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Alcohol consumption has profound effects on behavior, such as impaired judgment, addiction or even death. It is estimated that alcohol contributes to around three million deaths worldwide, 13.5% of them in young people with ages between 20 and 39 years. Consequently, it is necessary to raise awareness among college and high school students of the risk related to alcohol drinking. The small nematode "Caenorhabditis elegans" is an animal widely used as a model organism to study nearly all aspects of Biochemistry. It is a powerful tool to test the potential bioactivity and molecular mechanisms of natural compounds and drugs "in vivo." Therefore, it is an interesting topic to include in an undergraduate course of Biotechnology, Biochemistry or Biology students among other scientific vocations. "C. elegans" is also used as a neurobiological model to evaluate substances' neurotoxicity and behavioral effects. The proposed experiment introduces students to the handling of this preclinical model and to the evaluation of behavioral alterations induced by chemicals in scientific research. The effects of different doses of ethanol on "C. elegans" behavior are studied using a versatile chemotaxis assay. This laboratory experiment is suitable for an undergraduate course. The practical session can be used in the global strategies of information and awareness of educational centres to mitigate the impact of alcohol abuse among students, both in formal courses or in Science fairs or exhibitions.

Interoceptive awareness is currently gaining considerable attention and is in an active phase of research, supported by a growing body of empirical evidence from diverse fields such as neurophysiology, cognitive neuroscience, mind–body therapies, psychiatry, and psychometrics. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between interoceptive awareness, anxiety, and depression in Peruvian adults. A total of 414 participants residing in Lima, Peru, were included, with 85% being young adults aged 18–27 years (252 women = 61%; 162 men = 39%; age range = 18–64; M age = 23.4). The results indicated that the indirect effect of interoceptive awareness on depression through anxiety accounted for 61.7% of the mediation, while the direct effect of interoceptive awareness on depression accounted for 38.3%. In conclusion, the hypothesis that anxiety negatively mediates the relationship between interoceptive awareness and depression in Peruvian adults was confirmed. This research may have implications in clinical settings, particularly for the prevention and psychotherapeutic intervention of anxiety and depression, through the promotion of adaptive interoceptive awareness.

Abstract Background Maladaptive eating behaviors are becoming increasingly prevalent among adolescents, and their relationship to exposure to media messages has been extensively examined. However, more specifically, the influence of social networks on emotional eating (EmE) has received relatively less attention in the Peruvian context. Objective To determine the association between social network addiction (SNA) and EmE among Peruvian adolescents, considering sex differences. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of 878 adolescents were considered. The Social Network Addiction Questionnaire and the Emotional Eating Questionnaire were administered. Similarly, sociodemographic data were collected. To explore the association between SNA and EmE, we performed Poisson regression analyses with robust variance. We considered a p-value of equal to or less than 0.05 as statistically significant. Results Adolescents with an EmE score greater than 5 had significantly higher SNA scores, averaging 24.7 (± 12.3), compared to 15.5 (± 10.3) in those with an EmE score between 0 and 5 (p

Abstract Early childhood tumours arise from transformed embryonic cells, which often carry large copy number alterations (CNA). However, it remains unclear how CNAs contribute to embryonic tumourigenesis due to a lack of suitable models. Here we employ female human embryonic stem cell (hESC) differentiation and single-cell transcriptome and epigenome analysis to assess the effects of chromosome 17q/1q gains, which are prevalent in the embryonal tumour neuroblastoma (NB). We show that CNAs impair the specification of trunk neural crest (NC) cells and their sympathoadrenal derivatives, the putative cells-of-origin of NB. This effect is exacerbated upon overexpression of MYCN, whose amplification co-occurs with CNAs in NB. Moreover, CNAs potentiate the pro-tumourigenic effects of MYCN and mutant NC cells resemble NB cells in tumours. These changes correlate with a stepwise aberration of developmental transcription factor networks. Together, our results sketch a mechanistic framework for the CNA-driven initiation of embryonal tumours.

Abstract Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are clinically linked major neurodegenerative diseases. Notably, TAR DNA-binding protein-43 (TDP43) accumulations are hallmark pathologies of FTD/ALS and mutations in the gene encoding TDP43 cause familial FTD/ALS. There are no cures for FTD/ALS. FTD/ALS display damage to a broad range of physiological functions, many of which are regulated by signaling between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria. This signaling is mediated by the VAPB-PTPIP51 tethering proteins that serve to recruit regions of ER to the mitochondrial surface so as to facilitate inter-organelle communications. Several studies have now shown that disrupted ER-mitochondria signaling including breaking of the VAPB-PTPIP51 tethers are features of FTD/ALS and that for TDP43 and other familial genetic FTD/ALS insults, this involves activation of glycogen kinase-3β (GSK3β). Such findings have prompted suggestions that correcting damage to ER-mitochondria signaling and the VAPB-PTPIP51 interaction may be broadly therapeutic. Here we provide evidence to support this notion. We show that overexpression of VAPB or PTPIP51 to enhance ER-mitochondria signaling corrects mutant TDP43 induced damage to inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) receptor delivery of Ca2+ to mitochondria which is a primary function of the VAPB-PTPIP51 tethers, and to synaptic function. Moreover, we show that ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), an FDA approved drug linked to FTD/ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases therapy and whose precise therapeutic target is unclear, corrects TDP43 linked damage to the VAPB-PTPIP51 interaction. We also show that this effect involves inhibition of TDP43 mediated activation of GSK3β. Thus, correcting damage to the VAPB-PTPIP51 tethers may have therapeutic value for FTD/ALS and other age-related neurodegenerative diseases.

BackgroundThe link between physical and mental health and screen time in adolescents has been the subject of scientific scrutiny in recent years. However, there are few studies that have evaluated the association between social network addiction (SNA) and metabolic risk in this population.ObjectiveThis study determined the association between SNA and anxiety symptoms with the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in adolescents.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in Peruvian adolescents aged 12 to 18 years, who completed a Social Network Addiction Questionnaire and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 2-item scale (GAD-2), between September and November 2022. A total of 903 participants were included in the study using a non-probability convenience sample. Sociodemographic and anthropometric data were also collected. Binary logistic regression was used to explore the association between SNA and anxiety symptoms with MetS in a cross-sectional analysis.ResultsMales were more likely to have MetS than females (OR = 1.133, p = 0.028). Participants who were 16 years of age or older and those with excess body weight were 2.166, p = 0.013 and 19.414, p

This study aims to deepen our understanding of the theoretical frameworks that underlie SMEs' disclosure of sustainability information. Qualitative empirical research was conducted on SMEs that proactively engage in sustainability reporting. To identify the key drivers, interviews were conducted with a sample of Spanish SMEs, and the reasons for sustainability reporting provided by informants were ranked by frequency. Our findings indicate that stakeholder theory holds a prominent position, closely followed by legitimacy theory and the resource-based view. This ranking reveals a mixture of external and internal drivers, contributing to the existing literature by emphasizing the predominance of management factors over sociological arguments in favor of sustainability reporting in SMEs. Regulators, practitioners, and academics can benefit from these findings to better understand the decision-making processes of SMEs regarding sustainability reporting practices, while accounting for their relationships in the contexts in which they operate.

Due to the objectives established by the European Union and other countries, hydrogen production will be a key technology in the coming decades. There are several starting materials and procedures for its production. All methods have advantages and disadvantages, and the improvements in their performance and decreases in operational costs will be decisive in determining which of them is implemented. For all cases, including for the storage and transport of hydrogen, membranes determine the performance of the process, as well as the operational costs. The present contribution summarizes the most recent membrane technologies for the main methods of hydrogen production, including the challenges to overcome in each case.

Background: Clinical supervision is a procedure for the training of health psychologists based on the guidance of more expert professionals, who provide guidelines for action. Using observational methodology, the aim of this paper is to study compliance with the guidelines and probably related variables, such as the confidence of the therapists with supervision and its methods. Method: Six novice therapists, seven supervisors, and 31 users participated in the study; all of them belonged to the university clinic of the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (CPA-UAM). Confidence was assessed using a self-report questionnaire and compliance with the guidelines using an observational rating-scale. Results: The most common method of supervision was discussion; confidence with supervision and its methods were associated with greater compliance with the guidelines. Conclusions: The results of this study open the door to the development of a guide for action for supervisors, helping them in their task.

BackgroundThe prevalence of obesity continues to increase among university students and the general population. Consumption of a diet high in saturated fats could be one of the risk factors.ObjectiveThe consumption of foods high in saturated fats, the vegetarian diet pattern, and sociodemographic characteristics associated with excess body weight (overweight/obesity) were evaluated in Peruvian university students.MethodsA cross-sectional study was carried out selecting 5,608 Peruvian university students through no probabilistic convenience sampling. The survey was carried out during the months of February and April 2022. The Chi-square test and binary logistic regression analysis were used to evaluate the association between diet (saturated fats intake and dietary pattern) and sociodemographic factors with excess body weight in a cross-sectional analysis.ResultsIt was observed that students who reported high consumption of foods high in saturated fats (ORB = 1.14) and those who had a non-vegetarian dietary pattern (ORB = 2.76) were found to be more likely to have excess body weight. On the contrary, students who reported adherence to the vegetarian diet pattern for more than 5 years were less likely to be overweight or obese (ORB = 0.84). Being ≥26 years of age (ORB = 3.28), living in urban areas (ORB = 1.68) and coastal areas of the country (ORB = 1.17), and enrolled in the engineering faculty (ORB = 1.19), were significantly associated with excess body weight.ConclusionThe findings of the current study evidenced several factors associated with excess body weight in university students. Therefore, it is necessary to promote and implement healthy lifestyle programs, considering sociodemographic and dietary aspects such as age and dietary intake to control and prevent obesity in university students.

BackgroundExcess body weight and an unhealthy lifestyle are a risk factor for noncommunicable diseases. University students are susceptible to unhealthy habits and obesity. This study compared body mass index (BMI) and healthy lifestyle practices among university students from four academic disciplines: Health Sciences, Business Sciences, Human Sciences and Education, and Engineering/Architecture.MethodsA cross-sectional study was carried out using a sample of 6,642 university students selected by non-probability convenience sampling. The Diet and Healthy Lifestyle Scale (DEVS), the Peruvian validation of the Vegetarian Lifestyle Index (VLI), was used to assess healthy lifestyle practices.ResultsStudents in the areas of Business Sciences and Engineering/Architecture had a higher BMI than their peers in Health Sciences (B = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.15–0.56 and 0.32, 95% CI: 0.13–0.52; p = 0.001). Additionally, these students tended to adopt less healthy lifestyle (B = −0.11, 95% CI: −0.20 to −0.01 and −0.09, 95% CI: −0.18 to −0.00; p

BackgroundShort sleep duration in healthcare professionals is a recurring concern among researchers. On the other hand, the prevalence of burnout in this population group is experiencing exponential growth. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the association between sleep duration and burnout in healthcare professionals.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional study. Data were collected by applying a non-probabilistic convenience sampling, considering a sample of 300 healthcare professionals from the public sector in Peru. The association between variables was explored using multivariate logistic regression. Values of p < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.ResultsThe results of the analysis in the crude models revealed that both men and women who slept < 7 h during workdays and days off were 8.33 (95% CI = 2.68–13.99, p = 0.004) and 17.18 (95% CI = 10.50–23.87, p < 0.001) times more likely to have burnout compared to those who reported ≥7 h, respectively. After adjusting for confounding variables, the association remained statistically significant.ConclusionThe findings of this study underscore the critical importance of sleep duration in the incidence of burnout among healthcare professionals. In the context of the global challenges to the mental and physical health of these professionals, our results highlight the urgent need to implement strategies at the organizational and individual level. This includes promoting a better work-life balance, and effective stress management and improved sleep quality.

Upregulation of a cyclin D gene determined by expression microarrays is an almost universal event in multiple myeloma (MM), but this finding has not been properly confirmed at the protein level. For this reason, we carried out a quantitative analysis of cyclin D proteins using a capillary electrophoresis nanoimmunoassay in newly diagnosed MM patients. Exclusive expression of cyclin D1 and D2 proteins was detected in 54 of 165 (33%) and 30 of 165 (18%) of the MM patients, respectively. Of note, cyclin D1 or D2 proteins were undetectable in 41% of the samples. High levels of cyclin D1 protein were strongly associated with the presence of t(11;14) or 11q gains. Cyclin D2 protein was detected in all the cases bearing t(14;16), but in only 24% of patients with t(4;14). The presence of cyclin D2 was associated with shorter overall survival (hazard ratio =2.14; P=0.017), although patients expressing cyclin D2 protein, but without 1q gains, had a favorable prognosis. In conclusion, although one of the cyclins D is overexpressed at the mRNA level in almost all MM patients, in approximately half of the patients this does not translate into detectable protein. This suggests that cyclins D could not play an oncogenic role in a proportion of patients with MM (clinicaltrials gov. identifier: NCT01916252).

Abstract The transport sector is in all probability the one that emits the greatest amounts of CO2 and other harmful gases into the atmosphere. Therefore, the emission of greenhouse gases from the combustion of fossil fuels must be significantly reduced to mitigate their harmful effects on the environment. In this sense, bio‐fuels obtained from lignocellulosic biomass are a solution to partially replace fuels from petroleum. However, the biggest challenge facing the scientific community is to decrease the amount of oxygen in bio‐fuels through catalytic hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) reactions. This review offers a broad perspective on the catalytic systems used so far in the HDO processes of model compounds present in bio‐fuels, analyzing in detail the advantages and disadvantages of each system to give a vision towards the future.

Nowadays, cardiac transplant is considered the most efficient treatment to better the prognosis in patients with last stage cardiac insufficiency that is impossible to obtain through regular medical and/or surgical treatments. We report the case of the first cardiac transplant performed at the General Hospital of Mexico “Dr. Eduardo Liceaga,” we describe the patient’s and donor’s characteristics, pre- and post-surgical management, immunosuppressive therapy, cardiac rehabilitation, and patient follow-up. As well as the multidisciplinary approach necessary to achieve a successful result.

Antioxidant defenses in biological systems ensure redox homeostasis, regulating baseline levels of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RNS). Oxidative stress (OS), characterized by a lack of antioxidant defenses or an elevation in ROS and RNS, may cause a modification of biomolecules, ROS being primarily absorbed by proteins. As a result of both genome and environment interactions, proteomics provides complete information about a cell’s proteome, which changes continuously. Besides measuring protein expression levels, proteomics can also be used to identify protein modifications, localizations, the effects of added agents, and the interactions between proteins. Several oxidative processes are frequently used to modify proteins post-translationally, including carbonylation, oxidation of amino acid side chains, glycation, or lipid peroxidation, which produces highly reactive alkenals. Reactive alkenals, such as 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal, are added to cysteine (Cys), lysine (Lys), or histidine (His) residues by a Michael addition, and tyrosine (Tyr) residues are nitrated and Cys residues are nitrosylated by a Michael addition. Oxidative and nitrosative stress have been implicated in many neurodegenerative diseases as a result of oxidative damage to the brain, which may be especially vulnerable due to the large consumption of dioxygen. Therefore, the current methods applied for the detection, identification, and quantification in redox proteomics are of great interest. This review describes the main protein modifications classified as chemical reactions. Finally, we discuss the importance of redox proteomics to health and describe the analytical methods used in redox proteomics.

Abstract This work describes a versatile electrospinning equipment with rapid, independent, and precise x–y–z movements for large-area depositions of electrospun fibers, direct writing or assembly of fibers into sub-millimeter and micron-sized patterns, and printing of 3D micro- and nanostructures. Its versatility is demonstrated thought the preparation of multilayered functional nanofibers for wound healing, nanofiber mesh for particle filtration, high-aspect ratio printed lines, and freestanding aligned nanofibers.

Antecedentes: La reparación quirúrgica abierta o endovascular de un aneurisma aórtico abdominal (AAA) roto es una indicación absoluta, no obstante, estos procedimientos y particularmente los abiertos presentan un elevado número de complicaciones. Objetivo: Describir las complicaciones posquirúrgicas más frecuentes en pacientes con AAA roto. Método: Estudio descriptivo, observacional y retrospectivo realizado en el Servicio de Angiología, Cirugía Vascular y Endovascular del Hospital de especialidades Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI. Se incluyeron pacientes admitidos entre enero de 2019 y marzo de 2021, con AAA roto, de cualquier edad. Resultados: Se identificaron 14 expedientes. Un paciente padecía diabetes mellitus, siete hipertensión, cuatro tenían alguna cardiopatía. Tres presentaron choque hipovolémico transoperatorio. La insuficiencia renal postoperatoria fue la complicación más común, seguida por el choque hipovolémico. Once pacientes fallecieron, tres en el postoperatorio inmediato, ocho en el postoperatorio mediato y tres murieron en el postoperatorio tardío. Conclusiones: La complicación más observada en el transoperatorio fue el choque hipovolémico. Durante el transoperatorio se observó principalmente la insuficiencia renal, así como el choque hipovolémico.

Abstract In this paper, we measure the effect of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic wave at the national and subnational levels in selected Latin American countries that were most affected: Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, and Peru. We used publicly available monthly mortality data to measure the impacts of the pandemic using excess mortality for each country and its regions. We compare the mortality, at national and regional levels, in 2020 to the mortality levels of recent trends and provide estimates of the impact of mortality on life expectancy at birth. Our findings indicate that from April 2020 on, mortality exceeded its usual monthly levels in multiple areas of each country. In Mexico and Peru, excess mortality was spreading through many areas by the end of the second half of 2020. To a lesser extent, we observed a similar pattern in Brazil, Chile, and Ecuador. We also found that as the pandemic progressed, excess mortality became more visible in areas with poorer socioeconomic and sanitary conditions. This excess mortality has reduced life expectancy across these countries by 2–10 years. Despite the lack of reliable information on COVID-19 mortality, excess mortality is a useful indicator for measuring the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, especially in the context of Latin American countries, where there is still a lack of good information on causes of death in their vital registration systems.

A recent analysis of Chandra X-ray data of the metal-polluted white dwarf G 29-38 has revealed X-ray emission that can be attributed to the accretion of debris from a planetary body. In the light of this detection we revisit here archival XMM-Newton observations of G 29-38 from which only an upper limit was derived in the past due to the presence of a relatively bright nearby X-ray source. An analysis of these data in multiple energy bands allows disentangling of the X-ray emission at the location of G 29-38 from that of the nearby source. The similar spectral properties of the source in the XMM-Newton and Chandra observations and their spatial shift, consistent with the proper motion of G 29-38 between these observations, strengthen the origin of the X-ray emission from G 29-38. The X-ray luminosities from both observations are consistent within the 1 σ uncertainties, so too are the best-fit plasma temperatures. Although the count number is small, there is tantalizing evidence for line emission in the 0.7–0.8 keV energy band from an optically thin hot plasma. The most likely candidate for this line emission would be the Fe complex at 16 Å.

Signaling between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria regulates many neuronal functions that are perturbed in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and perturbation to ER-mitochondria signaling is seen in cell and transgenic models of ALS. However, there is currently little evidence that ER-mitochondria signaling is altered in human ALS. ER-mitochondria signaling is mediated by interactions between the integral ER protein VAPB and the outer mitochondrial membrane protein PTPIP51 which act to recruit and “tether” regions of ER to the mitochondrial surface. The VAPB-PTPI51 tethers are now known to regulate a number of ER-mitochondria signaling functions. These include delivery of Ca2+ from ER stores to mitochondria, mitochondrial ATP production, autophagy and synaptic activity. Here we investigate the VAPB-PTPIP51 tethers in post-mortem control and ALS spinal cords. We show that VAPB protein levels are reduced in ALS. Proximity ligation assays were then used to quantify the VAPB-PTPIP51 interaction in spinal cord motor neurons in control and ALS cases. These studies revealed that the VAPB-PTPIP51 tethers are disrupted in ALS. Thus, we identify a new pathogenic event in post-mortem ALS.

Signaling between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria regulates a number of fundamental physiological processes. This signaling involves close physical contacts between the two organelles that are mediated by the VAPB-PTPIP51 ″tethering” proteins. The VAPB-PTPIP51 tethers facilitate inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) receptor delivery of Ca2+ from ER to mitochondria. Damage to the tethers is seen in Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and frontotemporal dementia with related amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (FTD/ALS). Understanding the mechanisms that regulate the VAPB‐PTPIP51 interaction thus represents an important area of research. Recent studies suggest that an FFAT motif in PTPIP51 is key to its binding to VAPB but this work relies on in vitro studies with short peptides. Cellular studies to support this notion with full-length proteins are lacking. Here we address this issue. Immunoprecipitation assays from transfected cells revealed that deletion of the PTPIP51 FFAT motif has little effect on VAPB binding. However, mutation and deletion of a nearby coiled-coil domain markedly affect this binding. Using electron microscopy, we then show that deletion of the coiled-coil domain but not the FFAT motif abrogates the effect of PTPIP51 on ER-mitochondria contacts. Finally, we show that deletion of the coiled-coil domain but not the FFAT motif abrogates the effect of PTPIP51 on the IP3 receptor-mediated delivery of Ca2+ to mitochondria. Thus, the coiled-coil domain is essential for PTPIP51 ER-mitochondria signaling functions.

Abstract This paper presents a new approach of the continuous‐discrete observer design for a class of uncertain state‐affine non‐linear systems. A high‐gain observer redesign is developed and analysed under insightful conditions. The proposed observer estimates the state vector by using system output measurements with long sampling times. This result is achieved by considering a persistent excitation condition that can be validated online. The performance of the proposed algorithm is evaluated under time‐varying sampled measurements to estimate the friction factor of a pipeline where the case of noisy sampled output measurements is also considered.

Objetivo: Establecer la prevalencia de lesiones diafragmáticas, torácicas y abdominales asociadas con traumatismos toracoabdominales penetrantes. Método: En un período de 12 meses se recopilaron los pacientes que ingresaron a un hospital de tercer nivel de complejidad con traumatismo toracoabdominal penetrante y que requirieron manejo quirúrgico. Se realizó un análisis descriptivo de los hallazgos empleando medidas de tendencia central y dispersión para las variables cuantitativas y proporciones con intervalos de confianza para las variables cualitativas. Resultados: Se incluyeron 112 pacientes, de los cuales el 91.3% ingresó con heridas por arma blanca, el 60% de las heridas se encontraban del lado izquierdo y en el 66% de los casos debajo del octavo espacio intercostal. El 34% de los pacientes presentaban algún tipo de lesión orgánica y el 27,6% lesión diafragmática. El órgano intraabdominal con más frecuencia lesionado fue el hígado (9,8%), seguido del bazo (6,25%) y el colon (6,25%). Discusión y conclusiones: La zona toracoabdominal más a menudo afectada fue la posterior izquierda, pero la de mayor prevalencia de lesión diafragmática fue la anterior izquierda, siendo el riesgo de lesión diafragmática en esta zona 10 veces mayor en comparación con la zona posterior derecha y casi el doble con respecto a la región posterior izquierda; no se encontró diferencia estadísticamente significativa al compararlo con la región anterior derecha. Las lesiones de víscera sólida son las más frecuentes en la cavidad abdominal.

Las granjas pequeñas de tilapia contribuyen al desarrollo rural sostenible; sin embargo, los parásitos pueden afectar su productividad. El presente estudio determinó la prevalencia e intensidad de tricodínidos y monogéneos en granjas de tilapia de Guerrero, Oaxaca y Chiapas. Se identificaron seis especies de tricodínidos: Trichodina centrostrigeata, T. compacta, T. heterodentata, T. magna, T. nigra y Trichodina sp.; y nueve de monogéneos: Cichlidogyrus cirratus, C. dossoui, C. halli, C. mbirizei, C. sclerosus, C. thurstonae, C. tilapiae, Gyrodactylus cichlidarum y Scutogyrus longicornis. Los registros de C. mbirizei y C. cirratus son nuevos para México. Los tricodínidos y monogéneos se presentaron, respectivamente, en 73 y 93 % de las granjas muestreadas, tanto en regiones montañosas, valles o costa. La prevalencia de tricodínidos fue alta (60–100 %) en 30 % de las granjas, pero la intensidad mediana fue menor a 10 parásitos/pez. La prevalencia de monogéneos fue alta en la mayoría de las granjas, pero la intensidade mediana fue baja (1 a 30). Estos resultados sugieren que los parásitos tienen el potencial de llegar a cualquier granja, por lo que las prácticas de manejo deben ser mejoradas y reducir así posibles brotes parasitarios que afecten la salud de los peces.

Esta investigación estudió la preparación de membranas compuestas de celulosa y quitosano entrecruzadas con Cu(II) para determinar su efecto biocida y eficiencia en la remoción de Escherichia coli. Las membranas de quitosano se obtuvieron por medio de la técnica de evaporación del solvente. Propiedades de absorción de agua, degradación térmica y mecánicas de las membranas fueron evaluadas con el propósito de modificar la estructura química, la superficie y estudiar su impacto como agente biocida. Los resultados muestran que el Cu(II) interactúa con los grupos iónicos de las membranas que inducen un cambio estructural produciendo un aumento de 190 % en el módulo G*. Además, el catión provee estabilidad térmica a temperaturas menores de 200 ºC y produce cambios superficiales a la membrana, especialmente a la membrana de celulosa. Adicionalmente, la membrana de celulosa-Cu(II) aumentó su efecto biocida contra E. coli hasta un 96 %. El proceso de remoción por medio de la filtración aumentó 41 % con la incorporación del catión. Esta investigación muestra el efecto de la interacción del catión con grupos iónicos en la membrana que mejoran las propiedades de filtración y efecto biocida contra esta enterobacteria que puede llegar a ser patógena para el ser humano

White cement-based mortars in urban areas are usually discolored and altered their esthetic properties due to air pollutants. The addition of nanoparticles in these mortars can provide photocatalytic properties that can decompose pollution agents. Likewise, other hydrophobic agents have been individually studied to improve outdoor building constructions. Therefore, this study presented the photocatalytic and hydrophobic effect of adding nano-TiO2 and silicone hydrophobic powder (DOWSILTM) in a white cement matrix. The nano-TiO2 were characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD); afterwards, the mortar was mixed with additions of nano-TiO2 (0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 3.0%) and DOWSILTM (0.0, 0.5%). The mortar's photocatalytic performance was evaluated using a modification of the standard Italian test Ente Nazionale Italiano di Unificazione 11259:2016 based on Rhodamine B (RhB) degradation on the sample exposed to UV irradiation. Therefore, mortar samples were subjected to UV irradiation to degrade the organic dye rhodamine B, monitoring their color variation using a CIEL*a*b* spectrophotometer. Moreover, the water permeability and the contact angle were evaluated. This research demonstrates that the white cement-based mortar samples added with nano-TiO2/DOWSILTM possess photocatalytic activity. The samples with the addition of 1.0%/0.5% and 3.0%/0.5% nano-TiO2/DOWSILTM showed a higher RhB degradation for R4 and R26. Therefore, these two materials can be employed in these proportions to improve the quality of the white cement-based mortars in urban constructions.

El metacaolín es el producto obtenido de la calcinación del caolín. La alta actividad puzolánica del metacaolín permite su utilización como un material sustituto del cemento en el concreto. Esta y otras propiedades fisicoquímicas se ven afectadas por las condiciones de procesamiento del caolín. Por lo tanto, este estudio tuvo como objetivo caracterizar los cambios del color y densidad de dos tipos de caolín (toba triturada e hidrotermal) por medio de un análisis termogravimétrico del proceso de calcinación. Para la evaluación de la densidad se empleó la norma ASTM C188, mientras que la valoración de los cambios de color utilizó un espectrofotómetro CIE-L*a*b* en conjunto con la norma UNE 80117. Asimismo, la pérdida de peso y la densidad se correlacionaron con las coordenadas de color mediante una regresión polinomial. Los resultados demostraron que la deshidroxilación de los caolines ocurrió entre 400ºC y 650ºC, caracterizándose por un máximo en el delta E * de 12.9 y 4.3 para el caolín hidrotermal y de toba, respectivamente. Además, el caolín de toba triturada presentó la máxima luminosidad (L* = 92.84) de todos los tratamientos a los 21ºC. Este valor disminuyó 11.75% al incrementar la temperatura hasta 450ºC. A partir de esta temperatura, L* incrementó linealmente hasta alcanzar un valor final de 87.3 a 900ºC. La regresión polinomial obtenida explica en un 93% y 92% la variación del peso en función de los parámetros CIE-L*a*b* para el caolín de toba triturada e hidrotermal, respectivamente.

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are two major neurodegenerative diseases. FTD is the second most common cause of dementia and ALS is the most common form of motor neuron disease. These diseases are now known to be linked. There are no cures or effective treatments for FTD or ALS and so new targets for therapeutic intervention are required but this is hampered by the large number of physiological processes that are damaged in FTD/ALS. Many of these damaged functions are now known to be regulated by signaling between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria. This signaling is mediated by “tethering” proteins that serve to recruit ER to mitochondria. One tether strongly associated with FTD/ALS involves an interaction between the ER protein VAPB and the mitochondrial protein PTPIP51. Recent studies have shown that ER-mitochondria signaling is damaged in FTD/ALS and that this involves breaking of the VAPB-PTPIP51 tethers. Correcting disrupted tethering may therefore correct many other downstream damaged features of FTD/ALS. Here, we review progress on this topic with particular emphasis on targeting of the VAPB-PTPIP51 tethers as a new drug target.

Current medical guidelines consider pregnant women with COVID-19 to be a high-risk group. Since physiological gestation downregulates the immunological response to maintain "maternal-fetal tolerance", SARS-CoV-2 infection may constitute a potentially threatening condition to both the mother and the fetus. To establish the immune profile in pregnant COVID-19+ patients, a cross-sectional study was conducted. Pregnant women with COVID-19 (P-COVID-19+; n = 15) were analyzed and compared with nonpregnant women with COVID-19 (NP-COVID-19+; n = 15) or those with physiological pregnancy (P-COVID-19-; n = 13). Serological cytokine and chemokine concentrations, leucocyte immunophenotypes, and mononuclear leucocyte responses to polyclonal stimuli were analyzed in all groups. Higher concentrations of serological TNF-α, IL-6, MIP1b and IL-4 were observed within the P-COVID-19+ group, while cytokines and chemokines secreted by peripheral leucocytes in response to LPS, IL-6 or PMA-ionomicin were similar among the groups. Immunophenotype analysis showed a lower percentage of HLA-DR+ monocytes in P-COVID-19+ than in P-COVID-19- and a higher percentage of CD39+ monocytes in P-COVID-19+ than in NP-COVID-19+. After whole blood polyclonal stimulation, similar percentages of T cells and TNF+ monocytes between groups were observed. Our results suggest that P-COVID-19+ elicits a strong inflammatory response similar to NP-COVID19+ but also displays an anti-inflammatory response that controls the ATP/adenosine balance and prevents hyperinflammatory damage in COVID-19.

Antillean manatees (Trichechus manatus manatus) are endangered throughout the southwestern Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean coast of Central and South America, the Greater Antilles, and the northeastern coast of South America to Brazil. Establishing blood reference intervals is essential as a tool in classifying health status, diagnosing, establishing treatment regimens, and monitoring the progress of a disease in rescued manatees. We collected blood samples from 44 free-ranging and 26 rescued manatees from Puerto Rico between 1992 and 2020 for hematology and blood chemistry analysis. We obtained values for white blood cell count and red blood cell count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelet, mean cell volume, mean cell hemoglobin, mean cell hemoglobin concentration, and red cell distribution width. A manual leukocyte differential allowed for the evaluation of different cell types. In addition, we performed a comprehensive metabolic panel on serum samples. These analytes were grouped based on six physiologic processes: liver-associated enzymes and pigments; muscle-associated enzymes; kidney-associated compounds and products; sugars, lipids, and pancreatic-associated enzymes; proteins; and electrolytes. For every parameter, summary statistics of values were calculated on all the samples. Reference ranges were determined as ±1 standard deviation around the mean. An unpaired two-sample T-test was done comparing males versus females and adults versus calves for any significant differences (p≤0.05). We establish the reference intervals of hematology and blood chemistry for the population of Antillean manatees in Puerto Rico and compare them with those established for manatees from Belize, Brazil, Florida, Guyana, and Mexico.

The sensitivity to changes in water quality inherent to seagrass communities makes them vital for determining the overall health of the coastal ecosystem. Numerous efforts including community-based coastal resource management, conservation and rehabilitation plans are currently undertaken to protect these marine species. In this study, the relationship of water quality parameters, specifically chlorophyll-a (chl-a) and turbidity, with seagrass percent cover is assessed quantitatively. Support Vector Machine, a pixel-based image classification method, is applied to determine seagrass and non-seagrass areas from the orthomosaic which yielded a 91.0369% accuracy. In-situ measurements of chl-a and turbidity are acquired using an infinity-CLW water quality sensor. Geostatistical techniques are utilized in this study to determine accurate surfaces for chl-a and turbidity. In two hundred interpolation tests for both chl-a and turbidity, Simple Kriging (Gaussian-model type and Smooth- neighborhood type) performs best with Mean Prediction equal to −0.1371 FTU and 0.0061 μg/L, Root Mean Square Standardized error equal to −0.0688 FTU and −0.0048 μg/L, RMS error of 8.7699 FTU and 1.8006 μg/L and Average Standard Error equal to 10.8360 FTU and 1.6726 μg/L. Zones are determined using fishnet tool and Moran’s I to calculate for the seagrass percent cover. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) is used as a regression analysis to quantify the relationship of seagrass percent cover and water quality parameters. The regression analysis result indicates that turbidity has an inverse relationship while chlorophyll-a has a direct relationship with seagrass percent cover.

The objective of this paper is to present a comprehensive study of the effects of ball burnishing on the low cycle fatigue endurance of cylindrical specimens subjected to alternative bending stress, by constructing fatigue S-N curves to evaluate the impact of the process on the general fatigue behavior of AISI 1038. The specimens were burnished through five different force-number of passes couples, displacing the as-machined-material S-N curve towards higher lifespans as the degree of cold work is increased, either by effect of a higher force and more burnishing passes. The derived surface hardening effect also proved to be correlated analytically with the fatigue lifespan increase at all tested maximum-stress levels, as prove the correlation of the parameters that represent the potential equation associated to the Wöhler model with the hardening effect. It is concluded that the process performed with 120 N and 7 passes results in the most favorable results, represented by a 41% increase of hardness and a 77% increase in the lifespan in the best of cases. Keywords: Ball burnishing, Hardening, Wöhler, Fatigue, Fracture

The purpose of this study is to explore the narrative strategies used to communicate the horror genre in the scripts of Laika studios and to investigate both the extent to which they contribute to imbuing the genre with a unique character in aesthetic and dramatic terms within mainstream animation cinema and the role they fulfil within the framework of their thematic approaches. To this end, a textual analysis of the studio’s productions was conducted for Coraline (Henry Selick, 2009), ParaNorman (Chris Butler & Sam Fell, 2012), The Boxtrolls (Graham Annable & Anthony Stacchi, 2014) and Kubo and the Two Strings (Travis Knight, 2016). The analysis was based on the knowledge categories proposed by Jule Selbo’s (2010) study on the creation of a mental space for the genre. The categories are divided into schematic, specific, and relevant knowledge. Finally, this study demonstrates how the tactics of the horror genre used in these films have enabled a different view of common themes in family-oriented Hollywood animation by communicating a stark image of the family and growing up. Although this image is not transgressive, it is certainly innovative by virtue of its thematic content, in which warnings against romanticising reality abound.

Polymeric membrane technologies demand the synthesis of new polymers to enhance their equilibrium, thermal, and transport properties. Therefore, the focus of this investigation was the evaluation of the equilibrium and thermal properties of a sulfonated fluoroblock copolymer blend membrane composed of sulfonated poly(styrene-isobutylene-styrene) (SIBS SO3H) and a novel sulfonated fluoroblock copolymer composed of poly(4-fluo- rostyrene) (P4FS), poly(styrene) (PS) and poly(isobutylene) (PIB). The fluoroblock copolymer was synthesized using Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (ATRP) and cationic polymerization. First, the molecular weight and the thermal stability of the block copolymer were determined using Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). Second, the chemical composition was monitored utilizing Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The molecular weight of P4FS-b-PS was Mn ~ 36,100; this value increased 8% after the cationic polymerization. The equilibrium properties of the membrane were evaluated using the water uptake and Ion-Exchange Capacity. The degradation behavior and the thermal transitions were determined using TGA and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), respectively. This newly membrane exhibited water uptake higher than 608% related to the improvement of 36% in the ion-exchange capacity and the increment of 25.31% and 25.24% in the energy required to produce the thermal transitions induced by the addition of the sulfonated fluoroblock copolymer.

Stryphnodendron pulcherrimum (Willd.) Hochr. (Fabaceae) is a native Amazonian tree, popularly known as “barbatimão”. The stem barks of this tree are widely used in folk medicine to treat infections, cutaneous and ulcerative wounds, under the form of a suspension of the bark-derived powder. The present study aimed to investigate the in vitro antibacterial and cytotoxic activities of the ethanolic extract of S. pulcherrimum (SPEE). Likewise, to putatively identify the active compounds of the extract by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). Therefore, we aimed to rationalize this observation by turning the bark powder-derived suspension into an ointment (SPEEO) incorporating SPEE (20% w/v). Both the antibacterial action and the acute dermal toxicity were evaluated in rats as animal model. Mortality, body weight changes, feed and water intake, organ weights, histological and biochemical parameters were measured for 14 days post-treatment with no major sign of toxicity. The SPEE showed excellent in vitro antibacterial activity (Minimum Inhibitory Concentration = 100 µg/mL) against Staphylococcus aureus and no in vivo acute dermal toxicity. The SPEEO inhibited up to 85% bacterial growth in a petri dish, with better results than the control standard ointment (Kollagenase®). We putatively identified 13 compounds present in the SPEE, belonging to the class of tannins, including one trimer and two dimers of catechin. Thereby, the data showed SPEEO as a potent antibacterial candidate for herbal medicine preparation.