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Micronutrient deficiencies are widespread and growing global concerns. Nanoscale nutrients present higher absorption rates and improved nutrient availability and nutrient use efficiency. Co-application of nanofertilizers (NFs) with biological agents or organic compounds increases NF biocompatibility, stability, and efficacy. This study aimed to develop and evaluate zinc and iron bio-nanofertilizers formulated with plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and microalgae. Nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized with the co-precipitation method and functionalized with Pseudomonas species and Spirulina platensis preparation. NPs were characterized and evaluated on seed germination, soil microbial growth, and early plant response under seedbed conditions. NPs corresponded to zinc oxide (ZnO; 77 nm) and maghemite (γ-Fe2O3; 68 nm). Functionalized nanoparticles showed larger sizes, around 145–233 nm. The seedling vigor index of tomato and maize was significantly increased (32.9–46.1%) by bacteria-functionalized ZnO- and γ-Fe2O3-NPs at 75 ppm. NFs at 250 and 75 ppm significantly increased bacterial growth. NFs also improved early plant growth by increasing plant height (14–44%), leaf diameter (22–47%), and fresh weight (46–119%) in broccoli and radish, which were mainly influenced by bacteria capped ZnO- and γ-Fe2O3-NPs at 250 ppm. Beneficial effects on plant growth can be attributed to the synergistic interaction of the biological components and the zinc and iron NPs in the bio-nanofertilizers.

Geometrical and electronic properties of the main photosynthetic pigments in higher plants such as chlorophylls and xanthophylls were studied to find potential candidates that were able to participate in an eventual zeolite-dye artificial antenna. CRDFT (chemical reactivity density functional theory) and TD-DFT (time-dependent DFT) methods were employed in ground-state and excited-state calculations, respectively. The evaluated electronic properties at the gas phase included (a) energies such as HOMO-LUMO band gap (H-L, ranging from 2.168 to 2.504 eV), adiabatic ionization potential (I, ranging from 5.964 to 7.207 eV), and adiabatic electronic affinity (A, ranging from 2.176 to 2.741 eV); (b) global chemical reactivity indexes such as electronegativity (χ, ranging from 4.121 to 4.974 eV), hardness (η, ranging from 1.812 to 2.233 eV), electrophilicity index (ω, ranging from 4.365 to 5.541 eV), and electroaccepting-electrodonating powers (ω+, ranging from 1.671 to 2.115 eV, and ω−, ranging from 4.375 to 5.273 eV); (c) electron-hole reorganization energies (λ, ranging from 0.225 to 0.519 eV and ranging from 0.168 to 0.425 eV, respectively) and electron-hole extraction potentials (EEP, ranging from 2.570 to 2.966 eV, and HEP, ranging from 5.538 to 7.012 eV, respectively); and (d) local chemical reactivity indexes like condensed Fukui functions (fk), condensed dual descriptor (f2r), and condensed local softness (sk). These electronic properties allowed the association between molecules and reactivity-selectivity criteria, under the context of charge transfer and electronic transitions. Also, the aforementioned electronic properties were determined for combinations made with the selected molecules (β-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin) and 5 solvents (n-hexane, diethyl ether, acetone, ethanol, and methanol) with upward dielectric constants (ε). From frequency calculations, IR spectra were obtained for combinations. Finally, excited-state computations were carried out to acquire UV-Vis spectra of the combinations. We conclude that the selection of dyes is controlled mainly by geometrical constraints rather than by electronic properties.

Conflict of interest: No Introduction and Objectives: Hepatitis C infection has a high prevalence in social rehabilitation centers and prissions; however, patient migration, lack of adherence monitoring and risk practices are determinants for abandoning treatment. Objectives: Determine the seroprevalence in patients deprived of their liberty in social rehabilitation centers for chronic hepatitis C infection, as well as evaluate the effectiveness of daily provision of antivirals in patients who are deprived of their liberty. Patients / Materials and Methods: Information was collected through the national hepatitis C elimination program database in patients screened for HIV infection, syphilis and hepatitis C during the period 2021-2024 in Baja California Sur, Mexico. Mass screening tests were performed with serological antigen and PCR for hepatitis C. Those patients with a positive viral load were treated with direct-acting antivirals for 2 months and a viral load was performed to verify sustained viral response. During this period, medical teams supplied the drug in a controlled manner provided by the health services in prisons. To keep the rehabilitation centers free of hepatitis C, serologies were implemented under informed consent for newly admitted people that were admitted. Results and Discussion: 3452 rapid tests were performed, of which 77 tests (2.23%) were reactive with positive viral load in 76 cases (98.07%), all patients were male (100%), with an average age of 42.1 years. Of the patients studied, the main risk factor was intravenous drug use (98%). Viral loads were measured 3 months after treatment where 98.68% had virological cure, 1.3% migrated from a social rehabilitation center and 0% presented virological failure. Conclusions: The intervention of health services continuously and jointly with the penal system is a determining factor in achieving virological cure and rehabilitation centers free of hepatitis C.

In this paper, we present the concept of being monotonic in sequence according to a specific direction for a collection of random variables. This concept broadens the existing notions of multivariate dependence, such as sequential left-tail and right-tail dependence. Furthermore, we explore connections with other multivariate dependence concepts, highlight key properties, and analyze the new concept within the framework of copulas. Several examples are provided to demonstrate our findings.

Abstract The application of bacteriophages as antibacterial agents has many benefits in the “post-antibiotic age”. To increase the number of successfully targeted bacterial strains, phage cocktails, instead of a single phage, are commonly formulated. Nevertheless, there is currently no consensus pipeline for phage cocktail development. Thus, although large cocktails increase the spectrum of activity, they could produce side effects such as the mobilization of virulence or antibiotic resistance genes. On the other hand, coinfection (simultaneous infection of one host cell by several phages) might reduce the potential for bacteria to evolve phage resistance, but some antagonistic interactions amongst phages might be detrimental for the outcome of phage cocktail application. With this in mind, we introduce here a new method, which considers the host range and each individual phage-host interaction, to design the phage mixtures that best suppress the target bacteria while minimizing the number of phages to restrict manufacturing costs. Additionally, putative phage-phage interactions in cocktails and phage-bacteria networks are compared as the understanding of the complex interactions amongst bacteriophages could be critical in the development of realistic phage therapy models in the future.

The BvgAS two-component system regulates virulence gene expression in Bordetella pertussis. Although precise three-dimensional structural information is not available for the response regulator BvgA, its sequence conservation with E. coli NarL and previous studies have indicated that it is composed of 3 domains: an N-terminal domain (NTD) containing the phosphorylation site, a linker, and a DNA-binding C-terminal domain (CTD). Previous work has determined how BvgACTD dimers interact with the promoter (PfhaB) of fhaB, the gene encoding the virulence adhesin filamentous hemagglutinin. Here we use molecular modeling, FeBABE footprinting, and crosslinking to show that within the transcription complex of phosphorylated BvgA (BvgA ∼ P), B. pertussis RNAP, and PfhaB, the NTDs displace from the CTDs and are positioned at specific locations relative to the three BvgA ∼ P binding sites. Our work identifies a patch of the NTD that faces the DNA and suggests that BvgA ∼ P undergoes a conformational rearrangement that relocates the NTD to allow productive interaction of the CTD with the DNA.

Abstract We tested whether periconceptional nutrition with cladodes from the cactus, Opuntia ficus-indica, with or without protein-enrichment, improved the metabolomic profile and reproductive outcomes of adult female sheep. Sixty Rambouillet ewes of similar body weight were randomly allocated among three nutritional treatments that were fed during the breeding period (34 days): Control (Control; n = 20), Opuntia (Opuntia; n = 20) and protein-enriched Opuntia (E-Opuntia; n = 20). There were no effects of treatment on body weight but assessment of urine samples indicated that, for 76 metabolites, the Control and Opuntia groups differed completely (P

Globally, COVID-19 reached unprecedented levels of contagion, affecting the social meetings, public spaces, and many everyday aspects. During the first days of the pandemic, supply chains were severely impacted by a great uncertainty in socio-economic terms, causing irrational variations and the inability to forecast demand. In this paper, the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the behaviour of different companies is analysed based on the variation in supply and demand of consumer-packaged goods. The pandemic outbreak disruption, the bullwhip effect caused by demand fluctuations, and the resilience of different companies were studied. A multiple case study methodology is used to analyse the decision-making process of fourteen different companies, from diverse sectors in Uruguay, affronting the pandemic. The paper’s main findings include the identification of disruption and operation risks along with coordination in supply chain management during the first four months of the pandemic. Moreover, due to the necessity of sanitation and comestibles, and the fear of stockout, consumers’ demand was uncertain, and the bullwhip effect was observed in critical channels of some products. Finally, the resiliency and robustness of the affected companies were studied and good practices for a resilient and robust response to the pandemic were identified and analysed.

A partir de una cita de La discreta venganza, escrita hacia 1620, analizamos la relación de Lope de Vega con la novella. El escritor cambia su posición respecto al género, que había utilizado como fuente de muchas de sus comedias en una primera etapa (1588-1613), pero que había dejado de interesarle en los años siguientes (1613-1620). En la segunda década del siglo XVII, sin embargo, Lope utiliza la novella para mostrarse como un autor de prestigio, no solo en las Novelas a Marcia Leonarda sino también en su teatro.

The present study describes the magnitude and spatial distribution of lung strain in healthy anesthetized, mechanically ventilated dogs with and without positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP). Total lung strain (LSTOTAL) has a dynamic (LSDYNAMIC) and a static (LSSTATIC) component. Due to lung heterogeneity, global lung strain may not accurately represent regional total tissue lung strain (TSTOTAL), which may also be described by a regional dynamic (TSDYNAMIC) and static (TSSTATIC) component. Six healthy anesthetized beagles (12.4 ± 1.4 kg body weight) were placed in dorsal recumbency and ventilated with a tidal volume of 15 ml/kg, respiratory rate of 15 bpm, and zero end-expiratory pressure (ZEEP). Respiratory system mechanics and full thoracic end-expiratory and end-inspiratory CT scan images were obtained at ZEEP. Thereafter, a PEEP of 5 cmH2O was set and respiratory system mechanics measurements and end-expiratory and end-inspiratory images were repeated. Computed lung volumes from CT scans were used to evaluate the global LSTOTAL, LSDYNAMIC, and LSSTATIC during PEEP. During ZEEP, LSSTATIC was assumed zero; therefore, LSTOTAL was the same as LSDYNAMIC. Image segmentation was applied to CT images to obtain maps of regional TSTOTAL, TSDYNAMIC, and TSSTATIC during PEEP, and TSDYNAMIC during ZEEP. Compliance increased (p = 0.013) and driving pressure decreased (p = 0.043) during PEEP. PEEP increased the end-expiratory lung volume (p < 0.001) and significantly reduced global LSDYNAMIC (33.4 ± 6.4% during ZEEP, 24.0 ± 4.6% during PEEP, p = 0.032). LSSTATIC by PEEP was larger than the reduction in LSDYNAMIC; therefore, LSTOTAL at PEEP was larger than LSDYNAMIC at ZEEP (p = 0.005). There was marked topographic heterogeneity of regional strains. PEEP induced a significant reduction in TSDYNAMIC in all lung regions (p < 0.05). Similar to global findings, PEEP-induced TSSTATIC was larger than the reduction in TSDYNAMIC; therefore, PEEP-induced TSTOTAL was larger than TSDYNAMIC at ZEEP. In conclusion, PEEP reduced both global and regional estimates of dynamic strain, but induced a large static strain. Given that lung injury has been mostly associated with tidal deformation, limiting dynamic strain may be an important clinical target in healthy and diseased lungs, but this requires further study.

Pese a los avances de cirugía reconstructiva, el labio y paladara hendido unilateral (LPHU) representa un reto quirúrgico complejo cuando la brecha es mayor a 10 mm. En países de recursos limitados, la distancia geográfica, falta de centros de referencia multidisciplinarios, recursos económicos de las familias y actualmente, la pandemia; limita el acceso de pacientes al tratamiento prequirúrgico. El presente estudio descriptivo reporta 2 casos de LPHU completo, de similar tamaño por inspección visual profesional, sexo masculino, no asociados a síndrome. El propósito del mismo es hacer una revisión de dos técnicas de ortopedia prequirúrgica: Placa de Ortopedia Funcional Maxilar (OFM)-Moldeado Nasal (MN); y el Retractor Nasal (RN)-Taping, como alternativa de tratamiento a distancia. El paciente con placa OFM-MN fue tratado en el 2015, presencial, el paciente con RN-Taping, en el 2021 por telemedicina y un promotor de salud capacitado. Los resultados de simetría nasal y maxilar se midieron con software ImageJ, a través de 4 mediciones lineales y una angular, basadas en el método descrito por Barillas y de mediciones lineales realizadas a los modelos de yeso como las propuestas por Mazaheri. Las técnicas descritas para ambos pacientes lograron disminuir el ancho de la hendidura y moldear el cartílago alar del lado hendido. La técnica OFM-MN mostró ventajas en el desarrollo del arco maxilar promoviendo aumento de volumen de hueso y desarrollo en los tres planos del espacio sin colapso del arco. La técnica RN-Taping, restringió el arco maxilar, sin embargo podría ser una alternativa de tratamiento a distancia.

Este trabajo analiza el personaje de Corcina en La ingratitud vengada como uno de los escasos ejemplos de madre-alcahueta en la producción dramática de Lope de Vega. Por un lado, a partir de datos globales, se pone de manifiesto que la presencia de madres en escena es mayor en la primera época de Lope, y esta disminuye a lo largo del tiempo. Por otro, se expone que el personaje materno de La ingratitud vengada —una madre-alcahueta— es muy diferente del perfil habitual: una mujer noble, madre de un varón que es a menudo el protagonista. Se vincula la aparición de este personaje, construido a partir de la tradición celestinesca, a la ausencia de figuras paternas, al género de la comedia picaresca y a la probable inspiración biográfica del argumento, que emparenta La ingratitud vengada con El sufrimiento premiado y La Dorotea.

En este artículo estudiamos la aparición de la corte de Elisabeth I de Inglaterra en La española inglesa, de Cervantes. En primer lugar, repasamos brevemente las relaciones de Cervantes con el sistema cortesano y las ideas principales sobre la corte que se contienen en su obra. A continuación, mostramos cómo se representa en esta novela la lógica del servicio-merced. Mientras que todos los personajes ingleses pertenecen a la alta nobleza, los padres de Isabela, por su condición de burgueses, son ajenos a la cultura cortesana. La pareja protagonista, que en Londres está sujeta al servicio a la reina de Inglaterra y depende de sus mercedes, solo puede desarrollar su amor de una manera libre cuando se reúne en Sevilla y el personaje masculino renuncia a su nobleza y se inserta en el linaje burgués de su esposa.

El presente artículo analiza la inclusión de la “Descripción de la Tapada” dentro del volumen La Filomena, con otras diversas rimas, prosas y versos (1621). Se propone que este poema descriptivo, que elogia la casa de Braganza, fue incluido en el libro como parte de la estrategia cortesana de Lope de Vega para apoyar la difícil situación de Leonor de Pimentel con sus asuntos políticos portugueses.

Pathogens or genotoxic agents continuously affect the human body. Acute inflammatory reaction induced by a non-sterile or sterile environment is triggered for the efficient elimination of insults that caused the damage. According to the insult, pathogen-associated molecular patterns, damage-associated molecular patterns, and homeostasis-altering molecular processes are released to facilitate the arrival of tissue resident and circulating cells to the injured zone to promote harmful agent elimination and tissue regeneration. However, when inflammation is maintained, a chronic phenomenon is induced, in which phagocytic cells release toxic molecules damaging the harmful agent and the surrounding healthy tissues, thereby inducing DNA lesions. In this regard, chronic inflammation has been recognized as a risk factor of cancer development by increasing the genomic instability of transformed cells and by creating an environment containing proliferation signals. Based on the cancer immunoediting concept, a rigorous and regulated inflammation process triggers participation of innate and adaptive immune responses for efficient elimination of transformed cells. When immune response does not eliminate all transformed cells, an equilibrium phase is induced. Therefore, excessive inflammation amplifies local damage caused by the continuous arrival of inflammatory/immune cells. To regulate the overstimulation of inflammatory/immune cells, a network of mechanisms that inhibit or block the cell overactivity must be activated. Transformed cells may take advantage of this process to proliferate and gradually grow until they become preponderant over the immune cells, preserving, increasing, or creating a microenvironment to evade the host immune response. In this microenvironment, tumor cells resist the attack of the effector immune cells or instruct them to sustain tumor growth and development until its clinical consequences. With tumor development, evolving, complex, and overlapping microenvironments are arising. Therefore, a deeper knowledge of cytokine, immune, and tumor cell interactions and their role in the intricated process will impact the combination of current or forthcoming therapies.

We describe the respiratory mechanics and lung aeration in anesthetized obese dogs ventilated with tidal volumes (VT) based on ideal (VTi) vs. current (VTc) body weight. Six dogs with body condition scores ≥ 8/9 were included. End-expiratory respiratory mechanics and end-expiratory CT-scan were obtained at baseline for each dog. Thereafter, dogs were ventilated with VT 15 ml kg−1 based on VTi and VTc, applied randomly. Respiratory mechanics and CT-scan were repeated at end-inspiration during VTi and VTc. Data analyzed with linear mixed models and reported as mean ± SD or median [range]. Statistical significance p < 0.05. The elastance of the lung, chest wall and respiratory system indexed by ideal body weight (IBW) were positively correlated with body fat percentage, whereas the functional residual capacity indexed by IBW was negatively correlated with body fat percentage. At end-expiration, aeration (%) was: hyperaeration 0.03 [0.00–3.35], normoaeration 69.7 [44.6–82.2], hypoaeration 29.3 [13.6–49.4] and nonaeration (1.06% [0.37–6.02]). Next to the diaphragm, normoaeration dropped to 12 ± 11% and hypoaeration increased to 90 ± 8%. No differences in aeration between groups were found at end-inspiration. Airway driving pressure (cm H2O) was higher (p = 0.002) during VTc (9.8 ± 0.7) compared with VTi (7.6 ± 0.4). Lung strain was higher (p = 0.014) during VTc (55 ± 21%) than VTi (38 ± 10%). The stress index was higher (p = 0.012) during VTc (SI = 1.07 [0.14]) compared with VTi (SI = 0.93 [0.18]). This study indicates that body fat percentage influences the magnitude of lung, chest wall, and total respiratory system elastance and resistance, as well as functional residual capacity. Further, these results indicate that obese dogs have extensive areas of hypoaerated lungs, especially in caudodorsal regions. Finally, lung strain and airway driving pressure, surrogates of lung deformation, are higher during VTc than during VTi, suggesting that in obese anesthetized dogs, ventilation protocols based on IBW may be advantageous.

Frontline communities of California experience disproportionate social, economic, and environmental injustices, and climate change is exacerbating the root causes of inequity in those areas. Yet, climate adaptation and mitigation strategies often fail to meaningfully address the experience of frontline community stakeholders. Here, we present three challenges, three errors, and three solutions to better integrate frontline communities' needs in climate change research and to create more impactful policies. We base our perspective on our collective firsthand experiences and on scholarship to bridge local knowledge with hydroclimatic research and policymaking. Unawareness of local priorities (Challenge 1) is a consequence of Ignoring local knowledge (Error 1) that can be, in part, resolved with Information exchange and expansion of community-based participatory research (Solution 1). Unequal access to natural resources (Challenge 2) is often due to Top-down decision making (Error 2), but Buffer zones for environmental protection, green areas, air quality, and water security can help achieve environmental justice (Solution 2). Unequal access to public services (Challenge 3) is a historical issue that persists because of System abuse and tokenism (Error 3), and it may be partially resolved with Multi-benefit projects to create socioeconomic and environmental opportunities within frontline communities that include positive externalities for other stakeholders and public service improvements (Solution 3). The path forward in climate change policy decision-making must be grounded in collaboration with frontline community members and practitioners trained in working with vulnerable stakeholders. Addressing co-occurring inequities exacerbated by climate change requires transdisciplinary efforts to identify technical, policy, and engineering solutions.

Context: The fugacity of surface-seawater CO2 (f CO2sw) and the sea–air CO2 fluxes in the south-western tropical Atlantic (SWTA) were studied to increase the knowledge about the carbon cycle in this region. Aims: This paper aims to describe the distribution of f CO2sw in SWTA. Methods: The f CO2sw was measured from 2008 to 2020 by volunteer merchant ships with an onboard system that measures p CO2 while the vessels were underway. Key results: Higher values occurred north of 8°S than in the region south of 8°S. The north is a strong source of CO2 for the atmosphere, with an annual mean value of 3.14 ± 0.52 mmol m−2 day−1. The south is a weaker source of CO2, with an annual average of 0.93 ± 0.90 mmol m−2 day−1. In the months of July and August, a weak sink of CO2 was observed, with a mean of −0.55 mmol m−2 day−1. Conclusions and implications: The differences between these two regions are explained by the origin of the surface-water masses encountered along the ship track. The central branch of the South Equatorial Current (SEC) transports surface water, with a higher CO2 concentration and lower salinity, north of 8°S, whereas the surface waters between 8 and 14°S come from the southern branch of the SEC. The intertropical convergence zone is another physical process influencing the region north of 8°S. The carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration of surface seawater was measured from 2008 to 2020 in the south-western tropical Atlantic (SWTA) by volunteer merchant ships equipped with an autonomous system that measures CO2 while the vessels were underway. The study area is influenced by the seasonal variability in the main marine currents of the region, and the tropical meteorological system. The SWTA is as a large source of CO2 to the atmosphere, and further studies in this important area of global climate change are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]