Agroindustrial by-products constitute an alternative source of feed livestock, and their use contributes to the sustainability of livestock systems and the circular bioeconomy. The effects of replacing cereal (0%, 40% and 80%) with dehydrated orange pulp (DOP) in the diet of goats on the antioxidant and fatty acid (FA) contents of cheeses were evaluated. For a more suitable understanding of the role of coagulant enzymes in establishing the properties of the cheese, the effect of milk-clotting with animal and vegetable rennet was also analysed. The rennet did not substantially affect the FA or the antioxidant compounds, and the use of DOP did not affect the FA contents. However, the α-tocopherol levels, total phenolic compounds (TPC), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in cheeses increased as the percentage of DOP replacing cereals increased. Moreover, the high correlation obtained between the TAC and the TPC (r = 0.73) and α-tocopherol (r = 0.62) contents indicated the important role played by these compounds in improving the antioxidant capacity of the cheese. In conclusion, DOP is a suitable alternative to cereals in the diet of goats and improves the antioxidant status of the cheese produced.

This study was conducted to explore the potential of superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) from used disposable diapers as soil moisture conditioner. Swelling behavior of the proposed hydrogel in response to external stimuli such as salt solutions, temperature and pH was studied. In addition, laboratory experiments were carried out to evaluate the effects of incorporation hydrogel on germination of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and pumpkin (C. pepo) seeds. The structure of the superabsorbent was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results indicate that the proposed SAP exhibited a maximum swelling capacity of 189 g.g-1 of dry gel. It was observed that the swelling capacity decreased with an increase in the ionic strength of the swelling medium. When this SAP was mixed with sandy soil, the mixture was able to lose water more slowly. The seeds germination and seedling growth was remarkably influenced by the application of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 w/w% of SAP compared to the untreated soil. Therefore, it follows that it is possible to take advantage of SAPs property from used disposable diapers to retain the moisture in soil as an alternative to value the use of such waste, showing that it has potential for diverse applications in agriculture.

Zirconia-reinforced lithium silicate (ZLS) is utilized as a material for prosthetic tooth crowns, offering enhanced strength compared to other dental glass-ceramics. In this study, we investigate a commercial ZLS material, provided in a fully crystallized form. We examine the effects of an optional post-processing heat treatment on micro-contact damage using controlled indentation tests simulating the primary modes of contact during chewing: axial and sliding. Our findings indicate that the heat treatment does not affect mechanical properties such as the elastic modulus, hardness and indentation fracture toughness. However, it does enhance the resistance to contact damage by fracture and chipping in both axial and sliding modes, as well as the resistance to crack initiation measured from sliding tests. This improvement is attributed to the refinement of the flaw population achieved through the heat treatment. The results are analysed within the framework of contact and fracture mechanics, and the implications for prosthetic dentistry are briefly discussed.

Objective To analyze the influence of HIV in penitentiary institutions through an exhaustive lexiconmetric and sentiment analysis of news in the Spanish written press related to HIV and prison. Material an method observational, descriptive, and retrospective design based on news published in Spanish newspapers from 1981 to 2020, linking HIV infection with penitentiary institutions. Natural language processing and lexiconmetry techniques were used, using the Python programming language and ATLAS Ti v.9 software. Result: 318 articles were analyzed, with 10,502 distinct words. The sentiment of news was evaluated in three different periods: the discovery of HIV, and the periods before and after the existence of antiretroviral treatments. N-gram analysis and word cloud creation were carried out for each period. In the initial phase, ignorance predominated, and prominent terms such as "homosexual," "isolate," "test," "trial," or "confirm" were observed. In the period before antiretroviral treatments, news reflected negative feelings and criticism of prison policy, with keywords such as "give birth," "drug," "carrier," or "disease." With the arrival of treatments, news showed an evolution towards a more positive tone, highlighting terms such as "treatment," "release," or "syringes”.Conclusions: The presence of HIV in Spanish prisons has experienced a significant evolution from an alarming situation to an improvement in the care of inmates, driven by institutional adaptation and advances in antiretroviral treatments.

The electronic structure of 7/9-AGNR superlattices with up to eight unit cells has been studied by means of state of the art Density Functional Theory (DFT) and also by two model Hamiltonians, the first one including only local interactions (Hubbard model, Hu) while the second one is extended to allow long-range Coulomb interactions (Pariser, Parr and Pople model, PPP). Both are solved within mean field approximation. At this approximation level, our calculations show that 7/9 interfaces are better described by spin non-polarized solutions than by spin-polarized wavefunctions. Consequently, both Hu and PPP Hamiltonians lead to electronic structures characterized by a gap at the Fermi level that diminishes as the size of the system increases. DFT results show similar trends although a detailed analysis of the density of states around the Fermi level shows quantitative differences with both Hu and PPP models. Before improving model Hamiltonians, we interpret the electronic structure obtained by DFT in terms of bands of topological states: topological states localized at the system edges and extended bulk topological states which interact between them due to the long-range Coulomb terms of Hamiltonian. After careful analysis of the interaction among topological sates, we find that the discrepancy between ab initio and model Hamiltonians can be resolved considering a screened long-range interaction that is implemented adding an exponential cutoff to the interaction term of PPP model. In this way, an adjusted cutoff distance λ = 2 allows a good recovery of DFT results. In view of this, we conclude that the correct description of the density of states around the Fermi level (Dirac point) needs the inclusion of long-range interactions well beyond Hubbard model but not completely unscreened as is the case for the PPP model.

Childhood glaucoma encompasses congenital and juvenile primary glaucoma, which are heterogeneous, uncommon, and irreversible optic neuropathies leading to visual impairment with poorly understood genetic basis. Our goal was to identify gene variants associated with these glaucoma types by assessing the mutational burden in 76 matrix metalloproteinase-related genes. We studied 101 childhood glaucoma patients with no identified monogenic alterations using next-generation sequencing. Gene expression was assessed through immunohistochemistry. Functional analysis of selected gene variants was conducted in cultured cells and in zebrafish. Patients presented a higher proportion of rare variants in four metalloproteinase-related genes, including CPAMD8 and ADAMTSL4, compared to controls. ADAMTSL4 protein expression was observed in the anterior segment of both the adult human and zebrafish larvae's eye, including tissues associated with glaucoma. In HEK-293T cells, expression of four ADAMTSL4 variants identified in this study showed that two variants (p.Arg774Trp and p.Arg98Trp) accumulated intracellularly, inducing endoplasmic reticulum stress. Additionally, overexpressing these ADAMTSL4 variants in zebrafish embryos confirmed partial loss-of-function effects for p.Ser719Leu and p.Arg1083His. Double heterozygous functional suppression of adamtsl4 and cpamd8 zebrafish orthologs resulted in reduced volume of both the anterior eye chamber and lens within the chamber, supporting a genetic interaction between these genes. Our findings suggest that accumulation of partial functional defects in matrix metalloproteinases-related genes may contribute to increased susceptibility to early-onset glaucoma and provide further evidence supporting the notion of a complex genetic inheritance pattern underlying the disease.

Enzymes reliant on pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP), the metabolically active form of vitamin B6, hold significant importance in both biology and medicine. They facilitate various biochemical reactions, particularly in amino acid and neurotransmitter metabolisms. Vitamin B6 is absorbed by organisms in its non-phosphorylated form and phosphorylated within cells by pyridoxal kinase (PLK) and pyridox-(am)-ine 5'-phosphate oxidase (PNPOx). The flavin mononucleotide dependent PNPOx enzyme converts pyridoxine 5'-phosphate and pyridoxamine 5'-phosphate into PLP. PNPOx is vital for both biosynthesis and salvage pathways in organisms producing B6 vitamers. However, for those depending on vitamin B6 as nutrient, PNPOx participates only in the salvage pathway. Transferring PLP produced by PNPOx to client apo-enzymes is indispensable for their catalytic function, proper folding and targeting to specific organelles. PNPOx activity deficiencies due to inborn errors lead to severe neurological pathologies, particularly neonatal epileptic encephalopathy. PNPOx enzymes from different organisms maintain PLP homeostasis through highly regulated mechanisms, including structural alterations throughout the catalytic cycle and allosteric PLP binding influencing substrate transformation at the active site. Despite shared features, species-specific regulations are evident among PNPOx enzymes.

There is currently much interest in avoiding precious metals in Catalysis. The devel-opment of nickel catalysts to replace palladium in the Mizoroki-Heck reaction is a relevant case in this line of research since both elements share many chemical features. This contri-bution focuses on -Phenyl elimination in alkylnickel complexes. This is the microscopic reverse of olefin insertion (or carbometallation), a fundamental step of the Heck cycle that is usually considered irreversible and selectivity-determining. However, the potential reversibil-ity of carbometallation is generally concealed by the facile beta-hydrogen elimination that follows. Where -hydrogen elimination is hindered, beta-aryl elimination may ensue. We have previously shown that cationic 2-methyl-2-phenylpropyl (neophyl) palladium com-plexes supported by bidentate ligands experience -Ph elimination, which can be seen as an example of olefin de-insertion. In this contribution, we report that -phenyl elimination can also occur in their nickel analogs, in which case fast hydrolyses of the resulting phenyl product can follow the reaction. We investigated the mechanism of these processes and compared their feasibility for nickel and palladium catalysts using DFT calculations. These results are relevant information for the design of nickel-based catalysts for the Heck reac-tion.

Metallic elements of higher economic value occurring in the mineralogy of Zimapán are Pb, Zn, Cu and Fe, said elements are sold as concentrates, which, even after processing, generally include significant concentrations of Mo, Cd, Sb, Ag and As that could recover through different leaching methods. In this work the influence of temperature was studied in the complexation of silver in the S₂O₃^2--O₂ system. Chemical and mineralogical characterization of concentrated Zn from the state of Hidalgo confirmed the presence of the silver contained in a sulfide of silver arsenic (AgAsS₂) through the techniques of Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). The mineralogical species identified allowed the construction mineralogical species Pourbaix diagrams in the range of 298 K to 333 K, through which the Eh-pH conditions to obtain silver in solution were determined. The formation of Ag(S₂O₃)₂^3- complex was confirmed by characterizing liquors leached using the technique Infrared Spectroscopy Fourier Transform (FTIR).

Hazelnut, pistachio and cashew are tree nuts with health benefits but also with allergenic properties being prevalent food allergens in Europe. The allergic characteristics of these tree nuts after processing combining heat, pressure and enzymatic digestion were analyzed through in vitro (Western blot and ELISA) and in vivo test (Prick-Prick). In the analyzed population, the patients sensitized to Cor a 8 (nsLTP) were predominant over those sensitized against hazelnut seed storage proteins (Sprot, Cor a 9 and 14), which displayed higher IgE reactivity. The protease E5 effectively hydrolyzed proteins from hazelnut and pistachio, while E7 was efficient for cashew protein hydrolysis. When combined with pressured heating (autoclave and Controlled Instantaneous Depressurization (DIC)), these proteases notably reduced the allergenic reactivity. The combination of DIC treatment before enzymatic digestion resulted in the most effective methodology to drastically reduce or indeed eliminate the allergenic capacity of tree nuts.

Background: Manoeuvres esbarrada and volta sobre patas are fundamental movements in equestrian activities, yet their kinematics remain largely unexplored. Objectives: This observational study aimed to kinematically describe the movements of esbarrada and volta sobre patas in Criollo breed horses. Methods: Kinematic analysis was conducted on 31 Criollo horses executing esbarrada and volta sobre patas manoeuvres. Results: The esbarrada maneuver covered a distance of 4.28 ± 0.99m in 1.15 ± 0.11s at a velocity of 3.77 ± 0.55m/s. Angular kinematic variables revealed specific joint angles during the maneuver. In volta sobre patas, significant differences were found in spin duration and thoracic limb suspension between the first and second spins. Conclusions: Volta sobre patas demonstrated prolonged spinning duration and increased thoracic limb suspension in the second spin. Additionally, static conformation did not correlate with limb protraction angles during esbarrada.

Recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning have revolutionized the field of protein engineering, particularly in the area of de novo protein design. This review article explores the impact of AI-driven approaches on protein design, with a specific focus on the role of structure prediction neural networks, such as AlphaFold and RoseTTAFold. The article discusses the paradigm shift brought about by these networks, which have enabled the design of proteins with unique structures and functions that are not found in nature. The review covers various aspects of AI-driven protein design, including the use of protein language models to harness evolutionary information, the development of de novo protein design workflows utilizing deep learning, and the application of generative models like RFdiffusion and RoseTTAFold All-Atom. The article also highlights the successes and applications of AI-driven protein design across diverse domains, such as enzyme engineering, antibody design, and vaccine development. Additionally, the review identifies current challenges and future directions in the field, emphasizing the need to address limitations in modeling conformational dynamics and designing proteins for in vivo functionality. The article concludes by underscoring the potential of AI-driven protein design to transform various aspects of science and technology, while also acknowledging the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and the development of robust pipelines for the validation and optimization of designed proteins. Overall, this comprehensive review serves as a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners interested in understanding the current state and future prospects of AI-driven protein design.

Little is known about how the degree of mixing of forest-forming species affects forest floor hydrology. We evaluated the water storage capacity of the resulting litter layer by mixing litterfall of Scots pine and sessile oak and studying their decomposition time. We prepared 90 artificial samples containing pure pine litter, pure oak litter, and mixed pine-oak litter with varying shares of pine needles. These samples were subjected to 15 months of decomposition in soil. After every three months of decay, some samples were removed from the soil, and their water storage capacity, bulk density, and C:N ratio were evaluated. Our findings indicate that samples with the greatest water storage capacity had a low C:N ratio and a predominant share of oak leaves. Conversely, samples with a high C:N ratio and a predominant share of pine needles had the lowest water storage capacity. After 12 and 15 months of decomposition, the water storage capacity increased by more than 52% compared to the initial water capacity of the samples. The highest increase in water storage capacity (>40%) was observed in samples with a predominant share of oak leaves, while the lowest (approximately 28%) was recorded in samples with 80 and 100% of pine needles.

The study seeks to unravel the intricate operational sequence involved in preparing prehistoric pigments for rock art within the Puerto Roque rock art shelter. Sixteen pigment samples, identified as Lab Code Puerto_1 to Puerto_16, were meticulously collected from specific figurative representations. Additionally, three ochre samples (Puerto_17, Puerto_18, and Puerto_19) were sourced from the shelter's soil. Employing a comprehensive multi-analytical approach, including Raman microspectroscopy, X-ray microfluorescence (EDxrf), Fourier-transform Infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), all nineteen samples underwent thorough analysis. The research unveiled a spectrum of distinct red pigments within the rock art depictions. The sampling strategy for the 16 panels in the Puerto region was meticulously designed to capture the diverse array of rock art manifestations, each presenting unique characteristics that warranted detailed scientific investigation. The selection of these panels was guided by the recognition of various artistic techniques employed in the creation of the paintings, the nuanced hues exhibited, prevalent erosion issues, potential effects of sunlight exposure, and the intriguing hypothesis of distinct chronological periods due to several superimpositions detected. Notably, darker pigments in samples Puerto_02, Puerto_10, and Puerto_19 revealed a composition of hematite with the added presence of carbon. Meanwhile, Puerto_08 exhibited an orange hue primarily composed of goethite. Bright red pigments in samples Puerto_01, Puerto_03, Puerto_05, Puerto_07, Puerto_09, and Puerto_11 were predominantly characterised by hematite, as confirmed by Raman analysis. EDxrf analysis demonstrated an elemental composition akin to the three ochre pieces examined. Furthermore, ATR-FTIR spectroscopy suggested the potential influence of a heating process in enhancing red coloration, corroborated by spectral results from specific samples. This finding aligns with prior research, underscoring the technological sophistication embedded in early artistic endeavours. The detailed understanding of pigment types and their preparation methods provides insights into the artistic choices and technological adeptness of prehistoric communities. Beyond the archaeological implications, these findings contribute significantly to the ongoing conservation efforts of rock art sites. The amalgamation of diverse analytical techniques showcased their efficacy in elucidating the intricate world of pigment preparation. Recognizing the unique microclimates at each rock art site that influence pigment preservation, this localised approach aids informed decisions in safeguarding these invaluable cultural resources. In essence, this study not only unravels the artistic past but also advocates for the sustainable conservation of our shared cultural heritage.

Background: Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, the incidence and mortality of infective endocarditis (IE) have increased in recent decades despite advances in diagnosis and treatment. Studies on the risk factors for mortality in endocarditis in Latin America are scarce. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 240 patients diagnosed with IE according to the modified Duke criteria who were admitted to two university hospitals in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from January 2009 to June 2021. Poisson regression analysis was performed for trend tests. The multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) of predictors of in-hospital mortality. Findings: The median age was 55 years (IQR: 39-66 years), 57% were male, and 41% had a Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) score > 3. Healthcare-associated infective endocarditis (54%), left-sided native valve IE (77.5%), and staphylococcal IE (26%) predominated. Overall in-hospital mortality was 45.8%, and mortality was significantly higher in the following patients: aged ≥ 60 years (53%), CCI score ≥ 3 (60%), healthcare-associated infective endocarditis (HAIE) (53%), left-sided IE (51%), and enterococcal IE (67%). Poisson regression analysis showed no trend in in-hospital mortality per year. The adjusted multivariate model determined that age ≥ 60 years was an independent risk factor for in-hospital mortality (HR = 1.9; 95% CI 1.2-3.1; p = 0.008). Interpretation: In this 12-year retrospective cohort, there was no evidence of an improvement in survival in patients with IE. Since older age is a risk factor for mortality, consensus is needed for the management of IE in this group of patients.

Panama possesses multiple wetlands designated as protected areas and zones of internationally recognized importance, one amongst them, the Bahía de Panamá wetland Ramsar site, which represents approximately 21% of the national mangrove surface coverage. Due to the major ecological and economic relevance of mangrove ecosystems and their vulnerability to the effects of a changing climate it is considered necessary to perform in situ studies that evaluate the changes in sensitive meteorological parameters. This research was carried out with the objective of measuring air temperature and relative humidity values in a section of the Panama Bay wetland for the 2017-2018 period. This section, neighboring urban development projects, houses since the year 2015 the first tower for determining eddy covariance and measuring micrometeorological parameters in mangrove forests in Panama. We determined monthly and yearly mean values for the studied variables and determined the correlation between them with the use of Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Results show that both parameters still remain at tolerable levels for this type of ecosystems, with both years having very similar annual mean temperatures (27.47 ± 0.32°C for 2017 and 27.48 ± 0.67°C for 2018) and the annual mean relative humidity for 2018, being 85.35%.

The objective of this research-action, teaching and extension project was to support the beginning teacher, who graduated from the Pedagogy courses at UFF-INFES and UFRRJ/IE, raising the difficulties and solutions of this teacher's pedagogical practice, as well as implementing and analyzing strategies of professional induction of the newly graduated professor by the proposed pilot course with a focus on promoting dialogue between university and school. This project was aimed at graduates of Pedagogy courses who started as teachers in the early years of elementary school and early childhood education (with less than 5 years as a teacher). These teachers participated in two pilot courses (one in 2021 and the other in 2022) to help recent graduates in their professional induction through innovative actions that help them to take a leading role in their practices. For this, we seek to investigate: the impact of this program on their professional induction through narrative interviews, accompany them in this process and analyze the difficulties and solutions they found in their pedagogical practice as a result of the help that the project offered them; the role of mentors (teachers running the school) and the University at the beginning of their professional activities. Finally, we concluded that this course worked as a support for beginning teachers, allowing for greater reflection and better professional performance, as well as a way to reduce the shock of reality, demotivation and teacher abandonment.

Biofilter application for treatment of stormwater containing de-icing chemicals commonly applied in airports, propylene glycol and potassium formate, was investigated. Lab-scale adsorption tests using filter media made of crushed clay (Filtralite) and granular activated carbon showed that adsorption was unsuitable for removal of propylene glycol and potassium formate. Column filtration experiment testing two different crushed clay size ranges was conducted. The results showed that DOC removal was dependent on a number of factors. This study investigated the impact of filter depth, nutrients addition, and filtration rate. DOC removal suggested that DOC degradation occurred on the top filter layer. It was shown that the most active separation occurred in the first ~20 cm of filter depth. This was confirmed by results from water quality analysis (i.e. DOC removal and ATP measurement) and calculations based on a filtration performance analysis (Iwasaki model) and filter hydraulic evaluation (Lindquist diagram). It was shown that for the highest C:N:P ratio tested (molar ratio of 24:7:1), 50-60% DOC removal was achieved. Addition of nutrients was found important and determining the biofilter performance.

To understand the molecular mechanism associated with growth variability in bivalves, the Solexa/Illumina technology was employed to analyze the transcriptomic profiles of extreme growth rate differences (fast- VS. slow-growing individuals) in one full-sib family of the ark shell Scapharca subcrenata. De novo assembly of S. subcrenata transcriptome yielded 276,082,016 raw reads, which were assembled into 98,502 unique transcripts by Trinity strategy. A total of 6,357 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained between fast- and slow-growing individuals, with 580 up-regulated expression and 5777 down-regulated expression. Functional annotation revealed that the largest proportion of DEGs were classified to the large or small subunit ribosomal protein, all of which showed significantly lower expression levels in fast-growing group than those in slow-growing group. GO enrichment analysis identified the maximum of DEGs to biological process, followed by molecular function and cellular component. Most of the top enriched KEGG pathways were related to energy metabolism, protein synthesis and degradation. These findings reveal the link between gene expression and contrasting phenotypes in ark shells, which support that fast-growing individuals may be resulted from decreased energy requirements for metabolism maintenance, accompanying with greater efficiency of protein synthesis and degradation in bivalves.

Polyelectrolyte-drug complexes are interesting alternatives to improve unfavourable drugs properties. Vancomycin (VAN) is an antimicrobial used in the treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus pulmonary infections in patients with cystic fibrosis. It is generally administered intravenously with high incidence of adverse side effects, which could be reduced by intrapulmonary administration. Currently, there are no commercially available inhalable formulations containing VAN. Thus, the present work focuses on the preparation and characterization of an ionic complex between hyaluronic acid (HA) and VAN with potential use as inhalable formulations. Particulate-solid HA-VAN25 complex by spray drying from an aqueous dispersion was obtained. FTIR spectroscopy and thermal analysis confirmed the ionic interaction between HA and VAN, while an amorphous diffraction pattern by X-ray was observed. The powder density, geometric size and morphology showed a suitable aerosolization and aerodynamic performance of the powder, indicating the capability of reaching the deep lung. An in vitro extended-release profile of VAN from the complex was obtained, exceeding 24 hours. Microbiological assays against methicillin-resistant and -sensitive reference strains of Staphylococcus aureus, showed that VAN preserves its antibacterial efficacy. In conclusion, HA-VAN25 exhibited interesting properties for the development of inhalable formulations with potential efficacy and safety advantages over conventional treatment.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, have experienced a significant surge in both civilian and military applications, owing to their versatility and cost-effectiveness. However, a negligent use or the operation with harmful intent of these aircraft poses a potential risk to public safety and the privacy of individuals. In response to this threat, counter-drone systems have been developed in recent years, including technologies to detect, position, and neutralize these aircraft. This paper presents a review of different existing commercial counter-drone systems, the technologies behind detection, tracking, and classification, as well as soft and hard kill mitigation.

This work aimed to elucidate how O3 pollution causes loss of regulation of the immune response in both the brain and the intestine. In this work, we studied the effect of exposing rats to low doses of O3 on the association between the antioxidant response of superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels and nuclear factor kappa light chains of activated B cells (NFκB) as a marker of inflammation. Method: 72 Wistar rats were used, divided into six groups that received the following treatments: Control, 7, 15, 30, 60, and 90 days at O3, respectively. After treatment, tissues were extracted and processed using Western blotting, biochemical, and immunohistochemical techniques. The results indicated an increase in 4-hydroxynonenal (4HNE) and Cu/Zn-SOD, a decrease in Mn-SOD, and SOD activity in the substantia nigra, jejunum, and colon decrease. Furthermore, the translocation of NFκB to the nucleus increased in the different organs studied. In conclusion, repeated exposure to ozone alters the regulation of the antioxidant and inflammatory response in the substantia nigra and the intestine. This suggests that these responses are critical in the loss of regulation of the inflammatory response, and they respond to ozone pollution, which could be occurring in the progression of chronic degenerative diseases.

Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus spp) is a fruit that has a significant antioxidant activity, due to its content in anthocyanins and antioxidant compounds. Emerging technologies are required as the thermoultrasound technique that ensures microbial reduction and release of compounds with antioxidant properties. The objective of this study was to evaluate changes in the antioxidant content and fatty acid profile of blackberry juice when it is subjected to conservation treatment (pasteurization and thermoultrasound). The blackberry juice and the extracted oil of blackberry juice with n-hexane (control, pasteurized and thermoultrasonicated) were evaluated in antioxidant activity, fatty acid profile and antioxidant content. The thermoultrasound juice had the highest (p < 0.05) amount of total phenols (1011 mg GAE/L), anthocyanins (118 mg Cy-3-GlE/L); antioxidant activity by ABTS (44 mg VCEAC/L) and DPPH (2665 µmol TE/L) compared to the control and pasteurized samples, as well as, as well as, oil extract of obtained of the thermoultrasound juice presented high antioxidant activity (177.54 mg VCEAC/L to ABTS and 1802.60 µmol TE/L to DPPH). The fatty acid composition of the oil extract showed the presence of myristic, linolenic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acid, the fatty acid profile was similar in the different samples with the exception of stearic acid where this was higher in control sample. The thermoultrasound treatment can be an alternative to pasteurization treatments because keeps and releases antioxidant bioavailable compounds, preserving their fatty acids.

Background and Objectives: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is highly prevalent world-wide. It progresses from simple steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Fibrosis is often present during NAFLD progression; however, factors determining which subjects develop NASH or fibrosis are unclear. Insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBP) is a family of secreted proteins involved in senescence and scarring mainly synthetized in the liver. Here we aimed to study the association of IGFBP and its induced senescence with the progression of NAFLD and liver fibrosis. Materials and Methods: 16 weeks old male C57BL/6 mice weighing 23 ± 3 g were fed either Methionine-Choline Deficient or control diet for 2, 8 or 12 weeks. Blood and liver samples were collected; histological assessment of NAFLD and fibrosis was performed. Fat contents were measured. Cellular senescence was evaluated in the liver. IGFBP levels were assessed in liver and serum. Data was expressed as Mean ± SD and analyzed by one-way ANOVA followed Tukey’s test. Lineal regression models were applied for NAFLD and fibrosis progression. p

Etiological factors involved in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) include immunologic, oxidative stress, and inflammatory factors, among others, and these are targets for microRNAs (miRNs). Here, we evaluated whether some miRNs may affect the tumor development comparing untreated and 5-azacitidine (5-AZA) MDS-treated patients. Peripheral blood samples were collected from 20 controls and 24 MDS patients, and selected miRNs related to redox balance and inflammation, including miR-18a, miR-21, miR-34a and miR-146a, were isolated and measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRTPCR). A differential expression profile of miRNs was detected in untreated MDS patients and 5-AZA group. MiR-18a, miR-21, miR-34a and miR-146a were significantly overexpressed in untreated MDS, compared to controls. However, we did not observe any miRNs profile alteration during the progression of the disease. On the other hand, 5-AZA treatment tends to restore miRNs expression levels. Relating to prognostic risk factors, high risk MDS groups (high IPSS-R, high cytogenetic risk, high molecular risk (HMR) mutations tended to be related with higher expression levels of miR-18a and miR-34a. Higher miRNs expression is correlated with lower glutathione peroxidase activity, while they are related with a higher profile of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α). Although our study was limited by the low number of MDS patients included, we identified miRNs deregulation involved in the MDS development, that could regulate redox sensors and inflammatory responses. Finally, 5-AZA treatment is related with lower miRNs expression levels in MDS patients.

Agroforestry systems (AFS) are beneficial ecosystems that increase cocoa productivity by providing shade and controlling pests. Despite deforestation, there is a transition towards more sustainable practices that combine diverse species with cocoa, generating economic and environmental benefits. This study evaluates AFS with cocoa in the Amazon region. Of the 72 farms evaluated, species diversity was observed, highlighting Cordia alliadora and Calycophyllum spruceanum with an im-portance value index (IVI) of 18.58% and 17.66%, respectively. Fruit trees such as Citrus limetta, Cocos nucifera, Mangifera indica, and Persea americana are common. The designed AFSs proved more profitable, generating revenue from the fourth year, while the conventional ones took longer. Indicators such as Net Present Value (NPV) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR) supported the effi-ciency of the designed AFS. Six optimal species were identified with specific distances and planting systems, providing up to 45.83% total shade in flat topography and up to 2405 annual shade hours on a 7° slope. These results highlight the economic and agronomic viability of AFSs designed for regional cocoa production.

Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCM) or familial cavernomatosis is a rare, autosomal dominant, inherited disease characterized by the presence of vascular malformations consisting of blood vessels with an abnormal structure in the form of clusters. Based on the altered gene (CCM1/Krit1, CCM2, CCM3) and its origin (spontaneous or familial), different types of this dis-ease can be found. In this work we have isolated and cultivated primary endothelial cells (ECs) from peripheral blood of a type 1 CCM patient. Differential functional and gene expression pro-file of these cells were analyzed and compared to primary ECs from a healthy donor. The muta-tion of the familial index case consisted of a heterozygous point mutation in the position +1 splicing consensus between exons 15 and 16, causing failure in RNA processing and in the final protein. Furthermore, gene expression analysis by quantitative PCR revealed a decreased ex-pression of genes involved in intercellular junction formation, angiogenesis, and vascular ho-meostasis. Cell biology analysis showed that CCM1 ECs were impaired in angiogenesis and cell migration. Taken together, the results obtained suggest that the alterations found in CCM1 ECs are already present in the heterozygous condition, suffering from vascular impairment and someway predisposed to vascular damage.

The Bacillus megaterium LVN01 species native to Colombia has demonstrated the ability to metabolize different co-products or industrial waste (such as fique juice, cane molasses, residual glycerol) and accumulate polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), giving it potential in the bioplastics industry. In this research, the potential of liquid digestate as a carbon source for the production of PHA in fermentation processes with this bacterial strain was evaluated. Favorably, it was found that B. megaterium utilizes the nutrients from this residual substrate to multiply appropriately and efficiently synthesize poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV). Bench scale aerobic batch fermentation, under the operational conditions of this research [Volume: 3L; Temperature: 30.8°C; Agitation: 400 rpm; pH: 7.0 ± 0.2; Disolved Oxygen: 100% saturation; Antifoam 10% (v/v)], generated maximum values of DCW (0.56 g cell L-1) at 60 h, while the maximum PHB yield (360 mg PHB L-1) occurred at 16 h, which is very favorable for sustainable degradable bioplastics production. Additionally, GC-MS and NMR analyses confirmed that the PHBV copolymer synthesized by B. megaterium is made up of the monomers 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) and 3-hydroxyvalerate (3HV). Furthermore, the thermal properties determined by TGA (Tonset=283.1 ºC, Tendset= 296.98 ºC. Td =290.114 °C) and DSC (Tm= ºC155.7 °C, ΔHf= 19.80 J g-1, Xcr = 18.17%), indicate that it is a thermally stable biopolymer with low percentages of crystallinity, providing flexibility that facilitates molding, adaptation, and application in various industrial sectors.

Spiking neural networks (SNNs) promise to perform tasks currently done by classical artificial neural networks (ANNs) faster, in smaller footprints and using less energy. Neuromorphic processors are set out to revolutionize computing at a large scale, but the move to edge-computing applications calls for finely-tuned custom implementations to keep pushing towards more efficient systems. To that end, we have examined the architectural design space for executing spiking neuron models on FPGA platforms, focusing on achieving ultra-low area and power consumption. This work presents an efficient clock-driven spiking neuron architecture used for the implementation of both fully-connected cores and 2D convolutional cores, which rely on deep pipelines for synaptic processing and distributed memory for weight and neuron states. With them, we have developed an accelerator for an SNN version of the LeNet-5 network trained on the MNIST dataset. At around 5.5 slices/neuron and only 348 mW, it is able to use 33% less area and 4 times as less power per neuron as current state-of-the-art implementations while keeping low simulation step times.

We explore an idea put forward many years ago by Zeldovich and Novikov concerning the existence of compact objects endowed with arbitrarily small mass. The energy-density of such objects, which we call “Ghost stars”, is negative in some regions of the fluid distribution, producing a vanishing total mass. Thus, the interior is matched on the boundary surface to Minkowski space-time. Some exact analytical solutions are exhibited and their properties are analyzed. Observational data that could confirm or dismiss the existence of this kind of stellar object, is commented.

A semi–numerical approach proposed many years ago for describing gravitational collapse in the post–quasi–static approximation , , , , is modified in order to avoid the numerical integration of the basic differential equations the approach is based upon. For doing that we have to impose some restrictions on the fluid distribution. More specifically, we shall assume the vanishing complexity factor condition, which allows for analytical integration of the pertinent differential equations and leads to physically interesting models. Instead, we show that neither the homologous nor the quasi–homologous evolution are acceptable since they lead to geodesic fluids, which are unsuitable for being described in the post–quasi–static approximation. Also, we prove that, within this approximation, adiabatic evolution also leads to geodesic fluids and therefore we shall consider exclusively dissipative systems. Besides the vanishing complexity factor condition, additional information is required for a full description of models. We shall propose different strategies for obtaining such an information, which are based on observables quantities (e.g. luminosity and redshift), and/or heuristic mathematical ansatz. To illustrate the method, we present two models. One model is inspired in the well known Schwarzschild interior solution, and another one is inspired in Tolman VI solution.

The study evaluated the impact of supplementing ZH in combination with D3 on growth performance, energy efficiency, carcass traits, and meat quality of feedlot lambs. Thirty-two Dorper x Katahdin cross lambs (37.3±5.72 kg) were utilized in a 29 d experiment in a complete randomized block design with a 2x2 factorial structure consisting of two levels of ZH for 26 d (0 and 0.20 mg /kg PV-1) and two levels of D3 for 7 d (0 and 1.5x106 IU/d-1). ZH improved (P≤0.05) average daily gain (ADG) and feed efficiency by 9.9% and 17.8%, respectively, as well as hot carcass weight (HCW) and dressing carcass by 4.3% and 2.6%, respectively. (p≤0.03). However, ZH increased (p<0.01) muscle pH and Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) (2.5 and 23.0%, respectively). D3 supplementation negatively affected (P≤0.02) dry matter intake (DMI) (last 7 d) and ADG by 15.7% and 18.1%. On the other hand, D3 improved the pH of the longissimus muscle (LM) by 1.7% (p=0.03) without affecting WBSF. When D3 was supplemented in combination with ZH, it was observed that meat quality was improved by reducing muscle pH compared to lambs treated only with ZH. However, D3 did not improve meat tenderness produced by ZH supplementation.

Bactrocera dorsalis Hendel is a highly invasive horticultural pest of major economic importance worldwide. In Burkina Faso, it is one of the main insect pests constraining the mango production and export. Understanding the biology and the genetic dynamics of this insect pest provide cru-cial information for the development of effective control measures. The aim of this study was to understand the distribution, diversity and genetic structure of B. dorsalis in Burkina Faso. Male flies were collected transversally in Burkina Faso and analyzed by PCR using 10 microsatellite markers. The results showed an abundance of B. dorsalis varying from 87 to 2986 flies per trap per day in the different sampling sites. Genetic diversity was high in all sites with an average Shan-non's Information Index (I) of 0.72 per site. Gene flow was high between study populations and ranged from 10.62 to 27.53 number of migrants. Bayesian admixture analysis showed no evi-dence of structure while Discriminant Analysis of Principal Components identified three weakly separated clusters in the population of B. dorsalis in Burkina Faso. The results of this study could be used to optimize the effectiveness of current control interventions and to guide the imple-mentation of new, innovative and sustainable strategies.

The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant and its sublineages continue to cause COVID-19—associated pediatric hospitalizations, severe disease, and death globally. BNT162b2 and CoronaVac are among the top most widely used COVID-19 vaccines. Much less is known on the Wuhan-Hu-1 strain based vaccines in the pediatric population compared to adults. Given the worldwide need for booster vaccinations to stimulate the immune response against new Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2, we characterized the humoral and cellular immune response against Omicron variant BA.1 in a pediatric population aged 10 to 16 years who received heterologous vaccination based on two doses CoronaVac, two doses CoronaVac (2x) plus one booster doses BNT162b2 [CoronaVac(2x) + BNT162b2 (1x)], two doses CoronaVac plus two booster doses BNT162b2 [CoronaVac(2x) + BNT162b2 (2x)], and three doses BNT162b2. We observed that [CoronaVac(2x) + BNT162b2 (2x)] vaccination showed higher anti-S1 and neutralizing antibody titers and CD4 and CD8 T cell immunity specific to the Omicron variant compared to immunization with two doses CoronaVac alone. Furthermore, from all groups tested, immunity against Omicron was highest in individuals who received three doses BNT162b2. We conclude that booster vaccination with BNT162b2 promotes greater immunity against SARS-CoV-2 in the pediatric population compared to two doses CoronaVac alone.

In this work, several random Boolean networks (RBN) are generated and analyzed from two characteristics: their time evolution diagram and their transition diagram. To do this, its randomness is estimated using three metrics, of which algorithmic complexity is the only one capable of revealing both transitions towards the chaotic regime and the algorithmic contribution of certain states to the transition diagram and their relationship with the order they occupy in the temporal evolution of the respective RBN.

Sirtuins (SIRTs) are a family of evolutionarily conserved enzymes, and the aim of this study was to disclose/re-annotate uncertain paralogs in gilthead sea bream, expanding from seven to ten the repertoire of Sirts in this Perciform fish. Such gene expansion revealed up to three copies of sirt3 (sirt3.1a/sirt3.1b/sirt3.2) and two of sirt5 (sirt5a/sirt5b). Phylogenetic and synteny attempts disclosed the duplication of SIRT3/Sirt3 branch as a process shaped by the 2R whole genome duplication (WGD) at the early vertebrate evolution, with still vestiges in all living fish, and some Sarcopterygii. In gilthead sea bream and other Percomorphaceae, this duplication was accompanied by short segmental duplications of sirt3.1 (clustered to the mammalian SIRT3 ortholog), making a conserved tandem-duplicated synteny block (psmd13-sirt3.1a/b-drd4-cdhr5-ctsd). Conversely, the expansion of the Sirt5 branch was shaped by the 3R WGD as a specific event of the teleost fish lineage. Intriguingly, gene expression profiling across tissues and developmental stages highlighted a conserved high expression of sirt3.1 and sirt5a in skeletal muscle, while the duplicated sirt3.2 and sirt5b displayed an overall muscle suppression of transcriptional activity, and an enhanced expression on immune-relevant tissues and gills, respectively. Altogether offers new insights about the function, regulation, and timing of Sirt expansion.

Ecuador is an important center of biodiversity of the plant family Amaryllidaceae, specially the subfamily Amaryllidoideae, known as a source of important bioactive molecules. The aim of this study was to assess the chemical and biological potential of four different species of Amaryllidoideae collected in Ecuador: Urceolina formosa, Urceolina ruthiana, Clinanthus incarnatus, and Stenomesson aurantiacum. Sixteen alkaloids were identified in the bulb extract of these species by GC-MS, which the extract of S. aurantiacum exhibiting the greatest structural diversity. The potential of these three genera against Alzheimer’s disease was evaluated by measuring their AChE and BuChE inhibitory activity, revealing that C. incarnatus and U. formosa (from Sucumbíos province) showed the best results with IC50 values of 1.73 ± 0.25 and 30.56 ± 1.56 g·ml-1, respectively. Molecular dynamic assays were conducted to elucidate the possible interactions that occurs among 2-hydroxyanhydrolycorine and AChE enzyme, suggesting some similarity with those observed for galanthamine. This study enhances our understanding of the biodiversity of Amaryllidoideae species from Ecuador, highlighting their potential as a source of chemical compounds with pharmaceutical potential.

The current treatment for cervico-facial cancer involves radio and/or chemotherapy. Unfortunately, cancer therapies can lead to local and systemic complications such as mucositis, which is the most common dose-dependent complication in the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract. Mucositis can cause a considerably reduced quality of life in cancer patients already suffering from physical and psychological exhaustion. However, melatonin, whose role in the treatment of mucositis has recently been investigated, offers an effective alternative therapy in the prevention and/or management of radio and/or chemotherapy-induced mucositis. This review focuses on the pathobiology and management of mucositis in order to improve the quality of cancer patients’ lives.

Keywords: COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Antibody, ELISA, Spike, S1, S2, RBD, epitopes, Neutralization

Diopatra neapolitana (Delle Chiaje, 1841) is one of the most exploited polychaete species in European waters, particularly in Ria de Aveiro, a coastal lagoon in mainland Portugal, where the overexploitation of this resource has led to a generalized decline of local populations. In an attempt to reduce the impact of harvesting, several management actions were implemented, but, illegal poaching still fuels a parallel economy that threats the sustainable use of this marine resource. The present study evaluated the combination of fatty acid profiles and elemental fingerprints of the whole body and jaws, respectively, of D. neapolitana collected from four harvesting locations within Ria de Aveiro in order to determine if their geographic origin could be correctly assigned post-harvesting. Results showed that both fatty acid profiles and elemental fingerprints differ significantly among locations, discriminating the geographic origin with higher accuracy when combining these two natural barcodes than when employing each individually. The present work can therefore contribute for the implementation of an effective management plan for the sustainable use of this marine resource, making possible to detect if D. neapolitana was sourced from no take zones and if it was collected from the place of origin claimed by live baits traders.

Use of probiotic lactobacilli has been proposed as a strategy to mitigate damage associated to exposure to toxic metals. Their protective effect against cationic metal ions, such as those of mercury or lead, is believed to stem from their chelating and accumulating potential. However, their retention of anionic toxic metalloids, such as inorganic arsenic, is generally lower. Through the construction of mutants in phosphate transporter genes (pst) in Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Lacticaseibacillus paracasei strains, coupled with arsenate [As(V)] uptake and toxicity assays, we determined that the incorporation of As(V), which structurally resembles phosphate, is likely facilitated by phosphate transporters. Surprisingly, inactivation in Lc. paracasei of PhoP, the tran-scriptional regulator of the two-component system PhoPR, a signal transducer involved in phosphate sensing, led to an increased resistance to arsenite [As(III)]. In comparison to the wild type, the phoP strain exhibited no differences in the ability to retain As(III), and there were no observed changes in the oxidation of As(III) to the less toxic As(V). These results reinforce the idea that specific transport, and not unspecific cell retention plays a role in As(V) biosorption by lactobacilli, while they reveal an unexpected phenotype for the lack of the pleiotropic regulator PhoP.

Alginate-gelatin (Alg-Gel) hydrogels have been used experimentally but not clinically associated with mesenchymal stromal / stem cells (MSCs) to guide bone tissue formation. One of the main challenges for its clinical application is optimizing Alg-Gel stiffness to guide osteogenesis. In this study, we investigated how Alg-Gel stiffness could modulate the dental pulp stem cell (DPSCs) attachment, morphology, proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation, identifying the optimal condition to uncouple osteogenesis from the other cell behaviors. An array of Alg-Gel hydrogels was prepared by casting different percentages of Alg and Gel being crosslinked with 2 % CaCl2. We selected two hydrogels, one with 11± 1 kPa called “low” stiffness and one with 55 ± 3 kPa called “high” stiffness. Hydrogel analyses showed that the average swelling rates were 20 ± 3% for low and 35 ± 2% for high hydrogels. The degradation percentage was 47 ± 5% and 18 ± 2% for low and high hydrogels, respectively. Both hydrogel types showed homogeneous surface shape and pro-tein (Alg-Gel) interaction with CaCl2 as assessed by FTIR-ATR and XPS. Cell culture showed good adhesion of the DPSCs to the hydrogels and proliferation. Furthermore, better osteogenic activity was obtained with high-stiffness hydrogels. In summary, this study confirms the possibility of characterizing and optimizing the stiffness of alginate-gelatin gel to guide osteogenesis in vitro without altering other cellular properties of DPSCs.

The genome sequencing of Botrytis cinerea has supplied a general overview of the map of genes involved in secondary metabolite synthesis. B. cinerea genomic data have revealed that this phytopathogenic fungus has seven sesquiterpene cyclase (Bcstc) genes that encode proteins involved in the farnesyl diphosphate cyclization. Three sesquiterpene cyclases (BcStc1, BcStc5 and BcStc7) have been characterized, related to the biosynthesis of botrydial, abscisic acid and (+)-4-epi-eremophilenol, respectively. However, the role of the other four sesquiterpene cyclases (BcStc2, BcStc3, BcStc4 and BcStc6) remains unknown. BcStc3 is a well-conserved protein with homologues in many fungal species, and here, we have undertaken its functional characterization in the life cycle of the fungus. A null mutant ΔBcstc3 and an overexpressed–Bcstc3 transformant (OvBcstc3) were generated, and both strains show deregulation of those other sesquiterpene cyclase-encoding genes (Bcstc1, Bcstc5, Bcstc7). These results suggest a co-regulation of the expression of the sesquiterpene cyclase gene family in B. cinerea. Phenotypic characterization of both transformants revealed that BcStc3 is involved in oxidative stress tolerance, production of reactive oxygen species and virulence. The metabolomic analysis allowed the isolation of characteristic polyketides and eremophilenols from the secondary metabolism of B. cinerea, although no sesquiterpenes different from those already described were identified.

Utilizing bioinformatics tools, this study expands our understanding of secondary metabolism in Botrytis cinerea, identifying novel genes within polyketide synthase (PKS), non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS), sesquiterpene cyclase (STC), diterpene cyclase (DTC), and dimethylal-lyltryptophan synthase (DMATS) families. These findings enrich the genetic framework associ-ated with B. cinerea's pathogenicity and ecological adaptation, offering insights into uncharted metabolic pathways. Significantly, the discovery of previously unannotated genes provides new molecular targets for developing targeted antifungal strategies, promising to enhance crop pro-tection and advance our understanding of fungal biochemistry. This research not only broadens the scope of known secondary metabolites but also opens avenues for future exploration into B. cinerea's biosynthetic capabilities, potentially leading to novel antifungal compounds. Our work underscores the importance of integrating bioinformatics and genomics for fungal research, paving the way for sustainable agricultural practices by pinpointing precise molecular interven-tions against B. cinerea. This study sets a foundation for further investigations into the fungus's secondary metabolism, with implications for biotechnology and crop disease management.

The Herpotrichiellaceae family is an important group of dematiaceous filamentous fungi, associated with a variety of pathogenic fungal species causing Chromoblastomycosis (CBM) and Phaeohyphomycosis (PHM), both with polymorphic clinical manifestations and worldwide incidence. Currently, the identification of this family and determination of the causative agent is challenging due to the subjectivity of morphological identification methods, necessitating the use of molecular techniques to complement diagnosis. In this context, genetic sequencing of the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) has become the norm due to a lack of alternative molecular tools for identifying these agents. Therefore, this study aimed to develop PCR-Multiplex methodologies to address this gap. Sequences from the ITS and Large subunit (LSU) of ribosomal DNA were used, and after manual curation and in vitro analyses, primers were synthesized for the identification of the aforementioned targets. The primers were optimized and validated in vitro, resulting in two PCR-Multiplex methodologies: one for identifying the Herpotrichiellaceae family and the bantiana clade, and another for determining the species Fonsecaea pedrosoi and Fonsecaea monophora. Ultimately, the assays developed in this study aim to complement other identification approaches for these agents, reducing the need for sequencing, improving the management of these infections, and enhancing the accuracy of epidemiological information.

Oral bone defects occur as a result of trauma, cancer, infections, periodontal diseases, and caries. Autogenic and allogenic grafts are the gold standard used to treat and regenerate damaged or defective bone segments. However, these materials do not possess the antimicrobial properties necessary to inhibit the invasion of the numerous deleterious pathogens present in the oral microbiota. In the present study poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL), nano-hydroxyapatite (nHAp), and a commercial extract of Humulus lupulus L. (hops) were electrospun into polymeric matrices to assess their po-tential for drug delivery and bone regeneration. The fabricated matrices were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), tensile analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), FT-IR assay, and in vitro hydrolytic degradation. The antimi-crobial properties were evaluated against the oral pathogens Streptococcus mutans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. The cytocompatibility was proved by the MTT assay. SEM analysis proved the nanostructured matrices have suitable fiber size. The present research provides new information about the interaction of natural compounds with ceramic and polymeric biomaterials. The hop extract and other natural or synthetic medicinal agents can be effectively loaded into PCL fibers and has the potential to be used in biomedical applications.

Solid-state fermentation (SSF) is the bioprocess where microorganisms are cultivated in the absence of free water under control conditions. Lactic acid can be produced by fermenting grape stalks with Rhizopus oryzae in SSF. During the microorganism growth, the temperature and water content of the solid bed fluctuate, leading to areas of either dry or excessive moisture in the solid substrate. Therefore, it's crucial to control the supply of water to the matrix. In this work, we obtain lactic acid through SSF of grape stalks using Rhizopus oryzae NCIM 1299. The SSF was conducted at a fixed temperature of 35 °C, with three constant relative humidity levels: 50, 65, and 80 %RH. Mathematical models, including the Logistic and First Order Plus Dead Time models for fungal biomass growth and the Luedeking and Piret with Delay Time model for lactic acid production, were adjusted to kinetic curves. Growth kinetic parameters (Xmax, μmax, Tp, T0, Yp/x and td) were determined for all conditions. These kinetic parameters were then correlated with relative humidity using a second-degree polynomial relationship. We observed a decrease in Xmax with increasing %RH, while the value of Yp/x increased at higher %RH. Finally, the optimal variable relative humidity profile was obtained by applying the Dynamic Optimization Technique, resulting in a 15.30% increase in lactic acid production.

A positive fluid balance may evolve to fluid overload and associate with organ dysfunctions, weaning difficulties, and increased mortality in ICU patients. We explored whether individualized fluid management, assessing fluid-responsiveness via passive leg-raising maneuver (PLR) before spontaneous breathing trial (SBT) associated with less extubation failure in ventilated patients with high fluid balance, admitted to the ICU after liver transplantation (LT). We recruited 15 LT patients in 2023. Postoperative fluid balance was +4476 [3697,5722] mL. PLRs were conducted at ICU admission (T1) and pre-SBT (T2). Cardiac index (CI) changes were recorded before and after SBT (T3). Seven patients were fluid responsive at T1, and 12 at T2. No significant differences occurred in hemodynamic, respiratory, and perfusion parameters between fluid-responsive and fluid-unresponsive patients at any time. Fluid-responsive patients at T1 and T2 increased their CI during SBT from 3.1 [2.8,3.7] to 3.7 [3.4,4.1] mL/min/m2 (p= 0.045). All fluid-responsive patients at T2 were extubated after SBT and consolidated extubation. Two out of three of fluid-unresponsive patients experienced weaning difficulties. We concluded that fluid-responsive patients post-LT may start weaning earlier and achieve successful extubation despite high postoperative fluid balance. This highlights the profound impact of personalized assessment of cardiovascular state on critical surgical patients.

In this paper, four probability functions are compared with the purpose of establishing a methodology to improve the accuracy of the estimated wind energy in a desert city in northwestern Mexico. For the statistical modeling, 3 time series of wind speed data were used, corresponding to the years 2017, 2018, and 2019, recorded with a sonic anemometer at a sampling frequency of 10 Hz. From these, the analysis is performed with different stationarity periods (5, 30, 60, and 600 seconds). The estimation of the parameters characterizing the probability density functions was performed using different methods; the statistical models were evaluated by the coefficient of determination and the Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient, while their accuracy by the measured quadratic error, the mean square error, the mean absolute error, and the mean absolute percentage error. It was found that Weibull with the energy pattern factor method and Gamma using the method of moments were the probability density functions that best describe the statistical behavior of the wind speed and, therefore, better estimate the energy generated, so it is concluded that the proposed methodology will allow having greater confidence, both in the estimation of the wind speed and in the small wind energy available for its use.

Originally developed as a chemotherapeutic agent, miltefosine (hexadecylphosphocholine) is an inhibitor of phosphatidylcholine synthesis with proven antiparasitic effects. It is the only oral drug approved for the treatment of Leishmaniasis and American Trypanosomiasis (Chagas Disease). Although its precise mechanisms are not yet fully understood, miltefosine exhibits broad-spectrum anti-parasitic effects primarily by disrupting the intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis of the parasites while sparing the human hosts. In addition to its inhibitory effects on phosphatidylcholine synthesis and cytochrome c oxidase, miltefosine has been found to affect the unique giant mitochondria and the acidocalcisomes of parasites. Both of these crucial organelles are involved in Ca2+ regulation. Furthermore, miltefosine has the ability to activate a specific parasite Ca2+ channel that responds to sphingosine, that is different to its L-type VGCC human ortholog. Here, we aimed to provide an overview of recent advancements of the anti-parasitic mechanisms of miltefosine. We also explored its multiple molecular targets and investigated how its pleiotropic effects translate into a rational therapeutic approach for patients afflicted by Leishmaniasis and American Trypanosomiasis. Notably, miltefosine's therapeutic effect extends beyond its impact on the parasite to also affect positively the host's immune system. These findings enhance our understanding on its multi targeted mechanism of action. Overall, this review sheds light on the intricate molecular actions of miltefosine highlighting its potential as a promising therapeutic option against these debilitating parasitic diseases.

This paper presents a quantum formulation for classical abstract dynamical systems (ADS), defined by coupled sets of first order differential equations. They are referred as “abstract” because their dynamical variables can be of different interrelated nature, not necessarily corresponding to physics, such as populations, socioeconomic variables, behavioural variables, etc. A first order classical Hamiltonian in canonical moments can be derived for ADS by using Dirac’s dynamics for singular Hamiltonian systems. And also a corresponding first order Schrödinger equation (which involves the existence of a system Planck constant particular of each system) can be derived from this Hamiltonian. However, Bohm and Hiley’s reinterpretation of quantum mechanics produces no further information about the mathematical formulation of ADS. However, a second order classical Hamiltonian in canonical moments can be also derived for ADS, as well as a corresponding second order Schrödinger equation. In this case, Bohm and Hiley’s reinterpretation of quantum mechanics provides a quantum Hamiltonian that does provide the quantum formulation for ADS, which provides new quantum variables interrelated dynamically with the classical variables. An application case is presented: the one-dimensional autonomous system given by the logistic dynamics, where the differences between the classical and the quantum trajectories are highlighted.

Dengue fever remains a persistent threat in Mexico, with cyclical outbreaks driven by the circulation of multiple dengue virus serotypes. The sudden emergence of DENV-3 in 2023 raised questions about its epidemiological significance and potential implications for disease severity. This study aimed to characterize dengue virus serotypes by age and their association with disease severity, considering sex, time, and the origin of clinical samples. A retrospective analysis was conducted on dengue laboratory results obtained from the epidemiological surveillance system in Mexico during 2023. Descriptive statistics summarized the prevalence of dengue virus serotypes, while bivariate analysis utilized an adjusted Chi-squared test to assess associations with demographic variables. Multivariate analysis using unconditional logistic regression evaluated the relationship between dengue virus serotypes and disease severity, adjusting for potential confounders. Additionally, co-infections were identified and analyzed. Results revealed DENV-3 as the most prevalent serotype (63.9%), with co-infection involving two serotypes detected in 0.75% of cases. DENV-2 exhibited a higher median age compared to other serotypes. Pregnant women in their last trimester faced elevated risks of hospitalization and mortality. Multivariate analysis indicated a stronger association between DENV-2 and hospitalization. However, co-infection did not significantly influence disease severity. The unexpected predominance of DENV-3 underscores the dynamic nature of dengue virus circulation in Mexico. Despite its prevalence, DENV-2 demonstrated a stronger association with hospitalization, highlighting the importance of serotype-specific surveillance and management strategies.

This study introduces an efficient strategy for synthesizing polyhydroxyurethane-based multicomponent hydrogels with enhanced rheological properties. In a single-step process, 3D materials composed of Polymer 1 (PHU) and Polymer 2 (PVA or gelatin) were produced. Polymer 1, a crosslinked polyhydroxyurethane (PHU) grew within a colloidal suspension of Polymer 2, forming an interconnected network. The synthesis of Polymer 1 utilized a Non-Isocyanate Polyurethane (NIPU) methodology based on the aminolysis of bis(cyclic carbonate) (bisCC) monomers derived from 1-thioglycerol and 1,2-dithioglycerol (monomers MA and ME, respectively). This method, applied for the first time in Semi Interpenetrating Network (SIPN) formation, demonstrated exceptional orthogonality, since the functional groups in Polymer 2 do not interfere with Polymer 1 formation. Optimizing PHU formation involved a twenty-trial methodology, identifying influential variables such as polymer concentration, temperature, solvent (an aprotic and a protic solvent), and the organo-catalyst used [a thiourea derivative (TU) and 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU)]. The highest molecular weights were achieved under near-bulk polymerization conditions using TU-protic and DBU-aprotic as catalyst-solvent combinations. ME-based PHU exhibited higher (M_w ) ̅ than MA-based PHU (34,100 Da and 16,400 Da, respectively). Applying the enhanced methodology to prepare ten multicomponent hydrogels using PVA or gelatin as the polymer scaffold revealed superior rheological properties in PVA-based hydrogels, exhibiting solid-like gel behavior. Incorporating ME enhanced mechanical properties and elasticity (with loss tangent values of 0.09 and 0.14). SEM images unveiled distinct microstructures, including a sponge-like pattern in certain PVA-based hydrogels when MA was chosen, indicating the formation of highly superporous interpenetrated materials. In summary, this innovative approach presents a versatile methodology for obtaining advanced hydrogel-based systems with potential applications in various biomedical fields.

Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS) is a complex genetic disorder with a distinct set of facial features, growth limitations, and limb anomalies. Its clinical spectrum is broad and presents significant challenges in pediatric diagnosis and management. The variable presentation of the disorder, due to cohesin complex mutations, requires extensive research to refine care and improve outcomes. This article provides a case series review of pediatric CdLS patients, alongside a comprehensive literature review, exploring clinical variability and the relationship between genotypic changes and phenotypic outcomes. It also discusses the evolution of diagnostic and therapeutic techniques, with an emphasis on innovations in genetic testing, including the detection of mosaicism and novel genetic variations. The aim is to synthesise case studies with current research to advance our understanding of CdLS and the effectiveness of management strategies in pediatric healthcare. This work highlights the need for an integrated, evidence-based approach to diagnosis and treatment, and aims to fill existing research gaps and advocate for holistic care protocols and tailored treatment plans for CdLS patients, ultimately improving their quality of life.

In this article, we combine datasets from multiple research projects and remote sensing tech-nologies to evaluate the conservation conditions of La Fortaleza de Kuelap, a pre-Hispanic monument in Peru’s northeastern Andes that suffered significant damage during historically high seasonal rains in April 2022. Our analyses seek to identify the main causes of the collapse and locate places where the monument is likely at risk of further deterioration. To do so, we model surface hydrology using a digital elevation model (DEM) derived from drone LiDAR data, re-construct a history of previous collapses, and calculate the volume of the most recent by fusing terrestrial LiDAR and photogrammetric datasets. In addition, we examine subsurface water ac-cumulation through electrical resistivity data, reconstruct the stratification of the monument from seismic refraction data, and analyze vegetation loss and ground moisture accumulation using high resolution satellite imagery. Our results point to water accumulation as the most significant source of risk for La Fortaleza’s perimeter walls. Combined with adverse contemporary conser-vation interventions and natural conditions, this led to the collapse of April 2022. This integration of analytical results demonstrates how multi-scalar and multi-instrumental approaches provide comprehensive and timely assessments of conservation needs.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a common condition with lifelong implications. The last decade has seen dramatic improvements in DNA sequencing and related bioinformatics and databases. We analyzed the raw DNA sequencing files on the Variantyx® bioinformatics platform for the last 50 ASD patients evaluated with trio whole genome sequencing (trio-WGS). “Qualified” variants were defined as coding, rare, and evolutionarily conserved. Primary Diagnostic Variants (PDV) additionally were in genes directly linked to ASD and matched clinical correlation. A PDV was identified in 34/50 (68%) of cases, including 25 (50%) cases with heterozygous de novo and 10 (20%) with inherited variants. De novo variants in genes directly associated with ASD were far more likely to be Qualifying than non-Qualifying versus a control group of genes (P=0.0002), validating that most are indeed disease related. Sequence reanalysis increased diagnostic yield from 28% to 68%, mostly by inclusion of de novo PDVs in genes not yet reported as ASD associated. Thirty-three subjects (66%) had treatment recommendation(s) based on DNA analyses. Our results demonstrate high yield of trio-WGS for revealing molecular diagnoses in ASD that is greatly enhanced by re-analyzing DNA sequencing files. In contrast to previous reports, de novo variants dominate the findings, mostly representing novel conditions. This has implications to the cause and rising prevalence of autism.

Resistance evolution during exposure to non-lethal levels of antibiotics is influenced by various stress responses of bacteria which are known to affect growth rate. Here, we aim to disentangle how the interplay between resistance development and associated fitness costs is affected by stress responses. We performed de novo resistance evolution of wild-type strains and single-gene knockout strains in stress response pathways using four different antibiotics. Throughout resistance development, the increase in minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) is accompanied by a gradual decrease in growth rate, most pronounced with amoxicillin or kanamycin. By measuring biomass yield on glucose and whole-genome sequences at intermediate and final timepoints, we identified two patterns of how the stress responses affect the correlation between MIC and growth rate. First, single-gene knockout E. coli strains associated with reactive oxygen species (ROS) acquire resistance faster and mutations related to antibiotic permeability and pumping out occur earlier. This increases the metabolic burden of resistant bacteria. Second, the ΔrelA knockout strain which has reduced (p)ppGpp synthesis, is restricted in its stringent response, leading to diminished growth rates. The ROS-related mutagenesis and the stringent response are vulnerabilities within the fitness of resistant strains that can possibly be targeted to prevent development of resistance.

Since 2017 Cartagena UNESCO World Heritage has threatened to be categorized as "in Danger" by UNESCO. This research analyzes two main critical aspects, Governance and Current state of the Site. Regarding Governance, the study aims to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and treats in the UNESCO Site. Exemplary heritage management systems are studied to propose an adaptable management approach specifically for Cartagena. On the other hand, a comprehensive analysis is conducted utilizing a photographic report that highlights the major issues arising from inadequate heritage management. Hyperspectral images obtained from a previous study are employed to identify vegetation and asbestos-cement roofs within the cultural heritage Site. The study reveals that the ambiguity surrounding decision-making authority for heritage management, distributed between the Mayor's Office and the Ministry of Culture, is a primary challenge. This fragmentation has resulted in duplicated efforts and a lack of coordinated action, significantly compromising the conservation and protection of the cultural heritage Site. Moreover, twelve current shortcomings of cultural heritage in Cartagena are identified through authors' five-year on-site regular visits, photographic reports and observation. To address the prevailing concerns, a new line of command for cultural heritage management is proposed as the most effective means of tackling these challenges. Additionally, general recommendations are presented to mitigate the existing problems and prevent the classification of Cartagena's heritage as "at risk" by UNESCO in the near future. This research provides a scientific perspective, drawing upon years of experience studying heritage and residing in the city, devoid of political influences or conflicts of interest.

Poplar and willow species in the Salicaceae are dioecious, yet have been shown to use different sex determination systems located on different chromosomes. Willows in the section Vetrix are interesting for comparative studies of sex determination systems, yet genomic resources for these species are still quite limited. Only a few annotated reference genome assemblies are available, despite many species in use in breeding programs. Here we present de novo assemblies and annotations of 11 shrub willow genomes from six species. Copy number variation of candidate sex determination genes within each genome was characterized and revealed remarkable differences in putative master regulator gene duplication and deletion. We also analyzed copy number and expression of candidate genes involved in floral secondary metabolism, and identified substantial variation across genotypes, which can be used for parental selection in breeding programs. Lastly, we report on a genotype that produces only female descendants and identified gene presence/absence variation in the mitochondrial genome that may be responsible for this unusual inheritance.

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

This study aimed to analyze the effect of a flow training program based on mindfulness applied to young and adult elite handball athletes. A quantitative, quasi-experimental, descriptive data analysis approach was carried out. The sample included 105 athletes (51 female and 54 male). The athletes were divided into two groups: i) experimental (n = 53) and ii) control (n = 52). The results of the repeated ANOVA indicated that the experimental group achieved significant improvements compared to the control group in decision making (n2p=.086), mental well-being (n2p=.045), dispositional flow state (n2p=.103), non-judgment (n2p=.040), refocusing (n2p=.052) and mindful trait in daily life (n2p=.058). In the linear regression test, the factor non-judgment was identified as a predictor of decision making (F(103)=7.99, p=.006) and the predictor for the mental well-being were dispositional flow state (F(102)=29.2, p

The global textile sector, pivotal to economic development, significantly contributes to environmental degradation, prompting a shift towards sustainable raw material sources. Embracing circular economy principles, this industry is exploring the valorization of agricultural by-products. This study introduces an innovative approach to repurposing mango waste into valuable textile fibers, a byproduct of the fruit processing industry, predominantly generated during juice and jam production. The focus is on the lignocellulosic constituents of mango waste, specifically the peel, seed, and fibrous material, traditionally considered as refuse. Previous research has predominantly utilized mango peel in pectin extraction for food applications, whereas the potential of seed and fibrous content remains underexplored. This investigation endeavors to transform these fibrous by-products into high-value materials suitable for textile manufacturing. The process involved washing, drying, and comprehensive physicochemical characterization of mango fibers, emphasizing lignin quantification, revealing a composition of 12.2% lignin. An experimental design was employed to elucidate the impact of variables such as liquid-to-solid ratio, reaction duration, and sodium hydroxide concentration on lignin dissolution through alkaline hydrolysis. Optimal conditions—10% NaOH concentration, 30 mL/g liquid-to-solid ratio over six hours—achieved an 83% reduction in lignin content. The resulting fibers exhibited properties akin to conventional natural fibers, including a favorable aspect ratio indicative of their suitability for textile applications. A subsequent softening process using propylene glycol enhanced the fibers' spinability, producing a durable, textured fabric ideal for eco-conscious fashion applications, including bags, footwear, and accessories. This research demonstrates the feasibility of converting mango waste into a textile-worthy material and underscores the importance of waste revalorization in promoting sustainability within the circular economy framework.

This study analyses the changes in land use in the Sado estuary (West-Central Portugal) based on a multitemporal analysis of cartographic data from the 19th century and remote sensing land use maps from the 21st century, updated by field work. A GIS plotting of land-use evolution is summarized in a quantitative table. The comparison shows the changes in land use, with increasing occupation by human economic activities, including extensive agriculture and forestry, as well as localized urbanization and industrialization. The main elements of the landscape impacted by anthropogenic uses were: i) hydrography - river dams affected the flow dynamics and sedimentary processes in the estuary; ii) vegetation – increasing agriculture and forestry reduced the areas of native vegetation, nowadays mostly occupied by vineyards, pine forests and cork oaks. iii) wetlands - tidal and alluvial plains are being occupied by rice cultivation, aquaculture, industries, and ports; iv) coastal dunes – new developments are occupying large areas of Holocene coastal dunes; v) natural environment – mining and dredging affected some habitats and biodiversity. This analysis is intended to help the territorial organization of present and future economic activities, as well as to reduce environmental and social problems, promoting long-term sustainability of this rapidly evolving region.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the bioactivity and cell response of a well-characterized Nurse´s A-phase (7CaO•P2O5•2SiO2) ceramic and his effect compared to a control (tissue culture polystyrene-TCPS) on the adhesion, viability, proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of ahMSCs in vitro. Cell proliferation (Alamar Blue Assay), Alizarin Red-S (AR-s) staining, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, osteocalcin (OCN) and collagen I (Col I) were evaluated. Also, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) images were acquired in order to visualise the cells and the topography of the material. The proliferation of cells growing in a direct contact with the material was slower at early stages of the study because of the new environmental conditions. However, the entire surface was colonized after 28 days of culture in growth medium (GM). Osteoblastic differentiation markers were significantly enhanced in cells growing on Nurse´s A phase ceramic and cultured with osteogenic medium (OM), probably due to the role of silica to stimulate the differentiation of ahMSCs. Moreover, calcium nodules were formed under the influence of ceramic material. Therefore, it is predicted that Nurse´s A-phase ceramic would present high biocompatibility and osteoinductive properties being a good candidate to be used as a biomaterial for bone tissue engineering.

Bursera fagaroides popularly used in México possess bioactive lignans. These compounds are low in the bark, and its extraction endangers the life of the trees. The aim of the present investigation was to search for alternative sources of cytotoxic compounds from B. fagaroides as leaves and in vitro callus cultures. The friable callus of B. fagaroides were established using a combination of phytoregulators: 4 mgL-1 of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 1 mgL-1 Naphthaleneacetic Acid (NAA) and 1 mgL-1 Zeatin. The maximum cell growth was at day 28 with a specific growth rate μ= 0.059 days-1 and duplication time td=11.8 days. Scopoletin with a concentration of 10.7 µg/g dry weight was the main compound inducible as a phytoalexin by the addition of high concentrations of 2,4-D, as well as by the absence of nutrients in the culture medium. The com-pounds γ-sitosterol, and stigmasterol were also present. Open column chromatography was used to separate and identify: yatein, acetyl podophyllotoxin and 7'8'-dehydropodophyllotoxin in the leaves of the wild plant. Cytotoxic activity on four cancer cell lines was tested, being PC-3 prostate carcinoma (IC50 of 12.6±4.6) the most sensitive to the wild-type plant extract and HeLa cervical carcinoma (IC50 of 72±5) to the callus culture extract.

Fungi are ubiquitous and metabolically versatile. Their dispersion has important scientific, environmental, health, and economic implications. They can be dispersed through the air by the aerosolization of near surfaces or transported from distant sources. Here, we tested the contribution of local (scale of meters) versus regional (kilometers) sources by analyzing airborne fungal community by ITS sequencing around a copper mine in the North of Chile. The mine was the regional source, whereas soil and vegetal detritus were the local sources at each point. The airborne community was highly homogeneous in ca. 2,000 km2, impeding the detection of regional or local contributions. Ascomycota was the dominant phylum in the three communities. Soil and vegetal detritus communities had lower alpha-diversity, but some taxa had abundance patterns related to the distance to the mine and altitude. On the contrary, the air was compositionally even and unrelated to environmental or spatial factors, except for altitude. The presence of plant pathogens in the air suggests that other distant sources contribute to this region's airborne fungal community and reinforces the complexity of tracking the sources of air microbial communities in a real world where several natural and human activities coexist.

Angola is vulnerable to climate change, as most of its agriculture is rain-fed and repre-sents the backbone of the people of the southern region of the country, and many peo-ple’s livelihoods depend on it. All crops can suffer from the impacts of climate change, which can lead to challenges in agricultural production and food security in different regions of the world. The work consisted of a systematic review of the impacts of climate change on agriculture in Angola, particularly in the southern region. To achieve this objective the PRISMA2020 methodology was used, using the flowcharts for the selection of studies evaluated from the databases that are: Scopus and Web Sci-ence, resulting in 431 documents published between 1996 and 2023, and of these only 63 were included in the systematic review, with inclusion and exclusion criteria. Research on the short and long-term effects of climate change impacts in agriculture in Angola and in particular the southern region is scarce and insufficient. Temperatures are pre-dicted to rise and precipitation generally decreases over time (approximately -2% by 2100), with the southern region experiencing a stronger drop in precipitation. Agri-culture in Angola will be hit hard and some models show that agricultural productiv-ity will be up to 7% lower by 2050 owing to climate change.

: Sputtering of silicon in a Helium magnetron discharge (MS) has been reported as a bottom-up procedure to obtain He-charged silicon films (i.e. He nanobubbles encapsulated in a silicon matrix). The incorporation of heavier noble gases is demonstrated in this work with a synergistic effect producing increased Ne and Ar incorporations when using He-Ne and He-Ar gas mixtures in the MS process. Microstructural and chemical characterizations are reported by ion beam analysis (IBA) and scanning and transmission electron microscopies (SEM and TEM). In addition to gas incorporation, helium promotes the formation of larger nanobubbles. For the case of Ne high resolution X-ray photoelectron and absorption spectroscopies (XPS and XAS) are reported with remarkable dependence of the Ne 1s photoemission and the Ne K-edge absorption on the nanobubbles size and composition. The gas (He, Ne, Ar) charged thin films are proposed as “solid” targets for the characterization of spectroscopic properties of noble gases in a confined state without the need for cryogenics or high-pressure anvils devices. Also their use as targets for nuclear reaction studies is foreseen.

This work shows the physicochemical and mineralogical characterization of diatomites form the Hidalgo and Jalisco States, Mexico. In the case of the mineral from Hidalgo State, this has the following chemical composition; 70.0 % wt. SiO₂, 11.63 wt. % Al₂O₃, 1.95 wt. % FeO, 1.79 wt. % MgO, 2.41 wt. % K₂O, 0.85 wt. % CaO and 6.10 wt. % Na₂O. On the other hand, the mineral from Jalisco has the following chemical composition; 93.58 wt. % SiO₂, 3.03 wt. % Al₂O₃, 1.81 wt. % FeO, 0.40 wt. % MgO, 0.92 wt. % K₂O, 0.11 wt. % CaO and 0.24 wt. % Na₂O. For recovery of metals, both minerals got arsenic, silver, lead and nickel recoveries upper to 95 % and lower to 10 % for chromium. According to efficiency of interchange, the mineral from Hidalgo is slightly higher in the case of arsenic, lead and silver; while for nickel and particularly chromium (VI) the efficiency is higher for the mineral from Jalisco.

This research aims to introduce a model, SectraBank, designed to mitigate cyber fraud attacks, specifically targeting SIM Swapping and Fake App schemes in mobile banking users. A quantitative methodology with an experimental design was meticulously employed to examine the rise of cyber fraud within mobile banking. The study involved a sample of 100 professionals with advanced knowledge in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). Surveys were utilized to measure awareness of threats and perceptions of security before and after the implementation of the proposed model. SectraBank leverages unique user identifiers such as fingerprint authentication and the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number, in addition to geolocation and One Time Passwords (OTP) for validating electronic transactions in mobile banking. The effectiveness of the proposed model was notable, achieving a 96.1% efficacy rate in mitigating Fake App attacks and a 90.2% success rate in countering SIM Swapping attacks. These findings underscore the potential of SectraBank as a robust solution to enhance cybersecurity measures in the realm of mobile banking.

Dengue virus (DENV) and chikungunya virus (CHIKV) are reemergent arboviruses that are transmitted by mosquitoes of the Aedes genus. During the last several decades, these viruses have been responsible for millions of cases of infection and thousands of deaths worldwide. Therefore, several investigations were conducted over the past few years to find antiviral compounds for the treatment of DENV and CHIKV infections. One attractive strategy is the screening of compounds that target enzymes involved in the replication of both DENV and CHIKV. In this review, we describe advances in the evaluation of natural products targeting the enzymes involved in the replication of these viruses.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in biological processes and offer hope for the development of effective treatments for ROS-dependent diseases, including cancer. The interaction of hydrogen peroxide with proteins stimulates the creation of chemical molecules that can weaken or stop the pathological process in cancer. However, reliable drugs have not yet been described. To understand the reason for the failure, we studied the behavior of ROS-containing compounds in cancer cells. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is activated by interaction with a ligand protein, as well as by binding the chemical structure of hydrogen peroxide to the catalytic cysteine in the intracellular domain. Both mechanisms trigger signaling pathways in cells. The EGFR can be inactivated by protein tyrosinase phosphatase PTP-1B, which itself is activated by hydrogen peroxide. A simple in-gel fluorescence technique was used to demonstrate the rapid binding of hydrogen peroxide to a large number of proteins, including both activating and inactivating target proteins. Natural defense systems take longer to action and apparently cannot prevent hydrogen peroxide from binding to protect cells from exposure to unwanted proteins. Therefore, superoxide dismutase, which produces hydrogen peroxide, is not a suitable target for disease therapy.

BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) is still a real threat in the management of kidney transplantation. Immunosuppressive treatment disrupts the equilibrium between virus replication and immune response, and uncontrolled BKPyV replication leads to nephropathy (BKPyV nephropathy). The first evidence of BKPyV reactivation in transplant recipients is the detection of viral shedding in urine, which appears in 20% to 60% of patients, followed by BKPyV viremia in 10-20% of kidney transplant recipients. BKPyV nephropathy eventually occurs in 1-10% of this population, mainly within the first 2 years post-transplantation, causing graft loss in about half of those patients. Few data exist regarding the pediatric population and we focus on them. In this paper, we review the existing diagnostic methods, we summarize the evidences on the role of BKPyV humoral and cellular immunity in the modulation of the clinical course of BKPyV infection and as potential predictors of the outcome. We look at the known risk factors of BKPyV nephropathy in the immunosuppressed patient. Finally, we propose a sensible clinical attitude in order to screen and manage BKPyV infection in kidney transplant children.

A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to estimate the prevalence of chlamydiosis in small ruminants. The study included 133 publications that reported the presence of Chlamydia abortus in 109 and 74 studies in sheep and goats from 45 countries. The prevalence of chlamydiosis was estimated at global, regional, and national levels using meta-analyses of proportions. Meta-regression and cumulative meta-analyses were also performed. Globally, the prevalence of chlamydiosis in sheep and goats was estimated at 20.1% (95% CI: 17.8-22.4) and 14.4% (11.6-17.4), respectively. For sheep, chlamydiosis prevalence was heterogeneous at regional and national levels. South Asia had the highest prevalence (30.6%) and East Asia and Pacific the lowest (14.0%). Nationally, chlamydiosis was more prevalent in Romania, Hungary, and Germany (range 53.3-87.0%) compared to Costa Rica, Australia, and Zimbabwe (4.7-5.2%). Among goats, chlamydiosis prevalence was similar across regions (10.4-19.7%), but varied significantly among countries, 0.0% in Romania and Australia and 91.7% in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In both species, sample size, number of diagnostic techniques, and latitude were significant covariates. Prevalence varied widely in the first decades of publications before stabilizing. Our study found a high prevalence of chlamydiosis in small ruminants, with the pathogen being distributed globally but heterogeneously across countries.

The wood-based panel industry is experiencing an excessive accumulation of solid residues from the production of medium-density fiberboard (MDF) panels and moldings. It is possible to create new MDF products with acceptable physical and mechanical properties by revaluing MDF residues. Additionally, those products’ thermal properties can be improved by incorporating phase change materials (PCMs). This study aims to develop a wood-based fiberboard made of MDF residues, capable of storing thermal energy. Two types of PCMs, two PCM ratios, and two types of adhesives were used to produce eight different types of panels. The vertical density profile, thickness swelling, water absorption, internal bond (IB), and static bending properties – modulus of elasticity (MOE) and modulus of rupture (MOR) – were determined for each panel type. The specific heat of the panels was also determined. The results show the panels’ densities were greater than 700 kg/m3. Thickness swelling in water improved by 23% compared to the reference value of the control panel PCMs after PCM incorporation. The highest IB value was 1.30 MPa, which is almost three times the minimum required by regulation standards. The incorporation of PCMs reduced the panels’ bending properties compared to the properties of the control panels. Even though the values obtained are sufficient to comply with the minimum values set out in ANSI standard A208.2 with a MOE value of 2072.4 MPa and the values obtained are sufficient to comply with the minimum standards with a MOE value of 2072.4 MPa and a MOR value of 16.4 MPa. When microencapsulated PCM is used, the specific heat of the panels is increased by more than 100% over that of the control panels. This study develops a feasible alternative for using MDF residues: to create fiberboard that is capable of storing thermal energy and has adequate physical and mechanical properties.

In recent years, humanity has faced a growing challenge posed by the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, resulting in an alarming surge in fatalities and the emergence of increasingly hard-to-manage diseases. Among these resilient pathogens is Acinetobacter baumannii, due to its escalating prevalence in hospitals, elevated mortality rates, and resistance to treatment. Despite its clinical significance, our understanding of this pathogen in non-hospital settings and its virulence factors remains limited. Therefore, this review aims to shed light on the latest research regarding its ecological niche, microbiological traits, and antibiotic resistance profiles. Recent investigations have expanded its detection to various environmental niches, including rivers, treatment plants, and soils. Moreover, this bacterium has been discovered in diverse food sources such as meat and vegetables, as well as in farm animals and household pets like dogs and cats. This broader presence of Acinetobacter baumannii outside of hospital environments underscores a significant risk of environmental contamination, necessitating heightened awareness and preventive measures to address potential public health implications.

The cultivation systems of Coffea spp in a cooperative society in Puebla, Mexico, include rustic, traditional polyculture, commercial polyculture, unshaded monoculture and shaded monoculture. In this work, the properties of the soil were analyzed through physical, chemical, and biological analysis to determine its nutritional status. Composite sample analyses were conducted to determine physical, chemical and microbiological parameters (fungi, actinomycetes, mesophilic bacteria, nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria). Leaf nutrients were determined. Rustic was the cropping system with the highest amount of K (0.76 cmol kg-1) in soil and nutrient assimilation in leaf (N= 2.79%, P= 660.01, K= 17297.22 and Fe= 271.24 mg kg-1) (p= 0.001); in addition to presenting high populations of mesophilic bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes (30.16, 0.59 and 0.83 respectively, x10 6 CFU g-1 soil) and very low nitrification and denitrification rates. The principal component analysis (PCA) (>3.25%) indicated that actinomycetes and K in soil favor the assimilation of Fe, K and P. This Coffea spp cultivation system had a lower impact on soil health than the rest of the systems and favored forest ecosystem conservation.

Many studies have addressed sex differences in patients with psoriatic arthritis, although these are aimed more at describing the phenotype than at investigating the causes underlying the differences. Cross-sectional study of 203 patients. The clinical and demographic variables included age, years of education, time since onset, smoking, type of treatment, clinical presentation, number of entheses affected, dactylitis, fatigue, and cutaneous involvement. Disease activity,functioning and disease was measured. The comorbid conditions evaluated included obesity (and leptin as an associated parameter), anxiety and depression, and sleep quality. Mean age was 54.6, and 46.8% of patients were women. Women less frequently presented axial involvement and more frequently presented enthesitis. They also presented greater disease activity, greater disease impact, and poorer functioning, as well as greater fatigue. As for comorbid conditions, women presented a higher leptin/BMI ratio, higher levels of anxiety and depression, and poorer sleep quality. By sex, pain affecting women was associated with the leptin/BMI ratio and sleep quality. The leptin/BMI ratio was not associated with any component of disease activity in men. Sex was associated with several clinical manifestations, disease activity, functioning, and disease impact. Leptin was associated with intensity of pain in women.

Euler-Poisson equations of a charged symmetrical body in external constant and homogeneous electric and magnetic fields are deduced starting from the variational problem, where the body is considered as a system of charged point particles subject to holonomic constraints. The final equations are written for the center-of mass-coordinate, rotation matrix and angular velocity. General solution to the equations of motion is obtained for the case of a charged ball. For the case of a symmetrical charged body (solenoid), the task of obtaining the general solution is reduced to the problem of a one-dimensional cubic pseudo-oscillator. Besides, we present a one-parametric family of solutions to the problem in elementary functions.

Taking into account the growing interest in microalgae to be used as raw material for biodiesel production, this research is aimed at analyzing the rheological behaviour of microalgae suspensions (Chlorella sp) at different culture times under eight different conditions (temperature, salinity and CO₂, NO₃ and PO₄ levels) in order to estimate the energy demands of each step, with the purpose of optimizing a continuous feed tubular bioreactor construction. For each condition, it was calculated the biomass and oil yields, so as to correlate these results with rheological parameters. The suspension results indicated that the microalgae Chlorella sp is a non-Newtonian material with dilatant characteristics; the processing time hardly exerted an influence on the rheograms of the suspension of the microalgae Chlorella sp, except for the simultaneous conditions of low salinity and low CO₂ content; NO₃ and PO₄ contents and the amount of supplements influenced the rheological parameters of the suspension of the microalgae Chlorella sp, when in low concentration of CO₂ and low salinity levels.

Mathematical algorithms relate satellite data of ocean color with the surface Chlorophyll–a con-centration (Chl-a), a proxy of phytoplankton biomass. These mathematical tools work best when they are adapted to the unique bio-optical properties of a particular oceanic province. Ocean color algorithms should also consider that there are significant differences between datasets derived from different sensors. Common solutions are to provide different parameters for each sensor or use merged satellite data. In this paper we use satellite data from the Copernicus merged product suite and in situ data from the southernmost part of the California Current System to test two widely used global algorithms, OCx and CI, and a regional algorithm, CalCOFI2. The OCx al-gorithm gave the best result, therefore, it was regionalized and, again, tested. The database was then separated according to (a) dynamic boundaries in the area, (b) bio-optical properties and (c) climatic condition (El Niño/La Niña). Regional algorithms were obtained and tested for each partition. The Chl-a retrievals for each model were tested and compared. The best fit for the data was for the regional algorithms that considered the climatic conditions (El Niño/La Niña). These results will allow the construction of consistent regionally adapted time-series and, therefore, demonstrates the importance of El Niño/La Niña events on the bio-optical properties of the area.

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

The present study aimed to determine the genetic diversity of isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) from presumed drug resistant tuberculosis patients from several states of Brazil. The isolates had been submitted to conventional drug susceptibility testing for first- and second-line drugs. Multidrug-resistant (MDR-TB) (54.8%) was the most frequent phenotypic resistance profile, in addition to an important high frequency of pre-extensively resistant (p-XDR-TB) (9.2%). Using whole-genome sequencing (WGS), we characterized 298 Mtb isolates from Brazil. Besides analysis of genotype distribution and possible correlations between molecular and clinical data, we determined the performance of an in-house WGS pipeline with other online pipelines for Mtb lineages and drug resistance profile definition. Sub-lineage 4.3 (52%) was the most frequent genotype and the genomic approach revealed a p-XDR-TB level of 22.5%. We detected 20 novel mutations in three resistance genes, and six of these were observed in eight phenotypically resistant isolates. Cluster analysis of 170 isolates showed that 43.5% of the TB patients belonged to 24 genomic clusters, suggesting considerable ongoing transmission of DR-TB, including two interstate transmissions. The in-house WGS pipeline showed the best overall performance in drug-resistance prediction, presenting the best accuracy values to five of nine drugs tested. Significant associations were observed between suffering from fatal disease and genotypic p-XDR-TB (p = 0.03) and either phenotypic (p = 0.006) and genotypic (p = 0.0007) ethambutol resistance. The use of WGS analysis improved our understanding of the population structure of MTBC in Brazil, genetic and clinical data correlations and demonstrating its utility for surveillance efforts for spread of DR-TB, hopefully helping to avoid the emergence of even more resistant strains and to reduce TB incidence and mortality rates.

The gold deposits of the eastern region of Cuba are genetically related to the lithological formations of the island arc and the ophiolitic complex, which have been studied and exploited since the time of the Spanish colonization in the mid-sixteenth century. These deposits are part of the so-called Aguas Claras-Guajabales mineral field, in the Holguín Province (Cuba) and lie in an extensive elongated strip of approximately 15 km in length. The object of this work is to make an orderly, detailed, and chronological review of the geological and mining work carried out in this region as well as to highlight the degree of study achieved in each of the stages of research. To facilitate this work, an extensive bibliographic review of all available materials was planned and carried out, such as reports, manuals, monographs, and articles. The results obtained from this study highlight that gold mineralization is closely linked to metasomatic processes produced by the circulation of hydrothermal fluids that affected different lithologies of both the volcanic island arc and the ophiolitic complex, it is noteworthy that the highest gold contents are mainly where the lithologies contact each other. This highlights the fact that the presence of alterations such as serpentinization, listvenitization, rodingitization and propylitization have played a primary role in the deposition of gold during mineralization processes. This work could be a very useful guide for future research in this region, as it is an orderly, concrete, and practical compilation of the characteristics of the mineralization and alterations, as well as a precise indication of the spatial position, thicknesses, and contents of the gold horizons.

Stagnation at local optima represents a significant challenge in bio–inspired optimization algorithms, often leading to suboptimal solutions. This paper addresses this issue by proposing a hybrid model that combines the Orca Predator Algorithm with Deep Q–Learning. Orca Predator Algorithm is an optimization technique that mimics the hunting behavior of orcas. It solves complex optimization problems by exploring and exploiting search spaces efficiently. Deep Q–Learning is a reinforcement learning technique that combines Q–Learning with deep neural networks. This integration aims to turn the stagnation problem into an opportunity for more focused and effective exploitation, enhancing the optimization technique’s performance and accuracy. The proposed hybrid model leverages the biomimetic strengths of Orca Predator Algorithm to identify promising regions nearby in the search space, complemented by the fine–tuning capabilities of Deep Q–Learning to navigate these areas precisely. The practical application of this approach is evaluated using the high–dimensional Heartbeat Categorization Dataset, focusing on the feature selection problem. This dataset, comprising complex electrocardiogram signals, provided a robust platform for testing the feature selection capabilities of our hybrid model. Our experimental results are encouraging, showcasing the hybrid strategy capability to identify relevant features without significantly compromising the performance metrics of machine learning models. This analysis was performed by comparing the improved method of Orca Predator Algorithm against its native version and a set of state–of–the–art algorithms.

The CACCC-box motif emerges as a pivotal cis-regulatory element implicated in diverse developmental processes and diseases, particularly cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). This study centers on the intricate interplay between the CACCC-box and its binding proteins such as: the Krüppel-like family (KLF) of transcription factors as primary effectors in the context of CVDs. Our analysis was through a bioinformatics approach, which reveal significant transcriptional activity among KLF subgroup 2, exhibiting the highest number of interactions focusing on the established roles: pluripotency, cancer, and cardiovascular development and diseases. Our analysis reveals KLF's interactions with GATA4, MEF2C, NKX2.5 and other ~ 90 potential genes that participate in the regulation of the hypertrophic environment (or CVD's Environment). Also, the GO analysis showed genes containing the motif CACCC were enriched for multiple CVD’s, in combination with STRING analysis these results pointed to a link between KLFs and these diseases. The analysis further identifies other potential CACCC-box binding factors, such as SP family members, WT1, VEZF1, and -SALL4, which are implicated in cardiac contraction, remodeling, and inflammation processes.

There have been beaching events of the marine alga pelagic sargassum in coastal regions of the Caribbean Sea, West African countries, and the north-northeast region of Brazil since 2011. Its presence has caused environmental and socioeconomic impacts while several studies were conducted in order to understand the causes of this phenomenon, as well as alternatives to mitigate its impacts. The objective of this research was to evaluate pelagic sargassum biomass as a raw material for the manufacture of medium-density multilayer particleboards. These are composed of 30% sargassum particles in their inner layer and 70% sugarcane bagasse particles on their outer layers which are bonded with castor oil-based polyurethane resin. A physical and chemical characterization was carried out in order to evaluate sargassum particles while physical and mechanical tests were carried out in order to evaluate the panels. Results were subsequently compared with indications from NBR 14810-2:2018 and ISO 16893:2016 standards. A life cycle assessment based on ISO 14040:2006 and 14044:2006 was carried out as to complement the feasibility study of these panels and to compare their different manufacturing processes. The multilayer panels met the minimum requirements for physical and mechanical properties established by regulations, indicating that the Sargassum spp. biomass can be used as filling. The life cycle assessment study indicates that sargassum panels produced in the Belém-PA-Brazil region present lower environmental impacts in four of seven evaluated categories when compared to conventional panels. As such, they constitute an alternative way to mitigate environmental impacts generated by beaching events.

Silicon Photomultipliers find applications across various fields. One potential Silicon Photomultiplier application domain is neutrino telescopes, where they may enhance the angular resolution. However, the elevated dark count rate associated with Silicon Photomultipliers represents a significant challenge to their widespread utilization. To address this issue, it is proposed to use Silicon Photomultipliers and Photomultiplier Tubes together. The Photomultiplier Tubes signals would serve as a trigger to mitigate the dark count rate, thereby preventing undue saturation of the available bandwidth. This paper presents an investigation into a fast and resource-efficient method for filtering Silicon Photomultiplier dark count rate. A low-resource and fast coincident filter has been developed, which removes the Silicon Photomultiplier dark count rate by using as trigger the Photomultiplier Tube input signals. The architecture of the coincidence filter, together with the first results obtained, which validate the effectiveness of this method are presented.

Proteins play a pivotal role in supporting athletes by promoting muscle hypertrophy and minimizing protein catabolism during exercise. They stimulate muscle protein synthesis, aiding in the repair of exercise-induced muscle damage and serving as an energy source, particularly for post-exercise glycogen replenishment. In individuals with phenylketonuria (PKU), for whom protein intake is limited to essential phenylalanine (Phe), supplementation with Phe-free amino acids or glycomacropeptides is necessary. Tailored for macronutrient and micronutrient content, these protein substitutes fulfill most protein requirements, but lack Phe, unlike dietary sources of protein. Protein requirements for athletes with PKU exceed general recommendations due to limited availability in supplements and potential catabolism mitigation. Various factors influence tolerated dietary Phe in PKU, including protein substitute quantity, distribution, pharmacological treatment, age, growth rate, pregnancy, catabolic states, and physical activity. While general protein requirements for PKU surpass those of the general population, adherence to supplement regimens is crucial for athletes and patients with PKU. Strategically timed protein substitutes enhance muscle protein synthesis, body composition, and sports performance within safety limits. Individualized intake is essential for optimal outcomes, as proteins have a multifaceted role in optimizing athletic performance and addressing challenges in PKU.

The generation of platform chemicals and hydrochar is of great interest because they reduce dependence on fossil resources and contribute to climate change mitigation by reducing carbon emissions. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of biomass particle size and biomass water ratio in a hydrothermal conversion system for the generation of value-added products obtained from sugarcane bagasse. Biomass characterization was performed using proximal, elemental, and structural analysis; hydrothermal carbonization was carried out at 220 to 260 °C for one hour; and conversion was monitored using pH, conductivity, and IR spectroscopy. Platform chemicals were quantified by HPLC-IR. Hydrochars were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. The results show that with a biomass:water ratio of 1:50 and a particle size of 212 μm at 220 °C, a yield of 31.07 % of platform chemicals was obtained on a dry basis. Likewise, the hydrochar with the highest carbon content and a higher porosity appearance was obtained with a biomass-to-water ratio of 1:50 and a particle size of 600 μm at 260 °C.

We have previously shown that the transmembrane protein ODZ1 promotes cytoskeletal remodelling of glioblastoma (GBM) cells and invasion of the surrounding parenchyma through activation of a RhoA-ROCK pathway. We also described that GBM cells can control the expression of ODZ1 through transcriptional mechanisms triggered by binding of IL-6 to its receptor and a hypoxic environment. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) plays a key role in the invasive capacity of GBM. However, the molecular mechanisms that enable tumor cells to acquire the morphological changes to migrate out from the tumor core have not been fully characterized. Here we show that EGF is able to induce the expression of ODZ1 in primary GBM cells. We analysed the levels of EGF receptor (EGFR) in 20 GBM primary cell lines and found expression in 19 of them by flow cytometry. We selected two cell lines that do or do not express EGFR and found that EGFR-expressing cells responded to EGF ligand by increasing ODZ1 at the mRNA and protein level. Moreover, blockade of EGF-EGFR binding by Cetuximab, inhibition of the p38 MAPK pathway or siRNA-mediated knockdown of MAPK11 (p38 MAPK) reduced the induction of ODZ1 in response to EGF. Overall, we show that EGF may activate an EGFR-mediated signalling pathway through p38 MAPK, to upregulate the invasion factor ODZ1, which may initiate morphological changes for tumor cells to invade the surrounding parenchyma. These data identify a new candidate of the EGF-EGFR pathway for novel therapeutic approaches.

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

Virtual tours with 360 photos present a quick, easy and accessible way to create immersive experiences. The visualization in diverse devices, provide a user experience that can be different. A virtual tour with 360 photos of the Chapel of Dolores (Tenerife), has been created. Whose access is limited to specific days, so the creation of a virtual tour allows you to visit it at any time, in addition, a pilot test has been carried out with students of the degree of restoration and conservation of cultural heritage in order to measure the user experience of the virtual tour depending on the device used. The participants took a virtual tour of the Dolores Chapel, first with a cell phone and then with the virtual reality headset, and then completed a user experience questionnaire. The results obtained comparing both visualization technologies are detailed, highlighting that when using the virtual reality headset no better results are obtained in the immersion subscale, in addition, the visualization on a Smartphone is more comfortable and obtains better results in consequences such as dizziness and vertigo. Therefore, it may be an interesting strategy to have simple versions that work quickly on the cell phones.

Naphtho[1,8-de][1,2]oxazin-4-ol and its acyl or benzyl derivatives ring open to various 2,8-dihydroxy-1-naphthonitriles, that undergo methylation, reduction, demethylation and debenzylation reactions, to afford the target compound (E)-2-hydroxy-8-methoxy-1-naphthaldehyde. The best overall yield of the latter was 28.7%. This compound was converted to its corresponding (E)-2-hydroxy-8-methoxy-1-naphthaldehyde ox-ime, which was oxidatively o-cyclized with phenyliodine(III) diacetate (PIDA) to 9-methoxynaphtho[1,2-d]isoxazole 2-oxide. The latter in deuterated DMSO, at room temperature, rearranged to its isomer to 2-hydroxy-8-methoxy(naphthalen-1-yl)nitrile oxide. The isomeriza-tion was detected by a time-course plot 1H NMR spectroscopy and further identified from its13C NMR and HRMS spectra. The nitrile oxide was stable in (non)deuterated DMSO for at least 18 hours. A 3,4-bis(2-hydroxy-8-methoxynaphthalen-1-yl)-1,2,5-oxadiazole 2-oxide as a dimeriza-tion product or an isocyanate as a rearrangement isomer were both ruled out, the former by the absence of the relevant molecular ion in its HRMS spectrum while the latter by 1,3-dipolar cy-cloaddition reactions with various dipolarophiles that gave substituted isoxazoles, thus con-firming the nitrile oxide structure.

Background. The molecular mechanisms underlying de novo metastasis of luminal breast cancer (dnMBC) remain largely unknown. Materials & Methods. Newly diagnosed dnMBC patients (grade 2/3, ER+, PR+/-, HER2-), with available core needle biopsy (CNB), collected from the primary tumor, were selected from our clinical-pathological database. Tumors from dnMBC patients were 1:1 pairwise matched (n=32) to tumors from newly diagnosed patients who had no distant metastases at baseline (eBC group). RNA was extracted from 5 x 10µm sections of FFPE CNBs. RNA sequencing was performed using the Illumina platform. Differentially expressed genes (DEG)s were assessed using EdgeR, deconvolution was performed using CIBERSORTx to assess immune cell fractions. Paired Wilcoxon test was used to compare dnMBC and eBC groups, and corrected for false discovery rate (FDR). Results. Many regulatory DEGs were significantly downregulated in dnMBC compared to eBC. Also, immune-related and hypoxia-related signatures were significantly upregulated. Paired Wilcoxon analysis showed that CCL17 and neutrophils fraction were significantly upregulated, whereas the memory B-cell fraction was significantly downregulated in the dnMBC group. Conclusion. Primary luminal tumors of dnMBC patients display significant transcriptomic and immunological differences compared to comparable tumors from eBC patients.

This article focuses on the comparison and perception of the potential of water’s surface in selected parts of the waterfront in two contrasting cities. The aim is to define the potential of the water’s surface in terms of psychology and its effects on climate. The analysis was performed on the example of Prague with its waterfront on the river Vltava, and Santa Cruz de Tenerife with its Atlantic coastline. Data was sourced from maps, questionnaire surveys and interviews with waterfront users during October 2020. The research showed a higher importance of the water’s surface for users in Prague, than in Santa Cruz. The main finding is that the psychological perception of the waterfront by its the users is affected by the possibility of a visual contact with the water’s surface, the design and composition of the space, and the climate situation of a site affected by the presence of an urban heat island (UHI). The results promote an adherence to ecosystem-based approaches in future design projects and modifications of existing public spaces. The purpose of the work is to open a broader debate on the sustainability of the potential of waterfronts and their positive impact on human health.

The issue of being pro-gender is still a controversial topic to be debated in Indonesian society. However, in the 21st Century, many women have been able to break through barriers and participate in the public sphere. It is a form of self-existence as proposed by Simone de Beauvoir on existentialist feminism. Based on these problems, this study aims to find out and answer questions about how Indonesian women exist in the public sphere in the 21st Century and find out how Indonesian women exist in the public sphere through Simone de Beauvoir's existentialist feminism paradigm. The research method used is descriptive-qualitative through a literature review of 23 journal articles, websites, and data reports with a range of 2019-2021. This study found that based on Simone de Beauvoir's feminist paradigm, Indonesian women in the 21st Century are no longer a figure other than complete. Furthermore, the data collected by the researcher shows that several gender indicators have shown that Indonesian women have been able to occupy public spaces in various aspects. Based on these results, it is hoped that it can provide information about Simone de Beauvoir's existentialist feminism thought and its relevance to the existence of Indonesian women in the public sphere in the 21st Century. However, this research has limitations, those are only about women in Indonesia, and the paradigm of feminism is limited to Simone de Beauvoir's existentialist feminism.

Our study analyzes the ecology and distribution of fish communities related to the environmental variables of the Alto Madre de Dios River, an Andean-Amazon watershed of southern Peru, between 300 and 2811 m a.s.l. within the Manu Biosphere Reserve. We provide new ecological and diversity data for these highly unknown rivers and new data for palm swamp habitats. With electric fishing techniques, we collected a total of 1934 fish specimens belonging to 78 species, 42 genera and 15 families. To assess main patterns of diversity we combined SIMPER and ANOSIM with canonical correspondence analysis to obtain an overview of the community structure of fish and their distribution related to aquatic habitats. Our results show an important shift on fish diversity at 700 m a.s.l. separating headwater and middle-lowland communities. Electrofishing was a hindrance due to the depth, flow and low conductivity of the rivers, but also allowed us to capture fish not observed with other techniques. We also compared the use of elevation with slope as an alternative variable for statistical analysis. Our results show that slope offers a solid and equivalent explanation for fish distribution variability, avoids redundance, and instead of giving geographical data offers ecologically solid information.

There is crescent demand for knowledge improvement of the integrated water vapor (IWV) distribution in regions affected by heat islands that are associated with extreme rainfall events such as in the metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro (MARJ). This work assessed the suitability and distribution of IWV in the MARJ using products from the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), and radiosonde. GNSS data were collected by the tracking station named RDJN, from the cooperation of the International GNSS Monitoring and Assessment System (iGMAS) and the National Observatory of Brazil (Observatório Nacional - ON), and the tracking stations ONRJ, RIOD, and RJCG belonging to the Brazilian Network for Continuous Monitoring (RBMC) in the period of January 2015–August 2018. High variability of the near surface air temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) were observed among eight meteorological sites considered. The mean T differences between sites, up to 4.4 °C, led to mean differences as high as 3.1 K for weighted mean temperature (Tm) and hence 0.83 mm for IWV differences. The performance of the MODIS MOD07 and MYD07 products provided a reasonably good representation of the mean spatial distribution of IWV, especially during the daylight passages of the satellites TERRA and AQUA. Local grid points of MODIS IWV estimates had relatively good agreement with the GNSS-derived IWV, with mean differences from -2.4–1.1 mm considering only daytime passages of the satellites TERRA and AQUA. During nighttime, MODIS underestimated IWV (from -9–-3 mm) with respect to GNSS, due to attenuation of IR radiation by clouds. A contrasting behavior was found in the radiosonde IWV estimates compared with the estimates from GNSS. There were dry biases of 1.4 mm (3.7% lower than expected) by radiosonde IWV during the daytime considering that all other estimates were unbiased and the differences between IWV GNSS and IWV RADS were consistent. Based on the IWV comparisons between radiosonde and GNSS at nighttime, the atmosphere over the radiosonde site is about 1.2 (2.3) mm wetter than over RIOD (RDJN) station. The long time series of the comparisons between IWVRDJN and IWVRIOD showed that the highest values of IWV occurred from the afternoon to nocturnal hours. Further, the atmosphere over the site RIOD was consistently about 1 mm wetter than over RDJN. These results showed the feasibility of the iGMAS RDJN station data compared with the RBMC, MODIS, and radiosonde data to investigate IWV in a region with occurrence of heat islands, and the peculiar physiographic and meteorological characteristics as in the MARJ. This work recommended the usage of complete meteorological station data collocated near every GNSS receiver aiming improvements of local GNSS IWV estimates and serving as additional support for operational numerical assimilation, weather forecast, and nowcast of extreme rainfall events.

This study assesses the performance of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model using a high-resolution spatial grid (1 km) with various combinations of physical parameterization packages to simulate a severe event in August 2021 in the southeastern Brazilian coast. After determining the optimal set of physical parameterizations for representing wind patterns during this event, a year-long evaluation was conducted, covering forecast horizons of 24, 48, and 72 hours. The simulation results were compared with observational wind data from four weather stations. The findings highlight variations in the efficacy of different physical parameterization sets, with certain sets encountering challenges in accurately depicting the peak of the severe event. The most favorable results were achieved using a combination of Tiedtke (cumulus), Thompson (microphysics), TKE (boundary layer), Monin-Obukhov (surface layer), Unified-NOAH (land surface), and RRTMG (shortwave and longwave radiation). Over the one-year forecasting period, the WRF model effectively represented the overall wind pattern, including forecasts up to three days in advance (72-hour forecast horizon). Generally, the statistical metrics indicate robust model performance, even for the 72-hour forecast horizon, with correlation coefficients consistently exceeding 0.60 at all analyzed points. While the model proficiently captured wind distribution, it tended to overestimate northeast wind speed and gust intensities. Notably, forecast accuracy decreased as stations approached the ocean, exemplified by the ATPM station.