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YKL-40 (chitinase 3-like-1) and Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6) are 2 promising biomarkers that may have an important role in the management of interstitial lung diseases (ILD).The aim of this study was to investigate the values of KL-6 and YKL-40 as biomarkers in the diagnosis and prognosis of patients with hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP).A cross-sectional study conducted in 49 patients diagnosed with HP due to exposure to birds (n = 32) or fungi (n = 17), 48 patients with other ILD, and 67 healthy volunteers. Patients with HP were divided into fibrotic and nonfibrotic. Serum and sputum YKL-40 and KL-6 levels were determined using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to determine the sensitivity and specificity of both biomarkers for the diagnosis of HP. Pulmonary function tests were performed in patients during follow-up.KL-6 and YKL-40 levels were significantly higher in serum of patients with HP exposed to birds with a fibrotic pattern than in controls (P.0001 and .0055, respectively). Serum KL-6 levels were also significantly higher in patients with fibrotic HP exposed to fungi compared with the control group (P = .0001). In patients with HP exposed to fungi, sputum KL-6 and YKL-40 levels were higher in those with a fibrotic pattern (P = .0289 and .016, respectively). ROC analysis showed that the range between 55-121 ng/mL for serum YKL-40 levels and 346-1441 U/mL for serum KL-6 levels had the best sensitivity and specificity for discriminating between patients with HP, healthy controls, and patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). In patients with HP, serum KL-6 levels correlated negatively with total lung capacity (r = -0.485; P = .0103) and diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide (r = -0.534; P = .0002) at 12 months.Both KL-6 and YKL-40 proteins seem to be capable of distinguishing patients with HP from healthy individuals and from patients with IPF. Their sensitivity and specificity confirm their potential role as biomarkers. KL-6 may also be a predictor of disease progression.

The production of solar energy at altitudes higher than 3800 m above sea level is not constant because the relevant factors are highly varied and complex due to extreme solar radiation, climatic variations, and hostile environments. Therefore, it is necessary to create efficient prediction models to forecast solar production even before implementing photovoltaic systems. In this study, stacking techniques using ElasticNet and XGBoost were applied in order to develop regression models that could collect a maximum number of features, using the LASSO, Ridge, ElasticNet, and Bayesian models as a base. A sequential feature selector (SFS) was used to reduce the computational cost and optimize the algorithm. The models were implemented with data from a string photovoltaic (PV) system in Puno, Peru, during April and August 2021, using 15 atmospheric and photovoltaic system variables in accordance with the European standard IEC 61724-20170. The results indicate that ElasticNet reduced the MAE by 30.15% compared to the base model, and that the XGBoost error was reduced by 30.16% using hyperparameter optimization through modified random forest research. It is concluded that the proposed models reduce the error of the prediction system, especially the stacking model using XGBoost with hyperparameter optimization.

La cuenca Oriente (Cretácico-Cenozoico tardío) es una de las más complejas y atractivas cuencas sedimentarias de antepaís de los Andes septentrionales. Está constituida por diversos ciclos tectónicos y sedimentarios, desarrollada sobre un basamento Precámbrico. Con el fin de evaluar el potencial geotérmico teórico y los usos potenciales del calor en la cuenca, datos de temperaturas de fondo de pozos (BHT) de 1683 pozos petroleros profundos, distribuidos en 202 campos individuales, han sido ploteados en un mapa georreferenciado, cubriendo un área de 57.400 km2. El tratamiento estadístico de los datos para el cálculo del gradiente geotérmico incluyó correcciones de las BHT, de acuerdo con el método propuesto por Willet y Chapman. A partir de los datos trazados, se hace evidente que a lo largo del Corredor Sacha-Shushufindi, muestra valores bajos de gradiente (7,38 a 26,1ºC/km). Por el contrario, los valores altos de gradiente (26,1 a 69,01ºC/km) están presentes en el Sistema Subandino y en el Sistema Capirón-Tiputini. La distribución de anomalías de temperatura parece estar relacionada con el control estructural NNE-SSO de la cuenca, cuyo patrón de permeabilidad es bien conocido. La extracción de calor para usos comerciales se ve altamente facilitada por la existencia de pozos profundos que penetran en zonas de alto gradiente, lo que ahorra los costos generalmente prohibitivos de la perforación profunda.

Bird-related hypersensitivity pneumonitis (BRHP) is an interstitial lung disease induced by avian proteins. The immunopathological pathways involved in the disease are still unknown. This study assesses the cellular immune response and the cytokine pattern in a mouse model of BRHP. On days −3 and −1, mice were intraperitoneally sensitized with commercial pigeon serum (PS) or saline. Intranasal instillations with PS or saline were carried out on three consecutive days/week over either 3 weeks (Group 1) or 12 weeks (Group 2). Leukocyte and cytokine patterns in lung tissue and pulmonary inflammation in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) were analysed. Both groups presented increases in resident monocytes, interstitial macrophages and type 2 dendritic cells (DCs), but also reductions in inflammatory monocytes, alveolar macrophages and tolerogenic DCs compared with their control groups. Group 1 had increased levels of eosinophils and T cells with reductions in neutrophils and B cells, while Group 2 showed high levels of B cells. Both groups exhibited increases in Th1 and Th2 cytokines. Group 2 also showed increased levels of IL-23, a Th17 cytokine. Increased levels of neutrophils, eosinophils and lymphocytes were observed in BAL samples of both groups compared with controls. In the first stages of BRHP, there is a mixed Th1/Th2 immune response, while during the progression of the disease, although there is a Th1 response, the cytokine levels seem to indicate a switch towards a Th2/Th17 mixed response.

The purpose of the research was to determine the impact of the Perfect Suspension Of Work (SPL) on the social benefits of workers during the state of sanitary emergency 2020. The methodology is: applied, non-experimental design, quantitative approach and cross-sectional through the technique of documentary analysis and the data registration form, the study considered the information reported by the Ministry of Labor and Employment Promotion, and reports and publications of regulations applied and enacted during the state of sanitary emergency. The results showed that 298,677 workers were included in the SPL, where 98.12% belong to the private sector, 48.51% to companies with more than 100 workers, 26.05% receive remuneration between S/1000.00 and S/1500. 00 soles, the most affected activity is the real estate activity with 15.85% and the employers have a debt of more than 27 million soles with the AFP, where 80.67% are in judicial collection and the granting of social benefits were computed by days actually worked. In conclusion, the SPL has had a negative impact on social benefit payments and workers retirement funds.

There are limited therapeutic options for patients with COVID-19-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) with inflammation-mediated lung injury. Mesenchymal stromal cells offer promise as immunomodulatory agents.Evaluation of efficacy and safety of allogeneic mesenchymal cells in mechanically-ventilated patients with moderate or severe COVID-induced respiratory failure.Patients were randomized to two infusions of 2 million cells/kg or sham infusions, in addition to standard of care. We hypothesized that cell therapy would be superior to sham-control for the primary endpoint of 30-day mortality. The key secondary endpoint was ventilator-free survival within 60 days, accounting for deaths and withdrawals in a ranked analysis.At the third interim analysis, the Data and Safety Monitoring Board recommended that the trial halt enrollment as the pre-specified mortality reduction from 40% to 23% was unlikely to be achieved (n=222 out of planned 300). Thirty-day mortality was 37.5% (42/112) in cell recipients versus 42.7% (47/110) in control patients (RR 0.88;95% CI 0.64,1.21;p=0.43). There were no significant differences in days alive off ventilation within 60 days (median rank 117.3 [IQR:60.0,169.5] in cell patients and 102.0 [IQR:54.0,162.5] in controls; higher is better). Resolution or improvement of ARDS at 30-days was observed in 51/104 (49.0%) cell recipients and 46/106 (43.4%) of control patients (OR 1.36;95% CI 0.57, 3.21). There were no infusion-related toxicities and overall serious adverse events over 30 days were similar.Mesenchymal cells, while safe, did not improve 30-day survival or 60-day ventilator-free days in patients with moderate/severe COVID-related acute respiratory distress syndrome. Clinical trial registration available at www.gov, ID:NCT04371393. This article is open access and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives License 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Background To assess the impact of living liver donation (LD) in a diverse and aging population up to 20 y after donation, particularly with regard to medical, financial, psychosocial, and overall health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Methods Patients undergoing LD between 1999 and 2009 were recruited to respond to the Short-Form 36 and a novel Donor Quality of Life Survey at two time points (2010 and 2018). Results Sixty-eight living liver donors (LLDs) completed validated surveys, with a mean follow-up of 11.5 ± 5.1 y. Per Donor Quality of Life Survey data, physical activity or strength was not impacted by LD in most patients. All respondents returned to school or employment, and 82.4% reported that LD had no impact on school or work performance. LD did not impact health insurability in 95.6% of donors, and only one patient experienced difficulty obtaining life insurance. Overall, 97.1% of respondents did not regret LD. Short-Form 36 survey–measured outcomes were similar between LLDs and the general U.S. population. LLDs who responded in both 2010 and 2018 were followed for an overall average of 15.4 ± 2.4 y and HRQOL outcomes in these donors also remained statistically equivalent to U.S. population norms. Conclusions This study represents the longest postdonation follow-up and offers unique insight related to HRQOL in a highly diverse patient population. Although LLDs continue to maintain excellent HRQOL outcomes up to 20 y after donation, continued lifetime follow-up is required to accurately provide young, healthy potential donors with an accurate description of the risks that they may incur on aging.

Flapping micro-air vehicles (MAVs) can access a wide range of locations, including confined spaces such as the inside of industrial plants and collapsed buildings, and offer high maneuverability and tolerance to disturbances. However, current flapping MAVs require transmission systems between their actuators and wings, which introduce energetic losses and additional mass, hindering performance. Here, we introduce a high-performance electrostatic flapping actuation system, the liquid-amplified zipping actuator (LAZA), which induces wing movement by direct application of liquid-amplified electrostatic forces at the wing root, eliminating the requirement of any transmission system and their associated downsides. The LAZA allows for accurate control of flapping frequency and amplitude, exhibits no variation in performance over more than 1 million actuation cycles, and delivers peak and average specific powers of 200 and 124 watts per kilogram, respectively, exceeding mammalian and insect flight muscle and on par with modern flapping MAV actuation systems. The inclusion of 50-millimeter-long passively pitching wings in a dragonfly-sized LAZA flapping system allowed the rectification of net directional thrust up to 5.73 millinewtons. This thrust was achieved while consuming only 243 milliwatts of electrical power, implying a thrust-to-power ratio of 23.6 newtons per kilowatt, similar to state-of-the-art flapping MAVs, helicopter rotors, and commercial drone motors. Last, a horizontally moving LAZA flapping system supported by a taut nylon wire was able to accelerate from at-rest and travel at speeds up to 0.71 meters per second. The LAZA enables lightweight, high-performance transmission-free flapping MAVs for long-term remote exploration and search-and-rescue missions.

[No abstract available]

Asthma; Medical research Asma; Investigación médica Asma; Recerca mèdica Though asthma and bronchiectasis are two different diseases, their coexistence has been demonstrated in many patients. The aim of the present study is to compare the characteristics of asthmatic patients with and without bronchiectasis and to assess risk factors for the development of this condition. Two hundred and twenty-four moderate-severe asthmatic patients were included. The severity of bronchiectasis was assessed by Reiff and FACED parameters. Logistic regression was used to identify independent factors associated with bronchiectasis. Bronchiectasis was identified in 78 asthma patients. In severe asthma patients, its prevalence was 56.9%. Bronchiectasis was defined as mild in81% of patients using modified Reiff criteria and in 74% using FACED criteria. Asthmatic patients with bronchiectasis had decreasing FEV1, FVC and FEV1/FVC (p = 0.002, 0.005 and 0.014 respectively), presented more frequent asthma exacerbations (p

Pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) blocks the inhibitory action of GABA, triggering a Glu-mediated hyperexcitation of the dendritic spines in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons that leads to the generation of epileptiform seizures. The aim of this work was to determine the effect of PTZ on the electrical activity of the hippocampal pyramidal neurons in male rats. Bipolar electrodes were implanted stereotaxically in the right and left hippocampal CA1 fields of adults, and PTZ (65 mg/kg) was administered i.p. Simultaneous recordings of the field activity and the firing rate (multiunitary activity, MUA) were analyzed at 10, 20, and 30 min post-administration of PTZ. Only rats that presented tonic-clonic seizures during the first 1-5 min after PTZ treatment were included in the study. The recordings of the field activity were analyzed in 4 frequency bands. In both the right and left hippocampal CA1 fields, the relative power corresponding to the slow waves (4-7 Hz) increased, while in the bands 13-30 Hz and 31-50 Hz, it decreased at 10, 20, and 30 min post-PTZ. MUA recordings were analyzed at four levels. The highest levels corresponded to larger amplitudes of the action potentials in the pyramidal neurons. The firing rates of the PTZ-treated rats did not differ from baseline but presented a significant decrement at 10, 20, and 30 min post-PTZ. The decreased firing rate of the hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons after PTZ treatment could be associated with plastic changes of dendritic spines along with some microenvironmental adaptations at synaptic level, after neuronal PTZ-mediated hyperexcitation.

Resumen Al sureste de la Cordillera Real, en la sección del río Miriumi, rocas sedimentarias e ígneas metamorfoseadas fueron agrupadas sin discriminación en la Unidad Upano, y la falla Palanda-Méndez-Cosanga fue considerada un límite de terreno en anteriores investigaciones. El objetivo de esta investigación es caracterizar y discriminar rocas sedimentarias e ígneas metamorfoseadas de la Unidad Upano, de rocas sedimentarias de la Cuenca Oriente. Esta discriminación está soportada en datos litoestratigráficos, identificación de estructuras sedimentarias, registro de fósiles, estudios petrográficos y análisis de datos estructurales. Rocas meta-volcánicas y meta-pelíticas afloran en la parte occidental de la sección; mientras que hacia el este de la sección, secuencias estratodecrecientes de conglomerados de cuarzo, cuarzo-areniscas, lodolitas y areniscas con estructuras mareales; calizas mudstone y wackstone, lutitas negras con abundantes trazas de amonites y bivalvos son afectadas por un pliegue anticlinal. En el río Upano, calizas y lutitas fosilíferas son cubiertas en discordancia por limolitas multicolores y red beds. Considerando la descripción inicial de la Unidad Upano, se restringe a esta secuencia a rocas meta-volcánicas y meta-pelíticas de bajo grado de metamorfismo en facies de sub-esquistos verdes relacionadas a la dinámica regional. En este estudio, cuarzo-areniscas y lodolitas con estructuras mareales son incluidas en la Formación Hollín, calizas y lutitas con Inoceramus sp. y Harleites sp. (?) son asociadas a la Formación Napo; y secuencias de red beds son vinculadas a la Formación Tena. La presencia de bloques y escamas tectónicas compuestos por las formaciones Hollín, Napo y Tena de la Cuenca Oriente en el frente de la cuña orogénica, afectadas por zonas de corrimiento y pliegues de arrastre indican que la falla Palanda-Méndez-Cosanga, no constituye un límite de terreno entre secuencias metamórficas de la Cordillera Real y secuencias sedimentarias de la Cuenca Oriente. Al contrario, nuestros datos concuerdan con el modelo de canibalización de secuencias de foreland. Abstract To the southeast of the Cordillera Real, on the Miriumi river section, indiscriminated metamorphosed sedimentary and igneous rocks were included in the Upano Unit, as well as the Palanda-Méndez-Cosanga fault which was considered a terrain boundary in previous research. This research aims to characterize and discriminate the Upano Unit metamorphosed sedimentary and igneous rocks from the Oriente Basin sedimentary rocks. This discrimination is supported by lithostratigraphic data, identification of sedimentary structures, the fossil record, petrographic studies, and structural data analysis. Meta-volcanic and meta-pelitic rocks crop out in the western part of the section, whilst eastward in the section, fining-upward succession of quartz-conglomerates, quartz-sandstones, mudstone and sandstone with tidal structures; mudstone and wackstone limestones, black shale with abundant traces of the ammonites and bivalves are deformed by an anticline fold. On the Upano river, limestones and fossiliferous shales are discordantly overlain by multicolored siltstones and red beds. Considering the initial description of the Upano Unit, this sequence is restricted to meta-volcanic and meta-pelitic rocks, suggesting a low metamorphic grade in the sub-green schists facies that relates to the regional geodynamic. In this research, quartz-sandstones and mudstones with tidal signatures are included in the Hollín Formation, limestones and shales with Inoceramus sp. and Harleites sp. (?) are associated with the Napo Formation; and the sequences of red beds are linked to the Tena Formation. The presence of blocks and tectonic slivers conformed by rocks of Hollín, Napo, and Tena formations in the front of the orogenic wedge-top, which are affected by a thrust belt and drag folds, suggests that the Palanda-Méndez-Cosanga fault is not a terrain boundary between metamorphic sequences of the Cordillera Real and sedimentary sequences of the Oriente Basin. On the contrary, our data agree with the cannibalization model of foreland sequences.

The purpose of the research was to determine the impact of the Perfect Suspension Of Work (SPL) on the social benefits of workers during the state of sanitary emergency 2020. The methodology is: applied, non-experimental design, quantitative approach and cross-sectional through the technique of documentary analysis and the data registration form, the study considered the information reported by the Ministry of Labor and Employment Promotion, and reports and publications of regulations applied and enacted during the state of sanitary emergency. The results showed that 298,677 workers were included in the SPL, where 98.12% belong to the private sector, 48.51% to companies with more than 100 workers, 26.05% receive remuneration between S/1000.00 and S/1500. 00 soles, the most affected activity is the real estate activity with 15.85% and the employers have a debt of more than 27 million soles with the AFP, where 80.67% are in judicial collection and the granting of social benefits were computed by days actually worked. In conclusion, the SPL has had a negative impact on social benefit payments and workers retirement funds. &nbsp

TO THE EDITOR, In industrialized and developing countries, occupational asthma (OA) is one of the most common chronic occupational respiratory diseases. Worldwide, especially in developing countries, OA remains under-recognized and poorly diagnosed. [...]

Currently, the generation of alternative energy from solar radiation with photovoltaic systems is growing, its efficiency depends on internal variables such as powers, voltages, currents; as well as external variables such as temperatures, irradiance, and load. To maximize performance, this research focused on the application of regularization techniques in a multiparametric linear regression model to predict the active power levels of a photovoltaic system from 14 variables that model the system under study. These variables affect the prediction to some degree, but some of them do not have so much preponderance in the final forecast, so it is convenient to eliminate them so that the processing cost and time are reduced. For this, we propose a hybrid selection method: first we apply the elimination of Recursive Feature Elimination (RFE) within the selection of subsets and then to the obtained results we apply the following contraction regularization methods: Lasso, Ridge and Bayesian Ridge; then the results were validated demonstrating linearity, normality of the error terms, without autocorrelation and homoscedasticity. All four prediction models had an accuracy greater than 99.97%. Training time was reduced by 71% and 36% for RFE-Ridge and RFE-OLS respectively. The variables eliminated with RFE were Total Energy, Daily Energy, and Irradiance, while the variable eliminated by Lasso was: “Frequency”. In all cases we see that the root mean square errors were reduced for RFE. Lasso by 0.15% while for RFE-Bayesian Ridge by 0.06%.

Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; 2019-nCoV; Infeccions respiratòries i tuberculosi; Asma i al·lèrgia Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; 2019-nCoV; COVID-19; Infecciones respiratorias y tuberculosis; Asma y alergia Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; 2019-nCoV; Respiratory infections and tuberculosis; Asthma and allergy These results reaffirm the idea that asthma does not appear to be a risk factor for the development of #COVID19. However, most of the asthma patients in this study had a non-T2 phenotype.

The Silante Formation is a thick series of continental deposits, exposed along a trench-parallel distance of approximately 300 km within the Western Cordillera of Ecuador. The origin, tectonic setting, age and stratigraphic relationships are poorly known, although these are key to understand the Cenozoic evolution of the Ecuadorian Andes. We present new sedimentological, stratigraphic, petrographic, radiometric and provenance data from the Silante Formation and underlying rocks. The detailed stratigraphic analysis shows that the Silante Formation unconformably overlies Paleocene submarine fan deposits of the Pilalo Formation, which was coeval with submarine tholeiitic volcanism. The lithofacies of the Silante Formation suggest that the sediments were deposited in a debris flow dominated alluvial fan. Provenance analysis including heavy mineral assemblages and detrital zircon U-Pb ages indicate that sediments of the Silante Formation were derived from the erosion of a continental, calc-alkaline volcanic arc, pointing to the Oligocene to Miocene San Juan de Lachas volcanic arc. Thermochronological data and regional correlations suggest that deposition of the Silante Formation was coeval with regional rock and surface uplift of the Andean margin that deposited alluvial fans in intermontane and back-arc domains., Minerals, 10 (10)

Epilepsy is a chronic neurobehavioral disorder whereby an imbalance between neurochemical excitation and inhibition at the synaptic level provokes seizures. Various experimental models have been used to study epilepsy, including that based on acute or chronic administration of Pentylenetetrazol (PTZ). In this study, a single PTZ dose (60 mg/kg) was administered to adult male rats and 30 min later, various neurobiological parameters were studied related to the transmission and modulation of excitatory impulses in pyramidal neurons of the hippocampal CA1 field. Rats experienced generalized seizures 1−3 min after PTZ administration, accompanied by elevated levels of Synaptophysin and Glutaminase. This response suggests presynaptic glutamate release is exacerbated to toxic levels, which eventually provokes neuronal death as witnessed by the higher levels of Caspase-3, TUNEL and GFAP. Similarly, the increase in PSD-95 suggests that viable dendritic spines are functional. Indeed, the increase in stubby and wide spines is likely related to de novo spinogenesis, and the regulation of neuronal excitability, which could represent a plastic response to the synaptic over-excitation. Furthermore, the increase in mushroom spines could be associated with the storage of cognitive information and the potentiation of thin spines until they are transformed into mushroom spines. However, the reduction in BDNF suggests that the activity of these spines would be down-regulated, may in part be responsible for the cognitive decline related to hippocampal function in patients with epilepsy.

The research focuses on the application of regularization techniques in a multiparameter linear regression model to predict the DC voltage levels of a photovoltaic system from 14 variables. Two predictions were made, in the first prediction, all the variables were taken, 14 independent variable and one dependent variable; Shrinkage Regularization types were applied, as a variable selection method. In the second prediction we propose the use of semiautomatic methods, we used Recursive Feature Elimination (RFE) as a variable selection method and to obtained results. We applied the following Shrinkage regularization methods: Lasso, Ridge and Bayesian Ridge.