We have modelled the energy consumption of prototype and real buildings under present and future climatic conditions with the EnergyPlus model to develop a better understanding of the relationship between changing climate conditions and energy demand. We have produced detailed meteorological information with 50 meters of spatial resolution through dynamical downscaling process combining regional, urban and computational fluid dynamics models which include the effects of the buildings on urban wind patterns. The city of Madrid has been chosen for our experiment. The impact on energy demand and their respective economic cost are calculated for year 2100 versus 2011 based on two IPCC climate scenarios, RCP 4.5 (stabilization of emissions) and RCP 8.5 (not reduction of emissions). Findings show that climate change will have a significant impact on the energy demand for buildings. Space heating demand will be increased by the RCP 4.5 and cooling demand will be increased for the RCP 8.5 in the analysed buildings.

A method based on ultra performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector (UPLC-DAD) was developed for quantitative analysis of five active compounds and chemical fingerprint analysis of Rosa rugosa. Ten batches of Rosa rugosa collected from different plantations in the Xinjiang region of China were used to establish the fingerprint. The feasibility and advantages of the used UPLC fingerprint were verified for its similarity evaluation by systematically comparing chromatograms with professional analytical software recommended by State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) of China. In quantitative analysis, the five compounds showed good regression (R²=0.999 5) within the test ranges and the recovery of the method was in the range of 94.2–103.8%. The similarities of the fingerprints of 10 batches of the samples were more than 0.981. The developed UPLC fingerprint method is simple, reliable and validated for the quality control and identification of Rosa rugosa. Additionally, simultaneous quantification of five major bioactive ingredients in the Rosa rugosa samples was conducted to interpret the consistency of the quality test. The results indicated that the UPLC fingerprint as a characteristic distinguishing method combining similarity evaluation and quantification analysis, can be successfully used to assess the quality and to identify the authenticity of Rosa rugosa.

The use of alcohol and tobacco is related to several variables which act as risk or protective factors, depending on the circumstances. The objectives of this study were to analyze the relationship between emotional intelligence, resilience and family functioning in adolescent use of alcohol and tobacco and to find emotional profiles for their use considering self-concept. The sample was made up of 317 high school students aged 13 to 18 who filled out the Brief Emotional Intelligence Inventory, the Resilience Scale for Adolescents, the APGAR Scale, the Alcohol Expectancy Questionnaire - Adolescents and the Five-Factor Self-Concept Questionnaire. The results revealed that emotional intelligence and resilience, specifically, stress management and family cohesion were significant in the group of nonusers. Family functioning acts as a predictor factor for onset of use of tobacco and alcohol. Positive expectancies about drinking alcohol were found to be a risk factor and the intrapersonal factor to be protective. Both stress management and family cohesion were protective factors against smoking. Furthermore, cluster analysis revealed emotional profiles for users of both substances based on self-concept. Finally, the importance of the direction of the relationship between the variables studied for intervention in this problem should be mentioned. Responsible use by improving adolescent decision-making is one of the results expected from this type of intervention.

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

Manganosalen complexes are coordination compounds that possess a chelating salen-type ligand, a class of bis-Schiff bases obtained by condensation of salicylaldehyde and a diamine. They may act as catalytic antioxidants mimicking both the structure and the reactivity of the native antioxidant enzymes active site. Thus, manganosalen complexes have shown to exhibit superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities, and they could potentially facilitate the scavenging of excess ROS, thereby restoring the redox balance in the damaged cells and organs. Initial catalytic studies compared the potency of these compounds as antioxidants in terms of rate constants of the chemical reactivity against ROS, giving catalytic values approaching and even exceeding that of the native antioxidative enzymes. Although most of these catalytic studies lack of biological relevance, subsequent in vitro studies have confirmed the efficiency of many manganosalen complexes in oxidative stress models. These synthetic catalytic scavengers, cheaper than natural antioxidants, have accordingly attracted intensive attention for the therapy of ROS-mediated injuries. The aim of this review is to focus on in vivo studies performed on manganosalen complexes and their activity on the treatment of several pathological disorders associated with oxidative damage. This disorders, ranging from the prevention of fetal malformations to the extension of lifespan, include neurodegenerative, inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases, tissue injury, and other damages related to liver, kidney or lungs.

Acid proteins capable of nucleating Ca2+ and displaying aggregation capacity play key roles in the formation of calcium carbonate biominerals. EF-hands are among the largest Ca2+-binding motif in proteins. Gad m 1, an Atlantic cod β-parvalbumin isoform, is a monomeric EF-hand protein that acts as a Ca2+ buffer in fish muscle and is able to form amyloids under acidic conditions. Since nucleating Ca2+ protein have a propensity to form extended β-strand structures, we wondered whether amyloid assemblies of a protein containing refolded EF-hand motifs were able to influence the in vitro calcium carbonate crystallization. Here we have used the Gad m 1 chain as model to generate monomeric and amyloid assemblies and analyze their effect on in vitro calcite formation. We found that only amyloid assemblies alter calcite morphology.

One of the biggest threats we face globally is the emergence of antimicrobial resistant (AMR) bacteria, which runs in parallel with a lack in the development of new antimicrobials. Among these AMR bacteria, pathogens belonging to the ESKAPE group can be highlighted (Enterococcus spp, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacter spp) due to their profile of drug resistance and virulence. Therefore, innovative lines of treatment must be developed for these bacteria. In this review, we summarize the different strategies for the treatment and study of molecular mechanisms of AMR in the ESKAPE pathogens based on the Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated (Cas) proteins' technologies: loss of plasmid or cellular viability, random mutation or gene deletion as well directed mutations that lead to a gene's loss of function.

The adoption of harmful postures due to a sedentary lifestyle, which involves long periods at work in offices, is a factor that exacerbates musculoskeletal risks. To examine these risks, there are numerous postures analysis methods, such as Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) and Rapid Office Strain Assessment (ROSA). RULA is a consolidated method to evaluate the exposure of individual workers to ergonomic risk factors associated with upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders. In turn, ROSA is a more recent method that quantifies exposure to risk factors in an office work environment. This research aims to identify whether there is harmony between these two methods, ROSA and RULA. Through applied research, from a qualitative perspective, the scientific procedures adopted were direct observation and ROSA and RULA postural assessment instruments. The study was conducted in the radiology service and focused on the outpatient reception workstation. Results indicated that further investigation must occur to make working conditions changes as soon as possible and that both methods are harmonic. As contributions of the analysis, we have discussed the working conditions and suggested improvements to reduce the risks of musculoskeletal morbidity symptoms. We recommend future studies aimed at measuring the levels of complementarity between these methods by quantitative approaches.

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

The olive wide genetic variability can be used to overcome some of the challenges faced by olive growing, including climate warming. One effect of climate warming in olive is the difficulty to fulfill the chilling requirements for flowering due to high winter temperatures. In the present work, we evaluate seven olive cultivars for their adaptation to high winter temperatures by comparing their flowering phenology in the standard Mediterranean climate of Cordoba, Southern Iberian Peninsula, with the Subtropical climate of Tenerife, Canary Islands. Flowering phenology in Tenerife was significantly earlier and longer than in Cordoba. However, genotype seems to have little influence on the effects of lack of winter chilling temperatures as in Tenerife. This even though the cultivars studied have a high genetic distance between them. In fact, all the cultivars tested in Tenerife flowered the three years under study but showing asynchronous flowering bud burst. Only ‘Arbequina’ showed an earlier day of full flowering than the rest of cultivars. The results observed here could be of interest to refine the phenological simulation models and including of the length of the flowering period. More genetic variability should be evaluated in warm winter conditions to look for adaptation to climate warming.

Low efficiency and excessive application of nitrogen (N) fertilizers is a frequent problem in agriculture that impacts the environment. Omeprazole (OMP) has been reported to promote N uptake and assimilation in tomato, basil, and corn. However, information about the effect of omeprazole on N assimilation, recovery and N use efficiency parameters for bean plants is limited. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to determine the effect of foliar application of OMP at 0, 1, 10 and 100 µM on nitrogen assimilation, growth, yield, nitrogen use efficiency parameters and recovery percentage in green bean plants. Green bean plants cv. Strike grown in pots were used. Biomass, yield, nitrate reductase activity, photosynthetic pigments concentration, soluble amino acids and protein concentration, total nitrogen concentration, nitrogen use efficiency parameters and nitrogen recovery were analyzed. The results obtained indicate that the application of OMP at 1 µM increased yield, biomass and promoted N assimilation through higher NR enzyme activity, higher amino acid concentration, higher N use efficiency coefficient and allowed a more efficient nitrogen recovery percentage.

Macrophages are cells involved in the primary response to debris derived from wear of implanted CoCr alloys. The biocompatibility of wear particles from a high carbon CoCr alloy produced under polarization in physiological hyaluronic acid (HA) solution was evaluated in J774A.1 mouse macrophages cultures. Polarization was applied to mimic the electrical interactions observed in living tissues. Wear tests were performed in a pin-on-disk tribometer integrating an electrochemical cell in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) and in PBS supplemented with 0.3% HA, physiological synovial fluid concentration, used as lubricant solution. Wear particles produced in 0.3% HA solution showed a higher biocompatibility in J774A.1 macrophages in comparison to those elicited by PBS. A considerable improvement in macrophages biocompatibility in the presence of 0.3 % of HA was further observed by the application of polarization at potentials having current densities typical of injured tissues suggesting that polarization produces an effect on the surface of the metallic material that leads to the production of wear particles that are macrophages biocompatible and less cytotoxic. The results showed the convenience to consider electric interactions together with other particles parameters, as are size and composition, to get a better understanding of the biological effects of the wear products.

Hydroalcoholic extracts from Malbec and Torrontés wine pomace (Vitis vinifera L.) originating from the high-altitude vineyards of Argentina's Calchaquí Valleys were characterized. Total phenolics, hydroxycinnamic acids, orthodiphenols, anthocyanins, non-flavonoid phenolics, total flavonoids, flavones/flavonols, flavanones/dihydroflavonols, and tannins were quanti-fied through spectrophotometric methods, with Malbec extract exhibiting higher concentra-tions in most of phytochemical groups when compared to Torrontés. HPLC-DAD identified more than 30 phenolic compounds in both extracts. Malbec displayed superior antiradical ac-tivity (ABTS cation, nitric oxide, and superoxide anion radicals), reduction power (iron, copper and phosphomolybdenum), hypochlorite scavenging, and iron chelating ability, compara-tively to Torrontés. The cytotoxicity assessments revealed that Torrontés affected the viability of HT29-MTX and Caco-2 colon cancer cells by 70% and 50%, respectively, at the highest tested concentration (1 mg/mL). At the same time, both extracts did not demonstrate acute toxicity in Artemia salina or in red blood cell assays at 500 µg/mL. Both extracts inhibited the lipoxygen-ase enzyme, with Malbec also reducing the tyrosinase activity and neither inhibited the xan-thine oxidase. The substantial phenolic content and diverse biological activities in Calchaquí Valleys' pomaces underline their potentialities to be valorized for pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries.

In the last two decades many detailed full transcriptomic studies on complex biological samples have been published and included in large gene expression repositories. These studies primarily provide bulk expression signal for each sample, including multiple cell-types mixed within the global signal. The cellular heterogeneity in these mixtures does not allow the activity of specific genes in specific cell types to be identified. Therefore, inferring relative cellular composition is a very powerful tool to achieve a more accurate molecular profiling of complex biological samples. In recent decades, computational techniques have been developed to solve this problem by applying cell deconvolution methods, designed to decompose cell mixtures into their cellular components and calculate the relative proportions of these elements. Some of them, only calculate the cell proportions (supervised methods), while other deconvolution algorithms can also identify the gene signatures specific for each cell type (unsupervised methods). In these work, five deconvolution methods (CIBERSORT, FARDEEP, DECONICA, LINSEED and ABIS) were implemented and used to analyze blood and immune cells, and also cancer cells, in complex mixture samples (using three bulk expression datasets). Our study provides three analytical tools (corrplots, cell-signature plots and bar-mixture plots) that allow a thorough comparative analysis of the cell mixture data. The work indicates that CIBERSORT is a robust method optimized for the identification of immune cell-types, but not as efficient in the identification of cancer cells. We also observed that LINSEED is a very powerful unsupervised method that provides precise and specific gene signatures for each of the five main immune cell-types analyzed: neutrophils and monocytes (in the myeloid lineage), B-cells, NK cells and T-cells (in the lymphoid lineage).

The process of international migration causes a situation of vulnerability in people's health and greater difficulty in coping with disease. Furthermore, the adversities suffered during migration can trigger reactive signs of stress and cause anxious, depressive, confusional and somatic symptoms. This article studies the relationships between psychosocial risk, psychological distress and somatization in immigrants from 4 communities: Maghrebis, Sub-Saharans, South Americans and South Asian. A cross-sectional study was carried out with questionnaires on 602 immigrants who were surveyed in the Primary Care Centres of an urban area of Catalonia. The instruments used were the Demographic Psychosocial Inventory (DPSI), the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) and the Somatic Symptom Inventory (SSI). The average psychosocial risk obtained was 0.35, with the highest values in the sub-Saharan community. Psychological distress showed a mean value of 0.66, with the sub-Saharan community scoring the lowest in all dimensions except depression. The average somatization values were 1.65, with the sub-Saharan community scoring the least. The female gender is a risk factor for somatization and psychological distress. Perceived psychosocial risk is a predictor of psychological distress, but not somatization, suggesting that the use of more adaptive coping strategies could minimize the effect of the migration process on somatizations.

Tumors of the central nervous system produce adverse outcomes in everyday life; however, low-grade gliomas are uncommon in adults. For this reason, the objective is to describe the executive function of a 59-year-old adult neuro-oncological patient. Pre- and postintervention evaluation of neurological and neuropsychological functioning was performed through neuroimaging techniques (iRM, Spectroscopy, Electroencephalography), hospital history, psychological interview, and Wisconsin Card Classification Test (WCST). Executive performance exhibited a noticeable decline in typical and centile WCST results, as evidenced by deterioration in persistent scores, failure to maintain an attitude and difficulty learning from clinical samples. This information coincides with the evolution of the neuroimage over time. Finally, this topic is discussed in the literature.

The use of phosphate-solubilizing fungi in coffee cultivation is an alternative with which to reduce the use of fertilizers. The objective of this study was to analyze the mechanisms involved in the phosphorus solubilization of the fungal strains and to evaluate the effect of a phosphate-solubilizing strain on the coffee plants. For this, phosphorus-solubilizing fungal strains were selected for evaluation of their solubilization potential and phosphatase activity. Coffee plants were inoculated in the field with a phosphate solubilizing strain, and soil and foliar soluble phosphorus, as well as coffee bean yield, were quantified. Of the 151 strains analyzed, Aspergillus niger, Penicillium waksmanii, and Penicillium brevicompactum showed the highest solubilization. Aspergillus niger and P. waksmanii presented the highest soluble phosphorus values; however, P. brevicompactum showed the highest phosphatase activity. The P. brevicompactum strain inoculated on the coffee plants did not favor foliar phosphorus content but increased the soil soluble phosphorus content in two of the coffee plantations. The plants inoculated with the phosphate solubilizing strain showed an increase in coffee bean weight on all plantations, although this increase was only significant in two of the three selected coffee plantations.

Intravitreal injections (IVTs) of corticosteroids as triamcinolone acetonide (TA) are frequently used for the treatment of many vitreous and retinal disorders. However, IVTs are related to severe ocular complications. Lately, a topical ophthalmic TA loaded liposomes formulation (TALF) was designed to transport TA into the posterior segment of the eye when instilled in the ocular surface. To evaluate the safety, tolerability, and biologic activity of TALF, an animal study and a phase I clinical assay was performed. Moreover, four patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) were treated with TALF in order to explore the biologic activity of the formulation. No inflammation, lens opacity, swelling or intraocular pressure rising were recorded after the instillation of TALF in any of the animal or clinical study. Mainly, mild and transient adverse events such as dry eye (30%) and burning (30%) were reported. TALF improves significantly visual acuity and diminishes central foveal thickness in patients with DME. The current data demonstrate the safety, tolerability, and biologic activity of TALF. It seems that TALF can be used topically to treat vitreous and retinal diseases that respond to TA such as DME, avoiding the use of corticosteroids IVTs and its associated hazards.

Arsenic is highly toxic, affecting millions of people in many regions of the world. That is why developing economic and efficient technologies is imperative to eliminate it. Sorption techniques are attractive as efficient and inexpensive sorbents can be used. Chitosan is an abundant, naturally occurring, biodegradable, low-cost biopolymer that can be combined with metal oxide to enhance its removability. This work aimed to synthesize a new chitosan-magnetite-based sorbent for arsenic removal. The synthesized sorbent does not present pores, and by FT-IR, functional groups of the chitosan and the presence of As(V) in the sorbent treated with arsenic were identified. The synthesized magnetite was characterized by XRD spectroscopy. Application of the Composite Central Design model showed that 0.22 g of the sorbent at pH 6.0 could remove 27.6% of As(V). Kinetic data, fitted with the pseudo-first and second-order models, indicated an ion exchange sorption and activation energy of 28.1-31.4 kJ mol-1. The isotherms were fitted with the Langmuir model, indicating a favourable monolayer adsorption with high affinity. The sorption energy, calculated by Dubinin-Radushkevich, 9.60-8.80 kJ mol-1, confirms a sorption mechanism mediated by ion exchange. The thermodynamic parameters of the process were ΔG°(-21.7/-19.7 kJ mol-1), ΔH°(16.7 kJ mol-1) and ΔS°(123.3 J mol-1 K-1).

Trade-offs in ecosystem services (ES) manifest when the enhancement of one service leads to the diminishing of another. These trade-offs pose a notable challenge, impacting the sustainability of particular socio-ecological systems peri-urban landscapes (PULs). This issue arises from the dynamic processes associated with peri-urbanization, posing threats to natural ecosystems and their services in peri-urban areas. Additionally, the escalating demand for ecosystem services in PULs contributes to these trade-offs. Policy making and planning concerning ecosystem ES trade-offs in PULs should prioritize the promotion of a balance between conflicting services and foster synergies among them. However, it is noteworthy that ES trade-offs in PULs are not given high priority on policy and planning agendas. Knowledge regarding policy development and planning for ES trade-offs in PULs often remains concealed within specific country and regional case studies. Consequently, this research seeks to characterize the ES trade-offs in the selected PUL case studies, with the objective of identifying potential commonalities among them. Furthermore, the study aims to identify: (i) the factors driving ES trade-offs, (ii) challenges pertaining to how policy-making and planning address ES trade-offs in PULs, and (iii) recommendations for enhancing governance practices to better manage peri-urban ES trade-offs. We designed a semi-quantitative survey and collected information about 23 different case studies, located across the world. Answers from this survey were analyzed with the help of Principal Component Analysis approach. The results showed that the most common trade-off occurred between “cultural and provisioning” and “regulating and provisioning” ES. It was found that urban development is the basic driver behind emerging of the examined trade-offs. To tackle this issue at the governance level, the study recommends establishing mechanisms to facilitate collaboration among stakeholders. This should be accompanied by robust dissemination efforts and the promotion of awareness among actors regarding the fundamental concepts of ES and PULs.

This research work is concerned in the exergy analysis of the continuous-convection drying of onion. The influence of temperature and air flow rate was studied in terms of exergy parameters. The energy and exergy balances were carried out taking into account the onion drying chamber. Its behaviour was analysed based on exergy efficiency, exergy loss rate, exergetic improvement potential rate and sustainability index. The exergy loss rates increase with the temperature and air flow rate augmentation. Exergy loss rate is augmented at higher drying air temperatures and flow rates because the overall heat transfer coefficient increase. On the other hand, the exergy efficiency increases with the air flow rate augmentation. This behavior is due to the energy utilization was improved because the most amount of supplied energy was utilized for the moisture evaporation. However, the exergy efficiency decreases with the temperature augmentation due to the free moisture is less, then, the moisture begins diffusing from the internal structure to the surface. The exergetic improvement potential rate values show that the onion drying process presents a high potential to improve the exergy efficiency. The sustainability index of the drying chamber varied from 1.9 to 5.1. To reduce the environmental impact of the process, the parameters must be modified in order to ameliorate the exergy efficiency of the process.

(1) Background: Artificial Intelligence (AI) models have shown potential in various educational contexts. However, their utility in explaining complex biological phenomena, such as Intrinsically Disordered Proteins (IDPs), requires further exploration. This study empirically evaluated the performance of various Large Language Models (LLMs) in the educational domain of IDPs. (2) Methods: Four LLMs, GPT-3.5, GPT-4, GPT-4 with Browsing, and Google Bard (PaLM 2), were assessed using a set of IDP-related questions. An expert evaluated their responses across five categories: accuracy, relevance, depth of understanding, clarity, and overall quality. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and Tukey's honesty significant difference tests were utilized for analysis. (3) Results: The GPT-4 model consistently outperformed the others across all evaluation categories. Although GPT-4 and GPT-3.5 were not statistically significantly different in performance (p>0.05), GPT-4 was preferred as the best response in 13 out of 15 instances. The AI models with browsing capabilities, GPT-4 with Browsing and Google Bard (PaLM 2) displayed lower performance metrics across the board with statistically significant differences (p<0.0001). (4) Conclusion: Our findings underscore the potential of AI models, particularly LLMs such as GPT-4, in enhancing scientific education, especially in complex domains such as IDPs. Continued innovation and collaboration among AI developers, educators, and researchers are essential to fully harness the potential of AI for enriching scientific education.

The COVID-19 pandemic made it harder to communicate accurate information about vaccines because of the spread of misinformation. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) tried to reas-sure the public by communicating about the development and approval of COVID-19 vaccines. They surveyed patients/consumers, healthcare professional organizations, and individual stake-holders to see if their core information materials were informative and well understood. They also asked about the public's preferred communication channels. The surveys showed that indi-vidual patients/consumers generally prefer to get information about COVID-19 vaccines from the internet or mass media. Organizations and individual healthcare professionals prefer to get in-formation from national and international health authorities' sources. This supports EMA's ap-proach of using media, stakeholder engagement, and web-based formats to communicate about COVID-19 vaccines. Both at the EU and local levels, participants had a good understanding of the key messages from regulators and found the materials useful and relevant. However, some im-provements were recommended to the visuals, texts, and dissemination formats. These recom-mendations were generally consistent in both contexts. User-testing of proactive communication materials aimed at prebunking misinformation during a public health crisis helps to ensure that users understand the development and safety safeguards of novel vaccine technologies. This in-formation can then be used as a basis for evidence-based communication activities by regulators and public health bodies in an emergency context.

Clinical and analytical differences between adult patients monoinfected with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) and patients infected with B. burgdorferi s.l. who also had IgG antibodies against Babesia divergens have not been reported so far. Both Lyme disease caused by B. burgdorferi and babesiosis caused by B. divergens, endemic in Asturias, Northwestern Spain, are transmitted by Ixodes tick bites. Clinical, laboratory and other diagnostic tests characteristics (imaging, electro-cardiographic-ECG) of 120 residents of Asturias with confirmed B. burgdorferi s.l. infection, di-agnosed during 2015-2017, of whom 47 (39.2%) had B. divergens IgG antibodies, were retrospec-tively compared. Cardiorespiratory symptoms were reported in 9/47 (19.2%) patients with Lyme disease and B. divergens IgG antibodies compared to 4/73 (5.5%) patients with B. burgdorferi s.l. monoinfection (P=0.02). Dyspnea was recorded in 4/47 (8.5%) patients with Lyme disease and B. divergens IgG antibodies compared to 1/73 (1.4%) monoinfected (P=0.07). In addition ECG atri-oventricular (AV) block, mostly 1st degree, was detected in 5/47 (15.6%) patients with Lyme dis-ease and B. divergens IgG antibodies compared to 1/73 (2.6%) B. burgdorferi s.l. monoinfected (P=0.09). No other clinical, laboratory or other tests differences were observed between B. burgdorferi and B. divergens IgG antibodies carriers and B. burgdorferi monoinfected. We con-cluded that patients with Lyme disease and B. divergens IgG antibodies had more frequent car-diorespiratory symptoms, mainly dyspnea, compared to B. burgdorferi monoinfected patients. These symptoms were unrelated to anemia. ECG AV block, perhaps induced by summative myo-cardial damage due to either infections or B. divergens induced lung microcirculation slow-ing-down, might play a role in the cardiorespiratory dysfunction.

This work presents an innovative application of optimal control theory to the strategic scheduling of battery storage in the day-ahead electricity market, with a focus on enhancing profitability while factoring in battery degradation. The study incorporates in the optimisation framework the cost of battery capacity degradation, the effects of capacity degradation and internal resistance degradation into dynamics. We employ a continuous-time representation of the dynamics, in contrast with many other studies that use a discrete-time approximation with rather coarse intervals. We adopt an equivalent circuit model coupled with empirical degradation parameters to simulate a battery cell’s behaviour and degradation mechanisms with good support from experimental data. Utilising direct collocation methods with mesh refinement allows for precise numerical solutions to the complex, nonlinear dynamics involved. Through a detailed case study of Belgium’s day-ahead electricity market, we determine the optimal charging and discharging schedules under varying objectives: maximizing net revenues, profits considering capacity degradation, and profits considering both capacity degradation and internal resistance increase due to degradation. The results demonstrate the viability of our approach and underscore the significance of integrating degradation costs into the market strategy for battery operators, alongside its effects on the battery’s dynamic behaviour. Our methodology extends previous work by offering a more comprehensive model that empirically captures the intricacies of battery degradation, including a fine and adaptive time domain representation, focusing on the day-ahead market, and utilising accurate direct methods for optimal control. The paper concludes with insights into the potential of optimal control applications in energy markets and suggestions for future research avenues.

Pregnant women are especially vulnerable to respiratory diseases. We aimed to study seroconversion rate during pregnancy in a cohort of consecutive pregnancies tested in the first and third trimesters and to compare maternal and obstetric complications between women who seroconverted in the first versus the third trimester. This is an observational, cohort study carried out at Hospital Universitario de Torrejón, in Madrid, Spain, during the first peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. All consecutive singleton pregnancies with a viable fetus attending their 11-13 weeks scan between January 1st and May 15th, 2020, were included and monthly follow up until delivery. Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 (IgA and IgG) were analyzed on stored serum samples obtained from the first and third trimester routine antenatal bloods in 470 pregnant women. Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 were detected in 31 (6.6%) women in the first trimester and in 66 (14.0%) in the third trimester, including 48 (10.2%) that were negative in the first trimester (seroconversion during pregnancy). Although the rate of infection was significantly higher in the third versus the first trimester (p = 0.003), no significant differences in maternal or obstetric complications were observed in women testing positive in the first versus the third trimester.

At present, the applications and efficacy of non-ionizing radiations (NIR) in oncotherapy are limited. In terms of potential combinations, the use of biocompatible magnetic nanoparticles as heat mediators has been extensively investigated. Nevertheless, the development of more efficient heat nanomediators that may exhibit high specific absorption rates still is an unsolved problem. Our aim was to investigate if externally applied magnetic fields and a heat-inducing NIR affect tumor cell viability. To this end, under in vitro conditions, different human cancer cells (A2058 melanoma, AsPC1 pancreas carcinoma, MDA-MB-231 breast carcinoma) were treated with the combination of electromagnetic fields (EMFs, using solenoids) and hyperthermia (HT, using a thermostated bath). The effect of NIR was also studied in combination with standard chemotherapy and targeted therapy. An experimental device combining EMFs and high intensity focused ultrasounds (HIFU)-induced HT was tested in vivo. EMFs (25 T, 4h) or HT (52C, 40 min) showed a limited effect on cancer cell viability in vitro. However, their combination decreased viability to approx. 16%, 50%, and 21% of controls values in A2058, AsPC1, and MDA-MB-231 cells, respectively. Increased lysosomal permeability, release of cathepsins into the cytosol and mitochondria-dependent activation of cell death are the underlying mechanisms. Cancer cells could be completely eliminated combining EMFs, HT and standard chemotherapy or EMFs, HT and anti-Hsp70-targeted therapy. As a proof of concept, in vivo experiments performed in AsPC1 xenografts showed that combination of EMFs, HIFU-induced HT, standard chemotherapy and a lysosomal permeabilizer induces a complete cancer regression.

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

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

Roses are one of the most important floricultural crops, and their essential oils have long been used for cosmetics and aromatherapy. We investigated the volatile compound compositions of 12 flower-color mutant variants and their original cultivars. Twelve rose mutant genotypes were developed by treatment with 70 Gy of 60Co gamma irradiation of six commercial rose cultivars. Essential oils from the flowers of the 18 genotypes were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Seventy-seven volatile compounds were detected, which were categorized into five classes: hydrocarbons, terpenoids, alcohols, esters, and others. Hydrocarbons, alcohols, and esters were major components in all rose flowers. The mutant genotypes CR-S8 and CR-S9 showed higher contents of hydrocarbons than the original cultivar. In addition, CR-S1, CR-S3, and CR-S4 mutant genotypes showed higher ester contents than their original cultivar. Nonacosane, 2-methylhexacosane, and 2-methyltricosane were major volatile compounds among all genotypes. Hierarchical cluster analysis of the rose genotypes gave four groups according to grouping among the 77 volatile compounds. These findings will be useful for the selection of rose genotypes with improved volatile compounds.

Due to a common mode of transmission through infected human blood, hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection is relatively prevalent. In alignment with this, HCV co-infection is associated with an increased size of the HIV reservoir in highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)-treated individuals. Hence, it is crucial to comprehend the physiological mechanisms governing the latency and reactivation of HIV in reservoirs. Consequently, our study delves into the interplay between HCV/HIV coinfection in liver cells and its impact on the modulation of HIV latency. We utilized the latently infected monocytic cell line (U1) and the latently infected T cell line (J-Lat) and found that mediators produced by the infection of hepatic stellate cells and hepatocytes with HIV and HCV, respectively, were incapable of inducing latency reversal under the studied conditions. This may favor the maintenance of the HIV reservoir size among latently infected mononuclear cells in the liver. Further investigations are essential to elucidate the role of the interaction between liver cells in regulating HIV latency and/or reactivation, providing a physiologically relevant model for comprehending reservoir microenvironments in vivo.

The biofilm is a conglomerate of cells surrounded by an extracellular matrix, which contributes to the persistence of infections. The difficulty in removing the biofilm drives the research for new therapeutic options. In this work, the effect of terpenes (-)-trans-Caryophyllene, (S)-cis-Verbenol, (S)-(-)-Limonene, (R)-(+)-Limonene, and linalool was evaluated, individually and in combinations on bacterial growth, by assay with resazurin; the formation of biofilm, by assay with violet crystal; and the expression of associated genes, by real-time PCR, in two clinical isolates of S. aureus, ST30-t019 and ST5-t311, responsible for more than 90% of pediatric infections by this pathogen in Paraguay. All combinations of terpenes can inhibit biofilm formation in more than 50% without affecting bacterial growth. The most effective combination was (-)-trans-Caryophyllene and linalool at a 500 μg/mL concentration for each, with an inhibition percentage of 88%. This combination decreased the expression levels of the sdrD, spa, agr, and hld genes associated with the initial cell adhesion stage and quorum sensing. At the same time, it increased the expression levels of the cap5B and cap5C genes related to the production of capsular polysaccharides. The combinations of compounds tested are promising alternatives to inhibit biofilm formation in S. aureus.

Digital twins are an emerging technology that could be harnessed for the digitalization of the industry. Steel industry systems contain a large number of electro-hydraulic components, as proportional valves. An input-output model for a novel water proportional cartridge valve is derived from physical modelling based on fluid mechanics, dynamics, and electrical principles. The valve is a two-stage valve with two 2/2-way water proportional valves as the pilot stage and a marginally stable poppet-type cartridge valve as the main valve. The orifice equation, which is based on Bernoulli principles, is approximated by a polynomial which makes parameter estimation easier and makes modelling possible without measuring pressure of the varying control volume situated in the pilot stage part of the valve. Data were collected when the valve was operating as a component in a closed-loop system as part of a press-mill machine in a steel manufacturing plant. Parameter estimation was made by convex optimization with physical constraints to overcome problems caused by poor system excitation. For comparison, a simple linear model was derived and the least squares method used for parameter estimation. A thorough estimation of the parameters relative errors is presented. The model contains 5 parameters related to the design parameters of the valve. The modelled position output is in good agreement with experimental data for training and test data. The model can be used for real time monitoring of the valve’s status by the model parameters. One of the model parameters varies linearly with production cycles. Thus, aging of the valve can be monitored.

Thiamethoxam is a neonicotinoid, with systemic and contact action, used in Mexico for the care of different traditional fruit crops, mainly in the cultivation of papaya. International organizations such as the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) establish maximum permissible limits of 0.4 mg/kg and 0.05 mg/kg of thiamethoxam in papaya. The aim of this study was to determine the presence and concentration of thiamethoxam in soil and water in papaya crops associated with watermelon from the central area of Veracruz, Mexico. A diagnosis of thiamethoxam management in different soil types of the region was made; through an experimental plot where soil and water samples were taken in the different stages of papaya cultivation associated with watermelon, using HPLC-UV equipment for its determination. The design was random blocks with six repetitions and the software used for data analysis was the Statistica 2007 program. Thiamethoxam was concentrated in amounts of ≥0.40 mg/L in 79% of the samples in water and ≥0.55 mg/kg in 75% of the samples in soil. The highest values of thiamethoxam in soil were in the stage of watermelon culture with 0.4 mg/kg and in the soil preparation of the papaya crop with concentrations of 0.8 mg/kg. Whereas irrigation water from the watermelon cultivation and the soil preparation for the papaya showed concentrations of 0.5 and 0.7 mg/L respectively. The presence of thiamethoxam was identified in 100% of the samples analyzed in the papaya soil preparation stage. The values of the concentrations in soil and irrigation water exceeded the maximum limits established by international standards.

Pregnant women have been considered a high-risk group for SARS-CoV-2 infection; the impact of the disease on the health of a mother and her child is still being studied. The emotional impact of the pandemic on pregnant women has been extensively studied. Emotional distress is proposed as a perspective to explain the emotional manifestations of women during this stage as something common rather than pathological. The objective of this study was to know the emotional experience of women who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 towards the end of their pregnancy, during the first and second waves of COVID in Mexico. A qualitative study was carried out: 18 pregnant women with COVID were interviewed. A thematic analysis of the data was performed, resulting in three main themes and 14 subthemes. The COVID-infected mothers-to-be experienced mild to moderate emotional distress. It was more intense for those with comorbidities. This distress was aggravated during obstetrical complications and comorbidities, as well as during COVID and postpartum. The emotional distress was appeased by both the perception of medical care and social support. The emotional distress of pregnant women with COVID requires emotional accompaniment to reduce its impact.

Cornea severe inflammation produces opacity or even perforation, scarring, and angiogenesis, resulting in blindness. The cornea can be used to study the effect of new anti-angiogenic chemopreventive agents. We researched the anti-angiogenic effect of two extracts, Methanol (Met) and Hexane (Hex), from the seed of Cucurbita argyrosperma, in the inflamed corneas. The corneas of Wistar rats were alkali-injured and treated intragastrically for seven successive days. Clinical manifestation as opacity score, corneal neovascularization (CNV) area, re-epithelialization percentage, and histological evaluation were performed. Inflammatory (COX-2, NF-κB, and IL-1β), and angiogenic (VEGF-A, VEGFR1, VEGFR2) markers were assessed by immunohistochemistry. Cox-2, Il-1β, and Vegf-a mRNA levels were also determined. After treatments, we observed slim corneal thickness with lower opacity scores and low cell infiltration compared to untreated rats. Treatment also accelerated wound healing and decreased CNV area. The staining of inflammatory and angiogenic factors was significantly decreased. These effects are related to a down-expression of Cox-2, Il-1β, and Vegf. These results suggest that intake of C. argyrosperma seed can be used to attenuate the angiogenesis secondary to inflammation in corneal chemical damage.

This manuscript employs a surface stress-driven nonlocal model to explore the combined effects of long-range interaction and surface energy on higher vibration modes of functionally graded nanobeams. The nanobeam theory, based on Bernoulli-Euler kinematics, incorporates surface effects such as surface elasticity, surface residual stresses, surface density, and rotary inertia. Hamilton's principle is applied to derive the governing equation with size-dependent considerations. The main outcomes of a parametric investigation, considering four different kinematic boundary conditions (Cantilever, Simply-Supported, Clamped-Pinned, and Doubly-Clamped) while varying the nonlocal parameter and material gradient index, are presented and discussed. Additionally, the normalized natural frequencies for the second, third, fourth and fifth modes of vibrations are provided and analyzed for each case under study. The results underscore the model's effectiveness in capturing surface energy effects on the overall dynamic behavior of functionally graded Bernoulli-Euler nanobeams, offering a cost-effective approach for designing and optimizing nano-scaled structures.

Background Oral anticoagulation (OAC) for atrial fibrillation (AF) patients is administered frequently. Vitamin K antagonist (VKA) and direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) prevent thromboembolic events, but information about the quality of life (QoL) and patient satisfaction, related to both anticoagulants, is limited. Methods REGUEIFA is an observational and multicentre study that included patients with AF diagnosis treated by cardiologist. Those on OAC, VKA, and DOACs were selected. The EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D) questionnaire evaluated QoL, and the ACTS (Anti-Clot Treatment Scale) questionnaire investigated patient satisfaction with OAC. Results From a total of 1007 patients, 904 patients were on OAC, 532 on VKA and 372 on DOACs. In total, 846 patients completed the EQ-5D questionnaire, with results significantly worse in patients on VKA than on DOACs: (1) mobility limitations (37.6% vs. 24.2%, p

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

Introduction: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrinologic disorder that affects 5-15 % of women of their reproductive age and is a frequent cause of infertility. Major symptoms include hyperandrogenism, ovulatory dysfunction, a characteristic multi-follicular morphology of the ovary, an elevated ratio of LH/FSH, and often obesity and/or insulin resistance. PCOS also represents a state of chronic low-grade inflammation that is closely interlinked with the metabolic features. Inflammatory processes consist of the acute inflammatory response and resolution processes initiated concomitantly. "Classical" pro-inflammatory lipid mediators like prostaglandins (PG), leukotrienes (LT), or thromboxanes (TX) are derived from arachidonic acid (AA) and are crucial for the initial response. Resolution processes are driven by four families of so-called specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs): resolvins, maresins, lipoxins, and protectins. SPM biosynthesis starts from the essential polyunsaturated fatty acids DHA, DPA, or EPA via certain hydroxylated intermediates (18-HEPE, 17-HDHA, 14-HDHA). The present study aimed to establish lipid mediator profiles of PCOS patients compared to healthy women to identify differences in their resolutive and pro-inflammatory lipid parameters. Material and Methods: Blood samples were taken (20 ml), separated into plasma and serum, and analyzed by HPLC/MS-QQQ. Fifteen female patients (18-45 years) were diagnosed with PCOS according to Rotterdam criteria, and five healthy women, as comparator group, were recruited for the study. The main outcome measures were: Pro-inflammatory lipid mediators (PG, LT, TX) and their precursor AA; SPMs (Resolvins, Maresins, Protectins, Lipoxins), their precursors EPA, DHA, DPA, and their active biosynthesis pathway intermediates (18-HEPE, 17-HDHA, 14-HDHA). Ratio [(sum of pro-inflammatory molecules)/sum of SPMs]. Results: The level of pro-inflammatory parameters in serum was significantly higher in PCOS-affected women. The ratio [(sum of pro-inflammatory molecules) / (sum of SPMs plus hydroxylated intermediates)] reflecting the inflammatory state was significantly lower in the group of healthy women. Conclusion: There is a strong pro-inflammatory state in PCOS patients. Further research will clarify whether supplementation with SPMs or their precursors may improve this state.

Background: to analyze the changes that a therapeutic physical exercise program is capable of causing in the functionality of patients suffering from ALS and in addition, to analyze the respiratory capacity. Methods: a systematic review of the PubMed, SCOPUS, Cochrane, SciELO, PEDro, CINAHL and MEDline databases is carried out. The information was filtered using the following MeSH terms: "Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis", "Physical Therapy", "Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine". Clinical trials published in the last 5 years were included in which one of the interventions was therapeutic physical exercise in patients with ALS, which included the ALSFRS-R as a result variable. Results: 10 clinical trials with a total of 421 patients were analyzed, of which 183 underwent rehabilitation with physical exercise and were part of the case group; the rest belong to the control group and their treatment was mostly passive. The observed trend is of a decrease of approximately 6 points in the ALSFRS-R scale at 6 months in the case groups; however, no behavior pattern was met in the controls. Conclusions: Therapeutic physical exercise could contribute to slow down the deterioration of the musculature of people with ALS, thus facilitating the performance of their daily activities.What do you want to do ?New mailCopy

One of the challenges posed by renewable energies is the stabilization of parameters related to the quality of electrical energy. This study demonstrates the existence of a relationship between input blocks of hydropower and the variation of the fundamental frequency of the electricity grid. By mapping production data provided by Spanish Electric Network with frequency measured in the laboratory, it is shown that gradients of hydropower are correlated with frequency fluctuations for certain characteristic times. Considering hourly instances of energy input, the study compares two methods for calculating hydropower gradients (linear regression and pseudo-linear regression); and two methods for calculating local frequency extremes (the "specular inertia" method and analysis by comparison with the moving average), in order to corroborate the results.

This article proposes a measurement solution designed to monitor instantaneous frequency in power systems. It uses a data acquisition module and a GPS receiver for time stamping. A program in Python takes care of receiving the data, calculating the frequency, and finally transferring the measurement results to a database. The frequency is calculated with two different methods, which are compared in the article. The stored data is visualized using the Grafana platform, thus demonstrating its potential for comparing scientific data. The system as a whole constitutes an efficient low cost solution as a data acquisition system.

Plants are continually exposed to multiple stresses, which co-occur in nature and the net effects are frequently more non-additive (i.e., synergistic or antagonistic) suggesting ‘unique’ responses respect to that of the individual stress. Further, plant stress responses are not uniforms showing a high spatial and temporal variability among and along the different organs. In this respect, the present work investigated the morphological responses of different root types (seminal, seminal lateral, primary, primary lateral) of maize plants exposed to single (drought and heat) and combined stress (drought + heat). Data were evaluated by a specific root image analysis system (WinRHIZO) and analyzed by uni- and multi-variate statistical analysis. The results indicated that primary root and their laterals were the types more sensitive to the single and combined stresses while the seminal laterals specifically responded to the combined only. Further, antagonistic and synergistic effects were observed for the specific traits in the primary and their laterals and in the seminal lateral roots in response to the combined stress. These results suggested that maize root system modified specific root types and traits to face with different stressful environmental conditions highlighting that the adaptation strategy to the combined stress may be different from that of the individual ones. The knowledge of “unique or shared” responses of plant to multiple stress can be utilized to develop varieties with broad spectrum stress tolerance.

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

The aim of this review was to provide an update on the potential of cell therapies to restore or replace damaged and/or lost cells in retinal degenerative and optic nerve diseases, describing the available cell sources and the challenges involved in such treatments when these techniques are applied in real clinical practice. Sources include human fetal retinal stem cells, allogenic cadaveric human cells, adult hippocampal neural stem cells, human CNS stem cells, ciliary pigmented epithelial cells, limbal stem cells, retinal progenitor cells (RPCs), human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) (including both human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Of these, RPCs, PSCs and MSCs have already entered early-stage clinical trials since they can all differentiate into RPE, photoreceptors or ganglion cells, and have demonstrated safety, while showing some indicators of efficacy. Stem/progenitor cell therapies for retinal diseases still have some drawbacks, such as the inhibition of proliferation and/or differentiation in vitro (with the exception of RPE) and the limited long-term survival and functioning of grafts in vivo. Some other issues remain to be solved concerning the clinical translation of cell-based therapy, including (1) the ability to enrich for specific retinal subtypes; (2) cell survival; (3) cell delivery, which may need to incorporate a scaffold to induce correct cell polarization, which increases the size of the retinotomy in surgery and, therefore, the chance of severe complications; (4) the need to induce retinal detachment to perform the subretinal placement of the transplanted cell; and (5) the evaluation of the risk of tumor formation caused by the undifferentiated stem cells and prolific progenitor cells. Despite these challenges, stem/progenitor cells represent the most promising strategy for retinal and optic nerve disease treatment in the near future, and therapeutics assisted by gene techniques, neuroprotective compounds and artificial devices can be applied to fulfil clinical needs.

'Cv 'Doña María' table grape is a high-quality table grape variety included in the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) of the European Union "The bagged grape of the Vinalopó." The PDO stipulates that grape clusters must be protected with paper bags from inclement weather and insects, which helps enhance the final grape quality. However, 'Doña María' is a variety prone to high shattering in the late stages of ripening on the vine and during postharvest. Inorganic calcium treatments are one of the most commonly used tools to reduce this disorder, but the translocation of this mineral from veraison onward has been questioned. In this study, five applications were performed, from veraison to harvest, using sorbitol-chelated calcium (0.7 % + 1.0 %), Ca(NO3)2 (Ca) at 0.7% and sorbitol at 1%. It was observed that bagged grapes (not wetted with the solutions) only increased the concentration of total and bound calcium when treated with Sorbitol-Ca. This resulted in reduced berry drop during cultivation and postharvest and improved fruit firmness. Additionally, it reduced grape metabolism indicators such as respiration rate, weight loss, malic acid degradation, prevented abscisic acid (ABA) and malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation, and favored the accumulation of secondary metabolites such as total polyphenols, increased antioxidant activity, and sugar content. The application of sorbitol-chelated calcium is an effective and safe tool that enhances fruit quality and prevents losses due to shattering during postharvest.

Contamination by microplastics (MP) in aquatic ecosystems is largely due to the release of millions of these particles from treated effluents from Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTP). Due to the lack of policies and regulations that establish criteria for the control and elimination of MP from WWTP effluents, this research evaluated the presence of MP for particle sizes of 38 and 150 µm in influents and effluents from three WWTP in the port of Acapulco, Mexico. Using optical microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques, the MP detected were polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). MP removal efficiencies of 82.5 to 98.7% (38 µm) and 86.8 to 97.5% (150µm) were obtained; the MP average daily emissions to the receiving bodies of these three WWTPs were in the ranges of 9.5 x 106 - 4.70 x 108 particles and the annual emissions in the range of 3.05 x 109 - 1.72 x 1011 particles. This work reveals the urgency of implementing regulatory policies to avoid the continuous emission of MP to aquatic ecosystems from WWTPs in Acapulco, Mexico.

Purpose: To assess the tolerability, safety, and efficacy of an ophthalmic topical formulation containing helenalin from Arnica montana and hyaluronic acid 0.4% (HA) in patients with mild to moderate dry eye disease (DED) exhibiting positive Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) test results. Methods: Tolerability and safety were evaluated in 24 healthy subjects. Participants were in-structed to routinely apply one drop of the formulation three times a day in the study eye, for a period of two weeks, followed by a clinical follow-up of 21 days. Efficacy was studied in 48 DED patients randomized into Study (Group 1/ receiving the study formulation) or Control (Group 2/ Receiving HA 0.4% eye lubricant) groups, for 4 weeks. Assessments included MMP-9 positivity, conjunctival impression cytology (CIC), Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), non-invasive tear film breakup time (NIF-BUT), non-invasive average breakup time (NIAvg-BUT), ocular surface staining, Schirmer's test, and meibomiography. A crossover design with a four-week follow-up was applied to the control group. Results: Healthy subjects receiving the study formulation exhibited good tolerability and no ad-verse events. Group 1 showed significant MMP-9 reduction (25% positivity rate) unlike Group 2 (87.5% positivity rate). Group 1 displayed improved CIC (33.3% vs. 0% SSD) compared to Group 2 (29.1%). OSDI and NIF-BUT scores improved in both groups (p < 0.001). Only Group 1 showed improved NIAvg-BUT and Schirmer’s test scores (p < 0.001), while Group 2 did not (p > 0.05). MMP-9-positive subjects shifted from 25% to 91.6% in Group 1 and 87.5% to 20.8% in Group 2 after the follow-up. Conclusion: The topical formulation containing helenalin from Arnica montana and hyaluronic acid is well tolerated and has a good safety profile. Our formulation reduces DED sympto-matology and modulates the ocular surface inflammatory process; this is evidenced by the en-hancement of CIC, the improvement of DED-related tear film status, and the reduction of MMP-9 positivity rate.

Several animal food allergens assembly into amyloids under gastric-like environments. These aggregated structures provide Gad m 1 with an enhanced IgE interaction due to the amyloid assembly of the epitope regions. However, whether these properties are unique of Gad m 1 or common to other food allergens has not yet been addressed. Using Bos d 5, Bos d 12 and Gal d 2 as food allergen models and Gad m 1 as control, aggregation reactions and the sera of milk, egg and fish allergic patients we have analyzed the IgE interaction of the distinct amyloids. We found that amyloids formed by Bos d 12 and Gal d 2 full-length and truncated chains are recognized by the IgEs of milk and egg allergic patient sera. As with Gad m 1, in most cases amyloid recognition is higher than that of the precursor structure. Bos d 5 was not recognized under any fold by the IgE of the sera studied. These results support that formation of IgE-binding amyloids might be a common feature to animal food allergen.

Surveillance is the systematic data collection, analysis, and interpretation essential to planning and implementing control activities. The lack of success in control and surveillance elsewhere for the Ae. aegypti mosquito demands developing new accessible and effective strategies. This work aimed to develop and evaluate an adhesive and lure trap for household indoor and outdoor surveillance of Ae. aegypti. Based on a bibliographic review, four compounds with significant attraction percentages for Ae. aegypti were considered. Our more effective blend was determined by preliminary bioassays using the high-throughput screening system (HITSS) and 90 × 90 cm mosquito cages. We designed a low-cost, pyramid-shaped, sticky cardboard trap to incorporate the selected blend. Semi-field 2 x 2 m cages and field tests were conducted to evaluate its effectiveness through mosquito capture percentages. In laboratory tests, blend number 2 presented an attraction percentage of 47.5 ± 4.8%; while in semi-field cages, a 4-inch, 110-v powered fan was used to disperse the attractants, then a similar capture percentage of 43.2 ± 4.0 % was recorded. Field evaluation of the at-house indoor environment and comparing it with the golden standard BG-Sentinel trap recorded interesting results, i.e., an average of our prototype 6.0 ± 1.5 trapped mosquitoes versus 10.0 ± 2.6. In most Latin American countries, there is a lack of formal and accessible strategies for monitoring adult populations of Ae. aegypti, therefore, must develop tools that reinforce entomological surveillance methods.

Trauma to the spinal cord causes extensive neuronal death contributing to the loss of sensory-motor and autonomic functions below the injury level. Apoptosis affects neurons after spinal cord injury (SCI) and is associated with increased caspase activity. Cleavage of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) after SCI may contribute to this rise of caspase activity. Accordingly, we have shown that the elevation of XIAP resulted in increased neuronal survival after SCI and improved functional recovery. Therefore, we hypothesize that neuronal overexpression of XIAP can be neuroprotective after SCI with improved functional recovery. In line with this, studies of a transgenic mouse with overexpression of XIAP in neurons revealed that higher levels of XIAP after spinal cord trauma favours neuronal survival, tissue preservation, and motor recovery after the spinal cord trauma. Using the human SH-SY5Y cells overexpressing XIAP we show further that XIAP reduced caspase activity and apoptotic cell death after pro-apoptotic stimuli. In conclusion, this study shows that the levels of XIAP expression are an important factor for the outcome after spinal cord trauma and identifies XIAP as an important therapeutic target for alleviating the deleterious effects of SCI.

Scientific literature shows increased interest in the aged and the aging phenomenon. The Aging Attitudes Questionnaire - AAQ was validated for the Portuguese population to understand the importance of attitudes towards old age and their impact on the subjective well-being of the elderly. A sample of 400 subjects (from 18 to 93 years) answered a socio-demographic questionnaire, and the AAQ was composed of three subscales (psychosocial losses, physical change, and psychological growth). The CFA confirmed the tri-factorial structure with very good adjustment of the model to the data with the Cronbach alpha of the total scale scoring .84 and ranging from .65 to .77 for each factor. A total of 9 items were omitted both for poor factor loadings (<0.50. Notwithstanding, 3 items below the criteria were maintained, as they conceptually fit into the factor. Of the final 15 AAQp items, 5 belong to the Psychosocial Loss factor, 6 to Physical Change, and 4 to Psychosocial Growth. This tree factor model explained 50.1 % of the total variance. In conclusion, this study supports that AAQ has acceptable validity, confirming the composite reliability and the discriminant validity, but not the convergent validity. Through multi-group analysis, the invariance of the scale was confirmed. This validation is of pivotal importance once it allows measuring the attitudes towards aging, thus facilitating the promotion of wellbeing across the lifespan.

Physical rehabilitation aims to help people recover their mobility and strength after an injury or illness. One way to evaluate progress in rehabilitation is through isokinetic prototype tests that describe the dynamic characteristics of an isokinetic leg extension device for rehabilitation and control action. These tests use an isokinetic system to assess muscle strength and performance in a patient during isometric or isokinetic contraction. An experimental prototype allows the performance of the device to be evaluated in a controlled environment prior to use by the patient. In order to achieve physical recovery from musculoskeletal injuries in the lower limbs and achieve the reintegration of the affected subject into society as an independent and autonomous individual in their daily activities, a control model is presented that introduces a medical isokinetic rehabilitation protocol, where the element that allows carrying out such protocol consists of a magnetic particle brake whose control action is strongly influenced by the dynamics of the system when in contact with the end user, specifically the patient's legs in the stretch from the knee to the ankle. The results of these tests are valuable for health professionals seeking to measure their patient’s progress during the rehabilitation process and determine when it is safe and appropriate to advance in their treatment.

Air quality is a topic of growing relevance on the global agenda. Two key indicators of air quali-ty, nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and carbon monoxide (CO), represent significant hazards to human health and the environment putting the sustainability of natural resources at risk. Therefore, it is imperative to regularly monitor and reduce atmospheric pollutant concentrations to mitigate their harmful consequences. This study presents an analysis of NO2 total and CO emissions in Argentina, utilizing remote sensing data. The research aims to determine the spatiotemporal distribution of NO2 and CO emissions in Argentina from 2019 to 2021. Subsequently, it seeks to establish the influence of land uses and land cover on the emission of NO2 and CO through dif-ferent climatic, anthropic, and natural indicators. The study was carried out in Argentina during the period 2019-2021, where random points were placed for the different land covers with a total of 800 points surveyed. The year with the highest CO concentration (mol/m-2) was 2020. The values were highest for tree covers and herbaceous wetland coverage in the northern part of the country. For total NO2, the highest concentrations were reached during the years 2020 and 2021. Regarding its distribution, throughout the evaluated period, the highest concentrations of total NO2 were found in the built-up and cropland coverages, with the capital of the country and the northern region of the Buenos Aires province being the most affected areas. In addition, the concentration of CO was influenced by climatic variables (atmospheric pressure, wind speed, maximum environment temperature, Palmer index), natural (height, humidity, NDVI), and ur-ban variables (distances to mining extraction, airports, power plants, urban index) for the differ-ent uses and land covers. Finally, the concentrations of total NO2 were influenced by climatic variables (Palmer index and wind speed), natural (height and NDVI), and urban variables (dis-tance to airports, power plants, industries, service stations, and open dumpsites) for the differ-ent uses and land cover. This study contributes to sustainable environmental management, ena-bling the formulation of effective strategies for mitigating emissions and promoting the long-term health and well-being of communities.

Abstract: Understanding the reliability and sensitivity of jump testing is essential to determine the neuromuscular progress of athletes and make informed decisions. This study aimed to assess the reliability and sensitivity of countermovement jump (CMJ) and drop jump (DJ) tests metrics in female volleyball players. Sixteen semi-professional female volleyball players participated in the study. Intrasession and intersession reliability of CMJ and DJ metrics were evaluated using a randomized cross-over design. Dual force platform was used to collect data, and several dependent variables were calculated using forward dynamics. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), coefficients of variation (CV) and minimum difference (MD) were calculated. The third attempt presented the highest values for both test, and changes in jump strategy in DJ. CMJ is consistent across sessions, while DJ also shows intersession differences (p<0.05) in 11 out of 15 variables. Most CMJ variables exhibit excellent reliability while DJ variables have lower reliability and higher variability. Concentric and eccentric impulses for DJ showed excellent reliability. Most CMJ variables showed excellent reliability and variability, DJ had lower reliability, higher variability, and lower sensitivity. These findings provide valuable information when assessing athletes' performance and highlight the reliability, sensitivity, and variability in jump performance for CMJ and DJ tests.

Compared to other 2D materials, MBenes are at an early stage in both experimental and theoretical approaches. However, the wide range of possible 2D structures leads to novel and challenging properties and their consequent applications. From all the possible stoichiometries, we have performed a theoretical study of orthorhombic and hexagonal M2B2 MBenes in the framework of the Density Functional Theory. We have found that both symmetries of Cr2B2, Fe2B2, and Zr2B2 show a metallic behavior and could be grown under certain conditions, as they are demonstrated to be dynamically stable. Moreover, the values of the magnetic moment, in specific ferromagnetic cases exceeding 2.5 μB/M2B2, make them suitable as robust 2D magnets. All our findings represent an important step in the understanding of MBenes and open several windows to future research in fields like energy conversion and storage, sensing, catalysis, biochemistry, or nanotechnology, among others.

Use of porous titanium (Ti) and Ti alloys in orthopedic implants or in light structures requires processing routes that could generate an as-much-as possible control in the pores amount, shape, size and connectivity. In this work, a colloidal approach to the processing of Ti porous structures by the inside foaming of a porogen into a gelled high solid content aqueous suspension of Ti powders, is presented. The prepared slurries contained different amounts of Methyl Cellulose (MC) as gelling agent (8, 10 and 12 g/L) and ammonium bicarbonate (BA) as porogen (15, 20, 25 wt. %). The gel-casted samples were heated at mild temperatures ranging (60, 70 and 80 °C) to promote the gelation and produce, at the same time, the porosity by the thermal decomposition of the ammonium bicarbonate. Different structures are obtained depending on the combination of the study variables

Montes de María is the best-preserved tropical dry forest fragment in the Colombian Caribbean, making it an ideal location for studying the impacts of human disturbance on local ecosystems. This study analyzed the ecological structure of diurnal butterflies in both forested and disturbed areas using 16 circular plots to identify relationships between alpha and beta diversity, and the geographic distance between disturbed areas and native forests, using a range of metrics, including range-abundance and rarefaction curves, nonlinear models, and the Bray–Curtis dissimilarity index. Results revealed three distinct species assemblages associated with forest, intermediate disturbed areas (IDA), and disturbed areas (DA). Nonlinear models show that IDA are more diverse than forest and DA. However, forests have more beta diversity among plots than IDA and DA. Indicator species for each butterfly assemblage were also identified. Thus, although new butterfly species assemblages emerge from a new human land-scape, it is clear that species that only occur within dry forest fragments are lost when forest fragments disappear. Overall, these findings have important implications for conservation efforts and understanding how human disturbance affects biodiversity in tropical ecosystems.

The archival Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) Proportional Counter Array (PCA) observations of HZ Her/Her X-1 are analyzed here. The time periods for Anomalous Low States are refined. The 35-day X-ray lightcurve of Her X-1 is produced using 35-day phases determined with RXTE All-Sky Monitor (ASM) and Swift Burst Altert Telescope (BAT) data, with adjustments based on the RXTE/PCA data. The result is the highest sensitivity 35-day lightcurve of Her X-1. The RXTE/PCA data were separated into 8 differents states of the 35-day cycle: Main High (MH) turn-on, MH, MH decline, Low State (LS) 1, Short High (SH) turn-on, SH, SH decline, and LS2. Orbital lightcurves were created for each state, and the different states are compared. Eclipse data was extracted for each state to determine the changes of eclipse shape with 35-day phase. A scattering corona model was fit to the eclipses for the different 35-day states: this shows that the corona is present at all 35-day phases with similar intensity. We carried out a search for previously-reported dips with no absorption, but did not find any.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is an aggressive and biologically heterogeneous disease. Approximately 40% of patients with DLBCL will experience disease relapse or will be refractory to first line chemoimmunotherapy. In recent years there have been several new therapeutic agents approved for the treatment of relapsed/refractory (R/R) DLBCL. These agents include anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapies (CAR T-cells) and monoclonal antibodies as polatuzumab and tafasitamab. Nevertheless, despite the high efficacy of all these new therapies, there are still patients who do not respond or relapse, representing an unmet clinical need. This review describes new promising therapies that are under investigation to treat R/R DLBCL.

In the field of robotics education, introductory courses would ideally utilize heavy industrial arms for hands-on learning. This would provide students with valuable experience in joint programming, which involves direct control of each joint motor in the arm to accomplish desired path planning and differential movements. This practice requires consideration of the physical dynamics of the arm. However, the use of heavy industrial arms has several drawbacks. They are large and expensive, require specialized maintenance, can pose safety risks, and they typically do not allow for direct control of the joint motors. One solution is to use a small, lightweight, toy-like arm. While these are cost-effective and provide direct access to the joint motors without posing safety risks, their lightweight construction means they exhibit minimal dynamic behavior, which limits their educational value. Another solution involves a robotic arm simulator that uses a virtual arm. However, a virtual arm doesn't offer the same level of hands-on engagement and excitement as a physical arm. We propose a hybrid solution that combines a small physical arm with a virtual arm. This approach provides students with the experience of working with an industrial arm, but without the associated difficulties. We demonstrate how this approach successfully improved the completion rate of joint programming assignments, offering a promising solution for practical robotics education.

In this review, we aimed to understand the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 infection and preeclampsia severity in infected pregnant women. Pregnant women with SARS- CoV-2 infection have been shown to have a significantly increased risk of maternal death, ICU admission, preterm delivery, and stillbirth compared with those without infection. The risk of preeclampsia also increases in pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2, particularly in those with severe symptoms. We emphasize the im-portance of specialized clinical management to prevent poor pregnancy outcomes in this situation. The association between COVID-19 and preeclampsia (PE) is likely due to multiple mechanisms, including the direct effects of the virus on trophoblast function and the arterial wall, acute atherosis, local inflammation leading to pla-cental ischemia, exaggerated inflammatory responses in pregnant women, SARS-CoV-2-related myocardial injury, cytokine storm, and thrombotic microan-giopathy. Emphasis has been placed on the potential impact of COVID-19 on pregnant women, specifically in relation to thrombotic complications, placental dysfunction, and cardiovascular dysfunction. Undoubtedly, one of the diagnostic tools to differentiate between COVID-19-induced preeclampsia-like syndrome and true preeclampsia is the use of biomarkers, such as the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio. We wish to highlight the potential for COVID-19-induced myocardial injury in pregnant women and the associated in-crease in maternal mortality rate. Vaccination against COVID-19 in the general population and in pregnant women in particular, drastically reduced the severity of the disease. There is an urgent need to continue the follow-up of these women and their children to detect the appearance of sequelae of the disease or peristent COVID 19

Quantitative evaluation of the musical timbre and its variations is important for the analysis of audio recordings and computer-aided music composition. Using the FFT acoustic descriptors and their representation in an abstract timbral space, variations of a sample of monophonic sounds of chordophones (violin, cello) and aerophones (trumpet, transverse flute, and clarinet) sounds are analyzed. It is concluded that the FFT acoustic descriptors allow us to distinguish the timbral variations of the musical dynamics, including crescendo and vibrato. Furthermore, using the Random Forest algorithm, it is shown that the FFT-Acoustic provides a statistically significant classification to distinguish musical instruments, family of instruments, and dynamics. We observed a better behavior for the FFT-Acoustic descriptors when classifying pitch compared to some timbral features of Librosa.

A 23-month-old neutered male dog of unknown ancestry presented with a history of progressive neurological signs that included anxiety, cognitive impairment, tremors, seizure activity, ataxia, and pronounced visual impairment. The clinical signs were accompanied by global brain atrophy. Due to progression in the severity of disease signs, the dog was euthanized at 26 months of age. Examination of tissues collected at necropsy revealed dramatic intracellular accumulations of autofluorescent inclusions in the brain, retina, and cardiac muscle. The inclusions were immunopositive for subunit c of mitochondrial ATP synthase, and their ultrastructural appearances were similar to those of lysosomal storage bodies that accumulate in some of the neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL) diseases. The also dog exhibited widespread neuroinflammation. Based on these findings, the dog was deemed likely to have suffered from a form of NCL. A whole genome sequence analysis of the proband’s DNA revealed a homozygous C to T substitution that altered the intron 3 – exon 4 splice site of CLN6. Other mutations in CLN6 cause NCL diseases in humans and animals including dogs. CLN6 protein was undetectable with immunolabeling in the tissues of the proband. Based on the clinical history, fluorescence and electron-microscopy, immunohistochemistry, and molecular genetic findings, the disorder in this dog is classified as an NCL resulting from the absence of CLN6 protein. Screening the dog’s genome for a panel of breed-specific polymorphisms indicated that its ancestry included numerous breeds, with no single breed predominating. This suggests that the CLN6 disease variant is likely to be present in other mixed breed dogs and at least some of the ancestral breeds.

(1) Background: The purpose of this study was therefore to analyze the predictive capacity of the three variables (impulsivity, sensation-seeking and drug use) in aggressors and victims of violence. (2) Methods: The design is cross-sectional quasi-experimental. A sample of 822 students aged 13 to 18 who had filled in an ad hoc questionnaire, the State Impulsivity Scale and the Sensation-Seeking Scale, was used for this. (3) Results: The results show that aggressors had high levels of gratification, automatism, attentional factor, disinhibition and susceptibility to boredom, and use alcohol and/or tobacco. The variables that could predict involvement as an aggressor in peer conflict are use of alcohol, smoking, high levels of gratification, automatism and attentional factors and a high degree of disinhibition and susceptibility to boredom. The disinhibition is the best predictor of aggressor. (4) Conclusions: Thus having available empirical evidence that facilitates detection of predictive variables for participation in violence is going to favor the design of effective education intervention for reducing risk behavior.

The quality of waste activated sludge produced in urban wastewater treatment systems varies according to the efficiency of the operation of treatment units along the content of microflora and organic carbon. However, these represent a biogas-energy alternative through anaerobic co-digestion, contributing to reducing the environmental impacts caused by their inadequate disposal. Biogas production by the Two-stage production method in batch digesters was evaluated by two qualities of waste activated sludge (SLB50 y SLB90) and with a mixture of two co-substrates: cattle manure (CEV50 y CEV90) and residual edible oil with mixing, pH and temperature control. Bacteria in good quality sludge (SLB90) showed a faster adaptation of 2 days than those in low quality (SLB50) with 25 days lag phase. The highest CH4 production was for SLB90 (303.99cm3 d-1) compared to SLB50 (4.33 cm3 d-1); while cow manure sludge mixture (CEV90) contributed to increasing production of CH4 (42 422.8 cm3 d-1) compared to CEV50 (12 881.45 cm3 CH4 d-1), while in residual edible oil mixture they were 767.32 cm3 d-1 and 211.42 cm3 d-1 for CAV90 y CAV50, respectively. The addition of sludge co-substrates improves the nutrient balance, C/N rate and micro flora diversity; consequently methane production improves too; this methodology could be integrated into concepts of Circular economy.

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

Background: The passage through university, as a complex experience, can heighten personal susceptibility to eating disorders. The objective of this research is to determine how gender, age, year of course, and center or faculty can influence the risk of an eating disorder among university students. Method: A transversal and descriptive study with a probabilistic sample of 516 Spanish students from 26 university degrees is performed, by administering the Inventory Eating Disorder-Reference criterion (EDI-3-RF) to the students. Results: It was found that the female students enrolled in second-year grades presented a greater obsession with thinness and body dissatisfaction, that the male students did more physical exercise to control their weight, and that those under 20 years and the students from both the Health and Law Faculties presented greater bulimic behavior. Conclusions: It is necessary to implement preventive measures adapted to the university students.

Engineers make things, make things work, and make things work better and easier. This kind of knowledge is crucial for innovation, and much of the explicit knowledge developed by engineers is embodied in scientific publications. In this paper, we analyze the evolution of publications and citations in Engineering in a middle-income country such as Mexico. Using a database of all Mexican publications in Web of Science from 2004 to 2017, we explore the characteristics of publications that tend to have the greatest impact; this is the highest number of citations. Among the variables studied are the type of collaboration (no collaboration, domestic, bilateral, or multilateral), the number of coauthors and countries, the language of the article, controlling for a coauthor from the USA and the affiliation institution of the Mexican author(s). Our results emphasize the overall importance of joint international efforts and suggest that publications with the highest number of citations are those with multinational collaboration (coauthors from three or more countries), written in English, and when one of the coauthors is from the USA.

Some biostimulants, including plant origin preparations, act similarly to plant hormones. Moreover, the supplementation of known and unknown rooting cofactors can stimulate rhizogenesis in cuttings. The aim of this research was to assess the response of difficult-to-root and long-rooting stem cuttings of the once-blooming old variety Rosa ‘Hurdal’ to preparations of plant origin. The hypothesis was that plant origin preparations could enhance rooting processes by inhibiting chlorophyll a/b degradation in leaves and postponing leaf senescence, simultaneously increasing the quality of cuttings. The one-bud stem cuttings were made in four phenological stages: (H1) flower buds closed, (H2) open flowers, (H3) just after petal fall, (H4) 7-14 days after petal shedding. They were treated with either standard commercial powder preparations containing 0.4% indolebutyric acid (IBA) or 0.2% naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) as well as with commercial plant origin preparations that this work will henceforth refer to as: Algae Extract, Organic Preparation, and Plant Extract. The cuttings were evaluated after 12 weeks of rooting them in two substrates: peat-perlite and peat-sand (v:v; 1:1). Mean root percentages for both substrates were noted after preparation from stage H1 (74.5 %), H2 (59.5 %), H3 (50.8 %) shoots. The H4 cuttings didn’t root at all and were not considered further. The means for all phenology stages together were the highest by the use of 0.6 % Algae Extract, 0.012 % and 0.02 % Organic Preparation, 0.2 % and 0.4 % Plant Extract. The lowest means were reported for the control cuttings as well as NAA and IBA treatment. Plant origin preparations encouraged growth parameters but did not unequivocally inhibit the decrease of chlorophyll content in the cuttings’ leaves. Rooting percentage depended on the quality of cuttings as well as chlorophyll a/b and soluble protein content in leaves in both rooting substrates.

Genetic diversity is inevitable in making any crop improvement program successful. DNA fingerprinting technology to assess the genetic relationship among the selected genotypes for identification and cataloging of different species and cultivars of roses is a promising tool for Rosa genomes. The inter-simple sequence repeats markers (ISSRs) were used to investigate the genetic diversity among twenty-one diverse Rosa genotypes belonging to two different species, Rosa hybrida and R. damascena, and three distinct groups of rose varieties, namely Hybrid Tea, Floribunda, and Damask roses. Twenty-four ISSR primers yielded a total of 280 scorable amplified fragments from 250-1800 bp in length, from which 244 were polymorphic, resulting in an average of 86.4% polymorphism. UPGMA cluster analysis based on Jaccard’s pairwise similarity coefficient values ranged from 0.264 to 0.818, clearly distinguished different species and genotypes, grouping them into three distinct clusters. The results confirmed a high degree of variation in the rose germplasm studied highlighting the potential of improvement in roses for the ornamental and perfume industry.

We aimed to delineate cardiopulmonary interactions in acute bronchiolitis and to evaluate the capacity of a combined cardiopulmonary ultrasonography to predict the need for respiratory support. This was a prospective observational single-center study that includes infants < 12 month of age admitted to a hospital due to acute bronchiolitis. All the included patients under-went clinical, laboratory and cardiopulmonary ultrasonographic evaluation at the same time point within 24 hours of hospital admission. The existence of significant correlation between car-diac and respiratory parameters was the primary outcome. The association of different cardio-pulmonary variables with the need of respiratory support higher than O2, the length of stay hos-pitalization, the PICU stay, and the duration of respiratory support were a secondary outcome. We enrolled 112 infants (median age 1 (0.5-3) months; 62% males) hospitalized with acute bron-chiolitis. Increased values of the pulmonary variables (BROSJOD score, pCO2 and LUS) showed moderate correlations with NT-proBNP and all echocardiographic parameters indicative of pulmonary hypertension and myocardial dysfunction. Up to 36 (32%) infants required respira-tory support during the hospitalization. This group presented with higher lung ultrasound score (p<0.001), and increased values of Tei index (p<0.001) and pulmonary artery pressures (p<0.001). All the analyzed respiratory and cardiac variables showed moderate to strong correlations with the LOS hospitalization and the time of respiratory support. Lung ultrasound and echocardiog-raphy showed a moderate to strong predictive accuracy for the need of respiratory support in the ROC analysis, with AUC varying from 0.74 to 0.87. Conclusion: Those cases of bronchiolitis with a worse pulmonary status presented with a more impaired cardiac status. Cardiopulmonary ul-trasonography could be a good strategy to easily identify high-risk population for a complicated acute bronchiolitis hospitalization.

Blood biomarkers represent a promising future for studying cognitive impairment, particularly in Alzheimer's Disease (AD), as they offer a non-invasive alternative to cerebrospinal fluid tests and have potential as population screening tools. However, the relationships between these biomarkers and specific cognitive functions, as well as their utility in predicting longitudinal cognitive decline, are not yet fully understood. This descriptive review surveys the literature from 2018 to 2023, focusing on the associations between Amyloid-β, Total Tau, Phosphorylated Tau (p-tau), Neurofilament Light (Nfl), and Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP) with cognition. The reviewed studies are heterogeneous, varying in design and population (mixed, cognitively impaired, or unimpaired), and show results that are sometimes conflicting. Generally, cognition positively correlates with Aβ levels, especially when evaluated through the Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio. In contrast, Tau, Nfl, and GFAP levels typically show a negative correlation with cognitive performance. While p-tau measures tend to show stronger associations with cognitive functions than other biomarkers, no single blood marker has emerged as predominantly associated with a specific cognitive domain. These findings add to our understanding of the complex relationship between blood biomarkers and cognitive performance and underscore their potential utility in clinical evaluations of cognition.

Bacterial endophytes (120) were isolated from six halophytes (Distichlis spicata, Cynodon dactylon, Eragrostis obtusiflora, Suaeda torreyana, Kochia scoparia, and Baccharis salicifolia). These halophiles were molecularly identified and characterized with or without NaCl conditions. Characterization was based on tests such as indole acetic acid (IAA), exopolysaccharides (EPS), and siderophores (SID) production; solubilization of phosphate (P), potassium (K), zinc (Zn), and manganese (Mn); mineralization of phytate; enzymatic activity (acid and alkaline phosphatase, phytases, xylanases, and chitinases) and mineralization/solubilization mechanisms involved (organic acids and sugars). Eleven halophiles (tolerated NaCl 2.5 M) were identified as Oceanobacillus sp. (1), Bacillus sp. (2), Nesterenkonia sp. (3), Bacillus velezensis (4), Halobacillus sp. (5), Oceanobacillus sp. (6), B. velezensis (7) Halomonas sp. (8), B. pumilus (9), Pseudomonas sp. (10) and Oceanobacillus sp. (11). Biochemical responses of nutrient solubilization and enzymatic activity varied between bacteria and the presence of NaCl. Organic acids were involved in P-mineralization and nutrient solubilization. Tartaric acid was common in the solubilization of P, Zn, and K. Maleic and vanillic acid were only detected in Zn and K solubilization, respectively. Moreover, sugars appeared to be involved in the solubilization of nutrients; fructose was detected in solubilization tests. Therefore, these bacteria should be tested as a consortium to mitigate saline stress in glycophytes under a global climate change scheme that threatens to exacerbate soil salinity.

This prospective single-center study was designed to assess the clinical utility of the FilmArray® blood culture identification (BCID) panel for improving the diagnostic accuracy in neonatal sepsis. Results obtained using the FilmArray® BCID panel were correlated with results of blood culture in all consecutive neonates with suspicion of early-onset (EOS) and late-onset sepsis (LOS) attended in our service over a 2-year period. A total of 102 blood cultures from 92 neonates were included, 69 (67.5%) in cases of EOS and 33 (32.3%) in LOS. The FilmArray® BCID panel was performed in negative culture bottles at a median of 10 hours of blood culture incubation (range 7.5-20 hours), without differences by the type of sepsis. The FilmArray® BCID panel showed a 66.7% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100% positive predictive value, and 95.7% negative predictive value. There were four false-negative cases, three of which of Streptococcus epidermidis in neonates with LOS and one case of Granulicatella adiacens in one neonate with EOS. We conclude that the use of the FilmArray® BCID panel in negative blood cultures from neonates with clinical suspicion of sepsis is useful in decision-making of starting or early withdrawal of empirical antimicrobials because of the high specificity and negative predictive values of this assay.

As companies increasingly undergo digital transformation, the role of talent management pro-cesses becomes pivotal in enhancing overall organizational performance. The research addresses the significance of talent management in corporate digital transformation, examining whether variations in the digitalization of these processes can be attributed to company size. A qualitative approach was employed, utilizing a questionnaire, collecting responses from 202 organizations across diverse sectors. Findings reveal disparities in digitalization throughout the talent man-agement process, with pronounced presence in the attracting, selecting, and rewarding phases, but diminishing in deployment and development, further declining in planning. A positive cor-relation between company size and adoption of specific digital platforms was observed. Larger enterprises exhibit greater utilization of digital platforms in talent deployment and development. Moreover, corporate communication tools are consistently utilized in the rewarding phase, irre-spective of company size. These findings offer practical insights for organizations to optimize their digitalization strategies based on their scale, thereby contributing to more effective and tailored digitalization endeavors. The uniqueness of this research lies in its exploration of the in-fluence of company size on the digitalization of talent management processes and its potential to explain variations across different stages of these processes.

Deep eutectic solvents have emerged as a greener alternative and have attracted so much interest in the last two decades. This paper present alternative synthesis method to classical heating-stirring. The ultrasound method is one of the most promising syntheses DESs in terms of yield and energy. So, ultrasound synthesis method was studied to obtain hydrophobic (Aliquat 336: L-Menthol 3:7; Li-docaine: decanoic acid 1:2) and hydrophilic DESs based on Choline chloride and urea, ethylene glycol and oxalic acid. The physical characterization of DESs by comparison of FTIR spectra no show difference between DESs obtained by heating-stirring and ultrasound synthesis methods. The RMN spectra of the DESs obtained by heating-stirring revealed the DESs formation. Density and viscosity properties of DESs were evaluated. The density values are similar for both synthesis methods. However, lower viscosity values are obtained to the hydrophilic DESs prepared by ul-trasound methods.

The innate immune system is the first line of defense against pathogens. It’s composition includes barriers, mucus and other substances as well as phagocytic and other cells. The purpose of the paper is to analyze in general grounds the immune system and the body immunity to cancer. Simple ideas and the qualitative theory of differential equations are used along with general principles such as the minimization of the pathogen load and economy of resources. In the simplest linear model, the annihilation rate of pathogens in any tissue should be greater than the pathogen’s average rate of growth. When nonlinearities are added, a reference value for the number of pathogens is set, and a stability condition emerges, which relates strength of regular threats, barrier height and annihilation rate. On the other hand, in cancer immunity, the linear model leads to an expression for the lifetime risk, which accounts for both the effects of carcinogens (endogenous or external) and the immune response. The stability condition allows a comparison of immunity in different tissues. The way the tissue responds to an infection shows a correlation with the way it responds to cancer. These statements are formulated at the qualitative level, but may and deserve to be quantitatively checked.

Camelina (Camelina sativa L.) is an oilseed with potential for use as a raw material in second-generation biofuels. Camelina has a seed yield of up to 2380 kg ha^-1 and contains around 45% fatty acids. Selection of a suitable site is critical for production optimization. The objective of this study was to determine Chilean agro-climatic suitability for establishing camelina as a productive alternative. Climate and soil requirements and geographical restraints were evaluated for the species, considering the climatological characteristics of its regions of origin, as well as regions where camelina is successfully grown in the rest of the world. The variables considered include factors (maximum temperatures of the warmest month, water deficits, and degree days) and limitations (altitude, geomorphology, and current land use), which permitted the evaluation of the national territory for a certain level of suitability. It was determined that 1.3% of the national territory (960,664 ha) has some degree of suitability for camelina adoption. Between the Biobío and Los Lagos regions, 49.0% of land (471,203 ha) is in the category of without thermic restrictions, with mild water restrictions, and mild soil restrictions or without information, which can be used for camelina production. The Los Ríos region had 21.4% surface area (321,176 ha) with some level of suitability for camelina, the most suitable region to establish this crop in Chile.

Free-living amoebae (FLA) are protozoa widely distributed in the environment, found in a great diversity of terrestrial biomes. However, few genera of FLA are linked to human infections. Within these genera, Acanthamoeba spp., classified by genotypes (T1-T23), being T1, T2, T4, T5, T10, T12, and T18 as capable of causing granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE) in immunocompromised patients mostly and Acanthamoeba keratitis related to genotypes T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T10, T11, T12 and T15 in apparently healthy patients. Meanwhile, Naegleria fowleri is the causative agent of an acute infection called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), while Balamuthia mandrillaris, like some Acanthamoeba genotypes, causes GAE, differing from the latter in the description of numerous cases in patients immunocompetent. Finally, other FLA related to the pathologies mentioned above have been reported; Sappinia pedata is responsible for one case of amoebic encephalitis; Vermamoeba vermiformis has been found in cases of ocular damage, and its extraordinary capacity as endo-cytobiont for microorganisms of public health importance such as Legionella pneumophila, Bacillus anthracis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, among others. In this review, issues related to the epidemiology of each one are addressed, updating their geographic distribution and cases reported in recent years for pathogenic FLA.

The present study provides molecular insight into the mechanisms underlying energy dissipation and lubrication of a smooth contact lubricated by an ionic liquid. We have performed normal and lateral force measurements with a surface forces apparatus and by colloidal probe atomic force microscopy on following model systems: 1-ethyl-3-methyl imidazolium bis-(trifluoro-methylsulfonyl)imide, in dry state and in equilibrium with ambient (humid) air; the surface was either bare mica or functionalized with a polymer brush. The velocity-dependence of the friction force reveals two different regimes of lubrication, boundary-film lubrication, with distinct characteristics for each model system, and fluid-film lubrication above a transition velocity V*. The underlying mechanisms of energy dissipation are evaluated with molecular models for stress-activated slip and flow, respectively. The stress-activated slip assumes that two boundary layers (composed of ions/water strongly adsorbed to the surface) slide pass each; the bond dynamics and the strength of the interaction at the slip plane dictate the change in friction -decreasing, increasing or remaining constant- with velocity in the boundary-film lubrication regime. Above a transition velocity V*, friction monotonically increases with velocity in the three model systems. Here, layers of ions slide past each (“flow”) under a shear stress and friction depends on a shear-activation volume that is significantly affected by confinement. The proposed friction model provides a molecular perspective of the lubrication of smooth contacts by ionic liquids and allows identifying the physical parameters that control friction.

Some evidence suggests that personality types are a useful construct to understand stress and coping. However, further research is needed, especially on academic stress. Our aim was to explore how personality types and gender relate to coping strategies for academic stress and perceived coping efficacy. A total of 810 university psychology students completed the NEO-FFI Inventory and the Coping Strategies Inventory. Post-hoc tests for MANOVA and ANOVA were performed, where personality types and gender were treated as predictors and use of coping strategies and perceived coping efficacy as criteria. Finally, a one-way ANOVA followed by post hoc comparisons was performed to analyse the associations between personality types and perceived coping efficacy. Those with personality types combining low neuroticism with high conscientiousness chose the most adaptive coping strategies and showed the highest levels of perceived coping efficacy, while those whose personality types combined high neuroticism with low conscientiousness opted for maladaptive coping strategies and presented the lowest level of perceived coping efficacy. As for gender, women chose emotional expression more frequently. The personality type classification provided useful information on individual differences in coping with academic stress, which can help guide specific strategies to manage it.

Salvia ceratophylloides (Ard.) is an endemic, rare, threatened plant species recently rediscovered in very few individuals in two different sites of South Italy. The study of within-plant variation more than among-plant one is fundamental to understand the plant adaptation to the local conditions, especially in rare species, and consequently to preserve plant biodiversity. Here, we reported the variation of the morpho-ecophysiological and metabolic traits between the sessile and petiolate leaf of S. ceratophylloides plants in two different sites for understanding the adaptation strategies for surviving in these habitats. The S. ceratophylloides individuals exhibited different net photosynthetic rate, maximum quantum yield, light intensity for the saturation of the photosynthetic machinery, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, leaf area, fractal dimension and some VOCs between the different leaf types. This within-plant morpho-physiological and metabolic variation was depended on the site. These results provide empirical evidence of sharply within-plant variation of the morpho-physiological traits and VOCs profiles in S. ceratophylloides which could be because of adaptation to the local conditions.

The quality of yarn is essential in the control of the fabrics processes. There is some commercial equipment that measures the quality of yarn based on sensors, of different types, used for collecting data about some yarn characteristic parameters. The existing equipment, for the above-mentioned purpose, is characterized by its high size and cost, and for allowing the analysis of only few yarn quality parameters. Thus, this paper presents the development and results obtained with the design of a mechatronic prototype integrating a computer vision system that allows, among other parameters, the analysis and classification, in real time, of the hairs of the yarn using artificial intelligence techniques. The system also determines other characteristics inherent to the yarn quality analysis, such as: linear mass, diameter, volume, twist orientation, twist step, average mass deviation, coefficient of variation, hairiness coefficient, average hairiness deviation and standard hairiness deviation, as well as performs spectral analysis. A comparison of the obtained results with the designed system and a commercial equipment was performed validating the undertaken methodology.

Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS), an invasive subtype of Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), is associated with chromosomal translocation events resulting in one of two oncogenic fusion genes PAX3-FOXO1 or PAX7-FOXO1. ARMS patients exhibit an overexpression of the pleiotropic cytokine Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β). This overexpression of TGF-β1 causes an increased expression of a downstream transcription factor called SNAIL, which promotes Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition (EMT). Overexpression of TGF-β also inhibits myogenic differentiation, making ARMS patients highly resistant to chemotherapy. In this review, we first describe different types of RMS and then focus on ARMS and the impact of TGF-β in this tumor type. We next highlight current chemotherapy strategies including a combination of FDA approved drugs vincristine, actinomycin D, and cyclophosphamide (VAC), Cabozantinib, Bortezomib, Vinorelbine, AZD 1775 and cisplatin. Lastly, we discuss chemotherapy agents that target the differentiation of tumor cells in ARMS which include all trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and 5-Azacytidine. Improving our understanding of the role of signaling pathways, such as TGF-β1, in the development of ARMS tumor cells differentiation will help inform more tailored drug administration in the future.

There are different ways to analyse energy absorbance (EA) in the human auditory system. In previous research, we developed a complete finite element model (FEM) of the human auditory system. In this mentioned work, the external auditory canal (EAC), middle ear, and inner ear (spiral cochlea, vestibule, and semi-circular canals) were modelled based on human temporal bone histological sections. Multiple acoustic, structure and fluid-coupled analyses were conducted using the FEM to perform harmonic analyses in the 0.1–10 kHz range. Once the FEM had been validated with published experimental data, the FEM numerical results were used to calculate the EA or energy reflected (ER) by the tympanic membrane. This EA was also measured in clinical audiology tests which were used as a diagnostic parameter. A mathematical approach was developed to calculate the EA and ER, with numerical and experimental results showing adequate correlation up to 1 kHz. Another published FEM had adapted its boundary conditions to replicate experimental results. Here, we recalculated those numerical results by applying the natural boundary conditions of human hearing and found that the results almost totally agreed with our FEM. This boundary problem is frequent and problematic in experimental hearing test protocols: the more invasive they are, the more the results are affected. One of the main objectives of using FEMs is to explore how the experimental test conditions influence the results. Further work will still be required to uncover the relationship between the middle ear structure and EA to clarify how to best use FEMs. Moreover, the FEM boundary conditions must be more representative in future work to ensure their adequate interpretation.

In this work a new method is proposed to tackle down the multiple objective optimization problem of the calculation of cation distribution in spinels structure, through the difference of intensity ratios between experimental and calculated intensities of cation sensitive Bragg planes, by introducing a new factor, Rabs, in Bertaut method. This factor is introduced as the sum of absolute R factors, and it is minimized by varying cation distribution. To test this method aluminate manganese spinel where synthesized though modified Pechini method and characterized though XRD. The results show to be in agreement with literature for the aluminum inversion in tetrahedral sites, which is near to the reported value of 10%. Also, it was noticed that the manganese atoms are present in octahedral sites with a mixed valence state of +2 and +3. Which might be an indicator that oxygen vacancies are present in the structure, so the vacancies value of oxygen is proposed considering the total charge of cations and thus proposing the value of 3.678 mol per formula unit of the spinel, thus having the next stoichiometry considering normalized Al and Mn, MnAl2O3.678. Finally, the last cation distribution proposed was [Mn0.867^(+2) Al0.129^(+3) ][Mn0.034^(+2) Mn0.098^(+3) Al1.871^(+3) ] O3.678 with a Rabs factor value of 0.6466, which considers the cation distribution and oxygen vacancies.

1) Background: Studies have shown that there is a higher risk of burnout among employees in the healthcare sector. Therefore, this study focused on “Certified Nursing Aides” (CNAs) who have shown a high prevalence of burnout, and are therefore considered an especially vulnerable group. The objective of this study was to identify the relationships between some organizational, personal and sociodemographic factors and burnout; 2) Methods: The final study sample was made up of 278 working CNAs with a mean age of 40.88 (SD=9.41). To compile the data, an ad hoc questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic information, and to collect professional and employment information, the Brief Emotional Intelligence Inventory for Adults, the Brief Questionnaire on Perceived Social Support, and The General Self-Efficacy Scale.; 3) Results: The results show that the Burnout Syndrome is significantly related negatively to all the emotional intelligence factors, self-efficacy and perceived social support. The risk of burnout is higher in younger persons and in permanently employed professionals. General self-efficacy and stress management act as protective factors against the likelihood of burnout.; and 4) Conclusions: This study suggests that organizations should urge coaching and transformational leadership training programs to promote the wellbeing and organizational commitment of workers.

Social media has become more popular in the last few years. It has been used in public health development and healthcare settings to promote healthier lifestyles. Given its important role in today's culture, it is necessary to understand its current trends and future directions in public health. This review aims to describe and summarize how public health professionals have been using social media to improve population outcomes. Additionally, it discusses potential future directions on how social media can be used to improve population health. The findings showed how social media has been used as a tool for research, designing and implementing health campaigns, messaging, and health promotion. In addition, social media integration with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Generative Pre-Trained transformers (GPT) can have a big impact and offer an innovative approach to tackle the problems and difficulties in health informatics. These innovations might improve patient participation, individualized assistance, and care experiences. The research showed how likely social media will keep growing and evolving and, if used effectively, have the potential to help close public health gaps across different cultures and improve population health.

Frontal incomes play an important role in human behavioral regulation and can be a determinant of eating behavior. The aim of this study was to analyse the frontal incomes in obese patients with and without Binge Eating Disorder (BED), compared to normoweight (NW) subjects and to analyse the effect of sex and binge disorder on quality of life, with age and BMI as covariates. A total of 114 participants comprised three different groups (obese with BED, obese without BED and NW) completed the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) and Impact of Weight on Quality of Life (IWQOL-lite). The results showed that obese patients, with and without BED, have poorer frontal functioning than NW persons. Obese patients with BED have lower performance in frontal income than obese patients without BED. Male participants have a higher perception of quality of life in all dimensions, with women showing lower values in self-esteem and sex life. Obese with BED show greater weaknesses in physical function. These results suggest that low frontal incomes and worse quality of life characterize obese patients, more evident in obese patients with BED.

In our previous studies, the marine-derived fungus Emericellopsis maritima BC17 was found to produce new eremophilane-type sesquiterpenoids on solid media. In order to explore its potential to produce more metabolites, E. maritima BC17 was subjected to a one strain-many compounds (OSMAC) analysis leading to the discovery of three new eremophilanes (1-3) and fourteen known derivatives (4-17) in the liquid media Czapek Dox and PDB. Their structures were established by extensive analyses of the 1D and 2D NMR, and HRESIMS data, as well as ECD data for the assignment of their absolute configurations. Antitumoral and antimicrobial activities of the isolated metabolites 1, 3, 11, and 15 were investigated. PR toxin 3-deacetyl (15) exhibited cytotoxic activity against HepG2, MCF-7, A549, A2058 and Mia PaCa-2 human cancer cell lines with IC₅₀ values ranging from 2.5 to 14.7 µM. In addition, 15 exhibited selective activity against methicillin-sensitive S. aureus ATCC29213 at the highest concentration tested of 128 µg/mL.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) play a pivotal role in health, wellbeing, and inflammatory diseases in humans. Lack of omega-3 consumption is associated with diseases. Specialized Pro-resolving Mediators (SPM) are produced from Omega-3-PUFAs and accelerate resolution of inflammation. They are classified as resolvins, maresins, protectins, and lipoxins. SPMs actions in resolution consist in limiting neutrophilic infiltration, promote the clearance of apoptotic cell and cellular debris, enhancing efferocytosis and phagocytosis, counter regulate the production of pro-inflammatory mediators such as chemokines and cytokines, and promote pro-resolving macrophage phenotype. We identified temporal plasma and serum increases of SPMs after 6 g of oral supplementation of SPM-enriched emulsion in ten healthy subjects. We also described temporal increases of omega-3, as well as pharmacokinetics fundamentals in plasma and serum using LC-MS/MS lipid profiling. These results provide evidence of temporal increases of SPMs that together support the idea that given oral supplementation is a good source of essential bioactive SPMs.

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

Diabetes mellitus entails increased atherosclerotic burden and medial arterial calcification but the precise mechanisms are not fully elucidated. Our aim was to investigate the implication of CD36 in inflammation and calcification processes orchestrated by vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) under hyperglycemic and atherogenic conditions. We examined the expression of CD36, pro-inflammatory cytokines, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress markers and mineralization-regulating enzymes by RT-PCR in human VSMCs, cultured in medium containing normal (5 mM) or high glucose (22 mM) for 72 h with or without oxLDL (24 h). The uptake of DiI-labelled oxLDL was quantified by flow citometry and fluorimetry and calcification assays were performed in VSMC cultured in osteogenic medium and stained by alizarin red. We observed an induction in the expression of CD36, cytokines, calcification markers and ER stress markers under high glucose that was exacerbated by oxLDL. These results were confirmed in carotid plaques from subjects with diabetes versus non-diabetic subjects. Accordingly, the uptake of DiI-labelled oxLDL was increased after exposure to high glucose. Silencing of CD36 abolished the induction of CD36 and reduced the expression of calcification enzymes and mineralization of VSMC. Our results indicate that CD36 signaling is involved in hyperglycemia and oxLDL-induced vascular calcification in diabetes.

The current study aims to first, isolate H. pylori in cultures from gastric biopsy samples and test their susceptibility. Secondly, we aim to assess the efficacy of the standard triple therapy from patients coming of the western central region of Colombia. Patients with H. pylori positive re-ceived standard triple therapy with PPI [40 mg b.i.d.], clarithromycin [500 mg b.i.d.], amoxicillin [1g b.i.d.] for 14 days. Thereafter, antibiotic susceptibility of the isolates was assessed by E-Test. From 94 patients enrolled, 67 were positive for H. pylori by histology or culture. Resistance to metronidazole, levofloxacin, rifampicin, clarithromycin and amoxicillin was 81, 26.2, 23.9, 19 and 9.5%, respectively. No resistance was found for tetracycline. 54 patients received standard triple therapy, 48 attended follow-ups testing and of them, 30 had resistance test reports. Overall eradication rate was 81.2%, 4 patients underwent second-line management and only one patient remained H. pylori positive by urea breath test during the follow-up [six weeks]. Eradication was significantly higher in patients with clarithromycin susceptible than in resistant strains [95.6% vs. 42.8% p= 0.001]. The updated percentages of resistance to clarithromycin in this geographical area have increased, so this value must be considered when choosing the treatment regimen.

Academic interest in social and human capital is growing significantly. Similarly, their relationship with sustainability is increasing, especially compared to sustainability’s relationship with natural capital and financial and economic capital. Bibliometric and visualization research on these relationships is nonetheless insufficient. This study analyzes the evolution of the literature on natural capital, financial and economic capital, and social and human capital related to sustainability. On the other hand, the study presents a bibliometric analysis on social capital and human capital (SHC) related to sustainability. The article studies 635 references collected from the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection database and utilizes visualization of similarities (VOS) viewer program to graphically map the material. The analysis involves co-occurrence of keywords, co-citation, and co-authorship. The results reveal not only the state of the art and the leading trends, but also the evolution regarding impact, main journals, documents, topics, authors, institutions, and countries. The study provides researchers and practitioners with a visual and schematic frame of the research on this topic.

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

This study analyzed the levels of mental workload and the presence of burnout on a sample of fashion retailing workers from Spain and its relationship with the actual Covid-19 pandemic by exploring Covid-19 pandemic predictors of burnout and mental workload. We established a prospective cross-sectional design. Participants (n = 360) answered an online survey including questions about sociodemographic data, perception of Covid-19, CarMen-Q questionnaire (workload), and MBI (burnout syndrome). We obtained data throughout October-November 2020. The results showed that participants exhibit deep concern about the Covid-19 pandemic and its influence at the work level. Although the mental workload was near the middle point of the scale, participants showed moderate to high burnout levels, revealing that the sample is at risk of experiencing higher burnout levels over time as the pandemic and associated economic crisis continue. The multidimensional regression analysis results indicated that environmental changes, work overload, somatic symptoms, insomnia, negative job expectations, and uncertainty constituted significant mental workload predictors. Insomnia, somatic symptoms, and negative job expectations constituted significant predictors for burnout. In conclusion, the uncertainty at work derived from the Covid-19 pandemic is harming the psychological wellbeing of fashion retailing workers in Spain.

PM2.5 levels affect human health. However, its relationship with other health vulnerability determinants has not been sufficiently explored. Furthermore, public access to PM2.5 datasets, linkable to health statistics, is not available. We built a georeferenced database and map of annual mean PM2.5 emissions and air concentrations values in Argentina in 2010 and explored their correlations with other health vulnerability determinants. We obtained data for montlhy PM2.5 values emissions and air concentrations in Argentina from public sources. We evaluated health vulnerability by the “Sanitary Vulnerability Index (SVI)”. Non-parametric correlations between variables below 0.22, corresponding to a R2=5%, were deemed meaningless. PM2.5 emissions concentrated in urban and intensive agricultural areas of Argentina. PM2.5 air concentrations were acceptable (≤10 microg/m3) in only 15% of the Argentinean territory, respectively. The correlation between air concentration of PM2.5 and human emission was meaningless. Emissions, but not air concentrations correlated &gt;0.22 with indicators of human activity. SVI correlated meaninglessly with PM2.5 air concentration. In conclusion, PM2.5 levels were above acceptable levels in 85% of the Argentinian territory in 2010. The lack of meaningful correlations between PM2.5 and SVI suggest that these coefficients might be used in combination to assess health vulnerability. Further research is warranted.