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Evaluation and monitoring of vegetation in urban areas is used for the management of natural resources and urban planning. This information has become more important than ever due to climate change. This work proposes the use of drones or Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to make these vegetation inventory and process the acquired images using the photogrammetry software OpenDroneMap (ODM) in a high performance computer under Singularity and Snakemake. These tools can generate a big image map of the interested zone which can be used to study the future condition and health of vegetation.

Wire-feed additive manufacturing (WFAM) produces superalloys with complex thermal cycles and unique microstructures, often requiring optimized heat treatments. To address this challenge, we present a hybrid approach that combines high-throughput experiments, precipitation simulation, and machine learning to design effective aging conditions for the WFAM Haynes 282 superalloy. Our results demonstrate that the γ’ radius is the critical microstructural feature for strengthening Haynes 282 during post-heat treatment compared with the matrix composition and γ’ volume fraction. New aging conditions at 770°C for 50 hours and 730°C for 200 hours were discovered based on the machine learning model and were applied to enhance yield strength, bringing it on par with the wrought counterpart. This approach has significant implications for future AM alloy production, enabling more efficient and effective heat treatment design to achieve desired properties.

This study focused on analyzing and comparing bioactive compounds, specifically phenolics, in the pulp and leaf of Annona muricata (soursop), a crop highly valued in Latin America for its culinary and traditional uses. Methanolic extractions of leaf and pulp were performed for phytochemical screening, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and measurements of antioxidant capacity. The results confirmed the presence of 15 phenolic compounds in the leaf and 14 in the pulp; these included phenolic acids and flavonoids. Shikimic acid was the main component identified, constituting 85 mg/g of the dry leaf sample and 17.50 mg/g of the dry pulp. The antioxidant capacity was determined using DPPH and FRAP. The percentages of inhibition were 70.93 and 15.10 in the leaf and pulp, respectively. This work expands our knowledge about the compounds present in A. muricata, which may be partly responsible for the known benefits of this plant for human health and nutrition.

Background: Cell migration is essential for the immune system and is frequently analyzed in adult non-pregnant animals but poorly explored in pregnant animals. However, a physiologic increased size in the spleen and periaortic lymph nodes had been reported in pregnant mice. Methods: Using a mouse model, we transferred PKH26-stained thymocytes and splenocytes from pregnant or non-pregnant animals to receptor mice in the presence or absence of pregnancy. Percentage of PKH-26 cells and Mean Fluorescence Intensity were calculated. Non-parametric ANOVA analysis was performed. Results: We detected that the percentage of PKH26+ thymocytes in the spleen, lymph nodes, and peripheral blood is higher in females than in males (p = 0.039). Our results showed a similar frequency of thymocytes and splenocytes from pregnant and non-pregnant mice located in receptor lymphoid organs (p > 0.05). Also, the location of marked cells was similar during the perinatal period (p > 0.05). Conclusions: The mobility of thymocytes and splenocytes in pregnant and non-pregnant mice is similar. Therefore, we suggest that the larger size of the spleen and periaortic lymph nodes noted previously in pregnant mice could result from the retention of leukocytes in the secondary lymphoid organs.

Seasonally tropical dry forests (SDTFs) in the American tropics are a highly diverse yet poorly understood and endangered ecosystem scattered from Northern Mexico to Southern Argentina. One floristic element of the STDFs is the genus Magoniella (Polygonaceae), which includes two liana species, M. laurifolia and M. obidensis, which have winged fruits and are distributed from Costa Rica to Southern Brazil. In a field expedition to the SDTFs of the Colombian Caribbean in 2015, morphologically distinctive individuals of Magoniella were found. In this study, we investigated the species boundaries within Magoniella and determined the phylogenetic position of these morphologically distinctive individuals in the tribe Triplaridae. We compiled morphological trait data across 19 specimens of both species and produced newly sequenced nuclear–plastid DNA data for M. obidensis. Morphometric analyses revealed significant differences in fruit length and perianth size among individuals from the Colombian Caribbean compared to M. obidensis and bract length when compared to M. laurifolia. Maximum likelihood analysis of non-conflicting nuclear and plastid datasets placed the Colombian Caribbean individuals as sister to M. obidensis with maximum statistical support. Additionally, pairwise sequence comparisons of the nuclear ribosomal ITS and the lfy2i loci consistently showed 15-point mutations (10 transitions, five transversions) and six 2 bp-long substitutions that differ between M. obidensis and the Colombian Caribbean individuals. Our morphological and molecular evidence thus suggests that the Colombian Caribbean individuals of Magoniella represent a divergent population from M. laurifolia and M. obidensis, which we describe and illustrate as a new species, M. chersina. Additionally, we provide nomenclatural updates for M. laurifolia and M. obidensis. This study highlights the power of combining morphological and molecular evidence in documenting and naming plant diversity.

Introduction Pediatric lower extremity vascular injuries (LEVI) are rare but can result in significant morbidity. We aimed to describe our experience with these injuries, including associated injury patterns, diagnostic and therapeutic challenges, and outcomes.Methods This was a retrospective review at a single level 1 trauma center from January 2000 to December 2019. Patients less than 18 years of age with LEVI were included. Demographics, injury patterns, clinical status at presentation, and intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital length of stay (LOS) were collected. Surgical data were extracted from patient charts.Results 4,929 pediatric trauma patients presented during the 20-year period, of which 53 patients (1.1%) sustained LEVI. The mean age of patients was 15 years (range 1–17 years), the majority were Black (68%), male (96%), and most injuries were from a gunshot wound (62%). The median Glasgow Coma Scale score was 15, and the median Injury Severity Score was 12. The most commonly injured arteries were the superficial femoral artery (28%) and popliteal artery (28%). Hard signs of vascular injury were observed in 72% of patients and 87% required operative exploration. There were 36 arterial injuries, 36% of which were repaired with a reverse saphenous vein graft and 36% were repaired with polytetrafluoroethylene graft. One patient required amputation. Median ICU LOS was three days and median hospital LOS was 15 days. There were four mortalities.Conclusion Pediatric LEVIs are rare and can result in significant morbidity. Surgical principles for pediatric vascular injuries are similar to those applied to adults, and this subset of patients can be safely managed in a tertiary specialized center.Level of evidence Level IV, retrospective study.

This paper proposes an approach for computing the network’s equilibrium point related to the fault clearing time in transient stability studies. The computation of this point is not a trivial task, particularly when the algebraic network’s equations are expressed in the power balance form. A natural attempt to solve this problem is using Newton’s method. However, convergence issues are found because of the lack of a general strategy for initializing nodal voltages at the clearing time. This problem has not been widely discussed in the existing literature and, therefore, is comprehensively analyzed in this paper. Furthermore, the paper proposes the use of a network’s model based on current injections and an extended admittance matrix to overcome the problem. This model is efficiently solved via the fixed-point iteration method, which involves factorization of the extended admittance matrix into the product of a lower triangular matrix [L] and an upper triangular matrix [U]. This solution executes a just once and only forward–backward substitution during the iterative solution process. Case studies clearly demonstrate the proposal’s effectiveness in computing the equilibrium point in operating conditions where Newton’s method fails to converge.

Canopy lianas differ considerably from trees in terms of wood anatomical structure, and they are suggested to have a demographic advantage—faster growth and higher survival—than trees. However, it remains unclear whether these anatomical and demographic differences persist at the seedling stage, when most liana species are self-standing and, consequently, might be ecologically similar to trees. We assessed how self-standing liana and tree seedlings differ in relation to wood anatomy, growth, and survival. We measured 12 wood traits and monitored seedling growth and survival over one year for 10 self-supporting liana and 10 tree seedling species from three tropical dry forests in Colombia. Liana and tree seedlings exhibited similar survival rates and wood anatomies for traits related to water storage and mechanical support. Yet, for traits associated with water transport, liana seedlings showed greater variability in vessel lumen size, while tree seedlings had higher vessel density. Also, the liana relative growth rate was significantly higher than for trees. These results indicate that, while self-supporting liana and tree seedlings are anatomically similar in terms of mechanical support and water storage—likely contributing to their similar survival rates—liana seedlings have a growth advantage, possibly due to more efficient water transport. These findings suggest that the well-documented anatomical and demographic differences between adult lianas and trees may depend on the liana’s developmental stage, with more efficient water transport emerging as a key trait from early stages.

Abstract The difficulty in predicting fatal outcomes in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) impacts the general morbidity and mortality due to severe acute respiratory syndrome‐coronavirus 2 infection, as it wears out the hospital services that care for these patients. Unfortunately, in several of the candidates for prognostic biomarkers proposed, the predictive power is compromised when patients have pre‐existing comorbidities. A cohort of 147 patients hospitalized for severe COVID‐19 was included in a descriptive, observational, single‐center, and prospective study. Patients were recruited during the first COVID‐19 pandemic wave (April–November 2020). Data were collected from the clinical history whereas immunophenotyping by multiparameter flow cytometry analysis allowed us to assess the expression of surface markers on peripheral leucocyte. Patients were grouped according to the outcome in survivors or non‐survivors. The prognostic value of leucocyte, cytokines or HLA‐DR, CD39, and CD73 was calculated. Hypertension and chronic renal failure but not obesity and diabetes were conditions more frequent among the deceased patient group. Mixed hypercytokinemia, including inflammatory (IL‐6) and anti‐inflammatory (IL‐10) cytokines, was more evident in deceased patients. In the deceased patient group, lymphopenia with a higher neutrophil‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR) value was present. HLA‐DR expression and the percentage of CD39+ cells were higher than non‐COVID‐19 patients but remained similar despite the outcome. Receiver operating characteristic analysis and cutoff value of NLR (69.6%, 9.4), percentage NLR (pNLR; 71.1%, 13.6), and IL‐6 (79.7%, 135.2 pg/mL). The expression of HLA‐DR, CD39, and CD73, as many serum cytokines (other than IL‐6) and chemokines levels do not show prognostic potential, were compared to NLR and pNLR values.

Abstract YKL-40 increase according to the aging process, and its functions have been associated with tissue remodeling and systemic inflammation. In Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) it has been proposed as a possible biomarker of activity and severity, however; in the field of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) the role of YKL-40 in IIM is not clear. Thus, we aimed to evaluate if there is an association between the serum levels and muscle tissue expression of YKL-40 with age, IIM phenotype, muscle strength and myositis disease activity. The main finding was that age is the most important variable that affects the YKL-40 serum levels. In muscle biopsy, we observed that YKL-40 is mainly expressed in infiltrating lymphoid cells than in muscle tissue. Using ANCOVA according to the b-coefficients, YKL-40 serum levels are predicted by inflammatory state, age, and IIM diagnosis.

IntroductionSeveral effective vaccines for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have been developed and implemented in the population. However, the current production capacity falls short of meeting global demand. Therefore, it is crucial to further develop novel vaccine platforms that can bridge the distribution gap. AVX/COVID-12 is a vector-based vaccine that utilizes the Newcastle Disease virus (NDV) to present the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to the immune system.MethodsThis study aims to analyze the antigenicity of the vaccine candidate by examining antibody binding and T-cell activation in individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 or variants of concern (VOCs), as well as in healthy volunteers who received coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccinations.ResultsOur findings indicate that the vaccine effectively binds antibodies and activates T-cells in individuals who received 2 or 3 doses of BNT162b2 or AZ/ChAdOx-1-S vaccines. Furthermore, the stimulation of T-cells from patients and vaccine recipients with AVX/COVID-12 resulted in their proliferation and secretion of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) in both CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells.DiscussionThe AVX/COVID-12 vectored vaccine candidate demonstrates the ability to stimulate robust cellular responses and is recognized by antibodies primed by the spike protein present in SARS-CoV-2 viruses that infected patients, as well as in the mRNA BNT162b2 and AZ/ChAdOx-1-S vaccines. These results support the inclusion of the AVX/COVID-12 vaccine as a booster in vaccination programs aimed at addressing COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 and its VOCs.

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is an important component of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) which relays circadian information to neuronal populations, including GnRH neurons. Human and animal studies have shown an impact of disrupted daily rhythms (chronic shift work, temporal food restriction, clock gene disruption) on both male and female reproduction and fertility. To date, how VIP modulates GnRH neurons remains unknown. Calcium imaging and electrophysiology on primary GnRH neurons in explants and adult mouse brain slice, respectively, were used to address this question. We found VIP excites GnRH neurons via the VIP receptor, VPAC2. The downstream signaling pathway uses both Gs protein/adenylyl cyclase/protein kinase A (PKA) and phospholipase C/phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) depletion. Furthermore, we identified a UCL2077-sensitive target, likely contributing to the slow afterhyperpolarization current (IAHP), as the PKA and PIP2 depletion target, and the KCa3.1 channel as a specific target. Thus, VIP/VPAC2 provides an example of Gs protein-coupled receptor-triggered excitation in GnRH neurons, modulating GnRH neurons likely via the slow IAHP. The possible identification of KCa3.1 in the GnRH neuron slow IAHP may provide a new therapeutical target for fertility treatments.

The large global demand for cocoa positions this fruit as an agrifood product of great economic value, with high-quality standards regarding its sensory and nutritional characteristics. Entities such as the Pollutants Panel of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Union (EU) have strictly regulated cadmium (Cd) content in cocoa-based products and derivatives. Consequently, cocoa exports in countries such as Colombia could be threatened due to the high concentrations of Cd present in its soils. Therefore, there is a clear need for developing techniques that reduce Cd in the beans and in soils. This review analyzes two strategies utilized for its mitigation: (i) the selection of varieties by genotype (pure and hybrid cocoa) according to differences in their absorption, accumulation, and Cd translocation and (ii) the use of organic amendments such as biochar in soils. Studies have found significant differences in the uptake, accumulation, and translocation of Cd across cultivars. Although exclusively using low-accumulator genotypes in crops offers a promising alternative, this strategy may be more suitable in the long term and its success will depend on future detailed studies. On the other hand, despite the negative consequences that may result from the long-term use of biochar, there is evidence showing that it is effective in reducing Cd in soils, and thus an ideal short-term solution that can be applied across the national territory.

Multi-principal element alloy (MPEA) 3D printing is challenging due to the tradeoff between achieving high-temperature and sufficient heating zone. Here, the authors report an ultrahigh-temperature melt printing method that can achieve rapid melting and uniform elemental mixing for MPEA fabrication.

Abstract The muscle fiber ultrastructure in Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies (IIM) has been scarcely explored, especially in Inclusion Body Myositis. The aim of this study was to implement the Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) in a small cohort of IIM patients, together with the characterization of immunological profile for a better understanding of the pathophysiology. For immunological profile characterization, we identified the presence of autoantibodies (Ro-52, OJ, EJ, PL7, PL12, SRP, Jo-1, PMScl75, PMScl100, Ku, SAE1, NXP2, MDA5, TIF1γ, Mi-2α, Mi-2β) and quantified cytokines (IL-1β, IFN-α2, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-17A, IL-18, IL-23, IL-33) and chemokines (CCL2, CXCL8). The histological analysis was made by hematoxylin–eosin staining while the muscle fiber ultrastructure was characterized by SEM. We observed changes in the morphology and structure of the muscle fiber according to muscle strength and muscle enzymes. We were able to find and describe muscle fiber ultrastructure with marked irregularities, porosities, disruption in the linearity and integrity of the fascicle, more evident in patients with increased serum levels of muscle enzymes and diminished muscle strength. Despite the scarce reports about the use of SEM as a tool in all clinical phenotypes of IIM, our work provides an excellent opportunity to discuss and reframe the clinical usefulness of SEM in the diagnostic approach of IIM.

Abstract Pericardial effusions requiring pericardiocentesis have multiple causes that vary among geographical regions and health contexts. This procedure can be performed for diagnostic or therapeutic indications. The purpose of this study was to identify the principal causes of pericardial effusions and indications for pericardiocentesis, exploring differences among groups. This was a retrospective case series of patients who underwent pericardiocentesis for pericardial effusion in a single center in Latin America. Demographic, clinical, echocardiographic, and procedural variables were recorded and analyzed. The primary outcome was to determine the causes of pericardial effusions in these patients and the indication (diagnostic, therapeutic, or both). The results are presented in two groups (inflammatory and noninflammatory) according to the cause of the pericardial effusion. One hundred sixteen patients with pericardial effusion underwent pericardiocentesis. The median age was 58 years (IQR 46.2–70.7), and 50% were male. In the noninflammatory pericardial effusion group, there were 61 cases (53%), among which neoplastic pericardial effusion was the most frequent cause (n = 25, 40.9%). In the inflammatory group, there were 55 cases (47%), and the main cause was postpericardiectomy syndrome after cardiac surgery (n = 31, 56.4%). In conclusion, the principal indication for pericardiocentesis was therapeutic (n = 66, 56.8%). Large pericardial effusion without hemodynamic effect of cardiac tamponade was significantly more frequent in the inflammatory group (p = 0.03). The principal cause of pericardial effusion in patients who underwent pericardiocentesis was postpericardiectomy syndrome after cardiac surgery, followed by neoplastic pericardial effusion. Pericardiocentesis is mainly a therapeutic procedure.

Tumors have high requirements in terms of nutrients and oxygen. Angiogenesis is the classical mechanism for vessel formation. Tumoral vascularization has the function of nourishing the cancer cells to support tumor growth. Vasculogenic mimicry, a novel intratumoral microcirculation system, alludes to the ability of cancer cells to organize in three-dimensional (3D) channel-like architectures. It also supplies the tumors with nutrients and oxygen. Both mechanisms operate in a coordinated way; however, their functions in breast cancer stem-like cells and their regulation by microRNAs remain elusive. In the present study, we investigated the functional role of microRNA-204 (miR-204) on angiogenesis and vasculogenic mimicry in breast cancer stem-like cells. Using flow cytometry assays, we found that 86.1% of MDA-MB-231 and 92% of Hs-578t breast cancer cells showed the CD44+/CD24− immunophenotype representative of cancer stem-like cells (CSCs). The MDA-MB-231 subpopulation of CSCs exhibited the ability to form mammospheres, as expected. Interestingly, we found that the restoration of miR-204 expression in CSCs significantly inhibited the number and size of the mammospheres. Moreover, we found that MDA-MB-231 and Hs-578t CSCs efficiently undergo angiogenesis and hypoxia-induced vasculogenic mimicry in vitro. The transfection of precursor miR-204 in both CSCs was able to impair the angiogenesis in the HUVEC cell model, which was observed as a diminution in the number of polygons and sprouting cells. Remarkably, miR-204 mimics also resulted in the inhibition of vasculogenic mimicry formation in MDA-MB-231 and Hs-578t CSCs, with a significant reduction in the number of channel-like structures and branch points. Mechanistically, the effects of miR-204 were associated with a diminution of pro-angiogenic VEGFA and β-catenin protein levels. In conclusion, our findings indicated that miR-204 abrogates the angiogenesis and vasculogenic mimicry development in breast cancer stem-like cells, suggesting that it could be a potential tool for breast cancer intervention based on microRNA replacement therapies.

TRIM4Post-Mining is a H2020/RFCS-funded project that brings together a consortium of European experts from industry and academia to develop an integrated information modelling system. This is designed to support decision making and planning during the transition from coal exploitation to a revitalized post-mining landscape, enabling infrastructure development for agricultural and industrial utilization, and contributing to the recovery of energy and materials from coal mining dumps. The smart system will be founded upon a high-resolution spatiotemporal database, utilizing state-of-the-art multi-scale and multi-sensor monitoring technologies that characterize dynamic processes in coal waste dumps related to timely, dependent deformation and geochemical processes. It will integrate efficient methods for operational and post-mining monitoring, comprehensive spatiotemporal data analytics, feature extraction, and predictive modelling; this will allow for the identification of potential contamination areas and the forecasting of geotechnical risks and ground conditions. For the interactive exploration of alternative land-use planning scenarios—in terms of residual risks, technical feasibility, environmental and social impact, and affordability—up-to-date data and models will be embedded in an interactive planning system based on Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality technology, forming a TRIM—a Transition Information Modelling System. This contribution presents the conceptual approach and main constituents, and describes the state-of-the-art and detailed anticipated methodological approach for each of the constituents. This is supported by the presentation of the first results and a discussion of future work. An anticipated second contribution will focus on the main findings, technology readiness and a discussion of future work.

Agricultural lands occupy 38% of global land surface and are expected to grow significantly in the next years, increasing the need for more sustainable practices, as well as better informed conservation practices of natural ecosystems. Carbon stocks are important estimates for the assessment of potential emissions caused by deforestation, and therefore widely used in strategies to mitigate climate change in agroforestry systems. Although research on biomass and carbon accumulation in agricultural lands is well documented, comparisons with adjacent natural forest areas are uncommon, mainly in tropical regions. Here, we used forest inventory data and allometric models to estimate biomass and carbon stocks of natural vegetation types (gallery forest-GF, morichal-MOR, and savanna-SAV) and oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) crops in the Orinoquía bioregion, in Eastern Colombia. We found that natural forests (GF and MOR) hold 542.45 Mg ha−1 of aboveground biomass, whereas oil palm plantations store 284.87 Mg ha−1. Morichal vegetation, commonly known as peat swamp forests, accumulated the highest aboveground biomass and carbon per hectare among all vegetation types (natural and agricultural), with an estimate of 402.76 Mg ha−1. Thus, although oil palm crops are great reservoirs of biomass and carbon at the landscape level, it is the combination of natural and agricultural lands which assure highest carbon sequestration in the study area. These results highlight the importance of preserving natural areas in agricultural landscapes for climate mitigation and conservation of biodiversity, which may jointly benefit plantations sustainable development.

We report our initial experience using Fiber Optic RealShape (FORS), an innovative real-time three-dimensional visualization technology that uses light instead of radiation, to achieve upper extremity (UE) access during fenestrated/branched endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (FBEVAR). An 89-year-old male patient with a type III thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm, unfit for open aortic repair, underwent FBEVAR. Dual fluoroscopy, intravascular ultrasound, and three-dimensional fusion overlay were used, in addition to FORS. All target artery catheterizations were successfully accomplished using FORS, from UE access, without radiation. Our experience demonstrates that FBEVAR with FORS using UE access can be used for target artery catheterization without radiation.

Background: Q fever is a zoonotic disease produced by infection with Coxiella burnetii which can cause cardiovascular complications such as endocarditis, aneurysms, and vascular graft infections but is uncommon in the absence of exposure to animal reservoirs. Case summary: We present a case of a 64-year-old patient with chronic Q fever infection of an aortic endograft resulting in aorto-enteric fistula. Exposure history reported a recent travel to Mexico and no contact with animals during the stay. Vascular endograft explant was performed and intraoperative findings revealed an abscess cavity along the right anterior abdominal aorta and an aorto-enteric fistula. Extended course doxycycline and hydroxychloroquine were initiated. Due to the diagnostic challenge, we focused on preventing sepsis progression and exposure mitigation to the surgical team. Conclusion: We highlight the atypical presentation of a Q fever aneurysm, outcomes and possible delayed sequelae. A timely diagnosis and high clinical suspicion are paramount to reduce morbidity rate.

Los arabinoxilanos ferulados (AX) forman geles covalentes por acoplamiento oxidativo del ácido ferúlico (AF) generando dímeros (di-AF) y trímeros de AF como estructuras de entrecruzamiento. En esta investigación se estudió el efecto de la gelificación de AX inducida con lacasa o peroxidasa, sobre las estructuras de entrecruzamiento, las características reológicas y la actividad antioxidante de los geles desarrollados. Los geles de AX al 2 % (p/v) formados con peroxidasa registraron valores mayores de di-AF (0.195 µg/g) y módulo elástico (94 Pa) respecto a los obtenidos con lacasa (0.153 µg/g y 79 Pa, respectivamente). Además, los geles inducidos con peroxidasa presentaron mayor actividad antioxidante (13.21 y 3.3 µmol de TEAC/g muestra por método ABTS+ y DPPH, respectivamente) en relación con los generados con lacasa (9.63 y 3.0 µmol de TEAC/g muestra por método ABTS+ y DPPH, respectivamente), lo cual podría atribuirse al mayor contenido de di-AF 8-5’ y 5-5´. Es posible que las diferencias entre estos geles estén relacionadas con el mecanismo de acción de las enzimas utilizadas. La lacasa oxida directamente al AF en AX mientras que, con peroxidasa, el H2O2 realiza esta acción y, por su bajo peso molecular, podría acceder más fácilmente al AF del polisacárido, favoreciendo su entrecruzamiento. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54167/tch.v17i1.1099

Abstract Acute lymphocytic leukemia is the most common type of cancer in pediatric individuals. Glucose regulated protein (GRP78) is an endoplasmic reticulum chaperone that facilitates the folding and assembly of proteins and regulates the unfolded protein response pathway. GRP78 has a role in survival of cancer and metastasis and cell-surface associated GRP78 (sGRP78) is expressed on cancer cells but not in normal cells. Here, we explored the presence of sGRP78 in pediatric B-ALL at diagnosis and investigated the correlation with bona fide markers of leukemia. By using a combination of flow cytometry and high multidimensional analysis, we found a distinctive cluster containing high levels of sGRP78, CD10, CD19, and CXCR4 in bone marrow samples obtained from High-risk leukemia patients, which was absent in the compartment of Standard-risk leukemia. We confirmed that sGRP78+CXCR4+ blood-derived cells were more frequent in High-risk leukemia patients. Finally, we analyzed the dissemination capacity of sGRP78 leukemia cells in a model of xenotransplantation. sGRP78+ cells emigrated to the bone marrow and lymph nodes, maintaining the expression of CXCR4. Testing the presence of sGRP78 and CXCR4 together with conventional markers may help to achieve a better categorization of High and Standard-risk pediatric leukemia at diagnosis.

Previous studies have shown that environmental conditions and plant attributes determine biomass stocks and productivity across multiple tropical forests. However, it is less clear how these factors act at local scales. We evaluated how the spatial variation of soil resource availability (soil nutrient and water content) and plant functional traits determine species biomass stocks and productivity in a Colombian tropical dry forest, based on spatially explicit soil sampling and an intensive plant trait characterization of 89 species in three 1-ha permanent plots with similar climate and floristic composition. Within each plot, we measured nine soil variables and ten functional traits and quantified forest biomass stocks and productivity for 10,161 individual trees in a period of 3 years. The soil resources where species were located and their functional traits had coordinated effects on the spatial distribution of forest biomass stocks across the plots. The highest biomass stocks were concentrated on nutrient-rich soils with low water availability and were dominated by conservative species with dense tissues and low hydraulic failure risk, probably because they are able to better cope with water limitation. Most of the remaining forest biomass stocks were found in nutrient-poor soils with high water availability and were dominated by acquisitive species. Sites with nutrient-rich soils and low water availability increased biomass survival but also mortality; however, the presence of conservative species in these sites also increased biomass survival, decreased mortality, and led to biomass accumulation, probably because their strong and hydraulically secure tissues are able to deal with water limitation for nutrient absorption during dry seasons. Interestingly, soil resources and functional traits had no effects on biomass recruitment. We conclude that strong coordinated effects of soil resources and functional traits determine local biomass processes of tropical dry forests with a central role of conservative trait species types, whereby these species promote community assembly and functioning but are also vulnerable to potential changes in water availability. Thus, conservation and restoration actions should pay special attention to soil and plant functional trait trade-offs to improve management practices in these threatened forests.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) has a high incidence of comorbidities among patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The elevated prevalence of DM in the world population makes it a significant risk factor because diabetic individuals appear to be prone to clinical complications and have increased mortality rates. Here, we review the possible underlying mechanisms involved in DM that led to worse outcomes in COVID-19. The impacts of hyperglycemia side effects, secondary comorbidities, weakened innate and adaptive immunity, chronic inflammation, and poor nutritional status, commonly present in DM, are discussed. The role of the SARS-CoV-2 receptor and its polymorphic variations on higher binding affinity to facilitate viral uptake in people with DM were also considered. Clinical differences between individuals with type 1 DM and type 2 DM affected by COVID-19 and the potential diabetogenic effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection were addressed.

Several studies have described the health benefits of arabinoxylan as prebiotics; however, other authors have related them with an anti-nutrient effect as arabinoxylan increases the viscosity of the alimentary bolus. In this work, the impact of arabinoxylan and crosslinked arabinoxylan on blood serum lipids and glucose levels of Wistar rats was investigated. Arabinoxylan was extracted from maize bran, presented a Fourier Transform Infra-Red spectrum typical for this polysaccharide, and a molecular weight of 250 kDa. Arabinoxylan solution at 4% (w/v) formed covalent gels induced by laccase. Male Wistar rats were fed a standard diet supplemented with 5% (w/w) lyophilized arabinoxylan or crosslinked arabinoxylan. Blood glucose levels were determined, collecting a drop of blood from the tail vein of rats at 0, 2, and 10 h after food consumption. Total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol were also determined. Postprandial blood glucose of the treatment groups was maintained at the same level as the control group. The serum lipid profile levels also remained close to the control group, excepting total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol, which were higher in crosslinked arabinoxylan treatment but in the range reported for this murine model. The obtained results revealed that consumption of arabinoxylan and crosslinked arabinoxylan at moderated levels does not interfere with the absorption of these nutrients.

Mycobacterium bovis is a facultative intracellular bacterium that produces cellular necrosis in granulomatous lesions in bovines. Although M. bovis-induced inflammation actively participates in granuloma development, its role in necrotic cell death and in bovine macrophages has not been fully explored. In this study, we evaluate the effect of M. bovis AN5 and its culture filtrate protein extract (CFPE) on inflammasome activation in bovine macrophages and its consequences on cell death. Our results show that both stimuli induce necrotic cell death starting 4 h after incubation. CFPE treatment and M. bovis infection also induce the maturation of IL-1β (>3000 pg/mL), oligomerization of ASC (apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing CARD), and activation of caspase-1, following the canonical activation pathway of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Inhibiting the oligomerization of NLRP3 and caspase-1 decreases necrosis among the infected or CFPE-stimulated macrophages. Furthermore, histological lymph node sections of bovines naturally infected with M. bovis contained cleaved gasdermin D, mainly in macrophages and giant cells within the granulomas. Finally, the induction of cell death (apoptosis and pyroptosis) decreased the intracellular bacteria count in the infected bovine macrophages, suggesting that cell death helps to control the intracellular growth of the mycobacteria. Our results indicate that M. bovis induces pyroptosis-like cell death that is partially related to the NLRP3 inflammasome activation and that the cell death process could control bacterial growth.

In digital audio systems, filters and equalizers are essential modules for audio improvement at the input and output stages. Due to their computational complexity, most audio tasks are processed with digital signal processors. Due to the fact that latency in audio systems is a critical specification and audio trends require higher sample rates, noise canceling, and bigger data sizes, having an independent high-resolution equalizer would reduce the computational power needed for audio systems. This research had the goal of designing and implementing a hardware architecture for a configurable filter bank based on finite impulse response (FIR) filters and a noise-cancellation stage with an inter-integrated circuit (I2C) communication interface, which allows the filter configuration. The system was implemented as a standalone integrated circuit (IC) for which its inputs were the inter-IC sound (I2S) bus control signals. The digital audio system was optimized to perform one-cycle convolutional operations by implementing a vector–vector arithmetic logic unit. Furthermore, this applied research provides the register transfer level description and the functional verification of the digital design, the system-on-chip (SoC) implementation in TSMC 180 nm technology, and the post-silicon validation with a printed circuit board for testing the output digital signals of the system.

Amorpha californica var. napensis Jeps. 1925, the Napa false indigo, is a threatened shrub endemic to northern California. Here the complete chloroplast genome of topotype material of var. napensis was assembled and characterized to contribute to the bioinformatics, systematics, and conservation of this variety. The chloroplast genome (GenBank accession OK274088) is 158,294 base pairs (bp) in length, encodes 130 genes including 85 protein-coding, 37 tRNA, 8 rRNA, and shows a high-level of gene synteny to other Papilionoideae. Phylogenetic analysis fully resolved var. napensis in a clade with A. fruticosa L. and A. roemeriana Scheele, sister to the Dalbergieae. The newly sequenced chloroplast genome shows that the genetic differences between var. napensis and Amorpha californica Nutt. var. californica are greater than the variation observed between var. napensis and many other Amorpha spp. sequences deposited in GenBank. These data suggest that var. napensis should be elevated to full species rank.

Um dos grandes desafios da Educação Científica voltada aos Surdos e Surdocegos situa-se na lacuna terminológica relativa aos sinais-termos em Libras, uma vez que na ausência de léxicos especializados, o entendimento e a consequente apropriação conceitual podem ser comprometidos. Diante de tal incipiência e objetivando contribuir para a expansão léxica da Libras, com o registro e a difusão de novos sinais-termos na área das Ciências, este trabalho apresenta propostas terminológicas concernentes ao conceito de Energia e seus derivados. Para serem melhor conhecidos, compreendidos e documentados, os sinais-termos inicialmente tiveram seus conceitos descritos em português, com as explicações das representações em Libras e das opções morfológicas utilizadas, associando-os às respectivas configurações de mão. As propostas exibidas foram desenvolvidas por uma equipe que possui domínio da Libras e formação em Química, acompanhadas e analisadas por um graduando Surdo da área de Ciências Exatas, com aderência e conhecimentos sobre o assunto em estudo.

Societal Impact Statement Tropical dry forests (TDF) underpin the wellbeing of millions, mostly rural populations; yet have suffered from severe clearing in Colombia, triggering cascading effects such as desertification. By engaging scientists, society, and institutions in the establishment of platforms for monitoring biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, crucial knowledge gaps will be bridged, helping to find a path toward sustainable development. Science‐led but socially and economically anchored information on biodiversity will help to incorporate nature's contributions to people into the society's cultural values. Ultimately, these transformative actions will translate into the comprehensive management of TDF through a greater impact in decision making. Summary Thousands of permanent plots have been established across the tropics with the purpose of monitoring tree communities. Research outcomes from these platforms, however, have been mainly directed toward the academic community, and their contribution to society has been limited so far. Here, we show how generating robust data on biodiversity has supported decision making in Colombian tropical dry forests (TDF), where less than 8% of their original cover remains. As a first step to build a national dialogue around the critical status of this ecosystem, a national collaborative network on TDF research and monitoring was born in 2014, the Red de Investigación y Monitoreo del Bosque Seco Tropical en Colombia (Red BST‐Col). Our main goal is to generate scientifically sound information that feeds into the comprehensive management of this ecosystem. To do so, a set of biodiversity monitoring platforms has been established across the country, which have already served to answer socio‐ecological questions related with deforestation drivers, citizen science, or the valuation of ecosystem services. Overall, this research agenda has nurtured the four lines that underpin the Program for the comprehensive management of dry forests in Colombia (knowledge management, preservation, restoration, and sustainable use), formulated by the Humboldt Institute, the United Nations Development Programme, and the Ministry of Environment in 2019. Many challenges are ahead, however, for a complex territory where multiple social actors and productive sectors coexist. The ultimate goal is to integrate all the dimensions of biodiversity to achieve a synthetic understanding of the functioning of the most endangered ecosystem in Colombia, and its relationship with local communities' wellbeing.

Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) are a group of rare, acquired autoimmune diseases characterized by profound muscle weakness and immune cell invasion into non-necrotic muscle. They are related to the presence of antibodies known as myositis-specific antibodies and myositis-associated antibodies, which are associated with various IIM phenotypes and the clinical prognosis. The possibility of the participation of other pathological mechanisms involved in the inflammatory response in IIM has been proposed. Such mechanisms include the overexpression of major histocompatibility complex class I in myofibers, which correlates with the activation of stress responses of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Taking into account the importance of the ER for the maintenance of homeostasis of the musculoskeletal system in the regulation of proteins, there is probably a relationship between immunological and non-immunological processes and autoimmunity, and an example of this might be IIM. We propose that ER stress and its relief mechanisms could be related to inflammatory mechanisms triggering a humoral response in IIM, suggesting that ER stress might be related to the triggering of IIMs and their auto-antibodies’ production.

Introdução: A pandemia de Covid-19 trouxe desafios adicionais ao trabalho na saúde, impactando negativamente na saúde mental dos profissionais da saúde com destaque para a presença da síndrome de burnout (SB). Objetivo: Avaliar a prevalência da SB nos profissionais da saúde no período da pandemia de Covid-19. Metodologia: O estudo utilizou como metodologia uma revisão sistemática da literatura realizada na base de dados PubMed e na SciELO entre dezembro de 2021 e janeiro de 2022. Resultados e Discussão: Foram encontrados 89 artigos que abordavam SB e Covid-19, 87 desses com desenho transversal. As amostras variaram de 25 a 12.596 pessoas, em sua maioria era composta de equipe multiprofissional. Houve predominância de pesquisa naqueles países onde a pandemia adquiriu sua maior proporção, como na China, Itália, Espanha e Estados Unidos. A escala Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) foi aplicada em 54% das pesquisas. A prevalência de SB variou de 12% a 86,1% na maioria dos estudos, chegando ao extremo de 100% em um dos trabalhos. Dentre os fatores associados a SB, destacam-se ser mulher, jovem, com pouco tempo de experiência de trabalho, estar na linha de frente de combate a COVID-19, longas horas de trabalho, superlotação hospitalar, falta de equipamentos de proteção individual (EPI), postura hostil da chefia, dentre outros. Conclusão: A pandemia de COVID-19 favoreceu o aumento da prevalência de SB em profissionais de saúde e estratégias específicas de cuidados a saúde mental dessa população devem ser realizadas urgentemente.

Background Stem cell therapy holds promise to improve healing and stimulate tissue regeneration after burn injury. Preclinical evidence has supported this; however, clinical studies are lacking. We examined the application of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSC) to deep second-degree burn injuries using a two-dose escalation protocol. Methods Ten individuals aged 18 years or older with deep second-degree burn wounds were enrolled. The first five patients were administered 2.5 × 10³ BM-MSC/cm 2 to their wounds. After safety of the initial dose level was assessed, a second group of five patients was treated with a higher concentration of 5 × 10³ allogeneic BM-MSC/cm 2 . Safety was assessed clinically and by evaluating cytokine levels in mixed recipient lymphocyte/donor BM-MSC reactions (INFγ, IL-10 and TNFα). At each visit, we performed wound measurements and assessed wounds using a Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS). Results All patients responded well to treatment, with 100% closure of wounds and minimal clinical evidence of fibrosis. No adverse reactions or evidence of rejection were observed for both dose levels. Patients receiving the first dose concentration had a wound closure rate of 3.64 cm 2 /day. Patients receiving the second dose concentration demonstrated a wound closure rate of 10.47 cm 2 /day. The difference in healing rates between the two groups was not found to be statistically significant ( P = 0.17). Conclusion BM-MSC appear beneficial in optimising wound healing in patients with deep second-degree burn wounds. Adverse outcomes were not observed when administering multiple doses of allogeneic BM-MSC. Lay Summary Thermal injuries are a significant source of morbidity and mortality, constituting 5%–20% of all injuries and 4% of all deaths. Despite overall improvements in the management of acutely burned patients, morbidities associated with deeper burn injuries remain commonplace. Burn patients are too often left with significant tissue loss, scarring and contractions leading to physical loss of function and long-lasting psychological and emotional impacts. In previous studies, we have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of administering bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSC) to chronic wounds with substantial improvement in healing and evidence of tissue regeneration. In this report, we have examined the application of BM-MSC to deep second-degree burn injuries in patients. The aim of the present phase I/II clinical trial was to examine the safety and efficacy of administering allogeneic BM-MSC to deep second-degree burns. We utilised two different dose levels at concentrations 2.5 × 10 3 and 5 × 10 3 cells/cm 2 . Patients with deep second-degree burn wounds up to 20% of the total body surface area were eligible for treatment. Allogeneic BM-MSC were applied to burn wounds topically or by injection under transparent film dressing

Background: Air pollution has been linked to obesity while higher ambient temperatures typically reduce metabolic demand in a compensatory manner. Both relationships may impact glucose metabolism, thus we examined the association between intermediate- and long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ambient temperature and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), a longer-term marker of glucose control. Methods: We assessed 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month average air pollution and ambient temperature at 1-km2 spatial resolution via satellite remote sensing models (2013–2019), and assessed HbA1c at four, six, and eight years postpartum in women enrolled in the Programming Research in Obesity, Growth, Environment and Social Stressors (PROGRESS) cohort based in Mexico City. PM2.5 and ambient temperature were matched to participants’ addresses and confirmed by GPS tracker. Using linear mixed-effects models, we examined the association between 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month average PM2.5 and ambient temperature with repeated log-transformed HbA1c values. All models included a random intercept for each woman and were adjusted for calendar year, season, and individual-level confounders (age, marital status, smoking, alcohol consumption level, and education level). Results: We analyzed 1,265 HbA1c measurements of 484 women. Per 1 µg/m3 increase in 3-month and 6-month PM2.5, HbA1c levels increased by 0.28% (95% confidence interval (95 %CI): 0.14, 0.42%) and 0.28% (95 %CI: 0.04, 0.52%) respectively. No association was seen for 12-month average PM2.5. Per 1 °C increase in ambient temperature, HbA1c levels decreased by 0.63% (95 %CI: −1.06, −0.21%) and 0.61% (95 %CI: −1.08, −0.13%), while the 12-month average again is not associated with HbA1c. Conclusions: Intermediate-term exposure to PM2.5 and ambient temperature are associated with opposing changes in HbA1c levels, in this region of high PM2.5 and moderate temperature fluctuation. These effects, measurable in mid-adult life, may portend future risk of type 2 diabetes and possible heart disease.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, which affects 1 in 44 children and may cause severe disabilities. Besides socio-communicational difficulties and repetitive behaviors, ASD also presents as atypical sensorimotor function and pain reactivity. While chronic pain is a frequent co-morbidity in autism, pain management in this population is often insufficient because of difficulties in pain evaluation, worsening their prognosis and perhaps driving higher mortality rates. Previous observations have tended to oversimplify the experience of pain in autism as being insensitive to painful stimuli. Various findings in the past 15 years have challenged and complicated this dogma. However, a relatively small number of studies investigates the physiological correlates of pain reactivity in ASD. We explore the possibility that atypical pain perception in people with ASD is mediated by alterations in pain perception, transmission, expression and modulation, and through interactions between these processes. These complex interactions may account for the great variability and sometimes contradictory findings from the studies. A growing body of evidence is challenging the idea of alterations in pain processing in ASD due to a single factor, and calls for an integrative view. We propose a model of the pain cycle that includes the interplay between the molecular and neurophysiological pathways of pain processing and it conscious appraisal that may interfere with pain reactivity and coping in autism. The role of social factors in pain-induced response is also discussed. Pain assessment in clinical care is mostly based on subjective rather than objective measures. This review clarifies the strong need for a consistent methodology, and describes innovative tools to cope with the heterogeneity of pain expression in ASD, enabling individualized assessment. Multiple measures, including self-reporting, informant reporting, clinician-assessed, and purely physiological metrics may provide more consistent results. An integrative view on the regulation of the pain cycle offers a more robust framework to characterize the experience of pain in autism.

The genus and species of Rhizobium phaseoli are useful as an inoculant for the production of Phaseolus vulgaris (beans) in the root nodules symbiotic stage fixes molecular nitrogen (FN) for supplying nitrogen (N) for healthy growth. In P. vulgaris cropping, pesticides are used to control root insects, which could reduce the beneficial effect of R. phaseoli. The purpose of this work was to isolate and select R. phaseoli diazinon´s tolerance. In that sense, R. phaseoli were cultivated in a medium mixed with diazinon in order to select R. phaseoli tolerant to the pesticide. This mutant of R. phaseoli tolerant to diazinon was inoculated in P. vulgaris the effect was evaluated 45 days later. The response of P. vulgaris was measured by the number of effective nodules at the roots, fresh and dry weight, and the height of the plant. Results showed that R. phaseoli tolerant to diazinon kept its beneficial activity for the healthy growth of P. vulgaris. It was concluded that R. phaseoli tolerant to diazinon were infective and effective for the health growth of P. vulgaris.

Recent developments in mmWave technology allow the detection and classification of dynamic arm gestures. However, achieving a high accuracy and generalization requires a lot of samples for the training of a machine learning model. Furthermore, in order to capture variability in the gesture class, the participation of many subjects and the conduct of many gestures with different arm speed are required. In case of macro-gestures, the position of the subject must also vary inside the field of view of the device. This would require a significant amount of time and effort, which needs to be repeated in case that the sensor hardware or the modulation parameters are modified. In order to reduce the required manual effort, here we developed a synthetic data generator that is capable of simulating seven arm gestures by utilizing Blender, an open-source 3D creation suite. We used it to generate 600 artificial samples with varying speed of execution and relative position of the simulated subject, and used them to train a machine learning model. We tested the model using a real dataset recorded from ten subjects, using an experimental sensor. The test set yielded 84.2% accuracy, indicating that synthetic data generation can significantly contribute in the pre-training of a model.

Modern animal shelters are encouraged to adopt “best practices” intended to promote life-saving for the animals that enter their systems. While these best practices have been defined and widely promoted within the profession, few studies have tracked how making the recommended changes affects live release rates (LRR) and other shelter metrics. In 2017, the municipal animal shelter in Memphis, TN (Memphis Animal Services) implemented five new strategies and analyzed their resultant life-saving data. The interventions included managed strategic shelter intake, pet owner safety net, community cat return to field, transition of field services from punitive to assistive, and streamlined adoption and transfer protocols. The median LRR for cats prior to 2017 was 35% (IQR 22, 36). After the intervention, the LRR increased to a median of 92% (IQR 92, 94). The correlation between intake and euthanasia for cats prior to the intervention was significant (P < 0.001) and very strong (r = 0.982), while after there was no relationship (−0.165) and it was not significant (P = 0.791). The median LRR for dogs prior to 2017 was 25% (IQR 19, 48). After the intervention, the LRR increased to a median of 87% (IQR 86, 88). The correlation between intake and euthanasia for dogs prior to the intervention was significant (P < 0.001) and very strong (r = 0.991), while after there was a moderate relationship (−0.643) that was not significant (P = 0.242). The median LRR for kittens prior to 2017 was 34% (IQR 23, 38), which increased (P = 0.001) to 92% (IQR 91, 92) after intervention. The percent of kittens entering the shelter with an outcome of euthanasia decreased (P < 0.001), from a median of 59% (IQR 54, 73) to a median of 3% (IQR 1, 3). The median return to owner (RTO) rate for dogs increased (P = 0.007) from 10% (IQR 9, 11) to 13% (IQR 13, 13). Implementation of these best practices accelerated Memphis Animal Services' progress toward a live release rate of at least 90%, particularly for cats, dramatically decreased kitten euthanasia, increased the RTO rate for dogs and severed the historical correlation between euthanasia and intake.

Current medical guidelines consider pregnant women with COVID-19 to be a high-risk group. Since physiological gestation downregulates the immunological response to maintain "maternal-fetal tolerance", SARS-CoV-2 infection may constitute a potentially threatening condition to both the mother and the fetus. To establish the immune profile in pregnant COVID-19+ patients, a cross-sectional study was conducted. Pregnant women with COVID-19 (P-COVID-19+; n = 15) were analyzed and compared with nonpregnant women with COVID-19 (NP-COVID-19+; n = 15) or those with physiological pregnancy (P-COVID-19-; n = 13). Serological cytokine and chemokine concentrations, leucocyte immunophenotypes, and mononuclear leucocyte responses to polyclonal stimuli were analyzed in all groups. Higher concentrations of serological TNF-α, IL-6, MIP1b and IL-4 were observed within the P-COVID-19+ group, while cytokines and chemokines secreted by peripheral leucocytes in response to LPS, IL-6 or PMA-ionomicin were similar among the groups. Immunophenotype analysis showed a lower percentage of HLA-DR+ monocytes in P-COVID-19+ than in P-COVID-19- and a higher percentage of CD39+ monocytes in P-COVID-19+ than in NP-COVID-19+. After whole blood polyclonal stimulation, similar percentages of T cells and TNF+ monocytes between groups were observed. Our results suggest that P-COVID-19+ elicits a strong inflammatory response similar to NP-COVID19+ but also displays an anti-inflammatory response that controls the ATP/adenosine balance and prevents hyperinflammatory damage in COVID-19.

Introduction: in 1968, Altman developed a multivariable predictive Z-score model to assess the probability of a public manufacturing company going to bankruptcy based on financial ratios. Later, Altman (1983) re-stated a more improved Z’’-Score model designed to apply in public or private, manufacturing, or non-manufacturing firms, but also in emerging countries. Prediction of the updated model proved to be highly efficient. This research was conducted to prove the level of accuracy of the Z’’-Score model applied to firms listed in the Mexican Stock Exchange (MSE) since there is little relevant research on this subject. Method: this research was conducted under a quantitative approach as a census and its scope was situational with a non-experimental and longitudinal research design. The period covered by this research was 2012-2019 since the data was available for those years under a somehow stable economic situation without significant economic ups and downs. This research considered the integration of a large financial database and the design of a typology to classify and analyze 155 firms based on a standard deviation and average results of 837 Z’’-scores. A second analysis was conducted to prove if the predicted situation (area) by the Z’’-Score corresponded to the real situation in the marketplace for every company. Results: the results showed that the accuracy level of the Altman model decreased when applied to Mexican firms. The error of the model applied to Mexican companies related to those classified in the bankruptcy prediction area was 75 % of misclassification cases. The total error of the model included all areas, or cases, was 18 % of misclassification cases. This model is supposed to be effective within a time frame of two years before a possible bankruptcy. Even considering a longer time frame, the companies located in the bankruptcy prediction area continued having misclassifications representing 57 % of error. The error for the model considering all cases and all areas, was 14 % of misclassification cases. This represented a high level of inefficiency of the model applied to an emerging country companies, such as Mexico. Discussion or conclusion: the model is certainly effective while predicting companies in the areas of non-bankrupt sector and grey, but it was inefficient when predicting the possibility of bankruptcy. It was also demonstrated that the time frame of two years is no longer effective when applying the model to Mexican companies. As a result, more research cases are needed to update the model to perform efficiently in emerging countries including country-specific conditions and considering a different time frame to predict bankruptcy.

Background: Pregnancy induces numerous cardiovascular and metabolic changes. Alterations in these sensitive processes may precipitate long-term post-delivery health consequences. Studies have reported associations between phthalates and metabolic complications of pregnancy, but no study has investigated metabolic outcomes beyond pregnancy. Objectives: To examine associations of exposure to phthalates during pregnancy with post-delivery metabolic health. Design: We quantified 15 urinary phthalate biomarker concentrations during the second and third trimesters among 618 pregnant women from Mexico City. Maternal metabolic health biomarkers included fasting blood measures of glycemia [glucose, insulin, Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance [HOMA-IR], % hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c%)] and lipids (total, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, triglycerides), at 4–5 and 6–8 years post-delivery. To estimate the influence of the phthalates mixture, we used Bayesian weighted quantile sum regression and Bayesian kernel machine regression; for individual biomarkers, we used linear mixed models. Results: As a mixture, higher urinary phthalate biomarker concentrations during pregnancy were associated with post-delivery concentrations of plasma glucose (interquartile range [IQR] difference: 0.13 SD, 95%CrI: 0.05, 0.20), plasma insulin (IQR difference: 0.06 SD, 95%CrI: −0.02, 0.14), HOMA-IR (IQR difference: 0.08 SD, 95% CrI: 0.01, 0.16), and HbA1c% (IQR difference: 0.15 SD, 95%CrI: 0.05, 0.24). Associations were primarily driven by mono-2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl terephthalate (MECPTP) and the sum of dibutyl phthalate biomarkers (∑DBP). The phthalates mixture was associated with lower HDL (IQR difference: −0.08 SD, 95%CrI: −0.16, −0.01), driven by ∑DBP and monoethyl phthalate (MEP), and higher triglyceride levels (IQR difference: 0.15 SD, 95%CrI: 0.08, 0.22), driven by MECPTP and MEP. The overall mixture was not associated with total cholesterol and LDL. However, ∑DBP and MEP were associated with lower and higher total cholesterol, respectively, and MECPTP and ∑DBP were associated with lower LDL. Conclusions: Phthalate exposure during pregnancy is associated with adverse long-term changes in maternal metabolic health. A better understanding of timing of the exact biological changes and their implications on metabolic disease risk is needed.

Background: Exposure to lead (Pb) during the early life stages has been associated with the development of metabolic syndrome (MetS). Longitudinal studies of Pb exposure in critical developmental windows in children are limited.Methods: Our study included 601 mother–child dyads from the PROGRESS (Programming Research in Obesity, Growth, Environment and Social Stressors) birth cohort. Blood lead levels (BLLs) were assessed during the second and third gestational trimesters, in cord blood at delivery, and at ages 1, 2, and 4 years. Bone lead levels in the patella and tibia were assessed at 1 month postpartum and evaluated in separate models. To account for cumulative exposure (prenatal, postnatal, and cumulative), we dichotomized the BLLs at each stage visit and determined the following: “higher” if a BLL was at least once above the median (HPb) and “lower” if all BLLs were below the median (LPb). We analyzed fasting glucose, HbA1c, triglycerides (TGs), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (cHDL), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (cLDL), body mass index, waist circumference (WC), body fat percentage, and systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) at two study visits between 6 and 12 years of age and created cutoff points based on the clinical guidelines for each indicator. Mixed effects models were used to analyze each outcome longitudinally for each BLL score, adjusting for child's sex, size for gestational age, child's age, maternal parity, mother's age, and socioeconomic status.Results: We observed associations for HPb exposure and TC in all stages (OR = 0.53, 95%CI = 0.32–0.86) and postnatally (OR = 0.59, 95%CI = 0.36–0.94) and for prenatal HPb and TGs (OR = 0.65, 95%CI = 0.44–0.95). HPb at all stages was associated with WC (OR = 0.27, 95%CI = 0.08–0.86), BMI (OR = 0.33, 95%CI = 0.11–0.99), SBP (OR = 0.53, 95%CI = 0.32–0.85), and DBP (OR = 0.57, 95%CI = 0.34–0.95). Pb levels in the patella were associated with cHDL (OR = 1.03, 95%CI = 1.00–1.07) and those in the tibia with TGs (OR = 0.95, 95%CI = 0.91–0.99).Conclusion: Early life exposure to Pb may alter early indicators of MetS. A follow-up of these children will allow for more definition on the impact of longer-term exposures.

El presente artículo intenta poner de manifiesto la gran necesidad que existe en España de crear estudios superiores en conservación y restauración de vidrieras, así como la importancia que desempeñaría el aprendizaje y dominio del oficio tradicional de vidriero en dichos estudios. En efecto, las habilidades manuales y aspectos técnicos empleados tanto en la creación como en la conservación y restauración de vidrieras están íntimamente relacionados, hasta el punto de que sería difícil entender los unos sin los otros en la formación de futuros conservadores-restauradores. Es pues de la mayor importancia que cualquier intento de crear unos estudios superiores en esta disciplina no descuide la importancia de este aspecto.

Zea mays var mexicana or teocinte is a grass, considered one of the main ancestors of Zea mays. Teocinte, like other grasses, is associated with genera of endophytic plant growth promoters (EPGPB) in the interior of plant tissues. Z. mays is a domestic grass normally cultivated under the intensive production system, with relatively high doses of nitrogen fertilizer (NIFE), a possible alternative solution to minimize this problem, is the inoculation of the seed of Z. mays with genera of EPGPB teocinte, which colonize the roots, stems, leaves and promote a healthy growth at a reduced dose up to 50% NIFE such as urea, which is equivalent to decrease from 280 kg/ha-1to 140 kg/ha-1, of what is recommended for the región of northern Michoacán and southern Guanajuato, México. The objectives of this work were: i) to determine the density of Burkholderia spp BEPCV of teocinte, ii) to analyze the effect of the inoculation of Burkholderia spp EPGPB on the growth of Z. mays, at reduced dose of NIFE in greenhouse, iii) identify Burkholderia spp BEPCV teocinte. The population density of Burkholdería spp EPGPB was determined in tissues (organs), seeds, stem-leaves and roots of teocinte by sowing them on Pseudomonas cepacia azelaic acid tryptamine (PCAT), after incubation. Burkholdería spp colonies were selected for abundance in: leaves, stem, roots and/or seeds. These isolates of Burkholdería spp, were coded with the keys T41 and T42 and inoculated in Z. mays sown in sterile sand, where as the only variable-response the total dry weight was determined compared to the Z. mays cultivated with the recommended NIFE dose, for that región, it was concluded with the biochemical characterization. The results show that in Burkholdería spp BEPCV of teocinte, a density of 3.4 Log CFU/g of fresh weight (GPF) was registered in the root, of 3.0 Log CFU/GPF in the seed and a similar valué in the stem-leaves of teocinte The response of Z. mays to Burkholdería T41 caused an increase of 47% in the dry weight of the root to the tillering, and of 57% to the extensión of the stem, compared with the Z. mays without inoculating with the máximum level of NIFE (urea) 280 kg/ha-1. The biochemical identification profile of Burkholdería spp supports a genetic relationship with B. víetnamíensís. It is concluded that teocinte is a source of EPGPB for sustainable production Z. mays at a reduced dose of NIFE.

El fuego es una perturbación recurrente pero poco estudiada en los bosques secos tropicales, en los que las semillas son la principal fuente de regeneración. En este estudio se determinó la tasa germinativa de semillas de ocho árboles del bosque seco colombiano expuestas a temperaturas elevadas que simulaban fuegos de baja (100°C) y alta incidencia (200°C) con diferentes tiempos de exposición (5 y 15 minutos). La temperatura fue el factor que mejor explicó la germinación de las semillas, mientras que el tiempo no tuvo un efecto significativo. Siete especies obtuvieron niveles de germinación similares bajo el tratamiento de 100°C y en el control, mientras que la germinación para el tratamiento de 200°C fue casi nula. Los resultados sugieren que las semillas de algunas especies de bosque seco presentan tolerancia a los incendios moderados, sin embargo, la mayoría de semillas perecerían bajo fuegos de alta incidencia.

(1) Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is highly associated with various somatic conditions that can be masked by the core symptoms of ASD and thus complicate the diagnosis. Identifying co-occurring somatic disorders is critical for providing effective healthcare and social services for ASD populations and influences their long-term outcomes. A systematic assessment of co-occurring somatic conditions is essential during this ASD diagnostic process. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the organization and content of the initial somatic assessment (ISA). (2) Methods: We conducted a systematic review of the clinical practice guidelines (CPG) for the ASD diagnostic process published between January 2005 and December 2019 in English and French and performed an appraisal following the Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation, second edition (AGREE-II). (3) Results: We selected 14 CPGs that were heterogeneous in quality, with methodological scores between 32.3 and 91.9. Clinical examinations are the first step in the ISA, and the participation of pediatric, neuropediatric, and genetic specialists was highly recommended by the majority of the CPGs. The recommendations included hearing screening tests (10/14), visual examinations (8/14), and systematic genetic investigations (4/14). The CPGs also described additional investigations that should be conducted based on numerous warning signs. (4) Conclusions: Screening for consensual international warning signs is necessary to perform a comprehensive and systematic ISA during the ASD diagnostic process. A “referral form” could be used to guide clinicians and improve the coordination process. This tool may reinforce epidemiological data on co-occurring somatic disorders in patients with ASD.