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OBJECTIVE: To systematically review and evaluate the efficacy of eating disorder focused family therapy (FT-ED) in comparison to all other forms of psychotherapy for children and adolescents with anorexia nervosa. A secondary aim is to assess the relative efficacy of different variations of FT-ED (e.g., shorter vs. longer dose, parent-focused). METHODS: A search with relevant terms was systematically conducted on four databases. Twenty-three publications across 18 randomized controlled trials met inclusion criteria. Outcomes of interest included variables related to weight, eating psychopathology, and remission status. Study quality was assessed, and data were extracted by two independent researchers. RESULTS: Adolescents receiving FT-ED gained significantly more weight by the end of treatment in comparison to those receiving individual psychotherapy. FT-ED that was delivered just to parents or to parents and child separately offered preferable weight outcomes and rates of recovery at the end of treatment in comparison to conjoint FT-ED. No other outcomes tested in the meta-analysis were statistically significant at the end of treatment or follow-up. DISCUSSION: Currently available data suggest the use of FT-ED in its conjoint or separated/parent focused format is the best outpatient treatment option for adolescents with anorexia nervosa when immediate weight gain is paramount. The variability of outcome measurement, including the tools used and timepoints chosen, limit comparison among no more than a handful of studies. The field would benefit from the standardization of measurement and reporting guidelines for future clinical trials. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO number: CRD42023396263.
OBJETIVO: Revisar y evaluar sistemáticamente la eficacia de la terapia familiar centrada en el trastorno de conducta alimentaria (TFTCA; FTED por sus siglas en inglés) en comparación con todas las demás formas de psicoterapia para niños y adolescentes que padecen anorexia nerviosa. Un objetivo secundario es evaluar la eficacia relativa de diferentes variaciones de la TFTCA (por ejemplo, dosis más corta vs. más larga, centrada en los padres). MÉTODOS: Se realizó una búsqueda sistemática con términos relevantes en cuatro bases de datos. Veintitrés publicaciones de 18 ensayos controlados aleatorios cumplieron con los criterios de inclusión. Los resultados de interés incluyeron variables relacionadas con el peso, la psicopatología alimentaria y el estado de remisión. La calidad del estudio fue evaluada y los datos fueron extraídos por dos investigadores independientes. RESULTADOS: Los adolescentes que recibieron TFTCA ganaron significativamente más peso al final del tratamiento en comparación con aquellos que recibieron psicoterapia individual. La TFTCA que se administró solo a los padres o a padres e hijos por separado ofreció mejores resultados en el peso y tasas de recuperación al final del tratamiento en comparación con la TFTCA conjunta. Ningún otro resultado probado en el metaanálisis fue estadísticamente significativo al final del tratamiento o durante el seguimiento. DISCUSIÓN: Los datos disponibles actualmente sugieren que el uso de la TFTCA en su formato conjunto o separado/centrado en los padres es la mejor opción de tratamiento ambulatorio para adolescentes que padecen anorexia nerviosa cuando la ganancia de peso inmediata es primordial. La variabilidad en la medición de los resultados, incluyendo las herramientas utilizadas y los puntos temporales elegidos, limita la comparación entre no más de un puñado de estudios. El campo se beneficiaría de la estandarización de la medición y las directrices de reporte para futuros ensayos clínicos.
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The Diósi-Penrose model states that the wave function collapse ending a quantum superposition occurs due to the instability of coexisting gravitational potentials created by distinct geometric conformations of the system in different states. The Heisenberg time-energy principle can be invoked to estimate the collapse time for the energy associated with this instability, the gravitational self-energy. This paper develops atomistic models to calculate the Diósi-Penrose collapse time. It applies them to a range of systems, from small molecules to large biological structures and macroscopic systems. An experiment is suggested to test the Diósi-Penrose hypothesis, and we critically examine the model, highlighting challenges from an atomistic perspective, such as gravitational self-energy saturation and limited extensivity.
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Tuberculosis (TB) is a potentially fatal infectious disease that, in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ), inequitably affects Asian, Pacific, Middle Eastern, Latin American, and African (MELAA), and Maori people. Medical research involving genome sequencing of TB samples enables more nuanced understanding of disease strains and their transmission. This could inform highly specific health interventions. However, the collection and management of TB isolate samples for research are currently informed by monocultural biomedical models often lacking key ethical considerations. Drawing on a qualitative kaupapa Maori-consistent study, this paper reports on preliminary discussions with groups of Maori, Pacific, and Afghan people in NZ, whose communities have been harmed by TB and TB stigma. Participants' discussions highlight key concerns and meanings that ought to inform the development of guidelines and a more robust consultative process for the governance of how TB isolate samples are collected and used both retrospectively and in future research. We argue for ethical processes to be culturally nuanced and community-generated, flexible and meaningful, and situated in relation to the physical and symbolic effects of TB. We discuss the significance of Indigenous data sovereignty, rights, and kawanatanga (governorship) in shaping a multicultural data sovereignty model.
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This study aimed to estimate genetic parameters for feeding behavior (FB) traits and to assess their genetic relationship with performance traits in group-housed broilers. In total, 99,472,151 visits were recorded for 95,711 birds between 2017 and 2022 using electronic feeders. The visits were first clustered into 2,667,617 daily observations for ten FB traits: daily feed intake (DFI), daily number of visits (NVIS), time spent at the feeders (TSF), number of visited feeders (NVF), visiting activity interval (VAI), feeding rate (FR), daily number of meals (NMEAL), average intake per meal (INTMEAL), number of visits per meal (VISMEAL) and interval between meals (MEALIVL). All FB traits were then considered as the average per bird across the feeding test period. Three growth traits (body weight at the start - SBW and at the end of the feeding test - FBW, and weight gain over the test period - BWG), and 2 feed efficiency (FE) traits (Feed Conversion Rate - FCR and Residual Feed Intake - RFI) were also recorded. The (co)variance components were estimated using multitrait animal mixed models. For growth and FE, the heritability (h2) estimates were moderate, ranging from 0.20 ± 0.01 (BWG) to 0.32 ± 0.02 (RFI). Overall, the h2 estimates for FB traits were higher than for productive traits, ranging from 0.31 ± 0.01 (DFI) to 0.56 ± 0.02 (TSF). DFI presented high genetic correlations (0.53-0.86) with all performance traits. Conversely, the remaining FB traits presented null to moderate genetic correlations with these traits, ranging from -0.38 to 0.42 for growth traits and between -0.14 and 0.25 for FE traits. Genetic selection for favorable feeding behavior is expected to exhibit a fast genetic response. The results suggest that it is possible to consider different feeding strategies without compromising the genetic progress of FE. Conversely, breeding strategies prioritizing a higher bird activity might result in lighter broiler lines in the long term, given the negative genetic correlations between visit-related traits (NV, NVF, and NMEAL) and growth traits (SBW and FBW).
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Pollos , Conducta Alimentaria , Animales , Pollos/genética , Pollos/fisiología , Pollos/crecimiento & desarrollo , Masculino , Crianza de Animales Domésticos/métodos , Vivienda para Animales , FemeninoRESUMEN
Genomic selection (GS) offers a promising opportunity for selecting more efficient animals to use consumed energy for maintenance and growth functions, impacting profitability and environmental sustainability. Here, we compared the prediction accuracy of multi-layer neural network (MLNN) and support vector regression (SVR) against single-trait (STGBLUP), multi-trait genomic best linear unbiased prediction (MTGBLUP), and Bayesian regression (BayesA, BayesB, BayesC, BRR, and BLasso) for feed efficiency (FE) traits. FE-related traits were measured in 1156 Nellore cattle from an experimental breeding program genotyped for ~ 300 K markers after quality control. Prediction accuracy (Acc) was evaluated using a forward validation splitting the dataset based on birth year, considering the phenotypes adjusted for the fixed effects and covariates as pseudo-phenotypes. The MLNN and SVR approaches were trained by randomly splitting the training population into fivefold to select the best hyperparameters. The results show that the machine learning methods (MLNN and SVR) and MTGBLUP outperformed STGBLUP and the Bayesian regression approaches, increasing the Acc by approximately 8.9%, 14.6%, and 13.7% using MLNN, SVR, and MTGBLUP, respectively. Acc for SVR and MTGBLUP were slightly different, ranging from 0.62 to 0.69 and 0.62 to 0.68, respectively, with empirically unbiased for both models (0.97 and 1.09). Our results indicated that SVR and MTGBLUBP approaches were more accurate in predicting FE-related traits than Bayesian regression and STGBLUP and seemed competitive for GS of complex phenotypes with various degrees of inheritance.
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Benchmarking , Polimorfismo de Nucleótido Simple , Bovinos/genética , Animales , Teorema de Bayes , Modelos Genéticos , Fenotipo , Genómica/métodos , GenotipoRESUMEN
The dynamics of competing opinions in social network plays an important role in society, with many applications in diverse social contexts such as consensus, election, morality, and so on. Here, we study a model of interacting agents connected in networks in order to analyze their decision stochastic process. We consider a first-neighbor interaction between agents in a one-dimensional network with the shape of ring topology. Moreover, some agents are also connected to a hub, or master node, who has preferential choice or bias. Such connections are quenched. As the main results, we observed a continuous nonequilibrium phase transition to an absorbing state as a function of control parameters. By using the finite-size scaling method we analyzed the static and dynamic critical exponents to show that this model probably cannot match any universality class already known.
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The current research investigates the utilization of spirulina microalgae biodiesel blends in a naturally aspirated constant speed compression ignition engine with Ce2O3 nanoparticles at the concentration of 50 ppm under diverse engine loading conditions. Blends of microalgae dispersed with neat diesel at the volume of 20% and 40%. A series of tests were conducted to evaluate the combined effects of microalgae and nanoparticles on engine performance, combustion efficiency, and emission characteristics. The study revealed that increasing the microalgae concentration in the diesel fuel resulted in reduced brake thermal efficiency due to less effective atomization and lower calorific value. Surprisingly, the 20% biodiesel blend with nanoparticles exhibited the highest brake thermal efficiency across various engine loads, while the 40% blend showed higher brake specific fuel consumption compared to both the 20% blend and neat diesel, primarily because of its lower heating value necessitating increased fuel consumption. Furthermore, the biodiesel blends led to lower in-cylinder pressure than pure diesel, mainly attributable to suboptimal atomization. In terms of emissions, the utilization of microalgae-based fuel led to a significant reduction in NOx, CO, and smoke emissions, attributed to the lower cylinder temperatures associated with these blends. In conclusion, this study underscores the potential of spirulina microalgae, particularly when combined with nanoparticles at an optimal concentration, as a promising and environmentally friendly alternative for compression ignition engines.
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Microalgas , Nanopartículas , Spirulina , Biocombustibles , Emisiones de Vehículos , Gasolina , Monóxido de Carbono/análisisRESUMEN
Cancer research has traditionally focused on developing new agents, but an underexplored question is that of the dose and frequency of existing drugs. Based on the modus operandi established in the early days of chemotherapies, most drugs are administered according to predetermined schedules that seek to deliver the maximum tolerated dose and are only adjusted for toxicity. However, we believe that the complex, evolving nature of cancer requires a more dynamic and personalized approach. Chronicling the milestones of the field, we show that the impact of schedule choice crucially depends on processes driving treatment response and failure. As such, cancer heterogeneity and evolution dictate that a one-size-fits-all solution is unlikely-instead, each patient should be mapped to the strategy that best matches their current disease characteristics and treatment objectives (i.e. their 'tumorscape'). To achieve this level of personalization, we need mathematical modeling. In this perspective, we propose a five-step 'Adaptive Dosing Adjusted for Personalized Tumorscapes (ADAPT)' paradigm to integrate data and understanding across scales and derive dynamic and personalized schedules. We conclude with promising examples of model-guided schedule personalization and a call to action to address key outstanding challenges surrounding data collection, model development, and integration.
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Sistemas de Apoyo a Decisiones Clínicas , Neoplasias , Humanos , Neoplasias/tratamiento farmacológico , Medicina de Precisión , Modelos TeóricosRESUMEN
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic brought changes to primary school lunches leading to concerns over nutritional quality and uptake of lunches by vulnerable children. Regional data from Tayside, Scotland, showed that only 55% of children who were eligible for free school meals took these (normal uptake pre-pandemic was 66%). The current work aimed to identify teachers' perceptions of meal provisioning in primary schools during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Design and methods: A cross-sectional online survey was carried out among primary school teachers across Tayside, Scotland. Using an online survey (21 questions combining multiple choice formats and open text) and interviews, primary school teachers shared their views on food quality, quantity, meal choices and factors influencing uptake of primary school lunches. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed with respect to factors influencing consumption. Results: The survey was completed by 41 teachers and 8 participated in a follow up interview. Around one-third (29%) of primary school teachers believed the quality of lunches had decreased and cited poor appearance of food, use of takeaway containers and food wastage. The lunch format was viewed negatively principally relating to the substitution of hot lunches with cold sandwiches, portion sizes, choice and perceived value for money. Concerns were expressed about acceptability and how far the meals contributed to food security. Conclusions: Further work on food provisioning is needed in order to identify ways to provide a nutritional safety net for vulnerable children.
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Background: Daytime sleepiness is common in older adults and may result from poor nighttime sleep due to sleep disordered breathing, fragmented sleep, or other sleep disorders. Daytime sleepiness may be associated with cognition in older adults. Objectives: We investigated the association between self-reported daytime sleepiness and cognitive function in the Look AHEAD clinical trial. Design: Observational follow-up of a randomized clinical trial of an intensive lifestyle intervention. Setting: Clinic. Participants: Participants (n=1,778) aged 45-76 years at baseline with type 2 diabetes and overweight or obesity. Interventions: Participants were randomized to an intensive lifestyle intervention for weight loss or a control condition of diabetes support and education. Measurements: Participants provided self-reported levels of daytime sleepiness at baseline and years 12-13. Cognitive function was assessed with a neurocognitive battery at years 12-13 and 18-20. Results: Participants who reported having frequent daytime sleepiness (often or always) performed significantly worse than others on the cognitive composite (-0.35; p-value=0.014) after controlling for covariates. When stratified by intervention arm, participants assigned to the intensive lifestyle intervention who reported often/always having daytime sleepiness performed worse on Digit Symbol Coding (-0.63; p-value=0.05) and Trail Making Part-B (-0.56; p-value=0.02) after controlling for covariates. Statistical interactions revealed associations between daytime sleepiness and the following covariates: race and ethnicity, APOE ε4 carrier status, baseline history of cardiovascular disease, and depression. Conclusions: Daytime sleepiness over ~13 years predicted poorer cognitive performance in older individuals who, by virtue of having diabetes and overweight/obesity, are at high risk for sleep disorders and cognitive impairment.
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Bacterial proteases are sporadic contributors to milk spoilage, reducing the quality of ultra-heat treated (UHT) milk and other dairy products. Current methods for measuring bacterial protease activity in milk are insensitive and too slow to be used in routine testing in dairy processing plants. We have designed a novel bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET)-based biosensor to measure the activity of proteases secreted by bacteria in milk. The BRET-based biosensor is highly selective for bacterial protease activity compared with other proteases tested, notably including plasmin, which is abundant in milk. It incorporates a novel peptide linker that is selectively cleaved by P. fluorescens AprX proteases. The peptide linker is flanked by green fluorescent protein (GFP2) at the N-terminus and a variant Renilla luciferase (RLuc2) at the C-terminus. Complete cleavage of the linker by bacterial proteases from Pseudomonas fluorescens strain 65, leads to a 95% decrease in the BRET ratio. We applied an azocasein-based calibration method to the AprX biosensor using standard international enzyme activity units. In a 10-min assay, the detection limit for AprX protease activity in buffer was equivalent to 40 pg/mL (≈0.8 pM, 22 µU/mL) and 100 pg/mL (≈2pM, 54 µU/mL) in 50% (v/v) full fat milk. The EC50 values were 1.1 ± 0.3 ng/mL (87 µU/mL) and 6.8 ± 0.2 ng/mL (540 µU/mL), respectively. The biosensor was approximately 800x more sensitive than the established FITC-Casein method in a 2-h assay, the shortest feasible time for the latter method. The protease biosensor is sensitive and fast enough to be used in production settings. It is suitable for measuring bacterial protease activity in raw and processed milk, to inform efforts to mitigate the effects of heat-stable bacterial proteases and maximise the shelf-life of dairy products.
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Péptido Hidrolasas , Pseudomonas fluorescens , Animales , Leche , Transferencia de Energía , Proteolisis , Proteínas Fluorescentes VerdesRESUMEN
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Type 1 diabetes affects over 200,000 children in the United States and is associated with an increased risk of cognitive dysfunction. Prior single-site, single-voxel MRS case reports and studies have identified associations between reduced NAA/Cr, a marker of neuroaxonal loss, and type 1 diabetes. However, NAA/Cr differences among children with various disease complications or across different brain tissues remain unclear. To better understand this phenomenon and the role of MRS in characterizing it, we conducted a multisite pilot study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 25 children, 6-14 years of age, with type 1 diabetes across 3 sites, we acquired T1WI and axial 2D MRSI along with phantom studies to calibrate scanner effects. We quantified tissue-weighted NAA/Cr in WM and deep GM and modeled them against study covariates. RESULTS: We found that MRSI differentiated WM and deep GM by NAA/Cr on the individual level. On the population level, we found significant negative associations of WM NAA/Cr with chronic hyperglycemia quantified by hemoglobin A1c (P < .005) and a history of diabetic ketoacidosis at disease onset (P < .05). We found a statistical interaction (P < .05) between A1c and ketoacidosis, suggesting that neuroaxonal loss from ketoacidosis may outweigh that from poor glucose control. These associations were not present in deep GM. CONCLUSIONS: Our pilot study suggests that MRSI differentiates GM and WM by NAA/Cr in this population, disease complications may lead to neuroaxonal loss in WM in children, and deeper investigation is warranted to further untangle how diabetic ketoacidosis and chronic hyperglycemia affect brain health and cognition in type 1 diabetes.
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Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 1 , Cetoacidosis Diabética , Sustancia Blanca , Humanos , Niño , Sustancia Blanca/diagnóstico por imagen , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 1/complicaciones , Hemoglobina Glucada , Proyectos Piloto , Encéfalo/diagnóstico por imagen , Ácido Aspártico , Creatina , ColinaRESUMEN
Nannochloropsis microalgae biochar has become increasingly attractive due to its potential as a component of microalgae-based biodiesel blends. This biochar is a by-product of the pyrolysis process, but its use in the energy sector has been limited. In this study, pellets were formed using microalgae residues and their physiochemical properties were analyzed to assess the feasibility of using microalgae biochar as a fuel source. Three types of biomasses, namely date seed dust, coconut shell waste, and microalgae biochar, were utilized to produce fuel pellets. These pellets were categorized into three types, B1, B2, and B3, based on the composition of the biomass. The inclusion of microalgae biochar in the pellets resulted in enhanced calorific value, as well as improved heating value and bulk density. Moreover, the mechanical strength of microalgae-based pellets was higher due to their high lignin content compared to another biomass. The moisture absorption test results showed that the use of mixed biomass reduced the moisture content over an extended period. Microalgae pellets exhibited higher young's modulus and greater impact resistance, indicating greater mechanical strength. Furthermore, due to their higher calorific value, the combustion time of microalgae pellets was greater than that of other biomass. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that microalgae biochar can be a promising alternative fuel source for the energy sector.
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Microalgas , Biomasa , Pirólisis , MicroondasRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an ever-growing threat to modern medicine and, according to the latest reports, it causes nearly twice as many deaths globally as AIDS or malaria. Elucidating reservoirs and dissemination routes of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) are essential in fighting AMR. Human commensals represent an important reservoir, which is underexplored for the oral microbiota. Here, we set out to investigate the resistome and phenotypic resistance of oral biofilm microbiota from 179 orally healthy (H), caries active (C), and periodontally diseased (P) individuals (TRN: DRKS00013119, Registration date: 22.10.2022). The samples were analysed using shotgun metagenomic sequencing combined, for the first time, with culture technique. A selection of 997 isolates was tested for resistance to relevant antibiotics. RESULTS: The shotgun metagenomics sequencing resulted in 2,069,295,923 reads classified into 4856 species-level OTUs. PERMANOVA analysis of beta-diversity revealed significant differences between the groups regarding their microbiota composition and their ARG profile. The samples were clustered into three ecotypes based on their microbial composition. The bacterial composition of H and C samples greatly overlapped and was based on ecotypes 1 and 2 whereas ecotype 3 was only detected in periodontitis. We found 64 ARGs conveying resistance to 36 antibiotics, particularly to tetracycline, macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin, and beta-lactam antibiotics, and a correspondingly high prevalence of phenotypic resistance. Based on the microbiota composition, these ARGs cluster in different resistotypes, and a higher prevalence is found in healthy and caries active than in periodontally diseased individuals. There was a significant association between the resistotypes and the ecotypes. Although numerous associations were found between specific antibiotic resistance and bacterial taxa, only a few taxa showed matching associations with both genotypic and phenotypic analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show the importance of the oral microbiota from different niches within the oral cavity as a reservoir for antibiotic resistance. Additionally, the present study showed the need for using more than one method to reveal antibiotic resistance within the total oral biofilm, as a clear mismatch between the shotgun metagenomics method and the phenotypic resistance characterization was shown.
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Microbiota , Periodontitis , Humanos , Antibacterianos/farmacología , Farmacorresistencia Bacteriana/genética , Susceptibilidad a Caries Dentarias , Microbiota/genética , Periodontitis/genética , Bacterias , Genes BacterianosRESUMEN
Three experiments evaluated effects of adaptation diet and exogenous ß-glucanase and xylanase on TMEn of barley and rye. Single Comb White Leghorn roosters were fed adaptation diets based on corn/soybean meal (SBM), barley/SBM with and without ß-glucanase, or rye/corn/SBM with and without xylanase for 4 wk. In Experiments 1 and 2, after the adaptation period, TMEn was determined using a 48 h precision-fed rooster assay for 100% barley or 100% rye diets with or without ß-glucanase or xylanase, respectively. Experiment 3 consisted only of feeding adaptation diets for 4 wk. Cecal samples were collected at the end of experiments for microbial ecology, short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) profiles, and enzyme activity analyses. In Experiments 1 and 2, ß-glucanase increased (P < 0.05) TMEn of barley, and there was no significant effect of adaptation diet on TMEn values. Total cecal Eubacteria and Ruminococcaceae were decreased (P < 0.05) and Escherichia coli were increased (P < 0.05) at the end of the TMEn assay compared with the end of the adaptation period (with no TMEn assay). There was a large decrease (P < 0.05) for most cecal SCFA at the end of the TMEn assay compared with the end of the adaptation period. Both cecal ß-glucanase and xylanase activity were increased for birds fed adaptation diets containing the respective enzyme. In Experiment 3, there were no consistent effects of adaptation diet on cecal microbial profiles or SCFA but cecal ß-glucanase activity was increased (P < 0.05) by exogenous ß-glucanase for barley and cecal xylanase activity was increased (P < 0.05) by exogenous xylanase for rye. Overall, the results indicated that TMEn of barley was increased by exogenous ß-glucanase, adaptation diet did not significantly influence the TMEn response to the dietary enzymes, and cecal fermentation (based on cecal SCFA) was greatly reduced by the TMEn assay. Cecal ß-glucanase and xylanase activity, however, were often increased by feeding high barley and high rye diets containing exogenous enzymes.
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Pollos , Hordeum , Animales , Masculino , Pollos/fisiología , Suplementos Dietéticos , Secale , Dieta/veterinaria , Ácidos Grasos Volátiles , Alimentación Animal/análisis , Digestión/fisiología , Fenómenos Fisiológicos Nutricionales de los AnimalesRESUMEN
This research was aimed to evaluate the phytochemical profile, antifungal, anti-hyperglycemic, as well as antioxidant activity competence of different extracts of Athyrium asplenioides through in-vitro approach. The A. asplenioides crude methanol extract contained considerable quantity of pharmaceutically precious phytochemicals (saponins, tannins, quinones, flavonoid, phenols, steroid, and terpenoids) than others (acetone, ethyl acetate, and chloroform). Interestingly, the crude methanol extract showed remarkable antifungal activity against Candida species (C. krusei: 19.3 ± 2 mm > C. tropicalis: 18.4 ± 1 mm > C. albicans: 16.5 ± 1 mm > C. parapsilosis: 15.5 ± 2 mm > C. glabrate: 13.5 ± 2 mm > C. auris: 7.6 ± 1 mm) at a concentration of 20 mg mL-1. The crude methanol extract also showed remarkable anti-hyperglycemic activity on concentration basis. Surprisingly, remarkable free radicals scavenging potential against DPPH (76.38%) and ABTS (76.28%) free radicals at a concentration of 20 mg mL-1. According to the findings, the A. asplenioides crude methanol extract contains pharmaceutically valuable phytochemicals and may be useful for drug discovery.
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Antifúngicos , Extractos Vegetales , Antifúngicos/farmacología , Extractos Vegetales/farmacología , Metanol , Antioxidantes/farmacología , Fitoquímicos/farmacología , Flavonoides , Radicales Libres , Hipoglucemiantes/farmacologíaRESUMEN
NO2 is one of the main greenhouse gases, which is mainly generated by the combustion of fossil fuels. In addition to its contribution to global warming, this gas is also directly dangerous to humans. The present work reports the structural and gas sensing properties of the CaCu3Ti4O12 compound prepared by the sol-gel technique. Rietveld refinement confirmed the formation of the pseudo-cubic CaCu3Ti4O12 compound, with less than 4 wt% of the secondary phases. The microstructural and elemental composition analysis were carried out using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy, respectively, while the elemental oxidation states of the samples were determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The gas sensing response of the samples was performed for different concentrations of NO2, H2, CO, C2H2 and C2H4 at temperatures between 100 and 300 °C. The materials exhibited selectivity for NO2, showing a greater sensor signal at 250 °C, which was correlated with the highest concentration of nitrite and nitrate species on the CCTO surface using DRIFT spectroscopy.
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The shift in focus towards biofuels has led to the attention towards fourth-generation fuels, particularly microalgae, due to its high oil productivity and simple cultivation processes. The current study aimed to examine the effects of spirulina microalgae blends in a naturally aspirated diesel engine by testing two blend percentages (15% and 30%) and incorporating Fe2O3 nanoparticles (75 ppm). A series of test conducted in a single-cylinder engine with an optimum compression ratio of 17.5. The fuels tested include 100% diesel (D0), diesel with Fe2O3 nanoparticles (DF), diesel with 15% microalgae blends (B15), diesel with 15% microalgae blends and Fe2O3 nanoparticles (B15F), diesel with 30% microalgae blends (B30), and diesel with 30% microalgae blends and Fe2O3 nanoparticles (B30F). The results showed that the addition of microalgae blends led to a marginal increase in engine performance, while the addition of Fe2O3 nanoparticles led to a significant increase in brake thermal efficiency and decreased fuel consumption. The emissions rate was also lower compared to diesel, but the addition of Fe2O3 nanoparticles increased the oxygen content in the fuel, thereby improving the combustion rates. By ensuring the complete combustion the formation of CO2, HC and smoke intensity was also found to be significantly lower compared to diesel fuel. On the contrary, NOx increased due to the cylinder temperatures. This research highlights the potential of using microalgae as a sustainable source of biofuel, and the positive effects of adding Fe2O3 nanoparticles to enhance the fuel's efficiency.
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Gases de Efecto Invernadero , Microalgas , Spirulina , Emisiones de Vehículos/análisis , Gasolina/análisis , Biocombustibles/análisis , Monóxido de Carbono/análisisRESUMEN
Great environmental changes may affect the survival capability of a variety of organisms. Testudinidae is the most diverse family of terrestrial chelonians within the whole order (Testudines). Interestingly, however, the number of extinct species overcome the extant ones. In order to understand better how the diversification process of this family occurred, this work used the PyRate software, which estimates both the preservation and diversification processes in a continuous time interval. For such, the software used a list of fossil occurrences obtained from the Paleobiology Database whereas the extant species list was obtained from Catalogue of Life. This way, the software was able to infer the probability of the ancestral clade having resulted in these species during its evolutionary history. The analyses generated graphs containing the diversification, extinction and speciation curves and their respective associated 95% credibility intervals. A great rise in the extinction rate was observed starting 6 million years ago. This rise is believed to be related to the drop of atmospheric CO2 all over the globe at the end of the Miocene, about 8-6 million years ago. This event led to a turnover of the vegetation composition on the warmer areas of the planet, with plants that used C3 metabolism giving way to C4 plants. In terms of landscape, grasses and herbal vegetation, such as savannas, started dominating. As for other animal groups, those herbivores with grazing habits were more successful than those used to only browsing or that did not have enough flexibility of choice.
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Tortugas , Animales , Filogenia , Evolución Biológica , FósilesRESUMEN
Objective The aim of the present study is to determine whether previous shoulder and knee injuries were associated with isokinetic fatigue index and agonist/antagonist ratio of shoulder internal/external rotators and knee flexors/extensors in male volleyball athletes. Methods The current study is a cross-sectional investigation of 49 male elite volleyball players competing at a high level in Brazil. Isokinetic fatigue index and agonist/antagonist profiles were assessed during the preseason. Additionally, in order to record previous injuries, the athletes answered a standardized questionnaire. We conducted a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to determine the association strength and the clinically relevant cut-off point for variables presenting statistical significance for the area under the curve (AUC) (α = 0.05). An independent t-test was used to compare isokinetic variables between athletes with and without previous injury (α = 0.05). Results The results of the ROC curve analysis indicated that hamstring fatigue index values at 300 o /s were associated with the presence of previous knee injury (area under the curve [AUC] = 73%, p = 0.004), and shoulder external rotators fatigue index values at 360°/s were not associated with the presence of previous shoulder injury (AUC = 68%, p = 0.053). Conclusions Elite volleyball athletes who reported previous knee injuries were prone to a higher fatigue index than those reporting no injuries. Knee flexor resistance training might be useful for those athletes who reported knee injuries in the previous season.