Boeremia exigua var. exigua is a recurrent pathogen causing root rot in industrial chicory. Currently, there is no chemical or varietal control for this disease, and thus management strategies need to be developed. This study determined the biocontrol effect of strains of Pseudomonas protegens bacteria with antimicrobial compounds on the fungus B. exigua var. exigua under in vitro, in vivo and field conditions. In addition, root colonization by these bacteria was estimated by molecular analysis. Eighteen isolates of Pseudomonas spp were evaluated and the strains that showed the greatest in vitro inhibition of fungal mycelial growth (mm), Ca10A and ChB7, were selected. Inoculation with the strain ChB7 showed less severity (necrotic area) under in vivo conditions (root trials) compared to the control inoculated with the pathogen (P≤0.05). The molecular analysis revealed that root colonization of plants grown in pots was equal or greater than 70%. Similar levels were observed in the field trials conducted in Selva Negra and Canteras experimental stations (2015-16 season), with values ranging from 85.7 to 70.5% and from 75.0 to 79.5%, respectively. Regarding yield (ton ha-1), values were higher in the treatments inoculated with strains Ca10A and ChB7 (P≤0.05) in both experimental sites, while a lower incidence and severity of root rot were observed in Selva Negra. These results suggest that the Chilean strains of P. protegens are a promising tool for the control of root diseases in industrial chicory.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) and necrotizing periodontitis (NP) are two diseases whose aetiology and pathophysiology do not seem to have a common link; however, the treatment of MS with monoclonal antibodies and the decrease in humoral immunity that this entails can be a trigger or an aggravation in patients who present NP. We present a clinical case of NP in which its clinical manifestations, treatment and evolution during therapy with ocrelizumab are reflected. During the evolution of the case, a rapid progression of NP was evidenced. During her evolution, the patient suffered bilateral pneumonia due to COVID requiring treatment with corticosteroids and antibiotics, which led to clinical relief of her NP. Given this important clinical finding, we consider of great interest the regulated dental monitoring of those patients with MS before, during and after the administration of monoclonal antibodies to prevent periodontal deterioration.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) self-sampling has the potential to increase cervical cancer screening (CCS) and reduce the cervical cancer burden in Medically Underserved Women (MUW). However, interventions promoting self-sampling are limited. We examined the effectiveness of an intervention study in increasing CCS among MUW. We conducted a quasi-experimental intervention study. Face-to-face verbal approach was to recruit MUW (n=85, mean age 48.57±11.02) living in a small city in the US. Behavioral intervention based on reframing, reprioritizing, and reforming (3R model) was used to educate the women about CCS in a group format. The women completed pre-and post-intervention assessments and followed-up interviews. The primary outcome was CCS uptake. Mixed methods analyses were conducted using a t-test for the primary outcome, PROCESS for mediation analysis, and NVivo for interview data. Majority of women (75%) completed self-testing. High-risk HPV prevalent among the women was 11%, and of those, 57% followed-up with physicians for care. We found that the significant increase in the women’s post-intervention screening behaviors was mediated by the increase in knowledge (Indirect Effect [IE] = .1314; 95% CI, .0104, .4079) and attitude (IE = .2167; 95% CI, .0291, .6050) scores, (p<0.001). Interview analyses offered further explanations (see the explanations in parenthesis) why MUW found the intervention messages acceptable (encourages proactive behavior), feasible (simple and easy to understand), and appropriate (helpful and informative). Barriers including lack of trust and fear of results were identified. The findings suggest that an intervention that combines the 3R model and self-sampling may increase CCS among MUW.

It is well-known that, in science, several concepts that apply to an specific area of knowledge, may be borrowed by other areas of knowledge. Namely, resilience, reservoirs, evolution, etc. are concepts that may be used in social sciences, physics, biology and other sciences with complete sense. In this contribution I want to give some insights about some topics of quantum physics that could be used in social sciences.

When we discuss migration and compare national trends, the topic most commonly centers on undocumented immigrants and asylum seekers. However, there is also considerable variation in internal migration patterns, with differences found between and within nations. Many factors shape whether, why, and where people relocate. Over the last few decades, the world's two largest economies - the United States and China - have seen domestic migration changes happening in opposite directions. China has become increasingly mobile and experienced urbanization. In contrast, the U.S. has seen a steady decline in the rate at which its population relocates, with cities experiencing net migration losses as citizens leave for suburbs. This paper examines these trends using data from the last decade to compare the two nations in areas of internal migration, urbanization, housing, social mobility, and economic growth.

The interest in random fiber lasers (RFLs), first demonstrated one decade ago, is still growing and their basic characteristics have been studied by several authors. RFLs are open systems that present instabilities in the intensity fluctuations due to the energy exchange among their non-orthogonal quasi-modes. In this work, we present a review of the recent investigations on the output characteristics of a continuous-wave erbium-doped RFL, with emphasis on the statistical behavior of the emitted intensity fluctuations. A progression from the Gaussian to Lévy and back to the Gaussian statistical regime was observed by increasing the excitation laser power from below to above the RFL threshold. By analyzing the RFL output intensity fluctuations, the probability density function of emission intensities was determined, and its correspondence with the experimental results was identified, enabling a clear demonstration of the analogy between the RFL phenomenon and the spin-glass phase transition. A replica-symmetry-breaking phase above the RFL threshold was characterized and the glassy behavior of the emitted light was established. We also discuss perspectives for future investigations on RFL systems.

We give an operator solution to an advanced-retarded differential equation. The application of the operators involved produces a solution in terms of Bessel functions.

By utilizing the Fourier transform, we present a practical method for evaluating a function of a derivative applied to any other arbitrary function of a single complex variable. As an illustration of this approach, we compute the actions of the displacement and squeeze operators on an arbitrary function, as well as the propagation of paraxial fields, Airy and number states, without the need for algebraic quantum operator techniques or the Fresnel integral.

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.

Pencil-beam Doppler scatterometers are a promising remote sensing tool for measuring ocean vector winds and currents from space. While several point designs exist in the literature, these designs have been constrained by the hardware they inherited, and the design is sub-optimal. Here, I present guidelines to optimize the design of these instruments starting from the basic sensitivity equations. Unlike conventional scatterometers or pencil-beam imagers, appropriate sampling of the Doppler spectrum and optimizing the radial velocity error lead naturally to a design that incorporates a pulse-to-pulse separation and pulse length that vary with scan angle. Including this variation can improve radial velocity performance significantly and the optimal selection of system timing and bandwidth is derived. Following this, optimization of the performance based on frequency, incidence angle, antenna length, and spatial sampling strategy are considered. It is shown that antenna length influences the performance most strongly, while the errors depend only on the square root of the transmit transmit power. Finally, a set of example designs and associated performance are presented.

The aim of this investigation is focused on the effects of hooked-end steel fibers on both fresh and hardened properties of modified self-compacting concretes (SCC). For this purpose, the steel fibers are associated with other residues contents (i.e. marble, granite and rubber). This concatenated materials contents constitutes a novelty since no investigations are reported. It is found that the increase of rubber content, a better ability to absorb energy is observed. This indicates that a good alternative of structural material is provided. Fresh properties are evaluated by using flow, T500 time, V-funnel, J-ring methods. The mechanical behavior is evaluated in terms of compressive strength, tensile strength, static and dynamic modulus of elasticity, and damping ratio. Experimental results of the water absorption, porosity and density are also attained. It is also found that a SCC mixture containing steel fiber, marble/granite residue and rubber content is a potential mixture to be considered when in SCC designing associated with improved damping ratio. Although the rubber content decreases the mechanical behavior and slump flow, the concatenated utilization of MGR and steel fiber contents provide a slight improve in the damping result. An environmental benefit can also be associated since the cement consumption is decreased with marble additions.

Almost two decades ago, Ernesto P. Borges and Bruce M. Boghosian embarked on the intricate task of composing a manuscript to honor the profound contributions of Constantino Tsallis to the realm of statistical physics, coupled with a concise exploration of q-Statistics. Fast forward to Constantino Tsallis’ illustrious 80th birthday celebration in 2023, where Deniz Eroglu and Ugur Tirnakli delved into Constantino’s collaborative network, injecting renewed vitality into the project. With hearts brimming with appreciation for Tsallis’ enduring inspiration, Eroglu, Boghosian, Borges and Tirnakli proudly present this meticulously crafted manuscript as a token of their gratitude.

Liposomes have been used for several decades for the encapsulation of drugs and bioactives in cosmetics and cosmeceuticals. On the other hand, the use of these phospholipid vesicles in food applications is more recent and has been increasing significantly in the last ten years. Although in different stages of technological maturity - in the case of cosmetics, many products are on the market - processes to obtain liposomes suitable for the encapsulation and delivery of bioactives are highly expensive, especially aiming at scaling-up. Among the bioactives proposed for cosmetics and food applications, vitamins are the most frequently used. Despite the differences between the administration routes (oral for food and mainly dermal for cosmetics), some challenges are very similar (e.g., stability, bioactive load, average size, increase of drug bioaccessibility and bioavailability). In the present work, a systematic review of the technological advancements in the nanoencapsulation of vitamins using liposomes and related processes was performed; challenges and future perspectives were also discussed in order to underline the advantages of these drug loaded biocompatible nanocarriers for cosmetics and food applications.

We study the atom-field interaction at finite temperature and in the dispersive regime. We show that the master equation for this sytem may be solved with the use of superoperator techniques. We calculate the linear entropy in case the field is initially in a coherent state and the atom in a superposition of its ground and excited states.

We investigate some of the fundamental features of the interaction of mixed kaleidoscope states, namely, particular statistical mixtures of coherent states, with two-level atoms in the Jaynes-Cummings model framework. We begin our analysis by calculating the von Neumann entropy of the field which is determined with help of the virtual atom method. Oscillations appear in this entropy that indicate a state of purity greater than the initial state, {it i.e.}, a purification of the initial state is achieved. In this oscillatory region, we obtain the field Wigner function that resembles Schrodinger's cats.

Owing to the escalating adoption of IoT systems across various domains, the demand for mobile and wireless power sources has surged. Although conventional batteries typically serve as energy storage components, the current low-power consumption devices necessitate eco-friendly alterna-tives. In this study, we designed, fabricated, and characterized an energy harvesting device that repurposes mechanical vibrations. A three-beam design was employed to harvest energy across a broader range of potential frequencies. Finite element models were simulated to ascertain the first bending moment for both sets of beams. A nanostructured piezoelectric multilayer film made of ZnO was deposited onto an AISI 304 steel substrate, and a photosensitive resin seismic mass was implemented. Low-cost techniques generating minimal environmental waste were leveraged in the fabrication process. The piezoelectric film was deposited using a spray nebulization technique involving recycled materials and cost-effective equipment. Micrographs of the layers unveiled the presence of nanospheres with diameters of 250 nm. Employing a custom-made shaker, output voltages of 1.08 V and 180 mV, and power outputs of 1.849 µW and 16.2 nW were achieved for each set of beams. The electrical characterization was conducted using a custom-made shaker, repurposing materials for this objective.

Nutrient estimation in forest ecosystems through satellite images allows us to obtain accurate data, starting with data transformation from forest stands and the existing relationship with the spectral information of the image through modeling. The objective of the study was to quantify and validate the content of C, N, H in aboveground tree biomass in managed stands using spatial modeling and satellite images. This study was conducted during 2017-2018 in managed forest stands in San Juan Lachao, Oaxaca, Mexico. Fifteen 400 m2 experimental sites were selectively established, using a completely randomized experimental design of five silvicultural treatments with three replications. As part of data preprocessing, normality and homogeneity of variances assumptions were checked using the Shapiro-Wilk and Bartlett tests, respectively. From the pixels, data of the average of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) that surrounded the sampling sites were contrasted against the data obtained from forest inventory and the regression models to estimate C, N, H and biomass were generated. Models were validated by NDVI. With the models we estimated 0.95 t ha-1 biomass, which contains between 0.61 and 0.63 of C, 0.44-0.46 of N and 0.24 of H. The models generated had coefficients of determination (R2) of 0.85 to 0.87, which are significant parameters (p ≤ 0.0001). These results confirm that the use of Sentinel satellite images in the estimation of these elements in forest ecosystems based on the relationship between data inventory and the NDVI is highly reliable.

A novel configuration for a super-wide impedance planar antenna is presented based on a 2 × 2 microstrip patch antenna (MPA). The antenna comprises a symmetrical arrangement of four-square patches that are interconnected to each other with cross-shaped high impedance microstrip lines. The antenna array is exciting through a single feedline connected to one of the patches. The proposed antenna array configuration overcomes the main drawback of conventional MPA of narrow bandwidth that is typically <5%. The antenna exhibits a super-wide frequency bandwidth from 20 GHz to 120 GHz for S₁₁<−15 dB, which corresponds to a fractional bandwidth of 142.85%. The antenna’s performance of bandwidth, impedance match, and radiation gain were enhanced by etching slots on the patches. The slotted microstrip patch essentially acts like a left-handed capacitance to exhibit metamaterial properties over a given frequency range. With the inclusion of the slot the maximum radiation gain and efficiency of the MPA have increased to 15.11 dBi and 85.79% at 80 GHz, which show an improvement of 2.58 dBi and 12.54%, respectively. The dimension of each patch antenna is 30 × 30 mm². The results show that the proposed MPA is useful for various communications existing and emerging systems such as ultra-wideband (UWB) communications, RFID systems, massive multiple-output multiple-input (MIMO) for 5G, and radar systems.

This paper investigates the mental health stressors experienced by Central American youth immigrants and asylum seekers, including unaccompanied minors, surveyed in the U.S. in 2017. This population is hard to reach, vulnerable, and disproportionately exposed to trauma from a young age. They face numerous challenges to mental health, and increased psychopathological risk, exacerbated by high levels of violence and low state-capacity in sending countries, restrictive immigration policies, the fear of deportation for themselves and their family members, and the pressure to integrate once in the U.S. Using survey data and the validated PHQ-9 questionnaire and Child PTSD Symptom Scale (CPSS), we find that Central American youth have seen improvements in their self-reported mental health after migrating to the U.S. but remain at risk of further trauma exposure, depression, and PTSD. They exhibit a disproportionate likelihood of having lived through traumatizing experiences that put Central American immigrants at higher risk for psychological distress and disorders and may also create obstacles to integration that in turn create new stressors that compound with PTSD and depression. PTSD, depression, or anxiety can be minimized through programs that aid their integration and mental health.

Industry 4.0 is having a great impact in all smart efforts. This is not a single product, but is composed of several technologies, being one of them Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). Currently, there are very varied implementation options offered by several companies, and this imposes a new challenge to companies that want to implement IoT in their processes. This challenge suggests to use multi-criteria analysis to make a repeatable and justified decision, requiring a set of alternatives and criteria. This paper proposes a new methodology and comprehensive criteria to help organizations to take an educated decision by applying multi-criteria analysis. Here, we suggest a new original use of PROMETHEE-II with full example from weight calculation up to IoT platform selection, showing this methodology as an effective study for other organizations interested to select an IoT platform. The criteria proposed outstands from previous work by including not only technical aspects, but economic and social criteria, providing a full view of the problem analyzed. A case of study was used to prove this proposed methodology.

We present a statistical study of the physical properties of Medium Scale Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances (MSTIDs) registered over the Mexican territory during 2018 and 2019 (solar minimum). The analysis is based on Total Electron Content (TEC) approximations using data from the ground-based Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers at different locations divided into three regions according to geomagnetic coordinates: North, Center, and South. The MSTIDs were classified into day and night events, and only geomagnetically quiet days were considered to reduce the solar influence. We explored fundamental aspects of the MSTIDs, such as differences between day and night events, occurrence patterns, and geographical differences. Our results show some similarities with the occurrence periods of gravity waves, exhibiting a high activity during summer and winter. For this period, however, most events occurred between 20:00 PM and 04:00 AM UT. Moreover, the disturbances’ energy was stronger (i.e., large amplitudes and power) around the sunset terminator for the three regions. This suggests that the density gradient generated when the sunlight falls benefits MSTIDs formation.

Abstract: Nordic exercises aim to improve physical abilities and prevent injuries; However, it is not clear in what type of sports modalities to use it, so this study arises from the interest of ana-lyzing its effect in different sports modalities. Objective: To analyze Nordic exercises effects on the lower limbs, and their relationship with the explosive and absolute strength inherent to demands of different sports modalities (football, athletics, basketball, sport climbing, cycling and taekwondo). Method: quasi-experimental research, identifying 122 athletes (18±3 years old) from: football (n=24), athletics/speed (n=20), sport climbing (n=20), basketball (n=24), taekwondo (n=14) and cycling (n=20); classified into a control group CG (n=57) and an experimental group EG (n=65). Results: dominant absolute strength of the initial (12.4±0.51) and final (14.5±0.98) EG, in greater proportion in basketball (P= < 0.05); explosive strength of the initial (42.4±1.2) and final (45.8±1.5) EG, with a significant difference in all modalities between before and after (p≤0.05), except in cy-cling and taekwondo; no major changes were found in the GC. Conclusion: Nordic exercises are recommended as part of training to improve levels of explosive strength with emphasis on the modalities of football, basketball, athletics/speed and sport climbing, being applicable to increase absolute strength in basketball.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are soil microorganisms that provide various benefits, such as increasing soil fertility and enhancing plant growth. The present study aimed to propagate arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal spores in trap plants. Soil sampling was carried out in October 2021 on five coffee farms in the central area of Veracruz, Mexico. Soil from coffee plantations and sterile sand were mixed in pots and used for the propagation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, and Sorghum vulgare was used as a trap plant. The plants were kept in a greenhouse for 120 days. The abundance of spores in the sorghum trap plants increased significantly (p

This research undertakes a quantitative exploration of the impact of procurement mo-dalities on economic efficiency and inclusive procurement within the Dominican Repub-lic's public sector. Applying data science methodologies and machine learning techniques, this study analyzes a rich dataset of public procurement contracts spanning from 2018 to 2023. A focus is placed on understanding how different procurement modalities affect contract amounts and processing times—two key indicators of economic efficiency. Machine learning models, including Random Forest and Gradient Boosting, are em-ployed to predict these essential metrics across different procurement modalities. The findings indicate a significant positive correlation between certain procurement modali-ties and economic efficiency. The machine learning models reveal that procurement strategies focused on local sourcing and transparent bidding processes tend to yield high-er economic returns and more equitable outcomes. This research underscores the poten-tial of quantitative analysis to inform procurement policies, fostering a more economi-cally efficient and inclusive procurement ecosystem in the Dominican Republic's public sector. The insights garnered from this study could have significant implications for the design of more inclusive procurement strategies, contributing to socio-economic growth and corruption reduction in the Dominican Republic.

Abstract The modified Bessel function (MBF) of the first kind is a fundamental special function in mathematics with applications in a large number of areas. When the order of this function is integer, it has an integral representation which includes the exponential of the cosine function. Here we generalize this MBF to include a fractional parameter, such that the exponential in the previously mentioned integral is replaced by a Mittag-Leffler function. The necessity for this generalization arises from a problem of communication in networks. We find the power series representation of the fractional MBF of the first kind, as well as some differential properties. We give some examples of its utility in graph/networks analysis and mention some fundamental open problems for further investigation.

Hormones act as master ripening regulators. In non-climacteric fruit ABA plays a key role in ripening. Recently we confirmed in Fragaria chiloensis fruit that in response to ABA treatment the fruit induces ripening associated changes such as softening and color development. In consequence with these phenotypic changes, transcriptional variations associated with cell wall disassembly and anthocyanins biosynthesis were reported. As ABA stimulates ripening of F. chiloensis fruit, the molecular network involved in ABA metabolism was analyzed. Therefore, the expression level of genes involved in ABA biosynthesis and ABA perception were quantified during development of the fruit. Four NCED/CCDs and 6 PYR/PYLs family members were identified in F. chiloensis. Bioinformatics analyses confirmed the existence of key domains related to functional properties. Through RT-qPCR analyses the level of transcripts were quantified. FcNCED1 codifies a protein that displays crucial functional domains and the level of transcripts increased as the fruit develops and ripens, in parallel with the increment in ABA. In addition, FcPYL4 codifies for a functional ABA receptor and its expression follows an incremental pattern during ripening. The study concludes that FcNCED1 is involved in ABA biosynthesis, meanwhile FcPYL4 participates in ABA perception during ripening of F. chiloensis fruit.

Abstract: The probability of existence or not of local extinctions of six species of carnivorous mammals was analyzed by ordering the species composition in nested subsets in 7 fragments of forest habitats in the Coastal Mountains in the Araucanía Region, in southern Chile. Nested Temperature Calculator (NTC) and BINMATNEST computer programs were used to process the results. The first software provided a temperature in the archipelago of 28.21 degree Celsius, whereas the second program showed a nesting temperature of 16.58 degree Celsius. The computer software used in this study suggest that there is no nesting pattern at the level species composition of carnivorous mammal assemblage in the evaluated area, which may be due to the habitat use characteristics of the different carnivorous mammals studied here.

Computer vision is considered as an ally to solve business problems that require human intervention, intelligence and criteria. This topic of research has evolved in XXI century at faster peace, delivering various alternatives from open source until commercial platforms. With so many options and market growing, it result difficult to make a decision on which one to use, or even worse, realize it was not suited for different scenarios. In this paper we analyze five options selected arbitrarily and tested on a dataset of 755 images to detect persons in an image, using object detectors. We analyze elapsed time to process an image, error with observations by humans, number of persons detected, correlation of time and person density, object detected size and F1 Score, considering precision and recall. As we found there are score ties and similar behaviors among options available, we introduce a novel index that takes in consideration the number of persons and their pixel size, to propose the Vision Acuity Index of Computer Vision. The results demonstrate this is a good option to serve as indicator to make decisions. Also, this index proposed have a potential to be expanded for different business use cases, and to measure new proposed algorithms in the future along with the traditional metrics used previously.

In recent years, CPU caches have revealed themselves as one of the most powerful sources of information leakage. This information leakage affects any implementation whose memory accesses, to data or instructions, depend on sensitive information such as private keys. In most cases, side-channel cache attacks do not require any specific permission and just need access to a shared cache. This fact, combined with the spread of cloud computing, where the infrastructure is shared between different customers, have made these attacks quite popular. In this paper, we present a novel approach to exploit the information obtained from the CPU cache. First, we introduce a non-access attack that provides a 97\% reduction in the number of encryptions required to obtain a 128-bit AES key. Next, this attack is adapted and extended in what we call the encryption-by-decryption cache attack or EBD, to obtain a 256-bit AES key. When EBD is applied to AES-256, we are able to obtain the 256 bits of the key with less than 10000 encryptions. These results make EBD, to the best of our knowledge, the first practical attack on AES-256 and also demonstrate that AES-256 is only about 3 times more complex to attack than AES-128 via cache attacks. In both cases the target is the AES T-table-based implementation, and we also demonstrate that our approach works in a cross-VM scenario.

The deterioration and destruction of the environment is becoming more and more considerable and greater efforts are needed to stop it. To accomplish this feat, all members of society must identify with environmental problems, with collective environmental action being one of the most relevant means of doing so. From this perspective, the analysis of the psychosocial factors that lead to participation in environmental collective action emerges as a priority objective in the research agenda. Thus, the aim of this study is to examine the role of "environmental identity" as conceptualized by Clayton, as a central axis for explaining environmental collective action. The inclusion of the latter in the theoretical framework of the SIMCA model gives rise to the model that we have called EIMECA. Two studies were conducted, and the results reveal that environmental identity, a variety of negative affects, as well as group efficacy accompanied by hope for a simultaneous additive effect, are critical when it comes to predicting environmental collective action.

This paper has two objectives: the first, to analyze the mediating effect of teacher empowerment between innovation culture and innovation capacity, and between inclusive leadership and innovation capacity; the second, to analyze the moderating effects of the school context on the innovation capacity. Data were collected in a representative sample of secondary schools in Valencia, Spain. The research model adopted is structural equation modeling, using the partial least squares (PLS) technique. The model has confirmed that teacher empowerment mediates between innovation culture and innovation capacity and between inclusive leadership and the innovation capacity. It is found that the educational context does not moderate the relationships in the proposed analysis model. This paper emphasizes the role of teacher empowerment in educational innovation and extends the knowledge of culture and leadership in the school organization.

This article presents the results of the study on the elements and spaces that likes and dislikes’ historical urban landscape of Ibarra's city, Ecuador, based on the analysis of the urban image. This research aims to propose an objective way to intervene a historical landscape based on the opinion of the people who frequent the place. Our hypothesis is that the characteristics (age, gender, educational level, and frequency of visits) of the interviewees condition their judgment on liking and disliking. It is proposed to know which of these characteristics condition the judgment. The methodology has two parts: a descriptive statistical analysis with graphs and frequencies used to map each point on the maps, and a logistic regression model to study the relationships between liking and disliking with interviewee characteristics. As results, (1) it has been possible to obtain those elements or spaces that are liked and disliked in proportion graphs and in planimetry. (2) Explanatory analysis of liking and disliking through the logistic regression model and inference to study significant characteristics. It emphasizes that "frequency of visits" is the significant characteristic for the elements and spaces that dislike. It's concluded that the study carried out provides objective tools to obtain the opinion of people and it's useful seen it in planimetry. Also, could be establish priorities to urban authorities about improve and intervention on elements or spaces that people judge because they are liking or disliking.

Recognizing trust as a pivotal element for success within Human-Robot Collaboration (HRC) environments, this article examines its nature, exploring the different dimensions of trust, analysing the factors affecting each of them, and proposing alternatives for trust measurement. To do so, we designed an experimental procedure involving 50 participants interacting with a modified 'Inspector game' while we monitor their brain, electrodermal, respiratory, and ocular activities. This procedure allowed us to map dispositional (static individual baseline) and learned (dynamic, based on prior interactions) dimensions of trust considering both demographic and psychophysiological aspects. Our findings challenge traditional assumptions regarding the dispositional dimension of trust and establish clear evidence that the first interactions are critical for the trust-building process and the temporal evolution of trust. By identifying more significant psychophysiological features for trust detection and underscoring the importance of individualized trust assessment, this research contributes to understanding the nature of trust in HRC. Such insights are crucial for enabling more seamless human-robot interaction in collaborative environments.

Urban wind energy has emerged as an attractive source of distributed generation in cities to achieve sustainable development goals. The advance in technologies for the use of urban wind energy has turned this source into an attractive alternative for the decarbonization of cities and the energy transition. The objectives of this work are (1) to identify the potential of wind energy through numerical weather prediction (NWP) data tools and (2) to identify the roles and responsibilities of the stakeholders involved in the decision-making process. A methodology was developed in two phases and applied to a case study in the Dominican Republic. The first phase consisted of estimating the wind energy potential for the 32 provinces at a height of 10 m using open-access geographic reference systems tools provided by NASA. In the second phase, 28 stakeholders were identified through snowball sampling. The Responsible, Accountable, Consult, and Informed (RACI) matrix tool was applied to identify the roles of the 28 institutions addressed at the country level as relevant in the decision-making process for the energy sector. The annual average wind speed and energy potential for each province were determined. It was found 24 provinces have poor potential, below &lt;4.5 m/s. In the northwest and east is where there is the greatest potential, between 4.83 - 6.63 m/s. The population density was established and was observed that the provinces with greater potential are less densely populated. Through 59 interviews 28 institutions were identified and evaluated due to their relevance in decision-making for the implementation of energy projects. The MEM has strongly categorized as “A”, electricity distribution companies as “R”, energy associations and universities as “C”, and educational and justice institutions as “I”.

The evolutionary success of land plants largely relies on their ability to cope with constant environmental fluctuations, which negatively impact their reproductive fitness and trigger adaptational responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. In this challenging scenario, comprehensive research efforts so far aimed at depicting the roles of well-known phytohormones, mainly auxins, along with brassinosteroids, jasmonates, and abscisic acid, although the signaling networks coordinating the crosstalk among them remains vaguely understood. Accordingly, this review focuses on the Arabidopsis Amidase Signature (AS) superfamily members, highlighting the hitherto relatively underappreciated functions of AMIDASE1 (AMI1) and FATTY ACID AMIDE HYDROLASE (FAAH), as crucial coordinators of the growth-defense response trade-off by modulating auxin and ABA homeostasis.

The FTF (Fusarium Transcription Factor) gene family is composed of two members (FTF1 and FTF2) with high sequence homology. Both genes encode Zn(II)2Cys6 binuclear zinc finger transcription factors involved in the modulation of virulence in the F. oxysporum species complex (FOSC). While FTF1 is a multicopy gene exclusive of highly virulent strains of FOSC and is located in the accessory genome, FTF2 is a single copy gene, located in the core genome, and well conserved in all filamentous ascomycete fungi, except yeast. The involvement of FTF1 in the colonization of the vascular system and regulation of the expression of SIX effectors has been stablished. To address the role of FTF2 we generated and characterized null FTF2 mutants in a F. oxysporum f. sp. phaseoli weakly virulent strain and analyzed them together with the equivalent mutants formerly obtained in a highly virulent strain. The results obtained highlight a role for FTF2 as a negative regulator of the production of macroconidia and demonstrate that it is required for full virulence and positive regulation of SIX effectors. In addition, gene expression analyses provide compelling evidence that FTF2 is involved in the regulation of hydrophobins likely required for plant colonization.

After 40 years of the discovery of metallocene catalysts, there are still several aspects that remain unresolved, especially when the “conventional” alkylaluminum activators are not used. Herein, we systematically investigate the synthesis of PE via three different zirconocene catalysts, with different alkyl substituents, activated via different organoboron compounds. The polymerization behavior, as well as the properties of the materials, are evaluated. The results demonstrate that the highest catalytic activity is shown by Bis(cyclopentadienyl)dimethylzirconium activated by trityl tetra(pentafluorophenyl)borate. Also finding that toluene is the optimum solvent for these systems and at these reaction conditions. Moreover, to validate our experimental results, a comprehensive mathematical model is developed on the basis of thermodynamic and kinetic principles. The concentration of ethylene transferred to the solvent phase (toluene) in a liquid-vapor equilibrium (LVE) system is estimated based on the Duhem’s theorem. Arrhenius expressions for the kinetic rate constants of a proposed kinetic mechanism are estimated by a kinetic model, in which the rate of polymerization is fitted by a least-square optimization procedure and the molecular weight averages by the method of moments. The simulations of the coordination polymerization suggest the presence of two types of active sites, principally at low temperatures, and the reactivation of the deactivated sites via a boron-based activator. However, the effect of the temperature on the reactivation step is no clear; a deeper understanding via designed experiments is required.

Traditional medicine is one of the main bases for studying and discovering natural sources of phytometabolites with antiviral properties. This research aims to demonstrate that the medicinal plants used as a treatment of viral diseases in the La Libertad region have, in fact, antiviral ac-tivity. The study evaluated the ethnobotany of the 8 most widely used medicinal plants in the region (Azadirachta indica A. Juss. “paraíso”, Caesalpinia spinosa (Molina) Kuntze “tara”, Citrus limon (L.) Osbeck “limón”, Clinopodium pulchellum (Kunth) Govaerts “panizara”, Cordia lutea Lam. “overo”, Ocimum basilicum L. “albahaca”, Schinus molle L. “molle”, and Taraxacum campylodes G.E. Haglund “diente de león”). The phytometabolites responsible for the antiviral activity were identified by LC-MS and evaluated in silico against the viral proteins NS2B/NS3 (DENV-2), NS5B (HCV), and ICP27 (HSV-1) using molecular docking in Autodock Vina and UCSF Chimera. The presence of five polyphenols (chlorogenic acid, gallic acid, caffeic acid, rosmarinic acid, and rutin) was found and, in the in silico test, the antiviral activity of chlorogenic acid stood out against DENV-2 and HCV, rutin against HCV and HSV-1, rosmarinic acid against DENV-2 and HCV. Therefore, it is verified that the medicinal plants studied have antiviral activity, which supports their use in traditional medicine

Wildfires generate large amounts of atmospheric pollutants yearly. The development of an emissions inventory for this activity is a challenge today, mainly to perform modeling of air quality. There are free available databases with historical information about this source. The main goal of this study was to process the results of biomass burning emissions for the year 2014 from the Global Fire Assimilation System (GFAS). The pollutants studied were the black carbon, the organic carbon, fine and coarse particulate matter, respectively. The inputs were pre-formatted to enter to the simulation software of the emission inventory. In this case, the Sparse Matrix Operator Kernel Emissions (SMOKE) was used and the values obtained in various cities were analyzed. As a result, the spatial distribution of the forest fire emissions in the Southern Hemisphere was achieved, with the polar stereographic projection. The highest emissions were located in the African continent, followed by the northern region of Australia. Future air quality modeling at a local level could apply the results and the methodology of this study. The biomass burning emissions could add a better performance of the results and more knowledge on the effect of this source.

Development of non-conventional hybrids (NCHs) responds to the demand for the Elotes Occidentales 'EO' race for production of pozole. The effect of: crop cycle (2019, 2020 and 2021) on physical characteristics, flowered grain quality and phytochemical content of two HNC (Pz1 and Pz2) of pozolero maize, as well as the effect of the presence or absence of pedicel, type of pollination (open and controlled, 2019), and progenitor lines (female and male, 2020) on flowered grain quality and content of phytochemical compounds were evaluated. Size, hardness, color, total phenols and anthocyanins in unprocessed grain were determined, and yield, volume and puncture strength in flowered grain. Results were analyzed with a factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design. There were significant differences (p≤0.05) in most of the variables studied by effect of crop cycle and genotype. NCHs had large grains (40 g 100 grains-1), soft endosperm (IF&gt; 60), pink-purple color, and phenol and anthocyanin contents similar to those reported for the 'EO' race. The presence or absence of the pedicel did not affect flowered grain quality. Controlled pollination favored anthocyanin synthesis. The anthocyanin content of NCHs was determined by the female line. Thermal processing reduced anthocyanins by 60%; however, they leached into the flowering broth, so that the pozole made from NCHs improves the nutraceutical value of the pozole, relative to that of pozole made with Cacahuacintle maize.

Adhesion systems are very important in robots for infrastructure inspection (especially in vertical walls). They present the challenge of optimizing the ratio vacuum/power consumption in battery-powered robots. In this paper a CFD (Computer Fluid Dynamics) modelling and optimization process of a robot adhesion system is carried out to determine the best performing configuration in terms of vacuum and power consumption. Analytical and numerical models were developed to predict the behaviour of the system for different configurations. The models were validated, using test rig measurements, by calibrating an arbitrary defined inlet height that simulates the leakage flow. Then, different geometric parameters were varied to determine the best performing configuration based on the vacuum/power consumption ratio value. The model presented in the paper was capable of predicting the behaviour of the system for different configurations, with a margin of error of 15% for the vacuum prediction and a 25% for the motor power calculation. Finally, the model was used to optimize parameters of the system, like the number of blades of the impeller. The adhesion system was conceived for the modular autonomous climbing legged robot ROMERIN.

COVID-19 is frequently associated with a coagulopathy with severe consequences. The mechanisms leading to a pro-coagulant state in these patients is multifactorial, including tissue destruction and inflammatory mechanisms. Based on the analysis of publicly available interactomes, we propose that SARS-CoV-2 infection causes a deficiency in C1 esterase inhibitor (C1-INH), a pathogen-specific mechanism that may help explain the pro-coagulant state in COVID-19 patients.

The sense of uncertainty and fragility due to the effects and magnitude of global challenges we are facing (from pandemic circumstances to climate change impacts) requires – much more than in the past – the capacity to generate a visionary and forefront design approach in the young gen-erations aiming at stimulating their reaction attitude rather than providing consolidated tools from past conditions that no longer exist or will rapidly evolve. Within this general framework, we have investigated the effectiveness and impacts of experienced-based methods of learning and innovative educational tools in architecture aimed at shaping expertise in which the environ-mental dimension and the climate-change challenge dialogues with the context's complexity in terms of socio-cultural dynamics, real potentialities and constrains, addressing their transdisci-plinary trajectories. The paper analyses 5 international pioneering teaching experiences that provide the opportunity to understand the outcomes of collaborative and experiential learning processes in which the educational activities leverage a dialogue between diverse communities (academia-citizens-policymakers-practitioners). The study outcomes show that shifting the pedagogical paradigm towards in-field-experience-based models can improve the awareness of future practitioners for climate implications of architectural design, implement their analysis and project skills while triggering processes of knowledge transfer and co-production at community level, and allow them to better address the societal and cultural issues involved within decision making.

Background: Modern MEG devices include 102 sensor triplets containing one magnetometer and two planar gradiometers. The first processing step is often a signal space separation (SSS), which provides a powerful noise reduction. A question commonly raised by researchers and reviewers is which data should be employed in source reconstruction: (1) magnetometers only, (2) gradiometers only, (3) magnetometers and gradiometers together. The MEG community is currently divided about the proper answer and strong arguments in favor and against these three approaches often expressed. Methods: First, we provide theoretical evidence that both gradiometers and magnetometers contain the same information after SSS, and argue that they both result from the backprojection of the same SSS components. Then, we compare beamforming source reconstructions from magnetometers and gradiometers in real MEG recordings before and after SSS. Results: Without SSS, the correlation between source time series extracted from magnetometers and gradiometers was high, with Pearson correlation coefficient r=0.5-0.8. After SSS, these correlation values increased dramatically, reaching over 0.90 across all cortical areas. Conclusions: After SSS, almost identical source reconstructions (r>0.9) can be obtained with magnetometers and gradiometers, as long as regularization is selected appropriately to account for the different properties in magnetometers and gradiometers covariance matrices.

Statistical based reconstruction methods and signal processing tooling techniques are implemented and used to detect delaminations or debondings within composite items. From literature it appears that, although a single procedure for the estimation of the structural health is a fast solution, a multiple analysis based on different reconstruction methods or different damage parameters could provide more detailed information about the location and the severity of possible failures. This work discusses the advantage of using cross-correlation analysis in a data-driven approach based on ultrasonic guided waves (GW) tomographic technique and piezoelectrics (PWAS) in pitch-catch configuration. In this sense, this work evidences an improvement in damage detection when the cross-correlation is included as part of the GW-based system for damage assessment approach. The specimens used as test structures to demonstrate the validity of the methodology derive from an aircraft wing test article where damages are specified as skin delamination produced by low energy impact.

Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was used to simulate five glacierized river basins that are global in coverage and vary in climate. The river basins included the Narayani (Nepal), Vakhsh (Central Asia), Rhone (Switzerland), Mendoza (Central Andes, Argentina), and Central Dry Andes (Chile) with a total area of 85,000 km2. A modified SWAT snow algorithm was applied in order to consider spatial variation of associated snow melt /accumulation by elevation band across each subbasin. In the previous studies, melt rates varied as a function of elevation resulting from an air temperature gradient while the snow parameters were constant throughout the entire basin. A major improvement of the new snow algorithm is separating the glaciers from seasonal snow based on their characteristics. Two SWAT snow algorithms were evaluated in simulation of monthly runoff from glaciered watershed: 1) the snow parameters are lumped (i.e. constant throughout the entire basin) and 2) the snow parameters are spatially variable based on elevation band-subbasin (i.e. modified snow algorithm). Applying the distributed SWAT snow algorithm improved the model performance in simulation of monthly runoff with snow-glacial regime, so that mean RSR decreased to 0.49 from 0.55 and NSE increased to 0.75 from 0.69. Improvement of model performance was negligible in simulation of monthly runoff from the basins with monsoon runoff regime.

We present a new family of Bessel solutions of the paraxial equation. Such solutions keep their form during propagation due to a quadratic phase factor that makes them scaled propagation invariant fields. The Bessel beams we introduce have the particularity that the topological phase is twice the order of the Bessel function and the argument varies quadratically with the radius

Extensive genome structure variation, such as copy number variations (CNVs) and presence/absence variations, is the basis for the remarkable maize genetic diversity; however, the effect of CNVs on maize herbivory defense remains largely underexplored. Here, we report that the naturally occurring duplication of the maize 9-lipoxygenase gene, ZmLOX5, leads to increased resistance of maize to herbivory by fall armyworms (FAW). Previously, we showed that ZmLOX5-derived oxylipins are required for defense against chewing insect herbivores and identified several inbred lines, including Yu796, that contained duplicated CNVs of ZmLOX5, referred to as Yu796-2×LOX5. To test whether introgression of the Yu796-2×LOX5 locus into the herbivore-susceptible B73 background that contains a single ZmLOX5 gene is a feasible approach to increase resistance, we generated a series of near-isogenic lines that contained either 2, 1 or 0 copies of the Yu796-2×LOX5 locus in the B73 background by six back crosses (BC6). Droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) confirmed the successful introgression of the Yu796-2×LOX5 locus in B73. The resulting B73-2×LOX5 inbred line displayed increased resistance against FAW associated with increased expression of ZmLOX5, increased wound-induced production of its primary oxylipin product, the α-ketol, 9-hydroxy-10-oxo-12(Z),15(Z)-octadecadienoic acid (9,10-KODA), and the downstream defense hormones regulated by this molecule, 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (12-OPDA) and abscisic acid (ABA). Surprisingly, wound-induced JA-Ile production was not increased in B73-2×LOX5, resulting from the increased JA catabolism. Furthermore, B73-2×LOX5 displayed enhanced drought tolerance likely due to increased ABA and 12-OPDA content. Taken together, this study revealed that the duplicated CNV of ZmLOX5 quantitively contributes to maize antiherbivore defense and presents proof-of-concept evidence that the introgression of naturally occurring duplicated CNVs of a defensive gene into the productive, but susceptible, crop varieties is a feasible breeding approach for enhancing plant resistance to herbivory and tolerance to abiotic stress.

The mechanical properties of the materials stored inside agricultural silos influence the loads generated inside them. The different silo calculation methodologies allow predicting these loads under static and dynamic conditions if the mechanical properties of the stored materials are known. It has been known for many years that these properties are highly dependent on the moisture content of the material. However, to date there are not many studies focused on its determination. The goal of this research is the determination of the angle of internal friction, apparent cohesion, dilatancy angle and apparent specific weight of maize subjected to different moisture contents. Direct shear and oedometer assay devices were used for this purpose. In addition, the maize samples used were moistened using a climatic chamber. Moisture contents applied to maize sample ranged from 9.3% to 17.4%. The results obtained for the angle of internal friction and apparent cohesion, as well as those obtained for the apparent specific weight, were similar to those reported in the literature. However, the values obtained for the dilatancy angle of maize as a function of moisture content could not be compared because nothing has been published so far. The values obtained for this parameter overlap with those published for this material under ambient conditions. In addition, no direct relationship between the values obtained for this parameter and the moisture content of the sample could be found. Finally, the apparent specific weight increased with increasing moisture content of the samples, which differed from that published in the literature. The values provided here can be used for the optimization of storage and handling structures for granular agricultural materials using numerical methods.

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

The global pandemic caused by the new SARS-COV-2 coronavirus makes it necessary to search for drugs for its control. Within of this research it has been known that the ivermectin drug, a FDA-approved drugs which is formulated as an 80:20 mixture of ivermectin B1a and B1b and used commonly for parasitic infections, has an inhibitory effect on viruses, includes SARS-COV-2 at in vitro level. In the particular case of SARS-COV-2 its mechanism of action remains elusive and controversial. Interestingly, the energy of interaction of ivermectin with any of the proteins the SARS-CoV-2 and the possible structural alterations at the protein level that this drug can cause have not been reported. In this sense, we carried out a bioinformatics study with docking strategies and molecular dynamics to predict the binding and disturbance induced by ivermectin in proteins associated with SARS-CoV-2. We use DockThor and Molegro docking scores. The DockThor server and myPresto software were used to build complexes and dynamics studies, respectively. The results obtained suggested that ivermectin is capable of docking with the 3CL protease and the HR2 domain, and may promote structural changes in these proteins by inducing unfolding/folding. Specifically, ivermectin brings protease to a significantly more deployed conformational state and the HR2 domain to a more compact state compared to the native state. Finally, it is shown that B1a and B1b macrocyclic lactones have a behavior different from to each target protein. These results suggest a possible inhibitory effect against SARS-CoV-2 due to a synergistic role of this drug to spontaneously bind to two important proteins involve in the proliferation of this virus. However, more studies are required on this possible mechanism of action.

Soil-borne Trichoderma spp. have been extensively studied for their biocontrol activities against pathogens and growth promotion ability with plants. However, the beneficial effect of Trichoderma on inducing resistance against insect herbivores has been considered only recently. Among diverse Trichoderma species, consistent with previous reports, we showed that root colonization by T. virens triggered induced systemic resistance (ISR) to leaf-infecting fungal pathogens. Whether T. virens induces ISR to insect pests has not been tested before. In this study, we investigated whether T. virens affects jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthesis and defense against fall armyworm (FAW) and western corn rootworm (WCR). Unexpectedly, the results showed that T. virens colonization of maize seedlings grown in autoclaved soil suppressed wound-induced production of JA, resulting in reduced resistance to FAW. Similarly, the bacterial endophyte Pseudomonas chlororaphis 30-84 suppressed systemic resistance to FAW due to reduced JA. Further comparative analyses of the systemic effects of these endophytes when applied into sterile or non-sterile field soil showed that both T. virens and P. chlororaphis 30-84 triggered ISR against hemibiotrophic fungal pathogen Colletotrichum graminicola in both soil conditions, but only suppressed resistance to FAW in sterile soil. In contrast to the effect on FAW defense, T. virens colonization of maize roots suppressed WCR larvae survival and weight gain. This is the first report suggesting the potential role of T. virens as a biocontrol agent against WCR.

The loads generated inside agricultural silos under static and dynamic conditions depend on the mechanical properties of the materials stored inside them. The silo calculation methodologies are based on these mechanical properties. Although it is known that moisture content greatly influences the values reached by these mechanical properties, just few studies have been conducted to determine them. The present work determines the angle of internal friction, the apparent cohesion, the dilatancy angle and the apparent specific weight of wheat when subjected to different moisture contents. Direct shear and oedometer assay devices were used. In addition, a climatic chamber was used to moisten the wheat samples used in this work. The moisture content applied to the samples ranged from 7.5% to 15.5%. From the different assays carried out it could be observed that the values of the angle of internal friction and apparent cohesion obtained from direct shear assays, as well as those related to the apparent specific weight obtained from oedometer assays were like those found in the literature. The apparent specific weight increased as moisture content increased, reaching a peak value at a moisture content of 13.4%, followed by a drop at a moisture content of 15.5%. The values here provided can be used in silo load calculations involving numerical methods.

Background and Objectives: The purpose of this study was to describe and evaluate the bleeding that occurs during the first weeks of gestation and its implications throughout pregnancy. Secondarily, we assessed the associated complications in order to identify potential risk factors that could be used to select women at higher risk of adverse outcomes that could benefit from an early diagnosis and improved monitoring. Materials and Methods: We made a selection of all the women who consulted in the Emergency Department of the Hospital QuirónSalud in Malaga on 2015 presenting with first trimester metrorrhagia. We refer to first trimester metrorrhagia as that which occurs until week 12+6. Once these pregnant women were identified, we studied several variables not related to the gestation and some others associated with it and its natural course. Results: The average age of the patients assessed was 34.1. Associated gestational complications were metrorrhagia in the second trimester (6.3%), threatened preterm labour (7.4%), preeclampsia (2.5%), gestational diabetes (7.4%), late abortion (1.2%) and early postpartum hemorrhage (1.8%). We sought associations to assess possible risk factors, establishing an increased maternal age as an aggravating factor for the development of complications. We also studied gestational complications finding a higher prevalence of them in older women, such as prematurity (33.11 vs 34.48 years), gestational diabetes (33.11 vs 36.06 years) and preeclampsia (33.25 vs 35 years). Conclusions: Maternal age is a risk factor for first-trimester spontaneous miscarriage and for the development of complications of pregnancy. It is crucial to perform a correct screening of different pathologies throughout the pregnancy to anticipate potential complications.

Sars-CoV-2 outbreak represents a public health emergency, affecting different regions of the world. Lung is the organ more damaged due to the high presence of Sars-CoV-2 binding receptor ACE2 on epithelial alveolar cells. Severity of infection vary from absence of symptomatology to be more severe, characterized by acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), multiorgan failure and sepsis requiring treatment in Intensive Care Unit (ICU).It is not still clear why in a small percentage of patients immune system is not able to efficiently suppress viral replication. It has been documented as predictive factors for severity and susceptibility affections of cardiovascular system such as heart failure (HF), coronary heart disease (CHD) and risk factors for atherosclerotic progression, hypertension and diabetes among others.Atherosclerotic progression, as chronic inflammation process, is characterized by immune system dysregulation leading to pro-inflammatory pattern, including (Interleukin 6) IL-6, Tumor Necrosis Factor α (TNF-α) and IL-1β raise. Reviewing immune system and inflammation profiles in atherosclerosis and laboratory results report in severe Sars-CoV-2 infection we have supposed a pathogenetic correlation. Atherosclerosis may be a pathogenetic ideal substrate to high viral replication ability leading to adverse outcomes, how reported in patients with cardiovascular factors. Moreover, level of atherosclerotic progression may impact on a different degree of severe infection and in a vicious circle feeding itself Sars-CoV-2 may exacerbate atherosclerotic progression due to excessive and aberrant plasmatic concentration of cytokines.

We present a very computationally light and fast approximation algorithm and then verify it with genetic algorithm and simulated annealing. We show that our algorithm is on par with GA and SA in terms of output produced while having a tightly bounded time complexity. Our algorithm works best when there is a strong positive correlation between the reliability of a component and its cost. We present two algorithms with the same essence. One of them is system cost bounded and the other is target reliability bounded. Our proposed algorithm works on a subsystem level redundancy instead of component level redundancy.

A hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are the proteinaceous aggregates formed by the amyloid-beta peptide (Aβ) that is deposited inside the brain as amyloid plaques. The accumulation of aggregated Aβ may initiate or enhance pathologic processes in AD. According to the amyloid hypothesis any agent that has the capability to inhibit Aβ aggregation and/or destroy amyloid plaques represents a potential disease modifying drug. In 2023, a humanized IgG1 monoclonal antibody (lecanemab) against the Aβ soluble protofibrils was approved by US FDA for AD therapy thus providing compelling support to the amyloid hypothesis. To acquire a deeper insight on the in vivo Aβ aggregation, various animal models, including aged herbivores and carnivores, non-human primates, transgenic rodents, fish and worms are widely exploited. This review is based on the recent data obtained using transgenic animal AD models and presents experimental verification of the critical role in Aβ aggregation seeding of the interactions between zinc ions, Aβ with the isomerized Asp7 (isoD7- Aβ) and the α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor.

Olympic Games have a huge impact on the cities where they are held, both during the actual celebration of the event and before and after it. This study presents a new approach based on spatial analysis, GIS, and data coming from Location Based Social Networks to model the spatiotemporal dimension of impacts associated with the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Geolocalized data from Twitter are used to analyze the activity pattern of users from two different viewpoints. The first monitors the activity of Twitter users during the event -the arrival of visitors, where they came from, and the use resident and tourist made of different areas of the city. The second assesses the spatiotemporal use of the city by Twitter users before the event, compared to the use during and after the event. The results not only reveal which spaces were the most used while the Games were being held but also changes in the urban dynamics after the Games. Both approaches can be used to assess the impacts of mega-events and to improve the management and allocation of urban resources such as transport and public services infrastructure.

We studied the link between carbon and water fluxes to understand the response of net ecosystem carbon exchange (NEE) to water availability conditions of three different potato water regimes cropping systems [full irrigation (FI), deficit irrigation (DI) and rainfed (RF)]. Through the eddy covariance technique, we measured CO₂ and water vapor exchanges and determined surface resistances, omega factor, and inherent water use efficiency (IWUE). Additionally, continuous plant growth determinations of leaf area index (LAI) and specific leaf area (SLA) were made over the three cropping systems. The RF potato was a net carbon source (NEE = 187.21 ± 3.84 g C m⁻²), while both, FI (NEE= −311.96 ± 12.82 g C m⁻²) and DI (−17.3 ± 4.6 g C m⁻²) were a net carbon sink. Greater sink activity is due to high fluxes of gross primary productivity (GPP) [where the GPP > ecosystem respiration (R_eco)] and evapotranspiration (ET), and the high efficiency in the exchange of carbon and water. Without water limitations, the larger canopy, with greater photosynthetic activity (GPP/R_eco > 2) as well as with low internal resistance offers a greater area for water and carbon exchange, and the highly coupled and synchronized ET – GPP fluxes are primarily controlled by the radiative environment. The lower sink capacity of the DI potato crop and the carbon source activity from the RF, are consequences of a smaller area for water and carbon exchange due to the smaller canopy, and a low IWUE from decoupled and desynchronized carbon and water exchange caused by unbalanced restrictions on ET and GPP fluxes. Specifically, at DI potato, ET remained at a high rate, while GPP was reduced by means of non-stomatal limitations. In the rainfed potato, vapor pressure deficit (VPD) played a significant role increasing midday canopy resistance (Rc) up to 13 times compared to irrigated sites, when VPD was around 0.8 kPa. In consequence, ET and GPP fluxes decreased together, but GPP decreased more than ET because of stomatal and non-stomatal limitations.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) and periodontitis are two chronic diseases that are interconnected. The coexistence of these conditions leads to increased severity of periodontitis and challenges in controlling blood glucose levels in diabetic patients. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate both the influence of periodontal disease and its treatment in patients with DM in terms of a reduction in glycosylated hemoglobin levels at 3 and 6 months after treatment. Methods: A sequential, nonprobabilistic, controlled, prospective and longitudinal case−control study was carried out at the University Dental Clinic of the Morales Meseguer Hospital in Murcia, Spain. Thirty diabetic patients were divided into two groups: patients with periodontitis (test group) and patients without periodontitis (control group). The periodontal and endocrine-metabolic variables were measured at baseline and at 3 and 6 months after periodontal treatment for both groups. Results: Statistically significant differences were found at 3 and 6 months after periodontal treatment with respect to HbA1c levels in the group of periodontal patients. However, these differences were not observed in the control group. Conclusion: The presence of periodontal disease increased HbA1c levels in patients with DM. Nonsurgical periodontal treatment significantly decreased the degree of periodontal inflammation and the HbA1c level at 3 and 6 months after treatment.

The aims of this study are to measure the technical efficiency (TE) of Cambodian household’s rice production and trying to determine its main influencing factors using the stochastic frontier production function. The study utilized primary data collected from 301 rice farmers in three selected districts of Battambang by structured questionnaires. The empirical results indicated the level of household rice output varied according to differences in the efficiency of production processes. The mean TE is 0.34 which means that famers produce 34% of rice at best practice at the current level of production inputs and technology, indicates that rice output has the potential of being increased further by 66% at the same level of inputs if farmers had been technically efficient. Furthermore, between 2013-2015 TE of household’s rice production recorded -14.3% decline rate due to highly affected of drought during dry season of 2015. Moreover, evidence reveals that land, fertilizer, and pesticide are the major influencing input factors of household’s rice production, while disaster, education of household head, family size and other crops’ cultivated area are core influencing factors decreasing TE. Conversely, the main influencing factors increasing TE are irrigated area, number of plot area and sex of household head.

The aims of this study are to measure the technical efficiency (TE) of Cambodian household’s rice production and trying to determine its main influencing factors using the stochastic frontier production function. The study utilized primary data collected from 301 rice farmers in three selected districts of Battambang by structured questionnaires. The empirical results indicated the level of household rice output varied according to differences in the efficiency of the production processes. The mean TE is 0.34 which means that famers produce 34% of rice at best practice at the current level of production inputs and technology, indicates that rice output has the potential of being increased further by 66% at the same level of inputs if farmers had been technically efficient. Furthermore, between 2013-2015, TE of household’s rice production recorded -14.3% decline rate due to highly affected of drought during dry season of 2015. Moreover, evidence reveals that land, fertilizer, and pesticide are the major influencing input factors of household’s rice production, while disaster, education of household head, family size and other crops’ cultivated area are core influencing factors decreasing TE. Conversely, the main influencing factors increasing TE are irrigated area, number of plot area and sex of household head.

The present study aims to measure the technical efficiency and establish core factors effecting rice production in Cambodia. Four-years dataset generated from the central government document “Profile on Economics and Social” of entire 25 provinces between 2012-2015 and the stochastic production frontier model (SFA) was applied. The results indicated that the level of output (quantity) of Cambodian rice production varied according to the different level of capital investment in agricultural machineries, total rice actual harvested area, and technically fertilizers application within provinces. Furthermore, evidence revealed the overall mean efficiency of rice production is 78.4% implies that there is still room to further improve technical efficiency by given the same level of inputs and technology. More importantly, the findings revealed that irrigation, production technique and amount of agricultural supporting staffs are being as the most important influencing factors of rice production’s technical efficiency in Cambodia. In conclusion, present study strongly recommends the development of irrigation systems and good water management practices to be considered and bring into more effective actions by the central government as well as related agencies for improving rice production in Cambodia in addition to capital investment and improving technical skills of supporting staffs and rural farmers.

The emerging whitefly-transmitted crinivirus Tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV) causes substantial economic losses by inducing yellow leaf disorder in tomato crops. This study explores potential resistance mechanisms by examining early-stage molecular responses to ToCV. A time-course transcriptome analysis compared naïve, mock and ToCV-infected plants at 2, 7, and 14 days post-infection (dpi). Gene expression changes were most notable at 2 and 14 dpi, likely corresponding to whitefly feeding and viral infection. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses revealed key genes and pathways associated with ToCV infection, including those related to plant immunity, flavonoids and steroids biosynthesis, photosynthesis, and hormone signalling. Additionally, virus-derived small interfering RNAs (vsRNAs) originating from ToCV predominantly came from RNA2 and were 22 nucleotides in lengt. To confirm these findings, two genes involved in plant immunity, Hsp90 (heat shock protein 90) and its co-chaperone Sgt1 (suppressor of the G2 allele of Skp1) were targeted through viral-induced gene silencing (VIGS), showing potential contribution to basal resistance against viral infections since their reduction correlated with increased ToCV accumulation. This study provides insights into tomato plants responses to ToCV, with potential implications for developing effective disease control strategies.

Wood is poised to become a material of choice for future construction. When appropriately managed, it is a renewable material with unique mechanical properties. Beyond its inherent sustainability, the use of wood has a crucial role in addressing climate change concerns due a significantly lower energy consumption and emissions during manufacturing and transportation, while simultaneously acting as a carbon sink. Thus, there has been a growing demand for hardwoods for structural applications, including Castanea sativa Mill., the focal point of this investigation. Albeit in a limited capacity, Eurocode 5-2 offers friction coefficients for softwoods, but it falls short for hardwoods which it is a gap to bridge with this research. These coefficients play a critical role in numerical simulations involving friction, enabling the optimization of joints and, by extension, the overall structural integrity. Test samples were evaluated at 18% moisture content, which is typical of Service Class 2, for various orientations of timber-to-timber and timber-to-steel friction. Considering previous friction coefficients at 12% moisture content, the linear variation was evaluated at an intermediate value of 15%. The results provide an experimental database for numerical simulations and highlight the influence of moisture content on the coefficients, which increase linearly along moisture percentages.

Cotton is the most ubiquitous and profitable fiber with diverse industrial and domestic applications. Grown in over 100 countries, it has a global market value of about $40 billion and employs over 350 million people from fields to textile mills, contributing about 7% of total labor-force recruitment in developing economies. Cotton has an indeterminate growth habit and an extensive tap root system affected by soil physicochemical and environmental conditions. There is a consensus among experts that conventional cotton cultivation still has a long way to attain sustainability, which is essential if cotton will maintain its competitive edge over other natural and synthetic fibers like hemp, polyesters, and rayon. Despite several efforts already committed to growing cotton sustainably, sustainability has eluded cotton cultivation globally because of the intense farm inputs (freshwater, pesticides, and heavy-duty equipment) needs, especially in developing economies. Some of the technological advancements towards achieving the goal of sustainable cotton cultivation include the development of new varieties, improved irrigation and mulching and precision agriculture techniques, application of remote sensing and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) combined with image processing, and the introduction of autonomous and multi-purpose robotic platforms for growing and harvesting cotton. This review attempts to evaluate the successes already achieved by stakeholders in moving cotton towards sustainable production and identify areas where efforts are still needed to reach sustainable production and improved profitability goals for cotton with projections for future research directions.

Three dietary treatments were assayed in 350 milking Murciano-Granadina multiparous goats in full-lactation: a control diet and two experimental diets, one including flaked linseed (FL) and the other salmon oil (SO). Neither dietary treatment affected the daily milk yield, cheese yield or the physicochemical parameters of the milk and cheese. With regard to the fatty acid profile (FA), the milk and cheese from animals whose diet was supplemented with SO had a higher percentage of fatty acids than those obtained with the FL supplemented diet, except for C18:0, C18:1, C18:2 n-6, trans-9, trans-12 C18:2, cis-9, trans-11 C18:2, C18:3 and C19:0, which reached their highest levels in milk obtained with the diet supplemented with FL. The decrease in the percentage of C16:0 was greater in the milk derived from the FL diet than from the SO diet. The FL supplemented diet improved the nutritional value of milk due to a reduction in saturated fatty acids (SFA) and an increase in polyunsaturated acids (PUFA) and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). The decrease in n-6/n-3 in observed milk was more pronounced with the FL diet. No differences in the sensory profile were found for the milk and cheese derived from the different dietary treatments. Keywords: goat, flaked linseed, salmon oil, fatty acid, sensory profile.

Keywords: olfactory rehabilitation; chronic pain; fMRI;

Background: The receptor activator of the nuclear factor-kB (RANK)/RANK ligand (RANKL)/osteoprotegerin (OPG) pathway is a determining pathway in the balance between bone formation and resorption; disruptions in this complex can affect bone metabolism. Methods: This study analyzed the changes in RANKL, OPG and 25(OH)D levels, the RANKL/OPG ratio, and other bone turnover markers (BTM) from diagnosis to complete remission in children with acute lym-phoblastic leukemia (ALL). This is a prospective observational cohort study. This study was carried out in the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social in Mexico City. Thirty-three patients (4-17 years) with newly diagnosed B-cell ALL were included. The patients were treated with the HP09 chemotherapy protocol. Children who had previously been treated with corticosteroids were excluded. A pe-ripheral blood sample at diagnosis and remission was collected to determine the 25(OH)D and BTM concentrations. Results: Increased RANKL (p=0.001) and osteocalcin (p

In this part of the series of two papers, we extend the theorems discussed in part I for infinite series. We then use these theorems to develop distinct novel results involving the Hurwitz zeta function, Riemann zeta function, Polylogarithm and Fibonacci numbers. In continuation, we obtain some zeros of the newly developed zeta functions and explain their behaviour using plots in complex plane. Furthermore, we provide particular cases for the theorems and corollaries which show that our results generalise the currently available functions and series such as the Riemann zeta function and the geometric series. Finally, we provide four miscellaneous examples to showcase the vast scope of the developed theorems.

Revealing the spatial distribution mechanism of the coupling effect between soil water and salt is essential for managing saline-alkali farmland. This study utilized the multifractal method to analyze soil water and salt under varying water content levels in arid saline-alkali farmland. Soil samples were collected on the second (S1), fifth (S2), eighth (S3), eleventh (S4), and fourteenth (S5) days after a rainfall event. The findings showed that a significant decrease in soil water content, contrasting with an increase in soil salt content throughout the soil layers post-rainfall. As water content decreased, the spatial variability of soil water initially increased from S1-3 and then decreased, while the spatial variability of soil salt decreased. The spatial distribution between soil water and salt exhibited a high correlation at S3-4 (with relative water content of soil ranging from 0.52 to 0.75) due to their coupling effect. However, soil salt was unevenly leached by rainfall at high water content levels (S1-2) and precipitated at low water content levels (S5), resulting in low spatial variability correlations between soil water and salt. This study elucidated the coupling process of soil water and salt, identifying their spatiotemporal distribution mechanism in dryland agricultural areas.

We study the propagation of a particular field that we call Gaussian-top-hat that presents self-focusing and maintains its shape for some propagation distances.

More than 20 years after the discovery of the first anelloviruses (AVs), they still remain a mysterious group of viruses. To date, there is no clear understanding of their impact on the host organism, although information is emerging about their participation in various pathologies. However, it is well known that AVs are an important component of the human virome. In the current study we assessed the abundance of AVs in viromes from four nasal and pharyngeal samples from children with respiratory symptoms using a metagenomic approach. It is worth noting that three patients had known respiratory viruses and one did not have any. Regarding AVs, they were detected in all samples, namely Torque teno mini virus (TTMV). The greatest abundance and diversity of AVs (Torque teno virus (TTV), TTMV and Torque teno midi virus (TTMDV)) were shown in a diseased patient with an absence of respiratory viruses, which may indicate the potential involvement of AVs in the maintenance of respiratory symptoms. An activated immune system to combat the main pathogens, against the background of which the number of AVs decreases, is discussed as a possible reason for the reduced diversity of anellome in other patients. We also compared the results of the metagenomic approach and qPCR for major respiratory viruses, which were in agreement. In addition, metagenomic sequencing made it possible to obtain additional data on viral genomes in order to establish their taxonomic identification and characterize individual viral profiles in patients from the Siberian part of Russia.

Electrospun ultrathin fibers based on binary compositions of polylactide (PLA) and poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) with different ratios of polymer components from 0/100 to 100/0 wt. % were studied. Using a combination of thermal (DSC) and relaxation (EPR) measurements, the effect of biopolymers content on the characteristics of the crystal structure of PLA and PCL and the diffusive rotational mobility of the stable TEMPO radical in the amorphous regions of PLA/PCL compositions was shown. It was revealed that after PLA and PCL blending, significant changes in the degree of crystallinity of PLA, PCL segmental mobility, sorption capacity of the radical as well as activation energy of rotational diffusion in the amorphous regions of PLA/PCL composition are observed. The characteristic region of biopolymers’ composition from 50/50 to 30/70 % PLA/PCL blends ratio was found, where the inversion transition of PLA from dispersive medium to dispersive phase where an inversion transition is assumed when the continuous medium of the PLA transforms into a discrete phase. The performed studies made it possible for the first time to carry out a comprehensive analysis of the effect of the system component ratio on the structural and dynamic characteristics of the PLA/PCL film material at the molecular level.

The overall cost of a hydropower plant is mainly due to the expenses for civil works, mechanical equipment (turbine and control units) and electrical components. The goal of a new draft tube design is to obtain a geometry that reduces investment costs, especially the excavation ones, but the primary driver is to increase the overall machine efficiency allowing for reduced payback time. In the present study, an optimization study of the elbow-draft tube assembly of a Kaplan turbine was conducted. A CFD model for the complete turbine has been developed and validated; next, an optimization of the draft tube alone was performed using a Design of Experiments technique; finally, several optimum solutions for the draft tube were obtained using a Response Surface technique aiming at maximizing pressure recovery and minimizing flow losses. A selection of optimized geometries was subsequently post-checked using the validated model of the entire turbine and a detailed flow analysis on the obtained results could make it possible to provide insight into the improved designs. It was observed that efficiency could be improved by 1% (in relative terms), and the mechanical power increased by 1,8% (in relative terms) with respect to the baseline turbine.

A method for infrared and cameras sensor fusion, applied to indoor positioning in intelligent spaces, is proposed in this work. The fused position is obtained with a maximum likelihood estimator from infrared and camera independent observations. Specific models are proposed for variance propagation from infrared and camera observations (phase shifts and image respectively) to their respective position estimates and to the final fused estimation. Model simulations are compared with real measurements in a setup designed to validate the system. The difference between theoretical prediction and real measurements is between 0.4 cm (fusion) and 2.5 cm (camera), within a 95% confidence margin. The positioning precision is in the cm level (sub-cm level can be achieved at most tested positions) in a 4x3 m locating cell with 5 infrared detectors on the ceiling and one single camera, at distances from target up to 5 m and 7 m respectively. Due to the low cost system design and the results observed, the system is expected to be feasible and scalable to large real spaces.

The study of coordination practices in health policy and, especially in emergency situations is a central aspect. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for further research on such practices, especially those that are deployed in complex and unforeseen situations to respond quickly while minimising errors. These dialogic coordination practices (DP) have been identified through case studies but have not been validated. The purpose of this study is to develop and validate a DP questionnaire for healthcare teams. The development of the items was based on a literature review and the content validation was carried out by means of a Delphi study. A total of 10 experts assessed the clarity and appropriateness of the items and their corresponding measurement scales. Consensus was reached after the second round, with a percentage of agreement greater than or equal to 90% for all items. The validation of these items constitutes a methodological innovation that responds to the call in the literature to open up new avenues for comparative studies, the possibility of generalising the findings obtained and the possibility of bringing together different approaches to the problem of coordination, key in health policy.

The ability of S. aureus to infect humans and cause a wide range of infections so efficiently is a consequence of the many variant virulence factors that it can produce. Superantigens (SAgs) make up a group of them and include staphylococcal enterotoxins (SE). The main objective of this study was to detect enterotoxin gene cluster (EGC) in S. aureus isolates that caused infections in Paraguayan children in the year 2017, through an observational and cross-sectional study. The detection of the EGC including the seg, sei, sem, sen, seo, and seu genes, was carried out by end-point PCR. 181 S. aureus isolates were collected, most of them caused skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI, n=140, 77%) and came from children under 6 years 50% (n=90). At least one SE gene was detected in 96% (174/181) of isolates and 24% (44/181) carried the entire EGC. An association between methicillin resistance and seg, sei, seo, and seu gene carriage (p ≤0.05) was observed. A high prevalence of EGC was detected in S. aureus isolates collected from infected children attending the main health care centers in Paraguay, its importance is due to the potential of these toxins to aggravate staphylococcal infections.

We present an attempt to estimate the long-term changes of Relative Sea Level (RSL) and the different factors contributing to such trends on a local and regional scale using a statistical linear model. The time series analysed correspond to 17 tide-gauges grouped in three different areas: the northern and western Atlantic coasts of the Iberian Peninsula, the Canary Islands, and the southern and eastern coasts of the Iberian Peninsula and Balearic Islands. The analysis was performed for two periods: 1948-2019, using tide-gauge data, and 1993-2019, using both tide-gauge and altimetry data for comparison. The trends for the period 1948-2019 ranged between 1.09 0.14 (Canary Islands) and 2.05 0.21 mm/yr, for the northern and western Atlantic Iberian Peninsula. Altimetry data during the period 1993-2019 yielded quite homogeneous results for all the locations and regions, ranging between 2.7 0.4 and 3.0 0.3 mm/yr. On the contrary, the results obtained from tide-gauge data for this recent period showed a large dispersion, very likely due to local effects or even levelling or instrumental errors. Nevertheless, when the results were averaged for each area, the observed trends were comparable to the altimetry results, with values of 2.3 0.8, 2.7 0.5 and 2.8 0.8 mm/yr for the three regions of study. A stepwise forward linear regression has been used to relate the observed RSL variability to the atmospheric forcing and the thermosteric and halosteric components of the sea level. Surprisingly, the thermosteric and halosteric contributions were not significantly correlated to the observed RSL in many cases, and consequently the steric, the total addition of mass, the mass of salt, and the freshwater contributions to the observed sea level trends could not be reliably estimated. This result seems to be the consequence of the scarcity of temperature and salinity data. This hypothesis is confirmed by the exception of L’Estartit tide-gauge. This location is close to a well sampled region. In this case, the atmospheric variables and the thermosteric and halosteric terms explained the 80 % of the observed RSL variance and the contributions of these terms could be estimated. The freshwater contribution for this location was between 1.3 and 1.4 mm/yr, consistent with recent estimations of the contributions of glaciers and Greenland and Antarctica Ice Sheets. These results highlight the importance of monitoring programs and routine sampling for the determination of the different factors contributing to the sea level variability.

This paper analyses the application of deep learning techniques for predicting wave overtopping events in port environments using sea state and weather forecasts as inputs. The study was conducted in the outer port of Punta Langosteira, A Coruña, Spain. A video recording infrastructure was installed to monitor overtopping events from 2015 to 2022, identifying 3709 overtopping events. The data collected was merged with actual and predicted data for the sea state and weather conditions during the overtopping events, creating three datasets. We used these datasets to create several machine learning models to predict whether an overtopping event would occur based on sea state and weather conditions. The final models achieved a high accuracy level during the training and testing stages: 0.81, 0.73, and 0.84 average accuracy during training and 0.67, 0.48, and 0.86 average accuracy during testing, respectively. The results of this study have significant implications for port safety and efficiency, as wave overtopping events can cause disruptions and potential damage. Using deep learning techniques for overtopping prediction can help port managers take preventative measures and optimize operations, ultimately improving safety and helping to minimize the economic impact that overtopping events have on the port's activities.

“De-[Constructing] Growth” is offered as a deeper and more useful conceptualization that avoids the negative connotations of, and resistance to, “degrowth” by decoupling profit from unsustainable consumption, production, and inequality.

The major auxin, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), is associated with a plethora of growth and developmental processes including embryo development, expansion growth, cambial activity, and the induction of lateral root growth. Accumulation of the auxin precursor indole-3-acetamide (IAM) induces stress related processes by stimulating abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis. How IAM signaling is controlled is, at present, unclear. Here, we characterize an ami1/rooty double mutant, that we initially generated to study the metabolic and phenotypic consequences of a genetic blockade of the indole glucosinolate and IAM pathways in Arabidopsis thaliana. Our mass spectrometric analyses of the mutant revealed that the combination of the two mutations is not sufficient to fully prevent the conversion of IAM to IAA. The detected strong accumulation of IAM was, however, recognized to substantially impair seed development. We further show by genome-wide expression studies that the double mutant is broadly affected in its translational capacity, and that a small number of cell proliferation and plant growth regulating transcriptional circuits are repressed by the high IAM content in the seed. In accordance with the previously described growth reduction in response to elevated IAM levels, our data support the hypothesis that IAM is a growth repressing counterpart to IAA.

A scientific consensus is emerging on the benefits of dc distribution in medium voltage power systems of ships and cities. At least 50% space savings and increased power transfer capacity are estimated with enhanced voltage dc operation of electric cables. The goal of this research is to contribute to developing the empirical knowledge on the insulation performance in order to validate the feasibility of such anticipated gains of dc versus ac, and to determine the comparative impact of different operational conditions from a component engineering point of view. The partial discharge (PD) activity in cables is measured under ac and dc conditions as an indicator of insulation performance. Specifically, PDs in defects at the semicon-insulation interface are studied in terms of inception voltage, repetition rate and discharge magnitude. Empirical understanding is drawn for operating voltage and frequency dependence of the discharge behavior in such voids in the range of 10 to 20\,kV and 0 to 0.1\,Hz, respectively. The change in PD activity with void evolution is explored.

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.

Background: The practice of self-medication is common worldwide and is an important component of medical self-care. However, the practice can be dangerous and is linked to various risks for the patients and the entire community. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and factors associated with self-medication among Bangladeshi adults. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between April and June 2021 among Bangladeshi adults (aged &gt;19 years) using convenient sampling. A total of 1320 data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a standardized questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with self-medication practice (SMP). Results: Overall, 41% of adults in our survey reported SMP. The most common illnesses that prompted SMP were common cold/flu (66.4%), gastric problems (65%), and headache (64.4%). The most frequent reasons for SMP were to get better services (30.59%), perceive SMP without side effects (23.28%), and save time with effectiveness (14.56%). Potential risk factors included 10 years (AOR = 1.91; 95% CI: 1.04 - 3.50) and &gt;12 years of schooling (AOR = 5.03; 95% CI: 2.27 - 11.15), being a businessman (AOR = 4.64; 95% CI: 1.74 - 12.37), having ≤6 family members (AOR = 2.13; 95% CI: 1.40 - 3.24), being a member of a social group (AOR = 1.53; 95% CI: 1.10 - 2.12), a health status check after every six months (AOR = 1.52; 95% CI: 1.08 - 2.13), and current ill-health (AOR = 1.41; 95% CI: 1.06 - 1.87). Protective factors identified included ≤30 years of age (AOR = 0.40; 95% CI: 0.17 - 0.93), and practice of modern (AOR = 0.39; 95% CI: 0.22- 0.69) and herbal (AOR = 0.45; 95% CI: 0.21- 0.97) healing types. Conclusion: More than one-third of the study participants reported practicing self-medication. Increasing the community’s awareness of the extreme consequences of SMP and not just the average experience might sway individuals away from SMP, and implementing strict jurisdiction could be a way to minimize the SMP.

The paper presents a method to assess the effect of electrolyte additives on the energy capacity of Pb-acid batteries. The method applies to any chemically unreactive additive, including suspensions and gels. The approach is thermodynamically based and it leads to the definition of a region of admissible concentrations –the battery’s admissible range– where the battery can undergo an indefinite number of charge/discharge cycles without suffering permanent damage. An experimental procedure to determine this range is presented. The obtained results provide a way to assess the potential of electrolyte additives to improve the energy capacity of Pb-acid batteries. The same results also provide a means to determine the additive concentration that produces the maximum energy capacity increase of the battery. The paper closes with an example of application of the proposed approach to a practical case.

Biodiversity has become an issue of global anxiety over the past decades due to its rapid decline worldwide. Bangladesh as one of the most densely populated countries in the world is no more exception. The country, although, was once very rich in biodiversity, during the last few decades as a consequence of the rapid reduction in forest area, urbanisation, habitat modification, unsustainable natural resources use and collection and overall climate change it has decreased alarmingly. Of late, the government, as a signatory of various regional and international conservation treaties, has taken various initiatives to improve country’s dwindling biodiversity. This paper reviews the present situation of biodiversity in Bangladesh, management trends and major causes of biodiversity loss. A separate statutory body is fundamental to ensure conservation, sustainable use and equitable sharing of benefits arisen from biodiversity in the country.

To improve efficacy and safety of sunscreen emulsions, UV‐filter skin permeation could be kept as low as possible by reducing UV‐filter content or changing emulsion composition. In this work, different lipid phase ratio (12, 14 and 16% w/w) were assessed for their ability to affect the technological and sensory properties of O/W emulsions in which bemotrizinol (BMTZ), a broad spectrum sunscreen agent, was incorporated free or loaded into nanostructured lipid nanocarriers (NLC) to reduce its release from the vehicle and, hence, its skin permeation. The following technological properties were evaluated in vitro by suitable methodologies: spreadability, viscosity, pH, occlusion factor, BMTZ release, sun protection factor (SPF). Sensory attributes were assessed by trained panelists in three different phases: before/during pick‐up, rub‐in, after application. Raising the lipid phase ratio led to an increase of viscosity and to a corresponding drop of spreadability while the incorporation of BMTZ‐loaded NLC determined a decrease of occlusion factor and an increase of SPF. No BMTZ release was observed from all emulsions. Sensory attributes were mainly affected by lipid phase ratio. These results suggest that lipid phase ratio and BMTZ incorporation into NLC could contribute to determine technological and sensory properties of O/W emulsions.

Precise monitoring of individual crop growth and health status is crucial for precision agriculture practices. However, traditional manual inspection methods are time-consuming, labor-intensive, and often lack the spatial resolution required for detailed analysis. This research addresses the need for efficient and high-resolution crop monitoring by leveraging Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) imagery and advanced computational techniques. The primary objective was to develop a methodology for precise identification, extraction, and monitoring of individual corn crops throughout their growth cycle. This was achieved by integrating UAV-derived data with image processing, computational geometry, and machine learning techniques. UAV imagery was ac-quired bi-weekly at altitudes of 40m and 70m, capturing the entire growth cycle of a corn crop from planting to harvest. A time-series Canopy Height Model (CHM) was generated by analyzing the differences between the Digital Terrain Model (DTM) and the Digital Surface Model (DSM) derived from the UAV data. Local spatial analysis and image processing techniques were em-ployed to determine the local maximum height of each crop. Subsequently, a Voronoi data model was developed to delineate individual crop canopies, successfully identifying 13,000 out of 13,050 corn crops in the study area. For enhanced accuracy in canopy size delineation, vegetation indices were incorporated into the Voronoi model segmentation, refining the initial canopy area esti-mates by eliminating interference from soil and shadows. The proposed methodology enables precise estimation and monitoring of crop canopy size, height, biomass reduction, lodging, and stunted growth over time, providing valuable insights for precision agriculture practices. This work contributes to the scientific community by demonstrating the potential of integrating UAV technology, computational geometry, and machine learning for accurate and efficient crop mon-itoring at the individual plant level.

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

In this study, we address the formidable challenge of solving large-scale Max-Cut problems (MCP). We introduce a rapid computational procedure utilizing a hybrid 1-flip/r-flip local search heuristic. This innovative strategy significantly reduces the computational time required for MCP problems while consistently generating solutions of exceptional quality. The paper presents substantial computational insights, showcasing the effectiveness of our approach on very-large-scale Max-Cut instances with varying densities. Our proposed heuristic is rigorously evaluated by comparing its performance against a quantum annealing solver, leveraging a multi-start Tabu Search framework. The results underscore the potency of this unique combination as an efficient and effective solution for large-scale QUBO problems. Notably, our hybrid heuristic consistently delivers high-quality solutions within the stringent CPU time limits of 600 seconds, demonstrating its efficacy across Max-Cut instances ranging from 10,000 to 40,000 variables. This research contributes to advancing the state-of-the-art in large-scale QUBO problem-solving, offering a powerful and time-efficient approach with broad applicability.

This paper proposes two max-pooling engines, named the RTB-MAXP engine and the CMB-MAXP engine, with a scalable window size parameter for FPGA-based convolutional neural network (CNN) implementation. The max-pooling operation for the CNN can be decomposed into two stages, i.e., a horizontal axis max-pooling operation and a vertical axis max-pooling operation. These two one-dimensional max-pooling operations are performed by tracking the rank of the values within the window in the RTB-MAXP engine and cascading the maximum operations of the values in CMB-MAXP engine. Both the RBM-MAXP engine and the CMB-MAXP engine were implemented using VHSIC Hardware Description Language (VHDL) and verified by simulations. They have been employed for and tested in our CNN accelerator targeting at the CNN model YOLOv4-CSP-S-Leaky for object detection.

The paper focuses on the application of a multilevel, integrative and territorial approach to the protection of cultural heritage through planning instruments in Serbia. It points out the problems of the sectoral approach and discusses international recommendations that can be integrated into the planning methodology. The case study is the area of Djerdap National Park, which has an already established international and national importance. The research suggests that the cultural heritage in the area, with the exception of the Roman limes, is still recognized at the level of individual localities. The study emphasizes the importance of aligning all levels of governance to safeguard the whole spatial entity rather than focusing solely on its particular areas. The interna-tional and national importance of the planning area contributes to the strengthening of awareness of heritage and its institutional protection. However, the vitality of the area, which is key to its sustainable development, comes from the local level. Planning documents contribute to the inte-gration of local values and local communities into development programs and projects.

Glycosidic linkage analysis was conducted on the unfractionated polysaccharides in the alcohol-insoluble residues (AIRs) prepared from six red seaweeds (Gracilariopsis sp., Prionitis sp., Mastocarpus papillatus, Callophyllis sp., Mazzaella splendens, and Palmaria palmata) using GC-MS/FID analysis of partially methylated alditol acetates (PMAAs). The cell walls of P. palmata primarily contained mixed-linkage xylans and small amounts of sulfated galactans and cellulose. In contrast, the unfractionated polysaccharides of the other five species were rich in galactans displaying diverse 3,6-anhydro-galactose and galactose linkages with varied sulfation patterns. Different levels of cellulose were also observed. This glycosidic linkage method offers advantages for cellulose analysis over traditional monosaccharide analysis that is known for underrepresenting glucose in crystalline cellulose. Relative linkage compositions calculated from GC-MS and GC-FID measurements showed that anhydro sugar linkages generated more response in the latter detection method. This improved linkage workflow presents a useful tool for studying polysaccharide structural variations across red seaweed species. Furthermore, for the first time, relative linkage compositions from GC-MS and GC-FID measurements, along with normalized FID and total ion current (TIC) chromatograms without peak assignments, were analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA) as a proof-of-concept demonstration of the technique's potential to differentiate various red seaweed species.

This study presents the synthesis and electrochemical evaluation of nitrogen-doped vanadium oxide (N-V2O3/C) as a cathode material for aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs), using a hydrothermal method. Compared to undoped V2O3/C, N-V2O3/C exhibits enhanced electrical conductivity, capacity, and electrochemical kinetics, attributed to the incorporation of pyridinic and pyrrolic nitrogen. Initial charge-discharge cycles indicate phase transitions to amorphous vanadium oxides, enhancing conductivity. N-V2O3/C shows a high specific capacity of 168.4 mAh g−1 at 10 A g−1 and remarkable reversibility, highlighted by the transient existence of intermediate species during cycling. Optimal electrochemical performance is achieved with a vanadium to nitrogen molar ratio of 2:3, indicating the significant impact of nitrogen doping concentration on the material’s efficiency. This work underscores the potential of N-V2O3/C as a superior cathode material for AZIBs.

Using density functional theory (DFT), the density of states of NH4V3O8 (NVO) was analyzed pre and post-oxygen defects (Od) formation. The findings revealed a reduced bandgap in NVO after Od introduction, emphasizing the role of Od in enhancing conductivity of the material, thus improving its electrochemical attributes. Through the water bath method, both NVO and its oxygen-deficient counterpart, (NH4)2V10O25⸱8H2O (NVOd), were synthesized as potential cathode materials for aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs). Experimental outcomes resonated with DFT predictions, highlighting the beneficial role of oxygen defects in boosting electrical conductivity. Notably, the refined material displayed a remarkable capacity of 479.3 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1, underscoring its promise for advanced energy storage solutions.

A total of 473 metabolites were identified from 4 sour cherry genotypes using UPLC-TOF-MS. Untargeted metabolomics revealed the dominant chemical groups present in sour cherries. PCA showed that the diversity in sour-cherry metabolites was due to the genotype differences indicating iditol, malic acid, chlorobenzene, 2-mercaptobenzothiazole, and pyroglutamic acid as the predominant contributors. The variable importance in the projection (VIP &gt; 1.0) in partial least-squares–discriminant analysis described 20 biomarker metabolites, representing the cherry metabolome profiles. A heatmap of Pearson’s correlation analysis between the 20 biomarker metabolites and antioxidant activities identified seven antioxidant determinants that displayed the highest correlations with different types of antioxidant activities. This study of correlating metabolomics and antioxidant activities elucidated that the higher nutritional value and biological functions of select sour cherry genotypes can be useful for the development of nutraceutical and functional foods.

Meningitis is a severe disease associated with death in children under five with highest rates of infections under age of one. Vaccines for Neisseria meningitides and Haemophilus influenza are used to prevent the main causative agents of meningitis. Administration of H. influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine is recommended at 2, 4 and 6 months with a booster dose at 18 months. N. meningitidis has two commercially available vaccines, the pure polysaccharide is recommended at 24 months meanwhile the protein-conjugated vaccines at 12 months. We sought in this study to examine if coadministering the vaccines for the two main meningitis causing bacteria might be synergistic as a preliminary step towards the possibility of shuffling immunization schedule. So, we coadministered Hib vaccine with commercially available vaccines either quadrate (ACWY) polysaccharide meningococcal (Men) or conjugated meningococcal (Nim) vaccines in Balb/C mice (n = 6/group) and compared to each vaccine administered separately and controls. Thirty-five days post immunization, we measured specific antibodies titers. Hib vaccine increased Men antibody titers significantly for serotypes Y and W. When Hib vaccine was coadministrated with Nim, antibody titer for Y, W and A significantly increased. For serotype C, there was no significant difference in antibody titers among immunized groups. As for effect of meningococcal vaccines on Hib, Men significantly increased Hib antibody titers while Nim had no effect. Collectively, our data suggested that coadministration of Hib and Men or Nim vaccines was safe and had synergistic effect on immune responses elicited to both vaccines. Further studies are needed before immunization schedule modifications. Such immunization schedule recommendation should provide better protection against this life-threatening disease in young children.

Background and Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the bleeding that occurs during the first weeks of gestation and its implications throughout pregnancy. Secondarily, we studied the associated complications that appeared and tried to identify possible risk factors that could serve to select women at a greater risk of adverse outcomes that could benefit from an early diagnosis and improved monitoring. Materials and Methods: We selected all the women who consulted for first trimester metrorrhagia in the Emergency Department of the Hospital QuirónSalud in Malaga over the year 2015. We refer to first trimester metrorrhagia as that which occurs until week 12+6. Once the pregnant women were identified, we studied certain risk factors already present prior to the gestation and others associated with the gestation and its evolution. Results: After reviewing the visits to the obstetrics and gynecology emergency department, we selected those patients that met the inclusion criteria, resulting in a sample of 696 patients that we followed up. The average age of our patients was 34.1 years, with an average number of visits to the hospital of 1.67, most of them between the 5th and 8th weeks of pregnancy. 45.3% of these pregnancies resulted in a first trimester miscarriage, mainly between weeks 6 and 8. We tried to establish associations in order to identify possible risk factors, finding a relationship between increased maternal age and a higher risk of first trimester pregnancy loss, which rises as maternal age increases (33,37 4,316 years vs 35,01 4,740 years). This increase in risk is proportional to the increase in age. We made subgroups of women over 35 and over 40 and confirmed that increased age led to worse outcomes. We also studied several gestational complications and concluded that they appeared more frequently among older women. These complications include prematurity (33.11 vs 34.48 years), gestational diabetes (33.11 vs 36.06 years) and preeclampsia (33.25 vs 35 years). We reviewed the obstetric history of pregnant women whose gestation resulted in miscarriage and found that 50.5% of them had previously had another loss. Conclusions: Comparing the results with data from the general population, we found that the rate of first trimester miscarriage is up to 3 times higher among women who present bleeding during the first weeks of gestation compared to those who do not develop this complication. Maternal age is a risk factor for first trimester pregnancy loss and for the development of complications associated with pregnancy.

The study aimed to evaluate the association between the changes in ventilatory variables (tidal volume (Vt), respiratory rate (RR), and lung ventilation (VE)) and deoxygenation of m.intescostales (∆SmO2-m.intercostales) during a maximal incremental exercise in nineteen male competitive marathon runners. The ventilatory variables and oxygen-consumption (VO2) were recorded breath-by-breath by exhaled gas analysis. A near-infrared spectroscopy device (MOXY) located in the right-hemithorax allowed recording SmO2-m.intercostales. To explore changes in oxygen levels in muscles with high demand during exercise, a second MOXY records SmO2-m.vastus laterallis. The triphasic model of exercise intensity was used for evaluating changes in SmO2 in both muscle groups. We found that ∆SmO2-m.intercostales correlated with VO2-peak (r=0.65; p=0.002) and the increase of VE (r=0.78; p=0.001), RR (r=0.54; p=0.001), but not Vt (p=0.210). The interaction of factors (muscles X exercise-phases) in SmO2 expressed as an arbitrary unit (a.u) was significant (p=0.005). At VT1 were no difference (p=0.177), but SmO2-m.intercostales was higher at VT1 (p&lt;0.001) and VO2-peak (p&lt;0.001). In competitive marathon runners, the m.intercostales deoxygenation during incremental exercise is directly associated with the aerobic capacity and increased lung ventilation and respiratory rate, but not tidal volume. Besides, it shows less deoxygenation than m.vastus laterallis at intensities above the aerobic ventilatory threshold.