When solving the security-constrained unit commitment problem, one of the most complicating factors is handling the large number of transmission constraints, corresponding to both base case and N − 1 ...line contingency scenarios. Although it is well known that only a few of these constraints need to be enforced, identifying this critical subset of constraints efficiently remains a challenge. In this letter, we propose a novel and simple iterative contingency-screening procedure that is able to eliminate 99.4% of the constraints selected by existing iterative methods, allowing for the solution of much larger-scale problems. We report computational results in realistic instances with up to 6468 buses and 9000 transmission lines. The method was also independently implemented and evaluated at MISO, where it performed faster than alternative methods.
6-Nitrodopamine is a novel catecholamine released by vascular tissues, heart, and vas deferens. The aim of this study was to investigate whether 6-nitrodopamine is released from the thoracic aorta ...and pulmonary artery rings of marmosets (Callithrix spp.) and to evaluate the relaxing and anti-contractile actions of this catecholamine. Release of 6-nitrodopamine, dopamine, noradrenaline, and adrenaline was assessed by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The relaxations induced by 6-nitrodopamine and by the selective dopamine D2 receptor antagonist L-741,626 were evaluated on U-46619 (3 nM)-pre-contracted vessels. The effects of 6-nitrodopamine and L-741,626 on the contractions induced by electric-field stimulation (EFS), dopamine, noradrenaline, and adrenaline were also investigated. Both aorta and pulmonary artery rings exhibited endothelium-dependent release of 6-nitrodopamine, which was significantly reduced by the NO synthesis inhibitor L-NAME. Addition of 6-nitrodopamine or L-741,626 caused concentration-dependent relaxations of both vascular tissues, which were almost abolished by endothelium removal, whereas L-NAME and the soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor ODQ had no effect on 6-nitrodopamine-induced relaxations. Additionally, pre-incubation with 6-nitrodopamine antagonized the dopamine-induced contractions, without affecting the noradrenaline- and adrenaline-induced contractions. Pre-incubation with L-741,626 antagonized the contractions induced by all catecholamines. The EFS-induced contractions were significantly increased by L-NAME, but unaffected by ODQ. Immunohistochemical assays showed no immunostaining of the neural tissue markers S-100 and calretinin in either vascular tissue. The results indicated that 6-nitrodopamine is the major catecholamine released by marmoset vascular tissues, and it acts as a potent and selective antagonist of dopamine D2-like receptors. 6-nitrodopamine release may be the major mechanism by which NO causes vasodilatation.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is an early onset neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and repetitive patterns of behavior. Family studies show ...that ASD is highly heritable, and hundreds of genes have previously been implicated in the disorder; however, the etiology is still not fully clear. Brain imaging and electroencephalography (EEG) are key techniques that study alterations in brain structure and function. Combined with genetic analysis, these techniques have the potential to help in the clarification of the neurobiological mechanisms contributing to ASD and help in defining novel therapeutic targets. To further understand what is known today regarding the impact of genetic variants in the brain alterations observed in individuals with ASD, a systematic review was carried out using Pubmed and EBSCO databases and following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. This review shows that specific genetic variants and altered patterns of gene expression in individuals with ASD may have an effect on brain circuits associated with face processing and social cognition, and contribute to excitation-inhibition imbalances and to anomalies in brain volumes.
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•The effects of pro- and prebiotic intake on metabolic syndrome (MetS) was reviewed.•MetS results from interactions between innate immune system and the gut microbiota.•Pro- and ...prebiotics have specifics functions in the intestinal microbiota modulation.•Intestinal microbiota modulation contributes for the prevention of MetS components.
Several studies are contributing to the better understanding of the impact of probiotics and prebiotics on the modulation of the intestinal microbiota and subsequent effects on the host’s health. This review aimed to discuss the results of studies using different experimental models to evaluate the impact of the supplementation with probiotics and/or prebiotics on the different risk factors related to metabolic syndrome (MetS). A better understanding of the daily supplementation of probiotics and prebiotics regarding the mechanisms involved in the modulation of the intestinal microbiota and the immune system of patients suffering from this metabolic disorder is necessary to establish the efficiency of possible biomarkers that could contribute towards a health claim. Although the results might be promising, the functionality of probiotics and prebiotics on the intestinal microbiota and its relationship with MetS are still poorly understood to indicate their consumption for prevention and management of MetS in clinical practice.
•Roadkills showed a seasonal pattern, with peaks in April and August-November.•Four vertebrate taxa showed seasonal variations in roadkills.•Minimum temperature and solar irradiance correlate with ...overall roadkill number.•Knowledge of roadkill patterns makes it possible to optimize monitoring programmes.•Temporary mitigation measures should be applied when there is a peak in the roadkills.
Wildlife mortality on roads is a global conservation problem. To implement a cost-effective programme of mitigation measures, it is essential to determine spatial and temporal patterns of traffic collisions. Identifying seasonal road-collision patterns could make it possible to schedule and optimize monitoring programmes. We evaluated seasonal variation in the roadkills of four vertebrate taxonomic groups (amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals) across an environmental gradient in northeastern Iberia. Seven roads were monitored twice a month for one year and seasonal roadkill aggregations were examined using Poisson tests. Roadkill patterns were correlated with environmental variables using Generalized Linear Models. Amphibians were the group most commonly killed. Overall, the roadkill pattern was seasonal, and most roads showed seasonal peaks of casualties in autumn and spring. Roadkill peaks showed slightly seasonal differences between taxonomic groups. The total number of roadkill incidents was positively associated with temperature and negatively associated with solar irradiance. The roadkill numbers by group were related to different environmental factors: amphibian roadkills increased with relative humidity, while this relationship was negative for birds; mammal roadkills were associated with temperature, and reptile roadkills correlated with precipitation, solar irradiance, and temperature. Our results suggest that roadkill rates in Catalonia are seasonal and mostly associated with several climatic factors, although they can vary depending on taxonomic group and environmental factors. Our results highlight the fact that an understanding of seasonal variation in roadkills is critical for optimizing monitoring programmes and temporary mitigation measures aimed at particular species or taxonomic groups.
•Nd-doping improves the soot combustion activity in NOx/O2 of Ce-Zr oxide catalysts.•Nd-doping of Ce-Zr catalysts improves NO oxidation to NO2.•Nd-doping of Ce-Zr catalysts favors the formation of ...less stable ad-NOx species.
The effect of Nd doping on the physicochemical and catalytic properties for soot combustion of CeO2 and CeO2-ZrO2 oxides has been studied. Four oxides with composition CeO2, Ce0.9Nd0.1O2, Ce0.73Zr0.27O2 and Ce0.64Zr0.27Nd0.09O2 have been prepared by co-precipitation and calcination at 800°C, characterized by XRD, Raman Spectroscopy, N2 adsorption and temperature programmed reduction by H2, and tested for soot combustion with NOx/O2. The catalytic activity for soot combustion of CeO2 and Ce0.9Nd0.1O2 was null due to thermal sintering (1 and 5m2/g, respectively), and Zr-doping is mandatory to prevent such sintering. The best catalytic activity for soot combustion was obtained with Ce0.64Zr0.27Nd0.09O2 (37m2/g), and as far as we know, it is the first time that this improvement on Ce-Zr soot combustion capacity by Nd doping is reported. Ce0.64Zr0.27Nd0.09O2 combines the beneficial effect of both Zr doping (improved thermal stability and redox properties) and Nd doping (additional benefit on redox properties by oxygen vacancies creation due to 3+ cations doping into the lattice). The highest activity for soot combustion of Ce0.64Zr0.27Nd0.09O2 is related with its highest NO oxidation capacity. As deduced by in situ DRIFTS experiments, Nd-doping into the Ce-Zr oxide favors the formation of less stable surface nitrogen species (nitrates and nitrites were detected) in comparison to those formed on Ce0.73Zr0.27O2 (only nitrates were detected) providing alternative and faster NO2 production pathways.
Environmental perception involves the interpretation and interaction of individuals with their surroundings, influenced by cultural, social, and individual factors. Analyzing the environmental ...perception of children and adolescents contributes to fostering awareness and ethical behavior toward the environment. Indigenous communities, such as the Karajá from Brazil, possess significant environmental knowledge due to their connection with nature, providing distinctive insights into biodiversity and natural interconnections. In this study, the perception of fungi among Karajá indigenous children and adolescents was investigated.
The study involved 229 elementary school students from the Macaúba, Fontoura and Santa Isabel do Morro communities, located on Bananal Island, Brazil. Students were encouraged to draw what they knew about fungi and answer where they learned about fungi and what name they give to these organisms. The drawings were analyzed considering seven categories.
The term most used to refer to fungi was hedoro(u) (56%), followed by fungus (21%) and mushroom (11%). Most students said they had learned about fungi in nature (38%) and at school (36%). The most represented organisms were in fact fungi (93%), mainly being portrayed in nature (94%). Most participants did not attribute any ecological function to fungi (83%), although 16% of them recognized fungi as decomposers and 1% as phytopathogenic agents. Negative aspects, particularly food contamination, were more frequently represented (13%) than positive aspects (4%). The drawings identified two morphological types: mushrooms (87%) and mold (13%). Among these mushrooms, 68% possibly represent the Amanita muscaria species.
Although the children and adolescents showed that they noticed the fungi around them, the group's concept and understanding were limited to the figure of the mushroom and the negative aspects related to food contamination. Strong association of the fungi with the A. muscaria is noteworthy, since it does not occur in the environment in which the participants live, suggesting that external stimuli, such as TV or the internet, can influence their perception more than the nature they are exposed to.
Interventional study to evaluate the etiology, visual outcome and survival of corneal transplantation in children and to identify the risk factors associated with graft failure.
Retrospective, ...interventional consecutive case series.
Medical records of every child 7 years of age or younger who underwent primary penetrating keratoplasty at Department of Ophthalmology, Federal University of São Paulo were reviewed. The parameters evaluated were indications for keratoplasty, graft survival, and postoperative visual acuity (VA) improvement. Children underwent ophthalmologic examination before and after corneal graft, including VA, assessed by the preferential looking test and visual evoked potential. The analysis of transplant survival was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method.
Fifty-six penetrating transplants were performed in 51 eyes of 43 children. The patients were divided into 2 groups: congenital (72.5%) and acquired (17.5%) corneal opacity. The main indication was congenital glaucoma (29.4%). The overall Kaplan-Meier graft survival rates were 64.7% in the postoperative average follow-up period of 24 months. There was no significant difference in graft survival between the congenital and acquired groups (Mantel-Cox P = .1031). There was significant improvement in VA in both groups (P = .0022 for congenital and P < .0001 for acquired). Rejection and diagnosis of congenital glaucoma were risk factors for graft failure.
Congenital glaucoma was the main indication for corneal transplantation and despite the difficulties, prolonged survival and improved VA can be achieved in pediatric transplant. Complications such as rejection and early glaucoma were significantly associated with graft failure.
Species with small geographic ranges do not tend to have a high genetic structure, but some land snail species seem to be an exception. Xerocrassa montserratensis, an endangered land snail endemic to ...Catalonia (northeastern Iberian Peninsula), is an excellent model to study the processes affecting the phylogeography of specialized species of conservation concern. This species is restricted to xerophilous stony slopes and occurs within a small and fragmented area of ca. 500 km
. We sequenced the COI barcode region of 152 individuals from eight sites covering the entire range of the species. We found four genetic groups mostly coincident with their geographic distribution: a central ancestral group containing shared haplotypes among five localities and three groups restricted to a single locality each. Two of these derived groups were geographically and genetically isolated, while the third and most differentiated group was not geographically isolated. Geomorphologic and paleoclimatic processes during the Pleistocene can explain the divergence found between populations of this low dispersal species with historical fragmentation and secondary contacts. Nonetheless, recent passive large dispersal through streams was also detected in the central group. Overall, our study uncovered four evolutionary units, partially matching morphologically described subspecies, which should be considered in future conservation actions.
Cryptococcosis is a devastating opportunistic infection in immunocompromised individuals, primarily in people living with HIV/AIDS. This study evaluated a protocol for the early diagnosis of ...meningitis due to C. neoformans, utilizing established molecular techniques from serum and CSF samples.
The 18S and 5.8S (rDNA-ITS) sequence-specific nested PCR assays were compared with direct India ink staining and the latex agglutination test for detection of C. neoformans in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 49 Brazilian suspected meningitis patients. Results were validated with samples obtained from 10 patients negative for cryptococcosis and HIV, and by analysis of standard C. neoformans strains.
The 5.8S DNA-ITS PCR was more sensitive (89-100%) and specific (100%) than the 18S rDNA PCR and conventional tests (India ink staining and latex agglutination) for identification of C. neoformans. While the 18S PCR exhibited a sensitivity (72%) similar to that of the latex agglutination assay in serum samples, it was superior to the latex agglutination assay when testing CSF, with a sensitivity of 84%. However, the latex agglutination was superior to the 18SrDNA PCR in specificity in CSF (92%). The 5.8S DNA-ITS PCR yielded the highest levels of accuracy (96-100%) of any test for detection (serological and mycological) of C. neoformans in both serum and CSF.
Use of the nested 5.8S PCR was superior to other techniques for the diagnosis of cryptococcosis. The possibility of using serum, a non-invasively collected material, in a targeted 5.8S PCR analysis to identify Cryptococcus spp. is recommended, especially in immunosuppressed patients. Our results indicate that nested 5.8S PCR can increase the diagnostic capability of cryptococcosis, and we suggest its use to monitor patients in the future.
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