Multi-response deconvolution of auditory evoked potentials in a reduced representation space.

The estimation of auditory evoked potentials requires deconvolution when the duration of the responses to be recovered exceeds the inter-stimulus interval. Based on least squares deconvolution, in this article we extend the procedure to the case of a multi-response convolutional model, that is, a model in which different categories of stimulus are expected to evoke different responses. The computational cost of the multi-response deconvolution significantly increases with the number of responses to be deconvolved, which restricts its applicability in practical situations. In order to alleviate this restriction, we propose to perform the multi-response deconvolution in a reduced representation space associated with a latency-dependent filtering of auditory responses, which provides a significant dimensionality reduction. We demonstrate the practical viability of the multi-response deconvolution with auditory responses evoked by clicks presented at different levels and categorized according to their stimulation level. The multi-response deconvolution applied in a reduced representation space provides the least squares estimation of the responses with a reasonable computational load. matlab/Octave code implementing the proposed procedure is included as supplementary material.

Robust Amide-Linked Fluorinated Covalent Organic Framework for Long-Term Oxygen Reduction Reaction Electrocatalysis.

The high energy demand of the evolving world opens the door to develop more sustainable and environmentally friendly energy sources. Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is a promising candidate, being the 2e- pathway of great interest for the green production of hydrogen peroxide. Metal-free covalent organic frameworks (COFs) electrocatalysts present a suitable alternative to substitute the noble-metals more commonly employed in this application. However, the lability of the linkages building up the framework raises an issue for their long-term use and application in aggressive media. Herein, a stable amide-linked COF is reported through post-synthetic modification of a previously reported imine-linked COF proven to be effective as an electrocatalyst, enhancing its chemical stability and electrochemical response. It is found that after the linkage transformation, the new electrocatalyst displays a higher selectivity toward the H2O2 production (98.5%) and an enhanced turnover frequency of 0.155 s-1, which is among the bests reported to date for metal-free and COF based electrocatalysts. The results represent a promising step forward for metal-free non pyrolyzed electrocatalysts, improving their properties through post-synthetic linkage modification for long-term operation.

Turn-On Solid-State Fluorescent Determination of Zinc Ion by Quinoline-Based Covalent Organic Framework.

A new quinoline-based COF (covalent organic framework), obtained by Povarov reaction, containing 2,6-diisopropylphenyl moieties as substituents over the heterocyclic ring is described for detecting Zn2+ in aqueous solution. The introduction of the mentioned bulky phenyl rings into the network favors an increase of the distance between the reticular sheets and their arrangement, obtaining a new material with an alternating AB type stacking. The new material exhibits good selectivity to detect Zn2+ by fluorescence emission in aqueous solutions up to a concentration of 1.2 × 10-4 m of the metal ion. In order to have a deeper insight into the interaction between the COF and the zinc cation, a thorough spectroscopical, microscopical, and theoretical study is also presented and discussed in this communication.

Classification tree obtained by artificial intelligence for the prediction of heart failure after acute coronary syndromes. / Árboles de clasificación obtenidos mediante inteligencia artificial para la predicción de insuficiencia cardiaca tras el síndrome coronario agudo.

BACKGROUND: Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of heart failure (HF), and tools are needed to identify patients with a higher probability of developing HF after an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Artificial intelligence (AI) has proven to be useful in identifying variables related to the development of cardiovascular complications. METHODS: We included all consecutive patients discharged after ACS in two Spanish centers between 2006 and 2017. Clinical data were collected and patients were followed up for a median of 53months. Decision tree models were created by the model-based recursive partitioning algorithm. RESULTS: The cohort consisted of 7,097 patients with a median follow-up of 53months (interquartile range: 18-77). The readmission rate for HF was 13.6% (964 patients). Eight relevant variables were identified to predict HF hospitalization time: HF at index hospitalization, diabetes, atrial fibrillation, glomerular filtration rate, age, Charlson index, hemoglobin, and left ventricular ejection fraction. The decision tree model provided 15 clinical risk patterns with significantly different HF readmission rates. CONCLUSIONS: The decision tree model, obtained by AI, identified 8 leading variables capable of predicting HF and generated 15 differentiated clinical patterns with respect to the probability of being hospitalized for HF. An electronic application was created and made available for free.

Exploring Advanced Oxygen Reduction Reaction Electrocatalysts: The Potential of Metal-Free and Non-Pyrolyzed Covalent Organic Frameworks.

Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysis is an area of increasing interest for the in-situ production of H2O2 or the development of energy-related devices such as hydrogen fuel cells. Although pyrolyzed catalysts still offer the best performances to date with reference to the organic-based catalysts, metal-free and non-pyrolyzed covalent organic frameworks (COFs) stands out as promising alternatives candidates due to their favourable characteristics such as crystallinity, porosity, and organic composition, allowing the study of structural-property relationships. Herein, we present the design principles and recent advances in COFs-based ORR electrocatalysts, demonstrating how composition influences the activity and electronic pathway of the oxygen reduction process.

Developmental outcome of electroencephalographic findings in SYNGAP1 encephalopathy.

SYNGAP1 haploinsufficiency results in a developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (DEE) causing generalized epilepsies accompanied by a spectrum of neurodevelopmental symptoms. Concerning interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs) in electroencephalograms (EEG), potential biomarkers have been postulated, including changes in background activity, fixation-off sensitivity (FOS) or eye closure sensitivity (ECS). In this study we clinically evaluate a new cohort of 36 SYNGAP1-DEE individuals. Standardized questionnaires were employed to collect clinical, electroencephalographic and genetic data. We investigated electroencephalographic findings, focusing on the cortical distribution of interictal abnormalities and their changes with age. Among the 36 SYNGAP1-DEE cases 18 presented variants in the SYNGAP1 gene that had never been previously reported. The mean age of diagnosis was 8 years and 8 months, ranging from 2 to 17 years, with 55.9% being male. All subjects had global neurodevelopmental/language delay and behavioral abnormalities; 83.3% had moderate to profound intellectual disability (ID), 91.7% displayed autistic traits, 73% experienced sleep disorders and 86.1% suffered from epileptic seizures, mainly eyelid myoclonia with absences (55.3%). A total of 63 VEEGs were revised, observing a worsening of certain EEG findings with increasing age. A disorganized background was observed in all age ranges, yet this was more common among older cases. The main IEDs were bilateral synchronous and asynchronous posterior discharges, accounting for ≥50% in all age ranges. Generalized alterations with maximum amplitude in the anterior region showed as the second most frequent IED (≥15% in all age ranges) and were also more common with increasing age. Finally, diffuse fast activity was much more prevalent in cases with 6 years or older. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to analyze EEG features across different age groups, revealing an increase in interictal abnormalities over infancy and adolescence. Our findings suggest that SYNGAP1 haploinsufficiency has complex effects in human brain development, some of which might unravel at different developmental stages. Furthermore, they highlight the potential of baseline EEG to identify candidate biomarkers and the importance of natural history studies to develop specialized therapies and clinical trials.

V-Shaped Tröger Oligothiophenes Boost Triplet Formation by CT Mediation and Symmetry Breaking.

A new family of molecules obtained by coupling Tröger's base unit with dicyanovinylene-terminated oligothiophenes of different lengths has been synthesized and characterized by steady-state stationary and transient time-resolved spectroscopies. Quantum chemical calculations allow us to interpret and recognize the properties of the stationary excited states as well as the time-dependent mechanisms of singlet-to-triplet coupling. The presence of the diazocine unit in Tröger's base derivatives is key to efficiently producing singlet-to-triplet intersystem crossing mediated by the role of the nitrogen atoms and of the almost orthogonal disposition of the two thiophene arms. Spin-orbit coupling-mediated interstate intersystem crossing (ISC) is activated by a symmetry-breaking process in the first singlet excited state with partial charge transfer character. This mechanism is a characteristic of these molecular triads since the independent dicyanovinylene-oligothiophene branches do not display appreciable ISC. These results show how Tröger's base coupling of organic chromophores can be used to improve the ISC efficiency and tune their photophysics.

Short- and Long-Term Effects of Split-Suckling in Pigs According to Birth Weight.

Forty-eight litters were used, with a total number of 645 piglets involved in the study. The split-suckling technique was applied to half of the litters at the end of farrowing by removing the heaviest piglets over three periods of 1 h. The piglets were individually weighed at 0, 1 d, and at weaning. Piglet losses were recorded daily. Traceability was maintained until the carcass splitting and meat analysis took place. Carcasses were eviscerated and weighed individually. Total mortality at weaning was affected by body weight, where the low-body-weight piglets showed a mortality rate almost four times higher than that of the normal-weight piglets. Mortality was highest in the first days of life, especially in the low-body-weight piglets. At weaning, split-suckling treatment caused a slight increase in mortality compared to the control group piglets (25% vs. 17.1%). Split-suckling had a positive effect on weight gain during the first 24 h of life (p = 0.014), and there was an interaction between treatment and parity (p = 0.007), with split-suckling being more effective in the primiparous sows compared to the multiparous sows. The piglets from litters receiving the split-suckling treatment had a lower average daily gain during the lactation period (p < 0.001) than the piglets from the control group. Weight gain during the first 24 h of life of the piglets subjected to split-suckling was higher than those of the control group. A lower IgG and α-tocopherol in plasma in the heavier piglets subjected to split-suckling treatment was observed in comparison to their respective control. The piglets from litters receiving the treatment showed a lower average daily gain during the lactation period (p < 0.001) than the piglets from the control group. No difference in slaughter weight was observed according to treatment. The pigs which received split-suckling treatment showed lower subcutaneous fat thickness (p < 0.0013) and higher lean meat yield (p < 0.0027), this effect being more marked in pigs from primiparous sows. Intramuscular fat concentration was higher in the Longissimus Dorsi muscle of the low-body-weight piglets. In the pigs that received split-suckling treatment, a higher concentration of C18:3n-3 (p = 0.036) and a tendency towards a higher concentration of C18:2n-6 (p = 0.107) and unsaturation index (p = 0.113) was observed in intramuscular fatty acids at slaughter, together with a lower concentration of C16:0 (p = 0.053) and SFA (p = 0.064). In conclusion, long-term response to split-suckling, particularly in low-birth-weight piglets, suggests an alteration in adiposity and metabolic regulation in these piglets that receive high levels of colostrum.

Scalable Synthesis and Electrocatalytic Performance of Highly Fluorinated Covalent Organic Frameworks for Oxygen Reduction.

In this study, we present a novel approach for the synthesis of covalent organic frameworks (COFs) that overcomes the common limitations of non-scalable solvothermal procedures. Our method allows for the room-temperature and scalable synthesis of a highly fluorinated DFTAPB-TFTA-COF, which exhibits intrinsic hydrophobicity. We used DFT-based calculations to elucidate the role of the fluorine atoms in enhancing the crystallinity of the material through corrugation effects, resulting in maximized interlayer interactions, as disclosed both from PXRD structural resolution and theoretical simulations. We further investigated the electrocatalytic properties of this material towards the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Our results show that the fluorinated COF produces hydrogen peroxide selectively with low overpotential (0.062 V) and high turnover frequency (0.0757 s-1 ) without the addition of any conductive additives. These values are among the best reported for non-pyrolyzed and metal-free electrocatalysts. Finally, we employed DFT-based calculations to analyse the reaction mechanism, highlighting the crucial role of the fluorine atom in the active site assembly. Our findings shed light on the potential of fluorinated COFs as promising electrocatalysts for the ORR, as well as their potential applications in other fields.

Genome-wide association study for primal cut lean traits in Canadian beef cattle.

This study identified genomic variants and underlying candidate genes related to the whole carcass and individual primal cut lean content in Canadian commercial crossbred beef cattle. Genotyping information of 1035 crossbred beef cattle were available alongside estimated and actual carcass lean meat yield and individual primal cut lean content in all carcasses. Significant fixed effects and covariates were identified and included in the animal model. Genome-wide association analysis were implemented using the weighted single-step genomic best linear unbiased prediction (WssGBLUP). A number of candidate genes identified linked to lean tissue production were unrelated to estimated lean meat yield and were specific to the actual lean traits. Among these, 41 genes were common for actual lean traits, on specific regions of BTA4, BTA13 and BTA25 indicating potential involvement in lean mass synthesis. Therefore, the results suggested the inclusion of primal cut lean traits as a selection objective in breeding programs with consideration of further functional studies of the identified genes could help in optimizing lean yield for maximal carcass value.

Freeze-Dried Cooked Chickpeas: Considering a Suitable Alternative to Prepare Tasty Reconstituted Dishes.

The current trend in food consumption is toward convenience, i.e., fast food. The present work aims to study the potential of incorporating freeze-dried cooked chickpeas into a complex and traditional dish in Spanish gastronomy, such as Cocido, which has this legume as the main ingredient. Cocido is a two-course meal: a thin-noodle soup and a mix of chickpeas, several vegetables, and meat portions. The textural properties, sensory qualities, and rehydration kinetics of chickpeas of three Spanish varieties were investigated to select the most suitable cooking conditions to obtain freeze-dried chickpeas of easy rehydration whilst maintaining an adequate sensory quality for the preparation of the traditional dish. The sensory quality of various vegetables and meat portions, cooked under different conditions, was evaluated after freeze-drying and rehydration. It was possible to reproduce the sensory quality of the traditional dish after rehydration with water, heating to boiling in a microwave oven for 5 min, and resting for 10 min. Therefore, it is possible to commercialize complex dishes based on pulses and other cooked and freeze-dried ingredients as reconstituted meals with a wide nutrient profile. Nevertheless, additional research is required on the shelf life, together with other economic and marketing issues such as design of a proper packaging, that would allow consumption as a two-course meal.

Evaluation of functional warm ischemia time during controlled donation after circulatory determination of death using normothermic regional perfusion (ECMO-TT): A prospective multicenter cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Controlled donation after circulatory determination of death (cDCD) seems an effective way to mitigate the critical shortage of available organs for transplant worldwide. As a recently developed procedure for organ retrieval, some questions remain unsolved such as the uncertainty regarding the effect of functional warm ischemia time (FWIT) on organs´ viability. METHODS: We developed a multicenter prospective cohort study collecting all data from evaluated organs during cDCD from 2017 to 2020. All the procedures related to cDCD were performed with normothermic regional perfusion. The analysis included organ retrieval as endpoint and FWIT as exposure of interest. The effect of FWIT on the likelihood for organ retrieval was evaluated with Relative distribution analysis. RESULTS: A total amount of 507 organs´ related information was analyzed from 95 organ donors. Median donor age was 62 years, and 63% of donors were male. Stroke was the most common diagnosis before withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy (61%), followed by anoxic encephalopathy (21%). This analysis showed that length of FWIT was inversely associated with organ retrieval rates for liver, kidneys, and pancreas. No statistically significant association was found for lungs. CONCLUSIONS: Results showed an inverse association between functional warm ischemia time (FWIT) and retrieval rate. We also have postulated optimal FWIT's thresholds for organ retrieval. FWIT for liver retrieval remained between 6 and less than 11 min and in case of kidneys and pancreas, the optimal FWIT for retrieval was 6 to 12 min. These results could be valuable to improve organ utilization and for future analysis.

Estimation of genetic parameters for primal tissue component traits in commercial crossbred beef cattle.

Knowledge of genetic parameters is required to select for optimal yield of primal cuts that may be used as the selection criteria for designing future breeding programs. This study aimed to estimate the heritability, as well as genetic and phenotypic correlations of primal cut lean and fat tissue components, and carcass traits in Canadian crossbred beef cattle. All tissue component traits presented a medium to high heritability (lean 0.41 to 0.61; fat 0.46 to 0.62; bone 0.22 to 0.48), which indicates a probable increase in their response to genetic selection. In addition, high genetic correlations were found among the primal cut lean trait group (0.63 to 0.94) and fat trait group (0.63 to 0.94), as well as strong negative correlations between lean and fat component traits (-0.63 to -1). Therefore, results suggested inclusion of primal cut tissue composition traits as a selection objective in breeding programs with consideration of correlations among the traits could help in optimizing lean yield for the highest carcass value.

A randomized pilot trial assessing the reduction of gout episodes in hyperuricemic patients by oral administration of Ligilactobacillus salivarius CECT 30632, a strain with the ability to degrade purines.

Introduction: Hyperuricemia and gout are receiving an increasing scientific and medical attention because of their relatively high prevalence and their association with relevant co-morbidities. Recently, it has been suggested that gout patients have an altered gut microbiota. The first objective of this study was to investigate the potential of some Ligilactobacillus salivarius strains to metabolize purine-related metabolites. The second objective was to evaluate the effect of administering a selected potential probiotic strain in individuals with a history of hyperuricemia. Methods: Inosine, guanosine, hypoxanthine, guanine, xanthine, and uric acid were identified and quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. The uptake and biotransformation of these compounds by a selection of L. salivarius strains were assessed using bacterial whole cells and cell-free extracts, respectively. The efficacy of L. salivarius CECT 30632 to prevent gout was assessed in a pilot randomized controlled clinical trial involving 30 patients with hyperuricemia and a history of recurrent gout episodes. Half of the patients consumed L. salivarius CECT 30632 (9 log10 CFU/day; probiotic group; n = 15) for 6 months while the remaining patients consumed allopurinol (100-300 mg/daily; control group; n = 15) for the same period. The clinical evolution and medical treatment received by the participants were followed, as well as the changes in several blood biochemical parameters. Results: L. salivarius CECT 30632 was the most efficient strain for inosine (100%), guanosine (100%) and uric acid (50%) conversion and, therefore, it was selected for the pilot clinical trial. In comparison with the control group, administration of L. salivarius CECT 30632 resulted in a significant reduction in the number of gout episodes and in the use of gout-related drugs as well as an improvement in some blood parameters related to oxidative stress, liver damage or metabolic syndrome. Conclusion: Regular administration of L. salivarius CECT 30632 reduced serum urate levels, the number of gout episodes and the pharmacological therapy required to control both hyperuricemia and gout episodes in individuals with a history of hyperuricemia and suffering from repeated episodes of gout.

Prediction of primal and retail cut weights, tissue composition and yields of youthful cattle carcasses using computer vision systems; whole carcass camera and/or ribeye camera.

The application of two computer vision systems (CVS) was evaluated to predict primal and retail cut composition in youthful beef carcasses. Left carcass sides from a total of 634 animals were broken down into primal cuts, scanned using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry for the prediction of tissue composition and fabricated into retail cuts. Cold carcass camera (CCC) images led to higher R2 values than hot carcass camera (HCC) images. The CVS coefficients of prediction for the primal cut weights ranged from 0.61 to 0.97. For the primal cut tissue composition predictions, R2 values ranged from 0.09 for Brisket HCC bone prediction to 0.82 for Chuck CCC fat prediction. Retail cut weight estimations had similar R2 values, ranging from 0.10 for IMPS 112 (Ribeye roll-denuded ribeye) to 0.99 for IMPS 113C (semi-boneless chuck) both using CCC. The results suggest the feasibility of CVS technologies to predict beef primal and retail cuts weights together with tissue composition, and yield percentages.

Time to -30°C as a predictor of acute success during cryoablation in patients with atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Freezing rate of second-generation cryoballoon (CB) is a biophysical parameter that could assist pulmonary vein isolation. The aim of this study is to assess freezing rate (time to reach -30°C ([TT-30C]) as an early predictor of acute pulmonary vein isolation using the CB. METHODS: Biophysical data from CB freeze applications within a multicenter, nation-wide CB ablation registry were gathered. Successful application (SA), was defined as achieving durable intraprocedural vein isolation. And SA with time to isolation under 60 s (SA-TTI<60) as achieving durable vein isolation in under 60 s. Logistic regressions were performed and predictive models were built for the data set. RESULTS: 12,488 CB applications from 1,733 atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation procedures were included within 27 centers from a Spanish CB AF ablation registry. SA was achieved in 6,349 of 9,178 (69.2%) total freeze applications, and SA-TTI<60 was obtained in 2,673 of 4,784 (55.9%) freezes where electrogram monitoring was present. TT-30C was shorter in the SA group (33.4 ± 9.2 vs 39.3 ± 12.1 s; p < 0.001) and SA-TTI<60 group (31.8 ± 7.6 vs. 38.5 ± 11.5 s; p < 0.001). Also, a 10 s increase in TT-30C was associated with a 41% reduction in the odds for an SA (odds ratio [OR] 0.59; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.56-0.63) and a 57% reduction in the odds for achieving SA-TTI<60 (OR 0.43; 95% CI 0.39-0.49), when corrected for electrogram visualization, vein position, and application order. CONCLUSIONS: Time to reach -30°C is an early predictor of the quality of a CB application and can be used to guide the ablation procedure even in the absence of electrogram monitoring.

Electrochemical (Bio)Sensors Based on Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs).

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are defined as crystalline organic polymers with programmable topological architectures using properly predesigned building blocks precursors. Since the development of the first COF in 2005, many works are emerging using this kind of material for different applications, such as the development of electrochemical sensors and biosensors. COF shows superb characteristics, such as tuneable pore size and structure, permanent porosity, high surface area, thermal stability, and low density. Apart from these special properties, COF's electrochemical behaviour can be modulated using electroactive building blocks. Furthermore, the great variety of functional groups that can be inserted in their structures makes them interesting materials to be conjugated with biological recognition elements, such as antibodies, enzymes, DNA probe, aptamer, etc. Moreover, the possibility of linking them with other special nanomaterials opens a wide range of possibilities to develop new electrochemical sensors and biosensors.

Subspace-constrained deconvolution of auditory evoked potentials.

Auditory evoked potentials can be estimated by synchronous averaging when the responses to the individual stimuli are not overlapped. However, when the response duration exceeds the inter-stimulus interval, a deconvolution procedure is necessary to obtain the transient response. The iterative randomized stimulation and averaging and the equivalent randomized stimulation with least squares deconvolution have been proven to be flexible and efficient methods for deconvolving the evoked potentials, with minimum restrictions in the design of stimulation sequences. Recently, a latency-dependent filtering and down-sampling (LDFDS) methodology was proposed for optimal filtering and dimensionality reduction, which is particularly useful when the evoked potentials involve the complete auditory pathway response (i.e., from the cochlea to the auditory cortex). In this case, the number of samples required to accurately represent the evoked potentials can be reduced from several thousand (with conventional sampling) to around 120. In this article, we propose to perform the deconvolution in the reduced representation space defined by LDFDS and present the mathematical foundation of the subspace-constrained deconvolution. Under the assumption that the evoked response is appropriately represented in the reduced representation space, the proposed deconvolution provides an optimal least squares estimation of the evoked response. Additionally, the dimensionality reduction provides a substantial reduction of the computational cost associated with the deconvolution. matlab/Octave code implementing the proposed procedures is included as supplementary material.

An international consortium in epilepsy surgery education: Clinical case-based discussions between Latin-American and Canadian Epilepsy Centers.

An international consortium with a focus on Epilepsy Surgery Education was established with members from different centers in Latin America and Canada. All members of the consortium and attendees from different centers in Latin America and Canada have been meeting to discuss epilepsy surgery cases in a virtual manner. We surveyed all to assess the value of the meetings. The results and description of these meetings are being presented.

Influence of Production Factors on Beef Primal Tissue Composition.

This study used 1076 crossbred steers to evaluate the effects of calf-fed and yearling-fed beef production systems, implant strategies (with and without implants), and their interactions on the primal tissue composition (lean and fat components) of individual primal cuts using complete carcass dissection data. The results indicate that production system × implant interactions affected loin and rib primal weight percentages as well as marbling (p < 0.05) but did not affect the dissectible lean and fat contents of the individual primal cut (p > 0.05). Implants increased lean and decreased fat tissue contents of primal cut; however, the production system only affected lean content in the loin (p < 0.05) and fat content in the loin, round, and rib (p < 0.05). Redundancy analysis revealed a strong association between Angus breed percentage and marbling, as well as between Simmental breed percentage and multiple primal lean traits. Response surface regression models explained less variability in the tissue composition traits in calf-fed compared with yearling-fed animals, suggesting the need for further exploration using genomic studies.