Predictive risk model of recurrence of acute diverticulitis after the first episode.

INTRODUCTION: The recurrence of acute diverticulitis (AD) of the colon is frequent and leads to hospital readmissions and the need for elective surgery in selected cases. It is important to individualize risk factors and develop predictive tools for their identification. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective observational study included 368 patients who were diagnosed with AD between 2016 and 2021 in a tertiary general university hospital during their first episode and who had a good response to antibiotic, percutaneous, or peritoneal lavage treatment. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses of the variables associated with recurrence were performed. Subsequently, a predictive risk score was developed and validated through survival studies. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 50 months, there were 71 (19.3%) cases of recurrence out of a total of 368 patients. The mean time of recurrence was 15 months, and 73.3% of cases of recurrence occurred before 2 years of follow-up. Recurrence was independently associated with presentation with colonic perforation in the antimesenteric location (HR 3.67 95% CI [1.59-8.4]) and a CRP level greater than 100 mg/dl (HR 1.69 95% CI [1.04-2.77). A score with 5 variables was created that differentiated two risk groups: intermediate risk (0-3 points), with 19% recurrence and high risk (more than 3 points), with 42% recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of recurrence after the first episode of diverticulitis can be estimated using predictive scores. The detection of high-risk patients facilitates the individualization of follow-up and treatment.

Microwave-sustained inductively coupled atmospheric-pressure plasma (MICAP) for the elemental analysis of complex matrix samples.

Microwave induced plasma optical emission spectrometry (MIP-OES) has gained widespread attention in the last few years for trace elemental analysis. Among the new generation of MIPs it is worth to mention the microwave-sustained inductively coupled atmospheric-pressure plasma (MICAP) for which previous works have shown similar detection capabilities to those afforded by ICP-OES. Nevertheless, this instrument has not been applied yet to complex matrix sample analysis. Therefore, the goal of this work is to evaluate MICAP-OES performance (e.g., analytical figures of merit, matrix effects, etc.) for elemental analysis of samples of different nature (e.g., environmental, food and polymers). To this end, both spectral and non-spectral interferences were investigated for 19 elements (Ag, Al, As, B, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ga, In, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr, Tl, Zn) in the presence of inorganic acid, organic and saline solutions and compared to a 5 % w w-1 HNO3 solution. Unlike previous MIPs, experimental data showed that the optimum nebulizer gas flow rate for a given emission wavelength was mostly independent of matrix characteristics. Regarding matrix effects, this device was highly robust operating both inorganic acid and organic matrices. Interestingly, when operating saline matrices, changes on emission signal by easily ionizable elements were less significant than those early reported by alternative MIP cavities. Moreover, due to MICAP spectrometer design employed allows real-time simultaneous analysis, Rh, Pd, Sc and Y were suitable internal standards to minimize non-spectral interferences. Finally, MICAP-OES can be successfully applied to the elemental analysis of different complex matrix samples (i.e., CRM-DW1 Drinking water; BCR-146 Sewage sludge industrial; BCR-185 Bovine liver; BCR-278R Mussel tissue; NIST-1549 Non-fat milk powder; ERM-EC681k Polyethylene (high level) and BCR-483 Sewage sludge amended soil).

The smallest nanodrop describable via macroscopic interfacial concepts: Testing classical heterogeneous nucleation theory with perfect wetting down to 3 nm.

HYPOTHESIS: The smallest nanodrop tractable with macroscopic notions such as the interfacial energy could be determined by comparing heterogeneous nucleation observations and capillary theory predictions at decreasing drop diameters dp. ANALYSIS: This is done here for the condensation of n-butanol vapors on polyethylene glycol nano-globules (3 nm ≤ dp ≤ 9 nm). We use published activation probability measurements P(w,dp), where w is the accurately controlled saturation ratio of n-butanol vapor in a gas stream exiting a saturator. The maximal saturation ratio achieved in the nucleation region by cooling this gas-vapor stream in the apparatus of Gallar et al. satisfies Smax = Cw. The key unknown constant C and the preexponential term K governing the nucleation rate are determined by assuming that classical theory applies to the largest particles used. This yields P(Smax,dp) data, directly comparable with capillary theory with perfect wetting. FINDINGS: Excellent agreement is found above 5 nm for the critical dependence Smax(dp) resulting from the constraint P(Smax,dp) = 0.5. The entire P(Smax,dp) curves also agree closely between 5 and 7 nm. Smaller particles depart only slightly from theory, even at dp = 3 nm. Capillary theory hence describes accurately the heterogeneous nucleation process above 3-5 nm, provides a reliable method to determine Smax, and yields experimentally the nucleation rate constant K.

Results and analysis of an intercomparisons study for individual monitoring services of Latin American and Caribbean regions.

The aim of this paper is to present the results obtained by the Latin-American and Caribbean personal dosimetry services that participated, with the support of IAEA, in the 2020-Eurados whole-body dosemeter intercomparison for photon radiation. All participant services in this study use thermoluminescent dosimetry (TLD) systems except one that uses optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dosemeters. Data analysis shows that 93.4% of the results are within the acceptance range, according to International ISO Standard ISO 14146: 2018. The evaluation of the trumpet curves shows that only three laboratories presented a few dosemeters results outside the limits of acceptability. Participation in this Eurados intercomparison exercise gave the Latin American and Caribbean laboratories the opportunity to show compliance with their own quality management system, to compare results with other participants and to develop plans for improving their dosimetry systems. It also gave the assurance that occupational doses are being measured properly and following the international standards in the regions.

Mapping canopy traits over Québec using airborne and spaceborne imaging spectroscopy.

The advent of new spaceborne imaging spectrometers offers new opportunities for ecologists to map vegetation traits at global scales. However, to date most imaging spectroscopy studies exploiting satellite spectrometers have been constrained to the landscape scale. In this paper we present a new method to map vegetation traits at the landscape scale and upscale trait maps to the continental level, using historical spaceborne imaging spectroscopy (Hyperion) to derive estimates of leaf mass per area, nitrogen, and carbon concentrations of forests in Québec, Canada. We compare estimates for each species with reference field values and obtain good agreement both at the landscape and continental scales, with patterns consistent with the leaf economic spectrum. By exploiting the Hyperion satellite archive to map these traits and successfully upscale the estimates to the continental scale, we demonstrate the great potential of recent and upcoming spaceborne spectrometers to benefit plant biodiversity monitoring and conservation efforts.

Retrospective Review of the Efficacy of Lumbar Radiofrequency Ablation for Lumbar Facet Arthropathy: The Influence of Gender and Obesity.

BACKGROUND: Lumbar facet arthropathy is one of the leading causes of back pain. Lumbar radiofrequency lesioning is a therapy for lumbar facet arthropathy that uses heat to ablate the transmission of nerve signals from the medial branches of the spinal nerves associated with the corresponding painful lumbar joints. OBJECTIVES: The present investigation evaluated the outcomes of patients undergoing lumbar radiofrequency ablation at an academic pain program with a special focus on the influence of gender and obesity. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. SETTING: Academic tertiary care center. METHODS: We reviewed the charts of 232 patients for age, body mass index, gender, other procedures, and complications, in addition to the primary outcome measurements of Visual Analog Scale pain scores, pain relief percentages, pain relief duration, and functional status improvement per patient report. Associations with outcomes were evaluated with correlations, t tests/analysis of variance, and c2 test. Influences on a change in Visual Analog Scale pain scores before and after treatment were assessed with linear regression. RESULTS: Patients had an average pain reduction of 76.6% (SD = 24.5) from the initial treatment and an average of 30.7 weeks (SD = 21.2) of pain relief from the initial treatment. A total of 83% of the patients reported an improvement in functional status from the initial treatment. Women (mean = 79.8%, SD = 21.4) had a slightly higher pain relief percentage than men (mean = 71.6%, SD = 28.1; P = 0.046). A higher body mass index was associated with less improvement in Visual Analog Scale maximum pain scores from before and after the procedure (b = 0.04; SE = 0.02; P = 0.042). LIMITATIONS: Our study is not a randomized controlled trial; however, based on the number of patients reviewed, our data provide important information regarding lumbar radiofrequency ablations. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights significant effectiveness for patients undergoing lumbar radiofrequency ablations for lumbar facet joint pain. A variation in effectiveness appears to be influenced by gender and obesity, and therefore additional studies are warranted to further investigate these differences.

Insights into FcγR involvement in pain-like behavior induced by an RA-derived anti-modified protein autoantibody.

Joint pain is one of the most debilitating symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and patients frequently rate improvements in pain management as their priority. RA is hallmarked by the presence of anti-modified protein autoantibodies (AMPA) against post-translationally modified citrullinated, carbamylated and acetylated proteins. It has been suggested that autoantibody-mediated processes represent distinct mechanisms contributing to pain in RA. In this study, we investigated the pronociceptive properties of monoclonal AMPA 1325:01B09 (B09 mAb) derived from the plasma cell of an RA patient. We found that B09 mAb induces pain-like behavior in mice that is not associated with any visual, histological or transcriptional signs of inflammation in the joints, and not alleviated by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Instead, we found that B09 mAb is retained in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and alters the expression of several satellite glia cell (SGC), neuron and macrophage-related factors in DRGs. Using mice that lack activating FcγRs, we uncovered that FcγRs are critical for the development of B09-induced pain-like behavior, and partially drive the transcriptional changes in the DRGs. Finally, we observed that B09 mAb binds SGC in vitro and in combination with external stimuli like ATP enhances transcriptional changes and protein release of pronociceptive factors from SGCs. We propose that certain RA antibodies bind epitopes in the DRG, here on SGCs, form immune complexes and activate resident macrophages via FcγR cross-linking. Our work supports the growing notion that autoantibodies can alter nociceptor signaling via mechanisms that are at large independent of local inflammatory processes in the joint.

First Report of White Mold Caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum on Brussels Sprouts in Mexico.

The Brussels sprout (Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera) is a cruciferous vegetable with high health-promoting value and Mexico is one of the most valuable exporters worldwide (Data Mexico 2023). From September to November 2021, white mold symptoms (Rimmer et al. 2007) were observed in Brussels sprouts (cv. Confidant) fields in Tonatico, Estado de México, Mexico. Irregular, necrotic lesions were observed on leaves, whereas abundant white mycelium, and later black sclerotia were produced outside and inside of stems. Disease incidence ranged from 20 to 40% in five fields. For fungal isolation, symptomatic stem pieces were surface sterilized with 2% sodium hypochlorite for 2 min, rinsed in sterilized distilled water twice, placed on PDA medium, and incubated at 25°C in darkness for 3 days. Sclerotinia-like colonies were consistently obtained and six isolates were purified by the hyphal-tip method. Fungal colonies were white and fluffy. Irregular, black, and small (3 to 6 mm diameter) sclerotia were produced at the edge of colonies after 5 days of incubation. The morphological characters were consistent with those of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Saharan and Mehta 2008). Two representative isolates were selected for molecular analysis and pathogenicity tests. The isolates were deposited in the Culture Collection of Phytopathogenic Fungi at the Colegio Superior Agropecuario del Estado de Guerrero under the accession numbers CSAEG50 and CSAEG51. For molecular identification, genomic DNA was extracted, and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region was amplified by PCR and sequenced using the primer pair ITS5/ITS4 (White et al. 1990). The sequences were deposited in GenBank (accession nos. OQ878510 and OQ878511). BLASTn searches in GenBank showed 100% identity with the available sequences of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (accession nos. OQ891471, OQ891472, HQ833448, and MT177216). A phylogenetic analysis using the Maximum Likelihood method placed isolates CSAEG50 and CSAEG51 in the same clade as S. sclerotiorum. Pathogenicity tests were performed by inoculating 10 healthy Brussels sprout seedlings (cv. Confidant) grown in pots. A mycelial plug was directly placed on the stem of each plant. Five uninoculated Brussels sprout seedlings were used as control. All plants were placed in a moist chamber at 25°C with a 12-h photoperiod for 2 days. White mold symptoms appeared on inoculated plants after 3 days, whereas control plants remained symptomless. The fungi were reisolated from the infected plants and found to be morphologically identical to the isolates used for inoculation, fulfilling Koch's postulates. Pathogenicity test was performed twice with similar results. Sclerotinia sclerotiorum has been previously reported to infect Brussels sprouts in the USA (Campbell 1947). To our knowledge, this is the first report of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum causing white mold of Brussels sprouts in Mexico. The disease is widely distributed in Brussels sprouts fields in the central region of Mexico, therefore additional studies are needed to develop effective disease-management strategies.

Long-term effects of streptozotocin-induced gestational diabetes mellitus on mechanical sensitivity and intraepidermal nerve fibers in female and male mice offspring.

While the long-term complications of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in the cardiovascular, endocrine, and central nervous systems from offspring have been widely studied, less is known about the long-term outcomes of GDM on the peripheral nervous system. Thus, here we assessed the mechanical sensitivity and density of nerve fibers of the hind paw from middle-aged offspring born from dams with GDM. GDM was induced by the intraperitoneal administration of streptozotocin (STZ) in mouse dams. Mechanical sensitivity in male and female offspring was bi-weekly evaluated from week 18 to week 40 of age. At 40 weeks old, offspring were sacrificed and glabrous hind paw skin was processed for immunohistochemistry to determine the density of intraepidermal CGRP and PGP9.5 positive nerve fibers. Offspring mice born from STZ-treated dams had significantly greater mechanical sensitivity from 18 to 40 weeks of age compared to offspring born from vehicle-treated dams (control group). The density of intraepidermal CGRP+ and PGP9.5+ nerve fibers were significantly lower in the hind paw skin of female but not male offspring, born from STZ-treated dams versus the control group. These results suggest that GDM has long-term sex-dependent complications on the nociceptive system. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the GDM-induced long-term consequences.

Effectiveness of Saccharomyces Boulardii CNCM I-745 probiotic in acute inflammatory viral diarrhoea in adults: results from a single-centre randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: Probiotics are effective for treating acute infectious diarrhoea caused by bacteria, but there are inconsistent results for the effectiveness of probiotics for diarrhoea caused by viruses. In this article we want to determine whether Sb supplementation has an effect on acute inflammatory viral diarrhoea diagnosed with the multiplex panel PCR test. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Saccharomyces boulardii (Sb) as a treatment in patients diagnosed with viral acute diarrhoea. METHODS: From February 2021 to December 2021, 46 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of viral acute diarrhoea diagnosed with the polymerase chain reaction multiplex assay were enrolled in a double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial. Patients received paracetamol 500 mg as a standard analgesic and 200 mg of Trimebutine as an antispasmodic treatment plus 600 mg of Sb (n = 23, 1 × 109/100 mL Colony forming unit) or a placebo (n = 23) orally once daily for eight days. The improvement in and severity of symptoms were measured using a symptom diary, the Patient Global Impression and the Patient Global Impression of Change scales (days 4 and 8), both answered and recorded by the patient. RESULTS: Of the 46 patients who completed treatment, 24 (52%) were men and 22 (48%) were women. The average age was 35.6 ± 12.28 years (range 18 to 61 years). The average duration of the evolution of illness at the time of diagnosis was 0.85 ± 0.73 days (maximum 2 days). On day 4 after the diagnosis, 20% reported pain and 2% reported fever, but on day 8, no patient reported pain or fever. On day 4, 70% of patients in the Sb group and 26% in the placebo group reported improvement (P = 0.03), based on the Patients' Global Impression of Change scale, which assesses patient's rating of overall improvement. These findings suggest that 3 to 4 days of treatment with Sb helped to improve symptoms of diarrhoea caused by a virus. CONCLUSION: Treatment with Sb on acute inflammatory diarrhoea of viral aetiology shows no changes regarding the severity of the symptoms; nevertheless, it seems to impact improvement positively. TRIAL REGISTRATION: 22CEI00320171130 dated on 16/12/2020, NCT05226052 dated on 07/02/2022.

Spontaneous Interconversion between Different Narrowly Defined Shapes of Rotavirus Double-Layered Particles Studied in Real Time by High-Resolution Mobility Analysis.

Rotavirus double-layered particles (DLPs) are studied in the gas phase with a high-resolution differential mobility analyzer (DMA). DLPs were transferred to 10 mM aqueous ammonium acetate, electrosprayed into the gas phase, converted into primarily singly charged particles, and DMA-analyzed. Up to seven slightly different conformations were resolved, whose apparently random, fast (minutes), and reversible interconversions were followed in real time. They sometimes evolved into just two distinct structures, with periods of one dominating over the other and vice versa. Differences between the DLP structures in solution and in the gas phase are clearly revealed by the smaller DLP diameter found here (60 versus 70 nm). Nevertheless, we argue that the multiple gas-phase conformers observed originate in as many conformations pre-existing in solution. We further hypothesize that these conformers correspond to incomplete DLPs having lost some of the VP6 trimer quintets surrounding each of the 12 5-fold axes. Instances of this peculiar loss have been previously documented by cryoelectron microscopy for the rotavirus Wa strain, as well as via charge detection mass spectrometry for five other rotavirus strains included in the RotaTec vaccine. Evidence of this loss systematically found for all 7 rotavirus types so far studied in aqueous ammonium acetate may be a special feature of this electrolyte.

Metastatic Infiltration of Nervous Tissue and Periosteal Nerve Sprouting in Multiple Myeloma-Induced Bone Pain in Mice and Human.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a neoplasia of B plasma cells that often induces bone pain. However, the mechanisms underlying myeloma-induced bone pain (MIBP) are mostly unknown. Using a syngeneic MM mouse model, we show that periosteal nerve sprouting of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP+) and growth associated protein 43 (GAP43+) fibers occurs concurrent to the onset of nociception and its blockade provides transient pain relief. MM patient samples also showed increased periosteal innervation. Mechanistically, we investigated MM induced gene expression changes in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) innervating the MM-bearing bone of male mice and found alterations in pathways associated with cell cycle, immune response and neuronal signaling. The MM transcriptional signature was consistent with metastatic MM infiltration to the DRG, a never-before described feature of the disease that we further demonstrated histologically. In the DRG, MM cells caused loss of vascularization and neuronal injury, which may contribute to late-stage MIBP. Interestingly, the transcriptional signature of a MM patient was consistent with MM cell infiltration to the DRG. Overall, our results suggest that MM induces a plethora of peripheral nervous system alterations that may contribute to the failure of current analgesics and suggest neuroprotective drugs as appropriate strategies to treat early onset MIBP.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Multiple myeloma (MM) is a painful bone marrow cancer that significantly impairs the quality of life of the patients. Analgesic therapies for myeloma-induced bone pain (MIBP) are limited and often ineffective, and the mechanisms of MIBP remain unknown. In this manuscript, we describe cancer-induced periosteal nerve sprouting in a mouse model of MIBP, where we also encounter metastasis to the dorsal root ganglia (DRG), a never-before described feature of the disease. Concomitant to myeloma infiltration, the lumbar DRGs presented blood vessel damage and transcriptional alterations, which may mediate MIBP. Explorative studies on human tissue support our preclinical findings. Understanding the mechanisms of MIBP is crucial to develop targeted analgesic with better efficacy and fewer side effects for this patient population.

Self-organized yolk sac-like organoids allow for scalable generation of multipotent hematopoietic progenitor cells from induced pluripotent stem cells.

Although the differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) into various types of blood cells has been well established, approaches for clinical-scale production of multipotent hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) remain challenging. We found that hiPSCs cocultured with stromal cells as spheroids (hematopoietic spheroids [Hp-spheroids]) can grow in a stirred bioreactor and develop into yolk sac-like organoids without the addition of exogenous factors. Hp-spheroid-induced organoids recapitulated a yolk sac-characteristic cellular complement and structures as well as the functional ability to generate HPCs with lympho-myeloid potential. Moreover, sequential hemato-vascular ontogenesis could also be observed during organoid formation. We demonstrated that organoid-induced HPCs can be differentiated into erythroid cells, macrophages, and T lymphocytes with current maturation protocols. Notably, the Hp-spheroid system can be performed in an autologous and xeno-free manner, thereby improving the feasibility of bulk production of hiPSC-derived HPCs in clinical, therapeutic contexts.

Impact of Endometrial Receptivity Analysis on Pregnancy Outcomes In Patients Undergoing Embryo Transfer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

To analyze the influence of endometrial receptivity analysis (ERA) on embryo transfer (ET) results in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and BioMed Central databases were searched from inception up to December 2022 for studies comparing pregnancy outcomes in patients undergoing personalized embryo transfer (pET) by ERA versus standard ET. Data were pooled by meta-analysis using a random effects model. We identified twelve studies, including 14,224 patients. No differences were observed between patients undergoing ERA test and those not undergoing ERA test prior to ET in terms of live birth (OR 1.00, 95% CI 0.63-1.58, I2 = 92.7%), clinical pregnancy (OR 1.20, 95% CI 0.90-1.61, I2 = 86.5%), biochemical pregnancy (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.46-1.49, I2 = 87%), positive pregnancy test (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.80-1.22, I2 = 0%), miscarriage (OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.62-1.34, I2 = 67.1%), and implantation rate (OR 1.18, 95% CI 0.44-3.14, I2 = 93.2%). pET with ERA is not associated with any significant differences in pregnancy outcomes as compared to standard ET protocols. Therefore, the utility of ERA in patients undergoing IVF should be revisited.

Ultrasensitive determination of ß-conglutin food allergen by means an aptamer assay based on inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry detection.

The overall objective of this work is the evaluation of different competitive aptamer assays based on inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) detection for the determination of ß-conglutin (food protein allergen from lupin) in flour samples. To this end, two competitive aptamer assay schemes were developed using either thiolated aptamers chemisorbed onto gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) or biotinylated aptamers linked to streptavidin-AuNPs. The influence of ICP-MS detection mode (i.e., conventional vs single particle) on assay performance was explored. In the case of the thiolated aptamer, the limit of detection (LoD) obtained using the single particle mode was improved 2-fold as compared to the LoD provided by the conventional mode. With regards to the biotinylated aptamer, the use of the conventional mode provided a 5-fold improvement of LoD as compared to that obtained for the single particle one. Using the optimized conditions, the best LoD of 2 pM was obtained with the biotinylated aptamer operating with conventional ICP-MS detection. When compared to previous reports using the same aptamer in a competitive assay, the developed method significantly improved the LoD by at least an order of magnitude. Different flour samples containing lupin were successfully analyzed according to European Conformity guidelines for the analysis of food contaminants.

Determination of metallic nanoparticles in air filters by means single particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

Single particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (spICP-MS) has been explored for the determination of metallic nanoparticles (NPs) in air. Different extraction strategies (i.e., direct immersion, hard cap espresso, ultrasound-assisted and microwave-assisted extraction) and extracting solvents (i.e., citric acid, trisodium citrate, potassium nitrate, sodium nitrate, thiourea, disodium pyrophosphate and ammonium hydroxide) were investigated for platinum and gold NPs recovery from glass and microquartz fiber filters with a nominal size cut-off of 300 nm. Results show that metallic NPs are preserved and quantitatively extracted from the filter in 4 min inside an 800 W microwave oven by using 40 mL of a 2.0% w w-1 NH4OH solution. For the remaining extraction procedures, either incomplete recoveries or NPs degradation occur. As regards the influence of filter material, microquartz fiber affords better NPs capturing performance than glass fiber ones, enabling the quantification of NPs with diameters above 28 nm. This methodology has been successfully applied to determine PtNPs in filters from environmental monitoring stations and to gain insight into NPs transport through ICP-MS sample introduction system. Care should be taken during spICP-MS calibration since biased results might be obtained due to differences on NPs transport efficiency between standards and samples.

Minimizing the total waste in the one-dimensional cutting stock problem with the African buffalo optimization algorithm.

The one-dimensional cutting-stock problem (1D-CSP) consists of obtaining a set of items of different lengths from stocks of one or different lengths, where the minimization of waste is one of the main objectives to be achieved. This problem arises in several industries like wood, glass, and paper, among others similar. Different approaches have been designed to deal with this problem ranging from exact algorithms to hybrid methods of heuristics or metaheuristics. The African Buffalo Optimization (ABO) algorithm is used in this work to address the 1D-CSP. This algorithm has been recently introduced to solve combinatorial problems such as travel salesman and bin packing problems. A procedure was designed to improve the search by taking advantage of the location of the buffaloes just before it is needed to restart the herd, with the aim of not to losing the advance reached in the search. Different instances from the literature were used to test the algorithm. The results show that the developed method is competitive in waste minimization against other heuristics, metaheuristics, and hybrid approaches.

Spatial analysis methodology of resistance to penetration and infiltration in a soil cultivated with a bushy fruit (Acca sellowiana)

The sustainable management of water and soil resources for agricultural purposes is related to the ability to store and mobilize available water for crops, particularly under a spatial analysis. The objective of the study was to design and evaluate a methodology for spatial analysis of resistance to soil penetration and infiltration on loamy-clay textures. The basic methodological principles included sampling grid planning, data capture at defined points, data fitting to empirical models, data processing, and spatial representation. A defining moment was evaluated for an established feijoa crop with permanent production. With a georeferenced rectangular sampling grid of 40m x 40m, an area of 1.36 ha was covered. Penetration resistance was measured with a penetrometer, covering 4 depths per node (sampled point). Infiltration was evaluated with ring infiltrometers. The results allowed validation of the methodology implemented through a single processing environment through RStudio. Resistance to penetration sensitively affected the variation in infiltration rates, adjusting planning activities for irrigation activities. The methodological proposal was designed to reduce processing times and graphic responses, tabulated, and integrated with a single script in the R tool, compared to traditional geostatistical techniques, which articulate the implementation of multiple tools for the generation of results.

La gestión sostenible de los recursos agua y suelo, con fines agrícolas, tiene relación con la capacidad para almacenar y movilizar agua disponible para los cultivos, particularmente, bajo un análisis espacial. El objetivo del estudio fue diseñar y evaluar una metodología de análisis espacial de la resistencia a la penetración e infiltración del suelo sobre texturas franco-arcillosas. Los principios básicos metodológicos incluyeron planificación de grilla de muestreo, captura de datos en puntos definidos, ajuste de datos a modelos empíricos, procesamiento y representación espacial de datos. Se evaluó un momento definido para un cultivo de feijoa establecido con producción permanente. Con una grilla de muestreo rectangular georreferenciada de 40m x 40m, se abarcó una superficie de 1,36 ha. La resistencia a penetración, se midió con un penetrómetro, cubriendo 4 profundidades por nodo (punto muestreado). La infiltración fue evaluada con anillos infiltrómetros. Los resultados permitieron validar la metodología implementada, mediante un entorno de procesamiento único, a través de RStudio. La resistencia a la penetración afectó sensiblemente la variación en las tasas de infiltración, ajustando actividades de planeación de actividades de riego. La propuesta metodológica fue diseñada para disminuir tiempos de procesamiento y respuestas gráficas, tabuladas e integradas en un único script en la herramienta R, comparado con técnicas tradicionales geoestadísticas, que articulan la implementación de múltiples herramientas para la generación de resultados.