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Photoconductive and third-order nonlinear optical properties exhibited by Cu _2 ZnSnS _4 nanostructures are presented. The samples were synthetized in thin film form by a spray pyrolysis processing route. Distinctions in the photoconductive behavior throughout the samples were clearly noted by modulating their optoelectronic response dependent on electrical frequency. Vectorial two-wave mixing experiments were carried out at a 532 nm wavelength provided by a Nd:YAG laser system to study the optical nonlinearities in the samples. An induced transparency effect was observed during nanosecond single-beam experiments in the nanostructures reported. Quantum and thermal processes were considered to be the main physical mechanism responsible for the photo-electrical phenomena and nonlinear refraction in the nanostructures. Potential applications for developing nanophotonic and nanoelectronic instrumentation systems can be contemplated.

Climate change, principally driven by human activities, has led to an increase in global temperature, which is predicted to continue rising in the coming years. This temperature increase is even more pronounced in urban areas due to the heat island effect. This phenomenon is highly influenced by the presence of paved streets made with bituminous mixtures, which are characterised by their high solar radiation absorption capacity. Bituminous mixtures retain and re-emit a large amount of heat that intensifies the urban heat island effect. The novelty of this work is to measure retroreflective properties of bituminous mixtures that present a highly textured surface. In this context, the aim of this study is to evaluate the retroreflectance of different bituminous mixtures for use as pavement surfaces, focusing on the influence of colour and different types of aggregates. For this, total and directional reflectance measurements were conducted to determine the retroreflectance of these mixtures, with the purpose of mitigating the heat island effect in urban environments without affecting users through reflected solar radiation. The results show the retroreflective capacity of the designed mixtures within the visible spectrum, especially those manufactured with light-coloured aggregates and synthetic binders pigmented with titanium dioxide. Thus, the retroreflectance of the lighter mixtures range from 37.9% at a 0° entrance angle to 68.9% at 60°, while the black mixtures exhibit values between 5.1% and 8.4%.

The 2001–2019 web of international waste trade is investigated, allowing the identification of countries at threat of improper handling and disposal of waste. Chemical tracers are used to identify the environmental impact of waste in these countries.

Abstract An excessive immune response known as cytokine storm is the hallmark of severe COVID-19. The cause of this cytokine rampage is yet not known. Based on recent epidemiological evidence, we hypothesized that CD80/86 signaling is essential for this hyperinflammation, and that blocking this proinflammatory axis could be an effective therapeutic approach to protect against severe COVID-19. Here we provide exploratory evidence that abatacept, a drug that blocks CD80/86 co-stimulation, produces changes at the systemic level that are highly antagonistic of the proinflammatory processes elicited by COVID-19. Using RNA-seq from blood samples from a longitudinal cohort of n = 38 rheumatic patients treated with abatacept, we determined the immunological processes that are significantly regulated by this treatment. We then analyzed available blood RNA-seq from two COVID19 patient cohorts, a very early cohort from the epicenter of the pandemic in China (n = 3 COVID-19 cases and n = 3 controls), and a recent and larger cohort from the USA (n = 49 severe and n = 51 mild COVD-19 patients). We found a highly significant antagonism between SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 severity with the systemic response to abatacept. Analysis of previous single-cell RNA-seq data from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from mild and severe COVID-19 patients and controls, reinforce the implication of the CD80/86 proinflammatory axis. Our functional results further support abatacept as a candidate therapeutic approach to prevent severe COVID-19.

Summary: Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory disease of the joints that has been associated with variation in the peripheral blood methylome. In this study, we aim to identify epigenetic variation that is associated with the response to tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) therapy. Methods: Peripheral blood genome-wide DNA methylation profiles were analyzed in a discovery cohort of 62 RA patients at baseline and at week 12 of TNFi therapy. DNA methylation of individual CpG sites and enrichment of biological pathways were evaluated for their association with drug response. Using a novel cell deconvolution approach, altered DNA methylation associated with TNFi response was also tested in the six main immune cell types in blood. Validation of the results was performed in an independent longitudinal cohort of 60 RA patients. Findings: Treatment with TNFi was associated with significant longitudinal peripheral blood methylation changes in biological pathways related to RA (FDR

se analizan relaciones entre paisaje e imaginarios urbanos en una ciudad del Caribe colombiano, Sincelejo, a partir de la integración de resultados de dos investigaciones sobre el mismo objeto de estudio, el centro histórico. Una trabaja las representaciones sobre elementos del espacio público desde un enfoque fenomenológico, la otra, desde una aproximación cuantitativa con el objetivo de analizar las condiciones ambientales y paisajísticas del centro histórico, se enfoca en el inventario del arbolado urbano y el análisis de los servicios ambientales que ofrece a la ciudad. Entre los hallazgos destaca la relación de interdependencia entre paisaje y habitante, la formación y consolidación de identidades territoriales con relación al paisaje. El paisaje funciona como un catalizador para la satisfacción de los deseos de múltiples individuos, en este proceso hombre y paisaje se funden aportando sentido al lugar lo que convierte a esas dinámicas en un patrimonio a preservar y valorar en la ciudad

Background and Objectives: Aspirin (ASA) is a commonly used antithrombotic drug that has been demonstrated to reduce venous thromboembolism. The aim was to analyze if geriatric COVID-19 patients undergoing a 100 mg/day Aspirin (ASA) treatment prior to hospitalization differ in hospital outcome compared to patients without previous ASA therapy. Materials and Methods: An observational retrospective study was carried out using an anonymized database including geriatric COVID-19 patients (March to April 2020) admitted to Madrid Hospitals Group. A group of COVID-19 patients were treated with low ASA (100 mg/day) prior to COVID-19 infection. Results: Geriatric ASA-treated patients were older (mean age over 70 years; n = 41), had higher frequency of hypertension and hyperlipidemia, and upon admission had higher D-dimer levels than non-ASA-treated patients (mean age over 73 years; n = 160). However, patients under ASA treatment did not show more frequent pulmonary thromboembolism (PE) than non-ASA-treated patients. ASA-treated geriatric COVID-19-infected patients in-hospital < 30 days all-cause mortality was more frequent than in non-ASA-treated COVID-19 patients. In ASA-treated COVID-19-infected geriatric patients, anticoagulant therapy with low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) significantly reduced need of ICU care, but tended to increase in-hospital < 30 days all-cause mortality. Conclusions: Prior treatment with a low dose of ASA in COVID-19-infected geriatric patients increased frequency of in-hospital < 30 days all-cause mortality, although it seemed to not increase PE frequency despite D-dimer levels upon admission being higher than in non-ASA users. In ASA-treated geriatric COVID-19-infected patients, addition of LMWH therapy reduced frequency of ICU care, but tended to increase in-hospital < 30 days all-cause mortality.

In a previous paper the authors compared the AC-AC converters, useful for the frequency regulation in hydroelectric microplants varying the power dissipated in ballasts loads, with the new proposal consisting in a bridge three-phase rectifier using diodes with a serial switch with the load that is switched with symmetric angle. The paper showed that the aforementioned rectifier accomplishes to improve the power factor at the generator output, except for low power consumed by users, near to its minimal value. A way to solve this problem consists in to use three bridge single-phase rectifier using diodes with a serial switch with the load that is switched with symmetric angle. As a consequence, the objective of this article is to carry out a comparison between the aforementioned single-phase rectifier and the AC-AC converter, regarding the power factor at the output of the electric generator of hydroelectric micro-plants that regulate frequency by means of the ballast-load method.

Deregulation of Src kinases is associated with cancer. We previously showed that SrcDN conditional expression in MCF7 cells reduces tumorigenesis and causes tumor regression in mice. However, it remained unclear whether SrcDN affected breast cancer stem cell functionality or it reduced tumor mass. Here, we address this question by isolating an enriched population of Breast Cancer Stem Cells (BCSCs) from MCF7 cells with inducible expression of SrcDN. Induction of SrcDN inhibited self-renewal, and stem-cell marker expression (Nanog, Oct3-4, ALDH1, CD44). Quantitative proteomic analyses of mammospheres from MCF7-Tet-On-SrcDN cells (data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD017789, project DOI: 10.6019/PXD017789) and subsequent GSEA showed that SrcDN expression inhibited glycolysis. Indeed, induction of SrcDN inhibited expression and activity of hexokinase, pyruvate kinase and lactate dehydrogenase, resulting in diminished glucose consumption and lactate production, which restricted Warburg effect. Thus, c-Src functionality is important for breast cancer stem cell maintenance and renewal, and stem cell transcription factor expression, effects linked to glucose metabolism reduction.

Fungal mycoses have become an important health and environmental concern due to the numerous deleterious side effects on the well-being of plants and humans. Antifungal therapy is limited, expensive, and unspecific (causes toxic effects), thus, more efficient alternatives need to be developed. In this work, Copper (I) Iodide (CuI) nanomaterials (NMs) were synthesized and fully characterized, aiming to develop efficient antifungal agents. The bioactivity of CuI NMs was evaluated using Sporothrix schenckii and Candida albicans as model organisms. CuI NMs were prepared as powders and as colloidal suspensions by a two-step reaction: first, the CuI2 controlled precipitation, followed by hydrazine reduction. Biopolymers (Arabic gum and chitosan) were used as surfactants to control the size of the CuI materials and to enhance its antifungal activity. The materials (powders and colloids) were characterized by SEM-EDX and AFM. The materials exhibit a hierarchical 3D shell morphology composed of ordered nanostructures. Excellent antifungal activity is shown by the NMs against pathogenic fungal strains, due to the simultaneous and multiple mechanisms of the composites to combat fungi. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of CuI-AG and CuI-Chitosan are below 50 μg/mL (with 5 h of exposition). Optical and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) analyses demonstrate the capability of the materials to disrupt biofilm formation. AFM also demonstrates the ability of the materials to adhere and penetrate fungal cells, followed by their lysis and death. Following the concept of safe by design, the biocompatibility of the materials was tested. The hemolytic activity of the materials was evaluated using red blood cells. Our results indicate that the materials show an excellent antifungal activity at lower doses of hemolytic disruption.

Objetivo: Reportar la utilidad de un método simplificado con extracción directa de la leche materna y detección por cromatografía líquida de alta resolución en fase inversa, para la cuantificación de retinol y α-tocoferol. Material y métodos: Se empleó un diseño experimental 23 con las variables de temperatura, tipo de solvente y efecto antioxidante, en 2 niveles. Posterior a la extracción de la leche materna, las muestras se saponificaron con hidróxido de potasio-metanol, se extrajeron con éter de petróleo y se secaron y reconstituyeron con etanol. Para establecer las condiciones del sistema cromatográfico se utilizaron columnas microbondapack con detector UV/visible: fase móvil metanol-agua (96:4 v/v), longitud de onda 325 para retinol y 290 nm para α-tocoferol. Resultados: Los parámetros analíticos fueron linealidad: r2 = 0.9955 (retinol), r2 = 0.9808 (α-tocoferol); límites de detección y de cuantificación: 1.1 y 2.7 μg/dL (retinol), 0.9 y 2.3 μg/dL (α-tocoferol); precisión del método: desviación estándar relativa 4.5% intradía y 4.8% entre días (retinol) y 4.9% intradía y 4.1% entre días (α-tocoferol); exactitud: recuperación = 85.8 ± 7.8% para retinol y 98 ± 1.9% para el α-tocoferol. El método permitió cuantificar la concentración de retinol y α-tocoferol eficientemente. Una vez validado el método, se aplicó para la cuantificación de retinol y α-tocoferol en 100 muestras de leche materna. Los valores fueron para retinol 63.9 ± 5.2 y para α-tocoferol 359 ± 115 μg/dL. Conclusión: El método fue selectivo, lineal, preciso, sensible y exacto, características que junto con su sencillez hacen de él un método conveniente para la determinación de retinol y α-tocoferol simultáneamente en leche materna.

Cancer is one of the highest prevalent diseases in humans. The chances of surviving cancer and its prognosis are very dependent on the affected tissue, body location, and stage at which the disease is diagnosed. Researchers and pharmaceutical companies worldwide are pursuing many attempts to look for compounds to treat this malignancy. Most of the current strategies to fight cancer implicate the use of compounds acting on DNA damage checkpoints, non-receptor tyrosine kinases activities, regulators of the hedgehog signaling pathways, and metabolic adaptations placed in cancer. In the last decade, the finding of a lipid peroxidation increase linked to 15-lipoxygenases isoform 1 (15-LOX-1) activity stimulation has been found in specific successful treatments against cancer. This discovery contrasts with the production of other lipid oxidation signatures generated by stimulation of other lipoxygenases such as 5-LOX and 12-LOX, and cyclooxygenase (COX-2) activities, which have been suggested as cancer biomarkers and which inhibitors present anti-tumoral and antiproliferative activities. These findings support the previously proposed role of lipid hydroperoxides and their metabolites as cancer cell mediators. Depletion or promotion of lipid peroxidation is generally related to a specific production source associated with a cancer stage or tissue in which cancer originates. This review highlights the potential therapeutical use of chemical derivatives to stimulate or block specific cellular routes to generate lipid hydroperoxides to treat this disease.