The Impact of Pre-existing Comorbidities and Therapeutic Interventions on COVID-19.

Evidence from the global outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 has clearly demonstrated that individuals with pre-existing comorbidities are at a much greater risk of dying from COVID-19. This is of great concern for individuals living with these conditions, and a major challenge for global healthcare systems and biomedical research. Not all comorbidities confer the same risk, however, many affect the function of the immune system, which in turn directly impacts the response to COVID-19. Furthermore, the myriad of drugs prescribed for these comorbidities can also influence the progression of COVID-19 and limit additional treatment options available for COVID-19. Here, we review immune dysfunction in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and the impact of pre-existing comorbidities on the development of COVID-19. We explore how underlying disease etiologies and common therapies used to treat these conditions exacerbate COVID-19 progression. Moreover, we discuss the long-term challenges associated with the use of both novel and repurposed therapies for the treatment of COVID-19 in patients with pre-existing comorbidities

Composting process evaluation of two mixtures of poultry manures

Los residuos del sector avícola, principalmente guano (aves ponedoras) y cama de parrilleros (aves de engorde), pueden generar un impacto negativo en el ambiente contribuyendo a la contaminación de suelo, agua y aire. La estabilización aeróbica a través del compostaje es una alternativa de tratamiento para reducir la contaminación. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar el proceso de compostaje en dos mezclas con diferentes porcentajes de residuos avícolas (guano de aves ponedoras y cama de pollos parrilleros). Se compostaron dos mezclas que contenían 81% y 70% de residuos avícolas durante 16 semanas. Las variables analizadas fueron: temperatura (T°), pH, conductividad eléctrica (CE), humedad (H), capacidad de intercambio catiónico (CIC), carbono orgánico total (COT), amonio (NH4+), nitrato (NO3 - ), nitrógeno total (NT ) y carbono soluble (CS). Las características finales de los compost A y B fueron: pH 7,1 - 6,8, CE 3,3 - 2,9 (mS. cm- 1), COT 14,8 - 17,9 %, NT 0,97 - 0,88 %, NH4 + 501 - 144,9 mg kg-1, NO3-552,3 - 543,0 mg kg-1 respectivamente. El proceso de compostaje podría ser una herramienta para estabilizar los residuos avícolas minimizando su impacto en el ambiente.Chicken production wastes, principally poultry manure (layers) and litter (from chickens for fattening), may impact negatively on the environment, contributing to soil, water and air pollution. Aerobic stabilization through composting is an alternative to reduce contamination. This study aims to evaluate the composting process in two mixtures with different percentages of poultry manure of laying chickens and broiler poultry litter. Two mixtures were composted containing 81% and 70% of poultry wastes for 16 weeks. The analytical parameters were: temperature (T°), pH, electrical conductivity (EC), humidity (H), cationic exchange capacity (CEC), total organic carbon (TOC), amonium (NH4+), nitrate (NO3- ), total nitrogen (TN), soluble carbon soluble (SC) were determined in each treatment. The final compost A and B characteristics were 7,1 - 6,8, CE 3,3 - 2,9 (mS.cm-1), COT 14,8 - 17,9%, NT 0.97 - 0.88%, NH4+ 501 - 144,9 mg kg-1, NO3 - 552,3 -543,0 mg kg-1 respectively. The composting process may be a tool to stabilize poultry wastes, minimizing its environmental damage.Fil: Riera, Nicolás I.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria Castelar (Buenos Aires). Laboratorio de Transformación de Residuos, Instituto de Microbiología y Zoología Agrícola.Fil: Della Torre, Virginia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria Castelar (Buenos Aires). Laboratorio de Transformación de Residuos, Instituto de Microbiología y Zoología Agrícola.Fil: Rizzo, Pedro F.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria Castelar (Buenos Aires). Laboratorio de Transformación de Residuos, Instituto de Microbiología y Zoología Agrícola.Fil: Butti, Mariano. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria Castelar (Buenos Aires). Laboratorio de Transformación de Residuos, Instituto de Microbiología y Zoología Agrícola.Fil: Bressan, Fabiana M.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria Castelar (Buenos Aires). Laboratorio de Transformación de Residuos, Instituto de Microbiología y Zoología Agrícola.Fil: Zarate, Natalia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria Castelar (Buenos Aires). Laboratorio de Transformación de Residuos, Instituto de Microbiología y Zoología Agrícola.Fil: Weigandt, Cristian. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria Castelar (Buenos Aires). Laboratorio de Transformación de Residuos, Instituto de Microbiología y Zoología Agrícola.Fil: Crespo, Diana Elvira. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria Castelar (Buenos Aires). Laboratorio de Transformación de Residuos, Instituto de Microbiología y Zoología Agrícola

Zero-one Schubert polynomials

We prove that if σ∈Sm is a pattern of w∈Sn, then we can express the Schubert polynomial w as a monomial times σ (in reindexed variables) plus a polynomial with nonnegative coefficients. This implies that the set of permutations whose Schubert polynomials have all their coefficients equal to either 0 or 1 is closed under pattern containment. Using Magyar's orthodontia, we characterize this class by a list of twelve avoided patterns. We also give other equivalent conditions on w being zero-one. In this case, the Schubert polynomial w is equal to the integer point transform of a generalized permutahedron

Neutron dark-field imaging of hydrogen-fatigued pressure vessel steel

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Predicting Aviation Performance in Rotor-Wing Students

A critical shortage of commercial fixed and rotor-wing pilots has elevated the importance of the recruitment, training, and certification of pilots. The U.S. Department of Labor has identified situational awareness, selective attention, and inhibitory function as important and frequently occurring Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) for the job of commercial pilot. Previous research has shown that success in situation awareness training performance predicts future fixed-wing airline pilot performance. In addition, the flanker task, measuring selective attention and inhibitory function, has been shown to predict performance across a variety of professions. The purpose of the current study will be to predict student performance in instrumentality courses of a rotor-wing aircraft program using assessments of situation awareness, selective attention, and inhibitory function. Currently, no research has investigated the predictive ability of situational awareness, selective attention, and inhibitory function in rotor-wing aviation student course performance. The hypothesis for the current study is: Higher student scores on situational awareness, selective attention, and inhibitory function assessments will have a positive relationship with course performance measures. Participants will be rotor-wing aviation students enrolled in instrumentality courses at a local university. Participants will complete a modified version of the Factors Affecting Situation Awareness (FASA) assessment of situational awareness and a modified Flanker task measuring participants\u27 ability to avoid the interference of distractors via reaction time. Scores from each measure will be compared to various student course performance measures collected throughout their Aviation program courses. Results of this research can be used to improve the recruitment and training process of academic and commercial training programs for commercial pilots. The identification of KSAs that predict future pilot performance could be used to improve the training pipeline for commercial pilots, thereby reducing the critical shortage currently impacting the domestic and global markets

Evaluación del proceso de compostaje de dos mezclas de residuos avícolas

Chicken production wastes, principally poultry manure (layers) and litter (from chickens for fattening), may impact negatively on the environment, contributing to soil, water and air pollution. Aerobic stabilization through composting is an alternative to reduce contamination. This study aims to evaluate the composting process in two mixtures with different percentages of poultry manure of laying chickens and broiler poultry litter. Two mixtures were composted containing 81% and 70% of poultry wastes for 16 weeks. The analytical parameters were: temperature (T°), pH, electrical conductivity (EC), humidity (H), cationic exchange capacity (CEC), total organic carbon (TOC), amonium (NH4+), nitrate (NO3- ), total nitrogen (TN), soluble carbon soluble (SC) were determined in each treatment. The final compost A and B characteristics were 7,1 - 6,8, CE 3,3 - 2,9 (mS.cm-1), COT 14,8 - 17,9%, NT 0.97 - 0.88%, NH4+ 501 - 144,9 mg kg-1, NO3 - 552,3 -543,0 mg kg-1 respectively. The composting process may be a tool to stabilize poultry wastes, minimizing its environmental damage.Los residuos del sector avícola, principalmente guano (aves ponedoras) y cama de parrilleros (aves de engorde), pueden generar un impacto negativo en el ambiente contribuyendo a la contaminación de suelo, agua y aire. La estabilización aeróbica a través del compostaje es una alternativa de tratamiento para reducir la contaminación. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar el proceso de compostaje en dos mezclas con diferentes porcentajes de residuos avícolas (guano de aves ponedoras y cama de pollos parrilleros). Se compostaron dos mezclas que contenían 81% y 70% de residuos avícolas durante 16 semanas. Las variables analizadas fueron: temperatura (T°), pH, conductividad eléctrica (CE), humedad (H), capacidad de intercambio catiónico (CIC), carbono orgánico total (COT), amonio (NH4+), nitrato (NO3 - ), nitrógeno total (NT ) y carbono soluble (CS). Las características finales de los compost A y B fueron: pH 7,1 - 6,8, CE 3,3 - 2,9 (mS. cm- 1), COT 14,8 - 17,9 %, NT 0,97 - 0,88 %, NH4 + 501 - 144,9 mg kg-1, NO3-552,3 - 543,0 mg kg-1 respectivamente. El proceso de compostaje podría ser una herramienta para estabilizar los residuos avícolas minimizando su impacto en el ambiente

Daisy Chain Rotaxanes Made from Interlocked DNA Nanostructures

We report the stepwise assembly of supramolecular daisy chain rotaxanes (DCR) made of double‐stranded DNA: Small dsDNA macrocycles bearing an axle assemble into a pseudo‐DCR precursor that was connected to rigid DNA stoppers to form DCR with the macrocycles hybridized to the axles. In presence of release oligodeoxynucleotides (rODNs), the macrocycles are released from their respective hybridization sites on the axles, leading to stable mechanically interlocked DCRs. Besides the expected threaded DCRs, certain amounts of externally hybridized structures were observed, which dissociate into dumbbell structures in presence of rODNs. We show that the genuine DCRs have significantly higher degrees of freedom in their movement along the thread axle than the hybridized DCR precursors. Interlocking of DNA in DCRs might serve as a versatile principle for constructing functional DNA nanostructures where the movement of the subunits is restricted within precisely confined tolerance ranges