practice, including as a complement to photodynamic therapy (PDT) for treating actinic keratoses (AKs) and field cancerization. It has also been used to treat skin diseases such as photodermatoses, photoaggravated inflammatory conditions and pigmentary disorders. This review examines the most recent developments in the clinical application of Fernblock® and assesses how newly investigated action mechanisms may influence its clinical use.

The development of Al-Ni alloys with a controlled microstructure has had a great impact on the field of study of aluminum-based alloys. In the present research, the influence of thermal parameters on the grain structures resulting from the directional solidification process of Al-Ni alloys with different alloy content has been studied. It has also been evaluated how different structures and the distribution of second phases influence the corrosion behavior and microhardness of alloys. The columnar-to-equiaxed transition (CET) was observed to occur when the temperature gradient in the melt decreased to values between 1.3 to 2.9 ° C/cm. In addition, a small increase in the microhardness values was observed as a function of the Ni-content. When the Ni-content increase, the resistance to polarization decreases for samples with equiaxed grain structure, throughout the range of compositions studied. Furthermore, the equiaxed grain structure presents higher resistance to polarization values than the columnar grain zone, for alloys with a composition equal to or lower than the eutectic composition.

The escape and establishment of Iberian wild goats, Capra pyrenaica, from an enclosure in the 1990s marked the beginning of the recovery of the species in the Pyrenees. This population has occupied part of the Prepyrenees and has contacted another population reintroduced in France since 2014. It coexists with other wild ungulates, including the feral and domestic goats Capra hircus that has been living free since the 1960s. Today it’s the largest Iberian wild goat Pyrenean population. Between 2006 and 2022 we monitored the population and its expansion based on vantage points, itineraries and testimonies. The results indicate: (i) a population, of uncertain genetic origin, in numerical (15% average annual growth) and areal expansion, with the capacity to connect with other populations; (ii) an estimate of at least 500 individuals; (iii) in the process of expansion in contact with Iberian wild goats from France; (iv) sympatry with feral and domestic goat population in its main nucleus whose estimate exceeds 2000 specimens and (v) hybridization with feral and domestic goats. In 2022 sustainable hunt started with a hunting quota of 20 individuals. Genetic characterization and the establishment of an international coordinated monitoring are two of the current priorities.

In this paper, we present an innovative technique that improves the convergence order of iterative schemes that do not require the evaluation of Jacobian matrices. Using this procedure, we achieve a remarkable increase in the order of convergence, raising it from p to p + 3 units, which results in a remarkable improvement in the overall performance. We have conducted comprehensive numerical tests in various scenarios to validate the theoretical results, showing the efficiency and effectiveness of the new Jacobian-free schemes.

In the last years, a recent growing line of research has been developed with fruitful results by using fractional and conformable derivatives in the iterative procedures of classical methods for solving nonlinear equations. In that sense, the use of conformable derivatives has shown better behavior than fractional ones, not only in the theory, but also in the practice. In this work, we adapt the approximation of conformable derivatives in order to design the first conformable derivative-free iterative schemes to solve nonlinear equations: a Steffensen’s type method and a Secant type method; the latter with memory. Convergence analysis is made, preserving the order of classical cases, and the numerical performance is studied in order to confirm the results in the theory. It is shown that these methods can present some numerical advantages versus their classical partners, with wide sets of converging initial estimations.

Gliomas are central nervous system (CNS) derived tumors that originate from glial cells and affect six per 100,000 people in the United States. They are the most common form of CNS neoplasm and are highly diffusely infiltrative to surrounding brain tissue. Gliomas of diffusive nature are classified into different subcategories: astrocytomas, oligodendrogliomas, and ependymomas. Computed tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) are used to determine tumor category and spread which may dictate treatment options. This paper focuses on emerging treatments of chemotherapy management with temozolomide and Avastin as well as emerging immune modulation treatment with vaccinations, manipulation of cellular checkpoints CTLA-4 and PD-1, co-receptor modulation of neuropilin-1, CAR-T cell therapy, and CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing. The employment of TMZ and BEV has been supported in the literature, however, more research is necessitated to fully optimize regimens and to avoid immune- and toxicity-related effects of these drugs. Moreover, an even closer consideration is warranted for current immunotherapies as they are in their infancy compared to TMZ and BEV. Thus, although promising emerging treatment options, therapies involving cancer vaccines, ICIs, immune modulation of neuropilin-1, CAR-T, and CRISPR-Cas9 technology require further investigation into their long-term efficacy and utility in treating gliomas.

Histoplasmosis is a systemic mycosis of universal distribution, highly endemic in the Americas. It is caused by a dimorphic fungus Histoplasma capsulatum var. capsulatum. It affects both immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals where progressive and disseminated forms are observed. A very important risk factor is HIV infection/AIDS, with a mortality rate of 20-40% in Latin America. The diagnosis of this mycosis is made by conventional and molecular methods or by antigen and antibody detection. This study evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of a commercial kit for the detection of Histoplasma antigen by an EIA (HC-Ag) technique in 50 patients with histoplasmosis associated with AIDS. In addition, its performance was compared with that of other diagnostic techniques routinely used in our laboratory. HC-Ag had a sensitivity (S) of 94%, specificity (E) 95.5%, positive predictive value (PPV) 94% and negative predictive value (NPV) 95.5%. The delay time of the results was 4 days, similar to that of antibody detection and n-PCR and much less than that of blood cultures. The combination of methods improved S and NPV: 100%; with similar values in E and PPV. The HC-Ag method demonstrated its usefulness in the diagnosis of progressive disseminated histoplasmosis and the combination of methods is a good option to increase sensitivity and decrease the time to reach the diagnosis of certainty. This allows improving the strategy in the management of the disease and decreasing its case-fatality rate.

This paper presents a modular approach to generic exergame design that combines custom physical exercises in a meaningful and motivating story. This aims to provide a tool that can be individually tailored and adapted to people with different needs, making it applicable to different diseases and states of disease. The game is based on motion capturing and integrates four example exercises that can be configured via our therapeutic web platform "Blexer-med". To prove the feasibility for a wide range of different users, evaluation tests were performed on 14 patients with various types and degrees of neuromuscular disorders, classified into three groups based on strength and autonomy. Users were free to choose their schedule and frequency. Game scores and three surveys (before, during, and after the intervention) showed similar experiences for all groups, with the most vulnerable having the most fun and satisfaction. The players were motivated by the story and by achieving high scores. The average usage time was 2.5 times per week, 20 minutes per session. Pure exercise time was about half the game time. The concept has proven feasible and forms a reasonable basis for further developments. The full 3D exercise needs further fine-tuning to enhance fun and motivation.

Preserving the Intangible Cultural Sound Heritage of Humanity is a crucial aspect of safeguarding a people’s culture and history. By employing objective acoustic and psychoacoustic parameters, we can effectively analyze and characterize these auditory environments based on objective, aesthetic, and emotional criteria. The ISO 12913 standard governs the depiction of soundscapes, while the evaluation of outdoor sites involves conducting sound-walks. This study focuses on assessing different soundscapes observed during festivities in Spain as sound walk (dynamic) and as in fireworks (static). The festivities assessed were: "Fallas" in Valencia, Sanfermines in Pamplona, "Festa de la Mare de Deu" in Algemesi, and "Moros y Cristianos" in Villena. To evaluate these soundscapes, we captured ambient sound recordings while traversing through or staying between the festival crowds. Subsequently, we employed various psychoacoustic metrics, such as loudness, sharpness, roughness, fluctuation stress, and tonality, and analyzed them using Zwicker models. Additionally, we conducted a subjective survey to compare the subjective responses with the psychoacoustic metrics obtained.

Polylactic Acid (PLA) is an organic polymer commonly used in fused deposition (FDM) printing and biomedical scaffolding that is biocompatible and immunologically inert. However, variations in source material quality and chemistry make it necessary to characterize the filament and determine potential changes in chemistry occurring as a result of the FDM process. We used several spectroscopic techniques, including laser confocal microscopy, Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and photoacousitc FTIR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) in order to characterize both the bulk and surface chemistry of the source material and printed samples. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) were used to characterize morphology, crystallinity, and the glass transition temperature following printing. Analysis revealed calcium carbonate-based additives which were reacted with organic ligands and potentially trace metal impurities, both before and following printing. These additives became concentrated in voids in the printed structure. This finding is important for biomedical applications as carbonate will impact subsequent cell growth on printed tissue scaffolds. Results of chemical analysis also provided evidence of the hygroscopic nature of the source material and oxidation of the printed surface, and SEM imaging revealed micro and sub-micron scale roughness that will also impact potential applications.

The present work was performed to evaluate the levels of phytochemical constituents and the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of marine red seaweed (Kappaphycus alvarezii) and seagrass (Cymodocea serrulata). Quantitative phytochemical analysis, antioxidant activity and antimicrobial activity against 5 potential pathogenic bacteria was investigated. In both cases were found presence of flavonoids, tannins, phenolic compounds, glycosides, steroids, carbohydrates and ashes. Alkaloids were only found in K. alvarezii, buy not in C. serrulata. The antimicrobial properties of both K. alvarezii and C. serrulata chloroform extracts were found to be antagonis-tically effective against the gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis and the gram-negative bacterium Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio alginolyticus, Vibrio harveyi and Klebsiella pneu-moniae. GC‒MS analysis revealed the presence of 94 bioactive compounds in K. alvarezii and 104 C. serrulata, including phenol, decane, dodecane, hexadecane, vanillin, heptadecane, diphenyla-mine, benzophenone, octadecanoic acid, dotriaconate, benzene, phytol, butanoic acid, and 2-hydroxyl-ethyl ether, which played a vital role in antioxidant and antibacterial activities. Thus, in view of the results, both K. alvarezii and C. serrulata could be considered as sources of ingre-dients with appreciable nutritional and medicinal value.

The major stress-inducible Hsp70 (HSPA1A) is overexpressed in the cytosol of many highly aggressive tumor cells including glioblastoma multiforme and presented on their plasma membrane. Depending on its intracellular or membrane localization, Hsp70 either promotes tumor growth or serves as a target for NK cells. The kinetics of the membrane Hsp70 (mHsp70) density on human glioma cells (U87) was studied after different irradiation doses to define the optimal therapeutic window for Hsp70-targeting NK cells. To maintain the cells in the exponential growth phase during a cultivation period of 7 days different initial cell counts were seeded. Although cytosolic Hsp70 levels remained unchanged on days 4 and 7 after a sublethal irradiation with 2 Gy, 4 Gy and 6 Gy, a dose of 2 Gy resulted in an upregulated mHsp70 density in U87 cells which peaks on day 4 and starts to decline on day 7. Higher radiation doses (4 Gy, 6 Gy) resulted in an earlier and more rapid onset of the mHsp70 expression on days 2 and 1, respectively, followed by a decline on day 5. Membrane Hsp70 levels are higher in G2/M than in G1, however, an irradiation-induced cell cycle arrest on days 4 and 7, was not associated with an increase in the mHsp70 density. Extracellular Hsp70 concentrations increased significantly compared to sham (0 Gy) irradiated cells on days 4 and 7 but not on day 1. Functionally, elevated mHsp70 densities were associated with a significantly better lysis by Hsp70-targeting NK cells. In summary, the kinetics of changes in the mHsp70 density upon irradiation on tumor cells is time- and dose-dependent.

The increasingly common occurrence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has become an urgent public health issue. There are currently some infections without any effective treatment, which require new therapeutic strategies. An attractive alternative is the design of compounds capable of disrupting bacterial communication known as quorum sensing (QS). In gram-negative bacteria, such communication is regulated by acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs). QS allows bacteria to proliferate before expressing virulence factors. Our group previously reported that hexyloxy phenyl imidazoline (9) demonstrated 71% inhibitory activity of QS at 100 µM (IC50=90.9 µM) in Chomobacterium violaceum, a gram-negative bacterium. The aim of the present study was to take 9 as a lead compound to design and synthesize three 2-imidazolines (13-15) and three 2-oxazolines (16-18), to be evaluated as quorum sensing inhibitors on C. violaceum CV026. We were looking for compounds with a higher affinity towards the Cvi receptor of this bacterium and the ability to inhibit QS. The binding mode of the test compounds on the Cvi receptor was explored with docking studies and molecular dynamics. It was found that 8-pentyloxyphenyl-2-imidazoline 13 reduced the production of violacein (IC50=56.38 µM) without affecting bacterial growth, suggesting inhibition of quorum sensing. Indeed, compound 13 is apparently one of the best QS inhibitors known to date. Molecular docking revealed the affinity of compound 13 for the orthosteric site of the N-hexanoyl homoserine lactone (C₆-AHL) on the CviR protein. Ten aminoacid residues in the active site of C₆-AHL interacted with 13, and 7 of these are the same as those interacting with AHL. Contrarily, 8-octyloxyphenyl-2-imidazoline 14, 8-decyloxyphenyl-2-imidazoline 15 and 9-decyloxyphenyl-2-oxazoline 18 bound only to an allosteric site and thus did not compete with C₆-AHL for the orthosteric site.

Overweight and Obesity are global health and economic concerns. According to the World Health Organization, the number of individuals with obesity has nearly tripled since 1975. This health issue is currently considered an epidemic, affecting over 1.9 billion adults and 340 million children and adolescents. It contributes to more than 5 million deaths each year and has a global economic burden that will reach $4.32 trillion annually by 2035, according to the World Obesity Federation. This disease can affect every system of the human body and can lead to complications such as metabolic syndrome, diabetes, cancer, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular diseases, and hypertension, among others. Treatment may sometimes include diet, exercise, drugs, and bariatric surgery. Nonetheless, not all people have access to these treatments, and public health strategies consider prevention the most important factor. In this regard, recent investigations are aiming to find alternatives and adjuvants for the treatment of obesity, its prevention, and the reversion of some of its complications, using natural sources of anti-obesogenic compounds like polyphenols, terpenes, alkaloids, saponins, among others. In this review, we gather the most current information using PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Cochrane, and Web of Science. We present and discuss the current information about natural products that have shown anti-obesogenic effects at a molecular level. We also consider the impact of dietary habits and lifestyle in preventing overweight and obesity due to the evidence of the benefits of certain foods and compounds consumed regularly. We discuss mechanisms, pathways, and receptors involved in the modulation of obesity, especially those related to inflammation and oxidative stress linked to this disease, due to the relevance of these two aspects in developing complications.

Volatility estimation and quantile regression are relevant active research areas in statistics, machine learning and econometrics. In this work, we propose two procedures to estimate local variances in generic regression problems by using of kernel smoothers. The proposed schemes can be applied in multidimesional scenarios (not just for time series analysis) and easily in a multi-output framework, as well. Moreover, they allow the possibility of providing uncertainty estimation using a generic kernel smoother technique. Several numerical experiments show the benefits of the proposed methods, even comparing with benchmark techniques. One of these experiment involves a real dataset analysis.

The Mediterranean is one of the regions of the world where human-induced climate warming is expected to have large impacts on water and environmental resources. To predict shifts in the current climate system, more regional climate records, including seasonal-to-century scale variability spanning longer than the instrumental periods, are needed. To help fill this gap, we provide a reconstruction of autumn precipitation variations for the Central Pyrenees range since 1500 Common Era (CE) using the varved sediments of Lake Montcortès. To assess the suitability of the calcite sublayer width of the sediments of this lake as a proxy for precipitation anomalies, we performed an analysis and smoothing of the temporal structure of the width series, calibration of the new series with the available instrumental climate records, calculation of a transfer function and testing and comparison of the reconstructed series against available empirical data.The prediction model was statistically robust and showed that the climatic signal was captured in the calcite sublayers. The reconstruction provides the first estimations of regional autumn precipitation shifts in the Central Pyrenees at annual resolution, since 1500 CE. Pronounced interdecadal shifts in precipitation were noticeable; no increasing nor decreasing linear trends or periods of extreme precipitation events were identified. The reconstructed precipitation anomalies suggest a decrease in rainfall during the coldest phase within the coldest period of the Little Ice Age and also during the 20^th century, probably associated to current Global Warming. Correlations between autumn precipitation and the North Atlantic Oscillation, Western Mediterranean Oscillation and Southern Oscillation indices were weak to moderate. A potential relationship with the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation pattern is suggested. The reconstructed autumn precipitation trends are coherent with other palaeohydrological reconstructions in similar Mediterranean settings, and consistent at a regional level.

Interspecific competition between herbivorous insects is a major selection pressure affecting the distribution, abundance, and structure of their populations. Facilitator-mediated interactions, such as mutualism, can influence competition. Furthermore, the temporal dynamics of competitive relationships affect the interaction’s outcome. Here, we re-evaluated the data on the competition for space between two herbivorous insects commonly known as scales (Toumeyella martinezae and Opuntiaspis philococcus) in either the presence or absence of Liometopum apiculatum (a mutualistic species of T. martinezae) and its variations over time. We selected 27 Myrtillocactus geometrizans plants on which the studied insects were present; the plants were classified into one of five different conditions: either of the scale species were present on the plant, without its competitor; T. martinezae with neither its mutualistic species nor the competitor; and both scale species competing in either presence or absence of the mutualistic species. We kept a photographic record of each condition, measured the size of (as an indicator of the development stage) and area occupied by the individual scales, estimated the total coverage of each scale species, and assessed their relative occupation of space and their competitive intensity. We found temporal variations in competitive intensity. T. martinezae occupied more space during the first months, whereas O. philococcus did so towards the end of the study period. The population structure changed over time and between species, affecting the competitive interactions. In conclusion, the dynamics of competition change over time, and the mutualistic species has a positive effect on T. martinezae when the scales are in competition. However, temporal variations resulting from changes in the life cycle of the scales allow the two competitors to coexist in the same place at the same time.

Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic and antidepressant with several biological targets. Among the many targets, ketamine, notably, has an antagonistic effect on molecular N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors and has been identified as a non-competitive inhibitor of these receptors. Although ketamine has a wide range of therapeutic uses in the clinical setting, it is often used recreationally due to its psychoactive and analgesic effects. Regardless of the indication, prenatal exposure to ketamine has been widely investigated. The misuse of this drug, particularly in pregnant women, has been a point of concern. The neurotoxic potential of ketamine positions it as a danger to a developing fetus. Furthermore, the ability of ketamine to cross the blood-placental barrier poses a threat to the health and maturation processes of the neonate. This paper reviewed published work that explores the mechanisms through which prenatal ketamine exposure can cause altered neurodevelopment, neurobehavior, and the physiological consequences that follow. By exploring investigations using multiple different subjects such as: rodents, non-human primates, and human subjects, this paper develops a full picture of the existing data to generate a strong foundation for improved and informed public health policies.

The goal was to determine the personal, interpersonal, and sociocultural predictors of condom use among rural indigenous adolescents. Predictor variables were selected from Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory and Leininger's Transcultural Theory. The sample consisted of 419 Nahuas adolescents randomly selected from the total number of neighborhood blocks in a rural community in Puebla, Mexico. The instruments had acceptable psychometric characteristics (Cronbach alpha and validity scores). Multiple linear regression models were used. Results: 56.8% of participants were female, and 50.40 % were students. The mean age was M = 17.5 (SD = 0.97), and the majority (63%) identified as Catholic. Age at menarche/first ejaculation (β = -1.2, p = .038), attitude toward condom use (β = .13, p < .001), ethnic identity (β = .21, p < .001), and ability to negotiate condom use (β = .13, p < .003), predicted (R2 = 22.3) condom use. This study provides a basis for the integration of the cultural values of indigenous adolescents within interventions for sexual health promotion.

The objective of this study is to identify how demographic characteristics (gender, age, seniority at work, and educational level) are related to the entrepreneurial behavior of companies. To comply with the above, a quantitative, transversal, and non-experimental research was carried out, which consisted in applying an instrument to 262 managers of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in a northern city in Mexico. The collected information was analyzed in the software SPSS, version 26 with statistical testing by the Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis. The main findings dermore highly educated managers are those who contribute to this behavior of the studied companies, while gender and seniority at work are not differentiating elements in relation to the above. This research generates different possibilities of studies to be carried out in large companies from other sectors, as well as to include behavioral characteristics as study variables.

Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is a growing global concern, threatening human and environ-mental health, particularly among urban populations. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are thought to be “hotspots” for antibiotic resistance dissemination. The conditions of WWTPs, in conjunction with the persistence of commonly used antibiotics, may favor the selection and trans-fer of resistance genes among bacterial populations. WWTPs provide an important ecological niche to examine the spread of antibiotic resistance. We used heterotrophic plate count methods to identify phenotypically resistant cultivable portions of these bacterial communities and charac-terized the composition of the culturable subset of these populations. Resistant taxa were more abundant in raw sewage and wastewater before the biological aeration treatment stage. While some antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) were detectable downstream of treated wastewater re-lease, these organisms are not enriched relative to effluent-free upstream water, indicating effi-cient removal during treatment. Combined culture-dependent and culture-independent analyses revealed a stark difference in community composition between culturable fractions and the envi-ronmental source material, irrespective of culturing conditions. Higher proportions of the envi-ronmental populations were recovered than predicted by the widely accepted 1% culturability paradigm. These results represent baseline abundance and compositional data for ARB commu-nities for reference in future studies addressing the dissemination of antibiotic resistance associ-ated with urban wastewater treatment ecosystems.

Coffee production generates significant amounts of by-products, posing challenges for waste management in the industry. Recent research has revealed that coffee by-products are rich in bioactive compounds suitable to produce functional food ingredients and nutraceuticals. In this review, we explore biorefinery strategies for extracting and utilizing bioactive compounds from coffee by-products, including the production of bio-based chemicals and materials, as well as the extraction of phenolic compounds, antioxidants, and dietary fiber for food applications. We propose a stepwise approach for the development of functional food ingredients and nutraceuticals from coffee by-products, covering the identification of needs, comprehensive characterization, in vitro and in vivo research, unraveling the mechanism of action, food and nutraceutical formulation, sensory analysis, shelf-life stability, scale-up, randomized control trials, and biostatistic and bioinformatic integration. Additionally, we discuss the market potential, regulatory issues, and technological innovation surrounding the commercialization of coffee by-product-based products. Emphasizing the importance of regulatory compliance and sustainability in the coffee industry, this review highlights the potential of coffee by-products to be transformed from waste into valuable functional food ingredients and nutraceuticals, offering a promising avenue for waste reduction and promoting sustainability in the coffee industry.

In this paper, an iterative procedure to find the solution of a nonlinear structural model is introduced. The model presents different multiplicities where parameters are randomly selected within a solvability region. To achieve this aim, a class of multipoint fixed-point iterative schemes for single roots is modified to find multiple roots, reaching the fourth order of convergence. Complex discrete dynamics techniques are employed to select the members with the most stable performance. The structural problem, as well as some academic problems involving multiple roots, are solved numerically to verify the theoretical analysis, robustness and applicability of the proposed scheme.

This manuscript addresses the phenomenon of masked priming in bilingual individuals. We employed a lexical decision task with masked translation priming, which serves as a valuable tool for elucidating the orthographic and lexical processes involved in the initial stages of reading. Our study builds upon previous research conducted on monolingual masked priming, which consistently demonstrates shifts in the response time (RT) distributions when comparing related and unrelated primes. Within the framework of a diffusion model, we implemented two theoretical positions. First, we posited that translation priming operates at the orthographic level, resulting in enhanced efficiency during the encoding process. Second, we explored the possibility that translation priming operates at the semantic level, influencing the accumulation of evidence during the lexical decision task. Our findings indicate that translation priming elicits outcomes similar to those observed in monolingual priming paradigms. Specifically, we observed that translation priming facilitation is manifested as shifts in the RT distributions. We interpret these findings as suggesting that the benefits derived from the encoding process are not specific to the accessed lexicon following brief stimulus presentation.

The development of devices for In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) of the lunar surface powder (regolith) by means of microwaves needs regolith simulants with electromagnetic properties similar to the lunar regolith. This document deals with the measurement of complex permittivity and dielectric loss tangent of the aforementioned simulants at ambient temperature from 400 MHz to 20 GHz. In addition, further studies are carried out taking into account humidity of the samples and their densities. The obtained results will be applicable for comparing the measured values of EAC-1A and JSC-2A among them and with other previously measured simulants and real samples. The measurements are carried out applying two different nonresonant techniques: Open- Ended Coaxial Probe (OECP) and Transmission Line. For this purpose, the DAK and EpsiMu commercial kits were respectively used.

In this paper, we present a three-step sixth-order iterative schemes to estimate the solutions of a nonlinear systems of equations, for predicting the shear strength of a reinforced concrete beam. This procedure is designed by means of a weight function technique. The values for the parameters of this system were randomly selected inside the prescribed ranges by technical standards for structural concrete; moreover, some of this parameters were fixed taking into consideration the solvability region of the adopted steel constitutive model. The efficiency of the new class is compared with other current schemes, with very good results.

Due to a common mode of transmission through infected human blood, hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection is relatively prevalent. In alignment with this, HCV co-infection is associated with an increased size of the HIV reservoir in highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)-treated individuals. Hence, it is crucial to comprehend the physiological mechanisms governing the latency and reactivation of HIV in reservoirs. Consequently, our study delves into the interplay between HCV/HIV coinfection in liver cells and its impact on the modulation of HIV latency. We utilized the latently infected monocytic cell line (U1) and the latently infected T cell line (J-Lat) and found that mediators produced by the infection of hepatic stellate cells and hepatocytes with HIV and HCV, respectively, were incapable of inducing latency reversal under the studied conditions. This may favor the maintenance of the HIV reservoir size among latently infected mononuclear cells in the liver. Further investigations are essential to elucidate the role of the interaction between liver cells in regulating HIV latency and/or reactivation, providing a physiologically relevant model for comprehending reservoir microenvironments in vivo.

As β-glucosidases represent the major bottleneck for industrial degradation of plant biomass, great efforts are being devoted both to discover novel and robust versions of these enzymes, as well as to develop efficient and inexpensive ways to produce them. In this work, raw glycerol from chemical production of biodiesel was tested as carbon source for the fungus Talaromyces amestolkiae with the aim of producing enzyme cocktails rich in this activity. Approximately 11 U/mL β-glucosidase were detected in these cultures, constituting the major cellulolytic activity. Proteomic analysis revealed BGL-3 as the most abundant protein and the main β-glucosidase. This enzyme crude was successfully used to supplement a basal commercial cellulolytic cocktail (Cellu-clast 1.5L) for saccharification of pretreated wheat straw, corroborating that even hardly exploitable industrial wastes, such as glycerol, can be used as secondary raw materials to produce valuable enzymatic preparations in a framework of circular economy

Cryptococcosis is one of the most serious opportunistic diseases in patients living with HIV. For this reason, it is important to have early diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Objectives. The aim of the study was to know the evolution of patients diagnosed with cryptococcosis by detection of Cryptococcus antigen in serum by lateral flow (CrAg LFA) without nervous system involvement and with treatment in accordance with the results. Materials and Methods. A retrospective, longitudinal, analytical study was performed. Seventy patients with cryptococcosis initially diagnosed by serum CrAg LFA without meningeal involvement between January 2019 and April 2022 were analyzed for medical records. The treatment regimen was adapted to the results of blood culture, respiratory material or pulmonary tomography imaging. Results. Seventy patients were included, 13 had probable pulmonary cryptococcosis, 4 had proven pulmonary cryptococcosis, 3 had fungemia and 50 had pre-emptive therapy without microbiological or imaging findings compatible with cryptococcosis. Among the 50 patients with pre-emptive therapy, none had meningeal involvement or cryptococcosis recurrences to date. Conclusion. Pre-emptive therapy avoided progression to meningitis in patients with CrAg LFA-positive patients. Pre-emptive therapy with dose adjustment of fluconazole in patients with the mentioned characteristics was useful despite the use of lower doses than recommended.

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), C7F15COOH, has been widely employed over the past fifty years, causing an environmental problem due to its dispersion and low biodegradability. Furthermore, the high stability of this molecule, conferred by the high strength of the C-F bond makes it very difficult to remove. In this work, electrochemical techniques are applied for PFOA degradation in view to study the influence of the cathode on defluorination. For this purpose, boron doped diamond (BDD), Pt, Zr and stainless steel have been tested as cathodes working with BDD anode at low electrolyte concentration (3.5 mM) to degrade PFOA at 100 mg/L. Among these cathodic materials, Pt improves the defluorination reaction. The electro-degradation of a PFOA molecule starts by a direct exchange of one electron at the anode and then follows a complex mechanism involving reaction with hydroxyl radicals and adsorbed hydrogen on the cathode. It is assumed that Pt acts as an electrocatalyst, enhancing PFOA defluorination by the reduction reaction of perfluorinated carbonyl intermediates on the cathode. The defluorinated intermediates are then more easily oxidized by HO• radicals. Hence, high mineralization (xTOC: 76.1%) and defluorination degrees (xF-: 58.6%) were reached with Pt working at current density j = 7.9 mA/cm2. This BDD-Pt system reaches a higher efficiency in terms of defluorination for a given electrical charge than previous works reported in literature. Influence of the electrolyte composition and initial pH are also explored.

Metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) is the most effective long-term treatment for Class III obesity. Reduced dietary intake is considered a behavioral driver of post-surgical weight loss, but limited data have examined this association. Therefore, this study examined prospective, longitudinal relationships between dietary intake and weight loss over 24 months following Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass and Sleeve Gastrectomy. Relationships between weight loss and dietary intake were examined using a validated 24-hour dietary recall method. Associations between total energy/macronutrient intake and weight loss outcomes were assessed at 12-, 18-, and 24-months following MBS, defining patients as “responders” and “suboptimal responders” according to the Reinhold criteria of 50% excess weight loss. Consistent with previous literature, 12-month responders and suboptimal responders showed significant associations between weight loss and dietary intake. Unlike previous work, this study revealed that many of these associations are no longer significant 24 months post-MBS, despite consistent weight loss trends. This study suggests a short-term signal between these dietary factors and weight loss outcomes 12 months post-MBS, consistent with previous observations. However, this signal does not persist beyond 12 months. These results are essential for interpreting and designing clinical studies measuring long-term post-surgical weight loss outcomes.

This work focuses on the support effect on the performances of Co-based catalysts for the acetic acid steam reforming. SBA-15, a well ordered hexagonal mesoporous silica structure, and CeO2 have been selected as the supports, with the impact of chromium addition also being investigated. Better acetic acid steam reforming performances have been recorded for CeO2 compared to SBA-15 supported catalysts and, in particular, the 7Co/CeO2 catalyst showed the highest values of acetic acid conversions with enhanced H2 yields below 480°C, in comparison to the other investigated catalytic formulations. In addition, more pronounced coke depositions and acetone concentrations have been obtained with CeO2 supported catalysts, due to the tendency of ceria to catalyse the ketonization reaction. Chromium addition to Co/SBA-15 catalysts led to an enhancement in the activity towards acetic acid steam reforming, while on CeO2 supported catalysts no improvement in the catalysts activity was observed; however, on both SBA-15 and CeO2 supported catalysts, Cr addition reduced the amount of coke deposited on the catalysts surface.

Background: The effect of COVID-19 infection, versus the indirect effect of the pandemic on body composition remains unclear. This study investigates long-term changes in body composition in COVID–19 survivors compared to a contemporary control group. Method: This is a prospective study involving adults who had a pre-pandemic whole-body DXA scan (DXA#1) performed between 2017 and 2019. Participants were asked to return for a repeat whole-body DXA scan (DXA#2) after the pandemic. Detailed data were collected including medical and COVID history. Inflammation markers and fasting lipids were measured. For those participants who had a COVID-19 infection between the 2 DXAs, DXA#2 was acquired at least one year after COVID-19 infection. Results: Overall, 160 adults were enrolled; 32.5% females, 51.8% non-white, with mean age of 43.2 years. Half (n=80) of the participants had documented COVID infection between their 2 DXA scans (COVID+ group), and the other half never had COVID. COVID-negative participants had an increase in annualized trunk fat (g) [922.5 vs. 159.7; P=0.01], total fat (g) [1564.3 vs. 199.9; P=0.2], and LBM (g) [974.9 vs. -64.5; P=0.0002], when compared to COVID+ group. However, among the COVID+ group, no differences were seen in annualized trunk fat, total fat mass, or LBM between those with PASC and without (p>0.05). Conclusion: During the pandemic, both COVID-19-survivors and COVID-negative groups exhibited increases in weight, and total and trunk fat, likely associated with pandemic-linked lifestyle modifications. However, only COVID-19-survivors had a decline in lean body mass over the same period, regardless of PASC symptoms.

Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) has disproportionately affected certain demographics in England, exacerbating existing health disparities. Effective therapeutics are a critical line of defence against COVID-19, particularly for patients at elevated risk for severe disease. Surveillance systems were established to monitor usage of COVID-19 therapeutics in hospital and community settings and inform stewardship. Three antiviral therapies: nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir (Paxlovid®), remdesivir (Veklury®), and molnupiravir (Lagevrio®); and two neutralising monoclonal antibody therapies (nMAbs): sotrovimab (Xevudy®) and casirivimab with imdevimab (Ronapreve®); were in use in England between July 2020 to April 2023. This paper aims to illuminate trends in the utilisation of COVID-19 therapeutics treatment in both hospital and community settings, stratified by the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) in England. Chapter 3 of the English Surveillance Programme for Antimicrobial Utilisation and Resistance (ESPAUR) report 2022 to 2023 also discusses the epidemiological surveillance of these five directly-acting antiviral COVID-19 therapeutics use in England between 2022 to 2023.

In this article, an iterative method of two step is proposed for finding all roots simultaneously of polynomial equations. The order of convergence of the proposed algorithm is 2m, by using any iterative scheme of order m. Numerical tests are performed to confirm the theoretical results and to compare the proposed scheme with existing methods for finding all roots simultaneously.

This paper investigates the ion-acoustic wave structures in fluid ions for the Benjamin-Bona-Mahony-Peregrine-Burgers (BBMPB) equation. The various types of wave structures, are extracted including the three-wave hypothesis, breather wave, lump periodic, mixed-type wave, periodic cross-kink, cross-kink rational wave, M-shaped rational wave, M-shaped rational wave solution with one kink wave and M-shaped rational wave with two kink wave solutions. The Hirota bilinear transformation is a powerful tool that allows us to accurately solutions and predict the behavior of these wave structures. Through our analysis, we gain a better understanding of the complex dynamics of ion-acoustic waves and their potential applications in various fields. Moreover, our findings contribute to the ongoing research in plasma physics that utilize ion-acoustic wave phenomena. To show the physical behavior of the solutions, some 3D plots have been performed and their respective contour level, choosing different values of the parameters.

The minimum energy structures of the Si3C5 and Si4C8 clusters are planar and contain planar tetracoordinate carbons (ptCs). These species have been classified, qualitatively, as global () and local () aromatics according to the adaptive natural density partitioning (AdNDP) method, which is an orbital localization method. This work evaluates these species' aromaticity, focusing on confirming and quantifying their global and local aromatic character. For this purpose, we use an orbital localization method based on the partitioning of the molecular space according to the topology of the electronic localization function (LOC-ELF). In addition, the magnetically induced current density is analyzed. The LOC-ELF-based analysis coincides with the AdNDP study (double aromaticity, global and local). Besides, the current density analysis detects global and local ring currents. The strength of the global and local current circuit is significant, involving 4n+2 - and -electrons, respectively. The latter implicates the Si-ptC-Si fragment, which would be related to the 3c-2e -bond detected by the orbital localization methods in this fragment.

The sandwich format immunoassay is generally more sensitive and specific than more common assay formats, including direct, indirect, or competitive. A sandwich assay, however, requires two receptors to bind non-competitively to the target analyte. Typically, pairs of antibodies (Abs) or antibody fragments (Fabs) capable of forming a sandwiching with the target are identified through a slow, guess-and-check method with panels of candidate binding partners. Additionally, sandwich assays reliant on commercial antibodies can suffer from changes to reagent quality outside the researchers’ control. This report presents a reimagined and simplified phage display selection protocol that directly identifies sandwich binding peptides and Fabs. The approach yielded two sandwich pairs, one peptide-peptide and one Fab-peptide sandwich for the cancer and Parkinson’s disease biomarker DJ-1. Requiring just a few weeks to identify, the sandwich pairs delivered apparent affinity comparable to other commercial peptide and antibody sandwiches. The results reported here could expand the availability of sandwich binding partners for a wide range of clinical biomarker assays.

N-maleimide-derivatized phospholipids are often used to facilitate protein anchoring to membranes. In autophagy studies, this is applied to the covalent binding of Atg8, an autophagy protein, to a phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) in the nascent autophagosome. However, the question remains on how closely the N-maleimide PE derivative (PE-mal) mimicks the native PE in the bilayer. In the present paper, spectroscopic and calorimetric techniques have been applied to vesicles containing either PE or PE-mal (together with other phospholipids) to compare the properties of the native and derivatized forms of PE. According to differential scanning calorimetry, and to infrared spectroscopy, the presence of PE-mal did not perturb the fatty acyl chains in the bilayer. Fluorescence spectroscopy and microscopy showed that PE-mal did not alter bilayer permeability either. However, fluorescence emission polarization of Laurdan and DPH probes indicated an increased order, or decreased fluidity, in the bilayers containing PE-mal. In addition, infrared spectral data from the phospholipid phosphate region revealed a PE-mal-induced conformational change of the polar heads, accompanied by an increased hydration. Globally considered, the results suggest that PE-mal would be a reasonable substitute for PE in model membranes containing reconstituted proteins.

Background: Long QT syndrome (LQTS) can lead to ventricular arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death. The most common congenital cause of LQTS is mutations in the channel subunits generating the cardiac potassium current IKs. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) have been proposed as a powerful system to model human cardiac diseases due to the similar electrical properties of the zebrafish heart and the human heart. Methods: We used high resolution all-optical electrophysiology on ex-vivo zebrafish hearts to assess the effects of IKs analogues on the cardiac action potential. Findings: We found that chromanol 293B (an IKs inhibitor) prolonged the action potential duration (APD) in the presence of E4031 (an IKr inhibitor applied to drug-induced LQT2) and to a lesser extent in the absence of E4031. Moreover, we show that PUFA analogues slightly shorten the APD of the zebrafish heart. However, PUFA analogues failed to reverse the APD prolongation in drug-induced LQT2. However, a more potent IKs activator, ML-277, partially reversed the APD prolongation in drug-induced LQT2 zebrafish hearts. Interpretation: Our results suggest that IKs plays a limited role in ventricular repolarizations in the zebrafish heart under resting conditions but plays a more important role when IKr is compromised, as if IKs in zebrafish serves as a repolarization reserve as in human hearts. This study shows that potent IKs activators can restore the action potential duration in drug-induced LQT2 in zebrafish heart.

Background: To describe the effectiveness and safety of COVID-19 vaccine in a series of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: Retrospective single-center study of RA patients, fulfilling the ACR 1987 or ACR/EULAR 2010 classification criteria, that received first COVID-19 vaccine between December 2020 and October 2021, had post-vaccination serology and subsequent follow-up of at least 6 months in a university hospital. Vaccine effectiveness was evaluated by the serological response and the incidence of post-vaccine COVID-19, and safety by the incidence of adverse events (AE) and RA flares. Adjusted logistic and linear multivariate regression analyses were carried out with Stata® to identify factors associated with vaccine response. Results: We included 118 patients with RA (87.2% women, age 65.4±11.6 years, evolution 12.0±9.6 years). 95.8% received complete vaccination schedule. Most patients (88.1%) developed adequate humoral immunogenicity, and the degree of serological response was significantly related to younger age and previous COVID-19 infection. After vaccination, 18.6% presented mild SARS-CoV-2 infection. Vaccine AE (19.5%) were mostly mild and inversely associated with age (OR 0.95). RA flares were anecdotal (1.7%) and inversely related to age (OR 0.95). Conclusion: Our results suggest that COVID-19 vaccine induces adequate humoral immunogenicity, with an acceptable safety profile in RA patients.

Ryegrass is one such cereal that has been underutilized in human nutrition despite its high nutritional and functional value due to the presence of phytochemicals and dietary fibers It is a viable option, especially for countries that do not produce wheat, as it is easily adaptable and overgrows, making it economically viable. This study evaluated the nutritional impact, bioactive compounds, and physicochemical and technological properties of partially substituting maize flour (MF) with sprouted whole ryegrass flour (SR) in developing extrusion-cooked breakfast cereals. A completely randomized design with substitutions ranging from 0 to 20 % of MF with SR was employed as the experimental strategy (P < 0.05). Partial incorporation of SR increased the bioavailability of γ-aminobutyric acid and total soluble phenolic compounds. Using sprouted grains can adversely affect the technological quality of extruded foods, but ryegrass, with its high dietary fiber and low lipid content, mitigates these negative effects. Consequently, breakfast cereals containing 4 and 8 % SR exhibited better physicochemical properties, such as reduced hardness and increased crispness. These results are promising for ryegrass and suggest combining the age-old germination process with extrusion can enhance cereal-based breakfast products' nutritional quality and bioactive compound content.

Climate change related increases in frequency and intensity of heatwaves affect viticulture, leading to losses in yield and grape quality. We assessed whether canopy architecture manipulation mitigates the effects of summer stress in a Mediterranean vineyard. Muscat of Alexandria grapevines were monitored during 2019-2020. Two canopy shoot positioning treatments were applied: Vertical shoot positioning (VSP); and Modulated shoot positioning (MSP), the west side upper foliage released to promote partial shoot leaning, shading the clusters. Clusters were sampled at pea size (PS), veraison (VER) and full maturation (FM). Measurements included rachis anatomy and hydraulic conductance, and aquaporins (AQP) and stress-related genes expression in cluster tissues. Results show significant seasonal and interannual differences in Kh and vascular anatomy. At VER, Krachis , Krachis+pedicels, and xylem diameter decreased but were unaffected by treatments. The Phloem/Xylem ratio was either increased (2019) or reduced (2020) in MSP, compared to VSP. Most AQP were down-regulated at FM in pedicels, and up-regulated at VER in pulp. A potential maturation shift in MSP was observed, confirmed by the up-regulation of several stress-related genes in all tissues. The study pinpoints the role of canopy architecture in berry water relations and stress response during ripening.

White and three types of black garlic (13, 32 and 45 days of fermentation, named 0C1, 1C2 and 2C1 respectively) were selected in order to check possible differences in their nutraceutic potential. For this purpose, garlic were physico-chemically characterised, and both in vivo and in vitro assays were carried out. Black garlic showed higher polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity than white garlic. The biological studies have shown that only white garlic was not safe showing toxicity effect. Furthermore, none garlic exert protective effects against H₂O₂, except the 0C1 black garlic. Moreover, garlic was non-genotoxic with the exception of the highest concentration of white garlic. On the other hand, 0C1 was the most antigenotoxic substance. The in vivo longevity assays yielded significant extension of lifespan results in some concentrations of white and 0C1and 1C2 black garlic. The in vitro experiments showed that all studied garlic induced a decrease in leukaemia cells growth. However, none type of garlic was able to induce proapoptotic internucleosomal DNA fragmentation. Taking into account the physicochemical and biological data, black garlic could be considered as a potential functional food and used in preventive treatment of age-related diseases. In addition, our findings could be relevant for the black garlic processing agrifood companies as the economical and timing costs are significantly reduced to 13 days aging.

Climate change is a big challenge for agriculture since it affects crop productivity and yield. The increase of droughts, salinity, and soil degradation are some of the main consequences of climate change. The use of microorganisms has emerged as an alternative to mitigate them. Among these microorganisms, dark septate endophytes (DSEs) have garnered more attention in recent years. Various studies show that their association with plants helps reduce the harmful effects of abiotic stresses and increases nutrient availability, allowing plants to thrive under adverse conditions. This work reviews the effect of DSEs and the subjacent mechanisms that will help plants develop a higher tolerance to climate change.

BACKGROUND: It has been known for decades that breastfeeding leads to a lower risk of asthma, respiratory infections, or metabolic syndrome at school age. In addition, evidence is now accumulating on the influence of breast milk on the shape, volume, or function of the heart and lungs. Within this field of research into the effects of breast milk on the structure of the heart and lungs, we have set out to analyze the differential electrocardiographic characteristics of schoolchildren who were once breastfed. METHOD: Observational cross-sectional study including 138 children aged 6 or 12 consecutively presenting to a well-child clinic between May and December 2022. Inclusion criteria: the ability to perform reproducible ECG records, the feasibility of weighing and measuring patient, and breastfeeding data collected from birth. RESULTS: Using the 40º cut-off value for the mean P-wave axis among schoolchildren, 76% of never breastfed children in our sample have a P-wave axis in a more vertical position than the mean as compared to 58% of ever-breastfed children (OR:2.25;95%CI:3.13-1.36); there was no other significant difference between infant feeding groups in somatometric characteristics or ECG parameters, CONCLUSION: We found a significant difference of the mean values of the P-wave axis between never and ever breastfed children. Although this report should be approached cautiously, these findings add to the renewed interest in discerning developmental interventions to improve cardiovascular health.

In the last decade, different omic technologies have experiences an exponential technological advancement. However, metabolomics has not followed a similarly vertiginous improving improvement and are far from genomics or transcriptomics in terms of throughput, cost and even accuracy. Therefore, genome-scale in-silico methodologies to estimate metabolic activities from genomic data constitute an active field. The solutions available fall into two extremes: those with few assumptions about the relationships among proteins and metabolites, which are easy-to-use but less accurate and those that account for the complex relationships among molecules and proteins defined in the metabolic pathways, which are more accurate but require mathematical skills. Here, we introduce Metabolica, an algorithm that considers the complex functional relationships among all the molecules and proteins involved in the metabolic pathway analyzed but keeping an easy use that do not require of advanced mathematical skills. Metabolica has been implemented in a freely available software R package. The software inputs transcriptomic data and infers the activities of the reactions that produce the different metabolites in the pathway analyzed. An example shows how detected dysregulated metabolites in several cancers are related to patient survival.

Sensory processing is a crucial function of the nervous system that significantly affects a large portion of the population, particularly older individuals who may be dealing with different forms of dementia. The global population of people aged 65 or older has reached a substantial count of around 703 million, representing approximately 9% of the total global population. Within this demographic, an estimated 5-8% of those aged 60, highlighting the growing need to address sensory modulation challenges for healthy aging. Sensory diet, derived from sensory integration theory, provide a tailored approach to modulating sensory experiences and triggering neuroplastic changes in the brain. Recent neuroimaging studies have revealed intricate structural and functional alterations in the brain associated with the implementation of sensory diets. Furthermore, the integration of the Metaverse, augmented reality, and virtual reality has opened up personalized experiences, fostering cognitive stimulation and emotional well-being for individuals during aging. This article offers a comprehensive exploration of the effectiveness of sensory diets in enhancing attentional control, self-regulation, and alleviating sensory-related distress among the healthy aging and dementia population. By employing precise quantitative evaluations such as sensory processing scales and advanced neuroimaging methodologies, it presents solid evidence of the tangible impact of these interventions. Emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary cooperation and leveraging technological advancements, the article underscores the crucial need for customized sensory diets to optimize sensory processing and improve the overall well-being of older individuals contending with sensory modulation challenges and dementia.

African swine fever (ASF) is a pandemic threat to the global pig industry and wild suids. A safe and efficacious vaccine could monumentally assist in disease eradication. In the past years, promising live attenuated vaccine candidates emerged in proof-of-concept experiments, among them, “ASFV-G-∆MGF”. In our study, we tested the vaccine candidate in three animal experiments intramuscularly in domestic pigs one orally in wild boar. Further, a macrophage-grown vaccine virus and a virus grown on permanent cells could be employed. Irrespective of the production system of vaccine virus, a two-dose intramuscular immunization could induce close to sterile immunity with full clinical protection against challenge infection. After oral immunization, 50% of the vaccinees seroconverted and all responders were completely protected against subsequent challenge. All non-responders developed ASF upon challenge with two acute lethal infections and two mild and transient courses. The latter results show a lower efficiency after oral administration that would have to be taken into consideration when designing vaccination-based control measures. Our findings suggest that “ASFV-G-∆MGF” could help to contain the disease under an appropriate vaccination campaign. Further research is needed to characterize safety aspects and define possible improvements of oral efficiency.

Nanotechnology is a multidisciplinary science covering matters involving nanoscale level that is being developed for a great variety of applications. Nanomedicine is one of these attractive and challenging uses focused on the employment of nanomaterials in medical applications such as drug delivery. However, the uses of these nanometric systems requires specific parameters to establish the possible advantages and disadvantages in specific applications. This review presents the fundamental factors of nanoparticles and it´s microenvironment that must be considered to make an appropriate design for medical applications: (i) Interactions between nanoparticles and their biological environment, (ii) the interaction mechanisms, (iii) and the physicochemical properties of nanoparticles. On the other hand, the repercussions of the control, alteration and modification of these parameters in the final applications. Additionally, we here briefly report the implications of nanoparticles in nanomedicine and provide perspectives for some particular applications which still are challenged

The aim is to evaluate a program for direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) management in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients, according to patient profiles, appropriateness of dosing, patterns of crossover, effectiveness and safety. This is an observational and longitudinal retrospective study in a cohort of patients attended in daily clinical practice in a single regional hospital in Spain with a systematic follow-up plan for up to 3 years for patients initiating dabigatran, rivaroxaban or apixaban between JAN/2012-DEC/2016. We analyzed 490 episodes of treatment (apixaban 2.5 mg: 9.4%, apixaban 5 mg: 21.4%, dabigatran 75 mg: 0.6%, dabigatran 110 mg: 12,4%, dabigatran 150 mg: 19.8%, rivaroxaban 15 mg: 17.8% and rivaroxaban 20 mg: 18.6%) in 445 patients. 13.6% of patients on dabigatran, 9.7% on rivaroxaban, and 3.9% on apixaban, switched to other DOACs or changed dosing. Apixaban was the most frequent DOAC switched to. The most frequent reasons for switching were toxicity (23.8%), bleeding (21.4%) and renal deterioration (16.7%). Inappropriateness of dose was found in 23.8% of episodes. Patients taking apixaban 2.5 mg were older, had higher CHA2DS2VASc score and lower creatinine clearance. Patients taking dabigatran 150 mg and rivaroxaban 20 mg were younger, had lower CHA2DS2VASc and higher creatinine clearance. Rates of stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA) were 1.64/0.54 events/100 patients-years, while rates of major, clinically relevant non-major (CRNM) bleeding and intracranial bleeding where 2.4, 5, and 0.5 events/100 patients-years. Gastrointestinal and genitourinary bleeding were the most common type of bleeding events (BE). On multivariable analysis, prior stroke (RR: 4.2; CI: 1.5-11.8; p=0.006) and age (RR: 1.2; CI: 1.1-1.4; p=0.006) were independent predictors of stroke/TIA. Concurrent platelet inhibitors (RR: 7.1; CI: 2.3-21.8; p=0.001), male gender (RR: 2.1; CI: 1.2-3.7; p=0.0012) and age (RR: 1.1; CI: 1.02-1.13; p=0.005) were independent predictors of BE. This study complements the scant data available on the use of DOACs in NVAF patients in Spain, confirming a good safety and effectiveness profile

Temperature is one of the most important range-limiting factors for many seaweeds. Driven by the recent climatic changes, rapid northward shifts of species’ distribution ranges can potentially modify the phylogeographic signature of Last Glacial Maximum such as increased genetic diversity at lower latitudes. To explore this question in detail in the kelp Saccharina latissima, we used microsatellites and double digest RAD-sequencing derived SNPs on S. latissima sporophytes sampled within 11 sites spanning the entire European Atlantic latitudinal range of this species. In addition, we checked for statistical correlation between genetic marker allele frequencies and three environmental proxies (sea surface temperature, salinity, and water turbidity). Our findings revealed that genetic diversity was significantly higher for the northern localities compared to the southern ones in contrast to the expected phylogeographic pattern. This suggests that the southernmost S. latissima populations are negatively affected by the recent climatic changes but also that the recolonization of S. latissima range following the LGM may have occurred from northerly refugia. Seven SNPs and 12 microsatellite alleles were found to be significantly associated with at least one of the three environmental variables. We discuss the potential adaptive functions of the genes associated with the outlier markers and the importance of these markers for successful conservation and aquaculture strategies for S. latissima in this age of rapid global change.