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We have followed the recovery of gaps produced either by harvesters or by scientists in stands of stalked barnacle (Pollicipes pollicipes) during two years in four regions of Europe (SW Portugal, Galicia and Asturias in Spain and Brittany in France; n = 423 gaps), which was extended to four years in Asturias (n = 252 gaps). The presence of adult conspecifics in the margins of the gaps increased by at least four times the probability of initiation of their recovery. After two years of follow-up in the four regions, 90% of the gaps with adjacent conspecifics had initiated recolonization as opposed to only 60% in gaps with no adjacent adults. These figures remained stable after three years of follow up in Asturias, pointing to a large fraction of gaps which are recalcitrant to recolonization. Once initiated, the median rate of recovery after latency was 0.47 cm2/month in the four regions and 0.61 cm2/month in Asturias, increasing from 0.5 to 2.5 cm2/month for a 0 to 25 cm increase of perimeter in contact with adults, which is consistent with heavy recruitment on the stalks of conspecifics. The median estimated time to full recovery of gaps which initiated recovery was 2.65 years, thus recolonization is a slow process. Our results point to the main recommendations that a barnacle clump should never be removed entirely, so that the remaining adults serve as recruitment nuclei for the population, and that a maximum scraper width of 3.5 cm should be set to limit accessory capture of non-target individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

ACETEM (E472a) and CITREM (E472c) are fatty acid esters used as additives in the food industry to improve quality, stability and sensory properties of food products due to their emulsifying, stabilizing properties, and antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Herein, we have explored their use as active plasticizers in one of the most used biobased polymers, polylactic acid (PLA). Initially, different CITREMs (LR10, SP70, RO and VEG) and ACETEM (SOFT-NSAFE), with a variety of compositions and physical states at room temperature, were characterized. The studied fatty acid esters demonstrate good thermal stability and moderate to good antioxidant properties. Subsequently, PLA films containing 10% of the tested fatty acid esters were prepared by melt extrusion and posterior compression molding. The obtained films were analyzed by different characterization techniques to evaluate their role as active plasticizers. Raman confocal microscopy showed that SOFT-NSAFE is homogeneously distributed in the PLA films, whereas CITREMs form microdomains due to their immiscibility with PLA. The incorporation of these plasticizers decreases the tensile strength, Young's modulus and glass transition temperature. However, only CITREM-LR10 is able to significantly enhance the elongation at break of PLA up to 42%, due to the elongation and orientation of the microdomains along the cracks formed during the tensile test. Additionally, their incorporation provides antioxidant properties to the PLA films, being CITREM LR10, SP70 and SOFT-NSAFE that impart higher activity. In terms of antimicrobial activity, CITREM-LR10 showed effectiveness against S. aureus, while SOFT-NSAFE was active against L. innocua bacteria. These results open the possibility to use such CITREM and ACETEM food additives as plasticizers in films for a variety of applications such as active food packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Thermal remote sensing indicators of crop water status can help to optimize irrigation across time and space. The Crop Water Stress Index (CWSI), calculated from thermal data, has been widely used in irrigation management as it has a proven association with evapotranspiration ratios. However, different approaches can be used to calculate the CWSI. The aim of this study is to identify the most robust method for estimating the CWSI in a commercial Merlot vineyard using high-resolution thermal imaging from Unoccupied Aerial Systems (UAS). To that end, three different methods were used to estimate the CWSI: Jackson's model (CWSIj), Wet Artificial Reference Surface (WARS) method (CWSIw), and the Bellvert approach (CWSIb). A simpler indicator calculated as the difference between canopy and air temperature (Tc–Ta) was the benchmark to beat. The water status of a vine cultivar with anisohydric behavior (Merlot) in a vineyard in central Spain was assessed for two years with different agroclimatic conditions. Canopy temperature (Tc) was obtained from UAS flights at 9:00 h and 12:00 h solar hour over eight days during the irrigation period (June–August), and from vines under five different irrigation treatments. Stem water potential (SWP), stomatal conductance (gs), and leaf temperature (TL) were recorded at the time of the flights and compared with the thermal indices (CWSIj, CWSIw, CWSIb) and the benchmark indicator (Tc–Ta). Results show that the simpler indicator of water stress, Tc–Ta, performed better at identifying varying levels of crop hydration than CWSIb or CWSIw at 12:00 h. Under conditions of extreme aridity, the latter indices were less accurate than the physically-based CWSIj at 12:00 h, which had the highest correlation with SWP (r = 0.84), followed by the benchmark index Tc–Ta (r = 0.70 at 12:00). Considering the current climatic trends towards aridification, the CWSIj emerges as a useful operational tool, with robust performance across days and times of day. These results are important for irrigation management and could contribute to improving water use efficiency in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Background: Central nervous system tumors (CNSTs) represent a significant oncological challenge in pediatric populations, particularly in developing regions where access to diagnostic and therapeutic resources is limited. Methods: This research investigates the epidemiology, histological classifications, and survival outcomes of CNST in a cohort of pediatric patients aged 0 to 19 years within a 25-year retrospective study at the Civil Hospital of Guadalajara, Mexico, from 1999 to 2024. Results: Data was analyzed from 273 patients who met inclusion criteria, revealing a higher incidence in males (51.6%) with a mean age at diagnosis of 8.2 years. Histological analysis revealed gliomas as the most common type (52.7%), followed by embryonal tumors (28.6%). High-grade tumors (WHO grade 4) comprised 49.8% of cases, demonstrating significantly poorer survival outcomes (median overall survival of 13.5 months) compared to lower-grade tumors (up to 57 months). The predominance of tumors in the supratentorial region and the notable differences in survival outcomes by tumor type underscore the varied impact of geographical and socioeconomic factors on pediatric oncology in Mexico. Conclusion: This study highlights the critical need for improved healthcare infrastructure and early diagnosis initiatives, as well as the importance of targeted research to address disparities in treatment and outcomes for pediatric CNST in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Ascariasis is a prevalent intestinal helminthic infection caused by Ascaris lumbricoides, commonly known as roundworm. While the disease may remain asymptomatic when the parasites are confined to the intestinal lumen of the small bowel, symptoms and complications can arise when the helminths invade the biliary tree or pancreatic ducts. In cases of severe infection, a mass of roundworms can lead to intestinal complications, such as bowel obstruction. The morphological identification of Ascaris by multimodality imaging techniques plays a crucial role in the diagnosis, as well as in the monitoring and prevention of complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The Condensed Protocol (CP) was originally developed for the evaluation of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases as a workable alternative to the complex and costly established autopsy guidelines. The study objective is to examine the degree of implementation of the CP in the pathology department of a third level university hospital in a period of 5 years. Clinical autopsies performed between 2016 and 2021 on patients aged 65 years or over and did not require a specific neuropathological examination were reviewed. Histological screening and staging of neurodegenerative diseases was performed using the original immunohistochemical stains. Out of 255 autopsies, 204 met the inclusion criteria and 190 could be reviewed. The CP was applied to 99 cases; histological signs of neurodegenerative disease were observed in 92. Sampling errors were detected in 59 cases. Immunohistochemical studies were performed in 68 cases. The diseases identified were: 31 cases of AD (12 low grade; 19 intermediate), 18 amyloid angiopathy, 15 primary age-related tauopathy, 6 argyrophilic grain disease, 3 progressive supranuclear palsy, 1 Lewy body disease (of 22 cases), and 2 limbic-predominant age TDP43 encephalopathy (of 5 cases). In 30 out of 83 cases, there was more severe vascular pathology in complete sections of frontal cortex and lentiform nucleus. The CP allows reliable detection and staging of AD and related neurodegenerative diseases in clinical autopsies. However, supervision by a neuropathologist seems necessary for a fully successful implementation of the CP in a clinical hospital setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

IoT platforms are in charge of extracting and processing the data that come from IoT networks, generating additional value, and providing access to the user through usable interfaces. However, the ever growing number of devices, networks, services and applications within the IoT ecosystem, and the recently adopted edge/cloud architecture, increase the complexity. Therefore, IoT platforms should integrate monitoring and visualization tools to facilitate deployment, management and maintenance tasks. In this work, we present the implementation and performance evaluation of an IoT modular platform for distributed architectures that combines the use of Elastic Stack tools (Elasticsearch, Kibana and Beats) and Apache Kafka. We have developed a monitoring framework based on Beats agents that supervise the platform performance attending to different metrics; and adapted the Kibana visualization tools to provide friendly and accessible information to platform administrators and users. Finally, we have deployed and evaluated the IoT platform in four real use cases, identifying the factors that affect the performance of the different modules: Edge Node, Data Streaming, Cloud Server and Search Engine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

β3-Adrenergic receptor (β3AR) agonists have been shown to protect against ischemia–reperfusion injury (IRI). Since β3ARs are present both in cardiomyocytes and in endothelial cells, the cellular compartment responsible for this protection has remained unknown. Using transgenic mice constitutively expressing the human β3AR (hβ3AR) in cardiomyocytes or in the endothelium on a genetic background of null endogenous β3AR expression, we show that only cardiomyocyte expression protects against IRI (45 min ischemia followed by reperfusion over 24 h). Infarct size was also limited after ischemia–reperfusion in mice with cardiomyocyte hβ3AR overexpression on top of endogenous β3AR expression. hβ3AR overexpression in these mice reduced IRI-induced cardiac fibrosis and improved long-term left ventricular systolic function. Cardiomyocyte-specific β3AR overexpression resulted in a baseline remodeling of the mitochondrial network, characterized by upregulated mitochondrial biogenesis and a downregulation of mitochondrial quality control (mitophagy), resulting in elevated numbers of small mitochondria with a depressed capacity for the generation of reactive oxygen species but improved capacity for ATP generation. These processes precondition cardiomyocyte mitochondria to be more resistant to IRI. Upon reperfusion, hearts with hβ3AR overexpression display a restoration in the mitochondrial quality control and a rapid activation of antioxidant responses. Strong protection against IRI was also observed in mice infected with an adeno-associated virus (AAV) encoding hβ3AR under a cardiomyocyte-specific promoter. These results confirm the translational potential of increased cardiomyocyte β3AR expression, achieved either naturally through exercise or artificially through gene therapy approaches, to precondition the cardiomyocyte mitochondrial network to withstand future insults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

This paper presents a probabilistic seismic hazard analysis for the duration of ground motions in Mexico City caused by intraslab earthquakes. The study implies establishing criteria to measure the duration of ground motions and developing predictive equations (GMPEs) for its estimation. Focus is placed on the relative significant duration, D Sr , which is based on the accumulation of energy of ground motions. The study extends to the development of hazard curves that allow estimating the annual probability of exceedance of said parameter. The scope is limited to ground motions caused by intraslab earthquakes occurring in Mexico and that engineeringly affect its capital, Mexico City, which is in a geographical region where the effects of soil-dynamic amplification are manifested considerably. A strong-motion database that includes 1517 horizontal accelerograms, with peak ground acceleration, PGA , greater than or equal to 3 cm/s2, recorded during 21 earthquakes from 1994 to 2023 were used to develop the GMPEs. The quantitative description of the time, size, and spatial distribution of the seismic-activity occurrence was defined using a catalog of 46 earthquakes that occurred from 1900 to 2023. The earthquakes have moment magnitude, M w , greater than or equal to 6. With the tools developed, amplitude- and duration-based hazard-consistent accelerograms can be simulated and used in nonlinear dynamic analyses (NDAs) of structures. This study includes an application example where three sites in Mexico City are selected to compute inelastic response spectra. Hysteretic-energy demands up to 5 times higher are found after a comparison between the inelastic-response spectra from hazard-consistent accelerograms and those provided by current Mexican regulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The impact of the European Union's cohesion policy is still controversial. Now more than ever, there is a particular demand for the regional cohesion policy to be impactful and effective. In this context, the paper aims to determine the effect of the regional cohesion policy on the NUTS 3 economic disparities. Although the regions eligible to receive structural funds, the main financial instrument of the regional cohesion policy, are defined at NUTS 2 level, some local effects that remain hidden at this level and affect disparities might be revealed by performing the analysis at a finer level of disaggregation, the NUTS 3 level. Our results show that the impact of structural funds on regional disparities is not as expected, as eligible regions experience a larger increase in disparities than non-eligible ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The emphasis of seismic design regulations on applying nonlinear dynamic analyses (NDAs) promotes using accelerograms that characterize site-specific ground motions. Commonly, amplitude levels of such accelerograms are defined by a target spectrum that could be based on a uniform hazard spectrum (UHS), which is determined by a probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) and represents a response spectrum with ordinates having an equal probability of being exceeded within a given return period, T r . Conversely, the definition of ground-motion duration levels is not yet properly defined in current regulations to select accelerograms. Thus, adhering to data handling as that for amplitude ground-motion parameters, this study motivates executing PSHAs to define hazard-consistent levels for the ground-motion duration. That is, accelerograms can be selected to match both amplitude and duration ground-motion levels associated with T r . Further, fragility functions conditional on T r that cover typical performance objectives can be developed using sets of hazard-consistent accelerograms to implement, e.g., multiple stripe analyses (MSAs). To demonstrate the importance of choosing fully hazard-consistent accelerograms to perform NDAs, this study includes the displacement- and energy-based seismic-response evaluation of a steel frame building located at different soil-profile sites in Mexico City. Sets of fully hazard-consistent accelerograms and solely amplitude-based hazard-consistent accelerograms were artificially generated per site for values of T r up to 5000 years. Results indicate that the probability of failure can be underestimated if the ground-motion duration is unvaried in MSAs, e.g., structural damage caused by 50-year return-period or higher events can be more noticeable when fully hazard-consistent accelerograms take place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Purpose: Vitamin C deficiency is associated with excess mortality in kidney transplant recipients (KTR). We aim to evaluate plasma vitamin C status at different post-transplantation moments and assess the main characteristics associated with vitamin C deficiency in KTR. Methods: Plasma vitamin C was assessed in 598 KTR at 3-, 6-, 12-, 24-, and 60-months post-transplantation, 374 late KTR with a functioning graft ≥ 1 year, and 395 potential donors. Vitamin C deficiency was defined as plasma vitamin C ≤ 28 µmol/L. Diet was assessed by a 177-item food frequency questionnaire. Data on vitamin C-containing supplements use were extracted from patient records and verified with the patients. Results: Vitamin C deficiency ranged from 46% (6-months post-transplantation) to 30% (≥ 1 year post-transplantation). At all time points, KTR had lower plasma vitamin C than potential donors (30–41 µmol/L vs 58 µmol/L). In cross-sectional analyses of the 953 KTR at their first visit ≥ 12 months after transplantation (55 ± 14 years, 62% male, eGFR 55 ± 19 mL/min/1.73 m2), the characteristics with the strongest association with vitamin C deficiency were diabetes and smoking (OR 2.67 [95% CI 1.84–3.87] and OR 1.84 [95% CI 1.16–2.91], respectively). Dietary vitamin C intake and vitamin C supplementation were associated with lower odds (OR per 100 mg/day 0.38, 95% CI 0.24–0.61 and OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.09–0.44, respectively). Conclusion: Vitamin C deficiency is frequent among KTR regardless of the time after transplantation, especially among those with diabetes and active smokers. The prevalence of vitamin C deficiency was lower among KTR with higher vitamin C intake, both dietary and supplemented. Further research is warranted to assess whether correcting this modifiable risk factor could improve survival in KTR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Neuroblastoma is a pediatric tumor that originates during embryonic development and progresses into aggressive tumors, primarily affecting children under two years old. Many patients are diagnosed as high-risk and undergo chemotherapy, often leading to short- and long-term toxicities. Nanomedicine offers a promising solution to enhance drug efficacy and improve physical properties. In this study, lipid-based nanomedicines were developed with an average size of 140 nm, achieving a high encapsulation efficiency of over 90% for the anticancer drug etoposide. Then, cytotoxicity and apoptosis-inducing effects of these etoposide nanomedicines were assessed in vitro using human cell lines, both cancerous and non-cancerous. The results demonstrated that etoposide nanomedicines exhibited high toxicity and selectively induced apoptosis only in cancerous cells. Next, the biosafety of these nanomedicines in C. elegans, a model organism, was evaluated by measuring survival, body size, and the effect on dividing cells. The findings showed that the nanomedicines had a safer profile than the free etoposide in this model. Notably, nanomedicines exerted etoposide's antiproliferative effect only in highly proliferative germline cells. Therefore, the developed nanomedicines hold promise as safe drug delivery systems for etoposide, potentially leading to an improved therapeutic index for neuroblastoma treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Identifying the nutritional requirements and growth conditions of microorganisms is crucial for determining their applicability in industry and understanding their role in clinical ecology. Predatory bacteria such as Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus have emerged as promising tools for combating infections by human bacterial pathogens due to their natural killing features. Bdellovibrio's lifecycle occurs inside prey cells, using the cytoplasm as a source of nutrients and energy. However, this lifecycle supposes a challenge when determining the specific uptake of metabolites from the prey to complete the growth inside cells, a process that has not been completely elucidated. Here, following a model-based approach, we illuminate the ability of B. bacteriovorus to replicate DNA, increase biomass, and generate adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in an amino acid-based rich media in the absence of prey, keeping intact its predatory capacity. In this culture, we determined the main carbon sources used and their preference, being glutamate, serine, aspartate, isoleucine, and threonine. This study offers new insights into the role of predatory bacteria in natural environments and establishes the basis for developing new Bdellovibrio applications using appropriate metabolic and physiological methodologies. Key points: • Amino acids support axenic lifestyle of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus. • B. bacteriovorus preserves its predatory ability when growing in the absence of prey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The function of many bacterial processes depends on the formation of functional membrane microdomains (FMMs), which resemble the lipid rafts of eukaryotic cells. However, the mechanism and the biological function of these membrane microdomains remain unclear. Here, we show that FMMs in the pathogen methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are dedicated to confining and stabilizing proteins unfolded due to cellular stress. The FMM scaffold protein flotillin forms a clamp-shaped oligomer that holds unfolded proteins, stabilizing them and favoring their correct folding. This process does not impose a direct energy cost on the cell and is crucial to survival of ATP-depleted bacteria, and thus to pathogenesis. Consequently, FMM disassembling causes the accumulation of unfolded proteins, which compromise MRSA viability during infection and cause penicillin re-sensitization due to PBP2a unfolding. Thus, our results indicate that FMMs mediate ATP-independent stabilization of unfolded proteins, which is essential for bacterial viability during infection. The function of many bacterial processes depends on the formation of functional membrane microdomains (FMMs), which resemble the lipid rafts of eukaryotic cells. Here, Ukleja et al. show that FMMs mediate ATP-independent stabilization of unfolded proteins, which is essential for bacterial viability under cellular stress and during infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The study analyzes how the magnitude and angle of the speed of soccer players change according to the distance to the ball and the phases of the game, namely the defensive and attacking phases. We observed how the role played in the team (goalkeeper, defender, midfielder, or forward) strongly determines the speed pattern of players. As a general trend, the speed's modulus is incremented as their position is closer to the ball, however, it is slightly decreased when arriving at it. Next, we studied how the angle of the speed with the direction to the ball is related to the distance to the ball and the game phases. We observed that, during the defensive phase, goalkeepers are the players that run more parallel to the ball, while forwards are the ones running more directly to the ball position. Importantly, this behavior changes dramatically during the attacking phase. Finally, we show how the proposed methodology can be used to analyze the speed-angle patterns of specific players to understand better how they move on the pitch according to the distance to the ball. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Introduction: Visual attention is a cognitive skill related to visual perception and neural activity, and also moderated by expertise, in time-constrained professional domains (e.g., aviation, driving, sport, surgery). However, the contribution of both perceptual and neural processes on performance has been studied separately in the literature. Development: We defend an integration of visual and neural signals to offer a more complete picture of the visual attention displayed by professionals of different skill levels when performing free-viewing tasks. Specifically, we propose to zoom the analysis in data related to the quiet eye and P300 component jointly, as a novel signal processing approach to evaluate professionals' visual attention. Conclusion: This review highlights the advantages of using portable eye trackers and electroencephalogram systems altogether, as a promising technique for a better understanding of early cognitive components related to attentional processes. Altogether, the eye-fixation-related potentials method may provide a better understanding of the cognitive mechanisms employed by the participants in natural settings, revealing what visual information is of interest for participants and distinguishing the neural bases of visual attention between targets and non-targets whenever they perceive a stimulus during free viewing experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Background: Standard care for non-metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the anus (SCCA) is chemoradiotherapy, data about elderly patients are scarce. Methods: All consecutive patients treated for non-metastatic SCCA from the French multicenter FFCD-ANABASE cohort were included. Two groups were defined according to age: elderly (≥75 years) and non-elderly (<75). Results: Of 1015 patients, 202 (19.9%) were included in the elderly group; median follow-up was 35.5 months. Among the elderly, there were more women (p = 0.015); frailer patients (p < 0.001), fewer smokers (p < 0.001) and fewer HIV-infected (p < 0.001) than in the non-elderly group. Concomitant chemotherapy and inguinal irradiation were less frequent (p < 0.001 and p = 0.04). In the elderly group; 3-year overall survival (OS), recurrence-free survival (RFS) and colostomy-free survival (CFS) were 82.9%, 72.4% and 78.0%, respectively; complete response rate at 4–6 months was 70.3%. There were no differences between groups for all outcomes and toxicity. In multivariate analyses for the elderly, PS ≥ 2 and locally-advanced tumors were significantly associated with poor OS (HR = 3.4 and HR = 2.80), RFS (HR = 2.4 and HR = 3.1) and CFS (HR = 3.8 and HR = 3.0); and treatment interruption with poor RFS (HR = 1.9). Conclusion: In the FFCD-ANABASE cohort, age did not influence tumor and tolerance outcomes of non-metastatic SCCA. Optimal curative treatment should be offered to elderly patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Introduction: All organs of any organism can be affected by helminths. They can be seen in a broad spectrum, from simple infestations to extensive, life-threatening involvement. Symptomatology is usually of chronic latent course. However, sometimes the presentation is acute and requires urgent surgical intervention. Material and Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational prospective recruitment study of patients undergoing emergency surgery for helminth infection from January 2000 to December 2019 at a university hospital. Sociodemographic and analytical variables, variables related to the clinical process, and the diagnostic test were analysed. Variables related to the surgical procedure and postoperative complications were also analysed. Results: A total of 36 patients required emergency surgery for their helminth infection, which represented 0.26% of emergency abdominal surgeries. The mean age was 34.91 ± 21.5 years, with a predominance of men (69.4%). Most patients presented with pain in the right iliac fossa (69.4%), followed by symptoms compatible with intestinal obstruction (19.4%). The most frequent surgical interventions were appendectomy (38.9%) followed bowel resection (33.3%) and ileocecal resection (11.1%). Enterobious vermicularis and Anisakis simplex both together accounted for 75% of the sample. Statistically significant differences were identified in age (p < 0.001), diagnostic test performed (p = 0.032), intraoperative clinical diagnosis (p = 0.005) and surgical treatment received (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The frequency of emergency surgeries for intestinal helminth parasitism is decreasing. However, the majority of these are E. vermicularis and Anisakis simplex, which have distinctly different clinical presentations. Identification and recognition by physicians continue to be necessary for further postoperative management and possible complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

High uptake of HIV and hepatitis C (HCV) testing in Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) is needed to interrupt transmission. The objective was to identify subgroups with increased probability of lack of testing among HIV-negative GBMSM in Spain. Cross-sectional study including 3486 HIV-negative GBMSM attending prevention facilities in Madrid and Barcelona, 2018–2020. Data came from self-administered online sociodemographic, health, and risk behaviors questionnaires. Outcomes were lack of HCV (lifetime) and HIV (lifetime, last year) testing. Crude and adjusted prevalences and prevalence ratios were assessed for each outcome using negative binomial regression models. Lifetime lack of HIV and HCV testing prevalence was 6.3% and 35.8%, respectively, while lack of HIV testing in the last year was 22.4%. Prevalences were also substantial in GBMSM with high-risk behaviors. After sociodemographic adjustment, the highest probability of lack of HCV testing (lifetime) and HIV (last year) was among GBMSM with insufficient viral hepatitis knowledge, no history of STI, or HCV (or HIV) testing, aged < 25, non-outness about sex life with men, and less high-risk behaviors. Lack of HCV (lifetime) and HIV testing (last year) among HIV-negative GBMSM in Spain is still high, despite high-risk behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Pr2NiO(4+δ) coatings of rare earth nickelate oxide were prepared through RF magnetron co-sputtering, combined with an appropriate heat treatment. The study focused on optimizing the growth conditions to enhance the thermal emittance of the coatings, taking into account the influence of thickness and roughness. The research findings revealed interesting insights. Firstly, by analyzing room temperature infrared reflectivity and studying the temperature dependence of the normal spectral emittance in the range of 500 cm−1 to 5500 cm−1, it was observed that the total emittance increased as the coating thickness increased. However, this increase tended to approach a saturation value at higher thicknesses. Additionally, the study demonstrated that a coating thickness of 2.8 μm was sufficient to effectively shield the substrate's infrared thermal response. This suggests the potential application of these coatings for thermal management purposes. Furthermore, the influence of roughness on the emittance was predominantly observed in the spectral range of 1200 cm−1 to 3600 cm−1. This finding highlights the importance of considering surface roughness when designing coatings for optimal thermal properties. In summary, the research provided valuable insights into the growth conditions and the impact of thickness and roughness on the thermal emittance of Pr2NiO4+δ coatings. These findings contribute to the development of improved materials for thermal management and related applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The present treatment of water from aqueous solutions, reported from our research work, uses polyurea (PU) as a novel adsorbent. Specifically, the adsorption efficacy of PU was tested in dyes with different characteristics (Congo red (CR) and methylene blue (MB)). The PU membrane was obtained by a sol-gel chemistry reaction of polyetheramine with polyisocyanate resulting in the formation of urea groups, confirmed through FTIR analysis. The polymeric membrane exhibited a high homogeneity, making it a viable purifying technology for wastewater. The high swelling capacity of the membrane played a crucial role in the CR dye diffusion/adsorption. Notably, PU membranes showed excellent adsorption to CR anionic dye, resulting in a removal efficiency over 85%. However, MB dye adsorption was less favorable, suggesting a high affinity with anionic species. Our analysis revealed that the adsorption of CR dye onto PU membranes follows the pseudo-second order kinetic and Langmuir isotherm models. Moreover, the intra-particle diffusion model demonstrated that the swelling of PU facilitates the adsorption/diffusion process, thereby accelerating the mass transfer of the CR dye onto the membrane. Overall, our findings suggest that PU membranes derived from commercially available reagents are highly promising for the decontamination of dye wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Purpose: Out of Pocket costs (OOP) sustained by cancer patients also in public NHS contribute to disease-related financial toxicity. Aim of the study was to investigate the amount and the types of OOP sustained by Italian cancer patients for care services.Methods: A sample survey was conducted by FAVO in December 2017-June 2018, in 39 adhering hospitals and 1289 patients diagnosed from 1985 to 2018, by standardized questionnaire inquiring on: yearly expenditure by cancer service, age, year of diagnosis, disease phase, cancer site, sex, marital status, education, residence. Univariate and multivariable regression analyses were performed between OOP and each variable. Multilevel mixed-effects negative binomial regression was used to assess the combined effects of patients characteristics on the differences in acquiring health services.Results: The yearly average OOP was 1841.81€, with the highest values for transports (359.34€) and for diagnostic examinations (259.82€). Significantly higher OOP were found in North and Centre than South and Islands (167.51 vs. 138.39). In the fully adjusted multivariable analysis, the variables significantly associated with higher than reference expenditure were: medium/high education (OR 1.22 [1.05-1.42], upper gastrointestinal tract cancer (OR 1.37 [1.06-1.77]), disease phase of treatments for cancer progression or pain therapy (OR 1.59 [1.30-1.93]).Conclusion: Italian cancer patients in 2018 sustained OOP quite similar to those measured in 2012 to supplement NHS services. The main component of the OOP costs were diagnostic examination and transportation. The NHS should pay attention to potentiate its ability to answer unmet needs of patients with advanced cancer who are the most fragile ones.Implications For Cancer Survivors: Reinforcing the services where the main OOP expenses are located can help in promoting public health actions and reduce socio-economic needs that could compromise the receipt of optimal care along the whole disease course, from diagnosis to rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Cyclospora cayetanensis is an enteric coccidian parasite responsible for gastrointestinal disease transmitted through contaminated food and water. It has been documented in several countries, mostly with low-socioeconomic levels, although major outbreaks have hit developed countries. Detection methods based on oocyst morphology, staining, and molecular testing have been developed. However, the current MLST panel offers an opportunity for enhancement, as amplification of all molecular markers remains unfeasible in the majority of samples. This study aims to address this challenge by evaluating two approaches for analyzing the genetic diversity of C. cayetanensis and identifying reliable markers for subtyping: core homologous genes and mitochondrial genome analysis. A pangenome was constructed using 36 complete genomes of C. cayetanensis, and a haplotype network and phylogenetic analysis were conducted using 33 mitochondrial genomes. Through the analysis of the pangenome, 47 potential markers were identified, emphasizing the need for more sequence data to achieve comprehensive characterization. Additionally, the analysis of mitochondrial genomes revealed 19 single-nucleotide variations that can serve as characteristic markers for subtyping this parasite. These findings not only contribute to the selection of molecular markers for C. cayetanensis subtyping, but they also drive the knowledge toward the potential development of a comprehensive genotyping method for this parasite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

This short communication describes the current experience of implementing village funds in Indonesia, with an emphasis on the impact on poverty reduction. The authors' field observation is complemented by structured interviews and regression analysis. Our findings suggest that the potential of village funds is not fully realized. We point out that officials underestimated the significance of bottlenecks related to the capacity of local governments, to the implementation of coordination mechanisms, and to the installation of feedback mechanisms, each of which critically hinge on administrative and technical policy processes. At the same time, we felt that the officials overestimated the importance and effectiveness their own political agendas promoting community empowerment and corruption prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Desiccation tolerance (DT) is relatively frequent in non-vascular plants and green algae. However, it is poorly understood how successive dehydration/rehydration (D/R) cycles shape their transcriptomes and proteomes. Here, we report a comprehensive analysis of adjustments on both transcript and protein profiles in response to successive D/R cycles in Coccomyxa simplex (Csol), isolated from the lichen Solorina saccata. A total of 1833 transcripts and 2332 proteins were differentially abundant as a consequence of D/R; however, only 315 of these transcripts/proteins showed similar trends. Variations in both transcriptomes and proteomes along D/R cycles together with functional analyses revealed an extensive decrease in transcript and protein levels during dehydration, most of them involved in gene expression, metabolism, substance transport, signalling and folding catalysis, among other cellular functions. At the same time, a series of protective transcripts/proteins, such as those related to antioxidant defence, polyol metabolism and autophagy, was upregulated during dehydration. Overall, our results show a transient decrease in most cellular functions as a result of drying and a gradual reactivation of specific cell processes to accommodate the hydration status along successive D/R cycles. This study provides new insights into key mechanisms involved in the DT of Csol and probably other dehydration-tolerant microalgae. In addition, functionally characterising the high number of genes/proteins of unknown functions found in this study may lead to the discovery of new DT mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

In this work, sodium bismuth titanate based lead-free piezoceramics with modifiable dielectric and energy storage properties by compositional modification through Nb doping (0.94Bi0.5bscript>Na0.5TiO3–0.06BaTiO3–xNb2O5) were obtained. Nb doping on 0.94Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3–0.06BaTiO3-based ceramics produces a bifunctional behavior, which is governed by controlling the structural and microstructural characteristics of the system. Whereby the incorporation of Nb+5 leads to a change from rhombohedral–tetragonal (R–T) multiphasic coexistence to a tetragonal (T) phase at room temperature (RT) and causes a decrease in average grain size. The particularly high piezoelectric coefficient (d33), in the R–T multiphase coexistence region, facilitates the polarization and leads to a higher piezoelectric response than in the T-region. Meanwhile, increasing the Nb content improves the energy storage properties and results in a storage of energy value (Wrec) up to about 0.50 J/cm3 at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Quantum communication has seen rapid progress towards practical large-scale networks, with quantum key distribution (QKD) spearheading this development. While fibre-based systems have been shown to be well suited for metropolitan scales, suitable fibre infrastructure may not always be in place. Here, we make the case for an entanglement-based free-space quantum network as a practical and efficient alternative for metropolitan applications. We developed a deployable free-space QKD system and demonstrated its use in realistic scenarios. For a representative 1.7-km free-space link, we showcase its ad hoc deployability and achieve secure key rates of up to 5.7 kbps, with 2.5 kbps in direct noon sunlight. By extrapolating experimental data, we show that kbps key rates are achievable even for 10-km distances and multi-user scenarios. We anticipate that our work will establish free-space networks as a viable solution for metropolitan applications and an indispensable complementary building block in the future global quantum internet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The intricate and delicate anatomy of the brain poses significant challenges for the treatment of cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Thus, precise local drug delivery in hard-to-reach brain regions remains an urgent medical need. Microrobots offer potential solutions; however, their functionality in the brain remains restricted by limited imaging capabilities and complications within blood vessels, such as high blood flows, osmotic pressures, and cellular responses. Here, we introduce ultrasound-activated microrobots for in vivo navigation in brain vasculature. Our microrobots consist of lipid-shelled microbubbles that autonomously aggregate and propel under ultrasound irradiation. We investigate their capacities in vitro within microfluidic-based vasculatures and in vivo within vessels of a living mouse brain. These microrobots self-assemble and execute upstream motion in brain vasculature, achieving velocities up to 1.5 µm/s and moving against blood flows of ~10 mm/s. This work represents a substantial advance towards the therapeutic application of microrobots within the complex brain vasculature. The intricate and delicate anatomy of the brain poses challenges to achieving efficient and precise medical treatments. Here, the authors introduce ultrasound-activated microrobots that can autonomously aggregate and propel upstream inside the complex vasculature of a living mouse brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Diagnosis of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is challenging and specific biofluid biomarkers are highly needed. We employed proximity extension-based assays to measure 665 proteins in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from patients with DLB (n = 109), Alzheimer´s disease (AD, n = 235) and cognitively unimpaired controls (n = 190). We identified over 50 CSF proteins dysregulated in DLB, enriched in myelination processes among others. The dopamine biosynthesis enzyme DDC was the strongest dysregulated protein, and could efficiently discriminate DLB from controls and AD (AUC:0.91 and 0.81 respectively). Classification modeling unveiled a 7-CSF biomarker panel that better discriminate DLB from AD (AUC:0.93). A custom multiplex panel for six of these markers (DDC, CRH, MMP-3, ABL1, MMP-10, THOP1) was developed and validated in independent cohorts, including an AD and DLB autopsy cohort. This DLB CSF proteome study identifies DLB-specific protein changes and translates these findings to a practicable biomarker panel that accurately identifies DLB patients, providing promising diagnostic and clinical trial testing opportunities. This study characterizes the CSF proteome changes underlying Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) and identifies pathophysiological and diagnostic leads associated to this cause of dementia. Findings have been translated into a biomarker panel that could identify DLB patients with high accuracy across different cohorts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The demand for regional autonomy, which crystallised in the 1990s during municipal decentralisation, has profoundly marked Bolivia's political history. This article examines the reorientation of the autonomic model since the 2009 Constitution. This "recentralisation" is explained by: (a) the political hegemony achieved by the Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS) and its consequences for local politics; (b) regulatory centralism, especially in the Ley Marco de Autonomías y Descentralización (Autonomy and Decentralisation Law); (c) fiscal inequality in the financing of the different Autonomous Territorial Entities; and (d) the malfunctioning of the model of intergovernmental relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a serious medical condition with a high prevalence, although diagnosis remains a challenge. Existing home sleep tests may provide acceptable diagnosis performance but have shown several limitations. In this retrospective study, we used 12,923 polysomnography recordings from six independent databases to develop and evaluate a deep learning model, called OxiNet, for the estimation of the apnea-hypopnea index from the oximetry signal. We evaluated OxiNet performance across ethnicity, age, sex, and comorbidity. OxiNet missed 0.2% of all test set moderate-to-severe OSA patients against 21% for the best benchmark. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a highly prevalent condition with a number of comorbidities, but it has a high misdiagnosis rate. In this retrospective study, the authors used six independent databases to develop and evaluate a deep learning model, denoted OxiNet, for the diagnosis of OSA from the sole oximetry signal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

In addition to triggering humoral responses, conventional B cells have been described in vitro to cross‐present exogenous antigens activating naïve CD8+ T cells. Nevertheless, the way B cells capture these exogenous antigens and the physiological roles of B cell‐mediated cross‐presentation remain poorly explored. Here, we show that B cells capture bacteria by trans‐phagocytosis from previously infected dendritic cells (DC) when they are in close contact. Bacterial encounter "instructs" the B cells to acquire antigen cross‐presentation abilities, in a process that involves autophagy. Bacteria‐instructed B cells, henceforth referred to as BacB cells, rapidly degrade phagocytosed bacteria, process bacterial antigens and cross‐prime naïve CD8+ T cells which differentiate into specific cytotoxic cells that efficiently control bacterial infections. Moreover, a proof‐of‐concept experiment shows that BacB cells that have captured bacteria expressing tumor antigens could be useful as novel cellular immunotherapies against cancer. Synopsis: B cells capturing Listeria monocytogenes acquire antigen cross‐presentation abilities in a process that involves autophagy. These bacteria‐instructed B cells (BacB) effectively cross‐prime naïve CD8+ T cells which differentiate into specific cytotoxic cells that efficiently control bacterial infections. Conventional B cells capture bacteria by transphagocytosis.The capture of L. monocytogenes instructs B cells (BacB) to became antigen cross‐presenting cells.BacB capturing bacteria expressing tumor antigens could be useful as novel cellular immunotherapy against cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The development and analytical applications of electrochemical sensors based on antimony tin oxide (ATO)–Prussian blue (PB) screen-printed electrode (SPE) and PEDOT-PB modified glassy carbon electrode are presented. The ATO-PB electrode was successfully applied in the electrochemical detection of K+ ions. The detection and quantification limits value of 1.1 mM and of 3.7 mM, respectively, have been obtained. A high sensitivity of 0.035 A M−1 cm−2 has been also obtained. In addition, a sensing material based on poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and PB has been developed by a sinusoidal voltage electrochemical procedure and tested toward the potassium ion detection. The PEDOT-PB sensing material displayed the characteristic redox wave of the PB component and good analytical performance toward potassium ion detection. These results demonstrate the utility of the novel electrode materials in the development of electrochemical sensors for electroinactive analytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Disparity exists between racially minoritized students and their White student counterparts in academic achievement. This discrepancy engenders the difference with which students will have opportunities in advanced courses; rates of high school graduation, college acceptance, and completion rates; and salary and quality of life. The academic disparity between the two groups has been found to have roots in stereotype threat, which causes anxiety where the individual's behavior may confirm the negative stereotypes of one's in-group. Reducing stereotype threat has been theorized to allow minoritized students and those in negatively stereotyped groups to enhance their academic performance by removing levels of anxiety hampering their performance. Following previous work, whereby the academic achievement gap between Black and White middle school students were reduced, this study examines the effectiveness of such an intervention on 4th grade, elementary students' reading achievement levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been and remains one of the major challenges modern society has faced thus far. Over the past few months, large amounts of information have been collected that are only now beginning to be assimilated. In the present work, the existence of residual information in the massive numbers of rRT-PCRs that tested positive out of the almost half a million tests that were performed during the pandemic is investigated. This residual information is believed to be highly related to a pattern in the number of cycles that are necessary to detect positive samples as such. Thus, a database of more than 20,000 positive samples was collected, and two supervised classification algorithms (a support vector machine and a neural network) were trained to temporally locate each sample based solely and exclusively on the number of cycles determined in the rRT-PCR of each individual. Overall, this study suggests that there is valuable residual information in the rRT-PCR positive samples that can be used to identify patterns in the development of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The successful application of supervised classification algorithms to detect these patterns demonstrates the potential of machine learning techniques to aid in understanding the spread of the virus and its variants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Background: Leclercia adecarboxylata is a bacteria closely related to Escherichia coli according to its biochemical characteristics and is commonly considered non-pathogenic although a growing number of publications classify it as an emerging pathogen. Fosfomycin resistance is a common trait for L. adecarboxylata encoded by fosALA gene. Objective: To analyze genomic traits of sixteen L. adecarboxylata strains isolated from blood culture and a bottle of total parenteral nutrition. Methods: Twenty-eight L. adecarboxylata strains isolated from blood culture and a bottle of total parenteral nutrition were identified biochemically with a Vitek ® automated system. The strains were phenotyped by their growth on Eosin Methylene Blue agar or MacConkey agar plates. Additionally, Pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was performed to establish the clonal relationship. The genomic DNA of sixteen strains was obtained using a Qubit ® dsDNA HS Assay Kit and sequenced on an Illumina ® MiSeq instrument. Draft genomes were assembled using PROKKA and Rast. Assemblies were submitted to Resfinder and PathogenFinder from the Center for Genomic Epidemiology in order to find resistance genes and pathogenic potential. IslandViewer4 was also used to find Pathogenicity and Phage Islands. For identification of the fosA gene, manual curation and Clustal analysis was performed. A novel FosA variant was identified. Finally, phylogenetic analysis was performed using VAMPhyRE software and Mega X. Results: In this paper, we report the genomes of sixteen strains of Leclercia adecarboxylata causing an outbreak associated with parenteral nutrition in public hospitals in Mexico. The genomes were analyzed for genetic determinants of virulence and resistance. A high pathogenic potential (pathogenicity index 0.82) as well as multiple resistance genes including carbapenemics, colistin and efflux pumps were determined. Based on sequence analysis, a new variant of the fosALA gene was described. Finally, the outbreak was confirmed by establishing the clonal relationship among the sixteen genomes obtained. Conclusions: Commensal strains of L. adecarboxylata may acquire genetic determinants that provide mechanisms of host damage and go unnoticed in clinical diagnosis. L. adecarboxylata can evolve in a variety of ways including the acquisition of resistance and virulence genes representing a therapeutic challenge in patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Providing an accurate prognosis for individual dementia patients remains a challenge since they greatly differ in rates of cognitive decline. In this study, we used machine learning techniques with the aim to identify cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers that predict the rate of cognitive decline within dementia patients. First, longitudinal mini-mental state examination scores (MMSE) of 210 dementia patients were used to create fast and slow progression groups. Second, we trained random forest classifiers on CSF proteomic profiles and obtained a well-performing prediction model for the progression group (ROC–AUC = 0.82). As a third step, Shapley values and Gini feature importance measures were used to interpret the model performance and identify top biomarker candidates for predicting the rate of cognitive decline. Finally, we explored the potential for each of the 20 top candidates in internal sensitivity analyses. TNFRSF4 and TGF β -1 emerged as the top markers, being lower in fast-progressing patients compared to slow-progressing patients. Proteins of which a low concentration was associated with fast progression were enriched for cell signalling and immune response pathways. None of our top markers stood out as strong individual predictors of subsequent cognitive decline. This could be explained by small effect sizes per protein and biological heterogeneity among dementia patients. Taken together, this study presents a novel progression biomarker identification framework and protein leads for personalised prediction of cognitive decline in dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...