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We numerically investigate generation of harmonics in the water window region (down to 2.8 nm) by 2 μ m femtosecond pulses propagating in hollow core waveguides filled with high pressure He. Numerical calculations are based on a three dimensional macroscopic model, which solves the pulse propagation by a split-step method, uses the strong field approximation to evaluate the single atom response, and integrates it coherently to obtain the harmonic field. Two configurations for the waveguides are considered: the standard one with a constant diameter of 70 μ m and a conical one with a decreasing diameter from 70 to 50 μ m. We demonstrate that harmonic field enhancement can be obtained in spectral domains of great practical interest, from 2.8 to 20 nm, and identify quasi-phase matching induced by multimode beating as the mechanism responsible for this enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a beamline where few-femtosecond ultraviolet (UV) pulses are generated and synchronized to few-cycle near-infrared (NIR) and extreme ultraviolet (XUV) attosecond pulses. The UV light is obtained via third-harmonic generation in argon or neon gas when focusing a phase-stabilized NIR driving field inside a glass cell that was designed to support high pressures for enhanced conversion efficiency. A recirculation system allows reducing the large gas consumption required for the nonlinear process. Isolated attosecond pulses are generated using the polarization gating technique, and the photon spectrometer employed to characterize the XUV radiation consists of a new design based on the combination of a spherical varied-line-space grating and a cylindrical mirror. This design allows for compactness while providing a long entrance arm for integrating different experimental chambers. The entire interferometer is built under vacuum to prevent both absorption of the XUV light and dispersion of the UV pulses, and it is actively stabilized to ensure an attosecond delay stability during experiments. This table-top source has been realized with the aim of investigating UV-induced electron dynamics in neutral states of bio-relevant molecules, but it also offers the possibility to implement a manifold of novel time-resolved experiments based on photo-ionization/excitation of gaseous and liquid targets by ultraviolet radiation. UV pump–XUV probe measurements in ethyl-iodide showcase the capabilities of the attosecond beamline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Environmental DNA (eDNA) is the DNA that can be extracted from an environmental sample, enabling the monitoring of whole biological communities across a large number of samples, at a potentially lower cost, which can significantly benefit river conservation. A systematic mapping protocol was designed to investigate the use of eDNA in rivers, specifically in terms of research topics, geographic and taxonomic biases, as well as information gaps. Furthermore, the potential research opportunities of eDNA in rivers and possible paths to find this kind of information on available platforms are identified. Methods: A published systematic map protocol was applied, consisting of a search for published articles and gray literature in two bibliographic databases and one search engine. All search results were submitted to a 2-stage screening for relevance and pertinence in accordance with pre-defined eligibility criteria. Data extraction and codification regarding country of study, year, taxonomic group, sequencing platform, and type of technique employed resulted in a publicly available database. Results: From 7372 studies initially obtained by the search, 545 met the inclusion criteria spanning a period from 2003 to 2022. The five countries with most studies are: USA (134), Japan (61), China (54), Brazil (29) and the UK (25). The most used fragments to analyze DNA are 16S and COI, whilst 26S and 23S are the least used. Only 84 (15%) of the studies reported hypervariable regions, among which the most used are V4 and V5. Regarding taxonomic groups, fishes are most often studied (176), followed by bacteria (138) and virus (52), while fungi is the least studied group (3). Concerning data availability, 229 (42%) studies provided access to sequencing data. Conclusions: This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the available evidence regarding the implementation of the eDNA methods in rivers. The findings indicate that since the year 2003, this approach has been applied to aquatic lotic systems, and their recent increase can be attributed to the development of Next-Generation-Sequencing technologies and their reduced costs. However, there is a bias towards high-income countries, particularly USA and Europe. Widespread use and applications of this approach at a global level would allow for the generation of a large amount of information that can be compared between countries to understand if responses of aquatic systems follow similar patterns worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non‐linear excitation microscopy offers several advantages for in‐vivo imaging compared to conventional confocal techniques. However, tissue penetration can still be an issue due to scattering and spherical aberrations induced on focused beams by the tissue. The use of low numerical aperture objectives to pass through the outer layers of the skin, together with high dioptric power microlenses implanted in‐vivo close to the observation volume, can be beneficial to the reduction of optical aberrations. Here, Fibroblast cell culture plano‐convex microlenses to be used for non‐linear imaging of biological tissue are developed and tested. The microlenses can be used as single lenses or multiplexed in an array. A thorough test of the lenses wavefront is reported together with the modulation transfer function and wavefront profile. Magnified fluorescence images can be retrieved through the microlenses coupled to commercial confocal and two‐photon excitation scanning microscopes. The signal‐to‐noise ratio of the images is not substantially affected by the use of the microlenses and the magnification can be adjusted by changing the relative position of the microlens array to the microscope objective and the immersion medium. These results are opening the way to the application of implanted micro‐optics for optical in‐vivo inspection of biological processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the afternoon of 23 September 2018, a flash flood event occurred at Peribán de Ramos (Michoacán, Mexico). This event was triggered by 2-h precipitation of 58 mm, affecting at least 100 families, damaging 30 houses and killing 8 people. We present the first assessment of this event, for which we carried out stratigraphic descriptions, took sedimentological samples of the deposits and performed numerical simulations with the FLO-2D model to recreate the flow. Our results present a good fit with the flow heights, velocities, and the distribution of the flood zones observed in the field. We additionally performed a flood hazard assessment based on a rainfall frequency analysis for extreme events of 2-h duration at different return periods. Results show that even the 2-year event would reach flow depths >5 m and velocities exceeding 6.5 m/s, causing the overspill of Cutio river, affecting ~1500 inhabitants and avocado farming lands, causing a bigger impact on the population's incomes and their way of life. We consider that these types of events could become more frequent and of major magnitude due to the change in land cover and land use, obstruction of natural drainages and changes in precipitation patterns in response to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Climacteric is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd 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 development of bright eXtreme UltraViolet (XUV) and soft x-ray sources based on high-order harmonic generation is boosting advances toward understanding the behavior of matter on the attosecond timescale. Here, we report a novel approach for efficient XUV generation consisting of the use of microfluidic integrated systems fabricated by femtosecond laser micromachining of glass. Our microfluidic approach allows one to control and manipulate the gas density on a micrometer scale with unprecedented accuracy and micro-structural flexibility. By propagating ultrashort laser pulses inside the microfluidic devices, we demonstrate high photon fluxes and broadband harmonics spectra, up to 200 eV, from tailored gas media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The upper flanks of stratovolcanoes usually exhibit steep slopes affected by fumarolic or hydrothermal activity. These conditions commonly promote rock instability, triggering rock avalanches and landslides. Quiescent and active stratovolcanoes transected by fractures and faults are further susceptible to these phenomenon, especially when they are located in tropical regions, where heavy rainfall regimes tend to saturate the volcanic material and promotes landslides. One example of such volcanoes is the Tacaná Volcanic Complex located at the Mexico-Guatemala border. It consists of three NE-SW aligned volcanoes (Chichuj, Tacaná, and San Antonio) and the Ardillas Dome. Just recently, the eastern portions of Ardillas Dome and San Antonio volcano have been affected by rockfalls and landslides toward the southern flank of the Complex, particularly to the Maxaum ravine. Field surveys showed tension fractures, landslide scars, fumaroles and volcanic vents along an important NE-SW fissure that has been growing between these two volcanic structures. To assess a future landslide within this zone, we delineate an area prone to collapse, according to the structural and morphometric analysis. We simulate a set of five gravitational flows of different volumes (1 × 105 to 2.5 × 107 m3) with the numerical code Titan2D varying the source area of the landslides. The simulated landslides showed that independently of the volume involved or source point of the landslide, it will be channeled within the Maxaum ravine and travel a maximum distance of up to 7 km from the source. The simulated flows moved at maximum velocities of ~ 41 m/s and were dispersed over a surface area of ~ 17 km2 with variable thicknesses (0.5–7 m at the affected villages). The most voluminous landslides (2.5 × 107 m3) will impact at least eight villages inhabited by ~ 2000 people on the southern flanks of the Complex. By analyzing the potential building damage caused by the largest simulated landslide (intensity index, IDF), two localities would have major structural damages in their dwellings and two would be completely destroyed; meanwhile, another three villages would suffer minor structural damages and one would experience minor sedimentation. Although the outcomes described here represent the first evaluation of small-volume landslide hazards at the Complex, specifically at the Ardillas Dome, our maps are useful tools for the preparedness for the Civil Protection authorities and the population at risk. Thus, a detailed landslide hazard assessment is needed, taking into account the present state of the Tacaná Volcanic Complex as well as the geologic and climatologic setting of the volcano, and a full stability analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring water level changes is necessary to manage, conserve and restore natural, and anthropogenic lake systems. However, the in‐situ monitoring of lake systems is unfeasible due to limitations of costs and access. Furthermore, current remote sensing methods are restricted to large lakes and low spatial resolutions. We develop a novel approach using subsequential pixel‐wise observations of the Sentinel‐1B sensor based on interferometric synthetic aperture radar to detect water level changes in small lakes. We used 24 small ungauged lakes of the Cajas Massif lake system in Ecuador for development and validation. We found Differential Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (DInSAR)‐derived water level changes across lakes to be consistent with precipitation, capturing the peak of the wet seasons. Furthermore, accumulated water level changes could be explained by differences in lake area among lakes. Although with limitations, this study shows the underutilized potential of DInSAR to understand water level changes in small lakes with current radar data availability. Plain Language Summary: Lakes are essential elements of the hydrological cycle, and changes in lakes water availability affect their aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and their associated watersheds. Monitoring water level changes is necessary to manage lake systems worldwide; however, monitoring remote and small lakes is unfeasible due to limitations of costs and access. We develop a novel approach that combines satellite remote sensing radar imagery to detect water level changes in small lakes. We used 24 small and high‐altitude unmonitored lakes in Ecuador for development and validation. We found the water level changes across lakes to be consistent with precipitation in the region. Furthermore, accumulated water level changes could be explained by differences in lake area among lakes. Our methodology underpins the underutilized potential of satellite radar observations to understand water level changes in small lakes. It also has considerable potential for the near real‐time monitoring of lake systems worldwide from space observations. Key Points: We demonstrated the utility of synthetic aperture radar interferometry to track water level changes in small ungauged lakes simultaneouslyRegional precipitation and area of lakes conditioned the spatiotemporal patterns of changes in water levelIrregular topography and surrounding elements on the lake shores were crucial for the use of radar interferometry [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.)

The fungus Penicillium crustosum was employed for endosulfan biodegradation, finding that sulphate endosulfan and mono alcohol endosulfan were the main compounds produced; therefore, an oxidative degradation pathway was suggested. A 93 ± 4.7% of Endosulfan degradation after one month of treatment of a highly salty agricultural soil was obtained, where ΔST was up to 17 ± 0.58 mN m−1, (related to the water value of 72 mNm−1), that was induced by the fungus during soil mycoremediation Additionally, an improvement in soil quality (reduction of clay proportion and salinity, as well as an increase of soluble phosphorus, carbon content and organic matter) was observed during the mycoremediation treatment. The phytotoxicity of the pesticide on Phaseolus leptostachyus was evaluated in the soil without the fungus addition (control), where the pesticide was translocated in the crop, presenting a negative effect in germination index, root length and weight, aerial weight, humidity, and proline content. This contrasted with the effect on the crop grown in the soil treated with P. crustosum, which had better agronomic characteristics. This is first report in which the effect of this property allows the pesticide biodegradation, due to a combined Endosulfan bioavailability and fungal biodegradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present high-resolution, long-slit optical spectra and images of the planetary nebula NGC 1514. The position velocity maps of the [O  iii ] emission line reveal complex kinematics with multiple structures. A morpho-kinematical analysis suggests an inner shell, originally spherical and now distorted by several bubbles, and an attached outer shell. The two well-defined, mid-infrared rings of NGC 1514 are not detected in our high-resolution, long-slit spectra, which prevented us from doing a kinematical analysis of them. Based exclusively on their morphology, we propose a barrel-like structure to explain the rings. Several ejection processes have been possibly involved in the formation of the nebula, although a time sequence is difficult to establish with the current data. We also analyse intermediate-resolution, long-slit spectra with the goal of studying the physical parameters and chemical abundances of NGC 1514. The nebular spectra reveal a moderate-excitation nebula with weak emission lines of [Ar  iii ], [Ne  iii ], He  i , and He  ii. Neither [N  ii ] nor other low-excitation emission lines are detected. We found an electron temperature around 14 000 K in the gas and an electron density in the range of 2000–4000 cm−3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of three somatostatin (SST) genes (SSTa, SSTb, and SSTc) in lampreys (Tostivint et al. Gen Comp Endocrinol 237:89–97 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ygcen.2016.08.006, 2016) prompted us to study their expression in the brain and spinal cord of the sea lamprey by in situ hybridization. These three genes were only expressed in equivalent neuronal populations in the hypothalamus. In other regions, SST transcripts showed clear differential expression. In the telencephalon, SSTc-positive cells were observed in the medial pallium, ventral part of the lateral pallium, striatum, subhippocampal lobe, and preoptic region. In the diencephalon, SSTa-positive cells were observed in the thalamus and SSTc-positive cells in the prethalamus, posterior tubercle, pretectal area, and nucleus of the medial longitudinal fascicle. In the midbrain, SSTc-positive cells were observed in the torus semicircularis, lateral reticular area, and perioculomotor tegmentum. Different SSTa- and SSTc-positive populations were observed in the isthmus. SSTc neurons were also observed in the rostral octavolateralis area and caudal rhombencephalon. In the spinal cord, SSTa was expressed in cerebrospinal-fluid-contacting (CSF-c) neurons and SSTc in non-CSF-c interneurons. Comparison with previous immunohistochemical studies using anti-SST-14 antibodies strongly suggests that SST-14-like neurons correspond with the SSTa populations. Thus, the SSTc populations were not reported previously in immunohistochemical studies. Cluster-based analyses and alignments of mature peptides suggested that SSTa is an ortholog of SST1 and that SSTb is closely related to SST2 and SST6. These results provide important new insights into the evolution of the somatostatinergic system in vertebrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

World's energy consumption has doubled in the last four decades, this demand has been covered by the usage of fossil fuels; which are an important source of greenhouse gases emissions, entailing climate change. An efficient less polluting management alternative is the anaerobic digestion (AD) process which generates biogas derived from organic matter. The methane contained at the biogas is considered a biofuel that can generate electricity and heat through its combustion. Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) essays are standardized methodologies carried out to estimate the energy potential of an organic residue. After performing a BMP test for 13 residual biomass samples, it can be concluded that fresh livestock rumen and manure were the best substrates to generate higher biogas yields; ranging from 1119–1669 ml/g VSadded, with high methane content (65%4<77%) doubling the results reported at literature (≈550 ml biogas/g VSadded). Results indicate that energy potential of these residual biomasses can be increased 23–25% by improving management (freshness) and environmental (higher temperature) conditions and, by reducing the nutrimental deficiencies (mineral medium) of microorganisms. Fresh swine manure also produced large volumes of biogas (1150 ml biogas/g VSadded); however, average methane content ranged 50–65% CH4 v/v. The rest of the residual biomasses produced biogas and methane yields within the normal ranges (≈550 ml biogas/g VSadded); meaning that also can be used as substrate for bioenergy generation. Residues from aquaculture and fish based-industry produced low quantities of biogas (<250 ml biogas/g VSadded; CH4 < 20%); therefore, these cannot be recommended as substrates for bioenergy purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trimming is a common operation in computer aided design and, in its simplest formulation, consists in removing superfluous parts from a geometric entity described via splines (a spline patch). After trimming, the geometric description of the patch remains unchanged, but the underlying mesh is unfitted with the physical object. We discuss the main problems arising when solving elliptic PDEs on a trimmed domain. First we prove that, even when Dirichlet boundary conditions are weakly enforced using Nitsche's method, the resulting method suffers lack of stability. Then, we develop novel stabilization techniques based on a modification of the variational formulation, which allow us to recover well-posedness and guarantee accuracy. Optimal a priori error estimates are proven, and numerical examples confirming the theoretical results are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Struthiopteris (Blechnaceae) has recently been classified on the basis of molecular and morphological evidence, and some of its species are now included in the sister genus Spicantopsis. However, the lack of studies on several important morphological features impedes a sound assessment of their congruence with this new systematic arrangement, as well as of their range of variation and taxonomic value in this group of ferns. Here we present a study on the spores and sporangia using both light and scanning electron microscopy in Struthiopteris and Spicantopsis, using samples of all their species, and almost all their varieties. We provide full morphological descriptions of the spores and sporangia of all these taxa. We point out that the perispore structure and ornamentation and the number and the thickness of stomium cells in the sporangium clearly distinguish both genera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodecolorization and biodegradation of azo dyes are a challenge due to their recalcitrance and the characteristics of textile effluents. This study presents the use of Halomonas sp. in the decolorization of azo dyes Reactive Black 5 (RB5), Remazol Brilliant Violet 5R (RV5), and Reactive Orange 16 (RO16) under high alkalinity and salinity conditions. Firstly, the effect of air supply, pH, salinity and dye concentration was evaluated. Halomonas sp. was able to remove above 84% of all dyes in a wide range of pH (6–11) and salt concentrations (2–10%). The decolorization efficiency of RB5, RV5, and RO16 was found to be ≥ 90% after 24, 13 and 3 h, respectively, at 50 mg L−1 of dyes. The process was monitored by HPLC-DAD, finding a reduction of dyes along the time. Further, Halomonas sp. was immobilized in volcanic rocks and used in a packed bed reactor for 72 days, achieving a removal rate of 3.48, 5.73, and 8.52 mg L−1 h−1, for RB5, RV5 and RO16, respectively, at 11.8 h. The study has confirmed the potential of Halomonas sp. to decolorize azo dyes under high salinity and alkalinity conditions and opened a scope for future research in the treatment of textile effluents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the first study to report on the biocompatible and immunogenic properties of one-pot synthesised gold and silver nanoparticles (Au@UI and Ag@UI) using the macroalgae Ulva intestinalis (UI). The UI aqueous extract, Au@UI, and Ag@UI were obtained under sterile conditions and fully characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, TEM, HRTEM, STEM and FTIR spectroscopy. Moreover, for the first time, the composition of carbohydrates in the UI extract has been reported along with the changes observed after nanoparticle synthesis by size exclusion chromatography, in order to investigate their possible role in the biosynthetic process. This study suggested that the polysaccharide fraction of the extract is involved in the formation and stabilization of the nanoparticles. The potential toxicity of the samples was evaluated using different cell lines and the hemocompatibility was tested in mouse erythrocytes. In addition, ROS production, complement activation and cytokine release were evaluated to determine the immunogenicity. The results showed that Au@UI and Ag@UI exhibit good biocompatibility and hemocompatibility, with the exception of Ag@UI nanoparticles at high concentration, which were hemolytic. The samples induced ROS release and complement activation, two key mechanisms in innate immunity. The samples also induced the release of cytokines from Th1 and Th2 profiles, and other cytokines implicated in the activation of the immune system. Au@UI and Ag@UI were biocompatible and preserved the immunostimulant properties of the UI extract. Hence, Au@UI and Ag@UI could be useful as adjuvants in vaccine development and promote a balanced Th1 and Th2 immune response mediated by ROS production, cytokine release and complement activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: The unanticipated detection by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the brain of asymptomatic subjects of white matter lesions suggestive of multiple sclerosis (MS) has been named radiologically isolated syndrome (RIS). As the difference between early MS [i.e. clinically isolated syndrome (CIS)] and RIS is the occurrence of a clinical event, it is logical to improve detection of the subclinical form without interfering with MRI as there are radiological diagnostic criteria for that. Our objective was to use machine‐learning classification methods to identify morphometric measures that help to discriminate patients with RIS from those with CIS. Methods: We used a multimodal 3‐T MRI approach by combining MRI biomarkers (cortical thickness, cortical and subcortical grey matter volume, and white matter integrity) of a cohort of 17 patients with RIS and 17 patients with CIS for single‐subject level classification. Results: The best proposed models to predict the diagnosis of CIS and RIS were based on the Naive Bayes, Bagging and Multilayer Perceptron classifiers using only three features: the left rostral middle frontal gyrus volume and the fractional anisotropy values in the right amygdala and right lingual gyrus. The Naive Bayes obtained the highest accuracy [overall classification, 0.765; area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC), 0.782]. Conclusions: A machine‐learning approach applied to multimodal MRI data may differentiate between the earliest clinical expressions of MS (CIS and RIS) with an accuracy of 78%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whispering gallery mode (WGM) resonators are promising optical structures for microfluidic label-free biosensors mainly due to their high sensitivity, but from a practical point of view they present numerous constraints that make their use in real laboratory diagnosis application difficult. Herein we report on a monolithic lab on a chip fabricated by a hybrid femtosecond laser micromachining approach, for label-free biosensing. It consists of a polymer WGM microresonator sensor integrated inside a glass microfluidic chip, presenting a refractive index change sensitivity of 61 nm per RIU. The biosensing capabilities of the device have been demonstrated by exploiting the biotin–streptavidin binding affinity, obtaining a measurable minimum surface density increase of 67 × 103 molecules per μm2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Mexicana de Ingeniería Biomédica is the property of Sociedad Mexicana de Ingenieria Biomedica, A.C. 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.)

We present a polarimetric investigation of the protoplanetary nebula Frosty Leo performed with the Submillimeter Array. We were able to detect, in the low continuum level (peak at 14.4 mJy beam−1), a marginal polarization at 2.6σ. The molecular line investigation based on the CO J  = 3 → 2 emission shows a peak emission of 68.1 Jy beam−1 km s−1 and the polarization detection in this CO line is also marginal, with a peak at 3.8σ. In both cases, it was therefore not possible to use the electric vector maps (⁠|$\boldsymbol {E}$| field) to accurately trace the magnetic field (⁠|$\boldsymbol {B}$| field) within the PPN. The spatio-kinematic modelling realised with the different velocity channel maps indicates three main structures: a distorted torus accompanied by a bipolar outflow or jet aligned with its axis and a flattened spherical 'cap'. The comparison of the CO polarization segments with our model suggests that the polarized emission probably arises in the first two components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The parallax expansion and kinematics of a nova shell can be used to assess its age and distance, and to investigate the interaction of the ejecta with the circumstellar medium. These are key to understand the expansion and dispersal of the nova ejecta in the Galaxy. Multi-epoch images and high-dispersion spectroscopic observations of the recently discovered classical nova shell IPHASX J210204.7 + 471015 around a nova-like system have been used to derive a present-day expansion rate of 0 |${^{\prime\prime}_{.}}$| 100 yr−1 and an expansion velocity of 285 km s−1. These data are combined to obtain a distance of 600 pc to the nova. The secular expansion of the nova shell place the event sometime between 1850 and 1890, yet it seems to have been missed at that time. Despite its young age, 130–170 yr, we found indications that the ejecta has already experienced a noticeable deceleration, indicating the interaction of this young nova shell with the surrounding medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analysis of the distribution of stress in dental organs is a poorly studied area. That is why computational mechanobiological analysis at the tissue level using the finite element method is very useful to achieve a better understanding of the biomechanics and the behaviour of dental tissues in various pathologies. This knowledge will allow better diagnoses, customize treatment plans, and establish the basis for the development of better restoration materials. In the present work, through the use of high-fidelity biomodels, computational mechanobiological analyses were performed on four molar models affected with four different degrees of caries, which are subjected to masticatory forces. With the analyses performed, it is possible to observe that the masticatory forces that act on the enamel are not transmitted to the dentin and to the bone and periodontal ligament to protect the nerve, as it happens in a healthy dental organ. With the presence of decay, these forces are transmitted partly to the pulp. The reactions to the external loads on the dental organs depend on the advances of the carious lesion that they present, since the distribution of stresses is different in a healthy tooth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thousands of new asteroids are discovered every year and the rate of discovery is by far larger than the determination rate of their physical properties. In 2015 a group of researchers and students of several Mexican institutions have established an observational program to study asteroids photometrically. The program, named Mexican Asteroid Photometry Campaign, is aiming to derive rotation periods of asteroids based on optical photometric observations. Since then four campaigns have been carried out. The results obtained throughout these campaigns, as well as future work, are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: Childhood obesity is a serious public health problem in Mexico. Adult gut microbiota composition has been linked to obesity, but few studies have addressed the role of gut microbiota in childhood obesity. Objectives: The aim of this study is to compare gut microbiota composition in obese and normal‐weight children and to associate gut microbiota profiles with amino acid serum levels and obesity‐related metabolic traits. Methods: Microbial taxa relative abundance was determined by 16S rRNA sequencing in 67 normal‐weight and 71 obese children aged 6–12 years. Serum amino acid levels were measured by mass spectrometry. Associations between microbiota composition, metabolic parameters and amino acid serum levels were tested. Results: No significant differences in phyla abundances or Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratios were observed between normal‐weight and obese children. However, Bacteroides eggerthii abundance was significantly higher in obese children and correlated positively with body fat percentage and negatively with insoluble fibre intake. Additionally, Bacteroides plebeius and unclassified Christensenellaceae abundances were significantly higher in normal‐weight children. Abundance of both these species correlated negatively with phenylalanine serum levels, a metabolite also found to be associated with obesity in Mexican children. Conclusions: The study identified bacterial species associated with obesity, metabolic complications and amino acid serum levels in Mexican children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Pollution of coasts by toxic metals and metalloids is a worldwide problem for which phytoremediation using halophytes and associated microbiomes is becoming relevant. Metal(loid) excess is a constraint for plant establishment and development, and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) mitigate plant stress under these conditions. However, mechanisms underlying this effect remain elusive. The effect of toxic metal(loid)s on activity and gene expression of ROS‐scavenging enzymes in roots of the halophyte Spartina densiflora grown on real polluted sediments in a greenhouse experiment was investigated. Sediments of the metal‐polluted joint estuary of Tinto and Odiel rivers and control, unpollutred samples from the Piedras estuary were collected and submitted to ICP‐OES. Seeds of S. densiflora were collected from the polluted Odiel marshes and grown in polluted and unpolluted sediments. Rhizophere biofilm‐forming bacteria were selected based on metal tolerance and inoculated to S. densiflora and grown for 4 months. Fresh or frozen harvested plants were used for enzyme assays and gene expression studies, respectively. Metal excess induced SOD (five‐fold increase), whereas CAT and ascorbate peroxidase displayed minor induction (twofold). A twofold increase of TBARs indicated membrane damage. Our results showed that metal‐resistant PGPR (P. agglomerans RSO6 and RSO7 and B. aryabhattai RSO25) contributed to alleviate metal stress, as deduced from lower levels of all antioxidant enzymes to levels below those of non‐exposed plants. The oxidative stress index (OSI) decreased between 50 and 75% upon inoculation. The results also evidenced the important role of PAL, involved in secondary metabolism and/or lignin synthesis, as a pathway for metal stress management in this halophyte upon inoculation with appropriate PGPR, since the different inoculation treatments enhanced PAL expression between 3.75‐ and five‐fold. Our data confirm, at the molecular level, the role of PGPR in alleviating metal stress in S. densiflora and evidence the difficulty of working with halophytes for which little genetic information is available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a progressing disorder characterized by muscle wasting and weakness due to the absence or alteration of the function of dystrophin that protects muscle cells from mechanical stress induced by a movement during contraction. The function of dystrophin isoforms expressed in the brain is not fully understood, but the presence of non-progressing cognitive impairment (including disorders of learning and memory) is a common feature in patients with DMD. To establish correlation between the cognitive event-related potential P300 and psychological evaluation with an intelligence test based on the Stanford Binet Intelligence Quotient (IQ) in patients with DMD and a control group, the respective tests were performed in 31 patients with DMD and 30 controls. The mean age of the group with DMD was 9.35 ± 2.88 years, while that in control children was 9.43 ± 2.69 years (P = 0.89). The IQ was 90.77 ± 12.62 in the DMD group and 106.77 ± 9.62 in the controls (P < 0.0001). The amplitude of the cognitive potential P300 in leads Fz, Cz, and Pz showed no statistically significant differences between the groups. Thus, parameters of the P300 potential and cognitive assessment showed nearly no relationship in patients with DMD vs. controls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Mexicana de Ingeniería Biomédica is the property of Sociedad Mexicana de Ingenieria Biomedica, A.C. 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.)

Copyright of Anales de Otorrinolaringología Mexicana is the property of Sociedad Mexicana de Otorrinolaringologia y Cirugia de Cabeza y Cuello 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.)

We present the first part of an investigation on the planetary nebula (PN) PC 22 that focuses on the use of deep imaging and high-resolution echelle spectroscopy to perform a detailed morpho-kinematical analysis. PC 22 is revealed to be a multipolar PN emitting predominantly in [O III] and displaying multiple non-symmetric outflows. Its central region is found to be also particularly inhomogeneous with a series of low-ionization structures (knots) located on the path of the outflows. The morpho-kinematical model obtained with SHAPE indicates that (i) the de-projected velocities of the outflows are rather large, ≥100 km s-1, while the central region has expansion velocities in the range ~25 to ~45 km s-1 following the 'Wilson effect'; (ii) the majority of the measured structures share similar inclination, ≃100°, i.e. they are coplanar; (iii) and all outflows and lobes are coeval (within the uncertainties). All these results make us to suggest that PC 22 is an evolved starfish PN. We propose that the mechanism responsible for the morphology of PC 22 consists of a wind-shell interaction, where the fast post-asymptotic giant branch (AGB) wind flows through a filamentary AGB shell with some large voids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims. We seek to produce a homogeneous catalog of astrophysical parameters of 239 resolved star clusters, located in the Small and Large Magellanic Clouds, observed in the Washington photometric system. Methods. The cluster sample was processed with the recently introduced Automated Stellar Cluster Analysis (ASteCA) package, which ensures both an automatized and a fully reproducible treatment, together with a statistically based analysis of their fundamental parameters and associated uncertainties. The fundamental parameters determined for each cluster with this tool, via a color-magnitude diagram (CMD) analysis, are metallicity, age, reddening, distance modulus, and total mass. Results.We generated a homogeneous catalog of structural and fundamental parameters for the studied cluster sample and performed a detailed internal error analysis along with a thorough comparison with values taken from 26 published articles. We studied the distribution of cluster fundamental parameters in both Clouds and obtained their age-metallicity relationships. Conclusions. The ASteCA package can be applied to an unsupervised determination of fundamental cluster parameters, which is a task of increasing relevance as more data becomes available through upcoming surveys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Mexicana de Ingeniería Biomédica is the property of Sociedad Mexicana de Ingenieria Biomedica, A.C. 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 effect of short-term under-nutrition on feeding and sexual behaviour in oestrous sheep, the oestrus cycles of 51 Saint Croix ewes were synchronized, and they were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Each group was maintained on a Taiwan grass (Pennisetum purpureum) pasture for 102 h after sponge withdrawal. This diet provided 400 g of dry matter/100 kg of body weight/day, the total available for one group (T), whilst another group (T + C) received an additional 350 g/animal/day of concentrate. Before and after the experimental period, all animals received the additional concentrate. A pen with two one-way gates was located in the centre of each pasture to capture those ewes showing proceptive behaviour towards a ram tethered inside, while sexual receptivity tests were performed every 6 h for 102 h, starting at sponge withdrawal, by moving the ewes to an adjacent pen and exposing them to an intact ram. Foraging behaviour was recorded by scan samples before the sexual receptivity tests. Progesterone concentration was determined on days 2 and 11 after sponge withdrawal. Only 26% of the ewes in the T + C group and none in the T group displayed proceptive behaviour. In both groups, all ewes displayed sexual receptivity and ovulated. Grazing, rumination and walking were higher in T ewes. The frequency and the duration of lying were higher in the T + C than in the T ewes. It was concluded that the short-term nutritional deficiency induced changes in foraging behaviour and decreased ram-seeking behaviour in oestrous-synchronized ewes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We exhibit that the Singular Value Decomposition of a matrix Anxm implies a natural full-rank factorization of the matrix A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim was to determine the effect of feeding and oral habits, toothbrushing, socioeconomic status and allergic rhinitis on the development of dental caries in primary dentition. In a cross-sectional study, data were obtained by means of a structured questionnaire on 1,160 children, 4–5 years old (mean = 4.5 ± 0.5) and born in 1999, 2000 or 2001. The children also had a physical examination by an allergist and dentists. Dental caries was diagnosed according to WHO criteria. Caries experience was measured as number of deft and defs. Logistic regression analysis assessed the association between dental caries and independent variables. The dental caries prevalence was 17.9%, 28.8% of the children had allergic rhinitis symptoms, digit sucking was reported by 9.8% and pacifier use by 13.6% of the children. The mean number of deft of the sample was 1.02 (SD = 2.37) and that of defs was 1.33 (SD = 3.54). Analysis showed that breast-feeding for >12 months (p < 0.01), toothbrushing frequency (p < 0.01), sugar consumption (p < 0.01) and pacifier use (p < 0.01) each had a significant association with dental caries occurrence in primary dentition. Children with pacifier use and allergic rhinitis had more than double the risk of dental caries development. Allergic rhinitis alone has no effect on dental caries. Healthcare professionals attempting to limit dental caries should consider the effect of prolonged breast-feeding, sugary product consumption between meals and nonnutritive habits on dental caries. Copyright © 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of this experiment were to (i) determine the efficacy of essential oils of clove ( CO) and Lippia alba ( EOLA) to induce deep anaesthesia in juvenile specimens (49.0 ± 6.2 g body mass, 16.6 ± 0.8 cm; n = 8 per treatment) of meagre ( Argyrosomus regius); and (ii) study the feasibility of these substances, together with 2-phenoxyethanol (2- PHE), as potential sedatives [low concentration: (i) EOLA: 12 mg L−1; (ii) CO: 1 mg L−1; and (iii) 2- PHE: 33 mg·L −1; n = 8 per treatment] for live fish transport of this species. All test were performed at a constant temperature (18°C). Thus, the main primary stress indicator (plasma cortisol) and secondary factors (plasma metabolites) were evaluated. In addition, growth hormone ( GH) mRNA expression was also evaluated in the pituitary gland. The results indicated that EOLA is considered to be effective for deep anaesthesia when the concentration is close to 160 mg L−1, while CO produces the same effect when lower concentrations are added (40-50 mg L−1). Regarding sedative concentrations, a significant ~3-fold increase in plasma cortisol levels was detected in the EOLA group when compared to control specimens. In addition, glucose levels were not reduced and significantly increased (~1.6-fold) for 2- PHE in relation to the control fish. None of the anaesthetics promoted a significant difference for GH expression with respect to the control group, but a significant ~2-fold increase for 2- PHE treatment with respect to the EOLA exposition was found in this gene expression. Results show that none of the anaesthetics analysed, at least in the ranges of concentrations used in this study ( EOLA 12 mg L−1, CO 1 mg L−1, 2- PHE 33 mg L−1), are recommended for live fish transport, as shown by the absence of inhibition on the stress parameters assessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyzed the combined effects of population density and presence or absence of shelters on growth and physiological performance of the crayfishCambarellus montezumae. Three different densities—64, 144, and 208 crayfish per m2—with and without shelters were used. Growth; survival; metabolic rate; tissue glucose; and total lipid, triglyceride, nitrogen, and energy content were measured. Animals stocked at 64 and 144 per m2with shelter reached the highest body weight; those in groups without shelter had elevated levels of glucose (p < .05). Animals stocked at 144 per m2retained the most nitrogen and energy (p < .05). Overall, the combination of medium density with shelters produced the best performance. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Printed Electronics is the designation given to a set of new technological routes for the manufacture of electronic devices which are light, discrete, flexible, and capable of folding. These devices require power sources that share these properties. This paper is focused on how to obtain electrically conductive elastomer composites. These elastomeric composite materials are obtained by mechanical mixing of electronic and ionic conductive polymers with commercial grade styrene-butadiene rubbers (SBS). The produced materials had good capacitance, thus performing well as rechargeable batteries. These materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electrical conductivity measurements to quantify the abundance and distribution of conductive polymers within the rubbery matrix. Our generated experimental results were used to test the predictive power of two mathematical equations based on Hashin-Shtrikman models and composites theory, respectively. Electrical conductivity vs voltage profiles for these conductive elastomer composites were adequately predicted by these models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resumen Objetivo Valorar la eficacia terapéutica y las complicaciones de la sinoviortesis radioisotópica observadas en pacientes en edad pediátrica y adolescentes con hemofilia. Material y métodos Estudio prospectivo de cohorte histórica en el que se incluyó, de forma consecutiva, a 20 pacientes varones con hemofilia (edad media 13,1 años, rango: 4-17 años). El diagnóstico de sinovitis se estableció clínicamente y se confirmó por radiología simple o RMN). Evaluación mediante la clasificación de Fernández-Palazzi. Criterios de inclusión: menores de 18 años de edad con hemofilia y más de un hemartros en menos de 3 meses, manteniéndose una sinovitis crónica a pesar de intensificar el tratamiento profiláctico. Criterios de exclusión: cualquier contraindicación para la realización de la sinoviortesis. Se realizaron 27 sinoviortesis radioisotópicas con citrato de 90 Y colidal o sulfuro 186 Re coloidal. La eficacia del procedimiento se evaluó a los 6 meses mediante comparación clínica pre- y postratamiento. Tiempo medio de seguimiento: 64,9 meses (rango 18-109 meses). Resultados En 19 de las 27 sinoviortesis (70,3%) hubo una respuesta buena o excelente y en 8 articulaciones (29,7%), respuesta parcial. Se repitió el procedimiento en 3 articulaciones de 3 pacientes diferentes debido a la aparición de nuevo hemartros, obteniendo en todos los casos una respuesta buena o excelente. Apareció reacción inflamatoria postratamiento en 4 casos (14,8%), que mejoraron con tratamiento médico. No se observaron lesiones malignas ni premalignas durante el seguimiento. Conclusión La sinoviortesis radioisotópica es un procedimiento efectivo, en pacientes en edad pediátrica y adolescentes con hemofilia, mínimamente invasivo, fácil de realizar, seguro y con complicaciones mínimas. Objective To assess the outcome and adverse-effects of the radioisotope synoviorthesis in paediatric and adolescent patients with haemophilia. Material and Methods Prospective study of historical cohort was conducted. A total of 20 consecutive haemophiliacs with a mean age of 13.1 years (range 4-17) were included with a mean follow-up of 64.9 months (range 18-109). The diagnosis of synovitis was established on the basis of clinical follow-up including radiological images (radiography and/or MRI). For evaluation, the classification proposed by Fernandez-Palazzi was used. Inclusion criteria: Patients aged less than 18 years old with haemophilia and more than one haemarthrosis in less than 3 months remaining a chronic synovitis despite prophylactic therapy intensification. Exclusion criteria: Any contraindication for radionuclide synoviorthesis. Twenty-seven radioisotope synoviorthesis with 90 Y-citrate-colloid and/or 186 Re-sulphide-colloid were done. The effectiveness of the procedure was assessed through pre and posttreatment clinical comparison at 6 months after radioisotope synoviorthesis. Results Nineteen of the 27 synoviorthesis (70.3%) had a good or excellent response and 8 joints (29.7%) had partial response. It was necessary to repeat the procedure in 3 joints in 3 different patients, obtaining in all cases a good or excellent response. We appreciated inflammatory reaction after procedure in 4 cases (14.8%), which improved with analgesics and nonsteroidal anti-inflamatory drugs. None of the patients presented malignant or premalignant lesions during the follow-up. Conclusion The radionuclide synoviorthesis is a very effective procedure in paediatric and adolescent patients with hemophilia, being a minimally invasive procedure, easy to perform, safe and with minimal side effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to isolate, from pulque, Lactobacillus spp. capable of survival in simulated gastrointestinal stress conditions. Nine Gram-positive rods were isolated; however, only one strain (J57) shared identity with Lactobacillus and was registered as Lactobacillus casei J57 (GenBank accession: JN182264). The other strains were identified as Bacillus spp. The most significant observation during the test of tolerance to simulated gastrointestinal conditions (acidity, gastric juice and bile salts) was that L. casei J57 showed a rapid decrease ( p ≤ 0.05) in the viable population at 0 h. Bile salts were the stress condition that most affected its survival, from which deoxycholic acid and the mix of bile salts (oxgall) were the most toxic. L. casei J57 showed bile salt hydrolase activity over primary and secondary bile salts as follows: 44.91, 671.72, 45.27 and 61.57 U/mg to glycocholate, taurocholate, glycodeoxycholate and taurodeoxycholate. In contrast, the control strain ( L. casei Shirota) only showed activity over tauroconjugates. These results suggest that L. casei J57 shows potential for probiotic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we present the results of optical high-resolution imaging and spectroscopy of the complex planetary nebula (PN) NGC 3242. Our study is based on the analysis of the narrow-band Hα λ6563, [O III] λ5007, [N II] λ6584, and [S II] λ6724 Å images, and high-resolution spectroscopy using spectral ranges centred on the Hα λ6564, [N II] λ6583, and [O III] λ5007 Å. We detected and analysed morphological components beyond the multiple-shell structure of this PN, to investigate the small-scale morphological components aligned towards its major axis (such as knots and ansae, as well as the arc-like features) and its surroundings. Thus, we investigated the morpho-kinematical properties of NGC 3242, as well as their nature and formation. Our results regarding the elliptical double-shell structure and the distance to this nebula are in concordance with previous studies. Furthermore, we have used the software SHAPE to construct a 3D model of NGC 3242, allowing us to successfully reproduce our observational data. We conclude that the prominent knots emitting in the [N II] line are fast, low-ionization emission regions related to high-velocity jets and the so-called ansae-like features rather resemble bubbles. The disruptions immersed in the halo, whose emission was detected in the [O III] high-excitation emission line, remarkably display high velocities and were formed likely in an earlier ejection event, in comparison to the innermost low-ionization structures and bubbles. Finally, according to our model, the kinematical ages of the structures in NGC 3242 range from 390 to 5400 yr. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]