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In this work MCM-41 solid was evaluated for the adsorption of dodecamethylpentasiloxane (L5) and decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5) siloxanes. The adsorbent was synthesized at room temperature using the sol-gel method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy coupled to energy dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and N2 adsorption-desorption at 77 K. Adsorption equilibrium and kinetic studies were performed in isooctane at 25 °C in single and binary modes. The equilibrium data by Langmuir isotherm showed maximum adsorption capacity (qmax) of 0.058 mmol g−1 (22.3 mg g−1) and 0.019 mmol g−1 (7.05 mg g−1) for single mode of L5 and D5, respectively, while in binary mode these values were 0.054 (20.8 mg g−1) and 0.032 mmol g−1 (11.9 mg g−1) for L5 and D5, respectively. The adsorption kinetics in both contact modes were typically of pseudo-first order. DFT simulations to calculate the adsorption energies between the ligands (siloxanes) and the receptor (MCM-41) showed a value of −0.76 eV for the MCM-L5 system, which is much higher than that found for MCM-D5 (−0.50 eV). This base research is important from an environmental and technological perspective, in which researchers will use the initial values obtained in this research to optimize the adsorbent matrix with an infinite number of modifications that can be made.

This retrospective case series investigates thoracolumbar fractures resulting from speed humps during bus travel in Rio de Janeiro. The study encompasses 19 patients who experienced such fractures between 2013 and 2021 without collision events. Factors examined included demographics, injury specifics, management strategies, and outcomes. The study aims to elucidate the prevalence, characteristics, and treatment of these injuries. Analyses were conducted using clinical evaluations, AOSpine classification, Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain, and TL AOSpine Injury Score (TL AOSIS). Surgical and non-surgical interventions were compared, highlighting the need for strict traffic regulations and preventive measures to mitigate such accidents. Results reveal a predominance of fractures in women, with a mean age of 61.26 years, and an emphasis on L1 vertebra involvement. Surgical intervention was required in over 50% of cases, demonstrating favorable outcomes. However, limitations due to the study's retrospective nature and the tertiary care setting were acknowledged. The study concludes by emphasizing the importance of preventive measures, such as stricter traffic regulations, mandatory seatbelt use in public transportation, and enhanced speed-hump safety measures to curtail these accidents and subsequent injuries.

In recent decades, alternative water resources have been explored to address water scarcity; the use of reclaimed water in agricultural practices has been particularly studied. To evaluate the impact of different irrigation waters on lettuce cultures, 18 plants were grown across two seasons (fall and summer), using tap water as control, and two types of reclaimed water as substitute irrigation water sources. Samples were collected from the rhizosphere soil of the lettuces and were analyzed using Liquid Chromatography – High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (LC-HRMS) with Data-Independent Acquisition (DIA). Non-target metabolomic profiling was performed using the Regions of Interest procedure (ROI), followed by Multivariate Curve Resolution-Alternating Least Squares (MCR-ALS) for simultaneous analysis of MS1 and MS2 signals in positive and negative ionization modes. In total, 37 chemical compounds (endogenous and exogenous) were identified belonging to different classes and origins, such as several sesquiterpene lactones or flavonoids that play a key role in the secondary metabolism of plants. Subsequent statistical and chemometric analyses highlighted that the sampling campaign season had a greater effect on the metabolomic profile than the type of water used for irrigation. Based on these findings, reclaimed waters did not exhibit sufficient influence on the rhizosphere to be discarded as a potential alternative for use in the agricultural industry.

Background Concomitant traumatic brain injury (TBI) and ocular trauma (OT) are caused by the same physical mechanisms, which may complicate therapeutic intervention if screening and evaluation of each condition are not promptly initiated. The aim of this study is to identify concomitant TBI in OT patients and characterize the pattern of those injured service members (SMs) in non-combat environments to assist in the early detection and treatment of both TBI and OT.Methods Encounters matching the case definitions of TBI and OT for injured SMs were extracted from the Military Health System. Concomitant TBI and OT was identified as patients who were diagnosed with both medical conditions within 30 days. Incidence rates of concomitance were analyzed using a Poisson regression model. The odds of mechanisms and types of OT with concomitant TBI were analyzed using logistic regression models.Results From 2017 to 2021, there were 71 689 SMs diagnosed with TBI, and 69 358 patients diagnosed with OT. There were 3251 concomitant cases identified. The overall concomitance rate in OT patients was 4.7%. Clinical presentations of concomitant OT had a higher rate of complications. Blast, transport accidents, assaults, alcohol, falls, and sports-related injuries (in decreasing order) were significantly associated with concomitance rates. Compared with closed globe injuries, OT with orbital fractures, rupture, laceration, adnexal periocular injury, and penetrating injury had higher risks of concomitant TBI. For patients with orbital fractures, nearly half (44.1%) sustained a concomitant TBI.Conclusions A practical approach using temporal proximity of diagnostic data was developed to identify concomitant cases of TBI and OT which presented with more severe injury types than non-concomitant cases. These results indicate OT patients with orbital or open globe injuries sustained from high-impact mechanisms warrant further TBI screening to prompt early detection and treatment.Level of evidence IV.

Contribution: In the research presented in this article, a procedure for determining student workload has been designed, tested, and validated. This procedure also makes it possible to analyze how different teaching variables are affected by workload and to visualize the learning environment generated in the course. Background: When the project-based learning (PBL) methodology is used in a course, if the students' workload is not properly planned and controlled, important variables in the educational environment, such as the teaching organization and the students' approach to learning, can be affected. The PBL methodology may even become unfeasible as it affects the other courses with which it shares year and semester. This justifies the need to know the student workload of a subject. The previous research has presented procedures for establishing student workload. However, they use questionnaires with a high number of questions. A questionnaire with many questions affects the reliability of students' answers. The questionnaire presented in this article reduces the number of questions without affecting the results obtained and it is easily applicable to other courses. Research Questions: The questions to be answered in this research are: 1) is the workload of the students, when using the PBL methodology in a course, in line with the one established in the syllabus? and 2) is the learning environment created in the course as expected? Methodology: The methodology used to obtain the necessary data is based on students completing weekly surveys, two critical incident questionnaires (CIQs), and a final survey. The aim was always to minimize the number of questions to be answered, ensuring that the data collected provided a true picture of the workload and the educational environment. Findings: The analysis of the data obtained by applying the procedure provides mechanisms to control the workload, ensure involvement and motivation, improve students' academic results and show the learning environment created in the course. The implementation of this method, during three academic years, has allowed to test its effectiveness, validate some of the initial hypotheses, and confirm the conclusions of some previous studies.

Pulmonary fibrosis is a severely disabling disease often leading to death. CCN2 (Cellular Communication Network factor 2, also known as CTGF) is a known mediator of fibrosis and clinical trials studying anti-CCN2 efficacy in pulmonary fibrosis are currently underway. Fork head box D1 (FoxD1) transcription factor is transiently expressed in several mesenchymal cell types, including those of fetal lungs. Differentiation of FoxD1-progenitor derived pericytes into myofibroblasts involves CCN2 expression and contributes importantly to maladaptive tissue remodeling in for example kidney and lung fibrosis models. To generate a model for studying the contribution of CCN2 expression in FoxD1-progenitor derived cells to development of fibrotic tissue remodeling, we set out to establish a FoxD1Cre - CCN2flox/flox mouse colony. However, all double-transgenic mice died soon after birth due to asphyxia. Histopathological examination revealed a reduction in alveolar space and lung weight, and subtle axial (thoracic and cervical) skeletal deformities. Together with the previously reported association of a FoxD1 containing locus with human adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, our data suggest that the fatal pulmonary hypoplasia resulting from selective deletion of CCN2 from FoxD1-progenitor derived mesenchymal cells developed secondary to impaired breathing movements due to aberrant axial skeletogenesis.

As the trend towards the decentralization of grids continues, new typologies such as microgrids have gained popularity in recent years. Microgrids offer greater reliability as they can operate both connected to the main grid and in islanded mode. However, the transition to island mode can be even more challenging when a microgrid has a high penetration of intermittent sources like Doubly-Fed Induction Generators (DFIGs). In this context, designing new controller algorithms is essential to improve frequency support in microgrids with DFIGs. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel Filtered Repetitive Model Predictive Control (FR-MPC) applied to the frequency support in a microgrid. The control structure is applied to the Grid Side Converter (GSC) of a DFIG, while the DC bus voltage is supplied by a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). The FR-MPC prediction model uses a state-space model with an embedded repetitive action, which has the capacity to mitigate harmonics of the microgrid. However, the inclusion of the repetitive loop degrades the closed-loop robustness. To overcome this limitation, the prediction model features a robustness low pass filter. Furthermore, this paper presents an analysis of the frequency response and pole map of the key components of the controller: the robustness filter, the repetitive loop, and the control law. Finally, simulation results demonstrate that the proposed controller outperforms both the pure Repetitive MPC (R-MPC) and the Generalized Predictive Control (GPC) in terms of performance.

In this study we used the average annual temperature in Brazil and four warming predictions to propose a maximum thermal threshold for the predatory mite Cosmolaelaps brevistilis (Karg, 1978) (Mesostigmata: Laelapidae) as an experimental model. Then, we evaluated the effects of warming on the biological parameters of C. brevistilis for conservation biological control. We observed higher rates of oviposition and predation of the prey Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank, 1781) (Astigmatina: Acaridae) under warmer conditions at 75 ± 10% RH. The highest rates of prey consumption and oviposition were observed at 28°C compared to the others tested (22, 24, and 26°C). However, the egg viability of C. brevistilis was reduced at the same temperature. Therefore, temperature increases both positive and negative effects on the biological parameters of C. brevistilis which are important for the ecological interactions that are essential for biological control programs.

Pulmonary fibrosis is a severely disabling disease often leading to death. CCN2 (Cellular Communication Network factor 2, also known as CTGF) is a known mediator of fibrosis and clinical trials studying anti-CCN2 efficacy in pulmonary fibrosis are currently underway. Fork head box D1 (FoxD1) transcription factor is transiently expressed in several mesenchymal cell types, including those of fetal lungs. Differentiation of FoxD1-progenitor derived pericytes into myofibroblasts involves CCN2 expression and contributes importantly to maladaptive tissue remodeling in e.g. kidney and lung fibrosis models. To generate a model for studying the contribution of CCN2 expression in FoxD1-progenitor derived cells to development of fibrotic tissue remodeling, we set out to establish a FoxD1Cre - CCN2flox/flox mouse colony. However, all double-transgenic mice died soon after birth due to asphyxia. Histopathological examination revealed a reduction in alveolar space and lung weight, and subtle axial (thoracic and cervical) skeletal deformities. Together with the previously reported association of a FoxD1 containing locus with human adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, our data suggest that the development of fatal pulmonary hypoplasia caused by selective deletion of CCN2 from FoxD1-progenitor derived mesenchymal cells was secondary to aberrant axial skeletogenesis.

Pulmonary fibrosis is a severely disabling disease often leading to death. CCN2 (Cellular Communication Network factor 2, also known as CTGF) is a known mediator of fibrosis and clinical trials studying anti-CCN2 efficacy in pulmonary fibrosis are currently underway. Fork head box D1 (FoxD1) transcription factor is transiently expressed in several mesenchymal cell types, including those of fetal lungs. Differentiation of FoxD1-progenitor derived pericytes into myofibroblasts involves CCN2 expression and contributes importantly to maladaptive tissue remodeling in e.g. kidney and lung fibrosis models. To generate a model for studying the contribution of CCN2 expression in FoxD1-progenitor derived cells to development of fibrotic tissue remodeling, we set out to establish a FoxD1Cre - CCN2flox/flox mouse colony. However, all double-transgenic mice died soon after birth due to asphyxia. Histopathological examination revealed a reduction in alveolar space and lung weight, and subtle axial (thoracic and cervical) skeletal deformities. Together with the previously reported association of a FoxD1 containing locus with human adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, our data suggest that the development of fatal pulmonary hypoplasia caused by selective deletion of CCN2 from FoxD1-progenitor derived mesenchymal cells was secondary to aberrant axial skeletogenesis.

Abstract Maternal immune activation (MIA) is strongly associated with an increased risk of developing mental illness in adulthood, which often co-occurs with alcohol misuse. The current study aimed to begin to determine whether MIA, combined with adolescent alcohol exposure (AE), could be used as a model with which we could study the neurobiological mechanisms behind such co-occurring disorders. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with polyI:C or saline on gestational day 15. Half of the offspring were given continuous access to alcohol during adolescence, leading to four experimental groups: controls, MIA, AE, and Dual (MIA + AE). We then evaluated whether MIA and/or AE alter: (1) alcohol consumption; (2) locomotor behavior; and (3) cortical-striatal-hippocampal local field potentials (LFPs) in adult offspring. Dual rats, particularly females, drank significantly more alcohol in adulthood compared to all other groups. MIA led to reduced locomotor behavior in males only. Using machine learning to build predictive models from LFPs, we were able to differentiate Dual rats from control rats and AE rats in both sexes, and Dual rats from MIA rats in females. These data suggest that Dual “hits” (MIA + AE) increases substance use behavior and disrupts activity in reward-related circuits, and that this may be a valuable heuristic model we can use to study the neurobiological underpinnings of co-occurring disorders. Our future work aims to extend these findings to other addictive substances to enhance the translational relevance of this model, as well as determine whether amelioration of these circuit disruptions can reduce substance use behavior.

Quaternary AlGaAsSb alloys have exhibited low excess noise characteristics as gain regions in avalanche photodiodes. In this work, optical spectroscopy techniques are used to demonstrate the recombination dynamics in molecular beam epitaxy grown Al0.85Ga0.15As0.56Sb0.44 with temperature variation. Photoluminescence (PL) measurements at 8–50 K show that the bandgap varies from 1.547 to 1.527 eV. The radiative recombination processes in the alloy were found to be dictated by the complexities of antimony (Sb) incorporation during the growth. Time-resolved PL (TRPL) measurements show a change in initial carrier lifetimes of ∼3.5 µs at 8 K to ∼1 µs at 30 K. The knowledge of carrier dynamics from optical characterization methods such as PL and TRPL can be employed to contribute to shorter feedback loops for improvement of alloy fabrication in addition to enhancing growth processes.

IntroductionThe ubiquitous Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is an oncogenic herpes virus associated with several human malignancies. EBV is an immune-evasive pathogen that promotes CD8+ T cell exhaustion and dysregulates CD4+ T cell functions. Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is frequently associated with EBV infections. Since BL relapses after conventional therapies are difficult to treat, we evaluated prospective off-the-shelf edited CAR-T cell therapies targeting CD19 or the EBV gp350 cell surface antigen.MethodsWe used CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing methods to knock in (KI) the CD19CAR.CD28z or gp350CAR.CD28z into the T cell receptor (TCR) alpha chain (TRAC) locus.ResultsApplying upscaled methods with the ExPERT ATx® MaxCyte system, KI efficacy was ~20% of the total ~2 × 108 TCR-knocked-out (KO) generated cells. KOTCRKICAR-T cells were co-cultured in vitro with the gp350+CD19+ BL cell lines Daudi (infected with type 1 EBV) or with Jiyoye (harboring a lytic type 2 EBV). Both types of CAR-T cells showed cytotoxic effects against the BL lines in vitro. CD8+ KICAR-T cells showed higher persistency than CD4+ KICAR-T cells after in vitro co-culture with BL and upregulation of the activation/exhaustion markers PD-1, LAG-3, and TIM-3. Two preclinical in vivo xenograft models were set up with Nod.Rag.Gamma mice injected intravenously (i.v.) with 2 × 105 Daudi/fLuc-GFP or with Jiyoye/fLuc-GFP cells. Compared with the non-treated controls, mice challenged with BL and treated with CD19KICAR-T cells showed delayed lymphoma dissemination with lower EBV DNA load. Notably, for the Jiyoye/fLuc-GFP model, almost exclusively CD4+ CD19KICAR-T cells were detectable at the endpoint analyses in the bone marrow, with increased frequencies of regulatory T cells (Tregs) and TIM-3+CD4+ T cells. Administration of gp350KICAR-T cells to mice after Jiyoye/GFP-fLuc challenge did not inhibit BL growth in vivo but reduced the EBV DNA load in the bone marrow and promoted gp350 antigen escape. CD8+PD-1+LAG-3+ gp350KICAR-T cells were predominant in the bone marrow.DiscussionThe two types of KOTCRKICAR-T cells showed different therapeutic effects and in vivo dynamics. These findings reflect the complexities of the immune escape mechanisms of EBV, which may interfere with the CAR-T cell property and potency and should be taken into account for future clinical translation.

Inspired by the one-hundredth anniversary of the seminal works of Stern and Gerlach, our contribution is a proposal of how to use their famous experiment in a more contemporary perspective. Our main idea is to re-cast the experiment in the modern language of prepare-and-measure scenarios. By doing so, it is possible to connect geometric and algebraic aspects of the space of states with the physical space. We also discuss possible simulations of the SG experiment as well as some experimental properties of the experiment revealed at the statistical level. Merging a more modern perspective with a paradigmatic experiment, we hope this paper can serve as an entry door for quantum information theory and the.

Loss-of-function mutations in CDKL5 kinase cause severe neurodevelopmental delay and early-onset seizures. Identification of CDKL5 substrates is key to understanding its function. Using chemical genetics, we found that CDKL5 phosphorylates three microtubule-associated proteins: MAP1S, EB2 and ARHGEF2, and determined the phosphorylation sites. Substrate phosphorylations are greatly reduced in CDKL5 knockout mice, verifying these as physiological substrates. In CDKL5 knockout mouse neurons, dendritic microtubules have longer EB3-labelled plus-end growth duration and these altered dynamics are rescued by reduction of MAP1S levels through shRNA expression, indicating that CDKL5 regulates microtubule dynamics via phosphorylation of MAP1S. We show that phosphorylation by CDKL5 is required for MAP1S dissociation from microtubules. Additionally, anterograde cargo trafficking is compromised in CDKL5 knockout mouse dendrites. Finally, EB2 phosphorylation is reduced in patient-derived human neurons. Our results reveal a novel activity-dependent molecular pathway in dendritic microtubule regulation and suggest a pathological mechanism which may contribute to CDKL5 deficiency disorder.

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