Enhanced enzymatic electrochemical detection of an organophosphate Pesticide: Achieving Wide linearity and femtomolar detection via gold nanoparticles growth within polypyrrole films.

The indiscriminate use of pesticides in agriculture demands the development of devices capable of monitoring contaminations in food supplies, in the environment and biological fluids. Simplicity, easy handling, high sensitivities, and low limits-of-detection (LOD) and quantification are some of the required properties for these devices. In this work, we evaluated the effect of incorporating gold nanoparticles into indigo carmine-doped polypyrrole during the electropolymerization of films for use as an acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme-based biosensor. As proof of concept, the pesticide methyl parathion was tested towards the inhibition of AChE. The enzyme was immobilized simply by drop-casting a solution, eliminating the need for any prior surface modification. The biosensors were characterized with cyclic voltammetry, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The assays for the detection of methyl parathion with films containing polypyrrole, indigo carmine and AChE (PPy-IC-AChE) presented a sensitivity of 5.7 µA cm-2 g-1 mL and a LOD of 12 nmol L-1 (3.0 ng L-1) with a linear range from 1.3 x 10-7 mol L-1 to 1.0 x 10-5 mol L-1. The introduction of gold nanoparticles (AuNP) into the film (PPy-IC-AuNP-AChE) led to remarkable improvements on the overall performance, such as a lower redox potential for the enzymatic reaction, a 145 % increase in sensitivity (14 µA cm-2 g-1 mL), a wider detection dynamic range (from 1.3x10-7 to 1.0x10-3 mol L-1), and a very low LOD of 24 fmol L-1 (64 ag mL-1). These findings underscore the potential of using AuNPs to improve the enzymatic performance of biosensor devices.

A disposable, portable electrochemical immunosensor for rapid in situ detection of bovine tuberculosis.

This contribution describes the development of a simple, fast, cost-effective, and sensitive impedimetric immunosensor for quantifying bovine tuberculosis (TB) in bovine serum samples. The construction of the immunosensor involved immobilizing the purified protein derivative (PPD) of M. bovis onto a screen-printed electrode that was modified with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and a polypyrrole (pPy) film synthesized electrochemically. The immunosensor exhibited a linear range from 0.5 µg mL-1 to 100 µg mL-1 and achieved a limit of detection (LD) of 100 ng mL-1 for the detection of anti-M. bovis antibody. The recovery percentages obtained in bovine serum samples were excellent, ranging between 98 % and 103 %. This device presents several advantages over alternative methods for determining TB in bovine serum samples. These include direct, in situ measurement without the need for pre-treatment, utilization of small volumes, thus avoiding harmful solvents and expensive reagents, and portability. In addition, the immunosensor exhibits both physical and chemical stability, retaining effectiveness even after 30 days of modification. This allows simultaneous incubations and facilitates large-scale detection. Hence, this immunosensor presents itself as a promising diagnostic tool for detecting anti-M. bovis antibodies in bovine serum. It serves as a viable alternative to tuberculin and ELISA tests.

Protein profile of purified plasma- and aqueous humor-derived extracellular vesicles from patients with ocular toxoplasmosis

ABSTRACT Purpose: To characterize the extracellular vesicle protein cargo in the aqueous humor and plasma of patients with ocular toxoplasmosis. Methods: Aqueous humor and plasma were collected from six patients with active ocular toxoplasmosis and six patients with cataract. Extracellular vesicles were isolated, and western blotting and mass spectrometry were performed for protein analysis. Results: All plasma samples from patients with ocular toxoplasmosis and cataract were positive for the tetraspanins CD63 and TSG101. However, the aqueous humor from patients with ocular toxoplasmosis was positive only for CD63. Sixty-seven new unreported proteins were identified in the aqueous humor and plasma of patients with the ocular toxoplasmosis and cataract. Of the 67 proteins, 10 and 7 were found only in the cataract and ocular toxoplasmosis groups, respectively. In general, these proteins were involved in immune system activation and retina homeostasis and were related to infections and retina-associated diseases. Conclusion: The distinct protein signatures between ocular toxoplasmosis and cataract may be helpful in the differential diagnosis of ocular toxoplasmosis. However, more studies are needed to better understand the role of these proteins in the pathogenesis of ocular toxoplasmosis.

Renal medulla in hypertension

Abstract: Studies have found that blood flow to the renal medulla is an important determinant of pressure-natriuresis and the long-term regulation of arterial pressure. First, a brief review of methods developed enabling the study of the medullary circulation is presented. Second, studies performed in rats are presented showing medullary blood flow plays a vital role in the pressure-natriuresis relationship and thereby in hypertension. Third, it is shown that chronic reduction of medullary blood flow results in hypertension and that enhancement of medullary blood flow reduces hypertension hereditary models of both salt-sensitive rats and salt-resistant forms of hypertension. The key role that medullary nitric oxide production plays in protecting this region from ischemic injury associated with circulating vasoconstrictor agents and reactive oxygen species is presented. The studies cited are largely the work of my students, research fellows, and colleagues with whom I have performed these studies dating from the late 1980s to more recent years.

Biofilm formation and increased mortality among cancer patients with candidemia in a Peruvian reference center.

BACKGROUND: Candidemia is an invasive mycosis with an increasing global incidence and high mortality rates in cancer patients. The production of biofilms by some strains of Candida constitutes a mechanism that limits the action of antifungal agents; however, there is limited and conflicting evidence about its role in the risk of death. This study aimed to determine whether biofilm formation is associated with mortality in cancer patients with candidemia. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included patients treated at Peru's oncologic reference center between June 2015 and October 2017. Data were collected by monitoring patients for 30 days from the diagnosis of candidemia until the date of death or hospital discharge. Statistical analyses evaluated the association between biofilm production determined by XTT reduction and mortality, adjusting for demographic, clinical, and microbiological factors assessed by the hospital routinary activities. Survival analysis and bivariate and multivariate Cox regression were used, estimating the hazard ratio (HR) as a measure of association with a significance level of p < 0.05. RESULTS: A total of 140 patients with candidemia were included in the study. The high mortality observed on the first day of post-diagnosis follow-up (81.0%) among 21 patients who were not treated with either antifungal or antimicrobial drugs led to stratification of the analyses according to whether they received treatment. In untreated patients, there was a mortality gradient in patients infected with non-biofilm-forming strains vs. low/medium and high-level biofilm-forming strains (25.0%, 66.7% and 82.3%, respectively, p = 0.049). In treated patients, a high level of biofilm formation was associated with increased mortality (HR, 3.92; 95% p = 0.022), and this association persisted after adjusting for age, comorbidities, and hospital emergency admission (HR, 6.59; CI: 1.87-23.24, p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: The association between candidemia with in vitro biofilm formation and an increased risk of death consistently observed both in patients with and without treatment, provides another level of evidence for a possible causal association. The presence of comorbidities and the origin of the hospital emergency, which reflect the fragile clinical condition of the patients, and increasing age above 15 years were associated with a higher risk of death.

[Multidisciplinary management of esophageal affections: Two challenging cases]. / Manejo multidisciplinario de la enfermedad esofágica: dos casos complejos.

Esophageal pathologies can exhibit extremely low incidence and prevalence rates. Therefore, it is essential to have multidisciplinary teams including surgeons specialized in esophageal pathology, with a high caseload, to ensure proper diagnosis and management. This manuscript presents a series of esophageal pathology cases with favorable outcomes and atypical resolution for non-specialized groups. However, failure to refer to specialists in a timely manner can result in missed diagnoses or poor quality of life for patients. These findings underscore the importance of having surgeons specialized in esophageal pathology and multidisciplinary teams to provide the best possible care for patients. Lusoria dysphagia (LD) is a condition caused by vascular compression of the esophagus, resulting from the most common embryological vascular abnormality of the aortic arch: the aberrant right subclavian artery (ARSA) or lusoria artery (LA). This variant occurs in 0.5 to 2.5% of individuals. Necrosis of the gastric tube following an esophagectomy is a rare complication with a high mortality rate. Esophageal replacement with coloplasty is the preferred technique for a second attempt at reconstruction. However, this remains a complex surgery with a high rate of complications.

Las enfermedades del esófago pueden presentar una incidencia y prevalencia extremadamente baja. Por lo tanto, es fundamental contar con equipos multidisciplinarios que incluyan cirujanos especializados en afecciones esofágicas, con un alto volumen de casos, para garantizar un diagnóstico y manejo adecuados. En este estudio, se analizan casos de enfermedad esofágica con resultados satisfactorios y una resolución atípica. La falta de derivación a especialistas a tiempo puede llevar a una ausencia de diagnóstico o una baja calidad de vida para los pacientes. Estos hallazgos subrayan la importancia de disponer de cirujanos especializados en esófago y equipos multidisciplinarios para asegurar la mejor atención posible para los pacientes.

Rationalization of the light-induced electron injection mechanism in a model 1D ZnO nanowire-dye complex: insights from real-time TD-DFTB simulations.

Zinc oxide nanowires (ZnO NWs) possess a unique one-dimensional (1D) morphology that offers a direct pathway for charge transport. In this article, we present the first application of the real-time time-dependent density functional tight-binding (real-time TD-DFTB) method for a model hybrid system consisting of a catechol molecule adsorbed on a ZnO nanowire. The rationalization of the photoinduced electron injection to the 1D nanostructure is attained through quantum dynamics simulations, stressing the role of charge transfer in the new optical transitions upon dye adsorption. We provide a momentum-resolved picture of the photoexcitation dynamics, highlighting the charge accumulation in certain k-points, which could improve our understanding of these ultrafast processes. Finally, in the context of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) based on ZnO NW arrays, we provide a method to calculate the photoresponse obtaining similar results to experiments. This work paves the way towards the fast and accurate theoretical design of 1D optoelectronic nanodevices.

Xanthomonas citri pv. eucalyptorum strain 4866-2_S43 (formerly X. axonopodis pv. eucalyptorum): the causal agent of bacterial leaf blight on eucalypts recovered in Argentina.

We report the draft genome assembly of strain 4866-2_S43 isolated from a eucalyptus lesion in Argentina and what until recently was caused by Xanthomonas citri pv. eucalyptorum (Xce). The genome size is 5 188 607 bp, with a G+C content of 64.66%. Comparative analysis reveals that the closest relative of strain 4866-2_S43 is Xce LPF 602, isolated in Brazil. Comparison of the whole genome sequences revealed an average nucleotide identity (ANI) of 99.96% between the two strains. ANIs were determined between the whole genome sequence of strain 4866-2_S43 and the genomes of all currently validated Xanthomonas spp. These results revealed that strain 4866-2_S43 shared >95% similarity with X. citri pv. citri and X. citri pv. phaseoli, and <95% with X. euvesicatoria pv. alfalfae, X. euvesicatoria pv. perforans, and X. euvesicatoria pathovars euvesicatoria and eucalyptii.

Identification of Black Cumin (Nigella sativa) MicroRNAs by Next-Generation Sequencing and Their Implications in Secondary Metabolite Biosynthesis.

Secondary metabolites are bioactive compounds believed to contribute to the pharmacological properties of plants. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules involved in post-transcriptional regulation and are thought to play an important role in regulating secondary metabolism biosynthesis. Nevertheless, the extent of miRNA involvement in secondary metabolism remains minimal. Nigella sativa (black cumin/black seed) is a popular medicinal and culinary plant known for its pharmaceutical properties; however, its genomic information is scarce. In this study, next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology was employed to obtain the miRNA profile of N. sativa, and their involvement in secondary metabolite biosynthesis was explored. A total of 25,139,003 unique reads ranging from 16 to 40 nucleotides were attained, out of which 240 conserved and 34 novel miRNAs were identified. Moreover, 6083 potential target genes were recognized in this study. Several conserved and novel black cumin miRNAs were found to target enzymes involved in the terpenoid, diterpenoid, phenylpropanoid, carotenoid, flavonoid, steroid, and ubiquinone biosynthetic pathways, among others, for example, beta-carotene 3-hydroxylase, gibberellin 3 beta-dioxygenase, trimethyltridecatetraene synthase, carboxylic ester hydrolases, acetyl-CoA C-acetyltransferase, isoprene synthase, peroxidase, shikimate O-hydroxycinnamoyltransferase, etc. Furthermore, sequencing data were validated through qPCR by checking the relative expression of eleven randomly selected conserved and novel miRNAs (nsa-miR164d, nsa-miR166a, nsa-miR167b, nsa-miR171a, nsa-miR390b, nsa-miR396, nsa-miR159a, nsa-miRN1, nsa-miRN29, nsa-miRN32, and nsa-miRN34) and their expression patterns were found to be corroborated with the sequencing data. We anticipate that this work will assist in clarifying the implications of miRNAs in plant secondary metabolism and aid in the generation of artificial miRNA-based strategies to overproduce highly valuable secondary metabolites from N. sativa.

Effect of Replacing Corn Grain and Soybean Meal with Field Peas at Different Levels on Feed Intake, Milk Production, and Metabolism in Dairy Cows under a Restrictive Grazing.

This study assessed the effects of replacing soybean meal (SBM) and corn grain with field peas in the concentrate of grazing dairy cows on milk production, intake, ruminal fermentation, and blood indicators. Twelve multiparous lactating Holstein-Friesian cows were utilized in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design, comprising three periods and three treatments: (1) Pea-0 (Control diet): 6 kg dry matter (DM) of fresh pasture, 7.2 kg DM of grass silage, and 7 kg DM of a concentrate containing 0% pea; (2) Pea-30: Control diet with the concentrate composed of 30% pea; (3) Pea-60: Control diet with the concentrate composed of 60% pea. The effect of treatments on productive and metabolic parameters was evaluated using linear-mixed models. Pasture and total DM intake, milk production, and composition were unaffected by treatments. Despite the concentrates being isonitrogenous and isoenergetic, crude protein (CP) intake was slightly higher in Pea-30 and significantly higher in Pea-60 due to higher pasture CP content in the pasture grazed by these groups, leading to higher milk urea content, though within recommended ranges. Blood parameters showed no significant changes, except for plasma ß-hydroxybutyrate, which was lowest in the Pea-60 treatment; however, all values were within ranges not indicative of subclinical ketosis. Ruminal fermentation parameters were similar across treatments. These findings support the use of field peas as a viable alternative to replace SBM and corn grain in concentrates, enabling similar milk production and composition in grazing dairy cows.

Orange Cookies with Type-4 Resistant Starch: Physical, Nutritional, and Sensorial Characteristics as Evaluated by Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

A low-fermentable oligo-, di-, monosaccharide and polyol (low-FODMAP) diet for patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) should include an adequate fiber source. Our aim was to formulate orange cookies using maize flour and type-4 resistant starch (RS4) from maize and to evaluate their properties and sensorial attributes by IBS patients. We prepared two formulations: 37.7% RS4 and 14.7% maize flour and a control with normal maize starch (MS) instead of RS4. We added orange juice and zest instead of water and evaluated their properties. The viscosity, water absorption capacity, and solubility were lower for RS4 than for MS. The width, thickness, L* and a* values of both cookies were comparable (p > 0.05), although RS4-C had a decreased b* value and higher hardness (90.6 vs. 80.1 N). The nutrient content was similar between RS4-C and MS-C, but the glycemic index of RS4-C was 63 compared to 95 of MS-C. According to IBS patients, the appearance, taste, hardness, overall quality, and perception of healthiness and nutritional value of both types of cookies were similarly high (p > 0.05). Panelists recommend the cookies. Therefore, RS4 cookies could be further investigated for their ability to improve bowel habits and re-equilibrate the microbiota of IBS patients.

Physicochemical Characterization and Thermodynamic Analysis of Avocado Oil Enhanced with Haematococcus pluvialis Extract.

The consumption of fatty acids offers significant health benefits; however, they are prone to degradation by environmental factors. One method to preserve these fatty acids is the addition of synthetic antioxidants. This study focuses on the determination of peroxide and MDA formation rates at temperatures of 25 °C, 45 °C, and 65 °C. The oxidative stability of cold-pressed avocado oil was evaluated using pure astaxanthin, TBHQ, and H. pluvialis extract at concentrations of 100, 500, and 1000 ppm. Kinetic models and thermodynamic analysis were applied to determine the oxidation rate and compare the antioxidant effects of H. pluvialis extract with astaxanthin and TBHQ. The Arrhenius model was used to estimate activation energy (Ea), enthalpy, entropy, and free energy. Avocado oil with 500 ppm of H. pluvialis extract showed antioxidant effects comparable to TBHQ and pure astaxanthin. The activation energy of plain avocado oil was 40.47 kJ mol-1, while with H. pluvialis extract, it was 54.35 kJ mol-1. These findings suggest that H. pluvialis extract offers effective antioxidant properties and could serve as a natural alternative to synthetic antioxidants in food applications, despite the limitations of unprotected astaxanthin.

The human volatilome meets cancer diagnostics: past, present, and future of noninvasive applications.

BACKGROUND: Cancer is a significant public health problem, causing dozens of millions of deaths annually. New cancer screening programs are urgently needed for early cancer detection, as this approach can improve treatment outcomes and increase patient survival. The search for affordable, noninvasive, and highly accurate cancer detection methods revealed a valuable source of tumor-derived metabolites in the human metabolome through the exploration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in noninvasive biofluids. AIM OF REVIEW: This review discusses volatilomics-based approaches for cancer detection using noninvasive biomatrices (breath, saliva, skin secretions, urine, feces, and earwax). We presented the historical background, the latest approaches, and the required stages for clinical validation of volatilomics-based methods, which are still lacking in terms of making noninvasive methods available and widespread to the population. Furthermore, insights into the usefulness and challenges of volatilomics in clinical implementation steps for each biofluid are highlighted. KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF REVIEW: We outline the methodologies for using noninvasive biomatrices with up-and-coming clinical applications in cancer diagnostics. Several challenges and advantages associated with the use of each biomatrix are discussed, aiming at encouraging the scientific community to strengthen efforts toward the necessary steps to speed up the clinical translation of volatile-based cancer detection methods, as well as discussing in favor of (i) hybrid applications (i.e., using more than one biomatrix) to describe metabolite modulations that can be "cancer volatile fingerprints" and (ii) in multi-omics approaches integrating genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics into the volatilomic data, which might be a breakthrough for diagnostic purposes, onco-pathway assessment, and biomarker validations.

Development and evaluation of nanostructured systems for cutaneous delivery of H2S-releasing corticosteroids for skin inflammatory diseases.

Psoriasis is an immune-mediated chronic inflammatory disease that causes major psychosocial impact. Topical corticosteroids represent the standard pharmacological treatment for mild-to-moderate disease, but their local and systemic adverse effects reinforce the need for treatment innovations. Here we developed lamellar phase-based formulations for topical delivery of a hybrid dexamethasone and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) donor molecule (Dexa-TBZ), aiming to potentiate the effects of the glucocorticoid with H2S. They offer the possibility to obtain precursor formulations free of water that originate lamellar phases upon water addition, preventing drug hydrolysis during storage. Two groups of formulations were developed varying the surfactants and oil phase types and content. Systems containing 20 and 70 % of water formed, respectively, bulk lamellar phase and a more fluid formulation consisting of dispersed droplets (< 1000 nm) stabilized by lamellar phase. Both presented pseudoplastic behavior. Dexa-TBZ was incorporated at 1 %, remaining stable for 8 h. Drug content decreased to ∼80 % after 1 week in precursor formulations free of water, but remained stable after that. Without causing changes to the cutaneous barrier function ex vivo or to the histological structure of the skin in vivo, the formulation containing phosphatidylcholine as surfactant and 70 % of water promoted 1.8- and 2.7-fold increases in Dexa-TBZ penetration in the stratum corneum and epidermis+dermis, respectively, compared to a control solution, demonstrating their potential applicability as topical delivery systems.

Evaluation of the Bioactive Compounds of Apis mellifera Honey Obtained from the Açai (Euterpe oleracea) Floral Nectar.

The biodiversity of Brazil provides an excellent climate and favorable pollination conditions for Apis mellifera L., especially in the Eastern Amazon region, which boasts vast floral wealth, including an abundance of açaí (Euterpe oleracea) flowers and fruits. In the present study, seven types of honey were evaluated: three containing floral nectar from açaí (Açaí honey) collected in the Eastern Amazon region (Açaí honey from Breu Branco (AH1 and AH2) and Açaí honey from Santa Maria (AH3), both from the state of Pará, Brazil) and four honeys from different regions of Brazil (Aroeira honey from Minas Gerais, Cipó-Uva honey from Distrito Federal, Mangue honey from Pará, and Timbó honey from Rio Grande do Sul). The characteristics of these honeys were evaluated by examining their physicochemical properties, melissopalynological aspects, color, antioxidant potential, and their constituent compounds, which were confirmed through GC-MS analysis. Açaí floral nectar honeys presented physicochemical results similar to those of other honeys, aligning with Brazilian legislation norms, but differed in their high values of free acidity, apparent sugars, and lower reducing sugars, which are directly related to their botanical origin. These differences correlate with unique flavor and distinct aroma characteristics. Melissopalynological analysis confirmed the botanical origin of the honeys containing açaí floral nectar, which had a color range from amber to dark amber. The three açaí honeys demonstrated high antioxidant capacity and superior flavonoid and polyphenol content compared to other honeys, particularly the açaí honey from Breu Branco (AH1), which had four times the content to combat free radicals compared to the honey with the highest potential (Aroeira honey). GC-MS analysis confirmed the presence of antioxidant properties as well as potential anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antitumor capabilities in açaí honeys, which have not yet been fully studied.

Effect of Roasting Level on the Development of Key Aroma-Active Compounds in Coffee.

Coffee roasting is considered the most critical process in the development of sensory characteristics. During this stage, a substantial number of compounds are generated. Nevertheless, only a limited number of these compounds are responsible for the aroma, referred to as key aroma-active compounds. This study aimed to assess the impact of roasting levels on the formation of these compounds. Coffee was roasted at four different levels: very light (RL85), light (RL75), medium (RL55), and extremely dark (RL25), according to the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) guidelines. The extraction, olfactory evaluation, and identification of compounds were performed using solid-phase microextraction (SPME), gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), respectively. A total of 74 compounds were successfully identified, of which 25 were classified as aroma-active compounds. RL75 and RL85 displayed similar aromatic profiles. RL55 was characterized by pleasant notes such as sweet, toasted hazelnut, and caramel. In contrast, RL25 was marked by undesirable odors including burnt notes, putrid, and sulfurous scents. This study is the first to identify key odorant compounds in coffee based on SCA roasting standards.

PROTA: A Robust Tool for Protamine Prediction Using a Hybrid Approach of Machine Learning and Deep Learning.

Protamines play a critical role in DNA compaction and stabilization in sperm cells, significantly influencing male fertility and various biotechnological applications. Traditionally, identifying these proteins is a challenging and time-consuming process due to their species-specific variability and complexity. Leveraging advancements in computational biology, we present PROTA, a novel tool that combines machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) techniques to predict protamines with high accuracy. For the first time, we integrate Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) with supervised learning methods to enhance the accuracy and generalizability of protamine prediction. Our methodology evaluated multiple ML models, including Light Gradient-Boosting Machine (LIGHTGBM), Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), Random Forest (RF), eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBOOST), k-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), Logistic Regression (LR), Naive Bayes (NB), and Radial Basis Function-Support Vector Machine (RBF-SVM). During ten-fold cross-validation on our training dataset, the MLP model with GAN-augmented data demonstrated superior performance metrics: 0.997 accuracy, 0.997 F1 score, 0.998 precision, 0.997 sensitivity, and 1.0 AUC. In the independent testing phase, this model achieved 0.999 accuracy, 0.999 F1 score, 1.0 precision, 0.999 sensitivity, and 1.0 AUC. These results establish PROTA, accessible via a user-friendly web application. We anticipate that PROTA will be a crucial resource for researchers, enabling the rapid and reliable prediction of protamines, thereby advancing our understanding of their roles in reproductive biology, biotechnology, and medicine.

Co-Circulation of 2 Oropouche Virus Lineages, Amazon Basin, Colombia, 2024.

In early 2024, explosive outbreaks of Oropouche virus (OROV) linked to a novel lineage were documented in the Amazon Region of Brazil. We report the introduction of this lineage into Colombia and its co-circulation with another OROV lineage. Continued surveillance is needed to prevent further spread of OROV in the Americas.

Unraveling the Spin-to-Charge Current Conversion Mechanism and Charge Transfer Dynamics at the Interface of Graphene/WS2 Heterostructures at Room Temperature.

We report experimental investigations of spin-to-charge current conversion and charge transfer (CT) dynamics at the interface of the graphene/WS2 van der Waals heterostructure. Pure spin current was produced by the spin precession in the microwave-driven ferromagnetic resonance of a permalloy film (Py=Ni81Fe19) and injected into the graphene/WS2 heterostructure through a spin pumping process. The observed spin-to-charge current conversion in the heterostructure is attributed to the inverse Rashba-Edelstein effect (IREE) at the graphene/WS2 interface. Interfacial CT dynamics in this heterostructure was investigated based on the framework of the core-hole clock (CHC) approach. The results obtained from spin pumping and CHC studies show that the spin-to-charge current conversion and charge transfer processes are more efficient in the graphene/WS2 heterostructure compared to isolated WS2 and graphene films. The results show that the presence of WS2 flakes improves the current conversion efficiency. These experimental results are corroborated by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, which reveal (i) Rashba spin-orbit splitting of graphene orbitals and (ii) electronic coupling between graphene and WS2 orbitals. This study provides valuable insights for optimizing the design and performance of spintronic devices.

Analysis of zinc and copper levels in very low birth weight infants using human milk additives: phase 1 trial findings.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess whether the micronutrients zinc and copper, provided by human milk additives, are sufficient for very low birth weight preterm infants. METHOD: A phase 1 randomized double-blind controlled trial was conducted with very low birth weight preterm infants. This is a secondary analysis of copper and zinc. Sixty-six newborns were part of the initial sample, with forty participating and reaching the final stage of the study. Inclusion criteria were: gestational age less than 37 weeks, birth weight greater than or equal to 750 g and less than or equal to 1500 g, small or appropriate for gestational age, exclusively receiving human milk at a volume greater than or equal to 100 mL per kilogram per day, and hemodynamically stable. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: intervention, Lioneo (received human milk with additive based on lyophilized human milk), n = 20, and control, HMCA (received human milk with commercial additive based on cow's milk protein), n = 20, and their serum levels of zinc and copper were measured on the first and twenty-first days. RESULTS: There was a reduction in intragroup zinc serum levels from the first to the twenty-first day of the study (p < 0.01). There was no intergroup difference. No difference was found in serum copper levels. CONCLUSION: Human milk additives were not sufficient to maintain adequate zinc serum levels in very low birth weight newborns. It was not possible to affirm whether human milk additives were sufficient to maintain adequate serum copper levels in the studied sample. UTN: U1111-1220-0550.