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During the COVID-19 pandemic, a considerable proportion of patients developed a severe condition that included respiratory failure, shock, or multiple organ dysfunction. Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) has been recognized as a possible cause of severe COVID-19 development. Given this, this study investigates the occurrence and consequences of AKI in Mexican patients to contribute to better knowledge and management of this problem. Methods: Using a retrospective observational cohort methodology, we investigated 313 cases from a cohort of 1019 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 at the IMSS Zacatecas General Hospital of Zone No. 1 in 2020. The prevalence of AKI was determined using the AKIN criteria based on serum creatinine levels and a detailed review of demographic characteristics, medical history, comorbidities, and clinical development. Results: The data showed a 25.30% prevalence of AKI among patients infected with severe COVID-19. Remarkably, these patients with AKI exhibited an advanced age (>65 years), arterial hypertension, a higher number of white blood cells during admission and the hospital stay, and elevated levels of C-reactive protein, serum creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN). Clinically, patients with AKI had signs of prostration, pneumonia, and the requirement for ventilatory assistance when compared to those without AKI. Finally, those diagnosed with AKI and COVID-19 had a 74% death rate. Relative risk analyses indicated that age (>65 years), arterial hypertension, high creatinine levels, endotracheal intubation, and pneumonia are associated with the development of AKI. On the other hand, among the protective factors against AKI, high hemoglobin levels and the consumption of statins during COVID-19 were found. Conclusions: The findings of this study underscore the significance of promptly identifying and effectively managing AKI to potentially alleviate the negative consequences of this complication within the Mexican population during COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Variant transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTRv) can cause sensorimotor and autonomic neuropathy. Objective quantification of sudomotor function may be essential for early diagnosis and early initiation of treatment. The aim of this study is to evaluate the diagnostic value of the Sudoscan® in ATTRv. Methods: Electrochemical skin conductance (ESC) was measured in V30M ATTRv patients, asymtomatic V30M carriers and healthy controls. Comparisons between the three groups were made using the Kruskal-Wallis test, and ROC curves were used to estimate the discriminatory power of ESC values between groups. Results: ESC was measured in 52 ATTRv patients, 107 asymptomatic carriers and 40 healthy controls. ESC was significantly lower in ATTRv patients compared to asymptomatic carriers and healthy controls in both feet and hands; median values are as follows: 40 µS, 78 µS and 81 µS, respectively (p < 0.001), and 53 µS, 69 µS and 74 µS, respectively (p < 0.001). ESC in feet < 70.5 µS had a sensitivity of 89.7% and specificity of 84.6% to discriminate asymptomatic carriers from patients with ATTRv. Conclusion: The determination of ESC by Sudoscan® is a rapid, noninvasive and easily reproducible technique capable of discriminating patients with ATTRv from asymptomatic carriers and healthy controls with adequate sensitivity and specificity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Topic: Patient Reported Outcomes/Quality of Life Background: Variant transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTRv) is a rare genetic disease that affects patients' quality of life by affecting various organs and tissues. Despite a wealth of research on medical and psychosocial interventions, the impact of occupational therapy on patients with ATTRv is not well understood. This research focuses on the assessment of activities of daily living and occupations as a fundamental tool in the management of patients after diagnosis. Objective: The aim of this study was to develop an occupational therapy programme for the improvement of daily functioning and quality of life in patients with ATTRv. Methods: After an initial semi-structured interview, fourteen patients with ATTRv were enrolled in the study. The occupational therapist worked with the patient to develop short- and medium-term occupational goals, based on the Model of Human Occupation. During the six-month intervention period, weekly or ten-day sessions were held to monitor and adjust the guidelines. Outcomes were measured using scores for activities of daily living and psychological well-being. Results: The results showed that twelve patients stayed the same in their activities of daily living, two got worse and eight improved their psychological scores and the occupational situation. The study highlights the importance of early intervention and further research into the effectiveness of occupational therapy interventions for patients with ATTRv. It also notes that patients who received occupational therapy intervention reported that 6 months was not enough and emphasizes the fundamental role of the therapist in providing motivation, facilitating meaningful activities, improving daily living and routines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reviews the role of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) protein in phosphate metabolism, highlighting its regulation of vitamin D, parathyroid hormone, and bone metabolism. Although it was traditionally thought that phosphate–calcium homeostasis was controlled exclusively by parathyroid hormone (PTH) and calcitriol, pathophysiological studies revealed the influence of FGF23. This protein, expressed mainly in bone, inhibits the renal reabsorption of phosphate and calcitriol formation, mediated by the α-klotho co-receptor. In addition to its role in phosphate metabolism, FGF23 exhibits pleiotropic effects in non-renal systems such as the cardiovascular, immune, and metabolic systems, including the regulation of gene expression and cardiac fibrosis. Although it has been proposed as a biomarker and therapeutic target, the inhibition of FGF23 poses challenges due to its potential side effects. However, the approval of drugs such as burosumab represents a milestone in the treatment of FGF23-related diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR amyloidosis) is primarily associated with a cardiac or neurologic phenotype, but a mixed phenotype is increasingly described. Methods: This study describes the mixed phenotype cohort in the Transthyretin Amyloidosis Outcomes Survey (THAOS). THAOS is an ongoing, longitudinal, observational survey of patients with ATTR amyloidosis, including both hereditary (ATTRv) and wild-type disease, and asymptomatic carriers of pathogenic transthyretin variants. Baseline characteristics of patients with a mixed phenotype (at enrollment or reclassified during follow-up) are described (data cutoff: January 4, 2022). Results: Approximately one-third of symptomatic patients (n = 1185/3542; 33.5%) were classified at enrollment or follow-up as mixed phenotype (median age, 66.5 years). Of those, 344 (29.0%) were reclassified to mixed phenotype within a median 1–2 years of follow-up. Most patients with mixed phenotype had ATTRv amyloidosis (75.7%). The most frequent genotypes were V30M (38.9%) and wild type (24.3%). Conclusions: These THAOS data represent the largest analysis of a real-world mixed phenotype ATTR amyloidosis population to date and suggest that a mixed phenotype may be more prevalent than previously thought. Patients may also migrate from a primarily neurologic or cardiologic presentation to a mixed phenotype over time. These data reinforce the need for multidisciplinary evaluation at initial assessment and follow-up of all patients with ATTR amyloidosis. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00628745. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Carotenoids are isoprenoid pigments indispensable for photosynthesis. Moreover, they are the precursor of apocarotenoids, which include the phytohormones abscisic acid (ABA) and strigolactones (SLs) as well as retrograde signaling molecules and growth regulators, such as β‐cyclocitral and zaxinone. Here, we show that the application of the volatile apocarotenoid β‐ionone (β‐I) to Arabidopsis plants at micromolar concentrations caused a global reprogramming of gene expression, affecting thousands of transcripts involved in stress tolerance, growth, hormone metabolism, pathogen defense, and photosynthesis. This transcriptional reprogramming changes, along with induced changes in the level of the phytohormones ABA, jasmonic acid, and salicylic acid, led to enhanced Arabidopsis resistance to the widespread necrotrophic fungus Botrytis cinerea (B.c.) that causes the gray mold disease in many crop species and spoilage of harvested fruits. Pre‐treatment of tobacco and tomato plants with β‐I followed by inoculation with B.c. confirmed the effect of β‐I in increasing the resistance to this pathogen in crop plants. Moreover, we observed reduced susceptibility to B.c. in fruits of transgenic tomato plants overexpressing LYCOPENE β‐CYCLASE, which contains elevated levels of endogenous β‐I, providing a further evidence for its effect on B.c. infestation. Our work unraveled β‐I as a further carotenoid‐derived regulatory metabolite and indicates the possibility of establishing this natural volatile as an environmentally friendly bio‐fungicide to control B.c. Significance Statement: Plants rely on a wide range of metabolites to coordinate their growth and to respond to environmental stimuli. The family of carotenoid‐cleavage products, apocarotenoids, is emerging as a source of growth‐regulating and signaling molecules conferring protection against abiotic and biotic stresses. We show that the apocarotenoid, β‐ionone, is a regulatory metabolite that reshapes Arabidopsis transcriptome and hormone content, increasing resistance to the necrotrophic fungus Botrytis cinerea (B.c.) in Arabidopsis, tobacco and tomato plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

E-scooter vibrations are a problem recently studied. Theoretical models based on dynamic simulations and also real measurements have confirmed the high impact of e-scooter vibrations on driver comfort and health. Some authors recommend improving e-scooter damping systems, including tyres. However, it has not been suggested nor has any research been published studying how to improve e-scooter frame design for reducing driver vibrations and improving comfort. In this paper, we have modelled a real e-scooter to have a reference. Then, we have developed a multibody dynamic model for running dynamic simulations studying the influence of mass geometry parameters of the e-scooter frame (mass, centre of gravity and inertia moment). Acceleration results have been analysed based on the UNE-2631 standard for obtaining comfort values. Based on results, a qualitative e-scooter frame design guide for mitigating vibrations and increasing the comfort of e-scooter driver has been developed. Some application cases have been running on the multibody dynamic simulation model, finding improvements of comfort levels higher than 9% in comparison with the e-scooter reference model. The dynamic model has been qualitatively validated from real measurements. In addition, a basic sensor proposal and comfort colour scale is proposed for giving feedback to e-scooter drivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article delves into the complex interplay between climate change, indigenous rights, and economic interests, examining legal frameworks, historical contexts, and contemporary developments. Evaluating international agreements and case law, it highlights the growing recognition of the interconnectedness between indigenous rights and climate change, emphasizing the pivotal role of FPIC. The study dissects economic interests, revealing power dynamics in transnational initiatives that often marginalize indigenous communities. Contributions to legal and environmental discourse include nuanced perspectives on corporate accountability and the need for refined global climate governance. Implications for future research and policy underscore the call for enhanced accountability mechanisms and the active integration of indigenous rights in climate agreements for a more equitable and sustainable future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This work aims to demonstrate an original approach to identify links between locally situated shared values and contextual factors of stunting. Stunting results from multi-factorial and multi-sectoral determinants, but interventions typically neglect locally situated lived experiences, which contributes to problematic designs that are not meaningful for those concerned and/or relatively ineffective. Design: This case study investigates relevant contextual factors in two steps: by first facilitating local stakeholder groups (n 11) to crystallise their shared-values-in-action using a specialised method from sustainability studies (WeValue_InSitu (WVIS)). Secondly , participants (n 44) have focus group discussions (FGD) about everyday practices around child feeding/food systems, education and/or family life. Because the first step strongly grounds participants in local shared values, the FGD can reveal deep links between contextual factors and potential influences on stunting. Setting: Kaffrine, Senegal, an 'Action Against Stunting Hub' site. December 2020. Participants: Eleven stakeholder groups of mothers, fathers, grandmothers, pre-school teachers, community health workers, farmers, market traders and public administrators. Results: Local contextual factors of stunting were identified, including traditional beliefs concerning eating and growing practices; fathers as decision-makers; health worker trust; financial non-autonomy for women; insufficient water for preferred crops; merchants' non-access to quality produce; religious teachings and social structures affecting children's food environment. Conclusions: Local contextual factors were identified. Pre-knowledge of these could significantly improve effectiveness of intervention designs locally, with possible applicability at other sites. The WVIS approach proved efficient and useful for making tangible contextual factors and their potential links to stunting, via a lens of local shared values, showing general promise for intervention research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Congenital coagulopathies have, throughout the history of medicine, been a focus of scientific study and of great interest as they constitute an alteration of one of the most important and conserved pathways of evolution. The first therapeutic strategies developed to address them were aimed at restoring the blood components lost during hemorrhage by administering whole blood or plasma. Later on, the use of cryoprecipitates was a significant breakthrough as it made it possible to decrease the volumes of blood infused. In the 1970′ and 80′, clotting factor concentrates became the treatment and, from the 1990's to the present day, recombinant factors –with increasingly longer half-lives– have taken over as the treatment of choice for certain coagulopathies in a seamless yet momentous transition from biological to biotechnological drugs. The beginning of this century, however, saw the emergence of new advanced (gene and cell) treatments, which are currently transforming the therapeutic landscape. The possibility to use cells and viruses as well as specific or bispecific antibodies as medicines is likely to spark a revolution in the world of pharmacology where therapies will be individualized and have long-term effects. Specifically, attention is nowadays focused on the development of gene editing strategies, chiefly those based on CRISPR/ Cas technology. Rare coagulopathies such as hemophilia A and B, or even ultra-rare ones such as factor V deficiency, could be among those deriving the greatest benefit from these new developments. • Hemostasis is a highly relevant and highly conserved pathway which may be disrupted by congenital coagulopathies. • Recombinant coagulation factors constituted the transition from biological to biotechnological drugs. • The effect of advanced therapies may persist longer than that of current treatments. • Advanced therapies and CRISPR/ Cas technologies are currently being developed to address rare coagulopathies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through business process modeling, organizations in general have managed to optimize their processes, through a robust and automated process architecture. Similarly, through risk management, companies seek to ensure that the risks that can negatively affect the achievement of the organizations' strategic objectives are identified, analyzed, and adequately responded to. Based on the risk assessment, an organization will need to choose whether to accept the risk, mitigate the risk, or transfer the risk to the same or another process. When carried out effectively, risk management in business processes ensures that the organization's limited resources are prioritized to address in the most efficient way the problems that will affect them the most, and thus their continuity is achieved. and sustainability. This article explores questions associated with What is a business process, BPM? and What are the risks associated with business processes? How does the use of BPM modeling and process mining facilitate risk management at all stages of the process lifecycle? The most important contributions are related to the mapping of cycle risks to a functional and specific framework, and affect the life cycle in its entirety, which were analyzed through process mining. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine whether the early diagnosis of uterine incarceration before 20 weeks of gestation improves maternal‐perinatal prognoses. Methods: A systematic review of all of the cases published in the past 30 years that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria was performed and reported in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses recommendations. A comparative analysis of diagnoses before and after 20 weeks of gestation was performed. Results: Eighty‐nine studies with a total of 146 cases of uterine incarceration during pregnancy were included. For cases of incarceration diagnosed before 20 weeks of gestation, a higher proportion of clinical symptoms was observed; however, a lower proportion of complications, such as premature delivery, need for cesarean section, and poor perinatal outcomes, were observed (P < 0.05). The proportion of spontaneous resolution and minimally invasive techniques for the treatment of incarceration was significantly higher among patients diagnosed with this pathology before 20 weeks (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The literature indicates that uterine incarceration is a rare complication during pregnancy with better maternal‐perinatal results if diagnosed earlier than 20 weeks. Synopsis: Case report and systematic review of incarcerated gravid uterus. Comparative analysis of clinical variables between cases diagnosed before and after the 20th week of gestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DIS3L2 degrades different types of RNAs in an exosome-independent manner including mRNAs and several types of non-coding RNAs. DIS3L2-mediated degradation is preceded by the addition of nontemplated uridines at the 3’end of its targets by the terminal uridylyl transferases 4 and 7. Most of the literature that concerns DIS3L2 characterizes its involvement in several RNA degradation pathways, however, there is some evidence that its dysregulated activity may contribute to cancer development. In the present study, we characterize the role of DIS3L2 in human colorectal cancer (CRC). Using the public RNA datasets from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), we found higher DIS3L2 mRNA levels in CRC tissues versus normal colonic samples as well as worse prognosis in patients with high DIS3L2 expression. In addition, our RNA deep-sequencing data revealed that knockdown (KD) of DIS3L2 induces a strong transcriptomic disturbance in SW480 CRC cells. Moreover, gene ontology (GO) analysis of significant upregulated transcripts displays enrichment in mRNAs encoding proteins involved in cell cycle regulation and cancer-related pathways, which guided us to evaluate which specific hallmarks of cancer are differentially regulated by DIS3L2. To do so, we employed four CRC cell lines (HCT116, SW480, Caco-2 and HT-29) differing in their mutational background and oncogenicity. We demonstrate that depletion of DIS3L2 results in reduced cell viability of highly oncogenic SW480 and HCT116 CRC cells, but had little or no impact in the more differentiated Caco-2 and HT-29 cells. Remarkably, the mTOR signaling pathway, crucial for cell survival and growth, is downregulated after DIS3L2 KD, whereas AZGP1, an mTOR pathway inhibitor, is upregulated. Furthermore, our results indicate that depletion of DIS3L2 disturbs metastasis-associated properties, such as cell migration and invasion, only in highly oncogenic CRC cells. Our work reveals for the first time a role for DIS3L2 in sustaining CRC cell proliferation and provides evidence that this ribonuclease is required to support the viability and invasive behavior of dedifferentiated CRC cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuronal endoplasmic reticulum (ER) appears continuous throughout the cell. Its shape and continuity are influenced by ER-shaping proteins, mutations in which can cause distal axon degeneration in Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia (HSP). We therefore asked how loss of Rtnl1, a Drosophila ortholog of the human HSP gene RTN2 (SPG12), which encodes an ER-shaping protein, affects ER organization and the function of presynaptic terminals. Loss of Rtnl1 depleted ER membrane markers at Drosophila presynaptic motor terminals and appeared to deplete narrow tubular ER while leaving cisternae largely unaffected, thus suggesting little change in resting Ca2+ storage capacity. Nevertheless, these changes were accompanied by major reductions in activity-evoked Ca2+ fluxes in the cytosol, ER lumen, and mitochondria, as well as reduced evoked and spontaneous neurotransmission. We found that reduced STIM-mediated ER-plasma membrane contacts underlie presynaptic Ca2+ defects in Rtnl1 mutants. Our results show the importance of ER architecture in presynaptic physiology and function, which are therefore potential factors in the pathology of HSP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: The accuracy of ultrasound estimation of fetal weight (EFW) at term may be useful in addressing obstetric complications since birth weight (BW) is a parameter that represents an important prognostic factor for perinatal and maternal morbidity. (2) Methods: In a retrospective cohort study of 2156 women with a singleton pregnancy, it is verified whether or not perinatal and maternal morbidity differs between extreme BWs estimated at term by ultrasound within the seven days prior to birth with Accurate EFW (difference < 10% between EFW and BW) and those with Non-Accurate EFW (difference ≥ 10% between EFW and BW). (3) Results: Significantly worse perinatal outcomes (according to different variables such as higher rate of arterial pH at birth < 7.20, higher rate of 1-min Apgar < 7, higher rate of 5-min Apgar < 7, higher grade of neonatal resuscitation and need for admission to the neonatal care unit) were found for extreme BW estimated by antepartum ultrasounds with Non-Accurate EFW compared with those with Accurate EFW. This was the case when extreme BWs were compared according to percentile distribution by sex and gestational age following the national reference growth charts (small for gestational age and large for gestational age), and when they were compared according to weight range (low birth weight and high birth weight). (4) Conclusions: Clinicians should make a greater effort when performing EFW by ultrasound at term in cases of suspected extreme fetal weights, and need to take an increasingly prudent approach to its management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proteostasis, i.e., the homeostasis of proteins, responsible for ensuring protein turnover, is regulated by proteases, which also participate in the etiopathogenesis of multiple conditions. The magic of proteases is such that, in blood coagulation, one same molecule, such as coagulation factor V, for example, can perform both a procoagulant and an anticoagulant function as a result of the activity of proteases. However, this magic has an insidious side to it, as it may also prevent the completion of the clinical value chain of factor V deficiency. This value chain encompasses the discovery of knowledge, the transfer of this knowledge, and its translation to clinical practice. In the case of rare and ultra-rare diseases like factor V deficiency, this value chain has not been completed as the knowledge acquisition phase has dragged out over time, holding up the transfer of knowledge to clinical practice. The reason for this is related to the small number of patients afflicted with these conditions. As a result, new indications must be found to make the therapies cost-effective. In the case of factor V, significant research efforts have been directed at developing a recombinant factor V capable of resisting the action of the proteases capable of inactivating this factor. This is where bioethics and health equity considerations come into the equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combination of molecular metallic fragments of contrasting Lewis character offers many possibilities for cooperative bond activation and for the disclosure of unusual reactivity. Here we provide a systematic investigation on the partnership of Lewis basic Rh(I) compounds of type [(η5-L)Rh(PR3)2] (η5-L = (C5Me5)− or (C9H7)−) with highly congested Lewis acidic Au(I) species. For the cyclopentadienyl Rh(I) compounds, we demonstrate the non-innocent role of the typically robust (C5Me5)− ligand through migration of a hydride to the Rh site and provide evidence for the direct implication of the gold fragment in this unusual bimetallic ligand activation event. This process competes with the formation of dinuclear Lewis adducts defined by a dative Rh → Au bond, with selectivity being under kinetic control and tunable by modifying the stereoelectronic and chelating properties of the phosphine ligands bound to the two metals. We provide a thorough computational study on the unusual Cp* non-innocent behavior and the divergent bimetallic pathways observed. The cooperative FLP-type reactivity of all bimetallic pairs has been investigated and computationally examined for the case of N–H bond activation in ammonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in carotenoid profile can influence the content of important molecules such as xanthophylls (photoprotection), apocarotenoid growth regulators, and signaling molecules and plant hormones. Keywords: apocarotenoids; carotenoids; metabolic engineering; photosynthesis; phytohormones; stress tolerance; yield EN apocarotenoids carotenoids metabolic engineering photosynthesis phytohormones stress tolerance yield 1946 1950 5 02/21/23 20230315 NES 230315 Carotenoids are isoprenoid compounds synthesized by all photosynthetic organisms and several heterotrophic microorganisms. Therefore, enhancing carotenoid content, in particular provitamin A carotenoids, has been one of the preferred targets of plant genetic engineering, resulting in biofortified cereals, fruits, and tubers, including rice, tomato, and potato. [Extracted from the article]

The incorporation of transition metals into frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) offers multiple opportunities for bond activation and catalysis. In this work, we explore the combination of the Lewis acidic Ir(III) cation [(η5‐C5Me5)IrCl(PMe2ArDipp2)]+ (ArDipp2=C6H3−2,6‐(C6H3−2,6‐iPr2)2) with the Lewis basic Pt(0) compound Pt(PtBu3)2. The bulkiness of the phosphine ligands prevents the formation of a bimetallic adduct. We have explored the cooperative cleavage of dihydrogen to gauge bimetallic FLP reactivity. As anticipated, compounds [(η5‐C5Me5)Ir(Cl)(H)(PMe2ArDipp2)] and [PtH(PtBu3)2]+ are rapidly formed, which suggests an actual FLP mechanism operating. However, our in‐depth experimental/computational study evidences that the whole process is considerably more complicated. Instead of a genuine FLP‐type activation, we favor a synergistic route that entails a number of equilibrium processes and the Brønsted catalyzed hydrogenation of the Pt(0) precursor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chitosan has gained agro-industrial interest due to its potential applications in food preservation. In this work, chitosan applications for exotic fruit coating, using feijoa as a case of study, were evaluated. For this, we synthetized and characterized chitosan from shrimp shells and tested its performance. Chemical formulations for coating preparation using chitosan were proposed and tested. Mechanical properties, porosity, permeability, and fungal and bactericidal characteristics were used to verify the potential application of the film in the protection of fruits. The results indicated that synthetized chitosan has comparable properties to commercial chitosan (deacetylation degree > 82%), and, for the case of feijoa, the chitosan coating achieved significant reduction of microorganisms and fungal growth (0 UFC/mL for sample 3). Further, membrane permeability allowed oxygen exchange suitable for fruit freshness and natural physiological weight loss, thus delaying oxidative degradation and prolonging shelf-life. Chitosan's characteristic of a permeable film proved to be a promising alternative for the protection and extension of the freshness of post-harvest exotic fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper attempts two distinct, yet related goals. First, it engages with primary sources, such as transcripts, letters, and class reports, to uncover details about the academic student life of one of Harvard's most famous Latino alumni, Pedro Albizu Campos. Second, it advances a normative argument that Pedro Albizu Campos should be remembered at Harvard University to guard against extremism and to foster intergenerational solidarity. To accomplish these ends, the paper critically examines myths told about Albizu Campos, and then attempts to confirm, dismiss, or leave untouched the myths. As a work of historical research undertaken in a single semester, this paper does not purport to be the definitive biography of Albizu Campos's Harvard years, but it does hope to contribute to the understanding of this controversial figure, and to foster debates about the role of commemorating Albizu Campos in the twenty-first century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we describe a model for the automatic generation of literary sentences in French. Although there has been much recent effort directed towards automatic text generation in general, the generation of creative, literary sentences that is not restricted to a specific genre, which we approached in this work, is a difficult task that is not commonly treated in the scientific literature. In particular, our present model has not been previously applied to the generation of sentences in the French language. Our model was based on algorithms that we previously used to generate sentences in Spanish and Portuguese and on a new corpus, which we constructed and present here, consisting of literary texts in French, called MegaLitefr. Our automatic text generation algorithm combines language models, shallow parsing, the canned text method, and deep learning artificial neural networks. We also present a manual evaluation protocol that we propose and implemented to assess the quality of the artificial sentences generated by our algorithm, by testing if they fulfil four simple criteria. We obtained encouraging results from the evaluators for most of the desired features of our artificially generated sentences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mediterranean Basin has experienced one of the highest warming rates on earth during the last few decades, and climate projections predict water scarcity in the future. Mid-latitude Mediterranean mountain areas, such as the Pyrenees, play a key role in the hydrological resources for the highly populated lowland areas. However, there are still large uncertainties about the impact of climate change on snowpack in the high mountain ranges of this region. Here, we perform a snow sensitivity to temperature and precipitation change analysis of the Pyrenean snowpack (1980–2019 period) using five key snow–climatological indicators. We analyzed snow sensitivity to temperature and precipitation during four different compound weather conditions (cold–dry (CD), cold–wet (CW), warm–dry (WD), and warm–wet (WW)) at low elevations (1500 m), mid elevations (1800 m), and high elevations (2400 m) in the Pyrenees. In particular, we forced a physically based energy and mass balance snow model (FSM2), with validation by ground-truth data, and applied this model to the entire range, with forcing of perturbed reanalysis climate data for the period 1980 to 2019 as the baseline. The FSM2 model results successfully reproduced the observed snow depth (HS) values (R2>0.8), with relative root mean square error and mean absolute error values less than 10 % of the observed HS values. Overall, the snow sensitivity to temperature and precipitation change decreased with elevation and increased towards the eastern Pyrenees. When the temperature increased progressively at 1 ∘ C intervals, the largest seasonal HS decreases from the baseline were at +1 ∘ C. A 10 % increase in precipitation counterbalanced the temperature increases (≤1 ∘ C) at high elevations during the coldest months because temperature was far from the isothermal 0 ∘ C conditions. The maximal seasonal HS and peak HS max reductions were during WW seasons, and the minimal reductions were during CD seasons. During WW (CD) seasons, the seasonal HS decline per degree Celsius was 37 % (28 %) at low elevations, 34 % (30 %) at mid elevations, and 27 % (22 %) at high elevations. Further, the peak HS date was on average anticipated for 2, 3, and 8 d at low, mid, and high elevation, respectively. Results suggest snow sensitivity to temperature and precipitation change will be similar at other mid-latitude mountain areas, where snowpack reductions will have major consequences for the nearby ecological and socioeconomic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CO2 electrochemical reduction (CO2 ER) from (bi)carbonate feed presents an opportunity to efficiently couple this process to alkaline-based carbon capture systems. Likewise, while this method of reducing CO2 currently lags behind CO2 gas-fed electrolysers in certain performance metrics, it offers a significant improvement in CO2 utilization which makes the method worth exploring. This paper presents two simple modifications to a bicarbonate-fed CO2 ER system that enhance the selectivity towards CO. Specifically, a modified hydrophilic cathode with Ag catalyst loaded through electrodeposition and the addition of dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB), a low-cost surfactant, to the catholyte enabled the system to achieve a FECO of 85% and 73% at 100 and 200 mA·cm−2, respectively. The modifications were tested in 4 h long experiments where DTAB helped maintain FECO stable even when the pH of the catholyte became more alkaline, and it improved the CO2 utilization compared to a system without DTAB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the citizen movements initiated in Hong Kong and Chile in 2019. Based on discourse analysis and interviews, the study argues that adapting the repertoires of protest to the mobility restrictions and the evolution of the political systems reinforced the populist dimension of the Anti-ELAB (anti-extradition law amendment bill) and the Chilean Spring movements. In Hong Kong, the restrictions of freedoms facilitated the constitution of a broad international network opposed to the Chinese Communist Party that comprises overseas organisations and public figures in exile dedicated to lobbying before western governments and providing a discourse frame to the diasporic communities. In Chile, the successive election campaigns that accompanied the constitutional process allowed new political actors with refoundation aspirations to access the institutions. This study found, in both cases, that rhetoric based on the antagonistic exaltation of the people’s signifier has become central to the movements’ discourses: a transformation accompanied by the consolidation of political leaders pretending to represent the movements’ demands. This study analyses the discourses and demands of the citizen movements in light of the institutional framework in which they appear and evolve to contribute to the growing literature where the study of contemporary social movements intersects with the studies of populism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pyrazole‐based ligand substituted with terpyridine groups at the 3 and 5 positions has been synthesized to form the dinuclear cobalt complex 1, that electrocatalytically reduces carbon dioxide (CO2) to carbon monoxide (CO) in the presence of Brønsted acids in DMF. Chemical, electrochemical and UV‐vis spectro‐electrochemical studies under inert atmosphere indicate pairwise reduction processes of complex 1. Infrared spectro‐electrochemical studies under CO2 and CO atmosphere are consistent with a reduced CO‐containing dicobalt complex which results from the electroreduction of CO2. In the presence of trifluoroethanol (TFE), electrocatalytic studies revealed single‐site mechanism with up to 94 % selectivity towards CO formation when 1.47 M TFE were present, at −1.35 V vs. Saturated Calomel Electrode in DMF (0.39 V overpotential). The low faradaic efficiencies obtained (<50 %) are attributed to the generation of CO‐containing species formed during the electrocatalytic process, which inhibit the reduction of CO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common lymphoma in adults. We evaluated the immunohistochemical (IHC) expression of p63 and p53 in DLBCL and their significance on overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 177 patients with DLBCL who presented to Mount Sinai Medical Center of Florida (Miami Beach, Florida) between 2010 and 2020. IHC staining for p63 and p53 protein expression was performed. A significant correlation was found between p63 positivity and p53 expression, p53/p63 co-positivity, Ki-67 proliferation index, MYC expression, and MYC/BCL2 double expression. Regardless of the germinal center B-cell like (GCB) subgrouping, there was a trend among p53+ patients to have MYC/BCL2 double expression, positive MYC expression, and lower OS and PFS. A tendency of poor OS was seen in p53+ patients in the non-GCB, GCB, and double expressors subgroups and poor PFS in p53+ patients regardless of the subgrouping. In conclusion, our results suggest that p63 and p53 may represent potential additional prognostic biomarkers in DLBCL and may be included in the initial diagnostic work up of patients with DLBCL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work we present a bimodal multitask network for audiovisual biometric recognition. The proposed network performs the fusion of features extracted from face and speech data through a weighted sum to jointly optimize the contribution of each modality, aiming for the identification of a client. The extracted speech features are simultaneously used in a speech recognition task with random digit sequences. Text prompted verification is performed by fusing the scores obtained from the matching of bimodal embeddings with the Word Error Rate (WER) metric calculated from the accuracy of the transcriptions. The score fusion outputs a value that can be compared with a threshold to accept or reject the identity of a client. Training and evaluation was carried out by using our proprietary database BIOMEX-DB and VidTIMIT audiovisual database. Our network achieved an accuracy of 100% and an Equal Error Rate (EER) of 0.44% for identification and verification, respectively, in the best case. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first system that combines the mutually related tasks previously described for biometric recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Male signals may express the capacity to sustain environmental challenges. In some migratory birds like the Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca, plumage ornaments are molted in the winter quarters shortly before spring migration while most feathers are replaced shortly after the breeding season in the breeding areas. The concentration of corticosterone in feathers (CORTf) may relate to baseline CORT levels at the time of molt which could be expressed through plumage signals. Male Pied Flycatchers present white patches on forehead feathers and tertials which are molted before spring migration and on secondaries and primaries replaced after breeding. They also express a variable degree of melanisation of head and back feathers molted in the wintering areas. All these plumage traits have been previously shown to function in social contests and/or mate attraction. Here we have collected tertials on the two wings and two tail feathers, molted in wintering and breeding areas respectively, of males in a Spanish montane population and analysed CORTf in the laboratory with standard enzyme immunoassays. There is no correlation within individuals between CORTf in the two types of feathers, although levels are similar. The size of the forehead patch is negatively associated with CORTf in tail feathers, mainly in small males, while the blackness of head and back is negatively related to CORTf in tertials, mainly in large males. The size of the wing patch composed of patches on feathers molted both in wintering (tertials) and breeding areas (primaries and secondaries) is not related to CORTf in any type of feather. Different male plumage traits thus may reflect circulating CORT levels during molt processes occurring in the wintering respectively breeding range as expressed by CORTf in different types of feathers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Absence of thalamic spontaneous activity delays the entry of CTAs into the dLGN. • Retinal inputs modify the spontaneous thalamic activity and regulate the innervation of the dLGN by CTAs. • Delayed innervation resumes after visual experience. Sensory processing relies on the correct development of thalamocortical loops. Visual corticothalamic axons (CTAs) invade the dorsolateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) of the thalamus in early postnatal mice according to a regulated program that includes activity-dependent mechanisms. Spontaneous retinal activity influences the thalamic incursion of CTAs, yet the perinatal thalamus also generates intrinsic patterns of spontaneous activity whose role in modulating afferent connectivity remains unknown. Here, we found that patterned spontaneous activity in the dLGN contributes to proper spatial and temporal innervation of CTAs. Disrupting patterned spontaneous activity in the dLGN delays corticogeniculate innervation under normal conditions and upon eye enucleation. The delayed innervation was evident throughout the first two postnatal weeks but resumes after eye-opening, suggesting that visual experience is necessary for the homeostatic recovery of corticogeniculate innervation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the popular creativity methods to solve technical problems is the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving, (TRIZ), however, requires a considerable investment of time. A teaching methodology for a simplified version of TRIZ (TRIZ10) has been developed for reducing learning time and improving the creative process in solving technical problems. This method has been applied in a small group of engineering design students as a proof of concept. The evaluation of the results obtained shows that students achieved adequate learning of this creative technique (75% overall efficiency). This method has led to the doubling of the number ideas developed by students compared to those generated before learning TRIZ10; further, it also improves a 10% the average degree of novelty for these ideas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biological activity of the macrocycle nonactin is intimately related to its ionophore properties and ability to act as a selective cation carrier. The competitive binding of small protonated amines constitutes a particularly key issue in the biochemistry of nonactin, which finds application in sensing and extraction technologies. In this study, isolated complexes of nonactin with ammonium and hydroxylammonium are investigated with infrared action spectroscopy and quantum chemical computations. The focus of the investigation is on the coordination achieved by the protonated guest with the oxygen atoms of either the oxolane groups or the carboxyl groups in the ester linkages of the macrocyle host and their relative contributions to the stability of the complexes. The experimental and computational data converge to a preferred coordination arrangement associated with a tight binding of the N—Hδ+ bonds with the oxolane groups. In the N H 4 + complex, this results in a compact complex of S4 symmetry. In contrast, symmetry is disrupted in the NH3OH+ complex, as it incorporates a bifurcated coordination of the —OH bond with a carbonyl group and an oxolane group of the host, involving also a more stretched arrangement of the nonactin backbone. These gas-phase conformations are in agreement with the structures postulated for these complexes in condensed phases, from previous Raman and crystallographic experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is growing interest in the design of bimetallic cooperative complexes, which have emerged due to their potential for bond activation and catalysis, a feature widely exploited by nature in metalloenzymes, and also in the field of heterogeneous catalysis. Herein, we discuss the widespread opportunities derived from combining two metals in close proximity, ranging from systems containing multiple M–M bonds to others in which bimetallic cooperation occurs even in the absence of M⋯M interactions. The choice of metal pairs is crucial for the reactivity of the resulting complexes. In this context, we describe the prospects of combining not only transition metals but also those of the main group series, which offer additional avenues for cooperative pathways and reaction discovery. Emphasis is given to mechanisms by which bond activation occurs across bimetallic structures, which is ascribed to the precise synergy between the two metal atoms. The results discussed herein indicate a future landscape full of possibilities within our reach, where we anticipate that bimetallic synergism will have an important impact in the design of more efficient catalytic processes and the discovery of new catalytic transformations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider how the outputs of the Kadison transitivity theorem and Gelfand–Naimark–Segal (GNS) construction may be obtained in families when the initial data are varied. More precisely, for the Kadison transitivity theorem, we prove that for any nonzero irreducible representation (ℋ , π) of a C ∗ -algebra and n ∈ ℕ , there exists a continuous function A : X → such that π (A (x , y)) x i = y i for all i ∈ { 1 , ... , n } , where X is the set of pairs of n -tuples (x , y) ∈ ℋ n × ℋ n such that the components of x are linearly independent. Versions of this result where A maps into the self-adjoint or unitary elements of are also presented. Regarding the GNS construction, we prove that given a topological C ∗ -algebra fiber bundle p : → Y , one may construct a topological fiber bundle () → Y whose fiber over y ∈ Y is the space of pure states of y (with the norm topology), as well as bundles ℋ → () and → () whose fibers ℋ ω and ω over ω ∈ () are the GNS Hilbert space and closed left ideal, respectively, corresponding to ω. When p : → Y is a smooth fiber bundle, we show that () → Y and ℋ → () are also smooth fiber bundles; this involves proving that the group of ∗-automorphisms of a C ∗ -algebra is a Banach Lie group. In service of these results, we review the topology and geometry of the pure state space. A simple non-interacting quantum spin system is provided as an example illustrating the physical meaning of some of these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acromegaly is a rare disease, mainly caused by a pituitary tumor secreting growth hormone. It is characterized by slow progression and is associated with a multisystemic involvement, being the cardiovascular system, one of the most involved, even reaching, more than 10 years ago, to represent the main cause of death. Cardiovascular complications develop as a result of elevated blood concentrations of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor 1, which exert direct and indirect effects on the endothelium, large vessels, kidney and cardiomyocytes; causing arterial hypertension, valve disease, cardiac arrhythmia and a specific heart disease called acromegalic cardiomyopathy. After the literature overview related to the pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular involvement, we found that from a cardiovascular point of view, patients with acromegaly can range from an asymptomatic state to severe cardiac dysfunction, being the biochemical markers and imaging studies diagnostic tools that allow assessment the degree of cardiovascular disease in order to provide individualized treatment. The normalization of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor 1 levels improves cardiovascular parameters, and therefore its prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graph theory has been a useful tool for logic programming in many aspects. In this paper, we propose an equivalent representation of multi-adjoint logic programs using hypergraphs, which are a generalization of classical graphs that allows the use of hypergraph theory in logic programming. Specifically, this representation has been considered in this paper to increase the level and flexibility of different termination results of the computation of the least model of fuzzy logic programs via the immediate consequence operator. Consequently, the least model of more general and versatile fuzzy logic programs can be obtained after finitely many iterations, although infinite programs or programs with loops and general aggregators will be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the latest doctrine of the Supreme Court on the conflicting nullity of territorial planning due to defects in its elaboration procedure, specifically on three causes, economic memory; reports on the impact of gender, family, childhood and adolescence; and environmental assessment of alternatives. This jurisprudential doctrine has been established in the resolution of several appeals against the plan for the protection of the Valencian coastline. However, the action of the court of first instance resolving the more than fifty appeals filed without assessing all the reasons alleged by the parties, has the consequence that this conflict has not been closed yet, and the matter has been returned to the court of instance to assess all the reasons raised by the parties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the latest doctrine of the Supreme Court on the conflicting nullity of territorial planning due to defects in its elaboration procedure, specifically on three causes, economic memory; reports on the impact of gender, family, childhood and adolescence; and environmental assessment of alternatives. This jurisprudential doctrine has been established in the resolution of several appeals against the plan for the protection of the Valencian coastline. However, the action of the court of first instance resolving the more than fifty appeals filed without assessing all the reasons alleged by the parties, has the consequence that this conflict has not been closed yet, and the matter has been returned to the court of instance to assess all the reasons raised by the parties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The organometallic chemistry of 4d and 5d transition metals has been vastly dominated by closed‐shell states. The reactivity of their metalloradical species is though remarkable, albeit yet poorly understood and with limited mechanistic investigations available. In this work we report the synthesis and characterization of two mononuclear IrII species, including the first dinitrogen adduct. These compounds activate dihydrogen at a dissimilar rate, in the latter case several orders of magnitude faster than its IrI precursor. A combined experimental/computational investigation to ascertain the mechanism of this transformation in IrII compounds is reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The organometallic chemistry of 4d and 5d transition metals has been vastly dominated by closed‐shell states. The reactivity of their metalloradical species is though remarkable, albeit yet poorly understood and with limited mechanistic investigations available. In this work we report the synthesis and characterization of two mononuclear IrII species, including the first dinitrogen adduct. These compounds activate dihydrogen at a dissimilar rate, in the latter case several orders of magnitude faster than its IrI precursor. A combined experimental/computational investigation to ascertain the mechanism of this transformation in IrII compounds is reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vascular endothelium has several important functions, including hemostasis. The homeostasis of hemostasis is based on a fine balance between procoagulant and anticoagulant proteins and between fibrinolytic and antifibrinolytic ones. Coagulopathies are characterized by a mutation-induced alteration of the function of certain coagulation factors or by a disturbed balance between the mechanisms responsible for regulating coagulation. Homeostatic therapies consist in replacement and nonreplacement treatments or in the administration of antifibrinolytic agents. Rebalancing products reestablish hemostasis by inhibiting natural anticoagulant pathways. These agents include monoclonal antibodies, such as concizumab and marstacimab, which target the tissue factor pathway inhibitor; interfering RNA therapies, such as fitusiran, which targets antithrombin III; and protease inhibitors, such as serpinPC, which targets active protein C. In cases of thrombophilia (deficiency of protein C, protein S, or factor V Leiden), treatment may consist in direct oral anticoagulants, replacement therapy (plasma or recombinant ADAMTS13) in cases of a congenital deficiency of ADAMTS13, or immunomodulators (prednisone) if the thrombophilia is autoimmune. Monoclonal-antibody-based anti-vWF immunotherapy (caplacizumab) is used in the context of severe thrombophilia, regardless of the cause of the disorder. In cases of disseminated intravascular coagulation, the treatment of choice consists in administration of antifibrinolytics, all-trans-retinoic acid, and recombinant soluble human thrombomodulin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rising generation of waste activated sludge (WAS) demands a fundamental shift towards resource reuse and recovery. The conventional methodologies used to manage this by-product derived from wastewater treatment plants are increasingly constrained due to stringent regulatory measures aimed at mitigating its adverse impacts on the environment and public health. Therefore, this work evaluated a promising strategy for the efficient management of WAS, transforming it into a valuable renewable source to produce high-value-added compounds, such as lipids and a slow-release fertilizer (struvite). Wet oxidation (WO) was identified as a suitable technique for solubilising WAS while generating short-chain fatty acids (primarily acetic acid). It was found that conducting WO at 200 °C for 120 min resulted in a 65% reduction of the total suspended solids (TSS) content and 87% of the volatile suspended solids (VSS) content. Additionally, under these conditions, 4440 ± 105 mg/L and 593 ± 21 mg/L of acetic and propionic acid were obtained, respectively, which were assimilated by Yarrowia lipolytica to produce biolipids. Furthermore, the rupture of WAS flocs also led to the solubilisation of 980 ± 8 mg/L of ammonium. During the struvite precipitation stage, a NH 4 :PO 4 :Mg ratio of 1:1.5:1.5 was found to be the most effective for removing soluble ammonium (97.4 ± 0.8%), resulting in a high-purity struvite formation, and enhancing the carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio of the oxidised WAS from 3 to 105. This improvement in the C/N ratio raised the lipid content from 36 ± 1% to 49 ± 1% during the cultivation of Y. lipolytica. The application of the sequencing batch culture strategy further increased lipid content to 59 ± 1%, with 6.0 ± 0.3 g/L as the final concentration after the fifth cycle. The lipids produced, mainly monounsaturated fatty acids with 40% of oleic acid, offer potential as biodiesel feedstock. This lipid composition led to biodiesel properties, including cetane number, iodine value, kinematic viscosity and density that met international standards. Therefore, this research presents a promising alternative not only for WAS management but also for harnessing valuable resources, thereby establishing a basis for large-scale studies. [Display omitted] • WO was an effective pretreatment to produce short-chain fatty acids from WAS. • NH 4 :PO 4 :Mg ratio together with P and Mg sources played a key role in NH 4 + removal. • C/N ratio markedly affected lipid production from oxidised WAS by Y. lipolytica. • Cultivation strategy was essential to achieve high efficiency in lipid production. • C/N ratio and cultivation strategy slightly affected the lipid profile obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research examines the atmospheric patterns associated with damages caused by extreme snowfalls during a 115-year period, using newspapers as the source to document the events and performing then a synthetic damage index. Between 1900 and 2015 there was 180 days with personal and material damages due to snowfalls (without considering associated hazards as snow avalanches or landslides): Apart from the numerous material damages recorded, 60 people were killed and 254 injured. Advections from the north represented a 30% of damaging days (followed by cyclonic and northeastern) accumulating the greatest number of days in the highest deciles of damage, although cyclonic days were the most damaging ones on average. The analysis of data from five weather stations in the area, allowed to relate weather types with temperature and precipitation extremes, showing that northern and cyclonic types led to the lowest temperature and the highest precipitation. Both the number of events and the damage index decreased throughout the study period, with the most serious events (those that caused deaths and injuries) highly concentrated in the first half of the 20th century. This decrease trend is parallel to that observed in the frequency of two of the most damaging advections, northern and northeastern (responsible for a 46.7% of damage), which have gone from representing 7.3% of days before 1930 to 5.8% after 1990. Futhermore, the relationship between the NAO phases and the days of damage has been examined, noting that damages are less frequent and les intense during the NAO's positive phase. Finally, non-atmospheric drivers such as land-use intensity decline in rural areas and Spanish regulations on roof snow loads standards (initiated in the 1960s and refined subsequently, thus mitigating roof collapses and associated casualties), could have partially contributed to the decline in snowfall damage in the area. • From 1900 to 2015 there was 180 days with damage: 60 people died, 254 were injured. • Northern, Northeast and Cyclonic were the most damaging advections. • Damages were less frequent and intense during the NAO's positive phase. • Damage decreased with time: Northern and Northeast advections became less frequent. • Land-use decline and roof snow load regulations also contributed to reduce damages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through business process modeling, organizations in general have managed to optimize their processes, through a robust and automated process architecture. Similarly, through risk management, companies seek to ensure that the risks that can negatively affect the achievement of the organizations' strategic objectives are identified, analyzed, and adequately responded to. Based on the risk assessment, an organization will need to choose whether to accept the risk, mitigate the risk, or transfer the risk to the same or another process. When carried out effectively, risk management in business processes ensures that the organization's limited resources are prioritized to address in the most efficient way the problems that will affect them the most, and thus their continuity is achieved. and sustainability. This article explores questions associated with What is a business process, BPM? and What are the risks associated with business processes? How does the use of BPM modeling and process mining facilitate risk management at all stages of the process lifecycle? The most important contributions are related to the mapping of cycle risks to a functional and specific framework, and affect the life cycle in its entirety, which were analyzed through process mining. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The growing number of employed women has been associated with an increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children. We sought to determine whether childhood overweight/obesity in Spain is associated with labour participation of mothers and fathers, and whether the identity of the main caregiver has an influence on child's weight and unhealthy behaviour. Methods: We used microdata from the 2010 and 2014 Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children surveys performed in Spain (n = 32,694). Logistic and linear multi-level regression models were applied to assess the association between parental employment and children's self-reported weight status, accounting for school effects and controlling for socioeconomic factors. Separated binary models were also fitted for consumption of fruit, sweets, screen viewing and sedentarism. Results: In most cases, the significant associations between children's weight and their parents' work status disappeared once the models were adjusted for family wealth and education. However, we found persistent associations for some groups. Girls under 13 years-old living in households where the mother was the only employed parent were more likely to be affected by obesity and to report a higher body mass index value. Children in this type of household were more likely to show unhealthy lifestyles related to diet and leisure time activities. Conclusions: Parents' socioeconomic characteristics had a protective effect on their children's risk of obesity. Unhealthy behaviours were observed in households with a non-working father and a working mother, although the link with obesity was limited to girls. Our results suggest the need for a more equally shared burden of caregiving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The growing number of employed women has been associated with an increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children. We sought to determine whether childhood overweight/obesity in Spain is associated with labour participation of mothers and fathers, and whether the identity of the main caregiver has an influence on child's weight and unhealthy behaviour.Methods: We used microdata from the 2010 and 2014 Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children surveys performed in Spain (n = 32,694). Logistic and linear multi-level regression models were applied to assess the association between parental employment and children's self-reported weight status, accounting for school effects and controlling for socioeconomic factors. Separated binary models were also fitted for consumption of fruit, sweets, screen viewing and sedentarism.Results: In most cases, the significant associations between children's weight and their parents' work status disappeared once the models were adjusted for family wealth and education. However, we found persistent associations for some groups. Girls under 13 years-old living in households where the mother was the only employed parent were more likely to be affected by obesity and to report a higher body mass index value. Children in this type of household were more likely to show unhealthy lifestyles related to diet and leisure time activities.Conclusions: Parents' socioeconomic characteristics had a protective effect on their children's risk of obesity. Unhealthy behaviours were observed in households with a non-working father and a working mother, although the link with obesity was limited to girls. Our results suggest the need for a more equally shared burden of caregiving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The papers in this special section focus on the development and applications supported by wearable robots. Wearable powered robots may be used for functional substitution in patients suffering from motor disorders, rehabilitation, assistance, and strength augmentation. Despite recent technological and scientific achievements, more research is needed to realize the promise of intuitive, easy-to-wear, safe, and effective wearable robots [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study tries to analyze how the crisis generated by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has affected the reported mental health symptoms of informal caregivers in different European countries.Methods: The Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe-COVID-19 was used, collecting information from the beginning of June 2020 to August 2020 about individuals' state of health and the care they received. Several probit regression models were used to analyze the differences in the probability of (1) being sad or depressed, (2) being anxious or nervous, (3) having difficulty sleeping, and (4) feeling lonely, between individuals who provided informal care and individuals who did not. Several subanalyses by geographic area, mortality rates due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and long-term care expenditure were also performed.Results: Since the outbreak of COVID-19, informal caregivers have had a higher probability of being sad or depressed of 8 percentage points (p.p.), a 7.1 p.p. higher probability of being anxious or nervous, and a 5.9 p.p. higher probability of having difficulty sleeping than non-caregivers. Informal caregivers in Southern Europe have had an 8 p.p. higher probability of being sad or depressed than non-caregivers. In Eastern Europe, this difference in probability reaches 9.7 p.p. Finally, in countries with higher mortality rates due to COVID-19, there have been greater differences in terms of being sad or depressed between caregivers and non-caregivers, regardless of expenditure on long-term care.Conclusions: Since the outbreak of COVID-19, informal caregivers in Europe have had a higher probability of reporting mental health symptoms than non-caregivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]