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During conventional drying, parts are heated from the outside creating large humidity and temperature gradients which, in turn, generate stresses due to differential shrinking of the part promoting their fracture. Besides, this process is very lenghty creating two important bottlenecks in the production of porcelain parts: drying and storage before refining and biscuit firing. Microwave technology can solve these problems since parts are heated more homogenously and very quickly with smaller humidity and thermal gradients and, thus, shorter drying times and fewer rejects. Probably the main problem in microwave drying of these products is the need to dry simultaneously parts with very different sizes, weights, thicknesses and geometries. This paper describes microwave drying of porcelain parts both individually and mixing diferent parts simultaneously. The results obtained indicate that drying times can be reduced drastically and that parts with diferent geometries and sizes do not pose a problem. Besides, the economic benefits that can be derived by introducing microwave technology in the drying process of porcelain parts are estimated.Durante el secado convencional, las piezas se calientan desde el exterior dando lugar a elevados gradientes de humedad y temperatura que, a su vez, generan tensiones como consecuencia de contracciones diferenciales de la pieza facilitando su fractura. Además, este proceso es muy largo creando dos importantes cuellos de botella del proceso de fabricación de piezas de porcelana: secado y almacenamiento previo al refino y al bizcochado. El secado por microondas permite solventar estos problemas debido a que las piezas se secan de forma mucho más homogénea y rápida con gradientes de humedad y térmicos inferiores, reduciéndose el número de rechazos y el tiempo de secado. Probablemente el mayor problema del secado por microondas de este tipo de productos consiste en la necesidad de secar simultáneamente piezas de tamaños, pesos, espesores y geometrías muy diferentes. En este artículo se describe el secado por microondas de piezas de porcelana tanto de forma individual como mezclando piezas diferentes simultáneamente. Los resultados indican que el tiempo de secado se puede reducir drásticamente sin que las diferentes geometrías y tamaños de las piezas planteen inconvenientes. Además, se hace una estimación de los beneficios económicos que se pueden alcanzar introduciendo esta tecnología en el proceso de secado de porcelana.

La Política de Juventud, en discusión desde 1985 pero formalizada en 1992 y luego en 1995, es un instrumento de Política Social que corresponde a la modernización del Estado y la democratización del país. El modelo vigente de planeación y la transición institucional abierta por la Constitución del 91 han creado un escenario tan lleno de oportunidades como de dificultades para consolidar este espacio de la participación juvenil y de la concertación entre la sociedad civil y el Estado.

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The first advance of the results of the Design and Construction of a dye solution Circulator System controlled by means of virtual instrumentation technologies for the construction of the tuneabla laser optical head is presented. The dye solution circulator system is constituted by a container for the dye solution, a hydraulic bomb (dye flow generator), an electro-valve of step (device that allows to regulate the pressure and the feedback of the dye solution, flow), a power source 1 to 24 volts, a cuvette across which the dye solution solution passes to be optically excited by another laser, which will be implemented in the second phase of the research application [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has developed a System of Data acquisition that allows monitorear the temperature of a dye solution system, which will allow to give a stationary flow for a tuneable laser optical head. The System of Data acquisition implemented is constituted by a sensor of temperature, a analogous digital conversor and a visualizador of the temperature [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) load in plasma and semen during primary HIV infection using serial samples of semen and plasma during the first 24 weeks after diagnosis in untreated participants and those who started antiretroviral therapy (ART) immediately at diagnosis. In the absence of treatment, semen viral load was >1000 copies/mL in almost all specimens (83%) collected 2-10 weeks after the estimated date of HIV acquisition and remained >1000 copies/mL in 35% of untreated participants at the last observed time point. Thus, in the absence of ART, semen viral load remained at a level consistent with transmissibility throughout primary infection., Competing Interests: Potential conflicts of interest . All authors: No reported conflicts. All authors have submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest. Conflicts that the editors consider relevant to the content of the manuscript have been disclosed., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

The leaves of Passiflora ligularis Juss (known as sweet granadilla for its edible fruits) are a crop byproduct that is discarded. With the aim of contributing to give value-added products from these crop by-side products to farmers of Colombian Andes, we carried out a 1 H-NMR-metabolomics analysis of polar extracts from leaves collected in three locations and stored in two conditions in order to identify glucosyl-hydrolase inhibitors. Variations in the metabolic profile and the bioactivity among samples were analyzed by orthogonal partial least square discriminant analysis. Thus, 1 H-NMR signals related to polyphenolic compounds, saponins, and amino acids were correlated with higher inhibitory activities. Moreover, a targeted NMR and HPLC-MS/MS analysis allowed the identification of 14 polyphenolic compounds and the structural characterization of a new triterpenoid saponin, ligularoside A. The measurements of IC 50 values for α-amylase and α-glycosidase inhibitors allowed the identification of quercetin-3- O -β-glucoside, kaempferol-3- O -β-glucoside, and ligularoside A as the most active compounds. These results suggest that P. ligularis leaves are a source of glucosyl-hydrolase inhibitors and lay the foundation for exploring additional applications.

18S rRNA is a biomarker that provides an alternative to thick blood smears in controlled human malaria infection (CHMI) trials. We reviewed data from CHMI trials at non-endemic sites that used blood smears and Plasmodium 18S rRNA/rDNA biomarker nucleic acid tests (NATs) for time to positivity. We validated a multiplex quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) for Plasmodium 18S rRNA, prospectively compared blood smears and qRT-PCR for three trials, and modeled treatment effects at different biomarker-defined parasite densities to assess the impact on infection detection, symptom reduction, and measured intervention efficacy. Literature review demonstrated accelerated NAT-based infection detection compared with blood smears (mean acceleration: 3.2-3.6 days). For prospectively tested trials, the validated Plasmodium 18S rRNA qRT-PCR positivity was earlier (7.6 days; 95% CI: 7.1-8.1 days) than blood smears (11.0 days; 95% CI: 10.3-11.8 days) and significantly preceded the onset of grade 2 malaria-related symptoms (12.2 days; 95% CI: 10.6-13.3 days). Discrepant analysis showed that the risk of a blood smear-positive, biomarker-negative result was negligible. Data modeling predicted that treatment triggered by specific biomarker-defined thresholds can differentiate complete, partial, and non-protective outcomes and eliminate many grade 2 and most grade 3 malaria-related symptoms post-CHMI. Plasmodium 18S rRNA is a sensitive and specific biomarker that can justifiably replace blood smears for infection detection in CHMI trials in non-endemic settings. This study led to biomarker qualification through the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in CHMI studies at non-endemic sites, which will facilitate biomarker use for the qualified context of use in drug and vaccine trials.

Malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) primarily detect Plasmodium falciparum antigen histidine-rich protein 2 (HRP2) and the malaria-conserved antigen lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) for P. vivax and other malaria species. The performance of RDTs and their utility is dependent on circulating antigen concentration distributions in infected individuals in a population in which malaria is endemic and on the limit of detection of the RDT for the antigens. A multiplexed immunoassay for the quantification of HRP2, P. vivax LDH, and all-malaria LDH (pan LDH) was developed to accurately measure circulating antigen concentration and antigen distribution in a population with endemic malaria. The assay also measures C-reactive protein (CRP) levels as an indicator of inflammation. Validation was conducted with clinical specimens from 397 asymptomatic donors from Myanmar and Uganda, confirmed by PCR for infection, and from participants in induced blood-stage malaria challenge studies. The assay lower limits of detection for HRP2, pan LDH, P. vivax LDH, and CRP were 0.2 pg/ml, 9.3 pg/ml, 1.5 pg/ml, and 26.6 ng/ml, respectively. At thresholds for HRP2, pan LDH, and P. vivax LDH of 2.3 pg/ml, 47.8 pg/ml, and 75.1 pg/ml, respectively, and a specificity ≥98.5%, the sensitivities for ultrasensitive PCR-confirmed infections were 93.4%, 84.9%, and 48.9%, respectively. Plasmodium LDH (pLDH) concentration, in contrast to that of HRP2, correlated closely with parasite density. CRP levels were moderately higher in P. falciparum infections with confirmed antigenemia versus those in clinical specimens with no antigen. The 4-plex array is a sensitive tool for quantifying diagnostic antigens in malaria infections and supporting the evaluation of new ultrasensitive RDTs., (Copyright © 2019 Jang et al.)

Sensitive field-deployable diagnostic tests can assist malaria programs in achieving elimination. The performance of a new Alere™ Malaria Ag P.f Ultra Sensitive rapid diagnostic test (uRDT) was compared with the currently available SD Bioline Malaria Ag P.f RDT in blood specimens from asymptomatic individuals in Nagongera, Uganda, and in a Karen Village, Myanmar, representative of high- and low-transmission areas, respectively, as well as in pretreatment specimens from study participants from four Plasmodium falciparum -induced blood-stage malaria (IBSM) studies. A quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) and a highly sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test for histidine-rich protein II (HRP2) were used as reference assays. The uRDT showed a greater than 10-fold lower limit of detection for HRP2 compared with the RDT. The sensitivity of the uRDT was 84% and 44% against qRT-PCR in Uganda and Myanmar, respectively, and that of the RDT was 62% and 0% for the same two sites. The specificities of the uRDT were 92% and 99.8% against qRT-PCR for Uganda and Myanmar, respectively, and 99% and 99.8% against the HRP2 reference ELISA. The RDT had specificities of 95% and 100% against qRT-PCR for Uganda and Myanmar, respectively, and 96% and 100% against the HRP2 reference ELISA. The uRDT detected new infections in IBSM study participants 1.5 days sooner than the RDT. The uRDT has the same workflow as currently available RDTs, but improved performance characteristics to identify asymptomatic malaria infections. The uRDT may be a useful tool for malaria elimination strategies.

Background: Controlled human malaria infection (CHMI) studies increasingly rely on nucleic acid test (NAT) methods to detect and quantify parasites in the blood of infected participants. The lower limits of detection and quantification vary amongst the assays used throughout the world, which may affect the ability of mathematical models to accurately estimate the liver-to-blood inoculum (LBI) values that are used to judge the efficacy of pre-erythrocytic vaccine and drug candidates., Methods: Samples were collected around the time of onset of pre-patent parasitaemia from subjects who enrolled in two different CHMI clinical trials. Blood samples were tested for Plasmodium falciparum 18S rRNA and/or rDNA targets by different NAT methods and results were compared. Methods included an ultrasensitive, large volume modification of an established quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) assay that achieves detection of as little as one parasite/mL of whole blood., Results: Large volume qRT-PCR at the University of Washington was the most sensitive test and generated quantifiable data more often than any other NAT methodology. Standard quantitative PCR (qPCR) performed at the University of Oxford and standard volume qRT-PCR performed at the University of Washington were less sensitive than the large volume qRT-PCR, especially at 6.5 days after CHMI. In these trials, the proportion of participants for whom LBI could be accurately quantified using parasite density value greater than or equal to the lower limit of quantification was increased. A greater improvement would be expected in trials in which numerous subjects receive a lower LBI or low dose challenge., Conclusions: Standard qPCR and qRT-PCR methods with analytical sensitivities of ~20 parasites/mL probably suffice for most CHMI purposes, but the newly developed large volume qRT-PCR may be able to answer specific questions when more analytical sensitivity is required.

Dried blood spots (DBS) are useful for molecular assays but are prone to false positives from cross-contamination. In our malaria DBS assay, cross-contamination was encountered despite cleaning techniques suitable for HIV-1. We therefore developed a contact-free laser cutting system that effectively eliminated cross-contamination during DBS processing.

Introduction: some clinical, anatomo-pathological, and technical factors influence the correct healing of intestinal suture following an intestinal resection. One of the most influential factors is patient nutritional status., Objectives: to evaluate the influence of malnutrition on the viability of primary intestinal anastomosis by the analysis of collagen I deposition., Methods: 40 Wistar rats, radioimmunoassay material. We used 2 groups of rats, 20 animals in each group: a control group (A) and a "malnutrition" group (B)., Results: there was a decrease in PINP (procollagen) deposition in the colon of group B rats as compared to the colon of group A (0.3620 and 0.4340 mg/g respectively) (p = 0.032). There is an increase in ICTP (carboxyterminal telopeptide) in the colon of group B (0.9545 as against 0.8460 mg/g in group A) (p = 0.875). In anastomoses of group B there was a decrease in PINP synthesis as compared to group A (0.376 and 0.468 mg/g respectively, p = 0.002). As regards ICTP, there was an increase in group B (p = 0.330). In relation to the control group no differences were observed in ICTP increases in group B (p = 1)., Conclusions: colonic anastomosis increases the levels of PINP and ICTP in healed tissue (p = 0.000); malnutrition reduces collagenization in anastomoses (p = 0.000).

Heuristical algorithms can reduce the computational complexity. Such methods require of some stopping criteria (cost function). Some of these cost functions are based on statistics like univariate and multivariate methods of analysis. Dimensional reduction techniques such as principal component analysis (PCA) allow to find a lower dimension transformed space based on data variance, but this procedure does not take into account information about classes separability, the direction of maximum variance does not necessarily correspond to the direction of maximum separability. In this work, we propose a feature selection algorithm with heuristic search that uses multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) as the cost function. This technique is put to test by classifying hypernasal from normal voices of CLP (Cleft Lip and/or Palate) patients. The classification performance, computational time and reduction ratio are also considered by the comparison with an alternate feature selection method founded on unfolding the multivariate analysis into univariate and bivariate analysis.

Here, an analysis of different acoustic features and their influence in automatic identification of hypernasality is shown. Effective feature selection method includes preprocessing of the initial feature space based on statistical independence analysis. Simultaneously, the synthesis of a specialized diagnostic feature is proposed based on analyzing the acoustic emission of the hyper nasal speech. As a result, It is obtained the acoustic features can differentiate with enough precision the pathology. However, the proposed feature does not require training samples and less computational power, as well.