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Abstract Ketamine, a pharmacological agent that acts as an antagonist of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, has garnered considerable interest because of its notable and expeditious antidepressant properties observed in individuals diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) who exhibit resistance to conventional therapeutic interventions. A comprehensive and rigorous systematic review was undertaken to evaluate the prevalence of ketamine abuse undergoing ketamine treatment for depressive disorders. A comprehensive search was conducted across the electronic databases to identify pertinent studies published between 2021 and 2023. The present investigation incorporated a comprehensive range of studies encompassing the abuse or misuse of ketamine, including case reports, observational studies, and clinical trials. Data extraction and quality assessment were conducted in accordance with predetermined criteria. The findings of this systematic review demonstrate the importance of monitoring and addressing ketamine abuse in patients receiving ketamine treatment for depressive disorders like MDD. The wide range of reported prevalence rates highlights the need for standardized criteria and measures for defining and assessing ketamine abuse. This study presents a significant contribution to the field by introducing a novel screening questionnaire and assessment algorithm designed to identify and evaluate ketamine misuse among major depressive disorder (MDD) patients undergoing ketamine treatment. This innovative tool holds the potential to enhance clinical practice by providing healthcare professionals with a standardized approach to promptly detect and address ketamine misuse. The integration of this screening tool into routine care protocols can facilitate more effective monitoring and management of ketamine misuse in this population, ultimately leading to improved patient outcomes and safety.

Background Anemia represents a major healthcare burden in developing country like India. Since decades peripheral blood smear has been used for diagnosis of anemia. Cell counter has been introduced with increasing efficacy and a decreasing cost all over the world. Aim of this study was to correlate morphological typing of anemia based on RBC indices and RDW obtained from automated hematology analyzer with PBS (Peripheral Blood Smear) and to give better approach in diagnosis of anemia and analyze their limitations. Materials and Methods This prospective study was undertaken at Sir T hospital, Bhavnagar comprising of total 300 cases of anemia over a period of 4 months between July to October, 2021. Anemia typing was done by NIHONKODEN 9100 hematology analyzer and peripheral blood smear. Results Out of 300 cases, 265 cases of anemia typed by RBC indices and RDW obtained from hematology analyzer were correct. 35 cases needed blood smear examination for correct typing of anemia. Microcytic hypochromic anemia was the most common morphological type of anemia followed by normocytic normochromic anemia. Anemia was found to be more common in females. Microcytic hypochromic anemia and normocytic normochromic anemia was the most common type in females and males respectively. Conclusions PBS examination remains the gold standard test for morphological typing of anemia. With new advances in hematology analyzer typing of anemia can be done with indices and RDW but PBS confirmation is must. Both the methods should be used complementary to each other for better diagnostic accuracy.

Se realizó la evaluación de longitud y el crecimiento de Lutjanus guttatus, L. peru y L. argentiventris, capturados por la flota artesanal que desembarca en la comunidad de Búcaro, Panamá, por un período de seis meses, se describe la composición de tallas, la relación peso vs longitud total, se estimó el crecimiento basado en la estructura de tallas mensuales, para lo cual se describe L? , coeficiente catabólico k, la edad hipotética to para la longitud 0, además el índice de evaluación de ?’ y la longevidad A0,95, se desarrolló la ecuación de von Bertalanffy para cada especie y el análisis de la progresión modal “VBGF”. La longitud total varió entre 204 y 648 mm y el peso osciló entre 85 y 3 373 g, para las tres especies, la relación de estas variables mostró un crecimiento isométrico, la progresión modal indicó dos cohortes definidas de L. guttatus, no así en las otras especies. Los resultados son un aporte de línea base para el desarrollo del estudio de la biología pesquera artesanal de la zona del Pacífico centroamericano.

Background: The performance and endurance of lubricating greases is often assessed through model tests (like four-ball tests or SRV tests). This approach has some limitations, especially when greases with special fillers are investigated, because simplified laboratory test conditions can never replicate real operating conditions. Objective: For a more reliable assessment on the performance of a lubricating grease, lubricants must be tested in close-to-actual operational conditions, e.g. through component tests. This paper presents both the design and implementation of a dedicated test rig to test lubricating greases through middle-sized thrust ball bearings. Methods: The test rig design is optimized to monitor the effectiveness of lubrication and determine the useful life of grease by recording representative parameters, namely bearing temperature at different location in the bearing, vibration level, and electric contact resistance (ECR) through the bearing. Results: The results of a couple of assessment tests are presented and confirm that the test rig is working as expected. Conclusions: The chart of the parameters being monitored shows that the instant performance of grease lubrication can be tracked during the endurance tests, and grease failure identified. The special mechanical layout of the rig also allows the user to obtain additional information that is usually not available in other commercial greased bearing testers. This work is meant to be the first step of the development a new approach to evaluate the grease lubrication performance and a few experimental results are included as they are intended as a functional validation of the prototyped test rig.

This article proposes a novel methodology for estimating metallurgical copper recovery, a critical feature in mining project evaluations. The complexity of modeling this nonadditive variable using geostatistical methods due to low sampling density, strong heterotopic relationships with other measurements, and nonlinearity is highlighted. As an alternative, a copula-based conditional quantile regression method is proposed, which does not rely on linearity or additivity assumptions and can fit any statistical distribution. The proposed methodology was evaluated using geochemical log data and metallurgical testing from a simulated block model of a porphyry copper deposit. A highly heterotopic sample was prepared for copper recovery, sampled at 10% with respect to other variables. A copula-based nonparametric dependence model was constructed from the sample data using a kernel smoothing method, followed by the application of a conditional quantile regression for the estimation of copper recovery with chalcocite content as secondary variable, which turned out to be the most related. The accuracy of the method was evaluated using the remaining 90% of the data not included in the model. The new methodology was compared to cokriging placed under the same conditions, using performance metrics RMSE, MAE, MAPE, and R2. The results show that the proposed methodology reproduces the spatial variability of the secondary variable without the need for a variogram model and improves all evaluation metrics compared to the geostatistical method.

Abstract The need for sustainable production, efficient use of resources, energy efficiency and reduction in CO2 emission are currently the main drivers that are transforming the European process industry besides Industry 4.0. Since the potential of industrial symbiosis (IS) and energy efficiency (EE) about environmental, economic and social issues has been discovered, the interest in them is gradually increasing. The funding and investments for IS and EE are highly encouraged by the European Commission, while more and more policies as well as research and innovation (R&I) activities are initiated to promote European industry’s advancement towards a circular economy and CO2 neutrality. The aim is to maintain the competitiveness and economic progress of the industry. The key to build a competitive and sustainable European manufacturing industry is to create a competent, highly qualified workforce that is capable of handling the new business models coming with IS and EE requirements and digital technologies. We can generate this by identifying the skills needs and upskilling and reskilling the current workforce accordingly by delivering the suitable training programmes. Therefore, this work identifies the most critical skills needs related to IS and EE for six different energy-intensive sectors (steel, ceramic, water, cement, chemical and minerals) in Europe. The effect of the digital transformation on the skills needs is as well discussed. The identified skills are aimed to be included in vocational education and training (VET), tertiary education and other kinds of training curricula. We also identify the cross-sectoral most representative job profiles linked with EE and IS in these sectors and demonstrate the methodology for the selection process. Furthermore, we present a key tool for identifying the most significant current and future skills requirements. Also, we define the critical skill gaps of the European process industry using this tool. Once the skill gaps are defined, they can be reduced by delivering well-developed continuous trainings. We also link our work to the respectable ESCO, the European Classification of skills, competences, qualifications and occupations, to attain a common ground with other studies and frameworks, minimise the complexity and contribute to their work. Our work is developed to be an academic and industrial guideline to prepare well-developed training programmes to deliver the needed skills.

La importancia del conocimiento de la composición meiobentónica de los ecosistemas costeros ha sido potenciada para la evaluación de las relaciones tróficas, sobre todo, como indicadores de estrés y contaminación en las playas. El objetivo de la presente investigación fue determinar la abundancia y diversidad de la meiofauna en la zona intermareal de playa Venao y evaluar el efecto del pisoteo de los usuarios sobre estos organismos. Los individuos fueron colectados mediante el uso de nucleadores de pvc de 0,029 m de diámetro, enterrados a 0,05 m bajo el sedimento, en períodos de marea baja, en días con presencia y ausencia de personas, en un lapso de dos meses. Además, se evaluó las características granulométricas y se midió las variaciones del perfil de la playa. Se observó diferencias en composición de especies entre estos períodos, además, entre zonas de uso de la playa con presencia de usuarios, sin embargo, no hubo relación de la abundancia y riqueza, con las características ambientales evaluadas, por lo que se desprende que las características hidrodinámicas ejercen efecto sobre la distribución de los organismos.

Abstract Background Patients with overactive bladder (OAB) experience sudden, intense urges to urinate, which may include urge urinary incontinence and nocturia. Pharmacotherapy includes β3-adrenergic receptor agonists such as mirabegron; however, mirabegron contains a label warning for cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2D6 inhibition, making coadministration with CYP2D6 substrates require monitoring and dose adjustment to avoid unintended increases in substrate concentration. Objective To understand the codispensing patterns of mirabegron among patients using ten predefined CYP2D6 substrates with and before mirabegron dispensing. Methods This retrospective claims database analysis used the IQVIA PharMetrics® Plus Database to assess codispensing of mirabegron with ten predefined CYP2D6 substrate groups identified on the basis of medications most frequently prescribed in the United States, those with high susceptibility to CYP2D6 inhibition, and those with evidence for exposure-related toxicity. Patients had to be ≥ 18 years old before initiation of the CYP2D6 substrate episode that overlapped with mirabegron. The cohort entry period was November 2012 to September 2019, and the overall study period was 1 January 2011 to 30 September 2019. Comparisons of patient profiles at dispensing were made between time periods with and before mirabegron use in the same patient. Descriptive statistics were used to assess the number of exposure episodes, total duration of exposure, and median duration of exposure of CYP2D6 substrate dispensing with and before mirabegron. Results CYP2D6 substrate exposure periods totaling ≥ 9000 person-months were available before overlapping exposure to mirabegron for all ten CYP2D6 substrate cohorts. Median codispensing duration for chronically administered CYP2D6 substrates was 62 (interquartile range [IQR] 91) days for citalopram/escitalopram, 71 (105) days for duloxetine/venlafaxine, and 75 (115) days for metoprolol/carvedilol; median codispensing duration for acutely administered CYP2D6 substrates was 15 (33) days for tramadol and 9 (18) days for hydrocodone. Conclusions In this claims database analysis, the dispensing patterns of CYP2D6 substrates with mirabegron displayed frequent overlapping of exposure. Thus, a need exists to better understand the outcomes experienced by patients with OAB who are at increased risk for drug‒drug interactions when taking multiple CYP2D6 substrates concurrently with a CYP2D6 inhibitor.

Lip seals are components subjected to high mechanical stress and they are responsible for many out-of-service in pneumatic cylinders. The aim of this work is the development of an experimental methodology to evaluate lifetime duration and analyse failures and damages of rod lip seals for pneumatic cylinders. A dedicated test bench was designed and manufactured which reproduces actual working conditions of the seals i.e., compressed air action (seal pressurisation) and relative linear reciprocating motion. Three types of seals made of two elastomers (NBR and polyurethane) were tested; dry condition was considered to speed up the tests. The influence of geometric parameters like seal seat dimension and seal axis misalignment with respect to the rod axis, was analysed by multiple experimental tests. Results in terms of seal life duration and failure modes are presented which allow comparison of seals performance and provide a helpful tool to end-users in a proper selection of seals geometry, material and key working parameters.

Abstract Background Overactive bladder (OAB) is characterized by the presence of bothersome urinary symptoms. Pharmacologic treatment options for OAB include anticholinergics and β3-adrenergic agonists. Use of β3-adrenergic agonists may result in similar treatment efficacy with a decreased side effect profile compared with anticholinergics because high anticholinergic burden is associated with cardiovascular and neurologic side effects. However, the β3-adrenergic agonist mirabegron, one of two approved drugs within this class, is a moderate cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2D6 inhibitor, and coadministration of drugs that are CYP2D6 substrates with mirabegron may lead to adverse drug effects. Objective The aim of this study was to quantify how often CYP2D6 substrates were dispensed in patients receiving mirabegron among adults of any age and among those ≥ 65 years of age. Methods In this retrospective descriptive analysis, a deidentified administrative claims database in the United States, IQVIA PharMetrics® Plus, was used to identify dispensing claims for CYP2D6 substrates and mirabegron from November 2012 to September 2019. Prevalence of CYP2D6 substrate dispensing was assessed in patients dispensed mirabegron among all adults ≥ 18 years old and additionally among a cohort of those ≥ 65 years old. Patient baseline profiles at the time of mirabegron and CYP2D6 substrate codispensing and at the time of mirabegron dispensing were compared. CYP2D6 substrates were categorized as those with the potential for increased risk of QT prolongation, with anticholinergic properties, with narrow therapeutic index (NTI), contraindicated or having a black box warning when used with CYP2D6 inhibitors, or used for depression or other psychiatric disease. Dispensing data and patient profiles were summarized descriptively. Results Overall, 68.5% of adults ≥ 18 years old dispensed mirabegron had overlapping dispensings for one or more CYP2D6 substrate; 60.6% and 53.6% had overlapping dispensings for CYP2D6 substrates with anticholinergic properties or risk of QT prolongation, respectively. CYP2D6 substrates with NTI, contraindicated with CYP2D6 inhibitors, or for psychiatric use were codispensed in 17.7%, 16.6%, and 38.0% of adult mirabegron users, respectively. Mirabegron users receiving one or more concurrent CYP2D6 substrate were more likely to be older, have more comorbidities and baseline polypharmacy, and have increased healthcare resource utilization compared with those without concurrent CYP2D6 substrates. Commonly codispensed CYP2D6 substrates included hydrocodone, oxycodone, tramadol, metoprolol, and tamsulosin. Findings were similar for patients in the older cohort (≥ 65 years old), with 72.1% receiving overlapping CYP2D6 substrates. Conclusions Codispensing of CYP2D6 substrates, especially those with anticholinergic properties or risk of QT prolongation, was common among adults and older adults receiving mirabegron. Results highlight the need for improved awareness of CYP2D6 substrate prescribing among patients receiving pharmacologic treatment for OAB that inhibits the CYP2D6 pathway.

Este artículo retoma la potencia de la figura del flâneur que Walter Benjamin toma de Charles Baudelaire a la luz de los efectos que han tenido los desarrollos de la tecnología en las grandes urbes contemporáneas. Analiza algunos de los senderos explorados por autores como Steven Shaviro, Manuel Castells y Katherine Hayles en torno al desarrollo de Internet y la inteligencia artificial, con el fin de actualizar algunas de las inquietudes y fabricaciones que Benjamin nos heredó para poder pensar así, algunas estrategias y/o herramientas y poder fabricar un despertar, tal y como lo pensaba Benjamin.

This book is the publication of the Author's PhD thesis in History, discussed on February 2023 at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences of Maastricht University. Johan Alfredo Linthorst got a Master's degree in Chemistry at the University of Groningen in 2004 and a second Master's degree for teacher training in chemical education at Fontys University of Applied Sciences in 2005. He is involved in chemistry education at pre-university level since 2003. Parallel to his interest in teaching chemistry, including designing and publishing new experiments for students, he developed a personal interest in the history and philosophy of sciences and chemistry in particular. In this connection, in 2005 he started his research at Maastricht University as an external PhD candidate which culminated with his dissertation, which constitutes the present publication.

Se colectaron muestras de agua, sedimento y tejido blando de Leukoma aspérrima, en tres estaciones perpendiculares a la línea de agua, en playa Bique, Panamá, para determinar la concentración de metales traza cobre (Cu), cadmio (Cd) y plomo (Pb), en marea baja de sicigia entre diciembre y junio de 2021. Los parámetros fisicoquímicos se determinaron con una sonda multiparamétrica, las muestras de las tres matrices fueron colectadas y preservadas hasta su tratamiento. Se observó mayor concentración de cobre y cadmio en agua, plomo en sedimento y cobre en el tejido blando. El cobre presentó valores más altos en agua en temporada seca, mientras que en sedimento y tejido blando predominó en la lluviosa, el cadmio mostró valores más elevados en temporada lluviosa en las tres matrices, mientras que la concentración de plomo fue mayor en agua y sedimento en la temporada lluviosa y en el tejido blando, durante la seca. Los valores encontrados de los tres metales trazan en tejido de L. asperrima no superan los límites permisibles para consumo humano según las normas internacionales.