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Mexico faces significant challenges concerning the digital divide and language-related proficiencies. Considering transformative technologies like ChatGPT, it becomes imperative to examine their implications for Mexican universities. This study is situated within the context of campus 095 at the National Pedagogical University (UPN), aiming to ascertain the perceptions and applications of ChatGPT among both students and educators. One key aspect of this research is its empirical nature. The research methodology involved a combination of participant observation and the analysis of students' assignments spanning from January to June 2023. The findings of this investigation reveal that students possess an elementary grasp of ChatGPT's capabilities. Predominantly, it is employed as an information retrieval tool, with limited awareness about its proclivity for generating fabricated content. Many students struggle to identify grammatical or organizational issues in their texts and lack the proficiency to effectively employ prompts to correct them. Conversely, educators exhibit a lack of familiarity with ChatGPT, impeding the learning process as students adopt its use. While the utilization of ChatGPT holds the potential for substantial educational benefits, it is imperative to take tangible measures to ensure that these advantages materialize within education systems characterized by a digital divide and deficiencies in academic writing, like the Mexican context.

For Real-time hybrid simulation (RTHS) to be stable and accurate, it is essential to address the time desynchronization issue between the numerical and physical substructures. Desynchronization is primarily caused by time delays, inherent dynamics of the control plant, system uncertainties, and noises. While existing adaptive compensators have shown effective tracking performance in single-input single-output (SISO) RTHS, their effectiveness in multi-input multi-output (MIMO) RTHS has not been fully demonstrated. MIMO-RTHS presents additional challenges due to its larger solution space, and significant dynamic coupling between actuators. To address these challenges, this study introduces an adaptive compensation framework for MIMO-RTHS. The proposed framework utilizes a control law based on the inverse dynamics of the control plant, incorporating real-time adaptive parameter updates through Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) and Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF) methods. Both the transfer function (TF) and discrete-time state-space (SS) models of the plant are employed in distinct parameter estimation cases. The performance of the proposed compensation is validated through a multi-axial RTHS (maRTHS) benchmark problem. Extensive simulations on the maRTHS incorporating various earthquake inputs, sensor noise, and model uncertainties, demonstrated an excellent tracking performance and strong robustness across four parameter estimation cases (EKF-TF, UKF-TF, EKF-SS, and UKF-SS). The use of UKF with SS model (UKF-SS) achieved superior performance, effectively managing nonlinearities and noise without requiring low-pass filtering.

Malaria remains one of the most important infectious diseases globally due to its high incidence and mortality rates. The influx of infected cases from endemic to non-endemic malaria regions like Europe has resulted in a public health concern over sporadic local outbreaks. This is facilitated by the continued presence of competent Anopheles vectors in non-endemic countries.We modelled the potential distribution of the main malaria vector across Spain using the ensemble of eight modelling techniques based on environmental parameters and the Anopheles maculipennis s.l. presence/absence data collected from 2000 to 2020. We then combined this map with the number of imported malaria cases in each municipality to detect the geographic hot spots with a higher risk of local malaria transmission.The malaria vector occurred preferentially in irrigated lands characterized by warm climate conditions and moderate annual precipitation. Some areas surrounding irrigated lands in northern Spain (e.g. Zaragoza, Logroño), mainland areas (e.g. Madrid, Toledo) and in the South (e.g. Huelva), presented a significant likelihood of A. maculipennis s.l. occurrence, with a large overlap with the presence of imported cases of malaria.While the risk of malaria re-emergence in Spain is low, it is not evenly distributed throughout the country. The four recorded local cases of mosquito-borne transmission occurred in areas with a high overlap of imported cases and mosquito presence. Integrating mosquito distribution with human incidence cases provides an effective tool for the quantification of large-scale geographic variation in transmission risk and pinpointing priority areas for targeted surveillance and prevention.

Abstract Background Aedes albopictus is catalogued as one of the 100 most dangerous species worldwide. Native to Asia, the species has drastically increased its distribution range, reaching all continents except Antarctica. The presence of Ae. albopictus in Spain was first reported in 2004 in Cataluña (NE Spain), and it is spreading in the country. Methods We conducted an extensive mosquito monitoring study in the natural protected area of the Doñana National Park (SW Spain) in 2023. After identifying the presence of Ae. albopictus, a mosquito control strategy was developed and implemented to eradicate the species in the area. Results Overall, 12,652 mosquito females of 14 different species were captured at nine sites within the park. For the first time, the presence of Ae. albopictus was recorded in the area, despite intensive trapping performed at some localities since 2003. The presence of this invasive species in the park is most likely linked to human activities, potentially facilitated by daily car trips of personnel. Although larvae of Culex, Anopheles, and Culiseta mosquitoes were identified in these containers, the presence of Ae. albopictus larvae was not recorded in those locations. In spite of that, the biological larvicide Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) was applied to artificial containers potentially used by Ae. albopictus as breeding sites. Conclusions This work evidences the high capacity of Ae. albopictus to reach highly conserved natural areas far from urban foci. We discuss the implications of the presence of Ae. albopictus in this endangered ecosystem and the potential control measures necessary to prevent its reintroduction. Graphical Abstract

The exploration of microbial strains for the biocontrol against Fusarium diseases in maize, from extreme environments within native ecosystems, holds significant importance. For these reasons, this study aimed to obtain bacterial strains from the soil of a Mexican oyamel-fir forest impacted by fire, with the goal of inhibiting the growth of strains of the species complexes of F. oxysporum, F. sambucinum, F. incarnatum-equiseti and F. fujikuroi, which are responsible for maize rot diseases in the country. Bacterial strains were isolated and in vitro characterized for their production of indoleacetic acid, siderophore, and hydrolytic enzymes. Additionally, they were evaluated for their ability to solubilize phosphate, and inhibit the growth of Fusarium spp. Furthermore, the strains were identified through a 16S rRNA phylogenetic analysis and in vivo evaluated for promoting maize seedling growth and inhibition of seedborne Fusarium spp. Bacillus sp. B4 and B28 inhibited the growth of the strains of the four Fusarium species complexes up to 76–98 % in dual cultures; additionally, they prevented systemic infection and reduced mycelial growth on maize seed coat by up to 50 %, caused by seedborne Fusarium strains within the F. fujikuroi species complex. Moreover, both strains were non-plant pathogenic, and demonstrated cellulases, pectinase, and siderophore production. Furthermore, B4 and B28 exhibited the ability to enhance maize seedlings length and water holding capacity. Bacillus sp. B4 and B28 are valuable native genetic resources, that could offer a sustainable alternative to replace or reduce chemical fertilizers and pesticides used in Mexican maize producing areas.

Background/Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the response of interleukin-6 (IL-6) during the first few hours of a patient’s stay in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in a sample of critically ill patients with septic shock, compared to healthy subjects as controls. Additionally, the study examined the association of IL-6 with morbidity and mortality in these patients, as well as its relationship with biomarkers such as lactic acid, C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT). Methods: This was a prospective analytical study involving 28 critically ill patients with septic shock, monitored from ICU admission through to their first three days of stay. Demographic data, comorbidities and clinical information, including IL-6 and severity scores, were recorded. Results: IL-6 levels were significantly higher in patients with septic shock compared to healthy subjects (p < 0.001) upon admission. IL-6 levels decreased by the third day of ICU stay (p < 0.005). An association between IL-6 and mortality was observed (areas under the curve 0.826, confidence interval (CI) 95% 0.659−0.994, p < 0.008). Significant correlations between IL-6 and lactic acid (p < 0.009 and p < 0.018) and partial thromboplastin time (p < 0.004 and p < 0.007) were found on the first and third days, respectively. IL-6 was also the correlated with an anion gap at admission to the ICU (p < 0.009). Conclusions: In conclusion, this study suggests that IL-6 could be a valuable marker for early sepsis follow-up in ICU patients, particularly during the first 72 h of hospitalization, providing important prognostic information in patients with septic shock.

Liver cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. In Mexico, there is a high burden of liver cancer mortality in rural states, affecting both women and men equally. Thus, we aimed to describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of hepatocellular cancer (HCC) by sex in Mexico. Demographic and clinical information was extracted retrospectively from the medical records of patients with HCC initially treated (2015–2022) at institutions participating in a national survey across the country. The male-to-female ratio was calculated at the national and regional levels, and the results were stratified by sex. Among 697 HCC patients, the age at diagnosis was 65.4 ± 11.9 years and 20% were diagnosed at ≥75 years. The male-to-female ratio was 1.4:1, ranging from 1:1 in the northwestern and southwestern regions, to 2.1:1 in the western region. The proportion of cirrhosis was similar between the sexes; however, the etiology of cirrhosis differed: cryptogenic cirrhosis was higher in women and alcohol consumption was higher in men. Men had a higher proportion of advanced HCC, poor/undifferentiated tumors, and ≥4 nodules than women. HCC in the Mexican population affects both men and women at a 1.4:1 male-to-female ratio. This unique proportion by sex could be explained by the differences in the prevalence of risk factors across our heterogeneous country.

Abstract This paper presents three cascade algorithms for combined acoustic feedback cancelation (AFC) and noise reduction (NR) in speech applications. A prediction error method (PEM)-based adaptive feedback cancelation (PEM-based AFC) algorithm is used for the AFC stage, while a multichannel Wiener filter (MWF) is applied for the NR stage. A scenario with M microphones and 1 loudspeaker is considered, without loss of generality. The first algorithm is the baseline algorithm, namely the cascade M-channel rank-1 MWF and PEM-AFC, where a NR stage is performed first using a rank-1 MWF followed by a single-channel AFC stage using a PEM-based AFC algorithm. The second algorithm is the cascade $$(M+1)$$ ( M + 1 ) -channel rank-2 MWF and PEM-AFC, where again a NR stage is applied first followed by a single-channel AFC stage. The novelty of this algorithm is to consider an ( $$M+1$$ M + 1 )-channel data model in the MWF formulation with two different desired signals, i.e., the speech component in the reference microphone signal and in the loudspeaker signal, both defined by the speech source signal but not equal to each other. The two desired signal estimates are later used in a single-channel PEM-based AFC stage. The third algorithm is the cascade M-channel PEM-AFC and rank-1 MWF where an M-channel AFC stage is performed first followed by an M-channel NR stage. Although in cascade algorithms where NR is performed first and then AFC the estimation of the feedback path is usually affected by the NR stage, it is shown here that by performing a rank-2 approximation of the speech correlation matrix this issue can be avoided and the feedback path can be correctly estimated. The performance of the algorithms is assessed by means of closed-loop simulations where it is shown that for the considered input signal-to-noise ratios (iSNRs) the cascade $$(M+1)$$ ( M + 1 ) -channel rank-2 MWF and PEM-AFC and the cascade M-channel PEM-AFC and rank-1 MWF algorithms outperform the cascade M-channel rank-1 MWF and PEM-AFC algorithm in terms of the added stable gain (ASG) and misadjustment (Mis) as well as in terms of perceptual metrics such as the short-time objective intelligibility (STOI), perceptual evaluation of speech quality (PESQ), and signal distortion (SD).

One challenge in creating commercial solutions with supervised deep learning is acquiring large, customized labeled datasets. These datasets must often fit within commercial industries’ production times and budgets. There is still a need for target data that allows the model to learn specific characteristics of the target domain. The construction of customized datasets is relevant in imaging waste identification to improve the accuracy and efficiency of models, allowing adaptation to specific conditions. To address this challenge, we propose the EcoMind open-source tool. This tool facilitates waste labeling from user-provided images and empowers local dataset creation and collaborative building with users.

Summary: Avian malaria parasites provide an important model for studying host-pathogen interactions, yet understanding their dynamics in vectors under natural conditions is limited. We investigated the effect of vector abundance, species richness and diversity, and habitat characteristics on avian Plasmodium prevalence and lineage richness in Culex pipiens across 45 urban, natural, and rural localities in southern Spain. Analyzing 16,574 mosquitoes grouped in 768 mosquito pools, 32.7% exhibited parasite presence. 13 different Plasmodium lineages were identified, with the lineage SYAT05 being the most commonly found. Parasite prevalence positively correlated with the distance to saltmarshes and rivers, but negatively with the distance to total water source. Parasite lineage diversity was higher in natural than in rural areas and positively correlated with mosquito species richness. These results emphasize the complex dynamics of avian Plasmodium in the wild, with habitat characteristics and vector community driving the parasite transmission by mosquito vectors.

Recent advances in natural language processing enable more intelligent ways to support knowledge sharing in factories. In manufacturing, operating production lines has become increasingly knowledge-intensive, putting strain on a factory's capacity to train and support new operators. This paper introduces a Large Language Model (LLM)-based system designed to retrieve information from the extensive knowledge contained in factory documentation and knowledge shared by expert operators. The system aims to efficiently answer queries from operators and facilitate the sharing of new knowledge. We conducted a user study at a factory to assess its potential impact and adoption, eliciting several perceived benefits, namely, enabling quicker information retrieval and more efficient resolution of issues. However, the study also highlighted a preference for learning from a human expert when such an option is available. Furthermore, we benchmarked several commercial and open-sourced LLMs for this system. The current state-of-the-art model, GPT-4, consistently outperformed its counterparts, with open-source models trailing closely, presenting an attractive option given their data privacy and customization benefits. In summary, this work offers preliminary insights and a system design for factories considering using LLM tools for knowledge management.

Las metodologías activas forman una parte importante de los actuales modelos de enseñanza, que promueven un rol activo en los estudiantes, articulando sobre ellos los demás elementos del currículum como objetivos, contenidos, actividades y recursos, donde las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación (TIC) ofrecen un importante soporte. El escenario de pandemia, provocado por el COVID-19, ha puesto más en alerta la necesidad de potenciar en los estudiantes universitarios la promoción de sus capacidades de aprendizaje autónomo y autorregulado. A través de este artículo, se presenta la experiencia de un grupo de docentes, pertenecientes a diversas disciplinas, a través de un proyecto de innovación docente, dirigido al desarrollo de metodologías activas a través de la plataforma institucional. Los resultados confirman la necesidad y la eficacia de las metodologías activas soportadas por las tecnologías, lo cual ayuda a mejorar la inclusión y la interacción de los estudiantes.

This study aims to assess the compatibility of various e-thermal fluids for immersion cooling in battery electric vehicles through a copper wire resistance corrosion test. The tested fluids include a polyalphaolefin, diester, mineral oil API G-III, transformer oil, and a fully formulated dielectric coolant. The test was conducted at 130 °C for 336 h, and the resistance of the copper wires was monitored in vapor and oil phases. By comparing the resistance variation and analyzing portions of the wires through scanning electron microscopy, it was found that the vapor phase of PAO and diester in one of the tests exhibited significant corrosion, while the dielectric coolant showed minimal corrosive effects, implying better compatibility. These results provide insights into the corrosion behavior and compatibility of the fluids with copper, which are essential for selecting suitable dielectric fluids for immersion cooling applications in electric vehicles.

This study aimed to analyse the impact of a simulated human digestion process on the composition and functional properties of dietary fibres derived from pomegranate-peel, tomato-peel, broccoli-stem and grape-stem by-products. For this purpose, a computer-controlled simulated digestion system consisting of three bioreactors (simulating the stomach, small intestine and colon) was utilised. Non-extractable phenols associated with dietary fibre and their influence on antioxidant capacity and antiproliferative activity were investigated throughout the simulated digestive phases. Additionally, the modifications in oligosaccharide composition, the microbiological population and short-chain fatty acids produced within the digestion media were examined. The type and composition of each dietary fibre significantly influenced its functional properties and behaviour during intestinal transit. Notably, the dietary fibre from the pomegranate peel retained its high phenol content throughout colon digestion, potentially enhancing intestinal health due to its strong antioxidant activity. Similarly, the dietary fibre from broccoli stems and pomegranate peel demonstrated anti-proliferative effects in both the small and the large intestines, prompting significant modifications in colonic microbiology. Moreover, these fibre types promoted the growth of bifidobacteria over lactic acid bacteria. Thus, these results suggest that the dietary fibre from pomegranate peel seems to be a promising functional food ingredient for improving human health.

IntroductionGamification can support the practical application of Inclusive Teaching. However, gamification literature reviews to implement Inclusive Teaching are scarce or not existent. Therefore, we conducted a scoping review of gamification literature reviews to identify what themes are covered and specifically if Inclusive Teaching has been explored.MethodThe scoping literature review comprises network and content analyses of gamification literature reviews retrieved from the Web of Science. We analyzed a multimode network of papers and keywords and used their eigenvector centrality to identify themes. The content analysis comprised of a human and automatic tagging process to identify each paper’s discipline/context.ResultsWe mapped the themes explored in 125 gamification literature reviews to answer our first research question, what are the areas of knowledge covered by gamification literature reviews? The central topic is gamification and education to increase motivation, followed by gamification itself and understanding the implementation of gamification in various contexts. We identified 12 contexts and the top five frequent were Education, Business, Gamification, and Political Science. From the year-by-year analysis, we separated the themes into four periods: beginning (2014–2015), understanding (2016–2017), focus 2018 and focus and emergence (2019–2022). Regarding our second research question, how is the topic of Inclusive Teaching explored in gamification literature reviews? We did not find literature reviews about gamification to support Inclusive Teaching in the existing dataset.DiscussionWe report on the benefits of organizing central keywords by quartiles and using multimode networks to support scoping reviews; and disadvantages and advantages of using literature reviews as data sources for scoping reviews. We invite researchers to create more gamification literature reviews, to investigate gamification ethics in the light of recent technological developments such as generative models, and to reconnect gamification to the game design elements part of its definition, which goes beyond game elements.

This study aimed to characterise the fungal communities of the Spanish Protected Designations of Origin soft cheeses, 'Torta del Casar' and 'Queso de la Serena,' during ripening using an amplicon-based high-throughput sequencing approach. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the mycobiota ecology of these artisanal cheeses, providing essential insights for implementing practices to enhance their quality. The Internal Transcribed Spacer rRNA gene metabarcoding sequencing was applied to elucidate the mycobiota occurring throughout the ripening. The results showed that Yarrowia alimentaria, Yarrowia lipolytica, Kluyveromyces lactis and Pichia fermentans dominated the fungal populations in all samples, although other species such as Debaryomyces hansenii, Debaryomyces vindobonensis and Geotrichum candidum were identified in specific dairies at different ripening stages. The Protected Designation of Origin and the ripening time factors do not significantly influence the fungal diversity between different cheese samples, suggesting that minor changes in manufacturing practices between the type of cheeses have a negligible impact on mycobiota composition. By contrast, the dairy factor contributed to the variability of the fungal composition of each cheese type. Altogether, this study provides evidence of the diversity of fungi associated with traditional cheeses, highlighting the need to improve manufacturing practices to minimise variability between dairies, ensuring final quality and preserving the unique sensory characteristics that distinguish these types of Spanish artisanal cheeses.

Sindbis virus (SINV), is an Alphavirus of the family Togaviridae. This zoonotic arbovirus is transmitted by mosquitoes, primarily from the Culex genus, with bird species acting as amplifying vertebrate hosts. Occasionally it can also affect humans that are accidental hosts. SINV genotype I (SINV-I) has been isolated in mosquitoes and birds in South Africa and Northern Europe, producing fever outbreaks. In the last decades, there were several detections of SINV in Europe. In 2022, during the West Nile virus (WNV) mosquito surveillance program in Andalucía (Spain) implemented by the regional health administration, we detected the presence of both SINV and WNV in a Culex perexiguus pool, representing the first detection of SINV in Spain. After this finding, we screened 1149 mosquito pools to determine the status of SINV circulation in western Andalucía. We identified for the first time the presence of SINV in five different mosquito species. Culex perexiguus presented the highest infection rate by SINV. In addition, SINV was geographically widespread and distributed in four out of the five Andalucía's provinces studied, with Cadiz presenting the highest infection rate. All SINV genomes from Southwestern Spain characterised in this study belonged to SINV-I, previously detected in Europe and Africa. These isolated SINV-I strains presented low molecular variation among them and in the phylogenomic analyses they formed a monophyletic group that clustered with strains from Algeria and Kenya. These results suggest that, around 2017, a single new SINV introduction into the European continent occurred, probably from Northern (Algeria) or Central Africa.

Abstract Classical cadherins, including vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin, are targeted by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and γ-secretase during adherens junction (AJ) disassembly, a mechanism that might have relevance for endothelial cell (EC) integrity and vascular homeostasis. Here, we show that oxidative stress triggered by H2O2 exposure induced efficient VE-cadherin proteolysis by MMPs and γ-secretase in human umbilical endothelial cells (HUVECs). The cytoplasmic domain of VE-cadherin produced by γ-secretase, VE-Cad/CTF2—a fragment that has eluded identification so far—could readily be detected after H2O2 treatment. VE-Cad/CTF2, released into the cytosol, was tightly regulated by proteasomal degradation and was sequentially produced from an ADAM10/17-generated C-terminal fragment, VE-Cad/CTF1. Interestingly, BMP9 and BMP10, two circulating ligands critically involved in vascular maintenance, significantly reduced VE-Cad/CTF2 levels during H2O2 challenge, as well as mitigated H2O2-mediated actin cytoskeleton disassembly during VE-cadherin processing. Notably, BMP9/10 pretreatments efficiently reduced apoptosis induced by H2O2, favoring endothelial cell recovery. Thus, oxidative stress is a trigger of MMP- and γ-secretase-mediated endoproteolysis of VE-cadherin and AJ disassembly from the cytoskeleton in ECs, a mechanism that is negatively controlled by the EC quiescence factors, BMP9 and BMP10.

Recientemente, tanto la investigación como los movimientos feministas han dejado en claro que existe Hostigamiento y Acoso Sexual (HAS) en las universidades mexicanas y que esto provoca terribles consecuencias académicas, sociales y emocionales para las víctimas. Esta investigación tiene como objetivo medir el HAS en la Universidad Pedagógica Nacional (UPN), una institución pública ubicada en la Ciudad de México. En concreto, en este trabajo: a) determinamos los niveles de HAS, b) comparamos el porcentaje de personas que han sufrido al menos una conducta de HAS en diferentes campus, y c) analizamos los comentarios abiertos que compartieron los estudiantes. El instrumento se aplicó a 645 estudiantes de los diferentes campus entre el 19 de octubre y el 24 de noviembre de 2021. Se encontró que, lamentablemente, existen conductas en todos los niveles de violencia en la UPN. Los estudiantes fueron quienes llevaron a cabo la mayor cantidad de conductas, pero los docentes presentaron algunas de las más violentas. Se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en los niveles de HAS en los diferentes campus. Creemos que este artículo brinda información relevante para diseñar mejores estrategias para combatir este problema.

Reports of West Nile virus (WNV) associated disease in humans were scarce in Spain until summer 2020, when 77 cases were reported, eight fatal. Most cases occurred next to the Guadalquivir River in the Sevillian villages of Puebla del Río and Coria del Río. Detection of WNV disease in humans was preceded by a large increase in the abundance of Culex perexiguus in the neighbourhood of the villages where most human cases occurred. The first WNV infected mosquitoes were captured approximately one month before the detection of the first human cases. Overall, 33 positive pools of Cx. perexiguus and one pool of Culex pipiens were found. Serology of wild birds confirmed WNV circulation inside the affected villages, that transmission to humans also occurred in urban settings and suggests that virus circulation was geographically more widespread than disease cases in humans or horses may indicate. A high prevalence of antibodies was detected in blackbirds (Turdus merula) suggesting that this species played an important role in the amplification of WNV in urban areas. Culex perexiguus was the main vector of WNV among birds in natural and agricultural areas, while its role in urban areas needs to be investigated in more detail. Culex pipiens may have played some role as bridge vector of WNV between birds and humans once the enzootic transmission cycle driven by Cx. perexiguus occurred inside the villages. Surveillance of virus in mosquitoes has the potential to detect WNV well in advance of the first human cases.

ABSTRACT: The yeasts involved in the ripening process of artisanal soft raw ewe milk Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) Torta del Casar and Queso de la Serena cheeses produced in Extremadura, Spain, were isolated throughout their ripening process, strain typed, and characterized for some important technological properties. A total of 508 yeast isolates were obtained and identified by inter-single sequence repeat anchored PCR amplification analysis and subsequent sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer ITS1/ITS2 5.8S rRNA. A total of 19 yeast species representing 8 genera were identified. Debaryomyces hansenii, Pichia kudriavzevii, Kluyveromyces lactis, and Yarrowia lipolytica were the predominant species. We selected 157 isolates, by genotyping and origin, for technological characterization. The evaluation of yeast isolates' growth under stress conditions of cheese ripening showed that 87 presented better performance. Among them, 71 isolates were not able to catabolize tyrosine to produce a brown pigment. Principal component analysis of the biochemical features of these isolates showed that 9 strains stood out, 3 K. lactis strains (2287, 2725, and 1507), 2 Pichia jadinii (1731 and 433), 2 Yarrowia alimentaria (1204 and 2150), Y. lipolytica 2495 and P. kudriavzevii 373. These strains displayed strong extracellular proteolytic activity on skim milk agar as well as an adequate enzymatic profile (strong aminopeptidase and weak protease activity), suggesting their great potential for cheese proteolysis. Extracellular lipolytic activity was mainly restricted to Yarrowia spp. isolates and weakly present in P. kudriavzevii 373 and K. lactis 2725, although enzymatic characterization by API-ZYM (bioMérieux SA) evidenced that all may contribute, at least in part, to the lipolysis process. Moreover, these strains were able to assimilate lactose, galactose, and glucose at NaCl concentrations higher than that usually found in cheese. However, lactate and citrate assimilation were limited to Y. lipolytica 2495, P. kudriavzevii 373, and P. jadinii 433, and may contribute to the alkalinizing process relevant to biochemical processes that take place in the last stages of ripening. By contrast, K. lactis strains showed acidifying capacity and β-galactosidase activity and may take part in the initial stages of ripening, together with lactic acid bacteria. Thus, considering the technological characteristics studied, the 9 selected strains presented biochemical features well suited to their potential use as adjunct cultures, alone or in combination with autochthonous starter bacteria in the cheesemaking process, to overcome the heterogeneity of these PDO cheeses, preserving their unique sensory characteristics.

Objective. To determine the exposure to aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in southern Mexico and the presence of the aflatoxin signature mutation in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissue from patients from a cancer referral center. Materials and methods. We estimated the prevalence and distribution of AFB1 in a representative sample of 100 women and men from Chiapas using the National Health and Nutrition Survey 2018-19. We also examined the presence of the aflatoxin signature mutation in codon 249 (R249S), and other relevant mutations of the TP53 gene in HCC tissue blocks from 24 women and 26 men treated in a national cancer referral center. Results. The prevalence of AFB1 in serum samples was 85.5% (95%CI 72.1-93.1) and the median AFB1 was 0.117 pg/μL (IQR, 0.050–0.350). We detected TP53 R249S in three of the 50 HCCs (6.0%) and observed four other G>T transversions potentially induced by AFB1. Conclusion. Our analysis provides evidence that AFB1 may have a relevant role on HCC etiology in Mexico.

Proper waste separation is essential for recycling. However, it can be challenging to identify waste materials accurately, especially in real-world settings. In this study, a systematic literature review (SLR) was carried out to identify the physical enablers (sensors and computing devices), datasets, and machine learning (ML) algorithms used for waste identification in indirect separation systems. This review analyzed 55 studies, following the Kitchenham guidelines. The SLR identified three levels of autonomy in waste segregation systems: full, moderate, and low. Edge computing devices are the most widely used for data processing (9 of 17 studies). Five types of sensors are used for waste identification: inductive, capacitive, image-based, sound-based, and weight-based sensors. Visible-image-based sensors are the most common in the literature. Single classification is the most popular dataset type (65%), followed by bounding box detection (22.5%). Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are the most commonly used ML technique for waste identification (24 out of 26 articles). One of the main conclusions is that waste identification faces challenges with real-world complexity, limited data in datasets, and a lack of detailed waste categorization. Future work in waste identification should focus on deployment and testing in non-controlled environments, expanding system functionalities, and exploring sensor fusion.

Abstract Background The vast impact of COVID-19 call for the identification of clinical parameter that can help predict a torpid evolution. Among these, endothelial injury has been proposed as one of the main pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the disease, promoting a hyperinflammatory and prothrombotic state leading to worse clinical outcomes. Leukocytes and platelets play a key role in inflammation and thrombogenesis, hence the objective of the current study was to study whether neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelets-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) as well as the new parameter neutrophil-to-platelet ratio (NPR), could help identify patients who at risk of admission at Intensive Care Units. Methods A retrospective observational study was performed at HM Hospitales including electronic health records from 2245 patients admitted due to COVID-19 from March 1 to June 10, 2020. Patients were divided into two groups, admitted at ICU or not. Results Patients who were admitted at the ICU had significantly higher values in all hemogram-derived ratios at the moment of hospital admission compared to those who did not need ICU admission. Specifically, we found significant differences in NLR (6.9 [4–11.7] vs 4.1 [2.6–7.6], p

Background/Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the response of interleukin-6 (IL-6) during the first few hours of a patient's stay in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in a sample of critically ill patients with septic shock, compared to healthy subjects as controls. Additionally, the study examined the association of IL-6 with morbidity and mortality in these patients, as well as its relationship with biomarkers such as lactic acid, C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT). Methods: This was a prospective analytical study involving 28 critically ill patients with septic shock, monitored from ICU admission through to their first three days of stay. Demographic data, comorbidities and clinical information, including IL-6 and severity scores, were recorded. Results: IL-6 levels were significantly higher in patients with septic shock compared to healthy subjects (p < 0.001) upon admission. IL-6 levels decreased by the third day of ICU stay (p < 0.005). An association between IL-6 and mortality was observed (areas under the curve 0.826, confidence interval (CI) 95% 0.659−0.994, p < 0.008). Significant correlations between IL-6 and lactic acid (p < 0.009 and p < 0.018) and partial thromboplastin time (p < 0.004 and p < 0.007) were found on the first and third days, respectively. IL-6 was also the correlated with an anion gap at admission to the ICU (p < 0.009). Conclusions: In conclusion, this study suggests that IL-6 could be a valuable marker for early sepsis follow-up in ICU patients, particularly during the first 72 h of hospitalization, providing important prognostic information in patients with septic shock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liver cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. In Mexico, there is a high burden of liver cancer mortality in rural states, affecting both women and men equally. Thus, we aimed to describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of hepatocellular cancer (HCC) by sex in Mexico. Demographic and clinical information was extracted retrospectively from the medical records of patients with HCC initially treated (2015–2022) at institutions participating in a national survey across the country. The male-to-female ratio was calculated at the national and regional levels, and the results were stratified by sex. Among 697 HCC patients, the age at diagnosis was 65.4 ± 11.9 years and 20% were diagnosed at ≥75 years. The male-to-female ratio was 1.4:1, ranging from 1:1 in the northwestern and southwestern regions, to 2.1:1 in the western region. The proportion of cirrhosis was similar between the sexes; however, the etiology of cirrhosis differed: cryptogenic cirrhosis was higher in women and alcohol consumption was higher in men. Men had a higher proportion of advanced HCC, poor/undifferentiated tumors, and ≥4 nodules than women. HCC in the Mexican population affects both men and women at a 1.4:1 male-to-female ratio. This unique proportion by sex could be explained by the differences in the prevalence of risk factors across our heterogeneous country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

En el siglo XX, la poesía infantil tuvo una gran influencia de la oralidad folclórica. Sin embargo, varios críticos han señalado que, en las primeras décadas del siglo XXI, ha disfrutado de una transformación formal. El objetivo de este artículo es determinar, mediante un estudio literario y estadístico, cuáles son los recursos formales más utilizados en la poesía infantil actual; en específico se analizan el tamaño del verso, la forma general del poema (prosa poética, verso libre y métrica) y el uso de la poesía visual. El corpus de este trabajo consiste en los ganadores del Premio hispanoamericano de poesía infantil y está integrado por 16 libros y 423 poemas. Se encontró que, en la poesía infantil del siglo XXI, la forma más frecuente es el verso libre; se sigue empleando la métrica, pero con muchas innovaciones; es común el uso de varios recursos de poesía visual; y ha comenzado a tomar fuerza la poesía en prosa. En conclusión, se está experimentando un periodo de verdadera renovación formal que apunta a nuevas sensibilidades, estrategias didácticas y formas de lectura.

Durante la Baja Edad Media, y hasta la reforma tridentina, existió la costumbre en las iglesias hispanas de cantar el aleluya de la Misa en las segundas vísperas de las solemnidades más importantes del calendario litúrgico; en su caso, remplazando al himno, y más excepcionalmente, al responsorio, el versículo simple o la secuencia-prosa. Esta extraña peculiaridad, apenas conocida hasta la fecha, plantea una serie de interrogantes de sugestivo análisis: ¿cuál fue el origen de esta tradición? ¿En qué grado estuvo extendida por la geografía peninsular? De igual modo, ¿cuáles fueron las festividades que prescribieron la interpretación del aleluya de la Misa en vísperas? ¿Hasta qué punto es estable su elección, así como la manera de combinarse con otros ítems litúrgicos? ¿Qué peculiaridades encierra la entonación de estos aleluyas? Y por último, ¿cómo se refleja esta tradición en las fuentes? El propósito perseguido en este artículo es arrojar luz sobre estas cuestiones en orden a posibilitar un mejor conocimiento del ritual tardomedieval hispano. Para ello, se ha consultado un amplio elenco de testimonios litúrgicos peninsulares —tanto diocesanos como monásticos— fechados entre los siglos XI y XVI. En modo análogo, ahondamos en las razones litúrgicas que provocaron este singular trasplante, así como en los factores que alentaron su difusión por el panorama ibérico.