The vibrational excitation cross section of a diatomic molecule by positron impact is obtained using wavepacket propagation techniques. The dynamics was carried on a two-dimensional potential energy surface which couples a hydrogen-like harmonic oscillator to a positron via a spherically symmetric correlation polarization potential. The cross section for the excitation of the first vibrational mode is in good agreement with previous reports. Our model suggests that a positron couples to the target vibration by responding instantly to an interaction potential which depends on the target vibrational coordinate.

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

Almost 6% of cancers worldwide are attributable to alcohol consumption. Approximately half of them occur in tissues highly exposed to ethanol, such as the oral cavity, pharynx, upper larynx and esophagus. However, since ethanol is not mutagenic and the carcinogenic metabolite of ethanol (acetaldehyde) is mainly produced in the liver, it is unclear why alcohol consumption preferentially causes a local carcinogenic effect. We recently hypothesized that the cytotoxic activity of ethanol could explain the high risk of these cancers in alcohol users. Here we report that short-term exposures (2-3 seconds) to ethanol concentrations between 10% and 15% start to cause a marked cytotoxic effect on human epithelial keratinocytes in a concentration-dependent manner. After discussing new evidence that cancer is the end-result of the accumulation of cell divisions in stem cells, we explain why regular alcohol consumption imposes a high risk of cancer on these tissues. Briefly, the cytotoxicity of ethanol reduces the lifespan of the cells lining these tissues. The stem cells located in deeper layers need to divide more often than usual to renew the damaged epithelia. The accumulation of cell divisions in stem cells leads to the accumulation of cancer-promoting errors (e.g., mutations arising during DNA replication) that increase their risk of malignant transformation. Cell division also exposes the DNA of the stem cells to the genotoxic activity of acetaldehyde and tobacco carcinogens. We propose that choosing alcoholic beverages containing non-cytotoxic concentrations of ethanol, or diluting ethanol to non-cytotoxic concentrations, is a simple way to reduce the risk of cancer of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx and esophagus in alcohol users. This preventive strategy may also abolish the known synergistic effect of alcohol drinking and tobacco smoking on the risk of these cancers.

Objective: To provide mechanistic evidence for the epidemiological link between long-term use of alcohol containing mouthwashes and oral cancer.Methods: Human epithelial keratinocytes were exposed for 30 seconds to concentrations of ethanol commonly present in mouthwashes. After a recovery period, cell viability was assessed with the MTT assay.Results: A marked cytotoxic effect was observed for ethanol concentrations of 20% and above. Conclusions: The cytotoxicity of ethanol can explain the epidemiological association between mouthwash use and oral cancer. Recent findings indicate that the risk of developing cancer in a tissue is strongly determined by the number of stem cell divisions accumulated by the tissue during a person's lifetime; cell division is a major source of mutations and other cancer-promoting errors. Since cell death activates the division of stem cells, the cytotoxicity of ethanol on the cells lining the oral mucosa will promote the division of the stem cells located in deeper layers to produce new cells to regenerate the damaged epithelium. If we regularly use mouthwashes containing cytotoxic concentrations of ethanol, we will force the stem cells of the oral cavity to divide more often than usual and our risk of developing oral cancer will probably increase.Clinical significance: Many mouthwashes contain percentages of ethanol above 20%. Because ethanol is not crucial to prevent and reduce gingivitis and plaque, members of the dental team should consider the potential risk of oral cancer associated with frequent use of alcohol containing mouthwashes when advising their patients.

The Atoyac River crosses the metropolitan area of Puebla, Mexico, and presents a condition of severe degradation that has been poorly studied. The research was conducted in the year 2016 and analyzed the space-time dynamics of the water quality of the river, the increase in pollution in the period 2011–2016, and the water quality of the Atoyac River used for agricultural irrigation and human consumption in the population of Emilio Portes Gil, Ocoyucan, based on official Mexican standards (NOMs). The anoxic state of the river was demonstrated (~1.47 mgO₂/L) and the high organic pollution, particularly in drought, as well as the presence of large populations of coliform bacteria, and 11 enterobacteries of pathogenic importance. The pollution recorded an average increase of 49% in the period 2011-2016, and the values of Fe, Al, Pb, and Cd in variable percentages. It was evidenced that water for irrigation and wells is contaminated with fecal bacteria (104–549 NMP/100 mL), including pathogenic. In wells, the concentration of heavy metals was 5 times higher in drought. These results represent a serious threat for the population of Emilio Portes Gil and the environment in the metropolitan area of Puebla.

Pressure ulcers carry a significant risk in clinical practice and require effective preventive measures. This paper proposes a practical and interpretable approach to estimate the risk levels of pressure ulcers using decision tree models. In order to address the common problem of imbalanced learning in nursing classification datasets, various oversampling configurations are analyzed to improve data quality prior to modeling. The decision trees built are based on three easily identifiable and clinically relevant pressure ulcer risk indicators: mobility, activity and skin moisture. Their analysis allows nursing professionals to predict the risk levels of pressure ulcer and make informed decisions about patient care. Additionally, this research introduces a novel tabular visualization method to enhance the usability of the decision trees in clinical practice. The approach proposed aims to support nursing professionals in making timely decisions regarding the appropriate preventive interventions according to the risk levels of pressure ulcers, thus improving patient outcomes and healthcare costs. The usefulness and effectiveness of the models presented make them a valuable resource for nursing care in the prevention of pressure ulcers.

The electronic structure of 7/9-AGNR superlattices with up to eight unit cells has been studied by means of state of the art Density Functional Theory (DFT) and also by two model Hamiltonians, the first one including only local interactions (Hubbard model, Hu) while the second one is extended to allow long-range Coulomb interactions (Pariser, Parr and Pople model, PPP). Both are solved within mean field approximation. At this approximation level, our calculations show that 7/9 interfaces are better described by spin non-polarized solutions than by spin-polarized wavefunctions. Consequently, both Hu and PPP Hamiltonians lead to electronic structures characterized by a gap at the Fermi level that diminishes as the size of the system increases. DFT results show similar trends although a detailed analysis of the density of states around the Fermi level shows quantitative differences with both Hu and PPP models. Before improving model Hamiltonians, we interpret the electronic structure obtained by DFT in terms of bands of topological states: topological states localized at the system edges and extended bulk topological states which interact between them due to the long-range Coulomb terms of Hamiltonian. After careful analysis of the interaction among topological sates, we find that the discrepancy between ab initio and model Hamiltonians can be resolved considering a screened long-range interaction that is implemented adding an exponential cutoff to the interaction term of PPP model. In this way, an adjusted cutoff distance λ = 2 allows a good recovery of DFT results. In view of this, we conclude that the correct description of the density of states around the Fermi level (Dirac point) needs the inclusion of long-range interactions well beyond Hubbard model but not completely unscreened as is the case for the PPP model.

Relatives play an important role in mental health service users’ care. Interventions directed either at service users or their relatives may influence the other person as well. The project Activa’t per la salut mental (Get active for mental health) consisted of a series of four interventions addressed at people diagnosed with mental disorders and their relatives to help them in their recovery process, increasing their agency and quality of life. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the interaction of the participation of service users on their relatives’ outcomes and vice versa. The impact of the project was evaluated within an RCT. The treatment group had access to all the circuit interventions while the control group received treatment as usual and could only access one of the interventions. All participants were evaluated at baseline, six months, and twelve months after the end of the first intervention. Service users were evaluated with the Stages of recovery questionnaire, and relatives with the Family Burden Interview Schedule II and the Duke-UNC-11 questionnaires. The interaction between service users and their relatives was analysed by means of correlational analyses within the intervention group. Service users baseline characteristics influenced in the level of participation of relatives and vice versa. The results also indicated an interaction between service users’ recovery score changes on the change of care burden of relatives. Service users’ participation levels interacted with the decrease of relatives’ burden. These results can be extremely helpful in fostering interactive benefits in future projects addressing the wellbeing of mental health service users and their relatives. Future studies could use specific designs to explore the directionality of the causality of these effects.

Agroecology, defined as the ecological science of food production is also as practical approach to design food production systems based on local concerted solutions that aim to promote synergy among the diversity of human and non human food systems elements. These two facets makes agroecology a good candidate for participatory research. Information technology should help using this information for the production of structured scientific knowledge. In this respect, there is a need for information technology that is adaptive to encompass the diversity of within and between systems and that provide benefit to farmers that feed it with data. We present MiCampoApp, a webapp that aims to join participatory research and certification in agroecology, with two roles, the farmer and the administrator. The idea to join participatory research for decision support with certification for market differentiation in single system is that much of the certification data harbors information for scientific research, and this incentivize data collection for the interest of the farmer and the community. The administrator create a model for data collection in order to solve a research question of interest for a communities or to produce traceability information to feed participatory guarantee system in a community. The farmer collects information using simple icons and produces traceability pages for research or certification purposes.

The sulfur-containing amino acids methionine (Met), cysteine (Cys) and taurine (Tau) are common dietary constituents with important cellular roles. Met restriction is already known to exert in vivo anticancer activity. However, since Met is a precursor of Cys, and Cys produces Tau, the role of Cys and Tau in the anticancer activity of Met-restricted diets is poorly understood. In this work, we screened the in vivo anticancer activity of several Met-deficient artificial diets supplemented with Cys, Tau or both. Diet B1 (6% casein, 2.5% leucine, 0.2% Cys and 1% lipids) and diet B2B (6% casein, 5% glutamine, 2.5% leucine, 0.2% Tau and 1% lipids) showed the highest activity and were selected for further studies. Both diets induced a marked anticancer activity in two animal models of metastatic colon cancer, which were established by injecting CT26.WT murine colon cancer cells in the tail vein or peritoneum of immunocompetent BALB/cAnNRj mice. Diets B1 and B2B also increased the survival of mice with disseminated ovarian cancer (intraperitoneal ID8 Tp53 -/- cells in C57BL/6JRj mice) and renal cell carcinoma (intraperitoneal Renca cells in BALB/cAnNRj mice). The high activity of diet B1 in mice with metastatic colon cancer may be useful in colon cancer therapy.

Patients with metastatic triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) need new therapies to improve the low survival rates achieved with standard treatments. In this work, we show that the survival of mice with metastatic TNBC can be markedly increased by replacing their normal diet with artificial diets in which the levels of amino acids (AAs) and lipids are strongly manipulated. After observing selective anticancer activity in vitro, we prepared five artificial diets and evaluated their anticancer activity in a challenging model of metastatic TNBC. The model was established by injecting 4T1 murine TNBC cells into the tail vein of immunocompetent BALB/cAnNRj mice. First-line drugs doxorubicin and capecitabine were used as positive controls. AA manipulation led to modest improvements in mice survival when the levels or lipids were normal. Reducing lipid levels to 1% markedly improved the activity of several diets with different AA content. Mice fed the artificial diets as monotherapy lived longer than mice treated with doxorubicin and capecitabine. An artificial diet without 10 non-essential AAs, with reduced levels of essential AAs, and with 1% lipids improved the survival not only of mice with TNBC but also of mice with other types of metastatic cancers.

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

2S-hesperidin is a flavanone (flavonoid) found in high concentrations in citrus fruits. It has an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect, improving performance in animals. This study investigated the effects of chronic intake of an orange extract (2S-hesperidin) or placebo on aerobic-anaerobic and metabolic performance markers in amateur cyclists. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was carried out between late September and December 2018. Forty amateur cyclists were randomized into two groups: one taking 500mg/day 2S-hesperidin and other taking 500 mg/day placebo (microcellulose) for 8 weeks. All participants completed the study. Performance and metabolic aerobic-anaerobic markers were measured using incremental and rectangular tests by indirect calorimetry. The anaerobic power was determined using Wingate tests. After 8 weeks supplementation, there was a significant increase in the incremental test in estimated functional threshold power (FTP) (3.23%; p≤0.05) and maximum power (2.68%; p≤0.05) with 2S-Hesperdin compared to placebo. In the rectangular test, there was a significant decrease in VO₂ (-8.26%; p≤0.01) and VO₂R (-8.88%; p≤0.01) at VT2 in placebo; however, there were no significant differences between groups. In the Wingate test, there was a significant increase (p≤0.05) in peak and relative power in both groups, but without significant differences between groups. Supplementation with an orange extract (2S-hesperdin) 500mg/day improves estimated FTP and maximum power performance in amateur cyclists.

Background: Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT) is a vascular autosomically inherited rare disease. Epistaxis (nose bleeds) is the most common symptom in HHT, leading to anemia and affecting patient’s quality of life. In addition to epistaxis, gastrointestinal bleeding (GI), more often at older ages, may lead to severe anemia and need for blood transfussions. Thus, finding drugs to control both types of bleeding is a primary necessity in HHT. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in a series of 11 HHT patients treated with low tacrolimus doses (0.5-1mg) on an off-label prescription basis. Patients showed refractory bleeding to previous treatments. Epistaxis severity score (ESS) and hemoglobin levels were parameters used to evaluate tacrolimus impact. The occurrence of side effects was also recorded. Results: Tacrolimus was well tolerated in most of the patients, except in 2 which abandoned the treatment. The remaining patients tolerated the treatment, with a general improvement in their health condition. Epistaxis was significantly reduced comparing the ESS before and after treatment. Hemoglobin levels were significantly increased overcoming the anemia in the course of the treatment. Conclusion: Tacrolimus at low doses should be considered as a promising treatment for bleeding derived of epistaxis and GI in HHT.

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

Modern engineering faces challenges in ensuring technical standards for service, durability, and sustainability. Political, administrative, and budgetary factors, coupled with climate change, pose tasks to structural integrity, affecting industries and economies. Marine infrastructures represent a strategic asset of the country as it handles a large part of the economic exchanges. This article analyzes five essential factors that play a fundamental role in the performance analysis of coastal structures: Chloride-induced corrosion, degradation models, maintenance strategies, monitoring, and climate change. Starting with reinforcement corrosion, considered as the main cause of distress, particularly in coastal zones for the long-term behavior of structures. Additional pressure from the influences of climate change is becoming evident and extreme, leading to reduction in capacity. To guarantee the lifespan, degradation models contribute by estimating the long-term performance of the asset as a strategic piece to the development of effective maintenance solutions. Additionally, quantifying the condition of the structure from monitoring data, plays a crucial part that provides information on the current situation of the structure. Finally, this review summarizes the challenges associated with the maintenance of aging marine structures considering aspects such as corrosion, monitoring, and the future challenges this area will face due to climate change.

Background Aspergillus spp. is a widely distributed filamentous fungus in the environment due to its high sporulation capacity. Currently, invasive aspergillosis (IA) is the most common invasive fungal infection in patients with hematologic malignancies with high rates of mortality and morbidity. The multifactorial nature of the disease requires appropriate risk stratification to allow the most appropriate preventive measures to be adapted and implemented according to the characteristics of the patient. In this sense, the present research aims to identify recent risk factors and environmental control measures against invasive aspergillosis to establish preventive actions to reduce the incidence of invasive aspergillosis in hospitals; (2) Methods: We conducted a qualitative systematic review of the scientific literature on environmental risk factors and preventive measures for invasive aspergillosis in patients with hematological malignancies. The Medline, Cochrane and Scopus databases were consulted, following the PRISMA and STROBE guidelines; (3) Results Adequate implementation of environmental control measures is presented as the most efficient intervention in terms of prevention to decrease the incidence of invasive aspergillosis in hospitals. We identify neutropenia, fungal contamination, lack of adequate environmental control measures in hospitals and patients´ homes, duration of hospitalization, and anemia as independent risk factors. We show that HEPA, LAF and Plasmair® systems are suitable methods to reduce the concentration of airborne fungal spores. Antifungal prophylaxis did not influence the reduction of IA significantly in our study; (4) Conclusions: Proper professional training and environmental control measures in hospitals are essential for the prevention of invasive aspergillosis. We should optimize risk stratification for patients with hematologic malignancies. Antifungal prophylaxis should be complementary to environmental control measures and should never be substituted for these last ones. Studies should also be done to evaluate the efficiency of environmental control measures against IA at patients' homes.

The need to carry different items, which become an extra load, is a characteristic of trail running. The aim of this study is to determine physiological-metabolic changes produced by running with extra load. Four male well-trained trail runners completed three treadmill maximal metabolic tests carrying different loads (0% (L0), 5% (L5), and 10% (L10) of their body mass) in a weighted vest. Gasses exchange was monitored to assess ventilatory thresholds 1 (VT1), and 2 (VT2), zone of maximal fat oxidation, and peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak). Heart rate (HR), power and velocity (V) were tracked for comparing their behavior. A repeated measures ANOVA showed significant differences in V (p<.001; ηp2= 0.910) as a limitation for reaching peak velocity (Vpeak) with L10 respect to L0 (p=0.001), and L5 (p=0.011). Power expression showed differences (p=0.068; ηp2= 0.592). It tended to be greater with L10 than L0 (p=0.057), despite achieving lower V. VT2 tended to occur at different %VO2peak (p=0.069; ηp2= 0.591). L5 VT2 was reached at higher %VO2peak than L0 (p=0.062), and L10 (p=0.071). ANOVA also showed a tendency to signification for V at this point (p= 0.098; ηp2= 0.538). In conclusion, L10 seems to limit Vpeak while L5 may delay VT2 expression.

We study the short−term memory capacity of ancient readers of the original New Testament written in Greek, of its translations to Latin and modern languages. To model the short–term capacity, we have considered the number of words per interpunctions, the “word interval” , because this parameter can model how the human mind memorizes “chunks” of information. Since can be calculated for any alphabetical text, we can perform experiments − otherwise impossible − with ancient readers by studying the literary works they used to read. The “experiments” compare the of texts of a language/translation to those of another language/translation by measuring the minimum average probability of finding joint readers (those who can read both texts because of their similar short–-term memory capacity) and by defining an “overlap index”. We also define a population of universal readers who can read any the New Testament written in alphabetical language. More than 50% of the readers of specific languages overlap with the universal readers with probability . Future work is vast, with many research tracks, because alphabetical literatures are very large and allow many experiments, such as comparing authors, translations or even texts written by artificial intelligence tools.

Polyphenols represent a group of secondary metabolites of plants which have been analyzed as potent regulators of multiple biological processes, including cell proliferation, apoptosis and autophagy, among others. These natural compounds exhibit beneficial effects and protection against inflammation, oxidative stress and related injuries including metabolic diseases, such as cardiovascular damage, obesity and diabetes and neurodegeneration. In the present review, we report the main biological effects in relationship to autophagy regulation in response to different dietary polyphenols and its impact on metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases

Statistics of languages are calculated by counting characters, words, sentences, word rankings. Some of these random variables are also the main “ingredients” of classical readability formulae. Revisiting the readability formula of Italian, known as GULPEASE, shows that of the two terms that determine the readability index G – the semantic index G_C, proportional to the number of characters per word, and the syntactic index G_F, proportional to the reciprocal of the number of words per sentence −, G_F is dominant because G_C is, in practice, constant for any author throughout seven centuries of Italian Literature. Each author can modulate the length of sentences more freely than he can do with the length of words, and in different ways from author to author. For any author, any couple of text variables can be modelled by a linear relationship y=mx, but with different slope m from author to author, except for the relationship between characters and words, which is unique for all. The most important relationship found in the paper is, in author’s opinion, that between the short−term memory capacity, described by Miller’s “7∓2 law”, and the word interval, a new random variable defined as the average number of words between two successive punctuation marks. The word interval can be converted into a time interval through the average reading speed. The word interval is spread in the same of Miller’s law, and the time interval is spread in the same range of short−term memory response times. The connection between the word interval (and time interval) and short−term memory appears, at least empirically, justified and natural, and should further investigated. Technical and scientific writings (papers, essays etc.) ask more to their readers. A preliminary investigation of these texts shows clear differences: words are on the average longer, the readability index G is lower, word and time intervals are longer. Future work done on ancient languages, such as Greek or Latin, could bring us a flavor of the short term−memory features of these ancient readers.

The mathematical structure underlying a sentence is made of two independent processing units in series. The conditional probability density function of sentence length (measured in words) recordable in the extended short–term memory (E–STM) buffer made of CF cells is Gaussian. The number of sentences that authors of Italian and English Literatures have written is compared to that theoretically available to them. The multiplicity factor α describes this comparison. α>1 is more likely than α<1 and often α≫1, therefore the same sentence pattern is reused many times. These texts are easier to read. Very few novels show α<1. In these cases, there are enough diverse sentence patters to convey meaning, but most of them are not used. Texts are more difficult to read, as measured by a universal readability index GU. A mismatch index IM synthetically describes the process. α, GU. and IM increase with year of publication. Future work will concern other literatures – including ancient ones as Greek and Latin – to confirm what, in our opinion, is general feature of human mind.

This paper analyzes the mitigation of enteric methane (CH4) emissions from ruminants with the use of feed additives inhibiting of rumen methanogenesis to limit global temperature increase to 1.5 °C. A mathematical simulation conducted herein predicted that pronounced inhibition of rumen methanogenesis with pure chemicals or bromoform-containing algae can contribute to limit global temperature increase by 2050 to 1.5 °C only if widely adopted at a global level and considering an efficacy higher than obtained in most studies. Currently, the most important limitations to the adoption of antimethanogenic feed additives are probably increased feeding cost without a consistent return in production efficiency, and achieving sustained delivery of inhibitors to the rumens of non-supplemented, extensively ranging animals. Economic incentives, and changes in rumen microbial metabolism caused by inhibiting methanogenesis, could potentially be used to make the methanogenesis inhibition intervention cost effective. Also, the composition of the methanogenic community, and rate of disappearance of inhibitors of methanogenesis in the rumen can influence the effective dose of the inhibitors, and hence the cost of their adoption. Possible means for sustained delivery of antimethanogenic compounds to extensively grazing animals are discussed. Limitations and knowledge gaps of these approaches, and future research directions, are examined.

We study two fundamental linguistic channels ‒ the Sentences and the Interpunctions channels ‒ and show they can reveal deeper connections between texts. The theory applied does not follow the actual paradigm of linguistic studies. As study‒case, we consider the Greek New Testament, with the purpose of determining mathematical connections between its texts and possible differences in writing style (mathematically defined) of writers, and in reading skill required to their readers. The analysis is based on deep‒language parameters and communication/information theory. To set the New Testament texts in the larger Greek Classical Literature, we consider texts written by Aesop, Polybius, Flavius Josephus and Plutarch. The results largely confirm what scholars have found about the New Testament texts giving, therefore, credibility to the theory. The gospel according to John is very similar to Fables written by Aesop. Surprisingly, the Epistle to the Hebrews and Apocalypse, are each other “photocopy” in the two linguistic channels, and not linked to all other texts. These two texts deserve further study by historians of the early Christian Church Literature at the level of meaning, readers and possible Old Testament texts which might have influenced them. The theory can guide scholars to study any literary corpus.

Through the arrow decomposition of the Mueller matrix, respective sets of sixteen independent polarimetric images of biological tissues are obtained for enpolarizing, retarding and depolariz-ing descriptors. In addition to the mean intensity coefficient and the three indices of polarimetric purity, the absolute values and Poincaré orientations of diattenuation, polarizance, entrance re-tardance and exit retardance vectors are considered. In this work we use for the first time this set of polarimetric observables for the visualization of biological structures, both of animal and vege-tal origin. Results show images with enhanced visualization derived from the spatial variation of such significant polarimetric properties. The experimental results are discussed, showing the suit-ability of such set of observables for applications in biophotonics imaging, providing not only ex-cellent visualization of biological tissues, but also showing structures not visible in non-polarimetric images.

Targeted therapies with antiangiogenic drugs (e.g., sunitinib) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (e.g., anti-PD-1 antibodies) are the standard of care for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Although these treatments improve patient survival, they are rarely curative. We previously hypothesized that advanced cancers might be treated without drugs by using artificial diets in which the levels of specific amino acids (AAs) are manipulated. In this work, after showing that AA manipulation induces selective anticancer activity in renal cell carcinoma cells in vitro, we evaluated the anticancer activity of 17 artificial diets in a challenging animal model of renal cell carcinoma. The model was stablished by injecting murine renal cell carcinoma (Renca) cells into the peritoneum of immunocompetent BALB/cAnNRj mice. Mice survival was markedly improved when their normal diet was replaced with our artificial diets. Mice fed a diet lacking six AAs (diet T2) lived longer than mice treated with sunitinib or anti-PD-1 immunotherapy; several animals lived very long or were cured. Controlling the levels of several AAs (e.g., cysteine, methionine and leucine) and lipids was important for the anticancer activity of the diets. Additional studies are needed to further evaluate the therapeutic potential of this simple and inexpensive anticancer strategy.

In our continuous search for selective anticancer treatments, we have screened 65 extracts from 45 plants collected in several areas of Western Andalusia (Spain) for cytotoxic activity against lung cancer cells and lung normal cells. Active extracts were also tested against 11 cell lines from other tissues. An extract from the leaves of Tetraclinis articulata (Vahl) Mast. (Cupressaceae) showed a marked cytotoxicity (IC₅₀ = 0.37 ± 0.03 µg/mL) and selectivity (selectivity index = 378.3) against the lung cancer cells; cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil and an extract from the leaves of Taxus baccata L. (Taxaceae) were less cytotoxic and selective.

Although several plant-derived drug groups (vinca alkaloids, taxanes, podophyllotoxin derivatives and camptothecins) continue to be widely used in cancer therapy, the anticancer potential of the Plant Kingdom remains largely unexplored. In this work, we have carried out a random screening for selective anticancer activity of 57 extracts from 45 plants collected in Grazalema Natural Park, an area in the South of Spain of high plant diversity and endemism. Using lung cancer cells (A549) and lung non-malignant cells (MRC-5), we found that several extracts were more cytotoxic and selective against the cancer cell line than the standard anticancer agent cisplatin. Five active extracts were further tested in cancer and normal cell lines from other tissues, including three skin cell lines with increasing degree of malignancy. An extract from the leaves of Daphne laureola L. (Thymelaeaceae) showed a striking potency and selectivity on lung cancer cells and leukemia cells; the IC₅₀ values against these cancer cells were approximately 10000-fold lower than against the normal cells. Daphnane-type diterpene orthoesters may be responsible for this highly selective anticancer activity.

It is advisable to avoid and, even better, demystify such grandiose terms as "infinity" or "singularity" in the description of the cosmos. Its proliferation does not positively contribute to the understanding of key concepts that are essential for an updated account of its origin and evolutionary history. It will be here argued that, as a matter of fact, there are no infinities in physics, in the real world: all which appear, in any given formulation of nature by means of mathematical equations, actually arise from extrapolations, which are made beyond the bounds of validity of the equations themselves. Such crucial point is rather well-known, but too often forgotten, as discussed in this paper with several examples; namely, the famous Big Bang singularity and others, which appeared before in classical mechanics and electrodynamics, and notably in the quantization of field theories. A brief description of the Universe’s history and evolution follows. Special emphasis is put on what is presently known, from detailed observations of the cosmos and, complementarily, from advanced experiments of very-high-energy physics. To conclude, a future perspective on how this knowledge might soon improve is given.

Sometimes there are clear and natural limits to the scope of action of a science, and in other cases they are simply convenient ones. Geographic Information Science (GISc) is a transversal science, with contacts with all geosciences but also with various formal sciences such as Mathematics, Logic and Computer Science. A first approach to specifying the limits of a science is through its definition. Definitions of GISc are often so expansive that they have been rightly criticized for practicing gerrymandering, in particular with the rest of the geosciences. To avoid this, an operational definition is proposed that places GISc among the sciences that handle Data and not Information. This solves the gerrymandering problem without really implying a significant cut of what is usually considered within GISc. As an unforeseen consequence, this delimitation will allow it to be characterized as Formal Science, leaving it as the only geoscience with this characteristic.

We propose that the short−term memory (STM), when processing a sentence, uses two uncorrelated processing units in series. The clues for conjecturing this model emerge from studying many novels of the Italian and English Literatures. This simple model, referring to the surface of language, seems to describe mathematically the input-output characteristics of a complex mental process involved in a reading/writing a sentence. We show that there are no significant mathematical/statistical differences between the two literary corpora by considering deep-language variables and linguistic communication channels, therefore, the surface mathematical structure of alphabetical languages is very deeply rooted in human mind, independently of the language used. The first processing unit is linked to the number of words between two contiguous interpunctions, variable Ip, approximately ranging in Miller’s 7±2 range; the second unit is linked to the number of Ip’s contained in a sentence, variable MF, ranging approximately from 1 to 6. The overall capacity required to process fully of a sentence ranges from 8.3 to 61.23 words, values that can be converted into time by assuming a reading speed, giving the range 2.64~19.54 seconds for fast-reading and 5.3~30.1 seconds for average reader. Since a sentence conveys meaning, the surface features we have found might be the starting point to arrive at an Information Theory that includes meaning.

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

In the last decade there has been a growing interest in infrared thermography in the field of sports medicine in order to elucidate the mechanisms of thermoregulation. The aim of this study was to describe bilateral variations in skin temperature of the anterior thigh and patellar tendon in healthy athletes, to provide a model of baseline tendon and muscle thermoregulation in healthy sprinters following a unilateral isokinetic fatigue protocol. Fifteen healthy national-level sprinters underwent unilateral isokinetic force testing and electrostimulation in which body temperature was measured before, during, and after the protocol using an infrared thermographic camera. ANOVA detected a significant difference in the time x side interaction for patellar temperature changes (p≤0.001) and a significant difference in the time x side interaction for quadriceps temperature changes (p≤0.001). The thermal challenge produces homogeneous changes evident in quadriceps areas, but not homogeneous in tendon areas. these data show that metabolic and blood flow changes may depend on the physical and mechanical properties of each tissue.

Scholars of the English Literature unanimously say that J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis influenced each other writings. For the first time we have investigated this issue mathematically by using an original multi–dimensional analysis of linguistic parameters, based on surface deep–language variables and linguistic channels. To set our investigation in the framework of the English Liter-ature, we have considered some novels written by earlier authors, such as C. Dickens, G. Mac-Donald and others. The deep–language variables and the linguistic channels, discussed in the paper, are likely due to writers’ unconscious design and have revealed connections between texts far beyond writers’ awareness. In summary, the capacity of the extended short–term memory required to readers, the universal readability index of texts, the geometrical representation of texts and the fine tuning of linguistic channels within texts – all tools largely discussed in the paper – have revealed strong connections between The Lord of the Rings (Tolkien), The Chronicles of Narnia, The Space Trilogy (Lewis) and novels by MacDonald, therefore in agreement with what scholars of the English Literature say.

Ampelography, the botanical discipline dedicated to the identification and classification of grapevine cultivars, was grounded on the description of morphological characters and more recently is based on the application of DNA polymorphisms. New methods of image analysis may help to optimize morphological approaches in ampelography. The objective of this study was the classification of representative cultivars of Vitis vinifera conserved in the Spanish collection of IMIDRA according to seed shape. Thirty eight cultivars representing the diversity of this collection were analyzed. A consensus seed silhouette was defined for each cultivar representing the geometric figure that better adjusted to their seed shape. All the cultivars tested were classified in ten morphological groups, each corresponding to a new model. The models are geometric figures defined by equations and similarity to each model is evaluated by quantification of percent of the area shared by the two figures, the seed and the model (J index). The comparison of seed images with geometric models is a rapid and convenient method to classify cultivars. A large proportion of the collection may be classified according to the new models described and the method permits to find new models according to seed shape in other cultivars.

COVID-19 is a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus. Presently, there is no effective treatment for COVID-19. As part of the worldwide efforts to find efficient therapies and preventions, it has been reported the crystalline structure of the SARS-CoV-2 main protease Mpro (also called 3CL^pro) bound to a synthetic inhibitor which represents a major druggable target. The druggability of Mpro could be used for discovering drugs to treat coronavirus disease 2019. It was carried out a multi-level computational study to evaluate the potential anti-viral properties of the components of the medicinal herb Uncaria tomentosa (Cat´s claw) focusing on the inhibition of M^pro. The in-silico approach starts with protein-ligand docking of 26 Cat’s claw key components followed by ligand pathway calculations, molecular dynamics simulations and MM-GBSA calculation of the free energy of binding for the best docked candidates. The structural bioinformatics approaches led to the identification of three bioactive compounds of Uncaria tomentosa (Speciophylline, Cadambine and Proanthocyanidin B2) with potential therapeutic effects by strong interaction with 3CLpro. Additionally, in silico drug-likeness indices for these components were calculated and show good predicted therapeutic profiles of these phytochemicals. Our findings suggest the potential effectiveness of Cat's claw as complementary and/or alternative medicine for COVID-19 treatment.

This communication reports an improvement of the quality of the electrical data obtained from the application of electrical resistivity tomography method on archaeological studies. The electrical contact between ground and electrode enhances significantly by using carbomer-based gel during the electrical resistivity tomography measurements. Not only does the gel promote the conservation of the building surface under investigation, but it also virtually eliminates the necessity of conventional spike electrodes, which in many archaeological studies are inadequate or not permitted. Results evidenced an enhancement in the quality of the electrical data obtained in the order of thousands of units compared with those without using the carbomer-based gel. The potential and capabilities of this affordable gel make it appropriate to be applied to other geoelectrical studies beyond archaeological investigations. Moreover, it might solve corrosion issues on conventional spike electrodes, and electrical multicore cables usually provoked for added saltwater attempting to improve the electrical contact.

Based on historical facts, revisited from a present-day perspective, and on the documented opinions of the scientists involved in the discovery themselves, strong arguments are given in favor of a proposal to include prominent astronomer Vesto Slipher to the suggested addition of Georges Lemaître's name to Hubble's law on the expansion of the Universe, and thus eventually call it Hubble-Lemaître-Slipher's (HLS) law.

The first part of this paper contains a brief description of the beginnings of modern cosmology, which, the author will argue, was most likely born in the Year 1912. Some of the pieces of evidence presented here have emerged from recent research in the history of science, and are not usually shared with the general audiences in popular science books. In special, the issue of the correct formulation of the original Big Bang concept, according to the precise words of Fred Hoyle, is discussed. Too often, this point is very deficiently explained (when not just misleadingly) in most of the available generalist literature. Other frequent uses of the same words, Big Bang, as to name the initial singularity of the cosmos, and also whole cosmological models, are then addressed, as evolutions of its original meaning. Quantum and inflationary additions to the celebrated singularity theorems by Penrose, Geroch, Hawking and others led to subsequent results by Borde, Guth and Vilenkin. And corresponding corrections to the Einstein field equations have originated, in particular, R², f(R), and scalar-tensor gravities, giving rise to a plethora of new singularities. For completeness, an updated table with a classification of the same is given.

The effect of the addition of maleated polyethylene (MAPE) to compounds of natural rubber (NR) and Teline monspessulana flour (TMF) previously mercerized was investigated. Two factors were analyzed: A. concentration of MAPE with five levels 2; 4; 6; 8; 10 phr (parts per hundred rubber), B. concentration of TMF with two levels 25 and 40 phr. The effect of MAPE on compatibility between NR and HTM was evaluated by tensile testing the compounds. The mixing was performed in a laboratory scale mill. The test tubes were obtained by cutting or die-cutting crosslinked peroxide sheets, these were obtained during the compression molding process. Analysis indicate that the MAPE coupling agent improved the compatibility between HTM and NR, this effect was evidenced by the values of tensile strength and elongation at break. However, the gel content determination indicates that the addition of 10 phr of MAPE crosslinking decreases due to competition with coupling reaction MAPE - HTM.

Legacy mining industry has left a large number of tailings ponds exposed to water and wind erosion that causes serious environmental and health problems. Prior to rehabilitation actions a deep sampling of the materials infilling the pond used to be necessary. Thus, the primary objective of this study is to demonstrate the usefulness of the Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) method as a non-invasive tool to determine the physicochemical composition of mine tailings ponds, enabling more efficient and low-cost surveys. To achieve this objective, three ERT profiles and three boreholes in each profile were carried out, from each borehole three waste samples from differents depths were collected and a geochemical characterization of the samples was carried. In order to estimate the composition of the infilling wastes in tailing ponds from electrical resistivity measures, several regression models were calculated for different physicochemical properties and metal concentrations. As a result, a high resistivity area was depicted in profiles G2 and G3 while a non-resistive area (profile G1) was also found. Relationships among low resistivity values and high salinity, clay content and high metal concentrations and mobility were established. Specifically, calibrated models were obtained for electrical conductivity, particles sizes of 0.02-50 µm and 50-2000 µm, total Zn and Cd concentration, and bioavailable Ni, Cd and Fe. Therefore, the ERT technique could be considered as a useful tool for mine tailings ponds characterization, and it can be used to estmate some physicochemical properties and metal concentrations of this mine waste.

This paper aims to discuss the relationship between financial development and inflation in Kenya using time series data between 1973 and 2021. The short- and long-run impact of financial development on inflation remains an important issue in the empirical and theoretical literature especially for country specific, but has yet to receive significant research consideration. For this purpose, the paper uses an ARDL analysis method, which is considered an advanced analytical model. Empirical findings confirmed that financial development has a significant long-run impact on inflation in Kenya. On the contrary, results confirmed that there is no significant short-run effect of financial development on inflation. In addition, there is significant long-run and short-run negative relationship between interest rate and inflation. The results indicate significant long-run Granger and ARDL causality from financial development to inflation. The main policy implications of the empirical results of this paper suggest supervision of financial sector must be directed in a way that would stimulate a stable and a moderate inflation rate. In particular, both financial institution and government should enhance the infrastructures of the financial market and promote the utilisation of financial services.

The goal of this study is both to determine the opinion that professors and students at the University of (details removed for peer review) have of active methodologies and to describe the perception and opinion of the modes of organization, methodological focuses, and evaluation systems that define the teaching-learning process. On surveying the professors and the students in their classes, we found significant differences in 32 of the 92 variables in common. The content of these results shows that professors and students are believe they are making progress toward a learning-centered model, that implementation of active methodologies implies new functions in their teaching practice.

The proliferation of wearable technology enables the generation of vast amounts of sensor data, offering significant opportunities for advancements in health monitoring, activity recognition, and personalized medicine. However, the complexity and volume of this data present substantial challenges in data modeling and analysis, which have been tamed with approaches spanning time series modeling to deep learning techniques. The latest frontier in this domain is the adoption of Large Language Models (LLMs), such as GPT-4 and Llama, for data analysis, modeling, understanding, and generation of human behavior through the lens of wearable sensor data. This survey explores current trends and challenges in applying LLMs for sensor-based human activity recognition and behavior modeling. We discuss the nature of wearable sensors data, the capabilities and limitations of LLMs to model them and their integration with traditional machine learning techniques. We also identify key challenges, including data quality, computational requirements, interpretability, and privacy concerns. By examining case studies and successful applications, we highlight the potential of LLMs in enhancing the analysis and interpretation of wearable sensors data. Finally, we propose future directions for research, emphasizing the need for improved preprocessing techniques, more efficient and scalable models, and interdisciplinary collaboration. This survey aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the intersection between wearable sensors data and LLMs, offering insights into the current state and future prospects of this emerging field.

This paper presents the experimental implementations of the mathematical models and algorithms developed in Part I. Two experiments are carried out. The first experiment aims at the determinations of the correction coefficients of the mathematical model. The dot grid target is measured and the measurement data are processed by our developed and validated algorithms introduced in Part I. The values of the coefficients are indicated and analysed. Uncertainties are evaluated with implementation of the Monte Carlo method. The second experiment measures a different area of the dot grid target. The measurement results are corrected according to the coefficients determined in the first experiment. The mean residual between the measured points and their corresponding certified values reduced 29.6% after the correction. The sum of squared errors reduced 47.7%. The methods and the algorithms for raw data processing, such as data partition, fittings of dots’ centres, K-means clustering, etc., are the same for both two experiments. The experimental results demonstrate that our method for the correction of the errors produced by the movement of lateral stage of confocal microscope is meaningful and practicable.

The self-assembly is an intriguing process of great importance in general soft matter and thus re-ceives an ever-growing scientific interest. Its most trivial example is the entropy-driven crystalli-zation of hard spheres. Past works have established the similarities and differences in the phase behavior of monomers and chains made of hard spheres. In the present work, inspired by the dif-ference in the melting points of the pure components, we study, through Monte Carlo simulations, the phase behavior of athermal mixtures composed of fully flexible polymers and individual monomers of uniform size. We analyze how the relative number fraction and the packing density affect crystallization and the established ordered morphologies. A synergetic effect is observed in the crystallization leading to synchronous crystallization of the two species. Structural analysis of the resulting ordered morphologies shows perfect mixing and thus no phase separation, which could split the system into polymer-rich and monomer-rich domains. Due to the constraints imposed by chain connectivity, the local environment of the individual spheres is systematically more spherical and more symmetric compared to the one of spheres belonging to chains. In general, increasing polymer content leads to reduction of the degree of crystallinity. According to the present findings, relative concentration is another determining factor to control the phase behavior of hard colloidal systems based on polymers.

This paper provides estimates of the elasticity of substitution between operational and managerial jobs in the US economy covering a period of almost five decades, derived from an aggregate CES production function. Estimating the long-term relationship between (the log of) the aggregate employment/self-employment ratio and (the log of) the returns from paid-employment relative to self-employment and testing for structural breaks, we report different estimates of the elasticity of substitution in each of the two regimes identified. Our results help to understand and interpret one of the most intriguing aspects in the evolution of self-employment rates in developed countries: the reversal of the trend in self-employment rates. Our estimates show that a higher level of development is associated with a greater number of entrepreneurs and smaller firms. Some rationales for understanding the growth of the elasticity between paid-employment and self-employment, including the recent trends in the digital economy—are also suggested.

Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) is a versatile technique that complements the information given by the more traditional thermal analysis techniques such as differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and thermal mechanical analysis (TMA). Dynamic constants such as storage modulus, loss modulus, and loss factor are temperature dependent and provide information about interfacial bonding between reinforced fibre and polymer matrix of composite material. To study the above mentioned properties at the glass transition region, for unidirectional fibrous composites reinforced with continuous fibers a reliable model was applied. In particular, the composite material was considered as composed of three phases with the intermediate phase between matrix and fibres, the interphase, to have variable properties depending on those of main phases and the mode of preparation of the overall material. The glass transition temperature is defined as the point at which the specific volume versus temperature curve changes abruptly slope marking the region between rubbery polymer and glassy polymer nature. Hence, the behaviour of unidirectional fibrous composites was investigated at this region. Examination of the glass transition temperature, which constitutes an upper limit for the structurally important glassy region through the loss factor, was performed by its consideration as a combination of glass transition temperature of matrix and interphase.

In this paper, an upper bound of the longitudinal elastic modulus of unidirectional fibrous composites is proposed according to strength of materials approach, on the premise that the fiber is much stiffer than the matrix. In the mathematical derivations, the concept of boundary interphase between fiber and matrix was also taken into account and the main objective of this work is the attainment of an upper bound for the interphase stiffness with respect to fiber concentration by volume. The novel element here is that the authors have not taken into consideration any specific variation law to approximate the interphase modulus. The theoretical results arising from the proposed formula were compared with those obtained from some reliable theoretical models as well as with experimental data found in the literature, and a satisfactory agreement was observed.

In this paper, a geometric body-centered model to simulate the periodic structure of unidirectional fibrous composites is presented. To this end, three prescribed configurations are introduced to predict in a deterministic manner the arrangement of internal and neighboring fibers inside the matrix. Thus, three different representative volume elements (RVEs) are established. Furthermore, the concept of the interphase has been taken into account, stating that each individual fiber is encircled by a thin layer of variable thermomechanical properties. Next, these three unit cells are transformed in a unified manner to a coaxial multilayer cylinder model. This advanced model includes the influence of fiber contiguity in parallel with the interphase concept on the thermomechanical properties of the overall material. Then, by the use of this model, the authors propose explicit expressions to evaluate the longitudinal and transverse thermal conductivity of this type of composite. The theoretical predictions were compared with experimental results, as well as with theoretical values yielded by some reliable formulae derived from other workers, and a reasonable agreement was found.

Polyalcohol liquefaction can be done by acid or basic catalysis producing polyols with different properties. This study compared the mechanical properties of foams produced using polyols from liquefied Cytisus scoparius obtained by acid and basic catalysis and using two different foam catalysts. The differences were monitored using FTIR analysis. Acid-catalyzed liquefaction yielded 95.1 %, with the resultant polyol having an OH index of 1081 mg KOH/g while basic catalysis yielded 82.5 %, with a similar OH index of 1070 mg KOH/g. Generally, compressive strength with dibutyltin dilaurate (DBTDL) ranged from 16 - 31 kPa (acid-liquefied polyol) and 12 -21 kPa (base-liquefied polyol), while with stannous octoate (TIN), it ranged from 17 - 42 kPa (acid) and 29 - 68 kPa (base). Increasing water content generally decreased the compressive modulus and strength of foams. Higher water content led to a higher absorption at 1670 cm-1 in the FTIR spectrum due to the formation of urea. Higher isocyanate indices generally improved compressive strength, but high amounts led to unreacted isocyanate that could be seen by a higher absorption at 2265 cm-1 and 3290 cm-1. DBTL was shown to be the best foam catalyst due to higher trimer conversion seen in the spectra by a higher absorption at 1410 cm-1. Acid and base-derived polyols lead to different polyurethane foams with different FTIR spectra, particularly with a higher absorption at 1670 cm-1 for foams from acid-derived liquefaction.

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

We have studied the stochastic processes A and B concerning fade durations due to rain, by simulating attenuation time series A(t) (dB) in the zenith paths of GeoSurf satellite constellations, at sites located in different climatic regions, with the Synthetic Storm Technique. Process B gives the statistics of outages (occurrences), process A gives the statistics of outage duration (fraction of time), for the same rain attenuation threshold A(t)>S. The two processes are not independent, therefore, we have studied the relationship between their probabilities and defined a uniformity index 0<U(S)≤1. U(S) is useful for comparing real cases – fade durations fragmented in many different intervals, with changing S and site – and the limiting case of all fades lasting the same time. As S increases, U(S) increases, approaching 1 at very large thresholds. These results should guide the designers of future GeoSurf satellite constellations to consider the impact of A(t) on the diverse communications services. Process B (occurrences) impacts on non–real time services, such as data delivery, more disturbed by the number of outages rather than by their duration. Process A (fraction of time) impacts on real–time services such as television, video conference etc., more disturbed by the duration of the outage.

This paper shows the development of a numerical analysis model, which enables the calculation of the cargo transport capacity of a vehicle that circulates through a vacuum tube at high speed, whose effectiveness in transport is analyzed. The simulated transportation system is based on vehicles moving in vacuum tubes at high speed, a concept commonly known as Hyperloop, but assuming the vehicles for cargo containers. For the specific vehicle proposed, which does not include a compressor and levitates on magnets, the system formed by the vehicle and the vacuum tube has been conceptually developed, establishing the corresponding mathematical relationships that define its behavior. To properly model the performance of this transport system, it has been necessary to establish the relationships between the design variables and the associated constraints, such as the Kantrowitz limit, aerodynamics, transport, energy consumption, etc. Once the model was built and validated, it was used to analyze the effects of the variation of the number of containers, the operating speed and the tube length, considering the total and specific consumption of energy. Once the most efficient configuration was found regarding energy consumption and transport effectiveness, the complete system was calculated. The results obtained constitute a first approximation for the pre-design of this transport system and the built model allows different alternatives to be compared according to the design variables.

We have studied the very large amount of literary works written by the Italian mystic Maria Valtorta to assess similarities and differences in her writings because she claims that most of them are due to mystical visions. We have used mathematical and statistical tools developed for specifically studying deep linguistic aspects of texts. The general trend indicates that the literary works explicitly attributable to Maria Valtorta differ significantly from her other literary works, that she claims are attributable to the alleged characters Jesus and Mary. Mathematically, they seem to have been written by different authors. The comparison with the Italian literature is very striking. A single author, namely Maria Valtorta, seems to be able to write texts so diverse to cover the entire mathematical range (suitable defined) of the Italian literature of seven centuries.

In this paper, an icosahedral non – body centered model to simulate the periodic structure of homogeneous particulate composites, by predicting the particle arrangement, is presented. This model has yielded three different variations which correspond at three different deterministic particle configurations. In addition, the concept of boundary interphase between matrix and inclusions was taken into account. Thus, the influence of particle vicinity was examined in parallel with the interphase concept on the thermomechanical properties of the overall material. Next, by the use of this model the authors derived a closed – form expression to estimate the thermal conductivity of this type of composites. To test the validity of the model, the theoretical values arising from the proposed formula were compared with other theoretical predictions obtained from several accurate formulae found in the literature and an adequate accordance was observed.

In 2020, the WHO established a road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021−2030 that aims to control and eradicate 20 diseases, including Leishmaniosis and Chagas disease. In addition, since 2015, the WHO has been developing a Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance. In this context, the achievement of innovative strategies as an alternative to replace conventional therapies is a first-order socio-sanitary priority, especially regarding endemic zoonoses in poor regions such as those caused by Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania spp infections. In this scenario, it is worth highlighting a group of natural peptide molecules (AMPs and CPPs) that are promising strategies for improving therapeutic efficacy against these neglected zoonoses, avoiding the development of toxicity and resistance of conventional treatments. This review presents the novelties of these peptide molecules and their ability to cross a whole system of cell membranes, as well as to stimulate the host immune defenses or even serve as a vector of molecules. The efforts of the biotechnological sector will make it possible to overcome the limitations of antimicrobial peptides through encapsulation and functionalization methods to obtain approval for these treatments to be used in clinical programs for the eradication of Leishmaniosis and Chagas disease.

The traditional approach of considering the probability distribution of rain attenuation leads to overdesign the power margin of data channels. We have first recalled a method, proposed in 2016, which with a small power margin, bandwidth expansion and variable symbol rate avoids overdesign and can transfer the same data volume as if the link were in clear–sky conditions. It is charaterized only by the link mean efficiency 0≤η≤1, suitably defined. It is usefull only if: (a) data must be downloaded also when it is raining; (b) real–time communication is not strictly required. We have applied it to the links of GeoSurf satellite constellations by simulating rain attenuation time series at 80 GHz (mm–wave) with the Synthetic Storm Technique, from rain-rate time series recorded on–site, at sites located in different climatic regions. The power margin to be implemented ranges from 2.0 dB to 7.4 dB – well within the current technology – regardless the instantaneous rain attenuation. The clear–sky bandwidth is expanded 1.75 to 2.80 times, not large per se, but it may challenge current technology if the clear–sky bandwidth is already large.

Piperine, an active plant alkaloid from black pepper (Piper nigrum), has several pharmacological effects: antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory, which involves inhibiting molec-ular events associated with various stages of cancer development. The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular mechanisms of action of piperine in relation to its potential anticancer effect on head and neck cancer cells. Parameters related to neoplastic potential, analysis of cyto-kine, protein and gene expression were investigated in the head and neck cancer cell lines (HEp-2 and SCC-25) treated with piperine. The results of the tests indicated that piperine modified mor-phology, inhibited viability and the formation of cell colonies. Piperine promoted genotoxicity by triggering apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in G2/M and S. A decrease in cell migration was also observed, and decreased expression of MMP2/9 genes. Piperine also reduced the expression of inflammatory molecules (PTGS2 and PTGER4), regulated the secretion of cytokines (IF-y and IL-8) and modulated the expression of ERK and p38. These results suggest that piperine exerts anti-cancer effects on tumor cells, and could be a promising natural treatment by regulating signaling pathways associated with head and neck cancer.

The coffee industry loses millions of dollars annually worldwide due to the Coffee Berry Borer (CBB); these losses imply a decrease in quality and production. Traps are used to monitor their flight and for pest control. The main objective was to determine the flight pattern and trap capture percentages of the CBB population over time using column traps (CTs) in two independent field experiments. CTs were composed of four traps installed at four different heights 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, and 3.5m above ground. Our results demonstrated a significant difference in CBB capture by traps placed at different heights above the ground. The CT capture maintained a pattern throughout this study's lag; the lower the height, the greater the percentage of CBBs captured. In Experiments A and B, the traps placed at 0.5m caught 67% and 85% of the CBBs captured, respectively. Furthermore, the trap set at 1.5m above the ground in the multi-level CT showed a higher capture percentage than the individually placed trap (also at 1.5m). The pattern of the capture and proportion of the CBB in the CTs were maintained throughout the study despite the season, changes in temperature, and relative air humidity. We suggested that CTs could be explored as a useful tool for capturing the CBB, considering its monitoring and management.

Background: COVID-19 pneumonia caused by SARS-Cov-2 virus induces alveolar collapse and hypoxia that may become severe. The aim of the study is to analyze the effects of chest physiotherapy using a threshold valve in patients with acute respiratory failure due to COVID-19 pneumonia. Methods; Retrospective observational study, in hospitalized patients from March to May 2020. Breathing exercises were performed with a threshold valve of 10 cmH2O. Fraction of inspired oxygen, oxygen saturation, heart rate, respiratory rate and dyspnea were collected before and after the first session and at the end of the 5th day of chest physiotherapy treatment. Results: The final sample included 125 patients. Significant differences (p<0.01) were found in the pre-post intervention SpO2/FiO2 ratio (250±88.4 vs 275.6±97.5, p<0.001), reaching 354.4±110.2 after 5 days of therapy (p<0.001 with respect to baseline). Mean baseline respiratory, heart rate and level of dyspnea measure by the Borg scale did not change during the technique performance. In patient maneuvers with FiO2>0.4, the SaO2/FiO2 ratio increase was higher than in patients with milder severity (46.85 ± 77.69, p<0.01). Conclusions: Chest physiotherapy with a 10 cmH2O threshold valve is a safe and tolerated intervention with short-term improvement in oxygenation in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia.

Copper nitride (Cu3N), a metastable semiconductor material, but with reasonably-high-stability at room temperature, is drawing a great deal of attention as a very promising next-generation, earth-abundant, thin-film solar absorber. Its non-toxicity, on the other hand, makes it a very attractive eco-friendly semiconducting material. In the present work, Cu3N thin films were grown by employing radio-frequency magnetron sputtering, at room temperature, with 50-W RF-power, and partial nitrogen pressures of 8.0 and 1.0, onto glass substrates. Thus, the influence of argon on the optical properties of the Cu3N thin films was studied, with the goal of being able to achieve a low-cost, light absorber material, with appropriate properties in order to substitute the more conventional silicon, in photovoltaic cells. Variable-angle spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements have been conducted at three angles, 50∘, 60∘, and 70∘, respectively, in order to obtain the two ellipsometric parameters psi, ψ, and delta, Δ, respectively. For the constructed optical model, the bulk planar Cu3N layer is described by a one-dimensional graded-index model, combine with the mixture of a Tauc-Lorentz oscillator and up to four Gaussian oscillators, whereas a BEMA model with 50%-air-void is adopted in order to account for the existing surface-roughness layer. In addition, the optical properties such as the energy-band gap, and refractive index and absorption coefficient, were determined in order to assess the actual capability of this material as a light absorber for solar cells. The direct and indirect band gap energies were accurately calculated, and they were found to be in the ranges of 2.14-2.21 eV and very clse to 1.50 eV, respectively.

The seed industry plays a crucial role in the global food production, but it faces a persistent challenge in ensuring the health and quality of seeds, particularly those of tomato and pepper, which represent key seed commodities on the global market. Seeds can serve as potential pathways for the introduction and dissemination of seed-borne bacteria, which may have devastating effects on crop yield, farmers’ remunerability, and food security. Therefore, fungicides and other anti-microbial compounds are extensively used to disinfect the seeds, thus increasing the input of chemicals in the agri-enviroment. In this review, we address aspects that connect disease epide-miology with seed infection and health, including seed contamination, endophytic colonization, and seed-borne infections. We focused on the main bacterial diseases affecting tomato and pepper by discussing their official seed testing methods as requirements supporting a smooth seed trade. Moreover, we present a survey on the past and recent innovations for seed treatments, focusing on sustainable disinfection methods. Therefore, this review will be a short, but indispensable guide for seed technologists and pathologists involved in the production of high-quality seeds, providing indications and suggestions to contrast seed-borne pathogens dissemination, avoid international controversies and complaints by phytosanitary authorities, extension services and farmers.

In this review, special emphasis will be placed on red grape polyphenols for their anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Therefore, their capacity to inhibit major pathways responsible for activation of oxidative systems and expression and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines will be discussed. Furthermore, regulation of immune cells by polyphenols will be illustrated with special reference to the activation of T regulatory cells which support a tolerogenic pathway at intestinal level. Furthermore, the effects of red grape polyphenols will be analyzed in obesity, as a low grade systemic inflammation. Also, possible modifications of inflammatory bowel disease biomarkers and clinical course have been studied upon polyphenol administration, either in animal models or in clinical trials. Moreover, the ability of polyphenols to cross the blood-brain barrier has been exploited to investigate their neuroprotective properties. In cancer, polyphenols seem to exert several beneficial effects, even if conflicting data are reported about their influence on T regulatory cells. Finally, the effects of polyphenols have been evaluated in experimental models of allergy and autoimmune diseases. Conclusively, red grape polyphenols are endowed with a great anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory potential but some issues, such as polyphenol bioavailability, activity of metabolites and interaction with microbiota, deserve deeper studies.

An airfoil is the geometric shape of a cross-section of a wing. When it is exposed to the flow of a fluid over its surface, it generates both lift and drag forces through a pressure distribution. Designing an efficient airfoil for aerodynamic applications is a complex challenge in the field of aerodynamic engineering, with the aim of achieving an optimal lift-to-drag ratio. The success of airfoil design hinges on the effective reduction of drag force under specific conditions, while simultaneously attaining the desired lift without encountering significant flow separation, such as boundary layer shedding. Furthermore, the design must adhere to lifting force limitations and meet structural requirements. In the field of airfoil design and optimization, literature review articles provide a valuable resource by offering an overview of the latest advancements in specific areas. These areas encompass a wide range of topics including the design and testing of adaptive geometry wings, such as morphing wing technology as well as the application of shape optimization techniques to enhance airfoil performance. Our goal is to provide researchers with an in-depth review of relevant articles published to date, examining the applied approaches utilized to tackle the complex problem of airfoil design and explore the methodology employed to address it, from a broad perspective on the topic.

The study investigated the chemical and functional characterization of propolis collected in southern Italy, in particular in Basilicata, a region rich in ecological and vegetative biodiversity. Sixteen samples of propolis, collected within a radius of 40 km from each other in the Basilicata region, showed significant differences between the chemical and functional parameters investigated: color index (L*, a*, b*; P<0.05), variation in chemical composition and antioxidant activities, by ABTS and FRAP assays. In general, Lucanian propolis had a low content of waxes (P<0.05) and a high content of resin (P<0.05) and balsams (P<0.05). The content of total phenolic compounds and flavonoids were highly variable, as was the biological capacity. In conclusion, Lucanian propolis showed a remarkable variability, highlighting a significant diversification according to the geographical position and the diversity of the flora surrounding the apiary of which the bees use as a source of resin. This study therefore contributes to the enhancement of the quality of propolis, laying the foundations for the production and marketing of propolis not only in the food industry, but also in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.

Intercultural education can be seen as a cornerstone in the sustainability of the current culturally diverse society. In addition, through the establishment of policies and strategies to reverse situations of discrimination and exclusion, there is a consensus on the importance of the social inclusion of groups at risk of exclusion. In this context, actions are suggested to reverse high dropout rates and school failure within the Roma population. The aim of this systematic review in the educational context is to analyze investigations of programs and interventions that have been made to promote the educational inclusion of Roma students. Three databases are used, Scopus, Web of Science, and Eric, to examine 419 articles, which after a selection, based on an inclusion criterion which follows the guidelines given by the Declaration PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyzes), 17 articles were chosen for the analysis. The main findings shed light on data for programs and interventions developed mostly within the school setting and for students of elementary and secondary education. These programs provide answers for the molding of intercultural education and the policies for educational inclusion of Roma people.

In bone tissue engineering, ceramics have been the choice due to their excellent biological properties. But the paradigm changed with the discovery of bioactive glasses (BGs) in 1969 by Larry Hench and co-workers, due to their ability to bond to living tissues through the formation of an interfacial bone-like hydroxyapatite layer when the bioglass was put in contact with biological fluids in vivo. Among a number of tested compositions, the one exhibiting the highest bioactivity index is the well-known trademarked 45S5 Bioglass®. The topic received increasing attention particularly after 1985 when this material entered in the market of biomedical devices, inspiring many other investigations aiming at further exploring the in vitro and in vivo performances of this BG, or developing other related BG compositions. The research efforts gradually revealed a number of shortcomings of 45S5 Bioglass®, mostly derived from its high sodium content, initially intended to decrease the melting temperature and accelerating the degradation of the silicate network over time. But the extensive release of sodium from 45S5 Bioglass® in the biological fluids creates a high pH cytotoxic environment. Other serious drawbacks include a fast degradation rate, and a poor sintering ability, which hinders the reliable fabrication of porous scaffolds. Therefore, sol-gel was regarded as an attractive alternative to prepare alkali-free BG compositions. The process uses inorganic and/or organic precursors, which undergo hydrolysis and condensation at room-temperature, being less costly. When properly conducted, the sol-gel process might result in amorphous structures with all the components intimately mixed at the atomic scale. Moreover, developing new better performing materials for bone tissue engineering is a growing concern, as the ageing of the world’s population leads to lower bone density and osteoporosis. This work describes the sol-gel synthesis of a novel quaternary silicate-based BG with the composition 60 SiO2 – 34 CaO – 4 MgO – 2 P2O5 (mol%) was prepared using acidified distilled water as single solvent. By controlling the kinetics of the hydrolysis and condensation steps, an amorphous glass structure could be obtained. The results of XRD of samples calcined within the temperature range from 600-900 ºC demonstrated that amorphous nature was maintained until 800 ºC, followed by partial crystallization at 900 ºC. The specific surface area, an important factor in osteoconduction, was also evaluated over different temperatures, ranging from 160.6 ± 0.8 m2/g at 600 ºC down to 2.2 ± 0.1 m2/g at 900 ºC, being accompanied consistent changes in average pore size and agreeing pore size distribution. The immersion of the BG particles in simulated body fluid (SBF) led to the formation of an extensive apatite layer on its surface. These overall results indicate the proposed material is very promising for biomedical applications in bone regeneration and tissue engineering.

Keywords: Baseband, GeoSurf Constellation, Interference, Linear Distortions, Passband, Time Delay, Rain attenuation, Synthetic Storm Technique, ultra–wideband.

The aim of this study was to develop and assess the reliability and validity of an innovative field test that measures lower limb explosive power in basketball players (i.e., alactic anaerobic capacity) for the dominant and non-dominant leg. The test examines the performance of vertical, horizontal, and combined movements while holding the ball – similar to penetration of the basket or layup. Such capabilities are required throughout basketball practice and games, combined with upper and lower body coordination. The study included 22 male basketball players, ages 16-18, members of an elite youth league team in Israel. To assess validity, the participants performed the test for each leg, followed by nine standardized tests that were developed for a range of ball games, including basketball. To assess reliability, the participants performed a retest of the unique test 72-hours later. Our findings indicate the validity and reliability of the proposed anaerobic alactic field test for basketball players, for the dominant and non-dominant leg. Moreover, strong correlations were seen between the novel test and the standardized tests, with a high correlation for horizontal explosive power (0.5<r<0.7), a very high correlation for vertical explosive power (0.7<r<0.9), and a nearly perfect correlation for the two combined (r>0.9). In conclusion, this unique field test for basketball players could assist coaches in developing and applying optimal training programs and game plans, for players individually, and for the team as a whole. As the test measures each leg separately, it could also offer an assessment tool following players’ injuries.

Hazelnut shells (HS), scientifically known as Corylus avellana L. shells, are a waste produced in companies that process nuts. The main objective of this study was to find an efficient way to maximize the chemical potential of HS by solubilizing the hemicelluloses, which could then be used to recover sugars and at the same time increase the lignin content of this material in order to produce adhesives or high strength foams. In order to optimize the pre-hydrolysis process, two different temperatures (160 and 170 C) and times varying from 15 to 180 min were tested. All the remaining solid materials were then liquefied by polyalcohols with acid catalysis. The chemical composition of hazelnut shells was determined before and after the pre-hydrolysis. All the process was monitored by FTIR-ATR by determining the spectra of solids and liquids after pre-hydrolisis and liquefactions steps. The highest solubilization of hazelnut shells was found for 170 C and 180 min, resulting in a 25.8% solubilization. Chemical analysis after the hydrolysis process showed a gradual increase in the solubilization of hemicelluloses as both the temperature and time of the reactor were increased. Simultaneously, the percentages of α-cellulose and lignin in the material also increased with rises in temperature and duration. FTIR-ATR allowed for the detection of significant spectral changes in the hazelnut shells from their initial state to the solid residue and further into the liquefied phase. This confirmed that pre-hydrolysis was effective in enhancing the chemical composition of the material, making it more suitable for the production of adhesives or polyurethane foams with enhanced mechanical strength.

Aims. In a male Italian cohort (initially aged 40-59, n=1712) followed-up during 61 years and reaching practical extinction, the natural history of major CVD mortality categories including coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke and other Heart Diseases of Uncertain Etiology (HDUE, including congestive heart failure) were studied along with their risk factor relationships. Methods and Results. Cox models were run with 12 covariates measured at entry as possible predictors. About 93% of all CVD deaths were covered by the 3 major groups selected here (N=751): 37.4% of them were diagnosed as CHD, 30.6% as stroke and 28.5 % as HDUE. CHD declined in the last 20 years of follow-up, while a sharp increase of HDUE mortality was seen. Baseline mean levels of serum cholesterol were 209.6, 204.2 and 198.0 mg/dl respectively for CHD, stroke and HDUE deaths: the multivariable coefficients of serum cholesterol were positive and significant for CHD (p<0.0001) and stroke (p=0.0203) and not significant for HDUE (p=0.3467). In Fine-Gray models, the algebraic signs of cholesterol coefficients were opposite for CHD versus the other mortality categories (t=3.13). The predictive performances of remaining risk factors were varied whereas that of Cox models was not very good, probably due to the attrition phenomenon and possible competing risks. Conclusion. Large differences in natural history and risk factors were found comparing the 3 CVD conditions, potentially indicating different etiologies and pointing to the need of not mixing them up in a grouped CVD category.

The purpose of our study is to research Peter’s memory ad catacumbas. According to the Depositio Martyrum ‒ a document of the late Emperor Constantine ‒, there was no memory of the first St Peter’s Basilica on the Vatican Hill. We start with a critical analysis on the Roman Basilicae attributed to Emperor Constantine in the Liber Pontificalis, then we deepen the search of Peter’s memory in the catacombs of the SS Marcellino and Pietro (ad Duos Lauros), also known as Tor Pignattara. Indeed, the Basilica and Mausoleum built in this cemeterial area are the only buildings attributable, with certainty, to Emperor Constantine, who wished to be buried in the Mausoleum, close to an apostle. Besides some striking archeological finds on Peter’s memory already discovered near a particular cubicle in these catacombs, a geometrical and mathematical study of the unusual architectonic characteristics of the Basilica and Mausoleum of Tor Pignattara shows that the buildings were part of a single architectonic plan, very likely designed for coding data useful to locate Peter’s burial site unambiguously, in the area of the cubicle mentioned.

The present article proposes a complete framework for Supply Chain Strategy (SCS) analysis that is adapted to the specific characteristics of the agrifood chain, thereby facilitating management of the former. As a specific case of analysis, the horticultural supply chain, originating in Spain and ending with the European consumer, is analyzed, taking as a reference the marketing companies at origin (mainly social economy companies, i.e.; cooperatives). In addition, a survey of marketing companies is conducted to possibly determine which explicit cooperative growth strategies may include horizontal and vertical collaboration relationships with other members of the chain. The aim is to analyze with whom the cooperative collaborates within the supply chain and the key points of such collaboration. A model analyzing the influence of collaboration on company performance is also considered. The results reveal that, in recent years, aspects related to quality and health have been surpassed and replaced by the concept of sustainability within a framework of collaboration with customers. In any case, it becomes evident that there is a need to expand collaboration within the chain by incorporating the supplier of the supplier, with the aim of making the chain more profitable.

Introduction: Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a respiratory condition identified by the partial or complete obstruction of the upper air passages during sleep. These episodes can lead to complications in neurobehavioral and cognitive domains and cardiovascular issues, especially in children. The involvement of OSA in ocular health during adulthood has been reported, but it remains a topic of debate in pediatric cases. Objective: This review aims to analyze the correlation between OSAS and ocular health in children. Specifically, it investigates the effects of OSA on ocular structures and conditions and explores potential improvements through treatment. Subjects and Methods: The research employed three search engines: PUBMED/MEDLINE, SCOPUS, and WebOfScience. After initial identification, 120 irrelevant articles were excluded. Of these, 10 pertained to the adult population, and 110 focused on the pediatric population. Following a careful selection process and the application of enrollment criteria, six relevant articles were included, all in English, focusing on the effects of OSA on children's eyes. Among these, three studies explored correlations with choroidal alterations, while three investigated retinal and optic nerve changes. Two studies analyzed post-otorhinolaryngological intervention ocular changes. Results: OSA leads to increased intraocular pressure and reduced optic nerve thickness in adults, but treatment alleviates this condition. An immediate correlation between OSA and optic nerve thickness in children does not readily emerge, although age appears to play a role. Pediatric patients with OSA exhibit corneal anomalies and an increase in optic nerve thickness, possibly due to intermittent hypoxia. Studies indicate that OSA can influence retinal vascular density in children, with an increase observed after treatment and reduced choroidal thickness in cases of adenotonsillar hypertrophy. Conclusion: This literature review has highlighted how OSA in children can significantly impact ocular health, with observed alterations in the optic nerve, choroid, retina, and cornea. While the direct correlation with the optic nerve may not always be evident, OSA can elevate intraocular pressure and lead to structural changes. However, treatment appears to bring about improvements. The necessity for regular monitoring to detect potential adverse effects underscores the importance of promptly addressing childhood OSA.

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

Dance, as a performance activity, is associated with various problems. Among these challenges, sleep disturbances are notably prevalent. This study aimed to explore the potential relationship between sleep characteristics—specifically chronotype and subjective sleep quality—and psychological inflexibility in dance students. This research adopted a cross-sectional design using non-probabilistic sampling. One hundred and fourteen dance students, with a mean age of 23.87 years, participated in the study. Assessment tools included the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and the Composite Scale of Morningness. The results revealed no gender differences in psychological inflexibility or chronotype, although women report poorer sleep quality. Differences emerged in both subjective sleep quality and chronotype when students were grouped according to low, medium, or high levels of psychological inflexibility. Those with low inflexibility, as opposed to those with high inflexibility, report better sleep quality, with no differences observed between medium and high inflexibility groups. Students with high-medium levels of psychological inflexibility showed a higher risk (OR = 6.373 times higher) of experiencing poor sleep quality compared to those with low psychological inflexibility. In terms of chronotype, the low inflexibility group is inclined to be more of a morning type than the medium and high inflexibility groups, with no differences between the latter two groups. Students categorized as having low inflexibility tend to have a longer history of dancing under the guidance of a teacher and dedicate more hours and days per week to rehearsal. The findings are discussed in terms of their educational implications for dance students.

The tsscds method, recently developed in our group, discovers chemical reaction mechanisms with minimal human intervention. It employs accelerated molecular dynamics, spectral graph theory, statistical rate theory and stochastic simulations to uncover chemical reaction paths and to solve the kinetics at the experimental conditions. In the present review, its application to solve mechanistic/kinetics problems in different research areas will be presented. Examples will be given of reactions involved in photodissociation dynamics, mass spectrometry, combustion chemistry and organometallic catalysis. Some planned improvements will also be described.

This article presents a unique set of voltage and current data from a public building and acquired using a hybrid measurement solution that combines Python and Grafana. The transversal purpose consists of contributing to the community with a vision of the quality of the supply more oriented to the monitoring of the state of the network, providing a more realistic vision, which allows a better understanding, and the adoption of the best decisions to achieve the efficient energy management and thus optimize the operation and maintenance of power systems. The work focuses on higher order statistical estimators that, combined with exploratory data analysis techniques, improve the characterization of the shape of the stress signal. These techniques and data, together with the acquisition and monitoring system, present a unique combination in the line of low-cost measurement solutions. It also incorporates the underlying benefit of the contribution to industrial benchmarking. The paper also includes a computational comparison between Python and LabVIEW to elicit the performance of the measurement solution.

Cities consume over 75% of natural resources, produce over 50% of global waste and emit 60 - 80% of greenhouse gases. The scenario that by 2050 two thirds of the world population will live in cities, highlights how cities are still responsible of the growing consumption characterized by linear economy processes, with the production of various types of waste. In this unsustainable framework, the Circular Economy offers the opportunity to shape the urban system by means of rethinking the possibility to produce and use goods and services exploring new ways to ensure long-term prosperity. The Circular City paradigm contains in fact all the principles of the Circular Economy: recovery, recycling and sharing. In particular, Circular City also introduces actions related to the development of renewable energy communities, use of green materials, CO2 absorption approaches and Proximity Cities. The aim of this work is to develop a methodology to build a composite index (Circular City Index) capable of measuring the degree of implementation of urban policies that enable the territory to initiate an ecological transition of public assets. The city of Cagliari (Sardinia, Italy) represents the case study to apply circular urban policies in public properties, for civil and military use.

Simulation tools capturing the interactions of communication and electrical system operation represent a powerful support for fully assessing the potential benefits and impacts of ICT in future smart power distribution network. A strong interest is upon the possibility of exploiting the last generation communication systems for supporting the transition of distribution network towards a smart grid scenario. Having in mind the above, the authors propose a numerical co-simulation tool useful to thoroughly understand the impact of the communication networks on the performance of whole power system dynamics. The co-simulation tool has been purposely developed to simulate the highly time-critical smart grid application of fault management and network reconfiguration and permits reproducing and evaluating the behavior of the public mobile telecommunication system 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE), as communication technology for smart grid applications. Results of the paper demonstrates that LTE provides good performances for supporting the data communication required to perform fault location, extinction and a subsequent network reconfiguration in smart power distribution networks.

We study the deterministic dynamics of N point particles moving at constant speed in a 2D table made of two polygonal urns connected by an active rectangular channel, which applies a feedback-control on the particles, inverting the horizontal component of their velocities, when their number in the channel exceeds a fixed threshold. Such a bounce--back mechanism is non-dissipative: it preserves volumes in phase space. An additional passive channel closes the billiard table forming a circuit in which a stationary current may flow. Under specific constraints on the geometry and on the initial conditions, the large N limit allows nonequilibrium phase transitions between homogeneous and inhomogeneous phases. The role of ergodicity in making a probabilistic theory applicable is discussed both for rational and irrational urns. The theoretical predictions are compared with the numerical simulation results. Connections with the dynamics of feedback-controlled biological systems are highlighted.

The objective of this research was to evaluate the physicochemical and sanitary parameters of raw cow's milk intended for consumption in the Amazonas region, Peru. We sampled 31 collection centers and dairy processors. We evaluated physicochemical parameters (fat, protein, solids not fat, lactose, ash, pH, and density), somatic cell count, and microbiology (mesophilic aerobic bacteria and total coliforms) of raw milk. We applied an analysis of variance (α=0.05) and the comparison of means between the collection centers and livestock basins (p&lt;0.05). In addition, we performed a cluster analysis, principal components and correlation. Depending on the collection center, we found differences in all the physicochemical parameters, somatic cell count and milk microbiology. In the livestock basin analysis, we found differences for somatic cells, fat, protein, solids, pH, coliforms and bacteria. The Jumbilla basin presented less somatic cells, less fat was found in the Levanto basin and higher protein in the Yambrasbamba basin. Lactose, ash, density, total coliforms and mesophilic aerobic bacteria did not vary according to basin. The cluster analysis yielded four groups, Group 1 is higher in ash and density, Group 2 and 3 are higher in fat, Group 3 with higher protein, but higher in total coliforms and mesophilic aerobic bacteria. Group 4 registered the highest pH and the lowest protein concentration. There was a positive correlation of fat with protein and solids not fat, lactose with solids not fat, ash with density. Negative correlations of somatic cells with fat and, protein and solids not fat with pH.

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

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

Monitoring is an important component of pest management, to prevent or mitigate outbreaks of native pests, and to check for quarantine organisms. Surveys often rely on trapping, especially when the target species respond to semiochemicals. Many traps are available for this purpose, but they are bulky in most cases, which raises transportation and deployment issues, and they are expensive, which limits the size and accuracy of any network. To overpass these difficulties, entomologists have used recycled material, such as modified plastic bottles, producing cheap and reliable traps but at the cost of recurrent handywork, not necessarily possible for all end-users (e.g., for national plant protection organizations). These bottle-traps have allowed very large surveys which would have been impossible with standard commercial traps, and we illustrate this approach with a few examples. Here we present, under a Creative Commons BY-SA License, the blueprint of a fan-trap, a foldable model, laser-cut from a sheet of polypropylene, that can rapidly be produced in large numbers, and could be transported and deployed in the field with very little efforts. Our first field comparisons show that fan-traps are as efficient as bottle-traps, and we describe two cases where they are being used for monitoring.

Epithelial cells can undergo apoptosis by manipulating the balance between pro-survival and apoptotic signals. In this work, we show that TRAIL-induced apoptosis can be differentially regulated by the expression of α(1,6)fucosyltransferase (FucT-8), the only enzyme in mammals that transfers the (1,6)fucose residue to the pentasaccharide core of complex N-glycans. Specifically, in the cellular model of colorectal cancer (CRC) progression formed using the human syngeneic lines SW480 and SW620, knockdown of the FucT-8-encoding FUT8 gene significantly enhanced TRAIL-induced apoptosis in SW480 cells. However, FUT8 repression did not affect SW620 cells, which suggests that core fucosylation differentiates TRAIL-sensitive premetastatic SW480 cells from TRAIL-resistant metastatic SW620 cells. In this regard, we provide evidence that phosphorylation of ERK1/2 kinases can dynamically regulate TRAIL-dependent apoptosis and that core fucosylation can control the ERK/MAPK pro-survival pathway in which SW480 and SW620 cells participate. Moreover, the depletion of core fucosylation sensitises primary tumour SW480 cells to the combination of TRAIL and low doses of 5-FU, oxaliplatin, irinotecan or mitomycin C. In contrast, combination of TRAIL and oxaliplatin, irinotecan or bevacizumab reinforces resistance of FUT8-knockdown metastatic SW620 cells to apoptosis. Consequently, FucT-8 could be a plausible target for increasing apoptosis and drug response in early CRC.

This paper shows the usage of a numerical analysis model which enables the calculation of the life of a railway wheels used for low-floor freight wagons as a function of its primary operating factors, which allows carrying out sensitivity analyses. Low-floor wagons are being increasingly used for combined transport applications and many types of bogies have been proposed in order to constitute the wagons. Due to the uniqueness of this type of wagons, the bogie configurations in terms of wheelbase and axle load have hardly been analyzed so far. The numerical analysis model used addresses the primary challenges that arise in the vehicle – track interaction and establish the relations among them. The main aspects of this model have been described in the paper, which has been later used to calculate the life of an ordinary-diameter wheel for several wheelbase and axle load values. This study has been replicated with reduced-diameter wheels, which are commonly used for low-floor wagons. In this way, it is possible to know the evolution of the life depending on the wheelbase and the axle load. The root causes underlying the observed behaviors can be explained by the entire understanding of the rolling phenomenon provided by the full analytical work.

In this paper, we propose two novel methods for robot-world/hand-eye calibration and provide a comparative analysis against six state-of-the-art methods. We examine the calibration problem from two alternative geometrical interpretations, called hand-eye and robot-world-hand-eye, respectively. The study analyses the effects of specifying the objective function as pose error or reprojection error minimization problem. We provide three real and three simulated datasets with rendered images as part of the study. In addition, we propose a robotic arm error modeling approach to be used along with the simulated datasets for generating a realistic response. The tests on simulated data are performed in both ideal cases and with pseudo-realistic robotic arm pose and visual noise. Our methods show significant improvement and robustness on many metrics in various scenarios compared to state-of-the-art methods.

The current management of colorectal cancer liver metastasis (CRCLM) patients involves a multidisciplinary approach with surgical resection remaining the primary curative option. The advances in liver surgery have improved outcomes, enabling more patients to undergo surgery successfully. In addition, the development of imaging software has improved the preoperative planning and patient selection for surgery and other interventions. Systemic therapies, such as targeted therapies and immunotherapies have enhanced the chances of complete resection. Targeted agents in combination with chemotherapy, have shown efficacy in downstaging tumors and increasing resectability.

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as OpenAI's Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer (ChatGPT), have great potential in various fields, such as healthcare, education, and industry. This review highlights the applications and challenges of the ChatGPT versions 3.5 and 4.0 in radiology. ChatGPT can process medical texts, analyze medical images, and generate reports and summaries for different audiences. ChatGPT can also answer patients' questions and translate complex medical information into a plain language. ChatGPT has shown impressive results in medical tests and quizzes, indicating its potential to enhance diagnostic accuracy and medical education. These models show promise for reducing diagnosis times and healthcare costs. However, ChatGPT also faces challenges and limitations, such as a lack of visual content, ethical and legal issues, data quality, and error detection. This review highlights the benefits and future directions of ChatGPT and artificial intelligence (AI) in radiology.

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

We employ hierarchy of models (HoM) with 2, 3 and 4 parameters to reanalyze the nucleation kinetics in the electrodeposition as quantified by n(t) - “the number of nuclei vs. time” data obtained at different overvoltages from precise experiments on electrodeposition of Hg on two different types of Pt-cathodes by Ivan V. Markov and Evgenia Stoycheva [1]. The obtained two scales, nmax and , are used to rescale the original data mapping it on a master curve in coordinates . Our main result is obtained by studying further the dependence of these two scales on the overvoltage (analogue of supersaturation). Surprisingly, for one of the two cathode types - the “hemispherical single-crystal electrode” (as defined by the authors), there is discontinuity in the “ vs. overvoltage” dependence – an almost horizontal jump from 85 to 86 mV accompanied by a change in the slope of the dependence - it is ~ -1 and ~ -0.5 after. For the other cathode - “plane structureless platinum electrode”,  decreases smoothly. Combined, these two behaviors point at the so called “cusp catastrophe”. We compare our findings with published results on protein nucleation.

The search for new antibacterial agents that could decrease bacterial resistance is a subject that is continuously developing. The Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria have a metalloproteins group belonging to the M4 family. That is the main virulence factor of these bacteria. In this work, we have used a computational protocol based on the comprehensive analysis of the results of docking, molecular dynamics simulation, MM-PBSA, ligand efficiency, and ADME-Tox properties of ligand designed in silico in the previous manuscript using the Thermolysin from Bacillus thermoproteolyticus, a metalloprotein of the M4 family as a target. The principal results obtained were the designed ligands were adequately oriented in the thermolysin active center. The Lig783, Lig2177, and Lig3444 compounds were those with better dynamic behavior, however, when analyzing the results extracted from the ADME-Tox properties, only Lig783 was the best antibacterial agent candidate.

This work presents the design, construction and performance evaluation of a photovoltaic greenhouse as an energy hub (EH) in modern agriculture that integrates battery energy storage (BES) and an electric vehicle charging station (EV). The greenhouse is composed of 48 semi-transparent PV panels with nominal transparency of 20% and 110 W capacity. The control of the PV greenhouse as EH was approached as an optimization problem with the aim of minimizing the cost of the energy used from the grid. Simulation results indicate that the integrated BES is capable of balancing power transactions within the microgrid. In addition, it was found that the case of slow charging of the EV at night was less demanding on the BES than fast charging during the day in terms of abrupt power transitions and average depletion of BES SOC (61% vs 53%). Empirical results also demonstrated the negative impact of dust generated by agricultural activity on the performance of solar panels. For a period analyzed of three years, an average yearly production loss of 6.8% was calculated.

This study addresses the influence of working conditions on Work-Related Quality of Life (WRQOL) among Spanish healthcare professionals. The research seeks to elucidate the mediating roles of job engagement and burnout, and the moderating effects of resilience and self-efficacy, in this relationship. Methods: The study included 374 healthcare workers from Spain, encompassing physicians, nurses, and nursing assistants. It employed a methodological approach using validated instruments to assess psychosocial risks, work-life quality, job engagement, burnout, and resilience. Data were gathered through self-reported questionnaires. Results: Key findings indicate a negative association between working conditions and WRQOL. Job engagement and burnout significantly mediated this relationship, accounting for 19% to 33% of the variance in WRQOL. Notably, lack of support emerged as a strong negative factor for work-related quality of life. Additionally, resilience moderated the relationship between lack of support and burnout. Conclusions: The study concludes that improving working conditions could increase WRQOL. Interventions aimed at enhancing engagement and addressing burnout may be effective. The moderating role of resilience suggests that strategies to enhance resilience could also be beneficial. These findings hold significant implications for policy formulation and human resources planning in healthcare, emphasizing the need for enhanced workplace support and the development of resilience among health workers.

A new discrete distribution for count data called extended biparametric Waring (EBW) distribution is developed. Its name is related to the fact that, in a specific configuration of its parameters, it can be seen as a biparametric version of the univariate generalized Waring (UGW) distribution, a well-known model for the variance decomposition into three components: randomness, liability and proneness. Unlike the UGW distribution, the EBW can model both overdispersed and underdispersed data sets. In fact, the EBW distribution is a particular case of a UWG distribution when its first parameter is positive; otherwise, it is a particular case of a Complex Triparametric Pearson (CTP) distribution. Hence, this new model inherits most of their properties and, moreover, it helps to solve the identification problem in the variance components of the UGW model. We compare the EBW with the UGW by a simulation study, but also with other over and underdispersed distributions through the Kullback-Leibler divergence. Additionally, we have carried out a simulation study in order to analyse the properties of the maximum likelihood parameter estimates. Finally, some application examples are included which show that the proposed model provides similar or even better results than other models, but with fewer parameters.

Arterial hypertension is a health problem that affects millions of people around the world. Particularly in Chile, according to the last health survey in 2019, 28.7% of the population had this condition, and arterial hypertension complications cause one in three deaths per year. In this work, we have used molecular simulation tools to evaluate new compounds designed in silico by our group as possible anti-hypertensive agents, taking Neutral Endopeptidase (NEP) as a target, a key enzyme in the arterial hypertension regulation at the level kidney. We use docking experiments, molecular dynamics simulation, free energy decomposition calculations (by MM-PBSA method), and ligand efficiency analysis to identify the best anti-hypertensive agent pharmacokinetic and toxicological predictions (ADME-Tox). The energetic components that contribute to the complexes stability are the electrostatic and Van der Waals components; however, when the ADME-Tox properties were analyzed, we conclude that the best anti-hypertensive candidate agents are Lig783 and Lig3444, taking Neutra Endopeptidase as a target.

Emerging autologous cellular therapies that utilize platelet-rich plasma (PRP) applications have the potential to play adjunctive roles in a variety of regenerative medicine treatment plans. There is a global unmet need for tissue repair strategies to treat musculoskeletal (MSK) and spinal disorders, osteoarthritis (OA), and patients with chronic complex and recalcitrant wounds. PRP therapy is based on the fact that platelet growth factors (PGFs) support the three phases of wound healing and repair cascade (inflammation, proliferation, remodeling). Many different PRP formulations have been evaluated, originating from human, in vitro, and animal studies. However, recommendations from in vitro and animal research often lead to different clinical outcomes because it is difficult to translate non-clinical study outcomes and methodology recommendations to human clinical treatment protocols. In recent years, progress has been made in understanding PRP technology and the concepts for bioformulation, and new research directives and new indications have been suggested. In this review, we will discuss recent developments regarding PRP preparation and composition regarding platelet dosing, leukocyte activities concerning innate and adaptive immunomodulation, serotonin (5-HT) effects and pain killing. Furthermore, we discuss PRP mechanisms related to inflammation and angiogenesis in tissue repair and regenerative processes. Lastly, we will review the effect of certain drugs on PRP activity, and the combination of PRP and rehabilitation protocols.

Considering the concerns for emissions reduction in the maritime sector, the present paper evaluates, through modeling and simulation, the oxy-fuel combustion in a two-stroke ship engine (2SE) and the best production system configuration to obtain the required oxygen (O2). An initial model of a ship engine is calibrated with the engine manufacturer’s data, and then adapted to work with O2 as the oxidant to eliminate nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions and with exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) to control the in-cylinder combustion temperature. Mixed Ionic-Electronic Conducting (MIEC) membranes produce the necessary O2 from the ambient air, which is heated up and pressurized by a heat exchanger and turbocharging coupled system to provide the air conditions required for the proper operation of the MIEC. Several layouts of this system are evaluated for the full load engine operating point to find the optimum O2 production system configuration. Results reveal that the engine operating under oxy-fuel combustion conditions avoids NOx emissions at the expense of higher brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) to obtain the original brake torque, and also expels a stream composed exclusively of CO2 and H2O, what facilitates the separation of CO2 from exhaust gases.