Fibropapillomatosis in sea turtles is a potentially debilitating and fatal disease for which there is still a lack of knowledge, especially for specific regions of Brazil. The diagnosis is made through the observation of clinical manifestations, and despite its association with Chelonid Alphaherpesvirus 5 (ChHV5) as the etiological agent, the expression of the disease may also be related to immunological and environmental factors caused by anthropic degradation of the environment. Thus, this review aims to elucidate what is known about this disease globally and especially in various regions of Brazil, promoting a better understanding of its evolution, spatiotemporal prevalence and relationship with human activities. Furthermore, the review explores the molecular biology of ChHV5, including its genomic structure, replication cycle, and mechanisms of pathogenesis. The role of environmental factors, such as temperature and pollution, in modulating ChHV5 infection and FP development is also discussed. Additionally, the review summarizes current diagnostic methods for detecting ChHV5 infection in sea turtles, highlighting the importance of early detection and monitoring for effective disease management and conservation efforts. Finally, the review outlines future research directions aimed at improving our understanding of ChHV5 and developing strategies for FP control and prevention in sea turtle populations.

Mineral profile of beef interests human health, but also animal performance and meat quality. This study analyzes the relationships of 20 minerals in beef (ICP-OES) with 3 animal performance and 13 meat quality traits analyzed on 182 samples of Longissimus thoracis. Animals’ breed and sex showed limited effects. The major sources of variation (farm/date of slaughter, individual animal within group and side/sample within animal) differed greatly from trait to trait. Mineral contents were correlated to animal performance and meat quality being significant 52 out of the 320 correlations at the farm/date level, and 101 out of the 320 at the individual animal level. Five latent factors explained 69% of mineral co-variation. The most important, “Mineral quantity” factor correlated with age at slaughter and with the meat color traits. Two latent factors (“Na+Fe+Cu” and “Fe+Mn”) correlated with performance and meat color traits. Two other (“K-B-Pb” and “Zn”) correlated with meat chemical composition and the latter also with carcass weight and daily gain, and meat color traits. Meat cooking losses correlated with “K-B-Pb”. Latent factor analysis appears be a useful means of disentangling the very complex relationships that the minerals in meat have with animal performance and meat quality traits.

In this study, the gravimetric characterization and analysis of the solubilized extract of the organic fraction of Urban Household Solid Waste (RSDU) from the municipality of Belém do Pará was carried out in order to obtain the composition of the collected materials and the characteristics of the liquid resulting from the solubilization of these materials . The waste used to carry out this research was collected door-to-door, in which the points and neighborhoods served were determined through the sectorization of these locations and representative statistical sampling. For the sectorization of neighborhoods, family income values ​​were considered as the main parameter. After collecting the solid waste, the material was sent to the facilities of the Federal University of Pará (FUPa), where the waste was classified into paper, cardboard, tetrapak, rigid plastic, soft plastic, metals, glass, organic matter, waste toilets, fabrics and others. The organic fraction of solid waste was separated and sent to the drying, crushing and packaging processes. Subsequently, the solubilized extract of the organic fraction of solid waste was obtained, following the methodology recommended by NBR standard nº 10.006/2004, of the Brazilian Association of Technical Standards and the values ​​obtained were compared with Ordinance GM/MS nº 888/2021 and CONAMA Resolution nº 357/2005, in addition to results obtained by other authors. After carrying out the gravimetric characterization, it was possible to obtain the average proportions of 5.09% paper, 3.20% cardboard, 0.94% tetrapak, 3.58% rigid plastic, 9.97% soft plastic, 2.00% metals, 55.57% organic matter, 1.86% glass, 14.26% sanitary waste, 3.23% fabrics and 3.00% other waste. High values ​​of organic residues were found in the gravimetric composition, which can be explained by the collection method used and the high humidity of the organic solid residues. In the analyzes of the solubilized extract, values ​​of Hp (3.69 to 4.92), Turbidity (791 to 1,733 uT), Apparent Color (8,500 to 12,500 uC), True Color (6,000 to 14,000 uC), Total Dissolved Solids (5,330 to 8,040 mg/L), Total Nitrogen (201.80 to 359.90 mg/L), Ammoniacal Nitrogen (161 to 289 mg/L), Nitrate (10 to 40 mg/L), Total Phosphorus (52.30 to 166.80 mg/L) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (28,701 mg/L to 38,608 mg/L), in addition to other measured parameters, in which such information makes it possible to check the similarities of the waste solubilization conditions to that of leachates from landfills, in addition to not being in compliance with environmental and health legislation, demonstrating risks to the local environment and public health.

Objectives Bone fractures are very common diseases, which can be caused by impact injuries or physiological disorders. Thus, the present review aimed to study the use of medicinal plants in the healing mechanism of bone fractures. Evidence acquisition Through research in the PubMed, Google Academic, and Scielo databases, this article reviews 11 ethnopharmacological studies and 34 preclinical studies on the biological actions of different plants in bone fracture healing mechanism. Results Indian tribes have highlighted in the plants ethnopharmacological study for various diseases, including bone fractures. However, despite the large citations of traditional use, technical-scientific studies are still scarce in the literature. Chenopodium ambrosioides, Piper sarmentosum, quadrangular Cissus, Ricinus communis and Radix salvia miltiorrhiza plants were the most studied in the literature regarding their osteogenic, angiogenic, anti-inflammatory and remodeling effects, acting on bone receptors, stimulating bone metabolism, increasing minerals uptake, and assisting in free radicals breakdown. Conclusion Thus, the medicinal plants use is promising in the field of bone regeneration, as well as being alternative when conventional therapies are unfeasible, increasing herbal medicines demand and popularity.

Medicinal plants for bone grafts are promising because they are free from infecting microorganisms and biocompatible. We report a novel study evaluating osteoregeneration of bone grafts from extracts of Alternanthera brasiliana and Fridericia platyphylla after bone injury induced by radius fracture in rats. Grafts were obtained using 2% chitosan gel and 0.5% hydroalcoholic extract. The rats were randomly divided into four experimental groups (N= 12): Negative control (NC) - Chitosan gel; Positive control (PC) - bovine mineral bone graft (Lumina Bone®, fine powder 0.5); F. platyphylla Graft (FRID) - 0.5% bone graft; A. brasiliana Graft (ABRA) - 0.5% bone graft. The animals were evaluated for three periods, 30, 60, and 90 days after fracture induction. Bone alkaline phosphatase (BSAP) and radiographic and histological evaluations were followed. After 90 days, there was an increase in BSAP for the ABRA group on the newly formed bone matrix but not for FRID, indicating the presence of active osteoblasts. Additionally, mature bone tissue and bone remodeling were observed, and a conspicuous presence of type I collagen for both FRID and ABRA. We demonstrated that FRID and ABRA grafts produced early bone neoformation. New perspectives for these species as a graft are suggested.

With the continuous growth of electric and electronic appliances’ usage, the waste produced with obsolete material (e-waste) has an increasing environmental impact. Also, the production of such appliances bears to increased consumption of natural resources and produces a multitude of toxic and hazardous substances, which typically are not properly treated. One of the approaches that may be adopted to reduce such problems relies on the circularization of the current linear model, commonly adopted in the EEE value chain. This includes recovering eol products and reintroducing its parts, components, or raw materials into the value chain (e.g. semiconductors, circuit boards, raw metals, etc.), thus contributing to a more sustainable value chain. In this article, we present a state-of-art review that focuses on approaches and solutions for the EEE value chain traceability, and analyses the technologies that may be beneficial for promoting and implementing the CE model in this value chain.

The research reported on this paper was aimed at improving the overall efficiency of a PDO certified artisanal cheese production process. Being a PDO certified foodstuff by the EU, it is considered to have properties and qualities determined by the geographical environment in which is made, with its production taking place in a specific and determined geographical location, in this case the Serra da Estrela region. In that sense, the authors conducted a mapping according to a systemic perspective of the processes involved in the context of manufacturing and distribution of certified Serra da Estrela cheese. Numerous methods were used throughout the process, such as a systemic design analysis, and techniques derived from ethnographic methods, which led to the collection of data in the field and consequently provided the immersion of the researcher in genuine work situations. Critical points were identified and emphasized in the systemic map with the purpose of encouraging initiatives to address and overcome the gaps and inefficiencies detected. The systemic design analysis triggered the development of design work. Observations following an ethnographic approach identified ergonomic risks in cheese making during the process of cutting excess chips, fostering the emergence of musculoskeletal disorders at the wrist. A tool that fits best to the task at hand was developed. A prototype of the new tool enabled collecting feedback from use in the work context, in order to inform product development. The domains of agricultural production and microbiology, considering the specific microorganisms developed trough the ripening process of the cheese, turned out to be aspects of high importance for the issue under focus, contributing to a broader understanding of the ripening process and its risks, simultaneously improving the efficiency and success of cheese production. If it were not for the systemic analysis, which served as a link between the boundaries of distinct domains such as the risk of microorganism contamination, ergonomics, energy efficiency, legislation and regulation policies, transportation challenges and economic viability, approached throughout the research. Simultaneously creating bridges between them, the various problems might not have been detected in the first place, as they are usually addressed in specialized disciplines, predetermined by the restrictions of each specific area of knowledge. As a consequence of the development of this research, which was based on an analysis that sought to establish possible connections between various disciplines and tried to constantly maintain a holistic perspective, making new connections and observing the issues from a new angle, apart from the already established methodologies. All this allowed to lay out the seeds for the development of a plan to tackle the critical points identified by the systemic analysis reported in this paper.

At the beginning of December 2019, a new type of coronavirus emerged, SARS-CoV-2. This virus causes COVID-19, a highly contagious disease that can initially present asymptomatically and can also lead to death. Our ecological study goal was to evaluate the incidence, mortality, and lethality rates for COVID-19 between the states of Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais, with time series analysis using secondary and public databases on COVID-19 from January 2020 to July 2022. Prais-Winsten linear regression was used for trend analyses. In 2020, the rate in Espírito Santo was 2.19 times greater than Minas Gerais. This trend continued in 2021, with Espírito Santo's rate being 1.29 times greater. In 2022, Espírito Santo's rate remained 2.65 times higher than Minas Gerais. Furthermore, Espírito Santo had the highest mortality, with the exception of 2021. In turn, Minas Gerais had the highest fatality rate throughout the analyzed pandemic period. The state of Espírito Santo had a higher incidence of COVID-19, as well as higher mortality, when compared to the state of Minas Gerais. In turn, Minas Gerais had a higher fatality rate. Furthermore, both states showed similar trends for mortality, lethality, and incidence in the years 2020 and 2021.

Background: Absolute uterine factor infertility (AUFI) is a kind of infertility that is completely attributable to uterine absence (surgical or congenital for women with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome: MRKH) or anatomic or functional abnormality that prevents embryo implantation or completion of pregnancy to term. Until recently, the only viable option to parenthood for couples with AUFI were adoption or surrogacy. Since a first attempt of uterus transplant (UTx) in 2000, nine babies were born from women with a transplanted uterus from 2014, eight of which in Sweden, and one in the United States. These promising results are raising immense hopes for the women with AUFI and there is optimism about the possibility for UTx to become part of clinical care even though, besides encouraging results, the procedure has also resulted in increased risks and harms for both the donors and recipients and increased risks of premature birth for the fetus. At present UTx is still considered as experimental and requiring more research and safety assessment before becoming a therapeutic option for AUFI. The transition from experimental procedure to therapeutic care would result in less strict ethical scrutiny for UTx and in the possibility for patients to get reimbursement for the procedure by the relevant healthcare insurance or public healthcare providers. In turn, an increase in the number of UTx performed yearly by specialized surgical teams would result in a general improvement of the “field strength”. However, at present it is difficult to establish the amount of evidence that we need in order to consider UTx as no longer experimental but routine clinical practice. The literature on UTx provides recommendations on the different outcomes that should be monitored in this experimental phase but no study is anticipating the number of subjects that should be followed and for how long. Conclusion: As for other transplants that have become routine practice, like renal transplant and heart transplant, it is likely that the decision on “routine practice readiness” will result from available cumulated evidences, from expert capacity to find a consensus on best practices and on political considerations as well, including pressures form patients and patient groups.

The Textile and Clothing (T\&C) value chain is one of the most polluting in the world and one that produces the most waste. It is, therefore, important to encourage the Circular Economy (CE) model in this sector, to reduce pollution and mitigate the effects of waste production, and consequently increase environmental sustainability. For that, the involvement of the final consumer is essential. And, the final consumer's use of an Eco-gamified application for registering and promoting Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C) and Consumer-to-Business (C2B) activities, which extends the life time of textile products, is of utmost importance. In this article, we survey gamification frameworks for analyzing system design level techniques that enable engaging the final consumer in the CE process. Then, we select and use one of such frameworks, Gameful Design Heuristics (GDH), for defining the gamification structure needed to implement on a Business-to-Consumer-to-Consumer (B2C2C) context of a circular economy. As result, we present a B2C2C circular business process model for the T\&C value chain, and propose the design model of a gamified platform for the final consumers, which allows them to register the C2B and C2C activities, from the circular value chain's business process, and benefit from a game-like experience. All model features have been mapped to GDH framework heuristics, validating that it is possible to support a set of defined heuristics of applied gamification for promoting CE in the T\&C value chain.

Global climate change has induced a rise in sea surface temperature (SST), although this increase is not uniform across the world. Significant variations exist between coastal and offshore waters, particularly in regions affected by upwelling processes. This study focuses on the Canary Current Upwelling System (CCUS), stretching from Northwest Iberia to Northwest Africa. High-resolution remotely sensed SST data (0.05°) from the ODYSSEA Level 4 Sea Surface Temperature Reprocessed dataset were validated with in-situ measurements and employed to establish a regional climatological baseline for 1982 – 2012. Subsequent years were compared to this baseline to construct SST anomaly maps, revealing SST changes since 2012. The study area was further divided into sub-regions for comparative analysis. Results indicate that SST consistently increased at a higher rate offshore compared to the adjacent nearshore regions. A reference dataset spanning 1951 – 1981 was used to gauge SST variability between the two baselines. SST exhibited a 0.59°C increase from 1951 – 1981 to 1982 – 2012, with a slowing of SST trends beyond the 1982 – 2012 baseline. This research offers valuable insights into the climatological dynamics of the CCUS. These findings enhance our understanding of this critical coastal system's climatology, laying the groundwork for future investigations into evolving climate patterns in coastal regions.

Additive Manufacturing (AM) has been proving suitable to support or even replace traditional manufacturing in several industries, offering many advantages such as delivery time and reduction in terms of material waste, energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This study aimed to carry out a comparative assessment of the life cycle, from gate to gate, in the production of a low alloy carbon steel flange part using ER-90 wire. The methods utilized were Wire and Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) and conventional manufacturing (CM) by forging, and comparative factors were energy demands, GHG emissions and generated solid waste. The total energy consumption in WAAM was 10,239.40 MJ, total carbon footprint in CO2 equivalent (CO2e) was 714.1 kgCO2e kg-1, and generated solid waste was 68.6 kg, respectively, 90%, 95% and 76% lower than consumption calculated in conventional manufacturing.

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a technique developed to measure possible environmental impacts during the manufacture and use of a given product or service. Additive Manufacturing (AM) has proven to be suitable in several industries, especially wire and arc additive manufacturing (WAAM), offering many advantages such as delivery time and reduction in terms of material waste, energy consumption and equivalent CO₂ emissions (CO₂e). This study aimed to develop a methodology to evaluate environmental indicators during the life cycle assessment, from gate-to-gate, in the production of two low-alloy carbon steel metal parts (flanges) using ER-90 wire and allowed identifying the main stages that most influence environmental indicators. The total energy consumption in the production of flanges 1 and 2 were, respectively, 10,239.0 MJ, 12,754.0 MJ and the total carbon footprint, respectively, 714.1 kgCO₂e kg^-1 and 749.3 kgCO₂e kg^-1.

The biofibres wide application as mortars enhancement have been so far restricted by factors related to their chemical composition and hygroscopic nature. Their hydrophilic behavior increases the water demand of mortar-mixtures and diminishes their adhesion to the matrix, while further moisture-related fibre degradation issues may arise. Additionally, the natural fibres seem to be susceptible to degradation caused during the exposure to alkaline environments conditions, such as those of cement mortars, restricting their utilization in construction industry. Therefore, the current study focusses on the potential of fibre modification through treatments that would permanently alter their structure and chemical composition in the whole mass or surface towards their performance improvement. In this study, mild hydrothermally treated wood fibres of black pine and beech species were prepared and incorporated in cement mortars to assess their performance, applying the proportion of 1.5% v/v in the mortar. The mortars workability (at fresh state), physical, hygroscopic, chemical, thermal, and mechanical characteristics at the age of 28, 90 and 365 days and weathering performance by subjecting them at different artificial ageing environments (freeze-thaw cycles or outdoor exposure) were examined. The results indicated the beneficial role of the treated fibres in the dimensional stability, flexural strength, thermal insulation properties and capillary absorption of the mortar specimens, especially during ageing process, with the black pine fibres to reveal the highest improvement. The hydrothermally treated wood fibres seem to ensure the integrity maintenance of cement mortars under all ageing conditions, proving that the specific bio-additives could provide low-cost and eco-friendly mortar enhancement pathways.

Quantum computing is tipped to lead the future of global technological progress. However, the obstacles related to quantum software development are an actual challenge to overcome. In this scenario, this work presents an implementation of the quantum search algorithm in Atos Quantum Assembly Language (AQASM) using the quantum software stack my Quantum Learning Machine (myQLM). We present the creation of a virtual quantum processor whose configurable architecture allows the analysis of induced quantum noise effects on the quantum algorithms. The codes are available throughout the manuscript so that readers can replicate them and apply the methods discussed in this article to solve their own quantum computing projects. The presented results are consistent with theoretical predictions and demonstrate that AQASM and myQLM are powerful tools for building, implementing, and simulating quantum hardware.

This study evaluated the microbiological quality of farm oysters, cultivated in an estuary in northeastern Pará, Brazil, before and after purification process. Water and oyster samples were collected in June, August, October, and December 2019. Oysters underwent purification for up to 36 h in a small-scale adapted debugger. Microbiological analyses were performed in oysters and water depuration collected at different times of purification (0 h pre-treatment, 6 h, 12 h, 2 4h, and 36 h), using the multiple tube technique, to determine the most probable number (MPN) of Escherichia coli, thermotolerant coliforms - TTC, and total coliforms - TC. Bacterial isolation was used to determine the presence of Salmonella spp. Before purification, oysters had E. coli counts above the limit allowed by Brazilian legislation (≤ 230 MPN/100g). High TTC, and TC counts were observed in all the months of the study, and Salmonella spp. was present in August. All water samples were contaminated by TTC beyond the level allowed (> 43 MPN/100mL) in two months. The purification process of 36 h was effective in reducing the load of E. coli, TTC, and TC and eliminating Salmonella spp. in oysters.

The collision avoidance mechanism adopted by the IEEE 802.11 standard is not optimal. The mechanism employs a binary exponential backoff (BEB) algorithm in the medium access control (MAC) layer. Such an algorithm increases the backoff interval whenever a collision is detected to minimize the probability of subsequent collisions. However, the expansion of the backoff interval causes degradation of the radio spectrum utilization (i.e., bandwidth wastage). That problem worsens when the network has to manage the channel access to a dense number of stations, leading to a dramatic decrease in network performance. Furthermore, a wrong backoff setting increases the probability of collisions such that the stations experience numerous collisions before achieving the optimal backoff value. Therefore, to mitigate bandwidth wastage and, consequently, maximize the network performance, this work proposes using reinforcement learning (RL) algorithms, namely Deep Q Learning (DQN) and Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (DDPG), to tackle such an optimization problem. As for the simulations, the NS-3 network simulator is used along with a toolkit known as NS3-gym, which integrates a reinforcement-learning (RL) framework into NS-3. The results demonstrate that DQN and DDPG have much better performance than BEB for static and dynamic scenarios, regardless of the number of stations. Moreover, the performance difference is amplified as the number of stations increases, with DQN and DDPG showing a 27% increase in throughput with 50 stations compared to BEB. Furthermore, DQN and DDPG presented similar performances.

Textile and clothing is one of the most important industrial sectors, not only due to the significant number of jobs generated, but also because it addresses one of the people’s fundamental needs (clothing). It is, however, a sector with a huge environmental impact, all over the world, and also an important social impact, especially in developing countries. Sustainability in the Textile & Clothing value chain is a known issue, concerning both environmental, and economical-social facets of sustainability. One way to improve sustainability in this sector is by measuring the environmental, economic and social impacts of value chain activities and, ultimately, computing an Environmental and Circular score for each batch of textile and clothing product, and an Economical and Social score for each involved firm, reflected in their products. The consumer will then have the opportunity and responsibility for selecting products with the least negative environmental, economical and social impact. This article presents the results of STVgoDigital project - PPS1, developed in Portugal with the aim of implementing the traceability of textile and clothing products, boosting sustainability in this sector, and preparing the ground for the implementation of the circular economy. More exactly, a blockchain-based textile and clothing value-chain traceability platform is presented, for tracing textile product lots and activities, along the value chain, classifying them with a score, which measures their environmental and social impact. The environmental, economic and social impact scores are based on a set of proposed indicators. The results are assessed through the presentation of a case study of a face towel (home textile) and a case study of a T-shirt (clothing).

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is characterized by venous or arterial thrombosis and/or adverse pregnancy outcome in the presence of persistent laboratory evidence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL). Preeclampsia (PE) complicates about 10-17% of pregnancies with APS. However, only early onset PE (< 34 weeks of gestation) belongs to the clinical criteria of APS. The similarities in the pathophysiology of early onset PE and APS emphasize an association of these two syndromes. Overall, both are the result of a defective trophoblast invasion and decidual transformation at early gestation. Women with APS are at increased risk for prematurity; the reasons are mostly iatrogenic due to placental dysfunction, such as PE or FGR. Interestingly, women with APS have also an increased risk for preterm delivery, even in the absence of FGR and PE and therefore not indicated but spontaneous. The basic treatment of APS in pregnancy is low-dose-aspirin and low-molecular- weight-heparin. Nevertheless, up to 20-30% of women develop complications at early and late gestation despite basic treatment. Several additional treatment options have been proposed, with Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) being one of the most efficient. Additionally, nutritional interventions, such as intake of vitamin D have shown promising beneficial effects. Curcumin, due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, might be considered as additional intervention as well.

Presence and identity of secondary metabolites are two of the main components of lichen taxonomy. Aromatic compounds formed via the acetyl-polymalonate pathway are the most studied lichen substances. In addition, compounds derived from the mevalonic acid pathway (e.g., terpenes and steroids) are sometimes detected in the medulla. However, their identity and value as diagnostic characters in the genus Usnea are yet poorly understood despite the fact that they were mentioned in several taxonomical papers. We conclude that i) aside from the previously recognized polyphenolic compounds, carbohydrates and steroids are also detected in the medulla of some Usnea species; ii) the use of sulfuric anisaldehyde reagent greatly improves the detection of terpenes, carbohydrates and steroids compared with the sulfuric acid reagent routinely used in thin layer chromatography; iii) among carbohydrates, we detected arabitol and sucrose in the medulla; iv) steroids and terpenes remain unidentified and deserve further investigations.

S. aureus is an alarming human pathogen since it triggers numerous diseases, including impetigo and pneumonia. The S. aureus' ability to colonise the upper respiratory tract and other tissues, such as the skin, throat and gut, operate as reservoirs for infection. Indeed, being a carrier of S. aureus in the gut represents a risk factor for developing infection in distinct sites, including an unusual gastrointestinal tract disease. Here, we present an atypical clinical course of staphylococcal enterocolitis (SEC) in a man in his early seventies. After an unforeseen identification of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), the oral administration of vancomycin was critical in the outcome of the case. Although infrequent, SEC is an underestimated disease and requires a chapter in the treatment recommendations for antibiotic-related diarrhoea. Awareness of the risk factors and diagnostic tests, along with including SEC in algorithms for handling antibiotic-associated diarrhoea, is a step towards new epidemiological information.

Nowadays, the growing concern about improving thermal comfort in textiles, asphalt pavements and buildings has stimulated research into phase change materials (PCMs). However, the incorporation of PCMs directly causes mechanical impacts. Therefore, this study herein reported focuses on designing coaxial phase change fibres using commercial cellulose acetate (CA) or recycled CA obtained from cotton fabrics (CAt) as a coating and polyethylene glycol (PEG) 2000 as a core. The phase change fibres (PCF) were produced by wet spinning, varying the parameters: (i) CA concentration, molecular weight and source (virgin versus recycled); and (ii) PEG concentration and ejection. For phase change recycled fibres (PCFt), PEG concentration and ejection were varied. The fibres were assessed for their optical, chemical, thermal and mechanical properties. Bright-field microscopy images and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) micrographs proved the coaxial structure. Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the presence of PEG in the core. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) proved the ability of PCFs to tolerate high temperatures. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) attested to the presence of PEG2000 peaks, since their melting points were close to those of virgin PEG2000, with a slight change in the PCFs and PCFts caused by the protective sheath of CA and CAt.

This paper investigates an Energy Neutral System using Micro Energy Harvesters for a Health Monitoring Wireless Sensor Node (HM-WSN). We have implemented HM-WSN consisting of a solar cell energy harvester, a Power Management Unit (PMU) and the ucontroller, sensor and transmitter acting as load. A battery extender and a switching logic circuit for sensor node is designed to evaluate the efficiency of the proposed system. The HM-WSN senses body temperature with improvement in lifetime of coincell. The HM-WSN is built using commercially available off the shelf (COTS components and consumes 47.2uW for data being updated every 134s. It can be operated for approximately 1.32 years only on a coincell. Furthermore, the HM-WSN can be operated with solar energy at 200lux, achieving 96.36 years with a combination of a coincell with an additional capacitor of 2.2mF. It attains 4.07 years to 16.87 years lifetime with the load capacitor varying from 1mF to 1.5mF at 350lux lighting condition. With the same ambient condition and a 2mF load capacitor, HM-WSN attains complete energy autonomy.

The pharmacological effects of the fruiting body of Ophiocordyceps sinensis (Os) exerted antioxidant, anti-virus, and immunomodulatory, whereas the anti-inflammatory effects and active components of Os mycelial submerged culture (OMSC) are not known. This study aimed to investigate the active compounds in the fermented liquid (FLOS), hot water (WEOS), and 50-95% (EEOS-50, EEOS-95) ethanol extracts of OMSC and their anti-inflammatory effects and potential mechanisms in LPS-stimulated microglial BV2 cells. The results demonstrated that all of the OMSC extracts could inhibit NO production in BV2 cells. EEOS-95 exhibited the strongest inhibitory effects (41 % inhibitory ability at 500 µg/mL), and its ergosterol, GABA, total phenolic, and total flavonoid contents were significantly higher than those of the other extracts (18.60, 18.60, 2.28, and 2.14 mg/g, p &lt; 0.05, respectively). EEOS-95 also has a strong inhibitory ability against IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α with IC50 of 617, 277 and 507 µg/mL, respectively, which is higher than that of 1 mM melatonin. The anti-inflammatory mechanism of EEOS-95 seems to be associated with up-regulation of PPAR-γ/Nrf-2/HO-1 antioxidant-related expression and down-regulation of NF-κB/COX-2/iNOS pro-inflammatory expression signaling. Therefore, we hypothesized that EEOS-95 can prevent neurodegenerative diseases, but the effect on the application in vivo should be further investigated.

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

The antioxidant activity of molecules constitutes an important factor for the regulation of redox homeostasis and reduction of oxidative stress. Cells affected by oxidative stress can undergo genetic alteration, causing structural changes and promoting the onset of chronic diseases, such as cancer. The in silico study performed here was developed to evaluate the antioxidant potential of two molecules, ZINC08706191 (Z91) and ZINC08992920 (Z20), with recognized epithelial anticancer potential. Molecular docking, chemical-quantum calculations and Pearson's correlation were performed. The Z91 and Z20 molecules showed lower binding free energy (ΔG) values for the receptor-ligand interaction than the reference molecules (caffeine – CAF and ascorbic acid – AA), and better results for values of molecular descriptors correlated with ΔG, resulting in a decrease of ΔG. Strong correlations were observed between ΔG values for the five receptors evaluated and ΔG values of the potential epithelial anticancer activity available in literature. These results attest to the significant antioxidant potential of the Z91 and Z20 molecules and their strong relation with the potential epithelial anticancer activity and may be indicated for further analysis in relation to the control of oxidative stress and epithelial anticancer activity.

Abstract: Canine ehrlichiosis is a zoonotic disease transmitted by ticks, posing a formidable challenge to both veterinary and public health sectors worldwide. Across continents and regions, the prevalence rates of Ehrlichia canis exhibit significant variation, underlining the necessity for a nuanced and globally informed approach to understanding and combating this disease. The review navigates through this complexity, shedding light on the intricate pathogenesis of the illness. Central to this understanding is the bacterium's adept manipulation of the host's immune response, contributing to the diverse clinical manifestations observed in infected animals. Diagnostic methodologies, crucial for timely intervention and management, are subjected to critical assessment. From traditional microscopy to modern molecular techniques and serology, each approach is scrutinized for its strengths and limitations. By acknowledging these nuances, the review aims to equip practitioners with the knowledge necessary to make informed diagnostic decisions. A central tenet of this review is the advocacy for an integrated "One Health" approach. By leveraging advancements in genomics, proteomics, and artificial intelligence, there is a potential to enhance diagnostic accuracy and develop innovative therapeutic and preventive strategies globally. This collaborative approach recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, offering a holistic framework for tackling complex zoonotic diseases like canine ehrlichiosis. In conclusion, this review serves as a beacon of knowledge, illuminating the multifaceted landscape of canine ehrlichiosis. Through its synthesis of scientific literature and emphasis on methodological rigor, it provides a foundation upon which future research and interventions can be built. With a unified commitment to "One Health" principles and the integration of cutting-edge technologies, there exists the potential to mitigate the impact of this disease and safeguard both animal and human well-being worldwide

The exponential growth of maritime traffic has brought with it a multitude of business opportunities, while at the same time posing unprecedented challenges in terms of control and surveillance. Traditional methods struggle to cope with the sheer volume and complexity of maritime activities, which calls for innovative solutions. This study presents a comparative analysis of three prominent computing object detection models applied to maritime surveillance. By evaluating their performance metrics in dynamic maritime environments, this study provides information on the most suitable model for effective maritime monitoring applications, attaining an impressive 91\% mean Average Precision (mAP) using the YOLOv5n model.

Endophytic fungi are those that present part of their life cycle in healthy tissues of different plant hosts in symbiosis without causing harm. At the same time, fungus-plant symbiosis makes it possible for microorganisms to synthesize their own bioactive secondary metabolites while in stationary stage. Such microorganism-derived secondary metabolites contribute. Therefore, this work aimed to. To accomplish this, the endophytic fungus Trichoderma asperellum was isolated from Bertholletia excelsa (Brazil nut) almonds. The fungus was cultivated and extracted with ethyl acetate, obtaining AM07Ac. Then, using HPTLC (High-performance thin-layer chromatography) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1H NMR), β-amyrin, kaempferol, and brucine were identified as major compounds. Further in vivo assays in Zebrafish demonstrated the activity of AM07Ac on melanogenesis by producing a concentration-response inhibitory effect, which, through an in silico study, proved to be related to the noted major compounds known to inhibit tyrosinase activity. The inhibition of tyrosinase prevents melanin accumulation in skin. Therefore, these results imply the importance of investigating microorganisms and their pharmacological activities, in particular the endophytic fungus Trichoderma asperellum as a generator of active metabolites for melanogenesis modulation.

With the advancement of Additive Manufacturing and its applications in various industrial segments, it becomes increasingly important to investigate the processability parameters associated with nano-reinforcement. This study examines the influence of infill parameters, such as patterns (hexagonal, triangular and concentric), shape (solid and honeycomb) and concentrations by mass of Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) at 1.0 wt% and 2.0 wt% on the mechanical compression properties of the 3D printed material. In this sense, nanocomposites based on Polylactic Acid (PLA) matrix nano-reinforced by CNTs were characterized using the Scanning Electron Microscopy -SEM, X-ray Diffraction, Raman Spectroscopy techniques and mechanical analysis. The mechanical properties of both the matrix and the nanocomposites were determined through mechanical compression tests, in accordance with [1]. SEM revealed compacted regions, voids, and detachment in the structures. XRD characterization indicated PLA predominantly amorphous nature, while CNTs exhibited characteristic diffractions of carbon nanotubes. Raman characterization showcased bands and characteristic vibrations of CNTs and PLA, nanocomposites' vibrational modes combine those of CNTs and PLA. Mechanical compression analysis indicates a direct influence of infill pattern, shape, and nano-reinforcement. The triangle pattern outperformed other patterns, exhibiting a 15.03% increase compared to concentric and 8.8% compared to hexagon infill. In nanocomposites, all showed higher compressive strength than the matrix. For PLA/1.0%CNTs, strength was 16.8%, and for PLA/2.0%CNTs, it reached 39.2%. In honeycomb shapes with infill variations, the triangular pattern excelled with a 0.97% increase over concentric and 6.12% over hexagon patterns. Honeycomb results indicate a 59.6% increase for (PLA/1.0%CNTs) and a 0.48% increase for (PLA/2.0%CNTs) compared to the matrix. This study highlights 3D printing parameters, emphasizing the effectiveness of the triangular pattern and the enhanced strength with the addition of CNTs, providing insights to enhance products manufactured through Additive Manufacturing.

Introduction: Leprosy, caused by Mycobacterium leprae is one of the oldest infectious diseases in human history and its eradication is linked to poverty control, lack of basic sanitation, the fragility of health, and education services. Objective: To evaluate the frequency of blood groups (ABO/Rh) and the sociodemographic and clinical profile of Angolan patients with Leprosy treated at the Anti-Tuberculosis and Leprosy Dispensary in Luanda, the capital city of Angola. Methodology: A descriptive, introspective, cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach was carried out with 102 patients of Luanda, in the second half of 2021. Results: Of the 102 patients included in the study, the majority belonged to the ORh+ group (51.9%), followed by the BRh+ group (27.4%) and ARh+ (18.6%), most were under 51 years of age ( 87.3%), with low education (54.9%), coming from urban areas (44.1%). As for clinical conditions, most had a multibacillary infection (93.1%), diagnosed mainly by smear microscopy (75.5%) without other infection (79.4%), some of them with complications (28.4%) and individuals with non-O blood group showed changes in the blood count. Conclusion: Leprosy seems to be common in ORh+ individuals, it continues to affect especially those residing in areas of population agglomerations and with low education, presenting itself as a multibacillary infection, where changes in the blood count are greater in non-O individuals.

Dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV-2) is responsible for dengue epidemics on a global scale and is recognized for being associated with severe cases of the disease. This study conducted the phylogenetic investigation of DENV-2 in the Northern region of Brazil. DENV-2 isolates from 2017 to 2021, originating from Northern Brazilian states, were selected. Only one lineage (I) of the Asian-American genotype and one lineage (5) of the cosmopolitan genotype were observed. All sequences of the Asian-American genotype used in this study were segregated into a paraphyletic subgroup aligned with sequences from an American clade. These results indicate a probable geographic link starting from Puerto Rico. Additionally, sequences from Acre were identified and grouped into a monophyletic clade of the cosmopolitan genotype. These results indicate the cocirculation of two DENV-2 distinct lineages: Lineage 1, Asian-American genotype (probable origin from Puerto Rico); Lineage 5, cosmopolitan genotype (probable origin from Peru). Our results provide important data regarding the study of DENV genotypes and lineages distribution, as well as opening up possibilities for probable introduction and dissemination routes.

Background: Evidences on the effects of chemotherapy treatment cycles on measures of muscle, mental state, social and cognitive performance are scarce. Objective: To analyze the effects of chemotherapy cycles on muscle strength and activation, functional capacity, quality of life, fatigue and anxiety of women with breast cancer. Methods: Twenty-two women divided into a treatment group (n = 10; 46.6 ± 9.6 years) and control group (n = 12; 51.6 ± 7.0 years) participated in the study. Analysis of muscle performance, quality of life, fatigue and anxiety after the 2nd and 4th cycle of chemotherapy with anthracyclines and cyclophosphamide were performed in women with breast cancer (TRA) and compared to healthy women (CTR). Two-way ANOVA was used to compare the variance of the means and the significance level was set as p≤0.05. Results: Differences were found in the muscular activation of the vastus medialis between the groups at post time (p = 0.038), as well as in the sit and stand test in the baseline (p<0.001) and post moment (p<0.001). Functional capacity performance was different between baseline (p<0.001) and post-time (p<0.001) groups. Additionally, the TRA group worsened the quality of life in the domains of functional capacity (p<0.001) and limitation of physical aspects (p=0.002), besides presenting negative changes in fatigue. Conclusion: Anthracycline and cyclophosphamide chemotherapy cycles reduce muscular performance and affect biopsychosocial variables in women with breast cancer.

Fungal infections caused by Candida spp. are responsible for high hospital morbidity and mortality rates. Therefore, there is a continuous search for new antifungal medicines, particularly ones with anti-Candida activity. This review analyzed articles published between 2002 and 2023 considering the anti-Candida activity of chemical compounds identified or isolated in plants of the Anacardiaceae family. In addition, the in-silico prediction of the isolated compounds described was performed. The analysis of 35 studies showed that extracts, essential oils, and compounds from the anti-Candida activity were frequently determined in vitro using the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The most commonly tested species were Candida albicans, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis, C. glabrata, C. krusei, and C. guilliermondii, respectively. Essential oils were the most used form (37% of the studies). The isolated compounds with antifungal effects include cardanol, estragole, trans-anethole, β-caryophyllene, myrcene, catechin-3-o-rhamnoside, β-sitosterol-3-O-glucoside, 24Z-isomasticadienolic acid, oleanolic acid, and oleanolic aldehyde. The in-silico evaluation of those isolated compounds revealed the compounds' drug-likeness and possible antifungal activity. However, some of them showed high toxicity. In conclusion, compounds from the Anacardiaceae family show promise for developing new therapeutic antifungal drugs, especially in combination with conventional antifungals.

The use of plant fibers as reinforcement in composites with the aim of totally or partially replacing synthetic fibers has received significant attention in the last years. However, one of the disadvantages of the use of these fibers in polymeric composites is associated to the fact that they are hydrophilic, resulting in poor adhesion with most matrices when in the presence of moisture. In addition, another problem encountered is the lower strength of this type of fiber and, as a solution to minimize these problems, the composite can be hybridized by adding layers of natural and synthetic fibers and the use of resin protection along the thickness of the composite. (Lateral protection) to reduce moisture absorption by the laminate. The objective of this work is to obtain composites formed by five layers of reinforcement and terephthalic polyester matrix, one of which is reinforced only with short glass fiber-E blanket, another reinforced only with jute fiber and a third hybrid containing the fibers. Two types of reinforcements with interlayer layers. Afterwards, the loss of mechanical properties was observed when these materials were immersed in distilled water, with and without lateral protection, until reaching saturation. We evaluated parameters such as the influence of configuration type and environmental conditions, such as the amount of water absorption. The obtained results show that the hybrid composite obtained a behavior close to the composite containing only fiberglass, and better than the one containing only jute fiber and that the absorption was smaller in the samples with side protection.

Este artigo apresenta o processo de implementação da Hiperautomação no setor público brasileiro, especialmente no âmbito da Procuradoria Geral do Estado de Pernambuco. Devido à atual economia competitiva, a demanda por soluções inteligentes e confiáveis está aumentando. Para atender a essa necessidade, tecnologias inovadoras que abordem a complexidade inerente à transformação digital são desejáveis. Assim, as organizações públicas têm buscado aplicar a automação de processos para atender às necessidades dos cidadãos por um serviço mais eficiente e eficaz. No entanto, podemos observar que a automação pura e direta é apenas parte do processo de transformação. Algumas das razões que explicam a necessidade de ir além da automação de processos e alcançar a hiperautomação é a abundância de dados de várias fontes e tipos. Tudo deve estar dentro dos padrões legais, ressaltando que toda tecnologia deve estar alinhada com transparência e auditabilidade para ser incorporada com segurança. Para a experimentação, foi utilizado o método de pesquisa-ação com a aplicação da Hiperautomação, visando aumentar a arrecadação e a economia do Estado na Procuradoria Geral do Estado de Pernambuco.

This paper analyses the application of deep learning techniques for predicting wave overtopping events in port environments using sea state and weather forecasts as inputs. The study was conducted in the outer port of Punta Langosteira, A Coruña, Spain. A video recording infrastructure was installed to monitor overtopping events from 2015 to 2022, identifying 3709 overtopping events. The data collected was merged with actual and predicted data for the sea state and weather conditions during the overtopping events, creating three datasets. We used these datasets to create several machine learning models to predict whether an overtopping event would occur based on sea state and weather conditions. The final models achieved a high accuracy level during the training and testing stages: 0.81, 0.73, and 0.84 average accuracy during training and 0.67, 0.48, and 0.86 average accuracy during testing, respectively. The results of this study have significant implications for port safety and efficiency, as wave overtopping events can cause disruptions and potential damage. Using deep learning techniques for overtopping prediction can help port managers take preventative measures and optimize operations, ultimately improving safety and helping to minimize the economic impact that overtopping events have on the port's activities.

Severe malaria is a major public health concern in Angola, particularly among adults, with limited data on clinical outcomes and manifestations. The study therefore assessed the clinical manifestations and outcome of severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria in adult patients admitted to Hospital Central Dr. António Agostinho Neto of Lubango, Angola. The study retrospectively reviewed the individual records of patients over 14 years old, admitted for severe malaria during the first trimester of 2021 and 2022. World Health Organization (WHO) criteria were used to define severity. A total of 640 patients were recorded into the study, 167 in 2021 and 473 in 2022, distributed across the departments; Intensive Care Unit (ICU; n=81), Medicine (MED; n=458) and Infectiology (INF; n=101). The median age was 26 years and 59.4% were males. The most common manifestation of severe malaria was renal impairment (37.4%). The overall mortality rate was 7% and decreased considerably from 10.2% in 2021 to 5.9% in 2022. The increase in malaria cases during 2022 with increased in prevalence of life-threatening signs like renal impairment, jaundice and impaired conscience, underscores the urgent need for enhanced malaria control and surveillance strategies to mitigate morbidity and mortality, highlighting the potential for antimalarial drug resistance.

The viral genus Henipavirus includes two highly virulent zoonotic viruses of serious public health concern. Hendra henipavirus and Nipah henipavirus outbreaks are restricted to Australia and Southeast Asia, respectively. Henipavirus genus comprises mostly bat-borne viruses, but exceptions have already been described with novel viruses having rodents and shrews as reservoir animals. In the Americas, scarce evidence supports the circulation of these viruses. In this communication, we report a novel henipa-like virus from opossums (Marmosa demerarae) from a forest fragment area at Peixe-Boi municipality, Brazil, after which the virus was named the Peixe-Boi virus (PBV). The application of next-generation sequencing and metagenomic approach led us to discover the original evidence of a henipa-like virus genome in Brazil and South America and the original description of henipaviruses in marsupial species. These findings emphasize the importance of further studies to characterize PBV and clarify its ecology, impact on public health and its relationship with didelphid marsupials and other henipaviruses.

This study aimed to evaluate the physico-chemical properties, biocompatibility and bioabsorption of 3 different new membranes for bone guided regeneration (PLGA associated with hydroxyapatite and beta-TCP) with three thicknesses (200, 500 and 700 µm) implanted in mice subcutaneously. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and the quantification of Carbon, Hidrogen and Nitrogen were used to characterize the physico-chemical properties. One hundred Balb-C mice were divided into 5 experimental groups: Group 1 - Sham (without implantation); Group 2 - 200 μm; Group 3 - 500 μm; Group 4 - 700 μm; and Group 5 - Pratix®. Each group was subdivided into four experimental periods (7, 30, 60 and 90 days). Samples were collected and processed for histological and histomorphometrical evaluation. The membranes showed no moderate or severe tissue reactions in the experimental periods studied. The 500 μm membrane did not show tissue reaction for any experimental periods studied. The 200 μm membrane membranes began to exhibit fragmentation after 30- day, while the 500 and 700 µm membranes started the fragmentation at 90-day. All membranes studied were biocompatible, and the 500µm membrane showed the best results being a promissory membrane for bone guided regeneration.

Many factors drive land desertification, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. However, the numerous driving factors of desertification make analyses computer expensive. Cloud computing comes along to address this problem, especially in developing countries. The objective of this work was to assess the sensitivity of the East Atlantic Basin, Brazil, to desertification using the Mediterranean Desertification and Land Use (MEDALUS) model and Google Earth Engine (GEE). The model is composed of four environmental Quality Indices (QIs) associated with soil (SQI), vegetation (VQI), climate (CQI) and management (MQI), and contains factors influencing the desertification process. Digital databases of the factors were pre-processed and uploaded to GEE for analysis. We report Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs) and Environmentally Critical Factors (ECF) maps of the East Atlantic Basin, which showed that most of the basin is in either critical (49.4%) or fragile (35.7%) state of sensitivity. In contrast, only a smaller portion of the area is unaffected (5%) or potentially affected (10.1%). Sensitivity to desertification was inversely correlated with the presence of vigorous vegetation. A joint analysis of ESAs and ECF shed light on the importance of each factor in the sensitivity to desertification. The East Atlantic Basin shows a high degree of sensitivity to desertification, thereby demanding more attention and establishment of measures to mitigate the negative impacts of the desertification process.

Many factors drive land desertification, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. However, the numerous driving factors of desertification make analyses computer expensive. Cloud computing comes along to address this problem, especially in developing countries. The objective of this work was to assess the sensitivity of the East Atlantic Basin, Brazil, to desertification using the Mediterranean Desertification and Land Use (MEDALUS) model and Google Earth Engine (GEE). The model is composed of four environmental Quality Indices (QIs) associated with soil (SQI), vegetation (VQI), climate (CQI) and management (MQI), and contains factors influencing the desertification process. Digital databases of the factors were pre-processed and uploaded to GEE for analysis. We report Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs) and Environmentally Critical Factors (ECF) maps of the East Atlantic Basin, which showed that most of the basin is in either critical (49.4%) or fragile (35.7%) state of sensitivity. In contrast, only a smaller portion of the area is unaffected (5%) or potentially affected (10.1%). Sensitivity to desertification was inversely correlated with the presence of vigorous vegetation. A joint analysis of ESAs and ECF shed light on the importance of each factor in the sensitivity to desertification. The East Atlantic Basin shows a high degree of sensitivity to desertification, thereby demanding more attention and establishment of measures to mitigate the negative impacts of the desertification process.

Promoting diet and physical activity is important for women with recent gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and their partners to reduce the risk of future type 2 diabetes (T2D). The study aimed to understand how motivation for changing diet and physical activity behaviors among women with recent GDM and their partners was experienced after participation in the Danish Face-it intervention. Fourteen couple interviews were conducted. Data analysis followed reflexive thematic analysis. Guided by self-determination theory and interdependence theory, we identified four themes affecting couples’ motivation for health behavior change: 1) The need for relatedness after delivery, 2) Promoting competence and autonomy for health behavior change, 3) Individual and mutual preferences for health behaviors, and 4) The health threat of future T2D as a cue to action. We found that the couples in general perceived the Face-it intervention as useful and motivating. Using couple interviews increased our understanding of how the women and partners influenced each other’s perspectives after a GDM-affected pregnancy and thus how targeting couples as opposed to women alone may motivate health behavior change.

Introduction: Novel robotic surgery systems (da Vinci Xi) are superior to classical open and laparoscopic techniques with its clear and three-dimensional view. We aimed to present the first case low anterior resection of rectal cancer and vaginal specimen extraction with Da Vinci Xi.Case: A 75-year-old female patient with rectum adenocarcinoma was undergone robotic-assisted low anterior resection (LAR) of the rectum, vaginal removal of the specimen, colorectal anastomosis and loop ileostomy. The operation time was 190 minutes. There were no postoperative complications. Pathological tumor stage was stage pT1N0 with negative proximal, distal and radial resection margins. The patient was discharged on the third postoperative day.Conclusion: Robot-assisted LAR, total mesorectal excision, vaginal removal of the specimen, colorectal anastomosis, and loop ileostomy can be performed easily and safely with Da Vinci Xi at early stage rectal cancer. And the vaginal extraction of the specimen avoids us from a traditional abdominal incision.

Agroforestry homegardens are integrated arrangements of common vegetable plants in areas close to residences, which follow a structure similar to that of tropical forests, with the cultivation of multiple species to meet the basic needs of families, such as the provision of food and medicine, as well as ensuring an environment for other family activities. Considering the importance of these environments, this work aimed to address the composition and use of plant species in agroforestry homegardens, in order to support society initiatives and government policies to strengthen the management of natural resources and individual and collective well-being in the region. For this, 119 homegardens were studied in the municipalities of Belterra, Mojuí dos Campos and Santarém, in the state of Pará, in the Brazilian Amazonia, comprising five different zones (peri-urban, urban, floodplain, indigenous land and tourist land), obtaining the data via questionnaires and guided visitation by the residents. A total of 5,323 vegetal individual plants were surveyed, distributed in 188 species and 62 botanical families. The data showed that 80.5% of the individual plants are concentrated in 18.6% of the species, with no significant difference in the average of species per homegarden in the five zones. The predominance of species for food use, primarily fruit-bearing, stands out, showing a possible direction for incentive actions and/or for the ordering of public policies and programs aimed at these spaces. Most homegardens have up to 17 plant species; less than half of homegardens have species intended for medicinal use; and there is percentage parity between native plant species and those of exotic origin, where native plants stand out for shading. Agroforestry homegardens play a crucial role in the conservation and cultivation of species for food purposes, with the cultivation or maintenance of plants based on their various purposes, showing distinct profiles of distribution and choice of species, evidencing their socioeconomic and environmental importance. Thus, it is important that these land use systems are valued, investing financial resources in actions and projects aimed at maintaining and enhancing their benefits for the region.

In genetic conflicts, driver and killer elements achieve biased survival, replication, or transmission over sensitive and targeted elements through a wide range of molecular mechanisms, including mimicry. Driving mechanisms manifest at all organismal levels, from the biased propagation of individual genes, as demonstrated by transposable elements, to the biased transmission of genomes, as illustrated by viruses, to the biased transmission of cell lineages, as in cancer. Targeted genomes are vulnerable to molecular mimicry through the conserved motifs they use for their own signaling and regulation. Mimicking these motifs enables a selfish element to control core target processes, and can occur at the sequence, structure, or functional level. Molecular mimicry was first appreciated as an important phenomenon more than twenty years ago. Modern genomics technologies, databases, and machine learning approaches offer tremendous potential to study the distribution of molecular mimicry across genetic conflicts in nature. Here, we explore the theoretical expectations for molecular mimicry between conflicting genomes, the trends in molecular mimicry mechanisms across known genetic conflicts, and outline how new examples can be gleaned from population genomic datasets. We discuss how mimics involving short sequence-based motifs or gene duplications can evolve convergently from new mutations. Whereas, processes that involve divergent domains or fully-folded structures occur among genomes by horizontal gene transfer. These trends are largely based on a small number of organisms and should be reevaluated in a general, phylogenetically independent framework. Currently, publicly available databases can be mined for genotypes driving non-mendelian inheritance patterns, epistatic interactions, and convergent protein structures. A subset of these conflicting elements may be molecular mimics. We propose approaches for detecting genetic conflict and molecular mimicry from these datasets.

This study aimed to detect picobirnavirus (PBV) in the fecal samples of wild and domestic animals from 2014 to 2016 in the Amazon biome. Fecal samples from different animals, including birds (n=41) and mammals (n=217) were used. The PAGE test showed negativity for PBV. However, 32 samples (12.4%, 32/258) showed positive results in RT-PCR analyses. Among the positive sam-ples, pigs and cats, both with 28.12% (9/32), registered the highest frequencies. In phylogenetic analysis, eight sequences from positive samples grouped in the Genogroup 1 of PBV (PBV GI). PBV occurrence was significantly related to cats and pigs, but not other mammals or birds, in-dependently of their geographical origin. Nucleotide analysis demonstrated similarity among the feline group, but the absence of a defined structure between the clades. PBVs are highly wide-spread viruses that can affect the most diverse types of hosts in the Amazon biome, including humans.

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

To assess if SARS-CoV-2 infection induces changes in the urinary volatilomic fingerprint able to be used in the non-invasive COVID-19 diagnosis and management, urine samples of SARS-CoV-2 infected patients (62), recovered COVID-19 patients (30), and non-infected individuals (41) were analysed using solid-phase microextraction technique in headspace mode, combined with gas chromatography hyphenated with mass spectrometry (HS-SPME/GC-MS). In total, 101 volatile organic metabolites (VOMs) from 13 chemical families were identified, being terpenes, phenolic compounds, norisoprenoids, and ketones the most represented groups. Overall, a decrease in the levels of terpenes and phenolic compounds was observed in the control group, whereas norisoprenoids and ketones showed a significant increase. In turn, a remarkable increase was noticed in norisoprenoids and ketones and a milder increase in alcohols, furanic, and sulfur compounds in the recovery group than in the COVID-19 group. Multivariate statistical analysis identified sets of VOMs with the potential to constitute volatile signatures for COVID-19 development and progression. These signatures are composed of D-carvone, 3-methoxy-5-(trifluoromethyl)aniline (MTA), 1,1,6-trimethyl-dihydronaphthalene (TDN), 2-heptanone, and 2,5,5,8a-tetramethyl-1,2,3,5,6,7,8,8-octahydro-1-naphthalenyl ester acetate (TONEA) for COVID-19 infection and nonanoic acid, α-terpinene, β-damascenone, α-isophorone, and trans-furan linalool for patients recovering from the disease. This study provides evidence that changes in the urinary volatilomic profile triggered by SARS-CoV-2 infection constitute a promising and valuable screening and/or diagnostic and management tool for COVID-19 in clinical environment.

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

Water deficit greatly affects global crop growth and productivity, particularly in water-limited environments like upland rice cultivation, leading to reduced grain yield. Plants activate various defense mechanisms during water deficit, involving numerous genes and complex metabolic pathways. Exploring orthologous genes, linked to enhanced drought tolerance, can aid functional validation in target species using genomic data from model organisms. Here, we studied the OsCPK5 gene in upland rice, an AtCPK6 ortholog from A. thaliana, by overexpressing it in the BRSMG Curinga cultivar. Transformants were assessed under two conditions: water deficit applied 79 days after seeding, lasting 14 days, followed by 7 days of irrigation at 80% field capacity. Physiological data and samples were collected at R3, R6, and R8 stages. GM plants consistently exhibited higher OsCPK5 gene expression across stages, peaking during grain filling. During this phase, GM plants displayed reduced stomatal conductance, photosynthetic rate, and increased water use efficiency compared to non-GM plants under drought. GM plants also exhibited higher filled grain percentage in both irrigation conditions. Their drought susceptibility index was 0.9 times lower than NGM plants, and they maintained a higher chlorophyll a/b index, indicating sustained photosynthesis. NGM plants under water deficit exhibited more leaf senescence, while OsCPK5-overexpressing plants retained green leaves. Overall, OsCPK5 overexpression induced diverse drought tolerance mechanisms, hinting at potential for future development of more drought-tolerant rice cultivars.

Saltwater intrusion in the rapidly developing city of Da Nang in central Vietnam is currently causing various water-related challenges, including inadequate water supply and water pollution. An integrated SWAT-MODFLOW numerical model was used to investigate the origin and mechanism of saltwater in Holocene and Pleistocene aquifers. Geophysical and isotopic approaches were used to validate the SEAWAT model applied for simulating saltwater intrusion. The results suggest that the ebb and flow of tides, as well as water levels in rivers primarily impact coastal aquifers. However, effective water resource planning and management, along with maintaining the natural recharge of fresh water from local rain during the rainy season, could enable the rational and efficient utilization of groundwater, reducing saltwater intrusion in many areas. During the dry season, groundwater is recharged from higher altitude areas. The current saltwater intrusion mainly occurs along the rivers up to the hydraulic dam. Simulated models, using scenarios of stop abstracting groundwater, but changing to the use of surface water for drinking water, show that the area of saline water shrinks quickly after 30 years, reducing from 59.6 km2 to 39.5 km2 and from 40.2 km2 to 28.6 km2 in Holocene and Pleistocene, respectively.

Most research on colostrum quality and colostrum management focuses on maternal IgG transfer to the newborn calf. However, in addition to being a source of antibodies, colostrum has other components that influence passive immune transfer, nutrition, gut maturation, and thermoregulation. In this review, the constituents in the bovine colostrum, as well as their variation, are explored and it is discussed the biological role of colostrum on the newborn calf. Protein is the nutrient in higher concentration and fat is the nutrient with the most variation. There is a pronounced amplitude in the total solids content of colostrum, but the average concentration does not vary much between studies (24.7%). Bovine colostrum major components can vary with several factors, such as the region, season, breed, dry period length, and nutritional aspects of the dam. Bioactive components, cells, and microbiome variability are less understood, besides IgG. Regardless, they play crucial distinct roles in the physiological development of the newborn. However, a multi-interactive effect between these components, cells, and microorganisms is more likely to occur. Recently researched components in colostrum like miRNA, nucleo(t)sides, the milk fat globule membrane, oligosaccharides, minor proteins, and the microbiome are examples of promising interest areas of study.

Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) is considered one of the greatest geniuses of the Renaissance. His studies developed advanced ideas for his time, even in its most unknown aspects, such as: architecture, urban planning and restoration. He never studied formally, but he learned everything due to his method of observation, the study of other treatises and especially the group of artists with whom he collaborated. After the study of its codices a great interest and knowledge is detected, related to the design, the structural calculation, the materials and the constructive systems, in such a way that their proposals influenced the architecture of the Renaissance, through the work of other authors of your time. The purpose of this article is to make a critical analysis of its excellent architectural proposal in the cupola of the Duomo of Milan and the reasons why it was not carried out under its name. This proposal is included within a discipline in which it has never been recognized as such, but which demonstrated the same qualities as in other fields where it is recognized prestigiously.

The inflammatory bowels diseases (IBD) are autoimmune diseases that deeply impact the patients’ quality of life. The IBD pathogenesis is not yet defined, but evidence demonstrated that the IBD chronic inflammation is related to an impaired intestinal barrier. Traditionally, two actors were considered for their contribution to this disfunction: the gut microbiota and intestinal epithelium. However, a third element, which is the intestinal mucus, should be considered as peer of the epithelium and microbiota. Indeed, mucus represents the biological interface between bacteria and cells, filtering molecules or toxins and preventing bacteria penetration exploiting both structural and compositional properties. The boosting effect of the mucus characterization towards IBD comprehension is far too underestimated, although some mucus-oriented studies are already reported in literature. This work reviews the intestinal barrier features, describing each component of the gut mucosa (i.e., epithelium, microbiota, and mucus) in a mucus-oriented perspective.

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

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is an essential analyte for detecting neurodegenerative diseases and in-flammatory processes and plays a crucial role in pharmaceutical, food industry, and environmental monitoring. However, conventional H2O2 detection methods have drawbacks such as lengthy analysis time, high costs, and bulky equipment. Non-enzymatic sensors have emerged as promising alternatives to overcome these limitations. In this study, we introduce a simple, portable, and cost-effective non-enzymatic electrochemical sensor based on carbon black (CB) and silver nano-particle-modified δ-FeOOH (Ag/δ-FeOOH), integrated into a disposable electrochemical cell (DCell). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), confirmed successful CB and Ag/δ-FeOOH immo-bilization on the DCell working electrode. Electrochemical investigations revealed that the DCell-CB//Ag/δ-FeOOH sensor exhibited an approximately twofold higher apparent heterogene-ous electron transfer rate constant than the DCell–Ag/δ-FeOOH sensor, capitalizing on CB ad-vantages. Moreover, the sensor displayed excellent electrochemical response for H2O2 reduction, boasting a low detection limit of 22 µM and a high analytical sensitivity of 214 μA mM-1 cm-2. Notably, the DCell-CB//Ag/δ-FeOOH sensor exhibited outstanding selectivity for H2O2 detection, even in potential interferents such as dopamine, uric acid, and ascorbic acid. Furthermore, the sensor demonstrated its suitability for monitoring H2O2 in complex biological samples, as evidenced by H2O2 recoveries ranging from 92% to 103% in 10% fetal bovine serum. These findings underscore the considerable potential of the DCell-CB//Ag/δ-FeOOH sensor for precise and reliable H2O2 monitoring in diverse biomedical and environmental applications.

Soil contamination with toxic heavy metals, such as lead (Pb), is a critical environmental issue with adverse effects on ecosystems. Cymbopogon citratus, known as lemongrass, is a medicinal plant with phytoremediation potential for Pb-contaminated soils, besides producing essential oil (EO) and bioactive compounds. Azospirillum brasilense is a plant growth promoting bacteria, and its inoculation into the soil can benefit plants in many ways, such as increased root growth and improved nutrient absorption. This study aimed to investigate the phytochemistry of lemongrass inoculated with A. brasilense and grown in Pb-contaminated soil to assess its responses to inoculation under different Pb levels. The experimental design was completely randomized in a 2 x 5 factorial scheme: two levels of A. brasilense (absence or presence) and five Pb levels (0, 50, 100, 300, and 500 mg Pb kg–1 of soil), totaling 60 experimental plots in ten treatments with six replicates. After four months of treatment, was analyzed total and reducing sugars, total phenolic content, flavonoids, antioxidant activity, antioxidant enzymes, proline, and EO content and composition. Soil Pb levels and A. brasilense inoculation affected phytochemical in lemongrass plants. Azospirillum inoculation reduced total sugars in the roots at all soil Pb levels, while increasing Pb levels favored a rise in sugar contents. There was an increase in flavonoid content in treatments associated with Pb and inoculated with A. brasilense. Antioxidant capacity was lower at lower Pb levels, regardless of bacterial inoculation. Enzymatic response was mainly affected by Pb concentrations between 50 and 100 mg kg–1 soil. EO content was influenced by soil Pb levels, with higher EO production at 500 mg Pb kg–1 soil and without A. brasilense inoculation. Overall, lemongrass cultivation in Pb-contaminated areas can be an alternative for phytoremediation and EO production for the industry. Moreover, A. brasilense inoculation proved to be beneficial in mitigating stress caused by high Pb concentrations in contaminated soils.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental disorder, is increasingly diagnosed and significantly affects communication, behavior, and social interaction. The current diagnostic framework, guided by the DSM-5, has limitations that may lead to clinical gaps due to overlapping symptoms of ASD and other disorders. This study proposes a comprehensive approach to enhance ASD diagnosis through clinical stratification based on comorbidities. We applied precision medicine techniques to identify and categorize ASD into ten clinical profiles. Our findings contribute to a more profound understanding of ASD, including its varied clinical manifestations and comorbidities, and facilitate the development of personalized therapeutic strategies.

While there are extensive studies on the mineralogy and geochemistry of laterites worldwide, the temporal and spatial mineralogical development of a typical nickel laterite profile is still poorly constrained. In this study, we present a detailed mineralogical and geochemical characterization of samples systematically collected from a nickel laterite profile at the Sta. Cruz nickel laterite deposit, Zambales, Philippines, to describe the temporal and spatial development of the laterite profile. Wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (WDSXRF), mass balance-element mobility calculations, transmitted and reflected light microscopy, and previously reported results from coupled X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Rietveld refinement analyses, reveal that the laterite profile investigated is composed of two main horizons: the limonite and saprolite zones, separated by a thin transitional zone. The main zones are further subdivided into subzones based primarily on the mineral assemblage and major element chemistry: upper limonite, lower limonite, transitional zone, upper saprolite, and lower saprolite. Late-stage Ni-rich serpentine veins were observed cutting the upper and lower saprolite subzones. Investigation of the structure of goethite within the limonite zone via Rietveld refinement show that the crystallinity of goethite decreases with increasing Ni content and increasing crystallite size. This suggests that upwards through the limonite zone, as goethite ages, its crystallinity increases which possibly results in the removal of Ni from its crystal structure and eventual remobilization to the lower laterite zones. We propose a genetic model of the formation of the Sta. Cruz laterite consisting of four stages: (1) early-stage alteration, (2) continued serpentinization and volume expansion, (3) late stage serpentinization, dissolution, and incipient oxide formation, and (4) goethite ageing and Ni-rich serpentine vein formation. Overall, our results suggest that serpentinization is an important aspect of Ni laterite formation, both before and after the emplacement of the peridotite protolith.

Soil quality is a factor which is directly related to the sustainability of agricultural production and can be compromised through the use of inadequate management practices. In this work, soil edaphic respiration and changes in microbial biomass promoted by cover crops in an integrated crop-livestock system (ICLS) were evaluated using soil quality indicators by the respirometry method. The design used was completely randomized in a 3x6 factorial scheme and multivariate principal components analysis (PCA) was performed according to MANOVA. The edaphic respiration was determined based on the respirometry technique. From the results, it was found that edaphic soil respiration was significant in the nine evaluation periods, demonstrating the importance of grass cover on this edaphic respiration arising from the biological activity of microorganisms, which is directly related to the amount of organic carbon in the soil. It was concluded that the use of cover crops contributed to producing organic matter in the soil and consequently greater microbial respiratory activity.

We hypothesize the possible route of introduction of the cosmopolitan DENV-2 genotype into Brazil through the border with Peru. The five sequences presented in this study create a geographical link with the three others sequences of this genotype already recorded on the continent.

This article focuses on the comparison and perception of the potential of water’s surface in selected parts of the waterfront in two contrasting cities. The aim is to define the potential of the water’s surface in terms of psychology and its effects on climate. The analysis was performed on the example of Prague with its waterfront on the river Vltava, and Santa Cruz de Tenerife with its Atlantic coastline. Data was sourced from maps, questionnaire surveys and interviews with waterfront users during October 2020. The research showed a higher importance of the water’s surface for users in Prague, than in Santa Cruz. The main finding is that the psychological perception of the waterfront by its the users is affected by the possibility of a visual contact with the water’s surface, the design and composition of the space, and the climate situation of a site affected by the presence of an urban heat island (UHI). The results promote an adherence to ecosystem-based approaches in future design projects and modifications of existing public spaces. The purpose of the work is to open a broader debate on the sustainability of the potential of waterfronts and their positive impact on human health.

In this paper, we investigate the Green measure for a class of non-Gaussian processes in $\mathbb{R}^{d}$. These measures are associated with the family of generalized grey Brownian motions $B_{\beta,\alpha}$, $0

The Kalanchoe genus is composed of more than 100 species that usually thrive in tropical environments, which have been used in folkloric medicine to treat various illnesses, including dermatological conditions. With this, the present study assesses the pharmacognostical and pharmacological properties of different species of the Kalanchoe genus as elements for a potential treatment for dermatological-related conditions, from findings of existing literature and studies. It was analyzed that the Kalanchoe pinnata plant, or one of the most common species of Kalanchoe, have been observed to have distinct morphological and microscopic characteristics. Further, it was discovered that different species of Kalanchoe have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, and wound healing properties, which enable the plant to be used for dermatological products that are available to the market. With this, it is recommended that further studies be conducted in other understudied species of Kalanchoe regarding their pharmacological properties, as well as the use of other structures of the Kalanchoe plant for treatment of various dermatological conditions.

Different therapeutic strategies have been investigated to target and eliminate HIV-1-infected cells by using armed antibodies specific to viral proteins, with varying degrees of success. Herein, we propose a new strategy by combining photodynamic therapy (PDT) with HIV Env-targeted immunotherapy, and refer to it as HIV photoimmunotherapy (PIT). A human anti-gp41 antibody (7B2) was conjugated to two photosensitizers with different charges through different linking strategies; “Click” conjugation by using an azide-bearing porphyrin attached via a disulfide bridge linker with a drug-to-antibody ratio (DAR) of exactly 4, and “Lysine” conjugation by using phthalocyanine IRDye 700DX dye with average DARs of 2.1, 3.0 and 4.4. These photo-immunoconjugates (PICs) were compared via biochemical and immunological characterizations regarding the dosimetry, solubility, and cell targeting. Photo-induced cytotoxicity of the PICs were compared using assays for apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS), photo-cytotoxicity, and confocal microscopy. Targeted phototoxicity seems to be primarily dependent on the binding of PS-antibody to the HIV antigen on the cell membrane, whilst being independent of the PS type. This is the first report of the application of PIT for HIV immunotherapy by killing HIV Env-expressing cells.

The present work reports an experimental thermodynamic study of two nitrogen heterocyclic organic compounds, fenclorim and clopyralid, that have been used as herbicides. The sublimation vapor pressures of fenclorim (4,6-dichloro-2-phenylpyrimidine) and of clopyralid (3,6-dichloro-2-pyridinecarboxylic acid) were measured, at different temperatures, using a Knudsen mass-loss effusion technique. The vapor pressures of both crystalline and liquid (including supercooled liquid) phases of fenclorim were also determined using a static method based on capacitance diaphragm manometers. The experimental results enabled accurate determination of the standard molar enthalpies, entropies and Gibbs energies of sublimation for both compounds and of vaporization for fenclorim, allowing a phase diagram representation of the (p,T) results, in the neighborhood of the triple point of this compound. The temperatures and molar enthalpies of fusion of the two compounds studied were determined using differential scanning calorimetry. The standard isobaric molar heat capacities of the two crystalline compounds were determined at 298.15 K, using drop calorimetry. The gas phase thermodynamic properties of the two compounds were estimated through ab initio calculations, at the G3(MP2)//B3LYP level, and their thermodynamic stability was evaluated in the gaseous and crystalline phases, considering the calculated values of the standard Gibbs energies of formation, at 298.15 K.

Peri-implantitis continues to be one of the major reasons for implant failures. We propose a new approach for incorporating MTA into Zirconia implant surfaces with Nd:YAG laser and investigate the biological response of peri-implant cells as well as the microbiological response. Discs of Zirconia stabilized with Yttria and Titanium were produced according 4 tested groups: Nd:YAG laser textured Zirconia coated with MTA (Zr MTA); Nd:YAG laser textured Zirconia (Zr Textured); Zirconia and Titanium discs (Zr and Ti ). Contact profilometry was used to evaluate surface roughness. Human osteoblasts, gingival fibroblasts and S. oralis were cultured on samples. Cell adhesion and morphology, cell viability, cell differentiation markers and bacterial growth were assessed. Zr Textured roughness was significantly higher compared to all other groups. Cellular adhesion was observed at 1 day in all samples in both cell lines. Osteoblasts viability was lower in Zr MTA group, unlike fibroblasts viability was shown to be higher in Zr MTA group compared to Zr Textured group at 3 and 7 days. Osteocalcin and IL-8 release by osteoblasts were higher in Zr MTA. Zr Textured showed higher IL-8 values released by fibroblasts. No differences in S. oralis CFUs were observed between groups. The results suggest that Zirconia implant surfaces coated with MTA seems to promote fibroblasts proliferation and osteoblasts differentiation, however does not appear to have antibacterial properties.

Background: Histoplasmosis is a systemic mycosis, present globally. We aimed to describe cases of histoplasmosis (Hc) and to establish a risk profile associated to Hc in HIV-infected patients (HIV+). Methods: This was a retrospective study of patients with a clinical-. laboratorial diagnosis of Hc. Data was fed into REDCap and statistical analysis was done with R . Results: We included 99 records, 65 HIV+ and 34 HIV-. Average age was 39 years. Median time from onset to diagnosis was 8 weeks in HIV- and 22 weeks in HIV+. Disseminated histoplasmosis occurred in 79.4% HIV+, vs 36.4% HIV-. Median CD4 count was 70. Co-infection with tuberculosis was present in 20% of HIV+. Blood cultures were positive in 32.3% of HIV+ vs 11.8% of HIV- (p=0.025); bone marrow culture was positive in 36.9% vs 8.8%(p=0.003). Most HIV+ patients (71.4%) were hospitalized. On univariate analysis, anemia, leukopenia, intensive care, use of vasopressors and mechanical ventilation were associated with death in HIV+. Conclusions: Most of our patients with histoplasmosis were HIV+, presenting advanced AIDS. Diagnosis was late in HIV+ patients, and they frequently presented disseminated Hc, required hospitalization, and died. Early screening for Hc in HIV+ and drug induced immunosuppressed patients is crucial.

The study of the impact of polyQ expansion driven proteotoxicity on cell metabolism has evi-denced NAD molecule as a central player in regulating metabolic response and cell repair in neurodegeneration. The decline in NAD intracellular levels represents a hallmark of ageing aris-ing from a dysregulation between NAD-consuming and biosynthetic enzymatic reactions in which NMNAT plays a key role. By an integrated bioanalytical and proteomic experimental design, the derangement of NAD metabolism deriving from the accumulation of polyQ-Htt protein has been analysed in Saccha-romices cerevisiae harbouring a 103Q-Htt and compared with wild-type Htt, in absence and in presence of a phenolic extract from EVOO, as a source of antioxidant bioactive compounds. Quantification of NAD and its precursors and proteomic analysis of the differential protein ex-pression has been performed by LC-DAD-MS. Chronological lifespan and NAD homeostasis was strongly impaired by proteotoxic polyQ-Htt, eliciting a depletion of NAD levels and accumulation of NaMN. In parallel a downregulation of Sirt2 expression levels has been observed. Phenolic extract administration had no meaningful ef-fects on NAD replenishment to prevent proteotoxicity. NaMN can represent a biomarker of accel-erated aging, and/or a signaling molecule for cell repair.

We hypothesized that biofilm production occurs on stainless steel when incubated with tissue specimens in thioglycolate broth media (TBM). In a diabetic foot infection (DFI) cohort, applying the Kirschner wire and conventional methods were more sensitive than applying only the latter (CI 90%; 0.167 versus 0.375).

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.

Multidrug Artemisin-resistant (ART-R) Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) parasites represent a challenge for malaria elimination worldwide. Molecular monitoring in the Kelch domain region (pfk13) gene allows tracking mutations in parasite resistance to artemisinin. The increase of illegal miners in Roraima Yanomami indigenous land (IYL) could favor ART-R parasites. Thus, the study aimed to investigate ART-R in patients from illegal gold mining in the YIL of Roraima, Brazil. A questionnaire was applied and blood was collected from 48 patients diagnosed with P. falciparum or mixed malaria (Pf +P. vivax). The DNA was extracted and the pfk13 gene was amplified by PCR. The amplicons were subjected to DNA Sangers sequenced; the entire amplified fragment was analyzed. Among patients, 96% (46) were from illegal mining areas of the YIL. All parasite samples carried the wild-type genotypes / ART-sensitive phenotypes. These data reinforce the continued use of ACTs in Roraima as well as the maintenance of systematic monitoring for early detection of parasite populations resistant to ART, mainly in areas exposed to the individual’s influx from mining areas, such as the YIL. This is especially true when the achievement of falciparum malaria elimination in Brazil is planned and expected by 2030.

The time required to reach a correct diagnosis is one of the most important problems for rare disease (RD) patients. Diagnostic delay can be intolerably long, to the point that it is usually described as a “diagnostic odyssey” and, sometimes, a diagnosis might never occur. The International Rare Disease Research Consortium proposed, as ultimate goal for 2017-2027, to enable all people with a suspected RD to be diagnosed within one year if the disorder is known, and to enter a globally coordinated diagnostic and research pipeline for the unsolved cases. In-depth analysis of the genotype through next generation sequencing, together with a standardized in-depth phenotype description and sophisticated high-throughput approaches, have been applied as diagnostic tools to increase the chance of a timely and accurate diagnosis. This approach is very fruitful as, according to the Orphanet database, from 2010 to March 2017 more than 600 new RDs have been described and about 3600 genes linked to RDs have been identified. However, combination of -omics and phenotype data and international sharing of this information raise ethical concerns. Values to be assessed include not only patient autonomy but also family implications, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, solidarity and reciprocity, which must be respected and promoted and, at the same time, balanced among each other. In this work we suggest that, to maximise patients involvement in the search for a diagnosis and identification of new causative genes, undiagnosed patients should have the possibility to: 1) actively participate in the description of their phenotype; 2) choose the level of visibility of their profile in matchmaking databases; 3) express their preferences regarding return of new findings, in particular which level of Variant of Unknown Significance (VUS) significance should be considered relevant to them. The quality of the relation between individual patients and physicians, and between the patient community and the scientific community is critically important for making the best use of available data and combining efforts in the search for matches with similar cases worldwide that will help to solve unsolved cases. The contribution of patients to collecting and coding data comprehensively is critical for efficient use of data downstream of data collection.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) a leading cause of mortality worldwide. Therefore, there is in-creasing interest in dietary interventions to reduce risk factors associated with these conditions. Cherries and berries are rich sources of bioactive compounds and have attracted attention for their potential cardiovascular benefits. This review summarizes the current research on the effects of cherries and berries consumption on cardiovascular health, including in vivo studies and clinical trials. These red fruits are rich in phenolic compounds, such as anthocyanins and flavonoids, which have multiple bioactive properties. These properties include antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and vasodilatory effects. Studies suggest that regular consumption of these fruits may reducing in-flammation and oxidative stress, leading to lower blood pressure, improved lipid profiles, and enhanced endothelial function. However, interpreting findings and establishing optimal dosages is challenge due to the variability in fruit composition, processing methods, and study design. Despite these limitations, the evidence highlights the potential of cherries and berries as components of preventive strategies against CVD. Further research is needed to maximize their health benefits and improve clinical practice.

This study explores the impact of temperature and molarity on the pyrolysis of Açaí seeds (Euterpe Oleraceae, Mart.) activated with KOH on the yield of bio-oil, hydrocarbon content of bio-oil, antioxidant activity of bio-oil and chemical composition of aqueous phase. The experiments were carried out at 350, 400, and 450 °C and 1.0 atmosphere, with 2.0 M KOH, and at 450 °C and 1.0 at-mosphere, with 0.5 M, 1.0 M and 2.0 M KOH, in laboratory scale. The composition of bio-oils and aqueous phase determined by GC-MS, while the acid value, a physical-chemical property of fundamental importance in biofuels, of bio-oils and aqueous phases by AOCS methods. The antioxidant activity of bio-oils determined by the TEAC method. The solid phase (biochar) characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The diffractograms identified the presence of Kalicinite (KHCO3) in bio-char, and those higher temperatures favor the formation peaks of Kalicinite (KHCO3). The pyrolysis of Açaí seeds activated with KOH show bio-oil yields from 3.19 to 6.79 (wt.%), aqueous phase yields between 20.34 and 25.57 (wt.%), solid phase yields (coke) between 33.40 and 43.37 (wt.%), and gas yields from 31.85 to 34.45 (wt.%). The yield of bio-oil shows a smooth exponential increase with temperature. The acidity of bio-oil varied between 12.3 and 257.6 mgKOH/g, decreasing exponentially with temperature, while that of aqueous phase between 17.9 and 118.9 mgKOH/g, showing and exponential decay behavior with temperature, demonstrating that higher temperatures favor not only the yield of bio-oil but also bio-oils with lower acidity. For the experiments with KOH activation, the GC-MS of bio-oil identified the presence of hydrocarbons (alkanes, alkenes, cycloalkanes, cycloalkenes, and aromatics) and oxygenates (carboxylic acids, phenols, ketones, and esters). The concentration of hydrocarbons varied between 10.19 to 25.71 (area.%), increasing with temperature, while that of oxygenates from 52.69 to 72.15 (area.%), decreasing with temperature. For the experiments with constant temperature, the concentrations of hydrocarbons in bio-oil in-crease exponentially with molarity, while those of oxygenates decrease exponentially, showing that higher molarities favor the formation of hydrocarbons in bio-oil. The antioxidant activity of bio-oils decreases with increasing temperature, as the content of phenolic compounds decreases, and de-creases with increasing KOH molarity, as higher molarities favors the formation of hydrocarbons. Finally, it can be concluded that chemical activation of Açaí seeds with KOH favors the not only the yield of bio-oil but also the content of hydrocarbons. The study of process variables is of utmost importance in order to clearly assess reaction mechanisms, economic viability and design goals that could be derived from chemically activated biomass pyrolysis processes.

This study explores the impact of temperature and molarity in the pyrolysis of Açaí seeds (Euterpe Oleraceae, Mart.) activated with KOH on the yield of bio-oil, hydrocarbon content of bio-oil, and chemical composition of aqueous phase. The experiments were carried out at 350, 400, and 450 °C and 1.0 atmosphere, with 2.0 M KOH, and at 450 °C and 1.0 atmosphere, with 0.5 M, 1.0 M and 2.0 M KOH, in laboratory scale. The composition of bio-oils and aqueous phase determined by GC-MS, while the acid value, a physico-chemical property of fundamental importance in bio-fuels, of bio-oils and aqueous phases by AOCS methods. The solid phase (biochar) characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The diffractograms identified the presence of Kalicinite (KHCO3) in biochar, and those higher temperatures favor the formation peaks of Kalicinite (KHCO3). The pyrolysis of Açaí seeds activated with KOH show bio-oil yields from 3.19 to 6.79 (wt.%), aqueous phase yields between 20.34 and 25.57 (wt.%), solid phase yields (coke) between 33.40 and 43.37 (wt.%), and gas yields from 31.85 to 34.45 (wt.%). The yield of bio-oil shows a smooth exponential increase with temperature. The acidity of bio-oil varied between 12.3 and 257.6 mgKOH/g, decreasing exponentially with temperature, while that of aqueous phase between 17.9 and 118.9 mgKOH/g, showing and exponential decay behavior with temperature, demonstrating that higher temperatures favor not only the yield of bio-oil but also bio-oils with lower acidity. For the experiments with KOH activation, the GC-MS of bio-oil identified the presence of hydrocarbons (alkanes, alkenes, cycloalkanes, cycloalkenes, and aromatics) and oxygenates (carboxylic acids, phenols, ketones, and esters). The concentration of hydrocarbons varied between 10.19 to 25.71 (area.%), increasing with temperature, while that of oxygenates from 52.69 to 72.15 (area.%), decreasing with temperature. For the experiments with constant temperature, the concentrations of hydrocarbons in bio-oil increase exponentially with molarity, while those of oxygenates decrease exponentially, showing that higher molarities favor the formation of hydrocarbons in bio-oil. Finally, it can be concluded that chemical activation of Açaí seeds with KOH favors the not only the yield of bio-oil but also the content of hydrocarbons. The study of process variables is of utmost importance in order to clearly assess reaction mechanisms, economic viability and design goals that could be derived from chemically activated biomass pyrolysis processes.

This study explores the impact of temperature and molarity on the pyrolysis of Açaí seeds (Euterpe Oleraceae, Mart.) activated with KOH on the yield of bio-oil, hydrocarbon content of bio-oil, an-tioxidant activity of bio-oil and chemical composition of aqueous phase. The experiments were carried out at 350, 400, and 450 °C and 1.0 atmosphere, with 2.0 M KOH, and at 450 °C and 1.0 atmosphere, with 0.5 M, 1.0 M and 2.0 M KOH, in laboratory scale. The composition of bio-oils and aqueous phase determined by GC-MS, while the acid value, a physical-chemical property of fundamental importance in biofuels, of bio-oils and aqueous phases by AOCS methods. The an-tioxidant activity of bio-oils determined by the TEAC method. The solid phase (biochar) charac-terized by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The diffractograms identified the presence of Kalicinite (KHCO3) in biochar, and those higher temperatures favor the formation peaks of Kalicinite (KHCO3). The pyrolysis of Açaí seeds activated with KOH show bio-oil yields from 3.19 to 6.79 (wt.%), aqueous phase yields between 20.34 and 25.57 (wt.%), solid phase yields (coke) between 33.40 and 43.37 (wt.%), and gas yields from 31.85 to 34.45 (wt.%). The yield of bio-oil shows a smooth exponential increase with temperature. The acidity of bio-oil varied between 12.3 and 257.6 mgKOH/g, decreasing exponentially with temperature, while that of aqueous phase between 17.9 and 118.9 mgKOH/g, showing and exponential decay behavior with temperature, demonstrating that higher temperatures favor not only the yield of bio-oil but also bio-oils with lower acidity. For the experiments with KOH activation, the GC-MS of bio-oil identified the presence of hydro-carbons (alkanes, alkenes, cycloalkanes, cycloalkenes, and aromatics) and oxygenates (carboxylic acids, phenols, ketones, and esters). The concentration of hydrocarbons varied between 10.19 to 25.71 (area.%), increasing with temperature, while that of oxygenates from 52.69 to 72.15 (area.%), decreasing with temperature. For the experiments with constant temperature, the concentrations of hydrocarbons in bio-oil increase exponentially with molarity, while those of oxygenates de-crease exponentially, showing that higher molarities favor the formation of hydrocarbons in bio-oil. The antioxidant activity of bio-oils decreases with increasing temperature, as the content of phenolic compounds decreases, and decreases with increasing KOH molarity, as higher molarities favors the formation of hydrocarbons. Finally, it can be concluded that chemical activation of Açaí seeds with KOH favors the not only the yield of bio-oil but also the content of hydrocarbons. The study of process variables is of utmost importance in order to clearly assess reaction mechanisms, economic viability and design goals that could be derived from chemically activated biomass pyrolysis processes.

There is a lack of information on vaccination for pregnant women in the Brazilian literature. Our aim was to evaluate the data on vaccines recorded on the pregnancy card and knowledge about the importance of vaccination for women admitted for labor in a reference public tertiary maternity unit in Presidente Prudente, São Paulo, Brazil. Vaccine data as prescribed by the National Immunization Program of Brazil (NIP) in prenatal cards for patients in labor from the 45 municipalities of the western region of São Paulo state were obtained. A questionnaire relating to knowledge about the types and importance of vaccination in pregnancy was applied. All vaccines indicated by the NIP were registered in only 12.0% of the prenatal cards, and 33.0% of cards registered any vaccines. In this group, 16.6% were aged between 14 and 21 years, and tetanus and COVID-19 were the most prevalent vaccines that they had heard of during prenatal care. Data on vaccines was poorly recorded in the cards, suggesting a lack of attention and unpreparedness of professionals working in primary care. Our study has countrywide and global relevance, and may be applied mainly in Latin American countries facing similar difficulties and limitations with low rates of vaccination during pregnancy.

This work presents an alternative to harnessing wind energy with an Electromagnetic Frequency Regulator (EFR) coupled to a hydrostatic transmission and associated with a horizontal axis wind turbine, a bidirectional frequency inverter and a secondary energy source, in a hybridized system. The hydrostatic transmision is composed by a fixed displacement axial piston pump and a variable displacement, swash plate, axial piston motor. Feedback linearization was used as a technique to control the motor geometric displacement, and a prediction algorithm for the steady state rotations of the armature and the electromagnetic field has been developed. A 5\,kW project was simulated on a Scilab platform, with combinations of constant or variable load, and constant or variable wind speed. The results indicated that the system was able to supply the generator load, adapting to fluctuations in wind speed. The possibility of storing wind energy through the inverter has also been proven. The system can accumulate energy in batteries during the fastest wind regimes, to use it when the turbine power is lower than the load.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a disruptive technology in various areas, and medicine is no exception. In the last decade, there has been rapid progress in the application of AI in healthcare, from diagnosing and prognosticating diseases to improving operational efficiency in hospitals. This literature review explores the advances of artificial intelligence in the field of medicine, discusses its benefits, and discusses the ethical and regulatory challenges that need to be addressed to maximize its potential.

Mineral extraction is one of the most important for the economies of different countries, and Brazil is one of the world's primary iron ore producers. Unfortunately, the dams are still the main problem, mainly in Minas Gerais, especially after the Fundão Dam rupture happened in 2015. Additionally, there is still a massive presence of buildings produced on earth throughout the Minas Gerais mining region, built from the 18th century to today. Investigating the potential of IOT to be incorporated into traditional earthen construction techniques in regions affected by dam ruptures presents a relevant and innovative research approach. In addition, the local reuse of these sediments should be the priority. Thus, the main objective of this work was to collect, characterize, and analyze the possibilities of application of these tailings to produce RE. XRD, XRF, granulometry, porosity, specific density, toxicity, and MEV/EDS were performed on the samples collected at three points. To analyze the soil-IOT compatibility, representative mixtures of RE were produced, and the specific mass, compaction, and compressive strength were performed. It was observed that the IoT samples have a high silica content and that the mixtures of IOT-soil, even without cement, reached compressive strength values above the current international standards.

In the software development process, the decision-maker (DM) has a range of problems inherent to its function. Wrong choices during software planning can bring great risk to the project. Therefore, the planning of software releases to be delivered to the customer should be well done. This is not an easy task because releases are made up of many requirements that contain complex variables that must be considered, such as precedence, cost, requirement stability, among other features that make the requirements-selection process challenging. To make this process less exhaustive, DM can use tools that facilitate this work. In software engineering, we can find fields of research specialists in this context, such as Search-Based Software Engineering (SBSE). The SBSE makes use of advanced metaheuristics to search for optimal solutions or the closest to it. In this work, we try to use another field of research to solve this same problem type, the Verbal Decision Analysis (VDA). To do this, we elaborate a workflow that will use the same source data, execute two solutions using the two search fields (SBSE and VDA) and compare the results. In the end, we evaluated and commented on the results.

The activity of prioritizing software requirements should be done as efficiently as possible. Selecting the most stable requirements for the most important customers for the development company can be a positive factor when we consider that the available resource does not always encompass the implementation of all requirements. Quantitative methods for reaching software prioritization in releases are many in the field of Search-Based Software Engineering (SBSE). However, we show that it is possible to use qualitative Verbal Decision Analysis (VDA) methods to solve this same type of problem. Moreover, we will use the ZAPROS III-i methods to prioritize requirements considering the opinion of the decision-maker, who will participate in this process. Finally, the results obtained in the VDA structured methods were quite satisfactory when compared to the methods using SBSE. A comparison of results between quantitative and qualitative methods will be made and discussed later.

Objective: To evaluate the direct costs of treating patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) in outpatient care, from a hospital and Unified Health System (SUS) perspective. Methods: Observational study with data collection by microfunding, carried out with patients diagnosed with neuromyelitis optics, treated at a university hospital, in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Mann-Whitney tests were performed to measure cost differences between patient groups by disease severity and analysis perspective. Results: Nine individuals with a median age of 48 years (IQR 30 - 59 years) were included. The median total costs for patients with greater severity from the perspective of the SUS and the hospital were R$ 21,638.22 (IIQ: R$ 15,614.63; R$ 25,985.32) and R$ 32,094.11 (IIQ: R$ 25,610 .60; R$ 38,617.25) respectively. For patients with moderate severity the median was R$ 7,339.85 (IIQ: R$ 6,235.45; R$ 11,912.05) from the SUS perspective and R$ 11,505.80 (IIQ: R$ 7,339.85; R$ 22,424.76) from the perspective of the hospital, where the use of medications had a major impact. Conclusion: The main cost drivers were medicines, especially those used off-label, and procedures.

Background: Hypovitaminosis D is a public health problem due to its implications for various diseases. Vitamin D has numerous functions, such as modulating the metabolism of some cellular tissues, and is expressed through the VDR gene that may influence gene expression modulation, which plays an important role in vitamin D metabolism. Objective: To evaluate the effect of the genotypes of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) BsmI of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene on VDR, SOD2, and CYP24A1 gene expression in individuals with low serum vitamin D levels. Methods: This was a cross-sectional analytical study. Individuals were invited to participate and, after signing the informed consent form, answered a structured questionnaire with identification data. Blood was collected for biochemical analysis, and vitamin D was measured by chemiluminescence; BsmI polymorphism was determined using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays with TaqMan allelic discrimination, and gene expression was conducted by qRT-PCR using QuantiFast SYBR® Green PCR Master Mix. Data were analyzed using the SPSS 20.0 software, and differences were considered significant at p&lt;0.05. Results: 98 individuals with vitamin D ≤20 ng/dL were evaluated, and the SNP BsmI of the VDR gene showed CYP24A1 overexpression and low SOD2 expression. Conclusion: SNP Bsm I of the VDR gene can modulate the expression of the genes evaluated without interfering with serum levels.

Background: This study describes the attitudes and practices of Brazilian adults regarding the mandatory vaccination for COVID-19 and the hesitancy to children´s vaccination. Methods: The participants answered an online questionnaire disseminated on social networks. An adaptation of the SAGE-WG questionnaire was used to measure the children's vaccination hesitancy. Results: Among 1,007 participants, 677 (67.4%) believed that vaccination for COVID-19 among adults should be mandatory. Just over half of the participants (51.5%) believe that parents and guardians should be free to decide whether their children should be vaccinated against COVID-19, and 9.1% were unsure about this. Younger, non-religious people who have higher self-perceptions of risk for COVID-19, and who evaluate the federal government's performance in combating the disease as bad or very bad, have a higher agreement with mandatory vaccination, a lower agreement that parents and guardians should be free to vaccinate their children, and lower child vaccination hesitancy scores. Conclusion: In Brazil, mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for adults is far from a consensus, and an expressive part of the population believes that parents and guardians should be free to choose whether or not to vaccinate their children. These perceptions and vaccine hesitancy for children are associated with religious and political inclinations.

The literature is scarce in the evaluation of Behçet’s disease (BD) among individuals during the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Then, an epidemiological study was conducted using the data from 46 hospitalized patients with BD and coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 representing a prevalence of 2,11 patients per 100,000 inhabitants. From the study sample, 58.7% (27 patients) were female, and 67.4% (31 patients) were White. The main symptoms were fever (40; 87.0%), cough (38; 82.6%), dyspnea (35; 76.1%), and peripheral saturation below 95% (35%, 76.1%). The need for intensive care unit support occurred for 39.1% (18) patients. Also, 21.7% (10) patients needed invasive ventilatory support and 47.8% (22) needed non-invasive ventilatory support. A total of 73.9% (34) of patients lived, and 26.1% (12) of patients died. Only the presence of respiratory discomfort [37.9% vs. 5.9%] was more common among those who died. Patients with BD were not at an increased risk of worse COVID-19 outcomes in Brazil.

The Serra da Estrela Natural Park (NPSEs) in Portugal stands out as a well-preserved region abundant in medicinal plants, particularly known for their pharmaceutical applications in diabetes prevention and treatment. This comprehensive review explores these plants' botanical diversity, traditional uses, pharmacological applications, and chemical composition. The NPSEs boast a rich diversity with 138 medicinal plants across 55 families identified as traditionally and pharmacologically used against diabetes globally. Notably, the Asteraceae and Lamiaceae families are prevalent in anti-diabetic applications. In vitro studies reveal their significant inhibition of carbohydrate-metabolizing enzymes, and certain plant co-products regulate genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism and insulin secretion. In vivo trials demonstrate anti-diabetic effects, including glycaemia regulation, insulin secretion, antioxidant activity, and lipid profile modulation. Medicinal plants in NPSE exhibit various activities beyond anti-diabetic, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anticancer, and more. Chemical analysis identifies over fifty compounds like phenolic acids, flavonoids, terpenoids, and polysaccharides responsible for their efficacy against diabetes. The findings underscore the potential of NPSE medicinal plants as anti-diabetic candidates, urging further research to develop effective plant-based anti-diabetic drugs, beverages, and supplements.

Subnational governments play a key role responding to climate change risks in terms of policy strategies and instruments. This article analyzes how Brazilian municipal and state governments have developed and implemented public policies to mitigate and to adapt to climate change risks. We surveyed all cities’ and states’ climate policies within the country. The methodological approach includes five main points of analysis: 1. mitigation targets and intentions; 2. adaptation actions; 3. stakeholders’ participation; 4. policy implementation; 5. participation in networks related to climate change. Our results suggest that even though subnational climate policies in Brazil are isolated initiatives within the national context, they play an important role responding to climate change risks in different scales and levels. The strongest Brazilian policies with both mitigation and adaptation actions counted on previous mobilization for the climate issue involving different stakeholders from several segments of the society. These governments have also participated in transnational cooperation networks related to climate change.

Angiogenesis is a hallmark of ovarian cancer (OC) it promotes rapid cell growth and the associated metastasis. Identifying new bioactive compounds to target angiogenesis may provide valuable paradigms as therapeutic strategies. Melatonin is a well-characterized indoleamine that possesses important anti-angiogenic properties in a set of aggressive solid tumors. Herein, we evaluated the role of melatonin therapy on the angiogenic signaling pathway in OC of an ethanol-preferring rat model that mimics the same pathophysiological conditions occurring in women. OC was chemically induced with a single injection of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) under the ovarian bursa. After the rats developed serous papillary OC, half of the animals received i.p. injections of melatonin (200 µg/100 g body weight/day) for 60 days. Serum levels of melatonin were higher following therapy, and the expression of its receptor MT1R was significantly increased in OC-bearing rats, regardless of ethanol intake. TGFB1, a transforming growth factor-beta1, was reduced only after melatonin treatment. Importantly, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was severely reduced after melatonin therapy in animals given or not given ethanol. Conversely, the levels of VEGF receptor 1 (VEGFR1) was diminished after ethanol consumption, regardless of melatonin therapy, and VEGFR2 was only reduced following melatonin. Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α was augmented with ethanol consumption, and notably, melatonin significantly reduced their levels. Collectively, our results suggest that melatonin attenuates angiogenesis in OC of an animal model of ethanol consumption; this provides a possible complementary therapeutic opportunity for concurrent OC chemotherapy.

Active ageing is defined as the process of optimizing opportunities for physical, social and mental health to enable older people to take an active part in society without discrimination and to enjoy an independent and good quality of life. The World Health Organization assumed this as a process for increasing and maintaining an individual’s participation in activities to enhance his/her quality of life. In this survey, the authors addressed the following question: “Is assistive technology (AT) for mobility contributing to enhancement of lifelong capacity and performance?”. From June 2015 until February 2016, 96 community dwelling adults, AT users for mobility (powered wheelchairs, manual wheelchairs, lower limb prostheses, walkers, crutches and canes), aged 45-97, mean 67.02 +/- 14.24 years old, 56.3% female, were interviewed using the Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Devices Scale (P-PIADS), the Activities and Participation Profile related to Mobility (APPM) and demographics, clinical and questions about AT use and training. The participants’ profiles revealed moderate limitation and restrictions in participation, measured by the APPM (2.03). Most participants showed positive impact of AT; average scores obtained from the P-PIADS subscales were: Self-esteem 0.62, Competency 1.11 and Adaptability 1.10. P-PIADS total was 0.96, with the powered wheelchair users scoring the highest (1.53) and the walker users scoring the lowest (0.73). All subscales and P-PIADS total were positively correlated with the activities and participation profile. There was no relation between age and the psychosocial impact of AT or activities and participation profile. These results encourage the authors to follow these participants up for a lifelong intervention. To accomplish that aim, currently, the protocol is implemented at the AT prescribing centers in Coimbra, Portugal in order to assess the impact of AT on participation in society, one of the domains of the Active Ageing Index, a new analytical tool to help policy makers in developing policies for active and healthy ageing.

With limited state budget, developed nation public higher education have increased their fees making education expensive for most developing nation students. Some developing nations have set up regional low-cost education hubs to attract developed nation universities to offer their reputable degree programs. However, the intense competition for student enrolment in both has led to the marketisation of education. Students as paying customers need to experience satisfying stress-free teaching and learning to sustain enrolment. With employers increasingly unhappy with the quality of human capital, has the marketisation of higher education led to nominal human capital development? Can substantive human capital be developed in the new normal of marketisation of higher education? An adaptation of randomised control trials was used to measure learning outcomes desired by future employers for two teaching and learning approaches namely students as customers (n=497) and employers as customers (n=355). Findings show both approaches have good learning outcomes with the latter generally more superior. However, the former leads to nominal learning outcomes. This research extends the literature on achieving substantive learning outcomes conducive to employability. Implications for student satisfaction, lecturer professionalism, employability and quality assurance are discussed.

The Limpopo estuary mangrove forest covers about 928 ha, however 382 ha remain intact and 546 ha were degraded after the 2000 floods. Mangrove replanting campaigns have been carried out at the site. This article aims to evaluate the structure and carbon pool of aboveground and belowground living biomass and soil carbon in natural and replanted mangrove forests (2016, 2014 and 2010). The methodology consisted of selecting 40 strata where structural data were collected. Living biomass above and below ground and soil carbon was obtained based on the methodology described by Kauffman and Donato (2012). The results showed that A. marina was the most observed species in all study areas. The carbon reserve of living biomass above and below ground in the natural forest was 67.9±100.9 MgCha -1 and 65.0±77.1MgC ha -1 , respectively; and in the planted forests (2016, 2014, 2010) it was 1.1±0.5MgCha-1 and 2.1±1.0MgCha-1, 1.8±1.0MgCha-1 and 3.6±2.0MgCha-1, 3.7±2.0MgCha-1 and 5.3±2.5MgCha-1 . Soil carbon reserve was 229.4±119.4 MgCha-1 in natural forest and 230.3±134.8 MgCha-1 , 234.8±132.7MgC ha-1, 229.4±119.4 MgCha-1 in planted forests (2016, 2014, 2010). The total carbon reserve in the natural forest was 362.3 MgCha-1 and in the planted forestsn(2016, 2014, 2010) it was 233.5 MgCha-1 , 240.2 MgCha-1, 246.4 MgCha-1. Natural and restored forests had similar anoumts of soil carbon, which reinforces the idea that soil is a stabel carbon pool. Morever, restored forests failed to store the same amount of live biomass (an carbon), which supports the idea that it is better to prevent habitat degradation than to restore it.

The objective of this study was to analyze the in vitro stability and toxicity of liposomes containing guarana in skin cell lines. The liposomes were produced by the reverse phase evaporation method containing 1 mg/mL guarana. The stability of the liposomes was evaluated by physical-chemical parameters for up to 90 d using three different storage conditions. The cytotoxicity of guarana (GL), liposomes (B-Lip), and guarana-loaded liposomes (G-Lip) was evaluated on spontaneously immortalized human keratinocyte cell lines (HaCaT), murine swiss albino fibroblasts (3T3), and human fibroblast (1BR.3.G). The evaluation was performed using cellular viability analysis. The techniques used were 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and neutral red capturing (NRU) and the analyses were conducted after 24, 48, and 72 h exposure of these cells to the different treatments. The G-Lip exhibited physical-chemical stability for 60 d when the samples were stored in a refrigerator. The GL, B-Lip, and G-Lip demonstrated low cytotoxicity in the three cell cultures tested since a low reduction in cell viability was only observed at the highest concentrations. In addition, greater cell damage was observed for B-Lip; however, guarana protects cells from this damage. Thus, G-Lip structures can be considered as promising systems for topical applications.

⦁ Introduction: The challenging context, resulting from a post-pandemic scenario, wars, and various natural disasters, does not allow for the ideal assurance of efficiency in the Agri-food supply chain. ⦁ Research significance Currently, Agri-food supply chains and Reverse logistics show critical characteristics such as centralization, limited flexibility, distrust, bureaucratization, Border and Documentary Compliance and there are problems about efficiency, security, and safety Agri-Food. using the Supply Chain Operations Reference (SCOR) framework, with the purpose of achieving Sustainable Development Goals, promoting transparency, traceability, and non-linearization of the agri-food supply chain. ⦁ Methodology The methodology is combined, the first part uses Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) identifying 72 articles with the principal contribution in the literature. The second part combines the application of Supply Chain Operations References (SCOR) and the Blockchain Technology aiming to decentralize the linear Agri-food Supply Chain and Reverse logistics. ⦁ Results/findings The results revealed a transformation of the traditional Agri-food Supply Chain, transitioning from linear management to a circular one. Additionally, after application it is possible to know a new way to manage the Reverse Logistic with more decentralization, flexibility, traceability, and reducing the unnecessary activities, which include Border and Documentary Compliance. The originality of this research is the novel combination of SCOR Model and Blockchain showing a priority about the key activities that add value and come close to the Sustainable practices. ⦁ Conclusion / Implications Based on the results is possible to conclude that the synergy between Blockchain and SCOR Model enables a new way to manage the Agri-food supply chain, improving efficiency and reducing activities without value. Also, it is possible to ensure that the practices of Reverse Logistics are improved based on terms of cost and time, and the reduction of the exposition on the Defective Product Risk. ⦁ Social Implications This paper could enhance confidence in all operations of the Agri-food supply chain as there are numerous issues regarding the security and safety of food. Additionally, it will aid in diminishing unnecessary activities and inefficient resource consumption practices, thereby accomplishing objectives 2 "zero hunger", 9 "Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure", and 12 "Responsible consumption and production", along with their respective indicators. ⦁ Practical implications Regarding the practical implications, this research could contribute to analyses of the application of technology Blockchain in different sectors and identify the possible limitations when the main objective is to apply it on a big scale.

(1) The purpose of this study was to compare the percentages of quarterly change for each of the variables analysed (height, weight, body fat percentage and muscle mass) as a function of the quarter in a sample of adolescent football players. (2) The sample consisted of young male football players of different categories belonging to a high-performance football academy, (more than 5 years in football and have spent 1 full year at the academy). (3) Two-way repeated measures ANOVA revealed for the anthropometric variable, P_value

This article explores the apologetic discourse towards the convergence between Pure Land Buddhism and science of the contemporary Chinese Buddhist monk Da An (1959- ). Faced with the formidable challenge posed by contemporary science towards public acceptance of Buddhism, Da An endeavors to employ science as a medium for propagating Pure Land teachings, seeking to accommodate the preferences of scientifically inclined individuals. He utilizes several theoretical physics concepts to validate that certain ostensibly miraculous accounts within Pure Land Buddhist texts are not incompatible with contemporary science. Further, he asserts that certain supernatural narratives therein indicate that some physical principles still residing in theoretical conjectures on Earth have already been validated and can be utilized at will by the celestial beings in Sukhāvatī, thus asserting the supremacy of Pure Land teachings over science. The article endeavors to examine the contemporary dialogue between Pure Land Buddhism and science, which has been overlooked in the current research realm of the interaction between Buddhism and science.

In this work, we proposed a novel design of microfluidic mixer utilizing the amplified Marangoni chaotic advection induced by AC continuous electrowetting of a metal droplet situated in electrolyte solution, due to the linear and quadratic voltage-dependence of flow velocity at small or large voltages, respectively. Unlike previous researchers exploiting the unidirectional surface stress with DC bias at droplet/medium interface for pumping of electrolyte where the resulting flow rate is linearly proportional to the field intensity, dominance of another kind of dipolar flow pattern caused by local Marangoni stress at the drop surface in sufficiently intense AC electric field is demonstrated by both theoretical analysis and experimental observation, which exhibits a quadratic growth trend as a function of the applied voltage. The dipolar shear stress merely appears at larger voltages and greatly enhances the mixing performance by inducing chaotic advection between the neighboring laminar flow. The mixer design developed herein, on the basis of amplified Marangoni chaotic advection around a liquid metal droplet at larger AC voltages, has great potential for chemical reaction and MEMS actuator applications, because of generating high-throughput and excellent mixing performance at the same time.

Nano-emulsions of essential oils (EO) and their chemical constituents are promising raw materials for the ecological control of Tribolium castaneum. Curcuma longa Linn is a plant known for the properties of its rhizome which is used in food, health and hygiene products. Its leaves are by-products with no commercial value, but with unexplored bioactive volatile constituents. This study aims to evaluate the repellency of nano-emulsions containing the EO from leaves of C. longa or its three main chemical constituents against T. castaneum. The representative mixture of EO extracted in four different months showed p-cymene (26.0%), 1,8-cineole (15.1%) and terpinolene (15.5%) as major compounds. Nano-emulsions of EO (HLB 16.7), terpinolene (HLB 15.0), 1,8-cineole (HLB15.0) and p-cymene (HLB 15.0) were repellent at concentrations of 11 μg/cm2 (EO, terpinolene and p-cymene) and 1.1 μg/cm2 (1,8-cineole). The EO nano-emulsion droplet size increased linearly over time, remaining below 300 nm for 35 days and below 600 nm for 80 days. The EO nano-emulsion proved to be a green alternative to synthetic pesticides, as it was safe against the bioindicator Chlorella vulgaris. Terpinolene, 1,8-cineol and p-cymene were able to inhibit the enzyme telomerase from T. castaneum in an in silico assay, which may explain the repellency of these samples. This study provides ideas for the utilization of EO from leaves of C. longa as raw material of new environmentally friendly plant-derived nanobiopesticides.