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Strain engineering, as a powerful strategy to tune the optical and electrical properties of two-dimensional (2D) materials by deforming their crystal lattice, has attracted significant interest in recent years. 2D materials can sustain ultra-high strains, even up to 10%, due to the lack of dangling bonds on their surface, making them ideal brittle solids. This remarkable mechanical resilience, together with a strong strain-tunable band structure, endows 2D materials with a broad optical and electrical response upon strain. However, strain engineering based on 2D materials is restricted by their nanoscale and strain quantification troubles. In this study, we have modified a homebuilt three-points bending apparatus to transform it into a four-points bending apparatus that allows for the application of both compressive and tensile strains on 2D materials. This approach allows for the efficient and reproducible construction of a strain system and minimizes the buckling effect caused by the van der Waals interaction by adamantane encapsulation strategy. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of introducing compressive strain on 2D materials and the potential for tuning their optical and physical properties through this approach.

Intraspecific variation in functional traits between native and introduced plant species may underlie resilience and invasiveness of introduced species. We explored if observed phenotypic variation of Iris pseudacorus L. between populations in the native vs. introduced ranges results from genetic differentiation and/or phenotypic plasticity. Seeds were collected from populations along estuarine stress gradients within populations in both Guadalquivir Estuary (Andalusia, Spain) and San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary (California, USA). Genetic analysis was performed on leaf tissue from plants in each seed donor population. Germinants (n = 48: 6 plants × 4 populations × 2 ranges) were grown for 12 months in a common garden experiment (CGE). We then evaluated 25 traits including growth, biomass allocation, morphological and biochemical responses. Geographic range explained relative intraspecific trait variation segregating native from introduced phenotypes. Native plants had lower specific leaf area (− 34%) and carbohydrate concentrations in rhizomes (− 63%) than introduced plants, providing evidence of genetic differentiation. Higher genetic diversity and 27% higher phenotypic variation (CGE) of native vs. introduced plants indicated longer-term adaptive processes in the native range. Genetic distance of introduced populations (field) increased along with their phenotypic distance (CGE), suggesting rapid genetic differentiation. Phenotypic plasticity also explained some observed inter-range differences under field conditions not expressed by plants in the CGE. Management of the introduced I. pseudacorus populations should be established urgently since they represent novel genotypes with key functional traits that can support invasiveness through increased competitive ability and physiological stress tolerances to sea level rise.

The web application SingSol offers a user-friendly and versatile tool for researchers and engineers that need to determine the singularity exponents and the singular stress and displacement fields in multi-material linear elastic corners with homogeneous boundary conditions. It covers a wide range of configurations, involving homogeneous wedges and various boundary conditions, including perfect bonding or frictionless sliding interfaces between wedges in the corner. The theoretical framework of this powerful tool considers power-law stress singularities, and is based on the Stroh formalism of anisotropic elasticity, assuming generalized plane strain conditions (2.5D), and the concept of transfer matrix for single material wedges, along with the matrix formalism for homogeneous (orthogonal) boundary conditions. This approach is well suited for computational implementations, being particularly efficient in scenarios involving multiple perfectly bonded homogeneous wedges. The fully semi-analytical nature of this tool provides its very high accuracy. SingSol comprises a graphical user interface (GUI) and a Python-based back-end code hosted on the server of the research group. It incorporates and solves limitations found in other currently available codes, providing a flexible solution for isotropic and anisotropic materials while supporting various boundary and interface conditions.

Titanium dental implants play a decisive role in dentistry for tooth replacement due to their exceptional properties of biocompatibility, osseointegration, and mechanical resistance. This study investigated the modification of dental implant surfaces by chemical etching treatment with hydrofluoric acid (HF). The impact of incorporating an organic inhibitor on weight loss and the resultant topography was assessed. The treated implants showed a significant surface modification characterized by a micro-rough texture, although with considerable weight loss due to material dissolution. Inclusion of an organic inhibitor proved effective in reducing weight loss without significantly altering the surface morphology. Implants treated with HF and the inhibitor showed a morphology comparable to those treated with HF, but with reduced weight loss. Finally, corrosion behavior in a physiological saline solution was investigated to compare the surface modification states.

Ultra-fine blast-furnace slag binders have recently been introduced to repair masonry. The reduced particle diameter of these binders makes them especially suitable for use as grouts, since this characteristic enables these grouts to fill even the smallest voids. The current necessity and effectiveness of Finite Element Analysis in any process concerning construction, repair or reinforcement of building structures remains unquestionable. In this way, the calibration of Finite Element material models for their correct performance has become compulsory. Regarding quasi-brittle materials, such as mortar and grouts, the Microplane model is recommended to reproduce their behaviour. This paper is targeted towards obtaining Microplane model coefficients to exactly reproduce the behaviour of ultrafine blast-furnace slag grout samples. To this end, several compressive tests have been carried on in order to obtain the experimental stress–strain curves that define the behaviour of these samples. Furthermore, reverse engineering by means of an optimisation algorithm successfully attained the possible coefficients to reproduce this material with the Microplane model. The correctness of these coefficients has been verified with a new campaign composed of compressive tests, Double Punch tests, and flexural tests. These tests have been reproduced by Finite Element Analysis, thereby confirming the accuracy of the set of coefficients. Thus, two are the main conclusions obtained: (1) the framework for the modelling of ultra-fine blast-furnace slag grout elements based-on the Microplane model has been proposed, implemented and validated; and (2) a value for the coefficients of the abovementioned model has been proposed.

The demand for dental implants is increasing, although there is a wide variety of implants currently available in the market, it is necessary to implement improvements in their design and/or the selection of materials used. The development of biomimetic and bioactive Ti scaffolds for bone regeneration is necessary. In this context, this article proposes the design, manufacture and characterization of a porous titanium implant with the aim of eliminating some of the deficiencies found in commercially available titanium implants. Stress-shielding and the lack of osseointegration or bacterial infection are still some limitations to solve. Porous samples were produced using conventional Powder Metallurgy (PM) and the space holder (SH) technique. Ammonium bicarbonate particles were used as spacers in size ranges of 100–200 µm. The porosity and surface characterization were performed by Archimedes’ method and image analysis, while the mechanical behavior was analyzed by micro-mechanical testing. After that, the micromachining protocol of the implant is carried out. Substrates were chemically etched by immersion in fluorhydric acid at different times (15 s; 60 s and 125 s) to achieve a suitable surface roughness with biofunctional balance. Results showed that it is possible to obtain a desired longitudinal gradient. The optimized method described in this work suggests that it is a reasonable candidate for the development of dental implants with a good balance between reduced stress shielding and adequate mechanical strength.

Nowadays, consumers are increasingly concerned about the effects of diet on health. In this context, oleogelation has been suggested as an interesting strategy to substitute unhealthy fats and may even allow encapsulation of bioactive substances in food matrices. This suggests that the development of thermo-reversible oleogels could have a significant impact on the bioavailability and biostability of functional foods, as well as the associated beneficial outcomes. The purpose of this study was to compare oleogels using two food additives as gelling agents: E471, which consists mainly of fatty acids monoglycerides, and beeswax (E-901). To achieve this, a rheological characterization of oleogels was carried out by using Small Amplitude Oscillatory Shear tests (SAOS). Systems containing distilled commercial monoglycerides of fatty acids showed a typical gel behaviour at 20 °C, while the behaviour of beeswax oil systems corresponded to weak gels at this temperature. This was also reflected in an increase in the temperature at which the gel-sol transition occurred when the systems were heated. The transition took place at higher temperatures for the monoglyceride gels, which indicates that they are stronger gels. An increase in the elastic component of the oleogels was noted as the concentration of gelling agent increased. Oleogels with 4% distilled commercial monoglycerides and 4% beeswax show stability at body temperature, although the latter shows reversibility during heating. Conversely, systems with 2% of both gel-ling agents undergo the gel-sol transition before reaching body temperature.

In this paper, a detailed and comprehensive linear stability analysis of a rolling toroidal wheel is performed. The wheel is modeled as a rigid toroid-shaped body rolling without slipping on a horizontal surface. The nonlinear equations of motion constitute a Differential-Algebraic Equations system, given by the dynamic equilibrium equations augmented with the nonholonomic constraints, which arise from the no-slip condition. The circular steady motion and the linearized equations of motion along this relative equilibrium are obtained, for both the solid and hollow tori. The expressions of the linearized equations and the corresponding eigenvalues are derived analytically as a function of the torus aspect ratio. The variation of the stability boundary with the torus aspect ratio is shown. A comparison of the results obtained in the solid and hollow scenarios is included, and all the results are validated with the rolling hoop, which corresponds to a degenerate torus with zero aspect ratio. In the particular case of the steady straight-line rolling and spinning about a vertical diameter, which constitute limit motions of the circular steady motion, the critical rotational and angular speeds required for stabilization are obtained.

This work presents a novel approach to a Hardware Root-of-Trust that leverages System-on-Chip technology for the implementation of hardware cryptographic functions. Taking advantage of the processing power of a System-on-Chip, the solution established promotes hardware-based security solutions over software-only solutions. The proposed Root-of-Trust, developed around a Xilinx Zynq-7000 SoC device, integrates components based on cryptographic algorithms and physical phenomena. This innovative Root-of-Trust is tailored to support a spectrum of security tasks within cryptographic systems, including device-specific identifiers and keys, encryption and decryption, hashing, and signature generation and verification. The study adopts a unified design methodology, capitalizing on collaborative efforts to efficiently develop hardware primitives that significantly contribute to enhancing security in computing environments. Aligned with the advantages of reconfigurable hardware, this Hardware Root-of-Trust addresses the critical need for robust hardware-level security and introduces a set of countermeasures to fortify the design against potential threats.

The surface chemistry and inter-connectivity within perovskite nanocrystals play a critical role in determining the electronic interactions. They manifest in the Coulomb screening of electron-hole correlations and the carrier relaxation dynamics, among other many-body processes. Here, we characterize the coupling between the exciton and free carrier states close to the band-edge in a ligand-free formamidinium lead bromide nanocrystal assembly via two-dimensional coherent spectroscopy. The optical signatures observed in this work show: (i) a nonlinear spectral lineshape reminiscent of Fano-like interference that evidences the coupling between discrete electronic states and a continuum, (ii) symmetric excited state absorption cross-peaks that suggest the existence of a coupled exciton-carrier excited state, and (iii) ultrafast carrier thermalization and exciton formation. Our results highlight the presence of coherent coupling between exciton and free carriers, particularly in the sub-100 femtosecond timescales.

The classes Dothideomycetes and Eurotiomycetes include constitutively melanized fungi adapted to extreme conditions and they are widely distributed in diverse hostile habitats worldwide. Yet, despite the growing interest in these fungi, there is a considerable gap of knowledge on their functionality. Their genomic analysis is still in its infancy and the possibility to understand their adaptive strategies and exploit their potentialities in bioremediation is very limited. Here, we supply a genome catalog of 118 black fungi, encompassing different ecologies, phylogenies and lifestyles, as a first example of a comparative genomic study at high level of diversity. Results indicate that, as a rule, Dothideomycetes show more variable genome size and that larger genomes are associated with harshest conditions; low temperature tolerance and DNA repair capacity are overrepresented in their genomes. In Eurotiomycetes high temperature tolerance and capacity to metabolize hydrocarbons are more frequently present and these abilities are positively correlated with the human presence. The genomic features are consistent with the prevalent ecologies in the two classes. Indeed, Dothideomycetes are more common in cold and dry environments with high capacity for DNA repair being consistent with the normally highly UV-impacted conditions in their habitats; in contrast, Eurotiomycetes spread mainly in hot human-impacted sites with industrial pollution. Mean annual temperature and isothermality are positively correlated with tolerance to high temperatures in Dothideomycetes, suggesting that, despite their preference for the cold, they are potentially equipped to survive even when temperatures rise due to the global warming.

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is a neurovascular disease produced by extravasation of blood to the subarachnoid space after rupture of the cerebral vessels. After bleeding, the immune response is activated. The role of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in this response is a current subject of research. We have analysed the changes in PBMCs of patients with aSAH and their interaction with the endothelium, focusing on their adhesion and the expression of adhesion molecules. Using an in vitro adhesion assay, we observed that the adhesion of PBMCs of patients with aSAH is increased. Flow cytometry analysis shows that monocytes increased significantly in patients, especially in those who developed vasospasm (VSP). In aSAH patients, the expression of CD162, CD49d, CD62L and CD11a in T lymphocytes and of CD62L in monocytes increased. However, the expression of CD162, CD43, and CD11a decreased in monocytes. Furthermore, monocytes from patients who developed arteriographic VSP had lower expression of CD62L. In conclusion, our results confirm that after aSAH, monocyte count and adhesion of PBMCs increase, especially in patients with VSP, and that the expression of several adhesion molecules is altered. These observations can help predict VSP and to improve the treatment of this pathology.

A new crack-tip finite element able to improve the accuracy of Finite Element Method (FEM) solutions for cracks growing along the Winkler-type spring interfaces between linear elastic adherents is proposed. The spring model for interface fracture, sometimes called Linear-Elastic (perfectly) Brittle Interface Model (LEBIM), can be used, e.g., to analyse fracture of adhesive joints with a thin adhesive layer. Recently an analytical expression for the asymptotic elastic solution with logarithmic stress-singularity at the interface crack tip considering spring-like interface behaviour under fracture Mode III was deduced by some of the authors. Based on this asymptotic solution, a special 5-node triangular crack-tip finite element is developed. The generated special singular shape functions reproduce the radial behaviour of the first main term and shadow terms of the asymptotic solution. This special element implemented in a FEM code written in Matlab has successfully passed various patch tests with spring boundary conditions. The new element allows to model cracks in spring interfaces without the need of using excessively refined FEM meshes, which is one of the current disadvantages in the use of LEBIM when stiff spring interfaces are considered. Numerical tests carried out by h-refinement of uniform meshes show that the new singular element consistently provides significantly more accurate results than the standard finite elements, especially for stiff interfaces, which could be relevant for practical applications minimizing computational costs. The new element can also be used to solve other problems with logarithmic stress-singularities.

Invasive alien species are the second cause of biodiversity loss worldwide and imply huge economic costs related to their impact on ecosystems, production systems, and human health. Quantifying these losses is a complex task, but it becomes essen- tial to evaluate the problem and support measures to prevent and control biological invasions. In the last 6 years, Rugulopteryx okamurae has invaded a large part of the rocky bottoms of the coasts of the Strait of Gibraltar. Moreover, it has meant significant losses for the economic activities that take place along the Andalusian coast. Using a mixed-method approach, this work estimated the costs associated with the pres- ence of Rugulopteryx okamurae in the municipality of Tarifa, Spain, in a minimum annual loss of more than three million euros, concentrated mainly in the fishing sector and public administration. These results buttress the relevance of prevention, early detection, and prompt action measures to soften the economic impact of future biological invasion processes in the marine-coastal environment.

We exhibit three examples showing that the “time-and-band limiting” commutative property found and exploited by D. Slepian, H. Landau and H. Pollak at Bell Labs in the 1960s, and independently by M. Mehta and later by C. Tracy and H. Widom in Random matrix theory, holds for exceptional orthogonal polynomials. The property in question is the existence of local operators with simple spectrum that commute with naturally appearing global ones. We illustrate numerically the advantage of having such a local operator.

Quercus species are the most frequent autochthonous arboreal taxa in the natural areas of Andalusia region (southern Spain). Due to their abundance and anemophilous character, high airborne pollen concentrations are detected in natural and urban areas of the region. Variations in its reproductive phenology can be considered an important bio-indicator regarding the impacts of climate change on vegetation in the Mediterranean region. This study aims to analyze trends in flowering patterns using airborne pollen concentrations from the capital cities of the 8 provinces of Andalusia region and to study its relationships with meteorological parameters and climate change over decades. Variations in time and intensity of flowering have been studied using different methods for defining the pollen season. This study demonstrates that for comparing results, it is relevant to choose the right definition to calculate the pollen season. The analysis of historical databases of Quercus airborne pollen in Andalusia showed variations in the floral phenology with an increase in the intensity of the pollen season throughout the studied period and an advance in the start trends due to the increase of temperature. Nevertheless, this increase might have been smoothed by the decrease of precipitations in some sampler locations, a limiting factor in the area. It has been also observed a delay in the end dates that caused a lengthening of the season. Climate change could be provoking longer and more intense pollen seasons that will lead to more intense and persistent symptoms in sensitive patients.

The present study explored the utilization of Rugulopteryx okamurae (RO), an invasive brown seaweed, as a renewable raw material for plastic materials based on biopolymer blends. The goal of this study was to improve the previously observed poor mechanical properties of materials based on single biopolymer RO. To enhance these properties, two polymers with distinct hydrophobicities were incorporated into the formulation of different blends: hydrophobic polycaprolactone (PCL) and hydrophilic acylated soy protein isolate (SPIa). SPIa was derived from soy protein through a chemical modification process, introducing hydrophilic carboxyl groups. The addition of PCL significantly strengthened the blend, increasing the storage modulus (E′1 Hz) from ~ 110 to ~ 250 MPa. Conversely, SPIa incorporation resulted in softening, with E′ values around 40 MPa. Both additives enhanced deformability proportionally to their concentrations, with SPIa exhibiting notably higher deformability, reaching a maximum deformation of ~ 23% for a RO/SPIa ratio of 25/75. In summary, the study demonstrates the feasibility of producing environmentally friendly blend materials based on RO, tailored for specific applications by incorporating suitable additives into the formulation. Therefore, PCL is recommended for applications susceptible to moisture effects, such as packaging, while SPIa is suggested for highly absorbent applications such as personal care or horticulture.

This article proposes a hybrid methodology to represent the energy poverty situation in neighbourhoods with high vulnerability indices, using public data sources and surveys designed for local contexts. As an innovation, the method includes aspects of feminisation poverty, household health and information collected directly from the case study population. The San Pablo neighbourhood, in southern Spain, has been taken as a case study, to extrapolate the strategy to similar European neighbourhoods. The research has made it possible to identify new factors affecting the energy poverty situation, such as the domestic burden associated with households or the lack of accessibility to dwellings. The incorporation of this type of indicators, which have been analysed according to sex, has made it possible to highlight the process of feminisation of energy poverty in the territory under study. Based on the groups identified as the most vulnerable, new lines of research are opened to define actions and best practices that can be implemented to improve household energy vulnerability.

Cervical cancer is caused in the vast majority of cases by the human papilloma virus (HPV) through sexual contact and requires a specific molecular-based analysis to be detected. As an HPV vaccine is available, the incidence of cervical cancer is up to ten times higher in areas without adequate healthcare resources. In recent years, liquid cytology has been used to overcome these shortcomings and perform mass screening. In addition, classifiers based on convolutional neural networks can be developed to help pathologists diagnose the disease. However, these systems always require the final verification of a pathologist to make a final diagnosis. For this reason, explainable AI techniques are required to highlight the most significant data to the healthcare professional, as it can be used to determine the confidence in the results and the areas of the image used for classification (allowing the professional to point out the areas he/she thinks are most important and cross-check them against those detected by the system in order to create incremental learning systems). In this work, a 4-phase optimization process is used to obtain a custom deep-learning classifier for distinguishing between 4 severity classes of cervical cancer with liquid-cytology images. The final classifier obtains an accuracy over 97% for 4 classes and 100% for 2 classes with execution times under 1 s (including the final report generation). Compared to previous works, the proposed classifier obtains better accuracy results with a lower computational cost.

Metapopulation models have been a popular tool for the study of epidemic spread over a network of highly populated nodes (cities, provinces, countries) and have been extensively used in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In the present work, we revisit such a model, bearing a particular case example in mind, namely that of the region of Andalusia in Spain during the period of the summer-fall of 2020 (i.e., between the first and second pandemic waves). Our aim is to consider the possibility of incorporation of mobility across the province nodes focusing on mobile-phone time dependent data, but also discussing the comparison for our case example with a gravity model, as well as with the dynamics in the absence of mobility. Our main finding is that mobility is key towards a quantitative understanding of the emergence of the second wave of the pandemic and that the most accurate way to capture it involves dynamic (rather than static) inclusion of time-dependent mobility matrices based on cell-phone data. Alternatives bearing no mobility are unable to capture the trends revealed by the data in the context of the metapopulation model considered herein.

The discrete complex Ginzburg–Landau equation is a fundamental model for the dynamics of nonlinear lattices incorporating competitive dissipation and energy gain effects. Such mechanisms are of particular importance for the study of survival/destruction of localised structures in many physical situations. In this work, we prove that in the discrete complex Ginzburg–Landau equation dissipative solitonic waveforms persist for significant times by introducing a dynamical transitivity argument. This argument is based on a combination of the notions of “inviscid limits” and of the “continuous dependence of solutions on their initial data”, between the dissipative system and its Hamiltonian counterparts. Thereby, it establishes closeness of the solutions of the Ginzburg–Landau lattice to those of the conservative ideals described by the Discrete Nonlinear Schrödinger and Ablowitz–Ladik lattices. Such a closeness holds when the initial conditions of the systems are chosen to be sufficiently small in the suitable metrics and for small values of the dissipation or gain strengths. Our numerical findings are in excellent agreement with the analytical predictions for the dynamics of the dissipative bright, dark or even Peregrine-type solitonic waveforms.

We close the problem of the existence of crossing period annuli in planar piecewise linear differential systems with a straight line of nonsmoothness. In fact, a characterization for the existence of such objects is provided by means of a few basic operations on the parameters.

The Lorenz system presents a double-zero bifurcation (a double-zero eigenvalue with geometric multiplicity two). However, its study by means of standard techniques is not possible because it occurs for a non-isolated equilibrium. To circumvent this difficulty, we add in the third equation a new term, Dz². In this Lorenz-like system, the analysis of the double-zero bifurcation of the equilibrium at the origin guarantees, for certain values of the parameters, the existence of a heteroclinic cycle between the two equilibria located on the z-axis. The numerical continuation in parameter space of the locus of heteroclinic connections allows to detect various degeneracies of codimension two and three, some of which have not been previously studied in the literature. These bifurcations are organizing centers of the complicated dynamics exhibited by this system. Furthermore, studying how the bifurcation sets evolve when D tends to zero, we are able to explain, in the Lorenz system, the origin of several global connections which are related to T-point heteroclinic loops.

Introduction Since the frst description of gain of function (GOF) mutations in signal transducer and activator of transcrip tion (STAT) 1, more than 300 patients have been described with a broad clinical phenotype including infections and severe immune dysregulation. Whilst Jak inhibitors (JAKinibs) have demonstrated benefts in several reported cases, their indica tions, dosing, and monitoring remain to be established. Methods A retrospective, multicenter study recruiting pediatric patients with STAT1 GOF under JAKinib treatment was performed and, when applicable, compared with the available reports from the literature. Results Ten children (median age 8.5 years (3–18), receiving JAKinibs (ruxolitinib (n=9) and baricitinib (n=1)) with a median follow-up of 18 months (2–42) from 6 inborn errors of immunity (IEI) reference centers were included. Clinical profle and JAKinib indications in our series were similar to the previously published 14 pediatric patients. 9/10 (our cohort) and 14/14 patients (previous reports) showed partial or complete responses. The median immune defciency and dysregulation activity scores were 15.99 (5.2–40) pre and 7.55 (3–14.1) under therapy (p=0.0078). Infection, considered a likely adverse event of JAKinib therapy, was observed in 1/10 patients; JAKinibs were stopped in 3/10 children, due to hepatotoxicity, pre-HSCT, and absence of response. Conclusions Our study supports the potentially benefcial use of JAKinibs in patients with STAT1 GOF, in line with previ ously published data. However, consensus regarding their indications and timing, dosing, treatment duration, and monitor ing, as well as defning biomarkers to monitor clinical and immunological responses, remains to be determined, in form of international prospective multicenter studies using established IEI registries.

This article explores how multiple, interrelated violence(s) shape the ways in which migrants relate to democratic politics transnationally. It takes as a departing point the literature on violent democracies and violent pluralism in the Latin American context, and more specifcally the situation in Colombia, where democratic institutions coexist with plural violence(s). Following on from studies of migrant transnational politics, the analysis focuses on the Colombian diaspora and how migrants coming from violent democracies engage politically with the home country. Based on extensive research with Colombian migrants in Europe since the mid-90s, the article shows how despite diferent motivations for migrating, origin-country violence plays a signifcant role in the lives of many Colombians abroad. It then explores how violence infuences migrants’ transnational politics. Migrating from a context of pervasive violence(s) can afect migrants’ sense of transnational belonging as well as increase mistrust and indiference towards formal democratic processes. However, the situation in the home country, together with being exposed to diferent conditions in the host society, can also motivate migrants to participate transnationally in initiatives to end the violence, thus increasing cooperation and trust.

Over the last several decades, the application of aDNA and strontium isotope analyses on archaeologically recovered human remains has provided new avenues for the investigation of mobility in past societies. Data on human mobility can be valuable in the reconstruction of prehistoric residential patterns and kinship systems, which are at the center of human social organization and vary across time and space. In this paper, we aim to contribute to our understanding of mobility, residence, and kinship patterns in late Prehistoric Iberia (c. 3300–1400BC) by providing new strontium data on 44 individuals from the site of Humanejos (Parla, Madrid). The study presented here is multi-proxy and looks at these new data by interweaving biological, chronological, and archaeological information. This analysis found that 7/44 individuals buried at Humanejos could be identified as non-local to the necropolis. Although more men (n = 5) than women (n = 2) were found in the non-local category, and more non-local individuals were identified in the pre-Bell Beaker (n = 5) than in Bell Beaker (n = 1) or Bronze Age (n = 1), we find no statistically significant differences concerning sex or time period. This contrasts with other archaeological datasets for late prehistoric Europe which suggest higher female mobility, female exogamy, and male-centered residential patterns were common. At Humanejos, we have also identified one non-local female whose exceptional Beaker grave goods suggest she was an individual of special status, leading to additional questions about the relationships between gender, mobility, and social position in this region and time period.

Today, mercury is a matter of concern for health and environmental authorities across western countries, and legislation has been passed and programs have been implemented for its total elimination from human activity. But this was not always the case: mercury and its compounds have been highly appreciated and used since remote times all over the world with very diverse purposes ranging from decorative, medicinal, metallurgical and symbolic. In particular, cinnabar (HgS, mercury sulfde), a mineral of an intense red color, has been considered in many cultures as an exotic raw material, highly valued and associated with the elites and sacred practice. In this paper, we examine one such case, set almost 5000 years ago, in Copper Age Iberia, by investigating mercury exposure through human bone. The study presented here includes a total of 170 samples from 70 diferent human individuals and 22 animals (plus one soil sample) from the Copper Age mega-site of Valencina, south-western Spain. It is the largest ever single-site study of exposure to mercury based on human bone in combination with cinnabar use. Abnormally high values are recorded in some individuals dating between 2900 and 2650 BC, especially in those buried in remarkable tombs belonging to the social elite of this period, but high levels of mercury are also recorded in the rest of the population. Three lines of interpretation are used to explain these results, including the manipulation of cinnabar (grinding it into powder, mixing it with other substances, using it for the decoration of objects, buildings and the human body), its direct consumption through ingestion or inhalation by a ‘special’ social group and the contribution of environmental factors. Based on the currently available evidence, which is carefully reviewed, Valencina represents the most intense and prolonged case of exposure to mercury recorded in human history, which makes it an important site to assess the long and complex history of use of th

In this paper, we present a generalisation of the Phase Kick-Back technique, which is central to some of the classical algorithms in quantum computing. We will begin by recalling the Phase Kick-Back technique to then introduce the new generalised version for f : {0, 1}n → {0, 1}m functions using the eigenvalues of the oracle function U f . After that, we will present a new generalised version of the Deutsch–Jozsa problem and how it can be solved using the previously defined technique. We will also deal with a generalised version of the Bernstein–Vazirani problem and solve it using the generalised Phase Kick-Back. Finally, we show how we can use this technique to obtain an algorithm for Simon’s problem that improves the classical one.

The search for high-performance functional alloys with improved service life and reliability entails the optimization of their mechanical properties. Recently, the high-entropy alloy (HEA) design concept has found new alloys with excellent mechanical properties. It utilizes multiprincipal elements to yield high configurational entropy of mixing, entailing a large compositional freedom with wide window of opportunities for property exploration. Their functional properties are usually modest when compared to conventional materials. The discovery of HEAs with optimal combination of mechanical and functional properties would be a leap forward in the reliability of functional devices. This review article focuses on magnetocaloric HEAs, the design approaches, and the appropriate analysis methods for their performance. We will highlight the efficient strategic search within the vast HEA space, which has been instrumental for significantly enhancing MCE performance, closing the pre-existing gap between magnetocaloric HEAs and high-performance conventional magnetocaloric materials. Outlook for future directions will also be included.

In this paper we present the containment relationship between the spaces of analytic functions with average radial integrability RM(p, q) and a family of mixed norm spaces.

Using a novel approach based on the urban ecosystem services approach, this research explores the relation between socioeconomic, architectonic and ecological factors in urban renewal processes. This deductive conceptual approach is based on the defnition of an urban diagnosis and intervention model based on the concept of urban socio-ecosystemic services. This conceptual approach is applied to three research cases in Andalusia (Spain) neighbourhoods linked to participatory urban renewal processes. A model is inductively defned from these analysed case studies: the socio-ecosystemic services model, based on the conceptual frame, the development of particular instruments and the defnition of a participatory methodological strategy. The results obtained in these urban workshops show that the socio-ecosystem model better integrates the relationships between the architectural, socio-economic and ecological dimensions in addressing the need for urban services and infrastructure and the quality of life in neighbourhoods. Citizens can formulate their needs and perceptions of the neighbourhood beyond traditional quantitative variables (i.e. number of car parks, average size of dwellings, population density, etc.), incorporating aspects such as urban landscape, air quality, urban noise, shaded rest areas and children’s spaces. All these perceptions are collected and transformed into proposals for neighbourhood improvement, which are assessed and prioritized by the citizens. Together with participatory processes, this approach can be considered as the key to success in urban renewal strategies in neighbourhoods. However, it is necessary to develop indicators and metrics of the relationships between the socio-economic and ecological dimensions that allow a more integrated study of the model at diferent urban scales.

Yeasts are feasible and efective bioreactors and, therefore, there is a great interest in their industrial employment for the production of a wide range of molecules. In this study, the production by Saccharomyces cerevisiae of bioactive compounds such as hydroxytyrosol (HT), tyrosol (TYR) and melatonin (MEL) vs. volatile compounds in fermented must was studied. The concentration of the bioactive compounds HT and MEL in fermented must employing diferent yeast strains revealed that the higher the concentrations, the lower the amount of volatile compounds determined. This inverse correlation was especially remarkable with respect to the production of higher alcohols, especially 2-phenylethanol (2-PE) and esters. Furthermore, the employment of a modifed Aro4pᴷ²²⁹ᴸ S. cerevisiae QA23 yeast strain which overproduces HT, gave rise to fermented must also higher in 2-PE and their corresponding esters but with an outstanding less presence of other important esters such as ethyl hexanoate and ethyl octanoate. Both premises could point out that S. cerevisiae might have diferent approaches to handling cell stress/toxicity due to their nitrogen metabolism. One detoxifying pathway could be through the production of higher alcohols and these in turn to esters and the other be more related to synthesizing antioxidant molecules such as MEL and HT.

In a recent survey, Schmidt compiled equivalences between generalized bent functions, group invariant Butson Hadamard matrices, and abelian splitting relative difference sets. We establish a broader network of equivalences by considering Butson matrices that are cocyclic rather than strictly group invariant. This result has several applications; for example, to the construction of Boolean functions whose expansions are generalized partially bent functions, including cases where no bent function can exist.

Energy poverty is one of the main challenges that governments must address. This aspect acquires great relevance if it is combined with the expected climatic evolution trends. These climatic changes can have a major impact in countries with a significant variety of climates, such as Italy. For this reason, in this study, an analysis of the risk of energy poverty disaggregated by the regions of Italy with different climate change scenarios was carried out. For this, statistical data available from the different regions were used, and the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) climate change scenarios were considered. The analysis found that the Lombardy region could be one of the regions most affected by energy poverty. This aspect is due to the combination of factors such as the old building stock, energy demand, and the remarkable presence of vulnerable families, which causes a higher risk in the region compared to other Italian regions. On the other side, the study revealed an important risk of energy poverty in the Southern regions, which are characterized by the lowest incomes of the country and are particularly affected by the change in cooling degree days in future scenarios.

Intensity-dependent amplitude changes (IDAP) have been extensively studied using event-related potentials (ERPs) and have been linked to several psychiatric disorders. This study aims to explore the application of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) in IDAP paradigms, which related to ERPs could indicate the existence of neurovascular coupling. Thirty-three and thirty-one subjects participated in two experiments, respectively. The first experiment consisted of the presentation of three-tone intensities (77.9 dB, 84.5 dB, and 89.5 dB) lasting 500 ms, each type randomly presented 54 times, while the second experiment consisted of the presentation of five-tone intensities (70.9 dB, 77.9 dB, 84.5 dB, 89.5 dB, and 94.5 dB) in trains of 8 tones lasting 70 ms each tone, the trains were presented 20 times. EEG was used to measure ERP components: N1, P2, and N1–P2 peak-to-peak amplitude. fNIRS allowed the analysis of the hemodynamic activity in the auditory, visual, and prefrontal cortices. The results showed an increase in N1, P2, and N1–P2 peak-to-peak amplitude with auditory intensity. Similarly, oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin concentrations showed amplitude increases and decreases, respectively, with auditory intensity in the auditory and prefrontal cortices. Spearman correlation analysis showed a relationship between the left auditory cortex with N1 amplitude, and the right dorsolateral cortex with P2 amplitude, specifically for deoxyhemoglobin concentrations. These findings suggest that there is a brain response to auditory intensity changes that can be obtained by EEG and fNIRS, supporting the neurovascular coupling process. Overall, this study enhances our understanding of fNIRS application in auditory paradigms and highlights its potential as a complementary technique to ERPs.

Throughout this paper, we show on one hand, that there are nilpotent and solvable Lie superalgebras with infinitely many local superderivations which are not standard superderivations. On the other hand, we show that every local superderivation is a superderivation on the maximal-dimensional solvable Lie superalgebras with model filiform or model nilpotent nilradical. Moreover, we extend the latter result for Leibniz superalgebras by showing that every local superderivation is a superderivation on the maximal-dimensional solvable Leibniz superalgebras with model filiform or model nilpotent non-Lie nilradical.

Sulfidic mine wastes have the potential to generate acid mine drainage (AMD) and release acid leachates containing high levels of iron, sulfate and potentially toxic elements (PTEs). Soils receiving AMD discharges are generally devoid of vegetation. Only a few metal-tolerant plant species can survive under such adverse soil conditions. This work investigates two plant species, Nicotiana glauca and Euphorbia segetalis, that have successfully colonized an AMD-impacted wetland area in south-western Spain. The uptake of PTEs from the soil by roots and their transfer and accumulation in the above-ground biomass were quantified. Results showed that these pioneer plants grew in patches of neutral soil within the wasteland despite the high concentrations of PTEs in the rhizosphere soil (up to: 613 mg kg−1 As, 18.7 mg kg−1 Cd, 6370 mg kg−1 Cu, 2210 mg kg−1 Pb and 5250 mg kg−1 Zn). The target organs of As, Cu and Pb accumulation were: root > leaf > stem in N. glauca, and root > stem > leaf in E. segetalis. Zinc and Cd showed a significant decrease in roots relative to aerial parts of N. glauca, and Co was preferentially partitioned in stems of N. glauca and leaves of E. segetalis. The soil–plant transfer coefficient values of PTEs in all parts of both plants were well below unity with the only exception of Cd in leaves of N. glauca (1.254), suggesting that roots acted as a barrier limiting the uptake of PTEs by plants. Interestingly, under the same soil conditions, N. glauca absorbed Cd in considerable proportions from soil and accumulated it in its leaves, while E. segetalis was not effective in transferring PTEs from roots shoots except for Co. In conclusion, soil pH and plant-related factors greatly influence the stabilization of PTE in the rhizospheric soil and produce inconsistencies in PTE phytoavailability. The findings of this study provide criteria to assist in natural remediation in other legacy contaminated sites worldwide.

Medial rectus motoneurons mediate nasally directed horizontal eye movements. These motoneurons receive two major excitatory inputs, from the abducens internuclear neurons (ABD Ints) and neurons of the lateral vestibular nucleus whose axons course through the ascending tract of Deiters (ATD). In the present work, we have recorded in the alert chronic cat preparation the discharge activity of these two premotor neurons simultaneously with eye movements, to discern their relative contribution to the firing pattern of medial rectus motoneurons. ABD Int discharge was accurately correlated with eye movements, displaying high sensitivities to eye position and eye velocity. ATD neurons also discharged in relation to spontaneous and vestibular eye movements but showed significantly lower eye position and eye velocity sensitivities. Outstandingly, ATD neurons presented a significantly lower eye position threshold for recruitment compared to both ABD Ints and medial rectus motoneurons. Therefore, ATD neurons exhibited eye position and velocity signals during spontaneous and vestibular eye movements, which were of lower magnitude than those of ABD Ints, but due to their low recruitment threshold, they could play a significant role in facilitating ABD Int signal transmission onto medial rectus motoneurons.

[EN] The present contribution compares the geomorphological characteristics of dolines developed in three different geological contexts in southern Spain: an evaporite tectonic melánge, a bare-carbonate massif, and an outcrop of inter-stratified sedimentary gypsum sequence. In the three cases, the closed depressions have been identified and mapped using digital elevation models with a spatial resolution of 5 m, and the results were validated in the field. To reveal similitudes and differences due to distinctive geological and climatological settings between the three sites, morphometric and spatial analyses were applied to the threes sites: size-distributions, relationships between area and depth, preferential directions, and point field analysis, among others. The results show apparent differences between the carbonate and the two evaporitic settings. Carbonate outcrop displays larger dolines, implying a lower doline density, while the density of depressions rises in the evaporite sites. The results also show a dominant ENE-WSW alignment of dolines in two areas, in agreement with the main fault families of the Betic Cordillera, which evidences the tectonic influence on the karst development. However, in the gypsum karst, other directions appear related to the surficial drainage network connected to dolines. Finally, in the tectonic melange, the uneven distribution of lithologies affects karstification distribution. Geological differences (both lithology and structure) imply changes in solubility and karstification dynamics that, together with other factors such as the climatic conditions and the exposure time, affect the genesis of the depression and, ultimately, its size and shape. All that combined explains the differences in morphometric parameters and spatial.

Purpose: Alfalfa is one of the most valuable forage crops in temperate climate zones. Ensifer meliloti, the endosymbiont of alfalfa, contains all the denitrification genes but the capacity of alfalfa root nodules to produce nitrous oxide (NO) is not known. In this work, NO emissions as well as the influence of bacteroidal denitrification on nodulation competitiveness and NO release from alfalfa nodules has been investigated. Methods: Medicago sativa cv. Victoria plants were inoculated with E. meliloti 1021, a periplasmic nitrate reductase (Nap) defective mutant, a Nap overexpressing strain and a nitrous oxide reductase defective mutant. Plants were grown in the presence of different nitrate and copper treatments and subjected to flooding during one week before harvesting. NO production by the nodules was analysed by using gas chromatography. Methyl viologen-dependent nitrate reductase (MV-NR), nitrite reductase (MV-NIR) and nitrous oxide reductase (NOR) enzymatic activities were measured in isolated bacteroids. Results: Alfalfa root nodules produce NO in response to nitrate and flooding. Overexpression of Nap improved nodulation competitiveness and induced NO emissions from nodules. Copper is required for an effective symbiosis as well as triggered a reduction of NO production due to the induction of the NOR and a reduction of NIR activities in the bacteroids. Conclusion: Alfalfa root nodules emit NO. Nap is involved in nodulation competitiveness and in NO emissions by the nodules. Bacteroidal NOR and NIR activities are modulated by Cu and may be considered as effective targets for the mitigation strategies of NO emissions derived from alfalfa crops.

Unimodular Gravity is a theory displaying Weyl rescalings of the metric and transverse (volume-preserving) diffeomorphisms as gauge symmetries, as opposed to the full set of diffeomorphisms displayed by General Relativity. Recently, we presented a systematic comparison of both theories, concluding that both of them are equivalent in everything but the behaviour of the cosmological constant under radiative corrections. A careful study of how Unimodular Gravity can be embedded in the string theory framework has not been provided yet and was not analyzed there in detail. In this article, we provide such an explicit analysis, filling the gap in the literature. We restrict ourselves to the unoriented bosonic string theory in critical dimension for the sake of simplicity, although we argue that no differences are expected for other string theories. Our conclusions are that both a Diff and a WTDiff invariance principle are equally valid for describing the massless excitations of the string spectrum. © 2023 Springer Nature Switzerland AG. Part of Springer Nature.

Iberian ibex (Caprapyrenaica) is an ecologically and economically relevant medium-sized emblematic mountain ungulate. Diseases participate in the population dynamics of the species as a regulating agent, but can also threaten the conservation and viability of vulnerable population units. Moreover, Iberian ibex can also be a carrier or even a reservoir of pathogens shared with domestic animals and/or humans, being therefore a concern for livestock and public health. The objective of this review is to compile the currently available knowledge on (1) diseases of Iberian ibex, presented according to their relevance on the health and demography of free-ranging populations; (2) diseases subjected to heath surveillance plans; (3) other dis-eases reported in the species; and (4) diseases with particular relevance in captive Iberian ibex populations. The systematic review of all the information on diseases affecting the species unveils unpublished reports, scientific communications in meetings, and scientific articles, allowing the first comprehensive compilation of Iberian ibex diseases. This review identi-fies the gaps in knowledge regarding pathogenesis, immune response, diagnostic methods, treatment, and management of diseases in Iberian ibex, providing a base for future research. Moreover, this challenges wildlife and livestock disease and wildlife population managers to assess the priorities and policies currently implemented in Iberian ibex health surveillance and monitoring and disease management.

Development from embryo to adult, organismal homeostasis and ageing are consecutive processes that rely on several functions of the nuclear envelope (NE). The NE compartmentalises the eukaryotic cells and provides physical stability to the genetic material in the nucleus. It provides spatiotemporal regulation of gene expression by controlling nuclear import and hence access of transcription factors to target genes as well as organisation of the genome into open and closed compartments. In addition, positioning of chromatin relative to the NE is important for DNA replication and repair and thereby also for genome stability. We discuss here the relevance of the NE in two classes of age-related human diseases. Firstly, we focus on the progeria syndromes Hutchinson–Gilford (HGPS) and Nestor–Guillermo (NGPS), which are caused by mutations in the LMNA and BANF1 genes, respectively. Both genes encode ubiquitously expressed components of the nuclear lamina that underlines the nuclear membranes. HGPS and NGPS patients manifest symptoms of accelerated ageing and cells from affected individuals show similar defects as cells from healthy old donors, including signs of increased DNA damage and epigenetic alternations. Secondly, we describe how several age-related neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Huntington’s disease, are related with defects in nucleocytoplasmic transport. A common feature of this class of diseases is the accumulation of nuclear pore proteins and other transport factors in inclusions. Importantly, genetic manipulations of the nucleocytoplasmic transport machinery can alleviate disease-related phenotypes in cell and animal models, paving the way for potential therapeutic interventions.

Eudendrium capillaroides Schuchert, 2008 has not been reported since its original description. The new and abundant material found in Ceuta, southern coast of the Strait of Gibraltar, allows us to refine the morphological diagnosis of this species. Eudendrium capillaroides is characterized by small monosiphonic colonies, a dense ring at the base of the hydranth, and it seems to have a preference for growing on other hydroids. Male gonophores on atrophied polyps, two-chambered (occasionally one chamber), and female gonophores on reduced polyps in the initial stages of development but hydrants later completely atrophied. Nematocysts are heterotrichous microbasic euryteles of two size classes, a larger size densely distributed in a band on the hydrant body basally and a smaller size abundant mainly on the tentacles. Furthermore, we carried out molecular analyses to assess the status of E. capillaroides and its most similar congener E. capillare within the genus Eudendrium. The use of few morphological characters or incomplete descriptions may thus lead to an incorrect wide distribution of a nominal species that actually represents a species complex. This can particularly be the case in less conspicuous species, such as many hydroids, where the degree of diversity might be underestimated. The accurate description of tiny, inconspicuous and/or cryptic species is important in order to better estimate global marine diversity as well as to understand marine communities and the relationships between their components.

Aims Management can largely influence the sustainability and functionality of forest plantations. However, the role of biogas-slurry and biochar application in supporting soil’s multifunctionality during afforestation remains poorly understood. Methods We conducted a six-year field experiment to examine the responses of soil ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF) to the application of biogas-slurry applied annually as four treatments, and a single initial application of four treatments of biochar in a new poplar plantation based on a reclaimed coastal area. The EMF was calculated as the standardized average of multiple soil surrogates of soil functions linked with C, N, and P cycles. Results Both biogas-slurry and biochar had significantly positive effects on EMF and individual functions, with biogas-slurry having the strongest positive effect, thus promoting carbon stocks and nutrient availability. Furthermore, interactions between biochar and biogas-slurry produced a substantial synergistic effect on soil multifunctionality. The application of biogas-slurry significantly and directly increased the C, N, and P cycle multifunctionality (CCMF, NCMF, and PCMF, respectively). In contrast, a single application of biochar profoundly increased the CCMF but decreased the NCMF, thus requiring a trade-off of multiple elements of soil multifunctionality. Conclusions We show that organic management has the potential to boost multiple ecosystem functions during afforestation. These findings further highlight the importance of rational fertilization strategies for long-term forest management.

Potassium (K) plays a crucial role in plant homeostasis, and its deficiency significantly impacts photosynthesis, triggering a decrease in growth and crop production. K starvation induced a significant reduction in the net photosynthetic rate, and the drop is associated with resistance of CO diffusion through stomatal conductance, mesophyll conductance, and lowered carboxylase activity of Rubisco, electron transport rate of PSII, and with many biochemical limitations. The complex interaction of all the above factors contributed to limiting photosynthesis under K starved conditions. Low chlorophyll content and poor chloroplast structure may also define photosynthetic processes and causes a decrease in crop growth and productivity under K starvation. Under abiotic stresses such as drought, waterlogging, temperature, salinity, and heavy metal, the application of exogenous K promotes plant tolerance by activating the antioxidant system, which limits the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), avoiding the associated oxidative damages where other signaling molecules such as nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen sulfide (HS) may involve. The review highlights the decisive role of exogenous and endogenous K in modulating diverse physiological and biochemical processes in a healthy and stressful environment. Furthermore, this review appraises the involvement of K with another signaling molecule in enhancing abiotic stress tolerance in plants. Therefore, this review provides a comprehensive update on the relevance of K in higher plants. Its exogenous application should be a potential tool, especially in crops under adverse environmental conditions.

The deployment of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) in a plethora of analytical and bioanalytical applications is a growing research area. Their unique properties such as high but tunable porosity, well-defined channels or pores, and ease of post-synthetic modification to incorporate additional functional units make them ideal candidates for sensing applications. This is possible because the interaction of analytes with a MOF often results in a change in its structure, eventually leading to a modification of the intrinsic physicochemical properties of the MOF which is then transduced into a measurable signal. The high porosity allows for the adsorption of analytes very efficiently, while the tunable pore sizes/nature and/or installation of specific recognition groups allow modulating the affinity towards different classes of compounds, which in turn lead to good sensor sensitivity and selectivity, respectively. Some figures are given to illustrate the potential of MOF-based sensors in the most relevant application fields, and future challenges and opportunities to their possible translation from academia (i.e., laboratory testing of MOF sensing properties) to industry (i.e., real-world analytical sensor devices) are critically discussed.

Magnetic refrigeration technology based on the magnetocaloric effect can better meet the requirements of efficient energy consumption and conversion. From engineering perspective, preparing magnetocaloric composites is an effective and efficient approach to combine desirable magnetocaloric performance, large thermal conductivity and ameliorated mechanical properties. In the present work, Ni-Mn-Ga/Cu magnetocaloric composites were prepared by spark plasma sintering (SPS) and compared with their counterparts fabricated via conventional methods. Magnetic properties were studied in detail and the magnetocaloric effect of Ni-Mn-Ga/Cu composites was characterized to be better than that of their hot-pressed counterparts and that of many micro/nano-sized Ni-Mn-Ga alloys. Besides, the composites exhibited favorable thermal conductivity of 11.2 W mK−1. The Hassel-man-Johnson model was adopted and modified to relate the thermal conductivity to the microstructure of the composites. Compared with arc-melted alloys, these SPS magnetocaloric composites sintered at different temperatures exhibited largely enhanced mechanical performance with minimum fracture stress of 340 MPa and strain of 4%. Furthermore, the failure mechanism of Ni-Mn-Ga/Cu magnetocaloric composite was elucidated by finite element simulation based on an extended linear Drucker-Prager model. The above findings from both experiments and simulation advance the knowledge of magnetocaloric materials and promote the development of magnetic refrigeration technology towards practical applications.[Figure not available: see fulltext.]

Systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and Sjögren’s syndrome are four major autoimmune rheumatic diseases characterized by the presence of autoantibodies, caused by a dysregulation of the immune system that leads to a wide variety of clinical manifestations. These conditions present complex etiologies strongly influenced by multiple environmental and genetic factors. The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) region was the first locus identified to be associated and still represents the strongest susceptibility factor for each of these conditions, particularly the HLA class II genes, including DQA1, DQB1, and DRB1, but class I genes have also been associated. Over the last two decades, the genetic component of these disorders has been extensively investigated and hundreds of non-HLA risk genetic variants have been uncovered. Furthermore, it is widely accepted that autoimmune rheumatic diseases share molecular disease pathways, such as the interferon (IFN) type I pathways, which are reflected in a common genetic background. Some examples of well-known pleiotropic loci for autoimmune rheumatic diseases are the HLA region, DNASEL13, TNIP1, and IRF5, among others. The identification of the causal molecular mechanisms behind the genetic associations is still a challenge. However, recent advances have been achieved through mouse models and functional studies of the loci. Here, we provide an updated overview of the genetic architecture underlying these four autoimmune rheumatic diseases, with a special focus on the HLA region.

In the era of precision measurements of the neutrino oscillation parameters, upcoming neutrino experiments will also be sensitive to physics beyond the Standard Model. KM3NeT/ORCA is a neutrino detector optimised for measuring atmospheric neutrinos from a few GeV to around 100 GeV. In this paper, the sensitivity of the KM3NeT/ORCA detector to neutrino decay has been explored. A three-flavour neutrino oscillation scenario, where the third neutrino mass state $\nu_3$ decays into an invisible state, e.g. a sterile neutrino, is considered. We find that KM3NeT/ORCA would be sensitive to invisible neutrino decays with $1/\alpha_3=\tau_3/m_3 < 180$~$\mathrm{ps/eV}$ at $90\%$ confidence level, assuming true normal ordering. Finally, the impact of neutrino decay on the precision of KM3NeT/ORCA measurements for $\theta_{23}$, $\Delta m^2_{31}$ and mass ordering have been studied. No significant effect of neutrino decay on the sensitivity to these measurements has been found.