Publications by authors named "Ayala R"

Conscientious objection is a critical topic that has been sparsely discussed from a global health perspective, despite its special relevance to our inherently diverse field. In this Analysis paper, we argue that blanket prohibitions of a specific type of non-discriminatory conscientious objection are unjustified in the global health context. We begin both by introducing a nuanced account of conscience that is grounded in moral psychology and by providing an overview of discriminatory and non-discriminatory forms of objection.

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To date, the knowledge of bee diversity in the Baja California Peninsula has primarily relied on large, sporadic expeditions from the first half of the 20th century. To address the knowledge gaps, we conducted extensive fieldwork from 2019 to 2023, visited entomological collections in Mexico and USA, and accessed digital databases and community science platforms to compile records. As a result of our field surveys, we identified 521 morphospecies, with 350 recognized as valid species, including 96 new records for the Baja California Peninsula and 68 new findings for Mexico, including the rediscovery of Megachile seducta Mitchell, 1934, ranked as possibly extinct.

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Assessing plant-pollinator relationships often employs a snapshot approach to describe the complexity and dynamic involving species interactions. However, this framework overlooks the nuanced changes in species composition, their interactions, and the underlying drivers of such variations. This is particularly evident on less explored temporal scales, such as the dynamic decision-making processes occurring within hours throughout the day.

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  • Peru is a significant player in the coffee market, ranking as the ninth-largest producer and the leading exporter of organic coffee globally, with a focus on how fermentation affects flavor.
  • This study explored the diversity of bacterial communities during different fermentation durations in northern Peru using advanced genetic sequencing techniques, highlighting the critical role of specific acid-tolerant bacteria in enhancing coffee quality.
  • Results showed that longer fermentation periods positively influence the sensory attributes of coffee by promoting the production of various enzymes and volatile compounds, suggesting that these processes could lead to higher-quality beans and offer new biotechnological opportunities.
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On September 29, 2023, the Republic of Ecuador convened a meeting to address surgical system strengthening and urge political leaders to invest in surgical infrastructure. The meeting included experts in health diplomacy, innovative financing, implementation strategy and national surgical plans. The event occurred in parallel with the Sixtieth Directing Council of the Pan American Health Organization, Seventy-fifth session of the World Health Organization Regional Committee for the Americas.

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Poxviruses are double-stranded DNA viruses that represent the largest known highly pathogenic viruses infecting humans. They undergo dramatic morphological changes during their maturation process, resulting in structural differences between each virion, and their surface is decorated with more than a dozen randomly distributed surface proteins that facilitate viral entry. These are the main reasons poxviruses have eluded high-resolution structure determination.

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  • Since 2017, combining targeted therapies with traditional chemotherapy has led to better outcomes for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients.
  • A study of 5,359 AML patients over 20 years used data from the HARMONY Alliance to analyze treatment outcomes during four 5-year periods from 1997 to 2016.
  • Results show significant improvements in 5-year survival rates and reduced 60-day mortality (from 13.0% to 4.7%), even across different genetic risk groups, indicating that the advancements in treatment have positively affected patient outcomes.
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Background: Dosimetry in intraoperative electron radiotherapy (IOERT) poses distinct challenges, especially with inclined applicators deviating from international protocols. Ion recombination in ionization chambers, electron beam degradation due to scattering in cylindrical applicators, coupled with a lack of a well-defined beam quality surrogate, complicate output factor determination with ionization chambers. Synthetic diamond-based detectors, offer potential solutions; however, their suitability requires further exploration.

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Barriers to medical care include lack of proper infrastructure and equipment; however, cultural barriers to care and poorly perceived quality of care, especially surgical care, can also negatively impact a patient's utilization of healthcare services. This study used patient-survey data from three unique municipalities in Nicaragua to examine pre-hospital barriers to care, including previous experience with healthcare, and how those experiences impact patient perceptions of surgery and care-seeking behavior. Surveys were administered in Siuna, Rosita, and Bonanza, Nicaragua between July 2019 and September 2020.

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  • Self-care and empowerment in heart failure (HF) patients are crucial for better health outcomes, but there is limited information on their understanding of the condition and satisfaction with care.
  • A study involving 281 patients from 14 heart failure units revealed that patients had a good grasp of their condition, with an average knowledge score of 80.7%, although some gaps remain.
  • Despite these knowledge gaps, the majority of participants expressed high satisfaction with their care, with 98.2% likely to recommend the heart failure units to others.
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: Aortic dissection is still afflicted with significant morbidity and mortality. This research seeks to assess long-term outcomes and quality of life after emergency surgery for acute aortic dissection type A. : A total of 413 patients were analysed, who had been operated upon between 2000 and 2016 at our centre.

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Summary: The proliferation of biological sequence data, due to developments in molecular biology techniques, has led to the creation of numerous open access databases on gene and protein sequencing. However, the lack of direct equivalence between identifiers across these databases difficults data integration. To address this challenge, we introduce , an integrated R package facilitating the translation of gene and protein identifiers between databases.

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  • Most COVID-19 vaccines focus on the Spike protein, but mutations in the virus highlight the need for broader vaccine development.
  • The study uses mass spectrometry to identify immunopeptides from seven stable SARS-CoV-2 proteins, mapping their interactions with various Human Leukocyte Antigens (HLA) worldwide.
  • Out of 248 unique peptides found, over half are novel, and testing shows T cell responses to several peptides, which could help create improved COVID vaccines targeting multiple virus proteins.
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XPO1 (Exportin-1/CRM1) is a nuclear export protein that is frequently overexpressed in cancer and functions as a driver of oncogenesis. Currently small molecules that target XPO1 are being used in the clinic as anticancer agents. We identify XPO1 as a target for natural killer (NK) cells.

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Macroalgae are vital reservoirs for essential epibiotic microorganisms. Among these are growth-promoting bacteria that support the growth and healthy development of their host macroalgae, and these macroalgae can be utilized in agriculture as biostimulants, offering an alternative to traditional agrochemicals. However, to date, no comparative studies have been conducted on the functional profile and bacterial diversity associated with coastal macroalgae of Peru.

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This study discusses the importance of minimal residual disease (MRD) detection in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients using liquid biopsy and next-generation sequencing (NGS). AML prognosis is based on various factors, including genetic alterations. NGS has revealed the molecular complexity of AML and helped refine risk stratification and personalized therapies.

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Background: There are no studies assessing the evolution and patterns of genetic studies performed at diagnosis in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. Such studies could help to identify potential gaps in our present diagnostic practices, especially in the context of increasingly complex procedures and classifications.

Methods: The REALMOL study (NCT05541224) evaluated the evolution, patterns, and clinical impact of performing main genetic and molecular studies performed at diagnosis in 7285 adult AML patients included in the PETHEMA AML registry (NCT02607059) between 2000 and 2021.

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Many bird species commonly aggregate in flocks for reasons ranging from predator defense to navigation. Available evidence suggests that certain types of flocks-the V and echelon formations of large birds-may provide a benefit that reduces the aerodynamic cost of flight, whereas cluster flocks typical of smaller birds may increase flight costs. However, metabolic flight costs have not been directly measured in any of these group flight contexts [Zhang and Lauder, , jeb245617 (2023)].

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FLT3-ITD and NPM1 mutations are key to defining the genetic risk profile of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We aimed to assess the prognostic features of the FLT3-ITD and NPM1 mutations in old and/or unfit individuals with AML treated with non-intensive therapies in the era before azacitidine-venetoclax approbation. The results of various non-intensive regimens were also compared.

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Background: The aim of the research was to translate, culturally adapt and validate the Caring Behaviors Assessment (CBA) tool in Spain, ensuring its appropriateness in the Spanish cultural context.

Methods: Three-phase cross-cultural adaptation and validation study. Phase 1 involved the transculturation process, which included translation of the CBA tool from English to Spanish, back-translation, and refinement of the translated tool based on pilot testing and linguistic and cultural adjustments.

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