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Ocean oil pollution has a large impact on the environment and the health of living organisms. Bioremediation cleaning strategies are promising eco-friendly alternatives for tackling this problem. Previously, we designed and reported a hydrocarbon (HC) degrading microbial consortium of four marine strains belonging to the species Alloalcanivorax xenomutans, Halopseudomonas aestusnigri, Paenarthrobacter sp., and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. However, the knowledge about the metabolic potential of this bacterial consortium for HC bioremediation is not yet well understood. Here, we analyzed the complete genomes of these marine bacterial strains accompanied by a phylogenetic reconstruction along with 138 bacterial strains. Synteny between complete genomes of the same species or genus, revealed high conservation among strains of the same species, covering over 91% of their genomic sequences. Functional predictions highlighted a high abundance of genes related to HC degradation, which may result in functional redundancy within the consortium; however, unique and complete gene clusters linked to aromatic degradation were found in the four genomes, suggesting substrate specialization. Pangenome gain and loss analysis of genes involved in HC degradation provided insights into the evolutionary history of these capabilities, shedding light on the acquisition and loss of relevant genes related to alkane and aromatic degradation. Our work, including comparative genomic analyses, identification of secondary metabolites, and prediction of HC-degrading genes, enhances our understanding of the functional diversity and ecological roles of these marine bacteria in crude oil-contaminated marine environments and contributes to the applied knowledge of bioremediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Introduction: during physical exercise with incremental load, the double product is increased by sympathetic stimulus, and its increase presents a positive inflection called the double product breaking point or break point of double product (BPDP). Commonly, there is a correlation between this and the lactic threshold (LT), but we do not know its association with the ventilatory thresholds that are usually used to prescribe training. Objective: to determine the correlation of the BPDP with the ventilatory thresholds. Material and methods: a descriptive, prospective, analytical, non-randomized study was carried out in which patients with heart disease who underwent maximal cardiopulmonary exercise tests were included. The PD was obtained and plotted as a function of time (every minute) to establish the BPDP by line drawing. The correlation was made with the ventilatory thresholds obtained from the CPET gas analysis using the ventilatory equivalents method. Results: twenty-one patients between 49 and 59 years old (14.3% women) were studied. The Spearman correlation coefficient was applied, and it was found that there is a strong-moderate positive correlation between BPDP and VAT-DP with statistical significance (p = 0.004, r = 0.60) and in the same way between BPDP and moderate correlation with VT2-DP (p = 0.005, r = 0.59). Conclusion: determination of PD is a reproducible and easily accessible method for determining ventilatory thresholds. The BPDP correlates with the aerobic-anaerobic ventilatory threshold (VAT), determining training intensity in patients with heart disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Introduction: cancer and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are among the main causes of mortality worldwide. In CVD patients, continuous moderate-intensity training and High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) are safe, effective, and may be a strategy to improve cardiovascular health. Material and methods: a prospective experimental study was performed with a sample of 275 cancer survivors recently diagnosed with CVD and low functional capacity, less than 4 METs (metabolic equivalent of task). A training program lasting 36 weeks was applied with assistance three times a week of 70 minutes per intervention and with pre and post-measurements of anthropometry by bioimpedance, New York Heart Association (NYHA) Scale, stress test, echocardiogram, sarcopenia (Anthropometry, muscular strength, and functionality), lipid profile, quality of life European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTG-C30), questionnaire for fatigue (FACT-Fatigue scale), 6 minutes walk test for distance traveled and estimated VO2. Results: significant improvement was reported in ejection fraction (40 ± 4.8 vs 47 ± 5.6; p ≤ 0.05), functional capacity reported in METs (2.1 ± 1.6 vs 3.9 ± 0.9), quality of life (108 ± 14 vs 121 ±7.6; p = 0.002) and improvement in estimated VO2max, strength, muscle percentage, and post-intervention blood pressure (p ≤ 0.05). In addition, the lipid profile, glucose, abdominal circumference, fat percentage (p ≤ 0.05). 0.05), and sarcopenia (32 vs 13%; p = 0.012) decreased after HIIT training without any adverse events during the interventions in the study population. Conclusions: the use of HIIT training is an efficient and safe way to improve physical capacity, quality of life, anthropometric parameters, and control cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) in cancer survivors with a recent diagnosis of CVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The catalytic transformation of 1-butanol into condensed products by mixed metal oxides, based on Mg2+ and Al3+, containing Co2+, Ni2+, and Zn2+, into ethers, aldehydes, alkenes, ketones, alkylbenzenes, and phenolic compounds is described. The reactions were conducted at 550 and 600 °C, with and without methanol co-feeding. The presence of Co2+, Ni2+, and Zn2+ in the catalyst structure, together with the reaction temperature and methanol co-feeding, allowed the modulation of the yield and selectivity of each class of product. Also, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that phenolic compounds were produced from 1-butanol, and due to the nature of the condensed products found, the Robinson annulation was proposed as the reaction mechanism. The methodology herein described uses a renewable carbon source, is greener than the current ones for synthesizing the classes of compounds mentioned earlier, and can be an alternative for raw materials currently obtained exclusively from petroleum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Background. Teratomas are neoplasms that arise from pluripotent germ cells, derived from two or more layers of germ cells. They are classified as mature tumors (cystic or solid), which contain well-differentiated tissues, or as immature tumors, which contain immature and embryonic structures. Its most frequent location is the female and male gonads; the mesenteric location is rare and approximately 40 cases have been described in the world literature. Within the diagnostic and therapeutic approach, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are used to characterize the lesion, assess intra-abdominal extension and the relationship with other structures. The diagnosis must be confirmed by histopathological examination. Clinical case. A 56-year-old female patient with a history of infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the left breast in remission. In follow-up studies, incidental abdominal tomography finding of an abdominopelvic lesion dependent on the mesentery at the level of the mesogastrium, smooth contours with fat-liquid level. Extension studies with negative tumor markers. Results: Due to high clinical and imaging suspicion of teratoma, the patient was taken to resection of the lesion. Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of mature cystic teratoma of the mesentery. Conclusion: Mesenteric teratoma is a rare clinical entity and is considered one of the differential diagnoses of an abdominal mass with a compressive effect. Diagnosis is mainly based on clinical examination and imaging findings. Early surgical excision is the mainstay of treatment; laparoscopic or open approach depends on the clinical characteristics and the experience of the surgeon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Leadership is fundamental in Ecuadorian companies, driving the development, efficiency and competitiveness of their employees. In Ecuador's mining companies, leadership is crucial to creating an innovative environment; leaders not only guide, but also inspire teams to achieve ambitious goals. They encourage creativity, the adoption of sustainable technologies and solutions, and promote a culture of innovation that benefits the mining industry and business progress in Ecuador. This paper was developed to evaluate how leadership influences the organizational climate for innovation in a mining company in Ecuador. Statistical models of factor analysis were applied to establish which type of leadership has the greatest influence on the organizational climate for innovation in the company studied. Relationships were found between transformational and transactional leadership factors with flexibility and innovation support, while task orientation in the field of innovation is influenced by elements of passive leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

We exhibit a randomized algorithm which, given a square matrix A ∈ C n × n with ‖ A ‖ ≤ 1 and δ > 0 , computes with high probability an invertible V and diagonal D such that ‖ A - V D V - 1 ‖ ≤ δ using O (T MM (n) log 2 (n / δ)) arithmetic operations, in finite arithmetic with O (log 4 (n / δ) log n) bits of precision. The computed similarity V additionally satisfies ‖ V ‖ ‖ V - 1 ‖ ≤ O (n 2.5 / δ) . Here T MM (n) is the number of arithmetic operations required to multiply two n × n complex matrices numerically stably, known to satisfy T MM (n) = O (n ω + η) for every η > 0 where ω is the exponent of matrix multiplication (Demmel et al. in Numer Math 108(1):59–91, 2007). The algorithm is a variant of the spectral bisection algorithm in numerical linear algebra (Beavers Jr. and Denman in Numer Math 21(1-2):143–169, 1974) with a crucial Gaussian perturbation preprocessing step. Our result significantly improves the previously best-known provable running times of O (n 10 / δ 2) arithmetic operations for diagonalization of general matrices (Armentano et al. in J Eur Math Soc 20(6):1375–1437, 2018) and (with regard to the dependence on n) O (n 3) arithmetic operations for Hermitian matrices (Dekker and Traub in Linear Algebra Appl 4:137–154, 1971). It is the first algorithm to achieve nearly matrix multiplication time for diagonalization in any model of computation (real arithmetic, rational arithmetic, or finite arithmetic), thereby matching the complexity of other dense linear algebra operations such as inversion and QR factorization up to polylogarithmic factors. The proof rests on two new ingredients. (1) We show that adding a small complex Gaussian perturbation to any matrix splits its pseudospectrum into n small well-separated components. In particular, this implies that the eigenvalues of the perturbed matrix have a large minimum gap, a property of independent interest in random matrix theory. (2) We give a rigorous analysis of Roberts' Newton iteration method (Roberts in Int J Control 32(4):677–687, 1980) for computing the sign function of a matrix in finite arithmetic, itself an open problem in numerical analysis since at least 1986. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Background: Obesity is a multifactorial disorder characterized by increased body adiposity with a wide prevalence in our country, at any age, and linked to major adverse consequences, including the development of heart disease. Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs are interdisciplinary interventions aimed not only at restoring the lost functionality of patients who have suffered a cardiovascular outcome, but also at correcting those risk factors that led to it and that interfere with its adaptive results. Obesity contributes to perpetuating heart disease risk and is often resistant to conventional lifestyle modifications. Objective: Establish guidelines in the recognition of obesity with care guidelines for patients with heart disease within CR programs and their interdisciplinary approach. Method: Through an extensive bibliographical review and after an interdisciplinary discussion, this document was prepared to establish a position on the approach to obesity in the context of CR programs in patients with heart disease. Results and conclusions: Our Society recognizes the interdisciplinary approach of our patients with obesity and heart disease in its primary and secondary prevention, urges precision in its diagnosis and assessment, recommends that its primary axis must be based in the first instance on lifestyle modifications (physical training, nutritional care and psycho-emotional intervention), while pharmacological therapy and bariatric surgery could be coadjuvants in optimizing the results in selected patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Introduction: In Mexico, cardiac rehabilitation (CR) as an interdisciplinary intervention with therapeutic impact in patients with heart disease is growing. There is the need to know actual conditions of CR in our country. Objectives: The objective of this National Registry is to follow-up those existing and new CR units in Mexico through the comparison between the two previous registries, RENAPREC-2009 and RENAPREC II-2015 studies. This is a descriptive study focused on diverse CR activities such as assistance training, and certification of health professionals, barriers, reference, population attended, interdisciplinarity, permanence over time, growth prospects, regulations, post-pandemic condition, integrative characteristics, and scientific research. Results: Data were collected from 45 CR centers in the 32 states, 75.5% are private practice units, 67% are new, 33% were part of RENAPREC II-2015, and 17 have continued since 2009. With a better distribution of CR units along the territory, the median reference of candidates for CR programs is 9% with a significant reduction into tiempo of enrollment to Phase II admission (19 ± 11 days). Regarding to previous registries, the coverance of Phases I, II, and III is 71%, 100%, and 93%, respectively; and a coverance increases in evaluation, risk stratification, and prescription, more comprehensive attendance and prevention strategies. Conclusions: CR in Mexico has grown in the past 7 years. Even there is still low reference and heterogeneity in specific processes, there are strengths such as interdisciplinarity, scientific professionalization of specialists, national diversification, and an official society that are consolidated over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represents a serious threat to global health. The development of new drugs to combat infections caused by bacteria resistant to multiple or even all available antibiotics is urgent. Most antibiotics used up to date have been identified from soil microorganisms. The marine environment represents an alternative source with great potential for the identification of microorganisms that produce bioactive molecules, including antibiotics. In this study, we analyzed the antibacterial activity of a collection of 82 bacterial strains isolated from marine water and sediment samples collected from the Southwestern Gulf of Mexico. Eight of the marine isolates inhibited the growth of different pathogenic bacteria, seven of which were identified as presumptive Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Interestingly, genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis revealed that the remaining marine isolate showing antibacterial activity is a novel Pseudomonas species that we denominated Pseudomonas sp. GOM7, which was not pathogenic in the Galleria mellonella infection model in the conditions tested. Notably, Pseudomonas sp. GOM7 inhibited the growth of multidrug and methicillin-resistant strains of the priority pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. Our results show that the anti-S. aureus compound(s) produced by Pseudomonas sp. GOM7 can be extracted from the culture supernatant of this bacterium with the organic solvent ethyl acetate. Annotation of the Pseudomonas sp. GOM7 genome revealed the presence of several biosynthetic gene clusters predicted to code for possible antimicrobial compounds. Our results further highlight the potential of bacteria from the Gulf of Mexico as a source of novel antimicrobials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Given two polynomials p(x), q(x) of degree d, we give a combinatorial formula for the finite free cumulants of p(x)\boxtimes _d q(x). We show that this formula admits a topological expansion in terms of non-crossing multi-annular permutations on surfaces of different genera. This topological expansion, on the one hand, deepens the connection between the theories of finite free probability and free probability, and in particular proves that \boxtimes _d converges to \boxtimes as d goes to infinity. On the other hand, borrowing tools from the theory of second order freeness, we use our expansion to study the infinitesimal distribution of certain families of polynomials which include Hermite and Laguerre, and draw some connections with the theory of infinitesimal distributions for real random matrices. Finally, building on our results we give a new short and conceptual proof of a recent result (see J. Hoskins and Z. Kabluchko [Exp. Math. (2021), pp. 1–27]; S. Steinerberger [Exp. Math. (2021), pp. 1–6]) that connects root distributions of polynomial derivatives with free fractional convolution powers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The article focuses on how to link supply chain strategy to business strategy during the planning stage to create value for customers, employees, and suppliers. It emphasizes the importance of choosing the supply chain model that best aligns with the value creation strategy to support core business objectives. It also highlights the importance of identifying a real strategy that considers tradeoffs instead of a wish list during the strategy ideation stage. more...

For any multi-graph |$G$| with edge weights and vertex potential, and its universal covering tree |${\mathcal{T}}$|⁠ , we completely characterize the point spectrum of operators |$A_{{\mathcal{T}}}$| on |${\mathcal{T}}$| arising as pull-backs of local, self-adjoint operators |$A_{G}$| on |$G$|⁠. This builds on work of Aomoto, and includes an alternative proof of the necessary condition for point spectrum derived in [ 5 ]. Our result gives a finite time algorithm to compute the point spectrum of |$A_{{\mathcal{T}}}$| from the graph |$G$|⁠ , and additionally allows us to show that this point spectrum is itself contained in the spectrum of |$A_{G}$|⁠. Finally, we prove that typical pull-back operators have a spectral delocalization property: the set of edge weight and vertex potential parameters of |$A_{G}$| giving rise to |$A_{{\mathcal{T}}}$| with purely absolutely continuous spectrum is open, and its complement has large codimension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Objective: The myocardial efficiency index (MEI) correlates the Myocardial Oxygen Consumption (MVO2) with the Maximum Oxygen Consumption (VO2max), this index provides information about the cardiovascular efficiency (CVEf). In athletes, the MEI improves after a micro-cycle training, however in patients with cardiovascular disease undergoing Cardiac Rehabilitation Program (CRP), IEM behavior could be a good estimator related to the improvement training period. The objective of this study was to determine the myocardial efficiency index behavior in patients with heart disease and high cardiovascular risk (HCVR) after a CRP. Methods: Ambilective, descriptive, analytical, non-randomized cohort study was conducted. Patients with heart disease of mixed etiology and HCVR admitted to a CRP for 4-6 weeks were selected. All patients performed a maximal exercise test in band before and after the CPR. Thresholds of VO2 peak, METs-load, Double product (DP) and MEI were determined. A cut-off point for the MEI was established using a ROC curve with a value of 7.37, area under the curve: 0.68 (95% CI 0.61 - 0.76, p < 0.001), sensitivity 0.60 and 1-specificity 0.35. Results: 193 patients with a mean age of 62.3 years were included, predominantly men (66.2%). Percentages changes in the MEI: -27.1% (p < 0.001), METs: -43.1% (p < 0.001), DP: 5.7% (p < 0.01), and MVO2: 8.3% (p < 0.01) were observed at the end of CRP. Conclusions: Significant change in the MEI were observed after CRP associated to CVEf improvement, suggesting that this parameter could be considered as a good clinical tool in the CRP care programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Aims: The purpose of this study was to characterize the prokaryotic community and putative microbial interactions between H2‐producing bacteria (HPB) and non‐HPB using two anaerobic sequencing batch biofilm reactors (AnSBBRs) fed with tequila vinasses in co‐digestion with acid hydrolysates of Agave tequilana var. azul bagasse (ATAB). Methods and Results: Two AnSBBRs were operated for H2 production to correlate changes in physicochemical and biological variables by principal component analysis (PCA). Results indicated that H2 yield was supported by Ethanoligenens harbinense and Clostridium tyrobutyricum through the PFOR pathway. However, only E. harbinense was able to compete for sugars against non‐HPB. Competitive exclusion associated with competition for sugars, depletion of essential trace elements, bacteriocin production and resistance to inhibitory compounds could be carried out by non‐HPB, increasing their relative abundances during the dark fermentation (DF) process. Conclusions: The global scenario obtained by PCA correlated the decrease in H2 production with the lactate:acetate molar ratio in the influent. At the beginning of co‐digestion, this ratio had the minimum value considered for a net gain of ATP. This fact could cause the reduction of the relative abundance of C. tyrobutyricum. Significance and Impact of the Study: This is the first study that demonstrated the feasibility of H2 production by Clostridiales from acid hydrolysates of ATAB in co‐digestion with tequila vinasses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The purpose of this article is to analyze the evolution of the intercultural approach in the Peruvian educational system, especially in university education. This problem is addressed by reviewing the official documents of Peruvian university institutions, which describe three practices: language teaching, admission conditions and the work of scientific communication. In the first two decades of the 21st century, four intercultural universities have been formalized, which follow the modern/colonial logic of integrating the native populations that inhabit Peruvian soil into university higher education and into the labor and economic model. Since the issuance of University Law 30220, in 2014, universities have incorporated the intercultural perspective in their academic models and practices. However, tensions and contradictions are found: on the one hand, there is interest in learning to communicate with native populations, and, on the other hand, this learning is limited when talking about including the knowledge of native peoples in professional profiles and their languages in the academic discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Background: Gastric cancer remains a major global health challenge, ranking fourth in cancer-related deaths. Total gastrectomy with lymphadenectomy is the standard treatment, with advancements in surgery shifting towards minimally invasive techniques to reduce surgical trauma and metabolic response. Esophagojejunal anastomotic leak is a frequent complication of gastrectomy, significantly increasing morbidity and mortality rates by up to 64%. Materials and methods: A retrospective cohort study reviewed adults undergoing total gastrectomy for gastric cancer who developed esophagojejunal anastomotic leaks. The study described patient characteristics, diagnostic methods, and management at Clinica Universitaria Colombia from 2013 to 2023. Results: Among 500 patients who had total gastrectomy, 54 developed esophagojejunal leaks. The cohort was 64.8% male, average age 55.2 years (± 14.87), and average BMI 24.5 kg/m². Notably, 18.5% smoked, 11.1% had lung disease, and 9.3% had heart disease or diabetes. Chest tomography was used in 60% of cases, followed by endoscopy in 35.2%. Endoscopic management with fully covered stents was the main strategy, used in 84% of cases. Average hospitalization was 18 days, with 33% needing intensive care, and overall hospital stay was 23.31 ± 16.33 days. Patients undergoing neoadjuvant and elective laparoscopic surgeries had a significant 30-day mortality risk. Conclusions: Despite advances in surgical techniques and perioperative management, esophagojejunal anastomotic leaks continue to represent a serious complication, increasing morbidity and mortality. Therefore, early postoperative detection, based on the patient's clinical signs that allow confirmatory studies to be performed, is crucial. This facilitates the implementation of timely treatments, whether conservative, through the use of endoscopic or percutaneous strategies, or surgical procedures. The next step for the scientific community will be to conduct studies with long-term follow-ups to ensure consistency of the high-quality results reported so far. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Biological lignin conversion to medium chain length-polyhydroxyalkanoates (mcl-PHA) has recently emerged as an attractive alternative to petroleum-based plastics due to the renewable nature of lignin and the value-added applications of mcl-PHA. Previous reports suggested that addition of limited glucose can improve mcl-PHA accumulation in Pseudomonas putida KT2440 grown in lignin substrates. Herein, we propose a biorefinery process to systematically release lignin and sugars from lignocellulosic biomass and evaluate the potential of co-utilization of all biomass components for conversion to mcl-PHA. Our results indicate that a sequential treatment composed of acid pretreatment, enzymatic hydrolysis and alkaline treatment produces a suitable lignin stream for mcl-PHA production in engineered P. putida. In addition, the PHA titer could be increased by 71% when the lignin stream (AH) was combined with the enzymatic hydrolysate (EH) at a ratio of 75 : 25. Higher ratios of EH : AH negatively affect mcl-PHA accumulation as well as mixtures with sugars from the acid hydrolysate. The optimization of the fermentation conditions, including the inoculum (OD600) and substrate (soluble solid content (SSC)), was carried out by a central composite design. The optimal conditions were achieved at OD600 = 2.17 and SSC = 68.28 g L−1. Under these conditions, the titer increased 4.3 fold, achieving a mcl-PHA production of 1.38 g L−1. Lignin characterization before and after fermentation by nuclear magnetic resonance and gas chromatography showed that p-coumarates were mainly consumed during the fermentation for mcl-PHA production. Overall, this biorefinery strategy allowed us to increase mcl-PHA production by utilizing the different lignocellulosic fractions. Unlike previous studies, no model substrates were utilized at any stage of the fermentation process, representing a step forward towards process feasibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The importance of gem‐difunctionalized ketones is represented by their broad applications across chemical boundaries over recent years. The interesting reactivities that this class of compounds possess have made them ideal building blocks to access high‐value organic molecules. Furthermore, the gem‐difunctionalized ketone moiety has featured in numerous bioactive molecules. For these reasons, a plethora of routes to access such significant molecules have been developed by research groups worldwide – this account looks at delineating the synthesis of gem‐difunctionalized ketones from carbonyl substrates, diazo compounds, sulfur ylides and alkynyl reactants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

In this study, we detail a catalytic process for the conversion of fusel oil (FO), a by-product of ethanol production considered as waste, into valuable organic compounds, including aldehydes, alkenes, ketones, and alkylbenzenes spanning a carbon chain length from C 6 to C 12. The reaction was carried out in a fixed bed flow reactor at atmospheric pressure, employing mixed metal oxides (MMO) derived from hydrotalcites (HTC) as catalysts. The HTC were readily synthesized by co-precipitation method involving Mg2+ and Al3+, wherein 20 mol% Mg2+ was substituted by M2+ = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, and Zn, and MMO obtained by HTC calcination. These catalysts offer cost-effectiveness compared to noble metal-containing ones while exhibiting remarkable activity in dehydrogenation, hydrogenation, and dehydration reactions pivotal for alcohol reactivity. The proposed methodology holds promise for large-scale industrial use and pioneers a fresh avenue for deriving value-added raw chemicals from a renewable carbon source. [Display omitted] • Catalytic transformation of fusel oil (FO) into high value-added organic building blocks. • Greener utilization of a high-volume industrial waste, instead of burning it. • Noble metal free, cheap and easy synthesis catalysts for FO transformation. • Reduced graphene oxide deposition over catalyst surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Rapid convergence of the shifted QR algorithm on symmetric matrices was shown more than 50 years ago. Since then, despite significant interest and its practical relevance, an understanding of the dynamics and convergence properties of the shifted QR algorithm on nonsymmetric matrices has remained elusive. We introduce a new family of shifting strategies for the Hessenberg shifted QR algorithm. We prove that when the input is a diagonalizable Hessenberg matrix H of bounded eigenvector condition numberκV(H)\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\usepackage{amsmath}\usepackage{wasysym}\usepackage{amsfonts}\usepackage{amssymb}\usepackage{amsbsy}\usepackage{mathrsfs}\usepackage{upgreek}\setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt}\begin{document}$$\kappa _V(H)$$\end{document}—defined as the minimum condition number of V over all diagonalizations VDV-1\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\usepackage{amsmath}\usepackage{wasysym}\usepackage{amsfonts}\usepackage{amssymb}\usepackage{amsbsy}\usepackage{mathrsfs}\usepackage{upgreek}\setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt}\begin{document}$$VDV^{-1}$$\end{document} of H—then the shifted QR algorithm with a certain strategy from our family is guaranteed to converge rapidly to a Hessenberg matrix with a zero subdiagonal entry, in exact arithmetic. Our convergence result is nonasymptotic, showing that the geometric mean of certain subdiagonal entries of H decays by a fixed constant in every QR iteration. The arithmetic cost of implementing each iteration of our strategy scales roughly logarithmically in the eigenvector condition number κV(H)\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\usepackage{amsmath}\usepackage{wasysym}\usepackage{amsfonts}\usepackage{amssymb}\usepackage{amsbsy}\usepackage{mathrsfs}\usepackage{upgreek}\setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt}\begin{document}$$\kappa _V(H)$$\end{document}, which is a measure of the nonnormality of H. The key ideas in the design and analysis of our strategy are: (1) we are able to precisely characterize when a certain shifting strategy based on Ritz values stagnates. We use this information to design certain “exceptional shifts” which are guaranteed to escape stagnation whenever it occurs. (2) We use higher degree shifts (of degree roughly logκV(H)\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\usepackage{amsmath}\usepackage{wasysym}\usepackage{amsfonts}\usepackage{amssymb}\usepackage{amsbsy}\usepackage{mathrsfs}\usepackage{upgreek}\setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt}\begin{document}$$\log \kappa _V(H)$$\end{document}) to dampen transient effects due to nonnormality, allowing us to treat nonnormal matrices in a manner similar to normal matrices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Objective: Heart failure is a clinical syndrome characterized by a decrease in functional capacity. Cardiac rehabilitation and secondary prevention (CR&SP) programs have been shown to improve quality of life and excercise tolerance in this group of patients, but their effects depends on training volume. Our objective is to evaluate the level of correlation of the training volume measured in metabolic equivalents (MET)-min/week with the percentage of peak oxygen consumption (VO2p) gain (estimated MET) after a CR&SP in patients with chronic heart failure. Method: Quasi-experimental study that evaluated the gain of VO2p (estimated MET) in 31 patients after a CR&SP, prior and post-exercise test, which consisted of 30 min of dynamic training at 70% heart rate reserve (HRR) for 6 weeks, with strenght training and interdisciplinary intervention. The training volume of each patient was calculated in MET-min/week (Kaminsky's method). Spearman's Rho correlation index was measured and stochastic significance was considered whith a value of p < 0.05. Results: 70.6% were male, average age 61.5 years ± 8.9, with left ventricular ejection fraction average of 38 ± 4.6%; 96.8% of the heart failure had an ischemic origin; 55.9, 29.4 and 5.9% in New York Heart Association funstional class I, II and III, respectively. With an average training volume of 504.34 ± 164 MET-min/week. The best correlation was obtained in high-risk population with Rho: 0.486 (p = 0.008) meassured by estimated VO2p. Conclusions: Although there is a substantial gain in excersise tolerance measured by estimated VO2p, we did not obtain a sufficient level of correlation between the volume of training applied and the gain obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Objective: Evaluate safety and effects of training at moderate and high intensity intervals (MIIT, HIIT) compared to continuous moderate intensity training (MICT) in heart disease patient with very high cardiovascular risk (CVR). Method: Quasi-experimental study of 81 patients in a cardiac rehabilitation (CR) program, after risk stratification, all patients presented at least 2 factors with high CVR. All patients were provided supervised concurrent training: aerobic: initially 2 weeks MICT. subsequently MICT group with same prescription, MIIT 3 intervals of 3 'to 70-80% FCR with active pause exercise of 3' to 60 a 70% FCR, HIIT 3 intervals of 3'a 80-90% FCR with active pause exercise of 3 '70 a 80% FCR, resistance training 3 weekly sessions isotonic exercises and 1 calisthenics and multidisciplinary intervention. Results: 81 patients assigned to: 61 MICT group, 13 MIIT and 7 HIIT, no significant differences were observed. Percentage gains were obtained in METs-load 45%, 60% and 86% (p = 0.17) and watts 51, 44 and 48 in MICT, MIIT, HIIT respectively (p = 0.54). Although there are no statistical significant intergroup differences if there is a greater improvement in MET-load in the HIIT group. There was no adverse outcome in any training. Conclusions: In very high cardiovascular risk heart disease patient, supervised interval training (MIIT/HIIT) is safe, with a tendency to greater improvement in exercise tolerance (METs-load) with HIIT compared to MICT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The response to an electrostatic field is determined through simple model calculations, within both the restricted Hartree-Fock and density functional theory methods, for long, finite as well as infinite, periodic chains. The permanent dipole moment, μ0, the polarizability, α, and the hyperpolarizabilities β and γ , calculated using a finite-field approach, are extensively analyzed. Our simple model allows for treatment of large systems and for separation of the properties into atomic and unit-cell contributions. That part of the response properties attributable to the terminations of the finite system change into delocalized current contributions in the corresponding infinite periodic system. Special emphasis is placed on analyzing the reasons behind the dramatic overestimation of the response properties found with density functional theory methods presently in common use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Substituted naphthols (SNs) are an important class of chemical compounds present in many natural and synthetic products with biological and pharmaceutical activities. Moreover, the naphthol skeleton has been employed as a starting material for the development of drug molecules and natural products. Thus, different synthetic methods to access naphthol cores have been reported using diverse starting materials and chemical strategies. This review article describes literature on synthetic methodologies of substituted naphthols synthesized from alkynes, sulfur ylides, diazo substrates, alkenes/cyclopropenes, ketones/oxanorbenes/furans, amongst other key reactants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The present study, sugarcane straw residue (SCS) was submitted to a combination of mild alkaline pretreatment and ozone cycles in a rotary reactor aiming to obtain fermentable sugars. The SCS exposed to short ozone cycles and short reaction times proved to be as efficient as long ozone exposure times usually employed, with no significant variation on the concentration of the fermentable sugars. Also, studies carried out on the ozone concentration, ozone exposure time, reaction time and biomass amount on the ozonolysis process were conducted. The washing processes after alkaline pretreatment and ozonolysis were also studied. During the alkaline pretreatment, approximately 73% of total phenolic compounds (TPC) was generated. After the first wash 79% of the TPC was washed away and 95% was removed after the second wash. The TPC content in wash solution obtained after ozonolysis is about 2.3% of the TPC generated with the alkaline pretreatment. For the enzymatic hydrolysate 0.20 g L−1 of TPC was obtained, a low value compared to similar studies. The inhibitor detected in the highest concentration was acetic acid for all solutions, except for ozonolysis where fumaric acid predominated. Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and furfural were detected in amounts of less than 10 mg L−1. Image 1 • O 3 short-pulses in rotary reactor were more efficient than continuous flow. • Short O 3 cycle was as efficient as longer ones previously described in literature. • Ozone concentration is not directly related with sugars release. • Rotary reactor utilization enhanced the amount of fermentable sugars. • Ozonolysis and alkaline treatments did not generate significative amounts of TPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Injuries occur when an athlete performs a greater amount of activity than what their body can withstand. To maximize the positive effects of training while avoiding injuries, athletes and coaches need to determine safe activity levels. The International Olympic Committee has recommended using the acute:chronic workload ratio (ACWR) to monitor injury risk and has provided thresholds to minimize risk when designing training programs. However, there are several limitations to the ACWR and how it has been analyzed which impact the validity of current recommendations and should discourage its use. This review aims to discuss previously published and novel challenges with the ACWR, and strategies to improve current analytical methods. In the first part of this review, we discuss challenges inherent to the ACWR. We explain why using a ratio to represent changes in activity may not always be appropriate. We also show that using exponentially weighted moving averages to calculate the ACWR results in an initial load problem, and discuss their inapplicability to sports where athletes taper their activity. In the second part, we discuss challenges with how the ACWR has been implemented. We cover problems with discretization, sparse data, bias in injured athletes, unmeasured and time-varying confounding, and application to subsequent injuries. In the third part, conditional on well-conceived study design, we discuss alternative causal-inference based analytical strategies that may avoid major flaws in studies on changes in activity and injury occurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

We study the Lanczos algorithm where the initial vector is sampled uniformly from Sn-1. Let A be an n \times n Hermitian matrix. We show that when run for few iterations, the output of Lanczos on A is almost deterministic. More precisely, we show that for any ε ∊ (0, 1) there exists c > 0 depending only on ε and a certain global property of the spectrum of A (in particular, not depending on n) such that when Lanczos is run for at most c log n iterations, the output Jacobi coefficients deviate from their medians by t with probability at most exp(-nεt²) for t < ∥ A∥. We directly obtain a similar result for the Ritz values and vectors. Our techniques also yield asymptotic results: Suppose one runs Lanczos on a sequence of Hermitian matrices An ∊ Mn(C) whose spectral distributions converge in Kolmogorov distance with rate O(n-ε) to a density µ for some ε > 0. Then we show that for large enough n, and for k = O(√logn), the Jacobi coefficients output after k iterations concentrate around those for µ. The asymptotic setting is relevant since Lanczos is often used to approximate the spectral density of an infinite-dimensional operator by way of the Jacobi coefficients; our result provides some theoretical justification for this approach. In a different direction, we show that Lanczos fails with high probability to identify outliers of the spectrum when run for at most c' log n iterations, where again c' depends only on the same global property of the spectrum of A. Classical results imply that the bound c' log n is tight up to a constant factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Unsaturated, carbonyl and aromatic products were obtained by reacting 1-butanol or a 1-butanol : methanol mixture with a copper mixed metal oxide catalyst in a fixed bed reactor. The selectivities observed, mostly for the unsaturated and carbonyl products, can represent a new alternative and greener pathway for the production of fine-chemicals and organic building blocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Introduction: The Chilean Army considers processes that can optimize physical capacities for responding to the impact of situations and given stressors. The study of the effect of hypothermia as a stressor agent (HSA) and its relationship with cardiovascular, hematological, anthropometric, endocrine, and immunological parameters has not been fully addressed experimentally in military populations.Objective: To identify the endocrine, hematological, cardiovascular, and immunological changes caused by HSA and to associate these variables with body composition and physical fitness in the military special operation courses of the Chilean Army.Materials and Methods: Forty-two male subjects were exposed to remain in cold water (10.6 °C) in the context of regular military operations training, the longest time of exposure was determined by individual volitional limits. The measurements were taken in pre-hypothermia conditions, then 2 d later under acute hypothermia condition, and finally during the course period of lesser physical and psychological stressors where the baseline measurements were taken. The statistical analysis consisted of testing normality of the distribution through the Shapiro-Wilk test, assessing the equality of variances through the Levene test, and variance analysis by applying the ANOVA test (analysis of variance). The Bonferroni test was used for multiple comparison correction and the Pearson test for correlations between two variables. The level of significance was of p < 0.05.Results: The main finding of this study is that HSA has a significant impact at the cardiovascular level and produces an increment in the cell population of the immune and hematologic systems. Significant hormonal changes were observed: ACTH (r = 0.50, p < 0.002), cortisol (r = 0.32, p < 0.03), free testosterone (r = 0.13, p < 0.002), total testosterone r = 0.31, p < 0.002), and anthropometrics (r = -0.51, p < 0.05). However, there is no significant correlation between physical fitness and HAS.Conclusions: All subjects experienced hypothermia stress elicited by immersion in cold water. This was evidenced by the decrease in core temperature as well as cardiovascular, endocrine, anthropometric, and immunological changes. Individual differences exist between subjects and their resistance to hypothermia in cold water. These differences are not explained by the physical fitness profile but rather respond to a greater body adiposity index and minor changes in the adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol hormone. An acute hypothermia stress condition also affects the anabolic/catabolic environment. Finally, HSA produces an increase in the cell population of the immune system. The authors believe that this study allows to standardize HSA exposure times during regular military operations training by identifying the physiological impacts under this extreme environment. At present, the availability of intra-abdominal temperature measurement apparatus with capsule thermometers raises the interest of corroborating the findings of the current study through the use of such measuring devices. Likewise, an interesting line of research for the future would be to compare the HSA against a psychological evaluation with the purpose of identifying the stress management mechanisms among subjects of these characteristics and include heart rate variability measurements as an indicator of sympathetic stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

At first, three different methods devoted to extracting the periodic-system band structures from the results of finite-system calculations are being discussed. Special emphasis is put on the performance of these methods for a system that is exposed to an external electrostatic field. Using model calculations we found that the three methods converge to the same results in the absence of the electrostatic field, but they lead to small differences when the field is included, which can be ascribed to distortions of the spatial extensions of the orbitals generated by the field. These small differences become important when addressing the issue whether it is possible to identify uniquely a set of band structures for the infinite, periodic system exposed to an electrostatic field. This question, related to the question whether the phases of the periodic-system orbitals are of physical importance, has so far not been answered. Applying the results of the first part we ultimately suggest that it is not possible to identify a unique set of band structures when the periodic system is exposed to an electrostatic field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

This work presents a high-order element-based numerical simulation of an experimental granular avalanche, in order to assess the potential of these spectral techniques to handle geophysical conservation laws. The spatial discretization of these equations was developed via the spectral multidomain penalty method (SMPM). The temporal terms were discretized using a strong-stability preserving Runge-Kutta method. Stability of the numerical scheme is ensured with the use of a spectral filter and a constant or regularized lateral earth pressure coefficient. The test case is a granular avalanche that is generated in a small-scale rectangular flume with a topographical gradient. A grid independence test was performed to clarify the order of the error in the mass conservation produced by the treatments here implemented. The numerical predictions of the granular avalanches are compared with experimental measurements performed by Denlinger and Iverson (2001). Furthermore, the boundary conditions and parameters such as lateral earth pressure coefficients and the momentum correction factor were analyzed in order to observe the incidence of these features when solving the granular flow equations. This work identifies the benefits and weaknesses of the SMPM to solve this set of equations, and thus, it is possible to conclude that the SMPM provides an appropriate solution to the granular flow equations proposed by Iverson and Denlinger (2001) and comparable predictions for the experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

For a semisimple Lie group G satisfying the equal rank condition, the most basic family of unitary irreducible representations is the discrete series found by Harish-Chandra. In this paper, we study some of the branching laws for these when restricted to a subgroup H of the same type by combining the classical results with the recent work of T. Kobayashi. We analyze aspects of having differential operators being symmetry-breaking operators; in particular, we prove in the so-called admissible case that every symmetry breaking (H -map) operator is a differential operator. We prove discrete decomposability under Harish-Chandra's condition of cusp form on the reproducing kernels. Our techniques are based on realizing discrete series representations as kernels of elliptic invariant differential operators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Manzano Vargas, Jorge. Chapter Thirteen. Recapitulation. In his thesis, Jorge Manzano set out to understand Bergson on Bergson's own terms. He mined insights by carefully studying the philosopher's works while also listening respectfully to the harsh critiques of his adversaries. He finally succeeded in demonstrating exactly what Bergson asserted and the reasons underlying his theses by unifying the first look-original, understanding-and the Bergsonian critiques of the idea of nothingness. Manzano contends that both paths, the first positive and the second negative, complement one another and get to the heart of the French thinker's whole philosophy. With this he attained his initial purpose, which was to set the stage for a fair discussion about the authentic Bergsonism, not the counterfeit version. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

This work addresses the hydrogen production from enzymatic hydrolysates of Agave tequilana bagasse and the valorization of the acidogenic effluent for methane production in anaerobic sequencing batch reactors (ASBRs). Regarding hydrogen production, the ASBR was operated at four organic loading rates (OLRs), which were modified by decreasing the cycle time (from 24 to 12 h) and increasing the COD concentration (from 8 to 12 and 16 g L −1 ). Results showed that the highest OLR promoted the highest hydrogen production rate of 25.2 ± 2.1 NmL L −1 h −1 . Conversely, the hydrogen molar yield remained constant, obtaining similar values to the highest reported for lignocellulosic hydrolysates in continuous reactors (1.6H 2 -mol mol consumed sugar −1 ). Regarding methane production from the acidogenic effluent, an unexpected methane suppression was observed during the first 5 cycles of the ASBR operation. Such event was attributed to the disaggregation of the granular sludge due to the remaining hydrolytic activity of the enzymatic cocktail used for the hydrolysates production. This was corroborated by feeding acetate to an ASBR (positive control) and supplying the enzymatic cocktail. Overall, even though the ASBR configuration demonstrated its suitability for hydrogen production, further studies are needed to coupling the methanogenic phase in different reactor configurations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Given an abstract polytope P , its flag graph is the edge-coloured graph whose vertices are the flags of P and whose i -edges correspond to i -adjacent flags. Flag graphs of polytopes are maniplexes. On the other hand, a maniplex need not be the flag graph of a polytope. It is natural to ask when does a maniplex is the flag graph of a polytope. In this paper we give necessary and sufficient conditions (in terms of graphs) on a maniplex to be (isomorphic to) the flag graph of a polytope. For this, given a maniplex M , we define a poset P M and determine when is P M an abstract polytope. Moreover, in such case, we show that M is isomorphic to the flag graph of P M . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The k -th moment of the mean empirical spectral distribution (ESD) of the squared unimodular random matrix of dimension N can be expressed in the form N −2 k —1 Q k ( N ), where Q k ( x ) is a polynomial of degree k + 1 with integer coefficients. We use tools from traffic-free probability to express the coefficients of this polynomial in terms of the number of quotients, with a certain property, of some colored directed graphs. The obtained result disproves the formula conjectured in A. Lakshminarayan, Z. Puchała, K. Życzkowski [3] . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Manzano Vargas, Jorge. Chapter twelve: Objections to the critique of the idea of nothingness. Jorge Manzano devoted this chapter of his thesis to analyzing and weighing the critiques aimed at Bergson regarding his critique of the idea of nothingness. Among the authors he reviewed are Jacques Maritain, Gaston Bachelard, François d'Hautefeuille, Blais Romeyer and Emile Rideau. Manzano also looked at the interventions of Jeanne Delhomme, Jean Guitton and Étienne Gilson at the 1959 Bergson Conference that commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Bergson's birth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Background Pediatric liver transplantation (pLTx) has been the standard of care for children with liver failure since the 1980s. This study examined the world's largest single-center experience and aimed to identify unique preoperative predictors of early graft and patient survival for primary transplantation (1°-pLTx) and retransplantation (Re-pLTx). Study Design We conducted an IRB-approved, retrospective study of all consecutive, isolated pLTx patients 18 years of age or younger. Twenty-eight demographic, laboratory, and perioperative variables were analyzed as potential outcome predictors. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using log-rank test and Cox's proportional hazards model. Results There were 806 children who received 1,016 isolated pLTx between February1984 and June 2017. Median follow-up was 12 years. Leading indications for pLTx were cholestatic liver disease (40%), re-pLTx (21%), and fulminant hepatic failure (14%). Seventy-three percent received cadaveric whole grafts. Overall graft and patient survival rates at 0.5, 1, 5, 10, and 20 years were: 76%, 73%, 67%, 63%, 53%, and 87%, 86%, 81%, 78%, 69%, respectively. Relative to 1°-pLTx, re-pLTx recipients were significantly older, larger, with worse renal function, and more likely to be awaiting pLTx in an ICU. Independent significant predictors of graft survival for 1°-pLTx included weight, transplantation era, and renal replacement therapy; for re-pLTx, warm ischemia time and time between 1°-pLTx and re-pLTx. Independent significant predictors of patient survival were renal function, mechanical ventilation, and etiology of liver disease. Conclusions This is the largest reported single-center experience of pLTx with substantial follow-up time and a large re-pLTx experience. Important transplant predictors of graft survival include weight, renal function, modern era, warm ischemia time, and time between primary transplantation and re-pLTx. Renal function, mechanical ventilation, and underlying cause of liver disease affect patient survival. Awareness of these factors can help in the decision making for children requiring pLTx. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Manzano Vargas, Jorge. Chapter Eleven: Critique of the Idea of Nothingness. Meaning. This chapter focuses on Bergson's critique of the idea of Nothingness. Jorge Manzano puts his deep and extensive knowledge to work as he problematizes and relates Bergson's thinking on the one hand, and key elements and authors from the history of philosophy on the other. The text is divided into five sections: Nothingness, anguish and Bergsonian optimism; Scope of the critique; The arguments; The idea of nothingness and creation; and finally, Nothingness and contingencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Databases of genes and enzymes involved in hydrocarbon degradation have been previously reported. However, these databases specialize on only a specific group of hydrocarbons and/or are constructed partly based on enzyme sequences with putative functions indicated by in silico research, with no experimental evidence. Here, we present a curated database of Hydrocarbon Aerobic Degradation Enzymes and Genes (HADEG) containing proteins and genes involved in alkane, alkene, aromatic, and plastic aerobic degradation and biosurfactant production based solely on experimental evidence, which are present in bacteria, and fungi. HADEG includes 259 proteins for petroleum hydrocarbon degradation, 160 for plastic degradation, and 32 for biosurfactant production. This database will help identify and predict hydrocarbon degradation genes/pathways and biosurfactant production in genomes. [Display omitted] • HADEG includes experimentally verified gene and protein sequences for hydrocarbon degradation and biosurfactant production. • It is a valuable tool for predicting microbe hydrocarbon degradation potential and assisting bioremediation strategy design. • HADEG includes sequences with orthologs in bacteria and fungi, allowing for predicting degrading capacity in both groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

• Integration of a physical-based model and socio-hydrological variables is proposed. • With the implementation of support vector machines, it is possible to calibrate the model in less time, compared to the manual process. • It was possible to solve the scarcity of data, difficult due to the complexity of the structures of the urban tissue (houses, curbs, sinks, etc.). Floods are considered the most destructive natural catastrophes on the planet; therefore, studying their dynamics in the context of each region is a fundamental pillar of society. A very popular tool for studying the degree of threat is physics-based modeling using 2D models. It is imperative to include physical, hydrological, and anthropogenic variables in flood modeling approaches. The reviewed literature did not develop a methodology or strategy to facilitate this process. Based on this reason, it was considered for Riohacha, a coastal city in northern Colombia. A survey was conducted to determine social, economic, and flood depth variables during extreme events. Twenty socio-hydrological variables were obtained from the survey analysis using Kruskal–Wallis and multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) tests. Flood depth was the response variable used to select the socio-hydrological variables, among which the following stood out: age of the house, internal slope, toilet overflow, proximity to a wetland, paved road, raft area, and slope of the soil in front of the house. An iterative process supported by a Support Vector Machine (SVM) dummy was used to determine the appropriate combination of parameters and optimize the calibration process of the TELEMAC-2D hydrodynamic model. The curve number (CN) and Manning friction coefficient were used as calibration parameters. The optimization process was performed by entering the dummy SVM into the socio-hydrological variables CN and Manning's n to test up to 20,000 possible combinations of the parameters and evaluate the mean absolute error (MAE), mean error (ME), absolute relative error (RAE), root mean square error (RMSE), and inertia root mean squared error (IRMSE). The best combination of parameters to simulate an extreme flood event and determine the metrics with the observed and simulated flood depths was entered into TELEMAC-2D. This paper presents a methodological proposal for optimizing the calibration process of physics-based flood models (traditional method), considering socio-hydrological variables, to articulate it as a new step in the modeling protocol. In the traditional simulation, an RMSE of 0.48 m, MAE of 0.37 m, and IRMSE of 1.37 m are obtained, which decrease to 0.33 m, 0.27 m, and 0.92 m, respectively, when the socio-hydrological variables are included. Contrary to the previous metrics, the ME improves slightly from 0.15 m with the traditional method to 0.17 m when the socio-hydrological variables are included. These results can be improved using a digital terrain model (DTM) that more realistically represents the complexity of the urban fabric. With only 7 iterative processes, the model calibration was optimized using only seven iterative processes. Therefore, the proposed methodology was established as a tool for optimizing the flood modeling processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

We introduce a function of the density of states for periodic Jacobi matrices on trees and prove a useful formula for it in terms of entries of the resolvent of the matrix and its "half-tree" restrictions. This formula is closely related to the one-dimensional Thouless formula and associates a natural phase with points in the bands. This allows streamlined proofs of the gap labeling and Aomoto index theorems. We give a complete proof of gap labeling and sketch the proof of the Aomoto index theorem. We also prove a version of this formula for the Anderson model on trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Porphyromonas gingivalis is a nonmotile, obligate anaerobic, Gram-negative bacterium known for its association with periodontal disease and its involvement in systemic diseases such as atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, colon cancer, and Alzheimer's disease. This bacterium produces several virulence factors, including capsules, fimbriae, lipopolysaccharides, proteolytic enzymes, and hemagglutinins. A comparative genomic analysis revealed the open pangenome of P. gingivalis and identified complete type IV secretion systems in strain KCOM2805 and almost complete type VI secretion systems in strains KCOM2798 and ATCC49417, which is a new discovery as previous studies did not find the proteins involved in secretion systems IV and VI. Conservation of some virulence factors between different strains was observed, regardless of their genetic diversity and origin. In addition, we performed for the first time a reconstruction analysis of the gene regulatory network, identifying transcription factors and proteins involved in the regulatory mechanisms of bacterial pathogenesis. In particular, QseB regulates the expression of hemagglutinin and arginine deaminase, while Rex may suppress the release of gingipain through interactions with PorV and the formatum/nitrate transporter. Our study highlights the central role of conserved virulence factors and regulatory pathways, particularly QseB and Rex, in P. gingivalis and provides insights into potential therapeutic targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Abstract: The significance of post‐transplant HLA DSA and chronic AMR in LT is an emerging field of study. Although OPV has previously been described as a histopathologic finding in DSA‐positive adult LT recipients, it was not included in the recent Banff criteria for chronic AMR. Our aim was to describe the association between OPV and chronic AMR in pediatric LT recipients. A retrospective review of 67 liver biopsies performed between November 2014 and April 2016 in 45 pediatric LT recipients identified four patients with OPV. Clinical status, liver biochemistry, the presence of DSA, and available non‐HLA antibody testing, as well as histopathologic features of chronic AMR, were assessed. All four patients with OPV had class II DSA and histopathologic features of chronic AMR based on the Banff criteria. Two patients were noted to have non‐HLA antibodies. Three patients are undergoing treatment with IVIG but have persistent DSA. Two patients have graft failure and are awaiting retransplantation. In conclusion, OPV is a histopathologic finding associated with chronic AMR in pediatric LT recipients. Further studies are needed to elucidate whether OPV is reversible and/or amenable to medical therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

In this chapter Jorge Manzano relates two of Henri Bergson's most important works: L'évolution créatrice and Les deux sources, taking a deep look at the life moments described in the former (divine action, appearance in the life flow and matter, and finally, intellectualization and spatialization). Manzano analyzes how in the second work Bergson, drawing on the testimony of mystics, returns to his first outline and affirms the existence of God while explaining that God's free creation is an act of love expressed in the life flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Manzano Vargas, Jorge. Chapter Nine: The March of the Élan Vital (Vital Impetus). Jorge Manzano continues to follow close on the tracks of life as conceived by Bergson. Previous chapters showed that Bergson took the vital impetus for granted, i.e., he did not look at how it might have arisen, but rather inferred its existence on the basis of the convergence of different sequences of facts. Mechanistic, finalist and adaptational explanations fall apart under detailed analysis: the different evolutionary lines show that life, originally simple, acts on matter, which is as much its instrument as its obstacle, leading to the unforseeable result that time--durée--is in charge of giving birth. This is the case of human beings, an expression of the triumph of life that brings together matter, spirit and freedom. Manzano devotes the second part of the chapter to examining just what the "finalism" of which Bergson stood accused actually consists of, and for this Manzano places himself in the heart of du- ration and engages in a dialogue with Scholastic philosophy. In the last part, the text pauses to reconsider the vital impetus in the light of inner duration and the solidarity of the living. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

In this chapter, Jorge Manzano looks at one of Bergson's most controversial proposals. The main thesis is that the genesis of intelligence and of materiality are one and the same, that the same movement engenders the intellectuality of the spirit and the materiality of things. Manzano's analysis emphasizes that the twisting of this postulate can be traced back primarily to the widespread popular version of the Kantian conception of intelligence as inseparable from spatiality. On the contrary, Bergson, far from taking space for granted, contends that the genesis of space is the genesis of matter, and that both matter and intelligence are manifestations of the life current, constituting the forward movement of the finite élan that participates in creative power. Thus, what stands out is the historical and evolutionary perspective with which Bergson tries to understand the world: action, life, movement, and freedom are inseparable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

This chapter looks at one more angle of Bergson's conception of duration. Manzano relates it to the ideas he developed earlier about multiple durations and Bergson's empiricist method. Greater understanding of these dimensions is achieved primarily by comparing Bergson's statements with the biased reading of his contemporaries, in this specific case, with Maritain and Tonquédec's interpretation of Bergson. In this way, problems of continuity and discontinuity are first addressed, in terms of both duration and movement, and then the relationship between movement and substance is analyzed, which inevitably leads to the problem of change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...