The purpose of this study was to determine the change in overall survival (OS) for patients with de novo metastatic breast cancer (dnMBC) over time. We conducted a retrospective cohort study with 1981 patients with dnMBC diagnosed between January 1995 and December 2017 at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. OS was measured from the date of diagnosis of dnMBC. OS was compared between patients diagnosed during different time periods: 5-year periods and periods defined according to when key agents were approved for clinical use. The median OS was 3.4 years. The 5- and 10-year OS rates improved over time across both types of time periods. A subgroup analysis showed that OS improved significantly over time for the estrogen-receptor-positive/HER2-positive (ER+/HER2+) subtype, and exhibited a tendency toward improvement over time for the ER-negative (ER-)/HER2+ subtype. Median OS was significantly longer in patients with non-inflammatory breast cancer (P = .02) and in patients with ER+ disease, progesterone-receptor-positive disease, HER2+ disease, lower nuclear grade, locoregional therapy, and metastasis to a single organ (all P <.0001). These findings showed that OS at 5 and 10 years after diagnosis in patients with dnMBC improved over time. The significant improvements in OS over time for the ER+/HER2+ subtype and the tendency toward improvement for ER-/HER2+ subtype suggest the contribution of HER2-targeted therapy to survival.

The less virulent human (h) coronaviruses (CoVs) 229E, NL63, OC43, and HKU1 cause mild, self-limiting respiratory tract infections, while the more virulent SARS-CoV-1, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2 have caused severe outbreaks. The CoV envelope (E) protein, an important contributor to the pathogenesis of severe hCoVs infections, may provide insight into this disparate severity of the disease. We, therefore, generated full-length E protein models for SARS-CoV-1, -2, MERS-CoV, HCoV-229E, and HCoV-NL63 and docked C-terminal peptides of each model to the PDZ domain of the human PALS1 protein. The PDZ-binding motif (PBM) of the SARS-CoV-1, -2, and MERS-CoV models adopted a more flexible, extended coil while the HCoV-229E and HCoV-NL63 models adopted a less flexible alpha helix. All the E peptides docked to PALS1 occupied the same binding site and the more virulent hCoV E peptides generally interacted more stably with PALS1 than the less virulent ones. We propose that the increased flexibility of the PBM in more virulent hCoVs may permit more stable binding to various host proteins, thereby possibly contributing to more severe disease. This is the first paper to model full-length 3D structures for both more virulent and less virulent hCoVs E proteins, providing novel insights for possible drug and/or vaccine development.

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.

Measures in the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic were based on rough ideas regarding transmission routes of pathogens. Quantified models of physical transmission routes are mostly lacking, a gap to be filled. Vaccines and medicines, important, are not studied here. We first survey main routes, from primary production in the alveoli and intestines to emissions, environmental routes, to exposure and alveolar infection. Next, specific routes are modelled, mostly at a preliminary state, open to systematic improvement. Starting from a standardized emitter, modelling results show extreme differences in potential exposure, in a range covering up to 4 orders of magnitude. The outcomes are pathogen-specific, already different between SARS-CoV-2 and influenza. Extreme exposures may result in smaller spaces; with lower ventilation rates; with a high density of emitting persons per m3; who stay there for several hours; and visitors staying more than a few minutes. In spaces where a build-up of concentrations is low, exposures are low, lowest in open air situations. A main conclusion for the next pandemic is that a quantified model can give strong guidance on where measures are primarily due. For SARS-CoV-2, ventilation can be improved short-term. Longer-term, effective ventilation rules and adaptation of buildings may reduce high exposures substantially.

Background. Shoulder in CrossFit should have a balance between mobility and stability. Glenohumeral internal rotation deficit and posterior shoulder stiffness are risk factors for overhead shoulder injury. Objective. To determine the effectiveness of instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization and horizontal adduction stretch in CrossFit practitioners’ shoulders. Methods: Twenty-one regular CrossFitters were allocated to experimental (stretching with isometric contraction and instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization) or control group (instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization). Each session lasted 5 minutes, 2 days a week, over a period of 4 weeks. Shoulder internal rotation and horizontal adduction (digital inclinometer), and posterior shoulder stretch perception (Park scale) were evaluated. Shapiro-Wilk test was used to analyze the distribution of the sample. Parametric student's t-test was used to obtain the intragroup differences. The inter- and intra-rater differences were calculated using a repeated measures ANOVA. Results. Changes were found in the experimental group following intervention (p < 0.05), and when comparing baseline and follow-up assessments (p < .05) in all variables. Significant differences were found in the control group following intervention (p < 0.05), in right horizontal adduction and left internal rotation. When comparing perception of internal rotation and horizontal adduction in both groups in the three assessments significant differences were found. Conclusions. Instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization can improve shoulder horizontal adduction and internal rotation. An instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization technique yields the same results alone as those achieved in combination with post-isometric stretch with shoulder adduction.

The purpose of this research was to analyze the moderating effect of clean energy innovation on the relationship between corporate carbon footprint and corporate profits in those industrial sectors associated with high demand for fossil fuels in which it is "hard to abate" CO₂e emissions. It used a longitudinal research design, in particular a panel study under a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach, based on partial least squares. For the longitudinal moderation analysis, this research employed the Bayesian method by defining a multiple-indicator latent growth curve model (B-LGC model). A global sample was used consisting of 7,827 firm-year observations between 2015 and 2021 corresponding to 167 international firms. The results revealed a very significant impact of the corporate carbon footprint on corporate profits. Likewise, the results showed that innovations in clean energy, when measured as the consumption of renewable energy, positively moderates the relationship between the greenhouse gas emissions from the value chain associated with Scope 3 of the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol, and the gross profit margin obtained. Besides the academic contribution represented by the moderating effect of clean energy innovation, these findings imply that a more detailed understanding of the emissions of the entire value chain (Scope 3 CO₂e) by executives and managers of high emitting CO₂e companies represents an effective mechanism to obtain higher profits, create competitive advantages and, at the same time, achieve a net zero emissions strategy. More importantly, public policy makers will be able to use these results to revise CO₂e-related policies paying more attention to the Scope 3 CO₂e emissions produced by these companies, to formulate regulatory and control mechanisms that stimulate clean energy innovation.

The process of viral integration into the host genome is an essential step of the HIV-1 life cycle. The viral Integrase (IN) enzyme catalyses integration. IN is an ideal therapeutic enzyme targeted by several drugs; raltegravir (RAL), elvitegravir (EVG), dolutegravir (DTG) and bictegravir (BIC) having been approved by the USA Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Due to high HIV-1 diversity, it is not well understood how specific naturally occurring polymorphisms (NOPs) in IN may affect the structure/function and binding affinity of Integrase Strand Transfer Inhibitors (INSTIs). In this study, we applied computational methods of molecular modelling and docking to analyse the effect of NOPs on the full-length IN structure and INSTI binding. We identified 16 NOPs within the Cameroonian derived CRF02_AG IN sequences and further identified 17 NOPs within HIV-1C South African sequences. The NOPs in the IN structures did not show any effect on INSTI binding. INSTIs displayed similar binding affinities to each IN structure. All INSTIs are clinically effective against diverse HIV-1 strains from INSTI treatment naïve populations. This study supports the use of second-generation INSTI DTG as part of first-line combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) regimens, due to DTG possessing a stronger genetic barrier to the emergence of drug resistance.

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

Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) affects around 2 % of women of reproductive age. Primary RPL is defined by ≥2 pregnancy losses and no normal birth delivery. In secondary RPL, the losses are after a normal pregnancy and delivery. Most cases have no clear aetiology, although primary cases are the most complex. Several gene polymorphisms have been associated with RPL. Some polymorphisms are increased in women of Asian or Caucasian race. In admixed RPL populations, the information on possible genetic links is scarce and contradictory. The study aimed to assess the frequency of two SNP in different enzymes involved in medical conditions observed during pregnancy. Microsomal epoxy hydrolase (mEPH) is involved in detoxifying xenobiotics. It is present in ovaries, and it is hormonally regulated. The endothelial nitric oxide synthase forms nitric oxide from arginine and is involved in vascular tone. Two SNPs, rs1051740 and rs1799983, were assessed. The study included 26 controls and 63 primary RPL patients. Significant differences were observed in the frequencies of both SNP (p<0.05). The frequency of mutated alleles was higher in patients. Double mutated homozygotes were encountered only in RLP patients (p<0.05). Genetic polymorphisms rs1051740 and rs1799983 may be involved in primary RPL in the Venezuelan admix population. Genetic studies could provide crucial information on the aetiology of primary RPL.

Despite often leading to platinum resistance, platinum-based chemotherapy continues to be the standard treatment for many epithelial tumors. In this study we analyze and validated the cytogenetic alterations that arise after treatment in four lung and ovarian paired cisplatin-sensitive/resistant cell lines by 1-million array-CGH and qRT-PCR methodologies. RNA-sequencing, functional transfection assays and gene-pathway activity analysis were used to identify genes with a potential role in the development of this malignancy. Results were further explored in 55 lung and ovarian primary tumors and control samples and in two extensive in silico databases. Long-term cell exposure to platinum induces the frequent deletion of ITF2 gene. Its expression re-sensitizes tumor cells to platinum and recovers the levels of Wnt/β-catenin transcriptional activity. ITF2 expression was also frequently downregulated in epithelial tumors, predicting a worse overall survival. We also identified an inverse correlation between ITF2 and HOXD9 expression, revealing that NSCLC patients with lower expression of HOXD9 have a better overall survival rate. We define the implication of ITF2 as a molecular mechanism behind the development of cisplatin resistance probably through the activation of the Wnt-signaling pathway. This data highlights the possible role of ITF2 and HOXD9 as novel therapeutic targets for platinum resistant tumors.

Cybersecurity plays a relevant role in the new digital age in aerospace industry. Predictive algorithms are necessary to interconnect complex systems within the cyberspace. In this context, where security protocols do not apply, challenges to maintain data privacy and security arise for the organizations. Thus, the need of cybersecurity is required. The four main categories to classify threats are interruption, fabrication, modification and interception. They all share a common thing, soften the three pillars which cybersecurity needs to guarantee. These pillars are confidentiality, availability and integrity of data (CIA). Data injection can contribute to this event by creation of false indicators which can lead to errors creation during the manufacturing engineering process. In this paper, the impact of data injection on existing dataset used on manufacturing process is shown. The design model synchronizes the following mechanisms developed within machine learning techniques which are, the risk matrix indicator to assess the probability of producing an error, the dendrogram to clusters the dataset in groups with similarities, the logistic regression to predict the potential outcomes and the confusion matrix to analyze the performance of the algorithm. The results presented in this study, which was carried out using a real dataset related to the electrical harnesses installed in a C295 military aircraft, estimate that injection of false data indicators increase the probability of errors creation in 24.22 % on the predicted outcomes required for the generation of the manufacturing process. Overall, implementing cybersecurity measures and advanced methodologies to detect and prevent cyberattacks are necessary.

Despite the use of commercial forest carbon protocols (CFCPs) for more than two decades, claiming ~566 MMtCO₂e and a market value of ~USD $15.7 billion, comparative analysis of CFCP methodology and offset results is limited. In this study, five widely used biometric-based CFCPs are characterized, and common characteristics and differences are identified. CFCP claims of net forest carbon sequestration are compared with results of directly measured CO₂ by eddy covariance, a meteorological method integrating gross vertical fluxes of forest and soil carbon, and the only alternative non-biometric source of net forest carbon sequestration data available. We show here that CFCPs share a structural feature delimiting forest carbon values by zero-threshold carbon accounting (gC m^-2 ≤ 0), a pattern opposite to natural emissions of forest CO₂ exchange based on direct measurement and a fundamental biological constraint on net forest carbon storage (i.e., soil efflux, ecosystem respiration). Exclusion of forest CO₂ sources to the atmosphere precludes net carbon accounting, resulting in unavoidable over-crediting of CFCP project offsets. CFCP carbon results are significantly different from global forest CO₂ net ecosystem exchange population results (FluxNet2015 gC m^-2) at the 95% to 99.99% confidence levels, inferring an annual median error of ~247% (gC m^-2), consistent with over-crediting. Direct CO₂ measurement provides an urgently needed alternative method for commercial forest carbon products that has the potential to harmonize global markets and catalyze the role of forests in managing climate change through nature-based solutions.

The trigeminal nerve is responsible for innervating the periorbita. Ultrasound-guided trigeminal block is employed in humans for trigeminal neuralgia or periorbital surgery. There are no studies evaluating this block in dogs. This study aims to evaluate and compare two approaches (coronoid and temporal) of the trigeminal nerve block. We hypothesized superior staining with the coronoid approach. Thirteen dog heads were used. After a preliminary anatomical study, two ultrasound-guided injections per head (right and left, coronoid and temporal approach, randomly assigned), with an injectate volume of 0.15 mL cm-1 of cranial length were performed (iodate contrast and tissue dye mixture). The ultrasound probe was placed over the temporal region, visualizing the pterygopalatine fossa. For the temporal approach, the needle was advanced from the medial aspect of the temporal region in a dorsoventral direction. For the coronoid approach, it was advanced ventral to the zygomatic arch in a lateromedial direction. CT scans and dissections were conducted to assess and compare the position of the needle, spread of injectate, and nerve staining. No significant differences were found. Both approaches demonstrated effective interfascial distribution of injectate, with some minimal intracranial spread. Although the coronoid approach did not yield superior staining as hypothesized, it presents a viable alternative to the temporal approach. Studies in live animals are warranted to evaluate clinical efficacy and safety.

To characterize the metabolic actions of D-Pinitol, a dietary inositol, in male Wistar rats, we analysed its oral pharmacokinetics and its effects on a) the secretion of hormones regulating metabolism (insulin, glucagon, IGF-1, ghrelin, leptin and adiponectin), b) insulin signaling in the liver and c) the expression of glycolytic and neoglucogenesis enzymes. Oral D-Pinitol administration (100 or 500 mg/Kg) resulted in its rapid absorption and distribution to plasma and liver compartments. Its administration reduced insulinemia and HOMA-IR, while maintaining glycaemia thanks to increased glucagon activity. In the liver, D-Pinitol reduced the key glycolytic enzyme pyruvate kinase and decreased the phosphorylation of the enzymes AKT and GSK-3. These observations were associate with an increase in ghrelin concentrations, a known inhibitor of insulin secretion. The profile of D-Pinitol suggests its potential use as a pancreatic protector decreasing insulin secretion through ghrelin upregulation while sustaining glycaemia through liver-based mechanisms of glycolysis control.

Underwater acoustic spiral sources are able to generate spiral acoustic fields where the phase depends on the bearing angle. It allows to estimate the bearing angle relatively to a receiver by subtracting the phases of a spiral and a circular wavefront, and finds application in the bearing angle estimate with a single hydrophone, e.g., for unmanned underwater vehicles localization. This paper presents a new prototype for a spiral acoustic source, which is able to generate the required wavefronts, and is composed of four monopoles in the same piezoceramic cylinder. This paper reports the prototyping and the acoustic tests performed in a water tank where the spiral source was characterized in terms o Transmitting Voltage Response, phase, and horizontal and vertical directivity patterns. A receiving calibration method for the spiral source is proposed and shows a maximum angle error of 1 degree when the calibration and the operation are carried under the same conditions and a mean angle error up to 6 degrees for frequencies above 25 kHz when the same conditions are not fulfilled.

This article theoretically derives the magnetic field and vector potential produced by a steady current I flowing in an arbitrary plane loop at an arbitrary point r. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the behavior of the magnetic field produced by loops of various shapes such as polygons, circles, ellipses, and p-norm balls. Taking the limit as the loop shrinks to a point and the current I grows to infinity so that the magnetic dipole moment m of the loop (defined as the current I times the vector area of the loop) is kept constant, the magnetic field and vector potential are theoretically shown to converge to those of an ideal point magnetic dipole m.

Dietary fiber has been associated with health benefits, therefore, the availability of validated tools to assess food consumption associated with high-fiber foods would allow the quantification of the intake of this functional nutrient, the identification of risk groups and target populations, and the development of public policies and/or programs aimed at improving the health of the population. In this study, a fiber intake short food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was translated into Spanish and its content validity was determined by a group of experts, to subsequently conduct a pilot test including 198 subjects aged 36+12.5 years, residing in Chile (46 men and 150 women), with the purpose of quantifying dietary fiber intake. The global assessment of the FFQ revealed a validity coefficient of 0.98+0.02; after the application of the pilot, mean dietary fiber intake in adult Chilean residents was of 13 g per day, with similar results to those found in the National Food Consumption Survey 2010 (12.5 g per day in men, and 11.5 g in women). The FFQ is a quick and valid tool to classify people on the basis of their habitual dietary fiber intake.

This paper presents a system for identification of wind features, such as gusts and wind shear. These are of particular interest in the context of energy-efficient navigation of Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). The proposed system generates real-time wind vector estimates and a novel algorithm to generate wind field predictions. Estimations are based on the integration of an off-the-shelf navigation system and airspeed readings in a so-called direct approach. Wind predictions use atmospheric models to characterize the wind field with different statistical analyses. During the prediction stage, the system is able to incorporate, in a big-data approach, wind measurements from previous flights in order to enhance the approximations. Wind estimates are classified and fitted into a Weibull probability density function. A Genetic Algorithm (GA) is utilized to determine the shaping and scale parameters of the distribution, which are employed to determine the most probable wind speed at a certain position. The system uses this information to characterize a wind shear or a discrete gust and also utilizes a Gaussian Process regression to characterize continuous gusts. The knowledge of the wind features is crucial for computing energy-efficient trajectories with low cost and payload. Therefore, the system provides a solution that does not require any additional sensors. The system architecture presents a modular decentralized approach, in which the main parts of the system are separated in modules and the exchange of information is managed by a communication handler to enhance upgradeability and maintainability. Validation is done providing preliminary results of both simulations and Software-In-The-Loop testing. Telemetry data collected from real flights, performed in the Seville Metropolitan Area in Andalusia (Spain), was used for testing. Results show that wind estimation and predictions can be calculated at 1 Hz and a wind map can be updated at 0.4 Hz. Predictions show a convergence time with a 95% confidence interval of approximately 30 s.

Anaerobic digestion is a biological process that transforms high-strength organic effluents into biogas with multiple benefits. However, concurrent with organics' biological transformation, a liquid phase with a high solid content is also derived from this process. Valorizing this fraction is not an easy task if an agronomic application cannot be considered as a suitable option. The thermal valorization of this fraction allows for energy extraction, but also gives rise to additional capital investment and increases the energy demand of the global process. In addition, the thermal treatment of digestate has to deal with a mineralized material. The changes in organic matter due to anaerobic stabilization were studied in the present manuscript, by evaluating the thermal behavior of samples, activation energy and organic transformation using FTIR spectroscopy. Digested samples of a mixture composed of manure and glycerin (5% v/v) were studied. The stabilization caused a dramatic decrease in aliphatic compounds, greatly increasing the mineral content of the sample. Thermal valorization of digestates must consider the lower energy content and more complex structure of these materials, with higher content of lignin and protein-type compounds.

In this paper a dynamic relationship between the CO2 emissions in Finland, Norway and Sweden is presented. With the help of a VAR(2) model, and using the Granger terminology, it is shown that the emissions in Finland are affecting those in Norway and Sweden. Other aspects of this dynamic relationship are presented as well.

Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) present drawbacks for modeling geometric transformations, such as scaling and rotation, caused by the convolution operation’s locality. Deformable convolution (DCON), a mechanism that substitutes standard convolution, increasing the receptive field to capture relevant features, is a promising approach to solve this drawback and improve the robustness of CNNs. However, the optimal way to replace the standard convolution with its deformable counterpart in a CNN model is unclear. In this study, we clarify this aseveration by conducting several experiments using deformable convolutions applied in the layers that conform a small four-layer CNN model. We also use deformable convolutions on the four-layers of several ResNet CNNs with depths 18, 34, 50, and 101. The models were tested in binary balanced classes with 2D data for image classification: Cats &amp; Dogs, EyesPACS, Spyders &amp; Chickens, and Shapes. After this testing, we evaluated DCON in 3D data for action recognition: UCF101 and Human2 (a dataset we compiled to control movement, clothing and background). The contribution of this research lies in a guideline to use DCON. It can be summarized as follows: if DCON is used on the first layers of the proposal of model (with simple features), the computational resources expressed as the quantity of Flops will tend to increase and produce bigger misclassification than the standard CNN. However, if the DCON is used at the end layers, the quantity of Flops used in the training and testing will decrease, and the classification accuracy will improve by up to 20% about the base model. Moreover, it gains robustness when using deformable convolutions because it can adapt to the region of interest. Also, the best kernel size of the DCON is three. It showed better results than size five. In the last case, the quantity of Flops increase quadratically, but their performance does not increase significantly. With these results, we propose a guideline to use the DCON and contribute to understanding the impact of DCON on the robustness of CNNs.

Previous studies have reported certain sex differences in motor performance precision. The aim of the present study was to analyse sex differences in fine motor precision performance for both hands in different tests conditions. 220 Spanish participants (ages: 12-95) performed fine motor tasks - tracing over the provided models – lines of 40 mm for both hands, two sensory conditions (PV – proprioceptive-visual; P – proprioceptive only) and three movement types (F – frontal, T – transversal and S - Sagittal). Differences in line length (the task focused on precision) were observed through MANOVA analysis for all test conditions, both sexes and different age groups. Sex differences in precision were observed in F and T movement types (statistically significance level and higher Cohens’ d was observed in condition with vision). No any statistically significant differences were observed in both hands and sensory conditions in sagittal type. Sex differences in fine motor precision were more frequently observed in the PV sensory condition in the frontal movement type and less in the sagittal one.

Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor GDNF is among the strongest dopamine neuron function and survival promoting factors known. Due to this reason, it has clinical relevance in dopamine disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and Schizophrenia. In the striatum, GDNF is exclusively expressed in interneurons which make up only about 0.6% of striatal cells. Despite clinical significance, histological analysis of striatal GDNF system arborization and relevance to incoming dopamine axons, which bear its receptor RET, has remained enigmatic. This is mainly due to the lack of antibodies able to visualize GDNF and RET positive cellular processes; here we overcome this problem by using knock-in marker alleles. We find that GDNF neurons chemoattract RET+ axons at least 7 times longer in distance than medium spiny neurons (MSNs), which make up 95% of striatal neurons. Furthermore, we provide evidence that tyrosine hydroxylase, the rate limiting enzyme in dopamine synthesis, is enriched towards GDNF neurons in the dopamine axons. Finally, we find that GDNF neuron arborizations occupy approximately twelve times less striatal volume than 135 times more abundant MSNs. Collectively, our results improve our understanding of how endogenous GDNF affects striatal dopamine system function.

Optimizing intensive care resources using predicting modeling is paramount for fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. In this paper, we model the admission of COVID-19 patients in intensive care units (ICU) in Colombia using openly available data gathered from 18 March 2020 to 14 October 2020. After an intensive preprocessing of the data, we trained four different machine learning models using four different strategies for handling the imbalanced features. Our findings show that our best model (XGBoost) effectively predicts an Area Under the Curve (AUC-ROC) of 0.94, in line with the state-of-the-art results obtained in other predictive models obtained with medical data.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, percutaneous tracheostomy proved to be an effective option in the management of patients with prolonged periods of intubation; in fact, among other things, it allowed early discharge from ICUs and contributed to reducing overcrowding in intensive care settings, a central critical point in the COVID pandemic. As a direct consequence, the management and the weaning of frail, tracheostomized and ventilated patients was diverted to sub-intensive or normal hospitalisation wards. One central challenge in this setting is the resumption of swallowing and oral feeding, which needs an interdisciplinary management involving Phoniatrician, ENT, Pneumologist and Speech Therapist. With this article, we aim to share the experience of a Swiss COVID-19 Center[1] and to draw up a narrative review on the issues concerning the management of the tracheostomy cannula during swallowing resumption, integrating the most recent evidence from the literature with the clinical experiences of the professionals directly involved in the management of tracheostomized COVID-19 patients. In view of the heterogeneity of COVID-19 patients, we believe that the procedures described in the article are applicable to a larger population of patients undergoing tracheostomy weaning.

Scoring targets in shooting sports is a crucial and time-consuming task that relies on manually counting bullet holes. This paper introduced an automatic score detection model using object detection techniques. The performance of seven models belonging to two different architectural setups was compared. Models like YOLOv8n, YOLOv8s, YOLOv8m, RetinaNet-50, and RetinaNet-101 are single-shot detectors, while Faster RCNN-50 and Faster RCNN-101 belong to the two-shot detectors category. The dataset was manually captured from the shooting range and expanded by generating more versatile data using Python code. Before the dataset was trained to develop models, it was resized (640x640) and augmented using Roboflow API. The trained models were then assessed on the test dataset, and their performance was compared using matrices like mAP50, mAP50-90, precision, and recall. The results showed that YOLOv8 models can detect multiple objects with good confidence scores. Among all, YOLOv8m performed the best with the highest mAP50 value of 96.7%, followed by the performance of YOLOv8s with the mAP50 value of 96.5%. It is suggested that if the system is to be implemented in a real-time environment, YOLOv8s is a better choice since it took significantly less inference time (2.3ms) than YOLOv8m (5.7ms) and yet generated the competitive mAP50.

With COVID-19 vaccines slowly being rolled out in many countries, it is important to understand the public’s acceptance of being vaccinated. This study aims to study the willingness and motivations among residents of the cities of Caloocan, Malabon, and Navotas, Philippines to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Based on an online survey of 137 respondents, who willingly participated in the study, 71% will take a COVID-19 vaccine if it becomes available, with similar rates among respondents from Caloocan (82%), Malabon (83 %), and Navotas (81%). If a vaccine is proven safe and effective, more respondents (82%) will take a COVID-19 vaccine. Furthermore, safety against COVID-19 as well as the safety and effectiveness of vaccines are the primary factors why respondents are willing or unwilling to get a vaccine. The results highlight the need for effective messaging that promotes COVID-19 vaccination, with emphasis on the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine, and its benefits to the public, especially that the vaccines that will be delivered in the country in the next few months are not the most preferred brands by the respondents.

In the area of health, namely hospitals, we can agree that the intrinsic need to have multidisciplinary teams, highly specialized and indispensable resources leads us to a degree of complexity that requires, daily, the best performance, not running away from the logistics area to the rule. The centralization of resources, namely distribution warehouses, emerges as a challenge and possible solution for health institutions to respond in the best possible way to their main purpose: to put the right material in the right place at the right price in the right time space. As regards the advantages of this type of organization, there are several authors who argues that the need for human resources training, ease of coordination and the use of economies of scale are the main advantage. As far as the disadvantages are concerned, there is no special agreement on them, there are disparate factors from author to author, such as: routine, centralization, objectives or operation costs.

Forest carbon sequestration is a widely accepted natural climate solution, however, methods to determine net carbon offsets are limited to commercial carbon proxies and CO2 eddy covariance research. Non-CO2 greenhouse gases (GHG) (e.g., CH4, N2O) receive less attention in the context of forests, in part, due to emphasis on CO2 and the operational requirements and cost for three-gas eddy covariance platforms. In this study, Howland forest flux tower (CO2, CH4) and soil flux data (CO2, CH4, N2O), representing net emission reductions, are linked to their respective social costs to estimate commercial revenue if sold as a GHG social cost forest offset product (GHG-SCF). Estimated annual revenue for GHG-SCF products, applicable to realization of a Green New Deal, range from 120,000 covering the site area of 557 acres in 2021, to 12,000,000 for extrapolation to 40,000 acres in 2040, assuming a 3% discount rate. The Howland Forest CO2 flux record for two adjacent towers is compared to California Air Resources Board forest carbon proxy data for compliance sequestration offsets, the only project site where these approaches overlap. Overcrediting, incomplete carbon accounting with annual errors of up to 2,256%, inadequate third-party verification, and limited application to non-CO2 GHG’s are established. In contrast, direct measurement of one or more GHG’s offers new forest products and revenue incentives to restore and conserve forests worldwide.

The purpose of this work is to define optimal growth conditions for batch culture of the cyanobacterium Arthrospira maxima and the microalgae Chlorella vulgaris, Isochrysis galbana and Nannochloropsis gaditana. Thus, we study the effect of three variables on algae growth: i.e., inoculum:culture medium ratio, light:darkness photoperiod and type of culture medium, including both synthetic media and wastewaters. The results showed that the initial inoculum volume did not affect the amount of biomass at the end of the growth (14 days), whereas an excess (18 h) or defect (6 h) in the number of hours of light is determinant for its development. The contribution of nutrients from different culture media modified the growth of the different species. A. maxima was favoured in seawater enriched with Guillard's F/2 as well as C. vulgaris and N. gaditana but in fresh water medium. I. galbana had the greatest growth in the marine environment enriched with Walne’s media. Nitrate was the limiting growth reagent at the end of the exponential phase of growth for C. vulgaris and N. gaditana, while iron was for A. maxima and I. galbana. All species demonstrated their capability to grow in effluents from a wastewater treatment plant and they efficiently consume nitrogen, especially the three microalgae species.

The mechanisms underlying the establishment of asymmetric structures during development remain elusive. The wing of Drosophila is asymmetric along the Anterior-Posterior (AP) axis, despite that its growth signals that drive its growth are presumably symmetric. Here, we investigated the contribution of cell recruitment, a process that drives wing fate differentiation in Drosophila, to the asymmetric shape and pattern of the adult wing. Genetic impairment of cell recruitment results in a significant reduction in adult wing asymmetry, primarily affecting the region between longitudinal vein 5 and the wing margin (L5-M). Morphometric analysis reveals that the lack of cell recruitment results in a more symmetric wing with respect to the AP, suggesting a contribution of cell recruitment to the establishment of asymmetry in the adult wing. A close examination of the expression of the wing selector gene vestigial (vg) in wing disc does not support this hypothesis. However, the circularity of the Vg pattern significantly increase in recruitment-impaired wing disc, suggesting that while the decrease of the L5-M region in the adult wing may not be attributed to cell recruitment, it could contribute to the overall asymmetry of the adult wing. We conclude that cell recruitment, a widespread mechanism that participates in growth and patterning of several developing systems, could drive, at least partially, the asymmetric shape of the Drosophila wing.

The volume of fluid (VOF) method is a popular technique for the direct numerical simulations of flows involving immiscible fluids. A discrete volume fraction field evolving in time represents the interface, in particular, to compute its geometric properties. The height function method (HF) is based on the volume fraction field, and its estimate of the interface curvature converges with second-order accuracy with grid refinement. Data-driven methods have been recently proposed as an alternative to computing the curvature, with particular consideration for a well-balanced input data set generation and symmetry preservation. In the present work, a two-layer feed-forward neural network is trained on an input data set generated from the height function data instead of the volume fraction field. The symmetries for rotations, reflections, and the anti-symmetry for the phase swapping have been considered to reduce the number of input parameters. The neural network, establishing a correlation between curvature and height function values, can efficiently predict the local interface curvature. We compare the trained neural network to the standard Height Function method to assess its performance and robustness.

Despite their obvious differences, biological systems at different scales tend to exhibit common organizational patterns. Unfortunately, these commonalities are usually obscured by the parcelled terminology employed by various scientific sub-disciplines. To explore these commonalities, this papers a comparative study of diverse applications of the maximum entropy principle, ranging from amino acids up to societies. By presenting these studies under a common language, this paper establishes a unified view over seemingly highly heterogeneous biological scenarios.

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) comprise a diverse class of non-protein coding transcripts that regulate critical cellular processes associated with cancer. Advances in RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) have led to the characterization of non-coding RNA expression across different types of human cancers. Through comprehensive RNA-Seq profiling, a growing number of studies demonstrate that ncRNAs, including long non-coding RNA (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNA), play central roles in progenitor B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (B-ALL) pathogenesis. Furthermore, due to their central roles in cellular homeostasis and their potential as biomarkers, the study of ncRNAs continues to provide new insight into the molecular mechanisms of B-ALL. This article reviews the ncRNA signatures reported for all B-ALL subtypes, focusing on technological developments in transcriptome profiling and recently discovered examples of ncRNAs with biologic and therapeutic relevance in B-ALL.

A remarkable strengths of deep neural networks lies in their ability to discover patterns and representations from complex data. Deep learning models can learn and refine features at different levels of abstraction, enabling them to handle complex tasks in computer vision recognition, natural language processing, and speech recognition. The ability to generalize from examples, coupled with the capacity to process vast amounts of data, empowers deep learning to achieve state-of-the-art results across a wide spectrum of applications. An argument for this ability is based on similarities between deep neural networks and the nervous system. In this report, we argue that despite the remarkable performance of deep learning, there are still gaps between deep learning and the nervous system that needs to be closed to enable deep learning doing tasks that currently only the nervous system can perform

Pyrolysis is a combustion process of woody biomass conducted under low or no oxygen conditions. New innovations and the need to limit open burning has resulted in numerous mobile and fixed plant pyrolysis methods that burn a variety of woody residues. Production technologies that reduce the need for open burning, the main source of potential pollutants, fall under the regulations in the Clean Air Act of 1990. This Act is the legal instrument to regulate air pollution at its source across the United States of America and it is implemented and enforced through the Environmental Protection Agency, in coordination with sister agencies. One newer innovation for reducing woody residues and emissions is an air curtain incinerator. Currently, the Clean Air Act regulates stationary solid waste incinerators, and this is also applied to mobile air curtain incinerators burning woody biomass. However, other woody biochar production methods (e.g., flame cap kilns) are not subject to these regulations. Discrepancies in the interpretation of definitions related to incineration and pyrolysis and the myriad of differences related to stationary and mobile air curtain incinerators, type of waste wood from construction activities, forest residues, and other types of clean wood make the permitting regulations confusing as permits can vary by jurisdiction. This review summarizes the current policies, regulations, and directives related to in-woods biochar production and the required permits.

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

Existence of hybrid electric vehicles nowadays is one of the emerging technologies worldwide. Different countries are using this technology on their transportation, and nowadays, a lot of other countries are gradually adapting on using this kind of innovation in their transport system. Philippines is among these countries which aims to have a sustainable mobility by embracing the use of hybrid - electric vehicles but still lots of consumers are lacking awareness on this technology. Lack of information on the social, environmental, and economic potential benefits are among the main issues of Philippines consumers that really affect its uptake. The goal of this study was to evaluate the consumer’s perception and purchase intention on the transition of hybrid - electric vehicles for sustainable mobility and transportation here in the Philippines. It aimed to assess consumer awareness with hybrid - electric vehicles and its potential benefits to human beings in terms of social, environmental, and economic aspects. The study also gauged the impact of this perception on consumer’s purchase intention on hybrid - electric vehicles. These objectives were attained using the Descriptive Statistics and Correlation Analysis. Using these methods, the results revealed that majority of the consumers believed on the positive benefits of transitioning to hybrid - electric vehicles in terms of social, environmental, and economic aspects. This study also showed that these benefits have high impact on the consumer’s intention of buying or having a hybrid – electric vehicle. Electric vehicle is one of the most effective measure of decarbonizing the transport system. Furthermore, government and automotive businesses must strengthen their drive in spreading awareness of hybrid – electric vehicle’s benefits to consumers to further support country’s effort for development.

Autologous micrografting technology (AMT®) involves the use of autologous micrografts to stimulate/enhance the repair of damaged tissue. This study assessed the efficacy and safety of the AMT® procedure in patients with early stages of knee osteoarthritis. Briefly, the AMT® procedure involved extraction of auricular cartilage, disaggregation using the Rigeneracons® SRT in 4.0 mL of saline solution and injection of the disaggregated micrografts into the external femorotibial compartment area of the affected knee. Ten patients (4 men, 6 women; age range: 37─84 years) were included in the study. In all patients, there was a steady improvement in knee instability, pain, swelling, mechanical locking, stair climbing and squatting at 1- and 6-months post-procedure. Improvement in mobility was observed as early as 3 weeks post-procedure in 2 patients. Significant improvements were seen in mean scores of all five subscales of Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS [KOOS symptoms, KOOS pain, KOOS ADL, KOOS sport and recreation, and KOOS quality-of-life]) between pre-procedure and 1- and 6-months post-procedure (all p≤0.05). Autologous auricular cartilage micrografts obtained by AMT® procedure (using Rigenera® technology) is an effective and safe protocol in the treatment of early-stage knee osteoarthritis. These encouraging findings need to be validated in a larger patient population.

The current concerns of both society and materials industries about the environmental impact of thermoset composites, as well as new legislation, have led the scientific sector to search for more sustainable alternatives to reduce the environmental impact of thermoset composites. Until now, to a large extent, sustainable reinforcements have been used to manufacture more sustainable composites and thus contribute to the reduction of pollutants. However, in recent years, new alternatives have been developed such as thermosetting resins with bio-based content and/or systems such as recyclable amines and vitrimers that enable recycling/reuse. Throughout this review, some new bio-based thermoset systems as well as new recyclable systems and sustainable reinforcements are described and a brief overview of the biocomposites market and its impact is shown.

Abstract: Despite existing several techniques for distributed sensing (temperature and strain) using standard Single Mode optical Fiber (SMF), compensating or decoupling both effects is mandatory for many applications. Currently, most of the decoupling techniques require special optical fibers and are difficult to implement with high spatial resolution distributed techniques, such as ϕ-PA-OFDR. So, this work’s objective is to study the feasibility of decoupling temperature and strain out of a ϕ-PA-OFDR readouts taken over an SMF. For this purpose, the readouts will be subjected to a study using several Machine Learning algorithms, among them, Deep Neural Networks. The motivation which underlies this target is the current blockage in the widespread use of Fiber Optic Sensors in situations where both strain and temperature change, due to the coupled dependence of currently developed sensing methods. Instead of using other types of sensors or even other interrogation methods, the objective of this work is to analyze the available information in order to develop a sensing method capable of providing information about strain and temperature simultaneously.

The importance of knowing the advance time in drip irrigation lines lies in its precision, as this influences the proper management of water and nutrients delivery. The mathematical calculation to determine the advance time is based on the general hydraulic flow equation, which relates the fluid velocity and the cross-sectional area of the pipe to the volume of water flowing through it. However, in irrigation pipes, where the flow is a mixture of dripper properties, its pressure, the approach to solving the advance time is different, as it is the sum of individual advance times for each segment. To address this issue, Python 3.11 was used along with various libraries such as Pandas, NumPy, Matplotlib, Seaborn, and Scikit-learn to create a modeling environment and run algorithms that could predict outcomes. A program was developed that calculates the advance time for each segment of the drip line using partial velocities, and a dataset was generated that was used to train and test machine learning models. Several machine learning algorithms such as Linear Regression, Support Vector Machines (SVM), K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), Decision Trees, and Random Forests were implemented to predict the advance time. Additionally, SciPy optimize was used to obtain multivariable equations that describe the advance time in drip irrigation lines. Results showed that the dripper flow has the greatest influence on the advance time, followed by the diameter and distance. Decision Tree and SVM models had the best accuracy with scores above 98%. Equations were found to calculate the advance time in the complete drip line and in 95% of its length, with coefficients of determination close to 99.33%. This study demonstrated the importance of understanding the relationship between dripper parameters and travel time in drip irrigation, as well as the utility of machine learning and optimization tools for predicting and modeling this phenomenon.

Exercise induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) is a common complication of athletes and individuals who exercise regularly. It is estimated that about 90% of patients with underlying asthma experience EIB. Sex differences in the prevalence of asthma have been widely reported, with higher rates in boys vs. girls before puberty, and higher rates in women than men after puberty. Because atopy has been reported to occur at higher rates in athletes than in non-athletes, in this study we investigated sex differences in EIB and atopy in athletes. A systematic literature review identified 60 studies evaluating EIB and/or atopy in post-pubertal adult athletes (n=7501). Collectively, these studies reported: 1) a 23% prevalence of EIB in athletes; 2) a higher prevalence of atopy in male athletes vs. females; 3) a higher prevalence of atopy in athletes with EIB; and 4) a significantly higher rate of atopic EIB in male vs. female athletes. Our analysis indicates that the physiological changes that occur during exercise may differentially affect male and female athletes, and suggest an interaction between male sex, exercise, and atopic status in the course of EIB. Understanding these sex differences is important to provide personalized management plans to athletes with underlying asthma and/or atopy.

The stimulus-secretion coupling of glucose-induced release is generally attributed to the metabolism of the hexose in the β-cells in the glycolytic pathway and the citric acid cycle. Glucose metabolism generates an increased cytosolic concentration of ATP and of the ATP/ADP ratio that closes the ATP-dependent K+-channel at the plasma membrane by the interaction of ATP with the regulatory Kir6.2 channel subunit The resultant depolarization of the β-cells opens voltage-dependent Ca2+-channels at the plasma membrane that allow an increase of the cytosolic cation concentration that triggers the exocytosis of insulin secretory granules. The resultant secretory response evolves in time as a biphasic secretion with a first and transient peak of approximately 10 minutes duration followed by a sustained phase of secretion lasting as long as the stimulus. Whereas the first transient peak can be reproduced by a simple depolarization of β-cells with high extracellular KCl maintaining the KATP-channels open with diazoxide, the sustained phase is agreed to depend on the participation of some metabolic signal that remains to be determined Our group has been investigating for several years the participation of β-cell GABA metabolism, together with that of glucose (the β-cell “specific” nutrient secretagogue) and some other “metabolic” secretagogues (branched-chain alpha-ketoacids and a mixture of L-Leucine + L-glutamine, at supraphysiological concentrations) in their mechanism of stimulation of insulin secretion. All three types of stimuli promote the flux in the GABA shunt of rat islets by different metabolic pathways that end in the production of α-ketoglutarate. This citric acid cycle intermediary is preferentially derived to the GABA shunt instead of its continuous oxidation in the citric acid cycle. Islet content of GABA is significantly suppressed by all the stimuli and blocking the GABA shunt with gabaculine, or ϒ-vinyl-GABA (GABAT inhibitors), diminish the insulin secretory responses as well as total ATP and the ATP/ADP ratio. It is concluded that GABA metabolism is increased in parallel to glucose metabolism and is significantly contributing to the magnitude of the insulin secretory response. Its possible implication in β-cells degradation in type-2 (perhaps also in type 1) diabetes is suggested.

Network Simulators is typically used to study services and applications in complex scenarios due to the infeasibility of deploying real testbeds. Many problems can be solved by using network simulators such as NS-3. With this in mind, the aim of this article is to introduce new NS-3 users through detailed information. It is sometimes difficult to handle by new users the traditional manuals developed by NS-3 project official website. In this article, NS-3 for communication network and Eclipse Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for powerful programming language are integrated step-by-step, explaining the main features of these open source software packages and concluding with an example simulation. Our effort is to make it easy for a beginner to be part of the NS-3 research community and to maintain an open environment of knowledge.

(1)Aims of the study: calculating the underreporting ratio for two different medications, a fixed combination of 0.5% timolol + 0.2% brimonidine + 2.0% dorzolamide (antiglaucoma) and a fixed combination of sodium hyaluronate 0.1% + chondroitin sulfate 0.18% (artificial tear) and characterizing the features influencing the reporting of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in spontaneous reporting; (2) Methods: the underreporting ratio was calculated by comparing the adverse drug reactions reported in the spontaneous reporting database for every 10,000 defined daily doses marketed and the adverse drug reactions from an active surveillance study for every 10,000 defined daily doses used for different drugs (antiglaucoma and artificial tear). The factors related to the report in spontaneous reporting through statistical tests were also determined; (3) Results: The underreporting ratio of spontaneous reporting was 0.006029% for antiglaucoma and 0.003552% for artificial tear; additionally, statistically significant differences were found for severity, unexpected adverse drug reactions, and incidence of adverse drug reactions in females; (4) Conclusions: The underreporting ratio of ADRs related to ophthalmic medications indicates worry since the cornerstone of pharmacovigilance focuses on spontaneous reporting. Besides, since underreporting seems to be selective, the role of certain aspects like gender, seriousness, severity, and unexpected ADRs, must be considered in future research.

Nowadays, network simulators are frequently used to study services, applications and to solve problems in complex scenarios of communications. For this reason, the objective of this article is to introduce detailed information about installation of OMNET++ to new users. In this report, we show how to install OMNET++ simulator over a widely used distribution of Linux and how to integrate "Inet", "Inetmanet" and "Veins" frameworks with the simulator. We take care to explain this integration step-by-step. This tutorial includes: a virtual machine as additional material. Our objective is make it easy for a beginner research community in OMNET++ and to maintain an open environment of knowledge.

The Mexican Soil Mesh (MSMx) web service emerges as a pivotal tool for researchers, farmers, and policymakers in the efficient management of extensive soil databases. Built on a responsive and intelligent web design, MSMx synchronizes seamlessly with the SQL language, allowing users to selectively download variables tailored to their studies at the desired spatial scale. The programmatic structure enhances query speed, optimizes development times, and incorporates satellite programming modules for effective handling of the vast soil dataset. This paper high-lights the key features, benefits, and applications of MSMx, emphasizing its role in facilitating data-driven decision-making processes and promoting sustainable soil management practices on the continental shelf of Mexico.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a multifactorial lung inflammatory disease affecting 174 million people worldwide, with a recently reported increased incidence in female patients. Patients with COPD are especially vulnerable to the detrimental effects of environmental exposures, especially from air particulate and gaseous pollutants. Exposure to air pollution severely influences COPD outcomes, resulting in acute exacerbations, hospitalizations, and death. In the current study, we conducted a review of the literature addressing air pollution induced acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) in order to determine whether air pollution affects COPD patients in a sex-specific manner. We found that while the majority of studies enrolled both male and female patients, only a few reported results disaggregated by sex. Most studies had a higher enrollment of male patients, only four compared AECOPD outcomes between sexes, and only one study identified sex differences in AECOPD, with females displaying higher rates. Overall, our analysis of the literature confirmed that air pollution exposure is a trigger for AECOPD hospitalizations and revealed a significant gap in our knowledge of sex-specific effects of air pollutants on COPD outcomes, highlighting the need for more studies considering sex as a biological variable.

Mixtures of methacrylic polymers are the most common materials for making composites to be used as resins for dental and cosmetic applications. Some of these mixtures are composed by poly (ethyl methacrylate) (PEMA) and poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), which constitute a solid component to be mixed with a liquid component made out of methacrylate monomers. The reaction between the thermal initiator benzoyl peroxyde (BPO) present in the solid component and the activator of the polymerization process, N,N-dimethyl-p-toluidine (DMT) present in the liquid component, gives rise to thermoset materials. In the present study, different liquid formulations composed by a mixture of two methacrylic monomers, ethyl methacrylate (EMA) and triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) for cosmetic applications, were prepared and characterized, using a commercial powder (POW) composed by PEMA and PMMA. With the aim of improving workability during final application of the material, it was necessary to slow down the polymerization rate of liquid formulations. Their thermal behaviour was investigated by DSC in order to check the polymerization rate. Thermal stability of final materials was determined by TGA. DMTA, microindentation hardness and impact tests were performed on final materials, to assess their performance with respect to standard formulation. The combination of thermal and mechanical properties allows choosing which formulations could be suitable for use in cosmetics.

This study explored the incidence of metaphorical virtual classrooms and interactive learning objects in the interaction of students in online mode. The main objective was to analyze how these digital tools, driven by a set of strategies to promote their use, affect the interaction of students in the virtual classroom system and their derived effects. To this end, the latest version of Moodle was implemented in conjunction with gamification plugins and interactive tools in the higher education institution used as a case study. The methodology consisted of data collection through ordinal instruments applied to the teachers and student performance metrics gathered using a plugin developed to extract accurate metrics of each student's usage and performance through direct queries to the Moodle database and its processing through a neural network. This facilitated the collection of standardized data on the actual metrics of each virtual classroom at the end of the teaching of each subject from both the previous LMS and the newly implemented one. This data was then analyzed using advanced statistical techniques, including Mahalanobis distances, confirmatory factor analysis, and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. These methods provided a compelling comparison between the old and new systems, revealing significant improvements in the metrics and factors evaluated. The results showed a significant improvement in teachers' perceptions of the usability of the virtual classroom system and an increase in students' academic performance, interaction, progress, and time spent learning in virtual contexts. These results provide solid empirical evidence of the added value of these educational tools as effective strategies for improving student interaction, performance, and motivation in online education.

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.

A hydrothermal pretreatment of the microalga Nannochloropsis gaditana at mild temperatures has been studied in order to reduce N and O content in the biocrude obtained by hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL). The work is focused on the evaluation of temperature, reactor loading and time (factors) to maximize the yield of the pretreated biomass and the heteroatom contents transferred from the microalga biomass to the aqueous phase (responses). The study followed the factorial design and response surface methodology. An equation for every response has been obtained, which leads to the accurate calculation of the operating conditions required to obtain a given value of these responses. Temperature and time are critical factors with a negative effect on the pretreated biomass yield, but a positive one on the N and O recovery in the aqueous phase. The slurry concentration has to be low to increase heteroatom recovery and high to maximize the pretreated microalga yields

Ocean surface currents and winds are tightly coupled essential climate variables, and, given their short time scales, observing them at the same time and resolution is of great interest. DopplerScatt is an airborne Ka-band scatterometer that has been developed under NASA's Instrument Incubator Program (IIP) to provide a proof of concept of the feasability of measuring these variables using pencil-beam scanning Doppler scatterometry. In the first half of this paper, we present the Doppler scatterometer measurement and processing principles, paying particular attention to deriving a complete measurement error budget. Although Doppler radars have been used for the estimation of surface currents, pencil-beam Doppler Scatterometry offers challenges and opportunities that require separate treatment. The calibration of the Doppler measurement to remove platform and instrument biases has been a traditional challenge for Doppler systems, and we introduce several new techniques to mitigate these errors when conical scanning is used. The use of Ka-band for airborne Doppler scatterometry measurements is also new, and, in the second half of the paper, we examine the phenomenology of the mapping from radar cross section and radial velocity measurements to winds and surface currents. To this end, we present new Ka-band Geophysical Model Functions (GMF's) for winds and surface currents obtained from multiple airborne campaigns. We find that the wind Ka-band GMF exhibits similar dependence to wind speed as that for Ku-band scatterometers, such as QuikSCAT, albeit with much greater upwind-crosswind modulation. The surface current GMF at Ka-band is significantly different from that at C-band, and, above 4.5 m/s has a weak dependence on wind speed, although still dependent on wind direction. We examine the effects of Bragg-wave modulation by long waves through a Modululation Transfer Function (MTF), and show that the observed surface current dependence on winds is consistent with past Ka-band MTF observations. Finally, we provide a preliminary validation of our geophysical retrievals, which will be expanded in subsequent publications. Our results indicate that Ka-band Doppler scatterometry could be a feasible method for wide-swath simultaneous measurements of winds and currents from space.

COPD is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by progressive airflow obstruction. Tobacco smoking is the main cause of COPD (COPD-TS), but chronic exposure to biomass smoke (COPD-BS), mainly wood smoke, is the second risk factor; both are considered to cause different phenotypes of COPD. COPD-BS is more eosinophilic than COPD-TS. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the serum level of interleukins involved in eosinophil maturation, recruitment, and survival, and their association with small airway obstruction, measuring cytokines by multiplex test (Bio-Plex) and evaluating the central airway resistance with impulse oscillometry (IOS), comparatively in patients with COPD due to biomass and smoking. The results showed that IL-1ra, IL-2, IL-4, IL-8, IL-9, IL-13, IL-17, and eotaxin were increased in COPD-BS related to COPD-TS. Resistance parameters showed that R5, X5, AX (area reactance), and R5-R20 were significantly higher in COPD-BS than in the COPD-TS group (p < 0.05). R20 was not different between the groups. These data suggest that the cytokines involved in the effect of eosinophils on airway inflammation in COPD-BS were increased compared with COPD-TS, which appears to be related to a predominance of peripheral airway obstruction in patients with COPD-BS more than in COPD-TS

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a worldwide public health problem. Chronic infection by HCV can lead to liver cirrhosis or cancer. Although some immune-competent individuals can clear the virus, others develop chronic HCV disease due to viral mutations or an impaired immune response. IFNs type I and III and the signal transduction induced by them are essential for a proper antiviral effect. Research on the viral cycle and immune escape mechanisms have generated the basis of therapeutic strategies to achieve a sustained virological response (SVR). The first therapies were based on IFN-, then IFN-α plus ribavirin (IFN-RBV); then, pegylated-IFN--RBV (PEGIFNα-RIV) to improve cytokine pharmacokinetics. However, the maximum SVR was 60%, and several significant side effects were observed, decreasing the patients' treatment adherence. The development of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) significantly enhanced SVR (&gt; 90%); the compounds were able to inhibit HCV replication without significant side effects, even in pediatric populations. The management of coinfected patients HBV-HCV and HCV-HIV has also improved based on DAA and PEG-IFNα-RBV (HBV-HCV). CD4 cells are crucial for an effective antiviral response. IFNλ3, IL28B, TNF-α, IL-10, TLR-3, and TLR-9 gene polymorphisms are involved in viral clearance, therapeutic responses, and hepatic pathologies. Future research focuses on searching for strategies to circumvent resistance-associated substitution (RAS) to DAAs, develop new therapeutic schemes for different medical conditions, including organ transplant, and develop vaccines for long-lasting cellular and humoral responses with cross-protection to different HCV genotypes. The goal is to minimise the probability of HCV infection, HCV chronicity and hepatic carcinoma.

Chagalapoli fruit (Ardisia compressa) is similar to Vaccinium myrtillus (berries) with high-polyphenol content. The objective of this study was to evaluate the physicochemical properties of Chagalapoli fruit and to determine the conditions for the preparation of a fermented beverage using Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast, evaluating the impact on sensory properties. The fermentation process lasted 4 days at 27 °C, with absence of light and a fixed pH of 3.8. The phenolic contents obtained in samples according to chromatograms were 1.27 mg(EPI)/mL in filtered juice, 1.59 mg(EPI)/mL in filtered fermented beverage, 1.91 mg(EPI)/mL in partially filtered juice and 3.19 mg(EPI)/mL in partially filtered fermented beverage. An affective test was carried out to determine the sensory acceptability of the final product, evaluating the flavor, color and aroma parameters. The fermented beverage with the greatest preference on color and flavor attributes was the partially filtered fermented beverage.

Databases are by far the most valuable asset of companies. Since the need was seen not only to count but also to have some type of record of elements such as crops, animals, money, properties and that this record could be consulted and modified according to the situation, that is where the first database was born. , and after that, these databases cannot be disorganized, they also need to be managed and administered under established standards that facilitate their understanding and management not only by their creators but by the other people who subsequently administer them. Databases and database management systems have an interesting evolutionary history that deserves to be analyzed and this is the objective of this document, where it is sought to understand. Along with databases and their management systems, data mining or Data mining arises that in order not to extend ourselves so much, it is the job of finding common patterns in various data sources and in what way they can be used to predict situations or results of various circumstances; We also focus on the other topic that we will present, Oracle data mining, which roughly is to merge data mining with Oracle, which makes it a powerful tool for obtaining information and predicting results based on statistics.In this article we will study and analyze the ideas, concepts and basic examples that make up SGBD and Data Mining and, we will try to go deeper into this topic, the use of decision techniques such as advanced statistical algorithms. We also present a fictitious example of the application of these techniques: predicting which products can be sold based on their relationship with others. we will give a brief explanation of association rules, data mining cycle and the types of learning and the evolution that data mining has had.

The production of fatty acids ethyl esters (FAEEs) to be used as biodiesel from oleaginous microalgae shows great opportunities as an attractive source for the production of renewable fuels without competing with human food. To ensure the economic viability and environmental sustainability of the microbial biomass as a raw material, the integration of its production and transformation into the biorefinery concept is required. In the present work, lipids from wet Isochrysis galbana microalga were extracted with ethyl acetate with and without drying the microalgal biomass (dry and wet extraction method, respectively). Then, FAEEs were produced by lipase-catalyzed transesterification and esterification of the extracted lipids with ethanol using lipase B from Candida antarctica (CALB) and Pseudomonas cepacia (PC) lipase supported on SBA-15 mesoporous silica functionalized with amino groups. The conversion to FAEEs with CALB (97 and 85.5 mol% for dry and wet extraction, respectively) and PS (91 and 87 mol%) biocatalysts reached higher values than those obtained with commercial Novozym 435 (75 and 69.5 mol%). Due to the heterogeneous nature of the composition of microalgae lipids, mixtures with different CALB:PC biocatalyst ratio were used to improve conversion of wet-extracted lipids. The results showed that a 25:75 combi-lipase produced a significantly higher conversion to FAEEs (97.2 mol%) than those produced by each biocatalyst independently from wet-extracted lipids and similar ones than those obtained by each lipase from the dry extraction method. Therefore, that optimised combi-lipase biocatalyst, along with achieving the highest conversion to FAEEs, would allow improving viability of a biorefinery since biodiesel production could be performed without the energy-intensive step of biomass drying.

The increasing complexity of the design and operation evaluation process of multi-energy grids (MEGs) requires tools for the coupled simulation of power, gas and district heating grids. Most tools analyzed in this paper either do not allow coupling of infrastructures, simplify the grid model or are not publicly available. We introduce the open source piping grid simulation tool pandapipes that – in interaction with pandapower - fulfills three crucial criteria: clear data structure, adaptable MEG model setup and performance. In an introduction to pandapipes we illustrate how it fulfills these criteria through its internal structure and demonstrate how it performs in comparison to STANET®. Then we show two case studies that have been performed with pandapipes already. The first case study demonstrates a peak shaving strategy as interaction of a local electricity and district heating grid in a small settlement. The second case study analyzes the potential of a power-to-gas device to serve as flexibility in a power grid under consideration of gas grid constraints. They both show the importance of a clear database, a simple simulation setup and good performance to set up different large and complex studies on grid infrastructure design and operation.

Byers Peninsula (62°34’-62°40’S-60°54’61°13’W), 60 km2 in size, is considered one of the largest ice-free areas in Antarctica. Since 2006, the Spanish Polar Program has taken part in a large number of environmental studies involving effects of climate changes, limnology and microbiology, live cycles, but not albedo. Surface albedo is one of the key physical parameters in the surface energy budget of polar regions. Most of Antarctica is covered by ice sheets; only about 0.44% of the area is permanently ice-free. However, in maritime Antarctica, the ice-free areas, corresponding to small islands, peninsulas, and coastal beaches, account for about 3% of the territory. To incorporate the contribution of these areas into global albedo models, it is necessary to relate the soil properties of the ice-free areas to the surface albedo response. Also, mapping soil properties and albedo have and special interest in these ice-free areas. Image classification using machine learning methods trained with georeferenced soil data could be useful for mapping soil properties and albedo in multispectral optical satellite images. A shallow neural network implemented using the Keras Python module was used to define and train models of soil properties using 15 explanatory variables corresponding to bands and spectral indices of a Sentinel image and a population of 49 soil samples taken from the top 5 centimeters of the soil profile. The soil samples were analyzed in the laboratory and a spectral library in the Vis-Nir range (350-2500 nm) was created. The albedo of the samples was integrated from the ADS spectra. At the same time, a linear regression model of albedo using the soil properties as explanatory variables was performed. The R2 fit of this new model was about 0.82 and the error of estimation was 4.1. The model was extended to the entire Byers Peninsula using the ML soil property models as explanatory variables. The RMSE of the extended models increased up to 8.2. We think that the main cause of this increase (2.6 points) is related to the error propagation, phenomenon due to the use of models as explanatory variables. However, another important part of the error increase could be due, among other reasons, to the use of an image that, although corrected, is not completely free of clouds.

In a constantly changing environment brought about by the climate crisis and escalated anthropogenic perturbations driven by the growing population, harmful algal bloom dynamics and their impacts are expected to shift, necessitating adaptive management strategies and comprehensive research efforts. Similar to primary productivity, HABs have been thought to be driven primarily by major nutrients such as N, P, and Si. However, recent investigations on the role and importance of micronutrients as limiting factors in aquatic environments have been highlighted. This paper provides a review of metal and phytoplankton interactions, with a specific emphasis on pertinent information on the influence of trace nutrients on growth, toxin production, and other underlying mechanisms related to the dynamics of HABs. Low to near-depleted levels of essential nutrients including Fe, Cu, Zn, Se, Mn, Co, and Mo, negatively impact cell growth and proliferation of various marine and freshwater HAB species. However, evidence shows that at elevated levels, these trace elements along with other non-essential ones, could still cause toxic effects to certain HAB species manifested by decreased photosynthetic activities, oxidative stress, ultrastructure damage, and cyst formation. Interestingly, while elevated levels of these metals mostly result in increased toxin production, Co (i.e., yessotoxins, gymnodimine, and palytoxins) and Mn (i.e., isodomoic acid, okadaic and diol esters) enrichments revealed otherwise. In addition to toxin production, releasing dissolved organic matter (DOM) including dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and humic substances was observed as an adaptation strategy, since these organic compounds have been proven to chelate metals in the water column, thereby reducing metal-induced toxicity. Whilst current research center on free metal toxicity of specific essential elements such as in Cu and Zn, a comprehensive account of how trace metals contribute to the growth, toxin production, and other metabolic processes under conditions reflective of in-situ scenarios of HAB-prone areas, would yield new perspectives on the roles of trace metals in HABs. With the growing demands of the global population for food security and sustainability, substantial pressure is exerted on the agriculture and aquaculture sector, highlighting the need for effective communication of information regarding the interactions of macro- and micronutrients with HABs to improve existing policies and practices.

Time-domain spectroscopy (TDS) in the Terahertz (THz) frequency range is gaining in importance in nondestructive testing of dielectric materials. One application is the layer thickness measurement of a coating layer. To determine the thickness from the measurement data, the refractive index of the coating layer must be known in the surveyed frequency range. For perpendicular incidence of the radiation, methods exist to extract the refractive index from the measurement data itself without prior knowledge. This paper extends these methods for non-perpendicular incidence, where the polarization of the radiation becomes important. Furthermore, modifications considering effects of surface roughness of the coating are introduced. The new methods are verified using measurement data of a sample of Inconel steel coated with yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) and with COMSOL simulations of the measurement setup. To validate the thickness measurements, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the layer structure are used. The results show good agreement with an average error of 1% for the simulation data and under 4% for the experimental data compared to reference measurements.

The next generation of wireless and mobile networks will have to handle a significant increase in traffic load compared to the actual one. This situation calls for novel ways to increase spectral efficiency. Therefore in this paper, we propose a wireless spectrum hypervisor architecture that abstracts a radio frequency (RF) front-end into a configurable number of virtual RF front-ends. The proposed architecture has the ability to enable flexible spectrum access in existing wireless and mobile networks, which is a challenging task due to the limited spectrum programmability, $i.e.$, the capability a system has to change the spectral properties of a given signal to fit an arbitrary frequency allocation. The main goal of the proposed approach is to improve spectral efficiency by efficiently using vacant gaps in congested spectrum-bandwidths or adopting network densification through infrastructure sharing. We demonstrate mathematically how our proposed approach works and present several simulation results proving its functionality and efficiency. Additionally, we designed and implemented an open-source and free proof of concept prototype of the proposed architecture, which can be used by researchers and developers to run experiments or extend the concept to other applications. We present several experimental results used to validate the proposed prototype. We demonstrate that the prototype can easily handle up to 12 concurrent physical layers.

The explosive emergence of wireless technologies and standards, covering licensed and unlicensed spectrum bands has triggered the appearance of a huge amount of wireless technologies, with many of them coexisting in the same band. Unfortunately, the wireless spectrum is a scarce resource, and the available frequency bands will not scale with the foreseen demand for new capacity. Certain parts of the spectrum, in particular the license-free ISM bands, are overcrowded, while other parts, mostly licensed bands, may be significantly underutilized. As such, there is a need to introduce more advanced techniques to access and share the wireless medium, either to improve the coordination within a given band, or to explore the possibilities of intelligently using unused spectrum in underutilized (e.g., licensed) bands. Therefore, in this paper, we present an open source SDR-based framework that can be employed to devise disruptive techniques to optimize the sub-optimal use of radio spectrum that exists today. Additionally, we describe three use cases where the proposed framework can be employed along with intelligent algorithms to achieve improved spectrum utilization.

Corruption is a legal and moral contravention that generates great concern among nations due to its erosive effects on economic growth, democracy, governance, social equity and the integrity of culture. Therefore, it is necessary to know more about the multiple variables that produce and maintain this phenomenon. This article reports the results of an experimental investigation that sought to provide elements of judgment on the influence of the structure of personal values ​​on the willingness to bribe. For this, 12 couples of young university students of both sexes interacted through a game that simulated a relationship between a corrupter and a corruptible agent, with the help of a real-time communication system, mediated by an online platform, which allowed instant and bidirectional interaction. The couples were randomly constituted and played with each other under double blind. However, the interacting members of the dyad could share values ​​or vary in their axiological structure in such a way that, while one of them could manifest anti-corruption principles, the other's commitment was not so obvious. The results confirm the importance of the axiological structure of people in the facilitation or containment of the corrupt behavior. This article also reflects on the theoretical connotations of the relationships shown.

Since its initial characterization in 2016, the interferon stimulated gene Shiftless (SHFL) has proven to be a critical piece of the innate immune response to viral infection. SHFL expression stringently restricts the replication of multiple DNA, RNA, and retroviruses with an extraordinary diversity of mechanisms that differ from one virus to the next. These inhibitory strategies include the negative regulation of viral RNA stability, translation, and even the manipulation of RNA granule formation during viral infection. Even more surprisingly, SHFL is the first human protein found to directly inhibit the activity of the -1 programmed ribosomal frameshift, a translation recoding strategy utilized across nearly all domains of life and a several human viruses. Recent literature has shown that SHFL expression also significantly impacts viral pathogenesis in mouse models, highlighting its in-vivo efficacy. To help reconcile the many mechanisms by which SHFL restricts viral replication, we provide here a comprehensive review of this complex ISG, its influence over viral RNA fate, and the implications of its functions on the virus-host arms race for control of the cell.

Parallel manipulators with multiple end-effectors bring us interesting advantages over conventional parallel manipulators such as improved manipulability, workspace and avoidance of singularities. In this work the kinematics of a five-bar planar parallel manipulator equipped with two end-effectors is approached by means of the theory of screws. As an intermediate step the displacement analysis of the robot is also investigated. The input-output equations of velocity and acceleration are systematically obtained by resorting to reciprocal-screw theory. In that regard the Klein form of the Lie algebra se(3) of the Euclidean group SE(3) plays a central role. In order to exemplify the method of kinematic analysis, a case study is included. Furthermore, the numerical results obtained by means of the theory of screws are confirmed with the aid of special software like ADAMS.^TM

Since the recent legalization of medical and recreational use of cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) in many regions worldwide, there has been high demand for research to improve yield and quality. With the paucity of scientific literature on the topic, this study investigated the relationships between light intensity (LI) and photosynthesis, inflorescence yield, and inflorescence quality of cannabis grown in an indoor environment. After growing vegetatively for 2 weeks under a canopy-level photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) of ≈ 425 μmol·m-2·s-1 and an 18-h light/6-h dark photoperiod, plants were grown for 12 weeks in a 12-h light/12-h dark ‘flowering’ photoperiod under canopy-level PPFDs ranging from 120 to 1800 μmol·m-2·s-1 provided by light emitting diodes. Leaf light response curves varied both with localized (i.e., leaf-level) PPFD and temporally, throughout the flowering cycle. Therefore, it was concluded that the leaf light response is not a reliable predictor of whole- plant responses to LI, particularly crop yield. This may be especially evident given that dry inflorescence yield increased linearly with increasing canopy-level PPFD up to 1800 μmol·m-2·s-1, while leaf-level photosynthesis saturated well below 1800 μmol·m-2·s-1. The density of the apical inflorescence and harvest index also increased linearly with increasing LI, resulting in higher-quality marketable tissues and less superfluous tissue to dispose of. There were no LI treatment effects on cannabinoid potency, while there were minor LI treatment effects on terpene potency. Commercial cannabis growers can use these light response models to determine the optimum LI for their production environment to achieve the best economic return; balancing input costs with the commercial value of their cannabis products.

Background/Objectives: Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause variable symptoms, which may be irreversible if not diagnosed and treated in a timely manner. We aimed to develop a widely accepted expert consensus to guide the practice of diagnosing and treating B12 deficiency. Methods: We conducted a scoping review of the literature published in PubMed since January 2003. Data were used to design a two-round Delphi survey to study the level of consensus among 42 experts. Results: The panelists agreed on the need for educational and organizational changes in the current medical practices for diagnosing and treating B12 deficiency. Recognition of clinical symptoms should receive the highest priority in establishing the diagnosis. There is agreement that the serum B12 concentration is useful as a screening marker, whereas methylmalonic acid or homocysteine can support the diagnosis. Patient lifestyle, disease history and medications can provide clues to the cause of B12 deficiency. Regardless of the cause of the deficiency, initial treatment with parenteral B12 was regarded as the first choice for patients with acute and severe manifestations of B12 deficiency. The use of high-dose oral B12 at different frequencies may be considered for long-term treatment. Prophylactic B12 supplementation should be considered for specific high-risk groups. Conclusions: There is a consensus that clinical symptoms need to receive more attention in establishing a diagnosis. B12 laboratory markers can support the diagnosis. The severity of clinical symptoms, the causes of B12 deficiency and the treatment goals govern decisions regarding the route and dose of B12 therapy.

It is commonly believed that exposing Cannabis sativa (cannabis) plants to ultraviolet (UV) radiation can enhance Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ⁹-THC) concentrations in female inflorescences and associated foliar tissues. However, a lack of published scientific studies has left knowledge-gaps in the effects of UV on cannabis that must be elucidated before UV can be utilized as a horticultural management tool in commercial cannabis production. In this study we investigated the effects of UV exposure level on photosynthesis, growth, inflorescence yield, and secondary metabolite composition of two indoor-grown cannabis cultivars: ‘Low Tide’ (LT) and ‘Breaking Wave’ (BW). After growing vegetatively for 2 weeks under a canopy-level photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) of ≈225 μmol·m^–2·s^–1 in an 18-h light/6-h dark photoperiod, plants were grown for 9 weeks in a 12-h light/12-h dark “flowering” photoperiod under a canopy-level PPFD of ≈400 µmol·m^–2·s^–1 and 3.5 h·d^–1 of supplemental UV radiation with UV photon flux densities (UV-PFD) ranging from 0.01 to 0.8 μmol·m^–2·s^–1 provided by light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with a peak wavelength of 287 nm (i.e., biologically-effective UV doses of 0.16 to 13 kJ·m^–2·d^–1). The severity of UV-induced morphology (e.g., whole-plant size and leaf size reductions, leaf malformations, and stigma browning) and physiology (e.g., reduced leaf photosynthetic rate and reduced F_v/F_m) symptoms worsened as UV exposure level increased. While the proportion of dry inflorescence yield that was derived from apical tissues decreased in both cultivars with increasing UV exposure level, total dry inflorescence yield only decreased in LT. The equivalent Δ⁹-THC and cannabidiol (CBD) concentrations also decreased in LT inflorescences with increasing UV exposure level. While the total terpene content in inflorescences decreased with increasing UV exposure level in both cultivars, the relative concentrations of individual terpenes varied by cultivar. The potential for using UV to enhance cannabis quality must still be confirmed before it can be used as a production tool for modern, indoor-grown cannabis cultivars.

The aim of this paper is to introduce a new methodology for the fault diagnosis of induction machines working in transient regime, when time-frequency analysis tools are used. The proposed method relies on the use of the optimized Slepian window for performing the short time Fourier transform (STFT) of the stator current signal. It is shown that for a given sequence length of finite duration the Slepian window has the maximum concentration of energy, greater than can be reached with a gated Gaussian window, which is usually used as analysis window. In this paper the use and optimization of the Slepian window for fault diagnosis of induction machines is theoretically introduced and experimentally validated through the test of a 3.15 MW induction motor with broken bars during the start-up transient. The theoretical analysis and the experimental results show that the use of the Slepian window can highlight the fault components in the current's spectrogram with a significant reduction of the required computational resources.

The World Health Organization identifies alcohol as a cause in several neoplasias of the oro-pharynx cavity, esophagus, gastrointestinal tract, larynx, liver, or female breast. This study re-views ethanol's nonoxidative and oxidative metabolism and one-carbon metabolism that en-compasses both redox and transfer reactions that influence crucial cell proliferation machinery. Ethanol favors the uncontrolled production and action of free radicals that interfere with the maintenance of essential cellular functions. We focus on the generation of protein, DNA, and lipid adducts that interfere with the cellular processes related to growth and differentiation. Ethanol's effects on stem cells responsible for building and repairing tissues are reviewed. Cancer stem cells suffer disturbances related to the expression of cell surface markers, enzymes, and transcription factors after ethanol exposure with consequent dysregulation of mechanisms related to cancer metastasis or resistance to treatments. Our analysis aims to underlie and discuss potential targets that show more sensitivity to ethanol's action and identify specific metabolic routes and metabolic realms that may be corrected to recover metabolic homeostasis after pharmacological interven-tion. Specifically, research should pay attention to reestablish metabolic fluxes by fine-tuning the functioning of specific pathways related to one-carbon metabolism and antioxidant processes.

This study evaluates inequalities in the use of dental services according to place of birth before and after the economic crisis in Spain. A cross-sectional study was performed in the population aged 18 to 65 years in Spain. We used data from three Spanish National Health Surveys for years 2006 (before the crisis), 2014 and 2017 (after the crisis). Log-binomial regression was used to quantify the association between region of origin and use of dental care services before and after controlling for the selected covariates. In 2006, we found a greater probability of not using dental care services in immigrants from Asia (PR:1.36, 95% CI:1.10–1.67) and Africa (PR:1.16; 95% CI:1.05–1.28) compared to the natives. For 2014, the probability of not using dental care services was greater for all immigrants compared to the natives, with the greatest odds for those from Africa (PR:1.71; 95% CI:1.46–2.01) and Asia (PR:1.3; 95% CI:1.23–1. 47). The associations for 2017 were weaker in magnitude than the ones observed for 2014, although stronger than for 2006. This study suggests that the economic recovery did not have the same impact for natives and immigrants regardless of regions of origin, given the observed inequalities in use of dental services.

The characteristics of response to stressful situations depend on a complex of factors such as personality traits, emotional regulation, health state, features of the nervous system, motor functions and proprioception. In cases of disruption of the brain's dopamine system due to disease or chemotherapy, hormone discharge due to stress, changes in emotions and proprioception may occur. The aim of our study was to find the relationship of stress resilence in verbal test and individual differences performed in proprioceptive test in onco-patients, sportsmen and group of control; as well as to observe the differences between these groups in the verbal stress resistance and individual differences proprioceptive tests. The results showed that onco-patients were less resistant as per verbal stress resistance outcomes for a major part of variables compared to other groups. The sportsmen were superior in verbal Risk and Control dimensions compared to other groups; but less in Positive Affectiveness. The proprioceptive test perfomance revealed the only statistically significant difference in performance in the dimension related to Mood, showing more Pessimism in the sportsmen group, but more Optimism in the oncopatients at temperamental (or intrisinc) level. The obtained results can be used by psychologists, therapists, coach and healthcare when needed to attend the specific needs of public, being pateints or sportsmen, etc.

Conyza canadensis is a species invading large agricultural areas throughout the world, mainly to its ability to evolve herbicide resistance. Specifically, in Hungary, extensive areas have been infested by this species due to the difficulty in controlling it with glyphosate. To corroborate this fact as resistance and not as an incorrect herbicide application, eight suspicious glyphosate-resistant C. canadensis populations from different Hungarian regions were studied. In dose-response assays with glyphosate, the LD50 and GR50 values indicated that populations 1 to 5 were resistant to this herbicide (H-5 population the most resistant). Besides, the shikimic acid accumulation tests corroborated the results observed in the dose-response assays. 11 alternative herbicides from 6 different mode of action (MOA) were applied at field doses as control alternatives on populations H-5 and H-6 (both in the same regions). The H-5 population showed an unexpected resistance to flazasulfuron (ALS-inhibitor). The ALS enzyme activity studies indicated that the I50 for H-5 was 63.3 fold higher compared to its correspondent susceptible population (H-6). Therefore, the H-5 population exhibited multiple-resistance to flazasulfuron and glyphosate, being the first case reported in Europe for this two MOA. For that reason, the other herbicides with different MOA have to be tested here.

National heatwave plans are aimed at reducing the avoidable human health consequences due to heatwaves, by providing warnings to and improving communication between relevant stakeholders. The aim of this study was to assess the perceptions of key stakeholders within plans in Belgium and the Netherlands on their responsibilities, the partnerships, and the effectiveness of the local implementation in Brussels and Amsterdam. Key informant interviews were held with stakeholders that had an important role in development of the heatwave plan in these countries, or its implementation in Brussels or Amsterdam. Care organisations, including hospitals and elderly care organisations, had a lack of familiarity with the national heatwave plan in both cities, and prioritised heat the lowest. Some groups of individuals, specifically socially isolated individuals, are not sufficiently addressed by the current national heatwave plans and most local plans. Stakeholders reported that responsibilities were not clearly described and that the national plan does not describe tasks on a local level. We recommend to urgently increase awareness on the impact of heat on health among care organisations. More emphasis needs to be given to the variety of heat risk groups. Stakeholders should be involved in the development of updates of the plans.

In neonatal equines, pathologies involving umbilical structures are an important cause of morbidity, and surgical removal of urachal remnants is a common procedure in clinical practice. Surgery involving the ventral abdominal wall can cause substantial pain, leading to complications and prolonged recovery. The objectives of this study were to describe a two-point bilateral ultrasound-guided rectus sheath block at the level of the umbilicus and to evaluate the extent of dye distribution in foal cadavers. Ten foal cadavers were included in the study, in which a bilateral two-point ultrasound-guided rectus sheath block was performed—one injection cranially and a second one caudally to the umbilicus. The injectate consisted of a mixture of iodinated contrast medium and blue dye at a volume of 0.25 mL kg-1 per injection point (total 1 mL kg-1). After the injection, computer tomography and subsequent dissection of the ventral abdominal wall were performed. The extension of the contrast medium, the number of stained nerves, and contamination of the abdominal cavity were evaluated. The cranio-caudal extension of the contrast ranged from 0.8 to 1.4 centimeters per milliliter of injectate. The most commonly stained ventral branches of spinal nerves were thoracic (Th) nerves 16, 17, and 18 (95%, 85%, and 80% of the nerves, respectively). Abdominal contamination was found in 4 animals. The results suggest that the block could provide periumbilical analgesia. Further studies with different volumes of injectate and living animals are warranted.

We aimed to provide a comprehensive assessment of exercise physiology of adult Fontan patients (FP) and factors limiting functional capacity (FC). A prospective single-centre study of 37 FP aged ≥16years and 19 healthy-controls (HC), who underwent CPET on cycle-ergometer in February-March 2022. Lung function was impaired in FP, mostly mild restrictive pattern (56.8%). Mean peakVO2 was 21±5.4ml/kg/min, 55% predicted. Morphologically left-single ventricle showed higher peakVO2%predicted (57.4±14.4% vs 43.4±8.1%, p=0.045). A lower peakVO2%predicted was observed in patients with an early flattened and/or descending O2 pulse at maximal exertion (52±14% vs 62±12.5, p=0.04 and 47.6±9% vs 60±14 respectively, p=0.018) and chronotropic insufficiency (53±12% vs 69.8±20%, p=0.008). Strong positive correlation was observed between %OUES and peakVO2%predicted (r=0.726, p>0.001). PeakVO2%predicted was progressively higher as the level of physical activity increased (low-level 49.5±14%, moderate-level 55±12%, intense-level 69±20%). FP showed lower inspiratory muscle strength compared to HC but it was no statistically associated with either peakVO2 or VE/VCO2 slope. In FP OUES is a useful submaximal parameter in those who fail to reach maximal exertion. Chronotropic insufficiency and early flattened or descending oxygen pulse slope were factors associated with low peakVO2. Regular intense physical activity improves FC. Although FP have inspiratory muscle weakness, its impact on FC is unclear.

The importance of rare earth elements as the basis in the development of new technologies or the improvement of the used ones, made of a necessity its recovery, besides that from raw materials, from waste materials. In this recovery, Hydrometallurgy and its derivative Solvometallurgy, play a key role due to its operational characteristics, which are emphasized with the use of ionic liquids. The manuscript reviewed the most recent advances (2023 and 2024 years) about the use of ionic liquids in the unit operations (leaching and separation technologies) aimed to the recovery of these valuable and strategic metals. Moreover, a comprehensive review about the use of these chemicals in the development of advanced materials containing some of these rare earth elements is presented.

Generative AI has gained enormous interest nowadays due to new applications like chatGPT, DALL E, Stable Difussion and Deep Fake. Particularly DALL E, Stable Difussion and others (Adobe Firefly, ImagineArt...) are able to create images from a text prompt and are also able to recreate real photographs. Due to this fact, intense research has arisen to create new image forensics applications able to distinguish between real captured images and videos and artificial ones. Detecting forgeries made with Deep Fake is one of the most researched issues. This paper is about another kind of forgery detection. The purpose of this research aims to detect photo realistic AI created images versus real photos coming from a physical camera. For this purpose, techniques that perform a pixel level feature extraction are used. First one is Photo Response Non-Uniformity (PRNU). PRNU is a special noise due to imperfections on the camera sensor that is used for source camera identification. The underlying idea is that AI images will have a different PRNU pattern. Second one is Error level analysis (ELA). This is other type of feature extraction traditionally used for detecting image editions. In fact, ELA is being used nowadays by photographers to detect manually AI created images. Both kinds of features are used to train Convolutional Neural Networks to differentiate between AI images and real photographs. Good results are obtained achieving accuracy rates over 95%. Both extraction methods are carefully assessed by computing precision/recall and F1-score measurements.

Synthetic chalcomenite-type cupric selenite CuSeO₃∙2H₂O has been studied at room temperature under compression up to pressures of 8 GPa by means of single-crystal X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and density-functional theory. According to X-ray diffraction, the orthorhombic phase undergoes an isostructural phase transition at 4.0(5) GPa with the thermodynamic character being first-order. This conclusion is supported by Raman spectroscopy studies which have detected the phase transition at 4.5(2) GPa and by the first-principles computing simulations. The structure solution at different pressures has provided information on the change with pressure of unit-cell parameters as well as on the bond and polyhedral compressibility. A Birch-Murnaghan equation of state has been fitted to the unit-cell volume data. We found that chalcomenite is highly compressible with a bulk modulus of 42 – 49 GPa. The possible mechanism driving changes in the crystal structure is discussed, being the behavior of CuSeO₃∙2H₂O mainly dominated by the large compressibility of the coordination polyhedron of Cu. On top of that, an assignation of Raman modes is proposed based upon density-functional theory and the pressure dependence of Raman modes discussed. Finally, the pressure dependence of phonon frequencies is also reported.

There is significant need for development of a new environmentally friendly, extraction-free sample collection medium that can effectively preserve and protect genetic material for point-of-care, and/or self-collection, home-collection, and mail-back testing. Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment (SELEX) was used to create anti-ribonuclease (RNase) Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) aptamers against purified RNase A conjugated to paramagnetic carboxylated beads. Following 8 rounds of SELEX carried out under various stringency conditions, e.g., selection using Xtract-Free™ (XF) specimen collection medium, and elevated ambient temperature of 28 ºC, a panel of 5 aptamers was chosen following bioinformatic analysis using next-generation sequencing. The efficacy of aptamer inactivation of RNase was assessed by monitoring Ribonucleic acid (RNA) integrity by fluorometric and real-time RT-PCR analysis. Inclusion of aptamers in reaction incubations resulted in an 8,800 to 11,200-fold reduction of RNase activity, i.e., digestion of viral RNA compared to control. Thus, anti-RNase aptamers integrated into XF collection medium as well as other commercial reagents and kits have great potential for ensuring quality intact RNA for subsequent genomic analysis.

Hydrological modeling allows us to make a comprehensive assessment of the interaction between dynamics of the hydrological cycle, climate conditions, and land use. These modeling results are relevant in water resources management field. We use TopModel (TOPography based hydrological MODEL for the hydrological modeling of an area of 17 000 km² in the Middle Magdalena Valley (MMV), a tropical basin located in Colombia. This study is located in the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) which is characterized by special meteorological conditions and fast water fluxes over the year. This area has been subjected to significant land use changes, as a result of intense economic activities, e.g., agriculture, hydropower energy and oil & gas production (Avellaneda, 2003). The proposed model is based on a record of 12 years of: i.) daily precipitation data from observed gauges, ii.) daily evapotranspiration data from temperature data and iii.) daily streamflow data as observed data. A calibration process was performed using data from 2000 to 2008, and a validation was performed with data from 2009 to 2012. The Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient was used as an objective function to assess the quality of these processes (values of this metric are between 0.74 and 0.73 respectively, for model calibration and validation). The results show us an adequate performance of the model in areas of the tropical region and allow us to analyze the relationship between water storage capacity in the soils of the area with subsurface runoff. This conclusion is consistent with the characteristics of the region. The calibrated model provides an idea about the hydrological functioning of the basin and estimates an approximation of the groundwater recharge in the region. The estimation of the recharge is important to quantify the interaction of surface water and groundwater, especially during the dry season, due to its importance in the analysis of scenarios with climate variability.

The focus of this work lies in the construction of monitoring system designed in the form of a patch using a long-lasting potentiometric electrolyte concentration sensor from metal electrodes, in a galvanic cell configuration Mg(s)|NaCl(aq)|Cu(s). Initially, a mathematical analysis was conducted on the expected sensor output through the Nernst equation. The experimental phase involved conducting controlled tests in the laboratory using various molar concentrations of sodium chloride (NaCl) in aqueous solution. Results showed that the electrolyte sensor allows for monitoring electrolyte levels in NaCl in the range of 0.02 to 1 M/L, with electrode lifespan exceeding 10 days. On the other hand, when patch is using human sweat during controlled exercise routines, it showed the sensor's capability for monitoring changes in the subjects' hydration levels in real time. The sensor output potential is greater than 1.7 volts when the sensor electrodes are in contact with human sweat, which is equivalent to measuring molar concentrations at normal hydration and moderately high hydration levels. Sensor results indicate that the system can function in a self-powered manner without external batteries. Additionally, the extended lifespan of its electrodes allows for continuous monitoring of imbalances in the human body, showcasing the system capability for long-term health assessment.

In this article, we give a brief review of the origin of the neutrino mass in some interesting non-linear supersymmetric models with R-symmetry. These models are able to address and solve the most important problems of the particle physics and provide mechanisms for neutrino mass generation and their mixing parameters in agreement with the current experimental data. Their prediction could be experimentally tested in the near future by collider experiments.

The practice of physical activity is an effective non-pharmacological strategy for preventing and treating chronic diseases. A large body of evidence has contributed to establishing a positive correlation between a physically active lifestyle and health benefits, including enhanced vaccination responses, lower numbers of senescent T-cells, increased T-cell proliferative capacity, lower levels of inflammatory cytokines, and improved neutrophil and macrophage function. While females are generally thought to exert more robust immune responses than males in response to a variety of challenges, and both male and female sex hormones have been suggested as mediators of immune function, research on this topic has not always been designed with a sex-specific lens. The goal of this review is to summarize the available experimental and clinical evidence linking exercise and immune function in male and female subjects, with an emphasis on sex differences and sex-specific mechanisms. Overall, the available evidence indicates that moderate exercise and physical activity improves immune function in both sexes, whereas prolonged and high-intensity exercise temporarily impairs immune responses at a higher degree in females. A role of male and female sex hormones in these sex-specific effects is also discussed.

Autophagy is an essential mechanism to maintain cellular homeostasis. Besides its role in controlling the quality of cytoplasmic components, it participates in nutrient obtaining and lipid mobilization under stressful conditions. Furthermore, autophagy is involved in the regulation of systemic metabolic, a function mainly performed by neuronal populations of the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus. Several studies have shown that blockade of autophagy in these neurons can affect central regulation of metabolism and impact body energy balance. Moreover, hypothalamic autophagy can be altered during obesity. However, neurons are not the only cell type involved in the central regulation of metabolism. Astrocytes, essential cells for brain homeostasis, are key metabolic regulators. They can sense metabolic signals in the hypothalamus and modulate systemic functions as glucose homeostasis and feeding response. Moreover, the response of astrocytes to obesity has been widely studied. Astrocytes are important mediators of brain inflammation and can be affected by increased levels of saturated fatty acids associated to obesity. Although autophagy plays important roles for astrocyte homeostasis and functioning, the contribution of astrocyte autophagy to systemic metabolism has not been analysed. Furthermore, how obesity can impact astrocyte autophagy is poorly understood. More studies are needed in other to understand the contribution of astrocyte autophagy to metabolism.

As sessile organisms, plants face a wide range of abiotic stresses, with salinity being a prominent constraint affecting their growth, development, and productivity, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. This study focused on understanding how salinity impacts Jatropha curcas, an important oilseed plant for biodiesel production. By examining the anatomy and ultrastructure of stomata and chloroplasts, we investigated the effects of prolonged salinity stress on J. curcas. This stress led to changes in stomatal density, stomatal index, and ostiole aperture, which case an imbalance of water conductivity in the xylem. Through transmission electron microscopy, we explored the subcellular organization of J. curcas chloroplasts and their contribution to plant photosynthetic efficiency, providing insights into their role in this process. Notably, salinity treatment resulted in a significant increase in starch granules accumulation, leading to impaired the granal and stromal grana lamellae, destroying this ultrastructure. Our findings indicate that the anatomy and ultrastructure of chloroplasts play a crucial role in influencing photosynthetic efficiency and hydraulic conductivity. This study offers new perspectives on the structure and function of chloroplasts in J. curcas, presenting innovative opportunities to develop strategies that enhance biofuel production in areas with high soil salinity.

We present a new study of Jupiter atmosphere’s dynamics using for the first time the extremely high resolution capabilities of VLT/ESPRESSO to retrieve wind velocities in Jupiter’s troposphere, with a dedicated ground-based Doppler velocimetry method. These results are complemented by a deeper analysis of Cassini data during its flyby of Jupiter in December 2000, performing cloud tracking at visible wavelengths, obtaining a more comprehensive dynamical interpretation. We explore the effectiveness of this new method to measure winds in Jupiter, using high resolution spectroscopy data obtained from ESPRESSO observations performed in July 2019, with a Doppler velocimetry method based on back scattered solar radiation in the visible range. Coupled with our ground based results, we retrieved a latitudinal and longitudinal profile of Jupiter’s winds along select bands of the atmosphere. Comparing the results between cloud tracking methods, based on previous reference observations, and our new Doppler velocimetry approach we found a good agreement between them, demonstrating the eectiveness of this technique. The winds obtained in this exploratory study have a two-fold relevance: they contribute for the temporal and spatial variability study of Jupiter troposphere’s dynamics, and also the results presented here validate this Doppler technique to study the dynamics of Jupiter’s atmosphere and pave the way for further exploration of a broader region of Jupiter’s disk for a more comprehensive retrieval of winds and to evaluate their spatial and temporal variability.

Alginate-gelatin hydrogels are extensively used in bioengineering. However, despite different formulations being utilized for growing different cell types in vitro, their pH and its effect, together with the crosslinking ions, of those formulations are still infrequently assessed. In this work we studied how these elements can affect hydrogel stability and printability and influence U2OS and NIH/3T3 cell viability and metabolism on the resulting 3D prints. In this context, 6% alginate + 2% gelatin hydrogels were prepared with 0.1 M MES buffer with pH 5.5, 6.5, 7.0 or 8.0, printed by extrusion-based 3D printing, and crosslinked immediately after printing with either CaCl2 or BaCl2. Our results showed that both the buffer pH and the crosslinking ion (Ca2+ or Ba2+) influence the swelling and degradation rates of the prints. Moreover, the buffer pH influenced the printability of the hydrogel in air, but when printed directly in a fluid-phase CaCl2 or BaCl2 crosslinking bath. In addition, both U2OS and NIH/3T3 cells showed greater cell metabolic activity on one-layer prints crosslinked with Ca2+. Besides, Ba2+ increased cell death of NIH/3T3 cells while had no effect on the U2OS cell viability. The pH of the buffer also caused an important impact on the cell behaviour. U2OS cells showed a 2.25-fold cell metabolism increase on one-layer prints prepared at pH 8.0 in comparison to those prepared at pH 5.5. Whereas, NIH/3T3 cells showed greater metabolism on one-layer prints with pH 7.0. Finally, we observed a difference on cell arrangement of the U2OS cells growing on prints prepared from hydrogels with acidic buffer in comparison to cells growing on those prepared using neutral or basic buffer. These results show that both pH and crosslinking ion influence hydrogel strength and cell behaviour.

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is an inherited disorder that impairs motile cilia, essential for respiratory health, with a reported prevalence of 1 in 16,309 within Hispanic populations. Despite having the RSPH4A [c.921+3_921+6del (intronic)] founder mutation in 70% of Puerto Rican patients, the characterization of the ciliary dysfunction remains unidentified due to the unavailability of advanced diagnostic modalities like High-Speed Video Microscopy Analysis (HSVA). Our study implemented HSVA for the first time on the island as a tool to better diagnose and characterize the RSPH4A [c.921+3_921+6del (intronic)] founder mutation in Puerto Rican patients. By applying HSVA, we analyzed the ciliary beat frequency (CBF) and pattern (CBP) in native Puerto Rican patients with PCD. Our results showed decreased CBF and a rotational CBP linked to the RSPH4A founder mutation in Puerto Ricans, presenting a novel diagnostic marker that could be implemented as an axillary test into the PCD diagnosis algorithm in Puerto Rico. The integration of HSVA technology in Puerto Rico substantially enhances the framework for PCD evaluation and diagnosis, facilitating prompt detection and early intervention for improved disease management. This initiative, demonstrating the potential of HSVA as an adjunctive test within the PCD diagnostic algorithm, could serve as a blueprint for analogous developments throughout Latin America.

Breast cancer (BC) ranks among the most prevalent cancers diagnosed in women. Its treatment necessitates precision tailored to the cancer's genetic makeup for enhanced efficacy. Research has been directed towards natural compounds for their anti-BC properties, aiming to augment existing treatment modalities. Chromolaena tacotana (Klatt) R.M. King and H. Rob, commonly referred to as Ch. tacotana, is a notable source of bioactive hydroxy-methylated flavonoids. However, the specific anti-BC mechanisms of these flavonoids, particularly those present in the plant's inflorescences, remain partly undefined. This study focuses on assessing a chalcone derivative extracted from Ch. tacotana inflorescences for its potential to concurrently activate regulated autophagy and intrinsic apoptosis in Luminal A and triple-negative BC cells. We determined the chemical composition of the chalcone using ultraviolet (UV) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Its selective cytotoxicity against BC cell lines was assessed using the MTT assay. Flow cytometry and western blot analysis were employed to examine the modulation of proteins governing autophagy and the intrinsic apoptosis pathway. Additionally, in silico simulations were conducted to predict interactions between the chalcone and various anti-apoptotic proteins, including the mTOR protein. The chalcone was identified as 2',4-dihydroxy-4',6'-dimethoxy-chalcone (DDC), also known as Flavokavain C (FKC). This compound demonstrated selective inhibition of BC cell proliferation and triggered autophagy and intrinsic apoptosis. It induced cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase and altered mitochondrial outer membrane potential (∆ψm). The study observed the activation of autophagic LC3-II and mitochondrial pro-apoptotic proteins in both BC cell lines. The regulation of Bcl-XL and Bcl-2 proteins varied according to BC subtype, yet they showed promising molecular interactions with DDC. Among the examined pro-survival proteins, mTOR and Mcl-1 exhibited the most favorable binding energies and were downregulated in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines. Further research is needed to fully understand the molecular dynamics involved in the activation and interaction of autophagy and apoptosis pathways in cancer cells in response to potential anticancer agents like the hydroxy-methylated flavonoids from Ch. tacotana.

Benzazoles, such as benzoxazoles and benzothiazoles, are compounds with important biological and pharmacological activities and important intermediaries in synthesis. This report presents a linear synthesis of a butanamide derived from linking 5-chloro-2-aminobenzoxazole and 2-aminobenzothiazole via 4-chlorobutanoyl chloride. The corresponding compound N-(benzothiazol-2-yl)-4-((5-chlorobenzoxazol-2-yl)aminobutanamide was obtained in good [PVG1] yield using accessible starting materials and methodology in two reaction steps. Furthermore, we made docking studies of this compound on 3-TOP protein to explore its potential as an antidiabetic agent with an excellent yield.

Composites of Ag and TiO2 nanoparticles on cotton fabrics were synthetized in-situ by sono-chemical and hydrothermal methods achieving the successive formation of Ag-NPs and Ti-NPs directly on the fabric. The impregnated fabrics were characterized by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, high resolution microscopy (HREM), scanning electron microscopy coupled with Ener-gy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), Raman, photoluminescence, UV-vis and DRS spectroscopies and by tension tests. Results showed the successful formation and impregnation of NPs on the cotton fabric, with a negligible leaching of NPs after several washing cycles. The photocatalytic activity of supported NPs was assessed by the degradation of methyl blue dye (MB) under solar and UV irradiation revealing improved photocatalytic activity of the Ag-TiO2/cotton composites due to a synergy of both Ag and TiO2 nanoparticles. This behavior is attributed to a diminished electron-hole recombination effect in the Ag-TiO2 cotton samples. The biocide activity of these composites on the growth inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus (Gram+) and Escherichia coli (Gram-) was confirmed, revealing interesting possibilities for the utilization of the functionalized cotton fabric as protective cloth for medical applications.

Biomimetic compounds are an alternative for to the limited action and fragile nature of enzymes. This work deals with the synthesis, characterization and evaluation of catalytic activity of two new biomimetic models for the active centers of ascorbate oxidase and catalase. [Cu3(S,S(+)cpse)3(H2O)3][Cu3(R,R(-)cpse)3(H2O)3]·17H2O (model for ascorbate oxidase, 1), and [Mn2(S,S(+)Hcpse)4(NaClO4)2(NaOH)(CH4O)]n·[(C2H6O)2]n·[(CH4O)2]n (model for catalase, 2) were prepared through the synchronic method (yields > 78%). The compound 1 has electronic and optical characteristics for racemic compound. The magnetic properties and electrochemical behavior evidence electronic transfer between metal centers. Meanwhile, the compound 2 showed polymeric properties in solid state and dimeric behavior in solution. Compound 1 was able to effectively catalyze the oxidation of ascorbic acid to dehydroascorbic acid (65.6% and 78.24% for racemic and enantiomeric pure compounds) showing structural and functional similarity to the natural enzyme. Besides, Compound 2 catalyzed the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide toward oxygen and water molecules (45%), evidencing that the prepared complex mimics the action of catalases. These two biomimetic models are relationship between them for the structural ligands, the coordination form to metal center and the catalytic activity as oxidase. This research shows the relationship with the design, evaluation, and comprehension of fundamentals aspects for the biomimetic models of active center of metalloenzymes that have importance for biological and industrial processes.

miRNAs are major regulators of eukaryotic gene expression, host immunity, and play an important role in the inflammation-mediated pathways in periodontal disease (PD) pathogenesis. Expanding our previous observation with the global miRNA profiling using partial human mouth microbes and lack of in vivo studies involving oral spirochete Treponema denticola induced miRNAs, this study was designed to delineate the global miRNA expression kinetics during progression of periodontitis in mice infected with T. denticola by using NanoString nCounter® miRNA panels. All the T. denticola-infected male and female mice at 8- and 16 weeks demonstrated bacterial colonization (100%) on the gingival surface, and an increase in alveolar bone resorption (p &lt; 0.0001). A total of 70 miRNAs with at least 1.0-fold differential expression/regulation (DE) miRNAs (26 upregulated and 44 downregulated) were identified. nCounter miRNA expression profiling identified 13 upregulated miRNAs (e.g. miR-133a, miR-378) and 25 downregulated miRNAs (e.g. miR-375, miR-34b-5p) in T. denticola-infected mice mandibles during 8-weeks infection whereas 13 upregulated miRNAs (e.g. miR-486, miR-126-5p) and 19 downregulated miRNAs (miR-2135, miR-142-3p) were observed during 16- weeks of infection. One miRNA (miR-126-5p) showed significant difference between 8-and 16-weeks of infection. Interestingly, miR-126-5p has been presented as a potential biomarker in patients with periodontitis and coronary artery disease. Among the 13 upregulated miRNAs, miR-486, miR-126-3p, miR-126-5p were reported in human gingival plaques samples with periodontitis. KEGG analysis revealed various functional pathways of DE miRNAs such as bacterial invasion of epithelial cells, Ras signaling, Fc gamma R- mediated phagocytosis, osteoclast differentiation, adherens signaling and ubiquitin mediated proteolysis. This is the first study of DE miRNAs in mice mandibles at different time-points of T. denticola infection and the combination of three specific miRNAs miR-486, miR-126-3p, miR-126-5p may serve as an invasive biomarker of T. denticola in PD. These miRNAs may have significant role in PD pathogenesis and establishes a link between miRNA, periodontitis, and systemic diseases.

Hip fractures are the most frequently treated fractures in the world. Of these, intertrochanteric fractures (ITFs) account for almost 50%. After surgical fixation of ITFs, nonunion is rare. Nonunions are commonly produced from mal-reduction (in varus) and/or inadequate stability of the bone-implant construct and/or fatigue failure of the implants. Other causes of nonunion include posteromedial comminution and osteoporosis. The published incidence of ITF nonunion is 1%-2%. Mechanical complications of ITFs include cut-out, excessive shortening of the proximal femur, delayed union, nonunion, early implant fracture, nail toggle and cut through/medial migration. That is why a fundamental goal in the treatment of ITFs is to achieve stable fixation in osteoporotic bone, allowing early weight bearing. Intraoperative determination of fracture stability is essential. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) clinical practice guidelines for the management of intertrochanteric fractures (ITF) in patients older than 55 years are the following: 1) In patients with stable ITF, the use of either a sliding hip screw (SHS) or a cephalomedullary nail (CMN) is advised (strong strength of evidence). 2) In patients with reverse obliquity fractures, a CMN is recommended (strong strength of evidence). 3) Patients with unstable ITF should be treated with a CMN (strong strength of evidence). 4) In patients with ITF, a short or long CMN may be considered (limited strength of evidence).

The manuscript delves into the intricacies of food production chains, offering a comprehensive breakdown of their components. Moreover, it sheds light on the initiatives orchestrated by government agencies to endorse sustainable practices and fortify areas of opportunity for producer organizations. While the context paints a broad picture, we contend that, to the best of our knowledge, there exists no comparable publication that succinctly encapsulates the role of government in bolstering food production chains. The document unfolds with a detailed exploration of the interaction mechanisms among the various components of the chain. Subsequently, it introduces a set of twelve elements meticulously outlining the multifaceted role of the government. Each element undergoes thorough scrutiny, fostering a nuanced understanding of the intricate relationship between the food production chain and the government's pivotal role in enhancing stability and efficiency. In conclusion, the manuscript not only lays bare the structural elements of food production chains but also presents a unique and in-depth analysis of the government's role, encapsulated within the framework of twelve essential elements.

The health emergency caused by Covid 19 highlighted the food dependency of many cities in the world and Cali and the cities of Valle del Cauca were no exception as they depended on food flows from other regions and countries, so these Entities are part of the corporate food system, to which their rulers delegated food security for their inhabitants. In the same territory and for the last nine years, a second-level organization has been consolidating that brings together 14 peasant agroecological markets and that despite strict confinement measures was able to continue supplying food to consumers in the municipalities of influence that have supported this initiative. The foregoing leads to think that said organization can become a platform for an agroecological food system of regional scope, for which the characteristics that said system should have according to a model based on the principles of agroecology were evaluated.