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Dairy farming systems are multifunctional processes that provide milk but also beef, veal and manure. These outputs provided by dairy farms are important foods for humans but their production require natural resources like water and land, and release emissions to the water and air contributing to climate change. Many studies quantified the environmental performance of dairy farms by using a life cycle assessment (LCA) or environmental footprint calculation. This study provides a better understanding of how different methodological decisions (e.g., the choice of system boundary, GHG metric, allocation procedure for multifunctionality, and multi-environmental indicators) influence the environmental performance calculation. From a footprinting point of view, the water footprints (WFs) (i.e., green, blue and grey), land footprints (LFs) and carbon footprints (CFs) of milk, beef and veal produced in two conventional (Dutch and Spanish) and an organic Dutch dairy system are estimated. Here the system boundaries are expanded so calve systems are included. Next, the use of different indicators is discussed, e.g., green WFs and the GWP100 or GWP20. The Dutch conventional system has relatively small footprints due to high efficiency. Green, blue and grey WFs per kg of milk are 0.62, 0.09 and 0.14 m3. The Spanish system has green, blue and grey WFs per kg of milk of 0.67, 0.15 and 0.09 m3; the Dutch organic system of 0.84, 0.13 and 0.26 m3. The Spanish system has the largest LF and CF, caused by feed import from countries with relatively low yields and transport greenhouse gas emissions. Dutch systems use more locally produced feed. Due to lower efficiency, the organic system has larger footprints than the Dutch conventional system. Expanding system boundaries to include calves results in an 8 to 15% CF increase. Green water dominates total WFs, an aspect excluded in LCA studies. For grey WFs, earlier studies only included nitrogen. However, if also pesticides would be included, results might be less favourable for systems relying on feed crops instead of grasslands. Also, water quality standards influence grey WFs. The study emphasizes that indicator choice influences final results. Indicators like animal welfare, biodiversity or pesticide use give different outcomes which might be more favourable for organic production.

The effects of inclusion in the diet of different sources of soya bean meal (SBM) on growth performance, total tract apparent digestibility (TTAD) and apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of major dietary components and mucosal ileum morphology were studied in Iberian pigs weaned at 30 days of age. From 30 to 51 days of age (phase I), there was a control diet based on regular soya bean meal (R-SBM; 44% CP) of Argentina (ARG) origin and five extra diets in which a high-protein soya bean meal (HP-SBM; 49% CP) of the USA or ARG origin, either ground (990 μm) or micronized (60 μm), or a soya protein concentrate (SPC; 65% CP) substituted the R-SBM. From 51 to 61 days of age (phase II), all pigs were fed a common commercial diet in mash form. The following pre-planned orthogonal contrasts were conducted: (1) R-SBM v. all the other diets, (2) SPC v. all the HP-SBM diets, (3) micronized HP-SBM v. ground HP-SBM, (4) HP-SBM of ARG origin v. HP-SBM of US origin and (5) interaction between source and the degree of grinding of the HP-SBM. Dietary treatment did not affect growth performance of the pigs at any age but from 30 to 51 days of age, post weaning diarrhoea (PWD) was higher (P

Objectives: To compare, in a real-world scenario, the protective effect of vaccination and previous laboratory-confirmed symptomatic infection on the risk of COVID-19 pneumonia. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted and 46,998 adults with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 were enrolled. Risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to evaluate the effect of the evaluated exposures on the risk of pneumonia. Results: In multiple analysis and after adjusting by reinfection status, vaccinated participants were at reduced risk of developing pneumonia (RR = 0.974, 95% CI 0.965–0.983). The association of having had a previous infection was not significant (RR = 1.001, 95% CI 0.969–1.034). Conclusion: Our results suggest, and if later replicated, that COVID-19 vaccines provide better protection against pneumonia than previous symptomatic infections. Therefore, offering vaccination to all eligible subjects despite past COVID-19 infections might be relevant to reducing the pandemic-related burden.

Background: Antifreezing activity is a phenomenon of great significance in food industry that affects the quality of frozen foods. As a solution, ice-binding proteins, more specifically antifreeze proteins, have been used to mitigate recrystallization. However, knowledge about the mechanism of ice recrystallization and the influence of antifreeze proteins is scarce. Results: In this work, model homopeptides of three amino acids (proline, arginine and lysine) were studied by means of differential scanning calorimetry through the determination of their thermal hysteresis activity, to see the influence of several factors on their secondary structure. It was found that model homopeptides formed polyproline II type secondary structure that was more stable at low temperature. In addition, thermal hysteresis activity was higher for peptides of intermediate lengths and for proline homopeptides. Conclusions: The study of homopeptides sheds light on the mechanism of antifreeze activity and will allow the design of new molecules with antifreeze properties to be used in diverse biotechnological fields.How to cite: Rojas R, Aróstica M, Carvajal-Rondanelli P, et al. Relationship between type II polyproline helix secondary structure and thermal hysteresis activity of short homopeptides. Electron J Biotechnol 2022;59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejbt.2022.08.003.

Objectives: Qualitative real-time polymerase chain reaction tests are not designed to provide quantitative or semiquantitative results because cycle threshold (Ct) values are not normalized to standardized controls of known concentration. The aim of this study was to characterize SARS-CoV-2 viral loads based on Ct values, using the QIAstat-Dx® Respiratory SARS-CoV-2 Panel. Methods: Different lineages of SARS-CoV-2 clinical samples and the World Health Organization international standard were used to assess the linearity of the QIAstat-Dx Respiratory SARS-CoV-2 Panel. Limit of detection for the different lineages was characterized. Results: Comparable efficiencies and linearity for all samples resulted in R2 ≥0.99, covering a dynamic range of 1,000,000-100 copies/mL for the SARS-CoV-2 assay, showing linear correlation between Ct values and viral load down to 300 copies/mL. Conclusion: The SARS-CoV-2 Ct values provided by the QIAstat-Dx® Respiratory SARS-CoV-2 Panel could be used as a surrogate for viral load given the linear correlation between Ct values and viral concentration down to limit of detection. This panel allows to obtain reproducible Ct values for SARS-CoV-2 ribonucleic acid downstream of the sample collection, reducing the sample-to-Ct workflow variability. Ct values can help provide a reliable assessment and comparison of viral loads in patients when tested with the QIAstat-Dx Respiratory SARS-CoV-2 Panel.

ABSTRACT: Objectives: To monitor quantitatively the extent of intestinal colonisation by KPC-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (KPC-Kp) in colonised patients who receive selective digestive decontamination (SDD) with oral gentamicin. Methods: We developed a real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) method for determination of the relative load of blaKPC (RLKPC) within the gut microbiota. Clinical validation was performed using a culture method as the gold standard and receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis. Fifteen patients were observationally and prospectively followed for one year. Clinical, microbiological variables and rectal swab samples were collected at 0 (baseline), 14 and 30 days and monthly thereafter. Results: Clinical validation performed on 111 rectal swab samples demonstrated that the PCR method detected 17% more positives than the culture method. ROC curve analysis documented excellent agreement between both methods (area under the curve, 0.96; 95% confidence interval 0.93–0.99). The RLKPC decreased in 6/15 (40%) and 7/12 (58.3%) patients on days 14 and 30, respectively. Persistent eradication was observed in 2/12 (16.7%), 3/9 (33.3%), 4/8 (50%) and 7/8 (87.5%) patients at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months, respectively, with a median time of 150 days (range 30–270) to persistent eradication. Gentamicin-resistant KPC-Kp isolates were identified in 4/15 (26.7%) patients. The rates of infections (57.1% vs. 12.5%, P = 0.119) and deaths (71.4% vs. 0%, P = 0.007) were higher among patients with high baseline RLKPC. Conclusion: Following SDD, a rapid reduction on intestinal load is observed when the colonising KPC-Kp isolate is susceptible to gentamicin; however, persistent eradication at the end of SDD is low. Intestinal carriage of KPC-Kp persists after three months in about one third of patients.

ABSTRACT: Objectives: To describe the clinical and microbiological features of a case of community-acquired infection by KPC-producing K. pneumoniae (KPCKP) resistant to ceftazidime/avibactam (CAZ-AVI). Methods: Identification of microorganisms was performed with MALDI Biotyper CA System (BrukerDaltonics, Madrid, Spain). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using Sensitre EURGNCOL panels (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Madrid, Spain) and gradient strips (Etest, bioMérieux, Madrid, Spain) in the case of CAZ-AVI, using EUCAST breakpoints for interpretation. Whole genome sequencing of blood culture and rectal swab isolates was performed using the Illumina NovaSeq 6000 sequencing system, with 2 × 150-bp paired-end reads (Illumina, Inc.). Results: Blood culture and rectal swab KPCKP isolates were resistant to carbapenems and to CAZ-AVI. The blood culture isolate showed susceptibility to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), but the rectal swab culture isolate was resistant to this antibiotic. Both isolates belonged to clonal lineage ST512, harboured a single copy of blaKPC-3 gene, and showed 16 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) between them and 38 SNPs with regard to the first KPC-3 producing K. pneumoniae isolated in our hospital in an initial outbreak in 2012. Genome-wide resistome analysis revealed the presence of a IncFIB(K) plasmid harbouring sul1 and dfrA12 genes only in the rectal swab culture isolate, which may explain its resistance to TMP-SMX. Conclusions: Resistance to ceftazidime-avibactam is an emerging nosocomial problem. This case shows that CAZ-AVI-resistant KPCKP strains may disseminate into the community and cause serious infections.

Summary: Background and aims: Diabetes mellitus is associated with an increased risk of malnutrition. Reduced dietary intake is central to the development of malnutrition. Therefore, increasing nutritional intake may be one of the most effective approaches for treating malnutrition in diabetes mellitus.The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a high calorie, high protein tube feeding diabetes-specific formula used under standard of care on weight change, nutritional status, glycaemic control, quality of life and functionality in malnourished patients with diabetes mellitus after 12 weeks. Methods: This was a prospective, non-interventional study conducted at hospital care settings in Spain, enrolling malnourished patients with diabetes, who had been prescribed a high-calorie, high-protein tube feeding formula with slow-release carbohydrates and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) by their health care professional per standard of care as a sole source of nutrition for 12 weeks. Results: Forty-nine patients from 8 sites were enrolled, and 36 completed the study. The mean age was 75.3 ± 12.0 years and 67.3% were male (33/49). At V1 and V2, 87.5% (35/40) and 93.1% (27/36) of the patients, respectively, either increased or maintained their weight (

Background: The first wave of SARS-CoV-2 infection in Chile occurred during the cold season reaching a peak by the end of June 2020, with 80 % of the cases concentrated in its capital, Santiago. The main objective of this study was to estimate the attack rate during this first wave of SARS-CoV-2 in a large, densely populated city with more than seven million inhabitants. Since the number of confirmed cases provides biased information due to individuals' potential self-selection, mostly related to asymptomatic patients and testing access, we measured antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 to assess infection prevalence during the first wave in the city, as well as estimate asymptomatic cases, and infection fatality ratio. To our knowledge this is one of the few population-based cross-sectional serosurvey during the first wave in a highly affected emerging country. The challenges of pandemic response in urban settings in a capital city like Santiago, with heterogeneous subpopulations and high mobility through public transportation, highlight the necessity of more accurate information regarding the first waves of new emerging diseases. Methods: From April 24 to June 21, 2020, 1326 individuals were sampled from a long-standing panel of household representatives of Santiago. Immunochromatographic assays were used to detect IgM and IgG antibody isotypes. Results: Seroprevalence reached 6.79 % (95 %CI 5.58 %−8.26 %) in the first 107 days of the pandemic, without significant differences among sex and age groups; this figure indicates an attack rate 2.8 times higher than the one calculated with registered cases. It also changes the fatality rate estimates, from a 2.33 % case fatality rate reported by MOH to an estimated crude 1.00 % (CI95 % 0.97–1.03) infection fatality rate (adjusted for test performance 1.66 % [CI95 % 1.61–1.71]). Most seropositive were symptomatic (81,1 %). Conclusions: Despite the high number of cases registered, mortality rates, and the stress produced over the health system, the vast majority of the people remained susceptible to potential new epidemic waves. We contribute to the understanding of the initial spread of emerging epidemic threats. Consequently, our results provide better information to design early strategies that counterattack new health challenges in urban contexts.

Case: We herein present a case involving a 23-year-old man with an open fracture of the distal portion of the left femoral diaphysis, substantial bone loss, and soft tissue injuries. He was initially treated with antibiotics, limb stabilization, and surgical debridement. On the sixth day, he underwent internal fixation and fibular strut graft placement for bone defect restoration. After 4 years, osteosynthesis, perfect graft integration and consolidation, excellent knee functionality, and painless gait were evident. Conclusion: Preservation of bone and soft tissue vitality, complete debridement, antibiotic therapy, and early limb stabilization are all crucial factors for restoring knee functionality.

This data article describes the connected pore cluster data from segmented nano-images of rocks related to a geothermal system. The collected samples include two (2) vesicle-amygdaloidal basalt (host rock) and four (4) horizons collected from a siliceous sinter mound (rock precipitated from hot waters). All the samples have undergone computed tomography scanning using a SkyScan 2211 multiscale X-ray nano-CT system (Bruker®), and the slices were analyzed using the Digital Rock Physics (DRP) approach. Pore volume and fluid permeability in the three directions were calculated with scripts of Python (v.3.9) and the visualizations of the 3D models were run with Paraview (v.5.10) software. The petrophysical properties, diagrams, and figures were produced by stacking the 2D projections (8-bit grayscale *.png images format) from the scanning. Raw data (images) were deposited in a repository, which has granted a persistent identifier (Mendeley Data: https://data.mendeley.com/datasets/srpxhpd37p/2). This article provides a study case to handle the data that test the interconnectivity and ability to transport fluids and/or exogenous matter carried during high-flow events in rocks outcropping at the surface level of a geothermal system.

The SARS CoV-2 D614G variant circulated in Cuba in 2020. New viral variants were detected after the opening of the border in November 2020. We show the results of the genomic surveillance in Cuba from December 28, 2020, to September 28, 2021 and their relationship to the epidemiological situation in the country. A total of 1,406 nasopharyngeal exudates from COVID-19 patients were processed for RNA extraction and the 1836 bp fragment of the spike gene was amplified and sequenced. The mutations present were determined using the GISAID database. Prevalence ratios were estimated by fitting Poisson univariate and multivariate regression models to investigate associations between SARS-CoV-2 variant group (VOC, non-VOC) and disease outcome. Seventeen genetic variants were detected including VOC Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta, one variant of interest (VOI) (Lambda) and two previous VOI (A.2.5.1 and Zeta/P.2). Beta (34.77%), Delta (24.89%) and D614G (19%) variants were the most frequently detected. By June, Delta increased in frequency, displacing Beta. Disease severity increased significantly with age and VOC (PR =1.98, IC 95%: 1.33–3.05, p

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of a notational analysis-based intervention on coaches’ verbal behaviour considering their physiological activation during competition and game actions. Verbal behaviour, physiological activation (heart rate), and game actions of 4 handball coaches were recorded for a total of 28 matches. Each coach was recorded in 7 matches, three pre-interventions, two post-intervention, and two retention. Verbal behaviour was assessed using the Coach Analysis and Intervention System (CAIS: Cushion et al., 2012), and game actions were coded as positive or negative depending on their outcome. In total, 15223 verbal behaviours and 3780 game actions were recorded. The intervention programme sought to help coaches to provide constructive information (corrective feedback and instructions) after negative events or actions, encourage players (especially when the team is losing or playing badly), reduce the protests to the referee, and reduce or eliminate punishment to players. Chi-square analysis suggested that the intervention stimulated the intended changes in coaches’ behaviour, and that these changes were retained for subsequent games. Verbal behaviour changed depending on the physiological activation. This study suggests that a brief (two-session) notation-based intervention can elicit changes in coaches’ verbal behaviour during competition.

That the COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented in terms of its scale, spread and shocks can be evinced by the myriad of ever-changing responses cities all around the world have rolled out throughout the different waves of outbreaks. Although the threat is similar across the world, it took some time before its reach became global and the waves of outbreak are experienced by cities at different times. While this staggered spread imply that some cities might manage the virus better as they learn from the experiences of cities which had been amongst the earliest to face the virus, the reality is more complicated. In the early stages of the pandemic, the global consensus on the best way to contain the virus swiftly converged in the interlinked strategies of restricting the movement of people and minimizing their social contact. However, the effectiveness of these strategies differ greatly between cities. To that end, this study focuses on COVID-19 responses in two regions (Latin America and Southeast Asia) and examines the evolution of the first wave of COVID-19 outbreaks during 2020 in Singapore, Jakarta (Indonesia), Bogotá (Colombia) and Santiago (Chile). The study is based on a comparative approach and uses a variety of data sources, namely morphology, density, housing concentration, mobility, and governance in the four analyzed cities. The goal is to shed light on the response of city governments in these two different regions in terms of mobility restrictions in order to reduce the cases of new infections. The results show the relevance of urban policies and their territorial approaches, particularly in terms of mobility and public transport networks in the four cities.

Lactoferrin, a diferric-binding glycoprotein drives the abundance of some gut microbiota members, but its role under stress conditions is unknown thus this aspect was the aim of this contribution. Female BALB/c mice (n = 4/group), treated orally with lactoferrin for 7 days were either stressed by board-immobilization from the 4th-to-7th day of treatment (LS) or unstressed (L). Two groups provided with water and stressed (S) or unstressed (C) were included. On day 7, feces were collected for the massive sequencing of V4-V5 region of the 16S rDNA gene. Regarding C-group, the only significant changes were found in the L-group that showed an increased abundance in most taxa of the genus Bacteroides (Phylum Bacteroidetes) and Parasuterella (Phylum Proteobacteria) or decreased of Clostridium_XIVb (Phylum Firmicutes), Lactoferrin-associated microbiota changes may result from stress independent modulatory pathways. Data may provide experimental foundations for using lactoferrin as a therapeutic co-adjuvant for diseases like obesity with microbiome alterations.

Introduction: Numerous studies have examined the consequences of childhood adversity (CA) and socioeconomic status (SES) for health over the life course. However, few studies have examined the relation between childhood SES and CA as well as the influence of CA on adult SES. The objective of this study was to examine direct and indirect associations between childhood SES, CA and adult SES. Methods: Participants in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, (N = 6844) reported on nine CA experiences. Childhood SES was characterized as a composite measure of parental highest education level, median household income, and parental occupational status. Adult SES was characterized as composite measure of highest education level attained at age 37, median household income and occupation. Results: In mediation analyses, adjusted for age, race and sex pathways were noted in that lower child SES was associated with CAs and CAs were associated with lower adult SES. Furthermore, CAs partially mediated the relation between childhood SES and adult SES. The proportion mediated by CA was small and only noted among African-American (4%) and White participants (5%). Conclusions: Childhood SES is associated with CAs. In turn, CAs are associated with lower adult SES, independent of childhood SES supporting the notion that intervening on CAs early on in the lifecourse could influence health and wellbeing throughout the life course.

Climate change's direct and indirect effects on marine ecosystems and coastal areas mainly impact small-scale fishers, especially in developing countries, which present extreme poverty and high dependency on marine ecosystems as a source of food and sustenance for households. Understanding the vulnerability of fishing households and considering the associated socio-economic-political complexities is essential for preserving their livelihoods and maintaining their well-being. This study proposes a measure of economic vulnerability based on the capacity of fishing households in Tumaco, located on the southern Pacific coast of Colombia, to diversify their livelihoods. Different statistical procedures have been conducted to identify the most relevant strategies in reducing the economic vulnerability of households. The results indicate that reducing the vulnerability of fishing households depends on adaptation strategies such as occupational mobility, some elements of social capital, and reduced dependence on the fisheries resource. This study could constitute an input for creating public policy that guides efforts to achieve strategies for the generation of other livelihoods and the sustainability of fishing households that continue to choose fishing as their main economic activity.

Chlamydia abortus is a Gram-negative obligate intracellular bacterium, responsible for abortions and reproductive problems. The disease has a high zoonotic potential and causes great economic losses in ruminant farmers. A cross-sectional study was carried out with 514 cattle from 24 farms of Villavicencio, Colombia. The blood samples were collected from each individual animal and analyzed by Indirect Elisa for immunoglobulin G (IgG) in blood serum (Idexx Chlamydiosis total Ab test). A serum was considered positive when the optical density (OD) of the sample was ≥30% of that of the positive control serum. Data on potential risk factors associated with the disease were collected through a questionnaire in each farm and analyzed. The individual and herd prevalence was estimated. A risk factors analysis was performed through univariate and multivariable using the software SPSS version 20. The animal level seroprevalence was found to be 47.1% and the herd 91.6%. The prevalence in cattle aged 0–1, 1–3 and >4 years was 23.8%; 31.4% and 51.4% respectively. The risk factors associated with the prevalence of disease were female sex (OR = 2.102 CI: 1.066–4.144), age older than 4 years (OR = 2.707 CI: 1.667–4.394), presence of canines on the farm (OR = 2.556 CI: 1.560–4.189) and retention of placenta (OR = 2.678 CI: 1.670–4.295). A high prevalence was identified, suggesting natural infection where the pathogen could be transmitted to humans at the animal-human interface.

Nucleic acid vaccination relies on injecting DNA or RNA coding antigen(s) to induce a protective immune response. RNA vaccination is being increasingly used in preclinical and clinical studies. However, few delivery systems have been reported for in vivo delivery of RNA of different sizes. Using a tripartite formulation with RNA, cationic polymer, and anionic liposomes, we were able to encapsulate RNA into neutral lipopolyplexes (LPPs). LPPs were stable in vitro and successfully delivered conventional RNA and replicative RNA to dendritic cells in cellulo. Their injection led to reporter gene expression in mice. Finally, administration of LPP-Replicon RNA (RepRNA) led to an adaptive immune response against the antigen coded by the RepRNA. Accordingly, LPPs may represent a universal formulation for RNA delivery. Keywords: mRNA delivery, self-amplifying RNA, splenic dendritic cells, targeting

Background: The search for innovative anti-tubercular agents has received increasing attention in tuberculosis chemotherapy because Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection has steadily increased over the years. This underlines the necessity for new methods of preparation for polymer-drug adducts to treat this important infectious disease. The use of poly(ethylene glycol)(PEG) is an alternative producing anti-tubercular derivatives. However, it is not yet known whether PEGylated isonicotinylhydrazide conjugates obtained by direct links with PEG are useful for therapeutic applications. Results: Here, we synthesized a PEGylated isoniazid (PEG-g-INH or PEG–INH) by gamma radiation-induced polymerization, for the first time. The new prodrugs were characterized using Raman and UV/Vis spectrometry. The mechanism of PEGylated INH synthesis was proposed. The in vitro evaluation of a PEGylated isonicotinylhydrazide macromolecular prodrug was also carried out. The results indicated that PEG–INH inhibited the bacterial growth above 95% as compared with INH, which showed a lower value (80%) at a concentration of 0.25 μM. Similar trends are observed for 0.1, 1, and 5 μM. Conclusions: In summary, the research suggests that it is possible to covalently attach the PEG onto INH by the proposed method and to obtain a slow-acting isoniazid derivative with little toxicity in vitro and higher anti-mycobacterial potency than the neat drug.How to cite: González-Torres M, Guzmán-Beltrán S, Mata-Gómez M, et al. Synthesis, characterization, and in vitro evaluation of gamma radiation-induced PEGylated isoniazid. Electron J Biotechnol 2019; 41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejbt.2019.07.005. Keywords: Antituberculotic, Asparaginase, Humans, Isoniazid, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Poly(ethylene glycol), Polymers, Prodrug, Raman, Tuberculosis, UV/Vis

Oceanic islands are important habitats for many endemic species. Global conservation assessments, however, are too coarse to characterize areas of high human influence or landscape connectivity at a resolution that is useful for conservation planning on most islands. Our goal was to identify landscape elements that are essential for the maintenance of structural connectivity among natural habitat patches on islands. Using the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico as a case study, our specific objectives were to: (1) develop a map of the human footprint, and (2) characterize the connectivity of patches exhibiting low human modification that structurally connect the island’s ecological network. We used the human footprint as a measure of impediments to connectivity among Puerto Rico’s natural areas using network analysis. We found that more than half of Puerto Rico’s current land surface had a low human footprint (56%), but that coastal areas were highly affected by human use (82%). Puerto Rico possesses a compact network of natural areas, with a few patches in the interior mountains critical to structural connectivity. The number of isolated patches is very high; more than 60% of the patches were 2000 m or more apart. Identifying sites that are key hubs to connectivity on islands and ensuring they remain undeveloped is one strategy to balance land use and conservation, and to facilitate the persistence of endemic species. We show here how to improve general conservation assessment methods to be more relevant for islands. There is potential to support an interconnected network of natural areas that promotes landscape connectivity in Puerto Rico among non-coastal habitats, because the human activities are concentrated along the coast whereas the interior mountain range has a relatively low human footprint.

Nonminimal spin-gravity interaction through unit gravimagnetic moment leads to modified Mathisson–Papapetrou–Tulczyjew–Dixon equations with improved behavior in the ultrarelativistic limit. We present exact Hamiltonian of the resulting theory and compute an effective 1c2-Hamiltonian and leading post-Newtonian corrections to the trajectory and spin. Gravimagnetic moment causes the same precession of spin S as a fictitious rotation of the central body with angular momentum J=MmS. So the modified equations imply a number of qualitatively new effects, that could be used to test experimentally, whether a rotating body in general relativity has null or unit gravimagnetic moment.

In this paper, a cooperation model between a generating company and several marketers is presented. The model considers two cooperation schemes. The first finds the optimal decision for the generating company and the group of marketers in terms of maximization of their profits, based on bi-level optimization. Second scheme proposes the cooperation among the marketers, whose objective is to serve a common set of consumers and to increase their profits through cooperation, with respect to the profit gained individually. Profit of the marketers group are divided among them, based on the Shapley value. The model was solved using GAMS and Visual Studio Tools for Office and was validated through a case study in a region in Colombia. The results of the study showed that implementing these cooperation structures brings additional economic benefits to the cooperating agents. Keywords: Cooperation models, Energy market, Bi-level optimization, Shapley value

The northern tamandua (Tamandua mexicana) is a xenarthran mammal with a distribution from Mexico to Peru. This species arrives to wildlife care centres due to illegal trafficking and attacks by domestic dogs, both of which are situations where the northern tamandua's thoracic limbs (forelimbs) can be affected. As such, it is necessary to have anatomical studies that allow us to perform better medical and surgical procedures. Among these, studies about the musculoskeletal system also aid in the muscular reconstructions of extinct species. The aim of this study was to characterize the craniolateral muscles of the forearm in Tamandua mexicana and compare them with other Xenarthrans to determine their gross adaptations. Six dead specimens were used, and none were sacrificed for the purpose of this investigation. In five specimens, arterial repletion was done. Four were fixed with 10% formaldehyde and 5% glycerin, and two were dissected in fresh. All were dissected in the Veterinary Anatomy Laboratory of the Universidad del Tolima. The weights of the muscles from seven forearms were taken and divided in three functional groups for comparison with non-parametric statistics. Two muscular groups were found: one superficial formed by the brachioradialis, brachioradialis accesorius, extensor carpi radialis, extensor digitorum communis, extensor digitorum lateralis and extensor carpi ulnaris; and one deep muscular group formed by the supinator, extensor digiti III et IV, abductor digiti I longus, and extensor digiti I et II. They were supplied by different branches of the cranial interosseous, transverse cubital and superficial brachial arteries, which had the shape of rete mirabile; and all muscles were innervated by the deep branch of the radial nerve. The presence of the brachioradialis accesorius muscle in this species allows its hand to remain in semi-supination when it is mobilized in a quadrupedal manner. It must also support elbow flexion together with the action of the brachioradialis and the extensor carpi radialis muscles. All the antebrachial digital muscles sent tendons for the digit III making it the most functional for different grip activities such as climbing trees and searching for its food, however, the most strength was directed to supination and carpal extension, and therefore also to the flexion of the elbow.

Essential oils (EOs) are known for their antioxidant properties, and are widely employed in the food industry as preservatives. They can be used as condiments or as preservatives to achieve certain organoleptic effects for consumers. The aim of this research was to evaluate antioxidant activity in mixtures of three EOs: Apium graveolens L., Thymus vulgaris L. and Coriandrum sativum L., using the Simplex Lattice Mixture Design. Ultimately, a linear model was used, as it best adjusted to the experimental behavior, and it allowed the prediction of EOs mixtures antioxidant activity, determined by FRAP and ABTS techniques. The mixture of the three EOs that showed the best antioxidant activity and also had the highest synergistic effect, was composed of 66.7% of T. vulgaris, 16.7% of C. sativum and 16.7% of A. graveolens. The greatest contribution to the potentiation of antioxidant activity was shown by T. vulgaris followed by A. graveolens and then C. sativum.

After myocardial infarction in humans, lost cardiomyocytes are replaced by an irreversible fibrotic scar. In contrast, zebrafish hearts efficiently regenerate after injury. Complete regeneration of the zebrafish heart is driven by the strong proliferation response of its cardiomyocytes to injury. Here we show that, after cardiac injury in zebrafish, telomerase becomes hyperactivated, and telomeres elongate transiently, preceding a peak of cardiomyocyte proliferation and full organ recovery. Using a telomerase-mutant zebrafish model, we found that telomerase loss drastically decreases cardiomyocyte proliferation and fibrotic tissue regression after cryoinjury and that cardiac function does not recover. The impaired cardiomyocyte proliferation response is accompanied by the absence of cardiomyocytes with long telomeres and an increased proportion of cardiomyocytes showing DNA damage and senescence characteristics. These findings demonstrate the importance of telomerase function in heart regeneration and highlight the potential of telomerase therapy as a means of stimulating cell proliferation upon myocardial infarction.

Introducción: Cinacalcet resulta efectivo en el control del hiperparatiroidismo secundario de los pacientes en hemodiálisis (HD). Algunos estudios han reportado un buen control del hiperparatiroidismo secundario y un mejor cumplimiento terapéutico tras la administración de calcimiméticos intradiálisis. Objetivos: Analizar el efecto de la administración de calcimiméticos posdiálisis sobre el metabolismo óseo mineral y la tolerancia gastrointestinal en nuestra unidad de HD. Material y métodos: Estudio prospectivo unicéntrico de 12 semanas de duración en pacientes en HD tratados con cinacalcet (> 2 meses). Dos períodos de estudio (6 semanas): Administración habitual ambulatoria (fase 1) y posthemodiálisis (fase 2). Datos analizados: 1.- Datos bioquímicos metabolismo óseo mineral. 2.-Test síntomas gastrointestinales (Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale [GSRS]) y grado de satisfacción (escala visual analógica [EVA]). 3.-Adherencia: Test de Morisky-Green (MG) y recuento final comprimidos (RC). Resultados: Sesenta y dos pacientes en HD. Catorce recibían cinacalcet (22,5%). Diez pacientes incluidos, edad media 60,9 años y 80,9 meses en HD. Charlson medio: 9. Datos bioquímicos: fase 1 (inicio vs. fin): Ca 8,8 ± 0,5 vs. 9,1 ± 0,7 mg/dl (p

Objectives: Clinical use of microarray-based techniques for the analysis of many developmental disorders has emerged during the last decade. Thus, chromosomal microarray has been positioned as a first-tier test. This study reports the first experience in a Chilean cohort. Methods: Chilean patients with developmental disabilities and congenital anomalies were studied with a high-density microarray (CytoScan™ HD Array, Affymetrix, Inc., Santa Clara, CA, USA). Patients had previous cytogenetic studies with either a normal result or a poorly characterized anomaly. Results: This study tested 40 patients selected by two or more criteria, including: major congenital anomalies, facial dysmorphism, developmental delay, and intellectual disability. Copy number variants (CNVs) were found in 72.5% of patients, while a pathogenic CNV was found in 25% of patients and a CNV of uncertain clinical significance was found in 2.5% of patients. Conclusion: Chromosomal microarray analysis is a useful and powerful tool for diagnosis of developmental diseases, by allowing accurate diagnosis, improving the diagnosis rate, and discovering new etiologies. The higher cost is a limitation for widespread use in this setting. Resumo: Objetivo: O uso clínico de técnicas baseadas em microarrays para a análise de transtornos de desenvolvimento tem surgido durante a última década. Assim, o microarray cromossômico tem sido posicionado como um teste de primeiro nível clínico. Relatamos a primeira experiência em uma coorte chilena. Métodos: Pacientes chilenos com atraso de desenvolvimento e anomalias congênitas foram estudados com um microarray de alta densidade (CytoScan™ HD Array, Affymetrix, Inc., Santa Clara, CA, EUA). Pacientes tiveram estudos citogenéticos anteriores, ou um resultado normal ou de uma anomalia não bem caracterizada. Resultados: Foram analisados 40 pacientes selecionados por dois ou mais critérios, incluindo: anomalias congênitas maiores, dismorfismo facial, atraso de desenvolvimento e deficiência intelectual. Uma variante do número de cópia (CNV) foi encontrada em 72,5% dos pacientes, enquanto que uma CNV patogênica foi encontrada em 25% dos pacientes e uma CNV de significado clínico incerto foi encontrada em 2,5% dos pacientes. Conclusões: A análise cromossômica microarray é uma ferramenta útil e poderosa em transtornos de desenvolvimento, permitindo um diagnóstico preciso, melhorando a taxa de diagnóstico, e descobrindo novas etiologias. O custo mais elevado é uma limitação para um uso difundido em nossa realidade. Keywords: Microarrays, Congenital anomalies, Developmental disabilities, Copy number variants, Diagnosis, Palavras-chave: Microarrays, Anomalias congênitas, Atraso de desenvolvimento, Variante do número de cópia, Diagnóstico

Proper treatment of hypoxic myoclonic status is not clearly determined. Induced hypothermia is improving prognosis and a more aggressive treatment might be beneficial in some patients. Among the new options of antiepileptic drugs, perampanel (PER) is a drug with a novel mechanism, and it might be a promising drug for myoclonic status or as an antimyoclonic drug. We describe the use of PER in one patient with hypoxic super-refractory myoclonic status. Description: A 51-year-old patient presented after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest due to an acute myocardial infarction. The patient was diagnosed with clinical and electrical (EEG) myoclonic status at the rewarming phase. Several treatments were used, starting with clonazepam, valproate, sedation (midazolam, propofol), and subsequently barbiturate-induced coma with persistent myoclonic status. Finally, we decided to try PER (dose: 6–8 mg) through a nasogastric tube, resulting in a marked improvement of EEG activity and myoclonus decrease. The patient had a progressive clinical improvement, with a CPC (Cerebral Performance Category) scale score of 1. Conclusion: This case shows the potential utility of PER as a therapeutic option in super-refractory hypoxic status and even its potential use before other aggressive alternatives considering their greater morbidity.

The substitution of raw materials for processing high energy consumption materials by agricultural and agro-industrial wastes causes a positive impacts on the environment preservation. One of these residues is rice straw, which according to FAO estimation, its annual production is about 600 million tons. In this research was studied the use of rice straw ash (RSA) as substitute of the use of feldspar in the whiteware production. Clay-feldspar-quartz porcelains are referred to as triaxial whiteware. Specimens of semidry triaxial mixtures, where feldspar was substituted for different percentages of CTA, were prepared by uniaxial pressing, followed by drying and sintering. Physical and mechanical properties of sintered bodies were evaluated. The porosity and the compressive strength of the fired pieces do increase with additions of up to 75% of CTA in substitution of feldspar. Their mineralogical phases were determined by DRX and SEM; grains of quartz, and needles of primary and secondary mullite were identified in a vitreous phase. It was concluded that feldspar can be substituted positively by CTA in whiteware pastes.La sustitución de materias primas para procesamiento de materiales -de alto consumo energético- por residuos agrícolas y agroindustriales impacta positivamente el medio ambiente. Uno de estos residuos es la paja o tamo de arroz, del cual la FAO estima que su disponibilidad mundial ronda los 600 millones de toneladas por año. En éste artículo se presentan los resultados de una investigación sobre la utilización de una ceniza de tamo o paja de arroz (CTA) como substituto del feldespato en la fabricación de cerámica blanca de tipo triaxial. Se prepararon mezclas donde la ceniza sustituyó al feldespato en volúmenes distintos. Especímenes de las pastas obtenidas fueron moldeados, secados, y cocidos. Se evaluaron las propiedades físicas y mecánicas de las cerámicas cocidas. La porosidad y la resistencia a la compresión de las piezas cocidas aumentan con adiciones de CTA de hasta un 75% en reemplazo del feldespato. Mediante DRX se estudió la evolución de las fases debido a la adición de CTA a la composición de la porcelana tradicional, y por MEB se estudió la microestructura, de granos de cuarzo y agujas de mullita primaria y secundaria en una matriz vítrea feldespática. Se concluyó que la CTA bajo las condiciones de obtención, sí reemplaza parcialmente al feldespato en la elaboración de pastas de loza.

Objetivo: Estimar la prevalencia de problemas de salud crónicos en inmigrantes y compararla con la de la población autóctona, utilizando la historia clínica electrónica (HCE) de atención primaria (AP). Métodos: Estudio descriptivo transversal con pacientes de 16 y más años incluidos en el sistema sanitario público de la Comunidad de Madrid. Se estimaron prevalencias ajustadas por edad para cada sexo y nacionalidad (agrupada en regiones) a partir de los episodios de atención registrados en la HCE de AP con alguna anotación en 2005 o 2006. Resultados: El 36,8% de la población inmigrante presentaba alguna enfermedad crónica (55,3% de autóctonos) tras ajustar por edad, con más frecuencia en mujeres y en población de origen africano y latinoamericano. Las enfermedades más prevalentes en los extranjeros fueron las alergias (tasa cruda: 10,2%), las lumbalgias (9,1%), problemas crónicos de piel (6,8%) y trastornos mentales (6,4%). Conclusiones: La prevalencia de enfermedades crónicas es menor en la población extranjera y varía según el sexo y la procedencia.Objective: To estimate the prevalence rates of chronic disorders in immigrants and to compare them with those in the native population, based on electronic clinical records in primary care (ECRPC). Methods: We performed a descriptive cross-sectional study in patients aged 16 and over included in the Madrid Regional Public Health System. Age-adjusted prevalence rates for each sex and region were estimated on the basis of medically examined cases registered in the ECRPC with any new data entry made in 2005 or 2006. Results: After age-adjustment, a total of 36.8% immigrants had some chronic health problem (vs. 55.3% natives). These disorders were more frequent among women and among the population from Africa and Latin America. The highest overall prevalence rates in the foreign population were allergy (10.2% crude rate), low-back pain (9.1%), chronic skin problems (6.8%) and mental disorders (6.4%). Conclusions: The prevalence rate of chronic disease is lower in the foreign population and differs according to sex and country of origin.

The results derived from an archaeometric characterization study undertaken on a representative ensemble of Late Classic ceramic figurines coming from the archaeological field work carried out in the Mayan town of Calakmul (Campeche, México) are reported and discussed in this paper. The main goals of the research were to gather some information on the technology of manufacture of these ceramics and provide some insights into their probable provenance. The archaeometric characterization was accomplished through the following complementary techniques: conventional optical microscopy (OM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF). In order to isolate ceramic groups with a similar chemical profile, XRF data were also analyzed by exploratory multivariate statistical techniques. The resulting data indicate that most of the figurines were locally manufactured from a calcium carbonate (calcite)-rich clay raw material. A small ceramic group containing mixed calcium and magnesium carbonates (dolomite), which could be foreign or from other area of the Calakmul region, was also identified. These data suggest that the production of ceramic figurines could be associated to workshops linked to the monopoly on ceramic production performed by the centralized power of the town of Calakmul during this period.En este trabajo se presentan y discuten los resultados de la caracterización arqueométrica realizada sobre un conjunto representativo de figurillas cerámicas del Clásico Tardío procedentes de las excavaciones arqueológicas efectuadas en la ciudad maya de Calakmul (Campeche, México). Los objetivos principales han sido recabar información sobre la tecnología de manufactura de estas cerámicas y evaluar su posible procedencia. La caracterización arqueométrica se ha llevado a cabo mediante las siguientes técnicas complementarias: microscopía óptica convencional (MO), difracción de rayos X (DRX) de polvo, espectroscopía infrarroja por Transformada de Fourier (FT-IR) y fluorescencia de rayos X (FRX). Con el fin de aislar grupos cerámicos con un perfil químico similar, los datos obtenidos con FRX se han analizado también con técnicas exploratorias de análisis estadístico multivariante. Los resultados indican que la mayoría de las figurillas se manufacturaron localmente con una materia prima arcillosa rica en carbonato de calcio (calcita). También se ha identificado un pequeño grupo de cerámicas rico en carbonatos mixtos de calcio y magnesio (dolomita), que podría ser foráneo o procedente de otra zona de la región de Calakmul. Estos datos sugieren que la producción de figurillas cerámicas pudo estar asociada a talleres ligados al monopolio sobre la producción cerámica que el poder centralizado de la ciudad de Calakmul ejerció en este período.

An experimental study is presented, simulating the firing process of artisanal red brick in a laboratory muffle. Under controlled heating conditions, the influence of both temperature and time on both the compressive strength and surface color of model bricks are evaluated. A production run and numerical simulations of laboratory brick heating are used to define the experimental conditions in the laboratory. A statistical model replicates the behavior of the compressive resistance at different temperatures, both in the muffle furnace and in production. Brick color has a more representative tone of a well-burned brick when created at the burning temperatures suggested in the literature.

This paper evaluates the nonlinear dynamics of a melanoma cancer model through the iterative technique of finding compact invariant sets (LMCIS). The objective is to discover equilibrium points, ascertain their stability qualities, and determine the presence of compact invariant sets within the model. For instance, this approach is assessed in a model demonstrating the interplay between four cellular populations and administrating interleukin-12 (IL-12) immunotherapy. Nevertheless, the mechanism by which this anti-cancer therapy operates has yet to be completely defined. The approach is evaluated using severe treatment situations to provide evidence for the presence of equilibrium points inside the iteratively confined zone and to assess its effectiveness. The outcomes derived from using this approach were then compared with a conventional iteration of Newton’s method. Newton’s approach extends to the resolution of the system of equations inside the model, facilitating the identification of the equilibrium points with a small tolerance error. While the iterations of the localization algorithm were set close to the results obtained by this method. Finally, the simulation outcomes are shown via the utilization of MATLAB R2020b. The findings demonstrate the temporal progression of the model under the effect of immunotherapy and without it.

The integration of distributed generation (DG) sources, such as photovoltaic (PV) systems, into electrical power networks presents significant challenges and opportunities. With the increasing penetration of renewable energy sources, optimizing their placement and operation becomes crucial to ensure the reliability, efficiency, and economic viability of power systems. This study presents a master–slave methodology for optimally integrating and operating photovoltaic (PV) generators using multi-objective optimization. This methodology can simultaneously improve technical and economic aspects of the network by determining the best locations and power injection levels for distributed generation sources. Its master stage uses one out of three different algorithms—Multi-Objective Particle Swarm Optimization (MOPSO) algorithm, the Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II), or the Multi-Objective Ant Lion Optimizer (MOALO)—while the slave stage is always performed by a load flow analyzer. The three algorithms in the master stage were implemented considering variable generation and demand conditions in 33 and 27 bus feeders, representing urban and rural areas respectively. The results demonstrated the effectiveness of these algorithms. NSGA-II achieved the best performance, with reductions of 32.84% in energy losses and 42.41% in operating costs (with standard deviations of 0.21% and 0.39%, respectively) for the urban system; and reductions of 21.87% in energy losses and 43.36% in operating costs (with standard deviations of 0.07% and 0.24%, respectively) for the rural system. All of this was achieved within short solution processing times during a typical day in the proposed test scenarios.

Agriculture is one of the most important primary-industry sectors, in which automatic control plays a crucial role in ensuring sustainability. This paper presents a conceptual view for a greenhouse control architecture that merges past and present technological trends. The main prospects and challenges are described, considering not only aspects of crop production but also other issues related to fruit quality, the environment, resource-use efficiency within the energy-water-food nexus, and IoT-based solutions. Illustrative results are shown for the different layers of the architecture, focusing on process control and optimal resource dispatch for an experimental case using a real Mediterranean greenhouse that is part of an agro-industrial district also comprising a solar desalination plant and multiple auxiliary systems. These results contribute to understanding the different techniques and paradigms employed, and their consequent advantages and disadvantages.

Introduction:: Most clinical practice guidelines currently recommend not to necessary perform routine urodynamic studies (UDS) before surgery for female stress urinary incontinence (SUI). However, there is no consensus in the literature. Our objective was to evaluate the available evidence and to establish a position as a scientific society. Methods:: A search was conducted using PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus databases. Inclusion criteria were manuscripts in English with the terms “female urinary incontinence” and “urodynamics”. The analysis included 25 studies. Results:: Regarding the usefulness of UDS in female undergoing SUI, two randomised, controlled trials have been published showing that preoperative UDS do not improve the results of SUI surgery. The review of data from different series on the surgical treatment of female SUI shows that up to 36% of patients undergoing surgery for SUI are complicated cases due to previous anti-incontinence surgery, pelvic prolapse that exceeds the hymen, radiotherapy or pelvic surgery. Moreover, the performance of UDS before treatment of SUI leads to a change in diagnostic orientation in 74% of patients with complicated SUI and 40% in the case of uncomplicated SUI. It should be noted that the UDS study modifies the proposed treatment in 23.8% and 11% of patients with complicated and uncomplicated SUI, respectively. A review by Serati et al. reported that the UDS results are congruent with the clinical diagnosis of SUI in 74.5% of cases. However, there is overactive detrusor in 10.6%, mixed urinary incontinence in 8% and the results of the UDS are inconclusive in 6.8% of cases. Therefore, it is estimated that UDS before surgery is more likely to change the management of SUI in 17% of patients. Conclusions:: In women referring SUI, it is necessary to individualise the indication for UDS before surgical correction. UDS are complementary tests to be considered after non-invasive studies of the patient with a detailed clinical history, physical examination and other complementary tests such as a voiding diary, specific questionnaires and flowmetry with residual urine. We consider it necessary in cases of complicated or non-pure SUI.

Conflict of interest: No Introduction and Objectives: Patients with hepatic cirrhosis (HC) and severe alcoholic hepatitis (AH) are at risk of developing acute kidney injury (AKI) due to multiple factors. The main phenotypes of AKI include hypovolemic, acute tubular necrosis (ATN), hepatorenal syndrome (HRS), and miscellaneous types. The urinary biomarker Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin (NGAL) may be useful for differential diagnosis, as it is an early-produced protein at the renal tubular level.The objective of this study is to establish the correlation between urinary biomarker NGAL levels and the phenotype of acute kidney injury in cirrhotic patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis. Patients / Materials and Methods: Descriptive, retrospective, and analytical study of patients with a diagnosis of severe alcoholic hepatitis with cirrhosis, acute kidney injury classified by AKI-ICA (Acute Kidney Injury Criteria-International Club of Ascites), and urinary NGAL values. Three groups were compared: one with hypovolemic AKI, the second group with ATN-type AKI, and a control group of 55 patients with non-alcoholic cirrhosis and ATN-type AKI. Statistical analysis: Data are presented as Mean ± SD or Median (IQR 25-75). Univariate analysis was conducted to compare AKI phenotypes (hypovolemic, ATN, and non-alcoholic etiology ATN with a cohort of 55 patients) with MELD and Child-Pugh as cofactors; significance was considered at ≤ 0.05. Results and Discussion: A total of 102 patients were included with an average age of 45 (39.7-51) years; 93 (91.17%) were men and 9 (8.82%) were women. Cirrhosis was classified as Child-Pugh A: 4 (3.92%), B: 5 (4.9%), and C: 93 (91.17%). Severe Alcoholic Hepatitis had a MELD score of 32 (26-39) points, a modified Maddrey score of 58.9 (44.9-102.2) points, an ABIC (Age-Bilirubin-INR-Creatinine) score of 8.5 ± 1.4 points, and a Glasgow score of 9 (8-10) points. Acute kidney injury was present in 74.5% (n=76) of cases with the following AKI-ICA grades: 1A: 9 (8.82%), 1B: 9 (8.82%), 2: 17 (16.66%), and 3: 41 (40.19%). The phenotypes were: Hypovolemic AKI: 50 (65.78%), Acute Tubular Necrosis (ATN): 23 (30.26%), and Hepatorenal Syndrome: 3 (3.94%).The mean NGAL levels for the acute kidney injury phenotypes were hypovolemic 79.64 ± 61.73, ATN 857.79 ± 914.95, and non-alcoholic etiology ATN 743.09 ± 971.39. Significant differences were found between groups F(74,1)=30.54 p≤.001; comparisons between groups were important for hypovolemic acute kidney injury vs. ATN p≤.001; hypovolemic acute kidney injury vs. non-alcoholic ATN p≤.001, and not significant between ATN groups p=0.806 (Figure 1). Conclusions: There is a relationship between urinary biomarker NGAL values and the hypovolemic acute kidney injury phenotype compared to ATN in cirrhotic patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis and ATN of other etiologies; it is an early biomarker of renal damage useful for establishing severity and prognosis.

Conflict of interest: No Introduction and Objectives: Connective Tissue Growth Factor (CTGF) is a multifunctional protein recognized as an important mediator in fibrogenic pathways in liver diseases. Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC) is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the bile ducts. It is characterized by inflammation and progressive fibrosis of the bile ducts, which can lead to stenosis, cholestasis, and long-term liver damage.The objective of this study is to establish the correlation between serum levels of Connective Tissue Growth Factor (CTGF), measured using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), and the degree of hepatic fibrosis assessed by transient elastography in patients with cholestasis diagnosed with Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC). Patients / Materials and Methods: Prospective, analytical, experimental study. Three groups were recruited: the first group comprised patients with cholestasis, the second group comprised patients with cirrhosis due to Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), and the third group comprised healthy subjects. Anthropometric and biochemical data were collected. A blood sample was collected to quantify serum levels of CTGF using ELISA. The degree of fibrosis was determined by transient elastography. Statistical analysis: Data are presented as Mean±SD or Median (IQR 25-75). They were analyzed by one-way ANOVA with Tukey's post-hoc test or Kruskal-Wallis with Dunn's post-hoc test. The following parameters were calculated: Sensitivity (S), Specificity (E), Positive Predictive Values (PPV), Negative Predictive Values (NPV), and the area under the ROC curve (AUROC). A p-value

Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a highly prevalent disease. We aimed to assess the symptoms that physicians who see patients with AR perceive as the most bothersome in their patients. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study based on an online questionnaire sent to all members of the Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) initiative. The survey included questions on the physicians' perceptions of patients’ AR symptoms as well as of their own AR symptoms. Results: Among 401 respondents, 155 (38.7%) reported having AR. ARIA members reported nasal symptoms to be the most frequent (89.7%) and bothersome (80.0%) symptoms experienced by themselves. Likewise, nasal symptoms were reported by ARIA members as the most frequent (94.8% in members with AR vs 96.0% in members without AR) and bothersome (57.0% in members with AR vs 67.9% in members without AR) in their patients. We found a significant association (p = 0.001) between physicians’ own symptoms and those perceived as the most bothersome in their patients. Conclusion: Physicians perceive nasal symptoms to be the most frequent and the most bothersome symptoms in AR patients. The physicians' personal experiences with AR may influence their perception of patients’ symptoms.

Runoff is pivotal in water resource management and ecological conservation. Current research predominantly emphasizes enhancing the precision of machine learning-based runoff predictions, with limited focus on their physical interpretability. This study introduces an innovative two-step hybrid runoff prediction framework tailored for the headwater region of the Yellow River Basin (YRB) to improve prediction accuracy and elucidate the runoff modeling process. The framework integrates machine learning techniques with dual signal decomposition approaches, incorporating diverse hydrometeorological and geographic indicators. Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) algorithms were employed to predict monthly runoff generation in sub-basins delineated by the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), which were subsequently integrated using a Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) for monthly runoff concentration prediction. Results indicate that the proposed models delivered superior prediction performance compared to the SWAT model (R2 = 0.86, NSE = 0.85), with the LSTM-based two-step hybrid model (R2 = 0.90, NSE = 0.90) outperforming the XGBoost-based model (R2 = 0.89, NSE = 0.88). The dual decomposition method, integrating seasonal-trend decomposition based on loess (STL) and successive variational mode decomposition (SVMD), demonstrated exceptional efficacy in addressing the complexities of hydrometeorological time series. Models decomposed by STL-SVMD exhibited the highest average R2 and NSE values, as well as the lowest RMSE and MAE values in sub-basin runoff calculations. The low standard deviations of performance metrics further underscored the stability of these models across all sub-basins. This study demonstrates the efficacy of the proposed two-step hybrid model for simulating physical runoff processes in the headwater region of the YRB, providing valuable insights for regional hydrological cycle research and hydro-ecological security.

Introduction: A key factor in influenza pandemic preparedness is the ability to detect zoonotic influenza virus strains as they emerge in humans through spillover events, ideally before human-to-human transmission occurs. Design: In this study, the utility of the QIAstat-Dx syndromic device for influenza surveillance was evaluated. Bioinformatic analysis was performed on all WHO-recommended influenza Candidate Vaccine Viruses (CVVs), including the common strains recommended for the 2023–2024 influenza vaccine composition in the northern hemisphere, and 16 different H5 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) and two H9N2 low pathogenic avian influenza virus (LPAIV) strains. For laboratory validation, engineered gene fragments and real HPAIV and LPAIV samples were tested using the QIAstat-Dx Respiratory SARS-CoV-2 Panel. Results: During the bioinformatic screening, common influenza strains were positive including influenza A subtypes, and all H5 HPAIV and LPAIV H9N2 were detected as Influenza A positive without subtype discrimination. In all cases, laboratory validation confirmed all bioinformatic results. Conclusion: QIAstat-Dx can detect all tested potentially zoonotic influenza A virus strains, and discriminate them from human sesonal influenza A viruses, ensuring a correct diagnosis. Any tool available for surveillance and pandemic preparedness is essential for a rapid response to reduce healthcare costs and severity of future influenza pandemics.

This work presents the design and optimization of a new Cr(VI)-selective electrode. The new sensor is based on modifying a glassy carbon electrode with carbon quantum dots, ß-cyclodextrin, and carbon disulfide. The carbon quantum dots aided the electrical properties of the glassy carbon by improving charge transfer; the electropolymerization of ß-cyclodextrin resulted in a polymeric membrane that functions as a recognition element when modified by adding sulfur donor groups to its structure. Modifying the membrane with sulfur atoms gave the sensor excellent selectivity toward Cr(VI) ions. The electrode synthesis was optimized using a 23 factorial design; the factors studied were pH, the number of cycles in the electropolymerization, and the presence or absence of carbon nanoparticles. Eight different electrodes were constructed, and their potentiometric response to different concentrations of Cr(VI) was evaluated for all of them. The analysis of variance of the experimental design found no significant effect of any factor on the response. However, it suggests a strong interaction between the three factors studied. The sensor that presented the best analytical parameters was synthesized at pH 5 and 50 consecutive cycles in the presence of carbon quantum dots. This new electrode, with its response times of 40 s at different concentrations of the metal ion, exhibiting a slope of (66.0 ± 2.1) mV decade−1 and a detection limit of (5.2 ± 0.1)x10−7 mol L−1, can be used at pH between 0 and 3 without the effect of hydronium ions. The proposed electrode has good reproducibility and excellent selectivity against various metal ions and has significant advantages over other analysis methods. Its cost, ease of construction, easy handling, ease of operation, ease of storage and transportation, as well as good performance, short response time, and high selectivity make this electrode a valuable tool for easy, fast, and reliable monitoring of Cr(VI) in water samples, contributing to the safety and health of our environment.

Recently, the energy demand has increased dramatically on a global scale, driving the need to expand existing electrical systems to ensure service coverage, efficiency, and reliability. However, this expansion poses both technical and economic challenges. To make expansion projects economically feasible and attractive to investors, optimal conductor selection and phase balancing are essential. In this paper, a novel methodology is introduced that simultaneously addresses both problems through a leader–follower strategy, combining the Chu & Beasley Genetic Algorithm (CBGA) with the method of successive approximations for power flow analysis. To assess the effectiveness of the proposed strategy, two test systems under varying demand scenarios are employed, and their economic and statistical results are compared with those obtained using three metaheuristic optimization techniques: the hurricane-based optimization algorithm, the salp swarm optimization algorithm, and the sine cosine algorithm. According to the findings, the CBGA outperformed the other techniques, producing costs of USD 125,348.487 and USD 94,423.130, processing times of 11.766 s and 94.494 s, and standard deviations of 0.161% and 0.199% in the 8- and 25-node test systems, respectively. These results underscore the methodology's efficiency, responsiveness, and comprehensive approach to the optimal conductor selection and phase balancing problems in electrical systems.

Background & Aims: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related death. Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a significant cause of HCC. Current treatment options for HCC are very limited. Recent evidence highlights B cells as key drivers in MASLD progression toward HCC. However, it remains unclear whether multiple B cell populations or a distinct B cell subset regulates inflammatory responses during liver disease progression. The scope of this study was to define protumorigenic B cell subsets in MASLD and HCC. Methods: Multicolor flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence analyses were performed to investigate B cell populations locally (in liver tissue) and systemically (in the blood) in mice with MASLD (n = 6) and HCC (n = 5–6). The results obtained in mice were also verified in patients with MASLD (n = 19) and HCC (n = 16). Results: Our study revealed an increase of two regulatory B cell (Breg) subsets, CD19+B220+CD5+CD1d+ (p

Background: The recent COVID-19 pandemic and the emergence of infectious diseases at the human-animal interface highlight the global challenge of mitigating zoonotic risks. The One Health approach emphasizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, urging for holistic and interdisciplinary strategies in disease prevention. Despite growing interest, the attention to wildlife in pandemic prevention remains limited. This systematic literature review aims to evaluate recent One Health research on zoonotic diseases and wildlife in terms of study design, interdisciplinary collaboration, and participatory approaches. Key questions addressed include the consideration of One Health domains, disciplinary involvement, and the inclusion of non-academic stakeholders. Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, PubMed and Web of Science were searched for primary research papers on zoonotic diseases and wildlife from 2018 to 2023. Eligibility criteria included a focus on wildlife, zoonotic diseases, and adoption of the One Health approach. Results: A total of 228 primary research papers were retrieved. Out of these, 105 studies were included in the review. Few studies integrated human, animal, and environmental domains simultaneously in data collection (4.8 %) and knowledge generation (29.5 %). While extensive knowledge was generated for animal health (97.1 %) and human health (84.8 %), environmental health (34.3 %) remained underrepresented. Laboratory methods predominated (82.9 %), with limited integration of social science methodologies (19 %). The majority were epidemiological studies (86.7 %), yet analytical design within these was sparse (17.1 %). Participation of non-academic stakeholders was limited (36.2 % included non-academics; 3.8 % encompassed participative approaches). Conclusions: The synthesis of the domains human, animal and environmental health remained fragmentary in the studies reviewed. Environmental health is underrepresented and the interdisciplinary involvement of social sciences lacks. Neglecting these fields of competence impedes comprehensive understanding of disease dynamics and hampers effective zoonosis prevention strategies. In result, greater inter- and transdisciplinary collaboration, along with participatory approaches, are still needed for advancing One Health research.

Pharmaceutical active compounds (PACs) in the concentration range of hundreds of ng/L to μg/L have been identified in urban surface water, groundwater, and agricultural land where they cause various health risks. These pollutants are classified as emerging and cannot be efficiently removed by conventional wastewater treatment processes. The use of nano-enabled photocatalysts in the removal of pharmaceuticals in aquatic systems has recently received research attention owing to their enhanced properties and effectiveness. In the current study, toxicological and environmental risks of enalapril (ENL) and their possible transformation products (TPs) generated under phototransformation processes (e.g., photolysis and photocatalysis reactions) were assessed. In photolysis reaction, removal of ENL was incomplete (< 16 %), while mineralization degree was negligible. In contrast, total removal of ENL was achieved through the photocatalytic process and its maximum mineralization ratio was 66 % by using natural radiation. Proposed transformation pathways during the phototransformation of ENL include hydroxylation and fragmentation reactions generating transformation products (TPs) such as hydroxylated TPs (m/z 393) and enalaprilat (m/z 349). Potential environmental risks for aquatic organisms were not observed in the concentrations of both ENL and enalaprilat contained in surface water. However, the acute and chronic toxicities prediction of TPs such as m/z 409, 363, and 345 showed toxic effects on aquatic organisms. Thus, more studies regarding TPs monitoring for both ENL and PhACs with the highest occurrence worldwide are necessary for the creation of a database of the concentrations contained in surface water and groundwater for the assessment of the potential environmental risk for aquatic organisms.