Fingerprints are essential for human identification and are valuable tools in criminal investigations. The pursuit of new materials for digital printing is expanding, with increasing interest in natural compounds such as bixin, sourced from annatto seeds. Despite its traditional use as a natural dye with medicinal properties, the potential of bixin in papilloscopy remains largely untapped. In this study, we meticulously extracted bixin from annatto seeds and meticulously developed composites incorporating zinc carbonate (bixin/ZnCO3) and kaolinite (bixin/kaolinite). UV-visible spectroscopy was used for characterization, and the extracted bixin showed absorption peaks at 429, 453, and 481 nm, which were very similar to standard peaks at 429, 457, and 487 nm. The two samples also had the same retention times (7.07 min) according to further liquid chromatography analysis. Sweat pores were easier to detect thanks to the effectiveness of the bixin/ZnCO3 and bixin/kaolinite composites in creating high contrast sebaceous and natural latent fingerprints. These results highlight the composites’ potential as novel and fascinating instruments for papilloscopy applications, which might also improve forensic investigations.

Fractional differential equations have become a fundamental modelling approach for understanding and simulating the many aspects of nonlocality and spatial heterogeneity of complex materials and systems. Yet, while real-order fractional operators are nowadays widely adopted, little progress has been made in extending such operators to complex-order counterparts. In this work, we introduce new definitions for the complex-order fractional Laplacian, fully consistent with the theory of averaging of smooth functions over fractal sets, and present tailored spectral methods for their numerical treatment. The proposed complex-order operators exhibit a dual particle-wave behaviour, with solutions manifesting wave-like features depending on the magnitude of the imaginary part of the fractional order. Reaction-diffusion systems driven by the complex-order fractional Laplacian exhibit unique spatio-temporal dynamics, such as equilibrium of diffusion in random materials by interference of scattered waves, conduction block and highly fractionated propagation, or the generation of completely novel Turing patterns. Taken together, our results support that the proposed complex-order operators hold unparalleled capabilities to advance the description of multiscale transport phenomena in physical and biological processes highly influenced by the heterogeneity of complex media.

Starting with BitTorrent and then Bitcoin, decentralized technologies have been on the rise over the last 15+ years, gaining significant momentum in the last 2+ years with the advent of platform ecosystems such as the Blockchain platform Ethereum. New projects have evolved from decentralized games to marketplaces to open funding models to decentralized autonomous organizations. The hype around cryptocurrency and the valuation of innovative projects drove the market cap of cryptocurrencies to over a trillion dollars at one point in 2017. These high valued technologies are now enabling something new: globally scaled, decentralized business models. Despite their valuation and the hype, these new business ecosystems are frail. This is not only because the underlying technology is rapidly evolving, but also because competitive markets see a profit opportunity in exponential cryptocurrency returns. This extracts value from these ecosystems, which could lead to their collapse, if unchecked. In this paper, we explore novel ways for decentralized economies to protect themselves from, and coexist with competitive markets at a global scale utilizing decentralized technologies such as Blockchain.

The global issues of overweight and sedentary lifestyles demand comprehensive responses from health systems, yet health education still needs to be more cohesive and less sporadic. This study focuses on primary school children as a specific target for instilling healthy habits, employing ac-tive learning strategies to address healthy diet and physical activity. Through Problem-Based Learning projects, the study engaged fourth-grade primary students in acquiring healthy habits. The study was carried out over four consecutive years at a school with two lines, allowing the employment of an opportunity sample and evaluating intervention and control groups by com-paring their corresponding scores. Control groups integrated a total of 54 students, while the in-tervention group included a total of 159 students. A pre-test and post-test questionnaire were used for data collection. Evaluation differential scores revealed statistically significant higher scores in the intervention groups: 3.62 points in control groups and 6,94 in intervention groups, particu-larly in attitudinal competences. These strategies not only facilitated the development of crucial skills such as information search, synthesis, representation, analysis, decision-making, teamwork, and intrapersonal awareness but also significantly broadened the knowledge acquired in aspects related to healthy habits. This approach proved effective in helping children comprehend the im-portance of healthy choices and encouraged integrating such habits into their daily lives.

The aim of this paper was to test isolated and pre-selected bacteria strains from Nile tilapia intestinal mucus, collected in Brazilian commercial fish farming, to use as probiotics in the feeding. The variable were growth performance, hematology, microbiology and immunology. These strains were submitted to in vitro inhibition tests of pathogenic bacteria. Then, they were identified by PCR and sequencing, and comparing using the BLAST software. The experiment was carried out in the Fisheries Institute, Sao Paulo, Brazil, for 84 days, following the randomized experiment design with seven treatments and three replicates (21 experimental units): T0 – control, T1 – Bacillus velezensis, T2 – Bacillus pumilus, T3 – Bacillus subtilis, T4 –Enterococcus hirae T5 – Enterococcus faecium and T6 – mix of bacteria strains used to this experiment. The variables analyzed were: growth performance, DGGE (Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis), phagocytes respiratory burst activity, hematology and bromatology. As result, the bacteria strains B. pumilus (T2) and all bacteria mix (T6), included in Nile tilapia diet, promoted better biomass values, with similar feed conversion rate of control group (p<0,05). Apparently, the microorganisms use does not affect the health and well-fare of the fish. The hematology index, except basophils and thrombocytes numbers do not demonstrated differences among the groups, as well as glycemia, lactate level, respiratory burst and lysozyme activities. In conclusion, the isolated and pre-selected bacteria from intestinal mucus of Nile tilapia, B. pumilus (T2) and mix (T6 - B. velezensis, B. pumilus, B. subtilis, E. hirae and E. faecium) improve the growth performance and may be used as probiotics for Nile tilapia.

Two new systematic authentication codes based on the Gray map over a Galois ring are introduced. The first introduced code attains optimal impersonation and substitution probabilities. The second code improves space sizes but it does not attain optimal probabilities. Besides it is conditioned to the existence of a special class of bent maps on Galois rings.

This paper establishes methods that quantify the structure of statistical interactions within a given data set using the characterization of information theory in cohomology by finite methods, and provides their expression in terms of statistical physic and machine learning. Following [1–3], we show directly that k multivariate mutual-informations (I_k) are k-coboundaries. The k-cocycles are given by I_k = 0, which generalize statistical independence to arbitrary dimension k. The topological approach allows to investigate Shannon’s information in the multivariate case without the assumptions of independent identically distributed variables. We develop the computationally tractable subcase of simplicial information cohomology represented by entropy H_k and information I_k landscapes. The I₁ component defines a self-internal energy functional U_k, and (−1)^k I_k,k≥2 components define the contribution to a free energy functional G_k of the k-body interactions. The set of information paths in simplicial structures is in bijection with the symmetric group and random processes, provides a topological expression of the 2nd law and points toward a discrete Noether theorem (1st law). The local minima of free-energy, related to conditional information negativity and the non-Shannonian cone of Yeung [4], characterize a minimum free energy complex. This complex formalizes the minimum free-energy principle in topology, provides a definition of a complex system, and characterizes a multiplicity of local minima that quantifies the diversity observed in biology. Finite data size effects and estimation bias severely constrain the effective computation of the information topology on data, and we provide simple statistical tests for the undersampling bias and for the k-dependences following [5]. We give an example of application of these methods to genetic expression and cell-type classification. The maximal positive I_k identifies the variables that co-vary the most in the population, whereas the minimal negative I_k identifies clusters and the variables that differentiate-segregate the most. The methods unravel biologically relevant I₁₀ with a sample size of 41. It establishes generic methods to quantify the epigenetic information storage and a unified epigenetic unsupervised learning formalism.

While obesity is recognized as a key global public health issue, there has been no research to date on the perceptions of care for people with this condition held by individuals in positions of organizational power. The aim of this study was therefore to describe the perceptions and experiences of clinical leaders and managers of providing care to inpatients with obesity at a metropolitan public health service. This study applied an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) approach to qualitative research, conducting interviews with 17 participants. Their perceptions of care for inpatients with obesity encompassed both their personal understanding as an individual, and their observations about the organizational, patient and carer perspectives. Three overall themes were identified: 1) The problem of inpatients with obesity, 2) Inpatients with obesity as sources of risk and 3) Personal and professional perceptions of inpatients with obesity. While clinical leaders and managers were aware of potential impact of stigma and weight bias on the care given to this cohort, elements of implicit bias, stereotyping, ‘othering’ and ambivalence were frequently present in the data. Ongoing efforts to improve care for patients with obesity must therefore include efforts to address perceptions and attitudes at all organisational levels of the workforce.

Pericytes are increasingly recognized as being important in the control of blood-brain barrier permeability and vascular flow. Research on this important cell type has been hindered by widespread confusion regarding the phenotypic identity and nomenclature of pericytes and other perivascular cell types. In addition, pericyte heterogeneity and mouse-human species differences have contributed to confusion. Herein we summarize our present knowledge on the identification of pericytes and pericyte subsets in humans, primarily focusing on recent findings in humans and nonhuman primates. Precise identification and definition of pericytes and pericyte subsets in humans may help us to better understand pericyte biology and develop new therapeutic approaches specifically targeting disease-associated pericyte subsets.

Accurately glacier mapping is crucial for understanding climate change impacts, but existing efforts may be biased due to overlooking spatial autocorrelation during map validation. To address this, we compared several widely used machine learning algorithms as gradient boosting machines (GBM), k-nearest neighbor (KNN) and random forest (RF) with parametric logistic regression (GLM) and an unsupervised remote sensing-based method (NDSI) for mapping Peru's glacier regions in a thoughtful experimental setup. Spatial and non-spatial cross-validation methods were used to evaluate model’s performance and compared with a fully independent test set. Performance differences of up to 18% were found between bias-reduced (spatial) and overoptimistic (non-spatial) cross-validation results when compared to independent test set, emphasizing the need to consider spatial autocorrelation when using machine learning for glacier mapping. K-nearest neighbors (KNN) was the overall best model across regions consistently demonstrating the highest performance followed by logistic regression (LR) and gradient boosting machines (GBM). Our novel validation approach, accounting for spatial characteristics, provides valuable insights for glacier mapping studies and future efforts on glacier retreat monitoring. Incorporating this approach improves the reliability of glacier mapping, guiding future national-level initiatives.

Adipose tissue has acquired considerable importance due to its role in maintaining body homeostasis. Beyond storing energy, adipose tissue is essential in numerous processes of energy metabolism, food intake, endocrine and immunological functions as well as neromodulatory functions by secreting hormones that participate in the regulation of homeostasis and being responsive to soluble proteins secreted by other tissues. An imbalance of these functions will generate structural and functional changes in the adipose tissue, favouring the secretion of deleterious adipocytokines that benefit a pro-inflammatory state, allowing the development of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. Obesity is a disease that has increased rapidly in recent decades and is caused by environmental, hormonal, and genetic factors, which probably work in combination. Environmental factors that contribute to the increase in obesity include decreased physical activity, associated with increased screen time, increased accessibility and consumption of foods rich in fats and sugars. Weight loss should be recommended for all obese patients and overweight patients with comorbidities. For many patients who need to lose weight for medical reasons, the initial goal is to lose 5-10% of their body weight in the first 6 months. A common theme worldwide has been the development of professional guidelines for the control and treatment of obesity and in Chile, the Chilean Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery led the process of adopting the adult obesity clinical practice guideline, which establishes changes in the approach to managing obesity as a chronic disease, with an emphasis on multifactorial lifestyle interventions that include dietary changes, increased physical activity, and behavioural modifications. Pharmacotherapy, medical devices, and bariatric surgery are other options for patients who need additional interventions, so the objective of this review is to know the pathophysiological mechanisms of obesity from its origin to the current treatments available for treatment.

Feedback is a type of formative evaluation linked to student learning and academic achievement. However, it is not known how students perceive this process since there are no instruments to measure attitudes towards feedback. The objective of this work was to develop and validate an attitude scale towards academic feedback through an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), using the principal components method and an internal consistency analysis using Cronbach's Alpha. The sample consisted of 274 students from 2015, 2016, and 2017 cohorts of pedagogy careers from five Chilean universities. The results showed the consolidation of the instrument and its final conformation in four components (Negative experience towards feedback, Effectiveness of feedback, Feedback as an opportunity, and Resistance towards feedback) with a total of 15 items, which allow measuring the students' attitude towards this written formative evaluation.

The most important step for the installation of a wind farm is to know the wind regime in the region, since an error in estimating this wind speed causes an error proportional to the cube of power, resulting in financial losses for investors. Therefore, knowing the methods used for predicting wind speed becomes important and the knowledge of how research and studies in this area are going helps map the subject and outline strategies for developing research in strategic areas. For this purpose, the Scopus database was used considering some keywords, such as ("forecast" OR "prevision") AND "wind" AND ("turbine" OR "power" OR "energy" or "velocity" or "speed"), considering the period since 2019, and analyzing the data of the documents found using the Bibliometrix package. With the results found, it was possible to map researchers, institutions that are developing work in this area, in addition to the most cited articles, among other aspects analyzed.

It has been known that the performance of the High-Pressure Grinding Rolls (HPGR) varies as a function of method used to confine laterally the rolls, their diameter/length (aspect) ratio as well as their condition, if new or worn. However, quantifying these effects through direct experimentation in machines with reasonably large dimensions is not straightforward given the challenge, among others, of guaranteeing that the feed material remains unchanged. The present work couples the discrete element method (DEM) to multibody dynamics (MBD) and a novel particle replacement model (PRM) to simulate the performance of pilot-scale HPGRs grinding pellet feed. It shows that rotating side plates, in particular when fitted with studs, allow reaching more uniform forces along the bed, which also translates in a more constant product size along the rolls as well as higher throughput. It also shows that the edge effect is relatively constant with roll length, leading to substantially larger proportional edge regions for high-aspect ratio rolls. On the other hand, the product from the center region of such rolls was found to be finer when pressed at identical specific forces. Finally, rolls were found to have higher throughput, but generate a coarser product when worn following the commonly observed trapezoidal profile. The approach used in industry to compensate for roller wear by increasing the specific force and roll speed has then been demonstrated to be effective to maintain and potentially even increase product fineness and throughput, as long as the minimum safety gap is not reached.

Comminution is the most power-demanding stage, and the lack of geometallurgical testing, often for financial reasons, may result in an inefficient operation. The Geopyörä Rock Breakage test was developed with the objective of making mineral variability data more accessible by providing both standard comminution parameters and rock mechanical properties at low cost, and with a modest sample size, allowing a larger number of samples to be tested to reduce uncertainties and assure productivity. The objective of this work is to present the results of an extensive validation of this new rock breakage method against two of the main tests currently in use, namely the SMC® and Bond ball mill work index tests. More than 100 samples have been tested and the results compared, showing that the new method can accurately estimate the parameters of the traditional tests. This confirms that the new test is a reliable tool for comminution and geometallurgical tests.

Asthma is a prevalent disease that around 300 million worldwide, resulting in substantial morbidity, mortality, and economic burden on a global scale. New clinical and laboratory research has shed light on the immunology causing asthma. Asthma is now recognized as a heterogeneous disease. A personalized medicine is based on the classification of asthma by endotype by linking observable characteristics to immunological mechanisms. Identifying endotype mechanisms is essential for better characterizing patients and personalizing therapeutic approaches with novel biological agents that target specific immune pathways. This article provides a summary of the major immunological mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis and emergence of the disease's phenotypic features, as well as the individualized treatment for severe asthma subtypes

The implementation of sustainable practices, such as the use of renewable sources and efficient technologies, is crucial for reducing climate change. Energy efficiency is highly important on a global scale due to its relationship with climate change, aiming to minimize environmental impact. In Spain, renewable energy policies have increased self-sufficiency and reduced the use of fossil fuels. Optimizing energy consumption in residences, buildings, and industries is essential for improving efficiency. This was taken into consideration for conducting this study, focusing on the residential sector. The desire to understand the level of energy efficiency in Extremadura drove this project, which focuses on collecting and analyzing data on a set of homes located in the au-tonomous community of Extremadura, with the purpose of evaluating their energy efficiency. To achieve this, a computer tool will be employed to provide a detailed view of the different levels of energy efficiency present in the community. In addition to data collection and analysis, research will be conducted to identify areas for improvement. This will allow proposing a series of specific measures that users can implement to optimize energy efficiency in their homes, adapting them to the particular characteristics of each residence.

Objectives: To evaluate the relationship between the type of conization, the volume and dimensions of the cone, with the persistence/recurrence of CIN 2-3, presence of affected margins and post-cone HR-HPV positivity. Methods: 227 women treated with LLETZ and histologically confirmed CIN2-3 were evaluated between 1996 and 2006 and followed up until June 2016. Age, type of resection according to IFCPC 2011, volume, cone dimensions, margins were studied. of resection, post-cone high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) status and viral load. Determinants of HR-HPV positivity were estimated using unconditional logistic regression and time to recurrence was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curves. Results: Persistent/recurrent CIN2-3 was found in 12 cases (5.2%), type 1 conization was performed in 81 patients, with 5 recurrences (6.1%), type 2 in 101 patients, with 6 recurrences (5 .9%) and type 3 resection in 45 women, with 1 recurrence (2.2%). Volume and dimensions were not associated with recurrence. The Log-Rank Test did not show a significant difference between the 3 treatments (p= 0.18). The free margins in type 1 were 37%, in type 2 resection 61% and in type 3 71% (p=0.001). Resection type 1 had 15% HR-HPV post positive cone, type 2 reached 16% and type 3 had 9%, this difference being non-significant (p=0.58). The incidence of recurrence at 36 months in type 1 resection was 0.08%, in type 2 treatment it was 0.04% and in type 3 resection it was 0.0%. Conclusions : Type 3 resection had a higher proportion of free margins and lower post-cone HR-HPV positivity, with a lower incidence of persistence/recurrence.

Cryptocurrencies have obtained a crucial position in the international financial landscape. The cryptocurrency market has been perceived as a highly volatile market since the inception of Bitcoin. This study investigates the relevant performance of extreme value models (EVM) in estimating the Value-at-Risk (VaR) of Bitcoin and Ethereum returns. The extreme value mixture models, GPD-Normal-GPD (GNG) and GPD-KDE-GPD models are fitted to the returns of Bitcoin and Ethereum and the Kupiec likelihood backtesting procedure is performed on the VaR estimates to assess the fits. Both models’ results showed that the fits were a much more decent representation of the observed data when compared to the Normal distribution. The backtesting results showed that the GPD-KDE-GPD model’s fit was superior to that of the GPD-Normal-GPD for both sets of returns at all VaR risk levels except at the 99% level. The results of this study may assist with understanding the dynamics and risks associated with cryptocurrencies and can serve as a beneficial tool for decision-making and risk management to investors, traders, financial institutions and many other participants in the cryptocurrency ecosystem.

In 2011, it was reviewed that there is a strong co-occurrence between major depression and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), with fatigue and physio-somatic symptoms being key symptoms of depression, and depressive symptoms appearing during the course of CFS. Moreover, the comorbidity between both conditions may in part be explained by activated immune-inflammatory pathways, including increased translocation of Gram-negative bacteria and increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1. Nevertheless, the possible involvement of activated microglia in this comorbidity has remained unclear. This paper aims to review microglial disturbances in major depression, CFS and their comorbidity. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using the PubMed / MEDLINE database to identify studies that are relevant to this current review. Depressed patients present neuroinflammatory alterations, probably related to microglial activation, while animal models show that a microglial response to immune challenges including lipopolysaccharides is accompanied by depressive-like behaviors. Recent evidence from preclinical studies indicate that activated microglia have a key role in the onset of fatigue. In chronic inflammatory conditions, such as infections and senescence, microglia orchestrate an inflammatory microenvironment thereby causing fatigue. In conclusion, based on our review we may posit that shared immune-inflammatory pathways and activated microglia underpin comorbid depression and CFS and that activated microglia are the main orchestrators of this comorbidity. As such, microglial activation and neuro-inflammation may be promising targets to treat the overlapping manifestations of both depression and CFS.

Pinus occidentalis, Swartz is the primary timber species in the Dominican Republic (DR). Despite its economic importance, studies conducted on this species are very scarce, making it difficult to estimate current inventory levels. This study aims to enhance the accuracy of estimating total bole volume of P. occidentalis in different ecological zones (EZs) within La Sierra, evaluating and comparing two established volume equations—combined variable and Schumacher-Hall—across nine modeling variants (MVs). An indicator variables analysis determined the necessity of distinct equations for two EZs. Fitting included both linear and nonlinear models. Our comprehensive statistical analysis included goodness-of-fit metrics to evaluate each model variant's performance rigorously. Modeling variant SH02 was most effective in the Dry Ecological Zone, showing superior performance in both fitting and validation phases. Similarly, SH03 emerged as the best fit for the Combined Intermediate and Humid Ecological Zones, achieving the lowest overall ranking sum among tested variants. The SH equation variants SH02 and SH03, provide reliable and precise volume estimations, allowing optimization of forestry management practices for P. occidentalis trees. The SH models outperformed the CV model variants' consistency in parameter estimation. This tailored approach employed ensures more accurate volume predictions, which is crucial for sustainable management and conservation efforts.

Despite widespread use of combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) and increased life expectancy in people living with HIV (PLWH), HIV-related lymphomas (HRL) remain a leading cause of cancer morbidity and mortality for PLWH, even in patients optimally treated with cART. While incidence of aggressive forms of non-Hodgkin lymphoma decreased after cART advent, incidence of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) has increased among PLWH in recent decades. The coinfection of Epstein Barr virus plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of HL in the HIV setting. Currently, PLWH with HRL, including HL, are treated similarly to HIV-negative patients and, importantly, the prognosis of HL in PLWH is approaching to that of the general population. In this regard, effective chem-otherapy is strongly recommended since it has been shown to improve survival rates in all lymphoma subtypes, including HL. As a consequence, interdisciplinary collaboration between HIV specialists and hemato-oncologists for the management of potential drug-drug interactions and overlapping toxicities between antiretroviral and antineoplastic drugs is crucial for the op-timal treatment of PLWH with HL. In this article the authors review and update the epidemio-logical, clinical and biological aspects of HL presenting in PLWH with special emphasis in the improvement on prognosis and the factors that have contributed to it.

Despite widespread use of combined antiretroviral therapy (ART) and increased life expectancy in people living with HIV (PLWH), HIV-related lymphomas (HRL) remain a leading cause of cancer morbidity and mortality for PLWH, even in patients optimally treated with ART. While incidence of aggressive forms of non-Hodgkin lymphoma decreased after ART advent, incidence of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) has increased among PLWH in recent decades. The coinfection of Epstein Barr virus plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of HL in the HIV setting. Currently, PLWH with HRL, including HL, are treated similarly to HIV-negative patients and, importantly, the prognosis of HL in PLWH is approaching to that of the general population. In this regard, effective chemotherapy is strongly recommended since it has been shown to improve survival rates in all lymphoma subtypes, including HL. As a consequence, interdisciplinary collaboration between HIV specialists and hemato-oncologists for the management of potential drug-drug interactions and overlapping toxicities between antiretroviral and antineoplastic drugs is crucial for the optimal treatment of PLWH with HL. In this article the authors review and update the epidemiological, clinical and biological aspects of HL presenting in PLWH with special emphasis in the improvement on prognosis and the factors that have contributed to it.

We describe a competitive colorimetric assay that enables rapid and sensitive detection of galactose and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) via colorimetric readouts and demon-strates its usefulness for monitoring NAD+-driven enzymatic reactions. We present a sensitive plasmonic sensing approach for assessing galactose concentration and the presence of NADH using galactose dehydrogenase immobilized gold nanostars (AuNS-PVP-GalDH). The AuNS-PVP-GalDH assay remains turquoise blue in the absence of galactose and NADH; however, as galactose and NADH concentrations grow, the reaction well color changes to a characteristic red color in the presence of an alkaline environment and metal ions catalyst (detection solution). As a result, when galactose is sensed in the presence of H2O2, the colored response of the AuNS-PVP-GalDH assay transforms from turquoise blue to light pink, then to wine red in a con-centration-dependent manner discernible to the human eye. This competitive AuNS-PVP-GalDH assay could be a viable analytical tool for rapid and convenient galactose quantification in re-source-limited areas.

Interprofessional collaboration between general practitioners (GPs) and community pharmacists (CPs) is central to implement antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs in primary care. This study aimed to design a GP-pharmacist antimicrobial stewardship (GPPAS) model in Australian primary care. A seven-component exploratory study was conducted since 2017 to 2021 to inform a GPPAS model. We generated both secondary and primary evidence through a systematic review, a scoping review, a rapid review, nationwide surveys of Australian GPs and CPs including qualitative components and a pilot study of a GPPAS model. All study evidence was synthesised, reviewed, merged and triangulated to design a prototype GPPAS model using a Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety theoretical framework. Secondary evidence informed effective GPPAS interventions, and primary evidence captured interprofessional issues, challenges and future needs to implement GPPAS interventions by GPs and CPs. A GPPAS model framework involving GP-pharmacist team-based five GPPAS sub-models were successfully designed to foster AMS education, antimicrobial audits, diagnostic stewardship, delayed prescribing, and routine review of antimicrobial prescription by improved GP-CP collaboration. A GPPAS model could be used as a guide to collaboratively optimise antimicrobial use by GPs and CPs. Implementation studies on GPPAS model and sub-models are required to integrate GPPAS model into GP-pharmacist interprofessional care models in Australia.

Inteins, often referred to as protein introns, are highly mobile genetic elements that invade conserved genes throughout the tree of life. Inteins have been found to invade a wide variety of key genes within actinophages. While in the process of conducting a survey of these inteins in actinophages we discovered that one protein family of methylases contained a putative intein, and two other unique insertion elements. These methylases are known to occur commonly in phages as orphan methylases (possibly as a form of resistance to restriction-modification systems). We found that the methylase family is not conserved within phage clusters and has a disparate distribution across divergent phage groups. We determined that two of the three insertion elements have a patchy distribution within the methylase protein family. We also found that the third insertion element is likely a second homing endonuclease, and that all three elements (the intein, the homing endonuclease, and what we refer to as the ShiLan domain) all have different insertion sites that are conserved in the methylase gene family. Furthermore, we find strong evidence that both the intein and ShiLan domain are partaking in long distance horizontal gene transfer events between divergent methylases in disparate phage hosts within the already dispersed methylase distribution. The reticulate evolutionary history of methylases and their insertion elements reveals high rates of gene transfer and within-gene recombination in actinophages.

Grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs) attack the vine's wood, devastating vineyards worldwide. Chile is the world's fourth largest wine exporter, and Cabernet Sauvignon leads the red wine varieties. Botryosphaeria dieback is an important GTDs and Diplodia seriata is one of the main pathogenic species. Biocontrol studies of these pathogens are commonly carried out at different incubation times but at a single temperature. This study aimed to evaluate the biocontrol effect of native Chilean bacteria against D. seriata isolates at different temperatures. We analyzed the biocontrol effects of Pseudomonas sp. GcR15a, Pseudomonas sp. AMCR2b and Rhodococcus sp. PU4, with three D. seriata isolates (PUCV 2120, PUCV 2142 and PUCV 2183) at 8, 22 and 35°C. Agar plug diffusion and double plate methods were used to evaluate the effect of diffusible and volatile organic compounds (DOC and VOC), and an in vivo test was performed with Cabernet Sauvignon cuttings. Pseudomonas strains showed the most significant inhibition in the DOC assay, and a demelanizing activity was observed. Rhodococcus sp. PU4 showed VOC biocontrol potential at high temperatures (35°C). In vivo, a biocontrol effect was observed against two D. seriata isolates, while the PUCV 2142 isolate proved to be more resistant to being controlled. The biocontrol ability at low temperatures is promising for effective control in the field, where infections occur primarily in winter.

Cemeteries can be compared to landfills since their leachate, also known as necroleachate, can be transported and pollute groundwater, surface waters, and soils. In Brazil, the cemeteries management is the responsibility of states and municipalities, to ensure that they do not generate negative environmental impacts and risks to public health. This article aims to discuss Brazilian sanitary-environmental legislation relating to cemetery waste management. Among the Brazilian states, half have sanitary-environmental legislation for cemeteries, and between the municipalities, only 19 have specific legislation. The legislation is broad and has many gaps, leading to environmental vulnerability and risk of contamination for the people who live in the surrounding area.

Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS) is induced by thiamine deficiency (TD) and mainly related to alcohol consumption. Frontal cortex dysfunction has been associated to impulsivity and disinhibition in WKS patients. The pathophysiology involves oxidative stress, excitotoxicity and inflammatory responses leading to neuronal death, but the relative contributions of each factor (alcohol and TD, isolate or in interaction) to these phenomena are still poorly understood. A rat model was used by forced consumption of 20% (w/v) alcohol for 9 months (CA), TD hit (TD diet + pyrithiamine 0.25 mg/kg, i.p. daily injections the last 12 days of experimentation; TDD), and both combined treatments (CA+TDD). Motor and cognitive performance and cortical damage were examined. CA caused hyperlocomotion as a possible sensitization of ethanol-induced excitatory effects and recognition memory deficits. In addition, CA+TDD animals showed a disinhibited-like behavior, which appears to be dependent on TDD. Also, combined treatment led to more pronounced alterations in nitrosative stress, lipid peroxidation, apoptosis and cell damage markers. Correlations between injury signals and disinhibition suggest that CA+TDD disrupts behaviors dependent on the frontal cortex. Our study sheds light on the potential disease-specific mechanisms, reinforcing the need for neuroprotective therapeutic approaches along with preventive treatments for the nutritional deficiency in WKS.

Distal Sensory Peripheral Neuropathy (DSP) is a common complication in HIV-infected individ-uals, leading to chronic pain and reduced quality of life. Despite antiretroviral therapy (ART), DSP persists, often prompting the use of opioid analgesics, which can paradoxically worsen symptoms through opioid-induced microbial dysbiosis. This study employs the HIV Tg26 mouse model to investigate HIV-DSP development and assess gut microbiome changes in response to chronic morphine treatment and ART using 16s rRNA sequencing. Our results reveal that chronic morphine and ART exacerbate HIV-DSP in Tg26 mice, primarily through mechanical pain path-ways. As the gut microbiome may be involved in chronic pain persistence, microbiome analysis indicated distinct bacterial community changes between WT and Tg26 mice as well as morphine and ART-induced microbial changes in the Tg26 mice. This study reveals the Tg26 mice model to be a relevant system that can help elucidate the pathogenic mechanisms of opioid and ART-induced exacerbation of HIV-associated pain. Our results shed light on the intricate inter-play between HIV infection, ART, opioid use, and the gut microbiome in chronic pain development. They hold implications for understanding the mechanisms underlying HIV-associated pain and microbial dysbiosis, with potential for future research focused on prevention and treatment strategies.

Methionine 77 in calmodulin can be stereospecifically oxidized to methionine sulfoxide by mammalian methionine sulfoxide reductase A. Whether this has in vivo significance is unknown. We therefore created a mutant mouse in which wild-type calmodulin-1 was replaced by a calmodulin containing a mimic of methionine sulfoxide at residue 77. Total calmodulin levels were unchanged in the homozygous M77Q mutant, which is viable and fertile. No differences were observed on learning tests, including the Morris water maze and associative learning. Cardiac stress test results were also the same for mutant and wild type mice. .However, young male and female mice were 20% smaller than wild type mice, although food intake was normal for their weight. Young M77Q mice were notably more active and exploratory than wild type mice. This behavior difference was objectively documented on the treadmill and open field tests. The mutant mice ran 20% longer on the treadmill than controls, and in the open field test, the mutant mice explored more than controls and exhibited reduced anxiety These phenotypic differences bore a similarity to those observed in mice lacking calcium/calmodulin kinase Iiα (CaMKIIα). We then showed that M77Q calmodulin was less effective in activating CaMKIIα than wild type calmodulin. Thus, characterization of the phenotype of a mouse expressing a constitutively active mimic of calmodulin led to the identification of the first calmodulin target that can be differentially regulated by the oxidation state of Met77. We conclude that reversible oxidation of methionine 77 in calmodulin by MSRA can regulate cellular function.

Viral infections inflict many serious human diseases, being responsible for remarkably high mortality rates. In this sense, both the academy and the pharmaceutical industry are continuously searching for new compounds with antiviral activity, and in addition, face the challenge of developing greener and more efficient methods to synthesize these compounds. This becomes even more important with drugs possessing stereogenic centers as highly enantioselective processes are required. In this minireview, the advances achieved to improve synthetic routes efficiency and sustainability of important commercially antiviral chiral drugs are discussed, highlighting the use of organocatalytic methods.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about unprecedented changes to human lifestyles across the world. The virus and associated social restriction measures have been linked to an increase in mental health conditions. A considerable body of evidence shows that spending time in and engaging with nature can improve human health and wellbeing. Our study explores nature’s role in supporting health during the COVID-19 pandemic. We created web-based questionnaires with validated health instruments and conducted spatial analyses in a geographic information system (GIS). We collected data on people’s patterns of nature exposure, associated health and wellbeing responses, and potential socioecological drivers such as relative deprivation, access to greenspaces, and land-cover greenness. We applied a range of statistical analyses including bootstrap resampled correlations and binomial regression models, adjusting for several potential confounding factors. We found that respondents significantly changed their patterns of visiting nature as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. People spent more time in nature and visited nature more often during the pandemic. People generally visited nature for a health and wellbeing benefit and felt that nature helped them cope during the pandemic. Greater land-cover greenness within a 250 m radius around a respondent’s postcode was important in predicting higher levels of mental wellbeing. There were significantly more food-growing allotments within 100 m and 250 m of respondents with high mental wellbeing scores. The need for a mutually-advantageous relationship between humans and the wider biotic community has never been more important. We must conserve, restore and design nature-centric environments to maintain resilient societies and planetary health.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is the most common form of leukemia in adults and accounts for approximately 15% of all leukemia cases. The etiology of this disease is based on the presence of the oncogenic Bcr/Abl fusion protein, which has dysregulated tyrosine kinase activity. This pathological condition is the result of a chromosomal translocation between chromosomes 9 and 22 leading to the formation of the Philadelphia chromosome (Ph). Clinical establishment of targeted therapy with Abl kinase inhibitors (AKIs) has been observed in the treatment of CML. Therapy resistance in patients with CML is due to genetic alterations in the cells of CML, specifically affecting the Bcr/Abl oncoprotein. Acquired resistance of CML patients to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (AKIs) has also been associated with the tumor microenvironment (TME). This study aimed to examine the role of hypoxic conditions in the development of chemoresistance to certain AKIs in CML. The findings of our study indicate that exposure to hypoxic conditions leads to a substantial increase in chemoresistance to crizotinib, while only resulting in a slight increase in chemoresistance to imatinib. It is worth noting that both drugs effectively block Bcr/Abl function. Furthermore, it was observed that the inclusion of the JAK1/2 inhibitor ruxolitinib resulted in an augmentation of chemoresistance to crizotinib in the context of hypoxia. Overexpression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1a (HIF1a) and silencing of JAK2 confirmed that the two proteins cooperate in mediating chemoresistance to crizotinib in CML cell lines. It is noteworthy that the compound 2-methoxy estradiol (2ME2), which is a metabolite of estradiol lacking estrogenic activity, has shown efficacy in reinstating the sensitivity of CML cells to crizotinib in the presence of hypoxic circumstances. Additionally, when used in conjunction with a JAK2 inhibitor, 2ME2 exhibited activity in restoring crizotinib sensitivity in CML cells. The findings of our study underscore the significance of selectively targeting elements of the HIF1α pathway in order to achieve total eradication of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) cells.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is the most common form of leukemia in adults and accounts for approximately 15% of all leukemia cases. The etiology of this disease is based on the presence of the oncogenic Bcr/Abl fusion protein, which has dysregulated tyrosine kinase activity. This pathological condition is the result of a chromosomal translocation between chromosomes 9 and 22 leading to the formation of the Philadelphia chromosome (Ph). Clinical establishment of targeted therapy with Abl kinase inhibitors (AKIs) has been observed in the treatment of CML. Therapy resistance in patients with CML is due to genetic alterations in the cells of CML, specifically affecting the Bcr/Abl oncoprotein. Acquired resistance of CML patients to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (AKIs) has also been associated with the tumor microenvironment (TME). This study aimed to examine the role of hypoxic conditions in the development of chemoresistance to certain AKIs in CML. The findings of our study indicate that exposure to hypoxic conditions leads to a substantial increase in chemoresistance to crizotinib, while only resulting in a slight increase in chemoresistance to imatinib. It is worth noting that both drugs effectively block Bcr/Abl function. Furthermore, it was observed that the inclusion of the JAK1/2 inhibitor ruxolitinib resulted in an augmentation of chemoresistance to crizotinib in the context of hypoxia. Overexpression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF1) and silencing of JAK2 confirmed that the two proteins cooperate in mediating chemoresistance to crizotinib in CML cell lines. It is noteworthy that the compound 2-methoxy estradiol (2ME2), which is a metabolite of estradiol lacking estrogenic activity, has shown efficacy in reinstating the sensitivity of CML cells to crizotinib in the presence of hypoxic circumstances. Additionally, when used in conjunction with a JAK2 inhibitor, 2ME2 exhibited activity in restoring crizotinib sensitivity in CML cells. The findings of our study underscore the significance of selectively targeting elements of the HIF1α pathway in order to achieve total eradication of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) cells.

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

COVID-19 pandemic that started in China has spread within 3 months to the entire globe. We tested the hypothesis that the vaccination against tuberculosis by BCG correlates with a better outcome for COVID-19 patients. Our analysis covers 55 countries complying with predetermined thresholds on the population size and number of deaths per million (DPM). We found a strong negative correlation between the years of BCG administration and the DPM along with the progress of the pandemic, corroborated by permutation tests. The results from multivariable regression tests with 23 economic, demographic, health-related, and pandemic restriction quantitative properties, substantiate the dominant contribution of BCG years to the COVID-19 outcomes. The analysis of countries according to an age-group partition reveals that the strongest correlation is attributed to the coverage in BCG vaccination of the young population (0-24 years). Furthermore, a strong correlation and statistical significance are associated with the degree of BCG coverage for the most recent 15 years, but no association was observed in these years for other broadly used vaccination protocols for measles and rubella. We propose that BCG immunization coverage, especially among the most recently vaccinated contributes to attenuation of the spread and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 generated a scenario for global health with multiple systemic impairments. This retrospective study evaluated the clinical, radiological, and pulmonary functional evolution in 302 post-COVID-19 patients. Regarding post-COVID-19 pulmonary symptoms, dry cough, dyspnea, and chest pain were the most frequent. Of the associated comorbidities, asthma was more frequent (23.5%). Chest Tomography (CT) initially showed a mean pulmonary involvement of 69.7%, and the evaluation in the subsequent months showed an improvement in the evolutionary image, and with less than six months post-pathology, there was a commitment of 37 .7%, from six to twelve months, 20% and after 12 months, 9.9%. And as for most of the sample, 50.3% of the patients presented CT normalization in less than six months after infection, 23% normalized between six and twelve months, and 5.2% normalized the images after twelve months, with one remaining. Percentage of 17.3% who maintained post-COVID-19 pulmonary residual sequelae. Regarding spirometry, in less than six months after the pathology, 59.3% of the patients already showed a regular exam; 12.3% normalized their function within six to twelve months, and 6.3% concluded a normal exam after twelve months of post-pathology evaluation. Only 3.6% of the patients still showed some alteration in this period.

Koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) are native Australian marsupials whose populations are in decline from a range of threats. Infectious diseases caused by the bacterium Chlamydia pecorum and other pathogens are of particular concern. We analysed 26 poly-A selected RNA-sequencing libraries from a data set designed to study the immune response of koalas to ocular chlamydial infection. Using virus discovery techniques, we identified the coding-complete genome sequence of a novel picorna-like virus, denoted Burpengary virus, that was most common in south-east Queensland. Notably, abundance measurements of the virus across all 26 libraries revealed an inverse relationship in prevalence with ocular disease in Koalas, suggesting that co-infection between Burpengary virus and Chlamydia pecorum is inhibited.

The differential distribution, size, and quality of urban green spaces (UGS) among localities generate a differential distribution of benefits provided to users. We analyzed the spatial distribution of five size categories of UGS among 15 municipalities of Mexico City, compared their total surface per capita and associated them with the social marginality index. We found 1,353 UGSs accessible for public use with a total area of 2,643 ha. Seventy-four percent of them had &lt;1 ha of surface area, and 51% were located in only three municipalities that were mostly middle- and high-income. These municipalities concentrated a higher area of green spaces per capita. We found a negative correlation between the marginality index and the area of UGS per municipality; the lower the marginality index, the higher the area of green spaces. We consider this a situation of environmental injustice since urban environmental services are distributed unequally with respect to marginalized populations.

The accumulation of brown algae from the genus Sargassum has been increasing over the years in coastal regions of the Caribbean, Africa, Brazil, and Mexico. This causes harmful effects to the ecosystem, health, economy, and climate due to gas emissions from its decomposition process. There is the possibility of this biomass being reused in civil construction, and few studies have been carried out on its application to common Portland cement mortar. As such, the objective of this study is to evaluate the potential of sargassum ash as a mineral addition to partial replacement of fine aggregates in Portland cement mortar. Characterizations of the raw materials were carried out through X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, loss on ignition, particle size distribution, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), real density, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and dispersion spectroscopy of electrons. The mortars were prepared by partially replacing the fine aggregate (sand) with sargassum ash, at 0%, 5%, 10% and 20%. Mortar performance was evaluated through water absorption, apparent porosity, apparent specific mass, compressive strength after 7, 28, and 63 days after curing. Lastly, a life cycle assessment in accordance with ISO standards 14040:2006 and 14044:2006. The results showed that replacing sand with sargassum ash increases water absorption, apparent porosity, and decreases the apparent specific mass and compressive strength as replacement increases. Nevertheless, the compressive strength results after 63 days, for 5 and 10% replacement did not differ statistically from reference values. The life cycle assessment indicates that mortars with partial replacement of sand by sargassum ash showed positive environmental impacts when compared to reference values for most categories regardless of the scenario analyzed, especially for mortar with 10% replacement. As such, the use of sargassum ash at 10% does not alter compressive strength values after 63 days while reducing its environmental impact. The application of this biomass in civil construction materials provides a destination for this algae that has been causing several social, environmental, and economic problems.

This paper presents an observer-based dynamic output feedback controller design procedure using Linear Matrix Inequality (LMI) optimization for second-order systems with uncertainty and persistent perturbation in the states. Using linear-quadratic criteria, cost functions are minimized in a two-stage procedure to compute optimal state feedback gains, and observer gains are coupled into a dynamic output feedback optimal controller. The LMI set used in the two stages is matrix inversion-free, a key issue for polytope formulation when uncertainty is present. The approach is tested in a mobile inverted pendulum robotic platform, and the effectiveness is verified in this underactuated and undesensed case.

Background: Nutrient supplements are widely used for type 2 diabetes (T2D) yet evidence-based guidance for clinicians is lacking. Methods: We searched the four electronic databases from November 2015–December 2021. The most recent, most comprehensive, high-ranked systematic reviews, meta-analyses and/or umbrella reviews of randomised controlled trials in adults with T2D were included. Data were extracted on study characteristics, aggregate outcome measures per group (glycemic control, measures of insulin sensitivity and secretion), adverse events, and GRADE assessments. Quality was assessed using AMSTAR-2. Results: Twelve meta-analyses and one umbrella review were included. There was very low certainty evidence that chromium, Vitamin C and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (-3 PUFAs) were superior to placebo for the primary outcome of HbA1c (MD -0.54%, -0.54% and ES -0.27 respectively). Probiotics were superior to placebo for HbA1c (WMD -0.43%). There was very low certainty evidence that Vitamin D was superior to placebo for lowering HbA1c in trials of <6 months (MD -0.17%). Magnesium, zinc, Vitamin C, probiotics and polyphenols were superior to placebo for FBG. Vitamin D was superior to placebo for insulin resistance. Data on safety was limited. Conclusions: Future research should identify who may benefit from nutrient supplementation, safety, and optimal regimens and formulations.

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.

The article reports on a patient who required a cranial protection system.Using additive manufacturing techniques and surgical planning with the help of bio-models, a patient-specific bone implant solution was proposed that allows aesthetic restoration of the affected area and provides an adequate level of protection. In addition, through a comparative analysis with finite elements, the mechanical response to external actions of the medical device, printed with two materials: polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK), is simulated. The tested materials have recognized biocompatibility properties, but their costs on the market differ significantly. The results obtained demonstrate the similarities in the responses of both materials. It offers the possibility that low-income people can access these devices, guaranteeing adequate biomechanical safety, considering that PMMA is a much cheaper material than PEEK.

Grape pomace is one of the main by-products in the wine industry and contains some high added-value compounds such as polysaccharides. Considering the wide application possibilities of polysaccharides in wine and in the food industry, the revalorization of grape pomace to extract polysaccharides presents itself as an opportunity for by-product management. Therefore, the aim of this study was to characterize polysaccharide extracts obtained from pomace by-products of different white grape varieties. The type and content of polysaccharides, proteins and phenols were analyzed. Statistically significant differences were found between the varietal extracts in the types and concentrations of polysaccharides. The extracts obtained from the Verdejo and Puesta en Cruz varieties showed the highest polysaccharide purity and contents, but the type of polysaccharides was different in each case. The Verdejo provided extracts richer in non pectic polysaccharides, while the Puesta en Cruz in pectic polysaccharides. Protein and polyphenol contents were low in all extracts, below 2.5% and 3.7%, respectively. These results open up a new possibility for the revalorization of grape pomace by-products to obtain polysaccharide-rich extracts, although it would be interesting to improve both the yield and the purity of the extracts obtained by studying other extraction techniques or processes.

There are important challenges for modeling large electrical distribution circuits, even more with the presence of distributed renewable generation. Constructing simulations for assessing the effect of the penetration of distributed generation on electrical distribution networks has become of great importance for Distribution Network Operators (DNOs). This paper proposes a simulation strategy based on open-source platforms and the integration of scripting tools for the rapid modeling of large-scale electrical distribution circuits with distributed renewable generation. The implementation is based on the adaptation of a tool called QGIS2OpenDSS, which creates OpenDSS distribution network models directly from an open-source geographic information system, QGIS. The plugin’s capabilities are demonstrated using a real distribution feeder with more than 60% penetration of renewable generation based on photovoltaic systems. These simulations are carried out using real data from a circuit provided by a DNO in the Dominican Republic, which is used to demonstrate how this approach provides a more accessible and flexible way to simulate and assess the effect of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) in Medium Voltage (MV) and Low Voltage (LV) networks, enabling utilities to evaluate system performance and identify potential issues.

Background: CCL11 (eotaxin) is a chemokine with an important role in allergic conditions. Recent evidence indicates that CCL11 plays a role in brain disorders as well. Aims: This paper reviews the associations between CCL11 and aging, neurodegenerative, neuroinflammatory and neuropsychiatric disorders.Methods: Electronic databases were searched for original articles examining CCL11 in neuropsychiatric disorders.Results: CCL11 is rapidly transported from the blood to the brain through the brain-blood barrier. Age-related increases in CCL11 are associated with cognitive impairments in executive functions, episodic and semantic memory and, therefore, this chemokine was described as an “endogenous cognition deteriorating chemokine” (ECDC) or “accelerated brain-aging chemokine” (ABAC). In schizophrenia, increased CCL11 is not only associated with impairments in cognitive functions, but also with key symptoms including formal thought disorders. Some patients with mood disorders and premenstrual syndrome show increased plasma CCL11 levels. In diseases of old age, CCL11 is associated with lowered neurogenesis and neurodegenerative processes and, as a consequence, increased CCL11 increases risk towards Alzheimer's Disease. Polymorphisms in the CCL11 gene are associated with stroke. Increased CCL11 also plays a role in neuroinflammatory disease including multiple sclerosis. In animal models, neutralization of CCL11 may protect against nigrostriatal neurodegeneration. Increased production of CCL11 may be attenuated by glucocorticoids, minocycline, resveratrol and anti-CCL11 antibodies.Conclusion: Increased CCL11 production during inflammatory conditions may play a role in human disease including age-related cognitive decline, schizophrenia, mood disorders and neurodegenerative disorders. Increased CCL11 production is a new drug target in the treatment and prevention of those disorders.

Malnutrition is a serious problem with negative impact on the quality of life and the evolution of our patients, contributing to an increase in morbidity, hospital stay, mortality and health spending. Early identification is fundamental to implement the necessary therapeutic actions involving adequate nutritional support to prevent or reverse malnutrition. This review presents two complementary methods of fighting malnutrition: nutritional screening and nutritional assessment. Nutritional risk screening is conducted using simple, quick-to-perform tools and is the first line of action in detecting at-risk patients. It should be implemented systematically and periodically on admission to hospital or residential care, as well as on an outpatient basis for patients with chronic conditions. Once patients with a nutritional risk have been detected they should undergo a more detailed nutritional assessment to identify and quantify the type and degree of malnutrition. This should include health history and clinical examination, dietary history, anthropometric measurements, evaluation of the degree of aggression determined by the disease, functional assessment and, whenever possible, some method of measuring body composition.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing approaches in plant disease management and phy-topathological research. This review analyzes current applications and future directions of AI in addressing evolving agricultural challenges. Plant diseases annually cause 10-16% yield losses in major crops, prompting urgent innovations. Artificial intelligence (AI) shows aptitude for auto-mated disease detection and diagnosis utilizing image recognition techniques, with reported accuracies exceeding 95% and surpassing human visual assessment. Forecasting models inte-grating weather, soil, and crop data enable preemptive interventions by predicting spa-tial-temporal outbreak risks weeks in advance at 81-95% precision, minimizing pesticide usage. Precision agriculture powered by AI optimizes data-driven, tailored crop protection strategies boosting resilience. Real-time monitoring leveraging AI discerns pre-symptomatic anomalies from plant and environmental data for early alerts. These applications highlight AI's proficiency in il-luminating opaque disease patterns within increasingly complex agricultural data. Machine learning techniques overcome human cognitive constraints by discovering multivariate correla-tions unnoticed before. AI is poised to transform in-field decision making around disease pre-vention and precision management. Overall, AI constitutes a strategic innovation pathway to strengthen ecological plant health management amidst climate change, globalization, and agri-cultural intensification pressures. With prudent and ethical implementation, AI-enabled tools promise to enable next-generation phytopathology, enhancing crop resilience worldwide.Artificial Intelligence, Phytopathology, Emerging Disease, Climate Change, Control diseases.

Viral entry is the first stage in the virus replication cycle and, for enveloped viruses, is mediated by virally encoded glycoproteins. Viral glycoproteins have different receptor affinities and triggering mechanisms. We employed vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), a BSL-2 enveloped virus that can incorporate non-native glycoproteins, to examine the entry efficiencies of diverse viral glycoproteins. To compare glycoprotein-mediated entry efficiencies of: VSV G, SARS-CoV-2 S, EBOV GP, LASV GP, and CHIKV E we produced recombinant VSV (rVSV) viruses that produce the five glycoproteins. The rVSV virions encoded a nano luciferase-PEST (NLucP) reporter gene, which we used in combination with the live-cell substrate Endurazine™ to monitor viral entry kinetics in real time. Our data indicate that rVSV particles with glycoproteins that require more post-internalization priming typically demonstrate delayed entry in comparison to VSV G. In addition to determining the time required for each virus to complete entry, we also used our system to evaluate viral cell surface receptor preferences, monitor fusion, and elucidate endocytosis mechanisms. This system can be rapidly employed to examine diverse viral glycoproteins and their entry requirements.

Increased exposure to artificial light at night can affect human health including disruption of melatonin production and circadian rhythms and extend to increased risks of hormonal cancers and other serious diseases. In addition, multiple negative impacts on fauna and flora are well documented, and it is a matter of fact that artificial light at night is a nuisance for ground-based astronomy. These impacts are frequently linked to the colour of the light or more specifically to its spectral content. Artificial light at night is often mapped by using space borne sensors, but most of them are panchromatic and thus insensitive to the colour. In this paper, we suggest a method that allows high resolution mapping of the Artificial light at night by using ground-based measurements with the LANcube system. The device separates the light detected in four bands (Red, Green, Blue, and Clear) and provides this information for six faces of a cube. We found relationships between the LANcube’s colour ratios and 1- the Melatonin Suppression Index, 2- the StarLight Index and 3- the Induced Photosynthesis Index. We show how such relationships combined with data acquisition from a LANcube positioned on the top of a car can be used to produce spectral indices maps of a whole city in a few hours.

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is a crop of nutritional and economic importance worldwide, cultivated in more than 100 tropical and subtropical countries including Ecuador, traditionally cultivated in its three continental regions: the Amazon, the Coast and in the valleys of the Sierra. The purpose of this study was to characterize 195 accessions from INIAP's Ecuadorian cassava collection through 1) morphological characterization with qualitative and quantitative descriptors; and 2) ecogeographic characterization to know the climatic, geophysical and edaphic conditions in which cassava grows and which environments are frequent or marginal for its cultivation. For the morphological characterization, 27 morphological descriptors were used (18 qualitative and nine quantitative), and for the ecogeographic characterization, 55 variables (41 climatic, two geophysical and 12 edaphic). As a result, four morphological groups and three ecogeographic groups were identified. In the research, morphological variability was evidenced, mainly in descriptors related to the leaf, stems and inflorescences. In addition, it was possible to identify accessions that can adapt to extreme conditions of drought and poor soils, which could be used for improvement.

Previous bio-mapping studies of pork processing facilities have indicated a need for mitigation strategies in trim and ground products due to Salmonella prevalence. Lymph nodes have been identified as a source of Salmonella in pork products. The objective of this study was to determine if the removal of glands and lymph nodes in pork would reduce Salmonella and indicator organisms in comminuted products. Samples from a commercial pork facility were divided into three treatment groups; 1) untreated control, 2) topical glands removed before final processing, and 3) topical, jowl, and internal lymph nodes and glands removed before final processing. Samples were evaluated for indicator organisms and quantity of Salmonella using the BioMérieux TEMPO® system and BAX® System Real-Time Salmonella SalQuant™ methodology, respectively. The results of this study indicate that the removal of the topical, internal, and jowl lymph nodes was effective at significantly (P &gt; 0.05) reducing the prevalence of both Salmonella and indicator organisms. Salmonella was reduced from 2.5-Log CFU/Sample and 3.8-Log CFU/Sample of Salmonella in control group ground and trim samples, to less than 1-Log CFU/sample in both matrices from treatment 3. These data indicate that samples from treatment 3 had an average of a 3-Log reduction, and treatment 2 had a 2.5-Log reduction, of Salmonella when compared to the control samples. This indicates that the physical removal of glands and lymph nodes can influence Salmonella and indicator organism prevalence in the final product.

We aimed to assess the caffeine intake before and during pregnancy, compliance with caffeine recommendations during pregnancy (200 mg/day) and factors associated with higher intakes before and in first trimester of pregnancy. Caffeine consumption was collected in a Spanish cohort of pregnant women through a validated food questionnaire, before and in each trimester of gestation (T1, T2 and T3). 463 pregnant women were recruited and follow-up through pregnancy. Compliance with caffeine intake recommendations during pregnancy and quintiles of mg/day of caffeine before and in T1 of pregnancy were calculated. A multivariate logistic regression, comparing extreme quintiles of consumption (Q1 vs Q5) was used. Mean caffeine intake before pregnancy was 120.05 mg/day (SD 117.85), 42.76 mg/day (SD 63.90) at 12th GW, 42.00 mg/day (SD 59.76) at 24th GW and 39.34 mg/day (SD 50.9) at 32nd GW (p&lt;0.001). 86% of women complied with caffeine recommendations during pregnancy. At pregnancy (T1), being an active smoker was associated with Q5 &gt; 100.1 mg/day, aOR = 22.69; 95% CI 4.67- 110.26. igh diet quality, aOR = 0.30; 95% CI, 0.13- 0.68, and moderate physical activity level, aOR= 0.44; 95% CI, 0.19-1.00, were inversely associated with Q5 &gt; 100.1 mg/day. Pregnant women are mostly adhering to current caffeine intake guidelines. Higher caffeine intake at pregnancy is associated with other unhealthy habits during pregnancy.

Interdisciplinary conferences play a vital role in advancing explainable Artificial Intelligence (AI) within increasingly intersecting healthcare and computational biology arenas. Challenges result-ing from algorithmic bias and the necessity for domain-specific Explainable AI (XAI) techniques underscore the increasing significance of transparent and interpretable AI systems used in patient care. Collaborative efforts between clinicians, data scientists, and various stakeholders are nec-essary to innovate solutions tailored to healthcare needs. Specialized conferences may foster these interdisciplinary interactions, providing platforms for knowledge exchange, networking, and collaborative partnerships. The legal, ethical, and societal dimensions of medical AI advocate for an integrative approach that aligns technological advancements with patient-centered care val-ues. The role of specialized conferences is therefore essential for shaping future directions in ex-plainable AI and computational biology that contribute to improved patient outcomes and healthcare innovations.

(1) Background: This study evaluated the spatial position and anatomical characteristics related to impacted third molars by map-reading strategy using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). (2) Methods: To determine the positioning of impacted third molars on CBCT it was used Winter's and Pell &amp; Gregory's classifications, and the presence of external root resorption in mandibular second molars were based on Herman´s classification. The relationship between the mandibular third molar root apex and the mandibular canal was also analyzed. Fisher’s exact test was used to comparative statistical analysis. The significance level considered was 5%. (3) Results: The results showed that according to Winter's classification, 48.06 % of impacted teeth were in the mesioangular position. Using Pell &amp; Gregory's classification, 43.22% of the impacted molars were in the position B and C, and 54.2% of the teeth were class II. 69.7% of teeth showed an absence of contact between the root apex and the mandibular canal and there was no occurrence of external root resorption in the distal of second molar in 88.7%. (4) Conclusions: The map-reading strategy using CBCT scans for anatomical positions and characteristics of impacted third molars increases professional confidence and establishes a parameter of quality and safety in the surgical procedure for the patient.

With the rapidly increasing availability of large genetic data sets in recent years, Mendelian Randomization (MR) has quickly gained popularity as a novel secondary analysis method. Leveraging genetic variants as instrumental variables, MR can be used to estimate the causal effects of one phenotype on another even when experimental research is not feasible, and therefore has the potential to be highly informative. It is dependent on strong assumptions however, often producing strongly biased results if these are not met. It is therefore imperative that these assumptions are well-understood by researchers aiming to use MR, in order to evaluate their validity in the context of their analyses and data. The aim of this perspective is therefore to further elucidate these assumptions and the role they play in MR, as well as how different kinds of data can be used to further support them.

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

Epithelial ovarian cancer is an aggressive disease of the female reproductive system and a leading cause of cancer death in women. Standard of care includes surgery and platinum-based chemotherapy yet patients continue to experience a high rate of recurrence and metastasis. Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) treatment in highly selective patients extends overall survival by nearly 12 months. The clinical studies are highly supportive of the use of HIPEC in the treatment of ovarian cancer though the therapeutic approach is limited to academic medical centers. The mechanism underlying HIPEC benefit remains unknown. The efficacy of HIPEC therapy is impacted by several procedural and patient/tumor factors including the timing of surgery, platinum sensitivity, and molecular profiling such as homologous recombination deficiency. The present review aims to provide insight into the mechanistic benefit of HIPEC treatment with a focus on how hyperthermia activates the immune response, induces DNA damage and impairs DNA damage repair pathways, and has a synergistic effect with chemotherapy, with the ultimate outcome of increasing chemosensitivity. Identifying the points of fragility unmasked by HIPEC may provide the key pathways that could be the basis of new therapeutic strategies for ovarian cancer patients.

The objective was to analyze the effects of adding anthocyanin delphinidin-3-O-sambubioside and cyanidin-3-O-sambubioside of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. in animal diets. Scientific articles published before 2021 in clinics, pharmacology, nutrition, and animal production were included. The grains/concentrate, metabolic exigency, and caloric stress contribute to increasing the reactive oxygen species (ROS); the excess of ROS unbalance the oxidants and antioxidants. Cyanidin-3-O-sambubioside and delphinidin-3-O-sambubioside have antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, and anthelmintic activities. In the rumen, anthocyanin might show interactions and/or synergisms with substrates, microorganisms, and enzymes which could reduce the fiber degradability, but increase the potential methane (CH4) emissions; since anthocyanin interferes in the biohydrogenation of fats, they increase the fat milk and meat quality. Anthocyanins reduce plasma oxidation and deposit in tissues, increasing the milk and meat antioxidant activities. Cyanidin-3-O-sambubioside and delphinidin-3-O-sambubioside act as inhibitors of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACEi) and rennin expression which may improve milk yield (there is not enough evidence in ruminants, though). Polyphenols affect the reproductive potential. Sub products of HS contain as many amounts of polyphenols as calyces, and their inclusion in diets would positively affect the average daily gain and fat meat quality. Including HS in ruminant diets can improve the meat and milk quality.

The objective of this research was to study the dynamics of moisture and nutrition at the root zone and to quantify the variables linked to efficient water management in avocado orchards of mid and high-lands of Michoacán, México, in typical Andisols of low fertility with (A)C(w2) and C(w2) climates, respectively. Using the FDR (Frequency Domain Reflectometry) technology, the dynamics of soil moisture and salinity were recorded daily at four depths: 0-15, 15-30, 30-45, and 45-60 cm. The soil moisture balance model was used to determine actual evapotranspiration (ETr), crop coefficient (Kc), and water use efficiency (WUE). Results indicated that ETr is 66-73% of the total water at 0-30 cm depth; the fertilizer absorption is limited to 0-30 cm, being negligible at deeper layers. The water use efficiency is 4.4 to 5.6 kg of fruit m-3 of applied water, and the ratio of the water use index (ETr/irrigation sheet applied, ISA) is 0.65-0.70; while the annual avocado Kc is 0.72 in Cutzato and 0.78 in Tiamba. We concluded that avocado has a low water requirement, it does not cause leaching of nutrients and/or water, the absorption of water and nutrients mostly occurs at 30 cm depth, and from a hydrological point of view, the crop is environmentally friendly.

There is a huge interest in developing novel hollow fiber (HF) membranes able to modulate neural differentiation to produce in vitro blood-brain barrier (BBB) models for biomedical and pharmaceutical research, due to the low cell-inductive properties of the polymer HFs used in current BBB models. In this work, poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and composite PCL/graphene (PCL/G) HF membranes were prepared by phase inversion and were characterized in terms of mechanical, electrical, morphological, chemical, and mass transport properties. The presence of graphene in PCL/G membranes enlarged the pore size and the water flux and presented significantly higher electrical conductivity than PCL HFs. Biocompatibility assay showed that PCL/G HFs significantly increased C6 cells adhesion and differentiation towards astrocytes, may be attributed to their higher electrical conductivity in comparison to PCL HFs. On the other hand, PCL/G membranes produced a cytotoxic effect on the endothelial cell line HUVEC presumably related with a higher production of intracellular reactive oxygen species induced by the nanomaterial in this particular cell line. These results prove the potential of PCL HF membranes to grow endothelial cells and PCL/G HF membranes to differentiate astrocytes, the two characteristic cell types that could develop in vitro BBB models in future 3D co-culture systems.

Fire regimes in mountain landscapes of southern Europe have been shifting from their baselines due to rural abandonment and fire exclusion policies. Understanding the effects of fire on biodiversity is paramount to implement adequate management. Herein, we evaluated the relative role of burn severity and heterogeneity on bird abundance in an abandoned mountain range located in the biogeographic transition between the Eurosiberian and Mediterranean region (the Natural Park ‘Baixa Limia–Serra do Xurés’). We surveyed the bird community in 206 census plots distributed across the Natural Park, both inside and outside areas affected by wildfires over the last 11 years (from 2010 to 2020). We used satellite images of Sentinel 2 and Landsat missions to quantify the burn severity and heterogeneity of each fire within each surveyed plot. We also accounted for the past land use (forestry or agropastoral use) by using a land cover information for year 2010 derived from satellite image classification. We recorded 1,735 contacts from 28 bird species. Our models, fitted by using GLMs with Poisson error distribution (pseudo-R²_-average of 0.22 ± 0.13), showed that up to 71% of the modelled species were linearly correlated with at least one attribute of the fire regime. The spatiotemporal variation in burnt area and severity were relevant factors for explaining the local abundance of our target species (39% of the species; Akaike weights > 0.75). We also found a quadratic effect of at least one fire regime attribute on bird abundance for 60% of the modeled species. The past land use, and its legacy after 10 years, was critical to understand the role of fire (Akaike weights > 0.75). Our findings confirm the importance of incorporating remotely sensed indicators of burn severity into the toolkit of decision makers to accurately anticipate the response of birds to fire management.

Immunosenescence refers to age-related alterations of the immune system function affecting both the humoral and cellular arm of immunity. Understanding immunosenescence and its impact on vaccination of older adults is essential since primary vaccine responses in older individuals can fail to generate complete protection, especially vaccines targeting infections with increased incidence among the elderly, such as the respiratory syncytial virus. Here, we review the clinical trials of both candidate and approved vaccines against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which include adults aged ≥50 years, with an emphasis on the evaluation of immunogenicity parameters. Currently, there are 10 vaccine candidates and 2 vaccines approved for the prevention of RSV in the older adult population. The number of registered clinical trials for this age group amounts to 32. Our preliminary evaluation of published results and interim analyses of the RSV vaccine clinical trials indicates efficacy in older adult participants, demonstrating immunity levels that closely resemble those of younger adult participants.

The peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is recognized as one of the most important legume crops globally for its use in human food; it is widely distributed and cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cryopreservation of five peanut varieties conserved in the INIAP Germplasm Bank, testing cryopreservation methods, evaluating the germination percentage of whole seeds and embryonic shoots. Subsequently, two quantitative variables, shoot length and root, were evaluated. The average germination percentage of varieties and treatments was higher when embryonic axes were isolated with 99.31% than 86.06% seeds. The best germination percentage of the five varieties for seeds and embryonic shoots was obtained by the Peruvian variety with 88.13% and 92.50%. The best treatments by variety for the germination of whole seeds and embryonic axes were obtained by the treatment (desiccation and NL) for whole seeds (GS2) with 95.42% and embryonic axes with 92.83%. Ageing and cryopreservation treatments positively affected germination and seedling vigor in whole seeds and embryonic axes. The two quantitative variables, shoot and root length showed variability between the five varieties; significant differences were observed between the four treatments evaluated for whole seeds and embryonic axes. The three treatments for whole seeds (GS1, GS2 GS3) and the non-cryopreserved control treatment (GSC), as well as the treatments for embryonic axes (GEA1, GEA2 GEA3) and the non-cryopreserved control treatment (GEAC), obtained good survival. They germinate whole seeds and embryonic axes with sprout development (aerial part) and root formation. With the most effective treatments for whole seeds (GS2) and embryonic axes (GEA2), the cryopreservation of the national peanut collection of the INIAP Germplasm Bank could be started.

In this investigation, Cu-Ni alloys for possible fixed dental prostheses (FDPs), with different aluminum additions were produced using vacuum atmosphere. Annealed alloys (He atmosphere) with low aluminum concentration showed a coarse dendritic structure, while samples with high aluminum concentration showed a refined dendritic structure. Structural defects analyses have shown a relative low vacancy concentrations. Hardness value increases approximately five times for the alloyed samples compared with the as-cast and unalloyed samples. Compression test results have shown a noticeable strengthening improvement, mainly in samples heat treated with 10 at % Al, while samples with 5 at % Al presented also acceptable resistance. Results are discussed in terms of dislocation mobility and hardening precipitation mechanism.

Background. Inferior quality of biological material compromises data, slows discovery, and wastes research funds. The gut microbiome plays a critical role in human health and disease, yet little attention has been given to optimizing collection and processing methods of human stool. Methods. We collected the entire bowel movement from 2 healthy volunteers: one to examine stool sample heterogeneity and one to test stool sample handling parameters. Sequencing and bi-oinformatic analyses were used to examine the microbiome composition. Results. The microbiome profile varied depending on where the subsample was obtained from the stool. The exterior cortex of the stool was rich in specific phyla and deficient in others while the interior core of the stool revealed opposite microbiome profiles. Sample processing also re-sulted in varying microbiome profiles. Homogenization and stabilization at 4°C gave superior microbial diversity profiles compared to the fresh or frozen subsamples of the same stool sample. Bacterial proliferation continued in the fresh subsample when processed at ambient temperature. Bacteroidetes proliferated and Firmicutes diminished during the 30-minute processing of fresh sample. The frozen sample had good overall diversity but Proteobacteria diminished likely be-cause of the freeze/thaw. Conclusions. The microbiome profile is specific to the section of the stool being sampled. Stool sample collection, homogenization, and stabilization at 4°C for 24 hours provides a “neat”, high-quality sample of sufficient quantity that can be banked into aliquots with nearly identical microbial diversity profiles. This collection pipeline is essential to accelerate our understanding of the gut microbiome in health and disease.

Fungal infections caused by Candida spp. are responsible for high hospital morbidity and mortality rates. Therefore, there is a continuous search for new antifungal medicines, particularly ones with anti-Candida activity. This review analyzed articles published between 2002 and 2023 considering the anti-Candida activity of chemical compounds identified or isolated in plants of the Anacardiaceae family. In addition, the in-silico prediction of the isolated compounds described was performed. The analysis of 35 studies showed that extracts, essential oils, and compounds from the anti-Candida activity were frequently determined in vitro using the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The most commonly tested species were Candida albicans, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis, C. glabrata, C. krusei, and C. guilliermondii, respectively. Essential oils were the most used form (37% of the studies). The isolated compounds with antifungal effects include cardanol, estragole, trans-anethole, β-caryophyllene, myrcene, catechin-3-o-rhamnoside, β-sitosterol-3-O-glucoside, 24Z-isomasticadienolic acid, oleanolic acid, and oleanolic aldehyde. The in-silico evaluation of those isolated compounds revealed the compounds' drug-likeness and possible antifungal activity. However, some of them showed high toxicity. In conclusion, compounds from the Anacardiaceae family show promise for developing new therapeutic antifungal drugs, especially in combination with conventional antifungals.

Research has consistently found that people with mental illness (known as consumers) experience lower levels of participation in meaningful activities, which can limit their opportunities for recovery support. The aim of this study was to describe the outcomes of participation in a group program designed to address all stages of activity participation, known as Pathways to Participation (P2P). A descriptive longitudinal design was utilized, collecting data at three time points. Outcomes were measured by the Camberwell Assessment of Need Short Appraisal (CANSAS), Recovery Assessment Scale – Domains and Stages (RAS-DS), Behaviour and Symptom Identification Scale (BASIS-24), Living in the Community Questionnaire (LCQ) and time use diaries. All data was analysed using descriptive statistics, and Chi square analyses. Seventeen consumers completed baseline data, eleven contributed post program data and eight provided follow up data. Most were female (63.64%) and had been living with mental illness for 11.50 (± 7.74) years on average. Reductions in unmet needs and improvements in self-rated recovery scores were re-ported, but no changes were identified in either time use or psychosocial health. The findings indicate the P2P program may enable consumers to achieve positive activity and participation out-comes as part of their personal recovery.

Myostatin inhibition therapy has held much promise for the treatment of muscle wasting disorders. This is particularly true for the fatal myopathy, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). Following on from promising pre-clinical data in dystrophin-deficient mice and dogs, several clinical trials were initiated in DMD patients using different modality myostatin inhibition therapies. All failed to show modification of disease course as dictated by the primary and secondary outcomes measures selected: the myostatin inhibition story thus far, is a failed clinical story. These trials have recently been extensively reviewed and reasons why pre-clinical data collected in animal models has failed to translate into clinical benefit to patients has been purported. However, the biological mechanisms underlying translational failure need to be examined to ensure future myostatin inhibitor development endeavors do not meet with the same fate. Here, we explore the biology which could explain the failed translation of myostatin inhibitors in the treatment of DMD.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease is a hereditary polyneuropathy caused by mutations in Mitofusin-2 (MFN2), a GTPase in the outer mitochondrial membrane involved in the regulation of mitochondrial fusion and bioenergetics. Autosomal-dominant inheritance of a R94Q mutation in MFN2 causes the axonal subtype 2A2A which is characterized by early onset and progressive atrophy of distal muscles caused by motoneuronal degeneration. Here, we studied mitochondrial shape, respiration, cytosolic and mitochondrial ATP content as well as mitochondrial quality control in MFN2-deficient fibroblasts stably expressing wildtype or R94Q MFN2. Under normal culture conditions, R94Q cells had slightly more fragmented mitochondria but a similar mitochondrial oxygen consumption, membrane potential and ATP production as wildtype cells. However, when inducing mild oxidative stress 24 h before analysis using 100 µM hydrogen peroxide, R94Q cells exhibited significantly increased respiration but decreased mitochondrial ATP production. This was accompanied by increased glucose uptake and an upregulation of hexokinase 1 and pyruvate kinase M2 suggesting increased pyruvate shuttling into mitochondria. As these changes coincided with decreased levels of PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy in R94Q cells, we conclude that the disease-causing R94Q mutation in MFN2 causes uncoupling of mitochondrial respiration from ATP production by a less efficient mitochondrial quality control triggered by oxidative stress.

This article aims to serve as a guide for the construction of supply chain simulation models designed with a lean approach, using Promodel software. To achieve this, a supply chain was designed for a fictitious company located in the City of Celaya, Guanajuato and a set of suppliers located in different cities within the same State. It was used as a google tool to define the distances between each of the companies. As a final result, a representative model of a supply chain was obtained, as well as a methodology that allows the construction of lean supply chains regardless of the number of companies that comprise it. The effect of the variability in the delivery times between suppliers was incorporated into the simulation model, as well as an equation that calculates the pollution emissions of the vehicles that integrate the network that moves the products between the companies. With this work it is possible to represent networks of supply chains of real world companies, where the variability and contamination factor is included, to facilitate the decision making regarding the number of vehicles, inventory levels, quantities to be shipped, frequency in the shipments, etc. with the purpose of contaminating as little as possible and at the same time preventing interruptions in the supply chain using the least amount of resources possible.

Livestock in the northern highlands of Peru is fed on the association of ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.) ecotype cajamarquino - white clover (Trifolium repens L.) Ladino variety constantly varies in its agronomic characteristics and nutritional value due to management considerations and its association with the soil and the animal. The objective was to evaluate yield, plant height, growth rate, number of tillers, spikelets, basal diameter in ryegrass, elongation rate, internode length, and decrease points in clover over one year. Nutritional value was represented by crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), in vitro digestibility of dry matter (IVDDM) and metabolisable energy (ME) at three cutting frequencies. Better yield (5588 kg DM ha) and plant height (47.1 cm) showed the 60-day cutting frequency; however, there was no difference (p&gt;0.05) among the three cutting frequencies in annual yield. There was no difference between number of tillers and basal diameter. Clover height, elongation rate and internode length were higher at 60 days. The highest CP concentration and lowest NDF value (p&lt;0.05) were achieved by clover at 30 and 45 days. The producers should consider the findings obtained to decide the time of use of this association in dairy cattle feeding.

This work proposes a physics-based identification technique based on genetic algorithms. The main objective is to obtain a parametric matrix A that describes the time-invariant linear model of the longitudinal dynamics of an aircraft. This is achieved by proposing a fitness function based on the properties of the transition matrix and taking advantage of some of the capabilities of the genetic algorithm, mainly those of restricting the search ranges of the unknowns. In this case, such unknowns are related to the type of aircraft and flight conditions that are considered during the identification process. The proposed identification method is validated with a reliable nonlinear model that can be found in the literature, as well as with the calculation of the trim condition and linearization generally used in aircraft dynamics. In summary, this study suggests the genetic algorithm provided with the adequate fitness function, could be an appealing alternative for aircraft model identification, even when only a limited amount of data is available. Furthermore, in some cases, linearization using genetic algorithm can be more efficient than classical methods.

SiOx films, frequently derived from amino silane precursors, have found several applications with high added value. Although frequently used, the deposition of coatings from Tris(dimethyl amino)silane (TDMAS) has been reported to demand considerable amounts of energy, mainly due to the difficulty of oxidizing such compound. As it is well known, Plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) is able to improve the oxidation efficiency even under low process temperatures. Owing to that, PEALD can be considered as a very promising technique for the deposition of SiOx coatings. In this work, it has been investigated the deposition of silicon oxide films using TDMAS at 150°C. It has been evaluated the effect of the plasma oxidation time (6 to 18 s) and of the atmosphere composition (pure O2 or O2+Ar) on the chemical structure, elemental composition and chemical bonding state of the films. Increasing the plasma oxidation time in pure O2 resulted in larger proportion of retained C (Si-CH3) whereas N was preserved in the structure (Si-N). on the other hand, the formation of SiOx films from TDMAS is favored in shorter oxidation times in O2 + Ar plasmas.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented challenges in the care of children with cerebral palsy (CP) and other neuromuscular complex chronic conditions (NCCC). The purpose of this study was to explore the direct impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare delivery. From May to August 2020, medical professionals caring for CP and NCCC patients across multiple countries and disciplines completed a self-administered cross-sectional survey comparing practices before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Of the 79 healthcare workers from 8 countries who participated—predominantly pediatric orthopedic surgeons (32%), pediatricians (30%), and pediatric physiatrists (23%)—most felt that caring for NCCC patients during the pandemic presented with unique difficulties and reported a significant decrease in in-person NCCC clinic volume (p<0.001), multidisciplinary appointments (p<0.001), surgical cases (p=0.005), and botulinum toxin/phenol injections. Most providers affirmed that institutional guidelines for perioperative emergent/urgent and elective procedures, workplace settings, and technology were modified to accommodate the ongoing public health crisis. Usage of telemedicine significantly increased for NCCC patient visits (p<0.001). During the COVID-19 pandemic, many children with NCCC lost access to routine, multidisciplinary care. Telemedicine became an integral part of communication and management. In the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic and threat of future healthcare disruptions, these data lay the foundation for trending the evolution of healthcare delivery and accelerating best practice guidelines for children with CP and NCCC.

Background: Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use among youth in Poland has become very popular. The aim of this study was to identify potential points of access to these products among students aged 16-17 before implementation of sales restrictions to minors in Poland in November 2016. Methods: A school-based, cross-sectional survey was administered in 2015-2016 in 21 secondary/technical schools across two regions of Poland. Analyses focused on 341 students aged 16-17 who reported past 30-day use of e-cigarettes. Pearson chi-square analyses were utilized to examine associations between access-related items, e-cigarette use, and demographics. Results: Among youth e-cigarette users, the most common access to their first e-cigarette was from a friend (38%), followed by purchasing from vape shops (26%). Similar patterns emerged when students were asked about the access to their currently used e-cigarette. Most youth reported no difficulty purchasing cartridges/e-liquid containing nicotine (90%); the majority of users (52%) reported buying such products in vape shops. Conclusions: Prior to implementing age-related sales restrictions, youth access to e-cigarettes and paraphernalia did not pose any significant barriers. Poland’s introduction of a new age limit on e-cigarette sales may help limit the number of youth who purchase e-cigarettes from vape shops.

Night-time lights interact with human physiology through different pathways starting at the retinal layers of the eye, from the signals provided by the rods, the S-, L- and M-cones, and the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGC). These individual photic channels combine in complex ways to modulate important physiological processes, among them the daily entrainment of the neural master oscillator that regulates circadian rhythms. Evaluating the relative excitation of each type of photoreceptor generally requires full knowledge of the spectral power distribution of the incoming light, information that is not easily available in many practical applications. One such instance is wide area sensing of public outdoor lighting; present-day radiometers onboard Earth-orbiting platforms with sufficient nighttime sensitivity are generally panchromatic and lack the required spectral discrimination capacity. In this paper we show that RGB imagery acquired with off-the-shelf digital single-lens reflex cameras (DSLR) can be a useful tool to evaluate, with reasonable accuracy and high angular resolution, the photoreceptoral inputs associated with a wide range of lamp technologies. The method is based on linear regressions of these inputs against optimum combinations of the associated R, G, and B signals, built for a large set of artificial light sources by means of synthetic photometry. Given the widespread use of RGB imaging devices, this approach is expected to facilitate the monitoring of the physiological effects of light pollution, from ground and space alike, using standard imaging technology.

In this paper, the active front-end (AFE) converter topology for the total harmonic distortion (THD) reduction in a wind energy system (WES) is used. A higher THD results in serious pulsations in the wind turbine (WT) output power and in several power losses at the WES. The AFE converter topology improves capability, efficiency and reliability in the energy conversion devices; by modifying a conventional back-to-back converter, from using a single voltage source converter (VSC) to use pVSC connected in parallel the AFE converter is generated. The THD reduction is done by applying a different phase shift angle at the carrier of digital sinusoidal pulse width modulation (DSPWM) switching signals of each VSC. To verify the functionality of the proposed methodology, the WES simulation in Matlab-Simulink® is analyzed, and the experimental laboratory tests using the concept of rapid control prototyping and the real-time simulator Opal-RT® Technologies is achieved. The obtained results show a type-4 WT with total output power of 6MVA, generating a THD reduction up to 5.5 times at the WES.

In the present paper, Co-B/SiC composite coatings were obtained via electrodeposition from colloidal suspensions with different concentrations of SiC particles and subsequent heat treatments at 350 °C. The composition, morphology and structure of the Co-B/SiC composite coatings were analyzed using glow discharge spectrometry (GDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Hardness and tribological properties were also studied. The results showed that an increase in the SiC concentration in the colloidal suspensions resulted in both an increase in the SiC content and a decrease in the B content in the obtained Co-B/SiC coatings. The Co-B/SiC coatings were adherent, glossy and soft and exhibited a homogeneous composition in all thicknesses. By contrast, an increase in the SiC particle content of the Co-B/SiC composite coating from 0 to 2.56 at.% SiC reduced the hardness of the film from 680 to 360 HV and decreased the wear volume values from 1180 to 23 mm³ N^-1 m^-1, respectively (that is, the wear resistance increased). Moreover, when the Co-B/SiC coatings with SiC content ranging from 0 to 2.56 at.% SiC were subjected to a heat treatment process, the obtained coating hardness values were in the range of 1200 to 1500 HV and the wear volume values were in the range of 382 to 19 mm³ N^-1 m^-1.

The Mexican Central Pacific (MCP) has discontinuous coral ecosystems with different protection and anthropogenic disturbance. Characterizing the bacterial assemblage associated with the sea urchin Toxopneustes roseus and its relationship with environmental variables will contribute to understanding the species’ physiology and ecology. We collected sea urchins from coral ecosystems at six sites in the MCP during the summer and winter for two consecutive years. The spatial scale represented the most important variation in the T. roseus bacteriome, particularly because of Isla Isabel National Park (PNII). Likewise, spatial differences correlated with habitat structure variables, mainly the sponge and live coral cover. The PNII exhibited a highly diverse bacterial assemblages compared to other sites, characterized by families associated with diseases and environmental stress (Saprospiraceae, Flammeovirgaceae, and Xanthobacteraceae). The remaining five sites presented a constant spatio-temporal pattern, where the predominance of Campylobacteraceae and Helicobacteraceae families were key to T. roseus’ holobiont. However, the dominance of certain bacterial families in the second analyzed year, such as Enterobacteriaceae, suggests that Punto B, and Islas e islotes de Bahía Chamela Sanctuary, were exposed to sewage contamination. Overall, our results improve the understanding of host-associated bacterial assemblage in specific time and space and its relationship with the environmental condition.

This study employed e-Vol DX cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) software to assess dentin remnants in the furcation area of mesial canals in mandibular molars during root canal retreatment (RCR). Four groups (Reciproc®, ProTaper Next®, Race Evo®, Protaper Gold®) were subjected to RCR, and CBCT images were captured before (T1) and after (T2) treatment. Measurements of remaining dentin thickness at 1 mm and 3 mm below the furcation were scrutinized. Results revealed no significant differences in mean thicknesses of mesiobuccal (MB) and mesiolingual (ML) canals at 1 mm and 3 mm from the furcation pre-treatment (T1). Post-treatment (T2) showed analogous findings, with no significant differences in mean thicknesses. However, disparities surfaced between MB and ML canals at both distances, both before and after retreatment. In essence, the evaluated instruments exhibited safety in RCR, implying their appropriateness for use in critical areas of mandibular molars without inducing excessive wear. This study underscores the instruments' reliability in navigating danger zones during RCR, contributing valuable insights for dental practitioners handling complex root canal scenarios in mandibular molars.

Surface chemistry evaluation plays a crucial role in assessing the efficacy of chemical decontamination products for titanium implants. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of chemical decontamination solutions in cleaning a contaminated dental implant surface and to evaluate the potential of combining Pluronic gel with hydrogen peroxide (NuBone®Clean) by evaluating pellicle disruption and re-formation on implant surfaces. In addition, ensuring safety with in- vitro and human testing protocols. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) was utilized for surface analysis. All the tested gels had some effect on the surface cleanness except for PrefGel®. Among the tested chemical decontamination candidates, NuBone®Clean demonstrated effectiveness in providing a cleaner titanium surface. Furthermore, none of the tested chemical agents exhibited any cytotoxic effects, and the safety assessment showed no adverse events. The results of this study highlight the significance of conducting comprehensive evaluations, encompassing safety and efficacy, before introducing new chemical agents for dental treatments. The findings suggest that NuBone®Clean shows potential as a chemical decontamination solution for implant surfaces. However, further investigation through randomized clinical trials is necessary. By adhering to rigorous testing protocols, the development of safe and efficient chemical decontamination strategies can be advanced, benefiting patients and promoting progress in the field of implant dentistry.

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

Therapeutic resistance in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) can be attributed, in part, to a dense extracellular matrix containing excessive collagen deposition. Here, we describe a novel Salmonella typhimurium (ST) vector expressing the bacterial collagenase Streptomyces omiyaensis trypsin (SOT), a serine protease known to hydrolyze collagens I and IV, which are predominantly found in PDAC. Utilizing aggressive models of PDAC, we show that ST-SOT selectively degrades intratumoral collagen leading to enhancement of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy in tumor-bearing mice. Ultimately, we found that ST-SOT treatment significantly modifies the intratumoral immune landscape to generate a microenvironment more conducive to ICB.

Tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) are essential players during tumor progression in various types of cancer, including breast cancer. TIMPs regulate the activity of matrix metallo-proteinases (MMPs) at different levels. However, a dual role for TIMPs in breast carcinogenesis, either promoting or inhibiting tumor progression, has been observed. By a comprehensive bioin-formatics analysis using different databases, we report that of the four TIMPs, only TIMP-1 is overexpressed in tumor breast tissue. However, TIMP-2, TIMP-3, and especially TIMP-4 present lower levels in breast tumor tissue than in normal tissue. Interestingly, high levels of TIMP-1 are associated with shorter survival in breast cancer patients. In contrast, low TIMP-2, TIMP-3, and TIMP-4 levels are associated with poor survival. Function enrichment analysis showed that TIMP-3 has the highest interactions with its target proteins and a higher number of processes re-lated to mammary carcinogenesis. We found differential expression of TIMP-1 concerning TIMP-3 and TIMP-4 in breast cancer and normal tissue. TIMP-4 has a significant relationship with cancer staging, including tumor size, lymph node spread, and metastasis. The correlation between immune cell infiltrates and TIMP expression is of great importance as they provide in-formation on breast cancer diagnosis, prognosis, progression, and response to treatment.

The straight leg raise test (SLR) has been proposed to detect increased nerve mechanosensitivity of the lower limbs in individuals with low back pain or leg-related low back pain. However, its validity in the diagnosis of lumbosacral radiculopathy show very variable results. The aim of this study was to analyse the diagnostic validity of the SLR including well defined diagnostic criteria in a sample of participants in phase III with suspicion of lumbar radiculopathy using the nerve conduction studies (NDS) as the reference standard. A phase III diagnostic accuracy study was designed. 142 individuals with suspected lumbosacral radiculopathy referred for NCS participated in the study. Each participant was tested with NCS and SLR. SLR was considered positive using three diagnostic criteria. The sensitivity of the SLR for the criterion 3 was 89.02% (CI 81.65-96.40), the specificity was 25.00% (CI 13.21-36.79), and the +LR and -LR were 1.19 (CI 1.01-1.40) and 0.44 (0.21-0.94), respectively. SLR showed limited validity in the diagnosis of lumbosacral radiculopathy. The incorporation of more objective diagnostic criteria (asymmetry in range of motion or localization of symptoms) improved diagnostic validity but the imprecision of the confidence intervals limited the interpretation of the results.

(1) Agricultural production is one of the most important, fundamental and resilient sectors. The excessive and incorrect use of agricultural pesticides has caused environmental pollution, with final destination in aquatic environments. Once in the aquatic environment, the decontamination process aimed at removing the pesticide is not always a simple task. There are expensive and low-efficiency procedures in the literature. In this sense, it is necessary to develop low-cost, sustainable procedures with high remediation capacity. Among the widely used agricultural pesticides, glyphosate stands out for weed control, which according to the World Health Organization (WHO) is potentially carcinogenic in humans. (2) In this context, a nanocellulose-based biopolymer was developed to recover glyphosate from aquatic environments. Different methodologies have been developed, the most interesting being membrane immersion in aquatic systems. The analytical technique for quantifying glyphosate was molecular spectrophotometry in the ultraviolet – visible range (UV-VIS); (3) Nanocellulose showed a value of 4.7 mg of Glyphosate per g of nanocellulose, and organomodified nanocellulose showed the removal of 6.1 mg of Glyphosate per g of nanocellulose, evaluated in pseudo-first order kinetic models; (4) The biomaterial has a sustainable and renewable origin and has potential for contaminant removal and can be applied to contaminated aquatic systems.

When the zoonotic parasite of rodents that can cause human neuroangiostrongyliasis, i.e., Angiostrongylus cantonensis, is found in its natural definitive hosts, it is usually reported in isolation, as if the rat lungworm were the only component of the within-rat parasite community. In this study we report the coinfections found in rats naturally infected by A. cantonensis in urban populations of Rattus norvegicus and Rattus rattus in Valencia, Spain. In addition to the rat lungworms, which were found in 14 of the 125 rats studied (a prevalence of 11.20%), 18 other parasite infrapopulations (intestinal and tissular protists, microsporidia, and helminths) were found; some of them with high burdens. Fourteen of these 19 species found are potential zoonotic parasites, namely Blastocystis, Giardia duodenalis, Cryptosporidium spp., Enterocytozoon bieneusi, Encephalitozoon hellem, Toxoplasma gondii, Brachylaima spp., Hydatigera taeniaeformis larvae, Hymenolepis nana, Hymenolepis diminuta, Angiostrongylus cantonensis, Calodium hepaticum, Gongylonema neoplasticum and Moniliformis moniliformis. Despite the limited number of rats studied, the total predominance of coinfected rats as well as their high parasite loads seem to indicate a clear trend towards parasite tolerance.

Invasive macrophytes are considered problematic in natural environments and hydroelectric reservoirs. Climate changes, the occurrence of watercourses, and biotic interactions influence the biological invasion of macrophytes. Native species can correlate with invasives positively or negatively. Urochloa subquadripara is an invasive in natural or disturbed habitats co-occurring with the natives Eichhornia crassipes and Salvinia minima. Aquatic plant communities can be altered by climate change, so species distribution models (SDMs) are important tools for predicting in-vaded areas. This work aimed to make an SDM for U. subquadripara correlating with the poten-tial distribution of native species E. crassipes and S. minima. Occurrence data for U. subquadripara, E. crassipes, and S. minima were collected from databases and in consultation with the published literature. Parameters encompassing biological information of the species were entered into the CLIMEX software and used to generate the Ecoclimatic Index (EI). The species co-occurrence was performed based on multicriteria decision-making (MCDM), and weights were assigned using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). It was observed that U. subquadripara, E. crassipes, and S. minima have a higher occurrence in tropical and subtropical regions; however, it is predicted that, from climatic changes, these species may move to high latitudes. According to climate change, the risk of invasion by U. subquadripara in the northern hemisphere is mainly in lakes, while in the southern hemisphere, the areas conducive to invasions are rivers and reservoirs. In general, emerging and floating macrophyte species such as U. subquadripara, E. crassipes, and S. minima will be favored, causing suppression of submerged species. Therefore, identifying the potential distribution of these species allows the creation of pre-invasion intervention strategies.

Rutin, a flavonoid compound found in various plants, has gained attention for its potential applications in the cosmetic industry due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and potential photoprotective properties. Our review explored the use of rutin (rutoside, 3-O-rutinoside-quercetin) in cosmetics/dermocosmetics, focusing on its physicochemical properties and stability, cutaneous permeability, and efficacy in sunscreen systems, involving in vitro tests and the current state of clinical trials. Rutin's ability to scavenge free radicals, prevent peroxidation, and reduce vascular fragility makes this flavonoid a promising ingredient for photoprotection. Studies have shown that rutin can enhance the sun protection factor (SPF) of sunscreen formulations, especially when combined with organic UV filters. The encapsulation of rutin in nanostructures has also been investigated to improve its applicability. Overall, rutin shows potential as a safe and effective ingredient in cosmetic/dermocosmetic formulations, offering protection against the harmful effects of UV radiation and oxidative stress on the skin.

This study aimed to quantify the extent of heavy metal, non-metal and metalloid level of Campomanesia adamantium pulp obtained from area crossed by road of the high large vehicle traffic and intensive agriculture modern farm, and for monitoring the health risks associated with pulp human consumption. For this purpose, three spots located between this area, ripe fruits were collected in roadside, bush and margin-farm. Pulp samples were digested by microwave-assisted equipment, and mineral elements were quantified by ICP OES. The mineral elements average demonstrated no statistical difference observed between this pulp (p > 0.05). The heavy metals and metalloid concentrations that exceeded FAO/WHO standards are ordered Pb > As > Mo > Co > Ni > Mn > Cr. Therefore, among these metalloid and heavy metals, As, Pb and Cr were found higher in farm-margin > roadside > bush (1.5 × 10^-3, 1.1 × 10^-3 and 6.2 × 10^-4) respectively. Therefore, As is the most important metalloid with higher levels in farm-margin, roadside and bush (1.5 × 10^-3, 1.1 × 10^-3 and 6.2 × 10^-4 > 10^-6–10^-4 and 3.33, 2.30 and 1.34 > 1) respectively, to total cancer risk and hazard quotient, if 100 g daily of pulp are consumed.

Childhood overweight and obesity is a worldwide public health issue. Our objective was to describe planned, ongoing and completed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) designed for the prevention of obesity in early childhood. Two databases (World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, ClinicalTrials.gov) were searched to identify RCTs with the primary aim of preventing childhood obesity and at least one outcome related to child weight. Interventions needed to start in the first two years of childhood or earlier, continue for at least 6 months postnatally, include a component related to lifestyle or behaviors, and have a follow up time of at least 2 years. We identified 29 unique RCTs, implemented since 2008, with most being undertaken in high income countries. Interventions ranged from advice on diet, activity, sleep, emotion regulation and parenting education through individual home visits, clinic-based consultations or group education sessions. Eleven trials have published data on child weight related outcomes to date, though most were not sufficiently powered to detect significant effects. Many trials detected improvements in practices such as breastfeeding, screen time and physical activity in the intervention groups compared to the control groups. Further follow-up of ongoing trials is needed to assess longer-term effects.

We recently reported the isolation and characterization of an anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody, called IgG-A7, that protected transgenic mice expressing the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE-2) from the infection with SARS-CoV-2 Wuhan. We show here that IgG-A7 protected 100% of the transgenic mice infected with Delta (B.1.617.2) and Omicron (B.1.1.529) at doses of 0.5 and 5 mg/kg, respectively. In addition, we studied the pharmacokinetic (PK) profile and Toxicology (Tox) of IgG-A7 in CD-1 mice at single doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg. PK parameters at those high doses were proportional to the dose, with the half-life in serum of ~10.5 days. IgG-A7 was well tolerated with no signs of toxicity in urine and blood samples, nor in histopathology analyses. Tissue Cross-reactivity (TCR) with a panel of mouse and human tissues showed no evidence of IgG-A7 interaction with tissues of these species, supporting the PK/Tox results in vivo and suggesting that while IgG-A7 has a broad efficacy profile it is not toxic in humans. The information generated in CD-1 mouse as PK/Tox model, complemented with the mouse and human TCR, could be of relevance as alternatives to NHPs in rapidly emerging viral diseases and/or quickly evolving viruses such as SARS-CoV-2.

Understanding the interplay among organophosphorus flame-retardants (OPFRs), microplastics, and freshwater organisms is crucial for unravelling the dynamics within freshwater environments and foreseeing the potential impacts of organic pollutants and plastic contamination. For that purpose, the present research assessed the exposure impact of 10 mg L–1 flame-retardant alumin-ium diethylphosphinate (ALPI), 10 μg mg–1liver microplastics polyurethane (PU), and the combina-tion of ALPI and PU on the freshwater planarian Girardia tigrina. The exposure of G. tigrina to both ALPI and PU revealed a sequential effect, i.e., a decrease in locomotor activity, while other molecular biomarkers (oxidative stress biomarkers and metabolic response) remained unaffected. Despite this fact, it was possible to observe that the range (min-max) of responses of exposed or-ganisms were altered, in the particular case of electron transport system, cholinesterase activity, glutathione S-transferase, catalase and levels of total glutathione and proteins, showing that the energetic costs for detoxification and antioxidant capacity might be causing less energy allocated for the planarian activity. By examining the physiological, behavioural, and ecological responses of planarians to these pollutants, insights can be gained into broader ecosystem-level effects and inform strategies for mitigating environmental risks associated with OPFRs and microplastic pol-lution in freshwater environments.

It is unclear which noise exposure time window and noise characteristics during nighttime are most detrimental for sleep quality in real life settings. We have conducted a field study with 105 volunteers wearing a wrist actimeter to record their sleep during seven days, together with concurrent outdoor noise measurements at their bedroom window. Actimetry recorded sleep latency increased by 5.6 minutes (95% confidence interval: 1.6 to 9.6 minutes) per 10 dB(A) increase in noise exposure during the first hour after bedtime. Actimetry assessed sleep efficiency was significantly reduced by 2-3 percent per 10 dB(A) increase in measured outdoor noise (Leq, 1h) for the last three hours of sleep. For subjectively reported sleepiness, noise exposure during the last hour prior to wake up was most crucial with an increase in the sleepiness score of 0.31 units (95% CI: 0.08 to 0.54) per 10 dB(A) Leq,1h. Associations for estimated indoor noise were not more pronounced than for outdoor noise. Considering noise events in addition to equivalent sound pressure levels (Leq) only marginally improved the statistical models. Our study provides evidence that matching the nighttime noise exposure time window to the individual’s diurnal sleep-wake pattern results in a better estimate of detrimental nighttime noise effects on sleep. We found that noise exposure at the beginning and the end of the sleep is most crucial for sleep quality.

Strategies implemented worldwide to contain COVID-19 outbreaks varied in severity across different countries, and established a new normal for work and school life (i.e. from home) for many people, reducing opportunities for physical activity. Positive relationships of physical activity with both mental and physical health are well recognised, therefore the aim was to ascertain how New Zealand’s lockdown restrictions impacted physical activity and mental health and wellbeing. Participants (n=4007; mean±SD: age 46.5±14.7y, 72% female, 80.7% New Zealand European) completed (10–26 April 2020) an online amalgamated survey (Qualtrics): International Physical Activity Questionnaire: Short Form; Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-9; World Health Organization-Five Well-being Index; Stages of Change Scale. Positive dose response relationships between physical activity levels and wellbeing scores were demonstrated for estimates that were unadjusted (moderate activity OR 3.79, CI 2.88-4.92; high activity OR 8.04, CI 6.07-10.7) and adjusted (confounding variables: age, gender, socioeconomic status, time sitting, co-morbidities) (moderate activity 1.57, CI 1.11-2.52; high activity 2.85, CI 1.97-4.14). The study results support previous research demonstrating beneficial effects of regular physical activity on mental health and wellbeing. Governments may use such results to promote meeting physical activity guidelines in order to protect mental health and wellbeing during the ongoing COVID-19 and future pandemics.

Plant extracts have been evaluated to determine their bioactivities and their potential use in wound healing. In this study, a conductive composite material, based on graphene oxide (GO), nanocellulose (CNF) and tannins (TA) from pine bark, reduced using polydopamine (PDA), was developed for wound dressing. The amount of CNF and TA was varied in the composite material and a complete characterization including SEM, FTIR, XRD, XPS, TGA was performed. Also, the conductivity, mechanical properties, cytotoxicity, and in vitro wound healing of the materials were evaluated. The results showed a successful physical interaction between CNF, TA and GO. In-creasing the CNF amount in the composite reduced the thermal properties, surface charge and conductivity of the material, but its strength, cytotoxicity and wound healing performance were improved. The TA incorporation slightly reduced the cell viability and migration, which may be associated with the doses used and the chemical composition of the extracts. However, the in vitro obtained results demonstrated that these composite materials can be suitable for wound healing.

The newly emerged severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has infected millions of people and caused tremendous morbidity and mortality worldwide. Effective treatment for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to SARS-CoV-2 infection is lacking and different therapeutic strategies are under testing. Host humoral and cellular immunity to SARS-CoV-2 infection is a critical determinant for patients’ outcome. SARS-CoV-2 infection results in seroconversion and production of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The antibodies may suppress viral replication through neutralization but also might also participate in COVID-19 pathogenesis through a process termed antibody-dependent enhancement. Rapid progress has been made in the research of antibody response and therapy in COVID-19 patients including characterization of the clinical features of antibody responses in different populations infected by SARS-CoV-2, treatment of COVID-19 patients with convalescent plasma and intravenous immunoglobin products, isolation and characterization of a large panel of monoclonal neutralizing antibodies, as well as preliminary clinical results from several COVID-19 vaccine candidates. In this review, we summarize the recent progress and discuss the implications of these findings in vaccine development.