Sports and exercise today are popular for both amateurs and athletes. However, we continue to seek the best ways to analyze best athlete performances and develop specific tools that may help ...scientists and people in general to analyze athletic achievement. Standard statistics and cause-and-effect research, when applied in isolation, typically do not answer most scientific questions. The human body is a complex holistic system exchanging data during activities, as has been shown in the emerging field of network physiology. However, the literature lacks studies regarding sports performance, running, exercise, and more specifically, sprinter athletes analyzed mathematically through complex network modeling. Here, we propose complex models to jointly analyze distinct tests and variables from track sprinter athletes in an untargeted manner. Through complex propositions, we have incorporated mathematical and computational modeling to analyze anthropometric, biomechanics, and physiological interactions in running exercise conditions. Exercise testing associated with complex network and mathematical outputs make it possible to identify which responses may be critical during running. The physiological basis, aerobic, and biomechanics variables together may play a crucial role in performance. Coaches, trainers, and runners can focus on improving specific outputs that together help toward individuals' goals. Moreover, our type of analysis can inspire the study and analysis of other complex sport scenarios.
Cosurface electrode architectures are able to deliver personalized electric stimuli to target tissues. As such, this technology holds potential for a variety of innovative biomedical devices. ...However, to date, no detailed analyses have been conducted to evaluate the impact of stimulator architecture and geometry on stimuli features. This work characterizes, for the first time, the electric stimuli delivered to bone cellular tissues during in vitro experiments, when using three capacitive architectures: stripped, interdigitated and circular patterns. Computational models are presented that predict the influence of cell confluence, cosurface architecture, electrodes geometry, gap size between electrodes and power excitation on the stimuli delivered to cellular layers. The results demonstrate that these stimulators are able to deliver osteoconductive stimuli. Significant differences in stimuli distributions were observed for different stimulator designs and different external excitations. The thickness specification was found to be of utmost importance. In vitro experiments using an osteoblastic cell line highlight that cosurface stimulation at a low frequency can enhance osteoconductive responses, with some electrode-specific differences being found. A major feature of this type of work is that it enables future detailed analyses of stimuli distribution throughout more complex biological structures, such as tissues and organs, towards sophisticated biodevice personalization.
The adverse side-effects associated with opioid administration restrain their use as analgesic drugs and call for new solutions to treat pain. Two kyotorphin derivatives, kyotorphin-amide (KTP–NH₂) ...and ibuprofen–KTP–NH₂(IbKTP–NH₂) are promising alternatives to opioids: they trigger analgesia via an indirect opioid mechanism and are highly effective in several pain models following systemic delivery. In vivo side-effects of KTP–NH₂and IbKTP–NH₂are, however, unknown and were evaluated in the present study using male adult Wistar rats. For comparison purposes, morphine and tramadol, two clinically relevant opioids, were also studied. Results showed that KTP-derivatives do not cause constipation after systemic administration, in contrast to morphine. Also, no alterations were observed in blood pressure or in food and water intake, which were only affected by tramadol. A reduction in micturition was detected after KTP–NH₂or tramadol administrations. A moderate locomotion decline was detected after IbKTP–NH₂-treatment. The side-effect profile of KTP–NH₂and IbKTP–NH₂support the existence of opioid-based mechanisms in their analgesic actions. The conjugation of a strong analgesic activity with the absence of the major side-effects associated to opioids highlights the potential of both KTP–NH₂and IbKTP–NH₂as advantageous alternatives over current opioids.
In this study, sugar cane residue or bagasse was used for removal of toxic metal ions from wastewater of an electroplating factory located in northeast Brazil. Prior acid treatment increased the ...adsorption efficacies in batch wise experiments. The microstructure of the material before and after the treatment was investigated by X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Column operations showed that removals of Cu
2+, Ni
2+ and Zn
2+ from wastewater (in the absence of cyanide) were 95.5%, 96.3.0%, and 97.1%, respectively. Regeneration of the adsorbent obtained in acid indicated that the efficiencies decreased only after the fourth cycle of re-use. Acid-treated sugar cane bagasse can be considered a viable alternative to common methods to remove toxic metal ions from aqueous effluents of electroplating industries.
Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) have started to emerge as candidates for application in cell imaging, biosensing, and targeted drug delivery, amongst other research fields, due to their unique properties. ...Those applications are possible as the CQDs exhibit tunable fluorescence, biocompatibility, and a versatile surface. This review aims to summarize the recent development in the field of CQDs research, namely the latest synthesis progress concerning materials/methods, surface modifications, characterization methods, and purification techniques. Furthermore, this work will systematically explore the several applications CQDs have been subjected to, such as bioimaging, fluorescence sensing, and cancer/gene therapy. Finally, we will briefly discuss in the concluding section the present and future challenges, as well as future perspectives and views regarding the emerging paradigm that is the CQDs research field.
Detecting changes in the phenological responses of herbaceous species as a function of predicted climate change is important for forecasting future scenarios for the functioning of dry tropical ...forests, especially when predicting an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme droughts. Because of the sensitivity of plants to water availability, our study hypothesizes that if years become drier or wetter, herbaceous plants will synchronously change the onset, duration, and intensity of their vegetative phenophases.
We used a historical series of 60 years of precipitation observations for the Caatinga vegetation to define daily average of precipitation for rainy (Twet), median (Tcontrol), and dry (Tdry) years. We simulated past average daily rainfall (Twet, Tcontrol, and Tdry) while growing two herbaceous perennials and two herbaceous annuals. We monitored plant growth and measured the activity (absence or presence) and intensity of vegetative phenophases. We used circular statistical analysis to assess differences between treatments.
Our results revealed that leaf production was seasonal but relatively uniform for perennial species and highly seasonal (wet season) for annual species. Simulated dry years induced lower leaf emergence concentrated over a few months in annual species, but this effect was more strongly significant in one of the two perennial species. Both annual and perennial species can experience delayed and less intense leaf abscission during the rainy season in years with below‐average precipitation. In contrast, large voluminous rains in years with above‐average precipitation can accelerate and intensify the process of leaf renewal.
If future precipitation reductions occur, the changes in phenological response indicate that the cover of annual and perennial herbaceous species in this study will likely decrease, altering the landscape and functioning of dry tropical forests. However, the potential trade‐offs observed may help populations of these species to persist during years of severe drought in the Caatinga.
We investigate how extreme rainfall simulations impact the growth cycles of perennial and annual herbaceous species from a Brazilian dry forest.
A better understanding of feeding operations is pressing for value-added processing of waste biomass powders. This paper examines the feeding of Spent Coffee Grounds (SCGs) using a non-mechanical ...L-valve both experimentally and numerically. L-valve provides stable solids feeding, showing different flow regimes. Powders' height in the standpipe must be monitored to guarantee smooth operations with the valve, and the data for SCGs differ significantly from those reported for glass and sand powders. A new correlation to predict the solids flowrate from simple pressure measurements was proposed for valve operating under high air flowrates. For low to medium air flowrates, a two-fluid model (TFM) was proposed and validated. The SCGs' flowrate in the feeder was accurately predicted by the TFM and the correlation. Furthermore, key information for the design of L-valves was obtained from the TFM simulation. The findings are useful for producing renewable thermal energy and fuels with biomass SCGs.
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•Spent Coffee Grounds' (SCGs) flowrate can be well controlled using L-valves.•Transition of fluidization regimes in L-valves is harsher with biomass powders.•L-valve stable operation depends on the height of powders in the standpipe.•SCGs' flowrate is accurately predicted by two-fluid model simulations.•Solids velocity profile and mean void fraction in the feeder are obtained.
Metal–air batteries, such as Li–air, may be the key for large‐scale energy storage as they have the highest energy density among all electrochemical devices. However, these devices suffer from ...irreversible side reactions leading to battery failure, especially when ambient air is used as the O2 source, so a deep understanding over the surface chemistry evolution is imperative for building better devices. Herein, a multi‐scale (nano‐micro) FTIR analysis is made over the electrode surface during cell discharge employing synchrotron infrared nanospectroscopy (SINS) for the first time, to track the chemical composition changes at the nanoscale which are successfully correlated with in operando micro‐FTIR characterization. The in situ results reveal homogeneous product distribution from the nano to the micro scale, and that the discharge rate does not interfere in chemical composition. In operando micro‐FTIR shows the atmosphere dependency over Li products formation; the presence of HCOO– species occurring due to CO2 electroreduction in water, LiOH and Li2CO3, are also detected and even the lowest concentration of CO2 and H2O affects the O2 reactions. Finally, evidence of the Li2O2 reaction with DMSO forming DMSO2 after just 140 s of cell discharge shows this new technique's relevance in aiding the search for stable electrolytes.
For the first time, multi‐scale FTIR (micro‐nano) is used to investigate Li–Air battery discharge product formation under a real atmosphere (CO2 + O2 + H2O). A triple‐phase zone analysis reveals the same products in both scales despite a significant difference in the discharge rate. Also, after only 140 s of discharge, electrolyte decomposition is shown by the reaction with Li2O2.
Purpose
Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) is a recessive disorder involving skin, eyes and arteries, mainly caused by ABCC6 pathogenic variants. However, almost one fifth of patients remain genetically ...unsolved despite extensive genetic screening of ABCC6, as illustrated in a large French PXE series of 220 cases. We searched for new PXE gene(s) to solve the ABCC6‐negative patients.
Methods
First, family‐based exome sequencing was performed, in one ABCC6‐negative PXE patient with additional neurological features, and her relatives. CYP2U1, involved in hereditary spastic paraplegia type 56 (SPG56), was selected based on this complex phenotype, and the presence of two candidate variants. Second, CYP2U1 sequencing was performed in a retrospective series of 46 additional ABCC6‐negative PXE probands. Third, six additional SPG56 patients were evaluated for PXE skin and eye phenotype. Additionally, plasma pyrophosphate dosage and functional analyses were performed in some of these patients.
Results
6.4% of ABCC6‐negative PXE patients (n = 3) harboured biallelic pathogenic variants in CYP2U1. PXE skin lesions with histological confirmation, eye lesions including maculopathy or angioid streaks, and various neurological symptoms were present. CYP2U1 missense variants were confirmed to impair protein function. Plasma pyrophosphate levels were normal. Two SPG56 patients (33%) presented some phenotypic overlap with PXE.
Conclusion
CYP2U1 pathogenic variants are found in unsolved PXE patients with neurological findings, including spastic paraplegia, expanding the SPG56 phenotype and highlighting its overlap with PXE. The pathophysiology of ABCC6 and CYP2U1 should be explored to explain their respective role and potential interaction in ectopic mineralization.
Transparent conductive oxides, such as aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO), are of substantial importance for use in a broad range of applications because of their excellent optical and electrical ...properties. AZO film can be deposited by using several conventional techniques, although they suffer from limitations such as long deposition time, high cost, and the requirement for complex deposition equipment. Here, we used hollow-cathode glow discharge, which produces a high-density plasma and achieves high deposition efficiency. Remarkably, instead of metallic target materials, we used Al
2
O
3
and ZnO powders filled in the hollow cathode as a target, thus avoiding the need for specifically designed targets in this technique. The films were deposited using mixtures of argon and oxygen at various ratios (0% to 50% oxygen), to improve the film characteristics. The films deposited under all conditions exhibited hexagonal wurtzite ZnO structure, while the grain size increased with increasing oxygen content. The film was thick and porous when using low oxygen content, but became thin and dense with increasing oxygen content. The optical transmittance was found to be strongly dependent on the processing gases used, with the highest transmittance of 84% being attained when using 25% oxygen gas. The bandgap of the films lay between 3.27 eV and 3.33 eV. The highest carrier concentration and mobility were attained when using 25% oxygen, and the Hall resistivity decreased with increasing oxygen content. Besides the excellent transmittance and electrical properties of the deposited films, it is expected that the results of this study will be useful for solar cells and optoelectronic applications due to the relatively low cost of this technique and the lack of specific target requirements.
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