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One of the hypothesized functions of biomolecular condensates is to act as chemical reactors, where chemical reactions can be modulated, i.e., accelerated or slowed down, while substrate molecules enter and products exit from the condensate. Similarly, the components themselves that take part in the architectural integrity of condensates might be modified by active (energy consuming, non-equilibrium) processes, e.g., by ATPase chaperones or by kinases and phosphatases. In this work, we study how the presence of spatial inhomogeneities, such as in the case of liquid–liquid phase separation, affects active chemical reactions and results in the presence of directional flows of matter, which are one of the hallmarks of non-equilibrium processes. We establish the minimal conditions for the existence of such spatial currents, and we furthermore find that these fluxes are maximal at the condensate interface. These results propose that some condensates might be most efficient as chemical factories due to their interfaces rather than their volumes and could suggest a possible biological reason for the observed abundance of small non-fusing condensates inside the cell, thus maximizing their surface and the associated fluxes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defects tend to modify significantly the properties of semiconductors, such as transport properties, by increasing the scattering of electrons and phonons, or optical properties, by modifying the band structure and the Fermi level. The high interest of ScN thin films for thermoelectric applications results from the incorporation of oxygen, which is well known to be the source for their degenerate n-type state and their significant power factor. Indeed, oxygen acts as a donor defect when substituted to nitrogen. In this study, oxygen ion implantation was performed at a high damage level as a way to modify electrical properties through defect engineering. Hence, we measured the changes in electrical properties induced by oxygen implantation at room temperature. Two types of defects have been identified as being responsible for the change in resistivity, carrier concentration, mobility, and Seebeck coefficient. At first, the point-like defects, recombining from 440 K and onward, introduce localized states near the Fermi level, inducing a change in the conduction mode from a metallic-like to a hopping mechanism. The relationship between Mott's temperature and defect concentration has been clearly demonstrated through in situ resistivity measurements in the 80–750 K temperature range. Furthermore, these measurements highlight that oxygen induced defects result not only from ballistic effects, but also from chemical effects that are involved. Second, the complex-like defects introduce deep acceptor levels into the bandgap and act as scattering centers that modify the Debye temperature as well as the electron–phonon interactions. These complexes, likely between scandium vacancies and oxygen atoms (VSc-yO, y ≤ 4), are primarily responsible for the increase of the Seebeck coefficient and the reduced mobility. The concentration of such defects can qualitatively be assessed as their formation introduces an additional term, independent of temperature, in the variation of resistivity, mobility, and also the Seebeck coefficient. The recovery of the complex-like defects takes place at a minimum temperature of 750 K. Results show that the effectiveness of oxygen in creating defects exceeds that of noble gases in terms of concentration, demonstrating the promise of this approach to control the electrical properties of ScN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation is used to study the intermolecular dynamics in the THz frequency range of the ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide, [C2C1im][FSI]. Non-polarizable and polarizable models for classical MD simulation are compared using as quality criteria ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) and experimental data from far-infrared (FIR) spectroscopy and previously published data of inelastic x-ray scattering (IXS). According to data from IXS spectroscopy, incorporating polarization in the classical MD simulation has relatively little effect on the dispersion curve (excitation frequency vs wavevector) for longitudinal acoustic modes. When the AIMD simulation is used as a reference, the polarizable model leads the time correlation functions of velocity, mass, and charge currents to relax abnormally quickly. The charge current spectra from the AIMD simulation and the non-polarizable model agree with the experimental FIR spectrum, while the polarizable model gives an excessively broad band. When compared to the non-polarizable model, the polarizable model does improve the calculation of transport coefficients (diffusion coefficient, viscosity, and conductivity); however, it yields overdamped short-time collective dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to enhance the design of an injection mold in order to minimize ejection time and increase temperature uniformity by repositioning cooling channels. For 3D transient thermal simulations, the ANSYS finite element method (FEM) program was employed, while the MATLAB program was used for optimization. It was discovered that the method could be used successfully to optimize the design of Conformal Cooling Channels (CCCs) in injection molds. The objective function value of the optimized model represents a near 40% improvement in relation to the initial model. The combined parameterization, simulation, and optimization method has proven beneficial for enhancing the arrangement of channels in an injection machine mold. The methodology is generalizable. As such, it can be employed in any industrial applications involving injection molding machines, for the improvement of the quality of the manufactured part. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Segment Routing (SR), a modern network architecture enhancing traffic engineering, offers flexibility by allowing traffic to be routed through intermediate nodes or links. This paper addresses the challenge of optimizing routing in uncertain traffic distribution scenarios. Rather than relying on a single traffic matrix for optimization, we take a unique approach, considering an infinite set of matrices defined by linear constraints. Our goal is to optimize routing strategies under the worst-case scenario within this set. Through novel formulations, we achieve significant improvements in optimization speed compared to traditional methods that explore all extreme points or use iterative constraint generation for these matrices. This research contributes to the field by enhancing the robustness of SR-based traffic engineering, an area previously explored using different methodologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report here the reversibility and bistability of the switching behavior in an azobenzene derivative induced by the bias applied by a scanning-tunneling microscopy (STM) tip, at low temperature and in ultra-high vacuum environment. This cis- to- trans and trans- to- cis switching were observed during STM imaging in either polarity at +2 V or −2 V, on a sub-second time scale. This results in a blinking effect visible on STM images, corresponding to the reversible switching of the azobenzene molecule under the applied STM bias through an electric field induced process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Delay discounting has been shown to occur across the lifespan. However, how time affects the value of nonmonetary rewards in children has received relatively little attention. This study compared choice of Lego bricks by children using two delay discounting estimation procedures, one experiential and one hypothetical task. The tasks involved a choice between two rewards, a large reward (five Lego bricks) after a delay, and an immediate reward of lesser magnitude. The results suggest that the subjective value of Lego bricks changed across delays, and the loss of value was accurately described by a hyperbolic function, but only on the experiential task, whereas functions resulting from the hypothetical task were nonsystematic in most cases. We discuss two possible explanations, one pertaining the abilities needed to grasp hypothetical situations, and another pertaining operational differences between tasks that may influence choice patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Maximal treadmill cardiopulmonary exercise testing is the gold standard for assessing functional capacity in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Purpose: Primarily to investigate the concurrent validity between three field tests and cardiopulmonary exercise testing in these patients. Methods: Patients performed the cardiopulmonary exercise testing, a six-minute walk test, an incremental shuttle walk test, and, the Glittre–ADL test. For cardiopulmonary exercise testing, the ten seconds with the higher average of the peak oxygen uptake obtained within the last 30 seconds were considered; for six-minute walk test and incremental shuttle walk test, the longer distance; and for the Glittre-ADL test, the shorter time spent. Concurrent validity was assessed using different regression models based on the best adjustment of the data. Results: Twenty-two patients with IPF were assessed, aged: 68 ± 8.1 years, 13 male. Patients presented a peak oxygen uptake of 16.5 ± 3.6 mL.kg−1.min1, achieving a distance of 512.6 ± 102.8 meters in the six-minute walk test and 415.7 ± 125.1 meters in incremental shuttle walk test. The walking distance in the six-minute walk test and the incremental shuttle walk test explained, respectively, 64% and 56% peak oxygen uptake variance observed in the cardiopulmonary exercise testing (R2 = 0.64,p <.001; R2 = 0.56,p <.001). The time spent in the Glittre-ADL test was 233.4 ± 88.7 seconds and explained 47% of the peak oxygen uptake variance observed in cardiopulmonary exercise testing (R2 = 0.47,p =.001). Conclusion: The six-minute walk test, incremental shuttle walk test, and Glittre-ADL test were considered valid tests to explain the peak oxygen uptake variance obtained by the cardiopulmonary exercise testing in patients with IPF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the recent adoption of a large-scale youth programme in Mexico. Political economy approaches offer a critical account of the institutional arrangements that have resulted in the emergence of specific educational, labour and, more recently, youth policies in the Latin American region. Studies of youth policies are still developing and are a multidisciplinary field. This article draws on various theoretical traditions from various fields, constituting a novel approach to studying these policies. This article combines empirical evidence drawn from interviews with policy stakeholders with the analysis of key policy documents. It employs a Cultural Political Economy (CPE) approach to explain the Mexican government's adoption of the youth programme Jóvenes Construyendo el Futuro' (JCF) in 2018, which provides paid on-the-job training to 2.3 million young people aged 18–29. The JCF's adoption resulted from the rising to power of a left-wing political coalition presenting an anti-neoliberal alternative based on explicit notions of social justice and inclusion with a national development plan reminiscent of an inward-oriented development paradigm aimed at strengthening the internal market, reminiscent of recent 'neo-developmentalist' projects in the region. JCF represents a notorious case study of the political economy of youth policy in Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the nearest-neighbour Ising and φ 4 models on Z d with d ≥ 3 and obtain new lower bounds on their two-point functions at (and near) criticality. Together with the classical infrared bound, these bounds turn into up to constant estimates when d ≥ 5 . When d = 4 , we obtain an “almost” sharp lower bound corrected by a logarithmic factor. As a consequence of these results, we show that η = 0 and ν = 1 / 2 when d ≥ 4 , where η is the critical exponent associated with the decay of the model’s two-point function at criticality and ν is the critical exponent of the correlation length ξ (β) . When d = 3 , we improve previous results and obtain that η ≤ 1 / 2 . As a byproduct of our proofs, we also derive the blow-up at criticality of the so-called bubble diagram when d = 3 , 4 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cephalopods are crucial to the Southern Ocean ecosystem, connecting top predators with mid-trophic organisms, yet their ecology in the Pacific sector is not well understood. This research used stable isotope analysis to explore the habitat and trophic ecology of cephalopods found in the diet of eastern rockhopper penguins (Eudyptes chrysocome filholi) around Campbell Island, a New Zealand sub-Antarctic island. Eastern rockhopper penguins were used as biologic samplers, revealing some differences in cephalopod diversity and ecology between two breeding seasons—1986–87 and 2012–13—, and the squid Nototodarus sloanii, a commercially valuable species, was described for the first time in the 2012–13 season. Stable isotope values (δ13C and δ15N) for the squid species Moroteuthopsis ingens were consistent between seasons, indicating ecological stability, whereas the octopod species Octopus campbelli showed changes, suggesting shifts in habitat and feeding. Warmer oceanic temperatures in 2012–13 may have facilitated the emergence of N. sloanii on the diet of the eastern rockhopper penguins. These findings highlight potential changes in cephalopod biodiversity in the Pacific sector of the Southern Ocean, emphasizing the need for further research on ecological dynamics of this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The occurrence of antibiotics in some environmental compartments is a global concern. Sulfamethoxazole (SMX) is one of the most widely used antibiotics worldwide and is commonly found in the environment. In this paper, the effect of pH and lipids on SMX sorption by the fungal biomass of Rhizopus oryzae was studied. SMX biosorption was characterized by FTIR, kinetic, equilibrium, and thermodynamic studies. The greatest SMX adsorption capacity was found at pH 4.0. Under optimal pH, the adsorption rate of SMX was mostly controlled by intraparticle diffusion. The pseudo-first-order model (qe = 252.72 μg g−1, k1 = 0.099 h−1) and the linear isotherm (Kd = 0.211 L g−1) successfully modeled the kinetic and equilibrium data (R2 > 0.97). Moreover, at equilibrium, the absence of lipids in biomass led to a decrease of 2.98-fold in the adsorption capacity for SMX, from 0.211 to 0.071 L g−1, demonstrating that lipids are mainly responsible for removal. Some functional groups from proteins and chitin/chitosan were also identified as potential adsorption sites. Biosorption of SMX was a spontaneous phenomenon (ΔG0 from −13.269 to −14.996 kJ mol−1) with endothermic nature (ΔH0 = 17.595 kJ mol−1), driven by weak ionic and hydrophobic interactions. According to our results, the SMX sorption by R. oryzae biomass can be attributed to both adsorption on the biomass surface and absorption in lipids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The learning process about dignity and how undergraduate nursing students experience and use this ethical knowledge is an under-represented field in nursing research. To overcome the lack of conceptual clarity, it is important to understand what processes and dimensions students develop to support this learning outcome. Objective: This study aimed to explain the process of learning about dignity by undergraduate nursing students. Research design and methods: A qualitative study was conducted using the grounded theory method. Participants and research context: Data was collected through free reports and in-depth semi-structured interviews with 20 participants. A focus group was held for the selective coding. Sampling began purposefully and evolved into theoretical. Reflective and theoretical memos were generated from the data collection and constant comparison. Data analysis was performed using qualitative data analysis software using Corbin and Strauss' method. Ethical considerations: The research was approved by a specialized research ethics committee from a Health School. Findings: The process of learning about dignity by undergraduate nursing students revealed 'recognition of dignity' as the core category, supported by five main categories: 'proto-conscience of dignity', 'pathway to nursing', 'consciousness of dignity', 'ways of learning', and 'becoming capable'. These categories illustrate the processes and dimensions involved in nursing students' concept translation of dignity learning, allowing a theory to emerge. Conclusions: The 'Recognition of Dignity' theory aims to contribute to developing educational, training, and supervision processes for nursing programs. It seeks to enhance the ethical and moral development of undergraduate nursing students by helping them understand the concept of dignity and its fundamental importance in nursing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste biomass generation from agro-industrial activities has increased due to the world's population growth. To reduce the negative environmental impacts, these biomasses can be treated and thermally decomposed by pyrolysis to convert them into biochar (BC), which is a material that shows interesting properties and is compatible with asphalt binders. In the present study, asphalt cement (AC 60-70) was modified with a BC obtained from oil palm kernel shell (BC-PKS). This modified asphalt binder was named AC-BC. No research has used this type of BC as a modifier of asphalt binders. For the modification, 10% BC-PKS was used for the binder's total mass. Conventional physical characterization tests (penetration, viscosity, softening point, ductility, among others) were carried out on AC 60-70 and AC-BC. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) visualizations were performed on the BC-PKS and the AC-BC. Then a hot-mix asphalt (HMA) was manufactured using AC-BC (called HMA-BC). The main objective of the study was to evaluate the mechanical performance of the HMA-BC mixture by performing tests under monotonic loading [Marshall and indirect tensile strength in dry condition (ITSD) and wet condition (ITSW)] and cyclic loading [resilient modulus (RM), permanent deformation, and fatigue under stress-controlled mode]. The Cantabro test was also performed, and the tensile strength ratio (TSR) was calculated. The results were compared with those obtained on a control mix (HMA manufactured with unmodified AC 60-70). ANOVA was performed to evaluate whether BC-PKS generated significant changes in the HMA-BC properties. As a general conclusion, it is reported that BC-PKS is a promising asphalt binder modifier that inclines to increase its stiffness. Furthermore, AC-BC generated an HMA-BC with higher stiffness under cyclic loading (RM) and higher resistance to permanent deformation, moisture damage, abrasive wear, and fatigue compared to the control mix. This improved performance was achieved without the need to (1) increase the optimum asphalt binder content (OAC), (2) change the volumetric composition of the HMA, and (3) increase the mixing and compaction temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to investigate whether changes in capillary refill (CR) time precede macrovascular signs of deterioration in a human model of blood loss shock. The study was conducted at the Department of Emergency Medicine in Linköping, Sweden, and involved 42 healthy volunteers aged 18–45. Participants were randomized into two provocations of applied lower body negative pressure (LBNP): a stepwise escalation protocol and a direct application protocol, to simulate gradual and acute blood loss. The main outcome measure was CR time. Systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressures, heart rate, cardiac output, and systemic vascular resistance were measured continuously. CR time was assessed on the finger pulp using a standardized pressure and measured with a polarized reflectance imaging system. Results: The provocation elicited pre-syncope reactions and clear decrease in blood pressure for all participants, yet two-thirds of the participants in both protocols reacted with shorter CR times at maximum provocation, and the overall median CR time decreased by 0.2 s (Wilcoxon W = − 395.0, range: − 6.3 to 3.2, IQR − 1.3 to 0.1, P = 0.0070). Participants with shorter CR times exhibited comparatively greater increases in systemic vascular resistance and a more pronounced decrease in cardiac output. Conclusions: Our findings reveal that finger CR time paradoxically decreases in a majority of healthy volunteers in a lower body negative pressure model of blood loss, challenging traditional assumptions about the CR test's reliability as a shock indicator in its present interpretation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been considerable public concern regarding the effects of repetitive head impacts associated with heading the ball in soccer. This is relevant for adolescents whose brains are undergoing rapid development. The study investigated the relationship between strength, proprioception, endurance and range of motion of the cervical spine and impacts associated with heading the ball in adolescent male soccer players. The participants were 20 skilled players aged 15–18 years. Outcome measures included questionnaires, assessments of cervical spine function (range of motion, joint position error, isometric muscle strength and endurance) and the ratio of maximum head acceleration to maximum T3 acceleration (impact ratio) during each ball impact when heading the ball. Results showed that increased range of motion of extension of the cervical spine and lower joint position error in flexion of the cervical spine were associated with higher impact ratios. Greater isometric strength of the lateral flexors was associated with lower impact ratios. Endurance of the deep neck flexors was not associated with impact ratios. Strength training may be beneficial to decrease head impacts during soccer ball heading, especially in those with increased range of motion of extension of the cervical spine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:Objective:Methods:Results:Conclusions:Although fatigue is frequently reported in the clinical setting, factors influencing the odds of an individual reporting fatigue are not well understood, nor if they are similar between males and females across different age groups.To determine age and sex differences in factors previously speculated to influence the odds of self-reported fatigue.A retrospective analysis using data from the second wave of the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS 2) national survey.Fatigue was reported by 58% of the 1805 individuals ages 30–86 years old. The prevalence was greater in females than males (65% vs. 49%, respectively, p < 0.001), particularly in those who reported fatigue more frequently across all age groups. Psychological distress was associated with the prevalence of fatigue in both sexes but with greater odds in females, whereas muscle weakness was associated with the prevalence of fatigue in both sexes but with greater odds in males. Joint pain was associated with prevalence of fatigue for males and females.The prevalence of fatigue was greater in females than males across age groups. The odds of factors associated with reported fatigue can differ between males and females, and they were not influenced by aging. These findings suggest the need for sex-specific intervention strategies to reduce the prevalence of fatigue across age groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loreto, a region located in the Amazon basin, has reported more than 80% of malaria cases in Peru. Application of diagnostic methods in remote areas is challenging; hence, the identification of factors associated with Plasmodium infection is necessary to improve malaria control. A cross-sectional study was conducted in health facilities in Loreto from 2012 to 2023. Data and blood samples for malaria diagnosis were collected. We performed an analysis to identify associated factors to malaria positivity. Among 2989 participants with malaria symptoms, the prevalence was 87.6% and Plasmodium vivax was the most prevalent species (74.0%). We identified several factors associated with malaria positivity such as age, occupation, sleeping with open windows, previous malaria episodes, number of malaria episodes in the last 12 months, and others. The high prevalence of malaria and the predominance of P. vivax highlight the relevance of P. vivax -targeted control programs to reach elimination in low-endemic areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Active speaker detection (ASD) in multimodal environments is crucial for various applications, from video conferencing to human-robot interaction. This paper introduces FabuLight-ASD, an advanced ASD model that integrates facial, audio, and body pose information to enhance detection accuracy and robustness. Our model builds upon the existing Light-ASD framework by incorporating human pose data, represented through skeleton graphs, which minimises computational overhead. Using the Wilder Active Speaker Detection (WASD) dataset, renowned for reliable face and body bounding box annotations, we demonstrate FabuLight-ASD's effectiveness in real-world scenarios. Achieving an overall mean average precision (mAP) of 94.3%, FabuLight-ASD outperforms Light-ASD, which has an overall mAP of 93.7% across various challenging scenarios. The incorporation of body pose information shows a particularly advantageous impact, with notable improvements in mAP observed in scenarios with speech impairment, face occlusion, and human voice background noise. Furthermore, efficiency analysis indicates only a modest increase in parameter count (27.3%) and multiply-accumulate operations (up to 2.4%), underscoring the model's efficiency and feasibility. These findings validate the efficacy of FabuLight-ASD in enhancing ASD performance through the integration of body pose data. FabuLight-ASD's code and model weights are available at https://github.com/knowledgetechnologyuhh/FabuLight-ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Bayesian brain theory (BBT) mathematically formalizes the dynamic of information processing through belief encoding and perceptual inference. • Beliefs are represented as probability densities about the latent causes of sensory data encoded in neural networks. • Organization of beliefs into hierarchies allows for the representation of a multitude of spatiotemporal scales and causal relationships within a unified probability space. • Belief-updating occurs through synaptic plasticity, relying on the timing of neuronal spikes and the balance of glutamatergic excitation and inhibition. • Precision (inverse of the variance) reflect the signal-to-noise ratio of sensory signals and is encoded by monoaminergic neuromodulators. Bayesian brain theory, a computational framework grounded in the principles of Predictive Processing (PP), proposes a mechanistic account of how beliefs are formed and updated. This theory assumes that the brain encodes a generative model of its environment, made up of probabilistic beliefs organized in networks, from which it generates predictions about future sensory inputs. The difference between predictions and sensory signals produces prediction errors, which are used to update belief networks. In this article, we introduce the fundamental principles of Bayesian brain theory, and show how the brain dynamics of prediction are associated with the generation and evolution of beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Athletes are stratified into classes that range from 1.0 to 4.5 points subdivided at intervals of 0.5 points in the Wheelchair Basketball (WCB) modality. The discussion regarding the non-utilization of quantitative data based on functional classification (FC) in WCB has become considerably important for research due to its impact on athletes' careers. The aim of this systematic review was to verify the kinematic patterns of the free throw performed by WCB athletes of distinct FC. After researching four online databases, only 7 out of 68 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. High-class players (classes 3.0 – 4.5) presented a throw pattern, with a greater angle on the shoulder joint, on the angular speed of the wrist, and the height of the ball throw; low-class athletes (classes 1.0 – 2.5) exhibited a pushing pattern, with greater speed and throw angles, greater angular speed at the shoulder and elbow joints. Thus, inter-individual differences allow for the stratification of players into distinct classes and serve as relevant tools for increasing accuracy and performance despite different disabilities. Further studies are necessary to explore the associated patterns for each FC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yucatan Peninsula, southeast México, hosts a unique underwater karstic system of galleries connected by multiple sinkholes, locally called cenotes. This system is developed on a great Late Miocene to Early Pliocene carbonate platform belonging to the Carrillo Puerto Formation. The karstification process partially erodes these deposits' surfaces and exposes the fossil assemblage. Here, we present the fossil fish diversity in underwater prospections in the Cenotes Sambulá, San Juan, and X-Nabuy. Our results indicate the presence of at least 11 different taxa, which include: 1) species that live today on Mexican coasts, such as Carcharhinus brachyurus, C. leucas, C. perezii, Carcharodon carcharias, and unidentified Rhinoptera species; 2) extinct taxa, such as †Galeocerdo mayumbensis, †Hemipristis serra, and †Otodus (Carcharocles) megalodon; 3) taxa that are not currently distributed in Mexican coasts, such as Carcharhinus macloti and representatives of the genus Aetomylaeus. Furthermore, a new Diodontidae species, †Chilomycterus dzonotensis sp. nov., is described. It represents an increment in the Neogene fish diversity in the Gulf of Mexico and supports a shallow marine environment associated with a coral reef system. The small size of some teeth indicates that the deposits of Carrillo Puerto could be a shelter for tiny marine organisms, and the presence of some taxa highlights local extinctions in the Western Atlantic during the Late Cenozoic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How and to what extent mosquito-virus interaction is influenced by climate change is a complex question of ecological and epidemiological relevance. We worked at the intersection between thermal biology and vector immunology and studied shifts in tolerance and resistance to the cell fusing agent virus (CFAV), a prominent component of the mosquito virome known to contribute to shaping mosquito vector competence, in warm-acclimated and warm-evolved Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. We show that the length of the thermal challenge influences the outcome of the infection with warm-evolved mosquitoes being more tolerant to CFAV infection, while warm-acclimated mosquitoes being more resistant and suffering from extensive fitness costs. These results highlight the importance of considering fluctuations in vector immunity in relation to the length of a thermal challenge to understand natural variation in vector response to viruses and frame realistic transmission models. Single versus multi-generational exposure to increased temperature alters mosquito immune response to viral infection, with implications for mosquito-virus interactions under global change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we use the Nagaev-Guivarc'h method to prove an annealed Central Limit Theorem for a class of contractive random dynamical systems. For this purpose, we build on the quasicompactness of the operator associated to these contracting fibre systems, and show that it also holds on a normed vector space of complex measures in which the operator has suitable spectral gap properties. We also obtain a Berry-Esseen inequality which gives us an optimal bound for the speed of convergence for the Central Limit Theorem. A simple, contractive random dynamical system on the unit interval and an Iterated Function System are used as examples to illustrate the application of our result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Music has been shown to influence physiological functions in humans, but its effects on fetal heart rate variability (fHRV) are not well understood. This study aimed to assess the response of classical music exposure on the nonlinear behavior of fetal heart rate fluctuations in fetuses between 32 and 40 weeks of gestation using recurrence quantification analysis (RQA). We collected R–R time series from 37 fetuses in the third trimester following a study into four stages: PRE (baseline), STIM1 (first musical piece), STIM2 (second musical piece), and POST (post-exposure). The fetal R–R time series from each stage were evaluated using RQA indices such as determinism (DET), average diagonal line length (L), maximum line length (LMAX), entropy (ENTR), and trapping time (TT), as well as conventional linear indices like SDRR (standard deviation of R–R intervals). Results revealed three main points. First, there was an increase in DET, L, LMAX, and TT, with a decrease in ENTR in the POST stage compared to PRE, indicating more regular and predictable patterns. Second, the STIM2 stage enhanced the predictability and stability of cardiac dynamics compared to PRE, as indicated by L, LMAX, and TT. Third, no significant changes were observed in conventional indices, except for an increase in SDRR in the POST stage compared to STIM1. These findings suggest a reduction in complexity and nonlinear behavior of fHRV patterns after musical stimulus. The increase in SDRR during the POST stage appears to coincide with fetal movements, as indicated by the number of fetal accelerations found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine the relationships between mental health, organizational climate, and engagement through a structural equation model, for which a quantitative methodology was developed. A total of 1971 students from a public university in Lima (between 16 and 56 years of age, with a mean age of 21.09 years and standard deviation of 3.2) participated in the study. Three instruments with high internal consistency were used: the Positive Mental Health Scale, the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, and the FOCUS Organizational Climate Questionnaire. The results show that organizational climate is positively related to mental health and engagement, with life satisfaction being the most significant dimension in mental health (0.768), the vigor the strongest in engagement (0.814), and the innovation climate stood out in organizational climate (0.819). At the same time, mental health directly impacts engagement. The structural model revealed that organizational climate directly influences mental health (0.64) and engagement (0.49), while mental health has a direct impact on engagement (0.43). In addition, this structural model presents an adequate fit. The findings highlight the need to design interventions prioritizing students' psychosocial well-being and managing a positive organizational climate as a premise. Implications of the study are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with functional neurological disorder presenting as stroke mimics or functional stroke mimics (FSMs) pose significant diagnostic challenges. In the acute phase, especially when patients are present within the therapeutic window for acute reperfusion treatments, a misdiagnosis of FSM can lead to unnecessary and costly interventions. Despite its clinical importance, the literature on the risk factors for FSM is limited. This study aims to compare the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients with FSM to those with confirmed acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Methods: This case–control study involved temporal matching between consecutive series of patients with FSM and controls with AIS from a single tertiary university hospital in southern Portugal. Results: A total of 188 patients were included: 64 cases (FSM) and 188 controls (AIS). The rate of stroke code activation and use of ambulance between was comparable between the two groups. The group of patients with FSM was younger (53.2 years vs. 69.5 years, p < 0.001) and had a higher proportion of females (52.4% vs. 47.6%, p = 0.001). There was no difference in terms of clinical severity at presentation. The proportion of specific signs, such as transcortical aphasia (3.1% vs. 20.9%, p = 0.014), gait abnormalities (15.6% vs. 33.9%, p = 0.004), and cranial nerve abnormalities (31.2% vs. 43.5%, p = 0.042), was lower in the FSM group compared to the AIS group. The proportion of patients on antithrombotic therapy (90.9% vs. 9.1%, p = 0.007) and antihypertensive drugs (78.5%, vs. 21.5%, p < 0.001) prior to the event was significantly higher in the AIS group. Likewise, the prevalence of cerebrovascular risk factors such as diabetes mellitus (14.3% vs. 85.7%, p = 0.005), arterial hypertension (23.8% vs. 76.2%, p = 0.001), and smoking (43.7% vs. 56.3%, p = 0.005) was lower in the FSM group compared to the AIS group. No statistically significant differences were observed in cholesterol levels or the prevalence of dyslipidemia between the two groups. Psychiatric comorbidities, including generalized anxiety disorder (71.4% vs. 28.6%, p = 0.05) and major depressive disorder (61.9% vs. 28.1%, p = 0.01), were more prevalent in the FSM group. Conclusions: Patients with FSM display different clinical and epidemiological profiles, with a higher likelihood of being younger, female, having prior psychiatric conditions, and lacking traditional cerebrovascular risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: Recent research suggests that video games may serve as cognitive training tools to enhance visual working memory (VWM) capacity. However, the effectiveness of game-based cognitive training remains debated, and the underlying neural mechanisms, as well as the relationship between training efficacy and game design factors, are unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of video game training on VWM capacity and explore its neural correlates. Methods: Two groups underwent 56 daily 20 min training sessions with two distinct video games targeting different cognitive skills: a reaction-time training game and a VWM-specific training game. Behavioral assessments included accuracy, hit response times, correct rejection response times, and Cowan's K values. Neural correlates were measured through Negative Slow Wave (NSW) activity using EEG. Decision tree classification analyses were applied to NSW data across sessions and set sizes to identify patterns linked to VWM capacity. Results: Preliminary results are that both groups showed improvements in behavioral measures (accuracy, response times, and Cowan's K values). NSW analyses revealed a main effect of set size in both groups, and classification results indicated that NSW patterns differed between groups, across sessions, and set sizes, supporting the relationship between NSW and VWM capacity. Conclusions: These findings contribute to understanding NSW as a neurophysiological correlate of VWM capacity, demonstrating its plasticity through video game training. Simple video games could effectively enhance behavioral and neural aspects of VWM, encouraging their potential as accessible cognitive training tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transcutaneous spinal direct current stimulation (TSDCS) has the potential to modulate spinal circuits and induce functional changes in humans. Nevertheless, differences across studies on basic parameters used and obtained metrics represent a confounding factor. Computer simulations are instrumental in improving the application of the TSDCS technique. Their findings allow a better interpretation of the tissue conductivities heterogeneity. Emerging findings indicate the electric field is maximal in the segments located between the electrodes, and that factors such as the depth of the targeted area, and location of the electrodes on low conductive points, such as the spinous processes, may impact the electric field generated in the spinal cord, with consequences for thoracic versus lumbar or cervical applications. Recently, growing attention has been directed toward the importance of the TSDCS reference electrode's position and its influence on the current field properties at the targeted site. This review highlights the influence of dosage, polarity, and electrode position on the variety of TSDCS results in healthy and some clinical populations. Based on the available evidence, we suggest that although the current dosage appears to have a negligible effect, the variety of electrode montages and configurations of TSDCS can significantly impact the electric field distributions and potentially explain the conflicting results of experimental studies. Future human trials should systematically and thoughtfully evaluate the location of TSDCS electrodes based on the targeted neural structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate assessment of forage quality is essential for ensuring optimal animal nutrition. Key parameters, such as Leaf Area Index (LAI) and grass coverage, are indicators that provide valuable insights into forage health and productivity. Accurate measurement is essential to ensure that livestock obtain the proper nutrition during various phases of plant growth. This study evaluated machine learning (ML) methods for non-invasive assessment of grassland development using RGB imagery, focusing on ryegrass and Timothy (Lolium perenne L. and Phleum pratense L.). ML models were implemented to segment and quantify coverage of live plants, dead material, and bare soil at three pasture growth stages (leaf development, tillering, and beginning of flowering). Unsupervised and supervised ML models, including a hybrid approach combining Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) and Nearest Centroid Classifier (NCC), were applied for pixel-wise segmentation and classification. The best results were achieved in the tillering stage, with R2 values from 0.72 to 0.97 for Timothy (α = 0.05). For ryegrass, the RGB-based pixel-wise model performed best, particularly during leaf development, with R2 reaching 0.97. However, all models struggled during the beginning of flowering, particularly with dead grass and bare soil coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The position of cells during development is constantly subject to noise, i.e. cell-level noise. We do not yet fully understand how cell-level noise coming from processes such as cell division or movement leads to morphological noise, i.e. morphological differences between genetically identical individuals developing in the same environment. To address this question we constructed a large ensemble of random genetic networks regulating cell behaviors (contraction, adhesion, etc.) and cell signaling. We simulated them with a general computational model of development, EmbryoMaker. We identified and studied the dynamics, under cell-level noise, of those networks that lead to the development of animal-like morphologies from simple blastula-like initial conditions. We found that growth by cell division is a major contributor to morphological noise. Self-activating gene network loops also amplified cell-level noise into morphological noise while long-range signaling and epithelial stiffness tended to reduce morphological noise. [Display omitted] • We used the model EmbryoMaker to study the sources of cell-level developmental noise. • Cell division creates random folds because it is an anisotropic process. • Random folds are reduced by rigid epithelia, slow division rate and controlled folds. • Self-activation loops of non-diffusive molecules maintain noise. • Short-range signaling increases noise, long-range signaling decreases noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the use of functionalized cabuya fibers (FCF) as an effective adsorbent for Hg (II) removal from aqueous solutions. The composition, surface properties, and morphology of the FCF were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The effects of the pH, contact time, temperature, adsorbent dosage, and initial Hg (II) concentration on the adsorption process were studied. Under optimized experimental conditions, FCF achieved a removal efficiency exceeding 92%, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 8.29 mg/g. The experimental data for the FCF isotherm were analyzed using the Langmuir, Freundlich, DR, and Temkin adsorption models. Notably, the Langmuir isotherm exhibited the highest R² value of 0.99, indicating the model’s strong applicability. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model k2 = 0.42 mg/g.min was employed to elucidate the adsorption mechanism. Thermodynamic studies of the adsorbent FCF were conducted, and ΔG° (-6.16 kJ/mol), ΔH° (36.29 kJ/mol), and ΔS° (141.98 kJ/mol·K) were calculated, assessing the feasibility of the process. Additionally, the desorption results of FCF were evaluated, demonstrating that it can be reused for up to three cycles, achieving adsorption rates of 74% and 62% in the third cycle. This indicates its stability and recycling capacity. Finally, the effectiveness of the FCF was demonstrated by eliminating approximately 91% of Hg (II) from real mineral water samples in Ecuador. These results highlight the p of FCF as promising, eco-friendly, and sustainable adsorbents for the remediation of Hg (II) contamination in aquatic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: There is a growing interest in using computed tomography (CT) scans to opportunistically assess bone mineral density via Hounsfield units (HU). Previous studies have shown lower HU in patients with vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) and that HU can predict pre-existing VCFs. This study evaluated whether HU from CT scans can predict the number of prevalent VCFs. Methods: We studied 353 patients (199 females) aged 58 and older who underwent thorax-abdomen-pelvis or thoracic-lumbar CT scans. HU were measured at T11 and L1. Inter- and intra-observer agreement measuring HU was assessed. We compared mean HU values using the T-test, performed Spearman's correlation between HU and VCFs, and conducted logistic and linear regression analyses to determine the independent effect of sex, age, and HU on the presence and number of VCFs. Results: The median age was 73 years. Ninety-eight patients had at least one VCF, with 46 having one and 52 having two or more VCFs. Inter- and intra-observer agreement assessing HU was excellent (ICC = 0.98 and 0.99 respectively). Mean HU were significantly lower in patients with VCFs (91.14 ± 39.33) than in patients without VCFs (145.03 ± 41.07, p < 0.01). HU negatively correlated with the number of VCFs (r = − 0.54, p < 0.01). Logistic regression showed that age (p < 0.01) and HU (p < 0.01) predicted the presence of VCFs. Linear regression found that HU independently predicted the number of VCFs (p < 0.01), while age (p = 0.67) and sex (p = 0.12) did not. Conclusion: HU from CT scans can predict the presence and number of VCFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Various factors, including an aging population and expanding eligibility criteria, may increase the demand for cochlear implants (CIs), potentially resulting in longer waiting times. In most Dutch CI centers, the time between referral and surgery exceeds 6 months. Clinical experience suggests that during the waiting period for cochlear implantation, hearing and communication difficulties increase. Simultaneously, there is an interest in outcomes more closely aligned with patient values and needs, which resulted in the SMILE (Societal Merit of Interventions on hearing Loss Evaluation) study. This paper presents results on observed changes in societal and participatory outcomes during waiting time in participants with a time to CI surgery exceeding 6 months. Methods: SMILE is a prospective multi-center study including 232 individuals who were referred for unilateral CI. Continuous and nominal data from multiple questionnaires, sent immediately after referral and shortly before surgery, were analyzed by computing differences, Cohen's D, and odds ratios. Results: Of the total 232 participants, 102 had a time between inclusion and surgery exceeding 6 months. Of these, 89 had (partially) filled out surveys at both time points. Of all the domain scores 55% did not show differences between timepoints. All Cohen's D estimates were relatively small, ranging from − 0.298 to 0.388 for those outcomes that showed noteworthy changes. Conclusion: Waiting time from referral to surgery, even though exceeding 6 months, was observed to not seriously affect non-clinically-prioritized patients in an adverse way. Future investigations should identify subgroups on tolerable waiting times regarding short- and long-term outcomes. Trial registration: Trial registration number at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05525221, 25-8-2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a previous work, (dual)- m -Rickart lattices were studied. Now, in this paper, we introduce m -endoregular lattices as those lattices L such that m is a regular monoid, where m is a submonoid with zero of End lin (L) . We show that these lattices can be characterized in terms of m -Rickart and dual- m -Rickart lattices. Also, we compare these new lattices with those lattices in which every compact element is a complement. We characterize the m -endoregular lattices such that every idempotent in m is central in m and we show that for these lattices the complements are a sublattice which is a Boolean algebra. We introduce two new concepts, m - K -extending and m - T -lifting lattices. For these lattices, we show that the monoid m has a regular quotient monoid provided they satisfy m - C 2 and m - D 2 respectively. At the end, some applications to quotients categories of R-Mod are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Through its central role in neurotransmission, the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) is an increasingly valuable target for positron emission tomography (PET). VAChT ligands have been mostly derived from the vesamicol structure, but with limitations in available labelling methods and selectivity for VAChT against σ receptors being a common pitfall of such compounds, the development of selective VAChT tracers remains a challenge. Modern labelling techniques, in this case the [11C]MeLi cross-coupling methodology, expands labelling opportunities, allowing to explore novel vesamicol-based structures as potential PET-tracers. Results: A series of vesamicol derivatives was synthesized and their binding towards VAChT, σ1 and σ2 receptors assessed. Of all compound tested, (-)-2-methylspirobenzovesamicol ((-)-4) was the most promising with a 16 ± 4 nM affinity towards VAChT, a 29-fold weaker affinity for σ1 receptors and negligible binding (> 1 μM) towards σ2 receptors. The radiolabelling was performed from the corresponding bromide using a [11C]MeLi cross-coupling protocol, yielding 2-[11C]methylspirobenzovesamicol in 32–37% RCY. New in vitro binding data is also made available for (-)-FEOBV with human-sourced σ1 receptors, revealing a 300-fold stronger affinity for VAChT compared to σ receptors. Conclusion: (-)-2-methylspirobenzovesamicol was identified as a potent and selective VAChT ligand, with moderate to low affinity for σ receptors, and its racemate was radiolabeled in good radiochemical yields with Carbon-11. At this stage, [11C]-methyl-2-methylspirobenzovesamicol appears a promising 11C-PET tracer for VAChT imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has increasingly become an integral part of clinical practice, particularly in nephrology, where its use extends beyond renal assessment to include multi-organ evaluations. Despite challenges such as limited ultrasound training and equipment access, especially in low- and middle-income countries, the adoption of POCUS is steadily rising. This narrative review explores the growing role of multi-organ POCUS in nephrology, with applications ranging from the assessment of congestion phenotypes, cardiorenal syndrome, and hemodynamic acute kidney injury (AKI) to the evaluation of arteriovenous fistulas and electrolyte disorders. In nephrology, POCUS enhances clinical decision making by enabling rapid, bedside evaluations of fluid status, cardiac function, and arteriovenous access. Studies have demonstrated its utility in diagnosing and managing complications such as heart failure, cirrhosis, and volume overload in end-stage renal disease. Additionally, POCUS has proven valuable in assessing hemodynamic alterations that contribute to AKI, particularly in patients with heart failure, cirrhosis, and systemic congestion. This review highlights how integrating ultrasound techniques, including lung ultrasound, venous Doppler, and focused cardiac ultrasound, can guide fluid management and improve patient outcomes. With advancements in ultrasound technology, particularly affordable handheld devices, and the expansion of targeted training programs, the potential for POCUS to become a global standard tool in nephrology continues to grow, enabling improved care in diverse clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on research conducted in South Africa, this work revolves around the observation that certain rock art sites (Wildebeest Kuil, Northern Cape; Game Pass Shelter, KwaZulu-Natal) are utilized within identity and political frameworks—and a question: what role do rock art sites play in the construction of Khoe and San indigeneity? Contemporary indigeneity is closely linked to issues of recognition, which are themselves related to the restitution of rights, objects, and knowledge. Acknowledging the central role of objects in identity claims, this article proposes to analyze the place of these two rock art sites in the political construction of Khoe and San indigeneity. Based on a corpus of interviews, observations, legal texts, and press articles, certain uses of rock art sites will be presented as strategic means within a broader context of claims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The list of standard abbreviations for JDS is available at adsa.org/jds-abbreviations-24. Nonstandard abbreviations are available in the Notes. Fertility is a crucial aspect of dairy herd efficiency and sustainability. Among factors influencing fertility in dairy cattle, metabolic stress and systemic inflammation of animals are of main relevance, especially in the postpartum stage when ovarian activity begins and cows are inseminated. Our study aimed to infer the associations between milk infrared-predicted blood biomarkers of stress resilience and fertility traits, namely the interval from calving to first service (iCF), days open (DO), and the pregnancy rate at first service (PRF) in a multibreed population of 89,097 dairy cows. The blood metabolites (15 blood biomarkers related to hepatic damage and function, oxidative stress, inflammation, and innate immunity) were predicted using milk Fourier-transform mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy. A gradient boosting machine approach with leave-one-batch-out cross-validation (R2 range from 0.45 to 0.82) was implemented to an independent calibration database of 1,367 lactating cows reared in 5 herds. Calibration equations were then applied to a population database of 1,799,186 MIR milk spectral data, that were then merged with fertility data collected by the Breeders Federation of Alto Adige (Bolzano province, Italy) generating a final database of 285,145 records. The 2 databases were merged according to the milk test day (and thus, the MIR spectrum) closest to the date of insemination. The interval fertility traits were fitted as the hazard of either receiving the first service after calving at time t for iCF or becoming pregnant after calving at time t for DO in a Cox proportional-hazards model. Statistical analyses were performed including in the model the number of lactations, year of calving, and herd as fixed effects. The independent effect of the MIR-based predictions of metabolites was also included with each metabolite evaluated separately and discretized into 7 levels based on percentiles. Pregnancy rate at first service, however, was analyzed using logistic regression and the same explanatory variables. The metabolites linked to liver function and damage, such as aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin, and alkaline phosphatase, had a relevant influence on iCF and DO in terms of the hazard ratio (HR). Relevant results were also obtained for the biomarkers related to oxidative stress, inflammation, and innate immunity. Specifically, increasing levels of ceruloplasmin, total reactive oxygen metabolites, and advanced oxidation protein products resulted in a relevant decrease in the HR of cows becoming pregnant. The logistic regression analysis did not reveal any significant effect of the aforementioned biomarkers on PRF, indicating that the effects of the stress response mainly concern the resumption of the ovarian cycle after calving. The results for the associations of the predicted biomarkers of the stress response with iCF and DO were consistent with expected physiological patterns. In conclusion, the predicted biomarkers investigated revealed to be promising novel phenotypes for assessing animal health and welfare, in the view of enhancing fertility in dairy cattle also through selective breeding, thus improving the overall efficiency of dairy herds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discrimination of enantiomeric substrate molecules is one of the fundamental properties of biological hosts. Replicating enantioselective molecular recognition with synthetic receptors is a topic of interest with implications in diverse applications such as bioinspired enantioselective catalysis, enantiomer separation, or sensing. In this review, five different systems reported in the literature are discussed, and their performance and versatility are analyzed. A recently reported host featuring a flexible scaffold challenges the long-established view that a high degree of preorganization in combination with strongly directional non-covalent interactions is required for efficient enantiodiscrimination. The review is complemented with an analysis of the synthetic effort required for each of the hosts presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractObjectiveDesignStudy sampleResultsConclusionsTo assess the impact of cochlear implantation (CI) and speech perception outcomes on the quality of life (QoL) of adult CI users and their communication partners (CP) one-year post-implantation.This research is part of a prospective multicenter study in The Netherlands, called SMILE (Societal Merit of Intervention for hearing Loss Evaluation).Eighty adult CI users completed speech perception testing and the Nijmegen Cochear Implant Questionnaire (NCIQ). Fifty-four CPs completed the Hearing Impairment Impact – Significant Other Profile (HII-SOP).CI resulted in a large improvement in the QoL of both users and CPs. Despite this, some users still reported difficulties in the NCIQ sub-domains Social Interactions, Activity Limitations and Self-esteem. Similarly, some CPs still reported moderate and severe third-party disability on the HII-SOP. Additionally, the correlation between speech perception results and self-reported QoL was weak to negligible for both groups.Speech perception in quiet is not an accurate measure of real-life success with a CI. A subset of CI users and CPs still experience substantial QoL challenges regardless of speech perception performance. To improve counselling and intervention, QoL measures should be a standard part of the CI care pathway for CI users and their CPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to investigate whether changes in capillary refill (CR) time precede macrovascular signs of deterioration in a human model of blood loss shock. The study was conducted at the Department of Emergency Medicine in Linköping, Sweden, and involved 42 healthy volunteers aged 18–45. Participants were randomized into two provocations of applied lower body negative pressure (LBNP): a stepwise escalation protocol and a direct application protocol, to simulate gradual and acute blood loss. The main outcome measure was CR time. Systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressures, heart rate, cardiac output, and systemic vascular resistance were measured continuously. CR time was assessed on the finger pulp using a standardized pressure and measured with a polarized reflectance imaging system. Results: The provocation elicited pre-syncope reactions and clear decrease in blood pressure for all participants, yet two-thirds of the participants in both protocols reacted with shorter CR times at maximum provocation, and the overall median CR time decreased by 0.2 s (Wilcoxon W = − 395.0, range: − 6.3 to 3.2, IQR − 1.3 to 0.1, P = 0.0070). Participants with shorter CR times exhibited comparatively greater increases in systemic vascular resistance and a more pronounced decrease in cardiac output. Conclusions: Our findings reveal that finger CR time paradoxically decreases in a majority of healthy volunteers in a lower body negative pressure model of blood loss, challenging traditional assumptions about the CR test's reliability as a shock indicator in its present interpretation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic caused healthcare managers to reallocate resources from other areas in order to handle the outbreak. Cardiovascular usual care was especially affected during the first wave. Methods: We analyzed the short- and mid-term impact of the resource reallocation on cardiovascular health, focusing on the Balearic Islands in Spain. Data from 2019 to 2021 of the regional healthcare system and from the national and regional stats center were collected in order to analyze the variations in type of admissions, main causes of cardiovascular mortality, and the correlation between the monthly variation in those causes of mortality and total cardiovascular mortality. Results: The year 2021 showed worse results in terms of healthcare outcomes compared to the pre-pandemic period, with a population-adjusted cardiovascular mortality increase of 4.8% and heart failure and hypertension being the main drivers (6.4% and 26.45%, respectively). However, this impact was not homogeneous in both pandemic years. In 2020, the main driver for the cardiovascular mortality increase was myocardial infarction (R Pearson = 0.655/p = 0.021). On the other hand, chronic conditions such as heart failure and hypertension led to the increase in cardiovascular mortality in 2021 (R Pearson = 0.671/p = 0.017 and R Pearson = 0.619/p = 0.032, respectively). In-hospital resources for COVID-19 showed a positive correlation to cardiovascular mortality in 2021; however, it did not reach statistical significance (R Pearson = 0.41/p = 0.1). Conclusions: Mid-term cardiovascular health worsened in the Spanish Balearic Island region, with hypertension and heart failure being the main drivers, with important differences in influence between 2020 and 2021. We found a correlation between COVID-19 in-hospital resource allocation and total cardiovascular mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ASXL transcriptional regulator 1 (ASXL1) is one of the three most frequently mutated genes in age-related clonal hematopoiesis (CH), alongside DNA methyltransferase 3 alpha (DNMT3A) and Tet methylcytosine dioxygenase 2 (TET2). CH can progress to myeloid malignancies including chronic monomyelocytic leukemia (CMML) and is also strongly associated with inflammatory cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality in humans. DNMT3A and TET2 regulate DNA methylation and demethylation pathways, respectively, and loss-of-function mutations in these genes reduce DNA methylation in heterochromatin, allowing derepression of silenced elements in heterochromatin. In contrast, the mechanisms that connect mutant ASXL1 and CH are not yet fully understood. CH/CMML-associated ASXL1 mutations encode C-terminally truncated proteins that enhance the deubiquitinase activity of the ASXL-BAP1 "PR-DUB" deubiquitinase complex, which removes monoubiquitin from H2AK119Ub. Here, we show that ASXL1 mutant proteins interact with the euchromatic histone lysine methyltransferases 1 and 2 (EHMT1-EHMT2) complex, which generates H3K9me1 and me2, the latter a repressive modification in constitutive heterochromatin. Compared to cells from age-matched wild-type mice, we found that expanded myeloid cells from old (=18-mo-old) Asxl1tm/+ mice, a heterozygous knock-in mouse model of CH, display genome-wide decreases of H3K9me2, H3K9me3, and H2AK119Ub as well as an associated increase in expression of transposable elements (TEs) and satellite repeats. Increased TE expression was also observed in monocytes from ASXL1-mutant CMML patients compared to monocytes from healthy controls. Our data suggest that mutant ASXL1 proteins compromise the integrity of both constitutive and facultative heterochromatin in an age-dependent manner by reducing the levels of H3K9me2/3 and H2AK119Ub. This increase in TE expression correlated with increased expression of nearby genes, including many interferon-inducible (inflammation-associated) genes (ISGs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well known that the sedimentary rock record is both incomplete and biased by spatially highly variable rates of sedimentation. Without absolute age constraints of sufficient resolution, the temporal correlation of spatially disjunct records is therefore problematic and uncertain, but these effects have rarely been analysed quantitatively using signal processing methods. Here we use a computational process model to illustrate and analyse how spatial and temporal geochemical records can be biased by the inherent, heterogenous processes of marine sedimentation and preservation. This confirms that sedimentary hiatuses can span a substantial proportion of geological time, caused by inherent geological processes. Moreover, even in marine geochemical records that are essentially spatially continuous and complete, the signal is irreversibly disguised in time as lower frequency signals by an aliasing effect. We demonstrate that Nyquist's theorem correctly predicts these biased signatures, proving that aliasing can be caused by cyclical and multiscale relative sea-level changes - a natural sampling effect. Our combined results show that deeper marine records are significantly more likely to provide unaliased environmental signatures. Also, some proxy residence times will be sufficiently long that they average over aliased frequencies, cancelling these in the geochemical record. And field observations of changes in sedimentation rate (such as hiatuses, condensation, or lateral expansion) can be used to infer possible aliasing. Where aliasing by natural sampling occurs, this cannot be undone simply by increasing sample resolution (density): aliasing is caused by an absence of sedimentary record, which by definition cannot be sampled at all. To overcome these issues, we propose that spatially separated aliased records may still be correctly correlated in age, and true geochemical cycles inferred, if a paired-sampling strategy informed by local stratigraphy is adopted. In this, two (or more) closely-spaced samples are analysed at each sampling point instead of only one, after which aliased cycles are inferred from geochemical gradients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decades, human impacts have changed the structure of tropical benthic reef communities towards coral depletion and macroalgal proliferation. However, how these changes have modified chemical and microbial waterscapes is poorly known. Here, we assessed how the experimental removal of macroalgal assemblages influences the chemical and microbial composition of two reef boundary layers, the benthic and the momentum. Chemical and microbial waterscapes were spatially structured, both horizontally and vertically, according to macroalgal dominance and boundary layers. Microbes associated with reef degradation were enriched in the boundary layers surrounding macroalgal-dominated substrata. Dominant macroalgae were surrounded by a distinct chemical pool of diverse lipid classes (e.g., diterpenoids and glycerolipids) and labile organic matter (e.g., organooxygen compounds), which diffused from algal tissues to boundary layers according to their polarity. Finally, our results highlighted strong co-variations between specific algal-derived metabolites and planktonic microbes, giving insight into their roles in coral reef functioning and resilience. A field study demonstrates that macroalgae generate complex chemical and microbial waterscapes, which could play essential roles in the function and resilience of coral reefs [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Senescence is a tumor suppressor mechanism triggered by oncogene expression and chemotherapy treatment. It orchestrates a definitive cessation of cell proliferation through the activation of the p53‐p21 and p16‐Rb pathways, coupled with the compaction of proliferative genes within heterochromatin regions. Some cancer cells have the ability to elude this proliferative arrest but the signaling pathways involved in circumventing senescence remain to be characterized. We have recently described that malignant cells capable of evading senescence have an increased expression of specific tRNAs, such as tRNA‐Leu‐CAA and tRNA‐Tyr‐GTA, alongside the activation of their corresponding tRNA ligases, namely LARS and YARS. We have previously shown that YARS promotes senescence escape by activating proliferation and cell cycle genes but its functions during this proliferative arrest remain largely unknown. In this study, we have continued to characterize the functions of YARS, describing non‐canonical transcriptional functions of the ligase. Our results show that YARS is present in the nucleus of proliferating and senescent cells and interacts with the Trim28 transcriptional regulator. Importantly, YARS binds to the LIN9 promoter, a critical member of the Dream complex responsible for regulating cell cycle gene transcription. The ligase facilitates the binding and the phosphorylation of the type II RNA polymerase and promotes the deposition of activating epigenetic marks on the LIN9 promoter. Consequently, during senescence escape, YARS activates LIN9 expression and both proteins are necessary to induce the proliferation of emergent cells. These results underscore unconventional transcriptional functions of YARS in activating LIN9 expression in proliferating cells and during senescence escape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antecedentes/Objetivo. En cultivo de fresa establecidos en invernadero en Montecillo, Texcoco, Estado de México, en 2022 se observó manchas foliares color marrón tostado y pudrición de frutos con lesiones hundidas asimétricas, que se extendían y adquirían un color marrón. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue identificar el agente causal de la pudrición marrón tostado en frutos y plantas fresa. Materiales y Métodos. Se colectaron frutos y hojas sintomáticos, de los cuales se obtuvieron aislados fúngicos para realizar las pruebas de patogenicidad en plantas y frutos, en plantas mediante dos métodos de inoculación: aspersión vía foliar y vía raíz; en frutos mediante inmersión. Se emplearon concentraciones de 2x106 conidios mL-1. Se amplificó y secuenció la región ITS del rDNA mediante PCR con los iniciadores universales ITS1-ITS4. Resultados y Discusión. Se identificó morfológica y molecularmente a Pilidium concavum como el agente causal de la mancha y pudrición marrón tostado en fresa. Resultó patogénica en frutos de fresa cv. Aromas y en plantas menores de dos meses de edad. Mostró variación en virulencia, en plantas afectadas varió de 40 a 50%, en frutos alcanzó el 100%. Conclusión. El resultado determina que Pilidium concavum es un patógeno que produce mancha foliar marrón tostado y pudrición marrón tostado en frutos de fresa. Permite nuevas líneas de investigación relacionados con el impacto de la enfermedad en la producción, rendimiento y calidad de fresas en México. Esta investigación es el primer reporte de Pilidium concavum como patógeno de fresa en el Estado de México. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: Nutritional abnormalities during childhood, due to deficiencies or excesses, continues to be a serious global public health problem, therefore, it is necessary to know the situation in Yucatan given its socioeconomic heterogeneity. OBJECTIVE: To characterize the presence of low height-for-age (LHA) and excess body weight (EBW: overweight and obesity) in schoolchildren from Yucatan, Mexico. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The height and BMI (kg/m2) of 172,747 schoolchildren (6-12 years) obtained from the 2016 National Weight and Height Registry were analyzed. The prevalence of both conditions was estimated by sex, age, type of school, municipality and level of municipal socioeconomic marginalization. Chi-square tests were applied to determine differences in the proportions of LHA and EBW by sex, age group and sociodemographic variables. Tests were considered significant at P<0.05. Heat maps were prepared to show the distribution of nutritional conditions in the municipalities of Yucatan. RESULTS: The prevalence of LHA and EBW was 16.8% and 43.2%, respectively. The prevalence of LHA was higher in rural localities, indigenous schools and municipalities with higher levels of socioeconomic marginalization (P<0.001). The prevalence of EBW was higher in private schools, urban localities and municipalities with lower levels of marginalization and increased at older ages (P<0.001). LHA was concentrated in the east and southeast of the state and EBW in the center and north. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of LHA and EBW in Yucatan demands successful actions to improve the health of school age children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]