Microfluidic systems offer precise control over physiological, biochemical, and mechanical stimuli in cell culture, allowing in vitro emulation of tissue or tumor microenvironments. This study aims to advance our understanding of tumor biology and contribute to personalized therapy development. Overcoming challenges in cell culture, including cell density and microfluidic device properties, is essential for this purpose. We designed a microfluidic system to facilitate the interaction of diverse cell lineages, incorporating human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBEC5i), glioblastoma multiforme cells (U87MG), and astrocytes (ScienceCells 1800). Post-fabrication, we assessed the system's functionality and systematically evaluated cell inoculation conditions. Photographic acquisitions comprehensively captured cell culture and their interactions. The device successfully enabled assessment of cellular proliferation, invasion, and migration, supporting the growth of monolayers and tumor organoids. Importantly, each channel demonstrated independence in study processes while allowing cellular intercommunication, both physically and biochemically. In conclusion, the functional microfluidic device facilitated the study of cell migration, tumor invasion, and organoid growth, faithfully replicating biological features observed in a tumor microenvironment. This research contributes to advancing our understanding of tumor biology for the development of personalized therapies.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of an Athletic Performance Program, performed in addition to teams’ regular training routines, on match performance variables in professional football players. Twenty-nine professional football players (age=27.21±4.95 years; body mass=79.56±5.21 kg) of the Spanish First Division (LaLiga) underwent a 10-week training program focused on the development of mobility, stability, strength, and multidirectional running skills. The APP included 5 indoor sessions per week and on-field micro-dosing stimulus in addition to regular training practices. Match performance variables obtained with GPS devices during official matches and jump performance were measured before and after the APP. The APP increased peak running speed (31.1±1.4 vs 32.1±1.0 km/h, P < 0.001, d=1.88), the number of sprints (0.14±0.03 vs 0.16±0.03 sprint/min, P< 0.001, d=1.44) and the sprint distance (6.45±1.43 vs 8.35±1.22 m/min P< 0.001, d=2.49) during the matches. The intervention also increased countermovement jump height (34.1±2.7vs 35.8±2.5 cm, P< 0.001, d=2.20). The APP was effective to improve intense actions during competitive match play in professional football players. Strength and conditioning coaches may consider the use of multicomponent physical training programs included in the usual training week to enhance players’ match running at high intensity.

By analyzing the urban landscape, this investigation focuses on commercial typologies in historical urban areas and its relationship with the urban landscape and its heritage values. Trade plays an essential role in historical urban areas, both in the past and in the present, since it is part of the urban landscape—creating it and modifying it, but also preserving it. Historical protected urban areas contain diverse elements reflecting the impacts of commercial activities that have existed in cities throughout history. At present, the urban landscape of commercial activity is made up of a multiplicity of typologies and formats which interact with the historical landscape and its values, using them to strengthen its strategies of attraction, differentiation, and sales. Shop owners contribute to the preservation of historic urban areas by maintaining the commercial functions within them. Therefore, we affirm that the role of commercial activity in the preservation of urban protected areas is essential. However, further research is needed because this aspect has not been addressed in depth by the scientific community specializing in the management of cultural heritage.

Seafood is considered one of the main food allergen sources by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). It comprises several distinct groups of edible aquatic animals including fish and shellfish such as crustacean and mollusks. Recently the EFSA recognized the high risk of food allergy over the world and established the necessity of developing new methodologies for its control. Consequently, accurate, sensitive and fast detection methods for seafood allergy control and detection in food products are highly recommendable. In this work, we present a comprehensive review of the applications of the proteomics methodologies for the detection and quantification of seafood allergens. For that, two consecutive proteomics strategies (Discovery and Targeted Proteomics) applied for the study and control of seafood allergy are reviewed in detail. In addition, future directions and new perspectives were also provided.

High purity TiO2 and CuO powders were synthesized by the Pechini method, an inexpensive and easy-to-implement procedure to synthetize metal oxides. The variables of synthesis were the ethylene glycol:citric acid molar ratio and the pH. High reproducibility of the anatase and tenorite phase was obtained for all synthesis routes. The degree of purity of the powders was confirmed by XRD, FTIR, UV-vis absorption and XPS spectra. SEM and TEM images revealed the powders are composed by micrometer grains that can have a spherical shape (only in the TiO2) or formed by a non-compacted nanocrystalline conglomerate. FTIR spectra only vibrational modes associated to the TiO2 or CuO with a nanoparticle behavior. UV-vis absorption spectra revealed the values of maximum absorbance percentage of both systems are reached in the ultraviolet region, with percentages above 83 % throughout the entire visible light spectrum for the CuO system, a relevant result for solar cell applications. Finally, XPS experiments allow the observation of the valence bands and the calculation of the energy bands of all oxides.

Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon) is a medium-size carnivore that in Europe is restricted to Iberia. The bio-ecology of this species remains to be elucidated in several dimensions, including gut microbiota that is nowadays recognized as a fundamental component of mammals. In this work, we investigated the gut microbiota of this herpestid by single-molecule real-time sequencing of twenty paired male (n=10) and female (n=10) intestinal samples. This culture-independent approach enabled microbial profiling based on 16S rDNA and investigation of taxonomical and functional features. The core gut microbiome of the adult subpopulation was dominated by Firmicutes, Fusobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Proteobacteria. Eight genera were uniquely found in adults and five in non-adults. When comparing gut bacterial communities across sex, four genera were exclusive of females and six uniquely found in males. Despite these compositional distinctions, alpha- and beta-diversity analyses showed no statistically significant differences across sex or between adult and non-adult specimens. However, males presented a significantly higher abundance of amino acid and citrate cycle metabolic pathways, compared to the significant overrepresentation in females of galactose’ metabolic pathways. Adults showed a significantly higher abundance of cationic antimicrobial peptide resistance pathways, while non-adults bared a significant overrepresentation of two-component systems associated with antibiotic synthesis, flagellin production and chemotaxis control. This study adds new insights into mongoose bio-ecology palette, highlighting taxonomical and functional microbiome dissimilarities across sex and age classes, possibly related to primary production resources and life-history traits that impact on behavior, diet and gut ecosystem.

In this work, we propose an easy and a low cost method for the synthesis of Nitrogen-Doped Graphene NDG and its silver nanowires NW functionalization NWGN. The synthesis was performed using the improved graphene oxide method, chemical reduction of graphene oxide in the presence of caffeine as green nitrogen source and the subsequently the silver nanowires growth in the surface, by the chemical reductions salts in the presence of NG. Achieving a homogeneous growing (coating) of graphene sheets. The samples were analyzed using conventional characterization techniques: SEM-EDX, XRD, FT-IR, RAMAN, TEM, HRTEM, STEM and XPS.

Socks with the same three-dimensional plantar design, but with different compositions in the separation of their weaves could have different thermoregulatory effects. The objective of this study was therefore to evaluate the temperatures on the sole of the foot after a 10-km run, using two models of socks with different weave separations. In a sample of 20 individuals (14 men and 6 women), plantar temperatures were analysed using a Flir E60bx® (Flir Systems) thermographic camera before and after a run of 10 km wearing two models of socks that had different separations between the fabric weaves (5 mm versus 3 mm). After the post-exercise thermographic analysis, the participants responded to a Likert type survey to evaluate the physiological characteristics of the two models of socks. There was a significant increase in temperature in the areas of interest (p&lt;0.001) after the 10-km run with both models of sock. The temperature under the 1st metatarsal head was higher with the AWC 2.1 model than with the AWC 1 (33.6±2.0°C vs 33.2±2.1°C) (p = 0.014). No significant differences were found in the scores on the physiological characteristics comfort survey (p&gt;0.05 in all cases. The two models presented similar thermoregulatory effects on the soles of the feet, although the model with the narrowest weave separation generated greater temperatures (+0.4°C) under the first metatarsal head.

The IRRESISTIBLE Project (FP7, Grant 612367) had the aim of involving teachers, students and the public in the discussion on Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI), promoting both the construction of knowledge on cutting-edge (and controversial) research topics and the discussion about the criteria that these research/innovation processes should respect in order to be considered as responsible. These criteria also represent a strong contribution to a more sustainable future for all. This quantitative research evaluates the impact of IRRESISTIBLE’s student-curated exhibitions – about the RRI dimensions of cutting-edge research topics (socio-scientific issues) – on students’ perceptions regarding their scientific competences and the science classes. A pre and post-questionnaire was developed, validated and applied to students from 10 countries. The overall results of the statistical analysis indicate that students improved their perceptions regarding their competences for developing exhibitions in science classes as a way of creating awareness on topics relating science-technology-society. This activity reinforced students’ perceptions that in science classes they: a) discuss current issues and how they impact their lives; b) develop socially and relevant projects; and c) learn how to influence other citizens’ decisions about social issues related to science, technology and environment with the aim of assuring a more sustainable future.

"Hidden hunger", the deficiency of important mineral micronutrients, affects more than 2 billion people globally. Adolescence is unquestionably a period of nutritional risk, given the high nutritional requirements for growth and development, erratic or capricious diets and the increased consumption of snacks. This study applied the rational food design approach to obtain micronutrient-dense biscuits by combining chickpea and rice flours to achieve an optimal nutritional profile, crunchy texture and appealing flavour. The perception of 33 adolescents of the suitability of such biscuits as a mid-morning snack was examined. Four biscuits were formulated, with different ratios of chickpea and rice flours (CF:RF): G100:0, G75:25, G50:50 and G25:75. Nutritional content, baking loss, acoustic-texture and sensory analyses were carried out. On average, the mineral content of biscuits with the CF:RF ratio of 100:0 doubled compared with the 25:75 formula. The dietary reference values for iron, potassium and zinc reached 100% in the biscuits with CF:RF ratios of 50:50, 75:25 and 100:0, respectively. The analysis of mechanical properties revealed that samples G100:0 and G75:25 were harder than the others. Sample G100:0 showed the highest sound pressure level (Smax). Sensory analysis showed that increasing the proportion of CF in the formulation augments the grittiness, hardness, chewiness and crunchiness. Most of the adolescents (72.7%) were habitual snack consumers; 52% awarded scores ≥ 6 to biscuit G50:50 for its overall quality, 24% described its flavour as "biscuit" and 12% as "nutty". However, 55% of the participants could not pinpoint any dominant flavour. In conclusion, it is possible to design nutrient-dense snacks that meet the micronutrient requirements and sensory expectations of adolescents by combining flours naturally rich in micronutrients.

This study explores female university students' attitudes and concerns toward pornography, based on their experience watching it and on sexual encounters with men. It used a qualitative descriptive design. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 participants between March and April 2020. Thematic data analysis was performed using COREQ reporting guidelines. Three themes emerged from the data: 1) the sexual learning process, 2) the role of pornography in women’s sexuality, and 3) sexual experiences. Participants reported how they learned about sexuality and how pornography influenced sexual experiences. Self-esteem issues and societal norms regarding hair removal, and difficulty saying “no” to unwanted or humiliating sexual practices were found. Young women were not comfortable with women’s representations in mainstream pornography. They blame pornography for negative sexual experiences and claim it influences them and young men. Participants usually assumed submissive roles during sex and permitted aggressive sexual behaviors. The study reveals valuable information on how young women learn about sex, difficulty in refusing unwanted sexual activities, and even aggressive practices. Sexual education programs should include assertiveness training to improve sexual health, consent, and well-being.

Natural Fibre Composites (NFC) are eco-friendly, sustainable alternatives to synthetic polymers. However, some intrinsic natural fillers´ properties hinder their widespread implementation as re-inforcement in polymeric matrices and require further investigation. In the scope of this study, the thermal, rheologic, mechanical (tension and flexural modes), morphological properties, water ab-sorption and dimensional stability of the NF polypropylene (PP) based injection moulded compo-sites with the rice husk (rh) and olive pits (op) of 20 wt% and 30% wt%, were investigated. The results suggest that the higher content of the rice husk and olive pits led to a similar reduction of the Melt Flow Index (MFI), independent of the additive type compared to virgin polypropylene (PPv). The melting and crystallization temperatures of the PPrh and PPop composites did not change with statistical significance. The composites are stiffer than the PP matrix by up to 49% and possess higher mechanical strength in what concerns the tension mode at the expense of de-creased ductility. PPrh and PPop have superior flexural modulus in the bending mode, while the flexural strength improvement was accomplished for the PP30%rh. The dimensional stability of the composites was improved as the linear shrinkage in the flow direction was decreased by 49% for PPrh and 30% for PPop, positively correlating with an increase in the filler content and stiff-ness. PPop was less susceptible to water sorption than PPrh due to fibres' composition and larger surface-to-area volume ratios.

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

Nanoencapsulation has emerged as a recent improvement in the delivery of drugs, offering and improving stability and bioavailability, and allowing for the controlled and targeted delivery of substances to specific cells or tissues. However, traditional nanoparticle delivery faces challenges such as short circulation time and immune recognition. To address these issues, cell membrane-coated nanoparticles have been proposed as a promising alternative. The production of cell membrane-coated nanoparticles involves three key stages: cell lysis and membrane fragmentation, membrane isolation, and nanoparticle coating. Typically, cell membranes are fragmented using hypotonic lysis in combination with homogenization or sonication. Subsequent membrane fragments are isolated through multiple centrifugation steps. The coating of nanoparticles can be achieved through extrusion, sonication, or a combination of both methods. This analysis shows the absence of a universally applicable method for nanoparticle coating, as the three stages exhibit notable differences in their procedures. Here we review ongoing developments and approaches to cell membrane-coated nanoparticles that position this technology as a promising alternative for effective targeted drug delivery and many other therapeutic applications.

This review explores the potential of microalgae as a sustainable and nutritionally rich alternative for mineral supplementation in poultry diets, addressing both the opportunities and challenges in this emerging field. Poultry nutrition, pivotal to the health and productivity of birds, traditionally relies on inorganic and organic mineral sources, which, while effective, raise environmental and economic concerns. Microalgae offer a promising solution with their high content of essential minerals, proteins, vitamins, and bioactive compounds. The review delves into the nutritional profile of various microalgae, highlighting their rich mineral content, crucial for physiological processes in poultry. It examines the bioavailability of these minerals and their impact on poultry health and productivity. Furthermore, it evaluates the environmental sustainability of microalgae cultivation and acknowledges the challenges in using microalgae in poultry diets, particularly in terms of the economic viability of large-scale production and the consistency of nutrient composition. It discusses the importance of rigorous safety assessments and regulatory compliance, given the potential risks of toxins and heavy metals. Overall, this analysis aims to provide a clear understanding of the role microalgae could play in poultry nutrition and address sustainability challenges in animal agriculture, while also considering future perspectives and advancements needed in this field.

In the field of forensic imaging, it is important to be able to extract a “camera fingerprint” from one or a small set of images known to have been taken by the same camera (image sensor). Ideally, that fingerprint would be used to identify an individual source camera. Camera fingerprint is based on certain kind of random noise present in all image sensors that is due to manufacturing imperfections and thus unique and impossible to avoid. PRNU (Photo-Response Non-Uniformity) has become the most widely used method for SCI (Source Camera Identification). In this paper, we design a set of “attacks” to a PRNU based SCI system and we measure the success of each method. We understand an attack method as any processing that alters minimally image quality and that is designed to fool PRNU detectors (or, generalizing, any camera fingerprint detector). The PRNU based SCI system was taken from an outstanding reference that is publicly available.

Background: The Victorian era in Great Britain was a historical period that brought about profound changes for humanity. The confluence of various factors fostered the development of numerous scientific disciplines. In the field of health sciences, Florence Nightingale played a central role. Following her training as a nurse and her role as superintendent during the Crimean War, she made decisive contributions to establishing a public health network. Methods: This is a retrospective historical heuristic and hermeneutic study analyzing documentation of Nightingale's contributions to public health from around 1890 to 1900. The historical method was used to collect, classify, and analyze primary and secondary sources relevant to the study's objectives. Results: Nightingale supported the development of the concept of “health at home” by training women to implement healthy measures that contributed to the well-being of families and communities. Through the training and development of a formal “Health Missioners program”, she provided the necessary guidance to improve the health of rural communities across the English countryside. Conclusion: The role of Health Missioners has persisted, as health visitors continue to visit homes in the United Kingdom. Therefore, the contribution of Florence Nightingale to public health is unquestionable. This study was not registered.

Asbestos, also known by its commercial name of amianthus, has been a widely used material in various industries due to its unique properties. However, its extensive use has led to serious consequences for human health, most notably asbestosis, an irreversible chronic lung disease. Asbestosis increases the risk of lung cancer and malignant meso-thelioma both fatal diseases. To understand the role of asbestos in human health, applied sciences such as microscopy (optical and scanning electron microscopy) and geochemistry are fundamental to characterize the mineral fibers. In previous work we used these technics to characterize the fibers and, in this paper, we explore their issues associated with asbestos and asbestosis, as well as the challenges of science communication strategies to effectively inform society and workers about these risks. The lack of scientific culture, in general, leads to the lack of public awareness of risks, and to address these challenges, it is essential to implement effective communication and outreach plans and strategies, including the visualization of the fibers to understand why there may be a problem if inhaled. Educational campaigns, guidelines and plans that are informative and action-able, targeting workers, communities and the public about asbestos risks are very im-portant. General knowledge of mineralogy and geochemistry is needed and providing proper scientific communication and dissemination may help to cover the knowledge gap. We use examples and experience in Spain and Italy to illustrate this subject.

Education is an imperative key to driving sustainability and gender equity. In addition to addressing well-known female deficiencies in leadership training, it is really important to develop initiatives in sustainable leadership education for women to acquire skills, competencies and tools on leadership and to increase their self-perceptions. The purpose of this study is to assess a Women’s Leadership Program for university students. The sample consisted of 50 students enrolled in the program. A mixed-method approach was applied. Quantitative methods with a survey were conducted to evaluate the training and the achievement of leadership skills. In the data analysis, a descriptive statistics variance analysis, using a Welch statistic and T2 Dunnett test, was applied. Qualitative research methods were conducted through three focus groups to evaluate personal changes in their own-perceptions and self-confidence. Results suggest that the female students in the program reached a level of leadership knowledge with practical tools for their future. The program inspired them and confirmed changes in their personal capacities or self-confidence, including reflection about facing challenges in the work environment. The findings support the effectiveness of the specific education in breaking two barriers shown by the literature for women to getting a managerial position: lack of training and female self-confidence.

In the Yucatán Peninsula, anthropogenic activities such as urbanization and final dispose of solid and wastewaters critically impact aquatic systems. Here, we evaluated the anthropogenic-related environmental alteration of Lake La Sabana, located in the northern limit of one of the main cities of the Mexican Caribbean. We evaluate lake water quality using physical, chemical, and microbiological indicators, and heavy metals in surficial sediments and fish tissue to evaluate the potential environmental risk. Multivariate analyses reveal that environmental conditions in La Sabana are spatial and temporal heterogeneous. Medium to bad water quality was determined within basins by the NSFWQI, related with the degree of anthropogenic influence. The center-south zones display critical microbiological values largely exceeding national standards. Heavy metals in sediments (Zn&gt;Hg) and fish tissue (Hg) were relatively low, but Hg concentration threat the ecological environment. Incipient wastewater treatment and final dispose in La Sabana is the main responsible of changes in the trophic status and nutrients availability, which in turn may have promoted changes in the biological structure and aquatic plant invasions. Lake La Sabana can be considered a model of the potential sequential effects of the anthropogenic alterations in oligotrophic karts tropical aquatic systems in Yucatán Peninsula.

Soil conditions is a major aspect of interest for farmers due to the knowing of the physicochemical properties of the same can help with any necessary restoration of soil that guarantees the quality and the production of their crop. However, technology and analysis of the soil become of difficult access mainly in developing countries, by which the present paper shows the development of a system thought to estimate physicochemical variables of soils growing sugar cane through studies of spectroscopy. Its characteristic is that it is a portable system, with low cost, easy to use and can estimate physicochemical variables in-situ with the objective of knowing the degree of degradation present in the soil and through this help the farmers define possible strategies to restore it. The device uses the frequency response of the soil determining values of magnitude and phase, which are used by algorithms of artificial intelligence capable of getting an estimation of the physicochemical properties. The obtained results show errors below 8% in the estimation of the variables compared to the analysis results of the soil at laboratories.

Different types of gold nanoparticles have been synthesized that great potential in medical applications such as medical imaging, bio-analytical sensing and photothermal therapy. However, their stability, polydispersity and biocompatibility are major issues of concern. For example, the synthesis of gold nanorods, obtained through the elongated micelle process, produce them with a high positive surface charge that is cytotoxic. While gold nanoshells are unstable and within a few weeks they decompose due to Ostwald ripening. In this work, we report the self-assembly of the capsid protein of cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV) around spherical gold nanoparticles, gold nanorods and gold nanoshells to form virus-like particles (VLPs). All gold nanoparticles were synthesized or treated to give them a negative surface charge, so they can interact with the positive N-terminus of the capsid protein leading to the formation of the VLPs. To induce the protein self-assembly around the negative gold nanoparticles, we use different pH and ionic strength conditions that were determined from the capsid protein phase diagram. The encapsidation with the viral capsid protein confers them better biocompatibility, stability, monodispersity and a new biological substrate on which one can introduce specific ligands towards particular cells, broadening the possibilities of medical application.

Chemical composition analysis of açaí extracts revealed higher levels of total polyphenol content in purple açaí samples for both commercial (4.3 – 44.7 gallic acid equivalents mg/g) and non-commercial samples (30.2 – 42.0 mg/g) compared to white (8.2 – 11.9 mg/g) and oil samples (0.8 – 4.6 mg/g). The major anthocyanin compounds found in purple açaí samples were cyanidin-3-glucoside and cyanidin-3-rutinoside with total concentrations in the range of 3.6 – 14.3 cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalents mg/g. The oligomeric proanthocyanidins were quantified in the range of 1.5 – 6.1 procyanidin B1 equivalents mg/g. Moreover, açaí presented significant levels of calcium, magnesium, manganese, iron, zinc and copper, essential minor and trace elements, in comparison with other berries. All of the açaí extracts at 50 μg/mL potently inhibited the release of reactive oxygen species in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells, but none inhibited the release of nitric oxide. Furthermore, all the açaí samples demonstrated potential as wound healing agents due to the high levels of migration activity in human fibroblast cells.

Nisin, an antibacterial compound produced by Lactococcus lactis strains, has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration to be used as a safe food additive to control the growth of undesirable pathogenic bacteria. Nisin is commonly described as a pH-dependent primary metabolite, since its production depends on growth and culture pH evolution. However, the relationship between bacteriocin synthesis and the consumption of the limiting nutrient has not been described until now. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a competitive four-dimensional Lotka Volterra-like equation to describe the relationships between culture pH, limiting nutrient (total nitrogen: TN) consumption and production of biomass (X) and nisin (BT) in four series of batch fermentation with L. lactis CECT 539 in diluted whey (DW)-based media. The developed four-dimensional LV-like equation (with a unique set of parameters) could not be used to describe all cultures belonging to each fermentation series. However, the four-dimensional LV-like equation described accurately each individual culture, providing a good description of the relationships between pH, TN, X and BT, higher values for R2 and F-ratios, lower values (&lt; 10%) for the mean relative percentage deviation modulus, with bias and accuracy factor values approximately equal to one.

Molecular modeling studies were carried out at the DFT level of the adsorption of propane and propene on Ag surfaces as a model of the interaction of light hydrocarbons with Ag/ZrO2 catalysts for the catalytic combustion reaction. It was found that the most stable mode of adsorption of propene through its π system on Ag atom has energies consistent with chemisorption and generates an elongation of the C1=C2 bond, which would explain the increase in the activity of the catalysts as function of its metallic charge. The results obtained from the DFT calculations explain the different types of interaction between propene and propane with the metallic surface. The propene is chemisorbed on the Ag surface, distorting its bonds and generating its activation. This would imply that a higher metallic charge in the catalyst would increase the number of active sites in which this activation occurs, generating a higher activity. Besides, with the addition of O, the binding energy between the propene and the metal surface increased. On the other hand, the presence of a metallic surface is not enough for the activation of the propane molecule. This would explain why by increasing the amount of metal in the catalyst, the activity for the combustion of propane is practically not affected

Critical infrastructures are those that are essential. For this type of infrastructure, it is necessary to implement analytical methodologies that will allow us to quickly obtain the susceptibility or resilience and possible damage generated in extreme precipitation episodes, through a holistic perspective in which the factors linked to hydrological risk intervene. In particular, urban hydraulic infrastructures are analyzed considering the degree of criticality, defined as the number of interactions on the different activities of the population. For this purpose, a hydrological risk analysis methodology is required. This methodology is focused on an integral approach of the system indicators to be analyzed and linked to the hydrological threat. This work proposes to delimit and analyze those factors that involve risk using an analytical expression. This model will estimate the damage to these infrastructures breaking down the factors involved in the risk equation and analyzing their variability according to the intrinsic characteristics linked to them as well as the interaction with external factors.

Since the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) came into effect, both UNESCO and other international organisations recommend empowering youth to implement the SDGs in universities. Getting started with the SDGs at university level is of special relevance in pre-service teacher training since future teachers are powerful agents of change in the lives of young people. Future teachers need to acquire competencies in sustainability to be able to promote meaningful changes in sustainable behaviour. To that end, holistic approaches to facilitate their acquirement need to be developed. The aim of this study is to explore which teaching methodologies are suitable for the development of competencies in sustainability in Higher Education (HE) and how to empower students to take a leading role in implementing the SDGs in universities. The participants in the study are a group of 23 students in pre-service teacher training. The experimental educational model used for the development of sustainable competencies consists of a methodological sequence of Project-Oriented Learning (POL) and a Cross-disciplinary Workshop on Sustainable Food. This study provides evidence that a holistic approach is appropriate for developing sustainable competencies and contributes to empowering students to implement SDG 12 at their university.

Fungal plant diseases are a major threat to food security worldwide. Current efforts to identify and list loci involved in different biological processes are more complicated than originally thought, even when complete genome assemblies are available. Despite numerous experimental and computational efforts to characterize gene functions in plants, about ~ 40% of protein-coding genes in the model plant A. thaliana are still not categorized in the Gene Ontology Biological Process (BP) annotation. In non-model organisms, such as sunflower (Helianthus annuus), the number of BP term annotation is far fewer, ~22%. In the current study we performed gene co-expression network analysis using eight terabytes of public transcriptome datasets and performed expression-based functional prediction to categorize and identify loci involved in the response to fungal pathogens. We were able to construct a reference gene network of healthy green tissue (GreenGCN) and a gene network of healthy and stressed root tissues (RootGCN). Both networks achieved robust high quality scores on the metrics of guilt-by-association and selective constraints versus gene connectivity. We were able to identify eight modules enriched in defense functions, of which, two out of the three modules in the RootGCN were also conserved in the GreenGCN, suggesting similar defense-related expression patterns. We identified 16 WRKY genes involved in defense related functions and 65 previously uncharacterized loci now linked to defense response. In addition, we identified and classified 122 loci previously identified within QTL or near candidate loci reported in GWAS studies of disease resistance in sunflower linked to defense response. In all, we have implemented a valuable strategy to better describe genes within specific biological processes.

The receptor tyrosine kinase (EphB4), which produces erythropoietin, was identified as a molecular target for cancer. We identified six peptides as potential inhibitors of EphB4 using an integrated approach combining online bioinformatics tools. According to PeptideRanker, CSM-peptides, SCMTHP, and AcPEP analysis, all peptides are effective against cancer, with the exception of LTAPGQATLPT and VEQNLVPGLK. Furthermore, Toxin-Pred predicts that none of the peptides are toxic, and that only VQLPGWRVFP and TMKGPPDTLQ are potentially allergenic using AllerTop server. PepSite2, HPEPDOCK, and MDockPeP servers were utilized to perform molecular docking, and PacDock was used to examine molecular interactions. The docking score (kcal/mol) range of six promising anticancer peptides against EphB4 was recorded as follows: VQLPGWRVFP (-240.72), FTKDDEWSCFPF (-201.74), SYLPPLSAEVTAK (-177.52), LTAPGQATLPT (-162.23), VEQNLVPGLK (-157.30), TMKGPPDTLQ (-149.67). The main bindings on the allosteric site to VQLPGWRVFP were with R706, S815, R819 and P843 on EphB4. Collectively, our results demonstrated that M. oleifera peptides ameliorate cancer by inhibiting EphB4, and they are promising candidates for the prevention and treatment of cancer.

Using first-principles molecular dynamics (FPMD), we performed numerical simulations at 300 K to explore the interaction of a 2D MoS2 surface and a platinum atom, calculating the optical properties of the resulting material. The pristine MoS2 is a semiconductor with a gap of around 1.8 eV. The Pt atom is chemisorbed by the surface with an adsorption energy of −1.718 eV. With the adsorption of the Pt atom, the material remains a semiconductor, and its energy band gap reduces to 1.04 eV. But changes in the material's energy band structure imply substantial changes in its optical properties. The energy band structure of the 2D MoS2 with a sulfur vacancy VS shows that the material becomes a conductor, and there are significant changes in its optical properties. We also found that the Pt atom chemisorbs in a sulfur vacancy of the material, with an adsorption energy of −4.1164 eV. After the adsorption of Pt atoms in the sulfur vacancy, the material becomes a semiconductor with a band gap of 1.06 eV, and the changes in the optical absorption and reflectivity are significant.

In this work, we explore new constraints on phantom scalar field cosmologies with a scalar field employing early times catalogues related to CMB measurements, along with the local standard observables, like Supernovae Type Ia (SNIa), H(z) measurements (Cosmic Clocks), and Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO) baselines. In particular, we studied a tracker phantom field with hyperbolic polar coordinates that have been proposed in the literature. The main goal is to obtain precise cosmological constraints for H0 and σ8, in comparison to other constructions that present tension in early cosmological parameters. Our results show that phantom scalar field cosmologies have a reduced statistical tension on H0 that it is less than 3σ using model-independent CMB catalogues as SPT-3G+WMAP9 and ACTPol DR-4+WMAP9 baselines. This suggests these models using a different phantom potential might address the Hubble constant problem and reduce the systematics involved.

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 present work shows a novel physical-mathematical model to estimate the average corrosion resistance index from the crystallographic texture in API 5L steels. The crystallographic texture of the studied steels was measured by means of the X-ray diffraction technique. The model, based on the symmetric spherical surface harmonics for a BCC structure, is capable of describing the anisotropy surface of anodic dissolution resistance of the crystal and establishing a straightforward relationship between crystallographic texture, surface roughness, and metal corrosion behavior. The predictions of the average corrosion resistance index made from the crystallographic texture were in good agreement with those obtained from potentiodynamic polarization curves for the investigated steels. This agreement validates the capacity of this model and opens the possibility of applying it as a novel criterion for the material selection and design stages in order to combat metal corrosion problems.

Clupeiformes, such as sardines and herrings, represent an important share of worldwide fisheries. Among those, the European sardine (Sardina pilchardus, Walbaum 1792) exhibits significant commercial relevance. While the last decade showed a steady and sharp decline in capture levels, recent advances in culture husbandry represent promising research avenues. Yet, the complete absence of genomic resources from sardine imposes a severe bottleneck to understand its physiological and ecological requirements. We generated 69 Gbp of paired-end reads using Illumina HiSeq X Ten and assembled a draft genome assembly with an N50 scaffold length of 25579 bp and BUSCO completeness of 82.1% (Actinopterygii). The estimated size of the genome ranges between 655 and 850 Mb. Additionally, we generated a relatively high-level liver transcriptome. To deliver a proof of principle of the value of this dataset, we established the presence and function of enzymes (elovl2, elovl5 and fads2) that have pivotal roles in the biosynthesis of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, essential nutrients particularly abundant in oily fish such as sardines. Our study provides the first omics dataset from a valuable economic marine teleost species, the European sardine, an essential resource for their effective conservation, management and sustainable exploitation.

In plant cells the conventional route to the vacuole involves the endoplasmic reticulum, the Golgi and the prevacuolar compartment. However, over the years, unconventional sorting to the vacuole, bypassing the Golgi, has been described, which is the case of the Plant Specific Insert (PSI) of the aspartic proteinase cardosin A. Interestingly, this Golgi-bypass ability is not a characteristic shared by all PSIs, since two related PSIs showed to have different sensitivity to ER-to-Golgi blockage. Given the high sequence similarity between the PSIs domains, we sought to depict the differences in terms of post-translational modifications. In fact, one feature that draws our attention is that one is N-glycosylated and the other one is not. Using site-directed mutagenesis to obtain mutated versions of the two PSIs, with and without the glycosylation motif, we observed that altering the glycosylation pattern interferes with the trafficking of the protein as the non-glycosylated PSI-B, unlike its native glycosylated form, is able to bypass ER-to-Golgi blockage and accumulate in the vacuole. This is also true when the PSI domain is analyzed in the context of the full-length cardosin. Regardless of opening exciting research gaps, the results obtained so far need a more comprehensive study of the mechanisms behind this unconventional direct sorting to the vacuole.

The objective is to study the local perceptions on the conservation of wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) in the Réserve Naturelle Communautaire de Dindéfélo (RNCD), southeast of Senegal, to design specific actions to improve conservation management. We conducted 338 semi-structured interviews in three main villages of RNCD. Three-fourths of the population were farmers. Of those interviewed, 29% received elementary education. Two of the three villages participated in a project to plant trees as fences. On average, 66% of the respondents were animists. Of the respondents who were afraid to see a chimpanzee, 68% answered because they attack. Seventy-seven percent washed their clothes in the forest river because there was more water than in the village wells. Of the interviewees who threw the old clothes into the forest, 50% did it due to tradition. Ninety-six percent of respondents stated that chimpanzees do not feed from their crops. The main problems of the locals with the Reserve were lack of water and basic resources and not been allow to cut trees in protected areas. There were significant relationships between education (1 relationship), environmental project (4 relationships) and animism (11 relationships) with local perceptions. The 93% of the respondents who had the traditional belief that “if the old clothes were burnt, children would become sick” feel fear of chimpanzees, while those who did not have this animistic belief the 6% are afraid (χ² = 1.57, P < 0.02). These local perceptions allow us to design specific course of action to improve chimpanzee conservation and sustainable coexistence in this complex period of the Anthropocene.

This study conducted an extensive analysis of campylobacteriosis surveillance in Portugal from 2009 to 2021, aiming to investigate demographic shifts, seasonal variations, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) within Campylobacter isolates. Surveillance network and sentinel laboratory-based system data revealed a substantial under-notification of campylobacteriosis cases, suggesting an underestimated disease burden. A paradigm shift was observed in notification rates, with a notable prevalence among the pediatric population, particularly in children aged 1-4 years, diverging from European reports. However, the study also highlighted an emerging trend of Campylobacter infections in younger adults (15-44 years). The study unveiled a unique seasonal distribution of cases, defying typical summer peaks seen elsewhere. AMR analysis revealed extremely to very high-level resistance to ciprofloxacin and tetracycline, both in C. jejuni (93.7% and 79.2%, respectively) and in C. coli (96.5% and 93.2%, respectively), stable throughout the studied period (2013-2021). C. coli also exhibited significantly higher resistance to erythromycin, gentamicin, ampicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (decreased resistance), and ertapenem compared to C. jejuni (P&lt;0.001). In conclusion, the study highlights the need for enhanced surveillance efforts and emphasizes worrying AMR levels. The implementation of WGS-based surveillance is recommended to attain a more profound comprehension of disease patterns and the evolving landscape of AMR.

Fluoride (iF) is important inorganic pollutant in groundwater in central México. The aim of this study was estimated environmental risk exposure of iF in residents of Jerez Zacatecas México. Fifty-five tap water samples were collected from households to determine iF concentrations using the ion-selective electrode method. Based on these environmental values, the Hazard Quotient (HQ) was estimated following the methodology of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). Subsequently, risk maps were generated from these values to visualize the spatial distribution of high-risk areas within the city. iF in tap water ranger in concentration from 1.3 – 7.3 mg/L (ppm). We estimated HQ in a range of 0.63 to 3.73. iF ex-posure in tap water is a health problem that must be addressed, carrying out risk communication actions that allow the population to take care of their health through simple actions, avoiding future health costs.

Physical symptoms are defined as symptoms for which adequate examination does not reveal a sufficient underlying root cause, e.g., pain and fatigue. The extant literature of the neurobiological underpinnings of physical symptoms has been largely inconsistent and primarily consists of (clinical) case-control studies with relatively small samples sizes. Therefore, we studied the association of brain morphology with physical symptoms in pre-adolescents from two independent and population-based cohorts. This study included 2,683 individuals from the Generation R Study (51% girls, 10.1 ± 0.6 years old) and 10,567 pre-adolescents from the ABCD Study (48% girls, 9.9 ± 0.6 years old). High- resolution structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was collected using 3-Tesla MRI systems. Physical symptoms were evaluated using the somatic complaints syndrome scale from the parent-reported school-age version of the Child Behavior Checklist. Linear regression models were fitted for global brain metrics (i.e., cortical and subcortical grey matter volume and total white matter volume) as well as surface-based vertex-wise measures (surface area and cortical thickness). Analyses were initially conducted separately in each cohort and later meta-analysed. No associations were observed in either cohort separately. In the combined vertex-wise meta-analysis of both cohorts; the right hemisphere surface area, most notably the rostral middle frontal gyrus, superior frontal gyrus and anterior cingulate cortex, were related to physical symptoms after correcting for multiple comparisons (cluster area = 1,882 mm2). The present study, which is the most representative and well-powered to date, suggests that surface area, but not other measures of brain morphology, are modestly related to physical symptoms in pre- adolescents. While these effects are subtle, future longitudinal research is warranted to elucidate whether such associations indicate a cause or a consequence of the physical symptoms.

Agro-waste fibres for polymer composite reinforcement have gained increased interest in industry and academia as a more sustainable alternative to synthetic fibres. However, natural fibre composites (NFC) hygroscopicity is still an issue that needs to be solved. This work investigates how prolonged exposure to water affects the properties of the polypropylene (PP)--based injection moulded composites reinforced with different contents of rice husk (rh) and olive pit (op) fibres. Both rh and op composites became more hydrophilic with increased fibre charge due to the affinity of cellulose and hemicellulose OH groups. Meanwhile, lignin contributes to the protection of the composites from thermo-oxidative degradation caused by water immersion. The PPrh composites had a higher saturation water content of 1.47% (20 wt.% rh) and 2.38 (30 wt.% rh) in comparison to PPop composites with absorption of 1.13% (20 wt.% op) and 1.59% (30 wt.% op). Tensile elastic modulus has slightly increased, at the cost of increased saturated composites' rigidity, in composites with 30% rh and op fibre content (up to 13%) while marginally decreasing (down to 8%) in PP30%op compared to unsaturated counterparts. A similar trend was observed for the flexural modulus, enhanced up to 18%. However, rh and op composites with 30% fibre content ruptured in bending, highlighting their fragility after hydrolytic ageing.

Salmonella Typhimurium infection in pigs is characterized by an intense inflammatory response in early infection which seems to dysregulate host physiology including the gut microbiota. Both, changes in host physiology and microbiome composition, must entail modifications within the gut environment. This study analyzes the gut metabolome in early infected pigs (48 hours after infection) and non-infected controls by untargeted metabolomics (LC–QTOF MS/MS and GC–TOF MS), supported with microbiome data (16S rRNA abundance and prediction functional analyses). The metabolomic profile in Salmonella-infected pigs differed from healthy controls in 39 of these metabolites, including eight amino acids, four bile acids and carboxylic acids, three carnitines and sugar derivates, eleven fatty acids and six other compounds. Changes in amino acids abundance and the observed decrease of proteolytic bacteria such as Lactobacillus or Bacteroides could favor the niche colonization by Desulfovibrionaceae. In addition, the decrease in short chain fatty acids and tricarboxylic acids cycle was correlated to a decrease in beneficial bacteria in infected pigs. Interestingly, we observed an increase of bile acids concentration and compounds such as succinic acid or pantothenic acid, which may boost the inflammatory response. Altogether, the results reveal how S. Typhimurium infection alters the gut microbiome composition and prompts changes in the metabolism with a potential interaction between intestinal metabolism and microbiota abundance.

The hybrid in-band on-channel (IBOC) transmission system as a digital audio radio scheme could transmit analog FM and digital audio simultaneously. In IBOC systems, broadcasters transmit signals within the allocated channel bands, so the bandwidth allocated for digital audio transmission is a big challenge. In view of the above, the use of cooperative game theory, supported by the use of the bankruptcy game and Shapley's value, is proposed as a strategy to optimize the bandwidth allocation at each node or station, according to the demand in the service, the number of stations and the radio channel conditions in the FM band. The paper proposes a scenario under saturated traffic conditions, in order to evaluate the degree of optimization that the Shapley value can perform under clearly established traffic and channel conditions. The evaluation process yielded a quite favorable result, where it is observed that the use of cooperative game theory supported by the Shapley value can be considered as an excellent alternative when performing bandwidth optimization processes for digital broadcasting over IBOC in FM and with the possibility of being implemented in other digital radio broadcasting systems.

The monitoring of surface-water quality followed by water-quality modeling and analysis is essential for generating effective strategies in water-resource management. However, worldwide, particularly in developing countries, water-quality studies are limited due to the lack of a complete and reliable dataset of surface-water-quality variables. In this context, several statistical and machine-learning models were assessed for imputing water-quality data at six monitoring stations located in the Santa Lucía Chico river (Uruguay), a mixed lotic and lentic river system. The challenge of this study is represented by the high percentage of missing data (between 50% and 70%) and the high temporal and spatial variability that characterizes the water-quality variables. The competing algorithms implemented belonged to both univariate and multivariate imputation methods (inverse distance weighting (IDW), Random Forest Regressor (RFR), Ridge (R), Bayesian Ridge (BR), AdaBoost (AB), Hubber Regressor (HR), Support Vector Regressor (SVR), and K-nearest neighbors Regressor (KNNR)). According to the results, more than 76% of the imputation outcomes are considered satisfactory (NSE > 0.45). The imputation performance shows better results at the monitoring stations located inside the reservoir than the ones positioned along the mainstream. IDW was the most chosen model for data imputation.

In order to summarized the polygenic background of psychiatric diseases, polygenic risk scores (PRS) have been developed. Recently, PRS have been use to predict patients with higher comorbidities in psychiatric diseases, like dual diagnosis. PRS are principally derived in analysis of Caucasian and Asian populations, we are not aware of how this PRS could be applied in populations with high admixture. In order to explored this, the present work has the aim to analyzed if previous calculated PRS for psychiatric diseases could predict dual diagnosis in Mexican population, and also, if PRS calculation could be influenced by Mexican Amerindian (MA) global ancestry. We performed PRS calculation, using PRSice, with summary genome-wide association statistics previously published for psychiatric diseases, and also, performed Nagelkerke correlation test in order to established if PRS are correlated with dual diagnosis. We found that dual diagnosis could be predicted by major depressive disorder polygenic risk score. Nevertheless, schizophrenia polygenic risk score is highly correlated with global MA ancestry, independently of the schizophrenia diagnosis. Our results reinforced the notion that PRS calculation could be deviated by the MA global ancestry, nevertheless analysis on larger sample sizes are required in order to clarified this issue.

Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are of significant relevance due to their unique properties, which have been exploited for widespread applications. Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2-NPs) are one of most exploited ENM in the industry due to their excellent catalytic and multi-enzyme mimetic properties. Thus, toxicological effects of these ENMs should be further studied. Acute and subchronic toxicity of CeO2-NPs were assessed. First an in vitro multi-dose short-term (24h) toxicological assessment was performed in three different cell lines: A549 and Calu3, representing the lung tissue, and 3T3 as an interstitial tissue model. After that, a sub-chronic toxicity assessment (90 days) of these NPs was carried out on a realistic and well stablished reconstituted primary human airway epithelial model (MucilAir™), cultured at the Air-Liquid Interface (ALI), to study long-term effects of these particles. Results showed minor toxicity of CeO2-NPs in acute exposures. However, in subchronic exposures, cytotoxic and inflammatory responses were observed in the human airway epithelial model after 60 days of exposure to CeO2-NPs. These results suggest that acute toxicity approaches may underestimate the toxicological effect of some ENM, highlighting the need of subchronic toxicological studies in order to accurately assess the toxicity of ENM and their cumulative effects in the organism.

The aim of the study was to assess the effects of an 8-week cognitive-motor training program on postural control and knee proprioception under single and dual-task conditions. Design: Randomized clinical trial. Methods: 20 healthy and physically active older adults (73.255.98 years) volunteered to participate and were randomly assigned into an experimental and a control group (EG and CG). Postural control was measured with the Romberg test, with open (RBOE), closed eyes (RBCE) and under unipodal dominant side (RUDL) conditions. Proprioception was assessed by measuring participants’ ability to reposition their dominant knee at 45º. Finally, performance on the cognitive task was measured through a subscale of the Barcelona Test called “categorical evocation in associations.” The EG and the CG completed 8-week training programme with two sessions the 30 minutes per week of postural control and proprioception exercises. The EG additionally included music in each session. Results: The results showed significant differences in both group at the postural control tests (RBOE and RBCE) and proprioceptive test post intervention. Conclusion: The 8-week training program had a positive impact on the post-intervention results for motor control and proprioception, but not on the results of the cognitive task. There were no significant differences between the groups that carried out sessions with or without music.

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

In a world where physical activity and social participation are fundamental pillars for a full, healthy, and quality life, confidence in walking emerges as a fundamental aspect to be assessed, especially in older adults. The purpose of this study was therefore to develop a Portuguese (Euro-pean) version, linguistically and psychometrically adapted, of the Ambulatory Self-Confidence Questionnaire (ASCQ); A translation method was used followed by an assessment of its validity and reliability. The Portuguese version was completed by 173 older adults. To assess reliability was used Cronbach’s Alpha and Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC). For sociodemographic and clinical characterization, as well as for the questionnaire scoring was used descriptive statistical analysis. Pearson's correlation (r), Student´s t-test and ANOVA were used to analyse the criterion and con-struction validity; The Portuguese interactions of ASCQ was effectively translated and adjusted, revealing exceptional internal consistency and test-retest reliability, as reflected in Cronbach's alpha and ICC values of 0.95. No Floor Effect was observed, however, a Celling Effect was identified (3.5%). Criterion and construct validity were verified because all the correlations established were statistically significant; The adaptation of the ASCQ to Portuguese culture is adequate, making it valid for use within the Portuguese population of Portugal.

Autism Spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID) are the most frequent develop-mental disorders with a prevalence between 3% and 5% of the population. In addition, both ASD and ID can be found in the same patient. Mutations in several genes involved in the epigenetic regulation of gene expression have been linked to different ID associated with ASD features including alterations of the ly-sine-acetyltransferase 6A (KAT6A) gene in KAT6A syndrome. KAT6A enzyme participates in a wide range of critical cellular functions such as chromatin remodeling, gene expression, protein synthesis, cell metabolism, and replication. In this manuscript, we examined the pathophysiolog-ical alterations in fibroblasts derived from three patients harboring KAT6A mutations. We ad-dressed survival in stress medium, histone acetylation, protein expression patterns and tran-scriptome analysis as well as cell bioenergetics. In addition, we evaluated the therapeutic effec-tiveness of epigenetic modulators and mitochondrial boosting agents such as pantothenate and L-carnitine in correcting the mutant phenotype. Pantothenate and L-carnitine treatment increased histone acetylation and corrected protein and transcriptomic expression patterns in mutant KAT6A cells. Furthermore, cell bioenergetics of mutant cells was significantly improved. Our results suggest that pantothenate and L-carnitine can significantly correct the mutant phe-notype in cellular models of KAT6A syndrome.

Balandra, one of the most popular beaches in La Paz, Baja California Sur, was declared a flora and fauna protection area in 2012 and, in 2021, was declared the best beach in Mexico. More recently, it was included among the ten most beautiful beaches in the world. Currently, this beach faces overcrowding. Formulating effective management policies depends, to a certain extent, on the knowledge of their recreational value and visitor characteristics. Recreational value allows us to know the benefits of the tradeoffs among the ecosystem services and society and exhibit the value of possible damages to marine ecosystems. Like the one caused in 2022 by the fire of a tourist boat inside Balandra. Using the individual travel cost method and applying 159 questionnaires to site visitors, four models were estimated to calculate the individual willingness to pay for accessing Balandra, which ranges between 3.86 and 10.38 US$/day/visitor. Recreational economic value (REV) for Balandra was estimated using two essential criteria. One, total of visitors registered in 2021. Two, daily maximum carrying capacity. We also calculated the REV as a proxy of the welfare loss derived from the site's closure. Finally, possible environmental and economic policy instruments that could be implemented are discussed.

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been used in a broad range of applications conferring to bio-molecules diverse proprieties such as deliver, stabilization and reduction of adverse effects of drugs or plant ex-tracts. Polyphenolic compounds from Bacopa procumbens (BP) are able to modulate proliferation, adhesion, migration and cell differentiation, reducing artificial scratch area in fibroblast cultures and promoting wound healing in in vivo model. Here, chemically synthetized AuNPs conjugated with BP (AuNP-BP) were characterized by Uv-Vis, ATR-FTIR, DLS and zeta-potential. Results showed over-lapping FTIR spectra of polyphenolic compounds from B. procumbens capping the AuNPs, stable size by the DLS and zeta potential, AuNP-BP was 44.58 nm, the zeta-potential of AuNPs was -36.3±12.3 mV after conjugation with the BP; - (AuNP-BP), the zeta-potential was reduced to -18-2±7.02 mV. Enhancement of wound healing effect were evaluated by morphometric, histochemical and FTIR changes in rat wound excision model. Results showed that the nanoconjugation process reduced 100 folds BP concentrations to have the same wound healing effect of BP alone. Besides histological and FTIR spec-troscopy analyses, demonstrated that AuNP-BP treatment displayed better macroscopical performance; the reduction on inflammatory cells, and the increased synthesis and better organization of collagen fibers.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease that affects the nervous system. Peripheral blood leukocyte telomere length (LTL) and mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNA-CN) are potential biomarkers of disability and neurological damage. The present work evaluated LTL and mtDNA-CN in 75 relapsing-remittent MS (RRMS) patients 50 of whom had an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) 0 to 3 (mild-moderate disability), and 25 had an EDSS of 3.5 to 7 (severe disability). Absolute LTL and absolute mtDNA-CN were measured via real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The LTL and mtDNA-CN were significantly lower in RRMS severe disability than in RRMS mild-moderate disability (3.924 ± 0.124 vs 2.854 ± 0.092, p<00001; 75.14 ± 1.77 vs 68.06 ± 1.608, p<0.00001, respectively). The LTL and mtDNA-CN showed a linear correlation in RRMS with mild-moderate disability (r=0.2986, p=0.0351). In addition, in a binary logistic regression model the LTL can predict severe disability (AUC=0.697, p=0.0031, cutoff ≤ 3.0875 Kb, sensitivity= 73.1%, specificity=62.5%), the prediction is improved by including age to the model (AUC=0.765, <0.0001, sensitivity=78.26%, specificity=81.25%). Aging is closely linked to the development of disability in RRMS and can be evaluated through LTL and mtDNA-CN absolute quantification.

Tanning, crucial for leather production, relies heavily on chromium yet poses risks due to chromium's oxidative conversion, leading to significant wastewater and solid waste generation. Physico-chemical methods are typically used for heavy metal removal, but they have drawbacks, prompting interest in eco-friendly biological remediation techniques like biosorption, bioaccumulation, and biotransformation. The EU Directive (2018/850) mandates alternatives to landfilling or incineration for industrial textile waste management, highlighting the importance of environmentally conscious practices for leather products' end-of-life management, with com-posting being the most researched and viable option. This study aimed to isolate microorganisms from tannery wastewater and identify those responsible for different types of tanned leather biodegradation. Using a leather biodegradation assay (ISO 20136) with tannery and municipal wastewaters as inoculum, bacterial shifts during leather biodegradation were observed. Over 10,000 bacterial species were identified in all analyzed samples, with 8 bacterial strains isolated from tannery wastewater. Identification of bacterial genera like Acinetobacter, Brevundimo-nas, and Mycolicibacterium provides insights into potential microbial candidates for enhancing leather biodegradability, wastewater treatment, and heavy metal bioremediation in industrial applications.

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

Extensive damage to peripheral nerves is a health problem with few therapeutic alternatives. In this context, the development of tissue engineering seeks to obtain materials that can help recreate environments conducive to cellular development and functional repair of peripheral nerves. Different hydrogels have been studied and presented as alternatives for future treatments to emulate the morphological characteristics of nerves. Along with this, other research proposes the need to incorporate electrical stimuli into treatments as agents that promote cell growth and differentiation; however, no precedent correlates the simultaneous effects of the types of hydrogel and electrical stimuli. In this research, the neural differentiation of PC12 cells we are evaluated, relating the effect of collagen, alginate, GelMA, and PEGDA hydrogels with electrical stimulation modulated in four different ways. Our results show significant correlations for different culture conditions, allowing us to develop new experimental schemes for new materials in peripheral nerve engineering.

Purpose: Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness, however, it remains incurable even with the appropriate treatment. Intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction is currently the only proven method to decline glaucoma progression. When medical therapy fails, surgical treatment usually arises as the solution to a better IOP control. Nevertheless, its success is compromised by frequent post-operative complications, most of them due to excessive fibrous tissue formation during wound healing process. Nanotechnology devices for glaucoma surgery can improve post-operative IOP control and reduce undesirable fibrosis. This systematic review aims to summarize some advances of nanotechnology application to ophthalmology, giving an overview about the state of the art of the nanotechnology based glaucoma drainage devices. Methods: A literature search in the PubMed/Medline database was performed using the keywords: “glaucoma surgery”, “glaucoma drainage device”, “nanotechnology”, “nanoparticles”, “nanomedicine” and “valve”. Were included articles published until March 1, 2023. A first identification of relevant articles was done through the title and abstract’s information, and a second selection was done by full-text articles assessment. Seven articles were included in this systematic review. Results: Nanotechnology-based glaucoma drainage devices included in this review promise to overcome the challenges of glaucoma surgical treatment by allowing a more effective control over post-operative scarring, a noninvasive and customized control of aqueous humour (AH) drainage while achieving optimal IOP reduction through all phases of the post-operative period. Conclusion: Despite the decreased post-operative complications and apparently enhanced biocompatibility of nano-based drainage devices, further in vivo tests and human studies are needed to evaluate cytotoxicity and corroborate the biocompatibility and efficacy showed in the initial testing results of these devices.

Abstract: Pomegranate peels are important source of polyphenols with remarkable interest in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry. An improved extraction of total polyphenolic com-pounds (TPC) from pomegranate peels by Solid-State Fermentation (SSF) was achieved. A Box Hunter & Hunter (BHH) followed by Central Composite Design (CCD) were performed to assess the effect of the process variables on TPC release. The statistic designs indicate that the best TPC extraction (234.85 mg GAE/gdm) by means of SSF occurs, at 42°C, 50 % moisture, pH 5.0, mineral solution (g/L): NaNO3 (3.83), KH2PO4 (1.52), MgSO4 (4.66) and KCl (1.52) at 36 h. At the best fer-mentation conditions, TPC (248.78±1.24 mgGAE/gdm) increased 5.96-fold than values previously reported and antioxidant activity [AA] increased 5.81-fold than the value obtained before the SSF optimization. High-valued citric acid, α and β punicalin, α and β punicalagin, punigluconin, gal-loyl-HHDP hexoside and ellagic acid molecules were identified. The increased extraction of TPC by SSF provides a suitable alternative for pomegranate peels valorization through the re-covery of molecules with high added value with potential use in food, pharmacy and cosmetic industries; a diversification in the use of food agroindustry by-products is obtained as approach to the circular economy model through biotechnological processes.

Background: Repeated SARS-CoV-2 infections are plausible and related published data are scarce. We aimed to identify factors associated with the risk of recurrent (three episodes) laboratory-confirmed symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted and 1,700 healthcare workers were enrolled. We used risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) to evaluate factors associated with symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections. Results: We identified 14 participants with recurrent illness episodes. Therefore, the incidence rate was 8.5 per 10,000 person-months. In multiple model, vaccinated adults (vs. unvaccinated, RR = 1.05 [1.03 - 1.06]) and those with a severe first illness episode (vs mild disease, RR = 1.05 [1.01 - 1.10]) were at increased risk for repeated symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 reinfections. Increasing age showed a protective effect (per each additional year of age: RR = 0.98 [0.97 - 0.99]). Conclusions: Our results suggest that recurrent SARS-CoV-2 infections are rare events in adults and they seem to be determined, partially, by vaccination status and age.

Curcuminoids are widely studied due to their well-recognized therapeutic properties. These molecules are often derivatized with metals, rendering their corresponding homoleptic metal complexes. Numerous crystal structures of homoleptic symmetric curcuminoids with physiologically essential metals are known, although the literature lacks reports of homoleptic unsymmetric metal complexes of curcuminoids (or hemi-curcuminoids). Two unknowns must be solved when an unsymmetric curcuminoid ligand is reacted with a metal ion: a) the degree of coordination (MLn) and b) the conformational nature (syn or anti) of the complex. Herein, we report the structure of the anti-isomer of the Zn complex of the hemi-curcuminoid 5-hydroxy-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)hexa-1,4-dien-3-one. While the NMR shows only one set of signals for this homoleptic complex, the unambiguous stereochemistry was established through single-crystal X-ray diffractometry, revealing a hexacoordinated ML2 structure.

Background: The respiratory syncytial virus infection (RSV) spread has been unusually high during 2022 and increasing trends have been documented We aimed to assess the survival experience of children hospitalized due bronchiolitis by laboratory-confirmed RSV. Methods: A nationwide and retrospective cohort was conducted in Mexico and data from 436 children aged 5 years and younger, with symptoms onset from August 2021 to November 2022, were analyzed. Survivor functions and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed by using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: The survival rates were high, particularly within the first three weeks of admission. The 3-day survival was 99.8% (CI 95% 98.4-99.9%) and went to 98.9% (CI 95% 96.5-99.7%), 97.5% (CI 95% 91.9-99.3%), 86.7% (95% CI 48.2-97.2%), and 69.4% (95% CI 24.2-91.0%) on days 7, 14, 21 and 28 of hospital stay, respectively. We documented 5 fatal outcomes, and the mortality rate was 2.1 per 1,000 person-days. Conclusions: We analyzed a large set of pediatric patients with bronchiolitis by RSV and the presented results contribute to achieving a better understanding of the in-hospital evolution of this disease.

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

Context: Mutations in Cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (POR) cause a form of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). We are reporting a novel R550W mutation in POR identified in a 46, XX patient with signs of aromatase deficiency. Objective: Analysis of aromatase deficiency from R550W mutation in POR. Design, Setting, and Patient: Both the child and the mother had signs of virilization. Ultrasound revealed the presence of uterus and ovaries. No defects in CYP19A1 were found, but further analysis with a targeted Disorders of Sexual Development NGS panel (DSDSeq.V1, 111 genes) on a NextSeq (Illumina) platform in Madrid and Barcelona, Spain, revealed compound heterozygous mutations c.73_74delCT/p.L25FfsTer93 and c.1648C>T/p.R550W in POR. WT and R550W POR were produced as recombinant proteins and tested with multiple cytochrome P450 enzymes at University Children’s Hospital, Bern, Switzerland. Main Outcome Measure and Results: R550W POR showed 41% of the WT activity in cytochrome c and 7.7% activity for reduction of MTT. Assays of CYP19A1 showed a severe loss of activity and CYP17A1, as well as CYP21A2 activities, were also lost by more than 95%. Loss of CYP2C9, CYP2C19, and CYP3A4 activities was observed for the R550W-POR. Predicted adverse effect on aromatase activity as well as a reduction in binding of NADPH was confirmed. Conclusions: Pathological effects due to POR R550W were identified, expanding the knowledge of molecular pathways associated with aromatase deficiency. Screening of the POR gene may provide a diagnosis in CAH without defects in genes for steroid metabolizing enzymes.

In polymer-based dental composites, wear is a three-body wear system mainly abrasive, because of the food particles and wear products suspended in the oral cavity, which are transferred to the microcavities of the surface of the replacements. Due to this fact, the incorporation of nanodiamond as reinforcement in these polymer matrix composites, which promotes the creation of a solid lubricant tribofilm surface could be advantageous. When nanodiamond is added in contents of 0.8, 1.6 and 3.2 wt %, an increase in microhardness from 95 up to 420 %, compared to the one of neat BisGMA/TEGDMA, is observed. Additionally, the incorporation of a content of 1.6 wt % is enough to cause a diminution of ~78 % in the friction coefficient and a reduction of the specific wear rate and Archard’s coefficient of ~50 %. Nevertheless, the addition of relatively high contents reduces the effectiveness of photoinitiation and UV-curing, which is related to the scattering and absorption of UV radiation by ND.

Energy imbalance gap (EIG) is defined as the average daily difference between energy intake (EI) and energy expenditure (EE). This study aimed to examine the associations between EIG and sociodemographic and anthropometric variables in the adolescent population of eight Latin American countries. A total of 680 adolescents aged 15 to 18 were included in this study. EI was estimated using two non-consecutive 24-hour dietary recalls. EE was predicted from Schofield equations using physical activity levels obtained through the long version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Sociodemographic data and anthropometric measurements were also obtained. A descriptive analysis and multilevel linear regression models were used to examine associations between variables. The mean EI, EE, and EIG were 2091.3 kcal, 2067.8 kcal, and 23.5 kcal, respectively. Argentina and Colombia had the highest EI and EIG, whereas Chile and Costa Rica had the lowest EI and EIG. Males had a higher EI (2262.4 kcal) and EE (2172.2 kcal) than females (1930.1 kcal and 2084.5 kcal), respectively (p<0,05). Overweight subjects had a lower EIG than did underweight and normal-weight subjects (p<0,05). Subjects with high SES had a lower EE (2047.0 kcal) than those with low SES (1963.7 kcal) (p<0,05). Sex and BMI were associated with EIG in adolescents from Latin America.

Iturbide is located in the Northeast of Mexico, it has a rich native and exotic flora, however, there are no ethnobotanical records, therefore, it requires attention in the documentation of traditional practices and uses of its botanical resources. In 2021, twelve field trips were carried out, applying 110 semi-structured interviews. Plant samples were collected, identified and deposited in an herbarium. We used the Chi-square test to compare ethnobotanical uses with respect to others reported in Mexico. To determine the cultural importance, three ethnobotanical indices were applied (UVI, ICF and FL). We recorded 250 species with ethnobotanical uses associated with 121 genera and 83 families, including 140 native and 110 exotic species. The most common plant families were Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, and Fabaceae. The main uses were ornamental, medicinal and food. The species with the highest UVI values ​​were Lepidium peruvianum, Ocimum basilicum and Rosmarinus officinale. The multifunctionality of the native and exotic flora demonstrates the extensive knowledge associated with botanical resources. Examples, the role of ornamental plants, with a direct impact on human well-being, the resilience of healers and traditional inhabitants by using different species for the treatment of various ailments. or indigenous edible plants in the daily diet.

Environmental darkness signal is transferred from the retina to the pineal gland triggering melatonin secretion. Melatonin influences the synthesis and release of the hypothalamic GnRH and the adenohypophyseal gonadotropin hormones and therefore, regulates testicular function in photoperiodic species. Besides the brain, direct actions of melatonin at the testicular level have also been described. Melatonin released from the pineal gland to the circulation is taken up by peripheral tissues including testes. Testicular synthesis of melatonin has also been reported. The two key somatic cell types in the testis, Leydig and Sertoli cells, express melatonergic receptors. Melatonin acts as a local modulator of the endocrine activity in Leydig cells. In Sertoli cells, melatonin influences the oxidation state and the energy metabolism, and consequently may regulate spermatogenesis. Melatonergic receptors were also described in testicular macrophages and mast cells of infertile patients. Whereas melatonin exerts anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory effects on testicular macrophages, it provides protective effects against oxidative stress in testicular mast cells. These data pinpoints melatonin as a key player in the regulation of testicular physiology (i.e. steroidogenesis, spermatogenesis) mostly in seasonal breeders. More importantly, melatonin is also involved in the modulation of testicular inflammatory and oxidant/anti-oxidant states in patients with idiopathic infertility.

Nemaline myopathy (NM) is one of the most common forms of congenital myopathy and it is identified by the presence of "nemaline bodies" (rods) in muscle fibers by histopathological exam-ination. The most common forms of NM are caused by mutations in the ACTA1 (Actin Alpha 1) and NEB (Nebulin) genes. Clinical features include hypotonia and muscle weakness. Unfortunate-ly, there is no curative treatment and the pathogenetic mechanisms remains unclear. In this man-uscript, we examined the pathophysiological alterations in NM using dermal fibroblasts derived from patients with mutations in ACTA1 and NEB genes. Patients’ fibroblasts were stained with rhodamine phalloidin to analyze the polymerization of actin filaments by fluorescence microsco-py. We found that patients' fibroblasts showed incorrect actin filament polymerization compared to control fibroblasts. Actin filament polymerization defects was associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. Furthermore, we identified two mitochondrial boosting compounds, linoleic acid (LA) and L-carnitine (LCAR), that improved the formation of actin filaments in mutant fibro-blasts and corrected mitochondrial bioenergetics. Our results indicate that cellular models can be useful to study the pathophysiological mechanisms involved in NM and to find new potential therapies. Furthermore, targeting mitochondrial dysfunction with LA and LCAR can revert the pathological alterations in NM cellular models.

This study investigates the effect of scaffold architecture on bone regeneration, focusing on 3D-printed polylactic acid-bioceramic calcium phosphate (PLA-bioCaP) composite scaffolds in rabbit femoral condyle critical defects. To assess their influence on bone healing and scaffold performance, we explored two distinct scaffold designs, alternate and helical laydown patterns. The scaffolds were meticulously characterized for pore size, strut thickness, porosity, pore accessibility, and mechanical properties. The in vivo efficacy of these scaffolds was evaluated using a rabbit femoral condyle critical defect model. Our findings indicate that both scaffold architectures are biocompatible and support bone formation. The helical scaffolds, characterized by larger pore sizes and higher porosity, demonstrated significantly greater bone regeneration than the alternate structures. However, their lower mechanical strength presented limitations for use in load-bearing sites. This study highlights the importance of scaffold architecture in bone tissue engineering and underscores the need to balance porosity and mechanical strength for optimal bone regeneration. The findings provide crucial insights for the design of 3D- printed scaffolds in clinical applications, particularly in the context of critical-sized bone defects. The study also outlines potential areas for future research, including exploring hybrid scaffold designs to achieve optimal porosity without compromising mechanical integrity.

The term neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation (NBIA) brings together a broad set of progressive and disabling neurological genetic disorders in which iron is deposited preferentially in certain areas of the brain. Among NBIA disorders, the most frequent subtype is pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration (PKAN) caused by pathologic variants in the PANK2 gene codifying the enzyme pantothenate kinase 2 (PANK2). Nowadays, there are no effective treatments to stop the progression of these diseases. This review discusses the utility of patient-derived cell models as a valuable tool for the identification of commercial pharmacological or natural compounds for implementing polytarget precision medicine in PKAN. In the last years, several studies have described that PKAN patient-derived fibroblasts manifest the main pathological changes associated with the disease including intracellular iron overload. Interestingly, treatment of mutant cell cultures with various supplements such as pantothenate, pantethine, thiamine, L-carnitine, vitamin E, omega 3, and -lipoic acid improved all pathophysiological alterations in PKAN fibroblasts with residual expression of the PANK2 enzyme. The information provided by pharmacological screenings in patient-derived cellular models can help to optimize therapeutic strategies in individual PKAN patients.

Background: Early diagnosis of postoperative complications is an urgent task, allowing timely prescribing of appropriate therapy and reducing the cost of patient treatment. Prognostic models based on various data could help in the early diagnosis of postoperative complications after cardiac surgery. Objectives: The purpose of the study was to determine whether an integrated approach based on clinical data along with metabolites and biomarkers had greater predictive value than the models built on less data. Methods: The study included patients (n=62) admitted for planned cardiac surgery (coronary artery bypass grafting with cardiopulmonary bypass), who were retrospectively divided into two groups depending on the presence (n=26) or absence (n=36) of postoperative complications of all types. Clinical and laboratory data on the first day after surgery were analyzed. Additionally, patients' blood samples were collected before and on the first day after surgery to determine biomarkers (interleukin-6, procalcitonin, NT-proBNP, high-sensitivity troponin T) and metabolites (8 aromatic and 2 dicarboxylic acids were detected using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry). Results: Patients before surgery, compared with healthy donors, differed in the concentration of metabolites (p &lt; 0.05), and had concentrations of a number of biomarkers exceeding the corresponding reference values. Multivariate PLS-DA models, predicting the presence or absence of postoperative complications, were built using clinical data (ROC-AUC=0.71), concentrations of metabolites and biomarkers (ROC-AUC=0.60), and the entire data set (ROC-AUC=0.75). For comparison we built univariate models using the EuroScore2 (ROC-AUC=0.59) and SOFA (ROC-AUC=0.76) scales; concentrations of lactate (ROC-AUC=0.71), the dynamic changes of 4-hydroxyphenyllactic acid (ROC-AUC=0.69), and the sum of three sepsis-associated metabolites (ROC-AUC=0.70). The proposed complex model using entire data set was comparable to the SOFA scale, which confirms the expediency of searching for new predictive models based on a variety of factors.

Milk serves as a crucial source of natural bioactive compounds essential for human nutrition and health. The gastrointestinal digestion of milk proteins releases various biologically active peptides that positively impact human health and enhance physiological performance. With the growing production of cheese, Greek yogurt, and other dairy products, the volume of unutilized acid whey is significantly increasing. Acid whey, containing almost all whey proteins and approximately one-quarter of casein, presents a valuable raw material for generating peptides with potential health benefits. These peptides exhibit properties such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic, antihypertensive, antithrombotic, opioid, mineral-binding, and growth-stimulating activities, contributing to improved human immunity and the treatment of chronic diseases. Enzymatic hydrolysis of milk proteins has been developed as a method to produce these peptides, facilitating their use in food fortification. To incorporate whey into functional beverages, it undergoes fermentation by lactic acid bacteria with proteolytic activity. To specifically enrich these beverages with peptides exhibiting targeted bioactivities, it is essential to select lactic acid bacteria strains possessing the requisite protease profiles. Additionally, the sensory properties of the final product can be enhanced using starter cultures with diverse metabolic capabilities, even in the absence of added flavoring agents. Given the imperative to develop waste-free technologies and enhance the profitability of the dairy industry, there is a growing need to efficiently utilize and transform acid whey into a broad spectrum of valuable products and food additives. This approach is justified not only by the nutritional benefits of the bioactive components in whey but also by the commercial potential of safe and health-enhancing products.

Prosthechea karwinskii is an orchid endemic to Mexico, threatened by the destruction of its habitat and the extraction of specimens to meet its demand for ornamental and religious use. Most of its populations, and the most locally abundant ones, are found in Oaxaca state. Variations in some floral traits have been observed in these populations. We implemented a morphometric analysis to assess their floral variation and identify the most significant characters in the morphological patterns of this orchid. Floral samples were collected from 17 populations of P. karwinskii in Oaxaca, as well as from specimens used as ornaments during Easter in a Oaxacan community (Zaachila), whose origin is unknown. Sampling of natural populations covered the environmental, geographic and morphological variation of the species. We performed an analysis of variance (ANOVA), principal component analysis (PCA), and canonical variate analysis (CVA), and cluster analysis including 185 individuals and 45 variables (13 of them were discarded in the multivariate analyzes due to high correlation). Characters of the column, lateral sepal, and labellum were most informative about the observed morphological patterns. Albarradas showed the greatest morphological differentiation, mainly due to the column. In general, individuals from the same locality tended to overlap more, especially the populations of Jaltianguis and Yahuiche, which were different from the geographically close population of Etla. Teposcolula presented the highest values in perianth characters, unlike Sola_Rancho Viejo. The specimens recovered from religious ornaments were morphologically more similar to those from the Mixtec region and surroundings of Etla. Our work encourages working on collaborative conservation strategies to ensure the long-term permanence of both the species and its traditional uses.

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.

In order to shorten the detection time and improve the average precision on embedded devices, A lightweight and high accuracy model is proposed for passion fruit in complex environments (backlight, occlusion, overlap, sunny, cloudy, rainy). Firstly, replacing the backbone network of YOLOv5 with a lightweight GhostNet model reduces the number of parameters and computation while improving detection speed. Secondly, a new feature branch is added to the GhostNet network, and the feature fusion layer in the neck network is reconstructed to effectively combine the lower-level and higher-level features, which not only improves the accuracy of the model but also maintains its lightweight. Finally, the knowledge distillation methods are used to transfer the knowledge from the more capable teacher model to the less capable student model, which significantly improving the detection accuracy. The improved model is denoted as G-YOLO-NK. The average accuracy of the G-YOLO-NK network is 96.00%, which is 1.00% higher than the original YOLOv5s model. Furthermore, the improved model size is 7.14MB, reduced to half of the original model, and the real-time detection frame rate is 11.25 FPS on the Jetson Nano. Compared to the state-of-the-art model, the proposed model outperforms them in terms of average precision and detection performance. The present work provides an effective model for real-time detection of passion fruits in complex orchard scenes, which can provide valuable technical support for the development of orchard picking robots and greatly improve the intelligence level of orchards.

The impact of interaction SS with MJO on rainfall along Java Island to East Nusa Tenggara has been studied using daily rainfall observation data from 2140 weather observation stations, which are also equipped with GSMaP, OLR, and ERA5 data. There were 61 SS events found, 17 during active MJO and 44 in inactive MJO. Rainfall increases more in the western study area when the active MJO and more in the eastern study area when the inactive MJO is due to SS. SS reduces rainfall in the Jakarta region, regardless of the activity or inactivity of the MJO. SS causes extreme rainfall to only occur in a small part of certain areas, so it tends to significantly reduce the possibility of extreme rainfall. In the southern part of the IMC, SS predominates over MJO in supporting increased water vapor transport. Large-scale synoptic circulations like the monsoon, SS, and MJO can interact with local land-sea wind circulation to produce spatiotemporal variability in rainfall on Java Island. Rainfall mostly increases in the afternoon and decreases in the morning when SS occurs, whether there is MJO or not. Convective instability analysis indicates that SS increases precipitation, most likely by lowering CIN and raising VIMFC.

The Simultaneous Localization And Mapping (SLAM) scanner is an easy and portable Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) data acquisition device. Its main output is a 3D point cloud covering the scanned scene. Regarding the importance of accuracy in the survey domain, this paper aims to assess the accuracy of two SLAM scanners: the NavVis VLX and the BLK2GO Scanner. This assessment is conducted for both outdoor and indoor environments. In this context, two types of reference data are used: the Total Station (TS) and the static scanner Z+F Imager 5016. To carry out the assessment, four comparisons are tested: cloud to cloud, cloud to mesh, mesh to mesh, and edge detection board assessment. However, the results of the assessments confirm that the accuracy of indoor SLAM scanner measurements (5 mm) is greater than that of outdoor ones (between 10 mm and 60 mm). Moreover, the comparison of cloud to cloud provides the best accuracy regarding direct accuracy measurement without manipulations. Finally, based on the high accuracy, scanning speed, flexibility, and the accuracy differences between tested cases, it is confirmed that SLAM scanners are effective tools for data acquisition.

In recent years, electroencephalogram (EEG) emotion recognition has emerged as a research hotspot in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). Despite advancements in EEG-based emotion recognition, room for enhancing performance persists due to EEG signal redundancy and limitations in feature extraction, leading to inefficient models and emotional information loss. To fully utilize EEG's emotional information and improve recognition accuracy while reducing computational costs, this paper proposes a Convolutional-Recurrent Hybrid Network with a dual-stream adaptive approach and an attention mechanism (CSA-SA-CRTNN). Firstly, the model utilizes a CSAM module to assign corresponding weights to EEG channels. Then, an adaptive dual-stream convolutional-recurrent network (SA-CRNN and MHSA-CRNN) is applied to extract local spatial-temporal features. After that, the extracted local features are concatenated and fed into a temporal convolutional network with a multi-head self-attention mechanism (MHSA-TCN) to capture global information. Finally, the extracted EEG information is used for emotion classification. We conducted binary and ternary classification experiments on the DEAP dataset, achieving 99.26% and 99.15% accuracy for arousal and valence in binary classification, and 97.69% and 98.05% in ternary classification, surpassing relevant algorithms. Additionally, the model's efficiency is significantly higher than other models, achieving better accuracy with lower resource consumption.

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.

Background: Educating college students about the importance of good sleep habits could lead to the adoption of healthier sleep routines, including sufficient sleep duration and sleep quality. The current pre-post study examines the impact of completing a sleep education program called “Sleep 101” on (1) sleep hygiene practices, (2) sleep quality, and (3) weekday and weekend sleep behaviors among college students. “Sleep 101” is an interactive online course developed to educate college students about the importance of sleep by addressing basic sleep physiology, the impact of sleep on mood, academic and physical performance, the interactions between sleep and various substances, and common sleep disorders. Methods: 338 college students were recruited from a midsized public university in the US and invited to participate in “Sleep 101”, of which 25 participants completed the baseline and post-intervention questionnaire. The Sleep Hygiene Index (SHI) was utilized to evaluate sleep hygiene practices, while standard questions were employed to assess weekday and weekend sleep behaviors and overall sleep quality. Results: Those who completed the study demonstrated a significant increase in weekday sleep duration and were less likely to engage in negative prior bedtime activities. In addition, 40% of those who completed baseline and post-intervention assessments noticed improvements in their sleep quality. Conclusion: These findings suggest that a brief online program is beneficial in improving sleep behaviors among college and could be a scalable approach to addressing current sleep issues and preventing future sleep problems in college students.

The profile of secondary metabolites occurring in apple cuticular layer is not only characteristic for particular apple cultivar, but also dynamically reflects various external factors in growing environment. In this study, the possibility to authenticate apple samples based on analysis of their cuticular layer extracts was investigated. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS/MS) was employed for obtaining metabolomic fingerprints. In total, 274 authentic apple samples, four cultivars harvested within the seasons 2020 to 2022 in the Czech Republic and Poland were analysed. The generated complex data processed by univariate and multivariate statistical methods enabled to build classification models for discrimination of apple cultivars as well as their geographical origin. The models showed very good performance in differentiation of Czech and Polish samples for three of four cultivars: ‘Gala’, ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Idared’, moreover, the validity of the models was verified over harvest seasons. The diagnostic markers, besides metabolites of triterpene biosynthetic pathway, mainly represented wax esters. ‘Jonagold’, which is known to be susceptible to mutations, was the only cultivar for which the unambiguous classification of geographical origin was not possible.

Superior fiber quality is one of the most important objectives in cotton breeding. To detect the genetic basis underlying fiber quality, an F2 population containing 413 plants was constructed by crossing Jifeng 914 and Jifeng 173, both of which have superior fiber quality, with Jifeng 173 being better. Five fiber quality traits were investigated in the F2, F2:3, F2:4, and F2:5 populations. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping was conducted based on a high-density genetic map containing 11,488 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and spanning 4,202.12 cM in length. Transgressive segregation patterns and complex correlations in the five tested traits were observed. A total of 108 QTLs were found, including 27 for fiber length (FL), 16 for fiber strength (FS), 24 for micronaire (MC), 17 for fiber uniformity (FU), and 24 for fiber elongation rate (FE). Chromosome A7 contained 12 QTL, ranking the first. No QTL was found on chromosome D1 and D11. Each QTL contributed 1.98%–21.45% to the phenotypic variation (PV), including 13 major effect QTLs that contributed more than 10% toward PV. Two QTLs could be repeatedly detected in three populations, including qFL-D3-2 in F2, F2:4, and F2:5 with 9.18%–21.45% of PV, qFS-A11-1 in F2:3, F2:4 and F2:5 with 6.05%–10.41% of PV. Another seven stable QTLs could be detected in two populations, including four major effect QTLs: qFL-A12-3, qFS-D10-2, qMC-D6-2, and qMC-D8-1. Fourteen QTL-overlapping regions were found, which might explain the complex correlations among the five phenotypic traits. Four regions on chromosome A11, D3, D6, and D10 covered by both stable and major effect QTLs are promising for further fine mapping. The genomic regions of the two QTLs detected in three populations and the four major effect QTLs contain 810 genes. Gene functional analysis revealed that the annotated genes are mainly involved in protein binding and metabolic pathways. Fifteen candidate genes in the qFL-D3-2 region are highly expressed in fiber or ovules during fiber initiation, elongation, secondary cell wall thickening, or maturation stages. qRT-PCR revealed that Ghir_D03G005440.1 and Ghir_D03G011310.1 may play a role in promoting fiber initiation, Ghir_D03G006470.1 may be beneficial for promoting fiber elongation. This study provides more information for revealing the molecular genetic basis underlying cotton fiber quality.

Currently there are fewer depth models applied to pepper picking detection, while the existing generalized neural networks have problems such as large model parameters, long training time, and low model accuracy.In order to solve the above problems, this paper proposes a Yolo-chili target detection algorithm for chili pepper detection. First, the classical target detection algorithm yolov5 is used as a benchmark model, and an adaptive spatial feature pyramid structure combining the attention mechanism and the idea of multi-scale prediction is introduced to improve the model's detection effect on occluded peppers and small target peppers. Secondly, a three-channel attention mechanism module is introduced to improve the algorithm's long-distance recognition ability and reduce the interference of redundant testers. Finally, the quantized pruning method is used to reduce the model parameters and realize the lightweight processing of the model. Applying the method to the homemade chili pepper dataset, the AP value of chili pepper reaches 93.11%; the accuracy rate is 93.51% and the recall rate is 92.55%.The experimental results show that yolo-chili is able to achieve accurate and real-time pepper detection under complex orchards.

The temporary immersion system bioreactor named GreenTray®[2], [3]presents advantages over the existing ones. Firstly, there is no need to use forceps to move the shoots or plantlets in or out of the recipient, neither the use of scalpel to divide them. Secondly, the basis of the shoot can remain in the GreenTray® and can sprout again in several cycles of growth. These two characteristics reduce the costs in the process of micropropagation. Besides, shoots or plantlets development is enhanced by the aeration of the recipient, thus enriching with CO2 the recipient atmosphere. The chapter describes and provides images and values of interest in (1) the micropropagation process of some commercial Prunus or Pyrus rootstocks; (2) the plantlet growth under autotrophic conditions; and (2) the inoculation of plants with pathogens that reproduce in vitro the symptoms observed in vivo, using the GreenTray® bioreactor.

Aiming at the problems of inaccurate segmentation of long object and information loss of small object in real-time semantic segmentation algorithm, this paper proposes a lightweight multi-branch real-time semantic segmentation network based on BiseNetV2. The new auxiliary branch makes full use of spatial details and context information to cover the long object in the field of view. Meanwhile, in order to ensure the inference speed of the model, the asymmetric convolution is used in each stage of the auxiliary branch to design a structure with low computational complexity. In the multi-branch fusion stage, the alignment and fusion module is designed to provide guidance information for deep and shallow feature mapping, so as to make up for the problem of feature misalignment in the fusion of information at different scales, and thus reduce the loss of small target information. In order to further improve the model’s awareness of key information, a global context module is designed to capture the most important features in the input data. The proposed network uses NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU experiment, on the road street view data set Cityscapes and CamVid average occurring simultaneously ratio reached 77.1% and 78.4% respectively, with running speed of 127 frames/s respectively and 112 frames/s. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can achieve real-time segmentation and improve the accuracy significantly, showing good semantic segmentation performance

Excess nitrogen in agricultural drainage poses a serious threat to the water quality safety of the Yellow River basin. Utilizing aquatic plants to modify the rhizosphere microbial community structure and facilitate nitrogen transformation is a crucial strategy for mitigating regional water eutrophication. Our results revealed that the denitrification rate (DR), dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium rate (DNRAR) and nitrogen fixation rate (NFR) of rhizosphere sediments exhibited a significant increase in artificially cultivated ditch. Compared with those in natural ditches, the richness of the bacterial community and the relative abundances of Bacteroidota, Verrucomicrobiota, Firmicutes, Anaeromyxobacter and Geobacter, which are involved mainly in the nitrogen cycle, in the rhizosphere sediments of artificially cultivated ditch were significantly greater due to improvements in environmental conditions. In artificially cultivated ditch, the dominant functional genes affecting DRNARs in the rhizosphere sediments of P. australis were nrfC and nrfA, while DRs were driven mainly by norB and napA, which were influenced by the nitrogen and carbon levels; and the dominant functional genes affecting NFRs in the rhizosphere sediments of T. orientalis were nifD, nifK and nifH. Our results provide a scientific basis for the use of aquatic plants for mitigating excess nitrogen levels in agricultural drainage.

Strawberry root rot caused by Neopestalotiopsis clavispora is one of the main diseases of strawberry and significantly impacts the yield and quality of strawberry fruit. There are now no effective control techniques available except for fungicide sprays, which may directly impact consumers. Biological control is becoming an alternative method for the control of plant diseases to replace or decrease the application of traditional synthetic chemical fungicides. Trichoderma is widely used as a biological agent for controlling strawberry root rot. In order to provide resources for screening the highly effective biocontrol fungus for controlling strawberry root rot caused by Neopestalotiopsis clavispora, the biocontrol mechanism,the control effects of Trichoderma asperellum CMT10 against strawberry root rot and growth-promoting effects on strawberry seedlings were investigated by plate culture, microscopy observation and root drenching methods.The results showed that CMT10 had obvious competitive, antibiotic and hyperparasitism effects on Neopestalotiopsis clavispora CMGF3. The CMT10 could quickly occupy nutritional space, and the inhibition rates of CMT10 against CMGF3 in confrontation culture on 7 d was 65.49%. The inhibition rates of volatile metabolite and fermentation metabolite produced by CMT10 against CMGF3 were 79.67% and 69.84%, respectively. The mycelium of strain CMT10 can act as hyperparasites by making contacting, winding and penetrating hyphae of CMGF3. Pot experiment showed that the biocontrol efficacy of CMT10 on strawberry root rot caused by Neopestalotiopsis clavispora was 63.00%. CMT10 had obvious promotion effect on strawberry growth, the plant height, root length, total fresh weight, root fresh weight, stem fresh weight and root dry weight, with the promotion rates were 20.09%, 22.39%, 87.11%, 101.58%, 79.82% and 72.33%, respectively. Overall, this study showed the ability of Trichoderma asperellum CMT10 to control strawberry root rot and their potential to develop as novel biocontrol agents to replace chemical fungicides for eco-friendly, sustainable agriculture.

In this paper we study a class of impulsive delayed neural networks with parameter uncertainties and reaction-diffusion terms. Using the properties of M-matrices and some inequality techniques, some sufficient conditions are derived to guarantee the global exponential stability of the given system. The results obtained are presented by simple algebraic inequalities, which are certainly more concise than previous methods. Finally, the validity and usefulness of our results are illustrated by arithmetic examples.

Pyrops candelaria is one of the common pests of fruit trees, but the research on the pathogenic microorganisms it may carry is very limited. Therefore, it is essential to reveal the pathogenic microbes it carries and their potential hazards. This study found a new virus from the transcriptome of P. candelaria, which was first reported in P. candelaria and named as PyCaV (Pyrops candelaria associated virus). RACE and bioinformatics assay revealed that the full-length of PyCaV is 10855 bp with the polyA tail, containing a single open reading frame (ORF) encoding a polyprotein consisting of 3171 amino acid (aa). The virus has a typical Iflavirus structure, including two rhv domains, a RNA helicase domain (HEL), a 3C cysteine protease domain (Pro), and a RNA-dependent RNA polymerase domain (RdRp). Further phylogenetic analysis revealed that this virus belongs to family Iflaviridae and sequence alignements analysis suggedted PyCaV is new member in unassigned genus of family Iflaviridae. Further in-depth analysis of virus-infection-part showed that PyCaV is distributing in the whole longan lanternfly, including its head, chest, and abdomen, but more PyCaV was identified in the chest. The distribution of PyCaV in different parts of P. candelaria was further explored, which showed that more PyCaV were detected in its piercing-sucking mouthparts and chest viscera. Statistical analysis showed that the PyCaV infection was affected by time and locations.

Apis mellifera, especially weak ones, are highly vulnerable to Carpoglyphus lactis mites, which can rapidly infest and consume stored pollen, leading to weakened colonies and potentially colony collapse. This study aimed to ascertain and investigate the prevalence of this mite in honeybee colonies across 9 provinces in the Republic of Korea (ROK). A total of 615 honeybee colonies were collected, from 66 apiaries during the spring and 58 apiaries during the summer of 2023. A 1,242 bp segment of the the Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene was amplified using the polymerase chain reaction method. The detection levels of C. lactis in the honeybees were compared between winter and summer. Based on the COI sequence analysis, the nucleotide sequence similarity of C. lactis mites isolated in the ROK with those from China (NC048990.1) was found to be 99.5%, and with those from the United Kingdom (KY922482.1) was 99.3%. This study is the first report of C. lactis in Korean apiaries. The findings in this study demonstrate a significantly higher detection rate in winter, which is 4.1 times greater than that in summer (p &lt; 0.001). Furthermore, the results underscore the usefulness of molecular diagnostic techniques for detecting C. lactis mites.

With the burgeoning growth of online retail, the issue of counterfeit products has become a significant threat to both consumer trust and brand integrity, posing challenges to sustainable market practices. Online retail platforms are promoted to redesign their channel structures and enhance brand traceability to tackle counterfeits using blockchain technology. To investigate the interactions between blockchain technology and the channel structures of online retail platforms, we design a game theory model incorporating a manufacturer with(out) blockchain participation selling products via an online retail platform that operates an agency channel and/or a reselling channel. We show that the critical trade-off of blockchain participation comprises the brand assurance effect of the blockchain, the channel competition intensification effect, and the blockchain adoption cost. The platform is capable of strategically designing the channel structure to encourage (while discouraging) blockchain participation by the manufacturer. Our analysis highlights the complementarity between blockchain participation and the channel structure. Furthermore, the effect of the consumer’s belief in the reselling channel, the commission fee in the agency channel, and the substitutability between channels are investigated in depth. The research provides valuable insights for online retail platforms and policymakers seeking to foster a sustainable and trustworthy e-commerce ecosystem.

In this paper, we extend the KdVSKR equations in (1+1)-dimension and (2+1)-dimension to fractional KdVSKR equations with modified Riemann-Liouville derivative. The (2+1)-dimensional KdVSKR equation, which is a recent extension of (1+1)-dimensional KdVSKR equation, can model the resonances of solitons in shallow water. By means of the Hirota bilinear method, finite symmetry group method and consistent Riccati expansion method, many new interaction solutions have been derived. Soliton-cnoidal interaction solution of the (1+1)-dimensional fractional KdVSKR equation has been derived for the first time. For the (2+1)-dimensional frac-tional KdVSKR equation, two-wave interaction solutions and three-wave interaction solutions, including dark-soliton-sine interaction solution, bright-soliton-elliptic interaction solution, and lump-hyperbolic-sine interaction solution, have been derived. Impact of the fractional order on the shapes of these solutions has been illustrated by figures. Three-wave interaction solutions of fractional systems have not been reported in the existing references. The research idea in this paper can be applied to other fractional differential equations.

COX II containing a dual core CuA active site is one of the three core subunits of mitochondrial Cco, which plays a significant role in the physiological process. In this report, the full-length cDNA of COXⅡ gene was cloned from Sitophilus zeamais, which had an ORF of 684 bp encoding 227 amino acids residues. The predicted COXⅡ protein had a molecular mass of 26.2 kDa with pI value of 6.37, and multiple sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis indicated that Sitophilus zeamais COXⅡ had high sequence identity 78.51% with the COXⅡ of other insect species, especially similarity to sitophilus oryzae. This gene was subcloned into the prokaryotic expression vector pET-32a, and induced by IPTG in E.coli Transetta (DE3) expression system. Finally the COXⅡ with 6-His tag was purified using affinity chromatography with Ni²⁺-NTA agarose. WB showed the recombinant COXⅡ was about 44 kD, and the concentration of fusion protein was 50μg/mL. UV-spectrophotometer and infrared spectrometer analysis showed that recombinant COXⅡ could catalyze the oxidation of substrate Cytc, and influenced by AITC. It was found that AITC could form a hydrophobic region with COXⅡ protein via molecular docking, besides, a sulfur atom of AITC structure could form a length of 2.9 Å hydrogen bond with Leu-31. These results will provide valuable information for elucidating the role of COXⅡ in Sitophilus zeamais responses to AITC, meanwhile, it will helpful to carry out a point mutation in AITC binding sites for the future research.

The properties of the annual, semiannual and triennial oscillations (AO, SAO and TO) in the middle atmosphere have been investigated using the TIMED/SABER temperature data. The Lomb-Scargle and wavelet spectra were used to determine the dominant oscillations in the background temperature field. The AO is prominent at the mid-latitudes. The AO amplitudes present an asymmetry between the two Hemispheres, being larger in the mesosphere than in the stratosphere. The SAO dominates the tropical regions, with three amplitude maxima at altitudes of 45, 75, and 85 km. The SAOs in the upper mesosphere (75 km) are out of phase with those in the mesopause (85 km) in the tropical regions, which can generate an enhancement of 11 K at each equinox, contributing to the lower mesospheric inversion layer. The TO is significant in the tropical region, with amplitude being maximum at 35, 45 and 85 km. Result shows that there may be potential interaction by the TO with SAO at 85km at the equator. The relation between ENSO and TO has also been discussed. The ENSO signal may modulate the amplitude of the TO, mainly in the lower stratosphere. The real origin of the TO may lie in the wave-mean-flow interaction.

As the world population grows, fulfilling the need for biomaterials in the healthcare system becomes increasingly important. Biomaterials, which include metals, polymers, ceramics, and composites, play an important role in the creation of medical devices that improve people's lives. The European Society for Biomaterials described biomaterials as non-biological materials used in medical devices to interact with biological systems. This definition has developed to encompass materials that treat, assess, or replace tissues or bodily functions. Biocompatibility, as defined by the FDA, is a key feature of biomaterials, as is the requirement to fulfil design requirements such as mechanical performance, geometry, and electrical control. Over the last decade, advances in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering have boosted biomaterials' usage in medical applications dramatically. Despite its promise, scientists, engineers, and physicians continue to face significant challenges due to the complexity of biomaterials. Biomaterials have various benefits, including biodegradability, non-toxicity, and biocompatibility, making them extremely useful for replacing, sustaining, or improving biological activities in damaged tissues. They are used in a wide range of applications, including tissue engineering implants, human tissue healing and regeneration, medication delivery systems, and biosensors. This study gives insights into the fundamental characteristics, case studies, and ethical issues associated with the usage and use of biomaterials, further examining their potential and significance in healthcare and medicine.

The paper describes the new method for image compression based on coordinated group signal transformation. The algorithm is a type of difference coding. Coordinated processing significantly simplifies the difference signal conversion scheme using a single group codec for all signals. The described method considers color channels as correlated signals of a multi-channel communication system. The specifics of the processed data required modification of the coordinated group processing algorithm. First, we changed how to calculate the difference signals to prevent data loss. Secondly, the group codec was supplemented with a neural network to improve the quality of reconstructed images. We considered the following types of neural networks: fully connected, recurrent, convolution, and convolution in the Fourier space. Based on the simulation results, it is best to use fully connected neural networks if the goal is to minimize processing delay time. These networks have a response time of 13 ms. On the other hand, if the priority is to improve quality in cases where delays are not critical, then convolution neural networks in the Fourier space should be used. These networks have a response time of 140 ms and are of significant interest.

In electromagnetic ultrasonic testing, it is difficult to recognize small-size bottom cracks by time of flight (ToF), and the lift-off fluctuation of the probe affects the accuracy and consistency of the inspection results. In order to overcome the difficulty, a novel EMAT (electromagnetic acoustic transducer)-PEC (pulse eddy current) composite sensor is designed. We use amplitude of bottom echo recorded by EMAT to identify the tiny bottom crack as well as the amplitude of PEC signals picked up by the integrated symmetric coils to measure the average lift-off of the probe in real time. Firstly, the effects of lift-off and bottom cracks on amplitude of bottom echo are distinguished combining the theoretical analysis and finite element method (FEM). And then an amplitude correction method based on the fusion of EMAT and PEC signals is proposed to reduce the impact of lift-off on the defect signal. The experimental results demonstrate that the designed composite sensor can effectively detect the bottom crack as small as 0.1mm* 0.3mm. The signal fusion method can accurately correct the amplitude of defect signal and the relative error is less than ±8%.

The studied solar pot is a recent invention, which gained a utility model protection in 2021 from the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office under patent number 5489. The device is made for environmentally friendly cooking or heating (by utilizing solar energy) of foods and liquids. Its structure is similar to a double pipe heat exchanger, it has an outer mantle and an inner cooking tank. The goals of the paper are proposing a new physically-based mathematical model describing the solar pot and carrying out computer experiments with it, assembling an experimental system of the pot connected with a solar collector and performing measurements on it. Based on the results, the solar pot can successfully be used for cooking or sterilizing foods or liquids during the studied time period, in Hungary.

The research reported on this paper was aimed at improving the overall efficiency of a PDO certified artisanal cheese production process. Being a PDO certified foodstuff by the EU, it is considered to have properties and qualities determined by the geographical environment in which is made, with its production taking place in a specific and determined geographical location, in this case the Serra da Estrela region. In that sense, the authors conducted a mapping according to a systemic perspective of the processes involved in the context of manufacturing and distribution of certified Serra da Estrela cheese. Numerous methods were used throughout the process, such as a systemic design analysis, and techniques derived from ethnographic methods, which led to the collection of data in the field and consequently provided the immersion of the researcher in genuine work situations. Critical points were identified and emphasized in the systemic map with the purpose of encouraging initiatives to address and overcome the gaps and inefficiencies detected. The systemic design analysis triggered the development of design work. Observations following an ethnographic approach identified ergonomic risks in cheese making during the process of cutting excess chips, fostering the emergence of musculoskeletal disorders at the wrist. A tool that fits best to the task at hand was developed. A prototype of the new tool enabled collecting feedback from use in the work context, in order to inform product development. The domains of agricultural production and microbiology, considering the specific microorganisms developed trough the ripening process of the cheese, turned out to be aspects of high importance for the issue under focus, contributing to a broader understanding of the ripening process and its risks, simultaneously improving the efficiency and success of cheese production. If it were not for the systemic analysis, which served as a link between the boundaries of distinct domains such as the risk of microorganism contamination, ergonomics, energy efficiency, legislation and regulation policies, transportation challenges and economic viability, approached throughout the research. Simultaneously creating bridges between them, the various problems might not have been detected in the first place, as they are usually addressed in specialized disciplines, predetermined by the restrictions of each specific area of knowledge. As a consequence of the development of this research, which was based on an analysis that sought to establish possible connections between various disciplines and tried to constantly maintain a holistic perspective, making new connections and observing the issues from a new angle, apart from the already established methodologies. All this allowed to lay out the seeds for the development of a plan to tackle the critical points identified by the systemic analysis reported in this paper.

Abstract: Transcription factors are crucial pre-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms that can modulate the expression of downstream genes by binding to their promoter regions. DOF (DNA binding with One Finger) proteins are a unique class of transcription factors with extensive roles in plant growth and development. Our previous research indicated a decrease in iron content in chlorotic bamboo leaves. However, to our knowledge, genes related to iron metabolism pathways in bamboo species have not yet been studied. Therefore, in the current study, we identified iron metabolism-related (IMR) genes in bamboo and determined the transcription factors that significantly influence them. Among these, DOFs were found to have widespread effects and potentially significant impacts on their expression. We identified specific DOF members in Dendrocalamus latiflorus with binding abilities through homology with Arabidopsis DOF proteins, and established connections between some of these members and IMR genes using RNA-seq data. Additionally, molecular docking confirmed the binding interactions between these DlDOFs and the DOF binding sites in the promoter regions of IMR genes. The co-expression relationship between the two gene sets was further validated using q-PCR experiments. This study paves the way for research into iron metabolism pathways in bamboo and lays the foundation for understanding the role of DOF transcription factors in D. latiflorus.

This paper is focused on typical rural settlements in the Stara Planina Mountain area in Serbia. They are distinguished by their authenticity, identity and character, and they have still not been destroyed by inappropriate development as is the case in some other mountain areas in Serbia, where the effects of urbanization, globalization and homogenization are obvious. Consequently, there is a need to prevent these effects in mountain areas where there is a threat of disbalance between development and the inherited natural and cultural values. The paper starts from several important concepts that relate contemporary approaches to cultural heritage preservation, place morphology and planning future development. The concept definitions from recent documents from related fields are used. These concepts are then applied to the area of Stara Planina Mountain and its rural settlements. The necessity for an integrative approach to planning this area with significant natural and anthropogenic potential is pointed out, including its integration into international programs of sustainable development.