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Automatic morphological characterization of river systems is important because it provides valuable information on river behavior, helps quantify fluvial changes, improves model accuracy, and supports the management and restoration of river systems. In recent years, scientific interest in the development and use of automated tools for the geomorphological characterization of rivers has increased. The objective of this study was to characterize in a semi-automated way the River Styles of the Duqueco River in south-central Chile. To achieve this objective, an experimental complement within QGIS called South Rivers Toolbox (SRT) was developed. This toolbox allows users to characterize and classify River Styles based on hydromorphological metrics extracted at segment scale, implementing a semi-automatic approach that no longer relies on subjective expert judgment. As a result of the analysis, 43 Rivers Styles have been classified and characterized using the SRT. The upper zone is characterized by being mostly confined, single-channel, with a bed dominated by boulders and blocks, this section of the river is highly affected by hydropower generation plants; the middle zone is confined and single-channel, with a change in the granulometry more dominated by boulders. The lower zone is more diverse in styles, unconfined, with a high presence of geomorphic units that give way to multichannel styles and transition zones. Using the SRT program it is possible to retrospectively analyze the evolution of the river, identifying sections sensitive to geomorphological modification, which is very useful to synoptically evaluate the flood risk, given that, traditionally, for this type of studies only hydraulic modeling is implemented at a river section scale, often with total lack of knowledge of how the river functions and evolves.

Introduction: We present the Spanish Society of Neurorehabilitation’s guidelines for adult acquired brain injury (ABI) rehabilitation. These recommendations are based on a review of international clinical practice guidelines published between 2013 and 2020. Development: We establish recommendations based on the levels of evidence of the studies reviewed and expert consensus on population characteristics and the specific aspects of the intervention or procedure under research. Conclusions: All patients with ABI should receive neurorehabilitation therapy once they present a minimal level of clinical stability. Neurorehabilitation should offer as much treatment as possible in terms of frequency, duration, and intensity (at least 45–60 minutes of each specific form of therapy that is needed). Neurorehabilitation requires a coordinated, multidisciplinary team with the knowledge, experience, and skills needed to work in collaboration both with patients and with their families. Inpatient rehabilitation interventions are recommended for patients with more severe deficits and those in the acute phase, with outpatient treatment to be offered as soon as the patient’s clinical situation allows it, as long as intensity criteria can be maintained. The duration of treatment should be based on treatment response and the possibilities for further improvement, according to the best available evidence. At discharge, patients should be offered health promotion, physical activity, support, and follow-up services to ensure that the benefits achieved are maintained, to detect possible complications, and to assess possible changes in functional status that may lead the patient to need other treatment programmes. Resumen: Introducción: Guía para la práctica clínica en neurorrehabilitación de personas adultas con daño cerebral adquirido (DCA) de la Sociedad Española de Neurorrehabilitación. Documento basado en la revisión de guías de práctica clínica internacionales publicadas entre 2013−2020. Desarrollo: Se establecen recomendaciones según el nivel de evidencia que ofrecen los estudios revisados referentes a aspectos consensuados entre expertos dirigidos a definir la población, características específicas de la intervención o la exposición bajo investigación. Conclusiones: Deben recibir neurorrehabilitación todos aquellos pacientes que, tras un DCA, hayan alcanzado una mínima estabilidad clínica. La neurorrehabilitación debe ofrecer tanto tratamiento como sea posible en términos de frecuencia, duración e intensidad (al menos 45–60 minutos de cada modalidad de terapia específica que el paciente precise). La neurorrehabilitación requiere un equipo transdisciplinar coordinado, con el conocimiento, la experiencia y las habilidades para trabajar en equipo tanto con pacientes como con sus familias. En la fase aguda y para los casos más graves, se recomiendan programas de rehabilitación en unidades hospitalarias procediéndose a tratamiento ambulatorio tan pronto como la situación clínica lo permita, y se puedan mantener los criterios de intensidad. La duración del tratamiento debe basarse en la respuesta terapéutica y en las posibilidades de mejoría en base al mayor grado de evidencia disponible. Al alta deben ofrecerse servicios de promoción de la salud, actividad física, apoyo y seguimiento para garantizar que se mantengan los beneficios alcanzados, detectar posibles complicaciones o valorar posibles cambios en la funcionalidad que hagan necesario el acceso a nuevos programas de tratamiento.

Resumen: Introducción: Guía para la práctica clínica en neurorrehabilitación de personas adultas con daño cerebral adquirido de la Sociedad Española de Neurorrehabilitación. Documento basado en la revisión de guías de práctica clínica internacionales publicadas entre 2013-2020. Desarrollo: Se establecen recomendaciones según el nivel de evidencia que ofrecen los estudios revisados referentes a aspectos consensuados entre expertos dirigidos a definir la población, características específicas de la intervención o la exposición bajo investigación. Conclusiones: Deben recibir neurorrehabilitación todos aquellos pacientes que, tras un daño cerebral adquirido, hayan alcanzado una mínima estabilidad clínica. La neurorrehabilitación debe ofrecer tanto tratamiento como sea posible en términos de frecuencia, duración e intensidad (al menos 45-60 minutos de cada modalidad de terapia específica que el paciente precise). La neurorrehabilitación requiere un equipo transdisciplinar coordinado, con el conocimiento, la experiencia y las habilidades para trabajar en equipo tanto con pacientes como con sus familias. En la fase aguda, y para los casos más graves, se recomiendan programas de rehabilitación en unidades hospitalarias, procediéndose a tratamiento ambulatorio tan pronto como la situación clínica lo permita y se puedan mantener los criterios de intensidad. La duración del tratamiento debe basarse en la respuesta terapéutica y en las posibilidades de mejoría, en función del mayor grado de evidencia disponible. Al alta deben ofrecerse servicios de promoción de la salud, actividad física, apoyo y seguimiento para garantizar que se mantengan los beneficios alcanzados, detectar posibles complicaciones o valorar posibles cambios en la funcionalidad que hagan necesario el acceso a nuevos programas de tratamiento. Abstract: Introduction: We present the Spanish Society of Neurorehabilitation's guidelines for adult acquired brain injury (ABI) rehabilitation. These recommendations are based on a review of international clinical practice guidelines published between 2013 and 2020. Development: We establish recommendations based on the levels of evidence of the studies reviewed and expert consensus on population characteristics and the specific aspects of the intervention or procedure under research. Conclusions: All patients with ABI should receive neurorehabilitation therapy once they present a minimal level of clinical stability. Neurorehabilitation should offer as much treatment as possible in terms of frequency, duration, and intensity (at least 45–60 min of each specific form of therapy that is needed). Neurorehabilitation requires a coordinated, multidisciplinary team with the knowledge, experience, and skills needed to work in collaboration both with patients and with their families. Inpatient rehabilitation interventions are recommended for patients with more severe deficits and those in the acute phase, with outpatient treatment to be offered as soon as the patient's clinical situation allows it, as long as intensity criteria can be maintained. The duration of treatment should be based on treatment response and the possibilities for further improvement, according to the best available evidence. At discharge, patients should be offered health promotion, physical activity, support, and follow-up services to ensure that the benefits achieved are maintained, to detect possible complications, and to assess possible changes in functional status that may lead the patient to need other treatment programmes.

No single enteric CH4 mitigating strategy has been consistently effective or is readily applicable to ruminants in grassland systems. When CH4 mitigating strategies are effective under grazing conditions, mitigation is mild to moderate at best. A study was conducted to evaluate the potential of combining two CH4 mitigation strategies deemed feasible to apply in grazing dairy cows, the methanogenesis inhibitor 3-nitrooxypropanol additive (3-NOP) and cottonseed supplementation (CTS), seeking to enhance their individual CH4 mitigating potential. Forty-eight dairy cows were evaluated in a continuous grazing study and supplemented with either a starch-based concentrate (STA) or one that contained cottonseeds (1.75 kg DM/d; CTS), and with either 19 g/d of 10% 3-NOP (Bovaer®) or the additive’s carrier (placebo), in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Treatments were supplied mixed with a concentrate supplement (5 kg/d as fed) and offered in two equal rations at milking. Methane emissions were measured on weeks 4 and 8 using the sulphur hexafluoride tracer gas technique over a 5-d period. The 3-NOP and CTS treatments tended to interact on absolute CH4 such that 3-NOP decreased CH4 by 13.4% with STA, but there was no mitigation with 3-NOP and CTS. Treatment interactions were also obtained for CH4 yield, where 3-NOP tended to decrease CH4 when supplied with STA, and tended to increase it with CTS. The increase in CH4 yield with the CTS diet was driven by a numerical decrease in DM intake. Methane intensity was not affected by the 3-NOP or CTS treatments. Total volatile fatty acids in ruminal fluid were not affected by 3-NOP supplementation, but a reduction in acetate and an increase in propionate proportion occurred, resulting in decreased acetate: propionate. The 3-NOP additive decreased grass intake; however, energy−corrected milk yield and milk composition were largely unaffected. Milk urea increased with 3-NOP supplementation. Combining twice daily supplementation of 3-NOP and CTS did not enhance their CH4 mitigation potential when fed to grazing dairy cows. The relatively low inhibition of CH4 production by 3-NOP compared to studies with total mixed rations may result from the mode of delivery (pulse dosed twice daily) and time gap caused by experimental handling and moving of animals to pasture after 3-NOP supplementation in the milking parlour, which could have impaired the synchrony between the additive presence in the rumen and grass intake in paddocks.

Introduction Schizophrenia is associated with a reduced life expectancy, not only because of suicide, but also medical causes such as cancer. Standardized mortality for cancer is higher in patients with schizophrenia, specially for lung, breast and colorectal locations (Ni et al, 2019). Other less frequent tumor locations have not been deeply studied. Thir mortality gap could be related to a delayed diagnosis due to several reasons, such as lower inclusion in screening programs (Solmi et al, 2019). Since cervical cancer has a very efficient screening technique, women with schizophrenia and cervical cancer could have a worse prognosis because of a delayed diagnosis. However, there is a lack of research in this tumor location. Objectives To analyze clinical differences in women with cervical cancer with and without a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Methods We carried out a retrospective cohort analysis with adult patients from the cancer registry of Hospital del Mar diagnosed between 1997 and 2021. The information was crossed with the Minimum Basic Data Set (MBDS) to identify those cancer patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia using International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 9 codes 295*. The sociodemographic variables were age and sex. The clinical oncological variables included tumor location, place of first conultation, stage, first treatment intention, vital status and place of decease. We used t-student for continuous data and Chi-squared test for categorical variables. We performed a post-hoc analysis using Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons to identify specifically which categories were significantly different between groups. Results We identified 13 women with schizophrenia and cervical cancer, and 1354 women with cervical cancer without schizophrenia. The proportion of this location was higher in the schizophrenia group (8% of all cancers vs. 4.4%; p=0.03). The proportion of diagnoses through screening programm was significantly lower (7.7% vs 14.6%; p=0.04). There was a trend of fewer diagnoses in situ in patients with schizophrenia (30.8% vs 55.6%) and less radical intention as first treatment option (15.4% vs 3.5%) but without statistical significance in both cases. There was a higher proportion of deceased patients in the group with schizophrenia (46.2% vs 15% p=0.002), and also a higher proportion of deaths outside hospital facilities (30.8% vs 6.6%; p=0.003). Image: Conclusions Women with schizophrenia receive less diagnoses of cervical cancer through screening programs and more in emergency facilities, which could lead to more advanced stages and fewer indication of radical treatments. This ultimately leads to a higher proportion of deaths, and more frequently outside of hospital facilities. Our data supports the idea that the increased mortality for cancer is related to a delayed diagnosis. Women with schizophrenia need special care to ensure their inclusion in early detection programs for cancer. Disclosure of Interest None Declared

Introduction Evidence from observational and genetic studies suggests a bidirectional relationship between loneliness and psychosis. To our knowledge, no previous study has assessed the association between loneliness in childhood and first-episode psychosis (FEP). Objectives We aimed to assess the association between loneliness in childhood and the odds of FEP and clinical variables of interest (i.e., diagnosis and clinical and functional severity) in FEP and to explore gender differences in this association. Methods This was an observational, case-control study, based on the AGES-CM cohort, a longitudinal prospective study including patients with FEP ages 7-40, their first-degree relatives, and an age- and sex-matched sample of controls in seven university hospitals in the region of Madrid. We assessed loneliness in childhood with the question “Have you ever felt lonely for more than 6 months before the age of 12” and objetive social isolation with the peer relationships item from the childhood subscale of the Premorbid Adjustment Scale. We conducted logistic and linear regression analyses to assess the association between childhood loneliness and i) the odds of presenting a FEP and ii) clinical variables of interest (diagnosis and scores on positive, negative, general, depressive, and manic symptoms and functioning), while adjusting for demographic variables. Results The study sample comprised 285 patients with FEP (32.6% female, age 24.50 ± 6.2 years) and 546 controls (48.7% female, age 25.93 ± 5.5 years). Loneliness in childhood was associated with increased odds of FEP (adjusted odds ratio; aOR: 2.17, 95% CI [1.40-3.51], p=.002). This association remained significant after controlling for objective social isolation in childhood (aOR:2.70, IC 95% [1.58-4.62], p

Introduction Due to the global humanitarian crisis, there has been a significant increase in global immigration.(1) The migration process typically involves multiple trauma exposures that are sustained over time(2), which may result in an impact on the mental health of these individuals(3), such as posttraumatic stress disorder(3). A recent meta-analysis estimated that 25% of migrants had PTSD(15), which is significantly higher than the 0.2% to 3.8 percent prevalence data found for the general population(4). In addition, a number of meta-analyses indicate an increased risk of psychosis among immigrants(5). Despite this rise, there is a gap in trauma research in non-refugee immigrants, particularly those with psychotic disorders. Objectives To describe and compare PTSD diagnosis between immigrants and locals recruited from mental health services in Barcelona. Methods Patients who have presented, according to DSM-V criteria, one or more non-affective psychotic episodes, were recruited in Acute and Chronic inpatients units at Hospital del Mar (Barcelona) from November 2019 to June 2021, leading to a total sample of 199 patients. Demographic characteristics of patients, clinical data and main pharmacological treatment were recorded through a questionnaire. Database information was completed with electronic medical records. Global Assessment of Posttraumatic Stress Questionnaire (EGEP-5) was used as an instrument to assess PTSD diagnosis, main trauma nature and PTSD symptoms. Comparative analysis was performed with IBM SPSS Statistics (Chicago INC) using Chi-Square Test for qualitative variables and t-Student test for continuous variables. Covariate adjustment with demographic and clinical variables was performed by ANOVA test. Study received local ethics committee approval “CEIC” (No. 2019/8398/I). Results From the total sample of 199 individuals, 98 were immigrants and 98 locals. From the total sample 39 individuals (19.69%) presented PTSD. 32.3% of the immigrants with psychotic disorders presented PTSD compared to 7.1% of the locals with psychotic disorders (F1=19.9, p=0.00). Most traumatic events related to PTSD in immigrants were: “murder of relatives” (33.1%), Physical violence (21.9%) and Terrorism (15.6%) in locals were: “physical violence” (28.6%). Immigrants and locals with psychotic disorders showed similar averages of symptoms, except for avoidance symptoms where locals showed a mean of 5.1 compared to a mean of 3.5 in the immigrant group. Finally, immigrants showed one more functionality affected area by PTSD (5.1) when compared to locals (4) (F7=3.9, p=0.05). Conclusions According to our results there are important differences in PTSD prevalence between immigrants and locals with psychotic disorders. These findings ought to be taken into consideration for programs that are both clinically and sociopolitically tailored to improve assessment and treatment for this population. Disclosure of Interest None Declared

Abstract Loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) and a profound reduction of striatal dopamine are two hallmarks of Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, it’s unclear whether degeneration starts at the neuronal soma or the striatal presynaptic terminals, and how microstructural degeneration is linked to dopaminergic loss is also uncertain. In this study, thirty de novo PD patients and twenty healthy subjects (HS) underwent 6-[18F]-fluoro-L-dopa (FDOPA) PET and MRI studies no later than 12 months from clinical diagnosis. FDOPA uptake rate (K i), fractional volume of free-water (FW), and iron-sensitive R2* relaxometry were quantified within nigrostriatal regions. Inter-group differences (PD vs HS) were studied using non-parametric statistics and complemented with Cohen’s d effect sizes and Bayesian statistics. Correlation analyses were performed exploring biomarker dependencies and their association with bradykinesia scores. PD patients exhibited a significant decline in nigrostriatal dopaminergic activity, being post-commissural putamen (−67%) and posterolateral SNc (−11.7%) the most affected subregions within striatum and SNc respectively. Microstructural alterations (FW) were restricted to the hemisphere corresponding to the most affected side and followed similar spatial gradients as FDOPA K i (+20% in posterior putamen and +11% in posterolateral SNc). R2* revealed no relevant significant changes. FDOPA and FW were correlated within the posterolateral SNc, and clinical severity was associated with FDOPA K i loss. The asymmetry between striatal and SNc changes for both dopaminergic depletion and microstructural degeneration biomarkers is consistent with a neurodegenerative process that begins in the striatal terminals before progressing toward the cell bodies in the SNc.

Additive Manufacturing (AM) appears as a very interesting alternative to conventional production routes for alloys and metals, thanks to the fact that at the end of printing, the final product is obtained directly. The present article looks for the inclusion of duplex stainless steel 2205 (DSS-2205) in the commercial catalog of steels utilized in powder bed fusion (PBF) technologies, specifically applying the selective laser melting (SLM) technique. The main objective is to establish optimal printing parameters that reproduce the closest results to the base material properties. To achieve this, the response surface method was used in the methodology and experimental design, studying the parameters of laser power, scanning speed, and hatching distance. A reference material, machined from a hot-rolled plate, was utilized to compare the results obtained through tensile strength. Lastly, the optimal parameters have been obtained for this stainless steel. Additionally, a study of heat treatments has been developed, aiming to optimize the austenitization process, achieving an improvement in mechanical properties. A steel with mechanical properties practically identical to those of steel produced using conventional techniques has been obtained through SLM.

Mechatronics and Robotics (MaR) have recently gained importance in product development and manufacturing settings and applications. Therefore, the Center for Space Emerging Technologies (C-SET) has managed an international multi-disciplinary study to present, historically, the first Latin American general review of industrial, collaborative, and mobile robotics, with the support of North American and European researchers and institutions. The methodology is developed by considering literature extracted from Scopus, Web of Science, and Aerospace Research Central and adding reports written by companies and government organizations. This describes the state-of-the-art of MaR until the year 2023 in the 3 Sub-Regions: North America, Central America, and South America, having achieved important results related to the academy, industry, government, and entrepreneurship; thus, the statistics shown in this manuscript are unique. Also, this article explores the potential for further work and advantages described by robotic companies such as ABB, KUKA, and Mecademic and the use of the Robot Operating System (ROS) in order to promote research, development, and innovation. In addition, the integration with industry 4.0 and digital manufacturing, architecture and construction, aerospace, smart agriculture, artificial intelligence, and computational social science (human-robot interaction) is analyzed to show the promising features of these growing tech areas, considering the improvements to increase production, manufacturing, and education in the Region. Finally, regarding the information presented, Latin America is considered an important location for investments to increase production and product development, taking into account the further proposal for the creation of the LATAM Consortium for Advanced Robotics and Mechatronics, which could support and work on roboethics and education/R+D+I law and regulations in the Region. Doi: 10.28991/ESJ-2023-07-04-025 Full Text: PDF

Current trends in the use of new pigments of natural origin have led to the investigation of novel technologies for obtaining them. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the extraction process by microwave (MAE) and ultrasound (UAE) assisted techniques and a treatment using simultaneously both techniques (hybrid way) (HM-UE) of pigments from corn with different shades of red (highly pigmented corn = RA, moderately pigmented corn = RM and poorly pigmented corn = RB), and to determine the color, content of hydrolyzable polyphenols, condensed tannins, and antioxidant potential by DPPH, ABTS and FRAP tests. Finally, the pigments obtained by HM-UE underwent thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) and HPLC-MS. Results indicated that hybrid-assisted extraction (HM-UE) yields higher extraction yields (p

Resumen: Introducción: La neuralgia del trigémino (NT) es un tipo de dolor neuropático que afecta a una o más ramas del nervio trigémino. Aunque su prevalencia poblacional es relativamente baja, la NT supone un problema muy importante tanto en las consultas de neurología como en las urgencias por la dificultad para el diagnóstico y el tratamiento y el elevado impacto sobre la calidad de vida de las personas que la padecen. Por estos motivos, el Grupo de Estudio de Cefaleas de la Sociedad Española de Neurología ha elaborado un documento de consenso sobre el manejo de esta patología. Desarrollo: Este documento ha sido redactado por un comité de expertos utilizando la nomenclatura de la clasificación de la International Headache Society (IHS), analizando la evidencia científica publicada sobre diagnóstico y tratamiento y estableciendo unas recomendaciones prácticas con niveles de evidencia. Conclusiones: El diagnóstico de la NT es clínico. La International Classification of Headache Disorders en su tercera edición (ICHD-3) clasifica el dolor atribuible a una lesión o enfermedad del nervio trigémino en NT y neuropatía trigeminal dolorosa. A su vez, la NT puede dividirse en tres tipos principales según la etiología del dolor: clásica, idiopática y secundaria. Es recomendable la realización de una resonancia magnética (RM) craneal a todo paciente con diagnóstico clínico de NT para descartar causas secundarias. Para estudiar la presencia de una compresión neurovascular con RM se recomienda la aplicación de los protocolos de imagen FIESTA, DRIVE o CISS. El tratamiento inicialmente será farmacológico. En pacientes seleccionados con respuesta insuficiente o mala tolerancia a fármacos se debe valorar el tratamiento quirúrgico. Abstract: Introduction: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a chronic neuropathic pain disorder affecting one or more branches of the trigeminal nerve. Despite its relatively low global prevalence, TN is an important healthcare problem both in neurology departments and in emergency departments due to the difficulty of diagnosing and treating the condition and its significant impact on patients’ quality of life. For all these reasons, the Spanish Society of Neurology's Headache Study Group has developed a consensus statement on the management of TN. Development: This document was drafted by a panel of neurologists specialising in headache, who used the terminology of the International Headache Society. We analysed the published scientific evidence on the diagnosis and treatment of TN and establish practical recommendations with levels of evidence. Conclusions: The diagnosis of TN is based on clinical criteria. Pain attributed to a lesion or disease of the trigeminal nerve is divided into TN and painful trigeminal neuropathy, according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders, third edition. TN is further subclassified into classical, secondary, or idiopathic, according to aetiology. Brain MRI is recommended in patients with clinical diagnosis of TN, in order to rule out secondary causes. In MRI studies to detect neurovascular compression, FIESTA, DRIVE, or CISS sequences are recommended. Pharmacological treatment is the initial choice in all patients. In selected cases with drug-resistant pain or poor tolerance, surgery should be considered.

The development of somatic embryogenesis in avocado (Persea americana Mill.) has been hampered by different chronic problems. One such problem is the low level of induction of white-opaque somatic embryos (WOSEs) during the process of obtaining full avocado plants. We detected the induction of multiple WOSEs promoted after the placement of three or four small WOSEs over the embryogenic callus of Duke-7. Among the other possible chemical inductors of the Arabinogalactans (AGPs), we identified a family of extracellular plant proteoglycans implicated in many aspects of the in vitro induction of somatic embryos (SE). We extracted AGPs directly from embryogenic cultures of avocado. When the induction/proliferation medium of embryogenic avocado calli (MS-0.1 mg L−1 Picloram) was supplemented with 1–2 mg L−1 AGP, the induction rate of good-quality WOSEs from the embryogenic callus increased significantly (more than ten times that of the control without AGP) and this effect persisted for at least five subcultures after the initial treatment with AGP. AGP also modified the texture and quality of the callus. The effect of AGP extends to other cultivars and proliferation media. Our objectives were to improve the induction of WOSEs and study the effect of AGP in the somatic embryogenesis of avocado.

In this paper, complex network analysis is used to analyze the structure of a whole river basin. A classification of nodes and edges that allow the river basin to be represented as a directed network is given. Both global and local characterization metrics are presented. Thus, centralization indexes, average path length, diameter, network efficiency, edge length, degree and strength distributions can be computed and interpreted. The closeness and betweenness centrality as well as the PageRank index of the different nodes can also be calculated and provide information on the relative position of each node in the network in terms of their average distance to upstream and downstream nodes, their reachability from other nodes, etc. In addition, a new centrality index based on the environmental impact of a potential spill or contaminant release on each node of the network has been applied. This type of centrality index is particularly useful in hydrologic networks and helps to identify key nodes from a contamination propagation point of view. The application of the proposed approach to the Guadalquivir River basin, in Southern Spain, is presented. Apart from validating the environmental impact centrality index, the most important finding is the scale-free character of the network and its consequences. HIGHLIGHTS A weighted directed network of a river basin with different types of nodes and edges.; Global and local CNA characterization measures can be computed.; A new environmental impact centrality index is proposed.; An application to the Guadalquivir River basin has found power-law degree distribution and scale-free character.; Key nodes for contaminant propagation, flood vigilance and prevention have been identified.;

IntroductionInborn errors of immunity (IEI) are an expanding group of rare diseases whose field has been boosted by next-generation sequencing (NGS), revealing several new entities, accelerating routine diagnoses, expanding the number of atypical presentations and generating uncertainties regarding the pathogenic relevance of several novel variants.MethodsResearch laboratories that diagnose and provide support for IEI require accurate, reproducible and sustainable phenotypic, cellular and molecular functional assays to explore the pathogenic consequences of human leukocyte gene variants and contribute to their assessment. We have implemented a set of advanced flow cytometry-based assays to better dissect human B-cell biology in a translational research laboratory. We illustrate the utility of these techniques for the in-depth characterization of a novel (c.1685G>A, p.R562Q) de novo gene variant predicted as probably pathogenic but with no previous insights into the protein and cellular effects, located in the tyrosine kinase domain of the Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) gene, in an apparently healthy 14-year-old male patient referred to our clinic for an incidental finding of low immunoglobulin (Ig) M levels with no history of recurrent infections.Results and discussionA phenotypic analysis of bone marrow (BM) revealed a slightly high percentage of pre-B-I subset in BM, with no blockage at this stage, as typically observed in classical X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA) patients. The phenotypic analysis in peripheral blood also revealed reduced absolute numbers of B cells, all pre-germinal center maturation stages, together with reduced but detectable numbers of different memory and plasma cell isotypes. The R562Q variant allows Btk expression and normal activation of anti-IgM-induced phosphorylation of Y551 but diminished autophosphorylation at Y223 after anti IgM and CXCL12 stimulation. Lastly, we explored the potential impact of the variant protein for downstream Btk signaling in B cells. Within the canonical nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) activation pathway, normal IκBα degradation occurs after CD40L stimulation in patient and control cells. In contrast, disturbed IκBα degradation and reduced calcium ion (Ca2+) influx occurs on anti-IgM stimulation in the patient’s B cells, suggesting an enzymatic impairment of the mutated tyrosine kinase domain.

Introduction Psychotherapy is a treatment of proven efficacy in bipolar disorder (BD), but little is known about the molecular and cellular mechanisms that it produces in the brain. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is thought to be important in neuroplasticity and could be increased by psychopharmaceuticals and psychotherapy in BD patients, but evidence in the literature is limited. Objectives To analyze the scientific studies that relate psychotherapies with the increase in BNDF levels in patients with BD. Methods Systematic review with PRISMA recommendations in PUBMED and Web of Science in July 2022. The search was performed using the combination of keywords “bipolar disorder” AND (“BDNF” OR “Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor”) AND “psychotherapy”. Results With the initial search, 839 studies were obtained, finally 8 articles were analyzed. The available literature supports the role of psychotherapy in increasing BNDF in patients with BD. Conclusions BDNF could be a biomarker of therapeutic efficacy in BD. Psychotherapy increases BDNF levels. No differences were found between the different types of psychotherapies. More studies are needed to determine the mechanisms by which psychotherapies produce molecular changes in the brain. Disclosure of Interest None Declared

The benefit of adding the antiangiogenic drug aflibercept to FOLFIRI regime in metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) patients resistant to or progressive on an oxaliplatin-based therapy has been previously demonstrated. However, the absence of validated biomarkers to predict greater outcomes is a major challenge encountered when using antiangiogenic therapies. In this study we investigated profiles of circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) to build predictive models of response to treatment and survival. Plasma was obtained from 98 metastatic CRC patients enrolled in a clinical phase II trial before receiving FOLFIRI plus aflibercept treatment, and the circulating levels of 754 individual miRNAs were quantified using real-time PCR. A distinct signature of circulating miRNAs differentiated responder from non-responder patients. Remarkably, most of these miRNAs were found to target genes that are involved in angiogenic processes. Accordingly, some of these miRNAs had predictive value and entered in predictive models of response to therapy, progression of disease, and survival of patients treated with FOLFIRI plus aflibercept. Among these miRNAs, circulating levels of hsa-miR-33b-5p efficiently discriminated between responder and non-responder patients and predicted the risk of disease progression. Moreover, the combination of circulating VEGF-A and miR-33b-5p levels improved clinical stratification of metastatic CRC patients who were to receive FOLFIRI plus aflibercept treatment. In conclusion, our study supports circulating miRNAs as valuable biomarkers for predicting better outcomes in metastatic CRC patients treated with FOLFIRI plus aflibercept.

Abstract The transmission and transport properties of biperiodic graphene superlattices are studied theoretically. Special attention is paid to the so-called transparent states of biperiodic superlattices. A Dirac-like Hamiltonian is used to describe the charge carriers in graphene. The transfer matrix method and the Landauer–Büttiker formalism are implemented to obtain the transmittance and conductance, respectively. Similar results to those reported for Schrödinger electrons are obtained. However, in the case of Dirac electrons the splitted bands and the transparent states associated to the biperiodicity depend strongly on the angle of incidence as well as the character of the charge carriers. In fact, the dynamic of the splitted bands and transparent states is inverted for holes. The origin of transparent states is unveiled by obtaining an analytic expression for the transmittance. It is found that resonant transmission through single and double barriers gives rise to transparent states. Regarding the transport properties, it is possible to identify the fundamental changes caused by the biperiodicity. In particular, it is found a splitting, shifting, and diminishment of the conductance peaks with respect to the case of regular periodicity. This opens the door to corroborate experimentally the fundamental characteristics of biperiodic gated graphene superlattices through transport measurements.

Shallow geothermal energy systems utilize the upper layers of the ground to provide space heating and cooling, with a relatively high efficiency. The research presented aims to assess the potential harnessing of this source and applying it for indoor conditioning of a precision agriculture facility. An experimental phase was conducted to measure the temperature of the ground at 0.75 m, 1.5 m, 2.25 m, and 3.0 m. Field testing was performed employing two probes; one uncovered and a second insulated with a polyethylene sheet, to evaluate the effect soil water content variations exert over the soil temperature. It was found that, given the high permeability and good drainage of the soil material, water content is not statistically significant, ruling out the presence of microconvective phenomena within the interstices of the undisturbed earth. Based on the temperature profile obtained, achievable heat extraction capacity was computed by modelling a buried pipe system. A parametrization was conducted showing that, of all the involved factors, pipe depth, pitch and their interaction, are the ones that contribute the most to the heat output variability. The computed available heat flow was used to simulate the performance of a geothermal heat pumping system for greenhouse heating based on real operation data, provided by the owners. The results show that, shallower layers of the ground, can provide adequate solutions for immediate thermal needs; a 5-pipe, 100m-length ground loop at 0.75 m, could provide 90% of the total thermal demand, whilst an 11-pipe, 200m-length loop, at 1.5 m depth, reaches 84% of the same demand, with a variability reduction in availability of 10% to 20% depending on the severity of surface conditions. However, for deeper layers, i.e., 2.25 m and 3.0 m, respective maximum heat output amounts to 43% and 49% of the total thermal demand. Nonetheless, these configurations yield the most stable and constant heat flow of the lot, making them particularly suitable for preheating/subcooling processes or even long-term thermal storage. Despite not fulfilling the total thermal demand of the greenhouse, these setups are more than capable of providing support to on-site conditioning devices; requiring a lower upkeep and yielding a higher efficiency, which would reduce overall production costs. Furthermore, from the conducted data analysis, it was found that controlling the agronomic values, associated to indoor agriculture, facilitates the physical aspect of greenhouse energy management, paving the way to more optimized thermal solutions, tailored to different sets of operation conditions.

Abstract Background Antibiotics have been overprescribed to treat infectious diseases and have generated antimicrobial resistances that reduce their effectiveness. Following the rationale behind the new paradigm of personalized medicine, point-of-care diagnostic testing (POCT) has been proposed to improve the quality of antibiotic prescription with the aim of reducing antimicrobial resistances. Methods In order to understand whether this recommendation is valid, we create a theoretical economic model to determine under which conditions the expected benefits of using POCT to guide antibiotic prescription are greater than for empiric prescription, where we define the expected benefits as the difference between the economic value of health and the costs of the treatment. We consider the interaction of a group of physicians who express differing levels of uncertainty when prescribing with a firm selling a diagnostic device, and analyse the firm’s pricing policy and the physicians’ prescribing decisions. We allow the physicians to internalize the external costs of antimicrobial resistances. Results We find that the use of POCT reduces the number of antibiotic prescriptions. The reduction in antibiotic prescriptions is higher when physicians internalise the costs of antimicrobial resistances. Physicians with relatively high levels of uncertainty use POCT as they are uncertain about the right treatment for a large proportion of patients. Physicians with low levels of uncertainty prefer to prescribe empirically. The segmentation in the population of physicians regarding the uptake of POCT depends on the distribution of levels of uncertainty across physicians. For each test, the firm charges the marginal production costs of the inputs needed to administer the test, and makes its profit from the sales of the testing devices. Conclusions From a theoretical perspective, our findings corroborate the fact that POCT improve the quality of antibiotic prescription and reduce the number of prescriptions. Nevertheless, their use is not always recommended as empiric therapy may be preferred when uncertainty is low.

The date seed is a by-product from the date industry. Its use as a source of added-value compounds is of great interest. Oil accounts for 5-13% of the seed’s weight. Soxhlet extraction with organic solvents is the traditional method for obtaining oil from seeds. In this work, hydrothermal pre-treatments and sonication are proposed to make the extraction a more environmentally friendly process. Factors such as sonication time and temperature and hexane-to-seed ratio (H/S) have been considered. Response surface methodology was applied for optimization. Hydrothermal treatments increased oil recovery. H/S was the most influential factor, and was close to 7 mL/g seeds for both samples. 71% recovery was achieved for native seeds after 15 min sonication at 45 ºC, and 80% for 180 ºC-treated seeds after 45 min at 35 ºC when compared to Soxhlet extraction. These conditions comply with our initial aim. Pre-treatments seem to have a negative effect on oil stability, although this observation needs to be confirmed.

To explore the existing literature on the effect of Interprofessional Education (IPE) on the work environment of health professionals. The research question was systematized according to the PCC (Population, Concept, and Context) format. A scoping review was performed. A search of multiple bibliographic databases identified 407 papers, of which 21 met the inclusion criteria. The populations of the 21 studies reviewed were composed of professionals in the fields of medicine, nursing, psychology, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and social work, among others. The study contexts were both academic and nonacademic hospitals, mental health institutions, and community settings, and the topics examined were organizational climate, organizational culture, organizational attachment and job satisfaction. The findings from the reviewed studies showed positive effects of IPE interventions on organizational climate and culture, but the results on job satisfaction and organizational attachment were mixed (i.e., positive and no effects following IPE interventions). Research on IPE is worth more attention as IPE could be an effective alternative for the fulfillment of the Quadruple Aim and achieving the third of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, aimed at improving health and well-being. It seems critical for IPE to be positioned as a trend in global health, aiming at boosting human health resources as one of its building blocks and calling the attention of health decision-makers.

Resumen: Introducción: En los últimos años han surgido numerosos dispositivos de neuromodulación, invasivos y no invasivos, que se han aplicado en pacientes con cefaleas y neuralgias sin que exista una revisión actualizada de su eficacia y seguridad, ni recomendaciones de ninguna institución sanitaria sobre su uso específico en cada entidad nosológica. Métodos: Neurólogos del Grupo de Cefaleas de la Sociedad Española de Neurología (SEN) y neurocirujanos expertos en neurocirugía funcional seleccionados por la Sociedad Española de Neurocirugía (SENEC), hemos realizado una revisión exhaustiva en el sistema Medline sobre neuromodulación en cefaleas y neuralgias. Resultados: Presentamos una revisión actualizada y establecemos por primera vez unas recomendaciones consensuadas entre la SEN y la SENEC sobre el uso de la neuromodulación en cefaleas y neuralgias, adjudicando niveles de evidencia sobre su eficacia actual, específicamente en cada entidad nosológica. Conclusiones: Los resultados actuales de los estudios proporcionan evidencias para la indicación de técnicas de neuromodulación en casos refractarios de cefaleas y neuralgias (sobre todo en migraña, cefalea en racimos y neuralgia del trigémino), seleccionados por neurólogos expertos en cefaleas, tras comprobar el agotamiento de las opciones farmacológicas. Adicionalmente, en el caso de la neuromodulación invasiva, se recomienda que los casos sean debatidos en comités multidisciplinarios y la cirugía sea realizada por equipos de neurocirujanos expertos en neurocirugía funcional y con una morbimortalidad aceptable. Abstract: Introduction: Numerous invasive and non-invasive neuromodulation devices have been developed and applied to patients with headache and neuralgia in recent years. However, no updated review addresses their safety and efficacy, and no healthcare institution has issued specific recommendations on their use for these 2 conditions. Methods: Neurologists from the Spanish Society of Neurology's (SEN) Headache Study Group and neurosurgeons specialising in functional neurosurgery, selected by the Spanish Society of Neurosurgery (SENEC), performed a comprehensive review of articles on the MEDLINE database addressing the use of the technique in patients with headache and neuralgia. Results: We present an updated review and establish the first set of consensus recommendations of the SEN and SENC on the use of neuromodulation to treat headache and neuralgia, analysing the current levels of evidence on its effectiveness for each specific condition. Conclusions: Current evidence supports the indication of neuromodulation techniques for patients with refractory headache and neuralgia (especially migraine, cluster headache, and trigeminal neuralgia) selected by neurologists and headache specialists, after pharmacological treatment options are exhausted. Furthermore, we recommend that invasive neuromodulation be debated by multidisciplinary committees, and that the procedure be performed by teams of neurosurgeons specialising in functional neurosurgery, with acceptable rates of morbidity and mortality.

Introduction: Numerous invasive and non-invasive neuromodulation devices have been developed and applied to patients with headache and neuralgia in recent years. However, no updated review addresses their safety and efficacy, and no healthcare institution has issued specific recommendations on their use for these 2 conditions. Methods: Neurologists from the Spanish Society of Neurology’s (SEN) Headache Study Group and neurosurgeons specialising in functional neurosurgery, selected by the Spanish Society of Neurosurgery (SENEC), performed a comprehensive review of articles on the MEDLINE database addressing the use of the technique in patients with headache and neuralgia. Results: We present an updated review and establish the first set of consensus recommendations of the SEN and SENEC on the use of neuromodulation to treat headache and neuralgia, analysing the current levels of evidence on its effectiveness for each specific condition. Conclusions: Current evidence supports the indication of neuromodulation techniques for patients with refractory headache and neuralgia (especially migraine, cluster headache, and trigeminal neuralgia) selected by neurologists and headache specialists, after pharmacological treatment options are exhausted. Furthermore, we recommend that invasive neuromodulation be debated by multidisciplinary committees, and that the procedure be performed by teams of neurosurgeons specialising in functional neurosurgery, with acceptable rates of morbidity and mortality. Resumen: Introducción: En los últimos años han surgido numerosos dispositivos de neuromodulación, invasivos y no invasivos, que se han aplicado en pacientes con cefaleas y neuralgias sin que exista una revisión actualizada de su eficacia y seguridad, ni recomendaciones de ninguna institución sanitaria sobre su uso específico en cada entidad nosológica. Métodos: Neurólogos del Grupo de Cefaleas de la Sociedad Española de Neurología (SEN) y neurocirujanos expertos en neurocirugía funcional seleccionados por la Sociedad Española de Neurocirugía (SENEC), hemos realizado una revisión exhaustiva en el sistema Medline sobre neuromodulación en cefaleas y neuralgias. Resultados: Presentamos una revisión actualizada y establecemos por primera vez unas recomendaciones consensuadas entre la SEN y la SENEC sobre el uso de la neuromodulación en cefaleas y neuralgias, adjudicando niveles de evidencia sobre su eficacia actual, específicamente en cada entidad nosológica. Conclusiones: Los resultados actuales de los estudios proporcionan evidencias para la indicación de técnicas de neuromodulación en casos refractarios de cefaleas y neuralgias (sobre todo en migraña, cefalea en racimos y neuralgia del trigémino), seleccionados por neurólogos expertos en cefaleas, tras comprobar el agotamiento de las opciones farmacológicas. Adicionalmente, en el caso de la neuromodulación invasiva, se recomienda que los casos sean debatidos en comités multidisciplinarios y la cirugía sea realizada por equipos de neurocirujanos expertos en neurocirugía funcional y con una morbimortalidad aceptable.

En neurociencias se utilizan técnicas imagenológicas para el diagnóstico de enfermedades y la asistencia en intervenciones quirúrgicas para determinar la ubicación y dimensión exactas de un tumor. Investigaciones a nivel internacional han utilizado diferentes técnicas para la fusión de la Tomografía por Emisión de Positrones y la Tomografía Computarizada debido a que permite observar las funciones metabólicas en correlación con las estructuras anatómicas. A partir del estudio de estas técnicas y algoritmos se desarrolló un software que realiza la fusión de neuroimágenes, utilizando el esquema de fusión basado en Wavelet. Para el corregistro de las imágenes se utilizó la interpolación Bicúbica. Como transformada discreta de Wavelet se utilizó la de Haar. Se realizó una evaluación de la calidad de las imágenes resultantes, obteniendo imágenes de resolución 512 × 512 × 24 bits y una relación señal-ruido con valores superiores a 18. Se comprobó mediante histogramas que la imagen fusionada contiene más información que las imágenes de entrada independientes.

En el presente trabajo se estudia un sistema de fachada ligera sin ventilar, en el que tras su ejecución, se han observado patologías de forma generalizada. El sistema dispone de Documento de Adecuación al Uso (DAU), y los materiales que lo componen disponen de marcado CE. Además, la ejecución se llevó a cabo por una empresa acreditada por el fabricante del sistema, y se cumplieron todas las prescripciones del proyecto y las indicadas por el fabricante. La aparición de las patologías en el sistema de fachada ha requerido una metodología de trabajo sistemática, con el reconocimiento y localización de los daños, la determinación de las condiciones de exposición y solicitación, y el estudio de la documentación y la normativa de aplicación, con el fin de deducir cuáles han sido su origen, y proceder a adoptar las medidas correctoras necesarias. La conclusión obtenida confirma que las prescripciones y condiciones de cálculo propuestas en la documentación del fabricante y el proyecto han resultado ser ineficaces para las condiciones de uso y servicio y las características de la edificación y su entorno. Abstract In the present work, a light, non-ventilated façade system is studied, in which, after its execution, pathologies have been observed in a generalized way. The system has a Document of Suitability for Use (DAU), and the materials that make it up have CE marking. In addition, the execution was carried out by a company accredited by the system manufacturer, and all the requirements of the project and those indicated by the manufacturer were met. The appearance of the pathologies in the façade system has required a systematic work methodology, with the recognition and location of the damages, the determination of the exposure and solicitation conditions, and the study of the documentation and the applicable regulations, with in order to deduce its origin, and proceed to adopt the necessary corrective measures. The conclusion obtained confirms that the prescriptions and calculation conditions proposed in the manufacturer's and project documentation have turned out to be ineffective for the conditions of use and service and the characteristics of the building and its environment.

Plantain and chicory are interesting forage species since they present good nutritional quality and are more resistant to drought than many temperate grasses. The fatty acid (FA) profile in milk and meat is related to a growing concern for the consumption of healthy foods, that is, with a lower content of saturated FA, higher polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) and a favourable n-6 : n-3 FAs ratio. Our objective was to evaluate the FA content in ewe’s milk and lamb’s meat fed a plantain–chicory mixture (PCH) or a grass-based permanent sward (GBS) dominated by perennial ryegrass. Eighteen Austral ewes in mid-lactation were allocated to PCH and GBS treatments. Milk samples were obtained during September (spring). Thirty weaned lambs were finished on both treatments from November to December (7 weeks), slaughtered and their meat sampled. Fat from milk and meat samples was extracted and stored until analysed by gas chromatography. Milk fat from GBS was higher than from PCH (P < 0.05) in C18:0 (11 385 v. 5874 mg/100 g FA), 9c-18:1 (15 750 v. 8565 mg/100 g FA), 11 t-18:1 (4576 v. 2703 mg/100 g FA) and 9c,11 t-18:2 (1405 v. 921 mg/100 g FA) and lower in 18:2n-6 (827 v. 1529 mg/100 g FA) and 18:3n-3 (943 v. 1318 mg/100 g FA) FA. Total mono-unsaturated FA was higher in GBS than PCH (P < 0.05). Meat fat from PCH swards presented a higher (P < 0.05) content than GBS for 18:2n-6 (46.8 v. 28.2 mg/100 g FA), linolenic (24.6 v. 14.2 mg/100 g FA), polyunsaturated FA (119.7 v. 73.4 mg/100 g FA), n-6 (65.9 v. 40.8 mg/100 g FA) and n-3 (53.8 v. 32.5 mg/100 g FA), respectively. No effect of treatment (P > 0.05) was detected for 9c-18:1 (283.9 v. 205.8 mg/100 g FA), 11 t-18:1 (26.2 v. 19.3 mg/100 g FA) and 9c,11 t-18:2 (10.1 v. 7.6 mg/100 g FA), for PCH and GBS. These results suggest that grazing a PCH mixture results in a higher concentration of PUFA in ewes’ milk and in lambs’ fat, as compared to a GBS sward.

The potential use of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) in biomedicine as magnetic resonance, drug delivery, imagenology, hyperthermia, biosensors, and biological separation has been studied in different laboratories. One of the challenges on MNP elaboration for biological applications is the size, biocompatibility, heat efficiency, stabilization in physiological conditions, and surface coating. Magnetoliposome (ML), a lipid bilayer of phospholipids encapsulating MNPs, is a system used to reduce toxicity. Encapsulated MNPs can be used as a potential drug and a gene delivery system, and in the presence of magnetic fields, MLs can be accumulated in a target tissue by a strong gradient magnetic field. Here, we present a study of the effects of DC magnetic fields on encapsulated MNPs inside liposomes. Despite their widespread applications in biotechnology and environmental, biomedical, and materials science, the effects of magnetic fields on MLs are unclear. We use a modified coprecipitation method to synthesize superparamagnetic nanoparticles (SNPs) in aqueous solutions. The SNPs are encapsulated inside phospholipid liposomes to study the interaction between phospholipids and SNPs. Material characterization of SNPs reveals round-shaped nanoparticles with an average size of 12 nm, mainly magnetite. MLs were prepared by the rehydration method. After formation, we found two types of MLs: one type is tense with SNPs encapsulated and the other is a floppy vesicle that does not show the presence of SNPs. To study the response of MLs to an applied DC magnetic field, we used a homemade chamber. Digitalized images show encapsulated SNPs assembled in chain formation when a DC magnetic field is applied. When the magnetic field is switched off, it completely disperses SNPs. Floppy MLs deform along the direction of the external applied magnetic field. Solving the relevant magnetostatic equations, we present a theoretical model to explain the ML deformations by analyzing the forces exerted by the magnetic field over the surface of the spheroidal liposome. Tangential magnetic forces acting on the ML surface result in a press force deforming MLs. The type of deformations will depend on the magnetic properties of the mediums inside and outside the MLs. The model predicts a coexistence region of oblate–prolate deformation in the zone where χ = 1. We can understand the chain formation in terms of a dipole–dipole interaction of SNP.

We study the homogenized properties of linear viscoelastic composite materials in three dimensions. The composites are assumed to be constituted by a non-aging, isotropic viscoelastic matrix reinforced by square or hexagonal arrangements of elastic transversely isotropic long and short fibers, the latter being cylindrical inclusions. The effective properties of these kind of materials are obtained by means of a semi-analytical approach combining the Asymptotic Homogenization Method (AHM) with numerical computations performed by Finite Elements (FE) simulations. We consider the elastic-viscoelastic correspondence principle and we derive the associated local and homogenized problems, and the effective coefficients in the Laplace–Carson domain. The effective coefficients are computed from the microscale local problems, which are equipped with appropriate interface loads arising from the discontinuities of the material properties between the constituents, for different fibers’ orientations in the time domain by inverting the Laplace–Carson transform. We compare our results with those given by the Locally Exact Homogenization Theory (LEHT), and with experimental measurements for long fibers. In doing this, we take into consideration Burger’s and power-law viscoelastic models. Additionally, we present our findings for short fiber reinforced composites which demonstrates the potential of our fully three dimensional approach.

Abstract Background Currently, personalised medicine is becoming more frequently used and many drug companies are including this strategy to gain market access for very specialized therapies. In this article, in order to understand the relationships between the health authority and the drug company when deciding upon the implementation of personalized medicines, we take a theoretical perspective to model it when the price and reimbursement policy follows a pay-for-performance scheme. During the development of a new drug, the firm must decide whether to generate additional knowledge by investing in additional resources to stratify the target population based on a biomarker or directly apply for marketing authorization for the new treatment without information on the characteristics of patients who could respond to it. In this context, we assume that the pricing policy is set by the health authority, and then we characterize the pricing and investment decisions contingent on the rate of response to the treatment. Results We find that the price when the firm carries out R&D leading to the personalized treatments is not necessarily higher than the price if the firm does not carry out the R&D investment. When the rate of response to the treatment is too low, then the new drug is not marketed. If the rate of response is too high, personalized medicine is not implemented. For intermediate values of the rate of response, the adoption of personalized medicine may occur if the investment costs are sufficiently low; otherwise, the treatment is given to all patients without additional information on their characteristics. The higher the quality of the genetic test (in terms of its sensitivity and specificity), the wider the interval for the values of the proportional responders for which personalized medicine may be implemented. Conclusions Our findings show that pre-approval incentives (prices) to promote the personalized treatments depend on the specific characteristics of the disease and the efficacy of the treatment. The model gives an intuitive idea about what to expect in terms of price incentives when the possibility of personalizing treatments becomes a strategic decision for the stakeholders.

Resumen: Introducción: La información existente sobre el impacto de la gripe en la población infantil española es escasa. El presente trabajo pretende aumentar este conocimiento estudiando aspectos clave como la incidencia de hospitalización, clínica, comorbilidades y el estado vacunal en los niños hospitalizados. Métodos: Estudio retrospectivo, observacional, por revisión de historias clínicas, en menores de 15 años hospitalizados por gripe adquirida en la comunidad, confirmada microbiológicamente, durante 2 temporadas gripales (2014-2015 y 2015-2016). El estudio se realizó en 10 hospitales de 6 ciudades, que atienden aproximadamente al 12% de la población infantil española. Resultados: Fueron hospitalizados 907 niños con diagnóstico principal de gripe (447 50%) de los casos. Una gran parte de las formas graves de gripe en población infantil podrían ser evitada si se cumplieran las indicaciones actuales de vacunación. Abstract: Introduction: There are only a limited number of studies on the impact of influenza in the Spanish child population. The present work intends to increase this knowledge by studying some key aspects, such as the incidence of hospital admissions, clinic variables, comorbidities, and the vaccination status in the hospitalised children. Methods: A retrospective, observational study was conducted by reviewing the medical records of children under 15 years and hospitalised due to community acquired influenza confirmed microbiologically, during 2 ́flu seasons (2014-2015 and 2015-2016). The study was carried out in 10 hospitals of 6 cities, which represent approximately 12% of the Spanish child population. Results: A total of 907 children were admitted to hospital with main diagnosis of influenza infection (447 10 years. Admission to the PICU was required in 10% (92) of the cases, mainly due to acute respiratory failure. Conclusion: Influenza continues to be an important cause of hospitalisation in the Spanish child population. Children 50%) of the cases. Many of the severe forms of childhood influenza that occur today could be avoided if current vaccination guidelines were met.

Introduction: There are only a limited number of studies on the impact of influenza in the Spanish child population. The present work intends to increase this knowledge by studying some key aspects, such as the incidence of hospital admissions, clinic variables, comorbidities, and the vaccination status in the hospitalised children. Methods: A retrospective, observational study was conducted by reviewing the medical records of children under 15 years and hospitalised due to community acquired influenza confirmed microbiologically, during 2 ́flu seasons (2014–2015 and 2015–2016). The study was carried out in 10 hospitals of 6 cities, which represent approximately 12% of the Spanish child population. Results: A total of 907 children were admitted to hospital with main diagnosis of influenza infection (447 10 years. Admission to the PICU was required in 10% (92) of the cases, mainly due to acute respiratory failure. Conclusion: Influenza continues to be an important cause of hospitalization in the Spanish child population. Children 50%) of the cases. Many of the severe forms of childhood influenza that occur today could be avoided if current vaccination guidelines were met. Resumen: Introducción: La información existente sobre el impacto de la gripe en la población infantil española es escasa. El presente trabajo pretende aumentar este conocimiento estudiando aspectos clave como la incidencia de hospitalización, clínica, comorbilidades y el estado vacunal en los niños hospitalizados. Métodos: Estudio retrospectivo, observacional, por revisión de historias clínicas, en menores de 15 años hospitalizados por gripe adquirida en la comunidad, confirmada microbiológicamente, durante 2 temporadas gripales (2014-2015 y 2015-2016). El estudio se realizó en 10 hospitales de 6 ciudades, que atienden aproximadamente al 12% de la población infantil española. Resultados: Fueron hospitalizados 907 niños con diagnóstico principal de gripe (447 50%) de los casos. Una gran parte de las formas graves de gripe en población infantil podrían ser evitada si se cumplieran las indicaciones actuales de vacunación.

The electrical response of dye-based photovoltaic cells upon a sudden illumination is explained in terms of a theoretical approach based on a time-hierarchical emergence of several physical processes. Our approach ensures the coupling the four main processes that take place, namely, the photochemical activation of the cell, the electrical current associated with electron transport, the relaxation of the polarization due to the motion of ions and, finally, the elastic–osmotic effect that produces rapid oscillations in the output photocurrent of the cell when is suddenly illuminated. The model shows that mordants control/modify three relaxation times: the characteristic time of the photochemical activation due to a partial light-blocking, the characteristic time for the electrical current associated with the electron transport due to mordant adsorption into the mesoporous surface, and the polarization relaxation due to a change in the ions transported to the electrodes. The model fits with high-precision the experimental data of the photo-induced current showing highly non-linear time-dependent oscillations.

TWINKLE is a library for building families of solvers to perform Canonical Polyadic Decomposition (CPD) of tensors. The common characteristic of these solvers is that the data structure supporting the tuneable solution strategy is based on a Galerkin projection of the phase space. This allows processing and recovering tensors described by highly sparse and unstructured data. For achieving high performance, TWINKLE is written in C++ and uses the Armadillo open source library for linear algebra and scientific computing, based on LAPACK (Linear Algebra PACKage) and BLAS (Basic Linear Algebra Subprograms) routines. The library has been implemented keeping in mind its future extensibility and adaptability to fulfil the different users’ needs in academia and industry regarding Reduced Order Modelling (ROM) and data analysis by means of tensor decomposition. It is especially focused on post-processing data from Computer-Aided-Engineering (CAE) simulation tools.

Abstract In this paper, we introduce the fuzzy Caputo–Fabrizio operator under generalized Hukuhara differentiability concept. In this setting, we study the linear fuzzy fractional initial value problems and present the general form of their solutions. Some examples are given to illustrate our results.

The present study aimed to evaluate trace mineral status of organic dairy herds in northern Spain and the sources of minerals in different types of feed. Blood samples from organic and conventional dairy cattle and feed samples from the respective farms were analysed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to determine the concentrations of the essential trace elements (cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), iodine (I), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn)) and toxic trace elements (arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb)). Overall, no differences between organic and conventional farms were detected in serum concentrations of essential and toxic trace elements (except for higher concentrations of Cd on the organic farms), although a high level of inter-farm variation was detected in the organic systems, indicating that organic production greatly depends on the specific local conditions. The dietary concentrations of the essential trace elements I, Cu, Se and Zn were significantly higher in the conventional than in the organic systems, which can be attributed to the high concentration of these minerals in the concentrate feed. No differences in the concentrations of trace minerals were found in the other types of feed. Multivariate chemometric analysis was conducted to determine the contribution of different feed sources to the trace element status of the cattle. Concentrate samples were mainly associated with Co, Cu, I, Se and Zn (i.e. with the elements supplemented in this type of feed). However, pasture and grass silage were associated with soil-derived elements (As, Cr, Fe and Pb) which cattle may thus ingest during grazing.

The effectiveness of two routes of administration of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) upon oestrus induction in anoestrus mix-breed goats was evaluated. Goats [n = 27, 39.6 ± 2.18 kg live weight and body condition score of 1.71 ± 0.02 units (scale 1–5)] were primed with 20 mg P4-intravulvosubmucosal (IVSM) 24 h prior to hCG administration. Thereafter, goats were randomly allocated to three groups to receive 100 IU hCG (0.1 mL) intramuscular (IM, n = 9), or IVSM (n = 9), and saline (0.5 mL) IM injection (CONT, n = 9). Ovarian follicular or luteal tissue was monitored by transrectal ultrasonographic scanning 15 days pre- and 5 days post-treatment. Besides, goats were daily monitored (0800 and 1800 h) × 15 days to detect oestrus signs with the use of aproned sexually active bucks, treated with testosterone; 12 h after the onset of oestrus, goats were mated. While the CONT-goats never depicted neither oestrus nor ovulation (P .05). Oestrus response (83.5%), pregnancy (60.6%) and litter size (1.55 ± 0.2) did not differ (P > .05) between the IM and IVSM groups. A single application of 100 IU hCG, irrespective of administration route, induced sexual activity in acyclic goats, generating key out-of-season reproductive outcomes.

La evaluación de la vida residual de componentes estructurales en servicio requiere conocer el valor de la tenacidad a la fractura, pero los métodos convencionales para medir la tenacidad demandan remover grandes cantidades de material del componente, lo cual es generalmente impráctico. Sin embargo, el Ensayo Miniatura de Punzonamiento (EMP) (que utiliza especímenes miniatura no estandarizados) ha sido empleado como una alternativa práctica y conveniente para evaluar las características de fractura del material de componentes en servicio. El propósito de esta investigación fue encontrar una relación entre la deformación a la fractura equivalente de EMP εaf y la tenacidad a la fractura JIC de aceros colados de baja aleación procedentes de anclajes de un puente atirantado localizado en el Golfo de México. La tenacidad a la fractura JIC se calculó a partir de los datos experimentales reportados de KIC en un trabajo previo y la deformación a la fractura equivalente se obtuvo mediante el EMP empleando especímenes de 10x10 mm2 por 0.5 mm de espesor. A partir de los resultados de εaf y JIC obtenidos, y correspondientes datos de aceros de baja aleación de la literatura, una correlación lineal fue propuesta para estimar la tenacidad de fractura a partir de la deformación a la fractura equivalente del EMP para los aceros colados pertenecientes a este caso de estudio.

We present a 14-year record of in situ glacier surface velocities determined by repeated global navigation satellite system (GNSS) measurements in a dense network of 52 stakes distributed across two glaciers, Johnsons (tidewater) and Hurd (land-terminating), located on Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. The measurements cover the time period 2000–2013 and were collected at the beginning and end of each austral summer season. A second-degree polynomial approximation is fitted to each stake position, which allows estimating the approximate positions and associated velocities at intermediate times. This dataset is useful as input data for numerical models of glacier dynamics or for the calibration and validation of remotely sensed velocities for a region where very scarce in situ glacier surface velocity measurements have been available so far. The link to the data repository is as follows: http://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.846791.