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Summary: Background: Suboptimal response to ursodeoxycholic acid occurs in 40% of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) patients, affecting survival. Achieving a deep response (normalisation of alkaline phosphatase [ALP] and bilirubin ≤0.6 upper limit of normal) improves survival. Yet, the long‐term effectiveness of second‐line treatments remains uncertain. Aims: To evaluate the long‐term effectiveness of obeticholic acid (OCA) ± fibrates. Focusing on biochemical response (ALP ≤1.67 times the upper limit of normal, with a decrease of at least 15% from baseline and normal bilirubin levels), normalisation of ALP, deep response and biochemical remission (deep response plus aminotransferase normalisation). Methods: We conducted a longitudinal, observational, multicentre study involving ursodeoxyccholic acid non‐responsive PBC patients (Paris‐II criteria) from Spain and Portugal who received OCA ± fibrates. Results: Of 255 patients, median follow‐up was 35.1 months (IQR: 20.2–53). The biochemical response in the whole cohort was 47.2%, 61.4% and 68.6% at 12, 24 and 36 months. GLOBE‐PBC and 5‐year UK‐PBC scores improved (p < 0.001). Triple therapy (ursodeoxycholic acid plus OCA plus fibrates) had significantly higher response rates than dual therapy (p = 0.001), including ALP normalisation, deep response and biochemical remission (p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, triple therapy remained independently associated with biochemical response (p = 0.024), alkaline phosphatase normalisation, deep response and biochemical remission (p < 0.001). Adverse effects occurred in 41.2% of cases, leading to 18.8% discontinuing OCA. Out of 55 patients with cirrhosis, 12 developed decompensation. All with baseline portal hypertension. Conclusion: Triple therapy was superior in achieving therapeutic goals in UDCA‐nonresponsive PBC. Decompensation was linked to pre‐existing portal hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Literature comparing different alternatives for pain control in the immediate postoperative period of pediatric acute appendicitis (PAA) is scarce. Materials and methods. We prospectively compared the analgesic and emetogenic profile of intravenous ibuprofen and metamizole in the immediate postoperative period of PAA. For this purpose, we used a sample of patients operated on in 2021 in our center. Participants were recruited on arrival at the Emergency Department and histopathological confirmation of the diagnosis was obtained in all of them. Pain was evaluated every 8 hours after the surgery with validated visual analog scales ranging from 0 to 10 points. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare the evolution of pain in the 48 hours after surgery between the two groups. Results. The sample included 95 patients (65% males) with a mean age of 9.7 years (sd: 3.14). 41 patients were treated with Ibuprofen (group 1) and 54 with metamizole (group 2). No significant differences were found in the level of pain either in the comparisons of point measurements or in its evolution in the 48 hours after surgery (p= 0.58). After adjusting for the received fluid therapy, children in the metamizole group had significantly more emetic episodes and needed significantly more doses of ondansetron. Conclusions. In our cohort, ibuprofen had a similar analgesic efficacy and a better emetogenic profile than metamizole in the immediate postoperative period of PAA. Future prospective, adequately controlled studies with larger sample sizes are needed to validate these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Lyman-α forest offers a unique avenue for studying the distribution of matter in the high redshift universe and extracting precise constraints on the nature of dark matter, neutrino masses, and other ΛCDM extensions. However, interpreting this observable requires accurate modelling of the thermal and ionization state of the intergalactic medium, and therefore resorting to computationally expensive hydrodynamical simulations. In this work, we build a neural network that serves as a surrogate model for rapid predictions of the one-dimensional Lyman-α flux power spectrum (P 1D), thereby making Bayesian inference feasible for this observable. Our emulation technique is based on modelling P 1D as a function of the slope and amplitude of the linear matter power spectrum rather than as a function of cosmological parameters. We show that our emulator achieves sub-percent precision across the full range of scales (k ∥ = 0.1 – |$4\, \mathrm{Mpc}^{-1}$|⁠) and redshifts (z = 2 – 4.5) considered, and also for three ΛCDM extensions not included in the training set: massive neutrinos, running of the spectral index, and curvature. Furthermore, we show that it performs at the 1 per cent level for ionization and thermal histories not present in the training set and performs at the percent level when emulating down to |$k_{\parallel }=8\, \mathrm{Mpc}^{-1}$|⁠. These results affirm the efficacy of our emulation strategy in providing accurate predictions even for cosmologies and reionization histories that were not explicitly incorporated during the training phase, and we expect it to play a critical role in the cosmological analysis of the DESI survey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Circumcision is one of the most frequent urological surgical procedures in the pediatric population globally. Complications, although rare, can be severe. Clinical case. We present the case of a Senegalese 10-year-old male patient who had undergone ritual circumcision in his early childhood and developed a progressive circumferential tumor in the penile body with no further associated symptoms. Surgical exploration was carried out. A fibrotic-looking penile ring, which was interpreted as an injury secondary to the non-absorbable suturing material used in the previous surgery, was identified. The tissue involved was removed, and on-demand preputioplasty was conducted. Due to technical limitations, the resected tissue could not be analyzed, which means diagnosis could not be histopathologically confirmed. The patient had a favorable progression. Conclusions. This case demonstrates that the medical personnel in charge of performing circumcisions should be adequately trained in order to prevent severe complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), whose main risk factor is cigarette smoking (CS), is one of the most common diseases globally. Some COPD patients also develop pulmonary hypertension (PH), a severe complication that leads to premature death. Evidence suggests reactive oxygen species (ROS) involvement in COPD and PH, especially regarding pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMC) dysfunction. However, the effects of CS-driven oxidative stress on the pulmonary vasculature are not completely understood. Herein we provide evidence on the effects of CS extract (CSE) exposure on PASMC regarding ROS production, antioxidant response and its consequences on vascular tone dysregulation. Our results indicate that CSE exposure promotes mitochondrial fission, mitochondrial membrane depolarization and increased mitochondrial superoxide levels. However, this superoxide increase did not parallel a counterbalancing antioxidant response in human pulmonary artery (PA) cells. Interestingly, the mitochondrial superoxide scavenger mitoTEMPO reduced mitochondrial fission and membrane potential depolarization caused by CSE. As we have previously shown, CSE reduces PA vasoconstriction and vasodilation. In this respect, mitoTEMPO prevented the impaired nitric oxide-mediated vasodilation, while vasoconstriction remained reduced. Finally, we observed a CSE-driven downregulation of the Cyb5R3 enzyme, which prevents soluble guanylyl cyclase oxidation in PASMC. This might explain the CSE-mediated decrease in PA vasodilation. These results provide evidence that there might be a connection between mitochondrial ROS and altered vasodilation responses in PH secondary to COPD, and strongly support the potential of antioxidant strategies specifically targeting mitochondria as a new therapy for these diseases. [Display omitted] • CSE exposure increases mitochondrial superoxide levels in hPASMC. • CSE exposure decreases the antioxidant response in hPASMC. • Oxidative stress plays a crucial role in pulmonary vasculature disfunction. • CSE prevents the reduction of sGC when oxidized by increased ROS in hPASMCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Congenital megaprepuce is a urological pathology typical of childhood. It can be easily mistaken for other clinical entities such as physiological phimosis or buried penis. Owing to the risk of associated complications -- primarily infectious and obstructive complications, with upper urinary tract involvement --, achieving an accurate diagnosis proves particularly significant for early treatment initiation. We present three cases of congenital megaprepuce diagnosed and operated on at our department from January 2019 to May 2020. Diagnosis, therapy, and clinical progression are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main predictions of excursion set theory is that the clustering of dark matter haloes only depends on halo mass. However, it has been long established that the clustering of haloes also depends on other properties, including formation time, concentration, and spin; this effect is commonly known as halo assembly bias (HAB). We use a suite of gravity-only simulations to study the dependence of HAB on cosmology; these simulations cover cosmological parameters spanning 10σ around state-of-the-art best-fitting values, including standard extensions of the ΛCDM paradigm such as neutrino mass and dynamical dark energy. We find that, when studying the peak height-bias relation, the strength of HAB presents variations smaller than 0.05 dex across all cosmologies studied for concentration- and spin-selected haloes, letting us conclude that the dependence of HAB upon cosmology is negligible. We then study the dependence of galaxy assembly bias (i.e. the manifestation of HAB in galaxy clustering) on cosmology using subhalo abundance matching. We find that galaxy assembly bias also presents very small dependence upon cosmology (∼ 2 per cent–4 per cent of the total clustering); on the other hand, we find that the dependence of this signal on the galaxy formation parameters of our galaxy model is much stronger. Taken together, these results let us conclude that the dependence of halo and galaxy assembly bias on cosmology is practically negligible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transparent conducting oxides are used as transparent electrical contacts in a variety of applications, including in electrochromic smart windows. In the present work, we performed a study of transparent conducting antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO) thin films by chronopotentiometry in a Li+-containing electrolyte. The open circuit potential vs. Li was used to investigate ATO band lineups, such as those of the Fermi level and the ionization potential, as well as the dependence of these lineups on the preparation conditions for ATO. Evidence was found for Li+ intercalation when a current pulse was set in a way so as to drive ions from the electrolyte into the ATO lattice. Galvanostatic intermittent titration was then applied to determine the lithium diffusion coefficient within the ATO lattice. The electrochemical density of states of the conducting oxide was studied by means of the transient voltage recorded during the chronopotentiometry experiments. These measurements were possible because, as Li+ intercalation took place, charge compensating electrons filled the lowest part of the conduction band in ATO. Furthermore, the charge insertion modified the optical properties of ATO according to the Drude model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gradient maps are common intermediate representations in image processing, with extensive use in both classical and state-of-the-art algorithms. Most of the research on gradient map extraction has been devoted to the definition of gradient extraction operators or filters, normally by optimizing certain criteria. In this context, we find a rather limited literature in gradient map extraction using multiscale information. In this work, we develop the idea of producing a gradient map by fusing the gradient maps obtained at different scales. We first analyze the Gaussian Scale Space and the behaviour of gradients when images are projected into it; second, we propose two classes of self-adapting vector fusion operators, which are inspired by the focus-selective nature of the human visual system; third, we present a framework for multiscale boundary detection based on the use of such classes of operators for multiscale gradient fusion. We experimentally test our boundary detection framework to illustrate the validity of our vector fusion operators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A relationship between threshold concentration of chlorides and PRE values is shown. • The corrosion rate depends on chloride concentration for specific cement. • A new methodology has been developed to avoid the steel rebars polarization. • Calculations of service life have been made for a specific exposure conditions. Abstract Stainless steel rebars is used to lengthen the service life of structures in aggressive media. Corrosion resistance was studied in five grades of mortar-embedded stainless steel: EN 1.4307, EN 1.4404, EN 1.4482, EN 1.4362 and EN 1.4462. A modified accelerated chloride attack was applied to prevent steel rebar polarisation and artificial re-passivation. The critical chloride concentration was determined. Based on corrosion rate, service life was calculated for a given exposure at two probability levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:Diagnosis of pneumonia in ventilated patients is challenging due to the lack of specific and definitive clinical symptoms, laboratory data or radiological abnormalities. Methods:Based on quantitative tracheal aspirate (QTA) results, three groups of patients were compared: <105 cfu/ml, ≥105 cfu/ml and <106 cfu/ml, and ≥106 cfu/ml. We recorded demographic variables, underlying diseases and severity of illness at ICU admission. On the day of pneumonia diagnosis, we registered temperature, leukocyte count, C-reactive protein, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, clinical pulmonary infection score (CPIS) and adequacy of empirical antimicrobial therapy. Results:In 231 episodes, clinical presentation, laboratory data, severity of illness, CPIS, the presence of bacteremia and radiological score did not differ among the three groups. ICU and hospital mortalities were also similar in the three groups. Factors independently associated with in-hospital mortality were age, SOFA score and inappropriate antimicrobial therapy. The bacterial burden in the QTA was not included in the model. Conclusions:Quantification of tracheal aspirate samples may not be necessary in ventilated patients clinically suspected of having nosocomial pneumonia [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tetraspanins are a family of transmembrane proteins that form membrane microdomains. They play important roles in migration, adhesion and other cellular processes. TspanC8, a subfamily of tetraspanins, was found to associate and promote ADAM10 trafficking and cell surface localization. One of its members, Tspan33, is expressed in activated B cells. Using RT- PCR and flow cytometry, we analysed the pattern of expression of Tspan33 in B cells from healthy donors. We found Tspan33 expression in early and late stages of B cell development. However, Tspan33 expression did not correlate with ADAM10 surface expression. We also found expression of Tspan33 early in the activation process. Given its predominant expression in activated B cells and in several lymphomas, but not in naive B cells, we hypothesize that Tspan33 could be a potential target for therapeutic purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We build a supersymmetric version with gauge symmetry, where is a new charge and and are the usual baryonic and leptonic numbers. The model has three right-handed neutrinos with identical charges, and can accommodate all fermion masses at the tree level. In particular, the type I seesaw mechanism is implemented for the generation of the active neutrino masses. We obtain the mass spectra of all sectors and for the scalar one we also give the flat directions allowed by the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzes the influence of two different modes for estimating the volume of mixing water (total water and effective water) on the dosing and behavior of recycled aggregate concrete. Different concrete mixtures of conventional and recycled concrete are analyzed to determine the relationship between slump and compressive strength according to the total and effective water/cement ratios. Furthermore, to avoid the pre-saturation of recycled aggregates, an improved mixing methodology for manufacturing of recycled concrete based on the best characteristics of two-stage mixing methods as well as on the water absorption speed is recommended. The results suggest that recycled concrete requires a minimal time to achieve an adequate mix and demonstrate that an increase in total water in recycled concrete does not result in strength reduction when the mixtures were dosed with the same volume of effective water. Furthermore, these results conflict with the recommendation to increase the cement content due to the extra volume of water needed for the recycled mix to maintain the slump and a constant water/cement ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Functional results of four surgical techniques to resolve the IIIBIV Litchman's stage of the Kienböck disease were analyzed. We observed the evolution from 2000 to 2015. Material and methods: Transversal retrospective study of 33 patients treated with diff erent surgical techniques and evaluated with Quick-DASH scale, dynamometer and EVA. Results: Less functional limitation was found in the patients who underwent the intercarpal fusion with or without neurotomy of the posterior interosseous. Discussion: It was shown that the fact of making a less aggressive surgery is enough to evolve into an increase in symptoms and a decrease in function and strength; therefore, the intercarpal fusion performed at the right time of the natural history of the disease can achieve better results than other methods used previously and endorsed by international associations. Conclusions: The surgical technique of choice in our series to prevent disease progression was the intercarpal fusion and neurotomy of the posterior interosseous nerve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transparent electrodes based on In 2 O 3 :Sn (ITO) and SnO 2 :Sb (ATO) thin films have been deposited by sputtering at room temperature on soda lime glass (SLG) substrates. The preparation conditions were adjusted to obtain 250 nm-thick ITO layers with high conductivity and textured ATO coatings with various thicknesses from 80 to 200 nm. These ITO and ATO films have been combined to enhance the optical scattering and the electrical conductivity of the bilayer electrodes. Besides, a suitable ATO coating can prevent the oxidation of the ITO underlayer, thus increasing the stability of the overall electrical performance. With this purpose the structure, morphology, optical and electrical properties have been analysed comparatively for SLG/ITO, SLG/ATO and SLG/ITO/ATO samples after heating in air at 500 °C, studying the influence of the ATO layer thickness on the light scattering and thermal stability of the electrodes. In this way, a minimum sheet resistance of 8 Ω/sq has been achieved with a 120 nm-thick ATO film deposited on the 250 nm-thick ITO layer; such stacked electrode has visible transmittance near 80% and average haze H T = 10%, showing superior stability, light scattering and electrical performance than the isolated ITO and ATO films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports a study on recycled aggregates concrete to analyze the influence of using two different types of natural aggregates, river aggregates and crushed aggregates, on the strength properties of recycled aggregates concrete. A total of twenty different mixes were analyzed with an effective water/cement ratio of 0.5 and cement contents of 260–300–340 kg/m 3 for recycled rates of coarse aggregates of 0–20–50–100%. The results show that the strength property depends of the type of natural aggregate used and of the recycled replacement ratio. An increment of 15% on compressive strength was obtained for river natural aggregates and 100% recycled replacement ratio, while a decrease of approximately 10–25% was observed for mixtures with crushed natural aggregates performed under similar manufacturing conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this position paper we propose a consistent and unifying view to all those basic knowledge representation models that are based on the existence of two somehow opposite fuzzy concepts. A number of these basic models can be found in fuzzy logic and multi-valued logic literature. Here it is claimed that it is the semantic relationship between two paired concepts what determines the emergence of different types of neutrality, namely indeterminacy, ambivalence and conflict , widely used under different frameworks (possibly under different names). It will be shown the potential relevance of paired structures , generated from two paired concepts together with their associated neutrality, all of them to be modeled as fuzzy sets. In this way, paired structures can be viewed as a standard basic model from which different models arise. This unifying view should therefore allow a deeper analysis of the relationships between several existing knowledge representation formalisms, providing a basis from which more expressive models can be later developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we present a numerical model of initial recombination in media irradiated with high linear energy transfer (LET) ions, which relies on an amorphous track model of ionization of high LET particles, and diffusion, drift and recombination of ionized charge carriers. The model has fundamental applications for the study of recombination in non-polar liquids, as well as practical ones, like in modelling hadrontherapy dosimetry with ionization chambers. We have used it to study the response of liquid-filled ionization chambers to hadrontherapy beams: dependence of initial recombination on ion species, energy and applied external electric field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients infected with HIV are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease despite successful antiretroviral therapy. Likewise, chronic hepatitis C virus ( HCV) infection is associated with extrahepatic complications, including cardiovascular disease. However the risk of cardiovascular disease has not been formally examined in HIV/ HCV-coinfected patients. A retrospective study was carried out to assess the influence of HCV coinfection on the risk of cardiovascular events in a large cohort of HIV-infected patients recruited since year 2004. A composite event of cardiovascular disease was used as an endpoint, including myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, stroke or death due to any of them. A total of 1136 patients (567 HIV-monoinfected, 70 HCV-monoinfected and 499 HIV/ HCV-coinfected) were analysed. Mean age was 42.7 years, 79% were males, and 46% were former injection drug users. Over a mean follow-up of 79.4 ± 21 months, 3 patients died due to cardiovascular disease, whereas 29 suffered a first episode of coronary ischaemia or stroke. HIV/ HCV-coinfected patients had a greater incidence of cardiovascular disease events and/or death than HIV-monoinfected individuals (4% vs 1.2%, P = 0.004) and HCV-monoinfected persons (4% vs 1.4%, P = 0.5). After adjusting for demographics, virological parameters and classical cardiovascular disease risk factors (smoking, hypertension, diabetes, high LDL cholesterol), both HIV/ HCV coinfection ( HR 2.91; CI 95%: 1.19-7.12; P = 0.02) and hypertension ( HR 3.65; CI 95%: 1.34-9.94; P = 0.01) were independently associated with cardiovascular disease events and/or death in HIV-infected patients. Chronic hepatitis C and hypertension are independently associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk in HIV-infected patients. Therefore, treatment of chronic hepatitis C should be prioritized in HIV/ HCV-coinfected patients regardless of any liver fibrosis staging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Symmetric, aligned and luminous smiles are usually classified as 'beautiful' and aesthetic. However, smile perception is not strictly governed by standardised rules. Personal traits may influence the perception of non-ideal smiles. We aimed to determine the influence of personality traits in self-rated oral health and satisfaction and in the aesthetic preference for different strategically flawed smiles shown in photographs. Smiles with dark teeth, with uneven teeth, with lip asymmetry and dental asymmetry were ordered from 1 to 4 as a function of the degree of beauty by 548 participants, of which 50·7% were females with a mean age of 41·5 ± 17·6 years (range: 16-89 years). Self-assessment and oral satisfaction were recorded on a Likert scale. Personality was measured by means of the Big Five Inventory (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness), and the Life Orientation Test was used to measure optimism and pessimism. Of the four photographs with imperfect smiles, dental asymmetry was the most highly assessed in 63% of the sample, and the worst was lip asymmetry, in 43·7% of the sample. Some personality traits (above all conscientiousness and openness) were significantly correlated with the position assigned to the photographs with dental and lip asymmetry or with misaligned teeth. The extraversion, agreeableness and openness traits were correlated with the self-perceptions of oral health and aesthetics of the participants. Dental asymmetry seems to be better tolerated than lip asymmetry. Personality traits are weakly but significantly correlated with the aesthetic preference and oral health values, conscientiousness and openness being the most relevant domains in this sense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formation and crystallization of homogeneous CuAlSe 2 (CAS) thin films prepared by a two stage process consisting on the selenization of evaporated metallic precursor layers has been achieved onto transparent and conductive Sb:SnO 2 (ATO)-coated glass substrates. Influence on the structural, optical, morphological and compositional properties of the sample thickness and selenization conditions have been analysed. Polycrystalline CuAlSe 2 samples with chalcopyrite structure and a preferential orientation along the (112) plane have been obtained on ATO-coated substrates, in a wide range of thicknesses from 0.6 to 2.0 μm, with high degree of reproducibility. Average crystallite size tends to increase and the preferential orientation remains constant with the increase of the CAS thickness and the Se amount in the selenization process. The band gap energy has ranged between 2.3 and 2.5 eV. XPS measurements have shown a slightly Cu-poor surface and homogeneous distribution of Cu and Al in depth. The CAS/ATO contacts have exhibited ohmic characteristics in all cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N-doped TiO 2 thin films have been grown over glass substrates without intentional heating by DC sputtering of a metallic Ti target immersed in a reactive gas mixture of argon, oxygen and nitrogen. The oxygen partial pressure has been adjusted to achieve effective N-doping, intended to decrease the band gap energy with respect to analogous undoped layers. These N-doped TiO 2 films are found amorphous by X-ray analysis, even after post-deposition heating in air up to 550 °C, whereas the analogous intrinsic TiO 2 layers exhibit rutile crystalline structure before and after heating. The obtained results agree with the localized level model that has been developed for titania crystals and applies here for amorphous TiO 2 :N layers, which show an effective redshift of 0.88 eV with respect to the undoped samples. Nevertheless, the widest gap value of 3.22 eV is achieved for the several TiO 2 and TiO 2 :N thin films after annealing in air at the highest temperature. This is attributed to the suppression of oxygen vacancies and Ti 3+ oxidation states during such thermal treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Availability of the dopamine and noradrenaline precursor tyrosine is critical for normal functioning, and deficit in tyrosine transport across cell membrane and the blood-brain barrier has been reported in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Clozapine and lithium are two psychoactive agents used to treat psychosis, mood disorders and suicidal behavior, but their mechanism of action remains largely unknown. Objective: To characterize immediate and delayed differences in tyrosine uptake between healthy controls (HC) and bipolar patients (BP) and see if these differences could be normalized by either clozapine, lithium or both. A second objective was to see if clozapine and lithium have additive, antagonistic or synergistic effects in this. Method: Fibroblasts from five HC and five BP were incubated for 5 min or 6 h with clozapine, lithium, or combination of both. Radioactive labelled tyrosine was used to quantify tyrosine membrane transport. Results: There was significantly reduced tyrosine uptake at baseline in BP compared to HC, a deficit that grew with increasing incubation time. Clozapine selectively increased tyrosine uptake in BP and abolished the deficit seen under baseline conditions, while lithium had no such effect. Combination treatment with clozapine and lithium was less effective than when clozapine was used alone. Conclusions: There was significant deficit in tyrosine transport in BP compared to HC that was reversed by clozapine but not lithium. Clozapine was more effective when used alone than when added together with lithium. Potential clinical implications of this will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dental appearance may play a key role on the way we develop a first impression of another person. To test whether relatively minor changes in the lightness of tooth colour would influence the perceived social appeal (social, intellectual, psychological and relational abilities) of an unknown male and unknown female, this cross-sectional study was performed on 555 Spanish adults. The two major independent variables related to the photograph were tooth lightness (computer-derived), divided into three levels that included lightened teeth, natural teeth and darkened teeth, and the gender of the observed face. Moreover, six independent variables related to the observer were assessed (age, gender, educational level, place of residence, frequency of brushing and self-reported health status). The dependent variables were scored on five-point Likert scales designed to quantify four domains (social, intellectual, psychological and relationship competences) of the Social Appeal Scale ( SAS). Tooth lightness influences the perception of social appeal in all dimensions, as darkened smiles received significantly poorer scores than natural-colour smiles, but these were also worse than lightened smiles. A logistic regression analysis revealed that the major predictor of social appeal was tooth lightness, and for each increment in lightness (from darkened to lightened smiles), the odds ratio ( OR) of positive values being perceived increased significantly in all items (from 2·3 in Popularity to 6·9 in Happiness). A perceptible change in dental lightness is the strongest factor associated with the dental attractiveness stereotype, affecting significantly the 12 traits assessed, but mainly the Happiness, Social Relations and Academic Performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium oxide thin films have been prepared by reactive DC sputtering at room temperature on soda-lime glass (SLG) and flexible polyimide (Kapton) substrates. The sputtering conditions have been adjusted in order to achieve high deposition rates between 15 and 45 nm/min. Post-deposition heating of the samples has been performed at 350 °C in nitrogen during 30 min. The crystalline structure of these films and their optical, morphological, and electric characteristics have been studied before and after annealing by X-ray diffraction, spectrophotometric measurements, atomic force microscopy, and the four-point probe method. The optical data indicate that pure anatase phase, which crystallizes after the heating process, is obtained on both SLG and Kapton substrates at the lowest deposition rate (15 nm/min). In this case, the samples exhibit high electric resistivity above 300 Ωcm. Otherwise, for the highest deposition rate (45 nm/min), crystalline rutile is identified in the as-grown and heated films, with a lower optical gap energy than anatase and also a lower resistivity that reaches 0.3 Ωcm after heating. At intermediate deposition rates, anatase and rutile coexist in the samples as has been verified by X-ray diffraction, although the overall optical and electric characteristics are dominated by the rutile phase. Analogous titanium oxide layers have been obtained on SLG and Kapton, and this opens the possibility of substituting flexible plastics for conventional glass substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is scarce information about the impact of antiviral treatment on subsequent progression of liver fibrosis in HIV-infected patients with chronic hepatitis C who experience different outcomes following peginterferon-ribavirin therapy. We conducted a retrospective study of a cohort of HIV/ HCV-coinfected patients with longitudinal assessment of liver fibrosis using elastometry. Patients were split out into four groups according to the prior peginterferon-ribavirin response: sustained virological response ( SVR), relapse (R), partial response ( PR) and null response ( NR). A group of untreated, coinfected patients was taken as control. Significant liver fibrosis progression ( sLFP) was defined as a shift from baseline Metavir estimates ≤F2 to F3-F4, or by >30% increase in liver stiffness in patients with baseline F3-F4. Conversely, significant liver fibrosis regression ( sLFR) was defined as a shift from baseline Metavir estimates F3-F4 to ≤F2, or by >30% reduction in liver stiffness in patients that kept on F3-F4. A total of 498 HIV/HCV-coinfected patients were examined. They were classified as follows: 138 (27.7%) SVR, 40 (8%) R, 61 (12.2%) PR, 71 (14.3%) NR and 188 (37.8%) naive. After a mean follow-up of 53.3 months, sLFP occurred less frequently in patients with SVR (7.2%) compared with R (25%; P = 0.002), PR (23%; P = 0.002), NR (29.6%; P < 0.001) and naïve (19.7%; P = 0.002). Conversely, sLFR was 26.1% in SVR compared with 10% in R ( P = 0.03), 14.8% in PR ( P = 0.06), 16.9% in NR ( P = 0.07) and 10.6% in naïve ( P < 0.001). Sustained clearance of serum HCV- RNA following a course of antiviral treatment is the major determinant of liver fibrosis regression in HIV/ HCV-coinfected patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive form of breast cancer. Despite response to chemotherapy, relapses are frequent and resistance to available treatments is often seen in the metastatic setting. Therefore, identification of new therapeutic targets is required. With this aim, we have profiled the activation status of 44 receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) and their major signaling pathways in patient-derived TNBC tumors. Frequent co-activation of several RTKs as well as the extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1 and 2 (Erk1/2) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) routes was found. Pharmacologic targeting of the activated kinases indicated that agents that attack the mTOR route are more potent and efficient antitumoral treatments than agents targeting RTKs. mTOR signals through two multiprotein complexes, mTORC1 and mTORC2. We used a genetic approach to explore the contribution of each of the two mTOR branches to the regulation of cell number of TNBC cells. RNA interference experiments indicated that mTORC1 predominated over mTORC2 in the control of TNBC cell proliferation. Moreover, RNA interference of mTOR had a superior antiproliferative action than separately acting on mTORC1 or mTORC2. To analyze the relevance of mTOR targeting in vivo, we used mice with TNBC. Treatment of these mice with BEZ235, a drug that targets mTOR, slowed tumor growth. Mechanistically, BEZ235 delayed cell cycle progression without affecting cell viability. Our results show that TNBCs are particularly sensitive to inhibition of the mTOR pathway, and indicate that mTOR targeting may be a more efficient anti-TNBC therapy than exclusively acting on the mTORC1 branch of the pathway. This is relevant as most mTOR inhibitors used in the clinic act on mTORC1. Collectively with the fact that BEZ235 synergized with drugs commonly used in the treatment of TNBC, our data support the clinical development of agents that act on mTOR as a therapy for this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purposes: We set out to assess the safety and the impact on in-hospital and 90-day mortality of antibiotic de-escalation in patients admitted to the ICU with severe sepsis or septic shock. Methods: We carried out a prospective observational study enrolling patients admitted to the ICU with severe sepsis or septic shock. De-escalation was defined as discontinuation of an antimicrobial agent or change of antibiotic to one with a narrower spectrum once culture results were available. To control for confounding variables, we performed a conventional regression analysis and a propensity score (PS) adjusted-multivariable analysis. Results: A total of 712 patients with severe sepsis or septic shock at ICU admission were treated empirically with broad-spectrum antibiotics. Of these, 628 were evaluated (84 died before cultures were available). De-escalation was applied in 219 patients (34.9 %). By multivariate analysis, factors independently associated with in-hospital mortality were septic shock, SOFA score the day of culture results, and inadequate empirical antimicrobial therapy, whereas de-escalation therapy was a protective factor [Odds-Ratio (OR) 0.58; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.36–0.93). Analysis of the 403 patients with adequate empirical therapy revealed that the factor associated with mortality was SOFA score on the day of culture results, whereas de-escalation therapy was a protective factor (OR 0.54; 95 % CI 0.33–0.89). The PS-adjusted logistic regression models confirmed that de-escalation therapy was a protective factor in both analyses. De-escalation therapy was also a protective factor for 90-day mortality. Conclusions: De-escalation therapy for severe sepsis and septic shock is a safe strategy associated with a lower mortality. Efforts to increase the frequency of this strategy are fully justified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA damage induced by reactive oxygen species and several chemotherapeutic agents promotes both p53 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) activation. p53 activation is well known to regulate apoptotic cell death, whereas robust activation of PARP-1 has been shown to promote a necrotic cell death associated with energetic collapse. Here we identify a novel role for p53 in modulating PARP enzymatic activity to regulate necrotic cell death. In mouse embryonic fibroblasts, human colorectal and human breast cancer cell lines, loss of p53 function promotes resistance to necrotic, PARP-mediated cell death. We therefore demonstrate that p53 can regulate both necrotic and apoptotic cell death, mutations or deletions in this tumor-suppressor protein may be selected by cancer cells to provide not only their resistance to apoptosis but also to necrosis, and explain resistance to chemotherapy and radiation even when it kills via non-apoptotic mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate different-density genotyping panels for genotype imputation and genomic prediction. Genotypes from customized Golden Gate Bovine3K BeadChip [LD3K; low-density (LD) 3,000-marker (3K); Illumina Inc., San Diego, CA] and BovineLD BeadChip [LD6K; 6,000-marker (6K); Illumina Inc.] panels were imputed to the BovineSNP50v2 BeadChip [50K; 50,000-marker; Illumina Inc.]. In addition, LD3K, LD6K, and 50K genotypes were imputed to a BovineHD BeadChip [HD; high-density 800,000-marker (800K) panel], and with predictive ability evaluated and compared subsequently. Comparisons of prediction accuracy were carried out using Random boosting and genomic BLUP. Four traits under selection in the Spanish Holstein population were used: milk yield, fat percentage (FP), somatic cell count, and days open (DO). Training sets at 50K density for imputation and prediction included 1,632 genotypes. Testing sets for imputation from LD to 50K contained 834 genotypes and testing sets for genomic evaluation included 383 bulls. The reference population genotyped at HD included 192 bulls. Imputation using BEAGLE software (http://faculty.washington.edu/browning/beagle/beagle.html) was effective for reconstruction of dense 50K and HD genotypes, even when a small reference population was used, with 98.3% of SNP correctly imputed. Random boosting outperformed genomic BLUP in terms of prediction reliability, mean squared error, and selection effectiveness of top animals in the case of FP. For other traits, however, no clear differences existed between methods. No differences were found between imputed LD and 50K genotypes, whereas evaluation of genotypes imputed to HD was on average across data set, method, and trait, 4% more accurate than 50K prediction, and showed smaller (2%) mean squared error of predictions. Similar bias in regression coefficients was found across data sets but regressions were 0.32 units closer to unity for DO when genotypes were imputed to HD density. Imputation to HD genotypes might produce higher stability in the genomic proofs of young candidates. Regarding selection effectiveness of top animals, more (2%) top bulls were classified correctly with imputed LD6K genotypes than with LD3K. When the original 50K genotypes were used, correct classification of top bulls increased by 1%, and when those genotypes were imputed to HD, 3% more top bulls were detected. Selection effectiveness could be slightly enhanced for certain traits such as FP, somatic cell count, or DO when genotypes are imputed to HD. Genetic evaluation units may consider a trait-dependent strategy in terms of method and genotype density for use in the genomeenhanced evaluations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to present a methodology to analyse the main factors that influence annual water application costs in centre pivot irrigation systems and to determine the most cost-effective centre pivot design, given the variables of machine length, lateral pipe diameter, sprinkler type (LEPA and fixed and rotating spray plate sprinklers (FSPS and RSPS)), system capacity, application efficiency, and water and energy costs for the irrigation of crops such as maize under conditions in Spain. Annual water application costs were calculated as the sum of the investment (Ca), energy (Ce), water (Cw), and equipment maintenance costs (Cm). Parameters used to assess the influences on pivot design were system capacity S = 1.25 L s ha; application efficiency Ea = 80% for FSPS, Ea = 85% for RSPS, and Ea = 90% for LEPA; water price P = 0.06 € m (0.081 US dollars); energy price En = 0.10 € kWh (0.135 US dollars); net annual crop irrigation water requirement N = 7,000 m ha year; and net daily peak crop water requirement N = 7.63 mm d for maize. Results indicate that for plots smaller than 30 ha, the recommended pipeline diameter is 127.0 mm (5 in); for 30-40 ha, 168.3 mm (6 5/8 in); for 40-75 ha, 219.1 mm (8 5/8 in); and for 75-100 ha, 254.0 mm (10 in). A multidiameter pipe solution only slightly reduced water application costs in most cases studied. It was also determined that water costs and irrigation efficiency have a major influence on the total annual cost of water application; however, system capacity and energy price did not strongly affect total cost. For this reason, water application uniformity is very important and can be accomplished using a proper nozzle package and regular maintenance. The paper helps farmers determine the most cost-effective centre pivot design and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The emergence of self-compacting concrete is a significant development in the construction industry since it greatly reduces execution time and labour costs, auxiliary resources and energy consumption. However, this type of material must continue to evolve to provide more efficient management of resources and a contribution to sustainable development. On the other hand, the possibility of revaluing the residues from one industry by reusing them as raw materials for another is nowadays seen as one of the most efficient solutions to the environmental problems caused by the construction industry. This paper conducts a feasibility analysis of the reuse of waste filler of bituminous mixtures for the production of self-compacting concrete. For that purpose, a comparative study of a reference self-compacting concrete, made with commercial filler, with another, made with recovered filler extracted from production plants of bituminous mixtures, was carried out. This article shows the results obtained after studying the behaviour of these two types of concrete both in fresh state (flowability and blocking resistance) and in hardened state (porosity, compressive strength and the evolution of carbonation depth in an accelerated carbonation process). According to the results obtained, the reuse of this waste material for the production of self-compacting concrete is not only perfectly possible but also provides the same guarantees as the usual commercial filler. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Fuzziness and bipolarity allow representing human knowledge, taking into account the gradual and the dialectic properties of language, focusing on the meaning of concepts. Under this cognitive and linguistic approach, we explore preference relations, examining their semantic decomposition through fuzzy preference structures and the specification of meaningful opposites. In particular, we introduce the Preference–Aversion (P–A) model, which allows analyzing, under an independent aggregation methodology, the possible gains and losses, like pros and cons, towards a given set of alternatives. As an attractive feature of this proposal, we show that the P–A model allows distinguishing between need and desire, contrary to common preference models where both notions are indistinguishable. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Al:ZnO (AZO) and Sb:SnO2 (ATO) thin films have been deposited by DC sputtering on soda lime glass (SLG) substrates. The preparation conditions were adjusted to obtain transparent films with high conductivity for AZO and high texture for ATO. Then, the combination of AZO and ATO thin films has been tested to enhance the optical scattering and the electrical performance. The structure, morphology, optical, and electrical properties have been analyzed for SLG/AZO, SLG/ATO and SLG/ATO/AZO samples. The surface texture has been characterized optically by the haze parameters for transmittance and reflectance (H T and H R), which have been related to the root mean square roughness for each sample. Some increase of the electrical resistance is obtained for the AZO films deposited on rough ATO underlayers as compared with analogous AZO grown directly on the smooth SLG substrate. Nevertheless, ATO/AZO bilayers have allowed to achieve better electrical conductivity than ATO and greater optical scattering than isolated ATO or AZO films. In this way, average haze values of H T =30% and H R =72%, together with sheet resistance of 20Ω/sq. have been obtained by combining 150nm-thick ATO and 800nm-thick AZO films. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The aim of this study was to evaluate methods for genomic evaluation of the Spanish Holstein population as an initial step toward the implementation of routine genomic evaluations. This study provides a description of the population structure of progeny tested bulls in Spain at the genomic level and compares different genomic evaluation methods with regard to accuracy and bias. Two Bayesian linear regression models, Bayes-A and Bayesian-LASSO (B-LASSO), as well as a machine learning algorithm, Random-Boosting (R-Boost), and BLUP using a realized genomic relationship matrix (G-BLUP), were compared. Five traits that are currently under selection in the Spanish Holstein population were used: milk yield, fat yield, protein yield, fat percentage, and udder depth. In total, genotypes from 1859 progeny tested bulls were used. The training sets were composed of bulls born before 2005; including 1601 bulls for production and 1574 bulls for type, whereas the testing sets contained 258 and 235 bulls born in 2005 or later for production and type, respectively. Deregressed proofs (DRP) from January 2009 Interbull (Uppsala, Sweden) evaluation were used as the dependent variables for bulls in the training sets, whereas DRP from the December 2011 DRPs Interbull evaluation were used to compare genomic predictions with progeny test results for bulls in the testing set. Genomic predictions were more accurate than traditional pedigree indices for predicting future progeny test results of young bulls. The gain in accuracy, due to inclusion of genomic data varied by trait and ranged from 0.04 to 0.42 Pearson correlation units. Results averaged across traits showed that B-LASSO had the highest accuracy with an advantage of 0.01, 0.03 and 0.03 points in Pearson correlation compared with R-Boost, Bayes-A, and G-BLUP, respectively. The B-LASSO predictions also showed the least bias (0.02, 0.03 and 0.10 SD units less than Bayes-A, R-Boost and G-BLUP, respectively) as measured by mean difference between genomic predictions and progeny test results. The R-Boosting algorithm provided genomic predictions with regression coefficients closer to unity, which is an alternative measure of bias, for 4 out of 5 traits and also resulted in mean squared errors estimates that were 2%, 10%, and 12% smaller than B-LASSO, Bayes-A, and G-BLUP, respectively. The observed prediction accuracy obtained with these methods was within the range of values expected for a population of similar size, suggesting that the prediction method and reference population described herein are appropriate for implementation of routine genome-assisted evaluations in Spanish dairy cattle. R-Boost is a competitive marker regression methodology in terms of predictive ability that can accommodate large data sets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the next few years, with the advent of high-density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays and genome sequencing, genomic evaluation methods will need to deal with a large number of genetic variants and an increasing sample size. The boosting algorithm is a machine-learning technique that may alleviate the drawbacks of dealing with such large data sets. This algorithm combines different predictors in a sequential manner with some shrinkage on them; each predictor is applied consecutively to the residuals from the committee formed by the previous ones to form a final prediction based on a subset of covariates. Here, a detailed description is provided and examples using a toy data set are included. A modification of the algorithm called "random boosting" was proposed to increase predictive ability and decrease computation time of genome-assisted evaluation in large data sets. Random boosting uses a random selection of markers to add a subsequent weak learner to the predictive model. These modifications were applied to a real data set composed of 1,797 bulls genotyped for 39,714 SNP. Deregressed proofs of 4 yield traits and 1 type trait from January 2009 routine evaluations were used as dependent variables. A 2-fold cross-validation scenario was implemented. Sires born before 2005 were used as a training sample (1,576 and 1,562 for production and type traits, respectively), whereas younger sires were used as a testing sample to evaluate predictive ability of the algorithm on yet-to-be-observed phenotypes. Comparison with the original algorithm was provided. The predictive ability of the algorithm was measured as Pearson correlations between observed and predicted responses. Further, estimated bias was computed as the average difference between observed and predicted phenotypes. The results showed that the modification of the original boosting algorithm could be run in 1% of the time used with the original algorithm and with negligible differences in accuracy and bias. This modification may be used to speed the calculus of genome-assisted evaluation in large data sets such us those obtained from consortiums. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Antimony doped tin oxide (ATO) is a transparent conducting oxide (TCO) with promising applications for solar energy utilization and for energy savings. In addition it has been shown how a thin ATO layer deposited on top of other TCOs could act as a protective coating against high temperature processes due to its good thermal stability. ATO has been widely studied previously; however the role played by oxygen vacancies together with antimony doping, their structural arrangement and annealing restructuring processes remains unclear. In the present work ATO thin films are deposited by DC magnetron sputtering at room temperature from a metallic target onto soda-lime glass substrates. As deposited samples present amorphous or nanocrystalline structures, as well as different electrical and optical properties depending on their deposition parameters. Then, a post-deposition annealing is performed from 250°C to 450°C in air or nitrogen atmosphere in order to study not only the evolution of the electrical, optical and structural properties but also the conduction mechanism. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This work describes the preparation of an electrochemical immunosensor for estradiol based on the surface modification of a screen printed carbon electrode with grafted p-aminobenzoic acid followed by covalent binding of streptavidin (Strept) and immobilization of biotinylated anti-estradiol (anti-estradiol-Biotin). The hormone determination was performed by applying a competitive immunoassay with peroxidase-labelled estradiol (HRP–estradiol) and measurement of the amperometric response at −200mV using hydroquinone (HQ) as redox mediator. The calibration curve for estradiol exhibited a linear range between 1 and 250pgmL−1 (r =0.990) and a detection limit of 0.77pgmL−1 was achieved. Cross-reactivity studies with other hormones related with estradiol at physiological concentration levels revealed the practical specificity of the developed method for estradiol. A good reproducibility, with RSD=5.9% (n =8) was also observed. The operating stability of a single bioelectrode modified with anti-estradiol-Biotin-Strept was nine days when it was stored at 8°C under humid conditions between measurements. The developed immunosensor was applied to the analysis of certified serum and spiked urine samples with good results. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The EU-supported EuroFlow Consortium aimed at innovation and standardization of immunophenotyping for diagnosis and classification of hematological malignancies by introducing 8-color flow cytometry with fully standardized laboratory procedures and antibody panels in order to achieve maximally comparable results among different laboratories. This required the selection of optimal combinations of compatible fluorochromes and the design and evaluation of adequate standard operating procedures (SOPs) for instrument setup, fluorescence compensation and sample preparation. Additionally, we developed software tools for the evaluation of individual antibody reagents and antibody panels. Each section describes what has been evaluated experimentally versus adopted based on existing data and experience. Multicentric evaluation demonstrated high levels of reproducibility based on strict implementation of the EuroFlow SOPs and antibody panels. Overall, the 6 years of extensive collaborative experiments and the analysis of hundreds of cell samples of patients and healthy controls in the EuroFlow centers have provided for the first time laboratory protocols and software tools for fully standardized 8-color flow cytometric immunophenotyping of normal and malignant leukocytes in bone marrow and blood; this has yielded highly comparable data sets, which can be integrated in a single database. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EU-supported EuroFlow Consortium aimed at innovation and standardization of immunophenotyping for diagnosis and classification of hematological malignancies by introducing 8-color flow cytometry with fully standardized laboratory procedures and antibody panels in order to achieve maximally comparable results among different laboratories. This required the selection of optimal combinations of compatible fluorochromes and the design and evaluation of adequate standard operating procedures (SOPs) for instrument setup, fluorescence compensation and sample preparation. Additionally, we developed software tools for the evaluation of individual antibody reagents and antibody panels. Each section describes what has been evaluated experimentally versus adopted based on existing data and experience. Multicentric evaluation demonstrated high levels of reproducibility based on strict implementation of the EuroFlow SOPs and antibody panels. Overall, the 6 years of extensive collaborative experiments and the analysis of hundreds of cell samples of patients and healthy controls in the EuroFlow centers have provided for the first time laboratory protocols and software tools for fully standardized 8-color flow cytometric immunophenotyping of normal and malignant leukocytes in bone marrow and blood; this has yielded highly comparable data sets, which can be integrated in a single database. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a recently proposed multi-Higgs extension of the standard model in which discrete symmetries, A4 and Z3 are imposed we show that, after accommodating the fermion masses and the mixing matrices in the charged currents, the mixing matrices in the neutral currents induced by neutral scalars are numerically obtained. However, the flavor changing neutral currents are under control mainly by mixing and/or mass suppressions in the neutral scalar sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the design, development and field evaluation of a machine translation system from Spanish to Spanish Sign Language (LSE: Lengua de Signos Española). The developed system focuses on helping Deaf people when they want to renew their Driver's License. The system is made up of a speech recognizer (for decoding the spoken utterance into a word sequence), a natural language translator (for converting a word sequence into a sequence of signs belonging to the sign language), and a 3D avatar animation module (for playing back the signs). For the natural language translator, three technological approaches have been implemented and evaluated: an example-based strategy, a rule-based translation method and a statistical translator. For the final version, the implemented language translator combines all the alternatives into a hierarchical structure. This paper includes a detailed description of the field evaluation. This evaluation was carried out in the Local Traffic Office in Toledo involving real government employees and Deaf people. The evaluation includes objective measurements from the system and subjective information from questionnaires. The paper details the main problems found and a discussion on how to solve them (some of them specific for LSE). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: During the fabrication of a thin film photovoltaic device the transparent conducting oxide (TCO), which constitutes an integral part of its basic structure, could be exposed at high temperature processes; in addition, a TCO which could be grown at ambient temperature can be useful in order to minimize possible damages caused to other previously deposited components. Aluminum doped zinc oxide (AZO) is a well known TCO with good properties in terms of light transparency and conductivity, however its electrical properties deteriorate after subsequent high temperature processes in air atmosphere. On the other hand antimony doped tin oxide (ATO) has poorer conductivity than AZO but has good light transparency and better thermal stability. In the present work, ATO layers with a thickness ranging from 30nm to 210nm were deposited over a 600nm thick AZO layer. These AZO/ATO bilayers, which have been developed at ambient temperature by DC magnetron sputtering, were subsequently annealed at high temperatures in order to study their thermal stability. An ATO optimal thickness of 130nm is found to improve the bilayer thermal stability at temperatures over 350°C in air atmosphere, keeping good optical properties. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Antimony doped tin oxide (ATO) is a transparent conducting oxide (TCO), which has been the focus of intensified study due to its wide range of technological applications and low cost. In the present work ATO films have been prepared by reactive DC magnetron sputtering from a metallic target at different discharge power densities without direct substrate heating. Then a post-deposition annealing at 350°C in N2 during 20min was performed. There is a process window for the optimal sputter deposition of ATO with a minimum resistivity of about 3.3×10−3 Ωcm observed in samples deposited at a power density of 1.13W/cm2. These samples, which present a (211) preferential orientation, have good electrical conductivity and good transparency in the visible range. Higher values of sputtering discharge power density (1.24W/cm2) change the preferential orientation to (101) because of the formation of oxygen vacancy planes. These samples are less conductive and transparent because their layered structure reduces the free charge mobility and allows the formation of Sb in its unusual oxidation state 4+ (between Sb3+ and Sb5+), which produces a sample blue darkening. Higher discharge power densities, above 1.41W/cm2, produce amorphous samples and an abrupt resistivity increase. The aim of the present work is to go into more depth in the knowledge of ATO in order to develop thin films with optimal electrical and optical properties. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In the present work we study the capacity of storage hydrogen on carbon fibers activated with supercritical water and with steam on the basis of a multisite Langmuir model, with three energetically different adsorption sites that may be associated with pores of different sizes: i) very small micropores, accessible only to hydrogen; ii) micropores detected by the adsorption of CO2, and iii) micropores detected by the adsorption of N2. The correlation of the experimental data with the model allowed the amount of hydrogen stored in each of the sites to be quantified and confirmed that hydrogen storage mechanism begins with the filling of the smallest pores. Additionally, from the model it was possible to interpret the dependence of the amount of hydrogen stored with textural parameters such as the micropore volumes. The model also allowed the storage capacity of the fibers to be predicted for pressures higher than those obtained experimentally. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The main information-theoretic measures of a one-dimensional particle-in-a-box (also known as the infinite potential well or the infinite square well) in both position and momentum spaces, as well as their associated uncertainty relations, are calculated and discussed. The power and entropic moments, the Shannon, Renyi and Tsallis entropies and the Fisher information together with two composite measures (Fisher-Shannon and LMC shape complexities) are considered. Moreover, the associated information-theoretic spreading lengths, which characterize the spread/delocalization of the particle beyond (but complementarily) the standard deviation, and their corresponding uncertainty relations are given and mutually compared. It is found, in particular, that the Fisher length is the proper measure of uncertainty for the infinite well, mainly because it grasps the oscillatory nature of the wavefunctions. Finally, this study is extended to a D-dimensional box. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]