Abstract: Chile is a global leader in the fruit industry; however, the sector faces significant yield losses due to phytopathogens and an urgent need to reduce reliance on chemical fungicides. Induction of plant defenses and priming offer sustainable alternatives by activating the plant’s innate immune system. This study aimed to evaluate the ability of native Pseudomonas protegens strains and their formulations to trigger plant defenses responses in five agronomically important fruit crops: kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis var. deliciosa), walnut (Juglans regia), cherry (Prunus avium), blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum), and grapevine (Vitis vinifera). Under controlled conditions, a randomized block design was implemented with four treatments, including P. protegens strains and their formulations, as well as a chemical elicitor (acibenzolar-S-methyl) as a positive control. Foliar treatments were applied, and leaf tissues were sampled at 1 day, 7 days, and 14 days post-inoculation. Transcriptional responses were quantified via qPCR using the ΔΔC_t method, targeting key defense-related genes, including pathogenesis-related proteins (pr1, pr2, pr3, pr4, pr5, pr10), and enzymes of the phenylpropanoid and signaling pathways (pal, chs, ppo, lox9, glc). This study provides a molecular framework for understanding how biological inducers modulate stress memory in perennial crops. The results obtained highlight the potential of native bacteria to be integrated into sustainable integrated pest management programs, offering an alternative strategy to enhance fruit crop resilience through the activation of natural plant defense responses.

Abstract: Cross-organization cyber defense must reconcile collaborative learning with privacy and adversarial robustness — yet standard federated learning ships full gradient tensors, leaking sensitive posture and inviting Byzantine manipulation. We present FedMARL-LTI, a federated multi-agent reinforcement learning framework whose architecture answers both pressures with a single decision: organizations share neither raw data nor model weights, only differentially-private 768-dimensional semantic threat embeddings. The contribution is fourfold. (1) Semantic Abstraction (SA) channel: per organization, each round, the local gradient is summarized by an LLM, projected to a 768-dim embedding, L2-clipped, and Gaussian-noised before any numeric quantity leaves the host. The bottleneck reduces the per-element noise scale from O(√(d_model )) to O(√m) with m=768≪d_model≈3×10⁵. (2) Formal privacy analysis: the SA+DP cascade satisfies (ε,δ)-DP and bounds per-round mutual-information leakage by min{T_toklog₂V, m⁄2 log₂ (1+C²/(mσ²))} (Theorem 1), with Rényi composition over T federation rounds (Theorem 2). (3) Byzantine-resilient ClippedClustering aggregator combining L2 clipping with cosine-similarity clustering. (4) Hierarchical MARL policy with threat-profile-aware LLM-IRR reward shaping, wired end-to-end and disclosed honestly (the LLM call is currently stubbed with a deterministic projection for reproducibility). We evaluate on CybORG CAGE-4 with n=5 organizations, 30 federation rounds × 5 episodes × 100 steps per round. The SA channel adds statistical-zero utility cost vs. no-privacy baseline: SA-only Δreward = -0.66 (t=+0.31, NS), dual SA + Weight-DP Δreward = +1.90 (t=-0.71, NS), all N=5 seeds, all |t|< 1.3. A controlled signal/noise probe confirms a 19.58× improvement of SA over Weight-DP at fixed DP budget — matching the predicted √(d/m)≈19.8. Under Byzantine sign_flip at 30% (N=15), ClippedClustering is directionally strongest (F₁=0.025 vs FedAvg 0.020, Krum 0.016) but the edge is not statistically significant (CC vs Krum t=+1.59, p=0.15, d=+0.58; the earlier N=5 “3.4×” gap was small-sample optimism, §5.2); its decisive Byzantine win is the harsher random_noise attack, where FedAvg diverges to NaN and Krum collapses to 0.002 while ClippedClustering survives at 0.020 (§5.7, Cohen’s d=+3.77). The cooperative-PPO family (MAPPO, IPPO) outperforms value/actor-critic (QMIX, MADDPG) by ≈20 reward units, p< 0.001. All host-level F1 values stay below 0.05 at the 15K-step training horizon used here; the relative claims of the paper (privacy zero-cost, ClippedClustering’s decisive Byzantine win on the harshest attacks per §5.7, cooperative-PPO dominance) are unaffected by this scope. A 200K-step long-horizon replication (§6.3 L1) lifts F₁ above the 15K plateau (to ≈0.044, N=5) — confirming that horizon, not the privacy/Byzantine machinery, gates absolute accuracy — but a finer 60-checkpoint run shows the climb is volatile and non-monotonic and does not reach deployment-grade, an honest stability-not-compute limitation. We release all 141 raw run JSON outputs (Phases 1–3, the L4 backend comparison, and the algorithm/aggregator baselines), the figures, and analysis scripts for replication.

Abstract: Background: Regional citrate anticoagulation (RCA) is the recommended anticoagulation strategy for continuous kidney replacement therapy (CKRT) because it prolongs circuit lifespan and reduces bleeding risk compared with systemic heparin. However, systemic citrate accumulation may occur when citrate delivery exceeds metabolic or extracorporeal clearance, potentially leading to severe metabolic disturbances. Summary: Citrate is normally metabolized through mitochondrial oxidative pathways in the liver, skeletal muscle, and kidneys, generating bicarbonate and releasing bound calcium. Conditions associated with impaired oxidative metabolism—most notably circulatory shock, but also severe hypoperfusion, hyperlactatemia, hypothermia, or excessive citrate load—predispose to systemic citrate accumulation. Severe hepatic dysfunction alone is rarely sufficient in the absence of circulatory failure. Citrate accumulation produces a characteristic biochemical profile including ionized hypocalcemia, elevated total calcium, an increased total-to-ionized calcium ratio, high anion-gap metabolic acidosis, ionized hypomagnesemia, and hypernatremia. Clinical manifestations typically occur late and include hypotension, arrhythmias, neuromuscular irritability, and progressive metabolic acidosis. Early recognition relies on structured biochemical monitoring rather than clinical signs alone. Key Messages: Systemic citrate toxicity reflects impaired mitochondrial oxidative metabolism and reduced systemic metabolic reserve rather than isolated hepatic dysfunction. Circulatory shock is the principal risk factor. Early biochemical surveillance allows timely intervention and renders citrate accumulation largely reversible. When applied within protocolized monitoring strategies, RCA remains a safe and effective anticoagulation method for CKRT.

Abstract: Objectives: The present study was conducted with the objective of examining the relationships between lifestyles, dietary habits, chronotype characteristics, physical activity levels, and eating behaviours of women with shift and fixed work schedules. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 190 women aged 18–64 years who were attending an obesity counselling centre in Istanbul. Data were collected via questionnaires assessing demographic information, dietary habits, work schedules and lifestyle factors. Chronotype was assessed using the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ); physical activity was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ); and eating behaviours were assessed using the Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (DEBQ). Statistical analyses included chi-square tests, parametric and non-parametric group comparisons, and correlation analyses. Results: Compared to fixed-schedule workers, shift workers exhibited significantly higher rates of meal skipping, particularly breakfast (p=0.015). Lower levels of physical activity were associated with increased body weight, BMI, and waist-hip circumference (p < 0.05). Participants who were obese had higher emotional eating and total eating behaviour scores than those of normal weight (p < 0.05). Chronotype scores varied according to age, marital status, smoking, alcohol consumption and occupational factors, but were not directly correlated with anthropometric measurements. Conclusions: Shift work schedules are linked to irregular eating patterns, lower physical activity levels and altered eating behaviours that may contribute to obesity in women. These findings highlight the importance of considering chronotype and lifestyle factors in multidisciplinary interventions aimed at addressing obesity risk among shift workers.

Abstract: Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is one of the main clinical challenges in liver surgery and transplantation, contributing to postoperative complications and graft dys-function. The pathogenesis of hepatic IRI is complex and multifactorial, involving meta-bolic consequences induced by ischemia, oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, endo-thelial dysfunction, and the activation of immune pathways upon reperfusion. Despite extensive research efforts, the translation of preclinical findings into effective clinical in-terventions has been limited. This review provides a critical overview of the most im-portant models employed to investigate hepatic IRI. Conventional two-dimensional (2D) in vitro systems, including monocultures and co-culture models, offer controlled envi-ronments for mechanistic studies and high-throughput screening but fail to fully repro-duce the structural and cellular complexity of the liver microenvironment. Animal mod-els, particularly those based on mice, rats, and pigs, remain essential for studying the sys-temic and multicellular aspects of hepatic IRI. However, species-specific physiological differences, ethical concerns, high costs, and limited translational predictability represent significant limitations. In this context, three-dimensional (3D) liver models have emerged as promising alternatives able to bridge the gap between in vitro systems and animal ex-perimentation. By better recapitulating tissue architecture, cell-cell interactions, and func-tional heterogeneity, 3D platforms offer improved physiological relevance and transla-tional potential. In detail, we discuss the strengths and limitations of each experimental approach and highlight the role of advanced 3D models as complementary tools that may facilitate more accurate investigations of hepatic IRI and accelerate the development of therapeutic strategies.

Abstract: Background: After more than four years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the long COVID syndrome (LC) still affects a considerable population, and factors associated with the evolution of LC have been scarcely studied. Our objective was to estimate determinants related to long COVID persistence and recovery. Methods: We carried out a prospective population-based cohort study within the Borriana COVID-19 cohort (Spain), from May 2020 to August 2023. All participants had a confirmed laboratory SARS-CoV-2 infection, and we used the World Health Organization definition for LC, whereas recovery status was self-reported by the participants. Multivariable robust Poisson regression models were used in the statistical analysis. Results: In the cohort of 722 participants (response rate 63.8%), of whom 644 with SARS-CoV-2 infection, 184 suffered from LC (28.6%), and 135 patients remained affected (73.4%) with a mean age 42.0 ±14.5, being 94 women, of whom 49 have recovered, a mean age 41.3 ± 16.3, 35 women. Medical consultation for LC sequelae was 45.7%. Determinant related to LC persistence were old age, previous chronic disease, the AB blood group, and hospitalization. SARS-CoV-2 vaccination increased LC recovery. Conclusions: The persistent LC rate was high, and determinants of LC were estimated. Maintaining the follow-up of the cohort, increasing medical assistance for LC persistence, and improving health levels are recommended.

Abstract: Natural products represent an important source of bioactive compounds with therapeutic potential in the fields of thrombotic and oxidative stress related disorders. The antiplatelet and hepatoprotective activity of ethanolic leaf extract of Ocimum sanctum L. was studied. Collagen-induced human platelet activation (CIHPA) and CCl₄-induced hepatotoxicity were used in rats as models to assess the (EEOSL) activity. EEOSL (1-10 mg/mL) showed to significantly and dose-dependently inhibit collagen-induced platelet aggregation. The extract also inhibited P-selectin expression, ATP release and intracellular Ca²⁺ mobilization, suggesting inhibition of major pathways in platelet activation. To understand the mechanisms, molecular docking was carried out with signaling molecules of platelets such as GPVI, SYK, PLCγ2, P2RY12, and PI3Kβ. Some phytoconstituents have good binding affinities, apigenin having the highest binding affinity to PI3Kβ (−8.01 kcal/mol), and binding was further validated by molecular dynamics simulations showing the formation of stable complexes. Intravenous injection of CCl₄ significantly increased the serum hepatic markers (SGOT, SGPT, LDH and SALP); the EEOSL treatment significantly reduced these increases in vivo. The extract normalized antioxidant enzyme activities (catalase, SOD and glutathione peroxidase) and antioxidant isozyme patterns. Histopathological results revealed a significant level of protection against liver damage. Overall, the results showed that EEOSL has strong antiplatelet and hepatoprotective properties, likely due to its ability to modulate platelet signaling pathways and increase antioxidant defense mechanisms.

Abstract: Agave angustifolia Haw. is one of the primary sources for the production of mezcals such as raicilla and tuxca in western Mexico. In Jalisco, Agave angustifolia evolved from being a pre-Hispanic ritual and food resource (200–1500 CE) to becoming the primary basis for the 16th-century vino mezcal, the precursor to all mezcals, such as raicilla and tequila. This review synthesizes current genomic, epigenetic, and metabolic evidence to elucidate the species' evolutionary and adaptive potential. Our analysis confirms that the domestication of A. angustifolia is characterized by a "domestication paradox," where intensive clonal management ensures short-term productivity but creates genetic bottlenecks that limit long-term adaptive capacity. We synthesize empirical evidence to show that adaptive plasticity is driven by the integration of Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM) flexibility and dynamic global DNA methylation (GDM) profiles, which, while currently correlative, suggest an environmental response mechanism. We conclude that securing the socio-economic viability of Agave spirits requires a transition from intensive monocultures to regenerative agroforestry, incorporating sexual propagation to maintain evolutionary potential. Furthermore, we outline a roadmap for Genomics-Assisted Breeding (GAB 4.0), integrating marker-assisted selection for juvenile traits to accelerate the release of resilient biotypes, and precision diagnostic tools to reduce the ecological footprint of agave production. This framework secures the genomic integrity of traditional spirits within a circular, climate-resilient bioeconomy.

Abstract: Morbillivirus canis (canine distemper virus, CDV) remains a pathogen of major veterinary and conservation significance. Here, we summarize two decades of CDV surveillance in Uruguay by integrating laboratory-confirmed cases, diagnostic advances, molecular epidemiology, and neuropathological findings. Between 2006 and 2026, CDV infection was confirmed in 270 of 460 dogs submitted for diagnostic testing, supporting sustained transmission among clinically suspected cases. Confirmed infections were concentrated in young dogs and were more frequent during colder months, although the season was not significantly associated with diagnostic outcome. Dogs reported as vaccinated had a lower proportion of positive results than unvaccinated dogs; however, CDV infection was also detected in animals with reported vaccination history, suggesting that failures at some point in the immunization process cannot be ruled out and highlighting the need for improved records of vaccination protocols, immune status, and vaccine handling. Diagnostic capacity evolved from conventional RT-PCR to RT-qPCR, droplet digital PCR, and whole-genome sequencing, strengthening both clinical diagnosis and genomic surveillance. Phylogenetic analysis of the hemagglutinin gene showed that all Uruguayan strains characterized to date belong to the Europe/South America 1 lineage and revealed two locally differentiated clades, UY-I and UY-II, that co-circulated without clear temporal or geographic segregation in the available dataset. Comparative neuropathological analysis of fatal cases showed severe demyelinating lesions in both vaccinated and unvaccinated dogs, with no detectable differences in lesion pattern or stage in this limited series. These findings reveal sustained CDV transmission and local genetic structuring in Uruguay and support the need for continuous molecular and genomic surveillance, improved vaccination monitoring, and integrated One Health strategies to reduce the impact of CDV on domestic dogs and susceptible wildlife.

Abstract: To achieve the recast Energy Performance of Buildings Directive targets and overcome slow, costly on-site renovation practices, off-site prefabrication is vital, yet existing research often neglects real-world applicability and circularity constraints. This study presents a systematic market mapping and a three-category taxonomy—Single-function envelopes, Multifunctional integrated systems, and Stand-alone installations—of prefabricated European renovation solutions. Applying a structured three-step protocol screening literature, industry reports, and EU projects, technologies were evaluated through a multidimensional framework capturing maturity, functional integration, structural constraints, and circularity indicators. Results reveal a strongly polarized market where passive envelope systems dominate, while multifunctional integrated solutions remain confined to prototype stages. Furthermore, most systems target low-to-mid-rise residential buildings, show limited compatibility with complex geometries, and exhibit underdeveloped circularity due to conventional material reliance. This study concludes that bridging the research-to-market gap requires system interface standardization, demand stimulation through Green Public Procurement, and regulatory adaptation for increased envelope thickness. Ultimately, this taxonomy provides an operational assessment framework and establishes a rigorous foundation for a future quantitative Prefabrication Readiness Index (PRI).

Abstract: Compositional world models represent complex environments through modular combina- tions of programmatic experts. Their core assumption—that the modeled system pas- sively accepts predictions without altering its own dynamics—breaks down in social set- tings where predictions constitute interventions. The present work develops a rigorous mathematical framework extending compositional world models to reflexive environments, introducing the Reflexive Composition Operator (RCO). We define the Reflexive Successor Measure (RSM), establish dual fixed-point existence under Lipschitz contraction (Banach) and monotone lattice conditions (Knaster–Tarski), and derive explicit, non-asymptotic con- vergence rates for both regimes. A finite-sample complexity bound for the RSM is proved using vector-valued Rademacher complexity and uniform convergence arguments, replacing informal covering-number approaches in prior work. We prove that composition is gener- ally non-associative when response functions are non-linear, quantify this effect through the Composition Sensitivity Index (CSI), and provide rigorous proofs for smooth non-linear and threshold responses. Computational tractability is addressed by proposing neural approxi- mations of the RSM, establishing uniform approximation guarantees under compatible ar- chitectural assumptions, and providing a practical Sinkhorn-based training algorithm with explicit gradient-bias and entropic-error control. We further address the lattice regime via a monotone neural architecture and derive a minimax lower bound confirming the statis- tical phase transition at the contraction boundary. The theoretical framework is validated on an N -state chain, an analytic bank-run model, a high-dimensional reflexive Gaussian chain, a non-linear reflexive pendulum, and comparative benchmarks against performa- tive RL baselines, demonstrating that the loss of associativity is a structural feature of reflexive systems and that our neural approximation achieves favorable sample complexity relative to existing performative prediction methods. These results bridge compositional world modeling, performative prediction, and reflexivity theory within a unified algebraic, probabilistic, and computational framework.

Abstract: In the Kolmogorov Theory (KT) of consciousness, an algorithmic agent is an information-processing system that compresses sensory data into simpler models to plan actions that optimize an objective function, while operating under limited data access, finite computational resources, and the fundamental limits of algorithmic information theory (AIT). We show how these limitations naturally give rise to probability, Bayesian inference, precision, and emergence. Using a toy example of an agent compressing pages fromalarge library, we recover a weighted multi-model strategy in which probabilistic reasoning and Occam’s razor appear as the agent navigates between models. We then introduce precision—the confidence the agent assigns to its model relative to noisy data—as the second-order quantity that arbitrates the trade-off between trusting the prediction and trusting the observation. We formalize precision as inverse-variance weighting of prediction errors at the Comparator and show what it gives the agent: a principled model-updating process carried out by the Updater (a submodule of the Modeling Engine), in which a confidence-dependent gain determines how much each prediction error revises the model — so that reliable, persistent errors reshape the model while structureless errors are retained as residual noise, and structural learning saturates once the compressible regularity has been captured. We then connect the picture to Karl Friston’s Free Energy Principle and Active Inference, which appear as the variational-Bayesian special case of the bounded-agent story, and flag the main differences rather than collapsing the two. Finally, we propose a formal, agent-centric definition of emergence in terms of coarse-graining and Kolmogorov complexity, and connect it to cellular automata, the renormalization group, and partial models. The result is a unified account in which probability, precision, and emergence are all consequences of an agent’s drive to compress and model a noisy world under bounded resources.

Abstract: Background: The primary purpose of this feasibility-oriented investigation was to characterize wearable-derived median frequency (MF) responses during the standardized 30-second sit-to-stand (30-STS) assessment in medically stable adults aged 50–79 years using the Myontec MShorts 3 (Myontec Ltd., Kuopio, Finland) wearable monitoring platform and MBody Live application (Myontec Ltd., Kuopio, Finland). A secondary purpose was to examine associations among wearable-derived MF, age, biological sex, and self-reported physical activity. Methods: Twenty community-dwelling adults completed a standardized 30-STS assessment while wearable-derived physiological outputs were acquired using the Myontec MShorts 3 wearable monitoring platform. Participants were stratified into three age groups (50–59, 60–69, and 70–79 years), and habitual physical activity was assessed using the Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity (RAPA). Statistical outliers were identified using predefined standardized z-score criteria, resulting in a final analytical sample of sixteen participants. One-way analysis of variance examined age-group differences in wearable-derived MF, and multiple linear regression evaluated associations among wearable-derived MF, age, biological sex, and RAPA measures. Results: No statistically significant age-group differences in wearable-derived MF were observed (F(2,13) = 2.641, p = 0.109), although a moderate effect size was identified (η² = 0.289). Multiple linear regression did not identify significant associations among wearable-derived MF, age, biological sex, aerobic physical activity, or strength and flexibility activities (R² = 0.094, adjusted R² = -0.235). Wearable-derived physiological responses were successfully characterized during the standardized functional assessment, and substantial interindividual variability was observed across participants. Conclusions: Although statistically significant age-group differences and predictor relationships were not identified, the present investigation demonstrated the feasibility of integrating a commercially available wearable monitoring platform with a standardized functional assessment and a practical frequency-domain interpretive framework. The findings support continued investigation of wearable-derived physiological monitoring as a complementary approach for evaluating lower-extremity functional responses in exercise science, rehabilitation, and healthy aging.

Abstract: This paper introduces Hill-Enigma-SPN (HESPN), a 128-bit byte-oriented substitution–permutation network that extends the Hill cipher to address its classical weaknesses, including linearity, the absence of a nonlinear substitution layer, and the lack of memory-hard key derivation. HESPN combines four innovations: a rotor-scheduled admissible GF(2) matrix diffusion layer inspired by Enigma, AES S-box substitution, a round-dependent inter-byte permutation, and Argon2id memory-hard key derivation. Empirical evaluation across three experimental sessions shows behavior comparable to AES on the evaluated metrics: plaintext avalanche averages about 64 bits at 12 rounds; maximum observed differential probability reaches 2×10⁻⁵; and linear bias remains at the statistical noise floor. Algebraic degree grows across rounds, saturating at the maximum observable degree by round 12. A branch number B ≥ 4 is formally proved for all admissible matrices. Estimated C throughput is ~80 MB/s. Compared with AES, PRESENT, SAFER+, SHARK, Serpent, and MD-Hill SPN, HESPN combines rotor-scheduled GF(2) diffusion, proven branch number, AES S-boxes, and Argon2id key derivation in a single design.

Abstract: Football analytics has produced many performance measures, including action-value functions, plus-minus ratings, tracking-based models, and machine-learning models of market value. These measures estimate different aspects of performance and are validated against different reference points. This systematic review consolidates data-driven performance measures for elite men's football published from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2024. Following PRISMA 2020 guidance, we searched Scopus, ScienceDirect, and SAGE Journals, screened records in duplicate, and synthesized 74 studies. Measures were organized into the Action-Centric, Individual, Team, and Financial decision layers. Performance measurement shifted from event and outcome tallies toward context-adjusted models using spatial coordinates, possession context, tracking data, contract information, and market signals. Median factor breadth increased unevenly from 13.0 factors per study in 2018 to 22.5 in 2024. Additional variables were useful mainly when they added decision-relevant context or formed stable composites. Action-value measures were most useful for valuing discrete events. Bottom-up ratings improved player attribution in event-rich settings. Rolling expected goal difference was the most transferable team-level signal. Financial models performed best when performance indicators were combined with contract and demand-side variables. Measure choice should follow the decision context, validation target, available data, and explanatory needs in practice and research applications.

Abstract: There is an intimate theoretical relationship between Zipf’s law and the expected number of hapax legomena, dis-legomena, and n-legomena in general, as established in recent papers. The relationship was confirmed by the empirical analysis for very large texts. However, the known theoretical relationship was established under the assumption of very large vocabularies and very large texts, where the dimension of the vocabularies used does not limit the maximal rank value and thus the hapax legomena, or the dis-legomena etc. (n-legomena for small n values). In addition, the theoretical results were established under the hypothesis that the probabilities of the words are context-independent, which is not satisfied for small vocabularies and small texts, as typically used in fake news and in other classes of small texts over the Internet. We provide a theoretical analysis under rectified hypotheses, prove several results under relaxed hypotheses, and show examples of practical results.

Abstract: This study presents a mathematical modeling framework to analyze the impact of integrating sterilizing treatment into tuberculosis (TB) control strategies, particularly in resource-limited settings. Our findings highlight that while sterilizing treatment alone is highly effective in reducing TB incidence and mortality, its widespread implementation requires significant financial investment. The optimal control approach demonstrates that a mixed strategy, combining sterilizing and non-sterilizing treatments, can achieve comparable public health benefits at a lower cost, especially in the medium-term planning. From a long-term perspective, however, our results suggest that exclusively sterilizing treatment ultimately leads to greater reductions in TB incidence, prevalence, and mortality, justifying its higher initial cost. This is primarily due to the ability of sterilizing drugs to eliminate latent TB infections, prevent future active infections and disease-induced deaths, and avoid a considerable number of treatments. Additionally, under scenarios where the cost of sterilizing drugs decreases over time, a swift transition to a solely sterilizing treatment could result in both epidemiological and economic advantages for healthcare systems.

Abstract: Let Ω ⊂ R^N, N ≥ 2, be a bounded connected domain, and let u(t) = e^t∆_D 1 be the Dirichlet heat evolution of the constant initial temperature. We prove that if the exterior normal derivative ∂_νu(·,t_j) is constant on ∂Ω along a sequence t_j ↓ 0, then Ω is a ball, assuming only ∂Ω ∈ C². This answers, in the classical curvature regime, the finite-regularity question posed by Cavallina and Pinamonti for their short-time discrete-flux theorem. The key result is the uniform expansion ∂_νu(y,t) = −1(πt)^-½ + H(y)/2 + o(1) as t ↓ 0, where H is the sum of the principal curvatures with respect to the inward unit normal. More quantitatively, the remainder is bounded by C(√t + ω_H(C√t)) , with ω_H the modulus of continuity of H. If ∂Ω ∈ C^2,α, this gives the rate O(t^α/2). The proof uses a boundary-layer parametrix, ambient Euclidean mollification of a normal extension of H, and an L^∞-to-C¹ estimate for the Dirichlet heat semigroup. The ambient regularization avoids differentiating the metrics of parallel hypersurfaces and therefore does not require third derivatives of the boundary

Abstract: This study introduces the AERONET Analyzer Tool (AAT), a specialized Python-based suite designed to streamline aerosol research via the AERONET network. The software facilitates the download, data cleaning, and processing of photometric datasets. Key functionalities include the generation of variable climatologies and the application of diverse aerosol classification frameworks based on established literature. To demonstrate the performance and practical utility of the newly developed software, an interannual study of aerosol optical properties was carried out at the San Miguel de Tucumán station (Tucuman_UNT, Argentina). This investigation, spanning the period from 2023 to 2025, provides a detailed look into the regional atmospheric conditions. Through this software, the Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD₄₄₀) and the Ångström Exponent (AE_440-870) can be evaluated for aerosol classification using thresholds defined by different authors, enabling the user to select the framework best suited to their region. As a practical application of some of the software's functionalities, an interannual climatological characterization of aerosol optical properties was conducted at the cited station during the 2023–2025 period. Using the AAT, seasonal variations of the AOD₄₄₀ and the AE_440-870 were assessed, revealing a marked seasonality conditioned by the local piedmont topography.

Abstract: We report a freeze-dried ready-to-use yeast thyroid screen (YTS), displaying detection sensitivity and performance comparable to that of the freshly prepared counterpart. This field-deployable method reduces the duration of the worktime from several days to 5 hours with no requirement for sterile conditions, fulfilling key requirements for implementation in a biosensor array with on-site application. The effects of cell density and concentration of the cryoprotectant trehalose on median effective concentrations (EC₅₀), limit of detection (LOD) and biosensor induction (IF) were determined and monitored over a storage period of 5 months. In addition, the impact of these parameters was monitored on the biosensor survival rate during freeze-drying and the subsequent storage process. Throughout the 5-month study, the freeze-dried recombinant yeast-assay retained comparable dose-response characteristics to those of the freshly prepared counterpart, displaying median values of EC₅₀ in the range of 350 nM to 550 nM and LODs in the range of 20 nM to 45 nM of the reference compound thyroxine (T4). A proof of principle of the long-term stabilization is demonstrated using spiked (T4, 2 µM) river water and extracted wastewater effluent. After 5 months of storage, the T4 recoveries were 96 ± 38% and 112 ± 15% for river water and wastewater, respectively.