Hydrogeochemical and isotopic assessment of the origin of NO_(3)^(−)and N-NH_(3)contents in the aquifer located in a closed lacustrine volcano-sedimentary basin in the metropolitan area of Mexico City

To explain the presence and spatial distribution of NO_(3)^(−)and N-NH_(3)in the Aquifer of the Metropolitan Area of Mexico City(AMAMC),a hydrogeochemical and isotopic analysis using^(13)C DIC(as well as the stable isotopes^(18)O and^(2)H)in groundwater was conducted.This aquifer is located in an old closed lacustrine volcano-sedimentary basin;some wells hosted in the semi-confined zone contain high N-NH_(3)concentrations,while others present NO_(3)^(−)contents in the recharge zones(hosted in an oxidizing environment).In this study,a change in the isotopic signature(primarily in^(18)O and^(2)H)was observed from the recharge zones to the basin center in some of the wells with high NO_(3)^(−)concentrations,this behavior can be attributed to evaporation during the incorporation of recently infiltrated water.In addition,the results for^(13)C(along with ^(2) H)in wells with the highest N-NH_(3)concentrations exhibited an atypically broad range of values.Results indicated the occurrence of hydrogeochemical and/or biochemical processes in the aquifer(in an oxidizing or reducing environment),such as organic degradation,bacterial decomposition(primarily in the ancient Lake Texcoco and which acts as a natural sink for carbon,nitrogen,sulfur,and phosphorus),besides rock weathering and dissolution,which may be responsible for a very marked isotopic modification of the^(13)C(and,to a lesser extent,2 H).Methanotrophic bacterial activity and methanogenic activity may be related to N-NH_(3)removal processes by oxidation and residual water incorporation respectively,whereas the increase in the NO_(3)^(−)content in some wells is due to the recent contribution of poor-quality water due to contamination.

Dendritic spine degeneration:a primary mechanism in the aging process

Recent reports suggest that aging is not solely a physiological process in living beings;instead, it should be considered a pathological process or disease(Amorim et al., 2022). Consequently, this process involves a wide range of factors, spanning from genetic to environmental factors, and even includes the gut microbiome(GM)(Mayer et al., 2022). All these processes coincide at some point in the inflammatory process, oxidative stress, and apoptosis, at different degrees in various organs and systems that constitute a living organism(Mayer et al., 2022;AguilarHernández et al., 2023).

Analysis of the Meteorological Variables for Puebla City 2011-2012 Applying the Modeling Ion-Wavelets in a Hypothetical Manner

This work presents the results of the analysis of meteorological variables applying the modeling Ion-Wavelets in a hypothetical manner. In this case the Morlet wavelet transform is used, which is the result of a huge number of researches made in the80’s and applied to various physical phenomena derived from natural chaotic processes;the data were processed using the phenomenon “El Nino” and CO2 (Carbon dioxide) due to the fact that these are the meteorological phenomena which best adapt to our object of study correlating with distribution of Gauss and Morlet during the study period in the Puebla Valley.

Analysis of Ozone Behaviour in the City of Puebla-Mexico Using Non-Homogeneous Poisson Models with Multiple Change-Points

In this work, some non-homogeneous Poisson models are considered to study the behaviour of ozone in the city of Puebla, Mexico. Several functions are used as the rate function for the non-homogeneous Poisson process. In addition to their dependence on time, these rate functions also depend on some parameters that need to be estimated. In order to estimate them, a Bayesian approach will be taken. The expressions for the distributions of the parameters involved in the models are very complex. Therefore, Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithms are used to estimate them. The methodology is applied to the ozone data from the city of Puebla, Mexico.

Air Quality Estimation Using Nonhomogeneous Markov Chains: A Case Study Comparing Two Rules Applied to Mexico City Data

A nonhomogeneous Markov chain is applied to the study of the air quality classification in Mexico City when the so-called criterion pollutants are used. We consider the indices associated with air quality using two regulations where different ways of classification are taken into account. Parameters of the model are the initial and transition probabilities of the chain. They are estimated under the Bayesian point of view through samples generated directly from the corresponding posterior distributions. Using the estimated parameters, the probability of having an air quality index in a given hour of the day is obtained.

Adhesion of <i>Gallibacterium anatis</i>to Chicken Oropharyngeal Epithelial Cells and the Identification of Putative Fimbriae

Microbial infections are typically initiated by the colonization of tissues by a specific mechanism that promotes adherence to host cells or tissues. In this work, we characterized the ability of Gallibacterium anatis F149T to express fimbriae that may be involved in mucosal attachment. Using transmission electron microscopy, the fimbriae-like structures could be observed on the surface of negatively stained G. anatis F149T, and these structures were further visualized after being released by physical shaking. When the fimbriae-like structures were separated by SDS-PAGE, the proteins comprising them were isolated and sized at 13 and 25 kDa. G. anatis F149T was able to adhere to chicken oropharyngeal epithelial cells. Adhesion could be completely inhibited by pretreatment of the bacterial cells with trypsin, whereas 25% inhibition was attained after pretreatment with an antiserum against the 13 kDa protein. We demonstrated by immuno-gold electron microscopy that the antibodies from the antiserum were specifically associated with the fimbria-like structures on G. anatis. These results indicated that G. anatis F149T expresses fimbriae that contribute to its adhesion to chicken oropharyngeal epithelial cells and may be important for colonization of the upper respiratory tract.

Update on vascular endothelial Ca^(2+) signalling:A tale of ion channels,pumps and transporters

A monolayer of endothelial cells (ECs) lines the lumen of blood vessels and forms a multifunctional transducing organ that mediates a plethora of cardiovascular processes. The activation of ECs from as state of quiescence is, therefore, regarded among the early events leading to the onset and progression of potentially lethal diseases, such as hypertension, myocardial infarction, brain stroke, and tumor. Intracellular Ca2+ signals have long been know to play a central role in the complex network of signaling pathways regulating the endothelial functions. Notably, recent work has outlined how any change in the pattern of expression of endothelial channels, transporters and pumps involved in the modulation of intracellular Ca2+ levels may dramatically affect whole body homeostasis. Vascular ECs may react to both mechanical and chemical stimuli by generating a variety of intracellular Ca2+ signals, ranging from brief, localized Ca2+ pulses to prolonged Ca2+ oscillations engulfing the whole cytoplasm. The well-defined spatiotemporal profile of the subcellular Ca2+ signals elicited in ECs by specific extracellular inputs depends on the interaction between Ca2+ releasing channels, which arelocated both on the plasma membrane and in a number of intracellular organelles, and Ca2+ removing systems. The present article aims to summarize both the past and recent literature in the field to provide a clear-cut picture of our current knowledge on the molecular nature and the role played by the components of the Ca2+ machinery in vascular ECs under both physiological and pathological conditions.

Modified combustion synthesis of g-LiAlO_2 using metal oxides

An alternative solution for the direct formation of?-LiAlO2 was presented by a modified combustion method,to apply it to rather simple systems,utilizing non-oxidizer compounds such as Al2O3 and LiOH,and urea as fuel.LiAlO2 was prepared via non-stoichiometric 1:1,1.5:1 and 2:1 of Li/Al molar ratios at 900 and 1000°C for 5 min.Textural and structural characterization ofγ-LiAlO2 was performed.Also,the effect of different Li/Al molar ratios on material morphology and its stability before high gamma radiation gradients was evaluated.The results showed that the crystal structures of the obtained powders wereγ-LiAlO2 and?-LiAlO2,depending on the Li/Al molar ratio.The results obtained demonstrate that?-LiAlO2 microbricks,polyhedral and laminar shapes can be successfully synthesized with the proposed method and without any subsequent process.Additionally,gamma irradiation showed that the?-LiAlO2 obtained does not decompose,forming only small amounts of Li2CO3.It can be established that the irradiation produces consolidation,which is not favourable for an efficient extraction of tritium.Finally,it could be demonstrated that nitrate precursors are not necessary in the combustion method to produceγ-LiAlO2 with high purity.

Resveratrol effects on neural connectivity during aging

Aging has been considered a natural process of any living being.The rate of aging depends on many factors,including genetic and environmental factors.For this reason,many researchers in this field suggest that aging is an epigenetic process.Nowadays,the age groups have undergone a change.

Cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor transfection in dopamine neurons using neurotensin-polyplex nanoparticles reverses 6-hydroxydopamine-induced nigrostriatal neurodegeneration

Overexpression of neurotrophic factors in nigral dopamine neurons is a promising approach to reverse neurodegeneration of the nigrostriatal dopamine system,a hallmark in Parkinson's disease.The human cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor(h CDNF)has recently emerged as a strong candidate for Parkinson's disease therapy.This study shows that h CDNF expression in dopamine neurons using the neurotensinpolyplex nanoparticle system reverses 6-hydroxydopamine-induced morphological,biochemical,and behavioral alterations.Three independent electron microscopy techniques showed that the neurotensin-polyplex nanoparticles containing the h CDNF gene,ranging in size from 20 to 150 nm,enabled the expression of a secretable h CDNF in vitro.Their injection in the substantia nigra compacta on day 21 after the 6-hydroxydopamine lesion resulted in detectable h CDNF in dopamine neurons,whose levels remained constant throughout the study in the substantia nigra compacta and striatum.Compared with the lesioned group,tyrosine hydroxylase-positive(TH^(+))nigral cell population and TH+fiber density rose in the substantia nigra compacta and striatum after h CDNF transfection.An increase inβIII-tubulin and growth-associated protein 43 phospho-S41(GAP43 p)followed TH^(+)cell recovery,as well as dopamine and its catabolite levels.Partial reversal(80%)of drugactivated circling behavior and full recovery of spontaneous motor and non-motor behavior were achieved.Brain-derived neurotrophic factor recovery in dopamine neurons that also occurred suggests its participation in the neurotrophic effects.These findings support the potential of nanoparticle-mediated h CDNF gene delivery to develop a disease-modifying treatment against Parkinson's disease.The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados approved our experimental procedures for animal use(authorization No.162-15)on June 9,2019.

Detection of Mycoplasmas in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive degenerative disease of the motor neurons and the cause is unknown. Diverse factors such as genetic defects, nutritional deficiencies, head trauma, environmental toxin, autoimmune responses and viral and bacterial infections are involved. Mycoplasmas have been implicated as causal agents of different illnesses in human. The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence of mycoplasmas in the bloodstream of patients with ALS. Patients with ALS and healthy individuals were included in the study. A blood sample was taken in tubes with or without anticoagulant. Mycoplasmas were detected by culture or direct PCR, and the presence of antibodies IgM and IgG against LAMPs of these microorganisms by Western blot. Cultures for aerobic facultative bacteria were also done. Blood samples from 13 patients and 44 healthy individuals were screened. All blood cultures for non-fermentative mycoplasmas and aerobic facultative bacteria were negative. Cultures for fermentative mycoplasmas were considered positive after identification of mycoplasmal DNA by PCR. Mycoplasma sp. was detected by culture or direct PCR in 6/13 (46%) patients and in 4/44 (9%) of healthy individuals. M. fermentans was detected by PCR using specific primers in six patients and in two healthy individuals. IgM against LAMPs of M. fermentans were detected in 6/13 (46%) blood samples from patients and in 13/44 (30%) from healthy individuals, while. IgG was detected in 4/13 (31%) patients and in 3/44 (7%) healthy individuals. The results of this study show that mycoplasmas cause a systemic infection and could play a role in the origin or progression of the ALS.

Chemical Characterisation of the Industrial Residues of the Pineapple (Ananas comosus)

In Mexico pineapple processing produces industrial residues with a high concentration of dietary fibre. The aim of this study was to quantify the constituents of the fibrous residues from the industrial processing of pineapples which exhibited low concentrations of lignin.

Presence of Mycoplasma Spp.in Patients with Asthma or Allergic Rhinitis

Objective: To compare the presence of Mycoplasma spp. in pharyngeal swabs of patients with asthma, allergic rhinitis and controls, also to compare the reactivity to allergens in the three groups. Material and Methods: Throat swabs of 120 patients with asthma, 211 allergic rhinitis patients and 171 healthy persons were cultured in E media. Positive cultures were identified by PCR. Susceptibility of patients positive for isolation of Mycoplasma spp. to indoor, forest and undergrowth allergens were determined. Results: Mycoplasma spp. was isolated in 26.6% of samples from asthmatic patients, 36% in patients with allergic rhinitis and 2.9% in the group of healthy persons. Positive patients for Mycoplasma with asthma and allergic rhinitis showed susceptibility tomite, grass and thunder mainly. Conclusion: There is a higher incidence of Mycoplasma spp. in asthmatic and allergic rhinitis patients than healthy persons. Only patients with asthma or allergic rhinitis showed reactivity to environmental allergens.

Random noise stimulation in the treatment of patients with neurological disorders

Random noise stimulation technique involves applying any form of energy(for instance,light,mechanical,electrical,sound)with unpredictable intensities through time to the brain or sensory receptors to enhance sensory,motor,or cognitive functions.Random noise stimulation initially employed mechanical noise in auditory and cutaneous stimuli,but electrical energies applied to the brain or the skin are becoming more frequent,with a series of clinical applications.Indeed,recent evidence shows that transcranial random noise stimulation can increase corticospinal excitability,improve cognitive/motor performance,and produce beneficial aftereffects at the behavioral and psychological levels.Here,we present a narrative review about the potential uses of random noise stimulation to treat neurological disorders,including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,schizophrenia,amblyopia,myopia,tinnitus,multiple sclerosis,post-stroke,vestibular-postural disorders,and sensitivity loss.Many of the reviewed studies reveal that the optimal way to deliver random noise stimulation-based therapies is with the concomitant use of neurological and neuropsychological assessments to validate the beneficial aftereffects.In addition,we highlight the requirement of more randomized controlled trials and more physiological studies of random noise stimulation to discover another optimal way to perform the random noise stimulation interventions.

Potential seed germination-enhancing plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria for restoration of Pinus chiapensis ecosystems

Rhizosphere soil samples of three Pinus chiapensis sites were analyzed for their physicochemical properties,soil bacteria isolated and screened in vitro for growthpromoting abilities.Nine isolates that showed promise were identified to five genera Dyella,Luteimonas,Euterobacter,Paraburkholderia and Bacillus based on the sequences of16 S rRNA gene.All the strains were isolated from nondisturbed stands.These bacteria significantly decreased germination time and increased sprout sizes.Indole acetic acid and gibberellin production and phosphate solubilisation were detected.Results indicate that these biochemicals could be essential for P.chiapensis distribution and suggest the possibility that PGPR inoculation on P.chiapensis seeds prior to planting could improve germination and possibly seedling development.

Synthesis of activated carbons from black sapote seeds,characterization and application in the elimination of heavy metals and textile dyes

Many different techniques may be used to remove industrial pollutants from wastewater. Adsorption using activated carbon has been reported to be an effective method. This work proposes the use of a vegetable residue(black sapote seeds) as a raw material for its synthesis. These carbons were chemically activated using phosphoric acid and carbonized at 673 and 873 K. Adsorption isotherms were constructed for the textile dyes on the carbons, and this data was treated using Langmuir’s equation to quantitatively describe the adsorption process. The synthesized carbons were characterized using FTIR, EA, SEM, Nitrogen adsorption(specific surface areas of 879 and 652 m2·g-1), and their points of zero charge(2.1 and 2.3). It was possible to adsorb both heavy metals and textile dyes present in aqueous solutions and wastewaters using these activated carbons. Heavy metals were adsorbed almost completely by both carbons. Cationic dyes where adsorbed(58–59.8 mg·g-1) in greater amounts compared to anionic dyes(10–58.8 mg·g-1). The amount of anionic dyes adsorbed increased almost 30% by changing the pH of the solutions. One of the carbons was thermally regenerated on three occasions without losing its adsorption capacity and it was proved in a flow system.

Effect of brazing parameters on fillet size and microstructure of cladded fin-microchannel tube joints

This work concerns the optimization of furnace brazing conditions for joining micro-multiport aluminum tubes and fins made with AA4343/AA3003/AA4343 brazing sheet in mini-assemblies mimicking the core of an automotive heat exchanger.Taguchi method was used for design of experiment,considering five process parameters with two levels of values.The aim was to maximize the fillet size of the brazed joints,which has an important influence on the thermal integrity and mechanical properties.Fillet length measurements of brazed joints were performed with a metallographic microscope.The statistical analysis allowed to obtain the optimum values of process parameters(peak temperature,residence time,heating rate,microchannel tube type and flux).At a 95%confidence level,the variability of fillet length is most significantly affected by the peak brazing temperature(77%),residence time(15%)and heating rate(7%).The predicted maximum fillet length was(152±11)μm,which was corroborated by confirmation trials.The microstructural analysis of tube−fin joints showed that variations in peak temperature and residence time affect only the size of the eutectic zone of fillet formed,but not the nature or composition of the constituent phases.

Potential role of noise to improve intracortical microstimulation in tactile neuroprostheses

The intracortical microstimulation(ICMS) from 40 to 100 μA is useful to elicit tactile sensations,which could be employed in neuroprostheses to control the robotic arms' movement.However,this electrical current applied for prolonged periods of time could damage the neuronal tissue.Therefore,there is a necessity to create new strategies for the practical use of ICMS in a safe intensity range for potential clinical applications in tetraplegic patients.Here we describe crucial studies supporting the use of electrical and optical noise to guarantee a safe ICMS delivered through brain-machine interface technologies.

Atypical antipsychotics, more than just an antipsychotic

Antipsychotics are the prescribed drugs for schizophrenia.The first substance used for antipsychotic purposes appeared in 1952 and it was a general anesthetic:chlorpromazine.The use of this drug was mainly because of its effects on violent behavior instead of sedation in patients,which“controls”the psychotic episodes and prevents psychosis relapse.Since then,pharmaceutical antipsychotics have been developed,producing second-generation or atypical drugs.These drugs arose with the synthesis of clozapine in the late‘50s,which represented(and still represent)the“guide molecule”for the development of these substances,because of its effectiveness on the symptomatology of the disease.

On the potential of documenting decadal-scale avifaunal change from before-and-after comparisons of museum and observational data across North America

Studies of biodiversity dynamics have been cast on either long(systematics)or short(ecology)time scales,leaving a gap in coverage for moderate time scales of decades to centuries.Large-scale biodiversity information resources now available offer opportunities to fill this gap for many parts of the world via detailed,quantitative comparisons of assemblage composition,particularly for regions without rich time series datasets.We explore the possibility that such changes in avifaunas across the United States and Canada before and after the first three decades of marked global change(i.e.,prior to 1980 versus after 2010)can be reconstructed and characterized from existing primary biodiversity data.As an illustration of the potential of this methodology for sites even in regions not as well sampled as the United States and Canada,we also explored changes at a single site in Mexico(Chichén-Itzá).We analyzed two large-scale datasets:one summarizing bird records in the United States and Canada before 1980,and one for the same region after 2010.We used probabilistic inventory completeness analyses to identify sites that have avifaunas that have likely been inventoried more or less completely.We prepared detailed comparisons between the two time periods to analyze species showing distributional changes over the time period analyzed.We identified 139 sites on a 0.05°grid that were demonstrably well-inventoried before 1980 in the United States and Canada,of which 108 were also well-inventoried after 2010.Comparing presence/absence patterns between the two time periods for 601 bird species,we found significant spatial autocorrelation in overall avifaunal turnover(species gained and lost),but not in numbers of species lost.We noted potential northward retractions of ranges of several species with high-latitude(boreal)distributions,while other species showed dominant patterns of population loss,either rangewide(e.g.,Tympanuchus cupido)or regionally(e.g.,Thryomanes bewickii).We developed linear models to explore a suite of potential drivers of species loss at relatively fine-grained resolutions(<6km),finding significant effects of precipitation increase,particularly on the eastern border of the United States and Canada.Our exploration of biotic change in Chichén-Itzáincluded 265 species and showed intriguing losses from the local avifauna(e.g.,Patagioenas speciosa),as well as vagrant and recent invasive species in the Yucatán Peninsula.The present work documents both the potential for and the problems involved in an approach integrating primary biodiversity data across time periods.This method potentially allows researchers to assess intermediate-time-scale biodiversity dynamics that can reveal patterns of change in biodiversity-rich regions that lack extensive time-series information.