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Abstract Recent studies suggest that in Upper Mesopotamia during the Late Neolithic period, specifically between 6400 and 5900 BCE, simple cereal flour doughs were baked in domed ovens using ceramic pans, commonly known as husking trays. Adopting an integrated approach that investigates various types of evidence, such as use-wear, phytoliths, and organic residues, we further refined and explored this hypothesis. Analysis of a sample of 13 sherds belonging to these trays from Mezraa Teleilat, Akarçay Tepe, and Tell Sabi Abyad provides evidence that a limited number of them could have been used to bake ‘focaccia’-like products with ingredients such as lard or oil. This research project not only further strengthens the theory that husking trays could have been used for baking, but also provides insights into the variety and elaboration of food practices that existed amongst early agricultural communities, demonstrating the existence of a number of different ‘recipes’ for a particular dish. Furthermore, from a methodological perspective, this study highlights how only an integrated approach can contribute to the knowledge of the various culinary traits and traditions of ancient communities.

Historical analyses of the appearance of the earliest crop and livestock farming societies on the Catalan coast have always been the focus of debate within the overarching topic of the arrival of new settlers who came by sea and/or land to bring knowledge associated with the production economy based on the adoption of crop and livestock farming. In order to examine this topic, we consider the archaeological documents that make it possible to identify the places these groups lived and frequented, along with the records from their funerary practices. All of this data, coupled with the associated materials, are considered essential in analysing the evolution and diversity of the different types of settlements of these crop or livestock farmers within the timeframe of the sixth to fourth millennia BCE in the stretch of land running along the extensive Catalan coastline.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of tactical and contextual dimensions on the offensive performance, in terms of degree of penetration or creation of goal scoring opportunities (GSO), of direct attacks in the English Premier League (EPL) and Spanish La Liga. In total, 10,078 team possessions from 40 random La Liga and EPL matches were initially selected. From that, 2,384 possessions categorized as open play direct attacks were selected for analysis, including a first univariate binary regression analysis and a further construction of adjusted binary multivariate logistic regression models. Four independent tactical dimensions (“Initial zone,” “Initial opponent position,” “Initial opponent pressure,” and “Width of the possession”) and four independent contextual dimensions (“Match location,” “Match status,” “Quality of opponent,” and “Quality of the observed team”) were initially analyzed to predict penetration performance on one hand and scoring opportunity performance on the other hand. The results showed that the distribution of the type of attacks was different in La Liga and EPL (χ2 = 11.015, p = 0.001), but direct attacks were not different in La Liga and EPL in terms of performance. Three of the four tactical dimensions (“Initial zone,” “Initial opponent position,” and “Width of the possession”) showed association with “Penetration performance” (p

BackgroundThe incidence of mental health issues in children is increasing worldwide. In Chile, a recent surge in reports of deteriorating mental health among school populations and an increase in complaints related to poor school climate have been observed. Physical activity, specifically active breaks in the classroom, has shown positive effects on children’s health. However, evidence regarding its impact on mental health and school climate in children is limited.ObjectiveThis work outlines the design, measurements, intervention program, and potential efficacy of the “Active Classes + School Climate and Mental Health” project. This project will assess a 12-week program of active breaks through guided videos with curricular content in the school classroom, and its effects on mental health and school climate as its primary indicators. Additionally, it will measure physical activity, physical fitness, motor competence, and academic performance in students aged 6–10 years in the Biobío province, Chile, as secondary indicators. Methodology: A multicenter randomized controlled trial involving 823 students from 1st to 4th grade (6–10 years old), six schools (three intervention and three control) will be conducted in the Biobío region, Chile. Participants belonging to the intervention group will implement video-guided active breaks through the “Active Classes” web platform, featuring curricular content, lasting 5–10 min and of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity, twice a day, Monday to Friday, over a span of 12 weeks. Expected Results/Discussion: To our knowledge, this will be the first study in Chile to evaluate the effects of incorporating video-guided active breaks with curricular content on mental health variables and school climate in schoolchildren. Thus, this study contributes to the scarce evidence on the effects of video-guided active breaks on mental health variables and school climate in schoolchildren worldwide. Additionally, it will provide crucial information about active teaching methodologies that have the potential to positively contribute to the wellbeing of students, thus addressing the problems of mental health and climate in Chilean schools. ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT06423404.

Imaging is increasingly used to capture information on the marine environment thanks to the improvements in imaging equipment, devices for carrying cameras and data storage in recent years. In that context, biologists, geologists, computer specialists and end-users must gather to discuss the methods and procedures for optimising the quality and quantity of data collected from images. The 4th Marine Imaging Workshop was organised from 3-6 October 2022 in Brest (France) in a hybrid mode. More than a hundred participants were welcomed in person and about 80 people attended the online sessions. The workshop was organised in a single plenary session of presentations followed by discussion sessions. These were based on dynamic polls and open questions that allowed recording of the imaging community’s current and future ideas. In addition, a whole day was dedicated to practical sessions on image analysis, data standardisation and communication tools. The format of this edition allowed the participation of a wider community, including lower-income countries, early career scientists, all working on laboratory, benthic and pelagic imaging.This article summarises the topics addressed during the workshop, particularly the outcomes of the discussion sessions for future reference and to make the workshop results available to the open public.

Abstract Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a common disorder involving a cluster of metabolic abnormalities, such as abdominal obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and atherogenic profile. MetS is characterized by an increase in oxidative stress and a chronic proinflammatory state, which are directly related to the development and progression of this pathology. It has been seen how a healthy lifestyle and good dietary practices are key to improving the different metabolic parameters and, therefore, play a fundamental role in reducing the risk of developing diabetes. The present review focuses on the research evidence related to the therapeutic properties of Lycium barbarum L. in MetS gathered in the last years. Several preclinical studies suggest that L. barbarum extracts are a good dietary supplement for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases in people with MetS. This compound has been used for years in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of atrophic gastritis, problems related to the lungs, kidneys, and liver, and as a supplement for eye health. In addition, different in vitro and in vivo studies have been carried out that support the properties attributed to metabolites derived from L. barbarum, such as polysaccharides that have been shown diverse biological activities. In conclusion, L. barbarum extracts have multiple benefits to increase general well‐being and immune function. However, there are a limited number of studies related to effect of L. barbarum in MetS, but they demonstrated effectiveness in the treatment of obesity, diabetes mellitus type 2, and prevention of diabetes mellitus type 2 complication.

Abstract Bioactive compounds in food and beverages, including fruit juices, are susceptible to degradation or oxidation during processing and storage. This vulnerability can lead to a reduction in nutritional value and overall quality of the products. The objective of this research is to explore the potential of encapsulation techniques in preserving and enhancing the nutritional value of fruit juices. The encapsulation of natural compounds, enzymes, and probiotics is seen as a promising approach to fortifying fruit juices, improving their preservation and processing of these encapsulated natural compounds as additives in food packaging. The study involves a comprehensive review of various encapsulation techniques and materials used for encapsulating bioactive compounds. It also investigates the current applications of encapsulated natural products in the preservation of food and beverages. The encapsulation of bioactive compounds has shown the potential in improving the nutritional value and functional properties of fruit juice products and foods. It has also been found to enhance the preservation and processing of these products, contributing to their overall quality and safety. Encapsulation techniques offer a promising avenue for revolutionizing the fruit juice industry by enhancing the nutritional value and shelf life of products. They also present an opportunity for the development of more functional food products. Despite the promising results, more research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms of encapsulation, determine the optimal conditions for encapsulating different ingredients, and assess the effects of encapsulation on the quality and safety of fruit juices. Future studies should focus on these areas to further advance the application of encapsulation techniques in the food and beverage industry. Graphical Abstract

Automated camera-based sensors are widely used in vessel-based research to monitor plankton and marine particles. However, current methods suffer from the costly and time-consuming requirement of annotating data for fully supervised learning, especially in plankton grouping tasks characterized by long-tailed datasets. In response, we propose a novel self-supervised learning framework that significantly reduces reliance on expensive human annotations by leveraging crucial metadata such as water depth and location. The method comprises three major steps: self-supervised training, innovative sampling, and final classification. It identifies key sample subsets from an unlabeled dataset using a hierarchical clustering approach and incorporates an innovative balancing representative subsampling strategy that addresses the challenge of dataset imbalance and enhances generalizability across diverse plankton classes. Our approach prioritizes discerning representation features observed in images that exhibit correlations with the patterns found in their associated metadata. Furthermore, our method introduces a novel grouping based on the visual perspective selection method, enabling the identification of balanced subset views that depart from traditional class-based categorization. Our experimental results showcase a significant enhancement in image classification accuracy, with a 23% improvement over methods that do not utilize metadata, and attains a macro F1-score of 54% for ten populated species from a severely long-tailed dataset. This is achieved with a mere 0.3% of the entire dataset used for annotation.

In the context of historical districts becoming a key to the urban transformation and high-quality development of Chinese cities, this paper investigates the regeneration of historic environments in China, emphasizing the creation of public value through urban morphology. By analyzing five distinct case studies—Chengdu KuanZhai Alley, Shanghai TianZiFang Alley, Guangzhou EnNing Road, Taiyuan ZhongLou Street, and Beijing NanLuoGu Alley—this study explores the relationship between urban form and public value creation from 2000 to 2020. The research posits that the spatial attribute of “public nature” is central to the regeneration process, highlighting the importance of understanding how urban spaces can foster community engagement and social interaction. An evaluation system is constructed to assess the regeneration of historic areas based on spatial “publicness” and people’s perceptions, addressing the need for a more nuanced approach to urban planning. The findings reveal that effective urban regeneration not only preserves historical significance but also enhances the quality of public spaces, thereby contributing to social equity and cultural integrity. This study aims to provide valuable insights for urban planners and policymakers, advocating for a public value-oriented approach to the renewal of historic districts that balances economic development with the preservation of cultural heritage. The integration of public value concepts into heritage management is crucial for creating vibrant urban environments that resonate with community needs and aspirations.

Introducción. Dada la complejidad y costos para determinar el porcentaje de grasa corporal en humanos, se busca establecer nuevas fórmulas para determinar esta variable. La ecuación CUN-BAE usa indicadores simples como sexo e índice de masa corporal (IMC) para estimar el porcentaje de grasa corporal. El objetivo fue determinar el grado de correlación entre el porcentaje de grasa corporal, obtenido mediante ecuación CUN-BAE, IMC y circunferencia de cintura (CC) en adultos chilenos pertenecientes a la muestra de los participantes de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud (ENS) 2016-2017. Metodología. Se incluyeron 5.583 participantes de la ENS 2016-2017, en quienes se obtuvieron medidas antropométricas para determinar IMC, estado nutricional y CC. Se determinó el porcentaje de masa grasa según la ecuación CUN-BAE. La correlación entre IMC, CC y CUN-BAE se analizó mediante el coeficiente de correlación de Pearson (r). Resultados. El IMC y el porcentaje de masa grasa según ecuación CUN-BAE presentaron una fuerte correlación tanto en hombres (r=0,924, p

Abstract Hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) is an independent risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). One of the multiple origins of HTG alteration is impaired lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity, which is an emerging target for HTG treatment. We hypothesised that early, even mild, alterations in LPL activity might result in an identifiable metabolomic signature. The aim of the present study was to assess whether a metabolic signature of altered LPL activity in a preclinical model can be identified in humans. A preclinical LPL-dependent model of HTG was developed using a single intraperitoneal injection of poloxamer 407 (P407) in male Wistar rats. A rat metabolomics signature was identified, which led to a predictive model developed using machine learning techniques. The predictive model was applied to 140 humans classified according to clinical guidelines as (1) normal, less than 1.7 mmol/L; (2) risk of HTG, above 1.7 mmol/L. Injection of P407 in rats induced HTG by effectively inhibiting plasma LPL activity. Significantly responsive metabolites (i.e. specific triacylglycerols, diacylglycerols, phosphatidylcholines, cholesterol esters and lysophospholipids) were used to generate a predictive model. Healthy human volunteers with the impaired predictive LPL signature had statistically higher levels of TG, TC, LDL and APOB than those without the impaired LPL signature. The application of predictive metabolomic models based on mechanistic preclinical research may be considered as a strategy to stratify subjects with HTG of different origins. This approach may be of interest for precision medicine and nutritional approaches.