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The main motivation of this work is to deposit two different metals (gold and silver) on titanium oxide nanoparticles surface in a one-step simple and fast physical process by applying a nitrogen plasma as the main source of nitrogen atoms to obtain nanostructured N-TiO2 − X /Au/Ag materials. The obtained nanomaterials were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Based on the characterization results, we found that gold and silver nanoparticles were uniformly loaded on the titanium oxide nanocomposite surface, showing a surface plasmon absorption band due to the loading of the metal nanoparticles over titania samples. The results of this work have shown that nitrogen plasma technique is a more feasible and simple alternative to obtain the N-TiO2 − X /Au/Ag nanocomposite. Moreover, this plasma technique could be used to impregnate with other kind of metals over the surface of diverse nanomaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional selectivity is a property of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) by which activation by different agonists leads to different signal transduction mechanisms. This phenomenon is also known as biased agonism and has attracted the interest of drug discovery programs in both academy and industry. This relatively recent concept has raised concerns as to the validity and real translational value of the results showing bias; firstly biased agonism may vary significantly depending on the cell type and the experimental constraints, secondly the conformational landscape that leads to biased agonism has not been defined. Remarkably, GPCRs may lead to differential signaling even when a single agonist is used. Here we present a concept that constitutes a biochemical property of GPCRs that may be underscored just using one agonist, preferably the endogenous agonist. “Biased receptor functionality” is proposed to describe this effect with examples based on receptor heteromerization and alternative splicing. Examples of regulation of final agonist-induced outputs based on interaction with β-arrestins or calcium sensors are also provided. Each of the functional GPCR units (which are finite in number) has a specific conformation. Binding of agonist to a specific conformation, i.e. GPCR activation, is sensitive to the kinetics of the agonist-receptor interactions. All these players are involved in the contrasting outputs obtained when different agonists are assayed.

This study focuses on the relation between the Committee of the Regions (CoR), an advisory institution of the European Union defined as the political assembly of holders of a regional or local electoral mandate serving the cause of European integration, and the democratic deficit, understood as the effective ways of citizens’ participation in the institutional decision making. The work hypothesis is that the CoR, in spite of being mostly unknown to citizens, could be an effective tool for tackling the democratic deficit. Through qualitative interviews and surveys at different levels, the article analyzes the current situation and the potential opportunities of the CoR in its relation with citizens.

Con el fin de disminuir los costos de producción y aumentar la rentabilidad de los agricultores, se deben proponer soluciones a los problemas del sistema de producción. Para los cultivadores de espinaca del municipio de Cota (Cundinamarca, Colombia), el control de arvenses es una labor muy importante en términos económicos. En el presente trabajo se evaluaron los ingredientes activos S-metolaclor, atrazina, linuron y metsulfuron-metil, a diferentes dosis y aplicados individualmente o en mezcla. En campo, se evaluaron dos propuestas de manejo de arvenses con base en trabajos previos, que tienen en cuenta la comunidad de arvenses y el manejo implementado por los agricultores de Cota. El ingrediente S-metolaclor presentó selectividad hacia las plantas del cultivo y no generó ningún daño a las diferentes dosis. Sin embargo, esta misma molécula, aplicada en mezcla con atrazina (61%) o linuron (33,7%), produjo los mayores porcentajes de daño a la espinaca. En el testigo absoluto se obtuvo la mayor población de arvenses (417,7 plantas/m2), el menor número de plantas del cultivo (33,2 plantas/m2) y el menor rendimiento (22.403,8 kg ha-1). La aplicación de S-metolaclor, dio lugar al menor número de plantas de arvenses (6,67 plantas/ m2), la menor disminución en el número de plantas del cultivo (34,3 plantas/m2) y el mayor rendimiento (31.686,2 kg ha-1), además de una reducción del 90,7% en los costos del manejo de arvenses. Los resultados del presente trabajo constituyen un componente importante para el desarrollo de estrategias de manejo integrado de plagas en el cultivo de espinaca.

White mould:Sclerotinia spp., is the lettuce main disease in the Colombian high Andes. It causes yield losses of up to 70% and is primarily managed with chemical fungicides, while alternative control strategies are poorly used. Soil solarization and a set of chemical and bio-fungicides for Sclerotinia management efficacy in lettuce, were determined. Biofungicides included different doses of Allium sativum and Matricaria recutita extracts and Trichoderma koningiopsis suspensions. The fungicide procymidone was also evaluated. Field trials included single or combined treatments application. Non-linear modelling and AUDPC were employed to determine the efficacy of management strategies. Both S. sclerotiorum and S. minor caused white mould, being S. minor the dominant species. Solarization significantly lowered Sclerotia population in the upper soil layers and consequently lowered disease incidence. Highest levels of Sclerotinia control were achieved with solarization, particularly in combination with procymidone or T. Konin giopsis (79.08% and 41.50% disease reduction, respectively). Non-linear modeling of disease epidemic progress curve proved a valuable alternative to AUDPC, which allowed multiple disease development parameters estimation and indirectly the efficacy of management strategies. This work should help the advance of environmentally-sound management of Sclerotina spp. in lettuce, under the highly specific growing conditions of the high Andes.

La presencia de arvenses en los cultivos influye en la cantidad y calidad del producto, sin embargo, los productores no consideran importante su manejo, ya que los daños no se observan directamente como en el caso de plagas o patógenos. En el presente trabajo se realizó un reconocimiento de arvenses asociadas al cultivo de espinaca, se compararon los resultados de fluctuación poblacional encontrados del 2003 al 2007 y se realizó una encuesta a los agricultores, con el fin de determinar el tipo de manejo que realizan. Los valores más importantes en términos de densidad (número de individuos en 0,25 m2) y cobertura (porcentaje de cobertura en 0,25 m2), se presentaron en las especies Urtica urens L. (25,85 y 20,54%), Capsella bursa-pastoris L. (1,78 y 6,71%), Ambrosia sp. (1,61 y 2,46%), Galinsoga ciliata L. (0,79 y 3,67%), Stellaria media (L.) Vill. (0,58 y 4,46%) y Chenopodium album L. (0,52 y 2,21%). Los agricultores que siembran espinaca en Cota se clasificaron en 6 grupos utilizando 31 variables y 251 modalidades; se concluyó que la variable más importante es el tipo de control de arvenses durante el ciclo de cultivo, que permite agruparlos en los que realizan control manual y aquellos que realizan control integrado y manual conjuntamente.

Based on van't Hoff and Gibbs equations the thermodynamic functions Gibbs energy, enthalpy, and entropy of solution, mixing and solvation of acetaminophen in propylene glycol + water (PG + W) cosolvent mixtures, were evaluated from solubility data determined at several temperatures. The solubility was greater at 100% of PG at all temperatures studied. The solvation of this drug in the mixtures increases as the PG proportion is also increased founding a maximum at 70% of PG. From 10% up to 20% of PG and from 70% up to 100% of PG, entropy driving was found, while from pure water up to 10% of PG and from 20% up to 70% of PG, enthalpy driving was found. These facts can be explained in terms of water-structure loss, and a diminishing in the energy required for cavity formation in the solvent, for mixtures from 30% up to 70% of PG.

Se evaluó el efecto sobre la resistencia a la penetración de cuatro implementos de labranza (arado de cinceles, arado de discos, rastrillo californiano y arado rotatorio) en un Andisol (Andic-Eutropept) serie Tibaitatá. Para las medidas, se utilizó un penetrómetro registrador digital. Los resultados mostraron que los tratamientos que involucraron arado rotatorio y arado de discos y rastrillo fueron los que causaron el mayor grado de aflojamiento del suelo. Sin embargo, dichos tratamientos fueron los más susceptibles a la compactación por pase de llantas. No se pudo concluir lo planteado por la literatura de que el fondo de surco de arado es una zona de altoriesgo de compactación del subsuelo. La resistencia a la penetración resultó un buen indicador para evaluar efectos físicos sobre el suelo causarlos por implementos de labranza y él tránsito de maquinaria.The effects on Cone Penetration Resistance caused by four tillage implements (chisel plow, disk plough, disk harrow and rotatiller) were assesed on an Andisol, using a digital penetrometer. The results showed the treatments using rota-tiller and those using disk plough and disk harrow causedthe maximun soilloosening. However those treatments were the most sensitive to compaction due to the traffic of tractorwheels. This work did not present conclusive evidence that bottom of furrow made by disk plough is a place of high risk for subsoil cornpactlon. Cone penetration resistance looks like a good index to assess changes in physical properties of the soil caused by tillage operations and machinery traffic.

Abstract Background Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne illness that places significant burden on tropical developing countries with unplanned urbanization. A surveillance system using Google Earth and GIS mapping technologies was developed in Nicaragua as a management tool. Methods and Results Satellite imagery of the town of Bluefields, Nicaragua captured from Google Earth was used to create a base-map in ArcGIS 9. Indices of larval infestation, locations of tire dumps, cemeteries, large areas of standing water, etc. that may act as larval development sites, and locations of the homes of dengue cases collected during routine epidemiologic surveying were overlaid onto this map. Visual imagery of the location of dengue cases, larval infestation, and locations of potential larval development sites were used by dengue control specialists to prioritize specific neighborhoods for targeted control interventions. Conclusion This dengue surveillance program allows public health workers in resource-limited settings to accurately identify areas with high indices of mosquito infestation and interpret the spatial relationship of these areas with potential larval development sites such as garbage piles and large pools of standing water. As a result, it is possible to prioritize control strategies and to target interventions to highest risk areas in order to eliminate the likely origin of the mosquito vector. This program is well-suited for resource-limited settings since it utilizes readily available technologies that do not rely on Internet access for daily use and can easily be implemented in many developing countries for very little cost.

En la elaboración del documento han participado SEFAC, semFYC, SEMERGEN y SEPAR. El objetivo principal era definir los perfiles de paciente susceptibles prioritariamente de la vacunación frente al neumococo considerando los grupos de riesgo, las patologías concomitantes, las posibles consecuencias de una infección neumocócica y la elaboración, a su vez, de un algoritmo de vacunación en el adulto. Se han definido igualmente las indicaciones de la vacuna así como la propuesta de entrevista por parte de la farmacia comunitaria. El documento, avalado por las principales sociedades científicas médico-farmacéuticas, será de gran utilidad para el farmacéutico comunitario de cara a abordar a pacientes con mayor factor de riesgo de contraer enfermedad neumocócica. Será también una manera muy gráfica para conseguir detectar, asesorar y, llegado el caso, derivar al facultativo médico a todo este tipo de paciente.

Aim: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are being studied as potential biomarkers in many infections. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the volatile profile of three Gram-positive bacteria of clinical relevance to identify potential volatile biomarkers that allow their differentiation., Methods and Results: L. monocytogenes, S. aureus, and E. faecalis clinical isolates were inoculated in a thioglycollate medium until grown. Then, VOCs were extracted by solid-phase microextraction, and the data obtained were subjected to multivariate analysis. According to our results, there was a high production of aldehydes in E. faecalis. In the case of alcohols, they only increased in L. monocytogenes, while ketones were produced significantly in all three bacteria, mainly due to acetoin. Acids were produced significantly in E. faecalis and L. monocytogenes., Conclusions: Potential biomarkers of L. monocytogenes could be 1-butanol and 2-methylbutanoic acid. In the case of E. faecalis, the VOC most related to its presence was nonanal. Lastly, potential biomarkers of S. aureus could be isoamyl butanoate and methionol, although some pyrazines have also been associated with this bacterium., Significance and Impact of the Study: The identification of potential biomarkers of these clinically relevant bacteria could open the way for the diagnosis of these infections through the analysis of volatile compounds., Competing Interests: Declarations. Consent for publication: All authors have read and approved the manuscript for publication. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: Radiotherapy (RT) with concomitant cisplatin (CRT) or cetuximab (ERT) are accepted treatment options for locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (LA-SCCHN). Long-term adverse events (AEs) have a vast impact on patients' quality of life. This study explored tissue biomarkers which could help predict late toxicity., Methods/patients: Single-institution prospective study including patients aged ≥ 18 with histologically confirmed newly diagnosed LA-SCCHN treated with RT and either concomitant cisplatin q3w or weekly cetuximab, according to institutional protocols. All patients underwent pre- and post-treatment skin biopsies of neck regions included in the clinical target volume. Angiogenesis, macrophages, and extracellular matrix (ECM) markers were evaluated by immunohistochemistry (IHC)., Results: From April 15, 2016, to December 11, 2017; 31 patients were evaluated [CRT = 12 (38.7%) and ERT = 19 (61.3%)]. 27 patients (87%) had received induction chemotherapy. All patients finished RT as planned. IHC expression of vasculature (CD34) and collagen (Masson's Trichrome) did not differ significantly between and within CRT and ERT arms. Conversely, an increased CD68 and CD163 macrophage infiltration expression was observed after treatment, without significant impact of treatment modality. Patients with higher late toxicity showed lower expression of macrophage markers in pre-treatment samples compared with those with lower late toxicity, with statistically significant differences for CD68., Conclusions: Angiogenesis and ECM biomarkers did not differ significantly between CRT and ERT. Macrophage markers increased after both treatments and deserve further investigation as predictors of late toxicity in LA-SCCHN patients. [Protocol code: TOX-TTCC-2015-01/Spanish registry of clinical studies (REec): 2015-003012-21/Date of registration: 27/01/2016]., Competing Interests: Declarations Competing interests The authors declare the following finantial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests. MP has received advisory honoraria from BMS and speaker honoraria from MSD. MO has received advisory honoraria from Merck, MSD and Transgene; research support from Merck and Roche; and declares clinical trial support from Abbvie, Ayala Pharmaceutical, MSD, ALX Oncology, Debiopharm International, Merck, ISA Pharmaceuticals, Roche Pharmaceuticals, Boehringer Ingelheim, Seagen and Gilead. RM has received advisory honoraria from Merck, Nanobiotix, MSD, BMS, Roche, Seatle Genetics, AZ, Pfizer, Boehringer and Seagen: speaker honoraria from Merck, MSD and Boehringer; and travel support from BMS, MSD and Merck. The authors AJ, JAM-J, AL, OB, NR, IL, MT, and XP have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose. Ethics approval and consent This study was performed in line with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. The entire study was approved by Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge Ethics Committee under the approval number AC112/15. All the participants provided written informed consent prior to their inclusion in the study., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Poly-ADP-ribose polymerase inhibitors (PARPis) have revolutionized the management of BRCA-mutated (BRCA mut ) and homologous recombination deficiency (HRD)-positive ovarian cancer (OC). While long-term analyses clearly support the use of PARPi as maintenance therapy after first-line chemotherapy, recent data have raised concerns on detrimental overall survival (OS) in non-BRCA mut OC, a greater incidence of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and unfavorable outcomes following subsequent platinum-based chemotherapy in pretreated OC patients. In this report we discuss the long-term follow-up results from phase III trials in pretreated OC patients, which led to the Food and Drug Administration's withdrawal of PARPi indications in this setting. We summarize the newly available evidence concerning the risk of MDS/AML and the post-progression efficacy results after PARPi. We emphasize the importance of long-term follow-up and real-world data coming from international registries to define the efficacy and safety of stopping PARPi at relapse at a pre-specified time. To this point, biomarkers able to identify the patients who will experience long-term remission with PARPi maintenance or develop early resistance are urgently needed to guide treatment decision and duration., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

The objective of the current experiment was to evaluate the effects of supplementation with different dietary fatty acid profiles on the dam during the first third of gestation and on the offspring during growth on the offspring's cognitive behavior. Seventy-nine postweaning lambs were blocked by body weight and sex using a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. The first factor (maternal supplementation; MS ) was supplementation to the ewes in the first third of gestation with 1.61% Ca salts of palm fatty acid distillate ( PFAD ) or Ca salts enriched with eicosapentaenoic ( EPA ) and docosahexaenoic acids ( DHA ) to early pregnant ewes. The second factor (offspring supplementation; OS ) was to supplement the offspring during their growing phase with diets that contained 1.48% of PFAD or Ca salts of PFAD or EPA and DHA. Ewes were housed in groups, 3 ewes per pen and 12 pens per treatment, with different treatments until day 50 of gestation. From day 51 of gestation until weaning, all the animals (ewes and lambs) were housed in a common pen. After weaning, lambs were housed in group pens (5 pens per treatment, 3 to 5 per pen). The lambs ran maze tests on weeks 5 and 7 after weaning to evaluate cognitive ability. The maze contained 2 trap zones and had the pen conspecific lambs at the end of the maze. The measurements were the times to solve the traps and the total time to complete the maze. Data were analyzed using a mixed procedure considering the 2×2 factorial arrangement of treatments. There was an MS × OS × time interaction for the time to complete the maze ( P = 0.02). Lambs receiving a different type of fatty acid supplementation during gestation than postweaning took less time to complete the maze on the second relative to the first day compared with the lambs fed the same type of fatty acids during gestation and growing. In conclusion, combining different fatty acids during different life stages may improve lambs' cognitive abilities., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society of Animal Science.)

Dysprosium-doped glasses are of interest for applications in light-emitting devices, yet the full range of effects of Dy 3+ ions on glass properties is not fully understood. In this work, phosphate glasses with 50P 2 O 5 -(50 - x )BaO- x Dy 2 O 3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 4.0 mol %) nominal compositions were prepared by melting and the impact of Dy 3+ ions on glass physical, structural, thermo-mechanical, and optical properties was evaluated. Following refractive index, density, and X-ray diffraction characterizations, the glasses were studied comprehensively through Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, dilatometry, optical absorption, and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The thorough investigation and data analyses shed light on the Dy 3+ -driven structural and thermal properties reported here for the first time. The thermal expansion behavior was put in context with the reported data for other lanthanides and analyzed in the framework of the high ionic field strengths, leading to tighter glass networks. Further, a detailed analysis of the absorption, PL, and emission decay curves was carried out, providing insights into the origin of the optical behavior. Supported is the hypothesis that the cross-relaxation channels between Dy 3+ ions taking place at low concentrations are responsible for the decrease in the decay times while the PL attractive for lighting applications still improves. Conversely, high Dy 3+ concentrations facilitate the emission quenching proceeding via an electric dipole-dipole interaction likely incorporating the resonant excitation migration pathway for Dy 3+ -Dy 3+ mean distances shorter than ∼15 Å., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Objective: To analyze the impact of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) changes on intracranial pressure (ICP) dynamics in patients with acute brain injury (ABI)., Design: Observational, prospective and multicenter study (PEEP-PIC study)., Setting: Seventeen intensive care units in Spain., Patients: Neurocritically ill patients who underwent invasive neuromonitorization from November 2017 to June 2018., Interventions: Baseline ventilatory, hemodynamic and neuromonitoring variables were collected immediately before PEEP changes and during the following 30 min., Main Variables of Interest: PEEP and ICP changes., Results: One-hundred and nine patients were included. Mean age was 52.68 (15.34) years, male 71 (65.13%). Traumatic brain injury was the cause of ABI in 54 (49.54%) patients. Length of mechanical ventilation was 16.52 (9.23) days. In-hospital mortality was 21.1%. PEEP increases (mean 6.24-9.10 cmH2O) resulted in ICP increase from 10.4 to 11.39 mmHg, P < .001, without changes in cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) (P = .548). PEEP decreases (mean 8.96 to 6.53 cmH2O) resulted in ICP decrease from 10.5 to 9.62 mmHg (P = .052), without changes in CPP (P = .762). Significant correlations were established between the increase of ICP and the delta PEEP (R = 0.28, P < .001), delta driving pressure (R = 0.15, P = .038) and delta compliance (R = -0.14, P = .052). ICP increment was higher in patients with lower baseline ICP., Conclusions: PEEP changes were not associated with clinically relevant modifications in ICP values in ABI patients. The magnitude of the change in ICP after PEEP increase was correlated with the delta of PEEP, the delta driving pressure and the delta compliance., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and SEMICYUC. All rights reserved.)

Husks of rice (RH), coffee (CH), and cholupa (CLH) were used to produce natural adsorbents. The natural adsorbents were used to remove pharmaceuticals such as diclofenac, ciprofloxacin, and acetaminophen in a mixture of distilled water. However, CH stood out for its efficiency in removing ciprofloxacin (74%) due to the higher concentration of acidic groups, as indicated by the Boehm method. In addition, CH removed 86% of ciprofloxacin individually. Therefore, CH was selected and used to remove other fluoroquinolones, such as levofloxacin and Norfloxacin. Although electrostatic interactions favored removals, better removal was observed for ciprofloxacin due to its smaller molecular volume. Then, ciprofloxacin was selected, and the effect of pH, matrix, and adsorbent doses were evaluated. In this way, using a pH of 6.2 in urine with a dose of 1.5 g L -1 , it is possible to adsorb CIP concentrations in the range (0.0050-0.42 mmol L -1 ). Subsequently, the high R 2 values and low percentages of APE and Δq indicated better fits for pseudo-second-order kinetics, suggesting a two-stage adsorption. At the same time, the Langmuir isotherm recommends a monolayer adsorption with a Q m of 25.2 mg g -1 . In addition, a cost of 0.373 USD/g CIP was estimated for the process, where the material can be reused up to 4 times with a CIP removal in the urine of 51%. Consequently, thermodynamics analysis showed an exothermic and spontaneous process with high disorder. Furthermore, changes in FTIR analysis after adsorption suggest that CH in removing CIP in urine involves electrostatic attractions, hydrogen bonds and π-π interactions. In addition, the life cycle analysis presents, for the 11 categories evaluated, a lower environmental impact of the CIP removal in urine with CH than for the preparation of adsorbent, confirming that the adsorption process is more environmentally friendly than materials synthesis or other alternatives of treatments. Furthermore, future directions of the study based on real applications were proposed., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Mycobacterium bovis ( Mb ) is the causative agent of bovine tuberculosis (bTb). Genetic selection aiming to identify less susceptible animals has been proposed as a complementary measure in ongoing programs toward controlling Mb infection. However, individual animal phenotypes for bTb based on interferon-gamma (IFNɣ) and its use in bovine selective breeding programs have not been explored. In the current study, IFNɣ production was measured using a specific IFNɣ ELISA kit in bovine purified protein derivative (bPPD)-stimulated blood samples collected from Holstein cattle. DNA isolated from the peripheral blood samples collected from the animals included in the study was genotyped with the EuroG Medium Density bead Chip, and the genotypes were imputed to whole-genome sequences. A genome-wide association analysis (GWAS) revealed that the IFNɣ in response to bPPD was associated with a specific genetic profile (heritability = 0.23) and allowed the identification of 163 SNPs, 72 quantitative trait loci (QTLs), 197 candidate genes, and 8 microRNAs (miRNAs) associated with this phenotype. No negative correlations between this phenotype and other phenotypes and traits included in the Spanish breeding program were observed. Taken together, our results define a heritable and distinct immunogenetic profile associated with strong production of IFNɣ in response to Mb .

This work reports on various properties and analysis of optical interactions in phosphate glasses containing red-emitting Mn 2+ and near-infrared (NIR)-emitting Nd 3+ ions, which are of interest for energy applications and solar spectral converters. The glasses were made by melting with 50P 2 O 5 -(48 - x )BaO-2MnO- x Nd 2 O 3 ( x = 0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mol %) nominal compositions and characterized by X-ray diffraction, density and related physical properties, differential scanning calorimetry, dilatometry, UV-vis-NIR optical absorption, and photoluminescence spectroscopy with decay kinetics analysis. The glasses were X-ray amorphous, wherein the physical and thermal properties of the Mn 2+ /Nd 3+ -codoped glasses were largely impacted by Nd 2 O 3 contents. The optical absorption spectra supported the occurrence of Mn 2+ ions and the lack of Mn 3+ in the codoped glasses, while the absorption due to Nd 3+ ions increased steadily with Nd 2 O 3 contents. Analyzing the glass absorption edges via Tauc and Urbach plots was further pursued for a comparison. The photoluminescence evaluation showed a consistent suppression of the emission from Mn 2+ ions with increasing Nd 3+ concentration, while the decay kinetics revealed shorter lifetimes in connection with increased Mn 2+ → Nd 3+ transfer efficiencies. Excitation of Mn 2+ at 410 nm, however, led to the Nd 3+ NIR emission being most intense for 1.0 mol % Nd 2 O 3 , despite the 4 F 3/2 emission decay analysis showing lifetime shortening throughout. Considering the compromise between red and NIR emissions, the Mn-containing glass doped with 0.5 mol % Nd 2 O 3 is put in perspective with the concept of solar spectral conversion., Competing Interests: The author declares no competing financial interest., (© 2024 The Author. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Phosphate glasses containing Nd 3+ , Gd 3+ , and Yb 3+ as lanthanide ions are attractive for applications in laser materials, phototherapy lamps, and solar spectral converters. The composition-structure-property relation in this type of glass system is thus of interest from fundamental and applied perspectives. In this work, the impact of the differing ionic radius of Nd 3+ , Gd 3+ , and Yb 3+ and consequent field strength on the physical properties of phosphate glasses is investigated, focusing ultimately on thermal expansion effects. The glasses were made by melting with a fixed concentration of the lanthanide ions having 50P 2 O 5 -46BaO-4Ln 2 O 3 nominal compositions (mol %) with Ln = Nd, Gd, and Yb. The investigation encompassed measurements by X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical spectroscopy, density, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, and dilatometry. XRD supported the amorphous nature of the glasses, whereas absorption and photoluminescence spectra showed the optical features of the Nd 3+ , Gd 3+ , and Yb 3+ ions in the glasses. Oxygen speciation by XPS indicated an increase in nonbridging oxygens for the larger radii Nd 3+ and Gd 3+ ions relative to the host, contrasting with Yb 3+ . Phosphorus XPS analysis further supported the hypothesis that the P 2p binding energies of the glasses increased with the cation field strength of the lanthanides. The Raman spectra were interpreted based on glass depolymerization effects and the impact of Ln 3+ ions with high field strength. Particularly, the band position of the symmetric out-of-chain nonbridging oxygen stretch, ν s (PO 2 - ), shifted to higher frequencies correlating with the Ln 3+ field strength. Dilatometry ultimately revealed a steady decrease in the coefficient of thermal expansion for the glasses, which correlated linearly with Ln 3+ field strengths and thus indicated to sustain increased glass rigidities. The various analyses performed thus illuminated the structural foundation of the thermomechanical behavior of the glasses connected with changes in the Ln 3+ field strengths.

Background : There has been an increase in people with disabilities who require continuous care, which often falls to informal carers (ICs). Stroke is one of the conditions where ICs are most needed. Therefore, it is necessary for ICs to improve their caregiving skills and self-care capacity. Telehealth (TH) can facilitate them. The aim of this systematic review is to summarize the evidence of the effects of interventions on ICs of stroke patients. Methods : The search was conducted in Pubmed, Scopus, Web of Science, CINALH, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, and APA PsycInfo. Key search terms included "stroke", "informal caregiver" and "telemedicine". Only randomised clinical trials were included. Results : A total of 2031 articles were found in the databases, 476 were screened and 19 clinical trials met the eligibility criteria. Different TH programmes have evaluated many outcomes related to physical and emotional health. The TH tools included phone, videophone, web-based interventions, and social media. The most investigated outcome was depression; although contradictory results were found, the TH may have helped to prevent an increase in depressive symptoms. There were inconsistent results on the caregiving burden and the preparedness of the IC. However, TH has positive effects on the health of the ICs, reducing the number of unhealthy days, anxiety, task difficulty perception, and improving psychological health. Conclusions : TH may be a useful tool to improve the abilities and health of ICs of SS. No adverse effects have been reported. More quality studies evaluating the effects of telemedicine on the ICs of stroke survivors, as well as the most appropriate doses, are needed.

Near-infrared (NIR)-emitting phosphate glasses containing Nd 3+ ions are attractive for applications in laser materials and solar spectral converters. The composition-structure-property relation in this type of glass system is thus of interest from fundamental and applied perspectives. In this work, Nd 3+ -containing glasses were made by melting with 50P 2 O 5 -(50 - x )BaO- x Nd 2 O 3 ( x = 0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 mol %) nominal compositions and studied comprehensively by density and related physical properties, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, O 1s X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dilatometry, ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis)-NIR optical absorption, and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy with decay dynamics assessment. The densities and molar volumes of the Nd 3+ -containing glasses generally increased with Nd 2 O 3 concentration also resulting in shorter Nd 3+ -Nd 3+ distances. XRD supported the amorphous nature of the glasses, whereas the Raman spectra evolution was indicative of glass depolymerization being induced by Nd 3+ ions. Oxygen (1s) and phosphorus (2p) analysis by XPS for the glass with 4.0 mol % Nd 2 O 3 agreed with the increase in nonbridging oxygens relative to the undoped host. DSC results showed that the glass transition temperatures increased with Nd 3+ concentration, with the glasses also displaying a decreased tendency toward crystallization. Dilatometry showed trends of increasing softening temperatures and decreasing thermal expansion coefficients with increasing Nd 2 O 3 content. A glass strengthening/tightening effect was then indicated to be induced by Nd 3+ with higher field strength compared to Ba 2+ ions. The UV-vis-NIR absorption by Nd 3+ ions increased consistently with Nd 3+ concentration. The UV-vis absorption edges of the Nd-containing glasses were also analyzed via Tauc and Urbach plots for comparison with the undoped host. Concerning the PL behavior, the Nd 3+ NIR emission intensity was highest for 1.0 mol % Nd 2 O 3 and decreased thereafter. The decay kinetics of the 4 F 3/2 emitting state in Nd 3+ ions analyzed revealed decreasing lifetimes where the decay rate analysis pointed to the prevalence of ion-ion excitation migration leading to PL quenching at high Nd 3+ concentrations., Competing Interests: The author declares no competing financial interest., (© 2024 The Author. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Background: In adults with prediabetes, it is estimated that 51.2% have atherogenic dyslipidemia with low HDL cholesterol, not always diagnosed or treated. The present study evaluates a new intervention adding a class I-II histone deacetylase inhibitor (Trichosanthin A) to the standard management of metformin to treat prediabetes and increase HDL cholesterol., Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of Trichosanthin A and prolonged release metformin on the increase in HDL cholesterol in women with prediabetes., Material and Methods: Double-blind randomized controlled trial with lifestyle management. Group 1 with histone I-II deacetylase inhibitor (Trichosanthin A) and extended-release metformin; group 2 with extended-release metformin and group 3 with placebo. The outcome variable HDL cholesterol evaluated at baseline and after 12 weeks. The study included women between 20-65 y.o., body mass index 25.0-34.9 with prediabetes., Results: The study sample was made up of 104 female patients, average age of 46 years (SD+8.6), average body mass index of 30.9 (SD + 4.14). In the Trichosanthin A and extended-release metformin group, an increase on HDL cholesterol was observed (2.92 mg/dL; p = 0.027)., Conclusions: The histone I-II deacetylase inhibitor (Trichosanthin A) in addition to standard intensive lifestyle treatment and extended-release metformin significantly increases HDL cholesterol., (Licencia CC 4.0 (BY-NC-ND) © 2024 Revista Médica del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social.)

BioCholine Powder is a polyherbal feed additive composed of Achyrantes aspera , Trachyspermum ammi , Azadirachta indica , and Citrullus colocynthis . The objective of this study was to analyze published results that support the hypothesis that the polyherbal product BioCholine Powder has rumen bypass choline metabolites through a meta-analysis and effect size analysis (ES). Using Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, PubMed, and university dissertation databases, a systematic search was conducted for experiments published in scientific documents that evaluated the effects of BioCholine supplementation on the variables of interest. The analyzed data were extracted from twenty-one publications (fifteen scientific articles, three abstracts, and three graduate dissertations available in institutional libraries). The studies included lamb growing-finishing, lactating ewes and goats, calves, and dairy cows. The effects of BioCholine were analyzed using random effects statistical models to compare the weighted mean difference (WMD) between BioCholine-supplemented ruminants and controls (no BioCholine). Heterogeneity was explored, and three subgroup analyses were performed for doses [(4 (or 5 g/d), 8 (10 g/d)], supplementation in gestating and lactating ewes (pre- and postpartum supplementation), and blood metabolites by species and physiological state (lactating goats, calves, lambs, ewes). Supplementation with BioCholine in sheep increased the average daily lamb gain ( p < 0.05), final body weight ( p < 0.01), and daily milk yield ( p < 0.05) without effects on intake or feed conversion. Milk yield was improved in small ruminants with BioCholine prepartum supplementation ( p < 0.10). BioCholine supplementation decreased blood urea ( p < 0.01) and increased levels of the liver enzymes alanine transaminase (ALT; p < 0.10) and albumin ( p < 0.001). BioCholine doses over 8 g/d increased blood glucose, albumin ( p < 0.10), cholesterol, total protein, and globulin ( p < 0.05). The ES values of BioCholine in retained energy over the control in growing lambs were +7.15% NEm ( p < 0.10) and +9.25% NEg ( p < 0.10). In conclusion, adding BioCholine Powder to domestic ruminants' diets improves productive performance, blood metabolite indicators of protein metabolism, and liver health, showing its nutraceutical properties where phosphatidylcholine prevails as an alternative that can meet the choline requirements in ruminants.