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Many modern cryptographic primitives for hashing and (authenticated) encryption make use of constructions that are instantiated with an iterated cryptographic permutation that operates on a fixed-width state consisting of an array of bits. Often, such permutations are the repeated application of a relatively simple round function consisting of a linear layer and a non-linear layer. These constructions do not require that the underlying function is a permutation and they can plausibly be based on a non-invertible transformation. Recently, Grassi proposed the use of non-invertible mappings operating on arrays of digits that are elements of a finite field of odd characteristic for so-called MPC-/FHE-/ZK-friendly symmetric cryptographic primitives. In this work, we consider a mapping that we call γ that has a simple expression and is based on squaring. We discuss, for the first time, the differential and linear propagation properties of γ and observe that these follow the same rules up to a relabeling of the digits. This is an intriguing property that, as far as we know, only exists for γ and the binary mapping χ 3 that is used in the cryptographic permutation Xoodoo. Moreover, we study the implications of its non-invertibility on differentials with zero output difference and on biases at the output of the γ mapping and show that they are as small as they can possibly be. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Domestic cats pose a latent threat to wildlife that lives within the remnants of natural vegetation in urban ecosystems. Both intrinsic (e.g., age, weight, sterilization status) and extrinsic factors (e.g., night confinement, interaction time with owners at home) can influence the number of prey items caught by cats. We assessed the fauna predation by domestic cats in three cities on the coast of Ecuador. We aimed to: (i) evaluate the composition of the prey brought home by cats, counting the taxa number and their capture frequency, as well as their conservation status, and (ii) identify the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that influence the quantity of prey brought home by cats (henceforth referred to as ‘prey captured’). A citizen science approach was employed to gather information about wildlife taxa caught and brought home by 100 cats in 50 households between March and October 2023. Cats captured 132 prey items, of which 53.8% were invertebrates, 27.3% reptiles, 8.3% birds, 6.8% small mammals, and 3.8% amphibians. These prey items belonged to 53 taxa, 56.6% native and 15.1% non-native. Non-native reptiles Hemidactylus sp. and Anolis sagrei were the most frequently captured taxa, and ten native taxa were among the most commonly captured, particularly odonates. This is the first study to register predation of cats on amphibians in northwestern South America. The capture by cats of Coniophanes dromiciformis, a vulnerable and probably endemic snake, is noteworthy. Three factors—age, nocturnal confinement, and the presence of toys in their homes—were the most important factors that contributed to predation events. We recommend controlling these factors to reduce the potential impacts caused by domestic cats on wildlife. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The comparison of the efficiency of the removal process of two antibiotics, Ciprofloxacin and Moxifloxacin, from aqueous solutions, between an adsorption–photolysis and adsorption–photocatalysis processes, was studied. In the adsorption–photolysis process were used the inorganic supports activated carbon, silica and alumina, while in the adsorption–photocatalysis the titanium dioxide photocatalyst was used as adsorbent. The adsorption process of Ciprofloxacin and Moxifloxacin was carried out in a rotary shaker at 200 rpm, at a temperature of 30°, at a pH of 5.5 for a period of time of 3 h, using an initial concentration of both pharmaceutical compounds of 75 mg L−1. The degradation of antibiotics adsorbed on inorganic supports was carried out by direct photolisys with UV-C radiation of 180 mW cm−2, while to the photocatalitic process were irradiate with UV-A radiation with an irradiance of 0.45 mW cm−2. Results demonstrate that activated carbon and silica were the systems with the higher adsorption capacity, while the alumina and titanium dioxide obtained the lower adsorption values. The degradation of the adsorbed pharmaceutical compounds on inorganics supports by photolysis reached values higher than 88%, while in the case of the adsorbed–photocatalysis process the degradation values were higher than 91%. The most efficient systems for the removal of Ciprofloxacin or Moxifloxacin from water sources in the experimental conditions was the adsorption–photolysis process that used active carbon as support inorganic with a remotion factor value of 0.99. In the case of the adsorption–photocatalysis process, the remotion factor calculated was close to 0.52. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: People who interact with healthcare services have an ethical and legal right to control their own lives, to make informed decisions, and to consent to what happens to them. For consent to be considered ethically and legally valid, three key criteria must be met: consent must be given voluntarily; people must be sufficiently informed of all options; and people should have capacity to make the decision to give or withhold their consent. Aim: This study set out to explore, through the use of surveys, the perspectives of patients and public in relation to consent. Method: Surveys were developed for patients and the public and administered paper based (patients) and through social media (public). Results: One hundred and forty surveys were posted to patients, with a 38% response rate; 104 responses were received from the public. Ninety-six percent of patients were satisfied that the decision they made was informed; 100% felt they had made a voluntary decision; 98% felt the clinician seemed knowledgeable about the procedure. What matters most to the public were being informed about the risks associated with the proposed procedure and being assured that whatever choice they make they will receive the best care possible. Conclusions: The results highlight interesting similarities and differences in relation to consent between members of the public thinking about a possible treatment, surgery, or procedure and those patients who have actually been through the process in the past 12 months. Recommendations have been developed on the basis of these findings to co-design improvements in consent practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The adverse effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drugs on the gastrointestinal system are well recognized, but the effect of NSAID use on disease activity patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remains unresolved. Low-dose aspirin (LDA) is recommended for all pregnant patients with risk factors for developing preeclampsia, including autoimmune conditions. As recognition of risk factors for preeclampsia improves, the preventative use of LDA is likely to increase. Aims: To investigate if LDA use for prevention of preeclampsia increases the risk of disease activity in pregnant women with IBD. Methods: Single-center retrospective cohort study of pregnant patients with IBD who delivered from 2012 to 2020, comparing those with and without LDA use. Primary outcome was odds of clinical IBD activity in patients in remission at time of conception. Secondary outcomes were rate of elevated inflammatory biomarkers, defined as C-reactive protein > 5 ug/mL or fecal calprotectin > 250 ug/g, and rate of preeclampsia. Univariate analyses tested for associations. Results: Patients taking LDA were older (p = 0.003) and more likely to have chronic hypertension (p = 0.002), to have undergone in vitro fertilization (p < 0.001), and to be on biologics (p = 0.03). Among patients in remission at conception, there was no difference in clinical disease activity or biomarker elevation during pregnancy based on LDA use (OR 1.27, 95% CI [0.55–2.94], p = 0.6). Rates of preeclampsia were similar between groups. Conclusion: LDA use for preeclampsia prevention did not increase the incidence of disease activity in pregnant patients with IBD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stone tools stratified in alluvium and loess at Korolevo, western Ukraine, have been studied by several research groups1–3 since the discovery of the site in the 1970s. Although Korolevo’s importance to the European Palaeolithic is widely acknowledged, age constraints on the lowermost lithic artefacts have yet to be determined conclusively. Here, using two methods of burial dating with cosmogenic nuclides4,5, we report ages of 1.42 ± 0.10 million years and 1.42 ± 0.28 million years for the sedimentary unit that contains Mode-1-type lithic artefacts. Korolevo represents, to our knowledge, the earliest securely dated hominin presence in Europe, and bridges the spatial and temporal gap between the Caucasus (around 1.85–1.78 million years ago)6 and southwestern Europe (around 1.2–1.1 million years ago)7,8. Our findings advance the hypothesis that Europe was colonized from the east, and our analysis of habitat suitability9 suggests that early hominins exploited warm interglacial periods to disperse into higher latitudes and relatively continental sites—such as Korolevo—well before the Middle Pleistocene Transition.Burial-dating methods using cosmogenic nuclides indicate that the oldest stone tools at Korolevo archaeological site in western Ukraine date to around 1.4 million years ago, providing evidence of early human dispersal into Europe from the east. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

External signs of disease are frequently used as indicators of disease susceptibility. However, immune profiling can be a more effective indicator to understand how host responses to infection may be shaped by host, pathogen and environmental factors. To better inform wildlife health assessment and research directions, we investigated the utility of a novel multivariate immunophenotyping approach examining innate and adaptive immune responses in differing climatic, pathogen co-infection and demographic contexts across two koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) populations in New South Wales: the Liverpool Plains (LP), and Southern Highlands to South-west Sydney (SHSWS). Relative to the comparatively healthy SHSWS, the LP had greater and more variable innate immune gene expression (IL-1β, IL-6), and KoRV transcription. During extreme heat and drought, koalas from the LP displayed upregulation of a stress pathway gene and reduced adaptive immune genes expression, haematocrit and plasma protein, suggesting the possibility of environmental impacts through multiple pathways. In those koalas, KoRV transcription status, Chlamydia pecorum infection loads, and visible urogenital inflammation were not associated with immune variation, suggesting that immune markers were more sensitive indicators of real-time impacts than observed disease outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we introduce a 2D materials family with chemical formula MX2 (M={As, Sb, Bi} and X={S, Se, Te}) having a rectangular 2D lattice. This materials family has been predicted by systematic ab-initio structure search calculations in two dimensions. Using density-functional theory and many-body perturbation theory, we study the structural, vibrational, electronic, optical, and excitonic properties of the predicted MX2 family. Our calculations reveal that the predicted SbX2 and BiX2 monolayers are stable while the AsX2 layers exhibit an in-plane ferroelectric instability. All materials display strong excitonic effects and good optical absorption within the infrared-to-visible range. Hence, these monolayers can harvest solar energy and serve in optoelectronics applications. Furthermore, our results indicate that exfoliation of the predicted MX2 monolayers from their bulk counterparts is experimentally viable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combined action of singlet oxygen (1O2) and photoinduced carbon monoxide (CO) released by tricarbonyl metal complexes is a promising synergic treatment against multi-resistant bacterial infections. In this work, we explore the use of a polydentate ligand (bpm = 2,2-bipyrimidine) that offers the opportunity to accommodate two metal centers exhibiting both singlet oxygen generation and carbon monoxide releasing properties in a single molecule. A series of monometallic ([(bpm)M(CO)3Br]; M = Mn, Re) and homo or hetero bimetallic ([Br(CO)3M(bpm)M′(CO)3Br]; M = Mn, Re) compounds were synthesized in moderate to good yields by modulating the metal precursor or the stoichiometry, also the syn:anti isomers ratio for the bimetallic complexes was dependent on the experimental conditions used. DFT modelling shows the anti-isomer is more stable than the syn-isomer by less than 8 kJ mol−1, which is consistent with those experimentally observed in terms of majority product and the effect of experimental conditions over the anti-syn ratio. The HOMO-LUMO gap is lower for the mono and bimetallic rhenium(I) compounds compared to the values for the manganese(I) analogues, while the heterometallic complex shows intermediate values for the anti-isomer. The photophysical characterization shows typical absorption and emission bands with MLCT character. In addition, CO-release and 1O2 generation quantum yields were evaluated for the monometallic Mnbpm and Rebpm homologues and compared with values obtained for the homo- and hetero-bimetallic complexes. Interestingly the replacement of a Mn(CO)3Br moiety in MnbpmMn by a Re(CO)3Br one makes the heterometallic MnbpmRe molecule a molecular oxygen sensitizer and partially retaining its carbon monoxide releasing ability. This work describes the synthesis and the photoinduced processes followed by manganese(I) and rhenium(I) tricarbonyl complexes with N,N-bidentate ligands. The heterobimetallic metal carbonyl complex having Re(CO)3 and Mn(CO)3 fragments, exhibits dual capability as singlet oxygen generator and photoinduced CO-releaser, for potential application in antibacterial photodynamic therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the security of a cryptographic primitive, investigating its resistance against differential and linear cryptanalysis is required. Many modern cryptographic primitives repeatedly apply similar round functions alternated with the addition of round keys or constants. A round function usually consists of a non-linear mapping and a number of linear mappings. The non-linear mapping χ is used in different cryptographic primitives such as Keccak and Subterranean. An alternative version of χ is used in Ascon and the non-linear layer of Simon has the same differential and linear properties of χ . The mapping χ can be applied to strings with different lengths. For instance, it can be parallelly applied to small-length strings as in Keccak, where it works on 5-bit strings, or it can be applied to big-length strings as in Subterranean, where it works on a string of length 257. Investigating the differential and linear properties of χ working on alternative lengths of strings, provides useful information to designers to make a better choice for the non-linear layer. Some differential properties of χ have been analyzed in [8] and in this work we provide a revised presentation of them. We then extend this study and we analyze linear propagation properties of χ . Thanks to these additional results, we extend the comparison between the application of parallel instances of χ on small-length strings and the application of a single instance of χ on a big-length string. We show how we can apply the results of this study also to the non-linear layers of Ascon and Simon thanks to their affine-equivalence with χ . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlamydiosis is a significant disease affecting Eastern Australian koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) populations, impacting individual animal welfare and fecundity and therefore influencing population dynamics. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a synthetic peptide vaccine based on 4 components of the Chlamydia pecorum major outer membrane protein (MOMP), over an 18-month period in a koala population severely impacted by chlamydiosis. Wild koalas were recruited into a vaccination or a placebo treatment group on a random allocation, then followed through a period of 18 months, with recapture at 6 monthly intervals. Vaccination did not alter clinical disease expression or chlamydial shedding from the ocular or urogenital sites. Vaccination did not stimulate a significant plasma anti-MOMP IgG response, when compared to the placebo group. There was no significant effect of vaccination on IFN-γ and IL-17A mRNA expression of peripheral blood lymphocytes when stimulated with rMOMP. We have demonstrated that a synthetic peptide vaccination against chlamydiosis is not an effective management tool in a koala population with a high prevalence of C. pecorum infection and related disease. The lack of antigenic response found in this study suggests that further research utilising a larger, full-length antigen is an avenue worth investigation if we are to consider vaccination as a part of a management strategy in diseased koala populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We compute the two-loop Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) corrections to all partonic channels relevant for the production of an electroweak boson V = Z, W±, γ* and a jet at hadron colliders. We consider the decay of a vector boson V to three partons V → q q ¯ g , V → ggg with a vector and axial vector coupling in both channels, including singlet and non-singlet contributions. For the quark channel, we use a recent tensor decomposition and extend the calculation to O (ϵ2). For the gluonic channel, we define a new tensor decomposition which allows us to compute the vector and the axial vector amplitudes at once and to perform the computation of the amplitudes to O (ϵ2). We provide finite remainders of the helicity amplitudes analytically continued to all relevant scattering regions q q ¯ → Vg, qg → Vq and gg → Vg. The axial vector contribution to the gluon-induced channel completes the set of two-loop amplitudes for this process, while the extension to O (ϵ2) represents the first step in the calculation of next-to-next-to-next-to-leading-order (N3LO) QCD corrections to Z+jet production at hadron colliders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphorus (P) recovery and recycling play a crucial role in improving resource efficiency, sustainable nutrient management and moving toward circular economy. Increasing demand for fertilizers, signs of geopolitical constraints, and high discharge of P to waterbodies are the other reasons to pursue the circularity of P. Various research have been carrying out and several processes have been developed for P-recovery from different resources. However, there is still a huge unexplored potential for P-recovery specially in the regional framework from the four main P-rich waste resources: food waste, manure, mining waste, and sewage sludge. This study reviews recovery methods of P from these secondary resources comprehensively. Additionally, it analyzes the Nordic viewpoint of P-cycle by evaluating Nordic reserves, demands, and secondary resources to gain a systematic assessment of how Nordic countries could move toward circular economy of P. Results of this study show that secondary resources of P in Nordic countries have the potential of replacing mineral fertilizer in these countries to a considerable extent. However, to overcome the challenges of P-recovery from studied resources, policymakers and researchers need to take decisions and make innovation along each other to open the new possibilities for Nordic economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two reduced projective schemes are said to be Cremona equivalent if there is a Cremona map that maps one in the other. In this paper I revise some of the known results about Cremona equivalence and extend the main result of Mella and Polastri (Bull Lond Math Soc 41(1):89–93, 2009) [20] to reducible schemes. This allows to prove a very general contractibility result for union of rational subvarieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of the forthcoming High-Luminosity phase of the LHC, next-to-next-to-next-to-leading (N3LO) calculations for the most phenomenologically relevant processes become necessary. In this work, we take the first step towards this goal for H+jet production by computing the one- and two-loop helicity amplitudes for the two contributing processes, H → ggg, H → q q ¯ g , in an effective theory with infinite top quark mass, to higher orders in the dimensional regulator. We decompose the amplitude in scalar form factors related to the helicity amplitudes and in a new basis of tensorial structures. The form factors receive contributions from Feynman integrals which were reduced to a novel canonical basis of master integrals. We derive and solve a set of differential equations for these integrals in terms of Multiple Polylogarithms (MPLs) of two variables up to transcendental weight six. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The WHO ordinal severity scale has been used to predict mortality and guide trials in COVID-19. However, it has its limitations. Objective: The present study aims to compare three classificatory and predictive models: the WHO ordinal severity scale, the model based on inflammation grades, and the hybrid model. Design: Retrospective cohort study with patient data collected and followed up from March 1, 2020, to May 1, 2021, from the nationwide SEMI-COVID-19 Registry. The primary study outcome was in-hospital mortality. As this was a hospital-based study, the patients included corresponded to categories 3 to 7 of the WHO ordinal scale. Categories 6 and 7 were grouped in the same category. Key Results: A total of 17,225 patients were included in the study. Patients classified as high risk in each of the WHO categories according to the degree of inflammation were as follows: 63.8% vs. 79.9% vs. 90.2% vs. 95.1% (p<0.001). In-hospital mortality for WHO ordinal scale categories 3 to 6/7 was as follows: 0.8% vs. 24.3% vs. 45.3% vs. 34% (p<0.001). In-hospital mortality for the combined categories of ordinal scale 3a to 5b was as follows: 0.4% vs. 1.1% vs. 11.2% vs. 27.5% vs. 35.5% vs. 41.1% (p<0.001). The predictive regression model for in-hospital mortality with our proposed combined ordinal scale reached an AUC=0.871, superior to the two models separately. Conclusions: The present study proposes a new severity grading scale for COVID-19 hospitalized patients. In our opinion, it is the most informative, representative, and predictive scale in COVID-19 patients to date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uncontrolled inflammation following COVID-19 infection is an important characteristic of the most seriously ill patients. The present study aims to describe the clusters of inflammation in COVID-19 and to analyze their prognostic role. This is a retrospective observational study including 15,691 patients with a high degree of inflammation. They were included in the Spanish SEMI-COVID-19 registry from March 1, 2020 to May 1, 2021. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Hierarchical cluster analysis identified 7 clusters. C1 is characterized by lymphopenia, C2 by elevated ferritin, and C3 by elevated LDH. C4 is characterized by lymphopenia plus elevated CRP and LDH and frequently also ferritin. C5 is defined by elevated CRP, and C6 by elevated ferritin and D-dimer, and frequently also elevated CRP and LDH. Finally, C7 is characterized by an elevated D-dimer. The clusters with the highest in-hospital mortality were C4, C6, and C7 (17.4% vs. 18% vs. 15.6% vs. 36.8% vs. 17.5% vs. 39.3% vs. 26.4%). Inflammation clusters were found as independent factors for in-hospital mortality. In detail and, having cluster C1 as reference, the model revealed a worse prognosis for all other clusters: C2 (OR = 1.30, p = 0.001), C3 (OR = 1.14, p = 0.178), C4 (OR = 2.28, p < 0.001), C5 (OR = 1.07, p = 0.479), C6 (OR = 2.29, p < 0.001), and C7 (OR = 1.28, p = 0.001). We identified 7 groups based on the presence of lymphopenia, elevated CRP, LDH, ferritin, and D-dimer at the time of hospital admission for COVID-19. Clusters C4 (lymphopenia + LDH + CRP), C6 (ferritin + D-dimer), and C7 (D-dimer) had the worst prognosis in terms of in-hospital mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) contributes significantly to cancer mortality worldwide. In an effort to reduce the risk of death, detection of polyps through colonoscopy is crucial. The success of the colonoscopy depends on the diet administered the day before the test. Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy, tolerability, and adverse effects of bowel preparation when using a low-residual diet (LRD) compared to a clear-liquid diet (CLD) the day before a scheduled colonoscopy. Methods: PubMed/Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and Scopus databases were searched. We included studies of patients undergoing a scheduled colonoscopy for CRC screening and surveillance or for diagnostic purposes that compared a LRD with a CLD the day before the colonoscopy. Efficacy, the primary outcome, was evaluated as the rate of adequate bowel preparation. Secondary outcomes were tolerability and adverse effects of bowel preparation. Results: Thirteen RCTs (N = 2587) were included. Patients receiving a LRD compared to a CLD showed no difference in adequate bowel preparations (RR 1.02; 95% CI 0.99–1.05; I2 = 60%). However, the LRD improved patient tolerability (RR 1.17; 95% CI 1.12–1.23; I2 = 66%) and had fewer adverse effects (RR 0.89; 95% CI 0.84–0.94; I2 = 73%) compared to the CLD. Groups using a LRD with 4L of polyethylene glycol in a single dose or a LRD with < 2000 kcal < 32 g of fibres/day had better tolerability. Conclusion: Based on these findings, our recommendation is strong in favour of a LRD for bowel preparation of patients undergoing a scheduled colonoscopy. This diet could also be useful as a preoperative colonic preparation, but this requires further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Domestic cats are a potential risk for native fauna in the Neotropics. Intrinsic (age, weight, sex, color) and extrinsic (nocturnal confinement, time spent outside the home, distance to green areas, etc.) factors can influence the type and quantity of prey that cats take to their homes. The study goal was to evaluate domestic cat predation in a Neotropical city. We intend to answer the following questions: (1) Which is the richness, dominance and abundance of prey captured by domestic cats? (2) Which are the extrinsic or intrinsic factors that most influence prey capture by domestic cats? We predict that: (a) cats will capture a large diversity of native wildlife and (b) extrinsic factors will have a greater effect compared intrinsic factors due to the innate predatory cat's behavior. We chose 120 cats from 44 households in the city of Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico. We documented the richness, dominance and abundance of wildlife species captured and brought home by cats during March to August 2019 and those intrinsic and extrinsic factors that modulate their predatory behavior. The cats captured 246 prey items, 35.8% were reptiles, 23.2% invertebrates, 17.9% amphibians, 15.4% birds and 7.7% mammals. The prey items belonged to 64 taxa (17 birds, 17 invertebrates, 15 reptiles, nine mammals and six amphibians). The lizard Sceloporus variabilis was the most captured prey. Of the prey items, 93.5% were native and 6.5% non-native. Five intrinsic and 5 extrinsic factors contributed most to the predation events, of which cat stripe color, time spent by the cats outside of the home and nocturnal confinement were the most important. These results allow us to understand the harmful effect of cats on wildlife in a Neotropical city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) is widely used in the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disorders. Our objective is to evaluate its possible protective role, not only in mortality but also in other aspects such as inflammation, symptomatic thrombosis, and intensive care unit (ICU) admission in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. We realized an observational retrospective cohort study of 20,641 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia collected and followed-up from Mar 1st, 2020 to May 1st, 2021, from the nationwide Spanish SEMI-COVID-19 Registry. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to determine whether treatment with ASA affected outcomes in COVID-19 patients. On hospital admission, 3291 (15.9%) patients were receiving ASA. After PSM, 3291 patients exposed to ASA and 2885 not-exposed patients were analyzed. In-hospital mortality was higher in the ASA group (30.4 vs. 16.9%, p < 0.001) in the global sample. After PSM, no differences were found between groups (30.4 vs. 30.3%, p = 0.938). There were no differences in inflammation, symptomatic thrombosis, or ICU admission. In conclusion, ASA intake is not associated with in-hospital mortality or any other health outcome evaluated after applying PSM analysis in a real-world large sample of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A two-dimensional material – Mg2B4C2, belonging to the family of the conventional superconductor MgB2, is theoretically predicted to exhibit superconductivity with critical temperature Tc estimated in the 47–48 K range (predicted using the McMillian-Allen-Dynes formula) without any tuning of external parameters such as doping, strain, or substrate-induced effects. The origin of such a high intrinsic Tc is ascribed to the presence of strong electron-phonon coupling and large density of states at the Fermi level. This system is obtained after replacing the chemically active boron-boron surface layers in a MgB2 slab by chemically inactive boron-carbon layers. Hence, the surfaces of this material are inert. Our calculations confirm the stability of 2D Mg2B4C2. We also find that the key features of this material remain essentially unchanged when its thickness is increased by modestly increasing the number of inner MgB2 layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the evaluation and management of water resources at the basin scale, focusing on small reservoirs. Due to a lack of knowledge on these untapped resources, a semiautomatic procedure for their surface area estimation is presented. Multispectral images from the Pleiades satellite were used to extract water bodies from a combination of different bands. In particular, the normalized difference water index (NDWI) was used to evaluate the presence or absence of water. This methodology was applied in a test area located in the upper Tiber River Basin. The performance for identifying and analysing small reservoirs was determined by comparing the satellite information with a reference database. The potential volume available from the investigated small reservoirs was compared with the water deficit derived from a decision support simulation model at the basin/subbasin scale, which studies water allocation for multipurpose uses. Five irrigation districts were analysed. For three of these districts, more than 60% of the annual deficit can be balanced with the volume stored in small reservoirs. To date, water scarcity conditions have been increasingly frequent, so resilience in water resource management is a key requirement. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate the recovery and reuse of small reservoirs to strongly support water use, particularly irrigation and environmental uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dinoflagellate Alexandrium catenella is a well-known paralytic shellfish toxin producer that forms harmful algal blooms (HABs) worldwide. Blooms of this species have repeatedly brought severe ecological and economic impacts to Chile, especially in the southern region, where the shellfish and salmon industries are world-famous. The mechanisms of such HABs have been intensively studied but are still unclear. Nutrient overloading is one of the often-discussed drivers for HABs. The present study used the A. catenella strain isolated from southern Chile to investigate how iron conditions could affect their growth and toxin production as related to HAB. Our results showed that an optimum concentration of iron was pivotal for proper A. catenella growth. Thus, while excess iron exerted a toxic effect, low iron media led to iron insufficiency and growth inhibition. In addition, the study shows that the degree of paralytic shellfish toxin production by A. catenella varied depending on the iron concentration in the culture media. The A. catenella strain from southern Chile produced GTX1-4 exclusively in the fmol cell−1 scale. Based on these findings, we suggest that including iron and paralytic shellfish toxin measurements in the fields can improve the current HAB monitoring and contribute to an understanding of A. catenella bloom dynamics in Chile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder that leads to progressive degeneration of motor neurons and severe muscle atrophy without effective treatment. Most research on the disease has been focused on studying motor neurons and supporting cells of the central nervous system. Strikingly, the recent observations have suggested that morpho-functional alterations in skeletal muscle precede motor neuron degeneration, bolstering the interest in studying muscle tissue as a potential target for the delivery of therapies. We previously showed that the systemic administration of the P2XR7 agonist, 2′(3′)-O‐(4-benzoylbenzoyl) adenosine 5-triphosphate (BzATP), enhanced the metabolism and promoted the myogenesis of new fibres in the skeletal muscles of SOD1G93A mice. Here we further corroborated this evidence showing that intramuscular administration of BzATP improved the motor performance of ALS mice by enhancing satellite cells and the muscle pro-regenerative activity of infiltrating macrophages. The preservation of the skeletal muscle retrogradely propagated along with the motor unit, suggesting that backward signalling from the muscle could impinge on motor neuron death. In addition to providing the basis for a suitable adjunct multisystem therapeutic approach in ALS, these data point out that the muscle should be at the centre of ALS research as a target tissue to address novel therapies in combination with those oriented to the CNS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the proportion of patients with COVID-19 who were readmitted to the hospital and the most common causes and the factors associated with readmission. Multicenter nationwide cohort study in Spain. Patients included in the study were admitted to 147 hospitals from March 1 to April 30, 2020. Readmission was defined as a new hospital admission during the 30 days after discharge. Emergency department visits after discharge were not considered readmission. During the study period 8392 patients were admitted to hospitals participating in the SEMI-COVID-19 network. 298 patients (4.2%) out of 7137 patients were readmitted after being discharged. 1541 (17.7%) died during the index admission and 35 died during hospital readmission (11.7%, p = 0.007). The median time from discharge to readmission was 7 days (IQR 3–15 days). The most frequent causes of hospital readmission were worsening of previous pneumonia (54%), bacterial infection (13%), venous thromboembolism (5%), and heart failure (5%). Age [odds ratio (OR): 1.02; 95% confident interval (95% CI): 1.01–1.03], age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index score (OR: 1.13; 95% CI: 1.06–1.21), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR: 1.84; 95% CI: 1.26–2.69), asthma (OR: 1.52; 95% CI: 1.04–2.22), hemoglobin level at admission (OR: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.86–0.99), ground-glass opacification at admission (OR: 0.86; 95% CI:0.76–0.98) and glucocorticoid treatment (OR: 1.29; 95% CI: 1.00–1.66) were independently associated with hospital readmission. The rate of readmission after hospital discharge for COVID-19 was low. Advanced age and comorbidity were associated with increased risk of readmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Positional information driving limb muscle patterning is contained in connective tissue fibroblasts but not in myogenic cells. Limb muscles originate from somites, while connective tissues originate from lateral plate mesoderm. With cell and genetic lineage tracing we challenge this model and identify an unexpected contribution of lateral plate-derived fibroblasts to the myogenic lineage, preferentially at the myotendinous junction. Analysis of single-cell RNA-sequencing data from whole limbs at successive developmental stages identifies a population displaying a dual muscle and connective tissue signature. BMP signalling is active in this dual population and at the tendon/muscle interface. In vivo and in vitro gain- and loss-of-function experiments show that BMP signalling regulates a fibroblast-to-myoblast conversion. These results suggest a scenario in which BMP signalling converts a subset of lateral plate mesoderm-derived cells to a myogenic fate in order to create a boundary of fibroblast-derived myonuclei at the myotendinous junction that controls limb muscle patterning. The dogma is that limb muscle cells originate from somite, while connective tissue fibroblasts derive from lateral plate mesoderm. Here the authors identify a fibroblast population that undergoes myoblast conversion in response to BMP and contributes nuclei to myotubes at the myotendinous junction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) commonly affects women of reproductive age. Many patients lacking knowledge about IBD and reproduction make uninformed decisions, such as voluntary childlessness and medication cessation. Education should be individualized to the patient's knowledge base and include topics of most importance to the patient. Our study aimed to describe the priority rankings of topics selected by patients seeking preconception and pregnancy counseling. Methods: As part of an ongoing prospective study, patients with IBD were asked to rank, in order of importance, nine a priori preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum topics they would like addressed by our specialized care team, which includes an IBD physician and a high-risk obstetrician. χ2 and Fisher's exact tests were used to assess associations between clinical and demographic characteristics and priority rankings, and a p value cutoff for significance was set as.05. Results: One hundred and fifty-eight women with IBD (mean (IQR) age; 32 (28–37) years) were seen in consultation, and 116 (70 (60%) CD, 43 (37%) UC, and 3 (3%) IBD-U) completed intake forms were analyzed. There were 78 (68%) women seen in the preconception stage, median age 31 (IQR 28–34), and 38 women (32%) were pregnant, median age 32 (IQR 28–33). Safety of IBD medications during pregnancy was most commonly ranked as top priority (40%) for all patients regardless of pregnancy status, followed by control of IBD disease activity and impact on pregnancy (31%), impact of IBD and surgery on fertility (19%), pregnancy outcomes for the baby (18%), mode of delivery (6%), inheritance of IBD (4%), breastfeeding (2%), nutritional health (2%), and vaccines and newborn care (1%). The impact of IBD and surgery on fertility was ranked as the number one priority more often in the preconception group (p value < 0.01) and mode of delivery in the pregnancy group (p value 0.04). Conclusion: Safety of IBD medications remains a priority topic for patients seeking preconception and pregnancy counseling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) is commonly considered a detrimental factor in dialysis, its clear effect on morbidity and mortality on waitlisted patients for kidney transplant (KT) has never been completely elucidated. We performed a retrospective analysis on 714 patients admitted to wait-list (WL) for their first kidney transplant from 2005 to 2010. Clinical characteristics at registration in WL (age, body mass index -BMI-, duration and modality of dialysis, underlying nephropathy, coronary artery -CAD- and/or peripheral vascular disease), mortality rates, and effective time on WL were investigated and compared according to T2D status (presence/absence). Data about therapy and management of T2D were also considered. At the time of WL registration T2D patients (n = 86) were older than non-T2D (n = 628) (58.7 ± 8.6 years vs 51.3 ± 12.9) with higher BMI (26.2 ± 3.8 kg/m2 vs 23.8 ± 3.6), more frequent history of CAD (33.3% vs 9.8%) and peripheral vascular disease (25.3% vs 5.8%) (p < 0.001 for all analyses). Considering overall population, T2D patients had reduced survival vs non-T2D (p < 0.001). Transplanted patients showed better survival in both T2D and non-T2D groups despite transplant rate are lower in T2D (75.6% vs 85.8%, p < 0.001). T2D was also associated to similar waiting time but longer periods between dialysis start and registration in WL (1.6 years vs 1.2, p = 0.008), comorbidity-related suspension from WL (571 days vs 257, p = 0.002), and increased mortality rate (33.7% vs 13.9% in the overall population, p < 0.001). In T2D patients admitted to WL, an history of vascular disease was significantly associated to low patient survival (p = 0.019). In conclusion, T2D significantly affects survival also on waitlisted patients. Allocation policies in T2D patients may be adjusted according to increased risk of mortality and WL suspension due to comorbidities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of ten chalcones (7a–j) and five new dihydrochromane–chalcone hybrids (7k–o) were synthesized and identified using spectroscopic techniques (IR, NMR, and MS). All compounds were evaluated in vitro against the B. cinerea and M. fructicola phytopathogens that affect a wide range of crops of commercial interest. All compounds were tested against both phytopathogens using the mycelial growth inhibition test, and it was found that two and five compounds had similar activity to that of the positive control for B. cinerea (7a = 43.9, 7c = 45.5, and Captan®= 24.8 µg/mL) and M. fructicola (7a = 48.5, 7d = 78.2, 7e = 56.1, 7f = 51.8, 7n = 63.2, and Mystic®= 21.6 µg/mL), respectively. To understand the key chalcone structural features for the antifungal activity on B. cinerea and M. fructicola, we developed structure–activity models with good statistical values (r2 and q2 higher than 0.8). For B. cinerea, the hydrogen bonding donor and acceptor and the atomic charge on C5 modulate the mycelial growth inhibition activity. In contrast, dipole moment and atomic charge on C1′ and the carbonyl carbon modify the inhibition activity for M. fructicola. These results allow the design of other compounds with activities superior to those of the compounds obtained in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) is a self-report questionnaire designed to screen anxious and depressive states in patients in non-psychiatric settings. In spite of its large use, no agreement exists in literature on HADS accuracy in case finding. The present research addresses the issue of HADS accuracy in cancer patients, comparing its two subscales (HADS-A and HADS-D) against tools not in use in psychiatry, which are able to detect prolonged negative emotional states.Methods: 2121 consecutive adult cancer inpatients were administered the HADS together with the State Anxiety subscale of State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Scale on Depression. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were computed to identify a cut-off for anxious and depressive states in cancer patients. All indicators were computed together with their corresponding 95% confidence interval (95% CI).Results: Data of 1628 and 1035 participants were used to assess the accuracy in case finding of HADS-A and HADS-D, respectively. According to the ROC analysis, the optimal cut-off was > 9 units for the HADS-A and > 7 units for the HADS-D. The area under the ROC curve was 0.90 for HADS-A (95% CI 0.88-0.91) and 0.84 for HADS-D (95% CI 0.81-0.86).Conclusions: This study suggested that risk scores of anxious and depressive states above specific HADS cut-offs are useful in identifying anxious and depressive states in cancer patients, and they may thus be applicable in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer in women worldwide. The main treatment for BC is surgery, which involves an axillary procedure that associates with the development of axillary web syndrome (AWS). The incidence of AWS among Chilean women with BC and its possible predisposing factors are currently unknown. Thus, we aimed to (1) determine the incidence of AWS among Chilean women with BC after surgery and (2) identify possible predisposing factors.Methods: Within 90 days post-surgery, patients were assessed for AWS, i.e., palpable or visible axillary cords in the axillary region extending down from the mid-axilla to the ipsilateral arm. We then computed the odds ratio with 95% confidence interval (OR [95% CI]) for having AWS considering the following predisposing factors: age, body mass index (BMI), number of lymph nodes removed, axillary procedure, days from surgery to the physical therapy assessment, hospital for the surgery, type of breast surgery, and neoadyuvant chemotherapy.Results: AWS was present in 49 out of 107 patients (45.8%). Younger age and lower BMI appeared as the sole predisposing factors for AWS (age, 0.95 [0.91-0.99]; BMI, normal weight 1.00, overweight 0.35 [0.11-1.12], obesity 0.28 [0.08-0.97]).Conclusion: The incidence of AWS among Chilean women with BC was 45.8%. Our study also confirms data from previous reports showing that younger age and low BMI are associated with the development of AWS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The etiology and pathogenesis of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) are unknown, and autoimmunity is one of many proposed underlying mechanisms. Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) associations are hallmarks of autoimmune disease, and have not been thoroughly investigated in a large ME/CFS patient cohort. We performed high resolution HLA -A, -B, -C, -DRB1, -DQB1 and -DPB1 genotyping by next generation sequencing in 426 adult, Norwegian ME/CFS patients, diagnosed according to the Canadian Consensus Criteria. HLA associations were assessed by comparing to 4511 healthy and ethnically matched controls. Clinical information was collected through questionnaires completed by patients or relatives. We discovered two independent HLA associations, tagged by the alleles HLA-C*07:04 (OR 2.1 [95% CI 1.4–3.1]) and HLA-DQB1*03:03 (OR 1.5 [95% CI 1.1–2.0]). These alleles were carried by 7.7% and 12.7% of ME/CFS patients, respectively. The proportion of individuals carrying one or both of these alleles was 19.2% in the patient group and 12.2% in the control group (OR 1.7 [95% CI 1.3–2.2], pnc = 0.00003). ME/CFS is a complex disease, potentially with a substantial heterogeneity. We report novel HLA associations pointing toward the involvement of the immune system in ME/CFS pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Loss of brain synapses is an early pathological feature of Alzheimer's disease. The current study assessed synaptic loss in vivo with positron emission tomography and an 18F-labelled radiotracer of the synaptic vesicle protein 2A, [18F]UCB-H. Methods: Twenty-four patients with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's disease and positive [18F]Flutemetamol amyloid-PET were compared to 19 healthy controls. [18F]UCB-H brain uptake was quantified with Logan graphical analysis using an image-derived blood input function. SPM12 and regions-of-interest (ROI) analyses were used for group comparisons of regional brain distribution volumes and for correlation with cognitive measures. Results: A significant decrease of [18F]UCB-H uptake was observed in several cortical areas (11 to 18% difference) and in the thalamus (16% difference), with the largest effect size in the hippocampus (31% difference). Reduced hippocampal uptake was related to patients' cognitive decline (ROI analysis) and unawareness of memory problems (SPM and ROI analyses). Conclusions: The findings thus highlight predominant synaptic loss in the hippocampus, confirming previous autopsy-based studies and a recent PET study with an 11C-labelled SV2A radiotracer. [18F]UCB-H PET allows to image in vivo synaptic changes in Alzheimer's disease and to relate them to patients' cognitive impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Free-ranging domestic dogs are the world most common exotic carnivore species that could negatively interact with the native wildlife as predators, competitors, and disease vectors. Their generalist habits have allowed them to be present in a large number of urban parks, which are the habitat for wild mammal species, some of these animals are restricted to these areas. Moreover, dogs can perform activities alone or in a group during day and night time, having a wide temporal niche. However, the issues related to activity patterns overlap and temporal niche breadth between dogs and wild mammals in urban parks are still poorly known and have not been studied in deep. In this investigation, we evaluated the activity patterns, the temporal niche breadth, and the activity patterns overlap between medium-sized wild mammals (MSWM) and dogs using trap cameras in five urban parks in Xalapa, Veracruz. Mexico. During March to August 2014, there were taken 928 photo-captures of MSWM and dogs (720 trap nights). The activity patterns of MSWM were bimodal (two activity peaks), being more active during night time. MSWM showed low temporal niche breadth versus dogs. Five species of MSWM overlap their activity patterns with dogs in five urban parks. Didelphis marsupialis and Urocyon cinereoargenteus were the species with the greatest overlap regarding dogs, finding some individuals of this species lifeless in the studied sites. Our results show the need to perform studies that assess the effect of this temporal overlap on the biology, behavior, and permanence of these species in urban parks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effects of the wood quality used for thermal modification on the physical and mechanical properties obtained at two treatment temperatures commonly used at the industrial level were evaluated in order to validate experimentally the pilot scale process for its future industrial scaling. The quality of the input radiata pine refers to the presence of natural defects of wood, as well as the amount of juvenile wood. Selected thermally modified samples were used to measure some quality markers (physical, mechanical, optical) and to find their correlations due to quality or treatment, so as to obtain the best characteristics of the heat-treated products. The results indicated that the quality of the input wood was only relevant to the mild treatment (190 °C), finding an acceptable correlation between the weight loss and the quality used (first quality). After both treatments, the order of anisotropy was kept and the dimensional changes were significantly reduced; thus, the weight loss during treatment did not dramatically affect its anatomical structure. Clustering the data by statistical procedures was possible to observe that samples of lower quality were ordered according to the treatment temperature, indicating a strong influence of the treatment on the properties obtained. The mechanical properties revealed that up to 190 °C the chemical changes that occur on wood affected positively the values (MOE increased by about 15–32% and MOR slightly decreased < 5%). The thermal profile of the treated samples was comparable, suggesting that the dehydration reactions were more significant for the obtained properties than the chemical changes. Moreover, the browning effect was more stable in the samples treated at 210 °C after artificial weathering cycles, being a positive outcome that could extend the service life of the thermally modified products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A random-sequence peptide microarray can interrogate serum antibodies in a broad, unbiased fashion to generate disease-specific immunosignatures. This approach has been applied to cancer detection, diagnosis of infections, and interrogation of vaccine response. We hypothesized that there is an immunosignature specific to ME/CFS and that this could aid in the diagnosis. We studied two subject groups meeting the Canadian Consensus Definition of ME/CFS. ME/CFS (n = 25) and matched control (n = 25) sera were obtained from a Canadian study. ME/CFS (n = 25) sera were obtained from phase 1/2 Norwegian trials (NCT01156909). Sera from six healthy controls from the USA were included in the analysis. Canadian cases and controls were tested for a disease immunosignature. By combining results from unsupervised and supervised analyses, a candidate immunosignature with 654 peptides was able to differentiate ME/CFS from controls. The immunosignature was tested and further refined using the Norwegian and USA samples. This resulted in a 256-peptide immunosignature with the ability to separate ME/CFS cases from controls in the international data sets. We were able to identify a 256-peptide signature that separates ME/CFS samples from healthy controls, suggesting that the hit-and-run hypothesis of immune dysfunction merits further investigation. By extending testing of both our signature and one previously reported in the literature to larger cohorts, and further interrogating the specific peptides we and others have identified, we may deepen our understanding of the origins of ME/CFS and work towards a clinically meaningful diagnostic biomarker. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The removal of toxic compounds (azo dyes) from dyeing wastewater was investigated by an environmentally friendly activated carbon produced from solid waste generated in the tannery process, the cattle hair (CHW), activated with H3PO4 (AC-CHW), suggesting a life cycle extension for this material from leather processing. Preliminary tests with aqueous solutions containing Acid Brown 414 (AB-414) and Acid Orange 142 (AO-142) removed 71.06% and 73.05%, respectively. The activated carbon was characterized by zeta potential (ZP), functional groups (FTIR), elemental composition, sorbent specific surface area, and pore size distribution (BET/BJH). The specific surface area showed low values when compared to commercial activated carbon, but average pore diameter was higher, which facilitates the adsorption of larger and complex molecules, such as those present in real wastewaters. Through SEM and FTIR, the presence of the toxic compounds studied in the AC-CHW after sorption process was observed, where the results indicated that the functional groups of -CH=CH- participated in the removal process for these compounds. The removal efficiency obtained with AC-CHW was 51.94% and 49.73% for the dyeing wastewater containing AB-414 and AO-142, respectively. The obtained results open a promising via to use AC-CHW as efficient eco-friendly sorbent for the treatment of leather wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perimidines are a particularly versatile family of heterocyclic compounds, whose properties are exploited in several applications ranging from industrial to medicinal chemistry. The molecular structure of perimidine incorporates a well-known efficient fluorophore, i.e.: 1,8-diaminonaphthalene. The high fluorescence quantum yield shared by most naphthalene derivatives, has enabled their use as stains for bio-imaging and biophysical characterizations. However, fluorescence is dramatically depressed in perimidine as well as in the few of its derivatives analysed so far to this respect. The use of perimidine-like molecules in life sciences might be notably fostered by enhancement of their fluorescence emission. Even more excitingly, the concomitance of both biologically active moieties and a fluorophore in the same molecular structure virtually discloses application of perimidines as drug compounds in state-of-art theranostics protocols. However, somewhat surprisingly, relatively few attempts were made until now in the direction of increasing the performances of perimidines as fluorescent dyes. In this work we present the synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of four perimidine derivatives designed to this aim, two of which result to be endowed with fluorescence quantum yields comparable to 1,8-diaminonaphthalene. A rationalization for such improved behaviour has been attempted employing TD-DFT calculations, which have unravelled the interrelations among bond structure, lone pair conjugation, local electron density changes and fluorescence quantum yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Query processing is an important challenge for spatial databases due to the use of complex data types that represent spatial attributes. In particular, due to the cost of spatial joins, several optimization algorithms based on indexing structures exist. The work in this paper proposes a strategy for semantic query optimization of spatial join queries. The strategy detects queries with empty results and rewrites queries to eliminate unnecessary spatial joins or to replace spatial by thematic joins. This is done automatically by analyzing the semantics imposed by the database schema through topological dependencies and topological referential integrity constraints. In this way, the strategy comes to complement current state-of-art algorithms for processing spatial join queries. The experimental evaluation with real data sets shows that the optimization strategy can achieve a decrease in the time cost of a join query using indexing structures in a spatial database management system (SDBMS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chalcones are a group of molecules with a broad spectrum of biological activities, being especially appealing for their antiproliferative effects on several cancer cell lines. For this reason, we synthesized 23 chalcones with good to excellent yields and assessed their effect on the viability of the SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cell line and on primary human fibroblasts. The results indicated that 18 of these compounds were more active than 5-fluorouracil in the cancer cell line and one of them was more selective than this reference drug. To identify structural features related to the antiproliferative activity of these compounds, as well as, the selectivity on the cancer cell line, a 2D-QSAR analysis was performed. The QSAR model (q2 = 0.803; r2 = 0.836) showed that lipophilicity (CLogP) is the most important factor to increase their cytotoxicity on the cancer cell line. On the other hand, the selectivity QSAR model (q2 = 0.917; r2 = 0.916) showed that changes in the Mulliken’s charge of the carbonyl group and at the C4’ position in the chalcone core can increase the selectivity for SH-SY5Y cell line compared to normal fibroblasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]