Search

Objective: To identify the prevalence of insulin resistance in overweight and obese adults attending the Hospital Instituto Ecuatoriano De Seguridad Social Riobamba, 2019.Population and sample: Of the 2574 patients with a diagnosis of obesity and overweight, a sample of 334 patients was obtained. Method: A descriptive, documentary, retrospective, cross-sectional and correlational study was carried out. The clinical histories contained in the AS400 system were used for data collection. Results: Of the total number of patients, 77.84% belonged to the female gender, urban residence (73.65%) and higher education (60.5%). BMI >30kg/m2 was recorded in 52.8% of the individuals. Young adult patients with higher education, male gender and urban sector registered the highest prevalence of insulin resistance, in the bivariate analysis patients with morbid obesity presented a higher risk of insulin resistance (Rp :1.5; IC95%:1. 29; 1.77). A significant relationship was established between family history of type 2 diabetes mellitus and the risk of presenting insulin resistance (p<0.001; Rp: 1.32; 95% CI: 1.12: 1.56). Hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia and hyperuricemia, as well as elevated AST and ALT values were significantly related to HOMA-IR >3. Conclusion: Insulin resistance is a frequent entity in patients with obesity and overweight, identifying a higher prevalence in males, which predisposes to the progression of chronic diseases. Key words: obesity, overweight, insulin resistance., El objetivo de esta investigación fue analizar la relación de resistencia a la insulina, sobrepeso y obesidad. Con una población de 2574 pacientes con diagnóstico de obesidad y sobrepeso, se obtuvo una muestra de 334 pacientes. Se realizó un estudio de tipo descriptivo, documental, retrospectivo, transversal y correlacional. Para la recolección de datos se empleó las historias clínicas registradas en el sistema operativo AS400 de IBM, de atención médica del Instituto Ecuatoriano de Seguridad Social. El resultado total de los pacientes perteneció al sexo femenino con un porcentaje del 77.84 %, residencia urbana (73.65 %) e instrucción superior (60.5 %). El 52.8 % de los individuos registró un IMC >30kg/m2. Los pacientes adultos jóvenes de instrucción superior, sexo masculino y sector urbano registraron la mayor prevalencia de resistencia a la insulina, siendo ésta del 61.7 %. En el análisis bivariado los pacientes con obesidad mórbida presentaron mayor riesgo de resistencia a la insulina (RP:1.5; IC95 %:1. 29; 1.77). Se estableció una relación significativa entre el antecedente familiar de diabetes mellitus tipo 2 y el riesgo de presentar resistencia a la insulina (p<0.001; RP: 1.32; IC 95 %: 1.12: 1.56). Los valores de hiperglucemia, hiperinsulinemia e hiperuricemia, así como de AST Y ALT elevadas registraron una relación significativamente con HOMA-IR >3. Se concluye que la resistencia a la insulina es una entidad frecuente en pacientes con sobrepeso y obesidad, identificándose una mayor prevalencia en el género masculino, misma que predispone a la progresión de enfermedades crónicas.

The optical and mechanical properties of 2D semiconductors make them excellent candidates for the active components of plastic optoelectronic devices. Here, the integration of single-layer WSe2 (1L-WSe2) into a polystyrene (PS) film containing dispersed perylene orange (PDI-O) molecules is investigated. The findings reveal a notable enhancement in the light emission of 1L-WSe2, which occurs exclusively upon PDI-O excitation and scales with the concentration of molecules in the PS film. Moreover, the increase in 1L-WSe2 photoluminescence coincides with a quenching of the PDI-O light emission intensity and a decrease in its lifetime. These results point to efficient long-range interactions, such as Förster energy transfer, between PDI-O (acting as the donor) and 1L-WSe2 (acting as the acceptor), as the mechanism responsible for the enhanced light emission in the latter. These findings are of great interest for the development of flexible optoelectronic devices integrating active 2D materials; the polymeric matrix plays a dual role, serving as both physical support and host for organic dopants that can optimize the light emission properties of the active 2D material.

The combination of specific van der Waals semiconductors in vertical stacks leads to atomically sharp heterointerfaces with unique properties, offering versatility and additional functionality for thin, flexible, optoelectronic devices. In this work, we demonstrate heterostructures built from single-layer MoS2 (n-type) and multilayer FePS3 (p-type) as multifunctional p–n junctions where robust photoluminescent light emission and broadband electrical photo-response coexist. This is made possible by the inherent properties of the materials involved and the precise energy band alignment at their interface, which preserves the photoluminescent emission provided by the single-layer MoS2 and confers exceptional tunability to the system. Indeed, through small changes in the applied voltage across the junction, the interplay between photoluminescence and photocurrent generation can be tuned, allowing for a precise control of the light emission of single-layer MoS2 – from severely quenched to an order of magnitude enhancement. Additionally, the broadband photo-response of the system presents an enhanced performance under ultraviolet illumination, in contrast to other van der Waals heterostacks containing single-layer semiconductors. Furthermore, this photo-response can be adjusted by the application of an external electric field, enabling photocurrent generation under both reverse and forward bias, thereby contributing to the overall functionality and versatility of the system.

This pilot study investigated the association between occupational exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and metabolic profiles among two groups of aviation firefighters (n = 37), with an average of 6 and 31 years of working experience (here referred as junior and senior firefighters) at airports across Australia, with samples collected in 2013. PFAS levels in serum were determined in a previous study to be >17 times higher in the senior firefighter group, reflecting the difference in their occupational exposure to fluorosurfactants among the groups. The aim was to examine metabolic patterns across a broad range of PFAS exposure by comparing metabolic differences and their associations with PFAS levels. In this cross-sectional study, the length of firefighting experience and PFAS levels in serum were both further associated with changes in several classes of metabolites, including free fatty acids, bile acids, amino acids, lipids and metabolites related to gut microbial metabolism. The metabolites associated with the length of firefighting experience showed similarities with the metabolites associated with PFAS levels. A non-monotonic response to PFAS concentrations, particularly in saturated fatty acids, was also observed. In the junior firefighter group, the PFAS concentrations were positively associated with saturated fatty acids, i.e., the saturated fatty acid levels increased with increased PFAS levels. In the senior firefighter group, the trend was opposite, with saturated fatty acids decreasing with increasing levels of PFAS. Accounting for potential confounding factors such as BMI and age could not explain the results. While the study population was small, our results plausibly indicate that PFAS exposure can lead to a metabolic compensation strategy that is disrupted at high, long-term exposures. Our study also suggests that serum metabolites serve as better effect-based markers of the impact of exposure than the traditional clinical me

Background It is uncertain whether individualisation of the perioperative open-lung approach (OLA) to ventilation reduces postoperative pulmonary complications in patients undergoing lung resection. We compared a perioperative individualised OLA (iOLA) ventilation strategy with standard lung-protective ventilation in patients undergoing thoracic surgery with one-lung ventilation. Methods This multicentre, randomised controlled trial enrolled patients scheduled for open or video-assisted thoracic surgery using one-lung ventilation in 25 participating hospitals in Spain, Italy, Turkey, Egypt, and Ecuador. Eligible adult patients (age >= 18 years) were randomly assigned to receive iOLA or standard lung-protective ventilation. Eligible patients (stratified by centre) were randomly assigned online by local principal investigators, with an allocation ratio of 1:1. Treatment with iOLA included an alveolar recruitment manoeuvre to 40 cm H2O of end-inspiratory pressure followed by individualised positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) titrated to best respiratory system compliance, and individualised postoperative respiratory support with high-flow oxygen therapy. Participants allocated to standard lungprotective ventilation received combined intraoperative 4 cm H2O of PEEP and postoperative conventional oxygen therapy. The primary outcome was a composite of severe postoperative pulmonary complications within the first 7 postoperative days, including atelectasis requiring bronchoscopy, severe respiratory failure, contralateral pneumothorax, early extubation failure (rescue with continuous positive airway pressure, non-invasive ventilation, invasive mechanical ventilation, or reintubation), acute respiratory distress syndrome, pulmonary infection, bronchopleural fistula, and pleural empyema. Due to trial setting, data obtained in the operating and postoperative rooms for routine monitoring were not blinded. At 24 h, data were acquired by an investigator blinded to group al

Catchment urbanisation results in urban streams being exposed to a multitude of stressors. Notably, stressors originating from diffuse sources have received less attention than stressors originating from point sources. Here, advances related to diffuse urban stressors and their consequences for stream benthic communities are summarised by reviewing 92 articles. Based on the search criteria, the number of articles dealing with diffuse urban stressors in streams has been increasing, and most of them focused on North America, Europe, and China. Land use was the most common measure used to characterize diffuse stressor sources in urban streams (70.7 % of the articles characterised land use), and chemical stressors (inorganic nutrients, xenobiotics, metals, and water properties, including pH and conductivity) were more frequently reported than physical or biological stressors. A total of 53.3 % of the articles addressed the impact of urban stressors on macroinvertebrates, while 35.9 % focused on bacteria, 9.8 % on fungi, and 8.7 % on algae. Regarding ecosystem functions, almost half of the articles (43.5 %) addressed changes in community dynamics, 40.3 % addressed organic matter decomposition, and 33.9 % addressed nutrient cycling. When comparing urban and non-urban streams, the reviewed studies suggest that urbanisation negatively impacts the diversity of benthic organisms, leading to shifts in community composition. These changes imply functional degradation of streams. The results of the present review summarise the knowledge gained to date and identify its main gaps to help improve our understanding of urban streams.

The fundamental understanding and control of the interactions that occur between surfaces and chemicals allows us to design materials with enhanced binding and reactive properties for various industrial, environmental, and clinical applications. However, understanding and optimizing these interactions can also be used to limit the attachment and accumulation of undesirable substances and organisms to surfaces which may otherwise hinder their successful operation. This dissertation describes research on the tuning and optimization of surfaces and operating conditions for different purposes ranging from biological treatment of water and wastewater to the prevention of the undesired attachment of microbial biofilms to functional surfaces. Modification of the surface of granular activated carbon (GAC) using the cationic polymer polydialydimethyl ammonium chloride (polyDADMAC) was studied as a strategy to improve the removal of the persistent environmental contaminant class per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). Specifically, complex water matrices were used in these studies to simulate challenging conditions that are environmentally relevant. Amending the surface with polyDADMAC concentrations as low as 0.00025% enhanced GAC’s adsorption capacity for both short- and long-chained PFASs, even in the presence of competing ions. Regeneration with minimum disruption to the adsorbent’s structure was achieved using low-power ultrasound, supporting the consideration of polyDADMAC-modified GAC was an effective, regenerable adsorbent for real environmentally relevant water conditions. The relationships between the influent nutrient ratios in the context of wastewater treatment and the mechanisms responsible for biofilm formation were investigated. Wastewater treatment is an example of a scenario where biofilm formation may be either desirable or undesirable depending on the treatment system being employed. A comprehensive evaluation of the effect of Carbon/Nitrogen ratio in

We compute the renormalization group equations (RGEs) of the Standard Model effective field theory (EFT) extended with a real scalar singlet, up to dimension-five and one-loop accuracy. We compare our renormalization results with those found in the shift-symmetry preserving limit, which characterizes axion-like particles (ALPs). The matching and running equations below the electroweak scale are also obtained, including the mixing effects in the scalar sector. Such mixing leads to interesting phenomenological consequences that are absent in the EFT at the renormalizable level, namely new correlations among the triplet and quartic Higgs couplings are predicted. All RGEs obtained in this work are implemented in a new Mathematica package - ALPRunner, together with functions to solve the running numerically for an arbitrary set of UV parameters. As an application, we obtain the improved electric dipole moment constraints on particular regions of the singlet parameter space, and quantify the level of shift-breaking in these regions., Comment: 35 pages, 5 figures, 5 tables

We demonstrate that the true QCD axion that solves the strong CP problem can be found in all generality outside the customary standard QCD band, with QCD being the sole source of Peccei-Quinn breaking. The essential reason is that the basis of axion-gluon interactions does not need to coincide with the mass basis. Specifically, we consider the case in which the QCD axion field is not the only singlet scalar in Nature but it mixes with other singlet scalars (besides the $\eta'$). We determine the exact mathematical condition for an arbitrary $N$-scalar potential to be Peccei-Quinn invariant. Such potentials provide extra sources of mass for the customary axion without enlarging the Standard Model gauge symmetry. The contribution to the axion mass stemming from the QCD topological susceptibility is shown to be shared then among the $N$ axion eigenstates through a precise sum rule. Their location can only be displaced to the right of the standard QCD band. We demonstrate that the axion closest to this band can be displaced from it by a factor of $\sqrt{N}$ at most, and this corresponds to the case in which all axion signals are maximally deviated. Conversely, if one axion is found on the standard QCD band, the other eigenstates will be out of experimental reach. Our results imply that any ALP experiment which finds a signal outside the standard QCD axion band can be solving the strong CP problem within QCD, with the associated $N-1$ excitations to be found in an area of parameter space that we determine. We illustrate the results and phenomenology in some particular cases., Comment: 16 pages, 4 figures

Drifting Fish Aggregating Devices (dFADs) are currently made with synthetic and non-biodegradable materials contributing to the increase of marine litter and other potential ecosystem impacts. Tuna RFMOs have promoted the research and progressive replacement of existing FADs by non-entangling biodegradable FADs (bioFADs). Here, we present the results of the first large-scale biodegradable FAD project in the Indian Ocean to develop and implement the use of non-entangling biodegradable dFADs. The bioFAD tested were fully non-entangling without netting minimizing completely the risk of entanglement. Tested bioFADs significantly contribute to the reduction of the synthetic plastic-based materials, increase the use of biodegradable materials and reduce the total material weight used in FADs, reducing their overall ecosystem impacts. The results of testing 771 bioFADs in real fishing conditions, showed that the fishing performance regarding presence/absence of tuna around dFADs, first day of tuna detection, proportion of FADs occupied by tuna, biomass aggregation underneath the FADs and catch per set between bioFADs and conventional dFADs were similar. This provides support for the efficacy of bioFADs regardless of the degradation experienced by the biodegradable materials tested. Although some bioFADs lasted up to one year, the degradation of the biodegradable material was important and some bioFADs lost their original structure after the study period, suggesting the need to find alternative designs for bioFADs that will suffer less structural stress than those bioFADs made of biodegradable material but with conventional design. The lessons learnt in this large-scale trial will contribute to refining the future designs of biodegradable FADs.

We have developed compounds with a promising activity against Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aerugi-nosa, which are both on the WHO priority list of antibiotic -resistant bacteria. Starting from DNA gyrase inhibitor 1, we identified compound 27, featuring a 10-fold improved aqueous solubility, a 10-fold improved inhibition of topoisomerase IV from A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa, a 10-fold decreased inhibition of human topoisomerase II alpha, and no cross-resistance to novobiocin. Cocrystal structures of 1 in complex with Escherichia coli GyrB24 and (S)-27 in complex with A. baumannii GyrB23 and P. aeruginosa GyrB24 revealed their binding to the ATP-binding pocket of the GyrB subunit. In further optimization steps, solubility, plasma free fraction, and other ADME properties of 27 were improved by fine-tuning of lipophilicity. In particular, analogs of 27 with retained anti-Gram-negative activity and improved plasma free fraction were identified. The series was found to be nongenotoxic, nonmutagenic, devoid of mitochondrial toxicity, and possessed no ion channel liabilities.

We have developed compounds with a promising activity against Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aerugi-nosa, which are both on the WHO priority list of antibiotic -resistant bacteria. Starting from DNA gyrase inhibitor 1, we identified compound 27, featuring a 10-fold improved aqueous solubility, a 10-fold improved inhibition of topoisomerase IV from A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa, a 10-fold decreased inhibition of human topoisomerase II alpha, and no cross-resistance to novobiocin. Cocrystal structures of 1 in complex with Escherichia coli GyrB24 and (S)-27 in complex with A. baumannii GyrB23 and P. aeruginosa GyrB24 revealed their binding to the ATP-binding pocket of the GyrB subunit. In further optimization steps, solubility, plasma free fraction, and other ADME properties of 27 were improved by fine-tuning of lipophilicity. In particular, analogs of 27 with retained anti-Gram-negative activity and improved plasma free fraction were identified. The series was found to be nongenotoxic, nonmutagenic, devoid of mitochondrial toxicity, and possessed no ion channel liabilities.

We have developed compounds with a promising activity against Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aerugi-nosa, which are both on the WHO priority list of antibiotic -resistant bacteria. Starting from DNA gyrase inhibitor 1, we identified compound 27, featuring a 10-fold improved aqueous solubility, a 10-fold improved inhibition of topoisomerase IV from A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa, a 10-fold decreased inhibition of human topoisomerase II alpha, and no cross-resistance to novobiocin. Cocrystal structures of 1 in complex with Escherichia coli GyrB24 and (S)-27 in complex with A. baumannii GyrB23 and P. aeruginosa GyrB24 revealed their binding to the ATP-binding pocket of the GyrB subunit. In further optimization steps, solubility, plasma free fraction, and other ADME properties of 27 were improved by fine-tuning of lipophilicity. In particular, analogs of 27 with retained anti-Gram-negative activity and improved plasma free fraction were identified. The series was found to be nongenotoxic, nonmutagenic, devoid of mitochondrial toxicity, and possessed no ion channel liabilities.

We have developed compounds with a promising activity against Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aerugi-nosa, which are both on the WHO priority list of antibiotic -resistant bacteria. Starting from DNA gyrase inhibitor 1, we identified compound 27, featuring a 10-fold improved aqueous solubility, a 10-fold improved inhibition of topoisomerase IV from A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa, a 10-fold decreased inhibition of human topoisomerase II alpha, and no cross-resistance to novobiocin. Cocrystal structures of 1 in complex with Escherichia coli GyrB24 and (S)-27 in complex with A. baumannii GyrB23 and P. aeruginosa GyrB24 revealed their binding to the ATP-binding pocket of the GyrB subunit. In further optimization steps, solubility, plasma free fraction, and other ADME properties of 27 were improved by fine-tuning of lipophilicity. In particular, analogs of 27 with retained anti-Gram-negative activity and improved plasma free fraction were identified. The series was found to be nongenotoxic, nonmutagenic, devoid of mitochondrial toxicity, and possessed no ion channel liabilities.

We compute the renormalization group equations (RGEs) of the Standard Model effective field theory (EFT) extended with a real scalar singlet, up to dimension-five and one-loop accuracy. We compare our renormalization results with those found in the shift-symmetry preserving limit, which characterizes axion-like particles (ALPs). The matching and running equations below the electroweak scale are also obtained, including the mixing effects in the scalar sector. Such mixing leads to interesting phenomenological consequences that are absent in the EFT at the renormalizable level, namely new correlations among the triplet and quartic Higgs couplings are predicted. All RGEs obtained in this work are implemented in a new Mathematica package - ALPRunner, together with functions to solve the running numerically for an arbitrary set of UV parameters. As an application, we obtain the improved electric dipole moment constraints on particular regions of the singlet parameter space, and quantify the level of shift-breaking in these regions., Comment: 35 pages, 5 figures, 5 tables

We demonstrate that the true QCD axion that solves the strong CP problem can be found in all generality outside the customary standard QCD band, with QCD being the sole source of Peccei-Quinn breaking. The essential reason is that the basis of axion-gluon interactions does not need to coincide with the mass basis. Specifically, we consider the case in which the QCD axion field is not the only singlet scalar in Nature but it mixes with other singlet scalars (besides the $\eta'$). We determine the exact mathematical condition for an arbitrary $N$-scalar potential to be Peccei-Quinn invariant. Such potentials provide extra sources of mass for the customary axion without enlarging the Standard Model gauge symmetry. The contribution to the axion mass stemming from the QCD topological susceptibility is shown to be shared then among the $N$ axion eigenstates through a precise sum rule. Their location can only be displaced to the right of the standard QCD band. We demonstrate that the axion closest to this band can be displaced from it by a factor of $\sqrt{N}$ at most, and this corresponds to the case in which all axion signals are maximally deviated. Conversely, if one axion is found on the standard QCD band, the other eigenstates will be out of experimental reach. Our results imply that any ALP experiment which finds a signal outside the standard QCD axion band can be solving the strong CP problem within QCD, with the associated $N-1$ excitations to be found in an area of parameter space that we determine. We illustrate the results and phenomenology in some particular cases., Comment: 16 pages, 4 figures

BackgroundPeople who inject drugs living with HIV (PWIDLH) suffer the lowest rates of HIV viral suppression due to episodic injection drug use and poor mental health coupled with poor retention in HIV care. Approximately 44% of PWIDLH along the US-Mexico border are retained in care and only 24% are virally suppressed. This underserved region faces a potential explosion of transmission of HIV due to highly prevalent injection drug use. This protocol describes an optimization trial to promote sustained viral suppression among Spanish-speaking Latinx PWIDLH.MethodsThe multiphase optimization strategy (MOST) is an engineering-inspired framework for designing and building optimized interventions and guides this intervention. The primary aim is to conduct a 24 factorial experiment in which participants are randomized to one of 16 intervention conditions, with each condition comprising a different combination of four behavioral intervention components. The components are peer support for methadone uptake and persistence; behavioral activation therapy for depression; Life-Steps medication adherence counseling; and patient navigation for HIV care. Participants will complete a baseline survey, undergo intervention, and then return for 3-,6-,9-, and 12-month follow-up assessments. The primary outcome is sustained viral suppression, defined as viral loads of < 40 copies per mL at 6-,9-, and 12-month follow-up assessments. Results will yield effect sizes for each component and each additive and interactive combination of components. The research team and partners will make decisions about what constitutes the optimized multi-component intervention by judging the observed effect sizes, interactions, and statistical significance against real-world implementation constraints. The secondary aims are to test mediators and moderators of the component-to-outcome relationship at the 6-month follow-up assessment.DiscussionWe are testing well-studied and available intervention componen

The unprecedented progress in ensemble hydro-meteorological modelling and forecasting on a range of temporal and spatial scales, raises a variety of new challenges which formed the theme of the Joint Virtual Workshop, ‘Connecting global to local hydrological modelling and forecasting: challenges and scientific advances’. Held from 29 June to 1 July 2021, this workshop was co-organised by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), the Copernicus Emergency Management (CEMS) and Climate Change (C3S) Services, the Hydrological Ensemble Prediction EXperiment (HEPEX), and the Global Flood Partnership (GFP). This article aims to summarise the state-of-the-art presented at the workshop and provide an early career perspective. Recent advances in hydrological modelling and forecasting, reflections on the use of forecasts for decision-making across scales, and means to minimise new barriers to communication in the virtual format are also discussed. Thematic foci of the workshop included hydrological model development and skill assessment, uncertainty communication, forecasts for early action, co-production of services and incorporation of local knowledge, Earth observation, and data assimilation. Connecting hydrological services to societal needs and local decision-making through effective communication, capacity-building and co-production was identified as critical. Multidisciplinary collaborations emerged as crucial to effectively bring newly developed tools to practice.

Drifting Fish Aggregating Devices (dFADs) are currently made with synthetic and non-biodegradable materials contributing to the increase of marine litter and other potential ecosystem impacts. Tuna RFMOs have promoted the research and progressive replacement of existing FADs by non-entangling biodegradable FADs (bioFADs). Here, we present the results of the first large-scale biodegradable FAD project in the Indian Ocean to develop and implement the use of non-entangling biodegradable dFADs. The bioFAD tested were fully non-entangling without netting minimizing completely the risk of entanglement. Tested bioFADs significantly contribute to the reduction of the synthetic plastic-based materials, increase the use of biodegradable materials and reduce the total material weight used in FADs, reducing their overall ecosystem impacts. The results of testing 771 bioFADs in real fishing conditions, showed that the fishing performance regarding presence/absence of tuna around dFADs, first day of tuna detection, proportion of FADs occupied by tuna, biomass aggregation underneath the FADs and catch per set between bioFADs and conventional dFADs were similar. This provides support for the efficacy of bioFADs regardless of the degradation experienced by the biodegradable materials tested. Although some bioFADs lasted up to one year, the degradation of the biodegradable material was important and some bioFADs lost their original structure after the study period, suggesting the need to find alternative designs for bioFADs that will suffer less structural stress than those bioFADs made of biodegradable material but with conventional design. The lessons learnt in this large-scale trial will contribute to refining the future designs of biodegradable FADs.

The expansion of alien plant species is of global concern, yet our understanding of their dispersal mechanisms is limited. Here we address the potential of alien plant seeds to disperse via ingestion, transport and egestion in waterfowl (endozoochory). Based on their general rapid expansions, we expected alien plant species to have several advantages for endozoochory compared to native plant species. We hypothesised that seeds of alien species would have higher passage rate, longer gut retention times, higher germinability after gut passage and shorter time-to-germination after egestion by waterfowl. In order to test our hypotheses, we compared the endozoochorous dispersal ability of six pairs of congeneric alien and native wetland plant species in a feeding experiment with mallards (Anas platyrhynchos). We focused on differences in seed survival, gut retention time, germinability and time-to-germination. In the analyses we corrected for seed shape and volume as these seed traits are known to have important effects. With gut passage, alien species had higher passage rates and germinated slower, whereas native species had shorter retention times and greater germinability. Controlling for seed traits did not alter these conclusions, but seed traits affected all aspects of the endozoochory process. This suggests that alien species may have particular traits correlated with a higher endozoochory potential. Among control seeds, alien seeds germinated faster and their germinability was higher than natives. Seed traits explained differences in germinability and time-to-germination in control seeds. Seeds of alien plant species have traits that correlate with successful endozoochory. This may provide alien species with a competitive advantage over native plant species by ensuring higher endozoochory rates in new environments, potentially enabling their rapid expansions. Our study underlines the important role of seed traits in the endozoochory potential

In 2010, the WHO recommended an increase in the daily doses of first-line anti-tuberculosis medicines in children. We aim to characterize the pharmacokinetics of the once-daily isoniazid (INH) dose at 10 mg/kg of body weight in infants <6 months of age. We performed a multicenter pharmacokinetic study in Spain. The N-acetyltransferase 2 gene was analyzed to determine the acetylation status. Samples were analyzed using a validated UPLC-UV assay. A non-compartmental pharmacokinetic analysis was performed. Twenty-three pharmacokinetic profiles were performed in 20 infants (8 females) at a median (IQR) age of 19.0 (12.6-23.3) weeks. The acetylator statuses were homozygous fast (n = 1), heterozygous intermediate (n = 12), and homozygous slow (n = 7). INH median (IQR) Cmax and AUC0-24h values were 4.8 (3.7-6.7) mg/L and 23.5 (13.4-36.7) h*mg/L and the adult targets (>3 mg/L and 11.6-26.3 h*mg/L) were not reached in three and five cases, respectively. The age at assessment or acetylator status had no impact on Cmax values, but a larger INH AUC0-24h (p = 0.025) and trends towards a longer half-life (p = 0.055) and slower clearance (p = 0.070) were observed in homozygous slow acetylators. Treatment was well tolerated; mildly elevated alanine aminotransferase levels were observed in three cases. In our series of young infants receiving isoniazid, no major safety concerns were raised, and the target adult levels were reached in most patients.

We have developed compounds with a promising activity against Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aerugi-nosa, which are both on the WHO priority list of antibiotic -resistant bacteria. Starting from DNA gyrase inhibitor 1, we identified compound 27, featuring a 10-fold improved aqueous solubility, a 10-fold improved inhibition of topoisomerase IV from A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa, a 10-fold decreased inhibition of human topoisomerase II alpha, and no cross-resistance to novobiocin. Cocrystal structures of 1 in complex with Escherichia coli GyrB24 and (S)-27 in complex with A. baumannii GyrB23 and P. aeruginosa GyrB24 revealed their binding to the ATP-binding pocket of the GyrB subunit. In further optimization steps, solubility, plasma free fraction, and other ADME properties of 27 were improved by fine-tuning of lipophilicity. In particular, analogs of 27 with retained anti-Gram-negative activity and improved plasma free fraction were identified. The series was found to be nongenotoxic, nonmutagenic, devoid of mitochondrial toxicity, and possessed no ion channel liabilities.

Biosurfactants are metabolites produced by animals, plants and microorganisms that have an amphipathic structure and can act as surfactants or emulsifiers. These molecules also have varied biological properties, with antimicrobial, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, larvicidal effects, among others. In addition, they are products with physicochemical properties similar to or better than synthetic surfactants and ecofriendly characteristics, such as high biodegradability, low toxicity and biocompatibility. In recent years, microbial biosurfactants highlighted in several studies and also in industry, due to their physicochemical and biological characteristics, being applied mainly in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food, environmental and agricultural products. Despite being applied industrially, the biosurfactant production on a large scale still presents some problems, mainly related to raw materials, which increases the costs of the final product. Because of this, production in the context of biorefineries is a sustainable and promising alternative for biosurfactants. Biorefineries are industrial installations that combine biotechnological, physical and chemical processes to obtain products of economic interest from renewable raw materials, such as biomass and agro-industrial residues. The production of biosurfactants in biorefineries has significant advantages over conventional approaches, such as greater efficiency, lower environmental impact and economic viability. Based on these aspects, this chapter will briefly present topics of fundamental importance for the production of biosurfactants in the context of biorefineries. The main by-products that can be used as raw materials in biorefineries aiming at the production of biosurfactants, the most used microorganisms and the particularities of the production of biosurfactants in lignocellulosic, oleaginous, biodiesel and starchy biorefineries will be discussed.

Omnivorous waterbirds play an important role in aquatic ecosystems as dispersal vectors via direct ingestion, transportation, and egestion of plant and invertebrate propagules (i.e. endozoochory). Predatory birds also have the potential to disperse plants and invertebrates that were first carried internally or externally by their prey animals. However, the potential contribution of predatory waterbird species to propagule dispersal in aquatic ecosystems remains understudied. We chose the grey heron Ardea cinerea (Ardeidae) to study the potential of predatory waterbirds to disperse propagules within and among aquatic ecosystems. We hypothesised that: (1) herons disperse a wide variety of plant and invertebrate propagules, from different habitats, with different morphologies (i.e. dispersal syndromes), and including both native and alien species; (2) propagules are ingested with prey species that are primary dispersal vectors (i.e., herons are secondary dispersers); (3) heron pellets show a similar abundance and richness of propagules across their widespread range. We collected 73 regurgitated heron pellets containing undigestible remains from 12 locations across the U.K. and The Netherlands, and examined the taxonomic diversity of plant seeds, invertebrates and prey remains. Pellets were dominated by mammal hairs (99% by volume), and bones confirmed the ingestion of small mammals (prevalence of 38%, e.g. water voles Arvicola amphibius), fish (14%), and birds or amphibians (6%). A total of 266 intact plant seeds were recovered from 71% of the pellets, representing 50 taxa from 17 plant families, including the alien Cotula coronopifolia. The cumulative number of plant species dispersed was lower at higher latitudes. Eight plant species recorded had not previously been recorded as dispersed via waterbirds, and only three species have an endozoochorous dispersal syndrome. Plant taxa were dominated by Caryophyllaceae, Cyperaceae, Juncaceae, and Poaceae, with 24 species

This paper reports a study of the experimental signatures of hierarchical sectors beyond the Standard Model characterized by a flavor-violating heavy vector and a set of light pseudo-Goldstone bosons $a_{1,2}$, spanning a large range of lifetimes. The non-minimal scalar spectrum triggers novel $B$ decays into multiple leptons that would have escaped the reach of current searches. Novel displaced vertex analyses at LHCb are therefore discussed to probe the hierarchical new physics, extending the scope of the tracking system of the detector. Additionally, the reach of the proposed CODEX-b experiment is studied as well. By exploiting the use of tracks only reconstructed in subsystems of the detector at the high-level LHCb trigger, ${\mathcal{B}(B_s^0\to a_1 a_2) < 10^{-8}}$ and ${\mathcal{B}(B^+\to K^+ a_1 a_2) < 10^{-9}}$ could be reached in the muon channel across seven orders of magnitude in the lifetime of the Goldstone bosons. Correspondingly, heavy-light particle couplings of order $\lesssim 1$ could be tested, potentially ruling out composite Higgs scenarios where the heavy and light sectors couple strongly., Comment: 28 pages, 11 figures and an appendix with two chapters, submitted to JHEP

Single-layer semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides (2H-TMDs) display robust excitonic photoluminescence emission, which can be improved by controlled changes to the environment and the chemical potential of the material. However, a drastic emission quench has been generally observed when TMDs are stacked in van der Waals heterostructures, which often favor the nonradiative recombination of photocarriers. Herein, we achieve an enhancement of the photoluminescence of single-layer MoS2 on top of van der Waals FePS3. The optimal energy band alignment of this heterostructure preserves light emission of MoS2 against nonradiative interlayer recombination processes and favors the charge transfer from MoS2, an n-type semiconductor, to FePS3, a p-type narrow-gap semiconductor. The strong depletion of carriers in the MoS2 layer is evidenced by a dramatic increase in the spectral weight of neutral excitons, which is strongly modulated by the thickness of the FePS3 underneath, leading to the increase of photoluminescence intensity. The present results demonstrate the potential for the rational design of van der Waals heterostructures with advanced optoelectronic properties.

This study analyzes the quality of occupational health and safety (OSH)disclosures and their determinants, taking as a sample the reports of 101European Union companies included in the official database of theGlobal Reporting Initiative (GRI), for the year 2018. Content analysisallowed the construction of the quality index of companies OSH disclosures,which was used later as a dependent variable on the one-way ANOVA andmultiple linear regression models. We have concluded that the quality ofOSH disclosures is, on average, 12 points out of 30, which is significantlyinfluenced by three determinants: the region of Europe, certification in theOSH management system and the holding of an external guarantee inreports. There is a higher quality in Northern Europe, followed by SouthernEurope, compared to Central and Eastern Europe and Western Europe., Este estudo analisa a qualidade das divulgações de saúde e segurança no trabalho (SST) e as suasdeterminantes, tendo como amostra os relatórios de 101 empresas da União Europeia (UE) integrantesda base de dados oficial da Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), para o ano de 2018. A análise de conteúdopermitiu a construção do índice de qualidade das divulgações de SST das empresas, posteriormenteutilizado como variável dependente dos modelos ANOVA de um fator e de regressão linear múltipla.Concluiu-se que a qualidade das divulgações de SST é, em média, de 12 pontos em 30, sendosignificativamente influenciada por três determinantes: a região da Europa, a certificação no sistemade gestão de SST e a detenção de garantia externa nos relatórios. Verificou-se a maior qualidade naregião do Norte da Europa, seguindo-se a do Sul da Europa, em face à da Europa Central e Orientale à Europa Ocidental., Este estudio analiza la calidad de las divulgaciones de seguridad y saluden el trabajo (SST) y sus determinantes, utilizando como muestra losinformes de 101 empresas de la Unión Europea incluidos en la base dedatos oficial de la Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) para el año 2018.El análisis de contenido permitió la construcción del índice de calidadde las divulgaciones de SST de las empresas, utilizado posteriormentecomo variable dependiente del ANOVA de un factor y de los modelosde regresión lineal múltiple. Se ha concluido que la calidad de lasdivulgaciones SST es, en promedio, de 12 puntos sobre 30 y que estáinfluenciada significativamente por tres determinantes: la región europea,la certificación en el sistema de gestión de SST y la tenencia de una garantíaexterna en los informes. Se ha registrado una calidad más alta en el Nortede Europa, seguida por el Sur de Europa, en comparación con EuropaCentral y Oriental y Europa Occidental.

The presentation of this article focuses on the study of transformational leadership as a means to develop educational management based on the behavior of a leader in a formative and ethical sense, with the purpose of managing, in conjunction with all educational actors, the improvement in education institutional educational quality, because the transformation is planned and projected as an educational training project. The objective of this document is based on the presentation of strategies that will promote transformational leadership in the face of educational management to guarantee the good professional performance of the director of the “Heroes del Cenepa” school in the city of Machala. For this study, the mixed approach was applied, which helped in the collection and analysis of data, for which, the survey, the virtual interview technique was applied, with a series of open questions for the manager and the survey with a questionnaire digital for teachers, with the Likert-type scale, the population and sample is made up of the manager and the 20 teachers assigned for the 2021-2022 school year, the statistical treatment used is an Excel matrix generated by the Google Forms tool. In this way, the results allowed to contribute to the conclusions, recommendations and proposal of this article that aims to promote changes towards a transformational leadership in educational management to improve the quality of the teaching and learning process., La presentación de este artículo se centra en el estudio del liderazgo transformacional como medio para desarrollar la gestión educativa a partir del comportamiento de un líder en un sentido formativo y ético, con el propósito de gestionar en unión con todos los actores educativos la mejora en la calidad educativa institucional, porque la transformación se planifica y se proyecta como un proyecto de formación educativa. El objetivo de este documento se basa en la exposición de estrategias que van a promover el liderazgo transformacional ante la gestión educativa para garantizar el buen desempeño profesional del directivo de la escuela “Héroes del Cenepa” de la ciudad de Machala. Para este estudio se aplicó el enfoque mixto, que ayudó en la recolección y análisis de datos, para lo cual, se aplicó la encuesta, la técnica de la entrevista virtual, con una serie de preguntas abiertas para el directivo y la encuesta con un cuestionario digital para los docentes, con la escala tipo Likert, la población y muestra está constituida por el directivo y los 20 docentes adscritos para el año escolar 2021-2022, el tratamiento estadístico utilizado es una matriz Excel generada por la herramienta Google Forms. De esta manera los resultados permitieron contribuir con las conclusiones, recomendaciones y propuesta de este artículo que tiene como finalidad promover cambios hacia un liderazgo transformacional en la gestión educativa para mejorar la calidad del proceso enseñanza y aprendizaje.

This study analyzes the quality of occupational health and safety (OSH)disclosures and their determinants, taking as a sample the reports of 101European Union companies included in the official database of theGlobal Reporting Initiative (GRI), for the year 2018. Content analysisallowed the construction of the quality index of companies OSH disclosures,which was used later as a dependent variable on the one-way ANOVA andmultiple linear regression models. We have concluded that the quality ofOSH disclosures is, on average, 12 points out of 30, which is significantlyinfluenced by three determinants: the region of Europe, certification in theOSH management system and the holding of an external guarantee inreports. There is a higher quality in Northern Europe, followed by SouthernEurope, compared to Central and Eastern Europe and Western Europe., Este estudo analisa a qualidade das divulgações de saúde e segurança no trabalho (SST) e as suasdeterminantes, tendo como amostra os relatórios de 101 empresas da União Europeia (UE) integrantesda base de dados oficial da Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), para o ano de 2018. A análise de conteúdopermitiu a construção do índice de qualidade das divulgações de SST das empresas, posteriormenteutilizado como variável dependente dos modelos ANOVA de um fator e de regressão linear múltipla.Concluiu-se que a qualidade das divulgações de SST é, em média, de 12 pontos em 30, sendosignificativamente influenciada por três determinantes: a região da Europa, a certificação no sistemade gestão de SST e a detenção de garantia externa nos relatórios. Verificou-se a maior qualidade naregião do Norte da Europa, seguindo-se a do Sul da Europa, em face à da Europa Central e Orientale à Europa Ocidental., Este estudio analiza la calidad de las divulgaciones de seguridad y saluden el trabajo (SST) y sus determinantes, utilizando como muestra losinformes de 101 empresas de la Unión Europea incluidos en la base dedatos oficial de la Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) para el año 2018.El análisis de contenido permitió la construcción del índice de calidadde las divulgaciones de SST de las empresas, utilizado posteriormentecomo variable dependiente del ANOVA de un factor y de los modelosde regresión lineal múltiple. Se ha concluido que la calidad de lasdivulgaciones SST es, en promedio, de 12 puntos sobre 30 y que estáinfluenciada significativamente por tres determinantes: la región europea,la certificación en el sistema de gestión de SST y la tenencia de una garantíaexterna en los informes. Se ha registrado una calidad más alta en el Nortede Europa, seguida por el Sur de Europa, en comparación con EuropaCentral y Oriental y Europa Occidental.

The presentation of this article focuses on the study of transformational leadership as a means to develop educational management based on the behavior of a leader in a formative and ethical sense, with the purpose of managing, in conjunction with all educational actors, the improvement in education institutional educational quality, because the transformation is planned and projected as an educational training project. The objective of this document is based on the presentation of strategies that will promote transformational leadership in the face of educational management to guarantee the good professional performance of the director of the “Heroes del Cenepa” school in the city of Machala. For this study, the mixed approach was applied, which helped in the collection and analysis of data, for which, the survey, the virtual interview technique was applied, with a series of open questions for the manager and the survey with a questionnaire digital for teachers, with the Likert-type scale, the population and sample is made up of the manager and the 20 teachers assigned for the 2021-2022 school year, the statistical treatment used is an Excel matrix generated by the Google Forms tool. In this way, the results allowed to contribute to the conclusions, recommendations and proposal of this article that aims to promote changes towards a transformational leadership in educational management to improve the quality of the teaching and learning process., La presentación de este artículo se centra en el estudio del liderazgo transformacional como medio para desarrollar la gestión educativa a partir del comportamiento de un líder en un sentido formativo y ético, con el propósito de gestionar en unión con todos los actores educativos la mejora en la calidad educativa institucional, porque la transformación se planifica y se proyecta como un proyecto de formación educativa. El objetivo de este documento se basa en la exposición de estrategias que van a promover el liderazgo transformacional ante la gestión educativa para garantizar el buen desempeño profesional del directivo de la escuela “Héroes del Cenepa” de la ciudad de Machala. Para este estudio se aplicó el enfoque mixto, que ayudó en la recolección y análisis de datos, para lo cual, se aplicó la encuesta, la técnica de la entrevista virtual, con una serie de preguntas abiertas para el directivo y la encuesta con un cuestionario digital para los docentes, con la escala tipo Likert, la población y muestra está constituida por el directivo y los 20 docentes adscritos para el año escolar 2021-2022, el tratamiento estadístico utilizado es una matriz Excel generada por la herramienta Google Forms. De esta manera los resultados permitieron contribuir con las conclusiones, recomendaciones y propuesta de este artículo que tiene como finalidad promover cambios hacia un liderazgo transformacional en la gestión educativa para mejorar la calidad del proceso enseñanza y aprendizaje.

The neutral $B$-anomalies are analysed in terms of the tree-level exchange of a (pseudo)scalar gauge singlet $a$. Solutions to both $R_{K^{(*)}}$ central bin anomalies are found within $1\sigma$ for ${m_{a}^2 \in [{1.1},\,{6}]\,\text{GeV}^2}$, while the low $q^2$-bin anomaly can also be accounted for with masses close to the bin threshold. The impact of these solutions on other ${b\to s e^+ e^-}$ observables is discussed in detail. Due to the $\mathit{on\text{-}shell}$ enhancement, sizable effects are expected in null tests of the SM, such as the flat term, $F_H$, of the $B\to K e^+ e^-$ angular distribution. At the same time, the observable sensitive to the $K^\ast$ polarisation, $F_L\, (B\to K^* e^+ e^-)$, and the lepton forward-backward asymmetry, ${A_{FB}\, (B\to K^* e^+ e^-)}$, can be suppressed with respect to their SM values. Corrections from the new physics to $\mathcal{B}(B_s \to e^+ e^-)$ are, on the other hand, negligible. Along with the previous observables, improved measurements of the cross section ${\sigma (e^+ e^- \to a (e^+ e^-) \gamma)}$ could potentially probe the relevant parameter space of the model. A comparison between our results and those stemming from an axion-like particle exchange is also discussed, showing that the exchange of a general scalar singlet offers a noticeably wider parameter space., Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures

Knowing that the Internet has opened doors to information and to the possibility of ubiquitous communication, there is now a need to review ways of teaching and learning. Learning to learn assumes a significant predominance in the methodological design due to the centrality of the student in the learning process. In this sense, this study aims to understand the approach “Made by them to them: the students in the learning process” in early childhood, assuming that it 1) activates prior knowledge; 2) promotes personal and collaborative efforts in the construction of the didactic resource; 3) creates emotion in the learning process. This is a multiple case study in different educational contexts and levels whose data collection was carried out by analyzing reflective narratives carried out by intern students from higher education institutions in public and private institutions. The results suggest that this approach, in addition to activating prior knowledge that is important for the construction of a robust structure of knowledge and significantly involving children in an emotional process of well-being, stimulates the natural articulation of knowledge in an inclusive environment. We conclude that situated and contextualized learning in a growing process of child involvement facilitates the understanding of reality and promotes inclusion and the construction of complex thoughts

Positive personal characteristics such as happiness or wellbeing can motivate students to elevate their school performance in higher education. Orientation to happiness is a construct that combines three sources of happiness: pleasure, meaning, and engagement, all of which have been identified as a predictor of university student’s engagement. However, most research in this area has been conducted during ideal situations or face-to-face education, and no cross-country research has been published examining the relationship between these two concepts during the COVID-19 era, where online education was predominant. This study aimed to investigate the relation between orientation to happiness and student engagement after twelve months of distance education in a sample of 1723 students from six American countries, including the USA, Mexico, El Salvador, Colombia, Peru, and the Dominican Republic. Results indicate that university student´s' engagement is influenced by the orientation to happiness. Further implications of these results are discussed., Los aspectos personales positivos pueden mejorar el desempeño de los estudiantes en actividades académicas. Las orientaciones a la felicidad es un constructo que combina tres vías a la felicidad: placer, significado y compromiso. Este factor se ha descritocomo un predictor del compromiso estudiantil en universitarios. Sin embargo, la relación entre estos dos conceptos necesita ser estudiada en la era de COVID-19, donde predomina la educación a distancia. El objetivo del presente estudio fue establecer la relación directa entre las orientaciones a la felicidad y el compromiso de estudiantes después de 12 meses en educación a distancia, en una muestra conformada por alumnos de seis países americanos. El instrumento fue contestado por 1723 universitarios de EUA, México, El Salvador, Colombia, Perú y la República Dominicana. Los resultados indican que el compromiso de los estudiantes está influenciado por las orientaciones a la felicidad. Las posibles implicaciones de estos resultados se presentan.

Positive psychology is vital in increasing prosocial behavior and reducing bullying. However, limited studies have analyzed the influence of positive personal characteristics on the prosocial behaviors of bystanders in bullying. The present study examined direct and indirect relationships between spirituality, happiness, altruism, and prosocial bystander behavior in bullying. Participants in this study were 685 students from Northwestern Mexico; 51% were male and 49% female, between 12 and 18 years old (M = 14.3 years, SD = 1.68). A structural equation model (SEM) was calculated. The results indicate that happiness and altruism were related to prosocial bystander behavior. Spirituality and happiness have an indirect relationship by increasing prosocial bystander behavior through the positive effects of altruism. The SEM explained 48% of the variance of the prosocial bystander. The implications for improving defensive behavior in bullying and reducing school violence are discussed.

The number of species in Aspergillus section Flavi has recently increased to 36 and includes some of the most important and well-known species in the genus Aspergillus. Numerous secondary metabolites, especially mycotoxins, have been reported from species such as A. flavus; however many of the more recently described species are less studied from a chemical point of view. This paper describes the use of MS/MS-based molecular networking to investigate the metabolome of A. caelatus leading to the discovery of several new diketopiperazine dimers and aspergillicins. An MS-guided isolation procedure yielded six new compounds, including asperazines D-H (1-5) and aspergillicin H (6). Asperazines G and H are artifacts derived from asperazines E and F formed during the separation process by formic acid. Two known compounds, aspergillicins A and C (7 and 8), were isolated from the same strain. Structures were elucidated by analyzing their HR-MS/MS and NMR spectroscopic data. The absolute configuration of asperazines D-F and aspergillicin H were deduced from the combination of NMR, Marfey's method, and ECD analyses.

The world has turned its efforts to adapt to the new working conditions demanded by the current pandemic situation. Therefore the present study aims to identify the current working conditions of teachers through a qualitative-descriptive design with a dataanalysis matrix that allows identifying the main current working conditions, their advantages and disadvantages. In conclusion, it is observed that, although teleworking has been the main form of work, the conditions of workers must still be guaranteed, El mundo ha volcado su esfuerzo para lograr adaptarse a las nuevas condiciones laborales que demanda la situación actual de pandemia. Es por esto por lo que, el presente estudio pretende identificar las condiciones laborales actuales de los docentes a través de un diseño cualitativo-descriptivo con una matriz de análisis de datos que permita identificar las principales condiciones laborales actuales, sus ventajas y desventajas. En conclusión, se observa que, si bien el teletrabajo ha sido la principal modalidad de trabajo, aún deben garantizarse las condiciones de los trabajadores.

Como objeto cultural único, singular e irrepetible, el aspecto material de un códice manuscrito puede proporcionar datos reveladores para la ecdótica y la crítica del texto. Este volumen representa una aproximación a la dimensión material de los cancioneros manuscritos gallego-portugueses. Las cuestiones que se atienden alcanzan repercusión en un más afinado reconocimiento crítico de la transmisión textual y en la actividad editorial.

The neutral $B$-anomalies are analysed in terms of the tree-level exchange of a (pseudo)scalar gauge singlet $a$. Solutions to both $R_{K^{(*)}}$ central bin anomalies are found within $1\sigma$ for ${m_{a}^2 \in [{1.1},\,{6}]\,\text{GeV}^2}$, while the low $q^2$-bin anomaly can also be accounted for with masses close to the bin threshold. The impact of these solutions on other ${b\to s e^+ e^-}$ observables is discussed in detail. Due to the $\mathit{on\text{-}shell}$ enhancement, sizable effects are expected in null tests of the SM, such as the flat term, $F_H$, of the $B\to K e^+ e^-$ angular distribution. At the same time, the observable sensitive to the $K^\ast$ polarisation, $F_L\, (B\to K^* e^+ e^-)$, and the lepton forward-backward asymmetry, ${A_{FB}\, (B\to K^* e^+ e^-)}$, can be suppressed with respect to their SM values. Corrections from the new physics to $\mathcal{B}(B_s \to e^+ e^-)$ are, on the other hand, negligible. Along with the previous observables, improved measurements of the cross section ${\sigma (e^+ e^- \to a (e^+ e^-) \gamma)}$ could potentially probe the relevant parameter space of the model. A comparison between our results and those stemming from an axion-like particle exchange is also discussed, showing that the exchange of a general scalar singlet offers a noticeably wider parameter space., Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures

Omnivorous waterbirds play an important role in aquatic ecosystems as dispersal vectors via direct ingestion, transportation, and egestion of plant and invertebrate propagules (i.e. endozoochory). Predatory birds also have the potential to disperse plants and invertebrates that were first carried internally or externally by their prey animals. However, the potential contribution of predatory waterbird species to propagule dispersal in aquatic ecosystems remains understudied. We chose the grey heron Ardea cinerea (Ardeidae) to study the potential of predatory waterbirds to disperse propagules within and among aquatic ecosystems. We hypothesised that: (1) herons disperse a wide variety of plant and invertebrate propagules, from different habitats, with different morphologies (i.e. dispersal syndromes), and including both native and alien species; (2) propagules are ingested with prey species that are primary dispersal vectors (i.e., herons are secondary dispersers); (3) heron pellets show a similar abundance and richness of propagules across their widespread range. We collected 73 regurgitated heron pellets containing undigestible remains from 12 locations across the U.K. and The Netherlands, and examined the taxonomic diversity of plant seeds, invertebrates and prey remains. Pellets were dominated by mammal hairs (99% by volume), and bones confirmed the ingestion of small mammals (prevalence of 38%, e.g. water voles Arvicola amphibius), fish (14%), and birds or amphibians (6%). A total of 266 intact plant seeds were recovered from 71% of the pellets, representing 50 taxa from 17 plant families, including the alien Cotula coronopifolia. The cumulative number of plant species dispersed was lower at higher latitudes. Eight plant species recorded had not previously been recorded as dispersed via waterbirds, and only three species have an endozoochorous dispersal syndrome. Plant taxa were dominated by Caryophyllaceae, Cyperaceae, Juncaceae, and Poaceae, with 24 species

Single-layer semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides (2H-TMDs) display robust excitonic photoluminescence emission, which can be improved by controlled changes to the environment and the chemical potential of the material. However, a drastic emission quench has been generally observed when TMDs are stacked in van der Waals heterostructures, which often favor the nonradiative recombination of photocarriers. Herein, we achieve an enhancement of the photoluminescence of single-layer MoS2 on top of van der Waals FePS3. The optimal energy band alignment of this heterostructure preserves light emission of MoS2 against nonradiative interlayer recombination processes and favors the charge transfer from MoS2, an n-type semiconductor, to FePS3, a p-type narrow-gap semiconductor. The strong depletion of carriers in the MoS2 layer is evidenced by a dramatic increase in the spectral weight of neutral excitons, which is strongly modulated by the thickness of the FePS3 underneath, leading to the increase of photoluminescence intensity. The present results demonstrate the potential for the rational design of van der Waals heterostructures with advanced optoelectronic properties.

Study Region: Forty-one river basins in Brazil and neighboring countries in South America. Study Focus: In large river basins, on countrywide or continental scales, it is often difficult to have consistent and accurate long time series of spatially distributed precipitation data available. However, these are needed to calibrate hydrological models and to run hydrological simulations continuously in real-time streamflow forecasting. In this study, we assess two real-time precipitation products based on rain gauges and satellite data (TRMM-MERGE and CPC-NOAA) for their use in streamflow forecasting in the hydropower sector in Brazil. To take advantage of each precipitation data source and derive a unique dataset, a methodology is proposed to combine, extend, and validate the datasets. We consider the discharges at the river basin outlets as an independent and robust reference for hydrological applications. Observed discharges are used to quantify precipitation uncertainties and to weight the blending, while discharges obtained from hydrological modeling are used to validate the final precipitation product. New Hydrological Insights for the Region: The proposed blending method, which uses the uncertainty of the original datasets to define the weighting factors, was efficient in generating a precipitation product that performs better than each dataset separately when used to force a hydrological model. The use of the double-mass curve correlation to extend the time series of the datasets beyond their common period allowed us to produce long time series of precipitation for South American basins and hydrological applications. The study shows that it is possible to rely on river discharge data and hydrological modeling to select and combine different precipitation products in the region and presents a step-by-step methodology to do so.

This paper reports a study of the experimental signatures of hierarchical sectors beyond the Standard Model characterized by a flavor-violating heavy vector and a set of light pseudo-Goldstone bosons $a_{1,2}$, spanning a large range of lifetimes. The non-minimal scalar spectrum triggers novel $B$ decays into multiple leptons that would have escaped the reach of current searches. Novel displaced vertex analyses at LHCb are therefore discussed to probe the hierarchical new physics, extending the scope of the tracking system of the detector. Additionally, the reach of the proposed CODEX-b experiment is studied as well. By exploiting the use of tracks only reconstructed in subsystems of the detector at the high-level LHCb trigger, ${\mathcal{B}(B_s^0\to a_1 a_2) < 10^{-8}}$ and ${\mathcal{B}(B^+\to K^+ a_1 a_2) < 10^{-9}}$ could be reached in the muon channel across seven orders of magnitude in the lifetime of the Goldstone bosons. Correspondingly, heavy-light particle couplings of order $\lesssim 1$ could be tested, potentially ruling out composite Higgs scenarios where the heavy and light sectors couple strongly., Comment: 28 pages, 11 figures and an appendix with two chapters, submitted to JHEP

Erosion causes significant soil and nutrient losses that can reach streams and degrade habitats. Phosphorus (P) is among the nutrients of greatest concern for water pollution. Due to the increase in the number of storm events over the last decade, which could rise further under climate change scenarios, a more in-depth analysis of the effect of rainfall on the behaviour of P in fragile environments is needed. Little is known about the mobilisation and export of P in mountainous Mediterranean agroecosystems. To contribute to this knowledge, this research analysed the variability of P in the sediments of streambeds of different orders in an agroforestry area of the Northern Ebro Basin (Aragón, Spain) following an exceptional rainfall event; the implications of different land uses were also explored. Sediment composition was assessed before and after the rainfall event in three nested subcatchments and then related to soil properties. Phosphorus was mostly linked to the mineral fraction (mainly to silicates), while the links between P with clay and organic matter (P-clay, P-OM) were very weak. The P-OM links occurred only in the soils of forested areas. Agricultural lands, which are prone to erosion and had the highest P concentrations, contribute to P release. However, the streambeds and the lateral erosion of channel banks by floods triggered by the rainfall event should be considered as the main contributors to the export of P. The high intensity rainfall event led to 35% and 60% reductions in clay and OM, respectively, and to an enrichment of P in the sediments, the concentrations of which were lower in the headwaters than downstream. This means that the P in streambeds remains exposed in relatively high concentrations following extreme rainfall events with implications for the P cycle and water pollution.

The membrane-active nature of phospholipase A2-derived peptides makes them potential candidates for antineoplastic and antibacterial therapies. Two short 13-mer C-terminal fragments taken from snake venom Lys49-PLA2 toxins (p-AppK and p-Acl), differing by a leucine/phenylalanine substitution, were synthesized and their bioactivity was evaluated. Their capacity to interfere with the survival of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as well as with solid and liquid tumors was assessed in vitro. Toxicity to red blood cells was investigated via in silico and in vitro techniques. The mode of action was mainly studied by molecular dynamics simulations and membrane permeabilization assays. Briefly, both peptides have dual activity, i.e., they act against both bacteria, including multidrug-resistant strains and tumor cells. All tested bacteria were susceptible to both peptides, Pseudomonas aeruginosa being the most affected. RAMOS, K562, NB4, and CEM cells were the main leukemic targets of the peptides. In general, p-Acl showed more significant activity, suggesting that phenylalanine confers advantages to the antibacterial and antitumor mechanism, particularly for osteosarcoma lines (HOS and MG63). Peptide-based treatment increased the uptake of a DNA-intercalating dye by bacteria, suggesting membrane damage. Indeed, p-AppK and p-Acl did not disrupt erythrocyte membranes, in agreement with in silico predictions. The latter revealed that the peptides deform the membrane and increase its permeability by facilitating solvent penetration. This phenomenon is expected to catalyze the permeation of solutes that otherwise could not cross the hydrophobic membrane core. In conclusion, the present study highlights the role of a single amino acid substitution present in natural sequences towards the development of dual-action agents. In other words, dissecting and fine-tuning biomembrane remodeling proteins, such as snake venom phospholipase A2 isoforms, is again demonstrated as a v