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Impairments in psychosocial functioning are common in veterans, especially in those with significant mental health symptoms. Although available treatments are aimed at alleviating these symptoms, impairments in psychosocial functioning do not appear to be fully addressed. To achieve rehabilitation and full societal participation, there is a need to identify longitudinal associations of both symptoms and functional outcomes which can be targeted in treatment. United States veterans (N = 491) of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars were recruited as part of a longitudinal assessment study which examined predictors of postdeployment adjustment. Veterans were assessed at four timepoints over the course of a two-year period. A Bayesian multivariate multilevel model was used to estimate the association of predictors of PTSD (depression, alcohol use, suicidal ideation, and sleep) on psychosocial functioning as encompassed by quality of life (Quality of Life Scale (QLS)) and disability (World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS)) scores over time. As female veterans have unique environmental exposures and functional demands, interactions between predictors and gender were included in all models. There was significant overlap between predictors of PTSD and predictors of disability across domains and quality of life. Depressive symptoms and social support emerged as the strongest predictors of psychosocial functioning. Additionally, suicidality and alcohol use emerged as predictors of quality of life, but not disability. As expected, increases in PTSD symptoms predicted increased disability and decreased quality of life. The effect of depressive symptoms on quality of life was more pronounced for male veterans, and the effect of PTSD and alcohol use on quality of life was more pronounced for female veterans. Findings highlight various treatment targets which have the potential to improve symptoms of PTSD and functional outcomes. Findings highlight an opportunity to leverage intervention and prevention efforts focused on decreasing depression and increasing social support to improve trauma symptoms and maximize rehabilitation and functional recovery in veterans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the first detection of cesium (Z  = 55) in the atmosphere of a white dwarf. Around a dozen absorption lines of Cs  iv , Cs  v , and Cs  vi have been identified in the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer spectrum of the He-rich white dwarf HD 149499B (T eff = 49 500 K, log  g  = 7.97). The lines have equivalent widths ranging from 2.3 to 26.9 mÅ. We performed a spectral synthesis analysis to determine the cesium content in the atmosphere. Non-local thermodynamic equilibrium atmosphere models were computed by considering cesium explicitly in the calculations. For this purpose we calculated oscillator strengths for the bound–bound transitions of Cs  iv –Cs  vi with both autostructure (multiconfiguration Breit–Pauli) and grasp2k (multiconfiguration Dirac–Fock) atomic structure codes as neither measured nor theoretical values are reported in the literature. We determined a cesium abundance of log  N (Cs)/ N (He) = −5.45 ± 0.35, which can also be expressed in terms of the mass fraction log  X Cs = −3.95 ± 0.35. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Underlying immunodeficiency is associated with severe COVID-19, but the prognosis of persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (PWH) with COVID-19 is under debate. Aim: assessment of the mortality rate and major determinants of death in HIV-infected patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in Spain before vaccine availability. Design: Retrospective nationwide public database analysis. Methods Nationwide, retrospective, observational analysis of all hospitalizations with COVID-19 during year 2020 in Spain. Stratification was made according to HIV status. The National Registry of Hospital Discharges was used with the ICD-10 coding list. Results A total of 117 694 adults were hospitalized with COVID-19 during 2020. Only 234 (0.2%) were HIV-positives. More than 95% were on antiretroviral therapy. Compared to HIV-negatives, PWH were younger (mean age 53.2 vs. 66.5 years old; P <0.001) and more frequently male (74.8% vs. 56.6%; P <0.001). Most co-morbidities predisposing to severe COVID-19 (diabetes, hypertension, dementia and cardiovascular disease) were more frequent in HIV-negatives. In contrast, the rate of baseline liver disease was over 6-fold higher in PWH (27.4% vs. 4.4%; P <0.001). In-hospital mortality was lower in PWH (9.4% vs. 16%; P =0.004). In multivariate analysis, older age, dementia and especially advanced liver disease (relative risk (RR): 7.6) were the major determinants of death in PWH hospitalized with COVID-19. Conclusion HIV-infected patients hospitalized in Spain with COVID-19 during 2020 had better survival than HIV-negatives, most likely explained by younger age and lower rate of co-morbidities. However, advanced liver disease was a major predictor of death in PWH hospitalized with COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal and catalytic aqueous hydrothermal liquefaction of Ricinus communis and Jatropha curcas L. seeds, after mechanical defatting, was conducted at 260 °C for 40 min under subcritical water conditions with a biomass-to-water ratio of 1:5 (expressed in wt.). For catalytic aqueous hydrothermal liquefaction, Ni-Pt/Al2O3 was used as heterogeneous catalyst besides a solution of glycerol as in situ hydrogen donor agent. It was noticed that the combination of heterogeneous catalytic aqueous phase glycerol reforming and hydrothermal liquefaction favours and increases the biocrude yield, without external H2 supply. Indeed, a maximum biocrude yield of 59 wt% was registered when Ricinus communis defatted seed was used as starting biomass, which represents an increase of 28 wt% compared to the yield obtained by the non-catalytic HTL process. The biocrudes analysis by GC/MS confirmed that approximately 60% were C16 and C18 hydrocarbon compounds, indicating that the catalyst linked with aqueous glycerol reforming has a marked effect on distribution and upgraded fuel-biocrude stability and quality respect to direct hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL-D). The bimetallic Ni-Pt/Al2O3 conformed catalyst (with a Ni: Pt = 100:1 expressed as an atomic ratio) was effective in the coupled reactions of aqueous reforming of glycerine as well as hydrodeoxygenation and hydrocracking. It upgrades the biocrude with a lower O/C ratio and a higher H/C ratio, which is directly reflected in the HHV of the biocrude that reaches the value of 37 MJ·kg− 1 and can be used as direct fuel. The heterogeneous catalytic process technology, by coupling the glycerol APR and the assisted hydrolysis-depolymerisation of wet-biomass in water subcritical conditions yield to a biomass-derived biocrude with liquid fuel quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the risk factors for failure in complete clearance of extrahepatic biliary stone disease after an ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography) procedure with incomplete clearance and temporary plastic stent placement. The study was conducted in a tertiary referral center in Mexico City and analyzed data from 112 patients who had undergone a second ERCP. The results showed that stone size was the most significant predictor of ERCP outcome, while distal bile duct/stone ratio and the use of large balloon dilatation were not statistically significant. The authors suggest that further prospective trials are needed to gather more solid data in this area. [Extracted from the article]

We propose a rapid, finite-fault inversion procedure to derive first-order estimates of the coseismic slip following large Mw > 7 earthquakes in Mexico using teleseismic P waves obtained in near real time. The procedure uses kinematic fault parameters and waveform properties prescribed based on the magnitude of the event. Two consecutive inversions are performed, one for each of the two nodal planes in the earthquake source mechanism, allowing an automated analysis of the P-wave dataset with minimal manual intervention. Following the inversion process, the appropriate slip model is selected based on seismotectonic considerations in the earthquake source region. The inversion procedure was applied to the Mw 7 Acapulco subduction earthquake of 8 September 2021 using the source parameters posted online by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), resulting in the derivation of a preliminary, first-order source model within 1 h after the event. The slip model shows a single source region similar to the rupture area observed by the USGS using body- and surface-wave records. We also conducted a rapid analysis of the teleseismic P waves available for the Mw 8.2 normal-faulting Chiapas earthquake of 8 September 2017 and recovered a slip model comparable to the finite-fault model obtained by the USGS for that event. For both earthquakes, the time required for waveform retrieval and analysis was less than 5 min, indicating that the procedure can be used to derive timely, preliminary slip models for large Mexico events that would be useful for earthquake early alerting and post-earthquake response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • NiW catalyst supported on titania was the most active in the guaiacol HDO. • Bifunctional catalysts were required to the completely deoxygenation of guaiacol. • NiW/TiO 2 catalyst promoted the demethoxylation route. • Medium acid strength was related with an increase in the catalytic activity. • The highest percentage of deoxygenated products was obtained with the NiW/TiO 2. A series of NiWS catalysts supported on TiO 2 , ZrO 2 and TiO 2 -ZrO 2 mixed oxides was tested in the hydrodeoxygenation of guaiacol. The TiO 2 /ZrO 2 ratio in the mixed oxides was varied to elucidate the effect of the titania content on the catalyst activity. According to our results, high acidity values seem to favor the demethylation route with catechol as the main product, while a medium acid strength could probably be the active site for the scission of the C aromatic -OCH 3 bond. Moreover, the production of completely deoxygenated compounds was directly related with the TiO 2 percentage on the catalysts. In this sense, guaiacol needs to be converted by the demethoxylation route, in order to avoid the catechol formation, which is a coke precursor, and phenol production route is improved. A fair correlation between medium acid strength for the catalysts and the phenol formation was also found. The catalyst supported on TiO 2 was found to be the most active per atom of metal, 62% higher than the NiW/TZ(80/20) catalysts. The content of titania on the support was relevant to obtain completely deoxygenated compounds, such as cyclohexane and benzene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coffee is one of the most tradable commodities worldwide with the current global consumption of over 10 billion kilograms of coffee beans annually. At the same time, a significant amount of solid residues, which are known as spent coffee grounds (SCG), is generated during instant coffee manufacturing and coffee brewing. Those residues have a high potential in various applications, yet they remain mostly unutilized. The current work presents the experimental comparison of two pretreatment technologies - hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) and torrefaction - for converting SCG into a valuable char. The results showed that low-temperature torrefaction (< 250 °C) has a negligible effect on feedstock properties due to initial pre-processing of coffee beans. However, the energy conversion efficiency of torrefaction at higher temperatures is comparable with that of HTC. The average energy yields for high-temperature torrefaction (> 250 °C) and HTC were on the level of 88%. Devolatilization and depolymerization reactions reduce oxygen and increase carbon contents during both processes: chars after torrefaction at 300 °C and HTC at 240 °C had 23-28% more carbon and 43-46% less oxygen than the feedstock. Both pretreatment methods led to a comparable increase in energy density: the highest HHV of 31.03 MJ kg-1 for torrefaction at 300 °C and 32.33 MJ kg-1 for HTC at 240 °C, which is similar to HHV of anthracite. The results showed that both processes can be effectively used to convert SCG into energy-dense char, even though HTC led to slightly higher energy densification rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To establish by means of experimenting by batch the capacity of removal, the kinetics and adsorption thermodynamics of activated carbon prepared from manioc husk (Manihot esculenta) in the removal of direct blue 86 dye. Materials and methods. Firstly, the experimental methodology worked on the preparation of activated carbon by chemical activation of manioc husk with H3PO4 calcined at 530°C. In the characterization the texture properties were determined by means of the blue methylene and iodine indices, the basic and acidic functional groups were quantified by the Boehm method, and the proximate analyses were done following the norms ASTM D2867-70, ASTM D2866 and ASTM D2866-94. During the batch studies, the effect of several parameters over the adsorption capacity was evaluated: pH (2, 4, 8 and 10), temperature (25, 30 and 40°C) and initial concentration of the dye (20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 mg/L). Both physicochemical and adsorption characteristics of the activated carbon from manioc husk (CAY) were compared against those of a commercial brand (CAM). Results. The results of characterization showed that both carbons have a chemistry heterogeneous surface, acidic for CAY and basic for CAM. The maximum capacity obtained was 6.1 mg/g for CAY and 3.7 mg/g for CAM. The thermodynamic calculations showed that the removal was spontaneous. The kinetics for both carbon samples fits a pseudo second-order model. Conclusions. The activated carbon obtained from the manioc husk can be considered an efficient adsorbent for the removal of dyes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of dietary unrefined olive oil (OO) residues and hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) on the fatty acid profiles of milk and cheese and the sensory characteristics of cheeses were determined. For 9 weeks, animals were fed a control diet with no added lipid (n = 5 cows), or fat-supplemented diets containing OO or HVO (in both cases n = 5 cows; 30 g kg −1 dry matter). Compared with control and HVO, OO increased C18:1 cis-9, and C18:3 cis-9, cis-12, cis-15 fatty acids in milk; and also increased C18:1 trans-10, C18:1 trans-11, C18:1 cis-9, C18:2 cis-9, trans-11 and C18:3 cis-9, cis-12, cis-15 fatty acids in cheeses. OO reduced the number of holes, overall odour and acidity of cheeses, whereas HVO increased the cow milk odour, bitterness and acidity of cheeses. Overall, OO can improve the cheese fatty acid profile, but with adverse effects on sensory attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A low-cost equipment with locally produced materials and electrolytic cells were built to show the linear quantitative relationship between the time of electrolysis and a constant current pulse during the redox titration of sodium metabisulphite with iodine electrogenerated with no salt bridge used, by means of acidity levels generated in situ. Both, the visual and low cost simultaneous photodetection endpoint were collected to determine free SO2 levels in red wine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims) is one of the most promissory crops in Colombia with approximately 7,400 ha cultivated, an average production of 89,000 t and an average yield of 15 t ha-1. However, low yields as well as harvest problems including fruit quality, generate important losses, mainly due to lack of improved cultivars with particular characteristics for each market (fresh consumption, agroindustry) and specific adaptations to biotic and abiotic stress factors in producer areas. Therefore, as a pre-breeding phase, this study aimed at characterizing preliminary the production and physiochemical characteristics of 60 passion fruit germplasm accessions maintained in Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria (AGROSAVIA). We cultivated these accessions in the field for 22 months between 2014 and 2015, measuring 17 variables associated to both yield production and fruit quality. We analysed data using phenetic and multivariate methods to establish levels of genetic diversity. Additionally, we constructed a selection index (SI) with the most informative variables to select individuals according to fruit weight, shape and colour, as well as juice percentage. Results of genetic grouping and principal components showed a broad genetic diversity across the working collection, without any population substructure. Fruit volume, pulp and seed weight were the variables that explained 80% of the phenotypic variation. Finally, we identified 30 promissory accessions as parental for the first cycle of recurrent selection using the SI. We conclude that this core collection represents the diversity included in the working collection with promissory accessions to initiate an intra-population recurrent selection program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A minimal instrumentation and low-cost equipment for anodic potentiometric stripping analysis was built. The cations Cd(II), Pb(II), Cu(II), Zn(II) and Bi(III) were identified in concentrations around 10-5 mol/L by calibration plots, such relationships were used for the trace analysis. The effects of deposition time of metals, and their reaction with a fixed concentration of Hg(II) in dissolution over the chronopotentiometric transition time were investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this work is to reinforce particulate porous SiC samples by the in situ synthesis of β-Si3N4 nanofibers within the porous samples by the chemical vapor infiltration method without catalytic metallic precursors. The experiment considered the variation of the reaction time (1, 2, 3, and 4 h) and the N2 flow rate (3, 5, and 9 cm3/min); while the inner pressure (10 mbar), the thermal decomposition of the solid precursor Na2SiF6 (400°C), and the temperature of the SiC sample (1300°C) remained constant. The mechanical properties of the composites revealed a non-linear behavior due to the arrangement of the particles during the loading process and to the plastic properties of the β-Si3N4 nanofibers. The stress and strain energy density magnitudes for different times had a rising behavior up to 3 h (σ = 15.65 MPa and u = 2.41 MJ/m3) due to the increasing diameter (100 to 200 nm) and quantity of β-Si3N4 nanofibers; while, at 4 h were significantly decreased (σ = 8.83 MPa and u = 1.44 MJ/m3) based on the reduction of the β-Si3N4 nanofiber diameter (30 to 100 nm) and to the presence of a new phase (Si2N2O). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hardness and corrosion resistance of TiN coatings, processed by Electrophoretic Deposition (EPD) to cover polished and unpolished Ti substrates, have been evaluated. A deposition time of 5 min has been enough to obtain a cohesive layer of 7–8 μm in thickness. The coatings were thermally treated in vacuum atmosphere at 1200 °C for 1 h with heating and cooling rates of 5 °C min −1 . The surfaces have been covered homogeneously optimizing the properties of the Ti substrates. Uniform and dense TiN coatings have been obtained onto polished substrates, while on unpolished Ti the nitrogen diffuses toward the substrate, moderately dissolving TiN coating. The nanohardness values of the polished samples have been increased from 2.8–4.8 GPa up to 6.5–8.5 GPa. Besides, the corrosion current density has been reduced more than one order of magnitude obtaining a protective efficiency of 82%. These values have been compared with other works in literature where authors used complex and costly processing techniques, demonstrating the strong impact of the colloidal processing over the specific properties of the material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study is made to evaluate the bioaccessibility of heavy metals in contaminated soils through a simple bioaccessibility extraction test (SBET), applied to the analysis of both the gastric and intestinal phases. Soils with high metal content of the Mapocho, Cachapoal, and Rancagua series were studied; they are located in suburban areas of large cities in the central valley of Chile. The bioaccessible concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn were related to the main physicochemical characteristics of the soils and to the chemical forms obtained by sequential extraction. The elements Cd, Cu, Ni, and Zn are distributed in the soils between the exchangeable fractions, bound to oxides, to organic matter, and in the residual fraction. On the other hand, Cr and Pb are found mainly in the fractions bound to organic matter and in the residual fraction. The three soils have a high Cu content, (640–2060 mg/kg), in the order Cachapoal > Rancagua > Mapocho. The SBET test allowed establishing a different bioaccessibility for the elements in the soil. Cu was notoriously bioaccessible in both the gastric and intestinal phases in the three soils, reaching more than 50% in the Cachapoal and Rancagua soils. The other elements, regardless of the soil, were bioaccessible only in one of the phases, more frequently in the gastric phase. The multiple correlation study indicates that the metal forms have a higher incidence than the soil’s physicochemical factors on the extractability to evaluate the human oral bioaccessibility of the metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of new foods, or complementary feeding (weaning) in the diet of children has always been controversial, and most likely this debate will continue due to the differences in each ethnic group and cultures in the world's population, so frequent meetings of different international groups dedicated to the study and management of pediatric nutrition is necessary. Previously, the introduction of complementary feeding was based on personal experience, "each master has its booklet". The team of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition at the Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Mexico City, has an analyzed the different guidelines of complementary feeding in children, to create a document with useful information for daily practice in pediatric consultation. This document describes the physiological basis to establish the introduction of complementary feeding, why new foods should be introduced in the diet and the proper way complementary feeding should be indicated acording to the patient's age, considering the recommendations of the guidelines currently governing nutrition in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A direct method to synthesize porous hausmannite (Mn3O4) microparticles by the KMnO4–AC reaction and combustion system is reported in this paper. In order to synthesize the manganese oxide, four experimental factors were considered: pH (3.0, 4.5 and 6.0), AC content (2.08 × 10−2and 8.33 × 10−2 M), initial Mn(VII) content (4.55 × 10−4and 9.1 × 10−4 M) and stirring velocity (300 and 500 rpm). The AC was added to the Mn(VII) aqueous solution and stirred for 2 h. For different pH levels, the Mn(VII) content in the solution was measured by UV/Vis spectrometry at 540 nm in order to evaluate the Mn reduction. Later, the manganese-loaded AC was calcined at 700°C in dry air at 1900 sccm during 60 min, indicating that the Mn3O4content is directly proportional to the acidity of the solution. Spongy and porous Mn3O4microparticles were synthesized considering the following levels: pH (3.0), an AC content (8.33 × 10−2 M) and an initial Mn(VII) content (9.1 × 10−4 M) with 500 rpm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this work is the synthesis and characterization of single-walled carbon nanotubes with phosphorus incorporated. Two temperatures (800 and 850 °C) were used to produce the nanotubes in a low-pressure chemical vapor deposition system using as precursor the solid substance triphenylphosphine without any dilution in liquid. Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to characterize the samples. Raman spectroscopy were employed to show the signature of single-walled carbon nanotubes and a shift in Raman bands was observed due to the presence of phosphorus in the structure comparing with a reference pristine sample. The shift was attributed to changes in the electronic properties of the material due to doping by phosphorus atoms. XPS spectra confirm the presence of phosphorus bonded to carbons atoms, suggesting the phosphorus incorporation in carbon nanotube structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) have dramatically improved sustained virologic response (SVR) rates in patients treated for chronic hepatitis C. Although the safety of these agents has been very good in registration trials, unexpected side effects have been reported after much broader use of DAAs on marketing. We retrospectively examined all liver transplant recipients with chronic hepatitis C that received sofosbuvir-based regimens at our clinic. A total of 24 liver transplant recipients with recurrent chronic hepatitis C had received sofosbuvir up to April 2015. Regimens were as follows: sofosbuvir+simeprevir (8), SOF+ledipasvir (6), sofosbuvir+daclatasvir (5) and sofosbuvir+ribavirin (5). Overall, treatment was very well tolerated with only mild adverse events in 42% of patients. However, a 52-year-old woman developed severe respiratory failure within 10 days after beginning sofosbuvir+daclatasvir. High-resolution computerized tomography showed areas of diffused ground-glass opacities in both lungs, suggesting drug-induced lung injury. The bronchoalveolar lavage showed marked signs of acute inflammation without recovering any infectious agent. The patient was treated with high-dose corticosteroids and steadily recovered. DAA therapy was not discontinued, but sofosbuvir was replaced by simeprevir. She reached sustained virologic response after completing 24 weeks of DAA therapy. Given the close temporal association, radiologic and bronchoalveolar lavage findings, and negative work-up for infectious agents, we postulated that sofosbuvir was the most likely explanation for drug-induced lung injury in our patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the process parameters involved in the electrophoretic deposition (EPD) to obtain thin TiN films was studied and optimised. The stability of commercial TiN nanopowder in isopropyl alcohol adding a cationic polymer (polyethylenimine) as dispersant, with different molecular weights, was investigated to determine the kinetics of the deposition and to reach the most efficient EPD process. Cathodic EPD was performed over electro-polished stainless steel substrates. It was found that the provided dispersion when the PEI with the highest molecular weight was added to the suspension, leads to the best deposition behaviour for short times. New flocculation phenomena were described which affect to the sticking factor, and thus to the evolution of the EPD kinetics. As a result of the designed stabilization system, a reliable and versatile EPD method to produce well consolidated nano-TiN coatings at 1200 °C in vacuum atmosphere was described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increasingly known application of nanomaterials in the construction industry is related to the photoactivity ability of semiconductors, where nano-anatase TiO 2 is perhaps the most well-known photocatalytic semiconductor and one which possesses a strong oxidizing capability. To analyze the photo-efficiency of four TiO 2 coatings and the effect of SiO 2 interlayer on the mechanic and photocatalytic activity in Rhodamine B (RhB) and NO x photodegradation, two photocatalytic cement series have been prepared. First, cement mortar was coated with three commercial TiO 2 suspensions (GG1, GC7 and CG13) and a home-made titania sol–gel (TEA), and secondly an insertion of a SiO 2 layer was applied on cement surface before spraying the TiO 2 layer. All studied TiO 2 -cements exhibited a significant RhB and NO x photodegradation, arising almost total RhB molar conversions, and upper 53% for NO x photo-oxidation respectively. Nevertheless, although SiO 2 layer deposited in between mortar and TiO 2 -cement did not stabilize the commercial TiO 2 coatings, a good adhesion was observed when silica was applied joint to the home-made titania gel (TEA), probably as a consequence of the interactions encountered between SiO 2 and TiO 2 gels. CG7-Si-Cem exhibited high rate at shorter irradiation times, but TEA-Cem and TEA-Si-Cem can be considered as very interesting and potential photocatalytic mortars due to useful mechanical properties, with a very good coatings adhesion that provides promising outdoor use, and good photo-efficiencies in RhB and NO x photo-oxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, n -point quadrature rules associated with a strong distribution ϕ on ( a , b ) , 0 ≤ a < b ≤ ∞ , and exactly integrating certain subspaces of Laurent polynomials with the highest possible dimension are first analyzed. Here the basic ingredients are the theory of orthogonal Laurent polynomials for the distribution ϕ and an arbitrary “ordering” accordingly established. When considering the case of quadrature rules with one node (Radau) or two nodes (Lobatto) previously fixed in ( a , b ) the properties of the so-called pseudo and quasi orthogonal Laurent polynomials will play a fundamental role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The classic optical nebular diagnostics [N II], [O II], [O III], [S II], [S III], and [Ar III] are employed to search for evidence of non-Maxwellian electron distributions, namely κ distributions, in a sample of well-observed Galactic H II regions. By computing new effective collision strengths for all these systems and A-values when necessary (e.g., S II), and by comparing with previous collisional and radiative data sets, we have been able to obtain realistic estimates of the electron-temperature dispersion caused by the atomic data, which in most cases are not larger than ∼10%. If the uncertainties due to both observation and atomic data are then taken into account, it is plausible to determine for some nebulae a representative average temperature while in others there are at least two plasma excitation regions. For the latter, it is found that the diagnostic temperature differences in the high-excitation region, e.g., Te(O III), Te(S III), and Te(Ar III), cannot be conciliated by invoking κ distributions. For the low-excitation region, it is possible in some, but not all, cases to arrive at a common, lower temperature for [N II], [O II], and [S II] with κ ≈ 10, which would then lead to significant abundance enhancements for these ions. An analytic formula is proposed to generate accurate κ-averaged excitation rate coefficients (better than 10% for κ ⩾ 5) from temperature tabulations of the Maxwell-Boltzmann effective collision strengths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Structure of SHI irradiated glass is similar to the one of a hyper quenched glass. [•] D2 Raman band associated to 3 members ring is only observed in irradiated glass. [•] Irradiated state seems slightly different to an equilibrated liquid quenched rapidly. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper, some important algebraic aspects in the theory of orthogonal Laurent polynomials, such as the three-term recurrence relation, the Christoffel–Darboux identity or the Liouville–Ostrogradski formula, are revisited from the Riemann–Hilbert window. These topics are considered for general ordered Laurent polynomial sequences, and not only for the usual “balanced” cases. In addition, a connection with Szegö polynomials (orthogonal polynomials in the unit circle) is explored. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In Chile, there are several agricultural areas with soils containing high levels of copper of both anthropic and geochemical origin. The diffusive gradient in thin film (DGT) technique is a promising tool for the evaluation of the bioavailability of metalsin situin different environmental systems. The objective of this study was the preparation, validation, and application of DGT to soil solutions and soil containing copper over 1000 mg kg−1. The results show that a resin gel thickness of 0.3 mm gives the best reproducibility and response in the absorption of copper by DGT. The amount of copper extracted in a period of 4 h by the devices from the soil solution corresponds to 13% of the total metal present in the solution. The DGT allowed a more representative estimation of the amount of Cu available in the soil, more in agreement with the absence of symptoms of phytotoxicity in cultivated species. This shows that the determination of available Cu by DTPA must be handled cautiously because in soils with high Cu content the amount of metal that can have direct influence on absorption by the plant is overestimated. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) show an enhanced risk to develop human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, and aggressive forms of this condition are seen in these patients. The aim of this study was to assess the possible relationship among HPV infection, immunosuppressive therapy and levels of leukocyte subsets in patients with SLE. The following individuals were included in the study: (1) SLE patients under immunosuppressive therapy and with lesions caused by HPV ( n = 16); (2) SLE patients under immunosuppressive therapy and no evidence of HPV infection ( n = 20); (3) untreated SLE patients with no evidence of HPV infection ( n = 7), and; (4) healthy female subjects without evidence of HPV infection ( n = 10). Peripheral blood was obtained and the percentages of different lymphocyte subsets were determined by flow cytometry, with the use of the following monoclonal antibodies: CD3, CD4, CD8, CD16, CD19, CD20, CD22, CD56, and CD335 (NKp46). We found that SLE patients under immunosuppressive therapy and with lesions caused by HPV showed significantly lower levels of B lymphocytes and NK cells compared to other groups. In contrast, SLE patients receiving immunosuppressive drugs and with no evidence of HPV infection showed similar levels of B and NK cells than healthy controls. Those patients receiving mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) had a diminished number of B cells, and a positive correlation was detected between the dose of MMF and the number of HPV skin lesions. Our data suggest that therapy of SLE patients with MMF is associated with diminished levels of B and NK cells and an enhanced risk for HPV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diffuse alveolar haemorrhage (DAH) is an uncommon complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and recurrences of DAH with remission periods are unusual. We describe a young woman with cachexia as the initial manifestation of SLE who presented posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES), intestinal vasculitis and four episodes of DAH even though she was receiving combined immune suppressive therapy. After treatment with rituximab (RTX) the patient has not presented further episodes of DAH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We study the asymptotic zero distribution of the rescaled Laguerre polynomials, , with the parameter varying in such a way that . The connection with the so-called Szegő curve is shown. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The objective of this study was the evaluation of clinical, demographic and treatment-associated mortality factors in patients with diffuse alveolar haemorrhage (DAH) associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Clinical, laboratory test, SLEDAI-2K, predictors of mortality (APACHE II) and different treatments including cyclophosphamide, methylprednisolone and rituximab were evaluated in SLE patients who were diagnosed with DAH, to determine potential association with mortality. Twenty-nine episodes of DAH in 22 SLE patients were included (one patient with four episodes, four patients with two episodes (seven recurrences)), 15 died. Mean age was 25.1 years and 1.5 years of SLE evolution with haemoglobin drop 3.4 g/dl. In 4 of 22 patients, the DAH diagnosis was confirmed by autopsy. Six episodes were in patients under 18 years of age (2 patients with recurrence). DAH was the initial manifestation of SLE in 10 patients. Of the 22 patients, 17 were women and 22/29 had DAH episodes. Dyspnoea and nephritis occurred in all patients, less common were arthritis (75.9%) and fever (65.5%); haemoptysis was present only in 44.8%. Through evaluation of all included factors, only thrombocytopenia, renal failure, requirement for mechanical ventilation and high APACHE II were associated with higher mortality. Cyclophosphamide use was associated with less mortality (not statistically significant). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We consider orderings of nested subspaces of the space of Laurent polynomials on the real line, more general than the balanced orderings associated with the ordered bases and . We show that with such orderings the sequence of orthonormal Laurent polynomials determined by a positive linear functional satisfies a three-term recurrence relation. Reciprocally, we show that with such orderings a sequence of Laurent polynomials which satisfies a recurrence relation of this form is orthonormal with respect to a certain positive functional. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We obtain the (contracted) weak zero asymptotics for orthogonal polynomials with respect to Sobolev inner products with exponential weights in the real semiaxis, of the form , with , which include as particular cases the counterparts of the so-called Freud (i.e., when has a polynomial growth at infinity) and Erdös (when grows faster than any polynomial at infinity) weights. In addition, the boundness of the distance of the zeros of these Sobolev orthogonal polynomials to the convex hull of the support and, as a consequence, a result on logarithmic asymptotics are derived. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Serotonin plays a critical role in the regulation of intestinal physiology. The serotonin transporter (SERT) expressed in the intestinal epithelium determines 5-HT availability and activity. The serotoninergic system and SERT activity have been described as being altered in chronic intestinal pathologies such as inflammatory diseases. Adenosine has also been shown to be involved in a variety of intestinal functions and to play a central role in the regulation of inflammatory responses of injured tissue. Since the modulation of SERT by adenosine in the intestine remains unknown, the aim of the present work was to study the effect of adenosine on SERT activity and expression and to determine the molecular mechanism involved. The study has been carried out using human enterocyte-like Caco-2 cells which endogenously express SERT. The results show that adenosine diminishes SERT activity in both the apical and basal membranes by acting in the intrinsic molecule with no alteration of either SERT mRNA or protein levels. The effect of adenosine appears to be mediated by A2 receptors and activation of the cAMP/PKA signalling pathway. Moreover, the adenosine effect did not seem to involve the activation of AMP activated protein kinase. Adenosine effects are reached at high concentrations, which suggests that adenosine modulation of SERT may be significant under conditions of inflammation and tissue injury. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Let ϕ be a c-inversive strong distribution as defined in [A. Sri Ranga, E.X.L. de Andrade, J.H. McCabe, Some consequences of a symmetry in strong distributions, J. Math. Anal. Appl. 193 (1) (1995) 158–168]. In this paper, two-point Padé approximants, both with free and prescribed poles, related to the distribution ϕ are analyzed. In particular, the existence of c-inversive rational approximants to the Stieltjes transform of ϕ is studied, in order to make computations in an advantageous way. An application to numerical quadratures is also given, and several examples applying these Gauss-type quadrature formulas in the case of integrands which can be well approximated by Laurent polynomials are displayed, showing better results than the corresponding for the usual Gaussian rules. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Aplasia cutis is a congenital disorder of the skin and underlying tissue. The main complications of larger defects include bleeding that may be deadly. There fore the prompt intervention, accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment are critical for the patient. Controversy about the treatment both surgical and conservative has been always present and with variable results. We present a case of aplasia cutis of full thickness of the scalp and cranium with hemorrhage of the superior sagittal sinus that was treated conservatively, with satisfactory healing and recovering without neurologic complications, after 18 years follow up evaluation. The importance of sagittal sinus bleeding in these cases is an important criteria for the initial management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ambystoma mexicanum is an endemic salamander of Xochimilco, a wetland of the basin of Mexico valley. Nowadays, axolotl populations are decreasing due environmental stressors. Particularly, studies about organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs; i.e. chlorpyrifos and malathion) toxicity are of great importance due to their intensive use in agricultural activities in Xochimilco. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate under controlled conditions the toxicity of chlorpyrifos (CPF) and malathion (MLT) on embryos and larvae (stage 44 and 54) of A. mexicanum. Embryos and larvae were exposure 96h from 0.5 to 3mg CPFL−1 and from 10 to 30mg MLTL−1 in independent tests. Embryos at the end of this period were maintained 9d without pesticide in order to identify possible recuperation. Differences obtained in mortality, hatching success, development, morphological abnormalities, behaviour and activity, suggest that toxicity of CPF and MLT differs in embryos and larval stages. Embryos were less sensitive to OPPs acute exposure than axolotl larvae; additionally, toxicity of CPF in larval stages was greater than MLT. On the other hand, data obtained in axolotl embryos during the period of recuperation to CPF in particular as delay and inhibition of development, malformations and success of hatching, indicated that these responses turned out more sensitive than mortality. This study allowed to identify the toxicological potential of OPPs on early developmental stages of A. mexicanum and it is a valuable contribution for the future management of the axolotl wild population. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We study the asymptotic behavior of the zeros of a sequence of polynomials whose weighted norms, with respect to a sequence of weight functions, have the same nth root asymptotic behavior as the weighted norms of certain extremal polynomials. This result is applied to obtain the (contracted) weak zero distribution for orthogonal polynomials with respect to a Sobolev inner product with exponential weights of the form , giving a unified treatment for the so-called Freud (i.e., when φ has polynomial growth at infinity) and Erdös (when φ grows faster than any polynomial at infinity) cases. In addition, we provide a new proof for the bound of the distance of the zeros to the convex hull of the support for these Sobolev orthogonal polynomials. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We introduce an algorithm to generate two-dimensional diffusion-limited star-branched aggregates (DLSA)attaching bi-functional monomers successively to a central colloidal particle with any desired number of reactive sites. The proposed algorithm produces star-shaped aggregates that grow forever and show a power law polydispersity in the chemical length of the arms near the central colloid. More interestingly, it gives rise to a number of arm selection consisting in that only a small number of arms (around five) define the final structure at relatively large distances from the central colloid, independently of the initial number of reactive sites and the size of the central colloid. We characterize the structure of the aggregates by means of the particle-particle correlation function, analyze its scaling properties and obtain the fractal dimension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A heterocatalytic model involving the graphite surface, which has been previously used for the surface formation of chemisorbed amino acids, is consistently extended to the synthesis of monocarboxylic acids and polyhydroxylated compounds. Extensive computations with semi-empirical and ab initio quantum chemical methods have been carried out to analyze reaction pathways on surface models of different sizes. The model assumes surface recombinations involving small functional groups. Polymerization is initiated by either a carboxyl (COOH) or a formyl (HCO) group that is anchored to the graphite surface through two chemisorption sites, and proceeds by the addition of mobile diffusors of the type CH n () and CH n′OH (). Polymer length is determined by the competition between surface diffusion and hydrogenation. Some of the features observed in the laboratory regarding the surface self-assembly of monocarboxylic chains, in the organic inventory of star-forming regions and in carbonaceous meteorites can be addressed with the present approach. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Codes to compute mean opacities and radiative accelerations for arbitrary chemical mixtures using the Opacity Project recently revised data have been restructured in a client–server architecture and transcribed as a subroutine library. This implementation increases efficiency in stellar modelling where element stratification due to diffusion processes is depth dependent, and thus requires repeated fast opacity re-estimates. Three user modes are provided to fit different computing environments, namely, a web browser, a local workstation and a distributed grid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the properties of a homoclinic model of neuron by introducing a suitable one-dimensional map. We show that the system is characterized by a response time to external signals which is a decreasing function of the signal strength, in contrast to excitable models whose response time is signal-independent. In a one-dimensional array of these systems with bidirectional coupling, we observe a sudden transition to a synchronized state at a certain value of the coupling strength. The transition occurs when the response time of a site to the signals of the adjacent sites is of the order of refractory time. Near the transition, we find an intermittent behavior due to the competition between a turbulent and a synchronized state. The observed behavior distinguishes homoclinic systems from excitable systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The principal parameters of a pulse discharge ignited on the left branch of the Parchen curve in a semi cylindrical chamber are studied. The experiments are realized in the pressure range of 0.67-0,93 Pa at the inter-electrode space of 10, 20 y 30 kV. The plasma density and electron temperature of the pulse discharges are found symmetric with regard to the axis of the cylindrical cathode. The values of plasma density and electron temperature in the discharge volume are determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Accurate and complete sets of atomic data are being computed for the radiative and Auger processes giving rise to K lines in ions of sulphur. autostructure, hfr and bprm codes are used, taking into account configuration interaction, core relaxation and relativistic effects so as to generate data following an approach used in our previous studies on iron and oxygen. Level energies, wavelengths, A-values and Auger rates are compared with available measurements and previous calculations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper presents an approach to performing time-critical collision detection for deformable objects. The deformable objects are represented by dense meshes and their deformations are steered by a coarser mesh (reduced model) based on explicit finite elements, to achieve an interruptible algorithm, we use a sphere tree constructed using an adaptive medial-axis approximation of the dense mesh. The bounding spheres are updated using the coarse mesh, thus balancing computational accuracy and speed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We have studied the structure of annealed two-dimensional diffusion-limited aggregates (DLA). The annealing process consists of introducing internal flexibility to the original DLA rigid structure as well as excluded volume interactions between particles. From extensive Monte Carlo simulations we obtained aggregates with fractal dimension slightly higher than that obtained for two-dimensional DLA structures. This is somehow surprising since the fractal dimension of the annealed structure is determined not only by connectivity but also by the competing effects of excluded volume interactions and configurational entropy, whilst in the rigid DLA only diffusion counts for the fractal-dimension value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lower-flow regime sand waves emerge from flat sand beds under steady uniform flow conditions. The time variation of the sand-wavelet height and length from inception to equilibrium are derived from linear and nonlinear ordinary differential equation models. The nonlinear model predicts more reasonably time variations of the bed-form length than the linear model. The results of the model are supported by the laboratory experimental data of Bishop in 1977 and Melville and Coleman in 1994. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of Adalimumab on different immune parameters in patients with RA. Adalimumab was administered (40 mg every other week for 26 weeks) to eight patients with RA that were refractory to conventional drug therapy. Peripheral blood samples were obtained at days 0, 15 and 180 of Adalimumab therapy, and the following immune parameters were assessed: Number, phenotype, and function of regulatory T lymphocytes. The induction of apoptosis of immune cells and the in vitro and in vivo reactivity towards M. tuberculosis were also analysed. All patients responded to Adalimumab (ACR response 50–70), and a modest but significant increase in the number and function of regulatory T cells was observed at day 15 of anti-TNF-α therapy. In addition, an increased percent of apoptotic cells was detected in the peripheral blood at day 15 of Adalimumab therapy. Unexpectedly, most of these effects were not further observed at day 180. However, two patients showed a persistent and marked reduction in the reactivity to M. tuberculosis. Although we have found that Adalimumab affects the number and function of regulatory T lymphocytes, and the apoptosis of immune cells, these effects are transient and its possible causal relationship with the therapeutic activity of this biological agent remains to be determined. Nevertheless, the down-regulatory effect of Adalimumab on the reactivity to M. tuberculosis could be related to an enhanced risk of tuberculosis reactivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]