Participation of Mexican Civil Society Organizations in scientific publications

Scientometrics - We present a bibliometric study, from the perspective of the mode 2 knowledge production, from a transdisciplinary point of view (Gibbons et al. in The new production of knowledge:...     

Purinergic Receptor Blockade with Suramin Increases Survival of Postnatal Neural Progenitor Cells In Vitro

Neural progenitor cells (NPCs) are self-renewing and multipotent cells that persist in the postnatal and adult brain in the subventricular zone and the hippocampus. NPCs can be expanded in vitro to be used in cell therapy. However, expansion is limited, since the survival and proliferation of adult NPCs decrease with serial passages. Many signaling pathways control NPC survival and renewal. Among these, purinergic receptor activation exerts differential effects on the biology of adult NPCs depending on the cellular context. In this study, we sought to analyze the effect of a general blockade of purinergic receptors with suramin on the proliferation and survival of NPCs isolated from the subventricular zone of postnatal rats, which are cultured as neurospheres. Treatment of neurospheres with suramin induced a significant increase in neurosphere diameter and in NPC number attributed to a decrease in apoptosis. Proliferation and multipotency were not affected. Suramin also induced an increase in the gap junction protein connexin43 and in vascular endothelial growth factor, which might be involved in the anti-apoptotic effect. Our results offer a valuable tool for increasing NPC survival before implantation in the lesioned brain and open the possibility of using this drug as adjunctive therapy to NPC transplantation.     

Sustainable lignin-based polyols as promising thermal energy storage materials

Six lignin-based polyols (LBPs) have been prepared by cationic ring opening polymerization of an oxirane in the presence of an organosolv lignin in tetrahydrofuran (THF) as reaction media and co-monomer. The prepared LBPs have been characterized and tested for the first time as phase change materials (PCMs) for thermal energy storage (TES) at low temperature. It was found a strong influence of the LBPs composition on their performance to storage thermal energy. Thus, LBPs with higher THF wt% content and lower oxirane/THF mass ratio exhibit the highest latent heats. Furthermore, a clear inversely proportional trend between the oxirane/THF mass ratio and the melting temperatures of the prepared LBPs was noticed. Among the prepared LBPs, the highest obtained latent heat was 53.7 J/g demonstrating the potential application of lignin as feedstock for PCMs preparation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that a biomass derived PCM based on lignin has been studied and considered for TES applications at low temperature. LBPs show energetic solid–liquid transitions that point out their promising potential as bio-PCMs. This work paves the way to introduce new bio-based PCMs from lignin in TES systems, for example, in a more sustainable construction sector.     

Thermophysical and optical properties of NiCo2O4@ZrO2: A potential composite for thermochemical processes

The use of solar energy through thermochemical processes is an important approach to drive endothermic reactions to produce solar fuels such as hydrogen or syngas. This work reports the preparation and the thermophysical characterization of a porous composite based on zirconium dioxide (ZrO₂) and nickel cobaltite (NiCo₂O₄) nanoparticles for applications in thermochemical processes at high temperatures. The ZrO₂ supports were modified with NiCo₂O₄ nanoparticles by a low-cost and straightforward impregnation process following by thermal treatment at 773 K. The impregnated NiCo₂O₄ obtained is formed by nanoparticles with an average size of 50 nm favoring a complete and homogenous covering of ZrO₂ supports. The thermal properties of ZrO₂ supports and NiCo₂O₄@ZrO₂ composites were evaluated in the temperature range from 300 to 1250 K. Besides, the solar absorbance and thermal emittance values were measured. After depositing the nickel cobaltite nanoparticles in the supports, it has been observed that the thermal properties have changed slightly so that the added nanoparticles do not significantly change the thermal performance of the materials. The nickel cobaltite nanoparticles deposited on the surface of the ZrO₂ supports causes a strong increase in solar absorbance. This improves the efficiency of solar thermal conversion. Our results have shown that NiCo₂O₄@ZrO₂ has excellent characteristics to be used in solar thermochemical processes.     

Rumination time around dry-off relative to the development of diseases in early-lactation cows

Monitoring rumination time (RT) around the time of calving is an effective way of identifying cows at risk of disease in early lactation. However, this only allows for the identification of cows a few days before the onset of clinical signs; thus, effective preventive measures cannot be implemented. Recent research has suggested that biomarkers of immune and metabolic function measured at dry-off (DO) can predict higher disease risk in early lactation. Nevertheless, the extent to which RT around DO is associated with early-lactation disease risk remains unexplored. Thus, the objective of this study was to compare RT in the weeks before and after DO between cows that did and did not experience health disorders in early lactation. For this, we conducted an observational retrospective cohort study utilizing the records available from a large commercial dairy herd in which RT is recorded daily using an automated system. Daily RT from ?7 to +14 d relative to DO from 2,258 DO cycles and their respective health records in the first 60 d in milk were used. Differences in RT between animals with and without a disease history were tested with the Student t-test with Bonferroni adjustment. Mixed linear regression analyses were performed to assess differences in RT around DO and the association of RT with the occurrence of mastitis, metritis, retained placenta, hyperketonemia, lameness, hypocalcemia, pneumonia, and displaced abomasum. Rumination time decreased abruptly at DO and remained lower for 3 to 4 d compared with the days before DO. On average, cows affected by hyperketonemia and lameness ruminated 9.83 ± 6.40 and 15.00 ± 6.08 min/d less than unaffected cows, respectively. Cows that developed lameness in the first 60 d in milk showed reduced RT from 1 to 3 d following DO compared with cows that were not diagnosed with lameness in early lactation. However, RT around DO was not associated with the occurrence of the other health disorders studied here. Our results demonstrate that DO is a stressful event for dairy cows resulting in decreased RT for several days. Furthermore, the association between RT around DO and some early-lactation diseases suggests that RT could be a useful tool to identify at-risk cows early enough to allow for preventive interventions. Further studies should investigate the diagnostic utility of incorporating RT data early in the dry period in the disease prediction algorithms of rumination sensors.     

Effect of 1-D and 2-D carbon-based nano-reinforcements on the dry sliding-wear behaviour of 3Y-TZP ceramics

The dry sliding-wear behaviour of a zirconia doped with 3 mol% yttria (3Y-TZP) monolithic and of two 3Y-TZP composites, these latter with the same ultrafine-grained microstructure as the former but reinforced with either 1-D carbon nanofibres (CNFs) or 2-D reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanoplatelets, was evaluated by ball-on-disk tests at moderate load, and compared critically. It was found that 3Y-TZP, 3Y-TZP/CNFs, and 3Y-TZP/rGO undergo mild wear, in the three cases by abrasion with contributions from both plastic deformation and fracture (with varying severities depending on the sample). It was also found that wear resistance does not correlate with hardness or toughness, but with whether or not there is formation of self-lubricating tribofilms on the contact surface. Specifically, once pulled-out, 2-D rGO nano-reinforcements impose solid-state lubrication that reduces the coefficient of friction (CoF), thus providing 3Y-TZP/rGO with superior wear resistance relative to both 3Y-TZP and 3Y-TZP/CNFs. 1-D CNF nano-reinforcements, however, do not form such tribofilms, or hardly do so, thus having no effect on the CoF and wear resistance. Implications are discussed of both the dimensionality of the carbon-based nano-reinforcements and the testing conditions for the microstructural design of ceramic composites for tribological applications.     

Colour appearance in immersive three‐dimensional virtual environments

Technology is constantly evolving and, consequently, all the technological advances taking place are regularly integrated into the daily life of society. During recent years, there has been a trend towards virtual resources such as teleworking, telemedicine and e‐commerce. In many countries, this virtualisation process has been accelerated by the changing circumstances caused by the COVID‐19 pandemic. In any case, there is a growing demand for virtual systems, and virtual reality is a suitable field for the application of a multitude of solutions. However, advances in virtual reality occur without any regard to colour science, and there are several challenges to be overcome to improve the visual appearance and fidelity of colour reproduction in all types of related devices. This paper discusses three open issues related to the visual appearance and visual fidelity of virtual reality systems. We believe it is necessary to direct future research efforts in each of these directions to secure improvements in the visual fidelity of virtual reality systems.     

Role of Innate and Adaptive Cytokines in the Survival of COVID-19 Patients

SARS-CoV-2 is a new coronavirus characterized by a high infection and transmission capacity. A significant number of patients develop inadequate immune responses that produce massive releases of cytokines that compromise their survival. Soluble factors are clinically and pathologically relevant in COVID-19 survival but remain only partially characterized. The objective of this work was to simultaneously study 62 circulating soluble factors, including innate and adaptive cytokines and their soluble receptors, chemokines and growth and wound-healing/repair factors, in severe COVID-19 patients who survived compared to those with fatal outcomes. Serum samples were obtained from 286 COVID-19 patients and 40 healthy controls. The 62 circulating soluble factors were quantified using a Luminex Milliplex assay. Results. The patients who survived had decreased levels of the following 30 soluble factors of the 62 studied compared to those with fatal outcomes, therefore, these decreases were observed for cytokines and receptors predominantly produced by the innate immune system—IL-1α, IL-1α, IL-18, IL-15, IL-12p40, IL-6, IL-27, IL-1Ra, IL-1RI, IL-1RII, TNFα, TGFα, IL-10, sRAGE, sTNF-RI and sTNF-RII—for the chemokines IL-8, IP-10, MCP-1, MCP-3, MIG and fractalkine; for the growth factors M-CSF and the soluble receptor sIL2Ra; for the cytokines involved in the adaptive immune system IFNγ, IL-17 and sIL-4R; and for the wound-repair factor FGF2. On the other hand, the patients who survived had elevated levels of the soluble factors TNFβ, sCD40L, MDC, RANTES, G-CSF, GM-CSF, EGF, PDGFAA and PDGFABBB compared to those who died. Conclusions. Increases in the circulating levels of the sCD40L cytokine; MDC and RANTES chemokines; the G-CSF and GM-CSF growth factors, EGF, PDGFAA and PDGFABBB; and tissue-repair factors are strongly associated with survival. By contrast, large increases in IL-15, IL-6, IL-18, IL-27 and IL-10; the sIL-1RI, sIL1RII and sTNF-RII receptors; the MCP3, IL-8, MIG and IP-10 chemokines; the M-CSF and sIL-2Ra growth factors; and the wound-healing factor FGF2 favor fatal outcomes of the disease.     

Exploring the Potential of Wire Fed Direct Energy Deposition of Aluminum–Boron Nitride Nanotube Composite: Microstructural Evolution and Mechanical Properties

Recent advancements have shown great promise in utilizing wire-fed direct energy deposition (DED) for building aluminum alloy structures. However, utilizing the wire-fed DED approach for fabricating metal matrix composite structures remains a significant challenge. Herein, a wire-based additive manufacturing process is used to successfully produce a 1D boron nitride nanotube (BNNT)-reinforced aluminum composite with high strength. Al-BNNT electrode is developed in house. The microstructural changes that occur during layer-by-layer deposition are investigated. The grain morphology changes from equiaxed grains in the bottom layer to columnar grains in the top layer. BNNTs act as nuclei to promote the formation of equiaxed grains and interfacial compounds (AlN and AlB₂) during solidification. This results in improved strength, with Al-BNNT composite exhibiting a tensile strength of 47 MPa, 2.3 times higher than its pure Al. Higher strength is attributed to the retention and uniform distribution of BNNT reinforcement in the melt pool, leading to effective load transfer. This study demonstrates the potential of additive manufacturing for producing high-performance metal matrix composites with novel 1D reinforcements and improved multifunctional properties.