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This study discusses the choice of dehumidification systems for high-moisture indoor environments, such as indoor swimming pools, supported by an eco-energetic performance comparison. Initially, the causes of the high relative humidity and condensation in these spaces are reported, as well as the available dehumidification technologies. Two different solutions are described: desiccant wheel dehumidification and re-cooling. The energy demand required by a refrigeration system is lower than the desiccant wheel; however, the former system requires less maintenance and does not require refrigerant fluid. An eco-energetic comparison is performed between the two systems in two countries with different energy matrices (Brazil and USA). In Brazil, the desiccant wheel is the best choice for the past 10 years, with a predicted 351,520 kgCO2 of CO2 emissions, which is 38% lower than the refrigeration system. In the USA, the best option is the refrigeration system (1,463,350 kgCO2), a 12% more efficient option than desiccant wheels. This model can be considered for energy and CO2 emissions assessment, predicting which system has better energy efficiency and lower environmental impact, depending on the refrigerant type, location and environmental conditions.

A 3D graphene foam made of interconnected multilayer graphene flakes was produced on optical fibres (OF) by laser-induced transformation of a polyimide (PI) film coated on the OF cladding. This material, known as laser-induced graphene (LIG), was explored in the electrochemical detection and quantification of dopamine (DA) at physiologically relevant concentrations in the presence of the most relevant interfering molecules in biological fluids, ascorbic acid (AA) and uric acid (UA). The measured limit of detection is 100 nM, the linear range is 0.1 to 5.0 μM and a maximum sensitivity of 5.0 µA µM−1 cm−2 was obtained for LIG decorated with Pt nanoparticles (NPs). Moreover, immunity to AA and UA interference and to fouling was attained by decorating the LIG electrode with Pt NPs and coating it with Nafion. These figures of merit underline the potential of these sensors for the quantification of physiologically relevant concentrations of DA in biological fluids, paving the way for the development of hybrid electrochemical/optical sensing actuating platforms in a lab-on-fibre configuration, with relevant applications in biomedical engineering. The advantages of this hybrid arrangement include the possibility of in situ counterproofing, extended measuring ranges, photoelectrochemical detection and the probing of inaccessible places. This elegant approach can also provide a simple and cost-effective way to fabricate biomedical devices with extended functionality, such as medical optical probes with added electrochemical capabilities and optogenetics combined with local electrochemical detection, among others.

The mushroom market has seen accelerated growth in today’s world. Despite advances in technology, harvesting is a more artisanal procedure. Countries such as Portugal and Brazil are not self-sufficient in mushroom production. Among the difficulties in the production of mushrooms is the question of acclimatization using temperature and relative humidity control. An experimental study was conducted. Energy analyzers were placed in the lighting, acclimatization, and water pumping system to produce 2200 kg of mushrooms in an acclimatized shed with an area of 100 m2. Energy consumptions of 48 kWh for lighting, 1575 kWh for air conditioning, and 9 kWh for pumping water were determined. A TEWI index of 0.7515 kWh/kg of Paris-type mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) was found. With equipment using R-454 B as a refrigerant, the estimated TEWI using the proposed HVAC equipment model was 0.537 kWh/kg, and CO2 emissions were reduced from 18,219 to 5324.81, a reduction of 70%. Thus, the proposed HVAC equipment model can potentially decrease greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption in mushroom production, making a step towards achieving sustainability and mitigating climate change.

The aviation industry has set an ambitious goal of reducing its climate impacts. Accordingly, airlines must balance their plans according to this goal with financial considerations. We developed a multi-objective framework to facilitate climate-aware network design by incorporating the objective to minimise the flight average temperature response (ATR) when optimising the airline network. We also assessed the operational improvements (OIs) which are introduced to improve sustainability in airline operations. In particular, we considered intermediate stop-overs (ISOs) and lower flight altitudes as OIs in our case studies. We analysed the impact of considering the climate impact in the planning of operations of three different airline types: one main-hub-and-spoke (KLM), one smaller multi-hub airline (TAP), and one low-cost carrier (EasyJet). The results show that airlines could also lower their environmental impact by 10–36% when considering the ATR as an objective. However, this would require an 8–20% reduction in profits. Adopting lower-altitude flying with ISO could mitigate their climate impact by 27–49% while reducing profits by approximately 6%. Our study highlights the importance of considering the airline network as a whole and demonstrates the potential benefits of operational improvements from a network perspective.

It is known that new power transmission line inspection techniques have been developed over the last few years with great potential to improve and, in some cases, even replace traditional inspection procedures such as using helicopters and cars. A series of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) such as fixed-wing or rotary-wing UAVs, and vehicles that climb on the power transmission line, promise to revolutionize the inspection market. In this light, at least 39 new research studies and/or products have been conducted and/or introduced to the market, respectively. However, in an incipient way, some works point to the fusion of some technologies: the development of multi-rotor UAVs and the ability to connect and move over the power transmission line. In line with this, the current work was proposed, with significant unprecedented advances (such as an over-actuated control capacity with tilt rotors, the capability of a displacement in the angle, and the maintenance of active motors on the power transmission line), and the design, modeling, and control of an over-actuated UAV able to move over the conductor cable without the need for a new locomotion system is presented. The aircraft allows for a greater response and the indispensable ability to approximate landing in a power transmission line arbitrary position rather than the catenary lowest point (due to its ability to forward/backward move using the tilting rotors). Its design is detailed, its subsystems are described, and its normal and coupled flight mode dynamics are modeled. The results show good stability and reliable maneuvers for the coupling-to-power-transmission-line flight mode, without any overshoots, and the ability to follow the entire catenary through different Real Control Action (RCA) sets.

Understanding and regulating DNA interactions with solvents and redox-active centers opens up new possibilities for improving electrochemical signals and developing adequate biosensors. This work reports the development of a modified indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of graphene for the detection of double-stranded DNA. The modified electrode shows a better electrical conductivity than ITO, as confirmed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), where a drastic decrease in the charge–transfer resistance, Rct, from ~320 to ~60 Ω was observed. Sequences of double-stranded genomic DNA with a different number of base pairs are evaluated through differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), using ferri/ferrocyanide ([Fe(CN)6]3−/4−) as a mediator in the solution. Variations in the electrochemical response of the [Fe(CN)6]3−/4− probe are observed after introducing redox inactive double-stranded DNA ions. The redox-active [Fe(CN)6]3−/4− probe serves as a scaffold to bring DNA into the graphene-modified ITO electrode surface, provoking an increase in the current and a change in the potential when the number of base pairs increases. These results are confirmed by EIS, which shows a variation in the Rct. The calibration of DPV intensity and Rct vs. DNA base pairs (bps) number were linear in the 495–607 bps range. The proposed method could replace the nucleic acid gel electrophoresis technique to determine the presence of a DNA fragment and quantify its size.

Loyalty platforms are designed to increase customer loyalty and thus increase consumers’ attraction to purchase. Although successful in increasing brand reach and sales, these platforms fail to meet their primary objective due to a lack of incentives and encouragement for customers to return. Along with the problem in originating sales, they bring excessive costs to brands due to the maintenance and infrastructure required to make the systems feasible. In that sense, recent blockchain technology can help to overcome some of these problems, providing capabilities such as smart contracts, which have the potential to reinvent the way loyalty systems work and solve current problems. Although blockchain is a relatively new technology, some brands are already investigating its usefulness and rebuilding their loyalty systems. However, these platforms are independent and linked directly to a brand. Thus, there is a need for a generic platform capable of creating and managing different loyalty programs, regardless of the size of the business. This paper explores the shortcomings of current loyalty programs identified through the literature review, and proposes a loyalty management system with blockchain integration that allows any retailer to create and manage their loyalty programs and have customers interact directly with multiple programs in a single application.

The Yang-Mills-aether theory is considered. Implications of the non-Abelian aether-like term, which introduces violation of the Lorentz symmetry, are investigated in a thermal quantum field theory. The thermofield dynamics formalism is used to introduce the temperature effects and spatial compactification. As a consequence, corrections due to the non-Abelian aether term are calculated for the non-Abelian Stefan-Boltzmann law and for the non-Abelian Casimir energy and pressure at zero and finite temperature.

An anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear is a severe sports injury that often occurs in young athletes. Besides the strong cumulative evidence on noncontact ACL tears, the injury mechanism (especially the contribution of external rotation) is still not well understood. The present work aims to evaluate which knee kinetics result in higher ACL stress and strain. A finite element model of the ACL was developed with a detailed geometry; the two distinct bundles (anteromedial and posterolateral) and the surrounding connective tissue were modelled based on medical anatomic measures and images. The model was validated using computational and cadaveric external data. Sixteen simulations were performed using different combinations of moments and axial loads applied to the knee model as boundary conditions. The results demonstrated that the peak stress (11.00 MPa) and strain (0.048) occurred at the midportion of the anteromedial bundle with the higher values being obtained under a combined knee valgus, flexion, tibial external rotation and high axial load. Anterior load showed low sensitivity in ACL stress and strain peaks. The tibial external rotation showed a higher contribution to the peak ACL stress and strain as compared to internal rotation. These results reinforce the role of axial load and highlight the importance of external rotation on ACL stress and strain, which may be suggestive of the ACL tear mechanism. The role of external rotation is often neglected and should be further explored in future cadaveric and experimental studies. The findings of this study provide data-driven insights to optimize the indications for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of ACL injuries in clinical practice and contribute to raising awareness of the injury mechanism among all relevant stakeholders.

This work proposes a high-performance asymmetric gold/graphene/platinum photodetector. The new photodetector, operating without bias, integrates interdigitated 100 nm spaced metallic contacts that induce a built-in potential and a short carrier path, allowing an improvement in the separation and collection of the photocarriers. A chemical vapor deposition graphene layer is transferred onto the interdigitated electrodes elaborated using high-resolution electron-beam lithography. Three devices with different side dimensions (100, 1000, and 3000 µm) are fabricated, and their photoresponsivities are evaluated at different wavelengths. The 100 µm device shows the highest photoresponsivity of 358 A/W at a 400 nm illumination. These promising results confirm the proposed design’s ability to increase the photodetector’s active area, improve light absorption, and achieve high separation and collection of photogenerated carriers. This makes it of great interest for optoelectronic applications.

The wetting behavior of ionic liquids (ILs) on the mesoscopic scale considerably impacts a wide range of scientific fields and technologies. Particularly under vacuum conditions, these materials exhibit unique characteristics. This work explores the effect of the deposition rate and substrate temperature on the nucleation, droplet formation, and droplet spreading of ILs films obtained by thermal evaporation. Four ILs were studied, encompassing an alkylimidazolium cation (CnC1im) and either bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (NTf2) or the triflate (OTf) as the anion. Each IL sample was simultaneously deposited on surfaces of indium tin oxide (ITO) and silver (Ag). The mass flow rate was reproducibly controlled using a Knudsen cell as an evaporation source, and the film morphology (micro- and nanodroplets) was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The wettability of the substrates by the ILs was notably affected by changes in mass flow rate and substrate temperature. Specifically, the results indicated that an increase in the deposition rate and/or substrate temperature intensified the droplet coalescence of [C2C1im][NTf2] and [C2C1im][OTf] on ITO surfaces. Conversely, a smaller impact was observed on the Ag surface due to the strong adhesion between the ILs and the metallic film. Furthermore, modifying the deposition parameters resulted in a noticeable differentiation in the droplet morphology obtained for [C8C1im][NTf2] and [C8C1im][OTf]. Nevertheless, droplets from long-chain ILs deposited on ITO surfaces showed intensified coalescence, regardless of the deposition rate or substrate temperature.

Block copolymer micelles (BCMs) can be used to improve the solubility of lipophilic drugs and increase their circulation half-life. Hence, BCMs assembled from MePEG-b-PCL were evaluated as drug delivery systems of gold(III) bis(dithiolene) complexes (herein AuS and AuSe) to be employed as antiplasmodial drugs. These complexes exhibited remarkable antiplasmodial activity against liver stages of the Plasmodium berghei parasite, and low toxicity in a model of zebrafish embryos. To improve the complexes’ solubility, BCMs were loaded with AuS, AuSe, and the reference drug primaquine (PQ). PQ-BCMs (Dh = 50.9 ± 2.8 nm), AuSe-BCMs (Dh = 87.1 ± 9.7 nm), and AuS-BCMs (Dh = 72.8 ± 3.1 nm) were obtained with a loading efficiency of 82.5%, 55.5%, and 77.4%, respectively. HPLC analysis and UV–Vis spectrophotometry showed that the compounds did not suffer degradation after encapsulation in BCMs. In vitro release studies suggest that AuS/AuSe-BCMs present a more controlled release compared with PQ-loaded BCMs. The antiplasmodial hepatic activity of the drugs was assessed in vitro and results indicate that both complexes present higher inhibitory activity than PQ, although encapsulated AuS and AuSe presented lower activity than their non-encapsulated counterparts. Nevertheless, these results suggest that the use of BCMs as delivery vehicles for lipophilic metallodrugs, particularly AuS and AuSe, could enable the controlled release of complexes and improve their biocompatibility, constituting a promising alternative to conventional antimalarial treatments.

This work reports the formation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by sputter deposition in thin films of three different ionic liquids (ILs) with the same anion (bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide) and cation (imidazolium), but with different alkyl chain lengths and symmetries in the cationic moiety ([C4C1im][NTf2], [C2C2im][NTf2], and [C5C5im][NTf2]). Ionic liquid (IL) films in the form of microdroplets with different thicknesses (200 to 800 monolayers) were obtained through vacuum thermal evaporation onto glass substrates coated with indium tin oxide (ITO). The sputtering process of the Ag onto the ILs when conducted simultaneously with argon plasma promoted the coalescence of the ILs’ droplets and the formation, incorporation, and stabilization of the metallic nanoparticles in the coalesced IL films. The formation/stabilization of the AgNPs in the IL films was confirmed using high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and UV-Vis spectroscopy. It was found that the IL films with larger thicknesses (600 and 800 monolayers) were better media for the formation of AgNPs. Among the ILs used, [C5C5im][NTf2] was found to be particularly promising for the stabilization of AgNPs. The use of larger IL droplets as capture media was found to promote a better stabilization of the AgNPs, thereby reducing their tendency to aggregate.

Tolerance to harsh environmental conditions, high growth rates and an amino acid profile adequate for human consumption are beneficial features observed in Dunaliella viridis TAV01, a novel strain isolated from a salt pond in the Algarve, Portugal. TAV01 was identified down to the species level by maximum likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses of the ribosomal internal transcribed spacers one and two regions (ITS1 and ITS-2) and was supported by ITS2 secondary structure analysis. The biochemical profile revealed high protein (35.7 g 100 g−1 DW; 65% higher than the minimum recommended by the World Health Organization) and lipid contents (21.3 g 100 g−1 DW), a relatively higher proportion of the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), α-linolenic (26.3% of total fatty acids (TFA)) and linoleic acids (22.8% of TFA), compared to those of other Dunaliella strains, and a balanced essential amino acids profile containing significant levels of leucine, phenylalanine, valine, and threonine. The major carotenoid was lutein, making up over 85% of total carotenoids. The presence of high-quality natural products in D. viridis TAV01 offers the possibility of using this new strain as a valuable biological resource for novel feed or food products as ingredients or supplements.

There is a significant push to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and develop low-cost fuels from renewable sources to replace fossil fuels in applications such as energy production. As a result, CO2 conversion has gained widespread attention as it can reduce the accumulation of CO2 in the atmosphere and produce fuels and valuable industrial chemicals, including carbon monoxide, alcohols, and hydrocarbons. At the same time, finding ways to store energy in batteries or energy carriers such as hydrogen (H2) is essential. Water electrolysis is a powerful technology for producing high-purity H2, with negligible emission of greenhouse gases, and compatibility with renewable energy sources. Additionally, the electrolysis of organic compounds, such as lignin, is a promising method for localised H2 production, as it requires lower cell voltages than conventional water electrolysis. Industrial wastewater can be employed in those organic electrolysis systems due to their high organic content, decreasing industrial pollution through wastewater disposal. Electrocoagulation, indirect electrochemical oxidation, anodic oxidation, and electro-Fenton are effective electrochemical methods for treating industrial wastewater. Furthermore, bioenergy technology possesses a remarkable potential for producing H2 and other value-added chemicals (e.g., methane, formic acid, hydrogen peroxide), along with wastewater treatment. This paper comprehensively reviews these approaches by analysing the literature in the period 2012–2022, pointing out the high potential of using electrolytic cells for energy and environmental applications.

Gold(III) bisdithiolate complexes have been reported as potential antimicrobial and antitumoral agents. The complex [Au(cdc)2]− (cdc=cyanodithioimido carbonate) displayed antimicrobial and outstanding antitumor activity against the ovarian cancer cells A2780 and A2780cisR, which are sensitive and resistant to cisplatin, respectively. However, poor water solubility may hamper its clinical use. Block copolymer micelles (BCMs) may solubilize hydrophobic drugs, improving their bioavailability and circulation time in blood. Aiming to provide water solubility, prolonged availability, and enhanced therapeutic indexes, BCMs loaded with [Au(cdc)2]− were synthesized and characterized. The BCM-[Au(cdc)2] micelles were prepared with a loading efficiency of 64.6% and a loading content of 35.3 mg [Au(cdc)2]−/gBCM. A hydrodynamic diameter of 77.31 ± 27.00 nm and a low polydispersity index of 0.18 indicated that the micelles were homogenous and good candidates for drug delivery. Cytotoxic activity studies against A2780/A2780cisR cells showed that BCM-[Au(cdc)2] maintained relevant cytotoxic activity comparable to the cytotoxicity observed for the same concentration of gold complexes. The Au uptake in A2780 cells, determined by PIXE, was ca. 17% higher for BCMs-[Au(cdc)2] compared to [Au(cdc)2]−. The BCMs-[Au(cdc)2] presented antimicrobial activity against S. aureus Newman and C. glabrata CBS138. These results evidenced the potential of BCM-[Au(cdc)2] for drug delivery and its promising anticancer and antimicrobial activities.

Learning to eat complementary foods is a crucial milestone for infants, having implications across development. The most used method for introducing complementary foods is Traditional Spoon-Feeding (TSF). However, the alternative method Baby-Led Weaning (BLW) is increasingly becoming used as it has been associated with positive outcomes. Research analyzing associations between complementary feeding methods and responsive parenting is practically non-existent. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyze differences in emotional and feeding responsiveness between caregivers who previously implemented traditional vs. non-traditional feeding approaches. Caregivers (mostly mothers) of 179 children between 3 and 5 years were asked about the complementary feeding method that they had followed previously (70.4% reported using the TSF, 16.8% said they used the BLW and 12.8% used both methods simultaneously). In addition, they reported on their feeding practices using the Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire and on their responses to children’s distress using the Coping with Children’s Negative Emotions Scale. The results showed that parents who reported using a non-traditional (BLW or both) complementary feeding method reported less pressure to eat and minimization of reactions to children’s negative emotions, compared to parents who used a traditional method (although these reported using more problem-focused reactions). The findings suggest that complementary feeding methods and responsive parenting may be linked, leaving the question of which one sets the stage for the other.

Condition-based maintenance (CBM) scheduling of an aircraft fleet in a disruptive environment while considering health prognostics for a set of systems is a very complex combinatorial problem, which is becoming more challenging in light of the uncertainty included in health prognostics. This type of problem falls under the broad category of resource-constrained scheduling problems under uncertainty and is often solved using a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) formulation. While a MILP framework is very promising, the problem size can scale exponentially with the number of considered aircraft and considered tasks, leading to significantly high computational costs. The most recent advances in artificial intelligence have demonstrated the capability of deep reinforcement learning (DRL) algorithms to alleviate this curse of dimensionality, as once the DRL agent is trained, it can achieve real-time optimization of the maintenance schedule. However, there is no guarantee of optimality. These comparative merits of a MILP and a DRL formulation for the aircraft fleet maintenance scheduling problem have not been discussed in the literature. This study is a response to this research gap. We conduct a comparison of a MILP and a DRL scheduling model, which are used to derive the optimal maintenance schedule for various maintenance scenarios for aircraft fleets of different sizes in a disruptive environment, while considering health prognostics and the available resources for the execution of each task. The quality of solutions is evaluated on the basis of four planning objectives, defined according to real airline practice. The results show that the DRL approach achieves better results with respect to scheduling of prognostics-driven tasks and requires less computational time, whereas the MILP model produces more stable maintenance schedules and induces less maintenance ground time. Overall, the comparison provides valuable insights for the integration of health prognostics in airline maintenance practice.

Towards the end of 2019 in Wuhan, suspicions of a new dangerous virus circulating in the air began to arise. It was the start of the world pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Since then, considerable research data and review papers about this virus have been published. Hundreds of researchers have shared their work in order to achieve a better comprehension of this disease, all with the common goal of overcoming this pandemic. The coronavirus is structurally similar to influenza A. Both are RNA viruses and normally associated with comparable infection symptoms. In this review, different case studies targeting polymeric materials were appraised to highlight them as an indispensable tool to fight these RNA viruses. In particular, the main focus was how polymeric materials, and their versatile features could be applied in different stages of viral disease, i.e., in protection, detection and treatment.

ZnMn2O4 spinels are prepared by a simple hydrothermal route with control of the reaction time, ranging from 6 h to 18 h. The evolution of the structural and morphological parameters under the effect of time was analyzed by XRD, ATR-FTIR, XPS, and SEM-EDS. The XRD results show that for longer reaction times (18 h), the ZnMn2O4 spinel samples present a tetragonal structure with high crystallinity and an average crystallite size of 32.3 ± 1.7 nm, larger than those obtained for 6 h and 12 h. The ATR-FTIR spectra confirm the structural results, with well-defined peaks related to stretching vibrations of M-O (M = Zn, Mn) functional groups. XPS reveals the co-existence of several metal oxides and hydroxides at the outermost surface. SEM analysis shows that the samples present a pyramid morphology, better defined at 18 h, with an average particle size of 6.2 ± 1.5 µm. EDS analysis of ZnMn2O4 (18 h) reveals atomic ratios of 0.45, 0.22, and 0.50 for Zn/Mn, Zn/O, and Mn/O, respectively, in good agreement with the expected values. Based on the CVs, the synthesized ZnMn2O4 samples formed at 18 h showed the most promising electrochemical properties, with a specific capacity of 102 F g−1, offering great potential in supercapacitor applications.

Current chemotherapy of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is based on repeated systemic or intralesional administration of drugs that often cause severe toxicity. Previously, we demonstrated the therapeutic potential of biodegradable poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microparticles (MPs) loaded with 8% of the nitrochalcone CH8 (CH8/PLGA) prepared by a conventional bench method. Aiming at an industrially scalable process and increased drug loading, new MPs were prepared by spray drying: CH8/PDE with PLGA matrix and CH8/PVDE with PLGA + polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) matrix, both with narrower size distribution and higher drug loading (18%) than CH8/PLGA. Animal studies were conducted to evaluate their clinical feasibility. Both MP types induced transient local swelling and inflammation, peaking at 1–2 days, following a single intralesional injection. Different from CH8/PDE that released 90% of the drug in the ear tissue in 60 days, CH8/PVDE achieved that in 30 days. The therapeutic efficacy of a single intralesional injection was evaluated in BALB/c mice infected with Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis and golden hamsters infected with L. (Viannia) braziliensis. CH8/PVDE promoted greater reduction in parasite burden than CH8/PDE or CH8/PLGA, measured at one month and two months after the treatment. Thus, addition of PVP to PLGA MP matrix accelerates drug release in vivo and increases its therapeutic effect against CL.

Colombia, a privileged country in terms of diversity, availability of natural resources, and geographical location, has set a roadmap for hydrogen as part of the energy transition plan proposed in 2021. To reduce its emissions in the mid-term and foster its economy, hydrogen production should be green and blue, with specific targets set for 2030 for the hydrogen costs and produced quantities. This work compares the state-of-the-art production of blue and green hydrogen and how Colombia is doing in each pathway. A deeper analysis considers the advantages of Colombia’s natural resources, the possible paths the government could follow, and the feedstock’s geographical location for hydrogen production and transportation. Then, one discusses what may be the next steps in terms of policies and developments to succeed in implementing the plan. Overall, it is concluded that green hydrogen could be the faster, more sustainable, and more efficient method to implement in Colombia. However, blue hydrogen could play an essential role if oil and gas companies assess the advantages of carbon dioxide utilization and promote its deployment.

Polyoxometalates (POMs) are polyatomic ions with closed three-dimensional frameworks. Their unique structure contains a large number of redox active sites, making them promising electrocatalysts for electrochemical energy conversion and storage applications. Thus, this paper presents an overview of the use of POMs as electrocatalysts for electrochemical energy conversion and storage devices, such as batteries, supercapacitors, fuel cells, or water electrolyzers. A discussion of the viability of these materials as alternatives to noble metal-based electrocatalysts is made. The current status of these materials to respond to the challenges of converting modern energy systems into more sustainable ones is also envisaged.

Cannabidiol (CBD) has been gaining increased attention in contemporary society but seems to have been little explored in dentistry. This scoping review mapped the scientific and technological scenarios related to the use of CBD in dentistry. Peer-reviewed publications were searched in five international databases, patents were searched in five technological platforms. In total, 11 articles and 13 patents involving CBD in dentistry-related applications were included. The countries contributing to most articles were Brazil (27.3%) and USA (18.2%). The studies involved experiments on animals (63.6%) and/or using bacteria or cells (36.4%), and no clinical study was found. Three different applications of CBD were observed: periodontal therapy (45.4%), aid for bone regeneration (27.3%), and general use in oral therapies (27.3%). Patent inventors were based in China (53.8%) or USA (46.2%). The patent claims were mainly compositions for oral care, tooth whitening, injury repair, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic effects. A total of 76.9% of the patents were filed in association with a company. In general, research suggests that CBD has promising biological properties for applications in dentistry, whereas patents indicate that the current interest of industry relies on compositions for oral care. There appears to be extensive room available for research and technological applications of CBD in dentistry.

Oral tolerance is the active absence of response to food allergens, which involves complex mechanisms in the gut-associated lymphoid tissue. Food allergy results from the disruption of such tolerance or the absence of its establishment in the first place. It follows allergic sensitization with the production of allergen-specific IgE and results from the degranulation of basophils and mast cells on subsequent exposure to the allergen. Oral tolerance induction has been explored in the contexts of prevention and treatment of food allergy. Early introduction of allergenic foods (i.e., egg and peanut) in the diet of infants, before allergic sensitization occurs (i.e., via inflamed skin affected with eczema) has shown to be beneficial. Guidelines have changed to recommend the introduction of these allergenic foods by 6 months of age. For food allergic individuals, oral tolerance induction has been attempted using allergen-specific immunotherapy, which involves the administration of an allergen, modified or not, through various possible routes, including oral, sublingual, epicutaneous, and subcutaneous, with or without concomitant administration of antibody-based biologics. Further research into the immune mechanisms of food allergy and oral tolerance can lead to the identification of novel targets to suppress the food allergic response and reverse the current food allergy epidemic.

Urinary tract infections (UTI) affect community and healthcare patients worldwide and may have different clinical outcomes. We assessed the phylogenetic origin, the presence of 43 virulence factors (VFs) of diarrheagenic and extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli, and the occurrence of hybrid strains among E. coli isolates from 172 outpatients with different types of UTI. Isolates from phylogroup B2 (46%) prevailed, followed by phylogroups A (15.7%) and B1 (12.2%), with similar phylogenetic distribution in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. The most frequent VFs according to their functional category were fimA (94.8%), ompA (83.1%), ompT (63.3%), chuA (57.6%), and vat (22%). Using published molecular criteria, 34.3% and 18.0% of the isolates showed intrinsic virulence and uropathogenic potential, respectively. Two strains carried the eae and escV genes and one the aggR gene, which classified them as hybrid strains. These hybrid strains interacted with renal and bladder cells, reinforcing their uropathogenic potential. The frequency of UPEC strains bearing a more pathogenic potential in the outpatients studied was smaller than reported in other regions. Our data contribute to deepening current knowledge about the mechanisms involved in UTI pathogenesis, especially among hybrid UPEC strains, as these could colonize the host’s intestine, leading to intestinal infections followed by UTI.

ABSTRACT: This paper aimed to describe the main clinico-epidemiological, laboratory, and anatomopathological findings in 10 cattle affected with caudal vena cava thrombosis. The main clinical signs observed were decreased milk production, reduced appetite, apathy, impairment of ruminal motility, cardiorespiratory disorders (tachycardia and tachypnea), epistaxis, hemoptysis, and ascites. Intercurrent diseases such as mastitis, metritis, and phlebitis were verified. The hematological findings were mild anemia, leukocytosis due to neutrophilia with regenerative left shift, and hyperfibrinogenemia. The pathological exams revealed thrombi in the caudal vena cava, hepatomegaly, ascites, liver abscesses, pulmonary edema and emphysema, and abscesses in the lungs. The association of epidemiological information, clinical signs such as respiratory distress, epistaxis or hemoptysis, in addition to anemia and leukocytosis due to neutrophilia, as well as the occurrence of thrombus in the caudal vena cava as pathological findings, are indicative elements of the clinical picture of vena cava thrombosis in cattle. It is reiterated that this disease has an unfavorable prognosis and, when diagnosed, the animal must be culled.

Finite-size effects have been a major and justifiable source of concern for studies of many-body localization, and several works have been dedicated to the subject. In this Letter, however, we discuss yet another crucial problem that has received much less attention, that of the lack of self-averaging and the consequent danger of reducing the number of random realizations as the system size increases. By taking this into account and considering ensembles with a large number of samples for all system sizes analyzed, we find that the generalized dimensions of the eigenstates of the disordered Heisenberg spin-1/2 chain close to the transition point to localization are described remarkably well by an exact analytical expression derived for the noninteracting Fibonacci lattice, thus providing an additional tool for studies of many-body localization.

Motivados por aplicações recentes em computação gráfica, este trabalho apresenta um estudo teórico e computacional de sistemas de difusão-reação baseados no Gradient Vector Flow (GVF), com foco no comportamento do GVF em relação às singularidades do campo inicial. O estudo teórico parte de uma análise local, independente de condições de fronteira. Em seguida, supõe-se condição de fronteira no infinito e usa-se análise de Fourier para estabelecer condições suficientes para preservação do ponto singular. Finalmente, supõe-se um domínio compacto, com geometria retangular, e analisa-se a preservação de um ponto singular em relação à condição de fronteira usando um método de solução de equações diferenciais parciais (EDPs) baseado em wavelets de Haar. Desenvolvemos também uma implementação de um método direto para a equação estacionária do GVF baseado em diferenças finitas (DF) para comparar com a solução tradicional do Euler explícito, no que diz respeito a singularidade. É discutida a influência da vorticidade no problema de interesse usando a função de linhas de corrente e equação de Helmholtz. Nos experimentos computacionais, consideramos duas condições de fronteira, dois tipos de singularidades e os três métodos numéricos (Euler explícito, diferenças finitas para a equação estacionária, e wavelets) para verificar os resultados teóricos obtidos.

AbstractIntroduction There is growing research regarding the influence of intra oral devices over sportive performance [1,2]. There is however an unclear definition of the intermaxillary relation during athletes activity and its influence upon the performance. This theme is absent across the scientific research and should be the starting key point on this kind of study. Our goal is to create and assess an experimental setup to determine the intermaxillary relation in surfers during take off - getting up on the surfboard.Materials and methods Ten male adults free surfers were invited for this study. We applied a standard questionnaire about intermaxillary relation during sports. Two possible setups were tested in terms of distance to capture the masticatory muscles in video of 5 take offs; we used a Cannon®️ 77 D on a tripod first at a distance of 1 m from a white tape placed on the floor perpendicularly to the body of the surfer facing down, where both hands were placed while he was laying on the ground ready for take off. Then we gave them a signal to execute the takeoff and all was recorded on video for posterior slow motion analysis. The exact same procedure was done a second time for a distance of 2 metres. This case series study was approved by the Egas Moniz Ethical Committee and each patient signed previously an informed consent. All the assumptions of the Helsinki Declaration have been fulfilled.Results Comparing the 2 setups, it was unclear, in terms of image analysis, the setup with the 1 m distance, becoming clear, in terms of muscle contraction, the 2 metres distance. Even so, the comparison between the standard questionnaire about intermaxillary relation and the video captured is highly variable and somewhat confusing, presenting some analysis limitations, giving us a clear notion that we need another mean of instrumental analysis about the intermaxillary position of the surfers.Discussion and conclusions It is clear to us the high variability of the intermaxillary position of athletes during take off as the lack of self perception on their practice. It is mandatory to design a setup to have an instrumental analysis like electromyography to confirm masticatory muscle contraction and validate the possible influence or relation between intermaxillary relation and sportive performance.