Showing papers by "National Autonomous University of Mexico published in 2023"

The Resilience of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to Antibiotics and the Designing of Antimicrobial Peptides to Overcome Microbial Resistance

Abstract: Abstract: Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is a bacterium of medical concern, known for its potential to persist in diverse environments due to its metabolic capacity. Its survival ability is linked to its relatively large genome of 5.5-7 Mbp, from which several genes are employed in overcoming conventional antibiotic treatments and promoting resistance. The worldwide prevalence of antibiotic-resistant clones of P. aeruginosa necessitates novel approaches to researching their multiple resistance mechanisms, such as the use of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). In this review, we briefly discuss the epidemiology of the resistant strains of P. aeruginosa and then describe their resistance mechanisms. Next, we explain the biology of AMPs, enlist the present database platforms that describe AMPs, and discuss their usefulness and limitations in treating P. aeruginosa strains. Finally, we present 13 AMPs with theoretical action against P. aeruginosa, all of which we evaluated in silico in this work. Our results suggest that the AMPs we evaluated have a carpet-like mode of action with a membranolytic function in Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, with clear potential of synthesis for in vitro evaluation.

Major Depressive Disorder and Pulmonary Tuberculosis Comorbidity Exacerbates Proinflammatory Immune Response—A Preliminary Study

Abstract: Background: Major depressive disorders (MDDs) occurs frequently in patients with tuberculosis (TB). Elevated serum pro-inflammatory cytokine levels in MDD patients is a well-established fact. Therefore, an integrated clinical practice should be considered. However, the inflammatory status of MDD-TB patients is unknown. In this study, we analyze cytokines in activated-cells and sera from MDD-TB, TB, MDD patients, and healthy controls. Methods: Flow cytometry was used to evaluate the intracellular production of interferon (IFN)-gamma, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-12, and IL-10 by peripheral blood mononuclear cells after a polyclonal stimulation. A Bio-Plex Luminex system was used to measure serum cytokine and chemokine levels in the study groups. Results: We observed a 40.6% prevalence of MDD in TB patients. The proportion of IFN-gamma-producing cells was higher in MDD-TB patients than other pathological groups. Nevertheless, the percentage of TNF-alpha- and IL-12-producing cells was similar between MDD-TB and TB patients. Likewise, MDD-TB and TB patients showed similar serum pro-inflammatory cytokine and chemokine levels, which were significantly lower than those in MDD patients. By multiple correspondence analyses, we observed that low levels of serum IL-4, IL-10, and IL-13 were powerfully associated with TB comorbidities with MDD. Conclusions: A high frequency of IFN-γ-producing cells is associated with low levels of serum anti-inflammatory cytokines in MDD-TB patients.

Characterization of Deep-Learning-Based Speech Enhancement Techniques in Online Audio Processing Applications

Abstract: Deep-learning-based speech enhancement techniques have been recently grown in interest, since their impressive performance can potentially benefit a wide variety of digital voice communication systems. However, such performance has been evaluated mostly in offline audio processing scenarios (i.e. feeding the model, in one go, a complete audio recording, which may extend several seconds). It is of great interest to evaluate and characterize the current state-of-the-art in applications that process audio online (i.e. feeding the model a sequence of segments of audio data, concatenating the results at the output end). Although evaluations and comparisons between speech enhancement techniques have been carried out before, as far as the author knows, the work presented here is the first that evaluates the performance of such techniques in relation to their online applicability. Meaning, this work measures how the output signal-to-interference ratio (as a separation metric), the response time and memory usage (as online metrics) are impacted by the input length (the size of audio segments), in addition to the amount of noise, amount and number of interferences, and amount of reverberation. Three popular models were evaluated, given their availability on public repositories and online viability: MetricGAN+, Spectral Feature Mapping with Mimic Loss, and Demucs-Denoiser. The characterization was carried out using a systematic evaluation protocol based on the Speechbrain framework. Several intuitions are presented and discussed, and some recommendations for future work are proposed.

Gold Extracted from Wastewater as an Efficient MOF‐Supported Electrocatalyst

Abstract: The recovery of gold from wastewater is necessary from both environmental and economic standpoints. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) can serve as high-capacity and selective adsorbents, as shown in a recent work by Zhao and co-workers. Their novel three-dimension cationic framework goes further than selectively adsorbing AuCl4−. It also serves as a stable platform to transform adsorbed gold into an efficient catalyst for the electrochemical reduction of CO2. This work highlights the versatility of MOFs, which can serve as selective adsorbents and as a support for nanoparticle catalysts.

Heat Transfer Mechanisms in Arcs of Various Gases at Atmospheric Pressure

Abstract: Abstract This work expands findings about the dominant heat transfer mechanisms in argon and helium arcs at atmospheric pressure for monoatomic (Ar, He, 50% Ar–50% He), diatomic (air, $${\hbox{N}}_{2}$$ N 2 , $${\hbox{O}}_{2}$$ O 2 , $${\hbox{F}}_{2}$$ F 2 , $${\hbox{Cl}}_{2}$$ Cl 2 ), and triatomic ( $${\hbox{CO}}_{2}$$ CO 2 ) gases. The objective is to understand the dominant mechanisms in atmospheric plasmas through validated numerical modeling for GTAW welding process. Arcs of all gases have lengths of 10 mm and 200 A current. Five heat transfer mechanisms are considered: Joule heating, convection, radiation, conduction, and Thomson effect. Results indicate that the general structure of the arcs and dominant mechanisms are qualitatively similar for all gases; sizes change depending on the gas. The dominant energy input near the cathode is Joule heating, while that near the anode is convection. The dominant energy output always follows the same sequence: Thomson effect next to the cathode followed by convection, radiation in the arc column, and conduction near the anode. Joule heating is the most significant in Ar, while in He, it has the lowest significance. This is due to differences in electric conductivity of He (higher up to 21,000 K and lower beyond 21,000 K than other gases) and high viscosity of He, which creates a small Joule heating versus a large convection region. He transfers the most heat towards the anode by convection while $${\hbox{N}}_{2}$$ N 2 has the lowest; due to the high enthalpy and viscosity of He compared to $${\hbox{N}}_{2}$$ N 2 . Finally, Ar has the most significant radiative emission and He the smallest due to their net emission coefficient.

Evaluation of bamboo cortex ash as supplementary cementitious material: Comparative analysis with sugarcane bagasse ash and natural pozzolan

Abstract: This paper focuses on analyzing the pozzolanic behavior of bamboo cortex (BC), sugarcane bagasse (SB) ashes, and alunite natural pozzolan (NP). BC and SB were initially incinerated at 600 °C from 2 to 8 h to select the most optimal ash regarding their chemical reactivity. Physical and chemical tests evaluated their pozzolanic activity. It was found that 20% BC incinerated for 6 h in replacement of Portland composite cement can be successfully used to prepare mortars with higher mechanical behavior than SBA and NP. After burning and milling processes, these agricultural wastes produce cementitious materials with good pozzolanic behavior. Alunite NP is used in the central part of Mexico for restoring the heritage buildings.

Fast Hydrogen Sorption Kinetics in Mg-VCl3 Produced by Cryogenic Ball-Milling

Abstract: Hydrogen storage in Mg/MgH2 materials is still an active research topic. In this work, a mixture of Mg-15wt.% VCl3 was produced by cryogenic ball milling and tested for hydrogen storage. Short milling time (1 h), liquid N2 cooling, and the use of VCl3 as an additive produced micro-flaked particles approximately 2.5-5.0 µm thick. The Mg-15wt.% VCl3 mixture demonstrated hydrogen uptake even at near room-temperature (50 °C). Mg-15wt.% VCl3 achieved ~5 wt.% hydrogen in 1 min at 300 °C/26 bar. The fast hydriding kinetics is attributed to a reduction of the activation energy of the hydriding reaction (Ea hydriding = 63.8 ± 5.6 kJ/mol). The dehydriding reaction occurred at high temperatures (300-350 °C) and 0.8-1 bar hydrogen pressure. The activation energy of the dehydriding reaction is 123.11 ± 0.6 kJ/mol. Cryomilling and VCl3 drastically improved the hydriding/dehydriding of Mg/MgH2.

Diversification dynamics in Caribbean rain frogs ( <i>Eleutherodactylus</i> ) are uncoupled from the anuran community and consistent with adaptive radiation

Abstract: Adaptive radiation is proposed to play a key role in generating differences in species richness among lineages and geographical regions. Due to the importance of ecological divergence in adaptive radiation, species richness is predicted to be influenced by equilibrium diversity dynamics, although the concept continues to generate much debate. An additional important question is whether radiating clades have intrinsic biological characteristics that make them particularly prone to diversify. We tackle these questions by analysing (i) the temporal patterns of diversification of Caribbean Eleutherodactylus frogs, and (ii) assembly of the complete native anuran community of the Caribbean archipelago (197 species), testing for the presence of equilibrium dynamics and whether diversification patterns of Eleutherodactylus differ from those of the rest of the Caribbean anurans. Diversification rates follow the predicted pattern of rapid diversification early in the radiation which gradually decreases towards the present. Eleutherodactylus diversification is significantly faster than that of the Caribbean anuran community, and although equilibrium dynamics influence richness of all Caribbean anurans, Eleutherodactylus shows higher carrying capacity. Our results indicate that ecological opportunity per se is not sufficient for adaptive radiation and that diverse lineages present intrinsic characteristics that enable them to make the most of available opportunity.

Kripke, Quine and Steiner on Representing Natural Numbers in Set Theory

Abstract: Saul Kripke’s analysis of the concept of the natural numbers that we are taught in school yields a novel and axiomatically economical way of representing arithmetic in standard set theory—one that helps to answer Benacerraf’s objection from extraneous content as well as Wittgenstein’s objection from unsurveyability. After describing Kripke’s proposal in some detail, we examine it in the light of work by Quine, Steiner, Parsons, Boolos and Burgess. Although the primary aim of this paper is to present and explicate Kripke’s view, we conclude by discussing some of the issues that are faced by Kripke’s proposal, so that the reader can get a sense of the geography of these issues.

In silico EsxG EsxH rational epitope selection: Candidate epitopes for vaccine design against pulmonary tuberculosis

Abstract: Rational design of new vaccines against pulmonary tuberculosis is imperative. Early secreted antigens (Esx) G and H are involved in metal uptake, drug resistance, and immune response evasion. These characteristics make it an ideal target for rational vaccine development. The aim of this study is to show the rational design of epitope-based peptide vaccines by using bioinformatics and structural vaccinology tools. A total of 4.15 μs of Molecular Dynamics simulations were carried out to describe the behavior in solution of heterodimer, single epitopes, and epitopes loaded into MHC-II complexes. In order to predict T and B cell epitopes for antigenic activation, bioinformatic tools were used. Hence, we propose three epitopes with the potential to design pulmonary tuberculosis vaccines. The possible use of the proposed epitopes includes subunit vaccines, as a booster in BCG vaccination to improve its immune response, as well as the generation of antibodies that interfere with the Mycobacterium tuberculosis homeostasis, affecting its survival.

Molluscs along a salinity gradient in a hypersaline coastal lagoon, southern Gulf of Mexico

Abstract: Abstract Molluscs are a diverse phylum in coastal lagoons because the numerous taxa collectively display broad ranges of optima and tolerance with respect to ambient conditions. We report on the taxonomic composition, habitat preferences and feeding guilds of molluscs from Río Lagartos coastal lagoon, Mexico. Molluscs were collected in the rainy season (September/October 2017), during the winter ( Nortes ) season (February 2018) and at the end of the warm, dry season (May 2018). Samples were taken using a Ponar dredge, a cylindrical PVC core barrel, or a beach seine. We studied the abiotic characteristics (sediment grain-size distributions, submersed aquatic vegetation abundance and salinity) to explore assemblage differences across the broad salinity gradient that characterizes the system (~30–78 PSU). Molluscs were represented by 39 species, 34 genera, 23 families and two classes. Stenohaline species were more numerous overall than euryhaline species, but their occurrence in samples was low (<20% of the samples). Stenohaline taxa lived primarily in environments characterized by marine salinity, and few were found under hypersaline conditions. We collected a smaller number of species than did studies carried out in the lagoon >35 years ago. Species accumulation curves revealed that the full species richness was not captured in our study. Euhaline environments displayed greater mollusc species richness and had a larger proportion of amount (mass) of submersed aquatic vegetation. In the hypersaline environments, species richness may be favoured by the lower dominance of sands. Suspension feeders were the most diverse group in both the euhaline and hyperhaline environments.

Holocene volcanic eruptions of the Malpaís de Zacapu and its pre-Hispanic settlement history

Abstract: Abstract The Michoacán-Guanajuato volcanic field (MGVF) hosts >1,400 monogenetic structures younger than 5 Ma. Here we focus on the Malpaís de Zacapu Late Holocene cluster located in the western part of the Zacapu lacustrine basin, situated in the heart of native Purepecha province. The Malpaís de Zacapu comprises four distinct eruptions: the Infiernillo lava flow emitted at ~1450 b.c. ; Malpaís Las Víboras, a purely effusive eruption at ~1000 b.c. ; the Capaxtiro compound lava flow at ~150 b.c. ; and the most recent eruption, the Malpaís Prieto lava flow at ~ a.d. 900. Although these lava flows are not inhabited today, they were densely populated in pre-Hispanic times (before a.d. 1521), especially during the Milpillas phase ( a.d. 1200–1450). Volcanological studies (geochemical studies and detailed mapping using high-resolution DEM from LiDAR) allowed us to characterize these eruptions in terms of their magma source (rock chemical composition, mineral assemblage), age (radiocarbon and paleomagnetic dating), magnitude and dynamics (volume, morphology of the deposits), as well as lava flow emplacement duration. The findings allow us to infer the potential impact that these eruptions had on the pre-Hispanic settlement history of the area.

Contrasting the population genetic structure of a specialist (<i>Hexaglandula corynosoma</i>: Acanthocephala: Polymorphidae) and a generalist parasite (<i>Southwellina hispida</i>) distributed sympatrically in Mexico

Abstract: Polymorphidae is a monophyletic group of acanthocephalans distributed worldwide. Within this family, Hexaglandula corynosoma is a specialist species that uses a single bird species as a definitive host. Southwellina hispida is a generalist species that uses a broad spectrum of definitive hosts to complete its life cycle. In the current research, sequences of cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) from mitochondrial DNA were generated from 44 specimens of H. corynosoma and 76 of S. hispida distributed sympatrically in 6 biogeographic provinces of Mexico with the objective of characterizing and comparing the population genetic structure of 2 acanthocephalan species with opposing life strategies. The phylogeographic studies indicated that the populations of both species lacked a phylogeographic structure and exhibited high haplotype diversity, low nucleotide diversity and low Fst values among the biogeographic provinces; in combination with negative values on the neutrality test, this suggests that the populations of acanthocephalans are expanding. Paratenic hosts are key for the transmission from intermediate to definitive hosts in the generalist species. However, the inclusion of paratenic hosts does not play a principal role in the population genetic structure of S. hispida within its distribution along the coasts of Mexico.

Modifications in the piperazine ring of nucleozin affect anti-influenza activity

Abstract: The infection caused by the influenza virus is a latent tret. The limited access to vaccines and approved drugs highlights the need for additional antiviral agents. Nucleozin and its analogs have gain attention for their promising anti-influenza activity. To contribute to the advancement of the discovery and design of nucleozin analogs, we analyzed piperazine-modified nucleozin analogs to increase conformational freedom. Also, we describe a new synthetic strategy to obtain nucleozin and its analogues, three molecules were synthesized and two of them were biologically evaluated in vitro. Although the analogues were less active than nucleozin, the loss of activity highlights the need for the piperazine ring to maintain the activity of nucleozin analogs. Interestingly, this result agrees with the prediction of anti-influenza activity made with a QSAR model presented in this work. The proposed model and the synthetic route will be useful for the further development of nucleozin analogs with antiviral activity.

Model selection applied to reconstructions of the Dark Energy

Abstract: The main aim of this paper is to perform a model comparison for some reconstructions of the key properties that describe the dark energy of the Universe i.e. energy density and the equation of state (EoS). We carry out this process by using a binning and a linear interpolation methodologies, and on top of that, we incorporate a correlation function mechanism. An extension of the two of them was also introduced, where internal amplitudes are allowed to vary in height as well as in position. The reconstructions were made with data from the Hubble parameter, Supernovae Type Ia and Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (H+SN+BAO), all of which span a range from $z=0.01$ to $z=2.34$. First we perform the parameter estimation for each of the reconstructions to then provide a model selection through the Bayesian Evidence. Throughout our process we found a better fit to the data, up to $4\sigma$ compared to $\Lambda$CDM, and the presence of some interesting features, i.e. an oscillatory behaviour at late times, a decrease in the dark energy density component at early times and a transition to the phantom divide-line in the EoS. To discern these features from noisy contributions, we include a principal component analysis and found that some of these characteristics should be taken into account to satisfy current observations.

Ethnobotany of the Sierra Norte de Puebla

Abstract: The Sierra Norte de Puebla is an environmentally, biologically, and culturally diverse region comprising 60 municipalities in the north of the state of Puebla. Vegetation in the lowlands is the tropical evergreen forest and tropical oak forest established on particular edaphic conditions like sandy soils with fast runoff. Between 700 to 1800 m of elevation, cloud mountain forests are found with several plant associations. In the highlands, conifer forests mainly of pines (Pinus spp.), and temperate oak (Quercus spp.) forests grow. Fagus forests were registered in the municipality of Teziutlán. These types of vegetation do not have sharp boundaries among each other, rather presenting broad ecotone zones between them. In this region humans have been present since over 4000 years and it is currently inhabited by more than one million people, one third of which are indigenous. The original inhabitants of the region were probably of Totonac and Tepehua identities, but several Pre-Columbian migrations from central and western Mexico have been recorded, mainly of Nahua and Otomi or Yuhu people, which settled in the region in different periods. In the past four decades, ethnobotanical research has been conducted in the region focused on documenting the local knowledge and management of useful flora, especially non-timber forest products, traditional agricultural systems, and phytogenetic resources, always with the community members’ consent and collaboration. A summary of the results obtained along that time period are presented here. We report and discuss the observed changes in the use and management of plant resources and the composition of the traditional agricultural systems to cope with new economic, social, and cultural paradigms. We analyze their causes, and consequences for the preservation of the biocultural heritage, and their contribution to the conservation of germplasm and sustainability.

Traditional Management and Diversity of Opuntia: General Panorama in Mexico and a Case Study in the Meridional Central Plateau

Abstract: This chapter shows a general panorama of the biocultural importance of the Opuntia genus in Mexico, and a case study directed to illustrate more specifically such relevance. The case study was conducted in one of the regions of Mexico where the highest diversity of species and ethnovarieties of Opuntia occur, and where this variation has been strongly rooted in the regional cultures. The Opuntia genus comprises more than 200 species, numerous intraspecific taxa, and even more ethnovarieties of cactus pears. It is native to the Americas, with a wide distribution in arid and semiarid lands through subpolar, temperate, subtropical, and tropical regions, from Canada to Patagonia. At least 84 species and numerous intraspecific taxa have been recorded to occur in Mexico; nearly 50 of them are used by different human cultures, and about 15 are cultivated, showing signs of domestication. Nowadays, some Mexican prickly pears like O. ficus-indica, O. streptacantha, O. robusta, O. cochenillifera, and O. auberi are cultivated throughout the world due to their economic and cultural values as food, ornaments, fodder, health-promoting benefits, as main host plant of cochineal, and for multiple other uses and applications. Some species were introduced to the Old World after the European colonization of the Americas and currently are invasive in areas of Australia, Asia, Africa, and Europe, causing severe ecological and economic problems. Since pre-Columbian times, the cactus pear species played agroecological roles in different regions of the Americas. In Mexico, these plants have been used since prehistory by native peoples and currently are important sources of livelihood, outstandingly human food. Fruits and young tender stems of practically all species, and flower buds of some of them, are edible. Their fruits are consumed fresh, and these and other edible parts are prepared in multiple ways in the Mexican cuisine, contributing to diet-nutritious components like amino acids, vitamins, proteins, minerals, dietary fibers, betalains, and phenolic compounds. The young tender cladodes are very much appreciated as vegetables in Mexican cuisine with dozens of recipes developed through history. The mature cladodes are also used to feed livestock; when dried, these are used as firewood. Their easy vegetative propagation and fast growth make Opuntia plants favorable for their cultivation, their use in borders of terraces against soil erosion, as live fences, and as main crops in intensive and extensive plantations. Due to their crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) and water use efficiency, Opuntia spp. provide ecological benefits for recovering and improving degraded lands, landscapes rehabilitation, biodiversity preservation, and prevention of desertification. The case study reported in this chapter was conducted in the Meridional Central Plateau of Mexico, a region historically inhabited by different Chichimec Indigenous peoples, which developed a remarkable cultural history of interactions with prickly pears since pre-Columbian times. Then, after the European conquest, peoples of the region maintained traditional use and developed innovations associated with new socio-ecological contexts, strongly influenced by livestock raising and modern agriculture intensification. The study area is a remaining of the cultural region called “Tunal Grande” or “Gran Tunal,” because of the abundance of forests dominated by Opuntia spp. The name “Tunal” derives from the word tuna, of Caribbean origin but adopted in Spanish to refer to fruits of these plants. The case study documented the local classification of varieties and species of Opuntia, their uses, and management forms in the community of Laguna de Guadalupe in the state of Guanajuato. There, we identified 30 traditional varieties of 10 Opuntia species managed in two main environmental units: the monte (patches of thorn-scrub and secondary forests) and home gardens. In the monte, people let standing phenotypes of species and varieties that are more valued because of their attributes; in addition, they carry out practices that promote the abundance of these favorable species and varieties. In home gardens, people cultivate the most appreciated species and varieties and practice more intensively human selection that guides processes of domestication. We documented the different uses of species and varieties of Opuntia, their economic importance for local people, and their historical and current role as components of the biocultural diversity. We finally discuss the main cultural and economic factors influencing contemporary changes in the local landscape and human culture, and the socio-ecological perspectives for conserving the important biocultural heritage related to Opuntia.

Solanum americanum Mill. Solanum cardiophyllum Lindl. Solanum demissum Lindl. Solanum douglasii Dunal Solanum elae agnifolium Cav. Solanum ehrenbergii (Bitter) Rydb. Solanum houstonii Martyn Solanum lycopersicum L. Solanum nigrescens M. Martens &amp; Galeotti Solanum pubigerum Dunal Solanum rostratum Dunal Solanum rudepannum Dunal Solanum stoloniferum Schltdl. Solanum umbellatum Mill. Solanum verrucosum Schltdl. Solanaceae

Abstract: Solanum americanum Mill.: Solanum amarantoides Dunal; Solanum americanum var. nodiflorum (Jacq.) Edmonds; Solanum americanum subsp. nodiflorum (Jacq.) R.J.F. Hend.; Solanum americanum subsp. nutans (R.J.F. Hend.) R.J.F. Hend.; Solanum americanum var. odishense Kalidass & P. Murugan; Solanum americanum var. patulum (L.) Edmonds; Solanum asperum Hornem. ex Walp.; Solanum calvum Bitter; Solanum curtipes Bitter; Solanum depilatum Bitter; Solanum desvauxii Ham.; Solanum dillenii Schult.; Solanum erythrocarpon G.Mey.; Solanum imerinense Bitter; Solanum inconspicuum Bitter; Solanum indecorum A. Rich.; Solanum inops Dunal; Solanum merrillianum Liou; Solanum microspermum Dunal; Solanum minutibaccatum Bitter; Solanum minutibaccatum subsp. curtipedunculatum Bitter; Solanum nigrum var. americanum (Mill.) O.E. Schulz; Solanum nigrum var. angulosum Sendtn.; Solanum nigrum subsp. dillenii (Schult.) Schur; Solanum nigrum var. minus Hook.f.; Solanum nigrum subsp. nodiflorum (Jacq.) Sendtn.; Solanum nigrum var. oleraceum (Dunal) Hitchc. Solanum nigrum var. patulum L.; Solanum nigrum var. pauciflorum Liou; Solanum nodiflorum Desv. ex Dunal; Solanum nodiflorum Jacq.; Solanum nodiflorum var. acuminatum Chodat; Solanum nodiflorum subsp. nutans R.J.F. Hend.; Solanum nodiflorum var. sapucayense Chodat; Solanum nodiflorum var. sativum A. Chev.; Solanum oleraceum Dunal; Solanum pachystylum Polgar; Solanum papilionaceum Dum.Cours.; Solanum patulum (L.) Roth; Solanum pauciflorum (Liou) H.Y. Zhang; Solanum photeinocarpum Nakamura & Odash.; Solanum photeinocarpum var. violaceum (H.Y. Chen ex Wessely) C.Y. Wu & S.C. Huang; Solanum pterocaulum Dunal; Solanum ptychanthum Dunal; Solanum quadrangulare L.f.; Solanum rumphii Dunal; Solanum sancti-thomae Bitter; Solanum sciaphilum Bitter; Solanum strictum Zuccagni; Solanum suffruticosum var. merrillianum (Liou) C.Y. Wu & S.C. Huang; Solanum tenellum Bitter; Solanum tenuiflorum Steud.; Solanum umbelliferum Torr.; Solanum indecorum A. Rich.; Solanum inops Dunal; Solanum merrillianum Liou; Solanum microspermum Dunal; Solanum minutibaccatum Bitter; Solanum minutibaccatum subsp. curtipedunculatum Bitter; Solanum nigrum var. americanum (Mill.) O.E.Schulz; Solanum nigrum var. angulosum Sendtn.; Solanum nigrum subsp. dilleniid (Schult.) Schur; Solanum nigrum var. minus Hook.f.; Solanum nigrum subsp. nodiflorum (Jacq.) Sendtn.; Solanum nigrum var. oleraceum (Dunal) Hitchc.; Solanum nigrum var. patulum L.; Solanum nigrum var. pauciflorum Liou; Solanum nodiflorum Desv. ex Dunal; Solanum nodiflorum Jacq.; Solanum nodiflorum var. acuminatum Chodat; Solanum nodiflorum subsp. nutans R.J.F.Hend.; Solanum nodiflorum var. sapucayense Chodat; Solanum nodiflorum var. sativum A.Chev.; Solanum oleraceum Dunal; Solanum pachystylum Polgar; Solanum papilionaceum Dum.Cours.; Solanum patulum (L.) Roth; Solanum pauciflorum (Liou) H.Y.Zhang; Solanum photeinocarpum Nakamura & Odash.; Solanum photeinocarpum var. violaceum (H.Y.Chen ex Wessely) C.Y.Wu & S.C.Huang; Solanum pterocaulum Dunal; Solanum ptychanthum Dunal; Solanum quadrangulare L.f.; Solanum rumphii Dunal; Solanum sancti-thomae Bitter; Solanum sciaphilum Bitter; Solanum strictum Zuccagni; Solanum suffruticosum var. merrillianum (Liou) C.Y.Wu & S.C.Huang; Solanum tenellum Bitter; Solanum tenuiflorum Steud.; and Solanum umbelliferum Torr. (POWO 2021).

Uneven resources threaten causal consistency in randomized trials

Abstract: 1. Department of Medical Education, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, Mexico. Vasco de Quiroga # 15, Belisario Domínguez Sección XVI, Tlalpan, Mexico City, 14080, Mexico. Email: [email protected]; Phone: 55 5487 0900. 2. Division of Postgraduate Studies, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico. 3. Metabolic Diseases Research Unit, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, Mexico. Financial support: none. Data availability statement: no new data was used for this manuscript. Funding: The authors declare that no funds, grants, or other support were received during the preparation of this manuscript. Competing interests: The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose. Ethics approval: Not applicable. * Corresponding author

On the Challenges of Acoustic Energy Mapping Using a WASN: Synchronization and Audio Capture

Abstract: Acoustic energy mapping provides the functionality to obtain characteristics of acoustic sources, as: presence, localization, type and trajectory of sound sources. Several beamforming-based techniques can be used for this purpose. However, they rely on the difference of arrival times of the signal at each capture node (or microphone), so it is of major importance to have synchronized multi-channel recordings. A Wireless Acoustic Sensor Network (WASN) can be very practical to install when used for mapping the acoustic energy of a given acoustic environment. However, they are known for having low synchronization between the recordings from each node. The objective of this paper is to characterize the impact of current popular synchronization methodologies as part of the WASN to capture reliable data to be used for acoustic energy mapping. The two evaluated synchronization protocols are: Network Time Protocol (NTP) y Precision Time Protocol (PTP). Additionally, three different audio capture methodologies were proposed for the WASN to capture the acoustic signal: two of them, recording the data locally and one sending the data through a local wireless network. As a real-life evaluation scenario, a WASN was built using nodes conformed by a Raspberry Pi 4B+ with a single MEMS microphone. Experimental results demonstrate that the most reliable methodology is using the PTP synchronization protocol and audio recording locally.

Fuel Storage Application of Activated Carbon

Abstract: Activated carbon has served various purposes over the years, as a catalyst, a support, and an adsorbent for the removal of pollutants, and currently, it is used as a functional material for energy storage. This is because of its high surface area, low density, tunable porosity, surface functional groups, and conductivity. Herein, we present another important application of activated carbon in fuel storage. The state-of-the-art intricacies and challenges in the development and control of the surface, morphology and porosity of activated carbon are elucidated in this chapter. Also, the renewed interest in the development of activated carbon, matched by intensive research investigations into its application as a storage material for hydrogen, propane, natural gas, and n-butane fuels, is discussed. The mechanisms of activated carbon fuel storage at ambient and cryogenic temperature and in electrochemical processes are investigated. It is hoped that this study will show that activated carbon from abundant biomasses remains a competitive porous material to achieve the transition from the concept of various technologies of environmental protection to a unified energy restoration industry.

Position statement for the development of adult congenital heart disease units in Latin America and the Caribbean: Recommendations by the adult congenital heart disease chapter and pediatric cardiology council of the interamerican society of cardiology …

Abstract: In 2020, there was an estimated prevalence of more than 1.8 million adults with congenital heart disease (ACHDs) living in South America, and 677,000 in Central America and the Caribbean. The ACHD mortality is higher in developing countries, compared with developed countries, and it has been shown that concentrating this population in specialized ACHD units improves their survival and prognosis. Currently, Latin American (LATAM) and Caribbean countries have an insufficient number of specialists and specialized ACHD units. Analyzing this situation, the Inter-American Society of Cardiology's (IASC) ACHD chapter and Pediatric Cardiology Council have prepared the first recommendations for developing ACHD units in LATAM and Caribbean countries. This article is the first collaborative work between South American, Central American and Caribbean countries. It describes the main points for organizing and developing ACHD units adapted to our own reality. Each point has been discussed in terms of barriers and challenges, followed by specific recommendations for improving and developing ACHD care. They have been reviewed and endorsed by the International Society for Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ISACHD), and the goal of their implementation is for each ACHD unit in the region to have the standards of quality and efficiency to improve the prognosis and survival of ACHDs in the region.

Intersections with Dihedral Symmetry

Abstract: Z has dihedral symmetry since it is invariant under cyclic permutation of the coordinates and conjugation. The configuration of coefficients reflects this symmetry.

The Puy de Dôme ICe Nucleation Intercomparison Campaign (PICNIC): Comparison between online and offline methods in ambient air

Abstract: Abstract. Only a tiny fraction of all aerosol particles nucleate ice (ice nucleating particles; INPs) and their concentration over the relevant temperature range for mixed-phase clouds covers up to ten orders of magnitude, providing a challenge for contemporary INP measurement techniques. INP concentrations can be detected online with high-time resolutions of minutes, or offline, where aerosols are collected on filters for hours to days. Here we present measurements of INP concentrations in ambient air under conditions relevant to mixed-phase clouds from a total of ten INP methods over two weeks in October 2018 at the Puy de Dôme observatory in central France. INP concentrations were detected online in the immersion freezing mode, between ~ -5 °C and -30 °C. Two continuous flow diffusion chambers (CFDC; Colorado State University-Continuous Flow Diffusion Chamber, CSU-CFDC; Spectrometer for Ice Nuclei, SPIN) and an expansion chamber (Portable Ice Nucleation Experiment, PINE) measured the INP concentration with a time resolution of several minutes and at temperatures below -20 °C. Seven offline freezing techniques determined the temperature-dependent INP concentration above ~ -30 °C using water suspensions of filter-collected particles sampled over 8 hours (FRankfurt Ice Nuclei Deposition FreezinG Experiment, FRIDGE; Ice Nucleation Droplet Array INDA; Ice Nucleation Spectrometer of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, INSEKT; Ice Spectrometer, IS; Leipzig Ice Nucleation Array, LINA; LED based Ice Nucleation Detection Apparatus LINDA; Micro-Orifice Uniform Deposit Impactor–Droplet Freezing Technique, MOUDI-DFT). A special focus in this intercomparison campaign was placed on having overlapping sampling periods for the methods: INP concentrations measured with the online instruments were compared within 10 minutes and at the same temperature (±1 °C), while the filter collections for offline methods were started and stopped simultaneously and aerosol freezing spectra were compared at 1 °C steps. The majority of INP concentrations measured with PINE agreed well with the CSU-CFDC within a factor of two and five (71 % and 100 % of the data, respectively). There was a consistent observation of lower INP concentration with SPIN, and only 35 % of the data are within a factor of two from the CSU-CFDC, but 80 % of the data are still within a factor of five. This might have been caused by an incomplete exposure of all aerosol particles to water-supersaturated conditions within the instrument – a feature inherent to CFDC-style instruments – demonstrating the need to account for aerosol lamina spreading when interpreting INP concentration data from online instrument’s data. The comparison of the offline methods, which deposited aerosol particles on filters in the laboratory via a whole air inlet, revealed that more than 45 % of the data fall within a factor of two from the results obtained with INSEKT. Measurements using different filter materials and filter holders revealed no difference in the temperature-dependent INP concentration at overlapping temperatures. However, consistently higher INP concentrations were observed from aerosol filters collected on the rooftop at the Puy de Dôme station without the use of an inlet, compared to measurements performed behind the whole air inlet system.