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Introduction Adverse perinatal outcomes (APO) pose a significant global challenge, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study aims to analyse two cohorts of high-risk pregnant women for APO to comprehend risk factors and improve prediction accuracy.Methods We considered an LMIC and a high-income country (HIC) population to derive XGBoost classifiers to predict low birth weight (LBW) from a comprehensive set of maternal and fetal characteristics including socio-demographic, past and current pregnancy information, fetal biometry and fetoplacental Doppler measurements. Data were sourced from the FeDoC (Fetal Doppler Collaborative) study (Pakistan, LMIC) and theIMPACT (Improving Mothers for a Better PrenAtal Care Trial) study (Spain, HIC), and included 520 and 746 pregnancies assessed from 28 weeks gestation, respectively. The models were trained on varying subsets of the mentioned characteristics to evaluate their contribution in predicting LBW cases. For external validation, and to highlight potential differential risk factors for LBW, we investigated the generalisation of these models across cohorts. Models’ performance was evaluated through the area under the curve (AUC), and their interpretability was assessed using SHapley Additive exPlanations.Results In FeDoC, Doppler variables demonstrated the highest value at predicting LBW compared with biometry and maternal clinical data (AUCDoppler, 0.67; AUCClinical, 0.65; AUCBiometry, 0.63), and its combination with maternal clinical data yielded the best prediction (AUCClinical+Doppler, 0.71). In IMPACT, fetal biometry emerged as the most predictive set (AUCBiometry, 0.75; AUCDoppler, 0.70; AUCClinical, 0.69) and its combination with Doppler and maternal clinical data achieved the highest accuracy (AUCClinical+Biometry+Doppler, 0.81). External validation consistently indicated that biometry combined with Doppler data yielded the best prediction.Conclusions Our findings provide new insights into the predictive role of different clinical and ultrasound descriptors in two populations at high risk for APO, highlighting that different approaches are required for different populations. However, Doppler data improves prediction capabilities in both settings, underscoring the value of standardising ultrasound data acquisition, as practiced in HIC, to enhance LBW prediction in LMIC. This alignment contributes to bridging the health equity gap.

The quantification of carbon fluxes (CFs) is crucial due to their role in the global carbon cycle having a direct impact on Earth's climate. In the last years, considerable efforts have been made to scale CFs from eddy covariance (EC) data to the globe. In this work, a data-driven approach that exploits a multioutput Gaussian processes regression algorithm ($\mathcal{G}$-model) is proposed to jointly estimate gross primary production (GPP), terrestrial ecosystem respiration (TER), and net ecosystem exchange (NEE) at a global scale. The $\mathcal{G}$-model not only provides an estimate of the CFs but also an uncertainty. Moreover, it derives the three fluxes jointly preserving their physical relationship. The predictors are selected from a set of the moderate-resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) products available on Google Earth engine. The performance of the model revealed high accuracies (R2 reaching 0.82, 0.69, and 0.80 in the case of GPP, NEE, and TER, respectively), and low root mean square errors (1.55 g m−2 d−1 in the case of GPP, 1.09 g m−2 d−1 for the NEE, and 1.14 g m−2 d−1 for TER) over the FLUXNET2015 data set at eight-day time scale. The GPP estimates provided by $\mathcal{G}$-model outperformed the MOD17A2 product, and a state-of-the-art GPP product (PML_V2) without using meteorological forcing data sets. The results reported mean annual amounts of 133.7, 114.8, and 18.9 Pg yr−1 for GPP, TER, and NEE, respectively, during the 2002–2023 period. The proposed approach paves the way for the development of multioutput strategies that preserve the physical relationships among CFs in upscaling processes.

Image segmentation of the corneal endothelium with deep convolutional neural networks (CNN) is challenging due to the scarcity of expert-annotated data. This work proposes a data augmentation technique via warping to enhance the performance of semi-supervised training of CNNs for accurate segmentation. We use a unique augmentation process for images and masks involving keypoint extraction, Delaunay triangulation, local affine transformations, and mask refinement. This approach accurately captures the natural variability of the corneal endothelium, enriching the dataset with realistic and diverse images. The proposed method achieved an increase in the mean intersection over union (mIoU) and Dice coefficient (DC) metrics of 17.2% and 4.8% respectively, for the segmentation task in corneal endothelial images on multiple CNN architectures. Our data augmentation strategy successfully models the natural variability in corneal endothelial images, thereby enhancing the performance and generalization capabilities of semi-supervised CNNs in medical image cell segmentation tasks.

Background and Objective. Following tooth extraction, socket healing leads to bone remodeling, which generally results in significant local anatomical changes in the height and width of the residual alveolar ridge. This study aimed to compare dimensional changes through histological and histomorphometric evaluation of newly formed bone and residual graft particles. Materials and Methods. We worked on 14 single-root or premolar teeth with fused roots with an indication for the preservation of the alveolar ridge and the subsequent placement of a dental implant. The techniques performed in the study were the Bartee technique for the preservation of the alveolar crest in seven teeth that presented a good amount of the remaining bone tissue (minimum 4 mm in the apical–coronal direction) or that had a buccal or lingual/palatine wall defect (group A) and the Bio-Col alveolar preservation technique (group B), in seven teeth that presented an intact alveolus (four remaining walls). Xenograft was used in both groups. Results: Morphometric evaluation of group A (Bartee technique) and group B (Bio-Col technique) showed 11.48% and 13.24% of reabsorption in the vertical direction (p=0.482) and 21.95% and 20.55% in the horizontal direction, respectively (p=0.949). At 6 months of healing, the histomorphometric evaluation showed 31.10% new bone formation and 28.09% residual particles in group A, 13.24% new bone formation (p=0.744), and 20.55% residual particles for group B (p=0.302). There were no statistically significant differences in dimensional changes between both groups. Conclusions. The Bartee and Bio-Col alveolar ridge preservation technique combined with a xenograft provides dimensional stability, counteracting the physiological resorption process and ensuring the stability of the surrounding tissues. Therefore, both techniques represent a predictable option for dental implant placement at 6 months of healing.

The genus Crossiella contains two species, C. equi, causing nocardioform placentitis in horses, and C. cryophila, an environmental bacterium. Apart from C. equi, which is not discussed here, environmental Crossiella is rarely reported in the literature; thus, it has not been included among “rare actinobacteria”, whose isolation frequency is very low. After C. cryophila, only five reports cover the isolation of Crossiella strains. However, the frequency of published papers on environmental Crossiella has increased significantly in recent years due to the extensive use of next-generation sequencing (NGS) and a huge cascade of data that has improved our understanding of how bacteria occur in the environment. In the last five years, Crossiella has been found in different environments (caves, soils, plant rhizospheres, building stones, etc.). The high abundance of Crossiella in cave moonmilk indicates that this genus may have an active role in moonmilk formation, as evidenced by the precipitation of calcite, witherite, and struvite in different culture media. This review provides an overview of environmental Crossiella, particularly in caves, and discusses its role in biomineralization processes and bioactive compound production.

Temperature shapes the adaptation and composition of microbiomes, but whether their enzymes drive the thermal response remains unknown. Using an analysis of seven enzyme classes from worldwide marine microbiome data, this study shows that enzyme thermal properties explain microbial thermal plasticity and they are both finely tuned by the thermal variability of the environment.

The aim of this study was to monitor the impact of a preoperative low-calorie diet and bariatric surgery on the bacterial gut microbiota composition and functionality in severe obesity and to compare sleeve gastrectomy (SG) versus Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). The study also aimed to incorporate big data analysis for the omics results and machine learning by a Lasso-based analysis to detect the potential markers for excess weight loss. Forty patients who underwent bariatric surgery were recruited (14 underwent SG, and 26 underwent RYGB). Each participant contributed 4 fecal samples (baseline, post-diet, 1 month after surgery and 3 months after surgery). The bacterial composition was determined by 16S rDNA massive sequencing using MiSeq (Illumina). Metabolic signatures associated to fecal concentrations of short-chain fatty acids, amino acids, biogenic amines, gamma-aminobutyric acid and ammonium were determined by gas and liquid chromatography. Orange 3 software was employed to correlate the variables, and a Lasso analysis was employed to predict the weight loss at the baseline samples. A correlation between Bacillota (formerly Firmicutes) abundance and excess weight was observed only for the highest body mass indexes. The low-calorie diet had little impact on composition and targeted metabolic activity. RYGB had a deeper impact on bacterial composition and putrefactive metabolism than SG, although the excess weight loss was comparable in the two groups. Significantly higher ammonium concentrations were detected in the feces of the RYGB group. We detected individual signatures of composition and functionality, rather than a gut microbiota characteristic of severe obesity, with opposing tendencies for almost all measured variables in the two surgical approaches. The gut microbiota of the baseline samples was not useful for predicting excess weight loss after the bariatric process.

The advent of molecular tools, and particularly next-generation sequencing, has dramatically changed our knowledge of the diversity of microbial life on Earth. In recent decades, many studies on different terrestrial environments have described the intriguing diversity and abundance of Euzebyales/Euzebyaceae/Euzebya, yet its role in the geochemical cycle of elements is unknown. In addition, as far as we know, no Euzebya isolates have been obtained from terrestrial niches. In this review, it is shown that Euzebya and other haloalkaliphilic bacteria can thrive under harsh conditions, such as high concentrations of sodium and/or calcium, high electric conductivity and alkaline pH, highly variable temperatures, and water fluctuations. These conditions are quasi-extreme in the studied terrestrial environments. However, the culture media used so far for isolation have failed to reproduce the original conditions of these terrestrial ecosystems, and this is likely the reason why strains of Euzebya and other bacteria that inhabit the same niche could not be isolated. It is expected that culture media reproducing the environmental conditions outlined in this review could cope with the isolation of terrestrial Euzebya and other haloalkaliphilic genera.

Many microorganisms feed on the tissue and recalcitrant bone materials from dead animals, however little is known about the collaborative effort and characteristics of their enzymes. In this study, microbial metagenomes from symbionts of the marine bone-dwelling worm Osedax mucofloris, and from microbial biofilms growing on experimentally deployed bone surfaces were screened for specialized bone-degrading enzymes. A total of 2,043 taxonomically (closest match within 40 phyla) and functionally (1 proteolytic and 9 glycohydrolytic activities) diverse and non-redundant sequences (median pairwise identity of 23.6%) encoding such enzymes were retrieved. The taxonomic assignation and the median identity of 72.2% to homologous proteins reflect microbial and functional novelty associated to a specialized bone-degrading marine community. Binning suggests that only one generalist hosting all ten targeted activities, working in synergy with multiple specialists hosting a few or individual activities. Collagenases were the most abundant enzyme class, representing 48% of the total hits. A total of 47 diverse enzymes, representing 8 hydrolytic activities, were produced in Escherichia coli, whereof 13 were soluble and active. The biochemical analyses revealed a wide range of optimal pH (4.0–7.0), optimal temperature (5–65 °C), and of accepted substrates, specific to each microbial enzyme. This versatility may contribute to a high environmental plasticity of bone-degrading marine consortia that can be confronted to diverse habitats and bone materials. Through bone-meal degradation tests, we further demonstrated that some of these enzymes, particularly those from Flavobacteriaceae and Marinifilaceae, may be an asset for development of new value chains in the biorefinery industry.

Castañar Cave is a clear example of an oligotrophic ecosystem with high hygrothermal stability both seasonal and interannual and the particularity of registering extraordinary levels of environmental radiation. These environmental conditions make the cave an ideal laboratory to evaluate both the responses of the subterranean environment to sudden changes in the matter and energy fluxes with the exterior and also any impact derived from its use as a tourist resource under a very restrictive access regime. In 2008, a fungal outbreak provoked by a vomit contaminated the sediments which were removed and subsequently treated with hydrogen peroxide. Fungal surveys were carried out in 2008 and 2009. The visits were resumed in 2014. Here, 12 years after the outbreak, we present an exhaustive study on the cave sediments in order to know the distribution of the different fungal taxa, as well as the prevalence and spatio-temporal evolution of the fungi caused by the vomit over the years under the conditions of relative isolation and high radiation that characterize this cave.

The use of machine learning (ML) approaches to target clinical problems is called to revolutionize clinical decision-making in cardiology. The success of these tools is dependent on the understanding of the intrinsic processes being used during the conventional pathway by which clinicians make decisions. In a parallelism with this pathway, ML can have an impact at four levels: for data acquisition, predominantly by extracting standardized, high-quality information with the smallest possible learning curve; for feature extraction, by discharging healthcare practitioners from performing tedious measurements on raw data; for interpretation, by digesting complex, heterogeneous data in order to augment the understanding of the patient status; and for decision support, by leveraging the previous steps to predict clinical outcomes, response to treatment or to recommend a specific intervention. This paper discusses the state-of-the-art, as well as the current clinical status and challenges associated with the two later tasks of interpretation and decision support, together with the challenges related to the learning process, the auditability/traceability, the system infrastructure and the integration within clinical processes in cardiovascular imaging.

Objective: To describe the development of an artificial placenta (AP) system in sheep with learning curve and main bottlenecks to allow survival up to one week. Methods: A total of 28 fetal sheep were transferred to an AP system at 110–115 days of gestation. The survival goal in the AP system was increased progressively in three consecutive study groups: 1–3 h (n = 8), 4–24 h (n = 10) and 48–168 h (n = 10). Duration of cannulation procedure, technical complications, pH, lactate, extracorporeal circulation (EC) circuit flows, fetal heart rate, and outcomes across experiments were compared. Results: There was a progressive reduction in cannulation complications (75%, 50% and 0%, p = 0.004), improvement in initial pH (7.20 ± 0.06, 7.31 ± 0.04 and 7.33 ± 0.02, p = 0.161), and increment in the rate of experiments reaching survival goal (25%, 70% and 80%, p = 0.045). In the first two groups, cannulation accidents, air bubbles in the extracorporeal circuit, and thrombotic complications were the most common cause of AP system failure. Conclusions: Achieving a reproducible experimental setting for an AP system is extremely challenging, time- and effort-consuming, and requires a highly multidisciplinary team. As a result of the learning curve, we achieved reproducible transition and survival up to 7 days. Extended survival requires improving instrumentation with custom-designed devices.

Exposure to climate hazards is increasing, and the experiences of frontline communities warrant meaningful and urgent attention towards how to mitigate, manage, and adapt to hazards. We report results from a community-engaged pilot (November 2021–June 2022) of N = 30 participants in four frontline communities of the San Francisco Bay Area, California, USA. The study region is an area where low-income, non-English-speaking residents are inequitably exposed and vulnerable to wildfire smoke, extreme heat, and other climate hazards. Building from a yearslong partnership of researchers, community organizations, and community members, we report the feasibility of a project piloting (1) instruments to monitor indoor air quality, temperature, and participant sleep health, and (2) interventions to improve indoor air quality and support protective behaviors. Data collection included experience-based survey data (via in-person administered surveys and a smartphone application) and interviews about heat and air quality, as well as data from an air monitoring protocol. Results cover the prevalence of hazard exposure and protective actions among participants. We discuss throughout methods for conducting and evaluating a community-engaged pilot, particularly by using a community ambassador program. Implications include the feasibility of community-engaged research projects, including discussion of resources required to accomplish this work.

The university that Alasdair MacIntyre defines as liberal is that which rejects the tradition as something pre-modern and with an impediment for the progress, including the pedagogic one. This university model has been extended in all instances, giving priority to the technical education in a pragmatic way. Thus, the global and sapiential vision of the university has been relegated. This last approach is the key for unifying the knowledge and to pass it onto other people and, therefore, to educate and mold intellectually and morally. However, the professionalization of the philosophy and the criteria of the modern liberalism seem to dominate and inspire most universities in the present day. This situation has plainly shown an inability to become aware of their incompetence to properly educate professors and students alike, in a sapiential and moral manner, threfore deceiving themselves with a naive rhetoric.

Abstract Objective This exploratory study assessed the safety of the combination of sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim and guaifenesin (STG) in adult and pediatric patients with acute bronchitis according to local labelling in Peru. Results We enrolled 51 pediatric and 52 adult participants diagnosed with acute bronchitis and indication of STG. The mean ages were 7.6 years (SD ± 3.2 years) and 42.8 years (SD ± 16.1) and the proportion of female patients were 51% and 65%, respectively. The duration of treatment in pediatric patients was 7 days in 2% while in adults patients it was

En la actualidad, los nuevos requerimientos del siglo XXI en la formación docente son evidentes. El presente trabajo tiene como principal objetivo describir el perfil de los estudiantes universitarios en temas relevantes para su futuro profesional. Entre ellos se consideran importantes los enfoques de enseñanza, la atención a la diversidad, las TIC y su relación con el cyberbullying, la inteligencia emocional y la autoestima. La investigación fue llevada a cabo en la Universidad Católica de San Antonio de Murcia (UCAM) con una muestra de 230 estudiantes de Educación. Los instrumentos utilizados para este propósito fueron el cuestionario de autoestima Rosenberg, ATI, TMMS-24 y un instrumento diseñado ad-hoc para la atención a la diversidad y el uso de las TIC y su relación con el cyberbullying. Los resultados muestran un perfil definido de estudiantes mujeres, con una alta inteligencia emocional, autoestima dentro del promedio, que no favorecen un enfoque de enseñanza específico y con medios muy elevados en la atención a la diversidad y el cyberbullying.

Hyperspectral (HS) imaging presents itself as a non-contact, non-ionizing and non-invasive technique, proven to be suitable for medical diagnosis. However, the volume of information contained in these images makes difficult providing the surgeon with information about the boundaries in real-time. To that end, High-Performance-Computing (HPC) platforms become necessary. This paper presents a comparison between the performances provided by five different HPC platforms while processing a spatial-spectral approach to classify HS images, assessing their main benefits and drawbacks. To provide a complete study, two different medical applications, with two different requirements, have been analyzed. The first application consists of HS images taken from neurosurgical operations; the second one presents HS images taken from dermatological interventions. While the main constraint for neurosurgical applications is the processing time, in other environments, as the dermatological one, other requirements can be considered. In that sense, energy efficiency is becoming a major challenge, since this kind of applications are usually developed as hand-held devices, thus depending on the battery capacity. These requirements have been considered to choose the target platforms: on the one hand, three of the most powerful Graphic Processing Units (GPUs) available in the market; and, on the other hand, a low-power GPU and a manycore architecture, both specifically thought for being used in battery-dependent environments.

Understanding the dynamics and spatial distribution of gases in the subterranean atmospheres is essential to increase the reliability of carbon balances in karst ecosystems or the paleoclimate reconstructions based on cave deposits. This scientific information is also very valuable for cave managers to ensure the safety of visitors and the conservation of the subterranean heritage. Through a comprehensive monitoring of the main air parameters in a shallow temperate cave, we decipher the physical drivers and mechanisms involved in the CO2 and radon exchange between the cave and the outer atmosphere, and how this process is triggered by the changes of local weather. Our results reveal that the biphasic infiltration (water plus air) in the network of penetrative structures from the overlying soil and host rock exercise remarkable control over the cave environment, delaying the thermal response of the cave air to the outer climate-driven changes and also the gaseous transfer between the cave atmosphere and the exterior. The cave location concerning the karstified outcrop determines that this subterranean site acts as a gas emitter during summer, which is contrary to what happens in many other caves. Prominent gas entrapment at a micro-local level is also registered in some upper galleries.

The Santo Domingo Diocesan School (Orihuela, SE Spain) is a singular case study that relates air quality monitoring and stone conservation. The monument suffers severe damage due to salt crystallization by rising damp, which is related to the indoor environment dynamics, high groundwater salt content, and microstructure, the building’s porous stone (biocalcarenite). Results revealed that 222Rn concentration in indoor air is low due to the building’s high ventilation rate, despite the medium-low geogenic radon potential in the area. Wavelets analysis showed that ventilation is caused by outdoor and indoor temperature variations and directly affects the 222Rn and CO2 dynamics inside the church. CO2, as well as relative humidity (RH), presented periodicities with intermediate frequencies (5–8 days) related to visits. These RH and temperature (T) variations intensified the salt damage by increasing the frequency of dissolution-crystallization cycles. The mineralogical characterization and geochemical calculations concluded that chlorides (halite and sylvite), sulfates (thenardite, epsomite, hexahydrite and aphthitalite) and nitrates (niter) present from dissolution forms to whiskers and hopper-type morphologies. This indicates high saturation values and, therefore, higher crystallization pressure values within the porous media of the biocalcarenite. On the contrary, the near-equilibrium crystal shape and incongruent precipitation reaction for humberstonite suggest a lower alteration for this salt on the building stone.

Lava caves differ from karstic caves in their genesis and mineral composition. Subsurface microbiology of lava tube caves in Canary Islands, a volcanic archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, is largely unknown. We have focused the investigation in a representative lava tube cave, Fuente de la Canaria Cave, in La Palma Island, Spain, which presents different types of speleothems and colored microbial mats. Four samples collected in this cave were studied using DNA next-generation sequencing and field emission scanning electron microscopy for bacterial identification, functional profiling, and morphological characterization. The data showed an almost exclusive dominance of Bacteria over Archaea. The distribution in phyla revealed a majority abundance of Proteobacteria (37–89%), followed by Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria and Candidatus Rokubacteria. These four phyla comprised a total relative abundance of 72–96%. The main ecological functions in the microbial communities were chemoheterotrophy, methanotrophy, sulfur and nitrogen metabolisms, and CO2 fixation; although other ecological functions were outlined. Genome annotations of the especially representative taxon Ga0077536 (about 71% of abundance in moonmilk) predicted the presence of genes involved in CO2 fixation, formaldehyde consumption, sulfur and nitrogen metabolisms, and microbially-induced carbonate precipitation. The detection of several putative lineages associated with C, N, S, Fe and Mn indicates that Fuente de la Canaria Cave basalts are colonized by metabolically diverse prokaryotic communities involved in the biogeochemical cycling of major elements.

ABSTRACT The marine bone biome is a complex assemblage of macro- and microorganisms; however, the enzymatic repertoire to access bone-derived nutrients remains unknown. The bone matrix is a composite material made up mainly of organic collagen and inorganic hydroxyapatite. We conducted field experiments to study microbial assemblages that can use organic bone components as nutrient source. Bovine and turkey bones were deposited at 69 m depth in a Norwegian fjord (Byfjorden, Bergen). Metagenomic sequence analysis was used to assess the functional potential of microbial assemblages from bone surface and the bone-eating worm Osedax mucofloris, which is a frequent colonizer of whale falls and known to degrade bone. The bone microbiome displayed a surprising taxonomic diversity revealed by the examination of 59 high-quality metagenome-assembled genomes from at least 23 bacterial families. Over 700 genes encoding enzymes from 12 relevant enzymatic families pertaining to collagenases, peptidases, and glycosidases putatively involved in bone degradation were identified. Metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) of the class Bacteroidia contained the most diverse gene repertoires. We postulate that demineralization of inorganic bone components is achieved by a timely succession of a closed sulfur biogeochemical cycle between sulfur-oxidizing and sulfur-reducing bacteria, causing a drop in pH and subsequent enzymatic processing of organic components in the bone surface communities. An unusually large and novel collagen utilization gene cluster was retrieved from one genome belonging to the gammaproteobacterial genus Colwellia. IMPORTANCE Bones are an underexploited, yet potentially profitable feedstock for biotechnological advances and value chains, due to the sheer amounts of residues produced by the modern meat and poultry processing industry. In this metagenomic study, we decipher the microbial pathways and enzymes that we postulate to be involved in bone degradation in the marine environment. We here demonstrate the interplay between different bacterial community members, each supplying different enzymatic functions with the potential to cover an array of reactions relating to the degradation of bone matrix components. We identify and describe a novel gene cluster for collagen utilization, which is a key function in this unique environment. We propose that the interplay between the different microbial taxa is necessary to achieve the complex task of bone degradation in the marine environment.

The Cross of the Inquisition, sculpted in 1903 and raised on a column with a fluted shaft and ornamented with vegetable garlands, is located in a corner of the Plateresque façade of the Seville City Hall. The Cross was vandalized in September 2019 and the restoration concluded in September 2021. A geological and microbiological study was carried out in a few small fragments. The data are consistent with the exposure of the Cross of the Inquisition to an urban environment for more than 100 years. During that time, a lichen community colonized the Cross and the nearby City Hall façades. The lichens, bryophytes and fungi colonizing the limestone surface composed an urban community, regenerated from the remains of the original communities, after superficial cleaning of the limestone between 2008 and 2010. This biological activity was detrimental to the integrity of the limestone, as showed by the pitting and channels, which evidence the lytic activity of organisms on the stone surface. Stone consolidation was achieved with Estel 1000. Preventol RI80, a biocide able to penetrate the porous limestone and active against bacteria, fungi, lichens, and bryophytes, was applied in the restoration.

Understanding the fluctuations in cave air concentrations and their climatic control is substantial not only to preserve the quality of indoor atmospheres but also to avoid the risk related to the presence of hazardous substances. In this study, we investigated the most influential factors affecting 222Rn and CO2 concentrations, the nature of their dynamics, and their coupling with climatic variations. For this purpose, we combined a set of mathematical methods that included a statistical and wavelet analysis of a 6-year time series in Rull Cave (Spain). Generally, the 222Rn and CO2 dynamic in cave air showed similar patterns. However, the obtained results show that these gases have a different frequency response. Thus, the annual component of 222Rn and CO2 is controlled by the relationship between external and internal temperatures. At low frequencies, both gases are affected by the same variables when the cave atmosphere reaches a minimum concentration. However, when the cave atmosphere is isolated from the outdoors, 222Rn and CO2 behave differently and disturbance caused by the visitors is evidenced in terms of the CO2 concentration; the latter observation was confirmed by the wavelet analysis at high frequencies. In contrast, the 222Rn concentration shows important variations following rainfall, which was weakly identified in the CO2 concentration.

The capacity of six water stress factors (ε′i) to track daily light use efficiency (ε) of water-limited ecosystems was evaluated. These factors are computed with remote sensing operational products and a limited amount of ground data: ε′1 uses ground precipitation and air temperature, and satellite incoming global solar radiation; ε′2 uses ground air temperature, and satellite actual evapotranspiration and incoming global solar radiation; ε′3 uses satellite actual and potential evapotranspiration; ε′4 uses satellite soil moisture; ε′5 uses satellite-derived photochemical reflectance index; and ε′6 uses ground vapor pressure deficit. These factors were implemented in a production efficiency model based on Monteith’s approach in order to assess their performance for modeling gross primary production (GPP). Estimated GPP was compared to reference GPP from eddy covariance (EC) measurements (GPPEC) in three sites placed in the Iberian Peninsula (two open shrublands and one savanna). ε′i were correlated to ε, which was calculated by dividing GPPEC by ground measured photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and satellite-derived fraction of absorbed PAR. Best results were achieved by ε′1, ε′2, ε′3 and ε′4 explaining around 40% and 50% of ε variance in open shurblands and savanna, respectively. In terms of GPP, R2 ≈ 0.70 were obtained in these cases.

In the last two decades, there has been a global movement towards pedagogies that create more inclusive school environments in order to meet the needs of diverse learners. One such approach is Universal Design for Learning (UDL), which foregrounds the design of flexible and accessible learning experiences for all, regardless of learner characteristics. Technology is a key enabler in this. To date, much of the research on UDL has focused on its impact in higher education, with less evidence available on the use of UDL within second-level education. This systematic literature review of n = 15 empirical studies selected from a wide-ranging search that returned an initial result of n = 1253 explores how the affordances of digital technology have been harnessed for UDL enactment at second level. The findings show that, to date, empirical research at second level has focused mostly on the easy wins within the UDL principle of Representation, where educators offer choice about how learners access content. However, there is a clear gap in UDL research on the use of technologies to support the Engagement and Action & Expression principles of UDL, supporting student self-regulation and self-assessment, and on technology-mediated communication and collaboration. The paper highlights the potential for future cross-pollination of research in educational technology with UDL.

Of the several critical challenges present in environmental microbiology today, one is the assessment of the contribution of microorganisms in the carbon cycle in the Earth-climate system. Karstic subterranean ecosystems have been overlooked until recently. Covering up to 25% of the land surface and acting as a rapid CH4 sink and alternately as a CO2 source or sink, karstic subterranean ecosystems play a decisive role in the carbon cycle in terms of their contribution to the global balance of greenhouse gases. Recent data indicate that microbiota must play a significant ecological role in the biogeochemical processes that control the composition of the subterranean atmosphere, as well as in the availability of nutrients for the ecosystem. Nevertheless, there are still essential gaps in our knowledge concerning the budgets of greenhouse gases at the ecosystem scale and the possible feedback mechanisms between environmental-microclimatic conditions and the rates and type of activity of microbial communities in subterranean ecosystems. Another challenge is searching for bioactive compounds (antibiotics) used for treating human diseases. At present, there is a global health emergency and a strong need for novel biomolecules. In recent decades, great research efforts have been made to extract antibiotics from marine organisms. More recently, caves have been receiving considerable attention in search of novel antibiotics. Cave methanotrophic and heterotrophic bacteria are producers of bioactive compounds and may be potential sources of metabolites with antibacterial, antifungal or anticancer activities of interest in pharmacological and medical research, as well as enzymes with a further biotechnological use. Here we also show that bacteria isolated from mines, a still unexplored niche for scientists in search of novel compounds, can be a source of novel secondary metabolites.

In this paper the dynamic behaviour of a high-rise building with complex structural system is studied. In some cases, to optimize the building design, the horizontal stability of the building is accomplished by the contribution of several structural components. This is the case of the JuBi tower, the building studied in this paper. The horizontal stability of the building is accomplished by three cores and outer walls. The cores and the walls are connected through the floors and the foundation. The data recorded during the experimental campaign carried out in this building show a double-peak behaviour corresponding to two closely spaced modes in the translational directions. This is caused by the weak coupling between the structural components. To study this phenomena, in this paper, a yet unique double-beam model is used. The parameters of the model are tuned so as to resemble the experimental response of the building. Results of the model evidence that the weak coupling is caused by the beams and the foundation. Also, it is shown that the two closely spaced modes correspond both to bending shape modes.

Anhydrous ethanol is a promising alternative to gasoline in fuel engines. However, since ethanol forms an azeotrope with water, high-energy-consumption separation techniques such as azeotropic distillation, extractive distillation, and molecular sieves are needed to produce anhydrous ethanol. This work discusses the potential development of an integrated process for bioethanol production using ionic liquids and Ceratonia siliqua as a carbohydrate source for further fermentation of the aqueous extracts. A four-stage counter-current system was designed to improve the sugar extraction yield to values close to 99%. The alcoholic fermentation of the extracts showed ethanol concentrations of 95 g/L using the microorganism Saccharomyces cerevisae. The production of anhydrous ethanol through extractive distillation with ethylene glycol was simulated using CHEMCAD software, with an energy consumption of 13.23 MJ/Kg of anhydrous ethanol. Finally, several ionic liquids were analyzed and are proposed as potential solvents for the recovery of bioethanol for the design of an integrated extraction−fermentation−separation process, according to their ability to extract ethanol from aqueous solutions and their biocompatibility with the microorganism used in this study.

In CubeSats, because the size is limited, the estimation of the incident solar energy according to the orbital parameters and satellite attitude is more critical for the design process of the electrical power system. This estimation is helpful either for sizing of the power sources and energy storage or for defining the operation modes of the CubeSat with the energy available. This paper describes the kinematic and dynamic equations to derive the CubeSat attitude; similarly, the mathematical models of solar cells and batteries are also derived to calculate the energy harvested and stored. By determining the attitude of a 3U CubeSat over one orbit, we estimated the incident solar energy and thus the energy generated by the solar cells and energy stored in batteries when a direct energy-transfer architecture is used. In addition, these estimations where performed for three orientation scenarios: nadir-pointing, Sun-pointing and free-orientation. The estimated incident average solar energy for the three scenarios indicated that the Sun-pointing and free-orientation scenarios harvest more energy than the nadir-pointing one. This estimation is also helpful to predict the state of charge of the batteries in standby mode, allowing for determination of the time required for charging the batteries and, hence, the operating modes of the CubeSat. We expect to include the consumed energy while considering all of the operating modes of the satellite as well as different orbital parameters.