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Lipases comprise the third most commercialized group of enzymes worldwide and those of microbial origin are sought for their multiple advantages. Agro-industrial waste can be an alternative culture medium for producing lipases, reducing production costs and the improper disposal of waste frying oil (WFO). This study aimed to produce yeast lipases through submerged fermentation (SF) using domestic edible oil waste as inducer and alternative culture medium. The optimal culture conditions, most effective inducer, and purification method for a new lipase from Moesziomyces aphidis BRT57 were identified. Yeast was cultured in medium containing green coconut pulp and WFO waste for 72 h. The maximum production of lipases in SF occurred in a culture medium containing WFO and yeast extract at 48 and 72 h of incubation, with enzyme activities of 8.88 and 11.39 U mL-1, respectively. The lipase was isolated through ultrafiltration followed by size exclusion chromatography, achieving a 50.46 % recovery rate. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report the production and purification of lipases from M. aphidis, demonstrating the value of frying oil as inducer and alternative medium for SF, contributing to the production of fatty acids for biodiesel from food waste.

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Epiphytes represent a key component in tropical forests. They are affected by anthropogenic and natural disturbances suffered by forests, since they depend on their hosts and the microclimatic conditions they generate. We analyzed differences in abundance, species richness, and vertical distributions of epiphytic bromeliads in primary and disturbed forests. We found a higher abundance (5316 individuals) and species richness (8 species) of bromeliads in disturbed forest than in primary forest (1360 individuals and 4 species, respectively). Most bromeliads (97%) were found on Taxodium mucronatum, a dominant tree with rough bark in the disturbed forest (gallery forest). Bromeliads were more abundant in the middle of the tree and diminished towards the trunk base and the upper crown. Tillandsia baileyi was the most abundant bromeliad, and the size categories of this species differentially colonize trees in gallery forest according to Johansson zones; seedlings of T. baileyi abundantly colonize the upper canopy, and juveniles colonize the middle canopy or secondary branches. Gallery forest represents an important reservoir for epiphytic bromeliads. Hence, it is important to extend this kind of study to wetland sites to understand the role they play as a habitat for epiphytes, as well as the dynamics and ecological processes that occur in such habitats.

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Natural rubber originates from the coagulation of rubber particles (RP) from Hevea brasiliensis latex. The size distribution of Hevea RP is bimodal with the presence of small rubber particles (SRP) and large rubber particles (LRP). This study aims at getting a better understanding of the early coagulation steps of Hevea RP taking into account the particle size. SRP and LRP were obtained by centrifugation of freshly tapped ammonia-free latex from RRIM600 clone. Size and zeta potential measurements showed that both RP fractions were efficiently separated and stable in basic buffer. SRP and LRP dispersions were placed in a Langmuir trough and RP were let to adsorb at the air-liquid interface to form interfacial films. Surface tension and ellipsometry indicate that the formation kinetics and the stabilization of the film at the air-liquid interface are faster for SRP than LRP. Moreover, the arrangement of RP at the interface differs between SRP and LRP, as shown by Brewster angle microscopy, atomic force microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy. First, the RP membrane and cis-1,4-polyisoprene core spread at the air-liquid interface before clustering. Then, while the SRP fuse, the LRP keep their structure in individual particles in floating aggregate. The role of the non-isoprene molecules on the different organization of SRP and LRP films is discussed, the one of the two major RP proteins, SRPP1 (Small Rubber Particle Protein) and Rubber Elongation Factor (REF1) in the early coagulation steps.

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This article presents a symmetrical reduced-size eight-element MIMO antenna array with high electromagnetic isolation among radiators. The array utilizes easy-to-build techniques to cover the n77 and n78 new radio (NR) bands. It is based on an octagonal double-negative metamaterial split-ring resonator (SRR), which enables a size reduction of over 50% for the radiators compared to a conventional disc monopole antenna by increasing the slow-wave factor. Additionally, due to the extreme proximity between the radiating elements in the array, the modal significance (MS) method was employed to identify which propagation modes had the most impact on the electromagnetic coupling among elements. This approach aimed to mitigate their effect by using an electromagnetic barrier, thereby enhancing electromagnetic isolation. The electromagnetic barriers, implemented with strip lines, achieved isolation values exceeding 20 dB for adjacent elements (<0.023 λ) and approaching 40 dB for opposite ones (<0.23 λ) after analyzing the surface current distribution by the MS method. The elements are arranged in axial symmetry, forming an octagon with each antenna port located on a side. The array occupies an area of 0.32 λ2 at 3.5 GHz, significantly smaller than previously published works. It exhibits excellent performance for MIMO applications, demonstrating an envelope correlation coefficient (ECC) below 0.0001, a total active reflection coefficient (TARC) lower than -10 dB for various incoming signals with random phases, and a diversity gain (DG) close to 20 dB.

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This work aimed to analyse the effect of particle size on bioactive compounds of different by-products. Orange, apple, and grape-wine by-products obtained from industrial production were dried and ground at two sizes: 1 mm and 0.5 mm. Pomaces were analysed in composition (protein, fat, carbohydrates, moisture, and ash contents) and bioactive compounds (total phenol content by Folin- Ciocalteu method and antioxidant capacity by FRAP assay) and submitted to an in-vitro digestion. FESEM was used to observe the microstructure of samples. All pomaces showed high fibre content (21.7, 31.2, and 58.9 g/100 g, in apple, orange, and grape pomace respectively). Total phenol content in raw material was higher in grape > orange > apple, with no differences (apple) or slight differences (grape and orange) between 1 mm and 0.5 mm particle size. Grape pomace was observed as a porous, more accessible structure, where extracting polyphenols was easier. Orange pomace', was compact and apple pomace structure was even more compact hindering the raw materials polyphenol extraction. After digestion, total phenol content increased in orange and apple pomace for both particle size. In apple, bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds showed a 5 fold increase for 1 mm sample size and a 4 fold increase for 0.5 mm sample size. In orange, for both sizes bioaccessibility increased but to a lesser extent (2.4 fold). In the case of grape pomace, although polyphenol content decreased after digestion (0.7 fold for both sizes), they showed the highest antioxidant capacity. Regarding the effect of particle size on total polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity, no trend was found in this work for the fruit pomaces studied. In the case of grape and apple, grinding at 1 mm should be adequate regarding antioxidant capacity while in the case of orange, it may be better to use a pomace ground at 0.5 mm.

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The introduction of optimized nanoheaters, which function as theranostic agents integrating both diagnostic and therapeutic processes, holds significant promise in the medical field. Therefore, developing strategies for selecting and utilizing optimized plasmonic nanoheaters is crucial for the effective use of nanostructured biomedical agents. This work elucidates the use of the Joule number (Jo) as a figure of merit to identify high-performance plasmonic theranostic agents. A framework for optimizing metallic nanoparticles for heat generation was established, uncovering the size dependence of plasmonic nanoparticles optical heating. Gold nanospheres (AuNSs) with a diameter of 50 nm and gold nanorods (AuNRs) with dimensions of 41×10 nm were identified as effective nanoheaters for visible (530 nm) and infrared (808 nm) excitation. Notably, AuNRs achieve higher Jo values than AuNSs, even when accounting for the possible orientations of the nanorods. Theoretical results estimate that 41×10 nm gold nanorods have an average Joule number of 80, which is significantly higher compared to larger rods. The photothermal performance of optimal and suboptimal nanostructures was evaluated using photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy procedures. The photoacoustic images indicate that, despite having larger absorption cross-sections, the large nanoparticle volume of bigger particles leads to less efficient conversion of light into heat, which suggests that the use of optimized nanoparticles promotes higher contrast, benefiting photoacoustic-based procedures in diagnostic applications. The photothermal therapy procedure was performed on S180-bearing mice inoculated with 41×10 nm and 90×25 nm PEGylated AuNRs. Five minutes of laser irradiation of tumor tissue with 41×10 nm produced an approximately 9.5% greater temperature rise than using 90×25 AuNRs in the therapy trials. Optimizing metallic nanoparticles for heat generation may reduce the concentration of the nanoheaters used or decrease the light fluence for bioscience applications, paving the way for the development of more economical theranostic agents.

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We searched for an extraction method that would allow a precise quantification of metal(loid)s in milligram-size samples using high-resolution graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (HR-GFAAS). We digested biological (DORM-4, DOLT-5 and TORT-3) and sediment (MESS-4) certified reference materials (CRMs) using nitric acid in a drying oven, aqua regia in a drying oven, or nitric acid in a microwave. In addition, we digested MESS-4 using a mixture of nitric and hydrofluoric acids in a drying oven. We also evaluated the effect of sample size (100 and 200 mg) on the extraction efficiency. Nitric acid extraction in a drying oven yielded the greatest recovery rates for all metal(loid)s in all tested CRMs (80.0 %-100.0 %) compared with the other extraction methods tested (67.3 %-99.2 %). In most cases, the sample size did not have a significant effect on the extraction efficiency. Therefore, we conclude that nitric acid digestion in a drying oven is a reliable extraction method for milligram-size samples to quantify metal(loid)s with HR-GFAAS. This validated method could provide substantial benefits to environmental quality monitoring programs by significantly reducing the time and costs required for sample collection, storage, transport and preparation, as well as the amount of hazardous chemicals used during sample extraction and analysis. •Sample digestion with nitric acid in a drying oven yielded the greatest recovery rates of metal(loid)s from biological and sediment certified reference materials.•The recovery rates of metal(loid)s from biological and sediment certified reference materials using nitric acid digestion in a drying oven ranged from 73 % to 100 %.•Digestion with nitric acid in a drying oven is a simple and reliable method to extract small size environmental samples for metal(loid)s quantification by high-resolution graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry.

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The aim of this work is to investigate the changes in the physicochemical properties of hydroxyapatite (HAp) extracted from horse humerus bones of different ages (1, 3, 6, and 8 years) subjected to low temperature calcination (600°C). Thermal analysis revealed significant mass loss due to water, collagen, organic compounds, carbonates, and age-related magnesium out-diffusion. Higher fat content in older bones contributed to increased mass loss. Phosphorus content remained constant across age groups, while calcium and sodium showed age-related fluctuations. Magnesium levels decreased with age, emphasizing its importance for early bone development. The Ca/P ratio deviated from the stoichiometric values due to additional ions from biogenic sources. Infrared spectroscopy identified functional groups in carbonated HAp, with changes observed before and after calcination. The full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the 961 cm-1 band decreased with age, indicating improved crystalline quality. The molar absorption coefficients provided information on the changes in molecular concentration and emphasized the differences between the age groups. X-ray analysis revealed nanocrystalline HAp in all samples, with crystallite size increasing with age. Rietveld analysis showed that the lattice parameters were affected by the presence of organic material, but the lattice constants remained stable, confirming high crystallinity independent of age. TEM analysis confirmed nanocrystalline structures, with crystallite size increasing with age. SEM images showed the characteristic porosity of calcined HAp, with particle size correlating positively with age. Calcination at 600°C preserved the nanoscale properties and microcrystal formation. Raman spectroscopy confirmed the identity of HAp, with FWHM variations indicating age-related changes in crystalline quality. EHAp1 showed increased FWHM, indicating lower crystalline quality and increased trace element content.

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The issues of the high-cycle fatigue resistance of notches and the role of non-propagating short cracks in defining the fatigue notch sensitivity and fatigue limit of the configuration are addressed. A fracture mechanics approach is employed to determine the threshold configuration that defines the associated fatigue limit. The influence of notch sharpness, notch size, intrinsic fatigue limit, microstructural dimensions, and the threshold for crack propagation is examined. A simple expression is proposed to estimate the maximum fatigue notch factor, kfMax, which incorporates the influence of these non-propagating cracks. The fatigue limits for both blunt and sharp elliptical notches are analyzed and predicted based on experimental results reported in the literature. Additionally, shallow notches or small defects are analyzed, where it is found that the same hypothesis may not be applicable.

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The variance-mean scaling in population abundance or Taylor's power law (TPL) has been reported hundreds of times and is related to ecological processes such as competition, dispersal or territoriality. In this sense, the TPL was extensively validated to resume population variability and to show the action of ecological mechanisms. Baumgartner and Peláez (2024) combine databases of fish dynamics along the United States, species traits, species phylogeny and climatic conditions, estimating the TPL for 180 species along 972 populations. The observed scaling suggests that the variability of the population decreases with abundance. Notably, 68% of the variation in the variance-mean scaling was explained by species traits and environmental conditions. Specifically, the life history of the species, associated with its body size, was the main explanation for the TPL, also reporting that the variability of the population increased faster with mean abundance in the headwaters than in other river sections. Equally important, the diversity of the community in which the species were inserted did not affect the scaling. These results provide overwhelming evidence on the nature of TPL on large geographic scales and how they are affected by species biology and environmental conditions. A contribution that should motivate further empirical and theoretical analysis of the TPL and its determinants.

El escalamiento en varianza con la media de la abundancia poblacional, ha sido reportado en cientos de sistemas y es conocido como Ley Poder de Taylor (TPL, de sus siglas en inglés). Este escalamiento se ha relacionado con la importancia de la competencia, dispersión o territorialidad, resumiendo la dinámica poblacional y su conexión con distintos mecanismos ecológicos. El estudio publicado por Baumgartner y Peláez (2024) combina bases de datos de dinámica de peces en los Estados Unidos de América, de sus rasgos, filogenia y ambientales, estimando la TPL para un total de 180 especies a lo largo de 972 poblaciones. El escalamiento observado sugiere que la variabilidad disminuye con la abundancia de las poblaciones. Notablemente, el 68% de la variación en el escalamiento fue explicado por los rasgos de las especies (historia de vida y tamaño corporal) y las condiciones ambientales. Aumentando más rápidamente la variabilidad en la dinámica poblacional con la abundancia media en las cabeceras que en otras secciones del río. Igualmente importante fue la falta de efectos significativos de la biodiversidad de la comunidad sobre el escalamiento varianza­media de sus poblaciones. Estos resultados proporcionan una contundente evidencia sobre la naturaleza de la TPL en grandes escalas geográficas y cómo se ve afectada por la biología de las especies y las condiciones ambientales. Resultados y abordajes que sugieren futuros análisis empíricos y teóricos sobre la TPL y sus determinantes.

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Microplastics (MPs) are increasingly widespread in the environment, which raises questions about their potential effects at different biological levels. It is essential to assess the impacts on biodiversity, and it is also crucial to understand whether the presence of MPs can interfere with the biological traits of species of relevance in public health. Considering that the life-history traits of mosquitoes, such as size and the wingbeat frequency (WBF), are related to its vector competence, here, we study the effects of 106 particles L-1 (as expected concentration of MPs on the environment, using the polyethylene type) on WBF, as well as wing morphology, testing the Culicidae species found across all continents, Aedes aegypti, as an indicator. Results show that larvae survival and development were not affected by the tested concentration of MP. Geometric morphometrics showed some asymmetry in female mosquito wings, which were also smaller for individuals reared in MP suspension. As for WBF, results did not indicate any significant differences between females. Male mosquitoes, however, showed alterations in WBF and wing morphology, suggesting possible sex-specific reactions to microplastic exposure. Also, the combination of morphological parameters analyzed as covariates (wing centroid size and body weight) did not significantly affect WBF for both female and male mosquitoes. Overall, this study shows an inaugural investigation of the effects of MP on wing size and WBF on Ae. aegypti, shedding light on these parameters tested for a current pollution issue and its impact on a virus vector.

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Abstract The aim of the present study was to analyze the effects of 4 different surface treatments, on the crystallographic characteristics of Ultra-Translucent Zirconia. Fully sintered zirconia specimens of highly translucent yttria partially stabilized zirconia (Y-PSZ) (KATANA UTML) were divided into four experimental groups and a control group (n=10). Each group received one of the following surface treatments: sandblasting with 50µm alumina particles sandblasting with 110µm alumina particles, and grinding with a rotary high-speed turbine with and without water irrigation. For each sample, x-ray diffraction was carried out to analyze peak intensity, calculate the crystallite size, and detect the presence of compressive and tensile stress. Surface roughness was measured on all specimens using a standard scanning profilometer. Additionally, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was performed to qualitatively analyze the surfaces of the specimens. Statistical analysis included repeated measures analysis of variance and post hoc Tukey test (p≤0.05). The control group exhibited the highest crystallite size (323nm). All surface treatments led to a reduction in the crystallite size, with the most significant reduction observed in the groups subjected to sandblasting with 110µm alumina particles and high- speed grinding with irrigation. Sandblasting with 50µm alumina particles resulted in less transformation of the crystallite size. A general tendency of the diffraction peaks to shift to a lower angle can be observed in the experimental groups, indicating the presence of compressive stress on the samples. Profilometry revealed higher roughness in the ground samples (6,14µm and 6,57µm) compared to the sandblasted groups (2,93µm and 2,02µm). The crystal domain size showed a tendency to decrease after the surface treatments. Sandblasted samples, as well as ground samples without irrigation, exhibited compressive stress. Sandblasted samples had lower surface roughness compared to the ground samples. Sandblasting with 50µm alumina particles caused the least decrease in crystallite size.

Resumen El objetivo del presente estudio fue analizar los efectos de 4 tratamientos de superficie en las características cristalográficas de la zirconia ultratranslúcida. Especímenes de zirconia totalmente sinterizados, altamente translúcidos de zirconia parcialmente estabilizada con itrio (Y-PSZ) (KATANA UTML) se dividieron en cuatro grupos experimentales y un grupo de control (n=10). Cada grupo recibió uno de los siguientes tratamientos de superficie: arenado con partículas de alúmina de 50µm (Al2O3), arenado con partículas de alúmina de 110µm y desgaste con una turbina rotativa de alta velocidad con y sin irrigación. Para cada muestra, se llevó a cabo una difracción de rayos X para analizar la intensidad del pico, calcular el tamaño del cristalito y detectar la presencia de tensiones compresivas y tensiles. La rugosidad superficial se midió en todos los especímenes utilizando un perfilómetro estándar. Además, se realizó microscopía electrónica de barrido (SEM) para analizar cualitativamente las superficies de los especímenes. El análisis estadístico incluyó un análisis de varianza de medidas repetidas y una prueba de Tukey post hoc (p≤0,05). El grupo de control mostró el tamaño de cristalito más alto (323nm). Todos los tratamientos de superficie llevaron a una reducción en el tamaño del cristalito, con la reducción más significativa observada en los grupos sometidos a arenado con partículas de alúmina de 110µm y desgaste de alta velocidad con irrigación. El arenado con partículas de alúmina de 50µm resultó en una menor transformación del tamaño del cristalito. Se puede observar una tendencia general de los picos de difracción a desplazarse a un ángulo más bajo en los grupos experimentales, lo que indica la presencia de estrés compresivo en las muestras. La perfilometría reveló una mayor rugosidad en las muestras con desgaste con instrumento rotatorio (en comparación con los grupos arenados. El tamaño del cristalito mostró una tendencia a disminuir después de los tratamientos de superficie. Las muestras arenadas, así como las muestras desgastadas sin irrigación, mostraron estrés compresivo. Las muestras arenadas tuvieron una menor rugosidad superficial en comparación con las muestras desgastadas con rotatorio. El arenado con partículas de alúmina de 50µm provocó la menor disminución en el tamaño del cristalito.

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Population genetics theory predicts a relationship between fitness, genetic diversity (H0) and effective population size (Ne), which is often tested through heterozygosity-fitness correlations (HFCs). We tested whether population and individual fertility and heterozygosity are correlated in two endangered Mexican spruces (Picea martinezii and Picea mexicana) by combining genomic, demographic and reproductive data (seed development and germination traits). For both species, there was a positive correlation between population size and seed development traits, but not germination rate. Individual genome-wide heterozygosity and seed traits were only correlated in P. martinezii (general-effects HFC), and none of the candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with individual fertility showed heterozygote advantage in any species (no local-effects HFC). We observed a single and recent (c. 30 thousand years ago (ka)) population decline for P. martinezii; the collapse of P. mexicana occurred in two phases separated by a long period of stability (c. 800 ka). Recruitment always contributed more to total population census than adult trees in P. mexicana, while this was only the case in the largest populations of P. martinezii. Equating fitness to either H0 or Ne, as traditionally proposed in conservation biology, might not always be adequate, as species-specific evolutionary factors can decouple the expected correlation between these parameters.

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Plastic covers have been used to prevent environmental constraints negatively affecting sweet cherry production in Southern Chile. However, less information is available on agronomic practices and their effects on fruit quality in sweet cherry covered orchards. Thus, in this study, we evaluated the impact of fruit load regulation on cherries' antioxidant-related parameters and the quality and condition at harvest and postharvest in sweet cherry (Prunus avium) cv. Regina that was cultivated under a plastic cover in Southern Chile. For this, four fruit load treatments were manually applied-(i) 100% fruit load (the control), (ii) 80% fruit load, (iii) 60% fruit load, and (iv) 40% fruit load-in a commercial sweet cherry orchard for two seasons (2021/2022 and 2022/2023). The results revealed that the yield and fruit load were not significantly different between the treatments. Interestingly, the 60% and 40% fruit loads increased the fresh weight, fruit size, and firmness (20.3%) compared to the control (the 100% fruit load) during both seasons. Likewise, the 60% and 40% fruit load treatments exhibited the highest fruit size distribution of 30 mm, while the 100 and 80% fruit load treatments showed the highest fruit distribution with fruit sizes between 28 mm and 24 mm. The total soluble solids (TSSs) did not vary among the fruit load treatments, while a significant increase was found in the titratable acidity (TA) in the 60 and 40% fruit load treatments during both seasons. No significant differences in antioxidant activity (AA) and total phenols (TPHs) among the treatments were observed during both seasons. Overall, the results revealed that the fruit load treatments, mainly 40%, increased the fruit weight and firmness and reduced pitting in fruits by 39.4% at postharvest. Thus, fruit thinning might be an important agronomical practice to regulate fruit load, positively affecting fruit quality at harvest and during postharvest storage in sweet cherry cv. Regina cultivated under a plastic cover. However, more biochemical and molecular studies are needed to elucidate the mechanism involved in this improvement.

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Declines in body size can be an advantageous physiological response to warming temperatures, or a result of physiological and nutritional stress. Either way, studies often assume that these climate-induced trait changes have important implications for fitness and demography. We leveraged almost three decades of capture-mark-recapture data of 51 bird species in Panama to examine if body size has changed through time, how sensitive body size is to changes in weather, and if body size impacts population demography. We evaluated two metrics of body size, structural size (wing length), and body condition (residual body mass). Over the study, wing length changed in varying directions for 88% of species (23 decrease, 22 increase), but the effects were weak, and change was only significant for two species. Conversely, body condition declined for 88% of species (45), effects were stronger, and that change was significant for 22% of species (11). This suggests that nutritional stress is likely the cause of changes in body size, not an adaptive response to warming. Precipitation metrics impacted body condition across three of our four feeding guilds, while wing length was only impacted by weather metrics for two guilds. This suggests that body condition is more sensitive to change in weather metrics compared to wing length. Lastly, we found that the impact of changes in body size on survival and recruitment was variable across species, but these relationships were in the opposite direction, ultimately resulting in no change in population growth for all but one species. Thus, while different stages (adult survival and recruitment) of populations may be impacted by body size, populations appear to be buffered from changes. The lack of an effect on population growth rate suggests that populations may be more resilient to changes in body size, with implications for population persistence under expected climate change.

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Ash emission from volcanic eruptions affects the environment, society, and human health. This study shows the total concentration and lung bioaccessible fraction of eight potential toxic metal(loid)s in five Popocatépetl ashfall samples. Mineralogical phases and particle size distribution of the ashfall were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) techniques, respectively. The bioaccessibility test of Gamble solution (GS) and Artificial Lysosomal Fluid (ALF) were conducted to simulate extracellular (pH 7) and intracellular (pH 4.5) conditions, respectively. The studied metal(loid)s showed the following total concentration (mg kg-1): 1.98 (As), 0.17 (Cd), 134.09 (Cr), 8.66 (Cu), 697.33 (Mn), 55.35 (Ni), 8.77 (Pb), and 104.10 (Zn). Geochemical indices suggested that some metal(loid)s are slightly enriched compared to the local soil background concentrations. Several mineralogical phases were identified in the collected ashfall deposits, such as plagioclase, pyroxene, and Fe-Ti oxide, among others. According to the risk assessment results, the non-carcinogenic risk related to ashfall exposure returns an HQ > 1 for children. In contrast, the estimation of carcinogenic risk was found to be within the tolerable limit. Metal(loid)s showed low bioaccessibility (< 30%) in GS and ALF, with the highest values found in ALF solution for As (12.18%) and Cu (7.57%). Despite their metal-bioaccessibility, our findings also showed that dominant ash particle size ranged between fine (< 2.5 µm) and extremely fine (< 1 µm), considered highly inhalable fractions. The results obtained in this work indicate that volcanic ashes are bioinsoluble and biodurable, and exhibit low bioaccessibility when in contact with lung human fluids.

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Body size is an important morphological characteristic that covaries with the quality of parasitoids and predators. Data show that the larger the organism is, the better the biological parameters and the host location by natural enemies in the field. The standard way of evaluating the size of parasitoids of the genus Trichogramma (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) is by measuring the tibia, but using only one body part to estimate the size of organisms can lead to miscalculations. In this paper, commercial Trichogramma pretiosum Riley, 1879 (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) and Trichogramma galloi Zucchi, 1988 (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) were mounted on slides for microscopy and photographed, and the photographs were used to measure their antennae, scutellum, ovipositor, tibia, and wing. Principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) were performed to select the body part that best represents their size. PCA showed that all body parts represented size in a similar way, and LDA showed that the ovipositor was the most representative. We conclude that the best body parts for representing the size of the Trichogramma species studied are the wing and ovipositor, and at least two body parts are needed to detect two size groups.

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This paper presents information on the morphological, morphometric, and dental sex differences in the dwarf round ray Urotrygon nana. We recorded 12 morphological traits, sex, the distribution pattern of dermal denticles, the number of tooth rows, and the tooth shape of 466 individuals. The disc width of females ranged from 50 to 172 mm and that of males ranged from 53 to 135 mm. A neuronal classification model and a correspondence analysis showed that female disc width was 21.5% broader, and the distance from the rostrum to the anus was 17.7% longer than that of males, whereas males presented 19.5% greater distance between the nostrils, 9.7% greater preorbital snout length, 6.8% greater cloaca to caudal-fin length, 2.7% greater interorbital distance, and 1.1% greater total length than females. The disc of adult males, including the abdominal cavity area, was densely covered with dermal denticles, which were slightly larger than those observed in females. Females presented homodont dentition with molariform teeth and a smooth lozenge-shaped crown with rounded margins. Males exhibited homodonty but with tooth morphology variations in individuals of different sizes (from molariforms to sharper cusp teeth). There were changes in disc shape (from subcircular to oval), distribution and size of dermal denticles (more abundant and larger), and tooth shape (from molariform to monocuspid teeth) during male development, from neonates to adults. U. nana exhibited sexual dimorphism in size, disc shape, number and shape of teeth, and distribution and size of dermal denticles.

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Introduction: Domestic production of pepper (Capsicum spp.) is shrinking while demand within the US is growing. Lack of availability and cost of labor often present an obstacle for domestic producers both practically and economically. As a result, switching to harvesting peppers mechanically is anticipated as a key strategy to help domestic producers compete in the international market. Mechanical harvest efficiency can be improved through breeding. One important trait that mechanical harvest compatible material should have is an easy destemming trait: low force separation of the pedicel and calyx from the fruit. Methods: To detect the genetic sources underlying a novel easy destemming trait for the purpose of future breeding efforts in New Mexico pod-type green chile, we performed QTL analysis on three F2:F3 populations, coming from three New Mexico pod-type varieties: 'NuMex Odyssey,' 'NuMex Iliad,' and 'NuMex Joe E. Parker,' each crossed with a parent with an easy destemming trait: MUC14. Genotyping was done through genotyping by sequencing (GBS) and phenotyping was done for destemming and fruit trait measurements. Correlations between measurements were found through the R package hmisc and QTL analysis was done through R/qtl. Results: A strong relationship was seen between destemming and aspects of fruit morphology, particularly, destemming force and fruit width (Pearson's correlation coefficient r=0.75). Major QTLs for destemming and fruit size were discovered. Of these, the largest destemming force QTLs for all populations (PVE=34.5-69.9%) were on chromosome 10, and in two populations QTLs for destemming force were found on chromosome 3 (Percent Variance Explained (PVE)=10.7-18.8%). Fruit size-related QTLs in all populations colocalized in these same areas on chromosomes 3 and 10. Discussion: This suggests that fruit shape may be genetically linked to destemming, and breeders interested in selecting for easy destemming pepper will also have to pay attention to fruit size and shape.

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INTRODUCTION: Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) remains a therapeutic challenge. The surgical classification recommended by the Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia study group (CDHSG), based on the size of the defect, is used for staging in reference centres. Larger defects are associated with poorer outcomes. Our aim was to describe and compare the morbidity at hospital discharge of newborns who underwent surgical correction of CDH at the Juan P. Garrahan, according to the surgical staging of the defect proposed by the CDHSG. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included patients with CDH admitted to the Juan P. Garrahan Hospital between 2012 and 2020, and we analysed the distribution, morbidity and mortality associated with the size of the defect. We carried out a descriptive analysis, calculating measures of central tendency and dispersion, and bivariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: A total of 230 patients with CDH were admitted and 158 underwent surgery. We found that defect sizes C and D sizes were associated with an increased risk of chronic pulmonary disease (CPD) (OR, 5.3; 95% CI, 2.2-13.4; P<.0000), need of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (OR 3.9; 95% CI, 1.3-12.8; P<.005) and chylothorax (OR, 2.1; 95% CI, 0.8-6.4; P<.10]. The multivariate analysis revealed that a large defect size (C-D) was independently and significantly associated with CPD (OR 4.19; 95% CI, 1.76-9.95). CONCLUSION: Staging the defect according to de CDHSG classification during surgery allows the application of uniform management criteria and the prediction of patient outcomes and complications during the hospital stay.

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