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Summary: Lamin A/C is a well-established key contributor to nuclear stiffness and its role in nucleus mechanical properties has been extensively studied. However, its impact on whole-cell mechanics has been poorly addressed, particularly concerning measurable physical parameters. In this study, we combined microfluidic experiments with theoretical analyses to quantitatively estimate the whole-cell mechanical properties. This allowed us to characterize the mechanical changes induced in cells by lamin A/C alterations and prelamin A accumulation resulting from atazanavir treatment or lipodystrophy-associated LMNA R482W pathogenic variant. Our results reveal a distinctive increase in long-time viscosity as a signature of cells affected by lamin A/C alterations. Furthermore, they show that the whole-cell response to mechanical stress is driven not only by the nucleus but also by the nucleo-cytoskeleton links and the microtubule network. The enhanced cell viscosity assessed with our microfluidic assay could serve as a valuable diagnosis marker for lamin-related diseases.

Deterioration of water quality is a serious problem that continues to face the environment due to the discharge of untreated wastewater into water bodies. The present systematic review and meta-analysis research evaluated the efficacy of micro/nano bubbles (MNB) in the treatment of polluted effluents in relation to BOD and COD. The research was of quantitative approach, applied type and non-experimental design. The scientific articles were collected from Scopus and Web of Science databases from the period of January 2011 to November 2021. The results showed that only five investigations were included and subjected to meta-analysis. Those studies indicated that treatment with MNBs achieved removals between 69 to 100% and 68 to 99% for BOD5 and COD, respectively. The best removal efficiency (97% COD and 100% BOD5) was achieved in the scientific investigation of Rameshkumar (Rameshkumar et al. 2019). Finally, it is concluded that MNBs effectively reduce the pollutants present in wastewater.

Curbs are used as physical markers to delimit roads and to redirect traffic into multiple directions (e.g., islands and roundabouts). Detection of road curbs is a fundamental task for autonomous vehicle navigation in urban environments. Since almost two decades, solutions that use various types of sensors, including vision, Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) sensors, among others, have emerged to address the curb detection problem. This survey elaborates on the advances of road curb detection problems, a research field that has grown over the last two decades and continues to be the ground for new theoretical and applied developments. We identify the tasks involved in the road curb detection methods and their applications on autonomous vehicle navigation and advanced driver assistance system (ADAS). Finally, we present an analysis on the similarities and differences of the wide variety of contributions.

Deterioration of water quality is a serious problem that continues to face the environment due to the discharge of untreated wastewater into water bodies. The present systematic review and meta-analysis research evaluated the efficacy of micro/nano bubbles (MNB) in the treatment of polluted effluents in relation to BOD and COD. The research was of quantitative approach, applied type and non-experimental design. The scientific articles were collected from Scopus and Web of Science databases from the period of January 2011 to November 2021. The results showed that only five investigations were included and subjected to meta-analysis. Those studies indicated that treatment with MNBs achieved removals between 69 to 100% and 68 to 99% for BOD5 and COD, respectively. The best removal efficiency (97% COD and 100% BOD5) was achieved in the scientific investigation of Rameshkumar (Rameshkumar et al. 2019). Finally, it is concluded that MNBs effectively reduce the pollutants present in wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Este editorial del vol. 7, núm. 14 de PatryTer – Revista Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Geografía y Humanidades se enfoca la cartografía, en tanto instrumento analítico de la Geografía, y la historia del territorio, como noción sintética de una de las preocupaciones de la disciplina. Ello justifica el homenaje que este número de la revista rinde al Dr. José Omar Moncada Maya, colega mexicano que ha dedicado más de medio siglo a la Geografía Iberoamericana. Sin duda, el homenaje a un geógrafo historiador resulta pertinente en estos momentos de la historia humana en que el conocimiento está dominado por las técnicas, la fugacidad y la proyección hacia el futuro, pues no debemos olvidar, ni en la ciencia ni en ningún aspecto de la existencia humana, que en el pasado están las claves para comprender el presente y planear un futuro mejor. La obra de José Omar Moncada nos permite revisar el devenir de la geografía mexicana para entender los caminos actuales de esta disciplina y plantear los escenarios del mañana en diálogo con otras escuelas latinoamericanas.

Abstract As the COVID-19 pandemic winds down, it leaves behind the serious concern that future, even more disruptive pandemics may eventually surface. One of the crucial steps in handling the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic was being able to detect the presence of the virus in an accurate and timely manner, to then develop policies counteracting the spread. Nevertheless, as the pandemic evolved, new variants with potentially dangerous mutations appeared. Faced by these developments, it becomes clear that there is a need for fast and reliable techniques to create highly specific molecular tests, able to uniquely identify VOCs. Using an automated pipeline built around evolutionary algorithms, we designed primer sets for SARS-CoV-2 (main lineage) and for VOC, B.1.1.7 (Alpha) and B.1.1.529 (Omicron). Starting from sequences openly available in the GISAID repository, our pipeline was able to deliver the primer sets for the main lineage and each variant in a matter of hours. Preliminary in-silico validation showed that the sequences in the primer sets featured high accuracy. A pilot test in a laboratory setting confirmed the results: the developed primers were favorably compared against existing commercial versions for the main lineage, and the specific versions for the VOCs B.1.1.7 and B.1.1.529 were clinically tested successfully.

Mexico ranks second in the world for Persian lime (Citrus latifolia) exports, making it the principal citrus exporter within the national citrus industry, exporting over 600,000 tons per year. However, diseases are the main factor reducing production, resulting in significant economic losses. Among these diseases, fungal diseases like dieback, caused by species of Lasiodiplodia, are an emerging issue in Persian lime. Symptoms include gummosis, twig and branch dieback, cankers, the necrosis of bark and wood, fruit mummification, and tree decline. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence and pathogenicity of the fungal species associated with twig and branch dieback, cankers, and decline of Persian lime trees in southern Mexico, and to elucidate the current status of the Lasiodiplodia species causing the disease in Mexico. During June, July, and August of 2023, a total of the 9229 Persian lime trees were inspected across 230 hectares of Persian lime orchards in southern Mexico, and symptoms of the disease were detected in 48.78% of the trees. Branches from 30 of these Persian lime trees were collected. Fungal isolates were obtained, resulting in a collection of 40 strains. The isolates were characterized molecularly and phylogenetically through the partial regions of four loci: the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS), the β-tubulin gene (tub2), the translation elongation factor 1-alpha gene (tef1-α), and the DNA-directed RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2). Additionally, pathogenicity was assessed, successfully completing Koch’s postulates on both detached Persian lime branches and certified 18-month-old Persian lime plants. Through multilocus molecular phylogenetic identification, pathogenicity, and virulence tests, five species were identified as causal agents: L. iraniensis, L. lignicola, L. mexicanensis, L. pseudotheobromae, and L. theobromae. This study demonstrates that in southern Mexico, at least five species of the genus Lasiodiplodia are responsible for dieback in Persian lime. Additionally, this is the first report of L. lignicola and L. mexicanensis as causal agents of the disease in citrus, indicating novel host interactions between species of Lasiodiplodia and C. latifolia.

We study three well-known minimization problems in Hilbert spaces: the weighted least squares problem and the related problems of abstract splines and smoothing. In each case, we analyse the solvability of the problem for every point of the Hilbert space in the corresponding data set, the existence of an operator that maps each data point to its solution in a linear and continuous way, and the solvability of the associated operator problem in a fixed p-Schatten norm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plain English Summary Adverse consequences on mental health derived from COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown particularly affected people with mental illness, including eating disorders (EDs), being the involvement of socio-cultural features poorly studied. We aimed to assess eating and mood changes in EDs during lockdown regarding ED subtypes, age, provenance, and considering socio-cultural aspects. 264 females with EDs linked to specialized ED units in Brazil, Portugal, and Spain were evaluated using the COVID-19 Isolation Eating Scale (CIES). A global impairment in mood symptoms and emotion regulation was reported regardless ED subtype, age, and country. Spanish and Portuguese individuals seemed more resilient than Brazilian ones, who reported a more adverse socio-cultural context. A global trend to eating symptoms worsening was observed, regardless of the ED subtype, age, and country, but without statistical significance. Patients with anorexia nervosa and binge eating disorder (BED) described eating style worsening. Moreover, the BED group significantly increased weight and body mass index, similarly to bulimia nervosa, and in contrast to the other subtypes. In sum, a psychopathological impairment was observed in EDs during lockdown, suggesting that socio-cultural aspects could be considered as potential modulatory factors. Nevertheless, these are preliminary results, being longitudinal studies and long-term follow-ups still needed. This work also highlights the importance of more personalized therapeutic approaches.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are mesenchymal neoplasms that represent less than 3% of gastrointestinal neoplasms, with an incidence of 1 to 2 cases per hundred thousand inhabitants. It originates more frequently in the stomach and small intestine and is characterized by the expression of the tyrosine kinase growth factor receptor, CD117. Therefore, its diagnosis requires an immunohischemical study to rule it out from other mesenchymal tumors. However, enteroscopic imaging and analysis of the biopsy may suggest a preoperative diagnosis of probable GIST. The case of a 62-year-old woman with rectorrhagia and recurrent anemia caused by mid-intestinal bleeding observed by capsule endoscopy is reported. Enteroscopy revealed a subepithelial ulcerated lesion in the proximal jejunum, and a biopsy was taken, the anatomopathological study of which suggested a gastrointestinal stromal tumor. The biopsy sample subjected to immunohistochemical studies confirms the suspicion of a cKit/CD117-positive GIST tumor. Surgical resection of the tumor with dimensions 4.2x3 cm is performed. After surgery, the patient was stable and under clinical follow-up until she was discharged. Clinical findings, diagnosis and timely treatment contribute to increasing survival from complications.

Se presenta un caso de aneurisma del seno de Valsalva derecho roto a la aurícula derecha, que en el transcurso de tres meses desarrolló insuficiencia cardiaca global y fue resuelto del todo por medio de intervencionismo, colocando un dispositivo oclusor en el sitio de la fístula. Se discute su etología, así como las pautas para el diagnóstico clínico y el tratamiento.

Esta investigación, tiene como objetivo ampliar el conocimiento acerca de los servicios de streaming de música en Lima Metropolitana, ya que se discute el crecimiento masivo de estos servicios. Se identificaron factores como; (1) disfrute percibido, (2) utilidad percibida, (3) valor percibido, (4) influencia informativa, (5) influencia normativa y (6) precio percibido que tengan un impacto en la (7) intención de compra. Se realizó una encuesta de forma virtual. La muestra final fue 348 personas que hicieron uso de la versión de prueba de algunas plataformas de streaming como: Spotify, Deezer, Apple Music, YouTube Music, entre otras. El procedimiento estadístico utilizado fue el modelo de ecuaciones estructurales por mínimos cuadrados parciales (PLS-SEM). También se estudió la heterogeneidad percibida, a través de un análisis multigrupo para establecer diferencias entre géneros y categorías de edades. Los resultados permiten conocer, la influencia de los factores estudiados de las plataformas de streaming sobre la intención de compra y cómo influyen en la compra de estos servicios. Dentro de los hallazgos, se resalta que los usuarios valoran más los beneficios funcionales como adquirir información de forma sencilla, la calidad de contenido y la portabilidad y consideran a los medios masivos (televisión, radio y vía pública) como variables que intervienen en la intención de compra.

Monkeypox is the latest reemerging zoonosis worldwide. Anyone is susceptible to contracting this infection; however, the clinical presentation may be atypical in a particularly vulnerable group that identifies as men who have sex with men. Herein, we present two cases of patients diagnosed with monkeypox infection, both of whom were also co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and exhibited different degrees of immunosuppression. Notably, the clinical presentations differed significantly. Patients co-infected with HIV are prone to develop clinical features ranging from barely visible lesions to severe or even fatal disease.

To reach the ambitious goals and targets of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development it is compulsory to pay special attention to those strategies that arise from local communities. In this contribution we present a comparative study on local initiatives pursuing development through the sustainable use of the geoheritage, of two territories of central Mexico: (a) Tlalpujahua-El Oro former mining district (Michoacán and State of Mexico), and (b) Comarca Minera UNESCO Global Geopark (Hidalgo state). Both study cases are representative of the mountainous, cultural landscapes of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, and both are also former mining districts with an outstanding geodiversity and a valuable mining heritage. From a comparative analysis, we identified strengths and opportunities of the two study cases —both undergoing a post-mining transition— in the implementation and consolidation of geotourism as a development alternative. It has been shown that the official recognition as a Global Geopark of the Comarca Minera by the UNESCO (in 2017) triggered geotourism, even reorienting the tourist vocation of some communities, engaged authorities, and attracted high-impact scientific and educational projects. However, the key for the success of any geotourism projects are the commitment and enthusiasm of local communities, as well as strong support from local authorities.

IntroductionFood Addiction (FA) has been related with eating disorders (ED), especially Bulimia Nervosa (BN). BN + FA may have different physical characteristics than patients with BN without the comorbidity, such as body mass index (BMI) or body composition, and psychological as emotion regulation. However, the relationship between psychological and physical aspects, connected by problematic food and its influence on body composition, has been barely studied. Therefore, the aims of the present study are:Aims(a) To explore the differences in body composition between FA positive (FA+) and negative (FA–) in women with BN; (b) to identify problematic relationship with certain food types, according with the foods mentioned in the YFAS scale questionnaire, between FA+ and FA– patients; (c) to know the psychological characteristic differences between FA+ and FA– patients, considering emotion regulation, personality traits and general psychopathological state; (d) to identify the relationship between physical and psychological traits, and the identified problematic foods, in patients with BN and FA.MethodologyN = 81 BN women patients, with a mean age of 29.73 years ± 9.80 SD, who completed the questionnaires: Yale Food Addiction Scale V 1.0 (YFAS 1.0), Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2), Symptom Checklist-90 Items-Revised (SCL-90-R), and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Strategies (DERS). YFAS problematic foods were grouped considering their principal nutrients sources. Body composition and difference in metabolic age was determined using bioimpedance analyzer.ResultsThe 88% of patients with BN presented FA+. Patients with BN who were FA+ self-reported more problematic relationships with sweets and starches. Also presented higher emotion regulation difficulties, general psychopathology and eating symptomatology severity, than those without FA. Finally, emotional regulation difficulties were positively associated with higher eating disorder symptomatology and more types of foods self-reported as problematic, which increased indirectly fat mass.ConclusionThe results suggest that BN + FA presented more eating and psychopathology symptomatology and higher problems with specific food types. As well, the path analysis emphasized that emotion regulation difficulties might be related with problematic food relationship in BN, impacting over the ED severity.ImplicationsThe results may impact the development of precise therapies for patients with BN + FA.

BackgroundImpulse control disorders (ICDs) are commonly developed among patients who take dopamine agonist drugs as a treatment for Parkinson disease (PD). Gambling disorder and hypersexuality are more frequent in male patients with PD, with a prevalence over 4% in dopamine agonists users. Although impulsive-compulsive behaviors are related to antiparkinsonian medication, and even though ICD symptomatology, such as hypersexuality, often subsides when the dopaminergic dose is reduced, sometimes ICD persists in spite of drug adjustment. Consequently, a multidisciplinary approach should be considered to address these comorbidities and to explore new forms of complementary interventions, such as serious games or therapies adapted to PD. ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to present the case of a patient with ICD (ie, hypersexuality) triggered by dopaminergic medication for PD. A combined intervention was carried out using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for ICD adapted to PD, plus an intervention using a serious game—e-Estesia—whose objective is to improve emotion regulation and impulsivity. The aim of the combination of these interventions was to reduce the harm of the disease. MethodsAfter 20 CBT sessions, the patient received the e-Estesia intervention over 15 sessions. Repeated measures, before and after the combined intervention, were administered to assess emotion regulation, general psychopathology, and emotional distress and impulsivity. ResultsAfter the intervention with CBT techniques and e-Estesia, the patient presented fewer difficulties to regulate emotion, less emotional distress, and lower levels of impulsivity in comparison to before the treatment. Moreover, the frequency and severity of the relapses also decreased. ConclusionsThe combined intervention—CBT and a serious game—showed positive results in terms of treatment outcomes.

Rapid molecular testing for severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants may contribute to the development of public health measures, particularly in resource-limited areas. Reverse transcription recombinase polymerase amplification using a lateral flow assay (RT-RPA-LF) allows rapid RNA detection without thermal cyclers. In this study, we developed two assays to detect SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) gene and Omicron BA.1 spike (S) gene-specific deletion–insertion mutations (del211/ins214). Both tests had a detection limit of 10 copies/µL in vitro and the detection time was approximately 35 min from incubation to detection. The sensitivities of SARS-CoV-2 (N) RT-RPA-LF by viral load categories were 100% for clinical samples with high (>9015.7 copies/µL, cycle quantification (Cq): < 25) and moderate (385.5–9015.7 copies/µL, Cq: 25–29.9) viral load, 83.3% for low (16.5–385.5 copies/µL, Cq: 30–34.9), and 14.3% for very low (

BackgroundThe role of working alliance remains unclear for many forms of internet-based interventions (IBIs), a set of effective psychotherapy alternatives that do not require synchronous interactions between patients and therapists. ObjectiveThis study examined the conceptual invariance, trajectories, and outcome associations of working alliance across an unguided IBI and guided IBIs that incorporated clinician support through asynchronous text messaging or video messaging. MethodsAdults with high education attainment (n=145) with subclinical levels of anxiety, stress, or depressive symptoms were randomized to 1 of 3 treatment conditions for 7 weeks. All participants received treatments from MyCompass, an unguided IBI using cognitive behavior therapy. Participants in condition 2 and 3 received supplemental, asynchronous clinician support through text and video, respectively. Working alliance with the IBIs was measured weekly using select items from the 12-item version of the Agnew Relationship Measure. Symptom and functional outcomes were assessed at baseline, at the end of treatment, and 1-month follow-up. ResultsWorking alliance with the IBIs was conceptually invariant across the 3 conditions. Working alliance followed a quadratic pattern of change over time for all conditions and declined significantly only in the text-support condition. After controlling for baseline symptoms, higher baseline levels of working alliance predicted less depression and less functional impairment at follow-up, whereas faster increases in working alliance predicted less worry at the end of treatment and at follow-up, all of which only occurred in the video-support condition. ConclusionsWorking alliance with the IBIs was generally established in the initial sessions. Although working alliance is conceptually invariant across IBIs with or without clinician support, the associations between working alliance and treatment outcomes among IBIs may differ depending on clinician involvement and the modalities of support. Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT05122429; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05122429

El presente estudio, tuvo por objetivo evaluar una intervención psicoterapéutica con base en psicodrama para el personal de salud de un hospital que atiende pacientes con COVID-19 en la ciudad de Apodaca, Nuevo León, México. Se estudió a una población con ansiedad y/o depresión, midiendo sus síntomas con el Test de Goldberg. Se trató a los sujetos mediante sesiones de psicodrama y se lograron disminuir significativamente síntomas como preocupación, nerviosismo, irritabilidad; se consiguió además, aumentar la energía y el interés por las cosas en los participantes.

Gambling disorder (GD) is associated with deficits in emotion regulation and impulsivity-related personality traits. In recent years there has been an increase in the use of serious games (SG) to address these factors with positive results. The aim of this study was to analyze the efficacy of the intervention with a new SG (e-Estesia), as an adjunct to a CBT intervention for GD. The sample comprised two groups (experimental group (n = 40) and control group (n = 64)) of patients with GD diagnosis. Both groups received 16 weekly CBT sessions and, concurrently, only the experimental group received 15 additional sessions with e-Estesia. Pre-post treatment with e-Estesia administered in both groups were: DSM-5 Criteria, South Oaks Gambling Screen, Symptom Checklist-Revised and measure of relapses, dropout and compliance of treatment. As regards the experimental group were also administered: Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, and Impulsive Behavior Scale. No statistically significant differences in the general psychopathological state, emotion regulation or impulsivity were found when comparing the groups. However, patients enrolled in the e-Estesia intervention had significantly less relapses and better indicators of treatment compliance than the control group. Considering these results, the use of complementary tools such as SG are useful for addressing GD.

Copyright of Revista de la Sociedad Lainoamericana de Dermatologia Veterinaria SLDV is the property of Sociedad Latinoamericana de Dermatologia Veterinaria SLDV and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista de la Sociedad Lainoamericana de Dermatologia Veterinaria SLDV is the property of Sociedad Latinoamericana de Dermatologia Veterinaria SLDV and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista de la Sociedad Lainoamericana de Dermatologia Veterinaria SLDV is the property of Sociedad Latinoamericana de Dermatologia Veterinaria SLDV and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista de la Sociedad Lainoamericana de Dermatologia Veterinaria SLDV is the property of Sociedad Latinoamericana de Dermatologia Veterinaria SLDV and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: A first approach of a phenotypic characterization of food addiction (FA) found three clusters (dysfunctional, moderate and functional). Based on this previous classification, the aim of the present study is to explore treatment responses in the sample diagnosed with Eating Disorder(ED) of different FA profiles. Methods: The sample was composed of 157 ED patients with FA positive, 90 with bulimia nervosa (BN), 36 with binge eating disorder (BED), and 31 with other specified feeding or eating disorders (OSFED). Different clinical variables and outcome indicators were evaluated. Results: The clinical profile of the clusters present similar characteristics with the prior study, having the dysfunctional cluster the highest ED symptom levels, the worse psychopathology global state, and dysfunctional personality traits, while the functional one the lowest ED severity level, best psychological state, and more functional personality traits. The dysfunctional cluster was the one with lowest rates of full remission, the moderate one the higher rates of dropouts, and the functional one the highest of full remission. Conclusions: The results concerning treatment outcome were concordant with the severity of the FA clusters, being that the dysfunctional and moderate ones had worst treatment responses than the functional one.

Background. The COVID-19 lockdown has had a significant impact on mental health. Patients with eating disorders (ED) have been particularly vulnerable. Aims. (1) To explore changes in eating-related symptoms and general psychopathology during lockdown in patients with an ED from various European and Asian countries; and (2) to assess differences related to diagnostic ED subtypes, age, and geography. Methods. The sample comprised 829 participants, diagnosed with an ED according to DSM-5 criteria from specialized ED units in Europe and Asia. Participants were assessed using the COVID-19 Isolation Scale (CIES). Results. Patients with binge eating disorder (BED) experienced the highest impact on weight and ED symptoms in comparison with other ED subtypes during lockdown, whereas individuals with other specified feeding and eating disorders (OFSED) had greater deterioration in general psychological functioning than subjects with other ED subtypes. Finally, Asian and younger individuals appeared to be more resilient. Conclusions. The psychopathological changes in ED patients during the COVID-19 lockdown varied by cultural context and individual variation in age and ED diagnosis. Clinical services may need to target preventive measures and adapt therapeutic approaches for the most vulnerable patients.

High-efficiency and low-cost catalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are critical for electrochemical water splitting to generate hydrogen, which is a clean fuel for sustainable energy conversion and storage. Among the emerging OER catalysts, transition metal dichalcogenides have exhibited superior activity compared to commercial standards such as RuO 2 , but inferior stability due to uncontrolled restructuring with OER. In this study, we create bimetallic sulfide catalysts by adapting the atomic ratio of Ni and Co in Co x Ni 1-x S y electrocatalysts to investigate the intricate restructuring processes. Surface-sensitive X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and bulk-sensitive X-ray absorption spectroscopy confirmed the favorable restructuring of transition metal sulfide material following OER processes. Our results indicate that a small amount of Ni substitution can reshape the Co local electronic structure, which regulates the restructuring process to optimize the balance between OER activity and stability. This work represents a significant advancement in the development of efficient and noble metal-free OER electrocatalysts through a doping-regulated restructuring approach., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Background: Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) have been shown in randomised controlled trials and epidemiological studies to prevent acute otitis media caused by vaccine serotype pneumococci, although their role in preventing complications of acute otitis media is less clear. We hypothesised that the 11-valent PCV would reduce the long-term sequelae of acute otitis media, including moderate-to-severe ear disease and hearing loss., Methods: This prospective cohort study, referred to as 11PCV study, included follow-up after 16-20 years of children previously enrolled in 2000-04, at age 6 weeks to 6 months, in the randomised, placebo-controlled, ARIVAC trial of 11-valent PCV for the prevention of radiographical pneumonia. The ARIVAC trial and this 11PCV study were conducted at six study centres in Bohol, Philippines. Ear disease was classified using video-otoscopy review and observations derived from the ear exam. The final classification of the worst ear disease was mild (ie, acute otitis media, otitis media with effusion, healed perforation, or tympanosclerosis), moderate (ie, dry perforation or adhesive otitis media), or severe (chronic suppurative otitis media). Hearing loss was assessed following a standard schema and classified according to the worst ear as mild (>15 to 30 dB puretone average) or moderate-to-profound (>30 dB pure tone average). We calculated the relative and absolute risk reduction in the primary outcome of moderate-to-severe ear disease and the secondary outcomes of mild or moderate-to-profound hearing loss in adolescents who previously received the 11-valent PCV compared with those who received placebo during infancy in ARIVAC., Findings: Of the 15 593 children assessed for eligibility in ARIVAC, 12 194 were randomly assigned and 8926 were alive and could be located for enrolment in this 11PCV study between Sept 19, 2016, and Dec 13, 2019. 8321 (4188 in the vaccine group and 4133 in the placebo group) completed follow-up of the 11PCV study by March 30, 2020, and had sufficient data to classify ear disease and be included in the primary outcome analysis. The primary outcome of the absolute risk reduction in moderate-to-severe ear disease in the vaccine group (310 [7·4%] of 4188) versus those in the placebo group (356 [8·6%] of 4133) was 1·2% (95% CI 0·0-2·4; p=0·046) and the relative risk reduction was 14·1% (0·0 to 26·0). There were no differences in secondary outcomes of mild hearing loss or moderate-to-profound hearing loss between the vaccine and placebo groups., Interpretation: The absolute risk reduction for moderate-to-severe ear disease in adolescence of 1·2% (12 per 1000 children) was almost three times higher than the 0·45% reduction (4·5 per 1000 children) in radiographical pneumonia in the first 2 years of life shown in ARIVAC. Administration of 11-valent PCV in infancy was associated with absolute and relative risk reductions in the sequelae of acute otitis media 16-20 years after the original ARIVAC trial., Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests EAFS, PC-L, DMS, ML, VT, KMU, and KHC have received grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for this study. EAFS reports grants and consulting fees to the institution from Merck and Pfizer; grants to the institution from AstraZeneca, Roche Pharmaceuticals, and Johnson and Johnson; and consulting fees to the institution from Sanofi Pasteur, Cidara Therapeutics, Adiago Therapeutics, and Nuance Pharmaceuticals; manuscript writing support from Pfizer and AstraZeneca; financial support for attending a meeting from AstraZeneca and Pfizer; and participation on a data monitoring committee for Abbvie, GlaxoSmithKline, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Aim: To report treatment patterns and quality of life (QoL) in HER2-negative advanced breast cancer patients. Methods: Data were drawn from a cross-sectional survey in Europe and USA. Results: Hormone plus targeted therapy was the most frequent first-line (1L, 62%) and second-line (2L, 45%) treatment for HR+/HER2-patients. Chemotherapy was most frequent at third-line or greater (3L+, 39%) for HR+/HER2- patients, 2L (51%) and 3L+ (48%) for triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients. Time to progression was 13.8 (2L) and 11.0 (3L+) months for HR+/HER2- patients. No comparisons were observed for TNBC patients. EQ-5D-5L scores were highest in patients at 1L and lowest at 3L+. Conclusion: Reduced QoL and treatment response were reported in patients at later lines of therapy.

While the importance of interdisciplinary approaches is increasingly recognised in conservation, bridging knowledge systems across scales remains a fundamental challenge. Focusing on the Important Plant Areas (IPA) approach, we evaluate how complementing scientific and local knowledge can better inform the conservation of useful plants in Colombia. We worked in three municipalities to investigate knowledge on useful plant richness, species composition and use types, as well as perceptions on area-based plant conservation approaches. Participatory focus groups and ethnobotanical walks-in-the-woods were undertaken with local communities, while scientific data were represented by occurrence records from global data aggregators and digitised collections. A total of 1190 species with human uses were reported. Combining knowledge systems provided the richest understanding of useful plants but the relative contribution of each system varied between study areas, influenced by the history of scientific studies, socio-ecological context and study design. Meanwhile, local perceptions of how conservation areas should be selected differed from global IPA criteria. These results show that working with local communities can improve biological understanding for spatial conservation planning. Additionally, participatory approaches must move beyond community-based conservation and data collection, to inform the design of global conservation programmes., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Fisheries managers stock triploid (i.e., infertile, artificially produced) rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss in North American lakes to support sport fisheries while minimizing the risk of genetic introgression between hatchery and wild trout. In Washington State, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) allocates approximately US $3 million annually to stock hatchery-origin rainbow trout in > 600 lakes, yet only about 10% of them are triploids. Many lakes in Washington State drain into waters that support wild anadromous steelhead O. mykiss that are listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. As a result, there is a strong interest in understanding the costs and benefits associated with stocking sterile, triploid rainbow trout as an alternative to traditional diploids. The objectives of this study were to compare triploid and diploid rainbow trout in terms of: (1) contribution to the sport fishery catch, (2) fine-scale movements within the study lakes, (3) rate of emigration from the lake, and (4) natural mortality. Our results demonstrated that triploid and diploid trout had similar day-night distribution patterns, but triploid trout exhibited a lower emigration rate from the lake and lower catch rates in some lakes. Overall, triploid rainbow trout represent a viable alternative to stocking of diploids, especially in lakes draining to rivers, because they are sterile, have comparable home ranges, and less often migrate., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Aqueous Na-ion batteries using Prussian blue materials have inherent advantages in safety, material sustainability, and economic cost. However, it is challenging to obtain long-term cycling stability because many redox reactions have poor intrinsic stability in water. Here, we demonstrate reversible Fe 2.4+ to Fe 3+ redox reaction of Prussian blue electrodes cycled in a 17 m NaClO 4 water-in-salt electrolyte. The cubic phase c-Na 1.17 Fe[Fe(CN) 6 ]·0.35H 2 O) derived from monoclinic Prussian blue (m-Na 1.88 Fe[Fe(CN) 6 ]·0.7H 2 O) through ball milling delivers excellent cycling stability of >18,000 cycles with >90% capacity retention at the 10C rate. The specific capacity is ∼75 and ∼67 mAh/g at 1C and 10C rates, respectively. Systematic characterizations including electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy have verified the phase transition and iron oxidation state evolution, revealing the mechanism that enables the material's high rate and long durability as the battery cathode.

This study analyzed microarray data of right ventricular (RV) tissue from rats exposed to pulmonary embolism to understand the initial dynamic transcriptional response to mechanical stress and compare it with experimental pulmonary hypertension (PH) models. The dataset included samples harvested from 55 rats at 11 different time points or RV locations. We performed principal component analysis (PCA) to explore clusters based on spatiotemporal gene expression. Relevant pathways were identified from fast gene set enrichment analysis using PCA coefficients. The RV transcriptomic signature was measured over several time points, ranging from hours to weeks after an acute increase in mechanical stress, and was found to be highly dependent on the severity of the initial insult. Pathways enriched in the RV outflow tracts of rats at 6 weeks after severe PE share many commonalities with experimental PH models, but the transcriptomic signature at the RV apex resembles control tissue. The severity of the initial pressure overload determines the trajectory of the transcriptomic response independent of the final afterload, but this depends on the location where the tissue is biopsied. Chronic RV pressure overload due to PH appears to progress toward similar transcriptomic endpoints.

Objectives: We determined the pulse oximetry benefit in pediatric pneumonia mortality risk stratification and chest-indrawing pneumonia in-hospital mortality risk factors., Methods: We report the characteristics and in-hospital pneumonia-related mortality of children aged 2-59 months who were included in the Pneumonia Research Partnership to Assess WHO Recommendations dataset. We developed multivariable logistic regression models of chest-indrawing pneumonia to identify mortality risk factors., Results: Among 285,839 children, 164,244 (57.5%) from hospital-based studies were included. Pneumonia case fatality risk (CFR) without pulse oximetry measurement was higher than with measurement (5.8%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 5.6-5.9% vs 2.1%, 95% CI 1.9-2.4%). One in five children with chest-indrawing pneumonia was hypoxemic (19.7%, 95% CI 19.0-20.4%), and the hypoxemic CFR was 10.3% (95% CI 9.1-11.5%). Other mortality risk factors were younger age (either 2-5 months [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 9.94, 95% CI 6.67-14.84] or 6-11 months [aOR 2.67, 95% CI 1.71-4.16]), moderate malnutrition (aOR 2.41, 95% CI 1.87-3.09), and female sex (aOR 1.82, 95% CI 1.43-2.32)., Conclusion: Children with a pulse oximetry measurement had a lower CFR. Many children hospitalized with chest-indrawing pneumonia were hypoxemic and one in 10 died. Young age and moderate malnutrition were risk factors for in-hospital chest-indrawing pneumonia-related mortality. Pulse oximetry should be integrated in pneumonia hospital care for children under 5 years., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: The existing World Health Organization (WHO) pneumonia case management guidelines rely on clinical symptoms and signs for identifying, classifying, and treating pneumonia in children up to 5 years old. We aimed to collate an individual patient-level data set from large, high-quality pre-existing studies on pneumonia in children to identify a set of signs and symptoms with greater validity in the diagnosis, prognosis, and possible treatment of childhood pneumonia for the improvement of current pneumonia case management guidelines., Methods: Using data from a published systematic review and expert knowledge, we identified studies meeting our eligibility criteria and invited investigators to share individual-level patient data. We collected data on demographic information, general medical history, and current illness episode, including history, clinical presentation, chest radiograph findings when available, treatment, and outcome. Data were gathered separately from hospital-based and community-based cases. We performed a narrative synthesis to describe the final data set., Results: Forty-one separate data sets were included in the Pneumonia Research Partnership to Assess WHO Recommendations (PREPARE) database, 26 of which were hospital-based and 15 were community-based. The PREPARE database includes 285 839 children with pneumonia (244 323 in the hospital and 41 516 in the community), with detailed descriptions of clinical presentation, clinical progression, and outcome. Of 9185 pneumonia-related deaths, 6836 (74%) occurred in children <1 year of age and 1317 (14%) in children aged 1-2 years. Of the 285 839 episodes, 280 998 occurred in children 0-59 months old, of which 129 584 (46%) were 2-11 months of age and 152 730 (54%) were males., Conclusions: This data set could identify an improved specific, sensitive set of criteria for diagnosing clinical pneumonia and help identify sick children in need of referral to a higher level of care or a change of therapy. Field studies could be designed based on insights from PREPARE analyses to validate a potential revised pneumonia algorithm. The PREPARE methodology can also act as a model for disease database assembly., Competing Interests: Disclosure of interest: The authors completed the ICMJE Disclosure of Interest Form (available upon request from the corresponding author) and declare the following activities and relationships: YBN is staff member of the World Health Organization., (Copyright © 2022 by the Journal of Global Health. All rights reserved.)

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries, in terms of integration with high safety, environmental benignity, and low cost, have attracted much attention for powering electronic devices and storage systems. However, the interface instability issues at the Zn anode caused by detrimental side reactions such as dendrite growth, hydrogen evolution, and metal corrosion at the solid (anode)/liquid (electrolyte) interface impede their practical applications in the fields requiring long-term performance persistence. Despite the rapid progress in suppressing the side reactions at the materials interface, the mechanism of ion storage and dendrite formation in practical aqueous zinc-ion batteries with dual-cation aqueous electrolytes is still unclear. Herein, we design an interface material consisting of forest-like three-dimensional zinc-copper alloy with engineered surfaces to explore the Zn plating/stripping mode in dual-cation electrolytes. The three-dimensional nanostructured surface of zinc-copper alloy is demonstrated to be in favor of effectively regulating the reaction kinetics of Zn plating/stripping processes. The developed interface materials suppress the dendrite growth on the anode surface towards high-performance persistent aqueous zinc-ion batteries in the aqueous electrolytes containing single and dual cations. This work remarkably enhances the fundamental understanding of dual-cation intercalation chemistry in aqueous electrochemical systems and provides a guide for exploring high-performance aqueous zinc-ion batteries and beyond., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Vasectomy is a procedure that results in permanent yet reversible sterility and remains a great contraceptive option for many. Previous research studies have highlighted frequency of vasectomy utilization, defining characteristics of individuals who opt for this method, various surgical techniques, and the risks and benefits associated with the procedure. What remains to be defined is why or why not individuals may experience post-vasectomy regret and whether the previous characteristics correlate., Objective: The objective of this review is to synthesize information regarding reasons individuals may regret their vasectomy and seek reversal, what options exist for accomplishing the reversal, and patients' fertility prognosis post-vasovasostomy., Methods: This review utilized a combination of secondary and tertiary data analysis across a wide scope of academic databases pertaining to the topic of interest., Results: Typically, most males who have sought a vasectomy are satisfied with their decision, however, approximately 6% of this population seeks reversal. Key factors influencing vasectomy regret include age at the time of vasectomy, parental status, pre- and post-operative relationship status, unresolved physical and psychosexual problems, and development of chronic scrotal pain following the procedure. Few options exist for vasectomy reversal including microsurgical reconstructive vasectomy reversal (VR) and sperm extraction for in vitro fertilization. There is no guarantee that fertility will be restored in any case but a major predictive factor for success is the time interval prior to reversal., Conclusion: Vasectomy is intended to be a permanent form of contraception; however, a minor chance remains that individuals may experience post-operative regret due to various factors. This warrants proper comprehensive counseling by the patient's provider regarding benefits and risks, procedural outcomes, opportunities for reversal, and fertility prognosis.

Dual-ion batteries that use anions and cations as charge carriers represent a promising energy-storage technology. However, an uncharted area is to explore transition metals as electrodes to host carbonate in conversion reactions. Here we report the reversible conversion reaction from copper to Cu 2 CO 3 (OH) 2 , where the copper electrode comprising K 2 CO 3 and KOH solid is self-sufficient with anion-charge carriers. This electrode dissociates and associates K + ions during battery charge and discharge. The copper active mass and the anion-bearing cathode exhibit a reversible capacity of 664 mAh g -1 and 299 mAh g -1 , respectively, and relatively stable cycling in a saturated mixture electrolyte of K 2 CO 3 and KOH. The results open an avenue to use carbonate as a charge carrier for batteries to serve for the consumption and storage of CO 2 ., (© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)