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The impact of zwitterionic graphene oxide (GO‐Arg) nanostructures into polyethersulfone (PES) membranes was studied, aiming to perform mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) with combined antibacterial and antifouling properties. For this purpose, 0.25, 0.50, and 1.0 wt% of GO‐Arg were incorporated through the phase inversion method. The chemical composition reveals that the electrostatic interactions of PES, polyvinylpyrrolidone, and GO‐Arg occur by enhancing the CH/NH vibrations associated with the intrinsic MMMs and their combined antibacterial and antifouling performance. Well‐defined finger‐like morphology was observed, performing the pore distribution and the finger‐cavity inclination induced by the electrostatic charge of GO‐Arg. As a result, GO‐Arg MMM's hydrophobic properties decreased from 77.8° to 52.3°, inducing a partially hydrophilic surface and improved water flux. The isoelectric point of nanostructured membranes slightly changes by the charge modulation produced by zwitterionic GO‐Arg. The antibacterial activity against Gram (−) Escherichia coli was improved, closing the complete bacterial inhibition after 24 h. As a result, antifouling performance was improved, avoiding bacterial adhesion into the membrane surface and the possibility of promoting biofilm formation. Our results demonstrate that zwitterionic nanomaterials in MMMs perform the multifunctional capacity of materials, emerging as an effective alternative with potential application in wastewater treatment. Highlights: The incorporation of zwitterionic GO‐Arg improves the mechanical properties of MMMs.GO‐Arg‐enhanced well‐defined porous finger‐like morphology in MMMs.GO‐Arg improves the antibacterial/antifouling performance of PES‐based MMMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The induced magnetic field is used to control the fluid motion and heat transfer in a variety of applications, such as in MHD devices, microfluidics, electrically conducting fluids in channels and in circular pipes, and clinical applications such as drug delivery and cooling of nuclear reactors. Henceforth this investigation aims to elucidate the behavior of viscoelastic (second-grade fluid) ternary nanofluid flow through a permeable stretching sheet with an induced magnetic field. The stretching surface is subjected to the Cattaneo-Christov heat and mass flux model to investigate heat and mass transfer properties. Solutions of reduced governing equations are obtained numerically via the shooting method and computed using the bvp-4c algorithm. The impacts of diverse active parameters such as porous medium, magnetic parameter, reciprocal magnetic Prandtl parameter, stretching parameter, HSS parameter, and relaxation time parameter for heat and mass flux are studied graphically. In addition, the values of significant engineering factors are calculated and comparative analysis is presented through bar graphs. It is seen that regular heat sink/source promotes thermal distribution and relaxation time for mass flux enhances the mass transfer rate between fluid flow and solid surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Older adults with cognitive impairment (CI) have higher multimorbidity and frailty prevalence, lower functional status and an increased likelihood to develop dementia, non-cognitive deficits, and adverse health-related events. +AGIL, a real-world program for frail older adults in a primary care area of Barcelona, is a pragmatic, multi-component and integrated intervention implemented since 2016. It includes physical activity, nutrition, sleep hygiene, revision and adequacy of pharmacological treatment, detection of undesired loneliness and screening for CI; to improve physical function in community-dwelling older adults. We aimed to assess the + AGIL longitudinal impact on physical function among community-dwelling frail older persons with CI. Methods: An interventional cohort study included data from all the + AGIL consecutive participants from July 2016 until March 2020. Based on the comprehensive geriatric assessment, participants were offered a tailored multi-component community intervention, including a 10-week physical activity program led by an expert physical therapist. Physical performance was measured at baseline, three and six months follow-up. The pre-post impact on physical function was assessed by paired sample t-test for repeated samples. Linear mixed models were applied to analyze the + AGIL longitudinal impact. P-values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: 194 participants were included (82 with CI, based on previous diagnosis or the Mini-COG screening tool), 68% women, mean age 81.6 (SD = 5.8) yo. Participants were mostly independent in Activities of Daily Living (mean Barthel = 92.4, SD = 11.1). The physical activity program showed high adherence (87.6% attended ≥ 75% sessions). At three months, there was a clinically and statistically significant improvement in the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and its subcomponents in the whole sample and after stratification for CI [CI group improvements: SPPB = 1.1 (SD = 1.8) points, gait speed (GS) = 0.05 (SD = 0.13) m/s, Chair stand test (CST)=-2.6 (SD = 11.4) s. Non-CI group improvements: SPPB = 1.6 (SD = 1.8) points, GS = 0.08 (SD = 0.13) m/s, CST=-6.4 (SD = 12.1) seg]. SPPB and gait speed remained stable at six months in the study sample and subgroups. CI had no significant impact on SPPB or GS improvements. Conclusion: Our results suggest that older adults with CI can benefit from a multidisciplinary integrated and comprehensive geriatric intervention to improve physical function, a component of frailty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report kinematic and thermal signatures associated with the directly imaged protoplanet candidate in the Elias 2–24 disc. Using the DSHARP (Disc Substructures at High Angular Resolution Project) ALMA (Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array) observations of the 12CO J = 2 − 1 line, we show that the disc kinematics are perturbed, with a detached CO emission spot at the location of the planet candidate and traces of spiral wakes, and also that the observed CO emission intensities require local heating. While the foreground extinction hides the velocity channels associated with the planet, preventing a planet mass estimate, the level of gas heating implied by the CO emission indicates the presence of a warm, embedded giant planet. Comparison with models shows that this could either be a ≳5 MJup or a lower mass (≳2 MJup) but accreting protoplanet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors developed a pilot project to test different preparations of cemented rock fill, determine the appropriate mix design, and check necessary mix strength. The article presents the required resistance studies and the research method used to determine feasibility, cost performance and increased mine productivity and safety. The study achieved a resistance peak of 1.6 MPa, reduced dilution of the ore, and increased pillar stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present contribution is motivated by the frequent occurrence of traces generated by lichens on the fossil record, the usual and erroneous attribution of them to plant roots, and the scarce information published about bioerosive damage caused by lichens. As a result, two different patterns were identified on the surface and inside the fossil bones and teeth. The first one is characterised by the presence of lines clearer than the rest of the surface, produced by the hyphae and interrupted by small pits corresponding to the apothecia. These traces are often confused with Corrossichnia and Sphenoichnia, a situation that leads to taphonomic and palaeoecological misinterpretation. The second pattern, more unnoticed among other visible traces, consists of isolated pits without any other surficial trace distributed in the fossil surface. These pits can be confused with perforations made by many organisms. However, the presence of apothecia and, in some cases, also hyphae on the fossil remains, allows the accurate identification of the causal agent and the mechanism of action by which it occurs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coconut is a crop of economic importance, and protocols for the propagation in vitro of coconut are already in use. However, during acclimatization, some micropropagated plants or plantlets do not survive. There are reports that show that the application of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) improves the development of plants. So far, there are no reports of acclimatization of coconut plantlets with or without AMF. Therefore, this study reports the evaluation of survival and growth during acclimatization of coconut plantlets (obtained by somatic embryogenesis) testing inoculation with native or commercial AMF. Survival increased from 1.19 to 1.24-fold with native AMF, but no increase occurred with commercial AMF. Growth and photosynthetic parameters were evaluated, and there were no significant changes among treatments at 180 d. However, 6 mo later, there was a significant increase in height, leaf area, and stem diameter in plantlets inoculated with commercial AMF. There were differences in the development of secondary roots when plantlets were treated with commercial AMF. The colonization with native AMF showed a greater proportion of coils and hyphae, whereas, with commercial AMF, arbuscules and hyphae were more abundant. According to this study's results, AMF inoculation can be recommended to improve the survival and growth of micropropagated coconut plantlets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adjuvant trastuzumab in HER2+ breast cancer reduces recurrence and mortality, and has been the standard treatment since 2006. The objective was to analyze health outcomes in the real world. Observational, retrospective study of patients with HER2+ breast cancer, stages I–III, treated with adjuvant trastuzumab in the past 15 years in only one center and for the first time in Spain. Survival was analyzed according to the number of cycles and cardiotoxicity. Two hundred and seventy-five HER2positive patients (18.60%) out of 1479 received adjuvant (73%) or neoadjuvant/adjuvant (26%) trastuzumab, concomitantly (90%) or sequentially (10%) with chemotherapy. The probability of overall and disease-free survival (OS and DFS) at 5 years was 0.93 (95% CI 0.89–0.96), and 0.88 (95% CI 0.83–0.92). The number of cases with a significant and asymptomatic decrease in ventricular ejection fraction and heart failure were 54 (19.64%) and 12 (4.36%), respectively. Sixty-eight patients (24.70%) received 16 or fewer cycles, especially those older than 65 (OR 0.371, 95% CI 0.152–0.903; p = 0.029) and with cardiotoxicity (OR 15.02, 95% CI 7.437–30.335; p < 0.001). The risk of cardiotoxicity was associated with having received radiotherapy (OR 0.0362, 95% CI 0.139–0.938; p = 0.037). Arterial hypertension (HR 0.361, 95% CI 0.151–0.863, p = 0.022), neoadjuvant treatment (HR 0.314, 95% CI 0.132–0.750, p = 0.009) and cardiotoxicity (HR 2.755, 95% CI 1.235–6.143, p = 0.013) maintained significant association with OS. Only neoadjuvant treatment maintained a significant association with DFS (HR 0.437, 95% CI 0.213–0.899, p = 0.024). The effectiveness of neoadjuvant and adjuvant trastuzumab can be considered comparable to those of clinical trials. In the real world, factors such as age, hypertension, radiotherapy, neoadjuvant treatment, and cardiotoxicity should be taken into consideration to optimize outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of suction-injection-combination (SIC) on the linear and weakly nonlinear stability of Rayleigh–Bénard convection is considered in the paper for the cases of symmetric and asymmetric boundary conditions. Using the Maclaurin series with an appropriate number of terms, expression for eigenfunctions is obtained. The linear theory corroborates the results obtained using the chosen eigenfunctions in the limiting case of the no-SIC effect by matching accurately with the exact values concerning the critical Rayleigh number (Rac) and the wave number (αc). It is found that the effect of SIC is to stabilize the system in the case of symmetric boundaries irrespective of SIC being pro-gravity or anti-gravity. However, the effect of SIC is to stabilize/destabilize the system depending on SIC being pro-gravity or anti-gravity in the case of the asymmetric boundaries. We also noted a similar effect in the case of αc wherein a maximum error of order 10 − 4 was observed. The main novelty of the present work is studying the influence of SIC on the nonlinear dynamics of the considered problem. It is shown that the effect of SIC is to hasten the onset of chaos. Using various indicators (the largest Lyapunov exponent, the time series solution, the amplitude spectrum, and the phase-space plots), the dynamical behavior of the system is analyzed and the influence of SIC on the dynamics is recorded. The change due to the boundary effect and the SIC on the size of convection rolls and the trapping region where the dynamical system evolves within a bound is highlighted in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Antibody (Ab) tests for SARS-CoV-2 virus allows for the estimation of incidence, level of exposure and duration of immunity acquired by a previous infection. In health workers, the hospital setting might convey a greater risk of infection. Aims To describe the frequency of immunoglobulin G (IgG) Abs (IgG-Abs) to the SARS-CoV-2 virus among workers at a third-level university hospital in Colombia. Methods In this cross-sectional study, we included medical and non-medical personnel with at least one real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR)/antigen test between March 2020 and March 2021. In April 2021, an IgG-Ab test against SARS-CoV-2 was conducted for all participants and replicated 2 weeks later in a random sample (10%). The frequency of IgG-Abs is presented based on status (positive/negative) and time elapsed since RT–PCR/antigen test (<3 months, 3–6 months, >6 months). Results We included 1021 workers (80% women, median age 34 years (interquartile range 28–42), 73% medical personnel, 23% with previous positive RT–PCR/antigen). The overall seroprevalence was 35% (95% CI 31.6–37.4, 35% in medical and 33% in non-medical personnel). For those with a previous positive RT–PCR/antigen test, the seroprevalence was 90% (<3 months), 82% (3–6 months) and 48% (>6 months). In participants with a previous negative RT–PCR/antigen test, the seroprevalence was 17% (<3 months), 21% (3–6 months) and 29% (>6 months). Conclusions High IgG-Ab positivity was found in hospital personnel, regardless of work activities. The prevalence of detectable Abs differed by previous RT–PCR/antigen status and time elapsed since the diagnostic test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of ESPOCH Congresses: The Ecuadorian Journal of S.T.E.A.M. is the property of Knowledge E DMCC 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.)

Health problems can lead to costs in the education sector. However, these costs are rarely incorporated in health economic evaluations due to the lack of reference unit costs (RUCs), cost per unit of service, of education services and of validated methods to obtain them. In this study, a standardized unit cost calculation tool developed in the PECUNIA project, the PECUNIA RUC Template for services, was applied to calculate the RUCs of selected education services in five European countries. The RUCs of special education services and of educational therapy were calculated using the information collected via an exploratory gray literature search and contact with service providers. The RUCs of special education services ranged from €55 to €189 per school day. The RUCs of educational therapy ranged from €6 to €25 per contact and from €5 to €35 per day. Variation was observed in the type of input data and measurement unit, among other. The tool helped reduce variability in the RUCs related to costing methodology and gain insights into other aspects that contribute to the variability (e.g. data availability). Further research and efforts to generate high quality input data are required to reduce the variability of the RUCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human monkeypox (HMPX) is an emerging viral zoonosis that has now become the most prevalent I Orthopoxvirus i worldwide.[1] The Poxviridae family is formed by large, double-stranded DNA viruses that replicate in vertebrate cells. Graph: Figure 3 (a, b) Transmission electron microscopy showed (a) monkeypox viruses inside intracytoplasmic vacuoles and (b) extracellular location of viruses among keratin fibre. Under TEM, mature viruses appeared extracellularly scattered among keratinocytes, while the assembling virions and mature intracellular viruses were clustered within cytoplasmic vesicles in keratinocytes of the stratum granulosum and the Malpighian layer of the epidermis (Figure 3). [Extracted from the article]

Electron states in spheroid S i 0.7 G e 0.3 quantum dots are investigated taking into account the presence of a donor impurity atom and a weak external electromagnetic laser field. The conduction band confining profile along the radial direction is modelled by a parameterized exponential potential. Based on the calculated inter-state transition energies, the nonlinear optical responses associated with light absorption, relative refractive index change, and second and third harmonics generation are evaluated and discussed. Results are reported considering different positions of the donor center in the dot as well as for different values of the exponential potential parameter. When the impurity is shifted to different position, the polarisation changes inside the dot and hence the energy and wave function of the system. The change of impurity position from center to edge of the dot causes redshift whereas the increase in potential parameter causes blueshift. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The International Year of Quinoa (IYQ) (2013) showcased quinoa to the world and generated a rapid expansion in international demand for quinoa. It also increased the level of consumption in Peru. Peruvian ethnic identity reflects the food culture of origin. This research aims to determine the relationship between ethnic identity and other Theory of Planned Behavior factors on quinoa consumption intention and frequency of consumers in Top Lima and Modern Metropolitan Lima, Peru. A survey of 381 respondents was conducted between April and September 2017, and structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. Contrary to expectations, intention and frequency of consumption of quinoa were negatively affected by "ethnic identity" (p < 0.05). This result is related to the promotion by the IYQ and Marca Perú (brand name Peru) and the gastronomic boom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Sport & Health Research is the property of Journal of Sport & Health Research 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.)

In this paper, we study the existence and uniqueness of solutions for nonlinear Hammerstein, Volterra–Hammerstein, and Volterra equations in the space of functions of bounded second variation in the sense of Shiba, (Λ p 2 B V [ a , b ]) . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using Fourier representations, an elaborate study of regular cellular-convective and chaotic motions in a ferrofluid is made. Investigation is made on the adequacy or otherwise of the minimal mode in studying such motions. Higher-order modes are also considered by adding modes (vertical/horizontal/combined extension). For higher modes, the extensions yield a dynamical system of order greater than three. The characteristic features of extended ferromagnetic-Lorenz models are analyzed using the largest Lyapunov exponent(LE), second largest LE, bifurcation diagram, and phase-space plots. The effect of additional modes on critical modal-Rayleigh (infinitesimal and finite-amplitude ones) numbers and the Rayleigh number at which transition to chaos occurs are examined to report features of ferroconvection hitherto unseen in previous studies. As both horizontal and vertical modes are increased, our findings infer that the dynamical system displays advanced onset of regular convection and delayed chaotic motion. Vigorous-chaotic motion is seen on adding vertical modes, whereas on adding horizontal modes, intense chaos appears with decreased intensity for large values of the scaled Rayleigh number. Most important finding from the study is that as modes are increased (vertical/horizontal), the transition from regular to chaotic motion is greatly modified and leads the system to a hyper-chaotic state. Conventionally, the chaotic or hyper-chaotic state is intermittent with a periodic/quasi-periodic state but it can be retained in the chaotic or hyper-chaotic state by considering moderate values of the Prandtl number and/or by bringing in the ferromagnetic effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyze the effect of different temperature-time conditions of the process of annealing applied to electroless Ni–P (12 wt.% P) coatings in order to improve their corrosion resistance in a 3.5% NaCl solution. A process of annealing at 400°C for 4 h applied to Ni–P electroless coatings (12 wt.% P) induces the crystallization of the coating accompanied by the formation of stable Ni3P and Ni phases. This Ni–P crystalline coating presents better corrosion resistance in the 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution than the amorphous alloy and the coatings annealed at 400 and 500°C for 1 and 2 h. The corrosion resistance of the Ni–P coatings is evaluated by the method of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy for 4 h of immersion. The microstructure of the Ni–P coatings prior to and after annealing at 400 and 500°C for 1, 2, and 4 h is studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning-electron microscopy. The procedure of annealing at 400°C for 4 h induces the preferential orientation of the plane (112) of the Ni3P phase, as shown by the XRD analysis, which modifies the kinetics of the electrochemical reactions. The corrosion resistance of the Ni–P coatings annealed at 400°C for 4 h is related to the formation of the texturized Ni3P phase, which is chemically stable and comprises 80% of the coating volume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous monitoring of biomass concentration in microalgae cultures is essential and one of the most important parameters to measure in this field. This study aims at digital image processing in RGB and greyscale models, being a simple and low-cost method for cell estimation. Images obtained from different photobioreactors with wastewater and at different conditions for the cultivation of Chlorella vulgaris were analyzed. The results suggested that this technique is very effective under controlled lighting conditions, in contrast to photobioreactors placed outdoors and of different design, presenting a lower linearity. The accuracy of the method could be improved with a high-quality charge-coupled device (CCD) camera. The development of efficient methods to assess biomass concentration is an important and necessary step towards large-scale microalgae cultivation. The colour analysis technique has a great potential to meet the needs of monitoring cultures in a cost-effective and automated way using simple and cheap instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Self-perceived health (SPH) is an epidemiologically used variable, recognized as a subjective yet predictive indicator of mortality (Bopp et al. Plos One 2012; 7:e30795) SPH, among other subjective indicators, such as quality of life, contributes to understanding an individual's overall experience and well-being. While health information, including medical diagnoses given by physicians, forms a substantial part of an individual's subjective health (Falconer & Quesnel-Vallée, 2017; 190 227-236) the World Health Organization (WHO, 2014) defines health not only by the absence of somatic diseases but also encompasses components of social and mental well-being. Objectives: This study aims to explore factors associated with a poorer level of self-perceived health in inpatients due to non-psychiatric conditions with a focus on mental health and substance use-related factors. Methods: We recruited 800 patients during their hospital stay for various pathologies in cardiology, pneumology, internal medicine, and gastroenterology units. Self-reported sociodemographic variables and well-being-related variables, such as SPH, were collected during admission. The MINI Neuropsychiatric Interview was administered to screen for psychiatric conditions, the ASSIST scale assessed the risk related to the use of various substances. Data on the frequency and quantity of substance use, in the three months prior to admission, were also recorded by timeline follow-back. Information on the severity of somatic comorbidity was gathered using the Charlson Comorbidity Index. Non-parametric tests compared SPH in different groups, and variables showing significant differences were included in a multivariate linear regression analysis. This study obtained approval from the ethics committee. Results: Significant and clinically relevant differences were found in the SPH of patients with anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and bipolar disorders. These patients reported lower SPH than those without these comorbidities. Patients scoring medium or high risk on the ASSIST scale for tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis also demonstrated lower SPH compared to those with low-risk scores. In the multivariate analysis, accounting for confounding factors, including comorbidity severity, patients with depressive disorders maintained statistically significant lower levels of SPH (ß = -13.391, p < 0.001), as did those with bipolar disorders (ß = -6.096, p = 0.019). Conclusions: Patients with anxiety, depressive, or bipolar disorders, as well as those with higher-risk use of tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis, exhibited lower SPH. After adjusting for other relevant factors, such as diagnosed somatic pathology, patients with affective disorders continued to score lower in SPH levels. Proper attention and management of psychiatric comorbidities and substance use are crucial in medical hospital settings. Disclosure of Interest: M. Pons-Cabrera Employee of: This work has been funded by Contractes Clínic de Recerca "Emili Letang - Josep Font" 2021 granted by Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, E. Caballería-Lamora: None Declared, L. Navarro-Cortés: None Declared, M. Balcells-Oliveró: None Declared, L. Pintor-Pérez: None Declared, H. López-Pelayo: None Declared [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) analysis represents a promising method for the diagnosis, treatment selection and clinical follow-up of cancer patients. Although its general methodological feasibility and usefulness has been demonstrated, several issues related to standardisation and technical validation must be addressed for its routine clinical application in cancer. In this regard, most cfDNA clinical applications are still limited to clinical trials, proving its value in several settings. In this paper, we review the current clinical trials involving cfDNA/ctDNA analysis and highlight those where it has been useful for patient stratification, treatment follow-up or development of novel approaches for early diagnosis. Our query included clinical trials, including the terms 'cfDNA', 'ctDNA', 'liquid biopsy' AND 'cancer OR neoplasm' in the FDA and EMA public databases. We identified 1370 clinical trials (FDA = 1129, EMA = 241) involving liquid-biopsy analysis in cancer. These clinical trials show promising results for the early detection of cancer and confirm cfDNA as a tool for real-time monitoring of acquired therapy resistance, accurate disease-progression surveillance and improvement of treatment, situations that result in a better quality of life and extended overall survival for cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) analysis represents a promising method for the diagnosis, treatment selection and clinical follow-up of cancer patients. Although its general methodological feasibility and usefulness has been demonstrated, several issues related to standardisation and technical validation must be addressed for its routine clinical application in cancer. In this regard, most cfDNA clinical applications are still limited to clinical trials, proving its value in several settings. In this paper, we review the current clinical trials involving cfDNA/ctDNA analysis and highlight those where it has been useful for patient stratification, treatment follow-up or development of novel approaches for early diagnosis. Our query included clinical trials, including the terms 'cfDNA', 'ctDNA', 'liquid biopsy' AND 'cancer OR neoplasm' in the FDA and EMA public databases. We identified 1370 clinical trials (FDA = 1129, EMA = 241) involving liquid-biopsy analysis in cancer. These clinical trials show promising results for the early detection of cancer and confirm cfDNA as a tool for real-time monitoring of acquired therapy resistance, accurate disease-progression surveillance and improvement of treatment, situations that result in a better quality of life and extended overall survival for cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is certain empirical evidence of, on the one hand, a positive correlation between executive functions (EFs) and intelligence in people with intellectual disability (ID) and, on the other hand, a slower rate of development of EFs in these people relative to people without ID. This evidence is not, however, unequivocal, and further studies are required. Methods: We analysed the relationship between development of EFs and both age and intellectual capacity, in a sample of 106 students with either ID or borderline intellectual functioning (BIF) at a special education centre [63 boys and 43 girls, 11–18 years old, mean total intelligence quotient (TIQ) of 59.6]. We applied nine instruments to evaluate both neuropsychological development (working memory, inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, planning, processing speed and verbal fluency) and behavioural development [teachers' perceptions of the EFs of their students by Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function – Second Edition (BRIEF‐2) School]. ID and BIF groups were statistically compared in terms of mean performance measures in EF tests. We looked at the correlation between EFs and age, and correlations between EFs and intelligence: TIQ, fluid intelligence [measured by the perceptual reasoning (PR) sub‐index of Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children‐IV (WISC‐IV)] and crystallised intelligence (measured by the verbal comprehension (VC) sub‐index of WISC‐IV). Regression models were built for variables with strong correlation. Results: In most of the tests used to evaluate EFs, the ID subgroup performed significantly worse than the subgroup with BIF. In general, teachers' thought that participants had 'medium–low' levels of EFs. TIQ, by WISC‐IV scale, correlated significantly with scores in all tests for all EFs. The PR sub‐index correlated significantly with 14 of the tests for EFs; 35% of the variation in PR can be explained by variation in performance in Picture Span (working memory) and Mazes (planning). The VC sub‐index correlated weakly with seven of the EF tests. We found significant correlations in the ID group between age and scores in all tests of working memory and inhibitory control. Age – considering all participants – did not correlate with any of the variables of teachers' perception except for working memory, and this correlation was not strong. Conclusions: The results of our study are consistent with descriptions of the typical population: (1) fluid intelligence is more related to EFs than crystallised intelligence is; and (2) working memory capacity is the EF most strongly related with general, fluid and crystallised forms of intelligence. The results suggest that as children and adolescents with ID/BIF get older, their capacities for working memory and inhibitory control increase; development of the other EFs studied was less evident. Teachers' perceptions of the EFs of children with ID or BIF were independent of intellectual capacity and age. More research is needed to delve further into the development of EFs in people with ID/BIF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parental care directly affects the fitness of individuals because it increases the probability of offspring survival. Therefore, it is expected that parents be particularly motivated to return (i.e., exhibit homing behavior) and resume care if they are moved away from offspring by disturbances. Yet, despite several studies on the behavioral ecology of homing in vertebrates, aspects underlying the relationship between movement and offspring care in anurans remain largely unknown. We tested the relative importance of parental care as a driver of homing in Ikakogi tayrona, the only glassfrog with demonstrated prolonged maternal care. We carried out translocation experiments in 58 calling males, 23 gravid females, and 19 females caring for eggs. Contrary to expectations, females did not exhibit homing despite the risk of increased offspring mortality. On the other hand, males exhibit homing (they returned from translocation distances up to 320 m), possibly to recover a specific territory that is important for attracting mates. Taken together, our work documents a paradoxical result that may lead to future research testing specific hypothesis about the causes of sex differences in homing and the associated cognitive process. Significance statement: Studying the relationship between parental care and homing behavior provides a better understanding of how diverse ecological and evolutionary factors influence movement patterns in animals. However, such relationship has been almost untested in anurans, even though their homing behavior and diversity of parental care strategies have separately received great attention from behavioral ecologists. In this study, we found sex differences in homing for the glassfrog Ikakogi tayrona. Males are highly motivated to return to a specific territory, possibly to recover a particular place from which they increase mating opportunities. Interestingly, females caring for eggs did not exhibit homing, even if that behavioral decision results in higher mortality rates of offspring in their clutches, as demonstrated in this and other glassfrogs. This work is one of the few studies on homing in anurans that includes a large sample size of females and accounts for both gravid females and females already caring for offspring. Altogether, this study broadens our understanding of how ecological and evolutionary factors can influence homing behavior in vertebrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of yttria concentration (0-33.4 mol%), extraction rates (0.17, 0.33, 0.50, and 0.67 mm s-1), and the number of layers (up to four) on the phase content, surface defects, thickness, hardness, adhesion strength, and wear rate of yttria-stabilized zirconia coatings produced by sol-gel/dip-coating were studied for its use on thermolabile substrates. At 700°C, a metastable tetragonal phase ( t ″ ) was obtained even with 33.4 mol% yttria when heat treated for 24 hours; however, a fully cubic structure was attained by extending the heat treatment up to 48 hours as confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. Furthermore, it was necessary to use withdrawal speeds of at least 0.67 mm s-1 to produce defect-free coatings. Although the coatings were produced at low temperature, they showed 41% lower wear rate than steel and an adhesion strength of 30 MPa. Our work stresses the importance of the heat treatment history on the stabilization of the cubic phase in sol-gel YSZ coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Ortopédica Mexicana is the property of Sociedad Mexicana de Ortopedia, AC 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.)

To determine the origin of the spiral structure observed in the dust continuum emission of Elias 2–27 we analyze multiwavelength continuum ALMA data with a resolution of ∼0.″2 (∼23 au) at 0.89, 1.3, and 3.3 mm. We also study the kinematics of the disk with 13CO and C18O ALMA observations in the J = 3–2 transition. The spiral arm morphology is recovered at all wavelengths in the dust continuum observations, where we measure contrast and spectral index variations along the spiral arms and detect subtle dust-trapping signatures. We determine that the emission from the midplane is cold and interpret the optical depth results as signatures of a disk mass higher than previous constraints. From the gas data, we search for deviations from Keplerian motion and trace the morphology of the emitting surfaces and the velocity profiles. We find an azimuthally varying emission layer height in the system, large-scale emission surrounding the disk, and strong perturbations in the channel maps, colocated with the spirals. Additionally, we develop multigrain dust and gas hydrodynamical simulations of a gravitationally unstable disk and compare them to the observations. Given the large-scale emission and highly perturbed gas structure, together with the comparison of continuum observations to theoretical predictions, we propose infall-triggered gravitational instabilities as the origin for the observed spiral structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Several behaviors, besides consumption of psychoactive substances, produce short-term reward that may lead to persistent aberrant behavior despite adverse consequences. Growing evidence suggests that these behaviors warrant consideration as nonsubstance or "behavioral" addictions, such as pathological gambling, internet gaming disorder and internet addiction. Case presentation: Here, we report two cases of behavioral addictions (BA), compulsive sexual behavior disorder for online porn use and internet gaming disorder. A 57-years-old male referred a loss of control over his online pornography use, started 15 years before, while a 21-years-old male university student reported an excessive online gaming activity undermining his academic productivity and social life. Both patients underwent a highfrequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) protocol over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (l-DLPFC) in a multidisciplinary therapeutic setting. A decrease of addictive symptoms and an improvement of executive control were observed in both cases. Discussion: Starting from these clinical observations, we provide a systematic review of the literature suggesting that BAs share similar neurobiological mechanisms to those underlying substance use disorders (SUD). Moreover, we discuss whether neurocircuit-based interventions, such as rTMS, might represent a potential effective treatment for BAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scheffersomyces stipitis is a Crabtree-negative pentose fermenting yeast, which shows a complex respiratory system involving a cytochrome and an alternative salicylhydroxamic acid (SHAM)-sensitive respiration mechanism that is poorly understood. This work aimed to investigate the role of the antimycin A (AA) sensitive respiration and SHAM-sensitive respiration in the metabolism of xylose and glucose by S. stipitis , upon different agitation conditions. Inhibition of the SHAM-sensitive respiration caused a significant (P  < 0.05) decrease in glycolytic flux and oxygen consumption when using glucose and xylose under agitation conditions, but without agitation, only a mild reduction was observed. The combination of SHAM and AA abolished respiration, depleting the glycolytic flux using both carbon sources tested, leading to increased ethanol production of 21.05 g/L at 250 rpm for 0.5 M glucose, and 8.3 g/L ethanol using xylose. In contrast, inhibition of only the AA-sensitive respiration, caused increased ethanol production to 30 g/L using 0.5 M glucose at 250 rpm, and 11.3 g/L from 0.5 M xylose without agitation. Results showed that ethanol production can be induced by respiration inhibition, but the active role of SHAM-sensitive respiration should be considered to investigate better conditions to increase and optimize yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present article describes a numerical strategy for the estimation of the shear coefficient of spin viscosity for a ferrofluid sample confined to a cylindrical container and exposed to the effect of an external rotating magnetic field with a low amplitude and frequency. As far as we know, there are no experimental measurements of such coefficient. Furthermore, the few analytical values reported differ in several orders of magnitude. First, we describe briefly the mathematical model of the system and its numerical solution. Then, the definition of the direct and inverse problems is given as a part of the methodology for estimating such coefficient. Finally, we solve the inverse problem using simulated measurements and two global optimization algorithms. We generate this type of measurements by adding white Gaussian noise signals to the numerical solution of the ferrohydrodynamic mathematical model. Several noise levels in the range of 10 to 40 dB were used to increase the number of scenarios for validation purpose. Results showed an excellent agreement between the estimated values and those used in the numerical solution of the mathematical model. A statistical analysis revealed a normal distribution that was dependent on the noise level. This variation did not affect the results, but showed instead the validity of the proposed method. Additionally, this strategy stands as a computational tool for validating experimental results of the future in situ measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Science is the property of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Science, Asociacion Nacional de Cardiologos de Mexico A.C. (ANCAM) 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.)

For Hilfer derivatives of the product of two functions, we present equations and inequalities, generalizing well‐known results for Caputo and Riemann‐Liouville derivatives. Using the Laplace transformation, we introduce a generalized distributed Mittag‐Leffler‐Hilfer stability and show two results for like‐Lyapunov stability. We also extend equations and inequalities for the product of two functions of Hilfer derivatives of distributed order. Finally, we give some consequences and examples that illustrate the theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electron energy spectrum of a core/shell spherical quantum dot made of zincblende GaN/InN compounds is investigated taking into account the presence of an off-center donor atom and the influence of band nonparabolicity. The interaction of both the charge carrier and the Coulombic core with longitudinal optical phonons is included through Frö hlich and Aldrich-Bajaj theories, respectively. The ground state energy is determined by solving the resulting conduction band effective mass equation via the variational Ritz principle. A detailed analysis of the features of electron and hole spectra as functions of the core and shell sizes is presented, highlighting the possibility of transitioning between type-I and type-II structures. A detailed discussion about the effects of conduction band nonparabolicity, dielectric mismatch and electron-phonon interaction onto the impurity binding energy is provided. It was found that, in general, nonparabolicity of the conduction band leads to larger impurity binding energy, and that LO-phonon and dielectric mismatch effects tend to reduce the value of the latter quantity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Providing a ready‐to‐use reverse transcriptase qPCR (RT‐qPCR) method fully validated to detect the SARS‐CoV‐2 with a higher exclusivity than this shown by early published RT‐qPCR designs. Methods and Results: The specificity of the GPS™ CoVID‐19 dtec‐RT‐qPCR test by analysis of sequence alignments was approached and compared with other RT‐qPCR designs. The GPS™ CoVID‐19 dtec‐RT‐qPCR test was validated following criteria of UNE/EN ISO 17025:2005 and ISO/IEC 15189:2012. Diagnostic validation was achieved by two independent reference laboratories, the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, (Madrid, Spain), the Public Health England (Colindale, London, UK), and received the label CE‐IVD. The GPS design showed the highest exclusivity and passed all parameters of validation with strict acceptance criteria. Results from reference laboratories 100% correlated with these obtained by using reference methods and showed 100% of diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. Conclusions: The CE‐IVD GPS™ CoVID‐19 dtec‐RT‐qPCR test, available worldwide with full analytical and diagnostic validation, is the more exclusive for SARS‐CoV‐2 by far. Significance and Impact of the Study: Considering the CoVID‐19 pandemic status, the exclusivity of RT‐qPCR tests is crucial to avoid false positives due to related coronaviruses. This work provides of a highly specific and validated RT‐qPCR method for detection of SARS‐CoV‐2, which represents a case of efficient transfer of technology successfully used since the pandemic was declared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

La rabia es una enfermedad viral zoonótica ocasionada por un virus ARN del género Lyssavirus de la familia Rhabdoviridae, su principal transmisor es el Desmodus rotundus; la transmisión acontece por penetración del virus contenido en la saliva del transmisor infectado. Una vez inoculado el virus rábico por mordedura de un animal infectado, se produce la primera replicación in situ del virus en las células musculares estriadas, los husos o placas neuromusculares facilitan el acceso del virus a las terminales nerviosas, que se dirige en forma centrípeta hacia la médula espinal y encéfalo. Los principales síntomas incluyen: depresión, incoordinación, paresia de los miembros, decúbito esternal y lateral, opistótonos, salivación abundante, mugidos constantes, agresividad, hiperexcitabilidad, hiperestesia, prurito intenso, manifestaciones de irritación cutánea y muerte. El objetivo del trabajo fue describir las alteraciones histológicas en el SNC (sistema nervioso central) y complejo GHR (ganglio de gasser, hipófisis y rete de mirabile) en un bovino con síntomas neurológicos. Un establecimiento de la ciudad de Valenzuela (en el departamento de Cordillera, Paraguay) presentó muertes en bovinos con manifestaciones neurológicas. Se realizó la necropsia y análisis histopatológico del sistema nervioso central de un bovino criollo, hembra de 5 años. Los principales hallazgos microscópicos incluyeron: infiltrado inflamatorio perivascular mononuclear linfoplasmocitario tipo manguito perivascular, proliferación difusa de células gliales, aislados nódulos gliales, nódulos neuronofágicos, células satélites alrededor de neuronas, células de Purkinje alrededor del cerebelo con uno a varios corpúsculos de Negri en el citoplasma, el complejo de ganglio de Gasser, la rete mirabile e hipófisis con proliferación de células satélites, nódulos neuronofágicos y ganglionitis multifocal no supurativa, neuronas con cambios degenerativos similares a lo identificado en cerebelo, tálamo, cerebro y médula espinal, con presencia de corpúsculo eosinofílico de Negri en el citoplasma de algunas neuronas. Considerando el historial clínico del establecimiento y los hallazgos histopatológicos se concluye con un cuadro severo de daño neurológico a partir de una infección por el virus de la Rabia. Es imprescindible implementar programas estrictos de vacunación profiláctica en establecimientos ganaderos e instar a la denuncia obligatoria a la institución nacional de vigilancia epidemiológica (SENACSA). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 1/17th water physical model of a 200-ton steel ladle furnace with a single gas injection was used to simulate bath heating using a single burner to mimic the heat flux due to electric arcs in the industrial steel ladle. Two phases were considered, using water to simulate the molten steel and air to simulate the argon injection at a flow rate of 1.54 NL min−1. The planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence (PLIF) technique was for the first time experimentally implemented to measure temperature fields in a longitudinal plane of the gas-stirred ladle model. PLIF employs a laser source of 532-nm wavelength to light water seeded with rhodamine B, which emits fluorescence depending on its temperature, after a complex calibration is made. Next, the fluorescence is captured by a camera with a 550-nm wavelength filter. The PLIF measurements were validated by local thermocouple measurements at five different locations in the measurement plane. Temperature fields measured by PLIF are in good agreement with those obtained locally by thermocouples, so the PLIF technique can be used to measure temperature fields with the advantage of getting a complete temperature contour field, in contrast to point values of temperatures with thermocouples. Experiments were carried out to study the thermal mixing for two common tuyere positions, i.e., axisymmetric and eccentric (mid-radius) positions. Results on the injection mode show that axisymmetric gas injection is a more efficient heat transfer configuration between the burner and the liquid phase than is the symmetric injection mode for the particular heating configuration studied in this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A systematic review revealed that influenza vaccine is the most often reported in postvaccination cases of vasculitis.2 Postvaccination vasculitis pathogenesis remains unclear although an innate immunity-mediated response to viral agents or vaccine excipients via molecular mimicry has been proposed.3 Vasculitis after COVID-19 vaccination has already been reported. Small-vessel vasculitis following Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 Given the recent commercialization of this vaccine, the report of new and potentially severe cutaneous adverse events is highly recommended to better characterize the vaccine security profile and study the potential association between vasculitis and COVID-19 vaccines. [Extracted from the article]

In this work, we study numerically the periodicity of regular regions embedded in chaotic states for the case of an anisotropic magnetic particle. The particle is in the monodomain regime and subject to an applied magnetic field that depends on time. The dissipative Landau–Lifshitz–Gilbert equation models the particle. To perform the characterization, we compute several two-dimensional phase diagrams in the parameter space for the Lyapunov exponents and the isospikes. We observe multiple transitions among periodic states, revealing complex topological structures in the parameter space typical of dynamic systems. To show the finer details of the regular structures, iterative zooms are performed. In particular, we find islands of synchronization for the magnetization and the driven field and several shrimp structures with different periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Liquid phase transmission electron microscopy allows the imaging of materials in liquid environments. The sample is encapsulated within electron‐beam transparent windows and hence protected by the ultrahigh vacuum necessary within the electron gun. Such an approach allows to study biological and soft materials in their natural environment and offers the possibility of accessing their dynamic nature. Yet, the electron beam scattering from the windows and solvent increases the image noise and blur. Herein, we propose a pipeline to both de‐noise and sharpen images obtained by liquid transmission electron microscopy. We develop the workflow in a way that it does not require any human interference, nor introduce artefacts, but actually unveils features of the imaged samples covered by the noise and the blur. Lay Description: Transmission Electron Microscopy TEM is one of the most powerful techniques for structural determination at the nanoscale, with the ability to image matter down to the atomic level. TEM is only possible by keeping the electron beam under high vacuum in order to avoid undesired scattering events in the beam path. High vacuum means that the TEM samples must conventionally be in solid‐state. Thus, samples in liquid form or containing liquids, like water, need special preparation techniques which tend to alter the structure and chemical nature of the sample. Such alterations are particularly critical for biological and soft organic materials where the structures are controlled by the presence of water and/or other liquids. The development of new cameras, materials and sample holders have made possible for TEM to be performed on liquid samples. Liquid Phase Transmission Electron Microscopy (LTEM) offers the possibility to investigate nanoscopic structures in liquid state and monitor dynamic processes. However important limitations come from the liquid nature of samples in the imaging process such as the low contrast afforded by organic and biological materials and additional noise and blur introduced by the liquid sample and its thickness. Existing image analysis algorithms for TEM result inadequate for LTEM. The end‐to‐end image analysis method herein has the ability to recover the original images together with their sharpness, without introducing any artefacts. The proposed algorithms offer the great advantage of unveiling image details which are not usually seen during imaging, thus allowing a better understanding of the nature, structure and ultimately the function of the investigated structures. The fully automatised analysis method allows to efficiently process dozens of images in few hours, improving dramatically the performance of LTEM imaging [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The control effects on the convection dynamics in a viscoelastic fluid-saturated porous medium heated from below and cooled from above are studied. A truncated Galerkin expansion was applied to balance equations to obtain a four-dimensional generalized Lorenz system. The dynamical behavior is mainly characterized by the Lyapunov exponents, bifurcation, and isospike diagrams. The results show that within a range of moderate and high Rayleigh numbers, proportional controller gain is found to enhance the stabilization and destabilization effects on the thermal convection. Furthermore, due to the effect of viscoelasticity, the system exhibits remarkable topological structures of regular regions embedded in chaotic domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In teleosts, vitellogenin (Vtg) is a phospholipoglycoprotein synthesized by the liver, released into the blood circulation and incorporated into the oocytes via endocytosis mediated by the Vtg receptor (VTGR) to form the yolk granules. The VTGR is crucial for oocyte growth in egg-laying animals but is also present in non-oviparous vertebrates, such as human. The VTGR belongs to the low-density lipoprotein receptor superfamily (LDLR) and is also named very-low-density lipoprotein receptor (VLDLR). In this study, we identified and phylogenetically positioned the VTGR of a basal teleost, the European eel, Anguilla anguilla. We developed quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and investigated the tissue distribution of vtgr transcripts. We compared by qRT-PCR the ovarian expression levels of vtgr in juvenile yellow eels and pre-pubertal silver eels. We also analyzed the regulation of ovarian vtgr expression throughout vitellogenesis in experimentally matured eels. The Vtg plasma level was measured by homologous ELISA experimental maturation. Our in silico search and phylogenetical analysis revealed a single vtgr in the European eel, orthologous to other vertebrate vtgr. The qRT-PCR studies revealed that vtgr is mainly expressed in the ovary and also detected in various other tissues such as brain, pituitary, gill, fat, heart, and testis, suggesting some extra-ovarian functions of VTGR. We showed that vtgr is expressed in ovaries of juvenile yellow eels with no higher expression in pre-pubertal silver eels nor in experimentally matured eels. This suggests that vtgr transcription already occurs during early pre-vitellogenesis of immature eels and is not further activated in vitellogenic oocytes. European eel Vtg plasma level increased throughout experimental maturation in agreement with previous studies. Taken together, these results suggest that vtgr transcript levels may not be a limiting step for the uptake of Vtg by the oocyte in the European eel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]