Microwave-Assisted One-Pot Telescoped Synthesis of 2-Amino-1,3-thiazoles, Selenazoles, Imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines, and Other Heterocycles from Alcohols.

Primary and secondary alcohols have been converted into 2-amino-1,3-thiazoles under microwave irradiation, employing trichloroisocyanuric acid (TCCA) as a dual oxidant and chlorine source, TEMPO as a co-oxidant, and thiourea. Secondary alcohols underwent a single-stage, one-pot conversion process, while primary alcohols required a two-stage, one-pot procedure. Both transformations were completed within minutes (25-45 min). The versatility of this protocol extends to the synthesis of other heterocycles, including 1,3-selenazoles, 2-aminoimidazoles, imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines, quinoxalines, and hydrazino thiazoles by replacing thiourea with the appropriate surrogates.

Acquisition of educational values at the Real Madrid Foundation's social-sports schools.

The objective of this study was to analyse the impact of the educational programme of the Real Madrid Foundation (RMF) on the acquisition of educational values at social-sports football and basketball schools among children aged between 12 and 16 years in Italy, Romania, Spain and the United Kingdom. The most significant results showed that: (a) between the 20-21 and 21-22 seasons, there were statistically significant increases in personal and team success, self-fulfilment, personal and group superiority, health and physical fitness, and peaceful behaviour; and (b) the increase in variables being studied was different according to the country analysed in such a way that: in the per-sonal and team success dimension there was a rise in the United Kingdom and Italy; in self-fulfilment there was an increase in the United Kingdom; in the personal and group superiority dimension there was a rise in Italy and Romania; in the health and physical fitness dimension there was an increase in social-sports schools in the United Kingdom and Italy; in the peaceful behaviour dimension there was a rise in social-sports schools in the United Kingdom and a drop in social-sports schools in Romania. There were very significant improvements in the majority of dimensions and countries, although the development of the various dimensions is different and specific to every one of the distinct countries, meaning that it is necessary to keep adapting the educational programme of the Real Madrid Foundation in line with the sociocultural characteristics of each of the countries in which it is implemented.

Head-to-head comparison of CAMPYAIR aerobic culture medium versus standard microaerophilic culture for Campylobacter isolation from clinical samples.

Campylobacter spp. are considered the most frequent cause of acute gastroenteritis worldwide. However, outside high-income countries, its burden is poorly understood. Limited published data suggest that Campylobacter prevalence in low- and middle-income countries is high, but their reservoirs and age distribution are different. Culturing Campylobacter is expensive due to laboratory equipment and supplies needed to grow the bacterium (e.g., selective culture media, microaerophilic atmosphere, and a 42°C incubator). These requirements limit the diagnostic capacity of clinical laboratories in many resource-poor regions, leading to significant underdiagnosis and underreporting of isolation of the pathogen. CAMPYAIR, a newly developed selective differential medium, permits Campylobacter isolation without the need for microaerophilic incubation. The medium is supplemented with antibiotics to allow Campylobacter isolation in complex matrices such as human feces. The present study aims to evaluate the ability of the medium to recover Campylobacter from routine clinical samples. A total of 191 human stool samples were used to compare the ability of CAMPYAIR (aerobic incubation) and a commercial Campylobacter medium (CASA, microaerophilic incubation) to recover Campylobacter. All Campylobacter isolates were then identified by MALDI-TOF MS. CAMPYAIR showed sensitivity and specificity values of 87.5% (95% CI 47.4%-99.7%) and 100% (95% CI 98%-100%), respectively. The positive predictive value of CAMPYAIR was 100% and its negative predictive value was 99.5% (95% CI 96.7%-99.9%); Kappa Cohen coefficient was 0.93 (95% CI 0.79-1.0). The high diagnostic performance and low technical requirements of the CAMPYAIR medium could permit Campylobacter culture in countries with limited resources.

Cytoplasmic isoleucyl tRNA synthetase as an attractive multistage antimalarial drug target.

Development of antimalarial compounds into clinical candidates remains costly and arduous without detailed knowledge of the target. As resistance increases and treatment options at various stages of disease are limited, it is critical to identify multistage drug targets that are readily interrogated in biochemical assays. Whole-genome sequencing of 18 parasite clones evolved using thienopyrimidine compounds with submicromolar, rapid-killing, pan-life cycle antiparasitic activity showed that all had acquired mutations in the P. falciparum cytoplasmic isoleucyl tRNA synthetase (cIRS). Engineering two of the mutations into drug-naïve parasites recapitulated the resistance phenotype, and parasites with conditional knockdowns of cIRS became hypersensitive to two thienopyrimidines. Purified recombinant P. vivax cIRS inhibition, cross-resistance, and biochemical assays indicated a noncompetitive, allosteric binding site that is distinct from that of known cIRS inhibitors mupirocin and reveromycin A. Our data show that Plasmodium cIRS is an important chemically and genetically validated target for next-generation medicines for malaria.

Factors Influencing the Training Process of Paralympic Women Athletes.

(1) Background: Paralympic women athletes in their training process go through a series of interrelated stages which are parallel to their evolutionary development, during which a wide variety of psychological, social, and biological factors will have an impact. The purpose of this study was to analyze the factors influencing the sports training process of Spanish Paralympic women athletes (social, sporting, psychological, technical-tactical factors, physical condition, as well as barriers and facilitators) who had won at least one medal (gold, silver, or bronze) in the 21st century Paralympic Games (from Sydney 2000 to Tokyo 2020). (2) Methods: The research involved 28 Spanish Paralympic women athletes who had won at least one medal at a Paralympic Games in the 21st century. An interview of 54 questions grouped into 6 dimensions (sport context, social context, psychological, technical-tactical, physical fitness, and barriers and facilitators) was used. (3) Results: Coaches, as well as families, were essential in the sport development of Paralympic athletes. In addition, most women athletes recognized that psychological aspects were of vital importance, as well as working on technical-tactical aspects and physical fitness in an integrated way. Finally, the Paralympic women athletes highlighted that they had to face numerous barriers, mainly financial challenges and issues with visibility in the media. (4) Conclusions: Athletes consider it necessary to work with specialists to control emotions, increase motivation and self-confidence, as well as to reduce stress and anxiety and manage pressure. Finally, the training process and sporting performance of Paralympic women athletes are conditioned by several barriers, including economic, social, architectural, and disability barriers. These considerations can be taken into account by the technical teams working with Paralympic women athletes, as well as by the competent bodies, to improve the sports training process of these athletes.

Continuous Prediction of Web User Visual Attention on Short Span Windows Based on Gaze Data Analytics.

Understanding users' visual attention on websites is paramount to enhance the browsing experience, such as providing emergent information or dynamically adapting Web interfaces. Existing approaches to accomplish these challenges are generally based on the computation of salience maps of static Web interfaces, while websites increasingly become more dynamic and interactive. This paper proposes a method and provides a proof-of-concept to predict user's visual attention on specific regions of a website with dynamic components. This method predicts the regions of a user's visual attention without requiring a constant recording of the current layout of the website, but rather by knowing the structure it presented in a past period. To address this challenge, the concept of visit intention is introduced in this paper, defined as the probability that a user, while browsing, will fixate their gaze on a specific region of the website in the next period. Our approach uses the gaze patterns of a population that browsed a specific website, captured via an eye-tracker device, to aid personalized prediction models built with individual visual kinetics features. We show experimentally that it is possible to conduct such a prediction through multilabel classification models using a small number of users, obtaining an average area under curve of 84.3%, and an average accuracy of 79%. Furthermore, the user's visual kinetics features are consistently selected in every set of a cross-validation evaluation.

Ultrasound-promoted synthesis of a copper-iron-based catalyst for the microwave-assisted acyloxylation of 1,4-dioxane and cyclohexene.

A copper-iron-based catalyst has been prepared by a low-temperature co-precipitation and sonication method. The use of high-energy ultrasound reduces the time required for the preparation process from one workweek to one day with respect to the catalysts obtained by conventional coprecipitation and thermal treatment methods. The resulting material has been characterized at compositional, textural, structural, and chemical levels by ICP-AES, BET, SEM-EDS, XRD, TEM, and FTIR among other techniques. The material shows catalytic activity in the acyloxylation reaction of 1,4-dioxane and cyclohexene under microwave irradiation. In parallel with the optimized catalyst synthesis, the use of microwaves allowed for a substantial improvement in the outcome of the reaction in terms of cleanliness, yield, and time.

The Perception of Grassroots Coaches of Spanish Professional Clubs on the Process of Training Young Players.

(1) The aims of this study were to find out the perception of the coaches of male and female football players in the initiation stage of Spanish professional clubs about different factors of the training process (context, talent development, and methodology), and to identify possible differences according to age/category (U10s: 8-10 years old, and U12s: 10-12 years old) and gender (male and female). (2) For this purpose, a questionnaire of 57 questions grouped into seven dimensions was applied, selecting for this work those related to talent development, training methodology, and social context. A total of 153 coaches from top-level Spanish professional clubs participated in the study: the first and second male division and the first female division. (3) The coaches consider that genetic inheritance is more important than contextual variables in the development of sporting talent. On the other hand, they do not show a clear consensus on whether players who perform better in the initiation stage have a greater chance of reaching the elite. (4) In addition, they value decision-making and technical qualities as fundamental factors in the development of talent rather than physical preparation.

New targets for antimalarial drug discovery.

Phenotypic screening methods have placed numerous preclinical candidates into the antimalarial drug-discovery pipeline. As more chemically validated targets become available, efforts are shifting to target-based drug discovery. Here, we briefly review some of the most attractive targets that have been identified in recent years.

Effects of Nb Additions and Heat Treatments on the Microstructure, Hardness and Wear Resistance of CuNiCrSiCoTiNbx High-Entropy Alloys.

In this research, a set of CuNiCrSiCoTi (H-0Nb), CuNiCrSiCoTiNb0.5 (H-0.5Nb) and CuNiCrSiCoTiNb1 (H-1Nb) high-entropy alloys (HEAs) were melted in a vacuum induction furnace. The effects of Nb additions on the microstructure, hardness, and wear behavior of these HEAs (compared with a CuBe commercial alloy) in the as-cast (AC) condition, and after solution (SHT) and aging (AT) heat treatments, were investigated using X-ray diffraction, optical microscopy, and electron microscopy. A ball-on-disc configuration tribometer was used to study wear behavior. XRD and SEM results showed that an increase in Nb additions and modification by heat treatment (HT) favored the formation of BCC and FCC crystal structures (CS), dendritic regions, and the precipitation of phases that promoted microstructure refinement during solidification. Increases in hardness of HEA systems were recorded after heat treatment and Nb additions. Maximum hardness values were recorded for the H-1Nb alloy with measured increases from 107.53 HRB (AC) to 112.98 HRB, and from 1104 HV to 1230 HV (aged for 60 min). However, the increase in hardness caused by Nb additions did not contribute to wear resistance response. This can be attributed to a high distribution of precipitated phases rich in high-hardness NiSiTi and CrSi. Finally, the H-0Nb alloy exhibited the best wear resistance behavior in the aged condition of 30 min, with a material loss of 0.92 mm3.

The Sport Training Process of Para-Athletes: A Systematic Review.

The aim of this systematic review was to identify the main factors affecting the training process of para-athletes, as well as the barriers they encounter. For this purpose, a systematic review was carried out in accordance with the PRISMA declaration guidelines, in which six databases were analysed (Web of Science, Scopus, SportDiscus, Pubmed, Eric, and PsycInfo). A total of 19 articles were selected for analysis after applying the inclusion criteria. The results show that the figures of the coach and families in the sporting and social contexts, respectively, had a relevant influence on the training process of para-athletes. Furthermore, in terms of psychological aspects, stress reduction, the importance of self-esteem, and motivation were highlighted. On the other hand, there are some barriers hindering the training and performance of athletes, which are related to the lack of financial support, lack of visibility in the media, and dependence on other people. These considerations can be of great help to coaches and competent institutions in the field (Paralympic committees, federations, etc.) in order to improve the training process and performance of para-athletes and to eliminate the barriers encountered by this group, promoting policies which facilitate access to sports for people with disabilities.

Breast Cancer Physical Activity Mobile Intervention: Early Findings From a User Experience and Acceptability Mixed Methods Study.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) is the most well-established lifestyle factor associated with breast cancer (BC) survival. Even women with advanced BC may benefit from moderate PA. However, most BC symptoms and treatment side effects are barriers to PA. Mobile health coaching systems can implement functionalities and features based on behavioral change theories to promote healthier behaviors. However, to increase its acceptability among women with BC, it is essential that these digital persuasive systems are designed considering their contextual characteristics, needs, and preferences. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the potential acceptability and feasibility of a mobile-based intervention to promote PA in patients with BC; assess usability and other aspects of the user experience; and identify key considerations and aspects for future improvements, which may help increase and sustain acceptability and engagement. METHODS: A mixed methods case series evaluation of usability and acceptability was conducted in this study. The study comprised 3 sessions: initial, home, and final sessions. Two standardized scales were used: the Satisfaction with Life Scale and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form. Participants were asked to use the app at home for approximately 2 weeks. App use and PA data were collected from the app and stored on a secure server during this period. In the final session, the participants filled in 2 app evaluation scales and took part in a short individual interview. They also completed the System Usability Scale and the user version of the Mobile App Rating Scale. Participants were provided with a waist pocket, wired in-ear headphones, and a smartphone. They also received printed instructions. A content analysis of the qualitative data collected in the interviews was conducted iteratively, ensuring that no critical information was overlooked. RESULTS: The International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form found that all participants (n=4) were moderately active; however, half of them did not reach the recommended levels in the guidelines. System Usability Scale scores were all >70 out of 100 (72.5, 77.5, 95, and 80), whereas the overall user version of the Mobile App Rating Scale scores were 4, 4.3, 4.4, and 3.6 out of 5. The app was perceived to be nice, user-friendly, straightforward, and easy to understand. Recognition of achievements, the possibility of checking activity history, and the rescheduling option were positively highlighted. Technical difficulties with system data collection, particularly with the miscount of steps, could make users feel frustrated. The participants suggested improvements and indicated that the app has the potential to work well for survivors of BC. CONCLUSIONS: Early results presented in this study point to the potential of this tool concept to provide a friendly and satisfying coaching experience to users, which may help improve PA adherence in survivors of BC.

Information theory approaches to improve glioma diagnostic workflows in surgical neuropathology.

AIMS: Resource-strained healthcare ecosystems often struggle with the adoption of the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations for the classification of central nervous system (CNS) tumors. The generation of robust clinical diagnostic aids and the advancement of simple solutions to inform investment strategies in surgical neuropathology would improve patient care in these settings. METHODS: We used simple information theory calculations on a brain cancer simulation model and real-world data sets to compare contributions of clinical, histologic, immunohistochemical, and molecular information. An image noise assay was generated to compare the efficiencies of different image segmentation methods in H&E and Olig2 stained images obtained from digital slides. An auto-adjustable image analysis workflow was generated and compared with neuropathologists for p53 positivity quantification. Finally, the density of extracted features of the nuclei, p53 positivity quantification, and combined ATRX/age feature was used to generate a predictive model for 1p/19q codeletion in IDH-mutant tumors. RESULTS: Information theory calculations can be performed on open access platforms and provide significant insight into linear and nonlinear associations between diagnostic biomarkers. Age, p53, and ATRX status have significant information for the diagnosis of IDH-mutant tumors. The predictive models may facilitate the reduction of false-positive 1p/19q codeletion by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) testing. CONCLUSIONS: We posit that this approach provides an improvement on the cIMPACT-NOW workflow recommendations for IDH-mutant tumors and a framework for future resource and testing allocation.

Sonographic cervical length predicts vaginal delivery after previous cesarean section in women with low Bishop score induced with a double-balloon catheter.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the role of cervical length when predicting vaginal delivery after a previous cesarean section (CS) in women with low Bishop score following the use of a double-balloon catheter for induction of labor (IOL). METHODS: A prospective, longitudinal study was conducted at a large teaching hospital in Santiago to recruit pregnant women at term with a previous CS and Bishop score ≤6 for IOL with a double-balloon catheter. The device was maintained for up to 24 h and the patient continued IOL with oxytocin only if the Bishop score was >6. Demographic and clinical variables were recorded and compared against vaginal delivery as the primary outcome. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to compare perinatal demographic and clinical variables in women achieving vaginal delivery versus those having a repeat CS. RESULTS: The final cohort included 40 pregnant women. Women achieving vaginal delivery (n = 17, 42.5%) had statistically significant differences in mean cervical length (24.8 mm versus 33.4 mm, respectively; p = .006), median Bishop score after removing the double-balloon catheter (11 versus 7, respectively; p = .005), and mean interval between double-balloon catheter placement and vaginal delivery or the decision to perform a CS (17.4 h versus 23.6 h, respectively; p = .03). Backward stepwise selection revealed an odds ratio of 0.90 (95% confidence interval = 0.82-0.98) for cervical length and a receiver operating characteristic curve area of 0.73. CONCLUSION: Cervical length, as determined by transvaginal sonography, proved to be effective in predicting vaginal delivery in women with a previous CS and low Bishop score following the use of a double-balloon catheter for IOL.

Copper-Catalyzed Microwave-Expedited Oxyphosphorylation of Alkynes with Diethyl Phosphite and t-Butyl Hydroperoxide Synthesis of Densely Functionalized Phosphonylated Indenones.

Treatment of alkynes with diethyl phosphite and t-butyl hydroperoxide in the presence of [Cu(MeCN)4]BF4 under microwave irradiation produced the oxyphosphorylation of the triple bond, giving rise to the corresponding ß-ketophosphonates in moderate-to-good yields. When the triple bond was conjugated to a carbonyl group bearing an aromatic ring, it led to the cyclization of the resulting ketone intermediate, producing eventually different phosphonylated indenones.

Effects of Sport Teaching on Students' Enjoyment and Fun: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The methodology used in sport teaching influences not only the students' technical and tactical learning, but also psychological and social dimensions such as enjoyment. We aimed to analyze the effects of interventions using conventional and non-conventional sport teaching methodology on students' enjoyment/fun, through a systematic review and meta-analysis. The search was carried out following the PRISMA Statement in the databases of Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, SportDiscus, Eric and PsycInfo. A total of 1,481 documents were obtained, with the addition of 5 more which were identified in the reference lists of the articles found in the databases. Eleven articles were considered to meet the inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis yielded a moderate effect size of 0.72, and a 95% CI from 0.48 to 0.96 in favor of non-conventional teaching methods, highlighting the model of sports education. Nevertheless, the heterogeneity of the interventions was large and the quality of the evidence, according to GRADE, was very low. In conclusion, the use of non-conventional models in sport teaching with the aim of increasing the enjoyment/fun of boys and girls is advised. These suggestions could be useful for teachers and sport coaches to increase the enjoyment/fun of their trainees during sport practice.

The development of respect in young athletes: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The practice of sports can lead to the development of values such as respect, self-control, effort, autonomy and leadership. However, sport can only foster educational habits and values if it is properly timed and specifically focused towards that end. The aim of this study was to carry out a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of interventions on the development and promotion of respect in the practice of sport among young people. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted, according to the guidelines of the PRISMA declaration, in the Web of Science (WOS), PubMed (Medline), Scopus, Google Scholar and SportDiscus databases. A total of 6 articles were considered to meet the inclusion criteria for the promotion of respect. Criteria for inclusion included: the full text needed to be available; it should be written in one of the selected languages: English, Spanish and Portuguese; it should be an intervention, an experimental or quasi-experimental study or a randomized controlled trial. Each manuscript was independently reviewed by three authors of this work. RESULTS: The results of the meta-analyses showed that the Siedentop sports education model, and Hellison's personal and social responsibility model (TPRS), had significant improvements regarding respect for opponents (total effect size = 0.39, small effect, with 95% Confidence Interval of 0.07 to 0.72). In addition, these models, along with another programme called Fair Play, also achieved significant increases as regards respect for the social conventions of sport (total effect size = 0.67, moderate effect, with 95% IC from 0.25 to 1.10). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the use of interventions related to the above-mentioned models is recommended when it is intended to encourage respect for opponents and social conventions. These considerations could be useful to both teachers and coaches in order to further cultivate these important attitudes.

Antioxidant Activity and Bio-Accessibility of Polyphenols in Black Carrot (Daucus carota L. ssp. sativus var. atrorubens Alef.) and Two Derived Products during Simulated Gastrointestinal Digestion and Colonic Fermentation.

Black carrot has been attracting increasing thanks to its high bioactive compound content. This study presents the polyphenol bio-accessibility of black carrot and two derived products (black carrot snack (BC snack) and black carrot seasoning (BC seasoning)) after in vitro gastrointestinal digestion and colonic fermentation. Additionally, antioxidant activity was measured by 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS), 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assays. Nine flavonoids and eight anthocyanins were determined by ultra high-performance liquid chromatography high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS) analysis, the predominant compounds being the hydroxycinnamic acids 3-O-feruloylquinic acid, 4-O-feruloylquinic acid and chlorogenic acid. The BC snack (108 µmol/g DW) presented the highest total polyphenol content, followed by BC seasoning (53 µmol/g DW) and black carrot (11.4 µmol/g DW). The main polyphenols still bio-accessible after in vitro digestion were the hydroxycinnamic acids, with mean recovery rates of 113 % for black carrot, 69% for BC snack and 81% for BC seasoning. The incubation of black carrot and its derived products with human faecal bacterial resulted in the complete degradation of anthocyanins and in the formation of mainly 3-(4'-hydroxyphenyl)propanoic acid as the major catabolic event. In conclusion, our results suggest that the black carrot matrix impacts significantly affects the bio-accessibility of polyphenols and, therefore, their potential health benefits.

Granulomatous amoebic encephalitis caused by Acanthamoeba in a patient with AIDS: a challenging diagnosis.

INTRODUCTION: Acanthamoeba spp. is a ubiquitous free-living amoeba that causes human infections affecting predominantly the cornea and central nervous system. The diagnosis and treatment of Acanthamoeba encephalitis is very challenging. CASE SUMMARY: A 53-year-old male with HIV/AIDS was admitted for altered mental status and fever. On initial examination, he had left hemianopia with left-sided weakness and numbness. MRI revealed an inflammatory and enhancing parenchymal mass associated with leptomeningeal enhancement in the occipitoparietal lobe containing multiple punctate hemorrhages. He was treated with empiric antibiotics for presumptive toxoplasmosis, brain abscess, fungal infection and tuberculosis with an unremarkable lymphoma work up. Initial brain biopsy studies were unremarkable except for non-specific granulomas and adjacent necrotic tissue. The patient passed away 2.5 months after initial presentation with no diagnosis. Post-mortem testing by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the diagnosis of granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE) by visualization with immunohistochemistry staining and PCR. Recovery is rare from GAE likely due to delay in diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: This case illustrates the importance of including GAE into the differential diagnosis of brain mass. We advocate early molecular testing of tissue specimen by the CDC to achieve an appropriate diagnosis, and a multidisciplinary approach for the management of this condition.