The fabrication of fungicides in cost-effective and eco-friendly ways is particularly important for agriculture. Plant pathogenic fungi produce many economic and ecological problems worldwide, which ...must be controlled with potent fungicides. Here we propose the green synthesis of fungicides, which consist of copper nanoparticles (Cu-NPs) prepared in aqueous media. Through
in vitro
experiments, the antifungal efficacy against
Fusarium solani
,
Neofusicoccum
sp., and
Fusarium oxysporum
was investigated. Although the antifungal activity differs for each fungal species, it was found that the Cu-NPs induce strong morphological changes in the mycelium. Additionally, the damage of the cell membranes of the pathogens was revealed by microscopic observations. For the three evaluated fungi, fluorescence microscopy demonstrated the intracellular generation of reactive oxygen species in the mycelium. This work proves that the green-synthesized Cu-NPs are potential fungicides against
F. solani
,
Neofusicoccum
sp., and
F. oxysporum
.
The fabrication of fungicides in cost-effective and eco-friendly ways is particularly important for agriculture.
We report the first detection of unrest at Socompa volcano during our recent survey of Central Andean volcanos in Northern Chile using Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar measurements spanning ...January 2018 to October 2021. We find that Socompa volcano, whilst initially undeforming and no recorded eruptions for 7.2 kyr, shows a steady uplift (17.5 mm/yr) from November 2019, independently recorded by near‐field continuous Global Positioning System data. The deformation pattern can be fitted with pressure increase in an ellipsoidal source region stretching from 2.1 to 10.5 km, with a volume change rate of ∼6.2 × 106 m3/yr. Our observations of the onset of uplift suggest it is unlikely that a nearby Mw 6.8 deep intraslab earthquake on 3 June 2020 triggered the unrest. The deformation signal we detect indicates the initiation of unrest at Socompa, after at least two decades without measurable deformation, and many thousands of years without volcanic activity.
Plain Language Summary
Here we report the first observation of unrest of the Socompa volcano, Northern Chile, which is thought to have last erupted thousands of years ago. Using radar interferometry technique and differencing radar images from two dates, it is possible to retrieve millimeter‐level surface displacements during this period. Here, we use a time series of multiple images spanning January 2018 to January 2023, over the Central Andean volcanoes in Northern Chile, to estimate the change in ground movement through time. Combined with Global Positioning System data, we find Socompa volcano started to uplift in November 2019 at a relatively stable speed (of 17.5 mm/yr) without any trace of slowing down up to December 2021. Our analysis suggests that this volcanic deformation is unlikely to have been triggered by a nearby 112 km depth, Mw 6.8 earthquake, which occurred in June 2020, and was thus after the onset time. Deformation at Socompa has similarities with other volcanoes in the Central Andes, where low rates of magmatic uplift have been detected at other apparently quiescent volcanoes. Such large‐scale monitoring efforts using remote sensing data are important, as we can better understand the deformation style of these volcanoes in areas that are poorly instrumented.
Key Points
We combine Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar and Global Positioning System data to survey the Central Andean volcanoes, some of which have been updated for the first time in over 10 years
We show the first detection of unrest at Socompa volcano with steady uplift up to 17.5 mm/yr since November 2019
Deformation patterns are consistent with an ellipsoidal source, stretching from 2.1 to 10.5 km and with a volume change of ∼6.2 × 106 m3/yr
Objectives
We aimed to systematically review parental barriers towards children and adolescents’ active transport to school (ATS) in the scientific literature and to provide a categorization of the ...barriers identified in the studies.
Methods
A search was conducted through seven online databases, from the beginning of the database to March 2018.
Results
A total of 27 of the identified studies met the inclusion criteria. The main parental barriers reported by parents of children (21 studies) were built environment, traffic safety, distance, crime-related safety and social support. The main parental barriers reported by parents of adolescents (6 studies) were built environment (street connectivity), distance, traffic safety and physical and motivation barriers. The parental barriers associated with ATS were mainly related to the built environment and traffic safety.
Conclusions
It is crucial to involve parents through interventions to reduce the perception of safety and to increase awareness of the importance of ATS. In addition, these strategies should be complemented by environmental changes performed by local governments.
Purpose
To date, treatment with intravenous (IV) agents such as vasodilators, diuretics, and inotropes has shown marginal or mixed benefits in acute heart failure (AHF) trials. The aim of this study ...was to identify the risks and benefits of IV drugs in patients hospitalized with acute decompensated heart failure.
Methods
The AHF global survey of standard treatment (ALARM-HF) reviewed in-hospital treatments in eight countries. The present study was a post hoc analysis of ALARM-HF data in which propensity scoring was used to identify groups of patients who differed by treatment but had the same multivariate distribution of covariates. Such propensity matching allowed estimations of the effect of specific treatments on the outcome of in-hospital mortality.
Results
Unadjusted analysis showed a lower in-hospital mortality rate in AHF patients receiving “diuretics + vasodilators” (
n
= 1,805) compared to those receiving “diuretics alone” (
n
= 2,362) (7.6 vs. 14.2%,
p
< 0.0001). Propensity-based matching (
n
= 1,007 matched pairs) confirmed the lower mortality of AHF patients receiving diuretics + vasodilators: 7.8 versus 11.0% (
p
= 0.016). Unadjusted analysis showed a much greater in-hospital mortality rate in patients receiving IV inotropes (25.9%) compared to those who did not (5.2%) (
p
< 0.0001). Propensity-based matching (
n
= 954 pairs) confirmed that IV catecholamine use was associated with 1.5-fold increase for dopamine or dobutamine use and a >2.5-fold increase for norepinephrine or epinephrine use.
Conclusions
In terms of in-hospital survival, a vasodilator in combination with a diuretic fared better than treatment with only a diuretic. Catecholamine inotropes should be used cautiously as it has been seen that they actually increase the risk for in-hospital mortality.
In this study we identify and classify high and low levels of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in healthy volunteers (HV) and diabetic patients (DP). Overall, 86 subjects were evaluated. The Raman ...spectrum was measured in three anatomical regions of the body: index fingertip, right ear lobe, and forehead. The measurements were performed to compare the difference between the HV and DP (22 well controlled diabetic patients (WCDP) (HbA1c <6.5%), and 49 not controlled diabetic patients (NCDP) (HbA1c ≥6.5%)). Multivariable methods such as principal components analysis (PCA) combined with support vector machine (SVM) were used to develop effective diagnostic algorithms for classification among these groups. The forehead of HV versus WCDP showed the highest sensitivity (100%) and specificity (100%). Sensitivity (100%) and specificity (60%), were highest in the forehead of WCDP, versus NCDP. In HV versus NCDP, the fingertip had the highest sensitivity (100%) and specificity (80%). The efficacy of the diagnostic algorithm by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was confirmed. Overall, our study demonstrated that the
combination of Raman spectroscopy and PCA‐SVM are feasible non‐invasive diagnostic tool in diabetes to classify qualitatively high and low levels of HbA1c in vivo.
Glycated hemoglobin is a gold standard recommended test by the World Health Organization as a diagnostic and control took in diabetic patients. Unfortunately is a high‐cost test. Raman spectroscopy combined with multivariate methods improves significantly the accuracy of this diagnostic tool (specificity 99% & sensitivity 99%). In this work we show the first study of Raman spectroscopy in vivo in diabetic and healthy patients, to classify qualitatively high and low levels of glycated hemoglobin.
Food systems must become more sustainable and equitable, a transformation which requires the transdisciplinary co-production of knowledge. We present a framework of food sustainability that was ...co-created by academic and non-academic actors and comprises five dimensions: food security, right to food, environmental performance, poverty and inequality, and social-ecological resilience. For each dimension, an interdisciplinary research team-together with actors from different food systems-defined key indicators and empirically applied them to six case studies in Kenya and Bolivia. Food sustainability scores were analysed for the food systems as a whole, for the five dimensions, and for food system activities. We then identified the indicators with the greatest influence on sustainability scores. While all food systems displayed strengths and weaknesses, local and agroecological food systems scored comparatively highly across all dimensions. Agro-industrial food systems scored lowest in environmental performance and food security, while their resilience scores were medium to high. The lowest-scoring dimensions were right to food, poverty and inequality, with particularly low scores obtained for the indicators women's access to land and credit, agrobiodiversity, local food traditions, social protection, and remedies for violations of the right to food. This qualifies them as key levers for policy interventions towards food sustainability.
A multicentre phase II trial to determine the efficacy of vinflunine as second-line therapy in patients with advanced transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder; secondary objectives were to ...assess duration of response, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), and to evaluate the toxicity associated with this treatment. Patients had tumours that failed or progressed after first-line platinum-containing regimens for advanced or metastatic disease, or had progressive disease after platinum-containing chemotherapy given with adjuvant or neoadjuvant intent. Response and adverse events were assessed according to WHO criteria and NCI-CTC (version 2), respectively. Out of 51 patients treated with 320 mg m(-2) of vinflunine, nine patients responded to the therapy yielding an overall response rate of 18% (95% CI: 8.4-30.9%), and 67% (95%CI: 52.1-79.3%) achieved disease control (PR+SD). Of note, responses were seen in patients with relatively poor prognostic factors such as a short (<12 months) interval from prior platinum therapy (19%, including an 11% response rate in those progressing <3 months after platinum treatment), prior treatment for metastatic disease (24%), prior treatment with vinca alkaloids (14%) and visceral involvement (20%). The median duration of response was 9.1 months (95% CI: 4.2-15.0) and the median PFS was 3.0 months (95% CI: 2.4-3.8). The median OS was 6.6 months (95% CI: 4.8-7.6). The main haematological toxicity was grade 3-4 neutropenia, observed in 67% of patients (42% of cycles). Febrile neutropenia was observed in five patients (10%) and among them two were fatal. Constipation was frequently observed (but was manageable and noncumulative) and was grade 3-4 in only 8% of patients. The incidence of grade 3 nausea and vomiting was very low (4 and 6% of patients, respectively). Neither grade 3-4 sensory neuropathy nor severe venous irritation was observed. Moreover, and of importance in this particular study population, no grade 3-4 renal function impairment was observed. Vinflunine is an active agent for the treatment of platinum-pretreated bladder cancer, and these results warrant further investigation in phase III trials, either as monotherapy or in combination with other agents as treatment of advanced/metastatic TCC of the bladder.
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•PEG-coated and uncoated ZnO-NPs were prepared via sol-gel and method, respectively.•ZnO-NPs exhibited high antifungal activity against Raffaelea species.•The uncoated ZnO-NPs could ...be potentially for the control the laurel wilt disease.
In the present study, we report the in-vitro antifungal activity of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) against three species of the ambrosia beetle mutualistic fungi, Raffaelea arxii, Raffaelea subfusca, Raffaelea lauricola. The latter is the causal agent of laurel wilt, a deadly vascular disease of avocado. The effect of coating and size of two kinds of ZnO-NPs on the antifungal activity against those mutualistic is presented. The NPs obtained by the hydrothermal method (hyd-ZnO) were uncoated plate-like NPs with sizes between 200 and 600 nm, while the NPs obtained by sol–gel (sg-ZnO) were PEG-coated semi-spherical NPs with ~60 nm in size. Although the inhibition percentage was higher than 80% for both kinds of NPs (at a concentration of 0.5 mg/ml), the highest antifungal capacity was exhibited by the hyd-ZnO-NPs. Here we show that despite the size of the NPs, which is a crucial parameter, the coating of ZnO-NPs is the most critical factor for the improvement of their antifungal properties.
Causal order can improve the quantum information transmission in teleportation due a noisy entangled resource being present in it by using additionally an appropriate measurement state on the control ...state ruling the causal order. In this work, we get analytically the fidelity for the entire process under an arbitrary initialization of such control state and performing an optimal measurement on it, thus obtaining a perfect teleportation. We also analyse other values characterizing the imperfect entangled state where a perfect teleportation can not be reached. Notably, we determine that the best fidelity does not depend on the preparation of the control state but instead on the imperfect initial entangled resource.
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