Search

Antibiotic resistance (AR) associated with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) poses additional challenges for the management of ischemic leg ulcers, increasing the likelihood of severe outcomes. This study assessed AR prevalence in bacteria isolated from CLTI-associated leg ulcers before (1 January 2017–10 March 2020; n = 69) and during (11 March 2020–31 December 2022; n = 59) the COVID-19 pandemic from patients admitted with positive wound cultures to a regional hospital in Chiang Mai (Thailand). There was a marked reduction in AR rates from 78% pre-pandemic to 42% during the pandemic (p < 0.0001), with rates of polymicrobial infections 22 percentage points lower (from 61% to 39%, respectively; p = 0.014). There were reduced AR rates to amoxicillin/clavulanate (from 42% to 4%; p < 0.0001) and ampicillin (from 16% to 2%; p = 0.017), as well as multidrug resistance (19% to 8%; p = 0.026). Factors associated with increased AR odds were polymicrobial infections (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 5.6 (95% CI 2.1, 15.0); p = 0.001), gram-negative bacteria (aOR 7.0 (95% CI 2.4, 20.5); p < 0.001), and prior use of antibiotics (aOR 11.9 (95% CI 1.1, 128.2); p = 0.041). Improvements in infection control measures and hygiene practices in the community during the pandemic were likely key factors contributing to lower AR rates. Thus, strategic public health interventions, including community education on hygiene and the informed use of antibiotics, may be crucial in mitigating the challenges posed by AR in CLTI. Further, advocating for more judicious use of empirical antibiotics in clinical settings can balance effective treatment against AR development, thereby improving patient outcomes.

Antibiotic resistance (AR) associated with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) poses additional challenges for the management of ischemic leg ulcers, increasing the likelihood of severe outcomes. This study assessed AR prevalence in bacteria isolated from CLTI-associated leg ulcers before (1 January 2017–10 March 2020; n = 69) and during (11 March 2020–31 December 2022; n = 59) the COVID-19 pandemic from patients admitted with positive wound cultures to a regional hospital in Chiang Mai (Thailand). There was a marked reduction in AR rates from 78% pre-pandemic to 42% during the pandemic (p < 0.0001), with rates of polymicrobial infections 22 percentage points lower (from 61% to 39%, respectively; p = 0.014). There were reduced AR rates to amoxicillin/clavulanate (from 42% to 4%; p < 0.0001) and ampicillin (from 16% to 2%; p = 0.017), as well as multidrug resistance (19% to 8%; p = 0.026). Factors associated with increased AR odds were polymicrobial infections (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 5.6 (95% CI 2.1, 15.0); p = 0.001), gram-negative bacteria (aOR 7.0 (95% CI 2.4, 20.5); p < 0.001), and prior use of antibiotics (aOR 11.9 (95% CI 1.1, 128.2); p = 0.041). Improvements in infection control measures and hygiene practices in the community during the pandemic were likely key factors contributing to lower AR rates. Thus, strategic public health interventions, including community education on hygiene and the informed use of antibiotics, may be crucial in mitigating the challenges posed by AR in CLTI. Further, advocating for more judicious use of empirical antibiotics in clinical settings can balance effective treatment against AR development, thereby improving patient outcomes.

Antibiotic resistance (AR) associated with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) poses additional challenges for the management of ischemic leg ulcers, increasing the likelihood of severe outcomes. This study assessed AR prevalence in bacteria isolated from CLTI-associated leg ulcers before (1 January 2017–10 March 2020; n = 69) and during (11 March 2020–31 December 2022; n = 59) the COVID-19 pandemic from patients admitted with positive wound cultures to a regional hospital in Chiang Mai (Thailand). There was a marked reduction in AR rates from 78% pre-pandemic to 42% during the pandemic (p < 0.0001), with rates of polymicrobial infections 22 percentage points lower (from 61% to 39%, respectively; p = 0.014). There were reduced AR rates to amoxicillin/clavulanate (from 42% to 4%; p < 0.0001) and ampicillin (from 16% to 2%; p = 0.017), as well as multidrug resistance (19% to 8%; p = 0.026). Factors associated with increased AR odds were polymicrobial infections (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 5.6 (95% CI 2.1, 15.0); p = 0.001), gram-negative bacteria (aOR 7.0 (95% CI 2.4, 20.5); p < 0.001), and prior use of antibiotics (aOR 11.9 (95% CI 1.1, 128.2); p = 0.041). Improvements in infection control measures and hygiene practices in the community during the pandemic were likely key factors contributing to lower AR rates. Thus, strategic public health interventions, including community education on hygiene and the informed use of antibiotics, may be crucial in mitigating the challenges posed by AR in CLTI. Further, advocating for more judicious use of empirical antibiotics in clinical settings can balance effective treatment against AR development, thereby improving patient outcomes.

Antibiotic resistance (AR) associated with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) poses additional challenges for the management of ischemic leg ulcers, increasing the likelihood of severe outcomes. This study assessed AR prevalence in bacteria isolated from CLTI-associated leg ulcers before (1 January 2017–10 March 2020; n = 69) and during (11 March 2020–31 December 2022; n = 59) the COVID-19 pandemic from patients admitted with positive wound cultures to a regional hospital in Chiang Mai (Thailand). There was a marked reduction in AR rates from 78% pre-pandemic to 42% during the pandemic (p < 0.0001), with rates of polymicrobial infections 22 percentage points lower (from 61% to 39%, respectively; p = 0.014). There were reduced AR rates to amoxicillin/clavulanate (from 42% to 4%; p < 0.0001) and ampicillin (from 16% to 2%; p = 0.017), as well as multidrug resistance (19% to 8%; p = 0.026). Factors associated with increased AR odds were polymicrobial infections (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 5.6 (95% CI 2.1, 15.0); p = 0.001), gram-negative bacteria (aOR 7.0 (95% CI 2.4, 20.5); p < 0.001), and prior use of antibiotics (aOR 11.9 (95% CI 1.1, 128.2); p = 0.041). Improvements in infection control measures and hygiene practices in the community during the pandemic were likely key factors contributing to lower AR rates. Thus, strategic public health interventions, including community education on hygiene and the informed use of antibiotics, may be crucial in mitigating the challenges posed by AR in CLTI. Further, advocating for more judicious use of empirical antibiotics in clinical settings can balance effective treatment against AR development, thereby improving patient outcomes.

Climate observations show that Serbia has been experiencing an increase in mean temperatures and frequency of heatwaves, in part due to its high population growth and unsustainable urbanisation. The goal of this research was to establish the heatwave level of vulnerability in Belgrade municipalities and determine citizens' adaptive capacities. The MOVE framework was used to determine vulnerability, and an online survey was carried out to gather data on adaptive capacities. Very high vulnerability was found in the municipalities of Palilula, Zemun and New Belgrade. The survey was in accordance with the ArcGIS-generated vulnerability map. It showed a high adaptation capacity of the low-vulnerability, high-income respondents living in the central municipalities of Old Town and Vračar. Results show that adaptation capacity is highly determined by income and social inclusion levels. This research can serve as a good basis for defining city-level measures to reduce the consequences of heatwave effects in Belgrade.

Mass removal phenomena are potentially dangerous because they cause damage to property and infrastructure in communities. Therefore, there is a growing governmental interest in knowing, studying and zoning these phenomena, developing projects and research that allow evaluating their behavior. In this work, the zoning of the susceptibility to mass removal phenomena will be obtained, in the vicinity of the municipality of Pueblo Bello, Cesar, upper basin of the Ariguaní River, located southwest of the Santa Marta Nevada massif. For the execution of this project, the discriminant statistical method was developed, taking into account the conditioning and triggering factors, which quantitatively determine the degree of influence that each geoenvironmental variable has on the generation of mass removal phenomena. These geoenvironmental factors were carried out by visiting strategic points within the area, in order to build maps of geology, superficial geological units, geomorphology, land cover and land use, achieving an analysis that led to the determination of homogeneous zones, failure mechanisms, characterization of drainage and its relationship with the phenomena of instability. In conclusion in the sector there is a higher category of medium susceptibility with 45.46%, followed by the low with 20.07%, the high with 17.40%, the very low with 10.31% and the very high category with 6.73%. The relationship with mass movements is higher in the very high category with 36.58%, followed by the average with 31.70%, the low with 14.63%, high with 9.75% and the very low with 7.31%., Los fenómenos de remoción en masa son potencialmente peligrosos, debido a que ocasionan daños en bienes e infraestructura de las comunidades. Por eso, existe un creciente interés gubernamental en conocer, estudiar y zonificar estos fenómenos, desarrollando proyectos e investigaciones que permitan evaluar su comportamiento. En este trabajo se obtendrá la zonificación de la susceptibilidad a fenómenos de remoción en masa, en inmediaciones del municipio de Pueblo Bello, Cesar, cuenca alta del río Ariguaní, ubicada al sur occidente de la Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Para la ejecución de este proyecto se desarrolló el método estadístico discriminante, teniéndose en cuenta los factores condicionantes y detonantes, que determinan cuantitativamente el grado de influencia que cada variable geoambiental tiene en la generación de los fenómenos de remoción en masa. Estos factores geoambientales, se realizaron mediante visita de puntos estratégicos dentro de la zona, en pro de construir mapas de geología, unidades geológicas superficiales, geomorfología, cobertura y uso del suelo, lográndose realizar un análisis que conllevó a la determinación de zonas homogéneas, mecanismos de falla, caracterización de drenajes y su relación con los fenómenos de inestabilidad. En conclusión, en el sector se presenta una mayor categoría de susceptibilidad media con un 45.46%, seguida de baja con un 20.07%, y alta con un 17.40%, la muy baja con un 10.31% y la categoría muy alta con un 6.73%. La relación con los movimientos en masa es mayor en la categoría muy alta con un 36.58%, seguida de la media con un 31.70%, la baja con 14.63%, alta con un 9.75% y la muy baja con 7.31%.

Credit authorship contribution statement: Carolina R. Sanz: Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Validation, Visualization, Writing – original draft. Juliana Sarquis: Conceptualization, Data curation, Investigation, Writing – review & editing. María Ángeles Daza: Investigation, Methodology, Writing – review & editing. Guadalupe Miró: Conceptualization, Funding acquisition, Investigation, Methodology, Project administration, Resources, Supervision, Writing – review & editing., Canine leishmaniosis (CanL), caused by Leishmania infantum, is a complex disease of growing importance in Europe. Clinical manifestations result from the down-modulation of the host immune response through multiple host-parasite interactions. Although several factors might influence CanL progression, this is the first known study evaluating risk factors for its different clinical stages in a large referral hospital population (n = 35.669) from an endemic area, over a 20 year period. Genome-wide scans for selection signatures were also conducted to explore the genomic component of clinical susceptibility to L. infantum infection. The prevalence of CanL was 3.2% (16.7% stage I; 43.6% stage II; 32.1% stage III; 7.6% stage IV). Dog breed (crossbreed), bodyweight (<10 kg), living conditions (indoors), regular deworming treatment, and being vaccinated against Leishmania significantly decreased the transmission risk and the risk for developing severe clinical forms. Conversely, the detection of comorbidities was associated with advanced clinical forms, particularly chronic kidney disease, neoplasia, cryptorchidism, infectious tracheobronchitis and urate urolithiasis, although those did not impact the clinical outcome. Significant associations between an increased risk of severe clinical stages and findings in the anamnesis (renal or skin-related manifestations) and physical examination (ocular findings) were also detected, highlighting their diagnostic value in referred cases of CanL. Sixteen breeds were found to be significantly more susceptible to developing severe stages of leishmaniosis (e.g. Great Dane, Rottweiler, English Springer Spaniel, Boxer, American Staffordshire Terrier, Golden Retriever), while 20 breeds displayed a clinical resistantance phenotype and, thus, are more likely to mount an efficient immune response against L. infantum (e.g. Pointer, Samoyed, Spanish Mastiff, Spanish Greyhound, English Setter, Siberian Husky). Genomic analyses of these breeds ret, Depto. de Sanidad Animal, Depto. de Medicina y Cirugía Animal, Fac. de Veterinaria, TRUE, pub

Masterarbeit Universität Innsbruck 2024

Background: Explanations for the disproportional COVID-19 burden among immigrants relative to host-country natives include differential exposure to the virus and susceptibility due to poor health conditions. Prior to the pandemic, immigrants displayed deteriorating health with duration of residence that may be associated with increased susceptibility over time. The aim of this study was to compare immigrant–native COVID-19 mortality by immigrants’ duration of residence to examine the role of differential susceptibility. Methods: A population-based cohort study was conducted with individuals between 18 and 100 years old registered in Sweden between 1 January 2015 and 15 June 2022. Cox regression models were run to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Inequalities in COVID-19 mortality between immigrants and the Swedish-born population in the working-age group were concentrated among those of non-Western origins and from Finland with more than 15 years in Sweden, while for those of retirement age, these groups showed higher COVID-19 mortality HRs regardless of duration of residence. Both age groups of immigrants from Africa and the Middle East showed consistently higher COVID-19 mortality HRs. For the working-age population: Africa: HR<15: 2.46, 95%CI: 1.78, 3.38; HR≥15: 1.49, 95%CI: 1.01, 2.19; and from the Middle East: HR<15: 1.20, 95%CI: 0.90, 1.60; HR≥15: 1.65, 95%CI: 1.32, 2.05. For the retirement-age population: Africa: HR<15: 3.94, 95%CI: 2.85, 5.44; HR≥15: 1.66, 95%CI: 1.32, 2.09; Middle East: HR<15: 3.27, 95%CI: 2.70, 3.97; HR≥15: 2.12, 95%CI: 1.91, 2.34. Conclusions: Differential exposure, as opposed to differential susceptibility, likely accounted for the higher COVID-19 mortality observed among those origins who were disproportionately affected by the pandemic in Sweden.

Most high-mountain regions worldwide are susceptible to snow avalanches during the winter or all year round. In this study, a Universal Snow Avalanche Modeling Index is developed, suitable for determining avalanche hazard in mountain regions. The first step in the research is the collection of data in the field and their processing in geographic information systems and remote sensing. In the period 2023–2024, avalanches were mapped in the field, and later, avalanches as points in geographic information systems (GIS) were overlapped with the dominant natural conditions in the study area. The second step involves determining the main criteria (snow cover, terrain slope, and land use) and evaluating the values to obtain the Snow Avalanche Formation Index (SAFI). Thresholds obtained through field research and the formation of avalanche inventory were used to develop the SAFI index. The index is applied with the aim of identifying locations susceptible to avalanche formation (source areas). The values used for the calculation include Normalized Difference Snow Index (NDSI > 0.6), terrain slope (20–60°) and land use (pastures, meadows). The third step presents the analysis of SAFI locations with meteorological conditions (winter precipitation and winter air temperature). The fourth step is the modeling of the propagation (simulation) of other parts of the snow avalanche in the Flow-R software 2.0. The results show that 282.9 km2 of the study area (Šar Mountains, Serbia) is susceptible to snow avalanches, with the thickness of the potentially triggered layer being 50 cm. With a 5 m thick snowpack, 299.9 km2 would be susceptible. The validation using the ROC-AUC method confirms a very high predictive power (0.94). The SAFI–Flow-R approach offers snow avalanche modeling for which no avalanche inventory is available, representing an advance for all mountain areas where historical data do not exist. The results of the study can be used for land use planning, zoning vulnerable

The Puyo-Tena roadway is prone to landslides due to the geodynamics, geomorphology, and geological materials of the area (unstable outcrops and strata). In recent years, this problem has persistently caused the road to be partially or completely disabled on numerous occasions. The objective of the research was to generate a cartographic model of landslides susceptibility based on variables such as slope, geological formations, land cover and land use, as well as distances to faults, road, and rivers. The degree of landslides incidence was estimated as the linear combination of the weighted variables using the analytic hierarchy process. The importance of this semi quantitative method lies in its ability to break down a complex decision problem into a simpler and more coherent decision model. The resulting cartographic model was classified into five susceptibility categories: very low, low, moderate, high, and very high. The results showed that 17 km out of the 80 km of the Puyo-Tena roadway have a high probability of landslides, which is equivalent to 21.25% of the road. Furthermore, within this percentage, it was determined that there are fifteen regions with a high probability of landslides due to their location in areas with steep slopes, porous and permeable lithology, a large number of rivers, and agricultural soils. The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) was used for model verification. The verification results showed that the cartographic model for the study area has an accuracy value of 83.7%. The cartographic model of landslide susceptibility will enable relevant decisions to be made to mitigate potential hazards that may endanger transporters, material goods, and residents of the area., La carretera Puyo-Tena es propensa a deslizamientos de tierra debido a la geodinámica, geomorfología y materiales geológicos de la zona (afloramientos y estratos inestables). En los últimos años, este problema ha provocado de forma persistente la inutilización parcial o total de la carretera en numerosas ocasiones. El objetivo de la investigación fue generar un modelo cartográfico de susceptibilidad a deslizamientos a partir de variables como la pendiente, las formaciones geológicas, la cobertura y uso de la tierra, así como las distancias a fallas, carretera y ríos. El grado de incidencia de deslizamientos se estimó como la combinación lineal de las variables ponderadas mediante el proceso de jerarquía analítica. La importancia de este método semicuantitativo radica en su capacidad para desagregar un problema de decisión complejo en un modelo de decisión más simple y coherente. El modelo cartográfico resultante se reclasificó en cinco categorías de susceptibilidad: muy baja, baja, moderada, alta y muy alta. Los resultados mostraron que 17 km de los 80 km de la carretera Puyo-Tena tienen una alta probabilidad a deslizamientos, lo que equivale a 21,25% de la carretera. Además, dentro de este porcentaje, se determinó que existen quince regiones con alta probabilidad de deslizamientos debido a su ubicación en zonas con fuertes pendientes, litología porosa y permeable, gran cantidad de ríos y suelos agrícolas. Para la verificación del modelo se utilizó el área bajo la curva (en inglés AUC) de la característica operativa del receptor (en inglés ROC). Los resultados de la verificación mostraron que el modelo cartográfico para el áre de estudio tiene un valor de precisión de 83,7%. El modelo cartográfico de susceptibilidad a deslizamientos permitirá tomar las decisiones pertinentes para mitigar eventos potenciales que puedan poner en peligro a transportistas, bienes materiales y residentes de la zona.

The Puyo-Tena roadway is prone to landslides due to the geodynamics, geomorphology, and geological materials of the area (unstable outcrops and strata). In recent years, this problem has persistently caused the road to be partially or completely disabled on numerous occasions. The objective of the research was to generate a cartographic model of landslides susceptibility based on variables such as slope, geological formations, land cover and land use, as well as distances to faults, road, and rivers. The degree of landslides incidence was estimated as the linear combination of the weighted variables using the analytic hierarchy process. The importance of this semi quantitative method lies in its ability to break down a complex decision problem into a simpler and more coherent decision model. The resulting cartographic model was classified into five susceptibility categories: very low, low, moderate, high, and very high. The results showed that 17 km out of the 80 km of the Puyo-Tena roadway have a high probability of landslides, which is equivalent to 21.25% of the road. Furthermore, within this percentage, it was determined that there are fifteen regions with a high probability of landslides due to their location in areas with steep slopes, porous and permeable lithology, a large number of rivers, and agricultural soils. The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) was used for model verification. The verification results showed that the cartographic model for the study area has an accuracy value of 83.7%. The cartographic model of landslide susceptibility will enable relevant decisions to be made to mitigate potential hazards that may endanger transporters, material goods, and residents of the area., La carretera Puyo-Tena es propensa a deslizamientos de tierra debido a la geodinámica, geomorfología y materiales geológicos de la zona (afloramientos y estratos inestables). En los últimos años, este problema ha provocado de forma persistente la inutilización parcial o total de la carretera en numerosas ocasiones. El objetivo de la investigación fue generar un modelo cartográfico de susceptibilidad a deslizamientos a partir de variables como la pendiente, las formaciones geológicas, la cobertura y uso de la tierra, así como las distancias a fallas, carretera y ríos. El grado de incidencia de deslizamientos se estimó como la combinación lineal de las variables ponderadas mediante el proceso de jerarquía analítica. La importancia de este método semicuantitativo radica en su capacidad para desagregar un problema de decisión complejo en un modelo de decisión más simple y coherente. El modelo cartográfico resultante se reclasificó en cinco categorías de susceptibilidad: muy baja, baja, moderada, alta y muy alta. Los resultados mostraron que 17 km de los 80 km de la carretera Puyo-Tena tienen una alta probabilidad a deslizamientos, lo que equivale a 21,25% de la carretera. Además, dentro de este porcentaje, se determinó que existen quince regiones con alta probabilidad de deslizamientos debido a su ubicación en zonas con fuertes pendientes, litología porosa y permeable, gran cantidad de ríos y suelos agrícolas. Para la verificación del modelo se utilizó el área bajo la curva (en inglés AUC) de la característica operativa del receptor (en inglés ROC). Los resultados de la verificación mostraron que el modelo cartográfico para el áre de estudio tiene un valor de precisión de 83,7%. El modelo cartográfico de susceptibilidad a deslizamientos permitirá tomar las decisiones pertinentes para mitigar eventos potenciales que puedan poner en peligro a transportistas, bienes materiales y residentes de la zona.

Antibiotic resistance (AR) associated with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) poses additional challenges for the management of ischemic leg ulcers, increasing the likelihood of severe outcomes. This study assessed AR prevalence in bacteria isolated from CLTI-associated leg ulcers before (1 January 2017–10 March 2020; n = 69) and during (11 March 2020–31 December 2022; n = 59) the COVID-19 pandemic from patients admitted with positive wound cultures to a regional hospital in Chiang Mai (Thailand). There was a marked reduction in AR rates from 78% pre-pandemic to 42% during the pandemic (p < 0.0001), with rates of polymicrobial infections 22 percentage points lower (from 61% to 39%, respectively; p = 0.014). There were reduced AR rates to amoxicillin/clavulanate (from 42% to 4%; p < 0.0001) and ampicillin (from 16% to 2%; p = 0.017), as well as multidrug resistance (19% to 8%; p = 0.026). Factors associated with increased AR odds were polymicrobial infections (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 5.6 (95% CI 2.1, 15.0); p = 0.001), gram-negative bacteria (aOR 7.0 (95% CI 2.4, 20.5); p < 0.001), and prior use of antibiotics (aOR 11.9 (95% CI 1.1, 128.2); p = 0.041). Improvements in infection control measures and hygiene practices in the community during the pandemic were likely key factors contributing to lower AR rates. Thus, strategic public health interventions, including community education on hygiene and the informed use of antibiotics, may be crucial in mitigating the challenges posed by AR in CLTI. Further, advocating for more judicious use of empirical antibiotics in clinical settings can balance effective treatment against AR development, thereby improving patient outcomes.

Background: The covid-19 pandemic, originating from a new strain of coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), is of concern to the global health arena as no crisis comparable to this has happened in the past. The investigation of not only the genetic components which may predispose for such a disease but also determine the severity of the illness has turned into a pressing research issue in modern days. Although it is desirable for the formulation of effective community health policy which provide tailor-made solutions concerning treatments, it is important that people have a clear understanding of the role played by blood type differences in this regard. Methodology: The research was done at Baghdad Medical City Hospital during the period of June and August of 2021 using the patients with verified COVID-19 cases as their base. The data contained not only demographic information but also a blood type, disorder severity level, as well as the details were about the procedure. Various statistics organizations, include but not limited to the Pearson correlation, Chi-square and data visualization were applied using SPSS to establish the association between different blood types and the aftermath of COVID-19 infections. Results: The study demonstrated that among the many characteristics of COVID-19, blood types tested out to be assciating with a statistically significant number of them. Noteworthy is the significant negative association that connects blood types with the severity of the disease, and this factor also determines the period for recovery. It became clear that the recovery duration and the treatment response didn’t depend on age when the results were adjusted for any statistically insignificant variations that could be attributed to age. This evidences us that it is likely that the age factor is not considered as a premier factor in the progress of the COVID-19 in the analyzed patients. when goes to a green process, the human error

Background: The covid-19 pandemic, originating from a new strain of coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), is of concern to the global health arena as no crisis comparable to this has happened in the past. The investigation of not only the genetic components which may predispose for such a disease but also determine the severity of the illness has turned into a pressing research issue in modern days. Although it is desirable for the formulation of effective community health policy which provide tailor-made solutions concerning treatments, it is important that people have a clear understanding of the role played by blood type differences in this regard. Methodology: The research was done at Baghdad Medical City Hospital during the period of June and August of 2021 using the patients with verified COVID-19 cases as their base. The data contained not only demographic information but also a blood type, disorder severity level, as well as the details were about the procedure. Various statistics organizations, include but not limited to the Pearson correlation, Chi-square and data visualization were applied using SPSS to establish the association between different blood types and the aftermath of COVID-19 infections. Results: The study demonstrated that among the many characteristics of COVID-19, blood types tested out to be assciating with a statistically significant number of them. Noteworthy is the significant negative association that connects blood types with the severity of the disease, and this factor also determines the period for recovery. It became clear that the recovery duration and the treatment response didn’t depend on age when the results were adjusted for any statistically insignificant variations that could be attributed to age. This evidences us that it is likely that the age factor is not considered as a premier factor in the progress of the COVID-19 in the analyzed patients. when goes to a green process, the human error

Sugar beet is the second most important source for the sugar industry, particularly important in temperate climate zones of Central, West, and East Europe. However, its production has declined recently due to various factors of which the most important are subsidy cuts and the spread of various plant diseases. In the Pannonian Plain (Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Serbia), a disease called rubbery taproot disease (RTD) has been observed for along time. The variability in RTD symptoms and the extent of damage it causes have made its detection quite challenging, often leading to misdiagnoses as other diseases. However, the identification of Candidatus Phytoplasma solani as the cause of RTD has resolved the issue of its diagnosis. The latest outbreak in Serbia has had a significant economic impact on sugar beet production, prompting an urgent response to aid the industry and growers. In our study, conducted during the 2022 and 2023 seasons, we assessed the susceptibility/tolerance of thirty registered sugar beet hybrids in Serbia, evaluating their impact on root yield and quality in naturally infected experimental fields.

This study investigated the relationship between yield, thousand kernel weight (TKW), and crude protein of soft white winter wheat–club variety (Barbee) and soft white winter wheat common variety (Zvezdana) susceptible to leaf rust and powdery mildew under different cultivation practices. Results revealed divergence in associations between yield, TKW, and crude protein loss of winter wheat varieties susceptible to obligate pathogens. Under the same level of leaf rust infection, N-input limited yield loss of the two varieties but not to the same extent. TKW loss was affected only by variety × cultivation practice and was significantly correlated with yield loss (r = −0.727, p = 0.011) and crude protein loss (r = −0.600, p = 0.05) only in club winter wheat. We suspected that Ninput affects the difference in the relationship between yield and TKW loss among varieties. Crude protein and yield loss had a low association (R2 = 18%, p = 0.05). Finally, this study indicated that more attention should be paid to the determination of pathogen pressure that triggers yield loss. It also pointed out that yield, TKW, and crude protein response to fungicides could differ in susceptible varieties. The contribution of fungicide to yield enhancement was highly associated with the specific reaction of the variety to pathogen infection rather than solely the disease level itself.

Most regional landslide susceptibility models do not consider the evolving soil hydrological conditions leading up to a multiple occurrence regional landslide event. This results in inaccurate predictions due to the non-linear behaviour of the terrain. To address this, we have developed a simple and efficient model that incorporates the mid-term evolution of soil hydrological conditions. The model combines a water balance model and a geotechnical model based on infinite slope theory. The analysis of 561 high-intensity rainfall events in a typhoon-prone region of the Philippines revealed that the percolation of water during the 5-month wet season is crucial in determining landslide susceptibility. Consequently, high-intensity rainfall events at the start of the wet season are less likely to trigger landslides, while later events are more hazardous. We analysed the change in landslide susceptibility during the 2018 rainy season by comparing the probability of failure (PoF) before and after three high-intensity rainfall events (July, August and September). Only the event in September caused a significant increase in the probability of failure (PoF). The model showed an accuracy of 0.63, with stable cells better represented than unstable cells. The antecedent hydrological conditions on the lower soil layers are responsible for changes in landslide susceptibility. Our findings support the hypothesis that new approaches to developing hydro-meteorological thresholds for landslide early warning systems should be evaluated, especially in regions with strong seasonality., Peer Reviewed, Postprint (published version)

Landslides are socio-natural hazards. In Colombia, for example, these are the most frequent hazards. The interplay of climate change and the mostly informal growth of cities in landslide-prone areas increases the associated risks. Landslide early warning systems (LEWSs) are essential for disaster risk reduction, but the monitoring component is often based on expensive sensor systems. This study presents a data-driven approach to localize landslide-prone areas suitable for low-cost and easy-to-use LEWS instrumentation, as well as to estimate the associated costs. The approach is exemplified in the landslide-prone city of Medellín, Colombia. A workflow that enables decision-makers to balance financial costs and the potential to protect exposed populations is introduced. To achieve this, city-level landslide susceptibility is mapped using data on hazard levels, landslide inventories, geological and topographic factors, and a random forest model. Then, the landslide susceptibility map is combined with a population density map to identify highly exposed areas. Subsequently, a cost function is defined to estimate the cost of LEWS monitoring sensors at the selected sites, using lessons learned from a pilot LEWS in Bello Oriente, a neighbourhood in Medellín. This study estimates that LEWS monitoring sensors could be installed in several landslide-prone areas with a budget ranging from EUR5 to EUR41 per person (roughly COP23000 to 209000), improving the resilience of over 190000 exposed individuals, 81% of whom are located in precarious neighbourhoods; thus, the systems would particularly reduce the risks of a social group of very high vulnerability. The synopsis of all information allows us to provide recommendations for stakeholders on where to proceed with LEWS instrumentation. These are based on five different cost-effectiveness scenarios. This approach enables decision-makers to prioritize LEWS deployment to protect exposed populations while balancing the financial cost

Objective: Analyze the susceptibility of the slopes to the occurrence of mass movements, implementing the MoraVahrson methodology adapted for the district of Chemesquemena located within the Kankuamo indigenous reservation, department of Cesar (Colombia). Methodology: Initially a review of the state of the art was carried out in academic and scientific databases. Subsequently, field phases were carried out to take samples of rock, soil and cartographic survey at a scale of 1:100.000, allowing to know and identify the geological, geomorphological aspects and general characteristics. With the ArcGIS software, the images were analyzed using digital elevation models (3D effect), in the processing, maps at a scale of 1:100.000 were obtained. Results: The areas with the greatest susceptibility are located to the NW of the district of Chemesquemena (Colombia), representing 70 % of the total areas due to high slopes, high rainfall, lithology, soil type, vegetation cover, permanent crops and subunits. geomorphological such as denuded mountain ranges and residual hills; and 30 % low to very low susceptibilities. Conclusions: The conditioning factors that generate the greatest influence on susceptibility correspond to the lithology, high slopes characteristic of the land, permanent crops and grass as the main cover. The lithological units were classified mainly as intrusive igneous rocks with an advanced state of alteration, generating weakening of the materials. Crops require periodic irrigation systems, resulting in a constant supply of water to soils and slopes (over- saturation), and changes in mechanical properties; In addition, the grass does not contribute to favoring the stability of the soil. Financing: Fundación Universitaria del Área Andina., Objetivo: Analizar la susceptibilidad de las laderas frente a la ocurrencia de movimientos en masa, con la implementación de la metodología Mora-Vahrson adaptada para el corregimiento de Chemesquemena, ubicado dentro del Resguardo Indígena Kankuamo, departamento del Cesar (Colombia). Metodología: Inicialmente se realizó revisión del estado del arte en bases de datos académicas y científicas. Luego, se realizaron fases de campo para toma de muestra de roca, suelo y levantamiento cartográfico a escala 1:100 000; de esta manera se conocieron e identificaron los aspectos geológicos, geomorfológicos y características generales. Con el software ArcGIS se analizaron las imágenes mediante modelos de elevación digital (efecto 3D), en el procesamiento, se obtuvieron mapas a escala 1:100 000. Resultados: Las zonas con mayor susceptibilidad se localizan hacia el noroeste del corregimiento de Chemesquemena (Colombia), las cuales representan el 70 % de las áreas totales debido a las altas pendiente, alta pluviosidad, litología, tipo de suelo, cobertura vegetal, cultivos permanentes y subunidades geomorfológicas como sierras denudadas y colinas residuales; y el 30% susceptibilidades bajas a muy bajas. Conclusiones: Los factores condicionantes que generan mayor influencia de susceptibilidad corresponden a la litología, altas pendientes características del terreno, cultivos permanentes y pasto como cobertura principal. Las unidades litológicas fueron clasificadas mayoritariamente como rocas ígneas intrusivas en avanzado estado de saprolitización que producen debilitamiento de los materiales. Los cultivos requieren sistemas de riegos periódicos, lo que implica un aporte constante de agua a los suelos y taludes (sobresaturación), y una alteración en las propiedades mecánicas; además, el pasto no favorece la estabilidad de los suelos. Financiamiento: Fundación Universitaria del Área Andina

The susceptibility of domestic cats to infection with SARS-CoV-2 has been demonstrated by several experimental studies and field observations. We performed an extensive study to further characterize the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 between cats, through both direct and indirect contact. To that end, we estimated the transmission rate parameter and the decay parameter for infectivity in the environment. Using four groups of pair-transmission experiment, all donor (inoculated) cats became infected, shed virus, and seroconverted, while three out of four direct contact cats got infected, shed virus, and two of those seroconverted. One out of eight cats exposed to a SARS-CoV-2-contaminated environment became infected but did not seroconvert. Statistical analysis of the transmission data gives a reproduction number R0 of 2.18 (95% CI = 0.92 to 4.08), a transmission rate parameter b of 0.23 day21 (95% CI = 0.06 to 0.54), and a virus decay rate parameter m of 2.73 day21 (95% CI = 0.77 to 15.82). These data indicate that transmission between cats is efficient and can be sustained (R0 . 1), however, the infectiousness of a contaminated environment decays rapidly (mean duration of infectiousness 1/2.73 days). Despite this, infections of cats via exposure to a SARS-CoV-2-contaminated environment cannot be discounted if cats are exposed shortly after contamination. IMPORTANCE This article provides additional insight into the risk of infection that could arise from cats infected with SARS-CoV-2 by using epidemiological models to determine transmission parameters. Considering that transmission parameters are not always provided in the literature describing transmission experiments in animals, we demonstrate that mathematical analysis of experimental data is crucial to estimate the likelihood of transmission. This article is also relevant to animal health professionals and authorities involved in risk assessments for zoonotic spill-overs

Objective: To determine the frequency of infection due to vulvovaginal candidiasis and antifungal susceptibility in pregnant women from the Andean Sierra - Huancavelica. Materials and methods: Retrospective, observational, descriptive study of pregnant women with vulvovaginal candidiasis and antifungal susceptibility treated at the departmental hospital of Huancavelica and the ascension health center in 2022, the documentary analysis technique was applied and the instrument which was a data collection sheet. Results: 160 pregnant women were analyzed where the most frequent sociodemographic characteristics were 49 years old. 4% (79); single marital status 33.1% (53), with secondary education level 54.4% (87). Among the obstetric characteristics, diagnoses were found in the Third Trimester in 54% (87) and major multiparous in 28.8% (46). The most frequent etiological agent was candida albicans 86.9% (139), the service where the diagnosis was made was in the obstetrics and gynecology office 88.1% (141), antifungal susceptibility was sensitive to triazoles (fluconazole) 75.6 % and to Imidazoles (clotrimazole) only 12.8%.Conclusions: Vulvovaginal candidiasis in pregnant women occurred more frequently in elderly, cohabiting women, with secondary; The etiological agent was candidiasis albicans and is sensitive to fluconazole., Objetivo: Determinar la frecuencia de infección por candidiasis vulvovaginal y susceptibilidad antifúngica en gestantes de la Sierra andina – Huancavelica..Materiales y metodos:Estudio retrospectivo, observacional, descriptivo y de gestantes con candidiasis vulvovaginal y susceptibilidad antifúngica atendidas en el hospital departamental de Huancavelica y el centro de salud de ascensión e el año 2022 ,se aplicó la técnica de análisis documentario y el instrumento la cual fue una ficha de recolección de datos .Resultados: Se analizaron 160 gestantes donde las características sociodemográficas de mayor frecuencia fueron añosa en un 49,4% (79); estado civil soltera el 33.1% (53), con grado de instrucción secundaria 54.4 % (87). Entre las características obstétricas se halló diagnósticos en el III Trimestre 54% (87) y gran multípara en un 28.8% (46). El Agente etiológico de mayor frecuencia fue la cándida albicans 86.9% (139), el servicio donde se hizo el diagnóstico fue en el consultorio de ginecoobstetricia 88,1% (141),la susceptibilidad antifúngica resultó sensible a los triazoles (fluconazol) el 75.6% y a los Imidazoles (clotrimazol) solo el 12.8%.Conclusiones: La candidiasis vulvovaginal en las gestantes se presentó con mayor frecuencia en añosas, convivientes, con secundaria; el agente etiológico fue la candidiasis albicans y es sensible al fluconazol .

The present research aimed to generate and compare the susceptibility maps for the occurrence of shallow landslides in terms of probability of failure on the Sao Luis Island, obtained by applying the FOSM (First Order Second Moment) and Monte Carlo probabilistic methods. The differences found between the two approaches are analyzed. The methodology consisted of three main steps. The first step is related to the organization of a database of environmental information in a georeferenced format using the Geographic Information Systems platform SPRING. These data corresponded to the topography and the soil map, from which it was possible to identify the geotechnical parameters necessary for the analysis of slope stability in relation to each pedological class. The spatial information was exported from the SPRING platform in raster format and served as input data for the computational routines of stability analysis. The second step refers to the computational implementation of the probabilistic methods associated with the infinite slope stability model. The FOSM method was implemented using the Matlab program, while the FORTRAN language was used for the Monte Carlo method. The independent variables of the slope stability model considered to be random variables were cohesion and friction angle. Initially, it was considered that both variables had a normal distribution for the application of the FOSM and Monte Carlo methods, in order to compare the results of the different probabilistic approaches. Additionally, the Monte Carlo method was also simulated using a lognormal distribution to model cohesion, in a more coherent manner with the actual statistical behavior of that variable, while the friction angle remained modeled by a Gaussian distribution. Different numbers of simulations were proposed for the Monte Carlo Method, in order to verify the variation of the rupture probability in these scenarios. The final stage corresponded to the creation of maps for each configura, A pesquisa teve como objetivo gerar e confrontar os mapas de susceptibilidade de ocorrência de deslizamentos rasos em termos de probabilidade de ruptura na ilha de São Luís, obtidos pela aplicação dos métodos probabilísticos FOSM (First Order Second Moment) e Monte Carlo, analisando as diferenças encontradas entre as abordagens. A metodologia consistiu de três etapas principais. O primeiro passo está relacionado à organização de um banco de dados de informações ambientais, em um formato georreferenciado, pelo uso da plataforma de Sistemas de Informação Geográfica SPRING. Esses dados corresponderam à topografia e ao mapa de solos, a partir dos quais foi possível identificar os parâmetros geotécnicos necessários para a análise de estabilidade de encostas em relação a cada classe pedológica. As informações espaciais foram exportadas da plataforma SPRING em formato matricial e serviram de dados de entrada para as rotinas computacionais de análise de estabilidade. A segunda fase refere-se à implementação computacional dos métodos probabilísticos associados ao modelo de estabilidade de talude infinito. O método FOSM foi implementado com o uso do programa Matlab®, enquanto que no método de Monte Carlo utilizou-se a linguagem Fortran. As variáveis independentes do modelo de estabilidade de encostas consideradas como variáveis aleatórias foram a coesão e o ângulo de atrito. Inicialmente, considerou-se que ambas as variáveis possuíam uma distribuição normal para a aplicação dos métodos FOSM e de Monte Carlo, como forma de comparar os resultados das diferentes abordagens probabilísticas. Adicionalmente, o método de Monte Carlo também foi simulado considerando que a coesão fosse representada, de forma mais coerente com seu real comportamento estatístico, por uma distribuição lognormal, enquanto o ângulo de atrito permaneceu com uma distribuição gaussiana. Diferentes quantidades de simulações foram propostas para o Método de Monte Carlo, a fim de verificar a variação da probabil, La presente investigación tuvo como objetivo generar y comparar los mapas de susceptibilidad para la ocurrencia de deslizamientos superficiales en términos de probabilidad de falla en la isla de Sao Luis, obtenidos mediante la aplicación de los métodos probabilísticos FOSM (First Order Second Moment) y Monte Carlo. Se analizan las diferencias encontradas entre los dos enfoques. La metodología constaba de tres pasos principales. El primer paso está relacionado con la organización de una base de datos de información ambiental en formato georreferenciado utilizando la plataforma de Sistemas de Información Geográfica SPRING. Estos datos correspondieron a la topografía y al mapa de suelos, a partir de los cuales fue posible identificar los parámetros geotécnicos necesarios para el análisis de estabilidad de taludes en relación a cada clase pedológica. La información espacial fue exportada desde la plataforma SPRING en formato raster y sirvió como dato de entrada para las rutinas computacionales de análisis de estabilidad. El segundo paso se refiere a la implementación computacional de los métodos probabilísticos asociados al modelo de estabilidad de taludes infinitos. El método FOSM se implementó utilizando el programa Matlab, mientras que el lenguaje FORTRAN se utilizó para el método Monte Carlo. Las variables independientes del modelo de estabilidad de taludes consideradas variables aleatorias fueron la cohesión y el ángulo de fricción. Inicialmente, se consideró que ambas variables tenían una distribución normal para la aplicación de los métodos FOSM y Monte Carlo, con el fin de comparar los resultados de los diferentes enfoques probabilísticos. Adicionalmente, también se simuló el método de Monte Carlo usando una distribución lognormal para modelar la cohesión, de una manera más coherente con el comportamiento estadístico real de esa variable, mientras que el ángulo de fricción quedó modelado por una distribución gaussiana. Se propusieron diferentes números de simula

A key element of risk assessment is accounting for the full range of variability in response to environmental exposures. Default dose-response methods typically assume a 10-fold difference in response to chemical exposures between average (healthy) and susceptible humans, despite evidence of wider variability. Experts and authoritative bodies support using advanced techniques to better account for human variability due to factors such as in utero or early life exposure and exposure to multiple environmental, social, and economic stressors.This review describes: 1) sources of human variability and susceptibility in dose-response assessment, 2) existing US frameworks for addressing response variability in risk assessment; 3) key scientific inadequacies necessitating updated methods; 4) improved approaches and opportunities for better use of science; and 5) specific and quantitative recommendations to address evidence and policy needs.Current default adjustment factors do not sufficiently capture human variability in dose-response and thus are inadequate to protect the entire population. Susceptible groups are not appropriately protected under current regulatory guidelines. Emerging tools and data sources that better account for human variability and susceptibility include probabilistic methods, genetically diverse in vivo and in vitro models, and the use of human data to capture underlying risk and/or assess combined effects from chemical and non-chemical stressors.We recommend using updated methods and data to improve consideration of human variability and susceptibility in risk assessment, including the use of increased default human variability factors and separate adjustment factors for capturing age/life stage of development and exposure to multiple chemical and non-chemical stressors. Updated methods would result in greater transparency and protection for susceptible groups, including children, infants, people who are pregnant or nursing, people with disabilitie

type:Article, The Zika virus (ZIKV) is a rapidly expanding mosquito-borne virus that causes febrile illness in humans. Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus are the primary ZIKV vectors; however, the potential vector competence of other Aedes mosquitoes distributed in northern Japan (Palearctic ecozone) are not yet known. In this study, the susceptibility to Zika virus infection of three Aedes mosquitoes distributed in the main city of the northern Japan and their capacities as vectors for ZIKV were evaluated. Field-collected mosquitoes were fed ad libitum an infectious blood meal containing the ZIKV PRVABC59. The Zika virus was detected in the abdomen of Ae. galloisi and Ae. japonicus at 2–10 days post infection (PI), and from the thorax and head of Ae. galloisi at 10 days PI, resulting in 17.6% and 5.9% infection rates, respectively. The Zika virus was not detected from Ae. punctor at any time. Some northern Japanese Aedes could be suspected as vectors of ZIKV but the risk may be low when compared with major ZIKV vectors.

Context: the potato crop, in Nariño, presents a significant number of commercial varieties, but diverse phytosanitary problems [like the pathogen R. solani Kühn] affect its production and yield. Knowledge gap: there is no information, in the department of Nariño, about the attack of this phytopathogen to different potato genotypes. Purpose: the objective of this research was to determine the damage caused by black scurf [R. solani Kühn] on five commercial potato varieties in the department of Nariño. Methodology: in three potato producing municipalities of the department of Nariño [Ipiales, Pasto and Túquerres], using a Randomized Complete Block Design [with four replications and five treatments] were evaluated these variables: Incidence on emergence and sprouting, incidence on harvest, and Commercial yield. Finally, it was carried out an analysis of variance, using Tukey’s comparison tests. Results and Conclusions: in the locality of Túquerres, the highest percentage of incidence in emergence and sprouting was obtained [36.04 %], with statistical differences in comparison to the localities of Pasto [30.70 %] and Ipiales [31.98 %]. For the harvest incidence variable, the Roja Huila genotype [in Túquerres] was the most affected, reaching an incidence percentage of 19.94 %. Finally, in the evaluation of commercial Yield, the Superior genotype [in Pasto] presented the best performance, with an average of 22.37 t/ha., Contextualización: el cultivo de la papa, en Nariño, presenta un número significativo de genotipos comerciales, pero diversos problemas fitosanitarios [como el fitopatógeno R. solani Kühn] afectan su producción y rendimiento. Vacío de conocimiento: no existe información relacionada, en el departamento de Nariño, sobre el ataque de este fitopatógeno a diferentes genotipos de papa . Propósito: esta investigación tuvo como objetivo determinar los daños ocasionados por la costra negra [R. solani Kühn] en cinco variedades comerciales de papa del departamento de Nariño. Metodología: en tres municipios productores de papa del departamento de Nariño [Ipiales, Pasto y Túquerres], mediante un Diseño de Bloques Completos al Azar [con cuatro repeticiones y cinco tratamientos], se evaluaron las siguientes variables en genotipos de papa afectados por R. solani Kühn: incidencia en emergencia y brotación, incidencia en cosecha y rendimiento comercial. Finalmente, se realizó un análisis de varianza, mediante pruebas de comparación de Tukey. Resultados y Conclusiones: en la localidad de Túquerres se obtuvo el mayor porcentaje de incidencia en emergencia y brotación [36,04 %], con diferencias estadísticas frente a las localidades de Pasto [30,70 %] e Ipiales [31,98 %]. Para la variable de incidencia en cosecha, el genotipo Roja Huila [en Túquerres] fue el más afectado, alcanzando un porcentaje de Incidencia de 19.94 %. Finalmente, en la evaluación del Rendimiento comercial, el genotipo Superior [en Pasto] presentó el mejor comportamiento, con un promedio de 22,37 t/ha.

European canker, caused by the necrotrophic fungus Neonectria ditissima, is the most serious disease in apple production in Sweden. The disease is favored by a relatively cool and rainy climate. The canker damages have a significant economic impact due to reduced bearing surface and increased orchard management costs. The possibilities for chemical and biological control are very limited. Therefore, directed breeding for new resistant cultivars is urgently needed. Knowledge of inheritance of canker resistance and understanding of molecular mechanisms involved in resistant and susceptible responses to fungal attacks would facilitate breeding. In this study, we evaluated the tempo-spatial differences in plant-pathogen interactions in a set of partially resistant and susceptible cultivars by conducting metabolomic and lipidomic analyses. The major trends in metabolomics and lipidomic profiles were common among cultivars, irrespective of the degree of susceptibility. Several metabolites and lipids varied with time point and cultivar under N. ditissima infection. Putative key metabolites such as suberic acid and jasmonic acid were upregulated in all cultivars upon infection. Additionally, several lipids exhibited changes 30 to 45 days post-inoculation. Thus, the approach used seems to have resulted in a rich data set to be further analyzed in light of ongoing QTL-mapping efforts.

A variety of natural and man-made risks have an impact on Himachal Pradesh in India. Despite the state's many potential hazards, landslides are the most frequent and tend to happen more frequently during the rainy season. The goal of this research is to comprehend the level of knowledge regarding landslide hazard management in Himachal Pradesh at the moment. Under the state's established strategy, landslide disasters are effectively managed in the state. Geotechnical investigations of the soil have been shown to be helpful in figuring out possible mitigation strategies. Using GIS to make landslide susceptibility zonation maps has been shown to be the best way to stop landslides. It has been demonstrated that tools like Plaxis 2D are quite helpful for analyzing slopes and the efficacy of solutions.

© 2014 Elsevier. The work by I. Melero-Asensio and J. Ormö is partially supported by grants AYA2008-03467/ESP and AYA2011-24780-ESP. F. Martín-Hernández was partially funded by a Ramón y Cajal contract, all from the Spanish Ministry of Economy Competitiveness. The authors are grateful for the laboratory assistance by S. Guerrero-Suárez and V. Villasante from the UCM and M. P. Martín-Redondo and M. T. Rodríguez-Sampedro from the CAB. We acknowledge Professor David T. King Jr. at the Auburn University (AL, USA) for his help with the linguistics. We appreciate the helpful comments by the reviewers that greatly improved the paper., The well-documented, well-preserved, and well-exposed Lockne crater is a reference crater for marine-target impacts on Earth. The large amount of data allows detailed analysis of the cratering and modification processes. A unique feature of Lockne as compared with other similar craters is its pristine ejecta layer. Here, we provide the first complete lithological description coupled with an analysis of the rock magnetic properties of the Lockne-9 core drilled through the ejecta flap. Low-field bulk magnetic susceptibility, magnetic hysteresis, isothermal remanent magnetization curves (IRM), and the corresponding model of the coercivity spectra, backfield IRM, and thermomagnetic curves are used to fully characterize the magnetic mineralogy (i.e., pseudo-single domain (PSD) magnetite and pyrite). Variation of the magnetic properties with depth reveals a characteristic maximum in the magnetic susceptibility and magnetization within the crystalline ejecta. The magnetic properties of rocks affected by the impact show a slight weakening in the coercivity of magnetic minerals in comparison with rocks not affected by the impact Altogether, this suggests to us that the high magnetization zone already existed before the impact event took place. Therefore, it can be inferred that during the cratering process, the Lockne ejecta was repositioned en masse from the central part of the crater in the form of an ejecta flap. This stands in contrast to the standard ballistic emplacement model wherein individual particles move in an ejecta curtain., Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO), España, Depto. de Física de la Tierra y Astrofísica, Fac. de Ciencias Físicas, TRUE, pub

El conocimiento de los factores condicionantes en la estabilidad de las laderas de los embalses, requiere un detallado estudio de los principales procesos dinámicos actuantes en el entorno del vaso. En este sentido, la cartografía geomorfológica ofrece excelentes resultados en la identificación de inestabilidades naturales y de su grado de susceptibilidad. Este trabajo estudia las características geológicas y geomorfológicas de la zona más próxima a los embalses de Dañador, Guadalmena y Tranco de Beas, todos ellos correspondientes a la cuenca hidrográfica del río Guadalquivir (provincia de Jaén). Para ello se ha realizado una cartografía geomorfológica detallada de una franja de aproximadamente 1.500 m alrededor de cada embalse, en la que se representan los principales procesos activos, así como, las formaciones superficiales. El análisis de los principales procesos geomorfológicos, en lo que respecta a su localización, características y previsible grado de actividad, ha permitido llegar a la identificación de aquellas zonas cuya seguridad pudiera verse afectada directamente a corto plazo y por tanto, también la del propio embalse. Los riesgos geomorfológicos más importantes son aquellos derivados de los movimientos de ladera (desprendimientos, deslizamientos), erosión hídrica (incisión y acarcavamientos) y procesos cársticos (subsidencias y colapsos). Knowledge of conditioning factors regarding slope stability in reservoirs requires a detailed background study of the main dynamic processes acting in the surroundings of the dam. In this sense, geomorphological mapping provides excellent results in the determination of unstable slopes and their level of susceptibility. This essay analyzes the geological and geomorphological characteristics in the surroundings of Dañador, Guadalmena and Tranco de Beas reservoirs, all of them located within the basin of the Guadalquivir river. A selected area, approximately 1,500 meters wide, around each reservoir was mapped, and a det, Depto. de Geodinámica, Estratigrafía y Paleontología, Fac. de Ciencias Geológicas, TRUE, pub

While substance use disorders have been a topic of study in psychology and neurobiologyfor decades, they remain a major problem and only a few effective treatment methods have been developed. The reward, stress, and planning circuits which drive addiction behaviors have been identified and well-studied, uncovering the neurobiological basis for the similarity of addiction behaviors across a variety of substances. Some genetic, developmental, and psychosocial factors which contribute to addiction vulnerability have been identified, but these do not provide sufficient interventional opportunities for treatment or prevention, and do not fully explain the variability in addiction outcomes. Psychological and biological studies of resilience have demonstrated that resilience is an active process, with both overlapping and non-overlapping mechanisms with vulnerability. Here I explore mechanisms of resilience to addiction-like behavior across multiple substances. I use brain activity mapping, pharmacological and viral inhibition and excitation, behavioral measures, immunohistochemical anatomical analysis, and proteinquantification to identify and characterize differences in neuronal activity and circuitanatomy between resilient and susceptible animals. I identify a potential circuit mechanism for negative feedback during drug reward which develops after adolescence, which may contribute to the increased resilience of adult animals to addiction-like behavior compared to juvenile and adolescent animals. A preliminary study suggests that adolescent nicotine or nicotine + ethanol experience does not drive the same cellular response as adolescent high dose amphetamine experience, although similar behavioral outcomes have been observed. I also use a recently developed computational method to identify a population of neurons in the anterior cingulate cortex which both respond strongly to an animal’s first morphine experience and contribute to anxiety during morphine withdrawal. Tog

In this work, a method for the fast evaluation of seismically-induced landslides is applied at regional scale in the Granada Basin (southern Spain). The methodology is based on the concept of rigid block but takes into account the variability in input data (geotechnical properties, failure depth and saturation state of the materials) through the use of a logical tree scheme. Input data were combined and evaluated using five different Newmark displacement empirical relations, which are automatically weighted to obtain a final co-seismic landslide susceptibility map. A Geographic Information System system was used to obtain the resulting maps considering the different branches and weights of the logic tree through an specifically developed automatic code written in Phyton. The landslides induced by the 2021 Mw 4.4 events of the Santa Fe seismic series have been used to validate the methodology. This is later used as input along with the road network to analyze the distribution of areas of different susceptibility level. The results obtained show that 1.73% of the total area is characterized by moderate to high susceptibility, being the southern and eastern sections of the Granada basin were more vulnerable slopes are found. When considering only zones around the road network (50 m buffer), it is found that 2.11% of slopes around highways and 1.33% of road slopes have moderate to high susceptibility, especially the A-92 highway and the A-338 road. These roads traverse areas with steep slopes and a combination of hard and soft materials, which increases the susceptibility of disrupted landslides. On the other hand, in more densely populated areas such as the metropolitan area of Granada, the susceptibility is lower due to their location on terrain with low to negligible slopes. The results are of interest for authorities managing slope stabilities because they allow establishing effective and locally-based seismic forecast works in order to minimize the damage of future

PurposeThe etiology and pathogenesis of pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEX) and its advancement into pseudoexfoliative glaucoma (PEG) are not fully understood. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the possible role played by two circulating microRNAs (miR-146a-5p and miR-196a-5p) in plasma and their functional genetic variants MIR146A rs2910164 and MIR196A2 rs11614913 in susceptibility to PEG or PEX.MethodsPlasma miRNA relative expression of 27 patients with PEG, 25 patients with PEX and 27 controls was determined using quantitative RT-PCR, and fold change was calculated using the 2(-; UDelta, UDelta;Ct) method. Genotyping of 300 patients with PEG, 300 patients with PEX, and 300 controls was performed using a PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis.ResultPlasma miR-146a-5p relative expression was significantly elevated in patients with PEG (3.9-fold) (P .000) and patients with PEX (2.7-fold) relative to controls (P = .001). The diagnostic ability of plasma miR-146a-5p expression fold change was good for discriminating PEG vs. controls (AUC = 0.897, P .000), and the optimal decision threshold was 1.83 (sensitivity = 74%, specificity = 93%). Plasma miR-196a-5p relative expression did not differ significantly between study groups. No significant difference in terms of the minor allele frequency or the distribution of genotypes for MIR146A rs2910164 G/C or MIR196A2 rs11614913 C/T was observed between study groups.ConclusionsCirculating miR-146a-5p can contribute to the risk of PEX/PEG. Therefore, we propose that plasma miR-146a-5p can be developed as a potential biomarker for the minimally invasive diagnoses of PEX/PEG and as a potential therapeutic target with further studies.

Purpose: Pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEX) is distinguished by the deposition of fibrillary material within the aqueous humor and, in most cases, causes pseudoexfoliative glaucoma (PEG). The pathophysiologies of PEX and PEG are not completely explained. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the potential relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the 3ʹ untranslated region or introns of the clusterin gene (CLU) and the susceptibility to developing PEG or PEX. Methods: Two hundred and forty patients with PEX, 239 patients with PEG, and 240 control subjects were included. Genotyping was carried out using real-time PCR (rs2279590 C/T and rs1532278 C/T) or PCR followed by restriction endonuclease digestion (rs11136000 C/T and rs3087554 T/C). Results: The minor alleles or genotypes of CLU SNPs were not significantly associated with PEX or PEG. IOP values of patients with PEX carrying the homozygote polymorphic TT genotype were significantly elevated compared with PEX cases with the CT or CC genotypes for rs2279590, rs11136000 and rs1532278 (P =.009, P =.007, P =.010, respectively). Conclusion: We present the first evidence that three SNPs in CLU gene (rs2279590, rs11136000 and rs1532278) might induce a rise in IOP in patients with PEX, conferring susceptibility to develop PEG. © 2023, The Author(s)., This study was supported by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK, 115S360)., Türkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Araştırma Kurumu, TÜBİTAK: 115S360

PurposeThe etiology and pathogenesis of pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEX) and its advancement into pseudoexfoliative glaucoma (PEG) are not fully understood. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the possible role played by two circulating microRNAs (miR-146a-5p and miR-196a-5p) in plasma and their functional genetic variants MIR146A rs2910164 and MIR196A2 rs11614913 in susceptibility to PEG or PEX.MethodsPlasma miRNA relative expression of 27 patients with PEG, 25 patients with PEX and 27 controls was determined using quantitative RT-PCR, and fold change was calculated using the 2(-; UDelta, UDelta;Ct) method. Genotyping of 300 patients with PEG, 300 patients with PEX, and 300 controls was performed using a PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis.ResultPlasma miR-146a-5p relative expression was significantly elevated in patients with PEG (3.9-fold) (P .000) and patients with PEX (2.7-fold) relative to controls (P = .001). The diagnostic ability of plasma miR-146a-5p expression fold change was good for discriminating PEG vs. controls (AUC = 0.897, P .000), and the optimal decision threshold was 1.83 (sensitivity = 74%, specificity = 93%). Plasma miR-196a-5p relative expression did not differ significantly between study groups. No significant difference in terms of the minor allele frequency or the distribution of genotypes for MIR146A rs2910164 G/C or MIR196A2 rs11614913 C/T was observed between study groups.ConclusionsCirculating miR-146a-5p can contribute to the risk of PEX/PEG. Therefore, we propose that plasma miR-146a-5p can be developed as a potential biomarker for the minimally invasive diagnoses of PEX/PEG and as a potential therapeutic target with further studies.

Purpose: Pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEX) is distinguished by the deposition of fibrillary material within the aqueous humor and, in most cases, causes pseudoexfoliative glaucoma (PEG). The pathophysiologies of PEX and PEG are not completely explained. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the potential relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the 3ʹ untranslated region or introns of the clusterin gene (CLU) and the susceptibility to developing PEG or PEX. Methods: Two hundred and forty patients with PEX, 239 patients with PEG, and 240 control subjects were included. Genotyping was carried out using real-time PCR (rs2279590 C/T and rs1532278 C/T) or PCR followed by restriction endonuclease digestion (rs11136000 C/T and rs3087554 T/C). Results: The minor alleles or genotypes of CLU SNPs were not significantly associated with PEX or PEG. IOP values of patients with PEX carrying the homozygote polymorphic TT genotype were significantly elevated compared with PEX cases with the CT or CC genotypes for rs2279590, rs11136000 and rs1532278 (P =.009, P =.007, P =.010, respectively). Conclusion: We present the first evidence that three SNPs in CLU gene (rs2279590, rs11136000 and rs1532278) might induce a rise in IOP in patients with PEX, conferring susceptibility to develop PEG. © 2023, The Author(s)., This study was supported by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK, 115S360)., Türkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Araştırma Kurumu, TÜBİTAK: 115S360

Despite the ongoing evolution of wheat pathogens due to the selection pressures of agro-ecological conditions, many studies have often overlooked the combined impact of both biotic and abiotic factors on disease occurrence. From 2016 to 2023, a comprehensive screening of obligate pathogens, including B. graminis f. sp. tritici, P. graminis f. sp. tritici, P. triticina, and P. striiformis f. sp. tritici, was carried out. This screening was conducted on a phenotyping platform encompassing 2715 winter wheat genotypes and their wild relatives, both with and without resistant genes (Lr, Yr, and Sr) for rust diseases. The data were analyzed using PCAmix, best subsets regression, and linear regression modeling. The findings from this study reveal that the plant reactions to leaf and yellow rust infections is far from straightforward. It is heavily influenced not only by prevalent rust races and climatic factors that impact pathogen life cycles but also by variations in the susceptibility reactions of wheat genotypes to the broader agro-ecological conditions. We also observed a tendency for leaf rust and yellow rust to coexist within the same host plant, even though yellow rust is typically considered more aggressive. We reported for the first time genes related to yellow rust resistance breakdown in Serbia in 2023. Lastly, we underscored the importance of investigating resistance responses to rust diseases not exclusively through the interrelation between resistance genes and pathogen virulence, but also by considering how plants respond to the combined stresses of abiotic and biotic factors. Consequently, our study sets the groundwork for further research into how plants respond to multiple stressors and contributes for further investigations related with effective integrated rust management.

Badlands are considered hotspots of sediment production, contributing to large fractions of the sediment budget of catchments and river basins. The erosion rates of these areas can exceed 100 t ha-1 y-1, leading to significant environmental and economic impacts. This research aims to assess badland susceptibility and the relevance of its governing factors at different spatial scales using the well-known machine learning approach random forest (RF). The Upper Llobregat River Basin (ULRB, approx. 500 km2) and Catalonia (approx. 32,000 km2) have been selected as study areas. Previous studies stated that the RF approach is successful at making predictions for the same area where it has been trained, but the results of testing it in a different area remains unexplored. This work aims to evaluate the feasibility of upscaling to the large region of Catalonia a RF model trained in the small ULRB area. Two badland datasets of both small and large regions and a total of eleven governing factors have been used to determine the areas susceptible to badlands. Models performance has been analyzed through three different evaluation metrics: overall accuracy, kappa coefficient and area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). The outcomes of this work confirmed that RF is a powerful tool for badland susceptibility analysis, specially when predictions are made in the same scale and spatial context where the model has been trained. Upscaling a RF model defined in the ULRB to the large area of Catalonia has been possible, but improved results have been obtained when the training of the models has directly been performed in the large region. Our final RF modelling results have facilitated the development of a large scale (32,000 km2) Badland Susceptibility Map for the full extension of Catalonia with a predictive overall accuracy of 97%, which strongly emphasizes lithology and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) as the main conditioning factors of badland distribu, This publication is part of the grant EROSLOP I + D + i project funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/and, as appropriate, by “ERDF A way of making Europe” by the “European Union” or by the “European Union NextGenerationEU/PRT”. We acknowledge the E-OBS dataset and the data providers in the ECA&D project (https://www.ecad.eu). Mariano Moreno-de-las-Heras is beneficiary of a Serra Hunter fellowship on Physical and Environmental Geography funded by the Generalitat de Catalunya (UB-LE-9055), and grant 2021SGR00859, awarded by the Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca de la Generalitat de Catalunya (SGR2021-2024)., Peer Reviewed, Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::15 - Vida d'Ecosistemes Terrestres, Postprint (author's final draft)

Background Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis (TPP) is a rare condition characterized by muscle paralysis, thyrotoxicosis, and hypokalemia. It presents with paralysis of both proximal and distal musculature in upper and lower limbs and may affect respiratory musculature and the cardiac conduction system. Early diagnosis is essential, as the condition is potentially reversible by oral or intravenous potassium treatment, leading to rapid resolution without lasting weakness. Overlooking the diagnosis may result in respiratory failure and cardiac arrhythmias including QT prolongation, Torsades de points, and ventricular arrhythmias. Case presentation A 19-year-old Caucasian man was admitted acutely with paralysis in upper and lower limbs and tachycardia. Over several months, he had experienced anxiousness, sweating more than usual, had daily palpitations, shortness of breath on exertion, and loose stools, and had lost 21 kg over the last year. Initial blood gas showed very low potassium of 1.4 mM, and blood tests showed decreased Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) < 0.01 × 10− 3 IU/L, elevated free thyroxine (fT4) of 63.5 pM (reference interval (RI): 12.0–22.0 pM), and elevated total triiodothyronine (T3) of 8.2 nM (RI: 1.0–2.6 nM). He was diagnosed with TPP and treated with liquid oral potassium chloride (30 mmol every 30 minutes) and propylthiouracil (initial dose of 400 mg followed by 200 mg three times daily). TSH-receptor antibodies (TRAB) and thyroid-peroxidase antibodies (TPO-ab) were highly elevated. Thyroid ultrasound showed a normal-sized gland and color Doppler sonography showed increased vascularity throughout the gland, compatible with Graves’ disease. He was discharged on day 4 with a normal potassium level and followed in the outpatient clinic where he received standard care for Graves’ disease. Genetic testing using whole-genome sequencing found no genetic variants in genes previously associated with TPP. Conclusion TPP is very, BackgroundThyrotoxic periodic paralysis (TPP) is a rare condition characterized by muscle paralysis, thyrotoxicosis, and hypokalemia. It presents with paralysis of both proximal and distal musculature in upper and lower limbs and may affect respiratory musculature and the cardiac conduction system. Early diagnosis is essential, as the condition is potentially reversible by oral or intravenous potassium treatment, leading to rapid resolution without lasting weakness. Overlooking the diagnosis may result in respiratory failure and cardiac arrhythmias including QT prolongation, Torsades de points, and ventricular arrhythmias.Case presentationA 19-year-old Caucasian man was admitted acutely with paralysis in upper and lower limbs and tachycardia. Over several months, he had experienced anxiousness, sweating more than usual, had daily palpitations, shortness of breath on exertion, and loose stools, and had lost 21 kg over the last year. Initial blood gas showed very low potassium of 1.4 mM, and blood tests showed decreased Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) < 0.01 x 10(- 3) IU/L, elevated free thyroxine (fT4) of 63.5 pM (reference interval (RI): 12.0-22.0 pM), and elevated total triiodothyronine (T3) of 8.2 nM (RI: 1.0-2.6 nM). He was diagnosed with TPP and treated with liquid oral potassium chloride (30 mmol every 30 minutes) and propylthiouracil (initial dose of 400 mg followed by 200 mg three times daily). TSH-receptor antibodies (TRAB) and thyroid-peroxidase antibodies (TPO-ab) were highly elevated. Thyroid ultrasound showed a normal-sized gland and color Doppler sonography showed increased vascularity throughout the gland, compatible with Graves' disease. He was discharged on day 4 with a normal potassium level and followed in the outpatient clinic where he received standard care for Graves' disease. Genetic testing using whole-genome sequencing found no genetic variants in genes previously associated with TPP.ConclusionTPP is very rare in Caucasians but more o

The susceptibility of domestic cats to infection with SARS-CoV-2 has been demonstrated by several experimental studies and field observations. We performed an extensive study to further characterize the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 between cats, through both direct and indirect contact. To that end, we estimated the transmission rate parameter and the decay parameter for infectivity in the environment. Using four groups of pair-transmission experiment, all donor (inoculated) cats became infected, shed virus, and seroconverted, while three out of four direct contact cats got infected, shed virus, and two of those seroconverted. One out of eight cats exposed to a SARS-CoV-2-contaminated environment became infected but did not seroconvert. Statistical analysis of the transmission data gives a reproduction number R0 of 2.18 (95% CI = 0.92 to 4.08), a transmission rate parameter b of 0.23 day21 (95% CI = 0.06 to 0.54), and a virus decay rate parameter m of 2.73 day21 (95% CI = 0.77 to 15.82). These data indicate that transmission between cats is efficient and can be sustained (R0 . 1), however, the infectiousness of a contaminated environment decays rapidly (mean duration of infectiousness 1/2.73 days). Despite this, infections of cats via exposure to a SARS-CoV-2-contaminated environment cannot be discounted if cats are exposed shortly after contamination. IMPORTANCE This article provides additional insight into the risk of infection that could arise from cats infected with SARS-CoV-2 by using epidemiological models to determine transmission parameters. Considering that transmission parameters are not always provided in the literature describing transmission experiments in animals, we demonstrate that mathematical analysis of experimental data is crucial to estimate the likelihood of transmission. This article is also relevant to animal health professionals and authorities involved in risk assessments for zoonotic spill-overs of SARS-CoV-2. Last but not least, the mathema

Colchicine is one of the most widely studied and best-known anti-inflammatory treatments. This study aimed to assess the effect of colchicine on risk of hospitalization due to COVID-19; and its effect on susceptibility to and severity of the virus in patients with COVID-19. We carried out a population-based case-control study. The following groups were applied: (1) to assess risk of hospitalization, cases were patients with a positive PCR who were hospitalized due to COVID-19, and controls without a positive PCR; (2) to assess susceptibility to COVID-19, cases were patients with a positive PCR (hospitalized and non-hospitalized), and the same controls; (3) to determine potential severity, cases were subjects with COVID-19 hospitalized, and controls patients with COVID-19 nonhospitalised. Different electronic, linked, administrative health and clinical databases were used to extract data on sociodemographic variables, comorbidities, and medications dispensed. The study covered 3060 subjects with a positive PCR who were hospitalized, 26 757 with a positive PCR who were not hospitalized, and 56 785 healthy controls. After adjustment for sociodemographic variables, comorbidities and other treatments, colchicine did not modify risk of hospitalization due to COVID-19 (adjusted odd ratio [OR] 1.08 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.76−1.53]), patients' susceptibility to contracting the disease (adjusted OR 1.12 (95% CI 0.91−1.37)) or the severity of the infection (adjusted OR 1.03 [95% CI 0.67−1.59]). Our results would neither support the prophylactic use of colchicine for prevention of the infection or hospitalization in any type of patient, nor justify the withdrawal of colchicine treatment due to a higher risk of contracting COVID-19

A food-abundant environment is associated with unhealthy food intake, but not everyone is affected to the same degree. Mindful eating, which is eating with attention and awareness, has been associated with less external eating and less food cravings, and could act as a protective factor against influences from the food environment. The current study aimed to investigate whether the association between exposure to fast-food around the home and unhealthy food intake was moderated by mindful eating. The study was conducted in 1086 Dutch adults of 55 years and older of the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam study. The mindful eating domains (Mindful Eating Behavior Scale) were tested as moderating variables in the linear regression models with absolute and relative density of fast-food outlets in the neighbourhood (400, 800 and 1600m) as independent variables and unhealthy food intake (snacks (g/d)) and saturated fat as a percentage of total energy intake (en%)) as dependent variable. Bootstrapping with 5000 samples using the pick-a-point approach showed that after adjustments, only two out of 48 interactions terms were statistically significant: Eating with Awareness (EwA) and Eating without Distraction (EwD) moderated the positive association between the relative density of fast-food outlets and saturated fat (en%) respectively in a buffer of 800m (interaction EwA: B = −0.84, 95% CI [-1.46; −0.22]) and in a buffer of 1600m (interaction EwD: B = −0.82, 95% CI [-1.61; −0.04]). The results of the current study indicate that mindful eating cannot buffer against the influence of the fast-food abundant environment on unhealthy food intake. Future research is needed to confirm these findings, for example in younger populations.

A variety of natural and man-made risks have an impact on Himachal Pradesh in India. Despite the state's many potential hazards, landslides are the most frequent and tend to happen more frequently during the rainy season. The goal of this research is to comprehend the level of knowledge regarding landslide hazard management in Himachal Pradesh at the moment. Under the state's established strategy, landslide disasters are effectively managed in the state. Geotechnical investigations of the soil have been shown to be helpful in figuring out possible mitigation strategies. Using GIS to make landslide susceptibility zonation maps has been shown to be the best way to stop landslides. It has been demonstrated that tools like Plaxis 2D are quite helpful for analyzing slopes and the efficacy of solutions.

A variety of natural and man-made risks have an impact on Himachal Pradesh in India. Despite the state's many potential hazards, landslides are the most frequent and tend to happen more frequently during the rainy season. The goal of this research is to comprehend the level of knowledge regarding landslide hazard management in Himachal Pradesh at the moment. Under the state's established strategy, landslide disasters are effectively managed in the state. Geotechnical investigations of the soil have been shown to be helpful in figuring out possible mitigation strategies. Using GIS to make landslide susceptibility zonation maps has been shown to be the best way to stop landslides. It has been demonstrated that tools like Plaxis 2D are quite helpful for analyzing slopes and the efficacy of solutions.

What are fake news? What are their impacts on contemporary political life? Why are people susceptible—or not—to this type of information? Keeping these questions as the central focus, a systematic review of experimental studies on susceptibility versus identification of political fake news is proposed, covering publications between 2017 and 2022 in Spanish, English, and Portuguese. Susceptibility factors are identified as low performance in analytical thinking, ideological congruence, and trusting environments (shared news), while high-performance analytical thinking, political knowledge, deliberation time, and more institutionalized journalistic sources and formats often function as discernment factors. The need to continue advancing in the creation and dissemination of effective strategies for citizens to distinguish the truthfulness of the political information they consume is addressed, given its importance for democratic life., O que são fake news? Quais é sua incidência na vida política contemporânea? Por que as pessoas são suscetíveis —ou não— a esse tipo de informações? Mantendo essas questões como eixo, propõe-se uma revisão sistemática de trabalhos experimentais sobre suscetibilidade versus identificação de fake news políticas, publicados entre 2017 e 2022, em espanhol, inglês e português. Foram identificados como fatores de suscetibilidade o baixo desempenho do pensamento analítico, a congruência ideológica e os cenários de confiança (notícias compartilhadas), enquanto o pensamento analítico de alto desempenho, o conhecimento político, o tempo de deliberação e as fontes e formatos jornalísticos mais institucionalizados funcionam frequentemente como fatores de discernimento. É abordada a necessidade de continuar avançando na criação e divulgação de estratégias efetivas para que os cidadãos possam distinguir a veracidade da informação política que consomem, dada sua importância para a vida democrática., ¿Qué son las fake news? ¿Cuáles son sus incidencias en la vida política contemporánea? ¿Por qué las personas son susceptibles —o no— a este tipo de informaciones? Manteniendo estas preguntas como eje, se propone una revisión sistemática de trabajos experimentales sobre susceptibilidad versus identificación de fake news políticas, publicados entre 2017 y 2022, en español, inglés y portugués. Se identifican como factores de susceptibilidad el bajo rendimiento del pensamiento analítico, la congruencia ideológica y los escenarios de confianza (noticias compartidas), mientras el pensamiento analítico de alto rendimiento, el conocimiento político, el tiempo de deliberación, y las fuentes y formatos periodísticos más institucionalizados funcionan con frecuencia como factores de discernimiento. Se aborda la necesidad de seguir avanzando en la creación y divulgación de estrategias efectivas para que la ciudadanía pueda distinguir la veracidad de la información política que consume, dada su importancia para la vida democrática.

Context: the potato crop, in Nariño, presents a significant number of commercial varieties, but diverse phytosanitary problems [like the pathogen R. solani Kühn] affect its production and yield. Knowledge gap: there is no information, in the department of Nariño, about the attack of this phytopathogen to different potato genotypes. Purpose: the objective of this research was to determine the damage caused by black scurf [R. solani Kühn] on five commercial potato varieties in the department of Nariño. Methodology: in three potato producing municipalities of the department of Nariño [Ipiales, Pasto and Túquerres], using a Randomized Complete Block Design [with four replications and five treatments] were evaluated these variables: Incidence on emergence and sprouting, incidence on harvest, and Commercial yield. Finally, it was carried out an analysis of variance, using Tukey’s comparison tests. Results and Conclusions: in the locality of Túquerres, the highest percentage of incidence in emergence and sprouting was obtained [36.04 %], with statistical differences in comparison to the localities of Pasto [30.70 %] and Ipiales [31.98 %]. For the harvest incidence variable, the Roja Huila genotype [in Túquerres] was the most affected, reaching an incidence percentage of 19.94 %. Finally, in the evaluation of commercial Yield, the Superior genotype [in Pasto] presented the best performance, with an average of 22.37 t/ha., Contextualización: el cultivo de la papa, en Nariño, presenta un número significativo de genotipos comerciales, pero diversos problemas fitosanitarios [ como el fitopatógeno R. solani Kühn] afectan su producción y rendimiento. Vacío de conocimiento: no existe información relacionada, en el departamento de Nariño, sobre el ataque de este fitopatógeno a diferentes genotipos de papa . Propósito: esta investigación tuvo como objetivo determinar los daños ocasionados por la costra negra [R. solani Kühn] en cinco variedades comerciales de papa del departamento de Nariño. Metodología: en tres municipios productores de papa del departamento de Nariño [Ipiales, Pasto y Túquerres], mediante un Diseño de Bloques Completos al Azar [con cuatro repeticiones y cinco tratamientos], se evaluaron las siguientes variables en genotipos de papa afectados por R. solani Kühn: incidencia en emergencia y brotación, incidencia en cosecha y rendimiento comercial. Finalmente, se realizó un análisis de varianza, mediante pruebas de comparación de Tukey. Resultados y Conclusiones: en la localidad de Túquerres se obtuvo el mayor porcentaje de incidencia en emergencia y brotación [36,04 %], con diferencias estadísticas frente a las localidades de Pasto [30,70 %] e Ipiales [31,98 %]. Para la variable de incidencia en cosecha, el genotipo Roja Huila [en Túquerres] fue el más afectado, alcanzando un porcentaje de Incidencia de 19.94 %. Finalmente, en la evaluación del Rendimiento comercial, el genotipo Superior [en Pasto] presentó el mejor comportamiento, con un promedio de 22,37 t/ha.

Context: the potato crop, in Nariño, presents a significant number of commercial varieties, but diverse phytosanitary problems [like the pathogen R. solani Kühn] affect its production and yield. Knowledge gap: there is no information, in the department of Nariño, about the attack of this phytopathogen to different potato genotypes. Purpose: the objective of this research was to determine the damage caused by black scurf [R. solani Kühn] on five commercial potato varieties in the department of Nariño. Methodology: in three potato producing municipalities of the department of Nariño [Ipiales, Pasto and Túquerres], using a Randomized Complete Block Design [with four replications and five treatments] were evaluated these variables: Incidence on emergence and sprouting, incidence on harvest, and Commercial yield. Finally, it was carried out an analysis of variance, using Tukey’s comparison tests. Results and Conclusions: in the locality of Túquerres, the highest percentage of incidence in emergence and sprouting was obtained [36.04 %], with statistical differences in comparison to the localities of Pasto [30.70 %] and Ipiales [31.98 %]. For the harvest incidence variable, the Roja Huila genotype [in Túquerres] was the most affected, reaching an incidence percentage of 19.94 %. Finally, in the evaluation of commercial Yield, the Superior genotype [in Pasto] presented the best performance, with an average of 22.37 t/ha., Contextualización: el cultivo de la papa, en Nariño, presenta un número significativo de genotipos comerciales, pero diversos problemas fitosanitarios [ como el fitopatógeno R. solani Kühn] afectan su producción y rendimiento. Vacío de conocimiento: no existe información relacionada, en el departamento de Nariño, sobre el ataque de este fitopatógeno a diferentes genotipos de papa . Propósito: esta investigación tuvo como objetivo determinar los daños ocasionados por la costra negra [R. solani Kühn] en cinco variedades comerciales de papa del departamento de Nariño. Metodología: en tres municipios productores de papa del departamento de Nariño [Ipiales, Pasto y Túquerres], mediante un Diseño de Bloques Completos al Azar [con cuatro repeticiones y cinco tratamientos], se evaluaron las siguientes variables en genotipos de papa afectados por R. solani Kühn: incidencia en emergencia y brotación, incidencia en cosecha y rendimiento comercial. Finalmente, se realizó un análisis de varianza, mediante pruebas de comparación de Tukey. Resultados y Conclusiones: en la localidad de Túquerres se obtuvo el mayor porcentaje de incidencia en emergencia y brotación [36,04 %], con diferencias estadísticas frente a las localidades de Pasto [30,70 %] e Ipiales [31,98 %]. Para la variable de incidencia en cosecha, el genotipo Roja Huila [en Túquerres] fue el más afectado, alcanzando un porcentaje de Incidencia de 19.94 %. Finalmente, en la evaluación del Rendimiento comercial, el genotipo Superior [en Pasto] presentó el mejor comportamiento, con un promedio de 22,37 t/ha.

Flash floods, as a type of devastating natural disasters, can cause significant damage to infrastructure, agriculture, and people’s livelihoods. Mapping flash flood susceptibility has long been an effective measure to help with the development of flash flood risk reduction and management strategies. Recent studies have shown that machine learning (ML) techniques perform better than traditional statistical and process-based models in estimating flash flood susceptibility. However, a major limitation of standard ML models is that they ignore the local geographic context where flash floods occur. To address this limitation, we developed a local Geographically Weighted Random Forest (GWRF) model and compared its performance against other global and local statistical and ML alternatives using an empirical flash floods model of Jiangxi Province, China.

There is no doubt that land cover and climate changes have consequences on landslide activity, but it is still an open issue to assess and quantify their impacts. Wanzhou County in southwest China was selected as the test area to study rainfall-induced shallow landslide susceptibility under the future changes of land use and land cover (LULC) and climate. We used a high-resolution meteorological precipitation dataset and frequency distribution model to analyse the present extreme and antecedent rainfall conditions related to landslide activity. The future climate change factors were obtained from a 4-member multi-model ensemble that was derived from statistically downscaled regional climate simulations. The future LULC maps were simulated by the land change modeller (LCM) integrated into IDRISI Selva software. A total of six scenarios were defined by considering the rainfall (antecedent conditions and extreme events) and LULC changes towards two time periods (mid and late XXI century). A physically-based model was used to assess landslide susceptibility under these different scenarios. The results showed that the magnitude of both antecedent effective recharge and event rainfall in the region will evidently increase in the future. Under the scenario with a return period of 100 years, the antecedent rainfall in summer will increase by up to 63% whereas the event rainfall will increase by up to 54% for the late 21st century. The most considerable changes of LULC will be the increase of forest cover and the decrease of farming land. The magnitude of this change can reach + 22.1% (forest) and –9.2% (farmland) from 2010 until 2100, respectively. We found that the negative impact of climate change on landslide susceptibility is greater than the stabilizing effect of LULC change, leading to an over decrease in stability over the study area. This is one of the first studies across Asia to assess and quantify changes of regional landslide susceptibility under scenarios drive, This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 41972297), Talents in Hebei Provincial Education Office (Grant No. SLRC2019027), Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province (Grant No. D2022202005), and the Spanish national project EROSLOP (Grant No. PID2019-104266RB-I00/AEI/10.13039/501100011033). Zizheng Guo acknowledges the financial support of China Scholarship Council for his research at UPC BarcelonaTECH. Joaquin Ferrer acknowledges support from the Erasmus + Joint Master Degree Programme Flood Risk Management funded by the European Commission and run by IHE Delft, No. 2018-1514. The China Meteorological Forcing Dataset is provided by the National Tibetan Plateau Data Center (https://data.tpdc.ac.cn/)., Peer Reviewed, Postprint (published version)

Background Rezafungin is a novel, once-weekly echinocandin. EUCAST rezafungin MIC testing has been associated with a good separation of WT and target gene mutant isolates in single-centre studies, but an unacceptable inter-laboratory MIC variation has prevented EUCAST breakpoint setting. This has been attributed to non-specific binding to surfaces across microtitre plates, pipettes, reservoirs, etc. used, as previously encountered for some antibiotics. Objectives To investigate use of a surfactant to mitigate non-specific binding of rezafungin in EUCAST E.Def 7.3 MIC testing. Methods Surfactants including Tween 20 (T20), Tween 80 (T80) and Triton X-100 (TX100) were evaluated for stand-alone or synergistic antifungal activity via checkerboard assays in combination with rezafungin. Subsequent T20 studies defined an optimized assay concentration, validated in up to four microtitre plate types for WT and fks mutant Candida strains (seven species total) and the six-strain EUCAST Candida quality control (QC) panel. Lastly, T20 inter-manufacturer variability, thermostability and best handling practices were investigated. Results T20 and T80 performed equivalently, with characteristics slightly preferable to TX100. Due to existing use in EUCAST mould susceptibility testing, T20 was pursued. An optimized concentration of 0.002% T20 normalized rezafungin MIC values across plate types for all Candida spp. evaluated, maintained differentiation of WT versus fks mutants and generated robust QC ranges. Additionally, T20 performance was consistent across manufacturers and temperatures. T20 can be reliably transferred utilizing a syringe, wide-orifice pipette tip and/or by mass. Conclusions Supplementation of RPMI (Roswell Park Memorial Institute) 1640 medium with 0.002% T20 generated a highly reproducible EUCAST yeast MIC methodology for rezafungin.