Mesoscale eddy in situ observation and characterization via underwater glider and complex network theory.

Mesoscale eddies have attracted increased attention due to their central role in ocean energy and mass transport. The observations of their three-dimensional structure will facilitate the understanding of nonlinear eddy dynamics. In this paper, we propose a novel framework, the mesoscale eddy characterization from ordinal modalities recurrence networks method (MeC-OMRN), that utilizes a Petrel-II underwater glider for in situ observations and vertical structure characterization of a moving mesoscale eddy in the northern South China Sea.

Noble-Metal-Free High-Entropy Alloy Nanoparticles for Efficient Solar-Driven Photocatalytic CO Reduction.

Metal nanoparticle (NP) cocatalysts are widely investigated for their ability to enhance the performance of photocatalytic materials; however, their practical application is often limited by the inherent instability under light irradiation. This challenge has catalyzed interest in exploring high-entropy alloys (HEAs), which, with their increased entropy and lower Gibbs free energy, provide superior stability. In this study, 3.

Higher cortical excitability to negative emotions involved in musculoskeletal pain in Parkinson's disease.

Objective: Changes in brain structure and neurotransmitter systems are involved in pain in Parkinson's disease (PD), and emotional factors are closely related to pain. Our study applied electroencephalography (EEG) to investigate the role of emotion in PD patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain.

Methods: Forty-two PD patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain and 38 without were enrolled.

Nanobodies against SARS-CoV-2 reduced virus load in the brain of challenged mice and neutralized Wuhan, Delta and Omicron Variants.

In this work, we developed llama-derived nanobodies (Nbs) directed to the receptor binding domain (RBD) and other domains of the Spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2. Nanobodies were selected after the biopanning of two VHH-libraries, one of which was generated after the immunization of a llama () with the bovine coronavirus (BCoV) Mebus, and another with the full-length pre-fused locked S protein (S-2P) and the RBD from the SARS-CoV-2 Wuhan strain (WT). Most of the neutralizing Nbs selected with either RBD or S-2P from SARS-CoV-2 were directed to RBD and were able to block S-2P/ACE2 interaction.

Pyogenic liver abscesses in liver transplant recipients versus non-transplant population. Outcome and risk factors of patient survival.

Pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) is a life-threatening infection in both liver transplant (LT) and non-LT patients. Several risk factors, such as benign and malignant hepatopancreatobiliary diseases and colorectal tumors have been associated with PLA in the non-LT population, and hepatic artery stricture/thrombosis, biliary stricture, and hepaticojejunostomy in the LT patients. The objective of this study is to compare the outcomes of patients with PLA in LT and non-LT patients and to determine the risk factors associated with patient survival.

Brief Research Report: Virus-Specific Humoral Immunity at Admission Predicts the Development of Respiratory Failure in Unvaccinated SARS-CoV-2 Patients.

Introduction: There is robust evidence indicating that the SARS-CoV-2-specific humoral response is associated with protection against severe disease. However, relatively little data exist regarding how the humoral immune response at the time of hospital admission correlates with disease severity in unimmunized patients. Our goal was toidentify variables of the humoral response that could potentially serve as prognostic markers for COVID-19 progressionin unvaccinated SARS-CoV-2 patients.

Effects of perfluorooctanoic acid in oxidative stress generation, DNA damage in cumulus cells, and its impact on in vitro maturation of porcine oocytes.

Perfluorooctanoic acid is a synthetic compound mostly used in a wide range of consumer products with several adverse effects on somatic cells and gametes. It has been linked to hepatotoxic and carcinogenic effects, alterations in the immune system, endocrine, and reproductive alterations. In vivo studies show an increase in reactive oxygen species and DNA damage.

Four Distinct Cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Adults Associated With SARS-CoV-2 Infection at a Community Hospital in New Jersey.

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS) is a rare entity that usually presents with a constellation of symptoms such as fever, hypotension, gastrointestinal symptoms, cardiac dysfunction, or dermatological involvement, representing an inflammatory state. During the ongoing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, several cases of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) have been described in the literature. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has acknowledged the increasing incidence of the same entity in adults, referred to as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in adults (MIS-A).

Challenges and Opportunities for Recycled Polyethylene Fishing Nets: Towards a Circular Economy.

Plastic waste generation has become an important problem that critically affects marine and oceans environments. Fishing nets gear usually have a relatively short lifespan, and are abandoned, discarded and lost, what makes them one of the largest generators of ocean plastic waste. Recycled polyolefin resins from fishing nets (rFN), especially from polyethylene (PE), have poor properties due to the presence of contaminants and/or excessive degradation after its lifetime.

Quantifying the Comprehensive Characteristics of Inclusion-Induced Defects Using an Integrated Destructive and Non-Destructive Method.

Driven by the continuous improvement of the mechanical properties, especially the fatigue property of the high-strength steels, it is particularly important to characterize the type, size, and distribution of inclusions and the critical inclusions in the steel matrix, as they are decisive for the fatigue life performance. This paper presents an integrated approach for the comprehensive characterization of the inclusions in metals by combining the advantages of destructive methods based on metallography and non-destructive testing methods using ultrasonic detection technology. The position and size of inclusions were obtained by scanning ultrasonic microscope, and the composition and micro-image of inclusions were further analyzed by scanning electron microscope.

Fungal colonization associated with phenological stages of a photosynthetic terrestrial temperate orchid from the Southern Iberian Peninsula.

Fungal endophytes, both mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal, are involved in the development of the life cycle of orchids, providing potential beneficial relationships. Here, we assess the succession of changes in the diversity of fungal symbionts associated with a terrestrial temperate orchid species, Anacamptis morio subsp. champagneuxii, over three phenological stages: developed leaves but no stem elongation, flowering, and fruiting.

Quinolones Modulate Ghrelin Receptor Signaling: Potential for a Novel Small Molecule Scaffold in the Treatment of Cachexia.

Cachexia is a metabolic wasting disorder characterized by progressive weight loss, muscle atrophy, fatigue, weakness, and appetite loss. Cachexia is associated with almost all major chronic illnesses including cancer, heart failure, obstructive pulmonary disease, and kidney disease and significantly impedes treatment outcome and therapy tolerance, reducing physical function and increasing mortality. Current cachexia treatments are limited and new pharmacological strategies are needed.

An open access database for the evaluation of heart sound algorithms.

In the past few decades, analysis of heart sound signals (i.e. the phonocardiogram or PCG), especially for automated heart sound segmentation and classification, has been widely studied and has been reported to have the potential value to detect pathology accurately in clinical applications.

Influence of cytomegalovirus infection in the development of cardiac allograft vasculopathy after heart transplantation.

Background: Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is a major cause of long-term morbidity and mortality after heart transplantation (HTx), whose relationship with CMV infection is uncertain. This study evaluated the influence of CMV infection in the development of CAV.

Methods: We enrolled 166 consecutive HTx recipients who underwent their first transplant from January 1995 to July 2002.

Protein and amino acid composition of select wild legume species of tribe Fabeae.

The nutritional characteristics of seed proteins of 50 Spanish wild taxa of Lathyrus, Lens, Pisum and Vicia have been compared. The highest average protein richness and the in vitro protein digestibility have been observed in the genus Vicia and Lens, respectively, whereas the genus Pisum showed the lowest protein-digestibility corrected amino acid score. Using the K-means algorithm three clearly distinguished groups of taxa have been established in relation to their essential amino acid contents, protein richness, digestibility and nutritional parameters.

Influence of temperature and regeneration cycles on Hg capture and efficiency by structured Au/C regenerable sorbents.

The objective of this work is to evaluate a novel regenerable sorbent for mercury capture based on gold nanoparticles supported on a honeycomb structured carbon monolith. A new methodology for gold nanoparticles deposition onto carbon monolith support has been developed to obtain an Au sorbent based on the direct reduction of a gold salt onto the carbon material. For comparison purposes, colloidal gold method was also used to obtain Au/C sorbents.

Laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal inguinal hernia repair: twenty-seven serious complications after 4565 consecutive operations.

Objective: To identify and assess the complications of laparoscopic inguinal hernia treatment with totally extraperitoneal mesh placement (TEP).

Methods: We included patients who had undergone the TEP procedure in a consecutive series of 4565 laparoscopic hernia repairs between January 2001 and January 2011. Inclusion criteria were diagnosis with symptomatic inguinal hernia, including recurrence after inguinal hernia repair and previous surgery in the lower abdomen and pelvis.

[Laparoscopic treatment of acute gastric volvulus].

Introduction: Gastric volvulus is an uncommon clinical condition and is associated with type ii-iii hiatal hernias. Its acute presentation constitutes a surgical emergency. Despite its low frequency, results of laparoscopic treatment have already been published.

A non-compulsory stewardship programme for the management of antifungals in a university-affiliated hospital.

Antimicrobial stewardship programmes promote excellence in the use of antimicrobials by selecting the appropriate antimicrobial agent and the correct dose, route of administration and duration of treatment. However, there is limited experience with such programmes targeting antifungal treatments. We present the results of a non-compulsory programme for the control of antifungals.

Nutritional characteristics of seed proteins in 28 Vicia species (Fabaceae) from Southern Spain.

The study of local plants could provide useful data for the possible development of future crops with good nutritional and functional properties. The nutritional characteristics of the seed proteins of 28 Vicia species (31 taxa) (Fabaceae) from Spain were studied. Protein contents in studied Vicia ranged from 20.

Tail-end Hg capture on Au/carbon-monolith regenerable sorbents.

In this work, a regenerable sorbent for Hg retention based on carbon supported Au nanoparticles has been developed and tested. Honeycomb structures were chosen in order to avoid pressure drop and particle entrainment in a fixed bed. Carbon-based supports were selected in order to easily modify the surface chemistry to favour the Au dispersion.

Humoral and in vivo cellular immunity against the raw insect-derived recombinant Leishmania infantum antigens KMPII, TRYP, LACK, and papLe22 in dogs from an endemic area.

Leishmania infantum causes visceral leishmaniasis, a severe zoonotic and systemic disease that is fatal if left untreated. Identification of the antigens involved in Leishmania-specific protective immune response is a research priority for the development of effective control measures. For this purpose, we evaluated, in 27 dogs from an enzootic zone, specific humoral and cellular immune response by delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) skin test both against total L.

[Notification of an adverse effect to human albumin (⁹⁹m)Tc-nanocolloid].

Allergic reactions to albumin nanocolloid are rare. Most of them are not potentially serious and in some cases treatment with antihistamines may be needed. We present a case of a patient with grade II right breast ductal carcinoma, in whom a lymphoscintigraphy was performed for sentinel lymph node detection.

Systematic screening and treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria in renal transplant recipients.

We sought to examine the impact of asymptomatic bacteriuria on renal transplant outcome by retrospectively analyzing 189 renal transplant recipients for whom systematic screening uncovered 298 episodes of asymptomatic bacteriuria in 96 recipients. These patients were treated and all were followed for 36 months. Significant risk factors included female gender, glomerulonephritis as the disease that led to transplantation, and double renal transplant.