De Investigaciones Research Articles

Advancing Knowledge in Forest Water Use Efficiency Under Global Climate Change Through Scientometric Analysis

Forests are critical in regulation of carbon and water cycles and mitigation of climate change. Forest water-use efficiency (WUE) refers to the ratio of biomass produced (or assimilated carbon) to the amount of water used by forests, which indicates how effectively a forest utilizes water to achieve productivity. Climate change and its impact on forest WUE are important research directions that explore the complex relationship between global environmental change and the forest ecosystem dynamics. The global intensification of climate change underscores the need for an inclusive understanding of forest water use and makes it crucial to know how forests balance carbon and water resources, which is essential for effective forest management and predicting ecosystem responses to climate change. This study aims to comprehensively and objectively analyze current research trends and future directions related to the response of forest WUE to climate change. Our database included 1755 research papers from the Web of Science Core Collection, spanning from 2000 to 2023. Our analysis included cooperative networks of countries, authors, and institutions, as well as the most frequently cited journals and articles, keyword co-occurrence analysis, and a keyword burst analysis. The results showed that the top cooperative country, author, and institution is PR China, Prof. Dr. Jesús Julio Camarero from the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, respectively. The leading journal in this field is “Global Change Biology”. Critical research hot topics include gas exchange, modeling, altitudinal gradients, tree growth dynamics, net carbon exchange, global change drivers, tropical forests, nitrogen stoichiometry, Northern China plains, and extreme drought conditions. Frontier topics that have emerged in recent years include studies on China’s Loess Plateau, stable isotopes, radial growth, gross primary productivity, and Scots pine. The insights from this analysis are vital for researchers, decision-makers, and forestry professionals aiming to mitigate the impacts of climate change on forest WUE and overall ecosystem health and resilience. This study emphasizes the importance of sustained research efforts and global research collaboration in addressing the intricate challenges posed by climate change to forest ecosystems.

ECR Spotlight – Miguel López-Unzu

ECR Spotlight is a series of interviews with early-career authors from a selection of papers published in Journal of Experimental Biology and aims to promote not only the diversity of early-career researchers (ECRs) working in experimental biology but also the huge variety of animals and physiological systems that are essential for the ‘comparative’ approach. Miguel López-Unzu is an author on ‘ The myoarchitecture of the vertebrate cardiac ventricles: evolution and classification’, published in JEB. Miguel conducted the research described in this article while a Postdoctoral Researcher in Prof. Ana Carmen Durán and Prof. Borja Fernández's lab at Universidad de Málaga, Spain. Miguel is now a Postdoctoral Researcher in the lab of Prof. Jorge Alegre-Cebollada at Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares, Spain, investigating the heart muscle, the myocardium, in order to help improve cardiovascular health.

Occurrence of Yam Mosaic Virus and Yam Mild Mosaic Virus on Dioscorea spp. Germplasm Collection in Cuba-Epidemiology of Associated Diseases.

Potyvirus diseases are one of the main challenges facing the production of yam (Dioscorea spp.). The objective of this study was to identify the potyviruses present in the Dioscorea spp. germplasm collection at Instituto de Investigaciones de Viandas Tropicales (INIVIT) to establish methodologies for the characterization of the associated diseases. For this purpose, immunochemical and molecular methods were used to identify the potyviruses present. The symptomatology of Dioscorea spp. at INIVIT's germplasm collection was described. In addition, the severity and incidence in the germplasm collection and production areas were evaluated. As a result, the first report of yam mosaic virus (Potyvirus yamtesselati) and yam mild mosaic virus (Potyvirus yamplacidum) in Cuba is presented. The existence of resistant, tolerant, and susceptible cultivars to potyvirus-associated diseases in the germplasm collection was detected, and the incidence of these diseases was higher than 64% in the production areas evaluated. This study represents a step forward in the establishment of certification programs for propagating material of Dioscorea spp. in Cuba.

The Sun May Not Rise For Us Next Year: Draft of Manifesto of 1961

Abstract: This critical introduction presents a little-known typewritten manifesto draft by Leonora Carrington from the Fondo Documental Laurette Séjourné, preserved at the Archivo Histórico, Instituto de Investigaciones Estéticas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Dated August 1961 and so predating her better-known political writings, the archival text pays witness to Carrington’s ecologically motivated anti-war activism as part of her political consciousness from the 1960s onward.

First person – Rebeca Piñeiro-Sabarís

ABSTRACT First Person is a series of interviews with the first authors of a selection of papers published in Disease Models & Mechanisms, helping researchers promote themselves alongside their papers. Rebeca Piñeiro-Sabarís is first author on ‘ Deficient GATA6–CXCR7 signaling leads to bicuspid aortic valve’, published in DMM. Rebeca is a postdoc in the lab of José Luis de la Pompa at Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares, Madrid, Spain, investigating the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying congenital heart defects.

Interim CEO Successions: Implications for CEO Successor Selection and Subsequent Firm Performance

Prior research highlights that interim CEO successions are disruptive for firms. Yet boards appoint interim CEOs in order to focus on finding the right person to take over permanently, suggesting they may offer benefits to CEO selection. Considering these two views, this paper compares the firm performance of CEOs appointed following an interim period with that of CEOs appointed in a direct succession. We argue that, owing to the disruption caused by the interim appointment, firm performance under a CEO appointed following an interim period will be poorer than under a CEO appointed in a direct succession. However, we posit that, in circumstances in which obtaining and processing the information relevant to CEO selection is more difficult, the interim period may be particularly helpful in selecting the most fitting successor and ultimately weakening the associated performance penalty. Using a sample of CEO successions that occurred in S&P 1500 firms between the years 2002 and 2016, we find general support for our hypotheses. This paper, thus, demonstrates that the subsequent performance consequences of appointing an interim CEO depends on the difficulty of selecting the firm’s next permanent CEO. Funding: We gratefully acknowledge financial support from the Spanish FEDER/Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion – Agencia Estatal de Investigacion [Grant PID2021-123450OB-I00].

Comparison of parasitological methods for the identification of soil-transmitted helminths, including Strongyloides stercoralis, in a regional reference laboratory in northwestern Argentina: An observational study

Soil-transmitted helminths (STH) are a significant public health problem in impoverished communities of tropical and subtropical areas. Improved diagnostic methods are crucial for Neglected Tropical Diseases programs, particularly for S. stercoralis, as traditional methods are inadequate. Thus, it is important to identify the most accurate and efficient methods for the diagnosis of STH. We performed a retrospective study analyzing laboratory data at the Instituto de Investigaciones de Enfermedades Tropicales from 2010 to 2019. The study included data from outpatients referred for stool analysis and public health interventions from urban and rural communities in northern Salta province, Argentina. Samples were included in this analysis if processed through sedimentation/concentration, Baermann, Harada-Mori and McMaster's, with a subgroup that also included Agar plate culture method (APC). Sensitivity was calculated against a composite reference standard. Of the 5625 samples collected, 944 qualified for this analysis, with a prevalence of 11.14% for A. lumbricoides, 8.16% for hookworm, 1.38% for T. trichiura, and 6.36% for S. stercoralis. The sedimentation/concentration method was the most sensitive for A. lumbricoides (96%), compared to the McMaster method, with a sensitivity of 62%. Similarly, for hookworms, sedimentation/concentration was more sensitive than McMaster's, Harada-Mori, and Baermann with sensitivities of 87%, 70%, 43%, and 13%, respectively. Most of these infections were of light intensity. For S. stercoralis, Baermann and sedimentation/concentration methods were the most sensitive, with 70% and 62% respectively, while Harada-Mori was the least sensitive. In a subset of 389 samples also analyzed by the APC, Baermann was more sensitive than APC for detecting S. stercoralis, and both methods were superior to Harada-Mori. Parasitological methods, mostly when used combined, offer adequate opportunities for the diagnosis of STH in clinical and public health laboratories. The incorporation of S. stercoralis into the control strategies of the World Health Organization requires rethinking the current diagnostic approach used for surveys. With sedimentation/concentration and Baermann appearing as the most sensitive methods for this species. Further studies, including implementation assessments, should help in identifying the most adequate and feasible all-STH diagnostic approach.

Augusto Monterroso en la UNAM

This article is an investigation, based on the historical and labor archives of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (unam), of Augusto Monterro-so’s professional career at that institution. Monterroso joined unam in the 1950s as a proofreader. This job gave him the economic stability to develop a literary work of great formal experimentation, that practiced with literary genres of little popularity and diffusion at the time (minifiction, short stories, essays). His literary capital and his friendship with key figures such as Rubén Bonifaz Nuño helped him to join the Facultad de Filosofía y Letras, as a professor of a writing workshop, and the Instituto de Investigaciones Filológicas, as a researcher. The University provided Monterroso with: 1- the necessary economic stability to keep his distance from literary fashions and follow an aesthetic of formal complexity; 2- an active relationship as editor and corrector of classical works and the Western canon, which were the foundation of his poetics, and 3- the tools of literary criticism necessary for the writing of a playful literary essay with marked intertextual features. Keywords:archives; formal experimentation; academy; biography; Mexican literature

CRUZAS SIMPLES PROGENITORAS E HÍBRIDO TRILINEAL DE MAÍZ H-53 AE: DENSIDADES Y PRODUCTIVIDAD

<p><strong>Background</strong>. The use of improved seeds in Mexico is limited. To increase its use and improve its supply, it is necessary to promote the generation of micro-enterprises; for this, the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) and Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias (INIFAP) work in a coordinated manner on the development of new varieties. <strong>Objective</strong>. To determine the seed productivity by effect of the population density of the trilinear hybrid of H-53 AE maize and its simple progenitor crosses in two environments of Valles Altos. <strong>Methodology</strong>. In the spring-summer cycle of 2014, in Cuautitlán Izcalli and Texcoco, State of Mexico, three genotypes were evaluated: the simple female cross androsterile (M53AE x M59) and fertile version (M53F x M59), as well as the trilineal hybrid H-53 AE. Population densities were 55,000, 70,000, and 85,000 ha<sup>-1</sup> plants, respectively. The variables evaluated were male and female flowering, plant and ear height, volumetric weight, weight of 200 grains, ear length, grains per row, dry matter percentage, and grain percentage. The experimental design employed a factorial design with random complete blocks, and the Tukey method was used for mean comparison. <strong>Results</strong>. The simple crosses, androsterile and fertile, exceeded the performance of the hybrid trilineal H-53 AE (7280 Kg ha<sup>-1</sup>). The population density where genotypes expressed a higher yield was 70, 000 ha<sup>-1</sup> plants, with 8602 Kg ha<sup>-1</sup>, significantly different to 7813 Kg ha<sup>-1</sup>, and 7748 Kg ha<sup>-1</sup> for 85,000 and 55, 000 ha<sup>-1</sup> plants, respectively. <strong>Implications</strong>. Further analysis of other environmental factors should be carried out to strengthen the recommendation of the evaluated trilinear hybrid. <strong>Conclusion. </strong>The best responses were presented in the population density of 70,000 plants ha<sup>-1</sup>, and the highest average yield of three genotypes and three population densities with 8768 Kg ha<sup>-1</sup> was in the FESC environment (Cuautitlán Izcalli).</p>

Iadademstat in combination with azacitidine in patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukaemia (ALICE): an open-label, phase 2a dose-finding study

Iadademstat is a potent, selective, oral inhibitor of both the enzymatic and scaffolding activities of the transcriptional repressor lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1; also known as KDM1A) that showed promising early activity and safety in a phase 1 trial and strong preclinical synergy with azacitidine in acute myeloid leukaemia cell lines. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the combination of iadademstat and azacitidine for the treatment of adult patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukaemia. The open-label, phase 2a, dose-finding ALICE study was conducted at six hospitals in Spain and enrolled patients aged 18 years or older with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukaemia not eligible for intensive chemotherapy and an ECOG performance status of 0-2. In the dose escalation portion of the trial, patients received a starting dose of iadademstat at 90 μg/m2 per day (with de-escalation to 60 μg/m2 per day and escalation up to 140 μg/m2 per day) orally, for 5 days on, 2 days off weekly, with azacitidine 75 mg/m2 subcutaneously, for seven of 28 days. The primary objectives were safety (analysed in the safety analysis set; all patients who received at least one dose of study treatment) and establishing the recommended phase 2 dose; secondary objectives included response rates in the efficacy analysis set (all patients who had at least one efficacy assessment). This study is registered on EudraCT (EudraCT 2018-000482-36) and has been completed. Between Nov 12, 2018, and Sept 30, 2021, 36 patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukaemia were enrolled; the median age was 76 (IQR 74-79) years, all patients were White, 18 (50%) were male, and 18 (50%) were female, and all had intermediate-risk or adverse-risk acute myeloid leukaemia. The median follow-up was 22 (IQR 16-31) months. The most frequent (≥10%) adverse events considered to be related to treatment were decreases in platelet (25 [69%]) and neutrophil (22 [61%]) counts (all grade 3-4) and anaemia (15 [42%]; of which ten [28%] were grade 3-4). Three patients had treatment-related serious adverse events (one fatal grade 5 intracranial haemorrhage, one grade 3 differentiation syndrome, and one grade 3 febrile neutropenia). Based on safety, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data, and efficacy, the recommended phase 2 dose of iadademstat was 90 μg/m2 per day with azacitidine. 22 (82%; 95% CI 62-94) of 27 patients in the efficacy analysis set had an objective response. 14 (52%) of 27 patients had complete remission or complete remission with incomplete haematological recovery; of these, ten of 11 evaluable for measurable residual disease achieved negativity. In the safety analysis set, 22 (61%) of 36 patients had an objective response. The combination of iadademstat and azacitidine has a manageable safety profile and shows promising responses in patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukaemia, including those with high-risk prognostic factors. Oryzon Genomics and Spain's Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades (MICIU)-Agencia Estatal de Investigacion (AEI).

Comparative analysis of the chemical quality of fishmeal produced on the Northwest coast of Mexico

Objective: To evaluate the physico-chemical quality of fishmeal produced by four companies in different states of the Republic (Baja California Sur, Jalisco and Sinaloa). Design/methodology/approach: The analyzed fishmeals were from six batches, sardine meal from California pilchard and Pacific thread herring (S. sagax and O. libertate), and skipjack tuna and (K. pelamis) processed by different Mexican companies. Proximal chemical analysis was carried out at the Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste (CIBNOR). Results: The fishmeal’s quality parameters analyzed in this study showed similar values to those reported in the literature. The variations observed in their proximate chemical composition allow them to be classified according to the results of the analyses. Limitations on study/implications: Considering that four of the six flours were produced from the same raw material, S. sagax, the high variability in their physico-chemical quality parameters indicates a lack of standardization in both production methods and quality controls among the producing companies. Findings/conclusions: K. pelamis by-products can produce meals of equal or better physico-chemical quality than those produced from S. sagax. The development of official regulations establishing quality standards to fishmeal production at national level is desirable for competitiveness.

La “Revista de la Facultad de Medicina Humana” ha sido indexada por la prestigiosa base internacional Scopus

Dear members of the scientific community, we are pleased to share with you a significant achievement: the Journal of the Faculty of Human Medicine (RFMH, by its Spanish acronym), edited by the Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias Biomédicas of the Universidad Ricardo Palma (INICIB-URP), has been evaluated and accepted for indexing in the prestigious international scientific database Scopus(1), due to its scientific quality. Scopus is an international platform that includes high-impact scientific journals across various disciplines.

Typical solar extinction year at Plataforma Solar de Almería (Spain). Application to thermoelectric solar tower plants

The atmospheric extinction of solar radiation reflected by heliostats are recognized as an important factor of radiative losses in Concentrating Solar Power technologies in general and especially in thermoelectric solar tower plants. These types of plants are getting larger (≥100 MWe), and consequently the distances between the heliostats and the receiver very often exceed 1 km and radiative losses due to solar extinction on this path can represent a high percentage. The aerosols and water vapor along this route scatter and absorb solar radiation, preventing a percentage of it from reaching the solar receiver. For this reason, in the process of choosing a location for the design and construction of these plants, the radiative losses due to extinction in that place should be known in advance. Until now, Typical Meteorological Years have been available for the location chosen in the plant design stage, mainly considering Direct Normal Irradiance but not solar extinction. Unfortunately, ground-based measurement of solar extinction has never been properly considered because it was not known how to measure or estimate it adequately. The Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT, Spain) has developed a reliable solar extinction measurement system which has been recording accurate horizontal extinction values at Plataforma Solar de Almería (PSA) since 2017. Based on this unique in the world solar extinction database of more than five years, a Typical Solar Extinction Year has been obtained for the first time to rigorously validate extinction models that then allow knowing the extinction in any area of interest in the world for solar tower power plants and to choose the most convenient one. It has been found that the annual average extinction at PSA for the measurement distance (742 m) is 6 %, with a standard deviation of 2 % and a median of 6 %. This average annual extinction value corresponds to a horizontal extinction coefficient of (0.083 ± 0.029) km−1 and a Visual Range of 47 km (-12 km, +23 km). Frequent haze events have been observed at PSA mainly caused by Saharan dust, which can be considered one more symptom of the current increased desertification and climate change.

The CNIC-polypill (acetylsalicylic acid, atorvastatin, and ramipril), an effective and cost-saving secondary prevention strategy compared with other therapeutic options in patients with ischaemic heart disease.

The retrospective NEPTUNO study evaluated the effectiveness of the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC)-polypill (including acetylsalicylic acid, ramipril, and atorvastatin) vs. other therapeutic approaches in secondary prevention for cardiovascular (CV) disease. In this substudy, the focus was on the subgroup of patients with ischaemic heart disease (IHD). Patients on four strategies: CNIC-polypill, its monocomponents as loose medications, equipotent medications, and other therapies. The primary endpoint was the incidence of recurrent major adverse CV events (MACEs) after 2 years. After matching, 1080 patients were included in each cohort. The CNIC-polypill cohort had a significantly lower incidence of recurrent MACE compared with monocomponents, equipotent drugs, and other therapies cohorts (16.1 vs. 24, 24.4, and 24.3%, respectively; P < 0.001). The hazard ratios (HRs) for recurrent MACE were higher in monocomponents (HR = 1.12; P = 0.042), equipotent drugs (HR = 1.14; P = 0.031), and other therapies cohorts (HR = 1.17; P = 0.016) compared with the CNIC-polypill, with a number needed to treat of 12 patients to prevent a MACE. The CNIC-polypill demonstrated a greater reduction in LDL cholesterol (LDL-c; -56.1 vs. -43.6, -33.3, and -33.2% in the monocomponents, equipotent drugs, and other therapies, respectively; P < 0.001) and systolic blood pressure (-13.7 vs. -11.5, -10.6, and -9.1% in the CNIC-polypill, monocomponents, equipotent drugs, and other therapies, respectively; P < 0.001) compared with other cohorts. The CNIC-polypill intervention was less costly and more effective than any other therapeutic option, with €2317-€2407 cost savings per event prevented. In IHD, the CNIC-polypill exemplifies a guideline-recommended secondary prevention treatment linked to better outcomes and cost saving compared with other therapeutic options.

Methodology for Energy Management in a Smart Microgrid Based on the Efficiency of Dispatchable Renewable Generation Sources and Distributed Storage Systems

This paper presents a methodology for energy management in a smart microgrid based on the efficiency of dispatchable generation sources and storage systems, with three different aims: elimination of power peaks; optimisation of the operation and performance of the microgrid; and reduction of energy consumption from the distribution network. The methodology is based on four steps: identification of elements of the microgrid, monitoring of the elements, characterization of the efficiency of the elements, and finally, microgrid energy management. A specific use case is shown at CEDER-CIEMAT (Centro para el Desarrollo de las Energías Renovables—Centro de Investi-gaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas), where consumption has been reduced during high tariff periods and power peaks have been eliminated, allowing an annual reduction of more than 25,000 kWh per year, which is equal to savings of more than 8500 €. It also allows the power contracted from the distribution company by CEDER (135 kW) not to be exceeded, which avoids penalties in the electricity bill.

Influencia de la fertilización inorgánica sobre parametros productivos de dos variedades de camote

In order to determine the effect of inorganic fertilization treatments on the productive behavior of the sweetpotato varieties "INIAP-Toquecita" and "INIAP-Buena Vista", this research was carried out during the dry season (June–December 2022) at the Estación Experimental Portoviejo del Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias-INIAP, in the Colón parish, canton Portoviejo, province of Manabí, Ecuador. A randomized complete block design was used with three replications, and the following variables were analyzed: percent yield, total number of guides per plant, length of guides, mass of 100 guides, foliage yield, and number and yield of commercial roots. The inorganic fertilization treatments under study were: 1. N+P2O5+K2O+S+Mg+B; 2. N+P2O5+K2O+S+Mg+B+Zn+Mn+Fe; 3. 50 % more N+P2O5+K2O+S+Mg+B with respect to treatment 1; 4. N+P2O5+K2O; and 5. no fertilizers (control). It was evidenced that the inorganic fertilization treatments implemented on the variety "INIAP-Buena Vista" outperformed the results of the control, while treatments 1 and 2 of inorganic fertilization implemented on the variety "INIAP-Toquecita" outperformed the control. It was observed that the most favorable scenario for maximizing the yield of commercial tuberous roots in the variety "INIAP-Buena Vista" was treatment 3, which had 50 % more macro and micronutrients per hectare added to the soil with respect to treatment 1. The varieties evaluated did not show nutritional deficiencies during the production cycle (120 days).

Genotyping of Vanilla planifolia Jacks ex Andrews from the Totonacapan region using Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat markers

Vanilla is the only genus of plants in the Orchidaceae family used in the food industry, being the most widely used flavoring worldwide and the second most valuable economically. Cultivation is of great biocultural importance in the Totonacapan region, in the state of Veracruz, as this region is considered its center of origin and distribution. However, little is known regarding the number of genotypes present in this area, as well as the genetic diversity, which is vital for the improvement of this crop. Therefore, the objective of this study was to perform the genotyping of 60 Vanilla planifolia accessions from the Germplasm Bank of The National Institute of Forestry, Agriculture, and Livestock Research (Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias - INIFAP), Experimental Field Ixtacuaco, which were selected and collected in the Totonacapan region. For this purpose, the number of V. planifolia genotypes was determined based on ISSR (Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat) molecular markers. Three DNA extraction protocols from plants and fungi described in the literature were evaluated, and a fourth protocol was adapted with different procedures from the previous protocols, seeking to obtain a high concentration and good quality and integrity. Once quality DNA was obtained, fourteen ISSR primers were evaluated, of which three primers that showed the highest number of amplified bands were selected. Subsequently, the genotyping of the 60 accessions was carried out, resulting in nine genotypes with primer 808 and six genotypes with primers 812 and 856. These results allowed the genotyping of Vanilla planifolia accessions with ISSR markers, which will help evaluate the genetic diversity of this crop in the Totonacapan region in the future.

99mTc-AgNPs-ICG: nanoparticle for hybrid image

Introduction: Currently nanotechnology has radically changed the diagnosis of many human pathologies. The aim of this work is to obtain silver nanoparticles for hybrid imaging (99mTc-AgNPs-ICG) having potential clinical imaging applications. Materials and method: We mixed 2 ml of ascorbic acid (1.7x10-4 M), 5 mCi of 99mTcO4- , 2 ml of citric acid (8.0x10-4 M) and 0.5 ml of silver nitrate (2.5x10-3 M). Solution pH was 5, and it was shaken for 20 minutes at 37º C. Afterwards, 2 µL of Indocyanine Green (1.3x10-3 M) was added (99mTc-AgNPs-ICG). Physiochemical properties of the solution were characterized by UV (λ1 = 420 nm, λ2 = 254 nm) and gamma detector. Fluorescence image, particle size and IR spectrum were evaluated. Results: Silver nanoparticles were obtained in aqueous solution a pH of 5. Their pH, color and spectrum were stable for seven days. Furthermore, the principal peak characterized by HPLC, UV and Gamma detector had similar retention times. Its UV spectrum showed an absorption band of 420 nm, which corresponds to the plasmon absorption band of these nanoparticles. The particle size was 46 nm ± 1.5 nm. The IR spectrum showed absorption bands in 3193, 2624, 1596 y 1212 cm-1. Conclusions: We describe for the first time in literature the synthesis of hybrid (radioactive and fluorescent) silver nanoparticles. Their physiochemical properties were characterized, being stable and their labelling was reproducible having potential biomedical applications. Received for review: November 2023. Accepted for publication: February 2024. Correspondence: Centro de Investigaciones Nucleares, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay. Mataojo 2055, P.O. 11400, Montevideo, Uruguay. Tel: (+5982) 5250901/108; fax: (+5982) 5250895. Contact e-mail: pabloc7@gmail.com This article was approved by the Editorial Committee.

Global Financial Cycle, Household Credit, and Macroprudential Policies

We show that macroprudential policies dampen the impact of global financial conditions on local bank credit cycles. For identification, we exploit variation in the U.S. volatility index (VIX) and household and business credit registers in an emerging market economy in which banks depend on foreign funding and macroprudential measures vary over the full cycle. Our results suggest that when the VIX is low, tighter macroprudential policies reduce household lending, notably for riskier (foreign currency (FX) and high debt-service-to-income) loans and by banks dependent on foreign funding. Moreover, they increase (less regulated) local currency lending to real estate firms. Such periods are associated with less subsequent total lending to households and firms and with a lower share of FX loans at the local level. Consistently, when the VIX is low, tighter macroprudential policies dampen house prices and economic activity. This paper was accepted by Victoria Ivashina, finance. Funding: M. Epure acknowledges support from the Serra Húnter program. This project received funding from the European Research Council under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program [Grant 648398], from the Agencia Estatal de Investigacion [Grants PID2020-115660GB-I00 and PGC2018-102133-B-I00], and the Severo Ochoa Program for Centers of Excellence in Research and Development [Grant CEX2019-000915-S]. Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2024.4981 .

Oral linezolid compared with benzathine penicillin G for treatment of early syphilis in adults (Trep-AB Study) in Spain: a prospective, open-label, non-inferiority, randomised controlled trial

Management of syphilis, a sexually transmitted infection (STI) with increasing incidence, is challenged by drug shortages, scarcity of randomised trial data, an absence of non-penicillin alternatives for pregnant women with penicillin allergy (other than desensitisation), extended parenteral administration for neurosyphilis and congenital syphilis, and macrolide resistance. Linezolid was shown to be active against Treponema pallidum, the causative agent of syphilis, in vitro and in the rabbit model. We aimed to assess the efficacy of linezolid for treating early syphilis in adults compared with the standard of care benzathine penicillin G (BPG). We did a multicentre, open-label, non-inferiority, randomised controlled trial to assess the efficacy of linezolid for treating early syphilis compared with BPG. We recruited participants with serological or molecular confirmation of syphilis (either primary, secondary, or early latent) at one STI unit in a public hospital and two STI community clinics in Catalonia (Spain). Participants were randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio using a computer-generated block randomisation list with six participants per block, to receive either oral linezolid (600 mg once per day for 5 days) or intramuscular BPG (single dose of 2·4 million international units) and were assessed for signs and symptoms (once per week until week 6 and at week 12, week 24, and week 48) and reagin titres of non-treponemal antibodies (week 12, week 24, and week 48). The primary endpoint was treatment response, assessed using a composite endpoint that included clinical response, serological response, and absence of relapse. Clinical response was assessed at 2 weeks for primary syphilis and at 6 weeks for secondary syphilis following treatment initiation. Serological cure was defined as a four-fold decline in rapid plasma reagin titre or seroreversion at any of the 12-week, 24-week, or 48-week timepoints. The absence of relapse was defined as the presence of different molecular sequence types of T pallidum in recurrent syphilis. Non-inferiority was shown if the lower limit of the two-sided 95% CI for the difference in rates of treatment response was higher than -10%. The primary analysis was done in the per-protocol population. The trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05069974) and was stopped for futility after interim analysis. Between Oct 20, 2021, and Sept 15, 2022, 62 patients were assessed for eligibility, and 59 were randomly assigned to linezolid (n=29) or BPG (n=30). In the per-protocol population, after 48 weeks' follow-up, 19 (70%) of 27 participants (95% CI 49·8 to 86·2) in the linezolid group had responded to treatment and 28 (100%) of 28 participants (87·7 to 100·0) in the BPG group (treatment difference -29·6, 95% CI -50·5 to -8·8), which did not meet the non-inferiority criterion. The number of drug-related adverse events (all mild or moderate) was similar in both treatment groups (five [17%] of 29, 95% CI 5·8 to 35·8 in the linezolid group vs five [17%] of 30, 5·6 to 34·7, in the BPG group). No serious adverse events were reported during follow-up. The efficacy of linezolid at a daily dose of 600 mg for 5 days did not meet the non-inferiority criteria compared with BPG and, as a result, this treatment regimen should not be used to treat patients with early syphilis. European Research Council and Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias.