Psoriasis has been related to metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease and, liver fibrosis. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of liver fibrosis in psoriasis and identify ...predictors for fibrosis. This is a cross-sectional study conducted from December 2012 to June 2016 assessing psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis patients attended at four centers in Mexico City. Data regarding history of the skin disease, previous and current medication, and previously diagnosed liver disease was collected. Liver fibrosis was assessed with four different non-invasive methods (FIB4, APRI, NAFLD score and elastography). We compared data based on the presence of fibrosis. Adjusted-logistic regression models were performed to estimate OR and 95% CI. A total of 160 patients were included. The prevalence of significant fibrosis using elastography was 25% (n = 40), and 7.5% (n = 12) for advanced fibrosis. Patients with fibrosis had higher prevalence of obesity (60% vs 30.8%, P = 0.04), type 2 diabetes (40% vs 27.5%, P = 0.003), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase levels (70.8±84.4 vs. 40.1±39.2, P = 0.002), and lower platelets (210.7±58.9 vs. 242.8±49.7, P = 0.0009). Multivariate analysis showed that body mass index (OR1.11, 95%CI 1.02-1.21), type 2 diabetes (OR 3.44, 95%CI 1.2-9.88), and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (OR 1.01, 95%CI1-1.02) were associated with the presence of fibrosis. The use of methotrexate was not associated. Patients with psoriasis are at higher risk of fibrosis. Metabolic dysfunction, rather than solely the use of hepatotoxic drugs, likely plays a major role; it may be beneficial to consider elastography regardless of the treatment used. Metabolic factors should be assessed, and lifestyle modification should be encouraged.
Buildings are one of the main consumers of energy in cities, which is why a lot of research has been generated around this problem. Especially, the buildings energy management systems must improve in ...the next years. Artificial intelligence techniques are playing and will play a fundamental role in these improvements. This work presents a systematic review of the literature on researches that have been done in recent years to improve energy management systems for smart building using artificial intelligence techniques. An originality of the work is that they are grouped according to the concept of “Autonomous Cycles of Data Analysis Tasks”, which defines that an autonomous management system requires specialized tasks, such as monitoring, analysis, and decision-making tasks for reaching objectives in the environment, like improve the energy efficiency. This organization of the work allows us to establish not only the positioning of the researches, but also, the visualization of the current challenges and opportunities in each domain. We have identified that many types of researches are in the domain of decision-making (a large majority on optimization and control tasks), and defined potential projects related to the development of autonomous cycles of data analysis tasks, feature engineering, or multi-agent systems, among others.
A Mg–Y–Zn alloy composed almost completely of the Long-Period-Stacking-Ordered (LPSO) phase has been prepared by casting and extrusion to flat bar. An elongated microstructure is obtained with ...different grain orientations along the extrusion, transverse and normal directions, leading to a strong orientation dependence of strength. Differences of tensile and compressive stress are also noted. The importance of basal slip and other dislocation-dependent deformation mechanisms is discussed. The large tension-compression strength differences are considered to imply that twinning plays an important role in determining strength. The analysis of deformation mechanisms and strengthening is supported by metallographic studies of surface slip bands and dislocation distributions.
•Texture forms in Mg-LPSO alloy during hot extrusion to flat bar.•Strength at all temperatures is strongly anisotropic.•Strength shows a strong tension-compression asymmetry.•Deformation occurs by basal and other slip systems as well as by twinning.•The operating twinning system is predicted on the basis of crystal lattice parameters.
The project presents the application of the stages proposed by Poyla for solving problems in mathematics, which have been adapted in mechanical physic. Critical reading strategies have also been ...applied resulting in reading physical problems comprehensively. Objectives: To incorporate real problem solving as a teaching strategy in two mechanical physics courses (one experimental and another traditional), in order to characterize the group that applies the problem-solving strategy. To validate the problem-solving strategy in mechanical physics. Methods: Mixed research including analysis and contrast of results obtained from two control groups: one experimental (24 university students of Mechanical Physics) and another traditional (16 university students of Mechanical Physics). The control group approaches the study of the subjects in a traditional way where the problems proposed are solved intuitively and somehow mechanically. The experimental group solves the proposed problems by applying each of the stages of the proposed sequence. The experimental group solves the proposed problems by applying each of the stages of the proposed sequence. This study differs from previous studies in that most are related to problem-solving in mathematics and in this case, we focus on physics with the value of involving elements related to critical reading, which gives a more realistic look of the Physical phenomenon studied from the interpretation of its occurrence and how it impacts the environment, which favors its theoretical understanding and gives meaning to its mathematical modeling.
Psoriasis has been related to metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease and, liver fibrosis. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of liver fibrosis in psoriasis and identify ...predictors for fibrosis. This is a cross-sectional study conducted from December 2012 to June 2016 assessing psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis patients attended at four centers in Mexico City. Data regarding history of the skin disease, previous and current medication, and previously diagnosed liver disease was collected. Liver fibrosis was assessed with four different non-invasive methods (FIB4, APRI, NAFLD score and elastography). We compared data based on the presence of fibrosis. Adjusted-logistic regression models were performed to estimate OR and 95% CI. A total of 160 patients were included. The prevalence of significant fibrosis using elastography was 25% (n = 40), and 7.5% (n = 12) for advanced fibrosis. Patients with fibrosis had higher prevalence of obesity (60% vs 30.8%, P = 0.04), type 2 diabetes (40% vs 27.5%, P = 0.003), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase levels (70.8±84.4 vs. 40.1±39.2, P = 0.002), and lower platelets (210.7±58.9 vs. 242.8±49.7, P = 0.0009). Multivariate analysis showed that body mass index (OR1.11, 95%CI 1.02-1.21), type 2 diabetes (OR 3.44, 95%CI 1.2-9.88), and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (OR 1.01, 95%CI1-1.02) were associated with the presence of fibrosis. The use of methotrexate was not associated. Patients with psoriasis are at higher risk of fibrosis. Metabolic dysfunction, rather than solely the use of hepatotoxic drugs, likely plays a major role; it may be beneficial to consider elastography regardless of the treatment used. Metabolic factors should be assessed, and lifestyle modification should be encouraged.
Abstract
Because the endemic Sciaenidae species (commonly known as drum or croakers) are important to the fishing industry in the Upper Gulf of California, their larval distribution and connectivity ...was analyzed in relation to hydrographic conditions during spawning periods (March, June and September). Totoaba macdonaldi, Micropogonias megalops, Menticirrhus nasus and Cynoscion othonopterus larvae were morphologically and genetically identified. Genetic analysis reveals for the first time the presence of Isopisthus remifer, which had not previously been morphologically identified. The most relevant hydrographic structure in the region was the permanent stratification front (Φ = 10 J/m3) originated by the convergence of mixed water of the Northern Gulf (~20 m depth) and stratified water coming from the adjacent oceanic water (~200 m). Whereas T. macdonaldi larvae were only collected in the shallowest area in March, the other species were found mostly along the front in June and September. Connectivity matrixes showed high particle retention along the front (>80%) coinciding with the larval distribution. Results indicate that the stratification front might favor larval survival and prevent their advection toward the ocean. This type of retention likely enhances endemism, not only of these species but also of others coastal demersal species.
Fish larvae distribution and transport of dominant species were analyzed at the entrance to the Gulf of California in September 2016. Using the Sea Surface Temperature (SST) gradient, a frontal ...system was defined at the entrance to the Gulf. The most relevant gradient (∼0.06 °C km−1) in the region was transverse to the gulf axis (W-E), from south of Cabo San Lucas to the mainland, south of the Pescadero Basin. This SST gradient was associated with an anticyclonic flow (∼0.4 m s−1) that was connected with a cyclonic eddy outside the Gulf. Fish larvae of mesopelagic species such as Vincigueria lucetia and Benthosema panamense were widely distributed and increasing in abundance from north to south, while the mesopelagic Bregmaceros Bathymaster and the pelagic Auxis spp. showed an inverse abundance gradient. Most of these larvae were absent from the zone of strong SST gradient. A Lagrangian particle tracking model applied at the sampling stations where the fish larvae were collected, showed that during the first 5 days of trajectory, the transport was weak. But for the next 5 days, most of the particles were trapped by mesoscale flows that dominated the region. An unexpected result was that no particles crossed the transverse front, coinciding with the absence or low abundance of larvae there. The particles near to this front were transported west out the Gulf. We concluded that when the mesoscale flows are extended along the transverse axis of the Gulf entrance, these might trap inert particles and zooplankton organisms with little mobility, such as fish larvae in early phases of development, preventing their transport along the Gulf parallel axis (NW-SE), and therefore, affecting the species distribution.
•A transverse thermal front in the mouth of the Gulf of California was detected in September 2016.•The front was associated with an anticyclonic flow that transported particles west out the Gulf.•Most of the fish larvae of dominant species had low abundance or were absent from the transverse front.•The high frequency of mesoscale flows in the Gulf mouth could prevent along-Gulf exchange fish larvae.
From a set of satellite and hydrographic data and zooplankton samples, effects of thermal fronts and mesoscale structures on the distribution and transport of fish larvae in the Midriff Archipelago ...Region (MAR) of the Gulf of California during a summer (June 2006) and a winter (February 2007) were analyzed. Using the Sea Surface Temperature (SST) gradient magnitude, a frontal system was defined in the southern part of the MAR during both periods. The most intense fronts (>0.08 °C km −1) originated at the convergence between cold waters from the continuous vertical mixing at the sills and basins and warm water of the southern Gulf of California. These fronts varied in their orientations, from near longitudinal in June 2006 to near transverse in February 2007, with respect to the axis of the gulf. The surface currents showed high occurrence of eddies associated with the sills and basins in the MAR. Fish larvae of the most abundant and frequent species, Benthosema panamense, Serranus sp. 1, Triphoturus mexicanus and Haemulon californiensis in June 2006, and Engraulis mordax, Leuroglossus stilbius, Sardinops sagax and Diogenichthys laternatus in February 2007 exhibited the highest larval abundance in both the strongest thermal fronts and the anticyclonic eddies observed over the southernmost basin. The exception was the E. mordax larvae, which were distributed in all the study area. A Lagrangian particle tracking model applied to the MAR domain showed high particle accumulation in the strongest fronts and eddies on the 7th and the 14th day in both periods. The connectivity matrixes showed retention of particles >70% in most cases, but in the sill area, there was transport from south to north in June 2006 (~30%), and from east to west in February 2007 (~30%). Results demonstrate that the interaction of the thermal fronts, independent of their position, and the mesoscale eddies may generate great accumulation of fish larvae, and possibly of other zooplankton groups, limiting transport between the northern and southern Gulf of California.
•Thermal fronts were defined in the southern part of the MAR in the Gulf of California.•The strongest thermal gradient was along the gulf axis during June and across it in February.•The highest fish larvae abundance was associated with the strongest thermal gradients and mesoscale eddies.•The interaction of the fronts and eddies causes particle accumulation limiting their transport.
Social and environmental ratings provided by social rating agencies are multidimensional. The first goal of our paper is to identify a small number of independent and relevant socially responsible ...(SR) dimensions reflecting a firms' coherent posture toward social issues. We put forward that these dimensions are not exactly the same as the ESG ones (Environment, Social, and Governance). sing the six sub-ratings provided by the Vigeo rating agency, we perform a principal component analysis and we highlight three main independent SR dimensions related to (1) business stakeholders (employees, customers, and suppliers), (2) societal stakeholders (environment and society), and (3) financial stakeholders (stockholders and debt holders). The second objective of our paper is to explore the link between stock returns and these three SR dimensions. Our most notable finding is that for each SR dimension, investors ask for an additional risk premium when they accept to hold non-socially responsible stocks. The cost of equity is thus lower for SR firms. The average premium over the period 2003-2010 is larger for the components "business stakeholders" and "financial stakeholders" than for the component "societal stakeholders." The premium for this last component has only existed since the end of 2008. Since that time, environment and community involvement have become important risk factors strongly considered by investors. For the three dimensions, investors notably penalize large non-social firms and reward small social firms.
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