ECG, an essential tool to guide arrhythmic mitral valve prolapse diagnosis

A 35-year-old man was referred for cardiac check-up because of suspected reflex syncope. He underwent a tilt-test challenge without syncope provocation. The electrocardiography (ECG) showed sinus rhythm with polymorphic premature ventricular contractions (PVC), with right bundle branch block morpholog

Structural mechanism for cargo recognition by the retromer complex

Retromer is a multi-protein complex that recycles transmembrane cargo from endosomes to the trans-Golgi network and the plasma membrane. Defects in retromer impair various cellular processes and underlie some forms of Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Although retromer was discovered over 15 years ago, the mechanisms for cargo recognition and recruitment to endosomes have remained elusive. Here, we present an X-ray crystallographic analysis of a four-component complex comprising the VPS26 and VPS35 subunits of retromer, the sorting nexin SNX3, and a recycling signal from the divalent cation transporter DMT1-II. This analysis identifies a binding site for canonical recycling signals at the interface between VPS26 and SNX3. In addition, the structure highlights a network of cooperative interactions among the VPS subunits, SNX3, and cargo that couple signal-recognition to membrane recruitment.We thank Alberto Marina (CIC bioGUNE) for technical assistance. This work was supported by the Carlos III Health Institute grant PI11/00121, the Basque Government grant PI2011-26, the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness Grant BFU2014-59759-R (to A.H.), and the intramural program of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH (ZIA HD001607) (to J.S.B.). This study made use of the Diamond Light Source (Oxfordshire, UK), synchrotron SOLEIL (Gif-sur Yvette, France), the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF, Grenoble, France) and ALBA synchrotron beamline BL13-XALOC, funded in part by the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under BioStruct-X (grant agreement N°283570). We thank all the staff from these facilities, and in particular to Andrew Thomson from SOLEIL, for assistance with X-ray data collection and processing, and Robert Rambo from Diamond for assistance with SAXS data collection. We also thank Peter Cullen, Carol R. Haft and Mitsuaki Tabuchi for kind gifts of reagents, and Philip McCoy (NHLBI, NIH) for cell sorting

The availability and geographic location of open-source food composition data used to estimate micronutrient intakes in sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review

Background Estimates of dietary micronutrient intakes rely on food composition data. The nutrient composition of foods varies spatially with potentially large effects on dietary micronutrient intakes. This review assessed the availability and geographic origin of five minerals (calcium, iron, iodine, selenium and zinc) in publicly available food composition tables/databases (FCTs) for use in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Methods A scoping review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines, in which four databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Global Health and Africa Wide Information) and four online resources were searched to identify published FCTs for use in SSA. Metadata were reviewed to identify the geographic origin of composition values for selected foods. Results Nineteen publicly available FCTs were identified, with the highest geographic coverage in Eastern Africa (45% of countries) and lowest coverage in Central Africa (12% of countries). Iodine and selenium were reported in four and six FCTs, respectively, while iron and calcium were included in ≥ 18 FCTs. More than 60% of nutrient values were borrowed from other FCTs. The geographic origin of 22% of mineral values were documented. Conclusions Limited local food composition analytical data is available, for estimating mineral intakes of SSA populations, with poor documentation of the data sources and the geographic origins of samples. New data structures and improved metadata are required to capture and report geographic information in publicly available FCTs, and to accommodate a new generation of spatially-resolved food composition data

Piezoelectric and magnetically responsive biodegradable composites with tailored porous morphology for biotechnological applications

The biomedical area in the scope of tissue regeneration pursues the development of advanced materials that can target biomimetic approaches and, ideally, have an active role in the environment they are placed in. This active role can be related to or driven by morphological, mechanical, electrical, or magnetic stimuli, among others. This work reports on the development of active biomaterials based on poly(3-hydroxybutyric acid-co-3-hydroxyvaleric acid), PHBV, a piezoelectric and biodegradable polymer, for tissue regeneration application by tailoring its morphology and functional response. PHBV films with different porosities were obtained using the solvent casting method, resorting to high-boiling-point solvents, as N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), and the combination of chloroform (CF) and DMF for polymer dissolution. Furthermore, magnetoelectric biomaterials were obtained through the combination of the piezoelectric PHBV with magnetostrictive iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles. Independently of the morphology or filler content, all biomaterials proved to be suitable for biomedical applications.This work was supported by national funds through the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) and by ERDF through COMPETE2020 - Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização (POCI) in the framework of the Strategic Programs UID/FIS/04650/2020, and project PTDC/BTM-MAT/28237/2017. TMA thank FCT for the research grant: SFRH/BD/141136/2018, VC for the junior researcher contract (DL57/2016) and CR for the contract under the Stimulus of Scientific Employment, Individual Support (CEECIND) – 3 rd Edition (2020.04163.CEECIND). Finally, the authors acknowledge funding by Spanish State Research Agency (AEI) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERFD) through the project PID2019-106099RBC43/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and from the Basque Government Industry Departments under the ELKARTEK program

Silk fibroin based magnetic nanocomposites for actuator applications

The need for technologies based environmentally friendlier materials, able to minimize the global dependence on fossil fuel derivatives, promotes the development of new hybrid materials based on natural polymers, such as silk derivatives. This work reports on a new generation of magnetically active materials based on silk fibroin (SF) from Bombyx mori silkworm. Magnetic cobalt ferrite (CFO) nanoparticles are introduced in an SF polymer matrix to develop CFO/SF nanocomposites with filler contents of up to 20 wt%. It is shown that the inclusion of CFO nanoparticles affects the β‐sheet conformation of SF polymer having relevant effect on mechanical and thermal properties. The incorporation of conductive nanoparticles into nonconductive matrix, induces an increase in electric conductivity and also in dielectric constant. The primitive magnetic behavior of CFO nanoparticles is successfully maintained after their incorporation into SF, which has made possible the processing of magnetic SF. These results enable the design and fabrication of a fully functional magnetic actuator based on SF, proving the suitable natural polymer‐based magnetic materials for a new generation of environmental‐friendlier smart and multifunctional materialsFundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia. Grant Numbers: UID/FIS/04650/2019, UID/EEA/04436/2019, UID/QUI/0686/2019, PTDC/FIS-MAC/28157/2017, PTDC/BTM-MAT/28237/2017, SFRH/BD/131729/2017, SFRH/BPD/112547/2015 Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. Grant Number: MAT2016-76039- C4-3-R Basque Government Industry and Education Departments. Grant Number: PIBA- 2018-0

Key parameters for the analysis stage of internationalization of operations

[EN] In this paper, we identify the key parameters to consider in a decision model on internationalization of operations. In order to propose these parameters, the GLOBOPE framework was adopted as the basis of this work. This framework contemplates the three commonest challenges of global operations configuration for industrial manufacturing companies in an internationalization process, which are: new facility implementation (NFI); global suppliers' network development (GSND); multisite production network configuration. A set of suitable parameters is herein provided for NFI and GSND in the analysis stage from strategic, tactical and operational decision levels. These parameters could be used in the future as a basis for the development of quantitative tools for decision making on the internationalization of operations.This research has been funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Education project, entitled 'Operations Design and Management in Global Supply Chains (GLOBOP)' ( Ref. DPI2012-38061-C02-01).Grillo-Espinoza, H.; Mula, J.; Martinez, S.; Errasti, A. (2018). Key parameters for the analysis stage of internationalization of operations. Brazilian Journal of Operations & Production Management. 15:173-181. https://doi.org/10.14488/BJOPM.2018.v15.n2.a1S1731811

Anatomy of an exhumed debrite and impact on stratal architecture

Submarine debrites generate complicated patterns of seabed relief which in uence subsequent ow behaviour and depositional patterns. However, recognizing this interaction in subsurface data is challenging in seismic and well data. To bridge this resolution gap, large-scale outcrop analogues can be used. The early post-rift Middle Jurassic succession of the Los Molles Formation is well-exposed along a 10 km long and downdip-orientated W-E outcrop belt located the western Central Neuquen Basin, Argentina.Fil: Martanez Donate, Ander. University of Manchester; Reino UnidoFil: Privat, Aurelia. University of Leeds; Reino UnidoFil: Spychala, Yvonne. Leibniz Universitat Hannover; AlemaniaFil: Hodgson, David. University of Leeds; Reino UnidoFil: Jackson, Christopher A. L.. Imperial College London; Reino UnidoFil: Kane, Ian. University of Manchester; Reino UnidoFil: Schwarz, Ernesto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigaciones Geológicas. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Centro de Investigaciones Geológicas; ArgentinaFil: Flint, Stephen S.. University of Manchester; Reino Unido59th British Sedimentological Research Group Annual General MeetingLiverpoolReino UnidoBritish Sedimentological Research GroupUniversity of Liverpoo