Scale-adaptive simulation of unsteady cavitation around a naca66 hydrofoil

Distances between consecutive aftershocks are analysed by means of mono- and multifractal theory with the aim of quantifying the complexity of the physical mechanism governing them, as well as their predictability and predictive instability. Hausdorff, Ha, and Hurst, H, exponents are determined by semivariograms and rescaled analysis, respectively. The exponent ß of the power law describing power spectral contents is also quantified. These three parameters permit a generation of fractional Gaussian noise, fGn, simulating distances. The complexity and predictive instability of physical mechanism generating the series of distances is quantified by means of the correlation dimension, µ*, the Kolmogorov entropy, ¿, and the Lyapunov exponents, ¿i, which are based on the reconstruction theorem formulation. Additionally, the multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis, MF-DFA, contributes with a different point of view to quantify the complexity of the series, in terms of fractal spectral width, W, spectral asymmetry, B, and the critical Hölder exponent, a0. By one hand, the MF-DFA is applied to the complete set of distances characterising the whole aftershock process. By the other hand, the MF-DFA is applied to segments of the series of distances with the aim of determining the evolution of the complexity since the mainshock up to the end of the stress relaxation process. Finally, an ARIMA multilinear regression process is applied to obtain some improvements, in comparison with fGn simulations, on the prediction of distances. The database for this analysis is obtained from the Southern California Seismic Network (SCSN) catalogue. Three series of aftershocks equalling to or exceeding magnitudes of 2.0, assuring seismic catalogue completeness, and associated with Landers (06/28/1992), Northridge (01/17/1994) and Hector Mine (10/16/1999) mainshocks are obtained. It is worth mentioning that common mono-multifractal behaviour for the three aftershocks series is not detected, whatever aftershock periods or segments of them are considered.Postprint (published version

Efectos biológicos de los Rayo-X en la práctica de Estomatología

Introducción: En la Odontología, así como en otras disciplinas del área de la salud, la radiografía  resulta una herramienta rutinaria y de gran utilidad en el área diagnóstica. Objetivo: Actualizar los conocimientos sobre los efectos biológicos de los rayos X en la práctica estomatológica. Métodos: Se realizó una revisión bibliográfica en las principales bases de datos médicas (Scielo, Pubmed, EBSCO, Hinari) de 27 materiales científicos escritos y electrónicos relacionados con el tema, utilizando los descriptores de búsqueda: rayos X, radiaciones ionizantes, efectos nocivos. Resultados: Se recopilaron datos sobre los efectos negativos que tienen las radiaciones ionizantes para el organismo humano, tanto a nivel molecular como del organismo como un todo. Además se  obtuvo información relacionada con las especificidades de estos efectos en el personal de Estomatología que realiza dichos procederes diagnósticos y para los pacientes. Conclusiones: A pesar de que los pacientes no se someten a altas dosis de energía ionizante en los tratamientos estomatológicos, su uso inadecuado e irracional puede traer severas consecuencias.Palabras clave: rayos X, radiaciones ionizantes, efectos nocivos.ABSTRACTIntroduction: In odontology, as well as in other health disciplines, the X-rays are a routine tool of great utility in the diagnostic area. Objective: To update the knowledge on the biological effects of the X-rays in the odontology practice. Material and Methods: a literature review was conducted in the main medical databases (Scielo, Pubmed, EBSCO, Hinari) from 27 writings and electronic scientific materials related with the topic, using the search descriptors: X-rays, ionizer radiations, harmful effects. Results: Data about negative effects that have the radiations ionizing for the human organism was gathered, both molecular level and organism level. Besides it was obtained information relating to specificities of these effects in the Dental personnel that carries out these diagnostic procedures and for the patients too. Conclusions: Although the patients don't undergo high dose of energy in the dental treatments, their inadequate and irrational use can bring severe consequences. Key words: X-rays, ionizing radiations, noxious effects, radiology protection, dental care, dentistry, dentistry treatment.</p

In Situ Roughness Measurements for the Solar Cell Industry Using an Atomic Force Microscope

Areal roughness parameters always need to be under control in the thin film solar cell industry because of their close relationship with the electrical efficiency of the cells. In this work, these parameters are evaluated for measurements carried out in a typical fabrication area for this industry. Measurements are made using a portable atomic force microscope on the CNC diamond cutting machine where an initial sample of transparent conductive oxide is cut into four pieces. The method is validated by making a comparison between the parameters obtained in this process and in the laboratory under optimal conditions. Areal roughness parameters and Fourier Spectral Analysis of the data show good compatibility and open the possibility to use this type of measurement instrument to perform in situ quality control. This procedure gives a sample for evaluation without destroying any of the transparent conductive oxide; in this way 100% of the production can be tested, so improving the measurement time and rate of production

Metabolically Obese Normal-Weight Phenotype as a Risk Factor for High Blood Pressure: A Five-Year Cohort

"Background: The metabolically obese normal-weight (MONW) phenotype has been considered a risk factor for different chronic diseases, but its role in high blood pressure (HBP) is still unclear. The aim of the study is to determine if the MONW phenotype constitutes a risk factor for hypertension in Peruvian adults belonging to a 5-year cohort. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study. A secondary analysis from the database of the PERU MIGRANT study was carried out from the MONW and non-MONW cohorts; after a 5-year follow-up, the appearance of HBP was evaluated in the subjects of both cohorts. To assess the strength and magnitude of the association, a Poisson regression model (crude and adjusted) with robust variance was used. The measure of association was the relative risk (RR). Results: The incidence of HBP was 11.30%. In the multivariable analysis, subjects with the MONW phenotype had a 2.879-fold risk of presenting HBP in 5 years compared with those who were not MONW at the beginning of the study; this was adjusted for categorized age, sex, group, and state of smoker and alcohol drinker (RR: 2.055; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.118 - 3.777; P = 0.020). Conclusions: The presence of the MONW phenotype doubled the incidence of HBP, even after adjusting for other covariates. However, studies in this field should continue. If these findings are confirmed, it should be considered that presenting an adequate weight for height should not be interpreted as a condition free of metabolic alterations, so screening for hypertension should be carried out regardless of w

Factors associated with adherence to the Mediterranean diet among medical students at a private university in Lima, Peru

Introduction: The Mediterranean diet (MedD)is a characteristic eating pattern of the countries of the Mediterranean region. Nonetheless, is unknown its adherence in medical students. We aimed to determine the prevalence of adherence to the Mediterranean diet (AMedD) and associated factors in medical students from Peru. Material and methods: Analytical cross-sectional study carried out by means of a virtual survey. PREDIMED scale was used to evaluate AMedD. The factors assessed were age, sex, academic year, body mass index (BMI), place of lunch consumption, cigarette smoking, and physical activity. Poisson regression with robust variance was used to present it in crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (PRa). Results: High AMedD was present in 38.50%. Statistically significant association was found for sex (PRa: 0.623; 95%CI 0.488-0.796); for overweight (PRa: 0.417; 95%CI 0.270-0.644), obesity (PRa: 0.591; 95%CI 0.400-0.874) versus normopese; cigarette smoking (PRa: 0.450; 95%CI 0.263-0.773); and high physical activity (PRa: 1.652; 95%CI 1.233- 2.215). Conclusions: AMedD was low. The related factors were sex, BMI, consumption of lunch outside the home, cigarette smoking, anda high level of physical activity. Ifthis is confirmed in future studies, it would be necessary to consider these elements to encourage greater consumption of MedD components by students, which would help to improve their long-term health

Metabolically Obese Normal-Weight Phenotype as a Risk Factor for High Blood Pressure: A Five-Year Cohort

Background: The metabolically obese normal-weight (MONW) phenotype has been considered a risk factor for different chronic diseases, but its role in high blood pressure (HBP) is still unclear. The aim of the study is to determine if the MONW phenotype constitutes a risk factor for hypertension in Peruvian adults belonging to a 5-year cohort. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study. A secondary analysis from the database of the PERU MIGRANT study was carried out from the MONW and non-MONW cohorts; after a 5-year follow-up, the appearance of HBP was evaluated in the subjects of both cohorts. To assess the strength and magnitude of the association, a Poisson regression model (crude and adjusted) with robust variance was used. The measure of association was the relative risk (RR). Results: The incidence of HBP was 11.30%. In the multivariable analysis, subjects with the MONW phenotype had a 2.879-fold risk of presenting HBP in 5 years compared with those who were not MONW at the beginning of the study; this was adjusted for categorized age, sex, group, and state of smoker and alcohol drinker (RR: 2.055; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.118 - 3.777; P = 0.020). Conclusions: The presence of the MONW phenotype doubled the incidence of HBP, even after adjusting for other covariates. However, studies in this field should continue. If these findings are confirmed, it should be considered that presenting an adequate weight for height should not be interpreted as a condition free of metabolic alterations, so screening for hypertension should be carried out regardless of whether or not the body mass index obtained is considered normal

The Fruit Intake–Adiposity Paradox: Findings from a Peruvian Cross-Sectional Study

Due to the increase in obesity worldwide, international organizations have promoted the adoption of a healthy lifestyle, as part of which fruit consumption stands out. However, there are controversies regarding the role of fruit consumption in mitigating this disease. The objective of the present study was to analyze the association between fruit intake and body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) in a representative sample of Peruvians. This is an analytical cross-sectional study. Secondary data analysis was conducted using information from the Demographic and Health Survey of Peru (2019–2021). The outcome variables were BMI and WC. The exploratory variable was fruit intake, which was expressed in three different presentations: portion, salad, and juice. A generalized linear model of the Gaussian family and identity link function were performed to obtain the crude and adjusted beta coefficients. A total of 98,741 subjects were included in the study. Females comprised 54.4% of the sample. In the multivariate analysis, for each serving of fruit intake, the BMI decreased by 0.15 kg/m2 (β = −0.15; 95% CI −0.24 to −0.07), while the WC was reduced by 0.40 cm (β = −0.40; 95% CI −0.52 to −0.27). A negative association between fruit salad intake and WC was found (β = −0.28; 95% CI −0.56 to −0.01). No statistically significant association between fruit salad intake and BMI was found. In the case of fruit juice, for each glass of juice consumed, the BMI increased by 0.27 kg/m2 (β = 0.27; 95% CI 0.14 to 0.40), while the WC increased by 0.40 cm (β = 0.40; 95% CI 0.20 to 0.60). Fruit intake per serving is negatively related to general body adiposity and central fat distribution, while fruit salad intake is negatively related to central distribution adiposity. However, the consumption of fruit in the form of juices is positively associated with a significant increase in BMI and WC

Novel genes and sex differences in COVID-19 severity

[EN] Here, we describe the results of a genome-wide study conducted in 11 939 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) positive cases with an extensive clinical information that were recruited from 34 hospitals across Spain (SCOURGE consortium). In sex-disaggregated genome-wide association studies for COVID-19 hospitalization, genome-wide significance (P < 5 × 10−8) was crossed for variants in 3p21.31 and 21q22.11 loci only among males (P = 1.3 × 10−22 and P = 8.1 × 10−12, respectively), and for variants in 9q21.32 near TLE1 only among females (P = 4.4 × 10−8). In a second phase, results were combined with an independent Spanish cohort (1598 COVID-19 cases and 1068 population controls), revealing in the overall analysis two novel risk loci in 9p13.3 and 19q13.12, with fine-mapping prioritized variants functionally associated with AQP3 (P = 2.7 × 10−8) and ARHGAP33 (P = 1.3 × 10−8), respectively. The meta-analysis of both phases with four European studies stratified by sex from the Host Genetics Initiative (HGI) confirmed the association of the 3p21.31 and 21q22.11 loci predominantly in males and replicated a recently reported variant in 11p13 (ELF5, P = 4.1 × 10−8). Six of the COVID-19 HGI discovered loci were replicated and an HGI-based genetic risk score predicted the severity strata in SCOURGE. We also found more SNP-heritability and larger heritability differences by age (<60 or ≥60 years) among males than among females. Parallel genome-wide screening of inbreeding depression in SCOURGE also showed an effect of homozygosity in COVID-19 hospitalization and severity and this effect was stronger among older males. In summary, new candidate genes for COVID-19 severity and evidence supporting genetic disparities among sexes are provided.S

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

Mitochondrial physiology

As the knowledge base and importance of mitochondrial physiology to evolution, health and disease expands, the necessity for harmonizing the terminology concerning mitochondrial respiratory states and rates has become increasingly apparent. The chemiosmotic theory establishes the mechanism of energy transformation and coupling in oxidative phosphorylation. The unifying concept of the protonmotive force provides the framework for developing a consistent theoretical foundation of mitochondrial physiology and bioenergetics. We follow the latest SI guidelines and those of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) on terminology in physical chemistry, extended by considerations of open systems and thermodynamics of irreversible processes. The concept-driven constructive terminology incorporates the meaning of each quantity and aligns concepts and symbols with the nomenclature of classical bioenergetics. We endeavour to provide a balanced view of mitochondrial respiratory control and a critical discussion on reporting data of mitochondrial respiration in terms of metabolic flows and fluxes. Uniform standards for evaluation of respiratory states and rates will ultimately contribute to reproducibility between laboratories and thus support the development of data repositories of mitochondrial respiratory function in species, tissues, and cells. Clarity of concept and consistency of nomenclature facilitate effective transdisciplinary communication, education, and ultimately further discovery