The paper presents a study of two novel visual motion onset stimulus-based brain–computer interfaces (vmoBCI). Two settings are compared with afferent and efferent to a computer screen center motion patterns. Online vmoBCI experiments are conducted in an oddball event–related potential (ERP) paradigm allowing for “aha–responses” decoding in EEG brainwaves. A subsequent stepwise linear discriminant analysis classification (swLDA) classification accuracy comparison is discussed based on two inter–stimulus–interval (ISI) settings of 700 and 150 ms in two online vmoBCI applications with six and eight command settings. A research hypothesis of classification accuracy non–significant differences with various ISIs is confirmed based on the two settings of 700 ms and 150 ms, as well as with various numbers of ERP response averaging scenarios.The efferent in respect to display center visual motion patterns allowed for a faster interfacing and thus they are recommended as more suitable for the no–eye–movements requiring visual BCIs.

This work presents an analytical methodology to predict meat juiciness (discriminant semi-quantitative analysis using groups of intervals of intramuscular fat) and intramuscular fat (regression analysis) in Longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) muscle of Bísaro pigs using as independent variables the animal carcass weight and parameters from color and image analysis. These are non-invasive and non-destructive techniques which allow development of rapid, easy and inexpensive methodologies to evaluate pork meat quality in a slaughterhouse. The proposed predictive supervised multivariate models were non-linear. Discriminant mixture analysis to evaluate meat juiciness by classified samples into three groups—0.6 to 1.1%; 1.25 to 1.5%; and, greater than 1.5%. The obtained model allowed 100% of correct classifications (92% in cross-validation with seven-folds with five repetitions). Polynomial support vector machine regression to determine the intramuscular fat presented R2 and RMSE values of 0.88 and 0.12, respectively in cross-validation with seven-folds with five repetitions. This quantitative model (model’s polynomial kernel optimized to degree of three with a scale factor of 0.1 and a cost value of one) presented R2 and RSE values of 0.999 and 0.04, respectively. The overall predictive results demonstrated the relevance of photographic image and color measurements of the muscle to evaluate the intramuscular fat, rarther than the usual time-consuming and expensive chemical analysis.

Serotonin (5-HT) show important relations to stress, and this relationship is crucial to understanding the psychobiology of common mental disorders. Environmental stressors regulate phasic and tonic serotonin levels, which are related to valence and outcome probabilities. This regulation takes place at smaller timescales, but also at the level of gene expression regulation. Moreover, genes related to the synthesis, metabolism, and transport of 5-HT are also involved in this regulation. Genetic variations in these genes modulate how stressors can lead to mental distress, but stressors also modulate gene expression in a genotype-dependent manner. As a result, the relationship between psychosocial stress and the regulation of the expression of 5-HTergic genes is bidirectional. This suggests a “circular causality” in which gene variations control tonic and phasic 5-HT signals (“upward causality”), while configurations and functions of the entire organism determine which genes are up- or downregulated, or which gene products are actually relevant in each situation (“downward causality”). The highly important role of social factors in human psychopathology is highlighted, and factors such as attachment and socioeconomic status modulate how the circular vertical causality between genes, neurotransmitters, and behavior is organized, representing circular horizontal causality. These complex interrelationships also suggest that more refined epistemologies are needed to fully grasp the relationship between 5-HT and common mental disorders.

While the field of personality neuroscience has extensively focused on humans and, in a few cases, primates and rodents, a wide range of research on fish personality has emerged in the last decades. This research is focused mainly on the ecological and evolutionary causes of individual differences, but also aimed less extensively at proximal mechanisms (e.g., neurochemistry or genetics). We argue that, if consistent and intentional work is made to solve some of the meta-theoretical issues of personality research both on fish and mammals, fish personality research can lead to important advances in personality neuroscience as a whole. The five dimensions of personality in fish (shyness-boldness, exploration-avoidance, activity, aggressiveness, and sociability) need to be translated into models that explicitly recognize the impacts of personality in psychopathology, synergizing research on fish as model organisms in experimental psychopathology, personality neuroscience, and ecological-ethological approaches to the evolutionary underpinnings of personality to produce a powerful framework to understand individual differences.

Academic publishing is undergoing a highly transformative process, and many rules and value systems that were in place for years are being challenged in unprecedented forms leading to the evolution of novel ways of dealing with new pressures. One of the most important aspects of an integrated and valid academic literature is the ability to screen publications for errors during peer review to weed out mistakes, fraud and inconsistencies, such that the final published product represents a product that has value, intellectually, and otherwise. It is difficult to claim the existence of perfect manuscripts. The level of errors that exist in a manuscript will depend on the rigor of the research group and of the peer review process that was used to screen that paper. When errors slip into a final published paper, either through honest error or misconduct, and are not detected during peer review and editorial screening, but are spotted during post-publication peer review, an opportunity is created to set the record straight, and to correct it. To date, the most common forms of correcting the literature have been errata, corrigenda, expressions of concern, and retractions. Despite this range of corrective measures, which represent artificially created corrals around pockets of imperfect literature, certain cases do not quite fit this mold, and new suggested measures for correcting the literature have been proposed, including manuscript versioning, amendments, partial retractions and retract and replace. In this commentary, a discussion of the evolving correction of the literature is provided, as are perspectives of the risks and benefits of such new measures to improve it.

Glitter particles are considered a model of microplastics, which are used in a wide range of products. In this study, we evaluated the toxicity of green and white glitter dispersions on the embryonic development of the sea urchins Echinometra lucunte, Arbacia lixula, and the mussel Perna perna. The Toxicity Identification and Evaluation (TIE) approach was used to identify possible chemicals related to toxicity. Glitter dispersions were prepared using 0.05% ethanol. The tested dispersions ranged from 50 to 500 mg/L. The white glitter was composed of a vinyl chloride-methyl acrylate copolymer. The effective concentrations of green glitter to 50% embryos (EC50) were 246.1 (235.8 – 256.4) mg/L to A. lixula, 23.0 (20.2 - 25.8) mg/L to P. perna and 105.9 (61.2 - 150.2) mg/L, whereas the EC50 of white glitter to E. lucunter was 272.2 (261.5 – 282.9) mg/L. The EC50 for P. perna could not be calculated; however, the lowest effect concentration was 10 mg/L. The filtered suspension of green glitter had Ag levels exceeding the legal standards for marine waters. TIE showed that metals, volatiles, and oxidant compounds contribute to toxicity. The results showed that glitter may adversely affect marine organisms; however further studies are necessary to determine its environmental risks.

The molecular evolution of medulloblastoma is more complex than was previously imagined as emerging evidence suggests that multiples interactions between the tumor cells and components of the tumor microenvironment (TME) are important for tumor promotion and progression. The identification of several molecular networks within the TME, which interact with tumoral cells, has provided new clues to understand the tumorigenic roles of many TME components as well as potential therapeutic targets. In this review, we discuss the most recent studies regarding the roles of astrocytes in supporting the sonic hedgehog (SHH)–activated medulloblastoma molecular subgroup, and provide an overview of medulloblastoma progression through SHH expression and signal transduction mechanisms into the complex tumor microenvironment. In addition, we highlight the associations between tumor and stromal cells as possible prognostic markers and new therapeutic strategies.

This study involved a comprehensive examination of sensory attributes in Bísaro dry-cured loins, including odor, androsterone, scatol, color, fat color, hardness, juiciness, chewiness, flavor intensity, and flavor persistence. Analysis of 40 samples revealed a wide variation in these attributes, ensuring a robust margin for multivariate calibration purposes. The respective near-infrared (NIR) spectra unveil distinct peaks associated with significant components such as protein, lipid, and water. Support Vector Regression (SVR) models were methodically calibrated for all sensory attributes, with optimal results using multiplicative scattering correction pre-treatment, MinMax normalization, and radial base kernel (non-linear SVR model). The predictive models exhibited acceptable results, characterized by R-squared values close to 1 (0.9616 - 0.9955) and low RMSE values (0.0400 – 0.1031). The prediction set's relative standard deviation (RSD) remained under 5%. Comparisons with prior research revealed significant improvements in prediction accuracy, particularly when considering attributes like pig aroma, hardness, fat color, and flavor intensity. This research underscores the potential of advanced analytical techniques to improve the precision of sensory evaluations in food quality assessment.

This paper provides a comparative study between microwave tomography and synthetic time-reversal imaging techniques as applied to ground penetrating radar (GPR) surveys. The comparison is carried out by processing experimental data collected at a controlled test site, with various types of buried targets at given subsurface depths and representative soil conditions. It is shown that the two techniques allow us to obtain complementary information about position, depth and size of the targets from a single GPR survey.

Animal-focused research has been crucial for scientific advancement however, in this matter, rodents are still taking a starring role. Coming out from merely being supportive of evidence found in rodents, the use of fish models has slowly taken a more central role and expanded its overall contributions in areas such as social sciences, evolution, physiology, and recently in translational medical research. In neurosciences, zebrafish has been widely adopted, contributing to our understanding of the genetic control of brain processes, and the effects of pharmacological manipulations. However, discussion continues regarding the paradox of function versus structure, when fish and mammals are compared, and on the potentially evolutionarily conserved nature of behaviour across fish species. From the behavioural stand point we explored aversive/stress and social behaviour in selected fish models, and refer to the extensive contributions of stress and monoaminergic systems. We suggest that, in spite of marked neuroanatomical differences between fish and mammals, stress and sociality are conserved at the behavioural and molecular levels. We also suggest that stress and sociality are mediated by monoamines in predictable and non-trivial ways, and that monoamines could “bridge” the relationship between stress and social behaviour. To reconcile the level of divergence with the level of similarity, we need neuroanatomical, pharmacological, behavioural, and ecological studies conducted in the laboratory and in nature. These areas need to add to each other to enhance our understanding of fish behaviour and ultimately how this all may translate to better model systems for translational studies.

Understanding swash zone dynamics is of crucial importance for coastal management as the swash motion, consisting of the uprush of the wave on the beach face and the subsequent downrush, is responsible for driving changes the beach morphology trough sediment exchanges between the sub-aerial and sub-aqueous beach. Improved understanding of the probabilistic characteristics of these motions has the potential to allow coastal engineers to develop improved sediment transport models which, in turn, can be further developed into coastal management tools. In this paper, novel descriptors of swash motions are obtained by combining field data and statistical modelling. Our results indicate that the probability distribution function (PDF) of shoreline height (p(ζ)) and trough-to-peak swash heights (p(ρ)) measured at a high energy, sandy beach were both inherently multimodal. Based on the observed multimodality of these PDFs, Gaussian Mixtures are shown to be the best method to statistically model them. Further, our results show that both offshore and surf zone dynamics are responsible for driving swash zone dynamics, which indicates unsaturated swash. The novel methods and results developed in this paper, both data collection and analysis, could aid coastal managers to develop improved swash zone models in the future.

The study presented here, through the use of GIS and physical variables, generate a new meth-odology for the calculation of erosivity (Factor R) for the qualitative evaluation of soil loss po-tential (laminar erosion) in the Northwest margin of the municipality of São Francisco, mostly located in the Pardo-MG river basin. The results obtained were statistically correct when com-pared to the traditional R calculation and the laminar erosion methodology. It is worth noting that the new proposal presented here indicated sites of qualitative loss of soil in the same places where there are closed-loop satellite signals of degraded Cerrado, something not identified in the traditional model. As conclusion it can be said that the obtained results were extremely sat-isfactory, being advised more studies to verify this new method proposed here in more places beyond the study area elaborated here

In this work, the cross-linked PMMA-based dental resins scraps were submitted to pyrolysis to recover MMA (Methylmethacrylate). The thermal degradation of cross-linked PMMA-based dental resins scraps was analyzed by TG/DTG to guide the operating conditions in pilot scale. The pyrolysis experiments carried out in a reactor of 143L, at 345, 405, and 420°C, 1.0 atmosphere. The reaction liquid products obtained at 345°C, physicochemical characterized for density, kinematic viscosity, and refractive index. The chemical composition of liquid products obtained at 345°C, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 110 minutes, at 405°C, 50, 70, and 130 minutes, and at 420°C, 40, 50, 80, 100, 110, and 130 minutes determined by GC-MS. The experiments show that liquid phase yields were 55.50%, 48.73%, and 48.20% (wt.), at 345, 405, and 420°C, respectively, showing a smooth sigmoid behavior, decreasing with increasing temperature, while that of gas phase were 31.69%, 36.60%, and 40.13% (wt.), respectively, increasing with temperature. The liquid products density, kinematic viscosity, and refractive index obtained at 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 110 minutes, varied between 0.9227 and 0.9380 g/mL, 0.566 and 0.588 mm2/s, and 1.401 and 1.414, respectively, showing percentage deviations between 0.74 and 2.36%, 7.40 and 10.86%, and 0.00 and 0.92%, respectively, compared to standard values for density, kinematic viscosity, and refractive index of pure MMA at 20 °C. The GC-MS identified in the reaction liquid products at 345, 405, and 420°C, 1.0 atm, esters of carboxylic acids, alcohols, ketones, and aromatics, showing concentrations of MMA between 83.454 and 98.975% (area.). For all the depolymerization experiments, the concentrations of MMA in the liquid phase, between 30 and 80 minutes, reach purities above 98% (area.), decreasing drastically with increasing reaction time after 100 minutes, thus making it possible to depolymerize the cross-linked PMMA-based dental resins scraps by pyrolysis to recover MMA. The optimum operating conditions to achieve high MMA concentrations, as well as elevated yields of liquid reaction products were 345 °C and 80 minutes.

Defensive behavior is a function of specific survival circuits, the “aversive brain system”, that are thought to be conserved across vertebrates, and involve threat detection and the organization of defensive responses to reduce or eliminate threat. In mammals, these circuits involve amygdalar and hypothalamic subnuclei and midbrain circuits. The increased interest in teleost fishes as model organisms in neuroscience created a demand to understand which brain circuits are involved in defensive behavior. Telencephalic and habenular circuits represent a “forebrain circuit” for threat processing and organization of responses, being important to mounting appropriate coping responses. Specific hypothalamic circuits organize neuroendocrine and neurovegetative outputs, but are the less well-studied in fish. A “midbrain circuit” is represented by projections to interneurons in the optic tectum which mediate fast escape responses via projections to the central gray and/or the brainstem escape network. Threatening stimuli (especially visual stimuli) can bypass the “high road” and directly activate this system, initiating escape responses. Increased attention to these circuits in an evolutionary framework is still needed.

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.

Obesogens have been identified as a significant factor associated with increasing obesity rates, particularly in developed countries. These substances with obesogenic traits are prevalent in consumer products, including certain pharmaceuticals. Specific classes of pharmaceuticals have been recognized for their ability to induce weight gain, often accompanied by hormonal alterations that can adversely impact male fertility. Indeed, research has supplied evidence underscoring the crucial role of obesogens and therapeutic agents in the normal functioning of the male reproductive system. Notably, sperm count, and various semen parameters have been closely linked to a range of environmental and nutritional factors, including chemicals and pharmacological agents exhibiting obesogenic properties. This review aims to explore studies focused on analyzing male fertility parameters, delving into the intricacies of sperm quality, and elucidating the direct and adverse effects that pharmacological agents may have on these aspects.

Many neurodegenerative diseases are directly related to the formation of toxic protein aggregates, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, which are associated with the aggregation of alpha-synuclein (α-syn) and beta-amyloid (Aβ ), respectively. In this context, protein fibrils are the hallmark of these neurodegenerative diseases. In this sense, planning or designing compounds that are capable of preventing or reducing the formation of protein aggregation in the brain can be of fundamental importance for the curative treatment of these diseases. This work presents an in silico and experimental study to investigate the inhibitory potential of the ligands Octovespin (bioinspired by the wasp venom Polybia Occidentalis) and Fraternine-10 (bioinspired by the wasp venom Parachartergus fraternus wasp) against the aggregation of fibrils of the peptides Aβ(17-42) and α-syn, respectively. Using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations with 100 ns, the disaggregation capacity of these ligands was studied. The results obtained indicate that Octovespin and Fraternine-10 interact with the Aβ and α-syn protein fibrils throughout the simulation time. The RMSD values and the interactions with amino acids responsible for fibril aggregation demonstrate that both Octovespin and Fraternine-10 have a significant disaggregation potential, which corroborates the observations in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, experimental results of Fraternine-10 demonstrate an anti-aggregation effect, indicating that it can promote the disaggregation of fibrils and prevent them from aggregating again to form oligomers. These discoveries qualify these molecules as potential candidates to become medicines against Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases.

Solid waste management is challenging in many countries, especially developing economies. The impacts of the pandemic continue to be felt and have indicated secondary impacts on waste management. This work draws on data on household solid waste (HSW), healthcare waste (HCW), and recyclables collected in the Rio de Janeiro municipality, analyzed from January 2018 to December 2022. As expected, the collection of HCW in Rio de Janeiro municipality experienced a noticeable increase in 2020 and 2021, with an average of 46.9 tons and 54.3 tons collected, respectively. Notably, 2021 saw a significant 30% increase compared to 2019 (p-value<0.001). No significant difference was observed in recyclables collected from 2018 to 2021. The average recyclable amount was 3,638 and 3,747 tons per month in 2020 and 2021. In contrast, the monthly amount was equal to 4,819.5 tons in 2022, representing an increase higher than 32% compared to previous years (p-value<0.05). Our findings can be used to adapt and improve waste systems to cope with similar emergency scenarios in the future, serving as a template for municipalities with similar challenges.

The influence of four levels of dietary supplementation on the development of the immune response and on the biology of Haemonchus contortus and Trichostrongylus colubriformis was evaluated in Dorper lambs under serial artificial mixed-infections with 1000 infective larvae (L3) of each species, given every three days for 12 weeks. For each of the four diets formulated, one infected group (n=7) and one control group (n=4) were set up. Diets 1, 2, 3 and 4 contained 0%, 25%, 50% and 75% of concentrate, respectively. There was an evident immune response to infection in all groups, manifested through eosinophilia and production of anti-L3 immunoglobulins. There was a significant inverse relationship between the levels of nutrients in the diets and the numbers of late fourth-stage larvae, early fifth-stage larvae and adults of H. contortus. Most of the H. contortus parasite population was in hypobiosis at the early-fourth stage, representing 59.5%, 75.8%, 83.3% and 86.3% of the total Haemonchus worm burden, respectively, in the Diets 1, 2, 3 and 4. In the case of T. colubriformis, hypobiosis was not observed and the diet had no influence on establishment of the parasite.

The main objective of this investigation was to study the effect of organizational competencies development practices on turnover intentions and whether affective commitment explains this relationship. Another of the study's objectives was to test whether these relationships vary ac-cording to the generation to which the participant belongs. The study sample consisted of 2123 participants working in Portuguese organizations. The results indicate that organizational com-petencies development practices (training, individualized support, and functional rotation) nega-tively and significantly affect turnover intentions and that affective commitment mediates this re-lationship. However, these relationships vary according to the participant's generation. For Gen-eration Y and Generation X, this mediating effect is found in all dimensions of organizational competencies development practices. For the baby boomer generation, there is only a mediating effect of affective commitment in the relationship between individualized support and turnover intentions. These results indicate that human resources should consider the generation to which the participant belongs when implementing competencies development practices.

In this work, the deoxygenation of organic liquid products (OLP) obtained by thermal catalytic cracking of palm oil at 450 °C, 1.0 atmosphere, with 10% (wt.) Na₂CO₃ as catalyst, in multistage countercurrent absorber columns using supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO₂) as solvent, with Aspen-HYSYS process simulator was systematically investigated. In a previous study, the thermodynamic data basis and EOS modeling necessary to simulate the deoxygenation of OLP has been presented [Molecules 2021, 26, 4382. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26144382]. This work address a new flowsheet, consisting of 0₃ absorber columns, 10 expansions valves, 10 flash drums, 08 heat exchanges, 01 pressure pump, and 0₂ make-up of CO₂, aiming to improve the deacidification of OLP. The simulation was performed at 333 K, 140 bar, and (S/F) = 17; 350 K, 140 bar, and (S/F) = 38; 333 K, 140 bar, and (S/F) = 25. The simulation shows that 81.49% of OLP could be recovered and the concentrations of hydrocarbons in the extracts of absorber-01 and absorber-02 were 96.95 and 92.78% (wt.) in solvent-free basis, while the bottom stream of absorber-03 was enriched in oxygenates compounds with concentrations up to 32.66% (wt.) in solvent-free basis, showing that organic liquid products (OLP) was deacidified and SC-CO₂ was able to deacidify OLP and to obtain fractions with lower olefins content. The best deacidifying conditions was obtained at 333 K, 140 bar, and (S/F) = 17.

Photonic integrated circuits (PIC) devices are impacted by fabrication tolerances and therefore, prior knowledge of such variation could improve the PIC fabrication process and overall yield. This paper presents a method for predicting the fabrication impacts on a telecommunication optical digital to analog converter (oDAC) based pulse amplitude modulator level four (PAM-4) transmitter. Our findings allow us to estimate the production yield in fabrication scenario using symbol error rate (SER) benchmark.

Welded structures are subjected to internal residual stress after manufacturing that may affect the structural strength and normally are associated with an increase on initial geometrical imperfections. This study presents a simplified method to generate an adequate representation of residual stresses on Finite Element models for structural analysis of thin-walled structures and other applications. The results obtained shown that the methodology proposed to introduce residual stresses is simple, accurate and efficient on the modulation of post-welding stresses and their pattern, thus it may be used for simulation of the thermal process.

G‐quadruplexes (G4) are structures formed at the ends of the telomere, these are rich in guanines and were stabilized by molecules that bind to specific sites. TMPyP4 and Thymoquinone (TQ) are small molecules that bind to the G4, they have drawn attention because of their role as telomerase inhibitors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of telomerase inhibitors on cellular proliferation, senescence, and death. Two cell lines LC‐HK2 (NSCLC) and RPE‐1 were treated with TMPyP4 (5μM) and TQ (10μM). Both inhibitors were effective in decreasing telomerase activity. TMPyP4 increased the percentage of cells with membrane damage associated with cell death and decreased the frequency of cells in the S‐phase. TMPyP4 changed the cell adhesion ability and modified the pattern of focal adhesion. TQ acted in a dose‐dependent manner, increasing the frequency of senescent cells, and inducing cell cycle arrest in the G1. In conclusion, the effects of both drugs on LC-HK2 and RPE-1 cell lines were different although both are telomerase inhibitors, because TMPyP4 decreased proteins of cell adhesion and TQ induces a decrease in cell viability.

Considering the importance of assessing the impacts resulting from a sport career, this study aimed at developing and validating a semi-structure interview guide suitable for quantifying the socio-demographic and epidemiological profile of former professional football players. Based on the theoretical frameworks and several methodological procedures, an interview guide was de-veloped, consisting of 3 areas of conceptual organization (A1. Biographical data; A2. Career data; and A3. Post-Career Transition data) and 8 data collection categories (C1. Personal data; C2. Pro-fessional data; C3. Socio-demographic pathway in the post-career; epidemiological pathway; C4. Epidemiological pathway; C5. Moment of leaving the career; C6. Socio-demographic pathway in post-career; C7. Epidemiological pathway in the post-career; and C8. Perceptions on post-career planning). The construction and validation of the interview guide following 4 steps: Ad hoc con-struction of the interview guide (step 1); Review of the interview guide by a panel of experts (step 2); Definition of procedures and protocol for the application of the interview (step 3); Application of the pilot study for face validation of the interview guide (step 4). Thus, in procedural terms, four stages were considered for the construction and validation of the interview guide, namely the Ad hoc construction of the interview guide (i), the review of the in-terview guide by a panel of experts (ii), definition of procedures and protocol for the application of the interview (iii), and the application of the pilot study for the face validation of the interview guide (iv). The results showed that the interview guide for the study of the impacts of the sports careers on the quality of life of Portuguese former football players shows reliability for the collec-tion of qualitative and quantitative information from the respective content analysis. The use of the interview guide characterizes the path of former player, providing information and knowledge on the socio-demographic and epidemiological impact factors resulting from their post-career (sports retirement).

Besides the Lagrangian and the Eulerian descriptions, the motion of a body can also be expressed relative to the present configuration of the body, known as the relative motion description. It is interesting to consider such a relative motion description in general to formulate the basic system of field equations for solid bodies. In doing so, when the time increment from the present state is small enough, the nonlinear constitutive equations can be linearized relative to the present state so that the resulting system becomes linear. This will be done for thermoelastic materials with a brief comment on the exploitation of entropy principle in general. Relative Lagrangian formulation is based on the well-known ``small-on-large'' idea, and can be implemented for solving problems with large deformation in successive incremental manner. Some applications of such a formulation in numerical simulations are briefly reviewed.

Effective waste elimination is critical for the success of construction projects. Although several studies have focused on various aspects of construction waste, limited efforts have investigated the dynamic effect of Making-Do (MD) practices on productivity, rework, defects, and materials wastage. From a lean construction perspective, this study aims to address MD waste using the Last Planner System (LPS) and BIM. First, the casual structure that can cause MD in construction projects was expressed in a casual loop diagram (CLD), and thematic analysis uncovered the strategies of LPS-BIM to eliminate MD identified by reviewing the literature. Secondly, twenty-five strategies from the LPS and BIM strategies to address MD using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were assessed. Subsequently, a system dynamics model (SDM) for investigating LPS-BIM strategies on MD decisions in a construction project was formulated based on the underlying causal loop diagrams and the mathematical relations among the variables. Finally, the model was applied to three projects, and simulations for four LPS-BIM scenarios were carried out. The findings show that dynamic interactions among diverse production planning and control factors are critical in evaluating MD impacts on a construction project. The results demonstrate that the LPS-BIM approach resulted in an average 43.8% reduction in the tasks performed with MD, 45.3% of constraints, 66.5% of construction waste, increasing 13.7% completion rate, and 29.3% cost reduction, demonstrating that LPS-BIM as a more efficient solution for MD mitigation and construction planning.

Social plasticity, defined as the ability to adaptively change the expression of social behavior according to previous experience and to social context, is a key ecological performance trait that should be viewed as crucial for Darwinian fitness. The neural mechanisms for social plasticity are poorly understood, in part due to skewed reliance on rodent models. Fish model organisms are relevant in the field of social plasticity for at least two reasons: first, the diversity of social organization among fish species is staggering, increasing the breadth of evolutionary relevant questions that can be asked. Second, that diversity also suggests translational relevance, since it is more likely that “core” mechanisms of social plasticity are discovered by analyzing a wider variety of social arrangements than relying on a single species. We analyze examples of social plasticity across fish species with different social organizations, concluding that a “core” mechanism is the initiation of behavioral shifts through the modulation of a conserved “social decision-making network”, along with other relevant brain regions, by monoamines, neuropeptides, and steroid hormones. The consolidation of these shifts may be mediated via neurogenomic adjustments and regulation of the expression of plasticity-related molecules (transcription factors, cell cycle regulators, and plasticity products).

The industry is increasingly relying on fish for toxicity assessment. However, current guidelines for toxicity assessment focus on teratogenicity and mortality. From an ecotoxicological point of view, however, these endpoints may not reflect the “full picture” of possible deleterious effects that can nonetheless result in decreased fitness and/or inability to adapt to a changing environment, affecting whole populations. Therefore, assessing sublethal effects add relevant data covering different aspects of toxicity at different levels of analysis. Impacts of toxicants on neurobehavioral function have the potential to affect many different life-history traits, and are easier to assess in the laboratory than in the wild. We propose that carefully-controlled laboratory experiments on different behavioral domains – including anxiety, aggression, and exploration – can increase our understanding of the ecotoxicological impacts of contaminants, since these domains are related to traits such as defense, sociality, and reproduction, directly impacting life-history traits. The effects of selected contaminants on these tests are reviewed, focusing on larval and adult zebrafish, showing that these behavioral domains are highly sensitive to small concentrations of these substances. These strategies suggest a way forward on ecotoxicological research using fish.

Background: Post-delivery period could be characterized by psychological distress (e.g., anxiety, sadness, and irritability), leading to post-partum depression (PPD). Objective: The present clinical study assess the effect of probiotic supplementation containing Limosilactobacillus reuteri PBS072 and Bifidobacterium breve BB077 (4x10⁹ CFU/day) on mother’s mood and breastfeeding quality during the first trimester after delivery. Methods: A Randomized Double Blind Controlled (RDBPC) trial has been carried out in 200 healthy new mothers divided into an active group taking a supplement containing Limosilactobacillus reuteri PBS072 and Bifidobacterium breve BB077 (4x10⁹ CFU/day) plus multivitamins, and a control group (multivitamin complex only) for 90 days. Symptoms related to maternal depression and breastfeeding quality were evaluated at days 45 and 90 by Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale Short-Form (BSES-SF). Results: At days 45 and 90, probiotic treatment significantly ameliorated the mothers’ mood compared to the control treatment (p<0.001). Likewise, breastfeeding quality and baby’s cries significantly improved in the probiotic group (p<0.001). Conclusions: Microbiota alterations could influence post-delivery woman’s mental state. According to our results, L. reuteri PBS072 and B. breve BB077 are potential candidates able to improve stress resilience in the post-partum period.

This research explores the depolymerization of waste polymethyl methacrylate (PMMAW) from dental material in fixed-bed semi-batch reactors, focusing on three production scales: laboratory, technical, and pilot. The study investigates the thermal degradation mechanism and kinetics of PMMAW through thermogravimetric (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analyses, revealing a two-step degradation process. The heat flow during PMMAW decomposition is measured by DSC, providing essential parameters for designing pyrolysis processes. The results demonstrate the potential of DSC for energetic analysis and process design, with attention to standardization challenges. Material balance analysis across the production scales reveals a temperature gradient across the fixed bed negatively impacting liquid yield and methyl methacrylate (MMA) concentration. Reactor load and power load variables are introduced, demonstrating decreased temperature with increased process scale. The study identifies the influence of temperature on MMA concentration in the liquid fraction, emphasizing the importance of controlling temperature for efficient depolymerization. Furthermore, the research highlights the formation of aromatic hydrocarbons from the remaining char, indicating a shift in liquid composition during the depolymerization process. The study concludes that lower temperatures below 450 °C favor liquid fractions rich in MMA, suggesting the benefits of lower temperatures and slower heating rates in semi-batch depolymerization. The findings contribute to a novel approach in analyzing pyrolysis processes, emphasizing reactor design and economic considerations for recycling viability. Future research aims to refine and standardize the analysis and design protocols for pyrolysis and similar processes.

The use of Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) is a great contribution to medical studies since the application of forecasting concepts allows the analysis of future diseases propagations. In this context, this paper presents a study of the new coronavirus SARS-COV-2 with a focus on verifying the virus propagation associated with mitigation procedures and massive vaccination campaigns. There were proposed two methodologies to predict 28 days ahead the number of new cases, deaths, and ICU patients of five European countries: Portugal, France, Italy, United Kingdom, and Germany, and a case study of the results of massive immunization in Israel. The data input of cases, deaths, and daily ICU patients was normalized to reduce discrepant numbers due to the countries size, and the cumulative vaccination values by the percentage of population immunized, at least with one dose of vaccine. As a comparative criterion, the calculation of the mean absolute error (MAE) of all predictions presents the best methodology and targets other possibilities of use for the proposed method. The best architecture achieved a general MAE for the 1 to 28 days ahead forecast lower than 30 cases, 0,6 deaths and 2,5 ICU patients by million people.

Health and wellness tourism should be particularly valued in the post-pandemic phase, as a stra-tegic product to enhance the population's well-being and quality of life indicators, at social, phys-ical, and environmental dimensions, with different proposals for specialized experiences that complement the destination's offer, positioning regions as health and wellness destinations. Thermal tourism should be encouraged, as a specific product, due to the innovation and diversi-fication observed in the services made available and the benefits recognized at different age levels of tourists and destinations communities. Considering the relevance of thermal springs and thermal tourists for tourism destinations image, positioning, and development, this research aims to identify the specific motivations of tourists to the practice of thermal tourism, to understand how the benefits that thermal tourists search for, and their sociodemographic profile influence the motivations, and how the motivations determine the travel characteristics. This research was de-veloped on the North and Centre of Portugal, for their relevance in the context of thermal springs and related tourism activities. To achieve the research objectives, a questionnaire survey was ap-plied to thermal tourists, through a non-probability by convenience sampling, using bivariate tests, such as Pearson’s chi-squared test, one-way ANOVA, and t-student. The results highlight that most respondents practiced thermal tourism due to leisure and relaxation benefits, such as the escape from daily stress, spend time with family, and being "pampered"; relaxation is the most valued motivation, followed by the search for psychological and physical wellbeing. The research found relations between the benefits expected by thermal tourists, and their travel characteristics such as the composition of the group, the general travel motivation, the thermal destination cho-sen, and the number of nights spent. In thermal tourism, new challenges emerge, demanding the development of strategies, products, and services responding to the needs of specific market segments.

This study investigates the relationship between clean and dirty energy markets, specifically focusing on clean energy stock indexes and their potential as hedging assets and safe havens during periods of global economic uncertainty. The research analyzes five clean energy indexes and five dirty energy indexes from May 2018 to May 2023, considering events like the global pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The main objective is to examine the causal relationship among different stock indexes pertaining to dirty and clean energy by using the Granger causality test (VAR Granger Causality/Block Exogeneity Wald Test) to determine whether clean energy indexes can predict future prices of dirty energy indexes. However, the findings reveal that clean and dirty energy indexes do not exhibit hedging characteristics or serve as safe havens during times of economic uncertainty, rejecting the research question. These results have important implications for investment strategies, as assets lacking safe haven characteristics may not preserve portfolio efficiency in uncertain times. The study's insights provide valuable guidance for investors, poli-cymakers, and participants in energy financial markets. It highlights the need to adapt investment approaches and seek alternative options to navigate uncertain economic conditions effectively.

The effects of the solvent used for the active layer materials of an OLED based on TADF emitters plays a fundamental role in solution-deposited devices. This work focuses the effects on the performance of different solvents employed to fabricate a very simple two organic layer OLED based on a green TADF emitter, under the concept of host:guest matrix. From the different results of the main figures of merit, it was possible to conclude that the OLED that used toluene as solvent for the active layer reached a maximum EQE of 14%, almost the maximum already obtained for this emitter in more complex device structures. With the analysis of the charge transport processes, it was possible to establish an explanatory model for the obtained results. Through impedance spectroscopy, additional characterization about the nature of charge transport processes was carried out. With these results, it was possible to corelate the relaxation times, with the electrical properties of the active layer, and infer about the interaction between the electrical charges and the defect levels opening new possibilities to further development in the printed OLEDs.

The microorganisms able of accumulating lipids in high percentages, known as oleaginous microorganisms, have been widely studied as an alternative for producing oleochemicals and biofuels. Microbial lipid, so called Single Cell Oil (SCO), production depends on several growth parameters, including the nature of the carbon substrate, which must be efficiently taken up and converted into storage lipid. Οn the other hand, substrates considered for large scale applications must be abundant and of low acquisition cost. Among others, lignocellulosic biomass is a promising renewable substrate containing high percentages of assimilable sugars (hexoses and pentoses). However, it is also highly recalcitrant and therefore it requires specific pretreatments in order to release its assimilable components. The main drawback of lignocellulose pretreatment is the generation of several by-products that can inhibit the microbial metabolism. In this review, we discuss the main aspects related to the cultivation of oleaginous microorganisms using lignocellulosic biomass as substrate, hoping to contribute to the development of a sustainable process for SCO production in the near future.

This study was conducted to determine the effect of different types of olive cake (five treatments) in the diet of Bísaro pigs on the volatile compounds and sensory characteristics in the dry-cured loin and dry-cured “cachaço” (2 processed meat products). The treatments applied are based on the type of extraction and this may imply differences in their water and fat content. Eighty com-pounds were identified, and grouped into eight chemical classes: hydrocarbons, aldehydes, es-ters, alcohols, ketones, acids, furans, and other compounds. Aldehydes and alcohols were the ma-jor groups of compounds, representing 57.06-66.07 % and 68.67-75.61 % for the loin and “cacha-ço”, respectively. There were no significant differences between treatments for any of the volatile compounds identified. The major aldehydes were hexanal, heptanal, pentanal, and propanal. These compounds were significantly higher (p<0.001) in “cachaço”. This significant difference be-tween the two types of dry-cured products is directly related to the amount of total fat content. The major alcohols were 2.3-butanediol, 1-octen-3-ol, 1-butanol, 3-methyl, 1-hexanol, benzyl-alcohol and glycidol. Except for compounds 2,3-butanediol and benzyl-alcohol, the majority in this group are significantly different in terms of the type of dry-cured product. As for the sensory evaluation, for both dry-cured products, the trained tasters did not detect significant differences between the different treatments, which is in line with the results obtained for volatile compounds.

Tributyltin (TBT) is an environmental contaminant present on all continents, including Antarctica, with a potent biocidal action. Its use began to be intensified during the 1970s, being effectively banned in 2003, but remaining in the environment to this day due to several factors that increase its half-life and misuse despite the bans. In addition to the endocrine disrupting effect of TBT, that may lead to imposex induction in some invertebrate species, there are several studies that demonstrated that TBT also has an immunotoxic effect. The immunotoxic effects that have been observed experimentally in vertebrates using in vitro and in vivo models involve different mechanisms, but mainly alterations in the expression and/or secretion of cytokines. In this review, we summarize and update the literature on the impacts of TBT on the immune system, as well as discuss what still needs to be done to fill the knowledge gaps regarding the impact of this endocrine disrupting-chemical on immune system homeostasis.

Recent research has revealed surprisingly important connections between animals’ microbiome and social behaviour. Social interactions can affect the composition and function of the microbiome; conversely, the microbiome affects social communication by influencing the hosts’ central nervous system and peripheral chemical communication. These discoveries set the stage for novel research venues focusing on the evolution and physiology of animal social behaviour in relation to microbial transmission strategies. Here, we discuss the emerging roles of teleost fish model candidates and their key potential for advancing research fields linked to sociality and microbial regulation. We argue that fish models, such as the zebrafish, sticklebacks, guppies and cleaner-client dyads, will provide valuable insights into the roles of microbiome in shaping social behaviour and vice versa, while also being of direct relevance to the food and ornamental fish trades.

Evaluating mutation testing behavior can help decide whether refactoring successfully maintains the expected initial test results. Moreover, manually performing this analytical work is both time-consuming and prone to errors. This paper extends an approach to assess test code behavior and proposes a tool called MeteoR. This tool comprises an IDE plugin to detect issues that may arise during test code refactoring, reducing the effort required to perform evaluations. A preliminary assessment was conducted to validate the tool and ensure the proposed test code refactoring approach is adequate. By analyzing not only the mutation score but also the generated mutants in the pre- and post-refactoring process, results show that the approach is capable of checking whether the behavior of the mutants remains unchanged throughout the refactoring process. This proposal represents one more step toward the practice of test code refactoring. It can improve overall software quality, allowing developers and testers to safely refactor the test code in a scalable and automated way.

Background: Visceral leishmaniasis affects approximately 12 million people worldwide. Current existing drugs cause several side effects and resistance, the identification of new therapeutic targets for the development of new drugs is necessary. The vesicular trafficking in the parasite flagellar pocket is essential for parasite survival and proliferation, but little is known about the proteins involved in the endocytic/secretory pathways. In this work, we are describing the characterization of a transporter cargo protein SFT-2/Got-1 like in Leishmania infantum. Material and Methods: Using bioinformatics tools, the putative Got-1 protein A4HSK3 was characterized structurally and phylogenetically. Molecular biology was used to clone and express the protein and confocal fluorescence to determine its subcellular localization. Results: The Got-1 like protein presents four alpha helix TM conserved domains (aa38-aa147) characteristics of the Got-1/SFT-2 family proteins and an important Pen-2 conserved motif LGDYXXF located in the extracellular loop. Confocal microscopy suggests that Got-1/SFT-2 like is localized in the flagellar pocket, and is partially co-localized with the L. infantum presenilin-like protein. Phylogenetically, the Leishmania sp Got-1 like is contained in a subgroup of proteins clearly detached from the other Trypanosomatidae, such as T. cruzi and T. brucei. Conclusions: Our data show the presence of an important transported proteins, and its colocalization with the presenilin aspartyl protease in the flagellar pocket of the L. infantum open new perspectives to identify novel targets, which can be an alternative therapeutic strategy against leishmaniasis.

This work aims to investigate systematically the tecno-economic feasibility of ther-mos-catalytic cracking process for two solid waste materials, a lipid-base material (re-sidual fat/scum from retention box of the University Restaurant of UFPA) and a lig-nin-cellulosic material Açaí seed (Euterpe oleracea. Mart). The thermo-catalytic process-es were carried out in pilot scale (THERMTEK/LEQ/UFPA/IME/RJ), and their economic feasibility analyzed. The yields of biofuels produced by fractional distillation were al-so studied. The physicochemical characteristics of the raw materials, the organic liquid product (bio-oil) and the chemical composition of kerosene, light-diesel and heavy-diesel from the lipid-base material, as well as those of kerosene and light-diesel from the Açaí seed were also determined. The economic indicators for the evaluation of the most viable cracking (pyrolysis) and distillation process of bio-oils were: a) the sim-ple payback criterion, b) discounted payback, c) net present value (NPV), d) internal rate of return (IRR), and e) index of profitability (IP). The analysis of the indicators showed the economic viability of crude palm oil (Elaeis guineensis, Jacq) and unfeasibil-ity for the palm oil neutralization. The minimum fuel selling price (MFSP) obtained is this work for the biofuels was of 1.34 US$/L) and the breakeven point obtained was of 1.28 US$/L. The sensibility analysis demonstrated that the pyrolysis and distillation yields are the most important variables to affect the minimum fuel selling price (MFSP).

This work aims to investigate the influence of reaction time and catalyst-to-residual fat ratio by catalytic upgrading from pyrolysis vapors of residual fat at 400 °C and 1.0 atmosphere, on the yields of reaction products, physicochemical properties (density, kinematic viscosity, and acid value) and chemical composition of bio-oils, over a catalyst fixed bed reactor of activated carbon pellets impregnated with 10.0 M NaOH, in semi pilot scale. The experiments were carried out at 400 °C and 1.0 atmosphere, using a process schema consisting of a thermal cracking reactor of 2.0 L coupled to a catalyst fixed bed reactor of 53 mL, without catalyst and using 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0% (wt.) activated carbon pellets impregnated with 10.0 M NaOH, in batch mode. Samples of liquid phase products were withdrawn during the course of reaction at 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 and 120 minutes in order to investigate the process kinetics. The physicochemical properties (density, kinematic viscosity, and acid value) of bio-oils were determined by official methods. The chemical composition of bio-oils determined by GC-MS. The thermal catalytic cracking of residual fat show bio-oils yields from 55.55 to 30.22 (wt.%), aqueous phase yields between 2.83 and 3.19 (wt.%), solid phase yields between 13.56 and 9.75 (wt.%), and gas yields from 27.89 to 55.60 (wt.%). The yields of bio-oil decreases from 74.41 to 30.22% (wt.) with increasing catalyst-to-Tallow kernel oil ratio, while that of gaseous phase increases from 12.87 to 55.60% (wt.). For all the thermal and thermal catalytic cracking experiments, the density, kinematic viscosity, and acid value of bio-oils decreases as the reaction time increases varying from 0.9266 to 0.8220 g/cm³, 8.10 to 2.24 mm²/s, and 144.14 to 2.37 mg KOH/g. The GC-MS of liquid reaction products identified the presence of hydrocarbons (alkanes, alkenes, ring-containing alkanes, ring-containing alkenes, and aromatics) and oxygenates (carboxylic acids, ketones, esters, alcohols, and aldehydes). For all the pyrolysis and catalytic cracking experiments, the hydrocarbon selectivity in bio-oil increases with increasing reaction time, while those of oxygenates decrease, reaching concentrations of hydrocarbons up to 95.35% (area.). The best results for the physicochemical properties density, kinematic viscosity, and acid value were 0.8220 g/cm³, 3.03 mm2/s, and 2.37 mg KOH/g, respectively, with a maximum hydrocarbon concentration of 97.194% (area.) and 2.806% ketones (area.) were obtained at 400 °C and 1.0 atmosphere, 80 minutes, without catalyst. For the catalytic cracking experiments, the maximum hydrocarbon content of 75.763% (area.) and 17.041% (area.) carboxylic acids, 4.702% (area.) ketones (area.), and 2.494% (area.) non-identified oxygenates was obtained at 400 °C and 1.0 atmosphere, 90 minutes, using a catalyst fixed bed reactor, with 10.0% (wt.) activated carbon pellets impregnated with 10.0 M NaOH as catalyst.

Wave breaking is one of the most important yet poorly understood water wave phenomena. It is via wave breaking that waves dissipate most of their energy and the occurrence of wave breaking directly influences several environmental processes, from ocean-atmosphere gas exchanges to beach morphodynamics. Large breaking waves also represent a major threat for navigation and for the survivability of offshore structures. This paper provides a systematic search for intermediate to deep water breaking waves with particular focus on the elusive occurrence of plunging breakers. Using modern remote sensing and deep learning techniques, we identify and track the evolution of over four thousand unique wave breaking events using video data collected from La Jument lighthouse during ten North Atlantic winter storms. Out of all identified breaking waves (Nb=4683), ≈22% were dominant breaking waves, that is, waves that have speeds within [0.77cp, 1.43cp], where cp is the peak wave speed. Correlations between the occurrence rate of dominant breaking waves (that is, waves per area and time per peak wave period) and wave steepness and wave age were observed. As expected, the number of identified plunging waves was small and six waves of all detected breaking waves, or 0.13%, could undoubtedly be considered as plunging waves. Two waves were also identified as unusually large, or rogue waves. Although afflicted by several technical issues, the data presented here provides a good indication that the probability of occurrence of plunging waves should be better incorporated into the design of offshore structures, particularly the ones that aim to harvest energy in offshore environments.

The article addresses the importance of nutrition in the health of the elderly population and focuses on the qualitative evaluation of menus provided by a social solidarity institution in Portugal, in order to prevent and/or treat malnutrition or the risk of malnutrition in this vulnerable population. The methodology involves the evaluation of four weekly menus, totalling 28 complete daily menus for the elderly, using the “Avaliação Qualitativa de Ementas para a População Idosa” (AQEDI) tool. The assessment grid is organized into six domains (general items, soup, protein suppliers, carbohydrate supplier side, vegetable side and dessert), each composed of various parameters. The results indicate that all menus were classified as "acceptable”, with percentages ranging from 60.73% to 68.84%, and suggests that while the menus are deemed acceptable, there is room for improvement. Recommendations include increasing the presence of eggs and including seasonal fruits daily, avoiding canned fruit. The study emphasizes the need for coordinated efforts within the institution to enhance menu planning, considering both nutritional guidelines and the sensory aspects of food. Coordination efforts within the institution are crucial for preserving positive aspects and addressing inadequacies in menu planning.

Thermal comfort is extremely important in architecture, especially in environments with more people spending longer on studies or intellectual activities. This research describes a case study to investigate university buildings' energy and thermal performance as a part of the ANEEL program. Due to this importance, and the need to save energy in Brazilian public buildings, the ANEEL-the Brazilian Energy Electricity Regulatory Agency, launched 2016 a national program focusing on energy efficiency in public universities around the country. University offices and classrooms require high intellectual effort; thus, environmental comfort is critical for maintaining its users' physical and mental health. This study included a pre-diagnosis of the performance of the envelope, lighting, and air conditioning systems and a survey about the quality of the environments from the users' point of view. The Prescriptive Method of the Brazilian Labeling Program (PBE) for Commercial, Service, and Public Buildings (RTQ-C) assessed the building performance. Statistical analysis was applied to correlate the quality and thermal preference of the users from the PMV/PPD. The results showed a high rate of thermal discomfort in both environments of the studies, even when using air conditioning.

Green investors have expressed concerns about the environment and sustainability due to the high energy consumption involved in cryptocurrency mining and transactions. This article investigates the safe haven characteristics of clean energy stock indexes in relation to 3 cryptocurrencies, taking into account their respective levels of "dirty" energy consumption from May 16, 2018, to May 15, 2023. By virtue of analyzing a tumultuous era in the global economy, the level of integration between clean energy stock indexes and cryptocurrencies will be inferred by using Gregory and Hansen's methodology. Furthermore, to assess the presence of a volatility spillover effect between clean energy stock indexes and “dirty-classified” cryptocurrencies, the ?-test of heteroscedasticity of two samples from Forbes and Rigobon will be employed. The empirical findings show that clean energy stock indexes may offer a viable safe haven for dirty energy cryptocurrencies. However, the precise associations differ depending on the cryptocurrency under examination. The implications of the study's results are significant for investment strategies, this knowledge can inform decision-making procedures and facilitate the adoption of sustainable investment practices. Investors and policymakers can gain a deeper understanding of the interplay between investments in renewable energy and the cryptocurrency market.

With the rising trends in elderly populations around the world, there is a growing interest in understanding how climate sensitivity is related to their thermal perception. Therefore, we analyzed the associations between mortality in the elderly due to cardiovascular (CVD) and respiratory diseases (RD) and meteorological variables, for three cities in the State of São Paulo, Brazil: Campos do Jordão, Ribeirão Preto and Santos, from 1996 to 2017. We applied the Autoregressive Model Integrated with Moving Average (ARIMA) and the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) in order to evaluate statistical associations. Results showed CVD as a major cause of mortality, particularly in the cold period, when a high mortality rate is also observed due to RD. The mortality rate was higher in Campos do Jordão and lower in Santos (and intermediate values in Ribeirão Preto). Campos do Jordão results indicate an increased probability of mortality from CVD and RD due to lower temperatures. In Ribeirão Preto, the lower relative humidity may be related to the increase in CVD and RD deaths. This study emphasizes that, even among subtropical climates, there are significant differences. Therefore, this can assist decision makers in the implementation of mitigating and adaptive measures.

Fipronil is an insecticide widely used in the agricultural and veterinary sectors for its efficacy in pest control. The presence of fipronil in the environment is mainly due to agricultural and domestic practices and is frequently found in different types of environmental matrices in concentrations ranging from µg/L to mg/L and can be hazardous to non-target organisms due to its high toxicity. This study was carried out to obtain and characterize microorganisms from soil which are capable of biodegrading fipronil that could be of great biotechnological interest. For this purpose, a bioprospecting was carried out using fipronil (0.6 g/L) as the main source of carbon and nitrogen for growth. Once obtained, the strain was identified by sequencing the 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene and the capacity to degrade fipronil was monitored by GC-MS. Our study showed the presence in soil samples of the strain identified as Enterobacter chengduensis, which was able to metabolize fipronil and its metabolites during the mineralization process. Enterobacter chengduensis was able to biodegrade fipronil (96%) and its metabolites fipronil-sulfone (92%) and fipronil-sulfide (79%) in 14 days. Overall, the results of this study provided a bacterium with great potential that could contribute to the degradation of fipronil in the environment.

Panic disorder (PD) is characterized by recurrent and uncontrollable panic attacks associated with behavioral changes and/or persistent anxiety due to the attacks. The development of behavioral models in animals is important for the understanding of the psychobiological and behavioral bases of PD. The present article reviews the main models used in the current literature. Biobehavioral assays used in rats and mice include fear conditioning (which presents moderate predictive, face, and construct validities); the elevated T-maze (which presents good predictive validity, but low face and construct validities); electrical stimulation of the periaqueductal gray (which presents good face validity, but moderate construct validity); predator exposure models (which present good predictive and moderate construct validity); and hypercapnia-induced responses (which present moderate construct validity). These three approaches seek coherence with theories on fear as a way to increase its translational potential; thus, while the elevated T-maze is supported by the Deakin/Graeff theory, the mouse defense test battery relies on the concept of defensive distance, and periaqueductal gray stimulation is based on the functional neuroanatomy of fear. Moreover, to higher or lower degree the three models are supported by an “etho-experimental” approach, with careful observation of animal behavior as a way of discriminating different defensive strategies that model different aspects of anxiety, fear, and panic. These assays can be used, in conjunction with independent variables that attempt to simulate the vulnerabilities and stressors which lead to panic attacks, to produce true models of PD. Finally, an alternative/complementary model is proposed that uses zebrafish alarm reaction to study this disorder.

This research focused on the perception of visually impaired individuals regarding tactile image creation using 3D printing. We developed and applied an experiment with 28 participants with visual impairments. They performed tasks based on skills whose foundations are needed and used in their daily lives, such as scanning, tactile discrimination, picture and spatial comprehension. The tactile images used in this study were developed by additive manufacturing and printed over 180 g/m² sulphite paper. The best performances were obtained when (1) the tactile image contour line heights were between 0.2 mm and 0.4 mm; and (2) the texture presented densities between 10% and 50%, when alone, or between 10% and 90%, when combined with another texture. The tested line widths (0.8 mm and 1.2 mm) did not present statistically significant differences in the results. Vision status (low vision or blindness) and moment of vision loss (congenital or late blind) did not influence the results. Schooling affected the activities of identifying objects and locating their copies. In the Conclusion section, there is a detailed recommendation list for the production and application of tactile materials, which range from simplifying forms to encouraging the use of both hands during content assimilation.

Beef dry aging consist in a selection of unpackaged primal cuts that are placed in a refrigerator room with controlled environment for several weeks. The goals are the concentration of flavor, like nutty and beefy and tenderness improvement. In this study it was intended verify the microbiological and physicochemical behavior and the meat sensorial perception during a process example of meat dry aging. Twelve beef loins were selected for 90 days of dry aging and placed in a refrigerator room with average temperature, relative humidity and forced air 3.17 ± 0.68 °C, 60.65 ± 4.23 % and 0.5-2 m/s, respectively. On 1, 14, 21, 35, 60 and 90 days of dry aging, were taken two samples, crust and lean meat for microbiological counts, pH, aw, color L*a*b* and sensorial analysis. During drying, there weren´t any pathogenic bacteria counts and the average counts were higher for the crust. The aw and pH had an average of 0.98 ± 0.02 and 5.77± 0.015, with a slightly decrease and increase respectively (P&lt;0.05) along aging days. The dry aging process practices, with room refrigeration at RH&lt;65.00% and temperature &lt;4.00 °C can be the reason for aw&lt;0.98 and meat pH&lt;6.00 and therefore for the absence of pathogenic bacteria. The lower microbial counts on the lean meat and the overall acceptability assessed by the sensory panel confirm the importance of the good trimming and storage practices for the dry aged beef.

Dyslipidemia presents high levels of serum cholesterol, being characterized as a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, especially for the development of atherosclerosis. E. oleracea (OFEO), A. esculentus (OFAE), B. orellana (OFBO) and granulated (CHR) oils are rich in bioactive compounds with potential to treat changes in lipid metabolism. This study investigated the effects of treatments with oils from A. esculentus, E. oleracea, B. orellana and granules (Chronic SM®) on saturated fat-induced dyslipidemia Cocos nucifera L. The chromatographic profile showed the majority of unsaturated fatty acids in the tested oils. The quantification of tocotrienols and geranylgeraniol was obtained in OFBO and CHR. Treatments with OFEO, OFAE, OFBO and CHR were able to significantly reduce glycemia with p&gt;0.001, as well as hypertriglyceridemia, total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol, in addition to increasing HDL-cholesterol. The treatments inhibited the formation of atheromatous plaques in the vascular endothelium of the treated rats. The obtained results suggest that the OFEO, OFAE, OFBO and CHR groups have antidyslipidemic effects and antiatherogenic activity.

Drying grains in a fixed bed can be an interesting alternative to prevent undesirable breaks and fractures of solids due to mechanical shocks, something that cannot be avoided when drying in moving beds. A disadvantage of fixed bed drying is that there can be significant gradients in the critical variables if the layer of particulate solids is thick. This work shows that periodically changing the direction of drying air flow is an effective technique to reduce differences within the bed and allow better uniformity of the product. Drying in a thick layer of 10 cm of sorghum grains was carried out at 50 and 60oC for air flow velocity of 2.1 m.s-1. The results showed that despite increasing the total drying time, the technique actually allowed a significant decrease in the temperature gradients and moisture content of the sorghum grains. The change in direction of the air flow caused the drying front to be displaced, sometimes towards the top, sometimes towards the base of the bed. At 50oC, drying lasted a total of 240 min, bringing the sorghum grains to an average overall moisture content of 0.13 on a dry basis.

This work aims to investigate systematically the influence of process temperature, bio-mass-to-water ratio, and production scales (laboratory and pilot) on the chemical composition of aqueous and gaseous phases and mass production of chemical by hydrothermal processing of Açaí (Euterpe Oleraceae, Mart.) seeds. The hydrothermal carbonization carried out at 175, 200, 225, and 250 °C, 2 °C/min, biomass-to-water ratio of 1:10, and at 250 °C, 2 °C/min, and biomass-to-water ratios of 1:10, 1:15, and 1:20, in technical scale, as well as at 200, 225, and 250 °C, 2 °C/min, bio-mass-to-water ratio of 1:10, in laboratory scale. The elemental composition (C, H, N, S) of solid phase determined to compute the HHV. The chemical composition of aqueous phase determined by GC and HPLC and the volumetric composition of gaseous phase by using an infrared gas an-alyzer. For the experiments in pilot scale with constant biomass-to-water ratio of 1:10, the yields of solid, liquid, and gaseous phases varied between 53.39 and 37.01% (wt.), 46.61 and 59.19% (wt.), and 0.00 and 3.80% (wt.), respectively. The yield of solids shows a smooth exponential de-cay with temperature, while that of liquid and gaseous phases a smooth growth. By varying the biomass-to-water ratios, the yields of solid, liquid, and gaseous reaction products varied be-tween 53.39 and 32.09% (wt.), 46.61 and 67.28% (wt.), and 0.00 and 0.634% (wt.), respectively. The yield of solids decreases exponentially with increasing water-to-biomass ratio and that of liquid phase increases in a sigmoid fashion. For constant biomass-to-water ratio, the concentrations of Furfural and HMF decrease drastically with increasing temperature, reaching a minimum at 250 °C, while that of phenols increases. In addition, the concentrations of CH3COOH and total car-boxylic acids increase, reaching a maximum at 250 °C. For constant process temperature, the concentrations of aromatics vary smoothly with the temperature. The concentrations of furfural, HMF, and cathecol decrease with temperature, while that of phenols increases. The concentra-tions of CH3COOH and total carboxylic acids decrease exponentially with temperature. Finally, for the experiments with varying water-to-biomass ratios, the productions of chemicals (furfu-ral, HMF, phenols, cathecol, and acetic acid) in the aqueous phase is highly dependent on the biomass-to-water ratio. For the experiments in laboratory scale with constant biomass-to-water ratio of 1:10, the yields of solid ranged between 55.9 and 51.1% (wt.), showing not only a linear decay with tem-perature, but also a lower degradation grade. The chemical composition of main organic compounds (furfu-ral, HMF, phenols, cathecol, and acetic acid) dissolved in the aqueous phase in laboratory scale shows the same behavior of those in obtained in pilot scale.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is recognized as the second most prevalent primary chronic neurodegenerative disorder of the central nervous system. Clinically, PD is characterized as a movement disorder, exhibiting an incidence and mortality rate that is increasing faster than any other neurological condition. In recent years, there has been a growing interest concerning the role of the gut microbiome in the etiology and pathophysiology of PD. The establishment of a brain-gut microbiome axis is now real, with evidence denoting a bidirectional communication between the brain and the gut microbiota through metabolic, immune, neuronal, and endocrine mechanisms and pathways. Among these, the vagus nerve represents the most direct form of communication between the brain and the gut. Given the potential interactions between bacteria and drugs, it has been observed that the therapies for PD can have an impact on the composition of the microbiome. Therefore, in the scope of the present review, we will discuss the current understanding of gut microbiome on PD and whether this may be a new paradigm for treating this devastating disease.

Dengue virus an arbovirus is endemic in an area that comprise almost half of the world's population, contrary to past beliefs that dengue virus differentiate from other neuroinvasive arbovirus due to its lack of neurological invasion and disease related neurological complications excluding hemorrhagic and thromboembolic , the body of evidence have grown to demonstrate a series of neurological manifestations linked to dengue virus with possible mechanisms involving direct virus invasion of the nervous system or immune mediated complications. In this review we provide a wide approach to this neglect but not so rare manifestations of a very common disease.

Evidence on adult mammalian neurogenesis and scarce studies with human brains led to the idea that adult human neurogenesis occurs in the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the dentate gyrus and in the subventricular zone (SVZ). However, findings published from 2018 rekindled controversies on adult human SGZ neurogenesis. We systematically reviewed studies published during the first decade of characterization of adult human neurogenesis (1994–2004) – when the two-neurogenic-niche concept in humans was consolidated – and compared with further studies. The synthesis of both periods is that adult human neurogenesis occurs in an intensity ranging from practically zero to a level comparable to adult mammalian neurogenesis in general, which is the prevailing conclusion. Nonetheless, Bernier and colleagues showed in 2000 intriguing indications of adult human neurogenesis in a broad area including the limbic system. Likewise, we later showed evidence that limbic and hypothalamic structures surrounding the circumventricular organs form a continuous zone expressing neurogenesis markers encompassing the SGZ and SVZ. The conclusion is that publications from 2018 on adult human neurogenesis did not bring novel findings on location of neurogenic niches. Rather, we expect that the search of neurogenesis beyond the canonical adult mammalian neurogenic niches will confirm our indications that adult human neurogenesis is orchestrated in a broad brain area. We predict that this approach may, for example, clarify that human hippocampal neurogenesis occurs mostly in the CA1-subiculum zone and that the previously identified human rostral migratory stream arising from the SVZ is indeed the column of the fornix expressing neurogenesis markers.

This work aims to investigate systematically the tecno-economic feasibility of ther-mos-catalytic cracking process for two solid waste materials, a lipid-base material (re-sidual fat/scum from retention box of the University Restaurant of UFPA) and a lig-nin-cellulosic material Açaí seed (Euterpe oleracea. Mart). The thermo-catalytic process-es were carried out in pilot scale (THERMTEK/LEQ/UFPA/IME/RJ), and their economic feasibility analyzed. The yields of biofuels produced by fractional distillation were al-so studied. The physicochemical characteristics of the raw materials, the organic liquid product (bio-oil) and the chemical composition of kerosene, light-diesel and heavy-diesel from the lipid-base material, as well as those of kerosene and light-diesel from the Açaí seed were also determined. The economic indicators for the evaluation of the most viable cracking (pyrolysis) and distillation process of bio-oils were: a) the sim-ple payback criterion, b) discounted payback, c) net present value (NPV), d) internal rate of return (IRR), and e) index of profitability (IP). The analysis of the indicators showed the economic viability of crude palm oil (Elaeis guineensis, Jacq) and unfeasibil-ity for the palm oil neutralization. The minimum fuel selling price (MFSP) obtained is this work for the biofuels was of 1.34 US$/L) and the breakeven point obtained was of 1.28 US$/L. The sensibility analysis demonstrated that the pyrolysis and distillation yields are the most important variables to affect the minimum fuel selling price (MFSP).

The use of smartphones, coupled with different sensors, makes it an attractive solution for measuring different physical and physiological features, allowing for the monitoring of various parameters and even identifying some diseases. The BITalino device allows the use of different sensors, including Electroencephalography (EEG) and Electrocardiography (ECG) sensors, to study different health parameters. With these devices, the acquisition of signals is straightforward, and it is possible to connect them using a Bluetooth connection. With the acquired data, it is possible to measure parameters such as calculating the QRS complex and its variation with ECG data to control the individual's heartbeat. Similarly, by using the EEG sensor one could analyze the individual's brain activity and frequency. The purpose of this paper is to present a method for recognition of the diseases related to ECG and EEG data, with sensors available in off-the-shelf mobile devices and sensors connected to a BITalino device. The data were collected during the elderly's experiences, performing the Timed-Up and Go test, and the different diseases found in the sample in the study. The data were analyzed, and the following features were extracted from the ECG, including heart rate, heart rate variability, the average QRS interval, the average R-R interval, and the average R-S interval, and the EEG, including frequency and variability. Finally, the diseases are correlated with different parameters, proving that there are relations between the individuals and the different health conditions.

Background and Objectives: Blood flow restriction (BFR) has been investigated as an alternative method combined with resistance training or AT to promote different health benefits for older people. Nevertheless, no study analyzed chronic effects of BFR on muscle activation in this population, and in some investigations, the application of BFR has been employed arbitrary pressures, which can be a serious methodological error, both from the results and of the risk to the health of the older. Thus, this study analyzed the effect of 24 weeks of walking with BFR on activation and muscle strength in elderly women with osteoporosis. Materials and Methods: Thirty older women (66.0±4.6 years) performed randomly to one of three training groups: WALK (moderate-intensity walking), WALK+BFR (low-intensity walking with BFR), or BFR (BFR alone). Muscle activation (sEMG) and strength of knee flexors and extensors were measured pre-intervention and after 12 and 24 weeks. Results: Only a trivial effect size (ES) for the WALK+BFR (ES= 0.16) was observed in sEMG of the knee flexors compared to WALK. A moderate effect was observed in sEMG of the knee extensors (ES= 0.65) for the WALK+BFR compared to the WALK. However, adverse effects were found in the strength of the knee flexors for the BFR (ES= −0.86) and WALK+BFR (ES= −0.69) compared to WALK. Adverse and null effects, respectively for the BFR (ES= −0.16) and WALK+BFR (ES= 0.06) groups, were also observed on the strength gain of the knee extensors. Conclusions: Low-intensity walk combined with BFR does not provide relevant chronic effects on strength gain or even limit muscle strength gain, however, due to greater activation of knee extensors over 24 weeks, it is possible to benefit from the use of similar strategies to obtain neuromuscular gains in the long‐term for elderly women with osteopenia and osteoporosis.

The objective of this work is to evaluate and compare the levels of bioactive compounds in basil leaves (Ocimum basilicum), fresh and after thermal drying processing freeze-dried, using methodological procedures that follow internationally recommended and accepted standards. Fresh basil leaves had 9.50 -63.3 mg/100g (vitamin C), 1.8 -3.9 mg EAG/g (total polyphenols), 0.73-1.78 mg/g (flavonoids), 2287.8-1003,8 μg/100g (chlorophyll a), 2606-2287 μg/100g (chlorophyll b), 16.71-20.6 (total carotenoids).Regarding color, there was variation in the parameters L*, a* and b* of the dry sample, but maintained the tendency towards green e (a+) and yellow (b-). Infrared analysis (FTIR) demonstrated the presence of functional groups related to cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, confirmed by micrography (SEM) with visualization of plant parenchyma residues and fiber bundles. Thermogravimetry (TG/DTG) shows stability in the range of 234 °C, showing more intense mass loss at 294.6 °C. Given the data, it is possible to infer that basil is little affected by freeze-drying, with few changes in bioactive compounds, chemical groups and with good thermal stability. Thus, the application of the freeze-drying technique is a viable alternative to the commercialization of basil leaves, prolonging their useful life and increasing the forms of food applications.

Keywords: Marine Coasts; Protected Areas; Defense and Conservation; Asbestos Cement Materials; Wastes; Contamination; Human Health Risk; Medical Geology.

The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to mental health problems worldwide. Nurses are particularly prone to stress because they directly care for individuals with suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19. The aim of this study is to explore the association between the mental health promotion strategies used by nurses during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak and their symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress, and to compare the strategies and symptoms of mental health nurses and non-mental health nurses. Cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 821 nurses. Portuguese nurses demonstrated high symptoms of depressive symptoms, stress, and anxiety. Healthy eating, physical activity, rest between shifts, maintaining social contacts, verbalizing feelings/emotions, and spending less time searching for information about COVID-19 are associated with better mental health. Mental health nurses have less depression, anxiety, and stress, and use more strategies to promote mental health than other nurses. We consider it important to promote nurses’ mental health literacy by encouraging them to develop skills and strategies aimed at improving their resilience and ability to deal with difficult situations while caring for the population.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are being increasingly viewed as valuable tools to aid the management of farms. This kind of technology can be particularly useful in the context of extensive cattle farming, as production areas tend to be expansive and animals tend to be more loosely monitored. With the advent of deep learning, and Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) in particular, extracting relevant information from aerial images has become more effective. Despite the technological advancements in drone, imaging and machine learning technologies, the application of UAVs for cattle monitoring is far from being thoroughly studied, with many research gaps still remaining. In this context, the objectives of this study were threefold: 1) to determine the highest possible accuracy that could be achieved in the detection of animals of the Canchim breed, which is visually similar to the Nelore breed (\textit{Bos taurus indicus}); 2) to determine the ideal Ground Sample Distance (GSD) for animal detection; 3) to determine the most accurate CNN architecture for this specific problem. The experiments involved 1,853 images containing 8,629 samples of animals, and 15 different CNN architectures were tested. A total of 900 models were trained (15 CNN architectures * 3 spacial resolutions * 2 datasets * 10-fold cross validation), allowing for a deep analysis of the several aspects that impact the detection of cattle using aerial images captured using UAVs. Results revealed that many CNN architectures are robust enough to reliably detect animals in aerial images even under far from ideal conditions, indicating the viability of using UAVs for cattle monitoring.

Dietary protein quality plays a key role in maintaining intestinal mucosal integrity, but also modulates the growth of luminal microorganisms. This work assessed the effect of dietary protein sources on the performance, gut morphology, and microbiome in Nile tilapia. Four isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets comprising equivalent amounts of the protein supply derived from either PLANT, ANIMAL, INSECT, or MICROBIAL (bacterial biomass) sources were fed to triplicate groups of fish (IBW: 12 g) during 46 days. Fish fed ANIMAL and MICROBIAL diets showed significantly higher growth than those fed the PLANT and INSECT diets (P < 0.05). Relative abundance at the phylum level shows Bacteroidetes, Fusobacteria and Proteobacteria as more abundant phyla in tilapia’s intestine, while Cetobacterium is the most representative genera in all treatments. Interesting patterns were observed in the correlation between amino acid intake and genus and species abundance. Metabolism prediction analysis showed that microbial amine and polyamine degradation pathways are modulated depending on diets. In conclusion, different protein sources interfere directly with the cross-talk of bacteria pathways and amino acid intake.

The purpose of this article is to conduct a bibliometric review of literary production in terms of market interdependence. We investigate the effect of contagion on agricultural commodities and identify the commodities and methods used in the most cited publications over the decades. For this, we used the SCOPUS database, sorting with Rayyan, Excel, and finally, the Bibliometrix/R-project. The results showed that corn, wheat, soybeans, cotton, and sugar are the most studied commodities. There is no uniqueness concerning the methods used to identify interdependence and the contagion effect. Also, it is possible to perceive the growing scientific interest concerning the subject, with a diversity of authors and magazines. However, there is a direction of the and magazines most cited articles for analyzing agricultural commodities and energy, demonstrated a worldwide trend of studies relating natural resources, biofuels, clean energy, and efficiency. In addition, countries like China and the United States stand out in this scientific scenario as the countries that produce the most articles.

Among the leading immersive technologies, Augmented Reality is one of the most promising and empowering to support designers in production environments. This research investigates the application of mobile augmented reality, based on the Web, as a mediation tool focused on cognitive activities of reading and understanding of Technical Drawings in the production and assembly for Tailor Made projects of the scenographic industry. In this context, the research presents a method to use the WebAR to improve the reading of technical drawings, seeking efficiency on the visualization of models and the exchange of information between professionals, involved in the processes of design, production and assembly of products, in the scope of scenography. This mediation tool was developed using Web AR platforms, compatible with native libraries (ARCore and ARKit) to ensure, first, compatibility with commonly used devices that workers or businesses can access, and secondly, to leverage hybrid tracking techniques that combine vision and sensors to improve the reliability of augmented reality viewing. The proposed solution adopts multiple tracking and navigation techniques in order to expand Space Skills components to provide greater exploratory freedom to users. The research process took place in the light of the Design Science Research Methodology and the DSR-Model, since it aimed to develop a solution to a practical problem, as well as to produce knowledge from this process. Field experiments were conducted in two real companies, with end users on their respective mobile devices, in order to evaluate usability and behavioral intent, through the Acceptance, Intent and Use of Technology questionnaires; and perceived mental workload, NASA-TLX. The experimental results show that the adoption of this tool reduces the cognitive load in the process of reading technical drawings and project´s understanding. In general, it´s usability and intent to use provide significant levels of satisfaction, being positively accepted by all participants involved in the study.

From physics to the social sciences, information is now seen as a fundamental component of reality. However, a form of information seems still underestimated, perhaps precisely because it is so pervasive that we take it for granted: the information encoded in the very environment we live in. We still do not fully understand how information takes the form of cities, and how our minds deal with it in order to learn about the world, make daily decisions, and take part in the complex system of interactions we create as we live together. This paper addresses three related problems that need to be solved if we are to understand the role of environmental information: (1) the physical problem: how can we preserve information in the built environment? (2) The semantic problem: how do we make environmental information meaningful? And (3) the pragmatic problem: how do we enact environmental information in our daily lives? Attempting to devise a solution to these problems, we introduce a three-layered model of information in cities, namely environmental information in physical space, environmental information in semantic space, and the information enacted by interacting agents. We propose forms of calculating entropy in these different layers, and apply these measures to archetypal urban cases and simulated scenarios. Our results suggest that ordered spatial structures and diverse land use patterns encode information, and that aspects of physical and semantic information affect coordination in interaction systems.

This study investigates the relationship between energy metals and precious metals to assess their suitability as safe haven assets in clean energy investment portfolios. It focuses on the impact of events in 2020 and 2022, characterized by substantial investments in clean energy. The research reveals that, except for Nickel Futures (NICKELc1), energy metals are positively linked with clean energy indexes. This suggests that they can serve as a secure investment option for green investors looking to diversify their portfolios. As a result, the study dismisses the initial question, indicating that energy metals can indeed be considered safe havens within the context of clean energy investments. Additionally, the research reinforces prior findings that precious metals like gold, silver, and platinum possess safe haven characteristics in relation to specific clean energy stock indexes. These results have significant implications, particularly given the increasing investments in clean energy stocks and the recurring uncertainties in the market. In summary, this study supports the idea that both energy metals and precious metals can play valuable roles in clean energy portfolios, providing stability during turbulent times in the market.

Plant loss in experimental plots occurs occasionally in field experiments with coffee crops. In breeding programmes, such loss can be extremely harmful, especially when the statistical analysis methods used are not consistent with the data generated in the experiments. In this study, we analysed a set of productivity data to determine whether the compensatory effect occurs in coffee crops, analyse the need for correcting the number of failures in experiments, and identify the best stand correction method to use. Productivity data from six harvests of 11 experiments with Coffea arabica plants were used. The experiments were implemented in a randomised block design, with four replications and six plants per plot. The following stand correction methods were evaluated: rule of three, Zuber [1], Vencovsky and Cruz [2]covariance of the average or ideal stands, and Cruz [3] and compared to data without correction adjustments. The most adequate correction methods were chosen based on the existence of genetic variance, selective accuracy, and progeny ordering. The compensatory effect was evident from the analysed data, with stand correction shown to be beneficial in progeny competition experiments. The covariance methods using average or ideal stands presented the best results, followed by the method proposed by Cruz [3]. The rule of three and Zuber [1] methods showed unsatisfactory results and are not recommended for stand correction in progeny competition experiments with coffee crops

Currently, some non-conventional therapies (NCT), such as acupuncture, homeopathy, osteopathy, naturopathy, herbology, and Traditional Chinese Medicine are structured and well-regulated for a market of teaching and clinical practice in Portugal, among which acupuncture has become one of the most appealing and functional branches. Through investigation of acupuncture laws, field surveys, teaching work and interviews with people from NCT field in Portugal, we showed the current acupuncture education in Portugal and found that according to the academic norms and rules of education in Portugal, there is a gradual difficulty in the progression and maintenance of the degree training dynamics, due to the lack of more tolerant transitional measures and also, a timid commitment on the part of the institutions that embark on these complementary programs. Therefore, it will be necessary to promote additional programs and measures that avoid a total emptiness of the teaching of acupuncture and at the same time losses of clinicians, competencies and quality of information that are difficult to recover. It could be very meaningful and thought-provoking to the future development and improvement of acupuncture in Portugal and in other countries that welcome acupuncture and intend to have a better legislation and application.

The required processes and steps for making bread include technological and innovative concepts. The current trend is the use of less toxic compounds and green processes. Besides lactic acid bacteria and yeast, other microorganisms with special properties, such as enzymes, new aroma and flavor, exopolysaccharides, and vitamins, among other compounds with beneficial properties, could be added to bread manufacture, improving bread quality and health effects for the consumers. Freeze drying, new encapsulation methods, cryoprotectants, spray drying, fluidized bed drying, and vacuum drying are used for probiotics and microorganism cultures that will be used as starters or biological additives in the fermentation. The same development is observed in the preservation methods, and studies with plant extracts and essential oils have been proposed and introduced, replacing chemical agents, such as propionate, within the clean-label bread formulations concept. Baking science is a growing research line incorporating innovative methods and biological additives.

Staphylococcus aureus is a causative agent of nosocomial infections and its antibiotic-resistant strains are concerning. Solutions are being explored to improve the treatment of these infections, including repositioning drugs such as statins and using nanoparticles with antimicrobial properties. This study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial effects of simvastatin (SIM) and biologically synthesized silver nanoparticles (bio-AgNPs) in isolate form and in combination by assays of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), an in vitro biofilm model, and the association of antimicrobials against clinical strains of S. aureus. Bio-AgNPs showed a 53.8 ± 1.23-nm mean diameter and standard deviation, a 0.23 polydispersity index, and a −25.66 ± 2.19-mV mean potential and standard deviation. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed the formation of nanoparticles and the presence of Ag0 and AgCl. S. aureus strains were sensitive to bio-AgNPs and SIM, showing 31.88-187.5 and 74.66-149.32 μM concentrations, respectively. Our association assay showed 2.0 fractional inhibitory concentration indices (i.e., indifferent for clinical strains) and 0.32 values for the standard ATCC 29213 strain (synergy). Our biofilm inhibition assays with isolated SIM and bio-AgNPs showed decreased biofilm formation from 4× to ⅛ MICs, showing no synergism in association. These findings evince that simvastatin and bio-AgNPs at subinhibitory concentrations can serve as antimicrobial agents against S. aureus biofilm.

Nitric oxide has been implicated in symptoms of ethanol withdrawal in animal models. Zebrafish have been used as models to study neurobehavioral effects of ethanol (EtOH) withdrawal, but the mechanisms associated with these effects are not yet clear. Adult zebrafish were treated with 1% EtOH for 20 min per day for 8 days, injected with the nitric oxide synthase 2 (NOS-2) inhibitor aminoguanidine (50 mg/kg), and allowed to experience withdrawal (WD) in their hometanks for 7 days. EtOH WD increased anxiety-like behavior in the novel tank test, an effect that was blocked by aminoguanidine. EtOH WD also increased brain levels of nitrite, an effect that was partially blocked by aminoguanidine. These results underline a novel mechanism by which NOS-2 controls anxiety-like responses to ethanol withdrawal, with implications for the mechanistic study of symptoms associated with chronic ethanol abuse.

This work aims to investigate the effect of process temperature and catalyst content by pyrolysis and thermal catalytic cracking of (organic matter + paper) fraction from municipal household solid waste (MHSW) on the yields of reaction products (bio-oil, bio-char, H2O, and gas), acid value and chemical composition of bio-oils, and characterization of bio-chars, in laboratory scale. The collecting sectors of MHSW in the municipality of Belém-Pará-Brazil were chosen based on geographic and socio-economic database. The MHSW collected and transported to the segregation area. The gravimetric analysis of MHSW carried out and the fractions (Paper, Cardboard, Tetra Pack, Hard Plastic, Soft Plastic, Metal, Glass, Organic Matter, and Inert) separated. The selected organic matter and paper submitted to pre-treatment of crushing, drying, and sieving. The experiments carried out at 400, 450, and 475 °C and 1.0 atmosphere, and at 475 °C and 1.0 atmosphere, using 5.0, 10.0, and 15.0% (wt.) Ca(OH)2, in batch mode. The bio-oil characterized for acid value. The chemical functions present in bio-oil identified by FT-IR and the composition by GC-MS. The bio-char characterized by SEM, FT-IR and XRD. The variance in mass (wt.%) for organic fraction of municipal household solid waste, between 56.21 and 67.45% (wt.), lies with the interval of 56% (wt.) and 64% (wt.) of OFMHSW for middle and low income countries. The pyrolysis of MHSW fraction (organic matter + paper) show bio-oil yields between 2.63 and 9.41% (wt.), aqueous phase yields between 28.58 and 35.08% (wt.), solid phase yields between 35.29 and 45.75% (wt.), and gas yields between 16.54 and 26.72% (wt.). The bio-oil yield increases with pyrolysis temperature. For the catalytic cracking, the bio-oil and gas yields increase slightly with CaO content, while that of bio-char decreases, and the H2O phase remains constant. The GC-MS of liquid reaction products identified the presence of hydrocarbons (alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, cycloalkanes, and aromatics) and oxygenates (carboxylic acids, ketones, esters, alcohols, phenols, and aldehydes), as well as compounds containing nitrogen, including amides and amines. The acidity of bio-oil decreases with increasing process temperature and with aid Ca(OH)2 as catalyst. The concentration of hydrocarbons in bio-oil increases with increasing Ca(OH)2-to-MHSW fraction ratio due to the catalytic deoxygenation of fatty acids molecules, by means of de-carboxylation/de-carbonylation, producing aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons.

Sleep timing is one of the dimensions of sleep that refers to the time of day when sleep occurs. It was included in sleep-related research because of the potential associations between overweight and consumption of meals and snacks. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate associations between sleep timing, meal and snack consumption, and weight status in 1333 schoolchildren aged 7-14 years. The midpoint of sleep was used as a sleep timing measure obtained by the midpoint between bedtime and wake-up time and classify as Early, intermediate, and Late. Schoolchildren in the Early group were less likely to be overweight (OR: 0.83, 95% CI 0.69; 0.99), had higher odds of mid-morning snack consumption (OR: 1.95, 95%CI 1.56; 2.44) and lower probability to consume the evening snack (OR: 0.75, 95%CI 0.59; 0.94) compared with the Intermediate group. The Late group had lower odds of mid-morning snack consumption (OR: 0.67, 95%CI 0.55, 0.80) than the Intermediate group. The consumption of mid-morning and evening snacks was associated with the Early and the Late midpoint of sleep. These results suggest that bedtime and wake-up time are relevant to consuming meals and snacks and may also be related to a greater probability of being overweight in children and adolescents.

Among the many Lysosomal Storage Disorders (LSDs) that would benefit from the establish-ment of novel cell models, either patient-derived or genetically engineered, is Mucopolysaccha-ridosis type II (MPS II). In fact, even though a specific therapeutic approach does exist for this disorder (Enzyme Replacement Therapy, ERT, with recombinant human IDS) and haematopoiet-ic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) may also hold promise whenever the disorder is diagnosed soon enough, both approaches have their own drawbacks. Here we present our results on the establishment and characterization of two MPS II pa-tient-derived stem cell line(s) from deciduous baby teeth. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time a stem cell population is isolated from LSD patient samples obtained from the oral cavity. Taking into account our results on the molecular and biochemical characterization of those cells and our first insights on their subcellular MPS phenotype, we consider these cells will be a valuable tool for both pathophysiological assessments and drugs screenings. Ultimately, we believe patient-derived dental pulp stem cells (DPSC) may represent a feasible alternative to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) in many labs with standard cell culture con-ditions and limited (human and economic) resources.

This work aims to investigate systematically the tecno-economic feasibility of ther-mos-catalytic cracking process for two solid waste materials, a lipid-base material (re-sidual fat/scum from retention box of the University Restaurant of UFPA) and a lig-nin-cellulosic material Açaí seed (Euterpe oleracea. Mart). The thermo-catalytic process-es were carried out in pilot scale (THERMTEK/LEQ/UFPA/IME/RJ), and their economic feasibility analyzed. The yields of biofuels produced by fractional distillation were al-so studied. The physicochemical characteristics of the raw materials, the organic liquid product (bio-oil) and the chemical composition of kerosene, light-diesel and heavy-diesel from the lipid-base material, as well as those of kerosene and light-diesel from the Açaí seed were also determined. The economic indicators for the evaluation of the most viable cracking (pyrolysis) and distillation process of bio-oils were: a) the sim-ple payback criterion, b) discounted payback, c) net present value (NPV), d) internal rate of return (IRR), and e) index of profitability (IP). The analysis of the indicators showed the economic viability of crude palm oil (Elaeis guineensis, Jacq) and unfeasibil-ity for the palm oil neutralization. The minimum fuel selling price (MFSP) obtained is this work for the biofuels was of 1.34 US$/L) and the breakeven point obtained was of 1.28 US$/L. The sensibility analysis demonstrated that the pyrolysis and distillation yields are the most important variables to affect the minimum fuel selling price (MFSP).

The in vitro cultivation of M. leprae has not been possible since it was described as causing leprosy, and the limitation of animal models for clinical aspects makes studies on leprosy and bacteria-human host interaction a challenge. Our aim was to standardize the ex vivo skin model (hOSEC) to maintenance and study of M. leprae as an alternative animal model. Bacillary suspensions were inoculated into human skin explants and sustained in DMEM medium until 60 days. Explants were evaluated by RT-PCR-16SrRNA, and cytokines gene expression. Viability and infectivity of bacilli recovered from explant (D28 and D60) were evaluated using the Shepard’s model. All explants were RT-PCR-16srRNA positive. Viability and infectivity of recovered bacilli from explants, analyzed after 5 months of inoculation in mice showed an average positivity of 31%, being the highest positivity in the D28 groups (80%). Furthermore, our work showed different pattern in cytokines gene expression (TGF-β, IL-10, IL-8 and TNF-α) in the presence of alive or dead bacilli. Although changes can be made for improve future experiments, our results have demonstrated that it is possible to use the hOSEC to maintain M. leprae for 60 days, interacting with the host system, an important step in the development of experimental models for studies on the biology of the bacillus, its interactions, and drug susceptibility.

Fear can sometimes paralyze us, and it can sometimes be exciting; for some people, fear is so crippling it can significantly mix up their lifes! We understand a little bit about how the brain acts when we are afraid, mainly by studying the brains of animals. Recently, surprising findings were made using a humble animal, the zebrafish – a small aquarium fish that in the past has helped scientists figure out how our organs develop. Zebrafish are useful because they develop quickly, reproduce richly, and have brains which are similar to ours. They also produce what we call an “alarm substance” that alerts shoalmates when one of them has been injured; when they smell this substance in the water they act as if they are very scared. When this happens, they release serotonin in their brains, a neurotransmitter that acts as a light switch, making them less afraid but more cautious – as if trying to figure out if a predator is there or not. Hopefully, finding more about how the zebrafish brains process this serotonin signal can help scientists develop better treatments for mental disorders that are associated with fear.

The flexitarian diet, which emphasizes a reduction in meat consumption, has been identified as a crucial factor in transitioning to sustainable food systems that can help combat climate change and improve food and nutritional security, particularly in areas where food choices are abundant. Despite Brazil being a major meat producer, meat consumption among Brazilians has been decreasing in recent years, with a growing portion of the population adopting meat-free and meat-reduced dietary models. In this study, we conducted the first non-industry funded scientific investigation of Brazilian flexitarians, with the goal of characterizing their socio-economic and demographic characteristics, motivations for adopting flexitarianism, frequency of animal-based meat consumption, and main substitutes consumed. Data was collected from 1029 self-identified flexitarians in Brazil. Our findings indicate that the flexitarian food model is primarily adopted by women and is motivated by concerns about the environmental impact of meat consumption, personal health, and animal welfare. Flexitarians were found to have a consumption profile that can be divided into three groups: low (consuming meat 36 times a week), medium (consuming meat 7 times a week), and high (consuming meat 4 times a week). The flexitarian meals pattern is characterized by lower consumption of beef (less than 2 times per week) and higher consumption of chicken (3 times per week) and is supplemented by plant-based protein sources and eggs as the main meat substitutes.

Fatigue risk to commercial pilots operating under global pandemic conditions had not been in-vestigated prior to COVID-19. Examining how pilots slept during COVID-19 pandemic-specific flights can provide a precedent for estimating fatigue risk for future public health emergencies. Twenty (n=20) pilots flying across five COVID-19 humanitarian missions between Brazil and China wore a sleep-tracking device (the Zulu watch), which has been validated for the estimation of sleep timing (sleep onset and offset), duration, efficiency, and sleep depth (Wake, Interrupted, Light, or Deep Sleep) throughout the mission period. Pilots also reported sleep timing, duration and subjective quality of their in-flight rest periods using a sleep diary. To our knowledge, this is the first report of commercial pilot sleep behavior during ultra-long-range operations under COVID-19 pandemic conditions. Moreover, these analyses provide an estimate of sleep depth during in-flight sleep, which has not been reported previously in the literature.

The effect of the different dental implants positioning region on the stress performance of the implant-supported prosthesis is not yet clear. This study evaluated the dental treatment with six dental implants in three different models and three different occlusal loading conditions, in terms of the biomechanical response of implants, prosthetic screw and maxilla, using three-dimensional finite element analysis. The finite element models were modelled containing external hexagon implants, as well as a Cobalt-Chromium superstructure. Three types of loads were applied: in the area of ​​the central incisors, first premolar and in the second molars. For the finite element simulations, the von-Mises stress peaks in the implant and in the surrounding cortical bone were analyzed. All recorded results reported higher values ​​for the implant-supported prosthesis in group C compared to the groups A and B. The highest stress values, ​​regardless the evaluated model, was in the prosthesis in group C and in screws, the smallest were in group A.

Peptidoglycan hydrolases are enzymes that cleave the peptidoglycan of the bacterial cell wall, facilitating cell growth, cell division, and peptidoglycan turnover. Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (X. citri), the causal agent of citrus canker, encodes an Escherichia coli M23 peptidase EnvC homolog. EnvC is a LytM factor required for septal peptidoglycan splitting and daughter cell separation. In this study we investigate how EnvC contributes to the virulence and cell separation of X. citri. We observed that disruption of the X. citri envC gene (ΔenvC) led to a reduction in virulence. Upon inoculation into leaves of Rangpur lime (Citrus limonia Osbeck), the X. citri ΔenvC mutant showed a delay in causing citrus canker symptoms compared with the wild-type X. citri strain. Mutant complementation restored the X. citri wild type phenotype. Subcellular localization confirmed that X. citri EnvC is a periplasmic protein. Moreover, the X. citri ΔenvC mutant exhibited elongated cells, indicative of a cell division defect. These findings support the role of EnvC in regulating virulence, cell wall organization, and cell division in X. citri.

Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disorder triggered by gluten ingestion in genetically predisposed individuals. In addition to the typical gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea, bloating, or chronic abdominal pain, CD may also present a wide spectrum of manifestations, including low bone mineral density (BMD) and osteoporosis. This review aims to describe the role of CD in the development of skeletal alterations, underlying important clinical aspects and therapeutic implications. The etiopathology of bone lesions in CD is multifactorial and their management is challenging. Here, we provide gastroenterologists and orthopedics with an up-to-date overview on the link between CD and osteoporosis to improve the management of the CD condition.

Oats are a nutrient rich cereal used for animal feed and growing in human consumption. This cereal can be affected by Fusarium spp., causing the disease Fusarium Head Blight. This disease is caused mainly by species within the Fusarium graminearum species complex, and are also responsible for producing mycotoxins that are harmful to humans and animals. This study aimed to investigate fungal diversity in Brazilian oat samples, focusing on the Fusarium sambucinum species complex and the presence of type B trichothecenes (deoxynivalenol and its derivatives, and nivalenol) from two different regions; Paraná (PR) and Rio Grande do Sul (RS). The isolated fungi from oat grains were identified as species from the genera: Fusarium, Phoma and Alternaria. The majority of Fusarium isolates belonged to the Fusarium sambucinum species complex; identified as F. graminearum s.s., F. meridionale and F. poae. In the RS region, F. poae was the most frequent fungus, while FGSC was the most frequent in the PR region. The majority of F. graminearum s.s. isolates were of the 15-ADON genotype, while some 3-ADON genotypes were identified; however, F. meridionale and F. poae were all of the NIV genotype. Mycotoxin analysis revealed that 92% and 100% of the samples from PR and RS were contaminated with type B trichothecenes, respectively. The oats from PR were predominantly contaminated with DON, whereas NIV was predominant in oats from RS. Analysis showed that 24% of the samples were contaminated with DON at levels higher than Brazilian regulations. Co-contamination of DON, its derivatives and NIV was observed in 84% and 57.7% of the samples from PR and RS, respectively. The results provide new information on Fusarium contamination in Brazilian oats, highlighting the importance for further studies on mycotoxins.

Infection with the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus type 1 (PRRSV-1) has serious economic consequences for the pig industry. Swine practitioners and other agricultural advisors often describe an increase in antibiotic use when PRRSV-1 is circulating. Our objective was to assess the impact of PRRSV-1 stabilization programmes on reducing antibiotic use. The study was carried out on 19 French farrow-to-finish farms that successfully implemented a PRRSV-1 stabilization protocol between 2007 and 2019. For each farm, antibiotic consumption (expressed in mg/PCU and ALEA) were compared one year before (P1) and one year after (P2) the implementation of such a protocol and the change between P1 and P2 were calculated in percentages. Data were then analysed by level of consumption. Antibiotic use decreased significantly between P1 and P2 if expressed in mg/PCU and showed a decreased tendency in terms of exposure (ALEA). Concerning the change from P1 to P2, our results showed that the higher consumption levels in P1, the greater antibiotic reduction in P2. This study highlights the ability of a stabilization protocol against PRRSV-1 to reduce antibiotic use, especially on farms that have high consumption. These hopeful results show that further investigations about the relationship between PRRSV-1 and antibiotic usage could be beneficial.

The innovation of the new psychoactive substances (NPS) market requires the rapid identification of new substances that can be a risk to public health, in order to reduce the damage due to their use. Twelve seized products suspected to contain illicit substances were analyzed by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). Synthetic cathinones (SCat) were found in all products, either as a single component or in mixtures. Infrared spectra of all products were consistent with the molecular structure of SCat, showing an intense absorption band at 1700–1674 cm‐1, corresponding to the carbonyl stretching, a medium/strong peak at 1605-1580 cm-1, indicating stretching vibrations in the aromatic ring (C=C) and bands with relative low intensity at frequencies near 2700–2400 cm-1, corresponding to an amine salt. It was possible to identify a total of eight cathinone derivatives by GC-MS and NMR analysis: 4’-methyl-α-pyrrolidinohexanophenone (MPHP), α-pyrrolidinohexanophenone (α-PHP), 3-fluoromethcathinone (3-FMC), methedrone, methylone, buphedrone, N-ethylcathinone, and pentedrone. Among the adulterants found in these samples, caffeine was the most frequently detected substance, followed by ethylphenidate. These results highlight the prevalence of SCat in seized materials of the Portuguese market. Reference standards are usually required for confirmation, but when reference materials are not available, the combination of complementary techniques is fundamental for a rapid and an unequivocal identification of such substances.

The Eucalyptus genus is the most planted forest crop in the world, with Brazil being one of the countries with the greatest productive potential. However, the occurrence of weeds can cause losses in productivity. Chemical control is widely used, but the efficiency of herbicides depends on factors such as the presence of straw in the soil and the occurrence of rainfall. Due to the scarcity of results regarding the interaction between herbicide, straw, and water depth in the forest sector, the objective of this study is to evaluate the efficiency of S-metolachlor + glyphosate in the control of grasses in different densities of eucalyptus straw and with simulated rain after the application of the product. The experiment was conducted in DBC, factorial 3×3×2, with four replications. The first factor represented 0, 50 and 100% of the commercial dose of S-metolachlor + glyphosate, the second 0, 5, and 10 ton ha-2 of straw, and the third 25 and 50mm of water depth applied in soil with a mix of grasses previously sowed. The rainfall simulation was performed 24 hours after herbicide application on each straw volume. The fresh mass of the aerial part of the grasses was collected 43 days after sowing and dried in an oven to determine the dry mass. Visual analyzes of the percentage of control were performed with scales ranging from 0 to 100, where 0 represents no control and 100 efficient control. The fresh and dry mass and the grasses' dry mass/water ratio decreased with increasing herbicide dosage and straw density. The dosage of 2.12 + 1.59 kg i.a. ha-1 of S-metolachlor + glyphosate resulted in greater control of grasses, and the treatments without straw and with the application of the herbicide had the highest percentages of control. Applying different water depths (25 mm or 50 mm) did not influence the control. Despite the control of grasses, the efficiency of the herbicide mixture was affected by the presence of vegetation cover.

Several plant species produce mixtures of odorous and volatile compounds known as essential oils (EOs). These mixtures play important roles in nature and have been utilized by man for pharmaceutical and agrochemical purposes. There are more than 3000 EOs reported in the literature with approximately 300 having commercial use, including the oils from Eucalyptus species. Such oils are rich in monoterpenes and have found applications as pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, food flavorants and in the perfume industry. Such applications are related to their diverse biological and organoleptic properties. In view of their importance, we review in this article up to date information concerning chemical composition and biological activities of essential oils from different species of Eucalyptus. Among the 900 species and subspecies of the Eucalyptus genus¸ we examined 68 species. The studies associated with these species were conducted in 27 countries. We have focused on the antimicrobial, acaricide, insecticide and herbicide activities, hoping that such information will contribute in the advances of the research in this field. It is also intended that the information herein described can be useful in the rationalization of the use of Eucalyptus EOs as components for new pharmaceutical and agrochemical applications as well as food preservatives and flavorants.

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death, and latest predictions indicate that cancer- related deaths will increase over the next few decades. Despite significant advances in conventional therapies, treatments remain far from ideal due to limitations such as lack of selectivity, non-specific distribution, and multidrug resistance. Current research is focusing on the development of several strategies to improve the efficiency of chemotherapeutic agents and, as a result, overcome the conventional therapies challenges. In this regard, combined therapy with natural compounds and other therapeutic agents, such as chemotherapeutics or nucleic acids, has recently emerged as a new strategy for tackling the drawbacks of conventional therapies. Taking this strategy into consideration, the co-delivery of the above-mentioned agents in lipid-based nanocarriers provide some advantages by improving the potential of the therapeutic agents carried. This review encompassed different strategies associated with combined therapy, at the same time highlighting the most recent advances and outstanding advantages of lipid-based nanocarriers for achieving a promising combination therapy that may overcome cancer treatment challenges.

Abstract: This study aimed to evaluate the application of chemical defensives and long-life inoculant, in mixtures or not, under the nodulation process of plants and the quality of soy seeds during storage. The first was carried out in a greenhouse and completely randomized design was used, in an 8 x 2 factorial scheme, with three replications, and the treatments consisted of applications of seed treatments via industrial: (T1 - control; T2 - MaximAdvanced; T3 - Fortenza; T4 - long-life inoculant; T5 - MaximAdvanced + Fortenza); T6 - MaximAdvanced + long-life inoculant; T7 - Fortenza + long-life inoculant; T8 - MaximAdvanced + Fortenza + long-life inoculant), which were sown in pots containing soils from two cultivation areas; the second in the laboratory, using a completely randomized design, in a factorial scheme 8 x 7, with four replications, with treatments consisting of eight combinations of industrial seed treatment in the greenhouse, stored for two months. That seed treatment industrial with fungicide/insecticide/inoculant, applied in isolation or not, does not influence the soy nodulation process. Soy seeds, regardless of the type of treatment received with fungicide/insecticide/long-life inoculant products, in mixtures or in isolation, may be stored for a period of 40 days for commercial purposes.

Background: Morphological alterations in intracranial pressure pulse waveform (ICPPW) secondary to intracranial hypertension (ICP >20 mmHg) and reduction in intracranial compliance (ICC) are well known indicators of neurological severity. To date, no studies have documented the ICPPW modifications after intracranial hypertension resolution with decompressive craniectomy (DC). The present study aimed to assess the morphological alterations in ICPPW among neurocritical care patients with and without DC, by comparing the variations of ICPPW features according to elevations in mean ICP values. Methods: Patients requiring ICP monitoring because of severe traumatic or spontaneous conditions were included. Mean ICP values were compared with ICPPW features (P2/P1 ratio, TTP and pulse amplitude). Elevation in ICP was produced by means of ultrasound-guided manual internal jugular veins compression. Results were distributed for three groups: intact skull (exclusive burr hole for ICP monitoring), craniotomy/large fractures (group 2) or DC (group 3). Results: 57 patients were analyzed. 21 (36%) presented no skull defects, whereas 15 (26%) had DC. ICP was not significantly different between groups: ±13.59 for intact and ±17.66 mmHg for DC, with ICP induced elevation also similar between groups (p= 0.56). Significant elevation was observed for P2/P1 ratio for groups 1 and 2, whereas reduction was observed in group 3 (elevation of ±0.09 for groups 1 and 2, whereas reduction of 0.03 for group 3, p=0.01). Conclusion: In the present study, intracranial pressure pulse waveform analysis indicated that intracranial compliance was significantly more impaired among decompressive craniectomy patients, although ICPPW indicated DC to be protective for further influences of ICP elevations over the brain. Analysis of ICPPW seems to be an alternative to real time ICC assessment.

Free Floating Car Sharing (FFCS) services are a flexible alternative to car ownership. These transportation services show highly dynamic usage both over different hours of the day, and across different city areas. In this work, we study the problem of predicting FFCS demand patterns -- a problem of great importance to an adequate provisioning of the service. We tackle both the prediction of the demand i) over time and ii) over space. We rely on months of real FFCS rides in Vancouver, which constitute our ground truth. We enrich this data with detailed socio-demographic information obtained from large open-data repositories to predict usage patterns. Our aim is to offer a thorough comparison of several machine learning algorithms in terms of accuracy and easiness of training, and to assess the effectiveness of current state-of-art approaches to address the prediction problem. Our results show that it is possible to predict the future usage with relative errors down to 10%, and the spatial prediction can be estimated with relative errors of about 40%. Our study also uncovered the socio-demographic features that most strongly correlate with FFCS usage, providing interesting insights for providers opening service in new regions.

Metabolic dysfunction associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) has gained worldwide attention as a public health problem. Nonetheless, lack of enough mechanistic knowledge restrains effective treatments. It is known that T3 regulate hepatic lipid metabolism, and mitochondrial function. Liver dysfunction of T3 contributes to MAFLD, but its role is not fully understood. Objective: To evaluate the role of T3 dysfunction in the progression of MAFLD in an animal model. Method-ology: Male/adult Sprague Dawley rats (n=20) were allocated to a control group (standard di-et–2.93kcal/g) and diet group (CDHF–4.3kcal/g). Euthanasia took place in the 28th week. D3 ac-tivity and expression, UCP2 and D1 expression, REDOX status, mitochondrial, Krebs cycle and endoplasmic reticulum homeostasis in liver tissue were measured. Results: We observed an in-crease in D3 activity/expression (P<0.001) related to increased TBARS and carbonyls and GSH reduction in the MAFLD group (P<0.05). There was a T3-dependent decrease in UCP2 expression (P=0.01), mitochondrial capacity, respiratory activity with increased endoplasmic reticulum stress in the MAFLD group (P < 0.001). Surprisingly, in and environment with lower T3 levels we observed an augmented alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase (KGDH) and glutamate dehydro-genase (GDH) enzymes activity (P<0.05). Conclusion: Induced D3, triggered by changes in the REDOX state, decreases T3 availability, and hepatic mitochondrial capacity. The Krebs cycle en-zymes were altered as well as reticulum stress. Taken together, these results shed new light on the role of T3 metabolism in MAFLD and new treatment opportunities.

In this work, the influence of catalyst reuse and reaction time on the yield and quality of organic liquid products (OLP) obtained in a cracking pilot plant at 450 °C and 1.0 atm has been systematically investigated. The distillation of OLP produced 04 (four) distilled fractions. The quality of the biofuels was certified by physical-chemical analysis, as well as FT-IR and GC-MS analysis. The experimental results showed the feasibility of applying the spent sodium carbonate twice in catalytic cracking of vegetable oils. The physical-chemical properties (density, viscosity, acid value, saponification value, and flash point) of OLP decrease as the reaction time increases. The distillation of OLP yields 62.35% (wt.), producing green-like gasoline, kerosene, and diesel fractions rich in hydrocarbons. Therefore, biofuels-like fractions produced by distillation of OLP have a great potential for replacing partially petroleum derived fuels.

Selectins are responsible for the early stages of cell migration as they control cell adhesion. They make the microenvironment permissive for metastatic events by promoting the activation of other cell adhesion molecules (CAMs). We employed several robust bioinformatics tools to evaluate gene sequence; single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in intronic and UTR regions; and missense SNPs with amino acid change in L-selectin (SELL), E-selectin (SELE), P-selectin (SELP) and PSGL-1 (SELPLG). We demonstrated that gene polymorphisms rs2229569, rs1131498, rs4987360, rs4987301 and rs2205849; polymorphisms rs3917777, rs2205894 and rs2205893 of SELP gene; rs7138370, rs7300972 and rs2228315 variants of SELPLG gene; and rs1534904 and rs5368 polymorphisms of SELE gene may produce important alterations in the DNA structure and consequent alterations in the morphology and function of the corresponding proteins. These Selectin polymorphic variants deserve further investigation in cancer patients, as they may become useful clinical markers for risk determination, diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers or even targets for targeted therapies.

We validated a new noninvasive tool (B4C) to assess intracranial pressure waveform (ICPW) morphology in a set of neurocritical patients, correlating the data with ICPW obtained from invasive catheter monitoring. Materials and Methods: Patients undergoing invasive intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring were consecutively evaluated using the B4C sensor. Ultrasound-guided manual internal jugular vein (IJV) compression was performed to elevate ICP from the baseline. ICP values, amplitudes, and time intervals (P2/P1 ratio and time-to-peak [TTP]) between the ICP and B4C waveform peaks were analyzed. Results: Among 41 patients, the main causes for ICP monitoring included traumatic brain injury, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and stroke. Bland-Altman’s plot indicated agreement between the ICPW parameters obtained using both techniques. The strongest Pearson’s correlation for P2/P1 and TTP was observed among patients with no cranial damage (r = 0.72 and 0.85, respectively) in detriment of those who have undergone craniotomies or craniectomies. P2/P1 values of 1 were equivalent between the two techniques (area under the receiver operator curve [AUROC], 0.9) whereas B4C cut-off 1.2 was predictive of intracranial hypertension (AUROC 0.9, p < 000.1 for ICP > 20 mmHg). Conclusion: B4C provided biometric amplitude ratios correlated with ICPW variation morphology and is useful for noninvasive critical care monitoring.

This work aims to investigate the effect of catalyst content and reaction time by catalytic upgrading from pyrolysis vapors of residual fat at 450 °C and 1.0 atmosphere, on the yields of reaction products, physicochemical properties (density, kinematic viscosity, refractive index, and acid value) and chemical composition of organic liquid products (OLP), over a catalyst fixed bed reactor, in semi pilot scale. Pellets of Red Mud chemically activated with 1.0 M HCl were used as catalysts. The experiments were carried out at 450 °C and 1.0 atmosphere, using a process schema consisting of a thermal cracking reactor of 2.0 L coupled to a catalyst fixed bed reactor of 53 mL, without catalyst and using 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0% (wt.) Red Mud pellets activated with 1.0 M HCl, in batch mode. Samples of liquid phase products were withdrawn during the course of reaction at 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80 min in order to analyze the process kinetics. The physicochemical properties (density, kinematic viscosity, acid value, and refractive index) of OLP were determined by official methods. The chemical functions present in OLP determined by FT-IR and the chemical composition by GC-MS. The thermal catalytic cracking of residual fat show OLP yields from 54.4 to 84.88 (wt.%), aqueous phase yields between 2.21 and 2.80 (wt.%), solid phase yields (coke) between 1.30 and 8.60 (wt.%), and gas yields from 11.61 to 34.22 (wt.%). The yields of OLP increases with increasing catalyst content while those of aqueous, gaseous and solid phase decreases. For all the thermal and thermal catalytic cracking experiments, the density, kinematic viscosity, and acid value of OLP decreases with increasing reaction time. The GC-MS of liquid reaction products identified the presence of hydrocarbons (alkanes, alkenes, cycloalkanes, and aromatics) and oxygenates (carboxylic acids, ketones, esters, alcohols, and aldehydes). For all the thermal and thermal catalytic cracking experiments, the hydrocarbon content within OLP increases with reaction time, while those of oxygenates decrease, reaching concentrations of hydrocarbons up to 95.35% (area.). The best results for the physicochemical properties (density, kinematic viscosity, and acid value) and the maximum hydrocarbon content of OLP were obtained at 450 °C and 1.0 atmosphere, using a catalyst fixed bed reactor, with 5.0% (wt.) Red Mud pellets activated with 1.0 M HCl as catalyst.