Giant left atrium is extremely rare in the paediatric population, especially in asymptomatic cases. We report a 5-year-old child with a giant left atrium due to “non-rheumatic” mitral valve regurgitation that presented as a stroke secondary to atrial tachycardia. This case is noteworthy for the unusual “silent” manifestation of a giant left atrium.

Static analysis is an essential component of many modern software development tools. Unfortunately, the ever-increasing complexity of static analyzers makes their coding error-prone. Even analysis tools based on rigorous mathematical techniques, such as abstract interpretation, are not immune to bugs. Ensuring the correctness and reliability of software analyzers is critical if they are to be inserted in production compilers and development environments. While compiler validation has seen notable success, formal validation of static analysis tools remains relatively unexplored. In this paper we present checkification, a simple, automatic method for testing static analyzers. Broadly, it consists in checking, over a suite of benchmarks, that the properties inferred statically are satisfied dynamically. The main advantage of our approach lies in its simplicity, which stems directly from framing it within the Ciao assertion-based validation framework, and its blended static/dynamic assertion checking approach. We demonstrate that in this setting, the analysis can be tested with little effort by combining the following components already present in the framework: 1) the static analyzer, which outputs its results as the original program source with assertions interspersed; 2) the assertion run-time checking mechanism, which instruments a program to ensure that no assertion is violated at run time; 3) the random test case generator, which generates random test cases satisfying the properties present in assertion preconditions; and 4) the unit-test framework, which executes those test cases. We have applied our approach to the CiaoPP static analyzer, resulting in the identification of many bugs with reasonable overhead. Most of these bugs have been either fixed or confirmed, helping us detect a range of errors not only related to analysis soundness but also within other aspects of the framework.

Since 1994, the Andalusian Institute of Geophysics of the University of Granada group has been monitoring the seismic activity of Deception Island volcano (South Shetland Islands, Antarctica) during summer surveys. In this review, we analyse long-period and volcanic-tectonic events, including tremor episodes, recorded from 2011–2012 to 2021–2022 surveys with a local network and a seismic array. The seismo-volcanic activity on Deception Island occurs very locally, mainly as a result of tectonic destabilization induced by volcanic activity along with regional stresses, as a consequence of rifting and subduction processes spanning the South Shetland Islands, Bransfield Strait and Antarctica Peninsula. During this period, two changes to the volcanic alert level due to different volcanic parameters can be highlighted. The first of them was caused by the 2014–2015 seismic swarm as a consequence of a great regional perturbation located to the north-east of Deception Island, which spread around to the entire volcano. The second one, in the 2019–2020 survey, was established as a result of a significant increase in deformation parameters as a prelude of the August 2020 massive earthquake swarm that occurred in the Bransfield Strait, near the Orca submarine volcano. Furthermore, in the previous 2018–2019 survey, a peak of seismic activity was also recorded.

Macro- and microbotanical remains recovered from post-Teotihuacan occupations in quarry tunnels east of the Sun Pyramid, Teotihuacan, contribute to understanding lifeways in the surrounding valley after the partial abandonment of the city. Plant remains associated with domestic and ritual contexts from the excavations directed by Linda Manzanilla (1993–1996) are relevant to subsistence questions, aspects of surrounding vegetation, landscape exploitation, and the possibility of less-intensive agricultural production during the Epiclassic and Early Postclassic occupations.

Weed seeds are potential contaminants of composts derived from biowastes. We assessed the effect of steam treatment alone and in combination with composting on the mortality of barnyardgrass [Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P. Beauv.] seeds in a biowaste substrate consisting of a mixture of onion (Allium spp.) waste (60%), horse (Equus spp.) manure (20%), and wood shavings (20%). In the first study, seeds of six populations of E. crus-galli exposed to temperatures ranging from ca. 60 to 99 C followed by a 3-min residence time exhibited a decline in seed germination from approximately 25% to 0%. The E. crus-galli populations varied greatly in germinability and responded differently to high temperatures. Samples with lower germinability as assessed in controls were killed at lower temperatures than samples with higher initial germinability. However, to ensure an almost 100% kill of all seeds in the populations, a mean temperature of 100 C was necessary. In another study, seed germination was assessed after steaming the biowaste mixture to a mean temperature of about 60 C and subsequently composting. A short steaming period of the biowaste mixture at approximately 60 C before composting was unnecessary, as all composted seed samples, including the non-steamed control seeds, died during the composting process.

In an era marked by mounting global challenges, education is often envisioned as an agent of transformative action towards a more sustainable future. This research seeks to delve into the students’ perceptions concerning competencies for sustainability in Physical Education Teacher Education. Adopting a qualitative approach, a non-probabilistic purposive sample of 57 students (35 males, 22 females, mean age: 21.2 ± 3.2 years) was recruited. Data collection comprised semi-structured interviews. Analysis was facilitated through Atlas.ti v.7.5.18, abiding by established qualitative research paradigms. Participants emphasised the intrinsic value of an interdisciplinary approach. The study discerned a strong inclination towards cooperative and introspective tasks. Moreover, this exploration offers valuable insights for academic institutions, suggesting integrative strategies for environmental education. Therefore, these findings invite to adapt curricular designs, ensuring that educators are aptly prepared to respond the multifaceted challenges of the 21st century, driving our collective stride towards a sustainable, equitable future.

This paper presents the design and experimental validation of a robust flight control strategy for quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) based on the Interconnection and Damping Assignment Passivity-Based Control (IDA-PBC) methodology. The proposed approach is specifically tailored to the Parrot Bebop 2, a commercial UAV. The IDA-PBC control law is derived using the Hamiltonian model of the UAV dynamics obtained from experimental data to represent the dynamics of all six degrees of freedom, including translational and rotational motions. The control strategy was validated through numerical simulations and experimental tests conducted in an indoor flight setup using MATLAB, Robot Operating System, and an OptiTrack motion capture system. Numerical and experimental results demonstrate that the controller effectively tracks desired flight trajectories, ensuring stable and robust performance.

The human hand is an intricate anatomical structure essential for daily activities, yet replicating its full functionality in upper-limb prostheses remains a significant challenge. Despite advances in mechanical design leading to more sophisticated and dexterous artificial hands, difficulties persist in effectively controlling these prostheses due to the limitations posed by the muscle conditions of their users. These constraints result in a limited number of control inputs and a lack of sensory feedback. To address these issues, various semi-autonomous control strategies have been proposed, which integrate sensing technologies to complement traditional myoelectric control. Inspired by human grasping physiology, we propose a shared control strategy that divides grasp control into two levels: a high-level controller, operated by the user to initiate the grasp action, and a low-level controller, which ensures stability throughout the task. This work focuses specifically on slip detection methods, introducing improvements to the low-level controller to enable more autonomous grasping behavior during object holding. The proposed slip module uses distributed 3D force sensors across the artificial hand and integrates a friction cone strategy to ensure an appropriate shear-to-normal force ratio with bandpass filtering for establishing an initial stable grasp model without prior knowledge. Experimental evaluations consist of the comparison of this novel controller with conventional state-of-the-art approaches. Results demonstrate its efficacy in preventing slippage while requiring less grasping force than previous methods. Additionally, a qualitative validation was conducted to assess its responsiveness compared to human grasping reactions to unexpected weight changes, yielding positive outcomes.

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the population’s lives. Stressful conditions during the lockdown and the reintroduction to a changed social environment emotionally affected children and adolescents. The aim of this work was to study anxiety and depressive symptoms in Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese children and adolescents aged 3 to 18 years at different moments of the COVID-19 pandemic: April 2020 (during confinement), September 2020 (with the schools’ reopening), and September 2023 (with the situation restored). Parents of 1,097 children participated in at least one assessment, completing measures of child emotional symptoms online. Cases with subclinical symptoms of anxiety and depression were higher compared to pre-pandemic studies. Overall, anxiety increased from April 2020 to September 2020, decreasing in September 2023 with no differences compared to the first assessment. Depression was high in April 2020 but decreased in September 2020, with no significant differences three years later, in September 2023. Cross-country comparisons at each point are discussed. Moreover, boys showed higher levels of depression during the pandemic compared to girls. Older children, compared to younger ones, had more anxiety and depressive symptoms throughout all the moments. These findings highlight the emotional impact of the pandemic and its conditions on children and adolescents.

Objectives/Goals: Discovery Day aims to bring diverse and underrepresented groups of potential biomedical research participants into research spaces to increase transparency, knowledge of the research process, trust in research, and interest in STEM fields. Methods/Study Population: Discovery Days are one-day events held on Saturdays at a large hospital in the Midwest. Attendees are recruited through flyers, social media, and other media. Recruitment targets communities that are predominantly underrepresented in research, such as Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino. Events included lunch, presentations, interactive lab demonstrations, Q&A sessions, and a tour of the BioBank research facility. Families completed surveys assessing demographics, trust in research, understanding of research, and interest in STEM careers. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize findings. Results/Anticipated Results: At a Discovery Day held in May 2024, 58 individuals attended. Each family (N  =  30) completed a 15-item survey. Most (70%) participants identified with diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, with the largest group identifying as Black/African American. Five diverse neighborhoods were represented, as expected for our recruitment strategy. Following Discovery Day, 73.3% of participants reported their trust in research increased, and 93.1% of participants indicated their understanding of research increased. 37.5% reported interest in learning about STEM jobs or internships, and 100% of participants would recommend Discovery Day to friends and family. Discussion/Significance of Impact: We hope that by increasing transparency and trust around the research process, community members that may benefit from research (e.g., genetic research on chronic diseases) may be more likely to participate. Additional findings and future goals for Discovery Day will be discussed.

Objectives/Goals: This study aims to explore transcriptional adaptation, where mutations in one gene trigger compensatory changes in related genes, and how this affects the variability in clinical manifestations of ALS. Our findings will provide insights for therapeutic strategies, while we also use gene editing to investigate correcting variants in ALS patients. Methods/Study Population: The presence of a premature termination codon triggers transcriptional activation. Therefore, we utilized CRISPR-Cas9 tool to generate a premature termination codon in CHCHD10 gene in multiple types of cells, including induced pluripotent stem cells derived from patient samples with known CHCHD10 mutations causative for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. CRISPR-Cas9 tool was delivered via ribonucleoprotein electroporation and transfected cell’s DNA was sequenced to validate gene editing. To confirm transcriptional adaption, changes in levels of protein and gene expression will be measured via immunoblot and quantification of CHCHD10 and CHCHCD2 from whole cell lysates of the edited cells. Results/Anticipated Results: Utilizing CRISPR-Cas9 tools, we anticipate that CHCHD2 gene can functionally compensate for the loss of function in the CHCHD10 locus through transcriptional adaptation. Additionally, employing single-stranded oligodeoxynucleotides (ssODNs) we aim to accurately correct the genetic aberrations in ALS patient cells, and study the pathomechanisms of aberrant CHCHD10. Discussion/Significance of Impact: The significance of this research lies in its potential to uncover transcriptional adaptation in humans, which could explain why patients with the same genetic variant experience different symptoms. By understanding this mechanism, we could pave the way for novel therapies, especially for CHCHD10-associated ALS.

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly challenged the mental health of children and adolescents, with existing research highlighting the negative effects of restrictive measures to control the virus’s spread. However, in the specific context of this pandemic, there is limited understanding of how these difficulties have persisted over time after the situation was fully restored. This study sought to evaluate the pandemic’s impact on psychological symptoms in children from Italy, Spain, and Portugal across five-time points (2, 5, and 8 weeks, 6 months, and three and a half years after the pandemic’s onset). A total of 1613 parents completed the Psychological Impact of COVID-19 and Confinement on Children and Adolescents Scale, reporting symptoms in their children aged 3–17 years (39.2% female). The findings reveal an initial surge in psychological difficulties—anxiety, mood, sleep, behavioral, eating, and cognitive disturbances—followed by improvements in these domains three and a half years later. By September 2023, Spanish children experienced more significant reductions in symptoms compared to their Italian and Portuguese peers. While the COVID-19 pandemic has been a prolonged crisis, with varying impacts over time and across regions depending on the strictness of restrictions, the trends suggest a gradual improvement in the psychological well-being of children and adolescents.

Objectives/Goals: Delving into the intricate web of translational research collaborations, this study analyzed the evolving landscape of the Hispanic Alliance of Clinical and Translational Research from 2020 to 2024 using cutting-edge social network analysis (SNA). SNA is a powerful tool for visualizing, understanding, and harnessing the power of networks. Methods/Study Population: We conducted a systematic document review of all the Alliance IDeA-CTR Network Calls for Pilot Projects from 2020 to 2024 including key attributes of the investigators and collaborators (e.g., academic institution, highest degree, collaborator type). Scientific collaboration was defined as two or more researchers working together in a grant proposal for a pilot project application. Study data was recorded and tracked using an Excel spreadsheet. R-Statistical software was used to analyze and map the networks resulting from collaboration interactions comparing the 2020 Call and 2024 Call. Network statistics were performed including nodes, isolates, edges, components, density, diameter, average degree, and the size of the main component. Results/Anticipated Results: Within a vibrant network comprising over 150 investigators from local and national academic institutions, clinicians (49.3%), and basic researchers (25.4%) are predominant. Initial findings showcase a remarkable surge in interdisciplinary collaborations and affiliations over time. Preliminary findings demonstrated that the number of nodes/actors increased from 16 to 75 comparing 2020 to 2024 and the edges/relationships from 12 to 66. Notably, the number of translational research clusters surged from 4 to 18, with mentorship emerging as a critical conduit bridging diverse research clusters; 16 to 78 nodes in comparison from 2020 to 2024. More extensive collaborative clusters occurred across time with over 20 researchers collaborating. A mentor was the main actor connecting these research clusters. Discussion/Significance of Impact: This study unveils the intricacies and power of translational research dynamics, showing a palpable surge in collaboration diversity and depth. By harnessing data-driven insights, our approach catalyzes informed decision-making to amplify collaboration, diversity, and network efficacy, offering invaluable guidance for policy and practice.

In the Caribbean Sea, orcas (Orcinus orca, also known as killer whales) are present throughout the year. The most recent review confirmed seven strandings of the species in the Caribbean Sea in the period May 1851 to January 2023, all of which were single strandings and only one of which occurred in Venezuela. In this publication we document the circumstances of the successful rescue, by local fishers and authorities, of seven orcas that stranded in August 2023 on the coast of the State of Sucre, north-eastern Venezuela. Worldwide, this is only the second mass stranding of the species within the tropics (23.5°N to 23.5°S). We also documented the presence of a probable whalesucker (Remora australis) on a juvenile orca. The present case represents the first mass stranding event of orcas in Venezuela and the Caribbean Sea and only the second in a tropical location worldwide.