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The Southern Ocean and the Antarctic Circumpolar Current create environmental conditions that serve as an efficient barrier to prevent the colonization of non-native species (NNS) in the marine ecosystems of Antarctica. However, warming of the Southern Ocean and the increasing number of transport opportunities are reducing the physiological and physical barriers, increasing the chances of NNS arriving. The aim of this study was to determine the limits of survival of the juvenile mussels, M. chilensis, under current Antarctic conditions and those projected under climate change. These assessments were used to define the mussels potential for establishment in the Antarctic region. Experimental mussels were exposed to four treatments: -1.5 °C (Antarctic winter), 2 °C (Antarctic summer), 4 °C (Antarctic projected) and 8 °C (control) for 80 days and a combination of physiological and transcriptomics approaches were used to investigate mussel response. The molecular responses of mussels were congruent with the physiological results, revealing tolerance to Antarctic winter temperatures. However, a higher number of regulated differentially expressed gene (DEGs) were reported in mussels exposed to Antarctic winter temperatures (-1.5 °C). This tolerance was associated with the activation of the biological processes associated with apoptosis (up regulated) and both cell division and cilium assembly (down regulated). The reduced feeding rate and the negative scope for growth, for a large part of the exposure period at -1.5 °C, suggests that Antarctic winter temperatures represents an environmental barrier to M. chilensis from the Magellanic region settling in the Antarctic. Although M. chilensis are not robust to current Antarctica thermal conditions, future warming scenarios are likely to weaken these physiological barriers. These results strongly suggest that the West Antarctic Peninsula could become part of Mytilus distributional range, especially with dispersal aided by increasing maritime transport activity across the Southern Ocean.

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The morphology of the active layer in organic solar cells is fundamental for achieving high power conversion efficiency. However, the morphological characteristics for optimal performance are still being investigated. An atomistic computational approach is required to determine the relationship between active layer morphology and performance. Since the organic solar cell has multiple phases and interfaces, the computational modeling of charge generation and transport is challenging. We then used a set of push-pull semiconductors to illustrate how the electronic transmission spectrum, derived from the Landauer-Büttiker formalism, can be used to investigate the efficiency of coherent charge transport across anisotropic organic solids. The electronic transmission spectrum was calculated from the electronic band structure obtained using the density-functional-based tight-binding method. We found that coherent charge transport was more efficient along the direction parallel with the interface between the electron-acceptor and electron-donor moieties for a herringbone morphology.

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BACKGROUND: People who inject drugs living with HIV (PWIDLH) suffer the lowest rates of HIV viral suppression due to episodic injection drug use and poor mental health coupled with poor retention in HIV care. Approximately 44% of PWIDLH along the US-Mexico border are retained in care and only 24% are virally suppressed. This underserved region faces a potential explosion of transmission of HIV due to highly prevalent injection drug use. This protocol describes an optimization trial to promote sustained viral suppression among Spanish-speaking Latinx PWIDLH. METHODS: The multiphase optimization strategy (MOST) is an engineering-inspired framework for designing and building optimized interventions and guides this intervention. The primary aim is to conduct a 24 factorial experiment in which participants are randomized to one of 16 intervention conditions, with each condition comprising a different combination of four behavioral intervention components. The components are peer support for methadone uptake and persistence; behavioral activation therapy for depression; Life-Steps medication adherence counseling; and patient navigation for HIV care. Participants will complete a baseline survey, undergo intervention, and then return for 3-,6-,9-, and 12-month follow-up assessments. The primary outcome is sustained viral suppression, defined as viral loads of < 40 copies per mL at 6-,9-, and 12-month follow-up assessments. Results will yield effect sizes for each component and each additive and interactive combination of components. The research team and partners will make decisions about what constitutes the optimized multi-component intervention by judging the observed effect sizes, interactions, and statistical significance against real-world implementation constraints. The secondary aims are to test mediators and moderators of the component-to-outcome relationship at the 6-month follow-up assessment. DISCUSSION: We are testing well-studied and available intervention components to support PWIDLH to reduce drug use and improve their mental health and engagement in HIV care. The intervention design will allow for a better understanding of how these components work in combination and can be optimized for the setting. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This project was registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT05377463) on May 17th, 2022.

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This study is aimed at the analysis of the pyrolysis kinetics of Nanche stone BSC (Byrsonima crassifolia) as an agro-industrial waste using non-isothermal thermogravimetric experiments by determination of triplet kinetics; apparent activation energy, pre-exponential factor, and reaction model, as well as thermodynamic parameters to gather the required fundamental information for the design, construction, and operation of a pilot-scale reactor for the pyrolysis this lignocellulosic residue. Results indicate a biomass of low moisture and ash content and a high volatile matter content (≥70%), making BCS a potential candidate for obtaining various bioenergy products. Average apparent activation energies obtained from different methods (KAS, FWO and SK) were consistent in value (~123.8 kJ/mol). The pre-exponential factor from the Kissinger method ranged from 105 to 1014 min-1 for the highest pyrolytic activity stage, indicating a high-temperature reactive system. The thermodynamic parameters revealed a small difference between EA and ∆H (5.2 kJ/mol), which favors the pyrolysis reaction and indicates the feasibility of the energetic process. According to the analysis of the reaction models (master plot method), the pyrolytic degradation was dominated by a decreasing reaction order as a function of the degree of conversion. Moreover, BCS has a relatively high calorific value (14.9 MJ/kg) and a relatively low average apparent activation energy (122.7 kJ/mol) from the Starink method, which makes this biomass very suitable to be exploited for value-added energy production.

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La neuralgia del glosofaríngeo es una patología rara donde hay dolor agudo y punzante en la fosa amigdalina, ángulo de la mandíbula y base de la lengua. Su principal causa es la compresión neurovascular la cual se puede diagnosticar con una resonancia cerebral. Su manejo es médico, principalmente; con fármacos, especialmente, carbamazepina y oxcarbazepina; y si no hay respuesta, va a cirugía mediante descompresión microvascular e interposición de material blando (politetrafluoroetileno), con o sin transección del IX par craneal. Se presenta el caso de una mujer de 64 años, hipertensa controlada, con dolor característico, que con 5 fármacos antineuropáticos y 1 derivado de opioides no cedía el dolor. La resonancia cerebral con secuencia FIESTA muestra una compresión neurovascular del IX PC con la PICA izquierda. Se le realiza descompresión microvascular del IX PC, con resolución de la sintomatología y sin recurrencia, saliendo de alta pronto. Se concluye que el manejo quirúrgico de esta patología en casos refractarios al tratamiento médico es una opción con buenas tasas de éxito y baja morbilidad.

Glossopharyngeal neuralgia is a rare pathology, with a sharp and stabbing pain in the tonsillar fossa, angle of the jaw and base of the tongue. Its main etiology is neurovascular compression, which can be diagnosed with a brain MRI. Its management is mainly medical with drug, especially carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine, and if there is no response, surgery is performed through microvascular decompression and interposition of soft material (polytetrafluoroethylene) with or without transection of IX cranial nerve. We present the case of a 64-year-old woman, with controlled hypertension, with classic pain, who did not relieve pain with 5 antineuropathic drugs and 1 opioid derivative. Brain MRI with FIESTA sequence shows a neurovascular compression of the glossopharyngeal nerve with the left PICA. Microvascular decompression of the glossopharyngeal nerve was performed, with resolution of the symptoms and without recurrence, and she was discharged soon. We concluded that the surgical management of this pathology in refractory cases to medical treatment is an option with good success rates and low morbidity.

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Resumen La obesidad se ha posicionado como uno de los principales problemas de salud pública en México. Su estudio involucra el análisis de la conducta alimentaria (CA) y de algunos de sus parámetros, como la velocidad al comer (VC). El objetivo de este trabajo fue comparar la VC, tamaño y número de mordiscos, número y patrón de masticaciones que realizan personas con normopeso (n = 5) y sobrepeso-obesidad (n = 4). Mediante un diseño cuasiexperimental de una sola evaluación, los participantes fueron video-grabados mientras comían una rebana de pizza (90 gramos). Se encontraron diferencias significativas en el tamaño del mordisco (Z = 2.357, p = 0.016) y el número de mordiscos (Z = -2.357, p = 0.016), con un tamaño del efecto pequeño en ambos parámetros (r = 0.29), lo que indica que las personas con sobrepeso-obesidad tienen un mordisco de mayor tamaño y realizan un menor número de mordiscos. México posee un ambiente obesogénico y una prevalencia alta en enfermedades crónico-degenerativas, que comparten a la CA como una de las principales causas de su génesis, continuar con el estudio de la VC y parámetros asociados permitirá sentar las bases para el diseño de intervenciones para la prevención de sobrepeso-obesidad.

Abstract Obesity has become one of the main public health problems in Mexico. Its study involves the analysis of eating behavior (EB) and some of its parameters, such as eating speed (ES). The objective of this study was to compare the ES, size and number of bites, number and pattern of chewing performed by normal-weight (n = 5) and overweight-obese (n = 4) individuals. Using a single-assessment quasi-experimental design, participants were videotaped while eating a slice of pizza (90 grams). Significant differences were found in bite size (Z = 2.357, p = 0.016) and number of bites (Z = -2.357, p = 0.016), with a small effect size in both parameters (r = 0.29), indicating that overweight-obese individuals have a larger bite size and take a smaller number of bites. Mexico has an obesogenic environment and a high prevalence of chronic degenerative diseases, which share EB as one of the main causes of their genesis; continuing with the study of ES and associated parameters will allow us to lay the foundations for the design of interventions for the prevention of overweight-obesity.

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Solar cells based on organic compounds are a proven emergent alternative to conventional electrical energy generation. Here, we provide a computational study of power conversion efficiency optimization of boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) derivatives by means of their associated open-circuit voltage, short-circuit density, and fill factor. In doing so, we compute for the derivatives' geometrical structures, energy levels of frontier molecular orbitals, absorption spectra, light collection efficiencies, and exciton binding energies via density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent (TD)-DFT calculations. We fully characterize four D-π-A (BODIPY) molecular systems of high efficiency and improved J sc that are well suited for integration into bulk heterojunction (BHJ) organic solar cells as electron-donor materials in the active layer. Our results are twofold: we found that molecular complexes with a structural isoxazoline ring exhibit a higher power conversion efficiency (PCE), a useful result for improving the BHJ current, and, on the other hand, by considering the molecular systems as electron-acceptor materials, with P3HT as the electron donor in the active layer, we found a high PCE compound favorability with a pyrrolidine ring in its structure, in contrast to the molecular systems built with an isoxazoline ring. The theoretical characterization of the electronic properties of the BODIPY derivatives provided here, computed with a combination of ab initio methods and quantum models, can be readily applied to other sets of molecular complexes to hierarchize optimal power conversion efficiency.

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ABSTRACT Background: The psychosocial effects derived from the COVID-19 pandemic have represented a challenge for the population worldwide. Stress is a frequent problem reported by women, impacting the strategies they use to deal with problems in daily life and their ability to recover from this critical phenomenon. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between stress levels, knowledge about COVID -19, ways of coping, and resilience in women. Method: A non-experimental, cross-sectional, and correlational study was carried out in a group of 386 Mexican women through a format that was distributed on social networks. Results: The data suggest that the higher the level of knowledge about COVID-19, the greater the perceived stress. High stress is positively and statistically significantly related to coping style, denial (r = .245; q = .20) and cognitive-reflective analysis (r = .303; q= .21). Low levels of stress are negatively and statistically significantly associated with a weak effect size with factors like social competence (r= -.198; q= .11) and family support (r = -. 227; q = .16). Conclusion: Stress affects women considerably due to work overload and interpersonal factors. This study offers the possibility of knowing the emotional state of women in times of COVID-19.

RESUMEN Introducción: Las afectaciones psicosociales derivadas de la pandemia por COVID-19 han representado un reto para la población a nivel mundial. El estrés es uno de los problemas emocionales mayormente reportados en las mujeres, impactando en las estrategias que emplean para enfrentar los problemas de la vida cotidiana y su capacidad de recuperarse ante este fenómeno crítico. Objetivo: El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la relación entre los niveles de estrés, el conocimiento sobre la COVID -19, los estilos de afrontamiento y la resiliencia en mujeres. Método: Se realizó un estudio no experimental, transversal y correlacional en el que participaron 386 mujeres mexicanas las cuales respondieron un formato que se diseminó en redes sociales. Resultados: Los datos sugieren que a mayor nivel de conocimientos sobre la COVID-19 mayor estrés percibido. El estrés elevado se relaciona de manera positiva y estadísticamente significativa con el estilo de afrontamiento, negación (r=.245; q=.20) y análisis cognitivo-reflexivo (r=.303; q=.21). Niveles bajos de estrés se asocian de forma negativa, estadísticamente significativa y con un tamaño del efecto débil con las variables competencia social (r=-.198; q=.11) y apoyo familiar (r=-.227; q=.16). Conclusiones: El estrés afecta considerablemente a las mujeres debido a la sobrecarga de trabajo y a factores interpersonales. Este estudio ofrece la posibilidad de conocer el estado emocional de las mujeres en tiempos de la COVID-19.

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Resumen La diabetes mellitus (DM) es uno de los principales padecimientos en población adulta. Se dice que en México el 47.7% de personas adultas mayores (PAM) viven con este padecimiento, razón por la cual resulta indispensable conocer las investigaciones psicológicas centradas en mejorar el estado de salud y la adherencia al tratamiento médico en este grupo etario que va en aumento debido a la transición demográfica. El objetivo de esta revisión sistemática fue reunir los estudios que den cuenta de la eficacia de la Terapia Cognitivo-Conductual sobre la adherencia terapéutica y la conducta alimentaria en PAM con DM tipo 2. La búsqueda se realizó por medio de la estrategia PIO en siete bases de datos (Pubmed, PsycINFO, Scopus, PsycArticles, SciELO, Dialnet y Redalyc). Se encontraron 4,088 estudios, de los cuales sólo 11 cumplieron los criterios de inclusión. Los resultados revelan que este tipo de intervenciones son eficaces para favorecer conductas de adherencia al tratamiento, produciendo cambios significativos en la dieta, HbA1C y colesterol HDL, a pesar de que originalmente no fueron diseñadas para PAM y aun cuando las muestras de participantes fueron heterogéneas. Resulta evidente la carencia de tratamientos diseñados exclusivamente para PAM con DM, además de no considerar en el tratamiento variables como años con el diagnóstico, conducta alimentaria, funcionalidad, comorbilidades, escolaridad, apoyo social y nivel socioeconómico.

Abstract Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the primary diseases in the adult population. It is said that in Mexico 47.7% of older adults (OA) live with this condition, which is why it is essential to know psychological research focused on improving health status and adherence to medical treatment in this age group that is increasing due to the demographic transition. The aim of this systematic review was to gather the studies that account for the efficacy of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy on therapeutic adherence and eating behavior in PAM with type 2 DM. The search was carried out using the PIO strategy in seven databases. data (Pubmed, PsycINFO, Scopus, PsycArticles, SciELO, Dialnet and Redalyc). 4,088 studies were found, of which only 11 met the inclusion criteria. The results reveal that this type of intervention is effective in favoring treatment adherence behaviors, producing significant changes in diet, HbA1C and HDL cholesterol, even though they were not initially designed for PAM and even when the participant samples were heterogeneous. The lack of treatments created exclusively for PAM with DM is evident, in addition to not considering treatment variables such as years since diagnosis, eating behavior, functionality, comorbidities, education, social support and socioeconomic level.

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Theoretical methods of the SOC-NEVPT2 type combined with a molecular fragmentation scheme have been proven to be a powerful tool that allows explaining the luminescence sensitization mechanism in Ln(III) coordination compounds through the antenna effect. In this work, we have used this strategy to predict luminescence in a family of compounds of the Eu(R-phen)(BTA)3 type where R-phen = 5-methyl-1,10-phenanthroline (Me-phen), 5-nitro-1,10-71 phenanthroline (Nitro-phen), 4,5-diazafluoren-9-one (One-phen), or 5,6-epoxy-5,6-dihydro-1,10-72 phenanthroline (Epoxy-phen); and BTA = fluorinated ß-diketone. Possible sensitization pathways were elucidated from the energy difference between the ligand-centered triplet (3T) states and the emissive excited states of the Eu(III) fragments (Latva rules). Calculations show that the most probable mechanism occurs through the triplet state of the BTA which should be enriched by several parallel energy transfer pathways from R-phen substituents. The complexes were synthesized and structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography and various other physicochemical and spectroscopic methods to realize their optical properties and energy transfer pathways from dual antennae. Experimental results were in good agreement with the theoretical predictions, which reinforces the predictive power of the used theoretical methodology.