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Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) is a well-established technique that allows to determine the distribution of small molecules, such as lipids, metabolites, and drugs, as well as large molecules in tissue sections. Because of the tissue heterogeneity, resulting in different matrix effects, and to the fact that the measured compounds are not entirely “extracted” from the tissue during the measurement, the absolute quantitative aspect of MSI is limited. To combine compound quantification with spatial information on fresh frozen unstained tissue sections, laser (capture) microdissection has been used to isolate tissue sections for compound extraction and LC-MS/MS quantification. Although this method relying on manual ROIs selection is rather sensitive compared to traditional MSI methods, it lacks the throughput needed to screen entire tissue sections. To apply a higher throughput tissue screening approach, we propose herein a workflow for performing indiscriminate and sequential LMD tissue section cuts that can cover up to 96 cuts collected in a 96 well plate on Leica LMD systems, for further extractions and LC-MS/MS analysis. Our workflow relies on the creation and implementation of 96 squares microgrid templates for the LMD cut of different area sizes (30x30 μm 2 , 50x50 μm 2 , 100x100 μm 2 , 200x200 μm 2 , 270x270 μm 2 and 500x500 μm 2 ) using 5 different magnifications (5x, 10x, 20x, 40x and 63x), on fresh frozen tissue sections. The method was applied on 20μm mouse brain and liver tissue sections. The tissue cut collection yields were evaluated visually and by the detection of the sprayed standards on the tissue sections, and found to be ranging from 78% to 91%, and the throughput of the LMD cuts and collection in a 96 well format, was measured to be from 19 to 37 minutes per tissue section, depending on the 96 squares microgrid template and the corresponding magnification lens used. Further extraction and LC-MS/MS analysis of 3 different compounds previously sprayed on a mouse liver tissue section allowed to determine the LLOQ the workflow allows to achieve when using the different templates.

Mycotoxin contamination is a global threat to food safety and human health, especially in regions facing food insecurity, such as Sub-Saharan Africa. This intervention study evaluates the effectiveness of nixtamalization, a traditional alkaline cooking method, in reducing mycotoxin levels in maize and corresponding urinary biomarkers of exposure. Forty adult healthy volunteers from an informal settlement in Kliptown, Soweto (South Africa), were randomly assigned to consume control maize or visibly moldy maize subjected to nixtamalization. Nixtamalization achieved a reduction in fumonisin B3 and deoxynivalenol (DON) to unquantifiable or undetectable levels in maize, while reducing fumonisin B1 (FB1), fumonisin B2, and zearalenone (ZEN) by 95%, 95%, and 89%, respectively. Aflatoxin B1 was unquantifiable before and eliminated after treatment. Biomarker analysis revealed that after consumption of either control or nixtamalized maize, urinary levels of FB1, ZEN, and its metabolites α- and β-zearalenol (α- and β-ZEL) did not show significant differences between groups (p > 0.05). DON and tenuazonic acid levels were not affected by the intervention (p > 0.05), with urinary detection frequencies remaining above 90%. These results demonstrate nixtamalization effectively lowers mycotoxin levels in maize, resulting in exposure levels comparable to control maize, and highlight human biomonitoring as a sensitive tool for evaluating food safety interventions.

New methods for state estimation are required due to the complexity of the topology of transmission and distribution systems, and the predictability in the management of prosumer dispatch. This paper describes a pilot project in Greece that, in accordance with OneNet’s architecture, addresses the challenges of congestion and balancing management that system operators face due to the high penetration of renewable energy sources. The respective data requirements and the IT/OT environment are described, as well as the interconnections among the various modules and functionalities. Available resources of the grid’s flexibility are identified, and the implementation of an integrated monitoring system based on efficient forecasting of volatile generation and demand is addressed. Congestion management and frequency and voltage control are in the center of interest of the demonstrator where, in close collaboration with system operators, respective network models are being developed.

Abstract School achievement is under a multiple factorial context related to student, school and family (SSF). Based on 23.141 Brazilians self-reports, obtained from PISA 2015, representative SSF measures were selected, and their impacts measured on school performance scores in mathematics, reading and science. The feeling of belonging to the school (BELONG) and parents’ emotional support (EMOSUPS) were strongly correlated with the three investigated performances. EMOSUPS affected how the student feels at school and when being assessed. And the educational and cultural resources of the home affected EEC three dimensions, increasing EMOSUPS, BELONG and school performance, and decreasing anxiety during assessments. Thus, the importance of the school and family environments on students’ performance is reiterated and calls for public policies in education that considers the three dimensions. Resumo O desempenho escolar está sujeito a um contexto de múltiplos fatores, relacionados ao estudante, escola e família (EEF). A partir de autorrelatos de 23.141 brasileiros, obtidos do PISA 2015, foram selecionadas medidas representativas de EEF e medidos seus impactos sobre escores de desempenho escolar em matemática, leitura e ciências. Registrou-se forte correlação entre a sensação de pertencimento à escola (BELONG) e suporte emocional da família (EMOSUPS) com os três desempenhos investigados; o EMOSUPS teve efeito sobre como o estudante se sente na escola e quando é avaliado; os recursos educacionais e culturais do lar afetaram as três dimensões de EEC, no sentido de aumentar o EMOSUPS, BELONG, e os desempenhos escolares e diminuição da ansiedade durante avaliações. Reitera-se assim a importância do ambiente escolar e da família sobre o desempenho dos estudantes, e a necessidade de essas dimensões serem alvo de políticas públicas na área da educação. Resumen El rendimiento escolar se comprende bajo un contexto factorial múltiple, relacionado con el estudiante, la escuela y la familia (EEF). Con base en 23.141 autoinformes de brasileños, obtenidos del examen PISA 2015, se seleccionaron medidas de EEF representativas y se midieron sus impactos en los puntajes de rendimiento escolar en matemáticas, lectura y ciencias. El sentimiento de pertenencia a la escuela (BELONG) y el apoyo emocional de los padres (EMOSUPS) se correlacionaron estrechamente con los tres desempeños investigados. El EMOSUPS influyó en cómo se siente el estudiante, tanto en la escuela como cuando está siendo evaluado. Los recursos educativos y culturales del hogar afectaron a las tres dimensiones del EEC, aumentando el EMOSUPS, BELONG y el rendimiento escolar, y disminuyendo la ansiedad durante las evaluaciones. Ante estos resultados, se reitera la importancia del entorno escolar y familiar en el rendimiento de los estudiantes y la necesidad de que las políticas públicas en educación consideren estas tres dimensiones.

Four silver(I) coordination polymers of composition [Ag 6 (bptp) 3 (OOCCF 2 CF 2 COO) 3 ] ∞ ( 1 ), [Ag 5 (bptp) 2 (CF 3 SO 3 ) 5 (CH 3 COCH 3 ) 2 ] ∞ ( 2 ), [Ag(bmtm)(C 10 H 7 SO 3 )] ∞ ( 3 ), and [Ag 10 (bpte) 4 (NO 3 ) 10 ] ∞ ( 4 ) (bmtm = bis(methylthio)methane, bpte = 1,2-bis(phenylthio)ethane, bptp = 1,3-bis(phenylthio)propane) have been synthesized and structurally characterized. The 2D-coordination networks of both 1 and 2 consist of two meshed networks, (Ag-anion) ∞ and (Ag-ligand) ∞ , which share their silver atoms. The 1D-coordination polymers of 3 are associated through weak van der Waals interactions into 2D network while polymer 4 forms a tubular structure. Relatively short Ag···Ag interactions are found in both 1 and 3 . The stoichiometries of the obtained polymers were found to be independent of the starting materials metal-to-ligand ratio except for coordination polymer 4 . Thermogravimetric analyses of 1 and 2 revealed that they decompose in a single step to metallic silver while 3 and 4 showed a two-step weight loss.