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Context: Planted pine forests are highly abundant communities in the Mediterranean Basin. Being the result of past reforestation, these forests show high species and structural homogeneity. Diversification to conifer-broadleaved mixed forests is recommended to promote adaptation to climate change and increase their resilience to perturbations. Objectives: This study aims at evaluating how these planted pine forests will develop in the future as a result of the combined impacts of management and climate. Methods: We applied a forest landscape model (LANDIS-II) to simulate different climate scenarios and management strategies designed in cooperation with forest managers to assess their effects on the performance of planted pine forests and their change in terms of forest composition. Results: Climate change scenarios caused a shift in the phenological growth pattern of planted pine forests by reducing forest growth during summer and increasing photosynthetic productivity in spring and fall, particularly under high emission scenarios. Biomass increased through time and more strongly under climate change, but this increase differs among species, resulting in changes of forest types across the landscape. Our results portray natural succession as the main driver of forest change, but intensive management accelerated this process by limiting pine growth and promoting growth of oak species. Conclusions: Our results highlight the importance of active management on planted pine forests to favour mixed and climate-adapted ecosystems in shorter time scales than offered by succession alone. Moreover, our spatially explicit modelling approach helps to identify areas where lack of seed dispersal and/or competitive exclusion prevent natural diversification, providing useful recommendations for interventions. However, the modelling approach has some limitations since it does not consider natural disturbances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Journal of Medicine & Science of Physical Activity & Sport / Revista Internacional de Medicina y Ciencias de la Actividad Física y del Deporte is the property of Revista Internacional de Medicina y Ciencias de la Actividad Fisica y del Deporte and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The chamois Rupicapra spp. is the most abundant mountain ungulate of Europe and the Near East, where it occurs as two species, the northern chamois R. rupicapra and the southern chamois R. pyrenaica. Here, we provide a state‐of‐the‐art overview of research trends and the most challenging issues in chamois research and conservation, focusing on taxonomy and systematics, genetics, life history, ecology and behavior, physiology and disease, management and conservation. Research on Rupicapra has a longstanding history and has contributed substantially to the biological and ecological knowledge of mountain ungulates. Although the number of publications on this genus has markedly increased over the past two decades, major differences persist with respect to knowledge of species and subspecies, with research mostly focusing on the Alpine chamois R. r. rupicapra and, to a lesser extent, the Pyrenean chamois R. p. pyrenaica. In addition, a scarcity of replicate studies of populations of different subspecies and/or geographic areas limits the advancement of chamois science. Since environmental heterogeneity impacts behavioral, physiological and life history traits, understanding the underlying processes would be of great value from both an evolutionary and conservation/management standpoint, especially in the light of ongoing climatic change. Substantial contributions to this challenge may derive from a quantitative assessment of reproductive success, investigation of fine‐scale foraging patterns, and a mechanistic understanding of disease outbreak and resilience. For improving conservation status, resolving taxonomic disputes, identifying subspecies hybridization, assessing the impact of hunting and establishing reliable methods of abundance estimation are of primary concern. Despite being one of the most well‐known mountain ungulates, substantial field efforts to collect paleontological, behavioral, ecological, morphological, physiological and genetic data on different populations and subspecies are still needed to ensure a successful future for chamois research and conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the findings of a multicenter randomized controlled trial that aimed to compare the effectiveness of artificial intelligence-assisted colonoscopy (CADe) versus white light endoscopy (WLE) in detecting adenomas in patients with Lynch syndrome. The study included 414 patients who were randomized into either the CADe arm or the WLE arm. The results showed no statistically significant differences in the mean number of adenomas per colonoscopy between the two groups. However, CADe did show better performance in detecting 5-9mm serrated lesions. The study concludes that CADe did not improve adenoma detection in Lynch syndrome compared to standard WLE colonoscopy. [Extracted from the article]

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]

Intermediate band semiconductors can increase the efficiency of photovoltaic solar cells via sequential absorption of photons in a wider range of the solar spectrum. The introduction of Cr substituting Ga atoms in the chalcopyrite CuGaS2 is proposed to create a suitable intermediate band, investigating the influence of the Cu/Ga ratio on the structural, morphological, optical, and electrical characteristics. For this purpose, CuxGaS2 and CuxGaCr0.1S2 thin films (with x ranging from 0.8 to 1.2) are prepared by modulated evaporation from elemental sources and analyzed comparatively by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, spectrophotometry, and Hall effect measurements. The incorporation of Cr produces an in-gap absorption that is independent of the Cu/Ga ratio. The mean crystallite size, surface roughness, and electrical conductivity increase with the Cu content in both CuxGaS2 and CuxGaCr0.1S2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Spain has been one of the countries more heavily stricken by SARS‐CoV‐2, which has had huge implications for stroke care. The aim was to analyse the impact of the COVID‐19 epidemic outbreak on reperfusion therapies for acute ischaemic stroke in the northwest of Spain. Methods: This was a Spanish multicentre retrospective observational study based on data from tertiary hospitals of the NORDICTUS network. All patients receiving reperfusion therapy for ischaemic stroke between 30 December 2019 and 3 May 2020 were recorded, and their baseline, clinical and radiological characteristics, extra‐ and intra‐hospital times of action, Code Stroke activation pathway, COVID‐19 status, reperfusion rate, and short‐term outcome before and after the setting of the emergency state were analysed. Results: A total of 796 patients received reperfusion therapies for ischaemic stroke. There was a decrease in the number of patients treated per week (46.5 patients per week vs. 39.0 patients per week, P = 0.043) and a delay in out‐of‐hospital (95.0 vs. 110.0 min, P = 0.001) and door‐to‐needle times (51.0 vs. 55.0, P = 0.038). Patients receiving endovascular therapy obtained less successful reperfusion rates (92.9% vs. 86.6%, P = 0.016). COVID‐19 patients had more in‐hospital mortality. Conclusion: A decrease in the number of patients benefiting from reperfusion therapies was found, with a delay in out‐of‐hospital and door‐to‐needle times and worse reperfusion rates in northwest Spain. COVID‐19 patients had more in‐hospital mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: The existence of contraindications to intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) is considered a criterion for direct transfer of patients with suspected acute stroke to thrombectomy‐capable centers in the prehospital setting. Our aim was to assess the utility of this criterion in a setting where routing protocols are defined by the Madrid – Direct Referral to Endovascular Center (M‐DIRECT) prehospital scale. Methods: This was a post hoc analysis of the M‐DIRECT study. Reported contraindications to IVT were retrospectively collected from emergency medical services reports and categorized into late window, anticoagulant treatment and other contraindications. Final diagnosis and treatment rates were compared between patients with and without reported IVT contraindications and according to anticoagulant treatment or late window categories. Results: The M‐DIRECT study included 541 patients. Reported IVT contraindications were present in 227 (42.0%) patients. Regarding final diagnosis no significant differences were found between patients with or without reported IVT contraindications: ischaemic stroke (any) 65.6% vs. 62.1%, ischaemic stroke with large vessel occlusion (LVO) 32.2% vs. 28.3%, hemorrhagic stroke 15.4% vs. 15.6%, stroke mimic 18.9% vs. 22.3% respectively. Amongst patients with LVO, endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) was performed less often in the presence of IVT contraindications (56.2% vs. 74.2%). M‐DIRECT‐positive patients had higher rates of LVO and EVT compared with M‐DIRECT‐negative patients independent of reported IVT contraindications. Conclusions: Reported IVT contraindications alone do not increase EVT likelihood and should not be considered to determine routing in urban stroke networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The methods for gypsum content determination in soils are summarized and their applicability discussed. Special attention is given to the critical step of sample preparation, stressing the elimination of the oven heating at temperatures surpassing 40°C. Wet methods are unsuitable for soils rich in gypsum or containing other sulfates. Instead, oven‐based methods playing on the mass variations due to the release of constitutional water of gypsum are preferable. Under laboratory settings, we recommend two existing methods: one directly measuring the loss of mass on heating and the other exploiting the gypsum–bassanite phase change under controlled conditions. Both reflectance and X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) provide nondestructive methods for quick gypsum appraisal, and combining both methods increases the accuracy. The results are easily calibrated with gravimetric methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To develop and psychometrically test the Stanford Presenteeism Scale‐6 to assess presenteeism in the Spanish healthcare population. Background: Presenteeism, referring to going to work despite being ill, has been associated with job stress, productivity losses, reduced patient safety and increased health problems among the professionals who suffer from it. Introduction: The highest prevalence of presenteeism in the healthcare sector is among nurses. Their decision to attend work while ill has been related to role overload, lack of supervisor support, mental health and physical conditions. Methods: A cross‐sectional and validation study was conducted between September 2015 and June 2016 in a hospital in Asturias, Spain. Four hundred and ninety‐five healthcare professionals voluntarily agreed to participate (281 nurses, 122 physicians and 92 nursing assistants). Results: Presenteeism prevalence was high; the majority of it being in the nursing category. Bartlett's test and the Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin test indicated that the data meet the conditions for factorial analysis, evidencing a small variability in the median of each sample item and a significant standard deviation. Adjustment rates obtained in the exploratory factor analysis showed adequacy, and reliability rates also showed adequacy for both factors. It was verified by a confirmatory analysis that the factors of presenteeism are positively associated with burnout. Conclusion: The Stanford Presenteeism Scale‐6 showed good psychometric properties to study presenteeism in the Spanish healthcare sector. Implications for Nursing and Health Policy: Nursing leaders must develop measurements to assess and control psychosocial risks in order to improve the physical and mental health of professionals and reduce patient safety risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wiener, Hammerstein, and Wiener–Hammerstein structures are useful for modelling dynamic systems that exhibit a static type nonlinearity. Many methods to identify these systems can be found in the literature; however, choosing a method requires prior knowledge about the location of the static nonlinearity. In addition, existing methods are rigid and exclusive for a single structure. This paper presents a unified approach for the identification of Wiener, Hammerstein, and Wiener–Hammerstein models. This approach is based on the use of multistep excitation signals and WH-EA (an evolutionary algorithm for Wiener–Hammerstein system identification). The use of multistep signals will take advantage of certain properties of the algorithm, allowing it to be used as it is to identify the three types of structures without the need for the user to know a priori the process structure. In addition, since not all processes can be excited with Gaussian signals, the best linear approximation (BLA) will not be required. Performance of the proposed method is analysed using three numerical simulation examples and a real thermal process. Results show that the proposed approach is useful for identifying Wiener, Hammerstein, and Wiener–Hammerstein models, without requiring prior information on the type of structure to be identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Thrice-weekly haemodialysis is the usual dose when starting renal replacement therapy; however, this schedule is no longer appropriate since it does not consider residual renal function. Several reports have suggested the potential benefit of beginning haemodialysis less frequently and incrementally increasing the dose as the residual renal function decreases. However, all the data published so far are from observational studies. Thus, this clinical trial avoids any potential selection bias and will assess the possible benefits that have been observed in observational studies.Methods/design: This report describes the study protocol of a randomized prospective multi-centre open-label clinical trial to evaluate whether starting renal replacement therapy with twice-weekly haemodialysis sessions preserves residual renal function better than the standard thrice-weekly regimen. We also explore other clinical parameters, such as concentrations of uremic toxins, dialysis doses, control of anaemia, removal of medium-weight uremic toxins, nutritional status, quality of life, hospital admissions and mortality. Only incident haemodialysis patients who can maintain a urea clearance rate KrU ≥ 2.5 mL/min/1.73 m2 are eligible. Patient recruitment began on 1 January 2017 and will last for 2 years or until the required sample size has been recruited to ensure the established statistical power has been reached. The minimum follow-up period will be 1 year. Anuric patients with acute renal failure and patients who return to haemodialysis after a kidney transplant failure are excluded. It has been calculated that 44 patients should be recruited into each group to achieve a power of 80% in a two-sided comparison of means with a usual significance level of 0.05. A time-to-event analysis will estimate the probability of kidney function survival in both groups using the Kaplan-Meier method. Survival curves will be compared with log-rank tests. This survival analysis will be complemented with a proportional hazard model to estimate the hazard ratio of kidney function survival adjusted for any confounding factors. Analyses will be carried out in accordance with the intention-to-treat principle.Discussion: The incremental initiation of dialysis may preserve residual renal function better than the conventional treatment, with similar or higher survival rates, as reported by observational studies. To our knowledge, this is the first clinical trial to evaluate whether initiating renal replacement therapy with twice-weekly haemodialysis sessions preserves residual renal function better than beginning with the standard thrice-weekly regimen.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03302546. Registered on 5 October 2017. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films have been grown onto soda-lime glass substrates by sputtering at room temperature with various oxygen to argon partial pressure ratios. After deposition, the samples have been annealed at temperatures ranging from 100 to 500 °C in nitrogen or in air. The structure, optical, and electrical characteristics of the ITO coatings have been analyzed as a function of the deposition and the annealing parameters by x-ray diffraction, spectrophotometry, and Hall effect measurements. It has been found that the as-grown amorphous layers crystallize in the cubic structure by heating above 200 °C. Simultaneously, the visible optical transmittance increases and the electrical resistance decreases, in proportions that depend mainly on the sputtering conditions. The lowest resistivity values have been obtained by annealing at 400 °C in nitrogen, where the highest carrier concentrations are achieved, related to oxygen vacancy creation. Some relationships between the analyzed properties have been established, showing the dependence of the cubic lattice distortion and the infrared optical characteristics on the carrier concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local piezoelectric deformation is investigated in (Pb,La)TiO3 (PLT) and Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT) thin films via scanning force microscopy (SFM) as a function of the ac voltage Vac applied between the conducting tip and the bottom electrode. Thus obtained voltage dependence of the effective piezoelectric coefficient (local piezoelectric nonlinearity) is compared with the corresponding macroscopic piezoelectric behavior determined by laser interferometry. As expected, the local piezoresponse of PLT films measured inside uniformly polarized areas (ferroelectric domains) remains almost linear with increasing Vac until the driving voltage becomes comparable with the coercive one. The corresponding macroscopic response is substantially nonlinear, suggesting significant contribution from the motion of 90° domain walls. On the contrary, in PZT films the local piezoelectric behavior is strongly nonlinear, whereas the macroscopic piezoelectric coefficient is almost field independent. Moreover, depending on the polarity of probed as-grown domains, the local piezocoefficient of PZT films is found to display either enhancement or reduction with increasing ac voltage. The "positive" domains si.e., domains having polarization vector pointing to the film-free surfaced are often unstable with increasing Vac and switch into the opposite polarization state under an ac voltage several times smaller than that required for global polarization reversal. This effect is explained by the presence of charged domain boundaries below the surface and their local depinning induced by external field. It is envisaged that SFM can be used not only for polarization mapping of ferroelectric surfaces but also as a probe for studying local polarization profiles beneath the SFM tip. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The excitation of a fullerene-cage vibrational mode by inelastic tunneling electrons has been observed on single C[sub 60] molecules adsorbed on Ag(110). The vibration is assigned to the H[sub g](ω[sub 2]) mode. A critical enhancement of the inelastic signal was found on fullerenes oriented along one of their symmetry axis upon adsorption. In strong coincidence, those fullerenes maintain a resonance structure at the Fermi level that resembles the first unoccupied molecular orbital distribution of a free molecule, as determined by comparison with ab initio calculations. The degree of symmetry of the adsorbed fullerene is found to be crucial for resonant mechanism of vibrational excitation. We also propose that mode degeneracy splitting may reduce mode detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have performed a careful study of the adsorption of C[sub 60] molecules on a Au(111) surface by using scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy at room temperature. In coincidence with results from other techniques, differential conductance spectra give a value of 2.3 eV for the HOMO–LUMO gap of a monomolecular layer, with the LUMO level located at 0.6 eV above the Fermi level as a consequence of electronic charge transfer from the substrate into the molecule. Small differences in position (and shape) of the LUMO-derived resonance, in the order of 0.1 eV, are found on molecules adsorbed at step edges. We consider the Smoluchowski effect, i.e., the interaction of the molecules with a charge-depleted region, to explain the observed differences in their bonding nature. On some molecules forming part of bidimensional fullerene islands, similar differences were also detected with spatially resolved scanning tunneling spectroscopy, giving rise to a 2×2 commensurate structure of the molecular adlayer with respect to the substrate. This finding is attributed to different electronic properties of the adsorption site, indicating that molecules adsorbed on the top position are less charged than those on bridge sites. © 2002 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brain insulin resistance is a key pathological feature contributing to obesity, diabetes, and neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Besides the classic transcriptional mechanism mediated by hormones, posttranscriptional regulation has recently been shown to regulate a number of signaling pathways that could lead to metabolic diseases. Here, we show that microRNA 7 (miR-7), an abundant microRNA in the brain, targets insulin receptor (INSR), insulin receptor substrate 2 (IRS-2), and insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE), key regulators of insulin homeostatic functions in the central nervous system (CNS) and the pathology of AD. In this study, we found that insulin and liver X receptor (LXR) activators promote the expression of the intronic miR-7-1 in vitro and in vivo, along with its host heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (HNRNPK) gene, encoding an RNA binding protein (RBP) that is involved in insulin action at the posttranscriptional level. Our data show that miR-7 expression is altered in the brains of diet-induced obese mice. Moreover, we found that the levels of miR-7 are also elevated in brains of AD patients; this inversely correlates with the expression of its target genes IRS-2 and IDE. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-7 increased the levels of extracellular Aβ in neuronal cells and impaired the clearance of extracellular Aβ by microglial cells. Taken together, these results represent a novel branch of insulin action through the HNRNPK-miR-7 axis and highlight the possible implication of these posttranscriptional regulators in a range of diseases underlying metabolic dysregulation in the brain, from diabetes to Alzheimer's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: What is known and objective: No studies have evaluated the use of sorafenib with the direct‐acting antiviral ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir and dasabuvir (OBV/PTV/r+DSV). Case summary: Three hepatitis C virus genotype 1b‐infected patients with well‐preserved liver function were included in this prospective case series. The patients were taking sorafenib for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma and received OBV/PTV/r+DSV for 12 weeks. One patient discontinued sorafenib while concomitant treatment due to grade 2 fatigue and muscular pain. The other two patients reported only grade 1 adverse effects. Sustained virologic response at 24 weeks was achieved, and no tumour recurrences were found. What is new and conclusion: The concurrent use of OBV/PTV/r+DSV with sorafenib was considered safe and effective. Metabolic and transporters profile [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information on a study which determined optical absorption coefficients of electrodeposited CuInSe[sub2] thin films from the measured transmittance and reflectance at normal incidence of light. Electrodeposition of the films on titanium-coated glass substrates; Calculation of absorption coefficients for as-grown and heated samples; Changes in the optical characteristics resulting from the heat treatment of the films.

Presents a study which examined the photovoltaic activity of electrodeposited copper indium diselenide thin films in aqueous acidic solutions. Use of the model of G&aumi;rtner to extract values of effective optoelectronic parameters of the copper indium diselenide films; Experimental details; Discussion.

Presents a study which measured the electrical properties of arsenic grown and heat treated copper indium diselenide thin films. Experimental details; Results and discussion; Conclusions.

This study aimed to determine which contractile properties measured by tensiomyography (TMG) could better differentiate athletes with high- and low-power values, as well as to analyse the relationship between contractile properties and power production capacity. The contractile properties of the vastus medialis (VM), rectus femoris (RF) and vastus lateralis (VL) of an Olympic women’s Rugby Sevens team (n = 14) were analysed before a Wingate test in which their peak power output (PPO) was determined. Athletes were then divided into a high-power (HP) and a low-power (LP) group. HP presented an almost certainly higher PPO (9.8 ± 0.3 vs. 8.9 ± 0.4 W kg−1, ES = 3.00) than LP, as well as a very likely lower radial displacement (3.39 ± 1.16 vs. 5.65 ± 1.50 mm, ES = 1.68) and velocity of deformation (0.08 ± 0.02 vs. 0.13 ± 0.03 mm ms−1, ES = 1.87) of the VL. A likely lower time of delay was observed in HP for all analysed muscles (ES > 0.60). PPO was very largely related to the radial displacement (r = −0.75, 90% CI = −0.90 to −0.44) and velocity of deformation (r = −0.70, 90% CI = −0.87 to −0.34) of the VL. A large correlation was found between PPO and the time of delay of the VL (r = −0.61, 90% CI = −0.84 to −0.22). No correlations were found for the contractile properties of RF or VM. These results highlight the importance of VL contractile properties (but not so much those of RF and VM) for maximal power production and suggest TMG as a practical technique for its evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most important viral pathogen in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. The role of secondary CMV prophylaxis in this population remains unclear. Methods: Retrospective cohort study in a single center. SOT recipients treated for CMV infection from 2007 to 2014 were studied to determine the efficacy and safety of secondary prophylaxis and its impact on graft loss and mortality. The outcome variable was CMV replication in the first 3 months after the end of therapy. Secondary variables were crude mortality and graft lost censored at 5 years after transplantation. Propensity score for the use of secondary prophylaxis was used to control selection bias. Results: Of the 126 treated patients, 103 (83.1%) received CMV secondary prophylaxis. CMV relapse occurred in 44 (35.5%) patients. The use of secondary prophylaxis was not associated with fewer relapses (34.0% in patients with prophylaxis vs 42.9% in those without prophylaxis, P = .29). After a mean follow‐up of 32.1 months, graft loss was not different between both groups but patient mortality was significantly lower in patients who received secondary prophylaxis (5.8% vs 28.6%, P = .003). Conclusion: Secondary prophylaxis did not prevent CMV infection relapse but it was associated with improved patient survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current methods to identify Wiener-Hammerstein systems using Best Linear Approximation (BLA) involve at least two steps. First, BLA is divided into obtaining front and back linear dynamics of the Wiener-Hammerstein model. Second, a refitting procedure of all parameters is carried out to reduce modelling errors. In this paper, a novel approach to identify Wiener-Hammerstein systems in a single step is proposed. This approach is based on a customized evolutionary algorithm (WH-EA) able to look for the best BLA split, capturing at the same time the process static nonlinearity with high precision. Furthermore, to correct possible errors in BLA estimation, the locations of poles and zeros are subtly modified within an adequate search space to allow a fine-tuning of the model. The performance of the proposed approach is analysed by using a demonstration example and a nonlinear system identification benchmark. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper chalcogenide materials are interesting for multiple applications due to the feasibility of suiting their optical absorption and electrical conduction by the creation of copper vacancies. Here, CuS and CuSe nanocrystalline films with p-type conductivity have been obtained by heating evaporated copper layers of various thicknesses with elemental sulfur or selenium, at temperatures ranging from 250 to 400 °C. These preparation parameters determine the composition and the crystalline structure of the samples, which in turn control their morphology, optical and electrical properties. Thus, the surface roughness increases with the mean crystallite size, whereas the hole concentration increases as the copper atomic proportion (or x value) decreases. Owing to the high carrier densities achieved, around 10 cm, the samples show a metallic behavior with plasmonic absorption in the near infrared and electrical transport dominated by phonon scattering. Apart from such common behavior, some differences have been established between the sulfide and selenide films. One is the superior thermal stability of hexagonal CuS, present in all the temperature range, with respect to hexagonal CuSe, which evolves to cubic CuSe above 300 °C. Other is about the bandgap, wider for the sulfide than selenide samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, big efforts have been dedicated to identify which are the factors with highest influence in the energy consumption of residential buildings. These factors include aspects such as weather dependence, user behaviour, socio-economic situation, type of the energy installations and typology of buildings. The high number of factors increases the complexity of analysis and leads to a lack of confidence in the results of the energy simulation analysis. This fact grows when we move one step up and perform global analysis of blocks of buildings. The aim of this study is to report a new methodology for the assessment of the energy performance of large groups of buildings when considering the real use of energy. We combine two clustering methods, Generative Topographic Mapping and k-means, to obtain reference dwellings that can be considered as representative of the different energy patterns and energy systems of the neighbourhood. Then, simulation of energy demand and indoor temperature against the monitored comfort conditions in a short period is performed to obtain end use load disaggregation. This methodology was applied in a district at Terrassa City (Spain), and six reference dwellings were selected. Results showed that the method was able to identify the main patterns and provide occupants with feasible recommendations so that they can make required decisions at neighbourhood level. Moreover, given that the proposed method is based on the comparison with similar buildings, it could motivate building occupants to implement community improvement actions, as well as to modify their behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose For patients with acute ischaemic stroke due to large-vessel occlusion, it has recently been shown that mechanical thrombectomy ( MT) with stent retrievers is better than medical treatment alone. However, few hospitals can provide MT 24 h/day 365 days/year, and it remains unclear whether selected patients with acute stroke should be directly transferred to the nearest MT-providing hospital to prevent treatment delays. Clinical scales such as Rapid Arterial Occlusion Evaluation ( RACE) have been developed to predict large-vessel occlusion at a pre-hospital level, but their predictive value for MT is low. We propose new criteria to identify patients eligible for MT, with higher accuracy. Methods The Direct Referral to Endovascular Center criteria were defined based on a retrospective cohort of 317 patients admitted to a stroke center. The association of age, sex, RACE scale score and blood pressure with the likelihood of receiving MT were analyzed. Cut-off points with the highest association were thereafter evaluated in a prospective cohort of 153 patients from nine stroke units comprising the Madrid Stroke Network. Results Patients with a RACE scale score ≥ 5, systolic blood pressure <190 mmHg and age <81 years showed a significantly higher probability of undergoing MT (odds ratio, 33.38; 95% confidence interval, 12-92.9). This outcome was confirmed in the prospective cohort, with 68% sensitivity, 84% specificity, 42% positive and 94% negative predictive values for MT, ruling out 83% of hemorrhagic strokes. Conclusions The Direct Referral to Endovascular Center criteria could be useful for identifying patients suitable for MT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last 5 years, therapies for hepatitis C virus ( HCV) infection have improved significantly, achieving sustained virologic response ( SVR) rates of up to 100% in clinical trials in patients with HCV genotype 1. We investigated the effectiveness and safety of ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir±dasabuvir in an early access programme. This was a retrospective, multicentre, national study that included 291 treatment-naïve and treatment-experienced patients with genotype 1 or 4 HCV infection. Most patients (65.3%) were male, and the mean age was 57.5 years. The mean baseline viral load was 6.1 log, 69.8% had HCV 1b genotype, 72.9% had cirrhosis and 34.7% were treatment-naïve. SVR at 12 weeks posttreatment was 96.2%. Four patients had virological failure (1.4%), one leading to discontinuation. There were no statistical differences in virological response according to genotype or liver fibrosis. Thirty patients experienced serious adverse events ( SAEs) (10.3%), leading to discontinuation in six cases. Hepatic decompensation was observed in five patients. Four patients died during treatment or follow-up, three of them directly related to liver failure. Multivariate analyses showed a decreased probability of achieving SVR associated with baseline albumin, bilirubin and Child-Pugh score B, and a greater probability of developing SAEs related to age and albumin. This combined therapy was highly effective in clinical practice with an acceptable safety profile and low rates of treatment discontinuation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of induced variability in the improvement on shot at goal in soccer were examined. The hypothesis tested was that induced variability would be more beneficial for performance than repetition practice; 20 young soccer players (N=20) trained with induced variability, and 21 (N=21) trained with repetition method. Accuracy and ball speed were analyzed in three moments: pre-test, post-test carried out after 10 training sessions and re-test, applied at short term (one week). The induced variability group improved the accuracy on post-test (p=0.005) and re-test (p=0.0001). The repetition training group improved the accuracy on re-test (p=0.0001). The ball speed increased in both groups on post-test and re-test (p=0.0001). The induced variability improves the accuracy of the kicks at end of training, and short term after periods without practice. The repetition practice is effective to perform after no practice time only. The practice in both conditions leads to an increase in the ball speed at end of training as after periods without practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavily doped metal oxide semiconductors are being developed as thin film transparent electrodes for many applications and their deposition at low substrate temperature can extend the use on heat sensitive devices. The structural and electro-optical characteristics of such metal oxide coatings are tightly related and depend on the specific deposition parameters apart from the material composition. In this work, SnO:Sb (ATO) and ZnO:Al (AZO) thin films have been prepared by sputtering at room temperature on glass substrates, changing the deposition time to obtain various layer thicknesses from 0.2 to 0.9 μm; and they have been analyzed by X-ray diffraction, spectrophotometry, and Hall-effect measurements. ATO samples crystallize in the tetragonal structure with mean crystallite size increasing from 8 to 20 nm when the film thickness grows. The comparison of Hall mobility and optical mobility values indicates a significant contribution of grain boundary scattering for these ATO layers. Otherwise, AZO films show larger crystallites (21-27 nm) and a strong preferential orientation for analogous thickness increment, resulting in a lower contribution of the grain boundary scattering to the overall Hall mobility. The in-grain mobility for each sample is also related to the respective crystallite size and carrier concentration values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sonic crystals have been demonstrated to be good candidates to substitute for conventional diffusers in order to overcome the need for extremely thick structures when low frequencies have to be scattered, however, their performance is limited to a narrow band. In this work, multiobjective evolutionary algorithms are used to extend the bandwidth to the whole low frequency range. The results show that diffusion can be significantly increased. Several cost functions are considered in the paper, on the one hand to illustrate the flexibility of the optimization and on the other hand to demonstrate the problems associated with the use of certain cost functions. A study of the robustness of the optimized diffusers is also presented, introducing a parameter that can help to choose among the best candidates. Finally, the advantages of the use of multiobjective optimization in comparison with conventional optimizations are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper a new approach to design sound phase diffusers is presented. The acoustic properties of such diffusers are usually increased by using single objective optimization methods. Here we propose the use of a multiobjective (MO) approach to design them in order to take into account several conflicting characteristic simultaneously. Three different MO problems are posed to consider various scenarios where fundamentally the objective is to maximize the normalized diffusion coefficient (following the corresponding Audio Engineering Society standard) for the so-called medium frequencies. This single objective could be divided into other several objectives to adjust performances to designer preferences. A multi-objective evolutionary algorithm (called ev-MOGA) is used to characterize the Pareto front in a smart way. ev-MOGA is modified, by using integer codification and tuning some of its genetic operators, to adapt it to the new requirements. Special interest is posed in selecting the diffusers codification properly to eliminate duplicities that would produce a multimodal problem. Precision in the manufacturing process is taking into account in the diffuser codification causing, that the number of different diffusers are quantified. Robust considerations related with the precision manufacturing process are considered in the decision making process. Finally, an optimal diffuser is selected considering designer preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arid soil is common worldwide and has unique properties that often limit agronomic productivity, specifically, salinity expressed as soluble salts and large amounts of calcium carbonate and gypsum. Currently, the most common methods for evaluating these properties in soil are laboratory-based techniques such as titration, gasometry and electrical conductivity. In this research, we used two proximal sensors (portable X-ray fluorescence ( PXRF) and visible near-infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopy ( Vis- NIR DRS)) to scan a diverse set ( n = 116) of samples from arid soil in Spain. Then, samples were processed by standard laboratory procedures and the two datasets were compared with advanced statistical techniques. The latter included penalized spline regression ( PSR), support vector regression ( SVR) and random forest ( RF) analysis, which were applied to Vis- NIR DRS data, PXRF data and PXRF and Vis- NIR DRS data, respectively. Independent validation (30% of the data) of the calibration equations showed that PSR + RF predicted gypsum with a ratio of performance to interquartile distance ( RPIQ) of 5.90 and residual prediction deviation ( RPD) of 4.60, electrical conductivity (1:5 soil : water) with RPIQ of 3.14 and RPD of 2.10, Ca content with RPIQ of 2.92 and RPD of 2.07 and calcium carbonate equivalent with RPIQ of 2.13 and RPD of 1.74. The combined PXRF and Vis- NIR DRS approach was superior to those that use data from a single proximal sensor, enabling the prediction of several properties from two simple, rapid, non-destructive scans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glass-fiber-reinforced polymers (GFRPs) are commonly used in various applications in civil-engineering projects. However, they are not common in the construction of civil-marine structures. The GFRP caisson technology was developed for the construction of two mooring dolphins in Puerto el Rosario (Fuerteventura, Spain). Ultraviolet-protected glass-fiber and epoxy resin coats were used to build a 12-m diameter, 13.3-m high cylindrical structure. A finite-element model was used to verify the sandwich composite configuration using the Tsai-Hill criteria--the shear strength of the skins and honeycomb core and the buckling and local failure modes with respect to the composite configuration. This is the first time that the two caissons were designed and built of polymeric materials and installed in a seaport. Accordingly, the construction technique marks a milestone in civil engineering because of its highly innovative nature in addition to significantly reducing the time associated with and the complexity of construction operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The role that intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired pneumonia plays in the long-term outcomes of cardiac surgery patients is not well known. This study examined the association of pneumonia with in-hospital mortality and long-term mortality after adult cardiac surgery. Methods: A total of 2750 patients admitted to our ICU after cardiac surgery from January 2003 to December 2009 are the basis for this observational study. Patients who developed ICU-acquired pneumonia were matched with patients without it in a 1:2 ratio. The matching criteria were age, urgent or scheduled surgery, surgical procedure, and the propensity score for pneumonia. Multiple regression analysis was used to find predictors of hospital mortality. The relationship between pneumonia and long-term survival was analyzed with Kaplan-Meier survival estimates and a risk-adjusted Cox proportional regression model for patients discharged alive from hospital. Results: Pneumonia was diagnosed in 32 (1.2%) patients and there were 19 cases per 1000 days of mechanical ventilation. Patients with pneumonia had a significantly higher hospital mortality rate (28% vs 6.2%, P = .003) and a higher mortality at the end of follow-up (53% vs 19%, P < .0001) than those without it. Regression analysis showed that pneumonia was a strong predictor of hospital mortality. Five-year survival was as follows: pneumonia, 62%; control, 81%; and cohort patients, 91%. The Cox model showed that, after adjusting for confounding factors, patients with pneumonia (hazard ratio = 3.96, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.41-11.14) had poorer long-term survival. Conclusion: Pneumonia remains a serious complication in patients operated for cardiac surgery and is associated with increased hospital mortality and reduced long-term survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a detailed chronological reconstruction of the 2011 eruption of Puyehue- Cordón Caulle volcano (Chile) based on information derived from newspapers, scientific reports and satellite images. Chronology of associated volcanic processes and their local and regional effects (i.e. precursory activity, tephra fallout, lahars, pyroclastic density currents, lava flows) are also presented. The eruption had a severe impact on the ecosystem and on various economic sectors, including aviation, tourism, agriculture, and fishing industry. Urban areas and critical infrastructures, such as airports, hospitals and roads, were also impacted. The concentration of PM10 (Particulate Matter ≤10 µm) was measured during and after the eruption, showing that maximum safety threshold levels of daily and annual exposures were surpassed in several occasions. Probabilistic analysis of atmospheric and eruptive conditions have shown that the main direction of dispersal is directly towards east of the volcano and that the climactic phase of the eruption, dispersed toward south-east, has a probability of occurrence within 1%. The management of the crisis, including evacuation of people, is discussed, as well as the comparison with the impact associated with other recent eruptions located in similar areas and having similar characteristics (i.e. Quizapu, Hudson, and Chaitén volcanoes). This comparison shows that the regions downwind and very close to the erupting volcanoes suffered very similar problems, without a clear relation with the in tensity of the eruption (e.g. health problems, damage to vegetation, death of animals, roof collapse, air traffic disruptions, road closure, lahars and flooding). This suggests that a detailed collection of impact data can be largely beneficial for the development of plans for the management of an eruptive crisis and the mitigation of associated risk of the Andean region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a steroid-free regimen with tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil (modified therapy) vs. a standard regimen of tacrolimus and steroids on the cardiovascular risk score of liver transplant recipients. Patients who received a liver transplant were randomized to a modified therapy (n = 58) or a standard regimen (n = 59). Both groups were balanced at baseline, except for a higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus ( DM) (p < 0.01) and a higher serum creatinine concentration (p < 0.05) in the modified therapy group. After 12 months, the prevalence of new-onset DM, arterial hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and changes in cardiovascular risk factors was similar in both groups. The increase in serum creatinine (mg/dL) compared to baseline at one yr post-transplantation was numerically lower in the modified therapy group (0.22 ± 0.42) than in the standard regimen group (0.41 ± 0.67) (p = 0.068). Although estimated cardiovascular risk score did not vary significantly compared to baseline in either group, there was a slight reduction in the modified regimen (−0.27 ± 2.87) vs. a mild increase (0.17 ± 2.94) in the standard regimen (p = 0.566). In conclusion, a steroid-free regimen with tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil was associated with a trend toward better preservation of kidney function and reduction of cardiovascular risk score. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims Radioembolization may rarely induce liver disease resulting in a syndrome that is similar to veno-occlusive disease complicating bone marrow transplantation where inflammation, endothelial cell activation and thrombosis are likely involved. We hypothesized that similar mechanisms could be implicated in radioembolization-induced liver disease ( REILD). Moreover, lobar radioembolization may induce hypertrophy of the non-treated hemiliver most probably by inducing liver regeneration. Methods In patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, we prospectively studied serum levels of markers of liver regeneration, oxidative stress, pro-inflammatory pathways, endothelial activation and coagulation parameters over 2 months after radioembolization. Results Although REILD did not occur among 14 treated patients, a decrease in effective liver blood flow was observed. Radioembolization was followed by a persistent increase in pro-inflammatory (interleukin 6 and 8) and oxidative stress (malondyaldehide) markers, an induction of endothelial injury markers ( vW factor and PAI-1) and an activation of the coagulation cascade (factor VIII, PAI-1, D-Dimer) as well as a significant increase in factors related to liver regeneration (FGF-19 and HGF). Conclusion Radioembolization activates liver regeneration, produces oxidative stress, activates inflammatory cytokines and induces endothelial injury with partial activation of the coagulation cascade. These findings may have implications in the pathogenesis, prevention and therapy of REILD and in the development of new therapies to enhance hypertrophy with a surgical perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine whether a fast reduction in fat mass can be achieved in 4 days by combining caloric restriction ( CR: 3.2 kcal/kg body weight per day) with exercise (8-h walking + 45-min arm cranking per day) to induce an energy deficit of ∼5000 kcal/day, 15 overweight men underwent five experimental phases: pretest, exercise + CR for 4 days ( WCR), control diet + reduced exercise for 3 days ( DIET), and follow-up 4 weeks ( POST1) and 1 year later ( POST2). During WCR, the diet consisted solely of whey protein ( n = 8) or sucrose ( n = 7) (0.8 g/kg body weight per day). After WCR, DIET, POST1, and POST2, fat mass was reduced by a mean of 2.1, 2.8, 3.8, and 1.9 kg ( P < 0.05), with two thirds of this loss from the trunk; and lean mass by 2.8, 1.0, 0.5, and 0.4 kg, respectively. After WCR, serum glucose, insulin, homeostatic model assessment, total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides were reduced, and free fatty acid and cortisol increased. Serum leptin was reduced by 64%, 50%, and 33% following WCR, DIET, and POST1, respectively ( P < 0.05). The effects were similar in both groups. In conclusion, a clinically relevant reduction in fat mass can be achieved in overweight men in just 4 days by combining prolonged exercise with CR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attention affects neuronal processing and improves behavioural performance. In extrastriate visual cortex these effects have been explained by normalization models, which assume that attention influences the circuit that mediates surround suppression. While normalization models have been able to explain attentional effects, their validity has rarely been tested against alternative models. Here we investigate how attention and surround/mask stimuli affect neuronal firing rates and orientation tuning in macaque V1. Surround/mask stimuli provide an estimate to what extent V1 neurons are affected by normalization, which was compared against effects of spatial top down attention. For some attention/surround effect comparisons, the strength of attentional modulation was correlated with the strength of surround modulation, suggesting that attention and surround/mask stimulation (i.e. normalization) might use a common mechanism. To explore this in detail, we fitted multiplicative and additive models of attention to our data. In one class of models, attention contributed to normalization mechanisms, whereas in a different class of models it did not. Model selection based on Akaike's and on Bayesian information criteria demonstrated that in most cells the effects of attention were best described by models where attention did not contribute to normalization mechanisms. This demonstrates that attentional influences on neuronal responses in primary visual cortex often bypass normalization mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]