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Introducción: La alopecia triangular congénita es un trastorno dermatológico poco frecuente caracterizado por la presencia de una placa alopécica bien delimitada y unilateral localizada habitualmente en la región frontotemporal. En este informe se describe un caso atípico de una recién nacida con lesiones alopécicas bilaterales y simétricas, siendo uno de los pocos casos descritos en la edad neonatal. Presentación del caso: Paciente de sexo femenino, de etnia indígena, con antecedentes médicos menores y desarrollo prenatal y postnatal normal. Los hallazgos clínicos incluyen dos lesiones alopécicas bien delimitadas, de aproximadamente 2 cm x 2 cm en la región temporoparietal, de forma bilateral, con presencia de vello fino y claro a nivel de las lesiones y miniaturización de los folículos pilosos, mientras que la piel subyacente no mostró atrofia ni decoloración. El diagnóstico se basó en las características clínicas y el estudio tricoscópico de las lesiones. Conclusiones: Se planteó el diagnóstico definitivo de alopecia triangular congénita. El diagnóstico diferencial excluyó otras causas de lesiones circunscritas no cicatriciales en recién nacidos. El pronóstico es favorable, ya que se trata de una afección cutánea benigna y no progresiva. El tratamiento se centró en la educación y el apoyo a los padres, evitando intervenciones invasivas. Este informe destaca la importancia del reconocimiento precoz y el enfoque conservador en el tratamiento de esta anomalía.

The sympathetic nervous system fight-or-flight response is characterized by a rapid increase in heart rate, which is mediated by an increase in the spontaneous action potential (AP) firing rate of pacemaker cells in the sinoatrial node. Sympathetic neurons stimulate sinoatrial myocytes (SAMs) by activating β adrenergic receptors (βARs) and increasing cAMP. The funny current (If) is among the cAMP-sensitive currents in SAMs. If is critical for pacemaker activity, however, its role in the fight-or-flight response remains controversial. In this study, we used AP waveform analysis, machine learning, and dynamic clamp experiments in acutely isolated SAMs from mice to quantitatively define the AP waveform changes and role of If in the fight-or-flight increase in AP firing rate. We found that while βAR stimulation significantly altered nearly all AP waveform parameters, the increase in firing rate was only correlated with changes in a subset of parameters (diastolic duration, late AP duration, and diastolic depolarization rate). Dynamic clamp injection of the βAR-sensitive component of If showed that it accounts for ∼41% of the fight-or-flight increase in AP firing rate and 60% of the decrease in the interval between APs. Thus, If is an essential contributor to the fight-or-flight increase in heart rate.

Introducción: La citología exfoliativa instituye un avance en la prevención del cáncer de cuello uterino, enfermedad prevenible cuando su diagnóstico es oportuno. Objetivo: Identificar los factores que afectan la realización oportuna de la prueba citológica, en pacientes pertenecientes al consultorio tres del Policlínico Antonio Maceo, del municipio Cacocum, de noviembre 2017 a enero 2019. Método: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo transversal. Del total de 536 mujeres pertenecientes al referido consultorio, después de aplicar los criterios de inclusión y exclusión, el universo, quedó constituido por 418 pacientes. La muestra, conformada por 100 pacientes se seleccionó por muestreo probabilístico a través de la técnica de muestreo aleatorio simple. Resultados: Las mujeres comprendidas entre 20 y 39 años predominaron con 64 (64,0 %) y resultaron más frecuentes las pacientes citadas varias veces (65,0 %), de igual manera resultó más frecuente la escolaridad media en 44 (44,0 %), categoría que a su vez presentó mayor número de féminas a las que fue necesario citar varias veces, con 27 pacientes (27,0 %). El factor subjetivo que más incidió fue el temor a los resultados (56,16 %), tanto en las que fueran citadas varias veces y en las negadas. Conclusiones: La edad mostró una correlación estadísticamente significativa con el momento de realización de la prueba citológica, donde el factor que más influyó en la no realización de la prueba citológica oportunamente fue, el temor ante la posibilidad de un diagnóstico positivo. Palabras clave: neoplasia intraepitelial cervical, cáncer de cuello uterino, intervención educativa, coeficiente de correlación

In order to facilitate the adoption of Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) by the industry, it is necessary to develop tools to integrate legacy systems with TSN. In this article, we propose a solution for the coexistence of different time domains from different legacy systems, each with its corresponding synchronization protocol, in a single TSN network. To this end, we experimentally identified the effects of replacing the communications subsystem of a legacy Ethernet-based network with TSN in terms of synchronization. Based on the results, we propose a solution called TALESS (TSN with Legacy End-Stations Synchronization). TALESS can identify the drift between the TSN communications subsystem and the integrated legacy devices (end-stations) and then modify the TSN schedule to adapt to the different time domains to avoid the effects of the lack of synchronization between them. We validate TALESS through both simulations and experiments on a prototype. We demonstrate that thanks to TALESS, legacy systems can synchronize through TSN and even improve features such as their reception jitter or their integrability with other legacy systems.

Obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus are global public health issues. Although males show higher obesity and insulin resistance prevalence, current treatments often neglect sex-specific differences. White adipose tissue (WAT) is crucial in preventing lipotoxicity and inflammation and has become a key therapeutic target. Rosiglitazone (RSG), a potent PPARγ agonist, promotes healthy WAT growth and mitochondrial function through MitoNEET modulation. Recent RSG-based strategies specifically target white adipocytes, avoiding side effects. Our aim was to investigate whether sex-specific differences in the insulin-sensitizing effects of RSG exist on WAT during obesity and inflammation. We used Wistar rats of both sexes fed a high-fat diet (HFD, 22.5% fat content) for 16 weeks. Two weeks before sacrifice, a group of HFD-fed rats received RSG treatment (4 mg/kg of body weight per day) within the diet. HFD male rats showed greater insulin resistance, inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and dyslipidemia than females. RSG had more pronounced effects in males, significantly improving insulin sensitivity, fat storage, mitochondrial function, and lipid handling in WAT while reducing ectopic fat deposition and enhancing adiponectin signaling in the liver. Our study suggests a significant sexual dimorphism in the anti-diabetic effects of RSG on WAT, correlating with the severity of metabolic dysfunction.

Lymphoid restricted membrane protein (LRMP) is a specific regulator of the hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-sensitive isoform 4 (HCN4) channel. LRMP prevents cAMP-dependent potentiation of HCN4, but the interaction domains, mechanisms of action, and basis for isoform-specificity remain unknown. Here, we identify the domains of LRMP essential for this regulation, show that LRMP acts by disrupting the intramolecular signal transduction between cyclic nucleotide binding and gating, and demonstrate that multiple unique regions in HCN4 are required for LRMP isoform-specificity. Using patch clamp electrophysiology and Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET), we identified the initial 227 residues of LRMP and the N-terminus of HCN4 as necessary for LRMP to associate with HCN4. We found that the HCN4 N-terminus and HCN4-specific residues in the C-linker are necessary for regulation of HCN4 by LRMP. Finally, we demonstrated that LRMP-regulation can be conferred to HCN2 by addition of the HCN4 N-terminus along with mutation of five residues in the S5 region and C-linker to the cognate HCN4 residues. Taken together, these results suggest that LRMP inhibits HCN4 through an isoform-specific interaction involving the N-terminals of both proteins that prevents the transduction of cAMP binding into a change in channel gating, most likely via an HCN4-specific orientation of the N-terminus, C-linker, and S4-S5 linker.

Introducción: El asma bronquial es una enfermedad pulmonar heterogénea. Las exacerbaciones asmáticas son responsables de una gran parte de la carga de esta enfermedad, ocasionan cerca de 250000 muertes anuales. Objetivo: Caracterizar los factores que desencadenan las exacerbaciones asmáticas. Método: Se realizó un estudio de serie de caso en pacientes asmáticos atendidos en la consulta de neumología del Hospital General “Vladimir Ilich Lenin” de diciembre 2018 a diciembre 2019. Del total de pacientes con exacerbaciones asmáticas atendidos en la referida consulta y en el período definido, después de aplicar los criterios de inclusión (pacientes con historia clínica completa) y los criterios de exclusión (pacientes con inestabilidad en la asistencia a las consultas), el universo quedó constituido por 22 pacientes; la muestra se seleccionó por un muestreo no probabilístico intencional que consideró los pacientes con espirometría realizada y quedó conformada por 14 pacientes. Resultados: De los pacientes estudiados el 64,29% se encontró entre los 19 y 59 años y en igual porciento predominó el sexo masculino. Las comorbilidades asociadas más frecuentes resultaron ser las nasosinopatías (57,14%). En el 50% las condiciones de la vivienda resultaron regulares y los principales factores desencadenantes fueron las condiciones atmosféricas desfavorables en el 92,86%. El 64,29%, presentó más de tres exacerbaciones en el año. Conclusiones: Predominaron los pacientes entre 19 y 59 años del sexo masculino, las comorbilidades asociadas más frecuentes resultaron ser las nasosinopatías, en los que predominó la ocurrencia de más de tres exacerbaciones asmáticas en el año. Palabras clave: asma bronquial, exacerbaciones asmáticas, comorbilidades, factores desencadenantes

Abstract Epithermal bonanza-type ores, characterized by weight-percent contents of e.g., gold and silver in a few mm to cm, are generated by mixtures of magmatic-derived hydrothermal brines and external fluids (e.g., meteoric) that transport a variety of metals to the site of deposition. However, the low solubilities of precious metals in hydrothermal fluids cannot justify the high concentrations necessary to produce such type of hyper-enriched metal ore. Here we show that boiling metal-bearing brines can produce, aggregate, and accumulate metal nanomaterials, ultimately leading to focused gold + silver ± copper over-enrichments. We found direct nano-scale evidence of nanoparticulate gold- and/or silver-bearing ores formed via nonclassical growth (i.e., nanomaterial attachment) during boiling in an intermediate-sulfidation epithermal bonanza. The documented processes may explain the generation of bonanzas in metal-rich brines from a range of mineral deposit types.

Sinoatrial node myocytes (SAMs) act as cardiac pacemaker cells by firing spontaneous action potentials (APs) that initiate each heartbeat. The funny current (If) is critical for the generation of these spontaneous APs; however, its precise role during the pacemaking cycle remains unresolved. Here, we used the AP-clamp technique to quantify If during the cardiac cycle in mouse SAMs. We found that If is persistently active throughout the sinoatrial AP, with surprisingly little voltage-dependent gating. As a consequence, it carries both inward and outward current around its reversal potential of -30 mV. Despite operating at only 2 to 5% of its maximal conductance, If carries a substantial fraction of both depolarizing and repolarizing net charge movement during the firing cycle. We also show that β-adrenergic receptor stimulation increases the percentage of net depolarizing charge moved by If, consistent with a contribution of If to the fight-or-flight increase in heart rate. These properties were confirmed by heterologously expressed HCN4 channels and by mathematical models of If Modeling further suggested that the slow rates of activation and deactivation of the HCN4 isoform underlie the persistent activity of If during the sinoatrial AP. These results establish a new conceptual framework for the role of If in pacemaking, in which it operates at a very small fraction of maximal activation but nevertheless drives membrane potential oscillations in SAMs by providing substantial driving force in both inward and outward directions.

Background: The mechanisms underlying dysfunction in the sinoatrial node (SAN), the heart's primary pacemaker, are incompletely understood. Electrical and Ca2+-handling remodeling have been implicated in SAN dysfunction associated with heart failure, aging, and diabetes. Cardiomyocyte [Na+]i is also elevated in these diseases, where it contributes to arrhythmogenesis. Here, we sought to investigate the largely unexplored role of Na+ homeostasis in SAN pacemaking and test whether [Na+]i dysregulation may contribute to SAN dysfunction. Methods: We developed a dataset-specific computational model of the murine SAN myocyte and simulated alterations in the major processes of Na+ entry (Na+/Ca2+ exchanger, NCX) and removal (Na+/K+ ATPase, NKA). Results: We found that changes in intracellular Na+ homeostatic processes dynamically regulate SAN electrophysiology. Mild reductions in NKA and NCX function increase myocyte firing rate, whereas a stronger reduction causes bursting activity and loss of automaticity. These pathologic phenotypes mimic those observed experimentally in NCX- and ankyrin-B-deficient mice due to altered feedback between the Ca2+ and membrane potential clocks underlying SAN firing. Conclusions: Our study generates new testable predictions and insight linking Na+ homeostasis to Ca2+ handling and membrane potential dynamics in SAN myocytes that may advance our understanding of SAN (dys)function.

Abstract Recent studies have reported the significant role of Au-bearing nanoparticles in the formation of hydrothermal gold deposits. Despite the ever-increasing understanding of the genesis and stability of Au-bearing nanoparticles, it is still unknown how they behave when exposed to hydrothermal fluids. Here, we study the nanostructural evolution of Au–Ag nanoparticles hosted within Co-rich diarsenides and sulfarsenides of a natural hydrothermal deposit. We use high-resolution transmission electron microscopy to provide a singular glimpse of the complete melting sequence of Au–Ag nanoparticles exposed to the hydrothermal fluid during coupled dissolution–precipitation reactions of their host minerals. The interaction of Au–Ag nanoparticles with hydrothermal fluids at temperatures (400–500 ºC) common to most hydrothermal gold deposits may promote melting and generation of Au–Ag nanomelts. This process has important implications in noble metal remobilization and accumulation during the formation of these deposits.

This study presents a new geochemical, petrological, and geochronological U–Pb dataset from Ediacaran metabasites of the Canigó and Cap de Creus massifs, Eastern Pyrenees. The rocks are composed of calcic amphibole + plagioclase + chlorite + epidote ± quartz plus titanite + apatite + ilmenite ± biotite ± rutile as accessory phases and show relict igneous textures. Peak pressure-temperature determinations share common conditions, ranging 452–482ºC and 5.2–7.7kbar. These intermediate P-T conditions suggest Barrovian-type metamorphism, most likely related to a collisional setting. The metabasites correspond to evolved basaltic rocks (Mg#

The efficiency of photovoltaic modules depends on the operating temperature of the cells. Currently it is difficult to choose a suitable model to estimate the temperature of the modules, due to the variety of proposed models. In this research, ten temperature estimation models of the modules were evaluated, based on three input variables: ambient temperature, irradiance and wind speed. For the modeling, in situ measurements were used, recorded for six months, by the 7.5 kWp monocrystalline silicon photovoltaic system and a climatological station of the Solar Energy Research Center of Santiago de Cuba. King et al (2004) was the model with the best accuracy criteria, with squared error, mean absolute error and coefficient of determination equal to 3.482 ºC, 2.698 ºC and 0.912, respectively. Finally, the effect of the operating temperature of the modules on the efficiency was simulated, obtaining useful information for future projects of photovoltaic systems in Cuba.

En 2016, la Red Universitaria de Gestión del Conocimiento y la Innovación para el Desarrollo Local cumplió una década de fundada. A ella están integradas, con intensidad variable, todas las universidades y entidades de ciencia, tecnología e innovación del Ministerio de Educación Superior cubano. En este artículo se argumenta que el trabajo de dicha red ha permitido construir un marco conceptual, modelos y metodologías que respaldan el rol de la universidad como agente del conocimiento y la innovación para el desarrollo local, y ha apoyado la transformación de las políticas de educación superior con consecuencias para las políticas territoriales de desarrollo económico y social.

La publicidad del Registro Civil no es absoluta. En sentido general, el respeto al honor y a la intimidad de las personas representan su principal límite a partir del reconocimiento que de estos derechos hacen tanto la Constitución española como la cubana. En este contexto es, por tanto, notorio que la Ley N° 51 (1985) del Registro del Estado Civil en Cuba, no disponga de un sistema de datos protegidos que ordenadamente sirvan como límite de su publicidad. Por lo que, valorar dicha situación constituye el objetivo del estudio, que toma como referente la organización del contenido de publicidad restringida que presenta el sistema registral español, a partir de las semejanzas que se observan entre las instituciones registrales de ambos países y, en especial, por la organización que alcanza esta materia en la Ley 20/2011, de 21 de julio, del Registro Civil de España.

The Neoproterozoic Bou Azzer Ophiolite, located in the Pan-African orogen of the Anti-Atlas, Morocco, exposes a well-preserved mantle section of the ophiolitic sequence. Although ultramafic rocks are the most common rock types in the sequence, they have received less attention in previous studies. In this work, we investigate the petrogenesis of these ultramafic rocks in detail, including their petrology, mineralogy, and whole rock geochemistry. The mineral assemblages are mainly formed by antigorite with minor lizardite, chlorite, and accessory Cr-spinel. The only preserved primary mantle mineral is Cr-spinel, which shows unaltered cores with Cr# between 0.61 and 0.71 and alteration rims to ferrian chromite and magnetite. Whole rock analyses indicate almost total serpentinization and, locally, strong carbonation (mass loss of ignition between 11.94 and 22.20 wt%). The non-carbonated samples preserve protolith signatures, with decreased MgO/SiO2 suggesting metasomatic processes related to serpentinization. Immobile trace elements compare well with fore-arc peridotites, while melting modelling indicates intense and polyphasic melting events. We propose polyphase melting in a subduction-initiation setting, with a first stage of 14–23% anhydrous melting, forming fore-arc basalts, and a second stage of 15–25% melting with 1 wt% H2O, forming boninites. The Bou Azzer ultramafic rocks represent the fore-arc region of a supra-subduction zone, challenging previous interpretations that suggested a back-arc position. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus are global public health issues. Although males show higher obesity and insulin resistance prevalence, current treatments often neglect sex-specific differences. White adipose tissue (WAT) is crucial in preventing lipotoxicity and inflammation and has become a key therapeutic target. Rosiglitazone (RSG), a potent PPARγ agonist, promotes healthy WAT growth and mitochondrial function through MitoNEET modulation. Recent RSG-based strategies specifically target white adipocytes, avoiding side effects. Our aim was to investigate whether sex-specific differences in the insulin-sensitizing effects of RSG exist on WAT during obesity and inflammation. We used Wistar rats of both sexes fed a high-fat diet (HFD, 22.5% fat content) for 16 weeks. Two weeks before sacrifice, a group of HFD-fed rats received RSG treatment (4 mg/kg of body weight per day) within the diet. HFD male rats showed greater insulin resistance, inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and dyslipidemia than females. RSG had more pronounced effects in males, significantly improving insulin sensitivity, fat storage, mitochondrial function, and lipid handling in WAT while reducing ectopic fat deposition and enhancing adiponectin signaling in the liver. Our study suggests a significant sexual dimorphism in the anti-diabetic effects of RSG on WAT, correlating with the severity of metabolic dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining the temperature and water content of soil, at a given instant or along time, is fundamental to understand several soil‐related phenomena and processes. Evaporation, aeration, chemical‐reaction rates and types, biological processes such as germination and growth of seeds, root development, nutrient and water uptake by roots, and decomposition of organic matter by microbes, are all strongly influenced by soil temperature. On the other hand, infiltration of water through the soil surface allows soil to temporarily store water, making it available for uptake by plants and organisms living in soil. Furthermore, soil water content is closely related to physical and chemical properties of soil, such as oxygen content and demand, which impacts root breathing, microbial activity and soil chemical balance. The accurate evaluation of these two parameters and their interconnection is even relevant in semi‐arid regions, where climate conditions are particularly difficult, such as the north‐eastern zone of Brazil. Thus, the use of computational models and coupled approaches are imperative for rigorous descriptions. This work presents a contribution to estimate soil temperature and water content, by solving the heat transfer equation and the Richards equation, respectively, through finite differences. As input, the model uses the experimental material composition of the soil, the time‐dependent temperature profile at the surface and information about the regional rain regime. Three different numerical approaches were implemented: explicit, simple implicit and the Crank–Nicolson method. The calculations for temperature and water content of the soil obtained with these computational models were compared with the results from Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). The relative differences between the numerical methods were less than 0.006% by solving the heat transfer equation and less than 2.75% using the Richards equation. The maximum relative differences within the model, including both a constant and a variable water‐content profile, were 3.28%. The results from the computational model using the CFX tool have maximum relative differences of 0.6%, which contributes to verifying the accuracy of the implemented methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ni-laterite deposit at the San Felipe plateau, located 30 km northwest of Camagüey, in central Cuba, is the best example of a clay-type deposit in the Caribbean region. San Felipe resulted from the weathering of mantle peridotites of the Cretaceous Camagüey ophiolites. In this study, a geochemical and mineralogical characterization of two profiles (83 and 84) from the San Felipe deposit has been performed by XRF, ICP-MS, quantitative XRPD, oriented aggregate mount XRD, SEM, FE-SEM, and EMPA. Core 83, with a length of 23 m and drilled in the central part of the plateau, presents a notable concentration of cryptocrystalline quartz fragments and a rather poor content of NiO, averaging 0.87 wt.%. Core 84, which is 12 m long and drilled at the border of the plateau, lacks silica fragments and presents a higher NiO content, averaging 1.79 wt.%. The smectite structural formulae reveal that they evolve from trioctahedral to dioctahedral towards the top of the laterite profiles. Quantitative XRD analyses indicate that smectite is a dominant Ni-bearing phase, accompanied by serpentine and minor chlorite. Serpentine, as smectite, is enriched in the less soluble elements Fe3+, Al, and Ni towards the top of the profiles. Core 83 seems to have been affected by collapses and replenishments, whereas core 84 may have remained undisturbed.

Context: Coccoloba cowellii Britton is an endemic plant to Camagüey province, Cuba, which has been reported in critical danger of extinction, though phytochemical studies have revealed the presence of promising compounds with antioxidant activity. Hence, the need for standardizing the potential economic exploitation of the species through preservation has encouraged scholars to study the features of the seeds and germination. Aim: To assess C. cowelli seed dormancy, and evaluate their germination under controlled conditions. Methods: Anatomical and physiological evaluation of C. cowellii seed dormancy. A standard factorial experiment was designed to evaluate the germination capacity under controlled conditions, consisting of three factors, one with two levels, and the other with three levels. All the possible combinations were evaluated, totaling 18 experimental units. Results: The presence of non-dehydration sensitive C. cowellii seeds was checked, along with the absence of factors that can delay their physiological maturity. There were differences in terms of germinative efficiency resulting from scarification as pre-germinative treatments, rather than by inhibition. A significant decrease was observed 180 days following the harvest, while the best results were achieved with the utilization of substrate collected from the natural habitat. Conclusions: C. cowellii seeds can be dehydrated and stored at room temperature to preserve embryo viability of at least 50% of them. The feasibility of germination under controlled conditions favored the implementation of ex-situ controlled steps, the generation of plant material for further research, and the existence of a potential for sustainable production.