Brushless Synchronous Machines (BSM) are replacing conventional synchronous machines with static excitation in generation facilities due to the absence of sparking and lower maintenance. However, this excitation system makes challenging measuring electric parameters in the rotor. This fact highly difficult the detection of ground faults, which are the most common type of electrical fault in electric machines. In this paper, a ground fault detection method for BSM is proposed. It is based on an inductive AC/DC rotating current sensor installed in the shaft. In case of a ground fault in the rotating parts of the BSM, a fault current will flow through the rotor’s sensor, inducing voltage in its stator. Analyzing the frequency components of the induced voltage the detection of a ground fault in the rotating elements is possible. The ground faults detection method proposed covers the whole rotor and discern between DC and AC sides. To corroborate the detection method, experimental tests have been performed using a prototype of this sensor connected to laboratory synchronous machines achieving satisfactory results.

There is an increasing pressure by community and customers forcing companies to insert environmental concerns in their practices. To help companies initiatives, the green bonds market was incepted. Our research question is how to select bonds in a growing billion-dollar market. This paper presents a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) model to enable investors identify opportunities based not only in opinions, but grounded on objective facts. Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Complex Proportional Assessment (COPRAS) are two MCDA methods applied in this paper. Top-fifteen green bonds ranked by specialized media were assessed with the proposed MCDA model. Criteria included the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) proposed by Yale University, and common financial indicators as assets, risks (β), and dividends. The new AHP–COPRAS rank is compared with another published by specialized media.

This study was carried out with a low-cost electronic nose prototype based on eight metal oxide sensors (MQ) in order to characterize samples of lemons treated with 0.5% and 0.1% of sodium benzoate. The MQ sensors designed are sensitive to one or more chemicals to detect the presence of a variety of chemicals in the air. The sensor MQ135 detects ammonia, hydrogen sulphide and benzene. Signal data were studied to obtain a pattern recognition of rotten in lemon fruits. Network analysis was used to obtain a calibration of measures among the stage of lemons. In this article, an electronic nose prototype based on 8 MQ metal oxide sensors has been used in order to analyze and characterize different lemon varieties to which different chemical treatments have been applied in pre-harvest. PCA-based data analyzes were used to observe clusters in the data. Through the combined use of the data obtained by the nose and these Sequential Neural Networks (SNNs) a classification tool for lemon varieties and applied treatments has been obtained. It is shown the ability of this device to be used as a reliable discrimination method, in addition to providing low cost and optimization of time and expert resources.

This work deals with a numerical implementation of a fifth order CENTRAL WENO-TVD (\textit{Weighted Essentially Non-Oscillatory-Total Variation Dimimishing}) of Haschem (2006) scheme applied to the convective terms of some hyperbolic conservation laws problems, in a volume finite framework. The WENO-TVD scheme is used to solve the 1D advection and Burgers equations. For this case is implemented two different numerical fluxes: The Lax-Friedrichs and TVD fluxes. In the TVD fluxes the schemes applied are in flux-limiter form. The schemes implemented for this flux are: Van Albada-1 (van Albada et al.,1982), van Albada-2 (Kermani et al., 2003), van Leer (Hassanzadeh, 2009) and MINMOD (Hirsch, 2007). The WENO type schemes are characterized for their high order approximation, and do not produce spurious oscilations near discontinuities, shocks and higher gradients. A third order Runge-Kutta TVD for the temporal variable is used. Qualitative and quantitative comparison are presented. The numerical solutions are computed with an in-house computer code developed in MATLAB software. In future works, it will develope a paralelization of computer code for solving systems of conservation laws, e.g. Euler equations of gas dynamics.

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.

Many drylands around the world have seen both soil and vegetation degradation around watering points. It can be seen in spaceborne imagery as radial brightness belts that fade with distance from the water areas. The study's primary goal was to characterize spatio-temporal land degradation/rehabilitation in the drylands of the southeast Iberian Peninsula. The brightness index of Tasseled Cap was discovered to be the best spectral transformation for enhancing the contrast between the bright-degraded areas near the points and the darker surrounding areas far from and in-between these areas. To comprehend the spatial structure present in spaceborne imagery of two desert sites and three key time periods, semi-variograms were created (mid-late 2000s, around 2015, and 2020). In order to assess spatio-temporal land-cover patterns, a geostatistical model (kriging) was used to smooth brightness index values extracted from 30 m spatial resolution images. To assess the direction and intensity of changes between study periods, a change detection analysis based on kriging prediction maps was performed. These findings were linked to the socioeconomic situation prior to and following the EU economic crisis. The study discovered that degradation occurred in some areas as a result of the region's agricultural activities being exploited.

The current availability of electronic health records represents an excellent research opportunity on multimorbidity, one of the most relevant public health problems nowadays. However, it also poses a methodological challenge due to the current lack of tools to access, harmonize and reuse research datasets. In FAIR4Health, a European Horizon 2020 project, a workflow to implement the FAIR (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability) principles on health datasets was developed, as well as two tools aimed at facilitating the transformation of raw datasets into FAIR ones and the preservation of data privacy. As part of this project, we conducted a multicentric retrospective observational study to apply the aforementioned FAIR implementation workflow and tools to five European health datasets for research on multimorbidity. We applied a federated frequent pattern growth association algorithm to identify the most frequent combinations of chronic diseases and their association with mortality risk. We identified several multimorbidity patterns clinically plausible and consistent with the bibliography, some of which were strongly associated with mortality. Our results show the usefulness of the solution developed in FAIR4Health to overcome the difficulties in data management and highlight the importance of implementing a FAIR data policy to accelerate responsible health research.

Waste heat dissipated in the exhaust system in a combustion engine represents a major source of energy to be recovered and converted into useful work. A waste heat recovery system (WHRS) based on an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) is a promising approach, and has gained interest in the last few years in an automotive industry interested in reducing fuel consumption and exhaust emissions. Understanding the thermodynamic response of the boiler employed in an ORC plays an important role in steam cycle performance prediction and control system design. The aim of this study is therefore to present a methodology to study these devices by means of pattern recognition with infrared thermography. In addition, the experimental test bench and its operating conditions are described. The methodology proposed identifies the wall coordinates, traces paths, and tracks wall temperature along them in a way that can be exported for subsequent post-processing and analysis. As for the results, through the wall temperature paths on both sides (exhaust gas and working fluid) it was possible to quantitatively estimate the temperature evolution along the boiler and, in particular, the beginning and end of evaporation.

Wind is one of the factors that has a great influence on suspended matter in lakes, especially in shallow lagoons. In order to know how wind affects the water in Albufera of Valencia, a shallow coastal lagoon, the measured variables of turbidity and transparency have been correlated with the estimates by processing Sentinel-2 satellite images with the Sen2Cor processor. Data from four years of study show that most of them are light to gentle easterly breezes and moderate to fresh westerly breezes. The results obtained show significant correlations between the measured variables and those obtained from the satellite images for total suspended matter and water transparency and with the average daily wind speed. There is no significant correlation between wind and chlorophyll a. Moderate to fresh breezes resuspend the fine sediment reaching concentration values from 100 to 300 mg L-1 according to satellite data. However, it is necessary to obtain field data for the values of moderate and fresh winds, as for now there are no experimental data to verify the validity of the satellite estimates.

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

The use of selective pro resolving mediators including the monohydroxylates are promising substances for the management of different acute and chronic diseases.In the field of obstetrics many clinical entities like uterine contractions or the occurrence of pre-eclampsia are still serious complications during pregnancy.The use of enriched marine oil nutritional’s may contribute to an attenuation of these diseases as the containing selective pro resolving mediators exhibit pro resolutive actions that can positively modulate inflammatory diseases and those leading to serious obstetrical complications.

Clinker production is being reduced worldwide in response to the need to drastically lower greenhouse gas emissions. The trend began in the nineteen seventies with the advent of mineral additions to replace clinker. Blast furnace slag and fly ash, industrial by-products that were being stockpiled in waste heaps at the time, have not commonly been included in cements. Supply of these additions is no longer guaranteed, however, due to restrained activity in the source industries for the same reasons as in clinker production. The search is consequently on for other additions that may lower pollutant gas emissions without altering cement performance. In this research bentonite, a very common clay, was used as such an addition directly, with no need for pre-calcination, an still novel approach that has gone little explored to date for reinforced concrete with structural applications. The results of the mechanical strength and chemical resistance (to sulfates, carbonation and chlorides) tests conducted are promising. The carbonation findings proved to be of particular interest, for that is the area where cement with mineral additions tend to be least effective. In the bentonite-bearing material analysed here, however, carbonation resistance was found to be low as or lower than observed in plain Portland cement.

In this work, we present a study of ordinary muon capture (OMC) on 136Ba, the daughter nucleus of the 136Xe double beta decay (DBD). OMC rates to low-lying nuclear states (below 1 MeV of excitation energy) in 136Cs are assessed by using both the interacting shell model (ISM) and the proton-neutron quasiparticle random-phase approximation (pnQRPA). We also add the chiral two-body (2BC) meson-exchange currents and use an exact Dirac wave function for the captured s-orbital muon. OMC can be viewed as a complementary probe of the wave functions in 136Cs, the intermediate nucleus of the 136Xe DBD. At the same time OMC can be considered as a powerful probe of the effective values of the weak axial-type couplings in a 100-MeV momentum-exchange region relevant for the neutrinoless DBD. The present work represents the first attempt to compare the ISM and pnQRPA results for the OMC on a heavy nucleus by including also the exact muon wave function and the 2BC. Sensitivity estimates of the present and future neutrinoless DBD experiments will clearly benefit from the future OMC measurements through the OMC calculations similar to the present one.

Iberian ham, a traditional Spanish meat product, is renowned for its unique nutritional and sensory attributes, garnering widespread appreciation both domestically and internationally [1]. It is one of the most outstanding Spanish gastronomic treasures, with very special nutritional and sensory properties that make it highly appreciated throughout the world [2]. Recent trends indicate a notable surge in its consumption, a pattern projected to persist [3]. For an enhanced online shopping experience, understanding the specific characteristics and requirements of various consumer segments is crucial. This study aims to scrutinize national Iberian ham consumption patterns and, through survey methodologies, discern the preferences and needs of online consumers purchasing whole Iberian hams. The subsequent cluster analysis will empower suppliers with insights to pinpoint business prospects and craft segment-specific online marketing strategies.

In the last decades we have experienced great social, cultural, and educational changes, spending more time performing tasks in near vision and less hours in outdoor activities, having more overexposure to digital screens, especially the youngest and increasingly from younger ages. It is common to see cases when performing tasks in near vision the posture or position of the head is not adequate, especially the youngest, being essential to have a correct posture of the head to avoid visual, muscular, or articular problems. We present a procedure to try to control the correct position of the head in real time when performing close-up activities. The aim is to detect the inclination of the head and to know if a bad position is adopted due to a visual problem or simply to inadequate visio-postural habits, warning us of the postural anomaly to correct it.

Learning systems have been very focused on creating models that are capable of obtaining the best results in error metrics. Recently, the focus has shifted to improvement in order to interpret and explain their results. The need for interpretation is greater when these models are used to support decision making. In some areas this becomes an indispensable requirement, such as in medicine. This paper focuses on the prediction of cardiovascular disease by analyzing the well-known Statlog (Heart) Data Set from the UCI’s Automated Learning Repository. This study will analyze the cost of making predictions easier to interpret by reducing the number of features that explain the classification of health status versus the cost in accuracy. It will be analyzed on a large set of classification techniques and performance metrics. Demonstrating that it is possible to make explainable and reliable models that have a good commitment to predictive performance.

Mutations in the LMNA gene (encoding lamin A/C proteins) cause several human cardiac diseases, including dilated cardiomyopathies (LMNA-DCM). The main clinical risks in LMNA-DCM patients are sudden cardiac death and progressive left ventricular ejection fraction deterioration, and therefore most human and animal studies have sought to define the mechanisms through which LMNA mutations provoke cardiac alterations, with particular focus on cardiomyocytes. To investigate if LMNA mutations also cause vascular alterations that might contribute to the etiopathogenesis of LMNA-DCM, we generated and characterized Lmnaflox/floxSM22αCre mice, which constitutively lack lamin A/C in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), cardiac fibroblasts, and cardiomyocytes. Like mice with whole body or cardiomyocyte-specific lamin A/C ablation, Lmnaflox/floxSM22αCre mice recapitulated the main hallmarks of human LMNA-DCM, including ventricular systolic dysfunction, cardiac conduction defects, cardiac fibrosis, and premature death. These alterations were associated with hyperactivation of Smad3 and elevated expression of the proapoptotic protein caspase 3 in the heart. Lmnaflox/floxSM22αCre mice also exhibited perivascular fibrosis in the coronary arteries, and a switch of aortic VSMCs from the ‘contractile’ to the ‘synthetic’ phenotype. Ex vivo wire myography in isolated aortic rings revealed impaired maximum contraction capacity and an altered response to vasoconstrictor and vasodilator agents in Lmnaflox/floxSM22αCre mice. To our knowledge, our results provide the first evidence of phenotypic alterations in VSMCs that might contribute significantly to the pathophysiology of some forms of LMNA-DCM. Future work addressing the mechanisms underlying vascular defects in LMNA-DCM may open new therapeutic avenues for these diseases.

'Cv 'Doña María' table grape is a high-quality table grape variety included in the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) of the European Union "The bagged grape of the Vinalopó." The PDO stipulates that grape clusters must be protected with paper bags from inclement weather and insects, which helps enhance the final grape quality. However, 'Doña María' is a variety prone to high shattering in the late stages of ripening on the vine and during postharvest. Inorganic calcium treatments are one of the most commonly used tools to reduce this disorder, but the translocation of this mineral from veraison onward has been questioned. In this study, five applications were performed, from veraison to harvest, using sorbitol-chelated calcium (0.7 % + 1.0 %), Ca(NO3)2 (Ca) at 0.7% and sorbitol at 1%. It was observed that bagged grapes (not wetted with the solutions) only increased the concentration of total and bound calcium when treated with Sorbitol-Ca. This resulted in reduced berry drop during cultivation and postharvest and improved fruit firmness. Additionally, it reduced grape metabolism indicators such as respiration rate, weight loss, malic acid degradation, prevented abscisic acid (ABA) and malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation, and favored the accumulation of secondary metabolites such as total polyphenols, increased antioxidant activity, and sugar content. The application of sorbitol-chelated calcium is an effective and safe tool that enhances fruit quality and prevents losses due to shattering during postharvest.

The Stirling engine is a simple type of external-combustion engine with an external combustion engine based on cyclic compression and expansion of gas at different temperature levels. It has high efficiency; low vibration levels, simple structure and can run on any combustible fuels. It has been the object of numerous studies. This paper presents an analysis of a Stirling engine model GENOA 03 for electric power generation, of 3 KW of nominal power with pressurized air as working fluid, currently under development. To improve its performance and ensure a good operational reliability, it is necessary to carry out a modelling of the engine in all its operating range. This requires complex numerical models that simulate the behaviour of any element of the engine in a cycle. Two typologies of thermodynamic models are developed in this work: isothermal and adiabatic. The main benefits and shortcomings of each model are mentioned. The geometry and conditions of the engine have been adapted through the Matlab ® tool, in order to obtain the operative conditions of the cooler that you want to replace, as well as an approximation to the expected behaviour.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) presents distinct challenges during pregnancy due to its influence on maternal health and pregnancy outcomes. This literature review aims to dissect the existing scientific evidence on pregnancy in women with IBD and provide evidence-based recommendations for clinical management. A comprehensive search was conducted across scientific databases, selecting clinical studies, systematic reviews, and other pertinent resources. Numerous studies have underscored an increased risk of complications during pregnancy for women with IBD, including preterm birth, low birth weight, neonates small for gestational age, and congenital malformations. Nevertheless, it's evident that proactive disease management before and throughout pregnancy can mitigate these risks. Continuation of IBD treatment during pregnancy and breastfeeding is deemed safe with agents like thiopurines, anti-TNF, vedolizumab, or ustekinumab. However, there's a call for caution when combining treatments due to the heightened risk of severe infections in the first year of life. For small molecules, their use is advised against in both scenarios. Effective disease management, minimizing disease activity, and interdisciplinary care are pivotal in attending to women with IBD. The emphasis is placed on the continual assessment of maternal and infant outcomes and an expressed need for further research to enhance the understanding of the ties between IBD and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

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.

Klebsiella pneumoniae, a major cause of both hospital and community-acquired infections, is listed by the World Health Organization as a critical priority antibiotic- resistant bacterial pathogen. With the appearance of sequencing techniques such as Next-generation Sequencing (NGS), there is the possibility to obtain the whole genome of the bacteria, getting to know all antimicrobial resistance determinants. The purpose of this study has been to apply this new technology to clinical microbiology, in order to characterize the resistome present in carbapenem-resistant K.pneumoniae strains isolated in a tertiary hospital in Valencia, Spain. A total of 234 isolates were prepared for whole-genome sequencing with Ilumina MiSeq, and sequences were later studied for antimicrobial resistance genes, sequence-typing and plasmids. Sequence-typing showed four major circulating clones in our hospital settings: ST11, ST307, ST101 and ST147, carrying different plasmids and different resistance determinants such as OXA-48 and NDM-1 carbapenemase. Application of new technologies such as whole-genome sequencing in clinical microbiology gives advantages when it comes to rapid therapy adjustment, consequently improving the patient’s clinical outcomes.

The agronomic characteristics of Cenchrus purpureus were assessed through a randomized block experimental design with seven accessions (Taiwan grass, King grass, Elephant grass, Merkeron, CT-115, Purpule grass and Maralfalfa) as treatments and four replications research was carried out at the Instituto Tecnológico Superior de Tantoyuca, in 2019 and 2020, under rainfed conditions. Sowing density was established at 36 tillers in 25 m2. Green and dry matter yield, daily rates of dry matter accumulation in leaves, leaf/stem ratio, height, leaf area index and cutting frequency were assessed. Rainfall amount, temperature, relative humidity and global radiation levels were recorded to assess their effect on the evaluated variables. One-way ANOVA and multivariate analysis techniques, such as multiple linear regression (MLR), Clustering, and Principal component analysis (PCA) with the Statistica V7 software, were used. The leaf area index was greatest (p < 0.05) on the dry season. Green and dry matter yield were greatest in Maralfalfa (p < 0.05). Variation in the results is attributed to weather phenomena; nonetheless, Elephant grass and Maralfalfa showed the highest yields. Quality parameters must be evaluated to identify those grasses with the best attributes.

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) can regulate several aspects of gene expression, being associated with complex phenotypes in humans and livestock species. In taurine beef cattle, recent evidence points to the involvement of lncRNA in feed efficiency (FE), a proxy for increased productivity and sustainability. Here, we hypothesized specific regulatory roles of lncRNA in FE of indicine cattle. Using RNA-Seq data from liver, muscle, hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenal gland from Nellore bulls with divergent FE, we submitted new transcripts to a series of filters to confidently predict lncRNA. Then, we identified lncRNA that were differentially expressed (DE) and/or key regulators of FE. Finally, we explored lncRNA genomic location and interactions with miRNA and mRNA to infer potential function. We were able to identify 126 relevant lncRNA for FE in Bos indicus, some with high homology to previously identified lncRNA in Bos taurus and some possible specific regulators of FE in indicine cattle. Moreover, lncRNA identified here were linked to previously described mechanisms related to FE in hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis and are expected to help elucidate this complex phenotype. This study contributes to expanding the catalogue of lncRNA, particularly in indicine cattle, and identifies candidates for further studies in animal selection and management.

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of a 10-week online high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on body composition and aerobic performance in physically sedentary women. A parallel two-group, longitudinal (pre, post) design was used with physical tests performed before (preintervention) and after (postintervention) the 10-week intervention period. A total of for-ty-eight healthy and physically sedentary women were recruited to participate in this study. Par-ticipants were distributed in two groups: The experimental group (EG) with 24 women (n = 24, age 21.21 ± 2.15 years, weight 61.16 ± 8.94 kg, height 163.96 ± 4.87 cm, body mass index body weight 22.69 ± 2.49 kg/m2), and the control group (CG) with another 24 women (n = 24, age 20.50 ± 1.29 years, weight 62.0 ± 6.65 kg, height 163.92 ± 4 .89 cm, body mass index 23.04 ± 1.74 kg/m2). The EG performed an online HIIT program for 10 weeks, while CG continued with their daily life routines. The repeated measures ANCOVA indicated a significant effect in the within-group analysis for weight (p=0.001; d=-0.96), demonstrating a significant decrease in the Experimental Group (EG) while the Control Group (CG) did not show a significant decrease in body mass in-dex (p=0.15; d=-0.11). Regarding maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max) values, the EG exhibited a significant improvement (p=0.001; d=-1.07), whereas the CG did not demonstrate a significant improvement (p=0.08; d=-0.37). A new within-group analysis with power output (W) revealed that EG significantly improved (p=0.01; d=-0.96), while CG did not show a significant improve-ment in power output (W/kg) (p=0.20; d=-0.11). Lastly, the within-group analysis with Load re-vealed that EG significantly improved (p=0.001; d=-0.50), while CG did not show a significant improvement in Load (p=0.10.; d=-0.10). The present study showed that 10 weeks of HIIT in an online environment during the Covid-19 lockdown significantly improved maximum oxygen consumption, and caused weight loss and a significant decrease in body mass index in physically sedentary women. These results suggest HIIT may be used as a time-efficient strategy to improve body composition and cardio-respiratory fitness in sedentary women.

1960s Europe saw a large number of residential neighborhoods built to house those migrating from the countryside. Today, more than 50 years later, these neighborhoods suffer high levels of functional, social, and technical obsolescence. In response to this, University of Seville developed the Aura Strategy as an intervention methodology to find global solutions to issues in outdated neighborhoods. To provide visibility to this aspect of the Aura strategy, the retrofit proposal presented in this article provides a solution to improve the roofing of buildings in a case study neighborhood (Polígono de San Pablo, Seville) and an analysis of the results in terms of energy and financial savings for local residents. The results show that for a population of roughly 18,000 (in 2018), net savings, including energy and retrofitting costs, ranging from nearly 6.5 to over 8.6 million can be made over the 20-year life cycle span. Likewise, the results obtained on the reduction of thermal loads indicate a 72% decrease in energy consumption, equivalent to a saving of close to 4,500 tons of greenhouse gas emissions for the district and the entire life cycle time period, with the consequent benefits on the impact on air quality and and the fight against climate change. climate change.

Abstract: Bariatric surgery is increasingly used in women of childbearing age due to the rising prevalence of obesity and the effectiveness and availability of this treatment. Pregnancy in women with previous bariatric surgery deserves special attention. Weight loss induced by surgery re-duces the risks that obesity poses for pregnancy. But on the other hand, decreased intake and malabsorption may increase the risk of malnutrition and micronutrient deficiency and negatively affect maternal and foetal health. The aim of this narrative review is to provide an updated anal-ysis on the impact of different bariatric surgery techniques on minerals and micronutrients status nutritional status during pregnancy and the possible effect on maternal-foetal health.

Objectives: To assess the short-term impact of a single global stretching session on plantar pressures and lumbar range of motion (RoM) over one week in sedentary university students. Design: A randomised controlled trial with two parallel groups. Participants: Sixty-four university students were randomly assigned to a stretching group or control group. The stretching group received a single session of global stretching and the control group remained seated for the same length of time as the stretching session. Main outcome measures: Lumbar RoM and plantar pressures were assessed before, immediately after, 48 hours after, and 7 days after intervention. Results: Group-by-time interaction was significant for lumbar lateral flexion (p = 0.044), right maximal pressure (p = 0.003), left maximal pressure (p = 0.008), right mean pressure (p = 0.025), left mean pressure (p = 0.002), and maximal pressure minus mean pressure in right foot (p = 0.007). The model with plantar pressures showed a significant difference for group-by-time interaction (p = 0.010).Conclusion: Global stretching seems to counteract the ill-effects of prolonged sitting up to seven days with respect to plantar pressure in standing without improving lumbar ROM

Patients with Multiple Myeloma have an increased susceptibility to severe infections due to several various factors, especially the high tumor burden. The use of the anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies-based therapies has changed the frequency and epidemiology of infections. We report herein the safety profile of the pivotal clinical trials conducted with anti-CD38 mAbs (daratumumab and isatuximab) and anti-SLAMF7 mAbs (elotuzumab) that led to the approval of regimens employed today in NDMM and RRMM patients.

Intermittent fasting is one of the most popular types of diet at the moment because it is an effective nutritional strategy in terms of weight loss. The main objective of this review is to analyze the effects that intermittent fasting has on sports performance. We are going to focus on analyzing physical capacities: aerobic capacity, anaerobic capacity, strength and power, we are also going to analyze its effect on body composition. For this, a bibliographic search was carried out in several databases where 25 research articles were analyzed to clarify these objectives. This review was registered in PROSPERO with code ref. 407024, and an evaluation of the quality or risk of bias was performed. After this analysis, results were obtained regarding the improvement of body composition and the maintenance of muscle mass. Finally, it can be concluded that fasting provides benefits in terms of body composition without reducing physical performance, maintenance of lean mass and improvements in maximum power. But despite this, it is necessary to carry out new studies focusing on the sports field since the samples have been very varied.

Background: to know the existing documentation related to exogenous melatonin in the performance of professional soccer players. Methods: critical and systematic review. Data were obtained by looking up the following bibliographic data bases: Web of Science, MEDLINE (via PubMed), Embase, Cochrane Library and Scopus. The used terms were "Soccer Athlete", "Melatonin" and "Soccer Performance", using as a filter: "Humans". The search update was in May 2023. Results: having applied the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 8 articles were selected out of 59 retrieved references. The dose of melatonin administered in the studies ranged between 5 and 8 mg. The outcomes showed a decrease in oxidative stress, muscle damage and inflammatory markers in the melatonin-treated group. Conclusions: Exogenously administered melatonin seems to attenuate some of the effects derived from physical exercise such as oxidative stress, inflammation and muscle damage in professional soccer players, and since it has no potential adverse effects, it could be interesting to apply it in this population. However, the direct effects of melatonin supplementation on physical performance have not been demonstrated, so more research is needed on the intervention period, effective dose and larger participant populations.

Knowledge of body composition is essential for athletes for their sport performance. It has yet to be determined whether differences in body composition are present between international and non-international players playing in the same elite professional club competition. Similarly, it is not yet clear whether differences in body composition according to ethnic origin exist in the elite professional game, where relative homogeneity is to be expected among soccer players. There is no single anthropometric profile that guarantees sporting success, as the somatotype of football players differs according to their individual characteristics. The aim of this study was to assess the description and comparison of the body composition profile of latin american professional football players playing in european leagues. The sample was composed of 238 subjects football players from European professional football leagues. Differences were found in all variables measured. The present study shows that in Latin American professional football players playing in Europe, there are significant differences in different body composition variables such as weight, height, WC, skinfold and fat values. This means that the treatment of these data and the possible classifications of sporting performance carried out in football clubs should be different to other European or African-American football players.

The objective of this research was to evaluate the production and phytochemical quality of cucumber fruits (Cucumis sativus), in response to the foliar application of different seaweed extracts. This study was carried out under shadow mesh conditions in the autumn - winter agricultural cycle at Instituto Tecnológico de Torreón, Torreón, Coahuila. The experimental design was completely random, using six treatments with six repetitions each. The treatments evaluated were: Macrocystis pyrifera, Bryothamnion triquetrum, Ascophyllum nodosum, Grammatophora sp., Macrocystis intergrifolia, and a control treatment with inorganic fertilization. The substrate used was a mixture of sand and vermicompost. The yield, commercial quality and phytochemical compounds of the fruit were evaluated. Results showed that yield using Steiner solution (6.75 kg m⁻²) was higher than that obtained with Bryothamnion triquetrum algae (6.07 kg m⁻²). Regarding the phenolic content, the extracts surpassed the control treatment, with Macrocystis pyrifera and Macrocystis integrifolia being statistically equal, with values of 47.37 and 43.73 mg equiv. of Ac. Gallic 100 g fresh weight, respectively. The antioxidant capacity by ABTS+ and DPPH+ methods was higher using the treatment with algae Macrocystis pyrifera with 149.4 and 454.1 μM equiv Trolox/100 g fresh base, respectively. This treatment also presented the highest value of vitamin C with 5.07 mg/100 g fresh base, being 27% greater than the control treatment. Algae extracts increased the quality of the fruits by obtaining the highest antioxidant capacity, making their use a viable option to minimize the application of conventional fertilizers, thereby attenuating the effects on the environment and improving the health of the population.

In the last years, advances in materials engineering based on adaptive electronics have found a new paradigm to optimize drawbacks in signal processing. A two-layer MnO/ZnO:Zn heterostructure envisioned for frequency adaptive electronic signal processing is synthesized by sputtering where the use of internal states allows reconfigurability to obtain new operating modes at different frequency input signals. An X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) is performed on each layer, MnO:Mn had a cubic and ZnO:Zn a hexagonal structure with preferential growth in [111] and [002] directions respectively. It is determined that the coupling in this heterojunction is compatible with a mismatch less 1 % due texture in each layer which implies a low number of defects. An electrical characterisation with an oscilloscope and signal generator was carried out to obtain the time-response signals and current-voltage (I-V) curves where no degradation is detected when changing from a range of frequencies (100 Hz – 1 MHz). An equivalent circuit is proposed to explain the effects in the interface. Finally, the MnO/ZnO:Zn heterojunction delivers states that are stable, repeatable, and reproducible and it demonstrates how the interaction of the materials can be used in adaptive device applications applying frequencies and internal states as to create new and innovative design schematics, reducing the numbers of components/connections in a system for future sustainable electronics.

Power semiconductor devices are essential from the operation point of view, size, efficiency and cost, these components are used in a myriad of applications, providing features that make them an important part of the system in which they are operating. This document analyzes and compares the basic structure, properties, design aspects, as well as temperature performance, stability and switching losses, present in devices on silicon (Si), silicon carbide (SiC) and new generation devices fabricated in gallium nitride (GaN) applied in renewable energy systems. The main objective is determinate the viability of the new generation components, which present a superior performance in view of an increase in efficiency, conductivity, decreases in switching losses, lower resistances and parasitic capacitances as well as higher operating frequency range. Therefore demonstrating the GaN components are a strong and viable candidate to solve some of the problems present in renewable energy systems.

Two polyurethanes (PUs) were similarly synthesized by reacting a cycloaliphatic isocyanate with 1,4 butanediol and two polyols of different nature (polyester, polycarbonate diol) with molecular weights of 1000 Da. The PU made with polycarbonate diol polyol (YCD) was the only showing intrinsic self-healing at 20 °C. For assessing the mechanism of intrinsic self-healing of YCD, a structural characterization by molecular weights determination, infrared and X-ray photoelectronic spectroscopies, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, thermal gravimetric analysis and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis was carried out. It was concluded that the self-healing at 20 °C of YCD was due to non-covalent dynamic exchange interactions among the carbonate groups of the soft segments. Therefore, the chemical nature of the polyol played a key role in developing PUs with intrinsic self-healing at 20 °C.

Climacteric fruits undergo a characteristic ripening process regulated by ethylene, a key plant hormone. Extending the shelf life of these fruits while preserving their postharvest quality poses a significant challenge for the food industry. This review provides a comprehensive overview of physiological and molecular strategies to delay ethylene-mediated ripening in climacteric fruits and their impact on shelf life, postharvest quality, sensory attributes, and volatile compounds. Additionally, it examines the role of ethylene in fruit ripening analysing various ethylene managing strategies including ethylene inhibitors, ethylene adsorbents and ethylene scavengers by catalytic oxidation The review concludes with future research directions including integrated strategies, environmental considerations and commercial applications for improving postharvest handling and fruit quality.

Every year around 800 000 people commit suicide, this represents one death every 40 seconds. In the search for possible biological biomarkers associated with suicide and/or psychiatric disorders, serum cholesterol levels have been extensively explored. Several studies have indicated that cholesterol and associated proteins, especially apolipoproteins (Apos), may play an important role in the diagnosis, prognosis, and susceptibility of suicide. Here, we describe the current knowledge and findings in the relationship between apolipoproteins and suicide.

Single-Anastomosis Duodeno-Ileal bypass with Sleeve Gastrectomy (SADI-S) is a modification of the duodenal switch in which only one anastomosis is performed, with a longer common limb and an expected less malabsorptive effect. The present study analyzes presentation and treatment of malnutrition after SADI-S. 258 consecutive patients undergoing SADI-S between May 2007 and September 2017 were included. The common limb length was 200 cm in 50 cases, 250 cm in 156 and 300 in 52. 30 patients were admitted for severe hypoalbuminemia and 16 patients were submitted to revisional surgery and constitute the series of our study. Mean weight before reoperation was 57 kg and mean body mass index (BMI) was 21 kg/m2. Mean number of daily bowel movements was 5,6. Mean time to reoperation was 56 months. Revisional surgery consisted mainly in elongation of the common limb. Mean weight regain was 14 kg and mean final BMI was 26 kg/m2. Daily bowel movements were decreased to 1,3. Factors related to hypoalbuminemia were hypertension, poor controlled diabetes, age over 55 years and a shorter common limb. Although SADI-S is expected to be less malabsorptive than previous biliopancreatic diversions, caution has to be taken with selected patients to avoid postoperative malnutrition.

Nanocrystalline silicon oxide (nc-SiOx:H) is a multipurpose material with its varied application in solar cells as a transparent front contact, intermediate reflector, back reflector layer and even tunnel layer for passivating contacts, owing to easy tailoring of its optical properties. In this work, we systematically investigate the influence of gas mixture (SiH4, CO2, PH3 and H2), RF power and process pressure on the optical, structural and passivation properties of thin n-type nc-SiOx:H films prepared in an industrial, high throughput, plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) reactor. We provide a detailed description of the n-type nc-SiOx:H material develop-ment using various characterization techniques (SEM, EDX, Raman spectroscopy, and spectro-scopic ellipsometry) with a focus on the relationship between the material properties and the pas-sivation they provide to n-type c-Si wafers characterized by their effective carrier lifetime (τeff). Further, we also outline the parameters to be kept in mind while developing different n-type nc-SiOx:H layers for different solar cell applications. We report a tunable optical gap (1.8 – 2.3 eV) for our n-type nc-SiOx:H films as well as excellent passivation properties with τeff up to 3.5 ms (iVoc ~ 715 mV) before annealing. Oxygen content plays an important role in determining the crystallinity and hence passivation quality of the deposited nanocrystalline silicon oxide films.

The Ethnographic Museum in Dubrovnik holds an extensive textile collection that includes a range of dress and costume from Croatia and neighbouring countries. Until recently, the costumes were displayed on mannequins created by the academic artist Zvonimir Lončarić (1927–2004). His sculptures are expressive forms constructed from terracotta, fibreglass, wood, metal, acrylic paint and other materials selected for their visual appeal. Due to their importance, the museum considered the mannequins as protected artworks in the permanent exhibition, however, they had a harmful effect on the costumes displayed. In 2018, after completing a series of conservation-restoration projects within the collection, it was decided to replace the existing mounts with new, museum–quality mannequins. Two project–based learning workshops were organised, led by a team of textile conservators from the University of Dubrovnik and the Croatian Conservation Institute, in cooperation with the curator of the Ethnographic Museum. This case study highlights the challenges of exhibiting ethnographic costumes by discussing past presentation methods and how new solutions have been implemented conforming with the modern conservation-restoration profession. The new solutions consider ethics, decision–making processes, and the understanding of contemporary materials and methodology.

Glucose is a simple sugar molecule. The sugar molecule is chemically symbolised as C6H12O6. This means that the glucose molecule contains 6 carbon atoms (C), 12 hydrogen atoms (H) and 6 oxygen atoms (O). In human blood, the molecule glucose circulates as blood sugar. Normally after eating or drinking, our body breaks down the sugars in food and uses them to obtain energy for our cells. To do this, our pancreas produces insulin. Insulin "pulls" sugar from the blood and puts it into the cells for use. If someone has diabetes, their pancreas can't produce enough insulin. As a result, the level of glucose in the blood rises. This can lead one to many potential complications, including blindness, disease, nerve damage, amputation, stroke, heart attack and damage to blood vessels etc. In this study, a non-invasive method for monitoring blood glucose has been developed and is therefore easily usable. The device developed can measure the glucose level continuously and eliminates the disadvantages of the invasive system. Near-IR sensors (optical sensors) were used to estimate the concentration of glucose in the blood; these sensors have a wavelength of 940 nm. The sensor is placed on the tip of the finger and the output of the optical sensor is then connected to the microcontroller at the analogue input. Another sensor used, but only to provide more medical information was the heartbeat sensor. After processing and regression analysis, the glucose level is predicted, and data is sent via the Bluetooth network to a developed APP. The results of the implemented device were compared with available invasive methods. The study consists of a hardware platform inserted into an armband and then a small black parallelepiped-shaped box in which the optical sensors are inserted. The hardware consists of a microcontroller, a Near-IR optical sensor, a heartbeat sensor and a Bluetooth module.

The aim of this study was to estimate the association between fear of COVID-19 and risk perception with preventive behavior in health professionals from three Latin American countries. An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted. Health professionals with on-site care in Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, and Peru were surveyed. Information was collected through an online self-report questionnaire. The main variables were preventive behavior as the dependent variable and fear of COVID-19 and risk perception as independent variables. Linear regression was used, and Beta coefficients and p-values were calculated. 435 health professionals were included, the majority were aged 42 years or older (45.29%, 95%CI: 40.65%-50.01%) and female (67.82%, 95%CI: 63.27%-72.05%). It was shown that the greater the fear of COVID-19, the greater the preventive behavior of COVID-19 infection (B=2.21, p=0.002 for total behavior; B=1.12, p=0.037 for additional protection at work; B=1.11, p<0.010 for hand washing). The risk perception of COVID-19 infection had a slight direct relationship with preventive behaviors (B=0.28, p=0.021 for total behavior; B=0.13, p=0.015 for hand washing), with the exception of the preventive behavior of using additional protection at work (p=0.339). We found that fear and risk perception are associated with increased practice of hand washing and use of additional protection at work. Further studies are required on the influence of working conditions, job performance and the occurrence of mental health problems in frontline personnel with regard to COVID-19.

A single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial with two arms was conducted in 71 healthy subjects suffering from sleep disturbances, which were treated with a dietary supplement based on an extract of Aloysia citrodora (or Lippia citriodora, lemon verbena) (n = 33) for 90 days. Subjects in the placebo group (n = 38) received capsules of microcrystalline and maltodextrin with the same organoleptic properties. Between-group significant differences in favor of the experimental group were found in the visual analogue scale (VAS) score rating sleep quality; overall score, sleep latency and sleep efficiency of the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI); and sleep latency, sleep efficiency, wakefulness after sleep onset and duration of awakening assessed by actigraphy. Plasma nocturnal melatonin levels also increased significantly in the experimental group. Changes in anthropometric parameters and physical activity levels were not found. This study shows that the administration of a dietary supplement comprised lemon verbena administered for 3 months was associated with a significant improvement of sleep quality as compared with placebo in a population of healthy subjects with sleep problems. Improvements were also apparent at the mid-study visit after 45 days of supplementation.

Introduction: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrinologic disorder that affects 5-15 % of women of their reproductive age and is a frequent cause of infertility. Major symptoms include hyperandrogenism, ovulatory dysfunction, a characteristic multi-follicular morphology of the ovary, an elevated ratio of LH/FSH, and often obesity and/or insulin resistance. PCOS also represents a state of chronic low-grade inflammation that is closely interlinked with the metabolic features. Inflammatory processes consist of the acute inflammatory response and resolution processes initiated concomitantly. "Classical" pro-inflammatory lipid mediators like prostaglandins (PG), leukotrienes (LT), or thromboxanes (TX) are derived from arachidonic acid (AA) and are crucial for the initial response. Resolution processes are driven by four families of so-called specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs): resolvins, maresins, lipoxins, and protectins. SPM biosynthesis starts from the essential polyunsaturated fatty acids DHA, DPA, or EPA via certain hydroxylated intermediates (18-HEPE, 17-HDHA, 14-HDHA). The present study aimed to establish lipid mediator profiles of PCOS patients compared to healthy women to identify differences in their resolutive and pro-inflammatory lipid parameters. Material and Methods: Blood samples were taken (20 ml), separated into plasma and serum, and analyzed by HPLC/MS-QQQ. Fifteen female patients (18-45 years) were diagnosed with PCOS according to Rotterdam criteria, and five healthy women, as comparator group, were recruited for the study. The main outcome measures were: Pro-inflammatory lipid mediators (PG, LT, TX) and their precursor AA; SPMs (Resolvins, Maresins, Protectins, Lipoxins), their precursors EPA, DHA, DPA, and their active biosynthesis pathway intermediates (18-HEPE, 17-HDHA, 14-HDHA). Ratio [(sum of pro-inflammatory molecules)/sum of SPMs]. Results: The level of pro-inflammatory parameters in serum was significantly higher in PCOS-affected women. The ratio [(sum of pro-inflammatory molecules) / (sum of SPMs plus hydroxylated intermediates)] reflecting the inflammatory state was significantly lower in the group of healthy women. Conclusion: There is a strong pro-inflammatory state in PCOS patients. Further research will clarify whether supplementation with SPMs or their precursors may improve this state.

Incorporating renewables in the power grid presents challenges for stability, reliability, and operational efficiency. Integrating Energy Storage Systems (ESS) offers a solution by managing unpredictable loads, enhancing reliability, and serving the grid. Hybrid storage solutions have gained attention for specific applications, suggesting higher performance in some respects. This paper compares the performance of hybrid energy storage systems (HESS) to single battery, evaluating their energy supply cost and environmental impact through optimization problems. The model generates an optimized dispatch, minimizing cost or environmental impact of supplying energy to a generic load while considering battery degradation. Seven technologies are assessed, with an example applied to an industrial site contrasting vanadium redox flow (VRFB) and lithium batteries considering the demand of a local load (building). The results also indicates that efficiency and degradation curves have the highest impact in the final costs and environmental functions on the various storage technologies assessed. For the simulations of the example case, a single system only outperforms the hybrid system in cases where lithium efficiency is higher than approximately 87% and vanadium is lower approximately 82%.

As consequence of COVID-19, millions of households suffered mobility restrictions and changes in their lifestyle during several months. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of COVID-19 home confinement in food habits, lifestyle and emotional balance of the Spanish population. This cross-sectional study used data collected via an anonymous online questionnaire during the last month before lockdown finished in Spain in a total of 675 participants. 38.8% of the respondents experienced weight gain while 31.1% lost weight during confinement. The increase in body weight was positively correlated with the age (Rs = 0.14, p &lt;0.05) and BMI (Rs = 0.20, p &lt;0.05). We also identified that 39.7% reported poorer quality sleep, it was positively correlated with BMI (Rs = -0.18, p &lt;0.05) and with age (Rs = -0.21, p &lt;0.05). 44.7% of the participants had not performed physical exercise during confinement with differences by sex (p &lt;0.05), by age (p &lt;0.05), by BMI (p &lt;0.05) and sleep quality (p &lt;0.05). According to emotional-eater questionnaire, 21.8% and 11% were classified as emotional eater and very emotional eater, respectively. We emphasize the importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle, as the COVID-19 pandemic nowadays is ongoing.

Weight loss solutions are on the rise, and there is growing interest in natural alternatives to the pharmaceuticals in the market, which are not devoid of relevant side effects. To this end, the objective of the current study is to assess the effects of a botanical-based blend comprised of lemon verbena and hibiscus extracts in weight management, body fat, appetite, lipid, and glucose profiles, in an overweight population, for 90 days. As a result, the volunteers presented significant weight loss in absence of diet, which coincided with decreased body fat. Body fat was assessed by anthropometry, electrical bioimpedance and DEXA scan. Cholesterol levels were also significantly decreased. Satiety assessment revealed that the product contributed to increased feeling of fullness and satisfaction after a meal, compared to the placebo group, which could contribute to the weight loss observed. Blood glucose and blood pressure levels remained unchanged, which was expected as the volunteers were normoglycemic and their blood pressure was in the healthy range. In conclusion, daily supplementation of a botanical-based blend contributes to weight loss in overweight individuals, in absence of diet, while not affecting other parameters that are in the healthy range. This product could be a candidate alternative or add-on to other weight loss products, as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Artificial Intelligence are creating a paradigm shift in health care, being phenotyping patients through clustering techniques one of the areas of interest. Objective: To develop a predictive model to classify heart failure (HF) patients according to their left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), by using available data in Electronic Health Records (EHR). Subjects and methods: 2854 subjects more than 25 years old with diagnose of HF and LVEF measured by echocardiography were selected to develop an algorithm to predict patients with reduced EF using supervised analysis. Performance of the algorithm developed were tested in heart failure patients from Primary Care. To select the most influencing variables, LASSO algorithm setting was used and to tackle the issue of one class exceed the other one by a large proportion we used the Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique (SMOTE). Finally, Random Forest (RF) and XGBoost models were constructed. Results: Full XGBoost model obtained the maximized accuracy, a high negative predictive value and the highest positive predictive value. Gender, age, unstable angina, atrial fibrillation and acute myocardial infarct are the variables that most influence FE value. Applied in the EHR data set with a total 25594 patients with an ICD-code of HF and no regular follow-up in Cardiology clinics, 6170 (21.1%) were identified as those pertaining to the reduced EF group. Conclusion: The algorithm obtained is able to rescue a number of HF patients with reduced ejection fraction that can be take benefit for a protocol with strong recommendation to succeed. Furthermore, the methodology can be used for studies with data extracted from the Electronic Health Records.

There is a recent growth and development with regard to the female athlete. This trend has been reflected in a greater concern for aspects such as nutrition, body composition and the health of female athletes, given the repercussion of these factors on their sporting performance. The aim was to carry out an anthropometric and nutritional assessment of elite Spanish female football athletes based on different biochemical parameters. Ethical consent was obtained from a total of 21 players from a Spanish elite women's football team(20-33years). Anthropometric analysis was carried out using the International Society for the Advancement of Kineanthropometry(ISAK). Clinical analyses were performed by the club's medical staff at the beginning of the season through serum and fasting urine samples taken by the players. The athletes presented fat% of 19.1(SD±2.89). 100% of the players had Mg values within the reference values. Values below reference values were observed for Hb (85.7%), vit.D (33.3%), ferritin (23.8%), serum iron (28.6%), transferrin (4.8%) and TSI (42.9%); and above for CK (42.9%), basal cortisol (38.1%), testosterone (19%) and creatinine, total cholesterol, iron, transferrin, TSI and serotonin (4.8%). Differences in Mg levels were only observed between playing positions (p&lt;0.05). There were associations between age and vit.D levels (r=0.607), and weight with vit.D levels (-0.464) and blood cholesterol (-0.487) among others. Given the nutritional knowledge of Spanish elite female football players, as well as the prevalence of deficiencies in iron metabolism parameters and vit.D levels in athletes, the need to implement a correct nutritional assessment and education in this type of athletes is highlighted

In recent years, numerous approaches have been developed to comprehend the molecular altera-tions underlying thyroid cancer (TC) oncogenesis and explore novel therapeutic strategies for TC. It is now well established that the neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R) is overexpressed in cancer cells and that NK-1R is essential for viability of cancer cells. The binding of substance P (SP) to NK-1R in neoplastic cells plays a pivotal role in cancer progression by promoting neoplastic cell growth, protecting tumour cells from apoptosis, triggering invasion and metastasis through enhanced migration of cancer cells, and stimulating endothelial cell proliferation for tumour angiogenesis. Remarkably, all types of human TC (papillary, follicular, medullary, anaplastic), as well as met-astatic lesions, exhibit overexpression of SP and NK-1R compared to the normal thyroid gland. TC cells synthesize and release SP, which exerts its multiple functions through autocrine, para-crine, intracrine, and neuroendocrine processes, including the regulation of tumour burden. Con-sequently, the secretion of SP from TC results in increased SP levels in plasma, which are signifi-cantly higher in TC patients compared to controls. Additionally, NK-1R antagonists have demonstrated a dose-dependent antitumour action. They impair cancer cell proliferation on one side and induce apoptosis of tumour cells on the other side. Furthermore, it has been demonstrat-ed that NK-1R antagonists inhibit neoplastic cell migration, thereby impairing both invasiveness and metastatic abilities, as well as angiogenesis. Given the consistent overexpression of NK-1R in all types of TC, targeting this receptor represents a promising therapeutic approach for TC. Therefore, NK-1R antagonists, such as the drug aprepitant, may represent novel drugs for TC treatment.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the bioactivity and cell response of a well-characterized Nurse´s A-phase (7CaO•P2O5•2SiO2) ceramic and his effect compared to a control (tissue culture polystyrene-TCPS) on the adhesion, viability, proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of ahMSCs in vitro. Cell proliferation (Alamar Blue Assay), Alizarin Red-S (AR-s) staining, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, osteocalcin (OCN) and collagen I (Col I) were evaluated. Also, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) images were acquired in order to visualise the cells and the topography of the material. The proliferation of cells growing in a direct contact with the material was slower at early stages of the study because of the new environmental conditions. However, the entire surface was colonized after 28 days of culture in growth medium (GM). Osteoblastic differentiation markers were significantly enhanced in cells growing on Nurse´s A phase ceramic and cultured with osteogenic medium (OM), probably due to the role of silica to stimulate the differentiation of ahMSCs. Moreover, calcium nodules were formed under the influence of ceramic material. Therefore, it is predicted that Nurse´s A-phase ceramic would present high biocompatibility and osteoinductive properties being a good candidate to be used as a biomaterial for bone tissue engineering.

As a medical student (Granada University Medical School, Spain), interested in Pediatrics, expended countless hours at the hospital pediatric facilities and got to know many of the children and their medical problems. A particular case, still vivid on my mind, awaken my scientific curiosity. One day, walking and talking with a seven years old child he unexpectedly felt down unconscious with multiple, incontrollable and erratic muscular contractions involving face, body and extremities and salivating. I was overwhelmed thinking it was the child’ last hour. At the time, my knowledge of epilepsy was nil. Following the seizures, the child was up, talking and walking with me as if nothing has happened and without any knowledge of the event. What could have caused the brain motor cortex to suddenly discharge that amount of altered activity causing generalized and erratic muscular contractions remains inexplicable. I migrated to USA, become a Pediatric (Developmental) Pathologist and Director of the Pediatrics Autopsy Service (1962-1999) at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, New Hampshire. I carried out countless postmortem studied of children brains, normal (unaltered) as well as those altered by hemorrhagic, hypoxic-ischemic and/or traumatic damage. With an NIH Fellowship, I spend one year (1967-68) at the Cajal Institute (Madrid, Spain) studying Cajal’ old Golgi preparations and learning about the method. Some of my Golgi studies of children’ brains have been published: The Human Brain. Prenatal Development and Structure, Springer, Heidelberg, Germany, 2012. The present monograph explores the developmental neuropathology of selected perinatal cortical injuries through their acute, subacute and chronic stages. Including: a) how an altered neuronal activity evolves in a damaged cortical region; b) how it moves through the cortex (epileptic auras); and c) how it reaches the motor cortex to be discharged as erratic and incontrollable muscular contractions. Understanding these processes should provide insights into the pathogenesis of epilepsy secondary to perinatal brain damage.

Construction and demolition waste (CDW) represents 1/3 of the weight of all-waste produced. Increasing their recycling and reutilization with recycled aggregates (RA) means closing the life cycle of construction materials. Research has been carried out on artificial aggregates from the exclusive crushing of structural concrete waste in selective demolitions (CDWRConc). This study analyses the use of recycled concrete as graded aggregate (GARConc) and in cement soil (CSRConc). The material complies with the requirements as a road base, although due to the low values of resistance to fragmentation these materials are adequate for use in sensitive road systems and other places such as urban roads and car parks. The sensitive road systems are infrastructures in places of great natural wealth and low traffic intensity, with an annual average of heavy vehicle traffic (AADTh) below 50 vhp/d. As soluble salt contents have been detected, additional waterproofing or drainage measures must be adopted to prevent water infiltration into the layers made up of CDWRHorm. Finally, the high initial values of UCS allow the temporary passage of light vehicles over CSRConc after 3 days.

’Lockdown’ periods in response to COVID-19 have provided a unique opportunity to study the impacts of economic activity on environmental pollution (e.g. NO2, aerosols, noise, light). The effects on NO2 and aerosols have been very noticeable and readily demonstrated, but that on light pollution has proven challenging to determine. The main reason for this difficulty is that the primary source of nighttime satellite imagery of the earth is the SNPP-VIIRS/DNB instrument, which acquires data late at night after most human nocturnal activity has already occurred and much associated lighting has been turned off. Here, to analyze the effect of lockdown on urban light emissions, we use ground and satellite data for Granada, Spain, during the COVID-19 induced confinement of the city’s population from March 14 until May 31, 2020. We find a clear decrease in light pollution due both to a decrease in light emissions from the city and to a decrease in anthropogenic aerosol content in the atmosphere which resulted in less light being scattered. A clear correlation between the abundance of PM10 particles and sky brightness is observed, such that the more polluted the atmosphere the brighter the urban night sky. An empirical expression is determined that relates PM10 particle abundance and sky brightness at three different wavelength bands.

Objective: Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and giant cell arteritis (GCA) are often overlapping conditions. We aimed to determine whether 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) is useful in identifying PMR in the setting of large vessel vasculitis (LVV)-GCA. Methods: Patients diagnosed with LVV-GCA by PET-CT at a tertiary referral hospital for a population of 450,000 people over a two-year period were reviewed. Scoring was performed based on potential significant FDG uptake at up to 16 sites in nine different extravascular areas (SCORE 16). Differences in extravascular sites of significant FDG uptake were evaluated between LVV-GCA with a clinical diagnosis of PMR or not. Results: Fifty-four patients were diagnosed with LVV-GCA by 18F-FDG-PET-CT. Of them, 21 (38.8%) were clinically diagnosed with PMR. Significant extravascular FDG uptake was more frequently observed in those with a clinical diagnosis of PMR. In this sense, the SCORE 16 was higher in those with clinical PMR (5.10 ± 4.05 versus 1.73 ± 2.31 in those without a clinical diagnosis of PMR; p< 0.001). A SCORE 16 involving more than 4 sites of significant FDG uptake yielded a sensitivity of 52% and a specificity of 91% for establishing a clinical diagnosis of PMR associated with LVV-GCA. The best areas of significant FDG uptake to clinically identify PMR in patients with LVV were the shoulder, the greater trochanter and the lumbar interspinous regions with an area under the ROC curve of 0.810 (0.691-0.930). Conclusion: Significant extravascular 18F-FDG-PET-CT uptake may help establish a clinical diagnosis of PMR in patients with LVV-GCA. These patients are more commonly diagnosed with PMR if they have significant FDG uptake in the shoulder, greater trochanter, and lumbar interspinous areas.

Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is the loss of neurological function due to a sudden reduction in cerebral blood flow and is a leading cause of disability and death worldwide. In recent years, the field of radiological imaging has experienced an explosion that may reach unprecedented heights with the advent of artificial intelligence. One of the latest innovations in artificial intelligence is radiomics, which is based on the fact that a large amount of quantitative data can be extracted from radiological images, from which patterns can be identified and associated with specific pathologies. Since its inception, radiomics has been particularly associated with the field of oncology, with promising results in a wide range of clinical situations. The performance of radiomics in non-tumour pathologies has been increasingly explored in recent years and the results continue to be promising. The aim of this review is to explore the potential applications of radiomics in AIS patients and to theorise how radiomics may change the paradigm for these patients in the coming years.

As most of the videos are destined for human perception, many techniques have been designed to improve video coding based on how the human visual system perceives video quality. In this paper, we propose the use of two perceptual coding techniques, namely contrast masking and texture masking, jointly operating under the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) standard. These techniques aim to improve the subjective quality of the reconstructed video at the same bit rate. For contrast masking, we propose the use of a specific weighting matrix for each block size (from 4×4 up to 32×32). We achieve average Bjøntegaard Delta-Rate (BD-rate) gains of between 2.5% and 4.48%, depending on the perceptual metric and coding mode used. The texture masking scheme is based on the classification of each coding unit, using its mean directional variance features as input to a support vector machine model. According to this classification, the block’s energy, the type of coding unit, and its size, an over-quantization is computed to provide a QP offset (DQP) for this coding unit. By applying both techniques in the HEVC Reference Software, an overall average of 5.79% BD-rate gain is achieved.

While adequate for English-speaking users in the United States, as well as many Commonwealth countries and other English-speaking jurisdictions (e.g., Canada, Australia, New Zealand or South Africa among others), typing in Romance Languages (Spanish, French, Portuguese and Italian) by using a standard US-QWERTY Keyboard is not easy since it is not adapted to special characters such as accented vowels, tildes and cedillas or ligatures, used in Romance Languages. With regard to the International Layout, intended to enable access to the most common diacritics used in Western European Languages, the problem comes from the fact that accented vowels are spread throughout the Keyboard layout, and their uppercase versions need chord combinations which can require good manual dexterity. This paper will analyze how the Spanish or Portuguese Keyboards are the best options for these users since they are QWERTY-based and the most compatible ones for the different character sets in Spanish, French, Portuguese and Italian Languages.

Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common neurodegenerative disease and the first cause of dementia worldwide, has no effective treatment yet, and AD's pathological mechanisms are not yet fully understood. We conducted this study to explore the proteomic differences associated with Familial Alzheimer's Disease (FAD) in olfactory ecto-mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from PSEN1 (A431E) mutation carriers compared with healthy donors paired by age and gender through two label-free liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry approaches. The first analysis compared carrier 1 (patient with symptoms, P1) and its control (healthy donor, C1), and the second the Carrier 2 (patient with pre-symptoms, P2) with its respective control cells (C2) to evaluate whether the protein alterations presented in the symptomatic carrier were also present in pre-symptoms stages. Finally, we analyzed the differential expressed proteins (DEPs) for biological and functional enrichment. These proteins showed an impaired expression in a stage-dependent manner and are involved in energy metabolism, vesicle transport, actin cytoskeleton, cell proliferation, and proteostasis pathways resembling previous AD reports. Our study is the first proteomic analysis in MSCs from FAD patients in two stages of the disease (symptomatic and presymptomatic), showing these cells as a new and excellent in vitro model for future AD studies.

This study addresses the implementation of the International Financial Reporting Standard 9 (IFRS 9) in the European Union as of January 1, 2018, replacing the International Accounting Standard 39 (IAS 39) to introduce a new model for recognizing Loan Loss Provisions (LLP) based on Expected Credit Loss (ECL). This model responds to criticisms of the former Incurred Credit Loss (ICL) system for its inability to reflect credit losses in a timely manner, potentially exacerbating the effects of financial crises (Bushman &amp; Williams, 2015; Gebhardt &amp; Novotny-Farkas, 2011). The study focuses on the effects of adopting the ECL model on the level of Loan Loss Allowances (LLA) in loans, own equity, and the Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio across 13 Portuguese commercial banks. A mean comparison test is used to evaluate scenarios before and after the application of the ECL model, highlighting the importance of regulator actions and the adequacy of loss recognition policies, including the effects of Regulation (EU) 2017/2395 of December 12. The results obtained demonstrate significant negative impacts on the net values of loans, own equity, and the CET1 ratio upon adopting the IFRS 9 ECL model, due to the widespread increase in LLAs.

Introduction and objectives: arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) is a hereditary heart disease defined by the progressive replacement of the ventricular myocardium with fibroadipose tissue, which can act as a substrate for arrhythmias, sudden death, or even give rise to heart failure (HF). Sudden death is frequently the first manifestation of the disease, particularly among young patients. The aim of this study is to describe a new pathogenic variant in the PKP2 gene. Methods: A descriptive observational study that included 8 initially non-interrelated families with a diagnosis of ACM undergoing follow-up at our HF and Familial Cardiomyopathies Unit, who were carriers of the NM_004572.3:c.775_776insG; p. (Glu259Glyfs*77) variant in PKP2 gene. The genetic testing employed next-generation sequencing for the index cases, and the Sanger method for the targeted study with family members. We compiled personal and family histories, demographic and clinical characteristics, data from the additional tests at the time of diagnosis, and arrhythmic events at diagnosis and during follow-up. Results: We included 47 subjects, of whom 8 were index cases (17%). Among the evaluated family members, 16 (34%) were carriers of the genetic variant, 3 of whom also had a diagnosis of ACM. The majority were women (26 patients; 55.3%), with a mean age on diagnosis of 48.9 ± 18.6 years, and a median follow-up of 39 [24-59] months. Worthy of note are the high incidence of arrhythmic events as the form of presentation and in follow-up (21.5% and 20.9% respectively), and the onset of HF in 25% of the sample. The most frequent ventricular involvements were right (4 patients 16.7%) and biventricular (4 patients 16.7%); we found no statistical differences in any of the variables analysed. Conclusions: This variant is a pathogenic variant of gene PKP2 that has not previously been described and is not present in the control groups associated with ACM. It has incomplete penetrance, a highly variable phenotypic expressivity, and was identified in 8 families of our geographical area in Malaga (Andalusia, Spain), where we can establish a founder effect and describe the clinical and risk characteristics.

In the present work we revise and extend the Characteristic Crystallographic Element (CCE) norm, an algorithm used to simultaneously detect radial and orientational similarity of computer-generated structures with respect to specific reference crystals and local symmetries. Based on the identification of point group symmetry elements, the CCE descriptor is able to gauge local structure with high precision and finely distinguish between competing morphologies. As test cases we use computer-generated monomeric and polymer systems of spherical particles interacting with the hard-sphere and square-well attractive potentials. We demonstrate that the CCE norm is able to detect and differentiate, between others, among: hexagonal close packed (HCP), face centered cubic (FCC), hexagonal (HEX) and body centered cubic (BCC) crystals as well as non-crystallographic fivefold (FIV) local symmetry in bulk 3-D systems; triangular (TRI), square (SQU) and honeycomb (HON) crystals, as well as pentagonal (PEN) local symmetry in thin films of one-layer thickness (2-D systems). The descriptor is general and can be applied to identify the symmetry elements of any point group for arbitrary atomic or particulate system in two or three dimensions, in the bulk or under confinement.

This article aims to understand the domains and conceptual uses of contagion, its modalities and its effects, in its different historical contexts and meanings, as an expression of the process of interdependence between the positions and the different points of view of different actors involved in multiple scientific, moral, social and political challenges. Another objective focuses on understanding the process of collective management of contagion, disease and health, where prevention is an essential element of its objectives and justifications, its discursive order, as well as its practical activities.

Covid-19 is a disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, which has spread worldwide since the beginning of 2020. Several pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical strategies were proposed to contain the virus dissemination, including vaccination and lockdowns. One of the consequences of the pandemic was the denial or delay of access to convenient health care services, but also potentially the increase of adverse events within those services, like the number of hospital infections. Therefore, the main question here is: What happened to the performance and sustainability of hospitals? The main goal of this work was to test if the Portuguese public hospitals' performance has been affected by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. We used the Benefit-of-Doubt method integrated with the Malmquist Index to analyze the performance evolution over time. Then, we employed a multiple regression model to test whether some pandemic-related variables could explain the performance results. We considered a database of 40 Portuguese public hospitals evaluated from January 2017 to May 2022. The period 2017 to 2019 corresponds to the baseline (pre-pandemic), against which the remaining period will be compared (during the pandemic). We also considered fourteen variables characterizing hospital quality, divided into three main performance definitions (efficiency and productivity; access; safety and care appropriateness). As potential explanatory variables, we consider seven dimensions, including vaccination rate and the need for intensive care for Covid-19 infected people. Results suggest that Covid-19 pandemic features help explain the drop on access after 2020, but not the evolution of safety and appropriateness of care, which surpris-ingly increased the whole time.

Drowning remains a prominent global pediatric health concern, necessitating preventive measures such as educational initiatives for children and caregivers. This study aimed to assess the feasibility and educational effectiveness of an interactive puppet show centered on water safety for children and parents. A 30-minute original theater performance, featuring two actors and three puppets (a girl, a crab, and a lifeguard), was conducted. Subsequently, 185 children (aged 4 to 8) and their 160 parents (134 mothers and 26 fathers) participated in this quasi-experimental study. Pre- and post-show tests were administered to evaluate knowledge and behaviors in aquatic environments. Prior to the puppet show, 78% of children exhibited basic aquatic competency. Only 33% considered swimming alone risky. Following the intervention, 81.6% of children changed their perception of the risks of solo beach activities, showing improved knowledge of emergency number activation (from 63.2% to 98.9%, p&lt;0.001). The intervention increased parents' intention to visit lifeguard-patrolled beaches and improved their CPR knowledge for drowning victims by 58.8%. In conclusion, a drowning prevention puppet show positively impacts children and parents, potentially enhancing safety behaviors during water-related leisure activities, warranting consideration as part of comprehensive drowning prevention strategies.

Whole-brain radiation therapy and stereotactic radiosurgery are two treatment modalities commonly utilized to treat brain metastases (BMs). The aim of this study is to retrospectively analyze the main radio-oncologic and clinical-demographic aspects of a cohort of BM patients treated with Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy for radiosurgery (VMAT-RS). This is a cross-sectional observational design study with retrospective review of medical records of patients with brain metastases treated with VMAT- RS between 2012 and 2018. Clinical and demographic data, with special attention to sex, age, primary tumor, brain tumor-related epilepsy (BTRE), number and brain location of BMs, Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS), the updated DS-GPA prognostic index and the survival estimated according to the Kaplan-Meier model from the date of radiosurgery were analyzed. One hundred and twenty-one patients with 229 BMs were treated with VMAT-RS. Patients presented 1-4 BMs, which were treated with 5 non-coplanar VMAT arcs. Sixty-eight percent of the patients had lung cancer and 35% of the BMs were in the frontal lobe. Proportion of local control was 88.5%. BTRE prevalence was 30.6%. The median survival time (MST) was 7.7 months. In the multivariate analysis of the Cox Regression model KPS70 (HRKPS&lt;70=2.59; p=0.001) and higher DS-GPA (HRDS-GPAII =0.55, p=0.022; HRDS-GPAIII-IV =0.38, p=0.006) were associated with improved survival. In the univariate analysis, primary tumor, age and the presence of metastases in the posterior fossa (PFBMs) were also significative. In conclusion, the VMAT-RS is a technique with an overall survival comparable to other radiosurgery techniques. The median survival is significantly longer in those with higher KPS and DS-GPA. Other variables such as the type of primary tumor, age and PFBMs could also influence survival, although further studies are needed.

The use of botanical extracts of the plant Jatropha curcas (Euphorbiaceae) represents a valuable alternative to control insect pests and avoid the detrimental effects on the environment and health that arise due to synthetic chemical insecticides. Thus, we conducted a systematic review to summarize the published evidence on the bioactivity of J. curcas against insect pests. Electronic databases were searched to identify studies that assessed J. curcas extracts against insect pests in various types of crops. We included 39 articles that reported the insecticidal and insectistatic activity of several botanical extracts from J. curcas against insects of eight different taxonomic orders. The evidence demonstrates that aqueous and methanolic extracts from seeds and leaves, seed oil, and petroleum ether seed extracts were effective against insect pests of stored grains, aphids of cabbage, sorghum, fruit flies, and desert locusts. The extracts caused high mortality, controlled the populations, reduced oviposition, diminished hatchability, and increased the antifeedant effect. However, the type of solvent used to obtain the botanical extract and the method of application (contact or food) are fundamental to increase its bioactivity. Therefore, botanical extracts from seeds and leaves of J. curcas should be considered as an alternative against insect pests and may be incorporated into integrative and sustainable management for insect control.

Sociology and History as consolidated scientific and academic projects have maintained a peculiar and paradoxical relationship. The growing disciplinary and subdisciplinary specialization of these two sciences poses relevant epistemological and methodological challenges to face potential situations of isolation, fragmentation and enable the apology of an interdisciplinary perspective characterized by the historicity of social structures, actions and senses.Several types of reasons shape this diffuse process of approach/distinction between Sociology and History, namely, epistemological and methodological, disciplinary closure, academic, professional, configuring what can be called contained dialogues. This paper, starting from the sociological perspective of the authors, seeks to contribute to the reflection on the relevance of a scientific project aimed at affirming an interdisciplinary perspective that may foster the heuristic potentialities of both Sociology and History in the analysis of the complexity of social reality and human action.

3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) is a new psychoactive substance (NPS) and the most widespread and life-threatening synthetic cathinone of the “bath salts”. Preclinical research has proven the cocaine-like psychostimulant effects of MDPV and its potential for abuse. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-psychotropic phytocannabinoid that has emerged as a new potential treatment for drug addiction. Here, we tested the effects of CBD (20 mg/kg) on MDPV (2 mg/kg)-induced conditioned place preference and MDPV (0.05 and 0.075 mg/kg/infusion) self-administration paradigm. We also assessed the effects of the combination of CBD, and MDPV (3 and 4 mg/kg) on anxiety-like behaviour using the elevated plus maze (EPM). CBD mitigated the MDPV-induced conditioned place preference. On the contrary, CBD administration throughout the MDPV (0.075 mg/kg/infusion) self-administration increased drug-seeking and taking behaviours, but only in the high-responders group of mice. Additionally, CBD exerted anxiolytic-like effects, but only in MDPV-treated mice. Taken together, our results indicate that CBD modulation of MDPV-induced motivational responses in mice vary depending on the requirements of the learning task, resulting in a complex response. More research attempting to decipher the behavioural and molecular interactions between CBD and MDPV is needed.

Currently, the textile industry is a poorly automated sector, due in part to problems in the handling of deformable leather and textile parts during production operations. In this work, several problems in the handling process of leather and textile parts are addressed, introducing methods to increase the automation of the process. A pneumatic actuator designed to pick up textile or leather parts avoiding their deformation during transport has been developed. This actuator maximizes the number of gripping points to improve handling, making it more stable and efficient. Additionally, a vision system has been implemented in the part picking task which, in conjunction with the CAD information of the part, sends the modified gripping position of the part to the robot. This allows customized handling of each textile or leather part. Finally, validation tests have been carried out on this development, both in simulations and in laboratory conditions, demonstrating its viability and direct applicability in the production line.

Larus michahellis increased its population throughout the 20th century in its worldwide distribution area. The increase in the Salinas de San Pedro del Pinatar has produced changes in the habitats due to the contribution of guano, predation on birds, incidents with workers, and the production of salt. The objective is to analyze the impacts of L. michahellis on the landscape, habitats, waterfowl, salt production, and workers, as well as to evaluate the effectiveness of control activities. Censuses of wintering L. michahellis have been carried out between 1990-2021, of nesting aquatic birds between 1994-2021, and nests and eggs of L. michahellis have been eliminated between 2000-2021. The result has been a decrease in pairs of L. michahellis, recovery of waterfowl populations, colonization of others, absence of incidents with workers, and reduction of damage to salt production. However, to reach a definitive solution, measures should be adopted to prevent L. michahellis from accessing the main sources of human food: urban solid waste dumps, aquaculture farms, and fish discards.

Despite widespread vaccination, early treatments, and improved understanding of the disease, the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection remain significant worldwide. Many patients still suffer from severe COVID-19, necessitating admission to intensive care units. Remdesivir is a primary treatment option among viral RNA polymerase inhibitors for hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 patients. However, there is a lack of studies examining factors influencing its effectiveness in this context. We conducted a retrospective study throughout 2022, analyzing clinical, laboratory, and sociodemographic data from 252 hospitalized COVID-19 patients treated with remdesivir. Six machine learning algorithms were compared and validated to predict factors associated with the loss of clinical benefit from remdesivir in terms of mortality and hospital stay. Data were extracted from electronic health records. The eXtreme Gradient Boost (XGB) method achieved the highest balanced accuracy for both mortality (95.45%) and hospital stay (94.24%). Factors associated with worse outcomes of remdesivir use in terms of mortality included limitation of life support treatment, need for ventilatory support (especially invasive mechanical ventilation) on day 14 after the first dose of remdesivir, lymphopenia, low levels of albumin and hemoglobin, presence of flu and/or coinfection, and cough. Factors associated with worse outcomes of remdesivir use in terms of hospital stay included the number of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, patchy lung density, bilateral pulmonary radiological status, number of comorbidities, oxygen therapy, troponin and lactate dehydrogenase levels, and asthenia. These findings highlight the effectiveness of XGB as a strong candidate for accurately categorizing COVID-19 patients undergoing remdesivir treatment.

The Textile and Clothing (T\&C) value chain is one of the most polluting in the world and one that produces the most waste. It is, therefore, important to encourage the Circular Economy (CE) model in this sector, to reduce pollution and mitigate the effects of waste production, and consequently increase environmental sustainability. For that, the involvement of the final consumer is essential. And, the final consumer's use of an Eco-gamified application for registering and promoting Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C) and Consumer-to-Business (C2B) activities, which extends the life time of textile products, is of utmost importance. In this article, we survey gamification frameworks for analyzing system design level techniques that enable engaging the final consumer in the CE process. Then, we select and use one of such frameworks, Gameful Design Heuristics (GDH), for defining the gamification structure needed to implement on a Business-to-Consumer-to-Consumer (B2C2C) context of a circular economy. As result, we present a B2C2C circular business process model for the T\&C value chain, and propose the design model of a gamified platform for the final consumers, which allows them to register the C2B and C2C activities, from the circular value chain's business process, and benefit from a game-like experience. All model features have been mapped to GDH framework heuristics, validating that it is possible to support a set of defined heuristics of applied gamification for promoting CE in the T\&C value chain.

The number of physical devices connected to the Internet such as vehicles, household appliances and other "things" has been steadily increasing in recent years, thus forming the basis for the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT ecosystem extends beyond country borders and application domains, combining thousands of versatile devices that differ in terms of their structures, capabilities, and available resources. It is therefore not surprising that the landscape of wireless communication technologies and the degree of IoT devices available today is excessively broad and diverse. Interference between networks leads to frame collisions and consequent packet loss. Frame collisions occur when two or more packets overlap in time and frequency and use the same LoRa parameters, i.e. the same spreading factor (SF), bandwidth (BW) and carrier frequency (CF). When most devices use the same configuration, collision probability is higher. The probability of frame collisions is also affected by traffic characteristics, particularly the periodicity of the transmission and the payload size. Larger payload sizes and more frequent transmissions accumulate with higher time on air (ToA) and channel occupancy [1]. Transmission powers and the location of the gateways also influences this situation. The aim of this experimental work is to verify the effects of collisions and interference in LoRaWAN, regarding the periodicity of transmissions and the payload sizes. The hardware used is an Arduino board programmed in C/C++, a LoRa Bee module operating at a frequency of 868 MHz and a LoRaWAN LG02 gateway. Different scenarios were tested in an outdoor environment, with Line of Sight and Non-Line of Sight, and different variables such as: SFs equal to 7, 9 and 12; distances of 20, 40 and 60 meters and different data sizes of 14, 32 and 51 bytes, over the same channel. The packets with different SF’s and different data sizes were transmitted in a (pseudo) random way, one after the other, overlapping different SFs in the same channel and testing this way (theoretical) orthogonality among them. By fixing the bandwidth in 125 kHz, and testing different SFs we intend to increase the probability of cause packet loss by applying to our connection a combination of emitted power/short distance that leaves an interference power received, strong enough [2] for the effect. We validate our conclusions by analyzing ToA according with RSSI and different data sizes, the RSSI for different SFs and different data sizes and finally the packet loss through the PDR-Packet Delivery Ratio for a better understanding of the reliability of packet transmission in our link.

This paper presents high-resolution digital measurements at low cost, combining oversample and averaging. Experiments of processing data between samples and between multiple temperature sensors in the same environment are conducted. They provide results with effective increase in the analog to digital converter bits, in correspondence with the minimization on the effects of noise. It is shown that averaging a set of small, low-cost sensors at a small microcontroller can give flexible access to improved measurement accuracy.

The European mink (Mustela lutreola) is one of Europe's most endangered species, and it is on the brink of extinction in the Iberian Peninsula. The species' precarious situation requires the application of new ex-situ conservation methodologies that complement the existing ex-situ and in-situ conservation measures. Here, we report for the first time the establishment of a biobank of European mink mesenchymal stem cells (emMSC) and oocytes from specimens found dead in the Iberian Peninsula, either free or in captivity. New emMSC lines were isolated from different tissues: bone marrow (emBM-MSC), oral mucosa (emOM-MSc), dermal skin (emDS-MSC), oviduct (emO-MSc), endometrium (emE-MSC), testicular (emT-MSC), and adipose tissue from two different adipose depots: subcutaneous (emSCA-MSC) and ovarian (emOA-MSC). All the eight emMSC lines showed plastic adhesion, detectable expression of characteristic markers of MSCs and, when cultured under osteogenic and adipogenic conditions, differentiation capacity to these lineages. Additionally, we were able to keep 227 Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) in the biobank, 97 of which are grade I or II. The European mink MSC and oocyte biobank will allow for the conservation of the species' genetic variability, the application of assisted reproduction techniques, and the development of in vitro models for studying the molecular mechanisms of infectious diseases that threaten the species' precarious situation.

This article addresses the problem of formation control of a quadrotor and one (or more) marine vehicles operating at the surface of the water with the end goal of encircling the boundary of a chemical spill, enabling such vehicles to carry and release chemical dispersants used during ocean cleanup missions to break-up oil molecules. Firstly, the mathematical models of the Medusa class of marine robots and quadrotor aircrafts are introduced, followed by the design of single vehicle motion controllers that allow these vehicles to follow a parameterized path individually using Lyapunov based techniques. At a second stage, a distributed controller using event triggered communications is introduced, enabling the vehicles to perform cooperative path following missions according to a pre-defined geometric formation. In the next step, a real time path planning algorithm is developed that makes use of a camera sensor, installed on-board the quadrotor. This sensor enables the detection in the image of which pixels encode parts of a chemical spill boundary and use them to generate and update in real time a set of smooth B-spline based paths for all the vehicles to follow cooperatively. The performance of the complete system is evaluated by resorting to 3-D simulation software, making it possible to simulate visually a chemical spill. Results from real water trials are also provided for parts of the system, where two Medusa vehicles are required to perform a static lawn-mowing path following mission cooperatively at the surface of the water.

. Sealants and adhesives are used in the repair and preservation of damaged solid organs. This study examines the matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) activity in the healing of liver injuries treated with two biological adhesives (Tachosil® and GelitaSpon®) as well as that of a new elastic cyanoacrylate (Adhflex®). Methods. We induced in 90 male rats hepatic lesions using a Stiefel biopsy punch in the liver. Wound healing was assessed 2, 6, and 18 days after injury by quantifying MMP1, 2, 8, 9, and 13 tissue levels. The histopathological repair was evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin, Masson’s trichrome, and Periodic Acid Schiff (PAS) staining and CD31, CD68 immunohistochemical marker. The three sealants used contributed to the complete healing of hepatic lesions. Both histopathology and MMP findings point to the fact that degradation with Adhflex® is slower and causes a strong inflammatory reaction at the onset of healing. Results. All the MMPs measured showed higher values early in the healing process in animals treated with Adhflex® and Tachosil, expression for MMP2 and MMP9 being significantly higher in the Adhflex-treated group. Animals treated with Tachosil had significant greater values of MMP8 and MPP13 than the Adhflex group. Animals treated with Adhflex® showed a sustained overexpression in all MMPs even at the latest wound healing stages. Conclusion. Notably, the overexpression of the MMPs did not negatively influence the histological healing process of liver injuries. Since all hepatic trauma injuries should be treated as emergencies, any easy-to-use and rapid sealant, like Adhflex®, could be considered an adequate treatment option.

The objective was to model the teams’ style of play (SoP) in elite football and relate them to the match result. For this, the twenty Spanish first division teams in the 2016-17 season were analysed, using nine interaction performance indicators (IRi). A principal component (PC) analysis was applied. From two PCs four SoPs were established: deep or high-pressure defending, and elaborate or direct attack. The SoPs were distributed according to average performance obtained throughout the championship. The connection between the preferred SoP and the final result was estimated. Teams with elaborate offensive styles and teams defensively minded got better results. In addition, most of the teams showed variability in their SoP. The applications of the study are: 1) the IRi have served to identify SoP and can be used as a reference to optimize team performance; 2) teams should have a varied SoP repertoire, as well as being prepared to deal with different SoPs; 3) particular player profiles should be connected with the desired SoP when creating the squad. 4) clubs should develop a varied range of SoPs at their academies.

Zn2GeO4 is considered a very promising alternative to current luminescent semiconductors. Previous results suggest that its emitted wavelength may depend on different variables, such as particle size and morphology, among others. In this work, we have prepared pure and highly homogeneous Zn2GeO4 nanorods under hydrothermal synthesis conditions with a willemite-like structure. Their luminescent properties have been explored and their band gap estimated, which are distinct to previously reported Zn2GeO4 bulk particles. Therefore, our results identify particle morphology as a crucial factor for maximizing and fine-tuning the luminesce of Zn2GeO4 nano-phosphors.

Immunostaining of transcription factors allows a more exact classification of pituitary neuroendocrine tumours (PitNETs), but not a better prediction of their clinical behaviour. This retrospective, single-centre study aims to classify a series of PitNETs using Trouillas et al.’s clinicopathological classification from 2013. We analysed 166 patients undergoing PitNET surgery in 2013–2023. Tumours were identified according to the gene and immunohistochemical expression of PitNET transcription factors plus adenohypophyseal hormones. Tumours were classified according to a grading system based on MRI invasion and Ki-67 index. Eighty-one (48.8%) patients had grade 2a tumours; 71 (42.8%), grade 1a; 8 (4.8%), 2b; and 6 (3.6%), 1b. At a mean follow-up of 57.8 (standard deviation 30) months, 13.9% (n=23) showed recurrence/progression; independent predictors of recurrence were tumour volume (p=0.031) and T2 signal intensity ratio (SIR) (p&lt;0.001). This risk was 18.6-fold higher for a T2 SIR of 2 or more. Grade 2a and 2b tumours, T2 SIR, and silent corticotroph adenomas (SCAs) were associated with lower progression-free survival. Our results add more evidence to the prognostic value of the five-grade PitNET classification and suggest higher clinical surveillance of patients with SCAs is warranted. The MRI findings highlight the increasing value of radiological evaluation for managing PitNETs.

Primary hyperoxalurias (PHs) are a group of inherited alterations of the hepatic glyoxylate metabolism. PHs classification based on gene mutations parallel a variety of enzymatic defects, and all involve the harmful accumulation of calcium oxalate crystals that produce systemic damage. These geographically widespread rare diseases have a deep impact in the life quality of the patients. Until recently, treatments were limited to palliative measures and kidney/liver transplants in the most severe forms. Efforts made to develop pharmacological treatments succeeded with the biotechnological agent lumasiran, a siRNA product against glycolate oxidase, which has become the first effective therapy to treat PH1. However, small molecule drugs have classically been preferred since they benefit from experience and have better pharmacological properties. The development of small molecule inhibitors designed against key enzymes of glyoxylate metabolism is on the focus of research. Enzyme inhibitors are successful and widely used in several diseases and their pharmacokinetic advantages are well known. In PHs, effective enzymatic targets have been determined and characterized for drug design and interesting inhibitory activities have been achieved both in vitro and in vivo. This review describes the most recent advances towards the development of small molecule enzyme inhibitors in the treatment of PHs, introducing the multi-target approach as a more effective and safe therapeutic option.

This study examines the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity in the healing of liver injuries treated with biological adhesives Tachosil^® and GelitaSpon^® and the elastic cyanoacrylate Adhflex^®. Hepatic lesions were induced in male rats using a Stiefel biopsy punch. Healing was assessed 2, 6, and 18 days after injury by quantifying tissue levels of MMP1, 2, 8, 9, and 13. Histopathological repair was evaluated using hematoxylin-eosin, Masson’s trichrome, and Periodic Acid Schiff (PAS) staining and immunohistochemical markers CD31 and CD68. The sealants contributed to complete healing. Histopathology and MMP findings indicate that Adhflex^® has slower degradation and a strong inflammatory reaction at the onset of healing. Early on, all MMPs showed higher levels in Adhflex^® and Tachosil^®-treated animals, and MMP2 and MMP9 expressions were significantly higher in the Adhflex-treated group at 18 days post-injury (T3). The Adhflex^® group had significantly higher MMP8 and MPP13 levels than other treated groups and showed a sustained overexpression of all MMPs, even in the latest healing stages. Notably, the overexpression did not negatively influence the histological healing process. All hepatic trauma injuries should be treated as emergencies, and any easy-to-use and rapid sealant like Adhflex^® could be considered as an option for treating liver trauma.

This study aimed to assess the psychological effects of being processed by the justice system, either as a plaintiff or as a defendant. The sample consisted of 360 subjects, 32.8% defendants and 52.2% plaintiffs, residents in the Autonomous Community of Galicia (NW Spain). A lot of psychological test were administered. The results indicated significant differences between plaintiffs and defendants. The former were more pessimistic about the future, used poor strategies for protecting health, and had less empathy. In contrast, defendants had a more negative outlook on life, and in general more psychosomatic symptomology. Thus, both defendants and plaintiffs suffered health problems. Moreover, the group with the longest exposure to litigation had the worst deteriorated health. In conclusion, defendants were more pessimistic about the future, used poor strategies for protecting their own health, and showed less empathy. Likewise, plaintiffs had a more negative outlook on life, and on the whole presented more psychosomatic symptomology. Thus, both defendants and plaintiffs presented health problems. Moreover, the comparison between litigants and non-litigants showed health was more deteriorated in the former, but only in a few specific variables.

(1) Background: Grapes and their associated by-products (as grape pomace, GP) stand out for their polyphenol content, which makes them a source of bioactive compounds with antioxidant capacity. The aim of this research was to determine if the inclusion of 50 g/kg of GP in the diet of hens could enrich egg with antioxidants and to study its effect on internal and external egg quality parameters. (2) Methods: A trial was conducted with two genetic lines of hens, which were fed either a control diet or a diet containing 50 g/kg of GP. Performance, internal and external egg quality, and egg yolk content of vitamins E and A, and gallic acid were determined; (3) Results: In eggs laid by hens fed GP diet, Haugh units and yolk colour score were enhanced, and eggshell became thinner, but without affecting the breaking strength. No dietary effect was observed on vitamin contents in yolk. Higher gallic acid content was observed in yolk of eggs laid by hens fed the GP diet, suggesting that some dietary phenolic compounds could be transferred to the eggs. Hen genetics influenced egg weight, albumen Haugh units, shell thickness and α- and γ-tocopherol concentration in yolks; (4) Conclusions: Dietary inclusion of GP improved the internal quality of eggs, enriching yolks with a phenolic compound, but reduced shell thickness.

Trichomes are a common morphological defense against pests, in particular, type IV glandular trichomes have been associated with resistance against different invertebrates. Cultivated tomatoes usually lack or have a very low density of type IV trichomes. Thus, specific breeding programs to incorporate these natural defences, that are common within the Solanum genus, might improve a more sustainable management. We have identified a S. pimpinellifolium accession with very high density of this type of trichomes. Two F2 mapping populations using two different parents have been developed, characterized and genotyped using a new genotype methodology, K-seq. We have been able to build an ultra-dense genetic map with 147,326 markers with an average distance between markers of 0.2 cM that has allowed us to perform a detailed mapping. We have used two different families and two different approaches, QTL mapping and QTL-seq, to identify several QTLs implicated in the control of trichome type IV developed in this accession on the chromosomes 5, 6, 9 and 11. The QTL located on chromosome 9 is a major QTL that has not been previously reported in S. pimpinellifolium that increases by a factor of 9 the density of trichomes.

Stochastic mortality models seek to forecast future mortality rates; thus, apparently the objective variable should be the mortality rate expressed in the original scale. However, the performance of stochastic mortality models - in terms, that is, of their goodness-of-fit and prediction accuracy - is often based on the logarithmic scale of the mortality rate. In this article, we examine whether the same forecast outcomes are obtained when the performance of mortality models is assessed based on the original and log scales of the mortality rate. We compare four different stochastic mortality models: the original Lee-Carter model, the Lee-Carter model with (log-)normal distribution, the Lee-Carter model with Poisson distribution and the median Lee-Carter model. We show that the preferred model will depend on the scale of the objective variable, the selection criteria measure and the range of ages analysed.

All hydropower project type requires an ample availability of stream flow data. Unfortunately most of the hydropower projects especially small hydropower projects are conducted on ungauged river and consequently hydrologists have for a longtime used stream flow estimation methods using the mean annual flows to gauge rivers. Unfortunately flow estimation methods which include the runoff data method, area ratio method and the correlation flow methods employ a lot of assumptions which affect their uncertainty. Although hydropower energy is one of most promising clean energy technologies available, it has potential drawbacks as compared with various other forms of renewable energy, such as biomass, solar and wind energy, due in particular to it high capital investment costs. For most of the rural population in Mozambique, access to conversional energy in the form of electricity is limited. The aim of the present investigation was to analyze the functions of the Chua micro-hydropower plant in the Manica district in Mozambique and to examine the possibility of increasing energy production there. The total power generation capacity currently installed in Mozambique is about 939 MW. Hydropower accounts for 561 MW or 61% of this, oil and natural gas in turn, for 27% and 12% of it, respectively.

Oritavancin is a novel long-acting lipoglycopeptide with in vitro activity against methicillin-resistant (MR) Gram-positive pathogens and a good bactericidal activity even in presence of biofilm forming bacteria. It has been approved for acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI), but recent reports have demonstrated possible off-label uses, as for prosthetic joint infections (PJI), which, in more than half of cases, are caused by MR Gram positive organisms. We reported a case of a man in his eighties with a late shoulder PJI caused by methicillin resistant Staphyloccus epidermidis (MRSE) with contraindications for surgical replacement and few oral therapeutic options for a long term suppressive antibiotic therapy. The prosthesis was retained, and the patient received ten outpatient sequential doses of 1200 mg of oritavancin during 28 weeks, based on therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) as a guide for correct timing of administration of each dose. During oritavancin administration, the patient achieved clinical cure, with disappearance of the pain and regaining pre-infection joint mobility, with no side effects reported and no further surgery or hospitalization needed. The treatment is ongoing as a long-lasting suppressive antimicrobial therapy. Oritavancin could represent an excellent solution for treating PJI caused by MR organism, especially in patients who need a long-term suppressive therapy.

While digitization can make the health industry faster and more efficient, there are many financial, social and organizational obstacles and barriers to its implementation. This article offers a systematic review of the main troubles detected from the literature review. Also there is a proposal of new kind of restrictions to pay attention. Finally, its offer an heterodox reading about the problem analyzed.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a multifactorial lung inflammatory disease affecting 174 million people worldwide, with a recently reported increased incidence in female patients. Patients with COPD are especially vulnerable to the detrimental effects of environmental exposures, especially from air particulate and gaseous pollutants. Exposure to air pollution severely influences COPD outcomes, resulting in acute exacerbations, hospitalizations, and death. In the current study, we conducted a review of the literature addressing air pollution induced acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) in order to determine whether air pollution affects COPD patients in a sex-specific manner. We found that while the majority of studies enrolled both male and female patients, only a few reported results disaggregated by sex. Most studies had a higher enrollment of male patients, only four compared AECOPD outcomes between sexes, and only one study identified sex differences in AECOPD, with females displaying higher rates. Overall, our analysis of the literature confirmed that air pollution exposure is a trigger for AECOPD hospitalizations and revealed a significant gap in our knowledge of sex-specific effects of air pollutants on COPD outcomes, highlighting the need for more studies considering sex as a biological variable.

Second-level hospitals face peculiarities that hinder the implementation of the hearing rescreening protocol, which are not uncommon in other settings. This study analyzes the hearing rescreening process in this kind of hospital. A total of 1130 individuals were included. In this cohort, 61.07% were newborns in the hospital who failed their first otoemission test after birth (n=679) or were unable to have the test performed (n=11), then being referred to outpatient clinic. The remaining 38.93% were individuals who were born in another hospital with their first test conducted in the outpatient clinic (n=440). A high amount of rescreenings were made outside the recommended time frame, mainly in children referred from another hospital. There was a high rate of lost to follow-up especially with otolaryngologist referrals. Neonatal Hearing screening in second level hospitals is difficult because of the staffing and time constraints. This results in longer than recommended turnaround times and interferes with the timely detection of hearing loss. This is particularly serious in outpatients. Referral of children with impaired screening to out-of-town centers leads to unacceptable loss of follow-up. A legislative support for all these rescreening issues is necessary. We discuss these findings and propose some solutions.

In this study, a simple approach to solving the Riemann Hypothesis, one of the most prominent unsolved problems in the field of Number Theory in mathematics and one of the “Millenium Prize Problems”, is presented. The Riemann Hypothesis, a conjecture about distribution of prime numbers, has remained unsolved since it was first proposed by German mathematician, Bernhard Riemann in 1859. This paper introduces an analytic continuation of the Zeta Function as well as symmetric approach through integration by parts to address this hypothesis. The proposed solution is obtained through analytical continuation in the critical strip 0<Re(s)<1 to establish that Re(s)=1/2.

Security in IoT systems is extremely important, as an intrusion into an IoT device or network can affect not only our domestic lives, but also industrial assets, with the potential to cause enormous damage. We discuss IoT security issues as defined by the OWASP Foundation, focusing on network related aspects. After a brief description of SDN in general and OpenFlow in particular, we discuss how SDN technologies can greatly help in designing and deploying more secure IoT networks by enhancing the cryptographic capabilities of devices, isolating devices or networks, blocking access to unwanted services, redirecting traffic to deep inspection systems, monitoring packet flows and devices, etc. These capabilities can be implemented using open-source OpenFlow controllers such as Faucet.

Recent evidence indicates that the risk of being diagnosed with cancer in a tissue is strongly correlated (0.80) with the number of stem cell divisions accumulated by the tissue. Since cell division can generate random mutations during DNA replication, this correlation has been used to propose that cancer is largely caused by the accumulation of unavoidable mutations in driver genes. However, no correlation between the number of gene mutations and cancer risk across tissues has been reported. Because many somatic mutations in cancers originate prior to tumor initiation and the number of cell divisions occurring during tumor growth is similar among tissues, here I use whole genome sequencing information from 22,086 cancer samples and incidence data from the largest cancer registry in each continent to study the relationship between the number of gene mutations and the risk of cancer across 33 tissue types. Results show a weak positive correlation (mean = 0.14) between these two parameters in each of the five cancer registries. The correlation became stronger (mean = 0.50) when gender-related cancers were excluded. Results also show that 1,003 samples from 29 cancer types have zero mutations in genes. These data suggest that cancer etiology can be better explained by the accumulation of stem cell divisions than by the accumulation of gene mutations. Possible mechanisms by which the accumulation of cell divisions in stem cells increases the risk of cancer are discussed.

All cancer registries constantly show striking differences in cancer incidence by age and among tissues. For example, lung cancer is diagnosed hundreds of times more often at age 70 than at age 20, and this cancer in nonsmokers occurs thousands of times more frequently than heart cancer in smokers. An analysis of these differences using basic concepts in cell biology indicates that cancer is the end-result of the accumulation of cell divisions in stem cells. In other words, the main determinant of carcinogenesis is the number of cell divisions that the DNA of a stem cell has accumulated in any type of cell from the zygote. Cell division, process by which a cell copies and separates its cellular components to finally split into two cells, is necessary to produce the large number of cells required for living. However, cell division can lead to a variety of cancer-promoting errors, such as mutations occurring during DNA replication, chromosome aberrations arising during mitosis, errors in the distribution of cell-fate determinants between the daughter cells, and failures to restore physical interactions with other tissue components. Some of these errors are spontaneous, others are promoted by endogenous DNA damage occurring during quiescence, and others are influenced by pathological and environmental factors. The cell divisions required for carcinogenesis are primarily caused by multiple local and systemic physiological signals rather than by errors in the DNA of the cells. As carcinogenesis progresses, the accumulation of DNA errors promotes cell division and eventually triggers cell division under permissive extracellular environments. The accumulation of cell divisions in stem cells drives not only the accumulation of the DNA alterations required for carcinogenesis, but also the formation and growth of the abnormal cell populations that characterize the disease. This model of carcinogenesis provides a new framework for understanding the disease and has important implications for cancer prevention and therapy.

The Musa textilis var. Abuab has high fiber quality (FQ) but has low resistance against abaca bunchy top virus (AbBTV); the Musa balbisiana var. Pacol, has low FQ but high resistance against AbBTV. Their backcrosses (BC2 and BC3) possess both desirable traits. Analysis using RNA-seq showed that the regulatory divergence of Abuab and Pacol is largely explained by cis differences with 27.4% and 22.3% if we are to assess it using BC2 and BC3, respectively. Cis differences between the two genotypes are significantly reduced from BC2 to BC3 due to changes in genomic constitution. Trans, on the other hand, is robust to changes in allelic composition. All these are attributed to the loss of heterozygosity in the BC3 relative to BC2. Further analysis showed that both backcrosses exhibited genome-wide preferential expression of Pacol- over Abuab-specific alleles, despite the wider genetic presence of the latter in the hybrids. The ratio of the two genotype-specific expressed transcripts and the ratio of their corresponding genetic make-up are significantly disproportionate, a phenomenon which we refer here as “genome–transcriptome incongruence”. We also observed preferential expression switching in which several genes prefer Abuab- (or Pacol-) specific allele in the BC2 but switched to Pacol- (or Abuab-) specific allele in the BC3 genome.

Congenital deafness is a major pediatric problem, affecting about 1.5-3 per 1000 newborns. The early treatment through cochlear implantation and auditory rehabilitation has been a historic milestone. Early diagnosis of congenital deafness is an essential requirement to obtain the best results, which is achieved through neonatal screening, a diagnostic practice that we began systematically at the Hospital Clínico in Valencia (Spain) 30 years ago.

Some evidence supports the influence of the implant macro-design and primary stability. Additionally, tactile perception can be used to assess implant stability when placing the implant. This research aimed to quantify the primary and secondary stability of three implant systems with two different macro geometries (cylindrical and conical) determined through the insertion torque and the implant stability quotient (ISQ) at the moment of implant placement as a function of implant-related factors (length, width, dental arch, and implant location in the arch), intraoperative factors (bone density determined subjectively by the clinician's tactile perception), and patient-related factors (age, gender and bone density determined objectively in the cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). Methods: 102 implants of three implant systems with two different macro geometries (conical and cylindrical) were placed in 53 patients. The insertion torque, the ISQ at the implant placement (ISQ0), and bone quality according to the clinician's tactile sensation were recorded on the day of the surgery. After a three-month healing period, the ISQ was re-evaluated (ISQ3). Results: Cylindrical implants exhibited significantly higher insertion torque and ISQ at the moment of the surgery and after three months than conical implants. Cylindrical implants also showed significantly lower indices of tactile evaluation of bone quality during the implant placement surgery. However, no differences were demonstrated in the bone density measured objectively in the CBCT. (4) Conclusions: The cylindrical implants achieved the highest values for primary stability (Ncm and ISQ) and secondary stability (ISQ after three months). Insertion torque was the variable that most influenced ISQ on the day of the surgery. Implant location (incisors-canines, bicuspids-molars) and the implant macro geometry were the variables that most influenced the secondary stability (ISQ at three months).