Acanthamoeba genus amoebae can affect humans with diseases such as Granulomatous Amebic Encephalitis (GAE), a highly lethal neuroinfection. Several aspects about the disease still need to be elucidated. Animal models of GAE have allowed advances in these aspects. This work tested Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus albinus) as an animal model of GAE. For this, 32 animals were infected with 1x10⁶ A. castellanii trophozoites, T4 genotype. Ameba recovery tests were carried out on plates of agar, vascular extravasation assays, behavioral tests and histopathological technique with H/E staining. Data were submitted to linear regression analysis, one-way ANOVA and Tukey's test, performed in the GraphPad Prism® 8.0 program, with a significance level of p<0.05. The results revealed the efficiency of the model. There was recovery of amoebae from the liver, lungs and brain of infected animals, significant encephalic vascular extravasation and behavioral changes in these animals, but not in the control animals. However, not all infected animals showed positive histopathology for the analyzed organs. The nervous tissue was the least affected, demonstrating the role of the BBB in the defense of the CNS. Supported by the demonstrated evidence, we confirm the difficulty, but also the feasibility of using rats as an animal model of GAE.

HIV-1 infection can activate the expression of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs), particularly HERV-K (HML-2). HIV controllers (HICs) are rare people living with HIV (PLWH) who naturally control HIV-1 replication. The ability of HICs to control the expression of endogenous retroviruses has not been previously addressed. In this study, we measured ERVK-6 RNA expression in PBMCs of HICs (n = 23), antiretroviral (ART)-suppressed subjects (n = 8), and HIV-1-negative (NEG) individuals (n = 10) and correlated the transcript expression of ERVK-6 with multiple HIV-1 restriction factors. Our study reveals that ERVK-6 RNA expression in PBMCs from HICs was significantly downregulated compared with both ART and NEG control groups. Moreover, we detected that ERVK-6 RNA levels in PBMCs across all groups were negatively correlated with the expression levels of p21 and MCPIP1. In our previous study, these two cellular restriction factors were upregulated in HICs compared with control groups. Interestingly, p21 and MCPIP1 limit the activation of macrophages and T cells by downregulating the activity of NF-kB, a transcription factor that stimulates the LTR-driven transcription of HIV-1 and HERV-K proviruses. These findings support that HICs activate innate antiviral mechanisms that may simultaneously downregulate the transcription of both HIV-1 and endogenous retroviruses.

Cemeteries can be compared to landfills since their leachate, also known as necroleachate, can be transported and pollute groundwater, surface waters, and soils. In Brazil, the cemeteries management is the responsibility of states and municipalities, to ensure that they do not generate negative environmental impacts and risks to public health. This article aims to discuss Brazilian sanitary-environmental legislation relating to cemetery waste management. Among the Brazilian states, half have sanitary-environmental legislation for cemeteries, and between the municipalities, only 19 have specific legislation. The legislation is broad and has many gaps, leading to environmental vulnerability and risk of contamination for the people who live in the surrounding area.

“De-[Constructing] Growth” is offered as a deeper and more useful conceptualization that avoids the negative connotations of, and resistance to, “degrowth” by decoupling profit from unsustainable consumption, production, and inequality.

Trichomonas vaginalis is an extracellular parasite protozoan that causes human trichomoniasis, a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that affects approximately 200 million people worldwide. The presence of T. vaginalis adhesion to inert substrates has been described in several reports. Still, very few studies on cluster formation and more detailed analyses of the contact regions between the membranes of the parasites in these aggregate formations have not been carried out. We analyzed the formation of parasite monolayers and clusters using high-resolution scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, cytochemistry, TEM tomography, and dye injection. Here, we show the formation of a monolayer of tightly adherent cells, epithelium-like, when the parasites are in contact with an inert material. Based on this observation, we analyzed whether this monolayer behaves as an epithelium, analyzing cell junctions, cell communication, and ultrastructural aspects. We also analyzed the cluster formation and the morphological characteristics of parasite aggregation observed in the culture supernatant. We report that monolayer formation differs from cluster formation in many aspects. The monolayers form strong adhesion, whereas the clusters have fragile attachments. There is no fusion or passage of molecules between neighbor-attached cells; there is no need for different strains to form filopodia, cytonemes, and extracellular vesicles during cluster formation.

The corrosion behavior of Fe-containing directionally solidified (DS) and centrifugally cast (CC) Al-Si-Cu-Zn alloys with either Co or Ni additions has been investigated. Electrochemical and immersion corrosion methods were used to investigate the corrosion behavior in 0.6 M NaCl after short (1-hour) and long (30-day) exposure periods. The employed solidification methods allowed the production of samples with a wide range of secondary dendrite arm spacing (SDAS) while preserving Si and Fe-containing phases. The 0.5 wt.% Ni and Co additions led to the growth of the AlFeSi(Ni) and AlFeSi(Co) phases, but no binary AlNi nor AlCo intermetallic par-ticles have been generated. Potentiodynamic polarization studies at early exposure revealed an increase in the corrosion potential as the Ni was added for either fast or slow solidified samples. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy at early exposure demonstrated that the Ni-modified alloy, on the other hand, was associated to smaller charge transfer resistances, in-dicating a reduction in corrosion resistance after short elapsed time into the electrolyte. Howev-er, 30-day immersion tests revealed much lower corrosion rate of the Ni-modified alloy than the other alloys, while the corrosion rates of the Co-modified and non-modified alloys were simi-lar. In the Ni-containing alloy, decreased corrosion rate under long-term corrosion process was attributed to the formation of a thick and dense alumina layer, effectively protecting the surface under such conditions. This work contributes to a better knowledge of the corrosion behavior of Ni- and Co-corrected Al industrial scrap compositions.

Background: Staphylococcus aureus is a major contributor to biofilm-associated infections, which complicate the treatment of chronic conditions like osteomyelitis and prosthetic infections. Bio-films, characterized by bacterial communities encased in a protective matrix, hinder the effec-tiveness of antimicrobial agents and contribute to persistent infections. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the activity of delafloxacin, a novel fluoroquinolone, against biofilm-forming S. aureus strains, including methicillin-resistant (MRSA) and methicillin-sensitive (MSSA) isolates. Methods: Delafloxacin’s efficacy was compared with traditional antibiotics (vancomycin, line-zolid, doxycycline, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, and rifampicin) using minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) assays, including testing at different pH levels to simulate acidic biofilm conditions. Synergistic interactions between delafloxacin and other antimicrobials were assessed using the checkerboard method. Biofilm eradication was tested through minimal biofilm eradi-cation concentration (MBEC) assays, biomass quantification, and cell viability (MTT assay). Re-sults: The results showed that all isolates were susceptible to vancomycin and linezolid, with varying resistance to other antibiotics. Delafloxacin demonstrated potent activity, with MIC re-ductions observed in acidic conditions. Synergistic effects were minimal, with only a few isolates showing synergy with vancomycin and doxycycline. Biofilm eradication tests revealed limited success in eradicating biofilms at breakpoint concentrations. However, rifampicin in combination with delafloxacin significantly reduced biofilm biomass in some isolates. No significant changes in cell viability were noted across treatments. Conclusion: This study highlights delafloxacin's potential against biofilm-associated infections, particularly in acidic environments. Despite the challenges in biofilm eradication, delafloxacin combined with rifampicin shows promise for im-proved treatment strategies.

The regulation of multiple bacterial phenotypes was found to depend on different cyclic di-nucleotides (CDNs) that constitute intracellular signalling second messenger systems. Most notably, c-di-GMP, along with proteins related to its synthesis, sensing and degradation, was identified as playing a central role in the switching from biofilm to planktonic modes of growth. Recently, this world has been under expansion, with the discoveries of other signalling CNDs in bacteria (c-di-AMP and cGAMP) and also in eukaryotes, novel protein and RNA receptors of CDNs, and the numerous functions related to these molecules. In this work, we comprehensively review and analyse the structural biology data about the systems that bacteria use to synthesise and recognise CDNs, detailing their interactions at molecular level with their products/ligands. Additional interesting observations were made, including that different receptor types can bind CDNs in similar conformations and that, based on genomic data, different CDN second messenger systems may coexist in many organisms. The large amount of sequence and structural data available allows a broad view of the importance of CDNs in bacteria, but how cells coordinate these molecules to ensure adaptation to changing environmental conditions is still open for much further exploration.

Spatial modeling in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) always involves choices. The existence of constraints, either of a financial nature or related to the specifics of the software itself, to the algorithms, the uncertainty and even the reliability of the data, the purposes and the applications of the studies, make this a kind of guiding compass for GIS analysts. Building on a previous exercise of data acquisition (check-ins) based on two Digital Social Networks (DSN—Facebook and Foursquare) and on the awareness of the use of voluntary geographic information generated by tourists sharing their topophilic ties through DSN, the present analysis aims to evaluate the contribution of modern techniques of spatial analysis applied to tourism in the “Alta and University of Coimbra” area. Concepts and procedural tasks related to density determination, cluster analysis and identification of patterns associated with regionalized variables have thus been implemented with the purpose of evaluating and comparing the results obtained through the application of two techniques of spatial analysis, Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) and Optimized Hot-Spot Analysis (OHSA) & Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) Interpolation.

At the beginning of any electric arc welding process, a regime called transient regime will always occur, characterized by the continuous variation of the energy flow, also resulting in the variation of the cooling rate of the welded joint. Consequently, the weld bead hardness varies from a maximum value to an approximately constant value, and this phenomenon can be represented by an asymptotic exponential function. For several welded specimens, it would be possible to fit a non-linear regression for each specimen, however, it would be a difficult task to combine different regressions in a single analysis. The objective of this study is to evaluate the applicability of mixed-effects models and artificial neural networks to predict the longitudinal hardness of the weld bead in the initial transient regime. To this end, linearized and nonlinear mixed-effects models and artificial neural networks with different architectures were fitted. Finally, valid models were obtained with all approaches, with artificial neural network model slightly better fitted. However, the explainability capacity of the linearized mixed-effects model was superior, showing that the relative thickness, one of the predictor variables, was responsible for 48% of the variation in longitudinal hardness of weld bead.

In a business environment that is constantly changing, intellectual capital stands out as the most valuable asset for companies. Those who invest in developing their employees, especially their Chief Financial Officers (CFOs), tend to outperform their competitors. This study explores the relationship between the intellectual Capital of CFOs and the financial performance of companies listed on B3. The 100 companies with the largest capitalization listed on B3 in 2022 were analyzed, with available data on the CFO. A statistical model was applied in a cross-section analysis, considering two of the three subdivisions of Intellectual Capital: Human Capital ( experience, education, and certifications) and Relational/Social Capital ( network and reputation of the CFO). The results indicated a statistically significant relationship between CFOs' Human Capital level and the performance of the companies they manage, measured by EPS, ROA, and ROE. However, no statistical significance was found for Relational/Social Capital. This study contributes to the literature on intellectual capital and corporate finance in the Brazilian context, providing new evidence on the importance of CFOs' intellectual capital for company performance. It was observed that there are few equivalent studies in Brazil on the topic, especially about the Intellectual Capital of CFOs of companies listed on the stock exchange (BOVESPA).

The Fusarium fujikuroi species complex (FFSC) includes socioeconomically important pathogens that cause disease and/or mycotoxin contamination on numerous crops. Here, we used comparative genomics to elucidate processes underlying the ability of pine-associated and grass-associated FFSC species to colonize tissues of their respective plant hosts. We characterized the identity, possible functions, evolutionary origins, and chromosomal positions of the host-range-associated genes encoded by the two groups of fungi. The 72 and 47 genes identified as unique to the respective genome groups were potentially involved in diverse processes, ranging from transcription, regulation, and substrate transport, through to virulence/pathogenicity. Most emerged early during the evolution of Fusarium/FFSC and were subsequently retained only in some lineages, while some had origins outside Fusarium. Although differences in the densities of these genes were especially noticeable on the conditionally dispensable chromosome of F. temperatum (representing the grass-associates) and F. circinatum (representing the pine-associates), the host-range-associated genes tended to be located towards the subtelomeric regions of chromosomes. Taken together, these results demonstrate that multiple mechanisms drive the emergence of genes in grass- and pine-associated FFSC taxa examined and highlighted the diversity of molecular processes potentially underlying niche-specificity in these and other Fusarium species.

In healthy adult brain, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is exclusively expressed by neurons and in some instances, it has furthermore been shown to derive from a single neuronal subpopulation. Secreted GDNF acts in a paracrine fashion by forming a complex with GDNF family receptor α1 (GFRα1) which is mainly expressed by neurons and can act in cis as a membrane-bound or in trans as a soluble factor. The GDNF/GFRα1 complex signals through interaction with RET (“rearranged during transfection”) or with a lower affinity with neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM). GDNF can also signal independently from GFRα1 via interaction with syndecan-3. RET being expressed by neurons involved in several pathways: nigro-striatal dopaminergic neurons, motor neurons, enteric neurons, sensory neurons, etc. could be the main determinant of the specificity of GDNF pro-survival effect. In injured brain, de novo expression of GDNF occurs in glial cells. Neuroinflammation has been reported to induce GDNF expression in activated astrocytes and microglia, infiltrating macrophages, nestin-positive neural stem cells and neuron/glia (NG2) progenitors. This disease-related GDNF overexpression can be either beneficial or detrimental depending on the localization in the brain and the level and duration of glial cells activation. Some reports also describe upregulation of RET and GFRα1 in glial cells, suggesting that GDNF could modulate neuroinflammation.

Hemoglobin is one of the proteins that are more susceptible to S-glutathionylation and the levels of its modified form, glutathionyl hemoglobin, increase in several human pathological conditions. The scope of the present review is to provide knowledge about how hemoglobin is subjected to be S-glutathionylated and how this modification affects its functionality. The different diseases that showed increased levels of glutathionyl hemoglobin and the methods used for its quantification in clinical investigations will be also outlined. Since there is a growing need for precise and reliable methods of markers of oxidative stress in human blood, this review highlights how glutathionyl hemoglobin is more and more emerging as a good indicator of severe oxidative stress but also as a key pathogenic factor in several diseases.

This paper, based on the "Unified Theory of Forces," rigorously proves the formula of de Broglie's wave function. This helps us better understand the following important issues: 1) Theoretically prove and understand the essence of de Broglie's wave function; 2) Prove that when the particle's momentum P is determined, the greater the mass of the particle, the more concentrated its wave function distribution, and the weaker the interference effect; 3) Correct the spatial distribution of the wave function of free particles, proving that the wave function of free particles is strictly constrained within a finite spatial range, which is consistent with the facts we observe.

As sessile organisms, plants face a wide range of abiotic stresses, with salinity being a prominent constraint affecting their growth, development, and productivity, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. This study focused on understanding how salinity impacts Jatropha curcas, an important oilseed plant for biodiesel production. By examining the anatomy and ultrastructure of stomata and chloroplasts, we investigated the effects of prolonged salinity stress on J. curcas. This stress led to changes in stomatal density, stomatal index, and ostiole aperture, which case an imbalance of water conductivity in the xylem. Through transmission electron microscopy, we explored the subcellular organization of J. curcas chloroplasts and their contribution to plant photosynthetic efficiency, providing insights into their role in this process. Notably, salinity treatment resulted in a significant increase in starch granules accumulation, leading to impaired the granal and stromal grana lamellae, destroying this ultrastructure. Our findings indicate that the anatomy and ultrastructure of chloroplasts play a crucial role in influencing photosynthetic efficiency and hydraulic conductivity. This study offers new perspectives on the structure and function of chloroplasts in J. curcas, presenting innovative opportunities to develop strategies that enhance biofuel production in areas with high soil salinity.

The aim of this study was to provide information on the levels of toxic (Cd and Pb) and essential (Cu, Fe and Zn) elements in cow’s milk produced in the State of Pernambuco (Brazil). A total of 142 samples of raw milk were collected, and the concentrations of essential and toxic elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry. In almost 30 % of the samples analyzed, the Pb content exceeded the maximum level established in the Brazilian legislation (0.05 mg/l). By contrast, in all samples the Cd content was below the maximum allowable level (0.02 mg/L). The essential trace elements Cu, Fe and Zn were generally present at lower concentrations than reported in other studies and can be considered within the deficient range for cow’s milk. Statistical and chemometric procedures were used to evaluate the main factors influencing the metal concentrations (proximity to major roads, presence of effluents, and milking method). The study findings demonstrate that the proximity of the farms to major roads influences the concentrations of Cd, Pb and Cu and that this is the main factor explaining the Pb content of milk. In addition, the presence of effluents influenced the concentrations of Cu, while no relationship between the metal content and the milking method was observed. Thus, in accordance with the study findings, consumption of cow’s milk produced in the region can be considered a risk to public health due to the high concentrations of Pb and the low concentrations of other essential minerals such as Cu, Zn and Fe in some of the milk samples.

Growing evidence suggests that healthcare provider advice may increase tobacco cessation, reduce alcohol use, and improve the adoption of desirable lifestyle behaviors among patients. However, how brief interventions and other provider-patient interactions can shape cumulative adoption of multiple modifiable behaviors is less well studied for diabetes prevention and control. Using weighted internet panel survey data from a large socio-demographically diverse urban population in the United States (n=1,003), the present study describes differences in group characteristics among those who had been “ever diagnosed” with prediabetes/diabetes versus those who had not. It also examines the associations between the cumulative adoption of lifestyle behaviors and each of the following: a) lifetime prediabetes/diabetes diagnosis; b) brief lifestyle intervention exposure (i.e., received provider advice/encouragement); and c) recent provider-patient communication about diabetes. There were several group differences in “ever diagnosed” prediabetes/diabetes status by age, employment status, health status, nutrition knowledge, blood pressure/hypertension diagnosis, and diabetes-related health behaviors (p<0.05). Each of the three provider-patient interactions of interest were positively associated with a higher cumulative sum of adopted modifiable lifestyle behaviors for diabetes prevention and management. Results suggest that provider advice/provider-patient interactions of any type can have a salutary impact on whether individuals with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes will engage in recommended lifestyle behavior modifications.

Changes in food quality can dramatically impair zooplankton fitness, especially in eutrophic water bodies where cyanobacteria are usually predominant. Cyanobacteria are considered a food with low nutritional value, besides some species can produce bioactive secondary metabolites reported as toxic to zooplankton. Considering that cyanobacteria can limit survival, growth and reproduction of zooplankton, we hypothesized that the adverse effects of the dietary exposure of Daphnia species to saxitoxin-producing cyanobacteria depend on the relative abundance of nutitious food source in the diet. Life table experiments were conducted with different diets: 1) without nutritional restriction, where neonates were fed with diets at a constant green algae (Monoraphidium capricornutum) biomass as a nutritious food source, and increasing cyanobacterial concentration (STX-producing Raphidiopsis raciborskii), and 2) with diets consisting of different proportions of M. capricornutum (nutritious) and R. raciborskii (poor food) at a total biomass 1.0 mg C L 1. In general, the presence of high proportions of cyanobacteria promoted a decrease in Daphnia somatic growth, reproduction and intrinsic rate of population increase (r) in both diets with more pronounced effects in the nutritionally restricted diet (90% R. raciborskii). Two-way ANOVA revealed significant effects of species/clone and treatments in both assays, with significant interaction between those factors only in the second assay. Regarding the grazing assay, only D. laevis was negatively affected by increased cyanobacterial proportions in the diet. In the life table assay with constant edible food, a reduction in the reproduction parameters and the intrinsic rate of population increase (r) of all species was observed, In conclusion, we found adverse effects of the toxic cyanobacterial strain R. raciborskii on Daphnia fitness, regardless of the constant amount of nutritious food available, proving the toxic effect of R. raciborskii and the nutritional quality of the food has a greater influence on the fitness of these animals.

Starch is a widespread natural polymer used in healthcare applications due to its low cost and antibacterial properties. The use of starch in its many forms and its sometimes combination with metallic nanoparticles have all contributed to the advancement of biomaterials. However, few studies have been conducted on biocomposites composed of jackfruit starch and silver nanopar-ticles (AgNPs). As a result, this research aims to study the physicochemical, morphological, and cytotoxic features of a Brazilian jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) starch-based scaffold loaded with AgNPs. Gelatinization and chemical reduction were used to synthesize the scaffold and AgNPs, respectively. X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were utilized to explore the properties. The findings supported the development of anisotropic, stable, monodispersed AgNPs. The presence of AgNPs in the scaffold matrix was revealed by XRD and SEM-EDS. AgNPs were found to modify the crystallinity, roughness, and thermal stability of the scaffold while leaving its chemical and physical characteristics unchanged. Finally, the scaffolds did not show adverse effects on the L929 cells.

The use of Information Communication Technologies (ICT) in education brings up new possibilities of promoting the learning and health experiences. In this sense, education contexts of 21st century must consider these two areas of knowledge, especially their integration. This article presents learning practices developed with mobile devices and games, in order to improve learning and well-being in children and adolescents undergoing cancer treatment in non-formal educational setting. The methodology is based on qualitative case studies with content-based data analysis, involving informal interviews and observation methods. The study considers data from 5 patients who participated in the research between 2015 and 2019. The results demonstrate a positive influence of the practices with mobile technologies and games in terms of learning and in the well-being feeling of patients during the treatment.

Alternaria brown spot (ABS) is a disease caused by the fungus Alternaria alternata f. sp. citri, which results in lesions on fruits, leaves, and branches of several mandarin varieties and their hybrids. Due to the high cost of fungicide application, alternative methods for controlling ABS need to be studied. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the use of essential oils (EOs) from different mandarin varieties to mitigate the effects of ABS. The inhibitory effect of different concentrations (1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 μL mL-1) of Fremont IAC 543 mandarin, IAC 2019Maria mandarin, Murcott IAC 221 tangor, and Late IAC 855 willowleaf. EOs on the in vitro mycelial growth of the fungus A. alternata was evaluated. Additionally, the curative and preventive effects of these EOs on ABS symptoms on detached leaves of Murcott IAC 221 tangor were also assessed. The EO of IAC 2019Maria mandarin induced less mycelial growth, and consequently, greater inhibition of the growth of the fungus A. alternata at a concentration of 16 μL mL-1. This EO was more effective in control than the other oils tested. In the detached leaf experiment, both the curative and preventive treatments at a concentration of 16 μL mL-1 showed lower values of disease severity.

This study analyzed the relationship between anthropometric measures, cardiorespiratory capacity, strength, power and local muscle endurance with performance in the CrossFit® Open 2020. For this, 17 volunteers (6 women) (29.0 ± 7.2 years; 70.5 ± 9.8 kg) completed, on separate weeks, body composition (dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry), maximal oxygen consumption (2km row test), muscle strength (1RM back and front squat, isometric peak torque), and muscle power (1RM snatch and clean &amp; jerk), and muscle endurance (Tibana test), which were compared with performance during the CrossFit® Open 2020. Multiple linear regression showed that for the CrossFit Open 2020.1 and 2020.2 workouts, the score in the Tibana test was the only variable that explained the outcomes (Beta = -0.78, p &lt; 0.01 for 2020.1 workout and Beta = 0.82, p &lt; 0.01 for 2020.2 workout). Performance in the CrossFit Open 2020.3 and 2020.4 workouts were explained through the relative strength (Beta = 0.58, p = 0.02 for 2020.3 workout and Beta = 0.50, p = 0.04 for 2020.4 workout). Lastly, Tibana test had the greatest influence on CrossFit Open 2020.5 workout (Beta = -0.75, p &lt; 0.01). A local muscle endurance and muscle strength may be used to predict CrossFit® open workout performance.

Pregnant women (PW) are at a higher risk of diseases and hospitalization from viral respiratory infections, specially influenza, due to cardiopulmonary and immunological changes. This study assessed the impact of viral respiratory infections on PW hospitalized with severe acute respiratory infection (SARI). It´s a cross-sectional study with 42 PW and 85 non-pregnant women (NPW) admitted with SARI to two tertiary hospital between January 2015 and December 2019. The rate of virus prevalence, SARI hospitalization, length of hospital stay, oxygen supplementation, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and death were comparable between PW and NPW. Multivariate analysis showed that PW had a higher rate of viral SARI hospitalizations (OR = 2.37; 95% CI =1.02 - 5.48) compared to NPW, with influenza virus being the most prevalent (aOR =7.58; 95% CI =1.53 - 37.66). Length of hospital stay (aOR = 0.83; 95% CI = 0.73 – 0.95) and admission to the ICU (aOR=0.028; 95% CI=0.004 - 0.25) were lower in PW compared to hospitalized NPW. Respiratory viruses had a greater impact on the frequency of SARI in the group of PW. Although PW had a higher rate of influenza SARI, they had a better outcome than NPW due to the treatment they received.

Globally, anthropogenic sound and artificial light pollution have increased to alarming levels. Evidence suggests that these can disrupt critical processes that impact ecosystems and human health. However, limited focus has been given to the potential effects of sound and artificial light pollution on microbiomes. Microbial communities are the foundations of our ecosystems. They are essential for human health and provide myriad ecosystem services. Therefore, disruption to microbiomes by anthropogenic sound and artificial light could have important ecological and human health implications. In this mini-review, we provide a critical appraisal of available scientific literature on the effects of anthropogenic sound and light exposure on microorganisms and discuss the potential ecological and human health implications. Our mini-review shows that a limited number of studies have been carried out to investigate the effects of anthropogenic sound and light pollution on microbiomes. However, based on these studies, it is evident that anthropogenic sound and light pollution have the potential to significantly influence ecosystems and human health via microbial interactions. Many of the studies suffered from modest sample sizes, suboptimal experiments designs, and some of the bioinformatics approaches used are now outdated. These factors should be improved in future studies. This is an emerging and severely underexplored area of research that could have important implications for global ecosystems and public health. Finally, we also propose the photo-sonic restoration hypothesis: does restoring natural levels of light and sound help to restore microbiomes and ecosystem stability?

This study aims to report the clinical signs, therapy, necropsy, and histopathological findings of the first case of airsacculitis caused by enterobacteria and eggs of the superfamily Diplotriaenoidea in M. choliba in the Amazon Biome. The bird was admitted without clinical signs, had been hospitalized for observation for five months, and had started the rehabilitation process for release 37 days before it started to show signs of weakness, lack of appetite, cachexia, dyspnea, ruffled feathers, vomiting, and dry feces. Therapy with oxytetracycline (48 mg/kg), sulfamethoxazole (48 mg/kg), mebendazole (25 mg/kg), potenay (0.5 ml/kg), sodium chloride 0.9% (50 ml /kg) and mercepton (5ml/kg), however, after five days of starting the treatment, the bird died. At necropsy, prominence of the keel, pieces of food in the oral cavity and proventriculus, thickened air sacs, intestine with firm stools, and the presence of gas, hepatomegaly, and splenomegaly were observed. The parasitological examination showed eggs of the Diplotriaenoidea superfamily. The microbiological analysis identified Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Enterobacter aerogenes. Histopathological examination showed heterophilic bacterial airsacculitis. The diagnosis was confirmed through clinical signs, necropsy findings, and parasitological, microbiological, and histopathological examination results.

Molenaar’s manifesto on psychology as idiographic science brought the N = 1 times series perspective firmly to the attention of developmental scientists. The rich intraindividual variation in complex developmental processes requires the study of these processes at the level of the individual. Yet, the idiographic approach is all but easy in practical research. One major limitation is the collection of short interval times series of high quality data on developmental processes. In this paper we present a novel measurement approach to this problem. We developed an online practice and monitoring system which is now used by thousands of Dutch primary school children on a daily or weekly basis, providing a new window on cognitive development. We will introduce the origin of this new instrument, called Math Garden, explain its setup, and present and discuss ways to analyze children’s individual developmental pathways.

This study aims to report the clinical signs, therapy, necropsy, and histopathological findings of airsacculitis caused by enterobacteria and the occurrence of the superfamily Diplotriaenoidea eggs in the feces of Megascops choliba in the Amazon Biome. A tropical screech owl nestling was rescued and admitted for hand-rearing. The animal was bred for five months. The feed was based on Zophobas morio larvae and thawed chicken breast meat with vitamin and mineral supplements. On the 37th day of hacking training for release, the owl showed weakness, lack of appetite, regurgitation, cachexia, dyspnea, ruffled feathers, dry feces in the vent and peri cloaca, and diarrhea. The parasitological examination showed eggs of the Diplotriaenoidea superfamily in the feces. The therapy was with oxytetracycline (48 mg/kg), sulfamethoxazole (48 mg/kg), mebendazole (25 mg/kg), potenay (0.5 ml/kg), sodium chloride 0.9% (50 ml /kg) and mercepton (5ml/kg). However, after five days of starting the treatment, the bird died. At necropsy, prominence of the keel, pieces of undigested food in the oral cavity and proventriculus, intestinal gas, and thickened and turbid air sacs were found. The microbiological analysis of air sacs identified Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Enterobacter aerogenes. Histopathological examination showed heterophilic bacterial airsacculitis.This study aims to report the clinical signs, therapy, necropsy, and histopathological findings of the first case of airsacculitis caused by enterobacteria and eggs of the superfamily Diplotriaenoidea in M. choliba in the Amazon Biome. The bird was admitted without clinical signs, had been hospitalized for observation for five months, and had started the rehabilitation process for release 37 days before it started to show signs of weakness, lack of appetite, cachexia, dyspnea, ruffled feathers, vomiting, and dry feces. Therapy with oxytetracycline (48 mg/kg), sulfamethoxazole (48 mg/kg), mebendazole (25 mg/kg), potenay (0.5 ml/kg), sodium chloride 0.9% (50 ml /kg) and mercepton (5ml/kg), however, after five days of starting the treatment, the bird died. At necropsy, prominence of the keel, pieces of food in the oral cavity and proventriculus, thickened air sacs, intestine with firm stools, and the presence of gas, hepatomegaly, and splenomegaly were observed. The parasitological examination showed eggs of the Diplotriaenoidea superfamily. The microbiological analysis identified Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Enterobacter aerogenes. Histopathological examination showed heterophilic bacterial airsacculitis. The diagnosis was confirmed through clinical signs, necropsy findings, and parasitological, microbiological, and histopathological examination results.

Restrictive cardiomyopathy is a rare cardiac disease causing severe diastolic dysfunction, ventricular stiffness and dilated atria. In consequence, it induces heart failure often with preserved ejection fraction and is associated with a high mortality. Since a poor clinical prognosis, patients with restrictive cardiomyopathy require frequently heart transplantation. Genetic as well as non-genetic factors contribute to restrictive cardiomyopathy and a significant portion of cases remains of unknown etiology. However, the genetic forms of restrictive cardiomyopathy and the involved molecular pathomechanisms are only partially understood. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge about primary genetic restrictive cardiomyopathy and describe its genetic landscape, which might be of interest for geneticists as well as for cardiologists.

Global warming, as well as europhication are predicted to promote cyanobacterial blooms, but how tropical phytoplankton communities from different trophic state systems respond to temperature variation is less known. To further explore the effect of temperature changes and nutrient addition on phytoplankton communities and to get insight in possible resistance to these effects, we tested the hypothesis that temperature variation will have a stronger effect on cyanobacteria dominance in eutrophic water than in oligo-mesotrophic. Hereto, we conducted an experiment with phytoplankton communities from two aquatic ecosystems differing in trophic state. Water samples from a eutrophic and an oligo-mesotrophic system were collected and incubated in 25 and 30ºC. Also, treatments that received additional surplus N and P were included that served as eutrophication treatments. Temperature variation itself did not promote cyanobacteria in either water from the oligo-mesotrophic or the eutrophic system. However, nutrient enrichment of water from the eutrophic system significantly boosted cyanobacteria, and biomass increased 10 times in both 25ºC and 30ºC treatments. In contrast, eutrophication of water from the oligo-mesotrophic system did not change the relative contribution of phytoplankton groups and response ratios were much lower than those for water from the eutrophic system. Although using a very simple experimental design, the results suggest that in eutrophic systems cyanobacteria dominance can be favoured by further addition of nutrients, independently of a direct temperature effect and that more pristine environments possess some resistance against eutrophication. Since global warming is assumed to intensify eutrophication symptoms indirectly, our study underscores the importance of nutrient control.

Abstract: Building Information Modelling (BIM) methodology has been empowering the quality of the construction activity in all sectors: multidisciplinary designs development; construction planning and monitoring; building management and maintenance. A BIM environment aggre-gates several disciplines and different professional skillsets and in order to control and improve the quality of a BIM project, a BIM manager is required. The BIM manager has the responsibility to coordinate all tasks involved in a building design and associated activities usually workout over the project documents. This professional can access to the distinct discipline models, located in a shared platform, and request for amendments if inconsistencies are detected. The topic of the present study is illustrated with three building cases were distinct specific projects, disciplines and tasks were elaborated: collaboration between disciplines (architecture, structures and con-struction); structural analyses and reinforcement details; quantity take-off of materials and cost estimation; construction scheduling and simulation. Although there are still limitations in the implementation of BIM methodology in all sectors and stages, within the construction industry, BIM has been bringing an important improvement in the quality of a building design, reflected in the quality of the final product. The present study put in evidence the BIM manager role in pro-jects that aggregates several disciplines and experts, bringing an important contribution in the quality of a building design. BIM methodology is a current demand in the construction industry supported on advanced technology and in an adequate management of projects.

Cities are complex systems requiring urban design models that balance order and disorder. Collective creativity initiatives engage citizens in these processes, empowering bottom-up approaches that prioritize people and social well-being within urban development. This paper investigates an 'Urban Laboratory' as a case study, examining the potential of collective creativity to address urban complexity. The successful and ongoing project 'El Campo de Cebada' in Madrid, Spain, demonstrates how a community transformed a vacant lot into a vibrant social hub. The phases of this study include case selection, data collection, data analysis, and presentation of the results. This study identifies key enabling factors, including agents, management, social dynamics, infrastructure, and actions. These insights offer a methodological framework for designing future collaborative, resilient, and inclusive urban spaces, addressing the complex needs of communities within our cities.

Based on molecular phylogenetic analyses, but also considering morphological characters, four new families are separated from the family Glomeraceae within the Glomerales and the class Glomeromycetes. The revised family Glomeraceae comprises only four genera: the type genus Glomus, Complexispora, Sclerocarpum and Simiglomus. Septoglomeraceae fam. nov. comprises, besides Septoglomus, also Funneliformis, Funneliglomus, Blaszkowskia and Viscospora. Sclerocystaceae fam. nov. is represented by the type genus Sclerocystis, but also by Halonatospora, Oehlia, Parvocarpum, Rhizoglomus and Silvaspora. Kamienskiaceae fam. nov. encompasses Kamienskia, Microkamienskia and Epigeocarpum. Finally, Dominikiaceae fam. nov. includes the genera Dominikia, Macrodominikia gen. nov. Microdominikia, Nanoglomus and Orientoglomus. The genera Oehlia and Halonatospora form two other clades well separated from Silvaspora, Sclerocystis and Rhizoglomus and might represent two further families within the Glomerales. Such deeper-going separation is to our opinion fully supported by molecular phylogeny, but in view of the low numbers of taxa, this separation is not yet needed at this stage of research progress.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the glycemic index and the satiety response of three Mexican kinds of honey. The values of fructose ranged from 272.40-395.10 g/kg, while the glucose value ringed 232.20-355.50 g/kg. The ratio F/G of sample honey was 1.45, 1.00, and 1.17 for Highland, Multifloral, and Avocado honey, respectively. Twenty-six participants completed this study, which was previously approved by the ethics committee of the Facultad de Salud Pública y Nutrición (CE 2/2018-19). Highland and Avocado honey is classified as medium-GI (69.204.07 and 66.365.74, respectively), while Multifloral honey is classified as high-GI (74.245.98). The Highland honey presented the best satiety response. The difference in IG values and the effect of the satiety response of Highland honey could be explained by the different fractions of carbohydrates in samples and other components such as phytochemicals.

Circular Economy (CE) is noted as an emerging tool or framework to support sustainable production and consumption agenda. In addition, CE is aiming to be a trigger for redefining economic growth pathways to be sustainable, inclusive, and sensitive to ecological and environmental agendas and to focus its operational standards on co-creating societal benefits. Concerning the guiding principles and the standards of practice applied to implement and scale circular economy, this study will provide an overview of the water sector-specific circularity roadmaps and strategies in the Latin American Region. By using a semi-systematic review, document analysis, and qualitative assessment approach, we highlight framings and operational pathways, gaps, and needs within existing practices of circularity in the water sector. The results provide an overview of CE pathways at the national level of selected countries in LAR iterating those nations reflect various levels of advancement (low to high) with CE-focused innovations and policy support structures specific to the water and wastewater sectors. Towards the closing, the study is pointing to the ‘call for action’ to integrate outstanding advances and innovations in the circular economy within sectoral mandates for water and wastewater management, making an argument that circularity in the water sector could serve as an accelerator toward implementing the agenda outlined in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and in particular for SDG 6 (water security for all).

Mandarins occupy the third group among citrus produced in Brazil. Primarily aimed at the fresh fruit market, commercial orchards have suffered significant losses in production, due to the high incidence of diseases, such as alternaria brown spot (ABS) and huanglongbing (HLB). The fact that 80% of the orchards are composed of two varieties, Ponkan mandarin and Murcott tangor, are highly susceptible to both diseases, demand intensive chemical control of the diseases in the field, which has resulted in a significant increase in production costs and a negative environmental impact. A total of one hundred and seventy-three mandarin accessions, including several species and hybrids, belonging to the Collections of the Instituto Agronômico de Campinas (IAC), were evaluated in the field, in an endemic location for the diseases. Evaluations of the incidence and severity of the diseases showed that there is a range of genotypes tolerant to ABS with potential to replace the current commercial varieties, mainly within the clementina and Willow leaf mandarin groups. Although with differences in incidence and susceptibility to HLB, there are no varieties tolerant to this disease, which significantly impacts the loss of fruit quality.

Building Information Modelling (BIM) methodology have been optimizing the construction activity in all sectors: multidisciplinary designs development; construction planning and monitoring; building management and maintenance. A BIM environment aggregates several disciplines and different skillsets and in order to control and improve the quality of a BIM project, a BIM manager is required. The BIM manager has the responsibility to coordinate all tasks involved in a building design and associated activities usually workout over the project documents. The professional can access to various discipline models, located in a shared board, and request for amendments if inconsistencies are detected. The present study issue is illustrated with three building cases were distinct specific projects, disciplines and tasks were elaborated: collaboration between disciplines (architecture, structures and construction); structural analyses and reinforcement details; quantity take-off of materials and cost estimation; construction scheduling and simulation. Although there are limitations in the implementation of BIM methodology in all sectors and stages, within the construction industry, BIM have been bringing an important improvement in the quality of a building design, reflected in the quality of the final product. BIM methodology is a current demand in the construction industry supported on advanced technology and in an adequate management of projects, were the BIM manager has an important role.

The Translationally Controlled Tumor Protein (TCTP) is a multifunctional protein found in most eukaryotic taxa. In plants, TCTP regulates cell-cycle progression as well as programmed cell death and is involved in plant regeneration and responses to abiotic and biotic stress, among other functions. Additionally, there is evidence that the transcript and protein are transported over long-distance. Potatoes are a crop of agricultural interest that can reproduce asexually by regeneration from stolons and tubers. Therefore, in this study the effect of transient expression of Solanum tuberosum TCTP (StTCTP) on tuberization was analyzed. StTCTP mRNA was shown to be transported long-distance. Additionally, transient overexpression of StTCTP resulted in tuber bearing shoots with a greater diameter compared to control plants. Furthermore, the early stages of tuberization were induced compared to control plants, in which only mature tubers were observed.

The urban mangrove of the Vitória Bay, Espírito Santo, Southern Brazil suffers from anthropogenic impacts, which interfere in the foliar spectral response of its species. Identifying the spectral behavior of these species and creating regression models to indirectly obtain structure data like the Leaf Area Index (LAI) are powerful environmental monitoring tools. In this study, LAI was obtained in 32 plots distributed in four stations. In situ LAI regression analysis with the SAVI resulted in significant positive relationships (r² = 0.58). Forest variability regarding the degree of maturity and structural heterogeneity and LAI influenced the adjustment of vegetation indices (VIs). The highest regression values were obtained for the homogeneous field data, represented by R. mangle plots, which also had higher LAI values. The same field data were correlated with SAVI of a RapidEye image for comparison purposes. The results showed that, images obtained by a UAV have higher spatial resolution than the Rapideye image, and therefore had a greater influence of the background. Another point is that the statistical analysis of the field data with the IVs obtained from the RapidEye image did not present high regression coefficient (r² = 0.7), suggesting that the use of VIs applied to the study of urban mangroves needs to be better evaluated, observing the factors that influence the leaf spectral response.

Staphylococcus spp. are among the main pathogens responsible for important infections worldwide, both in humans and in domestic or wild animals. Chiropterans, popularly known as bats, inhabit natural environments and human constructions, and have been considered potential disseminators of several pathogens. Studies have shown the expression of the mecA gene in these animals, being a significant threat to One Health. The objective of this study was to determine antibiotic resistance and the presence of the mecA gene in Staphylococcus spp. isolates from bats from forest areas in the municipalities of Paraná, Brazil. A total of 87 frugivorous chiropterans belonging to the family Phyllostomidae were captured. Of these, 87 rectal and 87 oral swabs samples were collected, re-sulting in 32 Staphylococcus spp. isolates. Twenty-four isolates were characterized as coagu-lase-negative, and 8 coagulase-positive Staphylococcus spp. (STACP), which showed notable re-sistance to oxacillin (78.12%), penicillin G (65.62%) and to other antimicrobials as well. One STACP isolate was mecA-positive. Therefore, further studies are needed to elucidate the mechanisms of contamination and dissemination of these pathogens, emphasizing that anthropic actions in na-tural environments, especially those related to the use of antimicrobials, pesticides may be the main reasons for the presence of resistant bacteria in bats.

Sour rot, caused by Geotrichum citri-aurantii, is a significant post-harvest disease in citrus, resulting in economic losses due to the lack of effective fungicides. This study investigates the antifungal activity of essential oils from Late IAC 585 willowleaf and Pera IAC sweet orange in controlling sour rot in Tahiti acid lime fruits. Essential oils were extracted via hydrodistillation and tested in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, assays evaluated mycelial growth inhibition at concentrations ranging from 2 to 32 µl ml⁻¹. In vivo trials involved preventive and curative treatments on artificially inoculated fruits stored at 25°C ± 2. Results showed that Pera IAC sweet orange oil, at 32 µl ml⁻¹, reduced disease severity by 96% in curative treatments. In contrast, Late mandarin oil demonstrated moderate inhibition (44%) at the highest concentration in vitro. The oils did not affect key fruit quality parameters such as juice yield and total soluble solids. These findings suggest that citrus essential oils could be natural alternatives to synthetic fungicides for post-harvest sour rot management, combining effectiveness with maintaining fruit quality. Further research is needed to explore the mechanisms of action and commercial application potential.

Alzheimer's disease is characterized by a progressive decline of cognitive functions. The class of drugs used for the treatment are acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. Essential oils have contributed to folk medicine and discovery of new drugs for a long time. The purpose of the study was to investigate the in vitro and in silico the anti-acetylcholinesterase activity, as well as acute toxicity of the essential oil of Lippia origanoides. EOLO was obtained by hydrostelting and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The inhibition assay of acetylcholinesterase enzyme activity was evaluated in vitro, as well as in silico by docking. The effects of EOLO on hematological, biochemical and behavioral parameters were analyzed in mices. We expose that EOLO shows good anti-acetylcholinesterase activity and low toxicity, possibly resulting from the action of the majority compounds thymol, carvacrol and p-cymene. The anti-acetylcholinesterase potential in vitro demonstrating a 70% inhibition. The docking results elucidated the participation of the major phenolics in AChE inhibition by interacting with the catalytic cavity of AchE. The acute oral toxicity test classified as low toxicity. These results contribute to expand the knowledge about essential oil of Lippia origanoides. Therefore, appears to be promising for herbal medicine production with anti-acetylcholinesterase and antioxidant activity.

This study investigated the adaptability of Dunaliella salina to different salinity levels, with emphasis on growth, pigment concentration, and desalination potential. It was found that among the 21 salinity levels, salinity 75 produced consistently favorable results in cell count (13.08 x 10³ ± 1.41 x 10³ cells/mL), dry biomass (2.46 ± 0.06 g/L), pigment content (chlorophyll a = 97.5 ± 0.1 µg/L, chlorophyll b = 123.6 ± 0.3 µg/L), and desalination (9.32 ± 0.47 reduction). Therefore, salinity 75 was selected for the final trial (scale-up), which revealed unanticipatedly high cell counts (58.96 x 10³ ± 535.22 cells/mL), with dry biomass weight being statistically different (higher) than the expected (4.21 ± 0.02 g/L) (p<0.0001), most likely due to high cell count and energy reserve storage for high salinity adaption in the form of bio-compounds. Pigment growth continued (chlorophyll a = 95.4 ± 2.2 µg/L, chlorophyll b = 128.1 ± 5.1 µg/L), indicating pigment production under salt stress. Notably, desalination did not occur in this stage, possibly due to the necessity for a bigger initial inoculate, prolonged exposure or bioaccumulation becoming the prevailing mechanism over desalination. Nevertheless, the trial highlights D. salina's strong adaptation to various salinity levels. This suggests a promising future in halophyte research, particularly in understanding the mechanisms that prevent salt accumulation in cells and how to overcome this barrier. Additionally, these results suggest that microalgae could be a viable resource in saline-rich environments unsuitable for conventional agriculture, promoting industrial adaptation to adverse conditions.

During carbonation process, the presence of water is an important parameter to accelerate this phenomenon. The carbon dioxide (CO₂) has been used as curing process production of fiber cement boards keeping the dimensional stability of cellulose fibers in cementitious matrix and promoting the CO₂ capture of environment. In addition, magnesium oxysulfate (MOS) cement has been used as another alternative binder to reduce the amount of CO₂ in the nature. The aim of this scientific paper is analysis the effect of rehydration method on the physical-mechanical properties of CO2-cured magnesium-based fiber cement boards. These boards were produced by Hatschek process simulation. The physical-mechanical performance and microstructural characteristics of MOS boards before and after carbonation were investigated by: water absorption (WA), apparent porosity (AP), and bulk density (BD); four-point bending test; X-ray diffraction (XRD); thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). According to the results, it was possible observe which the accelerated carbonation process resulted in improvements in the mechanical properties of the boards. The boards carbonated after 48 hours showed higher Modulus of Rupture values. The rehydration process of the composites before carbonation led to enhancements in the boards pre-cured for 48 and 72 hours, demonstrating that carbonation occurred more effectively after the supply of water through rehydration. The improvements in mechanical properties were associated with the formation of hydration products, which preferentially formed in the pores and voids of the fiber-cement. The presence of these carbonation products altered the physical properties of the materials, increasing the density of the boards and reducing the void volume. The decomposition of the formed carbonates was confirmed by thermogravimetric analysis, which indicated that the rehydration process favored the carbonation of the materials

An explanation of the origin of dark matter is suggested in this work. The argument is based on symmetry considerations about the concept of mass. In the Wigner's view, the rest mass and the spin of a free elementary particle in flat space-time are the two invariants that characterize the associated unitary irreducible representation of the Poincar\'e group. The Poincar\'e group has two and only two deformations with maximal symmetry. They describe respectively the de Sitter (dS) and Anti de Sitter (AdS) kinematic symmetries. Analogously to their shared flat space-time limit, two invariants, spin and energy scale for de Sitter and rest energy for Anti de Sitter, characterize the unitary irreducible representation associated with dS and AdS elementary systems. While the dS energy scale is a simple deformation of the Poincaré rest energy and so has a purely mass nature, AdS rest energy is the sum of a purely mass component and a kind of zero-point energy derived from the curvature. An analysis based on recent estimates on the chemical freeze-out temperature marking in Early Universe the phase transition quark-gluon plasma epoch to the hadron epoch supports the guess that dark matter energy might originate from an effective AdS curvature energy.

Language learners often face communication problems when they need to express themselves and do not have this ability. On the other hand, continuous advances in technology create new opportunities to improve second language (L2) acquisition through context-aware ubiquitous learning (CAUL) technology. Since vocabulary is the foundation of all language acquisition, this article presents the ULearnEnglish, an open-source system to allow ubiquitous English learning focused on incidental vocabulary acquisition. To evaluate the proposal, 15 learners used the system developed, and 10 answered a survey based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Results indicate a favorable response to the use of the learner context to assist them in their learning. The ULearnEnglish achieved an acceptance of 78.66% for the perception of the utility, 96% for the perception of ease of use, 86% for user context assessment, and 88% for ubiquity. This study presented a positive response in using the location of users to assist their learning. Among the main contributions, this study demonstrates an opportunity for ubiquity use in future research in language learning. Also, furthers studies can use the source available to evolve the model and system.

An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a dilatation of the abdominal aorta that progressively grows till the rupture. Treatment is typically recommended when the diameter is more than 5 cm. The EVAR (Endovascular aneurysm repair) is a mininvasive procedure that involves the placement of an expandable stent graft within the aorta to treat aortic disease without operating directly on the aorta. For years, stent grafts' essential design was based on metallic stent frames to support the fabric. More recently, a polymer-based technology has been proposed as an alternative method to seal AAA. This review underlines the two platforms that are based on a polymer technology: 1)the polymer-filled endobags, so-called Endovascular Aneurysm Sealing (EVAS) with Nellix stent graft; and 2)the O-ring EVAR polymer-based proximal neck sealing device, so-called Ovation stent graft. Polymer characteristics for this particular aim, clinical applications, and durability results are summarized and commented critically. The platform that embraced the concept of inflating endobags filled with polymer to exclude the aneurysmal sac was not successful because of the lack of an adequate proximal fixation. The platform that used polymer to create a circumferential sealing of the aneurysmal neck has proven safe and effective.

Repeat-Induced Point mutations (RIP) serves as a genome defence mechanism that impedes the deleterious consequences of repeated motifs such as transposable elements in fungi. Genomic regions with RIP are biased for adenosine and thymine transitions and the cumulative influence of RIP is thought to have a considerable impact on genome composition. We investigated the impact of RIP on localized genomic regions and whole-genome sequences for representatives of the pine pathogen, Fusarium circinatum. We set out to determine the intraspecific variation in acquired RIP and the role of RIP in the development of diverse F. circinatum sub-genomic compartments. The results of the study show that the AT-enriched sub-genomic compartment accounts for ca. 97% of the calculated RIP and was further prominent in both core and accessory genomic regions. However, more extensive RIP was observed in the accessory sub-compartment and more variable regions of the genome. Regions with RIP indicated increased intrinsic curvature of the DNA which may influence DNA-protein interactions and may promote constitutive heterochromatin formation. The results show that RIP is an important source of functional novelty and genome variation. RIP contributes to the evolution of the genetic landscape and differentiation of diverse sub-genomic compartments of this important fungal pathogen.

Spatial modeling in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) always involves choices. The existence of constraints, either of a financial nature or related to the specifics of the software itself, to the algorithms, the uncertainty and even the reliability of the data, the purposes and the applications of the studies, make this a kind of guiding compass for GIS analysts. Building on a previous exercise of data acquisition (check-ins) based on two Digital Social Networks (DSN — Facebook and Foursquare) and on the awareness of the use of Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) generated by tourists sharing their topophilic ties through DSN, the present analysis aims to evaluate the contribution of modern techniques of spatial analysis applied to tourism in the “Alta and University of Coimbra” area. Concepts and procedural tasks related to density determination, cluster analysis and identification of patterns associated with regionalized variables have thus been implemented with the purpose of evaluating and comparing the results obtained through the application of two techniques of spatial analysis, Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) and Optimized Hot-Spot Analysis (OHSA) & Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) Interpolation.

Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, leads to severe complications in 30% of infected individuals, including acute myocarditis and chronic fibrosing cardiomyopathy. Despite the significant burden of the disease, there is currently no licensed vaccine available to prevent it. This study aimed to evaluate the mucosal and systemic immunogenicity as well as the prophylactic efficacy of a mucosal vaccine and its impact on both acute and chronic cardiomyopathy. The results showed that nasal administration of Trans-sialidase (TS) plus c-di-AMP (TS+A). TS+A vaccine elicited NALT expression of IFN-γ, IL-17a, and IL-4 mRNA, and nasal-specific IgA production. Ex vivo challenge with TS also triggered enhanced proliferation of lymphocyte from the NALT, sentinel cervical lymph node and spleen. TS+A immunization increased plasma levels of Th1/Th2/Th17 cytokines and an evident cellular response to judge enhanced delayed-type hypersensitivity responses following TS footpad challenge. After oral infection, TS+A-vaccinated mice showed significantly reduced parasitemia and parasite load in heart, muscle and intestine, while markers of hepatic and muscle damage as well as clinical manifestations of acute infection are strongly diminished. TS+A also attenuated acute myocarditis and heart expression of inflammatory markers. The protection conferred by TS+A extended into the chronic phase, where it resulted in a clear reduction in chronic myocarditis, fibrosis, and functional electrocardiographic abnormalities, associated with decreased expression of the pro-fibrotic TGF-β. These results revealed that it is possible to develop a mucosal vaccine against T. cruzi based on TS and c-di-AMP, capable to reduce the development of Chagas cardiomyopathy, the hallmark of Chagas disease.

The purpose of this study was to assess if self-regulation of intensity based on rating of perceived exertion (RPE) is a reliable method to control the intensity of metabolic conditioning of functional-fitness session. In addition, the relationship between RPE and changes in heart rate and lactate responses was also analyzed. Eight male participants (age 28.1 ± 5.4 years; body mass 77.2 ± 4.4kg; VO₂max: 52.6 ± 4.6 mL·(kg·min)⁻¹) completed three randomly sessions (5 to 7 days apart) under different conditions: (1) all-out (ALL); (2) self-regulation of intensity based on a RPE of 6 (hard) on the Borg CR-10 scale (RPE6); and (3) a control session. Rate of perceived exertion, LAC and HR response were measured pre, during and immediately after the sessions. The RPE and LAC during the ALL-OUT sessions were higher (p ≤ 0.05) than the RPE6 and control sessions for all the analyzed time points during the sessions. Regarding HR, the 22 min area under the curve of HR during ALL-OUT and RPE6 sessions were significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05) than the control session. The average number of repetitions was lower (p ≤ 0.05) for the RPE6 session (190.5 ± 12.5 repetitions) when compared to the ALL session (214.4 ± 18.6 repetitions). There was a significant correlation between RPE and LAC (p = 0.001; r = 0.76; very large) and number of repetitions during the session (p = 0.026; r = 0.55; large). No correlation was observed between RPE and HR (p = 0.147; r = 0.380). These results indicate that self-regulation of intensity of effort based on RPE may be a useful tool to control exercise intensity during a metabolic conditioning session of functional-fitness.

The pine pitch canker pathogen, Fusarium circinatum, is globally regarded as one of the most important threads to commercial pine-based forestry. Although genome sequences of this fungus are available, these remain highly fragmented or structurally ill-defined. Our overall goal was to provide high-quality assemblies for two notable strains of F. circinatum, and to characterize these in terms of coding content, repetitiveness, and the position of telomeres and centromeres. For this purpose, we used Oxford Nanopore Technologies MinION long read sequences, as well as Illumina short sequence reads. By leveraging the genomic synteny inherent to F. circinatum and its close relatives, these sequence reads were assembled to chromosome-level, where contiguous sequences mostly spanned from telomere to telomere. Comparative analyses unveiled remarkable variability in the twelfth and smallest chromosome, which is known to be dispensable. It presented a striking length polymorphism, with one strain lacking substantial portions from the chromosome's distal and proximal regions. These regions, characterized by a lower gene density and G+C content and an increased prevalence of repetitive elements, contrast starkly with the syntenic segments of the chromosome, as well as with the core chromosomes. We propose that these unusual regions might have arisen or expanded due to the presence of transposable elements. Comparison of overall chromosome structure revealed that centromeric elements often underpin intrachromosomal differences between F. circinatum strains, especially at chromosomal breakpoints. This suggested a potential role for centromeres in shaping the chromosomal architecture of F. circinatum and its relatives. The publicly available genome data generated here, together with the detailed metadata provided, represent essential resources for future studies of this important plant pathogen.

The COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected the food supply chain, including producers, retailers, wholesalers, and customers. To minimize the impacts caused by pandemics and epidemics on food supply chains, it is fundamental to implement effective policies that ensure continuity in the provision, affordability, and distribution of basic food items. This research aims to identify the main impacts of pandemics and epidemics on food supply chains and policies that can minimize these impacts. Based on a systematic literature review (SLR), 174 documents are analysed to propose a taxonomy of impacts on four supply chain links: demand-side, supply-side, logistics and infrastructure, and management and operation. The taxonomy presents the main impacts, as well as the respective mitigation policies simultaneously. In addition, the literature review leads to the development of a comprehensive causal loop diagram (CLD) with the identification of main variables and their relationship with food supply chains. Finally, a specific research agenda is proposed by identifying main research gaps. These findings provide a structured method for evaluating policies that ensure the functioning of food supply chains, particularly in disruptions such epidemics and pandemics.

In this study, the distribution patterns of southern horse mackerel are examined using commercial fine-scale resolution data. Using landings by size category and VMS data from the Portuguese commercial bottom trawl fishery, which consistently targets horse mackerel, this study provides a comprehensive analysis of horse mackerel age distributions spanning a decade (2010-2020). Importantly, the study addresses potential biases in commercial effort data and establishes the usefulness of commercial bottom-trawl gear as a suitable method for sampling and evaluate southern horse mackerel stock dynamics. Ordered regression models were applied to allow for the modelling of the distribution of multiple age categories and investigate spatio-temporal migrations off the Portuguese coast. Southern horse mackerel shows a widespread age distribution range and stable abundance with indications of seasonal and spatial patterns in the distribution of specific age groups. The insights derived from this research contribute valuable knowledge for understanding the dynamics and distribution patterns of fish populations.

In this paper mathematical analysis of the HIV/AIDS deterministic model exposed in [Espitia, C. et. al. Mathematical Model of HIV/AIDS Considering Sexual Preferences Under Antiretroviral Therapy, a Case Study in San Juan de Pasto, Colombia, Journal of Computational Biology 29 (2022) 483–493] is made. The objective is to gain insight into the qualitative dynamics of the model determining the conditions for the persistence or effective control of the disease in the community through the study of basic properties such as positiveness and boundedness, calculus of basic reproduction number, stationary points such as disease free equilibrium (DFE), boundary equilibrium (BE) and endemic equilibrium (EE) are calculated, local stability (LAS) of disease free equilibrium. It research allow to conclude that the best way to reduce contagion and consequently to reach a DFE is thought to be the reduction of homosexual partners rate as they are the most affected population by the virus, and are therefore the most likely to become infected and to spread the infection. Increasing the departure rate of infected individuals, leads to a decrease in untreated infected heterosexual men and untreated infected women.

Minimally processed fruits undergo changes that need to be controlled. The objective was to evaluate minimally processed papayas, using edible coatings based on chitosan and gelatin through different techniques. The following treatments were applied: control (distilled water), 1% chitosan, 4% gelatin, 1% chitosan + 4% gelatin (blend) and 1% chitosan under 4% gelatin (layer by layer). The infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) of the coatings was analyzed, and fresh mass, firmness, pulp color (L*, a*, b* and Hue angle), pH, titratable acidity, soluble solids, ascorbic acid, phenolic compounds, lycopene, β-carotene, total sugars and catalase from fruits. Gelatin and the layer-by-layer treatment had a positive effect on the conservation of minimally processed papaya. These coatings were able to reduce the loss of fresh mass, maintaining the firmness and orange color of the mesocarp. The treatments showed low SS content during the storage period, few variations in acidity, influencing maturation. Gelatin had a low polyphenol content, the layer-by-layer treatment did not show changes in vitamin C levels. These treatments did not show changes in lycopene and β-carotene levels over the days, showing a small increase in total sugars. Thus, the use of gelatin polymers and undercoat treatment (LBL) is a viable alternative to preserve minimally processed papayas for at least 8 days.

Fusarium circinatum is an important global pathogen of pine trees. Genome plasticity has been observed in different isolates of the fungus, but no genome comparisons are available. To address this gap, we sequenced and assembled to chromosome level five isolates of F. circinatum. These genomes were analysed together with previously published genomes of F. circinatum isolates FSP34 and KS17. Multi-sample variant calling identified a total of 461683 micro variants (SNPs and small indels) and a total of 1828 macro structural variants of which 1717 were copy number variants and 111 were inversions. Variant density was higher on sub-telomeric regions of chromosomes. Variant annotation revealed that genes involved in transcription, transport, metabolism and transmembrane proteins were overrepresented in gene sets affected by high impact variants. A core genome representing genomic elements conserved in all the isolates and a non-redundant pangenome representing all genomic elements is presented. Whole genome alignments showed that an average of 93% of the genomic elements are present in all isolates. The results of this study reveal that some genomic elements are not conserved within the isolates and some variants are high impact. The described genome-scale variations will help inform novel disease management strategies against the pathogen.

Nowadays, frameworks and models are critical to enabling organizations to identify their current sustainability integration into business and to follow up on these initiatives over time. In this context, the maturity models offer a structured way of analyzing how a supply chain meets specific sustainability requirements and which areas demand attention to reach maturity levels. This study proposes a five-level maturity model to help supply chains identify their level of engagement with sustainability practices combining three perspectives: intra and inter-organizational sustainability practices, triple-bottom-line approach and critical areas for sustainability. All the steps followed in constructing the maturity model were based on a literature review, and case studies supported its improvement, application, and testing. The proposed model presents many advantages, such as being used as a self-assessment tool, a roadmap for sustainability behaviour improvement, and a benchmarking tool to evaluate and compare standards and best practices among organizations and supply chains.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) the causative agent of human tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most successfully adapted-human pathogens. Human-to-human transmission occurs at high rates through aerosols containing bacteria, but the pathogen evolved prior to the establishment of crowded populations. Mtb has developed a particular strategy to ensure persistence in the host until an opportunity for transmission arise. It has refined its lifestyle to obviate the need for virulence factors such as capsules, flagella, pilli, or toxins to circumvent mucosal barriers. Instead, the pathogen uses host macrophages, where it establishes intracellular niches, for its migration into the lung parenchyma and other tissues and for the induction of long-lived latency in granulomas. Finally, at the end of the infection cycle Mtb induces necrotic cell death of macrophages to escape to extracellular milieu and instructs a strong inflammatory response required for progression from latency to disease and transmission. Common to all these events is ESAT-6, one of the major virulence factors secreted by the pathogen. This review highlights the recent advances in understanding the role of ESAT-6 in hijacking macrophage function to establish a successful infection and transmission and its use as a target for the development of diagnostic tools, and vaccines.

As a form of protection, a nature park is often created to protect and valorise natural and cultural heritage in peripheral rural areas. However, in terms of multi-functionality, new nature parks are incorporated into traditional productive activities, such as recreational and tourist activities, which sometimes compromise sustainability. The research objective is to study the relationship between tourism and sustainability in the Nature Parks of “Sierra de Aracena y Picos de Aroche”, “Sierra Norte de Sevilla” and “Sierra de Hornachuelos” that makes up the Dehesas de Sierra Morena Biosphere Reserve in Andalusia, Spain. Therefore, selective interviews have been carried out with the stakeholders to establish their perception of sustainable tourism and the presence of dominant discourses. The main conclusions indicate (1) the presence of different dominant discourses on sustainability, namely the conservationist and mercantilist ones, with the prevalence of the economic dimension; (2) poor awareness and adaptation to the context of global change; and (3) the presence of competitive relationships that generate difficulties for the governance of sustainable tourism.

The objective was to evaluate the effect of 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP) in combination with dif-ferent feed additives on growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality, enteric methane (CH4) emissions, nutrient intake and digestibility, and blood parameters in feedlot beef cattle. In ex-periment (Exp.) 1, one hundred sixty-eight Nellore bulls (initial bodyweight (BW) 410 ± 8 kg) were allocated to 24 pens in a completely randomized block design. In Exp. 2, thirty Nellore bulls (Initial BW 410 ± 3 kg) were allocated to a collective pen in a completely randomized design. Three treatments were applied: Control (CTL): Sodium monensin (26 mg/kg of dry matter, DM), M3NOP: CTL with 3-NOP (100 mg/kg DM) and Combo: 3-NOP (100 mg/kg DM) with essential oils (100 mg/kg DM), 25-Hydroxy-Vit-D3 (0.10 mg/kg DM), organic chromium (4 mg/kg DM), and zinc (60 mg/kg DM). In Exp 1, bulls in Combo had greater (P

Currently, there are several drugs used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2D), however, all of them have adverse effects. Benzothiazoles have a broad spectrum of biological activities such as antidiabetic. This study aimed to evaluate in silico and in vivo two series of 2-aminobenzothiazole derivatives linked to isothioureas (3a-w) or guanidines (4a-z) for the treatment of T2D. The ADMET properties were determined in silico from which it was possible to select compounds 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4r, 4s, 4x, and 4y and, with molecular docking, it was shown that 3b and 4y showed high affinity for PPAR gamma (ΔG = -7.8 and -8.4 kcal/mol, respectively). In vivo, the LD50 value was estimated in rat based on OECD Guideline 425, being > 1750 mg/kg for both compounds. The pharmaco-logical effect of 3b and 4y was evaluated in the T2D rat model, showing that after oral admin-istration in equimolar ratio to pioglitazone (15 mg/kg) for 4 weeks, both compounds were able to reduce blood glucose levels (< 200 mg/dL) and improve the lipid profile. Therefore, 3b and 4y could be used in the future as antidiabetic agents.

We discuss the consequences of the unique symmetry of the de Sitter spacetime. This symmetry leads to the specific thermodynamic properties of the de Sitter vacuum, which produces the thermal bath for matter. The de Sitter spacetime is invariant under the modified translations, ${\bf r}\rightarrow {\bf r} -e^{Ht}{\bf a}$, where $H$ is the Hubble parameter. For $H\rightarrow 0$, this symmetry corresponds to the conventional invariance of Minkowski spacetime under translations ${\bf r}\rightarrow {\bf r} -{\bf a}$. Due to this symmetry, all the comoving observers at any point of the de Sitter space perceive the de Sitter environment as the thermal bath with temperature $T=H/\pi$, which is twice larger than the Gibbons-Hawking temperature of the cosmological horizon. This temperature does not violate the de Sitter symmetry, and thus does not require the preferred reference frame, as distinct from thermal state of matter, which violates the de Sitter symmetry. This leads to the heat exchange between gravity and matter, and to instability of de Sitter state towards the creation of matter, its further heating, and finally to the decay of the de Sitter state. The temperature $T=H/\pi$ determines different processes in the de Sitter environment, which are not possible in the Minkowski vacuum, such as the process of ionization of an atom in the de Sitter environment. This temperature also determines the local entropy of the de Sitter vacuum state, and this allows us to calculate the total entropy inside the cosmological horizon. The result reproduces the Gibbons-Hawking area law, which is related to the cosmological horizon, $S_{\rm hor}=4\pi KA$, where $K=1/16\pi G$. This supports the holographic properties of the cosmological event horizon. We extend the consideration of the local thermodynamics of the de Sitter state using the $f({\cal R})$ gravity. In this thermodynamics, the Ricci scalar curvature ${\cal R}$ and the effective gravitational coupling, $K$, are thermodynamically conjugate variables. The holographic connection between the bulk entropy of the Hubble volume, and the surface entropy of the cosmological horizon remains the same, but with the gravitational coupling $K=df/d{\cal R}$. Such connection takes place only in the $3+1$ spacetime, where there is the special symmetry due to which the variables $K$ and ${\cal R}$ have the same dimensionality. We also consider the lessons from the de Sitter symmetry for the thermodynamics of black and white holes.

Escherichia coli and Shigella are common diarrhea-causing pathogens in children and adults. Enteroinvasive Escherichia coli (EIEC) shares a similar pathogenic mechanism with Shigella. However, EIEC are less virulent than Shigella. The aim of this work was to get a better understanding of the virulence differences between EIEC and S. flexneri. We investigated i) the bacterial gene co-expression networks (GCNs) and ii) the the transcriptional modules (WGCNA) of Caco-2 cells infected with EIEC or with S. flexneri during a three-hour period of bacterial infection. The GCN analysis showed that EIEC and S. flexneri networks presented different topologies. Additionally, the EIEC network revealed that pINV genes are not connected with chromosomal genes. WGCNA and eigengene analysis showed enterocyte gene expression variation along the three-hour bacterial post-infection period. Additionally, at one-hour post-infection EIEC induced a higher number of gene expression changes in Caco-2 cells than S. flexneri. Several of these genes are involved in autophagy. This study showed that the lower virulence of EIEC is associated with a lack of functional cooperation between pINV and chromosomal genes, differently from what was observed in S. flexneri. Consequently, EIEC becomes less efficient in subverting host-cell bacterial recognition as well as defense mechanisms such as autophagy.

Tabebuia aurea (Silva Manso) Benth. & Hook. f. The ex S.Moore (yellow ipe), belonging to the Bignoniaceae family, used in the popular for fever, inflammation and healing of skin wounds. The extract was prepared by maceration, using 70% ethanol. Through HPLC analysis, it was possible to identify substances, mainly phenolic, such as lapachol, present in Bignoniaceae. The phenolic content was 21.36 mg / Eag in the antioxidant activity, the effective concentration of 50% was 53.03 ± 1.14 µg / mL. The antimicrobial activity against S.aureus, E. coli and C. albicans was evaluated by microdilution in broth, which verified action against the tested microorganisms. Cell viability has been inhibited for tumor cells, although this has not been observed for normal cells. The LD50 against A.aegypti mosquito larvae was 3504.6 mg / L and there was no mortality in the concentration tested for the snail B.glabrata. Nontoxic or low toxicity for A. salina and T. molitor, respectively, and did not exhibit hemolytic action at concentrations of antibacterial effect. Given the above, it was concluded that the bark extract of the studied species has bioprospecting potential for the future development of antimicrobial products.

(1) Background: Children who are physically active and involved in organized sport report having the unhealthiest diets. Research suggests excessive calories may be attributed to the prevalence of fast food and candy which are often provided as rewards in sport. This study explored the use of food as a reward in youth sport and the perceived impact it has on children’s motivation to participate in recreational soccer and ice hockey; (2) Methods: A multiple instrumental case study approach was utilized. Children aged 4-12 (n = 64), parents (n = 30), and coaches (n = 18) were recruited within central and northeastern Ontario, Canada to participate in focus groups and individual interviews. Transcribed audio recordings underwent inductive thematic analysis; (3) Results: Key themes included: Fun and fast: The culture of food in youth soccer and hockey; (Un)importance of food rewards: The how and why of motivating children in sport; and Youth sport is expensive: Gratitude for sponsorship in youth sport; (4) Children’s participation and effort would continue without food rewards; however, they continue to be offered food to motivate and celebrate performance in youth sport. Findings highlight the need to increase knowledge and awareness among parents and coaches on what truly motivates children to help foster healthier strategies for celebrating success and supporting lifelong physical activity.

Mycobacterium ulcerans is the causative agent of the Buruli ulcer, also known, in Australia, as Daintree ulcer or Bairnsdale ulcer. This destructive skin disease is characterized by extensive and painless necrosis of the skin and soft tissue with the formation of large ulcers, commonly on the leg or arm. To date, 33 countries with tropical, subtropical and temperate climates in Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Western Pacific have reported cases of Buruli Ulcer. The disease is rarely fatal, although it may lead to permanent disability and/ or disfigurement if not treated appropriately or in time. It is the third most common mycobacterial infection in the world after tuberculosis and leprosy. The precise mode of transmission of M. ulcerans is yet to be elucidated. Nevertheless, it is possible that the mode of transmission varies with different geographical areas and epidemiological settings. The knowledge about the possible route of transmission and potential animal reservoir of M. ulcerans is poorly understood and still remains patchy. We conducted a systematic review with selected key words on PubMed and INFORMIT databases to aggregate available published data on animal reservoirs of M. ulcerans. After certain inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 17 studies were included in the review. A variety of animals, e.g rodents, shrews, possums (ringtail and brush tail), horses, dogs, alpacas, koalas and Indian flap-shelled turtles have been recorded as being infected with M. ulcerans around the world. The majority of studies included in this review identified animal reservoirs, either aquatic or terrestrial, as predisposing for the emergence and reemergence of M. ulcerans infection. Taken together, the selected studies in this systematic review and discussed so far, it is clear that exotic wildlife, aquatic animals and native mammals play a significant role as reservoirs for M. ulcerans.

Amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, open spaces provided solace for people during social isolation but also heighten risks, particularly in areas lacking proper management. This was especially critical in regions already facing challenges like low human development, extreme poverty, limited healthcare access, as seen in Pará Coastal Zone (NE Brazil). To address this, this study introduced the Pandemic Risk Index (PRI), evaluating Covid-19 risk using demographic, social, economic, and epidemiological indicators. Applied to municipalities in the area, PRI highlighted preexisting vulnerabilities shaping the region’s pandemic response and overall risk. PRI analysis revealed temporal and spatial variations in risk levels, identifying areas where the use of open spaces like beaches, presented a higher transmission risk. The results emphasized the significance of effective governance, improved healthcare, and containment measures, lowers risk levels. affect risk levels, and becomes one of the most important challenges, especially in remote areas with limited services and access.

Senna rugosa is a species found in the Cerrado and used in folk medicine as a vermifuge and in the treatment of poisonous snakebites accidents. In this work, we identified the main secondary metabolites present in ethanolic extracts of the leaves (ELSR) and roots (ERSR) of S. rugosa and evaluated the potential cytoprotective effect against cellular macromolecular damage, as well as the cytotoxic properties of the extracts on the K562 and Jurkat leukemic cell lines. The identification of metabolites was done by liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The antioxidant activities were investigated by direct ABTS•+ and DPPH• radical scavenging methods, protection against oxidative damage in proteins and DNA. The cytotoxic properties were investigated against healthy cells, isolated from human peripheral blood (PBMC) and leukemic cell lines. The leaf extract contains catechin, rutin, epigallocatechin derivatives, kaempferol glycosides, luteolin, and dimeric and trimeric procyanidins, while the root extract profile shows obtusichromoneside derivatives, 2-methoxystypandrone, stilbene derivatives, naphthopyranones, and flavanone derivatives. The extracts showed antioxidant activity, with IC50 of 4.86 ± 0.51 µg/mL and 8.33 ± 0.90 µg/mL in the ABTS assay for ELSR and ERSR, respectively. And in the DPPH• assay, the IC50 was 19.98 ± 1.96 µg/mL for ELSR and 13.37 ± 1.05 µg/mL for ERSR. The extracts protected macromolecules against oxidative damage at concentrations of 5 µg/mL. The cytotoxicity test against leukemic strains was observed after 24 and 48 hours of treatment. After 48 h, results against the K562 cell line demonstrate IC50 of 242.54 ± 2.38 µg/mL and 223.00 ± 2.34 µg/mL for ELSR and ERSR , respectively. While against the Jurkat cell line, these extracts showed IC50 of 171.45 ± 2.25 µg/mL and 189.30 ± 2.27 µg/mL, respectively Results on PBMC viability, demonstrate that the extracts showed selectivity for the leukemic cell lines. Together, our results reveal that the leaves and roots of S. rugosa have completely distinct and complex chemical compositions. This study expands the repertoire of identified chemical compounds and underscores their significant pharmacological potential in conditions related to oxidative stress and leukemia.

This paper focuses on the role of the most common mineralogical techniques applied to the identification of the different statuary qualities in white, grey and black Göktepe marble. For this purpose, a Roman case of sculpture marble collection from the rural villa of Valdetorres de Jarama (central Iberia), of the 4th century AD, is presented. The mythological statuary, combining white, grey and black marbles, are one of the most outstanding marble collections in Aphrodisian style found in Hispania. The analytical results (Petrography, Cathodoluminescence, C and O isotopes, and Sr and Mn concentration) support the identification of two varieties of “black” Göktepe, traditionally named as bigio morato and bigo antico, as well as the best statuary quality on white Göktepe. In addition, the analytical identification of other Asiatic marbles in Valdetorres collection, a white coarse-grained originally from the quarries of Aphrodisias city and one small piece identified as Carian red from Iasos, corroborates the already suggested strong connection existing between artists and the stone material they chose for their works. Finally, it is noteworthy the identification carried out on the marble of the bases that served as seats for the sculptures, as it is a white marble of lower quality whose analytical characteristics are consistent with the Microasiatic marble of Denizli. The use of these exotic and exceptional raw materials confirms the taste for luxury and decorative richness in Late Antique Hispanic rural villae and contributes to a better understanding of the distribution of Aphrodisian productions in the Western Roman provinces.

The aim of this manuscript is to synthesize and characterize novel silylated Sm3+ and Eu3+ complexes and incorporate them into mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) and dense silica nanoparticles (DSNs). Sm3+ and Eu3+ ion complexes were chosen for their strong UV-visible emission, deep-red luminescence, and effective interaction with bidentate organic ligands, such as 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone (tta) and 1,10-phenanthroline (phen). Silylated ligands were employed as coupling agents to form covalent bonds between the complexes and an oxide matrix via a conventional sol-gel process. This approach aims to enhance the thermal stability and photophysical properties of the resulting hybrid material compared to free complexes. The new silylated-bidentate ligand complexes, using tta and phen as organic ligands and 3-chloropropyltriethoxysilane as the silylating agent, were characterized by FTIR, luminescence spectroscopy, and luminescence decay. After incorporation into silica nanoparticles, the hybrid materials were characterized by SEM, TEM, DLS, zeta potential, SAXS, porosity, surface area measurements, luminescence spectroscopy, and MTT assay. The results confirm the successful synthesis of new luminescent silylated complexes with high luminescence intensity and their incorporation into silica nanoparticles.

Background/Objectives: interpretation of evidence on de-escalation of triple therapy with with-drawal of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) to dual bronchodilator therapy with a long-acting musca-rinic antagonist (LAMA) and a long-acting beta-agonist (LABA) in patients with chronic obstruc-tive pulmonary disease (COPD) is conflicting. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of ICS discon-tinuation from LABA-LAMA-ICS triple therapy compared to its continuation. Methods: we searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web Of Science, clinicaltrial.gov and CENTRAL for RCTs and observational studies from inception to March 22, 2024, investigating the effect of triple therapy de-escalation with withdrawal of ICS to dual therapy on the risk of COPD exacerbation, pneumonia and lung function. This study was registered with PROSPERO, CRD42024527942. Results: 3335 studies were screened; three RCTs and three real-world non-interventional studies were ultimately identified as eligible. Analysis of the time to the first moderate or severe exacerbation showed a pooled HR of 0.96 (95% CI, 0.80 to 1.15; I²=77%) for ICS withdrawal compared with triple therapy continuation. Analysis according eosinophil levels showed that COPD subjects with ≥300 eosino-phils/µL had a significant increase in the incidence of moderate or severe exacerbations when de-escalated from ICS/LABA/LAMA to LABA/LAMA (pooled HR: 1.35, 95% CI 1.00-1.82; I2: 56%). The ICS withdrawal in favour of LABA/LAMA did not significantly affect the risk of mortality and pneumonia. Conclusions: the main findings of this meta-analysis are consistent with current recommendations and suggest that the use of eosinophil counts may be of help in guiding maintenance therapy. However, methodological heterogeneity between the included studies is evident.

Objectives: To investigate the etiology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in an adult female patient. Methods: We conducted trio genome sequencing on a 35-year-old woman with progressive weakness in her left upper limb, as well as on her parents. Prior to sequencing, we performed a comprehensive neurological work-up on the patient, including neurological exam, electrophysiology, biomarker assessment, and brain and spinal cord MRI. Results : The propositus experienced weakness and atrophy in her left hand 6 months before the evaluation. This was associated with brisk reflexes and Hoffman sign in the same arm. Electroneuromyography revealed lower motor neuron involvement in three body regions. Neurofilament light chains were elevated in her cerebrospinal fluid. Brain imaging showed asymmetrical T2 hyperintensity of the corticospinal tracts and T2 linear hypointensity of the precentral gyri. Genome trio sequencing identified a likely pathogenic de novo variant in the propositus’s KIF1A gene (NM_001244008.2): c.574A&gt;G, p.(Ile192Val). Discussion: Pathogenic variants in the KIF1A gene have been associated with a wide range of neurological manifestations called KIF1A-associated neurological diseases (KAND). The present report describe a likely pathogenic de novo variant in KIF1A associated with ALS, expanding the phenotypic spectrum of KAND and our understanding of the pathophysiology of ALS.

Background: Irish dance is growing in popularity, evolving to a more athletic and demanding dance style. Aims: To conduct a systematic review, previously registered with PROSPERO, to identify prevalence, incidence, and injury pattern among Irish dancers and analyse associated risk factors. Methods: Six online databases, plus two dance-specific science publications were searched systematically. Studies were included if the pattern of injuries among Irish dancers were evaluated or the factors associated with injury were analysed, published in English or Portuguese, in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Four reviewers assessed the quality and level of evidence using the Downs and Black criteria and a modified Oxford Centre of Evidence-Based Medicine 2009 model, respectively. Results: Eleven articles were included, 8 level 3c (cross-sectional) and 3 level 3b (prospective). Mean DB percentage score was 63% ± 7,2%. Prevalence ranged from 72,2% to 92,6%, affecting mostly the foot/ankle complex. Only 2 articles reported incidence, which ranged from 3,4–10,6 injuries/1000 hours danced depending on injury definition. Psychological factors, elite level, and insufficient/poor sleep were associated with musculoskeletal injury. Conclusions: Injury prevalence and incidence is high in Irish dancers, with the foot and ankle more affected. Due to heterogeneity in injury definitions, methods, and populations, along with the need for improvement in studies quality, recommendations were made for future research.

In oral pathology, the appearance of a large ulcerated lesion may suggest a malignant process that requires an early diagnosis given the uneasiness of the patient and his or her family. Finding lingual carcinoma in children is, however, extremely rare We present the case of a 13-year-old girl who came to the oral medicine clinic, referred by her orthodontist, with a large round lesion on the ventral side of the tongue (15 x 12 mm) that did not heal, after three weeks of evolution and after eliminating the existing traumatic factors (orthodontic appliance in the lower jaw) and treatment with topical gel based on PVP (polyvinyl pyrrolidone), glycyrrhetinic acid and hyaluronic acid (Aloclair PLUS®). The objective of this article is analyse the possible causes and provide a review of the literature of a large ulcerated lesions.

Then the purposes of this study were to compare and correlate the aerobic threshold (TH_aer) and anaerobic threshold (TH_anaer) measured during a new single judo specific incremental test and Treadmill Test for aerobic demand evaluation. Eight well-trained male competitive judo players (24.3±7.9 years; height of 169.3±6.7cm; fat mass of 12.7±3.9%) performed a maximal incremental specific test for judo mimicking the UchiKomi drills and on treadmill in different days. There was difference between specific and general TH_aer (P=0.0006) as well as weak correlation for TH_aer (r=0.32; R²=0.1; P=0.2) and TH_anaer (rs=-0.31; R²=0.1; P=0.12). When correlation was applied with normalized data (percentage of peak load) we observed moderate correlation for TH_aer (r=0.76; R²=0.58; P=0.027), but the same was not observed for TH_anaer. We conclude that there is a need of TH_aer and TH_anaer evaluation through a specific test for Judo.

Arboviruses are infections caused by arboviruses that may be either symptomatic or asymptomatic, according to individuals' resistance and immune response, which dietary patterns can influence. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the possible association between the occurrence of clinical manifestations of arboviruses and the dietary pattern of the population studied. The study was conducted in a rural population in the metropolitan area of Belém, Pará State, Brazil. The sampling consisted of 95 individuals during a febrile outbreak. Two investigations were conducted: clinical-epidemiological-dietary and laboratory investigation based on blood samples taken for arbovirus analysis. Out of the 95 individuals studied, more than half (57.89%) showed clinical manifestations. Following the laboratory serology (HI and IgM ELISA) analyses, viral isolation in C6/36 cells, and viral genome detection (RT-qPCR), the final diagnosis of the cases was 47.37% Oropouche Fever, 2.11% Oropouche Fever and Chikungunya Fever, and 1.05% Mayaro Fever. Regarding dietary pattern, as for the comparison analyses, statistical significance was observed between dietary pattern and classification regarding the presence of symptoms (p<0.05); after the correspondence analysis, symptomatic cases were more associated with a bad dietary pattern, while asymptomatic cases were more associated with a good dietary pattern.

Hybridization is recognized as a notable driver of evolution and adaptation, which closely related species may exploit in the form incomplete reproductive barriers. Three closely related species of Ceratocystis (i.e., C. fimbriata, C. manginecans and C. eucalypticola) previously have been shown to hybridize by mating naturally occurring self-sterile strains with an unusual laboratory-generated sterile isolate type, which could have impacted conclusions regarding the prevalence of hybridization and inheritance of mitochondria. In the current study we investigated whether interspecific crosses between fertile isolates of these three species are possible, and if so how mitochondria are inherited by the progeny. For this purpose, a PCR-RFLP method and a mitochondrial DNA-specific PCR technique were custom-made and applied in a novel approach of typing complete ascospore drops collected from the fruiting bodies in each cross to distinguish between self-fertilizations and potential hybridization. These markers showed hybridization between C. fimbriata and C. eucalypticola and between C. fimbriata and C. manginecans, while no hybridization was detected in the crosses involving C. manginecans and C. eucalypticola. In both sets of hybrid progeny, we detected biparental inheritance of mitochondria. This study was the first to successfully produce hybrids from a cross involving self-fertile isolates of Ceratocystis, and also provided the first direct evidence of biparental mitochondrial inheritance in the Ceratocystidaceae. This work lays the foundation for further research focused on investigating the role of hybridization in the speciation of Ceratocystis species, and if mitochondrial conflict could have influenced the process.

Smith-Magenis syndrome is a complex neurobehavioral genetic disorder. The spectrum of SMS phenotype is broad but commonly includes craniofacial, neurobehavioral, and otolaryngologic features. While the etiology of SMS is commonly attributed to one copy interstitial deletion in the 17p11.2 region (90-95% of cases), variants identified by sequence analysis in RAI1 have also been reported in 5-10% of cases. The phenotypic spectrum of patients with RAI1 sequence alterations is not clear. In this study, we report a 9-year-old male with global cognitive and psychomotor developmental delay, musculoskeletal and cardiovascular abnormalities, and dysmorphic craniofacial features. Whole genome quad analysis of the proband, unaffected parent, and unaffected brother identified a novel de novo RAI1:c.2736delC variant. This is the first report of this variant in the literature. This report also highlights the details of the genome analysis and this patient's phenotypic spectrum.

In voice analysis, the electroglottographic (EGG) signal has long been recognized as a useful complement to the acoustic signal, if only when the vocal folds are actually contacting, such that this signal has an appreciable amplitude. However, phonation can occur also without vocal fold contacting, as in breathy voice, in which case the EGG amplitude is low, but not zero. It is of great interest to identify the transition from non-contacting to contacting, because this will substantially change the nature of the vocal fold oscillations; yet that transition is not in itself audible. The magnitude of the normalized peak derivative of the EGG signal is a convenient indicator of contacting, but no current EGG hardware has a sufficient signal-to-noise ratio of the derivative. The textbook techniques of spectral thresholding and static notch filtering are straightforward to implement, can run in real time, and can mitigate several noise problems in EGG hardware.

Recently quantum cosmology in tomographic representation was considered. as an important tool to analyze the quantum states of the early universe in relation with the subsequent classical evolution. Given a wave function the correspondent tomogram is defined proportional to the square modulus of its fractional Fourier transform. The classical limit obtained by taking the limit ℏ→0 can be compared with the classical tomogram obtained from the classical hamiltonian formalism. In this paper we show that a set of tomograms can be derived as exact solutions of a third order equation when a de Sitter quantum universe is considered. We finally discuss the limits of this approach to quantum cosmology because the extension to equations with arbitrary potentials can become extremely complicated for potentials given by algebraic polynomials of degree greater than two and therefore also for potentials expressible by arbitrary functions.

Despite advances in algorithms and computational platforms, de-novo genome assembly remains a challenging process. Due to the constant innovation in sequencing technologies (Sanger, SOLiD, Illumina, 454, PacBio and Oxford Nanopore), genome assembly has evolved to respond to the changes in input data type. This paper includes a broad and comparative review of the most recent short-read, long-read and hybrid assembly techniques. In this review, we provide (1) an algorithmic description of the important processes in the workflow that introduces fundamental concepts and improvements; (2) a review of existing software that explains possible options for genome assembly; and (3) a comparison of the accuracy and the performance of existing methods executed on the same computer using the same processing capabilities and using the same set of real and synthetic datasets. Such evaluation allows a fair and precise comparison of accuracy in all aspects. As a result, this paper identifies both the strengths and weaknesses of each method. This comparative review is unique in providing a detailed comparison of a broad spectrum of cutting-edge algorithms and methods.

This paper investigates the effect of Fe contamination on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Al-7Si-0.7Mg-Fe2.5 alloy processed by Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) and heat treated in two different conditions: (1) Solution Heat Treatment (SHT) at 520 °C, followed by artificial ageing at 160 °C (T6), and (2) Direct Artificial Ageing of the as-printed material at 160 °C (DAA). Microstructural characterization was carried out by Optical Microscopy (OM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM). Mechanical characterization was carried out by tensile tests at room temperature. The formation of fine AlSiFe phases such as α-AlFeSi, β-AlFeSi, and π-Al8Si6Mg3Fe had no deleterious effect on the mechanical properties compared to previous studies for AlSIMg alloys without Fe. However, compared to the as-printed condition, the T6 heat treatment decreased the ultimate tensile strain significantly, while the elongation to the fracture presented a slight improvement.

The use of nitrogen fertilizers can be a source of environmental pollution; the use of or-ganomineral fertilizers can become a nutritional source for crops, ensuring sustainability in the production system. Another alternative approach is through the inoculation and co-inoculation of microorganisms. The objective was to evaluate the development, nutrition, and agronomic yield of common bean through fertilization with organomineral formula "FMO" derived from sewage sludge biosolids, combined with Rhizobium tropici inoculation and co-inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense techniques. Three bean cultivars from different commercial groups, Pérola, BRS Esteio, and BRS Pitanga, were tested. They were subjected to organomineral fertilizer application, orga-nomineral fertilizer application combined with seed inoculation with R. tropici and re-inoculation; seed co-inoculation with R. tropici + A. brasilense prior to sowing, and foliar re-inoculation with R. tropici + A. brasilense. Seed inoculation, combined with foliar re-inoculation at the V4 stage, resulted in higher productivity of common bean. The combination of R. tropici with co-inoculation with A. brasilense generally led to increased productivity compared to mineral nitrogen fertilization. The use of organomineral fertilizer alone enabled gains in development, as well as productivity. The Pérola bean cultivar showed better adaptation to the applied treatments.

The high prevalence of childhood obesity is known to increase the risk of non-communicable diseases typically found in adults, such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, worldwide childhood obesity cases continue to rise, thus comprehending its multiple causes to build healthier approaches and revert this scenario is urgent. Obesity development is now strongly associated with high fructose intakes, so mitigating the idea that fructose is a ‘natural nutrient’ and therefore beneficial to health, may be required, since. Excessive consumption of this highly lipogenic sugar leads to white fat accumulation, stimulates adipogenesis and causes white adipose tissue (WAT) inflammation, oxidative stress and dysregulated adipokine release. Unfortunately, dietary consumption of fructose is not always evident to consumers, as it is commonly added as a sweetener in food and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB). Global consumption of fructose has increased dramatically in recent years. Therefore, it is important that the population has access to reliable information about food ingredients, via food labels. Consumers also need scientific education to understand potential health risks to themselves and their children. Here we discuss the impact of excessive fructose intake on adipose tissue biology, its contribution to childhood obesity and make suggestions for reversing this trend.

Despite the efforts made to stop the tuberculosis (TB) epidemic, it still remains one of the leading causes of death from an infectious disease. Previous work in the group uncovered a new family of amides which showed promising activities against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. A closer look at the literature showed that these compounds are structurally related to the DNB family of DprE1 inhibitors, so, we decided to study a wide range of substituted amides and determine their activity, focusing on unexplored structures related to the dinitrobenzamides (DNB) found in the literature. To synthesize our library of compounds we started from 3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid to form the nitroaromatic core that is characteristic of the DNB’s, to which we then added linear or cyclic amine moieties. Additionally, the impact of terminal aromatic moieties was also assessed for some derivatives, via an ether, ester, or amide bond. In order to obtain the desired derivatives, multiple synthetic approaches were used, mainly focused on nucleophilic addition/elimination reactions, SN2 reactions and Mitsunobu reactions. The activity was impacted mainly by two structural features, the addition of an aromatic moiety as a terminal group and the type of the linker. The most interesting compounds exhibited activities comparable to isoniazid and DNB1. Computational studies were also performed aimed at understanding their possible interactions with DprE1. The most active compounds are a good starting point for further development, and we plan to study an extended family of compounds based in those structures.

Aspergillus flavus is a medically relevant fungus, particularly in tropical regions. Thermotolerance is a key virulence factor as an opportunistic pathogen, as well as its ability to form biofilms, which can impact therapeutic outcomes. To know how temperature affects the growth and biofilm formation of an A. flavus isolate, we assessed its growth on solid media and described the morphological changes during conidial germination. We also examined formation and composition of in vitro biofilm incubated at different temperatures and compared the susceptibility of planktonic and biofilm cells to antifungal agents. Our results showed that temperature promotes conidiation on solid media. The radial growth was higher at 28 °C, but total conidia was higher at 37 °C, however, conidial density was stronger at 42 °C. Moreover, incubation at 37 °C accelerates conidial germination and is the optimal temperature for biofilm formation. We described four distinct phases in A. flavus biofilm development: initiation (0-12h), consolidation (12-48h), maturation (48-72h), and dispersion (&gt;72h), where the presence of aspergillar heads was notable at 42 °C. Carbohydrates and proteins are the main components of the extracellular matrix. We observed lipid droplets within the biofilm hyphae, and mature biofilms are resistant to amphotericin B and itraconazole, with MICs exceeding 16 g/mL for both antifungals, regardless of the incubation temperature.

Over the last two decades, a considerable amount of equipment has been acquired (spreaders, seeders, sprayers, among others) to respond to the challenges of Precision Agriculture (PA) concept. Most of this equipment has been purchased at a high cost. However, many of them, despite still being functional and equipped with sensors, actuators, and electronic processing units capable of adjusting to variations in speed, have become obsolete in terms of communication, and incompatible with new monitoring and control systems based on the “Isobus” protocol. This work aims to present a solution for updating the control system (“Ferticontrol”) of a “Vicon RS-EDW” spreader with variable rate application (VRA), making it compatible with the “InCommand” system from “Ag Leader”. The solution includes low-cost “Arduino” and “Raspberry Pi” microcontrollers and open-source software. The development shows that it is possible to implement a solution that is accessible to farmers in general. It also provides a niche business opportunity for young researchers to set up small technology-based enterprises associated with universities and research centers. These partnerships guarantee permanent innovation and represent a decisive step towards modern, technological, competitive, and sustainable agriculture.

The electronic structure of 7/9-AGNR superlattices with up to eight unit cells has been studied by means of state of the art Density Functional Theory (DFT) and also by two model Hamiltonians, the first one including only local interactions (Hubbard model, Hu) while the second one is extended to allow long-range Coulomb interactions (Pariser, Parr and Pople model, PPP). Both are solved within mean field approximation. At this approximation level, our calculations show that 7/9 interfaces are better described by spin non-polarized solutions than by spin-polarized wavefunctions. Consequently, both Hu and PPP Hamiltonians lead to electronic structures characterized by a gap at the Fermi level that diminishes as the size of the system increases. DFT results show similar trends although a detailed analysis of the density of states around the Fermi level shows quantitative differences with both Hu and PPP models. Before improving model Hamiltonians, we interpret the electronic structure obtained by DFT in terms of bands of topological states: topological states localized at the system edges and extended bulk topological states which interact between them due to the long-range Coulomb terms of Hamiltonian. After careful analysis of the interaction among topological sates, we find that the discrepancy between ab initio and model Hamiltonians can be resolved considering a screened long-range interaction that is implemented adding an exponential cutoff to the interaction term of PPP model. In this way, an adjusted cutoff distance λ = 2 allows a good recovery of DFT results. In view of this, we conclude that the correct description of the density of states around the Fermi level (Dirac point) needs the inclusion of long-range interactions well beyond Hubbard model but not completely unscreened as is the case for the PPP model.

The giant challenge breeding flood-irrigated rice is to identify superior genotypes that present high-yielding with specific grain qualities, resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses, excellent adaptation to the target environment. Thus, the objectives of this study were to propose a bayesian multi-trait model, estimate genetic parameters, and select flood-irrigated rice genotypes with better genetic potentials in different evaluation environments. For this, twenty-five rice genotypes belonging to the flood-irrigated rice improvement program were evaluated. The grain yields, grain length, width and thickness, grain length, and grain width and weight of 100 grains in the agricultural year 2016/2017. The experimental design used in all experiments was a randomized block design with three replications. The Monte Carlo Markov Chain algorithm estimated genetic parameters and genetic values. The grain thickness trait was considered highly heritable, with a credibility interval ranging from: h^2: 0.9480; 0.9440; 0.8610, in environments 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The grain yields showed a low correlation estimate between grain thickness and 100-grain weight, in all environments, with a credibility interval ranging from (ρ= 0.5477; 0.5762; 0.5618 and 0.5973; 0.5247; 0.5632, grain thickness and 100-grain weight, in environments 1, 2, and 3, respectively). The Bayesian multi-trait model proved to be an adequate strategy for the genetic improvement of flood-irrigated. Genotypes 2 and 15 had similar potential in the three environments, they should be selected as high-performance multi-trait genotypes for the genetic breeding of flood-irrigated rice in the program.

The extensive metabolic diversity of microalgae, coupled with their rapid growth rates and cost-effective production, position these organisms as highly promising resources for a wide range of biotechnological applications. These characteristics allow microalgae to address crucial needs in both the agricultural, medical, and industrial sectors. Microalgae are proving to be val-uable in various fields, including the remediation of diverse wastewater types, the production of biofuels and biofertilizers, and the extraction of various products from their biomass. For decades, the microalga Chlamydomonas has been widely used as a fundamental research model organism in various areas such as photosynthesis, respiration, sulfur and phosphorus metabolism, nitrogen metabolism, and flagella synthesis, among others. However, in recent years, the potential of Chlamydomonas as a biotechnological tool for bioremediation, biofertilization, biomass, and bio-products production has been increasingly recognized. Bioremediation of wastewater using Chlamydomonas presents significant potential for sustainable reduction of contaminants and fa-cilitates resource recovery and valorization of microalgal biomass, offering important economic benefits. Chlamydomonas has also established itself as a platform for the production of a wide va-riety of biotechnologically interesting products, such as different types of biofuels, and high-value-added products. The aim of this review is to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the potential of Chlamydomonas in these aspects, and to explore their interrelationship, which would offer significant environmental and biotechnological advantages.

To assess the clinical efficacy of a novel organic olive oil-based denture adhesive and its effect on Candida Albicans growth in maxillary edentulous individuals wearing complete dentures. Individuals were selected from two Dental Schools in Portugal and Spain. Twenty-eight complete dentures were relined, following a standardized protocol. The novel product (Test) was compared with a commercialized adhesive (Control) and Vaseline (Placebo) randomly assigned in a cross-study design. The retention resistance was measured with a Gnathometer and a dynamometer, the patient related outcome evaluations with a 5-points questionnaire and the Candida albicans growth in a Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA) medium in order to evaluate differences between the placebo and experimental product. Twenty-three participants were included. Dynamometer evaluation showed significant differences between not using a denture adhesive and using either (experimental, p = .03; control, p = .04), no significant differences between the two adhesives (p &gt; .05). In the subjective analysis, the experimental adhesive showed a significantly longer effectiveness (p = .001); the control reported better results at taste (p = .03) in chewing (p = .001). The test adhesive showed better (p &lt; .001) Candida albicans growth inhibition. The experimental adhesive showed longer effectiveness than the control and placebo with a better inhibition capacity for the growth of Candida albicans, patients reported better abilities for speech, chewing, taste and retirement in the control adhesive.

During the last years there has been a high interest in the development of new purely-organic single-component conductors. Very recently, we have reported a new neutral radical conductor based on the perchlorotriphenylmethyl (PTM) radical moiety linked to a monopyrrolo-tetrathiafulvalene (MPTTF) unit by a -conjugated bridge (1). Interestingly, this system behaves as a semiconductor with high conductivity and small energy gap under high pressure. With the aim of developing a new material with improved conducting properties, we have designed and synthesized the radical dyad 2 which was functionalized with an ethylenedithio (EDT) group in order to improve the intermolecular interactions of the TTF subunits. The physical properties of the new radical dyad 2 were studied in detail in solution to further analyze its electronic structure as well as its potential use as radical conductor in the solid state.

The chestnut tree (Castanea sativa Mill.) is gaining importance in the mountainous regions of southern Europe due to the high value of its fruits. It is essential to establish effective cultivation protocols, considering that this species is still relatively understudied. In this study, we present the outcomes of the initial establishment of a chestnut orchard conducted through a nutrient omission trial for four years. The treatments included a fertilization plan with nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and boron (NPKB), the control, and four other treatments corresponding to the omission of each nutrient (-NPKB, N-PKB, NP-KB, NPK-B). The -NPKB and NP-KB treatments showed significantly lower trunk circumferences and canopy volumes compared to the other treatments. The NPK-B treatment resulted in the lowest fruit production, with a total accumulated yield (2020-2022) of 0.56 kg tree–1, a value significantly lower than that of NPKB (1.12 kg tree–1) and N-PKB (1.19 kg tree–1). The assessment of nutrient concentrations in the leaves revealed plants with deficient levels of B and K in treatments that did not receive these nutrients. Conversely, N levels in the leaves in the -NPKB treatment fell within the sufficiency range (20 to 28 g kg–1). This suggests that the sufficiency range should be adjusted to higher values, given the treatment's effect on tree growth. It was also observed that the -NPKB treatment led to lower soil organic matter compared to the other treatments, likely due to reduced herbaceous vegetation development under the canopy, leading to decreased organic substrate deposition in the soil. The main findings of this study are that N and K were crucial elements for the optimal growth of chestnut trees, while B played a significant role in fruit production.

The cause of the systematic daily march of barometric pressure in the tropics, notably the late morning and late evening peaks seen almost every day at all locations, was a puzzle that persisted through the nineteenth and much of the twentieth centuries. The efforts to explain the physics of the prominent 12-hour solar tidal variation helped inspire some of the earliest developments in theoretical atmospheric dynamics and ultimately led in the 1960’s to a satisfactory dynamical theory for the atmospheric tides. These important theoretical developments followed the observational discoveries, which date to the late 18th and early 19th centuries, of the surprising character of the barometric daily march and of its resolution into solar and lunar period cycles. These important, if simple, discoveries emerged primarily from the efforts of European scientists to systematically study the environment in remote areas of the globe. The two key figures in initially advancing the scientific community’s understanding of the character of barometric tides were the great German polymath Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859) and the French naturalist Robert de Lamanon (1752-1787), who each made their discoveries on their most famous and colorful scientific expeditions of their respective careers. This paper examines the history of the early observations of the barometric tide.

The self-assembly is an intriguing process of great importance in general soft matter and thus re-ceives an ever-growing scientific interest. Its most trivial example is the entropy-driven crystalli-zation of hard spheres. Past works have established the similarities and differences in the phase behavior of monomers and chains made of hard spheres. In the present work, inspired by the dif-ference in the melting points of the pure components, we study, through Monte Carlo simulations, the phase behavior of athermal mixtures composed of fully flexible polymers and individual monomers of uniform size. We analyze how the relative number fraction and the packing density affect crystallization and the established ordered morphologies. A synergetic effect is observed in the crystallization leading to synchronous crystallization of the two species. Structural analysis of the resulting ordered morphologies shows perfect mixing and thus no phase separation, which could split the system into polymer-rich and monomer-rich domains. Due to the constraints imposed by chain connectivity, the local environment of the individual spheres is systematically more spherical and more symmetric compared to the one of spheres belonging to chains. In general, increasing polymer content leads to reduction of the degree of crystallinity. According to the present findings, relative concentration is another determining factor to control the phase behavior of hard colloidal systems based on polymers.

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is an important crop for food security and for national economics for several countries worlwide. One of the most important factors of risk in common bean production is the fungal disease anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum lindemuthianum, which in some cases, causes complete yield losses; this kind of plant disease is usually managed through the application of chemical products such as fungicides, that are commonly not accepted by society, this rejection is based on the relationship of pesticides with health damage and environmental contamination. In order to help in solving this drawbacks, the present work propose the use of Electrochemically Activated Salt Solutions(EASS) as a safer pathogen control agent in crops due to it have shown an elicitor and biostimulant effect on plants such as tobacco and apple. With this background, this manuscript presented in vitro results of the evaluation of the inhibitory effect for multiple bean pathogens and in vivo results of EASS in the common bean-Colletotrichum pathosystem by in vitro evaluations of the inhibitory effect for multiple bean pathogens and in vivo evaluation of the infection severity and defense activation such as secondary metabolites production and antioxidant activity. EASS presence in growth media had strong inhibitory effect, at beginning of experiment, for some of the evaluated fungi. EASS showed effect against the development of the disease when applied in specific doses to prevent distress in plants.

Ménière's disease (MD) has an unclear cause. The microvascular dysregulation of the inner ear has been increasingly pointed as a potential contributor. This study investigates the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) in MD patients compared to those with posterior circulation cerebral infarction (POCI). CVRFs like hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, obesity, coronary heart disease, and smoking were assessed in both MD and POCI patients. Brain MRI identified POCI etiology as "small vessel occlusion" (SVO) or "other etiology" (OE). The study included 64 MD and 84 POCI patients. Compared to MD, POCI OE showed a higher prevalence of CVRFs across various age groups, including hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and smoking. Notably, the odds of having POCI OE were significantly higher for individuals with hypertension and smoking. On the other hand, POCI SVO showed similar prevalence of CVRFs compared to MD. This study reveals no significant difference in CVRF prevalence between MD and smaller vessel POCI. However, a clear distinction emerges when comparing MD to POCI with involvement of larger blood vessels. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and explore potential shared risk factors between POCI (SVO) and MD.

Objective: To analyse the association between maternal risk factors such as age, body mass index (BMI) and cigarette smoking, with perinatal outcomes. Materials and Methods: This a retrospective analysis from prospectively collected data performed at Hospital Universitario de Torrejón (Madrid, Spain), between September 2017 and December 2019. All pregnant women with singleton pregnancies and non-malformed live fetuses attending their routine ultrasound examination at 11+0 to 13+6 weeks' gestation were invited to participate. Association between preeclampsia, preterm birth, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), small for gestational age (SGA) or fetal growth restricted (FGR) neonates and type of delivery according to maternal age, BMI, and cigarrete smoking was studied. Logistic mixed models were used to analyze the data. Results: 1921 patients were included in the analysis. Women of 40 years old had a significantly higher risk of having GDM (Odds Ratio (OR) 1.61, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.08 to 2.36), and SGA neonates (OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.00 to 2.37). Women with a BMI &lt;18 had an increased rate of birth SGA and FGR neonates (OR 3.28, 95% CI 1.51 to 7.05, and OR 3.73, 95% CI 1.54 to 8.37, respectively), whereas women with a BMI ≥35 had a higher risk of GDM (OR 3.10, 95% CI 1.95 to 4.89). Smoking increased the risk of having SGA and FGR neonates (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.36 to 2.46, and OR 1.91, 95% CI 1.29 to 2.78). Conclusions: Advanced maternal age, low or high BMI, and smoking status are significant risk factors for pregnancy complications. Both clinicians and society should concentrate their efforts on addressing these factors to enhance reproductive health.

The floating freshwater fern Azolla is the only plant that retains an endocyanobiont, Nostoc azollae (aka Anabaena azollae) during its sexual and asexual reproduction. The increased interest in Azolla as a potential source of food, and its unique evolutionary history have raised questions about its cyanotoxin content and genome. Cyanotoxins are potent toxins synthesized by cyanobacteria which have an anti-herbivore effect, but also have been linked to neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson's diseases, liver and kidney failure, muscle paralysis and other severe health issues. In this study, we investigated 48 accessions of the Azolla-Nostoc symbiosis for the presence of genes coding microcystin, nodularin, cylindrospermopsin and saxitoxin, and BLAST analysis for anatoxin-a. We also investigated the presence of the neurotoxin β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) in Azolla and N. azollae through LC-MS/MS. The PCR amplification of saxitoxin, cylindrospermospin, microcystin, and nodularin genes showed that Azolla and its cyanobiont N. azollae do not have the genes to synthesize these cyanotoxins. Additionally, the matching of the anatoxin-a gene to the sequenced N. azollae genome does not indicate the presence of the anatoxin-a gene. The LC-MS/MS analysis showed that BMAA and its isomers AEG and DAB are absent from Azolla and Nostoc azollae. Azolla therefore has the potential to safely feed millions of people due to its rapid growth while free-floating on shallow fresh water without the need for nitrogen fertilizers.