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Discharge of groundwater and associated chemical compounds into coastal karstic regions, which are abundant in the Mediterranean basin, is envisaged to be significant. In this study, we evaluate the groundwater discharge and its nutrient load to the open karstic site of Badum (Castelló, East Spain). Salinity profiles evidenced that groundwater discharge from coastal brackish springs causes a buoyant fresher layer, as identified with thermal infrared images. Chemical tracers (radium isotopes, dissolved inorganic silicate and seawater major elements) have been used to determine a brackish groundwater proportion in coastal waters of 36% in October 2006 and 44% in June 2007. Based on a radium-derived residence time of 2.7 days in October 2006 and 2.0 days in June 2007, total SGD fluxes have been estimated in 71 500 and 187 000 m³ d-1, respectively, with fresh-SGD contributions representing 71% and 85%. The calculated SGD-associated nutrient fluxes, most likely of natural origin, were 1500 and 8300 μmol m-2 d-1 of DIN and 19 and 40 μmol m-2 d-1 of DIP in October 2006 and June 2007, respectively. These inputs may actually lead to or enhance P limitation, thereby altering the structure of biological communities in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the concept of adaptive hypermedia, the webCT platform was used to design a learning virtual environment that would allow students' interaction of different support materials with their usual styles of learning. GA Latin Square design was used to determine the role that environment and learning styles, along with intrinsic motivation, played on academic performance, navigation patterns, and number of visits to the support materials. The study showed an important difference in academic performance in favor of the Balanced group. Intrinsic motivation was the main explicative factor for the differences found beyond learning styles. The conclusion was that there are differences in the way of using the objects of learning, and that there are differentiated patterns to access the support material, depending on the students' learning styles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The absolute rate constants for the gas-phase reactions of the NO3 radical with a series of aldehydes such as acetaldehyde, propanal, butanal, pentanal, hexanal and, heptanal were measured over the temperature range 298-433 K, using a discharge flow system and monitoring the NO3 radical by Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF). The measured rate constants at 298 K for the reaction of NO3, in units of 10-14 cm3 molecule-1 s-1, were as follows: acetaldehyde 0.32 1 0.04, propanal 0.60 1 0.06, butanal 1.46 1 0.16, pentanal 1.75 1 0.06, hexanal 1.83 1 0.36, and heptanal 2.37 1 0.42. The proposed Arrhenius expressions are k1 = (6.2 1 7.5) x 10-11 exp [?(2826 1 866)/T] (cm3 molecule-1 s-1), k2 = (1.7 1 1.0) x 10-11 exp [?(2250 1 192)/T] (cm3 molecule-1 s1), k3 =(7.6 19.8) x 1011 exp [?(2466 1 505)/T] (cm3 molecule-1 s-1), k4 = (2.8 1 1.4) x 10-11 exp [?(2189 1 156)/T] (cm3 molecule-1s-1), k5 = (7.0 1 1.8) x 10-11 exp [?(2382 1 998)/T] (cm3 molecule-1 s-1), and k6 = (7.8 1 1.0) x 10-11 exp [?(2406 1 481)/T] (cm3 molecule-1 s-1). Tropospheric lifetimes for these aldehydes were calculated at night and during the day for typical NO3 and OH average concentrations and showed that both radicals provide an effective tropospheric sink for these compounds and that the night-time reaction with the NO3 radical can be an important, if not dominant, loss process for these emitted organics and for NO3 radicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the anisotropy of the spin and orbital magnetization of ultrathin Co layers characterized by structure inversion asymmetry, namely Pt/Co/AlOx trilayers with Co thicknesses between 0.6 and 2 nm. We use x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) to probe the Co layer along two orthogonal measurement geometries. By combining transverse and collinear XMCD, we achieve a vector measurement of the Co spin and orbital magnetic moments. We find an enhanced and anisotropic orbital magnetic moment localized at the Co interface and verify the connection between the Co orbital moment anisotropy and the macroscopic magnetic anisotropy of the trilayer. These results provide a link between diverse interfacial phenomena originating from spin-orbit coupling, such as the Rashba effect and perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Using simple considerations derived from tight-binding models, we show that the Rashba constant is proportional to the ratio between out-of-plane and in-plane orbital magnetic moments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Topological insulators (TIs) hold promise for manipulating the magnetization of a ferromagnet (FM) through the spin-orbit torque (SOT) mechanism. However, integrating TIs with conventional FMs often leads to significant device-to-device variations and a broad distribution of SOT magnitudes. In this work, we present a scalable approach to grow a full van der Waals FM/TI heterostructure by molecular beam epitaxy, combining the charge-compensated TI (Bi,Sb) 2 Te 3 with 2D FM Fe 3 GeTe 2 (FGT). Harmonic magnetotransport measurements reveal that the SOT efficiency exhibits a non-monotonic temperature dependence and experiences a substantial enhancement with a reduction of the FGT thickness to 2 monolayers. Our study further demonstrates that the magnetization of ultrathin FGT films can be switched with a current density of J c ∼ 10 10 A/m 2 , with minimal device-to-device variations compared to previous investigations involving traditional FMs.

Acetonitrile (CH 3 CN) is present in the interstellar medium (ISM) in a variety of environments. However, at the ultracold temperatures of the ISM, radical-molecule reactions are not widely investigated because of the experimental handicap of getting organic molecules in the gas phase by conventional techniques. The CRESU (French acronym for Reaction Kinetics in a Uniform Supersonic Flow) technique solves this problem. For this reason, we present in this work the kinetic study of the gas-phase reaction of CH 3 CN with one of the most ubiquitous radicals, the hydroxyl (OH) radical, as a function of temperature (11.7-177.5 K). The kinetic technique employed to investigate the CH 3 CN + OH reaction was the pulsed laser photolysis-laser induced fluorescence. The rate coefficient for this reaction k ( T ) has been observed to drastically increase from 177.5 K to 107.0 K (about 2 orders of magnitude), while the increase in k ( T ) from 107.0 K to 11.7 K was milder (around 4 times). The temperature dependent expressions for k ( T ) are provided in the two distinct T -ranges, excluding the upper limit obtained for k (177.5 K): In addition, the rate coefficients estimated by the canonical competitive unified statistical (CCUS) theory show a similar behaviour to the experimental results, when evaluated within the high-pressure limit. This is consistent with the experimentally observed independence of k ( T ) with total gas density at selected temperatures. Astrochemical networks, such as the KIDA database or UMIST, do not include the CH 3 CN + OH reaction as a potential depletion process for acetonitrile in the ISM because the current studies predict very low rate coefficients at IS temperatures. According to the model ( T = 10 K), the impact of the titled reaction on the abundances of CH 3 CN appears to be negligible in dark molecular clouds of the ISM (∼1% of the total depletion reactions included in UMIST network). With respect to the potential formation of the CH 2 CN radical in those environments, even in the most favourable scenario, where this radical could be formed in a 100% yield from the CH 3 CN + OH reaction, this route would only contribute around 2% to the current assumed formation routes by the UMIST network.

(1) Background: This paper aims to assess temporal trends (2016-2020) in incidence, patient's characteristics, complications, length of hospital stay (LOHS) and in-hospital mortality (IHM) among patients with and without idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) undergoing lung transplantation (LTx). We also analyse the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on LTx in these populations. (2) Methods: A retrospective, population-based observational study was conducted using the Spanish National Hospital Discharge Database. Multivariable adjustment was conducted with logistic regression to analyse the IHM. (3) Results: We identified 1777 admissions for LTx during the study period, of which 573 (32.2%) were performed in patients with IPF. The number of hospital admissions for LTx rose from 2016 to 2020, both in patients with and without IPF, but a marked reduction was observed from year 2019 to year 2020. Over time, the proportion of single LTx decreased and bilateral LTx increased significantly in both groups. The incidence of LTx complications increased significantly over time along with the increase in the incidence of IPF. No significant differences in the incidence of complications or in the IHM between patients with and without IPF were found. Suffering any complication of the LTx and pulmonary hypertension were conditions positively associated with IHM in patients with and without IPF. The IHM remained stable from 2016 to 2020 in both study populations and was not affected by the COVID pandemic. (4) Conclusions: Patients with IPF account for almost a third of all lung transplants. The number of LTx increased over time in patients with and without IPF, but a marked reduction was observed from 2019 to 2020. Although the proportion of LTx complications increased significantly over time in both groups, the IHM did not change. IPF was not associated with increased complications or IHM after LTx., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

In the tropics, combining food security with biodiversity conservation remains a major challenge. Tropical agroforestry systems are among the most biodiversity-friendly and productive land-use systems, and 70% of cocoa is grown by >6 million smallholder farmers living on <2$ per day. In cacao's main centre of diversification, the western Amazon region, interest is growing to achieve premium prices with the conversion of high-yielding, but mostly bulk-quality cacao to native fine-flavor cacao varieties, culturally important since pre-Columbian times. Conversion to native cacao can be expected to favor adaptation to regional climate and growth conditions, and to enhance native biodiversity and ecosystem services such as biological pest control and pollination, but possibly also imply susceptibility to diseases. Experience from successful conversion of non-native cacao plantations to fine-flavor cacao agroforestry with rejuvenation by grafting and under medium-canopy cover levels (30%-40%) can ensure a smooth transition with only minor temporary productivity gaps. This includes ongoing selection programs of high yielding and disease resistant native fine-flavor cacao genotypes and organizing in cooperatives to buffer the high market volatility. In conclusion, the recent interest on converting bulk cacao to a diversity of native fine-flavor varieties in countries like Peru is a challenge, but offers promising socio-ecological perspectives., (© 2022 The Authors. Conservation Letters published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Nitrogen-bearing molecules, like methylamine (CH 3 NH 2 ), can be the building blocks of amino acids in the interstellar medium (ISM). At the ultralow temperatures of the ISM, it is important to know its gas-phase reactivity towards interstellar radicals and the products formed. In this work, the kinetics of the OH + CH 3 NH 2 reaction was experimentally and theoretically investigated at low- and high-pressure limits (LPL and HPL) between 10 and 1000 K. Moreover, the CH 2 NH 2 and CH 3 NH yields were computed in the same temperature range for both pressure regimes. A pulsed CRESU (French acronym for Reaction Kinetics in a Uniform Supersonic Flow) apparatus was employed to determine the rate coefficient, k ( T ), in the 11.7-177.5 K range. A drastic increase of k ( T ) when the temperature is lowered was observed in agreement with theoretical calculations, evaluated by the competitive canonical unified statistical (CCUS) theory, below 300 K in the LPL regime. The same trend was observed in the HPL regime below 350 K, but the theoretical k ( T ) values were higher than the experimental ones. Above 200 K, the calculated rate coefficients are improved with respect to previous computational studies and are in excellent agreement with the experimental literature data. In the LPL, the formation of CH 3 NH becomes largely dominant below ca. 100 K. Conversely, in the HPL regime, CH 2 NH 2 is the only product below 100 K, whereas CH 3 NH becomes dominant at 298 K with a branching ratio similar to the one found in the LPL regime (≈70%). At T > 300 K, both reaction channels are competitive independently of the pressure regime.

The use of Bacillus licheniformis as a probiotic has increased significantly in recent years. Published reports demonstrate that it provides multiple benefits for health. Although there are already studies in humans and is marketed, it is mostly used in the veterinary industry still. However, its benefits could be extrapolated to humans in future. This review addresses the application of B. licheniformis , its sporulation, mechanisms of action, and its role in the resolution, treatment, and prevention of different conditions and diseases. It focuses on scientific advances from 2016 to mid-2022 and emphasizes the most common diseases in the general population. Most of the 70% of published studies about the health benefits of B. licheniformis have been published from 2016 until now. The intake of B. licheniformis has been related to the effects of modulation of the intestinal microbiota, antimicrobial activity, growth promotion, anti-inflammatory and immunostimulatory effects, promotion of the regulation of the lipid profile, increase of neurotransmitters, and stress reduction, among others. These results provide novel possible applications of this and other probiotics in general. Although many benefits can be reported on a microorganism, the combination with others could provide a better effect. Further studies like this need to be done to understand the specific advantages of each probiotic and its strains and therefore achieve a better selection of them for a specific disease or disorder., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Ramirez-Olea, Reyes-Ballesteros and Chavez-Santoscoy.)

(1) Background: We aimed to analyze temporal trends in hospitalization and in-hospital mortality (IHM) in patients with sarcoidosis in Spain from 2001−2020. (2) Methods: Using the Spanish National Hospital Discharge Database, we included patients (aged ≥ 20 years) hospitalized with a sarcoidosis code in any diagnostic field. (3) Results: We included 44,195 hospitalizations with sarcoidosis (56.34% women). The proportion of women decreased over time, from 58.76% in 2001 and 2002 to 52.85% in 2019 and 2020 (p < 0.001). The crude rates per 100,000 inhabitants increased by 4.02% per year among women and 5.88% among men. These increments were confirmed using Poisson regression analysis, which yielded an IRR of 1.03; 95% CI 1.01−1.04 for women and 1.04; 95% CI 1.02−1.06 for men. During the study period, no significant sex differences in IHM were recorded. Older age, COVID-19, respiratory failure, and the need for mechanical ventilation were independent predictors of IHM in men and women hospitalized with sarcoidosis, with IHM remaining stable over time. (4) Conclusions: The number of hospital admissions among patients with sarcoidosis in Spain increased threefold from 2001 to 2020. Although the incidence rates were higher in women, the trend followed that the incidence rates between sexes became closer. IHM was similar among men and women, with no significant change over time in either sex after multivariable analysis.

Functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) containing radioactive salts are proposed as a potential system for radioactivity delivery. MWCNTs are loaded with isotopically enriched 152-samarium chloride ( 152 SmCl 3 ), the ends of the MWCNTs are sealed by high temperature treatment, and the encapsulated 152 Sm is neutron activated to radioactive 153 Sm. The external walls of the radioactive nanocapsules are functionalized through arylation reaction, to introduce hydrophilic chains and increase the water dispersibility of CNTs. The organ biodistribution profiles of the nanocapsules up to 24 h are assessed in naïve mice and different tumor models in vivo . By quantitative γ-counting, 153 SmCl 3 @MWCNTs-NH 2 exhibite high accumulation in organs without leakage of the internal radioactive material to the bloodstream. In the treated mice, highest uptake is detected in the lung followed by the liver and spleen. Presence of tumors in brain or lung does not increase percentage accumulation of 153 SmCl 3 @MWCNTs-NH 2 in the respective organs, suggesting the absence of the enhanced permeation and retention effect. This study presents a chemical functionalization protocol that is rapid (∼one hour) and can be applied to filled radioactive multi-walled carbon nanocapsules to improve their water dispersibility for systemic administration for their use in targeted radiotherapy.

Copper selenide-sulfide nanostructures were synthesized using metal-organic chemical routes in the presence of Cu- and Se-precursors as well as S-containing compounds. Our goal was first to examine if the initial Cu/Se 1:1 molar proportion in the starting reagents would always lead to equiatomic composition in the final product, depending on other synthesis parameters which affect the reagents reactivity. Such reaction conditions were the types of precursors, surfactants and other reagents, as well as the synthesis temperature. The use of 'hot-injection' processes was avoided, focusing on 'non-injection' ones; that is, only heat-up protocols were employed, which have the advantage of simple operation and scalability. All reagents were mixed at room temperature followed by further heating to a selected high temperature. It was found that for samples with particles of bigger size and anisotropic shape the CuSe composition was favored, whereas particles with smaller size and spherical shape possessed a Cu 2-x Se phase, especially when no sulfur was present. Apart from elemental Se, Al 2 Se 3 was used as an efficient selenium source for the first time for the acquisition of copper selenide nanostructures. The use of dodecanethiol in the presence of trioctylphosphine and elemental Se promoted the incorporation of sulfur in the materials crystal lattice, leading to Cu-Se-S compositions. A variety of techniques were used to characterize the formed nanomaterials such as XRD, TEM, HRTEM, STEM-EDX, AFM and UV-Vis-NIR. Promising results, especially for thin anisotropic nanoplates for use as electrocatalysts in nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR), were obtained.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), owing to their high surface area-to-volume ratio and hollow core, can be employed as hosts for adsorbed and/or encapsulated molecules. At high temperatures, the ends of CNTs close spontaneously, which is relevant for several applications, including catalysis, gas storage, and biomedical imaging and therapy. This study highlights the influence of the annealing temperature in the range between 400 and 1100 °C on the structure and morphology of single-walled CNTs. The nitrogen adsorption and density functional theory calculations indicate that the fraction of end-closed CNTs increases with temperature. Raman spectroscopy reveals that the thermal treatment does not alter the tubular structure. Insight is also provided into the efficacy of CNTs filling from the molten phase, depending on the annealing temperature. The CNTs are filled with europium (III) chloride and analyzed by using electron microscopy (scanning electron microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, confirming the presence of filling and closed ends. The filling yield increases with temperature, as determined by thermogravimetric analysis. The obtained results show that the apparent surface area of CNTs, fraction of closed ends, and amount of encapsulated payload can be tailored via annealing.

(1) Background: To assess sex differences in the incidence, characteristics, procedures and outcomes of patients admitted with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF); and to analyze variables associated with in-hospital mortality (IHM). (2) Methods: We analyzed data collected by the Spanish National Hospital Discharge Database, 2016-2019. (3) Results: We identified 13,278 hospital discharges (66.4% men) of IPF (primary diagnosis 32.33%; secondary diagnosis: 67.67%). Regardless of the diagnosis position, IPF incidence was higher among men than women, increasing with age. Men had 2.74 times higher IPF incidence than women. Comorbidity was higher for men in either primary or secondary diagnosis. After matching, men had higher prevalence of pulmonary embolism and pneumonia, and women of congestive heart failure, dementia, rheumatoid disease and pulmonary hypertension. Invasive ventilation, bronchoscopy and lung transplantation were received more often by men than women. IHM was higher among men with IPF as primary diagnosis than among women and increased with age in both sexes and among those who suffered cancer, pneumonia or required mechanical ventilation. (4) Conclusions: Incidence of IPF was higher among men than women, as well as comorbidity and use of bronchoscopy, ventilation and lung transplantation. IHM was worse among men than women with IPF as primary diagnosis, increasing with age, cancer, pneumonia or mechanical ventilation use.

The facile and controlled fabrication of homogeneously grafted cationic polymers on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) remains poorly investigated, which further hinders the understanding of interactions between functionalized CNTs with different nucleic acids and the rational design of appropriate gene delivery vehicles. Herein, we describe the controlled grafting of cationic poly(2-dimethylaminoethylmethacrylate) brushes on CNTs via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization integrated with mussel-inspired polydopamine chemistry. The binding of nucleic acids with different brush-CNT hybrids discloses the highly architectural-dependent behavior with dense short brush-coated CNTs displaying the highest binding among all the other hybrids, namely, dense long, sparse long, and sparse short brush-coated CNTs. Additionally, different chemistries of the brush coatings were shown to influence the biocompatibility, cellular uptake, and silencing efficiency in vitro . This platform provides great flexibility for the design of polymer brush-CNT hybrids with precise control over their structure-activity relationship for the rational design of nucleic acid delivery systems.

Engineered small graphene oxide (s-GO) sheets were previously shown to reversibly down-regulate glutamatergic synapses in the hippocampus of juvenile rats, disclosing an unexpected translational potential of these nanomaterials to target selective synapses in vivo. Synapses are anatomical specializations acting in the Central Nervous System (CNS) as functional interfaces among neurons. Dynamic changes in synaptic function, named synaptic plasticity, are crucial to learning and memory. More recently, pathological mechanisms involving dysfunctional synaptic plasticity were implicated in several brain diseases, from dementia to anxiety disorders. Hyper-excitability of glutamatergic neurons in the lateral nucleus of the amygdala complex (LA) is substantially involved in the storage of aversive memory induced by stressful events enabling post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Here we translated in PTSD animal model the ability of s-GO, when stereotaxically administered to hamper LA glutamatergic transmission and to prevent the behavioral response featured in long-term aversive memory. We propose that s-GO, by interference with glutamatergic plasticity, impair LA-dependent memory retrieval related to PTSD., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Gas-phase reactions in the interstellar medium (ISM) are a source of molecules in this environment. The knowledge of the rate coefficient for neutral-neutral reactions as a function of temperature, k(T), is essential to improve astrochemical models. In this work, we have experimentally measured k(T) for the reaction between the OH radical and acetaldehyde, both present in many sources of the ISM. Laser techniques coupled to a CRESU system were used to perform the kinetic measurements. The obtained modified Arrhenius equation is k(T = 11.7-177.5 K) = (1.2 ± 0.2) × 10-11 (T/300 K)-(1.8±0.1) exp-{(28.7 ± 2.5)/T} cm3 molecule-1 s-1. The k(T) value of the title reaction has been measured for the first time below 60 K. No pressure dependence of k(T) was observed at ca. 21, 50, 64 and 106 K. Finally, a pure gas-phase model indicates that the title reaction could become the main CH3CO formation pathway in dark molecular clouds, assuming that CH3CO is the main reaction product at 10 K.