The objective of this work was to comparatively evaluate the production of biohydrogen (bio-H2) from tequila vinasses at optimized mesophilic and thermophilic conditions and to elucidate the main ...metabolic routes involved. Optimal temperatures of 35 °C and 55 °C, and pH of 5.5 maximized the bio-H2 production rates, 25.5 ± 0.01 NmL h−1 and 169.9 ± 8.9 NmL h−1 in the mesophilic and thermophilic regimens, respectively. During the operation of anaerobic sequencing batch reactors, the thermophilic process allowed a volumetric bio-H2 production rate of 519 ± 13 NmL-H2 L−1 d−1 equivalent to 750 ± 19 NmL-H2 Lvinasse−1, while the mesophilic one 448 ± 23 NmL-H2 L−1 d−1 and 647 ± 33 NmL-H2 Lvinasse−1, respectively. Furthermore, the gas produced under thermophilic conditions showed high hydrogen content (86.5%). Finally, formate degradation and glucose fermentation to acetic and butyric acids were the main metabolic routes involved in bio-H2 production under thermophilic conditions, while at mesophilic conditions, the lactate and formate degradation pathways governed.
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•Mesophilic/thermophilic conditions were optimized for H2 production from vinasses.•Higher H2 productivities and yields were obtained under thermophilic conditions.•H2 content in gas was 1.7 times higher under thermophilic condition.•Thermophilic production of H2 was associated to glucose and formate degradation.•Lactate and formate pathways governed the mesophilic H2 production.
Objective To demonstrate the clinical value of the endometrial receptivity array (ERA) in patients with repeated implantation failure (RIF), for guiding their personalized embryo transfer (pET) as a ...novel therapeutic strategy. Design Prospective interventional multicenter clinical trial. Setting University-affiliated infertility and private clinics. Patient(s) Eighty-five RIF patients and 25 comparison patients. Intervention(s) Endometrial sampling and pET guided by ERA. Main Outcome Measure(s) A receptive (R) or nonreceptive (NR) endometrial status according to ERA. Pregnancy (PR) and implantation (IR) rates after pET. Result(s) The ERA test gave an R result of 74.1% in RIF patients versus 88% in control subjects. Clinical follow-up was possible in 29 RIF patients, in whom pET was performed, resulting in 51.7% PR and 33.9% IR. The IRs and PRs in the 6 months after the biopsy showed that pregnancy was not related to the local injury. Twenty-two RIF patients (25.9%) were NR, and in 15 of them a second ERA validated a displacement of the window of implantation (WOI). In eight of them, pET was performed on the day designated by the ERA, resulting in 50.0% PR and 38.5% IR. These results should be considered as preliminary. Conclusion(s) There is an increased percentage of WOI displacement in RIF patients compared with comparison group patients, leading to the concept of pET as a therapeutic strategy. Rescue of NR patients by pET in a displaced WOI results in similar PR and IR.
This study examined the phenomenon of “food deserts” in Las Palmeras, a vulnerable neighborhood in Córdoba, Spain, a medium-sized city known for its agricultural traditions and Mediterranean diet. ...Through a mixed-methods approach, including spatial analysis, and quantitative and qualitative assessments, we compared dietary habits and food accessibility in Las Palmeras to other Córdoba neighborhoods. We found that Las Palmeras residents reported significantly lower fruit and vegetable consumption and expressed greater difficulty accessing healthy foods despite having a relatively short commute time to the nearest grocery store. Moreover, people in Las Palmeras reported spending more time preparing meals than people in other parts of the city. In contrast, El Brillante, a high-income neighborhood, reported consistent healthy food consumption, even with longer commutes to supermarkets and less time spent preparing meals. This disparity suggests that economic barriers and education levels play a critical role in food choices, emphasizing that food deserts are multidimensional and encompass more than just geographical accessibility to nutritious food. Utilizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a holistic approach, our study amplifies the discussion of sustainable urban development, examining the complex interplay of geographic proximity, socio-economic status, educational levels, generational changes, and the variety of food options in determining access to healthy food. This research offers valuable insights into food accessibility in Spain and contributes to the European dialogue on food deserts and food security, informing strategies for enhancing urban food security, particularly in vulnerable neighborhoods.
The environmental impact caused by the intensive exploitation of fossil fuels to generate heat and electricity has already reached a critical level. Also, as the industrial sector is the largest ...energy consumer, mainly in the form of heat, it has then become compulsive to implement the use of renewable solar heat in industrial processes, such as those found in the food processing and beverages industries, which do not require high temperatures. Consequently, this study examines the viability of supplying heat as hot water at 80 °C and saturated steam at 160 °C to a medium-sized brewery factory through a hybrid solar plant composed of flat plate and parabolic trough collectors and sensible thermal energy storage. The study was conducted numerically using the meteorological conditions of a city different from that where the factory is located because it benefits from higher insolation levels. The mean annual solar fractions achieved were 49.9% for hot water production and 37.3% for steam generation, at a levelized cost of heat of 0.032 USD/kWh, which can be considered competitive if compared against the values reported in other similar solar projects. Also, the decrease in fossil fuel consumption allowed an annual reduction of 252 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
Alternative splicing enables higher eukaryotes to expand mRNA diversity from a finite number of genes through highly combinatorial splice site selection mechanisms that are influenced by the sequence ...of competing splice sites, cis-regulatory elements binding trans-acting factors, the length of exons and introns harbouring alternative splice sites and RNA secondary structures at putative splice junctions. To test the hypothesis that the intron definition or exon definition modes of splice site recognition direct the selection of alternative splice patterns, we created a database of alternative splice site usage (ALTssDB). When alternative splice sites are embedded within short introns (intron definition), the 5′ and 3′ splice sites closest to each other across the intron preferentially pair, consistent with previous observations. However, when alternative splice sites are embedded within large flanking introns (exon definition), the 5′ and 3′ splice sites closest to each other across the exon are preferentially selected. Thus, alternative splicing decisions are influenced by the intron and exon definition modes of splice site recognition. The results demonstrate that the spliceosome pairs splice sites that are closest in proximity within the unit of initial splice site selection.
Objective
To assess the prevalence of bullying in medical residents and its associated factors.
Methods
In this systematic review and meta‐analysis, articles from MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, PsycInfo, ...Cochrane databases, and Web of Science were searched. Published and unpublished cross‐sectional studies were included. Cochrane's Q test and I2 statistics were used to assess the existence of heterogeneity. Subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis were performed on evidence of heterogeneity. Egger's test and funnel plots were performed to investigate publication bias.
Results
A total of 13 cross‐sectional studies with a total of 44 566 study participants from different medical residencies were analyzed. The overall prevalence of bullying was 51% (95% CI 36–66). Furthermore, female residents and residents that belong to a minority group had higher odds of experiencing bullying compared to their peers.
Conclusion
A high prevalence of bullying in medical residents exists around the world. There is a need for education, dissemination, and more effective interventions among the residents and authorities about bullying to build and promote adequate behaviors and diminish bullying prevalence.
The conjugate heat transfer in a triple glass window (TG) is presented to determine the air-gap width that improves its thermal performance under a warm Mexican climate. Five different air-gap widths ...(Hc = 6, 10, 14, 18, and 22 mm), 4 mm of thickness for each glass, and 80 cm in height are considered. Hourly climatic data of the coldest and the warmest day of Merida were used to assess the thermal behavior of the TG, and the results were compared against a double glass (DG) and a singles glass window (SG). A validated numerical code based on the Finite Volume Method was developed to model the windows. We found that an air-gap width of 10 mm reduces the hourly heat flux to the indoor during the warmest day up to 17.7 and 38.7 % compared to the DG and SG, respectively. Moreover, the daily total heat flux, electricity cost, and CO2 emission on the TG are up to ≈ 40% lower than an SG, respectively. Therefore, we recommended a TG to improve the thermal performance on windows under weather conditions of Merida, Yucatan.
•Conjugate heat transfer in a triple glass (TG) located in Merida was modeled.•The optimal width of the air-cavity of the TG under warm weather conditions is 10 mm.•Surface temperature of the TG is up to 4.9 °C lower than of the SG on the warmest day.•TG reduce the average total heat flux on the coldest day by 41% compared to the SG.•TG improve the thermal insulation of windows located in a warm Mexican climate.
The following study relates the qualities and uses of the GeoAcademy Project, a program designed with the aim of geolocating scientific articles automatically, such articles would be found in Scopus, ...Web of Science, or similar databases. An algorithm has been developed with the intention of capturing geographical coordinates or toponyms contained within the documents in order to perform reliable geolocation. In the methodology, we describe the stages of the project that have been necessary so as to build a sample database concerning the Sierra Nevada (Spain), as well as the development of the algorithm. The technical data regarding the employment of the algorithm on the sample documents and its levels of success are included in the results, as is an explanation of the platform containing web maps which can be utilised to show the texts which have been geolocated. In conclusion we outline the obstacles faced, potential bibliometric uses and the advantages it offers as a reference resource and source of information.
SARS-CoV-2 caused a life-threatening COVID-19 pandemic outbreak worldwide. The Southeastern Region of Wisconsin, USA (SERW) includes large urban Milwaukee and six suburban counties, namely Kenosha, ...Ozaukee, Racine, Walworth, Washington and Waukesha. Due to the lack of detailed SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance in the suburban populations of the SERW, whole-genome sequencing was employed to investigate circulating SARS-CoV-2 lineages and characterize dominant XBB lineages among this SERW population from November 2021 to April 2023. For an unbiased data analysis, we combined our 6709 SARS-CoV-2 sequences with 1520 sequences from the same geographical region submitted by other laboratories. Our study shows that SARS-CoV-2 genomes were distributed into 357 lineages/sublineages belonging to 13 clades, of which 88.8% were from Omicron. We document dominant sublineages XBB.1.5 and surging XBB.1.16 and XBB.1.9.1 with a few additional functional mutations in Spike, which are known to contribute to higher viral reproduction, enhanced transmission and immune evasion. Mutational profile assessment of XBB.1.5 Spike identifies 38 defining mutations with high prevalence occurring in 49.8–99.6% of the sequences studied, of which 32 mutations were in three functional domains. Phylogenetic and genetic relatedness between XBB.1.5 sequences reveal potential virus transmission occurring within households and within and between Southeastern Wisconsin counties. A comprehensive phylogeny of XBB.1.5 with global sub-dataset sequences confirms the wide spread of genetically similar SARS-CoV-2 strains within the same geographical area. Altogether, this study identified proportions of circulating Omicron variants and genetic characterization of XBB.1.5 in the SERW population, which helped state and national public health agencies to make compelling mitigation efforts to reduce COVID-19 transmission in the communities and monitor emerging lineages for their impact on diagnostics, treatments and vaccines.
