Background: Cardiac toxicity is currently defined as a symptomatic decrease in Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF) of more than 5% or an asymptomatic decrease of at least 10% to a value of under 50% in repeated ...Background: Cardiac toxicity is currently defined as a symptomatic decrease in Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF) of more than 5% or an asymptomatic decrease of at least 10% to a value of under 50% in repeated evaluations on conventional transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE), as well as a Global Longitudinal Strain (GLS) value Aims: To highlight using GLS rather than modified Simpson 2D-LVEF for the evaluation of long-term cardiotoxicity. Case Presentation: The case concerns a 73-year-old female patient with a history of breast cancer chemotherapy and anthracyclines-based therapy who presented symptoms of late cardiac toxicity related to the chemotherapeutic treatment. In the following years, the patient remained asymptomatic with a 2D-LVEF of 48%, dilation of the left atrium was found, and the reservoir phase strain was severely decreased. Conclusion: The preferred method for evaluating cardiovascular complications associated with chemotherapy is the TTE, which is performed prior to the start of treatment, during therapy, and in the follow-up. Myocardial deformation as a predictor of cardiotoxicity allows the identification of subclinical heart failure.展开更多
The interest in non-invasive brain stimulation techniques is increasing in recent years. Among these techniques, transcranial direct current stimulation(t DCS) has been the subject of great interest among researchers ...The interest in non-invasive brain stimulation techniques is increasing in recent years. Among these techniques, transcranial direct current stimulation(t DCS) has been the subject of great interest among researchers because of its easiness to use, low cost, benign profile of side effects and encouraging results of research in the field. This interest has generated several studies and randomized clinical trials, particularly in psychiatry. In this review, we provide a summary of the development of the technique and its mechanism of action as well as a review of the methodological aspects of randomized clinical trials in psychiatry, including studies in affective disorders, schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorder, child psychiatry and substance use disorder. Finally,we provide an overview of t DCS use in cognitive enhancement as well as a discussion regarding its clinical use and regulatory and ethical issues. Although many promising results regarding t DCS efficacy were described, the total number of studies is still low, highlighting the need of further studies aiming to replicate these findings in larger samples as to provide a definite picture regarding t DCS efficacy in psychiatry.展开更多
Infection in hard tissue regeneration is a clinically-relevant challenge.Development of scaffolds with dual function for promoting bone/dental tissue growth and preventing bacterial infections is a critical need in th...Infection in hard tissue regeneration is a clinically-relevant challenge.Development of scaffolds with dual function for promoting bone/dental tissue growth and preventing bacterial infections is a critical need in the field.Here we fabricated hybrid scaffolds by intrafibrillar-mineralization of collagen using a biomimetic process and subsequently coating the scaffold with an antimicrobial designer peptide with cationic and amphipathic properties.The highly hydrophilic mineralized collagen scaffolds provided an ideal substrate to form a dense and stable coating of the antimicrobial peptides.The amount of hydroxyapatite in the mineralized fibers modulated the rheological behavior of the scaffolds with no influence on the amount of recruited peptides and the resulting increase in hydrophobicity.The developed scaffolds were potent by contact killing of Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Gram-positive Streptococcus gordonii as well as cytocompatible to human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells.The process of scaffold fabrication is versatile and can be used to control mineral load and/or intrafibrillar-mineralized scaffolds made of other biopolymers.展开更多
Herein,the synthesis and characterization methods of natural deep eutectic solvents based on monoterpenoids have been presented.Low viscous fluids with suitable physicochemical properties are produced.The materials ar...Herein,the synthesis and characterization methods of natural deep eutectic solvents based on monoterpenoids have been presented.Low viscous fluids with suitable physicochemical properties are produced.The materials are non-toxic,biodegradable,and cost-effective.Thus,they can be used to develop sustainable solvents for various processes and can find their applications in various fields.A theoretical study based on quantum chemistry and classical molecular dynamics is used for the nanoscopic characterization of structure,dynamics,and hydrogen bonding.The reported results help analyze the properties of this new family of solvents.The required information for developing structure–property relationships for proper solvent design to form a sustainable chemistry framework is obtained.展开更多
Wheat grain quality characteristics have experienced increasing attention as a central factor affecting wheat end-use products quality and human health.Nonetheless,in the last decades a reduction in grain quality has ...Wheat grain quality characteristics have experienced increasing attention as a central factor affecting wheat end-use products quality and human health.Nonetheless,in the last decades a reduction in grain quality has been observed.Therefore,it is central to develop efficient quality-related phenotyping tools.In this sense,one of the most relevant wheat features related to grain quality traits is grain nitrogen content,which is directly linked to grain protein content and monitorable with remote sensing approaches.Moreover,the relation between nitrogen fertilization and grain nitrogen content(protein)plays a central role in the sustainability of agriculture.Both aiming to develop efficient phenotyping tools using remote sensing instruments and to advance towards a field-level efficient and sustainable monitoring of grain nitrogen status,this paper studies the efficacy of various sensors,multispectral and visible red-greenblue(RGB),at different scales,ground and unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV),and phenological stages(anthesis and grain filling)to estimate grain nitrogen content.Linear models were calculated using vegetation indices at each sensing level,sensor type and phenological stage.Furthermore,this study explores the up-scalability of the best performing model to satellite level Sentinel-2 equivalent data.We found that models built at the phenological stage of anthesis with UAV-level multispectral cameras using red-edge bands outperformed grain nitrogen content estimation(R2=0.42,RMSE=0.18%)in comparison with those models built with RGB imagery at ground and aerial level,as well as with those built with widely used ground-level multispectral sensors.We also demonstrated the possibility to use UAV-built multispectral linear models at the satellite scale to determine grain nitrogen content effectively(R2=0.40,RMSE=0.29%)at actual wheat fields.展开更多
Predicting biodiversity and dynamics of complex communities is a fundamental challenge in ecology.Leveraging bacterial microcosms with well-controlled laboratory conditions,Hu et al.recently performed a direct test of...Predicting biodiversity and dynamics of complex communities is a fundamental challenge in ecology.Leveraging bacterial microcosms with well-controlled laboratory conditions,Hu et al.recently performed a direct test of theory predicting that two community-level parameters(i.e.,species pool size and inter-species interaction strength)dictate transitions between three dynamical phases:stable full coexistence,stable partial coexistence,and persistent fluctuations.Generally,communities experience species extinctions before they lose stability as either of the two parameters increases.展开更多
This paper describes and analyzes floristic, structural and conservation features of the shrubland occupied by Chersophilus duponti in the northwest corner of its world distribution range. This study relates the cover...This paper describes and analyzes floristic, structural and conservation features of the shrubland occupied by Chersophilus duponti in the northwest corner of its world distribution range. This study relates the coverage, floristic composition with estimated lark density in the area. We identified four types of shrublands, three of them varied significantly in floristic composition for the habitats of this species in contrast with those of their world distribution: Cistus ladanifer scrubs;heaths dominated by Ericaceae, and scrubs dominated by the genera Lavandula, Thymus and Cytisus. The fourth type, dominated by aromatic chamaephytes and grass, fits descriptions of the bird’s typical habitat. The areas sampled are subject to different categories of threats, the most significant being the natural succession process due to the cessation of grazing, reforestation measures and the use of flat areas for farmlands or other uses. The density of larks in this area was directly related to coverage-composition of plant community.展开更多
The objective of this study is to determine the auditory gain, quality of life, audiological benefits, in bone-anchored hearing device users (BAHA). It is a retrospective and concurrent evaluation of thirty patients f...The objective of this study is to determine the auditory gain, quality of life, audiological benefits, in bone-anchored hearing device users (BAHA). It is a retrospective and concurrent evaluation of thirty patients fitted unilaterally and seven fitted bilaterally for at least six months. Patients were assessed with audiometric testing and application of Glasgow Benefit Inventory (GBI) and Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB). Regarding sound-field pure audiometry results, we found a statistically significant gain in all frequencies using the bone-anchored device. APHAB scores showed statistically significant subjective audiological gains in all subscales except for the aversiveness subscale. GBI mean scores for all items in both groups were all above 3, suggesting quality of life improvement in conductive and mixed hearing loss patients. BP100 users showed a greater clinical gain in the APHAB global score and subscales compared with Divino users. In conclusion the BAHA provides significant auditory gain, subjective audiological benefits and improves quality of life in all BAHA users. This study shows a significant clinical and statistical benefit of BAHA measured by audiometric testing and by the APHAB and GBI questionnaires.展开更多
AIM To assess the viability of orthotopic and heterotopic patient-derived pancreatic cancer xenografts implanted into nude mice.METHODS This study presents a prospective experimental analytical follow-up of the develo...AIM To assess the viability of orthotopic and heterotopic patient-derived pancreatic cancer xenografts implanted into nude mice.METHODS This study presents a prospective experimental analytical follow-up of the development of tumours in mice upon implantation of human pancreatic adenocarcinoma samples. Specimens were obtained surgically from patients with a pathological diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Tumour samples from pancreatic cancer patients were transplanted into nude mice in three different locations(intraperitoneal, subcutaneous and pancreatic). Histological analysis(haematoxylin-eosin and Masson's trichrome staining) and immunohistochemical assessment of apoptosis(TUNEL), proliferation(Ki-67), angiogenesis(CD31) and fibrogenesis(α-SMA) were performed. When a tumour xenograft reached the target size, it was reimplanted in a new nude mouse. Three sequential tumour xenograft generations were generated(F1, F2 and F3).RESULTS The overall tumour engraftment rate was 61.1%. The subcutaneous model was most effective in terms of tissue growth(69.9%), followed by intraperitoneal(57.6%) and pancreatic(55%) models. Tumour development was faster in the subcutaneous model(17.7 ± 2.6 wk) compared with the pancreatic(23.1 ± 2.3 wk) and intraperitoneal(25.0 ± 2.7 wk) models(P = 0.064). There was a progressive increase in the tumour engraftment rate over successive generations for all three models(F1 28.1% vs F2 71.4% vs F3 80.9%, P < 0.001). There were no significant differences in tumour xenograft differentiation and cell proliferation between human samples and the three experimental models among the sequential generations of tumour xenografts. However, a progressive decrease in fibrosis, fibrogenesis, tumour vascularisation and apoptosis was observed in the three experimental models compared with the human samples. All three pancreatic patient-derived xenograft models presented similar histological and immunohistochemical characteristics.CONCLUSION In our experience, the faster development andgreatest numb展开更多
Objective:To study antifungal activity of a new ellagitannin isolated from the plant residues of Euphorbia antisyphilitica(E.antisyphilitica)Zucc in the wax extraction process.Methods:An extract was prepared from dehy...Objective:To study antifungal activity of a new ellagitannin isolated from the plant residues of Euphorbia antisyphilitica(E.antisyphilitica)Zucc in the wax extraction process.Methods:An extract was prepared from dehydrated and pulverized residues and fractionated by liquid chromatography on Amberilte XAD-16,until obtained an ellagitannin-rich ethanolic fraction which was treated by rotaevaporation to recover the ellagitannin as fine powder.An aqueous solution was prepared and treated through ionic exchange liquid chromatography(Q XL)and gel permeation chromatography(G 25).The ellagitannin-rich fraction was thermogravimetrically evaluated(TGA and DTA)to test the thermo-stability of ellagic acid(monomeric unit).Then ellagitannin powder was analyzed by infrared spectrospcopy to determinate the functional groups and.also mass spectroscopy was used to determine the molecular ion.Results:The principal functional groups of ellagitannin were determined,the molecular weight was 860.7 g/mol;and an effective antifungal activity against phytopathogenic fungi was demonstrated.Conclusions:It can be concluded that the new ellagitannin(860.7 g/mol)isolated from E.antisyphilitica Zucc is an effective antifungal agent against Alternaria alternata,Fusarium oxyzporum,Colletotrichum gloeosporoides and Rhizoctnia solani.展开更多
The renin angiotensin system(RAS)appears to influence male fertility at multiple levels.In this work,we analyzed the relationship between the RAS and DNA integrity.Fifty male volunteers were divided into two groups(25...The renin angiotensin system(RAS)appears to influence male fertility at multiple levels.In this work,we analyzed the relationship between the RAS and DNA integrity.Fifty male volunteers were divided into two groups(25 each):control(DNA fragmentation≤20%)and pathological(DNA fragmentation>20%)cases.Activities of five peptidases controlling RAS were measured fluorometrically:prolyl endopeptidase(which converts angiotensin[A]I and A II to A 1–7),neutral endopeptidase(NEP/CD10:A I to A 1–7),aminopeptidase N(APN/CD13:A III to A IV),aminopeptidase A(A II to A III)and aminopeptidase B(A III to A IV).Angiotensin-converting enzyme(A I to A II),APN/CD13 and NEP/CD10 were also assessed by semiquantitative cytometry and quantitative flow cytometry assays,as were the receptors of all RAS components:A II receptor type 1(AT1R),A II receptor type 2(AT2R),A IV receptor(AT4R or insulin-regulated aminopeptidase[IRAP]),(pro)renin receptor(PRR)and A 1–7 receptor or Mas receptor(MasR)None of the enzymes that regulate levels of RAS components,except for APN/CD13(decrease in fragmented cells),showed significant differences between both groups.Micrographs of RAS receptors revealed no significant differences in immunolabeling patterns between normozoospermic and fragmented cells.Labeling of AT1R(94.3%normozoospermic vs 84.1%fragmented),AT4R(96.2%vs 95.3%)and MasR(97.4%vs 87.2%)was similar between the groups.AT2R(87.4%normozoospermic vs 63.1%fragmented)and PRR(96.4%vs 48.2%)were higher in non-fragmented spermatozoa.These findings suggest that fragmented DNA spermatozoa have a lower capacity to respond to bioactive RAS peptides.展开更多
This study evaluates the changes caused by breeding in the genotype by environment(G×E)interaction of the durum wheat varieties most widely cultivated in Spain after the Green Revolution.A set of 12 cultivars was...This study evaluates the changes caused by breeding in the genotype by environment(G×E)interaction of the durum wheat varieties most widely cultivated in Spain after the Green Revolution.A set of 12 cultivars was tested in 27 environments,which are understood as the combination of different sites,years,and treatments(water regime and planting dates),representative of the durum wheat growing conditions in Spain with average grain yields(GY)ranging between 2.8 and 9.1 Mg ha^-1.The most important environmental factors affecting the G×E interaction for yield were themaximum and the mean temperature during the entire crop cycle.An improvement in genetic yield was observed in warm environments and under optimal water conditions that resemble those where the germplasm originated(essentially as advanced lines)before its release in Spain.Therefore,the adaptation of semi-dwarf durum in Spain has shown a tendency to specific adaptation rather than large-scale adaptation.Two different patterns of selection have been reported due the G×E interaction and changes in the ranking of genotypes:in the high yielding environments(GY>5 Mg ha^-1),plants favor increased water uptake,with higher levels of transpiration and more open stomata(more negative values of carbon isotope composition,δ^13 C,and higher canopy temperature depression,CTD),whereas,in low yielding environments(GY<5 Mg ha^-1)plants close their stomata and favor greater water use efficiency(less negativeδ^13 C values and lower CTD values).展开更多
We review the case of a 74-year-old patient with ad-vanced colon cancer who suffered recurrent bouts of hypoglycemia. A state of inappropriate, non-suppressed hyperinsulinism in the presence of severe hypoglycemia was...We review the case of a 74-year-old patient with ad-vanced colon cancer who suffered recurrent bouts of hypoglycemia. A state of inappropriate, non-suppressed hyperinsulinism in the presence of severe hypoglycemia was diagnosed. We finally discuss the known mecha-nisms behind fasting hypoglycemia in patients with ad-vanced cancer, the diagnosis, and possible treatments of this rare paraneoplastic endocrine complication.展开更多
Electric load forecasting has been a major area of research in the last decade since the production of accurate short-term forecasts for electricity loads has proven to be a key to success for many of the decision mak...Electric load forecasting has been a major area of research in the last decade since the production of accurate short-term forecasts for electricity loads has proven to be a key to success for many of the decision makers in the energy sector, from power generation to operation of the system. The objective of this research is to analyze the capacity of the MLP （multilayer perceptron neural network） versus SOM （self-organizing map neural network） for short-term load forecasting. The MLP is one of the most commonly used networks. It can be used for classification problems, model construction, series forecasting and discrete control. On the other hand, the SOM is a type of artificial neural network that is trained using unsupervised data to produce a low-dimensional, discretized representation of an input space of training samples in a cell map. Historical data of real global load demand were used for the research. Both neural models provide good prediction results, but the results obtained with the SOM maps are markedly better Also the main advantage of SOM maps is that they reach good results as a network unsupervised. It is much easier to train and interpret the results.展开更多
The promiscuous conjugation machinery of the Gram-negative plasmid RP4 has been reassembled in a minimized, highlytransmissible vector for propagating genetically encoded traits through diverse types of naturally occu...The promiscuous conjugation machinery of the Gram-negative plasmid RP4 has been reassembled in a minimized, highlytransmissible vector for propagating genetically encoded traits through diverse types of naturally occurring microbialcommunities. To this end, the whole of the RP4-encoded transfer determinants (tra, mob genes, and origin of transfer oriT)was excised from their natural context, minimized, and recreated in the form of a streamlined DNA segment borne by anautoselective replicon. The resulting constructs (the pMATING series) could be self-transferred through a variety ofprokaryotic and eukaryotic recipients employing such a rationally designed conjugal delivery device. Insertion of GFP reporterinto pMATING exposed the value of this genetic tool for delivering heterologous genes to both specific mating partners andcomplex consortia (e.g., plant/soil rhizosphere). The results accredited the effective and functional transfer of the recombinantplasmids to a diversity of hosts. Yet the inspection of factors that limit interspecies DNA transfer in such scenarios uncoveredtype VI secretion systems as one of the factual barriers that check otherwise high conjugal frequencies of tested RP4derivatives. We argue that the hereby presented programming of hyperpromiscuous gene transfer can become a phenomenalasset for the propagation of beneficial traits through various scales of the environmental microbiome.展开更多
Coronavirus(COVID-19)has impacted nearly every person across the globe either in terms of losses of life or as of lockdown.The current coronavirus(COVID-19)pandemic is a rare/special situation where people can express...Coronavirus(COVID-19)has impacted nearly every person across the globe either in terms of losses of life or as of lockdown.The current coronavirus(COVID-19)pandemic is a rare/special situation where people can express their feelings on Internet-based social networks.Social media is emerging as the biggest platform in recent years where people spend most of their time expressing themselves and their emotions.This research is based on gathering data from Twitter and analyzing the behavior of the people during the COVID-19 lockdown.The research is based on the logic expressed by people in this perspective and emotions for the suffering of COVID-19 and lockdown.In this research,we have used a Long Short-Term Memory(LSTM)network model with Convolutional Neural Network using Keras python deep-learning library to determine whether social media platform users are depressed in terms of positive,negative,or neutral emotional out bust based on their Twitter posts.The results showed that the model has 88.14%accuracy(representation of the correct prediction over the test dataset)after 10 epochs which most tweets showed had neutral polarity.The evaluation shows interesting results in positive(1),negative(–1),and neutral(0)emotions through different visualization.展开更多
In December 2019,a group of people in Wuhan city of Hubei province of China were found to be affected by an infection called dark etiology pneumonia.The outbreak of this pneumonia infection was declared a deadly disea...In December 2019,a group of people in Wuhan city of Hubei province of China were found to be affected by an infection called dark etiology pneumonia.The outbreak of this pneumonia infection was declared a deadly disease by the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention on January 9,2020,named Novel Coronavirus 2019(nCoV-2019).This nCoV-2019 is now known as COVID-19.There is a big list of infections of this coronavirus which is present in the form of a big family.This virus can cause several diseases that usually develop with a serious problem.According to the World Health Organization(WHO),2019-nCoV has been placed as the modern generation of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome(SARS)and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome(MERS)coronaviruses,so COVID-19 can repeatedly change its internal genome structure to extend its existence.Understanding and accurately predicting the mutational properties of the genome structure of COVID-19 can form a good leadership role in preventing and fighting against coronavirus.In this research paper,an analytical approach has been presented which is based on the k-means cluster technique of machine learning to find the clusters over the mutational properties of the COVID-19 viruses’complete genome.This method would be able to act as a promising tool to monitor and track pathogenic infections in their stable and local genetics/hereditary varieties.This paper identifies five main clusters of mutations with k=5 as best in most cases in the coronavirus that could help scientists and researchers develop disease control vaccines for the transformation of coronaviruses.展开更多
Aims Forest fragmentation and reduced tree population densities can poten-tially have negative impacts on mating patterns,offspring genetic diversity and reproductive performance.the aim of the present study is to tes...Aims Forest fragmentation and reduced tree population densities can poten-tially have negative impacts on mating patterns,offspring genetic diversity and reproductive performance.the aim of the present study is to test these hypotheses comparing an extremely fragmented,low tree density(~0.02 trees/ha)holm oak(Quercus ilex l.)stand from Central spain with a nearby high tree density stand(~50 trees/ha).Methods We genotyped adult trees and seeds from the low-density stand(436 seeds from 15 families)and the high-density stand(404 seeds from 11 families)using nine microsatellite markers.With these data,we performed paternity analyses,determined pollen flow,mating patterns and pollen pool structure,and estimated progeny genetic diversity in both stands.We also studied seed set and production and performed a pollen supplementation experiment to determine whether reduced tree density has limited foreign pollen availability.Important Findings We have found extensive pollen immigration(>75%)into the low tree density stand and monte Carlo simulations revealed that pollen moves larger distances than expected from null models of random dispersal.mating patterns and differentiation of pollen pools were similar in the high-density stand and the low-density stand but we found higher inter-annual differentiation of pollen pools in the for-mer.Progeny genetic diversity and self-fertilization rates did not dif-fer between the low-density stand and the high-density stand.seed set rates were significantly lower in the low-density stand than in the high-density stand and experimental cross-pollen supplementation evidenced that foreign pollen availability is indeed a limiting factor in the former.However,seed crops did not differ between the low-density stand and the high-density stand,indicating that limitation of foreign pollen is not likely to be of great concern in terms of reduced seed production and potential recruitment.Poor forest regeneration due to other ecological and human factors is probably a more important threat for the展开更多
This study was designed to examine relationships between climate and vegetation of the Pacific rim of North America, from the Mediterranean deserts of California to Alaska’s boreal taiga. Relations were inferred from...This study was designed to examine relationships between climate and vegetation of the Pacific rim of North America, from the Mediterranean deserts of California to Alaska’s boreal taiga. Relations were inferred from temperature and rainfall data recorded at 457 weather stations and by sampling the vegetation around these stations. Climate data were used to construct climatograms, calculate forty one variables and detect main latitudinal and longitudinal gradients. In order to identify the best functions able to relate our variables, polynomial and non-polynomial regressions were performed. The k-means algorithm was the clustering method used to validate the variables that could best support our bioclimatic classification. The variable that best fitted our classification was finally used to prepare a discriminatory key for bioclimates. Across this extensive area three macrobioclimates were identified, Mediterranean, Temperate and Bo- real, within which we were able to distinguish nine bioclimates. Finally, we relate the different types of potential natural vegetation to each of these bioclimates and describe their floristic composition and physiognomy.展开更多
文摘Background: Cardiac toxicity is currently defined as a symptomatic decrease in Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF) of more than 5% or an asymptomatic decrease of at least 10% to a value of under 50% in repeated evaluations on conventional transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE), as well as a Global Longitudinal Strain (GLS) value Aims: To highlight using GLS rather than modified Simpson 2D-LVEF for the evaluation of long-term cardiotoxicity. Case Presentation: The case concerns a 73-year-old female patient with a history of breast cancer chemotherapy and anthracyclines-based therapy who presented symptoms of late cardiac toxicity related to the chemotherapeutic treatment. In the following years, the patient remained asymptomatic with a 2D-LVEF of 48%, dilation of the left atrium was found, and the reservoir phase strain was severely decreased. Conclusion: The preferred method for evaluating cardiovascular complications associated with chemotherapy is the TTE, which is performed prior to the start of treatment, during therapy, and in the follow-up. Myocardial deformation as a predictor of cardiotoxicity allows the identification of subclinical heart failure.
文摘The interest in non-invasive brain stimulation techniques is increasing in recent years. Among these techniques, transcranial direct current stimulation(t DCS) has been the subject of great interest among researchers because of its easiness to use, low cost, benign profile of side effects and encouraging results of research in the field. This interest has generated several studies and randomized clinical trials, particularly in psychiatry. In this review, we provide a summary of the development of the technique and its mechanism of action as well as a review of the methodological aspects of randomized clinical trials in psychiatry, including studies in affective disorders, schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorder, child psychiatry and substance use disorder. Finally,we provide an overview of t DCS use in cognitive enhancement as well as a discussion regarding its clinical use and regulatory and ethical issues. Although many promising results regarding t DCS efficacy were described, the total number of studies is still low, highlighting the need of further studies aiming to replicate these findings in larger samples as to provide a definite picture regarding t DCS efficacy in psychiatry.
基金Professor Jakub Tolar from the University of Minnesota for donating S.gordonii,E.coli,and hBM-MSCs,respectively.The authors also acknowledge Neus BahíVives from Eurecat for technical assistance with the TGA/DTG analysis.This research was supported by the National Institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research of the National Institutes of Health[grant number R01DE026117 to C.A.,T90DE0227232 to N.G.F.],the National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences[Translational Research Development Program-TRDP award to Z.Y.from grant UL1TR002494],the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities[grant number 2042020kf0191 to X.Z.],the National Natural Science Foundation of China[grant number 81400506 to Y.Q.]and the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province[grant number 2018B030311040 to Y.Q.].NGF acknowledges support from a 3 M Science and Technology Fellowship.The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.Parts of this work were carried out in the University of Minnesota I.T.Characterization Facility,which receives partial support from NSF through the MRSEC program.Confocal laser scanning microscopy was performed at the University of Minnesota-University Imaging Center.
文摘Infection in hard tissue regeneration is a clinically-relevant challenge.Development of scaffolds with dual function for promoting bone/dental tissue growth and preventing bacterial infections is a critical need in the field.Here we fabricated hybrid scaffolds by intrafibrillar-mineralization of collagen using a biomimetic process and subsequently coating the scaffold with an antimicrobial designer peptide with cationic and amphipathic properties.The highly hydrophilic mineralized collagen scaffolds provided an ideal substrate to form a dense and stable coating of the antimicrobial peptides.The amount of hydroxyapatite in the mineralized fibers modulated the rheological behavior of the scaffolds with no influence on the amount of recruited peptides and the resulting increase in hydrophobicity.The developed scaffolds were potent by contact killing of Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Gram-positive Streptococcus gordonii as well as cytocompatible to human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells.The process of scaffold fabrication is versatile and can be used to control mineral load and/or intrafibrillar-mineralized scaffolds made of other biopolymers.
基金funded by the Junta de Castilla y Leon(Spain,project NANOCOMP-BU058P20)the Ministerio de Ciencia,Innovación y Universidades(Spain,project RTI2018–101987-B-I00)。
文摘Herein,the synthesis and characterization methods of natural deep eutectic solvents based on monoterpenoids have been presented.Low viscous fluids with suitable physicochemical properties are produced.The materials are non-toxic,biodegradable,and cost-effective.Thus,they can be used to develop sustainable solvents for various processes and can find their applications in various fields.A theoretical study based on quantum chemistry and classical molecular dynamics is used for the nanoscopic characterization of structure,dynamics,and hydrogen bonding.The reported results help analyze the properties of this new family of solvents.The required information for developing structure–property relationships for proper solvent design to form a sustainable chemistry framework is obtained.
基金supported by the projects PID2019-106650RBC21(Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación,MICINN,Spain)and 0011-1365-2018-000213/0011-1365-2018-000150(Government of Navarre,Spain).J.S.is recipient of a FPI doctoral fellowship(Grant:PRE2020-091907)from MICINN,Spain.J.L.Asupport from ICREA Academia,Generalitat de Catalunya,Spain.S.C.K.is supported by the Ramon y Cajal RYC-2019-027818-I research fellowship from MICINN,Spain.
文摘Wheat grain quality characteristics have experienced increasing attention as a central factor affecting wheat end-use products quality and human health.Nonetheless,in the last decades a reduction in grain quality has been observed.Therefore,it is central to develop efficient quality-related phenotyping tools.In this sense,one of the most relevant wheat features related to grain quality traits is grain nitrogen content,which is directly linked to grain protein content and monitorable with remote sensing approaches.Moreover,the relation between nitrogen fertilization and grain nitrogen content(protein)plays a central role in the sustainability of agriculture.Both aiming to develop efficient phenotyping tools using remote sensing instruments and to advance towards a field-level efficient and sustainable monitoring of grain nitrogen status,this paper studies the efficacy of various sensors,multispectral and visible red-greenblue(RGB),at different scales,ground and unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV),and phenological stages(anthesis and grain filling)to estimate grain nitrogen content.Linear models were calculated using vegetation indices at each sensing level,sensor type and phenological stage.Furthermore,this study explores the up-scalability of the best performing model to satellite level Sentinel-2 equivalent data.We found that models built at the phenological stage of anthesis with UAV-level multispectral cameras using red-edge bands outperformed grain nitrogen content estimation(R2=0.42,RMSE=0.18%)in comparison with those models built with RGB imagery at ground and aerial level,as well as with those built with widely used ground-level multispectral sensors.We also demonstrated the possibility to use UAV-built multispectral linear models at the satellite scale to determine grain nitrogen content effectively(R2=0.40,RMSE=0.29%)at actual wheat fields.
文摘Predicting biodiversity and dynamics of complex communities is a fundamental challenge in ecology.Leveraging bacterial microcosms with well-controlled laboratory conditions,Hu et al.recently performed a direct test of theory predicting that two community-level parameters(i.e.,species pool size and inter-species interaction strength)dictate transitions between three dynamical phases:stable full coexistence,stable partial coexistence,and persistent fluctuations.Generally,communities experience species extinctions before they lose stability as either of the two parameters increases.
文摘This paper describes and analyzes floristic, structural and conservation features of the shrubland occupied by Chersophilus duponti in the northwest corner of its world distribution range. This study relates the coverage, floristic composition with estimated lark density in the area. We identified four types of shrublands, three of them varied significantly in floristic composition for the habitats of this species in contrast with those of their world distribution: Cistus ladanifer scrubs;heaths dominated by Ericaceae, and scrubs dominated by the genera Lavandula, Thymus and Cytisus. The fourth type, dominated by aromatic chamaephytes and grass, fits descriptions of the bird’s typical habitat. The areas sampled are subject to different categories of threats, the most significant being the natural succession process due to the cessation of grazing, reforestation measures and the use of flat areas for farmlands or other uses. The density of larks in this area was directly related to coverage-composition of plant community.
文摘The objective of this study is to determine the auditory gain, quality of life, audiological benefits, in bone-anchored hearing device users (BAHA). It is a retrospective and concurrent evaluation of thirty patients fitted unilaterally and seven fitted bilaterally for at least six months. Patients were assessed with audiometric testing and application of Glasgow Benefit Inventory (GBI) and Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB). Regarding sound-field pure audiometry results, we found a statistically significant gain in all frequencies using the bone-anchored device. APHAB scores showed statistically significant subjective audiological gains in all subscales except for the aversiveness subscale. GBI mean scores for all items in both groups were all above 3, suggesting quality of life improvement in conductive and mixed hearing loss patients. BP100 users showed a greater clinical gain in the APHAB global score and subscales compared with Divino users. In conclusion the BAHA provides significant auditory gain, subjective audiological benefits and improves quality of life in all BAHA users. This study shows a significant clinical and statistical benefit of BAHA measured by audiometric testing and by the APHAB and GBI questionnaires.
基金Supported by the Andalusian Public Foundation for the Management of Health Research in Seville(FISEVI)
文摘AIM To assess the viability of orthotopic and heterotopic patient-derived pancreatic cancer xenografts implanted into nude mice.METHODS This study presents a prospective experimental analytical follow-up of the development of tumours in mice upon implantation of human pancreatic adenocarcinoma samples. Specimens were obtained surgically from patients with a pathological diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Tumour samples from pancreatic cancer patients were transplanted into nude mice in three different locations(intraperitoneal, subcutaneous and pancreatic). Histological analysis(haematoxylin-eosin and Masson's trichrome staining) and immunohistochemical assessment of apoptosis(TUNEL), proliferation(Ki-67), angiogenesis(CD31) and fibrogenesis(α-SMA) were performed. When a tumour xenograft reached the target size, it was reimplanted in a new nude mouse. Three sequential tumour xenograft generations were generated(F1, F2 and F3).RESULTS The overall tumour engraftment rate was 61.1%. The subcutaneous model was most effective in terms of tissue growth(69.9%), followed by intraperitoneal(57.6%) and pancreatic(55%) models. Tumour development was faster in the subcutaneous model(17.7 ± 2.6 wk) compared with the pancreatic(23.1 ± 2.3 wk) and intraperitoneal(25.0 ± 2.7 wk) models(P = 0.064). There was a progressive increase in the tumour engraftment rate over successive generations for all three models(F1 28.1% vs F2 71.4% vs F3 80.9%, P < 0.001). There were no significant differences in tumour xenograft differentiation and cell proliferation between human samples and the three experimental models among the sequential generations of tumour xenografts. However, a progressive decrease in fibrosis, fibrogenesis, tumour vascularisation and apoptosis was observed in the three experimental models compared with the human samples. All three pancreatic patient-derived xenograft models presented similar histological and immunohistochemical characteristics.CONCLUSION In our experience, the faster development andgreatest numb
基金Supported by CONACYT's program of Food Science and Technology(Grant No.CONACYT-CONAFOR-2008-91633)
文摘Objective:To study antifungal activity of a new ellagitannin isolated from the plant residues of Euphorbia antisyphilitica(E.antisyphilitica)Zucc in the wax extraction process.Methods:An extract was prepared from dehydrated and pulverized residues and fractionated by liquid chromatography on Amberilte XAD-16,until obtained an ellagitannin-rich ethanolic fraction which was treated by rotaevaporation to recover the ellagitannin as fine powder.An aqueous solution was prepared and treated through ionic exchange liquid chromatography(Q XL)and gel permeation chromatography(G 25).The ellagitannin-rich fraction was thermogravimetrically evaluated(TGA and DTA)to test the thermo-stability of ellagic acid(monomeric unit).Then ellagitannin powder was analyzed by infrared spectrospcopy to determinate the functional groups and.also mass spectroscopy was used to determine the molecular ion.Results:The principal functional groups of ellagitannin were determined,the molecular weight was 860.7 g/mol;and an effective antifungal activity against phytopathogenic fungi was demonstrated.Conclusions:It can be concluded that the new ellagitannin(860.7 g/mol)isolated from E.antisyphilitica Zucc is an effective antifungal agent against Alternaria alternata,Fusarium oxyzporum,Colletotrichum gloeosporoides and Rhizoctnia solani.
基金This work was supported by grants from the University of the Basque Country(UPV/EHU GIU 17/19)the Gangoiti Barrera Foundation(Basque Country).
文摘The renin angiotensin system(RAS)appears to influence male fertility at multiple levels.In this work,we analyzed the relationship between the RAS and DNA integrity.Fifty male volunteers were divided into two groups(25 each):control(DNA fragmentation≤20%)and pathological(DNA fragmentation>20%)cases.Activities of five peptidases controlling RAS were measured fluorometrically:prolyl endopeptidase(which converts angiotensin[A]I and A II to A 1–7),neutral endopeptidase(NEP/CD10:A I to A 1–7),aminopeptidase N(APN/CD13:A III to A IV),aminopeptidase A(A II to A III)and aminopeptidase B(A III to A IV).Angiotensin-converting enzyme(A I to A II),APN/CD13 and NEP/CD10 were also assessed by semiquantitative cytometry and quantitative flow cytometry assays,as were the receptors of all RAS components:A II receptor type 1(AT1R),A II receptor type 2(AT2R),A IV receptor(AT4R or insulin-regulated aminopeptidase[IRAP]),(pro)renin receptor(PRR)and A 1–7 receptor or Mas receptor(MasR)None of the enzymes that regulate levels of RAS components,except for APN/CD13(decrease in fragmented cells),showed significant differences between both groups.Micrographs of RAS receptors revealed no significant differences in immunolabeling patterns between normozoospermic and fragmented cells.Labeling of AT1R(94.3%normozoospermic vs 84.1%fragmented),AT4R(96.2%vs 95.3%)and MasR(97.4%vs 87.2%)was similar between the groups.AT2R(87.4%normozoospermic vs 63.1%fragmented)and PRR(96.4%vs 48.2%)were higher in non-fragmented spermatozoa.These findings suggest that fragmented DNA spermatozoa have a lower capacity to respond to bioactive RAS peptides.
基金supported by the Spanish project AGL201676527-R from the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad(MINECO,Spain)support of Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies(ICREA,Generalitat de Catalunya,Spain),through the ICREA Academia Program。
文摘This study evaluates the changes caused by breeding in the genotype by environment(G×E)interaction of the durum wheat varieties most widely cultivated in Spain after the Green Revolution.A set of 12 cultivars was tested in 27 environments,which are understood as the combination of different sites,years,and treatments(water regime and planting dates),representative of the durum wheat growing conditions in Spain with average grain yields(GY)ranging between 2.8 and 9.1 Mg ha^-1.The most important environmental factors affecting the G×E interaction for yield were themaximum and the mean temperature during the entire crop cycle.An improvement in genetic yield was observed in warm environments and under optimal water conditions that resemble those where the germplasm originated(essentially as advanced lines)before its release in Spain.Therefore,the adaptation of semi-dwarf durum in Spain has shown a tendency to specific adaptation rather than large-scale adaptation.Two different patterns of selection have been reported due the G×E interaction and changes in the ranking of genotypes:in the high yielding environments(GY>5 Mg ha^-1),plants favor increased water uptake,with higher levels of transpiration and more open stomata(more negative values of carbon isotope composition,δ^13 C,and higher canopy temperature depression,CTD),whereas,in low yielding environments(GY<5 Mg ha^-1)plants close their stomata and favor greater water use efficiency(less negativeδ^13 C values and lower CTD values).
文摘We review the case of a 74-year-old patient with ad-vanced colon cancer who suffered recurrent bouts of hypoglycemia. A state of inappropriate, non-suppressed hyperinsulinism in the presence of severe hypoglycemia was diagnosed. We finally discuss the known mecha-nisms behind fasting hypoglycemia in patients with ad-vanced cancer, the diagnosis, and possible treatments of this rare paraneoplastic endocrine complication.
文摘Electric load forecasting has been a major area of research in the last decade since the production of accurate short-term forecasts for electricity loads has proven to be a key to success for many of the decision makers in the energy sector, from power generation to operation of the system. The objective of this research is to analyze the capacity of the MLP （multilayer perceptron neural network） versus SOM （self-organizing map neural network） for short-term load forecasting. The MLP is one of the most commonly used networks. It can be used for classification problems, model construction, series forecasting and discrete control. On the other hand, the SOM is a type of artificial neural network that is trained using unsupervised data to produce a low-dimensional, discretized representation of an input space of training samples in a cell map. Historical data of real global load demand were used for the research. Both neural models provide good prediction results, but the results obtained with the SOM maps are markedly better Also the main advantage of SOM maps is that they reach good results as a network unsupervised. It is much easier to train and interpret the results.
基金The authors are indebted to Dr.Juan Carlos Alonso(CNBCSIC,Madrid,Spain)for providing plasmids pC194,pBT233,and pUB110 and for invaluable discussion to design the pSEVA3a2d1 and pSEVA2a2d1 shuttle vectorsDr.Morten Nørholm(Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability,Copenhagen,Denmark)helped to implement and apply the USER cloning system in the construction of the pSEVA3a2d1 shuttle vector+5 种基金Dr.Tom Ellis kindly provided the E.coliΔdapA strain used in this workThis work was funded by the SETH(RTI2018-095584-BC42 of MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/FEDER)SYCOLIM(ERA-COBIOTECH 2018-PCI2019-111859-2 of MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/EU)Projects of the Spanish Ministry of Science and TechnologyMADONNA(H2020-FET-OPEN-RIA-2017-1-766975),SYNBIO4FLAV(H2020-NMBP-TR-IND/H2020-NMBP-BIO-2018-814650)MIX-UP(MIX-UP H2020-BIO-CN-2019-870294)Contracts of the European UnionInGEMICS-CM(S2017/BMD-3691)and BIOSINT-CM(Y2020/TCS-6555)Projects of the Comunidad de Madrid-European Structural and Investment Funds(FSE,FECER).
文摘The promiscuous conjugation machinery of the Gram-negative plasmid RP4 has been reassembled in a minimized, highlytransmissible vector for propagating genetically encoded traits through diverse types of naturally occurring microbialcommunities. To this end, the whole of the RP4-encoded transfer determinants (tra, mob genes, and origin of transfer oriT)was excised from their natural context, minimized, and recreated in the form of a streamlined DNA segment borne by anautoselective replicon. The resulting constructs (the pMATING series) could be self-transferred through a variety ofprokaryotic and eukaryotic recipients employing such a rationally designed conjugal delivery device. Insertion of GFP reporterinto pMATING exposed the value of this genetic tool for delivering heterologous genes to both specific mating partners andcomplex consortia (e.g., plant/soil rhizosphere). The results accredited the effective and functional transfer of the recombinantplasmids to a diversity of hosts. Yet the inspection of factors that limit interspecies DNA transfer in such scenarios uncoveredtype VI secretion systems as one of the factual barriers that check otherwise high conjugal frequencies of tested RP4derivatives. We argue that the hereby presented programming of hyperpromiscuous gene transfer can become a phenomenalasset for the propagation of beneficial traits through various scales of the environmental microbiome.
基金This project was funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research(DSR),King Abdulaziz University,Jeddah,under Grant No.(D-209-830-1443).The authors,therefore,gratefully acknowledge DSR technical and financial support.
文摘Coronavirus(COVID-19)has impacted nearly every person across the globe either in terms of losses of life or as of lockdown.The current coronavirus(COVID-19)pandemic is a rare/special situation where people can express their feelings on Internet-based social networks.Social media is emerging as the biggest platform in recent years where people spend most of their time expressing themselves and their emotions.This research is based on gathering data from Twitter and analyzing the behavior of the people during the COVID-19 lockdown.The research is based on the logic expressed by people in this perspective and emotions for the suffering of COVID-19 and lockdown.In this research,we have used a Long Short-Term Memory(LSTM)network model with Convolutional Neural Network using Keras python deep-learning library to determine whether social media platform users are depressed in terms of positive,negative,or neutral emotional out bust based on their Twitter posts.The results showed that the model has 88.14%accuracy(representation of the correct prediction over the test dataset)after 10 epochs which most tweets showed had neutral polarity.The evaluation shows interesting results in positive(1),negative(–1),and neutral(0)emotions through different visualization.
基金This project was funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research(DSR),King Abdulaziz University,Jeddah,under Grant No.(D-111-611-1443)The authors,therefore,gratefully acknowledge DSR technical and financial support.
文摘In December 2019,a group of people in Wuhan city of Hubei province of China were found to be affected by an infection called dark etiology pneumonia.The outbreak of this pneumonia infection was declared a deadly disease by the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention on January 9,2020,named Novel Coronavirus 2019(nCoV-2019).This nCoV-2019 is now known as COVID-19.There is a big list of infections of this coronavirus which is present in the form of a big family.This virus can cause several diseases that usually develop with a serious problem.According to the World Health Organization(WHO),2019-nCoV has been placed as the modern generation of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome(SARS)and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome(MERS)coronaviruses,so COVID-19 can repeatedly change its internal genome structure to extend its existence.Understanding and accurately predicting the mutational properties of the genome structure of COVID-19 can form a good leadership role in preventing and fighting against coronavirus.In this research paper,an analytical approach has been presented which is based on the k-means cluster technique of machine learning to find the clusters over the mutational properties of the COVID-19 viruses’complete genome.This method would be able to act as a promising tool to monitor and track pathogenic infections in their stable and local genetics/hereditary varieties.This paper identifies five main clusters of mutations with k=5 as best in most cases in the coronavirus that could help scientists and researchers develop disease control vaccines for the transformation of coronaviruses.
基金Postdoctoral JAE-Doc(Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas)and Juan de la Cierva(Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad)contracts(to J.O.,R.B.and A.M.).Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha and European Social Fund(PII1C09-0256-9052)CONSOLIDER-MICINN(CSD2008-00040)Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación(CGL2008-00095/BOS).
文摘Aims Forest fragmentation and reduced tree population densities can poten-tially have negative impacts on mating patterns,offspring genetic diversity and reproductive performance.the aim of the present study is to test these hypotheses comparing an extremely fragmented,low tree density(~0.02 trees/ha)holm oak(Quercus ilex l.)stand from Central spain with a nearby high tree density stand(~50 trees/ha).Methods We genotyped adult trees and seeds from the low-density stand(436 seeds from 15 families)and the high-density stand(404 seeds from 11 families)using nine microsatellite markers.With these data,we performed paternity analyses,determined pollen flow,mating patterns and pollen pool structure,and estimated progeny genetic diversity in both stands.We also studied seed set and production and performed a pollen supplementation experiment to determine whether reduced tree density has limited foreign pollen availability.Important Findings We have found extensive pollen immigration(>75%)into the low tree density stand and monte Carlo simulations revealed that pollen moves larger distances than expected from null models of random dispersal.mating patterns and differentiation of pollen pools were similar in the high-density stand and the low-density stand but we found higher inter-annual differentiation of pollen pools in the for-mer.Progeny genetic diversity and self-fertilization rates did not dif-fer between the low-density stand and the high-density stand.seed set rates were significantly lower in the low-density stand than in the high-density stand and experimental cross-pollen supplementation evidenced that foreign pollen availability is indeed a limiting factor in the former.However,seed crops did not differ between the low-density stand and the high-density stand,indicating that limitation of foreign pollen is not likely to be of great concern in terms of reduced seed production and potential recruitment.Poor forest regeneration due to other ecological and human factors is probably a more important threat for the
基金supported by grants from the Franklin Institute of North American Studies(University of Al-calá).
文摘This study was designed to examine relationships between climate and vegetation of the Pacific rim of North America, from the Mediterranean deserts of California to Alaska’s boreal taiga. Relations were inferred from temperature and rainfall data recorded at 457 weather stations and by sampling the vegetation around these stations. Climate data were used to construct climatograms, calculate forty one variables and detect main latitudinal and longitudinal gradients. In order to identify the best functions able to relate our variables, polynomial and non-polynomial regressions were performed. The k-means algorithm was the clustering method used to validate the variables that could best support our bioclimatic classification. The variable that best fitted our classification was finally used to prepare a discriminatory key for bioclimates. Across this extensive area three macrobioclimates were identified, Mediterranean, Temperate and Bo- real, within which we were able to distinguish nine bioclimates. Finally, we relate the different types of potential natural vegetation to each of these bioclimates and describe their floristic composition and physiognomy.
