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Abstract Heart failure (HF) affects 64 million people globally with enormous societal and healthcare costs. Myocardial fibrosis, characterised by changes in collagen content drives HF. Despite evidence that collagen type III (COL3) content changes during myocardial fibrosis, in vivo imaging of COL3 has not been achieved. Here, we discovered the first imaging probe that binds to COL3 with high affinity and specificity, by screening candidate peptide-based probes. Characterisation of the probe showed favourable magnetic and biodistribution properties. The probe’s potential for in vivo molecular cardiac magnetic resonance imaging was evaluated in a murine model of myocardial infarction. Using the new probe, we were able to map and quantify, previously undetectable, spatiotemporal changes in COL3 after myocardial infarction and monitor response to treatment. This innovative probe provides a promising tool to non-invasively study the unexplored roles of COL3 in cardiac fibrosis and other cardiovascular conditions marked by changes in COL3.

Auditory branding is undoubtedly becoming more important across a range of sectors. One area, in particular, that has recently seen significant growth concerns the introduction of music and soundscapes that have been specifically designed to match a particular scent (what one might think of as “audio scents” or “sonic scents”). This represents an exciting new approach to the sensory marketing of fragrance and for industries with strategic sensory goals, such as cosmetics. Crucially, techniques such as the semantic differential technique, as well as the emerging literature on crossmodal correspondences, offer both a mechanistic understanding of, and a practical framework for, those wishing to rigorously align the connotative meaning and conceptual/emotional/sensory associations of sound and scent. These developments have enabled those working in the creative industries to start moving beyond previously popular approaches to matching, or translating between the senses, that were traditionally often based on the idiosyncratic phenomenon of synaesthesia, toward a more scientific approach while nevertheless still enabling/requiring a healthy dose of artistic inspiration. In this narrative historical review, we highlight the various approaches to the systematic matching of sound with scent and review the various marketing activations that have appeared in this space recently.

Intrinsic and extrinsic sensory elements influence our food experiences. However, most research on extrinsic multisensory aspects of food has centered on WEIRD (White, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic) urban participants. This study breaks from this trend by investigating multisensory food experiences in the context of Northern Norway, a region characterized by distinct seasonal shifts, harsh arctic weather, unique atmospheric phenomena (e.g., the midnight sun and northern lights), limited food growth opportunities, and a rich Sámi cultural heritage. Our aim was to unravel the formation and development of multisensory food experiences within a culturally and environmentally specific framework. Our exploratory research used participant observation and interviews, involving four researchers from diverse backgrounds who closely examined multisensory food experiences within four Northern Norwegian food-related tourism businesses, all infused with Sámi cultural elements. Our findings suggest four major themes: (1) Experience elements, involving elements associated with plants, animals, and inanimate objects; (2) Bipolar concepts, which refer to opposing dimensions where experience elements varied, notably in the interplay between Sámi and Norwegian traditions; (3) Sensory stories, which highlight the narratives, enriching the eating experience with context, such as tales of dining under the captivating northern lights; and (4) Values, which indicate guiding principles shaping these experiences on a broader scale, emphasizing support for local traditions and culture. Our main contribution is the presentation of a new contextual framework of multisensory food experiences, which can be applicable to studying food experiences in other contexts.

Caprine tuberculosis (TB) is a zoonotic disease caused by members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. TB eradication programs in goats are based on the single and comparative intradermal tuberculin tests (SITT and CITT, respectively). Antibody-based diagnostic techniques have emerged as potential diagnostic tools for TB. P22 ELISA has been previously evaluated using samples collected after the intradermal tuberculin tests to maximize the sensitivity, a phenomenon known as booster effect. However, there is no information available on whether the use of this diagnostic strategy could lead to a decrease of its specificity (Sp). The aim of the present study was to elucidate the interference effect of a recent CITT on the Sp of the P22 ELISA in serum and milk samples collected at different times after the CITT from a TB-free herd (n = 113). The number of reactors to P22 ELISA was significantly higher (p 0.05) changes in the Sp of the P22 ELISA were observed throughout the different time samplings using milk No significant (p > 0.05) changes were observed on days 30 and 60 post-CITT. In conclusion, the booster effect strategy may significantly decrease the Sp of P22 ELISA in TB-free herds when serum samples are used but not when milk is tested.

Background: Three dimensional, whole-heart (3DWH) MRI is an established non-invasive imaging modality in patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) for the diagnosis of cardiovascular morphology and for clinical decision making. Current techniques utilise diaphragmatic navigation (dNAV) for respiratory motion correction and gating and are frequently limited by long acquisition times. This study proposes and evaluates the diagnostic performance of a respiratory gating-free framework, which considers respiratory image-based navigation (iNAV), and highly accelerated variable density Cartesian sampling in concert with non-rigid motion correction and low-rank patch-based denoising (iNAV-3DWH-PROST). The method is compared to the clinical dNAV-3DWH sequence in adult patients with CHD. Methods: In this prospective single center study, adult patients with CHD who underwent the clinical dNAV-3DWH MRI were also scanned with the iNAV-3DWH-PROST. Diagnostic confidence (4-point Likert scale) and diagnostic accuracy for common cardiovascular lesions was assessed by three readers. Scan times and diagnostic confidence were compared using the Wilcoxon-signed rank test. Co-axial vascular dimensions at three anatomic landmarks were measured, and agreement between the research and the corresponding clinical sequence was assessed with Bland-Altman analysis. Results: The study included 60 participants (mean age ± [SD]: 33 ± 14 years; 36 men). The mean acquisition time of iNAV-3DWH-PROST was significantly lower compared with the conventional clinical sequence (3.1 ± 0.9 min vs 13.9 ± 3.9 min, p

El objetivo de esta investigación fue estudiar el modo en que la inversión sostenible y de impacto contribuyen a la viabilidad financiera de las empresas sociales. El artículo aporta al debate sobre el modo en que este tipo de empresas alcanzan la viabilidad financiera, y ofrece evidencia, a partir de la metodología del estudio de caso de la empresa Liight, sobre la importancia de la inversión sostenible y de impacto para el emprendimiento social. Se concluye que la empresa Liight ha encontrado su viabilidad financiera no solo gracias a los fondos aportados por los inversores sostenibles y de impacto, sino también gracias al apoyo recibido en cuanto al desarrollo de capacidades, lo que ha favorecido su crecimiento y su contribución al desarrollo sostenible.

Paratuberculosis (PTB) and tuberculosis (TB) are two mycobacterial diseases with a severe economic and health impact on domestic ruminants. The ante mortem diagnosis of PTB is hampered, among other factors, by the limited sensitivity of all the available diagnostic techniques. Since TB-infected goats subjected to the comparative intradermal tuberculin test (CITT) may experience a booster effect on their antibody titer and a potential enhancement to the sensitivity of humoral techniques for tuberculosis, in the present study we aimed to evaluate this diagnostic strategy on the humoral diagnosis of PTB in serum and milk samples collected from a caprine herd that was TB free and PTB infected. The results from 120 goats indicated a significant increase (p < 0.001) in the quantitative response detected using an ELISA technique, conducted using serum and milk samples taken 15 and 30 days after performing a CITT (day 0 of the study); although, it did not translate into a significant increase in the number of reactors during any of the testing events (0, 3,15, 30 and 60 days post-CITT). Additionally, the number of ELISA-positive animals was higher for the serum versus the milk samples at both 15 and 30 days post-CITT. The increase in the quantitative ELISA result suggested a diagnostic strategy that maximizes ELISA sensitivity, mainly using serum samples, in PTB-infected herds; although, it may depend on individual differences and the interpretation criteria.

Resumen: El canal auriculoventricular parcial es una forma común de cardiopatías congénitas caracterizada por la presencia de una CIA ostium primum asociado a anomalías de la válvula izquierda. Durante el seguimiento la reoperación por insuficiencia valvular izquierda es la complicación más frecuente. Presentamos 2 casos. El primero es una paciente intervenida de corrección de canal parcial al año de vida que fue sometida a una nueva intervención quirúrgica por insuficiencia AV izquierda 7 años más tarde de la corrección primaria. El segundo caso es una mujer de 68 años, intervenida hace 25 de cierre de CIA ostium primum, que desarrolló insuficiencia izquierda severa e insuficiencia tricuspídea. En ambos casos se observó una persistencia del cleft mitral, por lo que se procedió al cierre completo; en el segundo caso se añadió además una reparación tricúspide con anillo rígido. En ambos casos el cierre del cleft fue suficiente para conseguir una adecuada competencia valvular. Las insuficiencias valvulares, sobre todo la izquierda tras la corrección del canal AV parcial, suponen un reto pues son la causa más frecuente de reintervención en estos pacientes. Además, estas válvulas presentan una morfología y mecanismos de insuficiencia diferentes a las valvulopatías adquiridas y por lo tanto los estándares habituales de reparación valvular mitral no son adecuados para el tratamiento de estas entidades. El cierre del cleft, aun en ausencia de insuficiencia valvular en el momento de la corrección primaria del canal parcial, es fundamental y puede ayudar en la prevención del desarrollo de una insuficiencia severa con el paso del tiempo. Abstract: Partial atrioventricular canal defect is a common form of congenital heart disease, described as the presence of OP ASD with a mitral cleft. During follow-up, reoperation for left valve regurgitation is the most frequent complication. We present two cases; a pediatric patient who underwent surgical correction of a partial atrioventricular canal defect at the age of 1 year and need a reoperation for left AV regurgitation 7 years after the primary correction. The second is a 68-year-old woman, with an OP ASD closure 25 years before, who developed severe left regurgitation and tricuspid regurgitation during follow up. In both cases, a persistence of the mitral cleft was observed, and the cleft was completely closed; with a concomitant tricuspid repair with a rigid ring in the second case. In both cases, cleft closure was sufficient to achieve adequate valve competence. Valvular regurgitation, especially the left component after partial AV septal defect correction, pose a surgical challenge since they are the most frequent cause of reintervention in these patients. Furthermore, these valves present with different morphology and mechanisms of regurgitation compared to acquired valvular disease, and therefore usual standards of mitral valve repair are not suitable for the treatment of these entities. Closure of the cleft even in the absence of valve regurgitation at the time of primary correction of the partial canal is essential and can help prevent the development of severe regurgitation during follow up.

Cardiometabolic disease refers to the spectrum of chronic conditions that include diabetes, hypertension, atheromatosis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and their long-term impact on cardiovascular health. Histological studies have confirmed several modifications at the tissue level in cardiometabolic disease. Recently, quantitative MR methods have enabled non-invasive myocardial and liver tissue characterization. MR relaxation mapping techniques such as T1, T1ρ, T2 and T2* provide a pixel-by-pixel representation of the corresponding tissue specific relaxation times, which have been shown to correlate with fibrosis, altered tissue perfusion, oedema and iron levels. Proton density fat fraction mapping approaches allow measurement of lipid tissue in the organ of interest. Several studies have demonstrated their utility as early diagnostic biomarkers and their potential to bear prognostic implications. Conventionally, the quantification of these parameters by MRI relies on the acquisition of sequential scans, encoding and mapping only one parameter per scan. However, this methodology is time inefficient and suffers from the confounding effects of the relaxation parameters in each single map, limiting wider clinical and research applications. To address these limitations, several novel approaches have been proposed that encode multiple tissue parameters simultaneously, providing co-registered multiparametric information of the tissues of interest. This review aims to describe the multi-faceted myocardial and hepatic tissue alterations in cardiometabolic disease and to motivate the application of relaxometry and proton-density cardiac and liver tissue mapping techniques. Current approaches in myocardial and liver tissue characterization as well as latest technical developments in multiparametric quantitative MRI are included. Limitations and challenges of these novel approaches, and recommendations to facilitate clinical validation are also discussed.

Caprine tuberculosis (TB) is a zoonosis caused by members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC). Caprine TB eradication programmes are based mainly on intradermal tuberculin tests and slaughterhouse surveillance. Different factors may affect the performance of the TB diagnostic tests used in caprine herds and, therefore, their ability to detect infected animals. The present study evaluates the effect of the fraudulent administration of two anti-inflammatory substances, dexamethasone and ketoprofen, on the performance of the TB diagnostic techniques used in goats, as well as the suitability of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for their detection in hair samples. The animals (n = 90) were distributed in three groups: (1) a group treated with dexamethasone (n = 30); a second group treated with ketoprofen (n = 30); and a third non-treated control group (n = 30). Both dexamethasone and ketoprofen groups were subjected to intramuscular inoculation with the substances 48 h after the administration of bovine and avian purified protein derivatives (PPDs), that is, 24 h before the tests were interpreted. All the animals were subjected to the single and comparative intradermal tuberculin (SIT and CIT, respectively) tests, interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) and P22 ELISA. The number of SIT test reactors was significantly lower in the dexamethasone (p = 0.001) and ketoprofen (p < 0.001) groups 72 h after the bovine PPD inoculation compared with the control group. A significantly higher number of positive reactors to IGRA was detected within the dexamethasone group (p = 0.016) 72 h after PPD administration compared to the control group. Dexamethasone and ketoprofen detection in either hair or serum samples was challenging when using HPLC since these substances were not detected in animals whose skin fold thickness (SFT) was reduced, what could be an issue if they are used for fraudulent purposes. In conclusion, the parenteral administration of dexamethasone or ketoprofen 48 h after the PPDs administration can significantly reduce the increase in SFT (mm) and subsequently the number of positive reactors to SIT test.

Magnetic resonance fingerprinting (MRF) is a fast MRI-based technique that allows for multiparametric quantitative characterization of the tissues of interest in a single acquisition. In particular, it has gained attention in the field of cardiac imaging due to its ability to provide simultaneous and co-registered myocardial T1 and T2 mapping in a single breath-held cardiac MRF scan, in addition to other parameters. Initial results in small healthy subject groups and clinical studies have demonstrated the feasibility and potential of MRF imaging. Ongoing research is being conducted to improve the accuracy, efficiency, and robustness of cardiac MRF. However, these improvements usually increase the complexity of image reconstruction and dictionary generation and introduce the need for sequence optimization. Each of these steps increase the computational demand and processing time of MRF. The latest advances in artificial intelligence (AI), including progress in deep learning and the development of neural networks for MRI, now present an opportunity to efficiently address these issues. Artificial intelligence can be used to optimize candidate sequences and reduce the memory demand and computational time required for reconstruction and post-processing. Recently, proposed machine learning-based approaches have been shown to reduce dictionary generation and reconstruction times by several orders of magnitude. Such applications of AI should help to remove these bottlenecks and speed up cardiac MRF, improving its practical utility and allowing for its potential inclusion in clinical routine. This review aims to summarize the latest developments in artificial intelligence applied to cardiac MRF. Particularly, we focus on the application of machine learning at different steps of the MRF process, such as sequence optimization, dictionary generation and image reconstruction.

Abstract Background An adequate hydration status is critical to ensure efficiency during mental and physical activities. Our goal was to assess the hydration status of a Spanish group of aeronautical military men and to determine the association of hydration status with body composition and anxiety. Methods A total of 188 men were evaluated through a validated hydration questionnaire, anthropometric and biochemical parameters, and an anxiety questionnaire. Based on these methods, the criteria of hydration were established. Results Of the total sample, 81% met the hydration criteria (urine color = well hydrated, water balance ≥ 0 ml, and total water intake/weight ≥ 35 ml/kg), and 19% did not meet the hydration criteria (urine color = not sufficiently hydrated or dehydrated, water balance

The reality-virtuality continuum encompasses a multitude of objects, events and environments ranging from real-world multisensory inputs to interactive multisensory virtual simulators, in which sensory integration can involve very different combinations of both physical and digital inputs. These different ways of stimulating the senses can affect the consumer’s consciousness, potentially altering their judgements and behaviours. In this perspective paper, we explore how technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) can, by generating and modifying the human sensorium, act on consumer consciousness. We discuss the potential impact of this altered consciousness for consumer behaviour while, at the same time, considering how it may pave the way for further research.

Abstract Background Conventional PET imaging has usually been limited to a single tracer per scan. We propose a new technique for multi-tracer PET imaging that uses dynamic imaging and multi-tracer compartment modeling including an explicitly derived arterial input function (AIF) for each tracer using blood sampling spectroscopy. For that purpose, at least one of the co-injected tracers must be based on a non-pure positron emitter. Methods The proposed technique was validated in vivo by performing cardiac PET/CT studies on three healthy pigs injected with 18FDG (viability) and 68Ga-DOTA (myocardial blood flow and extracellular volume fraction) during the same acquisition. Blood samples were collected during the PET scan, and separated AIF for each tracer was obtained by spectroscopic analysis. A multi-tracer compartment model was applied to the myocardium in order to obtain the distribution of each tracer at the end of the PET scan. Relative activities of both tracers and tracer uptake were obtained and compared with the values obtained by ex vivo analysis of excised myocardial tissue segments. Results A high correlation was obtained between multi-tracer PET results, and those obtained from ex vivo analysis (18FDG relative activity: r = 0.95, p < 0.0001; SUV: r = 0.98, p < 0.0001). Conclusions The proposed technique allows performing PET scans with two tracers during the same acquisition obtaining separate information for each tracer.

La oferta de cursos abiertos, gratuitos, masivos en línea (MOOC por sus siglas en inglés) ha tenido un crecimiento importante en los últimos años. La mayoría de estos cursos incluye cuestionarios de evaluación que sirven como guía para establecer un baremo para su aprobación. Estos cuestionarios son una herramienta de aprendizaje porque ponen en juego el conocimiento del participante y le dan la oportunidad para identificar sus dificultades y superarlas. También pueden convertirse en un impedimento para el progreso cuando aquellos participantes que no los aprueban deciden retirarse. En este sentido, resulta relevante tener procedimientos para establecer la calidad y dificultad de los cuestionarios de un MOOC, cuestiones que se abordan en este artículo. Ejemplificamos estas ideas y procedimientos con los datos del primer curso del programa PriMat1, Educación Matemática para profesores de primaria. Los resultados ponen de manifiesto la importancia de evaluar la calidad relativa y la dificultad de los cuestionarios de los cursos MOOC con el propósito de contribuir al aprendizaje y la retención de los participantes.

Abstract Background Multi-tracer positron emission tomography (PET) imaging can be accomplished by applying multi-tracer compartment modeling. Recently, a method has been proposed in which the arterial input functions (AIFs) of the multi-tracer PET scan are explicitly derived. For that purpose, a gamma spectroscopic analysis is performed on blood samples manually withdrawn from the patient when at least one of the co-injected tracers is based on a non-pure positron emitter. Alternatively, these blood samples required for the spectroscopic analysis may be obtained and analyzed on site by an automated detection device, thus minimizing analysis time and radiation exposure of the operating personnel. In this work, a new automated blood sample detector based on silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) for single- and multi-tracer PET imaging is presented, characterized, and tested in vitro and in vivo. Results The detector presented in this work stores and analyzes on-the-fly single and coincidence detected events. A sensitivity of 22.6 cps/(kBq/mL) and 1.7 cps/(kBq/mL) was obtained for single and coincidence events respectively. An energy resolution of 35% full-width-half-maximum (FWHM) at 511 keV and a minimum detectable activity of 0.30 ± 0.08 kBq/mL in single mode were obtained. The in vivo AIFs obtained with the detector show an excellent Pearson’s correlation (r = 0.996, p < 0.0001) with the ones obtained from well counter analysis of discrete blood samples. Moreover, in vitro experiments demonstrate the capability of the detector to apply the gamma spectroscopic analysis on a mixture of 68Ga and 18F and separate the individual signal emitted from each one. Conclusions Characterization and in vivo evaluation under realistic experimental conditions showed that the detector proposed in this work offers excellent sensibility and stability. The device also showed to successfully separate individual signals emitted from a mixture of radioisotopes. Therefore, the blood sample detector presented in this study allows fully automatic AIFs measurements during single- and multi-tracer PET studies.

Presentamos la evaluación de los electrodos de carbono vítreo (GC) modificados con películas de Nafion (Nf) y depósitos bimetálicos de aleaciones Ag-Hg y Ag-Bi. La mayoría de los bimetálicos depositados, con un tamaño promedio de aproximadamente 150 nm, se dispersaron e incrustaron uniformemente dentro de la red del Nafion, mientras que una cantidad mucho menor permaneció encima de las incrustadas sin ninguna orientación regular, como lo indica imágenes de microscopía electrónica de barrido (SEM) y microscopía de fuerza atómica (AFM). Las pruebas de sensibilidad para el electrodo modificado AgBiNf/GC produjeron límites de detección (DL), basados en la variabilidad de una solución en blanco (criterio de 3 s), de 0,78 y 0,66 μg L-1 para Cd (II) y Pb (II), respectivamente; mientras que el DL sobre el electrodo modificado AgHgNf/GC fue 0,17 y 0,24 μg L-1 para Cd (II) y Pb (II), respectivamente. La precisión de la metodología por voltametría de redisolución anódica se verificó mediante el cálculo de porcentajes de recuperación de los dos analitos, expresados como error relativo. Se logró una recuperación del 99% al 92%.

We present a perspective article on the state of multisensory human–food interaction (MHFI) research and lay out some reflections for research and development in this area of inquiry, based on a revision of the different spaces that we have co-created with researchers in this space. We begin by conceptualizing and defining MHFI, before moving onto presenting some of its major themes, as well as possible ways in which such themes can guide future research in the area. This article provides key definitions and foundations for the area of MHFI, as well as a first point of contact for those interested in it.

We introduce a model to think about impossible experiences in mixed and virtual reality, while emphasizing the role of said experiences in the context of food. This reality-impossibility model includes two continua, namely, the reality-fantasy character of objects and environments, and the extent to which they follow the laws of physics-other laws. We present a series of examples in each of the quadrants of the model and discuss both the research possibilities and implications of impossible experiences.

As we tend to consume more and more via e-commerce platforms, the digital version of a dietary product’s package can be one of the most important touchpoints that the consumer has with such product during the purchasing stage of the consumer’s journey. Hence, a dietary food/drink properly presented via its packaging in e-commerce is key, for example, to nudge consumers toward healthier purchase habits. In this study, we assessed the role of different configurations of visual cues commonly present in a product’s packaging (jar vs. bag, transparent vs. opaque, labeled vs. unlabeled) in the expectations associated with dietary cookies when presented in a digital environment. A between-participants study was conducted where eight different packages with different combinations of the three aforementioned features were digitally evaluated by the participants. The results suggest that the presence (vs. absence) of labeling triggered the highest ratings on most assessed dimensions (product quality, healthiness, lightness, sweetness, crumbliness, price, tastiness, greediness for product, product/packaging liking). Moreover, transparent (vs. opaque) packaging tends to yield higher expectations concerning this product’s quality (i.e., product liking, package liking, greediness), though it has an opposite effect on the expected healthiness for such cookies. Some particular interactions between these three visual cues were also observed and are discussed as part of the obtained results. In summary, our results point to how the visual appearance of packaging can be strategically used in order to potentially nudge consumers toward healthier cookie purchase habits.

Multisensory integration research has allowed us to better understand how humans integrate sensory information to produce a unitary experience of the external world. However, this field is often challenged by the limited ability to deliver and control sensory stimuli, especially when going beyond audio–visual events and outside laboratory settings. In this review, we examine the scope and challenges of new technology in the study of multisensory integration in a world that is increasingly characterized as a fusion of physical and digital/virtual events. We discuss multisensory integration research through the lens of novel multisensory technologies and, thus, bring research in human–computer interaction, experimental psychology, and neuroscience closer together. Today, for instance, displays have become volumetric so that visual content is no longer limited to 2D screens, new haptic devices enable tactile stimulation without physical contact, olfactory interfaces provide users with smells precisely synchronized with events in virtual environments, and novel gustatory interfaces enable taste perception through levitating stimuli. These technological advances offer new ways to control and deliver sensory stimulation for multisensory integration research beyond traditional laboratory settings and open up new experimentations in naturally occurring events in everyday life experiences. Our review then summarizes these multisensory technologies and discusses initial insights to introduce a bridge between the disciplines in order to advance the study of multisensory integration.

Cerebral palsy (CP) in children constitutes a set of movement and body posture disorders caused by brain injury, which in turn is associated with a series of intestinal, respiratory, and malnutrition conditions. Twenty-four children were selected and included for the present study and subdivided into two groups: (1) children who included modern kefir (containing 12 probiotic species) in their diet; and (2) control group (not including kefir in their diet). The group supplemented with modern kefir received a beverage with multi probiotic species and the control group received commercial yogurt (which included the 2 typical lactic acid bacteria) for 7 weeks. Anthropometric variables, resting energy expenditure, presence, and diagnosis of functional digestive disorders (FDD), frequency of respiratory problems, presence of elevated C-reactive protein, differential count of leukocytes were evaluated. A significant increase in weight and height was found in the kefir group at the final time point. In addition, kefir intake promoted a significant reduction in functional constipation and stool hardness and increased the absolute value of blood lymphocytes. Since the fermented milk beverage modern kefir improves constipation, which is the most important FDD in children with CP and the nutritional and immune status, it could be considered an important strategy to improve health in these children.

With its origin-centric value proposition, the specialty coffee industry seeks to educate consumers about the value of the origin of coffee and how the relationship with farmers ensures quality and makes coffee a premium product. While the industry has widely used stories and visual cues to communicate this added value, research studying whether and how these efforts influence consumers' experiences is scarce. Through three experiments, we explored the effect of images that evoke the terroir of coffee on the perception of premiumness. Our results revealed that online images that resembled the broad origin of coffee (i.e., a farm) could influence premiumness expectations of coffee (Experiment 1). Similarly, a virtual reality environment that depicted this broad origin (vs. a control but not a city atmosphere) could enhance the perception of coffee premiumness for non-expert consumers (Experiment 2) and the enjoyment of the experience for coffee professionals (Experiment 3). Importantly, we found that congruence between the coffee and the virtual reality (VR) atmospheres mediated how much non-experts enjoyed the experience (Experiment 2). VR atmospheres also influenced expectations of sweetness and acidity for non-experts (Experiment 2). These findings serve as a steppingstone for further exploration of the effects of congruence between visual cues and product/brand attributes on premiumness expectations and perception, and more generally on consumer experience. From a practical standpoint, this study provides insights into key aspects for the development of immersive virtual product experiences.

We present a primer on multisensory experiences, the different components of this concept, as well as a reflection of its implications for individuals and society. We define multisensory experiences, illustrate how to understand them, elaborate on the role of technology in such experiences, and present the three laws of multisensory experiences, which can guide discussion on their implications. Further, we introduce the case of multisensory experiences in the context of eating and human-food interaction to illustrate how its components operationalize. We expect that this article provides a first point of contact for those interested in multisensory experiences, as well as multisensory experiences in the context of human-food interaction.

Emotions and temperature are closely related through embodied processes, and people seem to associate temperature concepts with emotions. While this relationship is often evidenced by everyday language (e.g., cold and warm feelings), what remains missing to date is a systematic study that holistically analyzes how and why people associate specific temperatures with emotions. The present research aimed to investigate the associations between temperature concepts and emotion adjectives on both explicit and implicit levels. In Experiment 1, we evaluated explicit associations between twelve pairs of emotion adjectives derived from the circumplex model of affect, and five different temperature concepts ranging from 0°C to 40°C, based on responses from 403 native speakers of four different languages (English, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese). The results of Experiment 1 revealed that, across languages, the temperatures were associated with different regions of the circumplex model. The 0°C and 10°C were associated with negative-valanced, low-arousal emotions, while 20°C was associated with positive-valanced, low-to-medium-arousal emotions. Moreover, 30°C was associated with positive-valanced, high-arousal emotions; and 40°C was associated with high-arousal and either positive- or negative-valanced emotions. In Experiment 2 (N = 102), we explored whether these temperature-emotion associations were also present at the implicit level, by conducting Implicit Association Tests (IATs) with temperature words (cold and hot) and opposing pairs of emotional adjectives for each dimension of valence (Unhappy/Dissatisfied vs. Happy/Satisfied) and arousal (Passive/Quiet vs. Active/Alert) on native English speakers. The results of Experiment 2 revealed that participants held implicit associations between the word hot and positive-valanced and high-arousal emotions. Additionally, the word cold was associated with negative-valanced and low-arousal emotions. These findings provide evidence for the existence of temperature-emotion associations at both explicit and implicit levels across languages.

Resumen: Introducción: El recambio valvular aórtico con prótesis sin sutura Perceval S se asocia a un aumento en la tasa de bloqueo auriculoventricular postoperatorio que precisa implante de marcapasos definitivo, comparado con las bioprótesis convencionales. En nuestra serie hemos modificado la técnica de implante (mínimo baloneo

Objetivo: Determinar la incidencia de deterioro valvular estructural (DVE) entre todos los modelos de bioprótesis aórtica Mitroflow (A12/LX/DL), así como definir los factores de riesgo implicados y el posible papel protector del tratamiento anticalcificación phospholipid reduction treatment (PRT) del modelo DL. Métodos: Estudio retrospectivo de 1.023 pacientes consecutivos operados de recambio valvular aórtico con bioprótesis Mitroflow entre 2001 y 2014. Resultados: El seguimiento medio fue de 5,4 ± 3,1 años. La incidencia acumulada global de DVE fue 0,48% a un año, 2,1% a 5 años y 6,8% a 10 años. El grupo PRT mostró menor incidencia acumulada de DVE (0,2% vs. 1,2% a 4 años) (p = 0,04). El análisis de regresión de riesgos competitivos confirmó: edad < 70 años (HR = 2,98 [1,5-5,89], p = 0,002), tamaño valvular de 19 mm (HR = 4,7 [2,29-9,64], p 30 mmHg en postoperatorio precoz (HR = 10,3 [5,3-19,9], p

In doing an inventory of ceramic materials from archaeological excavations, it is a common practice to indicate their observable atmosphere of firing. This parameter refers to the presence of gases, especially oxygen, during the firing and cooling of pottery: if oxygen circulates freely, the procedure is said to be oxidising; if, on the contrary, the atmosphere of firing lacks free air, it is called reducing (Rice 1987: 81). The atmosphere of firing affects the physical properties of finished pottery, including hardness, porosity and shrinkage, but most visibly colour (Rice 1987: 81). Nevertheless, the colour range of fabrics does not depend only on firing conditions, but also on the iron content of the clay and its distribution within it (Orton, C. et al. 1993: 69). In any case, the firing atmosphere of a piece of pottery can be classified as oxidising, reducing or alternating when inventorying. In principle, this should facilitate the task of reassembling broken archaeological objects and, as a consequence, their study as a whole. Recognising and classifying fragments based on similar physical properties, such as thickness, temper, fabric colours, etc., is an essential step toward determining which belong to the same individual object. However, this criterion can sometimes be misguiding, especially concerning colour.

Functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPD) are the most common chronic pain conditions in pediatric gastroenterology. They account for 50% of all pediatric gastroenterology clinic visits. The pathophysiology of FAPDs is poorly understood, but there is growing understanding of the role of food and the patient’s nutritional state in both their treatment and prognosis. Clinic-based studies have shown a higher prevalence of FAPDs, and worse prognosis among obese children with FAPDs. We aimed to assess the nutritional status of children with FAPD to determine if there is increased prevalence of FAPDs in obese or underweight patients. We conducted a cross sectional study of schoolchildren in Colombia. We enrolled 1030 patients from five schools and screened them for FAPDs using Rome IV criteria. Data on weight, height, abdominal circumference and BMI were collected for each child. Cases (FAPDs) were compared with a control group of enrolled children who did not meet diagnostic criteria for any functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID). We diagnosed 58 (5.8%) children with FAPDs based on Rome IV criteria. When we compared to participants who were not diagnosed with FGIDs by screening, there was no statistically significant difference in children who were obese (OR 0.34 CI: 0.03–1.34, p = 0.124) or overweight (OR 1.00 CI: 0.46–2.02, p = 0.984) or those with increased abdominal circumference (OR 0.94, CI: 0.10–3.90, p = 0.943). FAPDs are not more common among obese children compared with healthy controls at a community level. Obese children may have been overrepresented in previous studies which were done at a clinical level due to comorbidities and a more severe phenotype that makes them more likely to consult. Nutritional status is not a useful predictor for the occurrence of FAPDs in children in the general population.

The CRAFTER project aims at reviving modern-day artisanship by drawing inspiration from pottery traditions of four of the most remarkable Bronze Age societies of Europe: El Argar (south-eastern Spain), Únětice (Central Europe), Füzesabony (eastern Hungary) and Vatin (south Serbia).

There is growing interest in the development of new technologies that capitalize on our emerging understanding of the multisensory influences on flavor perception in order to enhance human–food interaction design. This review focuses on the role of (extrinsic) visual, auditory, and haptic/tactile elements in modulating flavor perception and more generally, our food and drink experiences. We review some of the most exciting examples of recent multisensory technologies for augmenting such experiences. Here, we discuss applications for these technologies, for example, in the field of food experience design, in the support of healthy eating, and in the rapidly growing world of sensory marketing. However, as the review makes clear, while there are many opportunities for novel human–food interaction design, there are also a number of challenges that will need to be tackled before new technologies can be meaningfully integrated into our everyday food and drink experiences.

Los seudoaneurismas de aorta ascendente son complicaciones posquirúrgicas infrecuentes, pero extremadamente letales. Su reparación supone un reto quirúrgico debido fundamentalmente al elevado riesgo de rotura durante la re-esternotomía y consiguiente exanguinación del paciente, así como a la necesidad de períodos prolongados de parada circulatoria para su reparación. Presentamos una alternativa para el manejo quirúrgico de un gran seudoaneurisma de aorta ascendente, complicado con datos de rotura inminente y hemoptisis severa 6 meses tras una cirugía de sustitución valvular aórtica.

El Ministerio de Educación Nacional de Colombia presentó, a finales de 2016, versiones preliminares de dos documentos curriculares: la segunda versión de Derechos Básicos de Aprendizaje y la primera versión de las mallas curriculares. Se espera que estos documentos complementen el de los Estándares Básicos de Competencia que los profesores e instituciones educativas han venido implementando desde hace diez años. En este artículo, presentamos un análisis curricular de estos documentos. Encontramos que presentan un nivel importante de complejidad y múltiples incoherencias. Por esta razón, no es posible afirmar que todos los profesores e instituciones colombianos puedan comprender su contenido, interpretarlo adecuadamente y llevarlo a la práctica con el propósito de contribuir al aprendizaje de los estudiantes.

INTRODUCTION:Reports of therapeutic failure to meglumine antimoniate (MA) and miltefosine in cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) varies between species, populations and geographic regions. This study aimed to determine the clinical, drug-related factors, and Leishmania species associated with treatment failure in children and adults with cutaneous leishmaniasis. METHODS:A cohort study was performed with children (2-12 years old) and adults (18-65 years old) with CL, who have participated in clinical studies at CIDEIM Cali, Tumaco and Chaparral. Incidence of therapeutic failure was estimated by treatment and age groups. Descriptive, bivariate, and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed for the complete cohort and pediatric patients. RESULTS:Two hundred and thirty patients were included (miltefosine: 112; MA: 118), of which 60.4% were children and 83.9% were infected with L.V. panamensis. Overall incidence of therapeutic failure was 15.65% (95%CI: 10.92-20.38), and was lower for miltefosine than for MA (8.92%, 95%CI: 3.59-14.26 versus 22.03%, 95%CI:14.48-29.58, p = 0.006). Treatment failure was associated with age ≤8 years (OR: 3.29; 95%CI: 1.37-7.89), disease duration ≤1 month (OR: 3.29; 95%CI: 1.37-7.89), regional lymphadenopathy (OR: 2.72; 95%CI: 1.10-6.70), treatment with MA (OR: 3.98; 95%CI: 1.66-9.50), and adherence

Objetivos: Analizar la morfología del arco aórtico en pacientes sometidos a cirugía híbrida por patología de arco y aorta torácica descendente, así como evaluar los resultados a corto y a medio plazo. Pacientes y métodos: Catorce pacientes consecutivos (78,6% varones, con edad media de 61,9 ± 10,1 años y euroSCORE logístico medio 19,2 ± 9,6%) operados mediante cirugía híbrida (derivación carótido-subclavia izquierda, 7 casos; translocación de 2 troncos, 2 casos; translocación de 3 troncos, 5 casos) fueron incluidos en el estudio. Se analizaron los diámetros aórticos, la longitud de las zonas de anclaje, la distancia entre troncos supraaórticos, la angulación y el radio de curvatura del arco. Resultados: La longitud media de la zona de anclaje proximal aumentó de 5,9 ± 5,3 a 36,3 ± 9,6 mm tras cirugía de troncos supraaórticos. El radio de curvatura medio del arco fue de 48,7 ± 19,9 mm con angulación media de 84,6 ± 29,1°. Cuatro pacientes presentaron un radio de curvatura 2,5 cm para evitar defectos de aposición en la curvatura menor del arco y endofugas tipo ia.

The performance as reinforcement of a fibrillar protein such as feather keratin fiber over a biopolymeric matrix composed of polysaccharides was evaluated in this paper. Three different kinds of keratin reinforcement were used: short and long biofibers and rachis particles. These were added separately at 5, 10, 15 and 20 wt% to the chitosan-starch matrix and the composites were processed by a casting/solvent evaporation method. The morphological characteristics, mechanical and thermal properties of the matrix and composites were studied by scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic mechanical analysis. The thermal results indicated that the addition of keratin enhanced the thermal stability of the composites compared to pure matrix. This was corroborated with dynamic mechanical analysis as the results revealed that the storage modulus of the composites increased with respect to the pure matrix. The morphology, evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, indicated a uniform dispersion of keratin in the chitosan-starch matrix as a result of good compatibility between these biopolymers, also corroborated by FTIR. These results demonstrate that chicken feathers can be useful to obtain novel keratin reinforcements and develop new green composites providing better properties, than the original biopolymer matrix.

We report on two new electrochemical sensors which, coupled to differential pulse voltammetry, constitutes a useful tool for diagnosis of heavy metal pollution. The electrochemical sensors AgHgNf/Cu and the AgBiNf/Cu were obtained by deposition of bimetallic particles of AgHg or AgBi on copper electrodes covered with a Nafion (Nf) film, respectively. Micrographs of the electrode’s surface showed evenly scattered bimetallic particles, with an approximate diameter of 150 nm, embedded in the Nafion (Nf) film. In order to test the electrodes, the hydrogen evolution signal according to the Brdička reaction was measured for the determination of cysteine-rich peptides (CRp) produced by plants. To check the accuracy of the electrodes, real samples of Nicotiana tabacum cells exposed to cytotoxic levels of cadmium were tested. The AgHgNf/Cu electrode produced detection limits (DLs) of 0.088 µmol L−1 for Cysteine and 0.139µmol L−1 for Glutathione, while for the AgBiNf/Cu electrode DLs were 0.41 µmol L−1 for cysteine and 0.244 µmol L−1 for glutathione. Thus, the new electrodes could be a useful analytical electrochemical system very convenient for fieldwork. The electrodes were capable of direct, accurate, and sensitive detection of synthesized peptides, despite the complex matrix where the Nicotiana tabacum cells were grown.

Electrospun one dimensional (1D) and two dimensional (2D) carbon based polymer nanocomposites are studied in order to determine the effect provided by the two differently structured nanofillers on crystallinity and thermo-mechanical properties of the nanofibres. The nanomaterials studied are pristine carbon nanotubes, oxidised carbon nanotubes, reduced graphene oxide and graphene oxide. Functional groups associated with the order structure of the polymers are analysed by infrared and Raman spectroscopies; the morphology is studied by scanning electron microscopy and the crystallinity properties are investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction. Differences in crystallisation behaviour between 1D and 2D carbon based nanofibres are shown by their crystallinity degree and their crystal sizes. The nanocomposite crystal sizes perpendicular to the plane (100) decrease with nanofiller content in all cases. The crystallinity trend and crystal sizes are in accordance with storage modulus response. The results also suggest that functionalisation favours interfacial bonding and dispersion of the nanomaterials within the polymer matrix. As a consequence the number of nucleating sites increases which in turn decreases the crystal size in the nanocomposites. These features explain the improved thermo-mechanical properties in the nanocomposites.

Carbon nanostructures have played an important role in creating a new field of materials based on carbon. Chemical modification of carbon nanostructures through grafting has been a successful step to improve dispersion and compatibility in solvents, with biomolecules and polymers to form nanocomposites. In this sense carbohydrates such as chitosan are extremely valuable because their functional groups play an important role in diversifying the applications of carbon nanomaterials. This paper reports the covalent attachment of chitosan onto graphene oxide, taking advantage of this carbohydrate at the nanometric level. Grafting is an innovative route to modify properties of graphene, a two-dimensional nanometric arrangement, which is one of the most novel and promising nanostructures. Chitosan grafting was achieved by redox reaction using different temperature conditions that impact on the morphology and features of graphene oxide sheets. Transmission Electron Microscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared, Raman and Energy Dispersive spectroscopies were used to study the surface of chitosan-grafted-graphene oxide. Results show a successful modification indicated by the functional groups found in the grafted material. Dispersions of chitosan-grafted-graphene oxide samples in water and hexane revealed different behavior due to the chemical groups attached to the graphene oxide sheet.

En Colombia existe un alto porcentaje de niños y jóvenes que despliegan o son víctimas de conductas agresivas en el contexto escolar. Existe evidencia que muestra que estas conductas están asociadas con dificultades en la regulación emocional y en los procesos de teoría de la mente. Se llevaron a cabo seis estudios de caso a niños entre los 4 y 8 años de edad. A los participantes del estudio se les presentó un cuestionario en donde se planteaban situaciones conflictivas y buscaba fomentar el juego de ficción. Se evaluó la respuesta electrodérmica y las expresiones faciales durante la entrevista. Se presentó una mayor frecuencia de expresiones faciales y cambios en la respuesta electrodérmica cuando la agresión, en las situaciones conflictivas, era intencional y dirigida a un sujeto. Las emociones más frecuentes, registradas en la expresión facial, fueron rabia, tristeza y desprecio. Los resultados de este estudio, sugieren que las expresiones faciales y la respuesta electrodérmica pueden ser medidas interesantes para estudiar la regulación emocional y las conductas agresivas.

People associate basic tastes (e.g., sweet, sour, bitter, and salty) with specific colors (e.g., pink or red, green or yellow, black or purple, and white or blue). In the present study, we investigated whether a color bordered by another color (either the same or different) would give rise to stronger taste associations relative to a single patch of color. We replicate previous findings, highlighting the existence of a robust crossmodal correspondence between individual colors and basic tastes. On occasion, color pairs were found to communicate taste expectations more consistently than were single color patches. Furthermore, and in contrast to a recent study in which the color pairs were shown side-by-side, participants took no longer to match the color pairs with tastes than the single colors (they had taken twice as long to respond to the color pairs in the previous study). Possible reasons for these results are discussed, and potential applications for the results, and for the testing methodology developed, are outlined.

Previous research shows that people systematically match tastes with shapes. Here, we assess the extent to which matched taste and shape stimuli share a common semantic space and whether semantically congruent versus incongruent taste/shape associations can influence the speed with which people respond to both shapes and taste words. In Experiment 1, semantic differentiation was used to assess the semantic space of both taste words and shapes. The results suggest a common semantic space containing two principal components (seemingly, intensity and hedonics) and two principal clusters, one including round shapes and the taste word “sweet,” and the other including angular shapes and the taste words “salty,” “sour,” and “bitter.” The former cluster appears more positively-valenced whilst less potent than the latter. In Experiment 2, two speeded classification tasks assessed whether congruent versus incongruent mappings of stimuli and responses (e.g., sweet with round versus sweet with angular) would influence the speed of participants’ responding, to both shapes and taste words. The results revealed an overall effect of congruence with congruent trials yielding faster responses than their incongruent counterparts. These results are consistent with previous evidence suggesting a close relation (or crossmodal correspondence) between tastes and shape curvature that may derive from common semantic coding, perhaps along the intensity and hedonic dimensions.