Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell-based therapies have achieved substantial successes against B-cell malignancies, what has led to a growing scientific and clinical interest on extending their use to solid cancers. However, results for solid tumours have been limited up to now, in part due to the immuno-suppressive tumour microenvironment, that is able to inactivate CAR-T cell clones. In this paper we put forward a mathematical model describing the competition of CAR-T and tumour cells, accounting for their immunosuppressive capabilities. Using the mathematical model, we show that the use of large numbers of CAR-T cells targeting the solid tumour antigens could overcome the cancer immunosuppressive potential. To achieve such high levels of CAR-T cells we propose and study computationaly, the manufacture and injection of CAR-T cells targeting two antigens: CD19 and a tumour-associated antigen. We study in-silico the resulting dynamics of the disease after the injection of this product and find that the expansion of the CAR-T cell population in the blood and lymphopoietic organs could lead to the massive generation of an army of CAR-T cells targetting the solid tumour, and potentially overcoming its inmune suppression capabilities. That strategy could benefit from the combination with PD-1 inhibitors and of low tumour loads. Our computational results provide a theoretical support for the treatment of different types of solid tumours using T-cells engineered with combination treatments of dual CARs with on- and off-tumour activity and anti-PD1 drugs after completion of classical cytoreductive treatments.

This research investigates the effects of torsional moments on the mechanical behavior of thin-walled open-ended vertical pile foundations subjected to lateral wind loads. The warping and torsion effect generated over the piles due to the resultant lateral load impact outside the shear center is analyzed in-field tests. Complementarily, a two-dimensional finite element model based on the simple bending stress-strain state as well as a three-dimensional finite element model considering torsional effects were implemented and their results analyzed. Finally, a comparative analysis between the in-field lateral loading tests and the finite element model approaches was established and correlations between the errors and the parameters of influence were highlighted. From the results, it has been ascertained that the slender thin-walled open-ended pile foundations are particularly sensitive to small load deviations from their center of gravity, this leads to the fact that the slenderer and the more eccentricity of the load, the more it affects the torsion and warping of the pile. Calculation methodologies usually consider a simple in-plane bending behavior which conducts to errors between 44 and 58% of the experimental results.

The current work shows the optimization in the preparation of nanosized titanium carbide (TiC) in-situ through mechanical alloying (MA). Metallic titanium (Ti) powders, along with two carbon sources, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and stearic acid (SA), were used to reduce the particle size using a high-energy Spex800 mill. The combined use of 2 wt % of these carbon sources and n-heptane as a liquid process control agent (PCA) proved crucial in generating nanoscale powder composites through a simple and scalable synthesis process within a 4-hour timeframe. The use of 20 wt % of both carbon sources was compared to determine the ability of CNTs to form carbides and the decomposition of PCAs during mechanical milling. The result reveals structures like nanoblocks and nanolumps with and important size reduction. The structure and morphology of the composites and starting materials were evaluated through x-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

It is known that high N doses, N/K imbalances, and frequent irrigation favor verticillium wilt. The influence of fertilization and its interaction with the frequency of irrigation on the development of Verticillium wilt of olive (VWO) has been evaluated. A split-split-plot design in microplots with two naturally infested soils of different texture was established for studying three fertilization treatments (NO3Ca, N-P-K and without fertilization), plus two irrigation frequencies (daily and deficit). The treatments were applied by means of fertigation, evaluating the susceptible cultivar Picual. Final disease incidence in plants subjected to NO3Ca-daily treatment was 100% regardless soil texture. However, final mortality in these plants was 37% and 85.2% in clay and sandy loam soils, respectively. As well, the area under the disease progress curve values were significantly higher (49.1%) in plants subjected to NO3Ca fertilization compared to those not fertilized or fertilized with N-P-K when plants grown in clay soil. This value in the sandy loam soil was significantly higher in the NO3Ca-daily irrigation treatment (94.3%), followed by the N-P-K-daily treatment (61.1%) which also was significantly higher than the unfertilized-daily, N-deficit and NPK-deficit treatments (37.8, 42.6 and 44.9 %, respectively). The plants submitted to unfertilized-deficit treatment reached the lowest value 9.6%. In this work it can be concluded that the application of fertilizer or the application of fertilizer with daily frequency irrigations in naturally infested soils increases the development of VWO in 'Picual'.

This paper investigates the path following control problem for a unmanned surface vehicle (USV) in the presence of unknown disturbances and system uncertainties. The simulation study combines two different types of sliding mode surface based control approaches due to its precise tracking and robustness against disturbances and uncertainty. Firstly, an adaptive linear sliding mode surface algorithm is applied, to keep the yaw error within the desired boundaries and then an adaptive integral non-linear sliding mode surface is explored to keep an account of the sliding mode condition. Additionally, a method to reconfigure the input parameters in order to keep settling time, yaw rate restriction and desired precision within boundary conditions is presented. The main strengths of proposed approach is simplicity, robustness with respect to external disturbances and high adaptability to static and dynamics reference courses without the need of parameter reconfiguration.

Three autonomous communities have been the ones that, in the 2022-2023 season, anticipated the document approved by the Public Health Commission, recommending influenza vaccination for all children aged 6 to 59 months. The main objective of this work is to evaluate the attitude of healthcare professionals towards the first universal vaccination campaign in our region, as well as the acceptability of the vaccines used and the attitude towards the piloting of school vaccination. Cross-sectional, survey-based, descriptive study. All healthcare professionals involved in the campaign were invited to participate. The 91.9% of surveyed professionals thought that flu vaccination from 6 to 59 months was important or very important. 89.8% had previous experience regarding the intramuscular vaccine. The professionals valued the intranasal vaccine significantly more positively; however, there were no differences when asking for each of the vaccines without comparison. The inhaled vaccine was preferred by 97.5% for the following campaign. Piloted school vaccination showed 75% acceptance. The inhaled vaccine was preferred by most professionals and the piloted school vaccination was highly accepted, and independently associated to the importance of vaccination as considered by physicians, being a medical doctor, and participation in the pilot program.

The need to develop novel lightweight materials and their manufacturing processes is sets out to meet the new aerospace, automotive and construction requirements. Within this context, this research work is proposed to develop a novel thermoplastic composite material with high mechanical properties. These composites will be based on thermoplastic matrixes made from polyamide and 35% short glass fiber filled-polyamide reinforced with different types of fabrics. As reinforcement, glass fiber fabrics will be used as the base. They will be treated with different processes, both chemical and physical, to promote adherence to the matrix. Textile overmoulding technology was selected for manufacturing these composites. This technology was primarily developed to manufacture aesthetic lined components and has achieved a great implantation. Once these new composites are manufactured, they will be submitted to different tests to evaluate their behavior regarding adhesion, impact strength and stiffness. It is expected an improvement on stiffness and impact absorption.

Since its adoption in September 2015, the 2030 Agenda has laid the foundations for a model of shared prosperity for a sustainable world. We are going through a complicated pandemic that shows profound inequalities affecting our economies, health, and quality of life. For this reason, our aim in this work is to make known the state of the art of scientific research related to inequality, poverty, and climate change and to propose lines of improvement that can contribute to achieving 3 of the 17 SDGs (End poverty-SDG 1-, Reduce inequality-SDG 10-, and Climate action -SDG 13-), proposed in the 2030 Agenda. To do so, we have used a systematic literature review methodology. The results show that poverty, inequality and climate change is a subject that has been little studied and articulated by researchers, with significant differences between the different areas studied. Topics related to sustainability and economics are those with the highest number of publications (51.7%). The rest are distributed among the 12 existing departments. Another relevant finding is that the effects of climate change are more pressing for more vulnerable populations, including impoverished women from rural areas and children from underdeveloped countries. This is a gender and social inequality that has been little addressed in climate change studies. Food security and energy poverty is another under-exploited aspect in this area. According to the results obtained in this work, we consider that the circular economy could improve these indicators, constituting a line of future research. Thus, one of its main objectives is to eliminate negative externalities, specifically existing social inequalities within the current linear economy model.

Colombia is the world's leading producer of mild washed arabica coffee and produces 12.6 million bags of green coffee, but at the same time 784,000 tons of waste biomass are dumped in open fields, of which only 5% is recovered or used. The objective of this project was to evaluate the production of platform chemicals from these coffee wastes. To achieve this, biomass characterization was carried out using proximate analysis, ultimate analysis and structural analysis. Hydrothermal valorization was carried out at a temperature range of 120-180 °C (LHW) and 180-260 °C (HTC) for one hour, the platform chemicals obtained were quantified by HPLC-IR, monitored by pH and conductivity, and the solid fraction was characterized by monitoring the functional groups in IR spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. Hydrolysis processes were obtained from 150 °C, production of platform chemicals from 180 °C and maximum concentration at 180 °C-4h, over 200 °C degradation of the products in the liquid fraction starts to take place. Homogeneous basic and acid catalysts were used to improve the yields of the reaction. The kinetics of the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic structures to sugars were also analyzed and described, and reaction orders of 1 (LHW), 3 (HTC) and their respective reaction rate equations were reported.

PEM fuel cell is a technology successfully used in the production of energy from hydrogen, allowing the use of hydrogen as an energy vector. It is scalable for stationary and mobile applications. However, the technology demands more research. An important research topic is fault diagnosis and condition monitoring to improve the life and the efficiency and to reduce the operation costs of PEMFC devices. Consequently, there is a need of physical models that let deep analysis. These models must be accurate enough to represent the PEMFC behavior and to allow the identification of different internal signals of a PEM fuel cell. This work presents a PEM fuel cell model that uses the output temperature in a closed loop, so it can represent the thermal and the electrical behavior. The model is used to represent a NEXA Ballard 1.2 kW; therefore it is necessary to fit the coefficients to represent the real behavior. Five optimization algorithms were tested to fit the model, three of them were taken from literature and two were proposed. Finally, the model with the parameters identified was validated with real.

This article addresses the need to know the thermal conductivity in different filaments that this FDM technology uses. Because there are multiple applications that these additive manufacturing products play in the field of thermal insulation. For the study of thermal conductivity, the DTC-25 commercial conductivity measurement bench is used, where the tests will be carried out on a set of seven different materials with 100% fabrication density. From base materials such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) or polylactic acid (PLA), materials of high mechanical and thermal resistance, polyether ether ketone (PEEK) and high-performance polyetherimide thermoplastic (ULTEM), to materials with metal inclusions (aluminum 6061) that would later be subjected to thermal aftertreatments. The study shows how the parts manufactured with aluminum inclusion have a higher thermal conductivity, 0.40 ±0.05 W/m·K, compared to another material, such as TPU, of high mechanical and thermal resistance, with a conductivity of 0.26 ±0.05 W/m·K.

Accurate and efficient battery modeling is essential to maximize the performance of isolated energy systems and to extend battery lifetime. This paper proposes a battery model that represents the charging and discharging process of a lead-acid battery bank. This model is validated over real measures taken from a battery bank installed in a research center placed at “El Chocó”, Colombia. In order to fit the model, three optimization algorithms (Particle Swarm Optimization, Cuckoo Search, and Particle Swarm Optimization+Perturbation) are implemented and compared, being the last one a new proposal. This research shows that the model with the proposed algorithm is able to estimate and manage the real battery characteristics as SOC and charging/discharging voltage. The comparison between simulations and real measures shows that the model is able to absorb reading problems, signal delays, and scaling errors. The approach we present can be implemented in other types of batteries especially those used in stand-alone systems.

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.

Refractive surgery is an increasingly popular procedure to decrease spectacle or contact lens dependency. The two most commonly used surgical techniques to correct myopia is Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and Femtosecond- Lasik (FS-LASIK)There are few publications that gathers such a long term follow up of both surgical techniques (2) Methods It has been performed a retrospective non-randomized study 509 PRK eyes and 310 FS-LASIK surgeries were followed for 10 years for the treatment of myopia and compound myopic astigmatism. Patients were followed up three months, one year, 2 years, 5 and 10 years. The safety index of both procedures was defined as a quotient between the postoperative BCVA (Best Corrected Visual Acuity) and the preoperative BCVA. The predictability is calculated as difference between the expected spherical equivalent and the achieved spherical equivalent. The efficacy index was calculated as a quotient between postoperative UCVA divided by the preoperative BCVA (3) Results. The results were: a safety index higher than 100% (109%) and an efficacy index of 82.4% after 10 years of PRK surgery in both groups. FS-LASIK was the safest surgery after 10 years and the most efficacy technique although in this case there were no statistically significant differences (4) Conclusions. All these data demonstrated better indexes for FS-LASIK

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

The state of Oaxaca, Mexico obtained the “Pluma” designation of origin in 2022 and has stood out for the production of specialty coffee. Within its process, roasting is one of the stages that contributes to the physical, chemical and sensory quality of the coffee bean. Therefore, the microstructure and elemental chemical composition of special medium-roasted Coffea arabica L beans from six locations with this denomination were analyzed using Scanning Electron Microscopy. The average values of roughness Rz (25.93±2.69-34.18±1.15 and 13.85±1.66-21.85±6.63) and Ra (5.20±0.47- 8.27±0.82 and 6.55±0.94-11.53±1.65) were obtained at 400 and 2000x, respectively. The roasted Coffea arabica L. beans from MAP and HUA are the ones with the greatest roughness and both are located at a lower altitude compared to the rest. PLU and PTO roasted beans showed the highest physical and structural integrity. In all grains, 6C (66.48-81.14%), 8O (18.86-28.69%) and only 20Ca (4.5%) were found on the outside. This research constitutes a standard of authenticity and microstructural and elemental quality of Coffea arabica L. beans with designation of origin "Pluma".

Natural products have a significant role in the development of new drugs, being relevant the pentacyclic triterpenes extracted from Olea europaea. Anticancer effect of uvaol, a natural triterpene, has been scarcely studied. The aim of this study was to understand the anticancer mechanism of uvaol in HepG2 cell line. Cytotoxicity results showed a selectivity effect of uvaol with higher influence in HepG2 than WRL68 cells used as control. Uvaol presented anti-migratory capacity in HepG2, supported by the morphological changes and higher HSP-60 expression. This compound also induced arrest in G0/G1 phase and an increase in apoptosis rate. These results are supported by decreased Bcl-2 expression and down-regulation of AKT/PI3K signaling pathway. A reduction in reactive oxygen species levels in HepG2 cells was observed. Altogether, results showed anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effect of uvaol on hepatocellular carcinoma, constituting an interesting challenge in the development of new treatments against this type of cancer.

Over the last decade, Psidium guajava L. (guava) leaves have demonstrated their in vitro and in vivo effect against Diabetes mellitus (DM). However, there is a lack of literature concerning the effect of the individual phenolic compounds present in the leaves in DM disease. For this reason, the aim of the present work was the in silico evaluation of each phenolic compound. The identification of an 80% ethanol extract of guava leaves revealed the presence of 73 compounds. The in silico study carried out with the DIA-DB web server revealed that aldose reductase was the target protein with heterogeneous affinity. Naringenin exhibited the highest number of interactions with target proteins, and compounds like catechin, quercetin, naringenin and morin displayed similarities with known antidiabetic drugs. In conclusion, the computational workflow showed that guava leaves contain several compounds that can play a therapeutic role in the treatment of DM.

Maslinic acid (MA) is a natural triterpene from Olea europaea whose pharmacological functions have been showed. The objective of this study was to examine MA effect on cell viability (by MTT assay), reactive oxygen species (ROS levels, by flow cytometry) and key anti-oxidant enzyme activities (by spectrophotometry) in murine skin melanoma (B16F10) cells compared to healthy cells (A10). MA induced cytotoxic effects in cancer cells (IC50 42 µM) whereas no effect was found in A10 cells treated with MA (up to 210 µM). In order to produce a stress situation in cells, 0.15 mM of H2O2 were added. Under stressful conditions, MA protected both cell lines against oxidative damage, decreasing intracellular ROS, being higher in B16F10 than in A10 cells. The treatment with H2O2 and without MA produced different responses in anti-oxidant enzymes activities depending on cell line. In A10 cells, all enzymes were up-regulated, but in B16F10 cells only superoxide dismutase, glutathione S-transferase and glutathione peroxidase increased their activities. MA restored the enzyme activities to similar levels than control group in both cell lines, highlighting that in A10 cells the highest MA doses induced values lower than control. Overall, these findings demonstrate the great anti-oxidant capacity of MA.

Concrete consumption greatly exceeds the use of any other material in engineering. This is due to its good properties as construction material and the availability of its components. Nevertheless, the present worldwide construction increase and the high-energy consumption for cement production means a high environmental impact. On the other hand, one of the main problem in iron and steel industry is waste generation and by-products that must be properly processed or reused to promote the environmental sustainability. One of these by-products are blast furnace slag. Cement substitution by slag strategy achieves two goals, raw materials consumption reduction and waste management. In the present work, four different concrete mixtures are evaluated. 25% cement is substituted by different blast furnace slag. Tests are made to evaluate the advantages and drawbacks of each mixture. Depending on the origin, characteristics and treatment of the slag, concrete properties change. Certain mixtures provide proper concrete properties. Stainless steel slag produces a fluent mortar that reduces the water consumption whit a slight mechanical strength loss. Mixture with electric arc slag furnace properties are better to the reference concrete (without slag) when slag is treated similarly to the cement.

Head and neck cancer is the sixth most frequent cancer type. Drug resistance and toxicity are common challenges of the existing therapies, making the development of reliable preclinical models essential for the study of the involved molecular mechanisms as well as for eventual intervention approaches that improve the clinical outcome. Preclinical models of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma have been traditionally based in cell lines and murine models. In this review, we will go over the most frequently used preclinical models, from immortalized-cell and primary tumour cultures in monolayer or 3D, to the currently available animal models. We will scrutinize their efficiency in mimicking the molecular and cellular complexity of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Finally, the challenges and opportunities of other envisaged putative approaches, as well as the potential of the preclinical models to further develop customized therapies will be discussed.

Mitigation of Anthropogenic CO2 emissions possess a major global challenge for modern societies. Herein catalytic solutions are meant to play a key role. Among the different catalysts for CO2 conversion Cu supported on molybdenum carbide is receiving increasing attention. Hence, in the present communication we show the activity, selectivity and stability of fresh-prepared -Mo2C catalysts and compare the results with those of Cu/Mo2C, Cs/Mo2C and Cu/Cs/Mo2C in CO2 hydrogenation reactions. The results showed that all the catalysts were active and the main reaction product was methanol. The results showed that copper-cesium and molybdenum effectively interact and that cesium promoted the formation of metallic Mo. While, the incorporation of copper is positive to improve the activity and selectivity to methanol, the presence of Mo0 phase was detrimental for the conversion and selectivity. Moreover, the catalysts promoted by cesium underwent redox surface transformations during the reaction that diminished their catalytic performance. The molybdenum phase in Cu/Mo2C changes during reaction leading to metallic molybdenum and tuning the catalytic activity.

To reduce environmental impacts from sodium silicate synthesis it was suggested the use of sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA) as a source of silicon dioxide and sodium carbonate using the ceramic method. Although the production of sodium silicate is carried out on a large scale, it should be noted that its process requires temperatures above 1000 °C or the use of highly corrosive agents such as sodium hydroxide and chlorine gas used to neutralize the remaining sodium hydroxide. In the present work, the synthesis temperatures were reduced to 800 °C with a reaction time of 3 hours by pressing equimolar mixtures of previously purified SCBA and sodium carbonate, then heat treatment was carried out under the indicated conditions. The resulting materials were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Among the crystalline phases, calcium disodium silicate was identified, in addition to sodium silicate, so it was inferred that the other components of the ash can interfere with the synthesis of silicate. Therefore, to obtain the highest composition of sodium silicate, a leaching treatment of the SCBA is required.

A valorization process of spent coffee grounds (SCG) was studied. Thus, a two-stage process, a stage of extraction of the polyphenols and a stage of obtaining activated carbon (AC) by a carbonization process, was performed. The extraction was carried out with a hydro-alcoholic solution in a pressure reactor, modifying time and temperature. To optimize the extraction of polyphenols, a two-level factorial design with three replications at the central values was used. The best results were obtained by performing the extraction at 80 °C during 30 min, using a mixture of EtOH:H2O 1:1 (v/v) as extraction solution. Caffeine and chlorogenic acid were the most abundant compounds in the analyzed extracts, ranging from 0.09 to 4.8 mg∙g^-1 and 0.06 to 9.7 mg∙g^-1, respectively. The precursor obtained in the extraction stage were transformed into AC. An experimental design was realized in order to analyze the influence of different variables in the AC obtained process (reaction time and amount of potassium hydroxide used). Actived carbons with BET specific surface (SBET) comprised between 1600 m^2∙g^-1 and 2330 m²∙g^-1 had a microporous surface. Under the optimum conditions, the obtained AC presented a maximum adsorption capacity of methylene blue (qm) between 411 mg∙g^-1 and 813 mg∙g^-1.

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<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.

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.

Resveratrol is a natural polyphenol found in various plants and fruits such as blackberries, blueberries, currants, strawberries, peanuts, and most especially in grapes. It is also present in red wine, although its content varies greatly depending on its origin. It is a phytoalexin produced by plants in response to stress, aggression from pathogens such as bacteria or fungi, or physical damage such as injury. In addition to its involvement in plant defence responses, resveratrol has been the subject of research interest due to its potential health benefits, including antioxidant properties and potential positive effects on the cardiovascular system, among others. Initial interest in its research stemmed from the so-called 'French paradox', in certain regions of France, where despite high intakes of saturated fats there was a relatively low incidence of coronary heart disease. Science wondered the factor that might be protecting the French from inflammation, vascular damage and playing a role in their longer lifespan. Thus, in the 1990s, it was hypothesized that a component of wine could be the key element. Epidemiological studies began to suggest that moderate consumption of wine, especially red wine, was associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality. In vitro laboratory research supported this idea, demonstrating that resveratrol could inhibit processes involved in the development of atherosclerosis or the formation of arterial plaques, such as platelet aggregation in blood vessels and oxidative damage to LDL cholesterol. A plausible mechanism for heart protection thus emerged. Since then, an increasing number of in vitro and in vivo studies have been carried out to unravel the mechanism by which resveratrol can slow down the aging process.

The present research is embedded in the professional development and research line and in the needs of secondary education and first-year university teachers. We focussed on evidencing the importance of teachers’ professional training to include some specific adaptation and skills in intercultural dialogue and understanding -often called Intercultural Competence- because of its direct impact on the sustainable development of human beings, groups, and ecosystems. We investigated the role played by each of the main competencies linked to the following intercultural dimensions: Professional Identity, Ethics and Axiology, Methodology, and Inclusive Education. We used an integrated methodology and a cross-study of data, performed after the obtention of a three-cornered evaluation of results collected in focus groups, interviews, and questionnaires. We were able to show the impact of intercultural dialogue and understanding in the education for a sustainable development pattern. This is fundamental to set up a new ecology of forms, knowledge, attitudes, and educational meanings, further used to update teachers and students’ training in sustainable ecology and cultural diversity. Progress made in these complementary competencies -Professional Identity, Ethics and Axiology, Methodology- were appraised by teachers participating in the present study; the latter showing an increased interest and demand for the intercultural competence, after increasing their proficiency in the other complementary competencies.

Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has demonstrated high rates of response in recurrent B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in children and young adults. Despite this success, a fraction of patients experience relapse after treatment. Relapse is often preceded by recovery of healthy B cells, which suggests loss or dysfunction of CAR T cells in bone marrow. This site is harder to access, and thus is not monitored as frequently as peripheral blood. Understanding the interplay between B cells, leukemic cells and CAR T cells in bone marrow is paramount in ascertaining the causes of lack of response. In this paper, we put forward a mathematical model representing the interaction between constantly renewing B cells, CAR T cells and leukemic cells in the bone marrow. Our model accounts for the maturation dynamics of B cells and incorporates effector and memory CAR T cells. The model provides a plausible description of the dynamics of the various cellular compartments in bone marrow after CAR T infusion. After exploration of the parameter space, we found that the dynamics of CAR T product and disease were independent of the dose injected, initial B-cell load and tumor burden. We also show theoretically the importance of CAR T product attributes in determining therapy outcome, and have studied a variety of possible response scenarios, including second dosage schemes. We conclude by setting out ideas for the refinement of the model.

Urban and agricultural runoffs can transport contaminants and pesticides into freshwater ecosystems, particularly in the developing tropics. For instance, organophosphate and pyrethroids pesticides like glyphosate, malathion, and permethrin have been found in tropical streams. The uncontrolled application of these pesticides has become a growing concern due to their adverse effects on various non-targeted organisms. Unfortunately, most studies have focused on a few selected model species, ignoring the effects on other nontarget organisms, which may play an important role in tropical lotic ecosystems. In addition, the biological characteristics of aquatic crustaceans, including their morphology, physiology, and behavior, make them susceptible to toxic chemicals. For this reason, this study used the widely distributed freshwater shrimp Xiphocaris elongata as a model organism to determine the acute toxicity of permethrin, malathion, and glyphosate. Our results show that the proportion of mortality of X. elongata in each concentration group became progressively higher as the concentration of exposure increased. We also found that the synthetic pyrethroid permethrin is the most toxic pesticide tested, followed by organophosphate malathion and glyphosate. Experiments with this freshwater shrimp showed a good control performance and reproducibility for the tested pesticides. This study demonstrated that X. elongata is a suitable test organism that can be a representative bioindicator of pesticide toxicity in tropical streams.

In this study, different configurations based on linear fiber lasers were proposed and experimentally demonstrated to measure the concentration of paracetamol liquid solutions in a range of 52.61 to 201.33 g/kg. The optical gain was provided by a commercial bidirectional Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifier (EDFA) and the linear cavity was obtained using two commercial Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs). The main difference of each configuration was the coupling ratio of the optical coupler used to extract the system signal. The sensing head corresponded to a Single-Mode Fiber (SMF) tip that worked as an intensity sensor. The results reveal that, despite the optical coupler used (50:50, 60:40, 70:30 or 80:20), all the configurations reached the laser condition, however, the concentration sensing was only possible using a laser drive current near to the threshold value. The configurations using a 70:30 and an 80:20 optical coupler allowed to perform paracetamol concentration measurements with a higher sensitivity of (-3.00±0.24) pW/(g/kg). In terms of resolution, the highest value obtained was 1.75 g/kg, when it was extracted 20% of the output power to the linear cavity fiber laser configuration.

Since its emergence in March 2020, the SARS-CoV-2 global pandemic has produced more than 65 million cases and one point five million deaths worldwide. Despite the enormous efforts carried out by the scientific community, no effective treatments have been developed to date. We created a novel computational pipeline aimed to speed up the process of repurposable candidate drug identification. Compared with current drug repurposing methodologies, our strategy is centered on filtering the best candidate among all selected targets focused on the introduction of a mathematical formalism motivated by recent advances in the fields of algebraic topology and topological data analysis (TDA). This formalism allows us to compare three-dimensional protein structures. Its use in conjunction with two in silico validation strategies (molecular docking and transcriptomic analyses) allowed us to identify a set of potential drug repurposing candidates targeting three viral proteins (3CL viral protease, NSP15 endoribonuclease, and NSP12 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase), which included rutin, dexamethasone, and vemurafenib among others. To our knowledge, it is the first time that a TDA based strategy has been used to compare a massive amount of protein structures with the final objective of performing drug repurposing

This research aimed to establish the relationship between carbon-nitrogen nutritional factors and copper sulfate on laccase activity (LA) by Pleurotus ostreatus. Culture media composition was tested to choose the nitrogen source. Yeast extract (YE) was selected as a better nitrogen source than ammonium sulfate. Then, the effect of glucose and YE concentrations on biomass production and LA as response variables was evaluated using central composite experimental designs with and without copper. The results showed that the best culture medium composition was glucose 45 gL-1 and YE 15 gL-1, simultaneously optimizing these two response variables. The fungal transcriptome was obtained in this medium with or without copper, and the differentially expressed genes were found. Main up-regulated transcripts included three laccase genes (lacc2, lacc6, and lacc10) regulated by copper, whereas the principal down-regulated transcripts included a copper transporter (ctr1) and a regulator of nitrogen metabolism (nmr1). These results suggest that Ctr1, which facilitates the entry of copper in the cell, is regulated by nutrient-sufficiency conditions. Once inside, copper induces transcription of laccase genes. This finding could explain why a 10 to 20-fold increase in LA occurs with copper compared to cultures without copper when using the optimal concentration of YE as nitrogen sources.

The societies of Western Europe, following the territorial delimitation of the corresponding State, have gone through different historical processes of internal homogenization. After the Peace of Westphalia (1648) the application of the principle cuius regio eius religio induced the religious homogenization of the population. Then, due to the ethnic diversity of its population, the State tried to homogenize it from the cultural point of view; it was the process of nationalization and democratization of the State. This process lead to the separation of religion from politics and from culture. After the two world wars, national reconstruction needed a foreign population: this need for labor was filled in the most developed countries by population of the countries that were least (Portuguese, Spanish, Italian ...) and also by population flows coming from the old colonies. The cultural and religious homogeneity of these countries began to lose force. With the oil crisis of the 1970s, a period of major economic fluctuations began in Europe. In those years, the second generation of the population of immigrant origin began to go to a job market that was not in good health. The religion and culture of their predecessors became autonomous resources for the reconstruction of their identity and to achieve a personal and social esteem. This process is necessarily leading States to rethink the relations between politics, culture and religion.

Six bacterial strains with differing abilities to produce varying concentrations of Indole Acetic Acid were tested individually and in consortia for plant growth promoting and fitness related traits of Cicer arietinum. In all experiments the presence of the nitrogen fixer Mesorhizobium ciceri resulted in increased biomass production. In the absence of this strain, IAA Psedomonas putida and Bacillus megaterium hinder plant growth and fitness related traits. The application of mixes of the three strains always resulted in better plant performance when M. ciceri was present. Whereas P. putida has a noticeable plant growth-promoting effect B. megaterium resulted less effective. The low levels of IAA produced by the selected strains had a significantly greater positive effect on plant biomass accumulation, flower, pods and seed production as well as on total plant nitrogen and nitrogen concentration in seed than high IAA producer strains.

Introduction: The combination of Virtual Screening (VS) techniques with in vivo screening in the zebrafish model is currently being used in tandem for drug development in a faster and more efficient way. Areas covered: We review the different virtual screening techniques, the use of zebrafish as a vertebrate model for drug discovery and the synergy that exists between them. Expert opinion: We highlight the advantages of combining virtual and zebrafish larvae screening for drug discovery. On the one hand, VS is a faster and cheaper tool for searching active compounds and possible candidates for therapy than in vivo screening when processing large compound libraries. On the other hand, zebrafish larvae form a vertebrate model which allows in vivo screening of large amounts of the compounds. Importantly physiology and chemical response are mostly conserved between zebrafish and mammals. The availability of the transgenic and mutant zebrafish lines allows an analysis of a specific phenotype upon treatment along with toxicity, off-target effect, side effects, and dosage. Advantages of VS, in vivo whole animal approach screening, and the screening combinations are also reviewed.

The chemical synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) by using an environmentally friendly methodology for their preparation is presented. Thus, considering that plants possess components that can act as reducing agents and stabilizers in the nanoparticles production, in this work, the synthesis of Ag-NPs by using a solution of grape waste extract as reducing and capping agent is studied. First, the total polyphenols content and reducing sugars in extracts produced at different conditions are characterized. After that, Ag-NPs are synthesized regarding the interaction of Ag ions (from silver nitrate) and the grape waste extract. The effect of temperature, contact time, extract/metal solution volume ratio and pH solution in the synthesis of metal nanoparticles are studied too. Different sets of nanoparticle samples are fully characterized by means of Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy Dispersive X-Ray for qualitative chemical identification. Ag-NPs with an average diameter of 27.7 ± 0.6 nm are selected to proof their suitability for sensing purposes. Thus, screen-printed electrodes modified with Ag-NPs are tested for the simultaneous voltammetric stripping determination of Pb(II) and Cd(II). Results indicate good reproducibility, sensitivity and limits of detection around 2.7 µg L⁻¹ for both metal ions.

Spinal cord injury is a traumatic injury that causes a catastrophic state in patients due to neuronal deficits, loss of motor and sensory function, and this is due to secondary deleterious events subsequent to mechanical damage that expands the death of neural cells beyond the initial trauma. One of the most important events is inflammation, which activates molecules like pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1beta, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha) that provoke a toxic environment, inhibiting axonal growth and exacerbating CNS damage. As there is no effective treatment, one of the strategies developed is neuroprotection to preserve healthy neural tissue and reduce neuroinflammation. Some of the neuroprotective treatments that have been practiced are the use of cell therapy, the administration of peptides and molecules or supplements that have been shown to favor an anti-inflammatory environment, and help to preserve the cells and tissues surrounding the injured area, favoring axonal growth and improving locomotor function. In this review we will explain some of these strategies used in different animal models of spinal cord injury, their activity as modulators of the immune system and the benefits they have shown.

Food allergies have increased significantly in recent decades, with shellfish being a leading cause of food allergy and anaphylaxis worldwide, affecting both children and adults. The prevalence of shellfish allergies is estimated to be approximately 0.5-2.5% of the general population, varying significantly by geographical location, age, and consumption habits. Although mollusk consumption has risen, the prevalence of mollusk allergies remains unknown. While extensive research has focused on crustacean allergies, mollusk allergies, particularly those related to gastropods, have received comparatively less attention. Clinical manifestations of shellfish allergy range from localized symptoms to life-threatening systemic reactions, such as anaphylaxis. Notably, severe bronchospasm is a predominant clinical feature in cases involving gastropods. Several allergens have been identified in mollusks, including paramyosin, tropomyosin, and sarcoplasmic calcium-binding protein. In gastropods, documented allergens include tropomyosin, paramyosin, the heavy chain of myosin, and Der p 4 amylase. Diagnosis typically involves a thorough clinical history, skin testing, in vitro quantification of immunoglobulin (Ig) E, and confirmation through oral challenge, although the latter is reserved for selected cases. This review highlights the limited research on gastropod allergy, the identified allergens to date, and the necessity for further investigations to better understand the implications of shellfish allergy within this class.

Mucorales are the causal agents for the lethal disease known as mucormycosis. Mortality rates of mucormycosis can reach up to 90%, due to the mucoralean antifungal drug resistance and the lack of effective therapies. A concerning urgency among the medical and scientific community claims to find targets for the development of new treatments. Here, we reviewed different studies de-scribing the role and machinery of a novel non-canonical RNAi pathway (NCRIP) only conserved in Mucorales. Its non-canonical features are the independence of Dicer and Argonautes proteins. Conversely, NCRIP relies on RNA-dependent RNA Polymerases and an atypical ribonuclease III (RNaseIII). NCRIP regulates the expression of mRNAs by degrading them in a specific manner. Its mechanism binds dsRNA but only cuts ssRNA. NCRIP exhibits a diversity of functional roles. It represses the epimutational pathway and the lack of NCRIP increases the generation of drug resistant strains. NCRIP also regulates the control of retrotransposons expression, playing an essential role in genome stability. Finally, NCRIP regulates the response during phagocytosis, affecting the multifactorial process of virulence. These critical NCRIP roles in virulence and antifungal drug resistance, along with its exclusive presence in Mucorales, mark this pathway as a promising target to fight against mucormycosis.

Building roofs are sources of unwanted heat for buildings situated in zones with a warm climate. Thus, reflective coatings have emerged as an alternative to reject a significant fraction of solar energy received by roofs. In this research, the thermal behavior of concrete slab-type roofs with traditional and solar reflective coatings was simulated using a computational tool. Weather data from four cities in Mexico with a warm climate were used as boundary conditions. This tool is an in-house code based on the Finite Volume Method developed by the author to perform building components simulations. The code was validated with experimental data from previous work. A series of comparative simulations were developed, taking a gray roof as a control case. The results showed that for the roof without thermal insulation (single roof), the solar reflective coatings reduced the exterior surface between 11 and 16∘C. Consequently, the single roofs’ daily heat gain was reduced by a factor ranging between 41 and 54%. On the other hand, for the insulated roof, the reflective coatings reduced the exterior surface temperature between 17 and 21∘C. At the same time, the daily heat gain of composite roofs was reduced between 37 and 56%.

Tourism is the main economic sector in the Balearic Islands (Spain) and hotel housekeepers (HHs) are a large occupational group, in which stress is becoming a major issue. This study aims at exploring in-depth factors perceived as stressors by HHs and key-informants, and their effects on work-life balance (WLB). A qualitative design with phenomenological approach was used, conducting six focus groups with 34 HHs and 10 individual interviews with key-informants. Results were analyzed adopting the job demands-resources model and a gender perspective. High demands –e.g work overload, time pressure, physical burden...-, lack of enough resources and little control –derived from role conflict, unexpected events...- were the most important factors explaining HHs’ stress. Additionally, this imbalance was perceived as leading to health problems –mainly musculoskeletal disorders-. Working schedule was mentioned as a facilitator to WLB, whereas an imbalance between job demands and resources led to work-home conflict –preventing them from enjoying leisure time-. Multiple roles at work and at home increased their stress. HHs experienced their job as invisible and unrecognised. Regarding practical implications, our recommendations for hotel organization include reducing workload and increasing resources, which would improve the job demands-resource balance, diminish negative mental and physical outcomes and improve WLB.

Cable-Driven Parallel Robots (CDPRs) are a special kind of parallel manipulator which use cables to control the position and orientation of the mobile platform or end-effector. The usage of cables instead of rigid links offer some advantages over their conventional rigid counterparts. As cables can only pull, but not push, the number of cables (n) required to command the end-effector is always n+1. This configuration is known as fully-constrained and it is the most extended configuration for CDPRs. Although CDPRs have many advantages, such as their ability to cover large working areas, one of their main problems is that their working area (workspace) is limited in comparison to its frame area (planar case), or frame volume (spatial case), due to the minimum and maximum allowed tensions. Depending of these tensions values the workspace can be notoriously decreased. In order to tackle this problem, lots of works focus on solving kinematics or dynamics problems for cable sagging, i.e., they take into account sagging when modelling the robot kinematic and include these poses inside the usable robot workspace. Taking into account phenomenons like this increases the mathematical complexity of the problem, and much more complex techniques are required. On the other hand, the lack of workspace problem can be tackled by adding active or passive elements to the robot design. In this sense, this paper proposes two mechanical modifications: to add passive carriages to the robot frame and to use a single cable loop to command the end-effector position and orientation. This work presents the kinematic, static and dynamic models of the novel design and shows the gain of workspace for a planar case while taking into account different parameters of the robot.

Suicide is defined as the action of harming oneself with the intention of dying. It is estimated that worldwide one suicide occurs every 40 seconds, making it a major health problem. Studies in families have suggested that suicide has a genetic component, around the world studies have been carried out in search of genetic variants associated with suicidal behavior, these variants could be useful as potential biomarkers to identify people at risk of suicide. In this area in Mexico, some studies of variants in genes related to neurotransmission and other important pathways have been carried out and a possible association of variants located in genes has been suggested: SLC6A4, SAT-1, TPH-2, ANKK1, GSHR, SCARA50, RGS10, STK33, COMT, and FKBP5. This systematic review shows the genetic studies on the Mexican population. This article contributes by compiling the existing information on genetic variants and genes associated with suicidal behavior, said variants in the future could be used as potential biomarkers to identify people at risk of suicide.

Stipa tenacissima (S. tenacissima), or esparto, is a perennial tussock grass that coexists with Pinus halepensis (P. halepensis) in semi-arid mediterranean woodlands. This research was carried out to explore diurnal transpiration at leaf level in esparto grass under different levels of pine-esparto competition and in contrasting environmental conditions of soil water. The measurements were spanned from the summer 2020 to spring 2021. The relationship between transpiration and competence was conducted in open and closed P. halepensis stands and taken into account the type of leave (green, senescent) and the maturity of the esparto grass. We observed a higher control of transpiration in green leaves, and correlations between transpiration and soil water were noted exclusively in this type of leaf. Our results substantiated a significant impact of pine competitors on transpiration of esparto grass, particularly during seasons characterized by high water-demand scenarios: the summer drought period and the commencement of the growing and flowering period (spring). Furthermore, our findings confirmed a greater response to transpiration in mature bushes compared to young ones under severe water stress, denoting higher adaptation to drought as esparto ages. Our results may have important implications for the dynamics and management of these semi-arid mixed woodlands, as well as the planning of reforestation programs aimed at restoring esparto grass steppes.

Nowadays, probiotics has been proposed for substituting antibiotics in animal feed, since the European Union (EU) banned the latter compounds in 2006 to avoid their serious side effects on human health. Therefore, this work aimed to produce a probiotic product by fed-fermentation of whey with kefir grains for use in animal feed. The whey was fermented with a combination of kefir grains AGK1 and the free biomass present in whole milk fermented milk used to activate these kefir grains. The probiotic culture obtained was characterized with high levels of biomass, total viability and antibacterial activity. Some probiotic properties of the probiotic culture were investigated in vitro, including its survival at low pH values, under simulated gastrointestinal conditions, after freezing in skim milk at − 20 ºC, and in the commercial feed during storage at room temperature. The viable cells of lactic and acetic acid bacteria and yeasts exhibited higher tolerance to acidic pH and simulated gastrointestinal conditions when the cells were protected with skim milk and piglet feed, compared with washed cells. The results indicated the feasibility of producing a probiotic product at a low cost with a potential application in animal feed.

The resistance of Candida spp to fluconazole is a serious problem; Therefore, it must be investigated to expand the understanding of the phenomenon with a view to its clinical applicability. The aim was to evaluate the expression of ERG3, ERG11, CDR1, and SNQ2 genes involving computational analysis. Relative expression was quantified by RT-qPCR. Metrics were obtained by molecular docking and through Fisher's discriminant functions, a predictive classification against susceptibility to fluconazole was performed. The expression of ERG3, CDR1, and SNQ2 genes was higher in resistant strains than in dose-dependent sensitive strains. The gene with the highest expression in strains exposed to fluconazole was CDR1 and, in both resistant and dose-dependent sensitive strains exposed to fluconazole, the ERG11 gene had lower expression. The molecular docking model generated lower median fluconazole-ERG11 contacts than the median fluconazole-ERG3, -CDR1, and -SNQ2 contacts. The predicted classification through the multivariate model for fluconazole sensitivity obtained an accuracy of 73.5%. Resistant strains had a significant expression of CDR1, SNQ2 and ERG3 genes, compared to a comparatively low expression of ERG11. Molecular analysis identified a low affinity between fluconazole and its drug target, which may explain a lower intrinsic susceptibility of the fungus.

Rapid SARS-CoV-2 self-tests have the potential to expand access to COVID-19 testing and improve community-level case detection, particularly in resource-constrained countries such as Kenya. However, prior to their introduction, their acceptability must be assessed. This qualitative study explored key decision-takers’ values towards SARS-CoV-2 self-testing in Kenya. Healthcare workers, representatives of civil society, and potential implementors from Mombasa and Taita-Taveta were selected as decision-takers. Semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions were used to collect data on their values towards self-testing. A thematic analysis approach was applied. Most informants considered that the Kenyan public is equipped to accept and use self-testing safely as an approach to help to reduce workload at public healthcare facilities, and know one’s COVID-19 status in a private manner. The informants emphasized the need to provide counselling to end-users, to support those needing to self-isolate, and to engage different civil society stakeholders in information provision on self-testing. Fear of stigma and of forced isolation were noted as potential deterrents to self-testing uptake for some individuals. In conclusion, there is high acceptability of self-testing in Kenya among decision-takers. However, enhanced education, counselling, and addressing deterrents to testing would be helpful to ensure effective use of SARS-CoV-2 self-testing in Kenya.

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.

Truffles are ascomycete hypogeous fungi belonging to the Tuberaceae family of the Pezizales order that grow in ectomycorrhizal symbiosis with tree roots and are known for their peculiar aromas and flavors. Axenic culture of truffle mycelium is problematic because it is not possible in many cases, and the growth rate is meager when it is possible. This limitation prompts searching and characterizing new strains that can be handled in laboratory conditions for basic and applied studies. In this work, a new strain of Tuber borchii (strain SP1) has been isolated and cultured, and its transcriptome has been analyzed under different in vitro culture conditions. The results show that the best T. borchii SP1 growth was obtained using maltose-enriched cultures made with soft-agar and in static submerged cultures made at 22ºC. The transcriptome analysis of this strain cultured in different media indicated that most of the gene transcription effort is due to a limited number of genes (20% of genes account for 80% of the transcription), that the transcription profile of the central metabolism genes was similar in the different conditions analyzed with a transcription signal detected for around 80% of the annotated genes. The gene expression profile suggests that T. borchii uses a fermentative rather than respiratory metabolism, even in aerobic conditions. Finally, there is a reduced expression of genes belonging to secondary metabolite clusters, whereas there is a significative transcription of those involved in producing volatile aromatic compounds.

(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.

Suicide is a public health problem influenced by a variety of biological, psychological, social, and environmental factors. Recognizing the warning signs at each stage is crucial for prevention and helping those at risk. In this context, body awareness, especially interoceptive body awareness, emerges as a potentially relevant and underexplored factor. In this study, binary logistic regression and linear regression analyses were used to examine the relationship between interoceptive body awareness and suicidal orientation in Colombian university students. In addition, the bootstrap technique was used to resample and estimate the distribution of the data. The results support the idea that greater interoceptive awareness may protect against suicidal orientation by improving emotional regulation. An inverse relationship was found between interoceptive awareness and suicidal ideation. These findings are consistent with previous literature on the importance of body awareness for emotional well-being. Further longitudinal research is needed to explore this relationship in depth.

Matrix metalloproteinases have been implicated in muscular dystrophy progression and recent studies described the role of MMP-10 in skeletal muscle pathology of young dystrophic mice. Nevertheless, its implication in dystrophin deficient hearts is still missing. Here, we aimed at investigating MMP-10 implication in severe muscular dystrophic progression and characterize MMP-10 loss in skeletal and cardiac muscles of aged dystrophic mice. We examined the histopathological effect of MMP-10 ablation in aged mdx mice, both in the hind limb muscles and heart tissues. We have found that MMP-10 loss compromises survival rates of aged mdx mice, with skeletal and cardiac muscles developing a chronic inflammatory response. Our findings indicate that MMP-10 is implicated in severe muscular dystrophy progression, identifying a new area of investigation that could lead to future therapies for dystrophic muscles.

Ants have a very sophisticated olfactory system; their communication is based on the interpretation of chemical trails known as semiochemicals. The escamolera ant (Liometopum apiculatum), has behaviors and physiological responses is induced by semiochemicals, without however, these have not been studied. Using an electronic nose analysis (e-nose) and chromatographic techniques, semiochemicals of L. apiculatum in nests, foraging trails and dissected the gasters were evaluated. Data were analyzed with multivariate statistics and a logistic regression model based on predictors (ant counts) and the semiochemicals identified in pre-season (PRE), season (TEM) and post-season (POS) of larval collecting. From the general pattern of volatiles with a natural separation in POS and a partial distribution between PRE and TEM 32 semiochemicals were identified inside the nests, those who can induce the behavioral responses of trail-following, alarm, aggression, and nestmate recognition. Trail counts indicated that ant traffic was higher in POS and that the presence of certain semiochemicals (response variable) have good fit in the model regression. These findings are intended to provide useful information and support decision-making for the conservation and sustainable use of L. apiculatum in central Mexico.

The aim of this paper is to establish a valid procedure for better understanding all the phenomena associated with the high-speed machining of Glass Fibre Reinforced Plastic (GFRP) composites. Both rectangular and circular specimens were machined at high speeds (up to 50 m/min) in order to understand what occurred for all values of fiber orientation angles during machining operations. An innovative testing methodology was proposed and studied to investigate the phenomenon of burr formation and thus understand how to avoid it during machining operations. To this end, the forces arising during the machining process and the roughness of the resulting surface, were carefully studied and correlated with the cutting angle. Additionally, the cutting surface and chip morphology formed during cutting tests were examined using a high-speed camera. Close correlations are found between the variations of the cutting forces' signals and the trends of the roughness and the morphology of the machined surface.

Electrochemical impedance (EI) measurements were performed to evaluate the nylon 66/-tetra-(para-aminophenyl) porphyrin (H₂T(p-NH₂)PP)/graphene oxide (GO) film coating on stainless steel and compared to the nylon/H₂T(p-NH₂)PP and nylon/GO film samples using 1M H₂SO₄ as electrolyte. The nylon/H₂T(p-NH₂)PP and nylon/GO composite films showed high electrochemical impedance in the order of 109 ohm-cm² and a system controlled by mass transfer, product of a diffusion process at low frequencies with a resistance up to 5 orders of magnitude, indicating the diffusion of protons through the coating and a decrease in the metal dissolution. Otherwise, the nylon/H₂T(p-NH₂)PP/GO film compound evaluated show good ionic conductivity and electrochemical stability in the acid environment, acting porphyrin as a catalyst to the passage of protons through the film, reducing its electrochemical impedance up to 7 orders of magnitude with respect to the compounds nylon/H₂T(p-NH₂)PP and nylon/GO. Likewise, good capacitance values are also shown by modifying the concentrations of porphyrin and GO reinforcing materials. These properties are important for technological applications, such as anticorrosion coating for bipolar plates or membrane in a fuel cell type PEM, super-capacitors, etc.

In the plot under study, rice is grown under anaerobic conditions by means of flood irrigation that maintains a constant water depth during most of the crop cycle. Thus, water requirements reach a very high volume of about 12,000 m3/ha. At the outlet there is a drainage channel where there are no measuring devices. Its control will allow us to establish practices to reduce the high water consumption. We have designed a long-throated flume that can cover the entire range of flow rates to measure, between 0.02 and 0.05 m3/s in this case. Since the drainage channel has a trapezoidal cross section and is built on land, the throat of the flume will also be trapezoidal to ease the transition between the two sections and reduce head losses. A new procedure has been developed that allows to directly design the dimensions of the narrowed section, side slope and bottom width, by previ-ously choosing the modular limit, the sill height and the length of the throat more in accordance with the characteristics of the channel where the flume is to be installed. The analysis of the obtained results demonstrates the accuracy and feasibility of the presented procedure.

The increasing availability of longitudinal data (repeated numerical observations of same units at different times) requires the development of flexible techniques to automatically detect common errors in such data. Besides obvious and easily identifiable cases, such as missing or out-of-range data, large longitudinal dataset often present problems not easily traceable by the techniques used for generic datasets. In particular, elusive and baffling problems are i) inversion of one or more values from one unit to another; ii) anomalous jumps in the series of values, iii) errors in the timing of the values due to a recalculation operated by the data providers to compensate previous errors. This work proposes a statistical-mathematical approach based on a system of indicators that is able to capture the complexity of the described problems by working at the formal level, regardless of the specific meaning of the data. The proposed approach identifies suspect erroneous data and is applicable in a variety of contexts. We implement this approach in a relevant database of European Higher Education institutions (ETER) by analyzing Total academic staff, that is one of the most important variables, used in empirical analysis as proxy of size and also considered by policy makers at European level.

Perinatal stress experienced by mothers of very premature newborns may influence the mother’s milk and the infant’s intestinal microbiota. This prospective study of mothers of very preterm infants fed with mother´s own milk (MOM) was carried out in a tertiary hospital over a 2-year period. Assessment of maternal stress in 45 mothers of 52 very preterm newborns using the parental stress scale (PSS:NICU) that revealed an inverse relationship between stress and MOM production in the first days of life (p=0.012). The greatest contributor to stress was the one related to the establishment of mother-child bond. Maternal stress was lower in mothers in whom the kangaroo method was established early (p=0.011) and in those with a higher educational level (p=0.032). Levels of fecal calprotectin (FC) decrease with the passage of days and were directly correlated with birthweight (p=0.044). FC levels 7 days post-delivery were lower in newborns that received postnatal antibiotics (p=0.027). High levels of maternal stress resulted in progressive decreases and increases in the proportions of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria species, respectively, over 15 days post-delivery, both in MOM and in fecal samples from premature newborns. These findings underscore the importance of recognizing and appropriately managing maternal stress in neonatal units, given its marked influence on both the microbiota of maternal milk and the intestinal microbiota of premature newborns.

Innovative tissue engineering biomimetic hydrogels based on hydrophilic polymers have been investigated for their physical and mechanical properties. 5% to 25% by volume loading PHEMA-nanosilica glassy hybrid samples were equilibrated at 37°C in aqueous physiological isotonic and hypotonic saline solutions (0.15 and 0.05 M NaCl) simulating two limiting possible compositions of physiological extracellular fluids. The glassy and hydrated hybrid materials were characterized both for dynamo-mechanical properties and equilibrium absorptions in the two physiological-like aqueous solutions. Mechanical and the morphological modifications occurring in the samples have been described. The 5% volume nanosilica loading hybrid nanocomposite composition showed mechanical characteristics in the dry and hydrated states that were comparable to those of cortical bone and articular cartilage, respectively, and then chosen for further sorption kinetics characterization. Sorption and swelling kinetics were monitored up to equilibrium. Changes in water activities and osmotic pressures in the water-hybrid systems equilibrated at the two limiting solute molarities of the physiological solutions have been related to the observed anomalous sorption modes using the Flory-Huggins interaction parameter approach. The bulk modulus of the dry and glassy PHEMA-5% nanosilica hybrid at 37°C has been observed to be comparable with the values of the osmotic pressures generated from the sorption of isotonic and hypotonic solutions. The anomalous sorption modes and swelling rates are coherent with the difference between osmotic swelling pressures and hybrid glassy nano-composite bulk modulus: the lower the differences the higher the swelling rate and equilibrium solution uptakes. Bone tissue engineering benefits of use of tuneable biomimetic scaffold biomaterials that can be “designed” to act as biocompatible and biomechanically active hybrid interfaces are discussed.

(1) Background: To determine the diagnostic accuracy that optical coherence tomography (OCT) can add to fundus photography (FP) in assessing the condition of the retinal posterior pole; (2) Methods: Two blocks of analysis: at first, the posterior pole of each eye was examined using FP non-mydriatic imaging device. Secondly: OCT was used in addition to FP. After consolidating specific diagnostic criteria, the assessments were evaluated by two blinded independent investigation groups (by optometrists, and by ophthalmologists who was considered the gold standard); (3) Results: We calculated the diagnostic accuracy of FP compared to OCT and found that both had similar sensitivity, FP had slightly higher specificity, (p-value: 0.01) and OCT had a higher kappa coefficient 0.50 (95%CI: 0.46-0.55) vs 0.39 (95%CI: 0.34-0.45) of FP; (4) Conclusions: Based on the premise that the role of the optometrist in Spain is not to diagnose but to detect lesions and refer patients to an ophthalmologist, the results of this study support the use of OCT, that it provided gradable images in almost all examined eyes (97.5%), compared to FP (73.5%). However, the optometrist need a detailed and standardized guide in order to evaluate according to the ophthalmologist's criteria.

With the growing demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) in the face of the pandemic events caused by SARS-COV-2, the opportunity arises for the development of materials with characteristics such as antimicrobial, antiviral, antifungal activity, etc. The use of polymeric nanocomposites based on polyester/copper offers an alternative of great interest due to the versatility of the raw material and the high efficiency of copper as an antimicrobial additive. In this study, textile fibers prototypes with different Cu nanoparticles (CuNP) content were produced using melt-spinning to obtain bi-component multifilament fibers, and melt-blowing to obtain non-woven fabrics. The prototypes were tested against different pathogenic microorganisms such as S. aureus, E. coli, and C. albicans. It was shown that bi-component fibers offer more excellent protection against pathogens, while non-woven fabric only shows activity against E. coli. It was possible to identify that the CuNP were confined exclusively in the outer cover of the bi-component fibers, using different analytical techniques, which may be associated with the increase in antimicrobial activity, compared to the fibers present in the non-woven fabric, even when they present the same CuNP content.

In this work we present a novel steganography algorithm, based on Fractal Transform domain, combined with the principles of Cryptography. The proposed method uses a private key, which will indicate which segment of the image will be taken and encoded with the Fractal Transform, to then insert the secret bits in the transformed coefficients, thus generating the stego image.

The Fractal Analysis of Medical Images is an investigation field in those that numerous results of important value have been obtained. This work describes the basic foundations of the Fractal Analysis and its application has more than enough medical images, leaning on in five scientific investigations.

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.

Background: Currently, completed suicide, suicide ideation, suicide behavior, and suicide attempts are major public health problems worldwide. Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is one of the most common mental disorders associated with an increased risk of suicide. Since the relationship between suicide and cholesterol levels is still controversial, in this study, we explore the association between SNPs rs754203 and rs4900442 of CYP46A1 with suicide risk in Mexican patients with major depressive disorder. Methods: We evaluated 188 unrelated suicide completers and compared them to 144 non-suicidal individuals (controls) and 126 MDD patients. Genotypes were analyzed using the Real Time-polymerase chain reaction method and two allele-specific probes to detect specific SNP targets. A chi-square test was used to identify a possible risk genotype or allele type for suicide. Results: Statistical analysis showed significant differences between completed suicide and controls in their allelic and genotypic frequencies in rs754203 SNP. The genotype G/G of CYP46A1 rs754203 was significantly associated with suicide. Also, the G allele was associated with an increased risk of suicide (OR= 1.370, 95% CI= 1.002-1.873). No differences in either genotype distribution or allele frequencies of CYP46A1 rs4900442 were observed. Conclusions: The results of the current study report the first association between G allele carriers (A/G + G/G) of rs754203 and increased risk for suicide, especially in males.

COPD is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by progressive airflow obstruction. Tobacco smoking is the main cause of COPD (COPD-TS), but chronic exposure to biomass smoke (COPD-BS), mainly wood smoke, is the second risk factor; both are considered to cause different phenotypes of COPD. COPD-BS is more eosinophilic than COPD-TS. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the serum level of interleukins involved in eosinophil maturation, recruitment, and survival, and their association with small airway obstruction, measuring cytokines by multiplex test (Bio-Plex) and evaluating the central airway resistance with impulse oscillometry (IOS), comparatively in patients with COPD due to biomass and smoking. The results showed that IL-1ra, IL-2, IL-4, IL-8, IL-9, IL-13, IL-17, and eotaxin were increased in COPD-BS related to COPD-TS. Resistance parameters showed that R5, X5, AX (area reactance), and R5-R20 were significantly higher in COPD-BS than in the COPD-TS group (p < 0.05). R20 was not different between the groups. These data suggest that the cytokines involved in the effect of eosinophils on airway inflammation in COPD-BS were increased compared with COPD-TS, which appears to be related to a predominance of peripheral airway obstruction in patients with COPD-BS more than in COPD-TS

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of ethyl nitroacetate, ethyl 2-nitropropionate and 3-nitropropionic acid on ruminal production of CH4, H2, volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and on dry matter digestibility of ground alfalfa under in vitro conditions. In vitro incubations were conducted as consecutive batch cultures. Total gas and amounts of methane produced by ruminal microbes were decreased by all nitrocompounds (P &lt; 0.05). Total production of VFAs was significantly reduced for all the nitrocompounds (P &lt; 0.05) except for NPA. DM disappearance was not affected (P &gt;0.05) by treatment.

The purpose of this longitudinal study was to determine the effects of a rowing training program on physical fitness and body composition in female breast cancer survivors (56.78 ± 6.38 years). Over six months, the participants (n=40) performed two training sessions per week for an average of 75 minutes, combining resistance and muscle strength exercises with rowing. To evaluate the impact of the program, physical fitness tests and anthropometric measurements were carried out before and after the training protocol. The results show statistically significant improvements in measures such as weight (-1.84 kg), BMI (-0.7 kg/m2), hip (-3.24 cm) and waist circumference (-2.45 cm). In addition, variables associated with physical fitness also improved including leg strength (3.04 cm), dominant handgrip strength (4.24 kgf), non-dominant handgrip strength (3.49 kgf), aerobic endurance (78.35 m) and muscle flexibility (3.96 cm). We can therefore conclude that a rowing-based exercise program is an effective strategy to improve physical fitness in this type of population, yielding improvements in both anthropometric measurements and basic physical capacity variables, essential factors for better health and quality of life.

The wave-particle description of quantum mechanics is briefly reviewed to set an analogy between the quantum mechanics of particles and fields and quantum cosmology. It is shown that quantum cosmology can be seen as a quantum field theory developed in the space of three metrics (the metrics of the spatial sections of the spacetime), where the classical evolution of the universe corresponds to a definite trajectory and the quantum mechanics of matter fields emerges as the first order quantum correction. Like in a quantum field theory developed in an isotropic background, the universes are created in universe-antiuniverse pairs, which might provide us with an explanation for the matter-antimatter asymmetry observed in our universe without going beyond the standard model. Moreover, the states of the matter and the antimatter fields of the pair of universes are entangled and that makes that their initial states are in a non-vacuum state (presumably in a thermal state). That might open the possibility of looking for observable imprints of the creation of universes in pairs is the astronomical data.

Videogames have become educational, communicative and social tools among the youngest, favouring the acquisition of skills, abilities and values, encompassing an endless number of themes, and help to experience and to face, in the first person, a great diversity of environmental situations and ecology problems. Thus, the present article aims: a) the evaluation of a sample of 20 educational videogames about water, making use of some empirical criteria of quality; and b) the design, validation and application of an integrate quality indicator of educational videogames on water, based on the aspects of narrative, gameplay and didactics to that sample, which allows us to obtain a ranking. The findings reflect a ranking of games allows to suggest that the nature of the game (simulation, adventures, platforms or questions) does not determine the quality of the game, although generally simulations and adventure games are placed in a range of medium or high quality, as well as those games that pursue objectives related to the design and management of a territory in a sustainable way. The paper provides teachers with quality criteria based on narrative and gameplay that complement and enriches the pedagogical dimension.

Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum, is a variety of wild chili pepper belonging to the family Solanaceae and is considered as the origin for all cultivated chili species of the world. This species is an important genetic resource for agriculture and food, is widely distributed in northeastern Mexico in altitudes from 0 – 1200 m.a.s.l. This species grows mainly at low altitudes and its upper limit reaches 1000m., it prefers temperatures above 18.3^O C and its production and harvest may ocurr at two seasons, one during the beginning of the summer and the main one ocurring in the middle of the autumn in northeast México. It is estimated that the main production occurs in the state of Tamaulipas with 84 tons per year and is harvested from 23 municipalities. Concentration of capseicins and dihydrocapsaicine from wild populations may vary considerably from one location to another in the municipalities, ecotypes and diverse climatic conditions from this wide geographic zone. The high demands of wild chili as well as the variability on concentration of capseicins in fruits are considered as some of the main reasons why intensive cultivation of this species should be carried out in Northeastern Mexico.

Samples of mortar mixtures were prepared substituting the cement Portland (CPC-30R) by 0 (standard), 10 and 15% of fly ash and the structural evolution and compressive strength at 3, 7, 14 and 28 days were determined. The results for standard mortar samples showed the mineralogi-cal species portlandite, calcite, ettringite, iron oxide, silicon oxide and sillimanite. Magnetite was identified in the mixtures of mortars with portland cement substitution by 10% and 15% fly ash. The peaks corresponding to the portlandite, and ettringite showed an increase in their intensities with increasing curing time attributed to the consolidation of mineral species. The SEM tech-nique results showed that the mortar samples without fly ash addition contained mainly port-landite and ettringite while the samples with cement substitution by 10 and 15% of fly ash at 28 days further contained particles of fly ash coated with portlandite and ettringite, particles with a smooth surface and particles of fly ash with signs of attack on its surface. An increase inc was observed when the age of the mortar and the substitution of Portland cement by fly ash were increased from 3 to 28 days and from 0 to 15% respectively. The maximum value of c was reg-istered for the mortar sample with Portland cement substitution by 15% fly ash at 28 days of curing with 17.38 Mpa.

Predictive numerical models in the study of ground-borne vibrations generated by railway sys-tems have traditionally relied on the segmented approach of subsystems. In this approach, loads are individually applied, and the cumulative effect of rolling stock is obtained through superposi-tion. While this method serves to mitigate computational costs, it may not fully capture the com-plex interactions involved in ground-borne vibrations. Recent advancements in computational and software tools have enabled the development of more sophisticated vibrational pollution models. These advanced models encompass the entire dynamic system, from the rolling stock to the terrain, allowing for continuous simulations with a defined time step. Furthermore, the incorporation of computational contact tools between various ele-ments not only ensures temporal accuracy but also extends the analysis to the frequency domain. This paper explores the evolution of predictive numerical models in the context of ground-borne vibrations generated by trains on ballasted tracks. It highlights the shift from segmented models to continuous simulations, demonstrating the progressive advancement towards more comprehen-sive and accurate representations of railway-induced and generated vibrations in the track sur-roundings as an additional way of evaluate sustainability of infrastructures. In particular, this development of a numerical model from its inception aimed to expand upon ex-isting emission - prediction models by enriching the data with frequency-domain information. This approach has been driven by the aspiration to bridge the gap between numerical predictions and measured signals, striving for a higher level of accuracy in our obtained results. This model can predict the impact of a high-speed rail (HSR) vehicle passing on its own track. It possesses sufficient information in both the time and frequency domains to precisely characterize vibrations. This initiative marks a pivotal advancement, enabling us to more effectively capture the intricacies of ground-borne vibrations and their impact on the surrounding environment due to a deeper comprehension of the occurrences in the frequency domain, there's a heightened ca-pability to accurately characterize vibrations.

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.

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.

The tobacco cembranoid (1S,2E,4R,6R,7E,11E)-2,7,11-cembratriene-4,6-diol (4R) is known to induce neuroprotection against brain ischemia, systemic inflammation, Parkinson's disease, and organophosphate toxicity in rodents. Studies examining the compound's safety in male and female Sprague Dawley rats demonstrated no significant side effects after a single injection of 4R at various concentrations (6, 24, or 98 mg/kg). To evaluate the neurotherapeutic feasibility of 4R for clinical trials, we have assessed the safety of this compound in nonhuman primates. We investigated whether 4R induces toxicity in male Macaca mulatta when administered for 11 consecutive days via intravenous injection at a dose of 1.4 mg/kg. Electroencephalogram, somatosensory evoked potential, and transcranial motor evoked potentials were measured at days 0, 4, 8, and 12 and remained unaffected during the experimental study. Spontaneous behavior was not affected between the groups. Small histopathological changes in the organs were observed in some animals, both treated and non-treated; thus, these changes cannot be attributed to 4R. Minor hematological and blood composition variations with no clinical significance were detected in the experimental animals. In conclusion, our data support previous findings that 4R is a non-toxic compound that proved safe in nonhuman primates during the given period and dose.

Ticks drive a wide diversity of pathogens to a great variety of hosts, including humans. We conducted a tick surveillance study in northwestern Spain between 2014 and 2019. Ticks were removed from people and were identified. Tick numbers, species, development stages, evolution over time, seasonal and geographical distribution, and epidemiological characteristics of people bitten by ticks were studied. We collected ticks from 8143 people. Nymphs of Ixodes ricinus were the most frequently collected. Rhipicephalus bursa, Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (s.l), Hyalomma marginatum, Hyalomma lusitanicum, Dermacentor marginatus, Dermacentor reticulatus and Haemaphysalis punctata were also found, with adults as the main stage. Hyalomma spp. and R. bursa have been progressively increasing over time. Although bites occurred throughout the year, the highest number of incidents were reported from April to July. The distribution patterns of the tick species were different between the north and the south of the region, which was related to cases detected in humans of the pathogens they carried. Adult men were more likely to be bitten by ticks than women. Ticks were most frequently removed from adults from the lower limbs, while for children they were mainly attached to the head. Epidemiological surveillance is essential given the increase in tick populations in recent years, mainly of species potentially carrying pathogens causing emerging diseases in Spain, such as the Crimean Congo Hemorraghic Fever (CCFH).

The main purpose of the study was to study the effects of a specific rowing ergometer training program on the athletic performance of young adolescents (n=56; 11.73 ± 1.4 years old) com-pared to a workout based on general strength training. Eight-week training program was im-plemented, with four sessions per week and two-hours per session. Sample was divided in two groups: a control group (CG) that performed circuit training with exercises aimed at building general strength and an experimental group (EG) who focused on specifically training on a rowing ergometer (rowing machine). The data obtained in a rowing meter test over the compe-tition distance were analyzed to obtain the average power attained (W) at the beginning of the training, at the middle (4 weeks), at the end of the training (8 weeks) and one year after the ex-perimentation. The results show that, although both forms of training improve the average W obtained in both categories, the EG subjects (+29.94W) obtained better averages in all phases of the study compared to the CG (+5.88W). Furthermore, this increase was greater in male rowers (+ 34.06W) than in female rowers (+24.54W). These results reveal that a specific rower rowing ergometer training program has a significant effect than a general strength program and these effects can even be observed a year after the intervention.

Idiopathic acute pancreatitis (IAP) presents a diagnostic challenge and refers to cases where the cause of acute pancreatitis remains uncertain despite a comprehensive diagnostic evalua-tion. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) has emerged as a valuable tool in the diagnostic workup of IAP. This review explores the pivotal role of EUS in detecting the actual cause of IAP, as-sessing its accuracy, timing, safety, and future technological improvement. Following PRISMA guidelines, 60 pertinent studies were selected and analysed. EUS emerges as a cru-cial diagnostic tool, particularly when conventional imaging fails. It can offer intricate visu-alization of the pancreas, biliary system, and adjacent structures. High accuracy of EUS is evident in detecting the actual causes of IAP such as microlithiasis, small bile duct stones, pancreas divisum, and small pancreatic tumors. Optimal timing for EUS is post-resolution of the acute phase of the disease. EUS, when conducted by experienced endoscopists, it boasts minimal safety concerns, and is crucial to prevent complications. EUS-guided interventions, including fine-needle aspiration, collection drainage, and biopsies, aid in cytological analy-sis. With high diagnostic accuracy, safety, and therapeutic potential, EUS is able to improve patient outcomes when managing IAP. Further refinement of EUS techniques and cost-effectiveness assessment of EUS-guided approaches need to be explored in multicenter prospective studies. This review underscores EUS as a transformative tool in unraveling IAP's enigma and advancing diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

This study examines the relationship between semantic memory and social cognition in schizophrenia, addressing how these cognitive domains intersect. Semantic memory, which includes general world knowledge and word meanings, was evaluated using verbal fluency tasks and the Camels and Cactus Test. Social cognition, essential for social interaction, was assessed through emotion recognition (Faces Test) and Theory of Mind (Hinting Task). Participants included 50 individuals with schizophrenia and 30 controls. The schizophrenia group showed significantly lower performance on both semantic memory and social cognition tasks. Notably, strong correlations were found between the Camels and Cactus Test and social cognition measures, suggesting that social cognition deficits in schizophrenia may be linked to semantic memory impairments. Regression analyses highlighted that the Camels and Cactus Test significantly predicted social cognition performance, independent of symptomatology. These findings underscore the interconnectedness of semantic memory and social cognition in schizophrenia, suggesting that semantic memory deficits, particularly in non-categorical associations, play a important role in social cognitive impairments. This study provides new insights into the cognitive underpinnings of schizophrenia, emphasizing the need for further research to explore these relationships and their implications for cognitive models and therapeutic interventions.

In this work, the analytical Lagrange-Kirchhoff model for the deformation for a taiko plate silicon is proposed. Under the conditions of validity of the linear theory of thin plates, the model is in agreement with the experimental data.

Ensuring access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities, coupled with behavior change education in schools, is fundamental for fostering a conducive learning environment and promoting principles of inclusion, dignity, and equality. This study focuses on 12 primary schools in Anápolis, Brazil, encompassing 4,394 students and 248 teachers. WASH assessments were conducted through a questionnaire, observation of water and sanitation facilities and structures, and microbiological analysis. Over the period 2018 to 2020, the proportion of schools with safely managed drinking water surged from 42% to 92%. However, sanitation conditions in the schools were categorized as a basic level, with hygiene services rated as limited in 92% of the schools due to the absence of soap. While this study reveals that Anápolis schools generally align with WASH guidelines for basic/advanced drinking water services, there is a crucial need for enhancements in both hardware and software facilities to address sanitation and hygiene challenges.

Supramolecular structures are of great interest due to their applicability in various scientific and industrial fields. These fields of scientific action include promising applications i biomedical areas, in sensing, and in conductive and electrical phases. The sensible definition of supramolecular molecules is being set by investigators, who, because of the different sensitivities of their methods and observational timescales, may have different views as to what constitute these supramolecular structures. Besides, diverse polymers can be found to offer unique avenues for multifunctional systems with properties in medicine industrial applications. Aspects of this review provide different conceptual strategies to address molecular design, properties, and potential applications of self-assembly materials and the use of metal coordination as a feasible and useful strategy for constructing complex supramolecular structures. In this order of appreciations and ideas order, it is that this review report involves classic topics such as hydrogels that range from their relationship with drug delivery systems, to metallo-supramolecular materials, through applications in ophthalmic systems, in applications that require adhesiveness and electrically conductive hydrogels. This review also addresses systems that are largely based on hydrogel chemistry and the enormous opportunities to design very specific structures for applications that demand enormous specificity.

High circulating concentrations of the gut microbiota-derived metabolite trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) are significantly associated with the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D). We aimed at evaluating the impact of glycemic control and bariatric surgery on circulating concentrations of TMAO and its microbiota-dependent intermediate, γ-butyrobetaine (γBB), in newly diagnosed T2D patients and morbidly obese subjects. An additional experiment was carried out in eight male C57BL/6J mice fed a Western-type diet for twelve weeks. The strategy for glycemic control in the T2D patients significantly improved the HbA1c concentrations without producing changes in the estimated glomerular filtration rate. However, the plasma TMAO and γBB concentrations were significantly increased following the glycemic control in T2D patients. Bariatric surgery was very effective in reducing weight in obese subjects. Nevertheless, the surgery reduced plasma γBB concentrations without affecting TMAO concentrations and the estimated glomerular filtration rate. Neither diet-induced obesity nor insulin resistance were associated with circulating TMAO and γBB concentrations in mice. Our findings do not support that glycemic control or bariatric surgery improve the circulating concentrations of TMAO in newly diagnosed T2D and morbidly obese patients. The contribution of antidiabetic drugs to gut microbiota composition could explain TMAO elevations in treated T2D subjects.

The SARS-CoV-2 polybasic furin cleavage site is still a missing link. Remarkably, the two arginine residues of this protease recognition site are encoded by the CGG codon, which is rare in Betacoronavirus. However, the arginine pair is common at viral furin cleavage sites, but are not CGG-CGG encoded. The question is: Is this genetic footprint unique to the SARS-CoV-2? To address the issue, using Perl scripts, here I dissect in detail the NCBI Virus database in order to report the arginine dimers of the Betacoronavirus proteins. The main result reveals that a group of Middle East respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (MERS-CoV) (isolates: camel/Nigeria/NVx/2016, host: Camelus dromedarius) also have the CGG-CGG arginine pair in the spike protein polybasic furin cleavage region. In addition, CGG-CGG encoded arginine pairs were found in the orf1ab polyprotein from HKU9 and HKU14 Betacoronavirus, as well as, in the nucleocapsid phosphoprotein from few SARS-CoV-2 isolates. To quantify the probability of finding the arginine CGG-CGG codon pair in Betacoronavirus, the likelihood ratio (LR) and a Markov model were defined. In conclusion, it is highly unlikely to find this genetic marker in betacoronaviruses wildlife, but they are there. Collectively, results shed light on recombination as origin of the virus CGG-CGG arginine pair in the S1/S2 cleavage site.

In the vaginal ecosystem there is a symbiotic relationship between the microbiota and the host, particularly Candida spp., which are considered commensals of the vaginal mucosa. During pregnancy there is an increase in hormonal secretion that alters the vaginal microbiota and favors the development of Candida infection. Several studies have shown the increased prevalence of Candida during pregnancy, as well as its association with perinatal complications and current clinical practice guidelines recommend fluconazole as the treatment of choice during pregnancy in case of infection by Candida albicans and non-albicans Candida. However, in the Mexican population, this association has not been studied. So in this study, an intentional search for colonization by Candida spp. in pregnant women who attended the obstetric triage of the Hospital Regional de Alta Especialidad de Ixtapaluca during the period from May to October 2019, and they were followed up until the end of the pregnancy. Data on age, number of pregnancies, gestational age, body mass index, and perinatal outcomes were analyzed. Of 83 patients included in the study, yeasts corre-sponding to C. albicans (12) and C. glabrata (4) were isolated in 16. In the group of patients with Candida, the maternal age range was from 15 to 36 years old, of which 7 were adolescents and 2 with advanced maternal age, with an average of 2 gestations, the range of body mass index was from 19.3 to 42.4, of which 4 were overweight and 7 obese. Perinatal complications were observed in three patients, one presented chorioamnionitis and in two the neonates were small for gestational age. No association was found between colonization by Candida spp. and the number of preg-nancies, gestational age, body mass index or perinatal results. However, it was found that age (adolescence) may be a risk factor for the development of vulvovaginitis during pregnancy.

This study presents the validation process of the Questionnaire on Academic Stress in Secondary Education –QASSE-, designed to assess the wide variety of school sources and situations related to academic stress in adolescence, and their relationship with students’ physical and psychological well-being. Participants were 860 Spanish high school students (52.9% girls) with an average age of 14.62 years (SD = 1.8). Through a cross-validation process, EFA and CFA supported QASSE multifactorial structure with four first-order factors -academic overload, interaction with classmates, family pressure, and future-oriented perspective- and a second-order factor of academic stress, showing a significant and intense relationship with adolescents’ psychological and physical well-being. Results also highlight the effects of the gender*educational level interaction on the students’ stress, with girls showing higher levels of stress in the transition courses between educational phases (sophomore and junior years). The QASSE demonstrates good validity and reliability, showing potential for both research and educational application. The results show the high impact of the QASSE dimensions on psychological and physical well-being in adolescence, highlighting its special usefulness for designing and adjusting educational prevention and intervention actions in this area to the students’ specific characteristics and needs

In this study, a critical review was carried out using the Web of ScienceTM Core Collection database to analyse the scientific literature published to date to identify lines of research and future perspectives on the presence of chemical pollutants in beer brewing. Beer is one of the world's most popular drinks and the most consumed alcoholic beverage. However, a widespread challenge with potential implications for human and animal health is the presence of physical, chemical and/or microbiological contaminants in beer. Biogenic amines, heavy metals, mycotoxins, nitrosamines, pesticides, acrylamide, phthalates, bisphenols, microplastics and, to a lesser extent, hydrocarbons (aliphatic chlorinated and polycyclic aromatic), carbonyls, furan-derivatives, polychlorinated biphenyls and trihalomethanes are the main chemical pollutants found during the beer brewing process. Pollution sources include raw materials, technological process steps, the brewery environment and packaging materials. Different chemical pollutants have been found during the beer brewing process, from barley to beer. Brewing steps such as steeping, kilning, mashing, boiling, fermentation and clarification are critical in reducing the levels of many of these pollutants. As a result, their residual levels are usually below the maximum levels allowed by international regulations.

Neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation (NBIA) is a group of rare neurogenetic dis-orders frequently associated with iron accumulation in the basal nuclei of the brain. Among NBIA subtypes, β -propeller protein-associated neurodegeneration (BPAN) is associated with mutations in the autophagy gene WDR45. The aim of this study was to demonstrate autophagic defects and secondary pathological con-sequences in cellular models derived from two patient harboring WDR45 mutations. Both protein and mRNA expression levels of WDR45 were decreased in patient-derived fibro-blasts. In addition, the increase of LC3B upon treatments with autophagy inducers or inhibitors was lower in mutant cells compared to control cells, suggesting decreased autophagosome formation and impaired autophagic flux. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis showed mitochondrial vacuolization associated with accumulation of lipofuscin-like aggregates containing undegraded material. Autophagy dysregulation was also associated with iron ac-cumulation and lipid peroxidation. In addition, mutant fibroblasts showed altered mitochon-drial bioenergetics. Antioxidants such as pantothenate, vitamin E and α-lipoic prevented lipid peroxidation and iron accumulation. However, antioxidants were not able to correct the ex-pression levels of WDR45 neither the autophagy defect nor cell bioenergetics. Our study demonstrated that WDR45 mutations in BPAN cellular models impaired autophagy, iron metabolism and cell bioenergetics. Antioxidant partially improved cell physiopathology, however autophagy and cell bioenergetics remained affected.

The individual and combined effects of extracellular products (ECP) from Arthrobotrys oligospora (Ao) and A. musiformis (Am) growth in liquid media against Haemonchus contortus L3 (HcL3) were assessed. The following methodological steps were established: isolation, morphological (MI) and molecular identification (Mol-I), assessment of nematocidal activity (NA) of fungal liq-uid culture filtrates (LCF) produced in two liquid media alone and in combination and finally, the myco-compound profile identification (MCP). The MI of both isolates suggested that the fungi corresponded to the species Ao and Am. This result was confirmed by PCR analysis followed by sequencing, alignment and obtaining coverage and similarity with respect to isolates reported in the NCBI database. Likewise, the highest Hc mortalities were 91.4% with individual LCF of Am and 86.2% with those of Ao at the highest concentration (100 mg/mL) in Czapek-Dox Broth. The combination of both LCF resulted in a similarly high larval mortality with no statistical differ-ences in relation to individual activity (P>0.05). The MCP showed the presence of alkaloids in both fungi. Coumarins, triterpenes and saponins were found only in Ao. Both fungi produced ECP with a high NA that could be identified and assessed in future studies as potential natural an-thelmintic compounds.

The first single crystal structure of the homoleptic copper (II) ML2 complex (M=Cu (II), L=curcumin) was obtained and its structure was elucidated by X-ray diffraction showing a square planar geometry. The supramolecular arrangement is supported by C-H···O interactions and the solvent (MeOH) plays an important role in stabilizing the crystal packing. The cytotoxic activity of the complex against six cancer cell lines substantially surpasses that of curcumin itself, and it is particularly selective against leukemia (K562) and human glioblastoma (U251) cell lines with similar antioxidant activity to BHT. This constitutes the first crystal structure of pristine curcumin complexed with a metal ion.

The incremental sheet forming represents a relatively recent technology that guarantees high customization, thanks to the layered manufacturing principle typical of rapid prototyping, and cost-effectiveness, because it does not require dedicated equipment. Research has initially shown that this process is effective in metal materials capable of withstanding plastic deformation but, in recent years, the interest in this technique has been increasing for the manufacture of complex polymer sheet components as an alternative to the conventional technologies, based on heating-shaping-cooling manufacturing routes. Conversely, incremental formed polymer sheets can suffer from some peculiar defects, for example twisting. To reduce the risk of this phenomenon and the occurrence of failures, a viable way is to choose toolpath strategies that make the tool/sheet contact conditions less severe, and this represents the main goal of the present research. Polycarbonate sheets were worked by incremental forming; in detail, cone frusta with a fixed wall angle were manufactured with a reference and a stair toolpath strategy, and both the forming forces and the twist angle were monitored. The analysis of the results highlighted that a stair toolpath involving an alternation of diagonal up and vertical down steps represents a useful strategy to mitigate the forming forces and, with them, the occurrence of the twisting phenomenon in incremental formed thermoplastic sheets.

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is a promising binary disease-targeted therapy, as neutrons preferentially kill cells labeled with boron (¹⁰B), which makes it a precision medicine treatment modality that provides a therapeutic effect exclusively on patient-specific tumor spread. Contrary to what is usual in radiotherapy, BNCT proposes cell-tailored treatment planning rather than to the tumor mass. The success of BNCT depends mainly on the sufficient spatial biodistribution of ¹⁰B located around or within neoplastic cells to produce a high-dose gradient between the tumor and healthy tissue. However, it is not yet possible to precisely determine the concentration of ¹⁰B in a specific tissue in real-time using noninvasive methods. Critical issues remain to be resolved if BNCT is to become a valuable, minimally invasive, and efficient treatment. Moreover, functional imaging technologies such as PET can be applied to determine biological information that can be used for the combined-modality radiotherapy protocol for each specific patient. Anyway, not only imaging methods but also proteomics and gene expression methods will facilitate BNCT becoming a modality of personalized medicine. This work provides an overview of the fundamental principles, recent advances, and future directions of BNCT as cell-targeted cancer therapy for personalized radiation treatment.

Eysenhardtia platycarpa (Fabaceae) is a medicinal plant used in México and it lacks biotechnological studies for its use. The aim of this work was to establish a cell suspension cultures (CSC) of E. platycarpa, determine the phytochemical profile, and evaluate its antifungal activity. Friable callus and CSC were established with 2 mg/L 1-naphthaleneacetic acid plus 0.1 mg/L kinetin. The highest total phenolics of CSC was 15.6 mg GAE/g dry weight and the total flavonoids content ranged from 56.2 to 104.1 µg QE/g dry weight. CG‒MS analysis showed that the dichloromethane extracts of CSC, sapwood and heartwood have a high amount of hexadecanoic acid (22.3 ‒ 35.3 %) and steroids (13.5 ‒ 14.7%). Heartwood and sapwood defatted hexane extracts have the highest amount of stigmasterol (≈ 23.4%) and β-sitosterol (≈ 43%), and leaf extracts presented β-amyrin (16.3%). Methanolic leaves extracts showed mostly sugars and some polyols, mainly D-pinitol (74.3%). Dichloromethane and fatty hexane extracts of CSC exhibited the percentages inhibition higher for Sclerotium cepivorum with 71.5 and 62.0%, respectively. The maximum inhibition for Rhizoctonia solani was with fatty hexane extracts of the sapwood (51.4%). Our study suggest that CSC extracts could be used as a possible complementary alternative to synthetic fungicides.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, highly aggressive skin cancer characterized by two etiologies: the first one, observed in most cases, is attributed to Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV), a DNA tumor virus, while the second one is due to ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure. Currently, there are limited diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic biomarkers available for MCC. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNA molecules that do not code for proteins but regulate various cellular processes, including cell cycle progression, proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. The dysregulation of miRNAs has been associated with a wide range of cancers since they can act as either tumor suppressors or oncogenes. This paper aims to collect, summarize and re-organize the recent discoveries concerning miRNAs, whose dysregulation in the pathogenesis and progression of MCC is slowly emerging. Furthermore, the potential clinical applications of miRNAs as diagnostic biomarkers, possible differentiation between MCPyV-related and unrelated MCC, predictors of response to therapy and prognostics are also discussed. From this review, it emerges that miRNAs may have, in the near future, the potential to become clinically significant in improving the diagnostic accuracy, prognostic evaluation, and therapeutic options of MCCs. Finally, the new perspectives on the poorly explored field of artificial intelligence in MCC are provided.

Introduction: Determination of radiological bone age (BA) is a diagnostic method that consists of estimating chronological age (CA) from the bone maturation of children. Although environmental and hormonal factors can interfere with bone ossification, the process is essentially dependent on ancestral inheritance. These ethnic backgrounds are not usually considered, which can lead to biased interpretations and inadequate decision-making by pediatricians or forensic experts. The objective of this study was to determine the precision and accuracy of these radiological procedures among different ethnic groups. Methods: A qualitative systematic review carried out following MOOSE statement and previously registered in the International Prospective Registry of Systematic Reviews PROSPERO (CRD42023449512). Search was performed in MEDLINE (PubMed) (n=561), Cochrane Library (n=261), CINAHL (n=103), Web of Science (WOS) (n=181) and public institutional repositories (n=37) from inception to 31st December 2022 using Mesh as “Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures”, “Diagnostic imaging”, “Radiography”, “Age Determination by Skeleton” and free terms combining with booleans “AND” and “OR”. PEDro scale, and Risk of Bias in non-randomized Studies of Exposure (ROBINS-E) were used to assess methodological quality and risk of bias of included studies respectively. Results: 51 articles (n=19,531) were included according to the inclusion criteria previously established. There was a good to moderate methodological quality and a high to very high risk of bias. Skeletal methods for determining BA were precised in terms of intra-observer and inter-observer reliability in all ethnic groups. Regarding to accuracy of Skeletal methods in Caucasians and Hispanic children, GPA was accurate at all ages, but in youths, TW3 RUS could be a consistent alternative. In Asian and Arab, GPA and TW3 overestimated BA in adolescents near adulthood. In African youths, GPA overestimated BA while TW3 was more accurate in estimating CA. Dental and Cervical radiographic methods are equally precise but lesser accurate than Skeletal BA determination. Conclusion: Skeletal radiographic methods GPA and TW3 are both precise for BA determination among all ethnical groups, but their accuracy in estimating CA can be altered by racial bias.

Large datasets play a crucial role in the progression of surgical robotics, facilitating advancements in the fields of surgical task recognition and automation. Moreover, public datasets enable the comparative analysis of various algorithms and methodologies, thereby assessing their effectiveness and performance. The ROSMA (Robotics Surgical Maneuvers) dataset provides 206 trials of common surgical training tasks performed with the da Vinci Research Kit (dVRK). In this work, we extend ROSMA dataset with two annotated subsets: ROSMAT24, which contains bounding box annotations for instrument detection, and ROSMAG40, which contains high and low level gesture annotations. We propose an annotation method that provides independent labels for the right-handed tool and the left-handed tool. For instrument identification, we validate our proposal with a YOLOv4 model in two experimental scenarios. We demonstrate the generalization capabilities of the network to detect instruments in unseen scenarios. For gesture segmentation, we propose two label categories: high-level annotations that describe gestures at a maneuvers level, and low-level annotations that describe gestures at a fine-grain level. To validate this proposal, we have designed a recurrent neural network based on a bidirectional long-short term memory layer. We present results for four cross-validation experimental setups, reaching up to a 77.35% mAP.

All living organisms require some metal ions for their energy production as well as metabolic and biosynthetic processes. Within cells, metal ions are involved in the formation of adducts interact with metabolites and macromolecules (proteins and nucleic acids). The proteins that require binding to one or more metal ions to be able to carry out their physiological function are called metalloproteins. About one third of all protein structures in the Protein Data Bank involve metalloproteins. Over the past few years there has been a tremendous progress in the number of computational tools and techniques making use of 3D structural information to support the investigation of metalloproteins. This trend has been boosted also by the successful applications of neural networks and deep learning approaches in molecular and structural biology at large. In this review, we discuss recent advances in the development and availability of resources dealing with metalloproteins from a structure-based perspective. We start by addressing tools for the prediction of metal-binding sites (MBSs) using structural information on apo-proteins. Then, we provide an overview of methods for and lessons learned from the structural comparison of MBSs in a fold-independent manner. We then move to describing databases of metalloprotein/MBS structures. Finally, we summarize recent DL applications enhancing the functional interpretation of metalloprotein structures.

This work analyzes the visibility and scientific impact of publications related to agricultural value chains. The incidence of bibliometric indicators allows for the interpretation of bibliographic information generated worldwide. Objective: The objective of this research is to analyze the published literature and bibliometric indicators on agricultural value chains. The Web of Science database was used to extract value chains data. The study analyzed articles published between 2010 and 2020. The keywords used are "agricultural value chains'' and articles from journals or studies related to the subject were selected for bibliometric analysis and methodological review. In the search for the keyword, a total of 4208 results were extracted, of which 1,669 records were considered for analysis. The bibliometric analysis of the data reveals that Wageningen University (55) has the highest number of publications, followed by Chinese Acad Sci (26). The author Klerkx L (9) has the highest number of records, followed by Hellin J (7). With respect to the countries with the greatest contributions on the subject are: the People's Republic of China, Germany, Italy, France and the United States. The study contributes to the analysis of bibliometrics and provides a methodological review of published journal articles on agricultural value chains. This bibliographic study presents the history of research development in agricultural value chains.