The Genetic Landscape and Epidemiology of Phenylketonuria Hillert, Alicia; Anikster, Yair; Belanger Quintana, Amaya; Burlina, Alberto; Burton, Barbara K.; Carducci, Carla; Chiesa, Ana Elena; Christodoulou, John; Dordevic, Maja; Desviat, Lourdes R.; Eliyahu, Aviva; Evers, Roeland A.F.; Fajkusova, Lena; Feillet, Francois; Bonfim Freitas, Pedro E.; Gizewska, María; Gundorova, Polina; Karall, Daniela; Kneller, Katya; Kutsev, Sergey I.; Leuzzi, Vincenzo; Levy, Harvey L.; Lichter Koneck, Uta; Muntau, Ania C.; Namour, Fares; Oltarzewsk, Mariusz; Paras, Andrea; Perez, Belén; Polak, Emil; Polyakov, Alexander V.; Porta, Francesco; Rohrbach, Marianne; Scholl Bürgi, Sabine; Spécola, Norma; Stojiljkovic, Maja; Shen, Nan; Santana da Silva, Luiz C.; Skouma, Anastasia; van Spronsen, Francjan; Stoppioni, Vera; Thöny, Beat; Trefz, Friedrich K.; Vockley, Jerry; Yu, Youngguo; Zschocke, Johannes; Hoffmann, Georg F.; Garbade, Sven F.; Blau, Nenad Phenylketonuria (PKU), caused by variants in the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene, is the most common autosomal-recessive Mendelian phenotype of amino acid metabolism. We estimated that globally 0.45 million individuals have PKU, with global prevalence 1:23,930 live births (range 1:4,500 [Italy]–1:125,000 [Japan]). Comparing genotypes and metabolic phenotypes from 16,092 affected subjects revealed differences in disease severity in 51 countries from 17 world regions, with the global phenotype distribution of 62% classic PKU, 22% mild PKU, and 16% mild hyperphenylalaninemia. A gradient in genotype and phenotype distribution exists across Europe, from classic PKU in the east to mild PKU in the southwest and mild hyperphenylalaninemia in the south. The c.1241A>G (p.Tyr414Cys)-associated genotype can be traced from Northern to Western Europe, from Sweden via Norway, to Denmark, to the Netherlands. The frequency of classic PKU increases from Europe (56%) via Middle East (71%) to Australia (80%). Of 758 PAH variants, c.1222C>T (p.Arg408Trp) (22.2%), c.1066−11G>A (IVS10−11G>A) (6.4%), and c.782G>A (p.Arg261Gln) (5.5%) were most common and responsible for two prevalent genotypes: p.[Arg408Trp];[Arg408Trp] (11.4%) and c.[1066−11G>A];[1066−11G>A] (2.6%). Most genotypes (73%) were compound heterozygous, 27% were homozygous, and 55% of 3,659 different genotypes occurred in only a single individual. PAH variants were scored using an allelic phenotype value and correlated with pre-treatment blood phenylalanine concentrations (n = 6,115) and tetrahydrobiopterin loading test results (n = 4,381), enabling prediction of both a genotype-based phenotype (88%) and tetrahydrobiopterin responsiveness (83%). This study shows that large genotype databases enable accurate phenotype prediction, allowing appropriate targeting of therapies to optimize clinical outcome.

Longevidad máxima y tiempo generacional del piche llorón (Chaetophractus vellerosus): Datos de una subpoblación En Peligro Abba, Agustin Manuel En esta nota se da a conocer la longevidad máxima registrada para el piche llorón (Chaetophractus vellerosus) en condiciones naturales. Los datos provienen de más de nueve años de muestreos y de 288 individuos capturados y liberados en un campo en Magdalena (provincia de Buenos Aires, República Argentina). A partir de 450 eventos de captura se pudo establecer que los individuos de esta subpoblación viven entre siete y nueve años. Asimismo, se pudo calcular el tiempo generacional en 3,2 años. Estos datos son relevantes para establecer el estatus de conservación de la especie y para diversos análisis ecológicos.; The maximum lifespan for the screaming hairy armadillo (Chaetophractus vellerosus) in the wild is documented in this note. The data comes from more than nine years of field work, and 288 individuals captured and released in an area in Magdalena (Buenos Aires province, Argentina). Information gathered from 450 capture events showed that individuals of this sub-population live between seven and nine years. Likewise, the generation length was calculated to be 3.2 years. These data are relevant to establish the conservation status of the species, and for several ecological analyses.

Targeting NUPR1 with the small compound ZZW-115 is an efficient strategy to treat hepatocellular carcinoma Lan, Wenjun; Santofimia Castaño, Patricia; Xia, Yi; Zhou, Zhengwei; Huang, Can; Fraunhoffer Navarro, Nicolas Alejandro; Barea, Dolores; Cervello, Melchiore; Giannitrapani, Lydia; Montalto, Giuseppe; Peng, Ling; Iovanna, Juan Lucio HCC is a highly lethal malignancy with Sorafenib as the only molecularly targeted drug. The multifunctional stress-associated protein, NUPR1, plays an essential role in controlling cell growth, migration, invasion and Sorafenib resistance in HCC. We report here that NUPR1 expression is absent in healthy liver and it is progressively upregulated in HCC premalignant lesions such as hepatitis and cirrhosis with a maximum expression in HCC samples, highlighting that NUPR1 is a potential drug target for HCC. We therefore assessed in this work, ZZW-115, a strong inhibitor of NUPR1, as a promising candidate for the treatment of HCC. We validated its extraordinary antitumor effect on HCC by using two HCC cell lines, HepG2-and Hep3B, both in cell based experiments and xenografted mice. We further revealed that ZZW-115 treatment induced cell death by apoptosis and necroptosis mechanisms, with a concomitant mitochondrial metabolism failure that triggers lower ATP production. Furthermore, the ATP depletion cannot be rescued by the apoptosis inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK and/or the necrosis inhibitor Necrostatin-1, indicating that ZZW-115 induces cell death through the mitochondrial failure.

Variaciones del estado cognitivo en el puerperio y sus determinantes: Una revisión narrativa; Variations of the cognitive status in the puerperium and their determinants: A narrative review Carrizo, Eugenia; Domini, Julia; Quezada, Ruth Yohana Julieta; Serra, Silvana Valeria; Soria, Elio Andres; Miranda, Agustín Ramiro Las modificaciones neurobiológicas que experimenta la mujer durante el puerperio, junto con los consecuentes cambios psicosociales, determinan variaciones en el funcionamiento cognitivo. Con el objetivo de describir las variaciones cognitivas que ocurren durante el postparto y sus factores determinantes, se desarrolló una revisión narrativa a partir de la búsqueda bibliográfica en PubMed y Google Scholar. Se evidenció un constante crecimiento del número de publicaciones a lo largo de los años (PubMed= 186; Google Scholar= 26730). El análisis de los artículos permitió: a) Caracterizar las funciones cognitivas durante el puerperio; b) Analizar los efectos neuropsicológicos producidos por los cambios endocrinológicos y anatomofisiológicos; c) Analizar el efecto de la calidad del sueño sobre la cognición; d) Analizar las funciones cognitivas en función de las experiencias obstétricas. En conclusión, la mujer puérpera se caracteriza por presentar variaciones en sus funciones cognitivas, las cuales están determinadas por cambios estructurales, funcionales, psicológicos y sociales. Es necesario fomentar investigaciones neuropsicológicas en esta población, ya que la atención del posparto todavía se centra en el cuidado del recién nacido, sin abordar a la mujer puérpera de manera integral.; The neurobiological modifications that women experience during the puerperium, together with the consequent psychosocial changes, lead to variations in cognitive functions. In order to describe the cognitive variations that occur during postpartum and the determining factors, a narrative review was conducted by means of a bibliographic search in PubMed and Google Scholar. A steady increase in the number of published works was located (PubMed = 186; Google Scholar = 26,730). The analysis of the articles made it possible to: a) characterize the cognitive functions during the puerperium; b) analyze the neuropsychological effects produced by the endocrinological and anatomophysiological changes; c) analyze the effect of the quality of sleep on cognition; d) analyze cognitive functions according to obstetric experiences. In conclusion, puerperal women are characterized by variations in their cognitive functions, which are determined by structural, functional, psychological and social changes. It is necessary to conduct neuropsychological research in this population, since postpartum care still focuses on the care of the newborn, without addressing the puerperal woman in a comprehensive manner.

YBCO-based non-volatile ReRAM tested in Low Earth Orbit Acha, Carlos Enrique; Barella, Mariano; Sanca, Gabriel Andrés; Gomez Marlasca, Fernando; Huhtinen, H.; Paturi, P.; Levy, Pablo Eduardo; Golmar, Federico An YBCO-based test structure corresponding to the family of ReRAM devices associated with the valence change mechanism is presented. We have characterized its electrical response previous to its lift-off to a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) using standard electronics and also with the dedicated LabOSat-01 controller. Similar results were obtained in both cases. After about 200 days at LEO on board a small satellite, electrical test started on the memory device using the LabOSat-01 controller. We discuss the results of the first 150 tests, performed along a 433-day time interval in space. The memory device remained operational despite the hostile conditions that involved launching, lift-off vibrations, permanent thermal cycling, and exposure to ionizing radiation, with doses 3 orders of magnitude greater than the usual ones on Earth. The device showed resistive switching and IV characteristics similar to those measured on Earth, although with changes that follow a smooth drift in time. A detailed study of the electrical transport mechanisms, based on previous models that indicate the existence of various conducting mechanisms through the metal–YBCO interface showed that the observed drift can be associated with a local temperature drift at the LabOSat controller, with no clear evidence that allows determining changes in the underlying microscopic factors. These results show the reliability of complex-oxide non-volatile ReRAM-based devices in order to operate under all the hostile conditions encountered in space-borne applications.

How vocational education made women better off but left men behind Acevedo, Paloma; Cruces, Guillermo Antonio; Gertler, Paul; Martinez, Sebastian This paper examines the interaction between vocational and soft skills training on labor market outcomes and expectations of youth in the Dominican Republic. Applicants to a training program were randomly assigned to one of three modalities: a full treatment consisting of vocational and soft skills training plus an internship, a partial treatment consisting of soft skills training plus an internship, or a control group with no training or internship. We find strong and lasting effects of the program on personal skills acquisition and expectations, but results are markedly different for men and women. Shortly after completing the program, all participants reported increased expectations for improved employment and livelihoods. This result is reversed for male participants after three and a half years, potentially explained by the program's negative short-run labor market effects for that group. On the other hand, female participants experience improved labor market outcomes in the short run and exhibit substantially higher levels of personal skills after three and a half years; the women in the study became more optimistic and reported higher self-esteem. Men experienced no such benefits. Our results suggest that job-training programs of this type can be transformative – for women, life skills mattered and made a difference. But they can also have a downside if, as was the case for men in this study, training creates expectations that are not met. Although, overall, impacts are similar for the full treatment and the partial treatment, the positive impacts on soft skills for women, and the adverse impacts on labor outcomes and expectations for men are stronger for the full treatment.

Multiscale design of artificial bones with biomimetic elastic microstructures Colabella, Lucas; Cisilino, Adrian Pablo; Fachinotti, Victor Daniel; Capiel, Carlos Alfredo; Kowalczyk, Piotr Cancellous bone is a highly porous, heterogeneous, and anisotropic material which can be found at the epiphyses of long bones and in the vertebral bodies. The hierarchical architecture makes cancellous bone a prime example of a lightweight natural material that combines strength with toughness. Better understanding the mechanics of cancellous bone is of interest for the diagnosis of bone diseases, the evaluation of the risk of fracture, and for the design of artificial bones and bone scaffolds for tissue engineering. A multiscale optimization method to maximize the stiffness of artificial bones using biomimetic cellular microstructures described by a finite set of geometrical micro-parameters is presented here. The most outstanding characteristics of its implementation are the use of: an interior point optimization algorithm, a precalculated response surface methodology for the evaluation of the elastic tensor of the microstructure as an analytical function of the micro-parameters, and the adjoint method for the computation of the sensitivity of the macroscopic mechanical response to the variation of the micro-parameters. The performance and effectiveness of the tool are evaluated by solving a problem that consists in finding the optimal distribution of the microstructures for a proximal end of a femur subjected to physiological loads. Two strategies for the specification of the solid volume fraction constraints are assessed. The results are compared with data of a computed tomography study of an actual human bone. The model successfully predicts the main features of the spatial arrangement of the trabecular and cortical microstructures of the natural bone.

Localizing and quantifying the intra-monomer contributions to the glass transition temperature using artificial neural networks Miccio, Luis Alejandro; Schwartz, Gustavo A. We used fully connected artificial neural networks (ANN) to localize and quantify, based on the monomer structure of several polymers, the specific features responsible for their observed glass transition temperatures (Tg). The use of ANNs allows us not only to successfully predict the Tg of the polymers but, even more important, to understand what parts of the monomer are mainly contributing to it. For this task, we used the weights of a trained ANN as obtained after fitting the input data (monomer structure) to the corresponding Tg value. The study was performed for a set of more than 200 atactic acrylates for which typical Tg defining features were identified. Thus, the ANN is able to recognize the relevance of the backbone stiffness, the length of pending groups or the presence of methyl groups on the value of the glass transition temperature. This approach can be easily extended to many other interesting properties of polymers and it is worth noting that only the monomer chemical structure is needed as input. This method is potentially useful for identifying orthogonal ways of tuning polymer properties during the design and development of new materials and it is expected that it will contribute to a better understanding of the polymer's behavior.

Improvement of water barrier properties of soybean protein isolate films by poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) thin coating Salgado, Pablo Rodrigo; D'amico, David Alberto; Seoane, Irene Teresita; Iglesias Montes, Magdalena Luz; Mauri, Adriana Noemi; Cyras, Viviana Paola The aim of this work was to study the preparation of bilayer films formed by soy protein isolate (SPI) and polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). This was done using the lowest possible concentration of PHB to improve the functionality of SPI films as food packaging or for agricultural uses, specially reducing their water vapor permeability (WVP). SPI films are environmentally friendly since they are biodegradable and come from renewable sources but they are brittle and have high water permeability. Even for the lowest concentration analyzed, PHB managed to form a homogeneous layer that successfully covered up the SPI film surface. All bilayers films showed a significant reduction of WVP of SPI films, and those with the highest PHB content showed the highest elastic Young's modulus and mechanical strength while maintaining a good elongation and low Tg value, similar to that of SPI. Despite of their hydrophobicity differences, a good adherence of both layers was achieved, which allowed to improve the mechanical and barrier properties of the SPI coated films with respect to films formed by both biopolymers separately. The combination of both SPI and PHB seems to be a good alternative to prepare a biodegradable material taking advantages of the best properties of each component.

Microstrain measurements and damage analysis during tensile loading of intercritical austempered ductile iron Fernandino, Diego Omar; Di Cocco, Vittorio; Boeri, Roberto Enrique; Iacoviello, Francesco The study focuses on the measurement of microstrain and the assessment of damage during tensile loading of intercritical austempered ductile iron by using digital image correlation technique and in situ observations. The results show that the first stages of damage involve the initiation and propagation of cracks along the matrix-nodule interface. By comparing the strain maps retrieved from digital image correlation analysis with the microstructure, plastic deformations were observed to be located preferentially in the ferritic internodular areas. However, for a more advanced stage of damage, cracks are seen to initiate in the metallic matrix at the boundary between ausferrite sheaves and propagate preferentially following the direction of the ausferrite plates. The final fracture shows a mix of quasi-cleavage and ductile morphology. The quasi-cleavage is produced by the nucleation and growth of multiple quasi-cleavage cracks formed on the ausferrite sheaves, while the overloaded ferritic zones are fractured by ductile tearing.

Validación de productos satelitales a partir de mediciones in situ para el monitoreo de coberturas del suelo en el sur de la Región Pampeana (Argentina); Satellite products validation through in situ measurements for monitoring land covers in the south of Pampas (Argentina) Ferrelli, Federico; Brendel, Andrea; Perillo, Gerardo Miguel E.; Piccolo, Maria Cintia La delimitación de las coberturas del suelo es una actividad costosa que requiere de instrumental específico. En este contexto, el objetivo de este estudio fue analizar la precisión y exactitud de productos satelitales de cobertura del suelo con respecto a un mapa confeccionado con mediciones in situ en la cuenca del río Sauce Grande (Argentina). Para ello, se realizaron cinco viajes de campo durante el año 2018 y se tomaron muestras georeferenciadas y firmas espectrales de las coberturas del suelo. Complementariamente, se calcularon índices de vegetación, suelo y agua a partir del procesamiento de imágenes satelitales Landsat 8. Con la reflectancia adquirida a campo y el comportamiento espectral de cada cobertura, se identificaron muestras espaciales necesarias para realizar una clasificación supervisada. Posteriormente, se descargaron los productos MODIS-Landcover y ESA-Landcover y se diseñaron mapas de coberturas del suelo estimadas. Se estableció un tamaño de píxel de 300 m para los tres productos satelitales y se aplicó con una matriz de confusión del tipo pixel por pixel para compararlos. Los resultados permitieron establecer que el MODIS-Landcover es un producto útil para el monitoreo de cultivos y pastizales, mientras que el ESA-Landcover para la expansión urbana y las variaciones del agua superficial.; The study of regional-scale land covers is an expensive activity that requires specific equipment. This work aimed to analyze the precision and the accuracy between satellite products and a land cover map obtained using in situ measurements in the Sauce Grande river basin (Argentina). In order to do so, we carried out five field trips during 2018 to identify land covers. It was studied the reflectance of each class from georeferenced samples acquired with a spectrometer and a GPS. Besides, spectral indices of vegetation, water, and soil were calculated to analyze the spectral behavior of each class. With this information, we delimited regions of interest to perform the supervised method. Subsequently, we downloaded the MODIS and ESA Landcover products. Then, we established a pixel of 300 meters for the three maps with matrix metrics. The Kappa coefficient, the overall accuracy, as well as the user and producer ones, were calculated to evaluate the estimated land cover against the measured ones. Results showed that MODIS-Landcover presents excellent agreements for determining crops and grasslands, while ESA-Landcover for urban expansion and water bodies.

Energy management on battery/ultracapacitor hybrid energy storage system based on adjustable bandwidth filter and sliding-mode control Asensio, Eduardo Maximiliano; Magallán, Guillermo Andrés; de Angelo, Cristian Hernan; Serra, Federico Martin A real-time power-split control strategy for a hybrid energy storage system (HESS) used in electric vehicles is proposed in this work. The HESS topology corresponds to a semi-active ultracapacitor (UC) configuration. The HESS goals are to prevent battery degradation and to preserve its lifetime while improving the system efficiency by supplying the fast dynamics power demands through the UC pack. In order to generate the UC power reference, a digital low-pass filter whose bandwidth is adjusted according to the UC SOC is proposed. This allows a better usage of the UC available energy, while reducing frequent activation of controller protections and avoiding the calculation of the filter cut-off frequency for a certain driving cycle. The low-level control strategy is based on a sliding mode controller combined with a closed-loop current observer, which allows to improve the implementation performance while maintaining the current ripple bounded. Simulation and experimental results were presented showing that the proposed strategy preserves battery health in a more effective way than filter-based strategies with fixed bandwidth, for cases where no future information about the required power is available.

Integrative Taxonomic Analyses Sheds Light on Three Historically Disputed American Spermacoce Species, and a Key to the American Species of Spermacoce (Spermacoceae, Rubiaceae) Nuñez Florentin, Mariela; Florentín, Javier Elias; Salas, Roberto Manuel There has been great confusion between Spermacoce glabra, S. riparia, andS. tenuior since their original descriptions. These species can bedistinguished mostly by their seed features. Clustering and principal coordinate analyses (PCoA) were used to scrutinize the formation of hierarchicalnon-overlapping groups strictly according to the degree of morphological similarity. Thirteen characters were scored for 26 herbariaspecimens. The taxonomic identity of these three species is discussed. Redefined descriptions and illustrations are provided, especially for fruit, seed,and pollen characters. A map and a discussion of the updated geographical distribution of these species are included. A table summarizing thedifferent taxonomic concepts in contemporary floristic studies and an identification key to all American Spermacoce species are also provided. Thenew combination Spermacoce affinis (DC.) R.M. Salas is presented here.

First steps in the formulation of praziquantel nanosuspensions for pharmaceutical applications Martinez, Noelia Anabel; Fernández Álvarez, Fátima; Delgado, Ángel V.; Badillo García, María Luisa; Raba, Julio; Cerutti, Estela Soledad; Arias, José L. Praziquantel (PZQ), a broad spectrum anthelmintic drug, cannot be found in acceptable dosage forms for elderly patients, paediatric patients, and for veterinary use. In fact, very little has been done up to now in the formulation of liquid dosage forms, being they always formulated for parenteral administration. To beat this important challenge, it was accomplished a comprehensive analysis of the influence of two elementary physicochemical aspects, i.e. surface thermodynamic and electrokinetic properties, on the colloidal stability of PZQ nanosuspensions. The hydrophobic character of the drug, intensely determining the flocculation curves, was confirmed by the thermodynamic characterization. The electrophoretic characterization, in combination with the sedimentation and relative absorbance versus time curves, highlighted that the electrical double layer thickness and the surface charge can play an essential role in the stability of the pharmaceutical colloid. Finally, it was demonstrated that controlling the pH values and the incorporation of electrolytes can help in formulating PZQ aqueous nanosuspensions with appropriate stability and redispersibility behaviours for pharmaceutical use.

Maturity Assessment for the Implementation of the First Fishery Regulation in Patagonian Marine Gastropods Cumplido Esmoris, Mariano José; Bigatti, Gregorio In order to establish management measures for a new resource, the size at first maturity should be studied. This measurement is a powerful tool in enabling the sustainable exploitation of marine benthic resources. Patagonian marine gastropods are captured as complementary catches during scallop fisheries. Studies related to the size at first maturity were performed for edible marine gastropods in northern Patagonia and have been used for the creation of the first regulation of gastropod catches made by the Secretary of Fisheries of Chubut Province. The minimum capture size of some of the species included in this regulation was established from preliminary studies but needed histological confirmation. The present study aims to provide accurate information on the size at maturity by an assessment that includes first gonadal maturity and population size/weight data of Buccinanops deformis and Trophon geversianus, two edible species of marine gastropods with high abundance along the Patagonian Atlantic coast and elevated nutritional values in their edible tissues. By histological methods, females of B. deformis reach maturity at 2.8 cm and males at 1.95 cm. While by an alternative histological method (inflexion point method), females reach maturity at 2.76 cm and males at 2.1 cm. For T. geversianus, females reach maturity at 3 cm (inflexion point = 2.38 cm) and males at 1.65 cm (inflexion point = 2.01 cm). The maturity assessment of B. deformis and T. geversianus revealed that males reach maturity at a smaller size than females, probably due to the fact that females require a more gradual process in maturation with a greater reproductive investment. The size at first sexual maturity provides valuable information for establishing the minimum catchable size. Therefore, we estimate a minimum size limit for B. deformis of 3.6 cm and 3.5 cm for T. geversianus and suggest that fishery measurements for these species should be established by performing a particular maturity assessment in each fishery zone.

Impact of land use history on the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal diversity in arid soils of Argentinean farming fields Ontivero, Roberto Emanuel; Voyron, Samuele; Risio Allione, Lucia Veronica; Bianco, Paolo; Bianciotto, Valeria; Iriarte, Hebe Jorgelina; Lugo, Mónica Alejandra; Lumini, Erica Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are a key soil functional group, with an important potential to increase crop productivity and sustainable agriculture including food security. However, there is clear evidence that land uses, crop rotations and soil features affect the AMF diversity and their community functioning in many agroecosystems. So far, the information related to AMF biodiversity in ecosystems like the Argentinean Puna, an arid high plateau where plants experience high abiotic stresses, is still scarce. In this work, we investigated morphological and molecular AMF diversity in soils of native corn, bean and native potato Andean crops, under a familiar land use, in Chaupi Rodeo (Jujuy, Argentina), without agrochemical supplements but with different histories of crop rotation. Our results showed that AMF morphological diversity was not only high and variable among the three different crop soils but also complemented by Illumina MiSeq data. The multivariate analyses highlighted that total fungal diversity is significantly affected by the preceding crop plants and the rotation histories, more than from the present crop species, while AMF communities are significantly affected by preceding crop only in combination with the effect of nitrogen and calcium soil concentration. This knowledge will give useful information on appropriate familiar farming.

Early Cretaceous neobatrachian frog (Anura) from Brazil sheds light on the origin of modern anurans Agnolin, Federico; de Souza Carvalho, Ismar; Aranciaga Rolando, Alexis Mauro; Novas, Fernando Emilio; Xavier Neto, José; Andrade, José Artur Ferreira Gomes de; Idalécio Freitas, Francisco The fossil record of anurans in South America is scarse, especially for Mesozoic-aged beds. The aim of the present paper is to describe a new neobatrachian anuran coming from the Early Cretaceous (Aptian) Crato Formation from Brazil. The specimen, represented by a nearly complete skeleton is reminiscent to the extant clade Hyloidea. In contrast with recent claims, this finding, together with previously known fossils from South America indicates that modern frog clades were present and well-diversified by 40 million years before the K/T boundary. In the same sense, the analysis of Mesozoic and Paleogene anuran record in South America contradicts the hypothesis of massive anuran extinction at the K/T boundary.

Effect of packaging material on the quality of fresh-cut beet leaves packed in modified atmospheres Fernandez, María Verónica; Agüero, Maria Victoria; Jagus, Rosa Juana This study aims to evaluate the effect of packaging system, including packaging materials with low, medium, and high oxygen permeance (OP), with or without initial atmosphere modification (IAM: 5kPaO2–10kPaCO2–85kPaN2) on minimally processed beet leaves (MPBL) overall quality during 8 days of storage at 12°C. Changes in microbial quality, pH, moisture content, and antioxidant capacity were independent of the packaging system. Samples with or without IAM achieved dynamic equilibrium in 24 or 144 hr, respectively. High, medium, and low OP material stabilized at 8kPaO2–3.5kPaCO2, 6kPaO2–6kPaCO2, and 0kPaO2–20kPaCO2, respectively. Low-OP presented anoxia conditions. High-OP material maintained total soluble solids and carotenoids and presented the highest retentions of betalains, chlorophyll, and total phenolics during storage. Moreover, active modified atmosphere packaging (with IAM) yielded significant improvements on bioactive retention. Hence, high-OP material with IAM is recommended for MPBL preservation. Practical applications: This research addresses one of the major challenges facing the growing industry of minimally processed fruit and vegetables, the rapid deterioration of their quality, and their reduced shelf-life. The results obtained are significant since give a practical and effective response to this challenge.

Applications of artificial intelligence in early detection of cancer, clinical diagnosis and personalized medicine Ullah M.; Akbar A.; Yannarelli, Gustavo Gabriel Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines programmed to convert raw input data into decision-making actions, like humans. AI programs are designed to make decisions, often using deep learning and computer-guided programs that analyze and process raw data into clinical decision making for effective treatment. New techniques for predicting cancer at an early stage are needed as conventional methods have poor accuracy and are not applicable to personalized medicine. AI has the potential to use smart, intelligent computer systems for image interpretation and early diagnosis of cancer. AI has been changing almost all the areas of the medical field by integrating with new emerging technologies. AI has revolutionized the entire health care system through innovative digital diagnostics with greater precision and accuracy. AI is capable of detecting cancer at an early stage with accurate diagnosis and improved survival outcomes. AI is an innovative technology of the future that can be used for early prediction, diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

Phase Equilibria of Ternary Liquid–Liquid Systems (Water + C1–C4 Monocarboxylic Acids + Dibutyl Ether) at Three Different Temperatures: Modeling with A-UNIFAC  Yalin, I.; Çehreli, Süheyla; Andreatta, Alfonsina Ester; Senol, A. Liquid–liquid equilibrium (LLE) data for the ternary systems composed of water, C1–C4 monocarboxylic acids, and dibutyl ether were determined at three different temperatures (293.15, 303.15, and 313.15 K) and atmospheric pressure. The experimental solubility curves and mutual solubilities of (water + dibutyl ether) were determined by the cloud-point method, whereas the tie-lines of conjugate phases were obtained via GC analysis. The examined C1–C4 monocarboxylic acids are valuable components for estimating the effect of acid structure on LLE. The separation factor calculated from experimental LLE data is indicative of the ability of the solvent to effectively recover the acid. Equilibrium distribution of C1–C4 acids is better for more structured propionic and butyric acids as compared to less structured formic and acetic acids, and the general ranking with respect to the separation factor (S) follows the order: C4 > C3 > C2 > C1, and T293.15 < T303.15 ≤ T313.15. The LLE data were predicted with the group-contribution method A-UNIFAC with the newly estimated parameters, which shows an appropriate consistency with the experimental data.