Dye sensitized solar cells: Meta-analysis of effect sensitizer-type on photovoltaic efficiency.

Since Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) was created, a versatile and cost-effective alternative among photovoltaic technology options for power generation and energy transition to combat climate change have emerged. The theoretical and experimental knowledge of DSSCs have increased in regard to their operation in the last three decades of development; it includes the device's components, as well as the most recent innovations in their application and forms of activation. In this work paper, we presented a meta-study of photovoltaic characterization parameters, 329 scientific reports of DSSCs were considered to compare three types of sensitizers (Organometallics, non-metal organic dyes and, natural dyes).

An integrated methodological framework for the validation and verification of clinical testing by qRT-PCR.

This paper outlines a practical method for validating quantitative-qualitative techniques used to detect genetic material through qRT-PCR, specifically focusing on SARS-CoV-2 testing and adhering to ISO/IEC 17025:2018 accreditation standards. Despite the prevalence of quantitative-qualitative screening in genetic testing, comprehensive validation guidelines remain a notable gap in the field. Such guidelines could be applied to other molecular testing areas that rely on these techniques, particularly those involving sample handling, automated extraction, and amplification processes, which can significantly impact results.

Prevalence and Sociodemographic Factors Associated with Overweight and Obesity Among Adults in Colombia: A Pooled Analysis.

Given the increased prevalence of overweight and obesity in adults in Colombia, estimating the effect of sociodemographic factors on overweight and obesity is crucial for creating and implementing public health policies. A pooled analysis was performed using a multinomial logistic regression model through Colombian Nutritional Situation Surveys held in 2010 and 2015. The study included Colombian adults between 18 and 64 years old (n = 162,119).

Factors associated with clinical alterations in patients diagnosed with HIV.

Background: In recent years, the life expectancy of HIV patients has increased due to the introduction and development of antiretroviral therapies. However, although it has become a chronic pathology, the patients present a higher metabolic, hepatic, and renal risk and a greater aging than the general population.

Objective: To identify the main factors associated with clinical alterations in patients with HIV.

Review - Insect farming for food and feed in the Global South: Focus on black soldier fly production.

Clear differences exist between the Global South and the Global North with respect to economic development. The majority of small and medium-sized insect production farms are located in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, which face challenges to food production and organic waste management in general. These regions have a long history of insect use, as well as environmental advantages, making production of insects in general - and the black soldier fly in particular - a promising option for sustainable food production and organic waste management.

Experience with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support in Latin America between 2016 and 2020.

Objective: To document the experience with ECMO therapy in healthcare institutions across Latin America between 2016 and 2020.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Private and public health institutions from 7 countries.

Endometriosis and risk of depression among oral contraceptive users: a pooled analysis of cohort studies from 13 countries.

Study Question: Does endometriosis affect the mental health of women using oral contraceptives?

Summary Answer: Among oral contraceptive users, women with endometriosis have a higher risk of depression compared to those without endometriosis, although the absolute risk increase is small.

What Is Known Already: Previous studies have suggested a potential link between endometriosis and mental health issues, but the impact of endometriosis on depression among oral contraceptive users remains unclear.

Study Design, Size, Duration: A secondary pooled cohort study utilizing data from two longitudinal patient-centric studies (INAS-VIPOS and PRO-E2) was conducted across 11 European countries, Colombia and Australia.

[Post-COVID-19 Functional status scale: Concordance between evaluator-administered versus self-assessed version in patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome].

Introduction: Patients diagnosed with COVID-19 may present sequelae which are called Post COVID-19 Syndrome or Long COVID in which physical, psychological and/or social complications are evident. The objective of this study was to evaluate the agreement of the Post-COVID-19 Functional Status Scale (PCFS) of the evaluator-administered version vs patient self-assessed in post-COVID-19 patients.

Methods: Observational study in patients diagnosed with COVID-19 with subsequent recovery.

Cost Analysis of Epilepsy Healthcare in Adults: A Direct Cost Estimate From a Colombian Perspective.

Objectives: To estimate the direct healthcare costs related to outpatient care and hospital stays for adults with epilepsy in the context of the Colombian healthcare system.

Methods: A cost analysis was conducted from a base case, which included direct medical costs related to diagnosis, follow-up, pharmacological and surgical treatment, and in-hospital care for status epilepticus. A Delphi panel was carried out to identify and quantify cost-generating events.

NPC2, a seminal plasma protein with membrane cholesterol-binding ability, influences the cryotolerance and functionality of spermatozoa from Chino Santandereano bulls.

Despite Latin America's rich biodiversity, active genetic material conservation programs are scarce. This study investigates potential freezability markers in both sperm and seminal plasma (SP) in Chino Santandereano, a Colombian Creole breed. Thirty ejaculates from ten Chino Santandereano bulls were cryopreserved and subsequently classified as of good (GFE) or poor (PFE) freezability according to their post-thaw total sperm motility (TMOT) and plasma membrane integrity (PMI).

Validity of the MED4CHILD tool for assessing adherence to the Mediterranean diet in preschool children.

Unlabelled: Most of the available tools to assess adherence to Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) were constructed for adults, having limited applicability to children and adolescents. The aim of this study is to validate a specific questionnaire to assess adherence to MedDiet in children aged 3 to 6 years (MED4CHILD questionnaire). The validation was performed in a baseline examination of a cohort of children who were recruited in schools in seven cities.

REM obstructive sleep apnea: prevalence and clinical associations in a high-altitude population.

Study Objectives: REM-associated OSA (REM OSA) has a prevalence of 17-74% of all OSA cases. At high altitude and in Latin America, there are no data on REM OSA and its relationship to daytime sleepiness and comorbidities. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of REM OSA and the differences in clinical and polysomnographic characteristics between OSA and REM OSA in a population living at 2640 m.

A Bibliometric Review of Brain-Computer Interfaces in Motor Imagery and Steady-State Visually Evoked Potentials for Applications in Rehabilitation and Robotics.

In this paper, a bibliometric review is conducted on brain-computer interfaces (BCI) in non-invasive paradigms like motor imagery (MI) and steady-state visually evoked potentials (SSVEP) for applications in rehabilitation and robotics. An exploratory and descriptive approach is used in the analysis. Computational tools such as the biblioshiny application for R-Bibliometrix and VOSViewer are employed to generate data on years, sources, authors, affiliation, country, documents, co-author, co-citation, and co-occurrence.

Pancreaticobiliary Maljunction and Its Relationship with Biliary Cancer: An Updated and Comprehensive Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on Behalf of TROGSS-The Robotic Global Surgical Society.

Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the degree to which pancreaticobiliary maljunction (PBM) increases the risk of different types of biliary cancer (BC).

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were carried out using the following databases: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, and Science Direct. We systematically searched from inception to April 2024.

Depression and Accelerated Aging: The Eveningness Chronotype and Low Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet Are Associated with Depressive Symptoms in Older Subjects.

Background And Objectives: Depression often results in premature aging, which increases the risk of other chronic diseases, but very few studies have analyzed the association between epigenetic biomarkers of aging and depressive symptoms. Similarly, limited research has examined the joint effects of adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) and chronotype on depressive symptoms, accounting for sex differences. Therefore, these are the objectives of our investigation in a Mediterranean population at high cardiovascular risk.

Study of Corrosion of Portland Cement Embedded Steel with Addition of Multi-Wall Carbon Nanotubes.

In this study, we research the innovative application of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as corrosion inhibitors in Portland cement embedded steel. The physicochemical properties of the dispersion solutions were evaluated, varying the storage time, to analyze their effect on corrosion resistance. Using a dispersion energy of 440 J/g and a constant molarity of 10 mM, stable dispersions were achieved for up to 3 weeks.

Resonant and Non-Resonant Impurity States Related to GaAs/AlGaAs Quantum Well Sub-Bands.

The energy positions and wave function shapes of the ground and excited states of impurities, including resonance states, are studied using the expansion of the impurity wave function in basis functions. The structures under study are rectangular GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells with four different widths. In all cases, the impurity binding energy (relative to the corresponding sub-band) has a maximum at or near the center of the quantum well, decreases as the heterointerface is approached, and apparently has a limit of 0 if the impurity moves deeper into the barrier.

Synchronous Analysis of Speech Production and Lips Movement to Detect Parkinson's Disease Using Deep Learning Methods.

Background/objectives: Parkinson's disease (PD) affects more than 6 million people worldwide. Its accurate diagnosis and monitoring are key factors to reduce its economic burden. Typical approaches consider either speech signals or video recordings of the face to automatically model abnormal patterns in PD patients.

Standardizing and Classifying Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries: An International Multicenter Study Using a Mobile Application.

: This international multicenter study aimed to assess the effectiveness of the Pivot-Shift Meter (PSM) mobile application in diagnosing and classifying anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, emphasizing the need for standardization to improve diagnostic precision and treatment outcomes. : ACL evaluations were conducted by eight experienced orthopedic surgeons across five Latin American countries (Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Mexico). The PSM app utilized smartphone gyroscopes and accelerometers to standardize the pivot-shift test.

Polymeric Coatings with Electrolyzed Acidic Water: A Novel Approach to Extending Egg Shelf Life and Quality.

Electrolyzed acidic water (EAW) contains hypochlorous acid as its active compound, which is a potent antimicrobial. It was encapsulated in polymeric coatings and applied to the surface of eggs. The antimicrobial activity and the ability to extend the shelf life of eggs at ambient temperature for 45 days were evaluated, by physical, microbiological, and sensory analyses.

Biorefining Brazilian Green Propolis: An Eco-Friendly Approach Based on a Sequential High-Pressure Extraction for Recovering High-Added-Value Compounds.

Propolis is a valuable natural resource for extracting various beneficial compounds. This study explores a sustainable extraction approach for Brazilian green propolis. First, supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) process parameters were optimized (co-solvent: 21.

Pre-operative antibiotics in patients with acute mild cholecystitis undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy: is it really useful? A systematic review.

Background: Empirical antibiotic therapy is often initiated during the hospital stay while awaiting laparoscopic cholecystectomy. This approach is generally justified in patients with moderate (Tokyo II) and severe (Tokyo III) acute cholecystitis, where organ dysfunction occurs as a result of the inflammatory or infectious process. However, there is no clear consensus regarding the use of antibiotics in patients with mild (Tokyo I) cholecystitis.