The rye (Secale cereale L.) crop shows a high potential to collaborate in the sustainability of high Andean livestock because it supports the agroclimatic conditions and acid soils in the Peruvian Andes. The production of green forage, hay, and grain of the rye crop in acid soils was studied with the use of different levels of phosphorus and potassium fertilization in four local rye ecotypes (CBI-001, CSM-001, CJS-001, and CCE-001). The green forage yield (FV) ranged from 32.35 to 53.62 t ha-1, dry matter from 6.05 to 8.56 t ha-1, and hay from 7.0 to 10.36 t ha-1; nutritional levels ranged from 9.02 % to 13.56 % protein and 6.50 to 7.75 % ash levels, mainly with differences between ecotypes (p<0.05). No differences existed between fertilization levels for the number of stems per plant, and flowering stems per plant, and grains per ear (p>0.05). Also, CBI-001 and CCE-001 were superior with 1868.4 and 1797.8 kg ha-1 of grain, respectively (p=0.0072); the use of 60 kg ha of Nitrogen, 120 kg ha-1 of P2O5 and 80 kg ha-1 of K2O gave higher grain and residue yields. The high nutritional value and yield of the rye ecotypes studied in acid soil conditions and without irrigation can be an alternative for livestock feeding and grain production in the rainy season in the Andes as a dual-purpose crop.

Livestock in the northern highlands of Peru is fed on the association of ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.) ecotype cajamarquino - white clover (Trifolium repens L.) Ladino variety constantly varies in its agronomic characteristics and nutritional value due to management considerations and its association with the soil and the animal. The objective was to evaluate yield, plant height, growth rate, number of tillers, spikelets, basal diameter in ryegrass, elongation rate, internode length, and decrease points in clover over one year. Nutritional value was represented by crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), in vitro digestibility of dry matter (IVDDM) and metabolisable energy (ME) at three cutting frequencies. Better yield (5588 kg DM ha) and plant height (47.1 cm) showed the 60-day cutting frequency; however, there was no difference (p>0.05) among the three cutting frequencies in annual yield. There was no difference between number of tillers and basal diameter. Clover height, elongation rate and internode length were higher at 60 days. The highest CP concentration and lowest NDF value (p<0.05) were achieved by clover at 30 and 45 days. The producers should consider the findings obtained to decide the time of use of this association in dairy cattle feeding.

In this study, we propose an augmentation method for machine learning based on relabeling data in caregiving and nursing staff indoor localization with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology. Indoor localization is used to monitor staff to patient assistance in caregiving and to gain insights into workload management. However, improving accuracy is challenging when there is a limited amount of sensor data available for training. In this paper, we propose a data augmentation method to reuse the Received Signal Strength (RSS) from different sensors by relabeling to the sensors with less samples resolving data imbalance. Standard deviation and Kullback-Leibler divergence between minority and majority class are used to measure signal pattern to find matching sensors to relabel. By matching sensors between classes, two variation of relabeling are implemented specifically full and partial matching. The performance is evaluated using real world dataset we collected for five days in a nursing care facility installed with 25 BLE beacons. Random Forest model is utilized for location recognition, and performance is compared using the weighted F1-score to account for class imbalance. By increasing the sensor data with our proposed relabeling method for data augmentation, we achieved higher minority class F1-score as compared to augmentation with Random Sampling, Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique (SMOTE) and Adaptive Synthetic Sampling (ADASYN). Our proposed method utilizes collected sensor data by leveraging majority class samples. Full matching demonstrated a 6 to 8% improvement from the original baseline overall weighted F1-score.

The bacterial wilt pathogen, first known as Bacillus solanacearum, has undergone numerous taxonomic changes since its first description in 1896. The history and significance of this pathogen is covered in this review with an emphasis on the advances in technology that were used to support each reclassification that finally led to the current separation of Ralstonia solanacearum into three genomic species. Frequent name changes occurred as methodology transitioned from phenotypic, biochemical, and molecular studies, to genomics and functional genomics. The diversity, wide host range and geographical distribution of R. solanacearum has resulted in its inclusion in a “species complex” as genomic analyses of elucidated phylogenetic relationships among strains. Current advances in phylogenetics and functional genomics now open new avenues for research into the epidemiology and control of the devastating bacterial wilt disease.

Abstract: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of central blindness in developed countries. It affects people mainly over the age of 50 years. It is a disease of the macula, an area of the retina responsible for sharp central vision. It particularly affects the Bruch’s membrane (BM); a layer in the retina that acts as the basement upon which retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE) attach and survive. The pathology of AMD is not fully understood, but age is considered the main risk factor. There are two forms; nonexudative, leading to the end-stage of the disease, called nonexudative (or dry) AMD (90% of cases) where fatty deposits called drusen form under the RPE on top of the BM lifting off the RPE, and neovascular (or wet) AMD (10% of cases) where abnormal new blood vessels grow and push through the BM, bleeding in and disrupting the RPE. Neovascular AMD is well controlled with regular antiangiogenic drug injections of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) into the eye, whereas there is no current treatment for nonexudative AMD. Many research groups across the world are working on a treatment for nonexudative AMD. This review discusses the research currently being conducted including cell therapies, development of cell transplantation membranes, targeting other disease structures in affected retina (i.e. drusen), and drug delivery to the retina using nanoparticles. Finally, we include our research contributing to the field; developing a bioactive membrane intended to function two-fold: target diseased structures and transplant healthy RPE to the desired area.

Capsaicin, a lipophilic, volatile compound, is responsible for the pungent properties of chili peppers. In recent years, a significant increase in investigations into its properties has allowed the production of new formulations and the development of tools with biotechnological, diagnostic, and potential therapeutic applications. In this way, the possible clinical application of such compound is expanding every year. This opinion article aims to provide a synthesis of recent findings regarding the mechanisms by which capsaicin participates in the control of non-communicable diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. This opinion review also discusses the recent findings and clinical studies of the use of capsaicin in body weight control.

The diagnosis and treatment of autoimmune diseases are major challenges. Their signs, symptoms, and their clinical severity change throughout the course of the disease. The available treatments for these conditions do not result in complete remission, and their long-term use generates several side effects. The main challenges in this field are the development of more sensitive diagnostic tools, and effective treatments. Studies in patients and animal models reported alterations in monocyte phenotype, activation, and function. These cells play an essential role in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory states and have become a target for extracorporeal monitoring and specific intervention. Nanoparticles (NPs) are ultrafine particles that can be used as contrast agents in diagnostic imaging techniques to detect specific cells in inflammatory infiltrates in tissues that are not easily accessible by biopsy. In addition, NPs can be designed to deliver drugs to a cell population or tissue. This review describes several experimental pieces of evidence demonstrating that monocytes and macrophages can specifically uptake various types of NPs, thus becoming detectable in vivo by magnetic resonance imaging and susceptible to be modulated by therapeutic agents. Hence, nanoparticles targeting mononuclear phagocytes represent promising tools for diagnosing and treatment.

The alcoholic fermentation process with agitation/static, followed by the acetic fermentation submerged in banana was evaluated. Kinetics parameters of alcoholic fermentation for the maximum ethanol/glycerol metabolites in agitated process was 29 and 27 h, and in static 47 and 45 h, respectively. For acetic fermentation, the kinetics parameters were medium time of 39.9 h, acetic acid yield of 53.1% and acetic acid productivity of 0.216 g/Lh. Wines from agitated/static process presented 5.73 and 6.81% (v/v) of alcohol content, respectively. Wine obtained by the static process presented higher concentrations of volatile compounds. The vinegar showed 49.2 g/L of acetic acid and the esters concentrations were higher than in wine. The wine and vinegar minerals were consistent with amount observed in the pulp, with an increase in sulphur concentration after alcoholic fermentation and decrease after acetic fermentation. Products showed chemical and composition of sensory and nutritional interest.

During the last years, the increasing evidence of dietary antioxidant compounds and reducing chronic diseases and the relationship between diet and health have promoted an important innovation on the baked product sector, aiming at healthier formulations. This study aims to develop a tool based on mathematical models to predict baked goods total antioxidant capacity (TAC). The high variability of antioxidant properties of flours based on the aspects related to type of grains, varieties, proximal composition and processing, among others, makes very difficult to innovate on food product development without specific analysis. Using Total phenol content (TP), Oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and Ferric reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP) as proxies of antioxidant capacity. Three Bayesian-type models are proposed based on a double exponential parameterised curve that reflects the initial decrease and subsequent increase as a consequence of the observed processes of degradation and generation, respectively, of the antioxidant compounds. Once the values of the main parameters of each curve have been determined, support vector machines (SVR) with exponential kernel were used to predict, based on the temperature and duration of baking as well as the values of proteins and fibers of each native grain, the values of TAC during the baking time.

Tourism is the main economic sector in the Balearic Islands (Spain) and hotel housekeepers (HHs) are a large occupational group, in which stress is becoming a major issue. This study aims at exploring in-depth factors perceived as stressors by HHs and key-informants, and their effects on work-life balance (WLB). A qualitative design with phenomenological approach was used, conducting six focus groups with 34 HHs and 10 individual interviews with key-informants. Results were analyzed adopting the job demands-resources model and a gender perspective. High demands –e.g work overload, time pressure, physical burden...-, lack of enough resources and little control –derived from role conflict, unexpected events...- were the most important factors explaining HHs’ stress. Additionally, this imbalance was perceived as leading to health problems –mainly musculoskeletal disorders-. Working schedule was mentioned as a facilitator to WLB, whereas an imbalance between job demands and resources led to work-home conflict –preventing them from enjoying leisure time-. Multiple roles at work and at home increased their stress. HHs experienced their job as invisible and unrecognised. Regarding practical implications, our recommendations for hotel organization include reducing workload and increasing resources, which would improve the job demands-resource balance, diminish negative mental and physical outcomes and improve WLB.

Trail detection in mixed canopy ecosystems has important implications for forest management, monitoring, and conservation, although active sensor technology for sub-canopy trail detection is still developing. In order to assess the effectiveness of UAV(Unmanned Aerial Vehicle)-borne lidar (light detection and ranging) data for small trails (< 2.5m width) in mixed forest canopy cover, we collected lidar data and trail characteristics (canopy cover and trail width) and created a high definition surface model map from the resulting lidar data, and also a high-resolution satellite imagery map using Google Earth. Through participatory mapping methods, seven respondents with limited prior geospatial experience completed a rapid identification of trails on both maps. Respondents’ trails were georeferenced in order to compare the rate of detectability between maps. We found greater detection on the lidar-derived map compared to the Google Earth map. Detectability in Google Earth maps was positively correlated with wider trails and trials with lower canopy. In lidar maps, trail detectability increased with wider trails, but canopy cover had no effect on detection rates. Our data indicate that a mixed-method approach that combines UAV-mounted lidar with high-resolution satellite imagery and participatory mapping increases rapid detection rates of small trails under varying canopy cover and trail widths.

HIV infection is well-known to be associated with the development of Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) with extranodal involvement being exclusive bone marrow involvement is less common. Co-infection by other viruses such as the esptein Baar virus (EBV) increases the incidence of a frequent complication denominated hemophagocytic lymphohistocytosis (HLH). We present the case of a 50-year-old patient with the above clinical spectrum who develops several serious complications during treatment.

The objective of this was to evaluate the effects of organic fertilization on biomass production in Urochloa spp. pastures, and the soil biological and physical properties in the Colombian Amazon region. Three pastures crops (Urochloa decumbens, Urochloa humidicola and Urochloa brizantha) with 5 years old were examined in a hill landscape. A randomized complete blocks design covering an area of 5005 m2, with 1 m separation between units to minimize edge effects. Highly significant differences in Urochloa spp. biomass production were observed before and after organic fertilization (i.e., initial time: 992.19±97.66 kg DM ha-1 vs. final time: 1920.94±155.44 kg DM ha-1 vs.), but not between different fertilization treatments. The interaction between the treatment and time was significant for total density (p=0.0300) and richness (p=0.0300) of soil macrofauna. Furthermore, the interaction between treatment and soil depth was significant for bulk density (p=0.0187). The linear mixed effects analysis showed that soil bulk density and penetration resistance were lower in 0 - 10 cm depth than that observed in 10 - 20 depth and 20 - 30 cm depth. Overall, the application of organic fertilizers had a significant and positive effect on Urochloa spp. forage biomass and on the physical and biological properties of soils that had historically been affected by extensive livestock farming in a deforested hill landscape in the Colombian Amazon region.

The unstable international economic situation is reflected in the supply chain stress, lack or increased cost of some raw materials, fuel or semi-finished products is forcing organizations to perform new optimization initiatives in the utilization of their equipment and assets pointed to obtain the maximum value from them, while maintaining and even improving the quality of their products. The achievement of these objectives involves the reduction or minimization of equipment downtime to maintain the advantage over their competitors and ensure the organization's competitiveness. The intelligent maintenance system (IMS) provides adequate support for decision-making related to equipment maintenance, since poor maintenance results in unplanned stoppages, with the consequent additional cost and increased customer dissatisfaction, and an over-maintenance can result in an additional labor cost, time and the replacement of parts that are in good conditions. The utilization of new tools and technologies introduced by Industry 4.0 offers multiple opportunities for enhancement through communication and computerized data processing, aiming to improve the maintainability of a hydrogen compressor using neural networks based on attention mechanisms combined with linear regression.

In this paper we use the Mellin convolution theorem, which is related to Perron's formula. Also we introduce new explicit formulae for arithmetic function which generalize the explicit formulae of Weil for other arithmetic functions different from the Von-Mangoldt function.

The international literature shows a polarised debate on the impacts of climate change on migration. Some studies find a positive linkage, whereas others find a negative one. It is, without a doubt, a complex process better considered case-specific. There is no available information on the relationship between climate change and migration in Colombia, despite past research exploring each of these subjects independently. This study intends explicitly to investigate this linkage gap. Consequently, this paper's essential contribution is that it builds a bridge between climate change scenarios and migratory science for the first time in Colombia. Despite their limitations, the theoretical and methodological framework suggested by IOM (2009b pp. 86, Section B, Chapter II) is demonstrated in this study to be very valid since it provides a methodology to predict where future flows will occur (based on past evidence). The methodological approaches of SLA and NELM explained in section A in the IV Chapter are also valuable for analysing and approaching this study's conclusions. The primary conclusions of this study indicate that the "Coffee Region," Valle, and Atlantic (or Caribbean Coast) provinces that mainly send emigrants to Spain and the US are the key internal regions responsible for most of the international migration from Colombians. The same areas are especially vulnerable to the impacts of upcoming climate change in the A1B scenario produced by the IDEAM (2010) for 2040 and 2100. Thus, future flows of migrants are expected from these regions (2040-2100). However, issues such as visa requirements or the costs associated with migration constitute international barriers to this flow. The sensitivity of these regions can also be associated with internal migration flows, more armed conflict, and forced displacement in a cyclical process. Theoretically, a resurgence of Colombia's armed conflict and displacement due to climate change can be expected. However, the need for empirical studies in Colombia to support this analysis is imperative and is the most crucial recommendation arising from this study.

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.

In this work, an embroidered textile moisture sensor is presented. The sensor is based on a capacitive interdigitated structure embroidered on a cotton substrate with an embroidery conductor yarn composed by 99% pure silver plated nylon yarn 140/17 dtex. In order to evaluate the sensor sensitivity, the impedance of the sensor has been measured by means of a LCR meter from 20 Hz to 20 kHz on a climatic chamber with a sweep of the relative humidity from 25% to 65% at 20 ºC. The experimental results show a clear and controllable dependence of the sensor impedance with the relative humidity. Moreover, the reproducibility of the sensor performance subject to the manufacturing process variability and washing process is also evaluated. The results show that the manufacturing variability introduce a moisture measurement error up to 4%. The washing process impact on the sensor behavior after applying the first washing cycle implies a sensitivity reduction higher than 14%. Despite these effect, the textile sensor keeps its functionality and can be reused in standard conditions. Therefore, these properties point out the usefulness of the proposed sensor to develop wearable applications on health and fitness scope including the user needs to have a life cycle longer than one-time use

Artificial neural networks are a powerful tool for managing data that is difficult to process and interpret. This paper presents the study of artificial neural networks for information processing generated by an optical encoder based on the polarization of light. A machine learning technique is proposed to train the neural networks, such that the system can predict with remarkable accuracy the angular position in which the rotating element of the neuro-encoder is located, based on information provided by light’s phase shifting arrangements. The proposed neural designs show excellent performance in small angular intervals, and a methodology is proposed to avoid losing this remarkable characteristic in measurements from 0 to 180o or even to 360o. The neuro-encoder is implemented in simulation stage to obtain performance results. This study can be useful to improve capabilities of resolvers or other polyphasic sensors.

This paper outlines the ongoing development of a specialised mobile application to address the mental health needs of vulnerable populations in the European Union (EU). Conducted as a mixed-methods research within two EU Science and Technology Cooperation Actions, the study prioritises stakeholder feedback to identify features for initial testing and strategies to improve application uptake, using critical digital health analysis. With a focus on marginalised groups such as refugees, migrants and socio-economically disadvantaged individuals, the application aims to provide an accessible and culturally sensitive platform for mental health support, integrating evidence-based interventions such as cognitive behavioural techniques and mindfulness exercises. Key features include multilingual support, habit tracking, personalised recommendations for support and services, and real-time crisis intervention. Collaboration with stakeholders and ongoing rigorous usability testing are driving the refinement process to ensure usability, acceptability and effectiveness, underscoring the importance of user engagement in technology-based mental health interventions in the EU context and highlighting the importance of collaborative science and technology for societal benefit.

Recently Palle has investigated the chiral vorticity and Cartan torsion in neutrino asymmetries. In his case he addressed this problem in Goedel s like anisotropic Einstein-Catan cosmology. In this paper we discusse how these ideas applied to sheared Bianchi types I Einstein-Cartan (EC) neutrino amisotropic cosmology, affect the handness of neutrinos in the universe. Actually here a novel concept of the chiral metric is introduced where metric functions also possess two distinct signs as in neutrino flipping or helicity. The axial anomaly equation for neutrinos in the presence of torsion and metric chirality is shown to produce left-handed neutrinos from right-handed torsion. Metric chirality is shown to be able to define how the metric would behave far away of neutrino density. Chiral flipping of the chiral neutrinos in the presence of torsion is also investigated. It is shown that when the chiral torsion is left-handed the chemical chiral potential vanishes as the universe expands.

The Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) was used to assess the impact of biomethane plant of the “La Católica” in Pedregal-Majes-Arequipa farm, fed with cow manure and holding a production of 60 Nm3/day of purified biogas. Life cycle inventory, impact assessment and interpretation were performed. The functional unit established was 1 MJ of energy produced; the study was modeled with SimaPro software, Ecoinvent Database and ReCiPe Midpoint (H) impact assessment methodology, according to the impact categories of climate change and fossil resource depletion. The impact analysis was limited to the Well to Tank (WTT) approach, which involves feedstock transport, substrate mixed, anaerobic digestion, biogas purification, storage and injection of the fuel into transport vehicles. The digestion process generated the highest amount of CO2 emissions (1.79E-02 kg CO2 eq/MJ-biomethane) and the highest depletion of fossil resources (6.58E-03 kg oil eq/MJ-biomethane), compared to the other fuel production, due to energy consumption and transport infrastructure. Biomethane was then compared to fossil fuels, resulting in natural gas generating the least amount of CO2 emissions, followed by diesel and finally biomethane. For the fossil resource depletion category, biomethane presented the lowest amount of fossil fuel consumption (1.37E-02 kg oil eq/MJ-biomethane), followed by natural gas and diesel.

An accurate, economical, and reliable device for detecting falls in persons ambulating with the assistance of an orthopedic walker is crucially important for the elderly and patients with limited mobility. Existing wearable devices such as wristbands are not designed for walker users, and patients may not wear them at all times. This research proposes a novel idea of attaching an internet-of-things (IoT) device with an inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor directly to an orthopedic walker to perform real-time fall detection as well as activity logging. A dataset is collected and labeled for walker users in four activities, including idle, motion, step, and fall. Classic machine learning algorithms are evaluated using the dataset by comparing their classification performance. Deep learning with convolutional neural network (CNN) is also explored. Furthermore, the hardware prototype is designed by integrating a low-power microcontroller for onboard machine learning, an IMU sensor, a rechargeable battery, and Bluetooth wireless connectivity. The research results show the promise of improved safety and well-being of walker users.

In this work, two embroidered textile moisture sensors are characterized with three different conductive yarns. The sensors are based on a capacitive interdigitated structure embroidered on a cotton substrate with an embroidered conductor yarn. The performance comparison of 3 different type of conductive yarns has been addressed. In order to evaluate the sensor sensitivity, the impedance of the sensor has been measured by means of a LCR meter from 20 Hz to 20 kHz on a climatic chamber with a sweep of the relative humidity from 30% to 65% at 20 ºC. The experimental results show a clear and controllable dependence of the sensor impedance with the relative humidity and the used conductor yarns. This dependence points out the optimum conductive yarn to be used to develop wearable applications for moisture measurement.

Wellness tourism is a growing segment that destinations can rely on to increase tourism flows and revive underdeveloped rural areas. This study elicits tourists' preferences for wellness tourism products and the redevelopment of a wellness destination in a depopulated rural area. The re-search included 595 participants in Central Greece using on-site, face-to-face surveys. The survey data was analyzed using a two-step process. First, conjoint analysis was applied to determine the combination of wellness tourism product attributes that maximize visitors’ utility. In the second step, we elicited visitors' willingness to pay (WTP) for improvements in tourism product attributes using the contingent valuation method. Findings indicate that the combination of attributes that maximizes the preference structure of respondents includes time of visit from September to Oc-tober, duration of visit from 1 to 7 days, wellness tourism as the primary purpose of the visit, and wellness activities that contain both physical activities and training as well as spiritual and emo-tional enhancement. Using binary logistic regression, the analysis indicates that respondents are willing to pay 47.33€ per visit on average further to develop wellness tourism products in the study area. Empirical results confirmed that sustainability issues, quality, and entrepreneurship factors positively impact visitors' WTP for revitalizing wellness products. In contrast, a longer duration of stay in the area and respondents' age negatively impact their WTP. These findings suggest that structuring a customer-driven tourism product will enhance the rural destination's efforts to attract high-yield visitors and advance the rural economy. Furthermore, practical im-plications reveal that Destination Management Organizations will benefit from research results to foster targeted management plans.

Millimeter wave antennas have significance for high-speed, high-capacity wireless communication, delivering substantial advantages and an array of applications. This literature review analyzes the historical development, assessment of performance, difficulties with design, and contemporary applications in telecommunications, radar systems, and imaging. It covers the development of technology, especially within the context of 5G and beyond, and focuses at several antenna designs that deal with technical issues including reduction and impedance matching. The review also studies the effect of design on efficiency and bandwidth, identifying research gaps and potential futures, notably in terms of 5G technology. The commitment to develop millimeter wave antenna technology for next-generation wireless networks is evident, underlining the need of continued research and development.

The Autopoiesis and Cognition Theory (ACT), by Maturana and Varela, based on the notions of Biological Closure and Structural Coupling, is a well-known theory on how to understand biological organization [1, 2, 3]. Although, for example, the Free Energy Principle framework evokes some entailments of autopoiesis in a more formal setting [4, 5]; and ACT has been used in many fields, its impact has been restricted because it lacks quantitative analysis. Here we present a theoretical framework grounded in accepted and well-developed ideas from Mathematics and Physics which advance the understanding of the Principles of Biological Organization under the guidance of Biological Closure and Structural Coupling. The disciplines of Differential Geometry/Topology, Mechanics and Complex Dynamical Systems provide a powerful, elegant, and well-established body of knowledge to support our Biological Organization Principles (BOP) framework. In particular, Stochastic Mechanics and KAM theory (from Kolmogorov, Arnold and Moser theorem) allow us to develop, using the notions of Biological Closure and Structural Coupling, a central core of BOP termed Dynamical Closure Mechanism. Under the proposed framework, a wide variety of bio- logical phenomena can be understood, shedding new light on biological explanations. However, an understanding of biological organization may require the re-evaluation of dogmas on how we think on biology as it seems inescapable that what is needed is an integration of analysis and notions derived from mathematics, physics, and biology to generate a new landscape of ideas.

Cuba is struggling with a growing environmental problem: the uncontrolled spread of the allochthonous weed species marabou (Dichrostachys cinerea) throughout the country. Over the last 70 years, marabou has become a formidable invasive species that poses a threat to Cuban biodiversity and agricultural productivity. In this paper, we present a free and affordable method for regularly mapping the spatial distribution of the marabou based on the Google Earth Engine platform and ecological surveys. To test its accuracy, we develop an 18-year analysis (2000–2018) of marabou dynamics using the Valle de los Ingenios, a Cuban UNESCO World Heritage Site, as an experimental model. Our spatial analysis reveals clear patterns of marabou distribution and highlights areas of concentrated growth. Temporal trends illustrate the dynamic nature of the species, identifying periods of expansion and decline. In addition, our system is able to detect specific, large-scale human interventions against the marabou plague in the area. The results highlight the urgent need for remedial strategies to maintain the fragile balance in the region.

The search for new food products that promote consumers health has always been of great interest. The dairy industry is perhaps the best example regarding the emergence of new products with claimed health benefits. Cheese whey (CW), the by-product resulting from cheese production, and second cheese whey (SCW), which is the by-product of whey cheese manufacture, have proven to be potential ingredients for the development of food products with improved nutritional characteristics and other functionalities. Nowadays, due to their nutritional quality, whey products have gained a prominent position among healthy food products. However, for long, CW and SCW were usually treated as waste or as animal feed. Due to their high organic content, these by-products can cause serious environmental problems if discarded without appropriate treatment. Small and medium size dairy companies do not have equipment and structure to process whey and second cheese whey. In these cases, generally, they are used for animal feed or discarded without an appropriate treatment, being the cause of several constraints. There are several studies regarding CW valorization and there is a wide range of whey products in the market. However, in the case of SCW remains a lack of studies regarding its nutritional and functional properties, as well as ways to reuse this by-product in order to create economic value and reduce environmental impacts associated to its disposal.

Cyclooxygenases (COX), or prostaglandin endoperoxide synthases (PTGS), are key enzimes in the synthesis of prostaglandins, which are chemical species critical in mediating inflammatory processes. There are two highly homologous COX isoforms: COX-1 and COX-2. COX-1 is involved in the production of prostaglandins, chemical compuounds that take part in physiological processes such as: protection of the gastric epithelium, maintenance of renal flow, platelet aggregation, neutrophil migration and, also, are expressed in the vascular endothelium. Meanwhile, COX-2 is induced by proinflammatory stimuli. It is very frequent the use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to counteract the symptoms of inflammatory processes. These drugs, in addition to its benefits, can cause side effects on people’s health, such as cardiovascular and respiratory problems, among others. In the past years, it has been recognized the potential of plants secondary metabolites as pharmacological agents, prompting the need for investigations that shed light into its mechanism of action. In this work we have applied computational techniques, based on quantum chemistry and mechanical statistics, to study the protein-ligand interaction involving COX’s and secondary metabolites from natural sources. Our aim is to determine the structure activity interplay in processes involving the participation of secondary plant metabolites such as luteolin, galangin, kaempferol, apigenin, morine and quercetin on the inactivation of COX’s. From molecular docking analysis, we have extracted the energetics of the COX-(1,2)/metabolite coupling. By defining energy based factors, we have determined a procedure that predicts the chemical species with highest stability and selectivity towards inactivation of COX-2 over COX-1. The results are discussed with regard to conformational features of the selected ligands and its intermolecular strong/weak interactions inside the active-sites of the COX’s hosts.

Sword-duels are interesting, from a game-theoretical perspective, as they correspond to sudden-death interactions between players (i.e., defeat means removal from the game), and where victory/defeat depend on not just skill, but also luck. Analyzing probabilities of victory streaks, given a certain level of self and others' skill, is thus relevant for any application domain that can be modeled in the same way. This paper takes inspiration from Miyamoto Musashi, famously undefeated for 61 duels, and implements a Markov-chain Monte-Carlo simulation approach to evaluate this scenario. Results suggest that a 61 victory streak can be probabilistically observed when skill level is roughly 6.5 times that of the average duelist, and with 95\% confidence when skill level is roughly 1000 times that of the average duelist. More generally, this paper provides a method for determining chances of victory streaks in game-theoretical sudden-death encounters, when both "skill" and "luck" contribute to the outcome of the encounter. Specific scenarios can be modeled by modifying the utilized Markov chain and adjusting sampled distributions as required.

Probabilistic latent semantic analysis is a statistical technique developed for information retrieval and spanned many fields. It yields intuitive and solid results. However, the rigidity of the assumptions and the iterative nature derived from the Expectation-maximization algorithm generate several problems, dividing detractors and enthusiasts. In this manuscript, we first describe the Probabilistic latent semantic analysis. After, we discuss reformulations that attempt to solve these problems. We pay special attention to the works relating Probabilistic latent semantic analysis and the Singular value decomposition Theorem. Also, Probabilistic latent semantic analysis can be the basis for other techniques, such as kernelization or probabilistic transfer learning, and those that extend the descriptive character of the Principal component analysis to an inferential tool and open a window of opportunities.

Landscapes evolve due to climatic conditions, tectonic activity, geological features, biological activity, and sedimentary dynamics. These processes link geological processes at depth to surface features. Consequently, the study of landscapes can reveal essential information about the geochemical footprint of ore deposits at depth. Advances in satellite imaging and computing power have enabled the creation of large geospatial datasets, the sheer size of which necessitates automated processing. We describe a methodology to enable the automated mapping of landscape pattern domains using machine learning (ML) algorithms. From a freely available Digital Elevation Model, derived data, and sample landclass boundaries provided by domain experts, our algorithm produces a dense map of the model region in Western Australia. Both random forest and support vector machine classification achieve about 98\% classification accuracy with reasonable runtime of 48 minutes on a single core. We discuss computational resources and study the effect of grid resolution. Larger tiles result in a more contiguous map, while smaller tiles result in a more detailed, and at some point, noisy map. Diversity and distribution of landscapes mapped in this study support previous results. In addition, our results are consistent with the geological trends and main basement features in the region.

This review presents an updated overview of research concerning Leishmania protein structures, primarily sourced from the Protein Data Bank (PDB), that play a role in the metabolic pathways of the Leishmania parasite. Furthermore, we assess the current progress in the identification and development of bioactive chemical agents aimed at addressing this substantially overlooked tropical disease. We have analyzed experimental data obtained from in vitro, in vivo and in silico sources. This data has been categorized into four main areas: a) vector taxonomy and geographic distribution; b) parasite taxonomy and geographic distribution; c) enzymatic functions of proteins engaged in parasite/host interactions throughout various developmental stages (such as oxidoreductases, transferases, hydrolases, lyases, isomerases, ligases, and cytokines); and d) established and experimental treatments employing bioactive chemical compounds. Our objective is to establish a foundational point of reference for research efforts concentrating on the elucidation of interaction mechanisms and the processes of ligand-protein activation/inactivation, specifically linked to Leishmania infections. Consequently, we emphasize enzymes recognized for their involvement in the biochemical pathways incited during Leishmania infection episodes. This review encapsulates the current understanding, offering insights to inform and direct future explorations aimed at targeting proteins and pathways to enhance the management of Leishmania-related diseases.

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

Proteins and DNA exhibit key physical chemical properties that make them advantageous for building nanostructures with outstanding features. Both DNA and protein nanotechnology have growth notably and proved to be fertile disciplines. The combination of both types of nanotechnologies is helpful to overcome the individual weaknesses and limitations of each one, paving the way for the continuing diversification of the structural nanotechnologies. Recent studies have implemented a synergistic combination of both biomolecules to assemble unique and sophisticate protein-DNA nanostructures. These hybrid nanostructures are highly programmable and display remarkable features that create new opportunities to build in the nanoscale. This review focuses on the strategies deployed to create hybrid protein-DNA nanostructures. Here, we will discuss strategies such as polymerization, spatial directing and organizing, coating, rigidizing or folding DNA into particular shapes or moving parts. The enrichment of structural DNA nanotechnology by incorporating protein nanotechnology has been clearly demonstrated and still shows a large potential to create useful and advanced materials with cell-like properties or dynamic systems. It can be expected that structural protein-DNA nanotechnology will open new avenues in the fabrication of nano-assemblies with unique functional applications and enrich the toolbox of bionanotechnology.

Skin ageing is a progressive but modifiable, multi-factorial disorder that involves all skin tissues. Pertaining to its wide range of physiological and psychosocial complications, skin ageing requires rigorous clinical attention. Topical retinoids and per-oral proteoglycans are promising, non-invasive, therapeutic modalities. To overcome the low bioavailability of conventional free retinoids, Nourella® cream with Retilex-A® (Pharma Medico, Aarhus, Denmark) was developed using a proprietary nano-encapsulation technology. The nano-encapsulation is a sophisticated ‘permeation/penetration enhancer’ that optimises topical drug delivery by increasing surface availability and net absorption ratio. Treatment adherence is also improved by minimising skin irritation. Interventional evidence supports the higher efficacy of Retilex-A® in improving skin thickness and elasticity compared with conventional free forms. It is also reported that the rejuvenating efficacy of Retilex-A® and tretinoin are comparable. Another skin anti-ageing approach is proteoglycan replacement therapy (PRT) with Vercilex®. Vercilex® in Nourella® tablet has the potential to ameliorate proteoglycan dysmetabolism in the aged skin by activating skin cells and improving collagen/elastin turnover. Replicated clinical trials evidenced that PRT can significantly enhance the density, elasticity and thickness of both intrinsically aged and photoaged skin. Evidently, Vercilex® and Retilex-A® share a range of bioactivities, which underlies their synergistic activity observed in a clinical trial. Dual therapy with Nourella® tablets and cream produced higher effect sizes on skin characteristics than monotherapy with each of the two treatments. In conclusion, Nourella® cream and tablets are safe and effective treatments for skin ageing; however, combining the two in a ‘dual skin rejuvenation system’ significantly improves treatment outcomes.

Summer annual species are the most widely grown crops in the Upper Midwest, but reliance on a summer annual system has led to excessive soil and nutrient loss when crops are not present. Integrating winter rye (Secale cereale L.), known for its hardiness and environmental benefits, into the rotation can address these issues. However, there's limited understanding of the phenotypic diversity in winter rye during key growth stages that overlap with the typical planting dates for corn (Zea mays L.), soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr], and late-planted crops like dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Thus, the objectives of this study were to evaluate changes in biomass accumulation and quality of winter rye and triticale (x Triticosecale Wittmack) cultivars at three growth stages. Twenty cultivars were assessed over the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 growing seasons across three environments in Minnesota. Winter rye and triticale were harvested for biomass at the tillering, booting, and soft dough growth stages and rye biomass yield and quality [i.e., crude protein, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and 48-hour digestibility (NDFD)] were determined following harvest. Overall, there was little variation in each parameter among the cultivars within a location and growth stage. NDFD had some variation at the soft dough stage where digestibility ranged from 273 to 324 g kg-1 at the Crookston site and 332 to 406 g kg-1 at the St. Paul site. The lack of difference between cultivars indicates a wide range of choice when selecting a winter rye cultivar.

This article aims to delve into the Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI) issues prevalent in the engineering disciplines in Canada and Spain, shedding light on the common obstacles faced by underrepresented individuals and highlighting potential strategies to foster a more inclusive and diverse engineering community in these nations. Two strategic lines have been identified: (a) facilitating university education access to underrepresented and minority groups, and (b) Accompanying and guiding such students during university training, setting them up for successful future careers. The article also shows the sets of strategies employed in Canada and Spain, clearly distinguishing the approach taken in the two countries. While in Canada, there is a more decentralized approach wherein the universities device their strategies and agenda to address EDI issues, in Spain there is a stronger and direct involvement of the government to ensure a comprehensive, system-wide approach to tackling EDI issues in academia.

The strong couplings among ecological, economic, social and technological processes explains the complexification of human-made systems, and phenomena such as globalization, climate change, the increased urbanization and inequality of human societies, the power of information, and the COVID-19 syndemics. Among complexification’s essential features are non-decomposability, asynchronous behavior, components with many degrees of freedom, increased likelihood of catastrophic events, irreversibility, nonlinear phase spaces with immense combinatorial sizes, and the impossibility of long-term, detailed prediction. Sustainability for complex systems implies enough efficiency to explore and exploit their dynamic phase spaces and enough flexibility to coevolve with their environments. This in turn means solving intractable nonlinear semi-structured dynamic multi-objective optimization problems, with conflicting, incommensurable, non-cooperative objectives and purposes, under dynamic uncertainty, restricted access to materials, energy and information, and a given time horizon, aiming at enhancing the co-evolutionary power of the Biosphere and its human subsystems. Giving the high-stakes, the need for effective, efficient, diverse solutions, their local-global, present-future effects, and their unforeseen short, medium and long-term impacts, achieving sustainable complex systems implies the need for Sustainability-designed Universal Intelligent Agents, harnessing the strong functional coupling between human, artificial and nonhuman biological intelligence in a no-zero-sum game to achieve sustainability.

Purpose To analyse diagnostic and therapeutic impact of molecular imaging TNM (miTNM) stage obtained with 18F-DCFPyL versus 18F-Fluorocholine in head to head comparison in biochemical recurrence (BCR) prostate cancer (PCa). Material and methods Patients with BCR PCa after radical treatment with previous 18F-Fluorocholine-PET/CT (negative or oligometastatic disease) were derived to 18F-DCFPyL-PET/CT. Patients were classified attending to: grade group, EAU classification, PSA, PSA doubling time (PSAdt) and PSA velocity (PSAvel). The overall detection rate (DR) and miTNM stage according to PROMISE criteria were assessed for both radiotracers and also correlation (Kappa). The influence of PSA and kinetics on both PET/CT (DR and miTNM) and predictive value of unfavourable kinetics on miTNM were determined. Cut-off PSA, PSAdt and PSAvel values able to predict PET/CT results were determined. Change in miTNM and treatment derived of 18F-DCFPyL information with respect to 18F-Fluorocholine was also evaluated. Results We studied 138 patients. 18F-DCFPyL showed a higher DR than 18F-Fluorocholine (64.5% vs 33.3%). 18F-DCFPyL and 18F-Fluorocholine detected T in 33.3% versus 19.6%, N in 27.5% versus 13.8%, M in 30.4% versus 8.7%. Both tracers DR showed significant associations with PSA and PSAvel. Significant association was only found between miTNM and PSA on 18F-Fluorocholine-PET/CT (p=0.033). For 18F-Fluorocholine and 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT a PSAdt cut-off of 4.09 and 5.59 months, respectively, were able to predict M stage. 18F-DCFPyL changed therapeutic management in 40/138 patients. Conclusion 18F-DCFPyL provides a higher DR and superior miTNM staging than 18F-Fluorocholine in restaging BCR, especially with high PSA and unfavourable PSA kinetics, showing a fair agreement to 18F-Fluorocholine.

The present study contributes to bridging the gap on research related to the presence and distribution patterns of carnivore mammals in the western state of Michoacán, highlighting the importance and need to increase efforts aimed at the study and monitoring of wildlife present in this region. The distribution of carnivore in western Mexico was modeled through the application a two-scale approach: a large, modeled region, corresponding to the western part of the country, for which models were obtained that represent the distribution potential of the species, and, the second modeled study area that includes only the western portion of the state of Michoacán, in which models of the current distribution of the species for this region were proposed. A series of predictive models were generated on the current distribution of 11 species of carnivore species (Canis latrans, Urocyon cinereoargenteus, Herpailurus yagouaroundi, Leopardus pardalis, Leopardus wiedii, Puma concolor, Panthera onca, Conepatus leuconotus, Bassariscus astutus, Nasua narica, Procyon lotor), from which, prioritization exercises were carried out on important areas for the conservation of these species, as well as the comparison and analysis of the existing natural protected areas (NPA) in the study area. The different exercises for prioritizing areas for conservation yielded similar results and show the potential percentages of the landscape that can be subjected to protection and conservation programs.

The Canal of Aragon and Catalonia (CAC) is 134 km long and irrigates 105,000 ha (131 irrigation user communities) and it is own by the River Ebro’s Water Agency. The aqueducts are located between km 67 and 71 of the canal and were designed by the Civil Engineer Félix de los Ríos Martín in 1907. The cross-section of both aqueducts, Coll de Foix and Capedevila, was extended within the framework of the project by Fernando Hué Herrero in 1962 in order to reach design flows of 26.1 m3/s and 25.7 m3/s, respectively. The structural performance of the aqueducts has been satisfactory, nevertheless the hydraulic capacity has reduced over the years. As a result, the irrigation user communities have expressed the need to extend the cross-section of the aqueducts to meet the irrigation demands. Given the age of the structure and the different design considerations at the time, it is paramount to verify the structural reliability of the aqueducts in the new load configuration. Therefore, the objective of the paper is to present the structural safety analysis conducted and describe the new extended cross-section for both aqueducts (maintaining the original structural typology).

A nanostructured electrochemical bi-sensor system for analysis of milks has been developed using the Layer by Layer technique. The non-enzymatic sensor [CHI+IL/CuPcS]2, is a layered material containing a negative film of the anionic sulfonated copper phthalocyanine (CuPcS) acting as electrocatalytic material, and a cationic layer containing a mixture of an ionic liquid (IL) (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate) that enhances the conductivity and chitosan (CHI) that facilitates the enzyme immobilization. The biosensor ([CHI+IL/CuPcS]2-GAO) results from the immobilization of galactose oxidase on the top of the LbL layers. FTIR, UV-vis and AFM have confirmed the proposed structure and cyclic voltammetry has demonstrated the amplification caused by the combination of materials in the film. Sensors have been combined to form an electronic tongue for milk analysis. Principal Component Analysis has revealed the ability of the sensor system to discriminate between milk samples with different lactose content. Using PLS-1 calibration models, correlations have been found between the voltammetric signals and chemical parameters measured by classical methods. PLS-1 models provide excellent correlations with lactose content. Additional information about other components such as fats, proteins and acidity can also be obtained. The method developed is simple and the short response time permits its use in assaying milk samples on-line.

Background. To determine the effectiveness and safety of meropenem in routine clinical practice, in terms of clinical and microbiological response. Methods. A real-world, observational, descriptive, longitudinal study with daily monitoring of clinical history records was conducted on all patients who were medically prescribed meropenem during a period between October 2015 and March 2016 at a university hospital in Bucaramanga (Colombia). Results. The study evaluated 84 patients with an average age of 63.2 years, mostly older adults with multiple comorbidities, of whom 54.8% were men. A positive clinical or microbiological response was obtained in 98.8% of the patients. At the end of the treatments, significant improvements in dysthermia (0% vs 29% at the beginning, p = 0.000), tachycardia (13% vs 47%, p = 0.049) and leukocytosis (39% vs 15% at the beginning, p = 0.008) were evidenced. The improvement in the indicator that combines all the SIRS criteria was also significant (p = 0.000). The treatment was well tolerated, although we identified some non-serious and expected adverse reactions. Conclusions. Generic meropenem proved to be effective and well tolerated for different types of infection in routine clinical practice. The results are consistent with the findings of the clinical studies with the innovator drug.

Evolutionary psychology theories propose that contact with green, natural environments may benefit physical health, but little comparable evidence exists for brown, natural environments, such as the desert. In this study, we examined the association between “brownness” and “greenness” with fasting glucose among young residents of El Paso, Texas. We defined brownness as the surface not covered by vegetation or impervious land within Euclidian buffers around participants’ homes. Fasting glucose along with demographic and behavioral data was obtained from the Nurse Engagement and Wellness Study (N = 517). We found that residential proximity to brownness was not associated with fasting glucose when modeled independently. In contrast, we found that residential greenness was associated with decreased levels of fasting glucose, despite the relatively low levels of greenness within the predominantly desert environment of El Paso. A difference between the top and bottom greenness exposure quartiles within a 250 m buffer was associated with a 3.5 mg/dL decrease in fasting glucose levels (95% confidence interval: -6.2, -0.8). Our results suggest that within the understudied context of the desert, green vegetation may be health-promoting to a degree that is similar to other, non-desert locations in the world that have higher baselines levels of green.

The capability to avoid other air traffic is a fundamental component of the layered conflict management system to ensure safe and efficient operations in the National Airspace System. The evaluation of systems designed to mitigate the risk of midair collisions of manned aircraft are based on large-scale modeling and simulation efforts and a quantitative volume defined as a near midair collision (NMAC). Since midair collisions are difficult to observe in simulation and are inherently rare events, basing evaluations on NMAC enables a more robust statistical analysis. However, an NMAC and its underlying assumptions for assessing close encounters with manned aircraft do not adequately consider the different characteristics of smaller UAS-only encounters. The primary contribution of this paper is to explore quantitative criteria to use when simulating two or more smaller UASs in sufficiently close proximity that a midair collision might reasonably occur and without any mitigations to reduce the likelihood of a midair collision. The criteria assumes a historically motivated upper bound for the collision likelihood and subsequently identify the smallest possible NMAC analogs. We also demonstrate the NMAC analogs can be used to support modeling and simulation activities.

Despite the important role that the GH/IGF-I axis plays in vascular homeostasis, these kind of growth factors barely appear in articles addressing the neovascularization process. Currently, the vascular endothelium has turned to be considered as an authentic gland of internal secretion due to the wide variety of released factors and functions with local effect, including the paracrine/autocrine production of GH or IGF-I, for which the endothelium has specific receptors. In this comprehensive review, it will be described the evidence involving these proangiogenic hormones in arteriogenesis dealing with the arterial occlusion and making of them a potential therapy. It will be analyzed all those elements triggering the local and systemic production of GH/IGF-I and their possible role both in physiological and pathological conditions. The whole evidence will be combined with important data from the GHAS trial, in which GH or placebo were administrated to patients suffering from critical limb ischemia with no option for revascularization. We postulate that GH, alone or in combination, should be considered as a promising therapeutic agent for helping in the approach of the ischemic disease.

In the marine environment, fish parasites are present in most species of seafood. The most com-mon is Anisakis spp. a nematode that can parasitize human tissues causing anisakiasis and al-lergies, in some cases with a strong reaction such as anaphylactic shock in sensitive people. This happens when people ingest live or dead larvae present in the muscles or viscera of a wide range of seafood, fish and cephalopods. Consumer education has been positioned as one of the most ef-fective alternatives for its prevention. This study sought to identify the species that present the greatest risk of anisakiasis for consumers taking into account sex, age and their knowledge about this parasitosis. The objective was to offer recommendations for better consumer information to-wards the prevention of infections by worm larvae. The results revealed that the species most at risk were hake and cod and that young participants know more about the risks of anisakiasis from raw seafood. The gaps detected in the knowledge about the ability of thermal treatments to eliminate parasites, especially in allergic people, must be addressed for better prevention, sug-gesting campaigns adapted by sectors of the population.

In this study, the physical properties of briquettes produced from two different biomass feedstocks (sawdust and date palm trunk) and different plastic wastes were investigated, without using any external binding agent. The biomass feedstocks were blended with different ratios of two WEEE plastics (halogen-free wire and print circuit boards (PCB)) and automotive shredder residues (ASR). The briquettes production is studied at different waste proportions (10-30%), pressures (22-67 MPa) and temperatures (room-130 ˚C). Physical properties as density and durability rating were measured, usually increasing with temperature. Palm trunk gave better results than sawdust in most cases, due to its moisture content and the extremely fine particles that are easily obtained.

MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that are implicated in several physiological processes such as cell development, proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, immune response and angiogenesis. In the last couple of decades, several studies on miRNA profiling in OSCC have tried to associate miRNAs with clinical characteristics such as relapse, metastasis, and survival, however, the results have been found to vary considerably, sometimes even being contradictory. The main objective of our study was to analyse and verify miRNA expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma in a Spanish population. Second, we attempted to associate the identified deregulated miRNAs with molecular pathways. 8 Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma patients and 8 healthy control samples were analysed by a microarray Affymetrix® miRNA 4.1 array plate and validated with 8 more cases using RT-qPCR. Deregulated miRNAs were studied using Diana Tools miRPath 3.0 to associate miRNA targets with molecular pathways. Microarray analysis identified 80 deregulated miRNAs (35 over-expressed and 45 under-expressed). Only miR-497-5p and miR-4417 maintained its deregulated expression after validation with qPCR. Among the molecular pathways in which deregulated miRNAs could be implicated, the most statistically significant pathway was ‘proteoglycans in cancer’. No relationship was found between miR-497-5p or miR-4417 expression and clinical or pathological parameters except of nodular affectation (high miR-4417 expression in patients with nodular affectation, p = 0.035) and radiotherapy (diminished miR-497-5p expression in patients who needed radiotherapy, p = 0.05). We have verified the altered expression of miR-497-5p and miR-4417 in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma samples and related the deregulated miRNAs with the ‘proteoglycans in cancer’ pathway.

The shortage of quantum computers, and their current state of development, constraints research in many fields that could benefit from quantum computing. Although the work of a quantum computer can be simulated with classical computing, personal computers take so long to run quantum experiments that they are not very useful for the progress of research. This manuscript presents an open quantum computing simulation platform that enables quantum computing researchers to have access to high performance simulations. This platform, called QUTE, relies on a supercomputer powerful enough to simulate general purpose quantum circuits of up to 38 qubits, and even more under particular simulations. This manuscript describes in-depth the characteristics of the QUTE platform and the results achieved in certain classical experiments in this field, which would give readers an accurate idea of the system capabilities.

Plastid genomes are in general highly conserved given their slow evolutionary rate, thus large changes in their structure are unusual. However, when specific rearrangements are present, they are often phylogenetically informative. Asteraceae is a highly diverse family whose evolution is long driven by polyploidy (up to 48x) and hybridisation, both processes usually complicating systematic inferences. In this study, we have generated one of the most comprehensive plastome-based phylogenies of family Asteraceae, providing information about the structure, genetic diversity, and repeat composition of these sequences. By comparing the whole plastome sequences obtained, we confirmed the double inversion located in the long single copy region, for most of the species analysed (with the exception of basal tribes), a well-known feature for Asteraceae plastomes. We also show that genome size, gene order and gene content are highly conserved along the family. However, species representative of the basal subfamily Barnadesioideae -as well as in the sister family Calyceraceae - are lacking the pseudogene rps19 located in one inverted repeat. The phylogenomic analysis conducted here, based on 63 protein-coding genes, 30 transfer RNA genes and 21 ribosomal RNA genes from 36 species of Asteraceae, are overall consistent with the general consensus for the family’s phylogeny, while resolving the position of tribe Senecioneae and revealing some incongruences at tribe level between reconstructions based on nuclear and plastid DNA data.

Background: Proteins targeted by the Ubiquitin Proteasome System (UPS) are identified for degradation by the proteasome, which has been implicated in the development of neuro-degenerative diseases. Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules present peptides broken down by the proteasome and are involved in neuronal plasticity, regulating synapse number and axon regeneration in the central or peripheral nervous system during develop-ment and in brain diseases. The mechanisms governing these effects are mostly unknown, but evidence from different compartments of the cerebral cortex indicates the presence of im-mune-like MHC receptors in the central nervous system. Methods: We have used human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) differentiated to neural stem cells and then to motor neurons as a developmental model to better understand the structure of the proteasome in developing motor neurons. We perform a proteomic analysis of starting human skin fibroblasts, their matching iPSC, differentiated neural stem cells and motor neurons that highlighted significant differences in the constitutive proteasome and immunoproteasome subunits during development towards motor neurons from iPSC. Results: Proteomic analysis showed that the catalytic proteasome subunits expressed in fi-broblasts differ to those in neural stem cells and motor neurons. Western blot analysis con-firmed the proteomic data, particularly the decreased expression of Beta5i (PSMB8) subunit immunoproteasome. Conclusion: The constitutive proteasome subunits are upregulated in iPSC from HFF and the immunoproteasome subunit beta 5i expression is higher in MN than NSC suggesting a im-munoproteasome phenotype in MN. The immunoproteasome may have implications on motor neuron development and neurodevelopmental diseases that warrants further investi-gation.

Top-down models are defined by hardware architects to provide information on the utilization of the different hardware components. The target is to isolate the users from the complexity of the hardware architecture while giving them insight into how efficiently the code is using the resources. In this paper, we explore the applicability of 4 top-down models defined for different hardware architectures powering state-of-the-art HPC clusters (Intel Skylake, Fujitsu A64FX, IBM Power9, and Huawei Kunpeng 920) and propose a model for AMD Zen 2. We study a parallel CFD code used for scientific production to compare these 5 Top-Down models. We evaluate the level of insight achieved, the clarity of the information, the ease of use, and the conclusions that each one allows us to reach.

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

We compare the well known Rayleigh-Ritz variational method (RRVM) with a recently proposed approach based on supersymmetric quantum mechanics and the Gram-Schmidt orthogonalization method (SSQMGS). We apply both procedures to a particular class of double-well harmonic oscillators that had been conveniently chosen for the application of the latter approach. The RRVM eigenvalues converge smoothly from above providing much more accurate results with less computational effort. Present results show that the unproved SSQMGS upper bounds do not hold.

Transcriptional regulation constitutes a key step in gene expression regulation. Myocyte enhancer factor 2C (MEF2C) is a transcription factor of MADS box family involved in the early development of several cell types including muscle cells. Over the last decade a novel layer of complexity modulating gene regulation is emerging as non-coding RNAs have been identified, impacting in both transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation. microRNAs represent the most studied and abundantly expressed subtype of small non-coding RNAs and their functional role have been widely documented. On the other hand, our knowledge on the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms that drive microRNA expression is still incipient. We recently demonstrated that MEF2C is able to transactive the long, but not short, regulatory element upstream of miR-23a-miR-27a-miR-24-2 transcriptional start site. However, MEF2C over-expression and silencing, respectively, displayed distinct effects on each of the miR-23a-miR-27a-miR-24-2 mature cluster members, without affecting pri-miRNA expression levels, supporting thus additional MEF2C-driven regulatory mechanisms. Within this study we demonstrated a complex post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms directed by MEF2C in the regulation of miR-23a-miR-27a-miR-24-2 cluster members, distinctly involving different domains of the MEF2C transcription factor and the physical interaction with pre-miRNAs and RNA interacting proteins such as Ksrp, HnRNPa3 and Ddx17.

The utilization of eco-fonts for office printing is a sustainable, “green” printing concept, which has obvious economic benefits. As a result, it has a significant effect on environmental sustainability. This practice's fundamental problem is the decreased quality of text printed using eco-fonts compared to those printed with regular fonts. The aim of this research is eco-font efficiency estimation, i.e. determination of toner usage reduction level of inkjet-printed documents typed with this font type, as well as estimation of the extent humans perceive differences between text printed with eco-font and the one printed by its “non-eco“ equivalent. Combining the instrumental measuring method and digital image analysis, it was found that this simple principle (eco-font utilization) enables substantial toner usage reduction for an inkjet printing system. At the same time, a visual test showed that the visual experience of text printed using eco-font was sufficient. In addition, awareness of the benefits that eco-font utilization brings, change users’ attitude towards eco-font quality. The concept of removing the black pixel from this commonly used Thai font has a great potential for the sustainability printing process, and this simple solution could be applied to other languages as part of the GIT campaign.

A two-factor account has been proposed as an explanatory model for the formation and maintenance of delusions. The first factor refers to a neurocognitive process leading to a significant change in subjective experience; the second factor has been regarded as a failure in hypothesis evaluation characterized as an impairment of metacognitive ability. This study was focused on the assessment of metacognition in patients with schizophrenia. The aims of the study were to measure the overconfidence in metacognitive judgments through the prediction of word list recall; and to analyze the correlation between basic neurocognition: memory and executive function and metacognition through a metamemory test and the severity of psychotic symptoms. Method: 51 participants with diagnosis the of Schizophrenia were evaluated. The PANNS was used to assess the severity of psychiatric symptoms and the subtest of Metamemory included in the BANFE Battery was used to evaluate overconfidence and underestimations errors, intrusion and perseverative response, and total volume of recall. Results. The strongest correlation are observed between overconfidence errors and the positive factor of the PANSS (r= 0.774, p

Some evidence supports the influence of the implant macro-design and primary stability. Additionally, tactile perception can be used to assess implant stability when placing the implant. This research aimed to quantify the primary and secondary stability of three implant systems with two different macro geometries (cylindrical and conical) determined through the insertion torque and the implant stability quotient (ISQ) at the moment of implant placement as a function of implant-related factors (length, width, dental arch, and implant location in the arch), intraoperative factors (bone density determined subjectively by the clinician's tactile perception), and patient-related factors (age, gender and bone density determined objectively in the cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). Methods: 102 implants of three implant systems with two different macro geometries (conical and cylindrical) were placed in 53 patients. The insertion torque, the ISQ at the implant placement (ISQ0), and bone quality according to the clinician's tactile sensation were recorded on the day of the surgery. After a three-month healing period, the ISQ was re-evaluated (ISQ3). Results: Cylindrical implants exhibited significantly higher insertion torque and ISQ at the moment of the surgery and after three months than conical implants. Cylindrical implants also showed significantly lower indices of tactile evaluation of bone quality during the implant placement surgery. However, no differences were demonstrated in the bone density measured objectively in the CBCT. (4) Conclusions: The cylindrical implants achieved the highest values for primary stability (Ncm and ISQ) and secondary stability (ISQ after three months). Insertion torque was the variable that most influenced ISQ on the day of the surgery. Implant location (incisors-canines, bicuspids-molars) and the implant macro geometry were the variables that most influenced the secondary stability (ISQ at three months).

The enzymatic activities of bacterial isolates have been widely studied, but a spatial distribution of this activity is rarely focused. New antibiotic-producing microorganisms can be discovered in a more efficient manner if spatial statistical techniques are applied to the distribution of the activity of bacterial isolates in different terrains. This study is focused to generate a series of maps illustrating the spatial distribution of different soil parameters and the inhibition against relative-safe pathogens (like Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella, Pseudomonas fluorencens and Enterobacter cloacae) in an urban park in València (Spain). This spatial data has demonstrated a higher proportion of isolates was specifically allocated. This routine of data presentation is valuable for understanding bacterial population dynamics at a local level.

This paper presents a Multilayer Perceptron and Support Vector Machine algorithms approach to predict the number of COVID19 infections in different countries of America. It intends to serve as a tool for decision-making and tackling the pandemic that the world is currently facing. The models were trained and tested using open data from the European Union repository where a time series of confirmed contagious cases was modeled until May 25, 2020. The hyperparameters as number of neurons per layer were set up using a tabu list algorithm. The countries selected to carry out the study were Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and the United States. The metrics used are Pearson's correlation coefficient (CP), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), and Mean Percentage Error (MPE). For the testing stage we obtained the following results: Brazil, CP=0.65, MAE=2508 and MPE=17%; Chile, CP=0.64, MAE=504, MPE=16%; Colombia, CP=0.83, MAE=76, MPE=9%; Mexico, CP=0.77, MAE=231, MPE=9%; Peru, CP=0.76, MAE=686, MPE=18% and the United States of America, CP=0.93, MAE=799, MPE=4%. This resulted in powerful machine learning tools although it is necessary to use specific algorithms depending on the data and the stage of the country’s pandemic.

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.

Autism has been described as a gastrointestinal and neurological condition that is represented by impairments in language and social situations. Recently reported increases in the occurrence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have resulted in increased research into the environmental differences between areas with a high occurrence, as in the “Western” diet populations, and a more locally derived diet population, wherein the rate appears to be significantly less. Thirty autistic children (USA) ages 6 to 21, were sampled at three different intervals: prior to any intervention, post-xylitol intervention, and post-probiotic intervention. The sampling consisted of buccal swabs for MITOSWAB testing, and saliva for metatranscriptomics to determine the entire range of microorganisms and the metabolome. In addition, a “Blue Zone” subject component that included 30 Colombian children, ages 6-16, and who were healthy and within normal behavior standards, also had buccal swabbing and salivary sampling performed for comparison along with 30 healthy (no history medications, illnesses, or behavior issues) USA children matched for age and gender. Saliva samples were analyzed metatranscriptomically and artificial intelligence was utilized to discern important differences in the microbiome that included bacteria, archaea, fungi, and viruses, and microbial functions. Significant differences were noted, and seen in the temporal data, demonstrating shifts that may have been precipitated by the interventions, with both the probiotics and the polyols. Particular bacterial strains were significantly more prevalent in the autism subject group including a strain that reduces neurotransmitters by enzymatic degradation. This provided supporting evidence to the hypothesis that the occurrence of autism may also be influenced by low Gamma Amino Butyric Acid (GABA) levels during development. Also, of interest was the un-expected finding that verbal skills dramatically increased in 6 of the 30 ASD subjects following xylitol supplementation.

Preterm birth accounts for about 10% of births worldwide. Studying risk factors for perinatal brain damage is essential, as findings suggest that almost 20% of disabilities are linked to risks in the early stages of development. This research aimed to study longitudinal changes in intelligence from 6 to 8 years of age in a sample of 39 preterm children with a history of risk of brain damage and a control group of 35 children born at term. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale (WISC-IV) was used for cognitive measurement. The results showed that the preterm group obtained significantly lower scores than the control group. The working memory indicator significantly affected the interaction between age and prematurity. We consider that it is crucial to expand the knowledge we have about the neurocognitive development of premature infants both in specific cognitive domains and in age ranges so that the information obtained helps to predict the probability of presenting cognitive alterations from early stages and, therefore, to implement intervention strategies and programs based on scientific evidence and complemented in their design by clinical experience, empirical and theoretical knowledge of the different professionals involved in infant cognitive intervention.

The use of mobile devices facilitates access to knowledge and is at the base of the education of the future. Although the digital society has contributed a number of benefits, however, it has also been associated with worrying behaviours. The study design consisted of a quantitative approach that was descriptive, inferential and ex post-facto in nature. Its purpose was to better understand the opinion of young people regarding mobile phone use and describe dependence deriving from regular use. The sample was formed of 420 students from the Faculty of Education at the University of Granada. Results indicate that mobile phone use has displaced use of other technologies such as the television, and is associated with communication and recreational activities. In addition, a profile was identified for young people at greater risk of developing a dependence on their mobile devices. This profile constituted females, mobile phone users with recreational motives and individuals who exceeded mobile phone use by more than six hours a day. To improve the educational use of mobile phone, prevention and intervention plans must be designed which ensure correct management of this device, taking advantage of the benefits it offers whilst avoiding problems derived from inappropriate use.

Laser Cladding is one of the leading processes within Additive Manufacturing technologies, a fact which has concentrated an important amount of effort on its development. In regard to the latter, the current study aims to summarize the influence of the most relevant process parameters in the laser cladding processing of single and compound volumes (solid forms) made from AISI 316L stainless steel powders and using a coaxial nozzle for deposition. Process speed, applied laser power and powder flow are considered to be the main variables affecting laser cladding in single clads, meanwhile overlap percentage and overlapping strategy become also relevant when dealing with multiple clads. By means of setting appropriate values of each process parameter, the main goal of this paper is to develop a processing window in which a good metallurgical bond between the delivered powder and substrate is obtained, trying simultaneously to maintain processing times in their lowest value possible. Conventional metallography techniques were performed on the cross sections of the laser tracks to measure the effective dimensions of clads for dilution analysis, height and width for the values of overlap between contiguous clads and layers, and also to analyze them for physical defects such as porosity and cracks. The resulting solid piece was 8 mm high at 800 mm/min.

Annually, an estimated 13-26 million newborns need respiratory support and 2-3 million newborns need extensive resuscitation, defined as chest compression and 100% oxygen with or without epinephrine in the delivery room. Despite such care, there is a high incidence of mortality and short-term neurologic morbidity. The poor prognosis associated with receiving chest compression alone or with medications in the delivery room raises questions as to whether improved cardiopulmonary resuscitation methods specifically tailored to the newborn could improve outcomes. This review discusses the current recommendations, mode of action, different compression to ventilation ratio, continuous chest compression with asynchronous ventilations, chest compression and sustained inflation optimal depth, and oxygen concentration during cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

In this paper, a new anode environmentally friendly for hydrogen production was developed based on 430 stainless steel with an electrodeposited cobalt layer. The novelty of this work is the cobalt source once the electrodeposition bath was obtained from recycling of spent Li-ion batteries cathode with composition LiCoO₂. The electrodeposited cobalt behaves as supercapacitor in KOH 1M. In the linear voltammetry in KOH 1M, when the overpotential reaches 370 mV, the anodic density current for 430 SS/Co is 19 mA cm⁻². Thus, the anode developed in this paper achieves the double of density current with half of production cost if compared with 316SS. Moreover the anode construction described in this paper is an excellent option for Li- ion battery recycling.

In this paper the application of recycled Li-ion batteries spent cathode (LIB-SC) combined with NaHCO₃/H₂O₂ system is presented for the first time in the literature as an alternative for degradation of potentially toxic organic molecules. The model pollutant choice was methylene blue molecule. The spent cathode composition corresponds to LiCoO₂, which was proved by the XRD and EDX. Regarding the decolorization of methylene blue solution, the addition of NaHCO₃ in comparison with only H₂O₂ reduces the complete decolorization time in 96%. This reduction occurs because the radical CO₃ is more stable than OH. In this way, the application the system proposed in this article is aimed at solving two major global problems: the disposal of cell phone batteries and the pollution of liquid effluents.

One of the non-linear phenomena that affect high bandwidth and long reach communication systems is the non-linear phenomenon called four-wave mixing (FWM). Unfortunately, the simulation of such systems aiming to obtain their design parameter limitations require more time as the number of channels increases. In this paper, we propose a new high-performance computational model to obtain optimal design parameters in a multi san Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) system, limited by FWM and the intrinsic Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) noise of optical amplifiers employed in each segment. The simulation in this work provides a complete optical design characterization and compares the efficiency and speed improvement of the proposed parallelization model versus a previous sequential model. Additionally, an analysis of the computational complexity of parallel model is presented, where two parallel implementations are used. First, Open Multi−Processing (OpenMP), based on the use of a central, multi-core processing unit is used and secondly the Compute Unified Device Arquitecture (CUDA), which is based on the use of graphics processing unit. Results show that parallelism improves to up to 40 times the performance of the simulation when nested parallelization with CUDA is used, over de sequential method and up to 6 times compared with the implementation with OpenMP using 12 processors. Within our parallel implementation, it is possible to simulate with an increased number of channels, that was unpractical in the sequential simulation.

In Tunisia, olive is the most cultivated fruit crop while in the north where rainfall exceeded 400mm.year-1, the olive growing area is in widely extension in marginal soil with high slope gradient. Thus, the inclusion of cover crops is a sustainable solution to increase the ecosystem productivity, improve the soil fertility and oil yields. But, in Tunisia a few study were investigated the effect of legumes cover crop on the olive productivity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the short-term (two cropping seasons s 2021 and 2022) effects of different seeded cover crops and soil management practices on the cover crops and soil characteristics, as well as enzymes activities and related microbial diversity. Six intercropping were tested in rainfed olive orchards (cv.Chétoui): Spontaneous vegetation (Spont), Wheat, Vetch, Oat, Fenugreek, mixture Vetch-Oat and compared to control (3 periodic tillage/year without intercropping). During the first cropping season, cover crops were cut as animal feed and only residues were incorporated into the soil. While, during the second year, all cover crops biomass were incorporated into the soil. Results indicate that the dry biomass and carbon uptake were significantly higher in grasses species (Wheat and Oat). But, highest level of nitrogen was found in Fenugreek cover crops. As compared to control, all cover crops including spontaneous vegetation increased soil organic matter and macronutrient level, mainly phosphorus. The most activity of β-glucosidase, phosphatase and arysulphatase was found in the cover crops plot of wheat and oat. In addition, this study improve that the utilization of the carbon sources was dominated by amides, amine and amino-acids in the fenugreek plot; while it was dominated by polymers and carboxylic acids in the case of wheat and oat.

This paper investigates the effects of air void topology on hydraulic conductivity in asphalt mixtures with porosity in the range 14%-31%. Virtual asphalt pore networks were generated using the Intersected Stacked Air voids (ISA) method, with its parameters being automatically adjusted by the means of a differential evolution optimisation algorithm, and then 3D printed using transparent resin. Permeability tests were conducted on the resin samples to understand the effects of pore topology on hydraulic conductivity. Moreover, the pore networks generated virtually were compared to real asphalt pore networks captured via X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) scans. The optimised ISA method was able to generate realistic 3D pore networks corresponding to those seen in asphalt mixtures in term of visual, topological, statistical and air void shape properties. It was found that, in the range of porous asphalt materials investigated in this research, the high dispersion in hydraulic conductivity at constant air void content is a function of the average air void diameter. Finally, the relationship between average void diameter and the maximum aggregate size and gradation in porous asphalt materials was investigated.

Background: This study analyzes sex-based differences in renal structure and response to the Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE) inhibitor enalapril in a mouse model of atherosclerosis. Methods: ApoE-/- mice (8 weeks old) received enalapril (5 mg/kg/day, subcutaneous) or PBS as a control for an additional 14 weeks. Each group consisted of six males and six females. Results: Females exhibited elevated LDL-cholesterol levels, while males presented higher creatinine levels and proteinuria. Enalapril effectively reduced blood pressure in both groups, but proteinuria decreased significantly only in females. Plaque size analysis and assessment of kidney inflammation revealed no significant sex-based differences. However, males displayed more severe glomerular injury, with increased mesangial expansion, mesangiolysis, glomerular foam cells and activated parietal epithelial cells (PECs). Enalapril mitigated mesangial expansion, glomerular inflammation (particularly in females), and the hypertrophy of PECs in males. Conclusion: This study demonstrates sex-based differences in the response to enalapril in a mouse model of atherosclerosis. Males exhibited more severe glomerular injury, while enalapril provided renal protection, particularly in females. These findings suggest potential sex-specific considerations for ACE inhibitor therapy in chronic kidney disease and atherosclerosis cardiovascular disease. Further research is needed to elucidate the underlying mechanism behind these observations.

This study investigates the valorization potential of yellowfin tuna tails for the production of high-value commercial products. Muscle and skins were firstly mechanically separated by using a specifically designed device. The muscle was then used as a nitrogen source for the growth of the proteolytic enzymes-producer Bacillus subtilis, whereas the skins were employed for gelatin extrac-tion. The proteases from Bacillus subtilis were partially purified and used to produce antioxidant peptides from gelatin obtained. The gelatin obtained formed a gel upon cooling, with gelling and melting temperatures at 16 ºC and 22 ºC, respectively, and Bloom Strength of ≈ 160. RSM was used to determine the optimal hydrolysis conditions to obtain the highest antioxidant activity (35.96%, measured as DPPH radical scavenging activity), which were 50°C / 6.5 IU of enzyme. The findings emphasize the importance of an integrated approach to maximize the value of tuna by-products, promoting sustainability in the frame of circular bioeconomy. Overall, these results contribute to the efficient utilization of tuna by-products, waste reduction, and enhance economic viability of the tuna industry.

Inorganic pollutants in Colombian cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) agrosystems cause problems in the production, quality, and exportation of this raw material. There has been an increased interest in bioprospecting studies of different fungal species focused on the biosorption of heavy metals. Furthermore, fungi constitute a valuable, profitable, ecological, and efficient natural soil resource that could be considered in the integrated management of cadmium mitigation. In this study, we report a new species of Talaromyces, isolated from cocoa soil from San Vicente de Chucurí-Colombia. The characterization of the culture was performed on six different standardized media and was distinguished by characteristic colony morphology: biverticillate and monoverticillate penicilli, acerose phialides, and slightly globose smooth-walled conidia. Culture was featured by bright yellow mycelium in young culture on CYA and CYAS medium. Colonies grew faster on Malt and Oat agar, attaining 36 and 32 mm diameter after seven days at 20 ºC. High acid production on CREA medium at 20-30 ºC was observed. Phylogenetic analysis was based on the ITS region and the RPB2, Calmodulin (CaM) and β-Tubulin genes that indicate that it is new to science and is named Talaromyces santanderensis sp. nov. This new species belongs to the Talaromyces section and is closely related to T. lentulus and related to T. soli, T. tumuli and T. pratensis (inside the T. pinophilus species complex) in the inferred phylogeny. Mycelia growth of the fungal strains was subjected to a range of 0-400 ppm Cd and incorporated into malt extract agar (MEA) in triplicates. Fungal radial growth was recorded every three days over a 13-days incubation period and In vitro cadmium tolerance tests showed a high tolerance index = 0,81 when the mycelium was exposed to 300 ppm of Cd. Results suggest T. santanderensis showed tolerance to Cd concentrations that exceed the permissible limits for contaminated soils, and it is promising for its use in bioremediation strategies to eliminate Cd from highly contaminated agricultural soils.

Plant male sterility refers to the failure in the production of fertile pollen. It occurs spontaneously in natural populations and may be caused by genes encoded in the nuclear (genic male sterility; GMS) or mitochondrial (cytoplasmic male sterility; CMS) genomes. This feature has great agronomic value for the production of hybrid seeds and has been widely used in crops, such as corn, rice, wheat, citrus, and several species of the family Solanaceae. Mitochondrial genes determining CMS have been uncovered in a wide range of plant species. The modes of action of CMS have been classified in terms of the effect they produce in the cell, which ultimately leads to a failure in the production of pollen. Male fertility can be restored by nuclear-encoded genes, termed restorer-of-fertility (Rf) factors. CMS from wild plants has been transferred to species of agronomic interest through somatic hybridization. Somatic hybrids have also been produced to generate CMS de novo upon recombination of the mitochondrial genomes of two parental plants or by separating the CMS cytoplasm from the nuclear Rf alleles

Neck lymphangiomas are rare, benign congenital malformations that predominate in childhood. Most present before the age of two. There are no risk factors related to sex, ethnic origin or predominance on either side, and they can occur in any anatomical location, although the most frequent is in the head and neck. The clinical presentation depends on its location. The most frequent symptom is the existence of a painless mass that grows slowly. Available therapeutic tools include surgery, systemic treatment, and injection of sclerosing agents.

Ferns and lycophytes, now known as monilophytes, have received scant molecular attention in comparison to angiosperms. The advent of high-throughput technologies allowed an advance towards a greater knowledge of their elusive genomes. In this work, proteomic analyses of heart-shaped gametophytes of two ferns were performed: the apomictic species Dryopteris affinis ssp. affinis and its sexual relative Dryopteris oreades. In total, a set of 218 proteins shared by these two gametophytes were analyzed using the STRING database, and the proteome associated with metabolism, genetic information processing, and responses to abiotic stress is discussed. Specifi-cally, we report proteins involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleotides, the biosynthesis of amino acids, and secondary compounds, energy, oxido-reduction, transcrip-tion, translation, protein folding, sorting and degradation, and responses to abiotic stress. Look-ing at the interactome of this set of proteins, it represents a total network composed of 218 nodes and 1,792 interactions, obtained mostly from databases and textmining. The interactions among the identified proteins of the ferns D. affinis and D. oreades, together with the description of their biological functions, might contribute to a better understanding of the function and develop-ment of ferns as well as to fill knowledge gaps in plant evolution.

In this paper, the power quality of interconnected microgrids is managed using a Model Predictive Control (MPC) methodology which manipulates the power converters of the microgrids in order to achieve the requirements. The control algorithm is developed for the microgrids working modes: grid-connected, islanded and interconnected. The results and simulations are also applied to the transition between the different working modes. In order to show the potential of the control algorithm, a comparison study is carried out with classical Proportional-Integral Pulse Width Modulation (PI-PWM) based controllers. The proposed control algorithm not only improves the transient response in comparison with classical methods but also shows an optimal behavior in all the working modes, minimizing the harmonics content in current and voltage even with the presence of non-balanced and non-harmonic-free three-phase voltage and current systems

This paper presents the design of a new neuro-generator of pseudorandom number type PRNG Pseudorandom Number Generator, which produces complex sequences with an adequate bit distri-bution. The circuit is connected to a neuronal module with six impulse neurons with different be-haviors: spike frequency adaptation, phasic spiking, mixed mode, phasic bursting, tonic bursting and tonic spiking. This module aims to generate a non-periodic signal that becomes the clock sig-nal for one of the LFSRs Linear Feedback Shift Register that the neuro-generator has. To verify its correct operation, the neuro-generator was subjected to a series of tests where the frequencies of the impulse neurons were modified. This modification allows generating a greater number of pulses at the output of the neuronal module, to obtain sequences with different characteristics that pass different NIST statistical tests National Institute of Standards and Technology of U.S. The results show that the new neuro-generator maintains pseudo-randomness in the sequences obtained with different frequencies and it can be implemented on reconfigurable FPGA Field Programmable Gate Array Virtex 7 xc7vx85t-2ffg1761 device. Therefore, it can be used for applications such as biologi-cal systems.

The TeNDER project aims to improve the Quality of Life (QoL) of chronic patients through an integrated care ecosystem. This study evaluates the Health Recommender System (HRS) developed for the project, which offers personalized recommendations based on data collected from a set of monitoring devices. The list of notifications covered different areas of daily-life such as physical activity, nutrition, and sleep. We conducted this case of study to evaluate the effectiveness and usability of the HRS in providing accurate and relevant recommendations to users. Evaluation process consisted on survey administration for QoL assessment, and the satisfaction and usability of the HRS. The four-week pilot study involved several patients and caregivers, and demonstrated that the HRS was perceived as user-friendly, consistent, and helpful, with a positive impact on patients’ QoL. However, the study highlights the need for improvement in terms of personalization of recommendations.

Ferns and fern-allies, now known as Monylophytes, have received scant molecular attention, in relation to angiosperm group. The advent of high-throughput technologies allows to advance towards a greater knowledge of their elusive genome. In this work, samples of apogamous and sexual heart-shaped gametophytes from two ferns: the apomictic species Dryopteris affinis ssp. af-finisand its sexual relative Dryopteris oreades were extracted and identified. In total, a set of 218 proteins shared by these gametophytes were analysed by using the STRING database, and the proteome associated to metabolism, genetic information processing and responses to abitotic stress is discussed. Specifically, there are reported proteins involved in metabolism of carbohy-drates and lipids, biosynthesis of amino acids, metabolism of nucleotides, energy, and secondary compounds, oxido-reduction, transcription, translation, folding, sorting, and degradation, and response to abiotic stress. Some homologs of proteins found are MACCI-BOU (MAB1), MOSAIC DEATH 1 (MOD1), MAINTENANCE OF PHOTOSYSTEM II UNDER HIGH LIGHT 2 (MPH2), TRANSPARENT TESTA 5 (TT5), ALBINO OR GLASSY YELLOW 1 (AGY1), LEUCYL AMINOPEP-TIDASE 1 and 3 (LAP1 and LAP3), or LOW EXPRESSION OF OSMOTICALLY RESPONSIVE GENES 1 (LOS1). The interactome of the set of proteins was also studied, being the most common interac-tions database and textmining. All these data about the interactions that exist between the stud-ied proteins of the ferns D. affinis and D. oreades, together with the description of their biological function, might contribute to better understand the functioning and development of ferns as well as to fulfil gaps of knowledge in plant evolution.

Mn-promoted bulk iron catalysts with high specific surface area (82-211 m2.g-1) were synthesized by coprecipitation followed by drying under supercritical conditions. The catalysts were tested in the CO2 hydrogenation reaction. The Mn-promoted iron catalysts showed better textural properties than the bare Fe2O3 catalyst, allowing better dispersion of the active phase, easier reduction of iron oxide, better carburization of iron oxides and higher catalytic activity than the bare Fe2O3 catalyst. The best activity results were obtained by catalyst promotion with a very low amount of Mn (Mn/Fe ratio of 0.05). Upon steady-state conditions (T=340 ºC, total pressure of 20 bar and H2/CO2=3), this catalyst showed high CO2 conversion (44.2%) and selectivity to C2-C4 hydrocarbons (68%, olefin to paraffin ratio of 0.54), while the selectivity to C5+ hydrocarbons, CH4 and CO was about 3.2, 38.5 and 5%, respectively. A close correlation was found between catalyst textural properties and CO2 conversion. The most active MnFe-0.05 catalyst shows high stability during 72 h of reaction related to low amount of soft coke formation and catalyst activation through the formation of χ-Fe5C2 phase during the on-stream reaction.

Formula feeding, as an alternative to breastfeeding, offers benefits such as convenience and consistent nutrition. Among the drawbacks of formula feeding, however, is potential dilution or concentration errors in the of formula during preparation that may lead to infant health issues. The present study aimed to investigate the accuracy of caregiver measurements as they prepared infant formula under multiple conditions, compared with manufacturer specifications. A diverse sample of caregivers (N = 84) participated in this cross-over experimental study. Participants hand-scooped infant formula powder and poured water to prepare 4oz and 7oz feedings, using both a standardized set of infant formula products and participants’ own products. Linear mixed effects models were used to estimate fixed effects of target amount (4oz versus 7oz) and products (participant versus researcher) on mean absolute percent error (MAPE) of measurement. Across all conditions MAPE was significantly greater for measuring powder than for water (9.0% vs. 4.4%; p<0.001) with a combined powder and water MAPE at 13.0%. Greater measurement error was associated with the odd-sized 7oz preparation and participants’ own products. We observed considerable variability and substantial error during infant formula preparation, particularly for hand-scooping of powder, which tended toward higher values than the theoretical gold standard.

A strategy to propose solutions to health-related problems recognizes that people, animals, and the environment are interconnected. Fusarium and Neocosmospora are an example of this interaction due to the capable of infecting plants, animals, and human. This review provides information on various aspects of these relations and proposes how to approach fusariosis with a One Health methodology. Here we give a framework to understand infection pathogenesis, through the epidemiological triad and explain how the broad utilization of fungicides in agriculture may play a role in the treatment of human fusariosis. We assess how plumbing systems and hospital environments might play a role as a reservoir for animal and human infections. We explain the role of antifungal resistance mechanism in both humans and agriculture. Our review emphasizes the importance of developing interdisciplinarity research studies where aquatic animals, plants, and human disease interactions can be explored through coordination and collaborative actions.

Based on orbital angular momentum (OAM) properties of Laguerre Gaussian beams LG(p,ℓ), a robust optical encoding model for efficient data transmission applications is designed. This paper presents an optical encoding model based on intensity profile generated by a coherent superposition of two OAM-carrying Laguerre-Gaussian modes and Machine-learning detection method. In the encoding process, the intensity profile for data encoding is generated based on selection of p and ℓ indices, while the decoding process is performed using support vector machine (SVM) algorithm. Two different decoding models based on SVM algorithm are tested to verify the robustness of optical encoding model, finding a BER =10−9 for 10.2dB of signal-to-noise ratio in one of the SVM models.

In the design and development of novel materials that have excellent mechanical properties, classification and regression methods have been diversely used across mechanical deformation simulations or experiments. The use of materials informatics methods on large data that originate in experiments or/and multiscale modeling simulations may accelerate materials discovery or develop new understanding of materials’ behavior. In this fast-growing field, we focus on reviewing advances at the intersection of data science with mechanical deformation simulations and experiments, with a particular focus on studies of metals and alloys. We discuss examples of applications, as well as identify challenges and prospects.

Cocoa bean quality depends mainly on genetic material, edaphoclimatic factors and post-harvest processes such as fermentation. The impact of the fermentation process on the chemical and func-tional composition of different cocoa clones grown in southern Colombia was analyzed. A facto-rial design with repeated measures over time was used to analyze the effect of clone and fermen-tation time on chemical characteristics (bromatology, phenolic compounds and antioxidant ac-tivity). The bromatological characteristics showed significant differences between clones and fermentation time. Clones EET-8 and CCN-51 showed higher contents of acidity (0.51%), fat (63.61%), protein (12.85%) and carbohydrates (1.63 mg g-1). Moisture, acidity and sucrose in-creased their values between day 4 and day 6 of fermentation (P<0.05). Phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity had significant differences between clones, where clones CCN-51 and ICS-95 had high contents of phenols (64.56 mg g-1), flavonoids (3.30 mg g-1) and DPPH reducing capacity (325.55 µmol g-1). In this sense, we consider the FSV-41 clone as the major grain quality index based on the results of chemical composition at bromatological level, antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds.

Flowering time is a critical stage for crop development as it regulates the ability of plants to adapt to an environment. To understand the genetic control of flowering time, a genome wide association study (GWAS) was conducted to identify the genomic regions associated with the control of this trait in durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.). A total of 96 landraces and 288 modern lines were evaluated for days to heading, growing degree days, and accumulated day length at flowering across 13 environments spread across Morocco, Lebanon, Mauritania, and Senegal. These environments were grouped into four pheno-environments based on temperatures, day length and other climatic variables. Genotyping with 35K Axiom array generated 7,652 polymorphic SNPs in addition to 3 KASP markers associated to known flowering genes. In total, 34 significant QTLs were identified in both landraces and modern lines. Some QTLs had strong association with already known regulatory photoperiod genes, Ppd-A and Ppd-B and vernalization genes Vrn-A1, and Vrn3. However, these loci explained only 5 to 20% of variance for days to heading. Seven QTLs overlapped between the two germplasm groups in which Q.ICD.Eps-03 and Q.ICD.Vrn-17 consistently affected flowering time in all the pheno-environments, while Q.ICD.Eps-11 and Q.ICD.Ppd-12 were significant only in two pheno-environments and the combined analysis across all environments. These results help clarify the genetic mechanism controlling flowering time in durum wheat and show some clear distinctions to what is known for common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

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

Synthesis of nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiO NPs) is a low cost and ecofriendly route that brings great benefits over chemical and physical methods of synthesis. Our approach consisted of using aqueous extracts from treated waste of Manihot Esculenta (Cassava) as reducing, stabilizing and capping agents for the synthesis of NiO NPs. The results proved this approach might be a viable alternative. Extracts were mixed during 30 minutes with Ni(NO3)2.6H2O leading to NPs formation. NiO NPs were characterized through FTIR, XRD, TEM and Raman spectroscopy. NiO NPs showed different shapes and sizes around 5-10 nm in agreement with the particle size calculated by XRD Scherrer equation.

In a context of increasingly necessary energy transition, precise modelling of profiles for low-voltage (LV) network consumers is crucial to enhance hosting capacity. Typically, load curves for these consumers are estimated through measurement campaigns conducted by Distribution System Operators (DSO) for a representative subset of customers or through the aggregation of load curves from household appliances within a residence. With the instrumentation of smart meters becoming more common, a new approach to modelling profiles for residential customers is proposed to make the most of the measurements from these meters. The disaggregation model estimates the load profile of customers on a low-voltage network by disaggregating the load curve measured at the secondary substation level. By utilizing only the maximum power measured by Linky smart meters, along with the load curve of the secondary substation, this model can estimate the daily profile of customers. For 48 secondary substations in our dataset, the model obtained an average symmetric mean average percentage error (SMAPE) error of 4.91% in reconstructing the load curve of the secondary substation from the curves disaggregated by the model. This methodology can allow the estimation of the daily consumption behaviors of the low-voltage customers. In this way, we can safely envision solutions that enhance the grid hosting capacity.

In this study, we aimed to identify the features of indeterminate choroidal melanocytic lesions visualized on optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and to identify predictors of growth. We retrospectively evaluated 86 patients with indeterminate lesions treated at our cen-tre from 2016 to 2021. Clinical management involved active surveillance followed by brachy-therapy if growth was detected. The lesions were classified into two groups according to wheth-er they grew (small melanomas) or remained stable (choroidal nevi). Growth was detected in 19 (22.1%) lesions. All patients underwent OCTA at baseline. These images were compared to iden-tify possible predictors of growth. Significant between-group differences were observed in thickness (p=0.00), greatest basal diameter (p=0.00), number of risk factors (p=0.00), symptoms (p=0.001; relative risk [RR]: 4.3), orange pigment (p=0.00; RR: 6.02), and ultrasonographic hol-lowness (Kappa sign); p=0.000; RR: 5.3). The melanomas had significantly more vessels with a diameter ≥ 76.3 µm (p=0.02; RR: 2.46). The time to growth in these lesions was significantly shorter (p=0.05) than in lesions with smaller vessels. These findings show that vessel diameter quantified by OCTA can differentiate between choroidal nevi and small melanomas, especially when considered together with clinical risk factors.

Electrical Resistance Tomography (ERT) has been used in the literature to monitor the gas-liquid separation. However, the image reconstruction algorithms used in the studies take a considerable amount of time to generate the tomograms, which is far above the time scales of the flow inside the inline separator and, as a consequence, the technique is not fast enough to capture all the rele-vant dynamics of the process, vital for control applications. This article proposes a new strategy based on the physics behind the measurement and simple logics to monitor the separation with a high temporal resolution by minimizing both the amount of data and the calculations required to reconstruct one frame of the flow. To demonstrate its potential, the electronics of an ERT system are used together with a high-speed camera to measure the flow inside an inline swirl separator. For the 16-electrode system used in this study, only 12 measurements are required to reconstruct the whole flow distribution with the proposed algorithm, 10x less than the minimum number of measurements of ERT (120). In terms of computational effort, the technique was shown to be 1000x faster than solving the inverse problem non-iteratively via the Gauss-Newton approach, one of the computationally cheapest techniques available. Therefore, this novel algorithm has the potential to achieve measurement speeds in the order of 104 times the ERT speed in the context of inline swirl separation, pointing to flow measurements at around 10kHz while keeping the aver-age estimation error below 6 mm in the worst case scenario.

This article introduces an innovative design method for public lighting systems that surpasses the limitations of conventional approaches, which rely on predefined lamp characteristics and spatial arrangement. By employing a multi-criteria decision algorithm, our study proposes an optimal design methodology considering several key aspects, including the distance between lamps, their type, power, and light distribution. The goal is to achieve optimal illumination that enhances visibility on public roads for drivers and pedestrians while simultaneously minimizing glare, installation costs and maximizing energy efficiency. The proposed methodology is implemented through an algorithm developed in Matlab, with results validated through simulations in Dialux. This information is used to construct a decision matrix, assessed using the CRITIC method across 180 different scenarios within a specific case study. The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of multi-criteria decision-making as a tool for significantly improving the planning and design of lighting in public illumination systems, allowing for selecting the optimal combination of parameters that ensure the best lighting conditions.

The adoption of algorithms based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been rapidly increasing during the last years. However, some aspects of AI techniques are under heavy scrutiny. For instance, in many use cases, it is not clear whether the decisions of an algorithm are well-informed and conforming to human understanding. Having ways to address these concerns is crucial in many domains, especially whenever humans and intelligent (physical or virtual) agents must cooperate in a shared environment. In this paper, we introduce an application of an explainability method based on the creation of a Policy Graph (PG) based on discrete predicates that represent and explain a trained agent’s behaviour in a multi-agent cooperative environment. We show that from these policy graphs, policies for surrogate interpretable agents can be automatically generated. These policies can be used to measure the reliability of the explanations enabled by the PGs, through a fair behavioural comparison between the original opaque agent and the surrogate one. The contributions of this paper represent the first application of policy graphs in the context of explaining agent behaviour in collaborative multi-agent scenarios and presents experimental results that sets this kind of scenario apart from previous application in single-agent scenarios: when requiring collaborative behaviour, predicates that allow representing observations about the other agents are crucial to replicate the opaque agent’s behaviour and increase the reliability of explanations.

The future of machine tools will be dominated by highly flexible and interconnected systems, in order to achieve the required productivity, accuracy and reliability. Nowadays, distortion and vibration problems are easily solved in labs for the most common machining operations by using models based on equations describing the physical laws of the machining processes; however additional efforts are needed to overcome the gap between scientific research and the real manufacturing problems. In fact, there is an increasing interest in developing simulation packages based on “deep-knowledge and models” that aid machine designers, production engineers or machinists to get the best of the machine-tools. This article proposes a methodology to reduce problems in machining by means of a simulation utility, which uses the main variables of the system&process as input data, and generates results that help in the proper decision-making and machining planification. Direct benefits can be found in a) the fixture/clamping optimal design, b) the machine tool configuration, c) the definition of chatter-free optimum cutting conditions and d) the right programming of cutting toolpaths at the Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) stage. The information and knowledge-based approach showed successful results in several local manufacturing companies and are explained in the paper.

Abstract. Introduction: BMD study gives partial information on bone health in patients with TSH suppression therapy due to Differentiated Thyroid Cancer (DTC). TBS, a new parameter of bone microarchitecture is propose for bone quality study. This study analyze their long-term use in patients with DTC. Methods: BMD was measured by DXA and TBS with iNsigth software in 145 postmenopausal DTC patients. Vertebral Fractures (VFs) with a semi-quantitative x-ray method. Results: BMD at the end study was not different from initial. TBS decreased from 1.35±0.1 to 1.27±0.1 (p=0.002). PTH, Osteocalcin, and BAP were increased, suggesting increased bone remodeling. There was an increase in osteoporosis and osteopenia (40.6% and 16.5% to 46.6% and 18.6%); 31% had partially degraded and 15.1% degraded TBS changed to 48,9% and 24,8% at the end study. VFs in 30 patients, was not different in age, BMI, calcium and alcohol ingestion, smoking, radioiodine, or thyroid parameters vs. without VFs. Odds ratio for VFs increased with osteopenia (OR 2.63). Combination of TBS plus TBS did not improve discrimination. Conclusions: TBS was lowered while BMD did not differ. Percentage of osteoporosis and osteopenia and of partially degraded and degraded TBS was higher at the end study. Predominant discordance rate was found in partially degraded microarchitecture, in which the proportion of osteopenia was higher than normal or osteoporotic patients. AUC of TBS plus BMD did not improve discrimination. TBS, radioactive iodine, and sedentary lifestyle were the main differential data for patients with DTC and VFs.