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El bullying es una agresión intencional reiterada y con un desbalance de poder físico y/o mental entre quien lo sufre y quien lo realiza. Esta conducta es un importante factor de riesgo para la salud mental de los adolescentes a nivel psicológico, social y físico. A nivel de la Argentina, como de otras naciones de la América Latina, todavía es mucho lo que falta investigar, mayormente a nivel de intervenciones científicas para su prevención. El presente estudio llevó a cabo una revisión de lo investigado en la temática a nivel teórico, como en los instrumentos científicos para su evaluación. También se aportan aspectos a considerar a la hora de evaluar esta problemática. Por otra parte, se delinean recomendaciones para su prevención en nuestro contexto. Cómo conclusión se puntualiza cómo deberían seguir los futuros estudios del tema en nuestro país, en donde los estudios son escasos y necesarios.

The "time-and-band limiting" commutative property was found and exploited by D. Slepian, H. Landau and H. Pollak at Bell Labs in the 1960's, and independently by M. Mehta and later by C. Tracy and H. Widom in Random matrix theory. The property in question is the existence of local operators with simple spectrum that commute with naturally appearing global ones. Here we give a general result that insures the existence of a commuting differential operator for a given family of exceptional orthogonal polynomials satisfying the "bispectral property". As a main tool we go beyond bispectrality and make use of the notion of Fourier Algebras associated to the given sequence of exceptional polynomials. We illustrate this result with two examples, of Hermite and Laguerre type, exhibiting also a nice Perline's form for the commuting differential operator.

Desde una perspectiva que vincula la teoría de las políticas culturales, la comunicación comunitaria y los modelos de sostenibilidad, este artículo tiene el objetivo de analizar las estrategias de sostenibilidad en una revista cultural de la ciudad de Rosario, llamado Boletín Enredando, que es parte de una red a nivel nacional que nuclea diversos medios gráficos: Asociación de Revistas Culturales e Independientes de Argentina (ARECIA). Explorar y analizar esta experiencia mediática comunitaria nos permite visualizar concretamente el ejercicio del derecho a la comunicación, esencial en las sociedades contemporáneas democráticas. Por lo tanto, el conocimiento producido pretende visibilizar un sector relegado en el concentrado panorama mediático argentino y contribuir en un futuro a políticas de fomento para su sostenibilidad. A través de un enfoque etnográfico, mediante entrevistas en profundidad, revisión de informes, normativas y documentos periodísticos, se construirá un marco interpretativo para analizar y comprender el Boletín Enredando. En los resultados mostraremos hallazgos que remiten a las dimensiones de sostenibilidad político-legal, organizativa, económica, comunicacional, ecosocial e infotecnológica. En las conclusiones remitiremos a la adecuación de estas dimensiones y su necesaria articulación en la experiencia mediática seleccionada., From a perspective that links the theory of cultural policies, community communication and sustainability models, this article aims to analyze the sustainability strategies in a cultural magazine from the city of Rosario, called Boletín Enredando, which is part of a national network that brings together various graphic media: Association of Cultural and Independent Magazines of Argentina (ARECIA). Exploring and analyzing this community media experience allows us to concretely visualize the exercise of the right to communication, essential in contemporary democratic societies. Therefore, the knowledge produced aims to make visible a sector relegated in the concentrated Argentine media landscape and contribute in the future to policies to promote its sustainability. Through an ethnographic approach, through in-depth interviews, review of reports, regulations and journalistic documents, an interpretive framework will be built to analyze and understand the Boletín Enredando. In the results we will show findings that refer to the dimensions of political-legal, organizational, economic, communicational, ecosocial and infotechnological sustainability. In the conclusions we will refer to the adequacy of these dimensions and their necessary articulation in the selected media experience.

Previous investigations proved the potential of Saccharomyces cerevisiae MBELGA62 and Pichia kudriavzevii MBELGA61 as suitable biocontrolling agents against Aspergillus sp. through the production of soluble and volatile bioactive antifungal compounds. The present study delves into those finding by means of the identification of the volatile compounds produced by brewer's strains that demonstrated fungistatic and fungicidal effects against Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus when cultured in brewer's wort agar plates. Traditional brewer's yeasts such as S. cerevisiae MBELGA62 and Saccharomyces pastorianus SAFS235 synthetize volatiles that fully inhibited mycelial development for up to 9 days at 30 °C. The non-conventional brewer's strains P. kudriavzevii MBELGA61 and Meyerozyma guilliermondii MUS122 increased the lag phase by >100% and significantly reduced the fungal growth rate by 27.5-43.0% and 15.4-31.4%, respectively. In this context, 2-phenylethanol, 2-phenylethyl acetate and benzyl alcohol were identified as the main antifungal agents involved in Aspergillus sp.'s inhibition.

The layer stacking morphology in nanocarbons is paramount for achieving new properties and outperforming applications. Here, we demonstrate that graphene quantum dots (GQDs) retain crystallinity and a stacking structure from CVD graphene grown on Ni foam. Our results reveal that GQD subdomains comprise a few-layer graphene structure in the AB···AB and ABC···ABC stacking configuration. HR-TEM images along with a multiple-approach characterization (XRD, XPS, UV–vis, AFM, and ATR-IR) exhibit ∼3.0 to ∼8.0 nm crystalline GQDs with 2–6 graphene layers thick indicating a disk-shape structure. The UV–vis profiles show changes in color of the dispersion (from colorless to red) during and after the electrochemistry, suggesting a systematic electrooxidation of graphene into smaller, highly crystalline, and more complex sp2/sp3 structures. Importantly, a control experiment performed under the same conditions but with a graphitic rod exhibited large, polydisperse, and multilayer carbon structures. This work demonstrates a relatively easy electrochemical synthesis to obtain GQDs which retain the pristine and, in turn, distinctive structure of graphene grown on Ni foam.

Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens can live inside soybean root nodules and in free-living conditions. In both states, when oxygen levels decrease, cells adjust their protein pools by gene transcription modulation. PhaR is a transcription factor involved in polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) metabolism but also plays a role in the microaerobic network of this bacterium. To deeply uncover the function of PhaR, we applied a multipronged approach, including the expression profile of a phaR mutant at the transcriptional and protein levels under microaerobic conditions, and the identification of direct targets and of proteins associated with PHA granules. Our results confirmed a pleiotropic function of PhaR, affecting several phenotypes, in addition to PHA cycle control. These include growth deficiency, regulation of carbon and nitrogen allocation, and bacterial motility. Interestingly, PhaR may also modulate the microoxic-responsive regulatory network by activating the expression of fixK2 and repressing nifA, both encoding two transcription factors relevant for microaerobic regulation. At the molecular level, two PhaR-binding motifs were predicted and direct control mediated by PhaR determined by protein-interaction assays revealed seven new direct targets for PhaR. Finally, among the proteins associated with PHA granules, we found PhaR, phasins, and other proteins, confirming a dual function of PhaR in microoxia.

Ambient temperature during olive fruit growth modulates oil content and fatty acid composition. However, the mechanisms behind their regulation are not completely understood. In this work, the transcriptional regulation of oil synthesis and fatty acid desaturation were evaluated by manipulating air temperature in the field. Three-year-old trees of cultivars ‘Arbequina’ and ‘Coratina’ were placed in open-top chambers (OTC) where control or elevated air temperatures were applied early in the oil accumulation phase, and fruits were sampled after 10 or 36 days of exposure. Upon elevated temperature, the oil content in ‘Coratina’ mesocarp tissue decreased less than in ‘Arbequina’ compared to their respective controls. However, the oleic acid content of ‘Coratina’ was more sensitive to temperature. The cultivar-dependent responses were mainly explained by differential gene expression. In ‘Arbequina’, the downregulation of genes involved in triacylglycerol biosynthesis (OeDGAT1-2, OeDGAT2, OePDAT1-1, and OePDAT1-2), upon elevated temperature explains the decrease in oil content, whereas the downregulation of the fatty acid desaturases genes (OeSAD1, OeSAD3, OeFAD2-1, OeFAD2-2, and OeFAD2-5) decreased the oleic/linoleic ratio. In contrast, in ‘Coratina’, OePDAT1-2 downregulation explains the fluctuation in oil content, but the increased expression of three members of the OeFAD2 gene family was responsible for the oleic/linoleic ratio. This knowledge contributes to developing an integrated strategy for olive production under high temperatures, and the analysis of the expression of key genes could be used as a selection criterion in genetic improvement programs for the adaptation of olive cultivars to global warming.

In this work we analyzed 18 years (2003–2021) of MODIS-Aqua daily images and multi-annual monthly mean turbidity maps to provide a comprehensive characterization of seasonal patterns of turbidity in the transitional area between the mouth of the Bahía Blanca Estuary and the adjacent inner shelf (El Rincón coastal system, Argentina). Field measurements collected in the study area were combined with MODIS data processed under different schemes of atmospheric correction before turbidity retrieval. Then, an Empirical Orthogonal function (EOF) analysis was used to assess the temporal patterns of turbidity and their regional variability over the inner shelf. Through a Generalized Linear Model (GLM), changes in the turbidity plume were further associated with environmental forcing (i.e. tides, winds and precipitation) controlling the seasonal dynamics. A strong gradient of decreasing turbidity from the northeast (close to the estuarine region) to the southwest (coastal region) was detected, while a major spatial pattern of annual variability, characterized by decreasing seasonality from northwest to southeast was defined. According to our results, the frequency of northwest wind direction and the impact of the wind mixing are considered as primary factors that shape the seasonal variability of turbidity with a strong winter dominance of largest plume events. The results found in this study are key to understanding the general dynamics of biological activity in the regional waters and the implications that climate variability might have on this complex ecosystem.

Decreasing the dependence on external inputs to crop yield maximization is one of the main objectives of agricultural breeding programs. For this reason, new crop varieties once highly dependent on pollinators have been developed to be self-fertile and are now cultivated as pollinator-independent. However, the contribution of pollinators to these varieties remains unknown. In this study, we evaluated pollinators’ contribution to two self-fertile almond varieties (Marta and Marinada) and the density of pollinators needed to ensure adequate pollination. We measured the effects of pollinators on fruit set, seed yield, and pollination limitation at the tree level. Managed honeybees and wild bumblebees were the main floral visitors in both varieties. Both fruit set and seed yield were ~ 50% higher in pollinated trees than in excluded ones in the two varieties. We found no evidence of pollination limitation, suggesting that pollinators’ abundance was sufficient for adequate pollination. We recommend that almond growers actively manage pollinators to maximize seed yield and profits in these self-fertile varieties.

Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) PROTEIN ARGININE METHYLTRANSFERASE5 (PRMT5) post-translationally modifies RNA-binding proteins by arginine (R) methylation. However, the impact of this modification on the regulation of RNA processing is largely unknown. We used the spliceosome component, SM-LIKE PROTEIN 4 (LSM4), as a paradigm to study the role of R-methylation in RNA processing. We found that LSM4 regulates alternative splicing (AS) of a suite of its in vivo targets identified here. The lsm4 and prmt5 mutants show a considerable overlap of genes with altered AS raising the possibility that splicing of those genes could be regulated by PRMT5-dependent LSM4 methylation. Indeed, LSM4 methylation impacts AS, particularly of genes linked with stress response. Wild-type LSM4 and an unmethylable version complement the lsm4-1 mutant, suggesting that methylation is not critical for growth in normal environments. However, LSM4 methylation increases with abscisic acid and is necessary for plants to grow under abiotic stress. Conversely, bacterial infection reduces LSM4 methylation, and plants that express unmethylable-LSM4 are more resistant to Pseudomonas than those expressing wild-type LSM4. This tolerance correlates with decreased intron retention of immune-response genes upon infection. Taken together, this provides direct evidence that R-methylation adjusts LSM4 function on pre-mRNA splicing in an antagonistic manner in response to biotic and abiotic stress. © The Author(s) 2024.

To preserve their varietal attributes, established grapevine cultivars (Vitis vinifera L. ssp. vinifera) must be clonally propagated, due to their highly heterozygous genomes. Malbec is a France-originated cultivar appreciated for producing high-quality wines and is the offspring of cultivars Prunelard and Magdeleine Noire des Charentes. Here, we have built a diploid genome assembly of Malbec, after trio binning of PacBio long reads into the two haploid complements inherited from either parent. After haplotype-aware deduplication and corrections, complete assemblies for the two haplophases were obtained with a very low haplotype switch-error rate (<0.025). The haplophase alignment identified > 25% of polymorphic regions. Gene annotation including RNA-seq transcriptome assembly and ab initio prediction evidence resulted in similar gene model numbers for both haplophases. The annotated diploid assembly was exploited in the transcriptomic comparison of four clonal accessions of Malbec that exhibited variation in berry composition traits. Analysis of the ripening pericarp transcriptome using either haplophases as a reference yielded similar results, although some differences were observed. Particularly, among the differentially expressed genes identified only with the Magdeleine-inherited haplotype as reference, we observed an over-representation of hypothetically hemizygous genes. The higher berry anthocyanin content of clonal accession 595 was associated with increased abscisic acid responses, possibly leading to the observed overexpression of phenylpropanoid metabolism genes and deregulation of genes associated with abiotic stress response. Overall, the results highlight the importance of producing diploid assemblies to fully represent the genomic diversity of highly heterozygous woody crop cultivars and unveil the molecular bases of clonal phenotypic variation.

Pomacea canaliculata is one of the most dangerous invasive species. Morphological and molecular analyses have revealed that a digenean species belonging to the family Echinostomatidae parasitizes this snail at two sites in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, South America. Molecular results confirmed that the species belongs to a genus closely related to Patagifer. Analysis of the 28S rDNA showed that the sequences of the rediae and metacercariae are identical, indicating that the apple snail acts as the first and second intermediate host. The cercariae may encyst as metacercaria inside the redia and also emerge and re-infect the same snail or another snail. The prevalence of digeneans was higher in one of the sampling locations (15.1% vs. 0.72%), probably because the bird species that acts as the definitive host is more abundant in that area. Histopathological examination showed that the parasite quickly invades multiple host organs (gills, intestines, albumen gland, lung, kidney, and mantle border) besides the gonad and digestive gland, as is usual in digeneans. In addition, the partial or total castration of snails was observed in cases of moderate and high infection intensity. In males, there was loss of integrity in testicular tubules, while in females, the replacement of ovarian tissue by rediae was found

We present the complete genome sequence of Bradyrhizobium sp. 62B, a strain isolated from the root nodules of peanut plants that grow in central Argentina. The genome consists of 8.15 Mbp, distributed into a chromosome of 7.29 Mbp and a plasmid of 0.86 Mbp.

In this contribution we deal with sequences of polynomials orthogonal with respect to a Sobolev type inner product. A banded symmetric operator is associated with such a sequence of polynomials according to the higher order difference equation they satisfy. Taking into account the Darboux transformation of the corresponding matrix we deduce the connection with a sequence of orthogonal polynomials associated with a Christoffel perturbation of the measure involved in the standard part of the Sobolev inner product. A connection with matrix orthogonal polynomials is stated. The Laguerre-Sobolev type case is studied as an illustrative example. Finally, the bispectrality of such matrix orthogonal polynomials is pointed out.

Corona treatment (CT), a surface treatment widely used in the plastic industry, can be used to alter the properties of cassava starch. In the present work, CT was performed on dry granular starch (DS), water-suspended humid granular starch (HS), and gelatinized starch (GS). Different properties and structural characteristics of treated starches were studied. A lowering in pH was generally observed after CT and the rheological properties depended on the starch presentation. A reinforcement of DS and HS samples after CT was deduced from higher viscosity values in flow assays and viscoelastic moduli, but weak gels were obtained when CT was applied to GS. Changes in the A-type polymorphic structure, as well as a drop in relative crystallinity, were produced by CT for DS and HS. Additionally, changes in O-H and C-O-C FTIR bands were observed. Therefore, CT can be applied for starch modification, producing predominantly cross-linking in the DS and depolymerization in the HS. Casting films made from the modified DS showed higher tensile strength and lower hydrophilicity, solubility, water absorption capacity, and water vapor permeability. Thus, the DS cross-linking induced by CT improved mechanical characteristics and hydrophobicity in edible films, which can be better used as packaging materials.

This book, the result of a collective work and the intersection of readings, debates and productions, aims to trace the social protests that since the beginning of the 21st century have made visible, with different nuances, the need to transform the precarious living conditions in Latin America and the Caribbean, and to investigate how social protests and resistances against structural inequalities in our region, crossed by demands for the expansion of rights and also by deep political and economic crises, are being modified, configured and redefined. The book addresses the intersections between structural inequalities in the framework of neoliberal capitalism, the current socioeconomic, political and climatic crisis in our region, the resistance to the precarious living conditions of those who inhabit these lands and the real possibilities of social transformation. In its 12 chapters, it maps and explores different expressions of social protest and human rights claims at both regional and local levels in more than ten Latin American and Caribbean countries, taking into account their emergency conditions and their vicissitudes in relation to the historical and growing social inequality that is intertwined with inequalities of class, gender, sex, racial, age and climate, among others. Thus, some fundamental axes are addressed to understand this plot: feminist struggles, mass movements of informal and unemployed sectors against labor precariousness, environmental struggles, social movements, organizations fighting for the respect of human rights; outbursts and self-convened rebellions for economic, political and legal changes; struggles against extractivism and terricide; among others. The book has been conceived not only as an instrument of analysis and dissemination of the social struggles of the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean, but also as a contribution to continue thinking and promoting a social transformation that frees our region from so much exploit, El presente libro, fruto de un trabajo colectivo y de la intersección de lecturas, debates y producciones, se propone rastrear las protestas sociales que desde comienzos del siglo XXI han visibilizado, con diferentes matices, la necesidad de transformar las precarias condiciones de vida en Latinoamérica y el Caribe, e indagar cómo se van modificando, configurando y redefiniendo las protestas sociales y las resistencias frente a las desigualdades estructurales en nuestra región, atravesada por demandas de ampliación de derechos y también por profundas crisis -políticas y económicas. El libro aborda los cruces entre desigualdades estructurales en el marco del capitalismo neoliberal, la crisis socioeconómica, política y climática actual en nuestra región, las resistencias frente a las precarias condiciones de vida de quienes habitan estas tierras y las posibilidades reales de una transformación social. En sus 12 capítulos, se mapean y exploran distintas expresiones de protesta social y reivindicaciones de derechos humanos tanto a nivel regional como a nivel local en más de diez países de Latinoamérica y el Caribe, atendiendo a sus condiciones de emergencia y sus vicisitudes en relación a la histórica y creciente desigualdad social que se entrama con las desigualdades de clase, género, sexo, pertenencia racial, etaria y climática, entre otras. Así, se abordan algunos ejes fundamentales para comprender esta trama: las luchas feministas, los movimientos de masas de sectores informales y desocupados contra la precarización laboral, las luchas ambientales, los movimientos sociales, las organizaciones que luchan por el respeto de los derechos humanos; los estallidos y rebeliones autoconvocadas por cambios económicos, políticos y jurídicos; las luchas contra el extractivismo y el terricidio; entre otros. El libro ha sido concebido no sólo como un instrumento de análisis y difusión de las luchas sociales que despliegan los pueblos de América Latina y el Caribe, sino también, Este livro, resultado de um trabalho coletivo e do cruzamento de leituras, debates e produções, tem como objetivo traçar os protestos sociais que, desde o início do século XXI, tornaram visível, com diferentes nuances, a necessidade de transformar as precárias condições de vida na América Latina e no Caribe, e investigar como os protestos sociais e a resistência às desigualdades estruturais estão mudando, moldando e redefinindo em nossa região, atravessada por demandas de ampliação de direitos e também por profundas crises políticas e econômicas. O livro aborda as interseções entre as desigualdades estruturais no âmbito do capitalismo neoliberal, a atual crise socioeconômica, política e climática em nossa região, a resistência às precárias condições de vida daqueles que habitam essas terras e as possibilidades reais de transformação social. Os 12 capítulos mapeiam e exploram diferentes expressões de protesto social e demandas de direitos humanos, tanto em nível regional quanto local, em mais de dez países da América Latina e do Caribe, enfocando suas condições de surgimento e suas vicissitudes em relação à histórica e crescente desigualdade social que se entrelaça com as desigualdades de classe, gênero, sexo, raça, idade e clima, entre outras. Assim, alguns eixos fundamentais são abordados para entender esse enredo: lutas feministas, movimentos de massa de setores informais e desempregados contra a precarização do trabalho, lutas ambientais, movimentos sociais, organizações que lutam pelo respeito aos direitos humanos, explosões e rebeliões autoconvocadas por mudanças econômicas, políticas e legais, lutas contra o extrativismo e o terricídio, entre outros. O livro foi concebido não apenas como um instrumento de análise e divulgação das lutas sociais dos povos da América Latina e do Caribe, mas também como uma contribuição para continuar pensando e promovendo uma transformação social que liberte nossa região de tanta exploração, desigualdade e injustiça.

El objetivo del estudio fue relevar los factores psicosociales, en términos de demandas y recursos laborales, presentes en organizaciones de servicios de México. Se realizó un estudio exploratorio-descriptivo de corte transversal. Participaron un total de 5063 trabajadores pertenecientes a 32 organizaciones que formaron parte del Ranking Empresas Más Felices. Los resultados indican que para la muestra total se destacan niveles óptimos de carga mental, violencia y equidad, relación con los colegas y justicia organizacional; así como valores críticos en doble presencia, falta de certeza sobre el futuro, autonomía e información. Se hallaron algunas diferencias estadísticamente significativas para sexo, personas a cargo en el hogar y personal a cargo en el trabajo. Sumado a ello, análisis de correspondencia múltiple permitieron establecer relaciones entre sexo, generación, demandas y recursos laborales. Se señalan fortalezas, limitaciones e implicancias prácticas del estudio realizado, y se sugieren líneas de investigación futura.

Psicología y Comunión nace con la intención de poner en diálogo los conocimientos de la psicología con la espiritualidad de comunión a partir del carisma de Chiara Lubich. Una espiritualidad que es capaz de mostrar que la "relación de comunión" entre los seres humanos es posible. Se entiende por comunión un modo de relacionarse basado en el reconocimiento mutuo, en la donación recíproca y gratuita de sí, en la entrega y la incondicional aceptación del otro.El camino cultural de Psicología y Comunión tiene como objetivo, en primer lugar, promover y sostener este diálogo, especialmente a través de los paradigmas antropológicos y relacionales que expresa. Este espíritu quiere ser también el método a través del cual Psicología y Comunión pretende acercar expertos de perfiles profesionales (psicólogos, psicoterapeutas, psiquiatras, neuropsiquiatras infantiles, neurólogos, etc.) con "modelos de pensamiento" distintos pero interesados en una misma visión integral del hombre y de la familia humana.El presente número de la Serie Cuadernos de Psicología y Psicopedagogía fue gestándose en el trabajo y encuentros realizados por los integrantes de un grupo de psicología y comunión que fue reuniéndose de forma virtual durante la Pandemia por Covid 19, con participantes de varios países de Latinoamérica. Las temáticas son diversas, pero tiene como eje la psicología y comunión en distintos países de Latinoamérica y el mundo.

Background: Lignin is a naturally occurring and aromatic biopolymer with well-known antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Thus, in this work, the use of cellulose nanofibers (CNF) and lignin to produce ultra-light aerogels for biomedical applications was studied. Aerogels containing varying amounts of lignin (0–30 wt%) and different concentrations of the crosslinking agent Fe3+ (25–100 mM) were developed. Results: The different bioaerogels were fully characterized and their physical, mechanical and bioactive properties analyzed. It was observed that the bioaerogels soluble fraction tends to decrease as the lignin content increases for the different Fe3+ concentrations, due to lignin–CNF interactions through hydrogen bonds. The bioaerogels containing lignin showed remarkable radical scavenging activity as the DPPH concentration decreased with time. This confirms the benefits of including lignin in bioaerogels to impart antioxidant properties. To study the suitability of the produced bioaerogels for controlled drug release, the release of tetracycline (TC) was studied. All of the bioaerogels released TC in a sustained manner for 6 h and presented similar profiles. However, the bioaerogels containing higher concentrations of crosslinker showed a higher release of TC. The TC loading conferred clear antimicrobial activity against S. aureus as expected, unlike the insignificant antimicrobial activity of the bioaerogels without TC. The biocompatibility of the samples was demonstrated for all materials produced (with and without TC loading) by the Kruskal–Wallis test with multiple comparisons. After observation of cell morphology, no significant differences were evident suggesting that the CNF–lignin bioaerogels present optimal biocompatibility for use in the biomedical and pharmaceutical industry. Conclusions: The CNF–lignin bioaerogels presented in this work highlights their promising application as biomedical applications, such as wound dressings due to their biocomp

Fish body growth is a trait of major importance for individual survival and reproduction. It has implications in population, ecology, and evolution. Somatic growth is controlled by the GH/IGF endocrine axis and is influenced by nutrition, feeding, and reproductive-regulating hormones as well as abiotic factors such as temperature, oxygen levels, and salinity. Global climate change and anthropogenic pollutants will modify environmental conditions affecting directly or indirectly fish growth performance. In the present review, we offer an overview of somatic growth and its interplay with the feeding regulatory axis and summarize the effects of global warming and the main anthropogenic pollutants on these endocrine axes.

The presence of a worn surface in the implanted material, as in the case of a replacement of a damaged osteoarticular joint, is the normal condition after implantation. This manuscript focuses precisely on the comparative study of the cellular behavior on worn CoCr surfaces, analyzing the effect of different surface modifications on macrophages¿ responses. CoCr surfaces were modified by the deposition of electrochemically reduced graphene oxide (CoCrErGO), followed by additional surface functionalization with hyaluronic acid (CoCrErGOHA). After the wear corrosion processes, the macrophage response was studied. In addition, macrophage supernatants exposed to the surfaces, before and after wear, were also evaluated for osteoblast response through the analysis of the metabolic activity, plasma membrane damage, and phosphatase alkaline activity (ALP). The proteomic analysis and the quantitative TNF-¿/IL-10 ratios of the J774A.1 macrophages exposed to the surfaces under study showed a polarization shift from M0 (basal state) to M1, associated with the pro-inflammatory response of all surfaces. A lower M1 polarization was observed upon exposure to the surface modification with ErGO, whereas posterior HA functionalization attenuated, even more, the M1 polarization. The wear corrosion process contributed to inflammation and exacerbated the M1 polarization response on macrophages to CoCr, which was diminished for the ErGO and attenuated the most for the ErGOHA surfaces. Comparative proteomics showed that the pathways related to M1 polarization were downregulated on the surfaces of CoCrErGOHA, which suggests mechanisms for the observed attenuation of M1 polarization. The suitable immuno-modulatory potential induced by the ErGOHA surface, with and without wear, together with the stimulation of ALP activity in osteoblasts induced by macrophage supernatants, promotes the mineralization processes necessary for bone repair. This makes it feasible to consider the adsorption of ErGO

Ultra-massive white dwarf stars are currently being discovered at a considerable rate, thanks to surveys such as the Gaia space mission. These dense and compact stellar remnants likely play a major role in Type Ia supernova explosions. It is possible to probe the interiors of ultra-massive white dwarfs through asteroseismology. In the case of the most massive white dwarfs, general relativity could affect their structure and pulsations substantially. In this work, we present results of relativistic pulsation calculations employing relativistic ultra-massive ONe-core white dwarf models with hydrogen-rich atmospheres and masses ranging from 1.29 to 1.369 M with the aim of assessing the impact of general relativity on the adiabatic gravity (g)-mode period spectrum of very high mass ZZ Ceti stars. Employing the relativistic Cowling approximation for the pulsation analysis, we find that the critical buoyancy (Brunt–Vaisala) and acoustic (Lamb) frequencies are larger for the relativistic case, compared to the Newtonian case, due to the relativistic white dwarf models having smaller radii and higher gravities for a fixed stellar mass. In addition, the g-mode periods are shorter in the relativistic case than those in the Newtonian computations, with relative differences of up to ∼50 per cent for the highest mass models (1.369 M) and for effective temperatures typical of the ZZ Ceti instability strip. Hence, the effects of general relativity on the structure, evolution, and pulsations of white dwarfs with masses larger than ∼1.29 M cannot be ignored in the asteroseismological analysis of ultra-massive ZZ Ceti stars.

Fuel cells (FCs) have emerged as a sound promising technology for their application in emissions-free generation systems. Their high efficiency, reliability, and clean energy make these electrochemical devices especially suitable for manifold applications such as transportation, stationary generation, and portable devices. In view of the inherent complexity of this technology, the FC control plays a fundamental role to guarantee stability and high performance against system uncertainties and disturbances. Regarding this, sliding mode control has proved to be a powerful technique for the design of robust controllers for generation systems involving FCs. However, its discontinuous control action gives rise to some undesired effects when applied to real nonideal systems, being control chattering is usually the main drawback. In this framework, the brief presents the design and experimental implementation of an FC module control via a switched/time-based adaptive super-twisting algorithm (STA). The designed algorithm is evaluated in an experimental platform of a hybrid generation system based on a commercial 1.2-kW FC. The proposed controller exhibits a low value of chattering and similar robustness features compared to traditional STA.

Collective cell rotations are widely used during animal organogenesis. Theoretical and in vitro studies have conceptualized rotating cells as identical rigid-point objects that stochastically break symmetry to move monotonously and perpetually within an inert environment. However, it is unclear whether this notion can be extrapolated to a natural context, where rotations are ephemeral and heterogeneous cellular cohorts interact with an active epithelium. In zebrafish neuromasts, nascent sibling hair cells invert positions by rotating ≤180° around their geometric center after acquiring different identities via Notch1a-mediated asymmetric repression of Emx2. Here, we show that this multicellular rotation is a three-phasic movement that progresses via coherent homotypic coupling and heterotypic junction remodeling. We found no correlation between rotations and epithelium-wide cellular flow or anisotropic resistive forces. Moreover, the Notch/Emx2 status of the cell dyad does not determine asymmetric interactions with the surrounding epithelium. Aided by computer modeling, we suggest that initial stochastic inhomogeneities generate a metastable state that poises cells to move and spontaneous intercellular coordination of the resulting instabilities enables persistently directional rotations, whereas Notch1a-determined symmetry breaking buffers rotational noise.

The topological structure of interaction networks determines community dynamics and stability. Closeness centrality is a species-level attribute that measures the relative position and proximity of species in the interaction network. We assessed the link between closeness centrality of crops in plant-pollinator interaction networks and crop seed production. We worked with five crop species used for seed production distributed in 14 farms. At each farm we recorded pollinators’ interactions with the crop and with the co-flowering plants at crop edges and built quantitative plant-pollinator interaction networks. For each network, we calculated weighted closeness centrality of crops and related it to crop seed set by using generalized linear mixed models. Our results show that crop centrality is positively associated with crop seed production, and suggest that the use of ecological interaction network metrics in agricultural systems could be useful to design agronomic management plans and enhance crop yields.

Spray drying is a well-known operation to formulate food powders. Usually, the dryer performance is evaluated through trial and error given the complexity of transport phenomena. Regarding the microencapsulation of functional chia oil by spray drying, the main contribution of this study was to compare the accuracy of fundamental models for predicting the values of process variables (drying-air outlet temperature, Toutlet and feed flow rate, Vfeed) and powder properties (size, d32 and moisture content, H), under a wide range of drying conditions at laboratory (Büchi B-290) and pilot scales (Niro Production Minor). First, the coarse-scale approach modeled the dryer's chamber as a well-mixed reactor. The experimental values for Toutlet were: 72–109 °C (laboratory scale) and 75, 90 °C (pilot scale); moreover, the experimental Vfeed values were in the following ranges: 2.8 and 5.6 mL.min−1 (laboratory scale) and 59–197 mL.min−1 (pilot scale). With the coarse-scale approach, absolute average deviations (AAD) below 7% between experimental and calculated values were observed for Toutlet and Vfeed. However, large prediction errors (>10%) were observed for H, for which the experimental values were in the range of 2.4–4.5% for both scales. On the contrary, the finer-scale approach consisted of a plug-flow model, with incorporated drying kinetics and spray droplet sizes. This model could accurately predict Toutlet, H and d32, with AAD values below 10%. Both simulation and experiments are useful tools not only for spray drying optimization, but also for improving the oxidative stability of microencapsulated oils by target-oriented design.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a multisystemic and multicellular pathology that is generally associated with high levels of atherogenic lipoproteins in circulation. These lipoproteins tend to be retained and modified, for example, aggregated low-density lipoprotein (aggLDL), in the extracellular matrix of different tissues, such as the vascular wall and heart. The uptake of aggLDL generates a significant increase in cholesteryl ester (CE) in these tissues. We previously found that the accumulation of CE generates alterations in the insulin response in the heart. Although the insulin response is mainly associated with the uptake and metabolism of glucose, other studies have shown that insulin would fulfill functions in this tissue, such as regulating the calcium cycle and cardiac contractility. Here, we found that aggLDL induced-lipid accumulation altered the gene expression profile involved in processes essential for cardiac functionality, including insulin response and glucose uptake (Insr, Ins1, Pik3ip1, Slc2a4 gene expression), calcium cycle (Cacna1s and Gjc2 gene expression) and calcium-dependent cardiac contractility (Myh3), and cholesterol efflux (Abca1), in HL-1 cardiomyocytes. These observations were recapitulated using an in vivo model of hypercholesterolemic ApoE-KO mice. Altogether, these results may explain the deleterious effect of lipid accumulation in the myocardium, with important implications for lipid-overloaded associated CVD, including impaired insulin response, disrupted lipid metabolism, altered cardiac structure, and increased susceptibility to cardiovascular events.

Invasive plants displaying disparate pollination environments and abiotic conditions in native and non-native ranges provide ideal systems to test the role of different ecological factors driving flower colour variation. We quantified corolla reflectance of the ornithophilous South American Nicotiana glauca in native populations, where plants are pollinated by hummingbirds, and in populations from two invaded regions: South Africa, where plants are pollinated by sunbirds, and the Balearic island of Mallorca, where plants reproduce by selfing. Using visual modelling we examined how corolla reflectance could be perceived by floral visitors present in each region. Through Mantel tests we assessed a possible association between flower colour and different abiotic factors. Corolla reflectance variation (mainly along medium to long wavelengths, i.e. human green-yellow to red colours) was greater among studied regions than within them. Flower colour was more similar between South America and South Africa, which share birds as pollinators. Within invaded regions, corolla reflectance variation was lower in South Africa, where populations could not be distinguished from each other by sunbirds, than in Spain, where populations could be distinguished from each other by their occasional visitors. Differences in corolla colour among populations were partially associated with differences in temperature. Our findings suggest that shifts in flower colour of N. glauca across native and invaded ranges could be shaped by changes in both pollination environment and climatic factors. This is the first study on plant invasions considering visual perception of different pollinators and abiotic drivers of flower colour variation.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is having a growing impact in many areas related to drug discovery. However, it is still critical for their adoption by the medicinal chemistry community to achieve models that, in addition to achieving high performance in their predictions, can be trusty explained to the end users in terms of their knowledge and background. Therefore, the investigation and development of explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) methods have become a key topic to address this challenge. For this reason, a comprehensive litera ture review about explanation methodologies for AI based models, focused in the field of drug discovery, is provided. In particular, an intuitive overview about each family of XAI approaches, such as those based on feature attribution, graph topologies, or counterfactual reasoning, oriented to a wide audience without a strong background in the AI discipline is introduced. As the main contribution, we propose a new taxonomy of the current XAI methods, which take into account specific issues related with the typical representations and computational problems study in the design of molecules. Additionally,we also present the main visualization strategies designed for supporting XAI approaches in the chemical domain. We conclude with key ideas about each method category, thoroughly providing insightful analysis about the guidelines and potential benefits of their adoption in medical chemistry.

Due to the intense anthropization of the landscape or the scarce research efforts on prehistoric populations of hunter-gatherers in the intermontane valleys of the Andes, occupation sites have been found on very few occasions. However, new perspectives in the Abra del Toro rock shelter in the Yocavil Valley (Catamarca province, Argentina) have opened up from recent and ongoing excavations. The stratigraphic record of the rock shelter shows a 1-m-thick volcanic ash deposit formed by aeolian transport from primary outer ashfall deposits. Geomorphological and sedimentological context, texture, glass and mineral content, whole-rock chemical composition, and radiocarbon dating prove that the tephra was derived from the 4.2 ka BP eruption of the Cerro Blanco Volcanic Complex in southern Puna (NW Argentina). This volcanic eruption is the largest documented in the world in the last five thousand years and covered the surroundings of the archaeological site with an ash layer of approximately 1 meter thick. The stratigraphic sequence of the Abra del Toro rock shelter allows us to hypothesize that there were three main occupational moments: two hunter-gatherer moments, separated by the record of the large volcanic eruption, and a subsequent agro-pottery period (Carbonelli et al. 2022. J. Archaeol. Sci. Rep. 45, 103629). The rock shelter after the eruption remained in the memory of the hunter-gatherer groups. Good visibility, accessibility, and proximity to water were attributes of this space that made it possible for it to be re-occupied after the eruptive event. Our next objective is to reconstruct, using proxy analysis, how the paleoenvironment was in the intermontane valleys before and after the eruption. The evidence of this Mid-Holocene catastrophic volcanic event in the Abra del Toro rock shelter opens the possibility of knowing its impact on the contemporary hunter-gatherer community and drawing conclusions for similar future volcanic crises.

Mössbauer and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies (XPS) are complemented with high-level quantum-chemical computations in the study of the geometric and electronic structure of the paramagnetic salt of the metallacarborane sandwich complex [Fe(1,2-CBH)]Cs = FeSanCs. Experimental Fe isomer shifts and quadrupole splitting parameters are compared with the theoretical prediction, with good agreement. The appearance of two sets of Cs(3d) doublets in the XPS spectrum, separated by 2 eV, indicates that Cs has two different chemical environments due to ease of the Cs cation moving around the sandwich complex with low-energy barriers, as confirmed by quantum-chemical computations. Several minimum-energy geometries of the FeSanCs structure with the corresponding energies and Mössbauer parameters are discussed, in particular the atomic charges and spin population and the surroundings of the Fe atom in the complex. The Mössbauer spectra were taken at different temperatures showing the presence of a low-spin Fe atom with S = 1/2 and thus confirming a paramagnetic Fe species.

A broadly used strategy to go beyond the well-known local-density approximation of density functional theory relies on the choice of a so-called exchange-correlation (xc) enhancement factor Fxc, defined as the enhancement of a realistic xc energy density over its local exchange-only counterpart. To date, this density functional, Fxc, has been constructed by following either semiempirical strategies or nonempirical schemes that impose the fulfillment of exact constraints. Here, we follow a totally different route, which is based on an attempt to construct a universal exchange enhancement factor Fx from the exact exchange energy density of a given family of electron density profiles and which we implement on the basis of jellium-slab exact-exchange self-consistent calculations. We find that such an enhancement factor can, indeed, be built which obeys, within our sample of electron-density profiles, most exact constraints and thus represents a benchmark towards the construction of a universal exchange enhancement factor suitable for all electron densities. We provide, in particular, an analytical parametrization of our ab initio calculations at the level of the generalized gradient approximation.

[Introducción]: Las feruloil esterasas (FE) son enzimas responsables de liberar ácidos hidroxicinámicos (AH), entre ellos el ácido ferúlico (AF), normalmente unidos por enlaces de tipo éster a polisacáridos de la pared vegetal, como por ejemplo el arabinoxilano del salvado de trigo. Los AH liberados ejercen numerosos efectos bioactivos en el huésped. Estudios previos han demostrado que la administración de L. johnsonii CRL1231, cepa con actividad FE, en un modelo murino de síndrome metabólico inducido por una dieta rica en grasa suplementada con salvado de trigo, aumentó la biodisponibilidad de AF a nivel intestinal y mostró efecto antioxidante, antinflamatorio, hipolipemiante e hipoglucemiante, mejorando biomarcadores de esta patología., [Objetivo]: Caracterizar la enzima Lj_5870 con posible actividad FE de L. johnsonii CRL1231 y evaluar su capacidad de hidrolizar arabinoxilano de trigo feruloilado., [Métodos]: El gen que codifica Lj_5870 (GenBank WP_004896505.1) se clonó en el vector pURI3-Cter. La proteína recombinante se hiperprodujo en Escherichia coli HST08 y se purificó por cromatografía de afinidad. Su pureza se determinó por SDS-PAGE. Su especificidad de sustrato se determinó espectrofotométricamente frente a p-nitrofenil-ésteres de ácidos grasos y una librería de 43 ésteres comerciales. La actividad hidrolítica sobre sustratos modelo de actividad FE se determinó por HPLC. La caracterización físico-química se realizó empleando p-nitrofenil-butirato (pNP-C4). La actividad hidrolítica frente a arabinoxilano de trigo se determinó por incubación de la enzima en presencia y ausencia de xilanasa de Trichoderma viride y posterior detección del AF liberado por HPLC., [Resultados]: Lj_5870 (28 kDa) presentó mayor especificidad de sustrato frente a pNP-C4. De los 43 ésteres ensayados en la librería, la enzima mostró una mayor actividad hidrolítica frente a cumarato de metilo, siendo activa sobre los demás ésteres de AH (sinapato, ferulato y cafeato de metilo), lo cual fue confirmado por HPLC, evidenciando que es una FE. Lj_5870 presentó actividad óptima a 40°C y mostró una actividad residual del 40% tras 20 h de incubación a 55°C. Fue activa en un amplio intervalo de pH, presentando actividad óptima a pH 6,5. Algunos aditivos químicos actuaron como inhibidores de la enzima, mientras que ninguno como activador. La enzima fue capaz de liberar AF a partir de arabinoxilano de trigo. Esta actividad fue significativamente mayor cuando la enzima fue co-incubada con xilanasa, evidenciándose un efecto sinérgico., [Conclusión]: Se logró producir y caracterizar la FE Lj_5870 de L. johnsonii CRL1231, evidenciándose su capacidad de liberar AF a partir de un sustrato natural como el arabinoxilano de salvado de trigo. Esto indica que esta enzima podría estar relacionada con la mayor biodisponiblidad de AF y mejoras asociadas observadas en nuestro modelo murino de síndrome metabólico administrado con la cepa CRL1231 y una dieta grasa suplementada con salvado de trigo.

An increasing number of Near Earth Asteroids (NEAs) in the range of a few hundred metres to a few kilometres in size have relatively high spin rates, from less than 4 h, down to 2.2 h, depending on spectral type. For some of these bodies, local acceleration near the equator may be directed outwards so that lift off of near-equatorial material is possible. In particular, this may be the case for asteroid Didymos, the primary of the (65803) Didymos binary system, which is the target of the DART (NASA) and Hera (ESA) space missions. The study of the dynamics of particles in such an environment has been carried out – in the frame of the Hera mission and the EC-H2020 NEO-MAPP project – according to the available shape model, known physical parameters and orbital information available before the DART impact. The presence of orbiting particles in the system is likely for most of the estimated range of values for mass and volume. The spatial mass density of ejected material is calculated for different particle sizes and at different heliocentric orbit epochs, revealing that large particles dominate the mass density distribution and that small particle abundance depends on observation epoch. Estimates of take off and landing areas on Didymos are also reported. Available estimates of the system mass and primary extents, after the DART mission, confirm that the main conclusions of this study are valid in the context of current knowledge. © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc.

We employ the La Plata stellar evolution code, LPCODE, to compute the first set of constant rest-mass carbon–oxygen ultra-massive white dwarf evolutionary sequences for masses higher than 1.29 M⊙ that fully take into account the effects of general relativity on their structural and evolutionary properties. In addition, we employ the LP-PUL pulsation code to compute adiabatic g-mode Newtonian pulsations on our fully relativistic equilibrium white dwarf models. We find that carbon–oxygen white dwarfs more massive than 1.382 M⊙ become gravitationally unstable with respect to general relativity effects, being this limit higher than the 1.369 M⊙ we found for oxygen–neon white dwarfs. As the stellar mass approaches the limiting mass value, the stellar radius becomes substantially smaller compared with the Newtonian models. Also, the thermo-mechanical and evolutionary properties of the most massive white dwarfs are strongly affected by general relativity effects. We also provide magnitudes for our cooling sequences in different passbands. Finally, we explore for the first time the pulsational properties of relativistic ultra-massive white dwarfs and find that the period spacings and oscillation kinetic energies are strongly affected in the case of most massive white dwarfs. We conclude that the general relativity effects should be taken into account for an accurate assessment of the structural, evolutionary, and pulsational properties of white dwarfs with masses above ∼1.30 M⊙.

Gamma-ray binary systems, a subclass of high-mass X-ray binaries, show nonthermal emissions from radio to TeV. While efficient electron acceleration is considered to take place in them, the nature of the acceleration mechanism and the physical environments in these systems have been a long-standing question. In this work, we report on long-term recurrent patterns in the short-term variability of the soft X-ray emission of LS 5039, one of the brightest gamma-ray binary systems. The Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) observed LS 5039 four times from 2018 to 2021. By comparing them with the previous Suzaku and NuSTAR long-exposure observations, we studied the long-term evolution of the orbital light curve in the soft X-ray band. Although the observations by NICER and Suzaku are separated by ∼14 yr, i.e., more than 103 orbits, the orbital light curves show remarkable consistency after calculating their running averages with a window width ≳70 ks. Furthermore, all of the light curves show short-term variability with a timescale of ∼10 ks. Since the column density did not vary when the flux changed abruptly, such a short-term variability seems to be an intrinsic feature of the X-ray emission. We propose that the short-term variability is caused by clumps (or inhomogeneities) of the companion star wind impacting the X-ray production site. The observed timescale matches well with the lifetime of the clumps interacting with the pulsar wind and the dynamical timescale of the relativistic intrabinary shock in the pulsar wind scenario.

We present a multiagent-based model that captures the interactions between different types of cells with their microenvironment, and enables the analysis of the emergent global behavior during tissue regeneration and tumor development. Using this model, we are able to reproduce the temporal dynamics of regular healthy cells and cancer cells, as well as the evolution of their three-dimensional spatial distributions. By tuning the system with the characteristics of the individual patients, our model reproduces a variety of spatial patterns of tissue regeneration and tumor growth, resembling those found in clinical imaging or biopsies. In order to calibrate and validate our model we study the process of liver regeneration after surgical hepatectomy in different degrees. In the clinical context, our model is able to predict the recurrence of a hepatocellular carcinoma after a 70% partial hepatectomy. The outcomes of our simulations are in agreement with experimental and clinical observations. By fitting the model parameters to specific patient factors, it might well become a useful platform for hypotheses testing in treatments protocols.

Several important properties of rotation-powered millisecond pulsars (MSPs), such as their mass-radius ratio, equation of state and magnetic field topology, can be inferred from precise observations and modelling of their X-ray light curves. In the present study, we model the thermal X-ray signals originated in MSPs, all the way from numerically solving the surrounding magnetospheres up to the ray tracing of the emitted photons and the final computation of their light curves and spectra. The magnetosphere is solved by performing general relativistic force-free simulations of a rotating neutron star (NS) endowed with a simple centred dipolar magnetic field, for many different stellar compactness and pulsar misalignments. From these solutions, we derive an emissivity map over the surface of the star, based on the electric currents in the magnetosphere. In particular, the emission regions (ERs) are determined in this model by spacelike four-currents that reach the NS. We show that this assumption, together with the inclusion of the gravitational curvature on the force-free simulations, lead to non-standard ERs facing the closed-zone of the pulsar, in addition to other ERs within the polar caps. The combined X-ray signals from these two kinds of ERs (both antipodal) allow to approximate the non-trivial interpulses found in several MSPs light curves. Our modelled X-ray signals are compared against very accurate NICER observations of four target pulsars: PSR J043-4715, PSR J1231-1411, PSR J2124-3358, and PSR J0030 + 0451; achieving very good simultaneous fits for their light curves and spectral distributions.

[Context] Massive colliding-wind binaries (CWBs) can be non-thermal sources. The emission produced in their wind-collision region (WCR) encodes information of both the shock properties and the relativistic electrons accelerated in them. The recently discovered system Apep, a unique massive system hosting two Wolf-Rayet stars, is the most powerful synchrotron radio emitter among the known CWBs. It is an exciting candidate in which to investigate the non-thermal processes associated with stellar wind shocks., [Aims] We intend to break the degeneracy between the relativistic particle population and the magnetic field strength in the WCR of Apep by probing its hard X-ray spectrum, where inverse-Compton (IC) emission is expected to dominate., [Methods] We observed Apep with NuSTAR for 60 ks and combined this with a reanalysis of a deep archival XMM-Newton observation to better constrain the X-ray spectrum. We used a non-thermal emission model to derive physical parameters from the results., [Results] We detect hard X-ray emission consistent with a power-law component from Apep. This is compatible with IC emission produced in the WCR for a magnetic field of ≈105–190 mG, corresponding to a magnetic-to-thermal pressure ratio in the shocks of ≈0.007–0.021, and a fraction of ∼1.5 × 10−4 of the total wind kinetic power being transferred to relativistic electrons., [Conclusions] The non-thermal emission from a CWB is detected for the first time in radio and at high energies. This allows us to derive the most robust constraints so far for the particle acceleration efficiency and magnetic field intensity in a CWB, reducing the typical uncertainty of a few orders of magnitude to just within a factor of a few. This constitutes an important step forward in our characterisation of the physical properties of CWBs.

This study investigated the ability of Lactiplantibacillus paraplantarum CRL2051 and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CRL2030, two lactic acid bacteria isolated from fruits, to ferment pomegranate juice to produce beverages with extended shelf life and functional properties. Lactic acid bacteria consumed glucose and fructose as carbon sources, producing mainly lactic acid. Both strains were initially grown in juice at 30 °C for 48 h, then refrigerated at 4 °C for 28 days. During fermentation and cold storage, the total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity were conserved in fermented pomegranate juices. The functionality studies of the fermented beverages administered to C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet were evaluated over 6 weeks. Pomegranate juice supplementation led to a marked improvement in glucose and triglycerides serum profile, which decreased around 40% and up to 48%, respectively, and counteracted fat deposition and body weight gain. The high-fat diet treatment significantly incremented the aspartate aminotransferase activity in the liver, whereas fermented pomegranate juice consumption slightly reduced it. Liver histological changes associated with a high-fat diet were significantly reverted in juice-treated animals. Our findings evidenced the biological benefits of a novel functional beverage obtained by lactic fermentation of pomegranate juice; this functional drink may protect against weight gain, liver damage, and dyslipidemia induced by a high-fat diet consumption.

Transhumance is the traditional livestock practice consisting in the seasonal movement of herds between winter and summer pastures. Transhumance have important effects on the ecosystem functions from local to regional scales. Here, we 1) explored the relationship of vultures to transhumant herds, and 2) tested whether there is a shift on the use of space by vultures due to the decline of transhumance. For that, we first assessed whether vultures follow transhumant herds in two mountain areas with transhumant tradition, Pyrenees (Spain) and Andes (Argentina). Second, we compared both systems to determine whether the impact of transhumance on the use of space of vultures is greater in the area where transhumance is still relevant (Andes) than where this activity is in decline (Pyrenees). For this purpose, we analyzed the use of the summer pastures made by 50 griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus) and 18 Andean condors (Vultur gryphus), as assessed by GPS tracking. Our findings showed that both species respond to transhumance by making greater use of summer pastures when herds are present. A higher proportion of condors made use of summer pastures than griffons, and condors individually made a more intense use of it than griffons. Differences could be explained by the fact that transhumance in the Andes is still important while in the Pyrenees is declining and the amount of carrion provided is lower. Given that the abandonment of traditional activities is a phenomenon underway, it is urgent to evaluate the effects it will have on biodiversity conservation.

The one-to-one structural correspondence between any conjugated hydrocarbon CnHm and the borane BnHm+n is extended here to pure conjugated carbon systems. We study the closo-borane B60H60 system, isoelectronic with the Buckminsterfullerene C60, and the fluorine substituted systems B60F30H30 and B60F60, all of them with icosahedral Ih symmetry. All these systems, except B60(F30)in(H30)out, correspond to energy minima in the potential energy hypersurface. Selected electronic structure methods are used to characterize these molecules: molecular electrostatic potentials (MEP), atomic charges, bond orders, and topological properties of the electron density within the quantum theory of atoms-in-molecules (QTAIM) and electron localization function (ELF) theory. In the particular case of B60H60 we use the recently developed Hückeloid model for planar boranes. The stability of the energy minimum of the B60F60 icosahedral structure could have its origin in F···F attractive interactions of the inner fluorine atoms of the cage.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is an emerging technology that is revolutionizing the discovery of new materials. One key application of AI is virtual screening of chemical libraries, which enables the accelerated discovery of materials with desired properties. In this study, we developed computational models to predict the dispersancy efficiency of oil and lubricant additives, a critical property in their design that can be estimated through a quantity named blotter spot. We propose a comprehensive approach that combines machine learning techniques with visual analytics strategies in an interactive tool that supports domain experts’ decision-making. We evaluated the proposed models quantitatively and illustrated their benefits through a case study. Specifically, we analyzed a series of virtual polyisobutylene succinimide (PIBSI) molecules derived from a known reference substrate. Our best-performing probabilistic model was Bayesian Additive Regression Trees (BART), which achieved a mean absolute error of 5.50±0.34 and a root mean square error of 7.56±0.47, as estimated through 5-fold cross-validation. To facilitate future research, we have made the dataset, including the potential dispersants used for modeling, publicly available. Our approach can help accelerate the discovery of new oil and lubricant additives, and our interactive tool can aid domain experts in making informed decisions based on blotter spot and other key properties.

Problematic fermentations frequently drive economic losses and logistic problems in the winemaking industry. Previous studies have determined thermal conditions leading to problematic fermentations, selecting two contrasting yeast strains for further transcriptomic analysis. Saccharomyces cerevisiae SBB11 showed strong thermosensitivity towards heat shock, while S. cerevisiae PDM was found to be thermotolerant. The aim of this study was to select genes with significantly upregulated expression to be later used as biomarkers for early detection of sluggish fermentation associated with heat shock. Candidate genes were selected from previously obtained RNA-seq data. Alcoholic fermentations were conducted with 4 S. cerevisiae strains SBB11, PDM, M2 and ICV D21. Heat shocks on day 3 of alcoholic fermentation were applied at 36 and 40 °C for 16 h. S. cerevisiae cells were collected at different times after heat shock onset for qPCR analysis of candidate gene expression over time. Three genes showed promising results; SSA1, MGA1 and OPI10 significantly increased expression with respect to the control. The selected genes showed increased expression during the first 9 h post heat shock and are proposed for early detection of sluggish fermentations associated with heat shock.

There is a dearth of information regarding prehistoric foraging societies from the intermontane longitudinal valleys of the South-Central Andes. Due to the intense anthropization of the landscape or the scarce research efforts on prehistoric populations of hunter-gatherers in the intermontane valleys of the Andes, occupation sites have been found on very few occasions. However, new perspectives in the Abra del Toro rock shelter in the Yocavil Valley (Catamarca province, Argentina) have opened up from recent and ongoing excavations. This rock shelter is the first archaeological case in which it is possible to analyze the relationship between a large-scale natural catastrophe and the prehistoric populations living in the Andean intermontane valleys of the southern Central Andes. This rock shelter's stratigraphy and archaeological remains contain the record of interactions between human communities and volcanism. The stratigraphic record of the rock shelter shows a 1-m-thick volcanic ash deposit formed by aeolian transport from primary outer ashfall deposits. Geomorphological and sedimentological context, texture, glass and mineral content, whole-rock chemical composition, and radiocarbon dating prove that the tephra was derived from the 4.2 ka BP eruption of the Cerro Blanco Volcanic Complex in southern Puna (NW Argentina). This volcanic eruption is the largest documented in the world in the last five thousand years and covered the surroundings of the archaeological site with an ash layer of approximately 1 meter thick. The stratigraphic sequence of the Abra del Toro rock shelter allows us to hypothesize that there were three main occupational moments: two hunter-gatherer moments, separated by the record of the large volcanic eruption, and a subsequent agro-pottery period (Carbonelli et al. 2022. J. Archaeol. Sci. Rep. 45, 103629). The rock shelter after the eruption remained in the memory of the hunter-gatherer groups. Good visibility, accessibility, and proximity to

This paper aims to assess changes in the patterns of marine fish consumption by hunter-fisher-gatherer populations in the context of environmental change. To accomplish this objective, we used two methodological approaches: first, stable isotope analysis in ancient and modern shells of limpets and mussels to explore changes in the isotopic baseline and also in fish skeletal remains recovered from different archaeological sites dated to the Middle and Late Holocene of Tierra del Fuego (Argentina); second, a zooarchaeological quantitative analysis of the fish remains from different archaeological sites in the same area and period. Results confirmed that marine primary productivity in the Atlantic coast of Tierra del Fuego decreased throughout the second half of the Holocene, while the contribution of phytoplankton to the carbon pool fueling the coastal food web decreased simultaneously. The quantitative zooarchaeological analysis and the stable isotope analyses in fish remains suggest that in the Atlantic coast there was a variation in the consumption of fish species from offshore to near shore fish species throughout time, mostly because of the declining occurrence of Argentine hake (Merluccius hubbsi). This could result from changes in the distribution of the latter and the probability of mass stranding

Exopolysaccharides (EPS) produced by lactic acid bacteria are molecules of great interest for the dairy food industry. Lacticaseibacillus paracasei CIDCA 8339, CIDCA 83123, and CIDCA 83124 are potentially probiotic strains isolated from kefir grains whose EPS-production on MRS broth is dependent on incubation temperature. The aim of the present work is to evaluate the effect of fermentation temperature on the characteristics of EPS produced in milk by L. paracasei strains and the consequent impact on the rheological properties of the fermented products. Additionally, the protective effect of these EPS against Salmonella infection was evaluated in vitro. Acid gels with each strain were obtained by milk fermentation at 20°C, 30°C, and 37°C evidencing for all the strains a reduction in growth and acidification rate at lower temperature. Lacticaseibacillus paracasei CIDCA 83123 showed low fermentation rate at all temperatures requiring between 3 and 8 days to obtain acids gels, whereas CIDCA 8339 and 83124 needed between 24 and 48 h even when the temperature was 20°C. Fermentation temperature led to changes in crude EPS characteristics of the three strains, observing an increase in the relative amount of the high molecular weight fraction when the fermentation temperature diminished. Additionally, EPS83124 and EPS83123 presented modifications in monosaccharide composition, with a reduction of rhamnose and an increase of amino-sugars as temperature rise. These changes in the structure of EPS83124 resulted in an increase of the apparent viscosity of milks fermented at 20°C (223 mPa.s) and 30°C (217 mPa.s) with respect to acid gels obtained at 37°C (167 mPa.s). In order to deepen the knowledge on EPS characteristics, monosaccharide composition of low and high molecular weight EPS fractions were evaluated. Finally, it was evidenced that the preincubation of intestinal epithelial cells Caco-2/TC-7 with EPS8339 and EPS83124 partially inhibit the association and invasion of Sa

Background and Aim Dialysis patients are a high-risk population and have a reduced immune response to vaccination against SARS-CoV-2. The aim of this study was to assess the humoral response to homologous Gam-COVID-Vac (Sputnik V) and heterologous Sputnik V/mRNA-1273 (Moderna) vaccination in dialysis patients. The vaccination scheme depended on dose availability and the prioritization of risk populations as established by the Argentine Ministry of Health. Methods Previous COVID-19 infection was determined in symptomatic patients. Binding IgG antibodies against the spike (S) receptor-binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 (anti-S-RBD) concentration was assessed between 3 and 16 weeks after the boost dose. Anti-S-RBD antibodies were quantified using the Abbott Diagnostics SARS-CoV-2 IgG II Quant chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA) on an Architect i2000 SR and an Alinity I analyzer (Abbott Diagnostics, Abbott Park, Illinois, USA). To standardize the results to WHO binding antibody units (BAU), a correction factor for Abbott arbitrary units (AU) was applied where 1 BAU/mL equals 0.142 AU, as previously established by Abbott with the WHO international standard NIBSC 20–136. Following the manufacturer’s recommendations, samples were considered reactive for anti-S-RBD when titers were above 50 AU/mL (7.2 BAU/mL). An 80% protective effect (PROT-80) against symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection was assumed when anti-S-RBD titers were 506 BAU/ml or higher. Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) score was classified as mild = 1–2, moderate = 3–4, and severe ≥ 5. Side effects were evaluated until day 7 by patients´ self-reported questionnaire. Results One hundred seven participants were enrolled [n = 84 homologous (SpV/SpV), nn 23 heterologous (SpV/Mod)]. Median (IQR) age was 64 (50–75) years old and 79 (73.8%) were male. Additionally, 19 (22.6%) of the SpV/SpV and 4 (17.4%) of the SpV/Mod group had a prior confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection (p = 0.589). In the overall population, 1

The Southwestern Atlantic Ocean (SWA), is considered one of the most productive areas of the world, with a high abundance of ecologically and economically important fish species. Yet, the biological responses of this complex region to climate variability are still uncertain. Here, using 24 years of satellite-derived Chl-a data, we classified the SWA into 9 spatially coherent regions based on the temporal variability of Chl-a concentration, as revealed by SOM (Self-Organizing Maps) analysis. These biogeographical regions were the basis of a regional trend analysis in phytoplankton biomass, phenological indices, and environmental forcing variations. A general positive trend in phytoplankton concentration was observed, especially in the highly productive areas of the northern shelf-break, where phytoplankton biomass has increased at a rate of up to 0.42 ± 0.04 mg m−3 per decade. Significant positive trends in sea surface temperature were observed in 4 of the 9 regions (0.08–0.26 °C decade−1) and shoaling of the mixing layer depth in 5 of the 9 regions (−1.50 to −3.36 m decade−1). In addition to the generally positive trend in Chl-a, the most conspicuous change in the phytoplankton temporal patterns in the SWA is a delay in the autumn bloom (between 15 ± 3 and 24 ± 6 days decade−1, depending on the region). The observed variations in phytoplankton phenology could be attributed to climate-induced ocean warming and extended stratification period. Our results provided further evidence of the impact of climate change on these highly productive waters.