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Abstract: This paper assesses the effects of (1) the gravity load‐resisting system (GLRS) modeling approach, (2) the seismic force‐resisting system (SFRS) modeling approach, and (3) the uncertainty of the model parameters of the constitutive law of the longitudinal reinforcing steel of the SFRS on the seismic responses of a 12‐story reinforced concrete wall building with force‐limiting connections. This is achieved by conducting nonlinear numerical earthquake simulations. The seismic responses of the building models with force‐limiting connections using two GLRS modeling approaches, (1) a moment frame system and (2) a pin‐base lean‐on‐column system, are compared. The seismic responses of the building models with conventional connections and force‐limiting connections, respectively, using two SFRS modeling approaches, (1) a distributed‐plasticity modeling approach and (2) a lumped‐plasticity modeling approach, are compared. A joint probability density function for the ASTM‐A615 Grade 60 steel available in the literature is used to conduct an uncertainty propagation analysis through Monte Carlo simulation. The uncertainty in the steel model parameters is propagated to the seismic responses of the building models with conventional connections and force‐limiting connections, respectively. The distributions of the mean values of the peak structural responses of the building models are studied. The effects of the GLRS modeling approach on the seismic responses are not significant in the context of seismic performance‐based design and assessment of buildings with force‐limiting connections. The effects of the SFRS modeling approach and the uncertainty in the steel model parameters on the floor total acceleration and force responses are reduced by including force‐limiting connections.

Abstract The SHiP-charm project was proposed to measure the associated charm production induced by 400 GeV/c protons in a thick target, including the contribution from cascade production. An optimisation run was performed in July 2018 at CERN SPS using a hybrid setup. The high resolution of nuclear emulsions acting as vertex detector was complemented by electronic detectors for kinematic measurements and muon identification. Here we present first results on the analysis of nuclear emulsions exposed in the 2018 run, which prove the capability of reconstructing proton interaction vertices in a harsh environment, where the signal is largely dominated by secondary particles produced in hadronic and electromagnetic showers within the lead target.

Objective: Patients (pts) with lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (LR-MDS) who are red blood cell (RBC) transfusion dependent (RBC-TD) have lower overall survival and quality of life and higher healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) than pts who are transfusion independent (TI)/have a low transfusion burden (TB). An established treatment (tx) for TD LR-MDS is erythropoietin-stimulating agents (ESAs). Luspatercept is approved by the European Medicines Agency and US Food and Drug Administration for tx of anemia in pts with LR-MDS refractory to/ineligible for ESAs (MEDALIST trial) and for ESA-naïve pts requiring RBC transfusion (COMMANDS trial). This study estimates disease and HCRU burden associated with first-line (1L) vs second-line (2L) luspatercept tx in LR-MDS. Materials and methods: A discrete-event simulation-based model was developed to compare outcomes between tx pathways starting from 1L tx initiation over a lifetime for pts who are RBC-TD at baseline: pathway A) luspatercept in 1L and standard of care in 2L and pathway B) ESA in 1L and luspatercept in 2L. In each pathway, the probabilities of experiencing a TB reduction response to tx were based on data from the COMMANDS (1L) and MEDALIST (2L) trials. A scenario analysis was conducted to assess the outcomes of achieving response to luspatercept in 1L and no response in 2L (pathway A) vs response to luspatercept in 2L and no response in 1L (pathway B). TB reduction response included pts who achieve RBC-TI for ≥12 weeks (wk) since tx initiation and pts who achieve ≥50% TB reduction but not RBC-TI within the first 24 wk of tx. Loss of response was modeled over time. After lack/loss of response to 1L tx, pts initiate the 2L. After lack/loss of response to 2L tx, pts initiate best supportive care and revert to baseline TB for the remainder of their lifetime. Compared with higher TB, lower TB and RBC-TI in the model are associated with improved survival, quality of life, and disease and HCRU burden per trial (COMMANDS, MEDALIST) and literature model input data. Results: This model predicts that pts in pathway A vs B live 5.3 (11%) months (mo) longer, experience 6.8 (43%) more mo of life as RBC-TI, 4.9 (13%) more quality-adjusted mo of life, and on average receive 1.5 (11%) fewer RBC units annually. Annual number of hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits are each predicted to be 0.3 (5%) fewer for pts in pathway A. In the scenario analysis comparing responders to luspatercept in 1L vs 2L, substantial improvement in mo of life (18.1 [45%] mo), mo of life as RBC-TI (23.2 [528%] mo), and quality-adjusted mo of life (16.3 [53%] mo) are predicted. A reduction in annual number of hospitalizations, ED visits, and RBC units are predicted for responders to luspatercept in 1L vs 2L, (1.2 [19%] and 1.0 [18%] fewer visits, respectively, and 6.9 [39%] fewer RBC units). Discussion: This model suggests that receiving luspatercept early in the tx pathway leads to survival and quality-adjusted survival benefits and improved HCRU. Reduced hospitalizations, ED visits, and RBC transfusions thus reduce disease burden. C onclusion: Receiving and responding to luspatercept in 1L vs 2L leads to substantial improvement in health outcomes and disease burden. Increased use of luspatercept tx in 1L will allow more pts with LR-MDS to receive these benefits. Support: Bristol Myers Squibb. Abstract previously presented at EHA Annual Congress (Valcárcel D, et al. Hema Sphere 2024;8[suppl 1]:P789).

Holocene environmental changes in Patagonia were mostly shaped by fluctuating ice cover recession. Consequently, environmental reconstructions are largely based on discontinuous moraine chronologies from valley deposits. Here, we present a 3 m long continuous sediment record recovered from Laguna Meseta (LME), a lake located on Meseta Chile Chico. Its altitude and location relative to the North Patagonian Icefield provide a unique opportunity to reconstruct the glacial history and related environmental dynamics. Our radiocarbon chronology constrains sedimentation to the last ∼10 000 years and provides a minimum age for postglacial ice-free lacustrine conditions, due to a westward retreat of the ice cap. Lacustrine productivity reached its maximum at the start of the lake phase and decreased afterwards. Between 5500 and 4600 cal yr BP, a major shift towards allochthonous sediment accumulation occurred, caused by an abrupt increase in clastic deposition from basaltic lithologies of the Meseta Chile Chico. This episode correlates with the precipitation-driven Mid-Holocene glacier advance of Patagonian glaciers and suggests that conditions were colder and/or wetter on Meseta Chile Chico at that time. After 4600 cal yr BP, these conditions continued to supply LME with clastic sediments until a stepped decrease around 900 cal yr BP. Thereupon, lacustrine productivity distinctly increased and stabilized around 300 cal yr BP. Our findings indicate that changes in sedimentation on Meseta Chile Chico were mainly controlled by regional variability in the precipitation. Furthermore, strong correlation between our records and available proxies for oscillations of the Southern Hemisphere Westerly Winds suggest a pronounced climatic control by this prominent wind system for central west Patagonia during the last 10 000 years.

Ocean acidification (OA) reduces seawater pH and calcium carbonate saturation states (Ω), which can have detrimental effects on calcifying organisms such as shellfish. Nearshore areas, where shellfish aquaculture typically operates, have limited data available to characterize variability in key ocean acidification parameters pH and Ω, as samples are costly to analyze and difficult to collect. This study collected samples from four nearshore locations at shellfish aquaculture sites on the Canadian Pacific coast from 2015–2018 and analyzed them for dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and total alkalinity (TA), enabling the calculation of pH and Ω for all seasons. The study evaluated the diel and seasonal variability in carbonate chemistry conditions at each location and estimated the contribution of drivers to seasonal and diel changes in pH and Ω. Nearshore locations experience a greater range of variability and seasonal and daily changes in pH and Ω than open waters. Biological uptake of DIC by phytoplankton is the major driver of seasonal and diel changes in pH and Ω at our nearshore sites. The study found that freshwater is not a key driver of diel variability, despite large changes over the day in some locations. We find that during summer at mid-depth (5–20 m), where it is cooler, pH, Ω, and oxygen conditions are still favourable for shellfish. These results suggest that if shellfish are hung lower in the water column, they may avoid high sea surface temperatures, without inducing OA and oxygen stress.

The use of wastewater in agricultural practices poses a potential risk for the spread of foodborne diseases. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize the bacterial biodiversity in rhizospheric soil, irrigation water, and lettuce crops in three municipalities adjacent to the Bogotá River, Colombia. Samples were collected in Mosquera, Funza, and Cota municipalities, including rhizospheric soil, lettuce leaves, and irrigation water. The total DNA extraction was performed to analyze bacterial diversity through high-throughput sequencing of the 16S ribosomal RNA genes, utilizing the Illumina HiSeq 2500 PE 300 sequencing platform. A total of 198 genera from the rhizospheric soil were detected including a higher abundance of zOTUs such as Bacillus, Streptomyces, and clinically relevant genera such as Mycobacterium and Pseudomonas. In lettuce, the detection of 26 genera of endophytic bacteria showed to Proteobacteria and Firmicutes as the predominant phyla, with Staphylococcus and Bacillus as the most abundant genera. Notably, Funza's crops exhibited the highest abundance of endophytes, approximately 50 %, compared to Cota (20 %). Furthermore, the most abundant bacterial genera in the irrigation water were Flavobacterium and Pseudomonas. The most prevalent Enterobacteriaceae were Serratia, Enterobacter, Citrobacter, Klebsiella, Yersinia, Shigella, Escherichia, and Erwinia. The Bacillus genus was highly enriched in both rhizospheric soils and lettuce crops, indicating its significant contribution as the main endophytic bacterium.

ABSTRACT Transovarial transmission is the most reliable way of passing on essential nutrient-providing endosymbionts from mothers to offspring. However, not all endosymbiotic microbes follow the complex path through the female host tissues to oocytes on their own. Here, we demonstrate an unusual transmission strategy adopted by one of the endosymbionts of the planthopper Trypetimorpha occidentalis (Hemiptera: Tropiduchidae) from Bulgaria. In this species, an Acetobacteraceae endosymbiont is transmitted transovarially within deep invaginations of cellular membranes of an ancient endosymbiont Sulcia—strikingly resembling recently described plant virus transmission. However, in males, Acetobacteraceae colonizes the same bacteriocytes as Sulcia but remains unenveloped. Then, the unusual endobacterial localization of Acetobacteraceae observed in females appears to be a unique adaptation to maternal transmission. Further, the symbiont’s genomic features, including encoding essential amino acid biosynthetic pathways and its similarity to a recently described psyllid symbiont, suggest a unique combination of the ability to horizontally transmit among species and confer nutritional benefits. The close association with Acetobacteraceae symbiont correlates with the so-far-unreported level of genomic erosion of ancient nutritional symbionts of this planthopper. In Sulcia, this is reflected in substantial changes in genomic organization, reported for the first time in the symbiont renowned for its genomic stability. In Vidania, substantial gene loss resulted in one of the smallest genomes known, at 108.6 kb. Thus, the symbionts of T. occidentalis display a combination of unusual adaptations and genomic features that expand our understanding of how insect–microbe symbioses may transmit and evolve.IMPORTANCEReliable transmission across host generations is a major challenge for bacteria that associate with insects, and independently established symbionts have addressed this challenge in different ways. The facultatively endobacterial localization of Acetobacteraceae symbiont, enveloped by cells of ancient nutritional endosymbiont Sulcia in females but not males of the planthopper Trypetimorpha occidentalis, appears to be a unique adaptation to maternal transmission. Acetobacteraceae’s genomic features indicate its unusual evolutionary history, and the genomic erosion experienced by ancient nutritional symbionts demonstrates the apparent consequences of such close association. Combined, this multi-partite symbiosis expands our understanding of the diversity of strategies that insect symbioses form and some of their evolutionary consequences.

Once thought of in terms of bioenergetics, mitochondria are now widely accepted as both the orchestrator of cellular health and the gatekeeper of cell death. The pulmonary disease field has performed extensive efforts to explore the role of mitochondria in regulating inflammation, cellular metabolism, apoptosis, and oxidative stress. However, a critical component of these processes needs to be more studied: mitochondrial network dynamics. Mitochondria morphologically change in response to their environment to regulate these processes through fusion, fission, and mitophagy. This allows mitochondria to adapt their function to respond to cellular requirements, a critical component in maintaining cellular homeostasis. For that reason, mitochondrial network dynamics can be considered a bridge that brings multiple cellular processes together, revealing a potential pathway for therapeutic intervention. In this review, we discuss the critical modulators of mitochondrial dynamics and how they are affected in pulmonary diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), acute lung injury (ALI), and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). A dysregulated mitochondrial network plays a crucial role in lung disease pathobiology, and aberrant fission/fusion/mitophagy pathways are druggable processes that warrant further exploration. Thus, we also discuss the candidates for lung disease therapeutics that regulate mitochondrial network dynamics.

The Herpotrichiellaceae family is an important group of dematiaceous filamentous fungi, associated with a variety of pathogenic fungal species causing chromoblastomycosis (CBM) and phaeohyphomycosis (PHM), both with polymorphic clinical manifestations and worldwide incidence. Currently, the identification of this family and determination of the causative agent is challenging due to the subjectivity of morphological identification methods, necessitating the use of molecular techniques to complement diagnosis. In this context, genetic sequencing of the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) has become the norm due to a lack of alternative molecular tools for identifying these agents. Therefore, this study aimed to develop PCR-Multiplex methodologies to address this gap. Sequences from the ITS and Large Subunit (LSU) of ribosomal DNA were used, and after manual curation and in vitro analyses, primers were synthesized for the identification of the targets. The primers were optimized and validated in vitro, resulting in two PCR-Multiplex methodologies: one for identifying the Herpotrichiellaceae family and the bantiana clade, and another for determining the species Fonsecaea pedrosoi and Fonsecaea monophora. Ultimately, the assays developed in this study aim to complement other identification approaches for these agents, reducing the need for sequencing, improving the management of these infections, and enhancing the accuracy of epidemiological information.

Herpesviruses are significant pathogens of ruminants. In water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis), however, herpesviruses have not been thoroughly studied. Although bubaline alphaherpesvirus 1 (BuAHV1) and bovine alphaherpesvirus 1 (BoAHV1) have already been recovered from water buffaloes, to date, no reports on the occurrence of bovine alphaherpesvirus 5 (BoAHV5) in these animals have been published. Therefore, the aim of this study was to search for BuAHV1, BoAHV1, and BoAHV5 in palatine tonsils of apparently healthy water buffaloes from the Pará state, Northern Brazil. Tissue samples of tonsils (n = 293) were screened by a nested PCR (nPCR) targeting a region of UL44 (gC coding gene), followed by sequencing, to detect and differentiate between the viral types. Viral genome segments were detected in 18 out of 293 (6.1%) of the palatine tonsil samples. Two animals carried genomes of BoAHV1 only, eleven animals carried BoAHV5 genomes only, and four animals carried BuAHV1 only. Another animal had both BoAHV1 and BoAHV5 genomes in its tonsils. No infectious virus could be recovered from any of the samples. The BuAHV1 sequences identified here were more closely related to BuAHV1 genomes identified in India. Phylogenetic analyses suggested a closer relationship between the recovered BoAHV5 and BuAHV1 genomes. Therefore, evidence is provided here to confirm that not only BoAHV1 and BuAHV1, but also BoAHV5, can infect water buffaloes. This report highlights (i) the first detection of BoAHV5 in water buffaloes and (ii) the occurrence of coinfections with BoAHV1 and BoAHV5 in that species. Such findings and the similarity of BoAHV5 to Indian herpesvirus genomes suggest that the origin of type 5 may be linked to recombinations between bovine and bubaline herpesviruses within bubalines, since the scenario for generation of recombinants in buffaloes is potentially present.

Our study investigated the innate immune response to Toxoplasma gondii infection by assessing microglial phenotypic changes and sickness behavior as inflammatory response markers post-ocular tachyzoite instillation. Disease progression in Swiss albino mice was compared with the previously documented outcomes in BALB/c mice using an identical ocular route and parasite burden (2 × 105 tachyzoites), with saline as the control. Contrary to expectations, the Swiss albino mice displayed rapid, lethal disease progression, marked by pronounced sickness behaviors and mortality within 11–12 days post-infection, while the survivors exhibited no apparent signs of infection. Comparative analysis revealed the T. gondii-infected BALB/c mice exhibited reduced avoidance of feline odors, while the infected Swiss albino mice showed enhanced avoidance responses. There was an important increase in microglial cells in the dentate gyrus molecular layer of the infected Swiss albino mice compared to the BALB/c mice and their respective controls. Hierarchical cluster and discriminant analyses identified three microglial morphological clusters, differentially affected by T. gondii infection across strains. The BALB/c mice exhibited increased microglial branching and complexity, while the Swiss albino mice showed reduced shrunken microglial arbors, diminishing their morphological complexity. These findings highlight strain-specific differences in disease progression and inflammatory regulation, indicating lineage-specific mechanisms in inflammatory responses, tolerance, and resistance. Understanding these elements is critical in devising control measures for toxoplasmosis.

Land use change (LUC), specifically the cultivation of monoculture sugarcane, can negatively impact soil biodiversity, leading to a decline in soil health and ecosystem functioning. However, while studies focusing on macrofauna and microorganisms are more frequent in the literature, the impacts of LUC on mesofauna are still little known. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the impacts of the predominant LUC for sugarcane production in Brazil on the diversity of edaphic mesofauna in soils with contrasting textures. In addition, we assessed correlations between biodiversity and soil properties chemical, biological, and physical attributes. We took samples from two sites (clayey and sandy soils) in southeastern Brazil. The sequence of LUC included i) native vegetation (NV), ii) pasture (PA), iii) sugarcane (SC), and iv) sugarcane ratoon (SCr). In the rainy season, monoliths (25 x 25 x 10 cm), soil samples were collected at 0-10, 10-20, and 20-30 cm to assess soil mesofauna, soil chemical (pH, soil organic matter, phosphorus, sulfur, potassium, calcium, magnesium, potential acidity, cation exchange capacity), physical (soil porosity) and biological (microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen) properties. The mesofauna taxonomic groups were quantified after the classification. Briefly, a total of 22 taxonomic groups were classified. The most predominant groups were non-oribatid mites, oribatid mites, and Collembola. Richness and abundance were lower in the three land uses studied (PA, SCr, SC) compared to the intercept (NV). In clayey soil, diversity decreased from NV to PA (-0.68 ± 0.27) and SC (-0.55 ± 0.27) but not to SCr. In sandy soil, land use significantly impacted the mesofauna diversity and evenness index, significantly reducing these indexes in SCr in relation to NV. Although land use change towards more intensified systems resulted in a loss of richness and abundance of soil mesofauna, sugarcane cultivation over the years can recover the diversity of mesofauna in clay-textured soils. These results provide a scientific background to better understand the LUC effects on sugarcane cultivation and support the establishment of sustainable practices that enhance soil health and biodiversity in different soil textures. This study highlights the need for tailored land management considering soil texture and biodiversity for improved ecosystem services.

Antecedentes: El lupus neonatal (LN) es extremadamente raro y es ocasionado por el paso transplacentario de auto-anticuerpos maternos IgG contra las proteínas Ro, La y/o RNP a la circulación fetal que puede ocasionar bloqueo aurículo-ventricular completo congénito (BAVCC) permanente, lesiones dérmicas y afectación hepática. Objetivo: Conocer la prevalencia de LN en paciente con BAVCC y la evolución clínica en un seguimiento a largo plazo. Métodos: De enero de 1992 a diciembre 2017 se incluyeron paciente con BAVCC. La presencia de anticuerpos antinucleares anti-SSA/Ro y anti-SSB/La en suero materno confirmó LN. Resultados: Ocho pacientes fueron incluidos con seguimiento de 10 ± 6 años, el 62.5 % con LN; dos fueron del sexo masculino. Uno diagnosticado in útero, dos al nacimiento, en ellos se implantó marcapaso; uno a los 12 años de edad y otro a los 15. Los otros dos casos fueron diagnosticados a los 18 y 26 años, se implantó marcapaso definitivo en ellos 8 y 5 años después respectivamente. En un caso no se implantó marcapaso definitivo; un recién nacido con solo un año de seguimiento. Al dar a luz, el 60 % de las madres estaban libres de enfermedad reumática y en conjunto todas tuvieron 19 hijos, ninguno de ellos presentó manifestaciones de LN. Conclusiones: El BAVCC es raro y frecuentemente está asociado a una enfermedad autoinmune materna, prácticamente todos requerirán de marcapaso definitivo en alguna época de su vida.

The roles of preexisting auto-reactive antibodies in immune-related adverse events (irAEs) associated with immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy are not well defined. Here, we analyzed plasma samples longitudinally collected at predefined time points and at the time of irAEs from 58 patients with immunotherapy naïve metastatic non-small cell lung cancer treated on clinical protocol with ipilimumab and nivolumab. We used a proteomic microarray system capable of assaying antibody reactivity for IgG and IgM fractions against 120 antigens for systemically evaluating the correlations between auto-reactive antibodies and certain organ-specific irAEs. We found that distinct patterns of auto-reactive antibodies at baseline were associated with the subsequent development of organ-specific irAEs. Notably, ACHRG IgM was associated with pneumonitis, anti-cytokeratin 19 IgM with dermatitis, and anti-thyroglobulin IgG with hepatitis. These antibodies merit further investigation as potential biomarkers for identifying high-risk populations for irAEs and/or monitoring irAEs during immunotherapy treatment.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03391869.

Background Lack of consistent and standardised handoffs is a leading cause of patient harm. With increased census in our hospital medicine (HM) service, failure to handoff using a standardised method has the potential to cause significant patient harm. We used a quality improvement methodology to standardise an existing and validated handoff tool within our HM team to improve handoff communication among providers and improve patient safety.Methods A quality improvement team was charged with studying handoff communication among HM teams and between day and night shift providers at a tertiary oncology hospital. Multiple plan-do-study-act cycles were conducted, and process flow maps, root cause analysis and an affinity diagram were developed based on feedback from the HM team. The quality improvement team developed a plan to implement I-PASS (Illness severity, Patient summary, Action list, Situation awareness and contingency plan, and Synthesis by receiver) as the standardised handoff tool to be used among the providers in HM at the end of shift and for handoff to the nocturnal covering service. Rates of I-PASS use were collected before and after several educational interventions to encourage use of I-PASS and were displayed in a control chart. After the I-PASS interventions, HM providers were surveyed twice to evaluate the secondary outcomes: the tool’s impact on workflow, perceptions of patient safety, ease of use and satisfaction with I-PASS. Survey results were compared using Fisher exact tests.Results The HM team’s rate of use of I-PASS handoffs increased from 23% to 72%, an improvement of 68%. By the end of the quality improvement project, I-PASS use had increased to 90%. No significant differences were detected in the reported duration of handoffs after I-PASS implementation (on average

This study aimed to assess the impact of palm oil deodorizer distillate (POD) on the ruminal environment, including (i) microbial community, (ii) ruminal degradability, and (iii) apparent digestibility in sheep. The data used were derived from twenty rumen-cannulated sheep fed five isoproteic and isofiber diets based on elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum. cv. Roxo) silage supplemented with 0, 25, 50, 75, or 100 g kg−1 POD on a dry matter (DM) basis. Rumen fluid samples were collected three hours after feeding directly from the ventral sac of the rumen via a cannula and then subjected to DNA extraction, which was subsequently used for 16S rDNA amplification, followed by sequencing and diversity analysis. In this study, the microbial diversity was dominated by Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes, followed by Euryarchaetoa, Actinobacteria, and Tenericutes, in the ruminal environment, and was slightly modified when supplemented with the POD up to 100 g/kg (10%), leading to only a slight decrease in the diversity index. The ruminal degradability, ruminal fermentation parameters, and apparent digestibility were slightly compromised by the inclusion of up to 25 g of POD per kg of DM, and larger inclusions interfered with the ruminal degradability of fibrous fractions and the apparent digestibility of dry matter. This lipid supplement showed good results for feeding sheep and is an inexpensive and abundant alternative in the regional market.

Abstract Microorganisms in Antarctica are recognized for having crucial roles in ecosystems functioning and biogeochemical cycles. To explore the diversity and composition of microbial communities through different terrestrial and marine Antarctic habitats, we analyze 16S rRNA sequence datasets from fumarole and marine sediments, soil, snow and seawater environments. We obtained measures of alpha- and beta-diversities, as well as we have identified the core microbiome and the indicator microbial taxa of a particular habitat. Our results showed a unique microbial community structure according to each habitat, including specific taxa composing each microbiome. Marine sediments harbored the highest microbial diversity among the analyzed habitats. In the fumarole sediments, the core microbiome was composed mainly of thermophiles and hyperthermophilic Archaea, while in the majority of soil samples Archaea was absent. In the seawater samples, the core microbiome was mainly composed by cultured and uncultured orders usually identified on Antarctic pelagic ecosystems. Snow samples exhibited common taxa previously described for habitats of the Antarctic Peninsula, which suggests long-distance dispersal processes occurring from the Peninsula to the Continent. This study contributes as a baseline for further efforts on evaluating the microbial responses to environmental conditions and future changes.

Research on urban biodiversity has primarily addressed the effects of urbanization and human activity synergistically as it has been virtually impossible to dissociate their impact on city wildlife. However, the anthropause resulting from COVID–19 lockdowns provided an unprecedented scenario to study the relative role of human activity on avian communities. Here we provide evidence of the relationships between human activity and bird species richness in urban areas of Colombia during its strict and subsequent relaxed lockdowns. Once the strict lockdown was lifted and human activity increased, avian species richness decreased by 32 % in 46 % of our sampling sites. Although the strict lockdown lasted only six weeks, local assemblages (mainly from low–intensity urbanization peri–urban sites) swiftly became more diverse. Our findings highlight the importance of taking human activity into account when planning cities, with important focus on greenspaces, if our aim is to conserve and enhance urban biodiversity. Such plans will require not only the cooperation of local governments but also greater awareness among the local population regarding the importance of creating livable, healthy, biodiverse, and resilient cities.

Chromoblastomycosis (CBM) and phaeohyphomycosis (FEO) are infections caused by melanized filamentous fungal agents, primarily found in tropical and subtropical regions. Both infections pose significant challenges for the correct identification of the causative agent due to their morphological similarity, making conventional methods of morphological analysis highly subjective. Therefore, molecular techniques are necessary for the precise determination of these species. In this regard, this study aimed to contribute to a new methodology based on PCR-RFLP for the identification of agents causing CBM and FEO. Sequences from the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region were used to identify potential restriction enzyme sites in silico, followed by in vitro validation using the selected restriction enzymes. The obtained results were compared with species identification through morphological analyses and sequencing. The results demonstrated that the PCR-RFLP applied in this study accurately identified two major agents of chromoblastomycosis, Fonsecaea pedrosoi and Fonsecaea monophora, as well as Cladophialophora bantiana and Exophiala dermatitidis, both causative agents of phaeohyphomycosis. In this context, the proposed assay can complement current methods for identifying these species, aiding in diagnosis, and contributing to the proper management of these infections.

Abstract Bottom waters of the northeast Pacific continental shelf naturally experience localized hypoxic conditions, with significant influences on food webs and biogeochemical cycling. In August 2021, extreme hypoxia was detected from several measurement platforms along the southern British Columbia continental shelf, with oxygen concentration

We present the study of the production of double J/ψ mesons using COMPASS data collected with a 190 GeV/c π− beam scattering off NH3, Al and W targets. Kinematic distributions of the collected double J/ψ events are analysed, and the double J/ψ production cross section is estimated for each of the COMPASS targets. The NH3 results are compared to predictions from single- and double-parton scattering models as well as the pion intrinsic charm and the tetraquark exotic resonance hypotheses. It is demonstrated that the single parton scattering production mechanism gives the dominant contribution that is sufficient to describe the data. An upper limit on the double intrinsic charm content of the pion is evaluated. No significant signatures that could be associated with exotic tetraquarks are found in the double J/ψ mass spectrum.

Abstract The Search for Hidden Particles (SHiP) Collaboration has proposed a general-purpose experimental facility operating in beam-dump mode at the CERN SPS accelerator to search for light, feebly interacting particles. In the baseline configuration, the SHiP experiment incorporates two complementary detectors. The upstream detector is designed for recoil signatures of light dark matter (LDM) scattering and for neutrino physics, in particular with tau neutrinos. It consists of a spectrometer magnet housing a layered detector system with high-density LDM/neutrino target plates, emulsion-film technology and electronic high-precision tracking. The total detector target mass amounts to about eight tonnes. The downstream detector system aims at measuring visible decays of feebly interacting particles to both fully reconstructed final states and to partially reconstructed final states with neutrinos, in a nearly background-free environment. The detector consists of a 50 $$\mathrm { \,m}$$ m long decay volume under vacuum followed by a spectrometer and particle identification system with a rectangular acceptance of 5 m in width and 10 m in height. Using the high-intensity beam of 400 $$\,\mathrm {GeV}$$ GeV protons, the experiment aims at profiting from the $$4\times 10^{19}$$ 4 × 10 19 protons per year that are currently unexploited at the SPS, over a period of 5–10 years. This allows probing dark photons, dark scalars and pseudo-scalars, and heavy neutral leptons with GeV-scale masses in the direct searches at sensitivities that largely exceed those of existing and projected experiments. The sensitivity to light dark matter through scattering reaches well below the dark matter relic density limits in the range from a few $${\mathrm {\,MeV\!/}c^2}$$ MeV / c 2 up to 100 MeV-scale masses, and it will be possible to study tau neutrino interactions with unprecedented statistics. This paper describes the SHiP experiment baseline setup and the detector systems, together with performance results from prototypes in test beams, as it was prepared for the 2020 Update of the European Strategy for Particle Physics. The expected detector performance from simulation is summarised at the end.

En la actualidad, la tendencia para el consumo de alimentos mínimamente procesados como hortalizas y frutas de iv gama crece conforme los cambios en los hábitos de consumo. Los métodos de conservación favorecen la inocuidad y calidad de los alimentos, así como la preservación de sus propiedades nutricionales y sensoriales. En este sentido, se plantea la evaluación de métodos combinados de conservación para observar su efecto en hortalizas de iv gama: lechuga crespa, tomate cherri y zanahoria. Los métodos combinados evaluados en este estudio son tipo de corte, variación de la concentración de ácido ascórbico (150 y 500 ppm) y empaque al vacío (0,5 atm). Los resultados, en muestras mantenidas a 4 °C, tienen un incremento en el tiempo de vida útil entre un 19% y un 70%. Los mejores tratamientos fueron: lechuga crespa con aplicación de ácido ascórbico (250 ppm), corte en tiras; tomate cherri enteros sin pedúnculo con ácido cítrico (500 ppm), y zanahoria en tiras, con ácido ascórbico (150 ppm) . Como conclusión el uso de técnicas combinadas es una alternativa efectiva para mejorar la conservación de hortalizas.

Abstract Postpartum depression (PPD) is the most frequent psychiatric complication during the postnatal period. According to existing evidence, an association exists between the development of PPD and the maintenance of breastfeeding. A brief motivational intervention (bMI), based on the motivational interview, seems effective in promoting breastfeeding. The objective of this study was to analyse the impact of a bMI aiming to promote breastfeeding on the development of PPD and explore the mediating/moderating roles of breastfeeding and breastfeeding self-efficacy in the effect of the intervention on developing PPD. Eighty-eight women who gave birth by vaginal delivery and started breastfeeding during the immediate postpartum period were randomly assigned to the intervention group (bMI) or control group (breastfeeding education). Randomisation by minimisation was carried out. The breastfeeding duration was longer in the intervention group (11.06 (± 2.94) weeks vs 9.02 (± 4.44), p = 0.013). The bMI was associated with a lower score on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, with a regression β coefficient of − 2.12 (95% CI − 3.82; − 0.41). A part of this effect was mediated by the effect of the intervention on the duration of breastfeeding (mediation/moderation index β = − 0.57 (95% CI − 1.30; − 0.04)). These findings suggest that a bMI aiming to promote breastfeeding has a positive impact preventing PPD mainly due to its effectiveness in increasing the duration of breastfeeding.

ABSTRACT Microbial communities can be structured by both deterministic and stochastic processes, but the relative importance of these processes remains unknown. The ambiguity partly arises from an inability to disentangle soil microbial processes from confounding factors, such as aboveground plant communities or anthropogenic disturbance. In this study, we characterized the relative contributions of determinism and stochasticity to assembly processes of soil bacterial communities across a large environmental gradient of undisturbed Antarctic soils. We hypothesized that harsh soils would impose a strong environmental selection on microbial communities, whereas communities in benign soils would be structured largely by dispersal. Contrary to our expectations, dispersal was the dominant assembly mechanism across the entire soil environmental gradient, including benign environments. The microbial community composition reflects slowly changing soil conditions and dispersal limitation of isolated sites. Thus, stochastic processes, as opposed to deterministic, are primary drivers of soil ecosystem assembly across space at our study site. This is especially surprising given the strong environmental constraints on soil microorganisms in one of the harshest environments on the planet, suggesting that dispersal could be a driving force in microbial community assembly in soils worldwide. IMPORTANCE Because of their diversity and ubiquity, microbes provide an excellent means to tease apart how natural communities are structured. In general, ecologists believe that stochastic assembly processes, like random drift and dispersal, should dominate in benign environments while deterministic processes, like environmental filtering, should be prevalent in harsh environments. To help resolve this debate, we analyzed microbial community composition in pristine Antarctic soils devoid of human influence or plant communities for eons. Our results demonstrate that dispersal limitation is a surprisingly potent force of community limitation throughout all soil conditions. Thus, dispersal appears to be a driving force of microbial community assembly, even in the harshest of conditions.

ABSTRACT The demand for testing during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in the production of several different commercial platforms and laboratory-developed assays for the detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This has created several challenges, including, but not limited to, the standardization of diagnostic testing, utilization of cycle threshold (CT) values for quantitation and clinical interpretation, and data harmonization. Using reference standards consisting of a linear range of SARS-CoV-2 concentrations quantitated by viral culture-based methods and droplet digital PCR, we investigated the commutability and standardization of SARS-CoV-2 quantitation across different laboratories in the United States. We assessed SARS-CoV-2 CT values generated on multiple reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) platforms and analyzed PCR efficiencies, linearity, gene targets, and CT value agreement. Our results demonstrate the inappropriateness of using SARS-CoV-2 CT values without established standards for viral quantitation. Further, we emphasize the importance of using reference standards and controls validated to independent assays, to compare results across different testing platforms and move toward better harmonization of COVID-19 quantitative test results. IMPORTANCE From the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for SARS-CoV-2 testing has resulted in an explosion of analytical tests with very different approaches and designs. The variability in testing modalities, compounded by the lack of available commercial reference materials for standardization early in the pandemic, has led to several challenges regarding data harmonization for viral quantitation. In this study, we assessed multiple commercially available RT-PCR platforms across different laboratories within the United States using standardized reference materials characterized by viral culture methods and droplet digital PCR. We observed variability in the results generated by different instruments and laboratories, further emphasizing the importance of utilizing validated reference standards for quantitation, to better harmonize SARS-CoV-2 test results.

Los términos derecha e izquierda son aplicables más allá de la cotidianidad humana y los seres vivos. Los dedos de la mano derecha tienen una disposición respecto al centro de la mano, que no es idéntica o superponible a aquella de la mano izquierda. Ambas variantes son versiones simétricas, pero no idénticas. El arreglo espacial puede observarse no solo en objetos, sino también en trayectorias. Por ejemplo, en las trayectorias del vuelo de los murciélagos. En el presente artículo se definen algunos ejemplos de la condición de quiralidad en distintos niveles de organización y se mencionan algunos de los recientes avances en el tema. Entender el origen de la asimetría quiral encontrada en partículas, moléculas, y macromoléculas, permite inferir preguntas vigentes como la evolución.

Oxygen is crucial for the survival of marine species. Yet, the ocean has experienced a loss of approximately 2% of its oxygen inventory since the last century, resulting in adverse impacts on marine life and ecosystems. In particular, changes in the gap between the supply and demand for dissolved oxygen lead to physiological and ecological variations, which cause alterations in habitats and food webs for fish and ecosystem services. These changes vary over time and by region, and the heterogeneous characteristics of marine species bring about non-linear consequences to human society. Despite this, identifying the potential ripple effects of deoxygenation on human society is challenging due to the integrated impacts of other stressors, such as global warming and ocean acidification, and their varying changes depending on environmental conditions and regions, such as upwelling and eutrophication. Therefore, we conducted a literature review on ocean deoxygenation and its effects on fish dynamics and the ecosystem, with a focus on the environmental and societal impact, to present crucial considerations and pathways for future research on ocean deoxygenation. We found that quantitative approaches are necessary to assess the dynamic changes under deoxygenation, and the consequent effects on marine ecosystems should be verified to exploit the natural resources from the ocean. One of the most reliable approaches to quantifying the ripple impacts of deoxygenation is to model spatial and temporal changes with other climate stressors, forming a global network encompassing socio-economic and regional effects of this global change to facilitate and improve capabilities to address the impacts of ocean deoxygenation.

El crecimiento económico y social de las naciones, responde al desarrollo de competencias de su población y de cómo se integran esas competencias al sector productivo, es por ello que debe ser relevante para los programas técnicos y profesionales desarrollar estudios que permitan la caracterización el sector empresarial, logrando así identificar los requerimientos presentes y las tendencias futuras en relación con los perfiles que deben poseer sus egresados. Esa anticipación impulsa a las instituciones de educación superior y las lleva a ubicarse en los principales lugares a nivel nacional e internacional. A raíz de lo anterior el presente proyecto estudio desde el programa de tecnología en contabilidad sistematizada, tiene como objetivo general caracterizar el sector productivo de Cartagena de Indias con la finalidad de identificar las necesidades o requerimientos relacionados con el perfil del tecnólogo en contabilidad sistematizada. El enfoque implementado en la investigación es de naturaleza cualitativo, en una primera etapa se realiza la revisión documental con el propósito de sentar las bases para la identificación de las variables a considerar en la segunda etapa de recolección y procesamiento de datos. Cabe aclara que los resultados mostrados en el presente documento derivan de la primera fase de la investigación.

Abstract Dark photons are hypothetical massive vector particles that could mix with ordinary photons. The simplest theoretical model is fully characterised by only two parameters: the mass of the dark photon m $$_{\gamma ^{\mathrm {D}}}$$ γ D and its mixing parameter with the photon, $$\varepsilon $$ ε . The sensitivity of the SHiP detector is reviewed for dark photons in the mass range between 0.002 and 10 GeV. Different production mechanisms are simulated, with the dark photons decaying to pairs of visible fermions, including both leptons and quarks. Exclusion contours are presented and compared with those of past experiments. The SHiP detector is expected to have a unique sensitivity for m $$_{\gamma ^{\mathrm {D}}}$$ γ D ranging between 0.8 and 3.3 $$^{+0.2}_{-0.5}$$ - 0.5 + 0.2 GeV, and $$\varepsilon ^2$$ ε 2 ranging between $$10^{-11}$$ 10 - 11 and $$10^{-17}$$ 10 - 17 .

Measurement(s) earthworm communities • Abundance • organic material • Diversity • environmental properties Technology Type(s) digital curation Factor Type(s) location Sample Characteristic - Organism Lumbricina Sample Characteristic - Environment soil Sample Characteristic - Location global Machine-accessible metadata file describing the reported data: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.13399118

Abstract Dark matter is a well-established theoretical addition to the Standard Model supported by many observations in modern astrophysics and cosmology. In this context, the existence of weakly interacting massive particles represents an appealing solution to the observed thermal relic in the Universe. Indeed, a large experimental campaign is ongoing for the detection of such particles in the sub-GeV mass range. Adopting the benchmark scenario for light dark matter particles produced in the decay of a dark photon, with α D = 0.1 and m A′ = 3m χ , we study the potential of the SHiP experiment to detect such elusive particles through its Scattering and Neutrino detector (SND). In its 5-years run, corresponding to 2 · 1020 protons on target from the CERN SPS, we find that SHiP will improve the current limits in the mass range for the dark matter from about 1 MeV to 300 MeV. In particular, we show that SHiP will probe the thermal target for Majorana candidates in most of this mass window and even reach the Pseudo-Dirac thermal relic.

In recent decades, waves of yellow fever virus (YFV) from the Amazon Rainforest have spread and caused outbreaks in other regions of Brazil, including the Cerrado, a savannah-like biome through which YFV usually moves before arriving at the Atlantic Forest. To identify the vectors involved in the maintenance of the virus in semiarid environments, an entomological survey was conducted after confirmation of yellow fever (YF) epizootics at the peak of the dry season in the Cerrado areas of the state of Minas Gerais. In total, 917 mosquitoes from 13 taxa were collected and tested for the presence of YFV. Interestingly, mosquitoes of the Sabethes genus represented 95% of the diurnal captured specimens, displaying a peak of biting activity never previously recorded, between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. Molecular analysis identified three YFV-positive pools, two from Sabethes chloropterus—from which near-complete genomes were generated—and one from Sa. albiprivus, whose low viral load prevented sequencing. Sa. chloropterus was considered the primary vector due to the high number of copies of YFV RNA and the high relative abundance detected. Its bionomic characteristics allow its survival in dry places and dry time periods. For the first time in Brazil, Sa. albiprivus was found to be naturally infected with YFV and may have played a role as a secondary vector. Despite its high relative abundance, fewer copies of viral RNA were found, as well as a lower Minimum Infection Rate (MIR). Genomic and phylogeographic analysis showed that the virus clustered in the sub-lineage YFVPA-MG, which circulated in Pará in 2017 and then spread into other regions of the country. The results reported here contribute to the understanding of the epidemiology and mechanisms of YFV dispersion and maintenance, especially in adverse weather conditions. The intense viral circulation, even outside the seasonal period, increases the importance of surveillance and YFV vaccination to protect human populations in affected areas.

Abstract We report on a measurement of Spin Density Matrix Elements (SDMEs) in hard exclusive $$\omega $$ ω meson muoproduction on the proton at COMPASS using 160 GeV/c polarised $$ \mu ^{+}$$ μ + and $$ \mu ^{-}$$ μ - beams impinging on a liquid hydrogen target. The measurement covers the range 5.0 GeV/ $$c^2$$ c 2 $$< W

Abstract The Expanded Susceptibility to Smoking Index (ESSI) is based on the combination of susceptibility to smoking and curiosity about smoking. The ESSI can identify young people who are at risk of starting to smoke cigarettes and related products. The objective of this study was to analyse the ESSI results and to examine factors associated with ESSI scores in students between 12 and 16 years of age. Sociodemographic, social/environmental and personal variables were analysed, and the ESSI value was determined for non-smoking students recruited from three schools in western Spain. Regression models were used to examine the factors associated with smoking for the entire sample and the factors associated with ESSI scores in the non-smoking population. Of the 377 participants who were analysed, 20.4% were smokers. Among the non-smokers, 53.5% and 55.3% presented medium–high ESSI scores for cigarettes and e-cigarettes, respectively, and 39.8% presented medium–high ESSI scores for hookah use. A higher ESSI score was associated with greater exposure to people smoking in the home, having more friends who smoke, alcohol consumption, and a higher impulsivity scale score. These findings reinforce the importance of reducing peer pressure and suggest the important role of resolve under conditions of positive affect on reducing impulsivity. Approaches based on self-efficacy could be addressed in preventive programmes developed in educational settings.

Polyphenols are the secondary metabolic products of plants and are considered as active constituents to possess therapeutic effects. To date, a vast number of scientific literature addressed the potential of polyphenols as bio-efficient compounds owing to their structural diversity. Due to the presence of several hydroxyl groups, they are metabolized quickly due to conjugation reaction and thus, readily produce toxic metabolites as a defense material against many pathogens, reflecting their safety strategy. This review focuses on the anti-quorum sensing and biofilm inhibition activity of polyphenols, which display their potential to treat bacterial infections by combating the virulence caused by pathogenic agents. Thus, for mitigating quorum sensing-controlled pathogenesis, the use of polyphenol-based phytochemicals holds immense potential to cure infections. The application of polyphenol as sensitizing agent/ adjuvant therapeutics which act in synergism with antibiotics is highly remarkable.

Objective: To evaluate antioxidant, cytotoxic, and anti-venom capacity of crude bark extracts of Alstonia parvifolia Merr. Methods: Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and energy dispersive X-ray analyses were accomplished to characterize the chemical constituents of Alstonia parvifolia. Biochemical characterization was evaluated using an inhibitory phospholipase A2 (PLA2) assay, DPPH, and cytotoxicity assays. Using the constituents listed in the GC-MS analyses, molecular docking was conducted to inspect the binding energies between the chosen compounds and selected PLA2 isoforms. Results: GC-MS analyses showed that the Alstonia parvifolia crude extract consisted predominantly of acetylmarinobufogenin (14.89%), γ-sitosterol (10.44%), 3-O-methyl-D-glucose (5.88%), 3,5-dimethoxy-4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (5.30%), (2α,5α)-17-methoxyaspidofractinin-3-one (AFM) (4.08%), and 2,3,5,6,7,8,9-heptahydro-1-phenyl-5-(p-chlorophenylimino)-1H-benzo[e][1],[4]thiazepine (HPT) (1.37%). The principal elemental components of Alstonia parvifolia were Ca (4.012%) and K (1.496%), as exhibited by energy dispersive X-ray examination. Alstonia parvifolia showed significant free radical scavenging ability (IC50: 0.287 mg/mL) and was non-cytotoxic to normal HDFn cells (IC50 >100 μg/mL). Moreover, Alstonia parvifolia was favorably cytotoxic to MCF-7 (IC50: 4.42 μg/mL), followed by H69PR, HT-29, and THP-1, with IC50 values of 4.94, 5.07, and 6.27 μg/mL, respectively. Alstonia parvifolia also displayed notable inhibition against PLA2 activity of Naja philippinensis Taylor venom with IC50 of (15.2 ± 1.8) μg/mL. Docking and cluster analyses projected negative binding energies from AFM (-6.36 to -9.68 kcal/mol), HPT (-7.38 to -9.77 kcal/ mol), and acetylmarinobufogenin (-7.22 to -9.59 kcal/mol). These calculations were for the particular interactions of Alstonia parvifolia constituents to PLA2 homologues where the utmost affinity was detected in HPT owing to the dipole interactions with amino acid residues. Conclusions: The bark extract of Alstonia parvifolia shows great potential as an anti-venom agent due to its low cytotoxic profile, remarkable PLA2 inhibition, and docking binding energies between its bioactive constituents and PLA2 homologues.

Purpose: Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease, endemic in certain areas of Argentina, affecting small ruminant's health but, with insidious effect on the smallholder's family, especially women and children. Blind vaccination with Rev-1 strain vaccine stops the direct and simultaneous transmission of the disease. Primo-vaccination of prepuberal does with the strain Rev-1 immunize against the disease, caused by Brucella melitensis, and did not affect the future gestation, but when the primo-vaccination occurs during mid-gestation (50 to 120 days) the aforementioned strain produces a high number of abortus. Therefore, the project aimed to assess if the primo-vaccinated goats with the Rev-1 vaccine protect them, when they were revaccinated during gestation. Methods & Materials: Twenty-two brucellosis-free Boer does were evenly assigned to one of two groups, either yellow (Yg, n=11) or red (Rg, n=11) groups, according to ear tag colour. Yg received two conjunctival REV-1 doses, 20 days before and at 95 days of the beginning of the natural mating whereas, Rg just received one dose at 98 days of the start of the natural mating. Blood samples were taken at five time points to evaluate the humoral immune response, and microbiological samples were held at either calving or abortion. Serum immunoglobulins were assessed by Buffered Plate Agglutination Test (BPA) and confirmed by Fluorescent Polarization Assay (FPA) whereas, microbiology samples were seed in Farrel medium and confirmed by PCR (Bruce-ladder). Results: The pregnancy percentage was 82 and 91% at the Y and Rg, respectively. Yg goats delivered full-term healthy kids whereas, the Rg, out of 10 pregnant goats, two delivered premature kids and eight abortuses. Brucella Rev-1 strain was isolated from both the abortus foetuses and the mothers' vaginal swabs of the Rg on the day of parturition and at 5 days after whereas, the Yg goats delivered healthy kids and the vaginal swabs resulted in microbiology negative Conclusion: In conclusion, the immunity induced in the Yg by the primo-vaccination protected them significantly (p

ABSTRACT Cowpea beans are of great socioeconomic expression for the rural population in North and Northeastern Brazil. This legume is rich in essential nutrients and exhibits great resistance to water stress. However, for grain processing, it is fundamental to study legume behavior during the hydration process. This study aims to evaluate the mass transfer of different cowpea beans via mathematical modeling to determine the viability of hydration for commercialization as a canned product. Physical and chemical analyses of lipids and moisture were performed. The soaking process was performed in a water bath with distilled water at 30, 40, and 50 °C. The mathematical model of Peleg presented satisfactory adjustments, with R2 values ranging between 99.78% and 99.99% and relative error (P) of

Abstract The SHiP experiment is proposed to search for very weakly interacting particles beyond the Standard Model which are produced in a 400 GeV/c proton beam dump at the CERN SPS. About $$10^{11}$$ 1011 muons per spill will be produced in the dump. To design the experiment such that the muon-induced background is minimized, a precise knowledge of the muon spectrum is required. To validate the muon flux generated by our Pythia and GEANT4 based Monte Carlo simulation (FairShip), we have measured the muon flux emanating from a SHiP-like target at the SPS. This target, consisting of 13 interaction lengths of slabs of molybdenum and tungsten, followed by a 2.4 m iron hadron absorber was placed in the H4 400 GeV/c proton beam line. To identify muons and to measure the momentum spectrum, a spectrometer instrumented with drift tubes and a muon tagger were used. During a 3-week period a dataset for analysis corresponding to $$(3.27\pm 0.07)~\times ~10^{11}$$ (3.27±0.07)×1011 protons on target was recorded. This amounts to approximatively 1% of a SHiP spill.

Based on the observation of sizeable target-transverse-spin asymmetries in single-hadron and hadron-pair production in Semi-Inclusive measurements of Deep Inelastic Scattering (SIDIS), the chiral-odd transversity quark distribution functions h1q are nowadays well established. Several possible channels to access these functions were originally proposed. One candidate is the measurement of the polarisation of Λ hyperons produced in SIDIS off transversely polarised nucleons, where the transverse polarisation of the struck quark might be transferred to the final-state hyperon. In this article, we present the COMPASS results on the transversity-induced polarisation of Λ and Λ¯ hyperons produced in SIDIS off transversely polarised protons. Within the experimental uncertainties, no significant deviation from zero was observed. The results are discussed in the context of different models taking into account previous experimental results on h1u and h1d.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the possible factors that influence sleep quality in adolescents with and without chronic immunosuppressive conditions quarantined during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 305 adolescents with chronic immunocompromised conditions and 82 healthy adolescents. Online surveys were completed, which included questions on socio-demographic data and self-rated healthcare routine during COVID-19 quarantine and the following validated questionnaires: the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 (PedsQL4.0), and Pediatric Outcome Data Collection Instrument (PODCI). RESULTS: The median current age [14 (10-18) vs. 15 (10-18) years, p=0.847] and frequency of female sex (62% vs. 58%, p=0.571) were similar in adolescents with chronic conditions compared with healthy adolescents. The frequency of poor sleep quality was similar in both groups (38% vs. 48%, p=0.118). Logistic regression analysis, including both healthy adolescents and adolescents with chronic conditions (n=387), demonstrated that self-reported increase in screen time (odds ratio [OR] 3.0; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3-6.8; p=0.008) and intrafamilial violence report (OR 2.1; 95% CI 1.2-3.5; p=0.008) were independently associated with poor sleep quality in these adolescents. However, the PODCI global function score was associated with a lower OR for poor sleep quality (OR 0.97; 95% CI 0.94-0.99; p=0.001). Further logistic regression, including only adolescents with chronic conditions (n=305), demonstrated that self-reported increase in screen time (OR 3.1; 95% CI 1.4-6.8; p=0.006) and intrafamilial violence report (OR 2.0; 95% CI 1.2-3.4; p=0.011) remained independently associated with poor quality of sleep, whereas a lower PODCI global function score was associated with a lower OR for sleep quality (OR 0.96; 95% CI 0.94-0.98; p

The perennial rhizomatous grass Arundo donax L. (Poaceae), the giant reed, is an exotic invasive species in several countries of Europe that is rapidly spreading in the savannas of Central Brazil, locally known as Cerrado. Allelopathy could facilitate the successful invasion of this species by hampering or suppressing the regeneration of the native vegetation. However, information on the phytotoxicity of A. donax extracts is limited. We investigated the allelopathic potential of A. donax leaf and rhizome extracts, screened them for phytochemicals by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR), and tested the extracts for antioxidant activity, antimicrobial activity, and cytotoxicity against Artemia salina. Aqueous and methanolic extracts were initially tested in germination and seedling growth bioassays using Lactuca sativa L. (Asteraceae). The aqueous extracts were then tested on five Cerrado tree species and on Megathyrsus maximus, an invasive, alien grass in the Cerrado. Extracts negatively affected germination and seedling growth of the target species. Leaf extracts were more inhibitory. Extracts did not show antioxidant and cytotoxic activity and had very low antimicrobial activity. Flavonoids, and other phenolics were detected mostly in leaves. Terpenes, which were also present in the leaves, were the main secondary metabolites in rhizomes. Alkaloids were detected by TLC in leaf methanolic extracts. However, 1H-NMR revealed the presence of indole alkaloids in methanolic extracts from rhizomes and leaves. We confirmed the allelopathic potential of this species and caution against weed control methods relying on cutting the plant back to soil level for favouring release of allelochemicals.

The corrosion inhibition property of selected small organic compounds was investigated using electrochemical measurements, including potentiodynamic polarization (PDP), linear polarization resistance (LPR), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The inhibition efficiency (IE %) of the inhibitor on mild steel (MS) in 1 M HCl was then determined. Results show that the presence of the inhibitors resulted in decreased corrosion current density (Icorr) values and increased polarization resistance (Rp). Furthermore, the use of higher concentrations of inhibitors led to an increased inhibition efficiency. Tafel slopes and shifts in the Ecorr values suggested that the inhibitors tested are mixed-type inhibitors that form a protective layer on the surface of the substrate. Of the organic compound inhibitors tested, the inhibitor 4-ethylpyridine (EP) exhibited the highest Rp values and inhibition efficiency values from the PDP, LPR, and EIS analyses, respectively. DFT calculations showed negative adsorption energies and confirmed the chemisorption of the inhibitors allowing for the formation of a hydrophobic protective film against corrosion and correlations between the quantum chemical values and electrochemical data were demonstrated. The results show the influence of the presence of electronegative O, S, and N atoms, as well as the role of aromatic rings in the promotion of surface protection by preventing aggressive ionic species from binding onto MS.