COVID-19 Effects on the Relationship between Cryptocurrencies: Can It Be Contagion? Insights from Econophysics Approaches.

Cryptocurrencies are relatively new and innovative financial assets. They are a topic of interest to investors and academics due to their distinctive features. Whether financial or not, extraordinary events are one of the biggest challenges facing financial markets. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, considered by some authors a "black swan", is one of these events. In this study, we assess integration and contagion in the cryptocurrency market in the COVID-19 pandemic context, using two entropy-based measures: mutual information and transfer entropy. Both methodologies reveal that cryptocurrencies exhibit mixed levels of integration before and after the onset of the pandemic. Cryptocurrencies displaying higher integration before the event experienced a decline in such link after the world became aware of the first cases of pneumonia in Wuhan city. In what concerns contagion, mutual information provided evidence of its presence solely for the Huobi Token, and the transfer entropy analysis pointed out Tether and Huobi Token as its main source. As both analyses indicate no contagion from the pandemic turmoil to these financial assets, cryptocurrencies may be good investment options in case of real global shocks, such as the one provoked by the COVID-19 outbreak.

A sectoral analysis of the role of Foreign Direct Investment in pollution and energy transition in OECD countries.

The sustainable development agenda has been driving the global debate on environmental policy for several years now. Developed countries have stricter environmental controls and are under pressure from international agencies to cut pollution. However, many of these countries have been accused of using Foreign Direct Investment to shift their environmental burden to countries with lower environmental restrictions, rather than reducing their overall environmental impact. Should developed countries continue to transfer their emissions? What role does the energy structure of recipient countries play in this investment? A Panel Autoregressive Distributed Lag Model was carried out for a set of 15 OECD countries, from 2005 to 2018. The main findings upheld the Pollution Halo hypothesis. However, they also confirmed the Pollution Haven hypothesis, which was unexpected for developed countries, with their higher environmental standards. It seems that Foreign Direct Investment may increase pollution by increasing overall energy consumption, rather than by transferring polluting industries. Foreign Direct Investment inflows seem to be more environmentally friendly than inward stock, particularly in the electricity and services sectors. Energy transition could be achieved without the polluting effect of Foreign Direct Investment. Investment in the electricity sector may be a way of decoupling economic growth from pollution.

Ionic Liquid-Based Polyoxometalate Incorporated at ZIF-8: A Sustainable Catalyst to Combine Desulfurization and Denitrogenation Processes.

An effective and sustainable process capable of simultaneously execute desulfurization and denitrogenation of fuels is in fact an actual necessity in the refinery industry. The key to achieve this goal is the parallel oxidation of sulfur and nitrogen compounds present in fuels, which is only achieved by an active and recovered catalyst. A novel heterogeneous catalyst was successfully prepared by the encapsulation of an imidazolium-based polyoxometalate (POM) into a ZIF-8 framework ([BMIM]PMo12@ZIF-8). This composite material revealed exceptional catalytic efficiency to concurrently proceed with the oxidative desulfurization and denitrogenation of a multicomponent model fuel containing various sulfur and nitrogen compounds. A complete removal of all these compounds was achieved after only one hour and the catalyst system was able to be reused for ten consecutive cycles without loss of efficiency. In fact, an ionic liquid POM was incorporated in the ZIF-8 for the first time, and this composite compound was originally applied as a catalyst for simultaneous oxidative desulfurization and denitrogenation processes.

Immune status, well-being and gut microbiota in military supplemented with synbiotic ice cream and submitted to field training: a randomised clinical trial.

Strenuous physical activity, sleep deprivation and psychological stress are common features of military field training. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of supplementation with a synbiotic ice cream on salivary IgA, gastrointestinal symptoms, well-being indicators and gut microbiota in young military participants undergoing field training. Sixty-five military completed the study: one group was supplemented for 30 d with synbiotic ice cream containing: 2·1 × 108 CFU/g for Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5 and 2·7 × 109 CFU/g for Bifidobacterium animalis BB-12 and 2·3 g of inulin in the 60 g of ice cream at manufacture, and the other with a placebo ice cream. Volunteers were evaluated at pre-supplementation (baseline), post-supplementation and after a 5-d military training. Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus genera were measured in stool samples and both showed a higher differential abundance post-supplementation and training. Salivary IgA and gastrointestinal symptoms decreased at post-training in both groups (P < 0·05; main effect of time); however, supplementation with synbiotic did not mitigate this effect. Tenseness and sleepiness were decreased in the synbiotic-treated group, but not in the placebo group at post-military training (P = 0·01 and 0·009, respectively; group × time effect). The other well-being indicators were not affected by the synbiotic supplementation. In conclusion, 30 d of synbiotic ice cream supplementation containing inulin, L. acidophilus LA-5 and B. animalis BB-12 favourably modulated gut microbiota and improved tenseness and sleepiness in healthy young military undergoing a 5-d field training. These improvements may be relevant to this population as they may influence the decision-making process in an environment of high physical and psychological stress.

Pantaloon Vein Grafts - An Alternative Fix for an Old Problem.

BACKGROUND: Pantaloon vein grafts (PVG) were first used to replace infrarenal aortic grafts. However, they may have other applications, such as femoral aortic bifurcation reconstruction. METHODS: We herein present 2 different cases, the first with a prosthetic graft infection at the recipient femoral bifurcation, the second for a late occlusion of the femoral bifurcation following endarterectomy and prosthetic patch closure, who were treated with PVG fashioned from the ipsilateral great saphenous vein. CONCLUSION: The use of PVG to reconstruct the femoral bifurcation allowed for concurrent axial and profunda femoris artery revascularization, while correcting diameter mismatch with the inflow source and seem particularly suitable for infected operative fields.

Plasma Extracellular Vesicle-Derived TIMP-1 mRNA as a Prognostic Biomarker in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Pilot Study.

The tumor microenvironment has gained a lot of attention from the scientific community since it has a proven impact in the development of tumor progression and metastasis. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are now considered one of the key players of tumor microenvironment modulation. Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most lethal urological neoplasia and presents a high metastatic potential, which reinforces the need for the development of more effective predictive biomarkers. Our goal was to evaluate the applicability of EV-derived matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) as prognostic biomarkers for ccRCC. To do so, we studied the plasma EV content of 32 patients with localized ccRCC and 29 patients with metastatic ccRCC. We observed that patients with localized disease and tumors larger than 7 cm presented higher levels of plasma EV-derived TIMP-1 mRNA when compared with patients presenting smaller tumors (p = 0.020). Moreover, patients with metastatic disease presented higher levels of EV-derived TIMP-1 mRNA when compared with patients with localized disease (p = 0.002) and when we stratified those patients in high and low levels of TIMP-1 EV-derived mRNA, the ones presenting higher levels had a lower overall survival (p = 0.030). EV-derived TIMP-1 mRNA may be a good prognostic biomarker candidate for ccRCC.

Evaluation of Juvenile Animal Studies for Pediatric CNS-Targeted Compounds: A Regulatory Perspective.

Central nervous system (CNS)-targeted products are an important category of pediatric pharmaceuticals. In view of the significant postnatal maturation of the CNS, juvenile animal studies (JAS) are performed to support pediatric development of these new medicines. In this project, the design and results of juvenile toxicity studies from 15 drug compounds for the treatment of neurologic or psychiatric conditions were analyzed. Studies were conducted mostly in rats; sometimes in addition in dogs and monkeys. The study design of the pivotal JAS was variable, even for compounds with a similar therapeutic indication. Age of the juvenile animals was not consistently related to the starting age of the intended patient population. Of 15 compounds analyzed, 6 JAS detected more severe toxicities and 6 JAS evidenced novel CNS effects compared to their adult counterparts. The effects of CNS on acoustic startle and learning and memory were observed at high dosages. Reversibility was tested in most cases and revealed some small effects that were retained or only uncovered after termination of treatment. The interpretation of the relevance of these findings was often hampered by the lack of matching end points in the adult studies or inappropriate study designs. Detailed clinical observation and motor activity measures were the most powerful end points to detect juvenile CNS effects. The need for more detailed behavioral examinations in JAS, for example, on learning and memory, should, therefore, be decided upon on a case-by-case basis, based on specific concerns in order to avoid overloading the studies.

The Impact of Outdoor in Nature Mindfulness on the Mental Well-being of Children and Adolescents. A Mental Health and Cross-cultural Approach.

Background: Mindfulness, originating from ancient meditation practices, has garnered substantial scientific interest in recent decades due to its potential to enhance various aspects of well-being. The rise of scientific interest in mindfulness has led to the development of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and other mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs), which have demonstrated positive effects on stress reduction, emotional regulation, and cognitive flexibility. Objective: This study aimed to explore the characteristics and applications of mindfulness, investigate its impact on mental health, and assess the potential benefits of combining mindfulness with nature-based interventions in promoting the well-being of children and adolescents. Methods: This review draws from existing literature, scholarly articles, and empirical studies related to mindfulness, nature exposure, and their effects on mental health. Results: The results highlight the manifold benefits of mindfulness in different populations, including health professionals, patients, children, adolescents, and the general public. Mindfulness practice has been associated with notable reductions in stress, anxiety, and depression, and has shown positive effects on brain plasticity and cognitive functioning. Furthermore, the integration of mindfulness with exposure to natural environments holds potential for enhanced stress reduction and cognitive restoration. Conclusion: The findings underscore the potential of mindfulness as a cost-effective and accessible intervention to promote mental health across diverse age groups and settings. Further research should explore the specific mechanisms and long-term effects of this integrated approach to optimize its benefits.

Porous Coordination Polymer MOF-808 as an Effective Catalyst to Enhance Sustainable Chemical Processes.

The improvement of sustainable chemical processes plays a pivotal role in safe environmental and societal development, for example, by reducing the use of hazardous substances, preventing chemical waste, and improving the efficiency of chemical reactions to obtain added-value compounds. In this context, the porous coordination polymer MOF-808 (MOF, metal-organic framework) was prepared by a straightforward method in water, at room temperature, and was unequivocally characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, vibrational spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. MOF-808 material was applied for the first time as catalysts in ring-opening aminolysis reactions of epoxides. It demonstrated high activity and selectivity for reactions of styrene oxide and cyclohexene oxide with aniline, using a very low amount of an eco-sustainable solvent (0.5 mL of EtOH), at 70 °C. Moreover, MOF-808 demonstrated high stability in the catalytic reaction conditions applied, and a notable reuse capacity of up to 20 consecutive reaction cycles, without significant variation in its catalytic performance. In fact, this Zr-based porous coordination polymer prepared by environment-friendly conditions proved to be a novel efficient heterogeneous catalyst, promoting the ring-opening reaction of epoxides under more sustainable conditions, and using a very low amount of catalyst.

Heteropolyacids@Silica Heterogeneous Catalysts to Produce Solketal from Glycerol Acetalization.

The composites of heteropolyacids (H3PW12, H3PMo12) incorporated into amine-functionalized silica materials were used for the first time as heterogeneous catalysts in the valorization of glycerol (a major waste from the biodiesel industry) through acetalization reaction with acetone. The polyoxotungstate catalyst H3PW12@AptesSBA-15 exhibited higher catalytic efficiency than the phosphomolybdate, achieving 97% conversion and 97% of solketal selectivity, after 60 min at 25 °C, or 91% glycerol conversion and the same selectivity, after 5 min, performing the reaction at 60 °C. A correlation between catalytic performance and catalyst acidity is presented here. Furthermore, the stability of the solid catalyst was investigated and discussed.

Long-Term Follow-up of Patients With Autonomous Thyroid Nodules Treated With Radioiodine.

PURPOSE: This article aims to describe the presentation of Plummer disease and its evolution after radioiodine treatment and determine factors that may influence treatment efficacy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The sample included retrospective medical records of 165 adult patients with toxic nodular goiter treated with radioiodine between 1997 and 2017, followed up at a single thyroid center. RESULTS: The efficacy of treatment with a single dose of radioiodine was higher than 90%. The mean radioiodine activity was 28.9 ± 3.4 mCi. The mean time between radioiodine performance and hyperthyroidism resolution was 3.6 ± 3.0 months, ranging from 1-12 months. After the first year, 33.9% of the patients were under hypothyroidism, 59.4% under euthyroidism, and 6.7% under hyperthyroidism. Among the nonresponders, the variables that showed statistical difference were the presence of multinodular goiter and the radioiodine activity (mean, 25.5 ± 6.5 mCi; median, 30 [15-30 mCi]). The cumulative rate of hypothyroidism was 48.9% over 20 years of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Radioiodine therapy is an effective and safe treatment. In Plummer disease, high rates of euthyroidism are expected after the radioiodine treatment. Therapeutic failure was observed mainly in patients with larger multinodular goiters treated with lower doses of radioiodine. The evolution to hypothyroidism was mostly observed in younger patients with larger and uninodular goiters.

Management of median arcuate ligament syndrome: a case-based review.

Dunbar syndrome or median arcuate ligament syndrome is a rare pathology that has a great impact on the quality of life of patients. This brief report aims to present a case report of a successful treatment of Dunbar syndrome and to review the current management of this entity. We present the case of a 37 year-old patient, who was treated by median arcuate ligament laparoscopic resection. The median arcuate ligament syndrome is associated with significant morbidity. There are no diagnostic criteria established so alternative causes of abdominal pain must be excluded. Celiac artery decompression by laparoscopic approach is currently the preferred treatment. Early diagnosis and treatment of this pathology allow a significant improvement in the quality of life of patients.

Paradoxical embolism: a rare cause of acute upper limb ischemia.

Paradoxical embolism is a rare cause of arterial embolism, even more those resulting in acute ischemia of the upper limb. A case of a 45-year-old patient with acute paradoxical upper limb embolization and acute limb ischemia is presented. A review of the most recent evidence on the diagnosis and management of paradoxical embolism were explored. The cardiac defect most associated with paradoxical embolism is a patent foramen oval. The diagnosis can be performed by transthoracic or transesophageal echocardiography. Closure of the foramen oval is a safe and effective procedure; however, there is no clear consensus on when it should be performed, so the strategy should be individualized. A high level of suspicion of paradoxical embolism should exist in the presence of simultaneous venous and arterial embolism. The investigation of the embolic source is fundamental to avoid the recurrence of events.

Pseudoaneurysm of radial artery after coronary angiography.

Iatrogenic pseudoaneurysms (IPA) are a rare complication of transradial coronary intervention. This brief report aims to present a case report of a radial artery pseudoaneurysm and to review the current management of this entity. Because of the increased performance of transradial coronary intervention, IPA have become more common. Doppler ultrasonography is a fundamental tool to aid the differential diagnosis with other pathologies. There is no consensus on the treatment, which may range from conservative management to surgical repair. Close surveillance after the procedure and early diagnosis are essential to avoid serious complications, such as ischemia of the hand. The management of IPA depends upon morphological characteristics and associated symptoms.

Health and fitness trends in Southern Europe for 2023: A cross-sectional survey.

The physical activity, exercise and wellness sector is rapidly growing and seems to be an exciting field for business and professional development with great potential globally. The purpose of this observational and cross-sectional study was to determine the most popular health and fitness trends in Southern Europe for the first time, including data from Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece and Cyprus, and to investigate any potential differences in this area compared to the Pan-European and global fitness trends for 2023. A national online survey was conducted in five Southern European countries, using the methodology of similar regional and worldwide surveys conducted by the American College of Sports Medicine since 2007. In total, a web-based questionnaire was sent to 19,887 professionals who worked in the Southern European physical activity, exercise and wellness sector. A total of 2645 responses were collected from five national surveys with an overall mean response rate of 13.3%. The ten most important fitness trends in Southern Europe for 2023 were personal training, licensure for fitness professionals, exercise is medicine, employing certified fitness professionals, functional fitness training, small group training, high-intensity interval training, fitness programs for older adults, post-rehabilitation classes and body weight training. The present findings are aligned with those reported for the European and worldwide fitness trends.

BAG-1 stabilizes mutant F508del-CFTR in a ubiquitin-like-domain-dependent manner.

BACKGROUND: Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR), the dysfunctional Cl(-) channel in Cystic Fibrosis, undergoes complex biosynthesis at the endoplasmic reticulum involving several molecular chaperones including Hsp70 and many co-chaperones. Bcl-2- associated athanogenes (BAGs) constitute a protein family sharing an Hsc70-binding domain. BAG-1 possesses an ubiquitin-like domain (Ub-LD) responsible for proteasomal association and for promoting substrate release from Hsc70/Hsp70 in vitro by accelerating the chaperone ATP/ADP exchange rate. METHODS: Herein, we studied the in vivo effect of BAG-1 on the turnover and processing of wild type (wt)- and F508del-CFTR, the most frequent mutation in CF patients. RESULTS: Results show that BAG-1 associates with both wt- and F508del-CFTR (in higher yields with the latter) through its Ub-LD and independently of Hsc70. Moreover, the immature form of F508del-CFTR (but not of wt-CFTR) is stabilized by BAG-1 overexpression, albeit in a cell-type specific way, without detectable maturation. Data also show that BAG-1 and the proteasome inhibitor ALLN are not additive on stabilizing F508del-CFTR and this effect depends on BAG-1 Ub-LD. Moreover, under BAG-1 overexpression, a reduction in ubiquitinylated-CFTR occurs suggesting that BAG-1 competes with Ub. CONCLUSION: Overall, data are compatible with a mechanism in which BAG-1 stabilizes F508del-CFTR by direct binding, probably competing out ubiquitin to partially avoid its proteasomal degradation.

Quality of life of fitness professionals in Portugal: Comparative and correlation study.

Fitness has been revealing a positive impact on the quality of life (QoL) of practitioners and fitness professionals (FPs) represent a role model for their customers in the fitness industry, emphasizing the need to know their QoL indices. The purpose of this study is to characterize the QoL of FPs in Portugal, compare it between groups and correlate QoL with sociodemographic and work-related variables. A total of 388 FPs answered an online survey about sociodemographic and work-related variables and the Portuguese version of the World Health Organization Bref QoL Assessment. Descriptive analysis, t-test, ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis, Pearson and Spearman were used for statistical analysis. The results suggest that FPs in Portugal have different levels of QoL, considering the high standard deviation, with lower average indices than other countries. The lowest scores of QoL were verified in the environment domain. The results of the comparison between groups suggest that being male, married and having a master's degree or higher were the characteristics with better indices of QoL. Age, professional experience and net salary reveal a positive relation/association with QoL. Body&mind group classes (GC) per week, maximal GC per day, paid and unpaid working hours per week and annual expenses related to the profession reveal a negative relation/association. Maximal GC per day results could be an important finding to help minimize the physical problems among FPs and body&mind GC per week results could be an indicator of the FPs adaptation that allows them to remain on the profession. Unpaid working hours per week has the highest number of significant relations/associations with QoL. These findings could be important to improve the QoL of FPs. Thus, they could result in better work capacity and, therefore, fewer professionals would abandon the profession. It would also have a positive impact on the fitness industry and on the promotion of physical activity for a healthier society. More research is needed regarding the QoL of FPs.

The Complex Interrelationship between Diabetes Mellitus, Oral Diseases and General Health.

There is emerging evidence that several oral diseases and conditions can be associated with DM. Dental caries, hyposalivation, fungal diseases and endodontics lesions may represent potential oral complications that can be aggravated by chronic hyperglycemia. Individuals with DM have a low perception of oral diseases which can lead to clinically important oral and systemic complications. This review aims to provide data on the most common oral signs and symptoms related to DM and to explore the mechanisms that might explain associations between DM and oral diseases in order to clarify the risks posed by poor oral health in DM. Since the linkage between oral diseases and DM is part of multifactorial aspects related to chronic hyperglycemic status and several common conditions affecting the whole body, both require rigorous self-control from patients and attention from medical and dental professionals.

Lindqvist@Nanoporous MOF-Based Catalyst for Effective Desulfurization of Fuels.

An effective and sustainable oxidative desulfurization process for treating a multicomponent model fuel was successfully developed using as a heterogeneous catalyst a composite material containing as an active center the europium Lindqvist [Eu(W5O18)2]9- (abbreviated as EuW10) encapsulated into the nanoporous ZIF-8 (zeolitic imidazolate framework) support. The EuW10@ZIF-8 composite was obtained through an impregnation procedure, and its successful preparation was confirmed by various characterization techniques (FT-IR, XRD, SEM/EDS, ICP-OES). The catalytic activity of the composite and the isolated EuW10 was evaluated in the desulfurization of a multicomponent model fuel containing dibenzothiophene derivatives (DBT, 4-MDBT and 4,6-DMDBT) with a total sulfur concentration of 1500 ppm. Oxidative desulfurization was performed using an ionic liquid as extraction solvent and aqueous hydrogen peroxide as oxidant. The catalytic results showed a remarkable desulfurization performance, with 99.5 and 94.7% sulfur removal in the first 180 min, for the homogeneous active center EuW10 and the heterogeneous EuW10@ZIF-8 catalysts, respectively. Furthermore, the stability of the nanocomposite catalyst was investigated by reusing and recycling processes. A superior retention of catalyst activity in consecutive desulfurization cycles was observed in the recycling studies when compared with the reusing experiments. Nevertheless, the nanostructure of ZIF-8 incorporating the active POM (polyoxometalate) was shown to be highly suitable for guaranteeing the absence of POM leaching, although structural modification was found for ZIF-8 after catalytic use that did not influenced catalytic performance.

AGO2 expression levels and related genetic polymorphisms: influence in renal cell progression and aggressive phenotypes.

Aim: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most lethal urological cancer and up to 40% of patients submitted to surgery will relapse. Thus, the study aim was to analyze the associations of AGO2 SNPs with RCC patients' prognosis, and evaluate their effect on AGO2 mRNA levels. Materials & methods: The AGO2 rs4961280, rs3928672 and rs11996715 polymorphisms and the relative quantification of AGO2 mRNA levels were analyzed by real-time PCR. Results: We observed that AGO2 rs4961280 AC + AA genotypes carriers presented a higher cancer progression risk (odds ratio= 3.13, p < 0.001), a reduced progression-free survival (log rank test, p = 0.003) and an increased risk of an early relapse (hazard ratio= 2.26, p = 0.008). In fact, these patients also presented higher circulating levels of AGO2 mRNA (p = 0.043), with the high levels being associated with more aggressive tumors. Conclusion: The AGO2 rs4961280 AA/AC genotypes are unfavorable RCC prognostic biomarkers, with the AGO2 levels being a useful RCC aggressive phenotype biomarker.