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BACKGROUND: TB in low-incidence countries is characterised by changes in age distribution towards larger numbers of cases among the elderly.OBJECTIVES: To investigate clinical features and outcomes of TB treatment in older patients and identify predictors of poor outcome.METHODS: Multicentre retrospective study of new TB cases from 53 hospitals included in the registry of the Integrated Tuberculosis Research Programme of the Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery (Sociedad Española de Neumología y Cirugía Torácica) between 2006 and 2020.RESULTS: We identified 731 patients aged ≥75 years from a cohort of 7,505 patients with TB. In the elderly, weight loss, disseminated disease and normal X-rays or infiltrates without cavitation were more common. All-cause mortality was 16% (5% of deaths due to TB). The elderly had higher rates of toxicity (6.7%) and hospital admissions (36%). In the multivariate analysis of predictors of TB mortality in ≥75-year-olds, only weight, age and treatment with non-standard regimens remained significant.CONCLUSIONS: TB in older patients needs more attention and remains a challenge because of a lack of specific clinical and radiological features. Standard treatment is effective, although mortality is higher than in young patients. Low weight, non-standard regimens and age are significant predictors of TB mortality

Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background Falls are the leading cause of injury-related morbidity and mortality among older adults in the United States, including those with cardiovascular disease. Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) helps to optimize functional capacity, strength, and balance in patients with cardiovascular disease and, in theory, may reduce the risk of falls. However, little evidence has been published in this regard. Purpose The purpose of this study was to assess the association between CR participation and risk of falls in a community-based sample of individuals 65 years of age and older with cardiovascular disease who were eligible for CR participation. Methods Individuals from Southeastern MN and Western WI, USA, 65 years of age and older who had experienced a cardiovascular event that qualified them for CR (MI, PCI, CABG, Valve Surgery, Transplant) between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2018, were included in this study. Participation in CR (≥1 sessions, CR-group) and subsequent falls (moderate or severe, using the Campbell classification system) were ascertained using the Rochester Epidemiology Project records-linkage system. Logistic model to create propensity weighting were used to test the association between CR participation and falls after adjustment for potentially confounding factors. Results A total of 5004 individuals met inclusion criteria for the study, with 2183 (44%) included in the CR group and 2821 (56%) in the non-CR group (CR was indicated, but the individual did not participate). Overall, 1122 patients experienced a fall within the first 5 years (16% of those in the CR-group, 23% of those in the non-CR group). After adjustment, CR participation was not associated with falls, but older individuals, females, and those with a history of falls were more likely to have had a fall, compared to young individuals, males, and those without a history of a fall. Conclusions While CR is beneficial for patients with cardiovascular disease, our study did not find evidence of an association between CR participation and fall risk in individuals 65 years of age and older who have cardiovascular disease. Additional research is needed to evaluate the role of CR components that may potentially reduce modifiable risk factors for falls and thereby reduce the risk of falls.

Alumina (Al2O3) is an advanced ceramic material developed for different applications as refractories, precision tools, pacemaker, etc. Solid state sintering of alumina or matrix ceramic composites (CMCs) compacts starts from powders. Once method to produce high quality aluminum oxide powders is the sol-gel technique. Alumina begins as pseudo-crystallized aluminum hydroxide gel which is produced under moderate reaction conditions trough a colloidal suspension. In this work, Al2O3 powder was produced by precipitation of pseudoboehmite (PB) through sol-gel process. Subsequently, a mixture of Al2O3/SiC powders with 5 wt.% of SiC as reinforcement was produced. This mixture was used to manufacture green compacts by uniaxial pressing at 440 MPa. Afterward, some samples were applied a heat treatment (pre-sintered) at 1200°C for 6 h in air. Sintering was carried out in a vertical dilatometer Linseis L75 V up to 1500°C for 2h under argon atmosphere. Pseudobohemite, alumina powders and Al2O3/SiC composites were characterized through X-ray diffraction technique and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Dilatometric shrinkage data into densification curves obtained were analyzed. Images obtained with SEM showed a uniform Al2O3 powder morphology of submicron size, otherwise Al2O3/SiC composite images showed the interaction of the reinforcement particles on the ceramic matrix. Experimental results demonstrated the pre-sintering reduce the decomposition of SiC particles on the compact surface. This behavior was attributed to formation of SiO2 around the reinforcement particle due it act as protective barrier.

This research aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of essential oils (EOs) against clinically and environmentally isolated Salmonella serotypes. Oregano, thyme, and grapefruit EO compounds were identified, and the antimicrobial activity was evaluated against the S. Saintpaul, Oranienburg, and Infantis serotypes. In addition, molecular docking was performed to explore the possible mechanisms between compounds of EOs with microbial enzymes. Thymol was the main compound identified in oregano (44.0%) and thyme (31%) EOs, while d-limonene was present in a greater proportion in grapefruit EO. Oregano EO had the highest antimicrobial activity, followed by thyme and grapefruit EOs. Oregano and thyme EOs illustrated a greater inhibitory capacity to all serotypes, particularly with the environmental S. Saintpaul. Oregano EO presented values of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration of 0.1 μL/mL for all serotypes, while thyme and grapefruit EOs presented MIC values of 0.1 μL/mL for the clinical serotypes S. Infantis and S. Oranienburg, respectively. Molecular docking analysis showed the optimal binding free energies for thymol and carvacrol with glucokinase, ATP-dependent-6-fructokinase, outer membrane porin C, and topoisomerase IV. Our results indicate that these EOs can inhibit clinically and environmentally isolated Salmonella serotypes and can be used as alternatives for developing natural food preservatives.

Natural products (NPs) are primarily recognized as privileged structures to interact with protein drug targets. Their unique characteristics and structural diversity continue to marvel scientists for developing NP-inspired medicines, even though the pharmaceutical industry has largely given up. High-performance computer hardware, extensive storage, accessible software and affordable online education have democratized the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in many sectors and research areas. The last decades have introduced natural language processing and machine learning algorithms, two subfields of AI, to tackle NP drug discovery challenges and open up opportunities. In this article, we review and discuss the rational applications of AI approaches developed to assist in discovering bioactive NPs and capturing the molecular "patterns" of these privileged structures for combinatorial design or target selectivity.

Introduction: There is a critical need to accurately stratify liver transplant (LT) candidates' risk of post-LT mortality prior to LT to optimize patient selection and avoid futility. Here, we compare previously described pre-LT clinical risk scores with the recently developed Liver Immune Frailty Index (LIFI) for prediction of post-LT mortality. LIFI measures immune dysregulation based on pre-LT plasma HCV IgG, MMP3 and Fractalkine. LIFI accurately predicts post-LT mortality, with LIFI-low corresponding to 1.4% 1-year post-LT mortality compared with 58.3% for LIFI-high (C-statistic=0.85). Methods: LIFI was compared to MELD, MELD-Na, MELD 3.0, D-MELD, MELD-GRAIL, MELD-GRAIL-Na, UCLA-FRS, BAR, SOFT, P-SOFT, and LDRI scores on 289 LT recipients based on waitlist data at the time of LT. Survival, hazard of early post-LT death, and discrimination power (C-statistic) were assessed. Results: LIFI showed superior discrimination (highest C-statistic) for post-LT mortality when compared to all other risk scores, irrespective of biologic MELD. On univariate analysis, the LIFI showed a significant correlation with mortality 6-months, as well as 1-, 3-, and 5-years. No other pre-LT scoring system significantly correlated with post-LT mortality. On bivariate adjusted analysis, African American race (pConclusions: LIFI, which measures pre-LT biomarkers of immune dysfunction, more accurately predicts risk of post-LT futility compared with current clinical predictive models. Pre-LT assessment of immune dysregulation may be critical in predicting mortality after LT and may optimize selection of candidates with lowest risk of futile outcomes.

Introduction: There is a critical need to accurately stratify liver transplant (LT) candidates' risk of post-LT mortality prior to LT to optimize patient selection and avoid futility. Here, we compare current pre-LT clinical risk scores with the recently developed Liver Immune Frailty Index (LIFI) for prediction of post-LT mortality. LIFI measures immune dysregulation based on pre-LT plasma HCV IgG, MMP3 and Fractalkine. LIFI accurately predicts post-LT mortality, with LIFI-low corresponding to 1.4% 1-year post-LT mortality compared with 58.3% for LIFI-high (C-statistic=0.85). Methods: LIFI was compared to MELD, MELD-Na, MELD 3.0, D-MELD, MELD-GRAIL, MELD-GRAIL-Na, UCLA-FRS, BAR, SOFT, P-SOFT, and LDRI scores on 289 listed patients (T0). Survival, hazard of early post-LT death, and discrimination power (C-statistic) were assessed (Stata v17). Results: LIFI showed superior discrimination (highest C-statistic) of post-LT mortality when compared to all other risk scores, irrespective of biologic MELD. On univariate analysis, the LIFI showed a significant correlation with mortality at 3- and 6-months, as well as 1-, 3-, and 5-years. No other pre-LT scoring system significantly correlated with post-LT mortality. On bivariate adjusted analysis, African American race and pre-LT cardiovascular disease were significantly associated with early- and long-term post-LT mortality (pConclusions: LIFI, which measures pre-LT biomarkers of immune dysfunction, more accurately predicts risk of post-LT futility compared with current clinical predictive models. Pre-LT assessment of immune dysregulation may be critical in predicting mortality after LT and may optimize selection of candidates with lowest risk of futile outcomes.

This paper presents the development of MASDAN, an integrated platform consisting of a mobile application and a web-GIS interface for monitoring the Manila Bay environment. The MASDAN mobile application uses citizen science and Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) to collect data on specific environmental issues. It also serves as an information, education, and communication (IEC) tool for its users. The MASDAN Monitoring Interface is a centralized citizen report assessment tool for local authorities and environmental agencies to validate and monitor environmental reports within their area of jurisdiction. These two components create a two-way flow of information between citizens and authorities, ensuring prompt and information-driven actions to environmental issues affecting the Manila Bay and linked environments.

The aim of this study to evaluate the effect of Bacillus clausii biostimulation on the phenolic profile of black sesame sprouts. Sesame seeds were treated with three bacterial concentrations (103, 105, and 107 CFU/mL) and then germinated. The phenolic compounds in the seeds were quantified and identified using UPLC-DAD-MS. Interactions between B. clausii and sesame seed surface were analyzed through attachment analysis and molecular docking. B. clausii-mediated biostimulation at 103, 105, and 107 CFU/mL increased the phenolic content by 93%, 83%, and 56%, respectively. The attachment of B. clausii to the seeds was presented at a range of 6–18%. Biostimulation could be involved in the synthesis of β-coumaric acid hexoside I and luteolin C-deoxyhexoside C-hexoside I and the increase in the levels of cinnamic acid (41.11-fold), protocatechuic acid (1.5-fold), xanthoxylol malonyl trihexoside (2.13-fold), hydroxysesamolin trihexoside II (2.10-fold), sesaminol trihexoside I (1.10-fold), and sesaminol trihexoside II (1.12-fold), compared with control sprouts. Levels of gentisic acid (1.49-fold), apigenin (1.34-fold), apigenin C-pentoside C-hexoside I (1.50-fold), hydroxysesamolin trihexoside I (1.48-fold), and pinoresinol dihexoside I (7.43-fold) increased during biostimulation compared with the seed control. The concentration of gluconic acid, a non-phenolic compound, was found to be increased 1.39-fold. Results from molecular docking studies revealed that binding energies for surfactin binding with galacturonic acid and xylose were − 3.6 and − 3.3 kcal/mol, respectively. Thus, B. clausii-mediated biostimulation can be used to produce black sesame sprouts with high phenolic content and valuable phenolics to generate new sprout lines.

Donation barriers are a crucial factor to consider in the study of blood donor behavior. Since blood donors do not behave homogeneously, the aim of this work is to analyze how the donor profile (i.e. sociodemographic characteristics and donation behavior) influences the prevalence of blood donation barriers. A total of 5,353 active donors in the Canary Islands (Spain) completed an online survey. Given the general lack of agreement concerning the conceptualization and measurement of donation barriers, an integrative 25-item barrier scale, which is the result of grouping all barriers identified in the literature according to the concept of obstacle which they represent, was designed and validated. The results indicate that individuals between 18 and 35 years of age, with university education and higher income are more likely to be affected by donation barriers. At the same time, individuals who donate once or twice a year, and those with shorter experience as donors, are more prone to experience donation barriers. The present study is useful for blood transfusion centers, because it shows that centers must identify which donation barriers are the most prevalent in their donor pool, as well as which donor groups are the most affected by them. Thus, blood transfusion centers will be able to design appropriate marketing actions to reduce or eliminate those barriers that prevent active donors to donate repetively.

The analysis of degradation mechanisms of photovoltaic (PV) modules is key to ensure its current lifetime and the economic feasibility of PV systems. Field operation is the best way to observe and detect all type of degradation mechanisms. This paper presents the main signs of degradation on 56 m-Si PV modules caused by outdoor exposure after a period of 22 years in Seville, Spain. Results are compared with other research works conclusions that analyse the degradation of identical PV cells and same manufacturer, after an exposure period of 12, 15 and 17 years. The analysis was conducted by visual inspection, infrared thermography, electroluminescence (EL) and electrical performance evaluation. The mean peak power degradation has been 30,9% in the 22 operation years, equivalent to 1,4% per year, which corresponds mainly to a loss in short-circuit current and, in a less degree, to loss in fill factor and open circuit voltage. The most significant defects found were severe browning, milky pattern and oxidation of the metallization grid. Those defects seem turns severe failures when exposure period is more than about 20 years and could explain the high degradation rate based on a comparison performed with other research works.

Understanding the perception of the risks associated with xenotransplant, especially among professionals who will contribute to the care of the animals, is important for xenotransplant to become a clinical reality. The objective of this study was to analyze opinions regarding the risks of organ xenotransplant among veterinary university students in Spain.The study population was 2683 veterinary students from different courses and universities in Spain. Instrument valuation: Validated self-administered questionnaire completed anonymously (PCID-XENOTx-Ríos). Consent to collaborate in the study was requested. Variables for the study: attitude toward xenotransplant and risks (infectious, immunologic, ethical/moral, philosophical, religious, other unspecified risks).descriptive analysis, Student t test, χOf the total number of respondents, 2646 students answered this question, with a completion rate of 98.6%. They considered immunologic risk 78.4% (n = 2074), infectious risk 48.6% (n = 1286), ethical/moral risk 10.7% (n = 284), philosophical risk 5.2% (n = 137), religious risk 1.5% (n = 40), and other risks 3.9% (n = 104). Significant relationships were observed between immunologic risks (P.001), ethical/moral risks (P.001), and other risks (P = .002).Despite the consideration of different types of risks, the favorable attitude toward xenotransplant among veterinary students at Spanish universities is highly prevalent, and evidence-based information campaigns on the different risks associated with xenotransplant are important.

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the concept of “practical wisdom” which may be defined as the ability to effectively manage one’s rational knowledge and to read and respond appropriately to the interplay of other people's emotions and one's own and their values. The aims of this study also are (1) to investigate the relationship between the spiritual, emotional and rational capacities which underpin practical wisdom and (2) to analyse the relationship between the practical wisdom co-created in and between individuals through these three capacities.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts a case study methodology by considering the experience provided by a group of hikers who organized a trip to cross the island of Gran Canarias and its natural parks.FindingsThis study proposes that the presence of spiritual, emotional or rational capacities can boost individual self-awareness, self-control and empathy, which can help workers in general and knowledge workers, in particular, more effectively tackle difficult situations, remain calm and collectively develop and enact appropriate responses to these situations. Therefore, results show that the concept of practical wisdom allows for the identification of both the nature of the capacities that contribute to the effective handling of difficult situations and them and the balance that needs to be developed between them.Practical implicationsFor knowledge workers, the study provides a framework and an explanatory framework to help them understand how rational, spiritual and emotional capacities both interact and are operationalized to tackle difficult problems. Furthermore, it enables them to identify situations where success to consider such interactions, leads to develop and implement appropriate responses to such situations.Originality/valueA proper balance of emotional, rational and spiritual capacities may enable people to have a more holistic vision of difficult situations, allowing the finding of appropriate solutions to complex problems (i.e. practical wisdom). This study contributes to strengthening knowledge workers' perception and understanding of the links between the knowledge stocks and knowledge flows that relate to a practical perspective of wisdom.

El concentrado de proteínas de pescado CPP, es el músculo del pescado desmenuzado y exento de huesos, piel, carne oscura y de espinas, el que es lavado varias veces con agua y escurrido hasta la proporción de agua original, quedando lo que podría llamarse el material funcional o “surimi”. El objetivo de este trabajo fue determinar cómo afectaba la variación del pH y la composición del agua de lavado a las muestras de CPP a partir del músculo de Sábalo (Prochilodus platensis). Los macrocomponentes estudiados fueron las proteínas totales, grasa total, humedad, cenizas totales, y la resistencia, el color y la capacidad de retención de agua (CRA) de los geles obtenidos a partir del CPP de sábalo. La resistencia del gel de CPP resultó para todos los tratamientos diferencias significativas a p

Se evaluaron nueve variedades de frijol originarias de Zacatecas, principal productor de esta leguminosa en México. Se determinaron los compuestos fenólicos como antocianinas, flavonoides, taninos condensados y fenólicos totales, así como su capacidad antioxidante por el método de DPPH. El contenido de antocianinas, flavonoides y taninos varió de 0.22 mg a 3.45 mg equivalentes de cianidina-3-glucosido (EC3G)/100 g, 16 mg a 103 mg equivalentes de catequina (EC)/100 g y 474 mg a 587 mg equivalentes de catequina (EC)/100 g, respectivamente. Por otra parte, la concentración de fenólicos totales varió de 67 mg a 204 mg equivalentes de ácido gálico (EAG)/100 g. La mayor cantidad de fenólicos totales (64% a 93%) y flavonoides totales (55% a 81%) se encontraron en su fracción ligada. Los niveles de capacidad antioxidante fueron de 243 μmol a 1282 μmol equivalentes de trolox (ET)/100 g. Las variedades Flor de Junio y Negro San Luis presentaron los mayores contenidos de fenólicos totales, flavonoides y capacidad antioxidante.

El insulinoma es una neoplasia endocrina funcional rara, que provoca un estado hiperinsulínico hipoglucémico derivado de la ausencia de regulación endocrina de la secreción de insulina. Su incidencia es de 1 a 5 caso por millón de personas al año a nivel mundial. Es la sintomatología más comúnmente manifestada por síntomas neuroglucopénicos y simpaticoadrenales. El diagnóstico se establece por la tríada de Whipple, los niveles elevados de insulina, el péptido C, la proinsulina y los niveles disminuidos de betahidroxibutirato, además de descartar el uso de sulfonilureas. El manejo de elección es la resección quirúrgica, dado su alto nivel de benignidad y curación total. Se presenta el caso de un hombre en manejo anticonvulsivante por epilepsia con refractariedad de síntomas, quien debutó con cuadro de hipoglucemia grave necesaria para el diagnóstico de insulinoma, con manejo quirúrgico y resolución del cuadro de base.

This work studies the relative influence of the constructive characteristics of thermosiphon factory made solar heating systems of components such as absorber type, collector area, thermal insulation of both collector(s) and tank, tank volume and volume/area ratio, on the annual energy production, the annual efficiency and the solar fraction. The research has been conducted on 28 systems available in the market, tested according to Standard ISO 9459–5:2007 and simulated fo different European reference locations (Athens, Davos, Wurzburg and Stockholm) according to Standard EN 12976–2:2019. The results show that reduced volume has a marked influence on the energetic and efficiency behaviour of these systems. In particular, for reduced volume values greater than 0.8, the constructive characteristics have high influence on systems behaviour. On the contrary, for reduced volume values lower than 0.8, all tested systems have a similar behaviour at the same location. The results found in this study allow optimizing the design of TSWHS, as well as selecting a specific system according to the location and a daily load volume.

To evaluate individual and combined effect of captopril and telmisartan on systemic inflammation markers of hemodialysis (HD) patients. Randomized, double-blinded, controlled clinical trial. Patients on HD at least 2 months, with arteriovenous fistula, were randomly allocated to groups: (1) captopril/placebo (N 13); (2) telmisartan/placebo (N 13); (3) captopril + telmisartan (N 12); or (4) placebo/placebo (N 12). During 3 months, patients received oral drugs as follows: captopril 50 mg/day, telmisartan 80 mg/day or placebo. Patients excluded if they had conditions or were on drugs potentially influencing on inflammation. Clinical and biochemical evaluations were performed monthly. Serum tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured at 0, 1 and 3 months. Baseline, demographic, clinical and biochemical variables were comparable between groups. Baseline versus final inflammatory markers were: captopril/placebo TNFα, 2.47 (0.1–4.5) versus 1.73 (0.3–3.8) pg/ml; IL-6, 17.03 (7.2–23) versus 7.90 (0.7–19) pg/ml; CRP, 4.21 (1.6–18) versus 5.9 (3.0–28) mg/l; telmisartan/placebo TNFα, 3.03 (2.3–4.6) versus 1.70 (1.2–2.0) pg/ml; IL-6, 14.10 (5.5–23) versus 9.85 (6.2–13) pg/ml; CRP, 5.74 (2.1–13) versus 10.60 (1.5–27) mg/l; captopril + telmisartan TNFα, 1.43 (0.7–5.4) versus 0.40 (0.1–2.1) pg/ml; IL-6, 10.05 (4.9–23) versus 4.00 (0.7–7.7) pg/ml (p placebo/placebo TNFα, 3.13 (1.6–5.6) versus 1.64 (1.6–2.3) pg/ml; IL-6, 8.12 (5.4–16) versus 7.60 (2.4–15) pg/ml; CRP, 5.23 (1.9–16) versus 3.13 (1.5–18) mg/l. Monotherapy with captopril or telmisartan display a trend, but their combined treatment significantly decreased serum levels of IL-6. No remarkable changes on TNFα and CRP were observed.

The utility of cancer whole genome and transcriptome sequencing (cWGTS) in oncology is increasingly recognized. However, implementation of cWGTS is challenged by the need to deliver results within clinically relevant timeframes, concerns about assay sensitivity, reporting and prioritization of findings. In a prospective research study we develop a workflow that reports comprehensive cWGTS results in 9 days. Comparison of cWGTS to diagnostic panel assays demonstrates the potential of cWGTS to capture all clinically reported mutations with comparable sensitivity in a single workflow. Benchmarking identifies a minimum of 80× as optimal depth for clinical WGS sequencing. Integration of germline, somatic DNA and RNA-seq data enable data-driven variant prioritization and reporting, with oncogenic findings reported in 54% more patients than standard of care. These results establish key technical considerations for the implementation of cWGTS as an integrated test in clinical oncology.

While past studies on Airbnb pricing highlight the importance of room features, host characteristics and location factors, little has been investigated about whether these factors are the same across different property/room types, locations and seasons. To fill that gap, this paper presents a study about the drivers of Airbnb prices in Bristol using ordinary least squares (OLS) and geographically-weighted regression (GWR) methods. The estimated models exhibit sharply different levels of goodness-of-fit, suggesting that the prices of different room types might not be explained by the same set of price factors. The results also uncover statistically significant differences between the price determinants of apartments and house listings and reveal spatial patterns in the price effects. These findings have implications for price setting and the assessment of competition. Future studies should account for potential differences across property/room types, as well as to consider the spatial variability of the estimated coefficients.

Herein we report the synthesis of unsupported bimetallic CoMo and trimetallic CoNiMo sulfide catalysts prepared by thermal decomposition (ex situ activation) of carbon-containing precursors and varying the nickel concentration for the hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of dibenzothiophene. The catalysts prepared were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and BET surface area measurements. The results from the characterization showed that the addition of an alkyl chained precursor results in non-porous catalysts with low surface area and high carbon content, which negatively affects the formation of crystalline phases such as molybdenum sulfide and their performance in the HDS reaction. Furthermore, the addition of nickel has a negative effect on the catalysts since it was observed that when it was added, the reaction rate values decreased and the catalyst with the highest catalytic activity turned out to be the CoMo catalyst. Although nickel catalysts generally have more affinity for hydrogenation reactions, unsupported trimetallic catalysts showed a preference for the direct desulfurization pathway.

Pay what you want (PWYW) is an increasingly popular sales strategy in which consumers voluntarily decide how much to pay for a product or service. PWYW has often been described as an exercise in the “empathy economy,” where consumers' payment choices might be seen as empowered expressions of their tastes and preferences, and sellers have a stronger incentive for empathizing with them. Beyond their economic interest, PWYW experiences also deserve significant attention in the social sciences given that they challenge several key assumptions of rational choice and neoclassical economic theory, as well as conventional consumer behavior and pricing theories. This paper analyzes three plays performed at the Beckett Theater in Barcelona using PWYW with very profitable outcomes. Our analysis shows that socio‐psychological factors, such as payments attributed to others and satisfaction with the play, are the best predictors of customer payments.

Lanthanum aluminate-lanthanum zirconate composite was synthesized by using coprecipitation and powders were dried by spray-drying. Pseudoboehmite was used as a precursor of lanthanum aluminate during the precipitation process. Highly crystalline phases were obtained. Lanthanum zirconate exhibits a pyrochlore structure at lower synthesis temperature (>1500°C). Due drying technique lanthanum aluminate particles appear surrounded by lanthanum zirconate. No other remaining phases were observed and the phase distribution in the composite was homogeneous.

Objective The objective of the study was to determine the trend of variables related to tuberculosis (TB) from the Integrated Tuberculosis Research Program (PII-TB) registry of the Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR), and to evaluate the PII-TB according to indicators related to its scientific objectives. Method Cross-sectional, population-based, multicenter study of new TB cases prospectively registered in the PII-TB between 2006 and 2016. The time trend of quantitative variables was calculated using a lineal regression model, and qualitative variables using the χy test for lineal trend. Results A total of 6,892 cases with an annual median of 531 were analyzed. Overall, a significant down-ward trend was observed in women, immigrants, prisoners, and patients initially treated with 3 drugs. Significant upward trends were observed in patients aged 40−50 and >50 years, first visit conducted by a specialist, hospitalization, diagnostic delay, disseminated disease and single extrapulmonary location, culture(+), drug susceptibility testing performed, drug resistance, directly observed treatment, prolonged treatment, and death from another cause. The scientific objectives of the PII-TB that showed a significant upward trend were publications, which reached a maximum of 8 in 2016 with a total impact factor of 49.664, numbers of projects initiated annually, presentations at conferences, and theses. Conclusions PII-TB provides relevant information on TB and its associated factors in Spain. A large team of researchers has been created; some scientific aspects of the registry were positive, while others could have been improved.

La trombosis asociada al cáncer (TAC) constituye una complicación frecuente en pacientes con esta enfermedad. Existen tres opciones para la tromboprofilaxis: los anticoagulantes orales directos (ACOD), las heparinas de bajo peso molecular (HBPM) y las anti-vitamina K (warfarina). Se realizó una revisión sistemática para comparar las tres alternativas de tratamiento sobre efectividad bajo criterios de no inferioridad. Adicionalmente se analizaron el empleo de los ACOD y las HBPM contra placebo para evidenciar superioridad. El evento primario fue la trombosis venosa profunda recurrente (TVPr) y para seguridad, la hemorragia mayor. Un total de 9353 pacientes fueron clasificados en cuatro categorías: ACOD vs warfarina (4 estudios), ACOD vs HBPM (3 estudios), HBPM vs warfarina (3 estudios) y ACOD o HBPM vs placebo (4 estudios). Los resultados mostraron una superioridad de los ACOD sobre la warfarina en TVPr, RR(IC95%) igual a 0,70 (0,58-0,87), p

Background Cuba is one of the Latin American countries with the highest rates of organ donation. Social and cultural differences among the population throughout the country may also affect attitudes toward donation. Knowledge of these characteristics would facilitate awareness of the population most reluctant to donate and transplant. Objective We sought to analyze the differences in attitudes toward organ donation among Cubans living in the main capitals of Cuba. Materials and Methods Study population. The study group was the Cuban population living in the cities of Cienfuegos (n=636), Havana (n=920), and Santiago de Cuba (n=455), extracted from the database of the International Collaborative Donor Project. Sample of the population. Participants were older than 15 years, and data were stratified by geographic area, age, and sex. Assessment instrument. We used a validated questionnaire of attitude toward organ donation for transplant (PCID-DTO-Rios), anonymously filled in and self-administered. Statistics. Student t test was applied together with the χ2 test, complemented by an analysis of the remainders. Results The favorable attitude among inhabitants in Cienfuegos was 71.2% (n=453), 68.3% (n=628) among those in Havana, and 69.5% (n=316) among those in Santiago de Cuba (P Conclusions The attitude toward organ donation among the population of the main cities of Cuba was favorable and similar in all of them. The psycho-social profile toward organ donation was similar in the 3 cities.

This paper discusses the development of a coating made of solid waste and residual biomass and its application as ecological solar absorber coating. This absorbent solar coating is made with a binder that consists of essential grapefruit rind oil and expanded polystyrene, both obtained from waste materials, as well as forest biomass soot (FBS) processed by mechanical grinding and used as a functional photothermal material. This mixture produces a paint that can be applied to metallic substrates to form a solar energy-absorbing surface. The characterization and evaluation is shown in three steps: (a) Characterization of the materials using XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS, Raman spectroscopy and IR; (b) coating evaluation using AFM, optical characterization to measure solar absorption, TG to determine the operating temperature and laser flash analysis to determine thermal conductivity; and (c) a testing with thermosolar technology to determine the thermal parameters of solar cookers. It has been identified that the pseudo-amorphous carbon in FBS has solar energy absorption capacity due to the sp2-sp3 bonds present in this kind of carbon, associated with the material’s graphitic domain. Also, results show that the coating can be used with thermosolar technologies operating above 250 °C with a solar absorption index above 96%, and it has thermally-efficient properties. In addition, the coating, it shows better results with solar cookers than other coatings used with this technology, increasing cooking power, so it can potentially be employed with various thermosolar technologies due to the replicability of its materials, its low environmental impact and low economic cost.

Objectives This study sought to describe, in detail, the angiographic, gross macroscopy, and histological dissection of the conduction axis in humans. Background The recent upsurge of interest in specific pacing of the atrioventricular conduction axis has emphasized the need for precise knowledge of the location of the atrial and penetrating components of the atrioventricular conduction axis. Methods A total of 41 human hearts were studied by serial histological sectioning and an additional 3 hearts by gross dissection. One of the hearts studied histologically was also dissected to show the location of the conduction axis prior to serial sectioning. The anatomical findings were then compared with the results of angiography undertaken in the catheter laboratory in 60 patients undergoing electrophysiological studies. Results Marked variation of the location of the transition from atrioventricular conduction axis to the penetrating atrioventricular bundle, or the bundle of His, relative to the landmarks of the triangle of Koch was observed. In just over one-half of both the specimens and the patients, the site of penetration was on the atrial aspect of the hinge of the septal leaflet of the tricuspid valve, with further variation noted relative to the apex of the triangle of Koch. Based on measurements of the histological sections, marked variation in the dimensions of the axis and its adjacency to the right-sided endocardium were also found. In almost three-fifths of hearts, an interventricular component of the fibrous membranous septum was not able to be identified. The significance of these findings to those who seek to perform selective pacing of the atrioventricular conduction axis are discussed. Conclusions Marked variability of the location of the conduction axis within the triangle of Koch is reported. In three-fifths of hearts, the interventricular component of the fibrous membranous septum is nonexistent.

Introduction The attitude toward living liver donation (LLD) among the Spanish population is mostly positive; however, the reality is that liver transplants from live donations are currently minimal. Given this situation, studies that analyze these discrepancies should be carried out. Objective Analyze the attitude toward LLD among family members of patients on the waiting list for liver transplantation. Method Population under study. First-degree relatives of the patients included in the waiting list for liver transplantation. Inclusion criteria. 1. Have the patient's authorization for family members to participate; 2. Accept, the relative, to participate in this investigation; and 3. Be over 18 years old. Opinion survey. The attitude toward LLD is assessed through a questionnaire on psychosocial aspects. Results Patients who accepted family members’ participation in the study were 21 of 112, of which 9 placed restrictions on family access, and 12 authorized family members without restrictions. The participants were 1. children: 52.2% (n = 24); 2. brothers: 30.5% (n = 14); and 3. partners: 17.3% (n = 14). Finally, the authorized relatives and participants in the study were 45. Of these, only 44% (n = 20) would accept to be donors. Conclusions The access to the LLD of the relatives starts from the restriction and initial rejection of the patients themselves on the waiting list. The promotion of LDD is to initially sensitize patients.

Puerto Ricans are one of the majority immigration groups in Florida. However, little is known about their attitudes toward xenotransplantation (XenoTx), a still experimental technique, which is making significant progress.To analyze the attitude toward XenoTx of organs among the population of Puerto Rican residents in Florida.Population under study. Sample taken from the International Collaborative Donor Project and formed by the population born in Puerto Rico and resident in Florida.Over 15 years stratified by age and sex. Instrument valuation. Validated questionnaire of attitude toward xenotransplantation "PCID-XenoTx-Ríos." Setting for the study. Random selection of people to survey based on stratification. Immigrant assistance associations in Florida were consulted to locate potential respondents.Of the 259 respondents, 16% are in favor of XenoTx if the results are similar to those obtained with human organs, 74% are against, and 10% are doubtful. If the results are worse than with human organs, only 2% are in favor, 74% against, and 24% undecided. The variables that are associated with this attitude are the following: sex (P = .001); marital status (P .001); have offspring (P = .004); level of education (P .001), opinion of a partner toward donation (P = .008), religious beliefs (P .001), knowing the opinion toward donation of religion (P .001), prosocial activity (P .001), attitude toward donation (P ≤ .001), previous relationship with donation (P .001), possibility of receiving a transplant in the future (P = .001), and attitude toward donation to a relative (P .001).The Puerto Rican population residing in Florida does not hold a favorable attitude toward xenotransplantation.

Nejayote is a highly polluting wastewater discarded after the nixtamalization process of maize (Zea mays L.). It contains many organic compounds and unused nutrients. In this study, we optimized the biological treatment of nejayote through Bacillus clausii-induced fermentation, using the response surface methodology, to enhance the content of bioactive compounds, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of nejayote. The optimal fermentation temperature and time were 36 °C and 4.8 days, respectively, which produced a biomass of 9.1 log10 CFU mL−1 of B. clausii, total phenolic content of 524 mg equivalents of gallic acid per 100 mL sample, and antioxidant activity of 2876 µmol equivalent of trolox per 100 mL sample. The fermentation significantly increased the total phenolic content (~ 150%) and antioxidant activity (~ 30%), increased the content of 8-O-4-hydrodiferulic, 8-O-4-hydrotriferulic, and ferulic acids, and synthesized caffeic acid when compared with non-fermented nejayote. The fermentation process improved the antimicrobial activity of nejayote against Salmonella Typhimurium (3.5-fold) and Enterococcus faecalis (2.72-fold) after 12 h as compared to non-fermented nejayote. B. clausii-fermented nejayote obtained by this alternative eco-friendly process is thus a product with increased bioactive properties that could be used as functional ingredient in different food products.