Coupled resonator acoustic waveguides-based acoustic interferometers designed within two-dimensional phononic crystals: experiment and theory

The acoustic response of defect-based acoustic interferometer-like designs, known as Coupled Resonator Acoustic Waveguides (CRAWs), in two-dimensional phononic crystals (PnCs) is reported. The PnC is composed of steel cylinders arranged in a square lattice within a water matrix with defects induced by selectively removing cylinders to create Mach-Zehnder-like (MZ) defect-based interferometers. Two defect-based acoustic interferometers of MZ-type are fabricated, one with arms oriented horizontally and another one with arms oriented diagonally, and their transmission features are experimentally characterized using ultrasonic spectroscopy. The experimental data are compared with finite element method (FEM) simulations and with tight-binding (TB) calculations in which each defect is treated as a resonator coupled to its neighboring ones. Significantly, the results exhibit excellent agreement indicating the reliability of the proposed approach. This comprehensive match is of paramount importance for accurately predicting and optimizing resonant modes supported by defect arrays, thus enabling the tailoring of phononic structures and defect-based waveguides to meet specific requirements. This successful implementation of FEM and TB calculations in investigating CRAWs systems within phononic crystals paves the way for designing advanced acoustic devices with desired functionalities for various practical applications, demonstrating the application of solid-state electronics principles to underwater acoustic devices description

Pretratamiento fúngico de biomasa de Agave lechuguilla Torr. para la producción de etanol

Recientemente la biomasa del cogollo de Agave lechuguilla ha sido establecida como materia prima con potencial para la producción de etanol, sin embargo, el alto gasto energético en el pretratamiento requiere la búsqueda de métodos que lo minimicen y propicie una mejora en la factibilidad económica del proceso. En comparación con las tecnologías tradicionales, el pretratamiento biológico ofrece una alternativa en la que las enzimas de remoción de la lignina son capaces de desdoblar las estructuras complejas de la misma, sin el uso de químicos y con menor gasto energético. En este trabajo se probó el uso de Phanerochaete chrysosporium H-298 en la biomasa de Agave lechuguilla. Los dos factores ensayados para la optimización del proceso fueron el tiempo de incubación y la concentración de la fuente de nitrógeno. Los resultados mostraron una máxima deslignificación (36.15 %), se preservó la celulosa sin cambios significativos. Las condiciones óptimas de pretratamiento fueron: 60 días de incubación y una concentración de nitrógeno de 1M. La hidrólisis enzimática del material pretratado con el complejo enzimático Cellic® CTec3 mostró una máxima liberación de glucosa de 44.9 g L-1 a las 92 horas, con rendimiento de hidrólisis de 93.09 %, mayor al obtenido en la hidrólisis de la muestra sin pretratar (37.92 %). La concentración de etanol a las 10 horas de fermentación fue de 16.53 g L-1 (equivalente a una concentración >2 % v/v de etanol) con 5.7 g L-1 de glucosa remanente a ese tiempo de incubación

Tularemia Outbreaks in Spain from 2007 to 2020 in Humans and Domestic and Wild Animals

[EN] In this study, tularemia outbreaks associated with humans and several domestic and wild animals (Iberian hares, wild rabbits, voles, mice, grey shrews, sheep, dogs, foxes, wolves, ticks, and river crayfish) are reported in Spain from 2007 to 2020. Special attention was paid to the outbreaks in humans in 2007-2009 and 2014-2015, when the most important waves occurred. Moreover, positive rates of tularemia in lagomorphs were detected in 2007-2010, followed by negative results in 2011-2013, before again returning to positive rates in 2014 and in 2017 and in 2019-2020. Lagomorphs role in spreading Francisella tularensis in the epidemiological chain could not be discarded. F. tularensis is described for the first time infecting the shrew Crocidura russula worldwide, and it is also reported for the first time infecting wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in Spain. Serological positives higher than 0.4% were seen for sheep only from 2007-2009 and again in 2019, while serological rates greater than 1% were revealed in dogs in 2007-2008 and in wild canids in 2016. F. tularensis were detected in ticks in 2009, 2014-2015, 2017, and 2019. Lastly, negative results were achieved for river crayfish and also in environmental water samples from 2007 to 2020SIThis research received no external funding but was supported by the contract-project called Caracterización molecular de las cepas de Francisella tularensis aisladas en lagomorfos y roedores de Castilla y León, financed by the Dirección General de Producción Agropecuaria e Infraestructuras, Servicio de Sanidad Animal, Consejería de Agricultura y Ganadería de la Junta de Castilla y León. All the isolates are owned by the Junta de Castilla y Leó

A network perspective on the ecology of gut microbiota and progression of type 2 diabetes: Linkages to keystone taxa in a Mexican cohort

IntroductionThe human gut microbiota (GM) is a dynamic system which ecological interactions among the community members affect the host metabolism. Understanding the principles that rule the bidirectional communication between GM and its host, is one of the most valuable enterprise for uncovering how bacterial ecology influences the clinical variables in the host.MethodsHere, we used SparCC to infer association networks in 16S rRNA gene amplicon data from the GM of a cohort of Mexican patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) in different stages: NG (normoglycemic), IFG (impaired fasting glucose), IGT (impaired glucose tolerance), IFG + IGT (impaired fasting glucose plus impaired glucose tolerance), T2D and T2D treated (T2D with a 5-year ongoing treatment).ResultsBy exploring the network topology from the different stages of T2D, we observed that, as the disease progress, the networks lose the association between bacteria. It suggests that the microbial community becomes highly sensitive to perturbations in individuals with T2D. With the purpose to identify those genera that guide this transition, we computationally found keystone taxa (driver nodes) and core genera for a Mexican T2D cohort. Altogether, we suggest a set of genera driving the progress of the T2D in a Mexican cohort, among them Ruminococcaceae NK4A214 group, Ruminococcaceae UCG-010, Ruminococcaceae UCG-002, Ruminococcaceae UCG-005, Alistipes, Anaerostipes, and Terrisporobacter.DiscussionBased on a network approach, this study suggests a set of genera that can serve as a potential biomarker to distinguish the distinct degree of advances in T2D for a Mexican cohort of patients. Beyond limiting our conclusion to one population, we present a computational pipeline to link ecological networks and clinical stages in T2D, and desirable aim to advance in the field of precision medicine

TRY plant trait database – enhanced coverage and open access

Plant traits - the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants - determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait‐based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits - almost complete coverage for ‘plant growth form’. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait–environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives

Evidence of spatial clustering of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia cases in Greater Mexico City: report from the Mexican Inter-Institutional Group for the identification of the causes of childhood leukemia

BackgroundA heterogeneous geographic distribution of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cases has been described, possibly, related to the presence of different environmental factors. The aim of the present study was to explore the geographical distribution of childhood ALL cases in Greater Mexico City (GMC).MethodsA population-based case-control study was conducted. Children <18 years old, newly diagnosed with ALL and residents of GMC were included. Controls were patients without leukemia recruited from second-level public hospitals, frequency-matched by sex, age, and health institution with the cases. The residence address where the patients lived during the last year before diagnosis (cases) or the interview (controls) was used for geolocation. Kulldorff’s spatial scan statistic was used to detect spatial clusters (SCs). Relative risks (RR), associated p-value and number of cases included for each cluster were obtained.ResultsA total of 1054 cases with ALL were analyzed. Of these, 408 (38.7%) were distributed across eight SCs detected. A relative risk of 1.61 (p<0.0001) was observed for the main cluster. Similar results were noted for the remaining seven ones. Additionally, a proximity between SCs, electrical installations and petrochemical facilities was observed.ConclusionsThe identification of SCs in certain regions of GMC suggest the possible role of environmental factors in the etiology of childhood ALL

Does soil pyrogenic carbon determine plant functional traits in Amazon Basin forests?

Amazon forests are fire-sensitive ecosystems and consequently fires affect forest structure and composition. For instance, the legacy of past fire regimes may persist through some species and traits that are found due to past fires. In this study, we tested for relationships between functional traits that are classically presented as the main components of plant ecological strategies and environmental filters related to climate and historical fires among permanent mature forest plots across the range of local and regional environmental gradients that occur in Amazonia. We used percentage surface soil pyrogenic carbon (PyC), a recalcitrant form of carbon that can persist for millennia in soils, as a novel indicator of historical fire in old-growth forests. Five out of the nine functional traits evaluated across all 378 species were correlated with some environmental variables. Although there is more PyC in Amazonian soils than previously reported, the percentage soil PyC indicated no detectable legacy effect of past fires on contemporary functional composition. More species with dry diaspores were found in drier and hotter environments. We also found higher wood density in trees from higher temperature sites. If Amazon forest past burnings were local and without distinguishable attributes of a widespread fire regime, then impacts on biodiversity would have been small and heterogeneous. Alternatively, sufficient time may have passed since the last fire to allow for species replacement. Regardless, as we failed to detect any impact of past fire on present forest functional composition, if our plots are representative then it suggests that mature Amazon forests lack a compositional legacy of past fire

Early mobilisation in critically ill COVID-19 patients: a subanalysis of the ESICM-initiated UNITE-COVID observational study

Background Early mobilisation (EM) is an intervention that may improve the outcome of critically ill patients. There is limited data on EM in COVID-19 patients and its use during the first pandemic wave. Methods This is a pre-planned subanalysis of the ESICM UNITE-COVID, an international multicenter observational study involving critically ill COVID-19 patients in the ICU between February 15th and May 15th, 2020. We analysed variables associated with the initiation of EM (within 72 h of ICU admission) and explored the impact of EM on mortality, ICU and hospital length of stay, as well as discharge location. Statistical analyses were done using (generalised) linear mixed-effect models and ANOVAs. Results Mobilisation data from 4190 patients from 280 ICUs in 45 countries were analysed. 1114 (26.6%) of these patients received mobilisation within 72 h after ICU admission; 3076 (73.4%) did not. In our analysis of factors associated with EM, mechanical ventilation at admission (OR 0.29; 95% CI 0.25, 0.35; p = 0.001), higher age (OR 0.99; 95% CI 0.98, 1.00; p ≤ 0.001), pre-existing asthma (OR 0.84; 95% CI 0.73, 0.98; p = 0.028), and pre-existing kidney disease (OR 0.84; 95% CI 0.71, 0.99; p = 0.036) were negatively associated with the initiation of EM. EM was associated with a higher chance of being discharged home (OR 1.31; 95% CI 1.08, 1.58; p = 0.007) but was not associated with length of stay in ICU (adj. difference 0.91 days; 95% CI − 0.47, 1.37, p = 0.34) and hospital (adj. difference 1.4 days; 95% CI − 0.62, 2.35, p = 0.24) or mortality (OR 0.88; 95% CI 0.7, 1.09, p = 0.24) when adjusted for covariates. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate that a quarter of COVID-19 patients received EM. There was no association found between EM in COVID-19 patients' ICU and hospital length of stay or mortality. However, EM in COVID-19 patients was associated with increased odds of being discharged home rather than to a care facility. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04836065 (retrospectively registered April 8th 2021)

Prevalence and Characteristics of Patients Requiring Surgical Reinterventions for Ankle Fractures

(1) Background: Ankle fractures are common injuries that typically require surgical treatment. Complications may arise, leading to reinterventions with poor recovery and reduced quality of life for patients. The aim of this study was to determine the number of patients who underwent surgical reintervention for ankle fractures, characteristics, and associated factors. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to analyze the number of patients requiring surgical intervention for ankle fractures at General Hospital Zone No1 IMSS in Colima over a period of two years. The age, gender, comorbidities, laterality, cause of surgical reintervention, Weber classification, and elapsed time to reintervention were analyzed. (3) Results: A total of 33 patients were included in this study, of whom 63.3% were male, ranging in age from 18 to 51 years old. The predominant Danis–Weber classification for both sexes was suprasyndesmotic fracture (Type C). No established relationship was found between comorbidities and surgical reintervention; however, a significant relationship was observed between home accidents and the need for reintervention. (4) Conclusions: Reintervention in patients previously operated on for ankle fractures is more frequent in male patients and those who sustained the injury at home

Coupled Resonator Acoustic Waveguides‐Based Acoustic Interferometers Designed within 2D Phononic Crystals: Experiment and Theory

Abstract The acoustic response of defect‐based acoustic interferometer‐like designs, known as Coupled Resonator Acoustic Waveguides (CRAWs), in 2D phononic crystals (PnCs) is reported. The PnC is composed of steel cylinders arranged in a square lattice within a water matrix with defects induced by selectively removing cylinders to create Mach‐Zehnder‐like (MZ) defect‐based interferometers. Two defect‐based acoustic interferometers of MZ‐type are fabricated, one with arms oriented horizontally and another one with arms oriented diagonally, and their transmission features are experimentally characterized using ultrasonic spectroscopy. The experimental data are compared with finite element method (FEM) simulations and with tight‐binding (TB) calculations in which each defect is treated as a resonator coupled to its neighboring ones. Significantly, the results exhibit excellent agreement indicating the reliability of the proposed approach. This comprehensive match is of paramount importance for accurately predicting and optimizing resonant modes supported by defect arrays, thus enabling the tailoring of phononic structures and defect‐based waveguides to meet specific requirements. This successful implementation of FEM and TB calculations in investigating CRAWs systems within PnCs paves the way for designing advanced acoustic devices with desired functionalities for various practical applications, demonstrating the application of solid‐state electronics principles to underwater acoustic devices description