AIM:To test a strategy for endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD) training in animal models designed to overcome the initial learning curve.METHODS:ESD was attempted in ex vivo and in vivo pig models.Thirty ESD procedu...AIM:To test a strategy for endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD) training in animal models designed to overcome the initial learning curve.METHODS:ESD was attempted in ex vivo and in vivo pig models.Thirty ESD procedures were attempted in the esophagus(n=9) or the stomach(n=21).The ex vivo model was used until initial competence was achieved.In the in vivo model,several ESD procedures were performed in up to 3 sessions.The following variables were analyzed:specimen size,complete and en bloc resection rate,time for circumferential incision,time for submucosal dissection,total ESD duration,and complications.RESULTS:Complete resection was achieved in 28 cases(en bloc 27);2 could not be completed(one perforation,one technical diff iculty).The mean ± SD time for circumferential incision was 36.2±16.8 min(range:8-87 min),and the mean±SD time for submucosal dissection was 45.1±35.7 min(range:9-196 min).The mean±SD size of the resected specimens was 45.2±17.8 mm.The mean±SD total resection time was signif icantly increased for the gastric cases performed in the f irst half of the study(n=13) than in the second half(n=8)(98.9±62.4 min vs 61.7±17.6 min,P=0.04),although the specimen size did not differ.CONCLUSION:Training in animal models could help endoscopists overcome the learning curve before starting ESD in humans.展开更多
Spinal cord injury(SCI)is a devastating and disabling medical condition generally caused by a traumatic event(primary injury).This initial trauma is accompanied by a set of biological mechanisms directed to ameliorate...Spinal cord injury(SCI)is a devastating and disabling medical condition generally caused by a traumatic event(primary injury).This initial trauma is accompanied by a set of biological mechanisms directed to ameliorate neural damage but also exacerbate initial damage(secondary injury).The alterations that occur in the spinal cord have not only local but also systemic consequences and virtually all organs and tissues of the body incur important changes after SCI,explaining the progression and detrimental consequences related to this condition.Psychoneuroimmunoendocrinology(PNIE)is a growing area of research aiming to integrate and explore the interactions among the different systems that compose the human organism,considering the mind and the body as a whole.The initial traumatic event and the consequent neurological disruption trigger immune,endocrine,and multisystem dysfunction,which in turn affect the patient's psyche and well-being.In the present review,we will explore the most important local and systemic consequences of SCI from a PNIE perspective,defining the changes occurring in each system and how all these mechanisms are interconnected.Finally,potential clinical approaches derived from this knowledge will also be collectively presented with the aim to develop integrative therapies to maximize the clinical management of these patients.展开更多
In this study, a pilot wastewater treatment plant was used to evaluate the co-treatment of biological-staining residues and domestic wastewater under non-sterile conditions. A novel microbial consortia formed by Trame...In this study, a pilot wastewater treatment plant was used to evaluate the co-treatment of biological-staining residues and domestic wastewater under non-sterile conditions. A novel microbial consortia formed by Trametes versicolor, Trametes sp, Pleurotus ostreatus, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pseudomonas azotoformans, Pseudomonas sp, Enterobacter xianfangensis and Bacillus subtillis was inoculated in an extended aeration type bio-reactor. The treatment units were operated during three consecutive cycles during a period of 147 h. After the last operating cycle, the concentrations of Chemical Oxygen Demand, Biochemical Oxygen Demand, Color Units, Total suspended solids, and the pH value were 1695 mg/L, 105 mg/L, 106 CU, 5), 1367 (CU), 566 mg/L (TSS) and 7.0 (pH) respectively. The reduction of pollutants load was related with the ratio of the two types of wastewater (3.5:0.5) combined to increase biodegradability, the concentration of fungi and bacteria used in the consortia (30 × 103 - 55 × 106 CUF/mL Total Fungi and 70 × 107 - 83 × 108 CFU/mL of Total Bacteria) and ligninolytic enzymes production, Laccase (13 - 96 U/L), MnP (9.8 - 39 U/L) and LiP (0.3 - 5.3 U/L). The post-treated effluent was used as irrigation water. Lolium perenne plants were watered during 60 days with post-treated effluent. The results of root weight showed that there are significant differences between the initial water and the effluent obtained after the operational cycles (p = 0.00470). The highest root weights (1 - 1.12 g) were found in plants irrigated with water obtained from the last treatment cycle.展开更多
Drought is one of the major abiotic stresses often causing negative impacts on bean crops in the Andean region in Colombia. An experiment under the greenhouse conditions was carried out to assess the effect of a prolo...Drought is one of the major abiotic stresses often causing negative impacts on bean crops in the Andean region in Colombia. An experiment under the greenhouse conditions was carried out to assess the effect of a prolonged drought period(15 days) at two different phenological stages(vegetative or reproductive) on grain yield and yield components of five bush bean cultivars(ICA-Cerinza, Bachue, NUA35, Bianca, and Bacatá). Nine tolerance indices including stress susceptibility index(SSI), tolerance(TOL), mean productivity(MP), geometric mean productivity(GMP), stress tolerance index(STI), yield stability index(YSI), yield index(YI), Harmonic mean(HM), and drought sensitivity index(DSI) were calculated based on grain yield under non-stressed(YP) and drought(YS) conditions. Based on the different drought indices, genotypes ICA-Cerinza and NUA35 had the best performance under drought conditions in both studied phases, which reflected in a reduction of grain yield ~≤40%. The biplot analysis also showed a clear superiority of these two genotypes at both phenological stages. Results also showed that SSI was more effective to identify genotypes less affected by drought. The above results allowed us to conclude that ICA-Cerinza and NUA35 may be considered for agricultural areas where long periods of water deficit are expected and can be used in breeding programs for drought tolerance.展开更多
Domestication of cranberry and blueberry began in the United States in the early 1800s and 1900s,respectively,and in part owing to their f lavors and health-promoting benefits are now cultivated and consumed worldwide...Domestication of cranberry and blueberry began in the United States in the early 1800s and 1900s,respectively,and in part owing to their f lavors and health-promoting benefits are now cultivated and consumed worldwide.The industry continues to face a wide variety of production challenges(e.g.disease pressures),as well as a demand for higher-yielding cultivars with improved fruit quality characteristics.Unfortunately,molecular tools to help guide breeding efforts for these species have been relatively limited compared with those for other high-value crops.Here,we describe the construction and analysis of the first pangenome for both blueberry and cranberry.Our analysis of these pangenomes revealed both crops exhibit great genetic diversity,including the presence-absence variation of 48.4%genes in highbush blueberry and 47.0%genes in cranberry.Auxiliary genes,those not shared by all cultivars,are significantly enriched with molecular functions associated with disease resistance and the biosynthesis of specialized metabolites,including compounds previously associated with improving fruit quality traits.The discovery of thousands of genes,not present in the previous reference genomes for blueberry and cranberry,will serve as the basis of future research and as potential targets for future breeding efforts.The pangenome,as a multiple-sequence alignment,as well as individual annotated genomes,are publicly available for analysis on the Genome Database for Vaccinium-a curated and integrated web-based relational database.Lastly,the core-gene predictions from the pangenomes will serve useful to develop a community genotyping platform to guide future molecular breeding efforts across the family.展开更多
This paper presents an off-line integrated full ballast to supply a 35W assembly of Power LEDs. The proposed solution integrates an input PFC stage (a flyback converter operating in DCM) and a DC-DC output converter (...This paper presents an off-line integrated full ballast to supply a 35W assembly of Power LEDs. The proposed solution integrates an input PFC stage (a flyback converter operating in DCM) and a DC-DC output converter (a buck converter) into a single switch power stage, operating with peak current control. As it will be shown, this control scheme maintains the current through the load constant, regardless of the instantaneous value of the DC link voltage. This issue allows the use of a small capacitor for the DC link, which enhances the overall system reliability. The complete ballast has full dimming capability, and all the analysis and design steps are presented, thus ensuring the fulfilling of the existing regulations. The novelty of the final solution comes from the simplicity and robustness of the control scheme in an integrated compact single-switch power stage. A final prototype of the ballast has been built and tested, and experimental results are shown in the last part of the paper. Finally, conclusions and future developments are shown.展开更多
Recent studies on the preparation of porous nano-materials revealed that the use of kaurane diterpenoids molecules from steviol as biological template favors the obtaining of metallic oxides with tubular morphology as...Recent studies on the preparation of porous nano-materials revealed that the use of kaurane diterpenoids molecules from steviol as biological template favors the obtaining of metallic oxides with tubular morphology as nanorods or nanofibers. In this sense, the present contribution shows an analysis in order to understand how these glycosides of kaurane diterpenoids control the nucleation and growth of inorganic materials favoring the obtaining of these morphologies. For this purpose, it was necessary to carry out studies of the leaf aqueous extract of Stevia rebaudiana by HRTEM, FTIR and 1H-NMR.展开更多
AIM:To correlate circulating soluble ST2(sST2) levels with the severity of ulcerative colitis(UC) and serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines,and to demonstrate the predictive power of sST2 levels for differentiati...AIM:To correlate circulating soluble ST2(sST2) levels with the severity of ulcerative colitis(UC) and serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines,and to demonstrate the predictive power of sST2 levels for differentiation between active and inactive UC.METHODS:We recruited 153 patients:82 with UC,26 with Crohn's disease(CD) and 43 disease controls [non-inflammatory bowel disease(IBD)].Subjects were excluded if they had diagnosis of asthma,autoimmune diseases or hypertension.The serum levels of sST2 and pro-inflammatory cytokines [pg/mL;median(25th-75th)] as well as clinical features,endoscopic and histological features,were subjected to analyses.The sST2 performance for discrimination between active and inactive UC,non-IBD and healthy controls(HC) was determined with regard to sensitivity and specificity,and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient(r).To validate the method,the area under the curve(AUC) of receiver-operator characteristic(ROC) was determined(AUC,95% CI) and the total ST2 content of the colonic mucosa in UC patients was correlated with circulating levels of sST2.RESULTS:The serum sST2 value was significantly higher in patients with active [235.80(90.65-367.90) pg/mL] rather than inactive UC [33.19(20.04-65.32) pg/mL],based on clinical,endoscopic and histopathological characteristics,as well as compared with non-IBD and HC(P < 0.001).The median level of sST2 in CD patients was 54.17(35.02-122.0) pg/mL,significantly higher than that of the HC group only(P < 0.01).The cutoff was set at 74.87 pg/mL to compare active with inactive UC in a multicenter cohort of patients.Values of sensitivity,specificity,and ability to correctly classify UC,according to activity,were 83.33%,83.33% and 83.33%,respectively.The AUC of the ROC curve to assess the ability of this molecule to discriminate between active vs inactive UC was 0.92(0.86-0.97,P < 0.0001).The serum levels of sST2 in patients with UC significantly correlated with endoscopic and histo-pathological scores(r = 0.76 and r = 0.67,P < 0.0001,respectively),and 展开更多
Endogenous endophthalmitis is a rare condition with a poor long-term visual prognosis and significant mortality, often associated with the hematogenous spread of intravitreal infections and subsequent disruption of th...Endogenous endophthalmitis is a rare condition with a poor long-term visual prognosis and significant mortality, often associated with the hematogenous spread of intravitreal infections and subsequent disruption of the blood-ocular barrier. Its anatomical proximity to the central nervous system (CNS) poses a high risk of infection dissemination, although cases documented in the literature are rare, and endogenous endophthalmitis is typically described as secondary to neuroinfections. We report the case of an 82-year-old female patient with a history of hypertension who presented with fever, decreased visual acuity, severe headache, chemosis, and conjunctival injection. Endogenous endophthalmitis was diagnosed, and antimicrobial treatment was initiated alongside surgical intervention by the ophthalmology service. However, the patient’s condition worsened neurologically, and Streptococcus pneumoniae was identified in cerebrospinal fluid cultures. Despite intensive medical treatment, the patient’s clinical course was poor, leading to death.展开更多
Inflammatory bowel diseases(IBDs),such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease,are chronic pathologies associated with a deregulated immune response in the intestinal mucosa,and they are triggered by environment...Inflammatory bowel diseases(IBDs),such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease,are chronic pathologies associated with a deregulated immune response in the intestinal mucosa,and they are triggered by environmental factors in genetically susceptible individuals.Exogenous glucocorticoids(GCs)are widely used as anti-inflammatory therapy in IBDs.In the past,patients with moderate or severe states of inflammation received GCs as a first line therapy with an important effectiveness in terms of reduction of the disease activity and the induction of remission.However,this treatment often results in detrimental side effects.This downside drove the development of second generation GCs and more precise(non-systemic)drugdelivery methods.Recent clinical trials show that most of these new treatments have similar effectiveness to first generation GCs with fewer adverse effects.The remaining challenge in successful treatment of IBDs concerns the refractoriness and dependency that some patients encounter during GCs treatment.A deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying GC response is key to personalizing drug choice for IBDs patients to optimize their response to treatment.In this review,we examine the clinical characteristics of treatment with GCs,followed by an in depth analysis of the proposed molecular mechanisms involved in its resistance and dependence associated with IBDs.This thorough analysis of current clinical and biomedical literature may help guide physicians in determining a course of treatment for IBDs patients and identifies important areas needing further study.展开更多
Upper eyelid blepharoplasty is one of the most frequently performed surgeries by plastic surgeons worldwide. A prospective observational study was conducted to describe the anthropometric measurements of the upper eye...Upper eyelid blepharoplasty is one of the most frequently performed surgeries by plastic surgeons worldwide. A prospective observational study was conducted to describe the anthropometric measurements of the upper eyelid and eyebrow in a Mexican population. The researcher measured the anthropometry of the eyelids and eyebrows to establish the diagnosis and surgical plan according to the checklist created and applied by the plastic and reconstructive surgery service. In anatomical position with a caliper instrument, the marginal reflex distance (MRD1), the tarsal thickness, the length of the vertical and horizontal slit, and finally the distance at which the external canthus is located with respect to the internal canthus were measured in millimeters. For the anthropometry of the eyebrows, the distance from the eyebrows to the hairline, the position in millimeters of the orbital rim with respect to the eyebrow, and the angle of its apex were measured. A sample of 210 patients was obtained, of which 65 were male and 145 females, divided by age groups. It was observed that in the three age groups, females presented a vertical palpebral fissure with a higher mean than males. Similar is the case of tarsal thickness, in which the difference was significantly greater in the female of the three age groups. On the other hand, it was observed that the horizontal slit in males was higher than that of females, while the MDR1 was similar in both sexes. Finally, it was identified that in the group of 41 to 50 years old significant decreases are observed both in the vertical cleft, tarsal thickness and the position of the external canthus compared to the group of 20 to 30 years old, this is due to the aging process. When evaluating the anthropometrics of the eyebrows, a greater distance from the trichion to the eyebrow was observed in males than in females, in contrast to the position of the eyebrow with respect to the supraorbital rim and its apex, in which it was shown that in females there is a greater distance. In the other展开更多
In the European Mediterranean area, the lack of available water resources had led to consider the reclaimed urban waters as an integral part of water resources. Reclaimed urban waters could mitigate water shortage, su...In the European Mediterranean area, the lack of available water resources had led to consider the reclaimed urban waters as an integral part of water resources. Reclaimed urban waters could mitigate water shortage, support agriculture sector and protect rivers and groundwater resources. This work is focused on the evaluation of reclaimed urban water (RW) from Algarrobo municipality, which is located in the Málaga province in the Mediterranean coast at South-East of Spain. Wastewater in the municipal waste water treatment plant, was treated by a membrane bioreactor (MBR) as a tertiary treatment. The main goal of this work was to determine the composition of RW to be compared with fresh local water (LW) from the Algarrobo River, in order to evaluate its suitability for irrigation. Electrical conductivity (EC), pH, sodium absorption ratio (SAR), and mineral content were weekly measured from September 2017 until June 2018. Assessment of RW quality was carried out considering the limit values for each parameter as stated by the current Spanish legislation RD 1620/2007 for reuse of reclaimed water and European Directive for water reuse (EU 91/271/EEC, Annex I). The MBR facility was also focused on preserving essential minerals for plant nutrition to use them for crop fertilization instead of commercial fertilizers. The average content of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium were, respectively, 72%, 65% and 46% of the amount needed for the Hoagland 1/4 strength solution that was used in this study for irrigation of tomato, avocado and mango crops. From this study it appears that it is possible using membrane technology, to treat urban wastewater in order to supply a good quality of water for irrigation. Water analysis has also proved MBR to be efficient for removal of microbiological pollutants, inorganic compounds, some trace elements and heavy metals. The assessment of RW shows that the evaluated parameters of water-quality are within the range of values stated by Spanish legislation and the current European Directive展开更多
One of the major causes of congenital hypophosphatemic rickets is the X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets (XHR), due to a defect on PHEX gene. The XHR increases the renal elimination of phosphate, that condition leads a...One of the major causes of congenital hypophosphatemic rickets is the X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets (XHR), due to a defect on PHEX gene. The XHR increases the renal elimination of phosphate, that condition leads a defective mineralization of bones and also affects the growth in children. Clinical diagnosis should be suspected in children with signs of rickets and hypophosphatemia with normal calcium levels. We describe clinical characteristics and genetic results of four patients diagnosed and treated in our Nephrology Section. All patients have a “de novo” XHR as none familiars are affected. Early diagnosis should be suspected before the bone deformities have been submitted and the growth would have been impaired.展开更多
This paper shows that the multiplicity of the base point locus of a projective rational surface parametrization can be expressed as the degree of the content of a univariate resultant.As a consequence,we get a new pro...This paper shows that the multiplicity of the base point locus of a projective rational surface parametrization can be expressed as the degree of the content of a univariate resultant.As a consequence,we get a new proof of the degree formula relating the degree of the surface,the degree of the parametrization,the base point multiplicity and the degree of the rational map induced by the parametrization.In addition,we extend both formulas to the case of dominant rational maps of the projective plane and describe how the base point loci of a parametrization and its reparametrizations are related.As an application of these results,we explore how the degree of a surface reparametrization is affected by the presence of base points.展开更多
基金Supported by (in part) A grant from Education, Culture and Sports Council, Government of the Canary Islands ("Consejería de Educación, Cultura y Deportes, Gobierno de Canarias") (PI2002/138)the Health Institute Carlos Ⅲ ("Instituto de Salud Carlos Ⅲ") (C03/02)
文摘AIM:To test a strategy for endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD) training in animal models designed to overcome the initial learning curve.METHODS:ESD was attempted in ex vivo and in vivo pig models.Thirty ESD procedures were attempted in the esophagus(n=9) or the stomach(n=21).The ex vivo model was used until initial competence was achieved.In the in vivo model,several ESD procedures were performed in up to 3 sessions.The following variables were analyzed:specimen size,complete and en bloc resection rate,time for circumferential incision,time for submucosal dissection,total ESD duration,and complications.RESULTS:Complete resection was achieved in 28 cases(en bloc 27);2 could not be completed(one perforation,one technical diff iculty).The mean ± SD time for circumferential incision was 36.2±16.8 min(range:8-87 min),and the mean±SD time for submucosal dissection was 45.1±35.7 min(range:9-196 min).The mean±SD size of the resected specimens was 45.2±17.8 mm.The mean±SD total resection time was signif icantly increased for the gastric cases performed in the f irst half of the study(n=13) than in the second half(n=8)(98.9±62.4 min vs 61.7±17.6 min,P=0.04),although the specimen size did not differ.CONCLUSION:Training in animal models could help endoscopists overcome the learning curve before starting ESD in humans.
基金funded by grants from the Fondo de Investigacion de la Seguridad Social(Spain)(FIS PI-14/01935)the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnologia+4 种基金Instituto de Salud Carlos III(PI051871,CIBERehd)the Spanish Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad(SAF2017-86343-R)the Comunidad de Madrid(P2022/BMD-7321)HALEKULANY S.L.PROACAPITAL and MJR.
文摘Spinal cord injury(SCI)is a devastating and disabling medical condition generally caused by a traumatic event(primary injury).This initial trauma is accompanied by a set of biological mechanisms directed to ameliorate neural damage but also exacerbate initial damage(secondary injury).The alterations that occur in the spinal cord have not only local but also systemic consequences and virtually all organs and tissues of the body incur important changes after SCI,explaining the progression and detrimental consequences related to this condition.Psychoneuroimmunoendocrinology(PNIE)is a growing area of research aiming to integrate and explore the interactions among the different systems that compose the human organism,considering the mind and the body as a whole.The initial traumatic event and the consequent neurological disruption trigger immune,endocrine,and multisystem dysfunction,which in turn affect the patient's psyche and well-being.In the present review,we will explore the most important local and systemic consequences of SCI from a PNIE perspective,defining the changes occurring in each system and how all these mechanisms are interconnected.Finally,potential clinical approaches derived from this knowledge will also be collectively presented with the aim to develop integrative therapies to maximize the clinical management of these patients.
文摘In this study, a pilot wastewater treatment plant was used to evaluate the co-treatment of biological-staining residues and domestic wastewater under non-sterile conditions. A novel microbial consortia formed by Trametes versicolor, Trametes sp, Pleurotus ostreatus, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pseudomonas azotoformans, Pseudomonas sp, Enterobacter xianfangensis and Bacillus subtillis was inoculated in an extended aeration type bio-reactor. The treatment units were operated during three consecutive cycles during a period of 147 h. After the last operating cycle, the concentrations of Chemical Oxygen Demand, Biochemical Oxygen Demand, Color Units, Total suspended solids, and the pH value were 1695 mg/L, 105 mg/L, 106 CU, 5), 1367 (CU), 566 mg/L (TSS) and 7.0 (pH) respectively. The reduction of pollutants load was related with the ratio of the two types of wastewater (3.5:0.5) combined to increase biodegradability, the concentration of fungi and bacteria used in the consortia (30 × 103 - 55 × 106 CUF/mL Total Fungi and 70 × 107 - 83 × 108 CFU/mL of Total Bacteria) and ligninolytic enzymes production, Laccase (13 - 96 U/L), MnP (9.8 - 39 U/L) and LiP (0.3 - 5.3 U/L). The post-treated effluent was used as irrigation water. Lolium perenne plants were watered during 60 days with post-treated effluent. The results of root weight showed that there are significant differences between the initial water and the effluent obtained after the operational cycles (p = 0.00470). The highest root weights (1 - 1.12 g) were found in plants irrigated with water obtained from the last treatment cycle.
文摘Drought is one of the major abiotic stresses often causing negative impacts on bean crops in the Andean region in Colombia. An experiment under the greenhouse conditions was carried out to assess the effect of a prolonged drought period(15 days) at two different phenological stages(vegetative or reproductive) on grain yield and yield components of five bush bean cultivars(ICA-Cerinza, Bachue, NUA35, Bianca, and Bacatá). Nine tolerance indices including stress susceptibility index(SSI), tolerance(TOL), mean productivity(MP), geometric mean productivity(GMP), stress tolerance index(STI), yield stability index(YSI), yield index(YI), Harmonic mean(HM), and drought sensitivity index(DSI) were calculated based on grain yield under non-stressed(YP) and drought(YS) conditions. Based on the different drought indices, genotypes ICA-Cerinza and NUA35 had the best performance under drought conditions in both studied phases, which reflected in a reduction of grain yield ~≤40%. The biplot analysis also showed a clear superiority of these two genotypes at both phenological stages. Results also showed that SSI was more effective to identify genotypes less affected by drought. The above results allowed us to conclude that ICA-Cerinza and NUA35 may be considered for agricultural areas where long periods of water deficit are expected and can be used in breeding programs for drought tolerance.
基金supported by Michigan State University AgBioResearch,Michigan State University Institute for Cyber-Enabled Research,NIH 5T32GM110523-10,NSF NRT-HDR 1828149 USDANIFA HATCH MICL02742,USDA-NIFA AFRI 1015241,and USDANIFA SCRI award 2019-51181-30015supported in part by the National Science Foundation Research Traineeship Program(DGE-1828149)to M.J.
文摘Domestication of cranberry and blueberry began in the United States in the early 1800s and 1900s,respectively,and in part owing to their f lavors and health-promoting benefits are now cultivated and consumed worldwide.The industry continues to face a wide variety of production challenges(e.g.disease pressures),as well as a demand for higher-yielding cultivars with improved fruit quality characteristics.Unfortunately,molecular tools to help guide breeding efforts for these species have been relatively limited compared with those for other high-value crops.Here,we describe the construction and analysis of the first pangenome for both blueberry and cranberry.Our analysis of these pangenomes revealed both crops exhibit great genetic diversity,including the presence-absence variation of 48.4%genes in highbush blueberry and 47.0%genes in cranberry.Auxiliary genes,those not shared by all cultivars,are significantly enriched with molecular functions associated with disease resistance and the biosynthesis of specialized metabolites,including compounds previously associated with improving fruit quality traits.The discovery of thousands of genes,not present in the previous reference genomes for blueberry and cranberry,will serve as the basis of future research and as potential targets for future breeding efforts.The pangenome,as a multiple-sequence alignment,as well as individual annotated genomes,are publicly available for analysis on the Genome Database for Vaccinium-a curated and integrated web-based relational database.Lastly,the core-gene predictions from the pangenomes will serve useful to develop a community genotyping platform to guide future molecular breeding efforts across the family.
文摘This paper presents an off-line integrated full ballast to supply a 35W assembly of Power LEDs. The proposed solution integrates an input PFC stage (a flyback converter operating in DCM) and a DC-DC output converter (a buck converter) into a single switch power stage, operating with peak current control. As it will be shown, this control scheme maintains the current through the load constant, regardless of the instantaneous value of the DC link voltage. This issue allows the use of a small capacitor for the DC link, which enhances the overall system reliability. The complete ballast has full dimming capability, and all the analysis and design steps are presented, thus ensuring the fulfilling of the existing regulations. The novelty of the final solution comes from the simplicity and robustness of the control scheme in an integrated compact single-switch power stage. A final prototype of the ballast has been built and tested, and experimental results are shown in the last part of the paper. Finally, conclusions and future developments are shown.
基金the Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Cientificas(IVIC)project 1077 for financial support and Lic.Liz Cubillan for FTIR analysis.
文摘Recent studies on the preparation of porous nano-materials revealed that the use of kaurane diterpenoids molecules from steviol as biological template favors the obtaining of metallic oxides with tubular morphology as nanorods or nanofibers. In this sense, the present contribution shows an analysis in order to understand how these glycosides of kaurane diterpenoids control the nucleation and growth of inorganic materials favoring the obtaining of these morphologies. For this purpose, it was necessary to carry out studies of the leaf aqueous extract of Stevia rebaudiana by HRTEM, FTIR and 1H-NMR.
基金Supported by FONDECYT grant 1070954 and DA-CLC 2803
文摘AIM:To correlate circulating soluble ST2(sST2) levels with the severity of ulcerative colitis(UC) and serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines,and to demonstrate the predictive power of sST2 levels for differentiation between active and inactive UC.METHODS:We recruited 153 patients:82 with UC,26 with Crohn's disease(CD) and 43 disease controls [non-inflammatory bowel disease(IBD)].Subjects were excluded if they had diagnosis of asthma,autoimmune diseases or hypertension.The serum levels of sST2 and pro-inflammatory cytokines [pg/mL;median(25th-75th)] as well as clinical features,endoscopic and histological features,were subjected to analyses.The sST2 performance for discrimination between active and inactive UC,non-IBD and healthy controls(HC) was determined with regard to sensitivity and specificity,and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient(r).To validate the method,the area under the curve(AUC) of receiver-operator characteristic(ROC) was determined(AUC,95% CI) and the total ST2 content of the colonic mucosa in UC patients was correlated with circulating levels of sST2.RESULTS:The serum sST2 value was significantly higher in patients with active [235.80(90.65-367.90) pg/mL] rather than inactive UC [33.19(20.04-65.32) pg/mL],based on clinical,endoscopic and histopathological characteristics,as well as compared with non-IBD and HC(P < 0.001).The median level of sST2 in CD patients was 54.17(35.02-122.0) pg/mL,significantly higher than that of the HC group only(P < 0.01).The cutoff was set at 74.87 pg/mL to compare active with inactive UC in a multicenter cohort of patients.Values of sensitivity,specificity,and ability to correctly classify UC,according to activity,were 83.33%,83.33% and 83.33%,respectively.The AUC of the ROC curve to assess the ability of this molecule to discriminate between active vs inactive UC was 0.92(0.86-0.97,P < 0.0001).The serum levels of sST2 in patients with UC significantly correlated with endoscopic and histo-pathological scores(r = 0.76 and r = 0.67,P < 0.0001,respectively),and
文摘Endogenous endophthalmitis is a rare condition with a poor long-term visual prognosis and significant mortality, often associated with the hematogenous spread of intravitreal infections and subsequent disruption of the blood-ocular barrier. Its anatomical proximity to the central nervous system (CNS) poses a high risk of infection dissemination, although cases documented in the literature are rare, and endogenous endophthalmitis is typically described as secondary to neuroinfections. We report the case of an 82-year-old female patient with a history of hypertension who presented with fever, decreased visual acuity, severe headache, chemosis, and conjunctival injection. Endogenous endophthalmitis was diagnosed, and antimicrobial treatment was initiated alongside surgical intervention by the ophthalmology service. However, the patient’s condition worsened neurologically, and Streptococcus pneumoniae was identified in cerebrospinal fluid cultures. Despite intensive medical treatment, the patient’s clinical course was poor, leading to death.
基金Supported by National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development No.1170648(MHR)Clínica Las Condes Academic Project PI2013-B002,UApoya No.560959(RQ)National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research scholarship No.21150264(DDJ),No.21120682(MOM),MECESUP Scholarship No.UCH 0714(KDC)
文摘Inflammatory bowel diseases(IBDs),such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease,are chronic pathologies associated with a deregulated immune response in the intestinal mucosa,and they are triggered by environmental factors in genetically susceptible individuals.Exogenous glucocorticoids(GCs)are widely used as anti-inflammatory therapy in IBDs.In the past,patients with moderate or severe states of inflammation received GCs as a first line therapy with an important effectiveness in terms of reduction of the disease activity and the induction of remission.However,this treatment often results in detrimental side effects.This downside drove the development of second generation GCs and more precise(non-systemic)drugdelivery methods.Recent clinical trials show that most of these new treatments have similar effectiveness to first generation GCs with fewer adverse effects.The remaining challenge in successful treatment of IBDs concerns the refractoriness and dependency that some patients encounter during GCs treatment.A deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying GC response is key to personalizing drug choice for IBDs patients to optimize their response to treatment.In this review,we examine the clinical characteristics of treatment with GCs,followed by an in depth analysis of the proposed molecular mechanisms involved in its resistance and dependence associated with IBDs.This thorough analysis of current clinical and biomedical literature may help guide physicians in determining a course of treatment for IBDs patients and identifies important areas needing further study.
文摘Upper eyelid blepharoplasty is one of the most frequently performed surgeries by plastic surgeons worldwide. A prospective observational study was conducted to describe the anthropometric measurements of the upper eyelid and eyebrow in a Mexican population. The researcher measured the anthropometry of the eyelids and eyebrows to establish the diagnosis and surgical plan according to the checklist created and applied by the plastic and reconstructive surgery service. In anatomical position with a caliper instrument, the marginal reflex distance (MRD1), the tarsal thickness, the length of the vertical and horizontal slit, and finally the distance at which the external canthus is located with respect to the internal canthus were measured in millimeters. For the anthropometry of the eyebrows, the distance from the eyebrows to the hairline, the position in millimeters of the orbital rim with respect to the eyebrow, and the angle of its apex were measured. A sample of 210 patients was obtained, of which 65 were male and 145 females, divided by age groups. It was observed that in the three age groups, females presented a vertical palpebral fissure with a higher mean than males. Similar is the case of tarsal thickness, in which the difference was significantly greater in the female of the three age groups. On the other hand, it was observed that the horizontal slit in males was higher than that of females, while the MDR1 was similar in both sexes. Finally, it was identified that in the group of 41 to 50 years old significant decreases are observed both in the vertical cleft, tarsal thickness and the position of the external canthus compared to the group of 20 to 30 years old, this is due to the aging process. When evaluating the anthropometrics of the eyebrows, a greater distance from the trichion to the eyebrow was observed in males than in females, in contrast to the position of the eyebrow with respect to the supraorbital rim and its apex, in which it was shown that in females there is a greater distance. In the other
基金supported by the Horizon 2020 EU program,as a part of the RichWater project,FTIPilot-1-2015 GA number 691402.
文摘In the European Mediterranean area, the lack of available water resources had led to consider the reclaimed urban waters as an integral part of water resources. Reclaimed urban waters could mitigate water shortage, support agriculture sector and protect rivers and groundwater resources. This work is focused on the evaluation of reclaimed urban water (RW) from Algarrobo municipality, which is located in the Málaga province in the Mediterranean coast at South-East of Spain. Wastewater in the municipal waste water treatment plant, was treated by a membrane bioreactor (MBR) as a tertiary treatment. The main goal of this work was to determine the composition of RW to be compared with fresh local water (LW) from the Algarrobo River, in order to evaluate its suitability for irrigation. Electrical conductivity (EC), pH, sodium absorption ratio (SAR), and mineral content were weekly measured from September 2017 until June 2018. Assessment of RW quality was carried out considering the limit values for each parameter as stated by the current Spanish legislation RD 1620/2007 for reuse of reclaimed water and European Directive for water reuse (EU 91/271/EEC, Annex I). The MBR facility was also focused on preserving essential minerals for plant nutrition to use them for crop fertilization instead of commercial fertilizers. The average content of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium were, respectively, 72%, 65% and 46% of the amount needed for the Hoagland 1/4 strength solution that was used in this study for irrigation of tomato, avocado and mango crops. From this study it appears that it is possible using membrane technology, to treat urban wastewater in order to supply a good quality of water for irrigation. Water analysis has also proved MBR to be efficient for removal of microbiological pollutants, inorganic compounds, some trace elements and heavy metals. The assessment of RW shows that the evaluated parameters of water-quality are within the range of values stated by Spanish legislation and the current European Directive
文摘AIM: To compare the need for infliximab dose intensification in two cohorts of patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC).
文摘One of the major causes of congenital hypophosphatemic rickets is the X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets (XHR), due to a defect on PHEX gene. The XHR increases the renal elimination of phosphate, that condition leads a defective mineralization of bones and also affects the growth in children. Clinical diagnosis should be suspected in children with signs of rickets and hypophosphatemia with normal calcium levels. We describe clinical characteristics and genetic results of four patients diagnosed and treated in our Nephrology Section. All patients have a “de novo” XHR as none familiars are affected. Early diagnosis should be suspected before the bone deformities have been submitted and the growth would have been impaired.
基金partially supported by FEDER/Ministerio de Ciencia,Innovación y Universidades-Agencia Estatal de Investigación/MTM2017-88796-P(Symbolic Computation:new challenges in Algebra and Geometry together with its applications)。
文摘This paper shows that the multiplicity of the base point locus of a projective rational surface parametrization can be expressed as the degree of the content of a univariate resultant.As a consequence,we get a new proof of the degree formula relating the degree of the surface,the degree of the parametrization,the base point multiplicity and the degree of the rational map induced by the parametrization.In addition,we extend both formulas to the case of dominant rational maps of the projective plane and describe how the base point loci of a parametrization and its reparametrizations are related.As an application of these results,we explore how the degree of a surface reparametrization is affected by the presence of base points.
