It has long been thought that reducing mean‐state biases would lead to improvements in variability. However, so far, there is no confirmation of a relation between model mean biases and variability. ...While most coupled models exhibit substantial sea surface temperature (SST) biases in the Tropical Atlantic, they are still able to reproduce reasonable SST variability in the basin. We investigate the relationship between the first‐ and second‐order moments of the SST distribution in the equatorial Atlantic using Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 simulations. Results suggest that the ability of the coupled models to properly reproduce the interannual variability is linked to their ability to simulate a realistic seasonal cycle evolution, that is, a realistic cold tongue development and a realistic Bjerknes feedback during the beginning of summer, rather than to their ability to represent the summer SST climatology.
Plain Language Summary
To study climate change and natural climate variability, the climate community uses global coupled models. However, these models are not perfect; model systematic errors or biases appear due to approximations in the equations and misrepresentation of different parametrized processes. Biases affect all timescales: the climatology, the seasonal cycle evolution, and interannual variability. In the Tropical Atlantic, almost all state‐of‐the‐art coupled models show very large biases in sea surface temperature. At the same time, this region has a very strong seasonal cycle and a leading mode of variability at equatorial latitudes called the Atlantic Niño. In the present study, by analyzing 36 coupled models, we conclude that it is essential to properly simulate the seasonal cycle evolution to yield a realistic simulation of the Atlantic Niño.
Key Points
The Atlantic Niño bias weakly depends on the climatological SST, wind, and thermocline errors
Errors in the representation of the seasonal cold tongue development affect the simulation of the Atlantic Niño
Biases in the Bjerknes feedback climatology and variability are related to each other
Mitochondrial autophagy, also known as mitophagy, is an autophagosome-based mitochondrial degradation process that eliminates unwanted or damaged mitochondria after cell stress. Most studies dealing ...with mitophagy rely on the analysis by fluorescence microscopy of mitochondrial-autophagosome colocalization. However, given the fundamental role of mitophagy in the physiology and pathology of organisms, there is an urgent need for novel quantitative methods with which to study this process. Here, we describe a flow cytometry-based approach to determine mitophagy by using MitoTracker Deep Red, a widely used mitochondria-selective probe. Used in combination with selective inhibitors it may allow for the determination of mitophagy flux. Here, we test the validity of the use of this method in cell lines and in primary cell and tissue cultures.
Radiation-induced dermatitis (RD) is one of the most common toxicities in radiation therapy (RT) patients. Corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, and natural products (NPs) have been used as treatment. ...The objective was to evaluate the efficacy of a NPs-based cream (Alantel®) to reduce the incidence of RD in women with breast cancer undergoing RT treatment.
We conducted a controlled, randomized, double-blind clinical trial.
Radiation Oncology Unit of the Reina Sofía Hospital and 5 Primary Care centers of the Cordoba and Guadalquivir Health District (Spain).
Patients assigned to the experimental group (GTA) were treated with Alantel, while those in the control group (GTE) were treated with a moisturizer and emollient cream.
The primary outcome variable was the incidence of RD. RD-free time, duration of RD, quality of life, and product safety were also assessed.
Seventy patients were included in the study, 35 in the GTA and 35 in the GTE. The incidence of RD was lower in the GTA (71.4%) than in the GTE (91.4%) after 4 weeks of follow-up (RR = 0.78; NNT = 5; p < 0.031). The Skindex-29 questionnaire showed differences in the statement: “My skin condition makes it hard to work or do hobbies” (17.1% in the GTE vs. 2.9% in GTA; p = 0.024).
The higher efficacy of Alantel® compared to the control cream in reducing the incidence of RD in women with breast cancer has been demonstrated.
•This study investigated the efficacy of a cosmetic cream to prevent the radiation dermatitis in women with breast cancer.•This study found that the tested cream may be a product with proven efficacy to reduce the dermal effects of radiotherapy treatment.•Alantel cream should be considered as an adjuvant therapy to reduce the probability of dermal lesions in women with breast cancer undergoing radiotherapy.
BACKGROUNDPassive immunotherapy with convalescent plasma (CP) is a potential treatment for COVID-19. Evidence from controlled clinical trials is inconclusive.METHODSWe conducted a randomized, ...open-label, controlled clinical trial at 27 hospitals in Spain. Patients had to be admitted for COVID-19 pneumonia within 7 days from symptom onset and not on mechanical ventilation or high-flow oxygen devices. Patients were randomized 1:1 to treatment with CP in addition to standard of care (SOC) or to the control arm receiving only SOC. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients in categories 5 (noninvasive ventilation or high-flow oxygen), 6 (invasive mechanical ventilation or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation ECMO), or 7 (death) at 14 days. Primary analysis was performed in the intention-to-treat population.RESULTSBetween April 4, 2020, and February 5, 2021, 350 patients were randomly assigned to either CP (n = 179) or SOC (n = 171). At 14 days, proportion of patients in categories 5, 6, or 7 was 11.7% in the CP group versus 16.4% in the control group (P = 0.205). The difference was greater at 28 days, with 8.4% of patients in categories 5-7 in the CP group versus 17.0% in the control group (P = 0.021). The difference in overall survival did not reach statistical significance (HR 0.46, 95% CI 0.19-1.14, log-rank P = 0.087).CONCLUSIONCP showed a significant benefit in preventing progression to noninvasive ventilation or high-flow oxygen, invasive mechanical ventilation or ECMO, or death at 28 days. The effect on the predefined primary endpoint at 14 days and the effect on overall survival were not statistically significant.TRIAL REGISTRATIONClinicaltrials.gov, NCT04345523.FUNDINGGovernment of Spain, Instituto de Salud Carlos III.
The relationship between exposure to air pollution and the severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia and other outcomes is poorly understood. Beyond age and comorbidity, risk factors ...for adverse outcomes including death have been poorly studied. The main objective of our study was to examine the relationship between exposure to outdoor air pollution and the risk of death in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia using individual-level data. The secondary objective was to investigate the impact of air pollutants on gas exchange and systemic inflammation in this disease. This cohort study included 1548 patients hospitalised for COVID-19 pneumonia between February and May 2020 in one of four hospitals. Local agencies supplied daily data on environmental air pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, O3, NO2, NO and NOX) and meteorological conditions (temperature and humidity) in the year before hospital admission (from January 2019 to December 2019). Daily exposure to pollution and meteorological conditions by individual postcode of residence was estimated using geospatial Bayesian generalised additive models. The influence of air pollution on pneumonia severity was studied using generalised additive models which included: age, sex, Charlson comorbidity index, hospital, average income, air temperature and humidity, and exposure to each pollutant. Additionally, generalised additive models were generated for exploring the effect of air pollution on C-reactive protein (CRP) level and SpO2/FiO2 at admission. According to our results, both risk of COVID-19 death and CRP level increased significantly with median exposure to PM10, NO2, NO and NOX, while higher exposure to NO2, NO and NOX was associated with lower SpO2/FiO2 ratios. In conclusion, after controlling for socioeconomic, demographic and health-related variables, we found evidence of a significant positive relationship between air pollution and mortality in patients hospitalised for COVID-19 pneumonia. Additionally, inflammation (CRP) and gas exchange (SpO2/FiO2) in these patients were significantly related to exposure to air pollution.
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•In COVID-19 pneumonia patients, the probability of death rises significantly with exposure to PM10, NO2, NO, NOX, and CO.•Systemic inflammatory response increases with exposure to PM10, NO2, NO and NOX.•Gas exchange disturbance is associated with exposure to NO, NOX, and NO2.
To determine the influence of androgen receptor CAG and GGN repeat polymorphisms on fat mass and maximal fat oxidation (MFO), CAG and GGN repeat lengths were measured in 128 young boys, from which ...longitudinal data were obtained in 45 of them mean ± SD: 12.8 ± 3.6 years old at recruitment, and 27.0 ± 4.8 years old at adult age. Subjects were grouped as CAG short (CAGS) if harboring repeat lengths ≤ 21, the rest as CAG long (CAGL); and GGN short (GGNS) if GGN repeat lengths ≤ 23, or long if > 23 (GGNL). CAGS and GGNS were associated with lower adiposity than CAGL or GGNL (P < 0.05). There was an association between the logarithm of CAG repeats polymorphism and the changes of body mass (r = 0.34, P = 0.03). At adult age, CAGS men showed lower accumulation of total body and trunk fat mass, and lower resting metabolic rate (RMR) and MFO per kg of total lean mass compared with CAGL (P < 0.05). GGNS men also showed lower percentage of body fat (P < 0.05). In summary, androgen receptor CAG and GGN repeat polymorphisms are associated with RMR, MFO, fat mass, and its regional distribution in healthy male adolescents, influencing fat accumulation from adolescence to adult age.
In this work the preparation and characterization of the materials such as zirconia (ZrO
2) and zirconia promoted with phosphate ion (ZrO
2–PO
4
3−) is presented. Pure zirconium hydroxide Zr(OH)
4 ...was synthesized by the sol–gel method using precursors such as zirconium
n-butoxide and 1-butanol maintaining a pH 8 during the synthesis. Zr(OH)
4 was impregnated with 15
wt.% of the acid agent. Both were calcined in a dynamic air atmosphere for 3
h at 400, 500 and 600
°C. The supports were characterized by thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction, nitrogen physisorption as well as infrared spectroscopy. The results showed a positive effect on the physicochemical properties of the catalytic supports after Zr(OH)
4 impregnation with the dopping agent (H
3PO
4). Phosphate zirconium oxides remained thermically stable after calcination. It was observed that the dopping agent remained firmly attached to the zirconium oxide surface, inhibiting the particle growth and delaying the syntherization of the material and the apparition of the monoclinic phase, obtaining mesoporous and nano-crystalline materials (crystallite size 1.0–6.5
nm) with high surface areas (210–329
m
2/g) and tetragonal structure defined for the calcination temperature of 600
°C.
•The system is able to capture four simultaneous spiral interferograms.•Single-shot phase shifted interferograms modulated by polarization are adapted for phase vortices structures.•Novel ...possibilities of using phase shifting interferometry with vortices for moving phase distributions.•Further inclusions of new related techniques could improve the unwrapping stages, as the multi-step vortex filtering.
This research describes a proposal of a single-shot interferometer with four interferograms incorporating the usage of phase vortices of unitary topological charge. The system features vortices generated with a LCoS as the system’s transfer function. By employing polarization phase shifting techniques and field replication methods several copies of the interferogram of interest are achieved, each copy with its prescribed phase shift. Experimental results of wrapped optical phases calculated by using a four-step algorithm are shown, as well as a discussion of the used deconvolution method to recover the unwrapped phase. In order to show the feasibility of the proposal, experimental results corresponding to the discrimination of peaks or valleys are presented and a comparison with the zero topological case.
The proposed ODS ferritic steel alloyed with (Y-Ti-Zr-Al) was produced by mechanical alloying (MA) and spark plasma sintering (SPS) to obtain a complex nanostructure. To densify the material, a ...sintering cycle by SPS was performed at 1100 °C using fast heating rates (from 100 to 600 °C/min). During the attrition of MA powders, the uneven distribution of deformation level and of alloying elements has produced an inhomogeneous recrystallization during the consolidation step. Influence of processing condition was studied by modifying the heating rate of SPS to promote a heterogeneous material with bimodal grain size distribution. The final microstructures were characterized by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy (SEM and TEM). The mechanical behaviour at R.T. was characterized by means of the Vickers microhardness and micro tensile tests. The good balance obtained between ductility (∼22–26%) and yield stress (800–910 MPa) at room temperature is provided by the bimodal grain size distribution. To predict the experimental values depending on the processing conditions, a yield strength model is presented. This model covers the contribution of different strengthening mechanism from solid solution, grain size, dislocation density and oxides precipitation. The model indicates the dislocation density as the major strengthening contribution. In addition, small punch (SP) tests were performed to analyse the response of the material at high temperatures where remarkable properties have been achieved.
•The uneven features of milled powder provides a bimodal grain size distribution when the ODS is processed by SPS technique.•The major strengthening mechanism is the dislocation density in the processed material.•Faster heating rates provide optimum microstructural characteristics attaining a better response of mechanical properties.•SPS consolidation can give equivalent materials that those processed by traditional consolidation method such as HIP or HE.
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