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Abstract: Optical absorption measurements were made in the temperature range 9–300K on the chalcopyrite semiconductor compound AgGaSe2 and the optical energy gap E G determined as a function of temperature T. In order to obtain the values of E G as a function of T, the Elliot-Toyozawa model [R.J. Elliot, J. Phys. Rev. 108 (1957) 1384; D.D. Sell, P. Lawaets, Phys. Rev. Lett. 26 (1971) 311] was employed to perform the analysis of the optical absorption spectra. The resulting E G vs. T curve was fitted to a semi-empirical model that takes into account both the thermal expansion and the electron–phonon interaction contributions. The results have been used to estimate values of the deformation potentials of the valence and conduction bands of the compound. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Cut-out of the lag screw after fixation of trochanteric fractures with intramedullary devices like the Gamma Locking Nail is a well documented cause of late mechanical failure. Avascular necrosis of the femoral head after trochanteric fractures is an uncommon complication and several causes have been described.As far as we know, the relation of the mechanical failure of fracture fixation and avascular necrosis of the femoral head in trochanteric fractures has never been described.We present a study of six consecutive patients who underwent arthroplasty after cut-out of the lag screw fixation of a trochanteric fracture with Gamma Locking Nail. All six femoral heads were studied histologically and a clinical retrospective study was also performed.In all cases, we found homogeneous avascular necrosis of the femoral head; in all but one, revascularisation was present in every area examined.We suggest that after fixation of these trochanteric fractures with the Gamma Locking Nail, there is a transitory ischaemia, if the revascularisation is not enough to provide a strong support for the lag screw, it may result in late mechanical failure in these fractures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Effects of the addition of low-sucrose concentrations (100–250 g/l) to gellan gels at different concentrations (3, 7.5, and 12 g/l) on compression parameters were studied. True stress and strain values were obtained from compression up to rupture tests and the modulus of deformability from compression up to 10% deformation. True rupture stress and deformability modulus values increased and true rupture strain values decreased with addition of sucrose for the higher gellan concentrations gels (7.5 and 12 g/l), resulting in stronger, firmer and more brittle gels. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Tawera elliptica is a small size (baby) clam with an export fishery in southern Chile. The species is dioecious with external fertilization and without sexual dimorphism. The aim of this work was to optimize broodstock conditioning, induce spawning and describe embryonic development until the early larval stage in a hatchery. Broodstock were conditioned at 3 treatments (with/without sand; water circulation) for 48 days. The clams were fed with a mixed diet of macroalgae, with a daily ration of 250,000 cells/ml. Broodstock response was quantified using condition index and gonad development stages (histological techniques). For spawning induction, physical and biological methods were tested. The best response was achieved in males with physical induction. Histological analysis showed that the water circulation system treatment exhibited the highest percentage of maximum maturity. A fertilization ratio of 500:1 sperm:oocyte was used. The incubation was carried out in 3‐L containers with filtered seawater at 10.7 ± 0.9°C without aeration. Observations, measurements and the duration of each embryonic and larval stage were recorded. The oocyte has a prominent gelatinous layer (= jelly coat) that disappears between the gastrula and trochophore stages. The status of the D‐larval stage was reached at 107 h post fertilization with a mean valve length of 91.4 ± 8.9 µm. This is the first record of the complete embryonic development of this baby clam until the early larval stage and the conditioning in a water circulation system for 48 days are suitable for the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Here, we present the first record of stable colonies of the South American fur seal (Arctocephalus australis), in an area where their presence has never been documented (hereafter distribution gap), as well as an update of the current distribution range of the species in central Chile. Results: A national synoptic aerial census of pinnipeds was performed during the austral summer of 2019 on the Chilean coast. An additional aerial census was conducted in the same area during the austral spring of 2019 as well as a maritime census during the austral summer of 2020. The data showed the presence of South American fur seals in central Chile within their well-known distribution gap. The total abundance was registered in three colonies where fur seals were sighted: one non-breeding colony, Punta Topocalma (summer 2019: mean = 46 ± 3; spring 2019: mean = 9 ± 1); and two breeding colonies, Punta Curaumilla (summer 2019: mean = 595 ± 7; spring 2019: mean = 45 ± 4; summer 2020: mean = 744 ± 5) and Isla Santa María (summer 2019: mean = 246 ± 6). Specifically, we suggest that it is crucial to elucidate the origin of the described settled colonies, and to determine whether there has been an augment in the distribution range from either the northern population, the southern population, or both simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The southern elephant seal (SES), Mirounga leonina, has an estimated abundance of 900,000 individuals and a nearly circumpolar distribution in the Southern Hemisphere. In Chile, the species inhabits three colonies in the Magallanes Region (54°24′S) and the northernmost sightings have been attributed to vagrant individuals. The aim of this study is to reassess the distribution of SES on the Pacific Coast. Censuses were conducted from 2004 to 2017, from 29°02′S to 29°16′S and from 38°22′S to 48°23′S. Data from social media and official landing records were also incorporated to complement the research sightings. A total of 72 SES were sighted in 40 haul-out sites; 42% of the animals were found in haul-out sites shared with the South American sea lion, 4% in wetland haul-out sites, and 54% in other haul-out sites. We recorded a parturition event in the Dallico wetland, at latitude 42°19′S, which establishes the northernmost location of breeding SES in the Pacific Coast. Our data show an increase in the number of adult and immature SESs sighted in middle latitudes during survey years with similar sampling effort (2007-2016). Interestingly, we corroborated the sighting of an adult female for 9 years in the Marine Protected Area Isla Chañaral (29°02′S), evidencing long-term fidelity to foraging regions in nonbreeding ranges of the species. The high productivity in the distribution area, where isolated and protected areas are located, makes these ideal places to find new foraging and resting grounds at middle-low latitude hotspots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The South American sea lion (SASL, Otaria byronia ) is one of the species of pinnipeds that display the strongest level of conflict with fishing activities throughout its distribution range. However, little is known about potential temporal and/or spatial variations in the magnitude and effects of SASL and fishing interactions over an entire year and at different sites simultaneously. This study examines the factors that affect the intensity of the operational interaction between SASL and the artisan gillnet fishery in central Chile. Between 2014 and 2016, a total of 145 hauls at three artisan fishing coves were analyzed. South American sea lion interactions were observed in 82 of the 145 (56.6%) hauls analyzed, most frequently at the coves of San Antonio and El Membrillo. From the examined factors, Predation per Unit Effort increased with the number of SASL, however it decreased both during the summer and with greater distance from the nearest SASL colony. Artisan deterrent systems used by fishermen were found to be inefficient in avoiding the interactions with sea lions. Although the intensity of the interaction has increased in recent years (compared with previous studies in the area), the observed Catch per Unit Effort did not differ significantly during fishing trips with or without interaction, indicating that SASL is not a determining factor in the variation of artisan fishery catches. These results demonstrate that the intensity of interactions is not produced at random but rather it is related to factors that obey biological and ecological aspects of the SASL. These factors should be considered for the development of effective actions to prevent, or at least to reduce the interaction between SASL and artisan fisheries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Antenatal magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) administration has shown to be effective in minimizing cerebral palsy and severe motor dysfunction at the age of 2 years. The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between the magnesium dose delivered to the mother and the magnesium concentration in the neonates. Materials and Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted on neonates of less than 32 weeks' gestation admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of University Hospital Complex of Vigo from December 2012 to July 2015. Comparative analysis of magnesium levels between the groups of neonates exposed to MgSO4 and the control group. Results A total of 118 neonates were included in the study. The mothers of 62 of them had received MgSO4 as a neuroprotective agent. There was a significant correlation between thefull dose of MgSO4 received by the motherand the levels of magnesium in the neonate in the first 24 hours of life (r² = 0.397; p < 0.001). Conclusion The MgSO4 dose received by the mother has a linear relationship with the magnesium levels obtained in neonates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser disdrometersmeasure the particle size distribution (PSD) of hydrometeors through a small cross-sectional (tens of square centimeters) surface. Such a limited area induces a sampling effect in the estimates of the PSD, which translates to error in the reflectivity-rain-rate (Z-R) relationship used for ground radar estimates of rainfall, estimates of kinetic energy of precipitation, and any other hydrometeorological application relying on particle size information. Here, the results of a dedicated experiment to estimate the extent of the effect of limited area sampling of rainfall are presented. Using 14 Parsivel, version 1 (Parsivel-1), disdrometers placed within 6m2, itwas found that the combined area of at least seven disdrometers is required for the estimates to start converging to a stable value. The results can be used to quantify the degree of over-/underestimation of precipitation parameters for a single instrument due to the limited collecting area effect. It has been found that a single disdrometer may underestimate instantaneous rain rate by 70%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Most relevant findings from 374 Tawera elliptica clams examined were intracellular microcolonies of bacteria (IMC) in digestive gland and intestine, and an intraoocytic microsporidian. • Scanning electron images of histological sections of IMC and the Steinhausia- like intraoocytic microsporidian. • No OIE listed pathogens detected. • No disease risks for the cultivation of this clam at actual prevalences and infection intensities. Tawera elliptica (commonly known as "Almeja Juliana", is a venerid clam that inhabits sandy bottoms and is distributed from Valparaíso on the Pacific coast up to the Mar del Plata area along the Atlantic coast. Harvests of this clam have declined substantially over the last decade. Therefore, an analysis of common parasites and pathological conditions of this clam was undertaken along with histopathology. Monthly samples were prepared for routine histology for examination under light and electron microscopy. T. elliptica has a sex ratio of 1:1 and the relationship between the shell length and the wet tissue weight is not significantly different between females and males. The maximum values for de condition index and meat yield were found during the austral winter. The following parasites (and their overall prevalence) were detected: intracellular microcolonies of bacteria in digestive gland (22.9%), intestinal epithelium (9.3%) and gills (3.17%), an unidentified cyst in gills (59,3%), a Steinhausia -like intraoocytic microsporidian (5.2%), Gregarine spores (41.3%), ciliated protozoa (16.7%), two metazoa, a Paravortex like flatworm (4.3%), and a digenean trematode (8%). The monthly mean intensity of the most relevant parasites was between 2.3 and 35.6 for digestive gland intracellular microcolonies of bacteria (IMC), 0–5.1 for intestinal epithelium IMC, 0–2 for branchial IMC and 0 – 48 for intraoocytic microsporidium. The prevalence and the infection intensity were low-to very low, and no World Organisation for Animal Health OIE listed parasite was detected. It is concluded that this is a healthy clam, and no disease risks for the cultivation are visualized at present. However, IMC at high prevalence and intensities of infection could be potentially impactful, and the intraoocytic microsporidian could jeopardize reproduction if present in high intensities of infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seeds of the clam Mulinia edulis produced in a hatchery were grown in bottom cages in the subtidal zone of Tongoy Bay (northern Chile) and in the intertidal zone of Chullec (Chiloé Island, southern Chile), to compare the growth and survival of small and large seeds of the same production in different environments and latitudes. Seeds were shipped twice to Chullec, once in summer and once in winter. Previous experiments with seed transportation (14.2 ± 2.4 mm) showed that they are able to survive more than 24 h out of water. The growth rate of both large and small seeds was greater in Tongoy than in Chullec, reaching maxima of 1.24 mm month-1 in the small seeds of Tongoy and 1.06 mm month-1 in the same group in Chullec. The growth rates obtained for M. edulis were similar to those described for other cultured clams. Seeds grown in Chullec presented a significantly greater weight by size than the seeds grown in Tongoy. Survival after 12 months was 38% and 88% in Tongoy and 19.4% and 37.3% in Chullec for small and large seeds, respectively. Seeds produced in hatcheries are able to withstand long travel (1,360 km) and grow in the intertidal zone of southern Chile, where the operation of the culture is simple and cheap. The growth curve presents an inflection point around 20 mm length, probably related to the age at sexual maturity. Growing out seeds in the intertidal zone in southern Chile is seen as a new activity for artisanal fishermen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoarthritis (OA) is largely considered to be a non-inflammatory disease, although there is compelling evidence that subclinical inflammation is a common event, even in the absence of acute inflammatory flares. In this study we analyze, by means of CD5 and CD69 expression, the infiltration and early activation of CD5+cells, mostly lymphocytes, in both synovial membrane and synovial fluid from advanced OA patients and compare them with samples from patients with rheumatoid arthritis and healthy controls. The number of infiltrating CD5+ cells in both synovial membrane and synovial fluid from patients with advanced OA was significantly reduced as compared with rheumatoid arthritis patients. However, synovial membrane and synovial fluid CD5+ cells on OA exhibited a phenotype with evidence of recent activation comparable to that observed in RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biostimulation and precision irrigation are strategies that increase the sustainability of agriculture, and both have been widely studied in table grapes, but their interaction is a new approach for viticulture. The objective of this field trial was to assess the physiological effects of water deficit on table grapes pretreated for two consecutive years with five different biostimulation programs. Therefore, during the first year, vines were preconditioned with biostimulants composed of microorganisms, seaweed, and plant extracts and compared to an untreated control. During the second year, the same biostimulation treatments were evaluated under two different irrigation schedules: (i) farmer irrigation (FI), according to a farmer's criteria; and (ii) a deficit irrigation program, precision irrigation (PI), in which irrigation water was reduced from the post-veraison period to harvest, setting a threshold for allowable soil water depletion of 10% with respect to field capacity in order to minimize water leaching. The water inputs in the treatments under PI were reduced by 30% with respect to the FI treatment. While the deficit irrigation treatment clearly affected the plant water status indicators, biostimulation enhanced the root colonization by mycorrhizae and showed a trend of increased new root density. The combined effect of biostimulation and PI was shown to be an efficient strategy for optimizing the available resources, promoting the yield precocity.

Background: Breast milk is the optimal source of nutrition for infants but can also expose them to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), among other environmental contaminants., Aim: To determine concentrations of non-persistent phenolic EDCs (three bisphenols, four parabens [PBs], and six benzophenones [BPs]), in colostrum samples from Panamanian mothers and to examine associated reproductive, sociodemographic, and life-style factors., Methods: Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction was used to measure concentrations of bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol F (BPF), bisphenol S (BPS), methyl- (MeP), ethyl- (EtP), propyl- (n-PrP), and butyl-paraben (n-BuP), and benzophenones BP-1, BP-2, BP-3, BP-6, BP-8, and 4-hydroxy-BP in colostrum milk samples from 36 mothers. An ad hoc questionnaire was used to collect data on potential influentially variables, and multiple linear and logistic regression analyses were conducted., Results: Two or more tested EDCs were detected in 36 colostrum samples (100 %), at least four in 14 samples (38.9 %), and at least six in 4 samples (11.1 %). The most frequently detected compounds were BPA (91.7 %), BP-8 (63.9 %), MeP (47.2 %), and BPF (41.7 %). The median concentration was 3.45 ng/mL for BP-8 and 1.37 ng/mL for BPA. No concentrations of n-PrP, BP-1, BP-6, or 4-hydroxy-BP were detected. Associations were observed between phenolic EDC concentrations and maternal place of residence, consumption frequency of poultry, fish, fresh cheese, fruit, yogurt and chocolate, intake of nutritional supplements, and application of some personal care products., Conclusions: Bisphenols, parabens, and benzophenones were widely present in colostrum milk samples from Panamanian women. Preventive measures are needed to maximize the benefits of breastfeeding., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Bocconia arborea S. Watson (Papaveraceae) is an abundant medicinal plant in the North of Morelos State, Mexico, which is used for the treatment of several diseases. The aim of current investigation was to isolate the compounds responsible of the relaxant effect shown by the active extracts. Thus, phytochemical bio-guided fractionation allowed the isolation of angoline (1), dihydrosanguinarine (2), bocconarborine A (3), oxisanguinarine (4), and oxychelerithrine (5) from dichloromethanic and methanolic extracts from the bark of Bocconia arborea (Papaveraceae). The relaxant study on aortic and tracheal rat rings of all benzophenanthridines indicates that 1 was the most active compound of the entire series investigated. Angoline (1) induces its relaxant effect by a concentration-dependent manner through the calcium channel blockade in both tissues., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Early life environments can have long-lasting effects on adult reproductive performance, but disentangling the influence of early and adult life environments on fitness is challenging, especially for long-lived species. Using a detailed dataset spanning over two centuries, we studied how both early and adult life environments impacted reproductive performance in preindustrial women. Due to a wide geographic range, agricultural production was lower in northern compared to southern parishes, and health conditions were worse in urban than rural parishes. We tested whether reproductive traits and offspring survival varied between early and adult life environments by comparing women who moved between different environments during their lifetime with those who moved parishes but remained in the same environment. Our findings reveal that urban-born women had an earlier age at first reproduction and less offspring surviving to adulthood than rural-born women. Moreover, switching from urban to rural led to increased offspring survival, while switching from rural to urban had the opposite effect. Finally, women who switched from rural to urban and from South to North had their first child at an older age compared to those who stayed in the same environment type. Our study underscores the complex and interactive effects of early and adult life environments on reproductive traits, highlighting the need to consider both when studying environmental effects on reproductive outcomes., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Colejo-Durán et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Snow poles are inexpensive systems composed of a wooden mast with temperature sensors affixed at varying heights with the purpose of estimating the snow depth. They are frequently utilised in cold, remote regions where the maintenance of complex monitoring instruments becomes impractical. In this study, snow cover thickness is determined using different methods, based on the thermal behaviour of air temperature measured by a snow pole on Deception Island, Antarctica. The methods are compared to high-resolution measurements of snow depth obtained using an ultrasonic sensor at the same site. A new modified method is proposed and shown to give the best results. Errors and sensitivity to chosen thresholds of the various methods have been compared. Sensitivity tests have been also conducted to evaluate the impact of missing data from some of the sensors. Finally, the insulating effect on the thermal signal produced by the snow is used to obtain information on the snowpack density. Promising results have been found from this effort, opening new possibilities for the usage of snow poles and may lead to future studies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Despite the symmetrical structure of nucleosomes, in vitro studies have shown that transcription proceeds with different efficiency depending on the orientation of the DNA sequence around them. However, it is unclear whether this functional asymmetry is present in vivo and whether it could regulate transcriptional directionality. Here, we report that the proximal and distal halves of nucleosomal DNA contribute differentially to nucleosome stability in the genome. In +1 nucleosomes, this asymmetry facilitates or hinders transcription depending on the orientation of its underlying DNA, and this difference is associated with an asymmetrical interaction between DNA and histones. These properties are encoded in the DNA signature of +1 nucleosomes, since its incorporation in the two orientations into downstream nucleosomes renders them asymmetrically accessible to MNase and inverts the balance between sense and antisense transcription. Altogether, our results show that nucleosomal DNA endows nucleosomes with asymmetrical properties that modulate the directionality of transcription., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), they have contributed to the exposure of women to persistent organic pollutants (POPs). These compounds can cross the placental barrier and interfere with the hormonal system of newborns., Aim: To determine concentrations of OCPs and PCBs and their xenoestrogenic activity in placentas of women from the PA-MAMI cohort of Panama., Methods: Thirty-nine placenta samples from women in the Azuero peninsula (Panama) were analyzed. Five OCPs [p-p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p-p'-DDE), beta-hexachlorohexane (β-HCH), γ-hexachlorohexane (lindane), hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and mirex] and three PCB congeners (PCB-138, PCB-153 and PCB-180) were quantified in placenta extracts. The xenoestrogenic activity of extracts was assessed with the E-Screen bioassay to estimate the total effective xenoestrogen burden (TEXB)., Results: All placental samples were positive for at least three POP residues and >70% for at least six. The frequencies of quantified OCPs ranged from 100% for p,p'-DDE and HCB to 30.8% for β-HCH. The highest median concentration was for lindane (380.0 pg/g placenta), followed by p,p'-DDE (280.0 pg/g placenta), and HCB (90.0 pg/g placenta). Exposure to p,p'-DDE was associated with greater meat consumption, suggesting that animal fat is a major source of exposure to DDT metabolites. The frequency of detected PCBs ranged between 70 and 90%; the highest median concentration was for PCB 138 (17.0 pg/g placenta), followed by PCB 153 (16.0 pg/g placenta). All placentas were positive in the estrogenicity bioassay with a median TEXB-α of 0.91 pM Eeq/g of placenta. Exposure to lindane was positively associated with the xenoestrogenicity of TEXB- α, whereas this association was negative in the case of exposure to PCB 153., Conclusions: To our best knowledge, this study contributes the first evidence on the presence of POPs and xenoestrogenic burden in placentas from Latin-American women. Given concerns about the consequences of prenatal exposure to these compounds on children's health, preventive measures are highly recommended to eliminate or minimize the risk of OCP exposure during pregnancy., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

At the beginning of breastfeeding, difficulties such as rusty-pipe syndrome may appear. Very little known, it presents with colostrum that is brown in color, rusty or bloody in appearance bilaterally. Despite having a spontaneous resolution and being painless, it requires education and training in its approach by health personnel. This syndrome generates stress and maternal concern. The clinical case of a postpartum woman who wishes to breastfeed is presented, the situation experienced during the first postpartum week and the care plan that is designed and applied in the midwife's primary care consultation to achieve the initial objective are reported. and maintenance of breastfeeding. Resolution is spontaneous during the first days, it is recommended to assess the newborn's tolerance to colostrum and not suspend breastfeeding in general for this reason. More research is required to publicize this syndrome and improve the advice and counselling of breastfeeding professionals., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

PRO-169 is an anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody developed by Laboratorios Sophia that shares its sequence with Bevacizumab (BVZ); though, PRO-169 is intended for intravitreal administration. In this study, analytical characterization showed that PRO-169 had glycosylation differences in comparison to BVZ reference product (RP); since it had more content of G1F, G2F, sialic acid and high mannose. Further investigation was performed to evaluate if differences between both products would affect the efficacy and safety profile of PRO-169. PRO-169 had no alteration in its in vitro biological activity; moreover, no cytotoxicity or immunogenicity concerns should be expected as demonstrated by different orthogonal methods at analytical, in vitro and in vivo assays. These results support moving to the clinical testing of PRO-169 since no major complications will be expected with its clinical use for the treatment of ophthalmic diseases., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All authors are employees of Centro de Investigación de Sophia S.A. de C.V. or Laboratorios Sophia S.A. de C.V. which are developing PRO-169. The authors declare no proprietary interest in PRO-169. Patent application MX/a/2017/003667 was submitted on 2017-03-17, by Laboratorios Sophia SA de CV. Publication date: 2018-10-19. IMPI., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

This study evaluated the effectiveness of hyaluronic acid and trehalose (HA/trehalose) eyedrops in managing dry eye disease (DED) symptoms by measuring tear stability and administering a DED questionnaire. Sixty patients were treated with either HA/trehalose eyedrops (Tear A) or carmellose sodium eyedrops (Tear B) as controls. The tear breakup time (TBUT) and non-invasive breakup time (NIBUT) were monitored, and patients completed the standard patient evaluation of eye dryness (SPEED) questionnaire. After two months of twice-daily applications, patients treated with the HA/trehalose eyedrops demonstrated significant improvements in the NIBUT (12.98 ± 3.22 s) and TBUT (12.95 ± 2.98 s), indicating increased tear stability. Moreover, they reported lower dry eye sensation (6.70 ± 4.94 SPEED score points), suggesting a reduction in DED symptoms. These findings underscore the efficacy of HA/trehalose eyedrops in improving both the objective and subjective signs of DED, with twice-daily application enhancing ocular surface conditions and reducing patient-reported symptoms.

Research institutes and universities have strengthened the development of biomedicine outreach activities, constituing a non-formal education system of science literacy, although with little commitment from undergraduate students. However, as a Service-Learning methodology, these outreach activities could work as a tool for the acquisition of skills by students of Health Science Degrees. Described here is the development of the workshop entitled "Exploring the human body" at the Biodonostia Health Research Institute and the pilot experience of its implementation as a Service-Learning activity at the University of Málaga. Firstly, 359 secondary education students were mentored by Ph.D. students through a 5-station workshop with experiments and activities related to the physiology of the human body. Then, 301 undergraduate students of Medicine and Nursing Degrees advised 965 secondary education students. Both groups of students assessed the workshop via questionnaires and a debriefing. The data showed an overall score of 4.6 out of 5 for the workshop. Undergraduate students reported a positive impact on their academic background (4.8 out of 5), mainly due to the improvement of oral communication skills (34%). Therefore, this methodology could be a valid and applicable tool to develop the cross-disciplinary competences of undergraduate students., 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 © 2023 García-Durán, Claros, Zamorano-González, González-García, Carrillo-Franco, Ponce-Velasco, Gago, García-Fernández, López-González and Aiastui.)

The aim of this work was to evaluate the vasorelaxant and antihypertensive effects of a standardized precipitate of the hydroalcoholic extract from Agastache mexicana (PP Am ), comprising ursolic acid, oleanolic acid, acacetin, luteolin and tilianin, among others. In the ex vivo experiments, preincubation with L-NAME (nonspecific inhibitor of nitric oxide synthases) reduced the relaxation induced by PP Am ; nevertheless, preincubation with indomethacin (nonspecific inhibitor of cyclooxygenases) did not generate any change in the vasorelaxation, and an opposed effect was observed to the contraction generated by CaCl 2 addition. Oral administration of 100 mg/kg of PP Am induced a significant acute decrease in diastolic (DBP) and systolic (SBP) blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats, without changes in heart rate. Additionally, PP Am showed a sustained antihypertensive subacute effect on both DBP and SBP for 10 days compared to the control group. On the other hand, human umbilical vein cells treated with 10 µg/mL of PP Am showed a significant reduction ( p < 0.05) in intracellular adhesion molecule-1, compared to the control, but not on vascular cell adhesion molecule-1. In conclusion, PP Am induces a significant antihypertensive effect in acute- and subacute-period treatments, due to its direct vasorelaxant action on rat aortic rings through NO production and Ca 2+ channel blockade.

Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) is a phosphaturic hormone. X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH) is the most prevalent inherited phosphate wasting disorder due to mutations in the PHEX gene, which cause elevated circulating FGF23 levels. Clinically, it is characterized by growth impairment and defective mineralization of bones and teeth. Treatment of XLH is challenging. Since 2018, neutralizing antibodies against FGF23 have dramatically improved the therapy of XLH patients, although not all patients fully respond to the treatment, and it is very costly. C-terminal fragments of FGF23 have recently emerged as blockers of intact FGF23 signaling. Here, we analyzed the effect on growth and bone of a short 26 residues long C-terminal FGF23 (cFGF23) fragment and two N-acetylated and C-amidated cFGF23 peptides using young XLH mice (Phex C733RMhda mice). Although no major changes in blood parameters were observed after 7 days of treatment with these peptides, bone length and growth plate structure improved. The modified peptides accelerated the growth rate probably by improving growth plate structure and dynamics. The processes of chondrocyte proliferation, death, hypertrophy, and the cartilaginous composition in the growth plate were partially improved in young treated XLH mice. In conclusion, these findings contribute to understand the role of FGF23 signaling in growth plate metabolism and show that this may occur despite continuous hypophosphatemia.

Aim: To describe the expression profile in endometriotic tissue of genes involved in four signaling pathways related to the development and progression of endometriosis (cell cycle, apoptosis, cell differentiation and lipid metabolism) and to explore its relationship with the women exposure to chemicals with hormonal activity released from cosmetics and personal care products (PCPs)., Methods: This cross-sectional study, encompassed within the EndEA study, comprised a subsample of 33 women with endometriosis. Expression levels of 13 genes (BMI1, CCNB1, CDK1, BAX, BCL2L1, FOXO3, SPP1, HOXA10, PDGFRA, SOX2, APOE, PLCG1 and PLCG2) in endometriotic tissue and urinary concentrations of 4 paraben (PB) and 3 benzophenone (BP) congeners were quantified. Bivariate linear and logistic regression analyses were performed to explore the associations between exposure and gene expression levels., Results: A total of 8 out 13 genes (61.5 %) were expressed in >75 % of the samples. Exposure to congeners of PBs and/or BPs was associated with the overexpression of CDK1 gene (whose protein drives cells through G2 phase and mitosis), HOXA10 and PDGFRA genes (whose proteins favor pluripotent cell differentiation to endometrial cells), and APOE (whose protein regulates the transport and metabolism of cholesterol, triglycerides and phospholipids in multiple tissues) and PLCG2 genes (whose protein creates 1D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and diacylglycerol, two important second messengers)., Conclusions: Our findings suggest that women exposure to cosmetic and PCP-released chemicals might be associated with the promotion of cell cycle and cell differentiation as well as with lipid metabolism disruption in endometriotic tissue, three crucial signaling pathways in the development and progression of endometriosis. However, further studies should be accomplished to confirm these preliminary data., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Halophytes are gaining considerable attention due to their applications in saline agriculture, phytoremediation, medicine, and secondary metabolite production. This study investigated the bioactive components present in Silene uniflora (sea campion) hydromethanolic extract, and their antimicrobial activity was evaluated both in vitro and ex situ against two strawberry phytopathogens, namely Botrytis cinerea (grey mold) and Colletotrichum nymphaeae (anthracnose fruit rot). The main identified phytochemicals were mome inositol, saturated fatty acid esters, and cyclotetracosane. In vitro tests demonstrated complete inhibition of the growth of B. cinerea and C. nymphaeae at extract concentrations of 1000 and 1500 μg·mL -1 , respectively, with an activity comparable to that of fosetyl-Al and substantially higher than that of azoxystrobin. This activity was improved upon conjugation with chitosan oligomers (COS), yielding inhibition values of 750 and 1000 μg·mL -1 . The COS- S. uniflora conjugate complexes were then tested as protective treatments for postharvest storage of strawberry fruit, resulting in high protection against artificially inoculated B. cinerea and C. nymphaeae at doses of 3750 and 5000 μg·mL -1 , respectively. The reported results open the door to the valorization of this halophyte as a source of biorationals for strawberry protection.

Protein palmitoylation regulates trafficking, mobilization, localization, interaction, and distribution of proteins through the palmitoyl acyltransferases (PATs) enzymes. Protein palmitoylation controls rapid and dynamic changes of the synaptic architecture that modifies the efficiency and strength of synaptic connections, a fundamental mechanism to generate stable and long-lasting memory traces. Although protein palmitoylation in functional synaptic plasticity has been widely described, its role in learning and memory processes is poorly understood. In this work, we found that PATs inhibition into the hippocampus before and after the training of Morris water maze (MWM) and object location memory (OLM) impaired spatial learning. However, we demonstrated that PATs inhibition during the retrieval does not affect the expression of spatial memory in both MWM and OLM. Accordingly, long-term potentiation induction is impaired by inhibiting PATs into the hippocampus before high-frequency electrical stimulation but not after. These findings suggest that PATs activity is necessary to modify neural plasticity, a mechanism required for memory acquisition and consolidation. Like phosphorylation, active palmitoylation is required to regulate the function of already existing proteins that change synaptic strength in the hippocampus to acquire and later consolidate spatial memories., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: There remain few available tools to assess language development in Spanish-English dual language learner (DLL) toddlers in the United States. Of interest is the development of early sentences as children move from producing single words to producing multiword utterances. This study is the first to extend sentence diversity to the context of Spanish-English DLLs by describing development from 24 to 30 months of age in children with and without language delays (LDs)., Method: Spontaneous language samples were collected from Spanish-dominant DLL children and their mothers as they were observed during a free-play interaction. Existing sentence diversity protocols were adapted for the DLL context to describe children's flexibility in combining subjects and verbs to form utterances in Spanish and English., Results: Children maintained an accurate separation in their grammars for subject-verb combinations in Spanish versus English. There was an overwhelming preference for Spanish subject-verb combinations with null subjects. The emergence of sentence diversity distinguished children with and without early LD unlike the emergence of word combinations., Conclusions: Consistent with prior research, findings showed that DLLs did not confuse grammatical structures across languages. Instead, they showed a differential pattern of results in each language, such that the strongest grammatical skills were evinced first in the dominant language. Sentence diversity shows promise for assessment and progress monitoring in Spanish-English DLLs in the United States.

School coexistence is a fundamental aspect for good academic performance. The objective of the study was to identify school coexistence indices, and to analyze differences in academic performance according to these indices in students from public schools in the province of Biobío, Chile. This cross-sectional study involved 730 children (53.8% boys; 12 ± 1.2 years). School coexistence indices as a quality of interpersonal relationships between school bodies, the perception of violence and aggressiveness from a gender perspective, and the perception of levels of safety and unsafety in different school areas as well as academic performance through accumulated final grades (AFG) and grade point averages (GPA) were measured. A total of 40.9% and 41.3% of schoolchildren agreed or strongly agreed that stronger students are violent toward weaker students and boys are violent toward one another, respectively. The school areas most classified as unsafe or very unsafe were the restrooms (20.4%), followed by the playgrounds (10%), and the gym and fields (9.5%). Schoolchildren who classified the relationships within the school bodies as bad, or very bad, presented significantly lower AFG in subjects such as math, language (Spanish), and physical education and health as well as GPA. In the same line, those who perceived greater violence and aggressiveness among peers and higher insecurity in different school areas presented significantly poorer academic performance. In conclusion, students perceived violence and aggressiveness among themselves, and the school areas perceived as unsafe were identified. Furthermore, students who perceived poorer school coexistence indices presented a weaker academic performance.

Botrytis cinerea is the most harmful postharvest disease of table grapes. Among the strategies that can be envisaged for its control, the use of coatings based on natural products is particularly promising. The study presented herein focuses on the assessment of the antagonistic capacity of two Streptomyces species and their culture filtrates against B. cinerea . Firstly, the secondary metabolites were characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, with N1-(4-hydroxybutyl)-N3-methylguanidine acetate and 2R,3S-9-[1,3,4-trihydroxy-2-butoxymethyl]guanine acetate as the main compounds produced by S. lavendofoliae DSM 40217; and cyclo(leucyloprolyl) and cyclo(phenylalanylprolyl) as the most abundant chemical species for S. rochei DSM 41729. Subsequently, the capacity of S. lavendofoliae DSM 40217 and S. rochei DSM 41729 to inhibit the growth of the pathogen was tested in dual culture plate assays, finding 85-90% inhibition. In agar dilution tests, their culture filtrates resulted in effective concentration values (EC 90 ) in the 246-3013 μg·mL -1 range. Upon the formation of conjugate complexes with chitosan oligomers (COS) to improve solubility and bioavailability, a synergistic behavior was observed, resulting in lower EC 90 values, ranging from 201 to 953 μg·mL -1 . Ex situ tests carried out on 'Timpson' and 'Red Globe' table grapes using the conjugate complexes as coatings were found to maintain the turgor of the grapes and delay the appearance of the pathogen by 10-15 days at concentrations in the 750-1000 µg·mL -1 range. Hence, the conjugate complexes of COS and the selected Streptomyces spp. culture filtrates may be put forward as promising protection treatments for the sustainable control of gray mold.

Detecting novelty is critical to consolidate declarative memories, such as spatial contextual recognition memory. It has been shown that stored memories, when retrieved, are susceptible to modification, incorporating new information through an updating process. Catecholamine release in the hippocampal CA1 region consolidates an object location memory (OLM). This work hypothesized that spatial contextual memory updating could be changed by decreasing catecholamine release in the hippocampal CA1 terminals from the locus coeruleus (LC). In a mouse model expressing Cre-recombinase under the control of the tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) promoter, memory updating was impaired by photoinhibition of the CA1 catecholaminergic terminals from the LC (LC-CA1) but not from the ventral tegmental area (VTA-CA1). In vivo microdialysis confirmed that the extracellular concentration of both dopamine (DA) and noradrenaline (NA) decreased after photoinhibition of the LC-CA1 terminals (but not VTA-CA1) during the OLM update session. Furthermore, DA D1/D5 and beta-adrenergic receptor antagonists disrupted behavior, but only the former impaired memory updating. Finally, photoinhibition of LC-CA1 terminals suppressed long-term potentiation (LTP) induction in Schaffer's collaterals as a plausible mechanism for memory updating. These data will help understand the underpinning mechanisms of DA in spatial contextual memory updating.

Background: The objective of this study was to validate an animal model for dry eye during and after the administration of 1% ophthalmic atropine sulfate (OAS) in New Zealand white (NZW) rabbits., Methods: OAS (1%) was applied three times per day to 30 eyes of 15 healthy NZW rabbits. Sacrifice, enucleation, and lacrimal gland removal took place on days 15, 21, and 30 (OAS group). A second group (n = 5) was used as control. Clinical evaluations took place on days 3, 10, 15, 18, 21, 24 and 30. The primary endpoints were: Schirmer I test, tear break-up time (TBUT), and corneal fluorescein staining. As secondary endpoints, clinical changes including intraocular pressure, and histopathology were evaluated., Results: While OAS was administered, the Schirmer I test showed a statistically significant reduction for OAS group versus control (p < 0.001), and versus basal production (p < 0.001). TBUT showed statistically significant differences between groups (days 3 and 10; p = 0.001) and versus basal values (day 3; p < 0.001). Fluorescein staining showed a statistically significant difference (day 3; p = 0.001). The most frequent clinical finding was conjunctival hyperemia (76.9% OAS vs. 20% control). For histopathology, all OAS subjects presented some degree of inflammation (86.7% minimal; 13.3% mild) whereas the control presented only 30% minimal inflammation. Goblet cell density showed no difference., Conclusions: The effectiveness of the OAS dry eye model in NZW rabbits as reported in previous studies was confirmed, provided that the application of the drug is maintained throughout the intervention; it is not a viable model after OAS administration is suspended., (© 2022 The Authors. Animal Models and Experimental Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of The Chinese Association for Laboratory Animal Sciences.)

The effect of sperm ratio on fertilization was evaluated in five sperm:oocytes treatments (10:1, 50:1, 100:1, 500:1 and 1000:1), the effect of temperature on embryonic and larval development in three temperature treatments (13 °C, 16 °C and 19 °C) was recorded and the duration of each stage, the growth rate and survival rate were registered. The oocytes were spherical (67.5 ± 4.2 μm) with a defined nucleus. Spermatozoa had a circular head (2 μm) and a fusiform flagellum (12 μm). The 500:1 sperm:oocytes treatment presented the lowest % of unfertilized oocytes, and lysis was observed in the 1000:1 treatment. An inverse relationship was observed between temperature and the duration of the stages of embryonic development. At 16 °C, veliger D larvae were observed at 41 h 45' pf (88 ± 13.0 μm). Umbonate larvae were obtained at day 16 in the 13 °C culture and at day 10 in the 16 °C and 19 °C treatment (140 μm). On day 16 of culture, advanced umbonate larvae with a well-defined stomach (235 μm) were observed. The larval growth rate was higher in the 19 °C treatment (3.6 μm day -1 ) than the 13 °C and 16 °C treatment (2, 2.2 μm day -1 ). The mortality was higher in the 19 °C treatment (91%). These results are an initial contribution towards the culture of M. donacium as part of small-scale aquaculture in South America.

Background: Human breast milk is considered the optimal source of nutrition for infants. Milk from breast milk banks offers an alternative to infant formulas for vulnerable hospitalized neonates most likely to benefit from exclusive human milk feeding. However, breast milk can also be a source of exposure to environmental contaminants, including endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs)., Aim: To evaluate concentrations of phenolic EDCs, including bisphenols, parabens (PBs), and benzophenones (BPs), in samples from a human milk bank in Granada, Southern Spain and to explore sociodemographic, reproductive, and lifestyle factors related to their concentrations in the milk., Methods: Concentrations of three bisphenols [bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol F (BPF), and bisphenol S (BPS)], four PBs [methyl- (MeP), ethyl- (EtP), propyl- (n-PrP), and butyl-paraben (n-BuP)], and six BPs [BP-1, BP-2, BP-3, BP-6, BP-8, and 4-hydroxy-BP] were determined in milk samples from 83 donors. Information on potential explanatory variables was gathered using the milk bank donor form and an ad hoc questionnaire. Multiple linear and logistic regression models were fitted., Results: Detectable concentrations were found of at least one of the analyzed compounds in all donor breast milk samples and at least five compounds in one-fifth of them. The most frequently detected compounds were MeP (90.5%), BP-3 (75.0%), EtP (51.2%), n-PrP (46.4%), and BPA (41.7%). Median concentrations ranged between <0.10 ng/mL (n-PrP, n-BuP, BP-1) and 0.59 ng/mL (BP-3). No sample contained detectable concentrations of BPF, BPS, or most BPs (BP-2, BP-6, BP-8, and 4- hydroxy-BP). Breast milk phenol concentrations were associated with parity, the utilization of deodorants, mouthwash, skin care products, and cosmetics, and the intake of nutritional supplements., Conclusions: Results reveal the widespread presence of BPA, PBs, and BP-3 in donor breast milk samples, highlighting the need for preventive measures to enhance the benefits of breast milk from milk banks and from breastfeeding women in general., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)