Search

Background: Surgical debridement and split thickness graft is the most common treatment for acute burn patients that require surgery. However, there is a relevant minority that will require more complex reconstructive options. Microsurgery has evolved as a valuable tool in the acute setting allowing early closure of complex wounds in order to avoid infection, maintain function and even for limb salvage in one stage reconstruction. We present our experience in the management of severely acute burned patients with free flaps, flap survival rate and complications in Chile’s National Health service. Method: We performed a retrospective analysis of all major burn patients admitted in our unit who received a microsurgical flap in the period between april 2019 and march 2023. Data was collected on patient sex, age, mechanism of injury, total burned surface area (TBSA), location of the defect, days to reconstruction, flaps used, operatory time, flap survival and complications. Results: In the study period we had 925 admissions. A total of 36 patients had 42 free flaps (5,1%). All but two patients were male (95 %), mean age 46 years (range 20–––76 years). Total body surface area burned averaged 14 % (range 1–64 %). The majority of injuries were caused by high voltage electricity (59 %) and fire (33 %). 59 % compromised lower limbs and 31 % upper limbs. In 81 % of the cases anterolateral thigh flaps were used. Mean time to reconstruction was 39 days(range 1–64 days), we had 9 complications (21 %) and only one flap was lost (2,9%). Discussion: The introduction of free flaps in the burn reconstruction field was first described in sequelae management. In the acute phase it has also proven to be safe and feasible with a surgical indication of 1,5% to 2% of the admissions in different series. In our unit, 5,1% of our admissions required it, with a low flap loss rate. The increased confidence for its use in the acutely burned setting allowed us to achieve complex coverage while maintaining surgical risk and an internationally acceptable rate of losses and complications. Free flaps cpnstitute an active approach in the classical treatment of this pathology pushing the boundaries in the local environment.

El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar, bajo la perspectiva de la Economía de los Costes de Transacción, si las distintas prácticas contractuales con las que las cadenas hoteleras organizan sus establecimientos influyen sobre su eficiencia. El análisis se ha llevado a cabo utilizando Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), aplicándolo a la cadena líder en España, Sol Meliá. Los resultados obtenidos ponen de manifiesto que la cadena analizada logra en todos los establecimientos en unos altos niveles de eficiencia, pero no se puede afirmar que los gestionados por bajo otras fórmulas contractuales sean más eficientes que otras. Este trabajo permite concluir que la forma contractual no contribuye a la eficiencia de los establecimientos en el caso de Sol Meliá. Más bien parece depender de otras variables técnicas que del tipo de contrato establecido.

A study of critical layer thickness (CLT) in single quantum wells of InGaAs/GaAs on GaAs substrates with (001) and (111)B orientations is presented. The results obtained by Transmission Electronic Microscopy (TEM) and Photoluminescence (PL) show that the decrease of the luminescent signal is due to different relaxation mechanisms for each substrate orientation. Thus, in (001) substrates, the CLT is defined by the transition from a plane growth front (2D) to a rough one (3D). However, the plastic relaxation due to a misfit dislocation array (DD) determines the CLT in (111)B substrates. The analysis by TEM of this dislocation array shows a new DD configuration different to the previously described in the bibliography. The new observed configuration allows us to explain the experimental results obtained for the case of SQW of InGaAs/GaAs (111)B using the classic CLT models of the first DD formation.Se presenta un estudio mediante Microscopía Electrónica de Transmisión (TEM) y Fotoluminiscencia (PL) de espesores críticos de epicapa (CLT) en pozos cuánticos simples de InGaAs/GaAs crecidos sobre substratos de GaAs con orientaciones (001) y (111)B. Los resultados obtenidos demuestran que la disminución de la señal luminiscente del espectro de PL se debe a distintos mecanismos de relajación para cada orientación de sustrato. Así, en sustratos orientados (001), el CLT viene definido por la transición desde un frente de crecimiento plano (2D) a otro ondulado (3D). Sin embargo, la relajación plástica debida a una red de dislocaciones de desajuste (DD) determina el CLT en sustratos orientados (111)B. El análisis por TEM de esta red de dislocaciones muestra la existencia de una nueva configuración de DD distinta a la anteriormente descrita en la bibliografía. La nueva configuración observada permite explicar los resultados experimentales obtenidos para el caso de SQW de InGaAs/ GaAs (111)B utilizando los modelos clásicos de CLT de formación de la primera DD.

Low and high temperature grown InGaAs/GaAs(001) epilayers have been studied by Transmission Electron Microscopy and Double Crystal X Ray Diffraction. Our results show that low temperature growth inhibits plastic relaxation, and misfit dislocations only appearing in the subsequent thermal annealing. The final plastic relaxation degree reached in this way is lower than in high temperature growth, due to the availability of a single surface where misfit dislocations could nucleate. In addition, we have observed that composition modulation even delays plastic relaxation flow, since it introduces tension points that block the dislocation movement, causing the strain-hardening of the alloy.En este trabajo se han estudiado capas simples de InGaAs/GaAs(001) crecidas a 200ºC y 500ºC por Microscopía Electrónica de Transmisión (TEM) y Difracción de Rayos X de Doble Cristal (DCXRD). Los resultados obtenidos muestran que el crecimiento a baja temperatura inhibe el proceso de relajación plástica, apareciendo las dislocaciones de desajuste (DD) durante el ciclo térmico posterior al crecimiento. El grado de relajación plástica final alcanzado en las muestras recocidas es inferior respecto de las crecidas a alta temperatura, debido a la existencia de una sola superficie donde nuclear dichas dislocaciones. Además, se ha observado que la modulación de composición también dificulta la relajación plástica, ya que introduce puntos de tensión en el seno del material que obstaculizan el movimiento de las dislocaciones, tanto en estructuras crecidas a alta como a baja temperatura.

Transmission Electron Microscopy study of low temperature (200º C) grown InGaAs/GaAs(001) layers showed an unexpected Lomer dislocation network in the middle of the layer, which appears as a promising one for the effective structure relaxation without a high density of threading dislocations. However, the layer remained metastable, due to a lack in the relaxation degree. To take advantage of such a network, buffers layers were grown at 200º C by ALMBE, followed by a layer grown at 400ºC or 500ºC (in a dynamic and a stepped way), in order to reach the complete relaxation of the structure. Nevertheless, the Lomer network did not appear, substituted by a 60º dislocations one, placed in the region with the growth temperature change. The reasons of this change are discussed.El estudio mediante Microscopía Electrónica de Transmisión (TEM) de capas InGaAs/GaAs(001) crecidas a 200ºC reflejó la existencia de una red de dislocaciones de Lomer en el seno de la capa, muy prometedora para la efectiva relajación de la estructura con una disminución en la densidad de dislocaciones de propagación. Sin embargo, la capa presentaba un grado de relajación deficiente, por lo que resultaba metaestable. Con el fin de aprovechar las ventajas que ofrecía dicha red de Lomer, se crecieron capas de desacoplo a 200ºC seguidas de una capa a 400º o 500ºC (en forma dinámica y escalonada) para relajar completamente la estructura. No obstante, no se consiguió reproducir la mencionada red, observándose otra constituida por dislocaciones de 60º, situada en la zona de cambio entre las dos temperaturas de crecimiento utilizadas. Las razones de este cambio se discuten en el trabajo.

A comprehensive and accessible Herpesvirus drug resistance database was designed to serve as an international reference for diagnosis and clinical studies. This database available at https://www.unilim.fr/cnr-herpesvirus/outils/codexmv/includes both resistance-related mutations and natural polymorphisms. Initially designed for human cytomegalovirus, it will be expanded to include herpes simplex and varicella-zoster viruses. Newly published mutations and new mutations reported by users or collaborating expert laboratories will be reviewed by an international committee of reference laboratories before inclusion in the database. Coupled with the Herpesvirus Sequence Analysis tool (HSA) mutation reports from NGS or Sanger sequences, it will be an open source for researchers in the field of Herpesviruses. We hope to fill this unmet need for the development and standardization of resistance genotyping., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest This comprehensive Antiviral Resistance database was developed by S. Alain, V. Tilloy, D. Díaz-González and S. Hantz at Limoges hospital as part of the ‘Center National de Référence des Herpèsvirus’ tasks. The CHARMD database and the HSA tool, whose creators are among the authors of the article, are currently being registered with the French Agency for the Protection of Programs., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The pollution of natural waters by contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) is one of the pressing problems due to their global distribution and potential negative effects on the environment and human health. In rural areas with lower population density and limited industrial development, less contamination is expected. However, the lack of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) or their poor removal efficiency can lead to significant input of pollutants. In this context, 11 streams of rural areas in the Guadalquivir River basin, southeast of Spain, were studied over two years to obtain an overview of the origin and distribution of contaminants. A target method using solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) was developed for the analysis of 316 compounds in surface waters. A total of 78 target analytes were detected, comprising pesticides, pharmaceuticals, personal care products (PCPs), transformation products (TPs), and industrial chemicals. The flame retardant tributyl phosphate (16-3572 ng L -1 ) was detected in all samples, followed by caffeine (30-8090 ng L -1 ) and the analgesic tramadol (3-1493 ng L -1 ). The target approach was combined with a non-target analysis (NTA) strategy to obtain an overall perspective of the chemical profile of unexpected or unknown compounds in the samples. Up to 79 contaminants were tentatively identified, and 12 of them were finally confirmed with standards. Most of the contaminants determined by NTA were pharmaceuticals and their TPs. The results indicated that most of CECs have an urban origin despite traditional agriculture is the main economic activity in this region. Moreover, the absence of WWTPs in small towns is significant, as contamination levels at these sites were comparable to or higher than those in larger populations with sewage treatments., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) poses a global threat to both human health and environmental well-being. Our study delved into Costa Rican wildlife reserves, uncovering a substantial human impact on these ecosystems and underscoring the imperative to pinpoint AMR hotspots. Embracing a One Health perspective, we advocated for a comprehensive landscape analysis that intricately intertwined geographic, climatic, forest, and human factors. This study illuminated the link between laboratory results and observed patterns of antimicrobial use, thereby paving the way for sustainable solutions. Our innovative methodology involved deploying open-ended questions to explore antimicrobial usage across livestock activities, contributing to establishing a comprehensive methodology. Non-invasive sampling in wildlife emerged as a critical aspect, shedding light on areas contaminated by AMR. Feline species, positioned at the apex of the food chain, acted as sentinels for environmental health due to heightened exposure to improperly disposed waste. Regarding laboratory findings, each sample revealed the presence of at least one antimicrobial resistance gene (ARG). Notably, genes encoding resistance to tetracyclines dominated (94.9%), followed by beta-lactams (75.6%), sulfonamides (53.8%), aminoglycosides (51.3%), quinolones (44.9%), phenicols (25.6%), and macrolides (20.5%). Genes encoding polymyxins were not detected. Moreover, 66% of samples carried a multi-resistant microbiome, with 15% exhibiting resistance to three antimicrobial families and 51% to four. The absence of a correlation between forest coverage and ARG presence underscored the profound human impact on wildlife reserves, surpassing previous estimations. This environmental pressure could potentially modify microbiomes and resistomes in unknown ways. As not all antimicrobial families encoding ARGs were utilized by farmers, our next step involved evaluating other human activities to identify the primary sources of contamination. This comprehensive study contributed crucial insights into the intricate dynamics of AMR in natural ecosystems, paving the way for targeted interventions and sustainable coexistence., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Kinndle Blanco-Pena reports financial support was provided by Fondo de Educación Superior Estatal del Consejo Nacional de Rectores de Costa Rica (CONARE)., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

An increasing number of silicosis cases have been reported related to the use of silica agglomerates. Many studies agree on the severity of this disease, which often presents with severe clinical forms in young workers and after a short latency period. Are there differences in the composition of dust generated by cutting and polishing with silica agglomerates versus granite and marble? Does the use of water injection reduce the risk associated with the use of these materials? We carried out a comparative observational-analytical study, measuring the concentration of dust generated during different machining operations on three different materials: granite, marble, and silica agglomerates. The effect of water injection on dust generation was evaluated. Personal sampling pumps were used, connected to a cyclone with polyvinyl chloride filters. The flow rate of the pumps was adjusted using a piston flowmeter. Measurements with a cascade impactor were made to assess the size distribution of respirable crystalline silica particles within the respirable fraction. In addition, environmental measurements with a spectrometer were made. 10 tests were carried out on granite and silica agglomerates for each procedure. In the case of marble, with very low silica content, only 2 tests of each type were carried out. Duration of each measurement was between 6 and 25 min. Cleaning times were set for each of the operations. The amount of dust collected in the respirable fraction was 70.85, 32.50 and 35.78 mg/m 3 for dry cutting; 6.50, 3.75 and 3.95 mg/m 3 for wet cutting; and 21.35, 13.68 and 17.50 mg/m 3 for dry polishing, for granite, marble, and silica agglomerates respectively. Dry procedures in marble, silica agglomerates and granite showed higher dust concentration of particles smaller than 0.5 μm. Silica agglomerates showed higher concentrations of respirable crystalline silica particles than granite and marble, mainly with dry procedures. The greater production of small particles in dry and wet procedures with silica agglomerates shows that water injection is an insufficient preventive measure., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Context: Music listening (ML) has been shown to have a beneficial effect on patients with cancer. However, novel intervention approaches are needed., Objectives: We aimed to determine whether ML based on the iso-principle, conducted using a mobile application (GloMus), improves symptom burden, quality of life (QoL), anxiety, and depression in patients undergoing stem cell transplantation (SCT) and intensive induction chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML)., Methods: In this randomized controlled clinical trial, we assigned 71 patients to the ML or standard care (SC) groups, stratified by the reason for admission (AML, allogeneic-SCT, or inpatient/outpatient autologous-SCT). Upon admission, participants in the ML groups were invited to undergo daily ML sessions designed to change negative moods into positive ones (iso-principle). The intervention consisted of listening to pre-recorded classical music ordered by beats per minute and tonality. Symptom burden (Edmonton Symptom Assessment System-Revised) was assessed in the ML groups before and after each session. Anxiety, depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), and QoL (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Bone Marrow Transplantation/Leukemia) were measured weekly in the ML and SC groups., Results: Symptom burden in both allogeneic- and inpatient autologous-SCT ML groups reduced after the intervention. In all experimental groups, clinically important improvements were observed after ML sessions. No differences were found between the groups (ML vs. SC) at different weeks of admission regarding anxiety, depression, and QoL., Conclusions: ML based on our innovative iso-principle strategy, conducted using GloMus, reduced the symptom burden in patients undergoing allogeneic- and inpatient autologous-SCT (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT05696457)., (Copyright © 2024 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this study was to determine if intranasal administration of oxytocin modifies sexual behaviour and the stress response in young rams during sexual tests with ewes in oestrus. Ten rams were used in a cross-over design. At Day 0, the control group (CG, n = 5) received isotonic saline spray intranasally, and the treated group (OTG, n = 5) received oxytocin (24 IU) intranasally, 40 min before the sexual test. At Day 15, the groups were reversed. In each sexual test (20 min) with an oestrous-induced ewe, the sexual behaviour of the young rams was recorded. Serum cortisol concentrations were determined before and after the test. Less flehmen was observed in the OTG, but mounts with ejaculation were increased. The OTG presented lower serum cortisol concentration than the CG. In conclusion, intranasal administration of oxytocin modified the sexual behaviour of rams, evidenced by a decrease in flehmen behaviour and an increase in mounts with ejaculation, making sexual activity more efficacious. In addition, the treatment decreased the stress response of the rams in the sexual tests. Therefore, intranasal administration of oxytocin could be used to increase sexual activity in rams, and with less stress, providing better welfare conditions., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Fungal spores, commonly found in the atmosphere, can trigger important respiratory disorders. The glycoprotein Alt a 1 is the major allergen present in conidia of the genus Alternaria and has a high clinical relevance for people sensitized to fungi. Exposure to this allergen has been traditionally assessed by aerobiological spore counts, although this does not always offer an accurate estimate of airborne allergen load. This study aims to pinpoint the key factors that explain the presence and variation of Alt a 1 concentration in the atmosphere in order to establish exposure risk periods and improve forecasting models. Alternaria spores were sampled using a Hirst-type volumetric sampler over a five-year period. The allergenic fraction from the bioaerosol was collected using a low-volume cyclone sampler and Alt a 1 quantified by Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay. A cluster analysis was executed in order to group days with similar environmental features and then analyze days with the presence of the allergen in each of them. Subsequently, a quadratic discriminant analysis was performed to evaluate if the selected variables can predict days with high Alt a 1 load. The results indicate that higher temperatures and absolute humidity favor the presence of Alt a 1 in the atmosphere, while time of precipitation is related to days without allergen. Moreover, using the selected parameters, the quadratic discriminant analysis to predict days with allergen showed an accuracy rate between 67 % and 85 %. The mismatch between daily airborne concentration of Alternaria spores and allergen load can be explained by the greater contribution of medium-to-long distance transport of the allergen from the major emission sources as compared with spores. Results highlight the importance of conducting aeroallergen quantification studies together with spore counts to improve the forecasting models of allergy risk, especially for fungal spores., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In this investigation, the presence of antibiotics and pharmaceuticals in Costa Rican surface waters, specifically in regions near feline habitats, was examined. The study revealed that 47% of the water samples contained detectable traces of at least one antibiotic. Ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin were the most frequently detected compounds, each with a detection rate of 27%. Other antibiotics, such as erythromycin, roxithromycin, and trimethoprim, were also found but at lower frequencies, around 14%. Notably, all antibiotic concentrations remained below 10 ng/L, with ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, and erythromycin showing the highest concentrations. Furthermore, the investigation revealed the presence of non-antibiotic pharmaceutical residues in the water samples, typically at concentrations below 64 ng/L. Tramadol was the most frequently detected compound, present in 18% of the samples. The highest concentrations were observed for acetaminophen and tramadol, measuring 64 and 10 ng/L, respectively. Comparing these findings with studies conducted in treated wastewater and urban rivers, it became evident that the concentrations of antibiotics and pharmaceuticals were notably lower in this study. While previous research reported higher values, the limited number of studies conducted in protected areas raises concerns about the potential environmental impact on biodiversity. In summary, these results emphasize the importance of monitoring pharmaceutical residues and antimicrobial resistance genes ARGs in vulnerable ecosystems, especially those in close proximity to feline habitats in Costa Rica. Additionally, the study delved into the detection of (ARGs). All tested water samples were positive for at least one ARG, with the bla TEM gene being the most prevalent at 82%, followed by tetS at 64% and qnrB at 23%. Moreover, this research shed light on the complexity of evaluating ARGs in environmental samples, as their presence does not necessarily indicate their expression. It also highlighted the potential for co-selection and co-regulation of ARGs, showcasing the intricate behaviors of these genes in aquatic environments., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background & Aims: Cholemic nephropathy (CN) is a severe complication of cholestatic liver diseases for which there is no specific treatment. We revisited its pathophysiology with the aim of identifying novel therapeutic strategies., Methods: Cholestasis was induced by bile duct ligation (BDL) in mice. Bile flux in kidneys and livers was visualized by intravital imaging, supported by MALDI mass spectrometry imaging and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The effect of AS0369, a systemically bioavailable apical sodium-dependent bile acid transporter (ASBT) inhibitor, was evaluated by intravital imaging, RNA-sequencing, histological, blood, and urine analyses. Translational relevance was assessed in kidney biopsies from patients with CN, mice with a humanized bile acid (BA) spectrum, and via analysis of serum BAs and KIM-1 (kidney injury molecule 1) in patients with liver disease and hyperbilirubinemia., Results: Proximal tubular epithelial cells (TECs) reabsorbed and enriched BAs, leading to oxidative stress and death of proximal TECs, casts in distal tubules and collecting ducts, peritubular capillary leakiness, and glomerular cysts. Renal ASBT inhibition by AS0369 blocked BA uptake into TECs and prevented kidney injury up to 6 weeks after BDL. Similar results were obtained in mice with humanized BA composition. In patients with advanced liver disease, serum BAs were the main determinant of KIM-1 levels. ASBT expression in TECs was preserved in biopsies from patients with CN, further highlighting the translational potential of targeting ASBT to treat CN., Conclusions: BA enrichment in proximal TECs followed by oxidative stress and cell death is a key early event in CN. Inhibiting renal ASBT and consequently BA enrichment in TECs prevents CN and systemically decreases BA concentrations., Impact and Implications: Cholemic nephropathy (CN) is a severe complication of cholestasis and an unmet clinical need. We demonstrate that CN is triggered by the renal accumulation of bile acids (BAs) that are considerably increased in the systemic blood. Specifically, the proximal tubular epithelial cells of the kidney take up BAs via the apical sodium-dependent bile acid transporter (ASBT). We developed a therapeutic compound that blocks ASBT in the kidneys, prevents BA overload in tubular epithelial cells, and almost completely abolished all disease hallmarks in a CN mouse model. Renal ASBT inhibition represents a potential therapeutic strategy for patients with CN., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Transmission Ratio Distortion (TRD) is a genetic phenomenon widely demonstrated in several livestock species, but barely in equine species. The TRD occurs when certain genotypes are over- or under-represented in the offspring of a particular mating and can be caused by a variety of factors during gamete formation or during embryonic development. For this study, 126 394 trios consisting of a stallion, mare, and offspring were genotyped using a panel of 17 neutral microsatellite markers recommended by the International Society for Animal Genetics for paternity tests and individual identification. The number of alleles available for each marker ranges from 13 to 18, been 268 the total number of alleles investigated. The TRDscan v.2.0 software was used with the biallelic procedure to identify regions with distorted segregation ratios. After completing the analysis, a total of 12 alleles (out of 11 microsatellites) were identified with decisive evidence for genotypic TRD; 3 and 9 with additive and heterosis patterns, respectively. In addition, 19 alleles (out of 10 microsatellites) were identified displaying allelic TRD. Among them, 14 and 5 were parent-unspecific and stallion-mare-specific TRD. Out of the TRD regions, 24 genes were identified and annotated, predominantly associated with cholesterol metabolism and homeostasis. These genes are often linked to non-specific symptoms like impaired fertility, stunted growth, and compromised overall health. The results suggest a significant impact on the inheritance of certain genetic traits in horses. Further analysis and validation are needed to better understand the TRD impact before the potential implementation in the horse breeding programme strategies., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Research combining the measurement of objective variables with surveys of people's perception of noise on city streets is useful in terms of understanding the impact of urban noise on the population and improving the environment. Although previous investigations have analysed the factors that may influence the noise annoyance of citizens, it is usually considered as a global aspect. This paper presents research based on in situ surveys and objective variables (urban, meteorological and noise indicators) to evaluate some specific effects of noise on pedestrians in urban environments where road traffic is the main source of sound. The results show significant relationships of the effects of noise and perceptions of how noisy urban environments are with variables such as building height, road category and temperature, with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.37 to 0.64. Significant correlations between these subjective variables and the acoustic variables were also found, with explanations of variability that reached values of up to 50 %. A multivariate analysis revealed that both urban variables (especially the category of street) and environmental variables can be an alternative or a complement to models predicting the effects and perception of environmental noise based only on acoustic variables., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Non-thermal plasma-based ionization sources have been widely used and shown excellent soft ionization performance in mass spectrometry. Despite their extensive application, the ionization mechanisms of these sources are of great interest for further exploring their full potential. A controlled atmosphere can provide a clean and controllable ionization environment and is beneficial for studying the ionization mechanism. The plasma source itself also has a significant impact on the ionization mechanism of the analyte, and the voltage waveform is one of the key parameters for controlling the plasma source. In this paper, a miniature flexible micro-tube plasma (FμTP) ionization source was sustained using both square and sine-wave voltage. The ionization processes of typical semi-fluorinated n-alkanes (SFAs) were investigated in the controlled atmosphere filled with 80% N 2 and 20% O 2 . The main mass peaks using both square and sine-wave voltages are found to be [M-mH] + and [M-mH+nO] + (m = 1, 3; n = 0, 1, 2). However, for the square-wave voltage, the [M-H+O] + species are the most abundant while [M-H] + species are dominant for the sine-wave voltage, showing that the plasma generated with sine-wave voltage is somewhat "softer" than the one with square-wave voltage for SFAs. With the assistance of optical spectroscopy, the plasma developments in one discharge cycle for both voltage waveforms were obtained. Only one discharge can be found in each half cycle for square-wave voltage while several for the sine-wave voltage. These would be responsible for the different ionization behaviors in these two cases. This work provides more insight into the ionization mechanism of SFAs and more understanding of plasma-based soft ionization. In addition, the analytical performance was evaluated to be comparable when using these two voltage generators with a big difference in cost, which will benefit the instrumental development., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background & Aims: Acetaminophen (APAP) overdose remains a frequent cause of acute liver failure, which is generally accompanied by increased levels of serum bile acids (BAs). However, the pathophysiological role of BAs remains elusive. Herein, we investigated the role of BAs in APAP-induced hepatotoxicity., Methods: We performed intravital imaging to investigate BA transport in mice, quantified endogenous BA concentrations in the serum of mice and patients with APAP overdose, analyzed liver tissue and bile by mass spectrometry and MALDI-mass spectrometry imaging, assessed the integrity of the blood-bile barrier and the role of oxidative stress by immunostaining of tight junction proteins and intravital imaging of fluorescent markers, identified the intracellular cytotoxic concentrations of BAs, and performed interventions to block BA uptake from blood into hepatocytes., Results: Prior to the onset of cell death, APAP overdose causes massive oxidative stress in the pericentral lobular zone, which coincided with a breach of the blood-bile barrier. Consequently, BAs leak from the bile canaliculi into the sinusoidal blood, which is then followed by their uptake into hepatocytes via the basolateral membrane, their secretion into canaliculi and repeated cycling. This, what we termed 'futile cycling' of BAs, led to increased intracellular BA concentrations that were high enough to cause hepatocyte death. Importantly, however, the interruption of BA re-uptake by pharmacological NTCP blockage using Myrcludex B and Oatp knockout strongly reduced APAP-induced hepatotoxicity., Conclusions: APAP overdose induces a breach of the blood-bile barrier which leads to futile BA cycling that causes hepatocyte death. Prevention of BA cycling may represent a therapeutic option after APAP intoxication., Lay Summary: Only one drug, N-acetylcysteine, is approved for the treatment of acetaminophen overdose and it is only effective when given within ∼8 hours after ingestion. We identified a mechanism by which acetaminophen overdose causes an increase in bile acid concentrations (to above toxic thresholds) in hepatocytes. Blocking this mechanism prevented acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in mice and evidence from patients suggests that this therapy may be effective for longer periods after ingestion compared to N-acetylcysteine., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest S.U. is holder and inventor on patents protecting Myrcludex B (Hepcludex/bulevirtide). All other authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. Please refer to the accompanying ICMJE disclosure forms for further details., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

There is an urgent need for contrast agents to detect the first inflammation stage of atherosclerosis by cardiovascular optical coherence tomography (CV-OCT), the imaging technique with the highest spatial resolution and sensitivity of those used during coronary interventions. Gold nanoshells (GNSs) provide the strongest signal by CV-OCT. GNSs are functionalized with the cLABL peptide that binds specifically to the ICAM-1 molecule upregulated in the first stage of atherosclerosis. Dark field microscopy and CV-OCT are used to evaluate the specific adhesion of these functionalized GNSs to activated endothelial cells. This adhesion is investigated under static and dynamic conditions, for shear stresses comparable to those of physiological conditions. An increase in the scattering signal given by the functionalized GNSs attached to activated cells is observed compared to non-activated cells. Thus, cLABL-functionalized GNSs behave as excellent contrast agents for CV-OCT and promise a novel strategy for clinical molecular imaging of atherosclerosis., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Airborne pollen concentration varies depending on several factors, such as local plant biodiversity, geography and climatology. These particles are involved in triggering pollinosis in a share of worldwide human population, and adequate monitoring is, therefore, important. However, the pollen traps in aerobiological monitoring networks are usually installed in cities, and the features of the whole territory are not taken into account. The aim of this study was to analyze what environmental parameters are more suitable as regards setting up monitoring stations throughout a territory in order to obtain an aerobiological network that can represent environmental diversity. The analysis was carried out in 13 locations in Castilla y León over an 8 year period. This is a favorable territory in which to conduct this type of study owing to its climatic features, orography and biodiversity. The ten most abundant pollen types in the region were analyzed, and a clustering analysis was calculated with different distances so as to obtain homogeneous groups of stations. Moreover, the clusters obtained were analyzed in combination with altitudinal and different bioclimatic parameters, which derived from temperature and precipitation. The result here shows that the Castilla y León aerobiological network RACYL represents most of the environmental variability of the territory. Furthermore, it can be divided into two clusters and five sub-clusters for which the start of the main pollen season is different. This corresponds with the division of the territory as regards bioclimatic conditions. The most important bioclimatic parameters were the seasonality of the precipitation and the maximum temperature of the warmest month, although orography must also be taken into account. All of these help discover the optimal places in which to install traps and could reduce the number of monitoring stations. This study additionally provides data for unmonitored areas with similar bioclimatic conditions to those monitored., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Despite the economic importance of fertility for the horse industry, few efforts have been made to achieve a better understanding of the genetic mechanisms underlying its control. This is probably due to the difficulty of obtaining reliable phenotypes and the complexity of modelling the environmental and management factors. This work is novel in that we propose to use reproductive efficiency (RE) as an indicator of mare fertility. To achieve this, we performed a genome-wide association study in the Pura Raza Español horse aimed at identifying genomic variants, regions, and candidate genes associated with fertility in mares. The dataset included 819 animals genotyped with the Affymetrix Axiom™ Equine 670 K single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) Genotyping Array and the deregressed breeding values for RE trait, obtained using a ssBLUP model, employed as pseudo-phenotypic data. Our results showed 28 SNPs potentially associated with RE, which explained 87.19% of the genetic variance and 6.61% of the phenotypic variance. Those results were further validated in BayesB, showing a correlation between observed and predicted RE of 0.57. In addition, 15 candidate genes (HTRA3, SPIRE1, APOE, ERCC1, FOXA3, NECTIN-2, KLC3, RSPH6A, PDPK1, MEIOB, PAQR4, NM3, PKD1, PRSS21, IFT140) previously related to fertility in mammals were associated with the markers and genomic regions significantly associated with RE. To our knowledge, this is the first genome-wide association study performed on mare fertility., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Although electron impact ionization (EI) remains the standard ionization source for GC-MS, it presents extensive fragmentation as its main limitation. The potential of a novel plasma-based soft ionization source named controlled-atmosphere flexible microtube plasma (CA-FμTP) has been evaluated in this work for the determination of monoaromatic volatile BTEX group (namely benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and o-, m- and p-xylenes) in olive oil, based on headspace technique. The obtained results show an attractive advantage over EI due to no fragmentation was observed. A nitrosated ion [M + NO] + is obtained as the most abundant species. Thus, the BTEX mass spectrum identification can be carried out without major effort. In general, the sensitivity for CA-FμTP was comparable to those obtained by EI, achieving LODs ranged from 0.6 to 1.0 μg kg -1 . The potential usefulness of GC-CA-FμTP-MS for the detection of BTEX was demonstrated by analyzing olive oil samples and identifying traces of these compounds in one sample. Therefore, the proposed plasma-based soft ionization is suitable for BTEX analysis in fatty complex matrixes as olive oil., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

F 1 F o -ATP synthase (ATP synthase) is a central membrane protein that synthetizes most of the ATP in the cell through a rotational movement driven by a proton gradient across the hosting membrane. In mitochondria, ATP synthases can form dimers through specific interactions between some subunits of the protein. The dimeric form of ATP synthase provides the protein with a spontaneous curvature that sustain their arrangement at the rim of the high-curvature edges of mitochondrial membrane (cristae). Also, a direct interaction with cardiolipin, a lipid present in the inner mitochondrial membrane, induces the dimerization of ATP synthase molecules along cristae. The deletion of those biochemical interactions abolishes the protein dimerization producing an altered mitochondrial function and morphology. Mechanically, membrane bending is one of the key deformation modes by which mitochondrial membranes can be shaped. In particular, bending rigidity and spontaneous curvature are important physical factors for membrane remodelling. Here, we discuss a complementary mechanism whereby the rotatory movement of the ATP synthase might modify the mechanical properties of lipid bilayers and contribute to the formation and regulation of the membrane invaginations., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Allergenicity indices are a powerful tool to assess the health hazard posed by urban parks to pollen allergic subjects. Nonetheless, only few indices have been developed and applied to urban vegetation in the last decade, and they were never compared nor standardised over the same dataset. To address this issue, in this paper the two best-known allergenicity indices, the Urban Green Zones Allergenicity Index (I UGZA ) and the Specific Allergenicity Index (SAI), have been calculated for the same park (the Botanical Garden of Bologna), collecting vegetation data through both systematic sampling and arboreal census. The results obtained with the two data collection methods were comparable for both indices, indicating systematic sampling as a reliable approximation of the total census. Besides, the allergenic risk resulted moderate to high according to SAI, and very low according to I UGZA . Since SAI does not consider the total volume of the vegetation, it was deemed less reliable than I UGZA in evaluating the allergenicity of an enclosed green space., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Bioprinting technology offers layer-by-layer positioning of cells within 3D space with complexity and a defined architecture. Cancer models based in this biofabrication technique are important tools to achieve representative and realistic in vivo conditions of the tumor microenvironment. Here, we show the development of a proof-of-concept three-dimensional bioprinted cancer model that successfully recapitulates the intercellular communication via the assembly of functional tunneling nanotube (TNT)-like cell projections. Different combinations of collagen-containing culture medium, sodium alginate and gelatin were initially prepared and rheologically evaluated. The optimized mixture was used to print two preliminary 3D models for cancer cell seeding. Favourable results in cell viability and proliferation led to the inclusion of 786-O renal cancer cells into the biomaterial mixture to directly bioprint the most suitable 3D model with embedded cells. Bioprinted cells remained viable for at least 15 days of culture and proliferated. More importantly, these cancer cells were able to build TNT-like cellular projections inside the hydrogel that established direct contacts between distant cells. We show that these structures were used as channels for the scrolling and intercellular transfer of mitochondria thus reproducing TNT's function in 2D culture systems. This 3D bioprinted renal cancer model provides a novel alternative tool for studying the functional relevance of TNT-like structures in tumorigenesis and anticancer drug susceptibility in a highly controlled and reproducible tumor microenvironment., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Pollinosis and allergic asthma are respiratory diseases of global relevance, heavily affecting the quality of life of allergic subjects. Since there is not a decisive cure yet, pollen allergic subjects need to avoid exposure to high pollen allergens concentrations. For this purpose, pollen forecasting is an essential tool that needs to be reliable and easily accessible. While forecasting methods are rapidly evolving towards more complex statistical and physical models, the use of simple and traditional methods is still preferred in routine predictions. In this review, we summarise and explain the main parameters considered when forecasting pollen, and classify the different forecasting methods in two groups: observation-based and process-based. Finally, we compare these approaches based on their usefulness to allergic patients, and discuss possible future developments of the field., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Metal ions homeostasis plays an important role in biological processes. The ability to detect the concentration of metal ions in biological fluids is often challenged by the obvious interference or competitive binding nature of other alkaline metals ions. Common analytical techniques employed for metal ions detection are electrochemical, fluorescence and colorimetric methods. However, most reported metal ions sensors are complicated, time-consuming and involve costly procedures with limited effectiveness. Herein, a nanobiosensor for detecting sodium and potassium ions using folic acid-functionalised reduced graphene oxide-modified RNase A gold nanoclusters (FA-rGO-RNase A/AuNCs) based on fluorescence "turn-off/turn-on" is presented. Firstly, a facile and optimised protocol for the fabrication of RNase A/AuNCs is developed. The activity of RNase A protein after the formation of RNase A/AuNCs is studied. RNase A/AuNCs is then loaded onto FA-rGO, in which FA-rGO is used as a potential carrier and fluorescence quencher for RNase A/AuNCs. Finally, a fluorescence "turn-on" sensing strategy is developed using the as-synthesised FA-rGO-RNase A/AuNCs to detect sodium and potassium ions. The developed nanobiosensor revealed an excellent sensing performance and meets the sensitivity required to detect both sodium and potassium ions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work done on determining the RNase A protein activity in RNase A/AuNCs and exploring the potential application of RNase A/AuNCs as a metal ion sensor. This work serves as a proof-of-concept for combining the potential of drug delivery, active targeting and therapy on cancer cells, as well as biosensing of metal ions into a single platform., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Noise levels measured in 27 cities with different areas (from 0.6 km 2 to 59.27 km 2 ) and populations (from approximately 2000 to 70,000 inhabitants) were compared with respect to five different urban characteristics (population, area, total street length, density, and linear density). Comparisons were conducted for both overall city noise levels and noise registered on five types of roads with different functionality using the Categorisation Method. The results showed that four of the five cities' characteristics presented a significant correlation with the noise levels (all except for density). The calculated correlations were better for noise levels in the different categories than the overall noise values, with higher explained variability on the streets with more traffic. Therefore, the road categorisation method can be used not only to assess the noise variations within cities, but also to better explain the effect of noise on the analysed city characteristics. The results of the calculated relationships enable the estimation of noise levels both currently and in future urban developments of noise values on different types of streets., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Understanding airborne pollen allergens trends is of great importance for the high prevalence and the socio-economic impact that pollen-related respiratory diseases have on a global scale. Pursuing this aim, aeropalynology evolved as a broad and complex field, that requires multidisciplinary knowledge covering the molecular identity of pollen allergens, the nature of allergen-bearing particles (pollen grains, pollen sub-particles, and small airborne particles), and the distribution of their sources. To estimate the health hazard that urban vegetation and atmospheric pollen concentrations pose to allergic subjects, it is pivotal to develop efficient and rapid monitoring systems and reliable allergic risk indices. Here, we review different pollen allergens monitoring approaches, classifying them into I) vegetation-based, II) pollen-based, and III) allergen-based, and underlining their advantages and limits. Finally, we discuss the outstanding issues and directions for future research that will further clarify our understanding of pollen aeroallergens dynamics and allergen avoidance strategies., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Bioaerosols play a major role in the plant life of ecosystems. In addition, they have a profound impact on human health, since they may cause lung diseases or allergies. The key objective of this study is to assess the below cloud scavenging effect of rainfall on pollen concentration. The analysis is based on a sampling carried out in León, Spain, between 2015 and 2018. The rainfall variables and the pollen concentrations have been obtained with a disdrometer and a volumetric Hirst type spore-trap, respectively. In order to evaluate the scavenging, three parameters have been calculated: scavenging efficiency (through the concentration-weighted average (%ΔC)), the scavenging coefficient (λ) and the percentage of events with a decrease in pollen concentration (%ES) also called events with effective scavenging. 71% of rain events presented an effective scavenging that affected all types of pollen. The %ΔC mean value of total pollen was 24 ± 18% (positive values indicate an effective scavenging) and the types of pollen with the highest values were Castanea and Cupressaceae (71 and 40%, respectively). A linear model (R 2  = 0.94) to estimate the pollen concentration after rain was built with variables such as pollen concentration before rain and other variables from a weather station and a disdrometer. Furthermore, we have shown the possibility of knowing in real time the probable Cupressaceae pollen concentration, from the initial pollen concentration and the physical parameters of rain (such as raindrop size, rain intensity or volume swept by raindrops in their falling path)., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Acute coronary syndrome is a frequent cause of morbidity and mortality, and a known stress response trigger. We aim to investigate the association between cortisol, as a primary stress hormone, and prognosis/mortality in this scenario. Single-center, prospective, observational, and analytical study in patients admitted for acute coronary syndrome. Clinical characteristics and prognosis markers were registered, along with serum cortisol levels on admission and in-hospital mortality. Cortisol levels were higher in patients with a depressed ST segment (18.22 ± 13.38 μg/dL), compared to those with an isoelectric ST segment (12.66 ± 10.47 μg/dL), and highest in patients with an elevated ST segment (22.61 ± 14.45 μg/dL), with P< 0.001. Also, cortisol was significantly increased in patients with elevated troponin I values (18.90 ± 14.19 μg/dL vs 11.87 ± 8.21 μg/dL, P< 0.001). Patients with Killip-Kimball class I or II had a lower mean serum cortisol (14.66 ± 10.82 μg/dL) than those with class III or IV (41.34 ± 15.57 μg/dL), P< 0.001. Finally, we found that patients who died during hospitalization had higher cortisol on admission: 36.39 ± 17.85 μg/dL vs 15.26 ± 11.59 μg/dL, P= 0.003. Cortisol was directly related to the electrocardiographic presentation of ACS and with the maximum troponin I value. This indicates that serum cortisol levels parallel the extension of ischemia and myocardial injury, and in this way affect the clinical prognosis, evidenced by the Killip-Kimball class and the increase in mortality., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Noise pollution is a major environmental problem due to its impact on human health and implications for other spheres of society. Since road traffic is the main source of noise pollution, the use of measurement methodologies to accurately determine the environmental noise levels to which the façades of buildings in cities are exposed is an important issue. This paper presents an experimental study in urban environments that uses different configurations to evaluate the influence of the position of the microphone and the parking lanes on the levels of road traffic noise to which the population is exposed. In urban settings in which sound waves propagate without obstacles between the lanes of traffic and the receivers, broadband results for the differences between noise levels measured by microphones placed at heights of 4.0 and 1.5 m showed a significant increase with an increase in the distance between the microphone and sound source of between -0.8 and 0.9 dBA over a range from 2 to 8 m. This difference between the two microphones was greater at points where a lane of parked vehicles was located between the road traffic lanes and the receivers were placed near the façades of building. At the same heights, the broadband difference in sound levels ranged from 2.7 to 4.5 dBA. This acoustic shielding effect due to the presence of parked vehicles started to be relevant in the 250 Hz band and increased progressively with frequency. Taking into account these experimental results and the recommendations in the European Noise Directive, it would be important to apply corrections to sound indicators for road traffic noise that are related to the height of the microphone. Making a distinction between urban configurations with and without lines of parked vehicles between the microphone and the road traffic lanes would be advisable., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The development of decision models to assess interventions for rare diseases require huge efforts from research groups, especially regarding collecting and synthesizing the knowledge to parameterize the model. This article presents a method to reuse the knowledge collected in an ontology to automatically generate decision tree models for different contexts and interventions., Material and Methods: We updated the reference ontology (RaDiOS) to include more knowledge required to generate a model. We implemented a transformation tool (RaDiOS-MTT) that uses the knowledge stored in RaDiOS to automatically generate decision trees for the economic assessment of interventions on rare diseases., Results: We used a case study to illustrate the potential of the tool, and automatically generate a decision tree that reproduces an actual study on newborn screening for profound biotinidase deficiency., Conclusions: RaDiOS-MTT allows research groups to reuse the evidence collected, and thus speeding up the development of health economics assessments for interventions on rare diseases., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Blood biomarkers may help to predict pregnancy in recipients of in vitro produced (IVP) embryos. Using 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance, we quantified 36 metabolites in the blood plasma of recipients (90% heifers, healthy, 1.95 years on average at the time of 1st embryo transfer -ET-) collected at Day-0 (estrus) and Day-7 (before ET time). First, IVP embryos were transferred to Asturiana de los Valles recipients as fresh (F) (N = 26) and vitrified/warmed (V/W) (N = 48) (discovery groups). Only at estrus, we discovered 4, 11, and 5 (F-ET), and 2, 2, and 4 (V/W-ET) metabolites that predicted pregnancy on Day-40, Day-62 and calving time, respectively (ROC-AUC > 0.700; P < .05). Thereafter, validation was performed in independent samples (N = 67 F and N = 63 V/W) of three cattle breeds by an index of overall classification accuracy (OCA>0.650, P < .05). The numbers of candidate biomarkers validated were 2, 9 and 1 (F-ET) and 2, 2, and 3 (V/W-ET) on Day 40, Day-62 and calving time. Relevant metabolites were validated at the three (2-Oxoglutaric acid (F-ET), and 2-Hydroxybutyric acid and Dimethylamine (V/W-ET)) and two pregnancy endpoints (Ketoleucine (F-ET); Day-40 and Day-62) analysed. Fatty acid degradation and oxidative metabolism were enriched in pregnant recipients. The candidate biomarkers identified can improve embryo-recipient selection. SIGNIFICANCE: We identified, for the first time, reliable pregnancy and birth candidate metabolite biomarkers for fresh and vitrified IVP embryos in blood of beef cattle recipients. Our findings can help to improve embryo-recipient selection, which is usually carried out in a way that females that will not become pregnant are not well differentiated., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Human blood traces are amongst the most commonly encountered biological stains collected at crime scenes. Identifying the body site of origin of a forensic blood trace can provide crucial information in many cases, such as in sexual and violent assaults. However, means for reliably and accurately identifying from which body site a forensic blood trace originated are missing, but would be highly valuable in crime scene investigations. With this study, we introduce a taxonomy-independent deep neural network approach based on massively parallel microbiome sequencing, which delivers accurate body site of origin classification of forensically-relevant blood samples, such as menstrual, nasal, fingerprick, and venous blood. A total of 50 deep neural networks were trained using a large 16S rRNA gene sequencing dataset from 773 reference samples, including 220 female urogenital tract, 190 nasal cavity, 213 skin, and 150 venous blood samples. Validation was performed with de-novo generated 16S rRNA gene massively parallel sequencing (MPS) data from 94 blood test samples of four different body sites, and achieved high classification accuracy with AUC values at 0.992 for menstrual blood (N = 23), 0.978 for nasal blood (N = 16), 0.978 for fingerprick blood (N = 30), and 0.990 for venous blood (N = 25). The obtained highly accurate classification of menstrual blood was independent of the day of the menses, as established in additional 86 menstrual blood test samples. Accurate body site of origin classification was also revealed for 45 fresh and aged mock casework blood samples from all four body sites. Our novel microbiome approach works based on the assumption that a sample is from blood, as can be obtained in forensic practise from prior presumptive blood testing, and provides accurate information on the specific body source of blood, with high potentials for future forensic applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The presence of pesticide residues in bees is of great interest, given the central role of bees as indicators for environmental assessment. The goal of this article is to propose a method to capture enhanced chemical information for these central environmental indicators. Most of the methods rely on the analysis of pooled samples rather than individual specimens due to practical sample preparation method considerations and limitations in sensitivity. This leads to miss information on the mapping of pesticides and actual amount of pesticide per specimen. In this article, a nanoflow liquid chromatography system coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (using a hybrid quadrupole-Orbitrap instrument) has been applied for the development of a multiresidue pesticide method for the determination of 162 multiclass pesticides in specific part of honeybee samples (ca. abdomen, head or thorax). The reduced flow rate provided an enhancement in sensitivity and a strong reduction of matrix effects, thus only a quick and simple ultrasound assisted extraction using minute amount of sample was required. Satisfactory results were obtained for all tested analytes with concentration levels detected lower than 0.5 ng g -1 in all cases, thus being acceptable for monitoring purposes. Matrix effect was negligible for 94% of compounds. Extraction recoveries ranged from 70% to 105%, being within SANTE guidelines. Finally, the applicability of the method was demonstrated, by successful application to the analysis of contaminated honeybee samples, extracting useful information from specific bee parts of single specimens, thus, enabling pseudo spatially resolved chemical information., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier B.V.)